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Category: Education

  • MIL-OSI Global: Stricter abortion laws may cause increased infant deaths − 2 maternal and child health researchers explain the data

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Almut Winterstein, Distinguished Professor of Pharmaceutical Outcomes & Policy, University of Florida

    Many babies born with severe birth defects die within the first few days or weeks of life. shironosov/iStock via Getty Images Plus

    Infant mortality in the U.S. has increased by 7% since the 2022 Dobbs v. Jackson U.S. Supreme Court decision overturned the constitutional right to abortion, according to an October 2024 study.

    Those findings followed another study that reported a 12.7% rise in infant mortality in Texas after the implementation of Senate Bill 8, which bans abortions after a fetal heartbeat is detected. Except for medical emergencies, the law effectively makes abortions illegal in the state after about five to six weeks’ gestation.

    Both studies noted larger increases in deaths among infants born with birth defects. This suggests women are delivering more babies with severe congenital malformations who have no hope of survival beyond a few hours, days or, at most, a few weeks.

    But even before this new research substantiated such a link, clinicians who specialize in care for high-risk pregnancies warned about the potential consequences of the new abortion laws.

    We are researchers focused on maternal and child health who evaluate the safety of medications during pregnancy. We identify medications that might raise the risk for birth defects or pregnancy loss.

    We also evaluate the effectiveness of policies and initiatives aimed at improving pregnancy outcomes, including whether stricter abortion laws could result in more infant deaths.

    Birth defects: A leading cause of infant mortality

    Birth defects affect 3% of pregnancies in the U.S.

    They can be caused by exposures to certain medications, infections, maternal diseases or genetics. For many, causes are unknown.

    While birth defects can develop at any time during pregnancy, most occur during the first three months of pregnancy, a critical time for organ development. More than 5% of pregnancies are exposed to about 200 medications with the potential to cause birth defects.

    After its new abortion law went into effect, Texas saw an increase in infant mortality that was seven times higher than the rest of the U.S.

    Many birth defects are treatable; orofacial clefts and some heart defects, for example, can be corrected with surgery. Some cause lifelong disability and some are fatal, resulting in babies who are stillborn or die shortly after birth. Birth defects are a leading cause of infant mortality, accounting for about 20% of deaths in the first year of life.

    Among anomalies considered lethal, not all result in pregnancy loss or immediate death at delivery. For example, more than half of infants with trisomy 18, a chromosomal abnormality that causes severe heart defects or breathing problems, die within the first week of life. Only 13% survive until their first birthday.

    Anencephaly, a birth defect that affects the development of the skull and brain, results in either stillbirth or death within the first weeks of life. But there is one case report of an infant who survived to her second birthday.

    More than 80% of women will choose to terminate a pregnancy with anencephaly when detected before 24 weeks’ gestation, according to data from before the Dobbs decision. Given the profound effects on parents’ lives, this choice is very personal. But in many states, these women may no longer have a choice. Because of abortion laws with limited or no exceptions, women who carry a fetus with a fatal condition have no legal option other than to carry their pregnancy to term.

    Legal landscape of abortion laws

    As of January 2025, 16 states have total abortion bans in effect or restrictions that do not permit abortions after six weeks. In nine of these states, lethal birth defects are not considered an exception.

    But even in states with those exceptions, the legal wording used to craft the legislation is often confusing to health care providers. Statutory language does not always use medical terms and may assume a certainty about pregnancy outcomes that does not exist. For example, even anencephaly does not meet the commonly used statutory definition of “no viability outside the uterus.”

    Such uncertainty adds to hesitation – and fear – on the part of doctors and nurses who may face steep penalties, including criminal charges and prison time, should they provide an abortion that is later deemed illegal in a court of law.

    Prenatal care too late

    In 2023, prenatal care began after the first trimester for about 24% of pregnancies in the U.S.

    In our February 2024 study of a national sample of nearly 640,000 privately insured pregnant women, the median time to prenatal care was eight weeks. In other words, for more than half of women living in a state with a six-week abortion ban, obstetric assessments would likely commence too late to consider an abortion if a birth defect were detected.

    More than 6,000 women in our study were exposed to medications that can cause birth defects within the first six weeks of pregnancy. These include medications used to treat common yeast or urinary tract infections, drugs used for migraine or weight loss, and blood pressure medications, to name a few. Nearly all of those women – 96% – had no prenatal care prior to taking the medication, and many may not have been aware they were pregnant. For more than 80% of these pregnancies, prenatal care started after six weeks, too late to prevent exposure to unsafe medications or to screen for potential birth defects and to consider pregnancy termination in states with stricter abortion bans.

    Importantly, prenatal identification methods of birth defects range from screening maternal blood for chromosome abnormalities, which is done at 10 weeks’ gestation, to a second-trimester ultrasound to look for fetal structural defects, to procedures such as chorionic villus sampling or amniocentesis to evaluate for genetic conditions. These are all performed after six weeks of pregnancy.

    Even if screening might still fall within abortion cutoffs, the probability to detect adverse outcomes in utero varies substantially.

    For example, valproic acid is a medication that treats epilepsy, migraine and some mental health disorders. About 1% to 2% of women taking valproic acid become pregnant each year. Valproic acid causes birth defects that can be detected in utero such as oral clefts or spina bifida. But it also increases the risk for autism and adverse cognitive defects, which may be diagnosed years after delivery.

    Currently, there is no law addressing instances when an adverse outcome is probable but cannot be confirmed before delivery. Hence, stricter abortion laws are expected to not only increase inevitable infant deaths but also births of infants with severe disability.

    Almut Winterstein receives funding from NIH, FDA, CDC, AHRQ, The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the state of Florida, and Merck, Sharp and Dohme. She has received consulting honoraria from Novo Nordisk, Bayer, Syneos, Ipsen and Lykos. She has chaired the FDA Drug Safety and Risk Management Advisory Committee and now serves as consultant for similar FDA committees.

    Dr. Rasmussen receives funding from NIH, FDA, and CDC. She also serves on scientific advisory committees for several pregnancy registries, including registries for Harmony Biosciences, Axsome Pharmaceuticals, Biohaven Pharmaceuticals (recently acquired by Pfizer), Myovant Sciences, and Novo Nordisk.

    – ref. Stricter abortion laws may cause increased infant deaths − 2 maternal and child health researchers explain the data – https://theconversation.com/stricter-abortion-laws-may-cause-increased-infant-deaths-2-maternal-and-child-health-researchers-explain-the-data-243881

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Gen Z seeks safety above all else as the generation grows up amid constant crisis and existential threat

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Yalda T. Uhls, Founder and Executive Director of the Center for Scholars & Storytellers and Assistant Adjunct Professor in Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles

    Asked to rate the importance of 14 personal goals, Gen Z reported ‘to be safe’ as the top goal. Darya Komarova/Getty Images

    After many years of partisan politics, increasingly divisive language, finger-pointing and inflammatory speech have contributed to an environment of fear and uncertainty, affecting not just political dynamics but also the priorities and perceptions of young people.

    As a developmental psychologist who studies the intersection of media and adolescent mental health, and as a mother of two Gen Z kids, I have seen firsthand how external societal factors can profoundly shape young people’s emotional well-being.

    This was brought into sharp relief through the results of a recent survey my colleagues and I conducted with 1,644 young people across the U.S., ages 10 to 24. The study was not designed as a political poll but rather as a window into what truly matters to adolescents. We asked participants to rate the importance of 14 personal goals. These included classic teenage desires such as “being popular,” “having fun” and “being kind.”

    None of these ranked as the top priority. Instead, the No. 1 answer was “to be safe.”

    It lurks everywhere: Gen Z’s perception of danger is further shaped by events like the recent fires devastating Los Angeles.
    Agustin Paullier/AFP via Getty Images

    What was once taken for granted

    The findings are both illuminating and heartbreaking. As a teenager, I did countless unsafe things. My peers and I didn’t dwell on harm; we chased fun and freedom.

    Whereas previous generations may have taken safety for granted, today’s youth are growing up in an era of compounded crises — school shootings, a worsening climate crisis, financial uncertainty and the lingering trauma of a global pandemic. Even though our research did not pinpoint the specific causes of adolescent fears, the constant exposure to crises, amplified by social media, likely plays a significant role in fostering a pervasive sense of worry.

    Despite data showing that many aspects of life are safer now than in previous generations, young people just don’t feel it. Their perception of danger is further shaped by events like the recent fires that devastated Los Angeles, reinforcing a belief that danger, possibly caused by global crises like climate change, lurks everywhere.

    This shift in perspective has profound implications for the future of this generation and those to come.

    Especially vulnerable time

    Adolescence, like early childhood, is a pivotal period for brain development. Young people are particularly sensitive to their surroundings as their brains evaluate the environment to prepare them for independence.

    This developmental stage – when the capacity to regulate emotions and critically assess information is still maturing – makes them especially vulnerable to enduring impacts.

    Studies show that adolescents are more likely to overestimate risks and struggle to put threats in context. This makes them particularly vulnerable to fear-driven messaging prevalent in both traditional and social media, which is further amplified by political rhetoric and blame-shifting. This vulnerability has implications for their mental health, as prolonged exposure to fear and uncertainty has been linked to increased rates of anxiety, depression and even physical health issues.

    So when the media that Gen Z consumes are dominated by fear – be it through headlines, social media posts, political rhetoric or even storylines in movies and TV – it could shape their worldview in ways that may reverberate for generations to come.

    Enduring generational impact

    Historical events have long been shown to shape the worldview of entire generations.

    For instance, the Great Depression primarily impacted the daily lives of the Silent Generation, those born between 1928 and 1945. Moreover, its long-term effects on financial attitudes and security concerns echoed into the Baby Boomer generation, influencing how those born between 1946 and 1964 approached money, stability and risk throughout their lives.

    Similarly, today’s adolescents, growing up amid a series of compounded global crises, will likely carry the imprint of this period of heightened fear and uncertainty well into adulthood. This formative experience could shape their mental health, decision-making and even their collective identity and values for decades to come.

    In addition, feelings of insecurity and instability can make people more responsive to fear-based messaging, which could potentially influence their political and social choices. In an era marked by the rise of authoritarian governments, this susceptibility could have far-reaching implications because fear often drives individuals to prioritize immediate safety over moral or ideological ideals.

    As such, these dynamics may profoundly shape how this generation engages with the world, the causes they champion and the leaders they choose to follow.

    Room for optimism?

    Interestingly, “being kind” was rated No. 2 in our survey, irrespective of other demographics. While safety dominates their priorities, adolescents still value qualities that foster connection and community.

    This finding indicates a duality in their aspirations: While they feel a pervasive sense of danger, they also recognize the importance of interpersonal relationships and emotional well-being.

    Our findings are a call to look at the broader societal context shaping adolescent development. For instance, the rise in school-based safety drills, while intended to provide a sense of preparedness, may unintentionally reinforce feelings of insecurity. Similarly, the apocalyptic narrative around climate change may create a sense of powerlessness that could further compound their fears and leave them wanting to bury their heads in the sand.

    Understanding how these perceptions are formed and their implications for mental health, decision-making and behavior is essential for parents, storytellers, policymakers and researchers.

    I believe we must also consider how societal systems contribute to the pervasive sense of uncertainty and fear among youth. Further research can help untangle the complex relationship between external stressors, media consumption and youth well-being, shedding light on how to best support adolescents during this formative stage of life.

    Yalda T. Uhls 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. Gen Z seeks safety above all else as the generation grows up amid constant crisis and existential threat – https://theconversation.com/gen-z-seeks-safety-above-all-else-as-the-generation-grows-up-amid-constant-crisis-and-existential-threat-245455

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Land seizure and South Africa’s new expropriation bill: scholar weighs up the new act

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Zsa-Zsa Temmers Boggenpoel, Academic, Stellenbosch University

    South Africa has a new law to govern the expropriation (or compulsory acquisition) of private property by government for public purposes or in the public interest.

    The passing of the Expropriation Act 13 of 2024 followed a parliamentary process that began in 2020.

    The act repeals the apartheid-era Expropriation Act 63 of 1975, and aims to align expropriation law with the constitution. It sets out the procedures, rules and regulations for expropriation. Besides setting out in quite a detailed fashion how expropriations are to take place, the act also provides an outline regarding how compensation is to be determined.

    In South Africa’s colonial and apartheid past, land distribution was grossly unequal on the basis of race. The country is still suffering the effects of this. So expropriation of property is a potential tool to reduce land inequality. This has become a matter of increasing urgency. South Africans have expressed impatience with the slow pace of land reform.

    Property rights and land reform

    There is much debate in the country about the provisions of the new act. The debate is mostly about the extent to which it affects existing private property rights. Some argue the act is unconstitutional. Others welcome it as a necessary step in the right direction.

