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Category: Education

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK child sexual abuse survivors lack support – report

    Source: Anglia Ruskin University

    Over 640 victims and survivors of child sexual abuse and exploitation in the UK have shared their stories in a global effort to raise awareness about the realities of sexual violence against children, the challenges of disclosure and recovery, and its enduring impact on their lives.

    Their voices are amplified through a powerful report published by the Finnish child-rights organisation Protect Children in collaboration with the International Policing and Public Protection Research Institute (IPPPRI), part of Anglia Ruskin University.

    At IPPPRI25, the research institute’s annual conference dedicated to tackling online harms, Protect Children is publishing insights from 643 victims and survivors of childhood sexual violence perpetrated in the UK. The responses have been analysed by researchers from IPPPRI.

    The groundbreaking report reveals unprecedented information about crimes of sexual violence against children in the UK, shedding light on the critical gaps in the local systems for preventing child sexual abuse and exploitation, and for supporting those affected.

    The evidence was collected through an innovative Global Our Voice Survivor Survey that aims to hear and amplify the long-silenced voices and wisdom of those who endured sexual violence in childhood. Utilising a novel methodology, the survey has successfully reached out to over 23,000 victims and survivors worldwide.

    “Today at IPPPRI25, we are presenting, together with Protect Children, important findings focused on how research can inform real-world practice in responding to child sexual abuse and exploitation globally. We must understand the systemic factors that enable sexual violence against children so that we can act.”

    Professor Samantha Lundrigan, Director of IPPPRI at Anglia Ruskin University

    Despite the severe and long-lasting impacts of child sexual abuse and exploitation, more than half of victims and survivors in the UK reported not receiving any support.

    “Much of the abuse described by the UK respondents happened decades ago and we know that the nature of child sexual abuse has changed, with so many young people now being victimised online. We must recognise the harm suffered by victims and survivors and ensure access to long-term support services.”

    Lea Kamitz, Dawes Postdoctoral Research Fellow at IPPPRI, Anglia Ruskin University

    The presenting researchers unveil a concerning lack of response to child sexual abuse in the UK. Despite severe and long-lasting emotional, physical, and psychological impacts, more than half of survivors have not received any support to cope with these. The results were compared between the Five Eyes countries*, revealing that survivors in the UK were the least likely to receive support.

    Another distressing insight highlights that over a half of the surveyed victims and survivors were first subject to sexual violence when they were 3 to 9 years old. Furthermore, victims and survivors reported suffering multiple forms of sexual abuse during their childhood ranging from inappropriate touching while clothed to the most severe forms of sexual abuse and exploitation.

    Nine out of 10 survivors said that the perpetrator was someone they knew from before, with almost half reporting the perpetrator lived in the same household.

    “The voices of survivors are a resounding call to action.

    “I have learned from my patients that disclosure and healing from child sexual abuse is an ongoing and often invisible struggle and for many, simply surviving is an act of immense strength – and that truth demands our support, our compassion, and sustained change.”

    Executive Director of Protect Children, Nina Vaaranen-Valkonen, who has a lifetime of experience working as a psychotherapist with survivors of childhood sexual violence

    The researchers emphasised that 21% of survivors have never disclosed the abuse. Childhood sexual violence is already a very hidden form of criminality and it is further complicated by the challenges of disclosure. The disclosure may take up years or even decades – the striking proportion of two in five victims and survivors in the UK shared that it took them more than 21 years.

    The insights from survivors form a call to action, urging communities, policymakers, and societies worldwide to recognise their pain and resilience and to come together in the mission to end child sexual abuse and exploitation.

    One survivor of childhood sexual violence in the UK, who took part in the Global Our Voice Survivor Survey, said: “I feel a bit sad for the child I was, but I am very glad to be able to give evidence of my experience to help inform others and build knowledge internationally about sexual abuse of children.”

    “We cannot continue to fail victims and survivors seeking justice and support; we must ensure they receive the recognition, reparation, and support they deserve. We cannot undo the damage that has already been done, but we must ensure that no more children have to suffer further violence. All children should live a childhood free from any form of abuse.”

    Eva Díaz Bethencourt, Specialist and Human Rights Lawyer at Protect Children

    The powerful report presented by Protect Children and IPPPRI underscores the urgent need for stronger trauma-informed prevention and response systems in the UK. The full report is available here: https://www.suojellaanlapsia.fi/en/post/our-voice-survivors-in-the-uk-1

    * The Global Our Voice Survivor Survey was developed by Protect Children, and the data analysis of the report “Our Voice Survivors in the UK: Experiences of Victims and Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation”, was conducted in collaboration with IPPPRI. The report analyses the data collected from 643 respondents who suffered childhood sexual abuse in the UK and 624 in other Five Eyes countries (Australia, Canada, New Zealand, US). The Five Eyes alliance is an intelligence-sharing partnership among these nations, which also collaborates closely in law enforcement and child protection efforts.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Lyagin Run: The Polytechnic Honored the Hero’s Memory

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University – Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University –

    On May 17, the Polytechnic Park hosted the traditional track and field race in memory of Hero of the Soviet Union Viktor Lyagin. The event dedicated to the graduate of our institute has been held since 1972. For several years now, the race at the Polytechnic has rightfully been considered a large-scale city event.

    The race was opened by the Vice-Rector for Youth Policy and Communication Technologies of SPbPU Maxim Pasholikov.

    The strength of the Polytechnic University is in its people, its Heroes and traditions. Anyone who finds themselves in the university family is involuntarily immersed in our culture and environment, which shapes their personality. The run named after Hero of the USSR Viktor Lyagin, which has been held for over 55 years, is a vivid confirmation of this. The event not only bears the name of an outstanding intelligence officer, a graduate of the university, but also cultivates willpower. After all, everyone who accepts this sports challenge, overcoming themselves, develops, achieves their goal and becomes a hero for themselves, their family and immediate environment, being an example. Through the prism of such traditions, we learn to achieve results in simple things, which over time becomes a habit, and we no longer see the possibility of behaving differently, – noted Maxim Pasholikov.

    Viktor Lyagin’s grandson, Aleksey Esipov, was present at the race and thanked the Polytechnic for preserving the memory of the hero.

    This sporting event is dedicated to my grandfather, intelligence officer and outstanding polytechnician Viktor Lyagin. Viktor Aleksandrovich became a successful engineer, thanks to which he was appointed head of scientific and technical intelligence. He had great prospects, but the war began. He was sent to Nikolaev, where his group carried out the most significant sabotage. Viktor Aleksandrovich himself was an athlete and paid great attention to volleyball and weightlifting, – Alexey Esipov emphasized.

    By the will of fate, the family of Alexey Esipov met for the first time with relatives Alexey and Natalya Kochkarev, with whom they had lost contact for many years. This year, the Kochkarev couple came to the race for the first time, and a fateful meeting took place.

    I decided to honor the memory of the outstanding polytechnician in this way and pay tribute to his contribution to the common victory. My family has many ties to the Polytechnic. My father was an associate professor at the power engineering faculty, worked at the Hydro Tower. My mother worked at the metallurgy faculty. I graduated from the Polytechnic and then worked here. Therefore, we are hereditary polytechnicians, – said Alexey Kochkarev.

    Our paths diverged. But what a coincidence! It was at the Polytechnic that I met my relatives again, – Alexey Esipov was surprised.

    Alexey Esipov came to the race with his daughter Tatyana Leonchenkova and granddaughter Alina. The girl is in the third grade, enjoys football and swimming. Viktor Lyagin’s great-great-granddaughter decided to participate in the race dedicated to his memory.

    Perhaps Alina’s athletic abilities were inherited from her great-great-grandfather. We love the Polytechnic University and visit it often. We plan to enroll Alina in programming classes. It is important that the university carefully preserves the memory of the Great Patriotic War. No one is forgotten, and nothing is forgotten. This is truly the very memory that is very dear, – shared Tatyana Leonchenkova.

    Time flew by while chatting. And then the participants were called to a warm-up led by Kristina Kapinus, a member of the Russian Nordic walking team. After that, experienced athletes and newcomers checked their equipment and went to the start. To the encouraging shouts of the spectators, the runners covered a distance of five kilometers.

    The participants of the children’s race also received no less support – boys and girls ran 800 meters.

    Yulia Kurakina took first place, Grigory Khrustalev finished second, and Alexander Kabanov showed the third time.

    Yulia Kurakina started running only a year ago, and her first place came as a surprise to her family.

    I play chess, dance, and running is just a hobby, Yulia shared.

    At the competition, Yulia was supported by her mother Svetlana. She said: We visited the Polytechnic for the first time and were pleasantly surprised by the friendly atmosphere and warm relations between the participants.

    Nine-year-old Vasilisa Ambrazhey won the hearts of the audience with her willpower and incredible fortitude. She participated in the race for the first time and successfully overcame the adult distance. Then Vasilisa ran half a circle to meet her mother and support her at the finish line. But the girl did not stop there – she took part in the children’s race together with her brother Fyodor.

    I have been swimming since I was three and doing acrobatics since I was six. Before, I only ran at school during physical education classes. So, at the Polytechnic, I covered such a serious distance for the first time, Vasilisa shared.

    Her mother, Natalia Rybakova, works as a leading specialist at the Center for Continuing Professional Education of the Advanced Engineering School “Digital Engineering”.

    We enjoyed spending Saturday morning in the Polytechnic University park. Such events are very useful, as they allow you to participate in the life of the university, get to know your colleagues from a new side and get involved in sports, – noted Natalia Rybakova.

    In the men’s race the results were as follows:

    Evgeny Chuchmanov – 17.17; Maxim Vankov – 17.18; Alexander Mirolyubov – 17.18.5.

    Evgeniy Chuchmanov is a 2nd year Bachelor’s student at the Civil Engineering Institute. He has been a professional skier since childhood.

    Running is an integral part of preparation for skiing competitions. When I entered the Polytechnic, I decided not to limit myself to competing for the biathlon-skiing team. So running became my hobby. At today’s competition, I did not strive for victory, but during the race I realized that I could compete with my rivals. It was a wonderful event that filled me with pride for the university. It is nice that the teachers emphasize the importance of a healthy lifestyle by their example, – said Evgeniy.

    Results of the women’s race:

    Maria Kiseleva – 21.10;
    Tatyana Bevza — 21.32;
    Alena Aleshina — 22.11.

    Maria Kiseleva, a specialist at the Department of Support of Educational Programs of the Center for Continuing Professional Education, is a regular participant in the race. Last year, she took fourth place. She seriously prepared for this start: she trained five times a week and participated in various running events.

    I am so glad that I won! Polytechnic combines patriotism, love for one’s country, sports, science and much more. I love my native university with all my heart, – shared Maria Vladimirovna.

    The joint finish of mother and daughter took place in the Aleshiny family. Director of the Higher School of Power Engineering Alena Aleshina, having taken third place in the adult distance, supported her youngest daughter in her race.

    I am participating in this event for the third year in a row. The great weather, the warm and friendly atmosphere in the Polytechnic Park added positive emotions. I am glad that I was able to improve my time by a whole minute compared to last year. Both my daughters participated in the children’s distance. Lera is almost 11 years old, and she managed on her own, and Sasha is still little, so we ran the second lap together. The race at the Polytechnic is dedicated to the memory of Viktor Lyagin, a famous Soviet intelligence officer and a graduate of the Polytechnic. Thus, this event is more of a tribute to memory than a sporting event, and you participate in it at the call of your heart. Thank you to the Polytechnic for continuing the tradition, – shared Alena Aleshina.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Sex and disability: Nigerian women share their stories

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Obasanjo Bolarinwa, Senior lecturer, York St John University

    Imagine feeling invisible simply because of your body. Now imagine that invisibility extends into how society treats your desires, your safety, and your rights.

    That is the everyday reality for many women with disabilities in developing countries, where 80% of people with disabilities live. And it’s an issue the policymakers must address to promote inclusive policies that reach the most marginalised.

    We are global health researchers and authors of a recent qualitative study that explores the sexual experiences of women with disabilities in Lagos, Nigeria.

    Despite growing global interest in sexual and reproductive health, the voices of women with disabilities have remained largely unheard, especially in low- and middle-income countries such as Nigeria.

    Our research aims to break this silence.

    The women in our study told us they had sexual needs and desires like any other women, but they faced particular challenges such as societal stigma, inadequate access to reproductive health services, widespread misconceptions about contraception and sexual harassment. They suggested how more accessible health services and better legal protection could help them.

    How we did our study

    We spoke to 24 women in Lagos between the ages of 20 and 45. Sixty-seven percent of participants had physical disabilities, while 33% had visual impairments.

    Participants were recruited through local networks and came from a range of educational, employment and marital backgrounds. They were asked open-ended questions in interviews conducted in English, Yoruba or Pidgin.

    We focused on how disability influenced their sexual activity, autonomy, contraceptive use, engagement in risky sexual behaviours, and experiences of sexual violence.

    What we learnt

    Our research found that the women were mostly sexually active and understood their sexual rights.

    However, they faced major barriers:

    • physical limitations

    • poor access to affordable contraceptives

    • misinformation

    • vulnerability to sexual violence, with limited support available

    • widespread stigma that made it difficult for them to express their sexuality freely and safely.

    ‘We are not asexual’

    Many participants rejected the stereotype that they were “asexual” or uninterested in sex. They emphasised they had sexual needs and desires just like any other woman.

    Some participants expressed that being disabled made certain sex positions painful or physically impossible.

    A woman who was in her thirties told us that her husband complained that she couldn’t “do different styles”.

    Other women expressed sadness, frustration, or even guilt for not being able to satisfy their partners, leading to feelings of rejection and abandonment.

    Accessing modern contraceptives was another major issue.

    Some of the women said they were afraid of using contraceptives because of health myths – like the fear that birth control might worsen their disability or cause infertility.

    Others struggled to go to pharmacies because of their limited mobility and obstacles such as being unable to use stairs.

    Several women said they had experienced harassment, assault or rape, often linked to their vulnerability and social isolation.

    One woman described her sexual assault.

    If I were not disabled and nothing was wrong with me, the one that happened to me would not happen. Because of my leg, I didn’t have any energy to shout, and the people that were supposed to assist me did not show up. If I had legs and was complete, the thing that happened to me will not happen.

    A visually impaired woman said she couldn’t defend herself or even recognise her attacker when she was abused.

    Another said:

    If I had legs, that thing would not have happened to me.

    A number of women also spoke about the fear of being blamed or shamed about their sexual harassment experience. Others said people in their communities believed they had no right to complain.

    It’s not all bad

    Still, it wasn’t all despair. The women in the study had clear and actionable suggestions.

    They called for accessible health facilities, better education for men about disability and sex, and more media campaigns to challenge stigma.

    They wanted laws that specifically protected them against sexual harassment and health systems that included them in terms of physical accessibility and financial subsidy.

    Some called for free or subsidised contraceptives or door-to-door services for those unable to travel.

    One participant simply asked for a walking aid so she could visit the hospital when she needed to.

    We are not invisible

    The findings highlight the need for accessible, affordable sexual and reproductive health services tailored to women with disabilities.

    This includes disability-friendly healthcare, public education to challenge stereotypes, stronger legal protections, and initiatives that empower women to assert their rights.

    Society needs to stop pretending that women with disabilities are invisible.
    They are here. They are sexually active. And they have a right to love, pleasure, safety and choice.

    Obasanjo Bolarinwa works for York St. John University, United Kingdom.

    Blessing Babalola works for Federal University Oye-Ekiti.

    CLIFFORD O ODIMEGWU works for the University of the Witwatersrand.

