NewzIntel.com

Category: Education

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Accessible family activities in Canberra

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    Children enjoying a live show at Questacon. Photo credit VisitCanberra

    In brief:

    • Canberra has plenty of activities and experiences for families.
    • This story lists accessible activities and spaces for families to visit.

    Canberra is packed with family-friendly activities and experiences. Many of these attractions and spaces are inclusive for people with physical and sensory disability and access needs.

    From events and galleries to gardens and playgrounds, there are lots of accessible activities to choose from.

    Nature and outdoors

    The National Arboretum Canberra is one of the world’s largest collections of rare, endangered and significant trees. This popular spot is also home to POD playground. You’ll also find the National Bonsai and Penjing Collection. There are disabled car parking spaces available across the Arboretum. You can also book to hire a free wheelchair.

    Smooth, wide pathways connect key attractions such as the playground and café. There are also All Access paths and Grade 1 sealed paths with no steps to help you explore.

    A visit to the fully accessible Boundless Playground is a must for kids’ fun. This all-abilities play space is next to Lake Burley Griffin. It is fully enclosed, has easy car parking and great toilet facilities.

    Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve is a great place to see wildlife in a natural setting. It’s just a 40-minute drive from the city. Mobility-impaired visitors can hire an all-terrain wheelchair, known as a TrailRider.

    Tidbinbilla also offers mobility access to many popular locations. These include The Sanctuary and the Eucalypt Forest. Both have:

    • accessible toilets
    • designated parking areas
    • paved footpaths for independent wheelchair access.

    The Nature Discovery Playground has a bird’s nest swing suitable for very young children and people with limited mobility.

    Get wild at the National Zoo & Aquarium and meet lions and tigers and bears (oh my)!

    You can use the accessible pathways and ramps to get around the zoo.  There are some sloped and gravel paths, though. The Adventure Land playground includes a wheelchair-accessible playhouse and two fully harnessed swings.

    The Australian National Botanic Gardens is an amazing place to explore. It is home to an array of native plants. Visitors can hire a free wheelchair or electric mobility scooter. You can also book a seat on the wheelchair-friendly bus tour.

    Little explorers love the Paperbark Treehouse. This has a ramp-accessible platform at the main level.

    Looking for a place to cool off? Dickson Pool has something for the whole family to enjoy. The outdoor pool includes:

    • a splash park
    • a toddler pool
    • a learn-to-swim pool
    • a heated 50m pool with ramp access.

    Galleries, attractions and museums

    Questacon is known for its family-friendly experiences. It also has great options to make it an inclusive space.

    All of Questacon’s galleries are accessible by ramp or a lift. Wheelchairs and prams are available for hire from the ticket desk.

    Seating is available in each gallery. The Japan Theatre is wheelchair accessible and has a hearing loop in the first two rows.

    A visit to Questacon can be a very stimulating experience. You can find noise cancelling headphones at the Information Desk and in each gallery.

    Questacon also runs Access days. these offer a quieter environment for sensory sensitive visitors.

    The National Museum of Australia is a fantastic option for families.

    The museum has lift access to each of the three levels. There are also bookable wheelchairs and motorised scooters. There are large-print maps and tactile guides for vision-impaired visitors. You’ll find a hearing induction loop at the Information Desk.

    The Tim and Gina Fairfax Discovery Centre is a fun playground for young children of all abilities. Quiet hours are run with reduced noise and sensory experiences. These are held from 3.30–4.45pm on the first Tuesday of the month.

    The National Gallery of Australia has a range of free programs for people with disability and access needs. These include tours and workshops. There is an audio induction loop system in:

    • the main entrance
    • Gandel Hall
    • James Fairfax Theatre
    • Tim Fairfax Learning Gallery.

    There are two braille brochures with tactile maps. These are the Gallery and for the Sculpture Garden. The Gallery also runs Sensory Sunday. This free monthly program is ideal for individuals who identify as neurodivergent.

    The miniatures village Cockington Green Gardens is an iconic Canberra experience. It is also a wheelchair and walker accessible display.

    It has granite paths and walkways. These accommodate a range of equipment. Wheelchairs and mobility scooters are available for hire.

    Parliament House is a member of the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower program. This helps people with a disability or condition that may not be immediately apparent, to voluntarily share their needs for:

    • assistance
    • understanding
    • a helping hand.

    Visitors can borrow Hidden Disabilities Sunflower lanyards and pins to wear during their visit.

    All public areas of Parliament House are wheelchair accessible.

    There is also an accessible toilet and change facility that caters for users with high support needs and their carers.

    Events

    The Canberra Theatre Centre provides a range of services for different abilities. Its inclusive performances help everyone experience the magic of theatre.

    Contact the theatre directly to book tickets if you need assistance with your seating. This can include audio description, mobility or hearing assistance.

    The theatre has FM radio assisted hearing units for patrons who need hearing assistance.

    Selected performances are professionally signed by Auslan interpreters. Some Relaxed Performances are offered. These have been adapted for a range of audience members, including people with:

    • autism
    • sensory sensitivities
    • communication conditions
    • learning disabilities.

    Heading to an event at Exhibition Park in Canberra? EPIC has accessible car parking spaces across the precinct and near all major buildings.

    Extra parking areas may also be reserved depending on the nature and location of the event.  All EPIC venues have accessible facilities, including toilets and showers.

    Cheer on your favourite sports teams at Manuka Oval and Canberra Stadium. Wheelchair-accessible seating and lift access can help make your visit more comfortable. For guests who have sensory sensitivity, the Brumbies have introduced a Sensory Zone at Canberra Stadium during Super Rugby games.

    Read more like this

    Get ACT news and events delivered straight to your inbox, sign up to our email newsletter:


    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Looking Ahead: Dean Hritcko is Reappointed to the UConn School of Pharmacy

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    Dean Hritcko speaks to pharmacy students during their professionalism ceremony in 2019 (UConn Photo)

    In 2019, Dean Hritcko took the stage to give a speech to students during their professionalism ceremony. Recently appointed, the Dean inspired ambitious pharmacy students to start their journey with passion and determination. The Dean’s goals have been clear from the start: “I look forward to leading the UConn School of Pharmacy through its accreditation cycle while continuing to grow its research, faculty, and stature.” After five years, the Dean has delivered on these promises and much more.  

    Dean Hritcko earned his bachelor’s degree in pharmacy and his Pharm.D. from the Albany College of Pharmacy in New York. He has held numerous professional roles, including clinical pharmacy specialist in the VA Connecticut Healthcare System, district pharmacy supervisor, pharmacy manager, and registered pharmacist for CVS pharmacy. He also holds several professional certifications and affiliations, including with the American Pharmacists Association and American Society of Health-System Pharmacists.  

    “I feel very passionate about the school itself and UConn, and I want to make sure that we continue on an upward trajectory.”  

    Dean Hritcko joined Husky Nation over 21 years ago, initially hired as the Director for Experiential Education. Over his two-decade-long journey at UConn, he has served in various roles: Assistant Dean of Experiential Education, Associate Dean for Admissions and Student Affairs, Interim Dean, and finally Dean. When the previous dean of the School of Pharmacy stepped down, Hritcko saw an opportunity to step into this role and was eager to showcase his passion for the School in such an impactful way.

    Headshot of Dean Hritcko (UConn Photo)

    Dean Hritcko’s biggest challenge came in his first year when the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Unable to conduct in-person lectures or labs, the School of Pharmacy and its students adapted to online teaching and learning. The transition back to in-person learning proved to be just as challenging, as both teachers and students were just becoming comfortable with online learning. Despite these difficult transitions, Dean Hritcko credits his phenomenal leadership team, faculty, and staff for their perseverance and adaptability.  

    When asked what he’s most proud of, Dean Hritcko passionately explains the new curriculum in the School of Pharmacy’s professional program, which was recently approved by the faculty. This curriculum change, now in the early stages of implementation, will help future students become better prepared for the demands of practicing as contemporary pharmacists. The Dean expects to see real change reflected in future North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX) scores, a licensing board exam pharmacy students take to become licensed pharmacists.  

    In addition to the new curriculum, Dean Hritcko is grateful to celebrate the UConn School of Pharmacy’s 100th year of excellence, innovation, and care in his leadership role. During the past century, the UConn School of Pharmacy has been at the forefront of education, innovative research, and health care. 

    “I happen to be here during the Centennial year, which is another great opportunity for our School to celebrate where we are now and where we want to go into the future.” 

    Throughout the last five years, the School of Pharmacy has seen tremendous growth in both its research and its opportunities to change pharmacy practice within Connecticut. As emphasized by Dean Hritcko, these advances are the result of phenomenal researchers and innovative pharmacy practice faculty who have influenced state regulations related to pharmacy practice.  

    Dean Hritcko with Jonathon the Husky

    Raising over 17 million dollars for philanthropy, Dean Hritcko’s steady leadership has deepened the School’s enterprise, strengthened academic pathways, and has expanded its statewide impact. Under his leadership, the School has earned full eight-continued accreditation from the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) and updated the School’s Professional Program Curriculum.  

    The 2021 year was a testament to the excellence of UConn’s School of Pharmacy and Dean Hritcko’s leadership: the School received the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) Lawrence C. Weaver Transformative Community while Dean Hritcko’s public engagement and health advocacy was celebrated and honored in the Hartford Business Journal and he received a Healthcare Heroes Award in the category of Community Service – Advocacy/Policy. 

    Looking to the next five years, Dean Hritcko aims to continue the School’s leadership in several areas, increase research capabilities for faculty in both practice and pharmaceutical sciences, facilitate further collaborations between faculty and the private industry (including working with companies and external entities), and find addition scholarship support for students. Additionally, the Dean looks forward to continuing to lead advocacy efforts in the areas of pharmacy practice and reimbursement for pharmacist services. By providing education to Connecticut’s legislators regarding pharmacist services and pharmacy education, the School will continue to exemplify UConn’s status as a land-grant university and its commitment to community impact.  

    Rooted in the accomplishments Dean Hritcko has achieved over the past five years, and in those he strives for in the next five years, is his passion for supporting students. In his various roles at UConn, the Dean has seen students struggle and strive to overcome numerous barriers, especially when affording a college education. By helping the students through scholarships and encouraging alumni and friends of UConn Pharmacy to contribute, the Dean has found a way to fulfill his passion for accessible education.  

    “It is our number #1 priority to help our students, in any way we can, to be successful.”  

    Dean Hritcko’s biggest takeaway from his time as Dean has been the people, “What they contribute to the success of our school is a privilege to be a part of.” These individuals have made the School successful, and the Dean is grateful to have worked with them. He will continue to value those around him in his next term while implementing his vision for all of what UConn Pharmacy is capable of! 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Illuminate NYS Landmarks for Fallen Firefighters

    Source: US State of New York

    overnor Kathy Hochul today announced 15 State landmarks will be illuminated red on the evening of May 3 in honor of Light the Night for Fallen Firefighters.

    “New York will never forget the sacrifice, bravery, and selfless commitment of the brave men and women we honor this Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend,” Governor Hochul said. “We stand with the families and loved ones of the fallen, and with all New Yorkers who put their lives on the line every day, running towards danger to keep our communities safe.”

    Light the Night for Fallen Firefighters is recognized nationally to honor the fallen and their families and to recognize National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend.

    Sunday, May 4th is International Firefighter’s Day, a day to recognize the dedication, bravery, and commitment of firefighters who work tirelessly to protect lives and property. It is also a time to remember and pay tribute to those who lost their lives in the line of duty. Coinciding with this significant day is the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Ceremony, held at the U.S. Fire Academy in Emmitsburg, Maryland.

    Among those being honored this year is Chief Thomas Wutz from the New York State Office of Fire Prevention and Control, who succumbed to an illness related to his participation in the Office’s response to the attacks of September 11, 2001.

    Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services Commissioner Jackie Bray said, “We offer our heartfelt thanks to Chief Wutz for his service and his selfless dedication to his community as he is honored at the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Ceremony. Those who choose a life of service in firefighting embody bravery and courage as they face the daily challenges of their profession. We are grateful to all of those who do this work and everything that they do to protect us.”

    State Fire Administrator James Cable said, “New York State’s firefighters put their lives on the line every day to protect their communities. We remember and honor those who have made the ultimate sacrifice and were lost in the line of duty.”

    Landmarks to be lit include:

    • 1WTC
    • Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge
    • Kosciuszko Bridge
    • The H. Carl McCall SUNY Building
    • State Education Building
    • Alfred E. Smith State Office Building
    • Empire State Plaza
    • State Fairgrounds – Main Gate & Expo Center
    • Niagara Falls
    • The “Franklin D. Roosevelt” Mid-Hudson Bridge
    • Grand Central Terminal – Pershing Square Viaduct
    • Albany International Airport Gateway
    • MTA LIRR – East End Gateway at Penn Station
    • Fairport Lift Bridge over the Erie Canal
    • Moynihan Train Hall

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s wrongful deportation case is more about individual rights than the Trump administration’s foreign policy

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Chimene Keitner, Martin Luther King, Jr. Professor of Law, University of California, Davis

    U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen, right, meets with Kilmar Abrego Garcia in San Salvador, El Salvador, on April 17, 2025. Photo by Sen. Van Hollen’s office via Getty Images

    Trump administration officials have repeatedly claimed that judges who order the administration to take action to bring deported Venezuelans back from the El Salvador prison where the U.S. sent them are meddling in the conduct of foreign policy.

    “The foreign policy of the United States is conducted by President Donald J. Trump − not by a court − and no court in the United States has a right to conduct the foreign policy of the United States,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on April 14.

    His comments refer to cases including that of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a 29-year-old Salvadoran man who was deported to El Salvador on March 15, 2025, without any due process. The Trump administration says it will not bring him back to the U.S., despite a Supreme Court order to facilitate his return.

    A reporter on April 30 asked Rubio about whether he has been in touch with El Salvador regarding Abrego Garcia’s potential release from a maximum security prison there.

    “Well I would never tell you that and you know who else I would never tell? A judge. Because the conduct of our foreign policy belongs to the president,” Rubio said.

    Rubio made a similar point on April 14, posting on X, “No court in the United States has a right to conduct the foreign policy of the United States. It’s that simple. End of story.”

    The legal cases of Abrego Garcia and other noncitizens deported to El Salvador are far from simple. Chimène Keitner, a scholar of international law and civil litigation, answers a few key questions about the power that U.S. judges actually have in these wrongful deportation cases.

    The Supreme Court building in Washington, D.C., on April 28, 2025, with construction scaffolding on the facade.
    Brendan Śmiałowski/AFP via Getty Images

    Are these cases really about foreign policy or something else?

    These wrongful deportation cases aren’t primarily about foreign policy, despite what Trump officials have said − they’re about the protection of individual rights, including the right to due process.

    The Trump administration is arguing that courts cannot grant relief to individuals challenging their deportation and detention if those individuals are sent to another country and imprisoned there. Under that argument, even a wrongfully detained and deported U.S. citizen would be out of luck. That can’t, in my understanding, be right.

    In Reid v. Covert, a foundational case from 1957, the Supreme Court made clear that the government cannot deprive U.S. citizens of due process by entering into an agreement with a foreign country.

    Now, noncitizens are being detained in El Salvador under arrangements concluded between Rubio and Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele in February 2025.

    So far, the relevant agreements have not been disclosed to Congress, arguably in violation of U.S. law. They also have not been disclosed to courts that have sought answers about relevant details.

    Following an April trip to El Salvador, U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen, a Democrat from Maryland, said that the U.S. will pay El Salvador $15 million to imprison the deported noncitizens − and that El Salvador is imprisoning these men only because the U.S. is paying for it.

    What are other important elements to understand about these cases?

    The Trump administration is arguing that a judge or the Supreme Court cannot order it to return noncitizens to the U.S., because detention operations in El Salvador, a sovereign country, are beyond the reach of U.S. courts.

    However, the U.S. decisions to arrest, detain and deport noncitizens to El Salvador, and to pay for their incarceration there with U.S. taxpayer dollars, are not foreign policy decisions that cannot be reviewed by any judge.

    They are, I would argue, governmental deprivations of the individual right to due process.

    A U.S. court does not have power over the government of El Salvador. However, it can order the U.S. government to request an individual’s return. The Supreme Court has ordered the government to “facilitate” the return of Abrego Garcia.

    The government has argued that “facilitate” in this context simply requires removing domestic U.S. legal obstacles. However, given that Abrego Garcia is being detained in El Salvador, any effective remedy would require the U.S. government to request his return under the detention agreement between the two countries.

    Another federal judge made this clear in an April order requiring the government to make a “good faith request” to El Salvador to release a different wrongfully deported 20-year-old.

    Meanwhile, Trump has stated that his administration is exploring the idea of extending the El Salvador detention agreement to encompass U.S. citizens. Judges have already expressed concern that U.S. citizens, including children, are being removed from the country “with no meaningful process.”

    These actions cannot be shielded from judicial review on the grounds that they involve foreign policy.

    President Donald Trump shakes hands with Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele at the White House on April 14, 2025.
    Win McNamee/Getty Images

    Could the Trump administration legitimately claim that judges cannot rule on its foreign policy decisions?

    The Constitution gives foreign affairs powers to both the executive and legislative branches. Judges can’t conduct foreign policy. They can, however, decide cases that may affect foreign policy, especially when individual rights are at stake.

    Another country’s involvement in a case doesn’t prevent U.S. courts from protecting individual rights.

    Can these court orders to bring back wrongfully deported individuals be enforced?

    The Trump administration is currently trying to portray judges as spreading “lawlessness” with these court orders, in the words of Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller. But I would argue that the opposite is true. If the White House disagrees with an order by a district court or court of appeals, it can seek review by the Supreme Court. Meanwhile, it is obliged to obey lower court orders absent a stay, or pause, of their implementation.

