NewzIntel.com

Category: Great Britain

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Trump’s tariffs: We must “oppose Trump’s divide-and-rule tactics” say Greens

    Source: Green Party of England and Wales

    by Green Party

    Responding to US President Donald Trump’s sweeping set of tariffs, Green Party Co-Leader, Carla Denyer MP, said,

    “We need to work together to oppose Trump’s divide-and-rule tactics. In the first instance, that means standing with partners like the EU and Canada who share our commitment to trade agreements rather than trade coercion. It’s a fantasy to believe that our long-term economic prosperity can be left in the hands of whether or not we are in Trump’s favour on any one given day. As such, we must prioritise securing a Customs Union agreement with the EU so that we regain the strength of being part of a larger bloc.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Video: UK Lord Kinnock: Lord Speaker’s Corner | House of Lords | Episode 27

    Source: United Kingdom UK House of Lords (video statements)

    Former leader of the Labour party Neil Kinnock, Lord Kinnock, is the latest guest on Lord Speaker’s Corner.

    ‘I guess that’s what gave me my politics basically. The idea that many people working together could produce and provide at the level of quality that would’ve been absolutely impossible for the individual or the family.’

    Lord Kinnock speaks about growing up in south Wales and what drew him to politics, his early years as an MP and the Labour party of the late 80s and early 90s. He also speaks about his regrets from his time as leader, plus how politics and public discourse has changed today:

    ‘I don’t want deference. Deference is not part of my makeup and I don’t want anybody else to show it. But respect, accommodation, compassion, those instincts are fundamental to human beings, and they’re too often being discarded or suppressed.’

    Lord Kinnock also explains that he wished he had challenged the President of the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), Arthur Scargill, more forcefully about the need to ballot its members: 

    ‘I told Scargill at the beginning of April 1984 that without a ballot, the strike would not succeed. And I said it publicly, I just wish that I’d said it more publicly (even), and repeatedly over the subsequent months as a way of simply telling the truth to men and their families who were showing superhuman loyalty to the cause and whose loyalty was being abused by someone who had a very peculiar, very odd interpretation of what he thought of as his socialist mission, which was misplaced and misleading and assisted in tragedy. I’ve said before that Scargill and Thatcher deserved each other. Nobody else did.’

    The former Labour leader also gives a rare insight into private discussions between himself and Shadow Chancellor John Smith in preparation for the 1992 general election. Watch or listen to the full episode to find out more.

    See more from the series https://www.parliament.uk/business/lords/house-of-lords-podcast/

    #HouseOfLords #UKParliament #LordSpeakersCorner #LordsMembers

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-u6WYrpyiME

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Education Secretary keynote speech at Festival of Childhood

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Speech

    Education Secretary keynote speech at Festival of Childhood

    The Education Secretary’s keynote speech at the Children’s Commissioner’s Festival of Childhood event.

    Good morning, everyone. It’s really great to be here!

    Thank you, Tristram, for hosting us today. And Hughie, what a privilege it is to speak alongside you. Thank you so much for everything you said.

    Your bravery and determination, raising hundreds of thousands of pounds for Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital, all while going through that treatment yourself – you are such an inspiration.

    I’m so glad to hear about your full recovery too, and everything you’re doing to make children’s voices heard, and it’s great to see you here today continuing to lead and inspire with your journalism.

    I was interviewed back in September by your colleague Scarlett at Sky FYI – and she definitely put me through my paces! One of the toughest interviews I’ve ever had.

    And it was great to see her again at World Book Day last month.

    It’s lovely to look round this room and see so many familiar faces this morning. Rylie and Sofia – it was great to meet you at the Women in Westminster event last year.

    And Sofia – I’ve heard more and more about everything you’ve achieved, about leaving your home in Ukraine and coming to England.

    About joining school in year 11 and passing your GCSEs – despite English being your third language.

    What an amazing achievement!

    There are just so many inspiring young people here today.

    And I’d like to thank Dame Rachel for bringing together all the Youth Ambassadors. And all your amazing work making young voices heard.

    It’s their job, the job of the youth ambassadors, to make sure politicians like me listen to children and young people – and act to make their lives better.

    And that’s exactly right.

    Because as Secretary of State – children and young people are my priority.

    I want to see them, I want to see you, back at the forefront of national life, back at the centre of our national conversation.

    I want all children to have the opportunity to succeed.

    So we are on a mission as a government – to break down the barriers to opportunity for every child.

    And I mean it when I say that it has to be every child.

    Because all children deserve the chance to get on and succeed.

    It’s tempting to think that the path to opportunity begins on the first day of school.

    Nervous little girls and boys, lined up outside the school gates clinging on for dear life to their mums and dads.

    When stories of success are told, that’s often where we start.

    But that’s jumping ahead.

    Like expecting a tree to grow strong and tall without first putting down deep roots that are deep and lasting.

    Because opportunity starts early, it starts much earlier than that.

    I’d just like us to think of two babies, born in the same hospital on the same day.

    Think of all that happens before they reach those school gates a number of years later.

    One baby goes back to an anxious home.

    Her parents work hard – two, maybe even three jobs to make ends meet.

    There’s mould on the wall in their bedroom because the landlord won’t fix it – and now that’s where that baby has to sleep too.

    There’s never enough time in the day, never quite enough food in the fridge, no help from extended family.

    The council baby group her brothers went to now gone; nursery or childminders have been completely out of reach – too few spaces, too far to go, too expensive.

    So she stays at home, simply watching as her family struggle around her.

    Missing out on so much: playing with other children, sharing and taking turns, learning about her emotions, about those of others, about taking the first steps into learning.

    Now think of the other baby from the hospital. Her parents drive her back to a warm and stable home.

    Right from that first night, her needs are all that matter.

    Parents who read to her, talk to her.

    And whose first thought in the baby food aisle, isn’t can we afford it, isn’t where’s the money – it’s about buying her first coat.

    When her parents go back to work, she spends her mornings in a great nursery at the end of the road – the best early years teachers introduce her to letters and numbers, she begins to explore the world around her.

    There are afternoons in the park with grandma, bedtime stories with grandad.

    A whole network of support, with just one goal: giving her the very best start in life.

    Step by step, year by year, she grows and develops, and she leaps forward.

    So, on that first day of school, those two children, born in the same hospital, on the same day, they arrive wearing the same uniform, they might even stand together in the playground, and when the teacher asks that they walk into the classroom in pairs, they hold hands, bouncing inside towards the rest of their lives, with no idea how different their paths are likely to be.

    Because that’s where opportunity can be lost or found, those early forks in the road, where those gaps start to open up.

    And with each year that goes by, those gaps grow and grow. And closing them becomes harder and harder as the years pass.

    That’s why, when I speak to school leaders and university vice chancellors, they urge me to invest in the early years.

    And as we begin to see the generation of children born during the Covid pandemic arriving at school, many already far behind where they would normally be, the importance of early years is more clear-cut than ever.

    I’m in politics because I believe that every child deserves every opportunity to succeed.

    I’m here to make a difference in their lives.

    And because early years is where the biggest difference can be made, and it’s where my biggest priority lies.

    Giving every child the best start in life is my number one goal.

    That’s where I want to be judged, that’s where my legacy will lie.

    It’s not simply my priority.

    Children are central to the Prime Minister’s Plan for Change. It sets the target of a record share of children arriving at primary school ready to learn.

    Because we know that our success as a country begins in the earliest years of children’s lives.

    The Prime Minister gets it, I get it, and the Chancellor gets it too. That’s why, despite the toughest fiscal inheritance in a generation, she chose to invest over £8bn in early years – £2bn more than last year. 

    But we’re just getting started.

    This is the beginning of a wave of reform to lift up the life chances of all children, to give parents power and choice and freedom – and to put money back in their pockets too.

    And that means great childcare and early years education.

    There is a rich diversity of early education and childcare of all shapes and sizes right across the country that is already working hard to give children the best start in life.

    And I can’t thank them enough.

    But now is the time to go further.

    So yesterday I announced funding for 300 primary schools to expand their nurseries and set up new ones.

    Up to £150,000 each to convert unused classrooms into new nurseries for our children.

    6,000 new childcare places – most of them ready to go by September.

    It’s 300 steps on the road to 3,000 new and expanded school-based nurseries.

    An important part of how we’re delivering the childcare entitlements parents were promised.

    Giving them the power to choose the jobs and the hours that they want.

    Support for parents is so important too, saving them money as well.

    But, deep down, early education and childcare is all about children’s futures.

    And what an impact high-quality early education can have on their futures. Analysis shows that children who go to a higher-quality pre-school earn about £17,000 more over the course of their lives.

    Across 6,000 high-quality new places, it could mean a boost of over £100m in lifetime earnings.

    Now given the prize on offer, we’re still going further, to make the most of that precious time, when horizons still stretch out ahead.

    Because if those early chances are missed, they won’t come again. The lives of our children march on, so those early brushes with education are just so precious.

    That’s why we’re twinning the childcare rollout with the biggest ever uplift in the early years pupil premium for disadvantaged children.

    Because this is how we can narrow the attainment gap, and give every child, no matter their background, every opportunity to succeed.

    Children are there to learn. And the adults in the room are at heart early educators.

    So we’re fully funding initial teacher training for early years teachers and supporting them to become early years experts too.

    And we’re doubling our Maths Champions programme – to reach 800 early years classrooms.

    A really big step change.

    Helping children to feel comfortable with numbers from their youngest years, building numeracy skills early, so that by the time they reach school, maths is already a familiar friend.

    But I said before that we’re just getting started – and I meant it.

    So later this year, I’ll launch a new strategy to revitalise early years education.

    Rooted in creating positive early childhood experiences for all of our children.

    Our new nurseries in primary schools will create a positive journey of learning for all children.

    Children, beginning in nursery at 2 or 3 years old – then moving along the corridor at 4 or 5 to start primary school.

    The same faces, the same friends, the same buildings.

    Parents can build relationships with teachers, teachers can spot issues early, and when children reach school, they already feel at home in the classroom.

    And so we’re backing parents too – supporting them with joined up family services as they guide their children through those early years.

    That’s where the journey starts, with those positive, supportive early experiences.

    And that must continue through school.

    Because this is a government that puts children first.

    I want all children to love learning.

    But I should say right now exactly what I mean when I say that.

    It’s building knowledge, growing skills, reaching into a variety of topics.

    High and rising standards, exams that can capture our progress.

    I want to grow a love of learning with deep roots, that is lasting, that shapes lives.

    The type that sustains join, that builds confidence, that fosters resilience, that doesn’t come from doing what feels easy.

    Putting children first isn’t soft. It’s not a sugar-rush, ice-cream-for-dinner approach to schooling.

    It requires exposing children to a wide range of ideas.

    So that they can find what inspires them.

    It requires supporting children to persist with subjects that might feel hard, when they don’t immediately like what is in front of them, to keep going when it’s hard, not to give up at the first sign of struggle.

    So that they can discover for themselves the quiet satisfaction, the happy resilience that comes from the pursuit of learning.

    That’s how we wake children up to their own power. It’s how we plant within them a sense of purpose as they leave school and move into the wider world.

    And it’s how we raise a generation of children who can think critically and act thoughtfully. A generation ready not just for work but ready for the rest of their lives too.

    Confident, creative, kind.

    At home in our country and in the world.

    And that matters more now than ever before.

    At a time when uncertainty is rising, and trust is falling, a time when disinformation can slip quietly into the pockets of our children, and young boys can fall under the spell of toxic role models online, men who preach misogyny, who cook up resentment, who feed on hatred.

