NewzIntel.com

Category: Fisheries

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Information sought after shots fired at tavern

    Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

    Attributable to Detective Senior Sergeant Mark Moorhouse:

    Police investigating a shooting at a tavern north of Wairoa are seeking information from the public.

    Officers were called to the Frasertown Tavern about 11.10pm on Saturday 15 March to reports shots had been fired towards the building.

    At least two, possibly three, shots were fired, hitting the tavern and a vehicle in the carpark.

    The tavern was open with several patrons inside at the time, and it is very fortunate no one was injured. Police are working to establish if it involves any gang connections. 

    A full Police investigation, dubbed Operation Everest, is under way, and Police are interested in information from anyone who was in the vicinity of the tavern around the time of the incident on Saturday night. 

    We are particularly interested in sightings of a white hatchback vehicle seen in Frasertown at that time.

    Anyone with information please contact Police online at 105.police.govt.nz, clicking “Update Report”, or by calling 105.

    Please use the reference number 250316/3361.

    Alternatively, you can get in touch with Crimestoppers anonymously at https://crimestoppers-nz.org/ or by calling 0800 555 111.

    ENDS

    Issued by the Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: RAISINA DIALOGUE 2025: KĀLACHAKRA – PEOPLE, PEACE AND PLANET

    Source: New Zealand Government

    Namaskar, Sat Sri Akal, kia ora and good afternoon everyone.
    What an honour it is to stand on this stage – to inaugurate this august Dialogue – with none other than the Honourable Narendra Modi.
    My good friend, thank you for so generously welcoming me to India and for our warm discussions this morning.
    I am a great admirer of your extraordinary achievements as Prime Minister.
    In the almost 11 years that you’ve occupied the Prime Minister’s office, you have weathered the COVID crisis and still managed to expand India’s economy by 50%.
    You have lifted 250 million of your countrymen out of poverty and eliminated extreme poverty.
    Today, India is at the leading edge of technology with massive innovative potential.
    You were the first country to land on the moon’s South Pole.  In the process drawing the world’s attention to India’s extraordinary technological prowess.
    And Prime Minister, during your tenure, the Men in Blue have been the most dominant side in cricket’s white ball competitions, most recently winning the Champions Trophy last week against my Men in Black and breaking many New Zealanders hearts – including mine – in the process!
    Congratulations!
    Among this catalogue of achievements is the reason we gather today: the Raisina Dialogue.  A forum that provides a moment every year for thought-leaders from across the world to focus their collective minds on the contemporary strategic challenges being navigated right here in the Indian Ocean.
    I applaud Dr Jaishankar and Samir Saran for the intellectual leadership they have shown driving this Dialogue over the past 10 years. 
    It has grown into a hugely influential forum.  Look no further than the luminaries you attract: 6 former Heads of Government and Ministers from over thirty countries.
    I hope my remarks today, add to the debate in some small way.
    Ladies and gentlemen, it’s more than 200 years since Indians and New Zealanders first began living side-by-side.
    At the beginning of the 19th century – well before we became a nation – Indian sailors jumped ship in New Zealand, with some meeting locals and marrying into our indigenous Māori tribes.  A few years later, Māori traders began travelling to Kolkata to sell tree trunks used in sailing ships.
    An exchange that echoes down the ages.
    Just as they were 200 years ago, Kiwi-Indians today are fully integrated into our multicultural society.  New Zealanders of Indian heritage comprise 11% of the people living in Auckland, our biggest city.
    I’ve brought with me to New Delhi a selection of Kiwi-Indian community leaders. Members of Parliament, captains of industry, professional cricketers and even an online influencer who has revolutionised investment for women the world over.  In short, a selection of Kiwi-Indians who get up every single morning to make New Zealand a better place to live.
    And our trade has diversified considerably from wood thanks to the increased sophistication of your economy.  India today is a critical source of pharmaceuticals and machinery for us. While we are a great tourism and education destination for you.
    India has become an ever more significant feature of our society.
    And yet, while there has been much that has developed and changed, there has been something missing at the core of our relationship.
    With a country as consequential as India, we need rich political interaction, engaged militaries, strong economic architecture, and connections that support a diaspora that bridges between our two great nations.
    Prime Minister Modi and I sat down today and charted out the future of our two countries’ relationship.
    A future that builds from where we have been.  One that is wholly more ambitious about what we will do together in the future. 

    We agreed to our Defence Forces building greater strategic trust with one another, while deploying together and training together more.
    We want our scientists collaborating on global challenges like climate change and on commercial opportunities like space.
    We are supporting our businesses to improve air links and build primary sector cooperation.
    We will facilitate students, young professionals and tourists to move between our countries.
    And we’ve instructed our trade negotiators to get on and negotiate a free trade agreement between our two great nations.

    A comprehensive agenda to underpin a comprehensive relationship. As we look to the future, the opportunity for both our governments is to sustain that momentum.
    Not only to follow through on the commitments we have made to one another. But to proactively build on that platform, by exploring new opportunities and creating new architecture.
    To ensure that we are creating strategic trust and commercial connection between two countries at the bookends of our wide Indo-Pacific region.
    Ladies and gentlemen, it is to the Indo-Pacific that I now turn.  There are many reasons to be excited about our region.  I want to single out the two biggest opportunities.
    First, India and New Zealand are fortunate enough to live in the world’s most economically dynamic region.
    The Indo-Pacific will represent two-thirds of global economic growth over the coming years.  By 2030, it will be home to two-thirds of the world’s middle-class consumers.
    And India itself lies at the heart of this exciting economic future.  It’s easy to focus on the troubles the world faces, but its worth reflecting for a moment on what economic development at this scale means at a human level.
    Here in India, you’ve gone from only the very few in rural areas having a water or power connection to almost everyone. It means people with better health and education outcomes.  And that creates hope and optimism about the future for individuals and their families.
    Replicated across literally hundreds of millions of people, that process of development generates dynamic economies.  Growth that offers massive opportunities for every country in the Indo-Pacific, and families and individuals within them.
    The second big opportunity is technological change.  We are on the cusp of a transformation of our economies and societies in a way that we can barely now imagine.
    I’m talking about artificial intelligence, which is within reach of achieving the cognitive powers of a human being.  But I’m also thinking of a range of other technologies – quantum, biotech, advanced manufacturing – that are going to have profound impacts on our economies.
    It has felt like this technological transformation has been long-heralded, but never quite arrived. Well, it seems to me that a series of innovations – the always online world, big data, powerful computing, machine learning – are cumulating in ways that are going to tip over into a dislocation that is new and altogether different. 
    The game is about to change.  We are on the cusp of an explosion in the application of AI, a technology that will have an impact across the whole economy, not just in one or two sectors. A technology that will transform the way we work, study and entertain ourselves.  A technology that will force governments to think in entirely different ways about how they deliver public services and secure their nations.
    Certainly, this presents risks that will need to be managed.  For example, militaries are already using AI, which means the international community is going to need to develop new norms about how this is done in a way that ensures compliance with the rules of war and ensures human responsibility in conflict.
    But my message is that, while we need manage change, we cannot allow ourselves to be paralysed by the risks.  For those who believe they can outcompete through this period of technological dislocation, the opportunities are there.  The citizens, the companies, and the countries that embrace the coming change will be the ones that reap the dividends. 
    Yet, there’s also no doubt that there are fundamental trend lines in the Indo-Pacific that present geo-strategic risks to growth and prosperity.
    These have long-term drivers that are not going away, and have been amplified by recent events.
    Past assumptions – that underpinned the previous generation’s geopolitical calculations – are being upended.
    A fortnight ago, the Singaporean Foreign Minister, Vivian Balakrishnan, put this change eloquently when he said: “the world is now shifting from unipolarity to multipolarity, from free trade to protectionism, from multilateralism to unilateralism, from globalisation to hyper-nationalism, from openness to xenophobia, from optimism to anxiety”.
    This is a global change, not isolated to one region. Certainly, though, we live today in an Indo-Pacific navigating contest and rivalry, with a period of strategic uncertainty.  I would highlight three big shifts that make for challenging times ahead.
    Fist, we are seeing rules giving way to power. 
    Previously, we could count on countries respecting the UN Charter, the Law of the Sea and world trade rules.  That sadly cannot be assumed in an age of sharper competition.
    Instead, we risk dangerous miscalculation at flashpoints. These range from the militarisation of disputed reefs to dangerous air movements.  From land border incursions to breakout nuclear capabilities.
    Of course, it is not just flashpoints, but a slow shift in Indo-Pacific realities that change calculations.  Recent demonstrations of naval force near New Zealand’s maritime surrounds, for example, sent a signal that alarmed many of my fellow citizens.
    Second, we are witnessing a shift from economics to security. 
    After the Cold War, the dominant paradigm in relations between Indo-Pacific countries was a sustained effort to raise material living standards by tending to our economies.
    Make no mistake, “bread and butter” issues still loom very large, and are a priority for governments all around the region.  Indeed, economic growth is my Government’s highest priority.
    But across the Indo-Pacific, we also see Governments dedicating increased attention and resource to military modernisation. Military build-ups reflect a need to prepare against uncertainty and insecurity.  Some military build-ups, however, are underway without the reassurance that transparency brings.
    National security demands are expanding.  Governments need to protect their people and assets against foreign interference, cyberattacks, and terrorism.
    In the last few months, a new threat has emerged, with damage to critical infrastructure, like sub-sea cables. You can’t have prosperity without security, not least when the tools of commerce themselves require protection.
    The third geo-economic shift is from efficiency to resilience. 
    Where previously, Indo-Pacific economies saw ever deeper interdependence as a dynamo for growth, that can no longer be assumed in an age of decoupling.
    Onshoring, protectionism and trade wars are displacing best price, open markets, and integrated supply chains.
    And so we find ourselves in a world that is growing more difficult and more complex, especially for smaller states.
    However, we must engage with the world as it is, not as we wish it to be. So, like most countries across the region, New Zealand’s strategic policy is being shaped by our assessment of these trends.
    We have agency to shape the Indo-Pacific that we want, but we must do so with energy and with urgency.
    Ladies and gentlemen, as New Zealand looks to protect and advance our interests in the Indo-Pacific, we can only do so alongside partners.  Partners like India that have a significant role to play in the Indo-Pacific.
    In an increasingly multipolar world, India’s size and geo-strategic heft gives you autonomy.  At the same time, your democratic partners in the Indo-Pacific offer you a force multiplier for our convergent interests. 
    For at a time when democracy is in decline with less than half the world’s adults electing their leaders, it is an inspiration that 650 million Indians turned out to vote last year in the largest election in history.
    Your national election is a triumph of logistics and a triumph of legitimacy.  An election that means your leaders serve their people, rather than your people serving their leaders.
    Now, I don’t advocate arbitrary divisions between democracies and autocracies. And just because we are democracies, we won’t always see eye-to-eye. 
    Nonetheless, there’s truth in the fact that our democratic governance means we share a belief in the freedom to choose, giving everyone a voice and respect for the rules.  Our interests increasingly converge around seeing these three ideas as an aligned set of organising principles for our Indo-Pacific region.
    First, we want to live in an Indo-Pacific where countries are free to choose their own path free from interference.
    A region where no one country comes to dominate.
    It is a sign of the times that I stand here defending respect for sovereignty. Yet, New Zealand’s approach is increasingly shaped around that objective.
    Just on Saturday, I joined a call led by Prime Minister Starmer focused on what more those contributing to Ukraine’s defence can do to support a just and lasting peace.  To help a country whose sovereignty and territorial integrity has been so flagrantly attacked.
    In my home region, our fellow Pacific neighbours are navigating geo-strategic dynamics that are their sharpest in nearly 80 years.
    In a deeply contested world, Pacific partners are being asked to make choices that may undermine their national sovereignty.  They risk falling into over-indebtedness, they must make choices about dual-use infrastructure, and they face pressure to enter new security arrangements.
    New Zealand invests in working alongside Pacific countries to boost their capacity to make independent choices free from interference. 
    Yet, size alone cannot inoculate a country from these dynamics.  Building strong and diversified relationships is the key to mitigating the risks of dependence on a few.
    That is why my Government is investing in our key relationships, from traditional partners to thickening and deepening our relationships across Southeast Asia, and in a serious way with India, too. 
    And we have a responsibility to invest in our own security as a downpayment on our future ability to choose our own path.  That is why New Zealand will be scaling up and doing more to support our own defence.
    We plan to better resource and equip our Defence Force to ensure we can continue to defend our interests.  Whether in our near region, in our alliance with Australia, or in support of collective security efforts with partners like India.
    Alongside this investment in capability, we are making tangible contributions across the Indo-Pacific.  When I was in Japan last year, I saw firsthand the work our aviators do to detect and deter North Korea’s sanctions-busting activities.
    The New Zealand Navy is leading Combined Task Force 150 responsible for multinational activities to protect trade routes and counter smuggling, piracy and terrorism in the Indian Ocean and Gulf of Aden. We are fortunate indeed that India has agreed to take up the Deputy Command.  Underlining these naval connections, one of our frigates, HMNZS Te Kaha, is in Mumbai later this week.
    As we seek an Indo-Pacific in which countries are free to choose their own path, I’m determined New Zealand plays its role.  Whether through our work with Pacific Islands partners, our relationships in the Indo-Pacific, or through our defence efforts.
    A second principle both India and New Zealand subscribe to is the criticality of Indo-Pacific regional institutions, even as these evolve.
    Regional architecture scaffolds our region’s security and its prosperity.
    ASEAN continues to promote regional peace and economic development. Through its convening power and its centrality, it also provides a place for the region’s players to come together to discuss strategic issues.
    ASEAN sits at the centre of the East Asia Summit, which for twenty years now has enabled political dialogue across the region, a forum that builds understanding, reduces the risk of miscalculation and contributes to strategic trust.
    Yet, the Indo-Pacific architecture is not static as it adapts to new realities.  Mini-lateral groupings are important new pieces of the puzzle.
    The Quad has emerged as an important vehicle promoting an open, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific region.  India’s contribution to that evolution has of course been vital.  While New Zealand has no pretensions to Quad membership, we stand ready to work with you to advance Quad initiatives.
    We ourselves are strengthening our work with Japan and the Republic of Korea, as well as Australia.  Last year, I convened the Indo-Pacific Four to discuss Ukraine and North Korea. 
    And with serious headwinds buffeting the global trade system, New Zealand is seriously invested in Indo-Pacific trade and economic integration groupings.
    From CPTPP, the gold standard of FTAs internationally, to RCEP, perhaps the world’s most inclusive.
    And we welcome India’s engagement in the regional economic architecture, with our work together in the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF), important in an era in which we seek to build one another’s resilience.
    The third Indo-Pacific principle we align around is a region in which respect for the rules is foundational.
    Globally, rules are being undermined: whether those around territorial integrity, freedom of navigation, or laws of war.  Yet, these are the very rules that preserve an Indo-Pacific order that is not “might is right” alone. 
    And, as I have said before, there is no prosperity without security. The rules that underpin our security also allow our businesses to operate with certainty. Those rules deliver daily in meaningful ways for our people.
    For example, one in four jobs in New Zealand rely on exports and our exporting businesses being able to depend on the predictability that those rules deliver. And in a miracle, that’s only possible thanks to globally-accepted aviation standards, 120,000 flights carry 12 million passengers and operate safely between their destinations every day.
    These rules shape the character of our region.  We remain committed to this rules-based system, even while acknowledging its shortcomings.  It is a truism that the world of 2025 is vastly different from 1945, and yet global institutions sadly have been slow to adapt.
    We are not talking about “starting over” by remaking the global order. Instead, I tend to agree with Dr Jaishankar when he says we want an order in which change is evolutionary – at a pace that is comfortable and steady.
    That’s why New Zealand supports reforming global governance frameworks to better reflect today’s realities.  Rather than casting them aside, they should give greater voice to the developing world and under-represented regions.
    Countries like India – that play such a central role in the global community – should have a seat at the table. We’ve therefore long supported India having a permanent seat on a reformed UN Security Council.
    Distinguished guests, ladies, and gentlemen.
    It has been a privilege to speak to you today, at this important forum for global dialogue.
    The geostrategic picture I’ve painted is stark.  Rules are giving way to power; economics to security; and efficiency to resilience.
    The tectonic shifts unfolding highlight that we – working alongside partners and friends – must navigate disruption, uncertainty, and sharpening pressure on our national interests.
    Yet, we will not be overwhelmed by complexity and challenge. We must go forward with confidence.
    We live at the heart of the world’s most exciting and dynamic region – the Indo-Pacific.
    We live in an era of technological transformation that offers outsized opportunities.
    We are countries with solid underlying democratic institutions, which will underpin our societies’ future success.
    India and New Zealand have extraordinarily talented people. 
    Both our countries have a clear plan that reflects and reinforces the connections between our security and prosperity. 
    We cannot afford to be thrown by the rapid pace of change – we must grapple with shifting realities and capitalise on these for all our peoples’ benefit.
    We will create and seize opportunities. Invest in our capabilities.
    This is our region. Its future will be shaped by the choices we make—together.
    Thank you, ngā mihi nui, and dhanyavaad .
     

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Giving Women Jobs ‘Smartest, Fastest’ Way to Grow Economy, Commission Told

    Source: United Nations General Assembly and Security Council

    The Commission on the Status of Women entered its second week today with an interactive dialogue on inclusive development, shared prosperity and decent work.  Speakers emphasized the urgency of turning gender equality commitments into concrete, actionable policies to ensure women have equal opportunities to improve their employment prospects and livelihoods.

    The Commission’s two-week annual session focuses on accelerating the implementation of the Platform for Action adopted at the 1995 conference on women in Beijing, where world leaders pledged to achieve gender equality and uphold women’s rights.  Discussions also focus on contributing to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

    Women Friendly Tax Administration

    Diane Elson, Emeritus Professor of Sociology at the University of Essex, England, said that systemic barriers to women’s enjoyment of decent work include discrimination in hiring, misogyny, sexual harassment, violence in the workplace and lack of investment to reduce and redistribute unpaid work.  “Unfortunately, some of these barriers are actually intensifying in some countries, where there are now attempts to wipe from the record the gains that women and ethnic minorities and other minorities have made,” she said.  However, there are many things that can be done.  While inclusive development policies tend to garner wide support, there are many forms of inclusion that are impoverishing and exploitative.  It is therefore important to focus on “rights at work as well as the right to work, and to understand that economic growth does not necessarily create more jobs,” she stressed.  To that end, it is critical to improve women friendly tax administration systems for filing taxes.  “We need the elimination of tax breaks that do not increase investment and productivity and serve only to reduce tax payments for well off people and businesses,” she said.

