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Category: Education

  • MIL-OSI Global: Compression tights and tops: do they actually benefit you during (or after) exercise?

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Ben Singh, Research Fellow, Allied Health & Human Performance, University of South Australia

    Olena Yakobchuk/Shutterstock

    You’ve seen them in every gym: tight black leggings, neon sleeves and even knee-length socks.

    Compression gear is everywhere, worn by weekend joggers, elite athletes and influencers striking poses mid-squat.

    But do compression garments actually improve your performance, or is the benefit mostly in your head?

    Let’s dive into the history, the science and whether they are worth your money.

    From hospitals to hashtags

    Compression garments didn’t start in sport. They were originally used in medical settings to improve blood flow in patients recovering from surgery or with circulation issues such as varicose veins.

    Doctors found tight garments that applied gentle pressure to limbs could help move blood and reduce swelling.

    But in the late 1990s and early 2000s, athletes, scientists and sports brands began experimenting with compression wear in training and competition.

    Companies such as SKINS, 2XU, and Under Armour entered the scene with bold promises: improved performance, reduced fatigue and faster recovery.

    Then, by the 2010s, compression wear wasn’t just for athletes – it had become a fashion statement.

    Social media helped drive the trend: influencers wore these items in gym selfies, TikTokers praised the sleek, sculpted look. And with the rise of athleisure, compression garments became everyday apparel, blending fitness with fashion.

    What are these garments supposed to do?

    Compression gear is designed to fit tightly against the skin and apply gentle, consistent pressure to muscles. The big claims made by manufacturers include:

    You’ll hear gym-goers say they feel “more supported” or “less sore” after using compression gear.

    Some even report improved posture or a mental boost – like stepping into a superhero suit.

    What the science says

    Research into compression garments has been growing steadily and the results are mixed – but interesting.

    A 2013 major meta-analysis reported moderate benefits across several recovery markers, including lower levels of creatine kinase (a sign of muscle damage) and less delayed-onset muscle soreness up to 72 hours after exercise.

    A 2016 review found compression garments reduced muscle soreness and swelling and boosted muscle power and strength. These improvements were up to 1.5 times greater (compared to people who didn’t wear compression garments) in some cases.

    Building on this, a 2017 review found people who wore compression gear recovered strength more quickly, with noticeable improvements within eight to 24 hours after a workout. Strength recovery scores were around 60% higher in those wearing compression gear compared to those who didn’t.

    But the findings are not consistent. A 2022 review of 19 trials found little effect on strength during the first few days post-exercise.

    And when it comes to actual performance, a comprehensive 2025 review of 51 studies concluded compression garments do not enhance race time or endurance performance in runners. And while they may reduce soft tissue vibration (which might feel more comfortable), they offered no meaningful edge in speed, stamina or oxygen use.

    Overall, in simpler terms: compression gear may help you recover faster but don’t expect it to turn you into an Olympic sprinter.

    When compression gear might help (and when it won’t)

    Here are some situations when compression garments can be genuinely useful:

    But don’t count on them to:

    • improve your times: there’s no strong evidence they boost speed or endurance

    • make you stronger: while some research has noted improvements in strength and power, this won’t necessarily have a noticeable effect on your athletic performance

    • replace training or good sleep: recovery still depends on the basics – rest, hydration and nutrition.

    So, should you wear them?

    Compression outfits won’t magically transform your body or training results. But they aren’t a waste of money either.

    If they make you feel more comfortable, confident or supported, that’s a valid reason to wear them. The psychological boost alone can be enough to enhance motivation or focus.

    And when it comes to post-exercise recovery, the evidence is solid enough to justify keeping a pair in your gym bag.

    Think of them like a good pair of shoes. They won’t run the race for you, but they might make the journey a little smoother.

    And if you’re just wearing them for the outfit photo on Instagram? That’s fine, too. Sometimes, confidence is the best workout gear of all.

    Ben Singh 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. Compression tights and tops: do they actually benefit you during (or after) exercise? – https://theconversation.com/compression-tights-and-tops-do-they-actually-benefit-you-during-or-after-exercise-255719

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: Episode 04： Time Capsule Expo ’70

    Source: Panasonic

    Headline: Episode 04： Time Capsule Expo ’70

    Here, we share episodes about Konosuke Matsushita, the founder of the Panasonic Group, from our company’s historical records.

    The fourth installment in this series introduces the Time Capsule EXPO ’70, which was exhibited at the Japan World Exposition, Osaka 1970, and fascinated many visitors, along with Konosuke’s words.

    This photo shows 2,098 objects selected from the natural sciences, social sciences, and arts from a global perspective by consulting 632 experts from 36 countries as well as seeking public entries from all over Japan.

    Passing down a message to people 5,000 years ahead in the future

    The first world exposition in Asia was held in Suita City, Osaka, for 183 days from March 15 to September 13, 1970. The Matsushita Group (currently Panasonic Group) exhibited the Matsushita Pavillion. The pavilion, based on an architectural design of the Tenpyo culture*1 from the Nara era, along with Japanese traditional aesthetic elements such as a bamboo grove, a pond, and a tea ceremony room, attracted large crowds, reaching as many as 7.6 million visitors in total.
    ＊1. A Japanese culture that flourished during the Tenpyo years (729 to 749 A.D.) of the Nara era. Numerous temples with graceful roof lines were built during these years.

    The Matsushita Pavillion and 70 staff members. Their kimono uniforms, changed for the spring, early summer, and mid-summer seasons, were in perfect harmony with the pavilion’s atmosphere, and they were favorably received by many visitors.

    What attracted particular attention was the Time Capsule EXPO ’70, a project prepared in collaboration with The Mainichi Newspapers. With a view to passing contemporary culture down the generations, two capsules containing 2,098 carefully selected objects were buried in the grounds of Osaka Castle Park.*2 One of them was set to be opened in 6970, 5,000 years later.*3
    ＊2. The site was selected because it would be less affected by future urban development, due to its designation as a historic site in Japan, and because its geological layers are stable.＊3. The documents composing all records of the project were sent to national libraries and museums not only in Japan but also abroad.
    On March 15, 1971, the first anniversary of the opening of Expo 1970, Matsushita Electric (currently Panasonic Holdings) and The Mainichi Newspapers held a party at the Osaka Royal Hotel (currently RIHGA Royal Hotel Osaka) for donating the capsules to the Ministry of Education. At the end of the ceremony, Konosuke took the stage and expressed his deep appreciation to all individuals involved for their cooperation, also stating with humor, “This project should prove to be cost-effective, since the name of Matsushita Electric will remain in history 5,000 years from now.” The event concluded in a friendly atmosphere.

    Left: Time Capsule created by leveraging the best techniques in Japan at the time for casting the capsule, welding the lid, and preserving the objects.Right: The stainless-steel monument marking the buried site. The capsules will continue to sleep for 5,000 years, 15 meters deep in the ground below the monument.

    Passing hope on to the far future

    The objects placed in the capsules included a message from Konosuke (aged 75 at the time) to the people of 5,000 years later, recorded on a pure gold disc to prevent damage. Here is part of his message.

    “Today’s scientists tell us that the planet is changing year by year. Humanity’s conditions of life are also changing moment by moment. We have no way of knowing with any accuracy what the condition of the planet will be 5,000 years from now, and how humanity’s way of life will have progressed. We can only imagine various scenarios, but that in itself is part of the fascination of making this capsule.… We sincerely hope you take an interest in these contents, examine them, and enjoy imagining what life was like for the people who made this capsule and left it for you, 5,000 years ago. Thank you, and goodbye.”

    Konosuke refining the text of his message (left). He spent more than five minutes recording it, with a slightly tense look.

    Konosuke later stated, “This project might represent the only living history within this Expo. I am confident that it was one of the productive projects.”
    The grand project will leave evidence of advances as of 1970 for the far future and deliver invaluable significance to the people living 5,000 years from then.

    Konosuke cutting the opening ribbon of the Matsushita Pavilion. Isoya Yoshida, the architect who planned the new main hall of Chuguji Temple in 1968, designed the pavilion at Konosuke’s request.

    Related LinksTime Capsule EXPO ’70Osaka Museum of History: The 157th special exhibition “Open the Time Capsule” (Japanese only)

    The content in this website is accurate at the time of publication but may be subject to change without notice.Please note therefore that these documents may not always contain the most up-to-date information.Please note that German, French and Chinese versions are machine translations, so the quality and accuracy may vary.

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Volcano Watch — Inter-Episode Rumblings at Kīlauea

    Source: US Geological Survey

    Volcano Watch is a weekly article and activity update written by U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists and affiliates. Today’s article is by RCUH geophysicist Maddie Hawk.

    This spectrogram shows four hours of USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory data streams across six seismic stations at Kīlauea’s summit on May 6, 2025. Each panel is 10 minutes of data. Over the four-hour period, an earthquake, pulsing, and eruptive tremor are visible. 

    For Island of Hawaiʻi residents, the recent eruptive episodes at Kaluapele (Kīlauea’s summit caldera) generously offer many chances to view the mesmerizing lava fountains. Opposed to other recent eruption locations like Kīlauea’s East or Southwest Rift Zone, the summit caldera eruptions are accessible to the public. A ride down Crater Rim Drive and a one-mile walk offers one of the best viewing areas near Keanakākoʻi Crater, though other areas along the caldera rim also offer stunning views from farther away. 

    Prior to the onset of this eruption in December 2024, Island of Hawaiʻi earthquake counts had reached some of the highest levels in recorded history here. Just last summer, some weekly tallies exceeded 2,000 earthquakes across the island. Some of these earthquakes are magma creating new pathways in the volcano, breaking rocks along the way. When magma erupts, this process of rock breaking stops, and earthquake counts dwindle as a result. In the last five months, Island of Hawaiʻi weekly earthquake counts have rarely exceeded 500. 

    Though there aren’t as many earthquakes around Kīlauea summit during the ongoing eruption, the ground below Kaluapele is not exactly quiet. During an eruptive episode, the roar of lava fountains shows up on seismic data channels as eruptive tremor. It is a constant, loud, unmistakable signal shared across eruptions and it is associated with large volume fluid movement. Though tremor increases with the onset of each fountaining episode, it has not completely disappeared with each pause. The signal is persistent between episodes. 

    Between fountaining episodes, the persistent tremor can vary in intensity due to the vent geometry, gas emissions, magma depth, and other factors. Recent pauses have exhibited periods of cyclical low frequency pulsing within the tremor often correlated with the rise and fall of lava in the vent. This process of lava filling the vents and then draining, repeatedly, prior to a new eruptive episode has been visible USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory livestream cameras. 

    Pulsing tremor can indicate magma movement and/or gas transfer within the volcanic system, and it has varied in rhythm, duration, and intensity. One example is the cycle leading up to eruptive episode 20. Pulsing began in earnest about nine hours before lava fountaining appeared on May 6, just before 5:30 p.m. HST. Each pulse lasted around 3 minutes, at a rate of about 8 pulses per hour. 

    However, the pause between episodes 17 and 18 displayed pulses that were closer to 10 minutes long, with only 2-3 occurring every hour. Though pulsing is common immediately before or after an eruptive episode, it is not consistent. Unlike the onset of episode 20, episode 19 began without being immediately preceded by tremor pulsing. Also, we cannot assume that the pulsing ceases during eruptive episodes, as the loud tremor would cover up any weaker signals. 

    Recognizing seismic patterns, or lack thereof, can contribute to our understanding of what is happening below the surface. Studying these patterns alongside geodetic data (how the Earth contracts and expands with volcanic activity), changes in gas emissions, and changes in magma compositions gives us the best chance to understand the complex volcanic system beneath our feet. 

    Volcano Activity Updates

    Kīlauea has been erupting episodically within the summit caldera since December 23, 2024. Its USGS Volcano Alert level is WATCH.