    I’m a professor of law with a keen interest in this area of the law, and recently edited a book on land expropriation in South Africa by leading experts. My view is that an expropriation act that is aligned with the constitution should be welcomed, to enable land reform to work effectively.



    Read more:
    Land reform in South Africa: what the real debate should be about

    Land reform also needs a capable and proactive state that implements the legal framework in such a manner that prioritises expropriation as a mechanism to ensure land reform.

    So far, expropriation has not been used effectively to redistribute land more equitably, as part of land reform.

    I am not convinced that the act, in its current form, is the silver bullet to effect large-scale land reform – at least not the type of radical land reform that South Africa urgently needs.

    Understandably, the act will have a severe impact on property rights. But it still substantially protects landowners affected by expropriation. Only in very limited cases would they not be compensated.

    Protections for land owners

    The act says that property must not be expropriated arbitrarily or for a purpose other than a public purpose or in the public interest.

    Public purpose means by or for the benefit of the public. For example, expropriating property to build roads, schools and hospitals. Public interest is broader and includes the nation’s commitment to land reform.

    “Arbitrary” would usually mean without reason or justification.



    Read more:
    South Africa has another go at an expropriation law. What it’s all about

    The act further requires that an expropriating authority – an organ of state or person empowered by the act or any other legislation – must first try to reach an agreement with the owner to acquire the property on reasonable terms before considering expropriation.

    This gives some power to a landowner, even though expropriation does not normally require consent. The act also says a specific expropriation must always be authorised by a law.

    No compensation?

    Section 12 of the act deals with compensation for expropriation. It is arguably the most controversial part of the new legislation. Section 12(1) does not appear to be problematic and is largely the same wording as section 25(3) of the constitution. This part of the property clause sets out what must be taken into account when compensation for expropriation is determined.

    Section 12(3) of the act refers to “nil compensation” – when nil rand (monetary) compensation may be paid. There is no explicit reference to nil compensation in the current wording of section 25 of the constitution. It’s a new thing in the Expropriation Act.

    However, courts have toyed with the idea that section 25 of the constitution already provides room for a reduction in compensation.

    The circumstances in which nil compensation could be granted in terms of the new act are in fact very limited. Section 12(3) leaves the discretion to the expropriating authority to determine when it may be just and equitable to pay nil compensation. However, the act lacks guidelines on how such a discretion must be exercised.



    Read more:
    Land is a heated issue in South Africa – the print media are presenting only one side of the story

    The scope of section 12(3) is also limited in some respects. For one, it is restricted to land. Only where land is expropriated would nil compensation be an option. Therefore, not all forms of property can be expropriated without compensation. The notion of property under section 25(1) of the constitution is generally wide and includes various rights and interests, which are broader than just land. For instance, personal rights, mineral rights and licences are included under the section 25(1) notion of property.

    This wide understanding of property is not applicable to section 12(3), which refers to “land” being expropriated.

    Section 12(3) is also limited to the expropriation of land “in the public interest”. Nil compensation is therefore envisaged only in the context of expropriation of land undertaken in the public interest, and not also for a public purpose.

    Three of the four categories listed in section 12(3), where nil compensation is envisaged, are linked to the way in which the property was being used prior to the expropriation. Land used in a productive manner is therefore not evidently envisaged under section 12(3).

    Nil compensation is not necessarily limited to the instances listed. Still, the amount of compensation must – in all instances – be just and equitable.

    Novel approach

    The act forces South Africans to engage with the idea of nil compensation in a much more direct manner.

    The presence of a clause dedicated to nil compensation provides new clarity on when this could apply.

    It is hard to determine whether this act will pass constitutional muster without seeing how expropriation under it will work in practice. It remains to be seen whether it will have the far-reaching consequences that many fear, or call for.

    Zsa-Zsa Temmers Boggenpoel 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. Land seizure and South Africa’s new expropriation bill: scholar weighs up the new act – https://theconversation.com/land-seizure-and-south-africas-new-expropriation-bill-scholar-weighs-up-the-new-act-244697

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Statement on Colomendy Outdoor Activity Centre

    Source: City of Liverpool

    The lease of Colomendy Outdoor Activity Centre will be returned to Liverpool City Council following the current leaseholder entering into administration.

    Earlier this month, Kingswood Colomendy Ltd, the site’s tenant, and its parent company, Inspiring Learning Ltd, both ceased trading and administrators were appointed.

    Kingswood Colomendy Ltd was granted a 30-year lease on the North Wales site in 2007 but administrators have informed LCC, as the freehold owner, that the lease will be handed back to the council. This is known as disclaiming the lease.

    The centre, which is at Loggerheads, near Mold, is now closed.

    When the lease is returned, the council will perform an options appraisal for the long-term use of the site.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Students honored the memory of the heroic defenders of Leningrad

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering – Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering – Andrey Kozlov leads a tour for students

    On January 28, first- and second-year students of SPbGASU visited the Monument to the Heroic Defenders of Leningrad on Victory Square and the new exhibition “To Your Heroes, Leningrad!”, which opened in the Memorial Hall of the memorial.

    The exhibition is dedicated to the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Monument to the Heroic Defenders of Leningrad – one of the architectural structures of the “Green Belt of Glory”, which includes a number of monuments erected at the sites of battles of the Great Patriotic War.

    After laying flowers, Andrei Kozlov, a specialist in exhibition activities at the Monument to the Heroic Defenders of Leningrad, gave the students a tour, telling them about the history of the design and construction of the monument.

    The permanent exhibition of the hall was supplemented by drawings and conceptual proposals for the monument, submitted to an architectural competition in 1964. Among the authors of the projects were students and graduates of LISI (SPbGASU).

    In addition to the competition entries, the exhibition features sketches of sculptures by Mikhail Anikushin, including a plaster sketch of the legendary “golden boy” sculpture, which was supposed to complete the axial composition of the monument, but was ultimately not approved.

    At the end of the excursion, the students talked with the curator of the exhibition and the director of the Monument to the Heroic Defenders of Leningrad, Evgeniya Kulikova. The atmosphere of the museum, permeated with tragedy and the power of the incredible feat of the Soviet people, made an indelible impression on the students.

    Anni Avetisyan says: “I learned a lot about the project and the creation of the monument. The tour also made me think about the terrible events that the residents of Leningrad experienced during the siege. It is very important to visit such places, because in this way we honor the memory of the heroes and can better imagine everything that they experienced while defending our city.”

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Lombardo Appoints Chandeni Sendall to Nevada Gaming Control Board

    Source: US State of Nevada

    LAS VEGAS, NV – January 29, 2025

    Today, Governor Joe Lombardo announced his appointment of Chandeni Sendall to the Nevada Gaming Control Board.

    “I’m pleased to appoint Chandeni Sendall to the Nevada Gaming Control Board,” said Governor Joe Lombardo. “With her unique background in law and compliance, Chandeni will bring fresh insight and critical perspective to the Board. I look forward to her leadership and contributions to gaming oversight in our state.”

    Since 2015, Ms. Sendall has served as a Deputy City Attorney for the City of Reno, practicing in the civil division. Before her work in the Reno City Attorney’s Office, Ms. Sendall worked in civil and commercial litigation, served as an in-house legal intern for Caesars Entertainment, and clerked for the Honorable James W. Hardesty at the Nevada Supreme Court. While attending the William S. Boyd School of Law, Ms. Sendall served as the Editor-in-Chief of the UNLV Gaming Law Journal. Before her legal career, she served for several years as an Internal Auditor for Caesars Entertainment.

    “I’m grateful to Governor Lombardo for this opportunity to serve the State of Nevada,” said Chandeni Sendall. “Along with my legal background, I look forward to applying my educational background in economics and my work experience in the gaming industry as I begin this new role at the Nevada Gaming Control Board.”

    Ms. Sendall officially begins her term this week.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: MULTIAGENCY POST AND PRE-STORM ALA WAI CLEANUP UNDERWAY

    Source: US State of Hawaii

    MULTIAGENCY POST AND PRE-STORM ALA WAI CLEANUP UNDERWAY

    Posted on Jan 29, 2025 in Latest Department News, Newsroom

     

    STATE OF HAWAIʻI

    KA MOKU ʻĀINA O HAWAIʻI

     

    DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES

    KA ‘OIHANA KUMUWAIWAI ‘ĀINA

     

    JOSH GREEN, M.D.
    GOVERNOR

    DAWN CHANG
    CHAIRPERSON

    MULTIAGENCY POST AND PRE-STORM ALA WAI CLEANUP UNDERWAY

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

    Jan. 28, 2025

    HONOLULU — The DLNR Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation (DOBOR) is working closely today with the state Dept. of Transportation (HDOT) and the City and County of Honolulu to clean mud and debris that filled the Ala Wai canal during heavy weekend rains. The agencies are also taking advance steps to try and reduce the amount of rubbish that flows into the canal during another predicted heavy rain event beginning tomorrow.

    A DOBOR contractor is working today with heavy equipment to clear a “trash trap” that is permanently at the outflow of the canal just beyond the Ala Moana Blvd. bridge at the entrance to Waikīkī. It’s expected a large roll-off trash container will be filled by the end of the day with rubbish that flowed downstream. The trap is intended to keep trash from flowing into the Ala Wai Small Boat Harbor and out into the ocean.

    Meghan Statts, DOBOR administrator said the trap booms only catch about 20% of the debris from the canal and stops it from going into the harbor or ocean.

    DOT officials are on site this afternoon analyzing what mitigation measures can be put into place in the canal proper, before heavy rains begin again. DLNR Chair Dawn Chang recognized the assistance of the DOT, as well as the City and County of Honolulu, in trying to prevent further buildups of debris. It’s expected additional mitigation measures will be implemented later today or tomorrow morning.

    State and county officials are encouraging people who live along the Ala Wai Canal, as well as along streams that flow into the canal, to secure anything on their properties that could end up in the canal. The harbor trash trap was filled with large coolers and a huge variety of debris this morning.

    HDOT, DLNR, and the University of Hawai‘i College of Engineering are engaged in discussions with area legislator Senator Sharon Moriwaki on long-term actions to reduce the buildup of trash in the Ala Wai canal.

    # # #

    RESOURCES

    (All images/video courtesy: DLNR)

    HD video – Ala Wai trap cleaning (Jan. 28, 2025):

    https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/6d9vk4vdsiy6bwc78m567/Ala-Wai-Post-Storm-Cleanup-media-clips-Jan.-8-025.m4v?rlkey=dxicghvz4f1o37et2wkfdql0u&st=vlnirkjr&dl=0

    Photographs – Ala Wai trap cleaning (Jan. 28, 2025):

    https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/ncs3te4saz3dvfc1uia5d/ABKoM6h2gpCQrvEmKZGFERs?rlkey=a5uyhz4d5vtflokk1vkgq8t2x&st=j5grot7m&dl=0

    Media Contact:

    Dan Dennison

    Communications Director

    Hawaiʻi Dept. of Land and Natural Resources

    Communications Office: 808-587-0396

    Email: dlnr.comms@hawaii.gov

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Dave Cantin Group Signs PGA Tour Professional Quade Cummins as Its First Athlete Ambassador

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, Jan. 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Dave Cantin Group (DCG), a leading advisor to retail automotive groups and their owners, today announced its partnership with PGA Tour professional Quade Cummins, marking the company’s first venture into athlete sponsorship. Cummins, born into the automotive industry as the son of a dealership family, embodies the drive, preparation and determination that DCG champions in its mission to serve its retail automotive clients.

    Quade is a native of Weatherford, Oklahoma, and the son of Chad and Stacy Cummins, owners of the Cummins Auto Group, a trio of domestic automotive dealerships in Oklahoma. Growing up, Quade spent his early years splitting time between the dealership and the golf course, but quickly realized he had a future in the sport his grandfather taught him. Quade attended the University of Oklahoma, where he was the first four-time All American in the program’s history.

    “Quade’s background makes him a perfect fit for Dave Cantin Group’s first athlete ambassador,” said Dave Cantin, President and CEO of Dave Cantin Group. “Quade’s journey from his family’s dealership to the PGA Tour reflects the same commitment and vision that we bring to our clients in the automotive industry. His story resonates deeply with us, and we are honored to support him on his journey as a Tour professional.”

    Quade transitions this year from the Korn Ferry Tour to the PGA Tour after finishing with enough points in 2024 to earn his Tour card. That achievement is a testament to his tenacity and determined pursuit of excellence, a quality mirrored in DCG’s approach to its M&A advisory services.

    “Being part of the DCG team is an incredible opportunity,” Cummins said. “The automotive industry has been a big part of my life, and it’s exciting to partner with a company that understands where I came from and shares my values. I’m looking forward to representing DCG on and off the course as I continue my PGA Tour journey.”