    Aliu Mohammed 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. Sex and disability: Nigerian women share their stories – https://theconversation.com/sex-and-disability-nigerian-women-share-their-stories-254405

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: For a Canadian in London, King Charles’ Royal Garden Party inspires sustainability education

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Janice Denoncourt, Associate Professor in Intellectual Property and Innovation Law, Nottingham Trent University

    On a glorious afternoon recently, I had the good fortune to attend a specially themed Education and Skills Garden Party hosted at Buckingham Palace in London to celebrate the contributions of educators in the United Kingdom and beyond.

    As a Canadian citizen living and working in education in the United Kingdom, I was invited to attend by the High Commission of Canada in London.

    The occasion provided a relaxing yet exciting opportunity to reflect on my involvement embedding sustainability into education related to innovation and intellectual property (IP) rights law.

    Royal Gardens as oasis

    King Charles has been a lifelong supporter of sustainability education, which is a new addition to the curricula. For me, the Royal garden and lake beautifully highlighted concerns with sustainability.

    The King’s Royal garden at the Palace is an oasis in the city of London, alive with foliage and wildlife that guests may stroll around and explore. According to the event leaflet: “A survey of the Garden by the London Natural History Society revealed a wealth of flora and fauna, some quite rare species.”

    Garden parties are a special way for members of the Royal Family to speak to a broad range of people, all of whom have made a positive impact on their community. Today these events are a way to recognize and reward public service.

    A network of sponsors is used to invite guests, including lord-lieutenants, societies and associations, government departments and local government, as well as representatives of various churches and other faiths.

    Charles first marked the issue of pollution in 1970 when he was a 21-year-old student. The King continues to champion his lifelong passion regarding the importance of the health of the environment and living sustainably.

    ‘The garden party at Buckingham Palace for Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee,’ painting by Frederick Sargent, 1887.
    (Royal Collection (U.K.) 407255/Wikipedia)

    Why intellectual property and sustainability?

    Since 2004, I have been an innovation, intellectual property rights and business law educator. My research group contributed to a publication called The Guide to The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), developed to explore the connections between the United Nation’s 17 SDGs, sustainable development and IP.

    Intellectual property is of concern because we need to envision and build a common future with innovation and creativity. How sustainability challenges are overcome depends on the commercialization of new green technology catalysts.

    However, this process is complex. Choosing between solar versus wind, or hydro, geothermal or tidal energy technologies involves making difficult choices. IP rights, such as patents, provide practical scientific information about new green technologies. This information helps society to prioritize public, private and alternative financing to support climate change mitigation and adaptation.

    Canadian firms have patented numerous climate change mitigation technologies.

    For example, the Toronto-based WhalePower has significantly advanced fluid dynamics and has filed Canadian, European Union, United States, Chinese and Indian patents to protect its new technology. Their award-winning invention, inspired by the bumpy flippers of humpback whales, results in more efficient and reliable wind turbine blades.



    Read more:
    Here’s why UK tides are soon going to play a much bigger part in powering your home

    This “tubercle” technology, named for a rounded point of a bone, also has applications for hydroelectric turbines and for revolutionizing fan design. These blades, featuring tubercles (bumps) on the leading edge, reduce aerodynamic drag and improve performance. WhalePower also generates revenue by licensing its patented technology to other companies to use in wind turbines.

    Patents encourage knowledge sharing

    Patents encourage knowledge sharing, because the way the invention works must be disclosed, rather than kept secret.

    For example, new tidal energy inventors can read Whalepower’s patents and be inspired to further advance the new technology with additional incremental innovations.

    A granted patent is published for free online and digitally tagged using globally recognized classification codes to facilitate easy searching by scientists, investors and financiers. The data collected on the patent register is also used to design new climate innovation research studies and inform policy-making.

    In this manner, IP often stimulates investment by providing the legal rights needed to justify longer-term investment in a changing landscape of innovation.

    Long-term investment into green technology is a form of environmental stewardship that I discuss in more detail in my article “Companies and UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goal 9 Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure.” IP rights support firms like Whalepower by enabling knowledge tools that can bring sustainable development goals closer to fruition.

    Patent attorneys and Earthshot Prize

    The significant role of IP rights in promoting sustainability gained a higher profile when the United Kingdom’s Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys (CIPA) became an Official Nominator for the annual Earthshot Prize launched by Prince William’s Royal Foundation in 2020.

    CIPA helps to identify and nominate solutions for the environmental challenges that the prize aims to address. One nominated solution that uses DNA sequencing and nature’s own colours to create sustainable dyes to reduce the use of water and harmful chemicals in the fashion industry, Colorifix, was a runner-up in the 2023 edition.



    Read more:
    Can marketing classes teach sustainability? 4 key insights

    CIPA provides crucial IP rights checks to finalists, ensuring that their innovations have no outstanding IP issues. This partnership is an example of how the Royal Family works together with CIPA to use the power of IP to help solve sustainability challenges.

    As the King stated when he was Prince of Wales in 2017: “Mine is not a new commitment, but perhaps you will allow me to restate my determination to join you in continuing to do whatever I can, for as long as I can, to maintain not only the health and vitality of the ocean and all that depends upon it, but also the viability of that greatest and most unique of living organisms — nature herself.”

    Janice Denoncourt is affiliated with the British Association for Canadian Studies (BACS)..

    – ref. For a Canadian in London, King Charles’ Royal Garden Party inspires sustainability education – https://theconversation.com/for-a-canadian-in-london-king-charles-royal-garden-party-inspires-sustainability-education-256869

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: The rise of psychedelic capitalism: Work harder and be happy about it?

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Kevin Walby, Associate Professor of Criminal Justice, University of Winnipeg

    Once stigmatized and outlawed, psychedelics are moving from the counterculture to the mainstream. From Prince Harry’s use of psilocybin to National Football League quarterback Aaron Rodgers’ adventures with ayahuasca, our media is awash with accounts of their professed benefits.

    Hundreds of universities around the world are now engaging in psychedelic research. And psychedelic legalization initiatives are taking hold.

    Psychedelics are becoming big business. Just as private capital flooded the cannabis sector years ago, a psychedelic gold rush is underway.

    Wealthy entrepreneurs are investing in the psychedelic industry while biotechnology start-ups are raising capital and running clinical trials on novel psychedelic molecules. Venture capitalists are eyeing the prospects of a new lucrative mass market.

    The authors of this article have a new book out: ‘Psychedelic Capitalism’ published by Fernwood.
    (Fernwood)

    Three causes for concern

    To date, most debates about psychedelics have offered little critical analysis of their relationship to the political economy of modern capitalism and broader power structures. In our new book Psychedelic Capitalism, we make three central claims about the so-called psychedelic renaissance.

    First, the medicalization of psychedelics is likely to restrict access and reinforce existing health and social inequalities.

    Second, the corporatization of psychedelics will enable economic elites to dominate the market while appropriating the vast reservoir of knowledge built up by Indigenous communities, public institutions and underground researchers.

    And third, rather than representing progressive drug reform, the limited legalization of select psychedelics for medical use will help to entrench and sustain the drug war and the criminalization of most drug use.

    Ignoring community knowledge

    Across North America, we’re seeing a medicalization of psychedelics, where a range of problems are presented as treatable by these substances. This is happening in a way that boosts corporate control of the process and pushes aside community and Indigenous knowledge.

    We have seen this scenario play out in Australia. Substances such as psilocybin and MDMA are legally available, but only through a doctor’s prescription and at great financial cost — raising questions about equity, access and who these therapies are for.

    Framing psychedelics as pharmaceutical commodities and individualized health-care solutions reinforces the prohibitionist narrative that these substances are unsuitable for use outside of the medical context. This narrative shifts attention away from how medicalized use might perpetuate a neoliberal ideology — locating mental “disorder” within an individual, rather than addressing more systemic causes such as poverty, inequality and social exclusion.

    It also disregards centuries of traditions created by Indigenous community use, as well as the values of the psychedelic underground.

    A system built on expensive individual therapy, medically trained gatekeepers and hyper-controlled clinical access is not the model that most advocates have envisioned.

    A pill-only model for productivity and happiness

    The foundations of psychedelic capitalism were largely created by public innovation at the public’s expense and are now in the process of being taken over by private capital.

    Psychedelic conferences increasingly resemble corporate trade shows. The psychedelic tourism industry continues to expand and cater to elite clients. For-profit companies like Mind Medicine and Compass Pathways are eliminating psychotherapy from their treatment protocols and embracing a “pill-only” model favoured by Big Pharma.

    Psychedelics, including microdosing and psychedelic-assisted therapy, are marketed as a way for the general population to extract more work out of their already overworked lives, and to be happy about it in the process.

    Companies are competing to capture intellectual property to harness profits from existing compounds and erect legal barriers around new chemicals and their applications.

    The for-profit ketamine industry already offers a glimpse into the future of corporatized psychedelic therapy. This includes a lack of attention to risks, deceitful marketing and little consideration to therapeutic care.

    There has been a surge of new patent applications (and granted patents) in the U.S. on substances such as psilocybin, LSD, DMT, 5-MeO DMT and mescaline that seek to secure exclusivity, monopolize supply chains and privatize knowledge that already exists in the public domain.

    Psychedelics have been swept up into the well-rehearsed capitalist playbook where private players are fabricating exclusionary rights over what are ultimately the products of collective human struggle and intellectual achievement.

    Medical legalization of psychedelics

    The medicalized approach to psychedelic mainstreaming also connects to drug law and policy.

    Across North America, the biomedical approach is the main influence on drug law and the primary avenue for psychedelic access in most jurisdictions. This approach is widely supported by psychedelic capitalists who have a financial stake in medical legalization and want to limit legal access to anything outside of the medical-pharma frame.

    In the United States, places like Oregon and Colorado have more holistic legal models that include elements of community control to prevent corporate capture. But most state initiatives remain limited in scope and are centred around medicalized therapy, particularly for military veterans. Even in Oregon, which has been lauded for its progressive drug policies, there has been an unmistakable drift toward medicalization.

    Canada’s cannabis industry exemplifies how processes of legalization can become intertwined with the interests of corporate-dominated industries.

    As Michael Devillaer, professor of psychiatry and behavioural neurosciences and author of Buzz Kill (2024), has explained, the cannabis industry has prioritized profit maximization, product promotion and increased consumption at the expense of public health concerns.

    What is best for public interest?

    As the medical legalization of psychedelics deepens, we are likely to see the intensification of criminal penalties for recreational and other uses.

    In fact, police seizures of psychedelics like psilocybin in the U.S. have increased in recent years. Global arrests for the transportation of compounds such as ayahuasca, iboga and peyote have also increased.

    These problems are likely to be exacerbated by systems of bifurcated scheduling, where a drug product is placed in a different class from the active ingredient or substance.

    For example, if the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) were to approve psilocybin for depression or MDMA for PTSD, it is likely that only FDA-approved medicinal psilocybin and MDMA products would be rescheduled, while the substances themselves would continue to be prosecuted as restricted narcotics.

    It is in the public interest to move beyond a myopic focus on medical legalization to a more open, decriminalized model of public access. An approach like this would not only mitigate the threats associated with corporate capture, it would also reduce the harms associated with criminalization and the war on drugs.

    Community-controlled decriminalization is a better path to mainstreaming psychedelics than relinquishing power to the medical industry and pharmaceutical cartels that provide monopolized services to primarily affluent customers.

    And treating drug use and dependence as a public health issue and incentivizing harm reduction and support services for at-risk populations would go a long way to mitigating the tragedies of the drug war.

    Kevin Walby receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.

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

    – ref. The rise of psychedelic capitalism: Work harder and be happy about it? – https://theconversation.com/the-rise-of-psychedelic-capitalism-work-harder-and-be-happy-about-it-253003

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: When friendship is treated as essential, what happens to young adults who don’t have any?

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Laura Eramian, Associate Professor, Department of Sociology and Social Anthropology, Dalhousie University

    All participant names in this story are pseudonyms.

    What does it mean to have few or no friends in a time when social connection is seen as key to a healthy and fulfilling life? This is the question at the centre of our recent research study on modern friendship in an Atlantic Canadian city.

    Friendship is having a cultural moment. From journalists to physicians, a wide range of experts have pointed to friendship and social connection as being vital for people to live good and healthy lives and as a way to combat a growing “loneliness epidemic.”

    But not everyone experiences friendship in the same way. Andrew, a student in his mid-20s who took part in our study, identified as having no friends. He told us:

    “I do feel sad and lonely a lot. But I also feel kind of at peace, because I’m pretty introverted. I do want my alone time. So I kind of struggle going back and forth between liking not having friends and then also hating it. It’s just those two are always in conflict.”

    Andrew’s experience reflects the broader tensions many people feel about modern friendship. While friendship is widely valued, western culture also prizes self-sufficiency and sees virtues in introversion.

    These ideals can affirm a desire for solitude, but they don’t stop people from worrying about the negative effects of living friendless lives. These conflicting messages can leave people unsure of how to feel about living without friends.

    Ready to make a change? The Quarter Life Glow-up is a new, six-week newsletter course from The Conversation’s UK and Canada editions. Every week, we’ll bring you research-backed advice and tools to help improve your relationships, your career, your free time and your mental health – no supplements or skincare required. Sign up here to start your glow-up at any time.

    Exploring friendlessness in adulthood

    In our study, we interviewed 21 men and women to understand experiences of friendlessness. Over half were in the “quarter life” phase, meaning they were in their 20s or 30s. They ranged from young professionals, to students, to minimum wage workers.

    Some participants had rich family lives, professional lives or spousal relationships. Others were almost entirely socially isolated. Still, all participants saw lacking friends as something they struggled with, thought about or needed to justify to others.

    Some participants had strong family ties, but still struggled with friendships. Young parents spend time with their daughter on Family Day in Vancouver in 2018.
    (Shutterstock)

    Research has shown that being alone doesn’t always mean people are lonely and that people may give different meanings to their solitude.

    Since we recruited “friendless” rather than “lonely” people for our study, we didn’t assume that people without friends were lonely. Instead, we aimed to understand how they experienced life without friends.

    Why people struggle to make friends

    Participants in our study reported a range of challenges to making friends, as well as insights into what it’s like not to have them.

    Challenges included lacking regular encounters with others due to the structures of school or work or having quit social media and lost touch with friends. Some were disappointed by friendships in the past, or reported other priorities over making friends.

    For example, Tim, a lawyer in his 30s, explained there are many “metrics” of a good life, and that he had no friends because he had chosen to put his time into his career and family.

    Melissa, an administrative assistant in her 20s, felt she always ended up in “lopsided” friendships where she gave more than she received.

    Andrew explained that he no longer had friends at university after moving out of residence, a problem compounded by the public health restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic.

    However, the pandemic didn’t necessarily cause new friendship challenges. Most of our participants said they already had no friends, so lockdown orders didn’t change anything.

    Friendless but not always lonely

    Our study revealed two key narratives people told about the relation of friendlessness to loneliness. On the one hand, they reported intense loneliness and said they suffered without friends. On the other hand, people said having no friends afforded opportunities for self-sufficiency and independence.

    Crucially, there was no clear distinction between participants who claimed to be lonely or not lonely. Rather, participants often told conflicting stories of feeling lonely without friends or feeling good about being alone or self-reliant.

    Participants reported a range of challenges to making friends, as well as insights into what it’s like not to have them.
    (Shutterstock)

    Melissa, for example, talked about her profound loneliness, yet also spoke with pride about how she has learned to get herself out of any situation because she had no one to rely on.



    Read more:
    Lonely extroverts, happy hermits: why being alone isn’t the same as being lonely – and why it matters

    Regardless of the degree of loneliness they reported, our quarter-life participants often felt shame or stigma for being friendless. Some of our participants imagined others thought there was something wrong with them.

    If you have experienced these feelings, you aren’t alone. While people may blame themselves or feel shame, as social scientists, we believe the causes of friendlessness or loneliness are bigger than individuals and their choices.