    And sadly so much of that flows through smartphones.

    They have no place in the classroom, they’re disruptive, distracting, they’re bad for behaviour.

    So we’re backing schools to rid our classrooms, corridors and playgrounds of phones.

    It’s clear the behaviour of boys, their influences, and the young men they become, is a defining issue of our time.

    That’s why this week the Prime Minister convened a roundtable on rethinking adolescent safety – to listen to the experiences of children today and to prevent young boys being dragged into misogyny and hatred.

    We need to raise a generation of boys with the strength to reject that hatred – curiosity, compassion, kindness, resilience, hope, and respect.

    But hard skills as well as soft skills.

    Because to reject disinformation, children need critical thinking skills, maths too, a proper understanding of science, history, geography, economics.

    To think analytically, children need that foundation in English – to explore different points of view, to weigh up the arguments, to consider the facts, and to come down on the side of reason.

    And above all, to become active, engaged, curious about the world – children need knowledge and skills.

    And through our review of the relationships, sex and health education curriculum we will ensure young people learn about healthy relationships, boundaries and consent right from the start.

    With toxic online influences on the rise, our boys need strong, positive male role models to look up to. At home, of course, but also at school too.

    Schools can’t solve these problems alone, and responsibility does start at home with parents.

    But only one in four of the teachers in our schools are men.

    Just one in seven in nursery and primary school.

    One in 33 in early years.

    And since 2010 the number of teachers in our schools has increased by 28,000 – but just 533 of those are men.

    That is extraordinary – over the last 15 years, for every 50 women who’ve taken up teaching – they’ve been joined at the front of our classrooms by just one man.

    Now I want more male teachers – teaching, guiding, leading the boys in our classrooms.

    But in truth I want more teachers across the board as well.

    Because if today we’re here to talk about positive early childhood experiences, about the role of education in creating and sustaining joy and confidence, about the routes for giving children a sense of purpose, about setting children up for success, then it is all about our teachers. 

    Great teachers, inspiring teachers, teachers who believe in the power of their pupils.

    That’s why we’re working to recruit 6,500 more expert teachers across our schools and colleges.

    More teachers in shortage subjects, keeping the great teachers that we already have, restoring teaching as the profession of choice for our very best graduates.

    Now a couple of weeks ago I visited Cardinal Heenan School in Liverpool.

    And the first thing I did was sit down for a chat with an amazing group of students, the same age as many of you here today.

    And they were so excited to tell me all the things they wanted to do when they left school.

    I could see them light up; I could feel their joy.

    That’s the joy of learning.

    Now up on the walls of that school were pictures of all the ex-pupils who had gone on to do amazing things.

    One of them was Steven Gerrard.

    But there was another ex-pupil who wasn’t up on the wall. And I met him outside at the end of the day as he was helping all the students on their way home. 

    He was Mr Backhouse, now the school’s assistant headteacher.

    He said he’d been given every opportunity to succeed at that school. So he became a teacher to pass that on to the next generation of kids in his community.

    He understood the power of his job – it’s about unleashing the power in all of our children.

    That’s why my job is the best job in government – because I get to work with and empower you, the young people here today and across the country.

    From those earliest years, those babies leaving hospital, the nurseries, the childcare, through school, and then on into college, university and beyond.

    It’s my job, it’s the job of childminders, teachers, support staff, lecturers and leaders, together with your parents and carers, to shape your journey, to guide you on, to spur you, to give you every opportunity to succeed. That is what you deserve.

    But it’s your job to rise to the challenge, to give it your all and to grab those opportunities with both hands.

    Looking around this room, looking at all of your faces, I have no doubt you’re up to the task.

    I think our future is in very safe hands.

    Thank you.

    Updates to this page

    Published 3 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Half a million appointments and operations saved by ending resident doctor strikes

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Half a million appointments and operations saved by ending resident doctor strikes

    Ending doctor strikes saved 500,000 appointments and operations, and cut waiting lists by 193,000

    • 500,000 appointments and operations saved as a result of Government action to resolve painful strikes within four weeks of office
    • Strikes contributed to an extra 140,000 increase to waiting list, causing pain and misery to patients across the country
    • Patients feeling the benefits with government delivering two million more appointments seven months early and cutting waiting lists by 193,000 through Plan for Change

    An estimated half a million appointments and operations avoided being cancelled in the second half of last year thanks to swift action from the Government to end resident doctor strikes within four weeks of office.  

    Data shows a total of 507,000 appointments and operations were cancelled and rescheduled between July 2023 and February 2024 during periods of disruptive strike action, causing pain and misery to patients across the country, and hitting an already broken NHS with more damage. This put huge pressure on hardworking staff, with NHS England analysis showing that this added 140,000 more to the waiting lists this government inherited.

    On his very first day in government, the Health and Social Care Secretary got round the table with resident doctors, securing a fair deal for patients and staff after four weeks, getting doctors back on the frontline treating patients.

    The progress the Government has made in starting to fix the NHS after 14 years of decline shows the transformatory effect of the Plan for Change.

    Since July, over two million extra appointments have been delivered – seven months early – and the waiting list slashed by 193,000, with patients up and down the country beginning to feel a real difference after a decade of neglect – and in some cases after waiting years to get the care they need.

    Cutting waiting lists is one of the government’s top priorities through its Plan for Change which is driving forward reform of the health service to put patients first, rebuild our NHS and improve living standards, which are growing at their fastest rate in two years.

    Making up around 50% of the medical workforce, resident doctors play a pivotal role for patients. When staff stood on the picket lines, waiting lists soared, leaving people in pain and out of work as a result of not being able to get the care they need. By bringing to an end months of devastating strikes, patients have significantly felt the benefits, getting the care they need without disruption.

    Since July, the government has made it a priority to get 92% of patients seen within 18 weeks by the end of this Parliament. Through the recently published Elective Reform Plan, patients will begin to have more control over their care, to end the needless suffering of those stuck on a waiting list.

    The plan also makes it easier for patients to access the appointments they need, through the opening of more Community Diagnostic Centres and surgical hubs, in more convenient locations closer to their homes, keeping them out of hospital. And through bringing the NHS app into the digital era, individuals will be able to take control of their personal health plans, by accessing key documentation and appointment data online, in a timeline that works around their lives.

    With over two million extra NHS appointments including for chemotherapy, radiotherapy, endoscopy, and diagnostic tests already being delivered seven months early, and through its Plan for Change, the government is on its way to ending the misery felt by millions of patients up and down the country who are waiting for the appointments they need.

    Wes Streeting, Health and Social Care Secretary, said:

    Half a million operations stopped because of strike action weren’t just an inconvenience. They meant hundreds of thousands of patients living through more pain, more stress and more disappointment.

    That’s exactly why within days of coming into office, I got round the table with resident doctors and put an end to these crippling strikes.

    It was a tough negotiation, but we came out with a fair offer, and patients immediately started seeing the benefit.

    Thanks to this government putting doctors back on the frontline, we’ve cut waiting lists by 193,000. We are fixing the broken foundations of our NHS through our Plan for Change so patients can get back to work and doing what they love.

    Ends

    Notes

    • Data available here.

    Updates to this page

    Published 3 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Event helps embed good practice around mental health

    Source: City of Wolverhampton

    It saw AMHPs, NHS mental health practitioners, commissioners, police, advocacy providers, and system leaders to come together to focus on national AMHP service standards.

    The event was supported by partners in social care and health, and attended by Robert Lewis, Mental Health Social Work Lead for England.

    Andrew Wolverson, Director of Adult Social Care, opened the event by shining a light on the council’s continued commitment to partnership working. Dr Clare Dickens, Academic Lead for Mental Health and Wellbeing at University of Wolverhampton, followed by highlighting the value of all the hard work and commitment of practitioners in mental health.

    Councillor Jasbir Jaspal, the council’s Cabinet Member for Adults and Wellbeing, said: “AMHPs play a crucial role in mental health crisis systems and are an important legal safeguard for the rights of individuals.  

    “They provide an independent decision about whether or not there are alternatives to detention but are the primary applicants of the Mental Health Act when required, taking responsibility for complex and difficult decisions involving human rights, individual choice and public safety.

    “They require the support and co-operation of all other key partners in mental health and crisis care services and the health and functionality of an AMHP service can be seen as a barometer for the wider crisis support system.  

    “We were delighted to host this important event which provided an opportunity to hear from national and local leaders, for people to work collaboratively together to map and benchmark local services against the national AMHP service standards, and to embed good practice across Wolverhampton, Sandwell, Dudley and Walsall.”

    Sandra Wilkinson, CPD Programme Lead for the University of Wolverhampton, observed a wonderful atmosphere of collaboration and understanding, adding: “It was a delightful reflection of the commitment of key stakeholders in mental health and the invaluable contributions they make to people in mental health crisis.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: 3 April 2025 Years of research are poised to dramatically alter the course of maternal mortality

    Source: World Health Organisation

    “You never forget the experience when a woman just slips away in your hands, and you know it is too late,” said Dr Hadiza Galadanci, a professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Bayero University, on the experience of a woman dying as she delivers a baby.

    Excessive bleeding is a common complication of childbirth that millions of women experience and survive. However, thousands of women are still dying due to haemorrhage every year, making up 27% of all maternal deaths. Nearly all these women are from sub-Saharan Africa, where a number of challenges persist, including a lack of access to prenatal care, skilled birth attendants and high-quality medicines in health facilities.

    Dramatic change

    However, this is primed to change. More women are surviving childbirth than ever before, in part thanks to years of research that led to a highly effective and affordable clinical protocol called the Postpartum Haemorrhage (PPH) bundle. This new way of detecting and treating postpartum haemorrhage early combines the most effective interventions into a quicker, life-saving method that is being scaled up in the places that need it the most.

    “In the last year or two, we’ve seen a real difference. Even the cleaners and staff in the labour ward say the new way is a great innovation. Before, blood would flow onto the beds and floors. Now, with the drape, the blood is collected in a pouch,” said Dr Galadanci.

    This plastic pouch, or drape, is the first step in the new approach that takes the guesswork out of estimating blood loss. The drape itself is not new, but its consistent use is, and the difference has been immediately felt.

    “You cannot accurately assess blood loss by just looking. By the time we decide to intervene, many women are already in shock – thirsty, disoriented, fading away before our eyes,”​ said Dr Zahida Qureshi, principal investigator of the E-MOTIVE trial in Kenya and Professor of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the University of Nairobi.

    Simulation exercises for training at the ACEPHAP simulation lab, 2025. © Stephen Mohammed Abu

    Scaffolding progress

    Finding affordable and effective interventions that work to detect, treat and prevent life-threatening complications in resource-poor settings takes years of iterative research, testing and refinement. Dr Quresh explained that throughout her career she took part in multiple trials that laid the groundwork for where we are today – on the brink of altering the course of maternal mortality.

    Studies like the WOMAN trial on tranexamic acid and the CHAMPION trial on oxytocic drugs, generated useful evidence that was foundational to the components of the E-MOTIVE package, or PPH bundle. Scientists and doctors at WHO, the UN’s Special Programme on Human Reproduction (HRP) and the University of Birmingham, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, built off the foundation of these trials and devised the PPH bundle to address the very specific needs of women who are most at risk of dying in childbirth.

    Once proven effective through a large-scale study, WHO convened a Guideline Development Group to rapidly formulate a WHO recommendation so that the solution would be taken to scale as fast as possible.