    Courts can do their part to reject claims that the executive branch is entitled to act without regard for legislative or judicial limits by issuing strongly worded orders and even holding officials in contempt. At the end of the day, however, only Congress is empowered to remove a president who refuses to comply with the law.

    Chimene Keitner 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. Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s wrongful deportation case is more about individual rights than the Trump administration’s foreign policy – https://theconversation.com/kilmar-abrego-garcias-wrongful-deportation-case-is-more-about-individual-rights-than-the-trump-administrations-foreign-policy-255067

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Albanese increases majority and Dutton loses seat in stunning election landslide

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra

    The Albanese government has been re-elected with a substantially increased majority, and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has lost his seat, in a crushing defeat of the Coalition.

    As of late Saturday night, there was a two-party swing to Labor of about 3.4%, with two-party vote of 55.5%-44.5%

    It was sitting on about 86 seats (up from 78), and in the hunt for more. The Coalition, which went into the election with 57 seats, has won 41, and may pick up one or two more.

    The Labor primary vote was 34.7%, up 2.1%; the Coalition primary vote was 31.1%, down 4.6%.

    Among the Liberal losses is frontbencher Michael Sukkar in his Victorian seat of Deakin. Shadow foreign minister David Coleman is likely to lose his Sydney seat of Banks. Outspoken Liberal backbencher Bridget Archer has lost her Tasmanian seat of Bass.

    It was all over by 8.30PM, as it became increasingly clear a big swing to Labor was underway.

    A trumphant and emotional Anthony Albanese told a jubilant Labor crowd: “Australians have chosen a majority Labor government”.

    “Today the Australian people have voted for Australian values. For fairness, aspiration and opportunity for all. For the strength to show courage in adversity and kindness to those in need.

    “And Australians have voted for a future that holds true to these values, a future built on everything that brings us together as Australians and everything that sets our nation apart from the world.

    “Australians have chosen to face global challenges the Australian way, looking after each other while building for the future.

    “I make this solemn pledge. We will not forget that we will never take it for granted, repaying your trust will drive a government each and every day of the next three years.”

    Albanese, who has used a Medicare card as a prop through the campaign, produced it once again. “We will be a government that helps every Australian who relies on Medicare.”

    According to the ABC, seats changing hands from the Liberals to Labor are Banks and Hughes in NSW; Forde, Bonner, Dickson, Petrie, Leichhardt in Queensland; Deakin in Victoria; Braddon and Bass in Tasmania; Sturt in South Australia, and Moore in Western Australia.

    It was a bad night for the Greens. They are likely to lose two of their three Queensland seats, Griffith, held by high profile MP Max Chandler-Mather, and Brisbane held by Stephen Bates.

    The Greens’ expected losses occurred despite roughly holding its primary vote, which is 12.5%, up 0.2%. Their leader Adam Bandt is in trouble in his seat of Melbourne.

    Dutton said in his concession speech he had called Albanese and congratulated him. “I said to the prime minister that his mum would be incredibly proud of his achievement tonight, and he should be very proud of what he’s achieved.”

    Dutton said he had also spoken to Ali France, the Labor candidate who has beaten him in Dickson. “She lost her son Henry, which is a tragic circumstance that no parent should ever go through. And equally I said to Ali that her son Henry would be incredibly proud of her tonight and that she’ll do a good Local member for Dixon.”

    He expressed his sorrow for the Liberal MPs and candidates who had lost.

    All the teals have held their seats. The teal candidate in Bradfield, Nicolette Boele, is ahead of her Liberal opponent. The teal Jessie Price is also ahead in the ACT Labor seat of Bean.

    Queensland LNP Senator James McGrath said it was a brutal night for Peter Dutton and the Coalition. “We have got to make sure we take stock of why we lost this election and have a serious review into those reasons.”

    As the Liberals prepare to review their disastrous loss and choose a new leader, their Senate leader Michaelia Cash is backing fellow West Australian Andrew Hastie. “I think Andrew Hastie is an outstanding member … I’m a very good friend of his. Andrew’s always been seen as leadership material.”

    Michelle Grattan 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. Albanese increases majority and Dutton loses seat in stunning election landslide – https://theconversation.com/albanese-increases-majority-and-dutton-loses-seat-in-stunning-election-landslide-255616

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Labor routs the Coalition as voters reject Dutton’s undercooked offering

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra

    In a dramatic parallel, what happened in Canada at the beginning of this week has now been replicated in Australia at the end of the week.

    An opposition that a few months ago had looked just possibly on track to dislodge the government, or at least run it close, has bombed spectacularly. Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has lost his Queensland seat of Dickson, as did the Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre in Canada.

    Far from being forced into minority government, as most observers had been expecting, Labor has increased its majority, with a substantial swing towards it.

    Its strong victory reflects not just the the voters’ judgement that the Coalition was not ready to govern. It was worse than that. People just didn’t rate the Coalition or its offerings.

    Multiple factors played into this debacle for the Coalition.

    A first-term government historically gets a chance of a second term.

    The Trump factor overshadowed this election. It made people feel it was best to stick with the status quo. People also were very suspicious of Dutton, whom they saw (despite disclaimers) as being too like the hardline US president.

    After the last election, Dutton was declared by many to be unelectable, and that proved absolutely to be the case, despite what turned out to be a misleading impression when the polls were so bad for Labor.

    Even if they’d had a very good campaign, the Coalition would probably not have had a serious chance of winning this election.

    But its campaign was woeful. The nuclear policy was a drag and a distraction. Holding back policy until late was a bad call. When the policies came, they were often thin and badly prepared. The ambitious defence policy had no detail. The gas reservation scheme had belated modelling.

    The forced backflip on working from home, and the late decision to offer a tax offset, were other examples of disaster in the campaign.

    Dutton must wear the main share of the blame. He kept strategy and tactics close to his chest.

    But the performance of the opposition frontbench, with a few exceptions, has been woeful. Shadow Treasurer Angus Taylor and finance spokeswoman Jane Hume have been no match for their Labor counterparts Jim Chalmers and Katy Gallagher.

    Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Labor ran a very disciplined campaign. Albanese himself performed much better than he did in 2022.

    Labor was helped by an interest rate cut in February and the prospect of another to come later this month.

    Albanese transformed himself, or was transformed, from last year to this year.

    The cost of living presented a huge hurdle for Labor, but the government was able to point to relief it had given on energy bills, tax and much else. The Coalition had opposed several of Labor’s measures and was left trying to play catch-up at the end.

    The Liberal Party now has an enormous task to rebuild. The “target the suburbs” strategy has failed. At the same time, the old inner-city Liberal heartland is deeply teal territory.

    Hume said, in an unfortunately colourful comment, on Friday, “You do not read the entrails until you have gutted the chicken”.

    The chicken has now been gutted. There will be a much more bitter post mortem than in 2022. The leadership choices are less than optimal for the party: Angus Taylor? Andrew Hastie? Sussan Ley?

    An interesting thought: if Josh Frydenberg had held his seat in 2022, and led the Liberal party to this election, would be result have been better? One thing is clear: Frydenberg took the right decision in not recontesting Kooyong, which teal Monique Ryan has held.

    Anyway, who would want to lead the Liberals at this moment?

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

    – ref. Labor routs the Coalition as voters reject Dutton’s undercooked offering – https://theconversation.com/labor-routs-the-coalition-as-voters-reject-duttons-undercooked-offering-255617

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: The geek’s guide to Canberra

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    Harry Potter fans will love Quizzic Alley.

    In brief:

    • Canberra is a haven for those who are into gaming, science, technology and fantasy.
    • This article lists the city’s most geek-friendly groups, activities and venues.

    What makes a geek, you ask? Well, you might proudly identify as a geek if your interests align with any of the following:

    • technology
    • comics, manga or anime
    • niche hobbies (medieval combat, anyone?).

    Canberra is a city that welcomes geeks with open arms. From Tuggeranong to Gungahlin, we’ve rounded up the best geek-friendly groups, activities and venues across Canberra.

    The Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex (CDSCC) Visitor Centre 

    The CDSCC Visitor Centre has recently reopened. Visit to learn more about Australia’s role in the exploration of space. While you’re there, see a piece of the moon that’s more than 3.8 million years old.

    Questacon

    Australia’s National Science and Technology Centre is a fun, educational venue for people of all ages. Don’t miss CURIOSITY: Building Breakthroughs in LEGO® Bricks. It’s a hands-on exhibition that’s open until May 2025.

    Geoscience Australia

    Discover Earth science and be dazzled by the collection of minerals, fossils and meteorites. Visit the Education Centre for hands-on experiences, including holding a volcanic bomb and peering at glow-in-the-dark minerals.

    School of Arms and Armour

    Always fancied yourself the hero of a medieval tale? The School of Arms and Armour teaches the martial arts of medieval Europe. Think: fencing, wrestling, armour, swords and daggers.

    The Barony of Politarchopolis

    The Barony is the medieval Society for Creative Anachronism in Canberra. Some of their regular activities include:

    • scribes workshops
    • armoured combat

    Ancient Arts Fellowship

    If early medieval re-enactment is your cup of tea, the Fellowship is for you. They explore a range of historical activities, including:

    Dungeons & Dragons

    Dungeons & Dragons ACT is a group that brings together the local Dungeons & Dragons community.

    There are weekly Dungeons & Dragons events on Wednesdays at:

    Virtual reality

    Canberra offers a wide range of VR experiences, from mini games to escape rooms.

    Some options include:

    Quizzic Alley

    Browse Australia’s biggest range of licensed Harry Potter merchandise. While you’re there, you can:

    • quaff a QBrew
    • get sorted into your rightful house
    • try your hand at driving the flying car.

    Impact Comics

    If a comic store has you acting like a kid in a candy store, you can’t miss Impact Comics. You’ll find a large range of:

    • kids’ comics
    • graphic novels
    • toys and models

    Good Games

    This shop is a haven for lovers of board games, tabletop games and puzzles. It’s more than just a store: it’s a gathering place for like-minded gamers. They run regular events for fans of:

    • Star Wars Unlimited
    • Magic: The Gathering

    Jolt Games

    Visit this Mitchell store to shop from:

    • role playing games
    • tabletop games
    • trading card games
    • boardgames

    Plus, they have a dedicated gaming area where they host regular game nights and events.

    Canberra Geek Markets

    It’s more than just a market: it’s a free pop culture extravaganza. Shop for geeky merchandise from local and interstate creators. Meet likeminded geeks, comic artists and cosplayers.

    Keep your eye on the Geek Markets website for market dates.

    Read more like this:

    Get ACT news and events delivered straight to your inbox, sign up to our email newsletter:


    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Med school proposals discussed

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    ​​The “Task Group on New Medical School” today met the three universities that have submitted proposals for the establishment of a third medical school.

    Co-chaired by Secretary for Health Prof Lo Chung-mau and Secretary for Education Choi Yuk-Lin, the discussions were focused on proposals from the Baptist University, the Polytechnic University and the University of Science & Technology.

    Prof Lo said that during the exercise the task group’s expert advisers and representatives from various bureaus conducted fruitful exchanges with the university representatives on matters including strategic positioning, curriculum structure and assessment methodologies, and financial sustainability.

    The task group also took the opportunity to better understand the preparatory work and resource plans underpinning each proposal. This includes collaboration models involving local and non-local partners, the allocation of resources for curriculum software and hardware, teaching manpower, and student recruitment and training.

    Prof Lo added that the task group will increase speed and efficiency in the next phase, adopting a holistic and integrated approach to assessing the proposals, with a view to completing the assessments within the current year and recommending to the Government the option that best supports Hong Kong’s development into an international medical training, research and innovation hub.

    Ms Choi highlighted that the 2024-2035 master plan for building China into a leading country in education strives to accelerate the development of world-class universities and advanced disciplines. To tie in with this important blueprint, she added, Hong Kong is preparing to establish a third medical school to further enhance its status as an international post-secondary education hub.

    Strategically located in the Northern Metropolis University Town, the new medical school will have immense potential to foster synergy among academia, the research community and industry within the vicinity and the wider Greater Bay Area, Ms Choi added.     

    The task group issued a letter of invitation on December 2 last year to all University Grants Committee-funded universities. The letter invited local universities interested in taking the new medical school project forward to submit proposals by March 17 this year. Three proposals were received by the deadline.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Albanese’s government might not thrill, but it has shown unity and competence – and that’s no mean feat

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Frank Bongiorno, Professor of History, ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences, Australian National University

    The Coalition’s election campaign of 2025 has a strong claim to be considered among the worst since federation. I know of none more shambolic. Barely a day passed without some new misstep or about-face, some embarrassing revelation about a candidate, some new policy condemned by experts as half-baked, uncosted or worse. Three years of waiting for Labor and Anthony Albanese to fall over instead of doing serious policy work came home to roost, and the chicken concerned was very ugly.

    The campaign more generally was nothing to write home about. From the preoccupations of the major players, if you didn’t already know, you’d hardly have guessed that the wider world was in the midst of its greatest convulsions since the second world war, as the United States retreated from its longstanding global role into protectionism and isolationism, abandoning and bullying old friends and allies, helping rivals and enemies, upending international trade, and dismantling democracy and the rule of law.

    The government assured voters it had everything in hand, adopting a small-target re-election strategy, to pair with its similar 2022 approach. Albanese invariably looked solid and prime ministerial. There was no fumbling the figures on the level of unemployment or the Reserve Bank cash rate this time.

    Like the Coalition, Labor threw itself enthusiastically into a spendathon. It did not take major policy reform into the campaign. We live in the shadow of the two elections that saw parties with policy ambition suffer humiliating defeat: the Coalition in 1993 and Labor in 2019. That made the Coalition’s policy of building nuclear power plants foolhardy rather than brave.

    Trump’s shadow followed Peter Dutton everywhere, making a small-target strategy unviable for the Coalition. On Trump, Dutton sometimes sounded a bit like Saint Peter thrice denying he knew Jesus Christ, but he reverted to type as the campaign wore on by playing up favoured culture war topics of the moment, such as winding back Indigenous Welcomes to Country.

    But the Liberals’ biggest mistake – the one on which all others would be built – occurred three years ago, on May 30 2022.

    Dutton, unopposed as the Liberal Party’s new leader, told his first press conference that his policies would be aimed at the “forgotten people” of the suburbs. It was a pitch so hackneyed as to be barely worth attention. But it was also a strange thing to say given the reality of the situation his party then faced – and still faces today.

    Hackneyed, because Dutton’s promise recalled the Liberal Party’s talismanic foundational document, Robert Menzies’ “The Forgotten People”, broadcast 80 years before to the very month. But strange because the Coalition had been in office for nine years. If there were indeed “forgotten people” in the nation’s suburbs, the Coalition had surely enjoyed ample opportunity to remember them.

    It was strange for another reason, too: the Liberal Party had just been devastated by the loss of its traditional urban heartland, Menzies’ old seat of Kooyong among the casualties. The residents of these electorates – most of them not far from city centres – may well have felt “forgotten”, but not in the sense Dutton imagined. They felt their values and interests were not reflected in the modern Liberal Party.

    It is worth revisiting what Dutton said on that occasion, because it seems to have guided his whole pitch as opposition leader ever since:

    I’m not giving up on any seat, but I do want to send a very clear message to those in the suburbs, particularly those in seats where there has been a swing against the Labor Party on their primary vote, in many parts of the country.

    The emphasis here was not really on winning back teal seats. They received just a grudging nod of acknowledgement. For Dutton, it was all about going out into the suburbs and winning seats held by Labor. And true to form, teal seats received very little of his campaign attention during the 2025 campaign.

    This was a foolish strategy of avoidance for which Dutton and the Liberal Party have now paid a heavy price. The Coalition’s journey took it into support for nuclear power, blaming housing shortages on immigration, and opposing a First Nations Voice to Parliament – the latter an issue the Coalition even desperately sought to revive against Labor during the campaign.

    The Voice referendum nurtured the illusion that the six in ten “no” voters were ripe for Coalition picking. Wiser heads might have noticed Labor continued to rule for eight years after the Hawke government was humiliated at a 1988 referendum, and Menzies was prime minister for 15 years following his Communist Party referendum defeat.

    Wiser heads might also have noticed that the Coalition’s only path back to power demanded it address its losses in the more affluent metropolitan seats won by Independents, Labor and the Greens. Short of huge and unlikely advances in the outer suburbs and regional cities and towns, the Liberals need to win metropolitan seats with high proportions of well-off, well-educated, socially progressive and younger voters to be competitive for majority government.

    Still, that was a hard ask in three years. It nonetheless left a chance of minority Coalition government, which many pundits believed a distinct possibility for much of 2024 and early 2025.

    But where were the Coalition’s votes on the floor of the House going to come from, if not from teal and teal-like independents? The Greens? Hardly. It would have made a great deal of sense to pitch policies that might help to win over community independents and their supporters.

    Instead, the Coalition alienated them, such as by joining with Labor to produce an ineffectual National Anti-Corruption Commission and new electoral finance laws opposed by the teals.

    The Liberals and Nationals made little effort to attract women voters – indeed, policies such as opposing working from home alienated them – and they wandered off on their nuclear frolic. Dutton flirted with Trumpish policies on reducing immigration and public service cuts, before retreating on the latter but in such a confused manner as to leave voters without a clue what his intentions actually were.



    Read more:
    When ‘equal’ does not mean ‘the same’: Liberals still do not understand their women problem

    And as the Liberals’ election campaign unravelled, its friends in the right-wing media continued to campaign relentlessly against the teals. There was no method to this madness, unless it was shoring up the Coalition against possible depredations on its dwindling voting base from parties further to the right.

    It is not that Labor was invincible. Its majority was the narrowest of any first-term government since 1913. It was under pressure in normally friendly Victoria. It lost momentum through the Voice referendum. Interest rates intensified mortgage stress. People complained they could afford a visit to neither the supermarket nor the doctor’s surgery. There was growing unease about immigration levels, and continuing frustration at the lack of housing.