    Making friends isn’t just a personal challenge

    To formulate solutions to social disconnection, it’s not enough to simply ask, “why don’t people just go and make friends?” While friendship often appears to be a matter of personal choice and mutual liking, like all social relationships, it can be enabled or constrained by the broader ways our societies are organized.

    If there is a loneliness epidemic, it can’t be understood solely as a matter of individual choice or the pitfalls of social media or other technology. It also needs to be seen as a structural condition born of infrastructural and policy failures that require collective solutions to address.

    A better question might be: is friendship accessible to people? Are there enough free, inclusive public spaces where people can gather to meet or make friends? How do the rigid, often unpredictable work schedules faced by many young adults make it difficult to cultivate friendships?

    You may recognize these barriers in your own life and feel disconnected not because you aren’t trying, but because the conditions for connection are so often missing.

    If our society values friendship as much as it claims in the quest to combat loneliness, then collectively we could be doing much more to create social spaces and policies that enable social connection.

    Laura Eramian receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.

    Peter Mallory receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.

    – ref. When friendship is treated as essential, what happens to young adults who don’t have any? – https://theconversation.com/when-friendship-is-treated-as-essential-what-happens-to-young-adults-who-dont-have-any-253814

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Tomato trade dispute between the US and Mexico is boiling over again – with 21% tariffs due in July

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Andrew Muhammad, Professor of Agriculture and Resource Economics, University of Tennessee

    The country of origin – Mexico – is noted on the label of a package of Campari tomatoes for sale in the produce section of a Safeway grocery store on March 4, 2025, in Denver. AP Photo/David Zalubowski

    Although technically they’re a fruit, tomatoes are one of the most-consumed vegetables, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Among the fresh produce the nation buys from foreign countries, tomatoes often rank first or second, behind avocados.

    This trade is now jeopardized because the Trump administration has revived a three-decade-old effort to limit imports.

    As economists who study global trade issues affecting agricultural commodities and processed food products, we have assessed the benefits of imported tomatoes and other products on consumers and businesses. Fresh tomato imports ensure year-round availability for consumers, contribute significantly to the U.S. economy by generating billions in sales and supporting thousands of jobs, and promote competitive pricing that benefits both consumers and businesses.

    New import restrictions could put all that at risk because domestic production cannot satisfy national demand. For tomatoes, like steel and other products, efforts to reverse trade imbalances can decrease consumer satisfaction and potentially destroy more jobs and economic activity than they create.

    Initiating a dumping investigation

    This tussle over tomatoes began in the 1990s.

    At that time, unprecedented growth in tomato imports from Mexico prompted U.S. producers to ask the Clinton administration to investigate whether they were being sold at unfairly low prices. If that were the case, it would violate both World Trade Organization rules and U.S. trade policy.

    The U.S. responded with an antidumping investigation, conducted by the Department of Commerce and U.S. International Trade Commission. The agencies were tasked with seeing if imports are being sold in the U.S. at less than fair market value – the definition of dumping.

    Dumping can harm domestic producers by depressing local prices to compete with imports, causing financial distress. An antidumping duty is essentially a tariff.

    The Commerce Department ruled against Mexican producers, finding that they had engaged in dumping, but reached an agreement with them. Mexican tomato exporters agreed to set minimum prices, leading the U.S. to call off its investigation. The U.S. and Mexico have subsequently entered into a string of suspension agreements over the years.

    The first was implemented in 1996, and the most recent took effect in 2019 during President Donald Trump’s prior term after his administration had threatened to impose a 17.5% tomato tariff.

    Squashing the tomato suspension agreement

    But in April 2025, the Commerce Department announced that it would withdraw from the latest tomato suspension agreement. The Trump administration plans to begin to impose, starting in July, antidumping duties of 21% on fresh tomatoes imported from Mexico.

    It is not obvious at this stage if American importers and consumers will bear the full burden of this tariff, or if Mexican tomato exporters will absorb this cost.

    This move is supposed to benefit fresh tomato producers in the U.S. – most of which are in Florida, with a significantly smaller number located in California. The tariffs could, however, hurt produce distributors, wholesalers and retailers, as well as American consumers.

    People in the U.S. have become accustomed to buying fresh tomatoes to toss into their salads and stuff into their sandwiches year-round, even though in most of the country you can only harvest field-grown tomatoes in the warmest months of the year.

    Focusing only on fresh tomatoes

    This dispute doesn’t involve all the tomatoes and tomato products Americans eat.

    U.S. tomato production is split into two main categories. Fresh tomatoes are usually purchased in a supermarket’s fresh produce section, to be consumed whole, chopped or sliced. This dispute is about those tomatoes.

    The other kind is processing tomatoes, which companies use for making tomato paste, canned or stewed tomatoes and tomato sauce. California leads the nation in processing tomato production. Unlike fresh tomatoes, where the U.S. imports far more than it produces or exports, the U.S. is actually running a trade surplus in processed tomato products.

    When the North American Free Trade Agreement was implemented in January 1994, U.S. fresh tomato production was more than four times the quantity of imported fresh tomatoes: 3.7 billion pounds (1.7 million metric tons) produced versus only 870 million pounds (400,000 metric tons) imported.

    Domestic production has steadily declined since then, while imports have increased. Imported fresh tomatoes are now twice as plentiful: 2.2 billion pounds (1 million metric tons) were grown in the U.S. in 2023, compared with 4.4 billion pounds (2 million metric tons)“ imported .

    This happened as Americans were eating more fresh tomatoes than ever: almost 20 pounds (9 kilograms) per capita in 2023.

    Mexico supplies most of the fresh tomatoes Americans buy in supermarkets.
    Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

    Influx didn’t clearly affect prices

    In 2024, fresh tomato imports totaled US$3.6 billion, with $3.1 billion coming from Mexico. This was a 367% increase since NAFTA took effect, adjusted for inflation.

    Given that costs of production are lower in Mexico for many products, especially in the fresh produce sector where labor costs are less than half U.S. levels, you might figure that this arrangement has kept prices for fresh tomatoes in the U.S. low. But there’s little evidence to support that. Instead, the opposite seems true.

    In 1995, the price that U.S. importers paid of Mexican tomatoes was 31 cents per pound. Since then, import prices have steadily increased to 74 cents per pound in 2024. They have often exceeded prices paid to American farmers and kept pace with the overall rise in food prices the past three decades.

    While restricting imported Mexican tomatoes might benefit U.S. tomato producers by making it easier for them to raise their prices, there are other factors to consider. Imports play a crucial role in boosting economic activity and creating jobs. According to a recent study, these imports generated a total economic impact of more than $8 billion.

    The extra $5 billion comes from all the value-added activities associated with getting that produce from the border to consumers. That total economic impact supports approximately 47,000 U.S. jobs tied to tomato storage, distribution, wholesaling and retailing.

    We would expect antidumping duties on imported fresh tomatoes to increase prices, and reduce the amount of fresh tomatoes Americans can buy. That would also shrink some of the economic impact and eliminate some of the jobs spurred by the imported tomato boom.

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

    – ref. Tomato trade dispute between the US and Mexico is boiling over again – with 21% tariffs due in July – https://theconversation.com/tomato-trade-dispute-between-the-us-and-mexico-is-boiling-over-again-with-21-tariffs-due-in-july-255813

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Leaders can promote gender equity without deepening polarization − here’s how

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Colleen Tolan, Postdoctoral Researcher for the Center for Women in Business, Rutgers University

    Dialogue can make a difference. Pixelfit/E+/Getty Images

    Americans largely agree that women have made significant gains in the workplace over the past two decades. But what about men? While many Americans believe women are thriving, over half believe men’s progress has stalled or even reversed.

    To make matters more complex, recent research has revealed a massive divide along gender and partisan lines. The majority of Republican men think full gender equity in America has been achieved, while the majority of Democratic women think there’s still work to be done.

    As researchers at the Rutgers Center for Women in Business, we think this divide matters a lot. And for business leaders, this gap isn’t just a social or political issue. It’s a leadership challenge with direct implications for team cohesion and morale. If gender equity efforts are seen by some employees as a loss rather than a collective gain, leaders risk inadvertently entrenching division.

    When equity feels like a loss

    Efforts to advance gender equity often come with the reassurance that equality isn’t a zero-sum game – that women’s advancement need not come at men’s expense. Data backs this up, showing, for example, that having gender-diverse executive teams can boost company profits by as much as 21%.

    Yet workers’ perceptions of gender equity efforts tell another story.

    For example, 61% of Americans believe changing gender norms have made it easier for women to be successful at work, but only 36% say the same for men. What’s more, 61% of men think women have equal job opportunities, but only 33% of women believe the same thing.

    These differences reveal an important truth: Perception, not policy alone, shapes how equity efforts are received.

    Involving men in the equity conversation

    Research suggests men and women associate power with different psychological outcomes. Men are more likely to associate power with control, while for women, power is more often linked to a feeling of freedom. As a result, efforts to share power may feel more liberating to women but destabilizing to men – particularly to those already in power.

    But this doesn’t mean one’s gain needs to come at another’s expense – just that people make sense of change through the lens of their own identities and experiences.

    When men perceive progress for women as a threat to their status or opportunity, resistance grows, even in the face of data suggesting otherwise. This cycle becomes especially difficult to break because it requires challenging one’s own beliefs, which isn’t always easy.

    This is why learning about others’ experiences is so useful. For example, a man and a woman might be equally ambitious and capable, but perhaps only one of them experiences being routinely interrupted in meetings. These differences in personal history and lived experience shape how work environments are interpreted and therefore navigated.

    Understanding this diversity of perspectives and discussing lived experiences can help gender equity efforts become more effective. Building a truly equitable future requires acknowledging that feelings about efforts required to reach that future may differ widely.

    With that in mind, here are some best practices for leaders to consider as they navigate the changing landscape.

    Preparing for differences in perspective

    Avoid zero-sum thinking. If men think gender equity efforts will erode their opportunities or diminish their own power, they’ll disengage. Leaders should instead frame equity as essential to team and business success – and ground conversations in metrics that show how inclusion drives outcomes.

    Know that the stakes may vary. Women may see gender equity as a matter of justice or even survival, and when stakes are existential, compromise can be difficult. At the same time, they may experience organizational progress toward gender equity as a personal win. Publicizing these changes and their mutually beneficial gains can help to create a more cohesive team where everyone can thrive.

    Be aware that different clocks are ticking. Some men may view change as happening too quickly, destabilizing established norms. Women, on the other hand, may feel progress is too slow, given centuries of systemic inequity. Holding both views as worthy of respect requires teamwork. Encourage dialogue where the goal is mutual understanding rather than unity.

    Building coalitions around shared experiences

    Promote policies that benefit everyone. By promoting policies such as hybrid work and parental leave that benefit everyone, workplaces will attract and retain a more diverse workforce, which leads to greater innovation. Encourage men to take advantage of these policies and ensure your company culture makes it acceptable to do so. This enables men to actually experience the benefit of these initiatives. Align efforts around shared values – such as the desire for healthier families, better education or stronger economies.

    Use both/and thinking. Supporting men who express fears about status loss can open space for dialogue. Provide that space. At the same time, acknowledge the ongoing struggles women continue to face and their fears about workplaces returning to “the way they used to be.” One viewpoint does not need to negate the other.

    Prioritize lived experience. Rather than insisting that everyone see gender equity the same way, find ways for men to experience mutually beneficial initiatives. Then, encourage dialogue about experiences rather than ideas.

    Bridge divides with dialogue

    Mixed mentorship matters. Pairing employees with mentors of different backgrounds – across gender, race, age, department or seniority level – can help them cultivate curiosity and learn from one another.

    Activate resource groups. Groups focused on cross-cultural engagement provide employees with a platform to discuss challenges, share experiences and collaborate on inclusion initiatives. Additionally, encouraging allies to participate in employee resource groups and business resource groups fosters increased openness and understanding. Leaders can support groups by providing resources, visibility and executive sponsorship.

    Embrace discomfort. In general, people work to avoid feeling uncomfortable. However, discomfort is often necessary for growth. Starting with this premise and encouraging thoughtful, open and honest discussions about sensitive topics and potential fears can help foster transparency and build trust. Leaders can facilitate these conversations through town halls, roundtable discussions or dedicated dialogue sessions.

    Progress depends not just on metrics and policies but on trust, communication and humility. When people feel seen and heard – whether they’re feeling empowered or uncertain – they’re more likely to engage.

    In other words, the real opportunity isn’t to win an argument about whether gender equity is “done,” but to build organizations where everyone can see a future for themselves in the workplace – and feel as if they have a role in shaping it.

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

    – ref. Leaders can promote gender equity without deepening polarization − here’s how – https://theconversation.com/leaders-can-promote-gender-equity-without-deepening-polarization-heres-how-254921

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Cutting HIV aid means undercutting US foreign and economic interests − Nigeria shows the human costs

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Kathryn Rhine, Associate Professor of General Internal Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus

    A large number of children are born with HIV in Nigeria. Kristian Buus/Corbis News via Getty Images

    A little over two decades ago, addressing Nigeria’s HIV crisis topped U.S. President George W. Bush’s priorities. Africa’s most populous nation had 3.5 million HIV cases, and the disease threatened to destabilize the region and ultimately compromise U.S. interests. These interests included securing access to Nigeria’s substantial oil reserves, maintaining regional military stability and protecting trade partnerships worth billions.

    Following years of agitation from AIDS activists, Bush launched the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or PEPFAR, in 2003. This U.S.-led HIV treatment program has since saved tens of millions of lives around the globe.

    While living in Nigeria for my work as a medical anthropologist, I witnessed PEPFAR’s rollout and saw firsthand how the powerful therapies it provided transformed Nigerian lives. The women I worked with told me they could finally put aside the fears of death or abandonment that had consumed their days. Instead, they could focus on a newly expanded horizon of possibilities: building careers, finding love, having healthy children.

    Now, however, a serious threat to preventing and treating HIV worldwide looms. The Trump administration’s decision to substantially restrict access to a vital HIV prevention tool – PEPFAR-funded preexposure prophylaxis, or PrEP – would cut off ongoing treatment for millions of people and block future access for countless others who need this protection.

    The Trump administration aims to cut HIV prevention funding.

    The timing is devastating: Scientists recently made a major advance in HIV prevention. Named the 2024 Breakthrough of the Year by the journal Science, the drug lenacapavir offers six months of HIV protection with one injection. Unlike previous PrEP options that required daily pills, which created significant barriers to consistent access and adherence, this twice-yearly injection dramatically simplifies prevention.

    By undermining access to a treatment that has been essential to reducing HIV rates, the Trump administration’s new restrictions threaten to derail two decades of bipartisan investment in eliminating HIV globally. The consequences extend well beyond individual lives.

    Afterlife of aid

    “Some people that have it, they choose to be wicked and just spread it all around,” confided Elizabeth, a woman I interviewed during my time in Nigeria. I am using a pseudonym to protect her privacy. “They say, ‘Somebody gave it to me, so I am going to spread it too.’ But if they know that they can live positively with the virus, it would reduce their evil thoughts.”

    Elizabeth’s words reveal a concerning dynamic: When hope for treatment disappears, a dangerous desperation can take its place. Patients who feel abandoned by health care systems might lose motivation to protect others from HIV. They may also stop seeking medical care, abandon prevention measures and turn away from future aid.

    Cultural anthropologists use the phrase “the afterlife of aid” to describe what happens after global aid programs are withdrawn or drastically reduced. Communities are left not just without resources but with a lasting sense of betrayal that undermines their willingness to seek help, creating cycles of skepticism that can persist for generations.

    Treatment as hope

    In my fieldwork, I’ve witnessed how managing life with the virus involves far more than taking medications. It requires carefully navigating personal relationships, family obligations, cultural expectations and hopes for the future.