    Now, doctors and midwives who are implementing and scaling up the innovative approach report drastic reductions in cases of severe bleeding and deaths. Adesida Odunayo, a midwife in Ondo State, Nigeria, said the impact of the E-MOTIVE trial has ultimately helped her save lives.

    “To carry out research on your own is not easy. Without WHO, we would not know that this E-MOTIVE bundle could really reduce maternal mortality due to postpartum haemorrhage,” said Odunayo. “Somebody made the proposal and said, ‘Let’s do this together.’ That really helped us.”

    What’s next

    Now that the effectiveness is known, the next step is ensuring it is widely put to use.

    “E-MOTIVE is more than the drape; it is a full package. We need to train people to use it effectively,” said Dr Alfred Osoti, Associate Professor at the University of Nairobi. “We need to invest in what we know works. When we have scarce resources, we cannot afford to ignore proven solutions.”

    Another pressing issue is drug quality and availability. In the E-MOTIVE trial, researchers had to test brands and identify those that were effective. “Countries need systems to routinely check drug quality, not just once at registration, but on an ongoing basis,” Dr Osoti added. In the absence of such systems, facilities risk relying on poor-quality medications that fail when they are needed most.

    To address maternal mortality now that resources are scarce, it is essential to put funding into solutions that we know work. This means training health workers on the complete PPH bundle, regular monitoring on drug quality and consistent monitoring and evaluation of the intervention, which helps ensure that success in one hospital can be replicated in others.

    A woman still dies due to maternal causes every two minutes. With scalable solutions at hand the question is no longer what should be done, it is whether or not such solutions will make it to women everywhere.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Pat Ritchie appointed as interim Homes England Chair

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    Pat Ritchie appointed as interim Homes England Chair

    Pat Ritchie CBE has been appointed as interim Chair of Homes England today.

    Pat Ritchie CBE, interim Chair of Homes England.

    The Deputy Prime Minister has confirmed today that she has appointed housing and regeneration expert, Pat Ritchie CBE, as interim Chair of Homes England.

    Current Chair of Homes England, Peter Freeman, will step down from his position at the end of April after four years of leading the agency to focus his attention on his role as Chair of the Cambridge Growth Company. In helping to drive forward economic growth and the delivery of new housing and infrastructure in Greater Cambridge, Peter will continue to play a vital role in supporting the government’s ambitions.

    Pat Ritchie brings a wide range of experience to the role of interim Homes England Chair. She has been Chair of the Government Property Agency since 2020 and currently sits on the Homes England Board, where she helps oversee and implement the agency’s key priorities. She was previously Chief Executive of both Newcastle City Council and the Homes and Communities Agency.

    The interim position is expected to last up to 18 months and will provide stability and momentum to Homes England while it continues to play a vital role in delivering this government’s housing agenda and moves to a regional and place-based operating model to deliver successful placemaking and align with the government’s wider devolution agenda.

    Housing and Planning Minister, Matthew Pennycook said:

    “I would like to thank Peter once again for his leadership of the Agency over the last four years and look forward to continuing to work with him in the years ahead to realise the full potential of Greater Cambridge.

    “I am delighted that Pat has accepted the role of interim Chair and I am very much looking forward to working with her in the role. Pat commands considerable respect in the sector, brings a wealth of experience from previous roles, and is well-placed to ensure the Agency is effectively supporting the government’s ambitious housing agenda.”

    Pat Ritchie CBE said:

    “I am proud to have been asked to step in as interim Homes England Chair during this period of transformation. The agency’s great strength is its people, who are passionate about regeneration and building strong communities, and we are focused on driving delivery to help achieve the government’s housing ambitions.

    “It is an honour to lead an organisation I have been so closely involved with for many years. We will work tirelessly with local leaders, housing associations, developers and investors to deliver the homes our country needs, building on strong foundations of place-based working and successful delivery laid by Peter Freeman.”

    Peter Freeman CBE said:

    “Pat and I have worked closely with colleagues on the board, which I’ve had the privilege of leading for the past four years – she is extremely well placed to take on the role of interim Chair at such a pivotal and exciting moment for the agency.

    “Her stewardship with be invaluable to colleagues, government and the sector during such a transformative period, which is already well underway.  I wish her the very best for the next chapter at Homes England, along with all those working so hard to deliver the homes and places people need across the country.”

    Last year the Housing and Planning Minister, Matthew Pennycook, wrote to the Homes England Chair and set out ambitious objectives which includes supporting the New Homes Accelerator to speed up delivery on large housing sites, maximising the number of social rent homes delivered through the Affordable Homes Programme, and providing valuable expertise and advice to the New Towns Taskforce.

    As the Housing Minister set out in his Homes England Chair’s letter, alongside other priorities the agency will continue to focus on driving efficiencies and prioritising resources, as part of ongoing efforts to support the delivery of new homes and place-based regeneration.

    Further information on the new government campaign to recruit a permanent Chair of Homes England will be published in due course.

    Further information

    The Housing and Planning Minister’s letter to the Chair of Homes England setting out the government’s priorities for the agency can be read in full here.

    Updates to this page

    Published 3 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Farm income falls in 2023-24 from record high

    Source: Scottish Government

    An Accredited Official Statistics Publication for Scotland

    The Chief Statistician has released figures on 2023-24 farm incomes. These show that farm incomes experienced a sharp decline in 2023-24, after record highs in 2022-23. The downturn in incomes is attributed to three main factors. First, some agricultural output prices saw a large drop following exceptionally high levels of the last year. This was compounded by decreases in output levels, with adverse weather conditions playing a role in diminishing production. Finally, while some input costs show a modest decrease, costs did not fall at the same pace as output prices, putting additional pressure on profit margins.

    Average farm income, a measure of farm profit after costs, fell 51% from the high of the previous year. At £35,500 for the average farm, income is at its lowest level since 2019-20.

    Falls in cereal and milk prices resulted in large drops in income for arable and dairy farms. Average incomes of arable, dairy and mixed farms remain the highest across all farm types. But a larger proportion of farms within these farm types are unprofitable compared to the previous year. In 2023-24, 31% of cereal and dairy farms are loss-making.

    Livestock farms, which make up 60% of commercial farms, continue to make a loss on their agricultural activity on average. Lowland cattle and sheep farm income fell by 87%, the largest drop in income across livestock farm types, largely driven by falls in livestock output. The proportion of unprofitable lowland cattle and sheep farms increased to 68%. The average income of Less Favoured Area (LFA) livestock farms decreased by a third.

    Increases in costs for fertiliser were often offset by decreases in feed and fodder, land and property costs. Across most farm types, regular labour costs fell. In some types, this was offset by increases in casual labour costs.

    Background

    The full statistical publication with supporting data tables is available at:

    Scottish farm business income: annual estimates 2023-2024 – gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

    These results are calculated from the 2023-24 Farm Business Survey, which covers the 2023 cropping year and the 2023-24 financial year. The Farm Business Survey is an annual survey of approximately 400 commercial farms with economic activity of at least approximately £20,000. Farms which do not receive support payments, such as pigs, poultry and horticulture, are not included in the survey.

    Trade disruption and tightening supplies following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, led to volatility and high cereal prices in 2022. Prices of commodities such as wheat stabilised somewhat during 2023.   

    Official statistics are produced in accordance with the Code of Practice for Statistics.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Minister attends Global Disability Summit in Berlin

    Source: Scottish Government

    Highlighting Scotland’s leading role at home and abroad.

    At the Global Disability Summit in Berlin today, Equalities Minister Kaukab Stewart will highlight Scotland’s commitment that by 2030 at least half of Scotland’s international development funding will include a disability equality objective.

    This will ensure that disabled people have improved access to programmes in Scotland’s partner countries Malawi and Zambia – for instance giving disabled women and girls access to quality education.

    The Equalities Minister will also take part in events focusing on disability equality and inclusion as well as meet with relevant Ministers and interest groups.

    Ms Stewart said:

    “Scotland has a growing reputation at home and abroad for the action it’s taking to reduce the barriers disabled people face. This is the first time Scotland has been invited in its own right to the Global Disability Summit and this is an excellent opportunity for us to showcase our culture of equality, particularly our focus on giving disabled people a voice in the decisions that affect them.

    “Our work with our partner countries in Malawi and Zambia will be shared at the World Bank roundtable on inclusiveness in education. We will also highlight how Scotland is ensuring that marginalised groups, including disabled people, are at the heart of international climate action.

    “However, I’m concerned that while the international picture is improving, the UK Government is going ahead with taking away disabled people’s benefits to balance the budget and plans to further reduce aid spending. We will continue to press them to reverse these damaging cuts.”

    Background

    Global Disability Summit – 2nd – 3rd April, 2025 / Berlin

    In terms of official development assistance, currently, according to the organisers, only 0.2% of OECD Development Assistance Committee projects target disability inclusion, despite the progress made by previous Summits to highlight the issue.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Brave the beast in mythical dragon egg expedition this Easter

    Source: City of Leeds

    Families across Yorkshire can hunt for dragon eggs and mythical beasts at Lotherton this Easter as immersive new expedition swoops in.

    Launched at the weekend, Dragon Quest: The Search for the Lost Eggs has transformed the estate’s grounds into a world of legend and adventure with colourful characters and mysterious eggs.

    Part egg hunt, part treasure trail, budding young explorers are invited to use a map to search for the 12 lost nests, each holding a unique clue to collect and decipher. Along the journey, visitors will discover dragons from around the world – from the misty highlands of Wales to the sacred temples of Japan and the icy tundras of the Arctic – learning about their magical traits and fiery origin stories. 

    The historic Lotherton Hall will also be home to an Explorer’s Study exhibit, where visitors can peek into the fantastical world of dragon hunting.

    The quest is led by kooky character Professor Ailfrith Pendragon, who will recount tales of her adventures and how to train dragons at the Explorer’s Basecamp, where explorers can also toast marshmallows or participate in dragon-themed craft.

    A particularly scaly Leeds legend has also made Wildlife World his home for the quest. Partial to Yorkshire pudding, the lesser-seen Aberford Ashenback dragon will be putting on a captivating display.

    Councillor Mohammed Rafique, Leeds City Council’s executive member for climate, energy, environment and green space, said: “This is an incredible Easter experience at Lotherton, so immersive and exciting for the whole family. It takes the Easter egg hunt to a different level!”

    Dragon Quest: The Search for the Lost Eggs runs throughout the Easter holidays (5 – 21 April). It is included in Lotherton general admission (free for Lotherton members), with additional charges for Explorer’s Basecamp activities, payable on site. Advanced booking is strongly recommended.

    More info and to book: Dragon Quest: The Search for the Lost Eggs | Leeds Museums and Galleries | Days out and exhibitions

    ENDS

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Tees Valley Combined Authority: Best Value Notice (April 2025)

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Correspondence

    Tees Valley Combined Authority: Best Value Notice (April 2025)

    Best Value Notice issued to Tees Valley Combined Authority on 3 April 2025.

    Applies to England

    Documents

    Tees Valley Combined Authority: Best Value Notice

    PDF, 293 KB, 3 pages

    Letter from the Minister for Local Government and English Devolution to the Mayor of Tees Valley

    PDF, 228 KB, 3 pages

    Details

    On 3 April 2025, the Minister for Local Government and English Devolution, Jim McMahon OBE MP, announced in a written ministerial statement the issuing of a non-statutory best value notice to Tees Valley Combined Authority. This best value notice is a formal notification that the department has concerns regarding the authority and requests that the authority engages with the department to provide assurance of improvement.

