Jack Ball with Heavy Grit in Ramsay Art Prize 2025, Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide.Photo: Saul Steed
Jack Ball, a Sydney-based trans artist, was awarded the 2025 Ramsay Art Prize at the Art Gallery of South Australia for an immersive installation Heavy Grit.
The inspiration for the photo-collage and sculptural artwork stems directly from the artist’s exploration of the Australian Queer Archives in Melbourne – especially the scrapbooks covering the closeted decades of the 1950s to 1970s – and the merging of the past with present.
The grainy print surface of the photo-collage elements, drawing on newspaper clippings, are arranged as four semi-abstract fluid shapes.
Collage allows Ball to layer archival material with his own photo practice, to cut, crop, resize and imply ambiguity and possibility in the blurred imagery.
The collages sit beside small photographs placed behind textured stained glass that seem like peep shows into queer culture, and are emblematic of Heavy Grit’s tension between what is revealed and what is hidden.
Installation view: Jack Ball, born Darramurragal/Sydney 1986, Heavy Grit, 2024, Boorloo/Perth, inkjet prints on hemp, cotton and metallic rag, textured coloured glass, beeswax, activated charcoal, copper pipe, second-hand and remnant fabrics, acrylic paints, sand, rope. Courtesy of the artist and AVA, Boorloo/Perth, photo: Saul Steed
Beneath are sand-filled soft sculptures, all of which suggest intimacy, stolen moments, the bright lights of Oxford Street, queer dress culture and much more, set off by loose flourishes of orange framing the collage. There is a delicate play of surface, scale and medium in an expansive installation that requires close, but slow looking.
The Ramsay Prize
The A$100,000 prize, awarded every two years, is open to artists under 40.
It is the nation’s richest art prize for that age category and is funded in perpetuity by the Ramsay Foundation, for artwork in any medium.
It is visionary in intent and reflects donors Diana and James Ramsay’s aim “to support and encourage contemporary Australian artists to make their best work at a pivotal point in their career”. And it has done just that.
It commenced in 2017. Vincent Namatjira, who was awarded the prize in 2019, proceeded to win the Archibald Prize. Kate Bohunnis (2021) and Ida Sophia (2023) attribute winning the Ramsay to being career changing.
Strong work on show
There is much strong work across a range of media areas on show in this year’s exhibition.
Installation view: Ramsay Art Prize 2025 featuring Alfred Lowe’s You’ve been on my mind, sister, Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide. Photo: Saul Steed
Arrernte artist Alfred Lowe’s ceramic sculptural figures are adorned with bright pink raffia skirts. But beneath the colour and whimsy and contrasting materials is an exploration of his conflicted First Nations world of Central Australia and its charged politics.
Tom Polo’s brightly coloured abstract and gestural paintings of fragmented and exaggerated forms suggest human vulnerability and the fluidity of daily life.
Installation view: Ramsay Art Prize 2025 featuring Tom Polo’s learning to leave (once, and again), Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide. Photo: Saul Steed
Bridie Gillman’s evocative Pink room, pink womb painting is a double-sided triangular installation which references ideas of place and belonging.
It was produced in response to staying in an 18th century bedroom with pink walls in Portugal. The dramatic colour changes she observed according to the light conjured up notions of a deep maternal presence. She invokes this in her changing shades of pink on the canvases and base, accompanied by a subtle soundscape by Reuben Schafer.
Shireen Taweel’s meticulous suspended copper objects delve into matters astronomical, the contribution of a Persian polymath’s foundational work in trigonometry and the precision required to locate stars and other celestial bodies.
She emulates that precision in her intriguing copper installation, Al-Tusi preferred to rely on perfect circles instead, as an instrument of astronomical observation. Her pierced motifs in the copper are informed by precise calculations.
Installation view: Ramsay Art Prize 2025 featuring Jason Phu’s the deepest love in the deepest well of despair and Shireen Taweel’s Al-Tusi preferred to rely on perfect circles instead, Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide. Photo: Saul Steed
Chinese-Australian artist Jason Phu draws on his cultural heritage in his large painting. Comic-like figures enact a narrative across time, as occurs in more serious Chinese Scroll paintings.
Phu inverts the tradition, adds a vernacular touch, and oscillates between humour and grim despair. His central figure in red enacts the text above: “the deepest love, the deepest despair”.
David Attwood’s whimsical kinetic sculptural assemblage featuring a motorised house cleaning sponge harks back to the wacky idea of a self-cleaning house, and touches on the gendered nature of housework.
Liam Fleming was schooled in the refined precision and techniques of making production line glass. Here, his slumped glass sculptural work come from his “letting go” of this exactness.
Installation view: Ramsay Art Prize 2025 featuring Liam Fleming’s Transitory Series, Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide. Photo: Saul Steed
Greek-Australian queer artist and designer Jordon Gogos’ impressive large tapestry, Time Machine, is made from repurposed and recycled textiles, and explores memory and identity.
His deft mix of chance and design – and extending the possibilities of fabric itself by layering, embroidering and felting – produces a compelling and playful piece.
These are just eight of the artworks on show in which the experimentation, range, diversity and rich cultural mix point to a vibrant contemporary art scene.
What’s left unsaid
But of the 22 finalists – a veritable who’s who of the contemporary art scene – only one artist reflects on war in a world beset by conflict.
Ukrainian-born Stanislava Pinchuk is currently Australia’s official war artist in Ukraine. Her moving image work, Theatre of war, focuses on three such “theatres”: the siege of Sarajevo, the war in Ukraine, and Homer’s account of the Trojan war in the Iliad.
Installation view: Ramsay Art Prize 2025 featuring Stanislava Pinchuk’s The Theatre of War, Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide. Photo: Saul Steed
But where is the bravery of earlier Ramsay entries such as Hoda Afshar’s moving photographic portraits of our courageous whistleblowers in Agonistes, shown in the Ramsay Art Prize exhibition of 2020?
There were close to 600 entries this year, so it seems odd that no-one else was selected for the final cut whose work had overt political content such as the war in Gaza.
The Ramsay Art Prize 2025 is at the Art Gallery of South Australia until August 31.
Catherine Speck has received funding from the ARC to investigate Australian art exhibitions (with Joanna Mendelssohn, Catherine De Lorenzo and Alison Inglis).
The United States on Wednesday vetoed a draft U.N. Security Council resolution that demanded an “immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire” between Israel and Hamas militants in Gaza and unhindered aid access across the war-torn enclave.
The other 14 countries on the council voted in favor of the draft as a humanitarian crisis grips the enclave of more than 2 million people, where famine looms and aid has only trickled in since Israel lifted an 11-week blockade last month.
“The United States has been clear: We would not support any measure that fails to condemn Hamas and does not call for Hamas to disarm and leave Gaza,” Acting U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Dorothy Shea told the council before the vote, arguing that it would also undermine U.S.-led efforts to broker a ceasefire.
Washington is Israel’s biggest ally and arms supplier.
The Security Council vote came as Israel pushes ahead with an offensive in Gaza after ending a two-month truce in March. Gaza health authorities said Israeli strikes killed 45 people on Wednesday, while Israel said a soldier died in fighting.
Britain’s U.N. Ambassador Barbara Woodward criticized the Israeli government’s decisions to expand its military operations in Gaza and severely restrict humanitarian aid as “unjustifiable, disproportionate and counterproductive.”
Israel has rejected calls for an unconditional or permanent ceasefire, saying Hamas cannot stay in Gaza. Israel’s U.N. Ambassador Danny Danon told the council members who voted in favor of the draft: “You chose appeasement and submission. You chose a road that does not lead to peace. Only to more terror.”
Hamas condemned the U.S. veto, describing it as showing “the U.S. administration’s blind bias” towards Israel. The draft Security Council resolution had also demanded the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages held by Hamas and others.
RIVAL AID OPERATIONS
The war in Gaza has raged since 2023 after Hamas militants killed 1,200 people in Israel in an October 7 attack and took some 250 hostages back to the enclave, according to Israeli tallies. Many of those killed or captured were civilians.
Israel responded with a military campaign that has killed over 54,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health authorities. They say civilians have borne the brunt of the attacks and that thousands more bodies have been lost under rubble.
Under global pressure, Israel allowed limited U.N.-led deliveries to resume on May 19. A week later a controversial new aid distribution system was launched by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, backed by the U.S. and Israel.
Israel has long accused Hamas of stealing aid, which the group denies. Israel and the U.S. are urging the U.N. to work through the GHF, which is using private U.S. security and logistics companies to transport aid into Gaza for distribution at so-called secure distribution sites.
“No one wants to see Palestinian civilians in Gaza go hungry or thirsty,” Shea told the Security Council, adding that the draft resolution did not “acknowledge the disastrous shortcomings of the prior method of aid delivery.”
The U.N. and international aid groups have refused to work with the GHF because they say it is not neutral, militarizes aid and forces the displacement of Palestinians.
No aid was distributed by the U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation on Wednesday as it pressed the Israeli military to boost civilian safety beyond the perimeter of its so-called secure distribution sites after a deadly incident on Tuesday.
The GHF said it has asked the Israeli military to “guide foot traffic in a way that minimizes confusion or escalation risks” near military positions, provide clearer civilian guidance and enhance training of soldiers on civilian safety.
‘DELAYS AND DENIALS’
The GHF posted on Facebook that “ongoing maintenance work” would delay the opening of its distribution sites on Thursday. It said on Tuesday that it has so far distributed more than seven million meals since it started operations.
Despite U.S. and Israeli criticism of the U.N.-led Gaza aid operation, a U.S. ceasefire plan proposes the delivery of aid by the United Nations, the Red Crescent and other agreed channels. Israel has agreed to the ceasefire plan but Hamas is seeking changes that the U.S. has rejected as “totally unacceptable.”
Ahead of the U.N. Security Council vote, U.N. aid chief Tom Fletcher again appealed for the U.N. and aid groups to be allowed to assist people in Gaza, stressing that they have a plan, supplies and experience.
“Open the crossings – all of them. Let in lifesaving aid at scale, from all directions. Lift the restrictions on what and how much aid we can bring in. Ensure our convoys aren’t held up by delays and denials,” Fletcher said in a statement.
The U.N. has long-blamed Israel and lawlessness in the enclave for hindering the delivery of aid into Gaza and its distribution throughout the war zone.
“Enough of suffering of civilians. Enough of food being used as a weapon. Enough is enough is enough,” Slovenia’s U.N. Ambassador Samuel Zbogar told the Security Council.
A similar humanitarian-focused draft resolution is now expected to be put to a vote in the 193-member U.N. General Assembly, where no countries have a veto power and it would likely pass, diplomats said.
Danon warned: “Don’t waste more of your time, because no resolution, no vote, no moral failure, will stand in our way.”
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola described his team’s first trophyless campaign since 2017 as a season of growth and reflection, dismissing notions of failure and suggesting it may have been a greater achievement than a previous title win.
“I want to suffer when I’m not winning games,” Guardiola told Reuters in an exclusive interview. “I want to feel bad. I want to sleep badly. I want that when the situation goes bad, it affects me… I want that!
“I’m angry… my food, it tastes worse… I don’t need to eat much because I need to feel that (anger). Because if it doesn’t, what sense would it have? Winning or losing… We’re here in this world to feel different experiences, different moods.”
The 54-year-old, who has won 12 domestic top-flight league titles across Spain, Germany and England, spoke about last season’s challenges, which saw City finish third in the Premier League and fail to secure silverware in domestic or European competitions. It marked only the second trophyless season of his managerial career.
Guardiola rejected the idea that the season was disastrous, instead arguing that it may have been the most valuable of his tenure at City.
“You judge happiness if you win. You judge success if you win and win. And that is a problem,” he said.
“I will not judge myself or my team because of bad seasons or good seasons… Maybe finishing third in a season and never giving up otherwise you finish 10th or 12th, maybe that’s a better season than when we won the fourth Premier League in a row.
“We faced so many difficulties that were higher due to injuries, relaxation, I was not good enough… for many reasons. Maybe the analysis about my period is that the last season was better. Qualifying for the Champions League when we were on the verge of not getting it.
‘WINNERS ARE BORING’
Reflecting on setbacks, Guardiola quoted former Uruguayan President Jose Mujica: “Success is how many times you stand up when you fall down.” He added: “Fall down, stand up. Fall down, stand up… That is the biggest success.”
“Winners are boring,” he said, adding that he always looked forward to post-match interviews with players and coaches from losing sides. “It’s nice to see the losers. That is when you really learn.”
Despite his remarkable record, Guardiola dismissed any notion of exceptionalism. “Do you think I feel special because I won a lot of titles? No! Forget about it!” he said. “I feel that special is the doctor that saves lives. The people who invented penicillin. That is a genius. Me? Genius? Come on.”
“I don’t want to pretend to be humble: of course I’m good! I’m proving that over many years I’m good… But the success I had, I was chosen. In certain moments, to lead Lionel Messi and the other ones, to be in those type of places I made incredible teams… But other managers, in the right moment, in that position, maybe they could have done the same.”
Looking ahead to the upcoming season and the Club World Cup, Guardiola emphasised the importance of team spirit. “Play good. Create a good vibe, good team spirit… Try to make the new players bring us an energy that we need to lift the team again. And at the end, we can lift trophies,” he said.
Guardiola also reflected on the pressures of public-facing jobs with constant scrutiny.
“The stress is always there because you are being judged every single day, but it is what it is,” he said.
“Nobody put a gun to my head forcing me to choose this job. I have chosen that… There is no professional in football that wins all the time, because it’s simply impossible. So, it happened last season… you accept it, improve, learn and there will be good learnings for the future.”
Wild card Lois Boisson lit up the French Open on Wednesday when the home hope downed sixth-seeded Russian Mirra Andreeva to make the semi-finals before Novak Djokovic set up a blockbuster meeting with world number one Jannik Sinner.
While Sinner stretched his Grand Slam winning streak to 19 matches after back-to-back titles at the U.S. Open last year and the Australian Open in January, Boisson, ranked 361st, thrilled the home crowd with a dazzling performance.
Three-time French Open winner Novak Djokovic stole the show in the evening by outlasting German third seed Alexander Zverev 4-6 6-3 6-2 6-4 to remain in the hunt for a record 25th Grand Slam title at the venue of his Olympic gold medal last year.
Victory after three hours and 17 minutes was the 38-year-old Serbian’s 101st win at Roland Garros but he had to draw from his seemingly endless reserves of energy and experience to prevail.
“There was a lot of tension, pressure but it’s normal when you play Zverev, one of the best in the world, in the last five-six years,” Djokovic said.
“My game is based on a lot of running. I’m 38, it’s not easy to keep running like that but, OK, it works.”
Sinner was barely troubled as he defeated Alexander Bublik 6-1 7-5 6-0 and became the first Italian man to reach six Grand Slam semi-finals.
The 23-year-old, who served a three-month doping ban before returning to action in Rome last month, raced through the first set after twice breaking the Kazakh, who had stunned fifth seed Jack Draper in the previous round.
Looking to become the first man representing Kazakhstan to defeat a world number one, Bublik, who hit 37 drop shots against Draper, pulled out this weapon again in the second set.
Sinner broke and held to take it before the 27-year-old Bublik, ever the entertainer, delighted fans with an underarm serve but ultimately could do nothing to stop the Italian’s march into the last four.
BOISSON SPARKLES
Earlier Boisson became the toast of France after staging the tournament’s biggest upset with a 7-6(6) 6-3 win over Andreeva, who had been tipped as a title contender, in an electrifying match that had the home crowd on the edge of their seats.
The 22-year-old had stunned third seed Jessica Pegula in round four, but on Wednesday pulled off another major shock, beating Andreeva, who had not lost a set in the tournament.
“Every player dreams of winning a Slam – and for a French player, Roland Garros even more so. I’ll go for it because my dream is to win the final, not the semi-final,” Boisson said.
Andreeva, the 18-year-old sixth seed who was bidding to become the youngest female player to reach back-to-back French Open semi-finals in nearly three decades, quickly found herself chasing Boisson’s fierce forehand.
The underdog, who has been a breath of fresh air in the tournament with her no-nonsense power game and down-to-earth approach, looked to have run out of steam as Andreeva went 3-0 up but she proceeded to win the next six consecutive games.
Andreeva repeatedly lost her temper and was handed a warning when she fired a ball into the stands in frustration.
With the home crowd the loudest it had been since the start, chants of ‘Lois, Lois’ echoed across the Philippe Chatrier court, with the decibel level lifted even further because the roof was closed due to rain.
Boisson, who will jump almost 300 places in the rankings next week, will face 2023 U.S. Open champion Coco Gauff, who came out on top in an error-ridden quarter-final against Australian Open champion Madison Keys with the pair littering the court with 101 unforced errors.
UNFORCED ERRORS
With a total of 49 unforced errors in the first set alone they both struggled to hold serve and Gauff, a semi-finalist in Paris last year, wasted a set point before Keys, who reached the French Open last four in 2018, edged ahead with a tiebreak win.
Gauff, who reached the final in 2022 and is the youngest woman to claim 25 main-draw wins at Roland Garros since Martina Hingis (1995-2000), bounced back to win the next two sets.
“So many unforced errors,” Gauff, who also had 10 double faults, said to herself after sinking another easy baseline shot into the net.
“I was just trying to be aggressive,” the 21-year-old Gauff said. “Usually if you’re playing too passive, in the end the more aggressive player is going to win. I knew in the second and the third that I had to try my best.”
Cristiano Ronaldo scored the winner as Portugal fought back to beat Germany 2-1 on Wednesday, with the 40-year-old bagging his 137th international goal to send them into the Nations League final.
It was Portugal’s first win over Germany since 2000 with Ronaldo’s goal earning them a spot in their second Nations League final, after winning the inaugural edition in 2019.
Spain and France will clash in the other semi-final on Thursday to decide who will face Portugal in the decider on Sunday.
Germany dominated the first half, but it remained goalless thanks to the heroics of Portugal keeper Diogo Costa.
The shotstopper made an excellent start to the first half, keeping out a low shot from Germany’s Leon Goretzka after four minutes with a strong save.
Costa came to Portugal’s rescue again with an incredible save from Nick Woltemade’s close-range effort and two minutes later, he produced another quick reaction stop, diving low to tip away another attempt from Goretzka.
Germany took the lead in the 48th minute, as Florian Wirtz headed in unmarked in the box, following a pinpoint lobbed pass from Joshua Kimmich.
However, Portugal turned the match around, first equalising through substitute Francisco Conceicao in the 63rd minute, before Ronaldo tapped in five minutes later after Nuno Mendes teed him up.
For Conceicao, the win carried extra significance, as his father Sergio scored a hat-trick the last time Portugal beat Germany – at the European Championship in 2000.
“We need to enjoy the victory – we won for the first time in a while against Germany. Tactically we were exceptional and our commitment helped… it was a team victory,” Portugal coach Roberto Martinez said.
“Now we can recover and evaluate,” he added. “We want another performance with personality in this shirt.”
Germany looked to shift the momentum when substitute Karim Adeyemi unleashed a powerful rising strike with his left foot, only to see it crash against the outside of Costa’s right-hand post.
Portugal could have grabbed a third goal very late in the match but Germany keeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen stretched impressively to perform a double save.
It was a disappointing 100th appearance for Germany captain Kimmich.
“The defeat is absolutely deserved. We weren’t playing well enough in the first half. After going 1-0 up, nothing came of it in the second half,” he told reporters.
“We have to learn from this. If we’re not at 100%, we can’t beat a top European team. Today was one of our worst games, purely based on our performance.”
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Philemon Yang (L), president of the UN General Assembly, presides over a meeting to elect members of the UN Economic and Social Council at the UN headquarters in New York, on June 4, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
Eighteen states, including China, were elected on Wednesday into the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), the coordinating body for the economic and social work of UN agencies and funds, for a three-year term.
Philemon Yang, president of the General Assembly, announced the results after voting by secret ballot in the assembly.
Elected were Burundi, Chad, Mozambique, Sierra Leone from African states; China, India, Lebanon, Turkmenistan from Asia-Pacific states; Croatia, Russia, Ukraine from Eastern European states; Ecuador, Peru, Saint Kitts and Nevis from Latin America and Caribbean states; Australia, Finland, Norway, Türkiye from Western European and other states.
They were elected for a three-year term beginning on Jan. 1, 2026.
Russia failed to obtain the two-thirds majority needed for election in the first round of the voting. It won in a restrictive round against Belarus.
In a by-election for rotation within the Western European and other states group, Germany was elected for a one-year term beginning on Jan. 1, 2026. It will replace Liechtenstein. The United States was elected for a two-year term beginning on Jan. 1, 2026. It will replace Italy.
ECOSOC has 54 members, which are elected each year by the General Assembly for overlapping three-year terms. Seats on the council are allocated on the basis of geographical representation with 14 seats to African states, 11 to Asia-Pacific states, six to Eastern European states, 10 to Latin American and Caribbean states, and 13 to Western Europe and other states.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
U.S. stocks closed mixed on Wednesday as investors digested weaker-than-expected private-sector hiring data and remained cautious amid fresh U.S.-China trade tensions, following the implementation of a steep steel and aluminum tariff hike.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 91.90 points, or 0.22 percent, ending the session at 42,427.74, while the S&P 500 inched up 0.44 points, or 0.01 percent, to 5,970.81. The Nasdaq Composite gained 61.53 points, or 0.32 percent, to close at 19,460.49.
Sector performance was split, with six of the S&P 500’s 11 major groups finishing higher. Communication services and materials led the way, rising 1.36 percent and 0.35 percent, respectively. On the downside, energy and utilities were the weakest performers, falling 1.89 percent and 1.70 percent.
Investor sentiment was dampened by the ADP National Employment Report, which showed private-sector hiring slowed significantly in May. Only 37,000 jobs were added, the weakest figure in over two years and far short of analyst expectation of 110,000 ones.
Further economic data reflected softening conditions. The Institute for Supply Management’s Services Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) fell to 49.9 in May, slipping into contraction territory for just the fourth time in five years. The reading came in below April’s 51.6 and missed economist forecasts for an increase to 52, suggesting service sector growth is losing steam.
Jefferies economist Tom Simons wrote in a note to clients that the data likely reflect “more signs of a pause in activity rather than a steep contraction.” “A broad pause is not a good thing, and the uncertainty that precipitated this pause has not shown any signs of lifting,” he said.
Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump lashed out at Fed Chair Jerome Powell on social media again, calling for immediate rate cuts.
Adding to market jitters, Trump’s order to double tariffs on steel and aluminum imports to 50 percent took effect Wednesday, with only the United Kingdom exempted. The deadline also arrived for U.S. trading partners to submit “best offers” to avoid a broader wave of retaliatory tariffs slated for July.
Barclays’ Head of U.S. Equity Strategy Venu Krishna said that recent market movement reflects a “broad realization” that the extreme tariff rhetoric may not fully materialize, though it continues to create uncertainty for investors. “The bottom line is that while uncertainty remains high around the eventual tariff outcome, the rate of change on policy headwinds has become much less onerous.” Wilson said. “This has reduced recession risk and is giving corporates and consumers more confidence in the forward looking outlook.”
The S&P 500 index will peak in the second quarter and then correct to the range of 5,250 points to 5,500 points in the second half of 2025, according to a presentation by Stifel on Tuesday.
Major technology companies showed mixed performance on Wednesday. Meta Platforms advanced 3.16 percent, while chipmaker Broadcom, set to release earnings on Thursday, gained 1.65 percent. Nvidia, Microsoft, Amazon, and Alphabet posted modest increases. In contrast, electric vehicle manufacturer Tesla dropped 3.55 percent, and Apple edged down slightly.
The sudden resignation this week of one of Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s senior press secretaries was politically embarrassing, but also raises questions about how New Zealand law operates in such cases.
A Stuff investigation revealed the Beehive staffer allegedly recorded audio of sessions with sex workers, and whose phone contained images and video of women at the gym, supermarket shopping, and filmed through a window while getting dressed.
The man at the centre of the allegations has reportedly apologised and said he had sought professional help for his behaviour last year.
The police have said the case did not meet the threshold for prosecution. And this highlights the difficulties surrounding existing laws when it comes to non-consensual recording, harassment and image-based harm.
Describing his “shock” at the allegations against his former staffer, the prime minister said he was “open to revisiting” the laws around intimate audio recordings without consent. If that happens, there are several key areas to consider.
Are covert audio recordings illegal?
New Zealand law prohibits the non-consensual creation, possession and distribution of intimate visual recordings under sections 216H to 216J of the Crimes Act 1961. These provisions aim to protect individuals’ privacy and bodily autonomy in situations where they have a reasonable expectation of privacy.
The definition of “intimate visual recording” under these sections is limited to visual material, such as photographs, video or digital images, and does not extend to audio-only recordings.
As a result, covert audio recordings of sex workers engaged in sexual activity would fall outside the scope of these offences, even though the harm caused is similar.
If such audio or video recordings were ever shared with others or posted online, that may be a criminal offence under the Harmful Digital Communications Act 2015 – if it can be proved this was done with the intention to cause serious emotional distress.
What about covert filming of women in public places?
Covert recording of women working out or walking down a road, including extreme closeups of clothed body parts, would unlikely meet the definition of “intimate visual recording”.
That is because they do not typically involve nudity, undergarments or private bodily activities, and they often occur in public places where there is no reasonable expectation of privacy.
Even extreme closeups may not meet the threshold unless they are taken from beneath or through clothing in a way that targets the genitals, buttocks or breasts. While they are invasive and degrading, they may remain lawful.
By contrast, it is more likely that covert filming of women dressing or undressing through a window would satisfy the definition, depending on where the women were. For example, were they in a place where they would have a reasonable expectation of privacy?
If the non-consensual recording captures a person in a state of undress, then the creation of such images or videos could be considered a crime.
Are any of these behaviours “harassment”?
Under the Harassment Act 1997, “harassment” is defined as a pattern of behaviour directed at a person that involves at least two specified acts within a 12-month period, or a single continuing act.
These acts can include following, watching, or any conduct that causes the person to fear for their safety. Although covert filming or audio recording is not expressly referenced, the acts of following and watching within alleged voyeuristic behaviour, if repeated, could fall within the definition.
But harassment is only a crime where it is done with the intent or knowledge that the behaviour will likely cause a person to fear for their safety. This is a threshold that might be difficult to prove in voyeurism or similar cases.
Covert recording of women’s bodies, whether audio or visual, is part of a broader pattern of gender-based violence facilitated by technology. Feminist legal scholars have framed this as “image-based sexual abuse”. The term captures how non-consensual creation, recording, sharing or threatening to share intimate content violates sexual autonomy and dignity.
Some forms of image-based sexual abuse are criminalised in New Zealand, but others are not. What we know of this case suggests some key gaps remain – largely because law reform has been piecemeal and reactive.
For example, the intimate visual recording offences in the Crimes Act were introduced in 2006 when wider access to digital cameras led to an upswing in covert filming (of women showering or “upskirting”, for example).
Therefore, the definition is limited to these behaviours. But the law was drafted before later advances in smartphone technology, now owned by many more people than in 2006.
Generally, laws are thought of as “living documents”, able to be read in line with the development of new or advanced technology. But when the legislation itself is drafted with certain technology or behaviours in mind, it is not necessarily future-proofed.
Where to now?
There is a risk to simply adding more offences to plug the gaps (and New Zealand is not alone in having to deal with this challenge). Amending the Crimes Act to include intimate audio recordings might address one issue. But new or advanced technologies will inevitably raise others.
Rather than responding to each new form of abuse as it arises, it would be better to take a step back and develop a more principled, future-focused criminal law framework.
That would mean defining offences in a technology-neutral way. Grounded in core values such as privacy, autonomy and consent, they would be more capable of adapting to new contexts and tools.
Only then can the law provide meaningful protection against the evolving forms of gendered harm facilitated by digital technologies.
Cassandra Mudgway 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.
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne
With almost all primary votes now counted to two-party preferred (as I explained on May 29), Labor has won the national two-party vote by a 55.3–44.7 margin, although this may drop to a 55.2–44.8 margin once the remaining votes from Bradfield come in.
Labor’s two-party share is over two points higher than in any poll taken in the final week before the election.
Final primary votes were 34.6% Labor (up 2.0% since the 2022 election), 31.8% Coalition (down 3.9%), 12.2% Greens (steady), 6.4% One Nation (up 1.4%), 1.9% Trumpet of Patriots (down 2.2% from United Australia Party in 2022), 7.4% independents (up 2.1%) and 5.7% others (up 0.6%).
The table below shows the primary vote and two-party estimates of all ten polls conducted in the final week before the election, with the election results at the bottom. When polls gave a breakdown for Trumpet of Patriots, independents and others, I’ve combined these for an all Others total. Bold numbers in the table represent estimates that were within 1% of the result.
Fieldwork dates for the Ipsos poll were not released, but it was published in The Daily Mail on election day, so it was presumably taken in the last week. Published primary votes in this poll included 5% undecided, which I have redistributed proportionally to the parties listed.
In 2019, all the polls gave Labor between a 51–49 and a 52–48 lead. The actual result was a Coalition win by 51.5–48.5.
This year, all polls had Labor between a 51–49 and a 53–47 lead and the actual result was a Labor win by 55.3–44.7. The two polls (Freshwater and Ipsos) that had Labor below a 52–48 lead were particularly poor.
The polls understated Labor’s primary vote and overstated the Coalition’s. Labor won the primary vote by 2.7 points, when nearly all polls had the Coalition ahead (Redbridge was tied). The Freshwater and Ipsos polls performed badly in overstating the Coalition’s vote.
The Greens were mostly overstated, while One Nation was overstated by every pollster except Morgan.
Preference flow assumptions compounded the polls’ problems. If I plug the election primary votes into my 2022 preference flows spreadsheet, I get a Labor two-party lead of 55.3–44.7, the same as the actual result.
Newspoll had higher One Nation preference flows to the Coalition than in 2022. If they’d used 2022 flows, Labor would have led by about 53–47. YouGov used data from its MRP polls that gave the Coalition both a higher share of One Nation and Greens preferences than in 2022. If they’d used 2022 flows, Labor would have led by 54.2–45.8.
We won’t have data on preference flows by party for some time, but it’s likely that One Nation preferences did become more pro-Coalition. However, Greens and independent preferences compensated by becoming more pro-Labor.
Respondent-allocated polls from Essential, Resolve, Freshwater, Redbridge and Spectre all suggested this would be the case. YouGov may have used MRP polls earlier in the year to allocate preferences. Labor was doing badly on preferences earlier.
The poll graph that I used in my pre-election articles is below. There was a surge to Labor in March and April. Labor had been polling poorly from December to February and may have lost an election held then. The polls told us that Labor had recovered to an election-winning position, but they understated the magnitude of that win.
The best two polls were not the final polls, but a Morgan poll taken two weeks from the election that gave Labor a 55.5–44.5 lead. Morgan’s final two polls both gave Labor a 53–47 lead. The other good poll was a Redbridge poll of 20 marginal seats that gave Labor a 54.5–45.5 lead a week before the election (actual result 54.8–45.2 to Labor across these seats).
Redbridge would have been better if they’d stuck with their 54.5–45.5 to Labor in the marginal seats in this poll, but they dropped back to 53–47 to Labor in the poll published on election day.
The final YouGov MRP poll predicted Labor would win 84 of the 150 seats, understating Labor by ten seats. An exit poll of early voters from the first two days of early in-person voting correctly had swings to Labor.
While public polling was poor at this election, Liberal internal polling was worse. This article in The Australian published the day before the election said the Coalition was confident of gaining ten seats from Labor. Labor actually gained 14 seats from the Coalition.
The worst seat polls
I’m not going to relate every seat poll in this election, but there were some seat poll stinkers.
I referred to JWS seat polls of Ryan, Brisbane and Griffith on April 18. These polls gave the Liberal National Party a 57–43 lead over Labor in Ryan, with the Greens a distant third on primary votes. In Brisbane, Labor led the LNP by 51–49. In Griffith, Labor led the LNP by 51–49, but the LNP led the Greens by 53–47.
In Ryan, the Greens made the final two and defeated the LNP by 53.3–46.7. If Labor had made the final two, they would have won by 57.8–42.2. In Brisbane, Labor crushed the LNP by 59.0–41.0. In Griffith, Labor and the Greens made the final two, and a two-party count between Labor and the LNP had Labor winning by 65.9–34.1.
I referred to a Compass seat poll of McMahon on April 11. This poll gave right-wing independent Matt Camenzuli 41% of the primary vote, the Liberals 20% and Labor incumbent Chris Bowen just 19%. Bowen actually won 45.5% of the primary vote, the Liberals 26.8% and Camenzuli just 9.8%.
I referred to KJC polls of four seats on April 27. These polls gave the Liberals a 49–45 lead including undecided in Tangney and a 46–41 lead in Blair. In Richmond, the Greens led Labor by 39–34. In Hunter, Labor led the Nationals by 45–41.
Labor actually won Tangney by 57.0–43.0 and Blair by 55.7–44.3. In Richmond, the Greens did not make the final two, and Labor would have beaten them easily if they had. In Hunter, One Nation instead of the Nationals made the final two, with Labor winning by 59.0–41.0. Had the Nationals made the final two, Labor would have won by a similar 59.5–40.5.
Recount results and Greens senator defects to Labor
In Liberal-held Bradfield, Teal Nicolette Boele defeated the Liberals by 26 votes after a recount, overturning an eight-vote Liberal lead on the original count. The Liberals could challenge this result in the courts, but Boele will be seated until the courts decide.
In Goldstein, the partial recount of primary votes for Teal incumbent Zoe Daniel and Liberal Tim Wilson was completed on May 31. Wilson won by 175 votes, down from 260 before the recount started.
With these results, the final seat outcome of the election is 94 Labor out of 150, 43 Coalition and 13 for all Others. That’s a Labor majority of 38 by the UK method.
Western Australian Greens Senator Dorinda Cox, who was elected in 2022, defected to Labor on Monday. This gives Labor 29 of the 76 senators and the Greens ten. Labor will still need either the Coalition or the Greens to reach the 39 votes required for a Senate majority. Cox’s six-year term will expire in June 2028.
South Korea and Poland elections
On Tuesday the centre-left candidate won the South Korean presidential election that had been called early after the previous right-wing president was impeached and removed from office. On Sunday the Law and Justice (PiS) candidate won the Polish presidential election, defeating a pro-Western centrist.
Donald Trump’s US national ratings have improved since his nadir in late April. I wrote about these events for The Poll Bludger on Wednesday.
Adrian Beaumont does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Last week, the European Commission presented a strategy to reboot the Single Market. This new strategy contains more than 50 proposals with the aim to make it easier for businesses to trade in the Single Market, with an emphasis on dismantling barriers, creating jobs and stimulating growth.
We are deeply concerned by recent legislative and constitutional amendments infringing on the fundamental rights of LGBTIQ+ persons which were adopted by the Hungarian Parliament on 18 March and 14 April 2025 following other anti-LGBTIQ+ legislation already introduced in previous years.
The first meeting of the year for the Government’s task force for Jewish life was held at the Jewish Museum in Stockholm at the beginning of March. The group’s focus area this year is Jewish life, which coincides with celebrations marking 250 years of established Jewish life in Sweden. The group will also continue to focus on security.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Cristiano Ronaldo scored the decisive goal as Portugal came from behind to defeat Germany 2-1 in the UEFA Nations League semifinal in Munich on Wednesday, ending the hosts’ hopes of reaching the tournament final for the first time.
After a 10-minute delay caused by a hailstorm, Germany settled more quickly. Leon Goretzka tested Diogo Costa early, while debutant Nick Woltemade linked well with Aleksandar Pavlovic to create another opportunity.
However, Portugal soon found its rhythm. Pedro Neto’s blistering pace repeatedly exposed the German defense, and Ronaldo tested goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen twice. It was Ter Stegen’s first appearance since returning from a lengthy injury layoff.
Florian Wirtz (L) of Germany vies with Bruno Fernandes of Portugal during the UEFA Nations League A semifinal match between Germany and Portugal in Munich, Germany, June 4, 2025. (Photo by Philippe Ruiz/Xinhua)
Florian Wirtz broke the deadlock just after the restart. The Bayer Leverkusen playmaker timed his run perfectly to meet Joshua Kimmich’s lofted pass, guiding a header into the bottom corner.
But instead of calming Germany’s nerves, the goal only galvanized Portugal. Francisco Conceicao, introduced just minutes earlier, turned the match with a stunning solo strike, cutting inside and curling the ball into the far corner.
Germany barely had time to regroup before falling behind. A slick one-two between Bruno Fernandes and Nuno Mendes split the German backline, and Mendes’ low cross was converted by Ronaldo. At 40 years and 119 days old, he became the oldest player ever to score against Germany.
Germany brought on attacking reinforcements, including Karim Adeyemi and Niclas Fullkrug, but struggled to regain momentum. Adeyemi came closest to equalizing, hitting the post in the 82nd minute. At the other end, Ter Stegen denied both Conceicao and Diogo Jota to keep the scoreline close.
Germany will now play in Sunday’s third-place playoff, while Portugal advances to the final.
“It was certainly one of our weakest performances in recent times. We didn’t always attack with enough conviction. We started well and took a deserved lead but then did far too little. Against a team like Portugal, if you’re too slow in transition, you get punished. We need to be at 100% if we want to belong to the best in Europe. This defeat hurts, but we must learn from it,” Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann said.
“I’m very happy. This was an important game against a top-quality Germany side, and we played away from home. To beat Germany for the first time in 25 years means a lot. Turning a 1-0 deficit into a 2-1 win shows what this team is capable of,” said Portugal coach Roberto Martinez.
Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Matthew England, Scientia Professor and Deputy Director of the ARC Australian Centre for Excellence in Antarctic Science, UNSW Sydney
Westend61/Getty Images
In June 2023, a record-breaking marine heatwave swept across the North Atlantic Ocean, smashing previous temperature records.
It wasn’t just Europe that was impacted. The coral reefs of the Caribbean were bleaching under severe heat stress. And hurricanes, fuelled by ocean heat, intensified into disasters. For example, Hurricane Idalia hit Florida in August 2023 – causing 12 deaths and an estimated US$3.6 billion in damages.
This so-called “cold blob” or “warming hole” has been linked to the weakening of what’s known as the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation – a system of ocean currents that conveys warm water from the equator towards the poles.
During July 2023 we met as a team to analyse this cold blob – how deep it reaches and how robust it is as a measure of the strength of the Atlantic overturning circulation – when it became clear there was a strong reversal of the historical cooling trend. The cold blob had warmed to 2°C above average.
But was that a sign the overturning circulation had been reinvigorated? Or was something else going on?
A layered story
It soon became clear the anomalous warm temperatures southeast of Greenland were part of an unprecedented marine heatwave that had developed across much of the North Atlantic Ocean. By July, basin-averaged warming in the North Atlantic reached 1.4°C above normal, almost double the previous record set in 2010.
To uncover what was behind these record breaking temperatures, we combined estimates of the atmospheric conditions that prevailed during the heatwave, such as winds and cloud cover, with ocean observations and model simulations.
We were especially interested in understanding what was happening in the mixed upper layer of water of the ocean, which is strongly affected by the atmosphere.
Distinct from the deeper layer of cold water, the ocean’s surface mixed layer warms as it’s exposed to more sunlight during spring and summer. But the rate at which this warming happens depends on its thickness. If it’s thick, it will warm more gradually; if it’s thin, rapid warming can ensue.
During summer the thickness of this surface mixed layer is largely set by winds. Winds churn up the surface ocean and the stronger they are the deeper the mixing penetrates, so strong winds create a think upper layer and weak winds generate a shallower layer.
Our new research indicates that the primary driver of the marine heatwave was record-breaking weak winds across much of the basin. The winds were at their weakest measured levels during June and July, possibly linked to a developing El Niño in the east Pacific Ocean.
This led to by far the shallowest upper layer on record. Data from the Argo Program – a global array of nearly 4,000 robotic floats that measure the temperature and salinity in the upper 2,000 metres of the ocean – showed in some areas this layer was only ten metres deep, compared to the usual 20 to 40 metres deep.
This caused the sun to heat the thin surface layer far more rapidly than usual.
In addition to these short term changes in 2023, previous research has shown long-term warming associated with anthropogenic climate change is reducing the ability of winds to mix the upper ocean, causing it to gradually thin.
We also identified a possible secondary driver of more localised warming during the 2023 marine heatwave: above-average solar radiation hitting the ocean. This could be linked in part with the introduction of new international rules in 2020 to reduce sulfate emissions from ships.
The aim of these rules was to reduce air pollution from ship’s exhaust systems. But sulfate aerosols also reflect solar radiation and can lead to cloud formation. The resultant clearer skies can then lead to more ocean warming.
Early warning signs
The extreme 2023 heatwave provides a preview of the future. Marine heatwaves are expected to worsen as Earth continues to warm due to greenhouse gas emissions, with devastating impacts on marine ecosystems such as coral reefs and fisheries. This also means more intense hurricanes – and more intense land-based heatwaves.
To better understand, forecast and plan for the impacts of marine heatwaves, long-term ocean and atmospheric data and models, including those provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in the United States, are crucial. In fact, without these data and models, our new study would not have been possible.
Despite this, NOAA faces an uncertain future. A proposed budget for the 2026 fiscal year released by the White House last month could mean devastating funding cuts of more than US$1.5 billion – mostly targeting climate-based research and data collection.
This would be a disaster for monitoring our oceans and climate system, right at a time when change is severe, unprecedented, and proving very costly.
Matthew England receives funding from the Australian Research Council.
Alex Sen Gupta receives funding from the Australian Research Council.
Andrew Kiss receives funding from the Australian Research Council.
Zhi Li receives funding from the Australian Research Council.
Pinochet and Rauff? They were alike. Each had two faces. One gentle, the other hard. They were joined.
And they both got away with it … Sort of.
Philippe Sands loves to tell stories. A master of historical non-fiction, he has become known for his unique blend of deeply personal, legal and historical narratives, which weave together incredible coincidences with moving stories of human courage in the face of mass atrocities and horror.
Sands is a leading practitioner of international law, a professor at University College London, an author, a playwright, and the recipient of numerous literary awards. He is also someone whose family was murdered in the vortex of the Holocaust in Ukraine.
If it weren’t based on facts, one might think it was a brilliantly crafted thriller.
Review: 38 Londres Street: On Impunity, Pinochet in England and a Nazi in Patagonia – Philippe Sands (Weidenfeld & Nicolson)
38 Londres Street weaves together several narratives, but at its heart is the story of the legal attempts to end impunity for two accused criminals. One is Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet. The other is Walther Rauff, a former SS officer who fled to South America and allegedly worked with Pinochet’s Secret Intelligence Service.
Sands brings these two men into a single narrative to highlight the legal struggle against impunity for mass atrocities, though he never loses sight of the victims and their human stories of suffering, courage and persistence.
These were people whose lives were abruptly and violently taken. Sands includes many of their names and tragic fates in his book. He informs his readers that the Cementerio Sara Braun in Punta Arenas, Chile, has a memorial bearing the names of Pinochet’s many victims. He clearly wants these individuals never to be forgotten.
Universal jurisdiction and the Pinochet precedent
The building at 38 Londres Street in Santiago was once a site of pain. At this secret interrogation centre, one of many across Santiago and the rest of Chile, Pinochet’s agents imprisoned, tortured, executed and disappeared tens of thousands of people deemed leftists, socialists, communists or “other undesirables”.
Pinochet came to power on September 11, 1973, overthrowing the democratically elected socialist government of President Salvador Allende in a military coup. He would rule Chile with an iron fist until 1990.
Chile’s youth became the targets of his murderous regime. Sands notes that most victims were between 21 and 30 years old. The majority of them were workers; the rest mainly comprised academics, professionals and students. The atrocities were committed with impunity.
Like all dictators, Pinochet believed himself untouchable. But in October 1998, while visiting the UK, he was arrested in London. Spanish judge Baltasar Garzón was seeking Pinochet’s extradition to Spain in order to try him for human rights abuses.
Garzón was acting under the then-controversial legal principle of universal jurisdiction, which allows courts in one country to prosecute grave human rights violations committed outside its borders, regardless of the nationality of the accused.
Never before had a former head of state of one country been arrested by, and in another, for committing international crimes.
Sands would become involved in one of the most famous cases in international law since the Nuremberg trials more than 50 years earlier. Pinochet’s lawyers offered him an opportunity to participate in the case, arguing for the former dictator’s immunity as a former head of state. His wife threatened to divorce him if he accepted.
He declined the offer. Instead, Sands represented Human Rights Watch when the Pinochet case was considered by the Law Lords.
Pinochet had been indicted for crimes against humanity and genocide. At issue was the question of whether Pinochet, as a former head of state, had immunity before the English courts for acts committed in another country while he was in office. Should there be a legal protection for former dictators?
The proceedings in London were novel and remarkable, writes Sands, because this was an open legal question when Pinochet was arrested. His arrest raised an unprecedented issue: was there an exception to the rule of immunity for a former head of state when a crime in international law was involved? And did the exception apply before a national court, rather than an international one?
Many believed Pinochet’s immunity should be lifted and extradition proceedings should go ahead, so that he could answer for the deaths of Spanish nationals and others. If that did not happen, it was argued, the travesty of justice would signal that any dictator could get away with genocide. As Sands writes, immunity and impunity often go hand in hand.
In this landmark case, Pinochet was stripped of the immunity from prosecution he had enjoyed as a former president. He was ordered to stand trial on charges of human rights abuses.
For the next 16 months, he remained in the UK, awaiting extradition to Spain. But it never happened. The initial judgement on immunity was quashed, due to concerns about possible bias of one of the judges. The case returned to square one. New hearings took place.
In January 2000, the UK eventually decided not to proceed with extradition, claiming that Pinochet was too ill to stand trial and that “it would not be fair”. He was allowed to return to Chile as a free man, thanks to medical doctors rather than lawyers.
Political leaders in Europe generally welcomed the ruling. Margaret Thatcher, former British prime minister and Pinochet’s longstanding ally, was adamant that the lengthy legal wrangle had been a waste of public money. Seemingly agitated, she said in front of the cameras:
Senator Pinochet was a staunch friend of Britain throughout the Falklands War. His reward from this government was to be held prisoner for 16 months. In the meantime, his health has been broken, his reputation tarnished, and vast funds of public money have been squandered on a political vendetta.
Subsequent attempts to prosecute Pinochet in Chile were unsuccessful. He died in 2006 at the age of 91, without ever being tried for the human rights abuses that occurred while he was in power. Retributive justice, in the end, was not served. But Pinochet’s case opened the gates for efforts to bring other former and serving heads of state to justice.
Today, the 38 Londres Street serves as a place of national memory where visitors can walk through its halls and learn about its dark past.
The Nazi who invented the gas chambers
Running parallel with Pinochet’s story is that of Nazi fugitive Walther Rauff.
Rauff invented the mobile gas chambers that were precursors to the gas chambers in Nazi concentration camps. At the end of the second world war, he escaped to South America, settling in Chile. Germany made numerous attempts to have Rauff extradited to face charges, but the Chilean government refused these demands. He spent his days in the backwaters of Patagonia, running a king-crab cannery business.
Sands travels to Patagonia and meets people who remember Rauff, whose identity seems to have been common knowledge among his neighbours and co-workers: “everyone knew rumours and stories of his past”; they knew about “the gas vans” and that he “once killed many people”. But no one seemed to be bothered. They describe Rauff as “cultivated and kind”. To many of Sands’ interlocutors, the stories about Rauff “were long ago and far away”.
While dealing with the failed attempts for his extradition, Rauff put his energies into “harvesting crabs, making sure the tins were packed tight, [and] managing the workers”. He continued to do so, enjoying the company of his dog Bobby, when Pinochet became Chile’s new leader.
Pinochet was an old friend. Sands records that the two men met in the 1950s in Quito, Ecuador, where Rauff was staying, having fled an Italian prison camp at the end of the war. The men shared a contempt for communism and an affinity for German culture. Pinochet encouraged Rauff to move to Chile.
Rauff delighted in Pinochet’s murderous regime. Sands tell us that Pinochet used Rauff’s “expertise” to help with the murder and disappearance of thousands of people. But the controversy over whether Rauff worked for the Chilean military, becoming “chief advisor” to its intelligence services, or perhaps even its “head”, remains unresolved. Definitive and provable evidence about the assistance Rauff may have given to Pinochet was never obtained.
Holding dictators to account
One of the many coincidences Sands stumbles upon is that Rauff lived in Punta Arenas in southern Chile on a street called “Jugoslavija”, named after the country where I was born, which disintegrated in the 1990s in a brutal civil war marked by mass atrocities and genocide.
Milošević was extradited to The Hague in 2001 after he was indicted for war crimes committed in Kosovo and Croatia, and for genocide in Bosnia and Herzegovina following an order from the Serbian government. His trial is widely hailed as a landmark moment in the development of international criminal law, though he died in his cell before his trial ended, dying “innocent” like his counterparts Pinochet and Rauff.
In 38 Londres Street, Sands brings to light the behind-the-scenes struggles to hold Pinochet and Rauff accountable. The book explores the intricacies and politics of international law. Despite its bitter ending, Pinochet’s case remains one of the most far reaching and important in the field of human rights. It caused other countries to reflect on their own legal immunities.
As a researcher and academic, I found the book significant because it also offers insight into what it takes to conduct such expansive archival and qualitative research. Over several years, “in between work and life”, Sands travels to different corners of the globe and speaks to informants from all walks of life, including descendants of the perpetrators. He visits the sites of the events he recounts, most of them places marked by pain. He seeks to see and feel a past that still lingers.
His method requires stamina, passion and unwavering diligence. His strong commitment to neutrality, decency and impartiality makes him stand out not only as a highly skilled writer, but a survivor who continues to unpack and share the legacy of the Holocaust. There is much to respect and learn from in Sands’ account, not least about the intricacies of writing a compelling story.
Holding dictators to account is hard. Pinochet and Rauff deprived victims of the retributive justice they needed and deserved. Yet justice and reparations have many different meanings. They can be symbolic too, and still profoundly meaningful to victims. As one of the survivors of Pinochet’s regime replied to Sands when asked whether he believed his case was one of total impunity: “Not quite total […] Dawson [an island detention camp] has been recognised as a site of national memory, a protected monument, and that means something.”
Pinochet and Rauff were never convicted, but they were not free. Pinochet spent years under house arrest, bitter and devastated, unable to walk the streets. Rauff lived in constant fear of being arrested and extradited. They were both haunted. This, after all, may have brought some satisfaction to the victims.
Sands was once asked: “Do you believe in justice?” He replied: “Sort of.” Sands comes to understand that justice is “uneven in its delivery”. He has learned “to tamper expectations”. Maybe we all need to learn that skill from him too. Ultimately, justice remains a work-in-progress, just like the process of learning from a dark past.
Olivera Simic 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.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Host China kicked off its Volleyball Nations League (VNL) Beijing leg in style with a straight-set victory over Belgium on Wednesday, winning 25-18, 27-25, 25-13 at the National Indoor Stadium.
Wu Mengjie (R) of China spikes the ball during the pool 3 match between China and Belgium at the Women’s Volleyball Nations League (VNL) 2025 at the National Indoor Stadium in Beijing, China, June 4, 2025. (Xinhua/Luo Yuan)
After a dominant start and a second set where their early lead nearly slipped away, the new-look Chinese team regrouped to close out the match confidently in front of more than 3,000 home fans.
Outside hitter Wu Mengjie, 22, led all scorers with 18 points, while fellow 22-year-old Zhuang Yushan added 13. Team captain and opposite Gong Xiangyu contributed 12, and experienced middle blocker Wang Yuanyuan chipped in with 11 to help seal the win.
“I’m happy that this newly assembled Chinese team secured a win in front of our home fans in Beijing,” said head coach Zhao Yong. “Belgium challenged us, especially in the second set. While we had clearer leads in the first and third sets, the second set really tested us. The players showed great decisiveness and composure under pressure.”
China had stormed to a 15-7 lead midway through the second set, but Belgium responded by improving their offensive reception and capitalizing on a string of Chinese errors, drawing level at 20-all and later at 25-all. In the final moments, Wang Yuanyuan delivered a quick attack and a decisive double block to help China edge the set and maintain momentum.
“No. 7 (Wang Yuanyuan) is great in attack, as a middle blocker, she has done a great job. She is very important for the team. But I think it’s a nice mix between experienced and young players. And I think the Chinese young players already showed what they can do,” said Belgian captain Britt Herbots, who led her team with 10 points.
Sixteen-year-old Zhang Zixuan made her international debut as China’s starting setter, earning her first senior-level start. Despite her age, Zhang impressed with composed play and smooth coordination, drawing praise from coach and teammates.
“She’s still very young at the international level, but the support from her teammates has been instrumental during training and in matches,” said Zhao. “The experienced players also played a crucial role – not only with their skills, but in passing on their experience and stabilising the team on court.”
China will face Poland on Thursday. The 2024 VNL bronze medalists opened their campaign with a straight-set win, 25-22, 26-24, 25-22, over reigning Asian champions Thailand.
Martyna Czyrnianska led Poland with 17 points, one of three players scoring in double digits. Poland dominated at the net with a 7-1 advantage in blocks.
Earlier in the day, Paris Olympics semifinalist Türkiye defeated France 25-17, 23-25, 25-13, 25-14. Turkish middle blocker Deniz Uyanik, making her VNL debut, starred in her first international appearance of the season with a team-high 16 points, including seven blocks – the most by any player in the match. Her blocking total alone matched that of the entire French team.
“This was our first international match of the season, and I was really excited,” said Uyanik. “Our whole team played well, and I’m proud of both the team and myself. Getting seven blocks in the first match makes me really happy.”
Türkiye head coach Daniele Santarelli acknowledged the difficulties of the opening match, noting their opponents’ preparation and the short lead-up time for his squad.
“It was not an easy match for us. We faced a strong team that had been in Beijing for a week and had already played some friendlies,” said Santarelli. “Our performance wasn’t perfect, but considering the circumstances, we did a very good job. We’re moving in the right direction and will keep working hard.”
Santarelli also addressed the absence of several core players, including star opposite Melissa Vargas, emphasizing the opportunity for younger athletes to step up.
“It’s not easy for a coach to miss several core players, but I wanted to give our younger players a chance to grow,” he explained. “Of course, this comes with some negative consequences, but we will keep pushing forward as a team.”
Türkiye will rest on Thursday before returning to face Thailand on Friday.
Foreign Minister Winston Peters departs this weekend for visits to France, Italy and Indonesia. In Nice, Minister Peters will attend the Pacific-France Summit, hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron; represent New Zealand at the third United Nations Ocean Conference; and hold a series of bilateral meetings with counterparts from around the world. “New Zealand is a Pacific country, and we take seriously our responsibility to work with partners in the region and around the world to contribute to resilience, stability and prosperity,” Mr Peters says. “France’s hosting of these events further demonstrates its strong contribution to the Pacific.” In Rome, Mr Peters’ visit will mark 75 years of diplomatic relations between our two countries. It will be the first visit by a New Zealand Foreign Minister to Rome since 2007, when Mr Peters last visited. “Italy is a leading world economy, and we share important historical connections as well as contemporary trade and economic ties,” Mr Peters says. In Jakarta, Mr Peters will attend the annual Joint Ministerial Commission meeting in alongside Indonesian Foreign Minister Sugiono and will meet with President Prabowo’s brother and senior advisor, Hashim Djojohadikusumo. “We are ambitious about deepening our relationship with Indonesia. This will be an opportunity to strengthen trade, education and development connections and promote regional cooperation,” Mr Peters says. Mr Peters departs New Zealand on Saturday 7 June and returns on Saturday 14 June.
UniSA’s Enterprise Hub is a state-of-the-art enterprise and innovation facility within an original heritage building
Architects, builders, academics and regulators are calling for a major shift in Australia’s building policies, claiming these are based on a narrow view of environmental costs and false economies that downplay the real costs of new builds – and the environment is paying the price.
The consortium comprises representatives across Australia’s property sector, including developers, architects, industry bodies, environmental and heritage consultants, government and researchers. The group gathered last month at Hames Sharley architects’ Adelaide office, to work through the challenges holding back the sustainable re-use of buildings and agree on a framework to progress building adaptation for housing and other purposes.
A total of 24 recommendations were developed, including:
Adapting and reusing existing buildings must be the first option before considering redevelopment – across housing, community and commercial functions.
Government should lead by adapting building policies to prioritise sufficiency and adaptive building reuse, and should lead through its own accommodation choices.
A database of vacant precincts, buildings and land must be established to identify opportunities for adaptive reuse and redirect investment.
Building policy must change to recognise embodied carbon saved by reuse rather than demolition and rebuild – and better balance this with the energy efficiencies of new builds.
Economic incentives such as tax relief and reduced charges are vital to recognise the environmental savings from reusing existing buildings and make adaptive reuse viable.
The University of South Australia co-hosted the workshop in partnership with Hames Sharley, also involving the City of Adelaide and University of Adelaide.
He points out that “while new builds are lauded for their energy efficiencies, large amounts of carbon are ‘embodied’ in their materials and construction while they consume excessive water and other natural resources. This can be greatly reduced by adapting vacant and underutilised existing buildings, which otherwise go to waste.”
“The building industry represents around a third of global carbon emissions, yet we’re seeing more and bigger builds by default. This seems far out of step with EU countries such as France and Denmark, where attention is focussed on making better use of existing space.
“It’s therefore critical that our policy settings prioritise building retention, retrofit and reuse ‑ instead of new builds.”
Hames Sharley Associate Director and Head of its National Sustainability Forum, Yaara Plaves, says bringing key stakeholders together is vital to address cross-sector issues.
“In any field where complex, systemic challenges resist straightforward solutions, siloed expertise creates blind spots and biases,” Plaves says. “Addressing these through a community of practice model that brings participants together cultivates learning and mutual trust – and is essential to bring about sustainable, demonstratable solutions.”
Supported by the Australian-French Association for Research and Innovation (AFRAN), the workshop involved sharing learnings from France’s innovative policies and initiatives, including the concept of ‘Sufficiency’ which is now enshrined in French Energy Law and reflected in more holistic policies on carbon mitigation.
The recommendations will be shared with South Australian policy makers, and a bilateral partnership with France explored through a proposed Adelaide University-based ‘Australian Sufficiency Lab’, which would become a national centre for sufficiency and adaptive reuse across multiple sectors.
The recommendations were developed by representatives from the below entities:
ARUP
Future Urban
RPS Engineering
ARCHI
Greenaway Consulting
Renewal SA
Australian Institute of Architects
Heritage South Australia
Sarah Constructions
Built Australia
Hames Sharley
SA Dept of Infrastructure & Transport
City of Adelaide
Lendlease
State Planning Commission
Cohen Group
Les Moore Projects
University of Adelaide
FORUM
Pelligra
University of South Australia
Participant quotes:
Professor Jane Burry, Chair, Architecture and Civil Engineering, University of Adelaide: “The session provided a great springboard to go forward.”
Les Moore, Les Moore Projects: “With the right ‘can-do’ mindset we can achieve extraordinary outcomes.”
About Hames Sharley:
Hames Sharley is a research-led design practice with a large community of designers and collaborators. We identify knowledge gaps and, through our practice-based research, we hunt for answers to influence a better built environment. Our research projects are broad and include areas such as understanding the impact of noise in ICU and designing for sensory comfort in workplace settings.
About UniSA:
The University of South Australia and the University of Adelaide are joining forces to become Australia’s new major university – Adelaide University. Building on the strengths, legacies and resources of two leading universities, Adelaide University will deliver globally relevant research at scale, innovative, industry-informed teaching and an outstanding student experience. Adelaide University will open its doors in January 2026. Find out more on the Adelaide University website.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11)
WASHINGTON, DC — In the wake of the antisemitic terrorist attack in Boulder, Colorado, House Committee on Homeland Security Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence Chairman August Pfluger (R-TX) and Full Committee Chairman Mark E. Green, MD (R-TN) sent a letter to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem requesting the alien file for the suspect, an Egyptian national named Mohamed Sabry Soliman, which will include information on his expired visa, work authorization, and asylum application.
In the letter, the Chairmen wrote, in part,“the Committee on Homeland Security is conducting an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the immigration history of Mohamed Sabry Soliman, an Egyptian national now facing felony charges after he carried out a terrorist attack in Boulder, Colorado. The charges include attempted murder, use of incendiary devices, and federal hate crimes.”
The Chairmen concluded that,“This tragedy is indicative of a heightened terrorism threat on U.S. soil, signaling an urgent need for increased homeland security measures, particularly with respect to foreign nationals who are unlawfully present in the United States, as Solimanreportedly overstayed a nonimmigrant visa. Our nation has now faced several major acts of antisemitic terror this year alone, including the recent assassination of two Israeli embassy staffers in our nation’s capital.”
Read more about this letter in the Washington ExaminerHERE
Read the letter in its entiretyHERE
BACKGROUND:
Soliman is part of a broader pattern. Last May, Chairman Pfluger, Chairman Green, along with other Committee leaders, sent a letter to then-DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, then-Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Christopher Wray, and then-Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, requesting information on the alleged attempted breach of Marine Corps Base Quantico (MCB). Reports indicate the two individuals involved were Jordanian nationals, one of whom, Mohammad Khair Dabous, had overstayed his student visa. Dabous remains at large, while the other individual involved was recently arrested again for a different crime and is at an ICE detention facility.
In March, a pro-Hamas Palestinian protester was arrested at Columbia University after overstaying her student visa. Her visa was suspended in 2022 due to her poor attendance record. She had previously been arrested in connection with her involvement in pro-Hamas protests at Columbia.
In April, a Palestinian student was arrested at Columbia University after overstaying her student visa and “participating in anti-American, pro-terrorist activities on campus,” according to DHS. Her visa was suspended in 2022 due to a lack of attendance.
In February, a foreign national from Hungary was arrested for two counts of murder. He had overstayed his visa waiver and was previously charged with theft and robbery but had been released with an ankle monitor under the Alternatives to Detention Program in 2024. He managed to disable the monitor and remained a fugitive for months, during which he committed the two murders.
In 2022, a foreign national from Mexico murdered four people, including his three daughters, after overstaying his visa. The man’s non-immigrant visitor visa had expired in 2018. He had previously been arrested for assaulting a California Highway Patrol officer. ICE was not informed of his release from jail for the assault due to California’s 2017 “sanctuary state law.”
In October 2024, an illegal alien who had been released into the country under the Biden-Harris administration shot a Jewish man on his way to a Chicago Synagogue.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Scientists comment on the MHRA advice on contraceptives for women taking weight loss drugs.
Dr Bassel Wattar, Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals, said:
“GLP-1 agonist drugs are a great new addition to help selected patients with weight issues achieve a better health status. The challenge is to regulate their use and couple it with adequate medical monitoring to minimise the risks of adverse events. To date, women planning for pregnancy or those pregnant were largely excluded from clinical trials that evaluated the efficacy and safety of these medications. There is some data from animal studies to suggesting there is a risk of malformation to the fetus, in animals falling pregnant while taking GLP-1 agonists, but data remains limited in humans. The warning from the MHRA is timely to govern and guide on the safe use of these medications, especially for women struggling to lose weight and hoping to get pregnant.
“It is important to recommend effective contraception while taking these injections such as the implant or the intrauterine coil, which offer more robust contraception in these cases versus the oral combined contraceptive pill. More importantly, achieving significant weight loss can sometimes help some women (for example those with polycystic ovary syndrome) to restore natural ovulation, and therefore, boost their chances of falling pregnant spontaneously without needing invasive fertility treatment like IVF. This however, should be planned under the care of a specialist fertility doctor to ensure a pregnancy can be planned safely after a washout period off these drugs.”
Dr Channa Jayasena, Reader in Reproductive Endocrinology at Imperial College London and Consultant in Reproductive Endocrinology and Andrology at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, Imperial College London, said:
“GLP-1 drugs copy the natural hormones made in the gut which make you feel full. This makes them powerful treatments to help women lose weight. Obesity reduces fertility in women. So, women with obesity taking GLP-1 drugs are more likely to get pregnant than before they lost weight. In addition, we think that the absorption of oral contraceptive pills may be reduced with GLP-1 drugs which slow down emptying of the stomach, though more research is needed to confirm this. The guidance produced by the MHRA is sensible, since it highlights that women could accidentally get pregnant when taking GLP-1 drugs. We don’t know how harmful GLP-1 drugs are during pregnancy; however, we know that other forms of weight loss like weight loss surgery can increase chances of a miscarriage. So, women are advised to do all they can to prevent pregnancy while taking GLP-1 drugs.”
Prof Rebecca Reynolds, Professor of Metabolic Medicine, University of Edinburgh, said:
“It is very important to raise awareness about this MHRA advice among women and clinicians around potential issues with GLP-1 drugs affecting the effectiveness of oral contraceptives in those who are overweight. Many people are buying weight loss drugs online and so may not receive this important advice about contraception.
“There is hardly any available data from human studies to be able to advise if these weight loss drugs are safe in pregnancy. The data from animal studies suggests the potential for harm with low birthweight and skeletal abnormalities, though more evidence is needed to assess if there are risks of taking these drugs in humans.”
The MHRA guidance, ‘GLP-1 medicines for weight loss and diabetes: patient factsheet’, was published by the MHRA and is embargoed untiled 00:01 UK time on Thursday 5 June 2025.
Declared interests
Prof Rebecca Reynolds: I have no conflicts of interest to declare
Dr Channa Jayasena: None.
Dr Bassel Wattar: No conflict of interest to disclose
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Press release
20 million workers set to benefit from new Pension Schemes Bill
Millions of people across the UK will find it easier to manage and get more from their pensions thanks to the Government’s new Pension Schemes Bill.
The Pension Schemes Bill will tackle schemes delivering poor returns for savers, combine smaller pension pots, and create bigger and better pension funds.
These measures will drive costs down and returns up on workers’ retirement savings – putting more money in people’s pockets as part of the Plan for Change.
Millions of people planning their retirement will find it easier to manage and get more from their pension pots thanks to the new Pension Schemes Bill introduced today [Thursday 5 June].
The Bill is designed to support working people plan for their retirement by making pensions simpler to understand, easier to manage, and drive better value over the long term – delivering on the Plan for Change to put more money into people’s pockets.
One of its biggest benefits is the merging of small pension pots. Many people build up several small pensions as they move between jobs, and these can be hard to keep track of. The new rules will bring these pots together, helping savers see their full pension picture in one place.
The Bill also introduces a new system to show how well pension schemes are performing, this will help savers understand whether their scheme is giving them good value and protect them from getting stuck in underperforming schemes for years on end, to help working people feel more secure about their retirement savings.
For those approaching retirement, the Bill will require schemes to offer clear default options for turning savings into a retirement income. This means people will have clearer, more secure routes to decide how they use their pension money over time.
Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall said:
Hardworking people across the UK deserve their pensions to work as hard for them as they have worked to save, and our reforms will deliver a huge boost to future generations of pensioners.
The Bill is about securing better value for savers’ pensions and driving long-term investment in British businesses to boost economic growth in our country.
As part of our Plan for Change we’re helping people find work, stay in work, and ensuring that work pays them back to give them the secure income in retirement they deserve.
Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves said:
The Bill is a game changer, delivering bigger pension pots for savers and driving £50 billion of investment directly into the UK economy– putting more money into people’s pockets through the Plan for Change.
The Bill will transform the £2 trillion pensions landscape to ensure savers get good returns for each pound they save, and drive investment into the economy, through a suite of measures, including:
Requiring DC schemes to prove they are value for money, to protect savers from getting stuck in underperforming schemes.
Simplifying retirement choices, with all pension schemes offering default routes to an income in retirement.
Bringing together small pension pots worth £1,000 or less into one pension scheme that is certified as delivering good value to savers, making pension saving less hassle and more rewarding.
New rules creating multi-employer DC scheme “megafunds” of at least £25 billion, so that bigger and better pension schemes can drive down costs and invest in a wider range of assets.
Consolidating and professionalising the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS), with assets held in six pools that can invest in local areas infrastructure, housing and clean energy.
Increased flexibility for Defined Benefit (DB) pension schemes to safely release surplus worth collectively £160 billion, to support employers’ investment plans and to benefit scheme members.
Minister for Pensions Torsten Bell said:
We are ramping up the pace of pensions reform. Workers deserve to get better bang for each buck saved, and these sweeping reforms will make sure they do.
Pension saving is a long game, but getting this right is urgent so that millions can look forward to a higher income in retirement.
The Pension Schemes Bill is part of this Government’s significant pension reform agenda. It follows the major consolidation of the UK pension system set out in the Pension Investment Review.
Today’s legislation will create a more efficient, resilient pension landscape, and lay the foundation for the upcoming Pensions Review to examine outcomes for pensioners and set out how to develop a fair and sustainable pensions system, ultimately benefiting both individual savers and the broader UK economy.
Andy Briggs, CEO, Phoenix Group said:
The Bill sets a clear direction for the future of pensions with the emphasis on building scale and ensuring savers receive value for money. People across the country will feel the impact of these changes with plans to consolidate small pots, ensure the dashboard delivers and provide default retirement income options at the point of retirement. Individually these initiatives would be significant but in combination they have the potential make a significant difference to people’s retirement across the UK and we look forward to working through the detail with government and other stakeholders.
Patrick Heath-Lay, Chief Executive, People’s Partnership said:
This is a pivotal moment in pension reform. The Bill contains many measures that will require providers to deliver better outcomes for savers and improve the workplace pension system.
Ian Cornelius, CEO, NEST said:
At Nest, everything we do is with our members’ best interests at heart. We believe that large, well-governed schemes can drive great outcomes for their members by using their scale and expertise to diversify where money is invested, and gain access to attractive investment opportunities not available to smaller investors at low cost. I am proud of how Nest has used its scale to invest on behalf of our members, developing sophisticated investment opportunities which generate great risk adjusted returns, and play a role in supporting communities in the UK. We welcome this new Pension Schemes Bill, and the invitation it sends to keep innovating in the best interests of UK savers.
Nausicaa Delfas, Chief Executive, The Pensions Regulator (TPR) said:
The Pension Schemes Bill is a once in a generation opportunity to address unfinished business in the UK pension system. Making sure all schemes are focused on delivering value for money, helping to stop small, and often forgotten pension pots forming, and guiding savers towards the right retirement products for them, will mean savers benefit from a system fit for the future. We have long advocated for fewer, larger well-run schemes with the size and skill to deliver better outcomes for savers. As such we are also pleased to see the proposed legislative framework for DB superfunds, providing options and choice in defined benefit consolidation.
Michelle Ostermann, Chief Executive, Pension Protection Fund (PPF) said:
We welcome the introduction of this important Bill, especially the measures which would give the Pension Protection Fund (PPF) greater flexibility to reduce the levy, enable PPF and Financial Assistance Scheme (FAS) member data to be made available for pension dashboards, and better support members with a terminal illness. We will support the government and policy makers as the Bill progresses so we can achieve the best outcomes for all our stakeholders.
Rocio Concha, Director of Policy and Advocacy, Which? said:
Pensions have become far too complex and fragmented, so it’s good to see the government taking steps to simplify them and ensure schemes provide value for money. Which? has campaigned for years for the consolidation of small pots, so we are delighted that this Bill is seeking to do just that – a move that will provide greater value for savers and support them to keep track of their pensions. “Which? looks forward to working with the government to ensure the pensions system is fit for the future.”
Jamie Jenkins, Policy Director, Royal London said:
The Pension Schemes Bill brings together several initiatives aimed at improving the pensions landscape for savers. While there are still many details to work through, this hopefully marks the start of a long-term strategic plan for pensions.
Patrick Luthi, CEO, NOW:Pensions said:
NOW:Pensions have been campaigning on small pots for a number of years, and we are pleased to see measures to deliver on the ‘multiple default consolidator’ solution included. We look forward to seeing the details which will be crucial to supporting members in an efficient way
Further Information
To build scale in the pensions industry and stimulate UK investment, the Pension Schemes Bill will:
Require multi-employer Defined Contribution schemes, unless exempt, to have at least £25 billion of assets in their main default arrangement by 2030 or be on route to achieving that scale by 2035 through having £10 billion in their main default.
Allow trustees of well-funded Defined Benefit pension schemes to release money back to employers and their scheme members, when safe to do so, unlocking some of the £160 billion surplus funds to be reinvested across the UK economy and boost business productivity and deliver for members.
Legislate for Defined Benefit pension scheme superfunds to encourage growth of the superfund market and underpin the security of members’ benefits
Remove the restrictions that prevent the Board of the Pension Protection Fund (PPF) from reducing the annual pension protection levy it collects, when it is not required – allowing the PPF to collect less from businesses up and down the country
Extend the definition of ‘terminal illness’ in the Pension Protection Fund and Financial Assistance Scheme legislation, so that eligible members who are diagnosed as terminally ill can receive payments at an earlier stage of their illness.
To ensure better outcomes for savers, the Pension Schemes Bill will:
Introduce a Value for Money framework to enable a shift in focus from cost towards value and protect savers from becoming stuck in underperforming arrangements for extended periods.
Implement Default Pension Benefit Solutions which will mean savers will still have the options available to them through pension freedoms, but they will get an extra offer of support – through being enrolled into default solution(s) – which could include CDC provision, and they can take this or make their own choices.
Authorise providers to act as a consolidator scheme which will see members pots automatically transferred to their largest pot. This will also aid the building of scale with pots worth £1,000 or less consolidated into a small number of large, good value schemes.
Support the introduction of pensions dashboards to improve engagement by providing users with their whole pensions picture, including workplace and state pensions, securely and all in one place online. By providing this comprehensive overview of retirement savings, pensions dashboards will address key barriers to engagement, such as information fragmentation and lack of visibility.
Facilitate PPF and FAS information to be displayed on the Government-backed pensions dashboard service provided by the Money and Pensions Service.
The Competent Court measure in the Bill will also re-establish the legal standing of The Pensions Ombudsman (TPO) to make enforceable determinations in pensions overpayment recoupment cases without requiring a county court judge’s order, leading to quicker customer journeys and shorter waiting times.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Press release
Biggest shake-up of jobcentres in decades gets underway
Launch of a new, locally-led approach to jobseeker support begins in Wakefield, West Yorkshire.
Jobs and careers service Pathfinder will test bold ideas including a new Coaching Academy and more personalised jobcentre appointments
Further Pathfinders to be rolled out across the country this year to break down barriers to opportunity and put more money in people’s pockets as part of the Government’s Plan for Change.
Jobseekers across the country are set to benefit from a groundbreaking new approach to the service Jobcentres provide. This will include a new Coaching Academy; careers events focused on local growth sectors and more personalised Jobcentre appointments.
The jobs and careers service in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, yesterday (Wednesday 4th June) became the first to trial the new scheme – marking the start of the biggest reform of Jobcentres in decades.
The Jobcentre will test bold ideas to better work with employers, deliver services and get people into work. The reforms are aimed at involving local areas in the design of services and bring to an end a Whitehall-led, one-size-fits-all approach.
Following the launch of the jobs and careers service Pathfinder in Wakefield, further Pathfinders will be rolled out across the country this year as the Government drives forward with its plan to Get Britain Working.
This is a key part of the growth mission, as we help more people across the country into good, secure jobs so they can get on in life and fulfil their ambitions.
Minister for Employment, Alison McGovern said:
Our one-size-fits-all, tick box approach to jobs support is outdated and does not serve those looking to better their lives through work.
We are building a proper public employment service in partnership with local leaders that truly meets community challenges and unlocks opportunity.
The launch of the Pathfinder in Wakefield is the first step in this transformation as we continue to Get Britain Working, boost living standards and put more money in people’s pockets, under our Plan for Change.
The Pathfinder will look at new ways to support customers and how everyone, not just Jobcentre customers, can receive employment support. It is being co-designed with local leaders from West Yorkshire Combined Authority and Wakefield Local Authority.
As part of this and in a direct response to insight that only 9% of employers currently recruit through Jobcentres, a series of careers events focused on local growth sectors will be delivered in Wakefield to match local talent with local opportunities.
The first of these events took place during yesterday’s launch and focused on West Yorkshire’s thriving creative sector. It was attended by skills providers and local employers including Production Park – home to sets of Netflix series’ including Bank of Dave. Events to serve the local manufacturing and technology sectors will take place in the coming months and are open to all, not just Jobcentre customers.
In addition to this tests of a new Get Britain Working ‘Coaching Academy’ to train up DWP staff will help ensure jobseekers receive improved support. Changes to appointments will also mean DWP services in Wakefield will provide more personalised support for claimants to help them move into stable, long-term work.
Mayor of West Yorkshire, Tracy Brabin said:
People stand a better chance of landing a good job when they are treated with dignity and respect at a trusted local Jobcentre.
These reforms will empower us to build on our West Yorkshire model of joining up employment support with health and employer-led services, to provide personalised support that gets people into work and puts more money in people’s pockets.
Working with the government, we’re investing almost £40 million to help guarantee a healthy working life to everyone in our region, and as the test-bed for the new national Jobs and Careers Service, Wakefield will lead the way on transforming our welfare system to get Britain working.
Wakefield will be the first city to test new ideas for the new jobs and careers service, ensuring that the service and its policies can be scaled up before being rolled out across the nation. Further Pathfinders, including ones that are focused on support for young people and those with health conditions will be launched later this year.
The Jobs and Careers Service Pathfinder builds on wider investment in West Yorkshire, including £18 million for an inactivity trailblazer and an NHS Accelerator. The inactivity trailblazer launched in April, to boost employment in areas with the highest levels of economic inactivity, as the government gets Britain back to health and back to work. The NHS Accelerator will help to prevent people from falling out of work completely due to ill health.
The Pathfinder comes as the government continues to drive to Get Britain Working through boosting the National Living Wage, creating more secure jobs through the Employment Rights Bill and delivering a Youth Guarantee so every young person is either learning or earning.
The guidance will ensure all areas are working towards the government’s 80% employment ambition.
Employment support measures are fully transferred to Northern Ireland. Jobcentre Plus services is reserved in both Scotland and Wales, but the Scottish Government and the Welsh Government also deliver other forms of employment support. The funding announced in the Pathways to Work Green Paper is UK wide, the share of funding for devolved Governments will be calculated in the usual way.
The UK Government also plans to establish new governance arrangements with the Scottish and Welsh Governments to help frame discussions around the reform of Jobcentres and agree how best to work in partnership on shared employment ambition across devolved and reserved provision.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
News story
Publication of Parole Board Transparency Review
The Parole Board has today published a review into its transparency
We are pleased to publish the findings of a review that we commissioned into the transparency of the Parole Board. The review was chaired by two experienced judicial members of the Parole Board, HH Peter Rook KC and HH Michael Topolski KC.
The review covered a large scope but focused on three main areas:
Parole Board public hearings
Victims observing private hearings
Decision summaries
Over 50 stakeholders and interested parties were consulted as part of the review, and we are thankful for their valuable input. We are especially thankful for those who represented the views of victims and offenders in the process.
We welcome the recommendations within the review. This review is an important step to ensuring the Parole Board continues to evolve our transparency and ensure that victims and the public have access to information that matters to them, whilst ensuring we can continue to provide fair and effective parole reviews for prisoners.
Commenting on the Parole Board transparency review and its findings, the Victims’ Commissioner for England and Wales, Baroness Newlove, said:
“I welcome this review’s clear call for change. As I know only too well, victims can find the parole system bewildering and traumatic – given little information and no meaningful role in a process that can profoundly affect their safety, wellbeing and peace of mind. These welcome and necessary reforms are key to changing that. Access to a redacted version of the decision will help victims better understand outcomes and reassure them of the care and diligence taken by the Parole Board. I’m also pleased that more victims will have the opportunity to observe parole hearings should they wish – important steps towards a more open and accountable system. I hope these recommendations are acted upon quickly. Victims – and the public – deserve a parole system they can understand, trust and have confidence in.”
34 recommendations were made by the review, some of which include a recommendation to start a pilot of sharing redacted decisions, instead of decision summaries, and a pilot to test out different forms of holding a public hearing, including alternative observer locations and unsupervised streaming to accredited members of the media and legal bloggers. We will be reviewing the recommendations carefully to decide how we will be taking them forward, consulting our stakeholders on the areas that impact them.
We will publish further details on the implementation of the recommendations by Autumn 2025.
Cecilia French, CEO of the Parole Board, said:
“The Parole Board has made great strides in becoming more transparent over the years, but we are keen to do more. It is important to be able to show people how parole works and how the Parole Board makes decisions so that the public, victims and prisoners can understand the process and have confidence in it. Victims and survivors and the public should have access to information that matters to them in a way that does not compromise fairness. The transparency review highlights the key areas we should focus on to further progress our transparency agenda. I am looking forward to implementing the recommendations in this review, in consultation with others, and am very grateful to HH Peter Rook KC and HH Michael Topolski KC for their very thorough review, which will help us to improve.”
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Press release
Women on “skinny jabs” must use effective contraception, MHRA urges in latest guidance
Anyone who suspects that they’ve had an adverse reaction to their weight loss or diabetes medicine or suspects it is not a genuine product, should report it to the MHRA.
Women taking popular medicines for weight loss and diabetes, sometimes referred to as “skinny jabs”, are being reminded to use effective contraception while taking these medicines and, in some cases, for up to two months between stopping the medicine and trying to get pregnant.
These medicines must not be taken during pregnancy, while trying to get pregnant, or during breastfeeding. Anyone who gets pregnant while using them should speak to their healthcare professional and stop the medicine as soon as possible. This is because there is not enough safety data to know whether taking the medicine could cause harm to the baby.
Effective contraception includes oral (the pill) and non-oral (the implant, coil or condoms) forms of contraception. However, Mounjaro may reduce the effectiveness of oral contraceptives in those who are overweight. Therefore, those taking Mounjaro who are overweight and are using an oral form of contraception are advised to also use a non-oral form of contraception. This only applies to those taking Mounjaro and is especially important for the four weeks after starting Mounjaro and after any dose increase.
This advice, which is already in the patient leaflets that come with the medicine, is just one of the reminders in the latest guidance from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) on the safe use of “GLP-1 medicines” known by the brand names Ozempic, Mounjaro, Wegovy, Saxenda and Victoza.
The full advice can be found on the regulator’s website. It comes after concerns from the UK regulator that some people are not using these medicines for weight loss and diabetes safely.
Dr Alison Cave, MHRA Chief Safety Officer said:
Skinny jabs are medicines licensed to treat specific medical conditions and should not be used as aesthetic or cosmetic treatments. They are not a quick fix to lose weight and have not been assessed to be safe when used in this way.
Our guidance offers patients a “one stop shop” for our up-to-date advice on how to use these powerful medicines safely.
This guidance should not be used as a substitute to reading the patient information leaflet or having a conversation with a healthcare professional as part of the prescribing process.
Alongside advice on contraceptive use, the MHRA reminds patients that these medicines should not be bought from unregulated sellers such as beauty salons or via social media, or taken without a prior consultation with a healthcare professional. Not only does this expose people wanting to lose weight to serious health risks, it is also against the law to sell these medicines in this way. The only way to guarantee receiving a genuine GLP-1 medicine is to obtain it from a legitimate pharmacy.
The guidance also reminds patients of the symptoms to look out for in the event of acute pancreatitis which, although uncommon, can be serious. The main symptom of this is severe pain in the stomach that radiates to the back and doesn’t go away. Anyone who experiences this should seek immediate medical help.
Summary of advice to patients
You should only take GLP-1 medicines if they have been prescribed to you by a healthcare professional.
Always have a conversation with your prescriber about the benefits and risks of GLP-1 medicines before you start taking them.
Do not take GLP-1 medicines if you are pregnant, trying to get pregnant or breastfeeding. If you get pregnant while using them, you speak to a healthcare professional and stop them as soon as possible.
If you are prescribed Mounjaro (tirzepatide), use a barrier form of contraception and do not rely on oral contraception.
Understand the potential side effects and have a conversation with a healthcare professional if you are concerned.
Tell your doctor you take a GLP-1 medicine if you are about to have surgery.
Report any adverse reactions to the Yellow Card scheme.
After taking the recommended four doses in each syringe, any medicine left in the syringe should not be extracted and the syringe should be disposed of in the bin.
Use of these medicines is not a quick fix to lose weight and the MHRA has not assessed the safety and effectiveness of these medicines when used by people who do not meet the medical requirements.
Anyone who suspects that they’ve had an adverse reaction to a GLP-1 medicine, or suspects it is not a genuine product, should report it to the MHRA Yellow Card scheme.
Notes to editors
Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 or GLP-1 RAs) are medicines that help people feel fuller by mimicking a natural hormone released after eating. Some newer medicines, like Mounjaro, also act on a second hormone involved in appetite and blood sugar control. These have been referred to in the media as “weight loss injections” or “skinny jabs”, but not all are authorised for weight loss.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is responsible for regulating all medicines and medical devices in the UK by ensuring they work and are acceptably safe. All our work is underpinned by robust and fact-based judgements to ensure that the benefits justify any risks.
The MHRA is an executive agency of the Department of Health and Social Care.
For media enquiries, please contact the newscentre@mhra.gov.uk, or call on 020 3080 7651.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Press release
Over half a million more children to get free school meals
New entitlement to free school meals for all children in household on Universal Credit.
Over half a million more children will benefit from a free nutritious meal every school day, as the government puts £500 back into parents’ pockets every year by expanding eligibility for free school meals.
From the start of the 2026 school year, every pupil whose household is on Universal Credit will have a new entitlement to free school meals. This will make life easier and more affordable for parents who struggle the most, delivering on the government’s Plan for Change to break down barriers to opportunity and give children the best start in life.
The unprecedented expansion will lift 100,000 children across England completely out of poverty. Giving children access to a nutritious meal during the school day also leads to higher attainment, improved behaviour and better outcomes – meaning they get the best possible education and chance to succeed in work and life.
Since 2018, children have only been eligible for free school meals if their household income is less than £7,400 per year, meaning hundreds of thousands of children living in poverty have been unable to access free school meals.
The government’s historic new expansion to those on Universal Credit will change this and comes ahead of the Child Poverty Taskforce publishing its ten-year strategy to drive sustainable change later this year. It comes on top of targeted support for families being hit the hardest with the cost-of-living crisis, with urgent action including raising the national minimum wage, uprating benefits and supporting 700,000 families through the Fair Repayment Rate on Universal Credit deductions.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said:
Working parents across the country are working tirelessly to provide for their families but are being held back by cost-of-living pressures.
My government is taking action to ease those pressures. Feeding more children every day, for free, is one of the biggest interventions we can make to put more money in parents’ pockets, tackle the stain of poverty, and set children up to learn.
This expansion is a truly historic moment for our country, helping families who need it most and delivering our Plan for Change to give every child, no matter their background, the same chance to succeed.
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said:
It is the moral mission of this government to tackle the stain of child poverty, and today this government takes a giant step towards ending it with targeted support that puts money back in parents’ pockets.
From free school meals to free breakfast clubs, breaking the cycle of child poverty is at the heart of our Plan for Change to cut the unfair link between background and success.
We believe that background shouldn’t mean destiny. Today’s historic step will help us to deliver excellence everywhere, for every child and give more young people the chance to get on in life.
The Government is also offering more than £13 million in funding to 12 food charities across England to redistribute thousands of tonnes of fresh produce directly from farms to fight food poverty in communities.
The Tackling Food Surplus at the Farm Gate scheme is helping farms and organisations to work collaboratively to ensure edible food that might have been left in fields instead ends up on the plates of those who need it, including schoolchildren.
Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall said:
Poverty robs children of opportunities and damages their future prospects. This is a moral scar on our society we are committed to tackling.
By expanding Free School Meals to all families on Universal Credit, we’re ending the impossible choice thousands of our hardest grafting families must make between paying bills and feeding their children.
This is just the latest step of our Plan for Change to put extra pounds in people’s pockets – a downpayment on our Child Poverty Strategy, building on our expansion of free breakfast clubs, our national minimum wage boost and our cap on Universal Credit deductions through the Fair Repayment Rate.
To ensure quality and nutrition in meals for the future, the government is also acting quickly with experts across the sector to revise the School Food Standards, so every school is supported with the latest nutrition guidance.
This new entitlement will apply to children in all settings where free school meals are currently delivered, including schools, school-based nurseries and Further Education settings. We expect the majority of schools will allow parents to apply before the start of the school year 2026, by providing their National Insurance Number to check their eligibility.
Schools and local authorities will continue to receive pupil premium and home to school transport extended rights funding based on the existing free school meals threshold.
This is just the latest step in the government’s Plan for Change to break the unfair link between background and opportunity, including rolling out free breakfast clubs, expanding government-funded childcare to 30 hours a week for working parents and commitment to cap the number of branded school uniform items.
Nick Harrison, CEO of the Sutton Trust, said:
This is a significant step towards taking hunger out of the classroom. Children can’t learn effectively when hungry, so this announcement not only helps to tackle the effects of child poverty, but will also likely help improve education outcomes for disadvantaged young people.
Giving free school meals to all families who are eligible for Universal Credit is also easier for parents to understand, so has the potential to increase take up rates. This is an important milestone in delivering on the Government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity.
Kate Anstey, head of education policy at Child Poverty Action Group said:
This is fantastic news and a game-changer for children and families.
At last more kids will get the food they need to learn and thrive and millions of parents struggling to make ends meet will get a bit of breathing space.
We hope this is a sign of what’s to come in autumn’s child poverty strategy, with government taking more action to meet its manifesto commitment to reduce child poverty in the UK.
From April 2026 until the end of parliament, millions of households are set to receive a permanent yearly above inflation boost to Universal Credit. The increase, a key element of the Government’s welfare reforms to be laid before Parliament, will tackle the destitution caused by years of inaction that has left the value of the standard allowance at a 40 year low by the early 2020s.
Source: Traditional Unionist Voice – Northern Ireland
Statement by Alderman Stewart McDonald:
“This morning I met with council officials to discuss the ongoing concerns surrounding Ahoghill Woodland Park — an issue that has exercised me for some time.
“Like many in the local community, I was initially encouraged by the plans for the park. However, over the years the project has failed to progress as promised, and there are now clear signs of neglect and disrepair that urgently need to be addressed.
“While some of the damage is due to vandalism — which I am glad is now being tackled — the broader issues require more than short-term fixes.
“One particularly serious concern is the condition of the pond. I have raised this matter repeatedly with officials. Given how overgrown and unsafe the area has become, there is now a real health and safety risk, especially for children who could accidentally fall in. I welcome the council’s confirmation that the pond is to be filled in.
“I continue to believe this site has genuine potential as a valuable asset for local families and visitors alike. But realising that potential will require vision, commitment, and proper strategic planning. I remain determined to fight for the improvements needed to make this park the community facility it was meant to be.”
CALGARY, Alberta , June 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Gran Tierra Energy Inc. (“Gran Tierra” or the “Company”) (NYSE American:GTE) (TSX:GTE) (LSE:GTE) today announced that a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company has signed an agreement to sell its wholly owned subsidiary, Gran Tierra North Sea Limited (“GTNSL”), to NEO Energy for total consideration of US$7.5 Million. NEO Energy is a private upstream company and a leading independent operator in the United Kingdom Continental Shelf.
GTNSL holds a 100% equity interest in UKCS licence P2358 which includes the Serenity Discovery.
Completion of the transaction is subject to certain customary conditions precedent, including consent from the North Sea Transition Authority in respect of the change of control of GTNSL. The transaction is expected to close sometime in the third quarter of 2025.
About Gran Tierra Energy Inc.
Gran Tierra Energy Inc., together with its subsidiaries, is an independent international energy company currently focused on oil and natural gas exploration and production in Canada, Colombia and Ecuador. The Company is currently developing its existing portfolio of assets in Canada, Colombia and Ecuador and will continue to pursue additional new growth opportunities that would further strengthen the Company’s portfolio. The Company’s common stock trades on the NYSE American, the Toronto Stock Exchange and the London Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol GTE. Additional information concerning Gran Tierra is available at www.grantierra.com. Except to the extent expressly stated otherwise, information on the Company’s website or accessible from our website or any other website is not incorporated by reference into and should not be considered part of this press release. Investor inquiries may be directed to info@grantierra.com or (403) 265-3221.
Gran Tierra’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) are available on the SEC website at http://www.sec.gov. The Company’s Canadian securities regulatory filings are available on SEDAR+ at http://www.sedarplus.ca and UK regulatory filings are available on the National Storage Mechanism website at https://data.fca.org.uk/#/nsm/nationalstoragemechanism.
Contact Information
For investor and media inquiries please contact:
Gary Guidry President & Chief Executive Officer
Ryan Ellson Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer
+1-403-265-3221
info@grantierra.com
Forward Looking Statements and Legal Advisories:
This press release contains statements about future events that constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and financial outlook and forward looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws (collectively, “forward-looking statements”). All statements other than statements of historical facts included in this press release, including those statements preceded by, followed by or that otherwise include the words “expect,” “plan,” “can,” “will,” “should,” and “believes,” derivations thereof and similar terms identify forward-looking statements. Among the important factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements in this press release include, but are not limited to the risk factors detailed from time to time in Gran Tierra’s periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including, without limitation, under the caption “Risk Factors” in Gran Tierra’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024 filed February 24, 2025 and its other filings with the SEC. These filings are available on the SEC website at http://www.sec.gov and on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. All forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this press release and the fact that this press release remains available does not constitute a representation by Gran Tierra that Gran Tierra believes these forward-looking statements continue to be true as of any subsequent date. Gran Tierra disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by applicable law.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, House Foreign Affairs Europe Subcommittee Chairman Keith Self delivered opening remarks at a subcommittee hearing titled, “Assessing the Challenges Facing NATO.”
Watch Here
-Remarks-
The purpose of this hearing is to provide members with an informed perspective of the U.S. policy toward NATO and an opportunity to discuss NATO’s trajectory in advance of the June summit in The Hague. I now recognize myself for an opening statement.
The Hague will be focused on funding for NATO, This first chart […] shows the NATO nations. They, they are listed top to bottom by GDP. They are listed on the right side by the percentage that they provide.
Of course, the U.S. is at the top with Almost $29 trillion in GDP then you go down to Germany, UK, France, Italy, Canada, and Spain. Down here you’ve got the frontline countries you’ve got Lithuania, you’ve got Latvia, you’ve got Estonia. Uh, some of the Balkan countries are down below. The ones that I want to point out. The summit tells us that they are going to be going above 3% somewhere.
I want to point out right here we have got some the major economies in NATO — specifically France, Italy, Canada [and Spain] — that are well below […] their current 2% commitment. These are major economies. This is a major change that needs to happen at the summit.
Now just a couple of comparisons. This compares Poland to everyone else on the Eastern Flank, the eastern flank being defined as Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Bulgaria, and Hungary. Poland has a GDP of about 840 billion dollars, eastern flank is 890, so they’re not dissimilar. The defense budgets are quite a bit disimilar.
Their percentage though Poland is at over 4% currently and going higher. The Eastern Flank is a 2.36 and going higher and has already committed to go higher.
And one more just to give you an idea of where the funding in NATO. stands, this is Germany versus the Eastern Flank, so we’ve added Poland to the East of Germany. So Germany has the 4.6, the Eastern Flank has 1.7. Here are the defense budgets. The Eastern Flank is providing a higher percentage than Germany is.
So, my point in all of these three slides is [that] there is work to do in the summit later this month. Now I know that people have made commitments, but what you just saw were 2024, the last year we had a full year’s funding toward NATO. That is, that is a major problem that I wanted to highlight. We’ve got other issues in this, in this briefing, but that’s the one that I wanted to start with. The first thing we have to start with is everyone pulling their weight in NATO.
Australian parents will be familiar with this school morning routine: hastily making sandwiches or squeezing leftovers into containers, grabbing a snack from the cupboard and a piece of fruit from the counter.
This would be unheard of in many other countries, including Finland, Sweden, Scotland, Wales, Brazil and India, which provide free daily school meals to every child.
Australia is one of the few high-income countries that does not provide children with a daily nutritious meal at school.
As families increasingly face food insecurity and a cost-of-living crisis, here’s how school lunches could help.
School lunches are important
During the week, children get a third of their daily food intake at school. What they eat during school hours has a significant impact on their health.
International research shows universal school meal programs – where all children are provided with a healthy meal at school each day – can improve both health and educational outcomes for students.
The problem with BYO lunchboxes
In Australia, children either bring a packed lunch or buy food at the school canteen. But the vast majority of these lunches don’t meet kids’ dietary needs.
As a 2022 Flinders University report notes, more than 80% of Australian primary school lunches are of poor nutritional quality. Half of students’ school-day food intake comes from junk food and fewer than one in ten students eat enough vegetables.
While these figures are based on 2011–2012 data, subsequent national survey data does not show significant improvements in children’s healthy diet indicators, including fruit and vegetable consumption. Time pressures on carers mean pre-packaged food can be a default lunchbox choice.
At the same time, many families with school students are not able to provide their children with healthy lunches. Food insecurity — not having regular access to enough safe, healthy and affordable food — affects an estimated 58% of Australian households with children, and 69% of single-parent households.
Hot weather also raises food safety concerns, as it’s hard to keep fresh food cool in schoolbags.
School meals programs in Australia
There are some historical examples of providing food to children at school in Australia. This includes the school milk program which ran from 1950s to 1970s. There were also wartime experiments in the 1940s. For example, the Oslo lunch (a cheese and salad sandwich on wholemeal bread, with milk and fruit) was provided at school to improve the health of children.
Today, there is a patchwork of school food programs run by not-for-profit organisations providing breakfast and/or lunch, and various schemes, including kitchen garden and school greenhouse programs.
There are also pilot schemes providing hot meals. For example, in Tasmania, the current pilot school lunch program feeds children in participating schools a hot lunch on some days of the week with state government support. Evaluation of the program showed strong benefits: healthier eating, calmer classrooms, better social connections from eating lunch together, and less food waste.
The 2023 parliamentary inquiry into food security recommended the federal government work with states and territories to consider the feasibility of a school meals program.
In May, the South Australian parliament opened an inquiry into programs in preschools and schools to ensure children and young people don’t go hungry during the day.
What would it take to introduce school meals?
Rolling out universal school meal programs across Australian schools would require cooperation between government and private sectors.
It could build on what already exists – including canteens, school gardens, food relief and breakfast clubs – to create a more consistent and inclusive system.
Decisions would have to be made about regulation and funding – whether to opt for a federally-funded and regulated scheme with federal and state cooperation, or a state-by-state scheme.
Costs per child per day are around A$10, factoring in economies of scale. Some pilot programs report lower costs of around $5, but involve volunteer labour.
More research is needed to determine parent and community attitudes and model these funding options, including preventative health benefits.
Delivery models may also vary depending on each school’s size, location and infrastructure. This could include onsite food preparation, central kitchens delivering pre-prepared meals, or partnerships with not-for-profit providers.
Ultimately, providing food at school could save parents valuable time and stress, and ensure all Australian students can access the health and education benefits of a nutritious school meal.
Liesel Spencer has undertaken volunteer work for the Federation of Canteens in Schools (Australia).
Miriam Williams has undertaken volunteer work for the Federation of Canteens in Schools (Australia).
Katherine Kent 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.
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Matthew England, Scientia Professor and Deputy Director of the ARC Australian Centre for Excellence in Antarctic Science, UNSW Sydney
Westend61/Getty Images
In June 2023, a record-breaking marine heatwave swept across the North Atlantic Ocean, smashing previous temperature records.
It wasn’t just Europe that was impacted. The coral reefs of the Caribbean were bleaching under severe heat stress. And hurricanes, fuelled by ocean heat, intensified into disasters. For example, Hurricane Idalia hit Florida in August 2023 – causing 12 deaths and an estimated US$3.6 billion in damages.
This so-called “cold blob” or “warming hole” has been linked to the weakening of what’s known as the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation – a system of ocean currents that conveys warm water from the equator towards the poles.
During July 2023 we met as a team to analyse this cold blob – how deep it reaches and how robust it is as a measure of the strength of the Atlantic overturning circulation – when it became clear there was a strong reversal of the historical cooling trend. The cold blob had warmed to 2°C above average.
But was that a sign the overturning circulation had been reinvigorated? Or was something else going on?
A layered story
It soon became clear the anomalous warm temperatures southeast of Greenland were part of an unprecedented marine heatwave that had developed across much of the North Atlantic Ocean. By July, basin-averaged warming in the North Atlantic reached 1.4°C above normal, almost double the previous record set in 2010.
To uncover what was behind these record breaking temperatures, we combined estimates of the atmospheric conditions that prevailed during the heatwave, such as winds and cloud cover, with ocean observations and model simulations.
We were especially interested in understanding what was happening in the mixed upper layer of water of the ocean, which is strongly affected by the atmosphere.
Distinct from the deeper layer of cold water, the ocean’s surface mixed layer warms as it’s exposed to more sunlight during spring and summer. But the rate at which this warming happens depends on its thickness. If it’s thick, it will warm more gradually; if it’s thin, rapid warming can ensue.
During summer the thickness of this surface mixed layer is largely set by winds. Winds churn up the surface ocean and the stronger they are the deeper the mixing penetrates, so strong winds create a think upper layer and weak winds generate a shallower layer.
Our new research indicates that the primary driver of the marine heatwave was record-breaking weak winds across much of the basin. The winds were at their weakest measured levels during June and July, possibly linked to a developing El Niño in the east Pacific Ocean.
This led to by far the shallowest upper layer on record. Data from the Argo Program – a global array of nearly 4,000 robotic floats that measure the temperature and salinity in the upper 2,000 metres of the ocean – showed in some areas this layer was only ten metres deep, compared to the usual 20 to 40 metres deep.
This caused the sun to heat the thin surface layer far more rapidly than usual.
In addition to these short term changes in 2023, previous research has shown long-term warming associated with anthropogenic climate change is reducing the ability of winds to mix the upper ocean, causing it to gradually thin.
We also identified a possible secondary driver of more localised warming during the 2023 marine heatwave: above-average solar radiation hitting the ocean. This could be linked in part with the introduction of new international rules in 2020 to reduce sulfate emissions from ships.
The aim of these rules was to reduce air pollution from ship’s exhaust systems. But sulfate aerosols also reflect solar radiation and can lead to cloud formation. The resultant clearer skies can then lead to more ocean warming.
Early warning signs
The extreme 2023 heatwave provides a preview of the future. Marine heatwaves are expected to worsen as Earth continues to warm due to greenhouse gas emissions, with devastating impacts on marine ecosystems such as coral reefs and fisheries. This also means more intense hurricanes – and more intense land-based heatwaves.
To better understand, forecast and plan for the impacts of marine heatwaves, long-term ocean and atmospheric data and models, including those provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in the United States, are crucial. In fact, without these data and models, our new study would not have been possible.
Despite this, NOAA faces an uncertain future. A proposed budget for the 2026 fiscal year released by the White House last month could mean devastating funding cuts of more than US$1.5 billion – mostly targeting climate-based research and data collection.
This would be a disaster for monitoring our oceans and climate system, right at a time when change is severe, unprecedented, and proving very costly.
Matthew England receives funding from the Australian Research Council.
Alex Sen Gupta receives funding from the Australian Research Council.
Andrew Kiss receives funding from the Australian Research Council.
Zhi Li receives funding from the Australian Research Council.