    “The entire automotive industry should be rooting for Quade and we’re just happy to help raise awareness of who he is, and how special his story is,” DCG Chief Business and Strategy Officer Brian Gordon said. “He is one of us and should feel his whole extended automotive family behind him on every shot.”

    About Dave Cantin Group

    The Dave Cantin Group is a leading automotive mergers and acquisitions advisory company specializing in acquisitions, divestitures, intelligence, and other advisory services. The company is the M&A services provider of choice for North America’s top automotive dealership groups, advising on approximately 40 transactions annually, DCG is differentiated by its advisory approach, long-term lens on client relationships, and commitment to market intelligence tools that inform DCG and client strategies. In 2023, DCG became the only retail automotive M&A company with a significant strategic investor, welcoming Kaltroco to the DCG family.

    Through its M&A intelligence division, DCG produces automotive content and delivers relevant, timely marketing intelligence, including the automotive industry Market Outlook Report (MOR). Together with CBT News, DCG produces the Inside M&A studio show and podcast to share stories, news and trends impacting the retail automotive industry. DCG’s proprietary AI-enabled software, Jump IQ, anchors its advisory services that support retail automotive dealers in developing informed M&A strategies and making smarter M&A decisions.

    The company’s nonprofit initiative, DCG Giving, funds child and adolescent cancer research and treatment in communities nationwide and other worthy charitable initiatives. DCG team members regularly feature on the industry speaking circuit and are regularly cited by top national and global news outlets. For more information, please visit davecantingroup.com.

    Media Contact:

    Katie Merx
    katiemerx@gmail.com
    313.510.5090

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/141f7b76-fb6a-4a10-bd7e-65c61fc77d53

    A video accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/23a49777-1b1a-44ac-9734-ae8529cfc450

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Dotz Nano to Present at the Small Cap Growth Virtual Investor Conference February 6th

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SYDNEY, Jan. 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Dotz Nano Limited (ASX: DTZ, OTC: DTZZF/DTZNY, “Dotz” or “Company”), a leading developer of innovative climate and industrial nanotechnologies, today announced that Sharon Malka, CEO, will present live at the Small Cap Growth Virtual Investor Conference hosted by VirtualInvestorConferences.com, on February 6th, 2025.

    DATE: February 6th   
    TIME: 10:30 a.m. ET
    LINK: https://bit.ly/4gkzOdq 
    Available for 1×1 meetings: Monday, February 10th, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. ET

    This will be a live, interactive online event where investors are invited to ask the company questions in real-time. If attendees are not able to join the event live on the day of the conference, an archived webcast will also be made available after the event.

    It is recommended that online investors pre-register and run the online system check to expedite participation and receive event updates.

    Learn more about the event at www.virtualinvestorconferences.com.

    Recent Company Highlights

    • Received the first commercial order for the Company’s proprietary in-product tagging solution, DotzShield, from a leading provider of energy solutions to the Oil & Gas industries worldwide;
    • Dotz’s newly developed modified sorbent demonstrates high adsorption capacity and low energy usage for Direct Air Capture (DAC);
    • Successful lab-scale pilot demonstration of DotzEarth CO2 capture technology, showing the sorbents’ high adsorption capacity, selectivity, and robustness;
    • Signed a strategic collaboration agreement with Bar-Ilan University to pilot an innovative electrochemical DAC technology;
    • U.S. institutional shareholder invests a further A$2.0 million to support the development of the DotzEarth carbon capture technology.

    About Dotz Nano Limited

    Dotz Nano Limited (ASX: DTZ, OTC: DTZZF/DTZNY) is a technology company developing innovative climate and industrial nano-technologies. The Company’s primary focus is centered on ground-breaking carbon dioxide (CO2) management technologies, leading towards a carbon-neutral future. The Company’s proprietary carbon-based solid sorbents offer an efficient and sustainable approach to facilitate industrial deep decarbonization.

    To learn more about Dotz, please visit the website via the following link www.dotz.tech

    About Virtual Investor Conferences®

    Virtual Investor Conferences (VIC) is the leading proprietary investor conference series that provides an interactive forum for publicly traded companies to seamlessly present directly to investors.

    Providing a real-time investor engagement solution, VIC is specifically designed to offer companies more efficient investor access. Replicating the components of an on-site investor conference, VIC offers companies enhanced capabilities to connect with investors, schedule targeted one-on-one meetings and enhance their presentations with dynamic video content. Accelerating the next level of investor engagement, Virtual Investor Conferences delivers leading investor communications to a global network of retail and institutional investors.

    CONTACTS:

    Investor & Media Enquiries
    John Hurst
    E: info@dotz.tech
    P: +61 (0)418 798 663
    		 US IR
    Robert Meyers
    E: bob@fnkir.com
    P: +1-646-878-9204
       
    Virtual Investor Conferences
    John M. Viglotti
    SVP Corporate Services, Investor Access
    OTC Markets Group
    (212) 220-2221
    johnv@otcmarkets.com 
    		  

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UKHSA launches new metagenomic surveillance for health security

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    The UK launches mSCAPE, a world-first metagenomics initiative by UKHSA to enhance health security through rapid pathogen detection and surveillance.

    The UK has taken a leap forward in its efforts to use pathogen genomics to improve health security. Today the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) launches a world-first metagenomics initiative to aid in the rapid detection of infectious diseases that could threaten the UK. The metagenomics Surveillance Collaboration and Analysis Programme (mSCAPE), which has been in development over the last year, is piloting the use of metagenomic data for public health surveillance and pathogen analysis.    

    The programme is a collaborative initiative, led by UKHSA and involving a consortium of NHS and academic partners including the University of Birmingham, University of Edinburgh, and the NHS Clinical Respiratory Metagenomics Network led by Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust.    

    UKHSA will take anonymous pathogen data from multiple labs that are using metagenomics for diagnosis, including those in the NHS, and analyse it at a national level to monitor trends, epidemiology and pathogen emergence at speed. This will allow for assessment of the ability to significantly improve identification of new outbreaks as well as enabling the source of an outbreak to be better understood, predictions to be made about the effectiveness of potential treatments, and any concerning mutations can be identified.  

    Effective use of metagenomic data will add a new, crucial insight to current health protection surveillance systems in the UK. mSCAPE aims to develop the capability to use this data as part of UKHSA’s ongoing surveillance of new and emerging infections, pathogens of pandemic potential, and to monitor the evolution of pathogens that cause disease.    

    Metagenomic methodology allows for untargeted sequencing of patient samples for the presence of pathogenic viruses and bacteria, which is a significant step forward in detection and diagnosis abilities. Traditional genomic methodologies have required scientists to target sample sequencing towards pathogens that are already known to the scientific and medical community. Pathogen-agnostic metagenomic methods do not require scientists to know for sure what pathogens are present in a sample before the sequencing is conducted.  

    This is a major advantage in the detection of known but unexpected pathogens for which specific tests are not readily available and for pathogens not normally found in humans. It is also beneficial in the event of the emergence of a previously unknown novel pathogen.  Metagenomic sequencing is becoming established as a clinical diagnostic test, and its use is currently being expanded in the NHS.  

    Professor Susan Hopkins, UKHSA Chief Medical Advisor, said:  

    Genomics has been a crucial aspect of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic from the very start, and the UK’s enormous technical expertise in this area has allowed us to play a leading role in the identification and analysis of COVID-19 variants as they emerge.   

    The new mSCAPE programme will allow us to use the UK’s leading genomics capability to conduct community surveillance using pathogen-agnostic sequencing data for the first time anywhere in the world, and our new initiative to share our pathogen genomic data demonstrates our commitment to our data being used to improve health globally.  

    This is a hugely exciting development which will increase our ability to respond at speed to new and emerging pathogens and will help to ensure that we are as prepared as possible to act quickly and effectively to protect the public from future threats. 

    Professor Dame Sue Hill, Chief Scientific Officer for NHS England and Senior Responsible Officer for NHS Genomics, said:

    Genomics is revolutionising the way we predict, prevent, diagnose and treat illness – whether it’s diagnosing rare conditions in children more quickly, helping personalise cancer treatments to make them more effective, or identifying people at greater risk from kidney disease.

    The mSCAPE programme is another great example of how the UK is leading the world in this field, and we are pleased to be able to support it through our Networks of Excellence in Severe Respiratory Infections.

    Updates to this page

    Published 30 January 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: RBI imposes monetary penalty on Shree Savli Nagrik Sahakari Bank Ltd., Dist. Vadodara, Gujarat

    Source: Reserve Bank of India

    The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has, by an order dated January 27, 2025, imposed a monetary penalty of ₹2.10 lakh (Rupees Two Lakh Ten Thousand only) on Shree Savli Nagrik Sahakari Bank Ltd., Dist. Vadodara, Gujarat (the bank) for contravention of provisions of Section 26A read with Section 56 of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 (BR Act) and for non-compliance with certain directions issued by RBI on ‘Investment by Primary (Urban) Co-operative Banks’, ‘Know Your Customer (KYC)’ and ‘Membership of Credit Information Companies (CICs) by Co-operative Banks’. This penalty has been imposed in exercise of powers conferred on RBI under the provisions of Section 47A(1)(c) read with Sections 46(4)(i) and 56 of the BR Act and Section 25 of the Credit Information Companies (Regulation) Act, 2005.

    The statutory inspection of the bank was conducted by RBI with reference to its financial position as on March 31, 2023. Based on supervisory findings of contravention of statutory provisions/non-compliance with RBI directions and related correspondence in that regard, a notice was issued to the bank advising it to show cause as to why penalty should not be imposed on it for its failure to comply with the said provisions and directions. After considering the bank’s reply to the notice, oral submissions made during the personal hearing and examination of additional submissions made by it, RBI found, inter alia, that the following charges against the bank were sustained, warranting imposition of monetary penalty:

    The bank had:

    1. failed to transfer eligible unclaimed amounts to the Depositor Education and Awareness Fund within the prescribed time;

    2. breached the ceiling of total investments held under Held to Maturity (HTM) category;

    3. failed to upload the KYC records of customers onto Central KYC Records Registry (CKYCR) within the prescribed time; and

    4. failed to submit credit information of its borrowers to three CICs.

    This action is based on deficiencies in regulatory compliance and is not intended to pronounce upon the validity of any transaction or agreement entered into by the bank with its customers. Further, imposition of this monetary penalty is without prejudice to any other action that may be initiated by RBI against the bank.

    (Puneet Pancholy)  
    Chief General Manager

    Press Release: 2024-2025/2045

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Global: From YMCA to MAGA: why Trump plays Village People at his rallies

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By William Rees, University of Exeter

    It was a bizarre sight watching a huge gay 1970s disco hit being performed at Donald Trump’s 2025 pre-inauguration rally. Many prominent artists from Beyoncé to Bruce Springsteen prohibit Trump from using their music. So why do Village People – a band synonymous with the 1970s gay liberation movement – allow their music to be associated with a political movement that has fixed and repressive ideas about sexual identity and morality?

    Village People’s recent incarnation has had a complicated relationship with the “make America great again” movement (Maga). In 2020, their song YMCA began featuring at Maga anti-lockdown rallies and soon became a prominent song in Trump’s re-election campaign.

    At the time, the band asked Trump not to use its music and later supported Kamala Harris for the presidency in 2024. Since then Village People have dramatically changed tack.

    To be clear, of the group that performed at Trump’s pre-inauguration rally, only one of the original Village People remains. The band, put together by the gay producers Jacques Morali and Henri Belolo in 1978, was named after New York’s Greenwich Village gay scene.

    Looking for something good? Cut through the noise with a carefully curated selection of the latest releases, live events and exhibitions, straight to your inbox every fortnight, on Fridays. Sign up here.

    In the 1970s, the group was mostly gay-fronted except the first recruit, lead singer and co-songwriter Victor Willis (sometimes the policeman, sometimes the admiral figure). Willis took control of the name and the hits in 2017 after an out-of-court settlement with co-owner Henri Belolo.

    Willis is now the only member of the original line up still performing under the official band name. Perhaps to ensure mainstream popularity, he has tried to move Village People away from its gay associations – the biography on the band’s website makes no mention of the act’s significance to queer audiences. He recently wrote on Facebook that he will sue every news organisation that suggests “YMCA is somehow a gay anthem”.

    Victor Willis, the last remaining original member of Village People in a 1978 video for Just A Gigolo.

    But it’s difficult to untangle Village People from queer history as it was the trendsetting gay community of underground disco culture that made them famous. Record companies selected the songs and artists to promote based on how DJs reported their popularity in the hottest clubs. Many of these clubs were gay dominated, and disco itself was tied up with the growing confidence of the gay liberation movement in America and the era of sexual liberalisation that followed the 1960s.