    Updates to this page

    Published 3 April 2025

    Sign up for emails or print this page

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Members of the Consumer Council for Water reappointed

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    Members of the Consumer Council for Water reappointed

    Rachel Onikosi and Bev Keogh will be reappointed for a further four-year term

    Rachel Onikosi and Bev Keogh have today (3 April 2025) been reappointed as Board Members of the Consumer Council for Water.

    Rachel Onikosi and Bev Keogh will be reappointed for a four-year term commencing on 1 June 2025.

    The reappointments have been made in accordance with the Governance Code on Public Appointments published by the Cabinet Office.

    Biographies

    Rachel Onikosi

    • Rachel Onikosi is a Panel Chair with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), where she leads quasi-judicial hearings. She also holds a similar role at the UK Council for Psychotherapy. In addition to her regulatory work, Rachel is an elected [since 2014] Councillor in the London Borough of Lewisham, representing residents of the Bellingham ward.
    • Previously, Rachel worked as a civil servant in the then Department for Business, Innovation, and Skills (BIS), where she advised ministers on consumer policy.
    • Locally, Rachel is a school governor and a presiding magistrate.

    Bev Keogh

    • Bev is an experienced utility executive whose career spans over 35 years in the regulated electricity and water industries. Having led operational engineering, customer experience and business assurance teams, she has a diverse knowledge of utility regulation, legislation, customer and people transformation, compliance, audit, and risk.
    • Bev contributed to the UK’s first skills strategy paper for Energy and Utilities addressing gaps in future skills to support UK Net Zero targets and ambitions.

    Notes to editors:

    • The Consumer Council for Water (CCW) is the independent, statutory body that represents all water and sewerage consumers across England and Wales. It provides advice and information on water matters and investigates complaints. It is an executive non-departmental public body, sponsored by the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs.

    Updates to this page

    Published 3 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Solong and Stena Immaculate interim report published

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    News story

    Solong and Stena Immaculate interim report published

    Fatal collision between a container ship and an oil/chemical tanker 14 nautical miles north-east of the Humber Estuary, England.

    Images courtesy of Jeff Bowden (top) and Howard Parsons (bottom) at MarineTraffic.com

    Today, we have published the initial findings of our investigation into the collision between the Portugal registered container ship Solong and the USA registered oil/chemical tanker Stena Immaculate, resulting in one fatality, 14 nautical miles north-east of Spurn Head at the entrance to the Humber Estuary, England, on 10 March 2025.

    The interim report, available via this link, contains details of our initial findings, consequences and ongoing action.

    Media enquiries (telephone only)

    Media enquiries during office hours 01932 440015

    Media enquiries out of hours 0300 7777878

    Updates to this page

    Published 3 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Birmingham City Council: Ministerial response to the Commissioners’ second report

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Correspondence

    Birmingham City Council: Ministerial response to the Commissioners’ second report

    Ministerial response from the Minister for Local Government and English Devolution, Jim McMahon OBE MP, to Max Caller CBE, Lead Commissioner at Birmingham City Council.

    Applies to England

    Documents

    Birmingham City Council: Ministerial response to the Commissioners’ second report

    PDF, 207 KB, 2 pages

    Details

    Response from the Minister for Local Government and English Devolution, Jim McMahon OBE MP, to the Lead Commissioner at Birmingham City Council, Max Caller CBE, regarding the Commissioners’ second report.

    Updates to this page

    Published 3 April 2025

    Sign up for emails or print this page

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI: Axi launches ‘Four Years’ campaign with Manchester City stars

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SYDNEY, April 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Leading online FX and CFD broker Axi has unveiled their new campaign, Four Years. Featuring Manchester City stars, Ruben Dias, Bernardo Silva, and John Stones, the campaign celebrates four years of partnership and shared success.

    Since 2020, Axi, the Official Online Trading Partner of Manchester City, has leveraged their access to the club’s players to create compelling content and to showcase their unique offerings. This year, the campaign celebrates four remarkable years of collaboration, reflecting on shared achievements, and ultimately, reaching new heights together, including the record setting, four consecutive Premier League titles.

    Hannah Hill, Head of Brand and Sponsorship at Axi, expressed her enthusiasm for their new campaign, stating, “Working with the City players has been a very exciting experience, year after year. When we started our collaboration with the club back in 2020, we couldn’t have anticipated just how extraordinary these four years would turn out to be. Our latest campaign, Four Years, celebrates it all. The challenges that we navigated, the shared ambition and strive for excellence, and the unprecedented success we’ve achieved together. The campaign is also a testament to our clients and partners–it’s the details that give you the edge, and it’s our pledge to continue providing the edge they need to maximise their full trading potential.”

    Further to the broker’s collaboration with Manchester City, Axi is also the Official LATAM Online Trading Partner of LaLiga club, Girona FC, the Official Online Trading Partner of Brazilian club, Esporte Clube Bahia, and have also named England international John Stones as their Brand Ambassador in 2023. Four Years follows a series of notable achievements and accolades for Axi–recently, the broker was recognised as ‘Innovator of the Year’ at the 2024 Dubai Forex Expo and was named ‘Most Innovative Proprietary Trading Firm’ by Finance Feeds, awards* that highlight the broker’s forward-thinking commitment in shaping future of the trading industry.

    Watch video https://youtu.be/AWTcHN18JBg

    *Granted to the Axi Group of Companies.

    About Axi

    Axi is a global online FX and CFD trading company, with thousands of customers in 100+ countries worldwide. Axi offers CFDs for several asset classes including Forex, Shares, Gold, Oil, Coffee, and more.

    For more information or additional comments from Axi, please contact: mediaenquiries@axi.com

    About Manchester City Football Club:

    Manchester City FC was initially founded in 1880 as St Mark’s West Gorton and officially became Manchester City FC in 1894. Situated on the wider Etihad Campus, the Club’s footprint includes the 53,500 capacity Etihad Stadium, the 7,000 capacity Joie Stadium and City Football Academy, a state-of-the-art performance, training and youth development facility home to the Club’s men’s, women’s and academy teams.

    Ranked as the Most Valuable Football Club Brand in the Premier League by Brand Finance, Manchester City FC is currently developing a best-in-class fan experience and year-round entertainment and leisure destination at the Etihad Campus. The Club is committed to operating in a sustainable and socially responsible manner and ensures that equality, diversity and inclusion is embedded into its decision-making processes, culture and practices.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Destiny Bridge and New Kingsway open

    Source: Scotland – City of Perth

    Known collectively as the Cross Tay Link Road project, Destiny Bridge and the New Kingsway, are key elements of the Perth Transport Futures infrastructure project linking the A9, the A93 and the A94 by providing a crossing over the River Tay.

    The project also includes a 12km active travel path network, connecting the neighbouring communities with Perth city centre and providing alternatives to vehicular traffic. The path network also connects a central hub at a new Park-and-Choose area, and incorporates a green bridge to separate active travel users and wildlife from the road.

    Together, the active travel path network and improved transport infrastructure will deliver on the project’s key priorities of reducing congestion and improving air quality in Perth city centre. Scottish Government, through Transport Scotland, has provided a £40m funding contribution to Perth and Kinross Council.

    First Minister John Swinney said: “The completion of the New Kingsway and Destiny Bridge is a significant milestone for Perth, and I have no doubt that it will be transformative for the area and bring enormous benefits to all who use it.

    “Reducing traffic volumes in the city centre will make journey times quicker, while also helping to reduce pollution, improve air quality, and free up road space for improved public transport.

    “Our £40 million investment in the New Kingsway and Destiny Bridge is in addition to the £150 million Scottish Government has already committed to the Tay Cities Region Deal, which is expected to create 6,000 jobs and lever a further £400 million of investment into the region.

    “This project showcases exactly how, with the right investment and strong partnerships, we will continue to deliver on my priorities of growing the economy, improving public services and protecting the planet.”

    Enabling works on the project commenced in early 2022 following the appointment of main contractor, BAM UK & Ireland. As well as delivering the £150m project on time and on budget, the project team has also generated over £51m of social and economic value within the local area.

    Councillor Grant Laing, Perth and Kinross Council Leader,  said: “As the largest infrastructure project ever undertaken by Perth and Kinross Council, the opening of Destiny Bridge and the New Kingsway marks a momentous achievement for all involved.

    “I would like to offer thanks to the project team for their hard work and dedication; and to residents, particularly those in Stormontfield, Scone and Luncarty, for their patience and understanding during the build.”

    Councillor Laing continued: “As well as positively impacting on the environment and economy, during construction the project has created job opportunities and tackled local skills shortages through a robust outreach and training programme.

    “It has also assisted in, and generated, several legacy projects including the Denmarkfield Allotments and Community Orchards, the new active travel path network and the Community Artwork project, all of which will bring enjoyment and health benefits for our Perth and Kinross residents for many years to come.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Regulators urge donors to support registered charities to help earthquake efforts in Myanmar

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government Non-Ministerial Departments

    Press release

    Regulators urge donors to support registered charities to help earthquake efforts in Myanmar

    The Charity Commission for England and Wales and the Fundraising Regulator offer advice on giving safely when looking to support the international aid effort.

    Today the Charity Commission for England and Wales and the Fundraising Regulator have published advice on how people can help those impacted by the devastating earthquake that struck Myanmar on 28 March 2025.

    The advice comes as the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) launches its Myanmar Earthquake Appeal. DEC brings together 15 registered UK aid charities to raise funds quickly and efficiently in times of crisis overseas.

    These, and other registered charities, are currently providing life-saving aid such as food, water, shelter and healthcare to people affected by the earthquake.

    By supporting registered charities, including through the DEC, people can be assured that their donations will be regulated and accounted for in line with charity law.

    David Holdsworth, Chief Executive of the Charity Commission said:

    As the scale of the devastation caused by the earthquake in Myanmar has become clearer, charities are once again responding to pleas for international help.

    One way anyone can help is by making a donation to one of the many registered charities working to get aid to those in desperate need in Myanmar.

    To make sure their generosity reaches the intended cause, we are reminding people to give with confidence through registered charities including by donating to the appeal launched by the Disasters Emergency Committee.

    Gerald Oppenheim, Chief Executive of the Fundraising Regulator said:

    The British public is always exceedingly generous in response to humanitarian disasters like the recent earthquake in Myanmar.

    We want to make sure that the public can continue to give, safe in the knowledge that their donations are going to help alleviate the suffering.

    By carrying out just a few simple checks – including looking out for a valid charity number and the Fundraising Badge – you can ensure you make informed decisions when donating to the disaster response.

    Steps to giving safely

    People can give with confidence to relief efforts by following a few simple steps:

    • consider donating through the DEC’s emergency appeal

    • for those who choose to donate to other charities, the charity regulator is reminding people to check charities are registered and legitimate

    • look out for the Fundraising Badge – the logo that says ‘registered with Fundraising Regulator’ – and check the Fundraising Regulator’s Directory of organisations committed to fundraise in line with its Code of Fundraising Practice

    • contact a charity directly or find out more online about the charity that you’re seeking to donate to or work with to understand how it is spending funds

    • make sure the charity is genuine before giving any financial information

    • be careful when responding to emails or clicking on links within them

    • check the charity’s name and registration number on the Charity Register – most charities with an annual income of £5,000 or more must be registered in England and Wales

    ENDS

    Notes to editors:

    1. Further tips on donating with confidence to registered charities are available on GOV.UK

    2. The Charity Commission for England and Wales is the independent, non-ministerial government department that registers and regulates charities in England and Wales – its purpose is to ensure charity can thrive and inspire trust so that people can improve lives and strengthen society

    3. There are separate registers for charities in England and Wales, charities in Scotland and charities in Northern Ireland. Charities can be on more than one register, reflecting the nations where they operate

    4. The Fundraising Regulator is the independent regulator of charitable fundraising in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Further guidance on giving safely to charity is available on the Fundraising Regulator’s website. It can be reached on FR@pagefield.co.uk

    The Charity Commission press office can be reached on:

    Press office

    Email pressenquiries@charitycommission.gov.uk

    Out of hours press office contact number: 07785 748787

    Updates to this page

    Published 3 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Good news, beach lovers: our research found 39% less plastic waste around Australian coastal cities than a decade ago

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephanie Brodie, Research Scientist in Marine Ecology, CSIRO

    jittawit21, Shutterstock

    Picture this: you’re lounging on a beautiful beach, soaking up the sun and listening to the soothing sound of the waves. You run your hands through the warm sand, only to find a cigarette butt. Gross, right?