    Access to Technology Training Key to Empowering Women  

    Corina Rodriguez, researcher at the National Council of Research and the Interdisciplinary Centre for the Study of Public Policy in Buenos Aires, Argentina, said that artificial intelligence (AI) and digitalization presents many opportunities to reduce gender disparities but also creates challenges and presents risks.  Technology might lead to a displacement of the working population to get cheaper labour, particularly in certain sectors where women are overrepresented, and those perhaps where the qualifications are lower.  Technology creates new employment opportunity in design, in goods and services, technological services, logistics, customer care — opportunities that women can seize.  “But it depends, of course, on whether they’re able to first access training in these careers,” she said.  “Women are under much more time pressure, because in addition to work, they have to very often care for other members of the family,” she said.  It is essential to ensure that women do not “fall into the work trap” and take on additional hours without additional pay while also having to balance numerous other responsibilities. 

    Lekha S. Chakraborty, Professor at National Institute of Public Finance and Policy (NIPFP) in New Delhi, India, called on Governments to “move beyond the paradigm” of the gross domestic product (GDP).  “The fiscal policy space is shrinking,” she went on to underscore, noting that funds to women’s programmes have been substantially cut in the post-pandemic landscape.  However, it still remains true that the “smartest and fastest” way to increase GDP is to have women involved in economic growth through employment and empowerment.  “There are challenges with the care economy infrastructure,” she emphasized, spotlighting a sector of the economy where women are overrepresented.  In the post-pandemic paradigm “conscious public policy decisions are crucial”, she added.  Gender-responsive budgeting should not be confined solely to “what is specifically targeting women”.  She discussed the connection between gender bonds and fiscal policy, stating that in countries with high fiscal deficits, internal bond financing could be tied to gender equality outcomes.  However, she cautioned against linking bond financing to external funding, as it is subject to external factors, which carry inherent risks.  She emphasized that there are innovative approaches to addressing this issue.  “Public financial management reforms for climate change are currently under way without being tied to a job guarantee,” she added.

    Gender Mainstreaming

    Barbara Ky, director of gender at the West African Economic and Monetary Union, discussed how the Union is working to translate gender perspective and gender equality commitments into practical public policies that can be implemented by Governments and thereby enhance women’s employment prospects and livelihoods.  The Union has developed guidelines, digital tools and information technology procedures that are carried out by the sectoral ministry in each of the Union’s member country.  Public policy is based on goals that will integrate a gender perspective.  “This requires mainstreaming the gender perspective and integrating it into every stage of planning, programming, budgeting and implementation,” she said.  At the highest level all documents prepared by Government ministries should include a gender-related aspect “so that public policy is truly permeated by an awareness of these issues and gender has to be taken into account from the initiative of the process,” she said.  For example, to address the issue of women’s unpaid employment, the hours that women spend bringing water to the household, compared with men, has been assessed.  Planning programmes need to be aware of women’s contributions.

    Women Spend 4.5 Hours Daily on Unpaid Care Work

    Marija Babovic, a professor affiliated with the University of Belgrade, shared her perspective on the sustained negative impact that unpaid work has on women’s employment, income and economic security.  These negative impacts are increasing as more women work in unpaid care and in unprotected domestic work.  She noted that while in developed countries many women have entered the formal labour market since the 1970s, women and girls still provide more than three fourths of the unpaid care work around the world.  For example, women spend 4 hours and 25 minutes each day on these activities while men spend 1 hour and 23 minutes each day on the same type of activities.  More than 600 million women are working outside the paid labour force because of their care responsibilities, compared with 41 million men.  “Unpaid work lowers women access to the labour market and paid work and is a factor in their higher financial poverty and time poverty,” she said.  The paid care economy accounts for 11.5 per cent of the global economy, including jobs in such areas as childcare, disability care, aged care and paid domestic work.  However, “across the world, paid care work remains characterized by a lack of rights, benefits or protections, low wages or non-compensation,” she said, adding that some women are subject to physical, mental and even sexual harassment.

    The discussion was moderated by Anita Kemi DaSilva-Ibru, founder of the Women at Risk International Foundation (WARIF), a leading non-profit organization that addresses the prevalence of sexual violence in Nigeria and Africa.

    The Commission also held a second interactive dialogue this afternoon on poverty eradication, social protection, and social services.

    __________

    *     The 12th meeting was not covered.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Extraordinary women recognised in 2025 ACT Women’s Awards

    Source: Government of Australia Capital Territory

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

    Released 06/03/2025

    An inspiring humanitarian leader who has advanced the status of women and girls in Canberra and around the world, Lauren Cannell, has been named the 2025 ACT Woman of the Year.

    Mrs Cannell has been recognised for her work as the Chief Executive Officer and founder of Educación Diversa, an international not-for-profit that empowers women and girls through innovative art-based educational programs, campaigns and projects.

    Educación Diversa works with children and adolescents both here in the ACT and globally, teaching them about human rights, sexual and reproductive health, and the elimination of violence in accessible ways. Mrs Cannell says her goal is to help young people reach their full potential while also helping to achieve gender equality.

    “At Educación Diversa, we use art for accessibility. Typically, in underdeveloped countries, with kids who’ve experienced trauma and/or neglect, we use art as it heals neural pathways, and it means everyone can take part,” Mrs Cannell said.

    “Most of us in the humanitarian sector don’t do this work for the recognition, we start our own not-for-profits because we see need. Being a finalist and having a platform to grow awareness is so important because it will help me to expand the program nationally and then internationally.”

    Other award recipients include Jayanti Gupta, who has been named ACT Senior Woman of the Year, and Anjali Sharma, who has been named ACT Young Woman of the Year.

    As the founder and presenter of the Gender Equity Matters program on 2XX FM, Mrs Gupta has used her platform to highlight issues and achievements relating to gender and women in the ACT. She is also the founder and Chair of the Integrated Women’s Network (IWN), which delivers health and wellbeing workshops, as well as International Women’s Day events.

    “Being nominated for the ACT Women’s Award is inspiring and motivates you to do more. Many other women have fought for the rights we have achieved today, so why not pass the good deeds around?” Mrs Gupta said.

    Ms Sharma is a climate change activist and role model who has campaigned extensively for environmental reform and justice. She is currently leading a team of young women in Canberra to advocate for and champion the Duty of Care Bill, developing the capacity of young women as climate activists in the ACT.

    “One of the goals of advocacy is to spread your message and to know that what you’re doing is reaching communities and people on the ground. While awards are never the purpose of activism, it’s a sign that what we’re doing is working, which is an honour and a privilege,” Ms Sharma said.

    The ACT Women’s Awards recognise women and gender diverse people who have made an outstanding contribution to the lives of women and girls in the ACT. Minister for Women, Dr Marisa Paterson MLA, congratulated the award recipients as they were announced at the ACT Women’s Awards event held on 6 March in the lead up to International Women’s Day.

    “Congratulations to the inspiring women who have had their names added to the ACT Women’s Honour Roll this year, and to all the finalists for their impressive work,” Minister Paterson said.

    “We are incredibly fortunate to have so many exceptional leaders in the ACT dedicated to uplifting and empowering women and girls in our community.

    “Achieving gender equality is a top priority for the ACT Government, and this can only be achieved through strong collaboration with non-government organisations, businesses, and the wider community. Awards like this, which recognise leadership in advancing the status of women and girls, are exceptionally important.”

    – Statement ends –

    Marisa Paterson, MLA | Media Releases

    «ACT Government Media Releases | «Minister Media Releases

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NASA, Firefly Invite Media to Discuss End of Blue Ghost Moon Mission

    Source: NASA

    NASA and Firefly Aerospace will host a news conference at 2 p.m. EDT Tuesday, March 18, from NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston to discuss the company’s successful Blue Ghost Mission 1 on the Moon’s surface.
    Watch the news conference on NASA+. Learn how to watch NASA content through a variety of platforms, including social media.
    U.S. media interested in participating in person or remotely must request accreditation by 5 p.m., Monday, March 17, by contacting the NASA Johnson newsroom at 281-483-5111 or jsccommu@mail.nasa.gov. A copy of NASA’s media accreditation policy is online. To ask questions via phone, media must dial into the news conference no later than 15 minutes prior to the start of the call.
    Firefly’s Blue Ghost lunar lander touched down March 2, on the Moon’s Mare Crisium basin. The lander’s NASA payloads were activated, collected science data, and performed operations as part of NASA’s CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative and Artemis campaign to establish a long-term lunar presence. The mission is not designed to survive through the lunar night; however, Blue Ghost continued operations for five hours after lunar sunset on March 16.
    Participants will include:

    Joel Kearns, deputy associate administrator for exploration, Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters in Washington 
    Jason Kim, CEO, Firefly Aerospace
    Ray Allensworth, spacecraft program director, Firefly
    Adam Schlesinger, CLPS project manager, NASA Johnson

    The Blue Ghost Mission 1 mission launched at 1:11 a.m., Jan. 15, on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The lander delivered 10 NASA science investigations and technology demonstrations including testing and demonstrating lunar drilling technology, regolith (lunar rocks and soil) sample collection capabilities, global navigation satellite system abilities, radiation tolerant computing, and lunar dust mitigation. The data captured will benefit humans on Earth in many ways, providing insights into how space weather and other cosmic forces impact our home planet. 
    NASA continues to work with multiple American companies to deliver science and technology to the lunar surface through the agency’s CLPS initiative. This pool of companies may bid on NASA contracts for end-to-end lunar surface delivery services, including all payload integration and operations, launching from Earth and landing on the surface of the Moon.
    Through the Artemis campaign, commercial robotic deliveries will perform science experiments, test technologies, and demonstrate capabilities on and around the Moon to help NASA explore in advance of Artemis Generation astronaut missions to the lunar surface, and ultimately crewed missions to Mars.
    For more information about the agency’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services initiative: 
    https://www.nasa.gov/clps
    -end-
    Karen Fox / Alise FisherHeadquarters, Washington202-358-1600  karen.c.fox@nasa.gov / alise.m.fisher@nasa.gov
    Natalia Riusech / Nilufar RamjiJohnson Space Center, Houston 281-483-5111 natalia.s.riusech@nasa.gov / nilufar.ramji@nasa.gov 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Hochul Marches in NYC St. Patrick’s Parade

    Source: US State of New York

    arlier today, Governor Kathy Hochul marched in New York City’s St. Patrick’s Day parade.

    B-ROLL of the Governor during the parade can be found on YouTube here and in TV quality (h.264, mp4) format

    VIDEO: The event is available to stream on YouTube here and TV quality video is available here (h.264, mp4).

    AUDIO: The Governor’s remarks are available in audio form here.

    PHOTOS: The Governor’s Flickr page will post photos of the event here.

    A rush transcript of the Governor’s remarks is available below:

    Top of the morning to you. Kathleen Mary Courtney Hochul from County Kerry. Very proud to be the first Irish Governor in over 40 years. It’s a great tradition. The Irish are known to be fighters. It suits me well in this job. It’s a strength I draw upon all the time. My Irish ancestors were potato farmers and fishermen who struggled greatly. And I live the American dream because my Irish immigrant grandparents came to this country as teenagers. My grandfather found work as a migrant farm worker in South Dakota, in the wheat fields.

    They became domestic servants. He later found a way to a place called Buffalo where grandpa could work at the steel plant. As a result, two generations later we have an individual, their granddaughter, who was able to rise up to the highest position as the first female governor. I’m humbled by that story. That is the story of so many New Yorkers, and that is why we welcome our immigrant community with pride and say, “You’re part of the family.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Scientific misconduct is on the rise. But what exactly is it?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nham Tran, Associate Professor, School of Biomedical Engineering, University of Technology Sydney

    PowerUp/Shutterstock

    German anaesthesiologist Joachim Boldt has an unfortunate claim to fame. According to Retraction Watch, a public database of research retractions, he is the most retracted scientist of all time. To date, 220 of his roughly 400 published research papers have been retracted by academic journals.

    Boldt may be a world leader, but he has plenty of competition. In 2023, more than 10,000 research papers were retracted globally – more than any previous year on record. According to a recent investigation by Nature, a disproportionate number of retracted papers over the past ten years have been written by authors affiliated with several hospitals, universities and research institutes in Asia.

    Academic journals retract papers when they are concerned that the published data is faked, altered, or not “reproducible” (meaning it would yield the same results if analysed again).

    Some errors are honest mistakes. However, the majority of retractions are associated with scientific misconduct.

    But what exactly is scientific misconduct? And what can be done about it?

    From fabrication to plagiarism

    The National Health and Medical Research Council is Australia’s primary government agency for medical funding. It defines misconduct as breaches of the Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research.

    In Australia, there are broadly eight recognised types of breaches. Research misconduct is the most severe.

    These breaches may include failure to obtain ethics approval, plagiarism, data fabrication, falsification and misrepresentation.

    This is what was behind many of Boldt’s retractions. He made up data for a large number of studies, which ultimately led to his dismissal from the Klinikum Ludwigshafen, a teaching hospital in Germany, in 2010.

    In another case, China’s He Jiankui was sentenced to three years in prison in 2019 for creating the world’s first genetically edited babies using the gene-editing technology known as CRISPR. His crime was that he falsified documents to recruit couples for his research.

    The “publish or perish” culture within academia fuels scientific misconduct. It puts pressure on academics to meet publication quotas. It also rewards them for greater research output, in the form of promotions, funding and recognition. And this can mean research quality is sacrificed for quantity.

    Honest mistakes

    But not all research misconduct is premeditated. Some is the result of honest mistakes made by scientists.

    For example, Sergio Gonzalez, a young scientist at the Institute for Neurosciences of Montpellier in France, mistakenly uploaded several wrong images to an academic paper and its supplementary material. This didn’t have any effect on the findings of the paper, which were based on the correct images.

    But it still represented a case of image duplication and misrepresentation of data. This lead to the journal retracting the paper and launching an investigation. The investigation concluded the breach was unintentional and resulted from the pressures of academic research.

    Fewer than 20% of all retractions are due to honest mistakes. Researchers usually contact the publisher to correct errors when they are detected, with no major consequences.

    The need for a national oversight body

    In many countries, an independent national body oversees research integrity.

    In the United Kingdom, this body is known as the Committee on Research Integrity. It is responsible for improving research integrity and addressing misconduct cases. Similarly, in the United States, the Office of Research Integrity handles allegations of research misconduct.

    In contrast, Australia lacks an independent body directly tasked with investigating research misconduct. There is a body known as the Australian Research Integrity Committee. But it only reviews the institutional procedures and governance of investigations to ensure they are conducted fairly and transparently – and with limited effectiveness. For example, last year it received 13 complaints, only five of which were investigated.

    Instead Australia relies on a self-regulation model. This means each university and research institute aligns its own policy with the Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research. Although this code originated in medical research, its principles apply across all disciplines.

    For example, in archaeology, falsifying an image or deliberately reporting inaccurate carbon dating results constitutes data fabrication. Another common breach is plagiarism, which can also be applied to all fields.

    But self-governance on integrity matters is fraught with problems.

    Investigations often lack transparency and are carried out internally, creating a conflict of interest. Often the investigative teams are under immense pressure to safeguard their institution’s reputation rather than uphold accountability.

    A 2023 report by the Australia Institute called for the urgent establishment of an independent, government-funded research integrity watchdog.

    The report recommended the watchdog have direct investigatory powers and that academic institutions be bound by its findings.

    The report also recommended the watchdog should release its findings publicly, create whistleblower protections, establish a proper appeals process and allow people to directly raise complaints with it.

    Research credibility is on the line

    The consequences of inadequate oversight are already evident.

    One of the biggest research integrity scandals in Australian history involved Ali Nazari, an engineer from Swinburne University. In 2022 an anonymous whistleblower alleged Nazari was part of an international research fraud cartel involving multiple teams.

    Investigations cast doubt on the validity of the 287 papers Nazari and the other researchers had collectively published. The investigations uncovered numerous violations, including 71 instances of falsified results, plagiarism and duplication, and 208 instances of self-plagiarism.

    Similarly, Mark Smyth, formerly of the Queensland Institute of Medical Research, fabricated research data to support grant applications and clinical trials. An independent inquiry concluded he used his reputation, status and authority to bully and intimidate junior colleagues.

    If Australia had a independent research integrity body, there would be a clear governance structure and an established and transparent pathway for reporting breaches at a much earlier stage.

    Timely intervention would help reduce further breaches through swift investigation and corrective action. Importantly, consistent governance across Australian institutions would help ensure fairness. It would also reduce bias and uphold the same standards across all misconduct cases.

    The call for an independent research integrity watchdog is long overdue.

    Only through impartial oversight can we uphold the values of scientific excellence, protect public trust, and foster a culture of accountability that strengthens the integrity of research for all Australians.

    Nham Tran has received funding from Australian Research Council.

    – ref. Scientific misconduct is on the rise. But what exactly is it? – https://theconversation.com/scientific-misconduct-is-on-the-rise-but-what-exactly-is-it-247352

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Klobuchar, Colleagues Raise Concerns About How Great Lakes Will Be Impacted by NOAA Firings

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) led her colleagues in pressing the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for more information about the termination of probationary staff and the potential impact these firings will have on the Great Lakes.

    “We write to express our deep concern over the firing of probationary staff at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the potential impact these firings will have on the Great Lakes,” wrote the Senators.

    “The Great Lakes are among the United States’ greatest natural treasures, strengthening our economy and attracting millions of visitors each year. The Lakes provide drinking water to over 30 million people, generate clean hydropower, and generate $3.1 trillion in gross domestic product,” the Senators continued. “National and regional NOAA programs help protect these lakes and support our constituents who call the Great Lakes home.”

    The Senators pressed Admiral Hann to detail (1) the number of people fired at NOAA during her tenure as Acting Administrator, (2) the number of people fired at each NOAA program serving the Great Lakes, (3) the services that will be terminated as a result, and (4) her plan to preserve these services.

    In addition to Klobuchar, the letter was also signed by Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Tina Smith (D-MN), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), and Gary Peters (D-MI).

    The full text of the letter is available here and below.

    Dear Vice Admiral Nancy Hann:

    We write to express our deep concern over the firing of probationary staff at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the potential impact these firings will have on the Great Lakes. We request information on these firings—including at the Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory (GLERL) and any other NOAA installations and programs that serve the Great Lakes area—as well as a concrete plan for re-establishing terminated public services.

    The Great Lakes are among the United States’ greatest natural treasures, strengthening our economy and attracting millions of visitors each year. The Lakes provide drinking water to over 30 million people, generate clean hydropower, and generate $3.1 trillion in gross domestic product.

    National and regional NOAA programs help protect these lakes and support our constituents who call the Great Lakes home. The National Weather Service provides our weather and climate forecasts and warnings. The National Sea Grant Program helps conserve our aquatic resources. The Marine Debris Program prevents microplastics and litter from entering the Great Lakes, protecting our wildlife, natural resources, fishing and boating economy, and nearby residents’ health. The Cooperative Institute for Great Lakes Research invests in our clean drinking water. And the Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory (GLERL) provides critical information for resource use and management decisions, including information on algal blooms and hypoxia, invasive species, ice cover and shipping navigability, and storm surges and coastal flooding.

    We are deeply concerned that the layoffs at NOAA will harm these critical initiatives. The staffing reductions have already required the GLERL, for example, to take an “indefinite hiatus” from its public communications, depriving the public of critical information such as what to do during a flood warning and how to stay safe in the extreme cold. When these communications go dark, the public suffers.

    Therefore, we request the following information by March 28, 2025:

    1. The number of people fired at NOAA during your tenure as Acting Administrator.
    1. The number of people fired at each NOAA program that serves the Great Lakes: 
      1. National Weather Service
      2. National Estuarine Research Reserve System
      3. NOAA National Marine Sanctuaries
      4. National Sea Grant Program
      5. NOAA Marine Debris Program
      6. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS)
      7. Great Lakes Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET)
      8. Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory
      9. Great Lakes Information Network (GLIN)
      10. Cooperative Institute for Great Lakes Research (CIGLR)
      11. Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies (CIMSS)
      12. Midwestern Regional Climate Center (MRCC)
    1. The services that will be terminated as a result of the firings at each of the above programs.
    1. Your plan to maintain or restore these services.

    Thank you for your attention to this important matter.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Rwanda has moved people into model ‘green’ villages: is life better there?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lisa Allyn Dale, Director of the MA in Climate and Society program at the Columbia Climate School, Columbia University

    After the devastating 1994 genocide, Rwandans returning from the violence established homes and began farming where they could find land.

    Since then, the Rwandan government has aimed to bring people scattered across rural parts of the country into grouped settlements which they have called “model villages”. These are intended to provide extra support for highly vulnerable residents, such as the homeless and those who are living in “high risk zones” – areas prone to floods, drought and mudslides, and which are likely to be affected by climate change in the future.

    Rwanda has a population of 14.5 million. An estimated 62,000 rural families have been resettled into 14,815 villages, of which 253 are considered “model villages”. Some of them are considered “green”, because they use solar power and biofuels as energy sources. Rainwater harvesting, tree planting, and terraced vegetable plots are other features of the green, environmentally friendly model villages.

    We conducted a study to understand the impact of relocating rural communities from high risk zones where they face threats from a changing climate, such as erratic rainfall, drought, floods and landslides. We looked at two lake island communities who were experiencing floods. They also suffered a lack of health and education services and security problems from being too close to an unguarded border.

    We used the Rweru Model Green Village as a case study. Based on our interviews with families who were moved there, we found that relocating people can be double-edged. On the positive side, resettlement increased access to modern facilities and social services. On the downside, people found it hard to earn a living. They lacked access to natural and financial capital and had to adapt to a different climate.

    The resettlement programme overall is now understood to be part of the government of Rwanda’s approach to climate change adaptation. However, our findings suggest that this should be done with care, considering factors like community expectations and government development plans.

    Why people were moved

    The Rweru Model Green Village was set up in 2016 to house residents from two nearby islands on Lake Rweru, Sharita and Mazane. Located along the southern border with Burundi, these islands were home to generations of Rwandans. But they lived in relative isolation without access to services like education, healthcare or markets.

    We interviewed and surveyed people from 64 households in the Rweru village. At the time of our research, 1,777 people had been moved in, all from Sharita and Mazane islands.



    Read more:
    Rising risks of climate disasters mean some communities will need to move – we need a national conversation about relocation now

    Participants said fishing had been a way of life on the islands, providing them with a consistent source of protein. Beans, potatoes, cassava and sorghum grew successfully. Even relatively impoverished households said they had enough food to live on: 55% said the productivity of the land was high.

    However, 84% of respondents also described an isolated life without services. As one put it:

    we were cut off from the rest of the world.

    Many mentioned the lack of drinking water, roads and electricity as a major drawback to living on the islands. While primary school was available, older children could only get to a secondary school by a two hour boat ride. Some dropped out of school.

    Healthcare was absent, and respondents described harrowing journeys to find medical attention. As one woman said:

    When we were still there in Sharita, a woman could want to deliver a baby but getting a boat it takes a long time, a woman can even lose her life waiting.

    The boat rides were dangerous because of hippos in the lake, malaria-carrying mosquitoes, and the risk of drowning.

    Others said that people from Burundi could access the islands easily and sometimes assaulted or killed the island residents. About 76% of the people we interviewed described their lives before relocation as dangerous. Residents had been asking to be resettled for some time because of these problems.

    One of the driving forces for organising rural life into model villages is to enhance the capacity of residents to adapt to changes, including climate impacts such as the increased risks of flooding, drought or landslides. In that way, the model green village programme is also understood to have climate change adaptation elements.

    The pros and cons after resettlement

    After resettlement, most respondents described improvements in their overall quality of life. They were less exposed to floods, which they’d experienced on the islands. They had improved access to healthcare, social services and quality housing.

    Many (66%) described the housing they received as the most important advantage of their new lives:

    Above all, the nicest thing I was given was the house.

    They also described clean water (26%), markets (50%), healthcare (55%), schools (50%) and electricity (24%) as benefits of living in the new model village. It was the first time they’d been able to manage livestock, having only had chickens on the islands. Their children were benefiting from having milk.



    Read more:
    Climate change will force up to 113m people to relocate within Africa by 2050

    Some residents appreciated having a mattress for the first time; 50% indicated furniture and kitchen equipment as advantages. About 34% of respondents were pleased that they no longer needed to travel by boat.

    They also felt safer. But despite these positive outcomes, they said they were poorer and had less food. Unlike the islands, the micro-climate inland was very hot, with little rain and increasing drought.

    Most people we interviewed (55%) said their new, smaller plots of land were “infertile”, “unproductive” or “barren”. They couldn’t fish or grow enough fruit or vegetables. One person said many of the elderly people who were moved only ate one meal a day in the village “and others are starving completely”.

    Increased hunger caused children to miss school:

    Sometimes I cannot put food on the table, my son sleeps with an empty stomach and he cannot go to school the next day.

    The future of model green villages

    The Rwandan government plans to continue setting up model villages, and wants these to be sustainable for many years.

    More research is needed to determine whether living in a model village provides young people with a better quality of life. The government will also need to address the economic challenges, food insecurity and welfare needs of residents in the new villages.

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

    – ref. Rwanda has moved people into model ‘green’ villages: is life better there? – https://theconversation.com/rwanda-has-moved-people-into-model-green-villages-is-life-better-there-250975

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK and Philippines upgrade trade relationship through inaugural talks

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    UK and Philippines upgrade trade relationship through inaugural talks

    UK and the Philippines today hold first Joint Economic and Trade Committee (JETCO) in London.

    • UK and the Philippines today held inaugural Joint Economic and Trade Committee (JETCO) talks in London aimed at boosting trade and investment
    • JETCO aims to realise potential for UK businesses to sell more to the Philippines, one of the fastest growing economies in Asia
    • News follows recent win for UK beef industry after Philippine ban on UK beef was lifted in addition to the lifting of a poultry ban with both worth a combined £80m over five years.

    Ministers from the UK and the Philippines met in London today [Monday 17 March] for trade talks under the first Joint Economic and Trade Committee (JETCO) meeting.

    The Philippines is one of the fastest growing economies in Asia and has the second largest population in Southeast Asia, presenting huge opportunities for British businesses. The JETCO aims to upgrade our bilateral trade relationship, currently worth £2.8 billion annually.

    At today’s meeting, Minister for Trade Policy and Economic Security Douglas Alexander and Philippine Undersecretary Allan B. Gepty of the Department of Trade and Industry agreed to pursue closer cooperation and increased trade across sectors including infrastructure, renewable energy, agriculture and technology.

    They also committed to progressing work towards a government-to-government Financing Framework Partnership that will unlock up to £5 billion of potential financing from UK Export Finance (UKEF) to support the delivery of sustainable public infrastructure and improve access to UK expertise and technology in the Philippines.

    Minister for Trade Policy and Economic Security Douglas Alexander MP said:

    Today’s talks signify an important new chapter in our trading relationship with the Philippines, one of Asia’s fastest-growing economies.

    Deepening our trade with partners like the Philippines and showing that the UK is open for business in Asia is vital for this Government’s mission to deliver economic growth.

    I look forward to working with the Philippines and to deliver trading opportunities that will benefit both our economies.

    Agriculture is an important area for bilateral trade – the Philippines is the fourth largest export market for UK pork after the EU, US, and China.

    Ministers highlighted investment opportunities in the Philippines for UK agricultural companies and promoted imports of UK meat in light of the recent removal of bans on beef and poultry exports from the UK, worth £80 million over five years.

    The talks are part of the government’s mission to deliver economic growth as part of the Plan for Change.

    The International Meat Trade Association (MTA) said:

    MTA welcomes the inaugural JETCO between the UK & the Philippines which will deepen our trading relationship with an important partner.

    We were delighted that last year the Philippines lifted the ban on UK poultry meat, as well as lifting the temporary ban on UK beef.

    We hope the trade partnership between our countries can continue to grow from strength to strength.

    Opportunities in offshore renewable energy featured heavily in discussions. In 2024, the UK was the largest single investor in the Philippines, driven mainly by investments in renewables.

    Such opportunities for UK companies were enhanced in 2022 with the removal of foreign equity restrictions for renewable energy companies.

    The JETCO also celebrated growing digital and tech trade and emphasised the UK’s commitment to supporting the Philippines in its economic development, including through the upcoming launch of an Export Handbook for Philippine businesses in the processed agrifood and fish sectors.

    Background

    • The methodology for the valuation of market access barriers is published in a DBT analytical working paper. In some cases, estimates may have been sourced externally from industry.

    Updates to this page

    Published 17 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Global: You’ve heard of the Big Bang. Now astronomers have discovered the Big Wheel – here’s why it’s significant

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Themiya Nanayakkara, Lead Astronomer at the James Webb Australian Data Centre, Swinburne University of Technology

    The Big Wheel alongside some of its neighbours. Weichen Wang et al. (2025)

    Deep observations from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) have revealed an exceptionally large galaxy in the early universe. It’s a cosmic giant whose light has travelled over 12 billion years to reach us. We’ve dubbed it the Big Wheel, with our findings published today in Nature Astronomy.

    This giant disk galaxy existed within the first two billion years after the Big Bang, meaning it formed when the universe was just 15% of its current age. It challenges what we know about how galaxies form.

    What is a disk galaxy?

    Picture a galaxy like our own Milky Way: a flat, rotating structure made up of stars, gas and dust, often surrounded by an extensive halo of unseen dark matter.

    Disk galaxies typically have clear spiral arms extending outward from a dense central region. Our Milky Way itself is a disk galaxy, characterised by beautiful spiral arms that wrap around its centre.

    An artist impression of the Milky Way showcasing the dusty spiral structures similar to The Big Wheel.

    Studying disk galaxies, like the Milky Way and the newly discovered Big Wheel, helps us uncover how galaxies form, grow and evolve across billions of years.

    These studies are especially significant, as understanding galaxies similar to our own can provide deeper insights into the cosmic history of our galactic home.

    A giant surprise

    We previously thought galaxy disks form gradually over a long period: either through gas smoothly flowing into galaxies from surrounding space, or by merging with smaller galaxies.

    Usually, rapid mergers between galaxies would disrupt the delicate spiral structures, turning them into more chaotic shapes. However, the Big Wheel managed to quickly grow to a surprisingly large size without losing its distinctive spiral form. This challenges long-held ideas about the growth of giant galaxies.

    Our detailed JWST observations show that the Big Wheel is comparable in size and rotational speed to the largest “super-spiral” galaxies in today’s universe. It is three times as big in size as comparable galaxies at that epoch and is one of the most massive galaxies observed in the early cosmos.

    In fact, its rotation speed places it among galaxies at the high end of what’s called the Tully-Fisher relation, a well-known link between a galaxy’s stellar mass and how fast it spins.

    Remarkably, even though it’s unusually large, the Big Wheel is actively growing at a rate similar to other galaxies at the same cosmic age.

    The Big Wheel galaxy is seen at the centre. In striking contrast, the bright blue galaxy (upper right) is only about 1.5 billion light years away, making the Big Wheel roughly 50 times farther away. Although both appear a similar size, the enormous distance of the Big Wheel reveals its truly colossal physical scale.
    JWST

    Unusually crowded part of space

    What makes this even more fascinating is the environment in which the Big Wheel formed.

    It’s located in an unusually crowded region of space, where galaxies are packed closely together, ten times denser than typical areas of the universe. This dense environment likely provided ideal conditions for the galaxy to grow quickly. It probably experienced mergers that were gentle enough to let the galaxy maintain its spiral disk shape.

    Additionally, the gas flowing into the galaxy must have aligned well with its rotation, allowing the disk to grow quickly without being disrupted. So, a perfect combination.

    An illustration of how a massive spiral galaxy forms and evolves over billions of years. This evolutionary path is similar to real-world galaxies like Andromeda, our closest spiral galaxy neighbour, which also developed distinct spiral arms similar to the Big Wheel.

    A fortunate finding

    Discovering a galaxy like the Big Wheel was incredibly unlikely. We had less than a 2% chance to find this in our survey, according to current galaxy formation models.

    So, our finding was fortunate, probably because we observed it within an exceptionally dense region, quite different from typical cosmic environments.

    Besides its mysterious formation, the ultimate fate of the Big Wheel is another intriguing question. Given the dense environment, future mergers might significantly alter its structure, potentially transforming it into a galaxy comparable in mass to the largest ones observed in nearby clusters, such as Virgo.

    The Big Wheel’s discovery has revealed yet another mystery of the early universe, showing that our current models of galaxy evolution still need refinement.

    With more observations and discoveries of massive, early galaxies like the Big Wheel, astronomers will be able to unlock more secrets about how the universe built the structures we see today.



    Read more:
    From dead galaxies to mysterious red dots, here’s what the James Webb telescope has found in just 3 years

    Themiya Nanayakkara receives funding from Australian Research Council.

    – ref. You’ve heard of the Big Bang. Now astronomers have discovered the Big Wheel – here’s why it’s significant – https://theconversation.com/youve-heard-of-the-big-bang-now-astronomers-have-discovered-the-big-wheel-heres-why-its-significant-252170

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Museums have tons of data, and AI could make it more accessible − but standardizing and organizing it across fields won’t be easy

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Bradley Wade Bishop, Professor of Information Sciences, University of Tennessee

    Museum collections are invaluable to many researchers. Miguel Habano/E+ via Getty Images

    Ice cores in freezers, dinosaurs on display, fish in jars, birds in boxes, human remains and ancient artifacts from long gone civilizations that few people ever see – museum collections are filled with all this and more.

    These collections are treasure troves that recount the planet’s natural and human history, and they help scientists in a variety of different fields such as geology, paleontology, anthropology and more. What you see on a trip to a museum is only a sliver of the wonders held in their collection.

    Museums generally want to make the contents of their collections available for teachers and researchers, either physically or digitally. However, each collection’s staff has its own way of organizing data, so navigating these collections can prove challenging.

    Creating, organizing and distributing the digital copies of museum samples or the information about physical items in a collection requires incredible amounts of data. And this data can feed into machine learning models or other artificial intelligence to answer big questions.

    Currently, even within a single research domain, finding the right data requires navigating different repositories. AI can help organize large amounts of data from different collections and pull out information to answer specific questions.

    But using AI isn’t a perfect solution. A set of shared practices and systems for data management between museums could improve the data curation and sharing necessary for AI to do its job. These practices could help both humans and machines make new discoveries from these valuable collections.

    As an information scientist who studies scientists’ approaches to and opinions on research data management, I’ve seen how the world’s physical collection infrastructure is a patchwork quilt of objects and their associated metadata.

    AI tools can do amazing things, such as make 3D models of digitized versions of the items in museum collections, but only if there’s enough well-organized data about that item available. To see how AI can help museum collections, my team of researchers started by conducting focus groups with the people who managed museum collections. We asked what they are doing to get their collections used by both humans and AI.

    Museums can have vast collections – everything from samples from archeological sites to preserved insects to dinosaur bones. And huge collections means lots of data to collect and organize.
    Justin Pumfrey/The Image Bank via Getty Images

    Collection managers

    When an item comes into a museum collection, the collection managers are the people who describe that item’s features and generate data about it. That data, called metadata, allows others to use it and might include things like the collector’s name, geographic location, the time it was collected, and in the case of geological samples, the epoch it’s from. For samples from an animal or plant, it might include its taxonomy, which is the set of Latin names that classify it.

    All together, that information adds up to a mind-boggling amount of data.

    But combining data across domains with different standards is really tricky. Fortunately, collection managers have been working to standardize their processes across disciplines and for many types of samples. Grants have helped science communities build tools for standardization.

    In biological collections, the tool Specify allows managers to quickly classify specimens with drop-down menus prepopulated with standards for taxonomy and other parameters to consistently describe the incoming specimens.

    A common metadata standard in biology is Darwin Core. Similar well-established metadata and tools exist across all the sciences to make the workflow of taking real items and putting them into a machine as easy as possible.

    Special tools like these and metadata help collection managers make data from their objects reusable for research and educational purposes.

    Many of the items in museum collections don’t have a lot of information describing their origins. AI tools can help fill in gaps.

    All the small things

    My team and I conducted 10 focus groups, with a total of 32 participants from several physical sample communities. These included collection managers across disciplines, including anthropology, archaeology, botany, geology, ichthyology, entomology, herpetology and paleontology.

    Each participant answered questions about how they accessed, organized, stored and used data from their collections in an effort to make their materials ready for AI to use. While human subjects need to provide consent to be studied, most species do not. So, an AI can collect and analyze the data from nonhuman physical collections without privacy or consent concerns.

    We found that collection managers from different fields and institutions have lots of different practices when it comes to getting their physical collections ready for AI. Our results suggest that standardizing the types of metadata managers record and the ways they store it across collections could make the items in these samples more accessible and usable.

    Additional research projects like our study can help collection managers build up the infrastructure they’ll need to make their data machine-ready. Human expertise can help inform AI tools that make new discoveries based on the old treasures in museum collections.

    Bradley Wade Bishop receives funding from the Institute of Museum and Library Services and the National Science Foundation.

    – ref. Museums have tons of data, and AI could make it more accessible − but standardizing and organizing it across fields won’t be easy – https://theconversation.com/museums-have-tons-of-data-and-ai-could-make-it-more-accessible-but-standardizing-and-organizing-it-across-fields-wont-be-easy-250487

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK and Faroe Islands reach agreement on fishing opportunities for 2025

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    UK and Faroe Islands reach agreement on fishing opportunities for 2025

    UK secures over 2,000 tonnes of fishing opportunities through annual negotiations with the Faroe Islands, valued at £5 million

    The UK fishing industry will receive over 2,000 tonnes of fishing opportunities in Faroese waters, following annual negotiations with the Faroe Islands for 2025, the UK government has announced today (17 March). Based on historical prices, those are valued at £5 million to the UK.  

    The agreement secures UK fishermen 880 tonnes of cod and haddock, 575 tonnes of saithe, as well as redfish, blue ling and ling, flatfish and other species in Faroese waters.   

    The agreement also reconfirms the UK and Faroese commitments to scientific cooperation and to establish a new joint Compliance Forum, which will allow the parties to share good practice on monitoring, control and surveillance.  

    The deal follows the conclusion of negotiations with the EU, Norway and other coastal States at the end of 2024. In total, this brings fishing opportunities secured for the UK fleet in 2025 in the main negotiating forums to 750,000, worth up £960m based on historic landing prices. 

    Fisheries Minister Daniel Zeichner said:    

    I’m pleased the UK has reached an agreement with the Faroe Islands that will allow UK fishing vessels to take advantage of valuable fishing opportunities in 2025.  

    This agreement concludes the UK’s fisheries negotiations for 2025 and will see our fleet ready to take advantage of the quotas secured through these key negotiating forums. This government will always stand up for the British fishing industry, supporting our coastal communities through a sustainable and economically successful fishing sector.

    The UK negotiates annually with the Faroese Government under the UK-Faroe Islands fisheries framework agreement on potential exchanges of quota and broader fisheries management measures.   

    The agreement highlights both parties’ continued commitment to manage fisheries sustainably and support the long-term viability of stocks.  

    Throughout the negotiations, the UK Government worked closely with the devolved administrations to ensure that all fishing communities across the UK will benefit from the agreement.

    Updates to this page

    Published 17 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: 17 March 2025 Statement Third meeting of the International Health Regulations (2005) Emergency Committee regarding the upsurge of mpox 2024

    Source: World Health Organisation

    The Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) is hereby transmitting the report of the third meeting of the International Health Regulations (2005) (IHR) Emergency Committee (Committee) regarding the upsurge of mpox 2024, held on Tuesday, 25 February 2025, from 12:00 to 17:00 CET.

    Concurring with the advice unanimously expressed by the Committee during the meeting, the WHO Director-General determined that the upsurge of mpox 2024 continues to meet the criteria of a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) and, accordingly, on 27 February 2025, issued temporary recommendations to States Parties.

    The WHO Director-General expresses his most sincere gratitude to the Chair, Members, and Advisors of the Committee.

    Proceedings of the meeting

    Sixteen (16) Members of, and two Advisors to, the International Health Regulations (2005) (IHR) Emergency Committee (Committee) were convened by teleconference, via Zoom, on Tuesday, 25 February 2025, from 12:00 to 17:00 CET. Fourteen (14) of the 16 Committee Members, and one of the two Advisors to the Committee participated in the meeting.

    On behalf of the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), the Deputy Director-General welcomed Members of and Advisors to the Committee, as well as Government Officials designated to present their views to the Committee on behalf of the ten invited States Parties – Burundi, Canada, China, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Nepal, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Uganda, United Arab Emirates and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (United Kingdom).

    In his opening remarks, the WHO Deputy Director-General recalled that, on 14 August 2024, the upsurge of mpox was determined to constitute a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC). He noted that, over the three years from 1 January 2022 through 31 January 2025, almost 130 000 confirmed cases of mpox, including over 280 deaths, were reported to WHO from 130 countries and territories in all six WHO Regions, including seven countries and territories that had reported their first mpox cases since the previous meeting of the Committee on 22 November 2024. The WHO African Region, where some States Parties are continuing to experience sustained community transmission, accounts for 61% of the cases and 72% of the deaths reported globally over the past 12 months.

    The WHO Deputy Director-General highlighted that, since the last meeting of the Committee, the epidemiological situation continues to be volatile. Despite observed improvements pertaining to several aspects of the response – emergency coordination, surveillance, laboratory diagnostics, empowerment of communities, furthering equitable access to medical countermeasures and tools – several critical challenges had emerged, including: (a) rising geopolitical instability in the DRC due to escalating conflict affecting mpox response operations resulting in temporary pauses in operation, relocation of staff and restricted access to affected populations; (b) concurrent health emergencies requiring States Parties and partners to respond (e.g. Sudan virus disease outbreak in Uganda); and (c) uncertainties related to the pause in financial support from the United States of America (United States) occurring in the broader landscape of declining foreign assistance. To date, globally, one-third of the funds supporting the response to mpox had been pledged by the United States. Without sufficient funds, the ability of States Parties, WHO and partners to maintain, sustain, and expand the response to mpox would be compromised.

    The Representative of the Office of Legal Counsel then briefed the Members and Advisors on their roles and responsibilities and identified the mandate of the Committee under the relevant articles of the IHR. The Ethics Officer from the Department of Compliance, Risk Management, and Ethics provided the Members and Advisors with an overview of the WHO Declaration of Interests process. The Members and Advisors were made aware of their individual responsibility to disclose to WHO, in a timely manner, any interests of a personal, professional, financial, intellectual or commercial nature that may give rise to a perceived or actual conflict of interest. They were additionally reminded of their duty to maintain the confidentiality of the meeting discussions and the work of the Committee. Each Member and Advisor was surveyed, with no conflicts of interest identified.

    The meeting was handed over to the Chair who introduced the objectives of the meeting, which were to provide views to the WHO Director-General on whether the event continues to constitute a PHEIC, and if so, to provide views on the potential proposed temporary recommendations.

    Session open to representatives of States Parties invited to present their views

    The WHO Secretariat presented an overview of the global epidemiological situation of mpox, including all circulating clades of monkeypox virus (MPXV). Outside the WHO African Region, cases of mpox reported to WHO are associated with the spread of MPXV clade IIb, with a decline in the number of cases reported in recent months. In the WHO African Region, amid the circulation of multiple MPXV clades, the still growing number of cases reported monthly is driven by the spread of MPXV clade Ib. Since the Committee last met, on 22 November 2024, exported travel-related cases of confirmed MPXV clade Ib infection have been detected in eight additional countries outside the WHO African Region.

    The WHO Secretariat then focused on the three countries reporting most cases of MPXV clade Ib since January 2024 – the DRC (over 15 000 cases, including cases in areas where MPXV clade Ia is circulating); Burundi (over 3000 cases, with a sustained decrease reported weekly and a geographic shift to the administrative capital Gitega since the Committee last met); and Uganda (nearly 3000 cases, with an exponential increase in and around the capital Kampala since the Committee last met). Notwithstanding changes in the case definition of mpox cases, uneven surveillance coverage (including due to the conflict in the eastern provinces of the country), and limited laboratory testing capacity in the DRC introducing some challenges in the interpretation of data , the number of mpox cases reported weekly is plateauing and the geographic distribution of cases, in all provinces in the country, remained very similar to the situation presented at the previous meeting of the Committee. Mathematical modelling work suggests that, since the PHEIC was determined in mid-August 2024 in the DRC, the transmission rate has decreased in certain health zones of the North Kivu and South Kivu Provinces, as well as in some health zones of the capital Kinshasa where vaccination efforts are underway.

    The spread of MPXV clade Ia and Ib, in North Kivu, South Kivu, and Kinshasa Provinces of the DRC, as well as in Burundi and Uganda, appears to have started among adults, including through sexual networks involving commercial sex workers and their clients, disproportionately affecting the 20–39 years age group. Since then, in North Kivu and South Kivu Provinces of the DRC, more age group became affected reflecting community transmission through close contact, including household, whereas, in the capital Kinshasa, the spread has remained within the adult population. In Burundi and Uganda, the age distribution of mpox cases shows a bimodal pattern, with high incidence observed among young adults and younger children. This pattern reflects both ongoing sexual transmission and close contact transmission in household settings. The strikingly high proportion of cases among younger children (0-9 age group) observed in Burundi is possibly attributable to transmission occurring within health care facilities settings.

    In addition to the three aforementioned countries, community transmission of MPXV clade Ib is also observed in Kenya, Rwanda, and Zambia, while travel-related imported cases have been reported both, by countries in the WHO African Region (Angola, Zimbabwe, with cases in Tanzania being under investigation), and by 14 countries in the five remaining WHO Regions. Most travel-related imported cases are male and, in instances where limited secondary transmission in the country of importation has occurred, a few children have been infected through household contact, including child-to-child transmission on one occasion. The five imported cases with sole travel history to the United Arab Emirates may signal wider mpox transmission in that country.

    Mortality associated with the different MPXV clades in the WHO African Region, and notwithstanding the limitation of surveillance and laboratory diagnostics in the DRC, clade Ia accounts for the majority of fatal cases (1345), corresponding to an average case fatality rate (CFR%) of 2.5-3%, being highest in children under 1 year of age (4–5%). The CFR attributed with clade Ib infection remains very low at around 0.2%, and similar to the that attributed to clade IIb, with recorded deaths associated with specific risk factors such as uncontrolled HIV and other comorbidities.

    The WHO Secretariat also noted an increase in mpox cases reported in West African countries since the PHEIC was determined in mid-August 2024, including the first cases of mpox, due to MPXV clade IIa, reported by Sierra Leone.

    The WHO Secretariat presented the assessed risk by MPXV clades and further expressed in terms of overall public health risk where any given clade/s is/are circulating, as: Clade Ib – high public health risk in the DRC and neighbouring countries; Clade Ia – moderate public health risk in the DRC; Clade II – moderate public health risk in Nigeria and countries of West and Central Africa where mpox is endemic; and lade IIb – moderate public health risk globally.

    The WHO Secretariat subsequently provided an update on response actions taken together with States Parties and partners since the Committee last met. In addition to the overview provided by the WHO Deputy Director-General, and in the epidemiological overview, the WHO Secretariat provided details on progress and challenges focusing on the aspects of the response outlined below.

    The coordination of emergency operations by the WHO Secretariat was readjusted – including based on action reviews and leveraging the comparative advantages of WHO, State Parties, and partners –prioritizing a flexible, agile, and delivery-focused response. However, while decentralized field operations have intensified, such shifts take time, particularly in specific settings in the DRC and amid changes in geopolitical partnerships. The operational decentralization continues to emphasize increased laboratory diagnostic support, increased dissemination of standards and guidance to deliver safe clinical care, and empowering communities to enhance their efforts to protect themselves from risks associated with mpox.

    Additionally, through the Access and Allocation Mechanism (AAM), WHO and partners (Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance (Gavi), and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)) are continuing coordinated and multifaceted efforts to prioritize access to and roll out mpox vaccines in an equitable manner.

    With the WHO Mpox global strategic preparedness and response plan, September 2024-February 2025 (SPRP) reaching the end of its initial timeframe, and considering the response strategy it outlines as still fit for purpose, the WHO Secretariat is planning to release an extension of the plan in the coming weeks.

    In September 2024, the WHO Secretariat launched an appeal for US$ 87.4 million to support mpox response efforts WHO appeal: mpox public health emergency 2024 with US$ 65.5 million raised by the time of this meeting. The contribution from the United States had accounted for 33% of the funds raised, of which US$ 7.5 million is currently inaccessible due to the freeze of funds from the United States. As part of planning for the extension of the SPRP, the WHO Secretariat is conducting a review of available resources to address priority needs and mitigate potential future gaps in the delivery of the response. While the above-mentioned freeze is expected to primarily impact operations in Burundi, the Central African Republic, the DRC, the Republic of the Congo, and Rwanda, broader challenges are anticipated for the second and third quarters of 2025. Given the evolving epidemiological situation and challenges noted above, the reduction in predictable and flexible funding throughout 2025 will put at risk the progress of the mpox response to date.

    Representatives of Burundi, the DRC, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, and Uganda updated the Committee on the mpox epidemiological situation in their countries and their current control and response efforts, needs and challenges, including those related to the freeze of the funds from the United States. The use of mpox vaccine is contemplated in the response plans of the DRC, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, and Uganda. In Burundi, following action review, community-based interventions that are being strengthened in areas experiencing high incident of mpox include risk communication and awareness raising.

    Members of, and the Advisor to, the Committee then engaged in questions and answers, revolving around the issues and challenges enumerated below, with the presenters from States Parties and the WHO Secretariat, as well as with representatives of States Parties invited to submit a written statement to the Committee ahead of the meeting – Canada, China, Nepal, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom.

    Funding – The Committee reiterated the importance of efforts to mobilize domestic financial resources to support mpox response activities. Burundi and the DRC indicated the funds allocated to the response by their respective Governments, also providing details of specific activities supported. The DRC indicated that, at present, the freeze of the funds from the United States is impacting the transportation of clinical specimens and laboratory diagnostics, with a decline in the testing rate, and that the Government is exploring solutions with other partners. The WHO Secretariat added that alternative funding sources are being explored with non-traditional donors.

    Age distribution of mpox cases – The WHO Secretariat indicated that (a) there are studies ongoing to determine the secondary attack rate by age group and type of exposure; (b) at least in Burundi, there is no evidence of large outbreaks in settings where children are congregating and, hence, supporting evidence of child-to-child transmission; and (c) in the South Kivu Proving of the DRC, it remains unknown the extent to which transmission to children is occurring beyond the household setting.

    Impact of vaccination on transmission – The DRC indicated that, at present, there is no information about whether the use of the limited amount of mpox vaccine available is being effective in interrupting mpox transmission.

    The DRC – The DRC indicated that, due to insecurity and to decrease in laboratory testing rate, any apparent decrease of the number of reported mpox cases may represent an artifact and should be interpreted with caution. The WHO Secretariat highlighted that, being mpox a relatively mild illness, the rate of underreporting is unknown and that the trends of mpox surveillance data are critical to monitor the evolution of the situation. With respect to detection of a new MPXV clade Ia lineage in Kinshasa, the WHO Secretariat indicated that the strain, similarly to clade Ib, has increased human-to-human transmission potential.

    Uganda – Uganda elaborated on the shift of the dynamics of mpox transmission from lower to higher income groups. The initial spread of MPXV clade Ib initiated long-distance truck drivers, it continued in fishing communities, and then within commercial sex networks in the capital Kampala. The fact that more affluent individuals are now affected poses a public health risk both, nationally and internationally. Therefore, the use of mpox vaccine is focused among sex workers in Kampala.

    Nigeria – Nigeria indicated that, in the context of the mpox response, the human health and animal health sectors are working very closely and that, despite the numerous research initiatives, to date, there is no evidence of animal involvement in sustaining the mpox outbreak in the human population. Nigeria, with a population of 200 million persons, indicated that 20 000 doses of mpox vaccine have been used in the country, targeting health care workers, female sex workers, and men who have sex with men.

    The United Arab Emirates – Considering that, in five instances, travel-related imported cases of MPXV clade Ib infection had sole travel history to the United Arab Emirates, the representative of the country (a) indicated that the National IHR Focal Point reported to WHO the first case of MPXV clade Ib infection; (b) briefly described the surveillance, laboratory diagnostic, case management, and risk communication approaches in place; (c) indicated that mpox vaccine is available to health care workers and as a post-exposure measure; and (d) recalled that the country is bilaterally supporting the response efforts of some African countries.

    The United Kingdom – The United Kingdom (a) described the detection, investigation, and clinical and public health management of the travel-related imported mpox cases; and (b) highlighted that the countries of origin of the imported cases are systematically informed about the occurrences.

    Deliberative session

    Following the session open to invited States Parties, the Committee reconvened in a closed session to examine the questions in relation to whether the event constitutes a PHEIC or not, and if so, to consider the temporary recommendations drafted by the WHO Secretariat in accordance with IHR provisions.

    The Chair reminded the Committee Members of their mandate and recalled that a PHEIC is defined in the IHR as an “extraordinary event, which constitutes a public health risk to other States through the international spread of disease, and potentially requires a coordinated international response”.

    The Committee was unanimous in expressing the views that the ongoing upsurge of mpox still meets the criteria of a PHEIC and that the Director-General be advised accordingly

    The overarching considerations underpinning the advice of the Committee are (a) the insecurity in the eastern provinces and in the capital of the DRC – the State Party epicenter of the MPXV clade Ib outbreak –, hampering mpox response field operations and with the potential to morph into a larger scale humanitarian response; (b) the freeze of funding by the United States both, of specific mpox response activities as well as of other, directly or indirectly related, aid interventions; and (c) the continuing detection of travel-related imported mpox cases in States Parties within and outside the WHO African Region.

    On that basis, the Committee considered that:

    The event is “extraordinary” because of (a) the persistent, if not increasing, challenges in gauging the actual magnitude and trend of the MPXV clade Ib outbreak, especially in the DRC. This is thwarting the ability to assess progress, if any, towards controlling the spread of mpox and to adjust response interventions. The Committee’s reading is that, overall, the epidemiological situation is worryingly similar to that observed in November 2024; (b) the unfolding dynamics of MPXV clade Ib transmission, resulting in the shift in age groups affected and, hence, posing challenges in timely targeting response interventions; (c) the co-circulation and the risk of mutations of MPXV clades in the context of sustained community transmission; and (d) the possibility of change in the severity of disease resulting from food insecurity and interruption in the delivery of HIV-related care due to the freeze of aid.

    The event “constitutes a public health risk to other States through the international spread of disease” because of (a) the doubling of the number of States Parties having detected travel-related imported cases of MPXV clade Ib infection since the Committee last met, both in the WHO African Region and in all five other WHO Regions; (b) the possible influx of refugees from the eastern provinces of the DRC into neighbouring countries.

    The event “requires a coordinated international response” because of the needs (a) to mobilize, and optimize the use, of financial and other resources to sustain response efforts, at the required level, in the medium term, following the freeze of funding by the United States; and (b) to continue facilitating and increasing equitable access to mpox vaccines and diagnostics.

    The Committee subsequently considered the draft of the temporary recommendations proposed by the WHO Secretariat

    Anticipating the possibility that the WHO Director-General may determine that the event continues to constitute a PHEIC, the Committee had received a proposed set of revised temporary recommendations ahead of the meeting. This reflected the proposal to extend most of the temporary recommendations issued on 27 November 2024. The Committee indicated that it would be giving them further consideration with a view to share its advice in that regard with the WHO Director-General as soon as possible. In such a way, should the WHO Director-General determine that the event continues to constitute a PHEIC, he could proceed, without delay, with issuing such communication together with a prospective revised set of temporary recommendations.

    The Committee agreed to finalize the report of its third meeting during the week of 3 March 2025.

    Conclusions

    The Committee reiterated its concern regarding the continuing spread of MPXV in and beyond Africa, considering global geopolitical developments, the humanitarian situation in the DRC, as well as the foreseeable options and opportunities to secure sustainable funding to support response efforts. The Committee considered that the determination by the WHO Director-General that the upsurge of mpox still constitutes a PHEIC would be warranted. However, the Committee cautioned about the possible unintended consequences of determining an event to constitute a PHEIC for extended periods of time, since this could undermine the global public health alert function intrinsic to such a determination and reduce the leverage of a PHEIC in boosting domestic and international response efforts for future events. To that effect, the Committee reiterated the need to elaborate on considerations, related to the three criteria defining a PHEIC, that would inform its future advice to the WHO Director-General as to the termination of this PHEIC.

    The Incident Manager for mpox at WHO headquarters, on behalf of the WHO Deputy Director-General, expressed his gratitude to the Committee’s Officers, its Members and Advisor and closed the meeting.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: AFRICA/NIGERIA – After the March 3 kidnapping: Seminarian murdered, while the priest kidnapped with him is released

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Abuja (Agenzia Fides) – The seminarian who was kidnapped along with a priest on March 3 in southern Nigeria (see Fides, 5/3/2025) has been murdered, while the priest was released. According to the Diocese of Auchi, “Fr. Philip Ekweli was released by the kidnappers on Thursday, 13th of March, 2025 close to Amughe village, a few kilometres from Okpekpe town, North Ibie in Etsako East LGA of Edo State.””Unfortunately, however, the 21-year-old major seminarian, Andrew Peter, who was kidnapped along with Fr Ekweli, was gruesomely murdered by the abductors,” the statement added, signed by Fr. Peter Egielewa, Director of the Diocesan Media Relations Office. Father Ekweli and seminarian Andrew were kidnapped from the rectory of St. Peter’s Catholic Church in Iviukhua-Agenebode, Etsako East County, Edo State, at approximately 9:30 p.m. on March 3, when armed men entered both the rectory and the church. The two were taken to nearby forests.The diocese appeals to security forces to protect the people of Edo State from the ongoing kidnappings: “The Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Auchi, Most Rev. Dr. Gabriel Dunia, expresses gratitude to all for the prayers and moral support received while Fr Ekweli and the Seminarian were held in captivity. He calls on the government at all levels and the security agencies to stop the deteriorating security situation in Edo North in particular and other parts of Edo State, which has now become a safe haven for kidnappers, who can operate with impunity, while the people feel helpless and abandoned.” “People are not safe on the roads, in their farms and even in their homes. This is unacceptable when there are elected officials whose duty it is to protect the people. The bishop is grateful to the Edo State Government for their sincere efforts in seeing the victims rescued, but expresses dissatisfaction with the response of the police in particular in the rescue efforts, urging them to put in place better measures to rescue kidnapped victims rather than leave the entire rescue efforts solely in the hands of family, friends and acquaintances of kidnapped victims.”Father Egielewa recalls that “in the past decade, six of its priests had been kidnapped and tortured before release, three were attacked but escaped, and two—Fr. Christopher Odia and Seminarian Andrew Peter—were murdered.” “May the souls of Seminarian Andrew Peter, Fr Christopher Odia and all those killed by kidnappers in Nigeria through the mercy of God rest in peace,” the statement concludes. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides, 17/3/2025)
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    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: DLNR News Release – GROUNDED SAILBOAT REMOVED FROM HONOLUA BAY March 15, 2025

    Source: US State of Hawaii

    DLNR News Release – GROUNDED SAILBOAT REMOVED FROM HONOLUA BAY March 15, 2025

    Posted on Mar 15, 2025 in Latest Department News, Newsroom

     

    STATE OF HAWAIʻI

    KA MOKU ʻĀINA O HAWAIʻI

     

    DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES

    KA ‘OIHANA KUMUWAIWAI ‘ĀINA

     

    JOSH GREEN, M.D.
    GOVERNOR

     

    DAWN CHANG
    CHAIRPERSON

     

    GROUNDED SAILBOAT REMOVED FROM HONOLUA BAY

     

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

    March 15, 2025

     

    HONOLUA BAY, Maui – The 65-foot catamaran Hula Girl that had become an unwelcome fixture at Maui’s Honolua-Mokulē‘ia Marine Life Conservation District for almost two months, has been removed.

     

    Its long-awaited exit Friday afternoon brought a collective sigh of relief to the vessel’s owner, Kapalua Kai Sailing, Inc., the salvage crew, and the West Maui community.

     

    A storm, in addition to a compromised motor, led to the sailing vessel’s undoing in January. Inhibited in its ability to operate and recover, the catamaran was dragged onto Honolua Bay’s rocky shoreline, where it’s been languishing since. The DLNR Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation (DOBOR) and Division of Aquatic Resources (DAR) worked closely with the vessel’s owner to develop and execute the salvage plan.

     

    Several factors contributed to delays in the boat’s removal including high winds, inclement weather and uncooperative tides. Hiring a company to tackle the salvage also proved challenging. After weeks of refusals and uncertainty, Cates Marine Service, LLC signed on for the job. Owner Randy Cates is a seasoned veteran with decades in the boat salvage business. He’s also no stranger to groundings in the bay.

     

    The Cates team handled the removal of the luxury yacht Nakoa from Honolua in 2023. Two years later, almost to the day, again with help from Foss Marine, it managed to tug Hula Girl free from the rocks.

     

    Rigging lines and other preparations on Hula Girl were finalized on Thursday and early Friday. Just after noon on Friday, and on the incoming tide, the Foss Marine tug arrived. Notice was given to surfers and snorkelers in the water to avoid the area. Once the lines were connected between the tug and Hula Girl, the catamaran didn’t put up too much of a fight. The sailing vessel was successfully freed within an hour. 

     

    An initial damage assessment by a DAR dive team suggested no coral, fish, or invertebrates in the bay were harmed. Another assessment is planned now that the Hula Girl has been moved. Natural resources in nearshore ecosystems often bear the brunt of boat groundings. In this case, it appears at least initially that no fuel or oil was spilled, and no reef was scarred.

     

    Hula Girl’s next stop is a designated mooring offshore at Māla small boat ramp, where it will undergo an evaluation for temporary repairs before being towed to O‘ahu.

     

    # # #

     

    RESOURCES

    (All images/video Courtesy: DLNR)

     

    HD video – Hula Girl media clips (March 13, 2025):

    https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/5tki8qvf8h9xadqm2psct/Hula-Girl-March-13-2025-media-clips.mov?rlkey=cr84k0lz0t3y965dwlu1m1g2w&st=bo9h6jet&dl=0

     

    HD video – Hula Girl media clips (March 14, 2025:

    https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/syp2z7laa5xb35e8xp6v2/Hula-Girl-March-14-2025-media-clips.mov?rlkey=uaw9ix4f3121tpi1rvta0yj5f&st=28ufuug5&dl=0

     

    Photographs – Hula Girl removal (March 13-14, 2025):

    https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/8jeu2r9sa6w9oepg5irjm/AMPW4DykcC-GYvDzZqcPgIA?rlkey=e9bscflp42a3qghy20h0eoo7x&st=wgbgfchu&dl=0

     

     

    Media Contact: 

    Ryan Aguilar

    Communications Specialist

    Hawai‘i Dept. of Land and Natural Resources

    808-587-0396 

    Email: [email protected] 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Stakeholders Meet for Dissemination of CSIR Technologies in Andaman and Nicobar Islands

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 17 MAR 2025 11:34AM by PIB Delhi

    CSIR-National Institute of Science Communication and Policy Research (NIScPR), Unnat Bharat Abhiyan (UBA) – National Coordinating Institute, IIT Delhi, Vijnana Bharati (VIBHA), and Jawaharlal Nehru Rajkeeya Mahavidyalaya (PI, UBA) jointly organised three day stakeholders meet (11-13 March) for dissemination of CSIR technologies in Port Blair.

    The Andaman and Nicobar Islands, known for their unique geography and ecological richness, face distinct challenges in sectors such as agriculture, fisheries, water resources, healthcare, and disaster management. Despite their potential for sustainable development, limited infrastructure, underutilization of natural resources, and the lack of access to modern technologies hinder the region’s growth. However, with the application of innovative solutions, these challenges can be addressed effectively.

    The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), a leading research and development organization in India, has developed a wide array of technologies in key sectors such as agriculture, food processing technologies, bee farming and bee hive technologies, floriculture and AROMA mission, water purification technologies, water desalination technologies, fish processing, and more. The dissemination of these technologies could significantly contribute to the region’s sustainable development by creating livelihood opportunities and improving the overall quality of life.

    To facilitate this, a three-day stakeholders meet was organized to discuss and disseminate CSIR technologies to address the region’s specific challenges. The event, set to take place from March 11-13, 2025, at Jawaharlal Nehru Rajkeeya Mahavidyalaya (JNRM) in Port Blair, is jointly organized by CSIR-NIScPR, Unnat Bharat Abhiyan (UBA) – National Coordinating Institute, IIT Delhi, Vijnana Bharati (VIBHA), and JNRM. The objective of this event was to showcase CSIR technologies tailored to the socio-economic and ecological context of the region, facilitate dialogue among stakeholders, build collaborations and encourage partnerships for technology implementation, and provide capacity building through technology demonstrations and presentations. Key focus areas of the event included exploring CSIR’s solutions and their potential applications in the region like Floriculture Mission, AROMA Mission, Food Processing Technologies, Solar Drier Technology, Bee Farming and Beehive Technologies, Water Desalination Technologies, etc.

    The meeting follows an earlier event held in January 2024 and aims to further explore the potential application of CSIR technologies to foster sustainable development in the region. The event was graced by a distinguished panel of experts.

    The meet was inaugurated in the presence of Prof. Ranjana Aggarwal, Director CSIR-NIScPR; Dr. Sridevi Annapurna Singh, Director CSIR-CFTRI; Dr.Ajit Kumar Shasany, Director CSIR-NBRI. This occasion was graced by the Chief Guest Ms Pallavi Sarkar, IAS, Secretary (Agriculture/ Animal Husbandry Coordinator CS Office) ED (ANIIDICO) and Guest of Honor Dr. Eknath B. Chakurkar, Director ICAR-CIARI. Dr. Pradeep Kumar Singh, Project Director UBA, Shri Sreeparasad Kuttan, organizing secretary VIBHA and  Principal in charge JNRM also present in this meet. Scientists from CSIR-CFTRI, CSIR-IHBT, CSIR-CIMAP, CSIR-IICT, CSIR-CSMCRI, CSIR-NIEST, CSIR-NBRI, CSIR-TMD and NIOT, representative from NABARD, and as many as 150 representations from various SHGs participated in this meet.

    Prof. Ranjana Aggarwal highlighted the concept behind the organizing this programme and explained that how interventions of CSIR technology might harness the potential of Andaman & Nicobar region and expressed her believe that effort behind meet would certainly be translated in technology implementation enriching the socioeconomic profile of the region.  She noticed and remarked about the dominant participation of women in this meet. She discussed about the roles of the CSIR, UBA and VIBHA in working out providing S&T solutions at rural areas towards capacity building of rural regions.  She thanked CSIR-CFTRI, CSIR-IHBT, CSIR-CIMAP, CSIR-IICT, CSIR-CSMCRI, CSIR-NIEST, CSIR-NBRI and NIOT for participating in this event along with CSIR-NIScPR. 

    Dr. K.C. Joshi, Principal in charge JNRM, welcomed the delegates and participants and highlighted the importance of technology intervention in rural development, which is very important especially in the Andaman & Nicobar region. He remarked that this would unlock the potential of this region.

    Ms. Pallavi Sarkar, IAS, extended for her being given this interactive platform and remarked this event is a landmark event bringing scientifically validated technologies in the land of Andaman & Nicobar region. She requested that all the stakeholders should actively engage in all technology dissemination sessions with the scientist to translate natural-resource potential of this region in value added products which may be promoted to international market. She further elaborated that technologies suitable for the socioeconomic development of the Andaman & Nicobar regions should be properly worked out, mapped, and catalogued during this meet. Additionally, she suggested that the scientific community should also workout on mapping of natural resources for which potential technologies may be developed in synergy with the traditional knowledge for producing value added products which may be promoted in the international market. She emphasized that the technologies may be promoted that forest-based products, animal based, sea based products, value added products from coconut, honey bee farming and value added products from honey those could be taken to international scale.

    Dr. Eaknath B. Chakurkar, Director of ICAR-CIARI, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, delivered the Guest of Honor address, emphasizing the importance of collaboration between scientific research institutions and local authorities for the region’s sustainable development.  Dr.Chakurkar, extended his thanks to organizers for inviting him in this crucial event and outlined the prior linkages ICAR-CIARI is having with UBA and VIBHA. He mentioned about the secondary agriculture, in which people are not directly involved with agriculture, such amul butter,  sindoor plant, Arica net plate making business, etc. He asserted that this event is remarkable as many scientists have made themselves available to discuss with the stakeholders. He therefore requested all the stakeholders to make the maximum utilization of this opportunity.

    Dr. Sridevi Annapurna Singh, Director CSIR-CFTRI, expressed that she believes that CSIR-CFTRI technologies shall be of great importance for uplifting the quality of value added food products in this region. She mentioned briefly about the important technologies developed by CSIR-CFTRI such as Amul milk powder, spice oils and oleoresins, instant mixes etc. She emphasized the need of adopting the indigenous technologies for rural development. She exemplified the coconut based technologies of CSIR-CFTRI as one of the technology which implementation will be discussed in this meet considering the easy availability of coconut in this region. She mentioned and listed out several training programmes, incubation centers, and hand holding support CSIR-CFTRI has provisioned for rural capacity building. 

    Dr. Kandimuthu, extended his hearty welcomed dignitaries and introduced Padmashri Ms. Panchimal Nariayal Amma and Smt. Meenamal who are working in the Andaman & Nicobar regions at grass root level.

    Dr. Ajit Kumar Shasney, Director CSIr-NBRI Lucknow, in very simple words, communicated the importance of technology and underlined the importance this event to the audience. He explained the efforts CSIR institutes are making multiple and sincere efforts towards the Lab-to-Land translation of rural technologies. He mentioned about the changes brought by organic khaad and bacteria-based solutions, substituting urea and pesticides, developed by CSIR-NBRI, which have potential applications in Andaman & Nicobar region.

    Dr. P.K. Singh, project director UBA, highlighted the activities of UBA running over pan India. He mentioned about the various events UBA is conducting in collaboration with CSIR-NIScPR. He requested students aspiring towards rural developments to explore UBA projects which come twice in year. He further mentioned about various other activities UBA has undertaken to increase involvement of the faculties and student in rural development.

    Shri Sreepasad MK, address this meet highlighting the role of VIBHA for uplifting the rural livelihood. He mentioned about the 38 chapters VIBHA has introduced pan India in various Indian states. He also mentioned about him being the representative of Andaman & Nicobar in VIBHA. He further exemplified the importance of this event and unique opportunities this event is going provide to stakeholders.

    Dr. Yogesh Suman, Chief Scientist, CSIR-NIScPR, New Delhi, presented the activities undertaken for rural development through S&T interventions in the project ‘Creating livelihood opportunity through CSIR Technologies using UBA and VIBHA Network’. He also proposed the vote of thanks to all the experts, scientists, and participants.

    MS. Kamachi Chellammal, Andaman’s ‘Nariyal Amma’ Padamshree awardee was also participated in the event and the scientist also visited to their agricultural forms for mapping of suitable technologies for their region.

    The technical session 1 related to the Making Value Added products using Food Processing Technologies CSIR-CFTRI, presented by Dr Sridevi Annapurna Singh, Dr Aashitosh Inamdar, and Dr Pratap Singh Negi. The CSIR-CFTRI technologies suitable for Andaman and Nicobar Islands along with dissemination and adaptation strategies were presented in the session.

    The technical session 2 related to exploring application of CSIR Technologies related to floriculture and AROMA mission in Andaman region were highlighted from Dr Ramesh Chandra Srivastava, Dr Rajesh Kumar Verma from CSIR-CIMAP, Dr Sukhjinder Singh from CSIR-IHBT Palampur and Dr. Manish Bhoyar, CSIR-NBRI, Lucknow.

    The technical session 3 of day 2 was started with Bee farming and Bee hive technologies for Andaman Region by presenting ‘Imporved Beehive Technology’ developed by CSIR-IHBT Palampur and presented by Dr Sukhjinder Singh, CSIR-IHBT Palampur. The application of Water Desalination Technology in Andaman Region presented by Dr S. Sreedhar  CSIR-IICT Hyderabad and Dr. G. Venkatesan, National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), Chennai. Dr. Bhupendra Markam

    CSIR-CSMCRI, Bhav Nagar presented the Application of decentralized solar thermal dryer for hygienic drying of Agri-food products and highlighted the suitability of this technology for agro-food products and fish drying for Andaman and Nicobar region. Overview of Funding Schemes available in NABARD Andaman region presented by Shri Pratap Singh, Assistant Manager NABARD, Andaman Region. The field visit was also organized to understand the issues and the technology mapping for the region.

    ***

    NKR/PSM

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah addresses 57th annual conference of All Bodo Students’ Union (ABSU) as the Chief Guest in Kokrajhar, Assam

    Source: Government of India

    Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah addresses 57th annual conference of All Bodo Students’ Union (ABSU) as the Chief Guest in Kokrajhar, Assam

    Without ABSU, the Bodo Accord would not have been possible, ABSU has played a crucial role in establishing peace and development in Bodoland

    A prominent road in Delhi will be named after Bodopa Upendra Nath Brahma Ji

    Modi government will complete 100 per cent implement of the BTR peace agreement in the next two years

    The Modi government and the Assam government will fulfill the dreams of Bodopa Upendra Nath Brahma Ji

    In the past, there were discussions about unrest, chaos, and separatism in Bodoland, now, the focus is on education, development, and industry

    In the past, where bullets once flew in the Bodoland region, today, Bodo youths are waving the tricolor

    Now, “Mushroom from Bodoland” is also available in Delhi, more than a dozen products from Bodoland have received the GI Tag

    A new beginning has been made by recruiting 400 Bodo youths into the Assam Commando Battalion

    Posted On: 16 MAR 2025 5:24PM by PIB Delhi

    Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah today addressed the 57th annual conference of All Bodo Students’ Union (ABSU) as the Chief Guest in Kokrajhar, Assam. On this occasion, Assam Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma, Speaker of the Legislative Assembly Shri Biswajit Daimary, the Union Home Secretary, and the Director of the Intelligence Bureau (IB), along with several other dignitaries were present.

    In his address, Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah said that All Bodo Students’ Union (ABSU) has played a significant role in establishing peace, development, and enthusiasm in the region. Without the role of ABSU, the Bodo Accord would not have been possible, and peace would not have been established in Bodoland. On this occasion, Shri Shah also paid tribute to the five thousand martyrs who fought for the peace of Bodoland.

    Shri Amit Shah said that today, when entire Bodoland is following the path shown by its leader, Upendra Nath Brahma Ji, the government has decided to name a prominent road in Delhi as Bodopa Upendra Nath Brahma Marg. He also mentioned that in the first week of April, a program will be held in Delhi where a bust of Upendra Nath Brahma Ji will be unveiled. He said, the Modi government and the Assam government will bring every dream of Bodopa Upendra Nath Brahma Ji to fruition.

    Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah said that ABSU is advancing education, empowerment, and development. It is due to the efforts of ABSU that today, students are able to take their exams up to the 12th grade in the Bodo language. As a result, our Bodo language has been recognized and will remain alive for many years to come. He further stated that today’s event sends a strong message of the peace established in Bodoland.

    Shri Amit Shah said that when the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) peace agreement was signed on January 27, 2020, the opposition was mocking it. However, today, the central government and the Assam government have fulfilled 82 per cent of the conditions of this agreement. He further stated that under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, the Government of India will implement 100 per cent of this agreement in the next two years. After that, there will be lasting peace in the BTR.

    Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah said that under the BTR peace agreement, the government removed the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) from the entire BTR area on April 1, 2022. He also mentioned that under the Government of India’s ‘One District, One Product’ (ODOP) program, today, the mushroom from Kokrajhar, known as “Mushroom From Bodoland,” is being included in the menus of hotels in Delhi. This has become possible due to the peace established in Bodoland. He further stated that because of the peace, Bodoland was able to host the ‘Durand Cup’ tournament. He appealed to the athletes of Bodoland to start preparing for the potential Olympics in India in 2036.

    Shri Amit Shah said that more than a dozen products from Bodoland have received the GI (Geographical Indication) Tag. As a result, an industrial environment is gradually being created across the entire BTR area. He mentioned that there was a time when there were discussions about unrest, chaos, and separatism, but now the focus has shifted to education, development, and industry.

    Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, the Government of India and the Assam Government have allocated ₹1,500 crore for the development of Bodoland, even though the population of the region is only 3.5 million. He also mentioned that during the tenure of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the Bodo language was included in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution. Additionally, the BTR region was expanded by including the Sonitpur and Biswanath districts.

    Shri Amit Shah said that hundreds of youths have been brought into the mainstream of society. Many weapons were surrendered, and in the last three years, ₹287 crore have been spent on the rehabilitation of 4,881 members of the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) in Assam, with 90 per cent of this amount provided by the Modi government. Shri Shah further mentioned that a lot of work has been done for employment and skill development. NGOs have been involved in all sectors, including SIP&RD, KVK, KVIC, animal husbandry, fisheries, and horticulture, to work with the local people and help them progress.

    Union Home Minister said that Assam Chief Minister Dr. Sarma has made a new beginning by recruiting 400 Bodo youths into the Assam Commando Battalion. He further mentioned that under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, the Government of India has signed agreements with a total of nine insurgent groups in Assam, bringing over 10,000 youths into the mainstream of society.

    Shri Amit Shah said that where once bullets were fired, today Bodo youth are waving the tricolor in their hands. This sight sends a message to the entire country. He added that when the Bodo Accord was signed, not only Bodoland and Assam but the entire country was happy. Just as the people of Bodoland love the country, the entire country loves Bodoland and its people and is committed to the development of its youth.

    Union Home Minister said that the Bathou religion, followed by the people of Bodoland, holds great significance. He explained that Bathou is made up of two elements, and its meaning is “the deep mystery of the creator of the five elements.” The five elements, or panchatatva, include fire, air, earth, sky, and water, which form the foundation of your great religion. He also mentioned that he strives to spread the message of the Bathou religion.

    Shri Amit Shah said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, the entire Northeast has been freed from issues such as insurgency, movements, blockades, strikes, and violence, and has been ushered onto the path of development. He mentioned that recently, an Investment Summit took place under the leadership of PM Modi and Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma, which is bringing an investment of ₹5 lakh crore to Assam. He appealed to the Bodo youths to focus on their education and contribute to the peace process. He further stated that the goal is to build such infrastructure in Bodoland that Bodo youths can compete with youth from all around the world. He assured that the Government of India and the Assam Government will leave no stone unturned in the development of Bodoland.

    ****

    RK/VV/PR/PS

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    Read this release in: Hindi

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cantwell Statement on Voting Against GOP’s Continuing Resolution Bill

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington Maria Cantwell

    03.14.25

    Cantwell Statement on Voting Against GOP’s Continuing Resolution Bill

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the Senate voted on a Continuing Resolution (CR) bill written by House Republicans that would fund the government through Sept. 30, while making cuts to important programs and ceding more authority over federal spending to the Trump Administration.

    U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and senior member of the Senate Finance Committee, voted against the CR. She gave the following statement:

    “I am not going to vote for a partisan funding bill that makes deep cuts to essential government functions. This bill endangers the health of Americans by cutting $280 million from the National Institutes of Health; jeopardizes the state of Washington’s maritime economy by slashing the Army Corps of Engineers by 44 percent; and impacts our farmers by cutting $57 million from important USDA’s Agriculture Research Services account. A bipartisan congressional effort to finish all appropriations bills would have delivered better results for taxpayers.

    Congress has the authority and responsibility to direct federal spending based on the needs of their constituents. Turning that work over to the White House puts important programs like NOAA experts working on salmon recovery or creating weather forecasts at risk.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Collins Urges Colleagues to Support Continuing Resolution, Avert Shutdown

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Susan Collins

    Click HERE to watch and HERE to download.

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Susan Collins, Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, delivered remarks on the Senate floor today to urge her colleagues to support the continuing resolution to prevent a harmful government shutdown. 

    A transcript of Senator Collins’ remarks is as follows:

    “Mr. President, I rise to urge passage of this funding measure to prevent an unnecessary, harmful, and costly government shutdown at midnight tonight.

    “Mr. President, government shutdowns are inherently a failure to govern effectively and have negative consequences all across government.  They inevitably require certain government employees, such as Border Patrol agents, members of our military and Coast Guard, TSA screeners, and air traffic controllers to report to work with no certainty at all on when they will receive their next paycheck. 

    “That’s just unfair.

    “Shutdowns also put critical investments in our national defense on hold.  Training exercises would be limited, which could hurt our nation’s readiness.  New programs would be paused, delaying new capabilities from getting to our war fighters.  That’s why we have always in the past avoided CRs for the Department of Defense. 

    “At our borders, the men and women performing vital law enforcement activities would have to do so without pay and without the assistance of support staff, putting more pressure on front line operators.

    “Other harmful potential impacts include curtailed operations for the Veterans Benefits Administration, resulting in the closure of education and GI Bill call centers, and the suspension of career counseling and transition assistance for our veterans; the closure of our wonderful national parks to visitors; increased travel delays, as the onboarding of additional TSA agents would stall and some FAA employees would face furloughs; and costly delays for projects at the Army Corps of Engineers and critical water infrastructure projects.

    “That is just a very partial list of the harm that would be done from a government shutdown.

    “This unfortunate situation that we’re in with a continuing resolution, should, however, have been avoided.

    “The Senate should have finished these bills last year, and I called for that repeatedly, as did many other members.

    “Senator Murray and I worked as a team, provided leadership, consulted with the members of our Senate Appropriations Committee.  Each of us worked so hard to report 11 of the 12 bills with overwhelming bipartisan support, including six which came out of our Committee unanimously.  Unfortunately, these bipartisan bills languished on the calendar for months, never being brought to the floor for consideration.  This decision by the then-Senate majority leader denied Senators the opportunity to debate and amend our reported bills, and denied the House and the Senate the chance to go to conference and work out the differences among the bills.

    “Similarly, attempts since January, by House Chairman Tom Cole and I to reach agreement with our Democratic counterparts, regrettably, were not successful, despite my making five good faith offers.

    “Now, Madam President, that opportunity is gone.

    “A year-long CR is by no means my first choice, but our focus now, given where we are, must be on preventing a government shutdown. 

    “For the most part, this is a straightforward CR that simply continues fiscal year 2024 funding levels.

    “Now, it does include, and this is important, a number of needed anomalies that are aimed at addressing pressing needs. 

    “For example, the CR realigns funding in the appropriations accounts for the Department of Defense to meet current global threats and cover the cost of pay raises for junior enlisted personnel.

    “It provides increased funding for housing assistance, and for what is known as the WIC Program – for women, infants, and children – to maintain support for these vulnerable families.

    “Within the Department of Homeland Security, the continuing resolution includes targeted increases to support ICE operations, avoid furloughs of TSA airport screeners, and to fund much-needed pay raises for members of our Coast Guard.

    “It also includes increased funding for the FAA so that more air traffic controllers can be hired to make our nation’s airspace safer.

    “Madam President, we can delay no longer.  It is essential that the continuing resolution be adopted today in order to prevent a harmful government shutdown.  I urge its adoption.

    “And Madam President, let each and every one of us here commit to working together on the FY 2026 budget so we can enact appropriations bills prior to the start of the new fiscal year.

    “Thank you, Madam President.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Government steps to promote clean energy alternatives to Kerosene

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Posted On: 17 MAR 2025 4:17PM by PIB Delhi

    Effective 1st March, 2020, the retail selling price of PDS Kerosene is being maintained at NIL under-recovery level on pan India basis.

    Government makes allocation of Public Distribution System (PDS) Kerosene for cooking and lighting purpose. Besides this, Government in 2012, has also empowered States/ UTs to draw an allocation of one month’s quota of PDS Kerosene at Non-Subsidized rates during each financial year for special needs such as natural calamities, religious functions, fisheries, various yatras etc. The allocation of SKO under PDS has been rationalized considering the polluting nature of Kerosene. Further, Government provided cash incentives to States under Direct benefit Transfer for Kerosene scheme (DBTK) for voluntary surrender of PDS Kerosene allocations from 2015-16 to 2019-20. Since then, 13 states have become Kerosene free till FY 2023-24.

    Government is leading as well as working with various international initiatives to lead a clean energy transition. India was one of the founding members of the International Solar Alliance in November 2015 and the Global Biofuel Alliance during its G20 presidency in September 2023. During India Energy Week 2025, India hosted a Ministerial Roundtable on Clean Cooking to discuss ways to address challenges faced by the Global South and share lessons from India’s Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY).

    Government has adopted a multi-pronged strategy to promote clean energy which, inter alia, include demand substitution by promoting usage of natural gas as fuel/feedstock across the country towards increasing the share of natural gas in economy and moving towards gas based economy, promotion of renewable and alternate fuels like ethanol, second generation ethanol, compressed bio gas and biodiesel, refinery process improvements, promoting energy efficiency and conservation, efforts for increasing production of oil and natural gas through various policies initiatives, etc. For promoting the use of Compressed Bio Gas (CBG) as automotive fuel, Sustainable Alternative Towards Affordable Transportation (SATAT) initiative has also been launched.

    As a cleaner alternative to Kerosene for lighting purposes, India has achieved near universal saturation in electricity access through Saubhagya (Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana) and Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana (DDUGJY).

    With a view to provide access to clean cooking fuel to poor households across the country, Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) was launched in May, 2016. To make LPG more affordable to PMUY consumers and ensure sustained usage of LPG by them, Government started a targeted subsidy of Rs.200/- per 14.2 kg cylinder for up to 12 refills per annum (and proportionately pro-rated for 5 Kg connections) to the PMUY consumers in May 2022. In October 2023, Government increased the targeted subsidy to Rs.300 per 14.2 kg cylinder for up to 12 refills per annum (and proportionately pro-rated for 5 Kg connections). After a targeted subsidy of Rs. 300/cylinder to PMUY consumers, Government of India is providing 14.2 Kg LPG cylinders at an effective price of Rs.503 per cylinder (in Delhi). This is available to more than 10.33 crore Ujjwala beneficiaries, across the country.

    In order to improve awareness of the benefits of LPG across the country, various steps have been taken inter alia, including organizing campaigns for improving awareness about PMUY, organizing melas/camps to enroll and distribute connections, promotion through Out of Home(OOH) hoardings, radio jingles, Information, Education and Communication (IEC) Vans etc., spreading awareness about advantages of using LPG over other conventional fuels and safe usage of LPG through LPG Panchayats, enrolment/awareness camps under Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra, facilitation of consumers and their families for Aadhar enrolment and opening of bank accounts for getting PMUY connections, simplification of process of getting LPG connection, online application for PMUY connection at www.pmuy.gov.in, nearest LPG distributors, Common Service Centres (CSC) etc., option of 5 Kg Double Bottle Connection(DBC), swap option from 14.2 Kg to 5 Kg, provision for Migrant Families to avail new connection on Self-Declaration instead of Proof of Address and Ration Card. Further, OMCs are continuously commissioning new LPG Distributorships, especially in rural areas. Since the launch of PMUY scheme, OMCs have commissioned 7959 Distributorships (commissioned during 01.04.2016 to 31.12.2024) across the country, out of which 7373 (i.e. 93 %) are catering to rural areas. As a result of Government’s interventions, LPG access in India has improved from 62 % in April 2016 to near saturation now.

    This information was given by THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS SHRI SURESH GOPI, in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today.

    ****

    MONIKA

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: You’ve heard of the Big Bang. Now astronomers have discovered the Big Wheel – here’s why it’s significant

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Themiya Nanayakkara, Lead Astronomer at the James Webb Australian Data Centre, Swinburne University of Technology

    The Big Wheel alongside some of its neighbours. Weichen Wang et al. (2025)

    Deep observations from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) have revealed an exceptionally large galaxy in the early universe. It’s a cosmic giant whose light has travelled over 12 billion years to reach us. We’ve dubbed it the Big Wheel, with our findings published today in Nature Astronomy.

    This giant disk galaxy existed within the first two billion years after the Big Bang, meaning it formed when the universe was just 15% of its current age. It challenges what we know about how galaxies form.

    What is a disk galaxy?

    Picture a galaxy like our own Milky Way: a flat, rotating structure made up of stars, gas and dust, often surrounded by an extensive halo of unseen dark matter.

    Disk galaxies typically have clear spiral arms extending outward from a dense central region. Our Milky Way itself is a disk galaxy, characterised by beautiful spiral arms that wrap around its centre.

    An artist impression of the Milky Way showcasing the dusty spiral structures similar to The Big Wheel.

    Studying disk galaxies, like the Milky Way and the newly discovered Big Wheel, helps us uncover how galaxies form, grow and evolve across billions of years.

    These studies are especially significant, as understanding galaxies similar to our own can provide deeper insights into the cosmic history of our galactic home.

    A giant surprise

    We previously thought galaxy disks form gradually over a long period: either through gas smoothly flowing into galaxies from surrounding space, or by merging with smaller galaxies.

    Usually, rapid mergers between galaxies would disrupt the delicate spiral structures, turning them into more chaotic shapes. However, the Big Wheel managed to quickly grow to a surprisingly large size without losing its distinctive spiral form. This challenges long-held ideas about the growth of giant galaxies.

    Our detailed JWST observations show that the Big Wheel is comparable in size and rotational speed to the largest “super-spiral” galaxies in today’s universe. It is three times as big in size as comparable galaxies at that epoch and is one of the most massive galaxies observed in the early cosmos.

    In fact, its rotation speed places it among galaxies at the high end of what’s called the Tully-Fisher relation, a well-known link between a galaxy’s stellar mass and how fast it spins.

    Remarkably, even though it’s unusually large, the Big Wheel is actively growing at a rate similar to other galaxies at the same cosmic age.