    Many of the women I worked with had contracted HIV from their husbands or boyfriends. Some even suspected their partners’ positive status but were unable to protect themselves. Before these medications, women – both HIV positive and HIV negative – had to choose between risking rejection or risking transmission.

    The welfare of entire families depends on access to HIV medication. Here, a woman who is the sole provider of several children takes antiretroviral treatment.
    Saurabh Das/AP Photo

    Elizabeth and David’s story illustrates these challenges. They had been together for more than a year when David proposed. “When I sensed he was serious about marriage, I knew I had to tell him my status,” Elizabeth told me during one of our many conversations. Though initially shocked, he remained committed to their relationship.

    Elizabeth had maintained a decade of careful adherence to her HIV treatment, but the couple still struggled with consistent condom use. David described using condoms as akin to “eating candy with the wrapper still on it.” He also was eager to have a baby. While PrEP had greatly reduced transmission risk, it placed the full burden of protecting her husband on Elizabeth.

    The path Elizabeth navigated highlights how Nigerian cultural expectations complicated their situation. When proving one’s fertility is often considered essential to establishing gender identity, the pressure to have sex without protection created additional tension. Moreover, Elizabeth’s need to balance her own health needs with her husband’s desires reflected the delicate negotiation many Nigerian women face between personal well-being and marriage.

    As Elizabeth prepared for the birth of their child, she expressed both joy and anxiety: “I have to stay healthy for both of them now.”

    Politicizing global health

    Previous interruptions in aid foreshadow what’s at stake when shifts in U.S. political priorities compromise global health funding.

    Consider the global spike in maternal and child mortality when President Ronald Reagan instituted the Mexico City Policy, often referred to as the “global gag rule.” It blocked U.S. funding to all international nongovernmental organizations that provided or even referred abortion services.

    This policy has been repeatedly implemented by Republican administrations – including those of George H.W. Bush, George W. Bush and Donald Trump during his first term – and subsequently rescinded by Democratic presidents, creating a disruptive cycle of funding uncertainty. Among these affected organizations are recipients of PEPFAR funds.

    The human cost of this policy pendulum is measurable and significant. Researchers have found that when this law is enacted, nations across the globe suffer increased death rates for newborns and mothers as well as jumps in HIV cases. In countries heavily dependent on U.S. aid, the Mexico City Policy has resulted in approximately 80 additional child deaths and nine additional maternal deaths per 100,000 live births annually and about one additional HIV infection per 10,000 uninfected people.

    The Trump administration reinstated the global gag rule in 2017.
    Erik McGregor/LightRocket via Getty Images

    My research in Nigeria also reveals the fragile progress that now hangs in the balance. Before treatments arrived, HIV ravaged Nigerian communities. In 2001, nearly 6% of the population had HIV, totaling around 3.5 million people. The Hausa language reflected this trauma: Terms for AIDS also meant “lifeless body” and “nearby grave.”

    Following the rollout of HIV treatments, Nigeria’s cases dropped dramatically – by 2010, prevalence had fallen to 4.1%. Declines continued steadily as treatment access expanded from 360,000 people in 2010 to over 1 million by 2018. This progress was heavily dependent on international support, with PEPFAR and other global donors providing over 80% of the US$6.2 billion spent fighting HIV in Nigeria between 2005 to 2018.

    In 2019, around 1.3% of the population had HIV, or 1.9 million people.

    From personal choice to global security

    What’s at stake isn’t just increasing HIV rates. The Trump administration’s reductions in foreign aid threaten to unravel over two decades of U.S. investment in global security and economic growth.

    Public health crises rarely stay contained within national boundaries. When health systems fail in West Africa, diseases can quickly spread overseas and require costly emergency responses. The 2014 Ebola outbreak demonstrated this reality, when cases reached America and prompted a $5.4 billion emergency response. Similarly, the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic, which infected around 60 million Americans, showed how quickly infectious diseases circle the globe when surveillance and containment systems are inadequate.

    Inconsistent aid, in turn, undermines American global leadership and creates openings for competing powers to establish their influence. China has actively exploited these gaps, establishing bilateral trade with Africa reaching $295 billion in 2024. While the U.S. reduced its global health engagement during previous administrations, China expanded its global health diplomacy, partnering on issues ranging from infectious disease prevention and control to health emergency response and health technology innovation.

    Meanwhile, restrictions in PrEP access risk recreating the same impossible choices women faced at the advent of the epidemic: choosing between disclosing their status and risking abandonment; accepting unprotected sex and risking transmission, or refusing unprotected sex and risking violence or loss of economic support.

    I believe the result is a far less safe world where preventable suffering continues, hard-won progress unravels and the promise of an AIDS-free generation remains unfulfilled.

    Kathryn Rhine has received funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the Wenner Gren Foundation, the American Philosophical Society, the West African Research Association, the American Council of Learned Societies, Fulbright programs, the National Science Foundation, and the National Security Education Program. These views are her own and not those of her institution.

    – ref. Cutting HIV aid means undercutting US foreign and economic interests − Nigeria shows the human costs – https://theconversation.com/cutting-hiv-aid-means-undercutting-us-foreign-and-economic-interests-nigeria-shows-the-human-costs-253705

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: In what order did the planets in our solar system form?

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Christopher Palma, Teaching Professor of Astronomy & Astrophysics, Penn State

    An artistic rendition of our solar system, including the Sun and eight planets. vjanez/iStock via Getty Images

    Curious Kids is a series for children of all ages. If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, send it to CuriousKidsUS@theconversation.com.

    Are planets in the solar system that are closer to the Sun older than the ones further away? – Gavriel, age 10, Paducah, Kentucky

    A cloud of collapsing gas created our Sun, the first thing to form in our solar system. This happened about 4½ billion years ago.

    Then the planets began to emerge, as the billions of particles of gas and dust left over from the Sun’s formation became a flattened disk.

    Known as a protoplanetary disk, it was enormous and surrounded the Sun for billions of miles. Within the disk, the gas and dust particles started to collide, solidify and stick together, like snowflakes clumping together to form snowballs.

    As the particles clung together, the microscopic grains became pebble-size objects and then grew and grew. Some became rocks the size of baseballs, others the size of a house, and a few as big as a planet.

    This process, called accretion, is how everything in the solar system – planets, moons, comets and asteroids – came into being.

    Telescopes can see young solar systems being born. This image is a protoplanetary disk from a distant star in the Milky Way galaxy.
    NASA/ALMA/ESO/NAOJ/NRAO/A.Isella;/B.Saxton/NRAO/AUI/NSF

    The ice line

    By studying computer models and observing the creation of other star systems, astronomers like us have learned a lot about the early days of our solar system.

    When the Sun was still forming and the protoplanetary disk was making planets, there was a distance from the Sun where it was cold enough for ice to gather. That place, the ice line – sometimes called the snow line – was in what’s now the asteroid belt, which is between Mars and Jupiter.

    Today, of course, ice is found on almost every planet, even on Mercury. But back then, only the young protoplanets beyond the ice line were cold enough to have it. The ice, gas and dust, slamming into each other for millions of years, accumulated into enormous bodies that ultimately became giant planets – Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune.

    While all this was happening, the smaller planets inside the ice line were forming too. But with less raw material to work with, Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars took much longer.

    Today, it’s believed that Jupiter and Saturn, the largest planets, were the first to fully form, both within a few million years. Uranus and Neptune were next, within 10 million years. The inner planets, including Earth, took at least 100 million years, maybe more.

    To put it another way, the four planets closest to the Sun are the youngest; the two planets farthest out, the next youngest; and the two in between, the oldest. The difference in age between the youngest and oldest planets is perhaps 90 million years.

    That sounds like an enormous age difference, but in space, 90 million years isn’t really that long – less than 1% of the total time the universe has been around. One way to consider it: Think of Earth as a little sister with a big brother, Jupiter, who’s 2 or 3 years older.

    Taken by the Hubble Space Telescope in 2019, this is a photo of Jupiter, the fifth planet out from the Sun.
    NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/MSSS/Kevin M. Gill (CC-BY)

    Location, location, location

    Soon after formation the giant worlds began to migrate, moving inward toward the Sun or outward away from the Sun, before finally settling into their final orbits.

    For instance, Neptune migrated outward, switching places with Uranus, and pushed a lot of the small, icy bodies into the Kuiper Belt, a place in the outer solar system that’s home to dwarf planets Pluto, Eris and Makemake and millions of comets.

    Meanwhile, Jupiter moved inward, and its massive gravity forced some forming planets into the Sun, where they disintegrated. Along the way, Jupiter flung some smaller rocks out of the solar system altogether; the rest went to the asteroid belt.

    But most critically, as Jupiter settled into its own orbit, it moved all of the forming objects and likely finalized the location of the remaining inner planets, including Earth.

    All of Jupiter’s tugging helped put our planet in the so-called “Goldilocks zone,” a place just the right distance from the Sun, where Earth could have liquid water on its surface and the right temperature for life to evolve. If Jupiter hadn’t formed the way it did, it’s entirely possible life would not have ignited on Earth – and we would not be here today.

    Hello, curious kids! Do you have a question you’d like an expert to answer? Ask an adult to send your question to CuriousKidsUS@theconversation.com. Please tell us your name, age and the city where you live.

    And since curiosity has no age limit – adults, let us know what you’re wondering, too. We won’t be able to answer every question, but we will do our best.

    Lucas Brefka receives funding from a NASA Exoplanet Research Program grant.

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

    – ref. In what order did the planets in our solar system form? – https://theconversation.com/in-what-order-did-the-planets-in-our-solar-system-form-252262

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Space tourism’s growth blurs the line between scientific and symbolic achievement – a tourism scholar explains how

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Betsy Pudliner, Associate Professor of Hospitality and Technology Innovation, University of Wisconsin-Stout

    Blue Origin’s NS-31 flight lifted off on April 14, 2025. Justin Hamel/Getty Images

    On April 14, 2025, Blue Origin launched six women – Aisha Bowe, Amanda Nguyễn, Gayle King, Katy Perry, Kerianne Flynn and Lauren Sánchez – on a suborbital journey to the edge of space.

    The headlines called it a historic moment for women in space. But as a tourism educator, I paused – not because I questioned their experience, but because I questioned the language. Were they astronauts or space tourists? The distinction matters – not just for accuracy, but for understanding how experience, symbolism and motivation shape travel today.

    In tourism studies, my colleagues and I often ask what motivates travel and makes it a meaningful experience. These women crossed a boundary by leaving Earth’s surface. But they also stepped into a controversy about a symbolic one: the blurred line between astronaut and tourist, between scientific achievement and curated experience.

    This flight wasn’t just about the altitude they flew to – it was about what it meant. As commercial space travel becomes more accessible to civilians, more people are joining spaceflights not as scientists or mission specialists, but as invited guests or paying participants. The line between astronaut and space tourist is becoming increasingly blurred.

    Blue Origin’s NS-31 flight brought six women to the edge of space.

    In my own work, I explore how travelers find meaning in the way their journeys are framed. A tourism studies perspective can help unpack how experiences like the Blue Origin flight are designed, marketed and ultimately understood by travelers and the tourism industry.

    So, were these passengers astronauts? Not in the traditional sense. They weren’t selected through NASA’s rigorous training protocols, nor were they conducting research or exploration in orbit.

    Instead, they belong to a new category: space tourists. These are participants in a crafted, symbolic journey that reflects how commercial spaceflight is redefining what it means to go to space.

    Space tourism as a niche market

    Space tourism has its origins in 1986 with the launch of the Mir space station, which later became the first orbital platform to host nonprofessional astronauts. In the 1990s and early 2000s, Mir and its successor, the International Space Station, welcomed a handful of privately funded civilian guests – most notably U.S. businessman Dennis Tito in 2001, often cited as the first space tourist.

    Space tourism has since evolved into a niche market selling brief encounters to the edge of Earth’s atmosphere. While passengers on the NS-31 flight did not purchase their seats, the experience mirrors those sold by commercial space tourism providers such as Virgin Galactic.

    Like other forms of niche tourism – wellness retreats, heritage trails or extreme adventures – space travel appeals to those drawn to novelty, exclusivity and status, regardless of whether they purchased the ticket.

    These suborbital flights may last just minutes, but they offer something far more lasting: prestige, personal storytelling and the feeling of participating in something rare. Space tourism sells the experience of being somewhere few have visited, not the destination itself. For many, even a 10-minute flight can fulfill a deeply personal milestone.

    Tourist motivation and space tourism’s evolution

    The push-and-pull theory in tourism studies helps explain why people might want to pursue space travel. Push factors – internal desires such as curiosity, an urge to escape or an eagerness to gain fame – spark interest. Pull factors – external elements such as wishing to see the view of Earth from above or experience the sensation of weightlessness – enhance the appeal.

    Space tourism taps into both. It’s fueled by the internal drive to do something extraordinary and the external attraction of a highly choreographed, emotional experience.

    Participants in space tourism wear branded jumpsuits with the company’s logo, pose for photos and talk to the media about their experience.
    AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez

    These flights are often branded – not necessarily with flashy logos, but through storytelling and design choices that make the experience feel iconic. For example, while the New Shepard rocket the women traveled in doesn’t carry a separate emblem, it features the company’s name, Blue Origin, in bold letters along the side. Passengers wear personalized flight suits, pose for preflight photos and receive mission patches or certificates, all designed to echo the rituals of professional space missions.

    What’s being sold is an “astronaut-for-a-day” experience: emotionally powerful, visually compelling and rich with symbolism. But under tourism classifications, these travelers are space tourists – participants in a curated, short-duration excursion.

    Representation and marketing experience

    The image from the Blue Origin flight of six women boarding a rocket was framed as a symbolic victory – a girl-power moment designed for visibility and celebration – but it was also carefully curated.

    This wasn’t the first time women entered space. Since its inception, NASA has selected 61 women as astronaut candidates, many of them making groundbreaking contributions to space science and exploration. Sally Ride, Mae Jemison, Christina Koch and Jessica Meir not only entered space – they trained as astronauts and contributed significantly to science, engineering and long-duration missions. Their journeys marked historic achievements in space exploration rather than curated moments in tourism.

    Recognizing their legacy is important as commercial spaceflight creates new kinds of unique, tailored experiences, ones shaped more by media performance than by scientific milestones.

    The Blue Origin flight was not a scientific mission but rather was framed as a symbolic event. In tourism, companies, marketers and media outlets often create these performances to maximize their visibility. SpaceX has taken a similar approach with its Inspiration4 mission, turning a private orbital flight into a global media event complete with a Netflix documentary and emotional storytelling.

    The Blue Origin flight sold a feeling of progress while blending the roles between astronaut and guest. For Blue Origin, the symbolic value was significant. By launching the first all-female crew into suborbital space, the company was able to claim a historic milestone – one that aligned them with inclusion – without the cost, complexity or risk associated with a scientific mission. In doing so, they generated enormous media attention.

    Tourism education and media literacy

    In today’s world, space travel is all about the story that gets told about the flight. From curated visuals to social media posts and press coverage, much of the experience’s meaning is shaped by marketing and media.

    Understanding that process matters – not just for scholars or industry insiders, but for members of the public, who follow these trips through the narratives produced by the companies’ marketing teams and media outlets.

    Another theory in tourism studies describes how destinations evolve over time – from exploration, to development, to mass adoption. Many forms of tourism begin in an exploration phase, accessible only to the wealthy or well connected. For example, the Grand Tour of Europe was once a rite of passage for aristocrats. Its legacy helped shape and develop modern travel.

    As more people travel to a destination over time, it moves through the tourism area life cycle. During the early exploration phase, the destination has only a few tourists.
    Coba56/Wikimedia Commons

    Right now, space tourism is in the exploration stage. It’s expensive, exclusive and available only to a few. There’s limited infrastructure to support it, and companies are still experimenting with what the experience should look like. This isn’t mass tourism yet, it’s more like a high-profile playground for early adopters, drawing media attention and curiosity with every launch.