    Episode 22 of the Kīlauea summit eruption in Halemaʻumaʻu crater occurred on May 16, with approximately 8 hours of fountaining primarily from the north vent. Strong glow visible in both the north and south vents and summit region inflation since the end of episode 22 suggests that another episode is possible. Sulfur dioxide emission rates are elevated in the summit region during active eruption episodes. No unusual activity has been noted along Kīlauea’s East Rift Zone or Southwest Rift Zone. 

    Mauna Loa is not erupting. Its USGS Volcano Alert Level is at NORMAL.

    Two earthquakes were reported felt in the Hawaiian Islands during the past week: a M3.2 earthquake 22 km (13 mi) WSW of Hāwī at 21 km (13 mi) depth on May 21 at 2:18 a.m. HST and a M4.2 earthquake 18 km (11 mi) SE of Pāhala at 32 km (20 mi) depth on May 20 at 9:37 a.m. HST.

    HVO continues to closely monitor Kīlauea and Mauna Loa.

    Please visit HVO’s website for past Volcano Watch articles, Kīlauea and Mauna Loa updates, volcano photos, maps, recent earthquake information, and more. Email questions to askHVO@usgs.gov.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Vivid, thrilling and ghastly: new theatrical adaptation of The Birds evokes climate disaster, terrorism and lockdown

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sarah Austin, Senior Lecturer in Theatre, The University of Melbourne

    Pia Johnson/Malthouse Theatre

    Malthouse’s new production of The Birds is a thrillingly realised take on the 1952 short story by Daphne Du Maurier. Adapted by Louise Fox and directed by Matthew Lutton, this vivid realisation is a chilling treatise on fear and resilience in the face of an external threat.

    Paula Arundell plays Tessa, a wife and mother whose family has recently undergone a seachange to a sleepy little coastal town. Tessa serves as both our narrator and key storyteller as the show unfolds, and Arundell embodies multiple other characters with precise vocal and physical shifts.

    As the birds start to amass on the sleepy seaside hamlet, Tessa becomes increasingly concerned about their intentions. After a random avian attack on a neighbour and the terror of the persistent nocturnal window-tapping visitors who eventually invade Tessa’s daughter’s bedroom, it becomes clear to Tessa her concerns are justified.

    At first, no one takes the threat of the birds as seriously as Tessa. They fail to recognise the sinister and particular interest the birds have in the human species. Her husband and neighbour dismiss Tessa’s concerns as a sort of paranoia.

    But as the amount of birds begins to sharply increase, creating a shadow in the sky that blocks out the sun, Tessa becomes the galvanising force determined to protect her family from this imminent deadly attack.

    A theatrical feat

    Sound, light and text support the audience to imagine rich landscapes of domestic, natural and urban settings.

    Kat Chan’s set is stripped back, with a raised area in the middle of the stage and a few set and prop items on long tables along the walls. With this deceptively simple design, we are transported to the seashore, the interior of a home and a neighbourhood park as we journey with Tessa over two or three days during this apocalyptic disaster.

    Kat Chan’s set is deceptively simple.
    Pia Johnson/Malthouse Theatre

    J. David Franzke’s sound design is a feat of theatrical audio engineering. Headphones immerse the audience within a binaural sonic landscape.

    Every sound Arundell makes on stage is emphasised, interwoven with a cacophony of bird squawks, cries, songs and calls.

    Microphones and speakers are all cleverly disguised as wooden bird boxes, adding a beautiful conceptual touch to the never-seen – but absolutely present – flocks of murderous birds.

    Post-pandemic theatre

    In the original story, the male protagonist strategises his defence against the birds using logic and reasoning, as a post-World War Two disability limits him physically.

    Fox’s adaptation nods to this part of the original story by a subtle reference to Tessa’s husband’s mental health, and that he has been “let go” (or, as he interjects, “let down”) by his company.

    It is clear Tessa must use her wits to protect her family, including her husband. She has no one she can rely on but herself.

    As this story reaches a ghastly and violent climax, I was struck by the similarities to some of the experience of pandemic lockdowns, still so recent in our collective memory.

    Creative responses that reflect and depict this time are only really just beginning to emerge on Australian stages.

    Maybe it was the effect of wearing headphones while watching a live performance that catapulted me back to the isolated feeling of only connecting with others outside my home through the digital realm.

    The Birds evokes the isolation felt during COVID lockdowns.
    Pia Johnson/Malthouse Theatre

    Tessa barricades her frightened family in her house to fend off this pervasive and ever-present threat. She counts her food supplies and how long they might last, operates under a curfew controlled by the tides, and tunes into the radio to hear what the government has to say about the bird situation. I was taken immediately back to a time of daily COVID numbers and premier briefings, toilet paper rationing and social distancing.

    The possibility of what The Birds represents is manifold, with ideas of climate disaster, genocide, war and terrorism all present in the storytelling and the richly evocative text.

    The simple final image of a woman reclining on a chair, calmly reciting names of bird species as she smokes a cigarette and awaits the dread that will come in the night is a powerful symbol of quiet fortitude.

    Perhaps in this post pandemic context, it is Tessa’s determination in the face of this catastrophe that might speak to us of resilience in the face of seemingly impossible disasters and how we must continue to adapt, fight and resist to survive.

    The Birds is at Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne, until June 7.

    Sarah Austin 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. Vivid, thrilling and ghastly: new theatrical adaptation of The Birds evokes climate disaster, terrorism and lockdown – https://theconversation.com/vivid-thrilling-and-ghastly-new-theatrical-adaptation-of-the-birds-evokes-climate-disaster-terrorism-and-lockdown-254819

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: How should central banks respond to US tariffs? The RBA provides some clues

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stella Huangfu, Associate professor, University of Sydney

    Lightspring/Shutterstock

    With the return of Donald Trump to the White House, the United States has signalled a return to aggressive tariff policies, upending economic forecasts around the world.

    This leaves central banks with a tricky dilemma: how to respond when inflation and global growth are being shaped by political decisions rather than economic fundamentals?

    Tariffs lift import prices and disrupt trade, which could lead to higher inflation. But they can also dampen consumer demand and undermine business confidence, which would slow economic growth.

    This leaves central banks balancing two opposing forces – do they raise interest rates to control inflation, or cut interest rates to support growth?

    Three big shocks in a row

    This week, Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) Governor Michele Bullock addressed this challenge in a press conference after cutting interest rates for the second time this year.

    She described the current period as one of “shifting and unusual uncertainty”.

    Central banks, she noted, have faced three major shocks in succession: the global financial crisis, the COVID pandemic, and now the fallout from Trump’s trade policies.

    Each, she said, is different – this latest one being political in nature and harder to categorise. Bullock stressed the difficulty of judging whether such shocks are supply-driven or demand-driven, or both, and emphasised the need to prepare for a range of outcomes.

    So, the Reserve Bank took the unusual step of outlining three alternative global scenarios – trade war, trade peace, and a central baseline. Each one has distinct implications for Australian monetary policy.

    It’s a clear example of how central banks can remain flexible and forward-looking in a world where the next shock may look nothing like the last.

    Looking at three global scenarios

    1. Trade war (escalation)

    In this scenario laid out in the Reserve Bank’s quarterly statement on monetary policy, the US imposes sweeping new tariffs. That prompts retaliation and a slowdown in global trade. Supply chains are hit and business confidence falls.

    Australia would feel the consequences quickly: weaker export demand, rising import prices, and a difficult mix of slower growth and temporary inflation. Here, the Reserve Bank would likely look past short-term price increases and focus on deteriorating demand. A rate cut would become more likely, despite inflation being above target in the short run.

    2. Trade peace (de-escalation)

    If the US backs away from new tariffs and tensions ease, global confidence improves and trade stabilises. Australia benefits from stronger global demand, a rebound in commodity exports and rising investment.

    In this setting, inflation rises gradually due to higher activity – not import price shocks. The Reserve Bank might hold rates steady, or even consider hiking rates if inflation pressures build. But this scenario also carries risk: if the recovery is faster than expected, interest rates may be left low for too long.

    3. Baseline scenario

    In the bank’s central case, trade tensions persist but do not escalate. Global growth slows moderately and firms adjust to ongoing strain in supply chains.

    Australia sees subdued but stable economic growth. Inflation remains within the 2-3% target band in the near term, and the Reserve Bank would stay open to either raising or lowering interest rates, depending on how risks evolve.

    Other central banks face similar choices

    Australia’s central bank is not alone in navigating these challenges.

    At the Bank of England, the decision to cut rates in May showed a divided Monetary Policy Committee. While the majority supported a 0.25% cut, two members – including trade expert Swati Dhingra – called for a larger 0.5% move to better support growth. The split highlights the difficulty of gauging how aggressively to respond in an uncertain environment.

    In the US, Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell has warned of the risks posed by Trump’s new tariffs. Speaking in April, Powell said the impact could be “larger than expected”, threatening both growth and inflation.

    With trade policy largely out of the Fed’s hands, he noted, the central bank must still monitor developments on tariffs closely because of their potential to disrupt both employment and prices.

    The road ahead

    The re-emergence of US tariffs adds to the complexity facing central banks. As Bullock noted, this is not just another economic shock – it’s a politically driven one, which is harder to model and forecast.

    The Reserve Bank’s response offers a practical framework: map out potential scenarios, weigh their implications and stand ready to move. In an uncertain world, monetary policy must be based not just on data, but on judgement, flexibility and contingency planning.



    Read more:
    What are tariffs?

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

    – ref. How should central banks respond to US tariffs? The RBA provides some clues – https://theconversation.com/how-should-central-banks-respond-to-us-tariffs-the-rba-provides-some-clues-257329

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Defense News: CNO Franchetti Speaks at 2023 Reagan National Defense Forum

    Source: United States Navy

    Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti spoke during a panel while at the Reagan National Defense Forum in Simi Valley, California on Dec. 2, 2023. The panel was “Laboratories of Learning,” and focused on innovation and technological breakthroughs in the Department of Defense. Speakers included: Representative Ken Calvert, U.S. House of Representatives; James Taiclet, Chairmen, President, and CEO of Lockheed Martin Corporation; Gen. David Allvin, U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff; and the moderator, Jim Sciutto from CNN.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: UNESCO brings together World Heritage marine site managers to review groundbreaking environmental DNA Expeditions and citizen science efforts

    Source: United Nations

    On 30 April 2025, managers from the 51 UNESCO World Heritage marine sites convened online with experts from UNESCO to review the results of UNESCO’s pioneering environmental DNA (eDNA) expeditions initiative and to exchange first-hand experiences involving citizen scientists in this world-first effort.

    UNESCO eDNA expeditions is the first global use case for detecting ocean biodiversity with citizen-science using shared eDNA collection approaches. Over three years, more than 250 volunteers, some as young as 6 years old, collected eDNA samples at 21 UNESCO World Heritage marine sites spread across 19 countries. This effort empowered local schoolchildren and communities to contribute to marine biodiversity research and understand the impacts of climate change on their local World Heritage marine site.

    The goal of the online meeting was to share lessons learned and firsthand insights with UNESCO World Heritage marine site managers – both from sites that participated in the initiative and those that did not – on how eDNA, combined with citizen science, can enhance marine biodiversity monitoring in protected areas, especially in the face of climate change threats to the ocean.

    The scientific coordinator of the initiative, based in the International Oceanographic Data and Information Exchange (IODE) office in charge of the UNESCO Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC)’s Ocean Biodiversity Information System (OBIS), presented an overview of the eDNA expeditions initiative. The presentation highlighted global results from the 19 participating countries and outlined future plans to support continued eDNA sampling and citizen science engagement at UNESCO World Heritage marine sites. Published in December 2024, the global results revealed the identification of more than 4,400 marine species, including several species of sharks and rays, marine mammal species, and turtle species. Among these, 120 are listed as vulnerable, endangered, or critically endangered on the IUCN Red List. Remarkably, the eDNA campaign detected 10–20% of the expected local marine fauna at each sampling site—an outcome that, using traditional survey methods, would have required prolonged effort and substantial financial resources.