    This disturbing scene is typical of coastal pollution in Australia. But fortunately our new research shows the problem is getting better, not worse. Over the past ten years, the amount of waste across Australian coastal cities has reduced by almost 40%. We’re also finding more places with no rubbish at all.

    We surveyed for debris in and around six Australian urban areas between 2022 and 2024. Then we compared our results to previous surveys carried out a decade ago. We found less coastal pollution overall and reset a new baseline for further research.

    Our study shows efforts to clean up Australia’s beaches have been working. These policies, practices and outreach campaigns have reduced the extent of pollution in coastal habitats near urban centres. But we can’t become complacent. There’s plenty of work still to be done.

    One of the many beaches surveyed by CSIRO.
    TJ Lawson

    What we did

    In Australia, three-quarters of the rubbish on our coasts is plastic. Even cigarette butts are mainly made of plastic.

    To tackle the pollution effectively, we need to understand where the waste is coming from and how it gets into the environment.

    Research has shown much of the coastal debris comes from local inland areas. Poor waste management practices can result in debris eventually making its way through rivers to the coast and out to sea.

    We focused on urban areas because high population density and industrial activity contributes to waste in the environment. We examined six areas across Australia:

    • Perth in Western Australia
    • Port Augusta in South Australia
    • Hobart in Tasmania
    • Newcastle in New South Wales
    • Sunshine Coast in Queensland
    • Alice Springs in the Northern Territory.

    These places represent a starting point for the national baseline. At each location we studied sites on the coast, along rivers and inland, within a 100 kilometre radius.

    We inspected strips of land 2m wide. This involved two trained scientists standing in an upright position looking downward, slowly walking along a line surveying for debris items. Together they captured information about every piece of debris they came across, including the type of material and what it was originally used for (where possible).

    What we found

    On average, we found 0.15 items of debris per square metre of land surveyed. That’s roughly one piece of rubbish every five steps.

    Plastic was the most common type of waste. But in many cases it was unclear what the item was originally used for. For example, fragments of hard plastic of unknown origin were found in a quarter of all surveyed areas.

    Polystyrene fragments were the most common item overall (24% of all debris fragments). Other frequently encountered items included food wrappers or labels, cigarette butts, and hard plastic bottle caps or lids.

    We found more waste near farms, industry and disadvantaged areas.

    The types of waste varied among cities. For example, cigarette butts were the most prevalent items in Newcastle, Perth and the Sunshine Coast. But food wrappers and beverage cans were more prevalent in Port Augusta and Alice Springs, respectively.

    Hobart had the highest occurrence of beverage bottles and bottle fragments.

    The most common type of waste varied among cities.
    CSIRO

    Targeting problem items

    Identifying the different types of litter in the environment can help policymakers and waste managers target specific items and improve waste recovery.

    Research has shown container deposit legislation, which enables people to take eligible beverage containers to a collection point for a refund, has reduced the number of beverage containers in the coastal environment by 40%. Hobart did not have a container deposit scheme in place at the time of our survey.

    Plastic bag bans can reduce bag litter. Now polystyrene food service items are becoming increasingly targeted by policymakers.

    Hobart had the highest occurrence of beverage bottles and bottle fragments.
    Caroline Bray

    Making progress

    When we compared our results to the previous survey from 2011-14 we found a 39% decrease in coastal debris. We also found 16% more areas where no debris was present.

    Our results support previous research that found an ongoing trend towards less waste on Australian beaches.

    We think our research demonstrates the effectiveness of improved waste management policies, campaigns such as the “Five R’s – Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Repurpose, then Recycle” – as well as clean-up efforts.

    It’s likely that increased awareness is making a big dent in the problem. But reducing the production of plastic, and invoking changes further up the supply chain, would likely further help reduce mismanaged waste in the environment.

    Implications for the future

    Measuring and monitoring litter can inform policymaking and waste management. Our research serves as a benchmark for evaluating and informing future efforts to reduce plastic waste.

    We are heartened by the findings. But continued effort is needed from people across government, industry and Australian communities. Everyone needs to address how we produce, use and dispose of plastic for a cleaner and healthier planet.

    Australians are increasingly aware of the need to keep the coastal environment free of litter.
    Qamar Schuyler

    As part of her role at CSIRO, Stephanie Brodie receives funding the federal Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, and the Australian Fisheries Management Authority.

    Britta Denise Hardesty received funding for this work from the Department of Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Water. Shell Australia previously provided funding for this research via Earthwatch Australia for surveys and citizen science projects carried out between 2011 and 2014.

    – ref. Good news, beach lovers: our research found 39% less plastic waste around Australian coastal cities than a decade ago – https://theconversation.com/good-news-beach-lovers-our-research-found-39-less-plastic-waste-around-australian-coastal-cities-than-a-decade-ago-253221

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Greens warn SNP against diluting or dropping crucial Heat in Buildings Bill

    Source: Scottish Greens

    03 Apr 2025 Climate

    Warmer, greener homes are crucial to cutting bills.

    More in Climate

    Any moves by the Scottish Government to further dilute, delay or drop the upcoming Heat in Buildings Bill would be an act of climate vandalism and a blow for household budgets, green jobs, and our environment, say the Scottish Greens.

    The comments from the party’s Co-Leader, Patrick Harvie, come ahead of a Ministerial statement today that is widely expected to see plans weakened and pushed back further.

    The Bill, which was under development by Mr Harvie in his time as a Minister, and was on track for introduction in November last year, was intended to focus on improving the energy efficiency of our homes and changing to clean heating systems.

    Mr Harvie said:

    “It is crucial that we move away from fossil fuels and invest in clean, green energy so that we can have warmer homes and start to cut the bills that are plunging even more families into poverty.

    “Keeping people stuck on gas is not only bad for our planet, it is also punishing people all across our country and forcing them to fork out, while the fossil fuel companies post record profits. We are already way behind where we need to be in terms of tackling fuel poverty and our transition away from fossil fuels.

    “Scotland is also losing out on good quality green jobs. Heat pump manufacturing is seeing global growth, but Scotland has seen investment go elsewhere.

    “The measures in this Bill could play a crucial role in supporting households to make the shift, and giving the industry the clarity it needs to invest. I am very concerned by the increasing speculation that it will be diluted, delayed or dropped. To do so would be an act of environmental vandalism and a blow for household budgets, our economy and our environment.

    “The failure to hit previous climate targets should have been a wake-up call, but the Scottish Government is not showing anywhere near the political will that is required.

    “Cutting home energy bills, boosting high quality green jobs, and cutting our emissions are all possible, but they can only happen if the Government is prepared to take the action and make the investment that it needs to.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Edinburgh Green Cllrs call for free bus travel for carers

    Source: Scottish Greens

    03 Apr 2025 Transport

    Public transport should be affordable and accessible.

    More in Transport

    Edinburgh’s Scottish Green councillors are urging all parties to back a motion calling for the Council to extend free bus travel to carers and companions across the city.

    The motion, which will be heard by the Transport and Environment Committee today, will be moved by Councillor Kayleigh O’Neill. It would extend the successful bus pass Companion +1 scheme to every young person with care needs.

    The proposal follows campaigning by Parents 4 Future Scotland, a grassroots organisation concerned about climate change in our communities.

    If approved, the motion calls for the Council to work on a proposal for an ‘Under 22+1 scheme’ to enable the change and to report back to the Transport and Environment Committee.

    Councillor O’Neill said:

    “The Under 22 bus pass scheme has been revolutionary for children in the city who can now travel for free on bus and trams. This is great for their families’ finances and for promoting car-free travel in the city for those who can

    “However I know that a barrier for some children in using their bus pass is the need to travel with a carer, for example a parent or guardian and that cost can be problematic.

    “The idea would be that an Under 22 pass user will have the option to apply for a “+1” to be added to their card like the companion and Disabled National Entitlement Card”

    “Lothian Buses and Edinburgh Trams are already familiar with a ‘plus one type of scheme’ because they accommodate users of the Disabled Person’s Bus Pass Scheme which, for some, allows a free companion to travel with the cardholder.”

    “It would be fantastic to further level the playing field when it comes to accessing public transport, especially for those already struggling with costs of living and mobility.”

    Scottish Green MSP Lorna Slater said:

    “This is a really important proposal by Green councillors and would make our transport system and Edinburgh more accessible for young people who need extra care when travelling.

    “Our cities and our communities are for all of us, and that has to mean that we should all be able to access and enjoy them. This would set a vitally important precedent and would be an important step towards building a more liveable city.”

    Motion by Councillor O’Neill – Free Bus Travel for Carers and Companions

    Committee:

    1. Welcomes the Young Persons’ (Under 22s) Free Bus Travel scheme for which there is a strong pick up rate across the City of Edinburgh
    2. Understands a barrier for some children using their under 22s bus pass is the need to travel with a carer (e.g parent or guardian) who cannot afford travel
    3. The disabled person’s bus pass scheme already successfully runs with a Companion +1 scheme dependent on the applicant’s needs and technology can support this onboard Lothian Buses and at card authenticators at Edinburgh Tram stops.
    4. Also understands that disabled people under 22 can choose between the disabled person’s bus pass and the under 22 bus pass, however the administrative process is easier for those under 22 and does not require users to re-apply and provide proof of disability for free travel.
    5. Notes previous work from Cllr Dijkstra-Downie to request class bus passes for schools to promote uptake of the cards which should continue to be encouraged
    6. Therefore requests officers to investigate the possibility of implementing as scheme for a ‘u22 +1’ card for young people who need to travel with a carer, parent or guardian, and report to Transport and Environment committee when appropriate.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Markey, Warren, Whitehouse Condemn Firings of Immigration Judges Across the Country

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey

    Letter Text (PDF)

    Washington (April 2, 2025) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), along with Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), today sent a letter to the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) Attorney General Pamela Bondi and Executive Office for Immigration Review Acting Director Sirce E. Owen, condemning the unjust firings of more than 20 judges serving on immigration courts across the nation. The senators highlighted the enormous impact these terminations will have on the immigration system, including impairing critical due process protections.

    The Department of Justice (DOJ) has reportedly fired more than 20 judges serving on immigration courts across the nation, including the Chelmsford Immigration Court in Massachusetts. These firings, which heavily impact New England, have terminated high-level officials—including the Chief Immigration Judge (IJ) of the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR)—supervisory immigration judges and an entire class of 13 newly hired IJs.

    In the letter, the lawmakers write, “The Trump administration has arbitrarily dismissed these hard-working public servants, without compelling reason, in blatant disregard for the fairness and efficiency of the immigration courts. These indefensible firings appear intended to impair the immigration system and to strip vulnerable immigrants of critical due process protections. We urge the Administration to reinstate these fired IJs, halt any further terminations, and provide information regarding EOIR’s plan for the immigration court system.”