    The contest for government, however, is still largely a two-horse race and each of the major party leaders is the main bearer of their side’s colours. Dutton and the Liberals failed to do the hard yakka on policy, ideology, image or strategy.

    Dutton himself continued to worry many voters as a risky proposition or worse. The few weeks of the election campaign itself seemed more consequential than most in living memory because it so amply demonstrated his lack of fitness for prime ministerial leadership.

    For Labor, the Rudd and Gillard years remain the central reference in modern political history, formative of their understanding of what not to do in government if you want to be treated respectfully by voters.

    In contrast, in the past three years, Labor established an image of unity and competence. We should not underestimate this achievement. It amounted to a significant rebuilding of the Labor brand.

    “You campaign in poetry, you govern in prose,” New York governor Mario Cuomo was fond of saying. Labor has defied him: it campaigns and governs in prose.

    But perhaps that’s what those fabled punters want: not a Trump-inspired disruptor, nor a radical visionary, but the kind of bloke you’d trust with your tax return.

    The times ahead will call for more.

    Frank Bongiorno 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. Albanese’s government might not thrill, but it has shown unity and competence – and that’s no mean feat – https://theconversation.com/albaneses-government-might-not-thrill-but-it-has-shown-unity-and-competence-and-thats-no-mean-feat-254570

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Labor wins with a superior campaign and weak opposition – now it’s time to make the second term really matter

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Chris Wallace, Professor, School of Politics Economics & Society, Faculty of Business Government & Law, University of Canberra

    Superior campaigning by the Labor machine, a lift in the personal performance of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, and a woeful campaign by Opposition Leader Peter Dutton have seen Labor re-elected for a second term.

    Albanese will go down as one of the luckiest Labor leaders in Australian political history. He faced two deeply unpopular and somewhat odd Coalition leaders – Scott Morrison in 2022 and Dutton in 2025 – and edged out both to first win, and now retain, power. Dutton even lost his seat.

    Albanese was lucky, too, that the distress and dysfunction evident in the United States in the first 100 days of the Trump administration made voters reluctant to risk a version of that under the Trumpesque Dutton in Australia.

    His luck was compounded by the Liberal team’s shocking underperformance, along with that of Dutton personally. Policy reversals, ineffective advertising and an overall lack of focus blighted their campaign from the outset.

    In contrast, Labor National Secretary Paul Erickson and key party figures combined to ensure the government got the jump on the Coalition before the election was imminent. This included getting Albanese onto the hustings early in the new year, making policy announcements that demonstrated a commitment to build Australia’s future.

    Albanese himself shook off the torpor evident since the failed Voice referendum campaign and presented a more energetic and congenial face to Australians than the awkward and floundering Dutton.

    For the first time in many elections, Labor produced memorable, cut-through advertising with its “He cuts. You pay.” ad, designed to persuade voters they would be worse off under the Coalition.

    The swing to Labor was a big turnaround in the fortunes of a party that only months ago looked at risk of struggling to achieve even minority government. As in last month’s Canadian election, the long shadow of Donald Trump helped secure victory for an incumbent government against a Trumpesque opposition.

    Dutton flip-flopped under pressure between masking his usual right-wing approach and reverting to type with hardline positions of limited appeal to swinging voters. The more Australians saw of him during the campaign, the worse his net approval rating became.

    The Coalition’s election postmortem is likely to hinge on the mystery of why, given the scores of interest rate rises since the previous election and misery experienced by so many Australians as a result, it did not simply hammer the cost of living as its return ticket to power.

    It should also dwell on the lesson that a leader and policies that please local oligarchs and right-wing media echo chambers make winning the centre ground needed for election victory in Australia hard.

    That one-third of Australians gave an independent or minor party candidate their first preference vote should be the focus of serious contemplation by the major parties, even by Labor in victory.

    The crossbench will remain sizeable in the 150-member House of Representatives, though without the balance of power eagerly sought by the teal and orange independents. The Senate will continue to be a challenge for the government to get its bills through.

    One clear message is that voters aren’t impressed by the leaders the major parties are offering.

    Albanese campaigned well, and got better as the election went on. However, like Dutton, he remained in net negative approval territory. In the final Newspoll of the campaign, published on election day, Albanese and Dutton had –10% and –27% net approval ratings, respectively. Both leaders were a drag on their party’s vote.

    Labor’s low primary, but emphatic two party-preferred vote signals Australians want it in office but expect more than tinkering around the edges. The Albanese government will be expected to come up with structural solutions that meet contemporary Australians’ real needs in this second term.

    With his re-election as prime minister, Albanese can be confident and secure in his governing style, giving talented frontbenchers more scope to develop the deeper policy solutions Australians seek.

    That increased security will also enable him to drop the petty persecution of rivals that gives voters an insight into the lesser side of the sunny personality he publicly presents.

    Whether he does either of those things will remain to be seen.

    Labor MPs will also have to play their role properly in this term of government.

    Slavish quiescence to an all-powerful prime minister produces paltry results. Caucus needs to get elbows up with the re-elected Albanese and make sure he doesn’t clock off between elections like he appeared to at times last time around.

    Chris Wallace has received funding from the Australian Research Council.

    – ref. Labor wins with a superior campaign and weak opposition – now it’s time to make the second term really matter – https://theconversation.com/labor-wins-with-a-superior-campaign-and-weak-opposition-now-its-time-to-make-the-second-term-really-matter-255516

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Dutton and the Coalition did not do the work, and misread the Australian mood

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Kenny, Professor, Australian Studies Institute, Australian National University

    The former federal director of the Liberal Party, Brian Loughnane, used to tell media companies that their practice of commissioning expensive opinion polls right through a parliamentary term was a waste of money.

    Election 2025 seemed to vindicate his charge. For example, polls conducted within sight of the election – since about February this year – returned markedly different results from those that had been breathlessly reported through 2024.

    A rigorous strategist, Loughnane had reasoned that the central polling task of establishing “who you would vote for were an election held this Saturday” prompts a meaningful answer only when an election is actually about to occur. Midway through a term, voters simply see the question as a hypothetical exercise limited to assessing the incumbent government’s performance.

    Come the campaign, though, considerations shift to stereo. Inexorably, voters’ attention expands to include the would-be government: the opposition. What are its solutions? Is it really ready for office? And perhaps most crucially, who is its leader, this person insisting on becoming prime minister?

    This electoral reckoning – a turning point from the abstract to the applied – is where Peter Dutton’s three-year strategy started to come unstitched.

    The conservative Queenslander had risen in the polls through 2024, buoyed by his surprisingly effective dismantling of the Voice in the 2023. He had been lifted further by the Albanese government’s handling the cost-of-living crisis. Dutton’s team was uncommonly unified, his focus laser-like on Labor’s shortcomings.

    As 2025 approached, Dutton looked to be in a strong position, drawing encouragement from the success of populist right-wing parties across the democratic world. These victories suggested Dutton had a winning formula – a pitch consistent with the populist-nationalist zeitgeist.

    The biggest of these international success stories, the barnstorming election of US President Donald Trump in November 2024, lifted right-wing spirits into the stratosphere.

    Trump’s defiant return was a frontal repudiation of liberal elites and their priorities around climate change, procedural governance, feminism and other identity-based politics.

    To Dutton, this new, brash and disruptive electoral mood felt propitious. He faced a uncharismatic opponent, widely perceived as weak, during a cost-of-living crunch. Voters were angry at the government. The opposition leader had the wind at his back. He told his colleagues he would win. Albanese was “weak, woke, and sending you broke”.

    More explicitly, he praised Trump as “shrewd” and a “big thinker”, and when tariffs were placed on Australian imports to the US, Dutton hinted he would have secured exemptions because of his ideological like-mindedness with the president.

    Actions followed.

    Within days of Trump’s headline-grabbing appointment of Elon Musk to lead a department of government efficiency, Dutton followed suit, promoting the Indigenous hero of the anti-Voice campaign, Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa-Price, to his shadow cabinet in charge of government efficiency.

    He would go on to announce a consciously Trumpian-sounding plan to slash Australia’s public service jobs by 41,000, and another policy to end work-from-home arrangements. The latter proved so disastrous he was forced into an embarrassing backdown on it.

    Fuelling his growing ebullience, Dutton unwisely favoured soft-ball interviews with conservative backers on Sky News and talkback radio. Where orthodox media interviews might have sharpened his communication skills and also alerted him to holes or excesses in his suite of policies, Dutton received pats on the back and encouragement to go harder.

    This meant he came away even more convinced that the times were suiting him, and that the prize of unseating a first-term government for the first time since the Great Depression was within reach.

    By the time the pace lifted and the scrutiny intensified as the election campaign neared, the weaknesses in Dutton’s campaign were structural and impossible to hide.

    Trump had trashed the global trading system. He insulted America’s closest and most dutiful friends, Australia included.

    Polls showed that Australians saw Trump as a threat. Dutton had backed the wrong horse.

    A preoccupation with attacking the Albanese government rather than undertaking the detailed policy development work needed for government – replete with potentially difficult internal disputes both within the Liberal Party and within the Coalition – had left Dutton with a thin offering to voters.

    And an unwillingness to brook these searching introspections also left Dutton with an overly compliant and unimpressive frontbench.

    In policy terms, this thinness led to election commitments that had not been adequately stress-tested. Some would draw fire and be abandoned while others would be announced and then de-emphasised, effectively back-officed for the campaign.

    On personnel, most shadow ministers were kept out of the national campaign spotlight. This was either because they were consumed with their own electoral survival, were considered by Dutton’s office to be incompetent, or simply because there was insufficient policy meat to defend within their allotted area of responsibility.

    This meant an ever-greater “presidential” focus on Dutton, even as he became a net drag on the Coalition vote. The Liberal Party’s polling must have identified his low standing, yet still the campaign remained unusually focused around him as leader. A stark measure of how crazy-brave this was came on election night when Dutton lost his seat (Dickson). Albanese had made a point of going straight to Dickson as his first move on day one of the campaign, and returned there at the end.

    When policy promises were announced, they tended to be late in the campaign, swamped by other events, or lost in public holiday periods (Easter and Anzac Day).

    The late-to-very-late release of policy fuelled criticism that Team Dutton was not confident of its own programs and wanted to attract as little attention as possible.

    Thus a major $21 billion increase in defence spending came with scant detail in the penultimate week, sandwiched between public holidays and after early voting had already begun. It attracted little sustained attention.

    An otherwise attention-grabbing proposal to legalise the sale of vaping products outside of pharmacies to better regulate its harm and derive billions in revenue, lobbed on Thursday afternoon of the final week. Millions of Australians had already voted. It suggested even Dutton was sheepish about its virtues.

    While a public service work-from-home ban was abandoned mid-campaign amid a backlash, public service job cuts, a policy that initially had been regarded as a positive was softened to apply only to Canberra, to exempt front-line service jobs, and to be achieved only through attrition rather than sackings. Its cost savings were thrown into doubt.

    It became such a liability that even the Liberals’ ACT Senate candidate campaigned against it, putting him in the invidious position of effectively saying, “vote Liberal to give Canberrans better protection from the Liberals”.

    Dutton’s formal campaign was untidy and inept, but it was led by a man intent on bending the electorate to his will rather than building a broader constituency for his party’s worldview.

    In the end, the campaign asked to do too much after a wasted three years in which hard policy development was shirked, and tough decisions to strengthen an underperforming frontbench were avoided.

    Mark Kenny 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. Dutton and the Coalition did not do the work, and misread the Australian mood – https://theconversation.com/dutton-and-the-coalition-did-not-do-the-work-and-misread-the-australian-mood-255515

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Labor routs the Coalition as voters reject Dutton’s undercooked offering

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra

    In a dramatic parallel, what happened in Canada at the beginning of this week has now been replicated in Australia at the end of the week.

    An opposition that a few months ago had looked just possibly on track to dislodge the government, or at least run it close, has bombed spectacularly. Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has lost his Queensland seat of Dickson, as did the Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre in Canada.

    Far from being forced into minority government, as most observers had been expecting, Labor has increased its majority, with a substantial swing towards it.

    Its strong victory reflects not just the the voters’ judgement that the Coalition was not ready to govern. It was worse than that. People just didn’t rate the Coalition or its offerings.

    Multiple factors played into this debacle for the Coalition.

    A first-term government historically gets a chance of a second term.

    The Trump factor overshadowed this election. It made people feel it was best to stick with the status quo. People also were very suspicious of Dutton, whom they saw (despite disclaimers) as being too like the hardline US president.

    After the last election, Dutton was declared by many to be unelectable, and that proved absolutely to be the case, despite what turned out to be a misleading impression when the polls were so bad for Labor.

    Even if they’d had a very good campaign, the Coalition would probably not have had a serious chance of winning this election.

    But its campaign was woeful. The nuclear policy was a drag and a distraction. Holding back policy until late was a bad call. When the policies came, they were often thin and badly prepared. The ambitious defence policy had no detail. The gas reservation scheme had belated modelling.

    The forced backflip on working from home, and the late decision to offer a tax offset, were other examples of disaster in the campaign.

    Dutton must wear the main share of the blame. He kept strategy and tactics close to his chest.

    But the performance of the opposition frontbench, with a few exceptions, has been woeful. Shadow Treasurer Angus Taylor and finance spokeswoman Jane Hume have been no match for their Labor counterparts Jim Chalmers and Katy Gallagher.

    Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Labor ran a very disciplined campaign. Albanese himself performed much better than he did in 2022.

    Labor was helped by an interest rate cut in February and the prospect of another to come later this month.

    Albanese transformed himself, or was transformed, from last year to this year.

    The cost of living presented a huge hurdle for Labor, but the government was able to point to relief it had given on energy bills, tax and much else. The Coalition had opposed several of Labor’s measures and was left trying to play catch-up at the end.

    The Liberal Party now has an enormous task to rebuild. The “target the suburbs” strategy has failed. At the same time, the old inner-city Liberal heartland is deeply teal territory.

    Hume said, in an unfortunately colourful comment, on Friday, “You do not read the entrails until you have gutted the chicken”.

    The chicken has now been gutted. There will be a much more bitter post mortem than in 2022. The leadership choices are less than optimal for the party: Angus Taylor? Andrew Hastie? Sussan Ley?

    An interesting thought: if Josh Frydenberg had held his seat in 2022, and led the Liberal party to this election, would be result have been better? One thing is clear: Frydenberg took the right decision in not recontesting Kooyong, which teal Monique Ryan has held.

    Anyway, who would want to lead the Liberals at this moment?

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

    – ref. Labor routs the Coalition as voters reject Dutton’s undercooked offering – https://theconversation.com/labor-routs-the-coalition-as-voters-reject-duttons-undercooked-offering-255617

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Labor wins surprise landslide, returned with a thumping majority

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

    With 52% of enrolled voters counted, The Poll Bludger has Labor ahead in 92 of the 150 House of Representatives seats, the Coalition in 43, the Greens in two, independents in 11 and others in two. In called seats, Labor is on 76 (already a majority), the Coalition 32, independents six and others two.

    Labor has gained ten seats and the Coalition has lost ten, including Peter Dutton’s Dickson to Labor. It’s amazing that Labor has held the Victorian seat of Aston, which they had gained from the Coalition during Labor’s honeymoon period.

    The Poll Bludger gives Labor a projected national two-party preferred vote of 54.5–45.5, a 2.4% swing to Labor since the 2022 election. Current primary votes are 34.7% Labor (up 2.3%), 30.5% Coalition (down 3.9%), 12.8% Greens (up 0.3%), 6.2% One Nation (up 1.3%), 2.0% Trumpet of Patriots (new), 8.1% independents (up 4.5%) and 5.8% others (up 0.6%).

    I believe this election result was mostly because Dutton became too close to One Nation and Donald Trump for the Australian people to tolerate. Dutton would have done better to have stuck to the cost-of-living issue and avoided culture wars.

    With the addition of the YouGov poll below, Albanese finished the campaign at a net -4.2 using an average of five polls in the final week that asked for leaders’ ratings. Dutton finished at -20.8.

    The Canadian election on Monday and now Australia’s election demonstrate the left’s ability to win elections. Many thought Trump’s election would herald an era of right-wing dominance, but both Canada’s Conservatives and Australia’s Coalition lost what had looked like wins two months ago. Both leaders also lost their seats.

    Before the 2022 Australian election, I wrote that Australia and Canada could be strong for the left owing to big cities that make up a large share of the population in both countries. The right’s gains in the last decade have been biggest in regional areas.

    The polls understated Labor at this election, with none of the ten polls by different pollsters conducted in the final week putting Labor’s two party share above 53%. The Morgan poll that was conducted April 14–20 gave Labor a 55.5–44.5 lead, but Morgan’s final two polls retreated back to a 53–47 Labor lead.

    The Ipsos poll below that gave Labor just a 51–49 lead and the Freshwater poll that gave Labor a 51.5–48.5 lead were particularly poor. I will give a full assessment of the polling when the results are nearly complete.

    This is the poll graph I’ve been publishing with the provisional Labor two-party win by 54.5–45.5 marked.

    More final polls

    The polls below were not released in time for Friday night’s final poll wrap.

    The final national YouGov non-MRP poll, conducted April 24 to May 1 from a sample of 3,000, gave Labor a 52.2–47.8 lead, a 1.3-point gain for the Coalition since the April 17–22 YouGov poll.

    Primary votes were 31.4% Coalition (up 0.4), 31.1% Labor (down 2.4), 14.6% Greens (up 0.6), 8.5% One Nation (down two), 2.5% Trumpet of Patriots (up 0.5), 6.7% independents (up 1.7) and 5.2% others (up 1.2). By 2022 election flows, Labor would lead by 54.2–45.8.