    Another major outcome of the programme was a parallel climate impact analysis, which assessed the thermal limits of the detected species using projected future ocean temperature scenarios. The findings indicated that in some tropical regions, up to 100% of species may be affected, highlighting the urgent need for adaptive management in response to increasing thermal stress on marine life.

    Managers from UNESCO World Heritage marine sites shared their experiences leading the local eDNA sampling campaigns. A representative from the Everglades National Park World Heritage site (United States of America) highlighted the value of eDNA as a complementary tool to traditional methods for monitoring species presence within the site. The UNESCO-supported eDNA sampling campaign engaged local high school students in hands-on sampling activities, bridging classroom learning with real-world conservation efforts. Parents joined in as well, further strengthening community involvement. Currently, eDNA is used in the park to monitor overall biodiversity, including detecting invasive species like Burmese pythons.

    Meanwhile, the iSimangaliso Wetland Park World Heritage site (South Africa) shared how the eDNA campaign marked a first for both the site and local schools. High school students and teachers were trained in the techniques of eDNA sampling, with a strong emphasis on safety and following precise protocols. The campaign introduced learners to marine science and emphasized the importance of accuracy in data collection. As some key species were not detected, the campaign uncovered important data gaps and reinforced the importance of ongoing research and enhanced collaboration between marine protected area managers and the scientific community.

    The UNESCO World Heritage List comprises 51 marine sites across 37 countries. Due to their status as the world’s flagship marine protected areas, UNESCO World Heritage marine sites are uniquely positioned to drive change and innovation, help set global standards in conservation excellence, and serve as beacons of hope in a changing ocean.

    This online meeting was made possible with the support of the French Biodiversity Agency (OFB).

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: UNESCO Strengthens Capacity of the Government of Sindh in Preserving the Historical Monuments at Makli, Thatta in Pakistan

    Source: United Nations

    To enhance the capacity of professionals from the Directorate of Antiquities and Archaeology, Sindh, in safeguarding one of Pakistan’s World Heritage Sites – Historical Monuments at Makli, Thatta, UNESCO organized a three-day workshop from 12 to 14 May 2025 on the effective restoration and conservation techniques for protecting the site.

    The workshop focused on enhancing the knowledge and understanding on key heritage management topics, including the World Heritage Convention and Outstanding University Value, ensuring authenticity in restoration projects, and ethical considerations of authenticity, reversibility and minimum intervention. The workshop also provided an opportunity to share the best practices and experiences with the professionals from the Directorate of Antiquities and Archaeology, Sindh.

    Mr. Antony Kar Hung Tam, Officer-in-Charge of the UNESCO Office in Pakistan, underscored UNESCO’s enduring commitment to protecting cultural heritage through local empowerment, international collaboration, and sustainable conservation practices. UNESCO, with the support of the Netherlands Funds-in-Trust, has been and will continue putting its efforts to the conservation of the Historical Monuments at Makli, Thatta, addressing the damage caused by the monsoon floods in 2022.

    Mr. Abdul Fateh Shaikh, Director General of Antiquities and Archaeology, Sindh, praised the support provided by UNESCO and expressed deep appreciation to the Government of the Netherlands for their continued commitment to heritage preservation.

    Makli Necropolis, located near Thatta in Pakistan’s Sindh province, is among the largest and most extraordinary funerary sites in the world. Situated around 140 kilometers from Karachi, this necropolis is one of the largest burial quarters in the world with graves, tombs and mausoleums of saints, poets, noblemen, governors, princes, kings and queens. Extending over 10 square kilometers, the Historical Monuments at Makli, Thatta possess around half a million tombs and graves. The architectural styles reflect a rich confluence of Muslim, Hindu, Persian, Mughal, and Gujarati influences. These tombs are particularly renowned for their distinctive, blue-glazed tiles, intricate stone engravings, refined calligraphic inscriptions, and mesmerizing geometric motifs, testifying to the creative and spiritual expressions of vibrant civilization that once flourished in the region.

    Thatta, being a thriving center of knowledge, arts and culture from 14th to 17th centuries, played a pivotal role in shaping the cultural heritage of the Sindh region. In recognition of its exceptional universal value and artistic legacy, the Makli Necropolis was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1981. 

    Over the past few decades, the site has faced natural and human hazards. In response, UNESCO has been working closely with the Government of Sindh, to provide technical support in addressing conservation and management issues, deploying reactive monitoring missions and executing conservation and capacity building initiatives. Following the damage caused by the 2022 monsoon, UNESCO mobilized local and international experts, within the framework of World Heritage Emergency Assistance, to undertake damage assessments, capacity building initiatives and immediate remedial measures for emergency stabilization of the site.

    The impact assessment revealed severe structural vulnerabilities in the Shaikh Jyio Tomb and an adjacent unknown tomb from the Samma period (1351–1524). To address these critical issues, UNESCO initiated a restoration project under the Netherlands Funds-in-Trust, in collaboration with the Directorate of Antiquities and Archaeology, Sindh.

    UNESCO’s team of international and local experts followed international standards and procedures required for the restoration work, undertook thorough documentation and condition assessment of both tombs, collected historical evidences through archival and archaeological research and material identification and testing to evaluate the suitability of the stones for conservation and restoration work. All these steps helped to appropriately inform the ongoing restoration work at the unknown tomb.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Half the remaining habitat of Australia’s most at-risk species is outside protected areas

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Ward, Lecturer, School of Environment and Science, Griffith University

    Land clearing for agriculture poses a real threat to many species. Rich Carey/Shutterstock

    More and more Australian species are being listed as critically endangered – the final stage before extinction in the wild. Hundreds of species of plants and animals are now at this point.

    For a species to be critically endangered, it is on death’s door. Its numbers must have shrunk alarmingly and its outlook is bleak. Why? One common reason is habitat loss. If we convert bushland or swamps into farmland or suburbs, we reduce how much space species have to survive.

    Our new research examines how much habitat is left for 305 of Australia’s critically endangered species – more than 70% of the total. Alarmingly, we found almost half the remaining habitat is outside the protected area estate. That means the last remaining areas where these species are clinging on could very easily be cleared.

    The good news? We now know exactly which areas most need to be safeguarded. If we protected an extra 0.5% of Australia’s land mass, we could slash the risk to hundreds of species approaching the point of no return. This is a relatively small amount compared to the 22.5% of Australia that already has some form of protection. The Australian government has committed to increasing this to 30% by 2030.

    What did we do?

    Australia now has 426 critically endangered species, including plants, fish, frogs, reptiles, mammals, birds and other animals. We focused on 305 of these species – those clinging to life in six or fewer isolated patches of habitat across Australia.

    We then worked with 18 scientists whose expertise covers these 305 species to refine the maps of habitat for species to ensure we used the most accurate and current data available.

    Once we had these maps, we compared them to maps of Australia’s network of protected areas. When we found unprotected habitat, we assessed whether it might be appealing for clearing and conversion into farmland.

    When we put this data together, we found something startling – and encouraging. Our work found approximately 85,000 square kilometres of habitat (about 1% of Australia’s land area) urgently needs protection and management to halt extinction for these 305 species.

    This map shows Australia’s existing protected areas in green. Suitable but unprotected habitat for our critically endangered species are coloured from dark blue through to yellow. The lighter the colour, the more species this habitat is suited to. Islands not to scale.
    Michelle Ward, CC BY-NC-ND

    Alarmingly, half of this vital habitat currently lies outside existing protected areas, with 39 species having none of their remaining habitat in the protected area estate. Habitat in protected areas is safer, but not completely safe. Fuel reduction burns, invasive species and even harvesting can affect species inside protected areas.

    Consider the Margaret River burrowing crayfish (Engaewa pseudoreducta), Lyon’s grassland striped skink (Austroablepharus barrylyoni) and the Rosewood keeled snail (Ordtrachia septentrionalis). Each of these critically endangered species survives in one or two tiny patches of habitat outside the protected area estate. They could be wiped out by something as simple as a highway expansion or a new suburban development.

    Some remaining habitat is especially precious, as it could support several critically endangered species at once. These include areas west of Atherton in Queensland as well as areas around Tumbarumba in New South Wales and Campbell Town in Tasmania.

    Other hotspots include Lord Howe Island, Macquarie Island, Christmas Island, Norfolk Island and its neighbour Phillip Island. Many critically endangered species with small ranges survive here, including Suter’s striped glass-snail, Christmas Island spleenwort and the Lord Howe Island phasmid (giant stick insect). While most of these islands are well protected, their conservation programs need to be well funded to deal with ongoing threats.

    The critically endangered Lyon’s grassland striped skink is now found only on small fragments of habitat southwest of Cairns.
    Conrad Hoskin, CC BY-NC-ND

    The last of them

    When a species goes extinct, we lose an entire set of genes, traits, behaviours and history. Despite recent headlines, extinction is forever.

    In 2022, the Australian government pledged to bring an end to extinction of the continent’s unique species.

    This is easier said than done – extinctions are continuing, especially among invertebrates.

    Our maps show the last known areas where these 305 species are holding on. If nothing is done, some of these areas of habitat will likely be converted to farming or grazing land. The most logical thing to do is to preserve and manage this habitat as quickly as possible.

    The challenge is ownership. At present, much of this habitat occurs on private land (about 17,000 km²) or in state forests (about 7,000 km²) which often does not stop activities that cause habitat destruction, such as native forest logging. Other areas are under different forms of tenure which often lack stringent conservation measures.

    Protecting species on private lands requires careful negotiation and incentives for landholders. The government doesn’t have to buy the land – it just has to find ways to conserve it. Australia now has many good examples of conservation on private land.

    Agricultural potential poses another challenge. More than half (55%) of the habitat we identified has a clear overlap with lands suitable for farming or grazing. These preferred areas are usually flat and on fertile soils.

    Conversion of habitat to farms or paddocks is a major reason why Australia is still one of the top land-clearing nations. In just one year, 6,800 km² of woody vegetation was cleared in Queensland – largely to make way for agriculture.

    What can we do?

    Our research gives policymakers detailed, geographically specific and actionable information on vital areas of habitat remaining for more than 70% of Australia’s critically endangered species.

    These maps can help shape decisions on land management, expansion of protected areas and where biodiversity stewardship programs should be prioritised.

    Policymakers must find effective incentives for landowners to preserve species on their land and rigorously enforce regulations to prevent illegal clearing.

    Australia stands at a crossroads. The action (or inaction) of decision makers will change the fate of hundreds of critically endangered species. We know where these species are just holding on. The question is whether we can get to them in time.

    Michelle Ward has received funding from various sources including the Australian Research Council, the Queensland Department of Environment and Science, WWF Australia, and the federal government’s National Environmental Science Program, and has advised both state and federal government on conservation policy.

    James Watson has received funding from the Australian Research Council, National Environmental Science Program, South Australia’s Department of Environment and Water, Queensland’s Department of Environment, Science and Innovation as well as from Bush Heritage Australia, Queensland Conservation Council, Australian Conservation Foundation, The Wilderness Society and Birdlife Australia. He serves on the scientific committee of BirdLife Australia and has a long-term scientific relationship with Bush Heritage Australia and Wildlife Conservation Society. He serves on the Queensland government’s Land Restoration Fund’s Investment Panel as the Deputy Chair.