    Jacques Morali put together Village People knowing the band could offer influential gay clubbers something they had always been denied: cultural representation, and with it, acknowledgement of their existence.

    It worked. One self-proclaimed “disco doll” writing to LGBTQ+ newspaper The Advocate in 1978 recalled first hearing Village People: “The music was very hot … and the words were about us, about our scene. I couldn’t believe it.”

    Village People’s innuendos and knowing references to gay culture often went over the heads of many straight listeners. Songs like Macho Man and the group’s hypermasculine image epitomised the “clone” movement in 1970s gay culture.

    Queer men, long derided for being effeminate, would bulk up at the gym and dress in leathers like bikers, effectively becoming more of an embodiment of masculinity than straight men. Go West was a reference to San Francisco’s more liberal environment for gay men. The YMCA was a place to “hang out with all the boys”.

    But skyrocketing into the mainstream made Village People an awkward fit for gay disco culture. This vibrant community wanted their own scene that was not part of the mainstream. They felt betrayed by a band publicly denying their gayness as they juggled the hardcore homosexual audience that had made them famous alongside a family-friendly audience.

    The backlash was fierce. A 1978 letter to gay lib magazine The Body Politic declared: “The commercial exploiters are disguising it to gain the commercially lucrative straight audience”, describing Village People as “traitors of the worst kind”.

    But even if they became momentarily unpopular in the hottest gay clubs, for many LGBTQ+ people, Village People’s hits have endured as anthems played at queer nights and Pride events. In their sound, appearance and sheer 1970-ness, they are undeniably camp icons.

    Which of course leads many to question why people attending Trump’s rallies – hardly famous for their inclusivity – would embrace their music. One explanation is that Maga audiences simply do not care about past gay associations as the music is simple, catchy and positive.

    Another is that just like the 1970s, the queer messaging of Village People’s music still goes over the heads of straight Maga audiences. Perhaps despite its past gay associations, they are consciously trying to culturally repurpose disco for their own movement. Or they’re trying to be ironic.

    Most likely, though, the music might have a particular meaning to LGBTQ+ audiences, it has other meanings depending on the context in which it is played. To many, Village People are the epitome of a novelty, apolitical pop group. Their hits are associated with weddings, children’s parties and good-time disco. The prosaic truth may be that Trump fans just enjoy a really catchy tune.

    But for Trump’s team, the use of these songs is politically calculated toward their core supporters who have changed the lyrics of YMCA to “MAGA”. And don’t forget Village People were joined at the pre-inauguration rally by WWE wrestling’s Hulk Hogan. Both are nostalgic late 20th-century acts that revel in blatant performances of muscled masculinity.

    They seem to be the embodiment of that imagined past of American virility that Trump vaguely refers to when he promises to make the nation “great again”. It’s not difficult to work out what Trump’s message is, especially when he dances along to Macho Man at rallies.

    Both these acts are carnivalesque, like Trump himself. They indicate an era of politics as spectacle, but beneath the surface messages, we must carefully pay attention to what is actually being said and done.

    William Rees 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. From YMCA to MAGA: why Trump plays Village People at his rallies – https://theconversation.com/from-ymca-to-maga-why-trump-plays-village-people-at-his-rallies-248457

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: RBI imposes monetary penalty on The Odisha State Co-operative Bank Ltd

    Source: Reserve Bank of India

    The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has, by an order dated January 28, 2025, imposed a monetary penalty of ₹4.00 lakh (Rupees Four Lakh only) on The Odisha State Co-operative Bank Ltd., (the bank) for non-compliance with the provisions of Section 9 and Section 26A of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 (BR Act). This penalty has been imposed in exercise of powers conferred on RBI under the provisions of Section 47A(1)(c) read with Section 46(4)(i) and 56 of BR Act.

    The statutory inspection of the bank was conducted by the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) with reference to its financial position as on March 31, 2023. Based on supervisory findings of contravention of statutory provisions and related correspondence in that regard, a notice was issued to the bank advising it to show cause as to why penalty should not be imposed on it for contravention of provisions of the BR Act. After considering the bank’s reply to the notice and oral submissions made during the personal hearing, RBI found, inter alia, that the following charges against the bank were sustained, warranting imposition of monetary penalty:

    The bank had:

    1. failed to dispose of certain Non-Banking Assets within the prescribed period; and

    2. failed to transfer eligible unclaimed amounts to the Depositor Education and Awareness Fund within the prescribed time.

    This action is based on deficiencies in regulatory compliance and is not intended to pronounce upon the validity of any transaction or agreement entered into by the bank with its customers. Further, imposition of this monetary penalty is without prejudice to any other action that may be initiated by RBI against the bank.

    (Puneet Pancholy)  
    Chief General Manager

    Press Release: 2024-2025/2042

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Government aims to crack down on rogue higher education operators

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Proposed reforms to tighten rules around franchising and crack down on fraud in the student finance system that cost taxpayers £2m in 2022/23.   

    Tough new reforms proposed by the Department for Education would tighten controls on university franchising arrangements in England to safeguard public money and shore up the reputation of our world class higher education sector.   

    Franchising enables universities to subcontract courses to external providers. When done right, it makes it easier for more students to access higher education, especially in areas where options are limited, or when people such as mature students are balancing study around work and life.    

    The number of students studying at franchised providers has more than doubled in recent years, with over 130,000 using their services. But an investigation by the National Audit Office (NAO) raised concerns about franchising arrangements, with fraud in the sector costing the public purse £2m in 2022/23.    

    More than half of 341 franchised institutions are currently unregistered with the Office for Students (OfS), meaning they are not directly regulated. In some cases, students are offered poor-quality courses that fail to justify their cost, showing a clear need for reform.   

    Under new government plans published for consultation today (30 January), delivery partners with 300 or more students would be required to register with the OfS to ensure their courses meet rigorous quality standards, in order to be eligible to access to student finance.   

    If the OfS finds that a provider is not meeting the standards required of registered providers, they will be publicly held to account and could risk facing fines and the suspension of their registration, in the most extreme circumstances. The OfS will also publish student outcome data for all subcontracted partnerships every year.   

    The move comes ahead of a significant package of higher education reforms due to be announced this summer that will put students first and cement universities’ status as engines of growth in their communities, as the government delivers its Plan for Change to drive economic growth and raise living standards.   

    Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said:   

    We are committed to cracking down on rogue operators who misuse public money and damage the reputation of our world-class universities.  

    Franchising can be a valuable tool to widen access to higher education, and these proposals will ensure students can trust the quality of their courses, no matter where or how they choose to study.   

    The credibility of our universities is at stake, but these proposals seek to protect students and safeguard taxpayer’s money, as part of our work to drive growth through our Plan for Change.  

    Franchising allows courses to be adapted to suit different needs and circumstances. It also helps colleges and universities work more closely together and gives new, innovative education providers a chance to get started.   

    Providers such as London South Bank University, which partners with some of the city’s top NHS teaching Trusts to help students’ studying midwifery and other front-line services, demonstrate the real-world benefits of franchising – with students achieving their qualifications alongside invaluable workplace experience, helping to address the critical shortage of healthcare professionals.   

    Universities and colleges whose names and brands are being used by franchises will remain responsible for ensuring their subcontracted arrangements meet quality and standards requirements. New regulations could come into effect as soon as spring next year, depending on the outcome of the consultation.  

    These reforms would protect the high standards of the UK’s higher education sector, which contributes around £265bn to the UK economy, ensuring it continues to drive economic growth and benefit both students and the wider economy.

    These proposals would strengthen the OfS’s ability to protect the public money that goes into franchising. The consultation aligns with the OfS’s work to strengthen conditions of registration related to governance and student interests.    

    The OfS will shortly be consulting on changes to requirements for providers that wish to join its register to ensure they are all managed and governed effectively.   

    The OfS has currently paused registration of new higher education providers to support the sector with financial sustainability concerns, after finding 72 per cent of providers could be operating in deficit by next year.   

    They expect the pause to stay in place until August 2025 but will review the decision every three months, meaning the registration process should be open again by the time the government’s proposed changes would take effect.   

    The Department for Education’s consultation will be open from 30 January to 4 April 2024. After the consultation closes, the Department for Education will review the responses and aims to publish its official response in the summer.

    DfE media enquiries

    Central newsdesk – for journalists 020 7783 8300

    Updates to this page

    Published 30 January 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Global: How close are quantum computers to being really useful? Podcast

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Gemma Ware, Host, The Conversation Weekly Podcast, The Conversation

    Audio und verbung/Shutterstock

    Quantum computers have the potential to solve big scientific problems that are beyond the reach of today’s most powerful supercomputers, such as discovering new antibiotics or developing new materials.

    But to achieve these breakthroughs, quantum computers will need to perform better than today’s best classical computers at solving real-world problems. And they’re not quite there yet. So what is still holding quantum computing back from becoming useful?

    In this episode of The Conversation Weekly podcast, we speak to quantum computing expert Daniel Lidar at the University of Southern California in the US about what problems scientists are still wrestling with when it comes to scaling up quantum computing, and how close they are to overcoming them.

    Quantum computers harness the power of quantum mechanics, the laws that govern subatomic particles. Instead of the classical bits of information used by microchips inside traditional computers, which are either a 0 or a 1, the chips in quantum computers use qubits, which can be both 0 and 1 at the same time or anywhere in between. Daniel Lidar explains:

    “Put a lot of these qubits together and all of a sudden you have a computer that can simultaneously represent many, many different possibilities …  and that is the starting point for the speed up that we can get from quantum computing.”

    Faulty qubits

    One of the biggest problems scientist face is how to scale up quantum computing power. Qubits are notoriously prone to errors – which means that they can quickly revert to being either a 0 or a 1, and so lose their advantage over classical computers.

    Scientists have focused on trying to solve these errors through the concept of redundancy – linking strings of physical qubits together into what’s called a “logical qubit” to try and maximise the number of steps in a computation. And, little by little, they’re getting there.

    In December 2024, Google announced that its new quantum chip, Willow, had demonstrated what’s called “beyond breakeven”, when its logical qubits worked better than the constituent parts and even kept on improving as it scaled up.

    Lidar says right now the development of this technology is happening very fast:

    “For quantum computing to scale and to take off is going to still take some real science breakthroughs, some real engineering breakthroughs, and probably overcoming some yet unforeseen surprises before we get to the point of true quantum utility. With that caution in mind, I think it’s still very fair to say that we are going to see truly functional, practical quantum computers kicking into gear, helping us solve real-life problems, within the next decade or so.”

    Listen to Lidar explain more about how quantum computers and quantum error correction works on The Conversation Weekly podcast.

    This episode of The Conversation Weekly was written and produced by Gemma Ware with assistance from Katie Flood and Mend Mariwany. Sound design was by Michelle Macklem, and theme music by Neeta Sarl.

    Clips in this episode from Google Quantum AI and 10 Hours Channel.

    You can find us on Instagram at theconversationdotcom or via e-mail. You can also subscribe to The Conversation’s free daily e-mail here.

    Listen to The Conversation Weekly via any of the apps listed above, download it directly via our RSS feed or find out how else to listen here.

    Daniel Lidar receives funding from the NSF, DARPA, ARO, and DOE.

    – ref. How close are quantum computers to being really useful? Podcast – https://theconversation.com/how-close-are-quantum-computers-to-being-really-useful-podcast-248574

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: ‘This Girl Moves’ inspires young leaders to get more girls active

    Source: Northern Ireland City of Armagh

    Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon (ABC) Borough Council and the Southern Health and Social Care Trust (SHSCT) have teamed up once again to host the ‘This Girl Moves’ Leadership Day to inspire and motivate teenage girls to get active!

    Funded by the Public Health Agency, the programme is designed to inspire female students to create positive change within their schools by encouraging and supporting their peers to become more active, irrespective of age, ability and shape.

    Twenty-four female pupils aged 13-15 years representing Brownlow Integrated College, Craigavon Senior High School, Lurgan Junior High School and Killicomaine Junior High School attended the recent event at Dromore Community Centre.

    Through a series of interactive workshops, physical activity sessions and team-building exercises, the girls explored the factors impacting on girls’ participation in sport and creative ways to help get more girls involved in exercise and sport.

    The participants will return to their schools as ambassadors tasked with promoting physical activities and encouraging more girls to get active and stay active. Over the coming months, they will continue to work with the ABC Council and SHSCT teams to fulfil their roles, whilst also working towards the ‘I Can Lead’ Award, developed by the Leadership Skills Foundation.

    Speaking at the ‘This Girl Moves’ Leadership Day, Deputy Lord Mayor, Councillor Kyle Savage said, “The research shows that girls are more likely to disengage from sport and physical activity, experience more barriers and drop out of sports in their teenage years. I am therefore delighted that we can continue to support this campaign to inspire young girls across the borough to create positive change together and among their peers. I wish all the girls every success with their leadership journeys and their campaigns to get more girls active.”