    The lawmakers continued, “Experts warn that the Administration could be poised to politicize the immigration court system by replacing terminated court officials with far-right loyalists. And we are alarmed by news that the Administration is seeking to bypass the IJs altogether by invoking the Alien Enemies Act and expanding the use of ‘expedited removal,’ a fast-track deportation process. Individuals deemed ‘alien enemies’ under the Alien Enemies Act have been deported without any court hearing or other form of due process. Meanwhile, individuals placed in expedited removal are not entitled to a hearing before an IJ or to judicial review, with narrow exceptions for those who express fear of persecution or intent to apply for asylum. The designation of some noncitizens as ‘alien enemies’ and the possible expansion of expedited removal—coupled with the firings of IJs—signifies a concerted effort to deprive noncitizens of critical protections and due process rights. This approach could result in the erroneous deportation of individuals with a valid claim of asylum or fear of persecution and even citizens, lawful permanent residents, and visa-holders. These actions are not only cruel and inhumane, they may also contravene U.S. law and international obligations.”

    The lawmakers request answers by April 11, 2025 to the following questions:

    • How is the Trump administration deciding which immigration judges to terminate nationwide, and, specifically, in the Chelmsford and Boston immigration courts?
    • Why did the Administration fire 13 newly hired IJs and 7 Assistant Chief IJs (ACIJs) on February 14, 2025? Why has the Administration fired other IJs and ACIJs since February 14?
    • Why has the Trump administration terminated immigration judges who have served in their roles for longer than two years?
    • Is the Trump administration considering firing additional immigration judges in the Boston or Chelmsford immigration courts?
    • Does the Trump administration plan to re-hire any of the terminated immigration judges? Does the Trump administration plan to replace any of the terminated immigration judges by hiring new immigration judges, including for the Boston or Chelmsford immigration courts?
    • How does the Trump administration intend to address the backlog of roughly 160,000 removal cases in the Boston and Chelmsford immigration courts?
    • Is the Trump administration planning on taking other actions that would obviate the need for more immigration judges?

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Man charged after police seize firearms during targeted Mowbray search

    Source: New South Wales Community and Justice

    Man charged after police seize firearms during targeted Mowbray search

    Thursday, 3 April 2025 – 3:42 pm.

    A man has been charged after police seized four firearms, a silencer, and quantities of illicit substances during a targeted search at Mowbray yesterday.
    Members of Northern Drug and Firearms Unit executed a search warrant at the private residence, seizing a 3D printed pistol, a shortened rifle, an unregistered rifle, and a 12-gauge shotgun.
    A 23-year-old Mowbray man presented to Launceston Police Station this morning, and was charged with multiple firearms-related offences including possess a prohibited firearm to which a firearms licence may not be issued, possess a shortened firearm, and possess a silencer.
    He was also charged with recklessly discharging a firearm in relation to an incident on 1 February and wounding over an incident on 19 January.
    He will appear in the Launceston Magistrates Court at a later date.
    Anyone with information about illegal firearms should contact police on 131 444 or Crime Stoppers anonymously on 1800 333 000 or online at crimestopperstas.com.au

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: PLASKETT HOSTS MARCH COMMUNITY EVENTS

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Stacey E. Plaskett (USVI)

    For Immediate Release                             Contact: Tionee Scotland
    March 30, 2025                                                    202-808-6129

    PRESS RELEASE

    PLASKETT HOSTS MARCH COMMUNITY EVENTS

    US Virgin Islands – During the last week of March, Congresswoman Plaskett and her office hosted numerous community outreach events.

    On Thursday, March 27th and Friday, March 28th, the Congresswoman and her team hosted U.S. Postal Service Town Hall Working Sessions where they received in writing various constituent complaints, inquiries, and testimonials regarding delayed or damaged packages and other issues. The US Postal Service initially agreed to have representatives from the regional and local offices present at both town halls, but then later declined the invitation, stating that travel demands were too great and would take too much time away from USPS staff and representatives’ work duties. Since the Congresswoman’s first term, the office has hosted at least four (4) town halls with postal service personnel in attendance—up to the Deputy Postmaster General has come—at the Congresswoman’s invitation—to speak to the Virgin Islands community as well as postal inspectors come to simply share how to make a claim. Despite the US Postal Service representatives’ inability to attend, the Congresswoman and her team received numerous complaints and shared information on additional topics regarding social security, immigration and veterans affairs.

    On Saturday, March 29th and Sunday, March 30th, the Congresswoman’s office also hosted their 4th annual V.I. History with Stacey events where Virgin Islands’ students were front and center with numerous displays of Virgin Islands history and culture through the performing arts and spoken word. Also, a part of the program were this year’s winners of the office’s Black History Month essay contest (winners’ names listed below).

    “I would like to thank all of the members of our community who came out and supported our community events this week, and a special thank you to our students, their parents and teachers who participated in our V.I. History with Stacey presentations,” said Congresswoman Plaskett. “Additionally, my team and I take very seriously our commitment to keeping Virgin Islanders informed and equipped with the appropriate information and resources regarding agencies like the U.S. Postal Service. I look forward to sharing the complaints and information gathered at our town halls with the USPS regional office and my team will share updates as we receive them.”

    St. Thomas/St. John  – Middle School Category Winner

    Khaden  Jn-Jacques
    All Saints Cathedral School

    St. Thomas/St. John – High School Category Winner

    Mirza Baig
    Charlotte Amalie High School

    St. Croix Middle School Category Winner

    Taejah S. Green
    Eulalie Rivera School

    St. Croix High School Category Winner

    Knala  A.S. Hendrickson
    St. Croix Education Complex High School

    Honorable Mentions:

    Video/Power Point Presentation

    Kingston Walker
    All Saints Cathedral School 

    Artwork

    Maddy Donnelly
    Good Hope Country Day School

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Fourth youth charged following Launceston burglaries

    Source: New South Wales Community and Justice

    Fourth youth charged following Launceston burglaries

    Thursday, 3 April 2025 – 12:23 pm.

    A fourth youth has been charged as part of an investigation into a number of burglaries at residential and commercial properties in the Launceston area.
    The 17-year-old boy was charged overnight with 11 burglaries and 7 stealings – alleged to have occurred between February and April.
    He was detained to appear in the Youth Justice Division of the Launceston Magistrates Court today.
    Three youths – a 14-year-old-boy and two 17-year-old boys – were previously charged with numerous offences as part of the investigation by Northern Criminal Investigation Branch.
    Anyone with information should contact police on 131 444 or Crime Stoppers anonymously on 1800 333 000 or online at crimestopperstas.com.au

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Scottish Secretary focusses on jobs and investment in USA visit

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Scottish Secretary focusses on jobs and investment in USA visit

    US investors invited to Edinburgh for a Global Investment Summit to help boost jobs and investment, putting more money back in people’s pockets.

    Jobs and investment in Scotland will be top of the agenda today [Thursday 3 April] when Scottish Secretary Ian Murray, Lord Mayor of London Alastair King and Scottish Financial Enterprise Chief Executive Sandy Begbie meet key sectors in a series of meetings in New York during Tartan Week.

    In a co-ordinated effort aimed at boosting growth in Scotland they will invite companies to attend the Scottish Investor Summit – organised by Scottish Financial Enterprise and The City of London Corporation – to be held in Edinburgh in October this year.

    The event will be key to encouraging inward investment in Scotland – investment which can boost Scotland’s economy, create well paid jobs and boost living standards, putting more money back in people’s pockets. 

    The New York meetings will showcase Scotland’s key strengths in financial services, clean energy and life sciences to international investors. This will be held at the UK Consul General’s residence in New York and at the offices of BlackRock, a global investment management corporation with a significant presence in Scotland. 

    Secretary of State for Scotland Ian Murray said: 

    “At a time when we are celebrating Scotland on the international stage, we want to highlight the exceptional investment opportunities in innovative industries. These meetings and roundtables are at the heart of Brand Scotland, selling the nation on the global stage. By strengthening these international partnerships through our Plan for Change, we’re laying the groundwork for the Edinburgh Global Investment Summit.”

    Lord Mayor of London Alastair King said:

    “Tartan week is not just an opportunity to celebrate the strong cultural and economic links between Scotland and the US, it is also a chance to deepen them further especially in financial services. That is why I am in New York speaking to major US businesses and investors and promoting the forthcoming Scottish Investment Summit in Edinburgh in October

    “The theme of my mayoralty is ‘growth unleashed’, aiming to reignite the City’s appetite for positive risk and fully leverage the white heat of new technology to fuel economic growth across the United Kingdom. One of the best ways to do that is through greater cooperation with the US in financial services – which is a major part of both the Scottish and wider UK economy.”

    Chief Executive of Scottish Financial Enterprise Sandy Begbie CBE said:

    “Tartan week is an excellent example of the soft power which Scotland commands across the globe, but especially in the US. These roundtables provide just a small taste of the investment opportunity in Scotland.

    “The Scottish investment summit later this year will showcase in detail the very best of Scotland’s financial services, renewables and life science to global investors. This coupled with opportunities to engage with government stakeholders and investment prospects highlight the unique opportunity the summit will bring.”

    The Scottish investment summit, to be held in Edinburgh in October, will bring together major global investors, UK industry leaders, higher education institutions, and government representatives. Around 150 senior-level attendees are expected at the summit, with at least half representing significant global investors. 

    The summit will showcase the investments that have already been made, as well as the rationale behind why firms made the decision to invest in Scotland and what have been the returns and benefits to them as a result. It will also provide opportunities for investors to engage with investment prospects that currently exist in our investment pipeline, as well as government and regulatory stakeholders.

    Updates to this page

    Published 3 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Fatal crash, Devonport

    Source: New South Wales Community and Justice

    Fatal crash, Devonport

    Thursday, 3 April 2025 – 10:52 am.

    Sadly, a woman in her 80s has died after a single-vehicle crash at Devonport.
    Police and emergency services were called to the Bass Highway about 6.30am Thursday after reports a vehicle had rolled.
    A woman – who was a passenger in the vehicle – sadly died at the scene.
    The driver of the vehicle was taken to the North West Regional Hospital for treatment.
    Investigations into the crash are ongoing, and a report will be prepared for the Coroner.
    Our thoughts are with the woman’s family and loved ones at this difficult time.
    Anyone with information should contact police on 131 444 or Crime Stoppers anonymously on 1800 333 000 or online at crimestopperstas.com.au

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Why do women get ‘reassurance scans’ during pregnancy? And how can you spot a dodgy provider?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christopher Rudge, Law lecturer, University of Sydney

    Shutterstock

    Recent media coverage in the Nine newspapers highlights a surge in non-medical ultrasound providers offering “reassurance ultrasounds” to expectant parents.

    The service has resulted in serious harms, such as misdiagnosed ectopic pregnancies and undetected fetal abnormalities, according to the reports.

    So why do some women choose additional ultrasounds? And how can you tell if you should trust the person providing your ultrasound?

    What are reassurance scans?

    Reassurance scans are a type of non-medical elective or “entertainment” ultrasound some women seek in addition to their routine first- and second-trimester scans.

    Reassurance scans are marketed as a way to “give you peace of mind” about your baby’s development, or to assure you “everything is progressing as it should” if you’re not due for a routine scan.

    They’re also called souvenir, boutique or keepsake ultrasounds, because these business typically sell memento packages. These often include so-called 4D images: renderings combined with the fourth dimension of time to show movement.

    Some businesses offer gender identification information, sometimes with “gender-reveal” party accessories, as well as audio recordings of the fetal heartbeat.