    – ref. Half the remaining habitat of Australia’s most at-risk species is outside protected areas – https://theconversation.com/half-the-remaining-habitat-of-australias-most-at-risk-species-is-outside-protected-areas-256818

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: ER Report: A Roundup of Significant Articles on EveningReport.nz for May 23, 2025

    ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on May 23, 2025.

    Half the remaining habitat of Australia’s most at-risk species is outside protected areas
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Ward, Lecturer, School of Environment and Science, Griffith University Land clearing for agriculture poses a real threat to many species. Rich Carey/Shutterstock More and more Australian species are being listed as critically endangered – the final stage before extinction in the wild. Hundreds of species of

    How should central banks respond to US tariffs? The RBA provides some clues
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stella Huangfu, Associate professor, University of Sydney Lightspring/Shutterstock With the return of Donald Trump to the White House, the United States has signalled a return to aggressive tariff policies, upending economic forecasts around the world. This leaves central banks with a tricky dilemma: how to respond when

    Vivid, thrilling and ghastly: new theatrical adaptation of The Birds evokes climate disaster, terrorism and lockdown
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sarah Austin, Senior Lecturer in Theatre, The University of Melbourne Pia Johnson/Malthouse Theatre Malthouse’s new production of The Birds is a thrillingly realised take on the 1952 short story by Daphne Du Maurier. Adapted by Louise Fox and directed by Matthew Lutton, this vivid realisation is a

    Air New Zealand to resume Auckland-Nouméa flights from November
    By Patrick Decloitre, RNZ Pacific correspondent French Pacific desk Air New Zealand has announced it plans to resume its Auckland-Nouméa flights from November, almost one and a half years after deadly civil unrest broke out in the French Pacific territory. “Air New Zealand is resuming its Auckland-Nouméa service starting 1 November 2025. Initially, flights will

    Budget 2025: Pacific Ministry faces major cuts, yet new initiatives aim for development
    By ‘Alakihihifo Vailala of PMN News Funding for New Zealand’s Ministry for Pacific Peoples (MPP) is set to be reduced by almost $36 million in Budget 2025. This follows a cut of nearly $26 million in the 2024 budget. As part of these budgetary savings, the Tauola Business Fund will be closed. But, $6.3 million

    Air New Zealand to resume Auckland-Nouméa flights from November
    By Patrick Decloitre, RNZ Pacific correspondent French Pacific desk Air New Zealand has announced it plans to resume its Auckland-Nouméa flights from November, almost one and a half years after deadly civil unrest broke out in the French Pacific territory. “Air New Zealand is resuming its Auckland-Nouméa service starting 1 November 2025. Initially, flights will

    Budget 2025: Pacific Ministry faces major cuts, yet new initiatives aim for development
    By ‘Alakihihifo Vailala of PMN News Funding for New Zealand’s Ministry for Pacific Peoples (MPP) is set to be reduced by almost $36 million in Budget 2025. This follows a cut of nearly $26 million in the 2024 budget. As part of these budgetary savings, the Tauola Business Fund will be closed. But, $6.3 million

    Why Donald Trump has put Asia on the precipice of a nuclear arms race
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ian Langford, Executive Director, Security & Defence PLuS and Professor, UNSW Sydney For the past 75 years, America’s nuclear umbrella has been the keystone that has kept East Asia’s great‑power rivalries from turning atomic. President Donald Trump’s second‑term “strategic reset” now threatens to crack that arch. By

    Corroboree 2000, 25 years on: the march for Indigenous reconciliation has left a complicated legacy
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Heidi Norman, Professor of Aboriginal political history, Faculty of Arts, Design and Architecture, Convenor: Indigenous Land & Justice Research Group, UNSW Sydney First Nations people please be advised this article speaks of racially discriminating moments in history, including the distress and death of First Nations people. On

    KiwiSaver at a crossroads: budget another missed opportunity to fix NZ’s underperforming retirement scheme
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Aaron Gilbert, Professor of Finance, Auckland University of Technology Lynn Grieveson/Getty Images When KiwiSaver was introduced in 2007 it was built on a stark reality: New Zealand Super alone will not be enough for most people to retire with dignity. As the population ages and the cost

    Deaf President Now! traces the powerful uprising that led to Deaf rights in the US – now again under threat
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gemma King, ARC DECRA Fellow in Screen Studies, Senior Lecturer in French Studies, Australian National University Archival footage shows Tim Rarus, Greg Hlibok, Bridgetta Bourne-Firl and Jerry Covell, in Apple TV+ Deaf President Now! Apple TV+ In March 1988, students of the world’s only Deaf university started

    Head knocks and ultra-violence: viral games Run It Straight and Power Slap put sports safety back centuries
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christopher Yorke, Lecturer in sport management, Western Sydney University runitstraight24/instagram.com, The Conversation, CC BY Created in Australia, “Run It Straight” is a new, ultra-violent combat sport. Across a 20×4 metre grassed “battlefield,” players charge at full speed toward one another. Alternating between carrying the ball (ball runner)

    NZ Budget 2025: funding growth at the expense of pay equity for women could cost National in the long run
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jennifer Curtin, Professor of Politics and Policy, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau Pay equity protest outside parliament on budget day, May 22 2025. Getty Images In 1936, when the National Party was created through a merger of the United and Reform parties, there was a recognition

    Australian roads are getting deadlier – pedestrians and males are among those at greater risk
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Milad Haghani, Associate Professor & Principal Fellow in Urban Risk & Resilience, The University of Melbourne At least ten people died in fatal crashes earlier this month in a single 48-hour period on Victorian roads. It was the latest tragic demonstration of the mounting road trauma in

    There is a growing number of ‘super-sized’ schools. Does the number of students matter?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emma Rowe, Associate Professor in Education, Deakin University LBeddoe/Shutterstock Earlier this week, The Sydney Morning Herald reported one of Sydney’s top public high schools had more than 2,000 students for the first time, thanks to the booming population in the area. This follows similar reports of other

    From peasant fodder to posh fare: how snails and oysters became luxury foods
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Garritt C. Van Dyk, Senior Lecturer in History, University of Waikato An Oyster cellar in Leith John Burnet, 1819; National Galleries of Scotland, Photo: Antonia Reeve Oysters and escargot are recognised as luxury foods around the world – but they were once valued by the lower classes

    Govt should defuse NZ’s social timebomb – but won’t
    We have been handed a long and protracted recession with few signs of growth and prosperity. Budget 2025 signals more of the same, writes Susan St John. ANALYSIS: By Susan St John With the coalition government’s second Budget being unveiled, we should question where New Zealand is heading. The 2024 Budget laid out the strategy.

    Punitive criminal libel charge against Samoan journalist draws flurry of criticism
    Pacific Media Watch A punitive defamation charge filed against one of Samoa’s most experienced and trusted journalists last week has sparked a flurry of criticism over abuse of power and misuse of a law that has long been heavily criticised as outdated. Talamua Online senior journalist Lagi Keresoma, who is also president of the Journalists

    Grattan on Friday: if Ley and Littleproud find a way to cohabit, it will be a tense household
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Remember that cliche about the Nationals tail wagging the Liberal dog? That tail wagged very vigorously this week, and smashed a lot of crockery, as it sought to bring Liberal leader Sussan Ley to heel. In a gesture of overreach,

    Legal academic says Samoa’s criminal libel law should go after charge
    By Don Wiseman, RNZ Pacific senior journalist An Auckland University law academic says Samoa’s criminal libel law under which a prominent journalist has been charged should be repealed. Lagi Keresoma, the first female president of the Journalists Association of Samoa (JAWS) and editor of Talamua Online, was charged under the Crimes Act 2013 on Sunday

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI China: High school drama festival marks WWII victory anniversary

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

    Students at Beijing’s No. 5 High School staged nine performances commemorating the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War during the school’s 23rd annual drama festival on May 16.

    Students perform “The Eternal Wave” during a high school drama festival in Beijing, May 16, 2025. [Photo provided to China.org.cn]

    Vice Principal Chen Ying said around 400 teachers and students from the school’s second-year classes worked on the productions from March to May under the theme “remembering history,” with nearly a third of students taking acting roles.

    Since its first edition in 2002, the festival has grown to combine literature, stagecraft and other disciplines, helping students develop artistic skills while strengthening cultural identity through classic works, Chen said. The school uses theater to expand students’ cultural understanding.

    The festival featured nine thematically diverse productions. Works ranged from Lao She’s stories of ordinary lives to depictions of anti-fascist resistance. “Four Generations Under One Roof” portrayed civilian resilience under occupation. “Nanjing Memorial” honored women defying Japanese brutality. “The Message” depicted wartime espionage. “The Dawns Here Are Quiet” adapted from Soviet literature, connected with the Chinese classic “The Eternal Wave” to show the global anti-fascist struggle.

    Students perform “The Dawns Here Are Quiet” during a high school drama festival in Beijing, May 16, 2025. [Photo provided to China.org.cn]

    Student performers reflected on sacrifice and bravery during dark times. Through rehearsals and performances, they deepened their understanding of heroes and said theater transported them to that brutal era, making them appreciate today’s peace.

    Chen said students’ experiences revealed the educational value of the high school drama festival.

    “When students use critical thinking to explore history and examine contemporary issues through performance, theater transcends entertainment,” Chen said. “It becomes a vessel that awakens collective memory and fosters national identity.”

    Beijing No. 5 High School is one of the city’s leading academic institutions, ranking among the city’s top high schools.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • Trump administration blocks Harvard from enrolling international students, threatens broader crackdown

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration revoked Harvard University’s ability to enroll international students on Thursday, and is forcing current foreign students to transfer to other schools or lose their legal status, while also threatening to expand the crackdown to other colleges.

    Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem ordered the department to terminate Harvard University’s Student and Exchange Visitor Program certification effective for the 2025-2026 school year, the department said in a statement.

    Noem accused the university of “fostering violence, antisemitism, and coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party.”

    Harvard said the move by the Trump administration – which affects thousands of students – was illegal and amounted to retaliation.

    The decision marked a significant escalation of the Trump administration’s campaign against the elite Ivy League university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, which has emerged as one of Trump’s most prominent institutional targets. The move came after Harvard refused to provide information that Noem demanded about some foreign student visa holders at Harvard, the department said.

    Harvard enrolled nearly 6,800 international students in the 2024-2025 school year, amounting to 27% of its total enrollment, according to university statistics.

    In 2022, Chinese nationals were the biggest group of foreign students at 1,016, university figures showed. After that were students from Canada, India, South Korea, Britain, Germany, Australia, Singapore and Japan.

    The Chinese Embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

    “It is a privilege, not a right, for universities to enroll foreign students and benefit from their higher tuition payments to help pad their multibillion-dollar endowments,” Noem said in a statement.

    In a letter to the university, Noem gave Harvard “the opportunity” to regain its certification by turning over within 72 hours a raft of records about foreign students, including any video or audio of their protest activity in the past five years.

    Harvard called the government’s action “unlawful” and said it was “fully committed” to educating foreign students.

    “This retaliatory action threatens serious harm to the Harvard community and our country, and undermines Harvard’s academic and research mission,” the university said in a statement.

    Congressional Democrats denounced the revocation, with U.S. Representative Jaime Raskin calling it an “intolerable attack on Harvard’s independence and academic freedom” and saying it was government retaliation for Harvard’s previous resistance to Trump.

    Trump has already frozen some $3 billion in federal grants to Harvard in recent weeks, leading the university to sue to restore the funding.

    In a separate lawsuit related to Trump’s efforts to terminate the legal status of hundreds of foreign students across the U.S., a federal judge ruled on Thursday that the administration could not end their status without following proper regulatory procedures. It was not immediately clear how that ruling would affect the action against Harvard.

    During an interview with Fox News’ “The Story with Martha MacCallum,” Noem was asked if she was considering similar moves at other universities, including Columbia University in New York.

    “Absolutely, we are,” Noem said. “This should be a warning to every other university to get your act together.”