    Southern Health and Social Care Trust Physical Activity Lead, Clare Drummy, added, “Children here have the lowest physical activity levels throughout the UK. For this reason, we’re committed to supporting girls to become more active in a way that suits them, so this can be sustained into adulthood.

    “We know that peer support has the greatest influence on teenage girls, which is why we are recruiting physical activity ambassadors to support and encourage girls in their schools to be active.”

    The ‘This Girl Moves’ programme will run across the SHSCT area with further events to take place in the coming weeks. For further information, contact

    *protected email*

    or

    *protected email*

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Signing of Memorandum of Understanding between Data Informatics and Innovation Division, Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) and Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology (IIIT-Delhi) on 30.01.2025

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 30 JAN 2025 4:31PM by PIB Delhi

    A Memorandum of Understanding was signed under the Data Innovation lab initiative between Data Informatics and Innovation Division, Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) and Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology (IIIT-Delhi) on 30.01.2025. 

    The Ministry has initiated several reforms to modernise the National Statistical System in the last one year. In July 2024, MoSPI embarked on the scheme for Data Innovation (DI) Lab initiative as to infuse innovation, and build an ecosystem for research-driven solutions. The DI Lab is designed to serve as a platform to harness emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), and Big Data Analytics to enhance data collection, processing, and dissemination.

    As part of the Outreach Activities, the Lab has been engaging with premier academic institutions. More than 100 academic institutions have been approached. MoU with several reputed institutions including IITs and IIMs have been signed.

    A key objective of this partnership is to leverage academic expertise to tackle real-world challenges in official statistics by creating a link between academia and practitioners.. The statistical landscape is evolving, and new methodologies are needed to address issues like data integration, real-time analytics, and predictive modeling.

    In this collective endeavour and collaborative approach towards improving Official Statistics, the partnership was formalised through this Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between MoSPI and IIIT Delhi. Collaboration with IIIT Delhi is a crucial step in creating an ecosystem for innovation. With the signing of this MoU, MoSPI is reinforcing its commitment to fostering long-term collaboration between Government and Academia and infusing fresh ideas in the system. This is expected to lead to impactful innovations that will significantly enhance the functioning of MoSPI and strengthen the statistical ecosystem of the country.

    *****

    Samrat/Dheeraj : @pibmospi[at]gmail[dot]com

    (Release ID: 2097621) Visitor Counter : 25

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: The Two-Day National Conference with Labour Ministers and Secretaries of States & UTs in New Delhi, chaired by Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, Union Minister for Labour & Employment and Youth Affairs & Sports Concluded Today

    Source: Government of India (2)

    The Two-Day National Conference with Labour Ministers and Secretaries of States & UTs in New Delhi, chaired by Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, Union Minister for Labour & Employment and Youth Affairs & Sports Concluded Today

    Labour Welfare for Building & Construction Workers, along with Gig & Platform Workers, is a Top Priority for the Government of India, said Dr. Mandaviya

    Chintin Shivir Provides Collaborative Platform for Cross-Learning and Sharing Best Practices Demonstrated by States/UTs

    Three Committees Formed to Develop Sustainable Model for Comprehensive Social Security Coverage

    Posted On: 30 JAN 2025 3:53PM by PIB Delhi

    The two-day Workshop with Hon’ble Labour Ministers and Labour Secretaries of States & UTs, concluded today under the Chairmanship of Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, Union Minister for Labour & Employment and Youth Affairs & Sports. Sushri Shobha Karandlaje, Hon’ble Minister of State for the Ministry of Labour and Employment, along with Hon’ble Labour Ministers from various States/UTs, Ms. Sumita Dawra, Secretary, Ministry of Labour & Employment, and senior officials from States/UTs, were present during the workshop. These meetings marked a successful culmination of the six regional workshops and several other consultations, held over the last year with all 36 States and UTs. Over ten subjects during the five sessions spread over two days, were extensively discussed and inputs gathered, with the objective to design targeted action items. Three Committees comprising five States each were formed. Building on the discussions during the workshop, these Committees will hold consultations and develop a sustainable model for comprehensive social security coverage for workers, to be presented in March 2025.

    Taking note of the deliberations and suggestions made during the two-day workshop, the Union Minister during his address laid out a comprehensive action plan for all stakeholders. He urged States to assess the feasibility of adopting best practices showcased by different States/UTs during the last two days. He emphasized that the Ministry is committed and would continue to work closely with State Governments to design various reforms and initiatives to ensure welfare of organized and unorganized workers. Holistic and sustainable welfare programmes providing pension, healthcare, life and accident insurance, etc. are being discussed.

    Social security for unorganized sector workers, such as the ones in Building and Construction work, in the gig & platform economy, and other sectors was extensively discussed. The Union Minister emphasized developing sustainable social security models for these workers. Further, the welfare of contract labour and the transformation of the role of the inspector to inspector-cum-facilitator were the other main agenda items for day two.  

    States showcased the progress made in utilizing BOCW cess funds in giving social security coverage, besides developing education and skill development institutions for children of Building and Construction Workers. Innovative ways of utilizing these resources for providing various social welfare initiatives like pension were widely deliberated.  

    Progress made in onboarding unorganized workers onto the eShram portal showcased the Government’s efforts towards strengthening the last-mile delivery of benefits to these workers. So far over 30 crore unorganized workers are registered on the eShram portal. The Ministry is also working on designing a dedicated Social Security and Welfare Scheme for Gig & Platform workers. Modalities of funding, data collection, and administration of the Scheme were discussed and States were urged to prioritize the sharing of data of unorganized workers, with a focus on gig & platform workers and support in their registration on eShram on mission mode. Integration of eShram and Government portals like NCS, and SIDH are contributing to promoting employment generation, employability, skill development, etc.

    Shift from inspector to inspector-cum-facilitator model was another major reform discussed with State/UT administrators. The overall objective of this reform is to reduce the compliance burden and promote ease of doing business, along with ensuring decent working conditions, equal opportunities at work and improved employee-employer relationships.

    Sushri Shobha Karandlaje, Hon’ble Minister of State for Ministry of Labour and Employment during her closing remarks, underscored the important contribution made by India’s workforce in achieving the goal of becoming a Viksit Bharat by 2047. Maximizing social security coverage and ensuring labour welfare of both organized and unorganized workers was the main goal of all the consultations held over last year and this two-day Chintin Shivir. She reiterated the whole-of-Government approach needed to take all the initiatives to a logical conclusion in a time-bound manner.

    Engaged in the spirit of cooperative federalism, the two-day meetings displayed the Government’s commitment towards promoting labour welfare and facilitating ease of doing business and promoting industrial growth across States/UTs. 

    *****

    Himanshu Pathak

     

    (Release ID: 2097602) Visitor Counter : 87

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Anti-immigration policies: why harsh new rules put in place by Trump and other rich countries won’t last

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Alan Hirsch, Research Fellow New South Institute, Emeritus Professor at The Nelson Mandela School of Public Governance, University of Cape Town

    Donald Trump, America’s new president, has cut back massively on US commitments to asylum seekers, blocked all asylum processes and started to remove irregular immigrants.

    Trump’s new measures are far reaching. They include the suspension of the US refugee admissions programme. Flights booked for refugees to the US have been cancelled. Arrests and deportations have begun.

    Strongly anti-immigrant policies were also pursued under the Biden administration, though Trump’s dramatic steps take them much further. Other countries in the global north have also introduced tougher policies. The 2024 EU Pact on Migration and Asylum sets out tougher border controls, quicker assessment of asylum seekers and swifter removal of those who did not qualify. In the UK, Labour prime minister Keir Starmer has promised to bring down the net migration rate and treat people-smugglers like terrorists.

    Based on my research into migration over the past 30 years I believe that these measures are unlikely to last. There are two linked trends that make closing the borders of the global north impractical and destined for revision.

    The first is that populations in most of the global north are ageing fast (on average) and the fertility rate, or natural population growth rate, has plummeted. There are many more older people as a percentage of the population.

    Secondly, with a workforce shrinking and the dependency ratio (the proportion of non-working to working people) rising rapidly, closing borders to potential labourers from other countries, without any other change, would lead to declining living standards in the global north. Economic growth and government revenues would slow or stagnate, undermining infrastructure maintenance and social service provision.

    There are several possible strategies that could be alternatives to anti-immigration measures. Some older people could migrate south, robots and AI could do more work, workers in the global south could perform remote work for the north, and arrangements could be made to allow migrants into the north either permanently or as circulating migrants.

    All these strategies are already in use, if modestly. Their application would have to expand considerably.

    Misplaced panic

    The responses of governments in the global north are exaggerated. Governments putting in place tough anti-immigrant measures have done so on the back of a narrative that there’s been a significant rise in the number of migrants worldwide.

    This isn’t true. Some countries, such as the US, Germany and Colombia, have seen a spike in refugees and other migrants. But for the rest of the world the picture remains much the same as it has done for decades.

    Foreign-born residents (the most widely used definition of migrants) rose as a proportion of residents worldwide from 2.3% in 1970 to 3.6% in 2020. But in 1960 the number was over 3%, and in the late 1800s migrants made up somewhere between 3% and 5% of the global population.

    So, 3.6% is nothing new.

    As for refugees, in 2023 there were about 38 million, of whom 69% sought refuge in neighbouring countries and 75% in middle- and low-income countries.

    In general, therefore, rich countries have not been carrying the greatest burden.

    The real reason behind these tougher measures is that living standards have stagnated in many countries in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. The cost and availability of housing have worsened; inequality has grown since the 1980s; the quality and availability of public services have deteriorated since the global financial crisis of 2008 and COVID-19; and the quality of employment has shifted to precarious work and poorly paid service sector occupations.

    This has contributed to the rise of populism, including anti-foreigner sentiment and even xenophobia.

    Trump’s actions are the most extreme yet. They include an order to block “aliens involved in the invasion” using “appropriate measures” that give the security forces further powers. The prohibition of southern border asylum hearings in the US and the instruction to “remain in Mexico” means that prospective asylum seekers from third countries may not cross the border to make their applications at the port of entry. They must apply remotely.

    Trump has also ordered that birthright citizenship must be limited to the children of certain categories of residents, essentially citizens or those with residence rights in the form of a “green card”. This move has been temporarily blocked in some states by judges as unconstitutional.

    In addition, the acting head of the Homeland Security Department gave Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials the power to deport migrants admitted temporarily into the US under several programmes of the Biden administration, targeting refugees from Cuba, Nicaragua, Venezuela and Haiti, and possibly Afghan and Ukrainian refugees too.

    The very first bill to receive final approval from the US Congress under Trump’s second term, the Laken-Riley Act, would require the detention and deportation of migrants who enter the country without authorisation and are charged with certain crimes. This bill was passed with 263 votes and 156 votes against, meaning that 46 House Democrats supported the Republican bill.

    In contrast, in the global south, as I have discussed elsewhere, the trend has been in the opposite direction. South American regional communities liberalised migration most extensively in recent decades, but African regional communities have made progress too, as has the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

    The way forward

    Some alternative strategies are leading the way.

    In Canada, the Temporary Foreign Worker programme has expanded steadily since 1973, increasingly including long-term circulating migrating lower-skilled workers for key occupations like catering, care, construction and agriculture. Though it is currently under political scrutiny because of the panic in the north over migration, and because of housing shortages in Canada, it is likely to survive and evolve. Similar systems are emerging across the global north.

    In the EU, Talent Partnerships are now encouraged. Germany, for example, has talent partnerships with Kenya and Morocco, where they train health workers and IT technicians in those countries to work and live in Germany. Spain has various partnerships in Latin America and Africa. Prime minister Pedro Sanchez has chosen to be upfront on the choices. In October last year he told the Spanish people:

    Spain needs to choose between being an open and prosperous country or a closed off poor country.

    The current fashion for population protectionism in the global north is increasingly nasty, but it is unlikely to stand the test of time. Several constructive responses to the rising dependency ratio are feasible, but being open to more migration, possibly in new forms and through new channels. is an inevitable part of the solution.

    New formal pathways for working migrants and reasonable systems for asylum seekers, along with full enforcement of rules against irregular migrants, could be the combination that works politically and economically.

    – Anti-immigration policies: why harsh new rules put in place by Trump and other rich countries won’t last
    – https://theconversation.com/anti-immigration-policies-why-harsh-new-rules-put-in-place-by-trump-and-other-rich-countries-wont-last-248359

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Anti-immigration policies: why harsh new rules put in place by Trump and other rich countries won’t last

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Alan Hirsch, Research Fellow New South Institute, Emeritus Professor at The Nelson Mandela School of Public Governance, University of Cape Town

    Donald Trump, America’s new president, has cut back massively on US commitments to asylum seekers, blocked all asylum processes and started to remove irregular immigrants.

