NewzIntel.com

Category: Great Britain

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Help shape the future of local government in Oxfordshire

    Source: City of Oxford

    Residents, businesses and community groups are being invited to have their say on proposals to reorganise local government and create a Greater Oxford Council.

    The government has asked councils across England for proposals on simplifying the structure of local government in their regions. 

    In March, Oxford City Council put forward outline proposals that would see Oxfordshire’s six councils abolished and replaced with three new councils:  

    • Greater Oxford Council – covering Oxford and its Green Belt  
    • Northern Oxfordshire Council – covering most of the existing Cherwell and West Oxfordshire districts  
    • Ridgeway Council – covering most of the existing South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse districts combined with existing West Berkshire unitary (based on the proposals being developed by those councils, but with those villages within the Green Belt closest to the city becoming part of Greater Oxford)  

    All three councils would have natural geographic and demographic connections, local accountability to residents, and would be viable under the government’s plans. 

    Today (1 July), Oxford City Council launched an online survey and a series of drop-in events across Oxfordshire to hear from residents across the whole area on key issues in the proposals. 

    They are an opportunity to help shape the final proposals for local government reorganisation, which will be submitted to the government in November. 

    Survey 

    The online survey can be found on Oxford City Council’s consultation portal. 

    Anyone in Oxfordshire and West Berkshire with an interest in how local government works – including residents, business and community groups – is invited to take part. 

    The survey will take about 10 minutes to complete. 

    Drop-in events 

    The drop-in events will take place across Oxfordshire and West Berkshire: 

    • Oxford Town Hall in Oxford between 12pm and 3pm on 8 July  
    • Newbury Market in Newbury between 11am and 2pm on 10 July  
    • The Merry Bells in Wheatley between 10am and 1pm on 11 July  
    • Kennington Village Hall in Kennington between 12pm and 3pm on 15 July  
    • The Berin Centre in Berinsfield between 10am and 1pm on 16 July  
    • Marriotts Walk Shopping Centre in Witney between 12pm and 3pm on 18 July  
    • Seacourt Hall in Botley between 3pm and 6pm on 22 July 
    • Market Place in Abingdon between 4pm and 7pm on 24 July  
    • Exeter Hall in Kidlington between 4pm and 7pm on 28 July  
    • Berro Lounge in Didcot between 4pm and 7pm on 29 July  
    • Castle Quay in Banbury between 3pm and 6pm on 31 July 

    Greater Oxford proposals 

    Oxford City Council is proposing to form a new council to serve Oxford and its immediate surroundings. 

    The council – known as Greater Oxford Council – would be responsible for all services currently provided by Oxford City Council and Oxfordshire County Council. 

    The proposal would bring local decisions under one roof and closer to the people they affect. 

    This would help the new council build more affordable homes, provide new bus connections, protect green spaces and enhance biodiversity, and create new, secure jobs for our children and grandchildren. 

    Oxford City Council carried out an initial survey on the proposals in February, which found 82% think the current two-tier local government arrangements could be improved, and 67% think councils should not be too large, so they can better meet the needs of local residents. 

    You can find out more about the Greater Oxford proposals by visiting greateroxford.org. 

    Other proposals 

    There are three proposals being developed for how local government in Oxfordshire should be reorganised. 

    Alongside the Greater Oxford proposals, there are also proposals to replace Oxfordshire’s six councils with: 

    • Two Councils: 
      • Oxford and Shires Council – comprising all of the existing district areas of Cherwell, Oxford City and West Oxfordshire. 
      • Ridgeway Council – comprising all of the existing district areas of South Oxfordshire and the Vale of White Horse, and the whole of West Berkshire Council’s area 
    • One council covering Oxfordshire County Council’s current boundaries 

    An online survey and a series of drop-in events have been launched for residents, businesses and community groups to have their say on the Two Councils proposals. 

    Oxfordshire County Council has launched a survey to ask local people for thoughts about its proposal for a single unitary council for Oxfordshire. 

    Next steps 

    Following the public engagement, Oxford City Council will draw up its final Greater Oxford proposals, which will be submitted to the Government in November.  

    The final decision on local government reorganisation across England, including in Oxford and Oxfordshire, will be made by the Government in 2026.  

    New councils are expected to be created in 2028.  

    Comment 

    “This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to simplify the way local government works in Oxfordshire. The last time this happened was in 1974. 

    “We think our three unitary proposal is the best option for the whole area. This would bring local decisions under one roof and closer to the people they affect. 

    “It would also enable us to build more affordable homes, provide new bus connections, protect green spaces, and create new, secure jobs for our children and grandchildren. 

    “But proposals can always be improved with new ideas and voices, so please have your say by visiting our drop-in sessions or taking part in our online survey.” 

    Councillor Susan Brown, Leader of Oxford City Council 

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Allister tables motion in the Commons expressing concern at Equality Commission becoming a cheerleader for trans activism

    Source: Traditional Unionist Voice – Northern Ireland

    TUV North Antrim MP Jim Allister said:

    “I have today tabled an Early Day Motion in the House of Commons to express my deep dismay at the conduct of the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland in the wake of the Supreme Court’s clear and authoritative ruling on the meaning of the terms “woman” and “man” in law.

    “The Supreme Court could not have been clearer: biological sex—not self-declared gender identity—is what determines whether someone is legally considered a man or a woman for the purposes of the Equality Act. This is not a matter of personal opinion or political fashion; it is settled law. And yet, astonishingly, we now see the Equality Commission exploring ways to circumvent that ruling—an action which, in my view, is legally indefensible and ideologically driven.

    “The Commission is meant to be a neutral enforcer of equality law, not a cheerleader for trans activism. Its role is to uphold the law as it stands, not to reinterpret it in line with fringe ideology. When a statutory body—funded by the public purse—starts behaving as if it is above the UK’s highest court, then democracy and legal certainty are both placed in jeopardy.

    “There must be no ambiguity: the Supreme Court ruling applies fully in Northern Ireland. Any suggestion otherwise is an affront to the rule of law and to the constitutional order of the United Kingdom. Devolution does not give license to ignore the UK’s apex court or to rewrite legislation by stealth.

    “This is why I have tabled this motion—to send a clear message to the Equality Commission and to any other public body tempted to place ideology above legality: the law is not optional. Biological reality cannot be wished away. And the rights of women—based on sex, not gender identity—must be defended without compromise.”

    Note to editors

    Mr Allister’s Early Day Motion reads:

    NI Equality Commission and Supreme Court ruling

    Jim Allister (North Antrim)

    That this House expresses dismay at the attempts by the Equality Commission in Northern Ireland to find ways to circumvent the very clear ruling by the Supreme Court on biological sex being the determinant in regard to the terms ‘woman’ and ‘man’; regrets that the Commission has allowed itself to become a vehicle for pro-trans ideology; and repudiates the suggestion that the Supreme Court ruling might not be followed in Northern Ireland.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Statement on behalf of the 14th Tata Steel / Port Talbot Transition Board

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    Statement on behalf of the 14th Tata Steel / Port Talbot Transition Board

    The fourteenth Tata Steel / Port Talbot Transition Board met on 26th June 2025.

    The Secretary of State for Wales, Rt Hon Jo Stevens MP, in her role as Chair of the Transition Board sought endorsement from the Board for the development of an £11.67 million Economic Growth and Investment Fund.  £6.67 million will be provided by UK Government and £5 million from Tata Steel UK. This joint funding is aimed to boost inward business investment in the region and to support longer-term growth by supporting businesses and helping to create new jobs. A period of engagement will take place to design the fund over the coming weeks, with the fund going live in the autumn.

    Today’s release of money marks the full allocation of the UK Government’s £80 million contribution from the Tata Steel / Port Talbot Transition Board fund. This funding has been delivered in just under a year, clearly demonstrating this Government’s commitment to the community impacted by Tata Steel UK’s transition to greener steelmaking. We are already seeing the positive impact of this investment to those impacted. The Board will continue to monitor the progress of the funds and ensure the right support continues to be administered to the region.

    The Board also received updates on:

    • Tata Steel UK’s decarbonisation programme;
    • The Department of Business and Trade’s plans for a steel strategy;
    • Mental health and well-being;
    • The Transition Board funds that have already been announced.

    Those in attendance included: Rt Hon Jo Stevens MP, Secretary of State for Wales; Rebecca Evans MS, Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy & Planning in the Welsh Government; Alex Norris MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary for MHCLG; Cllr Steven Hunt, Leader of Neath Port Talbot Council; Frances O’Brien, CEO of Neath Port Talbot Council; Rajesh Nair, CEO of Tata Steel UK; Chris Jaques, Chief HR Officer, Tata Steel UK; Stephen Kinnock, MP for Aberafan Maesteg; David Rees, MS for Aberavon; Tom Giffard, MS & Luke Fletcher MS for the region of South Wales West; Anne Jessopp CBE, Sarah Williams-Gardener & Katherine Bennett CBE, independent members of the Board; Alun Davies, National Officer for Steel & Metals, Community Union; Tom Hoyles, Politics, Press and Research Officer, GMB Wales & Jason Bartlett Regional Officer of Unite the Union Wales.

    Updates to this page

    Published 1 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Community Energy in Focus: Just Transition Lab Leads Regional Conversation Last Friday, a diverse group of community members, renewable energy practitioners, academics, and policy-makers gathered at the University of Aberdeen for “Community Renewables in the North East of Scotland: Looking Back, Moving Forward”, a timely event focused on advancing community-led energy initiatives in the region. The event explored how communities…

    Source: University of Aberdeen

    Last Friday, a diverse group of community members, renewable energy practitioners, academics, and policy-makers gathered at the University of Aberdeen for “Community Renewables in the North East of Scotland: Looking Back, Moving Forward”, a timely event focused on advancing community-led energy initiatives in the region. The event explored how communities can play a central role in Scotland’s energy transition.
    Organised by the University’s Just Transition Lab and Centre for Energy Law, the event was the outcome of the collaboration under the Just Transition Communities Project (JTCP). The JTCP, commissioned by the Scottish Government, is designed to support a fair and inclusive transition in the North East of Scotland. Led by the North East Scotland Climate Action Network Hub (NESCAN Hub), the project brings together with partners including the Just Transition Lab.
    The event opened with a session on community energy and the just transition, featuring insights from Fraser Stewart of Regen, alongside Daria Shapovalova and Tayo Gbemi from the Just Transition Lab. Their contributions addressed the role of community energy in achieving a Just Transition in the UK, and in the North East of Scotland specifically.
    This was followed by a panel offering institutional perspectives, with Rachel Yule from Local Energy Scotland sharing the latest developments. Emma Murphy from Aberdeen City Council and Christine Webster from Aberdeenshire Council participated in the panel sharing the local authorities’ experiences and strategies for supporting community energy.
    After a networking lunch, the final session brought together practitioners from the region’s most notable community energy projects. Speakers from Donside Hydro and Udny Wind shared practical lessons, challenges, and successes from their work, offering valuable insights into what it takes to build and sustain community-led renewable initiatives.
    Throughout the day, participants discussed the growing momentum behind community energy, fueled by recent funding announcements from the Scottish Government and Great British Energy. However, the event also highlighted the persistent barriers, particularly in urban areas, such as lack of appropriate funding, limited capacity, and institutional challenges.
    The event concluded with a shared commitment to strengthening collaboration, building local capacity, and ensuring that the benefits of the energy transition are equitably distributed across all communities in the North East.

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  • MIL-OSI Analysis: The NHS plan to genetically test all newborns sounds smart – until it creates patients who aren’t sick

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Luca Stroppa, Postdoctoral fellow (“borsista di ricerca) at the University of Turin, former Postdoctoral Fellow on the project “Early Diagnosis – Handling Knowing”, University of St Andrews

    The current heel-prick test checks for nine rare genetic conditions, antibydni/Shutterstock

    By 2030, every baby born in England could have their entire genome sequenced under a new NHS initiative to “predict and prevent illness”. This would dramatically expand the current heel-prick test, which checks for nine rare genetic conditions, into a far more extensive screen of hundreds of potential risks.

    On the surface, the idea sounds like an obvious win for public health: spot problems early, intervene sooner and save lives. But genetic testing on this scale carries real risks, especially if the results are misunderstood or poorly communicated.

    The new plan builds on a recent NHS pilot study that sequenced the genomes of 100,000 newborns in England to identify more than 200 genetic conditions. However, these tests don’t provide clear cut answers. They don’t offer a diagnosis or certainty, just an estimate of risk.

    A genetic result might suggest a child has a higher (or lower) probability of developing a certain disease later in life. But risk is not prediction. If parents, or even clinicians, misinterpret that nuance, the consequences could be serious.

    Some families may come to see a child flagged as “at risk” as a patient-in-waiting. In extreme cases, they may treat a probability as a certainty; assuming, for instance, that a child “has the gene” and will inevitably become ill. That assumption could reshape how children are raised, how they’re treated and how they could see themselves.

    Alarming language

    This isn’t speculation. Research shows that while some people understand risk scores accurately, many struggle with statistical information. Words like “high risk” or “likely” are interpreted differently by different people and often more seriously than intended. Even trained doctors can overestimate what a positive test result means. When it comes to genomics, the line between “you might get sick” and “you will get sick” can blur quickly.

    Policymakers haven’t helped this confusion. Government messaging refers to “diagnosis before symptoms even occur” and “leapfrogging disease.” But this language overpromises what genomic data can do and downplays its uncertainty.