    Anthony Albanese’s net approval was up one point to -6, with 49% dissatisfied and 43% satisfied. Peter Dutton’s net approval slumped six points to a record low in YouGov of -24. Albanese led Dutton as better PM by 51–34 (50–35 previously).

    A national Ipsos poll for The Daily Mail was released Friday without fieldwork dates provided, but the sample was 2,574. Labor led by 51–49 from primary votes of 33% Coalition, 28% Labor, 12% Greens, 8% One Nation, 2% Trumpet of Patriots, 12% for all Others and 5% undecided.

    Ipsos has conducted Australian polling before, but this was its only voting intentions poll this term. Its previous two polls for The Daily Mail had only asked about the leaders’ ratings.

    The final wave of the tracking poll of 20 marginal seats by Redbridge and Accent Research for the News Corp tabloids gave Labor a 53–47 lead across these seats, a 1.5-point gain for the Coalition since the previous week.

    Primary votes were 34% Coalition (steady), 33% Labor (down two), 12% Greens (down two), 6% One Nation (down one) and 15% for all Others (up five). These seats voted for Labor by 51–49 at the 2022 election, so this poll has a 2% swing to Labor across these seats.

    Labor won nationally in 2022 by 52.1–47.9, so this poll implies about a 54–46 Labor national margin.

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

    – ref. Labor wins surprise landslide, returned with a thumping majority – https://theconversation.com/labor-wins-surprise-landslide-returned-with-a-thumping-majority-255518

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Global: UK local elections delivered record-breaking fragmentation of the vote

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Hannah Bunting, Senior Lecturer in Quantitative British Politics and Co-director of The Elections Centre, University of Exeter

    If there were such a thing as landslide victories for local elections, Reform could easily claim to have won one in 2025. Out of the 1,641 seats available, Nigel Farage’s party came away with 677 – that’s more than 41%. The Liberal Democrats came second with 370 (a net gain of 163). Overall, only a quarter of seats went to the two main parties combined – the Conservatives on 319 (down 677) and Labour 98 (down 189).

    Looking at the ward-level results shows that the voting patterns in 2025 were very different to those seen at any other local election. It’s clear that this election broke records for the extent of fragmentation – a significant movement away from the dominance of the two parties that have dominated British politics for the past century.

    There are several ways to measure this. One method is by looking at the two-party vote share, this is because fragmentation occurs when voters have a greater number of parties to choose from and opt for parties other than Conservative and Labour when casting their ballots. Analysis of 1,282 wards in the 2025 local election shows the average two-party vote share was just 36.8%. That’s the lowest it’s ever been since Labour established itself as a main party. In fact, it’s never before been lower than 50% – and the 2025 figure is a full 20 points below the previous record of 56.9%, set in 2013 when UKIP did well.

    Conservative + Labour vote share across 80 years of local elections

    How the combined vote share of the Conservatives and Labour has fluctuated across 80 years.
    The Elections Centre, CC BY-SA

    Another method is by looking at the vote share that the winning party received in each ward. If that’s high, it means most people rallied around a single party with their votes, whereas a low winner’s vote share means a person was elected with low levels of support from the electorate. Remember, the first-past-the-post electoral system only requires a plurality of votes, and not a majority.

    Winning vote shares across 80 years of local elections

    The vote share taken by the winning party in local elections across 80 years.
    The Elections Centre, CC BY-ND

    Again, 2025 is the lowest in comparable history. The average winner’s vote share was just 40.7%, meaning three in five people did not vote for the party who won. The most similar years were during the height of UKIP’s popularity, in 2013 and 2014, before the announcement that the Brexit referendum would take place if the Conservatives won the 2015 general election. Whereas for the locals it was Reform who won most of the seats, at the 2024 general election it was Labour. However, in July 2024, it was the first time that the average winning party’s vote share fell below 40% in 30 years of general elections.

    Want more politics coverage from academic experts? Every week, we bring you informed analysis of developments in government and fact check the claims being made.

    Sign up for our weekly politics newsletter, delivered every Friday.

    We can also observe fragmentation using the majorities secured by winning parties – if they are decisive victories, there’ll be a greater majority. The average winning majority was just 11.6% at the 2025 local election. It breaks another record, being the lowest since 1914, with 2005 and 2013 being the closest comparable years.

    Majority size across 80 years of local elections

    Majorities secured by the winning party across 80 years of local elections.
    The Elections Centre, CC BY-ND

    A final method considers the “effective number of electoral parties” (ENEP) at the ward level. This measure calculates how many political parties made an impact on a result, meaning that a high figure shows multiple parties received significant vote share, and a low figure denotes most people voting for a single party.

    It’s no surprise that 2025 saw the highest ever average ENEP at a local election, coming in at 3.35. Only twice has this figure been above three, as in 2013 it was 3.02.

    Effective number of parties across 80 years of local elections

    The number of parties making an electoral impact in local elections across 80 years.
    The Elections Centre, CC BY-ND

    Long-term trends

    I’ve been talking about the fragmentation of British electoral politics for a long time. It was the topic of my PhD thesis, which I started writing (at least in earnest) seven years ago. It’s not a new phenomenon. Its shape, however, along with its impact, has morphed over the years. We know it’s driven by a weakened attachment to political parties and that it’s exacerbated by electoral shocks. We know that it makes elections more competitive but that it decreases turnout.



    Read more:
    Low turnout in the 2024 election may have been due to undecided voters being overwhelmed by choice

    The British electoral system is meant to produce decisive governments – at any level – and this tends to be centred around two main parties. This meant that for a long time the Conservatives and Labour received the overwhelming majority of all votes cast, subsequently also winning almost every seat. Those days appear to be over. First came the fragmented general election, and now it’s at the local level too.

    Hannah Bunting receives funding from the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC).

    – ref. UK local elections delivered record-breaking fragmentation of the vote – https://theconversation.com/uk-local-elections-delivered-record-breaking-fragmentation-of-the-vote-255841

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Get ready for the 2025 school year

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    In Brief:

    • The 2025 public school year begins for new students on the 3 February and continuing students on 4 February.
    • This story contains key dates and information for families.

    Canberra families are about to start another school year.

    Here is everything you need to know to help you plan for the 2025 school year.

    Student-free days and start of term

    There are four student-free days each year for ACT public schools. These are the first day of each school term.

    Student-free days are for staff development, enabling teachers and schools to plan in a student-free environment.

    Friday 31 January will be a student-free day.

    On Monday 3 February, new students will start school. Continuing students will return to school on Tuesday 4 February 2025.

    Other term dates for the 2025 school year:

    • Friday 11 April – Term 1 ends
    • Tuesday 29 April – Term 2 begins (students start school)
    • Friday 4 July – Term 2 ends
    • Tuesday 22 July – Term 3 begins (students start school)
    • Friday 26 September – Term 3 ends
    • Tuesday 14 October – Term 4 begins (students start school)
    • Thursday 18 December – Term 4 ends.

    Visit the Term Dates page for all school term dates.

    Financial assistance

    The Future of Education Equity Fund (Equity Fund) offers eligible families financial support to help with school essentials. It supports the more vulnerable families in our community.

    Low-income families of students – from preschool through to year 12 – can receive a one-off, annual payment. This is to help cover the costs of schooling, such as:

    • uniforms
    • sport equipment and activities
    • tuition
    • music lessons.

    The Equity Fund payments are $400 (preschool), $500 (primary school), and $750 (high school and college level, including CIT Year 11 and 12).

    Equity Fund applications for the 2025 school year are now open.

    Families can apply for all eligible students in their family in the one application, regardless of whether they attend different schools.

    School staff are also able to help families to apply.

    Applications close in November 2025.

    Find out more about eligibility criteria and how to apply online.

    Parent Portal

    The Parent Portal is now available across all ACT public schools.

    The portal allows secure sharing of information between parents/carers and teachers/schools online or via the Sentra for Parents app.

    Parents and carers only need to sign up once, and can add multiple children to one account.

    Find out more about the Parent Portal app.

    Building Strong Foundations for literacy and numeracy

    ACT public schools with preschool to year 2 students will receive extra funding for additional evidence-informed literacy and numeracy resources.

    These resources will be in place for preschool to year 2 classrooms for the start of the 2025 school year.

    Read more about the ACT Government’s Strong Foundations program.

    Wellbeing for students

    A new school year can be tough for some students, whether they are:

    • starting a new school
    • moving into high school or college
    • just dealing with any of the life changes thrown their way.

    The ACT Government has online resources that could be helpful in starting conversations on finding ways to support them.

    Visit the Education website to watch a video series on supporting an anxious child, and to access a mindfulness podcast series.

    Asthma management

    If your child has asthma, the start of the school year is a good time to make sure you’re managing it.

    You may wish to:

    • book an asthma review with your child’s GP
    • update your child’s asthma action plan with their GP
    • make sure the school has your child’s reliever medication and spacer
    • talk to school staff
    • book an appointment with one of the asthma nurse educators at Canberra Health Services.

    Learn more about children’s asthma education services.

    Child development

    Are you concerned about your child’s development? The start of a new year is a good time to contact the Child Development Service, to access free drop-in clinics and assessments.

    Find out more about the Child Development Service

    Healthy lunches

    Find tips on how to pack a healthy lunchbox on ACT Health’s Fresh Tastes Lunchboxes website.

    It includes a Grab and Go shopping list and tips for a waste-free lunchbox. You’ll also find tips on which food groups to include and how to swap for healthier options.

    Looking for more healthy lunchbox tips? Try the Cancer Council’s Healthy Lunch Box Builder. It’s a great tool to help build a lunchbox so your child can get a healthy brain boost throughout the school day.

    Free three-year-old preschool

    ACT three-year-olds can now benefit from 300 hours of free preschool at over 140 locations.

    This will save the average family around $1,329 a year.

    Read more and find where to access three-year-old preschool.

    Period products at all schools

    In 2023 the ACT Government passed new legislation to make free period products available at a range of community locations across the ACT for anyone who needs them.

    This includes at every ACT public school, which is something we already do as a system, and will continue to do.

    Pads and tampons are available in ACT public high schools, colleges, and combined schools. Pads are available in ACT public primary schools.

    They can be accessed at any time during the school day from the school front office.

    The Education Directorate will continue to work with ACT Health to ensure age-appropriate information on menstrual hygiene is available for students through our schools.

    Read more about free period products.

    40 km/h school zones

    Road safety is everyone’s responsibility. As students return to school, remember to slow down and stick to the 40 km/h limit around schools between 8am and 4pm.

    Mobile speed vans and police regularly patrol school zones. Let’s all slow down and support kids’ safety.

    Back to school with Transport Canberra

    The regular bus network and timetable will return from Monday 3 February 2025 including dedicated school services and ‘S’ trips which divert into schools. Please check your timetable so you are prepared and ready.

    Students can download the MyWay+ app and use the real time journey planner for a simply way to plan and pay for their trip to school.

    All school students receive a discounted fare when using MyWay+. Student concession MyWay+ travel cards purchased in 2024 and 2025 have an extended expiry date until 1 January 2026. If you would like to check the concession status of a card, please create a MyWay+ account and link the travel card to it. Alternatively, go to a MyWay+ retail outlet to check.

    You can get a new student concession MyWay+ travel card for your child from MyWay+ retail outlets. Please note that secondary and tertiary students must provide proof of concessions at time of purchase to get the correct concession applied to the card.

    To top up their MyWay+ travel card please go to a MyWay+ retail outlet or top up online through a MyWay+ account or the ‘quick top up’ option on the portal.

    Whilst Transport Canberra are not charging penalty fares at the moment, it wants to obtain the most accurate data possible and encourage best practice for all students. Please remember to tap on and off with the same device when your trip starts and ends.

    *Secondary students will need to carry their student ID card with them when travelling on the bus and light rail if they are using a MyWay+ concession account/travel card.

    Transport Canberra is working to improve the MyWay+ system by allowing primary account holders, like parents or carers, to link multiple MyWay+ accounts. This is about to undergo testing with the community prior to launching over the next couple of months.

    Transport Canberra will be taking an educative approach whilst the community and its workforce adjust to the change. Please be assured that kids can continue to travel on buses and light rail services. No child will be left behind.

    Parents of primary school students, please refer to your school’s pack for travel details.

    You can also plan your trip back to school with Transport Canberra’s Journey Planner.

    Find out more about going back to school with Transport Canberra.

    Parking around schools

    The start of the school year is a particularly busy time in Canberra’s school carparks and surrounding streets.

    Unsafe and illegal parking reduces visibility for students and motorists. This creates a hazard when students cross the road.

    Parking inspectors and license plate recognition vehicles will be out and about enforcing safe parking around schools.

    For drop-offs and pick-ups, arrange a meeting spot, arrive after the rush, or park a little further away from the school and walk with your kids the rest of the way.

    Read more like this:

    Get ACT news and events delivered straight to your inbox, sign up to our email newsletter:


    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI: DataGlobal Hub Is Virtualizing Entertainment and Educational Experiences

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    PHOENIX, May 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — As the digital frontier continues to expand, DataGlobal Hub is championing the transformation of how we learn, connect, and experience innovation through our AI-driven platforms, media initiatives, and global partnerships, virtualizing learning and engagement in ways that make AI knowledge more dynamic, inclusive, and impactful than ever before.

    Following our successful participation at MelaninCON 2025—the premier summit celebrating Millennial and Gen-Z Black Excellence and entrepreneurship—DataGlobal Hub proudly awarded one-year full-access scholarships to 20 emerging leaders. Courtesy of Datacamp, the scholarships provided access to over 500 Data, Tech, and AI courses, aligning with our mission to democratize technology and AI opportunities. Represented by Mojeed Abisiga – CEO & Co-founder and Justin Lewis – COO & Co-founder, this initiative reflects DataGlobal Hub’s commitment to empowering the world with what they need to know about AI.

    Building on this momentum, DataGlobal Hub will debut additional scholarships valued at over $598,000 during the upcoming Phoenix Tech Festival.

    Phoenix Tech Festival 2025: Igniting Ideas, Showcasing Innovation, and Building Tomorrow

    Taking place May 10, 2025, at the University of Advancing Technology in Tempe, Arizona, Phoenix Tech Festival offers a high-energy, immersive evening where attendees can engage in insightful AI discussions, hands-on tech showcases, and real conversations about the evolving digital landscape. From expert panels to dynamic exhibitions, the festival provides a space where ideas ignite, knowledge flows, and valuable connections are made.

    Conference Highlight

    Keynote Session by Richard H. Miller, Ex Senior Director Level Architect (Conversational Design for AI and NL) at Oracle “The Future Powered by AI”

    Expert Session: Designing exceptional AI user experiences and unlocking ChatGPT’s potential.

    Panel Discussion: “The Future of Technology, AI, and Innovation,” featuring leaders from WriteSea, Intel, REVOBOTS, University of Advancing Technology, Innov8ive Academy and more.

    Moderator: Tournd Bryn, City Lifestyle Magazine

    Cybersecurity & AI Expert Talk by Prof. Briant Becote, cybersecurity professor at the University of Advancing Technology and aerospace leader.

    Fireside Chat: “Beyond the Buzz: Real-World Content Creation with AI Tools for Brands That Need Results, Not Gimmicks,” featuring top creative strategists Brandon Falk and PJ Way.

    Doctoral Presentation: Using AI for stroke rehabilitation, by Prof. Matthew Prater.

    Workshops:

    Learn how Award-Winning AI Films are made: Behind the Scenes by PJ Way.

    AI-Driven Strategies to Scale to 7 Figures by Matt Burkett.

    Tech Showcase: Live demos from REVOBOTS, CEOPro.ai, DataRango, OPNRS, Team Paradise and Interview Buddy, showcasing real-world AI applications.

    Pitch Spotlight: Featuring breakthrough ideas from emerging innovators.

    Industry Insights Keynote: “Big Tech Sales Energy: The Secret Tech Job Nobody Talks About” by Argustic Dunbar, Senior RPA Developer and Founder of RPA University

    Afterparty: Featuring AI-generated art, music, networking, and speaker/ambassador photo booths at Sugar Cane Lounge & Cafe.

    Marketing Partnership

    We are also proud to partner with Metropolis Marketing, amplifying the reach of our vision and ensuring that our message of innovation and empowerment resonates across industries and communities.


    Call to Action

    Registration: Secure your spot now: https://dataglobalhub.org/events/phoenix-tech-festival

    Ticket price: $100

    Early bird offer: Get 20% off using promo code: data-head. Valid until May 5, 2025.

    After-party ticket costs $20.

    Scholarship Program: follow this link to enroll https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdErgV-pliKnHdbEK2IIbS98ww63OPL5T9YTwr9B1jwZHZL6A/viewform

    About DataGlobal Hub

    DataGlobal Hub is a trusted global media organization focused on news, analysis, and resources in the world of Data and Artificial Intelligence. Our mission is to empower individuals and organizations to thrive in the digital era through high-quality content, thought leadership, and community engagement. With a growing network of global experts and contributors, we remain committed to making AI knowledge practical, inclusive, and impactful.

    Learn More About DataGlobal Hub:
    Website: https://dataglobalhub.org
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dataglobalhub?igsh=YzljYTk1ODg3Zg==
    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/dataglobal-hub/
    X (Twitter): https://x.com/DataGlobalHub

    Media Contact
    Company Name: DataGlobal Hub
    Contact Person: Mojeed Abisiga, CEO
    Email: partnerships@dataglobalhub.org

    Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:
    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/a7d0e183-4e4c-4f7d-baec-885847872d5e
    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/3b8f92ad-65c0-4074-bdf2-b3b67d4ff61a

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: GoAuto Insurance Delivers Affordable Auto Coverage Solutions for Ohio Drivers

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    COLUMBUS, Ohio, May 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — As Ohio drivers face rising insurance costs and financial pressures, GoAuto Insurance has announced a significant expansion of its cheap auto insurance in Ohio. The company’s customer-first approach directly addresses the challenges many Ohio families experience when seeking quality coverage at reasonable rates.