    Trump’s new measures are far reaching. They include the suspension of the US refugee admissions programme. Flights booked for refugees to the US have been cancelled. Arrests and deportations have begun.

    Strongly anti-immigrant policies were also pursued under the Biden administration, though Trump’s dramatic steps take them much further. Other countries in the global north have also introduced tougher policies. The 2024 EU Pact on Migration and Asylum sets out tougher border controls, quicker assessment of asylum seekers and swifter removal of those who did not qualify. In the UK, Labour prime minister Keir Starmer has promised to bring down the net migration rate and treat people-smugglers like terrorists.

    Based on my research into migration over the past 30 years I believe that these measures are unlikely to last. There are two linked trends that make closing the borders of the global north impractical and destined for revision.

    The first is that populations in most of the global north are ageing fast (on average) and the fertility rate, or natural population growth rate, has plummeted. There are many more older people as a percentage of the population.

    Secondly, with a workforce shrinking and the dependency ratio (the proportion of non-working to working people) rising rapidly, closing borders to potential labourers from other countries, without any other change, would lead to declining living standards in the global north. Economic growth and government revenues would slow or stagnate, undermining infrastructure maintenance and social service provision.

    There are several possible strategies that could be alternatives to anti-immigration measures. Some older people could migrate south, robots and AI could do more work, workers in the global south could perform remote work for the north, and arrangements could be made to allow migrants into the north either permanently or as circulating migrants.

    All these strategies are already in use, if modestly. Their application would have to expand considerably.

    Misplaced panic

    The responses of governments in the global north are exaggerated. Governments putting in place tough anti-immigrant measures have done so on the back of a narrative that there’s been a significant rise in the number of migrants worldwide.

    This isn’t true. Some countries, such as the US, Germany and Colombia, have seen a spike in refugees and other migrants. But for the rest of the world the picture remains much the same as it has done for decades.

    Foreign-born residents (the most widely used definition of migrants) rose as a proportion of residents worldwide from 2.3% in 1970 to 3.6% in 2020. But in 1960 the number was over 3%, and in the late 1800s migrants made up somewhere between 3% and 5% of the global population.

    So, 3.6% is nothing new.

    As for refugees, in 2023 there were about 38 million, of whom 69% sought refuge in neighbouring countries and 75% in middle- and low-income countries.

    In general, therefore, rich countries have not been carrying the greatest burden.

    The real reason behind these tougher measures is that living standards have stagnated in many countries in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. The cost and availability of housing have worsened; inequality has grown since the 1980s; the quality and availability of public services have deteriorated since the global financial crisis of 2008 and COVID-19; and the quality of employment has shifted to precarious work and poorly paid service sector occupations.

    This has contributed to the rise of populism, including anti-foreigner sentiment and even xenophobia.

    Trump’s actions are the most extreme yet. They include an order to block “aliens involved in the invasion” using “appropriate measures” that give the security forces further powers. The prohibition of southern border asylum hearings in the US and the instruction to “remain in Mexico” means that prospective asylum seekers from third countries may not cross the border to make their applications at the port of entry. They must apply remotely.

    Trump has also ordered that birthright citizenship must be limited to the children of certain categories of residents, essentially citizens or those with residence rights in the form of a “green card”. This move has been temporarily blocked in some states by judges as unconstitutional.

    In addition, the acting head of the Homeland Security Department gave Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials the power to deport migrants admitted temporarily into the US under several programmes of the Biden administration, targeting refugees from Cuba, Nicaragua, Venezuela and Haiti, and possibly Afghan and Ukrainian refugees too.

    The very first bill to receive final approval from the US Congress under Trump’s second term, the Laken-Riley Act, would require the detention and deportation of migrants who enter the country without authorisation and are charged with certain crimes. This bill was passed with 263 votes and 156 votes against, meaning that 46 House Democrats supported the Republican bill.

    In contrast, in the global south, as I have discussed elsewhere, the trend has been in the opposite direction. South American regional communities liberalised migration most extensively in recent decades, but African regional communities have made progress too, as has the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

    The way forward

    Some alternative strategies are leading the way.

    In Canada, the Temporary Foreign Worker programme has expanded steadily since 1973, increasingly including long-term circulating migrating lower-skilled workers for key occupations like catering, care, construction and agriculture. Though it is currently under political scrutiny because of the panic in the north over migration, and because of housing shortages in Canada, it is likely to survive and evolve. Similar systems are emerging across the global north.

    In the EU, Talent Partnerships are now encouraged. Germany, for example, has talent partnerships with Kenya and Morocco, where they train health workers and IT technicians in those countries to work and live in Germany. Spain has various partnerships in Latin America and Africa. Prime minister Pedro Sanchez has chosen to be upfront on the choices. In October last year he told the Spanish people:

    Spain needs to choose between being an open and prosperous country or a closed off poor country.

    The current fashion for population protectionism in the global north is increasingly nasty, but it is unlikely to stand the test of time. Several constructive responses to the rising dependency ratio are feasible, but being open to more migration, possibly in new forms and through new channels. is an inevitable part of the solution.

    New formal pathways for working migrants and reasonable systems for asylum seekers, along with full enforcement of rules against irregular migrants, could be the combination that works politically and economically.

    Alan Hirsch receives funding from the New South Institute for research and the University of Cape Town for advice and supervision.

    – ref. Anti-immigration policies: why harsh new rules put in place by Trump and other rich countries won’t last – https://theconversation.com/anti-immigration-policies-why-harsh-new-rules-put-in-place-by-trump-and-other-rich-countries-wont-last-248359

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: ‘Sustainable’ aviation fuel and other myths about green airport expansion debunked

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Jack Marley, Environment + Energy Editor, UK edition

    Taking off: emissions from the aviation sector. WildSnap/Shutterstock

    Environmentalists and locals have resisted a third runway at London’s Heathrow, Europe’s busiest airport, for more than two decades. Today, their efforts took a major setback.

    The UK government has announced it will give the green light to airport expansion. This is not guaranteed to increase growth in the national economy as Chancellor Rachel Reeves hopes. More flights and more emissions are certain, however, at a time when experts are practically screaming at governments to rein them in.

    This roundup of The Conversation’s climate coverage comes from our award-winning weekly climate action newsletter. Every Wednesday, The Conversation’s environment editor writes Imagine, a short email that goes a little deeper into just one climate issue. Join the 40,000+ readers who’ve subscribed.

    “No airport expansions should proceed” without a UK-wide plan to annually assess and control the sector’s climate impact said the government’s watchdog, the Climate Change Committee, in 2023. Aeroplanes are 8% of UK emissions and 2% of the world’s, but they also release gases that seed heat-trapping clouds in the upper atmosphere, which triples air travel’s greenhouse effect.

    While the government’s own advisers have effectively ruled out new runways for the sake of net zero, airport and airline bosses play a different tune. So what does the sector propose to manage its own pollution?

    Not enough cooking oil to save us

    Aviation is a notoriously difficult sector to decarbonise says Richard Sulley, a senior research fellow in sustainability policy at the University of Sheffield: “If electric or hydrogen-powered planes are possible, it won’t be for many years yet.”

    To justify air travel emissions ballooning in the meantime, the aviation sector has promised a mix of “supply-side” measures, like replacing kerosene with so-called “sustainable aviation fuel” (SAF), which Reeves described as “a game changer”, and making planes lighter and more fuel-efficient.

    Efficiency, in this context, is a slippery path to decarbonisation. When a high-emitting activity is reformed so that it consumes less energy, the efficiency savings are generally eclipsed by the increasing demand it drives.



    Read more:
    Expanding Heathrow is incompatible with net zero – here’s the evidence

    “Indeed, the sector’s own plans for growth will outstrip efforts to decarbonise through synthetic fuel, delivering a neutral effect at best,” Sulley says.

    Fuel consumption is the biggest emissions source in aviation.
    Sergey Ginak/Shutterstock

    “Demand-side” measures like fewer flights, taxes on frequent flying and domestic flight bans (see France) could cut emissions, he notes, but are seldom mentioned.

    The UK has set a target for airline fuel to be 10% SAF by 2030. So far we’re at 1.2% – and Sulley reports that the industry has not said how it will scale up in time.

    Even if airlines start taking their commitment to SAF seriously very soon, it’s a dubious solution to aviation’s climate impact according to political economists Gareth Dale (Brunel University) and Josh Moos (Leeds Beckett University).



    Read more:
    Why the world’s first flight powered entirely by sustainable aviation fuel is a green mirage

    Earlier SAF test flights burned coconut oil – 3 million coconuts to power a journey from London to Amsterdam, as Dale and Moos calculate it. At that rate, they argue Heathrow would exhaust the world’s entire crop in a few weeks (there are 18,000 commercial airports worldwide).

    Modern SAF is blended with waste products from farms and kitchens. But the pair argue that the market for used cooking oil is “notoriously unregulated”. SAF may in fact be relabelled palm oil from plantations that are erasing orangutan habitat in the tropics. Again, Dale and Moos argue there is not enough used cooking oil to meet existing, let alone future, demand.

    Transport for the rich, by the rich

    At least the hype around SAF addresses the main problem, albeit misleadingly. Policy experts David Howarth (University of Essex) and Steven Griggs (De Montfort University) marvel at how often “carbon-neutral airports” in aviation sustainability strategies simply mean terminals powered by renewable energy.

    “A terminal’s heating or lighting is, of course, largely irrelevant when its core business is as emissions-intensive as flying,” says Sulley.



    Read more:
    Heathrow 2.0: a ‘sustainable airport’ that pretends no one has to choose between planes and pollution

    Unfortunately for Rachel Reeves, a 2023 report by the New Economics Foundation found that any economic benefits of airport expansion will be largely confined to the airports themselves. Meanwhile, a wealthy subset of UK society can be expected to capture the biggest share of any new flight capacity. Each year, around half of British residents do not fly at all, Sulley points out.

    At the stratospheric heights of that subset are the private jet passengers who are served by “more or less dedicated airports” that are more obscure to the general public, says Raymond Woessner, a geographer at Sorbonne Université. A study published in November found that emissions from these flights rose by 46% between 2019 and 2023. The lead author described wealthy passengers using jets “like taxis”.



    Read more:
    L’insolent succès des jets privés, entre empreinte carbone et controverses

    “Discretion and anonymity” is what one airport nestled in the Oxfordshire countryside promises for “routine celebrity, head of state and royal visits”. Without state direction or regulation, it is these people who are setting the agenda for air travel.

    Woessner notes that the world’s richest man, Elon Musk, successfully lobbied to derail a high-speed rail project in California in 2013. Instead of an option that has shown its ability to cut flight demand, the US will be offered intercontinental rocket travel.



    Read more:
    With planning, high speed rail could reduce flight demand

    Musk’s company SpaceX says that rockets could ferry passengers between New York and Shanghai in under an hour. Rockets would burn “vastly more fuel per trip than conventional aircraft”, says aerospace engineer Angadh Nanjangud of Queen Mary University of London, but this might “drive critical research into carbon-neutral” methane-based rocket fuel.

    It would not be the first time an industry seeking to grow has used an as yet fantastical fuel to justify more carbon in Earth’s atmosphere.



    Read more:
    New York to Paris in 30 mins? How to achieve Elon Musk’s vision of rockets replacing long haul

    “There is the potential to create a good life for all within planetary boundaries,” say Dale and Moos.

    “But getting there requires clipping the wings of the aviation industry.”

    – ref. ‘Sustainable’ aviation fuel and other myths about green airport expansion debunked – https://theconversation.com/sustainable-aviation-fuel-and-other-myths-about-green-airport-expansion-debunked-248483

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Polytechnic University Signs Agreement with Russian National Guard Military Academy

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

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

    On January 29, a cooperation agreement was signed between Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University and the Military Order of Zhukov Academy of the National Guard Troops of the Russian Federation. The universities plan to cooperate in the field of robotics, as well as in educational, scientific and other areas.

    The Polytechnic University and the Military Academy of the Russian Guard are going to cooperate in various areas. This includes the development and implementation of joint projects and events in the field of robotics; scientific and methodological assistance in the framework of research, educational and project work; involving cadets in the development and application of professional robotics; organizing robotics classes using methodological developments and consulting support; preparing for competitions; training and advanced training of specialists, etc.

    The agreement was signed by the rector of SPbPU Andrei Rudskoy and the head of the Military Academy of the Russian Guard Andrei Kiiko.