    When testing is indiscriminate and communication unclear, the fallout can be wide ranging. Children identified as “high risk” may undergo years of monitoring, unnecessary medical appointments, or even treatment for diseases they never develop. In some cases, this leads to physical harms, from unnecessary medications to procedures with side effects. In others, the damage is psychological: shaping a child’s identity around an anticipated future of illness. These psychological effects can be lasting. Being told you’re likely to develop a condition like dementia may influence how a person plans their life, even if that illness never materialises.

    False positives

    There are also broader issues with applying this kind of screening to everyone. Risk based testing works best when it’s targeted; for example, among those with symptoms or a strong family history. But in the general population, where most people are healthy, false positives can far outnumber accurate results. Even well designed tests can produce misleading outcomes when applied at scale.

    This is a well-known statistical effect, discussed during the COVID pandemic. In populations where a disease is rare, even highly accurate tests produce more false positives than true ones. If DNA screening is rolled out universally, many families will be told their child is at risk when they are not. These false positives can lead to a cascade of further tests, stress and unnecessary clinical interventions; all of which consume time and resources and may cause real harm.

    This issue already affects adult testing. For example, Alzheimer’s tests that measure early changes in the brain work well in memory clinics, where patients already show symptoms. But when these same tests are used on the general population, where most people are healthy, they produce false positives in up to two-thirds of cases. If genetic screening in newborns is rolled out in the same way, it could lead to similar problems: mislabelling healthy children as sick, and causing unnecessary worry and follow-up tests.

    So what’s the solution? It’s not to abandon genetic testing altogether – far from it. When used carefully, genomic data can offer real benefits, particularly for patients with symptoms or in research settings. But if we’re going to roll this out to every newborn, the surrounding infrastructure needs to be robust.

    That includes:

    • Clear, consistent communication: Risk scores must be explained in ways that emphasise uncertainty, not oversold as definitive predictions.

    • Support for parents: For consent to be truly informed, parents need help understanding that a genetic flag is not a diagnosis – and that many people with elevated risk never go on to develop the condition.

    • Training for clinicians: Many doctors still lack the tools to interpret and explain genetic information accurately and responsibly.

    • A national network of genetic counsellors Genetic counsellors are essential for supporting families through testing and interpretation. But current numbers in the England fall far short of what universal newborn screening would require.

    Genomic data holds great promise. But using it as a blanket tool for all newborns demands caution, clarity, and investment in communication and care. Without these safeguards, we risk turning healthy babies into patients-in-waiting.

    Correction: An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated that every baby born in the UK could have their genome sequenced under a new NHS initiative. In fact, the initiative applies to England only.

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

    – ref. The NHS plan to genetically test all newborns sounds smart – until it creates patients who aren’t sick – https://theconversation.com/the-nhs-plan-to-genetically-test-all-newborns-sounds-smart-until-it-creates-patients-who-arent-sick-259816

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  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Air quality isn’t just bad in cities – here’s why and how we’re tracking pollution from upland fires

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Rebecca Brownlow, Senior Lecturer in Environmental Science, Sheffield Hallam University

    Peatland burns over the reservoir in Langsett, a village in South Yorkshire. Wendy Birks, CC BY-NC-ND

    Early one October afternoon in 2023, thick grey smoke drifted across Sheffield’s western skyline. As much of the city became blanketed, residents turned to social media to complain about “bonfire smoke”, while others were forced to leave the city due to breathing difficulties.

    However, this smoke did not originate within the city. It was drifting in from the Peak District, more than nine miles away, where controlled heather burning was taking place on the moorlands. For around six hours, levels of fine particulate matter (known as PM2.5), tiny airborne pollutants known to harm human health, exceeded 40 micrograms per cubic metre of air (µg/m³) and peaked at 70µg/m³, well above the guidelines recommended by the World Health Organization.

    This single incident points to the wider and largely invisible problem of the routine burning of the UK’s uplands. This can be a serious source of air pollution, but because most official air pollution monitoring concentrates on urban areas, the effects are overlooked. This is why we have started monitoring upland fires and the pollution they cause.

    Prescribed burning is a longstanding land management practice often used to control vegetation for grouse shooting or livestock grazing. It happens across a range of upland landscapes. Many of the areas being burned sit on deep peat, an organic-rich soil made from layers of slowly decomposed plant material formed over thousands of years in waterlogged conditions.

    Peatlands are incredibly important. They are one of the most carbon-rich ecosystems on the planet. In the UK, they cover around 12% of the land area and store an estimated 3.2 billion tonnes of carbon. This is equivalent to all the forests of Germany, France and the UK combined. Most of the UK’s peat is found in Scotland, but notable areas in England include the Peak District and North York Moors. However, their value goes well beyond carbon.

    Around 70% of Britain’s drinking water comes from upland areas that are largely peatland, and healthy peatlands help reduce flooding by slowing the flow of water from hills to towns and cities. They also provide vital habitats for birds, insects and rare plants, forming the UK’s largest area of semi-natural habitat.



    Read more:
    Wildfire smoke can harm human health, even when the fire is burning hundreds of miles away – a toxicologist explains why

    Despite their ecological importance, more than 80% of English peatlands are classified as degraded, often through historic air pollution, draining, overgrazing and, importantly, repeated burning.

    One hidden consequence of that burning is air pollution. These burns are often viewed as isolated rural events, but their effect on regional air quality can be substantial. On that day in Sheffield, pollution levels briefly rivalled those seen across the city during bonfire night, a well-known peak in urban air pollution.

    In response to that October event, our research team launched a new pilot monitoring network across part of the Peak District national park. This FireUp project combines air quality sensors, satellite data and community observations to detect and measure pollution from upland fires.

    Planned burning event in the Peak District captured via Copernicus Sentinel-2 data (2024), retrieved from Copernicus SciHub and processed by European Space Agency.
    CC BY

    By using a mix of technologies and local reporting, we have documented spikes in PM2.5 pollution that would have otherwise been missed. Our system offers a clearer picture of when and where fires occur, and how far their smoke spreads, opening the door for better planning and stronger protections for public health. But the problem is not just a lack of data, it is also a failure of regulation. England’s current upland burning regulations are limited on four fronts.

    Heather and grass burning regulations introduced in 2021 prohibit burning only on peat deeper than 40cm inside designated sites. That means 60% of upland peat is excluded from these protections.

    With more than 95% of PM2.5 monitors located in urban areas, smoke from moorland fires in remote rural locations is rarely registered on official networks.

    The resources for organisations responsible for enforcing regulations have shrunk over the last decade. Natural England, one of the government’s statutory bodies responsible for environmental protection, has experienced a 4% decrease in funding for 2024-25 compared to the previous year.

    Prosecutions for illegal burning are exceptionally rare, with satellite analyses pointing to a higher level of unlicensed activity than official records suggest.

    In short, narrow legal scope, limited monitoring coverage and under-resourced enforcement leave many prescribed burns undetected and unaccounted for, along with the health and environmental risks they carry.

    Our FireUp system improves fire detections and helps quantify the effects of air pollution from these burns. As the UK government reviews regulations as part of the 2025 heather and grass burning consultation for England, and as upland fire risk increases, this kind of evidence is essential, not just to track what is happening, but to help shape a healthier and better future for the UK’s uplands.

    Our next step is to develop a citizen science app that makes it easier for people to report peatland fire incidents and upland burning to help improve regulation and log the effects of changes in air quality.

    Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like?

    Get a weekly roundup in your inbox instead. Every Wednesday, The Conversation’s environment editor writes Imagine, a short email that goes a little deeper into just one climate issue. Join the 45,000+ readers who’ve subscribed so far.

    James is a member of the Welsh Government Clean Air Advisory Panel, and Promoting Awareness of Air Quality Delivery Group. James also sits on the Scottish Government’s Air Quality Advisory Group.

    Maria Val Martin receives funding from UKRI and is a member of the DEFRA Air Quality Expert Group.

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

    – ref. Air quality isn’t just bad in cities – here’s why and how we’re tracking pollution from upland fires – https://theconversation.com/air-quality-isnt-just-bad-in-cities-heres-why-and-how-were-tracking-pollution-from-upland-fires-258034

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  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Class and masculinity are connected – when industry changes, so does what it means to ‘be a man’

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Sophie Lively, PhD Candidate in Human Geography, Newcastle University

    Tero Vesalainen/Shutterstock

    On July 3, I’ll be discussing Youth, Masculinity and the Political Divide at an event with The Conversation and Cumberland Lodge at Newcastle University (get your tickets here).

    Young people involved in the panel have brought up class and the decline of industry as topics for discussion. This is particularly fitting, given my ongoing PhD research exploring masculinity and the contemporary lives of working-class men in Tyneside.

    Tyneside is an area in north-east England which was once a major centre of Britain’s Industrial Revolution. Its coal mining, shipbuilding and heavy engineering industries were seen as the backbone of the region, upheld by a large industrial skilled working class.

    As with many northern towns, widespread deindustrialisation, predominantly around the 1970s and 1980s, dramatically changed the area. At its peak, Swan Hunter – a globally recognised shipyard and significant employer in Wallsend (North Tyneside) and the surrounding area – employed up to 12,000 people. By 2005, the year before its closure, only 357 direct workers were employed.

    The process of deindustrialisation affected not just the type of work that was done, but how men in the region saw themselves. As I am currently researching, the effects of this ring true today.


    Boys and girls are together facing an uncertain world. But research shows they are diverging when it comes to attitudes about masculinity, feminism and gender equality.

    Social media, politics, and identity all play a role. But what’s really going on with boys and girls? Join The Conversation UK and Cumberland Lodge’s Youth and Democracy project at Newcastle University for a discussion of these issues with young people and academic experts. Tickets available here.

    Like other regions in Britain, Tyneside shifted from mostly masculine manual labour to a largely “feminised” service sector. Informal work, subcontracting and part-time work proliferated while rates of trade unionism declined.

    Changes in industry and understandings of social class have a surprising amount to do with how we think about masculinity. Paul Willis’ 1977 seminal study Learning to Labour explores how the links between social class and masculinity are forged early in life.

    Our ideas about masculinity are produced, reinforced and upheld through institutions such as schools, the workplace and media. There is no singular “form” of masculinity – men perform it in many different ways. There is, however, hegemonic masculinity. This is the most dominant form of masculinity in a society at any given time, valued above other forms of gender identities that do not match up to the dominant ideal.

    “Traditional” views of masculinity were particularly prevalent during the height of industry in the area. These views centred around ideas of men as providers and ideas of toughness. Value was placed on a willingness (or need) to do physical and often hazardous labour.

    The demise of “masculine” labour in areas such as Tyneside disrupted not only economic stability but also male identity and pride. As broader socioeconomic shifts unfolded across England, many working class men found themselves outside of those traditional masculine ideals around labour.

    This has been well documented, particularly in ethnographic work such as Anoop Nayak’s 2006 study Displaced Masculinities. This key text explored how working-class boys navigate “what it is to be a ‘man’ beyond the world of industrial paid employment”.

    Class and identity in a changing world

    Early findings from my research suggest that today, class (and working-class identity) is not as salient in mens’ everyday lives. Participants in my study have spoken about class, but it does not overtly feature in how they make sense of their identities. As one man put it: “Class means you have to use yourself to earn money. Your labour, that’s what I understand by it, but I’ve never thought about class much.”

    The quayside in Newcastle-upon-Tyne.
    Philip Mowbray/Shutterstock

    What happens to men when an area’s strong working-class identity declines, but there is no narrative to replace it? There is a risk that harmful ideas about masculinity step in to fill a gap left by declining industry and continued economic inequality. We have seen this in extensive research in the US about masculinity, class and the appeal of the far right.

    This is why class must be part of the discussion around the rise of the “manosphere” – online communities and influencers sharing content about masculinity that can veer into misogyny. Class politics also presents a positive and unifying alternative.

    It is imperative that working-class areas and the people within them aren’t portrayed as somehow inherently susceptible to, or represented by, the narratives of the manosphere. Indeed, the men I have spoken to have not been particularly pulled in by the manosphere. However they do recognise the feeling of being overlooked and not measuring up to idealised “standards” about masculinity.

    The “manosphere” preys on this, tapping into boys’ and young men’s fears around masculinity and their (perceived) social status. Narrow portrayals of what success looks like puts immense pressure on young people to live up to unattainable standards.

    As I have written before, mansophere content often relies on messages around hyper-individualism that ignore the broader effects of class, the economy and political views.

    Manosphere messaging that “most men are invisible” and that the system is now “rigged against men” fits neatly with young boys’ and men’s anxieties about not having the same place or opportunities in society that previous generations of men might have had.

    Without honest discussion about working-class communities and the effects of deindustrialisation on identity, this messaging may become alluring in postindustrial towns.

    Sophie Lively receives funding from the Economic and Social Research Council as part of the Northern Ireland and North East Doctoral Training Partnership.

    – ref. Class and masculinity are connected – when industry changes, so does what it means to ‘be a man’ – https://theconversation.com/class-and-masculinity-are-connected-when-industry-changes-so-does-what-it-means-to-be-a-man-258857

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  • MIL-OSI Submissions: The 28 Days Later franchise redefined zombie films. But the undead have an old, rich and varied history

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Christopher White, Historian, The University of Queensland

    The history of the dead – or, more precisely, the history of the living’s fascination with the dead – is an intriguing one.

    As a researcher of the supernatural, I’m often pulled aside at conferences or at the school gate, and told in furtive whispers about people’s encounters with the dead.