    Why do women get them?

    Detailed interview studies have explored why ultrasound images beyond the routine scans are so popular.

    Many expecting parents want to learn the fetal sex as early as possible, seek reassurance, see the facial features of their future child and acquire keepsake images.

    Others find the routine scans too rushed and impersonal, turning to commercial providers as a more ceremonious and fulfilling ritual.

    Some women feel rushed during routine scans.
    Jordi Mora/Shutterstock

    Health sociologists have emphasised the positive health impacts of non-medical ultrasound, which can help expecting mothers and fathers bond with their baby.

    Some feminists in the 20th century criticised the medicalisation of pregnancy for devaluing “lived experience”. But recent feminist accounts have re-framed non-medical scans as a way for women to get health care that goes beyond clinical utility.

    Rather than trivialising the “entertainment” value of these services, some argue obstetricians could learn from the service, thus improving patient satisfaction during obstetric imaging.

    What are the risks of these services?

    In recent years, the technology to provide detailed scans has become more portable, with handheld, smartphone-compatible ultrasound devices now available.

    This, along with the normalisation of sharing ultrasound images on social media, has likely led to more commercial businesses offering these services.

    Yet the service is considered fraught with unmanageable psychological and social risk. Providers are usually not trained to counsel mothers or families should a fetal anomaly be suspected.

    Professional organisations have denounced these businesses for misleading consumers with false reassurances. As these scans aren’t checked by a clinician, these operators cannot give reliable assurances.

    The World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology and similar bodies disapprove of souvenir ultrasounds on safety grounds. So too does the Australian Sonographers Association, which represents about 70% of sonographers.

    No substantive restrictions on ultrasound devices

    Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration regulates the supply of medical devices. It registers them, classifies them according to their risk and sometimes attaches conditions to their use.

    However, some portable ultrasound scanners approved as low-risk devices carry no specific conditions. Lay consumers could theoretically purchase them, including through the personal importation scheme.

    Last year, the TGA de-registered several handheld devices used to detect fetal heartbeats during pregnancy without health practitioner supervision.

    The decision followed a post-market review that found expectant parents had been falsely reassured by the devices themselves or by untrained people using them in home settings.

    However, no such review has been conducted for portable ultrasound devices.

    While removing devices from the register in this manner may limit consumer access, it is not a “product recall” and would not prevent the continued sale of second-hand devices.

    These days it’s normal to share ultrasound images on social media.
    fizkes/Shutterstock

    Who can perform ultrasounds?

    While some specialist health practitioners may perform ultrasounds (such as obstetricians holding a relevant certificate), most diagnostic imaging specialists are sonographers.

    To perform medical ultrasounds that are eligible for a Medicare rebate, sonographers must be trained and accredited.

    But there is no sonography registration board to receive complaints about sonographers or take disciplinary action against them. This sets sonographers apart from registered health practitioners such as doctors, nurses and pharmacists.

    The Australian Sonographers Association has argued sonographers should be regulated by a registration board.

    This could make sonographers more clearly identifiable through title protections, ensure poorly performing sonographers are disciplined and allow for consistent national standards.

    However, it would not stop unregistered people from providing non-medical ultrasounds.

    So how can you tell if your provider is a sonographer?

    One clear signal that a provider is offering a non-diagnostic ultrasound is that no Medicare subsidy is on offer.

    Australian providers conducting imaging without accreditation must inform consumers of their non-accredited status and confirm no Medicare benefit is payable.

    Not doing so would amount to an offence.

    How can you report a dodgy provider?

    You can make complaints to state-based health complaints bodies. The Health Care Complaints Commission in New South Wales, for example, can investigate complaints about sonographers as non-registered health practitioners and consider the relevant code of conduct.

    When a sonographer is found to have acted improperly, or to pose a health or safety risk, these complaints bodies may issue orders prohibiting the sonographer from providing any health services for a specified period.

    Australian consumer law is another way authorities may crack down on unscrupulous providers. In 2015, a person was prosecuted in Western Australia after selling identical images to six women who received non-medical ultrasounds in their homes.

    Her offences involved making false or misleading claims and accepting money for services not provided.

    If non-medical imaging providers make misleading claims, including about the level of clinical reassurance a non-diagnostic scan can provide, you can report them to the Australian Consumer and Competition Commission.

    The author was employed as a research officer at the Medical Council of New South Wales in 2018.

    – ref. Why do women get ‘reassurance scans’ during pregnancy? And how can you spot a dodgy provider? – https://theconversation.com/why-do-women-get-reassurance-scans-during-pregnancy-and-how-can-you-spot-a-dodgy-provider-253544

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Multiple Fugitives Arrested Which Leads to Drug Seizure in Maine

    Source: US Marshals Service

    Portland, ME – The U.S. Marshals Service in Maine announces multiple arrests while in search for a Massachusetts fugitive. Jason Whitney, 47, was arrested at his residence in Waldoboro, Maine Wednesday night, April 1st. Whitney was wanted for a weapon offense charge out of Massachusetts. While in search of Whitney at the residence, U.S. Marshals Task Force members discovered several other occupants living at the residence that had multiple warrants for arrest.

    After receiving investigative leads from the United States Marshals Service (USMS) District of Massachusetts New England HIDTA Fugitive Task Force, the USMS Maine Violent Offender Task Force (MVOTF) was able to determine Whitney was living at a residence in Waldoboro, Maine. In coordination with the Waldoboro, Maine Police Department, Whitney was apprehended. Also discovered and arrested at the residence were Hannah Stone, 25, of Waldoboro, Maine, and Daason Carter-Hawkins 24, of Dorchester, Massachusetts. Stone and Carter-Hawkins had multiple warrants for failure to appear on previous drug related offenses here in Maine.

    Concurrent to the arrests, multiple quantities of drugs and paraphernalia where also discovered and seized by authorities, which included 184 grams of “crack” cocaine. Drug related investigations are on-going by state and local authorities.

    Significant assistance was provided by the Massachusetts USMS New England HIDTA Fugitive Task Force, Massachusetts State Police Violent Fugitive Apprehension Section (VFAS), Waldoboro, Maine Police Department, and the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency (MDEA). All three subjects were arrested without incident.

    The USMS, Maine Violent Offender Task Force is comprised of members of the U.S. Marshals Service, Maine Department of Corrections, Biddeford Police Department, U.S. Border Patrol, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Maine National Guard Counterdrug Task Force and the Coast Guard Investigative Service.

    If you have any information regarding the whereabouts of any state or federal fugitive please contact the United States Marshals Service, MED.TIPLINE@usdoj.gov.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Adolescence in schools: TV show’s portrayal of one boyhood may do more harm than good when used as a teaching tool

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sophie King-Hill, Associate Professor at the Health Services Management Centre, University of Birmingham

    Netflix television series Adolescence follows a 13-year-old boy accused of the murder of his female classmate. It touches upon incel online hate groups, toxic influencers and the misogynistic online spaces of the manosphere.

    Keir Starmer, the UK prime minister, has backed a move for Adolescence to be shown in schools, and Netflix has now made the series available to be shown for free in classrooms through charity Into Film+, which has also produced a guide for teachers. Resources for teachers and parents will also be produced by relationships charity Tender.

    Adolescence is a drama and deserves the praise it has attracted. But it wasn’t developed as an educational resource, the kind that is produced in consultation with young people and schools and should be underpinned by robust research and well planned evaluations.

    The series shows an extreme example of one teenager drawn into the world of the manosphere. Not all boys will see themselves reflected in this portrayal. And as a researcher working on masculinity and misogyny, my concern is that showing the series in schools may lead boys to think that they are all perceived as potential threats.

    Showing the series as a teaching tool risks framing boyhood as monolithic, with one particular – and problematic – way of being a boy.

    Already, a broad-brush, blame-heavy approach is often taken to boys in response to issues relating to sexual harassment and violence. “We may have a problem with boys and young men that we need to address”, Keir Starmer has said.

    Boys dealing with blame

    In research I have carried out for a forthcoming book on boys and masculinity, I worked with young men and boys aged 13 to 19. One 15-year-old boy said that “I am always told that I am part of the problem but never allowed to be part of the solution”. I also found that this broad blame culture leads to feelings of worthlessness in young men and boys, which shuts down vital dialogue and also may lead them to resort to looking for direction from negative spaces such as the manosphere.

    It is evident from reports and evidence that young men and boys do carry out a large amount of reported sexual harassment and harms against young women and girls. This can be seen in the 2021 Ofsted report into sexual harassment in schools in England, for example. The 2025 2000 Women report states that, in the UK, a woman is killed by a man every three days.

    There is evidently a serious, endemic and complex problem. The misogyny that can be popularised by toxic influencers online also needs urgently addressing.

    But a “one-size-fits-all” approach to tackle “boys’ issues” may result in making things worse, not better, due to the lack of recognition of the intersectionality of boyhood. Other aspects of identity, such as race, age, class, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, sexuality and physical and mental health will have implications for the approaches that need to be taken.



    Read more:
    How to talk to boys about misogyny

    My ongoing research has demonstrated that boyhood means differing things to different boys. In steering groups with young men and boys from various ethnicities and differing social classes, a consistent theme emerged. This was a conflict between the internal and external self that the boys felt that they had to portray. This was also highlighted in a further 16 focus groups carried out on the project, again with a range of boys.

    The internal self refers to who the boys actually are, including other identity traits such as race and class, and all the other intersecting aspects of their identity. The external self is what they felt they should show as a boys to fit into the hierarchy of masculinity and how they should portray themselves to fit within the social expectations of being a boy. This causes a conflict of external and internal self.

    Efforts to help boys deal with issues such as the messages of the manosphere need to be attuned to the nuance of their internal selves. Generalising boys does not account for the individual identities that they bring to the issues that affect them.

    Boys as individuals

    The monolithic perspective of “boys” and the ensuing group blame oversimplifies complex issues, resulting in less than effective solutions and interventions that do not acknowledge or account for the nuances and complexities that surround individual boys.

    This approach ignores diversities and intersecting identities and steers societal thinking about boys as a set group. It risks stereotyping them and causing prejudicial approaches. When boys are stigmatised in such a way, it compounds issues across genders, breaks down valuable communication and can also cause resentment and hostility.

    One of the key voices and valuable perspectives that is missing from this debate is that of young men and boys themselves. We need to truly listen to their perspectives and their needs and build upon these as they are the experts in the world they are experiencing. Good practice accounts for and builds upon these experiences, with young people.

    My research has demonstrated that young people want to be a part of these discussions rather than having things decided for them. It also shows that, quite often, we are teaching them what they already know and providing support and education that is too little, too late. We need to move away from the broad brush blaming of boys and young men and begin to approach them based upon their own individual identities – of which gender is only a part.

    Sophie King-Hill receives funding from ESRC.

    – ref. Adolescence in schools: TV show’s portrayal of one boyhood may do more harm than good when used as a teaching tool – https://theconversation.com/adolescence-in-schools-tv-shows-portrayal-of-one-boyhood-may-do-more-harm-than-good-when-used-as-a-teaching-tool-253158

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: State of the states: six politics experts explain the key seats across the country

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Clune, Honorary Associate, Government and International Relations, University of Sydney

    The five-week election campaign is now in full swing throughout the nation.

    Amid the flurry of photo opportunities and press conferences, candidates campaign in specific areas for a reason: to shore up or win back key seats.

    But which seats are key? Here, six experts explain the seats to watch in New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia.