    TRUMP TARGETS UNIVERSITIES

    Trump, a Republican, took office in January pledging a wide-ranging immigration crackdown. His administration has tried to revoke student visas and green cards of foreign students who participated in pro-Palestinian protests.

    He has undertaken an extraordinary effort to revamp private colleges and schools across the U.S., claiming they foster anti-American, Marxist and “radical left” ideologies. He has criticized Harvard for hiring prominent Democrats for teaching or leadership positions.

    The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said on Monday that it was terminating a further $60 million in federal grants to Harvard because it failed to address antisemitic harassment and ethnic discrimination.

    In a legal complaint filed earlier this month, Harvard said it was committed to combating antisemitism and had taken steps to ensure its campus is safe and welcoming to Jewish and Israeli students.

    Aaron Reichlin-Melnick, a senior fellow with the American Immigration Council, a pro-immigration advocacy group, said the action against Harvard’s student visa program “needlessly punishes thousands of innocent students.”

    “None of them have done anything wrong, they’re just collateral damage to Trump,” he said on the social media site Bluesky.

    (Reuters)

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Speech by SITI at Opening Ceremony of HK Tech 300 Expo (English only)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Following is the speech by the Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong, at the Opening Ceremony of HK Tech 300 Expo today (May 23):
     
    Chairman Ngai (Chairman of the Council, City University of Hong Kong (CityU), Mr Michael Ngai), President Boey (President and University Distinguished Professor of CityU, Professor Freddy Boey), distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,

    Good morning. It is my great pleasure to join you today at the opening ceremony of the HK Tech 300 Expo and the launch ceremony of the HK Tech 300 International Start-up Competition.
     
    I would like to first commend City University of Hong Kong and its partners for their instrumental role in supporting young talent and nurturing deep-tech start-ups in our community. Today at the Expo, I am delighted to see approximately 300 innovative start-ups and projects incubated by the HK Tech 300 programme. These initiatives demonstrate their success in translating research and innovative ideas into practical applications. I am particularly encouraged to see the programme expanding its footprint into Mainland China, Southeast Asia, and beyond.
    　　
    Over the years, the Government has implemented various policies and made significant investments to nurture and enhance support for start-ups. For example, the $10 billion Research, Academic and Industry Sectors One-plus Scheme was launched in 2023 to fund, on a matching basis, research teams from universities with good potential to become successful start-ups to transform and commercialise their R&D (research and development) outcomes. I am pleased to see that several awarded CityU projects have already shown promising development and I look forward to seeing their research results in successful market applications.
     
    To attract more venture capital to co-invest in local I&T (innovation and technology) start-ups, we launched the Innovation and Technology Venture Fund enhanced scheme recently by redeploying up to $1.5 billion to set up funds jointly with the market, also on a matching basis, to invest in start-ups of strategic industries, thereby empowering start-ups with more financing support. We are also preparing for the launch of the Pilot I&T Accelerator Scheme to attract professional start-up service providers with proven track records in and beyond Hong Kong to set up accelerator bases in Hong Kong to foster the robust growth of start-ups and enhance the I&T ecosystem.
     
    As I always emphasise, interactive collaboration between the Government, industry, academia, research and investment sectors is essential for Hong Kong’s I&T development. CityU and the HK Tech 300 programme play a crucial role in this, creating a vibrant ecosystem that fosters cross-disciplinary, cross-sector and cross-industry collaboration. We must continue our efforts to work together to support our young entrepreneurs, providing them with the necessary resources, mentorship and opportunities they need to turn their ideas into impactful solutions, further bolstering the development of Hong Kong as an international I&T hub.　
       
    The start-up journey is undoubtedly challenging, but with the right direction and enthusiasm, even a small idea can have a significant impact and benefit society. I encourage all of you to stay creative and innovative, and I look forward to witnessing our start-ups to grow into gazelles, unicorns or even industry giants in the near future.
     
    In closing, may I wish you a fruitful and inspiring experience over the next two days at the HK Tech 300 Expo. Thank you very much.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: S for Housing concludes Paris visit (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    S for Housing concludes Paris visit  
    In the morning, Ms Ho met with a representative of CDC Habitat, a social housing association in France, to learn more about the mode of operation, development strategies, and challenges of social housing in France. She also shared Hong Kong’s situation and the various housing initiatives being implemented by the Housing Bureau.
     
    Ms Ho then visited an integrated residential and commercial community comprising social housing, which was transformed from the Olympic Athletes’ Village, to learn about sustainable urban development.
     
    Moreover, Ms Ho exchanged views with a renowned urban planner, Associate Professor of the IAE Paris Sorbonne Business School, Professor Carlos Moreno, and shared her vision and thoughts on sustainable urban planning and design. Professor Moreno put forward the urban planning concept of the “15-minute city”, which aims to enable residents in a community to meet their daily needs for food, clothing, housing and transport within a 15-minute walking or cycling distance and to enhance environmental sustainability. Ms Ho pointed out that this coincides with the planning concept of the new public housing estates of the Hong Kong Housing Authority (HKHA) and cited Queen’s Hill Estate as an example, demonstrating the HKHA’s planning of a resident-oriented, self-sufficient community that embraces cultural heritage and blends with nature to create a sustainable community. Professor Moreno showed great interest in Hong Kong’s public housing planning model and expressed his wish to have the opportunity to visit Hong Kong in the future.
     
    In the evening, Ms Ho met with the Advisor to the Mayor on housing, urban planning, architecture, land development, Mr Renaud Paque, and Director of Housing and Habitat, Ms Doan Lebel, to exchange views on public housing policies and experiences on sustainable urbanisation and urban planning concepts.
     
    Concluding the trip, Ms Ho said, “This visit tied in with the HB’s Housing•I&T initiative this year, introducing the latest developments of advanced technology companies from Hong Kong and the Mainland in the areas of construction technologies, public housing, green building, etc, as well as demonstrating to the world the application of technologies such as Modular Integrated Construction (MiC) and construction robots that help enhance construction efficiency and safety. We will actively make reference to overseas experiences on decarbonisation and energy-saving technologies. At the same time, we will fully capitalise on Hong Kong’s unique advantages, reinforce connectivity, and play the role as a ‘super connector’ and a ‘super value-adder’. I expect that the two cities will maintain liaison and strengthen exchanges in areas such as innovative building technologies, public housing construction, green buildings, well-being communities, and enhancing the housing ladder to give new impetus to public housing construction.”
     
    Ms Ho will return to Hong Kong this afternoon (May 23).
    Issued at HKT 12:05

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: FBI Honors Community Leader Dr. John Horgan with National Award

    Source: US FBI

    On Friday, April 25, 2025, Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown of the Atlanta Field Office presented Dr. John Horgan with the FBI Director’s Community Leadership Award (DCLA) for his dedicated work directing the Violent Extremism Research Group, which has not only impacted Atlanta, Georgia, but has had transformative impact worldwide. Dr. Horgan, who is a distinguished university professor at Georgia State University’s Department of Psychology, accepted the award. Dr. Horgan has shown a strong and enduring commitment to applying his extraordinary abilities and expertise to further the interests of U.S. National Security.

    The FBI established the DCLA in 1990 to publicly acknowledge the achievements of those working to make a difference in their communities through the promotion of education and the prevention of crime and violence. Each year, one person or organization from each of the FBI’s 55 field offices is chosen to receive this prestigious award.

    “Dr. Horgan has not only been a trusted collaborator with the FBI, but his research has also been instrumental in deepening our understanding of extremist psychology, thereby enhancing the safety of our communities,” said Paul Brown, special agent in charge of FBI Atlanta. “Congratulations, Dr. Horgan! Your dedication and pursuit of excellence have made a lasting impact, and we look forward to continuing our partnership with you.”

    Dr. Horgan’s research examines terrorist psychology. He has over 120 publications, and his books include The Psychology of Terrorism (now in its second edition and published in a dozen languages), Divided We Stand: The Strategy and Psychology of Ireland’s Dissident Terrorists; and Walking Away from Terrorism. Dr. Horgan has helped to shape the thinking of scientists, policymakers, and the public; helping them to better understand the pathways and processes by which people become attracted to, engaged with, and (importantly) disengaged from violent extremist ideologies and activities.

    The FBI recognizes the important role that community partnerships play in keeping our shared communities safe. These partnerships – as exemplified by the breadth of the work by the DCLA recipients – have led to a host of crime prevention programs that protect the most vulnerable in our communities, educate families and businesses about cyber threats, and work to reduce violent crime in our neighborhoods. Learn more about the Director’s Community Leadership Award program, the FBI’s general outreach efforts, and the Atlanta Field Office About — FBI on our website.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Northside birth centre feasibility study released

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    As part of ACT Government’s ‘One Government, One Voice’ program, we are transitioning this website across to our . You can access everything you need through this website while it’s happening.

    Released 23/05/2025

    The ACT Government has today released a feasibility study examining options for the delivery of a new birth centre on Canberra’s northside.

    This work is being undertaken as part of developing the new more than $1 billion northside hospital.

    The ACT Health Directorate commissioned a detailed study to assess the feasibility of establishing a co-designed standalone birth centre on the northside hospital campus and/or a freestanding birth centre in the community.

    Conducted by HealthConsult, with input from a working group of subject-matter experts, the study considered stakeholder feedback and data on birth trends in the ACT, as well as current evidence on birth centre models.

    The study has recommended a standalone birth centre adjacent to the new northside hospital as the preferred model, offering a home-like environment for low-risk pregnancies while ensuring safe access to hospital facilities when required.

    The Northside Birth Centre Feasibility Study 2024 can be found here: ACT Birth Centre Feasibility Study report – Open Government Information.

    Minister for Health Rachel Stephen-Smith said the ACT Government is committed to ensuring high-quality maternity services that provide choice and meet the needs of women and pregnant people and their families.

    “This study reinforces the benefits of birth centres in delivering positive birthing outcomes with lower medical intervention rates,” Minister Stephen-Smith said.

    “This project presents a unique opportunity to expand midwifery-led care and support culturally safe birthing practices, including Birthing with Country initiatives for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families.

    “The recommended model would provide the home-like setting that many expectant parents and midwives have advocated for, while also enabling quick, safe and dignified access to the new hospital if required.

    “A standalone birth centre will be a valuable addition to public maternity care in the ACT, offering a low-intervention and midwife-led environment.”

    The feasibility study involved extensive consultation with community members, midwives, other health professionals and Aboriginal Elders. It found strong support for a facility that provides more autonomy for midwives and greater choice for families.

    The feasibility study confirmed that a standalone birth centre on the campus would deliver benefits such as continuity of care birthing experience, workforce satisfaction, and cultural appropriateness.

    “I have endorsed the feasibility study recommendation in principle and asked Infrastructure Canberra to develop a co-design process to ensure the next steps are taken in consultation with stakeholders, including midwives, consumers and birth centre advocates,” Minister Stephen-Smith said.

    “The report provides a solid foundation for a design process to ensure the new birth centres supports culturally safe, trauma-informed care that incorporates principles of Birthing with Country, including space for family, traditional practices and connection to Country.”

    The new birth centre will support the ACT’s Maternity in Focus plan by expanding access to midwifery-led continuity of care.

    “Midwifery-led continuity of care delivers positive outcomes for both mothers and babies. This dedicated space will allow our highly skilled midwives to provide woman- and person-centred care that truly reflects the needs of our diverse community,” Minister Stephen-Smith said.

    “This commitment ensures that Canberra families will have access to a safe, supported and culturally appropriate birth experience for generations to come.”

    Planning for the new northside hospital and the standalone birth centre is continuing, with construction on the northside hospital to commence in this term of Government.  For more information visit: New northside hospital project – Built for CBR.