    The dead haunt our imagination in a number of different forms, whether as “cold spots”, or the walking dead popularised in zombie franchises such as 28 Days Later.

    The franchise’s latest release, 28 Years Later, brings back the Hollywood zombie in all its glory – but these archetypal creatures have a much wider and varied history.

    Zombis, revenants and the returning dead

    A zombie is typically a reanimated corpse: a category of the returning dead. Scholars refer to them as “revenants”, and continue to argue over their exact characteristics.

    In the Haitian Vodou religion, the zombi is not the same as the Hollywood zombie. Instead, zombi are people who, as a religious punishment, are drugged, buried alive, then dug out and forced into slavery.

    The Hollywood zombie, however, draws more from medieval European stories about the returning dead than from Vodou.

    A perfect setting for a ‘zombie’ film

    In 28 Years Later, the latest entry in Danny Boyle’s blockbuster horror franchise, the monsters technically aren’t zombies because they aren’t dead. Instead, they are infected by a “rage virus”, accidentally released by a group of animal rights activists in the beginning of the first film.

    This third film focuses on events almost three decades after the first film. The British Isles is quarantined, and the young protagonist Spike (Alfie Williams) and his family live in a village on Lindisfarne Island. This island, one of the most important sites in early medieval British Christianity, is isolated and protected by a tidal causeway that links it to the mainland.

    Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Alfie Williams star in the new film, out in Australian cinemas today.
    Sony Pictures

    The film leans heavily on how we imagine the medieval world, with scenes showing silhouetted fletchers at work making arrows, children training with bows, towering ossuaries and various memento mori. There’s also footage from earlier depictions of medieval warfare. And at one point, the characters seek sanctuary in the ruins of Fountains Abbey, in Yorkshire, which was built in 1132.

    The medieval locations and imagery of 28 Years Later evoke the long history of revenants, and the returned dead who once roved medieval England.

    Early accounts of the medieval dead

    In the medieval world, or at least the parts that wrote in Latin, the returning dead were usually called spiritus (“spirit”), but they weren’t limited to the non-corporeal like today’s ghosts are.

    Medieval Latin Christians from as early as the 3rd century saw the dead as part of a parallel society that mirrored the world of the living, where each group relied on the other to aid them through the afterlife.

    Depiction of the undead from a medieval manuscript.
    British Library, Yates Thompson MS 13

    While some medieval ghosts would warn the living about what awaited sinners in the afterlife, or lead their relatives to treasure, or prophesise the future, some also returned to terrorise the living.

    And like the “zombies” affected by the rage virus in 28 Years Later, these revenants could go into a frenzy in the presence of the living.

    Thietmar, the Prince-Bishop of Merseburg, Germany, wrote the Chronicon Thietmari (Thietmar’s Chronicle) between 1012 and 1018, and included a number of ghost stories that featured revenants.

    Although not all of them framed the dead as terrifying, they certainly didn’t paint them as friendly, either. In one story, a congregation of the dead at a church set the priest upon the altar, before burning him to ashes – intended to be read as a mirror of pagan sacrifice.

    These dead were physical beings, capable of seizing a man and sacrificing him in his own church.

    A threat to be dealt with

    The English monastic historian William of Newburgh (1136–98) wrote revenants were so common in his day that recording them all would be exhausting. According to him, the returned dead were frequently seen in 12th century England.

    So, instead of providing a exhausting list, he offered some choice examples which, like most medieval ghost stories, had a good Christian moral attached to them.

    William’s revenants mostly killed the people of the towns they lived, returning to the grave between their escapades. But the medieval English had a method for dealing with these monsters; they dug them up, tore out the heart and then burned the body.

    Other revenants were dealt with less harshly, William explained. In one case, all it took was the Bishop of Lincoln writing a letter of absolution to stop a dead man returning to his widow’s bed.

    These medieval dead were also thought to spread disease – much like those infected with the rage virus – and were capable of physically killing someone.

    Depiction of the undead from a medieval manuscript.
    British Library, Arundel MS 83.

    The undead, further north

    In medieval Scandinavia and Iceland, the undead draugr were extremely strong, hideous to look at and stunk of decomposition. Some were immune to human weapons and often killed animals near their tombs before building up to kill humans. Like their English counterparts, they also spread disease.

    But according to the Eyrbyggja saga, an anonymous 13th or 14th century text written in Iceland, all it took was a type of community court and the threat of legal action to drive off these returned dead.

    It’s a method the survivors in 28 Years Later didn’t try.

    The dead live on

    The first-hand zombie stories that were common during the medieval period started to dwindle in the 16th century with the Protestant Reformation, which focused more on individuals’ behaviours and salvation.

    Nonetheless, their influence can still be felt in Catholic ritual practices today, such as in prayers offered for the dead, and the lighting of votive candles.

    We still tell ghost stories, and we still worry about things that go bump in the night. And of course, we continue to explore the undead in all its forms on the big screen.

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

    – ref. The 28 Days Later franchise redefined zombie films. But the undead have an old, rich and varied history – https://theconversation.com/the-28-days-later-franchise-redefined-zombie-films-but-the-undead-have-an-old-rich-and-varied-history-247900

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  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Dinosaur tracks, made 140 million years ago, have been found for the first time in South Africa’s Western Cape

    Source: The Conversation – Africa (2) – By Guy Plint, Professor Emeritus, Earth Sciences, Western University

    Guy Plint examines one of the dinosaur tracks, which is above his head. Annemarie Plint, CC BY-NC-ND

    Dinosaurs have captured people’s imagination ever since their bones and teeth were first scientifically described in 1822 by geologist and palaeontologist Gideon Mantell in England.

    Dinosaur bones have taught us a great deal about these animals from the “age of dinosaurs”, the Mesozoic Era, which stretched from approximately 252 million years ago to 65 million years ago. However, there’s something especially appealing about a different kind of dinosaur fossil: their tracks, which show researchers what the animals were doing while they were alive.

    Ichnology is the study of tracks and traces and, since 2008, the Cape South Coast Ichnology Project has documented more than 370 vertebrate tracksites on South Africa’s southern coast. These sites are from the Pleistocene Epoch, which stretched from approximately 2.6 million years ago to 11,700 years ago, much more recent than the Mesozoic.

    We knew that this coastline contained Mesozoic sedimentary rocks, some of which include non-marine sediments that could potentially preserve dinosaur tracks. We are both familiar with dinosaur tracks from our research in Canada, so we decided to investigate the possibility of tracks in South Africa’s Western Cape.

    We found some – and, once we knew what to look for, it was evident that the tracks were not rare. In a new paper published in the journal Ichnos, we describe our findings in detail, presenting evidence of tracks of sauropods (enormous plant-eating dinosaurs) and possibly ornithopods (another group of large herbivorous dinosaurs).

    The tracks were found in a rugged, remote, breathtakingly spectacular coastal setting. They were made by dinosaurs in a variety of estuarine settings. Some were walking on sandy, inter-tidal channel bars. Others walked on the bottom of tidal channels, their feet sinking down into soft mud forming the bed of the channel. Other vague “squishy” structures were formed by dinosaurs wading, or even wallowing in the muddy fill of abandoned channels.

    These tracks are around 140 million years old, from the very beginning of the Cretaceous period when the African and South American tectonic plates were starting to pull apart. Southern Africa has an extensive record of Mesozoic vertebrate fossils, but that record ends at around 180 million years ago in the Early Jurassic with the eruption of voluminous lava flows. To the best of our knowledge, all the southern African dinosaur tracks known until now are from the Triassic and Jurassic periods, so they pre-date these eruptions.

    That means these tracks are not only the first from the Western Cape. They also appear to be the youngest – that is, the most recent – thus far reported from southern Africa.

    Knowing where to look

    After deciding to hunt for potential dinosaur tracks, we visited a few likely sites on the Cape south coast in 2022, choosing areas with non-marine deposits of the appropriate age, mostly in the eastern coastal portion of the Western Cape. We found a few promising spots on that visit and, in 2023, undertook a dedicated examination.

    Large horizontal bedding surface exposures in this area are very rare. We knew that, if we were to find dinosaur tracks, they would be evident mostly in profile in vertical cliff exposures.



    Read more:
    Footprints take science a step closer to understanding southern Africa’s dinosaurs

    In the public imagination a dinosaur trackway extends across a level surface and toe impressions are visible. Some may also know that the infill of dinosaur tracks can occur on what are today the ceilings of overhangs or cave roofs. However, there are also distinctive features that allow tracks to be identified in profile. That’s because the animals’ footfalls deformed underlying layers in a distinctive manner.

    The problem is that other mechanisms, such as earthquakes, are capable of generating broadly similar deformation structures.

    The deposits we were examining had probably also been affected by seismic activity. The challenge was for us to differentiate between the two types of deformation.

    The Early Cretaceous rocks that we examined had been studied and reported on decades ago, and the deformation structures had been attributed to origins such as earthquakes rather than living organisms. Since then, however, scientists have developed a better appreciation of what dinosaur tracks look like in profile.

    After careful examination, our conclusion was straightforward: both dinosaur-generated and earthquake-generated types of deformation were present in the Cretaceous rocks.

    One of the sauropod tracks identified by the researchers. Scale bar is 20 cm.
    Guy Plint, CC BY-NC-ND

    Further evidence that we were looking at dinosaur tracks comes from the region’s bone fossil record. Cretaceous bone material has been reported from the region, mostly in the Kirkwood area in the Eastern Cape province. Two dinosaur bones have also been reported from the Knysna area in the Western Cape. One of these, a theropod tooth, was found – and correctly identified – by a 13-year-old boy.



    Read more:
    Dinosaur tracksite in Lesotho: how a wrong turn led to an exciting find

    Clearly, dinosaurs were present in the Western Cape area. That means our discovery of ichnological evidence of their presence is not entirely surprising, but it is still extremely exciting.

    Keep exploring

    Our team plans to keep exploring deposits of suitable age in the region for evidence of more dinosaur tracks. We also hope that our discovery will inspire a new generation of dinosaur trackers to continue the quest and keep exploring.

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

    – ref. Dinosaur tracks, made 140 million years ago, have been found for the first time in South Africa’s Western Cape – https://theconversation.com/dinosaur-tracks-made-140-million-years-ago-have-been-found-for-the-first-time-in-south-africas-western-cape-250660

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  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: New Shop ABC Gift Card launches

    Source: Northern Ireland City of Armagh

    Lord Mayor, Alderman Stephen Moutray launching the Shop ABC Gift Card with Armagh business owners Ann Doyle and Dessie Feeney.

    “We all benefit from a thriving community.”

    The new Shop ABC Gift Card can be spent with shops, restaurants, salons, attractions and hotels – it’s available as either a physical or digital card.

    A brand-new gift card, exclusively for the Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough, has now gone live, making it easier than ever for people to support local businesses.

    Backed by Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council, the Shop ABC Gift Card can only be spent with registered businesses in the area, locking spend into local economies and driving footfall.

    The Shop ABC Gift Card is available as either a physical card that is swiped at the till or a digital card that is added to digital wallets enabling ‘tap to pay’ technology.

    Over 150 businesses across the borough already accept the card with more joining the scheme each day.

    Lord Mayor of Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough, Alderman Stephen Moutray said: “We’re proud to launch the Shop ABC Gift Card to power local economies within our city, town centres and villages. With the card, we have a local option for gifts, rewards and incentives. I encourage everyone to look at how they can use the card for the benefit of our borough, from organisations rewarding staff to charities supporting service users or people buying as gifts for the end of term, birthdays and beyond.”

    Local businesses are welcoming the launch of the gift card. Chris Dalzell of Dalzells of Markethill said: “We’re a family run business that has been in operation for almost 70 years, based in a rural location, with delivery across the island of Ireland. Local businesses are the lifeblood of the community, giving their support to all manner of local clubs and charities, and the Shop ABC Gift Card is a fantastic way for people to show their support for local businesses in return. We all benefit from a thriving community. Everything we can do to promote local shopping is hugely positive and we look forward to accepting the new gift card across our full range – home appliances to beds and furniture.”

    Another independent business accepting the card is Gasp Boutique owner Ann said: “The boutique is family run with nearly 25 years in Armagh, specialising in casuals, shoes, occasion wear and mother of the bride outfits. Independent businesses all employ local people so the Shop ABC Gift Card that encourages people to shop with their local businesses is brilliant. I like the fact that it will be easy for people to spend like a regular gift card, but locking spend into the area. Many people pay using their phones now, so the digital version is great, especially for encouraging the younger generation to shop local. I’d love to see larger organisations using the card to reward their staff – what a great way to show their support for local.”

    Alongside products, Shop ABC Gift Card recipients can also spend their gift card on a range of experiences and services.

    Rachel McDonald, practice manager at Mackey Opticians in Portadown commented: “Mackey Opticians is a family run, independent opticians – the largest in Northern Ireland. As soon as I heard about the card, I said ‘sign us up’ because I think it’s a great idea. Not only will it benefit our business it will benefit our neighbouring businesses. And it will be a really nice thing for customers to spend too, both on products and services. The ability to use the Shop ABC Gift Card in a practical way on things like new glasses or an eye test is a huge benefit and means the cards will be well used and ideal as both gifts and corporate rewards. I really like the community feel of it too – the high street is so important, and the Shop ABC Gift Card will help support it.”