    The initiative emphasizes GoAuto’s commitment to making comprehensive protection accessible to all Ohio drivers, with particular focus on serving the diverse needs of residents in major metropolitan areas like Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati, Akron, and Canton.

    “Ohio drivers shouldn’t have to choose between affordable premiums and quality coverage,” said a GoAuto Insurance representative. “Our expansion throughout Ohio is founded on the belief that reliable protection should be within reach for every driver, regardless of their budget constraints or location.”

    Reimagining Auto Insurance for Ohio’s Diverse Communities

    Market research consistently reveals that Ohio drivers face several common frustrations with traditional auto insurance: unnecessarily high premiums, complicated coverage structures, and inflexible payment requirements. GoAuto’s approach directly addresses these pain points through an innovative business model.

    The company’s cost-saving structure eliminates several factors that typically inflate insurance premiums:

    • Commission-Free Representation – By removing commissioned sales agents, GoAuto eliminates the financial incentives that often lead to unnecessary policy upselling, passing these savings directly to customers.
    • Essential Coverage Focus – Rather than automatically bundling policies with supplemental coverage elements that many drivers rarely use, GoAuto concentrates on providing essential protection without costly extras.
    • Accessible Down Payments – Recognizing that large initial payments create significant barriers, especially for households in cities like Cleveland and Akron where economic challenges persist, GoAuto offers substantially reduced down payment requirements.
    • Flexible Payment Structures – Understanding the diverse financial circumstances across Ohio communities, from urban Cincinnati to industrial Canton, the company provides customizable payment options that align with individual household budgets.

    “We’ve fundamentally rethought how auto insurance should work,” explained the GoAuto representative. “By eliminating unnecessary costs without compromising protection, we’re helping thousands of Ohio drivers maintain quality coverage while reducing their monthly expenses.”

    Tailored Solutions for Ohio’s Regional Driving Challenges

    Ohio’s varied geography and diverse communities present unique driving challenges that require specialized insurance considerations. From the dense urban traffic of Columbus to the industrial corridors of Canton and the seasonal weather challenges affecting Cleveland and Akron, GoAuto has developed coverage options that address these regional factors.

    Northeast Ohio Protection

    For drivers in Cleveland, Akron, and Canton, GoAuto offers coverage options that address the region’s specific challenges:

    • Winter Weather Considerations – Enhanced protection accounting for the lake effect snow that significantly impacts driving conditions throughout Northeast Ohio, particularly in Cleveland’s eastern suburbs.
    • Urban Traffic Solutions – Specialized coverage reflecting the congestion patterns of Cleveland’s downtown business district and Akron’s busy thoroughfares.
    • Industrial Area Coverage – Options designed for drivers regularly navigating Canton’s industrial zones and manufacturing districts, where commercial vehicle interaction creates unique risk profiles.

    Central Ohio Solutions

    Columbus drivers benefit from GoAuto’s understanding of Central Ohio’s distinctive driving environment:

    • Commuter Protection – Coverage options accounting for the extensive daily commuting throughout the Columbus metropolitan area, with its complex interstate system and growing suburban communities.
    • University Area Considerations – Specialized protection for vehicles operated in high-density areas around Ohio State University and other educational institutions.
    • Event Traffic Planning – Coverage that considers Columbus’s active calendar of sporting events, concerts, and conventions that regularly create distinctive traffic patterns throughout the city.

    Southwest Ohio Coverage

    Cincinnati residents access insurance solutions tailored to their region’s topography and driving patterns:

    • Hilly Terrain Protection – Coverage accounting for Cincinnati’s distinctive hills and their impact on driving conditions, particularly during adverse weather.
    • River Valley Considerations – Options reflecting the specific challenges of navigating the Ohio River valley, including fog and occasional flooding concerns.
    • Cross-State Travel Coverage – Protection for drivers regularly crossing into Kentucky and Indiana for work or leisure, ensuring seamless coverage across state lines.

    Meeting Ohio’s Insurance Requirements with Room for Personalization

    All GoAuto policies meet Ohio’s minimum insurance requirements of $25,000/$50,000/$25,000 for liability coverage. However, the company emphasizes the importance of considering personal circumstances when selecting coverage limits.

    “While meeting state requirements is essential, we encourage Ohio drivers to think carefully about their individual protection needs,” noted the GoAuto representative. “Our non-commissioned approach allows us to have honest conversations about appropriate coverage without the pressure to maximize policy costs.”

    This consultative approach proves particularly valuable in cities like Cleveland and Cincinnati, where diverse vehicle values, driving patterns, and risk exposures create widely varying insurance needs among residents.

    Celebrating National Car Care Month with Insurance Insights

    As April marks National Car Care Month, GoAuto Insurance is highlighting the important connection between proper vehicle maintenance and insurance costs. “Regular maintenance isn’t just good for your vehicle—it’s smart for your insurance premiums too,” explained the GoAuto representative. “Well-maintained vehicles are less likely to experience mechanical failures that lead to accidents, which can help keep claims and premiums lower over time.” The company encourages Ohio drivers to use this annual observance as a reminder to perform essential maintenance tasks like checking brakes, tires, fluids, and lights—investments that protect both their vehicles and their financial well-being through potentially lower insurance costs

    Economic Impact for Ohio Households

    The financial benefits of GoAuto’s approach are already evident across Ohio’s major metropolitan areas, with customers reporting significant premium reductions compared to traditional insurance providers. For households in Cleveland, Akron, Canton, Columbus, and Cincinnati, these savings represent meaningful financial relief while maintaining essential protection.

    “In today’s economic climate, insurance affordability isn’t just about convenience—it’s about necessity,” emphasized the GoAuto representative. “By reducing premium costs without sacrificing coverage quality, we’re helping Ohio families redirect those savings toward other important needs.”

    This economic impact proves particularly significant in communities where household budgets face multiple pressures. In cities like Cleveland and Canton, where economic revitalization continues alongside financial challenges, insurance savings provide immediate, tangible benefits to local families.

    Accessible Service Options for Ohio Residents

    GoAuto’s commitment to accessibility extends beyond affordable premiums to include convenient service options for Ohio customers:

    • Digital Self-Service Platform – A user-friendly online system allowing residents throughout Ohio to quickly obtain quotes, make payments, and access insurance documents from anywhere.
    • Dedicated Phone Support – Representatives available at 833-700-0000 to assist with quotes, coverage questions, and policy adjustments for drivers throughout the state.
    • Strategic Office Locations – Physical locations in key Ohio communities where customers can speak directly with non-commissioned insurance specialists.

    “Whether you’re in downtown Columbus or suburban Cleveland, we believe access to cheap insurance shouldn’t depend on your location,” stated the representative. “Our multi-channel approach ensures every Ohio driver can connect with us in whatever way works best for their circumstances.”

    Getting Started with GoAuto Insurance

    Ohio drivers interested in exploring GoAuto Insurance’s affordable coverage options can:

    1. Request a Free Quote – Through the company’s online platform at get.goautoinsurance.com/areas-we-serve/ohio/ or by calling 833-700-0000.
    2. Customize Coverage – Work with knowledgeable insurance specialists to develop a policy aligned with specific driving habits, vehicle types, and budget constraints.
    3. Select Flexible Payment Terms – Choose down payment amounts and payment scheduling that complement personal financial circumstances.
    4. Drive with Confidence – Enjoy the peace of mind that comes with appropriate coverage at an affordable price point.

    About GoAuto Insurance

    GoAuto Insurance specializes in providing cheap auto insurance in Ohio, Alabama, Louisiana Texas & Nevada with straightforward pricing, flexible payment options, and exceptional customer service. The company serves drivers throughout Ohio with personalized coverage solutions designed for their specific needs and budget constraints.

    For more information or to receive a free quote, Ohio residents can call 833-700-0000 or visit the company’s website.

    Media Contact:
    GoAuto Insurance
    7119 Florida Blvd Unit G
    Baton Rouge, LA 70806

    Chester
    chester@goautoinsurance.com
    Media Relations
    833-700-0000

    Legal Disclaimer: This media platform provides the content of this article on an “as-is” basis, without any warranties or representations of any kind, express or implied. We do not assume any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information presented herein. Any concerns, complaints, or copyright issues related to this article should be directed to the content provider mentioned above.

    Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:
    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ac521646-f821-487d-a8e6-693ba77c5140
    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/da273151-f8a3-4a6f-8520-44722b4d2fe7

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI China: Xi urges youth to contribute to Chinese modernization

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

    BEIJING, May 3 — President Xi Jinping has called on Chinese youth to dedicate themselves to the country’s modernization drive by serving where the nation needs them most.

    Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks in a reply letter to a group of volunteer teachers working in a remote border school in northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Neguse Voices Support for NOAA and NIST: “We’ll continue to do our part to defend these laboratories.”

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Joe Neguse (D-Co 2)

    Lafayette, CO — After addressing concerned constituents outside the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) facilities in Boulder, Colorado, Congressman Joe Neguse released the following video. In the recording, Neguse reaffirmed his support for the scientists and civil servants who have dedicated themselves to advancing discoveries in weather forecasting, climate monitoring, emergency preparedness, cybersecurity, and more. He also committed to pushing back against the Trump Administration’s proposed deconstruction of these critical institutions. 

    Watch the video HERE.

    NEGUSE: Hey, everybody. Joe Neguse here. I’m standing outside of the NOAA and NIST headquarters in Boulder, Colorado. 

    Earlier today, we heard a lot of reports from folks in the community who were concerned that personnel from DOGE had arrived here on the NOAA and NIST campus.

    Of course, we know that DOGE has worked to dismantle government agency after government agency. We’ve seen that at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the Department of Education, the list goes on and on. So, we were rightfully concerned. And the community is rightfully concerned, about what may be happening at NOAA and at NIST.

    I was here today and had an opportunity to go onto the campus to visit with personnel from both agencies and was told that DOGE’s personnel were not on scene today and have not entered the campus. 

    That being said, we know that NOAA, NIST, and our federal labs remain targets of DOGE and this administration in their efforts to deconstruct the laboratories and the agencies that are serving the American public. And, of course, NIST and NOAA are the crown jewels of the national laboratory system. And, of course, here in Colorado. 

    So, make no mistake, we’re going to continue to stay on it. We’re going to do everything that we can to prevent the disastrous cuts that the Trump administration has proposed. And we’ll continue to do our part to defend these laboratories. 

    Thanks so much—and to be continued. 

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Neguse, Bennet, Hickenlooper Demand Commerce Department Reverse Planned Cuts to NOAA and Colorado-Based Research Centers

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Joe Neguse (D-Co 2)

    In a letter to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnik the lawmakers underscored the importance of Cooperative Institutes at Colorado State University and the University of Colorado Boulder. 

    Lafayette, CO — Following public reports of President Trump’s expected effort to implement disastrous funding cuts to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in his upcoming budget proposal, Colorado lawmakers—Congressman Joe Neguse and Senators Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper—moved quickly to defend the agency and its Cooperative Institutes (CIs).  

    Colorado is the only state in the nation to house two such Cooperative Institutes, which are academic and non-profit research centers that provide invaluable support to NOAA’s mission. The Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES), located at the University of Colorado Boulder, is the oldest and largest CI. It employs nearly 800 researchers, support staff, and students focused on research related to drought, wildfire, and space weather. The Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere (CIRA), located at Colorado State University, employs nearly 200 individuals who are working to improve weather and fire forecasting.

    In an effort to push back on the proposed cuts, Neguse, Bennet, and Hickenlooper penned a letter to Department of Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick condemning any plan to terminate funding for these institutions, calling the alleged proposal short-sighted and costly, and underscoring the important work that is ongoing at both CIRES and CIRA.  

    “Many of NOAA’s CIs have been around for decades and the work they do has been helping our communities for just as long. Cuts to funding, furloughs or layoffs will have devastating impacts on the important work the CIs do. CIs are home to experienced researchers and long-standing data collection programs with major impacts on human societies, moreover they are instrumental in training future generations of workers who continue to contribute to societal needs. It is our fear that if sweeping cuts are made, the damage will be irreversible. Even short-term interruptions in their research could threaten the safety and economies of the communities that CIs serve across the nation,” wrote the lawmakers. 

    They continued: “Cooperative Institutes are integral to solving some of our biggest problems and making all of us safer and better prepared for short-term and long-term hazards. Any plan to terminate funding for NOAA CIs would be detrimental not just to the people of Colorado, but to people across the entire country. As such, we implore you to reconsider any plans to substantially diminish these powerful and important capabilities.”

    Read their full letter HERE and below: 

    April 23, 2025

    The Honorable Howard Lutnick

    Secretary 

    U.S. Department of Commerce 

    1401 Constitution Ave. NW

    Washington, DC 20230

    Dear Secretary Lutnick,

    We write regarding a new proposal from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to terminate funding for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)’s Cooperative Institutes (CIs). We strongly condemn any such plan and believe terminating this funding would be extremely short-sighted and costly to the American people and economy in the long run.

    Colorado is fortunate to be the only state to house two Cooperative Institutes and the largest of the CIs. The Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere (CIRA), housed at Colorado State University, employs 193 staff working on developing algorithms for weather forecasting and fire weather forecasting. The Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES) housed at the University of Colorado Boulder is the oldest and largest CI, established in 1967. CIRES is focused on research into drought, wildfire, and space weather, among other important issues. It employs nearly 800 researchers, support staff and students who are working each day to improve our understanding of Earth systems for the benefit of people across Colorado and the nation.  

    Our CIs have real world impacts and benefits that span beyond the borders of our state. CIRA was involved in the development of the Hurricane Intensity Prediction System (HIPS), a tool that helps predict how strong hurricanes will become, as well as TORUS (Targeted Observations by Radars and Unmanned Aircraft to Study Tornadoes and Supercells) project, which focuses on collecting data to improve tornado and storm prediction. CIRES is, among its many important contributions, helping to enhance drought monitoring and prediction on the Colorado River, aiding water managers in the region. Indeed, some of the greatest beneficiaries of CIRES water and drought analyses reside in Wyoming, Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, and Texas. CIRES also received the 2022 Colorado Governor’s Award for High-Impact Research for their rapid response to the Marshall Fire, the most damaging wildfire in our state. The results from the CIRES work on the fire have informed responses to other large fire events elsewhere in the nation, benefiting many thousands of citizens.

    Many of NOAA’s CIs have been around for decades and the work they do has been helping our communities for just as long. Cuts to funding, furloughs or layoffs will have devastating impacts on the important work the CIs do. CIs are home to experienced researchers and long-standing data collection programs with major impacts on human societies, moreover they are instrumental in training future generations of workers who continue to contribute to societal needs. It is our fear that if sweeping cuts are made, the damage will be irreversible. Even short-term interruptions in their research could threaten the safety and economies of the communities that CIs serve across the nation. 

    Cooperative Institutes are integral to solving some of our biggest problems and making all of us safer and better prepared for short-term and long-term hazards. Any plan to terminate funding for NOAA CIs would be detrimental not just to the people of Colorado, but to people across the entire country. As such, we implore you to reconsider any plans to substantially diminish these powerful and important capabilities.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Gillibrand Raises Alarm On Secretary Of Education McMahon’s Decision To Withold Income Of Federal Student Loan Borrowers In Default

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Kirsten Gillibrand
    Following reports that the United States Department of Education plans to involuntarily withhold the incomes of federal student loan borrowers, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand expressed deep concern towards Secretary of Education Linda McMahon’s decision to garnish the wages and benefits of federal student loan borrowers whose payments are in default. Nearly 10 million borrowers across the nation are at risk of forced collections.
    The senator noted, this will “unnecessarily exacerbate economic strains in local economies while New Yorkers worry about a tenuous economy and potential recession.” In New York State alone, one in eight individuals have student loan debt. Borrowers work in all professions like teachers and public servants, providing New York communities with critical services. The senator continued that many seniors who take out loans to help family members pay for their education are also at risk of being impacted.
    Gillibrand called on Secretary McMahon to further elaborate and describe an outreach plan for at risk borrowers:
    1. Please describe in detail any outreach campaign being planned, including what languages it will be conducted in and through what means.
    2. What immediate actions have been or will be taken to resolve recent and ongoing disruptions to federal student loan services?
    3. Many borrowers have waited for years to exercise alternative payment arrangements through income-based repayment options; please provide details as to how the Administration will accommodate borrowers who remain unable to make full repayment?
    4. How will the Administration define financial hardship and what will be done to accommodate borrowers requesting a review based on financial hardship? What actions will be taken to address hardship requests in time to avoid additional financial consequences for borrowers in default, such as eviction or canceled medical procedures?
    5. How is the Administration planning for the increased administrative burden of this policy amidst the RIFs at the Department of Education.
    The full letter can be read here and below.
    Secretary McMahon,
    I write to you with concern over the Department of Education’s plans to begin involuntarily withholding the incomes of federal student loan borrowers in default on May 5, 2025. As you note, in a few months, nearly 10 million borrowers are in danger of having their wages, pensions, Social Security benefits, and tax refunds garnished. Withholding income from borrowers will unnecessarily exacerbate economic strains in local economies while New Yorkers worry about a tenuous economy and potential recession.
    One in eight New Yorkers have student loan debt, totaling approximately $93 billion and federal student loan borrowers who work in all industries are vulnerable to these unnecessary actions – my office has heard from K-12 teachers, computer science engineers, pharmacists, and doctors. These professions provide New York communities with vital services and many are public servants. Yet this Administration so far has made the federal student loan process a nightmare. These workers report their payments increasing by as much as 450% as a result of issues on the Federal Student Aid website. Some New Yorkers have had their federal student loans put into forbearance without their request.
    Many borrowers have dreams of opening their own businesses or working directly with
    people in their community, but perfectly put by one constituent, “believe there will be no help for me or others who are drowning in debt.” These New Yorkers want to make their student loan payments, and they deserve a fair system that rewards what they have worked for and earned.
    Seniors who take out loans to help family members pay for college are impacted too, and
    some are still in debt from their own education. My office has heard from seniors who are nearing retirement but still remain unable to move forward with any confidence or security until their loans are fully paid or forgiven.
    I’m concerned that the timing could not be worse for any changes in student loan repayment policies for constituents bracing for an economic downturn, but also because of continuing staff cuts at the Department of Education. An expanded administrative burden on reduced staff aimed at garnishing wages and benefits in a tenuous economic environment is not in the best interest of New Yorkers. To be very clear, wage garnishment should always be considered a last resort, and this Administration’s staffing cuts have impacted existing programs to such an extent that this new policy exacerbates a problem and undermines a purpose.
    I request answers to the questions below by May 16, 2025.
    1. Please describe in detail any outreach campaign being planned, including what languages it will be conducted in and through what means.
    2. What immediate actions have been or will be taken to resolve recent and ongoing disruptions to federal student loan services?
    3. Many borrowers have waited for years to exercise alternative payment arrangements through income-based repayment options; please provide details as to how the Administration will accommodate borrowers who remain unable to make full repayment?
    4. How will the Administration define financial hardship and what will be done to accommodate borrowers requesting a review based on financial hardship? What actions will be taken to address hardship requests in time to avoid additional financial consequences for borrowers in default, such as eviction or canceled medical procedures?
    5. How is the Administration planning for the increased administrative burden of this policy amidst the RIFs at the Department of Education.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: In Syracuse, Gillibrand Condemns President Trump’s Actions To Dismantle Head Start