    Advances in technology, economic shifts and changing cultural norms can increase access to unique destinations that start as out of bounds to a majority of tourists. Space tourism could be the next to evolve this way in the tourism industry. How it’s framed now – who gets to go, how the participants are labeled and how their stories are told – will set the tone moving forward. Understanding these trips helps people see how society packages and sells an inspirational experience long before most people can afford to join the journey.

    Betsy Pudliner is affiliated with International Council of Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Educators.

    – ref. Space tourism’s growth blurs the line between scientific and symbolic achievement – a tourism scholar explains how – https://theconversation.com/space-tourisms-growth-blurs-the-line-between-scientific-and-symbolic-achievement-a-tourism-scholar-explains-how-255284

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Speech by CE at Welcome Dinner for Global Prosperity Summit 2025 (English only) (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Following is the speech by the Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, at the Welcome Dinner for the Global Prosperity Summit 2025 today (May 19):

    President Wu Hailong of China Public Diplomacy Association, Commissioner Cui Jianchun (Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region), Mrs Regina Ip (Convenor of the Non-official Members of the Executive Council and Chairperson of Savantas Policy Institute), Professor Yang Jiemian, Chairman of the Academic Advisory Council of Shanghai Institutes for International Studies, Mr Iñaki Amate, Chair of the European Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, 
    Given today’s global turmoil, connectivity has never been more important. In a time of economic uncertainty, Hong Kong serves as a welcoming financial harbour. Here, information, capital, goods and people flow freely, thanks to our common law system and a legal regime similar to that of many of the world’s leading financial hubs. With economies everywhere seeking security, seeking ways of boosting their economy, Hong Kong is proving highly attractive to them.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Seven countries in Latin America where human rights are taking the biggest hit

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Nicolas Forsans, Professor of Management and Co-director of the Centre for Latin American & Caribbean Studies, University of Essex

    Latin America is undergoing one of its most profound human rights crises in decades. The region’s civic space is shrinking rapidly, from mass surveillance and arbitrary arrests to political repression, enforced disappearances and impunity for state violence.

    The 2025 State of the World’s Human Rights report, released by Amnesty International, lays bare the magnitude of the challenge. Seven countries – Haiti, Nicaragua, Venezuela, Mexico, Colombia, Cuba and El Salvador – are at the epicentre of this authoritarian surge.

    Donald Trump’s return to the White House in January has only deepened the problem. In a separate report published in the same week, Amnesty argues that Trump’s nationalist rhetoric and policy reversals have emboldened strongman leaders. These have undercut international accountability and accelerated rights violations across the hemisphere.

    Here are the countries where the assault on human rights is being felt most acutely.

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    1. Haiti

    Nowhere has the collapse in human rights been more visible than in Haiti. By the end of 2024, more than 700,000 people – half of them children – had been internally displaced due to spiralling gang violence and state failure.

    Criminal organisations routinely engaged in killings, sexual violence and attacks on hospitals and schools. A December 2024 massacre in Cité Soleil, a densely populated part of the Haitian capital Port-au-Prince, saw at least 207 people executed by the Wharf Jérémie gang.

    The justice system has all but ceased to function. Meanwhile, deportations of Haitians from the US and neighbouring Dominican Republic has surged.

    According to Amnesty, nearly 200,000 people were returned without due process in 2024 alone. Trump’s crackdown on migration, framed as necessary for border security, has accelerated these mass removals.

    2. Nicaragua

    Nicaragua’s president, Daniel Ortega, has refined authoritarianism into an efficient machine of repression. More than 5,000 civil society groups, private universities and media outlets have been closed since 2018. This included 1,500 from January to September 2024 alone.

    Over 400 critics have been stripped of nationality since 2023 and dozens of journalists have been forcibly disappeared or jailed. The legal status of hundreds of evangelical groups has also been revoked.

    In 2024, the government criminalised dissent to the point where entire sectors of civil society have vanished. Indigenous communities, meanwhile, faced displacement and armed attacks from pro-government militias, with little international response.

    3. Venezuela

    Venezuela remains mired in repression. A presidential election in July 2024, which was stolen by Nicolás Maduro, was followed by the arbitrary detention and torture of protesters – including children. Independent journalists were arrested and NGOs threatened with closure.

    Many Venezuelans subsequently fled the country. Persecutions and despair at the election results saw 20,000 people migrate northwards through the jungle of the Darién Gap in September 2024 alone, a 70% increase on the previous month.



    Read more:
    Venezuela: Maduro’s declaration of victory isn’t fooling anyone

    In reality, the numbers are probably much higher. A poll following the election indicated that 43% of those remaining in the country were considering emigrating, but official data has not been made available. More than 7.8 million citizens have left Venezuela over the past ten years, with around 28 million people still residing there.

    In June 2023, the International Criminal Court resumed its investigation into the Maduro regime for alleged crimes against humanity. But Venezuela’s government continues to obstruct justice. With Trump’s administration disinterested in multilateral mechanisms, efforts to restore democracy face steeper odds.

    4. Mexico

    Mexico’s public security has become dangerously militarised. A constitutional amendment in September 2024, a few days before the end of the Andrés Manuel López Obrador administration, placed the National Guard under military control. This has enabled widespread abuses including extrajudicial killings. Nine human rights defenders and four journalists were killed in 2024 alone.

    López Obrador’s administration undermined press freedom at home. It also failed to protect those seeking asylum. And with Trump back in office, deportations from the US to Mexico have increased. Returnees are often placed at risk of cartel violence and exploitation.

    5. Colombia

    Colombia suffered Latin America’s longest running insurgency, lasting over 50 years. Despite the country’s robust institutional frameworks, peace remains elusive. In 2024, over 195,000 people were forcibly confined by armed groups, and landmines continue to endanger more than 600,000 civilians.

    Child recruitment, sexual violence and targeted killings of former combatants from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc) rebel group have surged. Meanwhile, progress on implementing the 2016 peace accord remains slow.

    Investigations into military-perpetrated extrajudicial killings are ongoing, but face budgetary constraints and political pushback. Trump’s withdrawal of US support for transitional justice mechanisms has further weakened international backing for Colombia’s fragile reconciliation efforts.



    Read more:
    Colombia’s fragile peace process in danger as guerrilla violence rises

    6. Cuba

    The Cuban authorities are continuing to suppress dissent through arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances and censorship. Over 100 people were arrested for protesting in 2024, with many forced into self-incriminating video confessions. Independent media and activists were subject to constant surveillance and harassment.

    Amid economic collapse, more than 18% of the population has fled the island in two years. These mass migrations often result in perilous journeys and widespread family separations. The economic crisis has been exacerbated by US sanctions reimposed and intensified under Trump.

    7. El Salvador

    President Nayib Bukele’s model of mass incarceration continues to attract global attention. Nearly 84,000 people have been arrested since 2022 under a state of emergency that suspends basic rights and legal guarantees.

    Surveillance, arbitrary detentions and public humiliation of detainees have become routine. Trump’s vocal admiration of Bukele’s “tough on crime” stance has lent international legitimacy to this dangerous approach.



    Read more:
    Nayib Bukele: El Salvador’s strongman leader doing Donald Trump’s legwork abroad

    Trump’s return to the White House has intensified human rights setbacks across Latin America. His withdrawal from human rights and climate agreements has emboldened authoritarian regimes to suppress dissent and accelerate policies to exploit resources without fear of US pressure or accountability.

    Latin American migrants in the US have also faced a resurgence of mass deportations. Rhetoric portraying migrants as criminals has fuelled xenophobia and enabled sweeping immigration raids and policy rollbacks. Sanctuary cities like Chicago have been targeted and legal protections for undocumented residents eroded.

    Latin America’s current trajectory suggests a drift not just toward repression, but a normalisation of state violence. While local resistance remains strong, particularly among grassroots activists and civil society, international solidarity has been weakened by geopolitical shifts.

    The region risks cementing a new era of authoritarian resilience – one in which the defence of human rights is not just dangerous but futile.

    Nicolas Forsans 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. Seven countries in Latin America where human rights are taking the biggest hit – https://theconversation.com/seven-countries-in-latin-america-where-human-rights-are-taking-the-biggest-hit-255782

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Tories get ghosted: new study shows dating app users are more likely to swipe right on Reform voters

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Stuart J. Turnbull-Dugarte, Associate Professor in Quantitative Political Science, University of Southampton

    The Conservative party is in existential crisis over the electoral threat posed by Reform UK. But a recent experiment shows that not only is the new rightwing party usurping the old guard in the polls – it’s also eclipsing the Tories on the dating market.

    In recent local elections, Reform took control of ten councils in England, adding 677 councillors. The Conservatives, meanwhile, lost 674 councillors and control of 16 councils.

    Over on the love market, a recent study I co-authored shows people were more likely to swipe right (“like” or indicate interest) for a Reform voter than a Tory. While Reform voters had a 39% chance of a match, Conservatives had 35%.

    The parties of the left and centre had the highest match rates overall, with Labour supporters having a 52% chance of a match, Greens on 51% and Liberal Democrats on 49%.

    Get your news from actual experts, straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily newsletter to receive all The Conversation UK’s latest coverage of news and research, from politics and business to the arts and sciences.

    These results come from a behavioural experiment involving 2,000 people in Britain. We asked participants to evaluate online dating profiles to see how politics shapes a person’s chances of getting a match.

    Participants were shown AI-generated dating profiles — over 20,000 in total — and asked to swipe left (“dislike”) or right (“like”). The profiles varied randomly across characteristics like looks, ethnicity, job, hobbies and, most importantly, political affiliation.

    Some profiles expressed support for mainstream parties — Labour, Conservatives, Greens, Lib Dems as well as rightwing newcomer, Reform UK.

    What really stood out in the experiment was how much dating preferences followed political lines. People weren’t necessarily put off by more extreme views – but they were more likely to reject someone from the opposite side of the political spectrum.

    The politics of dating polarises. Conservative voters would rather date someone further to their right (Reform) and Labour voters would rather date someone further to their left (the Greens) than cross the Labour-Conservative divide in the centre.

    While people tend to prefer partners who vote for the same party as them, they also prefer partners who belong to the same left and right “camp”.

    You up? You Lib Dem?
    Shutterstock/r.classen

    Dating preferences were heavily split along the left-right divide, with leftwing voters 37% more likely to reject someone on the right than vice-versa. This explains, in part, why rightwing people are less popular on dating apps overall, compared with leftwing people.

    Given that the population of dating app users tends to be younger (and therefore less rightwing), the politics penalty is skewed against rightwing folks. In effect, the “number of fish in the sea” willing to date them is smaller than the number they themselves are willing to date.

    Men and women reacted largely in a similar way. There’s often talk of a gender divide in rightwing support – particularly among younger people. But we found no evidence that women were any more or less likely than men to swipe left on Reform UK supporters.

    So, the Conservatives are not only at risk of electoral annihilation thanks to the Reform threat. They’re also denying their supporters dates. In a dating world shaped more by political alignment than ideological distance, the chances of success depend less on what someone believes — and more on which side they’re on.

    Stuart J. Turnbull-Dugarte receives funding from the British Academy.

    – ref. Tories get ghosted: new study shows dating app users are more likely to swipe right on Reform voters – https://theconversation.com/tories-get-ghosted-new-study-shows-dating-app-users-are-more-likely-to-swipe-right-on-reform-voters-256824

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: How aid cuts could make vulnerable communities even less resilient to climate change

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Kalle Hirvonen, Senior Research Fellow, International Food Policy Research Insitute; Research Fellow, UNU-WIDER, United Nations University

    An irrigation project in Mozambique. Marcos Villalta / Save the Children, CC BY-NC-ND

    As global temperatures rise and climate-related disasters become more frequent, the need to adapt is rapidly increasing. That need for adaptation – from adjusting farming practices to diversifying livelihoods and strengthening infrastructure – is most acute in vulnerable low- and middle-income countries such as Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Haiti and Vietnam.

    Despite contributing a negligible share of historical global greenhouse gas emissions, these countries are facing the brunt of climate change. Yet as the demand for long-term resilience grows, international aid priorities are shifting in the opposite direction.

    Over the past three years, several major rich countries have substantially cut their development aid budgets. Remaining funds have been redirected towards emergency relief.

    This shift could undermine the climate finance commitments made by wealthy countries to mobilise US$300 billion (£228 billion) a year for climate action in the most vulnerable low- and middle-income countries by 2035.

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    Emergency aid, while vital for saving lives during crises such as droughts and floods, is reactive by nature. It arrives only after disaster has struck, often with a substantial delay.

    By contrast, climate adaptation is proactive. It focuses on anticipating future risks and helping communities prepare for changing environments.

    A key part of this is supporting transitions away from sectors like crop agriculture that are particularly vulnerable to climate-related shocks. In some cases, adapting to a changing climate may also require helping families move safely — turning relocation into a choice rather than a last resort.

    In Ethiopia, one of the world’s most drought-prone countries, a US government-funded food security programme aimed to strengthen resilience by offering livelihood training, organising savings groups and providing a US$200 lump sum to poor rural households. Research shows that this programme improved food security and protected assets during periods of drought.

    Livestock farming in the Somali region of Ethiopia which was severely affected by droughts in 2011.
    Malini Morzaria/EUECHO, CC BY-NC-ND

    In Nicaragua, families who received cash transfers alongside vocational training or investment grants were better protected against drought shocks than those relying on cash alone. These households could supplement farming with other income sources. This made them less vulnerable to drought-related losses and helped stabilise their earnings throughout the year.

    These schemes are known as “cash-plus programmes”. They help create the conditions for households to adapt and thrive. But when climate and environmental shocks overwhelm the resilience of local communities, relocation may still become the only viable option.

    That’s why proactive adaptation efforts need to be scaled up and broadened — not only to meet immediate needs but to support longer-term transitions. This includes investing in sustainable livelihoods through diversified income sources, skills training and, when necessary, enabling safe and voluntary relocation.

    Some pilot interventions that supported seasonal rural-to-urban migration have shown what’s possible. In Bangladesh, a small migration subsidy of just US$8.50 helped the participating poor farm households affected by seasonal famine cover travel costs.

    Migration for temporary work increased by 22%, and families back home experienced improvements in food security. With even modest support, people were able to access job opportunities in cities and strengthen their resilience.

    Programmes that make it easier for people to choose to move from rural areas to cities could help families move with dignity rather than in desperation. However, scaling up such initiatives successfully remains a challenge, requiring strong political commitment and effective governance.

    Climate relocation

    Without proactive planning and support, migration often happens out of necessity rather than choice. This kind of displacement typically occurs within national borders rather than across continents — contrary to popular narratives.

    In fact, 59% of the world’s forcibly displaced population live within their own country. By the end of 2023, a record 75.9 million people across 116 countries were internally displaced — a 51% increase over the previous five years, driven in part by climate change.

    A family leave their home in Oklahoma, US, as a result of the 1930s dust bowl disaster.
    Dorothea Lange/Library of Congress, Farm Security Administration/Office of War Information.

    History provides sobering lessons about relocation triggered by environmental collapse. In the 1930s, a severe drought and dust storms struck the Great Plains in the US, creating the “dust bowl”. This devastated farmland and forced millions of people to leave their homes, as economic hardship became widespread and the land so degraded that crops wouldn’t grow.

    Today, similar patterns loom as droughts, floods and rising seas threaten livelihoods around the world. Small island states such as Tuvalu face existential threats from rising sea levels, with entire communities at risk of being displaced.

    These mounting threats underscore a hard truth: the window for effective climate adaptation is rapidly closing. As climate disruptions intensify, the case for long-term investment in resilience has never been clearer. Without proactive adaptation, the cycle of crisis and response will only deepen.