    Our efforts will be aimed at implementing joint projects and events in the field of robotics with the participation of cadets, providing assistance in servicing and repairing equipment, as well as preparing for all-Russian competitions in robotics areas. I would like to note separately that as part of the implementation of the agreement, we will pay special attention to methodological assistance and mentoring in research and project activities. I am confident that the synergistic effect of cooperation between the Polytechnic University and the Academy of the National Guard Troops will directly contribute to the security and defense capability of our country, – commented Andrey Rudskoy.

    The ceremony was attended by the Chairman of the Council of Rectors of Universities of St. Petersburg and the Leningrad Region, Rector of the St. Petersburg State University of Industrial Technology and Design Alexey Demidov, Rector of the Herzen State Pedagogical University of Russia Sergey Tarasov, Acting Rector of the Baltic State Technical University “Voenmech” named after D. F. Ustinov Alexander Shashurin, Chairman of the Public Chamber of the Leningrad Region Alexander Gabitov, and Special Representative of the Governor of St. Petersburg German Shirokov.

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: expert reaction to observational study of COVID-19 infection and abnormal brain proteins

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    An observational study published in Nature Medicine looks at a link between abnormal brain proteins and COVID-19 infection.

    Prof Tara Spires-Jones, Director of the Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences at the University of Edinburgh, Group Leader in the UK Dementia Research Institute, and President of the British Neuroscience Association said:

    “This paper from Duff and colleagues examined blood samples from 626 people who had COVID-19 infection and 626 people who did not have COVID-19 for markers associated with Alzheimer’s disease-related brain changes. The scientists compared the levels of several Alzheimer’s-associated blood proteins before and after the pandemic and found that one of the markers had worsened more in people who had COVID-19 infections than in people who were not infected with COVID-19. This study was very well conducted and adds to the data suggesting that infections may play a role in initiating or accelerating neurodegenerative diseases. However, it is important to note that this type of study cannot conclusively prove that COVID-19 directly caused Alzheimer’s pathology in the brain. Further, the presence of amyloid pathology in the brain, which is hinted at by the blood results, is not a guarantee of future dementia symptoms as many people have amyloid pathology in their brains without experiencing symptoms.  While this is an important piece of research, more work is needed to understand links between infections like COVID-19 and Alzheimer’s disease.”

    ‘Plasma proteomic evidence for increased β-amyloid pathology after SARS-CoV-2 infection’ by Eugene P. Duff et al. was published in Nature Medicine at 10:00 UK time on Thursday 30th January. 

    DOI: 10.1038/s41591-024-03426-4

     

    Declared interests

    Prof Tara Spires-Jones: I have no direct conflicts with this study but I do work in the same National UK Dementia Research Institute as several of the authors and have received payments for consulting, scientific talks, or collaborative research over the past 10 years from AbbVie, Sanofi, Merck, Scottish Brain Sciences, Jay Therapeutics, Cognition Therapeutics, Ono, and Eisai. I am also Charity trustee for the British Neuroscience Association and the Guarantors of Brain and serve as scientific advisor to several charities and non-profit institutions.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Applications now open for OIT’s 2025 Policy Fellowship

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    The Open Innovation Team (OIT) is inviting applications for its 2025 Policy Fellowship programme, an academic mentoring scheme for civil servants grades SEO-G6.

    The OIT is a cross-government unit that works with experts to generate analysis and ideas for policy, helping colleagues review evidence, engage experts, develop policy and evaluate impact.

    Our Policy Fellowship is a bespoke, flexible, part-time mentoring programme that supports officials by providing help and expert insight to answer a specific policy question. Over the course of six months, civil servants will work under the supervision of an academic mentor in a relevant field to research and produce an output based on their policy area. Mentors are drawn from OIT partner institutions: Brunel University London, the University of Essex, Lancaster University, the University of Surrey and the University of York.

    What you’ll gain:

    • In-depth support and insight from leading academics
    • New contacts across academia and the civil service
    • Practical skills in data analysis and interpretation
    • Enhanced subject knowledge in your chosen field

    This is the third round of the Fellowship – in 2023/24, nine civil servants from five different departments were paired with academics from four universities. An example of one of their research outputs can be found here.

    This year’s programme offers an expanded range of research topics, including (but not limited to) education, health & social care, AI and digital, environment and sustainability, government, and business, work and employment.

    The Policy Fellowship was a really insightful experience – it gave us the chance to test our ideas with academics and structure our research effectively. Regular check-ins kept us on track, and we delivered an internal report that supported our department’s policy work.

    It was great to collaborate beyond government and gain fresh perspectives from academics, who were really understanding and supportive. I’d recommend the fellowship to policy officials looking to fill evidence gaps—or even map them out!

    Georgina Kaye, Policy Advisor Digital Strategy Division, Digital Data and Technology, Department for Education

    How to apply:

    • The application window opens on 30 January and closes 24 February.
    • Full details about the Fellowship and the application process can be found in our Q&A pack, and you can email fellowship@openinnovation.gov.uk if you have any questions.

    Key documents:

    • Q&A pack – in this document you can learn more about the OIT and the Fellowship, along with eligibility criteria and all the information you’ll need to apply: [link needed]
    • Open Innovation Fellowship Application Form

    Updates to this page

    Published 30 January 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Security: New INTERPOL Regional Bureau for the Middle East and North Africa moves a step closer

    Source: Interpol (news and events)

    30 January 2025

    RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – The creation of a new INTERPOL Regional Bureau the Middle East  and North Africa (MENA) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has taken an important step forward.

    The ‘Host Country Agreement’ was signed at a ceremony attended by Saudi Arabia’s Minister of the Interior, His Royal Highness Prince Abdulaziz Bin Saud Bin Naif bin Abdulaziz, INTERPOL President Ahmed Naser Al-Raisi and INTERPOL Secretary General Valdecy Urquiza.Aimed at strengthening INTERPOL’s engagement with the MENA region, the new Regional Bureau will serve as a hub for the Organization’s activities in supporting member countries in combating transnational crime and terrorism.

    It will also work closely with existing national and regional structures, such as the Arab Interiors Ministers’ Council, GCCPOL, and the Naif Arab University for Security Sciences to strengthen cooperation and information sharing.

    The establishment of the Regional Bureau was first proposed in 2016 at the INTERPOL Chiefs of Police Meeting for the MENA region. The plan was subsequently endorsed by INTERPOL’s General Assembly in Santiago, Chile, in 2019, with final approval for the Host Country Agreement from the Executive Committee in May 2024.

    The Agreement incorporates principles essential to ensuring the Regional Bureau’s proper functioning. The next steps in finalizing the creation and opening of the Regional Bureau will cover the financial, administrative, security and logistical aspects.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Patriotic action “Nevsky landing” started in Polytechnic

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

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

    A ceremonial assembly was held in the research building of Technopolis Polytech, where the youth patriotic campaign “Nevsky Desant” was launched. The guys performed bright numbers, received vouchers for the season and heard parting words.

    On behalf of the Chairman of the Legislative Assembly of St. Petersburg, Alexander Belsky, the student detachment fighters were greeted by his deputy, Pavel Itkin.

    It is gratifying that the student brigade movement is actively developing in the Northern capital. Participants of the youth patriotic action “Nevsky Desant” make a worthy contribution to the revival of this wonderful tradition. For ten years now, they have been inspiring young men and women of St. Petersburg with their example. And today we see how many caring young people live in our city. I sincerely thank you for your noble work and service to society, – Pavel Itkin read out the address.

    “Nevsky Landing” is a regional stage of the all-Russian patriotic action “Snow Landing”. This year the season of the action is called “Snow Landing of the RSO. Victory Landing” and is dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War. Therefore, special attention will be paid to targeted assistance to WWII veterans, children of war and families of participants in the special military operation, as well as the improvement of memorials and memorable places.

    2025 is the year of the 80th anniversary of the Great Victory, a holiday associated with the movement of student brigades. Those who defended our country and returned home in 1945, already in 1947 went to the construction site as part of the first linear student brigades, which originated in our city, – noted Maxim Pasholikov, Vice-Rector for Youth Policy and Communication Technologies of SPbPU, at the assembly.

    The campaign is rapidly gaining momentum. This year, 29 teams of over 700 people will go to help in the settlements of the Leningrad Region and the Republic of Karelia. Five teams will represent the Polytechnic University. These are “Russian Knight”, “Peter the Great”, “Ilya Muromets”, “Prince Gagarin” and “Evpatiy Kolovrat”.

    From January 24 to February 16, students will conduct career guidance work with schoolchildren, help pensioners, veterans and those in need – remove snow and garbage, chop wood, repair houses. In addition, the fighters will hold creative evenings and concerts for everyone.

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: How to become the main hero of the Polytechnic? New rules for admission to the university have been issued

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

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

    The admission rules are the most important document for applicants. It reflects the calendar, the list of required documents for admission and the list of entrance examinations. This year, the document approved by the Academic Council of SPbPU was published on the university website on January 20. This year, 3,375 budget places have been allocated for full-time bachelor’s and specialist’s degree programs and 3,399 contract places (full-time, part-time, and correspondence forms of study). For future master’s students, 2,376 budget places have been offered for more than 170 educational programs.

    The new admission procedure regulated a fairly large number of points that largely affect the organizational issues of the admission campaign at the university. For our applicants, essentially nothing has changed. But at the same time, we emphasize that in some areas of training, the list of entrance examinations has changed, in connection with the release of a new order “On approval of the list of entrance examinations for admission to study in higher education programs – bachelor’s programs and specialist programs”. I would like to note that this year we unified the minimum passing subjects for the entire university and reduced the threshold for a number of subjects. This does not mean that it has become easier, it suggests even tougher competition for budget places. As the most important changes in the admission procedure, I would note the refusal to provide the original document on education and replacing it with consent for enrollment and, the second point, the establishment of control figures for admission to the contract form of education, which cannot change during the admission campaign, – commented on the new rules the responsible secretary of the admissions committee of SPbPU Vitaly Drobchik.

    The application period for admission in 2025 will begin on June 20, a date that remains unchanged.

    The list of individual achievements determines for what merits applicants can receive up to 10 points in addition to the sum of their USE or entrance examination scores. For example, a certificate with honors gives an applicant an additional 10 points to the USE score. This year, the list of individual achievements has been expanded with Olympiads, competitions, and educational programs. You can find out what you can get additional points for this year inRules in Appendix No. 4.

    And those who plan to enroll under the target quota will face an innovation. The participation of applicants in career guidance events of customers of target training or training in specialized classes of enterprises will be considered as an individual achievement and will serve as a reason for awarding an additional 5 points, which are added to the points for other individual achievements and with the points for exams.

    The number of areas in which one can simultaneously participate in the admissions competition has not changed – an applicant can choose up to 5 areas of training. Each selected area must be arranged in order of enrollment priority.

    Digitalization does not bypass admission to universities, so applicants from distant corners of Russia do not need to come to the university to submit documents to the Polytechnic. This year, as last year, future polytechnics will be able to submit documents using the super service “Online University Admission” on the State Services portal.

    Students entering the university after school this year are admitted based on the results of three Unified State Exams. Most areas of training offer the opportunity to choose a Unified State Exam subject: for example, when entering technical areas, applicants will need to pass either physics or computer science in addition to specialized mathematics and Russian language. The list of entrance examinations is published inRules in Appendix No. 1.

    The key change was the return of consents for enrollment. If previously applicants submitted consent to be enrolled in a university for a specific area, then this year the consent will become an analogue of an education document and will apply to the university as a whole. Consent can be submitted on the State Services portal as an electronic mark or to the university on paper.

    As for the Master’s program, there are no changes in the admission procedure this year. Students can enroll in the Master’s program in three ways: by winning a portfolio competition, becoming a winner or medalist of the All-Russian Olympiad “I am a Professional”, becoming a winner of the All-Russian engineering competition, or successfully passing an interdisciplinary exam. For the 2025 admissions campaign, 20 new Master’s programs have been developed, including the digital Master’s programs “Industrial and Civil Engineering” and “Russian as a Foreign Language and Intercultural Communication”, as well as the program for training teaching staff “Physics and Applied Mathematics in Science and Education”.

    To help applicants understand the admission rules, an online Open Day was held on January 26. The hosts of the live broadcast were the responsible secretary of the SPbPU Admissions Committee Vitaly Drobchik and a student of the Civil Engineering Institute Valeria Bublikova. Valeria introduced the viewers to the university and told them about the eventful student life. And Vitaly Viktorovich spoke about the changes in the admissions campaign in 2025 and answered questions from applicants.

    This year, the concept of the admission campaign of the Saint Petersburg Polytechnic University sounds like “You are the main character!” And the main character is our applicant, who then becomes a student of the university and creates a new history of the university with us.

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: expert reaction to Cochrane review of the effectiveness of anti-depressants versus placebo for generalized anxiety disorder

    Source: United Kingdom – Science Media Centre

    A Cochrane review looks at the effectiveness of antidepressants for anxiety disorder. 