    Colin Munro, Managing Director of Miconex, said: “Support for local is extremely strong in Northern Ireland with over 92% of people saying it has become more important to them over the past 12 months and 95% believing that more needs to be done to support local businesses. The Shop ABC Gift Card is the ultimate ‘shop local’ Gift Card for the area, and a fun, easy to use way to support local businesses.”

    The physical or digital Shop ABC Gift Card is available to buy for consumers and organisations at https://townandcitygiftcards.com/product/shop-abc-gift-card/

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Technology to transform the public sector

    Source: Scottish Government

    Start-ups secure CivTech 10 contracts to drive innovation.

    Thirteen companies will start preparing their products and solutions to public sector challenges for market following the conclusion of this year’s Scottish Government’s CivTech programme.

    Having delivered successful pitches at the end of the year-long programme, the companies have now entered the pre-commercialisation stage. They have the opportunity to access up to £7 million in funding to further develop their products and solutions for the public sector, which range from reducing teacher workload to improving firefighter safety.

    Since the programme began in 2016, around 100 businesses have progressed through CivTech, with just over £25 million of public sector funding leveraging a further £125 million of private funding.

    Many are already driving enhancements across the public sector. CivTech 4 participant Tape4Trees has delivered a revolutionary tree germination and planting system which is saving Forestry and Land Scotland millions of pounds a year while CivTech 9 business Netcompany is developing an innovative digital communication channel which, when fully operational, could save the public sector an estimated £100 million per year.

    More start-ups than ever before applied to take part in CivTech 10, which invited business solutions to 12 public sector challenges. Two specific challenges aimed at harnessing Artificial Intelligence (AI) were included for the first time.

    Business Minister Richard Lochhead said:

    “I want Scotland to be a global digital technology leader. Properly harnessed, we have an opportunity to unlock unprecedented benefits that will have a profound, positive impact on our society and our economy.

    “CivTech is recognised internationally as the world’s first successful public sector-focused innovation Accelerator, and as a leader in the rapidly expanding GovTech sector – set to be a trillion-dollar worldwide market.

    “Through CivTech we are not only driving economic growth and stimulating the high-growth start-up community, but unlocking solutions that are already delivering benefits and millions of pounds of savings across Scotland’s public sector.

    One of the companies to have secured CivTech funding to commercialise its product is Musselburgh-based BobbAI, which is developing an AI-powered assistant to help entrepreneurs and business founders.

    BobbAI Co-founder Bayile Adeoti said:

    “Taking part in the CivTech Accelerator has been an incredible experience—one that truly pushed me to think outside the box. The support from facilitators and the structure of the programme itself have been second to none. There’s truly nothing like CivTech anywhere else in the world, and it’s a testament to Scotland’s unique commitment to innovation and inclusive tech development.

    “As someone passionate about inclusive entrepreneurship, being part of CivTech and creating our solution in alignment with Scotland’s ambitions has been an excellent opportunity. With our Challenge through BobbAI, we’re tackling issues that not only impact Scotland but have the potential for global relevance. As a woman in tech, this journey has allowed me to be a voice for the underrepresented and a role model for those still to come. Most importantly, being part of CivTech made me feel like I truly belonged.”

    The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) sponsored two CivTech 10 challenges and will continue to work alongside companies in the next phase of product development. UK company Rowden is developing software to improve real-time risk monitoring of incidents while FireHazResearch has set up in Scotland to take forward its software identifying and measuring firefighter exposure to contaminants.

    Head of Governance, Strategy and Performance at SFRS Richard Whetton said:

    “SFRS have found the CivTech programme hugely beneficial in allowing us to consider and begin to develop innovative solutions for two difficult problems we have been facing. 

    “Both of our challenges are now progressing towards the pre-commercial stage and we are excited to work with our challenge companies to develop minimum viable products intended to enhance firefighter safety and benefit communities of Scotland. 

    “The CivTech programme team have been exceptional in supporting SFRS to achieve these positive outcomes and we look forward to continuing our work on this innovative programme.”

    Background

    More information about CivTech 10 Challenges and companies and their pitches are available on the CivTech website.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Council’s Nairn town bus service extended to include Lochloy and Tradespark

    Source: Scotland – Highland Council

    Following the announcement from Stagecoach that their bus services to Nairn’s Lochloy estate will be withdrawn from Monday 7 July, The Highland Council’s In-house Bus team have amended their Nairn Town service timetable to include Lochloy, ensuring residents still have access to a bus service.

    Chair of the Council’s Economy and Infrastructure Committee, Councillor Ken Gowans said: ““I’m delighted that our In-house bus team has been able to react so quickly and positively to the news that Stagecoach are withdrawing their service that connects the Lochloy community with the town centre and Sainsbury’s.

    “When we set up our In-House bus service, we said one of its strengths would be the ability to be flexible and to react to customer demands, so I look forward to seeing our buses providing this extended service in Nairn.”

    Following requests from the community, the revised timetable will also include the Tradespark estate allowing residents a direct service from Nairn Hospital.

    This extended 251 service will run Monday to Friday and will start on Friday 4 July to coincide with the school holidays.  The new route will take passengers to and from Sainsbury’s Nairn to Lochloy, Nairn High Street, Nairn hospital, Tradespark and Achareidh.

    All updated timetables can be found on the Council’s website.

    Nairn Route 4th July 2025

    Monday to Friday

    251

    251

    251

    251

    251

    NF

    Nairn Sainsburys

    09:30

    10:40

    12:40

    13:45

    16:40

    Lochloy road o/s (Clubhouse)

    09:35

    10:45

    12:45

    13:50

    16:45

    Montgomerie drive

    09:37

    10:47

    12:47

    13:52

    16:47

    Lawrie Drive/Findhorn St

    09:39

    10:49

    12:49

    13:54

    16:49

    Lochloy road opp (Clubhouse)

    09:43

    10:53

    12:53

    13:58

    16:53

    Nairn, Sainsbury, at

    09:50

    11:00

    13:00

    14:05

    17:00

    Nairn, Bank of Scotland, at

    09:56

    11:06

    13:06

    14:11

    17:06

    Queens Park, Elizabeth Street, o/s

    09:58

    11:08

    13:08

    14:13

    17:08

    Nairn, Hospital, o/s

    10:01

    11:11

    13:11

    14:16

    17:11

    Nairn Bus station

    10:02

    11:12

    13:12

    14:17

    17:12

    Moss Side Road (Co-Op)

    10:08

    11:18

    13:18

    14:23

    17:18

    Sandown Road (nr A96)

    10:10

    11:20

    13:20

    14:25

    17:20

    Wyvis Drive

    10:14

    11:24

    13:24

    14:29

    17:24

    Beech Ave

    10:15

    11:25

    13:25

    14:30

    17:25

    Bus station

    10:20

    11:30

    13:30

    14:35

    17:30

    Nairn, Sainsbury, o/s

    10:30

    11:40

    13:40

    14:45

    17:40

    Monday to Friday school holidays

    251

    251

    251

    251

    251

    Nairn Sainsburys

    09:30

    10:40

    12:40

    13:45

    15:00

    Lochloy road o/s

    09:35

    10:45

    12:45

    13:50

    15:05

    Montgomerie drive

    09:37

    10:47

    12:47

    13:52

    15:07

    Lawrie Drive/Findhorn St

    09:39

    10:49

    12:49

    13:54

    15:09

    Lochloy road opp

    09:43

    10:53

    12:53

    13:58

    15:13

    Nairn, Sainsbury, at

    09:50

    11:00

    13:00

    14:05

    15:20

    Nairn, Bank of Scotland, at

    09:56

    11:06

    13:06

    14:11

    15:26

    Queens Park, Elizabeth Street, o/s

    09:58

    11:08

    13:08

    14:13

    15:28

    Nairn, Hospital, o/s

    10:01

    11:11

    13:11

    14:16

    15:31

    Nairn Bus station

    10:02

    11:12

    13:12

    14:17

    15:32

    Moss Side Road (Co-Op)

    10:08

    11:18

    13:18

    14:23

    15:38

    Sandown Road (nr A96)

    10:10

    11:20

    13:20

    14:25

    15:40

    Wyvis Drive

    10:14

    11:24

    13:24

    14:29

    15:44

    Beech Ave

    10:15

    11:25

    13:25

    14:30

    15:45

    Bus station

    10:20

    11:30

    13:30

    14:35

    15:50

    Nairn, Sainsbury, o/s

    10:30

    11:40

    13:40

    14:45

    16:00

    NF          Not Friday

    1 Jul 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Waste management changes making a difference in Skye and Raasay

    Source: Scotland – Highland Council

    Change and investment in waste management is making a difference in Skye and Raasay.

    Members of Highland Council’s Skye and Raasay Committee heard on Monday (30 June) about the impact of recent changes, which are viewed as essential to achieving a sustainable model of waste/recycling collection.

    The roll-out of new bins to householders began on the 10th of February and was completed on 16th March 2025.

    A report before the committee said an updated figure from all areas in the region showed the service change has achieved a reduction of approximately 7,500 tonnes of non-recycling waste collected from bins at the kerbside and sent for disposal in the last 12 months.

    New twin stream recycling collections have also achieved a significant drop in contamination of the material collected in recycling bins.

    This has resulted in an overall increase of 1000 tonnes in the output of recyclable material after it has been processed at the recycling facilities.

    A range of improvements to the Council’s waste and recycling was supported by £7.1 million from the Scottish Government’s Recycling Improvement Fund.

    Part of the changes include a new Portree waste transfer station, being constructed within the grounds of the current operational waste transfer site.

    It is expected that the facility will be handed over to The Highland Council during mid-July 2025.

    The new facility is being prepared specifically to receive, aggregate and dispatch recyclable materials to contracted processors.

    Plastics, tubs, containers, steel and aluminium cans (circa 415 tonnes per annum) will be sent to Perth; while mixed paper, light card, and cardboard (circa 840 tonnes per annum) will be dispatched to Glasgow.

    The fully enclosed facility will significantly enhance the quality of recyclable materials compared to the current on-site arrangements.

    Chair of the Skye and Raasay Committee, Cllr John Finlayson, said: “The objectives, ultimately, are to improve both the quantity and quality of recycling within our area, so it is pleasing to see progress made in this regard.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Roads update for Skye and Raasay

    Source: Scotland – Highland Council

    At Monday’s meeting of Highland Council’s Isle of Skye and Raasay committee councillors were updated on the area capital roads programme for 2024-25 and works planned for the remainder of the financial year.

    The total capital and strategic allocation for 2024-25 for Skye and Raasay was £3,001,638.

    Surface dressing and overlay schemes have been completed at 49 different locations in the ward.

    In 2025-26 further surface dressing works have been planned at Borve, Bernisdale, Suledale and at Fairy Bridge while overlay/inlay works will be taking place at several locations around Trotternish as well as in Portree and Glendale.

    Chair of the Skye and Raasay Committee, Cllr John Finlayson, said: “We are pleased to see so much work being completed and planned as part of the agreed maintenance programme, across so many locations.

    “While everyone appreciates the many challenges being faced across our many roads, credit must go to the local roads’ teams for all their efforts as we continue to strive to improve local infrastructure for Skye and Raasay using the resources available to us.”

    ​

    30 Jun 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Highland Councillor elected as Vice Chair of the North Sea Commission Transport Thematic Group

    Source: Scotland – Highland Council

    Councillor Ken Gowans, Chair of The Highland Council’s Economy and Infrastructure Committee has been elected as Vice Chair of the North Sea Commission Transport Thematic Group. The appointment was made during the NSC’s Executive Committee held last week in Oldenburg, Germany.

    The North Sea Commission is one of the six geographical commissions of the Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions (CPMR) and its mission is to strengthen partnerships between regional authorities which face the challenges and opportunities presented by the North Sea.

    It serves as a platform for cooperation, information-sharing and lobbying between regional authorities across the North Sea Region, member come from the UK, EU and Scandinavia.

    The Commission is comprised of four thematic working groups, with each of these groups supported by an advisor and led by three politicians from around the North Sea region. 

    Councillor Ken Gowans said: “It is an honour to take on the role of Vice Chair of the Transport Group and I very much welcome this opportunity to ensure that Highland and Scotland are well represented so we can work together with transport partners in the North Sea region to improve our connectivity, for business trade and personal travel. The work of the Transport group will link to the other thematic areas.”

    These are:

    • The Energy & Climate Change Working Group
    • The Marine Resources Working Group
    • The Smart Regions Working Group

    1 Jul 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI China: Leonardo sinks Man City to send Al Hilal into last eight at Club World Cup

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

    Starting players of Al Hilal pose for photos before the round of 16 match between Manchester City of England and Al Hilal of Saudi Arabia at the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 at the Camping World Stadium, Orlando, Florida, the United States, June 30, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    Marcos Leonardo struck a dramatic extra-time winner as Al Hilal reached the FIFA Club World Cup quarterfinals with a 4-3 win over Manchester City on Monday.

    City led early through Bernardo Silva before the Saudi Arabian side responded with goals from Leonardo and Malcom at Camping World Stadium.

    Erling Haaland brought City level in a frenetic second half, and the sides traded further goals in extra time through Kalidou Koulibaly and substitute Phil Foden.

    The result means Al Hilal will meet Brazil’s Fluminense at the same venue on Friday for a place in the last four, while Manchester City bows out after having progressed from the group stage with a perfect record.

    Silva put the Premier League club ahead in the ninth minute when he tapped in from close range, having pounced on a loose ball after Renan Lodi’s clearance ricocheted off Ilkay Gundogan.

    Yassine Bounou then made a series of saves to deny City a second goal.

    The Morocco international kept out dangerous attempts from Savinho and Ilkay Gundogan before blocking a powerful effort from Silva.

    The four-time Asian Champions League winners lacked fluency with the ball early, and on the rare occasion they ventured into the box, City’s defence was able to quickly defuse the danger.

    Al Hilal’s best chance of the opening half came when Brazilian forward Marcos Leonardo headed over after Mohamed Kanno’s cross from the right.

    Al Hilal emerged from the break with newfound purpose. Leonardo put his side on level terms less than two minutes after the restart when he nodded in after City failed to deal with Joao Cancelo’s cross and the ball fell kindly for the former Benfica player.

    Malcom was causing problems for Manchester City’s defense and the former Barcelona winger released Cancelo with a marauding run down the right wing – only for the ex-City full-back to blast over from a tight angle.

    Malcom then broke free following a City corner, running almost half the length of the pitch before calmly slotting a low shot into the far corner to give his side the lead.

    The hectic pace continued, with City drawing level three minutes later through Haaland. The Norway international bundled home from inside the six-yard box after Al Hilal allowed the ball to spill loose from a corner.

    Al Hilal was dealt a major blow shortly after as Malcom was forced off with an injury, robbing the team of its most effective attacking outlet on the night.

    Undaunted, the Riyadh-based club continued to push forward in search of a third goal. Kanno had the chance to restore his team’s advantage in the 79th minute but failed to make clean contact with a header with only the goalkeeper to beat.

    Haaland was denied a late winner when his goal-bound effort was cleared off the line by Ali Lajami as the game was forced into extra time.

    Al Hilal made the breakthrough soon after as Koulibaly rose highest following Ruben Neves’ corner to send a superb header past Ederson.

    City equalized again 10 minutes later as Foden, a 104th-minute substitute for Rodri, latched onto Rayan Cherki’s diagonal pass with a lunging volley at the far post.

    But Al Hilal refused to yield and Leonardo prodded home the winning goal from point-blank range after Ederson had acrobatically palmed away Sergej Milinkovic-Savic’s header. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Amnesty launched as part of mission to halve knife crime

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    News story

    Amnesty launched as part of mission to halve knife crime

    Young people across the country are being urged to surrender bladed weapons including ninja swords to help prevent further loss of young lives to knife crime.

    With the support of Word 4 Weapons and FazAmnesty, young people will be able to anonymously hand in any weapons to surrender bins or a purpose-built and fully secure van, across London, Greater Manchester and West Midlands – the 3 highest areas for knife crime in England.

    Part of the government’s most ambitious surrender scheme yet and Plan for Change, the 37 new amnesty bins and the locations of the mobile surrender van will be strategically placed in these high-risk areas throughout July, in partnership with local councils, to provide young people with an accessible, alternative way to hand in weapons without needing to go to a police station.  

    Throughout the month the government’s Coalition to Tackle Knife Crime and other grassroots organisations will be using their platform as trusted voices in communities to encourage young people to hand in their weapons via these routes, while signposting them to local support services.

    From 1 August 2025, deadly ninja swords will be banned in full – illegal to possess in public or private – and so, in addition to the surrender arrangements across the 3 hotspot areas, people will also be able to hand in ninja swords to designated police stations across the country.  

    Policing Minister Dame Diana Johnson said: 

    The launch of today’s scheme is a result of months of collaborative working with the Coalition to Tackle Knife Crime and I’m optimistic about what we can achieve together over the next month and then the years to come as part of our Plan for Change. 

    I am incredibly grateful to Pooja Kanda, Sandra Campbell and Faron Paul whose work to tackle knife crime is making a real difference to young peoples’ lives. 

    This scheme is just one part of addressing knife crime. We will not stop listening to those who are directly working with those impacted by this crime.

    The scheme has been designed to provide people with a range of ways to hand in weapons outside of police stations. Word 4 Weapons and FazAmnesty, both members of the government’s Coalition to Tackle Knife Crime, have a proven track record in supporting young people to surrender dangerous weapons and directing them towards local support.  

    Faron Paul, Founder of FazAmnesty said:

    I’m proud to support the extended surrender scheme and the launch of the mobile amnesty van which gives people a safe and easy way to hand in weapons, knives and other dangerous items. By taking this service directly into communities, I hope we can reach more individuals, encourage positive decisions and help reduce the number of harmful items on our streets.

    This initiative is an important step towards preventing violence, building trust and supporting our ongoing efforts to create safer, stronger communities for everyone.

    The ninja sword surrender and compensation scheme will also be running in tandem throughout July in police stations across England and Wales. The ban on ninja swords is a result of the tireless campaigning of the Kanda family, who tragically lost their son Ronan in 2022 when he was killed with one of these deadly weapons. The ban on ninja swords is part of Ronan’s Law which was introduced to Parliament this year and includes measures to stop the illegal sale of knives online. Ronan’s Law will be included in the Crime and Policing Bill.  

    Members of the public wishing to surrender a ninja sword in exchange for compensation should take them to their local police station. Ninja swords can also be surrendered in any available surrender bin however this will not result in any compensation. Full details about how to claim compensation for ninja swords can be found on GOV.UK or via local police.  

    Pooja Kanda, knife crime campaigner and mother to Ronan said: 

    It has been 3 years since Ronan’s life was tragically taken as a result of the wounds inflicted by a ninja sword. Since then, we have relentlessly campaigned for ninja swords to be taken off the streets as they have no place in society.

    The government has now introduced a much needed ban on ninja swords, and we encourage those in possession to surrender them to make the community a safer place where children can walk home without fear.

    CEO of Word 4 Weapons, Sandra Campbell, said:

    Word 4 Weapons, in partnership with the Home Office, proudly supports the ninja sword ban and the removal of dangerous weapons and knives from public spaces to help build safe communities for all.

    Updates to this page

    Published 1 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Framing the Past: Controversial portrait sparks dialogue on confronting uncomfortable legacies The portrait of a University philanthropist and enslaver will be used to prompt discussion and debate on how we respond to contested artefacts and their legacies.

    Source: University of Aberdeen

    Gilbert Ramsay portrait

    The portrait of a University philanthropist and enslaver will be used to prompt discussion and debate on how we respond to contested artefacts and their legacies.
    ‘Framing the past, imagining the future’ will be held at the University of Aberdeen on July 3 as part of the institution’s work to address its historical links to transatlantic slavery – with the wider community invited to join the conversation.
    Gilbert Ramsay (1658-1728) was a graduate of Marischal College who left a substantial bequest to his alma mater as well as to the Aberdeenshire village of Birse, where he grew up, to build a parish school and establish a poor fund.
    But his fortune was built on human suffering as Ramsay, who served at churches in Antigua and Barbados, amassed his fortune through slaveholding and the sale of enslaved people.
    The source of Ramsay’s wealth was revealed earlier this year in The University of Aberdeen and the Legacies of Slavery report, researched and written by Aberdeen historian Dr Richard Anderson.
    Ramsay’s portrait hangs above a fireplace in a classroom in the University’s College Bounds building, accompanied by a short interpretation panel which outlines his life and his links with slavery.
    It will be used as a conversation starter for the event organised by organised by Dr Catriona McAra for the School of Divinity, History, Philosophy and Art History and University Collections.
    Professor Beth Lord, Head of the School of Divinity, History, Philosophy and Art History, said: “Ramsay is a significant figure in the School’s history as he donated funds that supported our longest-established subjects, Divinity and Philosophy. Now that we know about Ramsay’s connection to transatlantic slavery, we are faced with the question of what to do with the portrait that hangs in our main building – and how, more broadly, we should respond to the material legacies of slavery in our academic subjects.
    “Through exploring the issues raised by this portrait, and in seeking to diversify the voices that are heard, the School and University Collections acknowledge their shared historical foundation whilst looking towards more equitable presents and futures that reflect our values.”
    The forum will include an in-conversation event with anti-racist activist Zandra Yeaman, Head of Strategy Development and Implementation at the Hunterian Museum, University of Glasgow, in conversation with Professor Emma Bond from the University of Oxford whose work focuses on the legacies of empire and colonialism in contemporary literary and visual cultures.
    Other speakers include artist Ade Adesina and Vanessa Mabonso Nzolo, PhD Candidate and former University of Aberdeen Student President, as well as academics from the School.
    Neil Curtis, Head of University Collections, added: “Transatlantic slavery has a left a substantial legacy that permeates the University and North-East Scotland in some unexpected ways. Some is tangible such as this portrait and the Powis Gateway which is now accompanied by a plaque and interpretation panel.
    “Events like this will help us to explore options and to decide how best to truthfully display this portrait in a way that helps those who see it to understand and act on our legacies.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI: BSTR Miner launches next-generation cloud mining platform: AI-driven, multi-currency support, Dogecoin mining threshold drops to a new low

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    London, UK, July 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — In the wave of continued expansion of the global cryptocurrency market, BSTR Miner, which has been deeply involved in blockchain infrastructure for 6 years, officially launched a revolutionary cloud mining platform today. The platform uses patented adaptive revenue enhancement technology (A.R.E.T) to realize intelligent dynamic mining of mainstream currencies such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Dogecoin for the first time, lowering the threshold for passive crypto income to $100 and completely rewriting the rules of the game in the industry.

    Market pain points and technical breakthroughs
    After the Bitcoin halving in 2025, the computing power of the entire network will climb by 37%, and it will be more difficult for individual miners to make profits. BSTR Miner’s solution directly hits three core pain points:

    Zero hardware burden: users do not need to face the purchase, maintenance or high electricity costs of mining machines

    Intelligent income: A.R.E.T system analyzes 200+ blockchain indicators in real time (including network difficulty, gas fees and currency price fluctuations), and automatically switches to the currency with the highest current income for mining

    Democratization of Dogecoin mining: Deep optimization of DOGE’s Scrypt algorithm allows small investors to share the ecological dividends of meme coins

    BSTR Miner cloud mining platform advantages:
    Zero hardware: Instant mining of BTC, ETH and DOGE – no equipment or technical skills required.

    AI profit maximizer: patented A.R.E.T. algorithm, dynamically switches mining to the currency with the highest income (for example, DOGE mining rewards increased by 143% in June)
    Transparent income: blockchain verification every 8 hours
    Start mining with $100. Exclusive DOGE Mining Offer: New users get $10 bonus + 3% extra DOGE hashrate.

    How to start mining with BSTR Miner?
    1. Quick registration
    Visit www.bstrminer.com and register with your email/mobile phone number
    2. Zero configuration start
    Recharge $100+ to a crypto wallet (supports BTC/ETH/USDT) or use the $10 given by the platform for mining
    3. Select a contract
    The platform provides 11 contracts, choose the contract that suits you to purchase
    4. Enjoy daily income
    View income data in real time on the dashboard
    •Automatically distributed to the account every 24 hours
    • Withdraw at any time when the balance is over $100

    Real user testimony
    “As a full-time teacher, I obtained a stable monthly return of 5.1% in Q2 2025 through BSTR Miner’s Dogecoin mining contract,” James Chen, an early Canadian user, showed his dashboard data, “What’s more surprising is that the platform automatically switched 35% of its computing power to the skyrocketing BRC-20 token in June, with a daily increase of 300% in income.”

    Market positioning and strategy
    “Traditional cloud mining is experiencing a crisis of trust,” said Elena, CTO of BSTR Miner Rodriguez pointed out that “our real-time revenue tracing system makes every penny of output verifiable, which will become the new industry standard.” The platform has reserved $50 million for user growth funds, and new registrations can receive: $10 experience money (which can be directly invested in Dogecoin mining contracts)

    About BSTR Miner
    Founded in 2019, BSTR Miner operates 5 Tier-4 data centers in North America, with a computing power accounting for 1.98% of the global Bitcoin network. In 2024, it was certified by ISO/IEC 27001 and was named the “Most Innovative Blockchain Infrastructure Provider” by Yahoo Finance.

    For media enquiries, please contact:
    Company name: BSTR Miner
    Email: info@bstrminer.com
    Company address: Flat 5 Vincent Avenue, Welcombe Court, Stratford-Upon-Avon, England
    Company website: https://bstrminer.com

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Shiprock Capital announces new Senior Investment Counsel

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    LONDON, July 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Shiprock Capital Management Limited (“Shiprock”), a London-based investment management firm focused on Global Distressed and Special Situations, has announced that Eric Ho has joined the firm as Senior Investment Counsel.

    Eric joins Shiprock from Ashmore Investment Management where for a decade he served as Senior Counsel principally responsible for the structuring, negotiation and execution of credit and special situations investments across public and private markets. He joined Ashmore in 2015 from Shearman & Sterling where he began his career in 2008. Eric holds a LLB Bachelor of Laws from the London School of Economics and completed the LPC at BPP Law School, London. He is a qualified solicitor in England and Wales.

    Frederick Schroder, CEO at Shiprock, said, “We are very glad to welcome Eric to Shiprock. His deep legal expertise in distressed and special situations globally will be exceptionally valuable in executing our strategy. His appointment underscores the significant investment in talent that Shiprock continues to make.”

    Eric Ho, Chief Investment Counsel at Shiprock, added, “I am excited to be joining the senior team at Shiprock and contributing to the firm’s continued success.”

    About Shiprock:

    Shiprock Capital Management is a London-based investment management firm focused on Global Distressed and Special Situations. Founded in 2023, the firm manages in excess of $1bn.

    Contact:

    info@shiprock.co.uk

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Weapons found at Paralowie

    Source: New South Wales – News

    Police allegedly located weapons and bomb-making equipment at a northern suburbs home today.

    Police attended a Paralowie address this morning, Tuesday 1 July, where officers allegedly discovered explosives components.

    Further police resources attended, including Bomb Response Unit, CIB detectives, Dog Operations and crime scene investigators.

    A thorough search of the home allegedly uncovered additional weapons, including firearms, swords and crossbows.

    A 30-year-old Paralowie man was arrested at the home and charged with possess firearm without a licence and possess prohibited weapon.

    He was bailed to appear in the Elizabeth Magistrates Court on 7 August.

    A 30-year-old Paralowie woman was reported for possess firearm (gel blaster) and will be summonsed to appear in court at a later date.

    Investigations are continuing.

    Anyone with information about illicit firearms or weapons in our community can report it to police via Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or online at www.crimestopperssa.com.au

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: What are police allowed to do at protests and who keeps them in check?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kelly Hine, Senior Lecturer in Criminology, University of the Sunshine Coast

    Earlier this week, former Greens candidate Hannah Thomas was hospitalised with serious injuries after being arrested at a protest in Sydney. This incident sparked public outcry, raising questions about the limits of police power and what happens when things go wrong.

    Protests are becoming more common and more intense across Australia and worldwide. This surge stems from growing social and political concerns.

    The right to peacefully protest is a fundamental aspect of democratic societies. It gives people the freedom to gather, speak out, and push for change.

    But that right is not unlimited and can be subject to certain restrictions. While the public has a right to protest, police have a responsibility to ensure the safety of everyone involved including protesters, bystanders and officers. Maintaining public order and respecting the right to peaceful assembly is a balance.

    So, what exactly are police allowed to do at protests? And if someone is hurt in the process, who is responsible, and who keeps police in check?

    Why do things go wrong at protests?

    Peaceful protesting is lawful in Australia and people have the right to gather and express their views. But that doesn’t mean anything goes.

    If someone’s behaviour at a protest threatens public safety or breaches the law, police have a responsibility to intervene, and individuals can be charged with an offence.

    Protests are emotionally charged events. Some groups may come to protests already hostile, especially those with strong anti-authority views or past negative experiences with police. In turn, this can increase the risk of confrontation from the outset.

    Often protests are driven by a shared sense of injustice. This can build strong group identity and solidarity among protesters, but it can also intensify resistance towards police who are seen as symbols of authority.

    When people act as part of a crowd, emotions can spread quickly. In these settings, individuals may feel less personally responsible for their actions and behave more impulsively or aggressively.

    At the same time, police responses play a big role in how protests unfold. Tactics that are seen as heavy-handed (like blocking movement or using force) can heighten tensions and lead to confrontation.

    In contrast, strategies focused on communication and de-escalation are more likely to calm things down and prevent violence.

    Typically, protests don’t turn violent on their own. Instead, it’s a mix of crowd dynamics and police response that often determines the outcome.

    What powers do police have at protests?

    Police have wide-ranging powers to respond to protests to prevent behaviour escalation. A person does not need to be committing an offence for police to exercise powers during a protest. Police consider the behaviour of individual protesters, or the risk they’re perceived to pose, rather than waiting for a specific law to be broken.

    While the specific laws differ between states and territories in Australia, there are several common features.

    Police can tell community members to move on in some circumstances. If a protester is in a public place and causing disruption, interfering with others, endangering others or being disorderly, police can direct that person to leave. An offence does not need to be committed for police to direct community members to move on.

    Where a person does not follow a police officer’s lawful direction, they are contravening the law and can be arrested.

    However, move-on powers are limited when there is a peaceful protest. Police cannot direct a person to move on just because they are peacefully protesting something, picketing or publicly sharing their views (such as speaking loudly or carrying a sign).

    States and territories have also criminalised certain behaviour related to protests. For example, it is unlawful to harass, intimidate or threaten a person accessing a place of worship in New South Wales.

    Police can use force to maintain peace or prevent violence. The force used must only be “reasonably necessary”. This means police can only use the minimum amount of force needed that is proportionate to the event.

    It might be appropriate for police to restrain a protester using their hands or handcuffs and individual circumstances will be relevant to whether use of force is permitted. Lethal force, though, would not be permitted against a protester unless a protester was endangering the life of another person.

    Injuries can occur during police arrests. It has been alleged that Hannah Thomas’ injury arising during her arrest was the result of “excessive use of force”. However, just because a person is injured during an arrest does not automatically mean a police officer acted inappropriately.

    Who holds police accountable if someone gets hurt?

    Where concerns arise about police behaviour during a protest (including the use of force or other actions), there are different ways police can be held accountable.

    Policing organisations have internal processes for investigating police conduct. Each policing organisation has a professional or ethical standards unit that investigates allegations of conduct.

    But integrity bodies have flagged police investigating police can perpetuate potentially problematic “cover up behaviours that can mask police misconduct”.

    Australia’s states and territories also have independent statutory organisations which target crime and corruption in the public service. These are generally corruption or integrity commissions and apply to all public service workers, including police officers. The relevant ombudsman can also assist to resolve complaints.

    Community members can also sue a policing organisation for injuries they sustained during an arrest.

    What’s the right balance?

    Protest is a democratic right, but it also presents real public safety challenges.

    Police face genuine risks and have a difficult job managing dynamic and often unpredictable situations.

    They need certain powers to do their job, but those powers must come with strong accountability. If police exceed their power, it damages public trust and can escalate tensions further.

    Good policing practices mean talking to protest organisers early, keeping communication clear, using de-escalation tactics and responding proportionally to individuals – not treating the whole crowd the same.

    Protesters also play a role by staying peaceful, notifying police of a protest, knowing their rights, and helping to de-escalate tensions. The goal should always be to protect everyone. This includes protesters, police and the general public.

    Dominique is a former police officer who was previously employed by the Queensland Police Service.

    Hena Prince and Kelly Hine 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. What are police allowed to do at protests and who keeps them in check? – https://theconversation.com/what-are-police-allowed-to-do-at-protests-and-who-keeps-them-in-check-260096

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: A new ‘prac payment’ has just kicked in. But it ignores many uni students

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kelly Lambert, Associate Professor Nutrition and Dietetics, University of Wollongong

    Fly View Productions/ Getting Images

    On Tuesday, some Australian university students got access to a new payment. The Commonwealth Prac Payment is available to eligible teaching, nursing, midwifery and social work students.

    It will provide A$331.65 a week during compulsory professional placements, to help with living and study expenses. This could include travel, accommodation, uniforms and lost income from other employment.

    But while the payment is a much-needed step in the right direction, many students are still missing out.

    Who’s not covered?

    The prac payment was a recommendation from the federal government’s 2024 Universities Accord review. It is designed to help students complete essential professional placements, so they can graduate and enter the workforce.

    But numerous other health degrees with time-consuming work placements are excluded from the payment.

    This includes medicine, physiotherapy, dietetics, psychology, radiography and other allied health professions. Veterinary medicine students are also ineligible. Many of these professions are also experiencing serious workforce shortages.

    The payment is also only available to teaching, nursing and social work students who already qualify for Ausstudy (the income support payment for students and apprentices who are 25 and over).

    So this means the prac payment is means tested. It is also considered taxable income and paid at the rate of Austudy – which is not generous. The basic Austudy rate is below the national poverty line.

    The payment is also only available to Australian domestic students, even though many international heath students end up working in the Australian health system after graduating.

    Why is this an issue?

    Researchers, including ourselves, use the term “placement poverty” to describe the impact mandatory placements can have on students. It can be a major barrier to students completing their degrees.

    Students have repeatedly described widespread impacts of doing up to 1,000 hours of unpaid work to graduate – taking a toll on their income and mental health.

    Kelly Lambert’s 2024 research suggests health and teaching students can incur a further $12,500–15,000 to the cost of degrees during unpaid placements.

    Students have explained the placement hours mean they can’t work in their regular paid casual or part-time jobs – and may lose this work as a result.

    What does this mean for students?

    In the short term, if students are not supported to complete their placements, they may not have enough money for food or accommodation.

    Our research found 29% of teaching and allied health students regularly skip meals while on placement. Some students also described sleeping in cars or driving excessive distances due to limited or expensive accommodation options near their placements.

    If students are not supported in their placements, research suggests they can experience burnout and may not finish their degrees. Or they may not even begin them in the first place.

    This is particularly the case for students from regional or rural communities (who may have further to travel), students with parenting or caring responsibilities, and students from low economic and otherwise disadvantaged backgrounds.

    We also know its important to support students to do placements in rural, regional and remote areas – students who complete placements in these communities are more likely to return and work in those communities.

    What do we need to do instead?

    As a first measure, the government should expand eligibility criteria for the current payment to include other health disciplines and those who don’t currently meet the means testing threshold.

    Research tells us financial hardship is not confined to students who qualify for Austudy, it is experienced across the board.

    Students have also suggested interest-free short-term loans, subsidised parking (similar to hospital employees), and greater transparency about the costs associated with unpaid placements. International students have also said public transport subsidies would help them complete their placements.

    Other, more significant changes could include apprenticeship-type compensation models for healthcare students, where students get paid to study as part of their training. These schemes are already available in Scotland.

    Ultimately, we want to support more students to do health and teaching degrees to fill workforce gaps – not discourage them with high costs of studying.

    Kelly Lambert has received funding from the Australian Centre for Student Equity and Success.

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

    – ref. A new ‘prac payment’ has just kicked in. But it ignores many uni students – https://theconversation.com/a-new-prac-payment-has-just-kicked-in-but-it-ignores-many-uni-students-260087

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: A new ‘prac payment’ has just kicked in. But it ignores many uni students

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kelly Lambert, Associate Professor Nutrition and Dietetics, University of Wollongong

    Fly View Productions/ Getting Images

    On Tuesday, some Australian university students got access to a new payment. The Commonwealth Prac Payment is available to eligible teaching, nursing, midwifery and social work students.

    It will provide A$331.65 a week during compulsory professional placements, to help with living and study expenses. This could include travel, accommodation, uniforms and lost income from other employment.

    But while the payment is a much-needed step in the right direction, many students are still missing out.

    Who’s not covered?

    The prac payment was a recommendation from the federal government’s 2024 Universities Accord review. It is designed to help students complete essential professional placements, so they can graduate and enter the workforce.

    But numerous other health degrees with time-consuming work placements are excluded from the payment.

    This includes medicine, physiotherapy, dietetics, psychology, radiography and other allied health professions. Veterinary medicine students are also ineligible. Many of these professions are also experiencing serious workforce shortages.

    The payment is also only available to teaching, nursing and social work students who already qualify for Ausstudy (the income support payment for students and apprentices who are 25 and over).

    So this means the prac payment is means tested. It is also considered taxable income and paid at the rate of Austudy – which is not generous. The basic Austudy rate is below the national poverty line.

    The payment is also only available to Australian domestic students, even though many international heath students end up working in the Australian health system after graduating.

    Why is this an issue?

    Researchers, including ourselves, use the term “placement poverty” to describe the impact mandatory placements can have on students. It can be a major barrier to students completing their degrees.

    Students have repeatedly described widespread impacts of doing up to 1,000 hours of unpaid work to graduate – taking a toll on their income and mental health.

    Kelly Lambert’s 2024 research suggests health and teaching students can incur a further $12,500–15,000 to the cost of degrees during unpaid placements.

    Students have explained the placement hours mean they can’t work in their regular paid casual or part-time jobs – and may lose this work as a result.

    What does this mean for students?

    In the short term, if students are not supported to complete their placements, they may not have enough money for food or accommodation.

    Our research found 29% of teaching and allied health students regularly skip meals while on placement. Some students also described sleeping in cars or driving excessive distances due to limited or expensive accommodation options near their placements.

    If students are not supported in their placements, research suggests they can experience burnout and may not finish their degrees. Or they may not even begin them in the first place.

    This is particularly the case for students from regional or rural communities (who may have further to travel), students with parenting or caring responsibilities, and students from low economic and otherwise disadvantaged backgrounds.

    We also know its important to support students to do placements in rural, regional and remote areas – students who complete placements in these communities are more likely to return and work in those communities.

    What do we need to do instead?

    As a first measure, the government should expand eligibility criteria for the current payment to include other health disciplines and those who don’t currently meet the means testing threshold.

    Research tells us financial hardship is not confined to students who qualify for Austudy, it is experienced across the board.

    Students have also suggested interest-free short-term loans, subsidised parking (similar to hospital employees), and greater transparency about the costs associated with unpaid placements. International students have also said public transport subsidies would help them complete their placements.

    Other, more significant changes could include apprenticeship-type compensation models for healthcare students, where students get paid to study as part of their training. These schemes are already available in Scotland.

    Ultimately, we want to support more students to do health and teaching degrees to fill workforce gaps – not discourage them with high costs of studying.

    Kelly Lambert has received funding from the Australian Centre for Student Equity and Success.

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

    – ref. A new ‘prac payment’ has just kicked in. But it ignores many uni students – https://theconversation.com/a-new-prac-payment-has-just-kicked-in-but-it-ignores-many-uni-students-260087

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • Alcaraz survives Wimbledon scare, Sabalenka serene, but others feel the heat

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Carlos Alcaraz survived Wimbledon’s hottest-ever opening day although the Spaniard was far from his sizzling best as he began his quest for a hat-trick of titles with a scare against Fabio Fognini at the All England Club on Monday.

    With air temperatures soaring to 32 degrees Celsius, Alcaraz needed more than four hours to subdue veteran Fognini, winning 7-5 6-7(5) 7-5 2-6 6-1 – the last set interrupted after a spectator became unwell in the heat and required assistance.

    Women’s top seed Aryna Sabalenka, bidding to win Wimbledon for the first time, had no trouble as she dispatched Canadian qualifier Carson Branstine 6-1 7-5 but last year’s runner-up, fourth seed Jasmine Paolini, was pushed hard by Latvia’s Anastasija Sevastova in a 2-6 6-3 6-2 win.

    While five-times Grand Slam champion Alcaraz, who won the Queen’s Club title in the build-up, lives to fight another day, several high-profile players departed the men’s draw.

    No arena at Wimbledon gets as hot as bowl-like Court Two and the conditions were clearly not to the liking of ex-world number one Daniil Medvedev as the ninth seed saw his hopes scorched by Frenchman Benjamin Bonzi, who won 7-6(2) 3-6 7-6(3) 6-2.

    Eighth seed Holger Rune of Denmark, yet to really make his mark at a Grand Slam, won the opening two sets against Chilean qualifier Nicolas Jarry but succumbed 4-6 4-6 7-5 6-3 6-4.

    Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas, twice a Grand Slam runner-up was left despondent after retiring with a back injury having fallen two sets behind against French qualifier Valentin Royer.

    American fifth seed Taylor Fritz looked to be on his way out before battling back to force a fifth set against big-serving Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard before their match was suspended with the Grand Slam’s 11 p.m. curfew looming.

    German third seed Alexander Zverev summoned up similar fighting spirit to draw level at one set apiece with Arthur Rinderknech in another match scheduled to resume on Tuesday.

    WINNING STREAK

    Only two defending men’s champions had ever lost in the first round at Wimbledon, but there were moments when Alcaraz looked in danger of joining compatriot Manuel Santana on that short list as Fognini rolled back the years.

    Alcaraz arrived at Wimbledon on an 18-match winning streak, which included a spellbinding French Open final win over Jannik Sinner. But the spark was missing on Monday in front of a Centre Court crowd that included David Beckham.

    Heat is second nature to Alcaraz, but it was Fognini who flourished in the sun and when he broke serve twice to level the match at two sets apiece a massive shock looked possible.

    But Alcaraz, regularly using an ice towel to cool down, found an extra gear in the decider and even charmed the crowd by offering his water bottle to the distressed fan.

    He then led the warm applause for former top-10 player Fognini, for whom this was his final Wimbledon.

    “I don’t know why it’s his last Wimbledon because the level he has shown, you know, he can still play three or four more years. It’s unbelievable,” Alcaraz said of Fognini.

    Next up for Alcaraz is British qualifier Oliver Tarvet who marked his Grand Slam main draw debut with a superb 6-4 6-4 6-4 defeat of fellow qualifier Leandro Riedi of Switzerland.

    Tarvet is one of 23 British players in the singles draw, the most since 1984. The home charge was led Sonay Kartal who upset 20th seed and former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko 7-5 2-6 6-2. She was joined in round two by British number one Emma Raducanu who comfortably passed a tricky test against Mingge Xu, one of three British teenaged wild cards to play on Monday.

    When Katie Boulter later knocked out Spanish ninth seed Paula Badosa 6-2 3-6 6-4 on Centre Court, seven British players had enjoyed victories, the most in a single day for the home nation in the professional era.

    Home hope Jacob Fearnley could not follow suit though as he was outshone 6-4 6-1 7-6(5) by Brazilian teenager Joao Fonseca, who showed why he is creating such a stir with carnival tennis on a steamy Court One.

    TOUGH WORKOUT

    World number one Sabalenka won the opening five games against part-time model Branstine but was given a far tougher workout after that as she moved into round two.

    The 27-year-old from Minsk missed last year’s event because of a shoulder injury and arrived this time with a point to prove after losing in the Australian and French Open finals this year.

    Several other women’s contenders sparkled in the sunshine, none more than 13th seeded American Amanda Anisimova who served up a dreaded ‘double-bagel’ 6-0 6-0 defeat to Yulia Putintseva.

    Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina beat Anna Boindar in straight sets while 2023 champion Marketa Vondrousova continued her return to form by knocking out American 30th seed McCartney Kessler, setting up a second-round clash with Raducanu.

    Australian Open champion Madison Keys, seeded sixth, battled for two hours and 41 minutes to beat Romania’s Elena Ruse and played down the impact of the heat.

    “It’s funny coming from the States, because this is quite literally a very typical summer day,” she said.

    Four-times Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka overcame some first-round jitters to beat Australian qualifier Talia Gibson, prevailing 6-4 7-6(4).

    There was a sad end for Tunisia’s twice runner-up Ons Jabeur though as she retired against Viktoriya Tomova due to illness.

    (Reuters)

  • Alcaraz survives Wimbledon scare, Sabalenka serene, but others feel the heat

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Carlos Alcaraz survived Wimbledon’s hottest-ever opening day although the Spaniard was far from his sizzling best as he began his quest for a hat-trick of titles with a scare against Fabio Fognini at the All England Club on Monday.

    With air temperatures soaring to 32 degrees Celsius, Alcaraz needed more than four hours to subdue veteran Fognini, winning 7-5 6-7(5) 7-5 2-6 6-1 – the last set interrupted after a spectator became unwell in the heat and required assistance.

    Women’s top seed Aryna Sabalenka, bidding to win Wimbledon for the first time, had no trouble as she dispatched Canadian qualifier Carson Branstine 6-1 7-5 but last year’s runner-up, fourth seed Jasmine Paolini, was pushed hard by Latvia’s Anastasija Sevastova in a 2-6 6-3 6-2 win.

    While five-times Grand Slam champion Alcaraz, who won the Queen’s Club title in the build-up, lives to fight another day, several high-profile players departed the men’s draw.

    No arena at Wimbledon gets as hot as bowl-like Court Two and the conditions were clearly not to the liking of ex-world number one Daniil Medvedev as the ninth seed saw his hopes scorched by Frenchman Benjamin Bonzi, who won 7-6(2) 3-6 7-6(3) 6-2.

    Eighth seed Holger Rune of Denmark, yet to really make his mark at a Grand Slam, won the opening two sets against Chilean qualifier Nicolas Jarry but succumbed 4-6 4-6 7-5 6-3 6-4.

    Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas, twice a Grand Slam runner-up was left despondent after retiring with a back injury having fallen two sets behind against French qualifier Valentin Royer.

    American fifth seed Taylor Fritz looked to be on his way out before battling back to force a fifth set against big-serving Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard before their match was suspended with the Grand Slam’s 11 p.m. curfew looming.

    German third seed Alexander Zverev summoned up similar fighting spirit to draw level at one set apiece with Arthur Rinderknech in another match scheduled to resume on Tuesday.

    WINNING STREAK

    Only two defending men’s champions had ever lost in the first round at Wimbledon, but there were moments when Alcaraz looked in danger of joining compatriot Manuel Santana on that short list as Fognini rolled back the years.

    Alcaraz arrived at Wimbledon on an 18-match winning streak, which included a spellbinding French Open final win over Jannik Sinner. But the spark was missing on Monday in front of a Centre Court crowd that included David Beckham.

    Heat is second nature to Alcaraz, but it was Fognini who flourished in the sun and when he broke serve twice to level the match at two sets apiece a massive shock looked possible.

    But Alcaraz, regularly using an ice towel to cool down, found an extra gear in the decider and even charmed the crowd by offering his water bottle to the distressed fan.

    He then led the warm applause for former top-10 player Fognini, for whom this was his final Wimbledon.

    “I don’t know why it’s his last Wimbledon because the level he has shown, you know, he can still play three or four more years. It’s unbelievable,” Alcaraz said of Fognini.

    Next up for Alcaraz is British qualifier Oliver Tarvet who marked his Grand Slam main draw debut with a superb 6-4 6-4 6-4 defeat of fellow qualifier Leandro Riedi of Switzerland.

    Tarvet is one of 23 British players in the singles draw, the most since 1984. The home charge was led Sonay Kartal who upset 20th seed and former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko 7-5 2-6 6-2. She was joined in round two by British number one Emma Raducanu who comfortably passed a tricky test against Mingge Xu, one of three British teenaged wild cards to play on Monday.

    When Katie Boulter later knocked out Spanish ninth seed Paula Badosa 6-2 3-6 6-4 on Centre Court, seven British players had enjoyed victories, the most in a single day for the home nation in the professional era.

    Home hope Jacob Fearnley could not follow suit though as he was outshone 6-4 6-1 7-6(5) by Brazilian teenager Joao Fonseca, who showed why he is creating such a stir with carnival tennis on a steamy Court One.

    TOUGH WORKOUT

    World number one Sabalenka won the opening five games against part-time model Branstine but was given a far tougher workout after that as she moved into round two.

    The 27-year-old from Minsk missed last year’s event because of a shoulder injury and arrived this time with a point to prove after losing in the Australian and French Open finals this year.

    Several other women’s contenders sparkled in the sunshine, none more than 13th seeded American Amanda Anisimova who served up a dreaded ‘double-bagel’ 6-0 6-0 defeat to Yulia Putintseva.

    Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina beat Anna Boindar in straight sets while 2023 champion Marketa Vondrousova continued her return to form by knocking out American 30th seed McCartney Kessler, setting up a second-round clash with Raducanu.

    Australian Open champion Madison Keys, seeded sixth, battled for two hours and 41 minutes to beat Romania’s Elena Ruse and played down the impact of the heat.

    “It’s funny coming from the States, because this is quite literally a very typical summer day,” she said.

    Four-times Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka overcame some first-round jitters to beat Australian qualifier Talia Gibson, prevailing 6-4 7-6(4).

    There was a sad end for Tunisia’s twice runner-up Ons Jabeur though as she retired against Viktoriya Tomova due to illness.

    (Reuters)

  • MIL-OSI Australia: 165 years on the frontline at Portland Brigade

    Source:

    Chief Officer Jason Heffernan presenting the Unit Citation for Courage to Adam Hermelin, John Wolf and Ryan Delong

    Portland Fire Brigade gathered over the weekend to celebrate their 165 years of service to the community and acknowledge the dedication of several brigade members.

    The brigade was formed by a public meeting notice in the Portland Guardian Newspaper in 1858 for the purpose of forming a Volunteer Fire Brigade to operate the fire vehicle they had recently received from England.  

    From that meeting, Portland Fire Brigade has been operating in many iterations and is now a co-located brigade with Fire Rescue Victoria.  

    Portland Captain Ian Hamley who has been involved with the brigade since 2010 said the night was a memorable tribute to the commitment and courage showed by all members past and present.  

    “From early days when horse and carts were used, to having a fleet of specialised firefighting vehicles, our purpose of serving the community has remained at the heart of what we do,” Ian said. 

    “The brigade has been an integral part of the local community since 1858, and we hope it continues to remain that way for generations to come.”  

    The brigade attends approximately 150 support calls annually and has been at the frontline of many major emergencies including the 2014 Grampians fires, 2014 Mt Clay fires and the 2015 Awassi Express fire. 

    Throughout their service, Portland brigade has encountered many challenges on the fireground, with the passing of 4th Lieutenant Garry Mallen a particularly devastating loss.  

    The crew were responding to a shed fire on 30 January 2024 when Lieutenant Mallen collapsed while fighting the fire. Three CFA members on scene were quick into action, undertaking CPR until the arrival of paramedics.  

    Unfortunately, Lieutenant Mallen was unable to be revived despite their efforts.  

    Portland 1st Lieutenant Adam Hermelin, who was on scene said it was one of the most confronting and emotional incidents he has faced.  

    “We learn first aid training hoping we never have to use it,” Adam said. 

    “To use it for the first time on a well-respected colleague was quite an unreal experience.”  

    “Garry was a prominent member here at Portland. He put his hand up for anything, was a great trainer and was always good for a laugh.”  

    The composure and professionalism shown by firefighters Adam Hermelin, Ryan Delony and John Wolf was awarded with a Unit Citation for Courage from Chief Officer Jason Heffernan on Saturday. 

    “It’s nice to be recognised for our efforts that day, but we simply did what anyone else in our shoes would have done that day,” Adam said.  

    Looking to the future, Ian says the brigade are always looking for new volunteers.  

    “If you’re thinking about joining, everyone is more than welcome to come take a look around the station and learn about the different roles available.” 

    • Chief Officer Jason Heffernan and Unit Citation for Courage recipients with Katie Robins and Justin Mallen (Garry Mallen’s children)
    Submitted by CFA Media

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Why your holiday flight is still not being powered by sustainable aviation fuel

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Salman Ahmad, Lecturer in Operations and Supply Chain Management, University of the West of Scotland

    Fahroni/Shutterstock

    As you wait in the departure lounge for your flight this summer, you may notice your aeroplane being pumped full of fuel ahead of takeoff. And then you may start to wonder why flying is still so dependent on fossil fuels, and whether you should have booked a holiday destination that’s accessible by a more environmentally friendly form of transport.

    So what happened to plans for so-called sustainable aviation fuel? Wasn’t it supposed to be the “game changer” that would make flying a much greener travel option than it used to be?

    Clearly, the move to adopt the technology is facing difficulties. One problem seems to be that there simply isn’t enough sustainable fuel to go around.

    But the business side of the process is also holding back sustainable fuel uptake.

    Research my colleagues and I conducted in 2021 revealed a deeply fragmented landscape at pretty much every step of sustainable fuel development. There are obstacles everywhere, blocking the paths of the producers developing these fuels, the airlines who might use them and the governmental and campaign groups pushing for change.

    Everyone seems to agree that sustainable fuel matters. They just don’t all agree about how to really get it off the ground.

    Our findings demonstrate that producers, for instance, were understandably focused on more research and development to improve efficient production. They were also worried that scaling up facilities could disrupt production that is already in place.

    Airlines meanwhile, are grappling with the economics of moving to sustainable fuel, which is around three to ten times more expensive than conventional fuel. Right now, a litre of conventional aviation fuel costs around £0.96 per litre in the UK – for sustainable aviation fuel it’s around £1.97. (Depending on the length of the journey and the size of the engine, a plane could need around 13,000 litres per hour of flying.)

    They spoke about inconsistent supply (especially at major airports), and the need for clearer regulations and incentives across the industry.

    “Cost is clearly the most important driver,” one airline executive told us, explaining that dealing with those costs would ultimately depend on passenger demand for greener travel – and how willing those passengers are to pay a premium for sustainable fuel.

    Distribution companies that take the sustainable fuel where it needs to go, have found themselves struggling to navigate the complexities of an emerging supply chain. They spoke of the logistical challenges of transporting and storing sustainable fuel, and a lack of clear communication between producers and airlines.

    They saw themselves as a crucial part of the sustainable aviation fuel puzzle, but were concerned about investing in logistics and infrastructure without guaranteed demand.

    Elsewhere, politicians and climate campaigners tend to view the adoption of sustainable fuel from a broader perspective, stressing the urgency of action on climate change. Their thinking is dominated by environmental strategy and sustainable aviation fuel regulation.

    But here, trust becomes an issue. Some of those involved with sustainable fuel development said they doubted government promises to support the sector over the long term. Others are cynical about whether airlines will really prioritise climate action over their very tight profit margins.

    Up in the air

    So sustainable fuel inspires plenty of different viewpoints and concerns. But one common thread was an overwhelming concern about cost and scale of production.

    Aside from being far more expensive than fossil-based jet fuel, building enough production facilities to make more will require billions of pounds of investment.

    The big question is who will foot the bill.

    sustainable fuel, on a wing and a prayer?
    Bulent camci/Shutterstock

    Some of this will need to be tax funded. For if the UK wants to become a leader in the use of sustainable aviation fuel, as the government says it does, it needs more than ambitious targets. It needs to start making things happen.

    And our research suggests that the industry as a whole would benefit from some certainty to encourage investment right across the supply chain. Without a clear and stable regulatory framework, everyone will remain hesitant about committing significant resources to sustainable fuel.

    Collaboration between the key players could also be improved, with a better dialogue between those in the industry and regulators, potentially leading to a shared vision for the future of sustainable aviation fuel.

    That future is by no means doomed. Major commercial airlines like Air France-KLM, IAG (British Airways) and United Airlines in the US are working with sustainable fuel producers around the world.

    But while the desire to decarbonise aviation seems clear, the path forward is not straightforward. It is a complex picture of politics, economics, trust and differing priorities.

    By navigating this turbulence wisely, the sustainable fuel sector can be part of a broader flight path to net zero. But if managed poorly, targets to dramatically increase its use will remain elusive.

    Salman Ahmad received funding from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council to undertake work that informs the contents of this article. He is also a professional member of the Project Management Institue and the Association for Supply Chain Management.

    – ref. Why your holiday flight is still not being powered by sustainable aviation fuel – https://theconversation.com/why-your-holiday-flight-is-still-not-being-powered-by-sustainable-aviation-fuel-258958

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Why your holiday flight is still not being powered by sustainable aviation fuel

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Salman Ahmad, Lecturer in Operations and Supply Chain Management, University of the West of Scotland

    Fahroni/Shutterstock

    As you wait in the departure lounge for your flight this summer, you may notice your aeroplane being pumped full of fuel ahead of takeoff. And then you may start to wonder why flying is still so dependent on fossil fuels, and whether you should have booked a holiday destination that’s accessible by a more environmentally friendly form of transport.

    So what happened to plans for so-called sustainable aviation fuel? Wasn’t it supposed to be the “game changer” that would make flying a much greener travel option than it used to be?

    Clearly, the move to adopt the technology is facing difficulties. One problem seems to be that there simply isn’t enough sustainable fuel to go around.

    But the business side of the process is also holding back sustainable fuel uptake.

    Research my colleagues and I conducted in 2021 revealed a deeply fragmented landscape at pretty much every step of sustainable fuel development. There are obstacles everywhere, blocking the paths of the producers developing these fuels, the airlines who might use them and the governmental and campaign groups pushing for change.

    Everyone seems to agree that sustainable fuel matters. They just don’t all agree about how to really get it off the ground.

    Our findings demonstrate that producers, for instance, were understandably focused on more research and development to improve efficient production. They were also worried that scaling up facilities could disrupt production that is already in place.

    Airlines meanwhile, are grappling with the economics of moving to sustainable fuel, which is around three to ten times more expensive than conventional fuel. Right now, a litre of conventional aviation fuel costs around £0.96 per litre in the UK – for sustainable aviation fuel it’s around £1.97. (Depending on the length of the journey and the size of the engine, a plane could need around 13,000 litres per hour of flying.)

    They spoke about inconsistent supply (especially at major airports), and the need for clearer regulations and incentives across the industry.

    “Cost is clearly the most important driver,” one airline executive told us, explaining that dealing with those costs would ultimately depend on passenger demand for greener travel – and how willing those passengers are to pay a premium for sustainable fuel.

    Distribution companies that take the sustainable fuel where it needs to go, have found themselves struggling to navigate the complexities of an emerging supply chain. They spoke of the logistical challenges of transporting and storing sustainable fuel, and a lack of clear communication between producers and airlines.

    They saw themselves as a crucial part of the sustainable aviation fuel puzzle, but were concerned about investing in logistics and infrastructure without guaranteed demand.

    Elsewhere, politicians and climate campaigners tend to view the adoption of sustainable fuel from a broader perspective, stressing the urgency of action on climate change. Their thinking is dominated by environmental strategy and sustainable aviation fuel regulation.

    But here, trust becomes an issue. Some of those involved with sustainable fuel development said they doubted government promises to support the sector over the long term. Others are cynical about whether airlines will really prioritise climate action over their very tight profit margins.

    Up in the air

    So sustainable fuel inspires plenty of different viewpoints and concerns. But one common thread was an overwhelming concern about cost and scale of production.

    Aside from being far more expensive than fossil-based jet fuel, building enough production facilities to make more will require billions of pounds of investment.

    The big question is who will foot the bill.

    sustainable fuel, on a wing and a prayer?
    Bulent camci/Shutterstock

    Some of this will need to be tax funded. For if the UK wants to become a leader in the use of sustainable aviation fuel, as the government says it does, it needs more than ambitious targets. It needs to start making things happen.

    And our research suggests that the industry as a whole would benefit from some certainty to encourage investment right across the supply chain. Without a clear and stable regulatory framework, everyone will remain hesitant about committing significant resources to sustainable fuel.

    Collaboration between the key players could also be improved, with a better dialogue between those in the industry and regulators, potentially leading to a shared vision for the future of sustainable aviation fuel.

    That future is by no means doomed. Major commercial airlines like Air France-KLM, IAG (British Airways) and United Airlines in the US are working with sustainable fuel producers around the world.

    But while the desire to decarbonise aviation seems clear, the path forward is not straightforward. It is a complex picture of politics, economics, trust and differing priorities.

    By navigating this turbulence wisely, the sustainable fuel sector can be part of a broader flight path to net zero. But if managed poorly, targets to dramatically increase its use will remain elusive.

    Salman Ahmad received funding from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council to undertake work that informs the contents of this article. He is also a professional member of the Project Management Institue and the Association for Supply Chain Management.

    – ref. Why your holiday flight is still not being powered by sustainable aviation fuel – https://theconversation.com/why-your-holiday-flight-is-still-not-being-powered-by-sustainable-aviation-fuel-258958

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Air quality isn’t just bad in cities – here’s why and how we’re tracking pollution from upland fires

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Rebecca Brownlow, Senior Lecturer in Environmental Science, Sheffield Hallam University

    Peatland burns over the reservoir in Langsett, a village in South Yorkshire. Wendy Birks, CC BY-NC-ND

    Early one October afternoon in 2023, thick grey smoke drifted across Sheffield’s western skyline. As much of the city became blanketed, residents turned to social media to complain about “bonfire smoke”, while others were forced to leave the city due to breathing difficulties.

    However, this smoke did not originate within the city. It was drifting in from the Peak District, more than nine miles away, where controlled heather burning was taking place on the moorlands. For around six hours, levels of fine particulate matter (known as PM2.5), tiny airborne pollutants known to harm human health, exceeded 40 micrograms per cubic metre of air (µg/m³) and peaked at 70µg/m³, well above the guidelines recommended by the World Health Organization.

    This single incident points to the wider and largely invisible problem of the routine burning of the UK’s uplands. This can be a serious source of air pollution, but because most official air pollution monitoring concentrates on urban areas, the effects are overlooked. This is why we have started monitoring upland fires and the pollution they cause.

    Prescribed burning is a longstanding land management practice often used to control vegetation for grouse shooting or livestock grazing. It happens across a range of upland landscapes. Many of the areas being burned sit on deep peat, an organic-rich soil made from layers of slowly decomposed plant material formed over thousands of years in waterlogged conditions.

    Peatlands are incredibly important. They are one of the most carbon-rich ecosystems on the planet. In the UK, they cover around 12% of the land area and store an estimated 3.2 billion tonnes of carbon. This is equivalent to all the forests of Germany, France and the UK combined. Most of the UK’s peat is found in Scotland, but notable areas in England include the Peak District and North York Moors. However, their value goes well beyond carbon.

    Around 70% of Britain’s drinking water comes from upland areas that are largely peatland, and healthy peatlands help reduce flooding by slowing the flow of water from hills to towns and cities. They also provide vital habitats for birds, insects and rare plants, forming the UK’s largest area of semi-natural habitat.



    Read more:
    Wildfire smoke can harm human health, even when the fire is burning hundreds of miles away – a toxicologist explains why

    Despite their ecological importance, more than 80% of English peatlands are classified as degraded, often through historic air pollution, draining, overgrazing and, importantly, repeated burning.

    One hidden consequence of that burning is air pollution. These burns are often viewed as isolated rural events, but their effect on regional air quality can be substantial. On that day in Sheffield, pollution levels briefly rivalled those seen across the city during bonfire night, a well-known peak in urban air pollution.

    In response to that October event, our research team launched a new pilot monitoring network across part of the Peak District national park. This FireUp project combines air quality sensors, satellite data and community observations to detect and measure pollution from upland fires.

    Planned burning event in the Peak District captured via Copernicus Sentinel-2 data (2024), retrieved from Copernicus SciHub and processed by European Space Agency.
    CC BY

    By using a mix of technologies and local reporting, we have documented spikes in PM2.5 pollution that would have otherwise been missed. Our system offers a clearer picture of when and where fires occur, and how far their smoke spreads, opening the door for better planning and stronger protections for public health. But the problem is not just a lack of data, it is also a failure of regulation. England’s current upland burning regulations are limited on four fronts.

    Heather and grass burning regulations introduced in 2021 prohibit burning only on peat deeper than 40cm inside designated sites. That means 60% of upland peat is excluded from these protections.

    With more than 95% of PM2.5 monitors located in urban areas, smoke from moorland fires in remote rural locations is rarely registered on official networks.

    The resources for organisations responsible for enforcing regulations have shrunk over the last decade. Natural England, one of the government’s statutory bodies responsible for environmental protection, has experienced a 4% decrease in funding for 2024-25 compared to the previous year.

    Prosecutions for illegal burning are exceptionally rare, with satellite analyses pointing to a higher level of unlicensed activity than official records suggest.

    In short, narrow legal scope, limited monitoring coverage and under-resourced enforcement leave many prescribed burns undetected and unaccounted for, along with the health and environmental risks they carry.

    Our FireUp system improves fire detections and helps quantify the effects of air pollution from these burns. As the UK government reviews regulations as part of the 2025 heather and grass burning consultation for England, and as upland fire risk increases, this kind of evidence is essential, not just to track what is happening, but to help shape a healthier and better future for the UK’s uplands.

    Our next step is to develop a citizen science app that makes it easier for people to report peatland fire incidents and upland burning to help improve regulation and log the effects of changes in air quality.

    Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like?

    Get a weekly roundup in your inbox instead. Every Wednesday, The Conversation’s environment editor writes Imagine, a short email that goes a little deeper into just one climate issue. Join the 45,000+ readers who’ve subscribed so far.

    James is a member of the Welsh Government Clean Air Advisory Panel, and Promoting Awareness of Air Quality Delivery Group. James also sits on the Scottish Government’s Air Quality Advisory Group.

    Maria Val Martin receives funding from UKRI and is a member of the DEFRA Air Quality Expert Group.

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

    – ref. Air quality isn’t just bad in cities – here’s why and how we’re tracking pollution from upland fires – https://theconversation.com/air-quality-isnt-just-bad-in-cities-heres-why-and-how-were-tracking-pollution-from-upland-fires-258034

    MIL OSI –