    Societies can adapt, but doing so takes foresight, investment and courage. In the face of escalating climate risks, bold, forward-looking policies are not a luxury — they are a necessity. By supporting longer-term strategies, rich-country governments and aid charities can enable vulnerable communities to withstand, adapt and, when necessary, move with dignity.

    Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like?

    Get a weekly roundup in your inbox instead. Every Wednesday, The Conversation’s environment editor writes Imagine, a short email that goes a little deeper into just one climate issue. Join the 45,000+ readers who’ve subscribed so far.

    Kalle Hirvonen’s recent and ongoing research has been funded by the CGIAR Trust Fund (https://www.cgiar.org/funders/), the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland.

    Olli-Pekka Kuusela 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 aid cuts could make vulnerable communities even less resilient to climate change – https://theconversation.com/how-aid-cuts-could-make-vulnerable-communities-even-less-resilient-to-climate-change-255358

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Moomin merchandise and fashion: 80 years of ultra-savvy marketing that taps into childhood nostalgia

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Kiera Vaclavik, Professor of Children’s Literature & Childhood Culture, Queen Mary University of London

    On a visit to the British Library in London to research this piece, I was preceded by a woman with a lilac-coloured tote featuring a mischievous-looking girl with a severe top knot and black dress. I instantly recognised the distinctive outline of Tove Jansson’s Little My, one of the many brilliant characters of the Moominverse.

    A committed researcher, I summoned up the courage to ask about the bag and the woman carrying it. Anna – visiting the library to work on her fairy tale novel – immediately told all about her hold-all. About how she felt a connection with “fiery and independent” Little My specifically and Moomins generally. About how they took her back to her Swedish childhood, when she would hand-knit the distinctive rotund creatures. I had clearly hit the jackpot with Anna – Moomin owner, wearer and maker, all in one.

    Anna had bought the bag in Sweden, but you don’t have to go to the Scandinavian birthplace of the Moomins to buy into their world. Anna could have gone to the Moomin emporium 30 minutes’ walk away in Covent Garden, or just shopped online.

    This is part of a series of articles celebrating the 80th anniversary of the Moomins. Want to celebrate their birthday with us? Join The Conversation and a group of experts on May 23 in Bradford for a screening of Moomins on the Riviera and a discussion of the refugee experience in Tove Jansson’s work. Click here for more information and tickets.

    Today’s Moomin empire is vast and varied. The Moomins is a brand worth multi-millions, with 800 licencees worldwide. This 80th anniversary year will see capsule collections galore from the likes of Comme des Garçons, Acne Studios and Polarn O. Pyret.

    The products span interior décor, clothing and accessories, ceramics and much, much more. Driven in part by the extension into media that includes video games and TV, Moomins can be found on everything from planes to pencils. It’s very possible to eat, sleep, wear, play Moomin – to immerse yourself entirely in the Moomin world.

    It’s all very typical of the 21st-century media and entertainment asset landscape. And yet, as Moomin aficionados know full well, none of it is new. There has been Moomin merch for as long as there have been Moomins.

    Their creator Tove Jansson took an active role in the development of the Moomin industry. Part of her training had been in illustrations for advertising and when the books and comic strips took off, she herself provided images for a drinks manufacturer selling themed whortleberry juice and other libations. Jansson also designed a board game and supported and oversaw the development of several products and lines, taking immense care over their quality and details.

    The scale of the operation soon became overwhelming and Jansson became increasingly frustrated and resentful of the demands on her creative time. One of her characters, Snufkin, is bemused by why people “liked to have things” (Finn Family Moomintroll, 1948) and the books have a certain anti-consumerist bent. From this perspective, the vast Moomin industry today goes against the spirit of the works.

    And yet. The same book in which Snufkin spoke this way is also a book (whose Finnish original title is The Hobgoblin’s Hat) full to the brim with … things. And those things are invested with immense fascination and power. As the Snork character points out “a top hat is always somewhat extraordinary, of course”.

    Jansson herself had a strong impulse to work with others to extend and flesh out her creations, releasing them from the confines of the books. She was actively involved in early stage adaptations, crafting sets and costumes, and later became absorbed in the long-term creation of a Moominhouse diorama (and series of associated tableaux) with partner Tuulikki Pietilä and physician friend Pentti Eistola.

    Making her creations tangible and tactile was clearly a huge draw for this sculptor’s daughter. One of the most striking features of the Moomins on paper is their smooth rotundity – they’re almost begging to be made into three dimensions.

    So much for the creator. But what of Moomin consumers? People around the world have clearly long wanted to feel closer to the Moomin world, and to buy into it. But why? The reasons are both aesthetic and affective. As for the Swedish-born writer I encountered at the British Library, the Moomins are often keyed into the nostalgia and innocence of childhood. And, as with Anna’s sense of kinship with Little My, people often feel an instinctive affiliation with one or more of the Moomin’s vast and varied cast.

    The books also encapsulate and convey a whole host of associations (or “values” in brand speak) which people identify with, want to share and display. Some of these are relatively banal (though fundamental) and apparent elsewhere – things like friendship, warmth, family and acceptance.

    But there are also features quite specific to Moomins and to Jansson herself: a relish of life and sensuous experience, gender fluidity, space for both light and dark, for wanderlust and the joy of cocooning at home. All of this is conveyed in words and images of exceptional quality and distinction.

    The whimsy is delivered with distinctive Scandinavian style and flair: a clean, pared-back aesthetic and sharp lines accompanied by a rich and bold colour palette. Who wouldn’t want to wear a hand-painted silk AALTO dress by Finnish designer Tuomas Merikoski that transposes the lush greens of one of the later Moomin books, The Dangerous Journey?

    Eight decades after their first publication, Moomins continue to be highly covetable and to catalyse creativity. As with Anna’s Little My tote, they are set to accompany and assist many more generations of writers and creatives in their imaginative endeavours.

    Kiera Vaclavik 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. Moomin merchandise and fashion: 80 years of ultra-savvy marketing that taps into childhood nostalgia – https://theconversation.com/moomin-merchandise-and-fashion-80-years-of-ultra-savvy-marketing-that-taps-into-childhood-nostalgia-256168

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Meeting after 45 years: 1980 graduates gathered for a gala evening at the State University of Management

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: State University of Management – Official website of the State –

    On May 16, a meeting of 1980 graduates was held at the State University of Management, organized by a graduate of the State University of Management, Senator of the Russian Federation Vasily Golubev.

    The vice-rector of the State University of Management, Artem Terpugov, gave a welcoming speech.

    “I congratulate you on your 45th graduation anniversary. It is gratifying to see you again within the walls of the State University of Management after so many years. It is nice that so many people came. Thank you Vasily Yuryevich, who initiated this meeting. Your graduation came at a good time, you faced interesting challenges, and then – a difficult transition period. You are the ones who accepted the first challenge of the transition period in the economy and were able to turn it in the right direction, so that today our country is among the leaders of economic development,” noted Artem Evgenievich.

    The initiator of the meeting, Vasily Golubev, also addressed his classmates.

    “I often visit the university and see the changes that are taking place: the infrastructure is changing, classrooms are being modernized, new programs are appearing. And today, GUU occupies a worthy place among the country’s universities. The economy needs it, especially in an era of change, when specialists with new thinking and new approaches are needed. We ourselves were like that, and we remain like that,” Vasily Yuryevich shared.

    The grand opening of the meeting was concluded by the adviser to the rector of the State University of Management, Sergei Chuev.

    “We are meeting in the auditorium named after Olga Vasilyevna Kozlova, a legendary leader who was the rector of our university for 35 years, and it was she who built the new buildings. We perceive our graduates as part of the university. After all, a university is not only a building, departments, programs, but also people: teachers, employees, graduates, students. It is great that there is a friendly company, that you are gathering again at GUU in such a large group,” concluded Sergey Vladimirovich.

    After that, the graduates went on a tour of the campus. Olga Kharlamova, Director of the Scientific Library of the State University of Management, spoke about the history of the State University of Management, which began in 1980, the founding and development of the library, as well as modern changes and the introduction of new technologies.

    In addition, Vasily Golubev left his wishes for the university in a special book of reviews and suggestions from honorary graduates.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Former Canberra diplomat Ali Kuzak dies on the way to Palestine

    Ali Kazak: born Haifa, 1947; died May 17 2025, Thailand

    By Helen Musa in Canberra

    Former Palestinian diplomat and long-time Canberra identity Ali Kazak died on Saturday en route to Palestine.

    Sources at the Canberra Islamic Centre report that he was recovering from heart surgery and died during a stopover in Thailand.

    Kazak was born in Haifa in 1947 and grew up in Syria as a Palestinian refugee. He and his mother were separated from his father when Israel was created in 1948 and Kazak was only reunited with his father in 1993.

    In 1968, while at Damascus University, Kazak had been invited to join the Palestine National Liberation Movement (Fateh) and joined its political wing.

    He migrated to Australia in 1970 where he became the founder, publisher and co-editor of the Australian newspaper, Free Palestine, also authoring among many books, The Jerusalem Question and Australia and the Arabs.

    Kazak was the driving force behind the establishment in 1981 of the Palestine Human Rights Campaign and was appointed by the PLO executive committee as the PLO’s representative to Australia, NZ and the Pacific region.

    In 1982, he established the Palestine Information Office, which was recognised by the Australian government in 1989 as the office of the Palestine Liberation Organisation, and then further recognised in 1994 as the General Palestinian Delegation.

    As Palestinian Ambassador, Kazak initiated the establishment of the NSW State and Australian Federal Parliamentary Friends of Palestine, as well as the Victorian, South Australian and NZ Parliamentary Friends of Palestine.

    Always a passionate advocate, in 1986 he became the first person to call for adjudication by the Australian Press Council of stereotyped reporting of Palestinians.

    After retiring from diplomacy, he became the managing director of the consultancy company Southern Link International, but continued to comment on Palestinian affairs and Gaza.

    His most recent article was published in the Pearls and Irritations: John Menadue’s Public Policy journal on May 16, titled The third Nakba in Israel’s war of genocide: Why does the Albanese government shirk its responsibility?

    Arrangements are being made to return his body from Thailand to Australia for internment.

    Helen Musa is the Canberra City News arts editor. This article was first published by City News.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Study trip to Finland for representatives of the Ministry of Ecology, Environmental Protection and Climate Change of Uzbekistan

    Source: Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe – OSCE

    Headline: Study trip to Finland for representatives of the Ministry of Ecology, Environmental Protection and Climate Change of Uzbekistan

    Study trip to Finland for representatives of the Ministry of Ecology, Environmental Protection and Climate Change of Uzbekistan | OSCE
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    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI: Duck Creek Technologies Announces Tyler Jones as Chief Marketing Officer

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    BOSTON, May 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Duck Creek Technologies, the global intelligent solutions provider defining the future of property and casualty (P&C) and general insurance, announces the appointment of Tyler Jones as Chief Marketing Officer (CMO). As CMO, Jones will be responsible for overseeing Duck Creek’s strategic marketing and branding efforts, driving the company’s global expansion and leadership as a provider of P&C insurance software and services.

    “Tyler is a seasoned marketer and leader who understands how to deliver value to our customers and partner ecosystem,” said Mike Jackowski, Chief Executive Officer of Duck Creek Technologies. “He has a wealth of experience building and scaling world-class marketing organizations for cloud-based software companies. I am thrilled to welcome him to the Duck Creek team and look forward to working with him to accelerate our growth and expand our market leadership.”

    With over two decades of experience at the intersection of technology, insurance, and customer experience, Tyler joins Duck Creek from CLARA Analytics, where he led growth initiatives and commercial partnership programs that drive the adoption of AI-powered solutions.

    “I am honored and excited to join Duck Creek at this pivotal time in the insurance industry,” said Tyler Jones. “Duck Creek is a visionary company that is transforming the way insurers operate and serve their customers. I am impressed by the company’s culture, products, and customer-centric approach. I look forward to collaborating with the talented Duck Creek team and partners to amplify our brand, engage our audiences, and drive business outcomes.”

    Tyler held pivotal roles at Kaiser Permanente and AIG, where he spearheaded large-scale digital transformations. At Kaiser Permanente, he led a $250 million multiyear overhaul of the revenue cycle and consumer medical billing systems. As Global Head of Data Strategy at AIG, he focused on leveraging data to inform strategic decisions and enhance customer experiences.

    At CLARA Analytics, Tyler continued to drive customer-centric strategies, ensuring that clients achieved optimal value from the company’s AI platform. His leadership was instrumental in CLARA’s mission to deliver compelling ROI to customers within months of implementation.

    Jones holds an undergraduate degree in marketing from the University of Utah and a Master of Business Administration from the UCLA Anderson School of Management.

    About Duck Creek Technologies 
    Duck Creek Technologies is the global intelligent solutions provider defining the future of the property and casualty (P&C) and general insurance industry. We are the platform upon which modern insurance systems are built, enabling the industry to capitalize on the power of the cloud to run agile, intelligent, and evergreen operations. Authenticity, purpose, and transparency are core to Duck Creek, and we believe insurance should be there for individuals and businesses when, where, and how they need it most. Our market-leading solutions are available on a standalone basis or as a full suite, and all are available via Duck Creek OnDemand. Visit www.duckcreek.com to learn more. Follow Duck Creek on our social channels for the latest information – LinkedIn and X.

    Media Contacts: 
    Marianne Dempsey/Tara Stred
    duckcreek@threeringsinc.com 

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Patriot Bank Expands Its Board and Senior Leadership Team

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    • Richard Smith, Jeff Seabold and Thedora Nickel elected Directors.
    • Paul Simmons appointed EVP, Chief Credit Officer
    • Nicole L. Wells appointed SVP, Head of Operations
    • Rebecca Mais appointed SVP, High Net Worth and Specialty Deposits
    • Raquel Gillett appointed SVP, Digital Transformation and Risk Analytics

    STAMFORD, Conn., May 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Patriot Bank, N.A. (“Patriot Bank”), the wholly owned subsidiary of Patriot National Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ: PNBK), is pleased to announce the election of Richard Smith, Jeffrey Seabold and Thedora Nickel to serve on the Patriot Bank’s Board of Directors and the appointment of the following leaders to the management team:

    • Paul Simmons as Executive Vice President, Chief Credit Officer
    • Nicole L. Wells as Senior Vice President, Head of Operations
    • Rebecca Mais as Senior Vice President, High Net Worth and Specialty Deposits
    • Raquel Gillett as Senior Vice President, Digital Automation and Risk Analytics

    These appointments strengthen Patriot Bank’s leadership team as the organization focuses on delivering exceptional banking services to high-net-worth clients and the fiduciaries who serve them.

    “We are delighted to welcome Richard, Jeff, Teddy, Paul, Nicole, Rebecca, and Raquel to their new roles,” said Steven Sugarman, Chief Executive Officer of Patriot Bank. “Their collective expertise and vision will advance Patriot’s mission to empower our clients while delivering exceptional value to our shareholders.”

    Richard Smith, Director

    Richard Smith brings 40 years of banking expertise, specializing in private banking for high-net-worth individuals. Beginning his career as a banking analyst with Manufacturers Hanover in New York, he later held senior roles at Imperial Bank and Comerica Bank in Southern California. In 2005, Smith founded The Private Bank of California and served as its President. After its sale to Banc of California in 2012, he was named President of Banc of California’s Private Banking Division. Smith serves on the Board of CalPrivate Bank, the Zimmer Children’s Museum, and the Westside Food Bank in Los Angeles.

    “It is a privilege to join Patriot Bank’s Board of Directors,” said Smith. “Patriot Bank’s commitment to serving high net worth clients and their advisors aligns with my passion for fostering strong client relationships.”

    Jeffrey Seabold, Director

    Jeff Seabold is an accomplished entrepreneur, investor, and executive leader with almost 30 years of experience in corporate strategy, business development, and executive management. He has a proven history in real estate finance and commercial banking.

    Mr. Seabold is the Co-Founder and a Director of The Change Company CDFI LLC and Change Lending LLC, a certified Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) focused on home lending. Previously, Mr. Seabold was the Co-Founder and Executive Vice Chairman of Banc of California, Inc., a publicly traded bank holding company and federally chartered national bank headquartered in Irvine, California. Seabold was also the Founder of CS Financial, Inc., a national mortgage finance company, Co-Founder for Camden Capital Partners, LLC, a bridge & mezzanine real estate lender and servicer, and the Founder of Camden Escrow, Inc., a real estate settlement services provider.

    “I’m proud to join the Board of Directors at Patriot Bank and support its mission of delivering personalized, high-quality banking solutions,” said Seabold. “Throughout my career, I have seen the value of building lasting relationships based on trust, service, and understanding. I look forward to contributing my experience to help Patriot Bank deepen its connection with clients and to build a trusted financial partner for our clients.”

    Thedora Nickel, Director

    Thedora Nickel has over 30 years of banking leadership experience, with deep expertise in domestic and international operations, client service, and organizational transformation. She currently serves as Executive Director of The Change Company and Change Lending. Prior to this role, Nickel was Chief Administrative Officer at Banc of California where she led the strategic direction of key enterprise and operational functions. She previously held several senior leadership positions at Bank of America over a 25-year career, most recently as SVP, Group Operations Executive, overseeing national research, resolution, and reconcilement functions in support of the bank’s bank centers, capture sites, and cash vaults. Earlier, she led the Transaction Services West Region with responsibility for over two thousand employees and five processing units. A certified Six Sigma Executive, Nickel also dedicates her time mentoring MBA students at the University of California, Irvine and serves on the board of The Whole Child, a non-profit organization serving vulnerable families in Los Angeles County.

    “I’m honored to join Patriot Bank’s Board of Directors,” said Nickel. “With my experience driving operational excellence and delivering client-focused solutions, I look forward to helping the organization build a strong foundation for sustainable growth.”

    Paul Simmons, Executive Vice President, Chief Credit Officer

    Paul Simmons is a seasoned banking executive with over 35 years of experience in commercial lending, credit, and financial services. Prior to joining Patriot Bank, Mr. Simmons served as Executive Vice President and Chief Credit Officer of Sunwest Bank, Silvergate Bank and Banc of California. He has overseen all aspects of credit administration, asset quality, and lending operations. He also held senior leadership positions at Citigroup, GE Capital, Apollo Real Estate Advisors, and Zions Bancorporation. A graduate of Brigham Young University, Simmons is recognized for his strategic acumen and breadth of experience.

    “I’m honored to join Patriot Bank as its Chief Credit Officer,” said Simmons. “Over my career, I have been fortunate to lead credit organizations at banks of all sizes — always with a focus on building strong credit cultures, managing risk with discipline, and partnering with lending teams to drive smart, sustainable growth. I am excited to be a part of this high-performing executive team to bring that same approach to Patriot Bank and to contribute to Patriot Bank’s turnaround focused on serving our clients with excellence.”

    Nicole L. Wells, Senior Vice President, Head of Operations

    With over 30 years of experience in banking and financial services, Nicole L. Wells joins Patriot Bank as its Senior Vice President and Head of Operations. She served as Head of Strategic Retail Operations at Santander Bank, N.A. in Greater Boston, a role she started in September 2020. Previously, Ms. Wells served as SVP, Private Banking Operations at Banc of California. Wells also held roles at Bank of America, Countrywide Bank, Western Federal Credit Union, and Citibank. Wells holds an M.P.A. in Public Administration with a focus on Organizational Leadership from California State University-Dominguez Hills and completed the Executive Education Program at Columbia Business School.

    “I am delighted to join Patriot Bank and lead its bank operations,” said Wells. “My experience in driving strategic business enablement, simplification, and process excellence will support the Bank’s commitment to delivering seamless, client-focused services.”

    Rebecca Mais, Senior Vice President, High Net Worth and Specialty Deposits

    Rebecca Mais joins Patriot Bank as its Senior Vice President, High Net Worth and Specialty Deposits. Ms. Mais, bringing over 17 years of experience, leading Private Banking and Non-Profit divisions. Previously, she held leadership roles at Banc of California, Bank of Hope and Commerce Bank, where she specialized in market expansion and developing customized deposit solutions for high-net-worth individuals, centers-of-influence, and specialized sectors, including real estate, entertainment, Institutional Banking, Non-Profits, RIA and Business Management Services. Mais is passionately committed to the families and communities we serve and is the Board Secretary of the Westside Food Bank Non-Profit. She is a highly engaged, results-driven, and client-centric leader who is recognized for her ability to drive deposit growth and foster long-term client relationships. Mais holds an Executive M.B.A. from Pepperdine University’s Graziadio School of Business and a B.S. in Business Administration/Fashion Merchandising from Philadelphia University.

    “It’s a privilege to work with such an incredible team to deliver tailored financial solutions that meet the unique needs of our remarkable clients,” said Mais. “I look forward to building Patriot into a client-focused bank able to empower the communities we serve.”

    Raquel Gillett, Senior Vice President, Digital Transformation and Risk Analytics

    Raquel Gillett joins Patriot Bank as its Senior Vice President of Digital Transformation and Risk Analytics, bringing over 20 years of experience in banking and financial services. Previously, she served in senior roles at The Change Company, COR Clearing, Banc of California, California National Bank, and Southern Pacific. She has led technology-driven process improvements as well as overseen financial controls. Ms. Gillett is highly experienced implementing innovative digital risk and reporting solutions, integrating systems, and optimizing reporting frameworks.

    “I am thrilled to join Patriot Bank to lead its digital transformation, leveraging technology to empower our bankers to serve our clients safely and with operational excellence. Strengthening our risk analytics will allow Patriot to pursue our mission and vision safely and soundly,” Gillett said.

    For more information about Patriot Bank, please visit www.bankpatriot.com.

    Media Contact:

    Kirsten Hoekman
    Patriot Bank, N.A.
    Phone: (203) 252-5905
    Email: khoekman@bankpatriot.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: AFRICA/CAMEROON – Archbishop of Garoua: “Father Mbaibarem is free and in good physical condition”

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Yaoundé (Agenzia Fides) – After eight days of captivity, Father Valentin Mbaibarem, parish priest of the Church of Saint John the Baptist in Madingring, kidnapped on May 7 along with five other people on the road between Guidjiba and Tcholliré (see Fides, 13/5/2025), has been released. “Father Mbaibarem was released on the night of May 15-16,” Archbishop Faustin Ambassa Ndjodo of Garoua told Fides. “He is in good physical condition. We will see if he needs psychological assistance in the coming days,” he added. “It was a difficult experience,” the Archbishop continued. “Father Mbaibarem was the last of the six hostages released by the kidnappers. Four were released in the previous days, while a fifth died while still in the captors’ hands” (see Fides, 14/5/2025). “This last person, a teacher, had health problems. The kidnappers forced the hostages to march through the forest. Since he could not keep up, they beat him to force him to walk. In the end, unfortunately, his body could not cope with this situation.” A possible ransom demand for the priest had been reported in the local press. “As an archdiocese, we did not pay any amount for the release of our priest. I do not know if others have done so,” specified Bishop Ambassa Ndjodo. In the statement from the Archdiocese of Garoua announcing the release of Father Mbaibarem, the archbishop thanks “all the people who prayed for the priest’s release” and invokes the Lord’s blessing on those who contributed to achieving this result. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides, 19/5/2025)
    Share:

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Wolverhampton Green Innovation Corridor opportunities on show at UKREiiF

    Source: City of Wolverhampton

    Delegates will be told about options to be part of the corridor – as a partner, developer, owner occupier or to secure future tenants.

    City of Wolverhampton Council and the University of Wolverhampton are particularly keen to hear from parties interested in joining them in a partnership to redevelop all or part of the corridor, to attract major investment and curate a distinctive innovation district.

    GIC connects key assets at the University of Wolverhampton’s Springfield Campus, Science Park, and the i54 advanced manufacturing business park – the country’s most successful Enterprise Zone.

    It is poised to revolutionise sustainable manufacturing through cutting edge technologies in additive materials, green construction and green computing. It will leverage Wolverhampton and the West Midlands’ internationally recognised advanced manufacturing strengths – particularly in automotive, aerospace and related sectors.

    GIC will provide transformational learning and upskilling opportunities for the people of Wolverhampton, creating pathways to high value jobs and strengthening the talent pool. It will also foster a dynamic, diverse ecosystem of innovation led businesses and entrepreneurs, creating a magnet for investors and the brightest talent.

    The scheme has already secured £27 million funding from UK Government and has attained West Midlands Investment Zone status, helping unlock transformational capital funding, business support and skills programmes.

    GIC will deliver access to internationally recognised research and expertise across green construction, green engineering and green computing and cybersecurity; space and facilities for every stage of business growth, co-location and community; and a drive on green skills.

    Councillor Chris Burden, the council’s Cabinet Member for City Development, Jobs and Skills, said: “Considerable work has been undertaken to develop the GIC proposition and case for investment.

    “The scheme already has a clear sense of direction and ambition and joining us at this stage provides ample opportunity to further shape the scheme and its offer to future occupiers.

    “The council and university have an extensive track record of working together with developers and investors to deliver transformative regeneration projects and we are already in active discussions with businesses seeking to locate at GIC and be part of a community of innovators.”

    Professor Prashant Pillai MBE, University of Wolverhampton, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Research and Knowledge Exchange, said: “Through the Green Innovation Corridor we’re aiming to establish a world leading, research driven innovation district – not just for Wolverhampton, but regionally, nationally, and globally.

    “This will be a district where the public and private sectors, alongside academia, collaborate to create a dynamic ecosystem of innovation.

    “The university has been looking at research around green engineering, green construction for the best part of 20 years and we can use that expertise to help businesses grow through innovation.”

    More information about the Green Innovation Corridor opportunities is available at Invest.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Introducing The Conversation and the BBC’s Secrets of the Sea – my journey to meet six marine scientists pioneering ocean solutions

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Anna Turns, Senior Environment Editor

    Senior environment editor Anna Turns with BBC radio producer Jo Loosemore CC BY-NC-ND

    After a long drive to Godrevy lighthouse near St Ives in Cornwall, the wind is blowing and the waves are crashing. I’m here with BBC radio producer Jo Loosemore, on a roadtrip to meet some of the marine scientists researching how ocean health is vital to our future.

    As we squeeze between crevices in the cliffs to shelter from the elements at Godrevy beach, I interview Ed Gasson, a glaciologist at the University of Exeter. His story is full of surprises.

    Jo Loosemore with Anna Turns on Godrevy beach.
    Ed Gasson, CC BY-NC-ND

    This corner of north Cornwall is one I have visited many times, usually on bright, sunny days during weekend getaways or family holidays. I’ve gazed at the lighthouse, enjoyed spotting seals on the rocks beneath, and sat with both icecream and binoculars in hand on the benches by the coast path.

    But I had never looked closely at these cliffs below, until now. And I could never have guessed that this coastline had any connections to the ice age, the Antarctic or sea-level rise.

    In a collaboration between The Conversation and BBC South West, Secrets of the Sea is a new series that showcases local stories with global significance. World experts based across Devon and Cornwall are at the forefront of marine research into seaweeds and seagrass, seabed restoration and offshore shellfish farming.

    Prepping to record inside the National Maritime Museum of Cornwall.
    Jo Loosemore, CC BY-NC-ND

    From the rocky foreshore in Torquay to the mussel-covered pontoons of Plymouth harbour, I’ve been speaking to scientists about their work, their passions and the potential for our oceans to hold the key to climate resilience. Healthier seas mean our planet will be much better able to weather the stormy seas of the climate crisis.

    Each of the six radio programmes and accompanying articles delves into a different aspect of our oceans. Through 19th-century archives, in tiny test tubes on a lab bench, or inside a walk-in fridge full of marine fungi, this series explores creative ways to study ocean health. So, join me on BBC Sounds and here at The Conversation to go beneath the waves with a sense of wonder – and optimism.

    Listen to a mini-series of four short episodes on BBC Radio Devon from May 20-23 here. The full six-part series will air weekly from May 23 at 8.30pm on BBC Radio Devon and BBC Radio Cornwall.


    Local science, global stories.

    In collaboration with the BBC, Anna Turns travels around the West Country coastline to meet ocean experts making exciting discoveries beneath the waves.

    This article is part of a series, Secrets of the Sea, exploring how marine scientists are developing climate solutions.

    – ref. Introducing The Conversation and the BBC’s Secrets of the Sea – my journey to meet six marine scientists pioneering ocean solutions – https://theconversation.com/introducing-the-conversation-and-the-bbcs-secrets-of-the-sea-my-journey-to-meet-six-marine-scientists-pioneering-ocean-solutions-249981

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: expert comments on prostate cancer – symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Scientists comment on the symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer, following Joe Biden’s diagnosis.

    Ben Lamb, Consultant Urological and Robotic Surgeon, Barts Health and UCLH NHS Trusts, and Clinical Senior Lecturer, Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London (QMUL), said:

    “Most prostate cancer (around 4/5) in the UK is diagnosed before it is metastatic, with 1/5 diagnosed with metastatic disease. There is regional variation with the highest rates of diagnosis of metastatic disease in parts of Scotland, and the lowest in London and southeast of England. Late stage cancer can also include stage 3, where the cancer has broken out of the prostate, but not yet spread to other organs. Late diagnosis is linked to deprivation, ethnicity and older men.

    “Diagnosis for most men is triggered by urinary symptoms causing them to seek help from their GP. In later stage disease, some men may have symptoms from metastatic disease, such as fatigue, bone pain or weight loss. Lymph node spread can cause blockage of the kidneys with renal failure and leg swelling. If the prostate tumour is large, it can cause bladder symptoms, though in most men in general, these are from benign enlargement of the prostate as men age.

    “To diagnose, GPs will usually undertake a PSA test and refer to hospital care if it is elevated. Many men then get an MRI scan and if suspicious, they are recommended to have a prostate biopsy. Some men, particularly those with suspicion of metastatic disease may need other scans such as a bone scan, CT scan or PET scan to stage the disease (understand if there is spread from the prostate).

    “An aggressive cancer means it is more likely to develop and spread, more likely to need treatment, and less likely to be cured by treatment.

    “The Gleason score is a grading score given by pathologists to prostate biopsy samples under the microscope. It is strongly liked to the ‘aggressiveness’ of the cancer and the chance of dying of prostate cancer. The lowest score is 6 and the highest 10. We have recently shifted to using the ISUP grade group scoring, which goes from 1-5, and is easier to understand. Gleason 9 translates to ISUP grade group 5.

    “Metastatic prostate cancer is primarily treated with hormone therapy. Prostate cancer depends on testosterone to grow, and by blocking testosterone production and action, the cancer can be effectively treated but not cured. Additional modern hormone drugs (known as ARTA’s) are given in addition, and these are known to prolong survival. Chemotherapy can also be given.”

    Declared interests

    None received.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: NSU Humanitarian Institute teacher Natalia Kirillovna Timofeeva has passed away

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Novosibirsk State University – Novosibirsk State University –

    Relatives, friends, colleagues and students mourn the death of one of the oldest teachers Humanitarian Institute Candidate of Historical Sciences, Associate Professor Natalia Kirillovna Timofeeva (09.20.1944 – 05.17.2025).

    A student of the famous Etruscan scholar A.I. Nemirovsky, she graduated from the history department of the humanities faculty of NSU in 1968, from 1974 she worked in the department of general history, and from 2008 – in the department of ancient literatures and literary source studies.

    Colleagues and students remember Natalia Kirillovna as an extremely erudite specialist, a very modest and kind person, and a wonderful lecturer who knew how to ignite and inspire her listeners. She was at the origins of the specialization in Italian language and culture, which was carried out at NSU for many years.