    Dr Gemma Lewis, Senior Research Associate in Psychiatric Epidemiology, University College London (UCL), said:

    “This is a high-quality piece of research, which combined data from 37 studies. This approach (meta-analysis) allows scientists to provide more precise estimates than just replying upon smaller individual studies. Meta-analyses are often considered the best way of informing guidelines for clinical practice. Importantly, the individual studies were generally of good quality too.

    “The authors only included Randomised placebo-controlled trials. This type of study is the best way of evaluating whether a treatment is effective. The randomised design eliminates the possibility of confounding.

    “One limitation of the data is that most studies only followed people for up to 12 weeks. In reality, we know that many people use antidepressants for much longer than this, often for several years. In the future, we need trials that follow people for longer periods. Another limitation of the data is that most studies only included people with a clinical diagnosis of anxiety, which is quite severe. In reality, many people are prescribed antidepressants in primary care for milder symptoms of anxiety as milder symptoms can still be debilitating.

    “GAD is the most common mental health problem, and it can be very debilitating. However, in research, and also perhaps clinically, it is often neglected, particularly when compared to depression. The antidepressants were generally well accepted by people who used them although some people of course experienced side effects, as is the case with most medications. These findings reinforce the usefulness of antidepressants for treating symptoms of anxiety as well as depression.”

    Prof Christiaan Vinkers, Department of Psychiatry and Anatomy and Neurosciences, Amsterdam UMC, said:

    “The Cochrane review confirms what science has long shown: antidepressants work for Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), with SSRIs and SNRIs consistently outperforming placebo. Their effects are meaningful, with a low number needed to treat (NNT), and dropout rates are comparable to placebo. However, antidepressants continue to face disproportionate skepticism, whether it is for GAD or depression. If these results were for heart disease or diabetes treatments, they’d be celebrated. Instead, antidepressants are often unfairly stigmatized, fueling misinformation which can deter people from seeking treatment that can have added value. Antidepressants aren’t a cure-all, but they are an essential, effective tool. Let’s shift the narrative from fear to facts: science should guide treatment, not stigma.”

     

    Prof Katharina Domschke, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Freiburg, Germany, said:

    “This is a comprehensive, long awaited update on the efficacy of antidepressants versus placebo in generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). 

    “SSRIs and SNRIs, the first line treatment options for anxiety disorders according to all international guidelines, were shown to have a significant benefit of a placebo. 

    “The study is methodologically strong, applied a conservative outcome measure (greater than 50% reduction in Hamilton Anxiety score), excluded regular benzodiazepine use and controlled for study quality. 

    “Limitations of the present study comprise its limitation to adult patients and the wide range of treatment duration (4 to 28 weeks). 

    “Interestingly and importantly, no difference in overall acceptability was discerned between antidepressants and placebo. 

    “The presently reported effect sizes are very convincing, particularly in light of a recent study by Bschor et al. in JAMA Psychiatry 2024 reporting very high pooled pre-post placebo effect sizes in pharmacological studies in GAD.

    “The present results are very important and ought to increase patients’ trust in the efficacy of pharmacological treatment of GAD. “

    Prof Peter Tyrer, Professor of Community Psychiatry, Imperial College London, said:

    “The findings of this review are unequivocal – antidepressants are effective in the treatment of generalised anxiety in the short-term.  But in responding to this evidence the long-term implications have to be considered also. Here the conclusions of efficacy have to be tempered. Long-term treatment, as noted in the review,  is often the norm,  and there is increasing concern that patients have difficulties in stopping antidepressants because of withdrawal problems. Bearing in mind that the main reason why antidepressants were preferred to benzodiazepines (drugs that are equally effective in treating generalised anxiety) was the dependence risk, we just seem to have shifted the problem of adverse effects from one class of drugs to another.  Brief resolution does not effect a cure”.

    ‘Antidepressants versus placebo for generalised anxiety disorder’ by Kopcalic et al. was published in Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews at 01:00 UK time on Thursday 30th January 2025.

    DOI: 10.1002.14651858.CD012942.pub2

    Declared interests:

    Prof Christiaan Vinkers “No COIs”

    Prof Katharina Domschke “None”

    Prof Peter Tyrer “None”

    For all other experts no response to or request for COIs was received

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Grattan on Friday: Dutton walks more softly on China, with election in mind

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

    When Peter Dutton was asked this week  whether a Coalition government would continue  to foster trade relations with China, he declared unequivocally that “the relationship with China will be much stronger  than it is under the Albanese government”.

    Two points stood out: Dutton’s own positive rhetoric, and his apparent confidence about the future of Australia-China relations.

    It’s not unusual for opposition leaders to undertake a makeover, to their person or policy, as an election approaches. Anthony Albanese lost weight and acquired new glasses. Earlier, he’d made Labor a small policy target.

    Dutton is simultaneously attempting a softening on some fronts – while retaining the “hard man” image on others.

    Mid-last year Dutton said: “I’m pro-China and the relationship that we have with them. I want that trading relationship to increase. […] We need to make sure we strengthen the trading relationship because there are many businesses here who rely on it. But we have to be realistic about working to keep peace […] we live in a very uncertain time. The Prime Minister also says that we live in the most precarious period since the Second World War, and he’s right, and we need to work hard at peace as well.”

    Contrast Dutton as defence minister in 2021. “Does the Chinese government wish to occupy other countries? Not in my judgement. But they do see us as tributary states. And that surrender of sovereignty and abandonment of any adherence to the international rule of law is what our country has fought against since Federation.”

    It’s not that Dutton has changed his views on China. Rather, he’s camouflaged them with a softer tone, and in what he chooses to emphasise. Of course circumstances have changed – Australia now has a much better relationship with China. But significantly, Dutton needs to appeal to the local Chinese-Australian voters.

    At the 2022 election, the Liberals took a big hit among voters of Chinese heritage.

    The party’s review of its election performance, undertaken by former party director Brian Loughnane and frontbencher Jane Hume, said: “In the top 15 seats by Chinese ancestry the swing against the Party (on a 2PP basis) was 6.6%, compared to 3.7% in other seats. There are more than 1.2 million people of Chinese heritage living in Australia today. Rebuilding the Party’s relationship with the Chinese community must be a priority during this term of Parliament.”

    Marginal Labor seats that are targets for the Liberals, where the Chinese vote is significant, include Reid and Bennelong in NSW and Chisholm and Aston in Victoria.

    Dutton (and the PM) will attend a Lunar New Year celebration in Box Hill in Melbourne this weekend.

    It’s notable that David Coleman, named by Dutton last weekend as the opposition’s new spokesman on foreign affairs, has worked extensively with the Chinese community. One of the contenders for the post was the high-performing James Paterson. There may have been stronger arguments for keeping Paterson in home affairs, but his very hawkish stand on China might have been in the mix.

    Talking up the positive side of the Coalition’s record on China, Dutton harked back to the signing of the free trade agreement under the Abbott government, and said “we want there to be mutual respect in the relationship”.

    Over its years in government the Coalition’s relationship with China has varied between pragmatic friendship and suspicious negativity. After relatively smooth sailing in the Abbott period, things soured when the Turnbull government called China out over foreign interference, introducing legislation, and banned Huawei from the 5G network. Then relations plunged dramatically when the Morrison government demanded an inquiry into the origins and handling of the outbreak of COVID in Wuhan.

    Despite Dutton’s confidence, it’s more than possible that managing the China relationship after the election could be trickier than it has been during this one, no matter who is in power.

    The Albanese government can claim the greatly-improved bilateral relationship as one of its major foreign policy achievements. China has brought Australia out of the deep freeze, lifting the $20 billion worth of trade barriers it had imposed. Dialogue and ministerial exchanges have resumed. Anthony Albanese has been welcomed in China.

    But this week’s speculation relating to the new Chinese artificial intelligence platform DeepSeek is just the latest reminder of perennial security suspicions about the penetration of Chinese technology.(Incidentally, Dutton has an account on the Chinese-owned TikTok – despite it being banned from official government devices – in part to engage with the local Chinese community, as well as with younger people generally.)

    Australia’s minerals industry is potentially vulnerable to Chinese displeasure. The Senate in the next fortnight will consider the government’s Future Made in Australia legislation, that provides a tax incentive for processing critical minerals. The Chinese have a global stranglehold on this processing – and have shown a willingness to weaponise it, for example against Japan. China’s multi-billion dollar funding of nickel processing in Indonesia has had a dire impact on producers here in Australia.

    The change of government in Australia certainly facilitated the improvement in the bilateral relationship, but that improvement was also strongly driven by China’s own interests. Similarly, the future of the relationship is more in China’s hands than in Australia’s.

    China expert Richard McGregor, from the Lowy Institute, says:“ Relations with China are inherently volatile.

    “The day-by-day relationships have returned to  a degree of normality. But all of the structural stresses which created antagonism are still there.”

    These include China’s “military assertiveness in the region, competition between  the US and China, Australia’s concern about foreign interference and hacking, China’s efforts to build their power in the Pacific at the expense of Australia. None of that has gone away,” McGregor says. The single biggest change of recent years “is that “China has become much more powerful and is far more willing to throw its weight around”.

    Separate to any hiccups in the bilateral relationship, Australia could find itself caught in the crossfire if there is a serious deterioration in the US-China relationship under Donald Trump – notably if his tariff policy leads to a trade war. Simon Jackman, from the University of Sydney, warns that if US policy hit the (already struggling) Chinese economy, that would affect Australian exporters.

    “US tariffs or import bans that slowed China’s economy would cause some short to medium headaches for Australian exporters,” Jackman says. “As in Trump Mark 1 and COVID, Australian export industries would find themselves looking for opportunities elsewhere, if global supply chains had to re-equilibrate in response to an upheaval in the US-China trade relationship.”

    Ironically, the earlier search for diversified markets when the Chinese imposed their restrictions on Australian producers would have helped prepare exporters for such a contingency.

    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. Grattan on Friday: Dutton walks more softly on China, with election in mind – https://theconversation.com/grattan-on-friday-dutton-walks-more-softly-on-china-with-election-in-mind-248561

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Weight-loss without the sickness? Scientists seek to bypass popular obesity drug’s side effects How to harness the potential of weight-loss drugs without some of the unwelcome side-effects is the subject of a £1.2 million research project getting underway at the Rowett Institute and University College London.

    Source: University of Aberdeen

    Professor Lora HeislerHow to harness the potential of weight-loss drugs without some of the unwelcome side-effects is the subject of a £1.2 million research project getting underway at the Rowett Institute and University College London.
    Semaglutide, which acts in the brain to reduce food intake, has fast become one of the most effective pharmaceutical weapons in the global battle against obesity.
    GLP1-based obesity medicines are the subject of intense public debate as governments seek to harness their public health potential.
    But semaglutide’s positive impact on weight loss is sometimes offset by nausea and vomiting, which can reduce its benefits by putting patients off sticking to a course of treatment.
    Now a team led by Professor Lora Heisler of the University of Aberdeen’s Rowett Institute and Professor Stefan Trapp at UCL  – funded by the Medical Research Council – will spend three years identifying where semaglutide acts in the brain to influence specific aspects of food intake such as meal size, healthier food choices, delaying digestion and dampening the “feel-good” food effect, and also where it acts to produce the unpleasant nausea side effects.
    The project will involve careful statistical analysis of the resulting data by research colleagues from Biomathematics and Statistics Scotland (BioSS).
    Answering these questions will fill large gaps in our current understanding of precisely how the drug works.

    We can only now do these types of studies because of the latest technological advances, and we expect our results will provide the blueprint to develop even better obesity medications in the future.” Professor Lora Heisler

    Professor Heisler’s laboratory at the Rowett Institute recently identified a cluster of brain cells that can be harnessed to reduce food intake and body weight – without the nausea, the common side effect of this class of obesity medicines.
    Speaking about the new project, Professor Heisler said: “There is huge interest in how the brain targets of semaglutide (Wegovy) and similar drugs such as tirzepatide (Mounjaro) could be switched on in a slightly different or more targeted way. Drugs that can do this could work better, have effects that last longer and produce specific therapeutic obesity treatment benefits without the nausea side effect.
    “This research could also lead to new drugs that are produced as pills instead of injectables, thereby reducing costs and increasing availability.
    “We can only now do these types of studies because of the latest technological advances, and we expect our results will provide the blueprint to develop even better obesity medications in the future. “
    Professor Trapp added: “While semaglutide and similar drugs have been very effective in helping people with diabetes and show much promise in helping people to lose weight, we still do not know that much about how exactly they work in the brain.
    “My lab has done extensive research for years into the glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP-1R) in the brain, which semaglutide targets, so we hope by mapping out the drug’s mechanism more precisely, we will be able to develop more effective drugs with fewer side effects.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –