Category: Great Britain

MIL-OSI Australia: Workpace death at Elizabeth South

Source: New South Wales – News

Police are preparing a report for the coroner following the death of a man at Elizabeth South this morning.

Emergency services were called to Phillip Highway just before 10.30am on Friday 30 May after reports a man had become trapped in machinery.

Sadly the 38-year-old man from Para Hills West died at the scene.

Safework SA have been advised of the incident.

There are no suspicious circumstances surrounding the death.

MIL OSI News –

May 30, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: Keith Rankin Analysis – Who, neither politician nor monarch, executed 100,000 civilians in a single night?
Analysis by Keith Rankin.

Who, neither politician nor monarch, executed 100,000 civilians in a single night?

Keith Rankin, trained as an economic historian, is a retired lecturer in Economics and Statistics. He lives in Auckland, New Zealand.

Answer: Curtis LeMay, American Air Force General, in the wee hours of 10 March 1945. While authorised by his immediate superior, this firebombing of Tokyo was a decentralised military operation which received subsequent popular approval. It was called ‘Operation Meetinghouse’. While Japanese civilians were aware that they had become a collateral target to the encroaching American military machine, these victims had no prior idea of the murderous danger they faced that night.

Le May went on to execute at least another 120,000 Japanese civilians in the next five months and five days; from 10 March until 15 August. The method of execution was to burn people alive. LeMay’s inflammatory instrument was napalm. The politicians approved, but did not fully comprehend. They had been softened up by bureaucratic-speak, and they did not see burning people on their TV screens.

(In that August there was an additional couplet of mass executions; nuclear executions. This parallel military operation was not under the command of LeMay, but used the same airfields and the same B29 aircraft type. Contrary to impressions given that the atomic bomb was planned for Germany, pilot Paul Tibbets was chosen in 1944, and was doing test manoeuvres from Cuba at the end of that year. And there were five cities LeMay had been asked not to firebomb, and did not bomb, knowing that these were ‘reserved’ targets. An additional 120,000 people were summarily executed by the untested ‘Little Boy’ [Hiroshima] and the New Mexico tested ‘Fat Man’ [plutonium bomb dropped on Nagasaki], with thousands more suffering lingering executions. These bombings – rubber-stamped by President Truman – were arranged by technocrats and military bureaucrats. The American authorities were preparing to give a repeat larger dose when more ‘Fat Men’ would become available towards the end of 1945.)

In the middle centuries of the last millennium, one particularly appalling form of execution was to burn ‘heretics’ and ‘witches’ at the stake. These executions peaked in the sixteenth century. The most renowned perpetrator was Bloody Mary, Queen of England during the 1550s. Her tally, those burned while she was queen, was about 500 people. Unlike the citizens of Tokyo, most of Queen Mary’s victims had options, albeit unsatisfactory options, to escape their fates. We think of such executions-by-fire as the epitome of terror. (And we note that some Holocaust victims, in places such as Belarus, were burned in wooden buildings locked by their Nazi executioners.)

It is 200 kilometres from Auckland to Tauranga via SH2. (For an international example, try Dover to Cambridge.) Just imagine 20,000 stakes, faggots at the ready, 10 metres apart, all the way along the highway between those two cities. Now imagine a family being burned at each of those 20,000 stakes. That is, in essence, what General Curtis LeMay achieved in one spring night, in central Tokyo. (And, as we have noted, he was only warming up. His total civilian kill count was ‘limited’ because putative victims, now forewarned, were more able to take measures to save their lives though not their homes. He firebombed literally hundreds of Japanese cities.)

Did we remember this event in March this year, its 80th anniversary? No. This literal holocaust was barely remembered, even in Japan. Indeed, in the 1960s, political leaders in the new Japan presented him in 1964 with a prestigious accolade for his supposed sine qua non role in making the new Japan possible.

1945 was not Lemay’s first participation in megadeath; not his first rodeo. He earned his stripes in the European ‘bombing theatre’ in 1942 and 1943, where he took on board the ‘atrocities may be more effective’ approach of the British RAF. He also operated out of Bengal in 1944, during the Bengal famine which resulted from food being diverted away from millions of Bengali civilians to facilitate war objectives, in an earlier attempt to bomb Japan via India and China. In addition to starving Indians – a somewhat wretched people, in LeMay’s view – the American military was willing to sustain huge American losses, eg flying over the Himalayas, for minimal military success. A mitigating factor for LeMay, then, was that he was implementing other people’s plans. On 10 March 1945, Operation Meetinghouse was his scheme.

Why?

What was the purpose of this mass execution, this collective punishment of civilians who happened to live in a country that was losing a war?

Japanese civilians were neither fascists nor communists nor anti-semites nor anti-hamites nor anyone else ‘deserving’ of immolation. Their government was however guilty of good old-fashioned imperialism, and the usual atrocities that come with conquests of other people’s lands.

There were two officially-stated arguments used to justify these executions. One was that, as civilian victims of such suffering, they, demoralised, might somehow convince their political masters to end the war sooner. The second justification was that the civilian victims were either workers in factories producing military goods, or were involved in ‘cottage industries’ which contributed to the production of military goods; this really amounts to some kind of ‘revenge’ justification masked as ‘normal warfare’. And this second justification is uncannily like the ‘Hamas’ argument used at present by the Israeli government to justify executions of civilians in Gaza.

The American bombing culture in Europe had been more reserved than that of the British. The Americans, including LeMay, witnessed the British firebombing of German cities during 1942 to 1944 – especially in the west of Germany where Nazi support was the least – which had conspicuously failed to create conditions facilitating popular revolution in Germany. Dead people tended to be passive, and survivors tended to channel their despair towards the perpetrators of their anguish. Indeed, among victimised communities, murderous bombing campaigns generally reinforced propaganda perpetuated by the victims’ governments. Further, despite calling their tactic ‘morale bombing’, the British already knew that the morale narrative was false, having been able to closely evaluate the morale effects of comparatively small amounts of German bombing in 1940 upon British civilians.

Overall, it comes across that the main reason for the executions was some kind of ‘impunity’; they did it because they could. The more they failed to bring the war to an end, the more they persevered in doing the executions that hadn’t achieved their stated goals. Just one more city. And then another. And another.

The impunity argument was augmented by the ‘scientific’ rationalisations. Applied scientists developing ever more efficient methods of execution would never be satisfied unless they could see the success of their own apparatus ‘in the field’.

Sky-executions this century: Iraq from 2003, Afghanistan, and Gaza from 2023

In the last decade (or so) of the twentieth century, most people believed that humans – except perhaps a few terrorists (who indeed perpetrated a sky-execution in 2001) – could never repeat such atrocities upon civilians. Then we saw, in 2003, based on false claims about ‘weapons of mass destruction’ held by Saddam Hussein, executions similar to those of WW2 were perpetrated upon the civilians of Iraq. And a huge bunker bomb – the Mother of All Bombs “the most powerful non-nuclear bomb ever used” – was dropped on a village in eastern Afghanistan in 2017. (A comment to this recent Al Jazeera news clip says: “Americans tested their weapons on innocent civilians’ villages”. And see BBC: The Mother of All Bombs: How badly did it hurt IS in Afghanistan? 27 April 2017.)

These executions were seen to be a mix of ‘revenge’ and ‘impunity’, although once again cloaked as being part of a higher purpose; in this case the higher purpose being the export of western-style ‘Democracy’. We saw in Iraq that the main consequence of western sky-executions – the ‘shock and awe’ bombing campaign – was the formation of terror-group ISIL, the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan dragged on for twenty years before the eventual humiliation of the United States in Afghanistan in 2021.

Since 2023 in Gaza we have seen a constant stream of airborne executions of civilians; mostly people who by fate were born into that occupied or encircled ghetto; a piece of real estate, densely populated by the descendants of refugees, coveted by the descendants of comparatively recent European colonisers making bizarre historical claims of entitlement.

The young people of this world were shocked to see that their political leaders were indifferent, and that many were actually prompting these executions; executions by explosion and fire. Admittedly the scale of what is happening in Gaza is much less than the scale of Curtis LeMay’s murderous firebombs. But otherwise it is much the same. Our elders, some of whom protested against the Vietnam War, by and large couldn’t care less.

This indifference is facilitated by the fact that the victims’ fates are simply too graphic to show on television. There is no lack of footage; it’s just too horrible. But now, there is footage that’s less horrible – though still very horrible – of emaciated starving children. I don’t think that those western elites who were indifferent to the live burnings are really any less indifferent to the starvations perpetrated, not by Jews, but by the state of Israel. But the elites are sensitive to the impact of detrimental optics on their ability to garner political support from non-elites.

G-Hats and B-hats

It must be hard for young people to explain why there is so much indifference among their elders, especially their elite elders, towards the sky-executions that appear on daily news feeds (though commonly at about 6:25pm – after two sets of advertisements – on the nightly six o’clock news).

My explanation is this. We put hats (ie labels) on various groups of people. Especially ‘Goody’ and ‘Baddy’ hats. Hats labelled G (for good or for God), and hats labelled B (for bad, or evil). Sometimes there is a D-hat; western liberal ‘Democracy’, the imperialism we most see today.

Following westerners’ contrition for The Holocaust, the first people in line to be awarded G hats were the Jewish citizens of the newly created state of Israel. We gave out many G and B hats to various other people of course. And, of course, just about every identity group issues themselves with G-hats, reserving B-hats for distinct others.

One of the problems with the human brain is that it reacts badly to contradiction. Neural pathways short-circuit when we see people with G-hats doing B (bad) – often very bad – things. Most observers will resolve the contradiction in favour of the hat rather than in favour of the observed action. So, if a G-hatted person or institution sky-executes some people, then we rationalise this dissonance by ignoring the action or by presuming that the victims must have been B (effectively converting a grotesque action into a good action). We expect our societal leaders to rise above these forms of neural conflict.

Through this kind of dissonance, we both excuse the bad actions of the Good, and fail to acknowledge the good actions of the Bad. (An example of the latter is that, in many contexts, colonisers and their descendants are given B-hats by the descendants of the colonised; and any genuine achievements which may have arisen from a colonised setting are devalued, deamplified, or disregarded.)

On the matter of cognitive dissonance, for which my hat explanation is an example, see Social Atrophy on the Rise,France24 26 May 20125, featuring Sarah Stein Lubrano, author of Don’t Talk about Politics (published this month). She says: “When people are given new information or new arguments about something about which they already hold beliefs – especially strong beliefs – they experience cognitive dissonance, they feel discomfort between the contradiction between new ideas and existing ideas and this often causes them to re-entrench, to double-down on their existing ideas.”

Conclusion

Some things are so horrible – including inflammatory executions – we cannot compute them. That’s no excuse to repeat them.

————-

On Curtis LeMay, my three main sources have been:
- Richard Overy (2025), Rain of Ruin
- Malcolm Gladwell (2021), The Bomber Mafia
- James Scott (2022), Black Snow
*******

Keith Rankin (keith at rankin dot nz), trained as an economic historian, is a retired lecturer in Economics and Statistics. He lives in Auckland, New Zealand.
MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –
May 30, 2025
MIL-OSI Banking: Speech: Meg O’Neill Address to the 2025 Australian Energy Producers Conference & Exhibition – Australian Energy Producers

Source: Australian Petroleum Production & Exploration Association

Headline: Speech: Meg O’Neill Address to the 2025 Australian Energy Producers Conference & Exhibition – Australian Energy Producers

Thank you, Samantha, for that kind introduction.

Welcome everyone to the 2025 Australian Energy Producers Conference!

I’d like to begin by acknowledging the Jagera and Turrbal people as the traditional custodians of the land upon which we are meeting today.

Thank you also to Shannon Ruska for that wonderful Welcome to Country.

It was a fantastic way to open our conference and mark the start of National Reconciliation Week.

Looking around at this room, it is great to see such strong support for our industry.

Thank you to each and every one of you for the effort you have made to be here.

It’s really valuable for us to come together and share knowledge and debate ideas, with the aim of constantly improving how we work, and how we can chart a brighter future for our industry and the nation in the years to come.

We’ve already had some thoughtful speeches this morning.

Thank you Sam for your dedication to promoting the great work of our members.

And Minister King, thank you for your reflections and your strong advocacy for our industry.

We look forward to continuing to work with you.

I would also like to acknowledge that Senator Anthony Chisholm, Assistant Minister for Resources is here.

Senator Chisolm, thank you for your attendance.

Later this morning we’ll hear from former Australian Treasurer and Ambassador to the United States Joe Hockey and the Queensland Treasurer and Minister for Energy David Janetzki.

I am very much looking forward to hearing their perspectives on the economic and energy challenges facing Australia, and nations around the world.

I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the Albanese Government on its election victory.

Campaigning for office is not for the faint of heart. It takes passion, discipline and a belief in the idea that Australia can be better. I admire the commitment and endurance of those who run in modern-day elections.

One vital pathway to building a brighter future for Australia is to ensure that we and our regional partners have the energy we need to build prosperity and succeed in the energy transition.

So, I would also like to thank the Government for its clear acknowledgement of the critical role that gas plays in the Australian economy and in the nation’s trading relationships.

The vital importance of gas has also been emphasised by the Liberals and Nationals, and we appreciate this bipartisan support.

The Government’s Future Gas Strategy, led by Minister King, makes a powerful and compelling case for the role of gas in supporting the quality of life in Australia, and in providing energy security in our region.

We thank the Minister for her leadership and vision in laying out this roadmap for Australia’s gas endowment.

The opportunity now is to take real actions that deliver the Government’s Future Gas Strategy.

And Minister King, you have our industry’s support in working together with all stakeholders to achieve this for the long-term.

Celebration of the year’s success

One of my favourite things about this conference is the chance to celebrate our industry’s success in helping meet Australia’s energy needs, and in delivering strong economic outcomes at local, state and national levels.

I think it’s fitting we are here in Brisbane, because this year marks 10 years since the Queensland LNG industry began operating.

It’s hard to imagine the Australian industry without our Queensland operators and I think we should celebrate this achievement with a round of applause.

From the vast offshore fields of Western Australia, the Northern Territory and Victoria – to the rich onshore basins of Queensland, South Australia and New South Wales – and to the emerging basins such as the Perth Basin and the Beetaloo – Australia’s oil and gas industry stands as a powerhouse of innovation and economic strength.

By exploring, developing and producing these resources, we play a critical role in providing the energy needed in Australia and the Asian region.

But we cannot take this for granted.

Reflection on Australia’s energy edge

For decades, Australia’s vast energy resources have provided a major competitive advantage for the nation’s economy.

In particular, safe, affordable and reliable domestic gas has helped underpin the success of many Australian businesses, especially in mining and manufacturing.

While the LNG industry has made a significant contribution to Australia’s prosperity through taxes and royalties, skilled jobs, community support and economic development.

KPMG analysis commissioned by AEP found the gas industry contributed 105 billion dollars to Australia’s gross domestic product and supported 215,000 ongoing jobs across the economy in 2021-22.

This is in addition to taxes and royalties paid to Australian governments, which in 2023‑24 totalled an estimated 17.1 billion dollars.

But our energy edge is at risk.

This is evidenced by forecasts of looming supply shortfalls on both the east and west coasts and weakened investor confidence in investing in new supply.

AEP has this week released a Wood Mackenzie report that analysed Australia as an investment destination.

The study involved data analysis and a survey of CEOs of AEP member companies.

It makes for sobering reading, confirming what many in this room already know.

Certainty around Australia’s energy and climate policies, environmental regulation and timely approvals is critical to driving investment.

95 per cent of respondents said they have had investments directly impacted by a change in government policy or regulation.

Of these investments, a fifth did not proceed or were relocated outside of Australia, and almost half were significantly delayed.