    – Statement ends –

    Rachel Stephen-Smith, MLA | Media Releases

    «ACT Government Media Releases | «Minister Media Releases

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Rachel A. Byrd Named Special Agent in Charge of the Mobile Field Office

    Source: US FBI

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation has named Rachel A. Byrd as the special agent in charge of the Mobile Field Office. Ms. Byrd most recently served as the section chief of Investigation and Operations in the Weapons of Mass Destruction Directorate (WMDD).

    Ms. Byrd entered on duty as a special agent with the FBI in 2004. Her first assignment was to the Honolulu Field Office, working criminal matters related to violent crimes, drugs and gangs. In 2010, Ms. Byrd was promoted to supervisory special agent in the Laboratory Division, Evidence Response Team. While in the Laboratory Division, Ms. Byrd served as the program manager of the training program in support of over 1200 field ERT personnel. In addition, Ms. Byrd provided support for policy development and multiple field operational matters.

    In 2014, Ms. Byrd became the supervisory senior resident agent in the Jackson Field Office in Mississippi. She oversaw various resident agencies and criminal matters including gangs, drugs, violent crime, and health care fraud.

    In 2017, Ms. Byrd was promoted to assistant special agent in charge of the Criminal Branch in the Mobile Field Office and later covered the National Security Branch as well. Ms. Byrd was promoted to section chief of Investigation and Operations for the WMDD in 2019.

    Prior to the FBI, Ms. Byrd was a special agent with the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation and a Medicolegal Death Investigator/Autopsy Supervisor with the North Carolina Medical Examiner’s Office in Greenville, NC. Ms. Byrd earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from Fayetteville State University and a master’s degree in forensic toxicology from the University of Florida.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Shohini Sinha Named Assistant Director of the Victim Services Division

    Source: US FBI

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation has named Shohini Sinha as the assistant director of the Victim Services Division. Ms. Sinha most recently served as the special agent in charge of the Salt Lake City Field Office.

    Ms. Sinha joined the FBI as a special agent in 2001. She was first assigned to the Milwaukee Field Office, where she worked in counterterrorism investigations. She also served temporary assignments at the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, the FBI Legal Attaché Office in London, and the Baghdad Operations Center.

    Ms. Sinha was promoted in 2009 to supervisory special agent and transferred to the Counterterrorism Division in Washington, D.C. She served as program manager of Canada-based extraterritorial investigations and facilitated liaison efforts with Washington-based Canadian liaison officers.

    In 2012, Ms. Sinha was promoted to assistant legal attaché in Ottawa, Canada, working counterterrorism matters in collaboration with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the Canadian Security Intelligence Service. In 2015, she was promoted to field supervisor in the Detroit Field Office, where she led squads responsible for investigating international terrorism matters.

    In early 2020, Ms. Sinha transferred to the Cyber Intrusion squad, which worked both national security and criminal cyber intrusion matters. Later in 2020, she was promoted to assistant special agent in charge for national security matters, and later criminal matters, in the Portland Field Office.

    Ms. Sinha was selected to serve as the executive special assistant to the director in 2021. She has been serving as the special agent in charge of the Salt Lake City Field Office since July of 2023.

    Prior to her employment with the FBI, Ms. Sinha worked as a therapist and later as an administrator for a private, not-for-profit clinic. She earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s degree in mental health counseling from Purdue University in Indiana.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Marshall Yates Named Assistant Director of the Office of Congressional Affairs

    Source: US FBI

    Director Kash Patel has named Marshall Yates as the assistant director of the Office of Congressional Affairs. Mr. Yates most recently served as counsel for Congressman Thomas Massie (KY-04).

    Prior to his appointment with the FBI, Mr. Yates worked in various roles as a lawyer on Capitol Hill. Mr. Yates moved to Washington, D.C., in 2015 to serve as legislative counsel to Congressman Mo Brooks (AL-05). In 2020, he was promoted to chief of staff for Congressman Brooks.

    In 2023, Mr. Yates was hired by Congressman Thomas Massie to serve as his associate counsel on the House Rules Committee and as a counsel to him as the Chair of the House Judiciary’s Subcommittee on Antitrust, Regulatory Reform, and the Administrative State. 

    Mr. Yates graduated from Auburn University in 2011 and Samford University’s Cumberland School of Law in 2015. Mr. Yates was a member of Hillsdale College’s James Madison Fellowship Class of 2022-2023.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: FBI Helps Return Missing Musket to Museum of the American Revolution

    Source: US FBI

    Now, investigators had to determine what these items were and where they had been stolen from.  

    Some of these answers came from Scott Corbett, AUSA Newton said. “He had a very good memory and could tell us where Michael had stolen some of the firearms,” she noted. 

    The investigative team also traveled to Cody, Wyoming, to attend a national museum curator’s meeting to see if any experts could help identify these mystery items. 

    “It turns out Michael stole these items from museums from Massachusetts to as far south as Mississippi,” Newton said. “A lot of them were stolen from Pennsylvania. We believe he was responsible for two of the thefts at Valley Forge. He was also responsible for a theft at the U.S. Army War College Museum in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. So, we were able to identify some of these firearms.” 

    Based on the evidence at hand, AUSA Newton explained, “We couldn’t charge him with the thefts, but what we could charge him with was possession of stolen property that had been transported interstate because he’s in Delaware.”  

    Michael Corbett was indicted and pleaded guilty. As part of his plea, he agreed to help recover some of the items that the investigators were initially looking for when they searched his Delaware residence.  

    “Leads in the Corbett case took the FBI Art Crime Team as far west as San Francisco,” Archer added. 

    Coincidentally, during the investigation, a concerned collector called Dr. Stephenson because he believed he might’ve accidentally purchased a stolen rifle. 

    The collector initially purchased the gun from a man named Thomas Gavin, believing it to be a copy of a famous rifle built by Moravian gunsmith John Christian Oerter. But the more he researched, the more he suspected he had the genuine article. The collector turned the rifle over to the authorities. 

    Thomas Gavin turned out to be “a significant museum thief” in his own right, having robbed items from the Valley Forge Park, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, and additional museums in the greater Philadelphia area. “But he too cooperated and told us what he had stolen,” AUSA Newton said. 

    “We had to then stop, solve that case in order to figure out who stole what from where, in order to then pick the Corbett case back up and bring it home,” Archer recalled of the Gavin section of the overall investigation. “So, it was staggeringly complex across space and time and material.” 

    But just like in Corbett’s case, investigators are still searching for items that Gavin stole, including a rifle that was once owned by naturalist John James Audubon. 

    Even though the investigators’ work is ongoing, the impact of the partnership and the recovery of the artifacts cannot be overstated. 

    “With the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution coming up,” said James Taub, an associate curator at the museum, “the teamwork and partnership between local police and the FBI have given us in Philadelphia and the historical community at large a really strong opportunity to reach people in ways that we haven’t before, through objects that people of my generation haven’t seen and that previous generations might not have seen since before the 200th anniversary of the American Revolution.” 

    Dr. Stephenson echoed that sentiment, noting that “for us, as educator- and preservation-oriented institutions, these objects are irreplaceable.” 

    Stephenson says the museum’s work isn’t done. “It may be that the person who stole an object say 50 years ago may have passed away long ago. In many cases, families may have things that they don’t realize where they came from, how they came into that collection, or things that were sold and passed around.”  

    For this reason, he said, the museum is reexamining how it describes the missing objects, to highlight any valuable details that might spark someone’s memory. The museum is also spreading the word about the stolen items to antique enthusiasts and collectors. 

    “The fact is, the vast majority of people want to do the right thing,” he said. 

    But the FBI stands ready to investigate anyone who knowingly holds onto looted artifacts. 

    “Ultimately,” said Special Agent Archer, “people who know that they are in possession of these stolen items and do the wrong thing, we certainly are prepared to investigate.” 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Disaster or digital spectacle? The dangers of using floods to create social media content

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Samuel Cornell, PhD Candidate in Public Health & Community Medicine, School of Population Health, UNSW Sydney

    Almost 700 rescues had been carried out in New South Wales by Friday morning as
    record-breaking rainfall pounds the state. Tragically, four people have died in floodwaters.

    Amid the chaos, videos posted on social media show people deliberately entering or standing above swollen rivers and flooded roads. It is a pattern of dangerous behaviour that occurs frequently during natural disasters in Australia.

    Filming unsafe acts for social media is not just risky for participants. It may inspire copycat behaviour, and, if things go wrong, can endanger the lives of rescuers. It’s a public health problem which requires new remedies.

    Selfies in floods: a risky business

    During a flood, water can be deceiving. Just 15cm of water can knock an adult off their feet or cause a car to lose traction and float. Submerged debris and contaminated water add to the dangers.

    Emergency services routinely warn the public not to enter floodwaters – on foot or in vehicles. But many people ignore the warnings, including those out to create social media content.

    In a startling example posted on Tiktok during the current floods, a young man stands on a mossy log which has fallen over a flooded river. The video, accompanied by dramatic music, shows swirling floodwaters surging beneath him. One wrong step, and the man could easily have drowned.

    In other examples posted on Tiktok in recent days, a woman wades through murky floodwaters, and a person films as the car they are travelling in drives down a flooded road.

    Similar behaviour was observed during floods in Townsville earlier this year. Residents filmed themselves diving and wading into floodwaters, and towing each other on inflatable rafts.

    And during ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred, social media was filled with images of people in Queensland surfing dangerous swells and wading in rough surf.

    A worrying trend

    Our research explores the links between social media and adverse health outcomes.

    Selfie-related injury has become a public health concern. People are increasingly venturing off-trail, seeking out attractive but hazardous locations such as cliff edges and coastal rock platforms.

    These behaviours can lead to injury and death. They can also put emergency services personnel in harm’s way. In 2021, for example, a woman fell into a swollen river on Canberra’s outskirts while trying to take a selfie with friends, prompting a police official to warn:

    There is no photo or social media post that is worth risking your life to get. Any water rescue puts the lives of not only of yourself but those of emergency services personnel at risk.

    Getting to grips with the problem

    How should the problem be tackled? Previous research by others has recommended “no-selfie zones”, barriers, and signs as ways to prevent selfie incidents. But our research suggests these measures may not be enough.

    The phenomenon of selfie-related incidents requires a public health approach. This entails addressing the behaviour through prevention, education, and other interventions such as via social media platforms.

    In the latest floods, unsafe behaviour has occurred despite a series of official flood, weather and other warnings. Residents also continue to drive into floodwaters, despite repeated pleas from authorities.

    Official warnings compete with – and can lose out to – more emotionally compelling, visually rich content. If the public sees other people behaving recklessly and apparently unharmed, then even clear, fact-based warnings can be ignored.

    This is especially true in communities experiencing “alert-fatigue” after having gone through disasters before.

    Sometimes, vague terminology in warnings means the messages don’t necessarily cut through. We’ve seen this before in relation to surf safety. Technical phrases such as “hazardous swell” don’t change behaviour if people don’t understand what they mean.

    For warnings to work, they need to be clear and provide instruction – stating what the danger actually is, and what to explicitly do, or not do.

    For social media users, that might mean spelling out not to go into floodwaters to capture content for social media.

    We’ve also previously called on social media companies to be held more accountable for the dangerous content they publish – by flagging risky content and supporting in-app safety messaging, especially at high-risk locations or during extreme weather events.

    What to do right now

    If you’re in or near a flood zone, follow guidance from emergency services to keep yourself and your loved ones safe.

    When it comes to using social media in an emergency:

    • stay entirely out of floodwaters, even for a quick photo

    • think before you post. Your safety is more important than your content. No post is worth risking your life

    • avoid glamourising risk. Sharing risky photos or videos can influence others to do the same, potentially with worse outcomes

    • follow official advice. Floodwaters are unpredictable. Warnings are issued for a reason

    • use your platform for good. Share verified information, support affected communities and help amplify safety messages.