    Natalia Kirillovna did a lot to popularize scientific knowledge in the form of special courses and open lectures, taught classes at the Orthodox Gymnasium in the name of St. Sergius of Radonezh. Historians, philologists and journalists attended her courses in Italian and Latin, history and literature, culture and art of Ancient Greece, Ancient Rome and Byzantium, the European Renaissance.

    The memory of all who knew Natalya Kirillovna will forever remain the charm of her deep mind and the human warmth that she radiated.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: We are expecting a hot semi-final of the KVN League of the State University of Management

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: State University of Management – Official website of the State –

    On May 23, 2025, the semi-final of the GUU KVN League will be held in the Assembly Hall of the State University of Management.

    Attention! Enough sadness and worries! The KVN GUU League cancels fatigue and extends the May holidays with a hot semi-final game.

    We will find out the finalists of the season very soon! The teams will show three competitions at once for the first time, so we guarantee it will be interesting and funny.

    The following teams will take part in the semi-final: “TechnoBOBR”, MPEI; “What you need”, GUU; “Minimum”, State University of Medicine, Moscow Aviation Institute; “Fildepers”, State University of Ukraine; “Office”, State University of Management; “I don’t remember”, GUU; “Arcade”, MISiS, Moscow State Pedagogical University; “Grandmothers”, RSU named after. A.N. Kosygina; “Syrbor”, State University of Medicine.

    The game will take place on May 23 at 18:30 in the Assembly Hall of the State University of Management (Ryazansky Prospekt, 99, bldg. 5).

    Guests of the State University of Management must register using a short form.

    We’re waiting for everyone on Friday evening!

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Wearable Technologies Power Study on Differences Between Treadmill, Outdoor Running on Injury Risk

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    When researchers study runners, up until very recently, they have had to conduct these studies in the lab using a treadmill.

    But running on a treadmill and running outside — as most runners do — is not the same. This has meant that scientific studies looking to inform our understanding of how running-related injuries occur and how to prevent them are not always transferable to the real world.

    With the advent of reliable wearable technologies, researchers are now able to capture data from runners outside the lab.

    A new study published in the Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy (JOST Open) looked at how two key measures related to running-related injuries differ on a treadmill versus running outside on a flat sidewalk.

    “In our lab, we’re really about trying to bring things out of the lab and into the world,” Laurie Devaney, associate professor-in-residence and head of the Department of Kinesiology, says. “So, this was an attempt to look at real-world forces and see how they stack up against running on a treadmill.”

    Michelle Bruneau ’23 (CAHNR), a former Ph.D. candidate, was the first author on this paper. She is now a post-doctoral research fellow in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Harvard Medical School and Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital.

    The study used 28 healthy, male and female adult runners. Participants ran eight kilometers on the treadmill and the road while wearing ankle and chest sensors to track their step rate and tibial acceleration.

    Step rate is a measure of how many steps the runner takes over a certain distance. Tibial acceleration is a proxy for the impact load during a run.

    “When we look at running-related injuries we know that things like step rate and tibial acceleration can be associated with those injuries, especially bone-stress related injuries [like tibial stress fractures and shin pain],” Devaney says.

    The researchers found that while step rates were similar in both settings, when the runners were outdoors, there was a trend toward an increasing step rate as the run went on. This is good as an increased step rate reduces the force of each step, better protecting the runner from injury.

    Another significant difference is that peak tibial acceleration was greater outdoors than on the treadmill.

    “If we’re thinking about this notion of forces and accumulated forces it’s probably greater in an outdoor run than it is on the treadmill,” Devaney says.

    Using additional data collected during this study, the researchers have another publication forthcoming focused on motion capture data. These data provide information on how the runners were moving and what that can tell the researchers about injury risk.

    This research also has applications for cadets in ROTC programs and military members who frequently suffer from the same kinds of injuries as runners.

    “If we have ways to measure them out in the field, we are going to be better able to identify some of the culprits that are leading to these injuries and modify them,” Devaney says.

    As wearable technologies become better and more diverse, there will only be more opportunities to study people in real-world settings rather than only in the lab.

    “These increased forces are important for running-related injuries and our measurements on the treadmill are not necessarily synonymous with what we see in real-world application,” Devaney says. “[We’re] really encouraging researchers and clinicians to consider those differences and move toward the ability to measure people outdoors.”

    This work relates to CAHNR’s Strategic Vision area focused on Enhancing Health and Well-Being Locally, Nationally, and Globally.

    Follow UConn CAHNR on social media

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Education Secretary gives keynote speech at Education World Forum

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Speech

    Education Secretary gives keynote speech at Education World Forum

    Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson’s speech on the use of EdTech to improve opportunity in education at the Education World Forum.

    Hello everyone, and thank you all for being here.

    It’s wonderful to see everyone together in the same place – the biggest gathering of education ministers anywhere in the world!

    And what a fitting location. Just next door is the Methodist Central Hall, where almost 80 years ago the United Nations General Assembly met for the first time.

    And we also sit in the shadow of Westminster Abbey, a place which marks the memories of so many inspirational figures, men and women who still light up our classrooms centuries on.

    Isaac Newton, Stephen Hawking, and Charles Darwin are all buried there.

    Jane Austen and the three Brontë sisters each have a plaque – next to the statue of William Shakespeare.

    And close by lies the grave of Charles Dickens, whose stories I grew up reading, whose characters I loved.

    Oliver Twist, David Copperfield, Pip and his great expectations.

    The abandoned children of Victorian London, held back, time and again, by the tough luck of a bad start.

    I was always drawn to Dickens because he was never afraid to confront social injustice.

    The daily, grinding poverty that kept opportunity out of the reach of millions.

    There’s been plenty of progress since those darker days.

    And thankfully, London looks very different today.

    But much of the inequality, the injustice remains.

    Opportunity still lies beyond the grasp of too many people – here in this country and around the world too.

    We have so far to go on our journey to cut the link between background and success.

    That’s our job as education leaders, to give not just some children but all children the opportunity to succeed, regardless of background, to make that old dream new again for each generation.

    There are well over a hundred countries and territories represented here today. Well over a hundred different education systems. Well over a hundred different sets of challenges.

    But we can come together around one common cause. Opportunity.

    That’s what education is all about. Opportunity for all children – to learn, to discover, to go on and live a good life.

    So that every child knows, deep down in their bones, that success belongs to them.

    That’s my mission for the children of this country, it’s the mission of our government. Because background shouldn’t mean destiny.

    But the barriers we face are huge – here in the UK and across the globe.

    250 million children still out of school around the world.

    70% of children in low- and middle-income countries unable to read at the end of their basic education.

    A pandemic that saw schools all over the world close their gates, classrooms empty, playgrounds silent, a global generation of children falling behind.

    Challenges of this scale demand the fresh solutions of the future, not the stale systems of the past.

    We must squeeze every last drop of value out of every last pound of funding.

    And technology will lead the way.

    The opportunities of EdTech are huge. It’s a wave of innovation that can lift the learning of billions.

    But to be clear about what technology can do, first we need to be clear what it cannot do.

    It can’t replace great teachers.

    They are the heart, they are the soul of every school.

    That was true 500 years ago. It’ll be true in 500 more.

    Education is a deeply human gift, given by one generation to the next.

    Opportunity passed from one generation to the next.

    But EdTech can take that gift and make it stronger, spread it further, share it with more children.

    It can be the radical force that brings the very best education into every city, every town, every village, every school, every classroom in the world.

    It can help us to reach learners who might otherwise be left out – because they have a disability, their parents are poor, they don’t speak a certain language, or simply because they’re a girl.

    EdTech can help us tear down those barriers.

    Here in this country, we’re using it to free up teachers time to spend more time teaching.

    For children that means more attention, higher standards, better life chances.

    For teachers – less paperwork, lower stress, fewer drains on their valuable time. 

    My department is continuing to support Oak National Academy, an online hub of resources for teachers, whose AI lesson assistant is helping teachers to plan personalised lessons in minutes.

    Making the most of teacher time is one of the challenges we all face.

    Another is attendance – getting children back in the classroom, especially since covid.

    Our response is rooted in our world-class data, where schools can use an interactive dashboard to drive early intervention.

    And it’s working. We’ve lost 3 million fewer days to absence this year than last.

    And now we’re using AI to go further and faster.

    Just last week we launched a brand new AI-powered tool, which we think is amongst the first of its kind in the world.

    Every mainstream school in the country can access reports right now to benchmark their attendance against 20 similar schools.

    They highlight what schools are doing well, and where they need targeted intervention and support.

    That’s the kind of cutting-edge insight schools need to get attendance moving.

    But, despite its huge power, we know that AI isn’t a magic wand.

    EdTech can light up the next century of education – and I believe it will – but there are no guarantees.

    So getting AI on the right track now is the most important challenge for global education in a generation.

    And we have far to go to deliver the scale of progress that I know is possible.

    Our evidence-base is too narrow, too shallow, too concentrated in certain parts of the world, too focused on certain parts of the system.

    More research is needed; better research is needed.

    On impact.

    On value.

    On sustainability.

    And on safety.

    We need to come together to grow a global, collective consensus – a suite of effective tools, built on top-class evidence.

    That’s how, together, we can make sure EdTech and AI deliver the very best learning for children.

    And on this the UK will lead the way.

    This government’s EdTech hub – led by our Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office – brings together research and policy organisations working to bridge the EdTech evidence gap.

    The Hub is here to support and empower government leaders, giving you the evidence that you need to roll out and scale up EdTech effectively and responsibly.

    The Hub is leading, and the UK is funding, the AI Observatory and Action Lab – supporting leaders in low- and middle-income countries to use AI in education.

    And we are continuing the change here at home with our new Content Store Project.

    We’re pooling a vast range of high-quality content – from curriculum guidance to teaching resources, from lessons plans to anonymised pupil work.

    And we’re making it available to AI companies to train their tools – so that they can generate top quality content for use in our classrooms.

    And we’re putting AI to work in a way that’s most useful for teachers, and most beneficial for students.

    But now we want to go further, to share our expertise, to work with our partners around the world to grow that collective consensus.

    So I am delighted to announce today that we are funding the development of global guidelines for generative AI in education.

    Working closely with partners at the OECD, we are shaping the global consensus on how generative AI can be deployed safely and effectively to boost education around the world.

    But everyone here today will know that guidelines are only ever as good as their implementation.

    Because what really matters is firm action in our classrooms, not abstract promises on a page.

    That’s why today I can announce that the UK will host an international summit on generative AI in education in 2026.

    Education leaders from around the world will come together to implement these guidelines – for the benefit of our children, young people and learners the world over.

    And we’ll continue to build the evidence base at home too.

    So I’m pleased to announce today that my department is investing more than a million pounds to test the Edtech we’re using in schools and colleges.

    Working with the Open Innovation Team, we’ll be engaging the sector to understand what works.

    We’ll look at how tools, including AI, can improve things like staff workload, pupil outcomes and inclusivity.

    Evidence must be at the heart of all we do, on EdTech and right across education.

    Here in the UK, we’re lucky to have the Education Endowment Foundation.

    The Foundation is at the forefront of research on how children learn.

    And my officials work hand in hand with their experts to make sure all our policies and programmes are driven by the very best evidence.

    We need to be at the top of our game.

    We’ve spoken about the challenges specific to education, but there are wider global challenges, that spill into our schools and colleges.

    Growing economic uncertainty, shifting labour markets, the flood of disinformation around social media.

    These are shared challenges that demand shared solutions.

    Solutions powered by technology, backed by evidence.

    But collaboration is key. We can’t do this alone.

    Learning from each other, sharing evidence, sharing data.

    The UK is here to convene, to accelerate and to celebrate all that is best in global education.

    And in the coming months we’ll publish our refreshed International Education Strategy.

    At its heart will be collaboration.

    Building partnerships that are meaningful, partnerships that matter, partnerships that, above all else, make a difference in the lives of the people we serve.

    That’s what sets apart those men and women whom we remember in Westminster Abbey. They made a difference in people’s lives.

    The scientists and engineers, the poets and playwrights, the doctors and nurses.

    Most of their deeds were done and dusted centuries ago. But their legacy lives on.

    EdTech is now bringing the wonders of the Abbey to a whole new generation of children.

    From the Anglo-Saxons to the Tudors, from the majesty of coronations to the drudgery of everyday medieval life.

    Abbey experts run virtual classrooms and virtual tours for schools unable to visit in person – so that every child can learn about this building which has been at the heart of our national life for a thousand years.

    So that no child has to miss out.

    That’s what EdTech is all about, what education is all about, opportunity for all of our children.

    Because let’s not forget, this is for them.

    For every child, for every young person, for every adult around the world who deserves the opportunity to learn.

    That’s why we have to get this right.

    That’s why so many of you have come here today from so far away.

    And that’s why I am so thankful that you have.

    Because together I know that we can make a difference.

    So it gives me great pleasure to welcome you to the Education World Forum 2025.

    And I look forward to working together with you as we build stronger, bolder, better education together.

    Thank you.

    DfE media enquiries

    Central newsdesk – for journalists 020 7783 8300

    Updates to this page

    Published 19 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Cutting edge sustainable tech: the Servita supplier story 

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Case study

    Cutting edge sustainable tech: the Servita supplier story 

    Servita specialises in helping organisations transform so they can thrive at the forefront of science and technology. 

    When Servita set up in the UK in 2016, it had a team of around 30. Now it’s 180 and counting. 

    Servita specialises in helping organisations transform through technology so they can overcome entrenched ways of working and operations. 

    UK managing director Rich Story said: “Keeping ourselves and our customers at the forefront of science and technology, whilst remembering it is people that remain at the centre of transformation, is our modus operandi.”

    Servita’s key capabilities including user-centred design, where the company has strong links to the Government Digital Service, and expertise in advanced, highly secure, high performance and sustainable cloud-hosted solutions. Sustainable cloud and carbon net zero are part of Servita’s core technical architecture principles.  

    Artificial intelligence, machine learning and natural language processing are also strong competencies and people in the team have published research papers with Harvard University on natural language and semantic programming. 

    Servita has been active in the Vivace community since 2020. 

    Explaining what attracted the company to the Accelerated Capability Environment (ACE), Story said: “A community of suppliers that gets access to novel problems at the heart of government, facilitated by an organisation that seeks to create an environment to innovate whilst keeping a firm eye on time, cost and outcomes – it really chimed with us.”

    One early major project was working as part of the ACE core team on the UK government’s Covid response, helping drive an innovation agenda as part of strategic objectives. Story said: “Despite the backdrop it was one of the best things I’ve been part of during my career.”

    For a health commission, Servita delivered a digital tool capable of measuring and reporting digital deficit, so an organisation could understand where it stands digitally in relation to industry standards, and how much it would cost to get to where it needs to be. 

    Servita also remains an integral part of ACE’s wider NHS work, where it built and currently maintains a national data information exchange that links all of the secondary care landscape in England to the NHS App. 

    Story said: “We love the efficiency in tendering and speed to impact for delivery. ACE looks to deliver outcomes in 12-15 weeks which is good for government and the taxpayer. 

    “Most of all we love the types of projects ACE give us access to. As a business it’s led to us having some of our best case references and it’s critical for us to be able to give our staff access to projects that really make a difference as it gives us an identity and sense of pride.”

    He added: “Our mission statement is to keep ourselves and our partners at the cutting edge of science and technology with a focus on sustainable solutions for good and delivery excellence. 

    “I can honestly say that ACE and Vivace have enabled us to stay true to this by virtue of the novel and important problem spaces that they give us access to. ACE has introduced us to new customers and also to other like-minded suppliers that we have forged valuable relationships with. 

    “These things have all been significant in shaping our business.”

    Updates to this page

    Published 19 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –