NewzIntel.com

Category: Education

  • MIL-Evening Report: Homes are more than walls and a roof, especially for Indigenous people. It’s time housing policy reflects that

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Giles Gunesekera, PhD Researcher, University of Technology Sydney

    Australia is experiencing a housing crisis. But for many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, the challenge runs deeper than high rents and limited supply. A major problem is that housing in Australia is rarely designed with Indigenous communities in mind.

    In 2021, roughly 13% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander households faced unmet housing needs. This equated to around 45,700 low-income Indigenous households lacking suitable accommodation.

    Overcrowding remains a significant issue, with only 81.4% of Indigenous Australians living in appropriately sized housing in 2021, falling short of the 88% target set for 2031 under Closing The Gap.

    Cultural obligations, such as caring for extended family and accommodating kinship networks, are often at odds with standard tenancy agreements that limit guest numbers and occupancy terms.

    These mismatches contribute to stress, overcrowding and, in some cases, eviction.

    Housing that works

    Housing is often described as a human right. In reality, housing policy is shaped by market forces, supply targets and regulatory compliance. While these may meet administrative goals, they frequently fail to reflect the cultural, social and emotional needs of First Nations people.

    But there are programs that work.

    Our research examines how community-led, culturally safe housing can support long-term improvements in health, stability and inclusion for Indigenous and marginalised communities

    One compelling example is the Ngalang Moort Wangkiny project in Western Australia. Led by Aboriginal researchers, this project explored the experiences of Aboriginal families living in social housing. Through yarning circles, tenants shared how housing design and tenancy rules often work against their cultural needs.

    Many homes are built for small families and do not accommodate extended kinship networks. Tenancy agreements may limit guests or require the names of all residents.

    These arrangements create tension for Aboriginal families who have a strong cultural obligation to care for relatives and host kin. Policies that ignore these responsibilities are stressful and often produce in unsuitable results.

    The research demonstrated many of these issues can be avoided through co-design. Aboriginal families who are involved in planning, decision-making and service delivery are more likely to experience positive housing outcomes. They feel a sense of safety, support and community ownership.

    With models like these, housing can be a stable foundation, not a point of vulnerability.

    The benefits of culturally safe housing extend beyond comfort or cultural fit. Evidence shows strong links between stable housing and improvements in education, employment and health.

    People who feel respected and secure in their homes are more likely to access services, remain in school and sustain employment.

    Planning with, not planning for

    Across Australia, Aboriginal Community-Controlled Organisations (ACCOs) are at the forefront of culturally safe housing.

    These organisations are governed by Aboriginal communities and grounded in local knowledge and values. In housing, they provide tenancy support, manage properties, and deliver wraparound services such as mental health care and employment programs.

    Some receive government support.

    Many of these organisations continue to operate under pressure. Funding is often short-term, rigid and inconsistent, with recent findings showing governments are leaving the financial heavy lifting to under-resourced Aboriginal groups.

    But policies are designed remotely with little input from communities. Tenancy frameworks still reflect assumptions based on Western models of home life, which may not align with Indigenous ways of living.

    Standard house layouts with separate, enclosed rooms may not support communal living or outdoor gathering spaces that are central to many Indigenous households.

    Addressing these gaps requires national policy reform recognising housing as essential social infrastructure. Long-term funding, flexible tenancy arrangements and support for Indigenous-led organisations would all help.

    A more inclusive planning system would ensure co-design becomes standard practice rather than the exception.

    Doing more to meet goals

    We can also draw valuable lessons from international models.

    Globally, community land trusts have enabled low-income and racially marginalised communities to secure long-term control of housing and land.

    These trusts work by holding land in a nonprofit trust while allowing residents to own or rent homes on it through long-term, renewable leases. This structure removes land from the speculative market, keeps housing costs stable and ensures decisions remain in the hands of the local community.

    In Chile, the Half a House model gives families a solid, expandable foundation to grow their homes as their resources allow.

    A growing number of Australian policymakers have acknowledged this need for change. The National Agreement on Closing the Gap includes targets for improved housing outcomes and increased community control.

    The 2024 Implementation Plan outlines steps toward reducing overcrowding and strengthening Aboriginal-controlled service delivery.

    Turning these goals into practice requires sustained effort. Indigenous communities must be seen as partners in decision-making, not simply as service recipients. Their insights and lived experiences should shape every stage of the housing process.

    Uniform solutions will not meet diverse local needs. Place-based approaches, developed in collaboration with communities, are essential.

    Housing is more than shelter. For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, it is a space to practise culture, strengthen kinship, and pass on knowledge. It is where identity is lived and preserved.

    Proven models already exist. Communities across Australia are leading the way. What is required now is a policy environment that listens, invests and follows their lead.

    Giles Gunesekera OAM works for Global Impact Initiative, an organisation that constructs impact investments with the dual focus of sustainable financial return and measurable, actionable, social impact.

    Dr Allan Teale receives funding from UTS.
    In 2023, he received a Churchill Fellowship that enabled him to travel to Canada and the United States to study Indigenous community housing. My report can be found at this link: https://www.churchilltrust.com.au/fellow/allan-teale-nsw-2022/

    – ref. Homes are more than walls and a roof, especially for Indigenous people. It’s time housing policy reflects that – https://theconversation.com/homes-are-more-than-walls-and-a-roof-especially-for-indigenous-people-its-time-housing-policy-reflects-that-259147

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Antarctic research is in decline, and the timing couldn’t be worse

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elizabeth Leane, Professor of Antarctic Studies, School of Humanities, University of Tasmania

    Oleksandr Matsibura/Shutterstock

    Ice loss in Antarctica and its impact on the planet – sea level rise, changes to ocean currents and disturbance of wildlife and food webs – has been in the news a lot lately. All of these threats were likely on the minds of the delegates to the annual Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting, which finishes up today in Milan, Italy.

    This meeting is where decisions are made about the continent’s future. These decisions rely on evidence from scientific research. Moreover, only countries that produce significant Antarctic research – as well as being parties to the treaty – get to have a final say in these decisions.

    Our new report – published as a preprint through the University of the Arctic – shows the rate of research on the Antarctic and Southern Ocean is falling at exactly the time when it should be increasing. Moreover, research leadership is changing, with China taking the lead for the first time.

    This points to a dangerous disinvestment in Antarctic research just when it is needed, alongside a changing of the guard in national influence. Antarctica and the research done there are key to everyone’s future, so it’s vital to understand what this change might lead to.

    Why is Antarctic research so important?

    With the Antarctic region rapidly warming, its ice shelves destabilising and sea ice shrinking, understanding the South Polar environment is more crucial than ever.

    Ice loss in Antarctica not only contributes to sea level rise, but impacts wildlife habitats and local food chains. It also changes the dynamics of ocean currents, which could interfere with global food webs, including international fisheries that supply a growing amount of food.

    Research to understand these impacts is vital. First, knowing the impact of our actions – particularly carbon emissions – gives us an increased drive to make changes and lobby governments to do so.

    Second, even when changes are already locked in, to prepare ourselves we need to know what these changes will look like.

    And third, we need to understand the threats to the Antarctic and Southern Ocean environment to govern it properly. This is where the treaty comes in.

    What is the Antarctic Treaty?

    The region below 60 degrees south is governed by the 1959 Antarctic Treaty, along with subsequent agreements. Together they are known as the Antarctic Treaty System.

    Fifty-eight countries are parties to the treaty, but only 29 of them – called consultative parties – can make binding decisions about the region. They comprise the 12 original signatories from 1959, along with 17 more recent signatory nations that produce substantial scientific research relating to Antarctica.

    This makes research a key part of a nation’s influence over what happens in Antarctica.

    For most of its history, the Antarctic Treaty System has functioned remarkably well. It maintained peace in the region during the Cold War, facilitated scientific cooperation, and put arguments about territorial claims on indefinite hold. It indefinitely forbade mining, and managed fisheries.

    Lately, however, there has been growing dysfunction in the treaty system.

    Environmental protections that might seem obvious – such as marine protected areas and special protections for threatened emperor penguins – have stalled.

    Because decisions are made by consensus, any country can effectively block progress. Russia and China – both long-term actors in the system – have been at the centre of the impasse.



    Read more:
    Antarctic summer sea ice is at record lows. Here’s how it will harm the planet – and us

    What did our report find?

    Tracking the amount of Antarctic research being done tells us whether nations as a whole are investing enough in understanding the region and its global impact.

    It also tells us which nations are investing the most and are therefore likely to have substantial influence.

    Our new report examined the number of papers published on Antarctic and Southern Ocean topics from 2016 to 2024, using the Scopus database. We also looked at other factors, such as the countries affiliated with each paper.

    The results show five significant changes are happening in the world of Antarctic research.

    • The number of Antarctic and Southern Ocean publications peaked in 2021 and then fell slightly yearly through to 2024.
    • While the United States has for decades been the leader in Antarctic research, China overtook them in 2022.
    • If we look only at the high-quality publications (those published in the best 25% of journals) China still took over the US, in 2024.
    • Of the top six countries in overall publications (China, the US, the United Kingdom, Australia, Germany and Russia) all except China have declined in publication numbers since 2016.
    • Although collaboration in publications is higher for Antarctic research than in non-Antarctic fields, Russia, India and China have anomalously low rates of co-authorship compared with many other signatory countries.

    Why is this research decline a problem?

    A recent parliamentary inquiry in Australia emphasised the need for funding certainty. In the UK, a House of Commons committee report considered it “imperative for the UK to significantly expand its research efforts in Antarctica”, in particular in relation to sea level rise.

    US commentators have pointed to the inadequacy of the country’s icebreaker infrastructure. The Trump administration’s recent cuts to Antarctic funding are only likely to exacerbate the situation. Meanwhile China has built a fifth station in Antarctica and announced plans for a sixth.

    Given the nation’s population and global influence, China’s leadership in Antarctic research is not surprising. If China were to take a lead in Antarctic environmental protection that matched its scientific heft, its move to lead position in the research ranks could be positive. Stronger multi-country collaboration in research could also strengthen overall cooperation.

    But the overall drop in global Antarctic research investment is a problem however you look at it. We ignore it at our peril.

    Elizabeth Leane receives funding from the Australian Research Council, the Dutch Research Council, the Council on Australian and Latin American Relations DFAT and HX (Hurtigruten Expeditions). She has received in-kind support from Hurtigruten Expeditions in the recent past. The University of Tasmania is a member of the UArctic, which has provided support for this project.

    Keith Larson is affiliated with the UArctic and European Polar Board. The UArctic paid for the development and publication of this report. The UArctic Thematic Network on Research Analytics and Bibliometrics conducted the analysis and developed the report. The Arctic Centre at Umeå University provided in-kind support for staff time on the report.

    – ref. Antarctic research is in decline, and the timing couldn’t be worse – https://theconversation.com/antarctic-research-is-in-decline-and-the-timing-couldnt-be-worse-260197

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Antarctic research is in decline, and the timing couldn’t be worse

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elizabeth Leane, Professor of Antarctic Studies, School of Humanities, University of Tasmania

    Oleksandr Matsibura/Shutterstock

    Ice loss in Antarctica and its impact on the planet – sea level rise, changes to ocean currents and disturbance of wildlife and food webs – has been in the news a lot lately. All of these threats were likely on the minds of the delegates to the annual Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting, which finishes up today in Milan, Italy.

    This meeting is where decisions are made about the continent’s future. These decisions rely on evidence from scientific research. Moreover, only countries that produce significant Antarctic research – as well as being parties to the treaty – get to have a final say in these decisions.

    Our new report – published as a preprint through the University of the Arctic – shows the rate of research on the Antarctic and Southern Ocean is falling at exactly the time when it should be increasing. Moreover, research leadership is changing, with China taking the lead for the first time.

    This points to a dangerous disinvestment in Antarctic research just when it is needed, alongside a changing of the guard in national influence. Antarctica and the research done there are key to everyone’s future, so it’s vital to understand what this change might lead to.

    Why is Antarctic research so important?

    With the Antarctic region rapidly warming, its ice shelves destabilising and sea ice shrinking, understanding the South Polar environment is more crucial than ever.

    Ice loss in Antarctica not only contributes to sea level rise, but impacts wildlife habitats and local food chains. It also changes the dynamics of ocean currents, which could interfere with global food webs, including international fisheries that supply a growing amount of food.

    Research to understand these impacts is vital. First, knowing the impact of our actions – particularly carbon emissions – gives us an increased drive to make changes and lobby governments to do so.

    Second, even when changes are already locked in, to prepare ourselves we need to know what these changes will look like.

    And third, we need to understand the threats to the Antarctic and Southern Ocean environment to govern it properly. This is where the treaty comes in.

    What is the Antarctic Treaty?

    The region below 60 degrees south is governed by the 1959 Antarctic Treaty, along with subsequent agreements. Together they are known as the Antarctic Treaty System.

    Fifty-eight countries are parties to the treaty, but only 29 of them – called consultative parties – can make binding decisions about the region. They comprise the 12 original signatories from 1959, along with 17 more recent signatory nations that produce substantial scientific research relating to Antarctica.

    This makes research a key part of a nation’s influence over what happens in Antarctica.

    For most of its history, the Antarctic Treaty System has functioned remarkably well. It maintained peace in the region during the Cold War, facilitated scientific cooperation, and put arguments about territorial claims on indefinite hold. It indefinitely forbade mining, and managed fisheries.

    Lately, however, there has been growing dysfunction in the treaty system.

    Environmental protections that might seem obvious – such as marine protected areas and special protections for threatened emperor penguins – have stalled.

    Because decisions are made by consensus, any country can effectively block progress. Russia and China – both long-term actors in the system – have been at the centre of the impasse.



    Read more:
    Antarctic summer sea ice is at record lows. Here’s how it will harm the planet – and us

    What did our report find?

    Tracking the amount of Antarctic research being done tells us whether nations as a whole are investing enough in understanding the region and its global impact.

    It also tells us which nations are investing the most and are therefore likely to have substantial influence.

    Our new report examined the number of papers published on Antarctic and Southern Ocean topics from 2016 to 2024, using the Scopus database. We also looked at other factors, such as the countries affiliated with each paper.

    The results show five significant changes are happening in the world of Antarctic research.

    • The number of Antarctic and Southern Ocean publications peaked in 2021 and then fell slightly yearly through to 2024.
    • While the United States has for decades been the leader in Antarctic research, China overtook them in 2022.
    • If we look only at the high-quality publications (those published in the best 25% of journals) China still took over the US, in 2024.
    • Of the top six countries in overall publications (China, the US, the United Kingdom, Australia, Germany and Russia) all except China have declined in publication numbers since 2016.
    • Although collaboration in publications is higher for Antarctic research than in non-Antarctic fields, Russia, India and China have anomalously low rates of co-authorship compared with many other signatory countries.

    Why is this research decline a problem?

    A recent parliamentary inquiry in Australia emphasised the need for funding certainty. In the UK, a House of Commons committee report considered it “imperative for the UK to significantly expand its research efforts in Antarctica”, in particular in relation to sea level rise.

    US commentators have pointed to the inadequacy of the country’s icebreaker infrastructure. The Trump administration’s recent cuts to Antarctic funding are only likely to exacerbate the situation. Meanwhile China has built a fifth station in Antarctica and announced plans for a sixth.

    Given the nation’s population and global influence, China’s leadership in Antarctic research is not surprising. If China were to take a lead in Antarctic environmental protection that matched its scientific heft, its move to lead position in the research ranks could be positive. Stronger multi-country collaboration in research could also strengthen overall cooperation.

    But the overall drop in global Antarctic research investment is a problem however you look at it. We ignore it at our peril.

    Elizabeth Leane receives funding from the Australian Research Council, the Dutch Research Council, the Council on Australian and Latin American Relations DFAT and HX (Hurtigruten Expeditions). She has received in-kind support from Hurtigruten Expeditions in the recent past. The University of Tasmania is a member of the UArctic, which has provided support for this project.

    Keith Larson is affiliated with the UArctic and European Polar Board. The UArctic paid for the development and publication of this report. The UArctic Thematic Network on Research Analytics and Bibliometrics conducted the analysis and developed the report. The Arctic Centre at Umeå University provided in-kind support for staff time on the report.

    – ref. Antarctic research is in decline, and the timing couldn’t be worse – https://theconversation.com/antarctic-research-is-in-decline-and-the-timing-couldnt-be-worse-260197

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Mr. Carlos G. Ruiz Massieu of Mexico – Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Haiti and Head of the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti

    Source: United Nations MIL-OSI 2

    nited Nations Secretary-General António Guterres announced today the appointment of Carlos G. Ruiz Massieu of Mexico as his new Special Representative for Haiti and Head of the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH).  He succeeds María Isabel Salvador of Ecuador, to whom the Secretary-General is grateful for her dedication and service. 
     
    Mr. Ruiz Massieu brings to this position over 30 years of experience in public service and diplomacy, both in bilateral and multilateral contexts.  As Special Representative of the Secretary General in Colombia since 2019, he led the United Nations Verification Mission in Colombia, monitoring the implementation of the Peace Agreement between the Government of Colombia and the FARC-EP guerrilla.  He provided good offices and political leadership in the recent peace dialogues of the Government of Colombia and the National Liberation Army, as well as with other illegal armed groups. Prior to this assignment, he served as the Chairperson of the General Assembly’s Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions from 2013 to 2018.
     
    A distinguished career diplomat, Mr. Ruiz Massieu served in different positions in the Mexican Government prior to joining the United Nations, including at the Permanent Mission of Mexico to the United Nations. Mr. Ruiz Massieu is a graduate in Law from the Universidad Iberoamericana, Mexico City, and holds a Master of Arts in Politics from the University of Essex in the United Kingdom, with a focus on Latin America.  In addition to Spanish, he speaks English and French.  
     

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Universities and Security – Counterterrorism watchdog needed – legal expert – UoA

    Source: University of Auckland (UoA)

    An independent watchdog would shine a light into the shadowy world of security and counterterrorism, says Associate Professor John Ip in a research paper.

    Since the 2019 Christchurch mosque attacks, New Zealand has introduced several counterterrorism laws, significantly expanding state power. Now, a legal expert says it’s time to follow the UK, Australia and Ireland in appointing an independent watchdog to keep that power in check.

    In his paper, ‘The case for an independent reviewer of counterterrorism legislation in New Zealand,’ University of Auckland Law Associate Professor, John Ip, says although necessary, counterterrorism legislation often lacks provision for ongoing oversight.

    Counterterrorism legislation, says Ip, is characterised by a government’s need to react to an incident decisively and quickly, leaving little time for public input, legislative deliberation or scrutiny. Once on the books, counterterrorism legislation is rarely repealed and difficult to ratchet back.

    “This makes scrutiny and oversight essential, especially given the potential impact on individual rights and freedoms.”

    Since 2019, New Zealand has introduced counterterrorism legislation including the Terrorism Suppression (Control Orders) Act, the Counter-Terrorism Legislation Act, and the Counter-Terrorism Acts (Designations and Control Orders) Amendment Act. But Ip says this relative flurry of legislation hasn’t been matched by any permanent oversight mechanism.

    “It’s important that any unintended consequences, gaps and shortcomings are brought to light and that the public have confidence that the powers conferred by counterterrorism legislation are being used appropriately.”

    Ip argues that creating an independent review entity would enhance public understanding, facilitate evidence-based policymaking and augment existing legal and political avenues of scrutiny and oversight.

    “Countries around the world quickly react to acts of terrorism, and in this, we see expansion, or at the very least, some consolidation of the power of the state. We see the creation of a stronger national security state. And as this is happening, we should strengthen the oversight and control of those same institutions.”

    However, the options for oversight currently available, says Ip, have limitations.
    “As is typical of national security matters, secrecy shrouds the operation of counterterrorism law. Secrecy around national security creates a problem – those who might provide oversight often don’t have access to the whole picture.

    “In the courts, legal challenges depend on individuals bringing cases, but secrecy can mean a wrong can’t be established because of a lack of publicly available evidence. When they do hear cases, without a comprehensive picture, judges are also likely to be more deferential.”

    Temporary review bodies such as public inquiries also have limits, says Ip. For example, the terms of reference for the Royal Commission into the 15 March attacks meant that the Commission was not allowed to look into the police’s initial response.

    “These kinds of inquiries and bodies also stop existing once they deliver their final report. If the government chooses not to act on the recommendations, there’s little option in following up or pushing for change later on.

    “These limitations, including that more specialised review bodies tend to be either ad hoc or otherwise circumscribed in scope, suggest the need for something different.”

    In his paper, Ip examines overseas models, including the UK’s Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation (IRTL). The IRTL is legally qualified, independent of government, and has access to the same classified information as ministers, enabling impartial, informed oversight.

    Unlike courts, which look into specific cases, the IRTL has a broad mandate to review counterterrorism legislation as a whole.

    While the UK model is interesting, Ip says New Zealand might more closely follow the formal statutory approach exemplified by Australia’s Independent National Security Legislation Monitor, and to a lesser extent Ireland’s Independent Examiner of Security Legislation (IESL). Both are created by legislation with clearly defined powers and responsibilities.

    “A permanent independent office, with comprehensive access to information, could review the operation of counterterrorism legislation here and publish reports with findings and recommendations,” says Ip.

    “Independent review bodies play a crucial role in shining a light into the shadowy corners of the world of security and counterterrorism.”

    Read the paper: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=5265484#:~:text=Drawing%20on%20models%20from%20the,with%20its%20findings%20and%20recommendations.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Universities – Hotspots for conservation of threatened native tree identified in Wellington – Vic

    Source: Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington

    Hotspots for the conservation of maire tawake or swamp maire in the Wellington region have been identified by researchers hoping to save this threatened native tree from the deadly myrtle rust disease.

    Swamp maire is thought to have been common in the wetlands that once covered the Wellington region. However, farming and urban development have significantly reduced its numbers. The arrival of myrtle rust in 2017 added a new threat and the tree has a conservation status of “nationally vulnerable”.

    Priority areas for its conservation have now been mapped in the western suburbs of Lower and Upper Hutt and in the towns of Paraparaumu, Waikanae, Ōtaki, Masterton, Carterton, and Featherston. These priority areas comprise up to 52 km2.

    “We’ve identified sites that are likely to have the highest abundance of swamp maire and the lowest risk of myrtle rust. They’re also easy to access so we think focusing on these sites offers the most cost-effective conservation strategy,” said Dr Sarah Herbert, a researcher in biological sciences at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington.

    Dr Herbert said the sites could act as refuges for swamp maire, with additional planting undertaken to help maintain the tree’s population as myrtle rust spreads.

    “Myrtle rust is a fungal plant pathogen that is primarily spread by the wind. It has a devastating effect on swamp maire, causing an almost complete loss of flowers, fruits, and new leaves. There’s an urgent need to identify sites where conservation and wetland restoration can take place to help ensure this treasured tree’s survival,” she said.

    In addition to the priority sites for conservation, the researchers identified other areas that could act as refuges for the tree but these areas would require more intensive management.

    “We mapped up to 233 km2 where swamp maire is present in relatively high abundance but where there is a higher risk of myrtle rust, so more effort would be needed to manage the sites. On the plus side, these areas are easy to access and existing community conservation efforts could be supported to allow more intensive control of myrtle rust.”

    Pockets of less accessible land in the wider Wellington region could also be considered as refuges for the tree’s conservation, she says.

    “We identified up to 134 km2, mostly within indigenous forest in the eastern Tararua range and in farmland in the Wairarapa, with potential for swamp maire conservation. Wetland restoration and swamp maire planting programmes by landowners and communities may be possible in places that can be accessed by off-road vehicles or on foot.”

    The researchers were able to identify areas for swamp maire conversation by using models of the Wellington region’s soil moisture and plant distribution to pinpoint sites where swamp maire was likely to be growing. They then mapped the risk of myrtle rust infection in these areas and graded sites by how easy they were to access.

    Results of the research are published in the journal Conversation Biology: https://conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/cobi.70088

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Interview – The Today Show with Karl Stefanovic and Jayne Azzopardi

    Source: Murray Darling Basin Authority

    KARL STEFANOVIC: Well, the crisis gripping Australia’s child care sector is deepening, with a second man charged in connection to an abuse investigation that led to the arrest of a Melbourne worker.

    JAYNE AZZOPARDI: The Victorian Government has announced a major crackdown which will include a phone ban inside centres. But action is needed at a national level and it is needed now. So, for more on this, we’re bringing in Federal Education Minister Jason Clare. Minister, good morning to you. You revealed yesterday that you actually know a family that has been impacted by all of this. How are they doing?

    JASON CLARE, MINISTER FOR EDUCATION: One of my best friend’s daughters is caught up in this. Two of her little girls. She’s burning with rage, as you would expect her to be, and we’ve spoken a bit over the last 48 hours. She’s angry, she’s confused, she’s feeling all of the guilt and shame and anger that any mum or dad would be feeling when you get that notification. And she’s grappling with what she needs to do now to make sure that her girls are safe. 

    This is sickening and it’s serious. It’s not the sort of stuff we like to talk about on breakfast TV. But people can’t turn away. We’ve got to act here. There’s steps that we’ve already taken, but not enough and not fast enough. One of the things that I will do as the Minister for Education, is, when the Parliament returns later this month, introduce legislation that will cut off funding to child care centres that aren’t meeting our safety standards or our quality standards. If they’re repeat offenders, if they’re not meeting the sort of safety standards that we meet, that we need and we demand as a country, then we’ve got to cut off their funding. That’s the big weapon that the Commonwealth Government has to wield here.

    STEFANOVIC: I’ll circle back to some of those things in a second. This is such a difficult case, right, and it’s difficult too, because there’s a running narrative on the side of this and they’re just charges. But there are so many families affected and, you know, one. And I was just thinking about this the other day. Jayne has kids as well, and I was just going, if that was me, I don’t know what I’d do, but I’d be baying for blood. So, to try and wrestle all those emotions around this is incredibly difficult.

    CLARE: And she is. She is. Look, it’s impossible to put yourself in that position until you’re there. I’ve got a sense of it because of the fact that it’s one of my best friends. And these are allegations put aside this individual case. There was an individual that was arrested, charged and convicted with serious acts. Australia’s worst serial paedophile was arrested for actions in child care centres in Queensland a couple of years ago. It’s what prompted me to conduct a child safety review. It’s what’s prompted the actions on mobile phones in centres, as well as mandatory reporting. But it’s also the reason why we’ve got to go further, whether that’s a national register of workers in centres or the sort of action that’s now being taken in NSW and in Victoria around CCTV. Or for that matter, the action that I will take as Minister to introduce that legislation to cut funding to centres that aren’t up to scratch. The fact is that about 70 per cent of the funding that runs the centre comes from Australian taxpayers, comes from the Commonwealth Government through the child care subsidy. It’s what makes these centres work. And if they’re not working in the interest of our kids, then we’ve got to have the power to be able to cut that funding off.

    AZZOPARDI: Minister, as a dad yourself, who would be personally paying child care centres, as we do, to look after our children and to have the expectation that they are going to be not only safe, but nurtured and nourished, do you think your Government has done enough here?

    CLARE: The honest answer is no, of course we haven’t. We haven’t done enough and we haven’t done it fast enough. 

    You’re right. One of my little guys is in child care right now. Can I use this opportunity to say thank you to all of the extraordinary child care workers, early educators across the country. They’re as angry as I am, as my friend is right now. I remember the day that we told my big guy, my 8 year old, that Louise was pregnant with his little brother. The first thing he said when we told him that he was going to be a big brother is, “I can’t wait to tell Kelly.” And Kelly is the woman that looked after him when he was in early education and care. And that reminds me that that special bond and connection that our children have with our educators. This is an essential service for mums and dads to help them get back to work. But it’s much more than that for our kids. It helps them to get ready for school, it helps them to get ready for life. Every educator out there that’s seeing this is angry and furious as well. And the responsibility rests with me as well as every other educator in the country to make sure that we make our centres safer than they are today. Not enough’s been done, more needs to be done.

    STEFANOVIC: We had a lady on just about half an hour ago saying the men at these child care centres should be banned. There are going to be all sorts of people wanting certain reforms, some of them easily done, some of them not. So, is that something that you would consider?

    CLARE: I don’t think that’s going to be the solution here. Have a look at the Four Corners exposé from earlier this year that Adele Ferguson led on. That showed abuse in our child care centres and neglect in our centres, and they weren’t blokes. We’ve had a Royal Commission, we’ve had the child care safety review that I led. We’ve got recommendations there around registers and CCTV and legislation. We know what we need to do, Karl. Now, the obligation on us is to get busy and implement these recommendations.

    STEFANOVIC: So, what’s stopping you? And I know you’re a really hardworking guy. I know you deeply feel this story, you raised the Four Corners story. When that happened, we all said, let’s change it, let’s install these reforms and let’s protect our kids. Nothing happened. So, what’s it going to be?

    CLARE: People watching aren’t interested in bloody excuses, they’re interested in action. When we got the Four Corners Report, we said we’d introduce that legislation and that’s what I’ll do when Parliament returns. The New South Wales Government also commissioned the former Deputy Ombudsman to do a review. We got that report last week and the former Deputy Ombudsman briefed Education Ministers on Friday. That’s where CCTV reform’s coming from. That’s where increasing penalties and more information for parents is coming from. We’ve got to bring all of these recommendations together. That’s happening now and we’ve got to actually do the work, we’ve got to implement them.

    AZZOPARDI: So, when parents who are watching now, what can you tell them? When will this all be in place?

    CLARE: Number one, there’s already action being taken on mobile phones. But more action will happen in September when regulations come into effect. Legislation will be introduced into the Federal Parliament when Parliament returns in the first sitting fortnight. And as I said, that’s about cutting off funding to bad actors, to people that aren’t up to scratch when it comes to the safety of our kids. And Early Education Ministers will meet again next month on the next stage of reform. 

    There’s another part to this as well, Jane, and that’s the Working With Children Checks. Not enough has been done to make sure that they work in the interest of our kids. They’re not a silver bullet because a lot of these offenders haven’t got a criminal record. So, they’re not caught by the system. But the Attorney-General has said yesterday that Attorney-Generals across the country will meet next month to make sure they work better, that there’s exchange of information, but that they’re also updated in near real-time. And Victoria and New South Wales have also announced a package of reforms. I strongly back that. We want to see that rolled out right across the country.

    STEFANOVIC: I know your pain will help motivate you to get this done. It needs to be done, pronto. There’s so much, so much at stake. Jason, thank you. And a reminder, a dedicated advice line for parents impacted in Melbourne has been established. You can call 1800 791 241. Just still rattled by all that story.

    AZZOPARDI: Completely. Completely.
     

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Trump is not like other presidents – but can he beat the ‘second term curse’ that haunts the White House?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Garritt C. Van Dyk, Senior Lecturer in History, University of Waikato

    Getty Images

    While he likes to provoke opponents with the possibility of serving a third term, Donald Trump faces a more immediate historical burden that has plagued so many presidents: the “second term curse”.

    Twenty-one US presidents have served second terms, but none has reached the same level of success they achieved in their first.

    Second term performances have ranged from the lacklustre and uninspiring to the disastrous and deadly. Voter dissatisfaction and frustration, presidential fatigue and a lack of sustainable vision for the future are all explanations.

    But Trump doesn’t quite fit the mould. Only one other president, Grover Cleveland in the late 19th century, has served a second nonconsecutive term, making Trump 2.0 difficult to measure against other second-term leaders.

    Trump will certainly be hoping history doesn’t repeat Cleveland’s second-term curse. Shortly after taking office he imposed 50% tariffs, triggering global market volatility that culminated in the “Panic of 1893”.

    At the time, this was the worst depression in US history: 19% unemployment, a run on gold from the US Treasury, a stock market crash and widespread poverty.

    More than a century on, Trump’s “move fast and break things” approach in a nonconsecutive second term might appeal to voters demanding action above all else. But he risks being drawn into areas he campaigned against.

    So far, he has gone from fighting a trade war and a culture war to contemplating a shooting war in the Middle East. His “big beautiful bill” will add trillions to the national debt and potentially force poorer voters – including many Republicans – off Medicaid.

    Whether his radical approach will defy or conform to the second term curse seems very much an open question.

    No kings

    The two-term limit was enacted by the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution in 1951. Without a maximum term, it was feared, an authoritarian could try to take control for life – like a king (hence the recent “No Kings” protests in the US).

    George Washington, James Madison and Thomas Jefferson all declined to serve a third term. Jefferson was suspicious of any president who would try to be re-elected a third time, writing:

    should a President consent to be a candidate for a 3d. election, I trust he would be rejected on this demonstration of ambitious views.

    There is a myth that after Franklin Delano Roosevelt broke the de facto limit of two terms set by the early presidents, the ghost of George Washington placed a curse on anyone serving more than four years.

    At best, second-term presidencies have been tepid compared to the achievements in the previous four years. After the second world war, some two-term presidents (Eisenhower, Reagan and Obama) started out strong but faltered after reelection.

    Eisenhower extricated the US from the Korean War in his first term, but faced domestic backlash and race riots in his second. He had to send 500 paratroopers to escort nine Black high school students in Little Rock, Arkansas, to enforce a federal desegregation order.

    Reagan made significant tax and spending cuts, and saw the Soviet Union crumble in term one. But the Iran-Contra scandal and watered down tax reform defined term two.

    Obama started strongly, introducing health care reform and uniting the Democratic voter base. After reelection, however, the Democrats lost the House, the Senate, a Supreme Court nomination, and faced scandals over the Snowden security leaks and Internal Revenue Service targeting of conservative groups.

    Truly disastrous examples of second term presidencies include Abraham Lincoln (assassination), Woodrow Wilson (first world war, failure of the League of Nations, a stroke), Richard Nixon (Watergate, impeachment and resignation), and Bill Clinton (Lewinsky scandal and impeachment).

    Room for one more? Trump has joked about being added to Mount Rushmore.
    Shutterstock

    Monumental honours

    It may be too early to predict how Trump will feature in this pantheon of less-than-greatness. But his approval ratings recently hit an all-time low as Americans reacted to the bombing of Iran and deployment of troops in Los Angeles.

    A recent YouGov poll showed voters giving negative approval ratings for his handling of inflation, jobs, immigration, national security and foreign policy. While there has been plenty of action, it may be the levels of uncertainty, drastic change and market volatility are more extreme than some bargained for.

    An uncooperative Congress or opposition from the judiciary can be obstacles to successful second terms. But Trump has used executive orders, on the grounds of confronting “national emergencies”, to bypass normal checks and balances.

    As well, favourable rulings by the Supreme Court have edged closer to expanding the boundaries of executive power. But they have not yet supported Trump’s claim from his first term that “I have an Article 2, where I have the right to do whatever I want as President”.

    Some supporters say Trump deserves a Nobel Peace Prize. And he was only half joking when he asked if there is room for one more face on Mount Rushmore. But such monumental honours may only amount to speculation unless Trump’s radical approach and redefinition of executive power defy the second-term curse.

    Garritt C. Van Dyk has received funding from the Getty Research Institute.

    – ref. Trump is not like other presidents – but can he beat the ‘second term curse’ that haunts the White House? – https://theconversation.com/trump-is-not-like-other-presidents-but-can-he-beat-the-second-term-curse-that-haunts-the-white-house-260002

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Interview – Sunrise with Natalie Barr

    Source: Murray Darling Basin Authority

    NATALIE BARR: Australia has been dealt a horrific wake up call this morning that the rules and the regulations we thought were protecting our children are just not good enough. It follows revelations of horrific alleged crimes against children across several childcare centres in Victoria. 

    More than 2,000 families have been affected by this. Now our leaders are finally acting, but it follows years and years of experts, advocates and government bodies calling for change. 

    Education Minister Jason Clare joins us live in Sydney now. Our youngest, our most vulnerable Australians have been failed. What are you doing right now to fix this? 

    JASON CLARE, MINISTER FOR EDUCATION: The truth is, Nat, you’re right. This has taken too long for governments to act. This is sickening and it’s serious, it demands serious action. We’ve already taken action around mobile phones in child care centres and mandatory reporting, but there’s more that we have to do. There’s a lot more that we have to do. 

    When Parliament returns later this month I’ll introduce a piece of legislation in the first sitting fortnight that will cut off funding to child care centres that aren’t up to scratch when it comes to the safety of our children. 

    The big weapon that the Federal Government has to wield here is the funding that we provide to child care centres. It equates to about 70 per cent of the funding that runs a centre, and if they’re not keeping our kids safe then we need to cut off their funding. 

    There’s got to be consequences for this sort of bad behaviour when centres don’t look after our kids properly. 

    BARR: Yeah, there should be. We spent millions and millions of dollars on a Royal Commission in 2015. That recommended a national working with children scheme, it recommended a national Federal office, it recommended a national register for childcare workers. That was 10 years ago. Has the government failed these families? 

    CLARE: The system has failed these families. If the allegations are proved to be true then the system has failed these families. 

    BARR: But what is the system? Because there’s a Royal Commission, it outlines all this, it gets all the experts, our taxpayers’ money pays for it, Jason, and it gives it ‑ hands with a bow to the government. And says, “This is what you guys need to do”. 

    CLARE: Correct. 

    BARR: And look where we are today. 

    CLARE: Correct, and the implementation of those reforms has taken too bloody long, and they need to be accelerated. That’s why I’ve said we need to implement a register for educators in child care centres. It’s why we need to fix the working with children checks. That’s work that’s being led by Attorney‑Generals, but it needs to be sped up. 

    There’s no point in making excuses here, Nat. The families of these kids aren’t interested in excuses. One of these families is a friend of mine. I know how they’re feeling because they’ve rung me and told me, and I can’t repeat on television what they said to me because there’s kids watching. But this is serious, and I’m determined to act. 

    It’s a complicated system, but people watching aren’t interested in bloody excuses. They’re interested in action. And that’s what Education Ministers must take. 

    BARR: Okay. Two years ago under your Government the Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority, a national independent body, issued a warning. They said they were concerned over “the level of vetting being undertaken pre‑employment”. Why didn’t you act on that? 

    CLARE: I commissioned that agency to conduct a review of child safety and I did that after a paedophile was arrested and convicted in Queensland. You’ll remember that case. That’s what led to a number of reforms around mobile phones and mandatory reporting. But there’s a whole bunch of recommendations there that need to be implemented. 

    The key point here to make, Nat, whether we’re talking about that or whether we’re talking about working with children checks or anything else, is there’s no silver bullet here. This work will never be done. There will always be people that will try to break through the net and try to get into the system. And we’ve also always got to work on making sure that we find ways to keep them out and keep our kids safe. 

    Now not enough has been done, and not enough has been done fast enough here. But I can tell you that I’m determined to act. That’s why I put this on the agenda of Education Ministers last week and we agreed that because of what’s happening in Victoria, but also what’s happening in New South Wales after the Four Corners exposé earlier this year, and what’s happened in Queensland, that we need to bring together all of these recommendations and implement them. 

    BARR: Okay. The phone ban. You’re talking about the phone ban now, but this was brought in nationally last July, wasn’t it? Victoria is only getting centres to implement it from this September. It’s voluntary and there’ll be fines. That’s a long time between last July and this September. 

    CLARE: Too long. The short answer to that is too long. The ban was put in the National Code in last July. Most centres have implemented it. The tortuous nature of the system means it needs to be put into regulations that happen in a couple of months time, and Victoria is making sure that that happens sooner than that. 

    But all of the advice that we’ve received from ACECQA, and other experts is you’ve got to get the personal mobile phones and any digital devices that workers have out of the centre. The only photographs that you should receive of your children from the centre should be from the authorised centre owned camera or phone. That was the advice that we got. We got it for a reason, Nat, and we’re implementing it. 

    BARR: Yep, okay. Still a massive amount of work to be done. Expanding and strengthening those working with children checks, the registers. We’re going to keep on it. Thank you very much. Thanks Jason. 

    CLARE: Thanks Nat.

    MIL OSI News –

  • Normality returns to Wimbledon as Alcaraz and Sabalenka ease through

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Carlos Alcaraz, Aryna Sabalenka and the end of London’s tropical heatwave ensured that a sense of normality returned to the lawns of Wimbledon on Wednesday after two sweat-soaked days of shocks, although Jasmine Paolini’s exit meant the surprises did not end.

    A stream of big names including Coco Gauff, Jessica Pegula, Alexander Zverev and Daniil Medvedev crashed and burned in the oven-like temperatures of the first round.

    So when Alcaraz walked on Centre Court to continue his bid for a third successive Wimbledon title against British qualifier Oliver Tarvet, the thought surely lurked somewhere in his mind that he could be the fall-guy in the event’s greatest upset.

    The 22-year-old second seed was not at his best but after saving three break points in a nervy first service game against a college student ranked 733rd in the world, he asserted his authority to win 6-1 6-4 6-4.

    Earlier on Centre Court, women’s top seed Sabalenka battled to a 7-6(4) 6-4 win against Czech Marie Bouzkova.

    “Honestly, it is sad to see so many upsets in the tournament, in both draws, women’s and men’s,” said Sabalenka, who is bidding for her first Wimbledon title.

    “I’m just trying to focus on myself… I hope there are no more upsets in this tournament.”

    That was not to be, as last year’s runner-up Paolini joined the mass exodus of fancied players when she crashed out 4-6 6-4 6-4 against Russian Kamilla Rakhimova.

    However, Australian Open champion Madison Keys, the sixth seed, made it safely into round three by beating Olga Danilovic 6-4 6-2 while unseeded four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka eased past Czech doubles specialist Katerina Siniakova 6-3 6-2.

    Lower temperatures did not necessarily mean more comfortable outings as world number 12 Frances Tiafoe became the 14th of the 32 men’s seeds to fall, losing 4-6 6-4 6-3 7-5 against Cameron Norrie, one of seven Britons in singles action on day three.

    The American was joined later on by Czech 23rd seed Jiri Lehecka, last month’s Queen’s Club Championships runner-up, who fell 7-6(4) 6-1 7-5 to Italian Mattia Bellucci.

    HOME CHARGE

    Ashlyn Krueger, the American 31st seed, was then beaten 7-6(4) 6-4 by Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, ensuring 15 of the 32 women’s seeds also went out of the tournament.

    Sonay Kartal led the home charge by defeating Bulgaria’s Viktoriya Tomova 6-2 6-2 to book her place in the last 32 for the second year in succession while the nation’s big hope Emma Raducanu got past 2023 champion Marketa Vondrousova 6-3 6-3.

    There was disappointment for Britain’s Katie Boulter, who served 14 double faults as she crashed 6-7(9) 6-2 6-1 to 101st-ranked Solana Sierra, the Argentine who lost in qualifying but has seized her lucky loser spot with both hands.

    Alcaraz, bidding to do the French Open-Wimbledon double for the second successive year, needed five sets to get past Italian veteran Fabio Fognini in the opening round and set up an intriguing clash with 21-year-old Tarvet.

    Tarvet, who plays on the U.S. collegiate circuit for the University of San Diego, said he believed he could beat anyone, even Alcaraz, after winning his Grand Slam debut match against fellow qualifier Leandro Riedi of Switzerland on Monday.

    He was clearly not overawed at sharing a court with a five-times major champion and had he taken any of the eight break points he earned in the first set it could have been closer.

    Alcaraz proved a step too far though as he moved through the gears when required to keep an eager Tarvet under control.

    Just as the Spaniard did in his first round when going to the aid of a female spectator suffering in the heat, Alcaraz again endeared himself to the Centre Court crowd.

    “First of all I have to give a big congratulations to Oliver, it’s his second match on the tour. I just loved his game to be honest, the level he played,” Alcaraz said.

    Play on courts without roofs was delayed for two hours by light morning rain but once the clouds rolled away the place to be for fans without showcourt tickets was Court 12 for Brazilian teenager Joao Fonseca’s match against American Jenson Brooksby.

    The 18-year-old is widely tipped as a future challenger to the domination of Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner and he showed why during a 6-2 5-7 6-2 6-4 win that was celebrated by a large contingent of exuberant Brazilians.

    Andrey Rublev, who suffered a bruising loss to Fonseca in the Australian Open first round earlier this year, battled past Lloyd Harris 6-7 6-4 7-6 6-3 before Taylor Fritz closed out the day with a 3-6 6-3 7-6(0) 4-6 6-3 win over Gabriel Diallo.

    -Reuters

  • Normality returns to Wimbledon as Alcaraz and Sabalenka ease through

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Carlos Alcaraz, Aryna Sabalenka and the end of London’s tropical heatwave ensured that a sense of normality returned to the lawns of Wimbledon on Wednesday after two sweat-soaked days of shocks, although Jasmine Paolini’s exit meant the surprises did not end.

    A stream of big names including Coco Gauff, Jessica Pegula, Alexander Zverev and Daniil Medvedev crashed and burned in the oven-like temperatures of the first round.

    So when Alcaraz walked on Centre Court to continue his bid for a third successive Wimbledon title against British qualifier Oliver Tarvet, the thought surely lurked somewhere in his mind that he could be the fall-guy in the event’s greatest upset.

    The 22-year-old second seed was not at his best but after saving three break points in a nervy first service game against a college student ranked 733rd in the world, he asserted his authority to win 6-1 6-4 6-4.

    Earlier on Centre Court, women’s top seed Sabalenka battled to a 7-6(4) 6-4 win against Czech Marie Bouzkova.

    “Honestly, it is sad to see so many upsets in the tournament, in both draws, women’s and men’s,” said Sabalenka, who is bidding for her first Wimbledon title.

    “I’m just trying to focus on myself… I hope there are no more upsets in this tournament.”

    That was not to be, as last year’s runner-up Paolini joined the mass exodus of fancied players when she crashed out 4-6 6-4 6-4 against Russian Kamilla Rakhimova.

    However, Australian Open champion Madison Keys, the sixth seed, made it safely into round three by beating Olga Danilovic 6-4 6-2 while unseeded four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka eased past Czech doubles specialist Katerina Siniakova 6-3 6-2.

    Lower temperatures did not necessarily mean more comfortable outings as world number 12 Frances Tiafoe became the 14th of the 32 men’s seeds to fall, losing 4-6 6-4 6-3 7-5 against Cameron Norrie, one of seven Britons in singles action on day three.

    The American was joined later on by Czech 23rd seed Jiri Lehecka, last month’s Queen’s Club Championships runner-up, who fell 7-6(4) 6-1 7-5 to Italian Mattia Bellucci.

    HOME CHARGE

    Ashlyn Krueger, the American 31st seed, was then beaten 7-6(4) 6-4 by Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, ensuring 15 of the 32 women’s seeds also went out of the tournament.

    Sonay Kartal led the home charge by defeating Bulgaria’s Viktoriya Tomova 6-2 6-2 to book her place in the last 32 for the second year in succession while the nation’s big hope Emma Raducanu got past 2023 champion Marketa Vondrousova 6-3 6-3.

    There was disappointment for Britain’s Katie Boulter, who served 14 double faults as she crashed 6-7(9) 6-2 6-1 to 101st-ranked Solana Sierra, the Argentine who lost in qualifying but has seized her lucky loser spot with both hands.

    Alcaraz, bidding to do the French Open-Wimbledon double for the second successive year, needed five sets to get past Italian veteran Fabio Fognini in the opening round and set up an intriguing clash with 21-year-old Tarvet.

    Tarvet, who plays on the U.S. collegiate circuit for the University of San Diego, said he believed he could beat anyone, even Alcaraz, after winning his Grand Slam debut match against fellow qualifier Leandro Riedi of Switzerland on Monday.

    He was clearly not overawed at sharing a court with a five-times major champion and had he taken any of the eight break points he earned in the first set it could have been closer.

    Alcaraz proved a step too far though as he moved through the gears when required to keep an eager Tarvet under control.

    Just as the Spaniard did in his first round when going to the aid of a female spectator suffering in the heat, Alcaraz again endeared himself to the Centre Court crowd.

    “First of all I have to give a big congratulations to Oliver, it’s his second match on the tour. I just loved his game to be honest, the level he played,” Alcaraz said.

    Play on courts without roofs was delayed for two hours by light morning rain but once the clouds rolled away the place to be for fans without showcourt tickets was Court 12 for Brazilian teenager Joao Fonseca’s match against American Jenson Brooksby.

    The 18-year-old is widely tipped as a future challenger to the domination of Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner and he showed why during a 6-2 5-7 6-2 6-4 win that was celebrated by a large contingent of exuberant Brazilians.

    Andrey Rublev, who suffered a bruising loss to Fonseca in the Australian Open first round earlier this year, battled past Lloyd Harris 6-7 6-4 7-6 6-3 before Taylor Fritz closed out the day with a 3-6 6-3 7-6(0) 4-6 6-3 win over Gabriel Diallo.

    -Reuters

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Estes Expresses Condolences To Family Of Intern Eric Tarpinian-Jachym

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Ron Estes (R-Kansas)

    Rep. Estes Expresses Condolences To Family Of Intern Eric Tarpinian-Jachym

    WASHINGTON- U.S. Congressman Ron Estes and his wife, Susan, are sending their prayers and deepest condolences to the family of Eric Tarpinian-Jachym. On Monday night, Eric was the victim of a shooting in Northwest D.C. Eric joined Congressman Estes’ Washington, D.C., office in June 2025 as an intern. Eric was a rising senior at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, majoring in finance with a minor in political science.

    “I will remember his kind heart and how he always greeted anyone who entered our office with a cheerful smile,” said Rep. Estes. “We are grateful to Eric for his service to Kansas’ 4th District and the country. Please join Susan and me in praying for his family and respecting their privacy during this heartbreaking time.”

    Ron Estes, one of only a handful of engineers in Congress, worked to improve systems and operations in the aerospace, energy and manufacturing sectors before representing Kansas’ 4th Congressional District beginning in 2017. He is a fifth-generation Kansan, former state treasurer, and serves on the House Committee on Ways and Means, Budget Committee and Joint Economic Committee. He is the chair of the Social Security Subcommittee and co-chair of the House Aerospace Caucus.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Belarus and Libya Sign Package of Cooperation Documents

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    MINSK, July 2 /Xinhua/ – Belarus and Libya signed a package of documents on cooperation on Wednesday following the visit of the Libyan government delegation to Minsk, BelTA reported.

    Among the signed documents is an agreement of intent between the ministries of industry of the two countries. The Ministry of Agriculture and Food of Belarus and the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock of the Government of National Stability of Libya signed a memorandum of understanding on the development of cooperation in the field of agriculture. A protocol of intent was also signed between the Ministry of Agriculture and Food of Belarus and the National Development Agency of Libya.

    In addition, the parties signed a memorandum of intent on cooperation between the Ministry of Education of Belarus and the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research of the Government of National Stability of Libya, a protocol of intent on the creation of an emergency prevention and response system in Benghazi, and an action plan for the development of cooperation in the field of healthcare.

    At the end of the signing ceremony of the package of documents, Prime Minister of Belarus Alexander Turchin particularly noted that the parties had summed up an important result of the next stage of bilateral work. “I am simply confident that this event will give a serious impetus to further interaction between Belarus and Libya. I am grateful to all my colleagues who worked intensively to ensure that our cooperation continues at such a high level,” said the Prime Minister of Belarus. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Kingdom of the Netherlands – Curaçao: Staff Concluding Statement of the 2025 Article IV Mission

    Source: IMF – News in Russian

    July 2, 2025

    A Concluding Statement describes the preliminary findings of IMF staff at the end of an official staff visit (or ‘mission’), in most cases to a member country. Missions are undertaken as part of regular (usually annual) consultations under Article IV of the IMF’s Articles of Agreement, in the context of a request to use IMF resources (borrow from the IMF), as part of discussions of staff monitored programs, or as part of other staff monitoring of economic developments.

    The authorities have consented to the publication of this statement. The views expressed in this statement are those of the IMF staff and do not necessarily represent the views of the IMF’s Executive Board. Based on the preliminary findings of this mission, staff will prepare a report that, subject to management approval, will be presented to the IMF Executive Board for discussion and decision.

    Washington, DC.

    Curaçao’s economic activity expanded by 5 percent in 2024, as strong tourism performance trickled into the wider economy. Stayover arrivals, growing at double digits, continued to outperform Caribbean peers and carried over to other sectors, including whole trade, real estate, and construction. Mostly related to holiday homes and hotels, construction was further fueled by strong mortgage growth and complemented by a resumption of public investments under the Road Maintenance Plan. Average headline inflation declined to 2.6 percent in 2024 from 3.5 percent in 2023, in line with global oil prices and lower US inflation. Real wages increased for the first time in five years but job creation continued to be dominated by informal construction and tourism-related sectors while formal employment declined. The primary surplus continued its upward trajectory on the back of increased tax collection on goods and services. The current account deficit widened due to higher merchandise imports, mainly related to construction activity.

    The government is pursuing an ambitious agenda to steer a now tourism-led economy, amidst heightened global uncertainty. Mindful of tourism saturation and a decoupling of local living standards, the authorities strive to improve social conditions while generating sustainable and green growth amid safeguarding solid public finances. The near doubling of the tourism footprint within five years brought profound structural shifts to Curaçao’s economy, including the decline in manufacturing and rise in services, lower overall wages, higher informality, and greater reliance on – more regressive – indirect taxation. Policy responses need to shift accordingly. Priorities are rightly focused on upgrading tourist experiences and diversification, improving skills and labor market conditions, and reforming the tax system in an equitable way while addressing social spending pressures. The administration has delivered on a first round of targeted, one-off pension increases this year, continued reforms to contain health costs, expanded investment in education infrastructure, and came closer to its renewables target with the opening of the latest wind park in 2024. The landspakket, a structural reform package agreed with the Netherlands in 2020, continues to guide structural reforms.

    Outlook and Risks

    Growth is projected to moderate to 4 percent in 2025, balancing domestic impulses and heightened global uncertainty, before gradually converging to 2 percent over the medium term. Further expansion of stayover tourism and construction activity will continue to support growth in 2025, along with fiscal expansion driven by higher public investments. Potential negative effects of slowing global demand and heightened uncertainty would dampen tourism flows towards the end of 2025 and 2026. Growth is expected to moderate to 2 percent over the medium term, given saturation in tourism and slower global demand, while public capital spending would be carried forward, including in road infrastructure and the energy value chain. Headline inflation is projected to stabilize at 2.5 percent in 2025, subject to oil price-related uncertainty. Fiscal accounts would remain in surplus, fully compliant with the fiscal rule, allowing the government to partially settle a large bullet loan in 2025 with own liquid reserves, thereby accelerating the impressive downward trajectory of debt. The current account deficit would decline in the medium term but remain elevated.

    Risks to the outlook are tilted to the downside. External risks include trade policy and investment shocks, which could induce higher inflation and lower external demand, adversely impacting tourism arrivals. Domestic upside risks include faster-than-expected advances in the green hydrogen value chain project and development of other energy sources. On the downside, lower-than-expected disbursements in public investments and delays in infrastructure improvements could set back the expected increase in potential growth from the expansion of hotel capacities. Continued high growth in mortgage credit fueling rising house prices could lead to financial sector as well as household balance sheet vulnerabilities. Buffers include access to favorable refinancing conditions on the Dutch capital market, subject to compliance with the fiscal rule, which grants the island substantial fiscal space, notably for capital and emergency spending.

    Tailoring Fiscal and Structural Policies to a Tourism-led Economy

    Safeguarding Medium-term Fiscal Sustainability

    Reaching the medium-term debt target and further sustaining growth will require weighing the need to boost investments and address social spending pressures while reforming the tax system in an equitable manner.  

    Advancing healthcare reforms is an urgent priority to restore the sector’s financial sustainability and limit medium-term fiscal risks. Annual deficits of the SVB healthcare fund amounted to around 5 percent of GDP over the past years, excluding central government transfers, with an additional 1 percent of GDP annual deficit by the Curaçao Medical Center. Transfers to the latter were recently increased to better cover operating costs and invest in new medical equipment, but the health system’s overall finances remain unsustainable. Curaçao’s health expenses, around 13 percent of GDP, stand out relative to regional peers and surpass the OECD average. Possible efficiency gains on the spending side would include additional volume and price measures for pharmaceuticals, re-evaluation of laboratory service tariffs, further expansion of primary care to contain hospital visits, and improvements in preventive care, with the latter likely to materialize over the longer horizon. Revenue reform options would include a broadening of the contributor base, e.g., via the inclusion of migrant workers, increasing co-payments for higher-income households, allowing for price differentiation for the privately insured, exploring options to charge for add-on services, with a possible secondary, private insurance market for these services, and expanding the potential in medical tourism. 

    The authorities’ plans to adjust pension benefits for lower-income households in a fiscally responsible manner are welcome and should be accompanied by widening the contribution base. Staff welcomes the intention to reassess benefit levels, given the pausing of indexation and a decline in real per capita benefits by 23 percent between 2016 and 2024. Applying inflation indexation to residents’ pensions only would allow for a broadly balanced budget of the old-age pension scheme (before central government transfers). Considerations to providing a supplement for low-income pensioners, which could cost around ½ percent of GDP per year, should be partially financed by broadening the contributor base. Legalizing predominantly young migrant workers and providing incentives for them and their employers to formalize (see below) would increase revenues by about 0.3 percent of GDP. Ensuring longer-term sustainability of social insurances would likely imply tapping general budget resources, which could be expanded with selected measures while avoiding earmarking (see below). Meanwhile, the current draft law to make second-pillar occupational pension plans mandatory would reduce reliance on old-age pensions and increase private savings, which would also help alleviate the sizable current account deficit.

    The authorities envisage the introduction of a VAT while continuing the modernization of the tax authority and improving revenue collection. Given Curaçao’s already significant tax burden and the recent expansion of direct taxation from a pre-pandemic average of 11 percent of GDP to 14 percent of GDP in 2024, plans to design the envisaged VAT reform in a revenue-neutral and equity-enhancing way are welcome. Expanding property taxation on second homes should be prioritized, as well as the purchase and implementation of digital infrastructure to modernize Curaçao’s tax system. Further considerations to introduce a tourism fee (by 2026), end tax holidays on import duties, and adjust permitting fees would lift revenues and contribute to compensating for potential pension increases.

    Further efforts are needed to boost investments and improve government service delivery. While capacity constraints were successfully addressed in the ramp-up of investments in 2024, including by hiring external project managers, capacity in planning and execution must be strengthened further to administer the needed investment increase of 2-3 percent of GDP in the coming years, including via a centralized investment planning unit. Implementing multi-year project budgeting and establishing a transparent procurement system will be critical to improve execution, ensure the efficient allocation of financing resources, and grant space to a gradual inclusion of adaptation investments against damage from sea level rise. Efforts to render health and pension spending as well as goods and services taxation more equitable hinge on improving means-testing and maintaining a state-of-the-art registry for lower-income households.  

    Labor Market Policies to Address Informality and Improve Education

    Informality could be addressed by strengthening incentives for formal work, improving enforcement and monitoring, and tightening eligibility criteria for receiving benefits. Decomposing changes in the formal workforce over the past decade, the strong decline in formal employment was mostly driven by a drop in registered jobs among men, especially in prime working age. Half of this decline cannot be explained by demographics, migration, or unemployment, and is likely attributed to the transition to informality. Tourism and construction sectors offer relatively more opportunities for informal work, making it harder to design the right incentives for formalization. Incentivizing formality, however, is crucial to maintaining government revenues and ensuring social protection for workers, and could be fostered by: facilitating access to education, increasing formal sector productivity, introducing more in-work benefits for workers with incomes between minimum and median wage, and stricter eligibility criteria for monthly assistance, along with strengthening enforcement and monitoring.

    Skill deterioration compounded by population aging is a key drag on long-term potential growth. The 2023 census showed that education levels of new entrants to the labor force are below the level of the pre-retirement cohort, and young employees tend to work in more precarious positions. Ongoing investments in education, in line with landspakket recommendations, including in schools’ physical as well as digital infrastructure, are very welcome. Recent initiatives to attract graduates back to the island, including with tax incentives, and an expedited labor permitting process for high-skill workers are important steps in the right direction. These could be complemented by vocational training to lift the overall skill level and reduce skill mismatches, in line with government’s proposed stimulation package with incentives for employer-led vocational education. Integrating migrants into the workforce would grant them perspectives to grow and invest in their skills.

    Fostering Competitiveness and Diversification

    Bracing for slower growth and mindful of market saturation and the global context, the authorities’ focus is rightly on tourism value added and diversification of source markets. Roads and transportation are among the key bottlenecks of the island, and more public investments are needed to improve the connectivity within the island for tourists to venture out. Public and private investments should also be directed to maritime infrastructure to attract more yacht tourists and move up the tourism value chain. Increasing the number of taxi licenses is welcome and will improve tourist experiences through better mobility. Efforts to tap markets in South America have proven successful, and new flight routes opened from Brazil, Argentina, and Colombia, countries with a large consumer base and rising purchasing power.

    Fostering non-tourism sectors in areas of competitive advantage would help build resilience against global shocks and attract additional investments. Building on recent successful reforms to expedite business permits and promote digitalization, more progress is needed to achieve the authorities’ goals as outlined in the National Export Strategy. Curaçao’s connection to a new submarine cable throughout the Caribbean and Miami from 2027 onwards could help expand the island’s data center industry – conditional on sufficient absorption capacity of the electricity grid and a moderation in electricity prices, which remain among the highest in the region. Planned investments in the grid by Aqualectra would be supported by funding from the Netherlands and provide the basis for lifting renewables electricity production to 70 percent by 2027 from around 50 percent currently. The envisaged floating offshore wind park of 3-10 GW would help cover Curaçao’s entire electricity demand and create new export opportunities, in addition to exploratory investments in other energy sources.

    In the presence of global uncertainty, diversification of trade as well as regional integration are key for mitigating Curaçao’s exposure to external shocks. Curaçao’s imports remain concentrated on advanced markets, providing ample room to expand goods imports from neighboring countries, such as Brazil and Colombia. As a new associate CARICOM member and acknowledging limitation of independent trade policy given Kingdom laws, Curaçao should continue strengthening regional cooperation and trade integration with neighboring states.

    The authorities’ commitment to lower corruption vulnerabilities are welcome. The online gaming law has been approved by parliament in end-2024, an important step towards meeting the landspakket’s rule of law target. Curaçao’s recent accession to the UN Convention Against Corruption and delisting from the EU grey list of non-cooperative jurisdictions, following key legal updates in 2024, is another step in the right direction and opens doors for further international cooperation and bilateral tax treaties, as pursued by the authorities. The mutual evaluations of the AML/CFT frameworks for both Curaçao and Sint Maarten are underway, with results expected to be published in mid-July 2025.

    The Monetary Union of Curaçao and Sint Maarten

    The external balance of the Union is expected to improve, following a mild deterioration in 2024. The Union’s current account deficit widened to around 17 percent of GDP in 2024 driven by higher imports, mainly related to construction on Curaçao, and despite strong growth in tourism receipts. Going forward, stronger travel receipts, moderation in construction-related imports, and an increase in renewables would support a contraction of the Union’s current account deficit towards 10 percent of GDP in the medium term. The deficit will continue to be financed by private investment inflows and decumulation of assets abroad. The stock of international reserves would remain broadly stable and adequate over the medium term. Given still sizable deficits and a sustained real effective exchange rate appreciation, staff’s preliminary assessment suggests that the external position in 2024 was weaker than the level implied by fundamentals and desirable policies in Curaçao and broadly in line in Sint Maarten, albeit subject to high uncertainty given persistent measurement biases. The assessment for the Union is the same as for Curaçao due to its larger size and current account deficits.

    The monetary policy stance is appropriate and continues to support the peg. Following developments in the US, the CBCS cut its benchmark pledging rate by a cumulative 100 basis points in September and November 2024 to 4.75 percent, and has kept it unchanged since then, in line with the pegged exchange rate regime. Transmission to banking sector interest rates continues to be weak, as deposit rates stayed broadly constant throughout the recent tightening and easing cycles, with a mild uptick in late 2023 driven by time deposits, and Union lending rates declined between 2018 and end 2024. Excess liquidity is the key impediment to the transmission, further exacerbated by the absence of interbank and government securities markets.

    With lending rates declining, credit growth has accelerated, entirely driven by mortgages in Curaçao. Mortgage credit in the union, the second highest in the Caribbean, has been growing by double digits in real terms post pandemic, while real overall credit growth has been negative. Driven by Curaçao, mortgages are expected to remain on an upward trajectory, including financing for the construction of second homes and vacation rental apartments. In Sint Maarten, on the contrary, mortgage credit growth turned negative in 2024, possibly reflecting delays in construction projects and cross-border financing on the French side. With the islands’ financial sectors predominantly financing tourism-related activities, credit to non-tourism sectors is declining in real terms.

    The financial sector is broadly sound and systemic risks are contained, but mortgage growth needs to be monitored closely while a macroprudential toolkit is further developed. Banks are well capitalized, among the highest in the region, but both NPLs and provisioning remain weaker than the CBCS early warning signal – and with respect to peers. Liquidity is abundant and has further increased, but the Union’s banks are somewhat less profitable than the Caribbean median and concentration remains high. Closely monitoring mortgage growth to detect overheating in the real estate sector and possible vulnerabilities in household balance sheets should become a priority, in particular given continued data gaps. Overcoming these gaps and further developing a macroprudential toolkit towards the introduction of CCyBs, and thresholds for the loan-to-value and debt-service-to-income ratios are warranted to detect vulnerabilities and ensure timely response to potential shocks. Caps on mortgage credit growth or mortgage loan exposure could be applied should the positive mortgage credit gap widen further.

    The IMF mission would like to thank the authorities for their cooperation and the candid and constructive discussions that took place during June 18-25.

    IMF Communications Department
    MEDIA RELATIONS

    PRESS OFFICER: Reah Sy

    Phone: +1 202 623-7100Email: MEDIA@IMF.org

    https://www.imf.org/en/News/Articles/2025/07/02/07022025-curacao-staff-concluding-statement-of-the-2025-article-iv

    MIL OSI

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: South Africa: Select Committee on Education Sends Deepest and Heartfelt Condolences to East London “Pens Down” Party Victims


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    The Chairperson of the Select Committee on Education, Sciences and the Creative Industries has learnt with shock of the deaths that occurred following a “pens-down” party in East London. The committee sends its deepest and heartfelt condolences to the families of the deceased and wishes a speedy recovery to the injured.

    Two people were reported dead and seven others were injured on the weekend following what seems to be a deliberate attack on party revelers in Nompumelelo Township, just outside East London. A group of local young men, suspected to be a gang, gatecrashed a “pens-down” party and started attacking those at the tavern.

    Mr Feni said the incident, the second in a short space of time in the same area, calls for parental guidance and serious reflection on situations in which learners have free access to alcohol. “It is sad that fatal alcohol-related incidents that often involve learners are becoming a common but worrying occurrence in the country. Social gatherings where learners are allowed to use alcohol should be criminalised. The violence that characterises our society is condemned,” the Chairperson said.

    “Society must not tire in condemning the pens-down culture. This is so reminiscent of the recent Enyobeni incident, which is subject of an inquiry, that resulted in the deaths of 21 learners in the same vicinity. We condemn these actions, whether learners were involved or not; law enforcement must also leave no stone unturned in this,” Mr Feni said.

    Mr Feni said the Eastern Cape Department of Education must assist and determine if any learner had been affected by the incident and provide the necessary support.

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Republic of South Africa: The Parliament.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Professor John Mathieu to Receive Academy of Management Organizational Behavior Lifetime Achievement Award

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    An Expert on Team Dynamics, Mathieu Says His Specialty is Critical as Workplace Norms Change Rapidly

    Professor John Mathieu will receive the 2025 Academy of Management’s Organizational Behavior Lifetime Achievement Award later this month recognizing his impactful work in the field.

    Mathieu, a UConn Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor, is an expert in organizational behavior, team effectiveness and optimization, and leadership. His work has ranged from investigating the dynamics of teamwork in a space capsule, to aligning strategy among multiple military organizations, to synchronizing the delivery of care for cancer patients.

    The Academy’s pinnacle career-achievement award recognizes Mathieu among an elite group of international scholars. It is the third time he has received such a prestigious academic achievement honor in the last decade.

    Subhead: Walking in the Footsteps of Giants

    Mathieu said he is humbled by the recognition.

    “The people who were the early winners of this award were gurus when I was coming into the field. They were the top scholars of the day, and they shared their time and expertise with me. They were role models, sources of support, and great people,’’ he said. “From them I aspired to pay it forward and to help and develop other professionals in organizational behavior.’’

    His most recent research has focused on the cancer-care continuum, a topic he is passionate about.

    “Healthcare is a very complex system and until a few years ago it was very broken,’’ he said. “But now the big cancer centers, such as Sloan-Kettering, Dana Farber, Anderson, and others, are developing networks for cancer care, to make it a more integrated process from early diagnosis to treatment to recovery.’’

    The Workplace Is Ever-More Complicated

    Leadership and teams research is growing in significance today, particularly in the workplace, he said.

    “The world is getting more chaotic and it is spinning quickly,’’ Mathieu said. “The old, bureaucratic structures aren’t cutting it anymore. The face of work is changing, the way we conduct work is evolving, and the way we interact at work is becoming more complex.’’

    “Fewer of us work in an office five days a week; we assemble clusters of people to collaborate on a project, then disband them; and there is more pressure to be versatile, nimble and manage people effectively. In addition, new tools, like AI, are changing the ways we work and learn,’’ he said.

    “Leaders need to invest in employee talent, enable them, and then unleash them, in order to reap the most benefit,’’ he said. “Employees need to be adaptable and learn on the fly in order to be effective.”

    Mathieu Nominated by 30 Peers

    Travis Grosser, the interim department head in the Boucher Management & Entrepreneurship Department at the School of Business, said Mathieu is most deserving of the recognition.

    “With this award, John joins an elite group of eminent organizational behavior scholars at the pinnacle of the field. I cannot think of a more deserving person for this career-defining award,’’ he said.

    “Beyond his exceptional research contributions, John has served as an exemplary role model, mentor, and collaborator for numerous generations of UConn doctoral students and faculty,’’ Grosser said. “This honor reflects the caliber of excellence that defines our department and our university.’’

    Mathieu was nominated for the award by a team of former Ph.D. students, who contacted 30 professional acquaintances and asked them to submit recommendations to the 21,000-member Academy.
    While Mathieu said he is proud to see the impact of his work, he is equally excited to have mentored so many outstanding students.

    “Having the work that I produced be recognized is rewarding and gratifying,’’ he said. “But what is more exciting is that now I can watch my former students train future generations of scholars. That’s a huge force multiplier, directly or indirectly touching hundreds or thousands of faculty researchers. It’s gratifying to have created those ripples.’’

    Advised Fortune 500 Companies, NASA and More

    This is the third time that Mathieu has received a lifetime career award. He received the Joseph E. McGrath Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Study of Groups from the Interdisciplinary Network for Group Research in 2015, and the Distinguished Scientific Contributions Award from the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology in 2017. He has also been recognized with the Academy of Management’s Mentorship Award in 2017 and the Academy of Management’s Research Methods Division Distinguished Career Award in 2022.

    He is a Fellow of the Society for Industrial/Organizational Psychology, American Psychological Association, and the Academy of Management. He joined the UConn faculty in 1999 and is the GE Professor in Business. He has worked with many Fortune 500 companies, three branches of the Armed Services, federal and state agencies, including NASA and the FAA, and numerous public and private organizations.

    Mathieu has produced more than 150 publications, given some 250 presentations at national and international conferences, and has been a principal investigator or co-investigator on more than $11.5 million in grants and contracts. He has also serves on the editorial boards of top journals.

    Mathieu will deliver a keynote address at the Academy’s 2026 conference in Philadelphia.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Thumbs up: good or passive aggressive? How emojis became the most confusing kind of online language

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brittany Ferdinands, Lecturer in Digital Content Creation, Discipline of Media and Communications, University of Sydney

    The Conversation, CC BY

    Emojis, as well as memes and other forms of short-form content, have become central to how we express ourselves and connect online. Yet as meanings shift across different contexts, so too does the potential for misunderstanding.

    A senior colleague of mine recently encountered some commentary about the “slightly smiling” face emoji: 🙂

    They approached me, asking whether it represented joy, as they had assumed, or if it had a more ominous meaning.

    As a chronically-online millennial, who unironically identifies as a gen Z, I bore the news that I, along with most younger internet users, only ever use it sarcastically.

    “It doesn’t actually signify happiness – more so fake happiness, or dry humour,” I explained.

    I also told them how the thumbs up emoji is often interpreted as passive aggressive, and that the only time I’d use the laughing-crying (“face with tears of joy”) emoji is under duress.

    Despite seeming like a universal language – and sometimes they do function that way – emojis can be at once more vague, and more specific, than words. That’s because you can’t separate the meaning of a smiley from the person who sent it, nor from the person receiving it.

    Markers of age and identity

    While emojis were originally developed in the late 1990s by Japanese artist Shigetaka Kurita to add emotional nuance to text-based messaging, their function has since evolved.

    Today, emojis are not just emotional cues; they also operate as cultural symbols and markers of identity.

    Research published last year highlights how these symbols can create subtle communication barriers across age groups. For instance, a study of Chinese-speaking WeChat users found younger and older people differed not only in how frequently they used emojis, but in how they interpreted and aesthetically preferred them.

    One emoji that’s increasingly becoming a distinct marker of age is the previously mentioned laughing-crying emoji (😂). Despite being named Oxford Dictionary’s 2015 word of the year, and frequently topping the most-used emoji charts, this smiley is on the decline among gen Z – who decided in 2020 that it wasn’t cool anymore.

    Instead, they prefer the skull emoji (💀), which is shorthand for the gen Z catch phrase “I’m dead”. This means something is funny (not that they’re literally deceased).

    Such shifts may understandably be perplexing for older generations who are unfamiliar with evolving norms and slang.

    A digital body language

    Emojis can also take on distinct meanings on different platforms. They are embedded within “platform vernaculars”: the ever-evolving styles of communication that are unique to specific digital spaces.

    For example, a thumbs up emoji (👍) from your boss at work is seemingly more acceptable, and less anxiety inducing, than from a romantic interest you’ve just sent a risky text to.

    This dilemma was echoed in a recent viral TikTok by user @kaitlynghull, which prompted thousands to comment about their shared confusion over emoji use in the workplace.

    This reaction highlights a deeper communication issue.

    A survey of 10,000 workers across the US, France, Germany, India and Australia, conducted by YouGov and software company Atlassian, found 65% of workers used emojis to convey tone in the workplace. But while 88% of gen Z workers thought emojis were helpful, this dropped to 49% for baby boomers and gen X.

    The survey concluded some emojis can be interpreted in multiple ways, and these double meanings aren’t always safe for work.

    In with the ‘it’ crowd

    Another example of platform-specific emoji use comes from social media content creators who deploy emojis to curate a certain aesthetic.

    Under the Tiktok tag #emojicombo, you’ll find thousands of videos showcasing emoji combinations that provide aesthetic “inspo”. These combinations are used to represent different online identities or subcultures, such as “that girl”, “clean girl” or “old money”.

    Users may include the combinations in their captions or videos to signal their personal style, or to express the mood or vibe of their online persona. In this way, the emojis help shape how they present themselves on the platform.

    This example of emoji use is also a display of symbolic capital. It signals social alignment, in an environment where a user’s visibility (and popularity) is determined by their platform fluency.

    Emojis, then, aren’t just tools for expression. They are badges of identity that index where a user stands in the online cultural hierarchy.

    There’s a fragmentation in how we relate

    A single emoji might communicate irony, sincerity or sarcasm, depending on who is using it, what platform they’re using it on, and what generation they belong to.

    This gap points to deeper questions around online access and participation, and the systems that shape online cultures.

    And when the meaning of an emoji is platform-dependent and socially stratified, it can become as much about fitting in with a cultural in-group than conveying emotion.

    Brittany Ferdinands 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. Thumbs up: good or passive aggressive? How emojis became the most confusing kind of online language – https://theconversation.com/thumbs-up-good-or-passive-aggressive-how-emojis-became-the-most-confusing-kind-of-online-language-259151

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Australia’s superannuation regulator is worried about your fund’s spending. Should you be?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Melatos, Associate Professor of Economics, University of Sydney

    GettyImages skynesher/Getty

    Australia’s superannuation regulator has written to Australian superannuation funds raising concerns their spending might not be benefiting members.

    The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority is not just concerned with the type of expenses, but with the corporate governance around their approval, evaluation and reporting.

    The letter refers to a “lack of robust governance and oversight of fund expenditure” and funds making “decisions not supported by an expenditure management framework”.

    Concern about funds’ spending and governance has grown since construction industry super fund, CBUS, last year admitted it spent A$387,000 of members’ retirement savings on a 40th birthday bash attended by 750 guests.

    At the same time the fund was being criticised for its links with the Construction, Forestry, Maritime Employees Union as three of its board members were members. The union was alleged to have been infiltrated by criminal elements.

    Protecting members

    Since July 1 2021, legislation requires regulated superannuation funds – industry and retail funds, but not self-managed funds – to act in the best financial interests of their members. This is referred to as their “best financial interest duty”.

    In the superannuation industry, what economists call the principal-agent problem – in this case, ensuring super fund trustees (agents) protect the financial interests of members (principals) whose retirement savings they manage – is particularly acute.

    Compared to public company shareholders, for example, super fund members have little opportunity to monitor and challenge management decisions. This includes spending decisions that affect their super balance. There is no annual general meeting at which members can vote or question their fund’s trustees.

    Fund members also cannot rely to the same extent as shareholders on the market to optimise the performance of management. The threat of takeover and replacement of executives tends to be lower than for publicly listed companies. Apart from switching funds, the regulator’s oversight and enforcement are the main protection for members against trustee maladministration or malfeasance.

    There is also a significant public interest in ensuring each super fund meets its financial duty obligations. The squandering of a member’s retirement savings increases the likelihood they will need to rely on the public pension, a cost for all taxpayers.

    Can super fund expenses be justified?

    It has been reported that spending under the regulator’s microscope includes “sports sponsorships, travel, conferences and other payments to affiliated unions or employer groups”.

    Whether or not such expenses are compatible with members’ best financial interests is often difficult to judge. That is why funds are being asked to report and justify expenses more transparently.

    For example, a fund’s spending on marketing and travel might be consistent with best financial interest duty if there is scope associated with increased membership and funds under management.

    There are significant fixed administration and regulatory costs associated with running a super fund.

    Core customer service functions, such as processing death benefit claims, require sensitive (and expensive) handling.

    Spreading such costs over more members likely helps reduce fees charged to members and can encourage investment in improved customer service.

    Large super funds are increasingly investing in alternative assets such as private equity and taking direct stakes in bespoke projects (such as airport ownership and apartment construction). While such investments can enhance returns, they usually require access to significant financial firepower.

    Bigger may not always be better

    In short, if size matters, and if, for example, sports sponsorship allows super funds to grow cost-effectively, then marketing and travel expenses may be compatible with best financial interest requirements. That might even include an executive’s travel to the AFL Grand Final to network with potential co-investors.

    Neverthless, there may also be disadvantages associated with increased fund size. Larger funds are likely to find it harder to outperform the market and their peers, at least when investing in listed equities. So spending to grow membership may not always be in members’ interests.

    Whether super fund payments to affiliated unions or employer groups are justifiable is complicated by legislative requirements. While a fund cannot give benefits to an employer or union, it can give benefits to a firm’s employees or a union’s members. This might include preferential death benefits or financial literacy seminars.

    Questionable expenses

    Some fund expenses might reflect the pursuit of “private benefits” by super fund executives or trustees. They might, for example, approve questionable investments that burnish their CVs for their next corporate gig. Or they might approve sponsorship of a football team so they can network with potential future employers or business partners at a game.

    More innocently, but no less perniciously, the executive remuneration consultants super funds hire may define key performance indicators that are inappropriate for super fund executives (for example, membership growth at all costs).

    What can the regulator do?

    The superannuation regulator has broad powers to license and supervise superannuation funds to ensure they “keep the financial promises” made to their members.

    Ultimately, a fund’s trustees are responsible for ensuring the fund is meeting its financial interests obligations.

    One tool at the regulator’s disposal is to seek a court enforceable undertaking from an offending fund. This is a legal promise to address governance and legislative breaches. Failure to deliver can jeopardise a fund’s licence to operate.

    Ultimately, the legal burden of proof in any civil legal action to show they have met their best financial interests responsibilities, now lies with the trustees.

    Now the Prudential Regulation Authority has put super funds on notice to lift their game.

    Mark Melatos 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. Australia’s superannuation regulator is worried about your fund’s spending. Should you be? – https://theconversation.com/australias-superannuation-regulator-is-worried-about-your-funds-spending-should-you-be-259881

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: More and more tourists are flocking to Antarctica. Let’s stop it from being loved to death

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Darla Hatton MacDonald, Professor of Environmental Economics, University of Tasmania

    VCG via Getty Images

    The number of tourists heading to Antarctica has been skyrocketing. From fewer than 8,000 a year about three decades ago, nearly 125,000 tourists flocked to the icy continent in 2023–24. The trend is likely to continue in the long term.

    Unchecked tourism growth in Antarctica risks undermining the very environment that draws visitors. This would be bad for operators and tourists. It would also be bad for Antarctica – and the planet.

    Over the past two weeks, the nations that decide what human activities are permitted in Antarctica have convened in Italy. The meeting incorporates discussions by a special working group that aims to address tourism issues.

    It’s not easy to manage tourist visitors to a continent beyond any one country’s control. So, how do we stop Antarctica being loved to death? The answer may lie in economics.

    Future visitor trends

    We recently modelled future visitor trends in Antarctica. A conservative scenario shows by 2033–34, visitor numbers could reach around 285,000. Under the least conservative scenario, numbers could reach 450,000 – however, this figure incorporates pent-up demand from COVID shutdowns that will likely diminish.

    The vast majority of the Antarctic tourism industry comprises cruise-ship tourism in the Antarctic Peninsula. A small percentage of visitors travel to the Ross Sea region and parts of the continent’s interior.

    Antarctic tourism is managed by an international set of agreements together known as the Antarctic Treaty System, as well as the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO).

    The Treaty System is notoriously slow-moving and riven by geopolitics, and IAATO does not have the power to cap visitor numbers.

    Pressure on a fragile continent

    About two-thirds of Antarctic tourists land on the continent. The visitors can threaten fragile ecosystems by:

    • compacting soils
    • trampling fragile vegetation
    • introducing non-native microbes and plant species
    • disturbing breeding colonies of birds and seals.

    Even when cruise ships don’t dock, they can cause problems such as air, water and noise pollution – as well as anchoring that can damage the seabed.

    Then there’s carbon emissions. Each cruise ship traveller to Antarctica typically produces between 3.2 and 4.1 tonnes of carbon, not including travel to the port of departure. This is similar to the carbon emissions an average person produces in a year.

    Global warming caused by carbon emissions is damaging Antarctica. At the Peninsula region, glaciers and ice shelves are retreating and sea ice is shrinking, affecting wildlife and vegetation.

    Of course, Antarctic tourism represents only a tiny fraction of overall emissions. However, the industry has a moral obligation to protect the place that maintains it. And tourism in Antarctica can compound damage from climate change, tipping delicate ecosystems into decline.

    Some operators use hybrid ships and less polluting fuels, and offset emissions to offer carbon-neutral travel.

    IAATO has pledged to halve emissions by 2050 – a positive step, but far short of the net-zero targets set by the International Maritime Organization.

    Can economics protect Antarctica?

    Market-based tools – such as taxes, cap-and-trade schemes and certification – have been used in environmental management around the world. Research shows these tools could also prevent Antarctic tourist numbers from getting out of control.

    One option is requiring visitors to pay a tourism tax. This would help raise revenue to support environmental monitoring and enforcement in Antarctica, as well as fund research.

    Such a tax already exists in the small South Asian nation of Bhutan, where each tourist pays a tax of US$100 (A$152) a night. But while a tax might deter the budget-conscious, it probably wouldn’t deter high income, experience-driven tourists.

    Alternatively, a cap-and-trade system would create a limited number of Antarctica visitor permits for a fixed period. The initial distribution of permits could be among tourism operators or countries, via negotiation, auction or lottery. Unused permits could then be sold, making them quite valuable.

    Caps have been successful at managing tourism impacts elsewhere, such as Lord Howe Island, although there are no trades allowed in that system.

    Any cap on tourist numbers in Antarctica, and rules for trading, must be based on evidence about what the environment can handle. But there is a lack of precise data on Antarctica’s carrying capacity. And permit allocations amongst the operators and nations would need to be fair and inclusive.

    Alternatively, existing industry standards could be augmented with independent schemes certifying particular practices – for example, reducing carbon footprints. This could be backed by robust monitoring and enforcement to avoid greenwashing.

    Looking ahead

    Given the complexities of Antarctic governance, our research finds that the most workable solution is a combination of these market-based options, alongside other regulatory measures.

    So far, parties to the Antarctic treaty have made very few binding rules for the tourism industry. And some market-based levers will be more acceptable to the parties than others. But doing nothing is not a solution.

    The authors would like to acknowledge Valeria Senigaglia, Natalie Stoeckl and Jing Tian and the rest of the team for their contributions to the research upon which this article was based.

    Darla Hatton MacDonald receives funding from the Australian Research Council, the Australian Forest and Wood Innovations Centre, the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, and the Soils CRC. She has received in-kind support from Antarctic tour operator HX.

    Elizabeth Leane receives funding from the Australian Research Council, the Dutch Research Council, and DFAT. She also receives in-kind support and occasional funding from Antarctic tourism operator HX and in-kind support from other tour operators.

    – ref. More and more tourists are flocking to Antarctica. Let’s stop it from being loved to death – https://theconversation.com/more-and-more-tourists-are-flocking-to-antarctica-lets-stop-it-from-being-loved-to-death-258294

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Stein Kicks Off Annual School Supply Drive to Deliver Supplies to North Carolina Schools

    Source: US State of North Carolina

    Headline: Governor Stein Kicks Off Annual School Supply Drive to Deliver Supplies to North Carolina Schools

    Governor Stein Kicks Off Annual School Supply Drive to Deliver Supplies to North Carolina Schools
    lsaito

    Raleigh, NC

    Today Governor Josh Stein joined educators, advocates, and State Employees Credit Union (SECU) members to kick off the annual Governor’s School Supply Drive. The Governor also made a donation of a box of binders, a calculator, a set of sticky notes, and a box of Kleenex to the supply drive. 

    “North Carolina’s students need classrooms that are well-equipped,” said Governor Josh Stein. “I am proud to continue my office’s partnership with SECU to ensure a brighter future for our kids and strengthen our public schools. I encourage North Carolinians to visit their local SECU branch and donate supplies if they are able.”

    “We are pleased to once again join in this effort to make a positive difference for our teachers and students all across the state,” said SECU Chief Delivery Officer Jamie Applequist. “With branches in all 100 North Carolina counties, SECU is well-positioned to serve as collection sites for the Governor’s School Supply Drive. Our state’s public school employees and their families are part of our core membership base at SECU, and this is another excellent way we can help support our members and communities.”

    For several years, the Office of the Governor has partnered with the State Employees Credit Union and Communities in Schools of North Carolina to encourage North Carolinians to donate school supplies to local classrooms. SECU branches place donation boxes at branch locations and encourage customers to donate. The Office of the Governor and cabinet agencies also collect donations throughout the supply drive. This year’s Governor’s school supply drive runs from June 30th – August 1st. 

    Requested supplies include:

    • Paper – all types, including copy paper
    • Pens and pencils
    • Crayons and markers
    • Dry erase markers
    • USB flash drives
    • Spiral notebooks
    • Sanitizing wipes
    • Tissues
    • Paper towels

    Click here to find an SECU location near you. 

    Jul 2, 2025

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Stein Kicks Off Annual School Supply Drive to Deliver Supplies to North Carolina Schools

    Source: US State of North Carolina

    Headline: Governor Stein Kicks Off Annual School Supply Drive to Deliver Supplies to North Carolina Schools

    Governor Stein Kicks Off Annual School Supply Drive to Deliver Supplies to North Carolina Schools
    lsaito

    Raleigh, NC

    Today Governor Josh Stein joined educators, advocates, and State Employees Credit Union (SECU) members to kick off the annual Governor’s School Supply Drive. The Governor also made a donation of a box of binders, a calculator, a set of sticky notes, and a box of Kleenex to the supply drive. 

    “North Carolina’s students need classrooms that are well-equipped,” said Governor Josh Stein. “I am proud to continue my office’s partnership with SECU to ensure a brighter future for our kids and strengthen our public schools. I encourage North Carolinians to visit their local SECU branch and donate supplies if they are able.”

    “We are pleased to once again join in this effort to make a positive difference for our teachers and students all across the state,” said SECU Chief Delivery Officer Jamie Applequist. “With branches in all 100 North Carolina counties, SECU is well-positioned to serve as collection sites for the Governor’s School Supply Drive. Our state’s public school employees and their families are part of our core membership base at SECU, and this is another excellent way we can help support our members and communities.”

    For several years, the Office of the Governor has partnered with the State Employees Credit Union and Communities in Schools of North Carolina to encourage North Carolinians to donate school supplies to local classrooms. SECU branches place donation boxes at branch locations and encourage customers to donate. The Office of the Governor and cabinet agencies also collect donations throughout the supply drive. This year’s Governor’s school supply drive runs from June 30th – August 1st. 

    Requested supplies include:

    • Paper – all types, including copy paper
    • Pens and pencils
    • Crayons and markers
    • Dry erase markers
    • USB flash drives
    • Spiral notebooks
    • Sanitizing wipes
    • Tissues
    • Paper towels

    Click here to find an SECU location near you. 

    Jul 2, 2025

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Lung cancer screening hopes to save lives. But we also need to watch for possible harms

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katy Bell, Professor of Clinical Epidemiology, Sydney School of Public Health, University of Sydney

    There is much to commend about Australia’s lung cancer screening program, which started on July 1.

    The program is based on gold-standard trial evidence showing this type of screening is likely to reduce lung cancer deaths.

    Some people will have their life prolonged due to this screening, which involves taking low-dose CT scans to look for lung cancer in people with a significant smoking history.

    In some of these people, cancer will be detected at an early stage, and they can be treated. Without screening, these people may have died of cancer because it would have been detected at a later, incurable stage.

    However, for some people, screening could also harm.

    How can screening harm?

    Screening for disease, including cancer, can cause harm – during screening, diagnosis and treatment.

    With lung cancer screening, a positive scan can prompt an invasive lung biopsy. This is where a sample of lung tissue is obtained with a special needle guided by imaging, or through surgery under anaesthesia.

    If, after examination under the microscope, the pathologist thinks there is lung cancer, then more extensive surgery and other treatments will likely follow, all of which have a risk of side effects.

    The diagnostic label “lung cancer” itself is distressing, and the stigma attached to the diagnosis may worsen this distress.

    These harms and risks may be considered acceptable if the treatment prevents the person’s cancer from progressing.

    However, as with other cancers, screening is likely to also cause overdiagnosis and overtreatment. That is, some of the lesions picked up through screening and diagnosed as cancer, would have never caused any trouble if they’d been left alone. If these lesions were left undetected (and untreated), they would never have caused symptoms or shortened the person’s life.

    But all patients with a cancer diagnosis will be offered treatment – including surgery, radiotherapy and cancer drugs. Yet patients who really have an indolent (non-lethal) lesion have the same risk of harm from diagnosis and treatment as others, but without potentially benefiting from treatment.

    A related issue is that of “incidental findings”. Reports from lung cancer screening programs overseas show there is a large potential to find things other than cancer on the CT scan.

    For instance, some people have lung “nodules” (small spots on the scan) that fall short of being suspicious for cancer, but nonetheless need close monitoring with repeat scans for a while. For these people, we need to make sure health-care workers follow protocols that prevent unnecessary intervention in a nodule that is not growing.

    The scans can also pick up other conditions. These include calcium in coronary arteries, small aneurysms of the aorta (bulges in the body’s largest artery), or abnormalities in abdominal organs such as the liver.

    Some of these “incidental findings” may lead to early detection of disease that can be treated. However, in many cases the findings would not have caused any issues if they’d been left undetected, another example of overdiagnosis. These patients experience risks from further cascades of interventions triggered by the incidental finding, but without these interventions improving their health.

    The potential for overdiagnosis and overtreatment is greater if screening extends beyond the high-risk group with a history of heavy smoking. Some people who don’t meet the eligibility criteria may still want to be screened. For example, lung cancer awareness campaigns may lead to people who don’t smoke requesting screening. If screening staff decide to refer them for imaging, this may result in unofficial “leakage” of the screening program to include people at lower risk of cancer.

    For example in the United States, an estimated 45% of scans done in its screening program are for people who do not meet eligibility criteria. In China, about 64% of those screened may be technically ineligible.

    We see the results of this in a number of Asian countries with widespread, non-targeted screening, including of people who do not smoke. This has resulted in high rates of cancer diagnosis – much higher than we would expect in this low-risk group – and even higher rates of lung surgeries.

    These surgeries, which involve cutting into the chest wall to remove lung tissue, carry significant operative risks. They may also cause longer-term impacts by removing normal lung tissue.

    Regular independent evaluation needed

    In Australia, for the eligible population with a significant smoking history, we anticipate net benefit, on balance, from the screening program.

    However, if unintended consequences from screening are higher in real life than in the trials, then this could tip it the other way into net harm.

    So, regular independent re-evaluation of the program is needed to ensure anticipated benefits are realised and harms are kept to a minimum.

    This should include analysis of data across the population to look for signs of benefit, such as decreases in rates of advanced-stage lung cancer and deaths.

    These data should also be scrutinised for signs of harm from overdiagnosis and overtreatment – including of both cancer and non-cancer conditions.

    There is much excitement about the potential for lung cancer screening to prevent some Australians from dying from this devastating disease. We too have cautious optimism the program could make a real difference.

    But we can’t let this optimism blind us to the potential for harm.

    This is the next article in our ‘Finding lung cancer’ series, which explores Australia’s first new cancer screening program in almost 20 years. Read other articles in the series.

    More information about the program is available. If you need support to quit smoking, call Quitline on 13 78 48.

    Katy Bell receives funding from NHMRC. She co-leads the Wiser Healthcare Research Collaboration and is on the Board of the Preventing Overdiagnosis Conference.

    Brooke Nickel receives fellowship funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC). She is on the Scientific Committee of the Preventing Overdiagnosis Conference.

    Professor Mark Morgan is chair of the RACGP Expert Committee for Quality Care and receives research support from the Medical Research Future Fund.

    – ref. Lung cancer screening hopes to save lives. But we also need to watch for possible harms – https://theconversation.com/lung-cancer-screening-hopes-to-save-lives-but-we-also-need-to-watch-for-possible-harms-253625

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Phil Scott Appoints Dave Wolk to Serve on School District Redistricting Task Force

    Source: US State of Vermont

    Montpelier, Vt. – Governor Phil Scott today announced the appointment of Dave Wolk, of Rutland, to serve as the Governor’s appointee on the School District Redistricting Task Force after signing H.454, An act relating to transforming Vermont’s education governance, quality, and finance systems into law. The Task Force is charged with recommending new school district boundaries and configurations to the General Assembly for action next legislative session.

    “The passage of H.454 serves as a guide for education transformation in Vermont. The work ahead, this summer and into next legislative session, will be just as important, so we can deliver better outcomes for our kids at a price taxpayers can afford,” said Governor Phil Scott. “I believe Dave’s experience in education and leadership in all branches of government will bring an important perspective to this work and will prioritize what’s best for our kids.”

    “I am honored that Governor Scott has appointed me, and I am delighted to continue to serve Vermont.  I approach the Task Force with an open mind, knowing that the results of the endeavor are not likely to be popular or widely embraced across the state,” said Wolk. “But it is important work, with a short timeline, and it must be done thoughtfully, with a focus on what is best for all of our students and educators, as well as Vermont taxpayers.  It will be very challenging but very necessary, for the benefit of Vermont.”

    Wolk is a lifelong Vermonter and has led intertwined careers in education and government leadership, in all three branches of government, for over 50 years. He grew up in Rutland and graduated from Rutland High School before going on to earn degrees from Middlebury College, the University of Vermont, and Harvard University.

    He served as a guidance counselor and teacher at Mt. St. Joseph Academy, academic dean at the St. Sebastian’s School, principal of Barstow Memorial School, principal of Rutland High

    School, superintendent of schools in Rutland City (with a one-year return engagement in 2019) and Vermont’s Commissioner of Education.

    His government service included four years as a Vermont state senator from 1988-92. Wolk began his presidency at what later became Castleton University in 2001, and was the longest serving president in Castleton’s history, culminating in his first failed retirement in December 2017.

    After leaving Castleton he developed Wolk Leadership Solutions, where he assisted school, college and private sector leaders as a mentor and coach. He closed that enterprise in November 2022 when he was elected Rutland County Assistant Judge, and he has served in that capacity ever since. During his professional career he served on more than 40 state and national boards and commissions, including 12 years as a member and later chairman of the board of the Nellie Mae Education Foundation.

    Outside of his professional work, Wolk has officiated 39 weddings (often for former students) and serves as a hospice volunteer. His favorite days are weddings and the births of grandchildren, currently there are eight.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Man Indicted in Federal Court for Allegedly Carjacking Two Vehicles and Robbing Two Credit Unions in Chicago

    Source: US FBI

    CHICAGO — A federal grand jury has indicted a man for allegedly carjacking two vehicles and robbing two credit unions in Chicago.

    MAURICE D. LEE, JR., committed the carjackings and robberies in May of last year, according to an indictment returned in U.S. District Court in Chicago.  The first carjacking and robbery occurred on May 10, 2024, when Lee took a Toyota from a driver and robbed a credit union at the University of Illinois Chicago, the indictment alleges.  The second carjacking and robbery occurred on May 17, 2024, when Lee took a Toyota and robbed another credit union at the University of Illinois Chicago, the indictment states.  Lee allegedly brandished a handgun in all the carjackings and robberies. 

    The indictment charges Lee, 32, of Chicago, with two counts of carjacking, two counts of robbery, and four counts of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence.  Each firearm count carries a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years, resulting in a total mandatory minimum sentence of 28 years in federal prison.  Each robbery count is punishable by up to 20 years, while each carjacking count is punishable by up to 15 years.

    Lee was arrested two days after the second robbery.  He was in state custody until his arrest last month in the federal case.  He remains detained without bond awaiting trial in federal court.  Arraignment is set for July 7, 2025, at 9:45 a.m., before U.S. Magistrate Judge Gabriel A. Fuentes.

    The indictment was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI.  Valuable assistance was provided by the University of Illinois Chicago Police Department and the Chicago Police Department.  The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Asheeka Desai.

    The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt.  The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • Centre considering ₹100-crore Aqua Park for J&K: Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Rajiv Ranjan Singh, on Wednesday said that flagship schemes such as the Blue Revolution, Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund (FIDF) and Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) have significantly strengthened the fisheries ecosystem in Jammu and Kashmir.

    Speaking at a function at the Shalimar Convention Centre, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Singh said the Centre remains committed to supporting the livestock and fisheries sectors as engines of rural income and nutritional security.

    Jammu and Kashmir Minister for Agriculture Production and Panchayati Raj Javid Ahmad Dar, Secretary of the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying Alka Upadhyaya, senior officials and progressive farmers from across the Valley attended the event.

    Singh pointed out that over 10 crore farmers in India depend on livestock for their livelihoods, with small and marginal farmers owning more than 90% of dairy animals. Women account for over 70% of participation in the dairy sector and hold nearly a third of cooperative memberships.

    In Jammu and Kashmir, milk production has increased by 47% over the past decade, rising from 19.5 lakh tonnes in 2014–15 to 28.74 lakh tonnes in 2023–24. Per capita milk availability in the Union Territory stands at 413 grams per day, he said.

    Highlighting efforts to promote trout farming, Singh said the government facilitated the import of 13.4 lakh genetically improved eyed ova of Rainbow and Brown Trout from Denmark, boosting trout production from 650 metric tonnes (MT) in 2020–21 to 2,380 MT in 2023–24 — an increase of 266%.

    Earlier in the day, Singh and Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah co-chaired a review meeting of the Animal Husbandry and Fisheries sectors at the Civil Secretariat in Srinagar. They also virtually inaugurated a 50,000-litre-per-day Ultra High Temperature (UHT) Milk Processing Plant at Satwari, Jammu.

    Singh said the Centre sees immense untapped potential in J&K’s livestock and fisheries sectors and assured full support for their development. He called for closer collaboration between the Union and UT governments to translate this potential into sustainable rural livelihoods.

    Encouraging youth to take up micro and small-scale ventures in fisheries and livestock, the Union Minister said that key national bodies like the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) and National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB) would help build strong infrastructure and market linkages.

    He informed that under PMMSY, the Centre has committed ₹852 crore for Himalayan and North Eastern states, including ₹300 crore specifically for J&K, to enhance production, infrastructure, and employment.

    According to Singh, annual fish production in J&K has grown from 20,000 MT in 2013–14 to 29,000 MT in 2024–25, while trout production has surged by over 800% — from 262 MT to 2,380 MT during the same period. Trout seed production has risen from 9 million to 15.2 million, and carp seed production has increased from 40 million to 63.5 million.

    The Minister said that recognising J&K’s potential for cold-water fisheries, the Ministry has designated Anantnag as a Cold-Water Fisheries Cluster, with Kulgam and Shopian as partner districts to develop an integrated value chain for sustainable livelihoods.

    He added that a proposal worth ₹100 crore is under consideration to set up an Integrated Aqua Park in J&K under PMMSY Phase-II to serve as a model for cold-water aquaculture.

    Singh reiterated the Centre’s commitment to holistic rural development, farmer empowerment and the vision of a self-reliant India.

  • Centre considering ₹100-crore Aqua Park for J&K: Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Rajiv Ranjan Singh, on Wednesday said that flagship schemes such as the Blue Revolution, Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund (FIDF) and Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) have significantly strengthened the fisheries ecosystem in Jammu and Kashmir.

    Speaking at a function at the Shalimar Convention Centre, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Singh said the Centre remains committed to supporting the livestock and fisheries sectors as engines of rural income and nutritional security.

    Jammu and Kashmir Minister for Agriculture Production and Panchayati Raj Javid Ahmad Dar, Secretary of the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying Alka Upadhyaya, senior officials and progressive farmers from across the Valley attended the event.

    Singh pointed out that over 10 crore farmers in India depend on livestock for their livelihoods, with small and marginal farmers owning more than 90% of dairy animals. Women account for over 70% of participation in the dairy sector and hold nearly a third of cooperative memberships.

    In Jammu and Kashmir, milk production has increased by 47% over the past decade, rising from 19.5 lakh tonnes in 2014–15 to 28.74 lakh tonnes in 2023–24. Per capita milk availability in the Union Territory stands at 413 grams per day, he said.

    Highlighting efforts to promote trout farming, Singh said the government facilitated the import of 13.4 lakh genetically improved eyed ova of Rainbow and Brown Trout from Denmark, boosting trout production from 650 metric tonnes (MT) in 2020–21 to 2,380 MT in 2023–24 — an increase of 266%.

    Earlier in the day, Singh and Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah co-chaired a review meeting of the Animal Husbandry and Fisheries sectors at the Civil Secretariat in Srinagar. They also virtually inaugurated a 50,000-litre-per-day Ultra High Temperature (UHT) Milk Processing Plant at Satwari, Jammu.

    Singh said the Centre sees immense untapped potential in J&K’s livestock and fisheries sectors and assured full support for their development. He called for closer collaboration between the Union and UT governments to translate this potential into sustainable rural livelihoods.

    Encouraging youth to take up micro and small-scale ventures in fisheries and livestock, the Union Minister said that key national bodies like the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) and National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB) would help build strong infrastructure and market linkages.

    He informed that under PMMSY, the Centre has committed ₹852 crore for Himalayan and North Eastern states, including ₹300 crore specifically for J&K, to enhance production, infrastructure, and employment.

    According to Singh, annual fish production in J&K has grown from 20,000 MT in 2013–14 to 29,000 MT in 2024–25, while trout production has surged by over 800% — from 262 MT to 2,380 MT during the same period. Trout seed production has risen from 9 million to 15.2 million, and carp seed production has increased from 40 million to 63.5 million.

    The Minister said that recognising J&K’s potential for cold-water fisheries, the Ministry has designated Anantnag as a Cold-Water Fisheries Cluster, with Kulgam and Shopian as partner districts to develop an integrated value chain for sustainable livelihoods.

    He added that a proposal worth ₹100 crore is under consideration to set up an Integrated Aqua Park in J&K under PMMSY Phase-II to serve as a model for cold-water aquaculture.

    Singh reiterated the Centre’s commitment to holistic rural development, farmer empowerment and the vision of a self-reliant India.

  • Centre considering ₹100-crore Aqua Park for J&K: Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Rajiv Ranjan Singh, on Wednesday said that flagship schemes such as the Blue Revolution, Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund (FIDF) and Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) have significantly strengthened the fisheries ecosystem in Jammu and Kashmir.

    Speaking at a function at the Shalimar Convention Centre, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Singh said the Centre remains committed to supporting the livestock and fisheries sectors as engines of rural income and nutritional security.

    Jammu and Kashmir Minister for Agriculture Production and Panchayati Raj Javid Ahmad Dar, Secretary of the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying Alka Upadhyaya, senior officials and progressive farmers from across the Valley attended the event.

    Singh pointed out that over 10 crore farmers in India depend on livestock for their livelihoods, with small and marginal farmers owning more than 90% of dairy animals. Women account for over 70% of participation in the dairy sector and hold nearly a third of cooperative memberships.

    In Jammu and Kashmir, milk production has increased by 47% over the past decade, rising from 19.5 lakh tonnes in 2014–15 to 28.74 lakh tonnes in 2023–24. Per capita milk availability in the Union Territory stands at 413 grams per day, he said.

    Highlighting efforts to promote trout farming, Singh said the government facilitated the import of 13.4 lakh genetically improved eyed ova of Rainbow and Brown Trout from Denmark, boosting trout production from 650 metric tonnes (MT) in 2020–21 to 2,380 MT in 2023–24 — an increase of 266%.

    Earlier in the day, Singh and Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah co-chaired a review meeting of the Animal Husbandry and Fisheries sectors at the Civil Secretariat in Srinagar. They also virtually inaugurated a 50,000-litre-per-day Ultra High Temperature (UHT) Milk Processing Plant at Satwari, Jammu.

    Singh said the Centre sees immense untapped potential in J&K’s livestock and fisheries sectors and assured full support for their development. He called for closer collaboration between the Union and UT governments to translate this potential into sustainable rural livelihoods.

    Encouraging youth to take up micro and small-scale ventures in fisheries and livestock, the Union Minister said that key national bodies like the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) and National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB) would help build strong infrastructure and market linkages.

    He informed that under PMMSY, the Centre has committed ₹852 crore for Himalayan and North Eastern states, including ₹300 crore specifically for J&K, to enhance production, infrastructure, and employment.

    According to Singh, annual fish production in J&K has grown from 20,000 MT in 2013–14 to 29,000 MT in 2024–25, while trout production has surged by over 800% — from 262 MT to 2,380 MT during the same period. Trout seed production has risen from 9 million to 15.2 million, and carp seed production has increased from 40 million to 63.5 million.

    The Minister said that recognising J&K’s potential for cold-water fisheries, the Ministry has designated Anantnag as a Cold-Water Fisheries Cluster, with Kulgam and Shopian as partner districts to develop an integrated value chain for sustainable livelihoods.

    He added that a proposal worth ₹100 crore is under consideration to set up an Integrated Aqua Park in J&K under PMMSY Phase-II to serve as a model for cold-water aquaculture.

    Singh reiterated the Centre’s commitment to holistic rural development, farmer empowerment and the vision of a self-reliant India.

  • MIL-OSI USA: To the Spacemobile!

    Source: NASA

    In this Nov. 1, 1964, image, three members of NASA’s Lewis Research Center’s (now NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland) Educational Services Office pose with one of the center’s Spacemobile space science demonstration units. Once the NACA (National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics) became NASA, public outreach became one of the agency’s core tenets. Lewis, which had previously been a closed laboratory, began hosting open houses and elaborate space fairs in the early 1960s.
    In addition, the center initiated educational programs that worked with local schools and a robust speaker’s bureau that explained NASA activities to the community. One aspect of these efforts was the Spacemobile Program. These vehicles included a delegated speaker, exhibits, models, and other resources. The Spacemobiles, which made forays across the Midwest, were extremely active throughout the 1960s.
    Image credit: NASA

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: To the Spacemobile!

    Source: NASA

    In this Nov. 1, 1964, image, three members of NASA’s Lewis Research Center’s (now NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland) Educational Services Office pose with one of the center’s Spacemobile space science demonstration units. Once the NACA (National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics) became NASA, public outreach became one of the agency’s core tenets. Lewis, which had previously been a closed laboratory, began hosting open houses and elaborate space fairs in the early 1960s.
    In addition, the center initiated educational programs that worked with local schools and a robust speaker’s bureau that explained NASA activities to the community. One aspect of these efforts was the Spacemobile Program. These vehicles included a delegated speaker, exhibits, models, and other resources. The Spacemobiles, which made forays across the Midwest, were extremely active throughout the 1960s.
    Image credit: NASA

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Gov. Kemp: Shriners Children’s Research Institute Coming to Atlanta

    Source: US State of Georgia

    ATLANTA – Governor Brian P. Kemp today announced that Shriners Children’s, a nonprofit pediatric specialty healthcare system with locations across North America and a global reach, will establish a new pediatric medical research facility in Atlanta. In addition to creating 470 new jobs, Shriners Children’s will invest more than $153 million into the location at Science Square.

    “Shriners Children’s is an incredible addition to Georgia’s growing nonprofit, R&D, and life sciences communities,” said Governor Brian Kemp. “Our commitment to being the Top State for Talent attracts outstanding organizations and partners like this that further life-changing research at our top-ranked research universities across the state. I’m grateful for Shriners Children’s decision to bet on Georgia and our talent to improve lives for generations to come.”

    Shriners Children’s focuses on orthopedic and neuromuscular conditions, burn injuries, spinal cord injury rehabilitation, and cleft lip and palate. Shriners Children’s mission also features a commitment to education and research. A unique pediatric healthcare system founded by members of the Shriners International fraternity in 1922, the organization has brought hope and healing to nearly 2 million patients. Last year, Shriners Children’s served patients from all 50 U.S. states, every province in Canada, and 128 countries.

    “We are thrilled to be establishing this new center for world-class pediatric medical research in Georgia,” said Shriners Children’s Chairman of the Board of Trustees Dr. Leslie D. Stewart. “The opportunities to advance our research through collaborations and partnerships such as the one with Georgia Tech made Atlanta the clear choice.”

    “The Shriners Children’s Research Institute will serve as a multidisciplinary innovation hub to advance the healthcare of children,” said Dr. Marc Lalande, Shriners Children’s Vice President of Research Programs. “The close partnership with the outstanding biomedical engineers and scientists from Georgia Tech and Emory University will accelerate discovery and spearhead new treatments and therapies.”

    The Shriners Children’s Research Institute will have its home in Science Square Labs, strategically located across from Georgia Tech’s North Avenue Research Area. The organization will recruit talent across research fields, including cell and gene therapies, robotics, artificial intelligence, medical devices, biologics, and data informatics, as well as administrative and support roles. Interested individuals can learn more about Shriners Children’s at www.shrinerschildrens.org/en/careers.

    “Shriners Children’s new healthcare research facility represents more than just a strategic investment in Atlanta’s growing healthcare ecosystem — it’s a powerful commitment to healthier futures for children,” said Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens. “This investment will not only create high-quality jobs and drive innovation but also furthers Atlanta’s reputation as a global hub for improving public health through scientific advancement.”

    “Shriners Children’s decision to establish its new Research Institute in Fulton County highlights the strength of our talent pipeline and the region’s growing reputation in life sciences and advanced research,” said Chairman Robb Pitts, Fulton County Board of Commissioners. “Projects like this bring high-quality, high-paying jobs to our residents and reinforce Fulton County’s role as a hub for innovation, collaboration, and economic growth.”

    “Backed by metro Atlanta’s world-class universities and a robust talent pipeline, Shriners Children’s new Research Institute exemplifies the region’s momentum in cutting-edge research and global innovation,” said Katie Kirkpatrick, President & CEO of the Metro Atlanta Chamber. “Their investment strengthens Science Square’s emergence as a hub for AI, data, and life sciences breakthroughs.”

    Project Director Jane Caraway represented the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) Global Commerce team on this competitive project in partnership with the Invest Atlanta, Select Fulton, Metro Atlanta Chamber, University System of Georgia, and Georgia Power.

    “Shriners Children’s embodies the kind of investment we strive to attract – a world-class organization that gives back to the community, creates high-quality jobs, and strengthens Georgia’s growing life sciences ecosystem,” said GDEcD Commissioner Pat Wilson. “From the exceptional team effort that brought this project to Georgia to the research partnerships it will inspire, the Shriners Children’s Research Institute is a powerful example of our collaborative approach to economic development and innovation.”

    About Shriners Children’s

    Shriners Children’s is changing lives every day by providing innovative pediatric specialty care, conducting research to improve the quality of lives, and of care, and offering outstanding educational programs for medical professionals. For more information, including the full range of care available, please visit shrinerschildrens.org.

    MIL OSI USA News –