Learning from experiences in prior years, we have an opportunity now to create the foundations for the next wave of energy investment in Australia.

We must continue to make the most of our natural resources and our ingenuity, so that we keep jobs and revenue in Australia.

Implications

What is also at stake is the nation’s ability to compete on the global stage for the industries of the future.

These include artificial intelligence, data centres, critical minerals manufacturing and no doubt sectors we haven’t even imagined yet. All of which depend on reliable and affordable power.

The recent blackouts in Spain and Portugal are a forceful reminder of the consequences of losing reliable supplies of energy, upon which we rely for our daily lives and jobs.

While the causes of the blackouts are still being investigated, what we can see with certainty is that these events reinforce the need to focus on energy security and energy affordability, as well as – and not instead of – emissions reduction.

All three matter.

When we lose sight of any one of these, all three are at risk.

I am encouraged by evidence – including the Government’s Future Gas Strategy – that policymakers are increasingly willing to recognise and speak up for the critical importance of natural gas, including as the stabilising partner to higher levels of renewables and as a lower emissions source of power than coal.

I welcome more government policy decisions to reflect the strategy in practice.

And I think it is time that the opponents of our industry face up to the fact that they are making the energy transition harder and more risky by slowing down investment and trying to take practical options off the table.

If Australia loses its energy edge, we also lose opportunities to contribute to decarbonisation at home and abroad.

As we know, when used to generate electricity, gas typically produces half the life cycle emissions of coal.

Coal demand in the Asia Pacific continues to grow and drive up global emissions.

This underlines why Australia must maximise opportunities to supply LNG to Asian customers who want to reduce their reliance on coal through a combination of gas and renewables.

Furthermore, the opportunity to service growing demand for natural gas is one that Australia’s competitor nations will seize, if Australia is not able to take the opportunities before it.

For example – we have seen significant pro-energy investment policy changes in the USA with the change in administration, and I am eager to hear Joe Hockey’s take on this.

But no one doubts where the US stands on developing its natural resources – the President has declared an Energy Emergency, and prioritised development of the US’s energy resources – both for domestic use and for customers abroad.

And there is genuine urgency to tackle permitting reform and make energy investment easier.

Our offer and our ask

All of us in this room recognise the enormous opportunity that Australia has to help meet essential energy needs – and the necessity of doing so responsibly.

Australian Energy Producers’ message to policymakers here in Australia, is that we will play our part in supplying affordable, reliable energy to customers, while also tackling climate change.

We are committed to doing this through innovation and collaboration.

We are designing and operating out emissions from our assets, implementing CCS, and diversifying into new lower-carbon commodities and technologies.

As a proof point – Australia now has two of the world’s largest CCS projects, with the Gorgon project having sequestered over 11 million tons of CO2 since it commenced operations, and the Moomba CCS project starting up last year.

Something else we’re committed to is ensuring the public discussion about energy policy includes balance and facts.

Through AEP’s advocacy, we are calling out misinformation and disinformation campaigns that seek to downplay our sector’s significant economic and tax contribution, and the essential role of gas in achieving decarbonisation goals.

We appreciate government efforts to help build community understanding of the role of gas and foster support for what we deliver.

It’s vital that people hear the facts about gas and understand its importance to their lives, the Australian economy and decarbonising Asia.

By equipping people with knowledge about energy production, consumption and role in the energy transition, we make it harder for our opponents to spread misinformation, and easier to have the respectful policy debates that can lead to better industry and environmental outcomes.

With a new federal parliament elected, it is an opportunity to finally cut red and green tape, to simplify and streamline Australia’s approvals system.

Cutting red and green tape will promote innovation, and enable businesses to thrive.

And it will create more jobs for Australians.

Streamlining approvals will also drive the productivity growth Australia needs to remain competitive in an increasingly protectionist world.

And in news hot off the press, it was a huge relief last week to see the Native Title Tribunal clear a path for Santos’s much-needed Narrabri gas development to go ahead.

As an industry, we look forward to working with new Environment Minister Murray Watt as he takes on the critical role of ensuring energy development in Australia is conducted responsibly and sustainably.

We acknowledge that Minister Watt is working through the process to take a decision on the North West Shelf extension and we look forward to an outcome.

We all recognise that energy development must meet rigorous environmental standards and maintain the confidence of the community.

The Government’s Future Gas Strategy is a clear roadmap for policy reform to ensure that these objectives are met as the nation’s resources are responsibly developed.

This includes implementing clear and unambiguous offshore consultation rules.

Regulatory loopholes are in no-one’s interests.

The industry fully supports consulting with impacted traditional owners and other stakeholders – but the rules for consultation must be clear to provide predictable outcomes for all parties.

It is also essential that exploration resume in earnest in Australia.

This starts with regular offshore acreage licensing rounds, and clear regulations around the well-proven and safe technology of seismic surveys.

We must get exploration going now to ensure the energy future of the 2030’s and 2040’s is secure.

Conclusion

In closing, Australia has the key ingredients to sustain its energy edge for decades to come.

We have been gifted natural resource potential like few other nations.

We have the talented, capable and motivated workforce we need to unlock the potential.

We have a long track record of supporting downstream domestic industries and providing feedstock and energy to build Australia’s prosperity.

We also have proximity to the world’s fastest growing energy markets, who are looking for secure, reliable supplies to power their own development.

We have the opportunity now to build on the decades of success – unlocking new resources, powering a bright future, and doing so responsibly.

There will be headwinds, but we have the resilience and the vision as an industry to ensure that Australia’s energy edge delivers for every Australian, for decades to come.

Thank you everyone, I wish you a great conference.

MIL OSI Global Banks –

May 30, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: ER Report: A Roundup of Significant Articles on EveningReport.nz for May 30, 2025

ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on May 30, 2025.

French politicians in New Caledonia to stir the political melting pot
By Patrick Decloitre, RNZ Pacific correspondent French Pacific desk French national politicians have been in New Caledonia as the territory’s future remains undecided. Leaders from both right-wing Les Républicains (LR) and Rassemblement National (RN), — vice-president François-Xavier Bellamy and Marine Le Pen respectively — have been in the French Pacific territory this week. They expressed

Elon Musk promises more risky launches after sixth Starship failure
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sara Webb, Lecturer, Centre for Astrophysics and Supercomputing, Swinburne University of Technology What goes up must come down, and earlier this week yet another of SpaceX’s Starships, the biggest and most powerful type of rocket ever built, came back down to Earth in spectacular fashion. In the

Tracking crime from the cradle: why some people keep breaking the law while most of us never do
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ayda Kuluk, PhD Candidate in Criminology and Criminal Justice, Griffith University Alena Lom/Shutterstock A major Australian study tracking more than 80,000 Queenslanders from birth to adulthood reveals stark differences between men and women in patterns of criminal behaviour. These patterns offer insights into effective crime prevention strategies.

Most of Australia’s conservation efforts ignore climate risks – here are 3 fixes
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Yi Fei Chung, PhD Candidate in Environmental Policy, The University of Queensland Imagine replanting various native species only to have them die because the area is too hot or too dry. Or reconnecting woodland habitat only to lose large tracts to bushfire. Well, our new research suggests

Earth’s seasonal rhythms are changing, putting species and ecosystems at risk
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Daniel Hernández Carrasco, PhD Candidate in Ecology, University of Canterbury Shutterstock/Colin Stephenson Seasonality shapes much of life on Earth. Most species, including humans, have synchronised their own rhythms with those of Earth’s seasons. Plant growth cycles, the migration of billions of animals, and even aspects of human

Google is going ‘all in’ on AI. It’s part of a troubling trend in big tech
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Zena Assaad, Senior Lecturer, School of Engineering, Australian National University Google recently unveiled the next phase of its artificial intelligence (AI) journey: “AI mode”. This new feature will soon be released as a new option to users of Google’s search engine in the United States, with no

People with disability are dying from cancers we can actually prevent, our study shows
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Yi Yang, Research Fellow, Social Epidemiology, Melbourne Disability Institute, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne Chona Kasinger/Disabled and Here, CC BY-SA People with disability are missing out on screening programs that could help detect cancer early, and after diagnosis, are less likely

Researchers created a chatbot to help teach a university law class – but the AI kept messing up
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Armin Alimardani, Senior Lecturer in Law and Emerging Technologies, University of Wollongong Mikhail Nilov/ Pexels , CC BY “AI tutors” have been hyped as a way to revolutionise education. The idea is generative artificial intelligence tools (such as ChatGPT) could adapt to any teaching style set by

NSW is again cleaning up after major floods. Are we veering towards the collapse of insurability?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Booth, Associate Professor of Human Geography, University of Tasmania Once again, large parts of New South Wales have been devastated by floods. It’s estimated 10,000 homes and businesses may have been damaged or destroyed and the Insurance Council of Australia reports more than 6,000 insurance claims

Talk to Me was a rollercoaster, but the Philippou brothers’ Bring Her Back will trap you in a house of horrors
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jessica Balanzategui, Associate Professor in Media, RMIT University A24 They may have only made two feature films so far, but Danny and Michael Philippou are already being hailed as Australia’s premiere horror auteurs. Their 2023 debut Talk To Me sparked a bidding war between distributors upon its

Grattan on Friday: Trump, tariffs and the Middle East are looming challenges for Albanese
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Australia these days receives invitations to big-league international conferences. And so Anthony Albanese will be off soon to the G7 meeting in Alberta, Canada, on June 15-17. For the prime minister, what’s most important about this trip is not so

Radical legal step towards ending impunity for Israel over killing Gaza journalists
Pacific Media Watch Journalists have been targeted, detained and tortured by the Israeli military in Gaza — and Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has now taken a new approach towards bringing justice these crimes. The Paris-based global media freedom NGO has submitted multiple formal requests to the International Criminal Court (ICC) asking that Palestinian journalists who

New Australian data shows most of us have PFAS in our blood. How worried should we be?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ian A. Wright, Associate Professor in Environmental Science, Western Sydney University New Africa/Shutterstock The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) has this week released new data which tells us about the presence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in Australians’ bodies. The data comes from concentrations measured in

Labor gains Senate seats in Victoria and Queensland, and surges to a national 55.6–44.4 two-party margin
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne Buttons have been pressed to electronically distribute preferences for the Senate in Victoria, the ACT, Queensland and Western Australia. Labor gained a seat from the Liberals in

Influencer Andrew Tate is charged with a raft of sex crimes. His followers will see him as the victim
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Steven Roberts, Professor of Education and Social Justice, Monash University British prosecutors have this week charged social media influencer Andrew Tate with a string of serious sexual offences, including rape and human trafficking, alleged to have been committed in the United Kingdom between 2012 and 2015. This

How the North West Shelf expansion risks further damage to Murujuga’s 50,000-year-old rock art
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Benjamin Smith, Professor of Archaeology (World Rock Art), School of Social Sciences, The University of Western Australia Yesterday, new environment minister Murray Watt approved an extension for the North West Shelf liquefied natural gas project. The gas plant at Karratha, Western Australia, will run until 2070. This

UNESCO expresses ‘utmost concern’ at the state of the Great Barrier Reef
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jon C. Day, Adjunct Principal Research Fellow, College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee has again raised grave fears for the future of the Great Barrier Reef, highlighting the problems of water pollution, climate change and unsustainable fishing. The committee this week

Trump’s global trade plans are in disarray, after a US court ruling on ‘Liberation Day’ tariffs
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Susan Stone, Credit Union SA Chair of Economics, University of South Australia A US court has blocked the so-called “Liberation Day” tariffs that US President Donald Trump imposed on imported goods from around 90 nations. This puts implementation of Trump’s current trade policy in disarray. The Court

30 years ago Australia confronted its Stolen Generation past – then the Howard government blew it
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anne Maree Payne, Senior Research Fellow, Indigenous Land & Justice Research Group, UNSW Sydney May 2025 marks the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the national inquiry into the forcible removal of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children from their families. Conducted by the Human Rights and

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

May 30, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: Most of Australia’s conservation efforts ignore climate risks – here are 3 fixes
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Yi Fei Chung, PhD Candidate in Environmental Policy, The University of Queensland

Imagine replanting various native species only to have them die because the area is too hot or too dry. Or reconnecting woodland habitat only to lose large tracts to bushfire.

Well, our new research suggests those scenarios are entirely possible.

We analysed the two most common ways to prevent overall biodiversity loss on private land in Australia. We found these efforts largely ignore climate risks such as fire, heat, drought and floods.

Climate change is already threatening the survival of species. Unless conservation efforts are made more resilient to climate change, Australia’s aim to to reverse biodiversity loss could fail.

What we found

We examined two types of biodiversity measures in Australia. One is “biodiversity offsets”, which aim to compensate for damage caused by development. The other is voluntary conservation programs, including “conservation covenants”.

We analysed 77 policy documents underpinning nine biodiversity offset policies and 11 voluntary conservation programs.

Of the 77 documents, 84% did not consider the impact of climate change. What’s more, only 44% of biodiversity offset policies and 27% of voluntary conservation programs considered climate risk. Even then, they often lacked detail or tools to translate policy into real action on the ground.

The most common climate adaptation strategies were:
- safeguarding climate refuges
- connecting habitat so wildlife can escape extreme heat, fires or droughts
- targeting funding
- avoiding offset sites vulnerable to threats such as sea-level rise.
But most documents lacked details on implementing these strategies.

We suggest three practical steps to ensure conservation efforts deliver lasting results in a changing climate.

Few private land conservation programs or biodiversity offset policies took climate change into account.
Chung, Y. F., et al, (2025) Biological Conservation

1. Identify and protect climate refuges

Climate refuges are areas somewhat shielded from the effects of climate change. Gullies, sheltered slopes and forests with good water supplies can help species survive during heatwaves and droughts.

These places can provide a lifeline for endangered species and prevent local extinctions. Species may shelter in these areas during climate extremes and recolonise well-connected habitats when conditions improve.

Protecting climate refuges by restricting land clearing or other damaging activities is a common climate adaptation strategy. We found it featured in six policy documents supporting voluntary conservation programs and biodiversity offsets across Australia. But few policy documents explain where these places are or how to protect them.

For example, the New South Wales Biodiversity Conservation Investment Strategy lists climate refuges as high-priority assets under threat. The strategy says future investment should target these areas.

But we found no explanation of how investments would be prioritised, or where to find that information. Without this detail, mentioning climate refuges in policy documents is little more than having good intentions.

To be effective, refuges need to be mapped, prioritised and supported with appropriate protections and incentives. Nature law reform must strengthen protection of climate refuges to prevent further loss.

Conservation programs could also specifically incentivise landholders to protect or restore refuges on their properties.

Here’s how to protect Australia’s native species from climate change (The Climate Council)

2. Promote the actions that build resilience

On the ground, conservation actions must adapt to climate change. That could mean doing things differently. For example, planting species more likely to survive future climates, or connecting habitat so wildlife can move to new areas.

While these strategies are well established, we only found three policy documents that mention them. One is the Heritage Agreement policy in South Australia. This offers guidance and potential funding to help landholders implement these actions.

As Australia’s nature laws are reformed, funding commitments and conservation guidelines need to follow suit.

Financial incentives or technical support could be offered to landholders for activities that build resilience. Biodiversity offset policies could also mandate conservation actions that improve climate resilience at offset sites.

3. Adapting to climate change needs to link policy to on-ground action

Our research found a clear gap between high-level intent and guidelines for on-ground actions. If they don’t line up, then conservation efforts risk falling short. Field programs may lack legal backing, or legislation may not translate into action where it matters most.

Climate change should be considered at all levels of conservation policies – from high-level legislation to guidelines for implementing individual programs.

Policies should include clear and consistent targets informed by climate risk. This should be supported by regulations ensuring compliance and practical guidelines for on-ground action.

Voluntary conservation programs in New South Wales show how it can be done. State biodiversity conservation legislation includes conserving biodiversity under climate change as a key objective. This can then shape real-world programs. For example, the NSW Conservation Management plan echoes this climate commitment. It makes addressing climate change impacts one of the main targets.

A chance to get it right

National nature law reform and state reviews present an opportunity to future-proof Australia’s conservation policies.

These policies must consider the accelerating pace of change and ensure adaptation is embedded through to action. Such actions must be clear, well-resourced, and equipped with practical tools government agencies and landholders can use.

Otherwise, we risk making conservation policies unfit for the future – missing a golden opportunity to safeguard biodiversity.

Read more:
Want genuine progress towards restoring nature? Follow these 4 steps

Yi Fei Chung receives funding from a UQ Research Training Scholarship. He is also involving in an Australian Research Council Linkage Project that receives financial and in-kind support from the NSW Department of Planning and Environment, the Biodiversity Conservation Trust, Tweed Shire Council, and the NSW Koala Strategy.

Jonathan Rhodes receives funding from the Australian Research Council, the NSW Government, the Biodiversity Conservation Trust, Tweed Shire Council, the NSW Koala Strategy, and the Queensland Government.

– ref. Most of Australia’s conservation efforts ignore climate risks – here are 3 fixes – https://theconversation.com/most-of-australias-conservation-efforts-ignore-climate-risks-here-are-3-fixes-257131
MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –
May 30, 2025
MIL-OSI Australia: The Bureau of Meteorology issues winter long-range forecast

Source: Australia Safe Travel Advisories

29/05/2025

The Bureau of Meteorology has issued its long-range forecast for winter 2025.

While winter is a time for cooler weather, the winter long-range forecast shows day and night temperatures are likely to be above average across Australia for this time of the year.

Winter rainfall is likely to be above average for interior and central parts of the country. For parts of Australia’s tropical north, the south-east and the south-west, rainfall is expected to be in the typical winter range. Typical rainfall means there’s a roughly equal possibility for these areas to receive above, below or near-average rainfall.

This includes parts of South Australia, Victoria and Tasmania that have been affected by prolonged dry conditions as well as parts of New South Wales recently impacted by severe flooding.

This winter forecast follows an autumn which was much wetter than average in the north and east of Australia, and much drier than average in many southern parts.

Australia’s fire agencies advise there is an unseasonal increased risk of fire this winter across parts of South Australia and Victoria.

The Bureau updates the long-range forecast each Thursday and you can search the latest details for your location on the Bureau’s website.

2025 winter long-range forecast (states and territories)

New South Wales and the ACT

Winter rainfall is expected to be above average for much of the state and the ACT.

However, parts of the state’s east are likely to have rainfall in the typical range.

Average winter rainfall in recent decades has been between 100 and 300 mm along most of eastern New South Wales, with higher falls in the alpine regions, while in western and central New South Wales winter averages are between 25 and 100 mm.

Warmer than usual winter maximum temperatures are likely across the state, and warmer than usual winter minimum temperatures are very likely.

Victoria

Rainfall is expected to be within the typical winter range for much of the state.

Average winter rainfall in recent decades ranges between 100 and 300 mm throughout much of the state, while the state’s north-west has 50 to 100 mm and parts of the far south and alpine areas have up to 600 mm on average

Warmer than usual winter maximum and minimum temperatures are very likely across the state.

Queensland

Winter rainfall is expected to be in the typical range for much of the state, with parts of the south and west likely to have above average rainfall.

Warmer than usual winter maximum and minimum temperatures are very likely across the state.

Western Australia

Winter rainfall is expected to be above average for much of the state, except for the south-west where rainfall is likely to be in the typical winter range.

Average winter rainfall in recent decades has been between 100 and 400 mm for most of the South West Land Division with up to 600 mm in the far south-west, 50 to 100 mm in parts of the west, central and south-east, between 25 and 50 mm mid-state, and less than 10 mm in the north.

Warmer than usual maximum and minimum winter temperatures are very likely across the state.

South Australia

Winter rainfall is likely to be above average for much of the state, except for the far south-east where rainfall is expected to be within the typical range for winter.

Average winter rainfall in recent decades has been between 50 and 300 mm across the south with some coastal parts up to 400 mm, and 10 to 50 mm for the central and northern parts.

Warmer than usual winter maximum and minimum temperatures are likely across the state.

Tasmania

Winter rainfall is expected to be in the typical range for much of the state.

Warmer than usual winter maximum and minimum temperatures are very likely across the state.

Northern Territory

Winter rainfall is likely to be above average across the southern two-thirds of the Territory.

Warmer than usual June to August maximum and minimum temperatures are very likely across most of the Territory.

Autumn Preliminary Summary

Autumn has been warmer than usual for most of Australia. Throughout much of the south and west, daytime temperatures were very much above average.

Victoria had its warmest autumn on record, New South Wales had its second warmest, and South Australia and Western Australia had their third warmest autumn on record. Autumn has been drier than average across much of the country’s south and west.

Slow-moving high pressure systems to the south of the continent are contributing to drier conditions in the south. This pattern has also enhanced coastal troughs off New South Wales and southern Queensland, contributing to the recent above average coastal rainfall in these states.

Conditions have been wetter than usual for much of the east and north, with rainfall very much above average in large parts of Queensland.

Tropical activity, including Tropical Cyclone Alfred and a low pressure trough over western Queensland, brought widespread rainfall and flooding during March and April.

Autumn rainfall was very much below average in large parts of the south-east and the west coast. In Tasmania, autumn rainfall was the second lowest on record.

The national summary for autumn and May will be on the Bureau’s website from 2 June. Detailed summaries for autumn and May conditions for each state, territory and capital city will be published on 4 June.

MIL OSI News –

May 30, 2025
MIL-OSI Australia: Seizure of 3D printed handguns

Source: New South Wales Community and Justice

Seizure of 3D printed handguns

Friday, 30 May 2025 – 9:24 am.

Police have seized two 3D printed handguns, ammunition and illicit drugs during a search of a Risdon Vale property.
Officers from the Tasmania Police Southern Drugs and Firearms Unit, the Dog Handling Unit and specialist resources conducted the search on Thursday.
As a result, a 29-year-old man has been charged with several drug-related offences, including possessing a controlled drug, possessing a controlled plant, cultivating a controlled plant and selling a controlled drug.
He has also been charged with unlawful possession of property and with possessing ammunition when not the holder of an appropriate licence.
Police investigations are continuing into the 3D printed firearms found at the property.
Anyone with information about the possession of illegal firearms, or parts, can contact police on 131 444, or report it anonymously to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or online at crimestopperstas.com.au

MIL OSI News –

May 30, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Historic Garden of England protected with new sparkling National Nature Reserve
Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

Press release

Historic Garden of England protected with new sparkling National Nature Reserve

Eighth Kings Series National Nature Reserve to be announced
Credit: Michael Charlton

The North Kent Woods and Downs National Nature Reserve is home to around 1700 ancient and veteran trees, as well as a mosaic of natural habitats including wildflower meadows, rare arable plants and chalk grasslands.

Around 400,000 people live within 5 miles of the new reserve, and will have new opportunities to connect with this unique landscape.

First National Nature Reserve to include an organic and carbon-negative vineyard, bringing a boost for both nature recovery and the local economy.

Kent has reaffirmed its reputation as the ‘Garden of England’ with the announcement of a new National Nature Reserve (30 May) boasting flagship species including, Man and Lady orchids, the Maidstone mining bee, Hazel dormouse and skylarks.

The county is said to have been given its famous nickname by Henry VIII to acknowledge its beautiful green landscape and abundant supply of food and drink. While much has changed over the centuries, modern day visitors to the newly opened reserve will find that it is still worthy of this title. The site offers access to a rich mix of wildflower meadows, chalk grasslands and ancient woodlands which have maintained tree cover since the Tudor era.

Many people have enjoyed the picturesque North Kent countryside, including Charles Dickens, who praised the fresh greenery and bustling wildlife of Kent, and frequently returned to the area in his writings, drawing inspiration from this idyllic landscape. The natural beauty of the area has now been put back in the spotlight with this declaration.

Over 400,000 people live within five miles of the new North Kent Woods and Downs National Nature Reserve and 8 million people live just an hour’s drive away, making this opening an exciting opportunity for people to connect with internationally important nature.

The new National Nature Reserve covers 800 hectares, equivalent to over 1100 football pitches, and partners will be working to support conservation efforts beyond the boundary of the reserve, helping to create a joined-up approach to nature recovery for a further 1100 hectares in the surrounding area.

Tony Juniper, Chair of Natural England said:

Creating bigger, better and more joined up natural areas is one of the most vital and fundamental steps we must take in meeting our national targets for Nature’s recovery. This new reserve, with its hundreds of ancient trees set amid extensive chalk grasslands, lays the foundations for multiple partners to work together to improve Nature across a significant area of countryside. This reserve presents one further excellent example of the progress that can be made when people decide to work together across landscapes.

Millions of people visit our National Nature Reserves and having a new one accessible to so many people and with such fantastic Nature is truly a cause for celebration.

Nature Minister Mary Creagh said:

This new National Nature reserve will give people the opportunity to explore Kent’s magical landscapes from wildflower meadows to ancient woodlands.

Reserves like this one, and others in the King’s Coronation Series, will deliver on our promise to improve access to nature and protect nature-rich habitats, as well as boosting the local economy in line with our Plan for Change.

Alongside long-term management for the precious habitats found at the site, the declaration of the newest National Nature Reserve in the King’s Series also offers the prime example of how conservation and economic growth can go hand in hand.

The site is home to the Silverhand Estate, the largest single organic and carbon-negative vineyard in the UK. For organisations like Silverhand, a healthy natural environment is essential to business, which serves as a reminder that nature underpins all parts of our economy.

The creation of the reserve will offer a boost to tourism in the Garden of England, as National Nature Reserve status highlights the internationally important nature found in the area. More than 20 million people visit National Nature Reserves each year, helping to put the natural beauty and ecological importance of our landscapes in the spotlight and boost the visitor economy of the areas around them.

This new National Nature Reserve directly supports the government’s commitment to restore and protect our natural world by expanding nature-rich habitats where people can explore and wildlife can thrive.

This is the 8th reserve to be launched as part of the King’s Series of National Nature Reserves, which will leave a lasting public legacy for people and nature by creating or extending 25 National Nature Reserves by 2027.

With support from Natural England and Kent Downs National Landscape, the Reserve will be managed by a number of partners including the National Trust, Woodland Trust, Kent County Council, Plantlife, Silverhand Estate (Vineyard Farms Ltd), and the West Kent Downs Countryside Trust. Affiliated partners include Gravesham Borough Council, Birling Estate, Shorne Parish Council, Tarmac and Forestry England.

ENDS

QUOTES PACK

Nick Johannsen, National Landscape Director, Kent Downs National Landscape:

The North Kent Woods and Downs National Nature Reserve is especially exciting because of the sheer scale, nearly 20 square kilometres of land managed for nature, people, its beauty and history and for scientific research and so close to the urban centres of Gravesend and the Medway Towns.

Many partners from the public, private, community and charity sectors are working together here, on some of the very best sites for wildlife in England. Together we have committed to work for nature recovery and connect our land. Our partnership has worked for over 2 years to develop a vision for the NNR and carry out detailed research and development. This crucial stage has been supported by the National Highways Designated Funds. Our friends in Natural England guided the proposal through the legal processes and we’ve done it!

A fantastic new National Nature Reserve in the Kent Downs National Landscape. This launch celebrates all of the work done so far, and will provide added momentum to make more positive change on the ground, securing more flourishing nature and engaging with more and more diverse communities.

Ben Sweeney, Ranscombe Farm Reserve Manager, Plantlife:

It is truly exciting that Ranscombe Farm, Plantlife’s flagship nature reserve, is now part of such a concerted effort to bring together conservation, community and sustainable land use at the landscape scale. Ranscombe Farm, a wonderful patchwork of arable fields, ancient woodland and chalk grasslands, is a globally significant place for wild plants and other wildlife.

Not only is Ranscombe the last wild UK site for Corncockle, it also harbours the largest population of the endangered Broad-leaved cudweed and a wide variety of rare wild orchids. But it is much more than just a treasure trove of rare and threatened plants; visitors are welcome to enjoy 10 miles of footpaths through the mosaic of habitats covering over 600 acres and marvel at the stunning displays of poppies in June and July.

Gary Smith, CEO, Silverhand Estate:

We are delighted to be a part of and working alongside the NNR. Sustainability, regenerative farming and protection of the landscape is at the heart of everything we do on our Estate. The work our conservation team does has had an enormously positive impact on the local landscape and we are excited to be able to share this with the community going forward.

Cllr Emma Morley, Gravesham Borough Council’s cabinet member for operational services:

We are blessed to have such beautiful and historically significant landscapes within our borough, which are rightly being recognised through the creation of this NNR. Nature does not recognise human boundaries, and so we look forward to working with the various partners and colleagues to protect and nurture this extensive, beautiful and fascinatingly varied reserve, allowing generations to come to enjoy its beauty.

Jenny Scholfield, Regional Director at the Woodland Trust:

We are delighted that Ashenbank Wood, a SSSI site with ancient woodland, veteran trees and home to rare and declining species including the hazel dormouse, is part of the new National Nature Reserve in North Kent.

For over 40 years Woodland Trust has been caring for and managing this site for trees, wildlife and people and we are pleased that Ashenbank is recognised and protected as an important part of the Kent landscape as part of this initiative. We are looking forward to further collaboration with the NNR partners to strengthen our efforts for nature recovery across this unique landscape.

Jonathan Ireland, Lead Ranger at National Trust, Cobham Woods:

Cobham Wood’s inclusion in the North Kent Woods and Downs National Nature Reserve is a significant step in safeguarding one of Kent’s most precious landscapes. This ancient woodland, home to centuries-old veteran trees and a rich diversity of wildlife, provides a vital habitat for rare species, from saproxylic invertebrates to nesting birds.

Through this pioneering partnership and shared learnings, we can ensure the continued restoration of its historic wood pasture, allowing nature to flourish while welcoming visitors to experience its beauty firsthand. By working together across a landscape scale, we are creating a connected and resilient environment where biodiversity can thrive, ensuring Cobham Wood is protected for future generations to explore and enjoy.

Simon Jones, Corporate Director, Growth, Environment and Transport for Kent County Council, said:

At the heart of the National Nature Reserve is a partnership working together as one area, sharing work, knowledge and planning for the whole ecosystem to be connected as opposed to working in individual areas. Shorne Woods and Trosley Country Parks are part of the NNR and are home to flagship species such as orchids, arable plants, dormice, great crested newts and spectacular veteran trees, each playing a vital role in the ecosystem.

The ambition for the NNR partnership is to make a positive change at landscape scale and enhance the vitality of these communities, giving them greater access and awareness of first-class green spaces on their doorstep. Some of Kent’s more deprived areas fall within five miles of the NNR. The social ambitions of the partners include linking the landscape and its urban residents and inviting them to discover what is on their doorstep.

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Published 30 May 2025
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
May 30, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: East London charity given Official Warning over loss of £1 million
Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

Press release

East London charity given Official Warning over loss of £1 million

The Charity Commission has taken regulatory action against East London Mosque Trust for failing to responsibly manage charity funds.
The Commission has issued an Official Warning to East London Mosque Trust over an investment deal which resulted in the loss of £1 million. The regulator found trustees failed to have sufficient oversight of the charity’s activities and it has given the charity six months to take remedial action or possibly face further regulatory scrutiny.

The charity has existed in some form since 1910, and the mosque is considered one of London’s oldest. East London Mosque Trust was established to advance the Islamic faith by maintaining and managing a community centre and mosque, and provides a range of spiritual and community services.

The charity had invested £1 million in an NHS-approved supplier, expecting a 20% return in 6 months, but the supplier was forced into administration, resulting in a loss for the charity. The charity’s trustees reported the matter to the Commission in February 2023, which the regulator reviewed as part of wider engagement with the charity.

The Commission found the charity’s due diligence regarding the investment deal was not thorough enough. The regulator is also critical of the trustees’ lack of effective oversight and failure to properly scrutinise key documents concerning the investment. The regulator would expect any charity to conduct substantial checks on any investment which uses charitable funds, particularly one of this size.

The Commission had previously told the charity to ensure it had sufficient control over its funds and had warned of potential for further action. The trustees’ failure to act with reasonable care and skill, which contributed to the loss of the charity’s funds, is misconduct and/or mismanagement.

The Official Warning sets out that the charity is to ensure financial controls are put in place and that there is oversight of the charity’s funds to protect the charity’s assets going forward. The charity is now expected to conduct an independent review of the charity’s governance, reporting findings to the Commission. The regulator also expects the charity to do all it reasonably can to recover the lost funds.

Charity Commission Head of Compliance Visits and Inspections, Joshua Farbridge, said:

When people donate to a charity, they put their faith in those running it to manage those funds with care and in line with its aims. In this case, we found the trustees lacked the oversight we’d expect of such a large investment, nor did they ensure thorough due diligence had been undertaken.

The East London Mosque Trust has been advised on more than one occasion about having appropriate oversight of funds and so we have now issued a formal warning. We expect all charities to promptly act on steps provided in an Official Warning and will be monitoring this charity’s progress.

ENDS

Notes to editors:

The Charity Commission is the independent, non-ministerial government department that registers and regulates charities in England and Wales. Its ambition is to be an expert regulator that is fair, balanced, and independent so that charity can thrive. This ambition will help to create and sustain an environment where charities further build public trust and ultimately fulfil their essential role in enhancing lives and strengthening society. Find out more: About us – The Charity Commission – GOV.UK

The Official Warning was issued on 10 April 2025 under section 75A of the Charities Act 2011. 

Information about Official Warnings can be found in an online Q&A: Guidance – Official warnings to charities and trustees: Q and A (publishing.service.gov.uk) 

Our guidance on internal financial controls can be found via this link: Internal financial controls for charities: protect your charity from fraud and loss (CC8)  – GOV.UK

The Commission’s guidance on decision-making is very clear that good decision-making follows a set of key principles, which includes considering risks and appropriately recording the basis of any decisions.

Press office

Email pressenquiries@charitycommission.gov.uk

Out of hours press office contact number: 07785 748787

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Published 30 May 2025
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
May 30, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Patients and pupils to benefit from school and hospital repairs
Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

Press release

Patients and pupils to benefit from school and hospital repairs

Government investing £1.2 billion to fix crumbling hospitals and schools across England
Government to deliver vital maintenance in hospitals to help prevent cancelled appointments and operations

Focus put back on education as classrooms and school facilities upgraded to be safe and warm

Combined £1.2billion funding is part of government’s promise to deliver public infrastructure improvements through its Plan for Change

Patients and pupils across England are set to benefit from nearly £1.2billion worth of essential maintenance fixes being rolled out at hospitals and schools.

Over 400 hospitals, mental health units and ambulance sites will be handed £750million to tackle long-term problems such as leaky pipes, poor ventilation and electrical issues, helping to prevent thousands of cancelled operations and appointments.

And children at 656 schools and sixth forms will benefit from a share of £470million for projects like fixing crumbling roofs and removing dangerous asbestos – restoring pride in our classrooms and undoing years of dangerous neglect.

The funding is part of the government’s mission to fix the dire state of public service infrastructure it inherited and deliver investment and reform through its Plan for Change.

It will help people benefit from better services and facilities across the health system, and supporting children to get the best start in life.

Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Wes Streeting, said:

A decade and a half of underinvestment left hospitals crumbling, with burst pipes flooding emergency departments, faulty electrical systems shutting down operating theatres, and mothers giving birth in outdated facilities that lack basic dignity.

We are on a mission to rebuild our NHS through investment and modernisation.

Patients and staff deserve to be in buildings that are safe, comfortable and fit for purpose. Through our Plan for Change, we will make our NHS fit for the future.

Fixing the backlog of maintenance at NHS hospitals will help prevent cancellations, with services disrupted over 4,000 times in 2023/24 due to issues with poor quality buildings.

A wide range of facilities and services will benefit, including over £100million for maternity units to enable better care for mothers and their newborns. This will fund critical improvements such as replacing outdated ventilation systems in neonatal intensive care units, creating optimal environmental conditions for vulnerable babies and their families during challenging times.

The funding will also support schools and sixth form colleges that urgently need repairs – giving parents the confidence that their children are learning in safety and comfort.

It is part of the £2.1 billion investment into the school estate this year, as the government forges on with delivering for the public through our Plan for Change – by investing in our children, their futures and the future of this country.

Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson, said:

The defining image of the school estate under the previous government was children sitting under steel props to stop crumbling concrete falling on their heads. It simply isn’t good enough.

Parents expect their children to learn in a safe warm environment. It’s what children deserve, and it is what we are delivering.

This investment is about more than just buildings – it’s about showing children that their education matters, their futures matter, and this government is determined to give them the best possible start in life.

This investment will deliver energy efficient, warm classrooms with safe outdoor spaces that are not just fit for lessons, but for the future. Creating a welcoming and supportive school environment for generations of children so they can achieve and thrive as they progress through their education.

The school and hospital funding packages were confirmed in last year’s Autumn Budget, in which an extra £26billion was secured for the NHS.

Simon Corben, Director and Head of Profession for NHS Estates and Facilities at NHS England, said:

I welcome this funding as a long-overdue step toward tackling the unacceptable state of parts of the NHS estate. Too many buildings have been allowed to fall into disrepair, putting patient safety and staff working conditions at risk.

It is now vital that NHS England and local leaders deliver – every pound must be spent wisely, with clear accountability and a laser focus on improving frontline care.

The government has already delivered over 3 million additional NHS appointments since June 2024, exceeding its 2 million target. Additionally, over 1,000 GP surgeries are being modernised to enable 8.3 million more appointments annually.

It has also invested in new technology, including 13 DEXA scanners delivering 29,000 extra bone scans and £70m in radiotherapy machines delivering up to 27,500 additional treatments per year by March 2027.

The Department for Education confirmed a £2.1bn investment for the school estate for 2025-26, almost £300 million more than the previous year, to fix the foundations of our school estate.

A further £1.4 billion will back the acceleration of the School Rebuilding Programme this year, with a commitment to kickstart projects at 100 schools this year alone.

Rejuvenating the school estate by delivering new, high-quality buildings that are not just energy efficient but fit for all pupils needs.

This will provide high-tech facilities that will raise the standards of education through new sports halls, IT rooms, school kitchens and playgrounds that children and staff can enjoy for years to come.

Projects across schools and hospitals will be delivered during the 2025 to 2026 financial year, with the first upgrades expected to begin this summer.

ENDS

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Published 30 May 2025
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
May 30, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: NSW is again cleaning up after major floods. Are we veering towards the collapse of insurability?

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Booth, Associate Professor of Human Geography, University of Tasmania

Once again, large parts of New South Wales have been devastated by floods. It’s estimated 10,000 homes and businesses may have been damaged or destroyed and the Insurance Council of Australia reports more than 6,000 insurance claims have been received for the Mid North Coast and Hunter region.

Hundreds of families are displaced. With many homes now uninhabitable, they face a uncertain future.

As the mop-up begins, stories are emerging of households and businesses not covered by insurance, with some residents saying insurance companies were asking up to A$30,000 annually for cover.

There are many others who are underinsured, with insurance payouts not meeting the full costs of rebuild, repair and replacement. The Insurance Council of Australia has declared the event an “insurance catastrophe”.

The impacts of these floods reflect global trends. In 2024, there were around 60 natural disaster events that each exceeded A$1.5 billion in economic losses. Total losses worldwide reached A$650 billion.

As one of the most disaster-prone countries in the Western world, is Australia the canary in the coalmine for a global collapse of insurance? With these types of disasters escalating in a changing climate, it is reasonable to feel – and fear – this is the case.

An uninsurable future?

In 1992, sociologist Ulrich Beck argued unpredictable global risks, such as climate change, would bring an end to the private insurance market, with profound effects on the modern world.

The idea of an uninsurable future stirs up imaginings of apocalyptic landscapes – crumbling buildings, streets strewn with refuse and people eking out a living amid the rubble and ruins.

But the reality is, as we are seeing in central NSW, it is not a future event that demands attention. Many individuals and communities are already living with an unfolding collapse of insurance affordability and availability.

The consequences can be dire, especially for those already struggling to make ends meet.

How are governments responding?

Speaking on ABC radio on Thursday morning, NSW Premier Chris Minns said he would be “putting the heat” on insurance companies:

Everyone’s going to have to do their part […] and that means insurance companies will have to step up and pay out claims quickly.

In the lead-up to the federal election, both major parties made clear they believed insurers were “ripping off” Australians. The Coalition even proposed new emergency divestiture powers that would allow the government to break up major insurers in the case of market failure.

But this is no solution at all, given insurance pricing and coverage is largely set by global “reinsurers”. Reinsurance is a kind of insurance coverage for insurance companies themselves – that is, policies to cover the cost of paying out claims after major disasters.

Just ten multi-billion dollar companies control 70% of the reinsurance market.

Who should bear rising costs?

Insurers, led by the Insurance Council of Australia, are pushing for a Flood Defence Fund and retrofitting homes for disaster resilience, paid for by governments and households.

These ideas might seem logical. But they draw attention away from a thriving industry and regulations and policies aimed at making insurance more affordable and effective for ordinary people.

In places like Australia, the increasing cost of insurance cuts across all types, with the largest rises coming in home, vehicle, and employers’ liability insurance.

Many insurers are reporting healthy profits. Globally, the sector is experiencing “exceptionally strong growth”.

Over the three years to 2024, revenue from premiums in the insurance sector increased by over 21% globally – a “whopping” rise, according to the finance corporation Allianz.

Where to from here?

The insurance sector will continue to grow – and profit – until it no longer can due to climate change and other pressures.

But it is not a future crash of insurers that should be of primary concern. It is the real-time collapse of insurance for households, businesses and communities.

As this collapse of insurance unfolds, it is largely left to households and communities to take action and build resilience.

Examples include squatters taking possession of flood-damaged vacant homes in Lismore and, when combined with the housing crisis, the growth in informal housing and settlements on the fringes of major population centres.

These are desperate responses. But they are also realistic, given governments and insurers are failing to reverse this trending collapse.

What else we could do

After each major disaster event comes a rise in insurance costs and a withdrawal of insurance coverage. To avoid being a canary in the coalmine, Australia urgently needs government intervention in the insurance industry – an industry very resistant to such intervention.

To ensure everyone is adequately covered when disaster strikes, this could come in the form of an equitable and affordable public insurance scheme.

As more Australians lose the ability to insure themselves, governments must also address growing structural inequality that is undermining social cohesion and our capacity for collective resilience.

Read more:
Underinsurance is entrenching poverty as the vulnerable are hit hardest by disasters

Kate Booth receives funding from the Tasmanian Department of Premier and Cabinet – Grant-Disaster Ready Fund. She is affiliated with Just Collapse – an activist platform dedicated to socio-ecological justice in unfolding, irreversible global collapse.

– ref. NSW is again cleaning up after major floods. Are we veering towards the collapse of insurability? – https://theconversation.com/nsw-is-again-cleaning-up-after-major-floods-are-we-veering-towards-the-collapse-of-insurability-257715

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

May 30, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Corran Ferry foot passenger fare to be introduced
Source: Scotland – Highland Council
At today’s Economy and Infrastructure Committee (Thursday 29 May 2025), Members agreed to introduce a foot passenger fare for the Corran Ferry.

The Corran Ferry service carries over 10,000 foot passengers per year.

Economy and Infrastructure Committee Chair, Cllr Ken Gowans said: “The Council recognises the importance of the Corran Ferry service and the flexibility that a frequent, short crossing offers both the local community and visitors to the Highlands. The foot passenger fare agreed today will contribute to the sustainability of this vital transport link and will bring the Corran Ferry in line with other passenger services.

“To enhance the service and following feed-back from the local community, seasonal onshore marshals are in place this year to manage traffic safety during the summer months.”

The new charge will come into effect this summer and will include foot passengers and pedal cyclists (no charge for the pedal cycle), concessions apply in accordance with wider travel provisions.

Concessions – the foot passenger fare will not apply to:

Senior Citizens (60+)

Young persons (16-22)

Children 5-15, or

Disabled Passengers

For Corran Ferry timetables and service updates, please follow the Corran Ferry Facebook page and the @CorranFerry X page. You can also find information on the Council’s Corran Ferry website.
29 May 2025

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May 30, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Focus on Planning Enforcement with new charter adopted

Source: Scotland – Highland Council

Members of the Economy and Infrastructure Committee have agreed to adopt the 2025 Planning Enforcement Charter that captures all planning enforcement policy and procedures. It explains how the enforcement process works, the Council’s roles and responsibilities and the service standard that have been set.

Building work, engineering works or the use of buildings or land for an alternative use, in planning legislation, is known as ‘development’. Some smaller scale development does not require planning permission however, most does. Sometimes, “developers” (which can be a company or individual and includes householders) undertake work without the benefit of planning permission or fail to keep to the terms of the permission they have been given.

Where this happens, the Council has powers to take enforcement action against such unauthorised development, if it considers it is in the public interest to do so.

Committee Chair, councillor Ken Gowans said: “Planning enforcement is one of the more complex parts of the planning system. The charter clearly explains in detail how the enforcement process works in Highland and includes information about the role that the public play in reporting unauthorised development and assisting us to investigate breaches of planning control.

He added: “The Charter will ensure that our procedures are fair, reasonable, consistently applied, and transparent. It will also mean all interested parties are fully aware of the procedures involved in the process, the powers available to us as a Council and equally importantly the limits of those powers.”

The Council regularly monitors progress of development to ensure planning controls are being followed. Given the size of the Council area, there is also a role for the pubic in alerting the Council to any problems that they become aware of.

The committee also noted progress being made to enhance the Council’s Enforcement Team. There will be 4 full-time Planning Enforcement Officers working under the Principal Planning Enforcement Officer. The team will be supported by 3 access officers, on a part-time basis, whose role is to gather information to assist planning enforcement officers as well as to investigate some potential breaches of planning control.

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

May 30, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: 20mph scheme in Highlands – final traffic order approved today

Source: Scotland – Highland Council

Members of The Highland Council’s Economy and Infrastructure Committee today (Thursday 29 May) approved the final step to formalise all 20mph schemes in the Highlands and a Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) will now be actioned.

All the roads included in the final TRO follow the outcome of technical assessments, discussions with Members, Community Councils and the public.

Chair of the Committee, Councillor Ken Gowans said: “In the summer of 2022 the Council agreed to take on the opportunity provided by Transport Scotland for the early adoption of 20 mph speed limits in our Council area.

“This has been a huge piece of work so firstly I want to thank many members of the public, community groups and my fellow councillors, for getting involved and providing feedback throughout the process. I’d also like to thank our small but very dedicated Road Safety Team for all their hard work. To do a roll out on this scale is unprecedented. This is a significant milestone for road safety and another big step in our ambition to reduce accidents on our roads.”

By being an early adopter, Highland Council havs fast tracked the implementation of 20mph speeds limits and worked closely with Transport Scotland to look at the process and how it can be refined for the wider roll out that is currently happening across Scotland

In the report presented to the committee there was detailed information on the benefits of the programme along with the information provided to all objectors which addresses some of the perceptions around 20mph speed limits.

Pre and post 20 mph implementation speed counts have been taken at over 250 locations in Highland. The results have been available to view on the dedicated Council 20mph webpages throughout the project.

Councillor Gowans added: “The information gathered since we introduced 20mph across our towns, villages and settlements shows an encouraging reduction in collisions compared to those statistics before the 20mph speed limit was introduced. This is really very positive news for communities across Highland. Our 20mph scheme will improve road safety through simplifying speed limits for drivers, reducing perceptions of road danger, making it safer for people to walk and wheel, and create more pleasant towns, villages and neighbourhoods by providing a more calm environment for all road users. “

As The Highland Council was selected by The Scottish Government to pilot the roll-out of 20mph schemes, all costs for the project are being met by Transport Scotland.

Following the decision a roll out of roundels and markings will be done with a contract in place already for work to be undertaken in Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey, Caithness and Sutherland. Other areas will follow.

Details of the TRO can be found by visiting – https://www.highland.gov.uk/20mph

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

May 30, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: 2025/26 UK Shared Prosperity Fund Delivery Plan Approved – Highland Events To Benefit From New Grant Fund

Source: Scotland – Highland Council

Members of The Highland Council’s Economy and Infrastructure Committee have agreed a delivery plan that will see £3 million of funding from the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) invested to support Highland communities, businesses, employment and tourism.

The 2025/26 Highland UKSPF Delivery Plan is made up of a range of projects geared to delivering positive impacts across the Highlands, building on the successes of the 2022-25 Delivery Plan and introducing new interventions, all aimed at maximising the return on the 2025/26 investment.

Included in the 2025/26 Delivery Plan is a new £75,000 Strategic Events Grant Fund to support the region’s vibrant events sector and stimulate the visitor economy during the quieter shoulder and off-season months.

Councillor Ken Gowans, Chair of the Economy and Infrastructure Committee, welcomed the initiative, saying: ““This fund is a fantastic opportunity to support the creativity and resilience of our communities. By investing in events that celebrate our culture, attract visitors, and extend the tourism season, we’re helping to build a stronger, more sustainable Highland economy.”

The fund, which is part of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) programme, will offer grants of between £3,000 and £10,000 to eligible events taking place between September 2025 and March 2026. It is open to a wide range of public events, including music, food and drink, cultural, sports, and nature-based festivals.

Priority will be given to events that demonstrate strategic value—such as those that drive overnight stays, promote responsible tourism, and align with national and regional strategies including Scotland the Perfect Stage 2024–2035 and The Highland Council’s Sustainable Tourism Strategy 2024–2030.

Applications will open on Monday 2 June and close on Monday 30 June 2025. Successful applicants will be notified by mid-July.

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

May 30, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Highland Council Showcases Regional Strengths at UKREiiF 2025

Source: Scotland – Highland Council

The Highland Council has taken part in the UK Real Estate Investment & Infrastructure Forum (UKREiiF) 2025 in Leeds, joining forces with the Scottish Cities Alliance to spotlight Scotland’s collective strengths in sustainable development and innovation. This year marked the Council’s most proactive engagement yet, presenting the Highlands as a region of strategic opportunity within a united national vision.

As co-host of the ‘Team Scotland’ pavilion, the Council worked alongside partners from across Scotland to highlight the Highlands’ unique contributions to the country’s green economy – particularly in renewable energy, infrastructure, and inclusive growth. The collaborative spirit of the event drew interest from investors, developers, and policymakers eager to explore Scotland’s potential.

Leader of The Highland Council, Councillor Raymond Bremner officially opened the “Scotland’s Energy Transition” panel session, setting the tone for a series of forward-looking discussions.

He said: “UKREiiF 2025 has been an excellent opportunity to demonstrate how the Highlands are contributing to Scotland’s shared ambitions for sustainable investment and inclusive prosperity

“We’re proud to be part of a national effort that’s not only attracting investment but also delivering real social and environmental value.

“Attending major events like UKREiiF is a fantastic opportunity to raise the profile of the Highlands on a national and international stage. There’s a real buzz around what’s happening in our region – from renewable energy and the Green Freeport to infrastructure housing – and we’re seeing huge interest from investors and partners who want to be part of that journey. It’s also a chance to champion the incredible businesses and communities that are driving progress here. It’s great to be showcasing the Highlands as a place of ambition, collaboration, and opportunity.”

Throughout the forum, Highland Council representatives participated in key conversations on energy transition, infrastructure provision, and regeneration. In partnership with Inverness & Cromarty Firth Green Freeport and other Scottish stakeholders, the Council underscored the Highlands’ vital role in helping the UK meet its net zero targets.

With significant investment already underway and more opportunities emerging, the Council’s presence at UKREiiF 2025 reaffirmed its commitment to working collaboratively to build a resilient, inclusive, and prosperous future for Highland communities—and for Scotland as a whole.

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

May 30, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Cruise ship levy will mitigate tourism pressures and support infrastructure
Source: Scotland – Highland Council

The Highland Council has issued its support to a Scottish Government proposal to give local authorities the power to create a cruise ship levy in the area.

A meeting of the council’s Economy and Infrastructure Committee on Thursday (29 May) heard that such a levy could provide additional funds to mitigate the impacts of tourism and ensure the area remains a world leading and sustainable tourism destination.

Chair of the Economy and Infrastructure Committee, Councillor Ken Gowans, said: “As agreed at today’s E&I Committee, The Highland Council supports the introduction of discretionary powers for local authorities to implement a cruise ship levy, recognising its potential to generate recurring revenue to mitigate tourism-related pressures and sustain local infrastructure.

“Such a levy would empower communities to reinvest in services and help develop the Highlands as a world-class, sustainable destination all at no cost to Highland Council taxpayers, something everyone across our communities will welcome.

“Should such powers be granted, the Council will then undertake further extensive analysis and engagement to inform future decision-making.”

While the growth of the cruise ship sector has been welcomed and contributed to the economy, as with all visitors, cruise ship passengers can place significant pressure on local infrastructure and services.

The Scottish Government has undertaken a public consultation to seek views on a proposal to provide local authorities with discretionary powers to implement a levy on cruise ships.

The primary aim of a cruise ship levy is to ensure that local authorities experiencing pressures from the industry have additional funds to address these pressures and help contribute towards a thriving and sustainable tourism sector.

If implemented, such powers would be the first in the UK although cruise ship levies are already in place internationally, including Amsterdam, Barcelona, Dubrovnik and Venice.

Members agreed that any levy should be based on the number of passengers per ship, and cruise ship operators would be the most suitably placed to collect the levy from passengers for remitting to the local authority.

The committee said local authorities should decide the rate of any levy, with revenue raised retained and used strategically within that same area. This would enable funds to be dispersed where visitors visit within the implementing local authority area and improve the wider tourist experience.

The Scottish Government’s consultation also proposes that local authorities with islands be given the power to charge a levy on those arriving to visit an island, regardless of the means of transport by which they arrived.

In response, The Highland Council has strongly encouraged the Scottish Government to not focus solely on islands and instead to introduce a point of entry levy for all of Scotland, enabling all Scottish local authorities to exercise their discretion to introduce a Point of Entry levy within their geographical boundaries.

In addition to responding to the Scottish ‘Government’s consultation, The Highland Council is preparing a proposition based on a means of having the ability to charge at points of entry into the Highlands, which will go some way to address the impacts of motorhomes and campervans.

The Scottish Government’s consultation closes on 30th May 2025.
- In 2023 passenger numbers to Highland ports reached almost 300,000 and the gross tonnage of cruise vessels hit the 10,000,000 GT mark.
- Within Highland there are 16 ports and harbours with cruise ship activities. These range in type, size and capacity from the Port of Cromarty Firth in Invergordon, which is a trust port and the busiest cruise ship port in Scotland, to Shieldaig which is a rural municipal harbour accommodating only one or two small cruise ships each year.
- Scottish Government research indicates that although highly seasonal, significant increases in passenger numbers demonstrate the cruise ship sector is growing three times faster than the rest of the tourism sector.
- In 2019, 893 cruise ships docked in Scottish ports, carrying 817,000 passengers and by 2024 this had increased to 1,000 cruise ships carrying 1.2 million passengers with the busiest day seeing 9,600 visitors arrive in the Port of Invergordon.
- Existing levy rates across European ports range from approximately €3-14 per passenger
- In 2019 The Highland Council engaged in a public visitor levy consultation, the outcome of which resulted in a decision to support ‘in principle’ the introduction of a visitor levy.
- The consultation found that nearly 70% of respondents believed that cruise ship passengers should be included in a Highland visitor levy, just behind those ‘Overnight Visitors staying in paid accommodation’ (74%) and ‘Motorhome Users (not staying at paid sites)’ (84%).
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
May 30, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Committee Chair appointed to represent the Council at two European Maritime networks

Source: Scotland – Highland Council

The Chair of The Highland Council’s Economy and Infrastructure Committee, Councillor Ken Gowans has been appointed to the Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions of Europe (CPMR) and the North Sea Commission (NSC).

Both organisations can provide access to broader based lobbying on common priorities and issues.

Chair, Councillor Ken Gowans said: “The Highland Council is a longstanding member of the CPMR and NSC, with a track record of pro-active involvement in the work of the network. It provides opportunities to influence policies that may affect the Highlands and also offers a wide range of information exchange so we can learn from other European partners.

He added: I very much welcome this opportunity to learn from others and to exchange common experiences on aspects of regional development and service delivery, especially in relation to issues that are relevant to the North Sea.”

The CPMR brings together more than 150 regional authorities from 24 countries across the European Union and beyond, representing around 200 million people. Organised into geographical commissions, the CPMR operates as both a think tank and a lobby, focusing on key areas such as policy, maritime affairs, transport and accessibility, energy and climate change, migration, neighbourhood and development,

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.

29 May 2025

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May 30, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Committee Discusses Social Value Charter Aimed To Ensure Communities Get Fair Share
Source: Scotland – Highland Council
At today’s meeting of the Economy and Infrastructure Committee, (Thursday 29 May 2025), members gave their support to the progress being made in taking a Social Value Charter forward that aims to maximises economic benefits from the natural environment and resources and ensure communities receive tangible benefits from renewable energy developments.

Members agreed that representations continue to be made to both the Scottish and UK Governments on the need of mandatory benefit and that the Council continues to engage with renewable developers to sign up to the Charter.

The aims of the Charter are to:

embed an approach to community wealth building into Highland;

maximise economic benefits from our natural environment and resources;

engage and involve relevant stakeholders to understand how we can continually improve our impact; and

unlock economic opportunities for area

The Chair of the Committee, Councillor Ken Gowans said: “The Social Value Charter is separate to any planning process. It aims to ensure that if developments get the go ahead there is a clear community benefit. Currently once they have planning permission, developers are not obliged to follow through on providing community benefit. This has to change. The report we discussed today takes us a step forward and reinforces the need for meaningful engagement with developers Scottish Renewables to continues.

“Given the scale of the on-shore and off shore energy pipeline being anticipated in the Highlands and the concerns of communities about potential impacts of these plans, it is important that public and private sector partners work together, so our communities can benefit for years to come.”
29 May 2025

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May 30, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: First Stage of New Midtown Bus Terminal Construction Marked

Source: US State of New York

The deck-overs represent the first step in the replacement of the existing 75-year-old, functionally obsolete bus terminal with a world-class facility. When complete, the project will include a new main terminal, a separate storage and staging building and new ramps leading directly into and out of the Lincoln Tunnel. The project plan — including the permanent closure of a portion of 41st Street between Eighth and Ninth avenues, a central main entrance, more street-facing retail, a soaring multi-story indoor atrium and new public open space — will enhance the commuter experience at the world’s busiest bus terminal and become a centerpiece for the community. The project is expected to create approximately 6,000 good-paying union construction jobs.

Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Chairman Kevin O’Toole said, “It is incredibly satisfying to break ground on the first stage of construction of a new Midtown Bus Terminal that will improve the lives of hundreds of thousands of daily commuters between New Jersey and New York, and greatly improve the community hosting it. I’d like to thank Governor Murphy and Governor Hochul for their full support of a project that will bring economic growth and vitality to our bistate region for decades to come.”

Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Executive Director Rick Cotton said, “Today’s groundbreaking for the first stage of a new Midtown Bus Terminal is a momentous accomplishment that moved forward after years of delay by focusing on two key propositions — improving the lives of tens of thousands of daily commuters and providing real benefits to a community burdened by an architectural eyesore and a deluge of bus traffic. By focusing on benefits both to commuters and the surrounding community, we are now moving forward with a project that enjoys unprecedented support at every level of government on both sides of the river. And at last, we are on our way to creating a gateway that our region deserves.”

Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Vice Chairman Jeffrey Lynford said, “Today marks the start of a long-awaited transformation: replacing one of our region’s most notorious eyesores with a modern, best-in-class bus terminal. When complete, this new facility will not only improve commutes — it will also serve as a valuable neighborhood asset. This project is the result of over a decade of work, including hundreds of meetings with community leaders, transit advocates, and elected officials, as well as a rigorous environmental review led by the Federal Transit Administration. Thanks to that deep engagement, the project has earned broad support — from the local community to every level of government.”

NJ TRANSIT President and CEO Kris Kolluri said, “The new Midtown Bus Terminal represents a transformative investment in the future of regional mobility. For NJ TRANSIT, as the largest tenant, this project is more than just infrastructure — it’s a once-in-a-generation opportunity to redefine the commuting experience for the tens of thousands of New Jersey residents who depend on it every day. The new terminal will stand as a gateway to opportunity, and a powerful symbol of our shared commitment to a stronger, more connected region.”

Reliable and efficient bus service between New York and New Jersey is critical to the interconnected economies of both states, as hundreds of thousands of New Jersey residents work in New York City. The new terminal is designed to meet projected 2040-50 commuter growth, provide a best-in-class customer experience that serves the region’s 21st century public transportation needs, and enhance the surrounding community. The project does not include the taking of any private property as it will be built on existing Port Authority of New York and New Jersey property stretching as far west as 11th Avenue.

The new bus terminal will be built for the future and designed to be net-zero emissions, accommodating all-electric bus fleets and implementing modern high technology innovations. The new ramp structure will provide a direct connection to the Lincoln Tunnel, with added queue space and bypass capability, thereby reducing congestion, bus circulation, idling and parking on local city streets. Community-friendly outward-facing local retail will benefit commuters and the community alike.

The final plan for the Midtown Bus Terminal replacement project incorporates extensive public feedback from a broad community outreach effort, including input from New York City, New Jersey, commuters, local community boards and elected officials in both states. The total cost of the replacement project has been estimated at approximately $10 billion, with actual procurement for phase one of the project actively in progress. Construction of the Dyer Avenue deck-overs is now underway. The project has received unprecedented support from the community, the city, state and federal agencies.

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey’s construction plan for the new bus terminal calls for it to be built in phases, with the deck-overs being built first followed by the storage and staging facility. The Dyer Avenue deck-overs project encompasses the construction of two decks over below-grade portions of Dyer Avenue and the Lincoln Tunnel Expressway between West 37th and West 38th streets and between West 38th and West 39th streets. The storage and staging facility can serve as a temporary terminal while the existing terminal is demolished and replaced.

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand said, “The Midtown Bus Terminal is a relic of a bygone era and overdue for a much-needed upgrade. This first step makes it possible to rebuild the bus terminal with minimal interruptions for hundreds of thousands of passengers every day. This project will also represent a long-term investment in the city by creating 6,000 new jobs and 3.5 acres of much-needed open space in Midtown. I am grateful to the Port Authority for reaffirming its commitment to a world-class 21st century travel experience in New York.”

Representative Jerry Nadler said, “Finally, after many years of discussion and hard-fought community negotiation, we are finally breaking ground on the first phase of a brand-new Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown, the Dyer Avenue deck-overs. The replacement bus terminal is long overdue and thankfully moving forward. A new bus terminal will improve air quality and make our streets safer for pedestrians by removing all commuter and inter-city buses from our streets. And it will replace the outdated and deteriorating bus terminal with a modern, efficient transportation hub that meets the needs of both commuters and residents while contributing to the continued growth and success of New York City. These new deck-overs will eventually lead to a new 3.5-acre publicly accessible open space on the West Side, something that is desperately needed in Hell’s Kitchen. I have been proud to support this project and helped it secure up to $1.9 billion in federal funding from the Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) Loan Program championed by the Biden Administration’s Build America Program.”

State Senator Jeremy Cooney said, “Hundreds of thousands of travelers from New York and New Jersey rely on this route and the Midtown Bus Terminal. This project will mean good-paying construction jobs, more efficient travel, and eventually new green spaces for the community to enjoy. I want to thank Governor Hochul and Governor Murphy for their dedication to making this project a reality and creating a more seamless transportation experience between our two states.”

State Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal said, “Construction on our new, state-of-the-art Midtown Bus Terminal is officially underway. The deck-overs, breaking ground today, will allow work on this project to begin without disrupting service at the busiest bus terminal in the world. It’s particularly exciting that when construction of the terminal is complete, not only will we have a bus terminal that will reduce congestion and accommodate more riders, we will also have new park land, as the deck-overs will be transformed into 3.5 acres of publicly accessible green space. I look forward to the day that the construction is completed and the Midtown Bus Terminal goes from ‘worst’ to ‘first’ in the eyes of the millions of New Yorkers who utilize or live near the terminal, including my constituents on the west side of Manhattan.”

Assemblymember Tony Simone said, “The start of construction over Dyer Avenue marks the beginning of the total transformation of our outdated bus terminal into a world class transit hub. This massive investment by the Port Authority will not only get buses off our crowded streets, these deck overs will eventually be new green space for the west side. When complete, this neighborhood will be unrecognizable from its current state, becoming a place New Yorkers will want to spend in, all while drastically changing how millions move through our city and region.”

New York City Mayor Eric Adams said, “Today marks a major milestone in building the future of public transit for our region. Breaking ground on the Dyer Avenue deck-overs is more than the start of construction — it’s the beginning of a transformative investment in sustainable infrastructure, improved air quality, and expanded public space. The new Midtown Bus Terminal will not only modernize a vital commuter hub, but will also reconnect our neighborhoods, support thousands of good-paying jobs, and create a greener, more accessible West Side for generations to come.”

Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine said, “Breaking ground on the Dyer Avenue deck-overs is an important first step in the replacement of the Midtown Terminal, which will be a transformational project for the west side. It is time for the busiest bus terminal in the world to become a world-class facility for commuters, visitors, and residents. I am excited for this project to become a reality and will continue to work with the Port Authority and the community to ensure the best outcomes during and after construction.”

New York City Councilmember Erik Bottcher said, “Today’s groundbreaking marks a truly transformative moment for New York City — and especially for the West Side. After years of collaboration, planning, and deep community engagement, we are finally beginning the next chapter for the Midtown Bus Terminal. This project isn’t just about replacing a building — it’s about restoring a neighborhood. By removing buses from our streets and creating a network of vibrant green spaces, we are reconnecting Hell’s Kitchen, healing the urban fabric, and delivering the modern transit infrastructure New Yorkers deserve. This is a victory for the community, for sustainability, and for the future of our city. I’d like to thank the Port Authority, Manhattan Community Board 4 and my colleagues in government for all the work they have done to bring us to this point.”

New York City Councilmember Selvena Brooks-Powers, Chair of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure “Reliable, accessible public transportation is essential to our region’s economic health and quality of life. The Midtown Bus Terminal is a critical link for commuters across the city and beyond, and this groundbreaking marks an important step toward delivering a modern, efficient facility that meets 21st-century needs. I look forward to continued engagement with the Port Authority to ensure that this project centers equity, sustainability, and community benefit at every phase.”

New York City Economic Development Corporation President and CEO Andrew Kimball said, “With today’s groundbreaking on the Dyer Avenue deck-overs, the Midtown Bus Terminal vision moves one step closer to becoming reality and Midtown Manhattan gets a huge upgrade. The new terminal is more than just one of the busiest transit hubs in the country, it will bring new open space, reduce congestion, employing thousands of union workers during its construction, and bring massive quality of life upgrades to Midtown Manhattan.”

New York City Department of Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez said, “It is welcome news to the city, to bus riders, and to the local communities on Manhattan’s west side that construction of the Dyer Avenue deck-overs is now underway. By reducing bus congestion and idling, easing the commuter experience, and creating new public space the midtown bus terminal replacement project will greatly enhance this area that New York City has outgrown. NYC DOT congratulates the Port Authority on breaking ground and we look forward to continuing to support them in this impactful initiative.”

New York City Department of City Planning Director Dan Garodnick said, “It’s hard to overstate how vital the Midtown Bus Terminal is to New York City, the tri-state region, and the country. It’s one of the great front doors to our city. With today’s groundbreaking on the Dyer Avenue deck-overs, we’re taking the first step toward a modern, world-class transit hub that New Yorkers deserve. I look forward to seeing this transformation take shape and serve residents, commuters, and visitors for generations to come.”

Building and Construction Trades Council of Greater New York President Gary LaBarbera said, “Today marks a crucial milestone for the Midtown Bus Terminal Replacement Program, a key critical infrastructure project that will not only establish a modern and state-of-the-art transit hub for New Yorkers and visitors alike, but also generate thousands of family-sustaining union construction careers. We applaud Governor Hochul and Governor Murphy, along with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey for pushing forward this major development that will serve as an economic boon for our city and surrounding communities. Our members look forward to playing a role in building this project and pursuing the paths to the middle class that it creates.”

New York League of Conservation Voters President Julie Tighe said, “The new Midtown Bus Terminal will be a game changer for commuters and neighborhood residents alike and a huge win for the environment. While serving hundreds of thousands of daily passengers, the new zero-emission, electric-bus friendly commuter hub will cut air pollution, ease the burden on neighborhood streets, and create thousands of good-paying union jobs in the process. Just as important, the addition of 3.5 acres of new public green space will deliver lasting environmental and public health benefits to the surrounding community. We commend Governors Hochul and Murphy and the Port Authority for prioritizing climate-smart design and investing in a healthier, more sustainable future.”

New York Building Congress President and CEO Carlo A. Scissura said, “This groundbreaking is a landmark moment not just for the transformation of Manhattan’s West Side but the entire region. The Port Authority is advancing a bold vision for transit and public space that delivers real benefits and will create over 6,000 good-paying union jobs and 3.5 acres of public open space, all while providing long overdue infrastructure upgrades. The new Midtown Bus Terminal project is exactly the kind of investment New York needs, and we proudly stand alongside those who made it happen today – with special thanks to Rick Cotton for his leadership – as we break ground on this exciting and essential project.”

Real Estate Board of New York President James Whelan said, “REBNY and its members are pleased to see the launch of this project. More than just supporting the growth of New York City’s diverse regional transit infrastructure, the project will energize our economy with thousands of new jobs and retail in Midtown.”

Regional Plan Association President and CEO Tom Wright said, “Today’s groundbreaking is the result of years of thoughtful partnership to deliver a shared vision for a reimagined Midtown Bus Terminal that strengthens the local community and expands regional connectivity. The Port Authority Bus Terminal is one of the most high-traffic transportation hubs in the nation and is critical to the tri-state region’s continued economic vitality. This moment marks an important step towards the creation of a modern, expanded, best-in-class terminal that will not only serve the needs of commuters but create an amenity and attraction for the community.”

Association for a Better New York CEO Emma Pfohman said, “As the gateway for millions of commuters and travelers each year, the revitalized Midtown Bus Terminal will not only improve the daily lives of New Yorkers but also fuel our city’s continued growth and resilience. The Association for a Better New York applauds Governor Hochul, Governor Murphy, and the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey for leading this important investment in the region’s transportation infrastructure and in our city’s future.”

Times Square Alliance President Tom Harris said, “The Midtown Bus Terminal is an extremely vital aspect of the commuter life of the hundreds of thousands of people who commute to Times Square every day. We applaud both governors for taking this first step toward the new world class terminal to come that will provide another reason why Times Square is one of the strongest transportation hubs in the city and beyond.”

Bryant Park Corporation President Dan Biederman said, “We’ve seen an early version of the Port Authority’s plans for the bus terminal. They’re excellent, just what we’d expect from the agency that has had recent success with terminals at Newark and LaGuardia airports. We strongly endorse their interim steps to at long last make the PABT, which serves as a gateway for Bryant Park visitors, an attractive facility.”

Manhattan Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Jessica Walker said, “This is an exciting day for all New Yorkers as well as employees and visitors coming here from the broader region. This forward-looking project is critical to New York’s preparation for future growth and demand. It is innovative and aspirational in nature, understanding that our city’s best days are ahead. Congratulations to the Port Authority and Governors Hochul and Murphy for bringing us to this point.”

Manhattan Community Board 4 Chair Jessica Chait said, “Community Board 4 is proud to mark this milestone toward a cleaner, less congested, and more connected region. The Dyer Avenue deck-overs lay the literal groundwork for a modern, sustainable transit hub that reflects a welcoming and efficient gateway to New York City. We thank the Port Authority and our elected partners for centering community input in a project that will improve air quality, reduce street-level congestion, and bring vital open space to our neighborhood.”

Hudson Yards Hell’s Kitchen Alliance President Robert J. Benfatto said, “The Hudson Yards Hell’s Kitchen Alliance is looking forward to the completion of the construction of the Midtown Bus Terminal project, including the Dyer deck-overs, so that the neighborhood can begin using a new, first-in-class bus transit facility. We will continue to advocate for our community throughout this long process, as our mission states that we are dedicated to enhancing the quality of life of the diverse population who lives, works and visits within the district.

About the Midtown Bus Terminal

What is now the world’s busiest bus terminal opened in 1950, after the mayor of New York City requested the Port Authority to consolidate eight separate, smaller bus terminals throughout Midtown Manhattan in order to relieve street congestion. As the regional population grew and spread geographically, the Port Authority expanded the terminal’s capacity in 1963 by converting parking space to a fourth level of bus operations and adding three new levels of public parking for 1,000 cars. By 1966, the terminal served nearly 69 million passengers, once again requiring increased bus capacity. In 1970, the Port Authority created a 2-mile exclusive bus lane (XBL) on the New Jersey Route 495 approach to the Lincoln Tunnel, giving buses faster access directly to the bus terminal and saving commuters up to 20 minutes in travel time.

In 1981, the Port Authority expanded the bus terminal’s capacity by 50 percent with a new North Wing extension to 42nd Street and the diagonal girder façade now familiar to bus riders. The current facility spans 1.9 million square feet as the nation’s largest bus terminal and the world’s busiest. Individual carriers, the largest of which is NJ Transit, serve routes for daily commuters throughout New Jersey, eastern Pennsylvania, and the lower Hudson Valley, as well as provide intercity services to and from locations such as upstate New York, New England, the Mid-Atlantic and Canada. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the bus terminal accommodated an estimated 260,000 passenger trips on an average weekday. As of 2024, the terminal served approximately 205,000 average weekday daily passengers.

For more information on the replacement project, visit the Port Authority’s website on the Midtown Bus Terminal replacement.

MIL OSI USA News –

May 30, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Drought declared in north-west of England
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

News story

Drought declared in north-west of England

Many reservoirs in the region are at historic low levels for the time of year
The Environment Agency has declared drought status for the north-west of England following the driest start to spring in 69 years.

River flows have been declining along with groundwater levels due to the dry March, April and start of May.

Reservoir storage levels in the region are also receding and are currently lower than they were at this time during the 1984, 1995 and 2022 drought years.

The recent rain, while welcome, is not enough to reverse the dry start to the year and expected hotter weather in the coming weeks is set to exacerbate the situation.

The decision by the EA to move into drought status sees the regulator increase their operational response while ensuring water companies step up the actions agreed in their drought plans.

This includes fixing leaks, communicating with customers and supporting them to reduce demand, and submitting drought permits to take more water, as needed. These actions if taken in a timely manner will help preserve supplies for people and the environment.

In the North West, the EA continues to work to ensure United Utilities acts in accordance with their drought plan.

Although the North-west has experienced a dry start to the year, it is a mixed picture in other parts of England. The Environment Agency and Defra ministers will convene a meeting of the National Drought Group on 5 June to assess the situation across the country and ensure that water companies are enacting their drought plans to conserve water supplies.

Andy Brown, Water Regulation Manager at the Environment Agency said:

Drought is a naturally occurring phenomenon. As we see more impacts from climate change heavier rainfall and drier summers will become more frequent. This poses an enormous challenge over the next few decades.

Despite the rain over the weekend levels remain low and we are encouraging people to be aware of the impacts of drought as we enter the summer period.

With further unsettled periods and rainfall over the coming weeks we will continue to closely monitor the situation and implement our Drought Plan.

Water Minister Emma Hardy said:

I am receiving regular updates from the Environment Agency.

I’m doing everything in my power to hold United Utilities to account to ensure we have the regular supply of water that is needed across the region.

The government is taking decisive action to secure our water supply for the decades to come. That’s why we are building 9 new reservoirs and upgrading pipes to cut leakage by 17%.

Periods of dry weather and low rivers can have several environmental consequences such as deoxygenating water. This can lead to fish kills, as well as more algal blooms and diminished river flow that prevents wildlife from moving up or downstream.

The Environment Agency is encouraging the public to report environmental incidents to their 24/7 hotline on 0800 80 70 60.

Defra announced today that the Environment Secretary was stepping in to speed up delivery for the first two major reservoirs since the 1990s as part of government action to secure our water supply for future generations.

Further information

A decision to declare drought is taken based on reservoir levels, river flows and moisture in the soil along with consideration of the long-term weather forecasts. Droughts are often long-term events, starting as far back as the previous Autumn with effects felt throughout the following seasons. Declaring drought status enables the Environment Agency to plan, deliver and manage actions in drought plans.

However, there is no single definition for drought, so while it’s caused by a period of low rainfall, the nature, timing and impacts on people, the environment, agriculture or business will vary. Some droughts are short and intense like a hot, dry summer, while others are long and take time to develop over multiple seasons.

Read more here: Drought explained – Creating a better place

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Published 29 May 2025
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
May 30, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Travel with intention: Here’s a guide to ‘soft adventure’ experiences across Canada this summer

Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Moira A. McDonald, Associate Professor, Director, School of Tourism and Hospitality Management, Royal Roads University

A growing number of Canadian travellers are embracing “soft adventure” travel. This trend blends a desire for active engagements in nature and educational and culturally relevant experiences with the chance to reset and relax.

Low-risk outdoor activities such as wine tasting, canoeing, fishing, whale-watching and cycling are all examples of this growing trend. This shift reflects a “growing desire for peace of mind and rejuvenation” among Canadians in their travel experiences.

A recent survey found 61 per cent of Canadians plan to focus on “soft travel” or “calm-cations” in 2025. While this trend spans all age groups, it’s particularly strong among Gen Z, with 81 per cent showing a preference for it.

At the same time, many Canadians are searching for travel opportunities closer to home amid tensions between the two countries.

In these times of global uncertainty, soft adventure tourism offers affordable options for Canadians and international visitors to explore and experience all that Canada has to offer. As tourism experts, we have some suggestions for destinations that provide travellers with a chance to pause, breathe and recharge.

The West Coast

Along the coast of Vancouver Island, orcas, humpback whales, sea lions, seals and porpoises draw visitors each summer. Tourism operators offer whale-watching tours all over the island, giving travellers a chance to experience its marine life firsthand. Just a day trip from Victoria, the Kinsol Trestle is a chance to walk or cycle through nature.

For a closer look at the region’s wildlife, travellers can join sea kayaking tours in Port McNeill on Vancouver Island with Kingfisher Wilderness Adventures. Here, visitors might spot grizzly bears and they can hear stories from Kwakwaka’wakw First Nations guides and interpreters.

British Columbia is home to more than 200 distinct Indigenous communities that offer tourism experiences ranging from pristine beaches to savouring cuisine in award-winning restaurants and more.

On the mainland, Harrison Hot Springs, B.C. offers visitors the chance to relax in mineral hot springs for a nominal fee. Other soft adventure experiences include beach-front maintained trails for walking and hiking, as well as picnicking locations. Visitors can take the short drive to Rosedale, B.C., where a brief hike brings them to the base of Bridal Veil Falls Park.

The Prairie provinces

Alberta’s landscapes have served as the backdrop for many films and television series, including Brokeback Mountain, Game of Thrones, The Last of Us and The Revenant. For film tourism enthusiasts, the province offers no shortage of iconic film locations to explore. Some scenes of Game of Thrones’ final season were shot in Banff National Park.

In Saskatchewan, Lake Diefenbaker is known for golfing, boating and walleye fishing. It’s the largest body of water in the southwest of the province, and it offers an opportunity to traverse a picturesque parkland while witnessing wildlife like elk, caribou, cougar and lynx.

In Manitoba, Churchill offers sightings of both beluga whales and polar bears. Each summer, hundreds of belugas enter the Churchill River, and the town offers kayaking, boat tours and paddleboarding to see them.

While you’re in Churchill, you can also see the northern lights up to 300 nights a year, along with numerous historic sites like the Prince of Wales Fort.

Central Canada

With 250,000 freshwater lakes, remote canyons, more than 1,200 canoe routes and 22 diveable historic shipwrecks, Ontario is filled with soft adventure travel opportunities. Travellers have countless ways to connect with nature and history in the province.

In Tobermory, a harbour village on the province’s Bruce Peninsula, travellers can take guided tours to explore underwater shipwrecks, as well as visit the region’s distinctive “flowerpot” rock formations and natural grottos.

A diver swims near the City of Cleveland shipwreck in Tobermory, Ont. The City of Cleveland was a 255 foot long wooden steamer that was built in Cleveland in 1882 and sunk in 1901 near Fitzwilliam island.
(Shutterstock)

Québec offers an experience that at times feels distinctly European. In Old Montréal and the Old Port, cobblestone streets and artisan vendors make it feel like you’re stepping into the past. Both locations are steeped in history and culinary excellence.

Atlantic Canada

In New Brunswick, Hopewell Rocks Provincial Park, nestled along the Bay of Fundy, offers guided tours for travellers. Visitors are encouraged to check the tidal wave schedule to see the rock formations known as sea stacks, which are caused by tidal erosion.

Nova Scotia’s capital, Halifax, is a vibrant coastal city known for its lively nightlife and flourishing culinary scene. Across the harbour in Dartmouth-Cole Harbour, visitors can go bird watching or take part in a cycling adventure on the easy-to-moderate Salt Marsh Trail. A visit to Peggy’s Cove is a must.

The province is also home to tourism initiatives that reflect the region’s diverse cultural heritage. Among these is Elevate and Explore Black Nova Scotia, which is designed to enrich the travel experience for Black people visiting or living in the province.

Over on Prince Edward Island, visitors can explore Lucy Maud Montgomery’s birthplace, the author of beloved childhood classic Anne of Green Gables, in Cavendish. Nearby at the museum, visitors can reimagine Anne Shirley’s iconic adventures in a return to the magic of storytelling and place, before making their way to Greenwich Beach via the boardwalk through P.E.I.’s largest sand dunes.

In Newfoundland and Labrador, Gros Morne National Park offers visitors views of “soaring fjords and moody mountains” alongside the chance to spot puffins in their natural habitat. Recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the park also provides opportunities for fishing.

If closer to historical Gander, take a ferry excursion to Fogo Island, which offers bird watching and boat trips.

The Northern Territories

In the Yukon, travellers can engage with Indigenous tourism, arts and culture through experiences offered by the Yukon First Nation and Tourism Industry Association.

Visitors to the Yukon can cool their feet in the cold mountain streams while trying their hand at gold panning in historic Dawson City. Once a hub of the 19th-century Klondike Gold Rush, it still features several preserved frontier-style buildings.

In the Northwest Territories, travellers can witness the aurora borealis and take guided photography tours to see wildlife up close. Further east, Nunavut offers a range of adventure tourism opportunities, including sea kayaking, whitewater kayaking and canoeing.

Together, these northern destinations offer travellers a chance to immerse themselves in the natural beauty, history and living cultures of Canada’s North while embracing the slower pace and meaningful experiences at the heart of soft adventure travel.

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. Travel with intention: Here’s a guide to ‘soft adventure’ experiences across Canada this summer – https://theconversation.com/travel-with-intention-heres-a-guide-to-soft-adventure-experiences-across-canada-this-summer-257190

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

May 30, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Your chance to see the brand new Women’s Rugby World Cup in Sunderland

Source: City of Sunderland

People will be able to have their photo taken with the brand new Women’s Rugby World Cup trophy when it visits Sunderland next Friday 6 June.

The iconic silverware is putting in a special appearance between 12 noon and 4pm in Keel Square on the first day of the three-day Sunderland Food and Drink Festival.

World Rugby unveiled the new trophy earlier this month to tie in with the start of the 100-day countdown to the opening match of the Women’s Rugby World Cup kicking off in Sunderland on Friday 22 August which will see England’s Red Roses take on the USA at the Stadium of Light.

The trophy’s visit marks the culmination of a nationwide tour of all eight host cities and towns as excitement continues to build for the record-breaking tournament.

The 2025 tournament is already on course to become the biggest Women’s Rugby World Cup in history after selling more than 300,000 tickets – more than twice the total attendance at the last tournament in New Zealand in 2021.

People visiting Keel Square next Friday will be able to see the new Women’s Rugby World Cup and the bespoke RWC 2025 Defender Trophy Tour Vehicle and have their photo taken with the trophy.

Councillor Michael Mordey, Leader of Sunderland City Council, said: “It’s fantastic to have the trophy visiting Sunderland as we count down to hosting the opening match of the Women’s Rugby World Cup on 22 August.

“Having the opening match here is a brilliant opportunity to showcase our city on the international stage. We’re really looking forward to welcoming the Red Roses and the USA teams to Sunderland, along with home-grown rugby fans and those from across the world.”

Councillor Beth Jones is Sunderland City Council’s Cabinet Member for Communities, Culture and Tourism: “With excitement continuing to build now that we’re less than 100 away from the tournament kicking off in Sunderland, this is a brilliant opportunity to have your photo taken with the trophy that the top women’s rugby teams in the world are going to be competing for this summer,” she said.

“It’s also a great chance to find out more about the sport and how you can get involved, so I’d encourage everyone to come down, have your photo taken with the trophy and enjoy a fantastic time at the Food and Drink Festival while you’re here.”

Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 Managing Director, Sarah Massey, said: “Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 promises to be a landmark tournament for the sport and the trophy tour to our host locations provides a brilliant opportunity to ignite excitement across England.

“We look forward to celebrating with fans and encouraging even more people to be a part of this unforgettable tournament.”

Sunderland Food & Drink Festival is set to take place across Keel Square, High Street West and Market Square from Friday 6 to Sunday 8 June.

Featuring food from across the world including street food and artisan produce, visitors will also be able to enjoy the live stage programme in Keel Square from 11am to 7pm every day.

For more information on the food and drink festival visit https://sunderlandfooddrinkfest.co.uk/live-entertainment/

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

May 30, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: 2025 Dickson Prize in Medicine Goes to Professor Sir Cato T. Laurencin of UConn

Source: US State of Connecticut

The Dickson Prize in Medicine is awarded annually to a leading American investigator engaged in innovative and paradigm-shifting biomedical research. It is an esteemed annual award presented by the University of Pittsburgh. Many recipients of the Dickson Prize have gone on to receive the Nobel Prize. Dr. Cato T. Laurencin is the founder and pioneer of the field of regenerative engineering.

His lecture, “Regenerative Engineering: Breakthroughs in Medicine,” will be given at 2:30 p.m. on July 11 at the University of Pittsburgh, Alan Magee Scaife Hall West Wing Auditorium. It will be followed by a panel discussion and reception at 5 p.m.

Laurencin is a University Professor (one of two at UConn) and professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, professor of Materials Science and Engineering, and professor of Biomedical Engineering. He is the chief executive officer of The Cato T. Laurencin Institute for Regenerative Engineering, a cross-university Institute created in his honor. At UConn School of Medicine he is the Albert and Wilda Van Dusen Distinguished Endowed Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery.

He is the leading international figure in polymer science and engineering as applied to musculoskeletal biology. Renowned for his work in areas including biomaterials science and materials chemistry, his broad background and insight have allowed him to move research from fundamental science to applied research, to research translation and clinical treatment.

Laurencin earned his B.S.E. in Chemical Engineering from Princeton University, his M.D., Magna Cum Laude, from the Harvard Medical School, and earned his Ph.D. in Biochemical Engineering/Biotechnology from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He completed an orthopaedic surgery residency at Harvard, where he was named Chief Resident at the Beth Israel Hospital, Harvard Medical School. A specialist in shoulder surgery and sports medicine, he completed fellowship training at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York.

Laurencin is a fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, a fellow of the American Orthopaedic Association, a fellow of the American College of Surgeons, an elected member of the American Surgical Association and an elected member of the Association of Bone and Joint Surgeons. In orthopaedic surgery, he received the Nicolas Andry Lifetime Achievement Award, the highest honor of the Association of Bone and Joint Surgeons, the Kappa Delta Award, the highest research honor from the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, the Marshall R. Urist Award, honoring an investigator who has a sustained ongoing body of research in tissue regeneration as it relates to the musculoskeletal system, from the Orthopaedic Research Society, and the American Orthopaedic Association’s (AOA) Distinguished Contributions to Orthopaedics Award with induction into the AOA Awards Hall of Fame. He is the first individual to receive these four awards.

He is the first surgeon in history elected to the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, the National Academy of Medicine, and the National Academy of Inventors.

In 2025, he received Knighthood under the auspices of King Charles III of England by the Governor General of St. Lucia.

MIL OSI USA News –

May 30, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: The UK government is considering mandatory chemical castration for sex offenders – it’s an ethical and legal minefield

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Lisa Forsberg, Senior Research Fellow, Uehiro Oxford Institute, University of Oxford

Justice secretary Shabana Mahmood is looking into a potential “national rollout” of chemical castration for sex offenders. This is a process of lowering testosterone levels with the intention of reducing libido.

The proposal is one recommendation outlined in the recent independent sentencing review that was commissioned to investigate prison overcrowding and consider alternatives to imprisonment. The review found that 21% of adults serving immediate custodial sentences had been convicted of sexual offences – making them a significant proportion of the prison population. The idea appears to be that chemical castration would make offenders’ release from prison less dangerous for the public.

A pilot scheme of voluntary chemical castration is already running and is about to be extended to 20 British prisons. But while the review emphasised that consent is a key tenet of medical law, Mahmood is reportedly investigating whether chemical castration could be made mandatory. This raises important ethical and legal questions.

Is chemical castration ethical?

Chemical castration is a dual-purpose intervention. It can be used both to benefit those who receive testosterone-reducing substances – sex offenders may themselves find their sexual desires to be a problem and so wish to have their intensity reduced by medical means – and to protect the public.

One key question, therefore, is what we are aiming to achieve in a programme of chemical castration in the prison population. Chemical castration may reduce the risk of reoffending but fail to improve a sex offender’s life. It may do the opposite – improving their wellbeing without protecting the public from their actions. Which goal are we aiming for?

This matters because the ethical permissibility of chemical castration is directly related to its purpose. Standard medical interventions are typically ethically permissible when and because they are expected to benefit recipients who validly consent.

If the goal is not to benefit the recipient but to protect the public, this question is more complicated. We don’t normally get to consent to being incarcerated or quarantined, for example. These are situations imposed on us by the state. So do we get to bypass consent in the case of chemical castration for people who are incarcerated?

And while some offenders may prefer to have their problematic sexual desires suppressed, chemical castration can have significant side-effects, including weight gain and mood changes.

If chemical castration does reduce problematic desires, sex offenders may benefit from it, side-effects notwithstanding. But it is unclear exactly how this potential “benefit” should be understood. Is it beneficial for sex offenders to have their sexual desires attenuated? Does avoiding future punishment itself count as a benefit? Can it also be beneficial to offenders who do not consent to the intervention? And is it ever ethically permissible to provide chemical castration without benefit to the recipient? We need a more clearly articulated understanding of benefit, and its interaction with consent, to determine when chemical castration is ethically permissible.

Is it legal?

Purpose also matters for legal justification. Interventions that use medical means – as chemical castration does – are usually lawful, again, because they are expected to benefit recipients. So, again, the lack of clarity over who “benefits” and how benefit should be understood is a problem.

My analysis of the legal framework in England and Wales shows that providing chemical castration to sex offenders may be consistent with obligations imposed on UK public authorities under the European Convention on Human Rights (via the Human Rights Act 1998). This may be the case even without recipients’ consent, especially when the purpose is public protection. But here too, it is necessary to clarify how the benefit or harm interacts with consent.

A dilemma for doctors

A rollout of chemical castration to sex offenders – whether voluntary or mandatory – also raises ethical and legal dilemmas for the people administering the programme.

Forensic psychiatrist Professor Don Grubin has said that the administration of chemical castration is “about doctors treating patients, rather than doctors doing a job for criminal justice agencies, but a side effect is that reoffending is likely to be reduced”. However, it’s not clear that chemical castration should always be understood primarily as “doctors treating patients” in the way we normally expect for therapeutic interventions. The idea that doctors, in administering chemical castration, are always acting primarily to benefit the recipient, and that public protection in the form of reduced recidivism risk is a mere side-effect obscures the ethical and legal issues at play. A better approach is to clarify the different values and duties at stake and how doctors and others involved in provision should weigh them against one another.

Chemical castration will often generate conflicting duties, which we must find ways to navigate. Can it be compatible with professional obligations to provide interventions that aren’t in recipients’ clinical interests if it benefits others? Do professional obligations vary according to an intervention’s purpose? Chemical castration exposes tensions in the ethical and legal obligations that individual and institutional providers owe to recipients and to society.

I’m exploring these questions in research investigating how we ought to understand, evaluate, and regulate dual-purpose interventions. These are questions the government, and those involved in chemically castrating sex offenders must also confront.

Lisa Forsberg has received funding from the British Academy Postdoctoral Fellowship scheme (award pf170028), the Journal of Moral Education Trust through the British Academy /Leverhulme Small Research Grants scheme (award SRG2324241695), the European Research Council (grant number 819757), and the Uehiro Foundation for Ethics and Education.

– ref. The UK government is considering mandatory chemical castration for sex offenders – it’s an ethical and legal minefield – https://theconversation.com/the-uk-government-is-considering-mandatory-chemical-castration-for-sex-offenders-its-an-ethical-and-legal-minefield-257795

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

May 30, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: A gonorrhoea vaccine will soon be available in the UK – here’s how it works to protect against the STI

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Bharat Pankhania, Senior Clinical Lecturer, Biomedical Sciences, University of Exeter

Gonorrhoea, which is caused by the bacterium _Neisseria gonorrhoeae_, is the second most common STI in the UK. Tatiana Shepeleva/ Shutterstock

A vaccine targeting gonorrhoea will soon be rolled out on the NHS. This will make England and Wales the first two countries in the world to offer such a programme.

This move comes amid a sharp rise in gonorrhoea cases in England and increasing concern about antibiotic resistance. In 2023 alone, there were over 85,000 gonorrhoea diagnoses in England. Compared to 2012, where 25,525 cases were reported, this represents a 234% increase over the 11-year period.

Gonorrhoea is the second most common sexually transmitted infection in the UK. It’s caused by the bacterium Neisseria gonorrhoeae and is spread via unprotected sex with an infected person.

Around 10% of men and nearly half of women who test positive for gonorrhoea exhibit no symptoms. This is why this STI is so transmissible, as people without symptoms may not seek testing or treatment – meaning they may unknowingly transmit the infection to their sexual partners.

For those that do experience symptoms, the most common signs of a gonorrhoea infection include unusual vaginal or penile discharge (which is usually yellow or green in colour), pain when urinating as well as pain and discomfort in the lower abdomen. In severe cases, the infection can spread throughout the body. In rare cases it can also lead to sepsis.

Read more:
Gonorrhoea and syphilis diagnoses are at their highest in decades – here’s what you need to know about these STIs

Untreated gonorrhoea infections can lead to many complications, including infertility, pelvic inflammatory disease (an infection in the reproductive organs) in women and epididymitis (inflammation of the testicles) in men.

The only way to treat gonorrhoea is using antibiotics. But an increase in antibiotic resistance is making treatment difficult.

Gonorrhoea prevention

Currently, the only way to prevent a gonorrhoea infection is by practising safe sex, such as using condoms during intercourse and limiting the number of sexual partners.

This new vaccine programme will offer an added layer of protection, especially for groups at high risk of acquiring the infection.

The vaccine that will be offered on the NHS is actually an existing childhood vaccine called 4CMenB (also sold under the brand name Bexsero). This vaccine is used to protect against meningococcal group B disease, which can cause life-threatening bacterial meningitis (inflammation of the brain and spinal cord) and sepsis.

The bacterium that causes gonorrhoea, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, is genetically closely related to Neisseria meningitidis – the bacterium that causes meningococcal disease. Their genome is between 80-90% similar.

The 4CMenB vaccine contains four antigens that are deployed against Neisseria meningitidis bacteria. An antigen is usually a small molecule that the body recognises as a foreign invader. This triggers the body to mount an immune response against the antigen by producing antibodies which neutralise the bacteria and eliminate the infection.

The vaccine protects against gonorrhoea between 32-42% of the time.
Prostock-studio/Shutterstock

Two of the antigens found in the 4CMenB vaccine are found on the surface of both N gonorrhoeae and N meningitidis bacteria.

This is why using the 4CMenB vaccine for protection against gonorrhoea has progressed from theory to reality, with several studies showing it has a cross-protective effect.

Research has shown that the 4CMenB vaccine provides some protection against an infection from the Neisseria gonorrhoeae bacteria. On average, the vaccine is effective in preventing gonorrhoea between 32% and 42% of the time.

So while vaccination may reduce the chance of becoming infected with gonorrhoea, it’s not an absolute protection. Nevertheless, this new vaccine programme means those who are vaccinated will have a lower risk of contracting gonorrhoea and experiencing any complications that may arise from an infection. Most importantly, it also means they are less likely to transmit the infection to others.

Vaccine programme

The main benefit of a vaccination programme will be a significant reduction in the number of gonorrhoea cases overall. This is especially important given the rise of antibiotic resistance is making it increasingly difficult to treat gonorrhoea infections.

It’s also worth noting that a previous gonorrhoea infection offers no protection against future infection and reinfection. This is why the vaccine is beneficial, even if it is only moderately effective.

Eligible recipients, which includes gay and bisexual men who have a recent history of multiple sexual partners or a sexually transmitted infection, will be offered the vaccine through local NHS services from early August 2025.

Eligible patients will be identified via their local sexual health service, as well as through a general information campaign via the NHS. Patients will also be offered the mpox, hepitatis A and B and human papillomavirus vaccinations at the same time.

Vaccinating those at risk of contracting gonorrhoea will be more cost-effective and beneficial in the long run compared to vaccinating only those who have been diagnosed with gonorrhoea. Analysis led by Imperial College London has suggested the 4CMenB vaccine could prevent up to 100,000 cases of gonorrhoea and save the NHS over £7.9 million over the next decade if a high uptake is achieved.

Bharat Pankhania is affiliated with the Liberal Democrat Party. He is an elected councillor in the city of Bath and will be the Mayor of Bath on June 7 2025.

– ref. A gonorrhoea vaccine will soon be available in the UK – here’s how it works to protect against the STI – https://theconversation.com/a-gonorrhoea-vaccine-will-soon-be-available-in-the-uk-heres-how-it-works-to-protect-against-the-sti-257283

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

May 30, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Recruitment for a Distribution and Supply Chain Inspector for South East England
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

News story

Recruitment for a Distribution and Supply Chain Inspector for South East England

Distribution and Supply Chain Inspector vacancy, working on inspections and investigations to ensure compliance with the Veterinary Medicines Regulations (VMR).
We have a vacancy for a Distribution and Supply Chain Inspector.

Job Title

Distribution and Supply Chain Inspector for South East England

Grade

SEO

Salary & Pension

£41,220 per annum with Pension Scheme

Annual Leave entitlement

Commencing at 25 days

Role

This role contributes to the VMD’s aims and objectives through inspections and investigations to ensure that UK veterinary-only wholesale dealers, feed business operators and veterinary medicines retailers comply with the Veterinary Medicines Regulations (VMR).

How to apply

You must make your application via Distribution and Supply Chain Inspector for South East England – Civil Service Jobs – GOV.UK where you will find a full job description.

Closing Date

16 June 2025

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Published 29 May 2025
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
May 30, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: New National Park decision

Source: Scottish Government

No designation for Galloway and Ayrshire.

Ministers have decided not to pursue a proposal to designate Galloway and Ayrshire as a National Park.

Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon confirmed that opposition to the nomination and the Reporter’s recommendations against it meant that the region in southwest Scotland would not join the Cairngorms and Loch Lomond & the Trossachs as the country’s third national park.

Speaking in the Scottish Parliament, Ms Gougeon said:

“While there is substantial support for a National Park and what it could deliver for the southwest of Scotland, there is also significant opposition. I realise that this decision will be very disappointing for those who have been campaigning for a new National Park in Galloway over many years.

“I also recognise the huge amount of work and time that has been invested by a great many people throughout this process. I would like to thank everyone involved, including members of the Galloway National Park Association and the Galloway and Southern Ayrshire UNESCO Biosphere.

“I would also like to thank NatureScot for its work carrying out such an important and extensive public consultation in a robust and professional way that was commended in the review of the process carried out by the Scottish Community Development Centre. The consultation raised some really important issues that local people care deeply about and we now have the opportunity to look at how we can address these.

“The Scottish Government remains committed to our existing National Parks and the vital leadership role that they play in tackling the climate and biodiversity crises, promoting sustainable land management and supporting the economic and social development of local communities. Our National Parks are achieving for people and nature.”

Background

The proposal to designate a new National Park in Galloway and Ayrshire was jointly put forward by the Galloway National Park Association and the Galloway and Southern Ayrshire UNESCO Biosphere, in response to the Scottish Government’s invitation to communities and organisations across Scotland to nominate their area to be considered for designation as a new National Park.

Five nominations were received through that process – from Galloway and Ayrshire, Lochaber, Loch Awe, Scottish Borders and Tay Forest.

NatureScot was appointed as the statutory Reporter, as specified in the National Parks legislation, to carry out this investigation, undertake a public consultation and report to the Scottish Government.

Following an initial period of engagement with local communities, public bodies and stakeholders, NatureScot ran a 14-week public consultation process from 7 November 2024 until 14 February 2025.

Over 5,000 surveys were completed and more than 1,000 people attended events that were held across Galloway and South and East Ayrshire – with the final results showing around 54% of responses opposed the National Park proposal and around 42% of responses supported it.

The Report found: “Our recommendation as Reporter is therefore not to proceed with the designation but instead to strengthen a range of existing arrangements, including a better resourced and more influential Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere Reserve, a renewed focus on people and nature alongside commercial forestry operations in the Galloway Forest Park and a new commitment to the implementation of management strategies for the three National Scenic Areas.”

A report on the proposal for a National Park in Southwest Scotland – gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

May 30, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Galloway National Park rejection a betrayal of people and planet

Source: Scottish Greens

29 May 2025 Climate Nature

Scotland’s third National Park was a core pledge of the 2021 power-sharing deal with the Scottish Greens.

More in Climate

Scottish Greens MSP Mark Ruskell has hit out at the Scottish Government and vested interests for blocking plans for a new National Park in Galloway.

The news comes following a statement in the Scottish Parliament from Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Mairi Gougeon in which she announced the SNP planned to shelve the designation of the area as a protected landscape.

The proposals were a core pledge of the 2021 SNP/Green power-sharing deal. The new National Park in Galloway had wider political backing, although the Scottish Conservatives have rowed back on their previous support.

Speaking in the Chamber, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Mairi Gougeon revealed that support was greatest amongst environment, recreation and tourism sectors – whilst landowners and land managers were amongst those with the strongest reservations.

Mr Ruskell said:

“This decision to scrap the promised National Park for Galloway is the culmination of lack of confident political leadership and the dangerous influence of powerful vested interests.

“Scotland’s two current National Parks have shown just how valuable the status can be. Communities have benefited from better management of tourism and forestry, and new investment in transport and housing.

“By scrapping plans for the third National Park in Galloway, the Scottish Government has slammed the door on the economic investment and new powers this designation could bring. This is devastating news for the local community and nature.

“Scottish communities were competing against each other last year to secure a new National Park. But now, thanks to a campaign led by vested interests and misinformation, the Scottish Government is denying all of Scotland the opportunity to benefit from a new National Park.

“Many of the Park’s biggest opponents here in Holyrood once were vocal supporters of a new National Park in Scotland. The Tories backed the designation of a new National Park in both the 2016 and 2021 manifestos, even demanding the next park be in Galloway. But once again, they have sided with wealthy landowners who oppose change and lobby for their comfy status quo.

“Ultimately, it is the people of Galloway who will pay the price for this decision to scrap the National Park, and I’m sure this wasted opportunity will not be quickly forgotten by communities.”

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

May 30, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: The Salt Path taps into a long history of searching for healing on England’s south-west coast

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Lena Ferriday, Lecturer in the History of Science and the Environment, King’s College London

Moth Winn was diagnosed with a terminal illness at the age of 53 and in the same week he and his wife, Raynor, lost their home. As the bailiffs arrived, the couple made a remarkable decision: to take a 630-mile year-long coastal walk from Somerset to Dorset, through Devon and Cornwall.

Their journey was first told in Raynor Winn’s bestselling memoir The Salt Path, which has now been made into a film. In The Salt Path, Gillian Anderson and Jason Isaacs portray the hardship and hope the couple experienced as they walked through sunshine and storms with little more than a tent and a handful of cash.

But their walk is part of a much older story. Without realising it, Raynor and Moth joined a centuries-old tradition of seeking healing and transformation along the south-west coast. In the 19th century, people travelled to the coast because doctors believed coastal air and seawater could treat illness. This idea became known as “change of air” treatment and was widely prescribed to urban patients suffering from “nervous disorders”, such as stomach pains and chest issues. These seaside visits were understood as a form of medicine.

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England’s westerly edge

The South West Coast Path is the UK’s longest national trail. The route has over 115,000 feet of ascent and descent – the equivalent of scaling Mount Everest four times. It was officially protected in 1973 to preserve and improve access to the path and now attracts nearly 9 million visitors each year. But its origins lie in the working lives of local people, especially coastguards watching for smugglers and fishermen following pilchard shoals.

In the 19th century, the region also became a destination for domestic tourists. It was made more accessible as passenger rail lines were extended to places including Plymouth and Penzance. Some visitors walked to explore unfamiliar landscapes, while others did so on medical advice.

The seaside towns of Penzance and Torquay emerged as health resorts and by the first world war they were known as “havens for invalids”. Between 1800 and 1854, Torquay’s population grew from 800 to 14,000, mostly made up of medical residents on temporary stays.

Healing in the elements

Before the walk, Moth was diagnosed with corticobasal degeneration (CBD) after seeing a doctor about shoulder pain and tremors. CBD is a rare degenerative condition that affects the brain and gradually leads to difficulties with movement, speech, memory and swallowing.

When he began the walk, Moth’s mobility had deteriorated and he was experiencing severe pain and numbness in his left leg. For the first half of the film, Jason Isaacs drags his foot along the ground to show this physical strain. The challenge of walking was made harder by the rugged terrain – steep hills, jagged rocks and harsh winds.

As Moth and Raynor walked, something unexpected happened. Moth’s symptoms began to ease, his condition improved, and he eventually stopped taking pain relief. He believed the change was linked to the regular movement and the sense of purpose the walk gave them during a bleak period. He described walking as having a restorative power that offered him a new, unlicensed freedom.

The idea that walking by the coast could have healing properties has deep roots. In the 19th century, walking was considered beneficial, but the emphasis was on gentle movement in clean air rather than endurance through rough landscapes. The air of Devon and Cornwall was praised for its soothing qualities and the climate for its warmth in the winter. Town planners even built flat promenades in seaside towns to make walking more accessible for people with chronic illnesses and low mobility.

Spending time outside was considered particularly valuable for people suffering from tuberculosis. Before tuberculosis was known to be caused by bacteria, medical experts blamed it on bad-smelling air. Doctors suggested that city dwellers suffering with chest pains remove themselves from these dirty atmospheres and immerse themselves in the clean, salt air at the seaside.

Nature plays a central role in The Salt Path. Its affect on the body is seen in Gillian Anderson’s sun-scorched cheeks and wind-tousled hair. The sounds of birds and the sea accompany panoramic drone shots of the cliffs. The sea is a key character.

Arriving at Minehead, the Winns take a photo to begin their journey: of “the three of us”, the couple and the sea. Victorian travel writers also insisted that in the south-west, “The pedestrian must never wander more than a stone’s throw from the sea.”

When Moth swims in the sea, he is empowered in his own body and able to move without constraint. The seaside has carried health connotations since the 1700s. In the 18th century, doctors claimed that sudden immersion in cold, salty and turbulent waters had therapeutic value for chronic illness. Today, open swimming remains a popular practice in the south-west and is praised for its mental and physical health benefits.

As the film ends, we learn that 12 years after their walk Moth is still living with CBD and the couple still use long-distance walks to treat his symptoms. This experience of illness finds resonance in older practices, reminding us that healing can sometimes be found outside of clinical spaces. While the reasons for walking often change, the connection between place, body and wellbeing spans centuries. The Salt Path tells a deeply personal story but also continues a long cultural history of looking to the coastline for recovery and renewal.

Lena Ferriday has received funding from the Arts and Humanities Research Council.

– ref. The Salt Path taps into a long history of searching for healing on England’s south-west coast – https://theconversation.com/the-salt-path-taps-into-a-long-history-of-searching-for-healing-on-englands-south-west-coast-257793

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

May 30, 2025