Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (May 19) that in view of notifications from the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) about outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza in Municipality of Montenegro of the State of Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil, and Aurora County of the State of South Dakota and Douglas County of the State of Illinois in the United States (US) respectively, the CFS has instructed the trade to suspend the import of poultry meat and products (including poultry eggs) from the above-mentioned areas with immediate effect to protect public health in Hong Kong.
A CFS spokesman said that according to the Census and Statistics Department, Hong Kong imported about 9 400 tonnes of frozen poultry meat from Brazil; and about 12 290 tonnes of chilled and frozen poultry meat, and about 1.19 million poultry eggs from the US in the first three months of this year.
“The CFS has contacted the Brazilian and American authorities over the issues and will closely monitor information issued by the WOAH and the relevant authorities on the avian influenza outbreaks. Appropriate action will be taken in response to the development of the situation,” the spokesman said.
Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Sarah Diepstraten, Senior Research Officer, Blood Cells and Blood Cancer Division, WEHI (Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research)
Former US President Joe Biden has been diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer that has already spread to his bones.
Biden’s office said his cancer has a Gleason score of nine out of ten. It also said his cancer “appears to be hormone-sensitive, which allows for effective management”.
So what is a Gleason score? And what does it mean for a cancer to be hormone-sensitive?
What is prostate cancer?
Prostate cancer is any cancer that begins in the prostate, part of the male reproductive system. This small golf ball-sized gland is located below the bladder.
Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in men worldwide. In Australia, one in six men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer by the age of 85.
Some types of prostate cancer are low risk, grow very slowly, and may not require immediate treatment. Others are highly aggressive and can spread to other tissues and organs.
What are the symptoms of prostate cancer?
Early prostate cancers do not usually cause symptoms, and therefore can be difficult to detect.
At later stages, prostate cancer symptoms can include frequent urination, pain and/or a weak stream while urinating, blood in urine/semen, back/pelvic pain, and weakness in the legs or feet.
Advanced prostate cancer which has spread to bones can cause pain, fatigue and weight loss.
The Gleason score is one way of measuring the aggressiveness of prostate cancers. It assists doctors in categorising prostate cancers into different groups and in selecting appropriate treatments for patients.
Because the different regions of the tumour can have different cancer cells present, pathologists then pick two different sections of the tumour biopsy they think best represent the whole tumour.
Then, they grade each of the two sections with a score from 1 to 5. Grade 1 means the cancer cells present look a lot like normal, healthy cells. Grade 5 means the cancer cells look very abnormal. To get a patient’s Gleason score, the two grades are added together.
Patients with a Gleason score of 6 or less are considered low risk and may not require immediate treatment.
A Gleason score of 8–10 indicates a highly aggressive prostate cancer that will likely grow quickly.
The Gleason score is only one tool health-care professionals use to guide the diagnosis and treatment of patients.
Other tools include blood tests for prostate-specific antigen (PSA, which is often elevated in prostate cancer patients), physical examinations (such as a digital rectal examination), and imaging of the tumour (such as via CT scans, MRI, or ultrasounds).
While we don’t have all of the information about Biden’s diagnosis, a Gleason score of 9 indicates that his cancer is very aggressive.
What is hormone-sensitive prostate cancer?
Hormones are chemical signals made by various glands in our bodies. They are released into the bloodstream and can activate different processes in different cells and tissues.
Hormones are very important for the normal functioning of our bodies, but some types of cancers also need hormones in order to grow.
Prostate cancers that are “hormone-sensitive” need male sex hormones (also called androgens) to grow. Testosterone, which is primarily produced in the testicles, is an example of an androgen.
How are hormone-sensitive cancers treated?
Hormone therapies work either by reducing androgen levels, or by blocking the function of androgens. This can slow down or even kill hormone-sensitive prostate cancers, since they depend on androgens for their continued growth and survival.
Androgen-deprivation therapy is usually the first hormone therapy those with prostate cancer will receive. It aims to reduce the levels of androgen produced by the testicles, either through surgical or chemical castration.
Other types of hormone therapy, which can also be used in combination with androgen-deprivation therapy, include androgen-receptor blockers. These drugs bind to cell receptors, blocking the interaction between the androgens and the cancer cells. This means the cancer cells can’t access the androgens they need to grow.
Of course, hormones are also necessary for normal bodily functions, meaning blocking them has side effects. Hormone therapies for prostate cancer commonly have side effects such as erectile dysfunction, weight gain, fatigue and osteoporosis, which causes bones to become weak and brittle.
While hormone therapy may not be pleasant, it is an effective treatment option. Prostate cancers which become insensitive to hormone therapies are much more difficult to treat and generally considered incurable.
Besides hormone therapy, prostate cancer may also be treated with surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy – it depends on the patient.
In addition, many new treatments for prostate cancers are currently under investigation, including laser procedures to remove cancer cells and CAR T therapy, which involves transforming a patient’s own immune cells into cancer-fighting cells.
Biden and his family are now said to be reviewing treatment options.
Sarah Diepstraten receives funding from Cure Cancer Australia and My Room Children’s Cancer Charity.
John (Eddie) La Marca receives funding from Cancer Council Victoria. He is affiliated with the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute and the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research.
Each year, WHO honours individuals and organizations from each of the six WHO regions for their outstanding contributions to tobacco control. These accolades include the WHO Director-General’s Special Recognition Awards, the World No Tobacco Day Awards, and, in 2025, one WHO Director-General’s Special Recognition Certificate.
The recipients of the 2025 awards are:
WHO Director-General Special awards:
Dr Mohamed Muizzu, President, Republic of Maldives
The Ministry of Health and Wellness, Republic of Mauritius
WHO Director-General’s Special Recognition certificate:
Global Center for Good Governance in Tobacco Control (GGTC)
African Region
Programme National de Lutte contre le Tabagisme, l’Alcoolisme, la Toxicomanie et les autres Addictions (PNLTA), Republic of Côte d’Ivoire
Dr Brou Dieudonne Koffi, Secretary, Organization of the Network of NGOs Engaged in Tobacco Control (ROCTACI), Republic of Côte d’Ivoire
Labram Massawudu Musah, Vision for Accelerated Sustainable Development, Republic of Ghana
Elvina Majiwa, Student, United States International University-Africa, Republic of Kenya
Charity Aienobe-Asekharen, Health Promotion, Education and Community Development Initiative (HPECDI), Federal Republic of Nigeria
Region of the Americas
Agência Nacional de Vigilância Sanitária (ANVISA), Federative Republic of Brazil
Lisa Lu, CEO, International Youth Tobacco Control, United States of America
Shared award:
Ministry of Finance, Federative Republic of Brazil
Ministry of Health, Federative Republic of Brazil
Shared award:
Denis Choinière, Retired Director, Tobacco Products Regulatory Office, Health Canada
Clifton Curtis (in memoriam), Environmental Lawyer, United States of America
Shared award:
Colectivo Todas y Todos por la Vida, Republic of Ecuador
Acción Jurídica Popular, Republic of Ecuador
Shared award:
Asociación de Periodismo con Lupa, Republic of Peru
Cooperativa de Trabajo Sudestada, Eastern Republic of Uruguay
Proyecto sobre Organización, Desarrollo, Educación e Investigación (PODER), United Mexican States
Eastern Mediterranean Region
Dr Seyed Morteza Khatami, Deputy for Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Islamic Republic of Iran
Mr Lhassane Hallou, Director of Studies and International Cooperation, Administration of Customs and Indirect Taxes, Kingdom of Morocco
Hamad Medical Corporation Tobacco Control Centre, WHO Collaborating Centre, State of Qatar
European Region
Dr Lena Nanushyan, First Deputy Minister of Health, Republic of Armenia
Dr Franz Pietsch, Head of Directorate, Federal Ministry of Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection, Republic of Austria
Mr Frank Vandenbroucke, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Social Affairs and Public Health, Kingdom of Belgium
Professor Constantine Vardavas, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece
Dr Shukhrat Shukurov, Chief Specialist, Institute of Health and Strategic Development, Republic of Uzbekistan
South-East Asia Region
National Board of Revenue, People’s Republic of Bangladesh
State Tobacco Control Cell, Department of Health and Family Welfare, Government of Karnataka, Republic of India
Ministry of Health and Population, Nepal
Mr Chadchart Sittipunt, Governor of Bangkok, Chairman of Bangkok Tobacco Products Control Committee, Kingdom of Thailand
Western Pacific Region
Professor Emily Banks AM, Professor of Epidemiology and Public Health, Senior Principal Research Fellow, National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, Australian National University, Australia
Te Marae Ora, Ministry of Health, Cook Islands
Philippine College of Chest Physicians, Republic of the Philippines
Ms Dao Hong Lan, Minister of Health, Socialist Republic of Viet Nam
Shared award:
YB Datuk Seri Dr Haji Dzulkefly bin Ahmad, Minister of Health, Malaysia
Dr Noraryana Binti Hassan, Disease Control Division, Ministry of Health, Malaysia
Dr Murallitharan Munisamy, Malaysian Council for Tobacco Control, Malaysia
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sarah Diepstraten, Senior Research Officer, Blood Cells and Blood Cancer Division, WEHI (Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research)
Former US President Joe Biden has been diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer that has already spread to his bones.
Biden’s office said his cancer has a Gleason score of nine out of ten. It also said his cancer “appears to be hormone-sensitive, which allows for effective management”.
So what is a Gleason score? And what does it mean for a cancer to be hormone-sensitive?
What is prostate cancer?
Prostate cancer is any cancer that begins in the prostate, part of the male reproductive system. This small golf ball-sized gland is located below the bladder.
Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in men worldwide. In Australia, one in six men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer by the age of 85.
Some types of prostate cancer are low risk, grow very slowly, and may not require immediate treatment. Others are highly aggressive and can spread to other tissues and organs.
What are the symptoms of prostate cancer?
Early prostate cancers do not usually cause symptoms, and therefore can be difficult to detect.
At later stages, prostate cancer symptoms can include frequent urination, pain and/or a weak stream while urinating, blood in urine/semen, back/pelvic pain, and weakness in the legs or feet.
Advanced prostate cancer which has spread to bones can cause pain, fatigue and weight loss.
The Gleason score is one way of measuring the aggressiveness of prostate cancers. It assists doctors in categorising prostate cancers into different groups and in selecting appropriate treatments for patients.
Because the different regions of the tumour can have different cancer cells present, pathologists then pick two different sections of the tumour biopsy they think best represent the whole tumour.
Then, they grade each of the two sections with a score from 1 to 5. Grade 1 means the cancer cells present look a lot like normal, healthy cells. Grade 5 means the cancer cells look very abnormal. To get a patient’s Gleason score, the two grades are added together.
Patients with a Gleason score of 6 or less are considered low risk and may not require immediate treatment.
A Gleason score of 8–10 indicates a highly aggressive prostate cancer that will likely grow quickly.
The Gleason score is only one tool health-care professionals use to guide the diagnosis and treatment of patients.
Other tools include blood tests for prostate-specific antigen (PSA, which is often elevated in prostate cancer patients), physical examinations (such as a digital rectal examination), and imaging of the tumour (such as via CT scans, MRI, or ultrasounds).
While we don’t have all of the information about Biden’s diagnosis, a Gleason score of 9 indicates that his cancer is very aggressive.
What is hormone-sensitive prostate cancer?
Hormones are chemical signals made by various glands in our bodies. They are released into the bloodstream and can activate different processes in different cells and tissues.
Hormones are very important for the normal functioning of our bodies, but some types of cancers also need hormones in order to grow.
Prostate cancers that are “hormone-sensitive” need male sex hormones (also called androgens) to grow. Testosterone, which is primarily produced in the testicles, is an example of an androgen.
How are hormone-sensitive cancers treated?
Hormone therapies work either by reducing androgen levels, or by blocking the function of androgens. This can slow down or even kill hormone-sensitive prostate cancers, since they depend on androgens for their continued growth and survival.
Androgen-deprivation therapy is usually the first hormone therapy those with prostate cancer will receive. It aims to reduce the levels of androgen produced by the testicles, either through surgical or chemical castration.
Other types of hormone therapy, which can also be used in combination with androgen-deprivation therapy, include androgen-receptor blockers. These drugs bind to cell receptors, blocking the interaction between the androgens and the cancer cells. This means the cancer cells can’t access the androgens they need to grow.
Of course, hormones are also necessary for normal bodily functions, meaning blocking them has side effects. Hormone therapies for prostate cancer commonly have side effects such as erectile dysfunction, weight gain, fatigue and osteoporosis, which causes bones to become weak and brittle.
While hormone therapy may not be pleasant, it is an effective treatment option. Prostate cancers which become insensitive to hormone therapies are much more difficult to treat and generally considered incurable.
Besides hormone therapy, prostate cancer may also be treated with surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy – it depends on the patient.
In addition, many new treatments for prostate cancers are currently under investigation, including laser procedures to remove cancer cells and CAR T therapy, which involves transforming a patient’s own immune cells into cancer-fighting cells.
Biden and his family are now said to be reviewing treatment options.
Sarah Diepstraten receives funding from Cure Cancer Australia and My Room Children’s Cancer Charity.
John (Eddie) La Marca receives funding from Cancer Council Victoria. He is affiliated with the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute and the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
World news story
Support for Taiwan’s meaningful engagement with the WHO in 2025
Joint press release: Support for Taiwan’s meaningful engagement with the World Health Organization and participation as an observer in the World Health Assembly
Logos of all the co-signed offices
We, the British Office Taipei; the Australian Office Taipei; the Canadian Trade Office in Taipei; the Czech Economic and Cultural Office; French Office in Taipei; the German Institute Taipei; the Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association; and the Lithuanian Trade Representative Office wish to reaffirm our support for Taiwan’s meaningful participation in the work of the World Health Organization and Taiwan’s participation as an observer in the World Health Assembly.
As this year’s 78th session of the World Health Assembly commences in Geneva, Taiwan remains largely excluded from the world’s international health system. As COVID-19 and continued public health crises make plain, infectious diseases and health hazards do not respect borders. Global cooperation is required to keep the whole world safe.
Taiwan has shown itself to be a highly capable, engaged, and responsible member of the global health community and was invited to participate as an observer in WHA meetings from 2009 to 2016. Taiwan’s distinct capabilities and methods – including its significant public health expertise, democratic governance, and advanced technology – bring considerable value that would inform the WHA’s deliberations. Taiwan’s isolation from the WHA, the preeminent global health forum, is entirely unjustified. This undermines inclusive global public health cooperation and security, which the world demands, and which is enshrined in the founding documents of the WHO.
Taiwan’s meaningful participation in the fora and technical committees of the World Health Organization would bring benefits not just to people in Taiwan, but also around the world. Only by including Taiwan as an observer would the WHO be able to fully exemplify the Health Assembly’s commitment to “One World for Health.”
Wolverhampton Maternity and Health Visiting Services and the City of Wolverhampton Council’s Public Health Team are working together to better understand what pregnant women and new mothers know about whooping cough, their attitudes toward the whooping cough vaccine, and their experiences discussing vaccinations during pregnancy.
The findings will help improve how vaccine information is communicated and guide future conversations during antenatal care.
Whooping cough, also known as pertussis, is a bacterial infection of the lungs and breathing tubes. It spreads very easily and can sometimes cause serious problems, especially in babies and young children.
Mums to be are offered the vaccine between 16 and 32 weeks of pregnancy so their baby has protection against whooping cough from birth. The whooping cough vaccine is also routinely given as part of the 6 in 1 combination vaccine for babies at 8, 12 and 16 weeks, which also protects against diphtheria, hepatitis B, hib, polio and tetanus.
For more information on the whooping cough vaccine in pregnancy, please visit Keeping well in pregnancy.
The Diphtheria, Tetanus and Polio (DTP) vaccine, also known as the 3 in 1 teenage booster, which is offered to children in Year 9 and above. This booster is the last routine dose that provides young people with long lasting protection into adulthood
The Meningococcal (Men ACWY) vaccination for children in Year 9 and above which helps protect young people against 4 types of meningococcal disease which can cause both meningitis and septicaemia
The HPV vaccine, given in school Year 8 which helps protect against cancers caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV)
The MMR vaccination, to provide long lasting protection against measles, mumps and rubella for all school aged children who have missed doses.
Clinic will be held next Monday 26 May at Biz Space, Room 2, Planetary Road WV13 3SW from 10am to 2pm and on Saturday 12 July at Whitmore Reans Family Hub, Lansdowne Road, Wolverhampton WV1 4AL from 9.30am to 2pm. Appointments must be booked in advance by contacting Vaccination UK on 01902 200077.
Councillor Obaida Ahmed, the City of Wolverhampton Council’s Cabinet Member for Health, Wellbeing and Community, said: “These vaccines offer the best protection for teenagers as they start their journey into adulthood and start mixing more widely – whether that’s going to college, starting work, travelling or going to festivals.
“So, if your child has missed out on their vaccinations, maybe because they were off school or are home educated, please come along to one of the catch up clinics being delivered by Vaccination UK over the coming weeks.”
Dementia affects nearly a million people in the UK, including approximately 3,600 in Wolverhampton.
Dementia Action Week, organised by the Alzheimer’s Society and supported by the City of Wolverhampton Council and other members of Wolverhampton Dementia Action Alliance, is an opportunity to raise awareness of the help and support available to people living with dementia, and their families and carers.
The African Caribbean Community Initiative (ACCI), Alzheimer’s Society, the council and Healthwatch Wolverhampton will be holding a ‘Let’s Talk About Dementia’ event including interactive workshops, music and exercise, at the Church of God Prophecy tomorrow (Tuesday) from 11am to 3pm – for details, call 01902 571230 or email carers@acci.org.uk.
The council’s Public Protection Team, with colleagues from the Carer Support Team, the Dementia Action Alliance, Wolves Foundation and ACCI, will be at Bilston Indoor Market on Thursday from 10am to 1pm offering information and advice.
Memory Matters will have 2 phone in sessions offering one-to-one advice and information to individuals, families and carers who have memory concerns. These will take place tomorrow (Tuesday) from 1.30pm until 4pm and Wednesday (21 May), also 1.30pm to 4pm. Please call 01902 551852.
Meanwhile, the Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust’s Admiral Nursing Team and the Alzheimer’s Society will be hosting a series of webinars aimed at professionals and covering 5 different themes, Preventing Well, Diagnosing Well, Supporting Well, Living Well and Dying Well. To book places, visit Black Country Healthcare – Dementia Action Week Webinars.
Jon Crockett, Chair of Wolverhampton Dementia Action Alliance, said: “Dementia Action Week is showing once again the range of organisations across the city who are working together to make a difference for those people living with dementia, their families and carers.
“I’m proud of all those people across Wolverhampton taking the opportunity to help people to understand more about dementia and what they can do to help people living with dementia. It is estimated that 1 in 3 people born in the UK today will be diagnosed with dementia in their lifetime and it remains the commitment of everyone in the Dementia Action Alliance to make Wolverhampton a dementia friendly city.
“Dementia Action Week gives us the opportunity to showcase the many organisations who are working hard to make that ambition a reality.”
Councillor Paula Brookfield, the council’s Cabinet Member for Adults, added: “Dementia Action Week enables us to highlight the support available to people living with this debilitating condition, and their families and friends.
“We would also like to encourage more people in Wolverhampton to become a Dementia Friend so you better understand the needs of people living with dementia and can do your bit to help them. You can do this online by visiting Dementia Friends.”
People who are worried about dementia can contact the Alzheimer’s Society for information and support either via the National Dementia Helpline on 0333 150 3456 or by visiting Alzheimer’s Society. For more information about the help and support available locally, please visit Dementia.
The Dementia Action Alliance brings together a range of local organisations which want to make Wolverhampton more dementia friendly, including businesses, emergency services, religious groups and education providers. For more information, please visit Dementia.
The highly infectious virus was found in two healthy, polio-vaccinated children who were screened following detection of the virus during routine wastewater sampling in Lae, PNG’s second largest city. Wastewater samples are also positive in the capital Port Moresby, indicating the potential of spread around the country.
The strain has been identified as circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2, similar genetically to a strain circulating in Indonesia.
So what does this mean? And what will happen now in PNG?
First, what is polio?
Polio, or poliomyelitis, is a highly contagious disease caused by the poliovirus. It primarily affects children.
Most infections don’t cause significant symptoms and go largely unnoticed. But less than 1% of infections result in paralysis.
Poliovirus is spread by person-to-person contact or the ingestion of contaminated virus from faeces. The virus multiplies in the gut of people who are infected, and they shed the virus in their stool for several weeks. In this way it can spread through a community, especially in areas with poor sanitation.
A recent review also suggested a greater role for transmission via respiratory particles than we previously thought.
Wild poliovirus (as distinct from vaccine-derived poliovirus, which we’ll discuss shortly) was a major public health issue prior to the rollout of vaccination in 1950s. This campaign led to the virtual elimination of the disease in rich countries such as Australia.
There are two types of vaccines – the oral polio vaccine and the inactivated polio vaccine.
Delivered as two drops in the mouth at least four times in early childhood, the oral vaccine contains a live-attenuated (weakened) form of the poliovirus. It triggers a strong immune reaction in the gut that slows the replication of wild poliovirus, and reduces shedding in the stool, limiting transmission.
The oral vaccine does carry a small risk of the weakened vaccine strain causing paralysis. This occurs in
roughly one in 2.7 million doses of the oral vaccine administered, usually at the first dose.
The inactivated polio vaccine (part of the routine immunisation program in Australia) contains an inactivated or dead form of the poliovirus, which is unable to cause polio in the recipient.
Given as an injection, this vaccine stimulates the immune system to produce protective antibodies in the blood against poliovirus. Three doses of the inactivated vaccine are highly protective against developing symptoms and paralysis from polio.
As the weakened poliovirus in the oral vaccine is still shed in the stool, it can spread in communities with poor sanitation. The vaccine strain can mutate to a form that can cause paralysis, like wild poliovirus. The result, circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus, is a problem particularly when polio immunisation rates are low.
The risk of international spread of vaccine-derived poliovirus has been assessed as high by the WHO and United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. There were outbreaks in 39 countries in 2023–24.
A novel oral polio vaccine, nOPV2, which is less likely to mutate, has been used in outbreaks of vaccine-derived poliovirus since 2021.
In 2019, all countries had introduced the inactivated vaccine. However uptake remains low because of a lack of resources and inadequate access to health services in poor countries.
What happens now in PNG?
The PNG government has responded swiftly to activate its polio emergency response plan, supported by partners including WHO, UNICEF and the Australian government.
Notably, PNG’s vaccination rate is among the lowest in the world, with only about 50% of children born each year receiving the recommended childhood vaccines, including the oral polio vaccine. To induce herd immunity and prevent outbreaks of disease, coverage should be at least 95%.
PNG was declared polio free in 2000. But there was an outbreak in 2018 of vaccine-derived polio type 1 with 26 cases across nine provinces. The outbreak was brought under control through supplementary rounds of vaccination, enhanced surveillance, and expanded communication and community engagement.
There are many lessons to be learned from the successful response to the 2018 polio outbreak. These three pillars of the response remain relevant:
mass vaccination (using nOPV2)
enhanced surveillance for cases and wastewater sampling
communication (through traditional and social media) and localised community engagement.
Further research will be crucial to understand where transmission is occurring and target the response accordingly. This includes the question of potential for spread between Indonesia and PNG – a neglected health security issue.
How about the risk in Australia?
While the risk of spread of polio in Australia is low, the virus does not respect borders, and we cannot become complacent.
Supporting PNG and working with other countries towards global polio eradication is the best way Australia can protect itself.
This outbreak is a timely reminder that the last mile in the global eradication of polio remains elusive. As we emerge from a pandemic, the need for international cooperation, strengthening health systems and responding swiftly to health emergencies such as polio couldn’t be stronger.
Michael Toole has received funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council.
Suman Majumdar, through the Burnet Institute receives grant funding from the Victorian Government and the Australian Government via the National Health & Medical Research Council of Australia, the Medical Research Future Fund and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
Fredrick Charles does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
The highly infectious virus was found in two healthy, polio-vaccinated children who were screened following detection of the virus during routine wastewater sampling in Lae, PNG’s second largest city. Wastewater samples are also positive in the capital Port Moresby, indicating the potential of spread around the country.
The strain has been identified as circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2, similar genetically to a strain circulating in Indonesia.
So what does this mean? And what will happen now in PNG?
First, what is polio?
Polio, or poliomyelitis, is a highly contagious disease caused by the poliovirus. It primarily affects children.
Most infections don’t cause significant symptoms and go largely unnoticed. But less than 1% of infections result in paralysis.
Poliovirus is spread by person-to-person contact or the ingestion of contaminated virus from faeces. The virus multiplies in the gut of people who are infected, and they shed the virus in their stool for several weeks. In this way it can spread through a community, especially in areas with poor sanitation.
A recent review also suggested a greater role for transmission via respiratory particles than we previously thought.
Wild poliovirus (as distinct from vaccine-derived poliovirus, which we’ll discuss shortly) was a major public health issue prior to the rollout of vaccination in 1950s. This campaign led to the virtual elimination of the disease in rich countries such as Australia.
There are two types of vaccines – the oral polio vaccine and the inactivated polio vaccine.
Delivered as two drops in the mouth at least four times in early childhood, the oral vaccine contains a live-attenuated (weakened) form of the poliovirus. It triggers a strong immune reaction in the gut that slows the replication of wild poliovirus, and reduces shedding in the stool, limiting transmission.
The oral vaccine does carry a small risk of the weakened vaccine strain causing paralysis. This occurs in
roughly one in 2.7 million doses of the oral vaccine administered, usually at the first dose.
The inactivated polio vaccine (part of the routine immunisation program in Australia) contains an inactivated or dead form of the poliovirus, which is unable to cause polio in the recipient.
Given as an injection, this vaccine stimulates the immune system to produce protective antibodies in the blood against poliovirus. Three doses of the inactivated vaccine are highly protective against developing symptoms and paralysis from polio.
As the weakened poliovirus in the oral vaccine is still shed in the stool, it can spread in communities with poor sanitation. The vaccine strain can mutate to a form that can cause paralysis, like wild poliovirus. The result, circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus, is a problem particularly when polio immunisation rates are low.
The risk of international spread of vaccine-derived poliovirus has been assessed as high by the WHO and United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. There were outbreaks in 39 countries in 2023–24.
A novel oral polio vaccine, nOPV2, which is less likely to mutate, has been used in outbreaks of vaccine-derived poliovirus since 2021.
In 2019, all countries had introduced the inactivated vaccine. However uptake remains low because of a lack of resources and inadequate access to health services in poor countries.
What happens now in PNG?
The PNG government has responded swiftly to activate its polio emergency response plan, supported by partners including WHO, UNICEF and the Australian government.
Notably, PNG’s vaccination rate is among the lowest in the world, with only about 50% of children born each year receiving the recommended childhood vaccines, including the oral polio vaccine. To induce herd immunity and prevent outbreaks of disease, coverage should be at least 95%.
PNG was declared polio free in 2000. But there was an outbreak in 2018 of vaccine-derived polio type 1 with 26 cases across nine provinces. The outbreak was brought under control through supplementary rounds of vaccination, enhanced surveillance, and expanded communication and community engagement.
There are many lessons to be learned from the successful response to the 2018 polio outbreak. These three pillars of the response remain relevant:
mass vaccination (using nOPV2)
enhanced surveillance for cases and wastewater sampling
communication (through traditional and social media) and localised community engagement.
Further research will be crucial to understand where transmission is occurring and target the response accordingly. This includes the question of potential for spread between Indonesia and PNG – a neglected health security issue.
How about the risk in Australia?
While the risk of spread of polio in Australia is low, the virus does not respect borders, and we cannot become complacent.
Supporting PNG and working with other countries towards global polio eradication is the best way Australia can protect itself.
This outbreak is a timely reminder that the last mile in the global eradication of polio remains elusive. As we emerge from a pandemic, the need for international cooperation, strengthening health systems and responding swiftly to health emergencies such as polio couldn’t be stronger.
Michael Toole has received funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council.
Suman Majumdar, through the Burnet Institute receives grant funding from the Victorian Government and the Australian Government via the National Health & Medical Research Council of Australia, the Medical Research Future Fund and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
Fredrick Charles does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Research indicates that 3.6 billion people live in areas highly susceptible to climate change and, by 2050, the climate crisis could cause $1.1 trillion in extra costs to healthcare systems around the globe.
How is the resilience of key sectors to climate change being measured and how are key actors responding to safeguard public health?
This is the full audio of a panel discussion at the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting on 23 January, 2025. Watch it here: https://www.weforum.org/meetings/world-economic-forum-annual-meeting-2025/sessions/where-climate-collides-with-health/
Speakers:
John Steenhuisen, Minister of Agriculture, Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development
Source: PISA results continue to show more to be done for equity in education
Agencies that respond to fire and smoke incidents
Several agencies work closely together during smoke or fire-related incidents, especially in a large-scale event. This ensures all available resources, expertise, and equipment are available for an effective response.
Leads messaging to the affected communities in a fire emergency, with support from Health New Zealand’s Public Health Service.
If a fire is dangerous or a threat to a person or property, call 111 and ask for the fire service.
Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora
Te Whatu Ora provides advice on potential health risks when there is a significant smoke event that may affect public health.
Christchurch City Council
Christchurch City Council plays a supporting role in fire response. Depending on the community’s needs, the Council also may have a role in post-emergency recovery, including some wildfire prevention measures and building community resilience.
Australians are expected to spend over A$2 billion booking holidays online in 2024–25.
Big name platforms such as Booking.com and Expedia account for about 60% of this activity. But many travellers are also turning to smaller or lesser-known providers offering flashy deals and lower prices, often with fewer safeguards.
So, how can you protect yourself? Start with these five checks.
1. Don’t be swayed by slick websites or social media ads
It’s a common tactic, and one that’s hard to resist. You’re scrolling, you see a dreamy image, the price is tempting, and suddenly you’re halfway through checkout.
Check for a verifiable business address, phone number and customer support. If the deal feels vague, under-priced or overly urgent, that’s a red flag.
Look for independent reviews (on Trustpilot, Tripadvisor or Google), and check Scamwatch for known issues.
2. Look at how the company engages with customers
A company’s reputation isn’t just about what it promises: it’s built on how it responds to questions and complaints. Before booking, take a moment to see how the business interacts with customers online.
Do they reply constructively to complaints? Do they offer updates or explanations when issues arise?
Also notice the tone. Does it feel human and responsive, or generic and hands-off? That can suggest how they’ll treat you after the sale.
Small signs can speak volumes. A page with thousands of followers but no visible engagement may indicate a paid audience – and a company that vanishes when things get difficult.
3. Check if the company is accredited
Another way to assess a travel company’s credibility is to check if it holds formal accreditation. This signals the company has met standards in financial security, customer service and dispute resolution.
Accreditation offers extra reassurance, but it’s not the whole picture. Some large, reputable companies, such as Expedia, operate without it. If a company isn’t accredited, proceed with caution and focus on how bookings and payments are handled.
4. Scrutinise policies carefully
Before booking, check what happens if the provider goes bust, whether you can cancel or reschedule, and how your booking will be confirmed. Where possible, follow up directly with the hotel, airline or tour operator to make sure reservations are secured.
Booking directly with a hotel or tour provider can ensure you are getting up-to-date availability. Media_Photos/Shutterstock
Company insolvency is one of the most common exclusions. Unless a policy includes “end supplier failure” or a similar clause (most don’t), you may not be able to claim a refund. Always read the Product Disclosure Statement to check exactly where you stand.
Another safeguard is to pay with protection in mind. Although conditions vary by provider, credit cards may offer chargebacks if the goods or services aren’t delivered.
5. Book direct where feasible
While accredited travel agencies can be helpful for complex itineraries, like overseas trips with multiple stops or bundled services, it’s often worth booking directly with the provider when making travel arrangements online, whether that’s a hotel, airline or tour company.
Cutting out the intermediary can offer better value, including complimentary extras, flexible cancellation and full access to loyalty programs.
Direct bookings usually reflect real-time availability and pricing, reducing the risk of outdated information. You’ll benefit from direct communication and confirmation, making it easier to customise or resolve issues.
If something goes wrong, there’s also greater clarity about who’s responsible – offering stronger recourse under Australian Consumer Law.
The bottom line?
As more Australians book holidays online, it’s becoming harder to tell what’s trustworthy and what could leave you out of pocket.
Traveldream’s collapse is a reminder. Even in the world of digital travel deals, it pays to ask: is this company built to last, not just until your trip departs, but until you return home?
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.
Many children across Australia have begun to play their favourite contact sports like rugby league, rugby union and Australian rules football.
Many will be just starting out during their early years of primary school.
Yet there are growing concerns these young athletes may be at heightened risk of sports-related concussions due to their more vulnerable developing brains.
Our new opinion article, published in Sports Medicine, presents the case for delaying all full-contact tackling until the age of 12, based on the current body of evidence and ongoing debate in the field.
Some see this as a necessary step to safeguard children’s brains. Others worry it might leave kids unprepared for more physical challenges as they grow.
Their neural pathways are still maturing, so repeated head knocks – referred to as “sub-concussive” impacts, which don’t produce obvious concussion symptoms – may pose greater risks for long-term brain development.
Around the ages of eight to 12 is a sweet spot for children’s cognitive and motor development, as they make significant gains in physical fitness, motor coordination, body awareness and cognitive functions such as reaction time and decision-making.
An eight-year-old, for instance, may struggle with the rapid judgements required to align their shoulder and brace their neck properly when tackling a moving player.
Aligning physical growth with cognitive readiness can allow young athletes to enter contact situations with a firmer grasp of safe techniques and the confidence to use them during games.
Why this might be needed
A common misconception is delaying full-body contact means not teaching it at all.
Children should be gradually taught skills like body positioning, safe falling and correct shoulder placement before they are faced with high-intensity collisions.
This means children get time to master core skills of the sport, such as catching, passing, kicking and tactics, free from the added demands of body-to-body contact.
This dual focus on skill-based contact training and fundamental sport skills promotes a more holistic athlete development aligned with childhood development.
Unsurprisingly, studies show non-contact versions of sports have fewer head impacts than those in full-contact leagues.
Weight-based categories, such as those used in some junior rugby competitions, aim to lower injury risks by preventing physical mismatches. However, they don’t fully address poor technique or cognitive readiness.
Many leagues across the world are modifying contact rules to reduce youth injuries, with ice hockey the best example.
Some argue early contact fosters character and builds resilience and physical readiness despite the risk to a developing brain.
But while early findings suggest delaying contact can reduce injuries, we still don’t have enough long-term studies to prove the full impact over time.
Delaying tackling also poses a challenge, as modifying a sport’s contact rules is complex, and cultural resistance or limited coaching resources in community leagues can hinder change.
Still, many believe that with appropriate formats, coach education and a phased introduction, it is possible to balance skill development with athlete safety.
A way forward
A potential way forward involves structured, progressive skill development, and gradually teaching young players how to give and receive contact, initially in controlled, low-intensity settings. The emphasis should be focused on safe falling, bracing, neck strengthening and correct head placement.
Some experts also recommend a broader approach that makes safety part of everything in sport, including everything from how coaches teach to the rules of the game to the overall culture.
With a structured progression and strong safety culture, more children will be physically and cognitively prepared to participate in full-contact sports confidently, safely and with greater long-term enjoyment and retention.
Growing evidence supports introducing contact in a developmentally appropriate way to improve safety.
Earlier collisions may raise the risk of concussions without offering much benefit in the long run.
A delayed approach, with progressive skill instruction, may be safer and allow children to develop core skills first.
It’s a way to protect young brains and ensure every child can play confidently and safely once they transition to full-contact tackling, promoting long-term participation safely.
Jonathon Headrick is affiliated with Exercise & Sports Science Australia (ESSA).
Joel Garrett does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Former U.S. President Joe Biden has been diagnosed with an “aggressive form” of prostate cancer that has spread to his bones, his office said in a statement on Sunday.
Biden, 82, was diagnosed on Friday after experiencing urinary symptoms, and he and his family are reviewing treatment options with doctors, according to the statement.
“While this represents a more aggressive form of the disease, the cancer appears to be hormone-sensitive which allows for effective management,” his office said.
Cancers that have spread, or metastasized, are considered Stage 4, the most advanced. Most prostate cancers are detected at an earlier stage.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, of the 236,659 cases of prostate cancer diagnosed in 2021, 70% were diagnosed before the cancer had spread beyond the prostate. About 8% of new prostate cancer diagnoses that year involved advanced-stage disease.
Biden‘s physical health and mental acuity drew scrutiny during his 2021-2025 presidency. He abruptly ended his bid for reelection last July, weeks after a halting performance during a debate against Republican Donald Trump prompted panic among his fellow Democrats.
President Trump, who has repeatedly berated Biden since taking office in January, expressed sympathy on Sunday for Biden and his wife, Jill, in a post on his social media platform Truth Social.
“Melania and I are saddened to hear about Joe Biden‘s recent medical diagnosis,” he wrote, referring to first lady Melania Trump. “We extend our warmest and best wishes to Jill and the family, and we wish Joe a fast and successful recovery.”
Biden‘s office said the cancer scored a nine out of 10 on the Gleason score grading system, which is used to help determine the aggressiveness of prostate cancer.
Dr. Herbert Lepor, an urologist at NYU Langone, said a score of nine is “very high risk,” but added that many men can live “five to 10 years and beyond” even with metastatic prostate cancer.
“Over the last decade, there have been many advances in the treatment of advanced prostate cancer,” he said.
Dr. Chris George, the medical director of the cancer program for the Northwestern Health Network, said prostate cancer is no longer curable once it spreads to the bones but that there are treatments that can control it.
BIDEN, TRUMP OLDEST TO WIN PRESIDENCY
Biden was the oldest person to win the U.S. presidency at the time of his election in 2020. Trump, 78, broke that record when he defeated Vice President Kamala Harris last year.
Some prominent Democrats have recently acknowledged that it was an error to advance Biden as the 2024 nominee, given widespread concerns among voters about his age. Long before the debate last summer, Reuters/Ipsos polls showed a majority of Americans, including most Democrats, believed Biden was too old to serve a second term.
“It was a mistake for Democrats to not listen to the voters earlier,” Democratic U.S. Senator Chris Murphy told NBC News’ “Meet the Press” on Sunday morning, before Biden‘s diagnosis was announced.
Biden has kept a low profile since leaving office, making only a handful of public appearances, including an April speech in which he defended the Social Security Administration against Trump’s planned cuts.
He has also defended his legacy in interviews and rejected reporting in two new books that he suffered from cognitive decline during his last year in office.
“They are wrong,” he said earlier this month on ABC’s “The View,” referring to the books’ authors.
Biden‘s diagnosis triggered an outpouring of supportive statements on Sunday from Democrats and Republicans alike.
“Joe is a fighter — and I know he will face this challenge with the same strength, resilience and optimism that have always defined his life and leadership,” Harris said in a statement.
Biden lost a son, Beau Biden, in 2015 due to brain cancer.
In 2022, Biden revived an Obama-era program known as Cancer Moonshot, seeking to reduce the death rate from cancer by at least 50% over the next 25 years.
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Without exciting surgical scenes, but with stories about the daily life of primary health care; without high-tech equipment and exemplary doctors, but with trust between doctor and patient, similar to “handing over the keys”. The increasingly popular series “My Doctor” in its simplicity shows viewers an unusual cross-section of medical reality, creating a fresh, natural and heartfelt image of humanism against the backdrop of the Chinese domestic television market. The secret of this “novelty” lies in the focus on the “basic” plot – the life of a district clinic. Communication between doctor and patient, cultural proximity, reinforced by geographical ties, have become key elements of the series’ innovation and appeal.
Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services
Police are calling for information in relation to domestic violence assaults that occurred in Lajamanu early on Saturday morning.
Around 12:25am, the Joint Emergency Services Communication Centre received multiple reports of a disturbance occurring at an address in Lajamanu.
A short time later, two victims presented at the clinic. An adult female sustained deep lacerations to her bicep, forearm and forehead, while a male youth suffered a laceration to his hand. The female victim was later medically evacuated to Royal Darwin Hospital for further treatment, where she remains in a stable condition.
Police conducted extensive patrols to locate the alleged offender, who is known to the victims; however, they were unable to locate her, and she remains outstanding.
Lajamanu police have carriage of the incident and investigations remain ongoing.
Police urge anyone with information about the incident to make contact on 131 444. Please quote reference number NTP2500050833. Anonymous reports can be made through Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or via https://crimestoppersnt.com.au/.
If you or someone you know are experiencing difficulties due to domestic violence, support services are available, including, but not limited to, 1800RESPECT (1800737732) or Lifeline 131 114.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Sam Graves (6th District of Missouri)
May 13, 2025
WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Sam Graves (MO-06) wrote Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr asking for his agencies help in getting to the bottom of the concerning number of cancer cases at Warren Hills Elementary School in Liberty, Missouri.
“The families, teachers, and staff members at Warren Hills Elementary school have seen more than a half dozen staff members diagnosed with cancer in just over a decade,” said Graves. “Many parents have deep and growing concerns about the safety of continuing to send their children to school there—and I can’t blame them. There hasn’t been a thorough, independent, and comprehensive study into what’s going on, so that’s exactly what I’m asking Secretary Kennedy to help with.”
Source: Secondary teachers question rationale for changes to relationship education guidelines
A project that’s transforming how Auckland deals with flooding has just taken home one of the top awards in the country.
At the recent Stormwater Conference and Expo Gala, the Ports of Auckland Outfall project was named Project of the Year, a big win for the team behind it.
The project, a collaboration between Auckland Council’s Healthy Waters, McConnell Dowell, and GHD, tackled a serious problem: regular flooding in Auckland’s Eastern CBD and Stanley Street area. This flooding threatened key infrastructure assets like Britomart Station, Spark Arena, and the Ports of Auckland.
To solve it, the team pulled off a New Zealand first.
They used a unique underground tunnelling technique, combined with what’s called an “inverted siphon”, to build a new stormwater outfall.
This system runs deep below Quay Street and through the Ports area, using twin pipes that now carry stormwater safely into the Waitematā Harbour.
Working under active train lines, historic sea walls, and a live port environment was no easy feat. But with close cooperation from KiwiRail, Auckland Transport, Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei, and local businesses, the team made it happen without major disruption.
Looking down into the inverted siphon machine on Quay Street.
“I want to congratulate everyone in the team on this well-deserved award,” says Craig McIlroy, General Manager Healthy Waters & Flood Resilience.
“As we have seen through various extreme rain events, the climate change impact of flooding to the Auckland region has caused unprecedented disruption.
“The dedication and mahi that went into the project shows the strength of their collaborative approach in preparing for the future.”
One of the keys to their success was a special tunnelling machine that safely dug a 300-meter tunnel with minimal surface impact. Safety was front and centre throughout the process, and smart planning helped keep costs in check while speeding up construction.
Inverted siphon tunneling machine at work below Quay Street.
This isn’t just a win for the project team, it’s a big step forward for Auckland. The new outfall significantly reduces the risk of flooding downtown, making the city more resilient as extreme weather becomes more common. It also sets the stage for future growth, capping off nearly 20 years of careful planning.
In short, this award-winning project shows how smart ideas and strong teamwork can solve even the toughest urban challenges.
The Healthy Waters team came away with a further two awards on the night; Sarah Nolan won the Young Stormwater Professional of the Year and Rachel Devine as co-author of the winning Stormwater Paper of the Year for her work on the Auckland Central Library green roof.
New Zealand must invest in bold action to reduce demand for methamphetamine in the face of a recent surge in consumption, the NZ Drug Foundation says.
Wastewater testing data shows that methamphetamine consumption has doubled in the last year, with acute social and health impacts being reported in areas with the highest rates of use.
Drug Foundation Executive Director Sarah Helm says being overly reliant on supply-side interventions like seizures and drug busts won’t shift the dial and that seriously addressing demand is the only way to solve the issue.
“We’ve seen a doubling of methamphetamine use in spite of record-breaking seizures by Police and Customs,” she says.
“If we don’t address demand and addiction, supply-side measures are short-lived, because as one supply source is removed another supplier steps in to meet the demand. We need to be bold and get serious about reducing demand, preventing harm and making addiction treatment much more accessible to people.”
Helm says there are a range of proven and emerging interventions that the Foundation and the sector are urging the government to adopt, including:
A rapid escalation of addiction treatment, including investment in accessible community-based, peer-led groups
Revamping and expanding proven health-based responses like Te Ara Oranga
A campaign that reduces stigma and encourages people to have conversations about their use with loved ones and to access help
Ramping up prevention by tackling unmet health needs by:
offering better support and treatment for people who use methamphetamine and have ADHD (one Australian study showed 45% of people who use illicit stimulants regularly screened positive for ADHD)
investigating medication-assisted treatment options for people with methamphetamine dependence
Increasing harm reduction service availability, for example access to sterile injecting equipment to prevent communicable disease impacts
More kaupapa Māori-driven health responses
Helm says that she’s optimistic about progress, especially as Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey has experience in the addictions sector and understands the issues.
“We’ve had many years of inaction on drug issues, but we have had very positive engagement with the Minister, including at a summit with almost 200 people from across the sector who offered up advice on how to tackle the serious challenges we are facing, so we are hopeful for progress,” she says.
Helm also acknowledges that demand reduction measures on their own risk being band aids without addressing the underlying social and economic drivers of methamphetamine use.
“Ultimately, this issue is bigger than any one sector or government portfolio and there are no quick fixes, but that doesn’t need we shouldn’t start doing what we know will work.”
What you need to know: The state is investing almost $1.7 billion for improvements to California’s highway system, including $86.5 million for improvements to infrastructure damaged during the Los Angeles firestorms earlier this year.
SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced that the California Transportation Commission (CTC) has allocated nearly $1.7 billion to help improve and strengthen the state highway system. Guided by Governor Gavin Newsom’s Build More, Faster – For All infrastructure agenda, these improvements will make California communities safer and more climate resilient.
In addition to these proactive, long-range efforts, the CTC allocated $86.5 million to repair vital roadways and other transportation infrastructure damaged during recent wildfires and storms in Southern California.
“Today’s monumental investment puts Californians’ tax dollars to work making critical safety and resiliency improvements to highways throughout the state that support the travel of millions of residents each day. We’re also directing millions to help repair vital infrastructure damaged by the Los Angeles fires.”
Governor Gavin Newsom
Projects include:
$195.5 million to rehabilitate roadway and drainage systems, add a bike trail and pedestrian bridge, as well as upgrade safety along Interstate 805 in the cities of San Diego, Chula Vista and National City.
$129 million to replace the existing Cordelia Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Facility along westbound Interstate 80 near Fairfield.
$30 million to replace a retaining wall and rebuild a slope drapery protection system near Big Rock Road in Malibu and reconstruct hillsides above State Route 1 near Mulholland Drive, all of which were impacted by the Palisades Fire and rainstorms.
“Investments made today support Caltrans’ mission to build and maintain a transportation system that helps Californians now and decades into the future,” said Mike Keever, Acting Director for Caltrans. “This funding translates into safer travel, more accessible mobility options and strengthening our roadways to protect all travelers during extreme weather events.”
Of the total allocation this month, $655 million came via Senate Bill (SB) 1, the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017, and nearly $567 million from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 (IIJA).
IIJA, also known as the federal bipartisan infrastructure bill, is a once-in-a-generation investment in our nation’s infrastructure to improve the sustainability and resiliency of our country’s energy, water, broadband and transportation systems. California has received nearly $62 billion in federal infrastructure funding since its passage, including investments to upgrade the state’s roads, bridges, rail, public transit, airports, ports and waterways. The funding alone has already created more than 170,000 jobs in California.
Meanwhile, SB 1 invests approximately $5 billion annually toward transportation projects. It provides funding split between the state and local agencies. Road projects progress through construction phases more quickly based on the availability of funds, including projects that are partially funded by SB 1.
For more information visit, Build.ca.gov.
Press releases, Recent news
Recent news
May 16, 2025
News SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom kicked off #WorldTradeMonth with a round of key international interviews with journalists from major broadcast networks in Canada, Japan, Mexico, South Korea, and the United Kingdom. In the interviews, Governor Newsom addressed…
May 15, 2025
News Sacramento, California – Governor Gavin Newsom today issued a proclamation declaring May 2025 as “Small Business Month.”The text of the proclamation and a copy can be found below: PROCLAMATIONCalifornia’s more than 4.2 million small businesses – the most of any…
May 15, 2025
News Sacramento, California — Governor Gavin Newsom today condemned U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for calling on the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) to conduct a “complete review” of mifepristone — the safe, effective, and…
The COVID-19 pandemic exposed deep fissures in our global preparedness to health emergencies — from unequal access to vaccines to a lack of coordinated response. The World Health Organization (WHO) is proposing a new pandemic agreement to ensure we’re better equipped next time.
In this video, we break down the WHO pandemic treaty, why it matters, and how it aims to prevent, detect, and respond to future pandemics.
Discover how countries are coming together to build a safer future through international health law.
Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin signed an order approving Dmitry Shvidkovsky as President of the Russian Academy of Architecture and Construction Sciences.
Dmitry Shvidkovsky is an artist, Doctor of Art History, Professor, Academician of the Russian Academy of Arts. He is also a member of the Council for Culture and Art under the President of Russia, and is the author of about 400 printed works in Russian, English, French, German, Italian, Chinese, Arabic, and Turkish.
Dmitry Shvidkovsky has held the post of President of the Russian Academy of Architecture and Construction Sciences since 2019. In April of this year, he was re-elected to this position by decision of the general meeting of members of the Academy for a term of five years.
The document will be published.
Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Resolution of May 15, 2025 No. 659
Document
Resolution of May 15, 2025 No. 659
Volunteers who have donated blood many times, as well as become bone marrow and stem cell donors, will be able to receive the “Volunteer of Russia” badge. The decree on the rules for awarding such a badge has been signed.
Applicants for the award must provide information on the number of blood donations (donation procedures) over the past six years or a certificate of the fact and date of bone marrow and stem cell donations, as well as a copy of information on their volunteer activities, a description of which is posted in the electronic system “Dobro.RF”.
The signed resolution is necessary for the implementation of new provisions of the federal laws “On Charitable Activities and Volunteering (Volunteering)”, “On the Fundamentals of Protecting the Health of Citizens in the Russian Federation” and a number of others. They were adopted in December 2024.
Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Medicinal cannabis refers to legally prescribed cannabis products. These are either the plant itself, or naturally occurring ingredients extracted from the plant. These ingredients, such as THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) and CBD (cannabidiol), are called cannabinoids. Some cannabinoids are also made in labs to act like the ones in the plant.
Medicinal cannabis comes in different forms, such as oils, capsules, dried flower (used in a vaporiser), sprays and edible forms such as gummies.
Since regulatory changes in 2016 made medicinal cannabis more accessible, Australia’s regulator has issued more than 700,000 approvals. (But approvals for medicinal cannabis don’t reflect the actual number of patients treated. One patient may have multiple approvals, and not all approved products are necessarily prescribed or supplied.)
Around half of the approvals have been for chronic pain that isn’t caused by cancer.
In Australia, chronic pain affects around one in five Australians aged 45 and over, with an enormous impact on people’s lives.
So what does the current evidence tell us about the effectiveness of medicinal cannabis for chronic pain?
What the evidence shows
A 2021 review of 32 randomised controlled trials involving nearly 5,200 people with chronic pain, examined the effects of medicinal cannabis or cannabinoids. The study found a small improvements in pain and physical functioning compared with a placebo.
A previous review found that to achieve a 30% reduction in pain for one person, 24 people would need to be treated with medicinal cannabis.
The 2021 review also found small improvements in sleep, and no consistent benefits for other quality of life measures, consistent with previous reviews.
This doesn’t mean medicinal cannabis doesn’t help anyone. But it suggests that, on average, the benefits are limited to a smaller number of people.
Many pain specialists have questioned if the evidence for medicinal cannabis is sufficient to support its use for pain.
The Faculty of Pain Medicine, the professional body dedicated to the training and education of specialist pain physicians, recommends medical cannabis should be limited to clinical trials.
Guidance from Australia’s regulator, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), on medicinal cannabis for chronic non-cancer pain reflects these uncertainties.
The TGA states there is limited evidence medicinal cannabis provides clinically significant pain relief for many pain conditions. Therefore, the potential benefits versus harms should be considered patient-by-patient.
The TGA says medicinal cannabis should only be trialled when other standard therapies have been tried and did not provide enough pain relief.
In terms of which type of medical cannabis product to use, due to concerns about the safety of inhaled cannabis, the TGA considers pharmaceutical-grade products (such as nabiximols or extracts containing THC and/or CBD) to be safer.
This evidence may feel at odds with the experiences of people who report relief from medicinal cannabis.
In clinical practice, it’s common for individuals to respond differently based on their health conditions, beliefs and many other factors. What works well for one person may not work for another.
Research helps us understand what outcomes are typical or expected for most people, but there is variation. Some people may find medicinal cannabis improves their pain, sleep or general well-being – especially if other treatments haven’t helped.
What are the side effects and risks?
Like any medicine, medicinal cannabis has potential side effects. These are usually mild to moderate, including drowsiness or sedation, dizziness, impaired concentration, a dry mouth, nausea and cognitive slowing.
These side effects are often greater with higher-potency THC products. These are becoming more common on the Australian market. High-potency THC products represent more than half of approvals in 2025.
After using cannabis for a long time, some people need to take higher doses to get the same effect. Nuva Frames/Shutterstock
Medical cannabis can also interact with other medications, especially those that cause drowsiness (such as opioids), medicines for mental illness, anti-epileptics, blood thinners and immunosuppressants.
Even cannabidiol (CBD), which isn’t considered intoxicating like THC, has been linked to serious drug interactions.
These risks are greater when cannabis is prescribed by a doctor who doesn’t regularly manage the patient’s chronic pain or isn’t in contact with their other health-care providers. Since medicinal cannabis is often prescribed through separate telehealth clinics, this fragmented care may increase the risk of harmful interactions.
Another concern is developing cannabis use disorder (commonly understood as “addiction”). A 2024 study found one in four people using medical cannabis develop a cannabis use disorder. Withdrawal symptoms – such as irritability, sleep problems, or cravings – can occur with frequent and heavy use.
For some people, tolerance can also develop with long-term use, meaning you need to take higher doses to get the same effect. This can increase the risk of developing a cannabis use disorder.
How does it compare to other treatments?
Like many medicines for chronic pain, the effectiveness of medicinal cannabis is modest, and is not recommended as a sole treatment.
There’s good evidence that, for conditions like back pain, interventions such as exercise, cognitive behavioural therapy and pain self-management education can help and may have fewer risks than many medicines.
But there are challenges with how accessible and affordable these treatments are for many Australians, especially outside major cities.
So where does this leave patients?
The growing use of medicinal cannabis for chronic pain reflects both a high burden of pain in the community and gaps in access to effective care. While some patients report benefits, the current evidence suggests these are likely to be small for most people, and must be weighed against the risks.
If you are considering medicinal cannabis, it’s important to talk to your usual health-care provider, ideally one familiar with your full medical history, to help you decide the best approaches to help manage your pain.
Suzanne Nielsen receives funding from the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council, alongside government and philanthropic organisations to conduct independent research.. She is the president-elect for the Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and Other Drugs. She serves as a consultant for the World Health Organization. She has contributed to independent reviews of the evidence on medical cannabis for government organisations include Worksafe and the TGA.
Myfanwy Graham receives funding from the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council, alongside government and university institutes. Myfanwy has served as a consultant for the UNODC, WHO and NASEM. She is an appointed member of the Therapeutic Goods Administration’s Medicinal Cannabis Expert Working Group. This article does not represent the views of the TGA or the Expert Working Group.
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
KHARTOUM, May 18 (Xinhua) — At least 14 civilians were killed Sunday in El Fasher, capital of western Sudan’s North Darfur state, after artillery strikes by the paramilitary Rapid Reaction Force (RRF), local volunteer groups said.
“14 civilians were killed today as a result of artillery shelling by the RSF,” the Coordination Group of Resistance Committees in El Fasher said in a statement.
It is noted that the targets of the shelling were the Naivasha market in the Abu Shouk camp for displaced persons and several neighborhoods in the northern part of El Fasher.
The Abu Shouk camp emergency department confirmed in a statement that 14 people were killed in the artillery shelling carried out by the RSF.
“The scale of losses is significant, due to the security situation we cannot yet establish the total number of dead and wounded,” the medical service said.
Meanwhile, the volunteer NGO Sudanese Doctors Network reported that 19 people were killed and 28 others were injured in “deliberate shelling” by the SRF on city neighbourhoods and the Abu Shouk camp for displaced persons in El Fasher.
The Coalition Government must confirm its commitment to fully-funding pay equity for the funded health sector, the New Zealand Nurses Organisation Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki O Aotearoa (NZNO) says.
After urgently changing the Equal Pay Act without public consultation and scrapping 33 pay equity claims overnight, theCoalition Government promisedit had kept a “fair pay equity scheme focused on genuine sex-based discrimination”.
However, despite being asked in Parliament and by media, Cabinet ministers have refused to say whether a 2024“pay equity reset”means the funded sector will not have pay equity claims funded by the Government. NZNO had 10 pay equity claims dumped including for the primary health care, hospice, Plunket and care and support funded sectors.
NZNO Primary Health Care Nurses College chair Tracey Morgan says the scrapping of the primary and community health care claim was devastating to nurses in the sector.
“Primary and community health care nurses, like their hospice and Plunket counterparts, accepted lower wage increases in their collective agreements on the understanding they were about to receive pay equity payments.
“They then had the rug pulled out from under them with the Government ending their claims without warning or legitimate reason.
“Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke Van Velden has refused to say the Government will fund pay equity claims for the funded sector, simply pointing to an opaque 2024 Cabinet paper from Finance Minister Nicola Willis which says the funded sector can go cap in hand to the Government for each settlement.
“If the Coalition Government remains truly committed to a fair pay equity system, it should promise low-paid and hard-working health care workers in the funded sector such as primary and community care that they will fund their pay equity settlements,” Tracey Morgan says.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
The Labour Department (LD) is highly concerned about a fatal work accident that happened at a detached house in Sheung Shui yesterday’s afternoon (May 16), in which a male worker fell from a canopy while working thereon. He was certified dead later in hospital. The LD is saddened by the death of the worker and expresses its deepest sympathy to his family.
The LD’s spokesman said, “We commenced an immediate on-site investigation as soon as we were notified of the accident and have issued suspension notices to the contractors concerned, suspending the work on the canopy of the detached house concerned. The contractors cannot resume the work process until the LD is satisfied that suitable measures to abate the relevant risks have been taken.”
The spokesman added, “We will complete the investigation as soon as possible to identify the cause of the accident, ascertain the liability of the relevant duty holders and recommend improvement measures. We will take actions pursuant to the law if there is any violation of the work safety legislation.”
To prevent workers from falling while working at height, the LD reminds contractors to take suitable safety measures, including installing guard-rails and toe-boards at the edges of workplaces, providing workers with suitable working platforms and, in exceptional circumstances, providing workers with fall arresting equipment, as well as ensuring the proper use of such equipment by the workers throughout the work.
The general duty provisions of the Occupational Safety and Health Ordinance require employers to provide safe working environments, plant and systems of work for their employees. Those who contravene the relevant provisions are liable to a maximum fine of $10 million and imprisonment for two years.
In regard to yesterday’s accident, the LD will issue a Work Safety Alert through its mobile application “OSH 2.0”, website and email, giving a brief account of the accident concerned to duty holders, workers’ unions, professional bodies of safety practitioners and others, and reminding the industry of the importance of following safety precautionary measures to prevent a recurrence of similar accidents.
The LD will also remind the employer concerned of the liability for employees’ compensation under the Employees’ Compensation Ordinance, assist family members of the deceased to claim employees’ compensation and closely follow up on the case. For those with financial difficulties, the LD will assist them to apply for appropriate emergency funds. Subject to the needs and wishes of family members of the deceased, the LD will also liaise with the Social Welfare Department for financial or other assistance.
For the sake of securing the safety and health of employees at work, the LD appeals to employers to provide plant and systems of work that are safe and without risks to health. Employees should co-operate with their employers, adopt all safety measures and use personal protective equipment provided properly to avoid endangering their own work safety and that of other workers.
In sport, the margin between success and failure is often measured in milliseconds. It could be a cricketer adjusting their foot positioning, a runner refining their sprint start or a footballer perfecting their passing.
This is where motion capture comes in – among the many approaches being used for athletic performance and movement analysis.
Conventional motion capture tracks a person’s movements by using sensors or reflective markers linked to cameras. This provides data that helps sport scientists analyse how to improve an athlete’s performance, personalise their training programme and prevent possible injury.
But for decades, motion capture in sport has been done using cumbersome suits and complex camera systems. These technologies offer high precision, but have remained out of reach for many because of their cost, technical demands and rigid laboratory constraints.
As sport evolves, so too must the technology that analyses it. The way we measure human movement is experiencing a major transformation. Markerless motion capture (enabled by artificial intelligence, computer vision, depth sensors and multiple-camera systems) is set to revolutionise sports performance analysis.
As a health and sports scientist with a focus on data, innovation and technology, I co-authored a study on markerless motion capture in sports and exercise. We reviewed and compared various motion capture options so that users can choose what system is best for their needs and budgets.
This matters because markerless motion capture provides a practical alternative that’s accessible, scalable and adaptable to real-world settings. It’s a shift that promises to transform how athletes train, how they move, how injuries are assessed and how coaches refine performance.
The problem with traditional motion capture
Marker-based motion capture has long been considered the gold standard for analysing movement. Various systems use optoelectronic (devices that emit or detect light) tracking. They’ve provided researchers and coaches with precise three-dimensional (3D) data on joint angles, movement efficiency and biomechanical load. But these systems come with challenges.
Firstly, the need for reflective markers placed on the body introduces variability. Even slight misplacements can compromise data accuracy.
Secondly, these systems are largely confined to laboratory environments. While they work well for controlled studies, they can’t always capture the dynamics of real-world sports performance.
Thirdly, the cost of such setups, often reaching tens of thousands of dollars, limits their use to elite teams and well-funded research labs. This financial barrier places the technology out of reach for grassroots sport, where talent development is crucial.
The rise of markerless motion capture
Markerless motion capture, driven by deep learning and computer vision, allows movement to be tracked directly from video footage, without requiring physical markers. Models such as OpenPose, TensorFlow Pose Estimate and MeTRAbs can now identify and analyse human joint positions in 3D, all from a single video feed.
This approach has profound implications. It means that coaches can capture real-time movement data from training sessions without interrupting the natural flow of play. Athletes can analyse their technique with nothing more than a smartphone camera. It opens the door for motion capture to move beyond the lab and onto the field, the court or the gym floor.
Where markerless motion capture works best
The ability to track movement in real-world environments makes markerless motion capture particularly valuable in high-speed and dynamic sports.
In football, tracking player movement during passing drills can inform tactical decisions. In sprinting, coaches can analyse stride length and ground contact time without disrupting training sessions. In baseball and cricket, batting mechanics can be assessed without requiring players to wear cumbersome tracking suits or markers.
Beyond performance analysis, the implications for injury management and rehabilitation are just as compelling.
By integrating markerless motion capture into injury rehabilitation programmes, physiotherapists can monitor movement deficiencies in real time. A player recovering from an anterior cruciate ligament injury, for example, can have their gait and knee valgus angles monitored remotely. This reduces the need for repeated clinic visits.
Barriers
Despite its potential, markerless motion capture is not without its challenges. While deep learning models are improving, they still struggle with occlusion: where body parts become temporarily hidden from view. Variations in lighting, camera angles and player body types can affect tracking accuracy too.
To improve robustness across diverse sports settings, these issues need ongoing refinement in pose estimation algorithms. (These are computer vision techniques used to locate and track key points of the body on a person in a video.)
Another key limitation is validation. Traditional motion capture systems have been extensively tested for accuracy, but markerless models are still undergoing further validation in sport-specific contexts.
Ensuring consistency and reliability will be crucial in convincing elite teams to transition away from marker-based setups.
A future without markers?
The question remains: will markerless motion capture completely disrupt and replace traditional systems? The reality is likely to be more nuanced.
While marker-based motion capture will retain its place in highly controlled research settings, markerless alternatives will dominate practical, field-based applications. The accessibility, ease of use and real-time capabilities of markerless systems make them a game-changer.
As AI models become more sophisticated and sensor technology advances, the precision of markerless systems will continue to improve. The future of motion capture lies not in replacing one method with another, but in integrating multiple approaches to create a seamless, scalable and accurate framework for movement analysis.
It’s no longer a question of whether markerless motion capture will take over, but when. And as the technology matures, the benefits for coaches, athletes and scientists alike will only continue to grow. It’s set to play an integral role in shaping the next generation of athletic performance and movement analysis.
Habib Noorbhai does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.