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Category: Health

  • MIL-OSI Russia: First victory in the regional Spartakiad “Cheerfulness and Health”

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Novosibirsk State University – Novosibirsk State University –

    The annual traditional Spartakiad “Cheerfulness and Health” among teachers and employees of higher educational institutions of the Novosibirsk Region has begun. And for the first time, the NSU team won gold medals in table tennis competitions!

    In total, there are 9 types of the program in the Spartakiad: badminton, billiards, volleyball, darts, skiing, swimming, shooting, table tennis and chess. The 7 best results are counted towards the overall standings of the University, so the competition will be serious.

    We are pleased to congratulate our table tennis team on their brilliant victory and a wonderful start to the Spartakiad!

    The honor of NSU was defended by:

    Yuriy Efremenko, postgraduate student of the Faculty of Mechanics and Mathematics

    Alexander Byvaltsev, Associate Professor, Faculty of Natural Sciences

    Timur Nasybullov, Doctor of Sciences, Deputy. Dean of the MMF

    Larisa Zelenkina, Senior Lecturer, Institute of Physical Problems

    Dmitry Trotsenko – playing coach, veteran of the MMF

    We thank everyone for the great game and wish them success and longevity in sports!

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: What do the changes to IUD access mean for Australian women?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Danielle Mazza, Director, SPHERE NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence in Women’s Sexual and Reproductive Health in Primary Care and Professor and Head of the Department of General Practice, Monash University

    PeopleImages.com – Yuri A/Shutterstock

    Ahead of the government’s response this week to a Senate inquiry into access to reproductive health care in Australia, the government has announced new measures to make it easier to get an intrauterine device, or IUD.

    Payments to doctors and nurse practitioners to insert and remove these devices will increase. The government will also set up eight centres to train health-care professionals in IUD insertion, and ensure they are skilled and confident.

    The Coalition has vowed to match this commitment if it wins the federal election.

    So what are IUDs? And how might these changes impact Australian women?

    ‘Set and forget’ contraception

    IUDs are small devices that are implanted in the uterus to prevent pregnancy. There are two types: “hormonal IUDs”, which contain the hormone levonorgestrel, and “copper IUDs”.

    Another long-acting reversible contraceptive, the contraceptive implant, is about 4cm long, made of plastic and inserted just under the skin in the arm.

    Hormonal IUDs (known by brand names Mirena and Kyleena in Australia) and the contraceptive implant are subsidised under the PBS, costing A$31.60 ($7.70 concession). However copper IUDs aren’t, and cost around $100.

    However, women may face significant out-of-pocket costs to have IUDs and implants inserted.

    IUDs are types of long-acting reversible contraception. They are often called “set and forget” because once inserted, nothing more needs to be done. Long-acting reversible contraceptives are the most effective way to prevent pregnancy (over 99%).

    This compares with the commonly used contraceptive pills containing estrogen and progestogen, which need to be taken every day. These have a failure rate of 8-9% with typical use.

    The hormonal IUDs’ contraceptive effect lasts for eight years, while a copper IUD can last up to ten years, depending on the type. The contraceptive implant protects against pregnancy for three years.

    IUDs are a ‘set and forget’ form of contraception.
    Yashkin Ilya/Shutterstock

    The levonorgestrel in hormonal IUDs acts locally inside the uterus to thin the lining of the womb, so much so that after about six months of use, many women experience very little, if any, bleeding.

    This reduction in menstruation can prevent or reduce conditions such as heavy menstrual bleeding, iron deficiency and period pain.

    Like all contraceptives, there are potential side effects. IUD insertion is painful, there is a small risk of expulsion of IUDs and they may not be positioned correctly at the time of insertion.

    Copper IUDs may cause heavier bleeding than usual.

    And the contraceptive implant is associated with unpredictable (although mostly tolerable) bleeding patterns.

    Australian women are less likely to use them

    Just 6% of women use an IUD and another 5% use the contraceptive implant.

    This compares with Sweden, where 30.9% use a long-acting reversible contraceptive, and in England, it’s over 30%.

    Part of the reason is many women don’t know much about these contraceptive options, especially about IUDs.

    But our research found that women were more likely to choose an IUD when their doctor incorporated information about how much more effective long-acting reversible contraceptives were during contraceptive consultations, and could refer women to get an insertion done quickly if they didn’t provide insertions themselves.

    Some women rely on the pill because they don’t know they have other options.
    Layue/Shutterstock

    Women often struggle to find a GP who can insert an IUD and face long waiting times to get one inserted.

    Despite a small increase to the Medicare rebate in 2022, the current rebate doesn’t reflect the costs or time needed by GPs to conduct the insertion. This has put a lot of GPs off from providing this service.

    It can also be difficult for GPs to take time off from their clinical work to do the training, with courses costing around $1,500 and GPs not earning any income while attending.

    What did the Senate inquiry recommend?

    To overcome these issues, a Senate inquiry into barriers to reproductive health care recommended:

    • appropriate remuneration and reimbursement for GPs providing IUD and implant insertion and removal services, including through increased Medicare rebates

    • improved insertion and removal training to support the increased use of IUDs and implants in Australia.

    How does this announcement stack up?

    The new women’s health package directly addresses these issues by:

    • increasing the clinician rebate for inserting and removing IUDs and implants

    • providing Medicare rebates for nurse practitioner insertions

    • providing GPs with an incentive to bulk bill insertions so women will not face any out-of-pocket costs

    • funding eight centres across Australia to train clinicians to ensure they’re trained, skilled and confident in IUD insertion.

    These measures complement announcements made last year to provide training scholarships for GPs and nurses to train in IUD insertion and to fund an online “community of practice” to support practitioners to provide these services.

    With the increased rebates rolling out from November 1, and the training centres in the next year or two, we should see many more GPs skilled up and providing IUDs in the next few years.

    This should make it more affordable and much easier for women to find a clinician to insert it.

    Another reproductive health issue remains unaddressed

    The government is expected to table its response in parliament this week to the reproductive health care access Senate inquiry.

    While there have been many improvements in access to medical abortion, particularly the ability for women to receive a medical abortion via telehealth through Medicare, key challenges remain in ensuring all Australian women can access surgical abortion.

    Policymakers will need to focus attention on training a new generation of clinicians to undertake surgical abortions, and developing transparent local pathways for women to access care.

    Danielle Mazza has received funding for research and conference attendance and served on advisory boards for Bayer, Organon, MSD and Gedeon Rechter. SPHERE and the ACCORd trial mentioned in the article were funded by the NHMRC and the Extend Prefer study by the Australian Department of Health. The roundtable on barriers to LARC was funded by Bayer.

    – ref. What do the changes to IUD access mean for Australian women? – https://theconversation.com/what-do-the-changes-to-iud-access-mean-for-australian-women-249473

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Release: Health system will suffer from ‘let it fail’ strategy

    Source: New Zealand Labour Party

    National’s cutting of digital staff in our health system will put patients at risk and leave hospitals vulnerable to cyber-attack.

    Feedback from Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora staff on proposed redundancies in data and digital staff reveals deep concerns about a ‘fail early, fail often, succeed over time’ strategy.

    “Patient data is too important to let the systems that manage and protect it fail. This is New Zealand’s health system – not tiddlywinks. It needs to be taken seriously,” Labour acting health spokesperson Peeni Henare said.

    “National’s cuts have already affected the frontline, which is a broken promise. 

    “Cuts to data and digital services will have consequences for New Zealanders trying to get care, from the potential for their personal information being hacked, to accurate record keeping of their health information.

    “Cuts to data management will disproportionately impact Maori, Pacific and rural communities.

    “National has made a big song and dance about targets in health, but without the data to back up what they’re doing, it will only make it easier to game the system – as they have done in the past.

    “On top of the crisis in leadership that Christopher Luxon is overseeing at Health New Zealand, these ongoing cuts to the frontline are only going to make it harder for everyday New Zealanders to access the healthcare they need. The cuts must stop,” said Peeni Henare.

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    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Nursery supercharges Rakitata restoration

    Source: Department of Conservation

    Date:  10 February 2025

    Arowhenua Native Nursey was developed in 2021. Since then, staff have raised and planted more than 600,000 plants, all eco-sourced and native to the area.

    Tony Doy, the nursey’s restoration supervisor, says the team is proud to be helping increase numbers of threatened plants in the local area, with the nursery cultivating 50 different species, ranging from common to rare and threatened.

    “Many of the nursery’s plants have gone into wetland areas beside the Rakitata River to help reduce nutrients and sediment entering the water. Wetlands increase the resilience of land around them by reducing the impacts of extreme events of flooding and drought.

    “Our plants will become seed sources along the river, and birds will spread them into new areas to create a native corridor. Hopefully, in the future landowners will realise the benefits of such native areas, and maybe plant some on their land,” Tony says.

    Jobs for Nature funding has enabled many organisations, like Arowhenua, to kickstart their operations and get established as sustainable businesses working in the environmental sector.

    The project started out at the marae but moved to larger commercial nursery premises on the outskirts of Temuka as it quickly outgrew its initial site. The nursey is now transitioning to a commercial wholesale model, with the Jobs for Nature funding finishing at end of last year. 

    The nursery’s general manager Lex Evans died suddenly in late 2023, but the nursery has tried to carry on his ethos. 

    Tony says Lex was an amazing role model.

    “His favourite saying was, ‘We not only grow plants, we grow people’. Staff who joined through Jobs for Nature have gained valuable skills and love what they do. The work is outside, and they can see they’re making a real difference. Lex worked incredibly hard to ensure the success of the project. He was, and still is, an inspiration to the staff here to continue his Kaupapa.

    “Under Jobs for Nature, 15% of the time was spent on training, so we did first aid, Level 3 horticulture, chainsaw use, herbicide application, predator control, 4WD and light utility vehicle driving. 

    “We have also undertaken a river safety course, because a lot of our work is beside waterways. To build staff confidence when using chainsaws, our former restoration manager Matt Rudd organised an arborist to spend a day with us.

    “Our people loved it. They now have great CVs that will give them an advantage on others who are also at the beginning of their careers. We look forward to seeing them on their journey.

    “The Jobs for Nature project also offers our kaimahi the chance to gain skills in planting, weeding, maintenance and pest control on a daily basis.”

    Nursery General Manager Felicity McMillian says, “I whakapapa to Arowhenua, so the Rakitata is extremely significant for me and our whānau. It was an awa that our tīpuna gathered kai and resources from. 

    “Experiencing the awa and its diversity when collecting seeds is very good for our wairua. It’s like a full circle. We gather seeds from the Rakitata and once they are ready, we plant them there again to restore the health of the awa.” 

    Felicity says the nursery grows native plants that are particularly suitable for conditions at the project’s restoration sites.

    “We want to replicate what would have been there in the past. The main plants we grow are Carex secta, tī kōuka, harakeke, mānuka and kānuka. These plants will restore the Rakitata awa, improve the quality of the water, and encourage native manu (birds) and insects to return to the river.” 

    DOC River Ranger Brad Edwards says the funding has supercharged conservation work in the catchment through DOC’s Ngā Awa river restoration programme. 

    “Funding of $11.45 million from Jobs for Nature went to projects focused on the lower Rakitata, managed by Te Rūnanga o Arowhenua. The Upper Rangitata Gorge Landcare Group received a $7.3 million grant to lead restoration work in the upper river, including planting a lot of what’s grown at the nursery and carrying out extensive fencing and pest control.”

    Toitū Te Whenua Land Information New Zealand (LINZ) also provided funding for pest and weed control in the Rakitata catchment as part of its biosecurity programme.

    Background information

    Rakitata is the preferred name for the Rangitata River as it recognises the local Kāi Tahu (Ngāi Tahu) dialect, which replaces ‘ng’ with ‘k’. So ‘taonga’ becomes ‘taoka’ for example.

    The Rakitata River Revival Programme began as a partnership between Te Rūnaka o Arowhenua and DOC through the Ngā Awa river restoration programme. It now includes Environment Canterbury, Toitū te Whenua Land Information New Zealand, Central South Island Fish & Game and Timaru and Ashburton District Councils.

    Rakitata River revival programme

    Contact

    For media enquiries contact:

    Email: media@doc.govt.nz

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Israeli army kills 4 Palestinians in Gaza

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    People warm themselves with fire next to their tent after heavy rain in Gaza City, on Feb. 6, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    Israeli troops killed four Palestinians, including an elderly woman, in two separate incidents in the north and south of the Gaza Strip on Sunday, the Gaza-based health authorities said.

    “Three Palestinians were killed by Israeli forces while returning to their homes near the Kuwait Roundabout, east of Gaza City. Their bodies were transferred to the Baptist Hospital,” the health authorities said in a press statement.

    In a separate incident, the health authorities reported that an elderly woman from the Mahna family was shot dead by Israeli forces east of the town of Al-Qarara, near Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip.

    The killings follow the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Netzarim Corridor — a strip of land that bisected Gaza from north to south.

    Meanwhile, the health authorities announced that the death toll from Israeli attacks on Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023, has risen to 48,189, with 111,640 others injured.

    Gaza’s health authorities reported eight deaths and two injuries in the past 24 hours, including seven bodies recovered from the rubble and one additional fatality.

    They warned that more victims remain trapped beneath the debris in areas that are difficult to access due to ongoing shelling.

    On Sunday, the health authorities urged Palestinian residents to donate blood, warning that supplies have been completely depleted after 15 months of war.

    “Our blood bank is empty, and we need immediate donations to save lives,” they said.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Books open youth up to whole new galaxy

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    Within the first month of 2025, the trend of reading pop science books, particularly ones with fascinating text and illustrations attractive to children, has risen among young readers thanks to policy support from various authorities.

    On Jan 1, the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Science and Technology, along with cooperating departments, announced its annual New Discovery Pop-Science Booklist of 21 types of books, including one that explains sound to readers and one about flying birds, both of which had good sales records on domestic bookselling websites.

    The Beijing Book Fair was held from Jan 9 to 11 at the China International Exhibition Center (Chaoyang Hall), where pop science books appeared as a genre that both readers and publishers marveled at. Their popularity was evident with over 2,900 display booths seeing their opening hours hosting pop-science writers’ lectures where they shared knowledge that was well-received among audiences.

    “We get double the information by attending the lectures,” said 38-year-old Deng Hong, who attended three pop-science book-sharing lectures with her daughter on Jan 9.

    “We both get to know what a new book is about and take in science knowledge,” she added.

    One of the lectures Deng attended was given by Cao Yong, a professor from Northwestern Polytechnical University Ningbo branch, who was in charge of a team that designed a robotic “ghost fish”, a bionic submersible that could travel autonomously in the ocean. Cao shared how the “ghost fish” swims underwater and answered questions such as, “would such a bionic fish be eaten by a bigger fish”, or “what materials is its skin made of that can withstand high water pressure”. Cao also gifted a book about big airplanes to Beijing No 15 High School whose students attended his lecture.

    The Young Scientist, a pop science cartoon series, is another major product that attracted over 100 people on-site and sold more than 1,000 copies online during the past two weeks. Written by 10 renowned domestic scientists and pop science writers with illustrations by 11 professional artists, the series teaches readers about the latest advancements in major science sectors and enhances their prospects. Four of the 10 writers held an open seminar in which about three dozen were kids that they “hope to influence the most”, according to its editor Zou Li.

    The four writers shared key points in their books. For example, “a long rumor is that mankind invented radar-imitating bats that find their way by sending ultrasonic waves”, said Yuan Lanfeng, chief editor of the series, “but while writing and editing the book about bionics, we consulted a bat expert, a radar expert and an acoustics professor and found that mankind invented the radar long before discovering that bats emitted ultrasonic waves. The two are similar but not imitating each other.”

    The writers also answered questions raised by the pupils. The most popular question was: “What do we do now to become scientists like you?”

    “If you want to be an astronaut or astronautic scientist, stay healthy and do your homework to become educated,” answered Zhou Binghong, one of the writers who is also a researcher at the China Academy of Space Technology, pointing out that the line between astronauts and astronautic scientists is vague as these professions need extensive knowledge to travel to space for on-site experiences. “Health and knowledge are the most important factors for both professions, which are becoming increasingly popular at a lower cost.”

    Wang Dapeng, a researcher at the China Research Institute for Science Popularization, encourages the idea of recruiting scientists to write their stories. “We need more scientific researchers to tell stories of their research fields. Science in the form of stories is more digestible to children because reading is not only for acquiring knowledge but also for enriching lives and improving oneself.”

    Li Hui, deputy Party secretary and vice-chairperson of the board of Hunan Publishing Investment Holding Group, said that pop science works play an irreplaceable role in cultivating children’s scientific literacy and stimulating their innovative potential. The publishing group follows the national innovation-driven development strategy and is committed to publishing excellent popular science works and enhancing scientific literacy.

    “How many galaxies are there in the universe besides ours?” asked a 7-year-old at the end of the seminar.

    “So far, we know of about 100 billion,” Zhou answered, “which means for each of the 8 billion people on Earth, there is an average of a dozen galaxies. The coming generations have a mission to work harder on space science so that one day we can travel at the speed of light into the deep universe to explore them.

    “Let’s find our own galaxies,” Zhou said.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Long-term care insurance becoming more popular

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

    China is making strides in popularizing long-term care insurance, improving the quality of life for people who have lost the ability to perform daily activities and easing the burden on their families.

    The National Healthcare Security Administration recently announced that by the end of 2024, more than 180 million people were covered by long-term care insurance, with 2.6 million individuals receiving benefits. The program, which began its trial phase in 2016, now covers 49 cities, including Beijing and Chengdu, capital of Sichuan province.

    Long-term care insurance is designed to assist people who are unable to perform basic daily activities such as eating, bathing or dressing due to aging, injury, illness or mental deterioration. Participation in the insurance program is voluntary.

    Experts say the insurance is an important supplement to China’s existing social insurance system, which includes pension, healthcare, work-related injury, unemployment and maternity coverage.

    Local governments have pushed for broader implementation of long-term care insurance to address the aging population and improve the quality of life for impaired people.

    In Ningbo, Zhejiang province, the program expanded from 2017 to 2023, eventually covering the entire city. Hangzhou and Huzhou, two other cities in Zhejiang, fully implemented the program last month, allowing local residents to join for an annual payment of 90 yuan ($12.35).

    Before receiving benefits, insured individuals must undergo a scientific evaluation by professional workers to assess their abilities in areas such as mobility, eating, bathing, cognition and communication.

    Despite its progress, the expansion of long-term care insurance faces several challenges, including a shortage of certified long-term care workers and reluctance from some people to pay for the insurance.

    According to the Ministry of Civil Affairs, China’s elderly population — people age 60 and above — reached 297 million by the end of 2023, and the proportion of these individuals who have lost the ability to perform basic living tasks has risen in recent years. It’s estimated that 46 million elderly people will lose such abilities by 2035, with the number rising to 58 million by 2050.

    However, the number of certified nursing workers remains around 500,000, while the demand for such workers is estimated to be 10 million, according to state broadcaster China Central Television.

    Li Yanqing, a 28-year-old nursing worker in Shanghai, said the demand for nursing talent will continue to increase due to the growing elderly population. She pointed out that issues such as low social recognition, low pay, physically demanding work and unclear career advancement have caused many colleagues to quit in recent years.

    “I plan to get the official certificate of long-term care worker,” Li said.

    Fan Weidong, an official with the National Healthcare Security Administration, said at a recent news conference that the administration is working to establish a long-term care insurance system that alleviates the financial burden on individuals and families.

    “The implementation of long-term care insurance has created about 300,000 jobs and attracted approximately 60 billion yuan in social and industrial investment,” Fan said. “We will continue exploring ways to involve commercial healthcare insurance and social organizations in expanding coverage, and encourage local authorities and companies to develop smarter, more digitalized services for people with impaired living abilities.”

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Aotearoa Clinical Trials Expands to New Site in Botany, East Auckland, Strengthening Community Access to Clinical Trials

    Source: Aotearoa Clinical Trials

    Auckland, New Zealand – February 10, 2025 – Aotearoa Clinical Trials is pleased to announce the opening of a new, third site in Botany, East Auckland, expanding its reach and further cementing its commitment to the local community. This new standalone site will allow the clinical trial organisation to provide enhanced access to a diverse range of participants, while strategically supporting the Counties Manukau region’s rapidly growing population.
    Why are clinical trials important to this community?
    “Research is incredibly important as it provides pathways to addressing current health challenges. In Māoridom, research is akin to the role of a tohunga (expert or healer)-it represents foresight in the face of illness. As Māori, we all possess the taonga (treasure) of rangatiratanga (sovereignty and leadership); we have this foresight. I believe that my living data today is far more valuable to helping prevent disease than data collected after my death. You can’t solve a problem by only knowing that I died in my 50s from diabetes. It could have been prevented if I had been tested earlier. I believe that if I give the system my blood today, it will help them develop interventions, because prevention is better than cure”. Kaumaatua Robert Clark.
    With significant growth in housing developments, infrastructure projects, and shopping centres, Botany is one of Auckland’s most thriving and dynamic areas. It is home to a vibrant, ethnically diverse community, making it an ideal location for Aotearoa Clinical Trials to continue its mission of bringing essential clinical research closer to the people it serves.
    “We are excited to announce the expansion of our clinical trials into the Botany region,” said Ed Watson, CEO of Aotearoa Clinical Trials. “As we build our presence in East Auckland, we are not only responding to a clear need in the community but also aligning with our broader strategy to reach more individuals from diverse backgrounds, especially within Counties Manukau, one of New Zealand’s most multicultural regions. This site will play a crucial role in improving access to medical research for communities that need it the most.”
    The Botany site will be staffed by a dedicated team of clinical investigators, who bring extensive experience in conducting high-quality clinical trials across various therapeutic areas. By offering increased access to a wide range of participants, the Botany location will help accelerate advancements in medical research while improving healthcare outcomes for local communities.
    Aotearoa Clinical Trials’ expansion to Botany is part of a larger strategy to build deeper connections within the community through decentralised clinical trials (DCTs) and thereby providing access to participants in their communities. The organisation has plans to also collaborate with Pukekohe Hospital, extending its reach even further across the Counties Manukau area.
    The addition of the Botany site brings a new level of convenience and access to East Auckland, which, in turn, will further strengthen the network of clinical trials available to the surrounding regions.
    For more information about Aotearoa Clinical Trials and its expansion efforts, please visit https://www.aotearoatrials.nz/
    About Aotearoa Clinical Trials
    Aotearoa Clinical Trials is a leading provider of clinical trial services in New Zealand, offering world-class research across many therapeutic areas from Phase I to Phase IV. With a focus on providing greater access to diverse populations, Aotearoa Clinical Trials partners with healthcare providers, sponsors, and local communities to deliver vital research that improves patient outcomes.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Serious crash – Daly River Region

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    The Northern Territory Police Force have responded to a serious crash involving 12 people in the Daly River Region on Saturday night.

    About 5:40pm, police were notified of a single vehicle rollover about 1.5km South-East of Tipperary Station, near Dorat Road at the end of Daly River Road.

    Members from Naiyu and Peppimenarti Police attended Naiyu Clinic where all 12 passengers presented following the crash. Adelaide River and Batchelor Police deployed to the crash scene to continue investigations.

    At the clinic, 9 of the 12 people were identified with varying injuries; including fractures and head injuries before being transported to the Royal Darwin Hospital by Careflight for treatment.

    A 5-year-old female among those injured, was identified with a serious head injury.

    The driver tested negative for alcohol.

    Acting Superintendent Erica Gibson said, “When a vehicle this overloaded crashes, regardless of the cause, it is just pure luck that no one is killed.

    “This behaviour was incredibly dangerous and irresponsible. It goes without saying that the maximum number of passengers in any vehicle is the same as the number of seats.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Cook Islands crisis: Haka with the taniwha or dance with the dragon?

    The Cook Islands finds itself in a precarious dance — one between the promises of foreign investments and the integrity of our own sovereignty. As the country sways between partners China and Aotearoa New Zealand, the Cook Islands News asks: “Do we continue to haka with the Taniwha, our constitutional partner, or do we dance with the dragon?”

    EDITORIAL: By Thomas Tarurongo Wynne, Cook Islands News

    Our relationship with China, forged through over two decades of diplomatic agreements, infrastructure projects and economic cooperation, demands further scrutiny. Do we continue to embrace the dragon with open arms, or do we stand wary?

    And what of the Taniwha, a relationship now bruised by the ego of the few but standing the test of time?

    If our relationship with China were a building, it would be crumbling like the very structures they have built for us. The Cook Islands Police Headquarters (2005) was meant to stand as a testament to our growing diplomatic and financial ties, but its foundations — both literal and metaphorical — have been called into question as its structure deteriorated.

    COOK ISLANDS NEWS

    Then, in 2009, the Cook Islands Courthouse followed, plagued by maintenance issues almost immediately after its completion. Our National Stadium, also built in 2009 for the Pacific Mini Games, was heralded as a great achievement, yet signs of premature wear and tear began surfacing far earlier than expected.

    Still, we continue this dance, entranced by the allure of foreign investment and large-scale projects, even as history and our fellow Pacific partners across the moana warn us of the risks.

    These structures, now symbols of our fragile dependence, stand as a metaphor for our relationship with the dragon: built with promises of strength, only to falter under closer scrutiny. And yet, we keep returning to the dance floor. These projects, rather than standing as enduring monuments to our relationship with China, serve as cautionary tales.

    And then came Te Mato Vai.

    What began as a bold and necessary vision to modernise Rarotonga’s water infrastructure became a slow and painful lesson in accountability. The involvement of China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) saw the project mired in substandard work, legal disputes and cost overruns.

    By the time McConnell Dowell, a New Zealand firm, was brought in to fix the defects, the damage — financial and reputational — was done.

    Prime Minister Mark Brown, both as Finance Minister and now as leader, has walked an interesting line between criticism and praise.

    In 2017, he voiced concerns about the poor workmanship and assured the nation that the government would seek accountability, stating, “We are deeply concerned about the quality of work delivered by CCECC. Our people deserve better, and we will pursue all avenues to ensure accountability.”

    In 2022, he acknowledged the cost overruns but framed them as necessary lessons in securing a reliable water supply. And yet, most recently, during the December 2024 visit of China’s Executive Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu, he declared Te Mato Vai a “commitment to a stronger, healthier, and more resilient nation. Together, we’ve delivered a project that not only meets the needs of today but safeguards the future of Rarotonga’s water supply.”

    The Cook Islands’ relationship with New Zealand has long been one of deep familial, historical and political ties — a dance with the taniwha, if you will. As a nation with free association status, we have relied on New Zealand for economic support, governance frameworks and our shared citizenship ties.

    And they have relied on our labour and expertise, which adds over a billion dollars to their economy each year. We have well-earned our discussion around citizenship and statehood, but that must come from the ground up, not from the top down.

    China has signed similar agreements across the Pacific, most notably with the Solomon Islands, weaving itself into the region’s economic and political fabric. Yet, while these partnerships promise opportunity, they also raise concerns about sovereignty, dependency and the price of such alignments, as well as the geopolitical and strategic footprint of the dragon.

    But as we reflect on the shortcomings of these partnerships, the question remains: Do we continue to place our trust in foreign powers, or do we reinvest in our own community and governance systems?

    At the end of the day, we must ask ourselves: How do we sign bold agreements on the world stage without consultation, while struggling to resolve fundamental issues at home?

    Healthcare, education, the rise in crime, mental health, disability, poverty — the list goes on and on, while our leaders are wined and dined on state visits around the globe.

    Dance with the dragon, if you so choose, but save the last dance for the voting public in 2026. In 2026, the voters will decide who leads this dance and who gets left behind.

    Republished from the Cook Islands News with permission.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Build to rent homes for essential workers in Sydney take off

    Source: New South Wales Premiere

    Published: 10 February 2025

    Released by: The Premier, Minister for Housing, Minister for Lands and Property, Minister for Planning and Public Spaces

    New homes for rent at a subsidised rate are on the way for essential workers in Sydney with the Minns Labor Government today announcing the first site of it’s essential worker Build-to-Rent plan.

    Funded through the Minns Labor Government’s $450 million investment to deliver housing for essential workers, the Government’s developer Landcom will transform the former WestConnex dive site in Camperdown to deliver:

    • at least 200 build-to-rent units offered to essential workers like health workers, paramedics, teachers, police officers and firefighters at a discount to market rent, through a separate subsidy
    • approximately 300 additional units, including private units and a proportion of affordable rental housing
    • ground-floor retail or commercial, landscaped outdoor spaces and new pedestrian links, enhancing the neighbourhood’s amenity and vibrancy.

    The site was identified under the NSW Government’s Land Audit, which set out to find surplus government land that had been sitting unused and could be used to develop more homes.

    Landcom and Homes NSW were given first pick of the land audit sites, with this being the first site to be developed by Landcom.

    The site is well-located, close to transport, public spaces, amenities and education and health centres including one of Sydney’s largest hospitals, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital.

    Community and stakeholders will have the opportunity to help shape the design of the mixed-use development as the applications progresses through consultation.

    Construction is expected to begin in 2026, pending approvals, with the first essential workers moving in around 2028.

    The Camperdown site is the first secured by Landcom as part of the NSW Government’s build-to-rent essential worker housing program, with Landcom investigating additional sites.

    Landcom is also expected to start construction this year on 110 build-to-rent units in NSW’s Northern Rivers and South Coast, boosting rental supply in regions feeling the combined stresses of rising rents and lack of housing availability.

    The Government will retain ownership of the build-to-rent housing. Details about eligibility criteria, how to apply and the rental subsidy will be available closer to project completion.

    This is all part of the Minns Labor Government’s plan to rebuild our essential services while delivering critical new housing for those who need it across NSW.

    Premier of New South Wales Chris Minns said:

    “Essential workers are feeling the impact of the immense cost of housing and many can’t afford to live near their jobs. That’s why our plan is delivering this well-located, secure and accessible rental housing for the essential workers who keep Sydney running.

    “The former WestConnex dive site in Sydney’s Inner West has sat unused for years and thanks to our plan to identify vacant land, it will now to deliver housing for essential workers close to their jobs.

    “Every single day essential workers turn up to work keep our state running, the very least we can do is make sure that they have access to the housing they need, near their jobs at an affordable price.”

    Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully said:

    “The Camperdown site is the first secured by Landcom as part of the NSW Government’s $450 million investment to deliver more than 400 build-to-rent homes for essential workers in metropolitan Sydney, closer to their jobs and services.

    “The new rental homes in Sydney’s Inner West will ease the pressure on essential workers employed nearby, providing greater housing choice, security and affordability, improving quality of life.

    “The development will transform unused Government-owned land with new homes for renters and buyers, while rejuvenating a key part of the Parramatta Road corridor.”

    Minister for Lands and Property Steve Kamper said:

    “The land audit is delivering and this site is proof. Instead of collecting dust, this site will help deliver much needed housing as part of approximately 7,000 new homes identified by the land audit.

    “The Minns Government is focused on building better communities and this large site will support our number one priority of delivering more housing for the people of NSW.”

    Minister for Housing Rose Jackson said:

    ”This is about providing much-needed affordable housing for the next generation of Sydneysiders so they can continue to live and work in their local areas.

    “Key workers are being priced out of their own communities, making it harder to build a future where they live and work. This investment is about backing them in—giving nurses, teachers and first responders more affordable rental options close to their jobs so they can keep doing the work that keeps our city running.”

    Mayor of Inner West Council Darcy Bryne said:

    ”We desperately need more affordable housing for essential workers in the Inner West and this project will make a real dent in the problem.”

    “For years people have talked about the Parramatta Road corridor as being an ideal location for higher density housing, this project will actually make that happen.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Lamp lighting ceremony of 29 Nursing Cadets of XI Batch of College of Nursing, Army Hospital (Research & Referral) Delhi held

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Posted On: 09 FEB 2025 8:13PM by PIB Delhi

    Lamp lighting ceremony of 29 Nursing Cadets of XI Batch of College of Nursing, Army Hospital(Research & Referral) Delhi was conducted on 08 Feb 2025 . Senior Officers, MNS Officers, Retired Officers, representatives from Civil Nursing Colleges,attended the ceremony.

    Lt Gen Shankar Narayan, Commandant, AH(R&R) addressed the students, motivating them to uphold the professional standards. Maj Gen Sheena PD, Addl DGMNS, Guest of Honour for the event administered the Nurse’s Pledge to the students.

    Passing of light symbolizes the dissemination of knowledge, skill and wisdom from the learned to the learners. The ADGMNS passed the light to Principal and Faculty who in turn passed it to the Nursing Cadets.

    The serene ceremony ended with the message that Nursing is a calling to serve, to care and to make a difference in the lives of our clientele.

    ******

    SR/Anand

    (Release ID: 2101189) Visitor Counter : 54

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Pariksha Pe Charcha

    Source: Government of India

    Pariksha Pe Charcha

    Empowering Students, Transforming Lives

    Posted On: 09 FEB 2025 12:21PM by PIB Delhi

    Examinations are often a source of stress for students and their families, but the “Pariksha Pe Charcha” (PPC) initiative by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been transforming this narrative. Scheduled for 11 AM on February 10, 2025, this year’s PPC will once again serve as an interactive platform where the Prime Minister directly engages with students, teachers, and parents. Each edition of PPC highlights innovative approaches to tackle exam-related anxiety, fostering a celebratory attitude toward learning and life.

    The Record-Breaking PPC 2025

    The 8th edition of PPC, scheduled on 10 February 2025, has already set a new benchmark. With over 5 crore participation, this year’s program exemplifies its status as a Jan Andolan, inspiring collective celebration of learning This year, 36 students from all State and UT, have been selected from State / UT Board Government schools, Kendriya Vidyalaya, Sainik School, Eklavya Model Residential School, CBSE and Navodaya Vidyalaya. Pariksha Pe Charcha 2025 will feature seven insightful episodes, bringing together renowned personalities from diverse fields to guide students on essential aspects of life and learning. Each episode will address key themes:

     

    • Sports & Discipline – M.C. Mary Kom, Avani Lekhara, and Suhas Yathiraj will discuss goal setting, resilience, and stress management through discipline.
    • Mental Health – Deepika Padukone will emphasize the importance of emotional well-being and self-expression.
    • Nutrition – Experts Shonali Sabherwal, Rujuta Diwekar, and Revant Himatsingka (Food Farmer) will highlight healthy eating habits, sleep, and overall well-being.
    • Technology & Finance – Gaurav Chaudhary (Technical Guruji) and Radhika Gupta will explore technology as a learning tool and financial literacy.
    • Creativity & Positivity – Vikrant Massey and Bhumi Pednekar will inspire students to cultivate positivity and manage negative thoughts.
    • Mindfulness & Mental Peace – Sadhguru will introduce practical mindfulness techniques for mental clarity and focus.
    • Stories of Success – Toppers from UPSC, IIT-JEE, CLAT, CBSE, NDA, ICSE, and past PPC participants will share how PPC shaped their preparation and mindset.

     

    A Journey Through the Years

     

     2024: Nationwide participation.

    The seventh edition of PPC, held on January 29, 2024, was expansive with 2.26 crore registrations on the MyGov portal, it reflects the program’s immense popularity and relevance. For the first time, 100 students from Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) participated, symbolizing the inclusivity of the initiative. The event was held in a town-hall format at Bharat Mandapam, ITPO, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, with approximately 3,000 participants, including students, teachers, parents, and winners of the Kala Utsav.

     

    Pariksha Par Charcha 2024

     

    2023: Widening Participation 

    The 6th Edition of PPC was conducted on 27 January 2023 at Talkatora Stadium, New Delhi. Hon’ble Prime Minister of India interacted with students, teachers and parents during this programme and gave his valuable suggestions/ inputs to all stakeholders. The programme was telecast live by many TV Channels and YouTube channels. 718110 students, 42337 employees and 88544 Parents viewed the live programme of PPC-2023. The interaction of the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India with students, teachers and parents was inspiring, motivating thought-provoking for all.

    Pariksha Par Charcha 2023

     

    2022: The Revival of Physical Interactions

    5th Edition of PPC was conducted on 1st April 2022 at Talkatora Stadium, New Delhi. Hon’ble Prime Minister of India has interacted with students, teachers and parents in this programme and has given them his valuable suggestions/ inputs. 9,69,836 students, 47,200 employee and 1,86,517 parents viewed the live programme of Pariksha Pe Charcha-2022. The programme was telecast live by the many TV Channels and YouTube channel etc

    Pariksha Par Charcha 2022

    2021: The Virtual Connection

    In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the fourth edition of PPC was held online on 7 April 2021. Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, the interaction continued to inspire students and their families. The focus shifted to resilience and adaptability, teaching life skills to help students navigate uncertain times.

    Pariksha Par Charcha 2021

     

    2020: Expanding Participation

    The unique Town Hall format of the event in which the Hon’ble Prime Minister directly interacted with school students at the Talkatora Stadium, New Delhi was held on 20th January, 2020.  The event broadened its scope with an online competition for students that received  2.63 lakh entries. Students from all over India and also Indian students residing abroad from 25 countries participated. The event highlighted the need to embrace challenges as stepping stones for success.

    Pariksha Par Charcha 2020

     

    2019: Growing Reach 

    On January 29, 2019, the second edition of PPC took place at the same venue, witnessing an even greater level of participation. The interaction, which lasted for over ninety minutes, saw students, teachers and parents relax, laugh, and repeatedly applaud the Prime Minister’s observations, which included a touch of humour and wit.

     

    Pariksha Par Charcha 2019

     

    2018: The Inaugural Interaction

    The first-ever Pariksha Pe Charcha was held on February 16, 2018, at Talkatora Stadium, New Delhi. There were more than 2500 students from schools and colleges who were present in Talkatora Stadium of 16th February, 2018 for the interaction and more than 8.5 Crore students from across the country viewed or heard the programme on DD/TV Channels/ Radio Channels. The Prime Minister emphasized holistic development, resilience, and the importance of maintaining balance during exams. The event’s success set the tone for future editions.

     

    Pariksha Par Charcha 2018

     

    The Impact of Pariksha Pe Charcha

     

    Over the years, PPC has evolved into an opportunity aimed at transforming exam-related stress into positive energy. By addressing real questions and offering actionable solutions, Prime Minister Modi has bridged the gap between policy and practice, empowering students to thrive under pressure. The program’s inclusivity, digital reach, and innovative approaches ensure its continued success as a cornerstone of student engagement in India. With each passing year, PPC reinforces the message that exams are not the end but a beginning!

     

    References

    Annual report 2023-24 to 2018-19. https://www.education.gov.in/documents_reports?field_documents_reports_tid=All&field_documents_reports_category_tid=All&title=&page=1

    https://innovateindia1.mygov.in/#skip-main

    https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2092794

    https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=2000010

    https://pib.gov.in/Pressreleaseshare.aspx?PRID=1561793

    https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=2100184

    Click here to download PDF

    *****

    Santosh Kumar/ Sarla Meena/ Madiha Iqbal

    (Release ID: 2101104) Visitor Counter : 84

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Centralised Organ Donation Register website to suspend service for two hours during system upgrades

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Centralised Organ Donation Register website to suspend service for two hours during system upgrades
    Centralised Organ Donation Register website to suspend service for two hours during system upgrades
    ******************************************************************************************

         The Department of Health announced today (February 9) that the Centralised Organ Donation Register website (www.codr.gov.hk) will be suspended for two hours tomorrow (February 10) at 10pm for system upgrades. The service is expected to resume normal at 0.00am on February 11.     ​     During the suspension of the service, members of the public can download the registration form from the organ donation thematic website and return it by fax, if necessary. 

     
    Ends/Sunday, February 9, 2025Issued at HKT 9:00

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Eradicates Anti-Christian Bias

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    ERADICATING ANTI-CHRISTIAN BIAS: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order establishing a task force to end the anti-Christian weaponization of government and unlawful conduct targeting Christians.
    The task force, officially known as the Task Force to Eradicate Anti-Christian Bias, will be comprised of members of President Trump’s cabinet and key government agencies.
    The task force will review the activities of all departments and agencies to identify and eliminate anti-Christian policies, practices, or conduct.
    The task force will gather input from various stakeholders to ensure broad perspectives are considered, including faith-based organizations, State, local, and Tribal governments, and Americans affected by anti-Christian conduct.
    It will identify and address gaps in laws and enforcement that have contributed to anti-Christian conduct, including by remedying any failures to fully enforce the law against acts of anti-Christian hostility, vandalism, and violence.
    The task force will recommend further presidential or legislative actions necessary to rectify past wrongs and protect Americans’ religious liberties.
    The task force will submit an annual report on its progress, with a final report upon its conclusion.
    PROTECTING AMERICANS’ RELIGIOUS FREEDOM: The previous Administration engaged in an egregious pattern of targeting peaceful Christians while ignoring violent, anti-Christian offenses. President Trump will not tolerate this abuse of government and is taking action to ensure that any unlawful and improper anti-Christian conduct, policies or practices are identified, terminated, and rectified.
    The United States Constitution enshrines the fundamental right to religious liberty in the First Amendment.
    The Biden Department of Justice brought felony charges and obtained multi-year prison sentences against nearly two dozen pro-life Christians for praying and peacefully demonstrating outside abortion facilities.
    The Biden Department of Justice ignored hundreds of attacks on Catholic churches, charities, and pro-life centers.
    In 2023, a Federal Bureau of Investigation memo asserted that traditional Catholics were domestic-terrorism threats and suggested infiltrating Catholic churches as “threat mitigation.” 
    The Biden Department of Education sought to repeal religious-liberty protections for faith-based organizations on college campuses. 
    The Biden Equal Employment Opportunity Commission sought to force Christians to affirm radical transgender ideology against their faith.
    The Biden Department of Health and Human Services sought to drive Christians out of the foster-care system. 
    In 2024, the Biden Administration declared Easter Sunday as “Transgender Day of Visibility.”
    STANDING UP FOR RELIGIOUS LIBERTY: President Donald J. Trump is committed to protecting Americans’ fundamental right to religious freedom.
    On his fourth day in office, President Trump pardoned the Christians and pro-life activists who were persecuted by the Biden Administration for praying and peacefully living out their faith.
    Last week, President Trump signed an Executive Order to combat anti-Semitism on our campuses and in our streets.
    President Trump: “I will create a new federal task force on fighting anti-Christian bias. That’ll be done immediately.”
    This Executive Order also builds on the long list of accomplishments from the first Trump Administration:
    During his first year in office, President Trump signed an Executive Order upholding religious liberty and the right to engage in religious speech.
    President Trump signed an Executive Order recognizing the essential contributions of faith-based organizations and establishing the Faith and Opportunity Initiative.
    President Trump reversed the Obama-era policy that prevented the government from providing disaster relief to religious organizations.

    President Trump hosted a Global Call to Protect Religious Freedom event at the United Nations and called on the international community and business lead

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Child hit by car Franmaree Road Newnham

    Source: Tasmania Police

    Child hit by car Franmaree Road Newnham

    Sunday, 9 February 2025 – 1:41 pm.

    Police are investigating an incident where a 4 year old boy ran onto the roadway, and was hit by a Gray Suzuki car at 6.40pm on Saturday 8 February 2025 in Franmaree Road, Newnham, Launceston.
    Prompt attendance by emergency services saw the child stabilised and taken to the Launceston General Hospital by Ambulance Tas.  Following this the child was airlifted to the Royal Hobart Hospital where he remains, critically injured but in a stable condition.
    Anyone who witnessed this incident, or has with dash cam or CCTV footage is asked to contact police on 131 444 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or at crimestopperstas.com.au. Information can be provided anonymously.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Breaking the silence: new research highlights the impact of sexual violence on queer and gender-diverse Australians

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Salter, Professor of Criminology, UNSW Sydney

    Australia’s LGBTIQA+SB* communities have long been overlooked in discussions about the prevention of and responses to sexual violence, despite evidence they are at increased risk.

    The National Survey on LGBTIQA+SB Experiences of Sexual Violence, which we carried out, is the first survey of its kind. It is designed to fill a glaring gap in national and global research by focusing on the experiences of sexual violence among LGBTIQA+SB Australians.

    The lack of data on sexual violence affecting sexual and gender minority communities reflects the low priority given to LGBTIQA+SB individuals in national data collection. For example, the absence of questions about sexual orientation and gender identity in the national census means we do not have a representative sample of LGBTIQA+SB people.

    As a result, the findings of the national survey can’t be generalised to all LGBTIQA+SB Australians. But they do give us important insights into experiences in these communities.

    Many LGBTIQA+SB Australians have experienced sexual violence

    With responses from almost 3,200 participants, including 416 First Nations Australians, the survey reveals harrowing truths about sexual violence against LGBTIQA+SB people.

    More than three-quarters (76%) reported experiencing sexual victimisation at some point in their life. More than half of respondents (52%) said they had experienced both child sexual abuse and adult sexual assault.

    Moreover,7% reported only child sexual abuse, while 17% experienced sexual violence solely in adulthood. Notably, those who faced sexual violence in both childhood and adulthood reported the worst outcomes for their health and economic security. This highlights the urgent need for targeted support and intervention.

    Many people carried the burden of sexual violence for a long time. The majority of survivors said they had been most deeply affected by an incident that took place more than five years ago, or in childhood.

    More than 80% of identified perpetrators in adulthood or childhood were cisgender men. Nearly one-third of perpetrators came from within the LGBTIQA+SB community.

    The setting in which sexual violence occurred varied significantly based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Cisgender men were more likely to report that sexual violence took place in public venues such as bars and clubs.

    In contrast, cisgender women, trans men, and non-binary people primarily reported experiences of sexual victimisation in private homes and intimate relationships.

    Additionally, First Nations participants, particularly trans women and trans men, experienced higher rates of recent and severe victimisation.

    Across the sample, key barriers to seeking help included feelings of shame, fear of blame. Many also had doubts about whether their experience met the threshold of assault or violence.

    More support to speak up

    When victims did choose to speak up, their experiences varied widely. Supportive and validating responses were appreciated, but many participants reported unhelpful responses such as disbelief, victim-blaming, and dismissiveness. These responses worsened their trauma.

    The disclosure rates highlighted the stigma surrounding the acknowledgement of sexual victimisation. For example, less than 40% of all cisgender men reported their experiences, while First Nations cisgender men were the least likely to report sexual violence.

    When they disclosed, LGBTIQA+SB survivors were most likely to speak to friends and family. Fewer than half of survivors reached out to support services, and those that did most often sought help from mental health professionals. While satisfaction with these services varied, participants consistently valued professionals who listened, supported, and believed them. They appreciated tailored care and therapy specifically designed for sexual violence survivors.

    However, many trans men, trans women, and non-binary people reported encountering alienating responses from professionals. This finding clearly underscores the urgent need for trauma-informed training that is sensitive to LGBTIQA+SB issues and identities.

    A hopeful finding was the high rate of bystander intervention among LGBTIQA+SB people. Nearly three-quarters of respondents stepped in to help when they saw people at risk of sexual violence. Motivated by ethics and personal experiences, bystander actions ranged from safeguarding friends at parties to directly confronting perpetrators. However, fear, safety concerns, and lack of knowledge could deter potential allies.

    The survey found more than three-quarters of respondents had intervened when they saw people at risk of sexual violence.

    These findings have significant implications for addressing sexual violence. To enhance sexual violence prevention, it is crucial to integrate LGBTIQA+SB perspectives into school curriculum, focusing on respectful relationships and sexual consent.

    The LGBTIQA+SB community plays a vital role in supporting and protecting individuals from sexual violence. By providing additional resources, we can empower community members with the skills necessary to assist survivors and intervene effectively in risky or dangerous situations.

    Health professionals need to be better informed

    Given the high proportion of LGBTIQA+SB survivors who seek help from mental health professionals, improved access to affordable and inclusive mental health care in the aftermath of sexual violence would be of enormous benefit.

    However, many participants reported that counsellors and therapists sometimes struggled to understand how sexual violence affected LGBTIQA+SB identities and individuals.

    Comprehensive care, including from First Nations community-controlled services and organisations, can be strengthened by increasing cooperation and dialogue between sexual violence services and LGBTIQA+SB organisations.

    Despite these alarming findings, the survey also emphasises the resilience of LGBTIQA+SB communities. The responses showed that members support, educate and advocate for one another.

    By addressing the systemic gaps highlighted by this research, Australia has an opportunity to leverage this collective strength to prevent sexual violence before it happens, while also promoting healing and recovery for survivors, regardless of their gender or sexual orientation.

    *Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer, asexual, Sistergirl, Brotherboy

    Michael Salter received funding from the Commonwealth Department of Social Services for this study.

    Andy Kaladelfos received funding from the Commonwealth Department of Social Services for this study. Andy receives funding from the Australian Research Council and is Vice-President of Trans Pride Australia.

    Jan Breckenridge received funding from the Commonwealth Department of Social Services for this project.

    Vanessa Lee-Ah Mat received funding from the Commonwealth Department of Social Services for this project.

    – ref. Breaking the silence: new research highlights the impact of sexual violence on queer and gender-diverse Australians – https://theconversation.com/breaking-the-silence-new-research-highlights-the-impact-of-sexual-violence-on-queer-and-gender-diverse-australians-244290

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Looking for a sperm donor online? 4 things to think about first

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Neera Bhatia, Associate Professor in Law (Health Law), Deakin University

    Tim Samuel/Pexels

    People looking for a sperm donor can go to a fertility clinic, ask a friend to donate or look for a donor online, including on an app or via social media.

    Women in same-sex relationships, single women and others are choosing the online option for a number of reasons.

    But this brings with it various challenges and risks. Here’s what to know first.

    It’s a popular choice

    Up to 4,000 children are estimated to have been born over the past ten years via one Australian sperm donation website alone.

    In just 2022, sperm sourced via one private Facebook group reportedly resulted in 692 births.

    Some donors and recipients choose to use online platforms because they want to form connections and friendships with the other party early on. In some cases, donors choose to remain in the lives of the recipient and any child born from their donation.

    But some sperm donors go online to remain anonymous, an option not usually possible when donating through a fertility clinic.

    Some people might use online sperm donation because the cost of accessing donor sperm at fertility clinics is too high in Australia. Some clinics charge a sperm donation management fee of about A$2,000. This allows people to access information about the donors they can choose from. Then there is the cost of insemination and of the sperm itself, which is about $2,500 out-of-pocket per cycle. Online sperm donation in Australia tends to be altruistic and does not cost anything.

    People in rural or regional areas may live far from fertility clinics, making access challenging.

    Then there’s often a shortage of donor sperm at clinics. In particular, there’s a lack of ethnic and cultural diversity in donors.

    Whatever the reason for seeking sperm online, here are some issues to consider first.

    1. Medical unknowns

    Sperm donors at fertility clinics undergo medical, physical and psychological screening to reduce the risk of transmitting disease to a child.

    However, online sperm donors may provide people with unscreened sperm that might be carrying sexually transmitted infections or inheritable genetic conditions.

    This puts the recipient and the potential child at risk because of the lack of medical information about the donor.

    Sperm donors in fertility clinics undergo genetic testing.
    New Africa/Shutterstock

    2. Psychological, personal, social risks

    People might be placed at risk when they agree to meet a potential online sperm donor in person. There have been reported cases where potential donors have pressured people into natural insemination (sexual intercourse) once they meet. This is despite donors initially agreeing to provide sperm for home insemination (using a syringe to inject the donor sperm into the vagina).

    These safety and exploitation concerns are especially pertinent in cases of same-sex female couples and people who are same-sex attracted who might feel coerced or compelled to have sexual intercourse with a man to try to conceive a child.

    In fertility clinics, state laws limit the number of individuals or families that can use a single donor’s sperm (from five to ten families depending on the state).

    The nature of online sperm donation means there are no records kept about the number of children a donor contributes to conceiving. With no formal record keeping, one donor could potentially provide sperm to hundreds of people. This increases the chances of donor-conceived siblings unknowingly having children together later in life.

    There might be cases where donors do not tell the truth about their identity or background, as happened in a case in Japan when a donor allegedly lied about his identity and education.

    There might also be psychological harm when an agreement has been made about contact between the parties and that agreement is later disputed or disregarded.

    3. Legally, it’s a grey area

    A man who donates sperm to a fertility clinic has no legal rights or obligations to a child born as a result of this donation in Australia.

    However, conceiving a child using informally donated sperm can be legally precarious. We are not aware of any reported cases in Australia of legal disputes about parentage that have involved online sperm donation. However, if the practice continues to grow, the courts may need to intervene if a donor is seeking to exercise some rights relating to the donor-conceived child against the mother’s wishes.

    There was, however, a 2019 case that relates to sperm donation by a friend. Here, the High Court ruled a man who donated sperm informally to his friend was deemed the legal parent of a child. This resulted in the mother and her same-sex partner being prevented from relocating to New Zealand with the child and their sibling.

    As each potential case will depend on its own set of unique circumstances, it’s best to take legal advice first.

    4. What’s best for the child?

    Many donor-conceived people want information about, and contact with, their donor. A lack of information, including medical information, can contribute to psychological, medical and social harms.

    So people should carefully consider how this arrangement might impact any child conceived. This includes their potential desire to meet any siblings conceived using the same donor’s sperm.

    A child may want to meet any siblings conceived using the same donor’s sperm.
    fizkes/Shutterstock

    Where to from here?

    The decision to have a child using donor sperm is complex. When deciding how to access donor sperm, people may benefit from speaking to an accredited fertility counsellor about their options.

    This may include accessing donor sperm through a fertility clinic, which are strictly regulated and licensed, and need to comply with state laws and ethical guidelines.

    While accessing donor sperm through a regulated fertility clinic may be more costly and time-consuming, it is also markedly safer than online sperm donation.

    However, some people may not want to access donor sperm through a fertility clinic, or this might not meet their needs. We need to understand why so we can try to do something about it.

    If a person decides to access donor sperm online, they should have open and honest discussions with the potential donor about:

    • their medical history

    • what role they envisage in the future life of a child born using their sperm

    • how all parties can keep records and contact information.

    Before seeing a potential donor in person, they should also tell a family member, close friend or someone they can confide in about the meeting to ensure they are safe.

    Taking these measures may help make accessing donor sperm online a positive experience for all involved.

    Neera Bhatia receives funding from the UK Arts and Humanities Research Council for an unrelated project.

    Catherine Mills has received industry research funding from Monash IVF, Ferring Pharmaceutical and Illumina. She is a bioethics consultant for VitroLife. She has received Australian government research funding from the ARC, NHMRC and MRFF. She does not receive private remuneration from any industry body.

    Giselle Newton is a donor-conceived woman and is a member of Donor Conceived Australia.

    Molly Johnston has received research funding from Monash IVF Group and Ferring Pharmaceuticals, and honoraria and travel fees from Gedeon Richter.

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

    – ref. Looking for a sperm donor online? 4 things to think about first – https://theconversation.com/looking-for-a-sperm-donor-online-4-things-to-think-about-first-246888

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NIH Funding Policy

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    Dear colleagues,

    You may already be aware that the NIH announced a significant change in funding policy last night, the details of which can be found here.

    NIH is reducing its indirect (IDC) recovery rate to 15% on current and future grants effective Monday, which represents a substantial decrease from our current negotiated rate (UConn: 62%; UCH: 66.5%). If implemented as announced, this change will impair our ability to produce innovative research that benefits all parts of society and place a significant financial strain on the university.

    We are not alone in this impact, as this funding change will similarly affect most research-active institutions of higher education across the country. There are still many unknowns – e.g., whether there will be any actions to pause implementation, and whether other federal agencies will follow suit. We, along with our colleagues across the country, are quickly assessing the full impact of this change and anticipate this change likely will be legally challenged.

    Here is a report from the AAAS which provides additional history and background on this issue.

    We appreciate how challenging the uncertainty of these times are for everyone. The university and OVPR will continue to closely review the ongoing federal developments and work to quickly provide as much information as possible to the research community via a number of communication channels, including the Federal Research Funding FAQ page, direct correspondence with impacted principal investigators, and with research administrators through SPS admin listservs.

    Specific questions about current awards may be directed to your assigned Award Management (Post-Award) contact; proposal questions may be directed to your assigned Pre-Award Services contact.

    Please email research@uconn.edu with any other questions regarding these uncertain times and we will respond as quickly as possible.

    We strongly encourage you to keep moving your important work forward, to share the work we do and the positive impact we have with all our audiences, to support each other, and to reach out with any questions. We are all in this together, and we are proud to be Huskies.

    Thank you for your commitment to UConn!

    All the best,

    Radenka Maric
    UConn President

    Anne D’Alleva
    Provost

    Dr. Andy Agwunobi
    Executive Vice President for Health Affairs and CEO, UConn Health

    Pamir Alpay
    Vice President for Research

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Cloud-based computing: routes toward secure storage and affordable computation

    Source: The Conversation – France – By Robert Deng, Professor of Information Systems – School of Information Systems, Singapore Management University

    Storing data in the cloud is now routine for people and companies alike, but cybersecurity risks still exist, particularly in handling user authentication and access control securely. Researchers are developing novel methods to store data securely and in a computationally affordable way, and to exploit it efficiently–by computing directly on encrypted data.

    Cloud computing, while indispensable for modern business operations, has also become a significant target for cyberattacks due to the large amount of sensitive data stored online. Currently, over 90% of organizations rely on cloud services for critical operations, and there are more than 3.6 billion active cloud users globally. This translates to 47% of the world’s population utilizing cloud services, underscoring the widespread dependency on the cloud.

    Unfortunately, this reliance on cloud computing comes with heightened risks. Data breaches are escalating in both frequency and severity: according to the 2024 Thales Cloud Security Study, 44% of businesses reported experiencing a breach in their cloud environments, with 14% reporting a breach within the past 12 months.

    As organizations migrate more sensitive data to the cloud–nearly half of all cloud-stored data is classified as sensitive–the attack surface for cybercriminals expands. This makes breaches not only more common but also more damaging, as the loss of sensitive information can have far-reaching consequences, including significant financial and reputational harm. The global average cost of a data breach in 2024 was estimated at $4.88 million.

    Nowadays, so-called “client-side encryption” is effective in data security and privacy protection in cloud data storage. However, for encrypted data to be useful, there is still a long way to go toward practical secure computation over it. We still face significant scalability and performance hurdles. Research continues to explore ways to bridge this gap, making scalable, privacy-preserving computation more efficient and accessible for large-scale applications.

    The root causes of data breaches

    User authentication and access control are among the most critical mechanisms to deter data breaches.

    User authentication, the process of verifying the identity of users trying to access cloud resources, is the first line of defence–but it is widely regarded as the weakest link in the chain of security, with an estimated 81% of hacking-related breaches leveraging either stolen or weak passwords. Though user authentication has evolved a lot in recent years, attacks meant to compromise user authentication have, too.

    Access control–the process of regulating who can view, use or interact with cloud resources such as data, applications or services–is the next line of defence. Effective access control ensures that only authorized users or devices have the appropriate permissions to access certain resources, thereby minimizing security risks and preventing unauthorized access or misuse of cloud assets.

    In today’s cloud computing environments, cloud servers are fully responsible to correctly enforce access-control policies. As a result, misconfigurations of servers due to human error or software bugs, or compromise of servers due to malicious attacks, can result in serious breaches. In fact, the US National Security Agency (NSA) considers misconfiguration a leading vulnerability in a cloud environment.

    Client-side encryption for secure storage

    Data can be encrypted and decrypted on end users’ devices before uploading it to and downloading it from the cloud. This approach ensures that data is encrypted during transit and storage, making data inaccessible to anyone without the decryption keys, including service providers and other potential attackers. As long as the decryption keys are kept secure by end users, security and privacy of data can be ensured even if the user’s cloud account and the cloud server are compromised.

    Existing client-side encryption solutions in cloud computing can use either private or public keys. For example, Google Workspace client-side encryption employs an online key distribution server for distribution between authorized users for the purpose of data encryption and sharing. However, an online distribution server can be both a security and performance bottleneck. To circumvent this, MEGA, another client-side encryption service, uses public key encryption and hence does not require an online key distribution server. But it does require sophisticated public key certificate management, as the number of public key encryptions is proportional to the number of potential data users to share a document, making this a strategy that’s hard to scale up.

    Circumventing the computational limitation of client-side encryption

    Suppose that a hospital wants to outsource the storage of its patients’ electronic medical records to the cloud and wants to establish specific policies on who can access the records. Before outsourcing a record, the hospital may specify that it can only be accessed by cardiologists in, say, the University Hospital, or by scientists in the Life Science Institute. Let “CT” denote the encrypted medical record and “AP” = (Cardiologist AND University Hospital) OR (Scientist AND Life Science Institute) be the access policy. CT and AP are cryptographically bound together and are uploaded to the cloud for storage. Then only users whose attributes satisfy AP can decrypt CT to get the decrypted medical record.

    This is a scalable encryption system because its access policy does not need to list each and every authorized user who can access the data, only the attributes of the potential users. Access control (i.e., decryption) of encrypted data is not enforced by the cloud server but through the encryption and decryption algorithms that are theoretically proved secure.

    Beyond secure storage: exploiting secure data efficiently

    One of the main efficiency drawbacks of such systems–which are already deployed–is that decryption is computationally expensive for resource-limited devices. To address this issue, we proposed a protocol that improves decryption efficiency for end users by two orders of magnitude, by outsourcing most of the decryption workload to a public cloud server.

    Another critical problem in deployment is “user revocation”: whenever a user leaves the system, changes her position or loses her existing private key, the key must be revoked to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive data. Current systems mostly use timestamps to bar revoked users from decrypting new content–however, the timestamps require regular updates, which can be computationally heavy in large systems. We proposed hardware-based revocable attribute-based encryption to make revocation cheaper.

    Computing directly on encrypted data

    Ideally, servers should be able to perform meaningful operations on encrypted data without ever decrypting it, preserving privacy at every step.

    This is where so-called “fully homomorphic encryption” comes in. It is a cutting-edge encryption technique that enables mathematical operations–specifically, addition and multiplication–to be executed on encrypted data directly by a server, without the need for decryption.

    However, current state-of-the-art systems are impractical for large-scale computations because of the “noise”–the unwanted, random-looking data introduced by cryptographic operations–that threatens the integrity of the results. Frequent noise-mitigating procedures are required–once again, a computationally expensive method, in particular for large data sets.

    Our novel approach to secure computing over encrypted data allows an unlimited number of arithmetic operations to be performed without the need for “bootstrapping” (the mathematical operation to reduce noise), achieving superior performance across various secure computing tasks, such as privacy-preserving person re-identification.

    Created in 2007 to help accelerate and share scientific knowledge on key societal issues, the Axa Research Fund has supported nearly 700 projects around the world conducted by researchers in 38 countries. To learn more, visit the website of the Axa Research Fund or follow @AXAResearchFund on X.

    Robert Deng has received funding from the Singapore National Research Foundation.

    – ref. Cloud-based computing: routes toward secure storage and affordable computation – https://theconversation.com/cloud-based-computing-routes-toward-secure-storage-and-affordable-computation-248592

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: PSA seeks Privacy Commissioner investigation into reckless cuts at Health NZ Te Whatu Ora

    Source: PSA

    Patient information at risk of privacy breach from deep cuts to IT staff
    The PSA is asking the Privacy Commissioner to urgently investigate Health NZ’s plan to decimate its IT staff as part of the Government’s plans to cut health costs.
    “The PSA is taking the unusual step of asking the Privacy Commissioner to urgently investigate cuts to data and digital teams at Te Whatu Ora Health New Zealand because of the huge gamble with patient privacy and safety we believe Health NZ is taking with plans to cut almost half of IT staff,” said Fleur Fitzsimons, Acting National Secretary for the Public Service Association for Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi.
    Health NZ Te Whatu Ora announced in December plans to cut 47% of roles in the Data and Digital Directorate, resulting in the loss of 1120 roles (including vacancies), all to save $100m.
    “New Zealanders rightly expect that their private information as patients is held securely, but we don’t believe Health NZ can say hand on heart that will be the case if these cuts go ahead.
    “Health NZ has important obligations under the Health Information Privacy Code and the Privacy Act, but we don’t believe the risks of breaching these obligations have been properly analysed in the rush to save money.
    “The data and information these teams are responsible for is vital for clinicians to ensure the best possible treatment for patients. IT staff already warned Health NZ leaders late last year that the restructure raised the risks of unplanned outages. This could impact patients through the inability of clinicians to access patient data, as well as through medication and equipment failures.
    “The Government is on notice that Health NZ’s IT systems are already under huge pressure and that the directorate is understaffed. The risk of a cyber security breaches is very real as the Waikato Hospital ransomware attack in 2021 showed.
    “The Government should be investing in IT upgrades and more, not fewer staff to better protect sensitive patient records and ensure the benefits of centralising computer systems under the health restructure are realised.
    “We urge the Privacy Commissioner to use his powers of investigation here before long term damage is done to the health system. We invite him to talk to impacted staff who know well the risks to patients from unplanned outages.
    “It’s absolutely critical patient data is accurate, secure and available 24-7 for clinicians.”
    – PSA letter to the Privacy Commissioner
    – PSA submission to Health NZ / Te Whatu Ora on proposed restructure of the Data and Digital Directorate
    Previous statement

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Bolstering Canada’s right to repair could shield it against U.S. tariffs and trade uncertainty

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Anthony D Rosborough, Assistant Professor of Law & Computer Science, Dalhousie University

    The right to repair movement aims to give consumers, businesses and independent repair providers access to the resources needed to maintain essential products and technologies. (Shutterstock)

    Canada’s economy has long relied on open trade and cross-border supply chains, but as tariff threats and market protectionism rise from the United States under President Donald Trump, so do Canada’s economic vulnerabilities.

    Although the risk of a trade war between Canada and the U.S. has been given a temporary reprieve, with Trump saying he will hold off on imposing tariffs for at least 30 days, the threat still looms large.

    What happens when crucial imports — farm machinery, medical devices, home appliances — become harder to access or more expensive?

    The current crisis has unveiled deep weaknesses and dependencies in Canada’s economy. In 2023, 77 per cent of Canada’s exports went to the U.S., while nearly half of its imports came from its southern neighbour. For decades, this interdependence was viewed as a diplomatic success, but it’s now clear that this has come with risks and vulnerabilities too.



    Read more:
    Trump’s trade war is forcing Canada to revive a decades-old plan to reduce U.S. dependence

    Political leaders across party lines recognize that Canada needs a plan for bolstering its economic resilience. This will require strengthening domestic manufacturing, expanding trade diversification and building new diplomatic and economic alliances. But this plan must also develop workforce resilience, domestic capacity and innovation right here at home.

    The solution lies in strengthening Canadians’ right to repair the products and devices we rely upon. The right to repair is not just about environmental sustainability, it’s a matter of economic resilience; it can increase the number of well-paying Canadian jobs and reduce Canada’s dependence on unpredictable global markets.

    The right to repair

    The right to repair movement seeks to ensure that consumers, businesses and independent repair providers have access the parts, tools, information and software needed to repair and maintain essential products, devices and technologies.

    That means not only the smartphones in our pockets and the cars we drive to work, but also the machinery that harvests our food and the medical devices that hospitals rely on to save lives.

    Currently, much of this equipment is either imported or relies heavily on imported components. Canada’s agricultural sector, for instance, heavily depends on machinery imports from the U.S. to maintain productivity and food security. This machinery is notoriously difficult to repair as the result of legal and technical restrictions. Canada’s agricultural equipment industry is faced with the same challenges as independent repairers.

    A maintenance engineer checks a CT scanner machine.
    (Shutterstock)

    Similar vulnerabilities exist in the health-care sector. Canada imports 70 per cent of its medical devices, with nearly half coming from the U.S. Much like those servicing (or using) agricultural equipment, biomedical engineers across Canada face a range of technical, legal and market barriers to keep devices online, pushing them into exclusive service contracts to keep devices working.



    Read more:
    A medical ‘right to repair’ can empower consumers — and save lives

    Consumer devices and home appliances are also overwhelmingly imported into Canada, making them susceptible to tariffs and trade barriers — all with the potential to make Canada’s cost-of-living crisis more dire than it already is.

    A path to economic resilience

    The right to repair movement offers a way for Canada to reduce both its economic vulnerabilities and U.S. dependency.

    Extending the lifespan of products is crucial not only for environmental sustainability and reducing waste, but also for strengthening the economy. It can also help communities be more resilient by supporting local businesses, creating jobs and boosting productivity.

    Canada has made significant progress in advancing the right to repair in recent years. Bill C-59 introduced amendments to the Competition Act aimed at cracking down on manufacturers’ refusal to provide independent businesses with the parts, tools and information necessary for repair.

    And, in 2024, Canada amended its Copyright Act to allow repairers to break digital locks used by manufacturers of digital goods to restrict access to repair and diagnostic information.

    But these are only the first steps in a full-fledged right to repair — more needs to be done to support the right to repair in Canada.

    Governments must step up

    Canada’s provinces need to strengthen consumer protection laws to ban planned obsolescence and oblige manufacturers to provide access to essential repair resources.

    Provinces should also prevent manufacturers from voiding warranties on products and devices that are repaired outside of authorized networks. Québec has taken a leading role in this area, but inter-provincial co-ordination will be crucial going forward.

    Extending the lifespan of products is crucial not only for environmental sustainability and reducing waste, but also for strengthening the economy.
    (Shutterstock)

    The federal government’s job also remains unfinished. It needs to regulate repair restrictions in critical technology sectors like agriculture and health care by developing technical standards and minimum repairability requirements for equipment and devices that are purchased through public procurement processes.

    Canada is also in need of federal leadership in enacting a repairability index, which scores products and devices based on their ease of repair. Such an initiative would provide consumers with the information they need to make informed purchasing decisions.

    Advancing the right to repair is a cost-free policy move that will strengthen Canada’s economy in an era of trade uncertainty. Unlike subsidy programs or industry bailouts, right to repair legislation focuses on consumers and independent businesses.

    By enabling workers and businesses to repair rather than replace, Canada can maximize the value of existing goods, reduce dependence on volatile global supply chains and make the country more self-sufficient, all without added government spending.

    Anthony D Rosborough has received Doctoral Award funding from Canada’s Social Sciences & Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) and is a Policy Lead with Dalhousie University’s MacEachen Institute for Public Policy & Governance. Anthony is a Co-Founder of the Canadian Repair Coalition and the Principal Investigator of the Unlocking Healthcare research project (www.unlockinghealthcare.ca).

    – ref. Bolstering Canada’s right to repair could shield it against U.S. tariffs and trade uncertainty – https://theconversation.com/bolstering-canadas-right-to-repair-could-shield-it-against-u-s-tariffs-and-trade-uncertainty-248970

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Baldwin Slams Trump and Elon Musk’s Illegal Cut to Lifesaving Disease Research

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Tammy Baldwin

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) released the following statement in response to President Donald Trump and Elon Musk announcing that the National Institutes of Health (NIH) will be making significant, illegal cuts to funding for lifesaving research at Universities. The NIH announced that it is arbitrarily capping indirect cost rates at 15%, which will slash funding that helps research institutions, like the University of Wisconsin, operate their facilities, operate labs, pay staff, and buy equipment needed for groundbreaking work to find cures for diseases and treatments for patients.

    “The President and Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, are illegally cutting funding that families rely on for groundbreaking research that is finding cures for diseases like cancer, Alzheimer’s, and diabetes,” said Senator Baldwin. “Abruptly slashing this funding will mean people might not get the treatments they are relying on, workers from custodians to research trainees to scientists are likely to be laid off, and we will be further away from finding the cures to diseases that plague all of our families. Elon Musk and Donald Trump are finding every which way they can to cut programs and funding that families in Wisconsin rely on – all in service to making room for their tax cut for the biggest corporations and themselves. Wisconsin families will pay the price for this illegal cash grab, and I’m going to fight it.”

    “UW-Madison is one of the world’s leading engines of biomedical research. This proposed change to NIH funding – UW-Madison’s largest source of federal support – will significantly disrupt vital research activity and delay lifesaving discoveries and cures related to cancer, Alzheimer’s Disease, diabetes, and much more,” said the University of Wisconsin-Madison. “In addition, these reductions will have an inevitable impact on student opportunities to engage in research activities, from undergraduates to Ph.D. and medical students. Medical innovation will be slowed, delaying the creation of new treatments, new technologies, and new health workers. The so-called ‘indirect costs’ go to support many aspects of the educational and research work of the university. Indirect costs contribute to everything from utilities charges to building out the laboratories where science is done, to infrastructure for clinical trials of new medicines and treatments. Drastic reduction to this funding will not only disrupt the day-to-day important work of the university but will ultimately harm the livelihoods of real people across Wisconsin and the country, harm the innovation economy and will make our nation less competitive.

    Indirect costs are necessary expenses for universities that support research, including paying key support staff, maintaining equipment, and operating labs, among other things. Slashing this funding will shift billions of dollars in burdens to states and their taxpayers, who often cannot afford to pay the difference. Research institutions in Wisconsin, including the University of Wisconsin–Madison, Medical College of Wisconsin, Marquette University, University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, and Marshfield Clinic Research Institute, among other University of Wisconsin System schools, will be impacted by these funding cuts.

    As Ranking Member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Related Agencies, Senator Baldwin is responsible for writing the bill that funds the NIH, which explicitly prohibits NIH from taking this arbitrary action.  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Mobile Cervical Screening is Coming to Communities Across the City 

    Source: City of Liverpool

    Cervical screening is a vital health check that can save lives, yet many people miss their appointments due to busy schedules or uncertainty. 

    To make screening more accessible, a mobile cervical screening service will be at different areas across Liverpool. 

    Women and anyone with a cervix aged 25 to 64 are encouraged to come along. The test takes just five minutes and can prevent up to 70% of cervical cancer deaths. 

    No appointment is needed, people can simply drop in when the mobile service visits their area. 

    Screenings are conducted with care and sensitivity, and a family member or friend is welcome come for support. 

    Drop-ins are taking place: 

    Date  Time  Location 
    Wednesday 12th February   10:30 – 4:00pm  South Liverpool Homes – Parklands, Conleach Rd, Speke, L24 0TY 
    Friday 7th March   10:30 – 4:00pm  Abdullah Quillam, 8-10 Brougham Terrace, West Derby Road, Liverpool, L6 1AE.  
    Saturday 15th March   10:30 – 4:00pm  Beacon Health Kensington, 157 Edge Lane, L7 3HE 
    Friday 28th March   10:30 – 4:00pm  Chung Wah Supermarket, Hardy Street Liverpool L1 5JN 

    For more information about cervical screening visit: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/cervical-screening/ 

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Asean-Australia Centre Advisory Board Chair appointment

    Source: Australian Government – Minister of Foreign Affairs

    Today I announce the appointment of Professor Mimi Tang as the inaugural Chair of the ASEAN-Australia Centre Advisory Board.

    The ASEAN-Australia Centre was launched in November 2024, as part of the Albanese Government’s ongoing work to deepen engagement with Southeast Asia and support the implementation of Invested: Australia’s Southeast Asia Economic Strategy to 2040.

    The Centre’s programs and activities will strengthen Australia’s partnership with ASEAN and increase business, cultural and community connections. Professor Tang is an internationally recognised immunologist allergist and is a leading expert in food oral immunotherapy. She is Head of the Allergy Immunology Research Group and Director of the Allergy Translation Centre at Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Professorial Fellow at the University of Melbourne Department of Paediatrics and Consultant Immunologist Allergist at Melbourne’s Royal Children’s Hospital.

    Professor Tang is also CEO and Scientific Founder of Prota Therapeutics, a biotech startup that is developing a novel treatment for peanut allergy. Her pioneering research has transformed the way food allergies are managed in children.

    Professor Tang’s ties to Southeast Asia are strong. She was born in Singapore and spent her early childhood in Malaysia before moving to Australia in primary school. She credits her family’s move to Australia to her father’s involvement as a Malaysian participant of the original Colombo Plan.

    Professor Tang’s personal and professional ties to Southeast Asia, combined with her research and business expertise will enable her to make a strong contribution to the ASEAN-Australia Centre.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Newsom announces appointments 2.7.25

    Source: US State of California 2

    Feb 7, 2025

    SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments:

    Khalil “KC” Mohseni, of Sacramento, has been appointed Commissioner of the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation, where he has been the Chief Deputy Director since 2023. Mohseni was the Chief Operating Officer at the State Controller’s Office from 2022 to 2023. He was the Deputy Director of Administration at the California Department of Housing and Community Development from 2020 to 2022. Mohseni was a Project Director of Business at the Business, Consumer Services, and Housing Agency from 2018 to 2019. He was the Chief Fiscal officer at the Board of State and Community Corrections from 2015 to 2018. Mohseni earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Davis School of Law, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of California, Irvine. This position requires Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $224,868. Mohseni is registered without party preference. 

    Kelly Madsen, of Elk Grove, has been appointed Director of Enterprise Risk Management and Compliance at the California Housing Finance Agency, where she has been the Deputy Director of Innovation and Special Initiatives since 2024. Madsen was a Business Manager at the Waverley Street Foundation in 2023. She was the Director of Scheduling at the Office of Governor Gavin Newsom from 2021 to 2022. Madsen was a Digital Advertising Consultant and Operations Manager at Psyberware from 2017 to 2021. She was a Product Data Analyst at Viator from 2015 to 2018. Madsen held two positions at the California Department of Education, Office of State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson from 2011 to 2014, including Strategic Initiatives Coordinator and Policy Advisor from 2012 to 2014 and Director of Scheduling from 2011 to 2012. She was the Director of Scheduling at the Office of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger from 2008 to 2010. Madsen earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of California, Davis. This position does not require Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $152,988. Madsen is a Democrat.

    Adam P. Romero, of Los Angeles, has been appointed Chief Deputy Director at the Department of Industrial Relations. Romero has been Deputy Director of Executive Programs at the California Civil Rights Department since 2020. He was an Adjunct Professor at University of California, Los Angeles School of Law from 2017 to 2020. Romero held several roles at The Williams Institute at University of California, Los Angeles School of Law from 2014 to 2020, including Director of Legal Scholarship and Federal Policy, Arnold D. Kassoy Scholar of Law, and Senior Counsel. He was Senior Associate at Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr from 2010 to 2014. Romero served as a Law Clerk for the Honorable Judge Shira A. Scheindlin at the U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York from 2009 to 2010 and for the Honorable Judge M. Margaret McKeown at the U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit from 2008 to 2009. He is a member of the Chancery Club of Los Angeles. Romero earned a Juris Doctor degree from Yale Law School and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Government from Cornell University. This position does not require Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $190,008. Romero is a Democrat.

    Janus Norman, of Sacramento, has been appointed to the California Workforce Development Board. Norman has been President and Chief Executive Officer of the California Broadband and Video Association since 2022. He was Senior Vice President at the California Medical Association from 2013 to 2022. Norman was a Field Representative at the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees – AFL-CIO from 2010 to 2013. He was a Government Analyst at the Judicial Council of California from 2008 to 2010. Norman was a Senior Consultant for the California State Assembly from 2002 to 2008. He earned a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Southern California and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication Studies from California State University, Sacramento. This position does not require Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $100 per diem. Norman is a Democrat.

    Hala Hijazi, of San Francisco, has been appointed to the California Workforce Development Board. Hijazi has been the Founder and Chief Operating Officer at Impact Strategies-SF since 2014. She was a Business Development Manager in the Infrastructure and Labor Division at the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission from 2007 to 2014. Hijazi was a Project Director for the San Francisco Department of Public Works from 2004 to 2007. She was Deputy Director of Marketing for the Mayor’s Office of Economic Development and Special Assistant to the Mayor at the Office of San Francisco Mayor Willie L. Brown, Jr. from 1997 to 2004. Hijazi is the Founder of Professionals VIP Network/Impact Council and San Francisco Bay Area AMEMSA Advisory Board and Muslim Impact Council, Chair of the Board of Directors at Reproductive Freedom for All California PrivacyPAC and Director of the San Francisco Chapter of the Truman National Security Project. She is a Member of the Board of Directors at the American Red Cross, Northern California Coastal Region and Interfaith Center at the Presidio, an Advisor to the Human Rights Studies Program at University of California, Davis and a Member of the Regional Advisory Council for DignityMoves, Democratic National Committee’s Finance Committee, San Francisco Police Department Police Chief’s Community Policing Advisory Forum, and the Leadership Circle at Foreign Policy for America. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from University of California, Davis. This position does not require Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $100 per diem. Hijazi is a Democrat.

    Charles “Chuck” Poss III, of Huntington Beach, has been appointed to the California Apprenticeship Council. Poss has been the President at Earth Construction and Mining since 2004. He was the Chief Estimator and Senior Project Manager at C.W. Poss Inc. from 1980 to 2004. Poss earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Construction Engineering from Purdue University. This position does not require Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $100 per diem. Poss is a Republican.

    Alejandro “Alex” Beltran, of Antelope, has been appointed to the California Apprenticeship Council. Beltran has been the Director of Training at the Finishing Trades Institute of Northern California and Nevada since 2008. He was a Journey Worker at Sacramento Glazing from 1997 to 2008. Beltran is a member of the Glaziers Local Union 767, District Council 16 International Union of Partners and Allied Trades. This position does not require Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $100 per diem. Beltran is a Democrat.

    Adhitya “Adhi” Nagraj, of Oakland, has been reappointed to the California Housing Partnership Corporation, where he has served since 2016. Nagraj has been the Chief Development Officer at McCormack Baron Salazar since 2022. He was Senior Vice President at McCormack Baron Salazar from 2019 to 2022. Nagraj was the San Francisco Director at SPUR from 2018 to 2019. He was the Director of Real Estate Development at BRIDGE Housing Corporation from 2013 to 2018. Nagraj earned a Juris Doctor degree from Columbia Law School. This position requires Senate confirmation, and there is no compensation. Nagraj is a Democrat.

    Pamela Daniels, of El Granada, has been reappointed to the Board of Chiropractic Examiners, where she has served since 2021. Daniels has been a Chiropractor at Daniels Chiropractic Inc. since 2003, where she is also the Owner and Founder. Daniels earned a Doctor of Chiropractic degree from Palmer College of Chiropractic West and a Master of Science degree in Clinical Neuroscience from the Carrick Institute. She is a member of the California Chiropractic Association. This position does not require Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $100 per diem. Daniels is a Democrat.

    Sergio F. Azzolino, of San Francisco, has been appointed to the Board of Chiropractic Examiners, where he previously served from 2012 to 2021. Azzolino has been the Clinic Director of Azzolino Chiropractic Neurology & Integrative Wellness since 1995 and an Assistant Professor of Clinical Neurology at the Carrick Institute since 2009. He is President of the American Board of Chiropractic Neurology. Azzolino earned a Doctor of Chiropractic degree from Life Chiropractic College West.  This position does not require Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $100 per diem. Azzolino is registered without party preference.

    Press Releases, Recent News

    Recent news

    Feb 7, 2025

    News SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced that he has signed the following bills: SBX1-1 by Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) – Budget Act of 2024.SBX1-2 by Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) – Budget Act of 2024. A signing message can be found…

    Feb 7, 2025

    News LOS ANGELES — Governor Gavin Newsom, LA28 Chairperson and President Casey Wasserman, Dodgers Chairman Mark Walter, and NBA legend Earvin “Magic” Johnson have teamed up through LA Rises to release a new PSA warning fire victims about predatory real estate…

    Feb 7, 2025

    News What you need to know: Governor Newsom has made the recovery for Los Angeles his top priority – directing a whole-of-government response to support communities and survivors.  LOS ANGELES – In the one month following the Los Angeles firestorms, Governor Gavin…

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: CHP reminds public of precautions against cold weather

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    CHP reminds public of precautions against cold weather
    CHP reminds public of precautions against cold weather
    ******************************************************

        The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) today (February 8) reminded the public, particularly the elderly and people with chronic illnesses, to adopt appropriate measures to protect their health in view of the cold weather.    Cold weather can easily trigger or exacerbate diseases, especially among the elderly and persons suffering from heart disease, respiratory illnesses or other chronic illnesses.     Elderly people have less insulating fat beneath their skin to keep them warm, and their body temperature control mechanisms may be weaker. Their bodies may not be able to respond appropriately to cold weather.     Some senior persons may have decreased mobility, which can impair their ability to generate and conserve body heat. Chronic illnesses, such as hypertension, diabetes and endocrine disorders, may undermine the health of elderly people and lower their metabolic rate, subsequently causing their bodies to generate less heat. Persons with chronic illnesses, such as chronic respiratory illnesses or heart disease, are vulnerable to disease aggravation due to cold weather.     The CHP reminded the public, in particular the elderly and persons with chronic illnesses, to adopt the following preventive measures: 

    Take note of the weather forecast. Wear warm clothing, including hats, scarves, gloves and socks, accordingly;
    Consume sufficient food to ensure adequate calorie intake;
    Perform regular exercise to facilitate blood circulation and heat production;
    Stay in a warm environment and avoid prolonged outdoor exposure;
    Use heaters with care and maintain adequate indoor ventilation; and
    Seek medical advice if feeling unwell.

              ​In addition, the public should avoid alcoholic beverages.          Drinking alcohol does not keep you warm. Alcohol accelerates the loss of body heat through dilated blood vessels, resulting in chilling instead.     Parents should ensure that babies are sufficiently warm, but it is also important to keep babies relatively lightly clothed to avoid overheating.     Parents should observe the following safety measures when putting their children to bed:  

    Keep the room well ventilated and at a comfortable temperature;
    Always place babies on their backs to sleep. Leave their heads, faces and arms uncovered during sleep;
    Babies do not need pillows. Place babies on a firm and well-fitted mattress to sleep. Avoid soft objects, pillows and loose bedding;
    Let babies sleep in a cot placed near their parents’ bed; and
    Maintain a smoke-free environment.

          In addition, many respiratory pathogens, including influenza and SARS-CoV-2, may have increasing activity and community transmission during winter. Seasonal influenza vaccination is recommended for all persons aged 6 months or above, except those with known contraindications. Persons at higher risk of influenza and its complications, including the elderly and children, should receive seasonal influenza vaccinations early. Please see details of the vaccination schemes on the CHP’s website.           A person infected with influenza and COVID-19 at the same time may be more seriously ill and have a higher risk of death. It is important for elderly persons, especially those residing in residential care homes, to receive both seasonal influenza and COVID-19 vaccinations. They should also receive an additional booster against COVID-19 according to recommendations as soon as possible. The public should also maintain good personal and environmental hygiene against respiratory illnesses and note the following: 

    Surgical masks can prevent the transmission of respiratory viruses from ill persons. It is essential for persons who are symptomatic (even if having mild symptoms) to wear a surgical mask;
    Wear a surgical mask when taking public transport or staying in crowded places. It is important to wear a mask properly, including performing hand hygiene before wearing and after removing a mask;
    Avoid touching one’s eyes, mouth and nose;
    Wash hands with liquid soap and water properly whenever possibly contaminated;
    When hands are not visibly soiled, clean them with 70 to 80 per cent alcohol-based handrub;
    Cover the mouth and nose with tissue paper when sneezing or coughing. Dispose of soiled tissue paper properly into a lidded rubbish bin and wash hands thoroughly afterwards;
    Maintain good indoor ventilation;
    When having respiratory symptoms, wear a surgical mask, refrain from work or attending classes at school, avoid going to crowded places and seek medical advice promptly; and
    Maintain a balanced diet, exercise regularly, take adequate rest, do not smoke and avoid overstress.

             Food-borne diseases, particularly those linked to hotpot cuisine, are also common in cold weather. The following preventive measures should be taken: 

    Wash hands before handling and consuming food;
    Do not patronise unlicensed vendors or those with poor hygienic standards while selecting food;
    Wash and cook all food thoroughly;
    Vegetables should be washed thoroughly in clean running water before cooking and consumption. When appropriate, scrub hard-surfaced vegetables with a clean brush to remove dirt and substances, including pesticide residues and contaminants, from surfaces and crevices;
    Shrimps should be fully cooked until the shells turn red and the flesh turns white and opaque;
    For shellfish such as scallops and geoduck, scrub the shells thoroughly and remove the internal organs;
    Do not eat any undercooked freshwater aquatic products. To ensure that the food is thoroughly cooked, the centre of the food should reach a temperature of at least 75 degrees Celsius to destroy pathogen;
    Most hotpot ingredients should be stored in a refrigerator at 4 degrees C or below, while frozen food should be stored in a freezer at -18 degrees C or below;
    Never use raw eggs as a dipping sauce for hotpot; and
    Use different sets of chopsticks to handle raw and cooked food to avoid cross-contamination.

             ​In addition, when using fuel-burning appliances, especially in indoor areas, the public should ensure adequate ventilation to avoid harmful exposure to carbon monoxide (CO) and prevent CO poisoning.          For more health information, the public may call the DH’s Health Education Infoline (2833 0111) or visit the CHP’s website and Facebook Fanpage.     The public may also call Dial-a-Weather (1878 200) or visit the website of the Hong Kong Observatory for the latest weather information and forecasts, or its page on Weather Information for Senior Citizens.

     
    Ends/Saturday, February 8, 2025Issued at HKT 6:45

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Markey: Trump and Musk Attack on National Institutes of Health Funding Is Targeted Attack on Massachusetts

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey

    Boston (February 8, 2025) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass), top Democrat on the Primary Health and Pensions Subcommittee of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, released the following statement after the Trump administration announced significant cuts to National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding to support hospitals, universities, and research institutions conducting lifesaving research. The drastic limits on this funding would reduce the amount that these institutions are able to spend on researchers, laboratories, and students.  

    “Last night, Trump and Musk took drastic steps to make it harder to find a cure for cancer, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, heart attacks, strokes, and other debilitating diseases that devastate millions of American families by illegally cutting National Institutes of Health funding.  

    “NIH funding is the lifeblood of Massachusetts’ innovation economy, creating jobs and fueling the engine for delivering lifesaving care and treatment across the country, and this is a direct attack on the Bay State. NIH isn’t just the National Institutes of Health, it’s the National Institutes of Hope, giving hope to patients and families for lifesaving medical discoveries.  

    “Instead of working to keep the American economy on the cutting edge, the Trump administration is bullying the Bay State and hamstringing U.S. leadership in medical research. Trump and Musk are cutting the research to cure the diseases that will soon overwhelm our ability to pay for treating millions who will be afflicted by these very same diseases. That’s not efficiency, that’s stupidity.  It’s not just bad values, it’s bad budgeting.   

    “This budget cut action is illegal. With billions in NIH funding going to both red and blue states, I urge all of my colleagues to join in opposing this overstep of presidential authority — driven by and for unelected billionaires – and not let these cuts stand.” 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Jack and the Green Sprouts Recalls Expired Alfalfa Sprouts Because of Possible Health Risk

    Source: US Department of Health and Human Services – 3

    Summary

    Company Announcement Date:
    FDA Publish Date:
    Product Type:
    Food & Beverages
    Foodborne Illness
    Reason for Announcement:

    Recall Reason Description

    Potential Foodborne Illness – Listeria monocytogenes

    Company Name:
    Jack and the Green Sprouts, Inc.
    Brand Name:

    Brand Name(s)

    Jack & the Green Sprouts

    Product Description:

    Product Description

    Alfalfa Sprouts

    Company Announcement

    Jack and the Green Sprouts, Inc. of River Falls, WI is recalling 5oz packages of Alfalfa sprouts that expired on 1/29/25 because they have the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, Listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.

    The produce was sold in MN, WI and Iowa at grocery store and local Co-ops.

    The product comes in a 5oz, clear plastic package marked with lot #687 UPC #763247198915 on the top.

    No illnesses have been reported to date in connection with this concern.

    The potential for contamination was noted after routine testing by the State of MN which revealed the presence of Listeria monocytogenes in expired 5oz package Alfalfa sprouts. Even though Jack and the Green Sprout’s tests from an independent lab had negative results confirmed on spent irrigation water & finished Product for the Alfalfa Lot #687 before release.

    Out of an abundance of caution if consumers still have these expired 5oz packages of Alfalfa sprouts Lot #687 are urged to discard them. Consumers with questions may contact the company at 715-425-9495, 8:00-2:00, Monday thru Fridays.

    Company Contact Information

    Consumers:
    715-425-9495

    Product Photos

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Gov. Pillen Appoints Ramsey as District Court Judge for the Ninth Judicial District

    Source: US State of Nebraska

    . Pillen Appoints Ramsey as District Court Judge for the Ninth Judicial District

     LINCOLN, NE – Today, Governor Jim Pillen announced his appointment of Kane M. Ramsey as district court judge in the Ninth Judicial District.  This district consists of Buffalo and Hall counties.

    Ramsey has been a deputy county attorney with the Buffalo County Attorney’s Office since 2019. Prior to that, he was an associate attorney with the firm of Jacobsen, Orr, Lindstrom & Holbrook in Kearney.

    Ramsey received his bachelor’s degree in history and political science from the University of Nebraska – Lincoln (UNL). He earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Nebraska College of Law.

    The vacancy in the Ninth Judicial District was due to the appointment of Judge Ryan Carson to federal court.

    MIL OSI USA News –