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Kirsten Gillibrand
    Proposal Would Deprive 50,000 Low-Income Children In New York State Of Critical Early Childhood Education 
    Today, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand visited the PEACE, Inc. Merrick Head Start in Syracuse to condemn President Trump’s actions to dismantle Head Start. Federal funding allows PEACE Inc. to operate Head Start centers across Onondaga County that serve over 900 children. Without this funding, Head Start centers across New York and around the country will be forced to close their doors, which will deprive low-income children of critical early childhood education that gives them the tools to succeed both in and out of the classroom. President Trump has attempted to diminish Head Start through a number of executive actions that are making it harder for Head Start centers to stay up and running, including closing regional offices that help administer the program, laying off staff, and withholding already authorized funding.
    Head Start programs provide low-income children from birth to age five with comprehensive child development programs, as well as support and services for families. The services Head Start and Early Head Start offer include early education, health screenings, promoting social and emotional health, nutrition, connection to other social services, and services for children with disabilities. Head Start and Early Head Start programs serve over 50,000 children in New York State.  
    “Head Start helps make sure that every child has a chance to thrive,“ said Senator Gillibrand. “It is an investment in our kids and our future that has been proven time and time again to be highly effective at preparing children for school and improving both their social and physical health outcomes. President Trump’s actions to dismantle Head Start would hurt the kids and families most in need – including the 50,000 Head Start attendees in New York alone. I will do everything in my power to fight this effort and preserve funding for this vital program through the next fiscal year and beyond.”
    “Our Head Start program in Syracuse is an essential resource for families with young children. It provides a nurturing environment focused on learning, fun, and overall development. Many parents rely on it as a safe space for their children while they work. Unfortunately, the Trump administration plans to cut funding for this program in Syracuse and nationwide. These cuts will have a devastating impact on the families who depend on it. We must fight to keep Head Start in Syracuse, and I commend Senator Kirsten Gillibrand for leading the effort to ensure it remains here,” said Senator Rachel May.
    “With 7 of its own sites and an additional 14 partnering sites in Onondaga County, PEACE, Inc.’s Head Start program successfully assists 918 low-income families and their children under 5 to access holistic early childhood education, health, nutrition, and family development interventions,” said Peace, Inc. Executive Director Carolyn Brown. “Especially critical are the more than 700 families who are assisted in Syracuse, where early childhood education/childcare options are limited and nearly 1 out of 2 children live in poverty. PEACE, Inc. Head Start levels the playing field for low-income families and their children. In 2024, 81% of our Head Start children entered Kindergarten having reached their math development milestones; 90% of them reached their literacy development milestones. Eliminating Head Start would prove disastrous for our working families and their children. We are grateful for Senator Gillibrand’s passionate support of Head Start, its staff, and its families.”
    “As a mother to a young child in this program, I am so grateful for the resources Head Start provides,” said Mitayah Donerlson, President of the Head Start Parent Policy Council. “Beyond early education, this program has connected me with critical social and mental health support—like access to parenting workshops, family advocates, and behavioral support for children . These services have helped me manage stress, strengthen my relationship with my child, and build a supportive community with other parents. Without Head Start, I wouldn’t have the tools or support network I need to care for both myself and my family. Thank you, Senator Gillibrand, for fighting for this vital funding.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Gillibrand Statement On President Trump’s Preliminary Budget Request

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Kirsten Gillibrand
    Today, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, released the following statement on President Trump’s fiscal year 2026 preliminary budget request, which proposes slashing critical investments in programs related to education, health, affordable housing, scientific research, environmental protection, and much more. The Trump administration says this proposal will cut domestic funding by $163 billion (-23%); however, the real cut may exceed $200 billion.
    “President Trump’s budget is playing games with American lives. By attempting to defund the programs that help communities stay safe, families pay their bills and keep a roof over their heads, and doctors treat their patients, this administration is abandoning the people who have built our country. Make no mistake — this budget proposal will not ‘make America great again’ — it will set us back decades and make life harder for working families.
    By slashing funding for basic needs like health programs, medical research, and nutrition aid, this proposal will make America sicker. By cutting billions of dollars for the Department of Education, removing investments to prevent violent crime, and divesting from agencies that protect our environment, it will make our country a worse place to live. And by eliminating affordable housing and energy assistance programs, divesting from small businesses, and gutting the funds that help economically distressed communities, it will make it harder for American families to survive.
    This administration has made it clear: they’re willing to cut at least $163 billion in vital investments that benefit everyday Americans just to deliver trillions in tax breaks to billionaires and corporations. That’s not just misguided policy; it’s an insult to every hardworking, tax-paying American.
    I am committed to working with my colleagues in Congress to firmly reject this dangerous proposal. We cannot stand idly by while the Trump administration eviscerates the programs that keep our country safe, healthy, and prosperous.”
    Among other things, President Trump’s preliminary FY2026 budget request:
    EDUCATION: Guts funding for the Department of Education by $12 billion (-15%). Eliminates and cuts dozens of elementary and secondary education programs (the vast majority of which are not specified), underscoring that President Trump’s vision for returning education to the states means state and local taxpayers will pay more to support students and educators at their local schools as a result of major cuts in federal funding. Eliminates several higher education programs, including TRIO, GEAR UP, Federal Work Study, Child Care Access Means Parents in Schools (CCAMPIS), and more, which help Americans pursue a postsecondary education and further their careers.
    HOUSING: Eviscerates the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) with a 43.6% cut.
    Slashes HUD rental assistance programs by 42.8% while foisting responsibility over those programs onto state and local governments. Over 10 million Americans rely on HUD rental assistance, the vast majority of whom are seniors, people with disabilities, and children. This will rip the roofs off Americans’ heads and put even more families at risk of homelessness.
    Eliminates or cuts federal programs most targeted to build more affordable housing and address this country’s housing supply shortage, including in Tribal country.
    Eliminates the Community Development Block Grant that cities and towns across the country use to improve the quality of life for their citizens every day.
    HEALTH: Slashes funding for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) by $33 billion (-26%).
    Cuts funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) by $18 billion or more than 40%—decimating funding for lifesaving medical treatments and cures.
    Decimates funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) by cutting $3.6 billion—hollowing out the agency’s ability to save lives and protect Americans from health threats.
    Guts funding for substance use prevention and treatment and mental health services by $1 billion (roughly –15%) and eliminates the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration—the agency with expertise in tackling the substance use and mental health crises.
    Slashes funding for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) by $674 million. CMS helps ensure over 100 million Americans have access to affordable, high-quality health insurance by overseeing Medicare, Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and Affordable Care Act marketplaces.
    The limited budget materials do not detail President Trump’s proposed funding level for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which is essential for protecting the safety of our food and drugs.
    TITLE X: Eliminates the Title X program, which helps nearly 3 million patients get preventative care, birth control, cancer screenings, and more in every state.
    LIHEAP: Eliminates the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), which helps 6 million American households heat and cool their homes.
    PRE-K: Eliminates all funding for Preschool Development Grants, which help states strengthen their early childhood education system and get parents the child care and pre-K they need. The limited budget materials released today don’t mention Head Start or the Child Care and Development Block Grant, but leaked budget documents show Trump wants to eliminate Head Start.
    DEPARTMENT OF LABOR: Slashes funding for DOL by $4.6 billion (-35%). Proposes to “Make America Skilled Again” by cutting workforce training programs that help Americans develop skills and secure good-paying jobs, by roughly a third. Eliminates Job Corps and the Senior Community Service Employment Program.
    DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE: Slashes the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) budget by at least $3.7 billion (-10%).
    Guts funding for grants to help keep communities safe by over $1 billion (-26%).
    Cuts funding for FBI salaries and expenses by $545 million (-5%), endangering our Americans’ safety.
    Cuts funding for Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) salaries and expenses by $212 million (-7%), weakening the agency’s capacity to crack down on drug trafficking. Also proposes shuttering major DEA offices in countries around the world, noting that those countries “are equipped to counter drug trafficking on their own.”
    Cuts funding for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) salaries and expenses by $468 million (-29%) as part of the administration’s ongoing attempt to dismantle the agency in charge of enforcing our country’s gun laws.
    TRIBES: Slashes $911 million (-24%) for core Tribal programs that uphold the federal government’s legally-obligated and court-ordered trust and treaty responsibilities to Tribal nations. This cut would decimate core Tribal programs including road maintenance, housing, and programs for children and families. The proposal would nearly eliminate funding for construction of Tribal schools, which are already too often dilapidated, and it cuts Tribal law enforcement funding by 20%.
    SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH: More than halves funding for the National Science Foundation (NSF) with a $5.2 billion (-57%) cut. Cuts funding for the Department of Energy’s Office of Science by $1.148 billion (-14%). These proposed cuts would decimate America’s edge in essential scientific research that will drive future economic growth.
    EPA: Cuts funding for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) by more than half by abandoning state and Tribal programs that build and maintain drinking water and sewer systems, starving states of longstanding federal funding provided to pay for states’ work enforcing federal laws, and decimating funding for cleaning up toxic Superfund sites.  The request would also effectively eliminate research funding used to better understand the impacts on human health from polluted air and water and from toxic chemicals.  
    NATIONAL PARKS: Cuts $900 million (- 30%) from National Park Service operations, abandoning national parks that the administration says should suddenly be transferred to the states, while providing no funding for states to manage massive new obligations that such a dramatic move would entail. This would incentivize states to sell off public lands to the highest bidder, threatening valued open space and areas of natural and historical value to local communities.
    AGRICULTURE: Guts funding for agricultural research, which is critical to ensuring American agriculture is competitive with the rest of the world and provides key resources to help farmers and ranchers prepare and adapt in an uncertain environment. Zeroes out foreign food aid that supports American farmers and is a lifeline for people living in extreme poverty across the world.
    RURAL AMERICA: Slashes investments in core Rural Development programs by $721 million, including investments in safe drinking water, affordable housing, and resources to bolster the rural economy.
    NUTRITION: Eliminates the Commodity Supplemental Food Program, which provides food assistance to low-income individuals 60 years of age and older to supplement diets and addressing potential nutrient deficiencies. The preliminary budget request does not mention any of the other 16 Nutrition Programs, including WIC, The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP), and the National School Lunch Program.
    VETERANS: Without more details, it is unclear whether the President is proposing to shift tens of billions of dollars in funding for veterans’ care to mandatory funding (which Republicans have long vociferously opposed) or to decimate funding for non-medical care.
    FOREST SERVICE: Cuts $1.386 billion (-22%) from the Forest Service, gutting grant funding for state and tribal wildfire risk reduction, volunteer fire departments, and much more. The proposal would cut at least 2,000 National Forest System staff positions, which will severely harm the Administration’s stated goals of improving forest management and increasing domestic timber production.
    ARMY CORPS: Cuts funding for the Army Corps of Engineers by $2 billion (-23%), slashing funding used to maintain our nation’s ports and harbors.
    DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE: Cuts funding for the Department of Commerce by $1.9 billion (-18%). Outright eliminates the Economic Development Administration (EDA), which helps economically distressed communities across America get ahead.
    NOAA: Guts funding for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) by $1.5 billion, which would eliminate all manner of programs that create good jobs, help local economies, and support ocean research, health, and coastal resilience. Proposes a reckless $209 million cut for NOAA’s weather satellites, which play a critical role in ensuring Americans have accurate weather forecasting and will result in a gap in observations when the current satellites retire early in the next decade.
    ENERGY: Slashes funding for the Department of Energy overall by $4.7 billion (-9.4%). Guts funding for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy programs by $2.572 billion (-74%) and proposes to rescind $15.25 billion from Bipartisan Infrastructure Law energy programs, which will raise energy costs for American consumers by halting vital innovation and energy projects.
    SMALL BUSINESSES: Slashes funding for SBA’s Entrepreneurial Development Programs by $167 million, proposing the elimination of nearly all programs, including programs that support veterans as they work to start and grow a small business.
    FEMA GRANTS: Cuts funding for FEMA non-disaster grants that help communities prepare for disasters, support efforts to prevent violence and terrorism, prepare emergency responders, and more.
    STATE DEPARTMENT & FOREIGN ASSISTANCE: Guts funding for the State Department and America’s international security, economic, and humanitarian assistance programs by $31.2 billion (-48%).
    The United States already spends less than 0.2% of our GDP on diplomacy and foreign assistance, which is less than a third of the percent we spent under President Reagan’s peace through strength approach, and Trump is proposing to halve these critical investments.
    Cuts funding for lifesaving and other humanitarian assistance by $4.7 billion (-54%), which will lead to preventable deaths and suffering across the globe, and threaten Americans’ safety and well-being by undercutting our efforts to stop disease outbreaks and prevent conflict. A cut of this magnitude will also lead to more migration of people fleeing poverty, conflict, and natural disasters.
    Cuts funding for International Narcotics Control and Law Enforcement account by $1.3 billion (-91%) which helps prevent human trafficking, stop drug trafficking, and much more, with direct implications for American communities.
    Slashes economic growth and development funding across multiple agencies and accounts by $6 billion (67%) and proposes the final dissolution of USAID.
    Guts funding for global health initiatives by $6.2 billion (-62%).
    Reneges on our treaty dues for the United Nations (UN), U.N. Peacekeeping operations, and a majority of other international organizations.
    COMMUNITY SERVICES BLOCK GRANT: Eliminates all funding ($770 million) for community-based anti-poverty programs that help low income individuals and families access services to alleviate the causes of poverty.
    COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS: Eliminates $291 million in funding for all current CDFI financial assistance awards, which help leverage private capital to support the development of child care centers, housing, health care facilities, and small businesses. Since 2010, CDFIs have financed over 1.3 million businesses and 557,000 affordable homes. 
    AMERICORPS: Eliminates AmeriCorps, which enables over 200,000 Americans to help serve communities across the country, including by responding to natural disasters, supporting veterans, fighting the opioid epidemic, helping older Americans age with dignity, and working in our schools, educating and supporting students.
    CORPORATION FOR PUBLIC BROADCASTING: Eliminates funding for CPB, ending support for more than 1,500 local public television and radio stations. 
    INSTITUTE OF MUSEUM AND LIBRARY SERVICES: Eliminates funding for IMLS and the support provided to libraries and museums throughout the United States.
    BUREAU OF RECLAMATION: Cuts funding for the Bureau by $600 million (-34%), gutting investments in key restoration projects.
    CULTURAL GRANTS FOR LOCAL COMMUNITIES: Completely eliminates the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities, which provide funding for every state and every congressional district for cultural economic development and the creative economy.
    NASA: Cuts NASA funding by $6 billion (-24%), the largest single-year cut to NASA in U.S. history, which would mark an incredible retreat for American leadership and ambition in space. Terminates the Artemis Campaign to establish a human presence on the Moon after the Artemis III mission. Slashes funding for the Science Mission Directorate by $3.43 billion (-47%), which would cancel numerous current and planned missions to better understand our universe, solar system, and Earth.
    ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: Eliminates funding to 27 states by zeroing out funding for 6 of 7 regional commissions, which provide grants in economically distressed communities for disaster mitigation, opioid crisis support programming, workforce training, and much more. 
    INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE: Likely cuts IRS enforcement by nearly $2.5 billion (-89%). This significant reduction will help billionaire tax cheats game the system while working families continue to pay their fair share.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: What is the biggest gaffe, blooper or blunder that a recent president has made? It may depend on what your definition of ‘is’ is

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Chris Lamb, Professor of Journalism, Indiana University

    Lots of presidents have said things they regret. Or most of them have. Carol Yepes/Getty Images

    President Donald Trump was asked during a press conference on April 30, 2025, about the possible impact of his tariff policies and trade war with China.

    Trump answered that American children should prepare to make sacrifices at Christmas.

    “Maybe the children will have two dolls instead of 30 dolls, you know,” he said, “and maybe the two dolls will cost a couple of bucks more than they would normally.”

    The New York Times reported that Trump appeared to be telling kids they would have to manage with fewer toys this year for the sake of his economic agenda.

    Jane Mayer, a reporter with The New Yorker, called it “Trump’s Marie Antoinette moment.”

    This was not the first − or last − time Trump said something that left many Americans with mouths open and heads shaking.

    Hours after his Marie Antoinette moment, Trump, whose first 100 days back in office have been characterized as chaotic and damaging to democracy, was asked during a phone interview at a town-hall broadcast on NewsNation what the biggest mistake he’d made thus far in his second presidency.

    “I don’t really believe I’ve made any mistakes,” Trump replied.

    The audience, representing a cross section of Americans, burst out laughing.

    Trump’s gaffes aren’t just part of his presidency; gaffes are part of the storied tradition of the American presidency. Some of those comments have clung to presidents and even affected history.

    Here are examples from each president over the past 50 years or so of statements that at least some of them were embarrassed by or came to regret. Each was made when the president was serving in the White House. The quotes are organized chronologically.

    Donald Trump auditions for Grinch-who-stole-Christmas role.

    Richard Nixon is a law-abiding guy

    On Nov. 17, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon, in the midst of the Watergate scandal that would end his presidency, defended himself against charges of corruption.

    “People have got to know whether or not their president is a crook,” Nixon said. “Well, I’m not a crook. I’ve earned everything I’ve got.”

    Instead of quelling the scandal, as Nixon hoped, his words produced the opposite reaction. He resigned from the presidency nine months later in August 1974.

    Gerald Ford forgets the Cold War

    Gerald Ford, Nixon’s vice president who became president after Nixon’s resignation, subsequently ran for election in 1976.

    During one of his televised debates against Democratic nominee Jimmy Carter, Ford inexplicably claimed the Soviet Union did not control Eastern Europe.

    “There is no Soviet domination of Eastern Europe,” Ford said, “and there never will be under a Ford administration.”

    To which the moderator, New York Times editor May Frankel, said, “I’m sorry, what?”

    Ford’s remark was so outrageously incorrect that it may have contributed to his defeat in the tight presidential election.

    Gerald Ford says it’s really a Warm, not Cold, War.

    Jimmy Carter gets advice from his teen

    Carter defeated Ford and was elected in 1976. He ran for reelection against Republican nominee Ronald Reagan in 1980. During one of their debates, Carter said he sought the advice of his 13-year-old daughter, Amy, on what was the most important issue facing America.

    “She said she thought it was nuclear weaponry,” Carter said, “and the control of nuclear arms.”

    Carter tried to show that arms control was a subject that had great resonance to even 13-year-olds. Instead, it left viewers puzzled why he had inserted his daughter into the debate. A wire service story at the time summarized the response by saying that reporters covering the debate winced and others groaned.

    Jimmy Carter has a smart 13-year-old daughter.

    Ronald Reagan attacks Russia

    Reagan, a former television and movie actor who defeated Carter in the 1980 presidential election, was known as “the Great Communicator” for his eloquence.

    A well-known anti-Communist, Reagan was not always careful about what he said.

    Before a speech on Aug. 11, 1984, Reagan joked during a sound check, “I’ve signed legislation that will outlaw Russia forever. We begin bombing in five minutes.”

    The joke on the open mic, which was not broadcast live but leaked later, resulted in a Soviet red alert − and temporarily moved the U.S. and Soviet Union toward war.

    George H.W. Bush eats word salad

    Reagan’s successor, his vice president, George H.W. Bush, by comparison was no great communicator. His words came out of his mouth and appeared to go in separate ways.

    “I have opinions of my own, strong opinions,” Bush said, “but I don’t always agree with them.”

    Bill Clinton is or isn’t, maybe

    Democrat Bill Clinton defeated George H.W. Bush in the 1992 presidential election.

    Clinton’s presidency was dogged with accusations of unethical behavior and extramarital affairs. Clinton, in testimony before a grand jury investigating his affair with White House intern Monica Lewinsky, was asked whether he was lying when he told aides that “there’s nothing going on” between him and Lewinsky.

    “It depends on what the meaning of the word ‘is’ is,” Clinton responded. “If the − if he − if ‘is’ means is and never has been, that is not − that is one thing.”

    Slate magazine said that this response may have been the “defining moment” of his presidency and, in doing so, captured his contribution to semantics. As Time magazine pointed out,
    “Until then, America hadn’t been sure there was more than one definition of ‘is.’”

    George W. Bush’s shame

    George W. Bush, the son of George H.W. Bush, succeeded Clinton in the White House. Americans learned that Bush had more in common with his father than just the same last name.

    “There’s an old saying in Tennessee − I know it’s in Texas,” Bush said, “probably in Tennessee, that says, fool me once, shame on − shame on you. Fool me − you can’t get fooled again.”

    Barack Obama strikes out

    Barack Obama, like Reagan, was known for his sense of humor. And like Reagan, Obama learned that not everything was a joking matter.

    While appearing on “The Tonight Show” with Jay Leno in 2009, Obama said he had improved his bowling by practicing at the White House bowling alley. He told Leno he had bowled a pedestrian score of 129, provoking a sarcastic response from Leno.

    Obama then made the following joke: “It’s like the Special Olympics or something.”

    Obama quickly apologized to the Special Olympics, the athletic competition for people with intellectual disabilities.

    Obama made a bad joke about the Special Olympics during an interview with Jay Leno; he quickly apologized for it.
    Mandel Ngan / AFP/Getty Images

    Joe Biden’s bad day

    Trump was first elected president in 2016 but was defeated by Joe Biden in the 2020 election. Trump and Biden faced each other again in 2024.

    During a television debate on June 27, 2024, CNN anchor Jake Tapper asked Biden why voters should trust him to solve the immigration crisis. Biden said he changed a law that allowed Trump and his administration to separate immigrant families and put children in cages.

    Biden’s train of thought then jumped the tracks.

    “And I’m going to continue to move until we get the total ban on the − the total initiative relative to what we’re going to do with more Border Patrol and more asylum officers,” Biden said.

    “I really don’t know what he said at the end of that sentence,” Trump said, “and I don’t think he did, either.”

    The same could be said for much of what Biden said during the debate.

    Biden withdrew from the presidential race three weeks after his poor debate performance.

    Chris Lamb 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. What is the biggest gaffe, blooper or blunder that a recent president has made? It may depend on what your definition of ‘is’ is – https://theconversation.com/what-is-the-biggest-gaffe-blooper-or-blunder-that-a-recent-president-has-made-it-may-depend-on-what-your-definition-of-is-is-255755

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-Evening Report: ER Report: A Roundup of Significant Articles on EveningReport.nz for May 3, 2025

    ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on May 3, 2025.

    ‘Super antibodies’ for snake toxins: how a dangerous DIY experiment helped scientists make a new antivenom
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christina N. Zdenek, Associate Researcher, The University of Queensland Scientists in the United States have created a new snake antivenom using the blood of a man who deliberately built up immunity to snakebites by injecting himself with many different kinds of venom more than 800 times over

    Human rights group calls for probe into attack on Freedom Flotilla ship
    Asia Pacific Report A human rights agency has called for an investigation into the drone attacks on the Gaza Freedom Flotilla aid ship Conscience with Israel suspected of being responsible. The Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor said in a statement that the deliberate targeting of a civilian aid ship in international waters was a “flagrant violation”

    RSF condemns Israeli targeting of Gaza journalists – then slandering them in death
    Pacific Media Watch After a year and a half of war, nearly 200 Palestinian journalists have been killed by the Israeli army — including at least 43 slain on the job. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has brought multiple complaints before the International Criminal Court (ICC) and continues to tirelessly support Gazan journalists, working to halt

    Final polls give Labor a clear lead before the election
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne With those who haven’t already cast a pre-poll vote ready to hit the polling places tomorrow, a final batch of polls give Labor a firm lead. The

    Culture wars and costings: election special podcast with Michelle Grattan and Amanda Dunn
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra As we roll into the dying hours of the election campaign, the polls are suggesting a Labor win, although it is not yet clear if it will be in minority or majority. Chief Political Correspondent Michelle Grattan and Politics Editor

    Keith Rankin Analysis – The Great World War 1914-1945: Germany, Russia, Ukraine
    Analysis by Keith Rankin. On Anzac Day we remembered World War One and World War Two, or at least the peripheral little bits of those imperial wars that New Zealand was involved in. There was and is little context given to how New Zealand got involved with such far-away wars which need never have become

    What is iNaturalist? The citizen science app playing an unlikely role in Erin Patterson’s mushroom murder trial
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Caitlyn Forster, Associate Lecturer, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney Death cap mushrooms (_Amanita phalloides_) Jolanda Aalbers/Shutterstock The world has been gripped by the case of Australian woman Erin Patterson, who was charged with the murder of three people after allegedly serving them a

    Fake news and the election campaign – how worried should voters be?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrea Carson, 2024 Oxford University visiting research fellow RIJS; Professor of Political Communication., La Trobe University shutterstock JRdes/Shutterstock The spread of electoral misinformation and disinformation is undermining democracies around the world. The World Economic Forum has identified the proliferation of false content as the leading short-term global

    The MMR vaccine doesn’t contain ‘aborted fetus debris’, as RFK Jr has claimed. Here’s the science
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hassan Vally, Associate Professor, Epidemiology, Deakin University Robert F. Kennedy Jr, the United States’ top public health official, recently claimed some religious groups avoid the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine because it contains “aborted fetus debris” and “DNA particles”. The US is facing its worst measles

    Scientists surprised to discover mayflies and shrimp making their bodies out of ancient gas
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Paul McInerney, Senior Research Scientist in Ecosystem Ecology, CSIRO The native shrimp _Paratya australiensis_ was among the species found to incorporate carbon from natural gas into their bodies in the Condamine River. Chris Van Wyk/Flickr, CC BY-NC-ND What’s the currency for all life on Earth? Carbon. Every

    Archibald Packing Room Prize goes to Abdul Abdullah for Jason Phu portrait, among broader set of bold and deeply personal works
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Joanna Mendelssohn, Honorary Senior Fellow, School of Culture and Communication. Editor in Chief, Design and Art of Australia Online, The University of Melbourne Winner Packing Room Prize 2025, Abdul Abdullah ‘No mountain high enough’, oil on linen, 162.4 x 136.7cm © the artist, image © Art Gallery

    New Zealand condemned for failing to make ICJ humanitarian case over Gaza genocide
    Asia Pacific Report The advocacy group Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa has condemned the New Zealand government fpr failing to make a humanitarian submission to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) hearings at The Hague this week into Israel blocking vital supplies entering Gaza. The ICJ’s ongoing investigation into Israeli genocide in the besieged enclave is

    The Liberals’ women problem may seem intractable, but here’s what they could learn from the Teals
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Phoebe Hayman, PhD Candidate and Casual Academic in Politics, La Trobe University The impression of the Liberal Party as out of touch with women persists in this year’s election. The party’s “women problem” was brought into sharp focus by the backlash to its now-abandoned policy to stop

    This NZ law aims to give people with criminal convictions a ‘clean slate’. It’s not working
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexander Plum, Senior Research Fellow, Auckland University of Technology Andrey_Popov/Shutterstock If you own a business, would you be willing to hire a person who has been convicted for a crime? Give them a chance when a background check shows they have a criminal record? The answers matter

    ER Report: A Roundup of Significant Articles on EveningReport.nz for May 2, 2025
    ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on May 2, 2025.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Global: What are the biggest gaffes, bloopers and blunders that recent presidents have made? It may depend on what your definition of ‘is’ is

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Chris Lamb, Professor of Journalism, Indiana University

    Lots of presidents have said things they regret. Or most of them have. Carol Yepes/Getty Images

    President Donald Trump was asked during a press conference on April 30, 2025, about the possible impact of his tariff policies and trade war with China.

    Trump answered that American children should prepare to make sacrifices at Christmas.

    “Maybe the children will have two dolls instead of 30 dolls, you know,” he said, “and maybe the two dolls will cost a couple of bucks more than they would normally.”

    The New York Times reported that Trump appeared to be telling kids they would have to manage with fewer toys this year for the sake of his economic agenda.

    Jane Mayer, a reporter with The New Yorker, called it “Trump’s Marie Antoinette moment.”

    This was not the first − or last − time Trump said something that left many Americans with mouths open and heads shaking.

    Hours after his Marie Antoinette moment, Trump, whose first 100 days back in office have been characterized as chaotic and damaging to democracy, was asked during a phone interview at a town-hall broadcast on NewsNation what the biggest mistake he’d made thus far in his second presidency.

    “I don’t really believe I’ve made any mistakes,” Trump replied.

    The audience, representing a cross section of Americans, burst out laughing.

    Trump’s gaffes aren’t just part of his presidency; gaffes are part of the storied tradition of the American presidency. Some of those comments have clung to presidents and even affected history.

    Here are examples from each president over the past 50 years or so of statements that at least some of them were embarrassed by or came to regret. Each was made when the president was serving in the White House. The quotes are organized chronologically.

    Donald Trump auditions for Grinch-who-stole-Christmas role.

    Richard Nixon is a law-abiding guy

    On Nov. 17, 1973, President Richard M. Nixon, in the midst of the Watergate scandal that would end his presidency, defended himself against charges of corruption.

    “People have got to know whether or not their president is a crook,” Nixon said. “Well, I’m not a crook. I’ve earned everything I’ve got.”

    Instead of quelling the scandal, as Nixon hoped, his words produced the opposite reaction. He resigned from the presidency nine months later in August 1974.

    Gerald Ford forgets the Cold War

    Gerald Ford, Nixon’s vice president who became president after Nixon’s resignation, subsequently ran for election in 1976.

    During one of his televised debates against Democratic nominee Jimmy Carter, Ford inexplicably claimed the Soviet Union did not control Eastern Europe.

    “There is no Soviet domination of Eastern Europe,” Ford said, “and there never will be under a Ford administration.”

    To which the moderator, New York Times editor May Frankel, said, “I’m sorry, what?”

    Ford’s remark was so outrageously incorrect that it may have contributed to his defeat in the tight presidential election.

    Gerald Ford says it’s really a Warm, not Cold, War.

    Jimmy Carter gets advice from his teen

    Carter defeated Ford and was elected in 1976. He ran for reelection against Republican nominee Ronald Reagan in 1980. During one of their debates, Carter said he sought the advice of his 13-year-old daughter, Amy, on what was the most important issue facing America.

    “She said she thought it was nuclear weaponry,” Carter said, “and the control of nuclear arms.”

    Carter tried to show that arms control was a subject that had great resonance to even 13-year-olds. Instead, it left viewers puzzled why he had inserted his daughter into the debate. A wire service story at the time summarized the response by saying that reporters covering the debate winced and others groaned.

    Jimmy Carter has a smart 13-year-old daughter.

    Ronald Reagan attacks Russia

    Reagan, a former television and movie actor who defeated Carter in the 1980 presidential election, was known as “the Great Communicator” for his eloquence.

    A well-known anti-Communist, Reagan was not always careful about what he said.

    Before a speech on Aug. 11, 1984, Reagan joked during a sound check, “I’ve signed legislation that will outlaw Russia forever. We begin bombing in five minutes.”

    The joke on the open mic, which was not broadcast live but leaked later, resulted in a Soviet red alert − and temporarily moved the U.S. and Soviet Union toward war.

    George H.W. Bush eats word salad

    Reagan’s successor, his vice president, George H.W. Bush, by comparison was no great communicator. His words came out of his mouth and appeared to go in separate ways.

    “I have opinions of my own, strong opinions,” Bush said, “but I don’t always agree with them.”

    Bill Clinton is or isn’t, maybe

    Democrat Bill Clinton defeated George H.W. Bush in the 1992 presidential election.

    Clinton’s presidency was dogged with accusations of unethical behavior and extramarital affairs. Clinton, in testimony before a grand jury investigating his affair with White House intern Monica Lewinsky, was asked whether he was lying when he told aides that “there’s nothing going on” between him and Lewinsky.

    “It depends on what the meaning of the word ‘is’ is,” Clinton responded. “If the − if he − if ‘is’ means is and never has been, that is not − that is one thing.”

    Slate magazine said that this response may have been the “defining moment” of his presidency and, in doing so, captured his contribution to semantics. As Time magazine pointed out,
    “Until then, America hadn’t been sure there was more than one definition of ‘is.’”

    George W. Bush’s shame

    George W. Bush, the son of George H.W. Bush, succeeded Clinton in the White House. Americans learned that Bush had more in common with his father than just the same last name.

    “There’s an old saying in Tennessee − I know it’s in Texas,” Bush said, “probably in Tennessee, that says, fool me once, shame on − shame on you. Fool me − you can’t get fooled again.”

    Barack Obama strikes out

    Barack Obama, like Reagan, was known for his sense of humor. And like Reagan, Obama learned that not everything was a joking matter.

    While appearing on “The Tonight Show” with Jay Leno in 2009, Obama said he had improved his bowling by practicing at the White House bowling alley. He told Leno he had bowled a pedestrian score of 129, provoking a sarcastic response from Leno.

    Obama then made the following joke: “It’s like the Special Olympics or something.”

    Obama quickly apologized to the Special Olympics, the athletic competition for people with intellectual disabilities.

    Obama made a bad joke about the Special Olympics during an interview with Jay Leno; he quickly apologized for it.
    Mandel Ngan / AFP/Getty Images

    Joe Biden’s bad day

    Trump was first elected president in 2016 but was defeated by Joe Biden in the 2020 election. Trump and Biden faced each other again in 2024.

    During a television debate on June 27, 2024, CNN anchor Jake Tapper asked Biden why voters should trust him to solve the immigration crisis. Biden said he changed a law that allowed Trump and his administration to separate immigrant families and put children in cages.

    Biden’s train of thought then jumped the tracks.

    “And I’m going to continue to move until we get the total ban on the − the total initiative relative to what we’re going to do with more Border Patrol and more asylum officers,” Biden said.

    “I really don’t know what he said at the end of that sentence,” Trump said, “and I don’t think he did, either.”

    The same could be said for much of what Biden said during the debate.

    Biden withdrew from the presidential race three weeks after his poor debate performance.