    The Big Wheel galaxy is seen at the centre. In striking contrast, the bright blue galaxy (upper right) is only about 1.5 billion light years away, making the Big Wheel roughly 50 times farther away. Although both appear a similar size, the enormous distance of the Big Wheel reveals its truly colossal physical scale.
    JWST

    Unusually crowded part of space

    What makes this even more fascinating is the environment in which the Big Wheel formed.

    It’s located in an unusually crowded region of space, where galaxies are packed closely together, ten times denser than typical areas of the universe. This dense environment likely provided ideal conditions for the galaxy to grow quickly. It probably experienced mergers that were gentle enough to let the galaxy maintain its spiral disk shape.

    Additionally, the gas flowing into the galaxy must have aligned well with its rotation, allowing the disk to grow quickly without being disrupted. So, a perfect combination.

    An illustration of how a massive spiral galaxy forms and evolves over billions of years. This evolutionary path is similar to real-world galaxies like Andromeda, our closest spiral galaxy neighbour, which also developed distinct spiral arms similar to the Big Wheel.

    A fortunate finding

    Discovering a galaxy like the Big Wheel was incredibly unlikely. We had less than a 2% chance to find this in our survey, according to current galaxy formation models.

    So, our finding was fortunate, probably because we observed it within an exceptionally dense region, quite different from typical cosmic environments.

    Besides its mysterious formation, the ultimate fate of the Big Wheel is another intriguing question. Given the dense environment, future mergers might significantly alter its structure, potentially transforming it into a galaxy comparable in mass to the largest ones observed in nearby clusters, such as Virgo.

    The Big Wheel’s discovery has revealed yet another mystery of the early universe, showing that our current models of galaxy evolution still need refinement.

    With more observations and discoveries of massive, early galaxies like the Big Wheel, astronomers will be able to unlock more secrets about how the universe built the structures we see today.



    Read more:
    From dead galaxies to mysterious red dots, here’s what the James Webb telescope has found in just 3 years

    Themiya Nanayakkara receives funding from Australian Research Council.

    – ref. You’ve heard of the Big Bang. Now astronomers have discovered the Big Wheel – here’s why it’s significant – https://theconversation.com/youve-heard-of-the-big-bang-now-astronomers-have-discovered-the-big-wheel-heres-why-its-significant-252170

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Bashneft’s “green” investments in 2024 amounted to 9.5 billion rubles

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Rosneft – Rosneft – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    Bashneft (part of Rosneft) allocated 9.5 billion rubles for environmental projects in 2024. Over the past five years, Bashneft’s green investments have exceeded 37.6 billion rubles.

    Preservation of the environment for future generations is an integral part of the corporate culture of Rosneft Oil Company. The activities of all the Company’s enterprises are aimed at achieving leadership positions in the field of minimizing the impact on the environment and improving the environmental friendliness of production.

    One of the significant areas of Bashneft’s environmental activities is the restoration of forests and aquatic bioresources. In 2024, the Company’s employees planted almost 750 thousand trees on an area of more than 200 hectares in the Republic of Bashkortostan, the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug – Yugra and the Nenets Autonomous Okrug. This figure exceeds the results of the previous period by 45%.

    As part of initiatives to preserve ecosystems and maintain biodiversity in the regions where it operates, Bashneft is implementing projects to reproduce aquatic bioresources. Oil workers have released more than 160,000 sterlet, muksun and salmon fry into the water bodies of Bashkortostan, the Khanty-Mansiysk and Nenets Autonomous Okrugs. The releases were carried out under the supervision of employees of the departments of state control, supervision and protection of aquatic biological resources, who select suitable water bodies based on optimal conditions for reproduction and restoration of the population.

    The biological treatment facilities of the Ufa group of oil refineries have processed 157 million m3 of wastewater since their launch in 2019. The biological treatment facilities serve not only the Bashneft oil refineries, but also treat wastewater from more than 50 enterprises in the northern industrial zone of Ufa and stormwater. The treatment facilities provide the highest level of purification of industrial, stormwater and domestic wastewater, which increases the volume of reused water in technological processes by 2.5 times. Thanks to the membrane reactor technology, all impurities and microorganisms are removed from the wastewater. As a result, the water quality meets the standards for water bodies used for fisheries.

    Reference:

    ANK Bashneft is one of the oldest enterprises in the country’s oil and gas industry, operating in the extraction and processing of oil and gas. The company’s key assets, including an oil refining and petrochemical complex, are located in the Republic of Bashkortostan. Oil and gas exploration and production are also carried out in the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug – Yugra, the Nenets Autonomous Okrug, the Orenburg Region, the Perm Territory and the Republic of Tatarstan.

    Department of Information and Advertising of PJSC NK Rosneft March 17, 2025

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: Development Asia: Climate Resilience in Asia’s Mega Deltas: A Spatial Approach to Adaptation Planning

    Source: Asia Development Bank

    Mekong Delta
    The Mekong Delta in Viet Nam has high agriculture productivity. The area is highly suitable for year-round rice cultivation, moderate to high suitability for watermelon, and seasonal suitability for maize. While its climatic and geographical conditions support year-round cropping, it faces considerable climate vulnerability.

    Adaptive capacity also varies significantly in the area due to social and economic challenges (Figure 2). Regions, such as Can Tho and Kien Giang, have relatively high capacity due to good literacy rates, infrastructure, market access, and low poverty. In contrast, much of the Mekong Delta exhibits low to medium capacity due to physical, human, and economic limitations and high exposure to climate risks. This combination creates vulnerability hotspots in northern Long An, coastal Bac Lieu, and large parts of Kien Giang and Ca Mau.

    Figure 2. Vulnerability Map of Mekong River Delta, Viet Nam

    Integration of adaptive capacity, climate hazard, and sensitivity analysis of rice for wet and dry seasons.
    Source: K. Nelson et al. Forthcoming. Spatial Analysis and Cost-Benefit Assessment of Climate Change Adaptation in Rice-Based Agrifood Systems of Select Asian Mega Deltas. IRRI and ADB.

    Crop diversification can improve income and nutrition. For example, combining rice with cash crops like watermelon generates one to two times the annual net income of double or triple rice cropping. In coastal zones, rice-shrimp integration yields nearly 50% more profit than traditional rice models, while rice-vegetable systems outperform triple rice. However, weak value chains, underinvestment in technology and logistics, climate-induced threats like pests and diseases, and competition for water resources between agriculture and aquaculture hinder the development and sustainability of mixed systems. The growing global shrimp market presents a significant opportunity to expand the shrimp sector.

    The situation is Cambodia is more precarious due to higher risks and lower adaptive capacity. Floods and droughts are more frequent, amplifying climate-related challenges. About half of the region, particularly in northern Kandal, Prey Veng, and Svay Rieng, has medium to high adaptive capacity, supported by stronger economic, human, and physical resources. However, areas like the southern districts of these provinces and Takeo are lagging behind. As a result, crop production in the northern and central parts of the delta is highly vulnerable due to low adaptive capacity and high-risk exposure.

    Diversifying through rice-watermelon and rice-fish systems can generate approximately three times the annual net revenue per hectare compared to single or double rice cropping. Despite this potential, Cambodia’s low to medium product quality limits its export competitiveness against neighboring countries like Viet Nam and Thailand. While there is growing domestic and export demand for watermelon, realizing its potential requires investment in transport, storage, and post-processing infrastructure. The aquaculture sector, which is currently underdeveloped and mainly reliant on captured fisheries, also requires significant investment.

    Ganges-Brahmaputra Delta
    The Ganges-Brahmaputra Delta in Bangladesh shows significant regional disparities in adaptive capacity. Figure 3 shows how this worsens vulnerability to climate risks such as drought, flood, and heat stress.

    Figure 3. Vulnerability Map of Ganges Delta, Bangladesh

    Integration of adaptive capacity and climate hazard and change in the suitability of rice for Boro, Aus, and Aman.
    Source: K. Nelson et al. Forthcoming. Spatial Analysis and Cost-Benefit Assessment of Climate Change Adaptation in Rice-Based Agrifood Systems of Select Asian Mega Deltas. IRRI and ADB.

    The delta is highly suitable for crop production, particularly rice, with varying suitability for irrigated and rainfed varieties. Watermelon and maize also demonstrate good potential across the region.

    However, the ability to adapt to the climate challenges is uneven. Areas with low adaptive capacity struggle due to physical, economic, and human capital deficits, as illustrated in Figure 3. This vulnerability is more pronounced in the eastern areas where serious climate problems and low adaptation capacity pose considerable risks. The central, northern, and southwestern areas also experience varying levels of vulnerability.

    To enhance resilience, diversification is a promising strategy. Cost-benefit analyses show that combining rice with cash crops like watermelon, sunflower, and vegetables or integrating rice-fish farming can substantially increase incomes. For example, rice-based systems that include sunflower or watermelon can double annual income compared to traditional single-rice cropping. Similarly, higher-value aquaculture and vegetable production can yield more than 50% net revenue.

    Despite these opportunities, Bangladesh remains a net importer of rice, hindered by outdated processing technologies that lead to low-quality output and, in some cases, negative returns for farmers. While the aquaculture sector has been expanding to meet domestic and international demand, it faces challenges such as difficult production conditions and stringent quality and safety standards in export markets. The fruit and vegetable sectors also remain underdeveloped and fall short of international standards.

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Stay safe when you are down on the farm this Springtime

    Source: City of Wolverhampton

    To avoid illness and enjoy a fun day out the UK Health Security Agency advises people to:

    • always wash hands thoroughly with soap and warm running water immediately after contact with animals (including touching pens or fencing) and before eating or drinking – remember, hand gels and wipes do not kill these types of germs.
    • if a dummy drops on the ground, it will need sterilising.
    • when leaving a farm, boots, shoes and pushchair wheels should be washed, remembering to wash hands thoroughly with soap and water after cleaning.
    • after holding, or having any physical contact with an animal, wash clothing at 40 degrees centigrade or warmer.

    Councillor Jasbir Jaspal, the City of Wolverhampton Council’s Cabinet Member for Adults and Wellbeing, said: “As Springtime approaches, visiting farms and petting zoos is a fun activity for many of us, especially children and families.

    “When enjoying farm visits, it’s important to remember that some animals may carry germs that can be passed on to humans and cause unpleasant infections such as cryptosporidiosis, e-coli and salmonella. 

    “Bacteria from an animal’s body, environment or droppings can easily get on your hands after petting, cuddling or feeding, or even by simply touching their pens or fences. If you then touch your eyes, nose or mouth, it only takes a small amount to cause an infection.

    “These infections can make you unwell with symptoms including diarrhoea, vomiting, fever, nausea and body aches. For young children, pregnant women, elderly or immunocompromised people, these infections can be serious, so please take care when you are out and about this Spring.”

    Anyone who feels unwell or has any symptoms such as diarrhoea or vomiting within 2 weeks of visiting a farm is asked to contact their GP or call NHS 111 as soon as possible. Anyone who has bloody diarrhoea should seek immediate emergency medical attention.

    People who have experienced sickness or diarrhoea after visiting a farm could pass the illness on to others, so they should not attend work, school or nursery until they have been free of symptoms for at least 2 days. However, with infections from some bugs, extra tests may be needed to ensure they have fully recovered and will not pass on the infection to others.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI: c/side Launches Availability in AWS Marketplace

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SAN FRANCISCO, March 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — c/side, a cybersecurity company specializing in browser-side third-party scripts, is now available in AWS Marketplace, a digital catalog with thousands of software listings from independent software vendors that make it easy to find, test, buy, and deploy software that runs on Amazon Web Services (AWS).

    c/side’s availability in AWS Marketplace allows organizations to quickly implement important protection against one of the most vulnerable and most accelerating attack vectors: third-party web scripts. Through c/side’s man-in-the-middle proxy and AI-powered detection engine, organizations can monitor script behavior in real time, proactively block malicious code before it reaches users’ browsers, and maintain comprehensive visibility across their web supply chain.

    c/side provides AWS customers with the ability to streamline the purchase and management of its solution within customers’ AWS Marketplace account.

    “Businesses large and small are increasingly aware that their websites are only as secure as the third-party scripts they rely on for everything from payment processing to analytics to chatbots,” said Mike Kutlu, Head of GTM Operations, c/side. “Unfortunately, we’re seeing attackers increasingly target vulnerable third-party scripts as an easy way to compromise thousands of websites at once, as headlines continue to show. By offering deployment in AWS Marketplace, we’re making it easier than ever for organizations to close this zero-day security gap. Particularly as businesses race to meet PCI DSS 4.0.1 compliance requirements ahead of the March deadline, c/side offers a seamless solution that checks compliance boxes and can be deployed in minutes in AWS Marketplace.”

    c/side’s platform allows organizations to:

    • Monitor and secure third-party web scripts in real-time
    • Block any malicious JavaScript code before it reaches users’ browsers
    • Track and analyze all script versions with AI-powered explanations
    • Meet PCI DSS 4.0.1 compliance requirements
    • Optimize web script performance with up to 22x faster delivery

    c/side is now available in AWS Marketplace. For more information on c/side and its web security solutions, please visit https://cside.dev/.

    About c/side

    c/side is a venture-backed cybersecurity company specializing in browser-side threat detection and protection. The company’s platform provides complete visibility and control over vulnerable first- and third-party scripts running on websites, protecting sensitive visitor data while ensuring optimal website performance. c/side’s innovative technology enables customers to secure their web supply chain against sophisticated attacks and streamlines compliance with regulations such as PCI DSS 4.0.1.

    Contact
    Kyle Peterson
    kyle@clementpeterson.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Montrose bushfire contained after gallant effort from firefighters

    Source: Victoria Country Fire Authority

    The fire burned approximately 40 hectares

    Firefighters battled challenging conditions and difficult terrain to bring a fast-moving bushfire under control in Montrose over the weekend.

    The fire, which started next to the Dr Ken Leversha Reserve on Saturday afternoon, was fanned by unpredictable gusty winds overnight on Sunday, causing it to quickly spread to the Dr Ken Leversha Reserve and double in size, prompting an emergency warning to be issued for residents.

    The strong and sudden wind change, described as a downburst, resulted in an ember attack in multiple directions.

    CFA District 13 Assistant Chief Fire Officer Dave Renkin said strike teams faced very difficult conditions.

    “The area was inaccessible for vehicles, so we heavily relied on aircraft support.

    “At the height of the incident, over 40 firefighting resources were on scene.”

    “Fortunately, the winds died down enough for us to gain control on Sunday,” Dave said.

    “This aided with a welcome dose of heavy rainfall certainly assisted ground crews with suppression efforts.”

    At the height of the incident, over 100 firefighters from CFA, Forest Fire Management Victoria and Fire Rescue Victoria were on scene, alongside more than 40 firefighting vehicles, four helicopters and three dozers.

    “There’s no doubt that without the extraordinary efforts of strike teams, the losses would have been far greater.”

    “I want to thank all emergency responders for their efforts.

    Their swift and coordinated actions were pivotal in limiting the extent of losses,” Dave said.

    “It was a great effort all around to achieve a relatively successful outcome.”

    There is still a strong presence of emergency services workers at the fireground, performing hazardous tree removal works and monitoring conditions to ensure the safety of the area.

    Victoria Police confirmed one property was lost, another partially damaged, and one outbuilding destroyed.

    The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

    Submitted by CFA Media

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Interview with Loretta Ryan and Craig Zonca, Brisbane Breakfast, ABC Radio

    Source: Australian Treasurer

    Loretta Ryan:

    As we clean up after Alfred, we’re only just now realising how hard of a punch this cyclone has packed. Financial forecasts are predicting the impacts will amount to more than $1.2 billion.

    Craig Zonca:

    Yeah, it’s not just fixing the mess it made, it’s the flow on effects that could be felt for some time. The federal Treasurer is Jim Chalmers. Treasurer, good morning to you.

    Jim Chalmers:

    Good morning, Craig. Good morning, Loretta.

    Zonca:

    $1.2 billion, that’s quite the economic hit.

    Chalmers:

    It is a pretty hefty hit. We’ve said all along that our main focus here is obviously the human costs, but there’s going to be a very substantial economic cost as well, and we’ll account for that in the Budget. It’ll be one of the key influences on the Budget.

    The best way to think about the economic impact is that around 5 million people were in harm’s way of this cyclone. Almost 2 million homes. I think we lost something like 12 million work hours out of the economy. What Treasury does as we finalise this Budget is it provides its best initial estimates of the economic fallout. So, a hit to our economy of about $1.2 billion, that’s about a quarter of a percentage point off growth. We’re also assessing which of our food growers were impacted, and what does it mean for building costs – because there is a risk as well that there’ll be some impact on inflation.

    Zonca:

    Well, you stand up next Tuesday, 25th March, with your Budget speech, how does it now change because of Alfred?

    Chalmers:

    I’m going to provision an extra $1.2 billion in the Budget for the recovery. Australians are there for each other when these difficult natural disasters occur, and the government will be there for them as well, so we will put an extra $1.2 billion in the Budget. That means there’ll be about 13 and a half billion dollars all told, when it comes to budgeting for rebuilding communities.

    Remember, it wasn’t that long ago that our friends to the north of here were getting very substantial flooding as well. We’ve had a series of natural disasters. So, there’s about 30 and a half billion in the Budget, but $1.2 billion of that is new money which we’re putting in the Budget to account for the recovery and the rebuild after ex‑tropical Cyclone Alfred.

    Zonca:

    And is that paid by cuts elsewhere or new borrowings?

    Chalmers:

    It’s off the bottom line – and the budget overall will have some savings in it. It will have some responsible measures to get the budget in better nick, but it will have some investments as well, including this one. This brings us to an important point, unfortunately at this time of the morning, a bit of a political point, but you’ll hear our political opponents talk about wasteful spending and they talk about hundreds of billions in wasteful spending.

    When they say that, remember that part of that figure they use is actually funding for natural disaster recovery. What we’ve been able to do is manage the budget very responsibly. Two surplus budgets for the first time in almost 2 decades, we’ve engineered something like a $200 billion improvement in the budget. And because we’ve done that, because we’ve managed the budget responsibly, we can afford to pay for things which are really important, like rebuilding communities after natural disasters.

    Ryan:

    On 612 ABC Breakfast, federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers with us for the families who are listening, Treasurer, and who have been hit hard with this. Will that money go towards recovery payments for them? I know there are payments for people affected. How does that all work?

    Chalmers:

    It is part of it. So, it’s partly rebuilding bridges and footpaths and local infrastructure. I think a lot of people would have seen on the TV the destruction on the Gold Coast, for example, and further out west and in my neck of the woods in Logan and Brisbane and elsewhere. So, part of it is to help the state government and local governments rebuild that local infrastructure. But a significant part of it is these hardship payments as well. Whether it’s the Hardship Assistance Payment or the allowance for people who are put out of work for a substantial period of time, there is a significant cost to that as well.

    I’ll actually be standing up with my terrific colleague, Jenny McAllister, who is the responsible Minister in this area. We’ll be saying a bit more about this later today, because what we’re making sure that we’re doing is making sure that people are eligible for these payments, that they can access them as quickly as possible, and the total cost of that will be included in the Budget.

    Ryan:

    Is this on top of what I think the Prime Minister did announce last week when the storm was happening?

    Chalmers:

    That was part of it. The Prime Minister was talking about these payments for people who are very substantially impacted. And what the government does, via Jenny McAllister, but also working closely with the states, is we determine the eligible areas for those payments. And so, as the natural disaster evolves, more and more local communities get added to the eligibility for those payments that the Prime Minister was talking about. That always evolves in days after a disaster to make sure that we are making everyone eligible who needs to be eligible, so that they can get the payments they need to get back on their feet.

    Zonca:

    Just on those payments, Treasurer, has there been any discussion about increasing those? Because I look at the amounts on offer and we’ve seen costs of everything go up substantially over the past decade. I don’t think those hardship payments, those disaster payments have increased in 10 plus years.

    Chalmers:

    I think we keep them under constant review. If your question is, you know, would people like a little bit more, I think I would understand if they did. We’ve got to be as responsible as we can. But they’re not insignificant amounts of money. In some cases it’s $900 or $1,000 a family, depending on how impacted people are and whether they’re eligible. It is a significant payment for people just to help them get back on their feet. There’s also the income replacement payments for people who are out of work for a substantial period of time.

    We keep these totals under constant review. If we can do more, we’ll do more in the future, but it is a relatively significant payment already.

    Zonca:

    19 past 7 – the federal Treasurer, Jim Chalmers, with you as you talk about those impacts you mentioned on fruit and veggies and so on. Already we have seen substantial increases every time we go to the grocery store or our local greengrocer. What sort of further increases are likely post Cyclone Alfred?

    Chalmers:

    One of the most encouraging things that’s been happening in our economy is, you know, a couple of years ago when we came to office, inflation was multiples of what it is now, and it was rising quite quickly. What we’ve been able to do together as a country is to make some really encouraging progress on that inflation. And people are still under pressure. I know at the supermarket checkout, people are still feeling the pinch. We don’t pretend otherwise. That’s why our cost‑of‑living help that we’re rolling out is so important. But inflation is coming down.

    If you think about food inflation in particular, that was 5.9 per cent when we came to office and now about half that at 3 per cent. And so that gives you a bit of a sense of the progress that we’re making. We’re not complacent about that because people are still under pressure and that’s why that cost‑of‑living help is so important.

    Zonca:

    Well, you talk up the economic management there, but I think most Australians would probably say they feel like they’re worse off since you started in government, Jim Chalmers?

    Chalmers:

    I think I acknowledged in the answer a moment ago, Craig, that we know that people are still under the pump. You know, we don’t pretend otherwise. But what matters there is, once you acknowledge that, whether you’re prepared to do something about it. We have been prepared to do something about it, and our opponents voted against that cost‑of‑living help.

    We’ve been rolling out tax cuts for every taxpayer, energy bill relief, cheaper medicines, cheaper early childhood education, Fee‑Free TAFE, rent assistance. We’ve been getting wages moving again. And these are all of the ways that we’re not just recognising people are doing it tough, we’re trying to take the edge off these cost‑of‑living pressures where we can in the most responsible way that we can.

    Ryan:

    Treasurer, it looks like Queensland is tipped to lose a lot of the share of the GST pie. So, the Commonwealth Grants Commission proposing a $5 billion cut to GST revenue. So, we’re potentially looking at $2.4 billion next year alone. Surely this is something that you won’t let happen.

    Chalmers:

    I think as you rightly kind of intimated in your question, Loretta, this is an arm’s length process. It’s an independent process managed by the Commonwealth Grants Commission. It’s not a decision of the federal government to carve up the GST. That’s done by the Commission. And every year or every time that these relativities are calculated, some states are happy, and some states are less happy. Queensland’s done quite well over recent years from the Commonwealth Grants Commission. And what this new number recognises is the substantial amount, extra amount that Queensland is getting in coal royalties. And so, this calculation is not done by the government. I know it’s not unusual for state governments to want more money from the federal government. It’s not unusual for states to blame the feds for pressures on their budget. But this is not a process that’s done by politicians in the Commonwealth government. It’s done by this independent organisation.

    Ryan:

    Are you disappointed, though?

    Chalmers:

    I think over time it all works out. You know, for example, the last time this was done, NSW was unhappy. This time it’s Queensland. But over time, if you look at this over a period of time, it generally smooths out. On this occasion, it recognises that Queensland’s doing well or expected to do really well out of coal royalties. On other occasions, Queensland’s done incredibly well. Over a period of time, not just from year to year or update to update, it generally smooths out. From time to time, states are unhappy. Obviously, I care about that. As a Queenslander, I have a respectful working relationship with the Queensland government. I have a respectful relationship with governments of both political persuasions around Australia. It’s not unusual for them to want more and that’s what we’re seeing here.

    Ryan:

    But we need more because of the Olympics, don’t we?

    Chalmers:

    We’re kicking billions of dollars in for the Olympics. I think that’s a really important point. We’re providing $3.5 billion as a Commonwealth government for the Olympics. We haven’t been shy about that. We haven’t been pinching pennies when it comes to our commitment there. We think the Olympics are going to be terrific. We want to work closely with the state government to deliver something that we can be proud of and our $3.5 billion is part of that effort.

    Zonca:

    So, giving us $3.5 billion for Olympic infrastructure but taking $5 billion in GST revenue, that still leaves us $1.5 billion down overall.

    Chalmers:

    No, because there’s a big recovery in coal royalties, as I keep pointing out. Secondly, you need to look at these calculations by the Independent Commission at arm’s length from us over a period of time and not just from update to update. Queensland’s done well over the years. I know that people are not happy about this one. I do genuinely understand that you do genuinely care about that. But you need to look at it over a period of time, not just from one update to the next.

    Zonca:

    I appreciate your time this morning, Treasurer. Thanks so much.

    Chalmers:

    Thanks to both of you. All the best.

    Zonca:

    Federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Whatever happens to Star, the age of unfettered gambling revenue for casinos may have ended

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Charles Livingstone, Associate Professor, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University

    Casino operator Star Entertainment has been under financial pressure for some time. The company’s share price has tanked, and the business, with its three casino properties, has been bleeding money.

    Last year’s opening of a new riverside casino in Queen’s Wharf, Brisbane, was seen as a way to revitalise the business. But Star has swung from one lifeline to another.

    Just as it was set to run out of cash on Friday March 7, Star announced a last-minute rescue package. This centred on selling its 50% stake in the Queens Wharf casino to Hong-Kong-based joint venture partners for $53 million.

    Star has also started documentation for a $250 million bridging loan but still needs to finalise a proposal for long-term refinancing.

    All of this remains subject to details being finalised, and regulatory approvals. An alternative $250 million takeover offer from US casino operator Bally’s currently isn’t Star’s preference because it is considered too low.

    But Star is far from out of the woods yet. Whatever happens to it and its casino assets, there are bigger questions about whether the age of unfettered gambling revenue for casinos may have already ended.

    Elsewhere, gambling is booming

    If Australian casinos are struggling, it’s not because punters are giving up gambling. Whereas most of the gambling market recovered rapidly after the end of pandemic restrictions, casinos floundered.

    Between 2018–19 and 2022–23, before and after pandemic restrictions were in place, total Australian gambling expenditure (in other words, gamblers’ losses) grew by 6.8% in real terms (adjusted for inflation).

    Real wagering losses grew by 45%. This segment has clearly emerged as the second-biggest gambling market in the country, with gambling expenditure of $8.4 billion.

    But over the same period, expenditure at casinos declined by more than 35% nationally, and by 42% in New South Wales.



    Read more:
    The rate of sports betting has surged more than 57% – and younger people are betting more

    Do casinos have a viable business model?

    Both Star and Australia’s other major casino operator, Crown, have emerged from a range of high-profile scandals in recent years.

    Media reporting, inquiries, and royal commissions into Crown, and then Star, give some insight into how the casino business used to be run in Australia.

    Star’s (and Crown’s) business model appears to have previously relied on two major revenue streams: benefiting from the proceeds of crime (by operating as a cash laundry for organised criminal gangs), and exploiting every vulnerable person who walked onto their premises.

    Both casinos facilitated money laundering, particularly via junket operators, organisers of casino visits by high rollers. Unfortunately, many of these people had strong links to organised crime gangs keen to launder their illegally acquired money.

    Former Star executives and board members are now facing Federal Court proceedings brought by ASIC, with two already having been fined.



    Read more:
    ‘Multiple red flags’: ASIC’s court case against Star executives shows the risks of complacency

    Star and Crown preyed on addiction

    Both Star and Crown were also found to have encouraged significant expenditure by addicted gamblers.

    This wasn’t just high rollers. Ordinary people were also encouraged to use poker machines for hours without any attempt at encouraging a break, as mandated by “responsible gambling” codes.

    The Victorian Royal Commissioner, investigating Crown, regarded its “responsible gambling” failures as particularly heinous.

    The result was the turnover of the board and management, hundreds of millions of dollars in fines, and increased regulatory oversight.

    Although neither casino chain closed its doors, regulatory breaches led to appointment of special managers to oversee the business and hold the licences. Further change included beefing up regulators’ powers and resources.

    Turning a page

    Without significant funds from the proceeds of crime, or exploitation of the vulnerable, casinos are clearly struggling.

    In NSW and Victoria, the casinos have been required to introduce “cashless gaming” systems.

    This takes cash out of the system, deterring money launderers. Gamblers must also set a limit on their gambling spend, and adhere to it. The system is in the process of being introduced in Queensland.

    Certainly, overcapitalisation of new developments has played a part in casinos’ struggles. Crown Melbourne was effectively sold to Kerry Packer in 1998 on the back of its own financial issues. Overcapitalisation of the business was seen as an issue then.

    Stronger competition

    Competition from online wagering and pokie venues may also be playing a part. These businesses are not currently regulated as effectively as casinos.

    Precommitment systems for online wagering would be relatively easy to introduce. They would require punters to set a limit on deposits or bets, or indeed the time they spend gambling, and enforce these technically.

    Getting these in place, however, may be as formidable a task as getting gambling ads banned from sporting broadcasts, if not more so.

    The gambling industry understandably opposes this. After all, these measures would reduce the amount that people lose. From a public health perspective, however, they provide an effective system to prevent harm in the first place, rather than simply picking up the pieces.

    Without effective reform of local gambling venues and online wagering, casinos may try to mount an argument for less effective regulation. That would be an admission that their “tourism” attractiveness has waned. It’s also a powerful argument to speed up the transition of effective regulation to all gambling operators.

    Charles Livingstone has received funding from the Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation, the (former) Victorian Gambling Research Panel, and the South Australian Independent Gambling Authority (the funds for which were derived from hypothecation of gambling tax revenue to research purposes), from the Australian and New Zealand School of Government and the Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education, and from non-government organisations for research into multiple aspects of poker machine gambling, including regulatory reform, existing harm minimisation practices, and technical characteristics of gambling forms. He has received travel and co-operation grants from the Alberta Problem Gambling Research Institute, the Finnish Institute for Public Health, the Finnish Alcohol Research Foundation, the Ontario Problem Gambling Research Committee, the Turkish Red Crescent Society, and the Problem Gambling Foundation of New Zealand. He was a Chief Investigator on an Australian Research Council funded project researching mechanisms of influence on government by the tobacco, alcohol and gambling industries. He has undertaken consultancy research for local governments and non-government organisations in Australia and the UK seeking to restrict or reduce the concentration of poker machines and gambling impacts, and was a member of the Australian government’s Ministerial Expert Advisory Group on Gambling in 2010-11. He is a member of the Lancet Public Health Commission into gambling, and of the World Health Organisation expert group on gambling and gambling harm. He made a submission to and appeared before the HoR Standing Committee on Social Policy and Legal Affairs inquiry into online gambling and its impacts on those experiencing gambling harm.

    – ref. Whatever happens to Star, the age of unfettered gambling revenue for casinos may have ended – https://theconversation.com/whatever-happens-to-star-the-age-of-unfettered-gambling-revenue-for-casinos-may-have-ended-251248

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Ghana’s poor are the ones who suffer most from corruption: history offers some ideas about fighting back

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Ernest Harsch, Researcher, Institute of African Studies, Columbia University, Columbia University

    It didn’t take long for the new government of John Mahama in Ghana to find a dramatic way to highlight its commitment to combating corruption. On 12 February 2025 his special prosecutor declared the previous finance minister a “wanted fugitive” for going abroad to evade questioning for suspected financial irregularities, before later agreeing to schedule a return.

    In that one move, the government of Mahama’s National Democratic Congress sounded a couple of familiar notes from past campaigns. First, that the widespread graft so many Ghanaians bemoan was largely the fault of the other party, in this case the New Patriotic Party, voted out the previous December. And second, that dishonesty and misconduct are most damaging when they involve high public officials.

    The reality of corruption lived by ordinary Ghanaians is far more complicated than that. Across the past 30 years of electoral democracy, both parties have been tainted by scandal and malfeasance. And over the country’s much longer history, as I detail in a new book, Ghanaians have complained about a wide range of misdeeds by figures in both the public and private realms, in positions high and low.

    Ordinary people have often challenged abuses, misdeeds and outright theft by the wealthy and powerful. They did so well before the territory’s indigenous societies were subjugated by Britain and incorporated into its Gold Coast colony.

    Based on my research into corruption over Ghana’s centuries-long history, it’s clear to me that the effectiveness of any new initiatives depends as much on action from below as from above. Poor people feel the effects of corruption and exploitation more acutely than the better off. And if they are organised they can push the authorities to be more active in rooting out fraud and graft.

    Pre-colonial anticorruption actions

    The strongest precolonial society was Asante, an empire that ruled over a wide area of what is today Ghana. At times, the excesses and injustices of Asante’s monarchs provoked turmoil, fuelled by anger among elites and ordinary people alike.

    One, Kofi Kakari, was dethroned in 1874 after violating established norms by removing gold ornaments from a sacred mausoleum. His successor, Mensa Bonsu, prompted a popular insurgency and was finally overthrown in 1883 by an alliance of junior aristocrats and commoners.

    Meanwhile, the coastal areas populated by Fante developed a more institutionalised method of ensuring chiefly accountability. Commoner-led defence groups, known locally as asafo, which performed a range of civic functions, could depose unpopular chiefs. In some removal ceremonies asafo members seized a chief and bumped his buttocks on the ground three times.

    According to Ghanaian social anthropologist Maxwell Owusu, asafo companies

    had a sacred duty to safeguard the interests of the wider local community against rulers or leaders who misused or abused their power.

    The asafo remained active into the early colonial period. In the 1920s, however, the colonial administration curtailed their powers, to protect chiefs willing to implement colonial orders.

    Echoes of asafo could still be heard many decades later. Following a succession of postcolonial administrations, Ghana erupted in widespread mobilisations against corruption and injustice. The popular outpourings of 1979 and the early 1980s were set off by two lower-rank coups led by Flight Lieutenant Jerry Rawlings. Recalling past traditions of resistance, protesters sang asafo war songs, beat drums, and employed other popular rituals.

    Many of those activists regarded corruption not as a failing of individuals in high office, but as a problem rooted in Ghana’s class-divided society. As one leading figure of the new People’s Defence Committees put it in 1982:

    Corruption … is the product of a social system and enriches a minority of the people whilst having the opposite effect on the majority.

    Soon the Rawlings government moved towards accommodation with both western financial circles and domestic elites. The youth-led defence committees were purged and eventually abolished.

    The multiparty era

    Radical social perspectives persisted into the era of multiparty electoral democracy, though not in the two mainstream parties. Both say they are opposed to corruption. But according to critics like political scientist Kwame Ninsin, they in effect take turns at the helm to “control the state for private accumulation”.

    Most official anticorruption strategies tend to ignore political contention and social distinctions. And the standard international corruption ratings of Transparency International largely rely on external financial and investor assessments.

    Afrobarometer research surveys provide a more comprehensive view. In 2019, for example, Afrobarometer interviewers asked Ghanaians whether corruption had worsened over the previous year. Some 67% of those living in greater poverty said it had, while only 47% of the better off thought so. And although poor respondents also cited misdeeds by high officials, they often stressed more tangible aspects in their daily lives, such as having to pay bribes to local police or to obtain health or education services.

    Some corruption scholars see benefits to “frying big fish”, to publicly demonstrate their seriousness. Ghanaian governments have a long history of doing that, however, and face an increasingly sceptical public. To be more credible, anticorruption campaigns cannot target only the opposing party or just those at the heights of power.

    Strengths and weaknesses

    Ghana now has a range of laws and institutions to combat graft, fraud and other injustices. Some focus on exposure and punishment, both through the regular courts and through institutions such as the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice, which annually hears thousands of citizens’ complaints.

    Some official actions stress prevention. High office-holders have to declare their families’ assets, to make it harder to hide illegal wealth. Mahama made his own declaration of assets public, the first president ever to do so.

    Government anticorruption measures have improved over the years. But they still suffer from bureaucratic inertia and limited commitment. That’s why many activists argue against relying solely on politicians.

    The effectiveness of any new initiatives by Mahama or other officials depends as much on action from below as from above. After all, it’s ordinary Ghanaians who know where corruption pinches them the most.

    – Ghana’s poor are the ones who suffer most from corruption: history offers some ideas about fighting back
    – https://theconversation.com/ghanas-poor-are-the-ones-who-suffer-most-from-corruption-history-offers-some-ideas-about-fighting-back-250821

    MIL OSI Africa –