    As extreme weather becomes more frequent in Australia under climate change, so too will the urge to document them. But we risk turning disasters into digital spectacles – at the expense of our lives and that of rescuers.

    Samuel Cornell receives funding from Meta Platforms, Inc. His research is supported by a University of New South Wales Sydney, University Postgraduate Award. His research is supported by Royal Life Saving Society – Australia to aid in the prevention of drowning. Research at Royal Life Saving Society – Australia is supported by the Australian government. He has been affiliated with Surf Life Saving Australia and Surf Life Saving NSW in a paid and voluntary capacity.

    Amy Peden receives funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council, Meta Platforms, and NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service. She holds an honorary affiliation with Royal Life Saving Society – Australia.

    – ref. Disaster or digital spectacle? The dangers of using floods to create social media content – https://theconversation.com/disaster-or-digital-spectacle-the-dangers-of-using-floods-to-create-social-media-content-257350

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Jury Convicts Two Defendants Who Were Charged with 23 Other Ohioans in Narcotics Distribution Ring

    Source: US FBI

    One defendant also convicted of sex-trafficking victims through use of drug withdrawals, violence

    COLUMBUS, Ohio – A federal jury has convicted two local men for their roles in a narcotics distribution ring involving bulk amounts of fentanyl, crack cocaine, cocaine, methamphetamine & other narcotics. As part of this case, the government has seized more than $1.7 million, 50 firearms, and nine vehicles, including a motorcycle. One of the defendants convicted at trial also sex-trafficked at least three adult victims.

    The jury found David Price, 56, of Columbus, guilty on all counts, and Tavaryyuan Johnson, 25, of Columbus, guilty on drug trafficking counts.

    The verdict was announced on Feb. 5 following a trial that began on January 13, 2025 before U.S. District Judge Edmund A. Sargus, Jr.

    A multi-agency law enforcement task force initially announced the case in July 2022 after a federal grand jury initially indicted 11 defendants for distributing bulk amounts of fentanyl, cocaine, and crack cocaine in central Ohio within 1,000 feet of a Columbus elementary school.

    A superseding indictment returned in October 2022 charged additional co-conspirators with distributing those same drugs in addition to methamphetamine, heroin, marijuana, Xanax and Oxycodone.

    Price, who is also known as “DP,” was charged in a third superseding indictment in December 2024 with 11 drug, firearm and sex trafficking crimes. He faces a minimum of 25 years and up to life in prison.

    Johnson is also known as “Gucci” and “TJ,” and was also charged in a third superseding indictment in December 2024. He was convicted of four drug offenses, including using a family residence in Columbus as his stash house for bulk amounts of narcotics. Johnson faces a minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison.

    According to court documents and trial testimony, the two men were part of a conspiracy to distribute and possess to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, five kilograms or more of cocaine, 280 grams or more of “crack” cocaine and 100 grams or more of heroin, as well as marijuana, oxycodone and alprazolam. The drug trafficking organization operated from January 2008 until it was dismantled by law enforcement in 2022.

    Drug offenses took place at residences on Burgess and Harris avenues, which are within 1,000 feet of Burroughs Elementary School.

    In July 2021, Price distributed fentanyl, methamphetamine and cocaine that resulted in the overdose death of an adult female.  The testimony at trial indicated he purposefully killed her to get rid of her as she was talking to the police about his drug business.

    The government also proved beyond a reasonable doubt at trial that Price conspired to commit sex trafficking. From 2016 until 2022, Price and other members of the conspiracy would force and/or coerce adult female drug addicts into performing commercial sex acts by providing, withholding, or threatening to withhold controlled substances and lodging. Law enforcement’s investigation showed that various women engaged in a “rinse and repeat” cycle where they would be allowed to stay at a drug residence associated with Price, receive a front of drugs so they were not in active drug withdrawal, go to Sullivant Avenue, have sex for money, pay the debt from the front drugs, and then be allowed to remain at the house.

    Price was also found guilty of three counts of sex trafficking related to his violence and coercion towards three adult females.  The testimony at trial indicated that he would lock the females inside his residence for days or weeks at a time and refuse to let them leave, forcing them to engage in sex acts.  One victim was locked in a dog cage, shot and stabbed by Price. Another was restrained.  A third was beaten and choked and left with a black eye. Price would refuse to provide them drugs unless or until they engaged in the sex acts, forcing them into withdrawal if they did not comply.

    U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker commended the investigation coordinated by Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost’s Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission task force, which includes Columbus Division of Police Chief Elaine Bryant; Angie M. Salazar, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Detroit; and Andrew Lawton, Acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Other agencies that have assisted the task force with the investigation include the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, HIDTA Task Force, IRS-Criminal Investigation, FBI, Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigations (BCI), Ohio National Guard Counter Drug Task Force, Pickerington Police Department, New Albany Police Department, and the Fairfield County Sheriff’s Office SWAT Team.

    Assistant United States Attorneys Timothy Prichard and Emily Czerniejewski are representing the United States in this case.

    This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about OCDETF can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

    # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-Evening Report: The death of Jelena Dokic’s father reveals the ‘complex and difficult grief’ of losing an estranged parent

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lauren Breen, Professor of Psychology, Curtin University

    Grieving the death of a parent is often considered a natural part of life. But there are added layers of complexity when you had a difficult or estranged relationship.

    This week former tennis star Jelena Dokic confirmed the death of her father and former coach Damir, whose verbal, physical and emotional abuse she revealed in 2009 and further detailed in her 2017 autobiography. They had been estranged for a decade.

    In a social media post on Thursday, Dokic wrote about her “conflicting and complex emotions and feelings” around his death:

    no matter how how hard, difficult and in the last 10 years even non existent [sic] our relationship and communication was, it is never easy losing a parent […] The loss of an estranged parent comes with a difficult and complicated grief.

    Dokic’s news is a reminder that, when a parent dies, not all of us get to grieve a stable, warm and comforting relationship.

    As in her case, a strained relationship might even be marked by maltreatment or abuse. Relinquishing contact can sometimes be the best, albeit difficult, choice.

    When the parent dies, the loss can feel surprisingly complex. We may be grieving both the literal death of the parent and the figurative death, of what should have been – what we wished for and desired.

    Death can spark more than sadness

    Grief is not a single emotion. Usually, it involves a combination of many. Common feelings can include sadness, guilt, anger and even relief.

    In sharing her social media post, Dokic has said among conflicting emotions she’s chosen to “focus on a good memory”.

    Grief can reach beyond feelings. It can disrupt eating and sleeping habits and impair memory and concentration.

    Deaths can also affect relationships.

    For example, when grieving, someone might receive a lot of social support from family, friends and colleagues. But for others, the support they’d like might not be forthcoming. The lack of support is yet another loss and is linked to worse physical and mental health.

    Family members may also react in different ways. It might be jarring or alienating if your sibling responds differently, for example by sharing fond memories of a parent you found harsh and distant.

    A death can also affect your financial standing. A grieving person may be burdened with outstanding bills and funeral payments. Or the impact can be positive, via windfalls from insurance and inheritance.

    Family members may grieve in different ways.
    Meteoritka/Shutterstock

    What if I don’t feel sad?

    With grief, it’s OK to feel how you feel. You might think you’re grieving the “wrong” way, but it can be helpful to remember there are no strict rules about how to grieve “right”.

    Be gentle on yourself. And give other family members, who may have had a different relationship with the parent and therefore grieve differently, the same courtesy.

    It’s also OK to feel conflicted about going to the funeral.

    In this case, take the time to think through the pros and cons of attending. It might be helpful in processing your grief and in receiving support. Or you might feel that attending would be too difficult or emotionally unsafe for you.

    If you choose to attend, it can help to go with someone who can support you through it.

    In an estranged relationship, the adult child might not even find out about the death of the parent for many weeks or months afterwards. This means there is no option of attending the funeral or other mourning rituals. Consider making your own rituals to help process the loss and grief.

    What if I do feel sad – but still hurt?

    It can be really confusing to feel sad about the death of a parent with whom we had a difficult, strained or violent relationship.

    Identifying where these conflicting thoughts and feelings come from can help.

    You might need to acknowledge and grieve the loss of your parent, the loss of the parent-child relationship you deserved, and even the loss of hoped-for apologies and reconnections.

    In many cases, it is a combination of these losses that can make the grief more challenging.

    It may also be difficult to get the social support you need from family, friends and colleagues.

    These potential helpers might be unaware of the difficulties you experienced in the relationship, or incorrectly believe troubled relationships are easier to grieve.

    It can feel like a taboo to speak ill of the dead, but it might be helpful to be clear about the relationship and your needs so that people can support you better.

    In fact, grieving the death of people with whom we have challenging, conflicting or even abusive relationships can lead to more grief than the death of those with whom we shared a warm, loving and more straightforward relationship.

    If the loss is particularly difficult and your grief doesn’t change and subside over time, seek support from your general practitioner. They might be able to recommend a psychologist or counsellor with expertise in grief.

    Alternatively, you can find certified bereavement practitioners who have specialised training in grief support online or seek telephone support from Griefline on 1300 845 745.

    Lauren Breen receives funding from Healthway and has previously received funding from Wellcome Trust, Australian Research Council, Department of Health (Western Australia), Silver Chain, iCare Dust Diseases Board (New South Wales), and Cancer Council (Western Australia). She is on the board of Lionheart Camp for Kids, is a member of Grief Australia, and a Fellow of the Australian Psychological Society.

    – ref. The death of Jelena Dokic’s father reveals the ‘complex and difficult grief’ of losing an estranged parent – https://theconversation.com/the-death-of-jelena-dokics-father-reveals-the-complex-and-difficult-grief-of-losing-an-estranged-parent-257324

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: West Auckland Cyclone Gabrielle road repairs 80% complete

    Source: Secondary teachers question rationale for changes to relationship education guidelines

    Auckland Transport’s flood recovery team has repaired 80% of the slips that occurred on local roads in the west Auckland area during the early 2023 extreme weather events.

    More than 2000 slips on local roads were reported to AT during this time across the Auckland region. Of these, 1200 smaller slips were fixed fairly quickly, but more than 800 bigger slips required extensive investigation to inform sustainable and resilient engineering design solutions.

    In the west Auckland area 191 complex slips needed repairing: 119 minor (less than $250,000 to repair) and 72 major (more than $250,000 to repair). By the end of April 2025, 153 slips had been fixed while three are under construction and the rest are in the design or procurement phases.

    “It’s been a massive job, and we thank the people of west Auckland for their continued patience, especially those communities dealing with long road closures,” said Alan Wallace, GM Road Asset Maintenance and Renewals at Auckland Transport.

    “A number of roads like Scenic Drive, West Coast Road, Huia Road, Karekare Road and Lone Kauri Road sustained slips in multiple places, and many sites required complex engineering solutions and logistics before construction could begin.

    “In some places utilities like power lines, internet, gas and water lines needed to be relocated, and a number of affected roads in close proximity to each other meant options for alternative traffic routes or detours during simultaneous repairs have been limited.

    “We’ve also had to navigate tricky and often unstable terrain, variable weather conditions, environmental considerations, proximity to homes and tight operating conditions during construction using heavy machinery.”

    Mr Wallace says AT expects most slip sites in West Auckland will be repaired by the end of 2025.

    For more information, visit the AT website.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Budget 2025 – Oranga Whenua, Oranga Tangata: Hāpai Te Hauora Responds to Budget 2025

    Source: Hapai Te Hauora

    Hāpai Te Hauora says Budget 2025 is not a Budget for whānau – it is a Budget for landlords, corporates, and cuts.
    Finance Minister Nicola Willis promised no lolly scramble; but somehow, the sweet stuff still landed in boardrooms and business accounts, while the pantry stayed locked for whānau.
    “This Budget is a choice – and that choice is clear,” says Jacqui Harema, CEO of Hāpai Te Hauora. “A choice to gut pay equity. A choice to ask rangatahi to prove their poverty. A choice to back the boardroom while gutting community support.”
    Businesses receive a 20% tax write-off on new assets. Meanwhile, whānau get 25-cent KiwiSaver contributions, tighter benefit rules, and income-tested child payments. “A baby’s best start now depends on a parent’s payslip – that’s not equity,” Harema says.
    The wealthy retain their capital gains. Yet rangatahi on Jobseeker now face new restrictions based on their parents’ income. “We’re means-testing the vulnerable while letting privilege off the hook.”
    Health receives funding, but only just. Emergency departments remain overwhelmed. Nurses are still burning out. And while primary care sees a modest boost, there is no targeted investment in Māori health – and prevention is notably missing.
    “If we want to reduce long-term costs and create better outcomes, we must fund prevention,” says Jason Alexander, COO of Hāpai. “That means backing kaupapa Māori solutions before harm happens – not waiting until our people are in crisis.”
    Education receives $2.5 billion, but $614 million of that comes from scrapped initiatives. Programmes like Kāhui Ako are axed, and school lunches (Ka Ora, Ka Ako) are set to expire in 2026. “You do not build brighter futures by cutting kai from classrooms,” says Harema.
    Tax cuts favour business, while low- to middle-income families receive just $14 more a fortnight under Working for Families tweaks – roughly the cost of a pack of nappies.
    This Budget did not prioritise Māori health, wellbeing, or equity. It disestablished Te Aka Whai Ora, clawed back unspent Māori housing funds, and continued the short-term funding cycle.
    Hāpai Te Hauora’s Budget 2025 Wishlist included:
    • Investment in Māori-led housing
    • Protection of school lunch programmes
    • Long-term contracts for Māori health services
    • Increased income support and kaupapa Māori employment pathways
    • Serious investment in prevention
    What we got instead were cuts, exclusions, and short-term gains.
    “This is not the Budget for tamariki. Not for our mokopuna. Not for our taiao,” Harema says. “Whānau deserve better.” 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Budget 2025 – Budget Investment for ENRICH Education Programme – Methodist Mission Southern

    Source: Methodist Mission Southern

    The Hon. Erica Stanford has today announced an investment in the ENRICH oral language programme – which will see the programme reach 525 early learning services over four years.
    ENRICH is an evidence-based programme created by Professor Elaine Reese (University of Otago) in partnership with Methodist Mission Southern (MMS). Over the last four years, the programme has been extensively researched through the world-leading Kia Tīmata Pai study – involving 140 ECEs from BestStart.
    ENRICH focuses on strengthening oral language skills, communication skills and early maths competencies – all critical foundations for future learning and long-term life success. The programme has demonstrated significant improvements for tamariki in these areas in research trials, and has been successfully implemented in ECE classrooms since 2021.
    The implementation of ENRCH is led by Jimmy McLauchlan, Chief Development Officer at Methodist Mission Southern, who has spent ten years working in partnership with researchers, policymakers, and education providers – to translate child development science into practical programmes that can benefit children on a national scale.
    “Some of the world’s best child development science has come out of this country – and programmes like ENRICH are turning that science into learning for hundreds of thousands of New Zealand children,” said McLauchlan.
    “ENRICH works because it shares the science of language development through practical techniques that have been co-designed with teachers to work in busy classrooms. The programme embraces our cultures and curriculum, and has been tested by hundreds of teachers around the country over the last four years.”
    ENRICH will initially be rolled out to 525 ECEs over the next four years, alongside ongoing research and evidence-gathering work, which is aimed at making the programme even more effective and sustainable across the entire ECE sector in coming years.
    “This investment today means we can reach even more tamariki with tools that build language, communication and early literacy skills when it matters most.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Budget 2025 – Principals describe Budget as Bitter Sweet

    Source: NZ Principals Federation

    Principals say the boost to Learning Support from Budget 2025 is the most substantial in years, even though there is a cost through other valuable resources.
    “For schools, this Budget has delivered a breakthrough. The Government has recognised the intense pressures teachers and principals are under with minimal support,” said Leanne Otene, President of the New Zealand Principals’ Federation. (NZPF).
    “We have been calling for a substantial increase to learning support, especially for our most vulnerable tamariki, for years, and at last we have been heard,” said Otene.
    “The Additional Learning Support Coordinators, Teacher Aide hours, 25 new specialist classrooms and specialist services will make a huge difference to our schools,” said Otene.
    “Our only concern is where these people will come from,” she said. “We have often been told there are not enough qualified specialists to cover schools’ needs and more will have to be trained,” she said. 
    Principals were also pleased that the Minister has recognised the role of principals and the minimal support they receive. The additional Leadership Advisors will give confidence to principals, especially those new to the role.
    “We are thrilled to see an increase in the number of Leadership Advisors. Principals report high satisfaction rates with the existing service which now gets a boost from 16 to 34 Leadership Advisors across the country,” she said. “That will still not be enough, but it is a step in the right direction,” she said.
    Otene also acknowledged what services have been reprioritised in the Budget process,
    “We have lost valued services such as Resource Teachers of Literacy, Resource Teachers of Maori the Kahui Ako collaborations and the halt to pay equity will affect our future Teacher Aide staff.”
    ” I call it the ‘Bitter-Sweet Budget,” said Otene, “because the gains in learning support resources and leadership support are hugely welcome, but it is at the cost of losing other valued resources,” she said.  
    Otene was clear that if the new funding is to be effective, it must be ‘demand driven’ and not restricted to a single Budget. 
    “This funding needs to be locked in and grow to meet the real needs in our schools,” said Otene. “This gives us a great kick start, but more is needed for long term changes in learning and behaviour,” she said. 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Las Vegas Man Indicted for Cyberstalking Via Social Media

    Source: US FBI

    LAS VEGAS – A Las Vegas resident made his initial appearance Tuesday for allegedly sending thousands of messages, including threatening messages, via Instagram to two employees of the University of Texas at Austin.

    According to allegations contained in the indictment, beginning on or about June 6, 2024 to September 16, 2024, Brian Patrick Solomon, 38, sent direct messages threatening to injure two high level employees of the school. In May and June of 2024, Solomon requested a total of $450 via CashApp from a victim. A records check of Solomon revealed that on July 26, 2023, he was arrested in Austin for burglary of vehicle and criminal mischief; and on February 27, 2024,

    Solomon was arrested in Nevada for stalking. As a result, a protection order was entered against Solomon. In July 2024, one victim attended the ESPYs and was scheduled for a speaking engagement. Solomon communicated to the victim that he had purchased a ticket for the event. While the event revoked his ticket due to safety concerns, the victim paid out of pocket to hire security.

    On September 16, 2024, the FBI arrested Solomon. After he was advised of his Miranda rights, Solomon admitted that he used multiple Instagram accounts to send a few thousand direct messages to the victim and that he had become angry with her. Additionally, Solomon admitted he had requested money from the victim to travel to the victim, and he had previously traveled via airplane to Austin.

    A jury trial has been scheduled for December 17, 2024, before United States District Judge Jennifer A. Dorsey. Solomon is charged with one count of interstate communications with threat to injure and one count of cyberstalking. If convicted, he faces the maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison.

    United States Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Spencer L. Evans for the FBI Las Vegas Division made the announcement.

    This case was investigated by the FBI with assistance from the University of Texas Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Courtney Strange is prosecuting the case.

    An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Kentucky Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison Related to Sextortion Scheme

    Source: US FBI

    BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A Kentucky man was sentenced today on a charge of sexual exploitation of children, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Carlton L. Peeples.

    U.S. District Court Judge L. Scott Coogler sentenced Aden Willis Yeager, 22, of Louisville, Kentucky, to 300 months in prison, followed by a life term of supervised release.  As part of his sentence, Yeager was ordered to pay $92,620 in restitution to the victims and a $50,000 special assessment under the Amy, Vicky, and Andy Act. In March, Yeager pleaded guilty to one count of production of child pornography. 

    According to the plea agreement, in November 2020, the West Alabama Human Trafficking Task Force received a CyberTipline report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children related to acts of sextortion committed by Yeager towards a minor female. Yeager coerced and enticed the minor to send him nude photos of herself, and then he sold the photos online.  When the minor would refuse to send more pictures, Yeager would threaten to send her nude photos to everyone in her contact list on social media. Further investigation revealed over 60 individual folders in Yeager’s Dropbox account that were labeled by female names and contained sexually explicit images and videos. FBI agents were able to positively identify and locate 19 minor females who had been contacted by Yeager to send pornographic photos.

    FBI Birmingham’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force investigated the case along with FBI Louisville, Kentucky; the West Alabama Human Trafficking Task Force; and the University of Alabama Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney R. Leann White prosecuted the case.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office (USAO) and the National Children’s Advocacy Center (NCAC) have partnered and released a digital series to educate parents and caretakers about sextortion and how they can help prevent kids and teens from being victims. This series offers three-to-five-minute videos about current online safety topics and provides essential information about the true dangers of online activities.

    The videos can be accessed from the following locations:

    nationalcac.org/sextortion-prevention/

    https://www.youtube.com/@nationalcac

    If you suspect or become aware of possible sexual exploitation of a child, please contact law enforcement. To alert the FBI Birmingham Office, call 205-326-6166. Reports can also be filed with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) or online at www.cybertipline.org.

    The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.  Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, and to identify and rescue victims.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Bryant High School Teacher Pleads Guilty to Transportation of a Minor to Engage in Illegal Sexual Activity

    Source: US FBI

          LITTLE ROCK—Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, announced today that a former Bryant High School teacher has pleaded guilty to transporting a minor across state lines for the purpose of unlawful sexual activity. Heather Hare, 33, of Conway, entered this guilty plea earlier today before United States District Judge Lee P. Rudofsky.

          Judge Rudofsky will sentence Hare at a later date. Transportation of a minor to engage in unlawful sexual activity is punishable by not less than 10 years imprisonment and up to life imprisonment, and not less than five years of supervised release.

          The investigation into Hare revealed that Hare taught Family Consumer Science classes at Bryant High School and met the minor victim on his first day of his senior year. Hare began one-on-one counseling sessions with the minor victim, eventually giving him her personal phone number and primarily communicating with him through Instagram and Snapchat.

          Hare later told the minor victim that she had a dream of them having sex and gave him her home address in Conway. The minor victim and Hare had sex approximately 20 to 30 times throughout the 2021-2022 school term, including multiple times at her Conway residence, in her vehicle, and in her classroom and parking lots at Bryant High School.

          Between April 21 and April 24, 2022, Hare was the sponsor and chaperone for a field trip to Washington, D.C., as part of an extracurricular activity related to the Family Consumer Science courses Hare taught. During the field trip, which included four students, of which the minor victim was the only male student, Hare and the minor victim engaged in the unlawful sexual activity to which she pleaded guilty.

          “This former teacher took advantage of her position of trust and the vulnerability of a minor, using her role to entice and lure this minor into engaging in unlawful sexual activity,” Ross said. “Our office will continue to seek significant penalties against any educational professional who sexually abuse their students.”

          Hare was indicted on August 1, 2023, and charged with one count of interstate/foreign travel for prostitution/sexual activity by coercion and one count of transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. In exchange for her guilty plea, the remaining charge was dismissed.

          The case was investigated by the FBI, Bryant Police Department, and Saline County Sheriff’s Office and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kristin Bryant.

    # # #

    Additional information about the office of the

    United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at

    https://www.justice.gov/edar

    X (formerly known as Twitter):

    @EDARNEWS 

    MIL Security OSI –