    Chris Lamb 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. What are the biggest gaffes, bloopers and blunders that recent presidents have made? It may depend on what your definition of ‘is’ is – https://theconversation.com/what-are-the-biggest-gaffes-bloopers-and-blunders-that-recent-presidents-have-made-it-may-depend-on-what-your-definition-of-is-is-255755

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Attendance dashboard shows early insights into term 2

    Source: New Zealand Government

    Associate Education Minister David Seymour says that new up-to-date attendance data is helping provide fresh insights into student attendance. For example, data for the first week of term 2 shows the effect of wild weather and which regions were standouts.
    The average attendance across week 1 is 87.1 per cent.
    “The daily school attendance dashboard kicked off this year. It facilitates the daily recording and publication of student attendance, meaning data for week one of term 2 is already available,” says Mr Seymour.
    “It’s pretty clear that areas hit worst by the stormy weather had significant drop offs towards the end of the week. For example, Canterbury and Chatham Islands recorded 90.2% on the first two days of term but dropped to 76.9% on Thursday when the storm hit. I expect attendance to increase again with better forecasts next week.
    “The dashboard provides region-specific data and insights. Over the school holidays I wrote to all mayors across New Zealand urging them to check out their region’s statistics so they can help raise awareness and spark local action.
    “My letter didn’t ask them to spend money, or hire more bureaucrats, or make more rules. All it asked was for community leaders to play a positive role encouraging young people to get to school. 
    “My goal is that all of us take ownership of the attendance problem, because in the long term, all of us will pay for it if children aren’t educated and prepared for the 21st century.
    “I congratulate students in the Otago region, who were the most eager to return to school. On Monday, the first day of term 2, 91.7% of students were at school. The Nelson region wasn’t far behind them on 91.5%. 
    “Thanks to the daily data, we can finally start to see trends in attendance as they occur. This is going to help educators, parents, community leaders, and the Government target areas in need and more effectively support students back to school.
    “Green shoots are present, and we need to keep building on them. In every term in 2024 attendance improved on the same term in 2023. The Government will work with students, parents and educators to build on this.
    “There is still more work to do. The Government’s attendance target is 80 per cent of students present for more than 90 per cent of the term. To reach this goal, daily attendance rates of 94 per cent are required. No region achieved this on any day this week. I will be announcing more on how we can help progress further towards our target in weeks to come. 
    “It will be mandatory for schools to have their own attendance management plan, such as the Stepped Attendance Response (STAR) in place by Term 1 of 2026. 
    “The basic premise of our flagship STAR is that no child is left behind.  
    This means every day at school is important, and interventions will follow if absences build up. This could mean consequences for the most uncooperative parents. I would like to acknowledge the work of the 67 per cent of schools who have already in engaged in some form of STAR.
    “Attending school is the first step towards achieving positive educational outcomes. Positive educational outcomes lead to better health, higher incomes, better job stability and greater participation within communities. These are opportunities that every student deserves.”
    Attendance data can be found here Attendance | Education Counts 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: ‘Super antibodies’ for snake toxins: how a dangerous DIY experiment helped scientists make a new antivenom

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christina N. Zdenek, Associate Researcher, The University of Queensland

    Scientists in the United States have created a new snake antivenom using the blood of a man who deliberately built up immunity to snakebites by injecting himself with many different kinds of venom more than 800 times over 18 years.

    The researchers showed “super antibodies” from the man’s blood prevented toxic damage from neurotoxins found in the venoms of 19 different snake species, including mambas and cobras.

    The new study may represent a welcome advance in antivenom production. Most current techniques are more than a century old and involve injecting venom into horses and other animals, then harvesting antibodies from their blood.

    Even so, new treatments are only part of the challenge of addressing the huge global problem of snakebites, which kill and maim hundreds of thousands of people around the world each year.

    How was this new antivenom made?

    Tim Friede describes himself as an “autodidact herpetologist and venom expert”. He deliberately immunised himself with increasing doses of a number of snake venoms over an 18-year period, in a risky practice known as “mithridatism” that we don’t recommend. Some issues include: Friede nearly died several times, and immunity can drop in weeks.

    Scientists took a small sample of Friede’s blood and isolated the antibodies his immune system had developed to counteract the venoms. Next, they determined which of the antibodies were broadly effective against two important types of neurotoxins found in the venoms of elapid snakes, a family of species including cobras, mambas, and taipans.

    The next step was to sequence the DNA from Friede’s b-cells (a type of immune cell) that produced those two antibodies, then insert the genes responsible into a kind of virus called a bacteriophage. Then, using the modified bacteriophage and human cells as mini factories, the researchers produced lots of the antibodies to use in their work.

    How is antivenom usually made?

    Antivenom is currently the only specific treatment available for snakebites. It is usually produced by first collecting venom (which is dangerous), then “hyper-immunising” a domesticated animal (such as a horse) by routinely injecting it with small but increasing doses of that venom.

    Christina Zdenek and Chris Hay extracting venom from a coastal taipan (Oxyuranus scutellatus).
    Russell Shakespeare

    The horse’s blood is extracted and its antibodies purified. The antibodies can then be injected into a snakebite victim, where they stick to toxins. This prevents the toxins from binding to targets in the body, and it also flags them for elimination by the immune system.

    Traditional antivenoms have their problems. They can cause a severe allergic response known as an anaphylactic reaction (up to 50% of the time, in some countries). They may also have limited effectiveness due to differences in venom composition in snakes from different regions, or at different stages of the snake’s life.

    Broad-spectrum or “polyvalent” antivenoms are made by injecting horses with mixtures of venom from different species or different populations of snakes. However, the elevated antibody content per dose can increase the risk of adverse reactions.

    Another challenge with mixed antivenoms is that some toxins that produce a strong immune response can suppress the production of antibodies against other equally dangerous toxins.

    Why has it taken so long to improve antivenom production?

    Antivenom production is not presently a very profitable business. The expenses are huge, there is limited economy of scale, the effectiveness of antivenoms can be geographically specific, and the products have a short shelf-life and may have strict refrigeration requirements.

    Snakebite is also a disease of poverty. The people most affected are those least able to afford treatment.

    In Australia, the government has been supporting onshore antivenom production since 2020.

    Christina Zdenek retrieves snake venoms from a freezer for antivenom tests in the lab.
    Russell Shakespeare

    How else can we treat snakebite?

    In the past decade, more precise, ethical, and potentially cost-effective methods of producing snakebite therapeutics have emerged. These include monoclonal antibodies produced in the lab, as well as more conventional drugs.

    For example, varespladib is one drug that has progressed to phase II clinical trials. It works extremely well against a major component found in many snake venoms worldwide.

    Hybrid products containing “designer antibodies” and inhibitors like varespladib may be the future of snakebite treatment.

    The new “universal elapid antivenom” is in many ways an improvement on traditional antivenoms. However, there are still several deadly toxins present in elapid snake venoms it does not address, such as the coagulotoxin (blood-attacking) prothrombinase found in the venom of eastern brown snakes and taipans.

    Why do we need antivenom?

    Many people around the world live with the daily threat of being bitten by a venomous snake. Farmers, graziers, children walking barefoot to school, and many rural and remote workers in tropical and subtropical region, are at risk.

    The World Health Organisation deems snakebite a neglected tropical disease. It kills one person roughly every four minutes. As many as 2.7 million people are bitten annually, resulting in up to 138,000 deaths and around 400,000 people permanently maimed.

    An eastern brown snake (Pseudonaja textilis) passes through a suburban backyard in eastern Australia.
    Chris Hay

    Will this new medicine reduce snakebite deaths?

    When it comes to reducing the number of people who die from snakebite, novel snakebite treatments are undoubtedly important. However, developing new drugs is the relatively easy part of the problem.

    A drug is only as good as your capacity to deliver it when and where it’s needed. For snakebites, time is short and locations may be remote.

    Several antivenoms available in Australia.
    Christina N. Zdenek

    Far more attention and resources need to be devoted to all aspects of health infrastructure in the tropics, including the availability and distribution of life-saving medicines.

    Prevention is also critical. Reducing the number of snakebites will reduce the burden on health infrastructure by saving lives and limbs.

    To achieve this, we need far more resources devoted to research on snake behaviour, snake ecology, human–snake interactions, and public education about snakes. Snakebite is the result of an ecological encounter between two organisms, and we know disappointingly little about the circumstances in which it occurs.

    Christina N. Zdenek co-owns and works for the Australian Reptile Academy, a Queensland-based company that provides venomous-snake identification and handling courses for industry and the public.

    Timothy N.W. Jackson is co-head of the Australian Venom Research Unit, which has previously received funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council, Department of Health, and Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

    – ref. ‘Super antibodies’ for snake toxins: how a dangerous DIY experiment helped scientists make a new antivenom – https://theconversation.com/super-antibodies-for-snake-toxins-how-a-dangerous-diy-experiment-helped-scientists-make-a-new-antivenom-255611

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: In Rochester, Gillibrand Condemns President Trump’s Actions To Dismantle Head Start

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Kirsten Gillibrand
    Trump Actions Would Deprive 50,000 Low-Income Children In New York State Of Critical Early Childhood Education 
    Today, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand visited an Action for a Better Community (ABC) Head Start Center in Rochester to condemn President Trump’s actions to dismantle Head Start. Federal funding allows nine Head Start centers to operate in Monroe County, serving over 1000 children. Without this funding, Head Start centers across New York and around the country will be forced to close their doors, which will deprive low-income children of critical early childhood education that gives them the tools to succeed both in and out of the classroom. President Trump has attempted to diminish Head Start through a number of executive actions that are making it harder for Head Start centers to stay up and running, including closing regional offices that help administer the program, laying off staff, and withholding already authorized funding.
    Head Start programs provide low-income children from birth to age five with comprehensive child development programs, as well as support and services for families. The services Head Start and Early Head Start offer include early education, health screenings, promoting social and emotional health, nutrition, connection to other social services, and services for children with disabilities. Head Start and Early Head Start programs serve over 50,000 children in New York State.  
    “Head Start helps make sure that every child has a chance to thrive,“ said Senator Gillibrand. “It is an investment in our kids and our future that has been proven time and time again to be highly effective at preparing children for school and improving both their social and physical health outcomes. President Trump’s actions to dismantle Head Start would hurt the kids and families most in need – including the 50,000 Head Start attendees in New York alone. I will do everything in my power to fight this effort and preserve funding for this vital program through the next fiscal year and beyond.”
    “The Trump administration’s proposed decision to eliminate the Head Start program is a cruel and shortsighted attack on working families and their children,” said Congressman Joe Morelle. “For the last 60 years, Head Start has empowered generations of young people with the tools to succeed and achieve their dreams—not just in school, but in life. I’m proud to join Senator Gillibrand in continuing the fight to protect Head Start because investing in our children is morally right, economically smart, and essential to the strength of our communities.”
    “Hundreds of families throughout Monroe County depend on ABC and Head Start to provide reliable child care and critical early education, nutrition, and support services every day. It’s no secret that the city of Rochester has among the highest childhood poverty rates in the nation; slashing these programs will further jeopardize the future of hundreds of kids and working families throughout our community, while placing an additional burden on our local governments to fill the gap in service these cuts will create,” said County Executive Adam Bello. “I’m grateful to Senator Gillibrand, Senator Schumer, and Congressman Morelle for fighting back against these potential cuts by the Trump administration and hope that others will join us in standing up for the future of America’s children and families.”
    “Head Start programs are a proven method to provide much-needed services to our children and set them up for future success,” said State Senator Jeremy Cooney. “Amid threats to this vital program by the Trump Administration, it’s important now more than ever to push back and keep these services funded. I want to thank Senator Gillibrand for her leadership on this issue and for her continued commitment to our state’s children and families most in need.”
    “The attacks we’re seeing on Head Start and ABC programs aren’t just bureaucratic decisions—they are deeply harmful actions that threaten the well-being and future of countless children and families in our communities,” said New York State Assemblyman Demond Meeks. “These programs are more than just early education initiatives; they are foundational supports that help close the opportunity gap, ensure school readiness, and allow working parents to build better lives for their families. The recent federal actions, including payment delays, staff terminations, and the closure of the Region II Head Start office, are unacceptable. We must prioritize the educational needs of our children. I fully support Senator Gillibrand’s efforts to push back against these dangerous moves and to demand accountability from the Trump administration and our Republican members of Congress. This isn’t about red or blue, Republican or Democrat; this is about right and wrong. As a representative of the 137th Assembly District and a resident of Rochester, a city where so many families rely on Head Start and ABC, I am committed to doing everything in my power to protect these important, essential services. We cannot allow political decisions in Washington to jeopardize the future of our children here at home. In the words of Frederick Douglass, it is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men. In the days ahead, we must not consider it unpatriotic to raise certain basic questions about our national character. – Dr Martin Luther King Jr.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: In Buffalo, Gillibrand Condemns President Trump’s Plan To Eliminate Head Start

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Kirsten Gillibrand
    Proposal Would Deprive 50,000 Low-Income Children In New York State Of Critical Early Childhood Education 
    Today, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand visited the Ferry Academy Head Start Program to condemn President Trump’s plan to eliminate Head Start. President Trump budget’s request for FY26 reportedly aims to eliminate all funding for Head Start. Federal funding allows 20 Head Start centers in Buffalo and Niagara Counties that serve over 1,200 children to operate. Without this funding, Head Start centers across New York and around the country will be forced to close their doors, which will deprive low-income children of critical early childhood education that gives them the tools to succeed both in and out of the classroom. President Trump has also attempted to diminish Head Start through a number of executive actions that are making it harder for Head Start centers to stay up and running, including closing regional offices that help administer the program, laying off staff, and withholding already authorized funding.
    Head Start programs provide low-income children from birth to age five with comprehensive child development programs, as well as support and services for families. The services Head Start and Early Head Start offer include early education, health screenings, promoting social and emotional health, nutrition, connection to other social services, and services for children with disabilities. Head Start and Early Head Start programs serve over 50,000 children in New York State.  
    “Head Start helps make sure that every child has a chance to thrive,“ said Senator Gillibrand. “It is an investment in our kids and our future that has been proven time and time again to be highly effective at preparing children for school and improving both their social and physical health outcomes. President Trump’s proposal to eliminate funding for Head Start would hurt the kids and families most in need – including the 50,000 Head Start attendees in New York alone. I will do everything in my power to fight this effort and preserve funding for this vital program through the next fiscal year and beyond.”
    “Children who can take advantage of Head Start programs show better health, educational, and social outcomes,” said Rep. Tim Kennedy. “As an occupational therapist, I’ve seen firsthand how early developmental support transforms lives. These programs are good for families while also strengthening our communities and the economy. Head Start works, and Donald Trump’s attacks on this proven program are inexcusable. Tens of thousands of children in New York State have a chance at a better future because of Head Start, and I will never stop fighting for this vital program.”
    “It is becoming far too common, since the new administration has taken over the White House, where I have stated, ‘this is bad policy.’ Cutting funding for or disrupting Head Start programs across the country is another example of bad policy,” said Crystal Peoples-Stokes, New York State Assembly Majority Leader. “We have already seen what a funding freeze has done to Head Start programs in the Southern Tier. Cutting funding or eliminating Head Start programs puts an undue burden on families as well as eliminates early childhood education jobs. This is an unacceptable policy and I applaud and stand with Senator Gillibrand and Head Start organizations fighting to keep these programs alive.”
    “Head Start is not just a program — it’s a critical lifeline for thousands of children and working families in Buffalo,” said Buffalo Mayor Christopher P. Scanlon. “Cutting this funding would have devastating consequences for our most vulnerable residents and undermine decades of progress in early childhood education. I’m proud to stand with Senator Gillibrand in fighting to protect Head Start and ensure every child in Buffalo has the chance to grow, learn, and succeed.”
    “Head Start provides the supports and programs that young children need to succeed in school and ultimately in life, helping them grow into productive members of our community. Cutting funding to this critical program is the latest assault on children and families from a regime in Washington that is working every day to make Americans weaker, sicker, less smart and less safe,” said Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz. “Just as our democracy is laboring under this anti-democratic regime, children and the most vulnerable among us are being stripped of the resources they need to succeed in life all so that billionaires can get a tax cut. It’s a disgusting travesty and I urge all Americans to speak out against these cruel, vindictive and unnecessary cuts.”
    “It’s outrageous that this administration wants to take resources away from children, low-income families, and people with disabilities – the most vulnerable individuals in society – in order to pad their billionaire friends’ pockets with massive tax cuts,” said Common Councilwoman Zeneta Everhart. “For over 60 years, the Head Start program has helped millions of disadvantaged children and parents, including those facing poverty and homelessness. In our community alone, thousands depend on Head Start programs for childcare, health services, and early education – programs which make all the difference between local families struggling and thriving. I thank Senator Gillibrand for standing up for Head Start and fighting back against these reckless attacks on children and vulnerable families.”
    “Head Start matters because early childhood education matters,” said Dr. Marie Cannon, Executive Director of the Community Action Organization. “Community Action Organization’s Head Start is built on two main pillars: school readiness and parent engagement in a wholistic service delivery model.  Children are engaged in early learning opportunities to ensure school readiness and future success.  Parents are partners in their child’s education and are engaged in activities that improve their economic and social mobility. Parents set goals that include advancing their own educational attainment and employment attainment and advancement. The investment in Head Start is worth every dime.” 
    “At the Community Action Organization of WNY, we witness every day the challenges that families across Erie and Niagara County face. From access to quality early childhood education to critical services in health, nutrition, mental health, disability support, and family engagement, the barriers are real, and the need is urgent,” said Dr. Chelsea White, Chief Early Childhood Officer for the Community Action Organization. “For us, Head Start is more than just a program; it’s a vital lifeline that empowers children and families, helping to close the opportunity gap and lay the foundation for lifelong success. As the demand for Head Start grows in our community, we remain steadfast in our commitment to meeting that need with compassion, excellence, and opportunity.”

    MIL OSI USA News –