    New South Wales

    David Clune, honorary associate, government and international relations, University of Sydney

    How the 2025 federal election will play out in NSW is difficult to predict for two reasons.

    The first is the recent redistribution which, as ABC analyst Antony Green’s pendulum shows, has redefined many electoral boundaries.

    The second is the number of crossbench MPs. There are three Teals in formerly safe Liberal seats: Mackellar (Sophie Scamps), Warringah (Zali Steggall) and Wentworth (Allegra Spender). Teal Kylie Tink’s seat of North Sydney has been abolished.

    All were lifted into parliament by the rising tide of resentment against former Prime Minister Scott Morrison. Now that tide has gone out, the survival of these MPs depends on how they have performed as local members. The overall impression is that they have done well in connecting with their constituents and will be hard to shift.

    There is a chance the formerly safe upper north shore seat of Bradfield could augment their numbers. Teal Nicolette Boele gave Liberal Paul Fletcher a very uncomfortable election night in 2022 when she slashed his majority. After the redistribution, the Liberals hold the seat by a narrow 2.5%. Fletcher is not recontesting. Boele is running a well-financed campaign with a lot of grass roots support.

    The redistribution has pushed many former North Sydney voters into Bradfield. Whether they remain Teal or revert to being true-blue Liberals remains to be seen.

    Much of the rest of the former North Sydney has gone into the very marginal Labor seat of Bennelong, which is now notionally marginal Liberal.

    The Nationals have a problem in Calare, where former Nationals MP, now independent, Andrew Gee, is recontesting. The Nationals are also facing challenges from the left on the upper north coast due to demographic change. They hold Cowper by 2.4%.

    Liberal-aligned independent, Dai Le, narrowly won Fowler in Sydney’s western suburbs in 2023. Labor has endorsed Tu Le, also of Vietnamese descent, in what promises to be a tough fight. Parramatta is another marginal seat in the western suburbs, held by Labor’s Andrew Charlton with a two-party preferred margin of 3.7%.

    The government is concerned about seats on the central coast and in the Hunter and Illawarra regions, where concerns about wind farms and job losses due to renewable energy are a major issue. Most of the government’s vulnerable seats are in these areas: Gilmore, Robertson, Paterson and Hunter would all be lost with a two-party-preferred swing of 5%.

    Queensland

    Paul Williams, associate professor in politics and journalism, Griffith University

    For decades we said Queensland was a key “battleground” in federal elections where seats north of the Tweed so often held the keys to The Lodge.

    The 1975 election saw the Coalition leave Labor with a single seat, and the 1996 poll bequeath Labor just two. Conversely, Labor’s Kevin Rudd rode to victory on his nine-seat haul in in 2007, with Rudd losing seven of those in 2010.

    But, for the past 15 years, federal elections have seen little movement in Queensland except, of course, for 2022 when the Greens won three seats. In short, Queensland is no longer the “make-or-break” state. Even the retirements of Keith Pitt (Hinkler), Karen Andrews (McPherson), Warren Entsch (Leichhardt) and Graham Perrett (Moreton) will hardly affect the mood.

    The electoral pendulum confirms this. Labor holds just five of Queensland’s 30 seats, with Blair – a mix of outer-suburban and regional proclivities – Labor’s most marginal, but still held by a healthy 5.2% buffer. Given the two-party-preferred (2PP) swing to the Liberal-National Party (LNP) in Queensland will likely be under five percentage points – far lower than the 7.0% two-party-preferred swing the LNP attained at last October’s state election – the Coalition is unlikely to seize any more Labor property.

    Conversely, despite the LNP holding seven Queensland seats on margins under 5%, the electoral tide is well and truly out for a Labor Party, whose Queensland brand is damaged at all levels. Inflation and housing shortages have hit Queensland hard, and especially so in the regions. Peter Dutton’s seat of Dickson – the LNP’s most marginal on just 1.7% – is therefore safe.

    Climate action and other “community” candidates (some reject the “Teal” moniker) are standing on the Gold Coast (McPherson and Moncrieff), on the Sunshine Coast (Fisher and Fairfax), and in Groom and Dickson. None will win, but some will carve out a respectable primary vote.

    All eyes will instead be on the cashed-up inner-urban seats of Ryan (potentially returning to the LNP), Griffith (a possible Labor win) and Brisbane (a genuine three-way race) – all three useful, but not essential, to Labor’s pathway to minority government.

    In the Northern Territory, Labor’s Marion Scrymgour holds Lingiari by 1.7%, making that seat one to watch.

    South Australia

    Rob Manwaring, associate professor of politics and public policy, Flinders University

    South Australia is rarely a key battleground in federal elections, and only comprises ten electoral seats.

    There are, however, three key seats worth watching as they will tell us a lot about how the election campaign is playing out: Sturt, Boothby and Mayo.

    In Sturt, the Liberals hold this key seat in Adelaide’s eastern suburbs with a margin of 0.5%. A fresh challenge for the incumbent James Stevens is that he faces a threat from SA’s first real Teal candidate, Verity Cooper. This potentially pulls this seat into a three-way fight.

    Boothby, in Adelaide’s southern suburbs, will be a good litmus test of how well Labor’s campaign is performing. Labor won the seat for the first time ever in 2022, and Louise Miller-Frost has a 3.3% margin. Liberal candidate Nicolle Flint is resurrecting her political ambitions and would be a useful ally for Peter Dutton, if she were to win.

    Finally – a question – does Rebekah Sharkie like pizza? Infamously, when state Labor Premier Jay Weatherill needed a critical independent vote to secure office in 2014, he drove to Port Pirie and brokered a deal over pizza with Geoff Brock. Sharkie holds the seat of Mayo in the Adelaide Hills as a member of the Centre Alliance party with a safe 12.3% margin. Sharkie aligns herself with the Teals, and if a Dutton-led victory looks likely, then she may well be ordering her favourite slice to thrash out the terms of any support.

    Tasmania

    Robert Hortle, deputy director of the Tasmanian Policy Exchange, University of Tasmania

    There are two main seats to watch in Tasmania.

    The large, rural seat of Lyons is one of the most marginal in the country. Labor’s Brian Mitchell won with a 0.9% margin in 2022, but he’s made way for Rebecca White. Despite an underwhelming record as Tasmanian Labor Leader – three state election defeats – White is very popular in Lyons. However, Liberal candidate Susie Bower was somewhat unlucky to lose in 2022 after winning 37.2% of the primary vote, and has been in campaign mode for the past three years.

    On the surface, Franklin – Australia’s only non-contiguous electorate – looks like a safe Labor seat. Julie Collins, the MP since 2007 and a cabinet minister, has a 13.7% margin. But her primary vote fell in 2022, and community backlash against salmon farming in Franklin’s waterways – which Labor and the Coalition both support – could make her vulnerable.

    If independent Peter George (former journalist and anti-salmon campaigner) can get ahead of the low-profile Liberal candidate at some point in the count, Liberal preferences may get him across the line.

    Two other Tasmanian seats are unlikely to change hands, but feature some interesting dynamics.

    Liberal MP Bridget Archer’s 1.4% margin in the northern seat of Bass might look vulnerable. However, she managed a strong primary vote in 2022 despite a big swing against the Liberal Party. She’s very popular in the community for her willingness to stick to her values – even if it means voting against her party 28 times – and should hold her seat despite rumours of internal moves against her.

    In Braddon, long-serving Labor Senator Anne Urquhart has quit the upper house to run. Incumbent Liberal MP Gavin Pearce is retiring, and his replacement candidate, Mal Hingston, is a bit of an unknown. It’s unlikely Urquhart will be able to overturn the 8% two-party preferred margin, but prominence in the community might give her a glimmer of hope.

    Another point of interest is who will pick up the votes won by the Jaquie Lambie Network (JLN) in 2022. The JLN is not running candidates following a spectacular implosion at state level – and where those voters find a home could be crucial, particularly in Lyons.

    Victoria

    Zareh Ghazarian, senior lecturer in politics, school of social sciences, Monash University

    Victoria is shaping up to be a crucial state for the major parties. Several seats are held by the Labor and coalition parties with a margin of less than 5%.

    According to Antony Green, Chisholm is the most marginal seat Labor currently holds. The eastern Melbourne seat has been held by both major parties over the past 30 years.

    Next up is Aston, further east of Chisholm, which Labor won at arguably the Liberal Party’s lowest ebb in this electoral cycle at a byelection in 2023.

    McEwen, on the other hand, is a provincial electorate to the north of Melbourne. Holding onto these three seats will be a significant feat for Anthony Albanese and may set up Labor to hold a majority government.

    For the Coalition, the most marginal seat is Deakin, which is a neighbouring electorate to Aston and Chisholm. The seat is held by a margin of just 0.02%, making it the most marginal in the country.

    Monash is also a very interesting seat as it was won by Russell Broadbent, who lost Liberal Party preselection and has decided to run as an independent. His local profile may provide a boost to his primary vote, but may not necessarily be enough to win the seat, which will likely be held by the Liberals.

    The Coalition will be in trouble if it fails to retain any of its seats in Victoria. It would need to reclaim Chisholm and Aston if it has any chance of forming majority government.

    Other seats to watch include Kooyong, held by Monique Ryan with a margin of 2.2% who defeated Josh Frydenberg in 2022, and Goldstein, held by Zoe Daniel with a margin of 3.3% after defeating Liberal Tim Wilson. These will be a test of whether the Liberal Party is able to reconnect with voters who had traditionally supported them in the past.

    Western Australia

    Narelle Miragliotta, associate professor in politics, Murdoch University

    The five WA seats to watch are Curtin, Bullwinkel, Forrest, Pearce and Tangney.

    The affluent inner metropolitan seat of Curtin is held by Teal Kate Chaney on a 1.3% margin. The Liberal’s 2022 defeat was existential and the party are investing heavily in reclaiming it, although Chaney is not likely to be outspent entirely, or outmanoeuvred.

    Bullwinkel is a new seat on the eastern fringes of Perth. The majority of its voters are in the metropolitan area, but the seat also takes in regional parts of the state. The seat’s geography and lack of incumbent led to the Nationals fielding Mia Davies, who was leader of the Nationals in the state parliament between 2017 and 2023.

    As a result, this notional Labor seat is the site of a fierce three-way contest. YouGov projects a “Coalition” gain, although the outcome will be influenced by whether the Liberals and Nationals can contain simmering hostilities.

    Forrest, in the state’s southwest, is held by the Liberals on a 4.2% margin. The retirement of the incumbent and the presence of a Climate 200-backed candidate, adds an interesting dimension to the contest.

    Pearce, in the state’s far north, is held by Labor on a comfortable 8.8% margin. However, it’s one of the most indebted electorates in the nation, and the state Labor government experienced large swings against it in outer suburban and regional state electorates earlier this year.

    Tangney, in the state’s southern suburbs, was a major win for Labor in 2022. A blue-ribbon inner-city seat held uninterrupted by the Liberals since the early 1980s, Tangney is Labor’s most marginal WA seat (2.6% margin). To Labor’s advantage is the fact that several of the once-safe Liberal inner metro electorates within Tangney’s boundaries have recently voted with Labor at a state level. However, it will be a tight contest.

    Paul Williams is a research associate with the T.J. Ryan Foundation.

    Rob Manwaring receives funding from the Australian Research Council for a Discovery project on political parties and associated entities.

    David Clune, Narelle Miragliotta, Robert Hortle, and Zareh Ghazarian 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. State of the states: six politics experts explain the key seats across the country – https://theconversation.com/state-of-the-states-six-politics-experts-explain-the-key-seats-across-the-country-253123

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –