NewzIntel.com

Category: housing

  • MIL-OSI USA: WATCH: Baldwin, Welch Lead Schumer, Colleagues Spotlighting Trumps Cuts to Cancer and Alzheimer’s Cures

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Tammy Baldwin
    A full recording of the forum is available here
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Peter Welch (D-VT) led Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and 14 of their Senate colleagues at a forum to spotlight Elon Musk and President Donald Trump’s efforts to cut cancer, Alzheimer’s, and other diseases treatments and cures. The forum, “Cures in Crisis: What Gutting NIH Research Means for Americans with Cancer, Alzheimer’s, & Other Diseases,” featured witnesses that highlighted the dire impact of cuts at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), including former Director of the NIH, Dr. Monica Bertagnolli, M.D., two Alzheimer’s disease researchers from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Emory University, and two patients who have benefitted from NIH clinical trials.
    “I truly wish I didn’t need to host this forum but Elon Musk’s DOGE and Donald Trump are quite literally on a path to rip away cures to cancer and Alzheimer’s disease – all to make room in their budget for tax breaks for the richest of the rich. Today, we heard from the people who will be paying the price – and I hope my Republican colleagues and the President were listening,” said Senator Baldwin. “Right now, we are wasting precious time that we cannot get back for American families hoping that their loved one has a chance to get better.”
    “The Trump Administration has taken a wrecking ball to the National Institutes of Health without a care about who gets hurt in the process. The first to feel the impact of these cuts will be American patients who rely on NIH’s cutting-edge research to get new therapies and cure diseases like Alzheimer’s and cancer. DOGE’s mass firing spree has also left our nation’s top scientists on the chopping block, stifling American innovation and weakening our leadership in biomedical science for years to come. These cuts and layoffs mean the difference between life and death for communities in both red and blue states,” said Senator Welch. “I’m proud to join Senator Baldwin and our colleagues today to defend our commitment to science, research, and care across America.”
    “I resigned my post as NIH Director in January of this year. Since then, I have had no insight into how decisions are being made by our current leaders at HHS. I can speak, however, about the downstream effects of their decisions, and some irreparable damage that their policies are producing. To date more than 300 grants terminated; and about $1.5 billion in funding delays and barriers that are preventing NIH’s role of ensuring that funding is delivered to outstanding researchers across the nation,” said Dr. Bertagnolli, former Director of the NIH. “Today, we are just beginning to see progress against devastating diseases which have long been hopeless – Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, even pancreatic cancer – all because of NIH funding. And this has proven to be a great investment for American taxpayers – producing both extraordinary improvements in health, and significant profits for our nation’s economy. How can we afford to see this progress stalled? Overall, the loss to our nation on so many levels will be too great.”
    “I’m here to emphasize the critical importance of NIH funding in the fight against Alzheimer’s—a disease that is one of our greatest public health and economic challenges. While deaths from heart disease and cancer have leveled off or declined thanks to decades of NIH investment, deaths from Alzheimer’s and related dementias have increased. Over 6.9 million Americans live with Alzheimer’s today—a number projected to double by 2050 without effective solutions,” said Dr. Sterling Johnson, PhD, University of Wisconsin-Madison Professor and Associate Director of Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center. “Our patients who have this progressive disease don’t have the luxury of time to shoulder the unnecessary delays and uncertainty that we are currently experiencing. The clock is ticking for them and their families. Now more than ever we need the continued full resolve and commitment of the federal government to meet their need.”
    “I am here today as a scientist who has had 2 NIH grants abruptly terminated in the past month. On February 28th my first NIH grant was terminated, which had only 6 months remaining on a 4-year award… While these terminations are devastating for me and my team, particularly junior faculty and students, my primary concern is for the patients, research participants and the families who are already being impacted by the NIH’s recent radical shift in funding priorities,” said Dr. Whitney Wharton, PhD, Emory University Associate Professor and Alzheimer’s Disease researcher. “Termination of my peer reviewed grants, and hundreds of others, which were awarded based on merit, has potentially devastating implications for all Americans. It sets a concerning precedent where scientific inquiry and peer reviewed and awarded projects are turned off and on based on a set of changing priorities. Not only can this cause confusion, but it could also impact the pipeline of new and talented young investigators, and erase entire communities of patients, who are the most impacted by diseases like Alzheimer’s, from research entirely.”
    “I speak here today not only for myself, but for every patient who has ever held out hope that research would buy them another year — or another decade. Without robust, sustained, and predictable funding from the NIH, those bridges to the next treatment won’t be there when patients need them. The bridge that saved me was built through decades of investment, innovation, and relentless commitment from our nation’s scientific community. But those bridges don’t build themselves,” said Dr. Larry Saltzman, M.D., retired physician living with leukemia and former Executive Research Director for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. “I am living proof of what NIH research can do, and I don’t think I would be here today without the commitment that Congress has shown by prioritizing NIH funding over the past many decades. I ask you to protect this funding — so that more people can outlive their expiration dates.”
    “The National Institutes of Health (NIH) and other federal agencies have been critical in funding groundbreaking research that offers hope to thousands of individuals like me, including by providing access to experimental treatments for ALS. The experimental drug I am taking could not only extend my life but could also lead to a cure. Access to this drug could mean seeing my son and grandson graduate high school and college, something I did not think was possible when I was diagnosed,” said Mr. Jessy Ybarra, veteran living with ALS and Board of Trustees member for the ALS Association. “But now funding cuts and reductions to funding at NIH and other research agencies threaten to derail decades of progress right when we are at the tipping point of finally finding a cure. But to be clear, this isn’t just about me, and everyone else impacted by ALS now and in the future. ALS costs our nation over one-billion dollars a year. Investing in finding a cure is not only fiscally responsible, but very simply, good public policy. I urge Congress to reject these harmful cuts to NIH and support the funding necessary to make ALS a livable disease and cure it. My life, our lives, and our economy depend on it.”
    Over the last two months, the Trump Administration has attacked, compromised, and gutted research at the NIH for lifesaving cures and treatments, including:
    Cutting Funding for Research Facilities: NIH announced last month that it was planning to arbitrarily cap indirect cost rates at 15%, which would slash billions of dollars in funding that helps research institutions, like the University of Wisconsin, operate their facilities and labs, pay staff, and buy equipment needed for groundbreaking work to find cures for diseases and treatments for patients.
    Funding Freeze for Alzheimer’s Disease: The Trump Administration is jeopardizing $65 million in funding for Alzheimer’s disease research at 14 research institutions across the country. 14 of the 35 Alzheimer’s Disease Research Centers (ADRCs) have had their funding halted because the Trump Administration continues to cancel NIH Advisory Council meetings, which are the final required step in the grant approval process.
    Terminating Grants for Lifesaving Research: The Trump Administration stopped all grant funding at NIH for ten days in February and is continuing to block funding for lifesaving disease research, like finding a cure for Alzheimer’s disease. This halt in funding is despite two court orders directing the Trump Administration to end its unlawful efforts to freeze all federal grants. This is in addition to Elon Musk indiscriminately terminating hundreds of active NIH grants every week, in direct defiance of federal court orders to stop NIH funding changes amid ongoing litigation.
    Gutting Critical Staff: Mass layoffs at HHS under Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.’s direction are impacting everything from research to clinical trials, including scientists, nurses, pharmacists, and experts tracking disease spread. Reports show the NIH is expected to cut between 3,400 and 5,000 positions from its workforce of 20,000.
    NIH funding contributed to research for roughly 99 percent of drugs approved between 2010 and 2019, including heart medications, according to the Center for American Progress. The advocacy group United for Medical Research found that in fiscal year 2023, funding from the agency supported more than 410,000 jobs, with 10,000 NIH-supported jobs in some states. In that same year, NIH-funded research fueled nearly $93 billion in economic spending. Overall, the economic benefit of NIH funding is more than twice the investment made through NIH appropriations. For a breakdown of how much funding each state receives from the NIH, click here.
    Joining Senators Baldwin and Welch at the forum were Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Patty Murray (D-WA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Tina Smith (D-MN), Ed Markey (D-MA), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA).
    A full recording of the forum is available here. Witnesses opening statements are available here.
    A one-pager on President Donald Trump’s actions to gut the NIH and its impacts is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: When a 1-in-100 year flood washed through the Coorong, it made the vital microbiome of this lagoon healthier

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christopher Keneally, Post-Doctoral Research Fellow in Environmental Microbiology, University of Adelaide

    Darcy Whittaker, CC BY

    You might know South Australia’s iconic Coorong from the famous Australian children’s book, Storm Boy, set around this coastal lagoon.

    This internationally important wetland is sacred to the Ngarrindjeri people and a haven for migratory birds. The lagoon is the final stop for the Murray River’s waters before they reach the sea. Tens of thousands of migratory waterbirds visit annually. Pelicans, plovers, terns and ibises nest, while orange-bellied parrots visit and Murray Cod swim. But there are other important inhabitants – trillions of microscopic organisms.

    You might not give much thought to the sedimentary microbes of a lagoon. But these tiny microbes in the mud are vital to river ecosystems, quietly cycling nutrients and supporting the food web. Healthy microbes make for a healthy Coorong – and this unassuming lagoon is a key indicator for the health of the entire Murray-Darling Basin.

    For decades, the Coorong has been in poor health. Low water flows have concentrated salt and an excess of nutrients. But in 2022, torrential rains on the east coast turned into a once-in-a-century flood, which swept down the Murray into the Coorong.

    In our new research, we took the pulse of the Coorong’s microbiome after this huge flood and found the surging fresh water corrected microbial imbalances. The numbers of methane producing microbes fell while beneficial nutrient-eating bacteria grew. Populations of plants, animals and invertebrates boomed.

    We can’t just wait for irregular floods – we have to find ways to ensure enough water is left in the river to cleanse the Coorong naturally.

    Under a scanning electron micrograph, the mixed community of microbes in water is visible. This image shows a seawater sample.
    Sophie Leterme/Flinders University, CC BY

    Rivers have microbiomes, just like us

    Our gut microbes can change after a heavy meal or in response to dietary changes.

    In humans, a sudden shift in diet can encourage either helpful or harmful microbes.

    In the same way, aquatic microbes respond to changes in salinity and freshwater flows. Depending on what changes are happening, some species boom and others bust.

    As water gets saltier in brackish lagoons, communities of microbes have to adapt or die. High salinity often favours microbes with anaerobic metabolisms, meaning they don’t need oxygen. But these tiny lifeforms often produce the highly potent greenhouse gas methane. The microbes in wetlands are a large natural source of the gas.

    While we know pulses of freshwater are vital for river health, they don’t happen often enough. The waters of the Murray-Darling Basin support most of Australia’s irrigated farming. Negotiations over how to ensure adequate environmental flows have been fraught – and long-running. Water buybacks have improved matters somewhat, but researchers have found the river basin’s ecosystems are not in good condition.

    Wetlands such as the Coorong are a natural source of methane. The saltier the water gets, the more environmentally harmful microbes flourish – potentially producing more methane.
    Vincent_Nguyen

    The Coorong is out of balance

    A century ago, regular pulses of fresh water from the Murray flushed nutrients and sediment out of the Coorong, helping maintain habitat for fish, waterbirds and the plants and invertebrates they eat. While other catchments discharge into the Coorong, the Murray is by far the major water source.

    Over the next decades, growth in water use for farming meant less water in the river. In the 1930s, barrages were built near the river’s mouth to control nearby lake levels and prevent high salinity moving upstream in the face of reduced river flows.

    Major droughts have added further stress. Under these low-flow conditions, salt and nutrients get more and more concentrated, reaching extreme levels due to South Australia’s high rate of evaporation.

    In response, microbial communities can trigger harmful algae blooms or create low-oxygen “dead zones”, suffocating river life.

    The big flush of 2022

    In 2022, torrential rain fell in many parts of eastern Australia. Rainfall on the inland side of the Great Dividing Range filled rivers in the Murray-Darling Basin. That year became the largest flood since 1956.

    We set about recording the changes. As the salinity fell in ultra-salty areas, local microbial communities in the sediment were reshuffled.

    The numbers of methane-producing microbes fell sharply. This means the floods would have temporarily reduced the Coorong’s greenhouse footprint.

    Christopher Keneally sampling for microbes in the Coorong in 2022.
    Tyler Dornan, CC BY

    When we talk about harmful bacteria, we’re referring to microbes that emit greenhouse gases such as methane, drive the accumulation of toxic sulfide (such as Desulfobacteraceae), or cause algae blooms (Cyanobacteria) that can sicken people, fish and wildlife.

    During the flood, beneficial microbes from groups such as Halanaerobiaceae and Beggiatoaceae grew rapidly, consuming nutrients such as nitrogen, which is extremely high in the Coorong. This is very useful to prevent algae blooms. Beggiatoaceae bacteria also remove toxic sulfide compounds.

    The floods also let plants and invertebrates bounce back, flushed out salt and supported a healthier food web.

    On balance, we found the 2022 flood was positive for the Coorong. It’s as if the Coorong switched packets of chips for carrot sticks – the flood pulse reduced harmful bacteria and encouraged beneficial ones.

    While the variety of microbes shrank in some areas, those remaining performed key functions helping keep the ecosystem in balance.

    From 2022 to 2023, consistent high flows let native fish and aquatic plants bounce back, in turn improving feeding grounds for birds and allowing black swans to thrive.

    A group of black swans cruise the Coorong’s waters.
    Darcy Whittaker, CC BY

    Floods aren’t enough

    When enough water is allowed to flow down the Murray to the Coorong, ecosystems get healthier.

    But the Coorong has been in poor health for decades. It can’t just rely on rare flood events.

    Next year, policymakers will review the Murray-Darling Basin Plan, which sets the rules for sharing water in Australia’s largest and most economically important river system.

    Balancing our needs with those of other species is tricky. But if we neglect the environment, we risk more degradation and biodiversity loss in the Coorong.

    As the climate changes and rising water demands squeeze the basin, decision-makers must keep the water flowing for wildlife.

    Christopher Keneally receives funding from the Australian Government Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water. His research is affiliated with The University of Adelaide and the Goyder Institute for Water Research. Chris is also a committee member and former president of the Biology Society of South Australia, and a member of the Australian Freshwater Sciences Society.

    Matt Gibbs receives funding from the Australian Government Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water.

    Sophie Leterme receives funding from the Australian Research Council (ARC). Her research is affiliated with Flinders University, with the ARC Training Centre for Biofilm Research & Innovation, and with the Goyder Institute for Water Research.

    Justin Brookes 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. When a 1-in-100 year flood washed through the Coorong, it made the vital microbiome of this lagoon healthier – https://theconversation.com/when-a-1-in-100-year-flood-washed-through-the-coorong-it-made-the-vital-microbiome-of-this-lagoon-healthier-252633

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: 40 years since evacuation due to US nuclear tests, Greenpeace and displaced Rongelap community honour commitment to nuclear and climate justice fight

    Source: Greenpeace Statement –

    MEJATTO, MARSHALL ISLANDS, Thursday 27 March 2025 — Forty years since Greenpeace ship the Rainbow Warrior evacuated the people of Rongelap to Mejatto Island due to decades of US government nuclear weapons testing, Greenpeace and the displaced Rongelap community have come together on the remote Pacific island to commemorate this significant moment in their shared histories.

    Cathy Joel, one of three women who were present at the commemoration and the few remaining survivors of the 1954 Castle Bravo bomb – the US government’s largest ever nuclear weapons test – and was part of the Greenpeace evacuation to Mejatto, described her terror: 

    “I didn’t expect that I would be here as part of this very important event. I was six years old when the bomb exploded and I was so afraid. My father tried to comfort me but I was so frightened he couldn’t calm me down. The explosion was so bright, there were so many colours, it frightened me as I had not seen them before. I couldn’t explain it but all I knew was that I was so scared. 

    “Three of us women are here [in Mejatto] and I was afforded the opportunity to speak on behalf of these survivors. I’d like to encourage all of you when looking at us, see us as a remembrance of what happened in 1954 when the bomb exploded. We encourage you to continue to stand together, be strong and live in harmony — that is our wish.”

    Called “Operation Exodus,” Greenpeace was tasked to relocate Rongelap’s entire population of 350 due to nuclear fallout from Castle Bravo, which rendered their home uninhabitable. In May 1985, over 10 days and taking three trips, the residents collectively dismantled their homes bringing everything with them, including livestock, and 100 metric tons of building material.

    Four decades later, the surviving Rongelap community is now spread across the Marshall Islands. Many travelled back to Mejatto for the commemoration, including those who were children during the evacuation, and prominent members of the Marshallese government. The Rainbow Warrior’s visit comes as Greenpeace entities were found liable for more than USD$660m in damages as part of a meritless SLAPP suit by fossil fuel giant Energy Transfer, aimed at silencing those fighting for justice and the right to peaceful protest. 

    Bunny McDiarmid, crew member during the 1985 Rainbow Warrior evacuation, and former Co-Executive Director of Greenpeace International from 2016-2019 said: 

    “Forty years ago, the people of Rongelap stood up to the United States when they refused to take proper accountability and responsibility for the damage it had done. After undergoing years of health impacts from exposure to radiation, Greenpeace answered a call to help evacuate them from their once rich, but now contaminated home island. We continue to stand with the Marshallese community – as we do with other communities that suffer displacement and colonial exploitation – in their fight for justice for the nuclear weapons legacy, and for the threats they are already feeling from climate change.

    “The bonds between Marshall Islands and Greenpeace are very strong and have stood the test of time. They say we rescued them from a contaminated Rongelap, but the reality is that they rescued themselves – the Marshallese are the strong and brave people who took their future into their own hands and continue to do so. We cannot relocate the world — it is only through standing and acting together that we will make the needed difference that saves us all. In the fight for justice, our voices will not be silenced.”

    First displaced by nuclear fallout, the people of Mejatto — and across the low-lying Marshall Islands — are facing ‘threats from all sides’ as the climate crisis accelerates impacts to their homes, livelihoods, and cultures. Mejatto has been in drought for three months with once predictable seasonal rain failing to arrive, increasing extreme heat impacting health and food availability, and coastal erosion eating away the land.

    The Rainbow Warrior is in the Marshall Islands as part of a six-week mission across the country with a team of nuclear specialists onboard conducting independent research to support the government in its ongoing fight for nuclear justice and compensation; and to reaffirm its solidarity with the Marshallese people — now facing further harm and displacement from the climate crisis, and the emerging threat of deep sea mining in the Pacific.

    -ENDS-

    Photo and video:

    • Photo and video from Mejatto, including the welcome ceremony, 40th commemoration, and Rainbow Warrior crew in solidarity with Greenpeace after the Energy Transfer verdict are available in the Greenpeace Media Library.
    • Archival footage and images from the evacuation that Greenpeace conducted in 1985 is available in the Greenpeace Media Library. 
    • Archival/historical content from the US nuclear weapons testing collected here (from Wiki Commons).

    For more information or to arrange an interview, contact Kate O’Callaghan on [email protected] or +61 406 231 892

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Do any non-drug treatments help back pain? Here’s what the evidence says

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Rodrigo Rossi Nogueira Rizzo, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Neuroscience Research Australia

    Monika Wisniewska/Shutterstock

    Jason, a 42-year-old father of two, has been battling back pain for weeks. Scrolling through his phone, he sees ad after ad promising relief: chiropractic alignments, acupuncture, back braces, vibrating massage guns and herbal patches.

    His GP told him to “stay active”, but what does that even mean when every movement hurts? Jason wants to avoid strong painkillers and surgery, but with so many options (and opinions), it’s hard to know what works and what’s just marketing hype.

    If Jason’s experience sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Back pain is one of the most common reasons people visit a doctor. It can be challenging to manage, mainly due to widespread misunderstandings and the overwhelming number of ineffective and uncertain treatments promoted.

    We assessed the best available evidence of non-drug and non-surgical treatments to alleviate low back pain. Our review – published today by the independent, international group the Cochrane Collaboration – includes 31 Cochrane systematic reviews, covering 97,000 people with back pain.

    It shows bed rest doesn’t work for back pain. Some of the treatments that do work can depend on how long you’ve been in pain.

    Is back pain likely to be serious?

    There are different types of low back pain. It can:

    • be short-lived, lasting less than six weeks (acute back pain)
    • linger for a bit longer, for six to twelve weeks (sub-acute)
    • stick around for months and even years (chronic, defined as more than 12 weeks).

    In most cases (90-95%), back pain is non-specific and cannot be reliably linked to a specific cause or underlying disease. This includes common structural changes seen in x-rays and MRIs of the spine.

    For this reason, imaging of the back is only recommended in rare situations – typically when there’s a clear suspicion of serious back issues, such as after physical trauma or when there is numbness or loss of sensation in the groin or legs.

    Many people expect to receive painkillers for their back pain or even surgery, but these are no longer the front-line treatment options due to limited benefits and the high risk of harm.

    International clinical guidelines recommend people choose non-drug and non-surgical treatments to relieve their pain, improve function and reduce the distress commonly associated with back pain.

    So what works for different types of pain? Here’s what our review found when researchers compared these treatments with standard care (the typical treatment patients usually receive) or no treatment.

    What helps for short-term back pain

    1. Stay active – don’t rest in bed

    If your back pain is new, the best advice is also one of the simplest: keep moving despite the pain.

    Changing the way you move and use your body to protect it, or resting in bed, can seem like to right way to respond to pain – and may have even been recommended in the past. But we know know this excessive protective behaviour can make it harder to return to meaningful activities.

    This doesn’t mean pushing through pain or hitting the gym, but instead, trying to maintain your usual routines as much as possible. Evidence suggests that doing so won’t make your pain worse, and may improve it.

    2. Multidisciplinary care, if pain lingers

    For pain lasting six to 12 weeks, multidisciplinary treatment is likely to reduce pain compared to standard care.

    This involves a coordinated team of doctors, physiotherapists and psychologists working together to address the many factors contributing to your back pain persisting:

    • neurophysiological influences refer to how your nervous system is currently processing pain. It can make you more sensitive to signals from movements, thoughts, feelings and environment

    • psychological factors include how your thoughts, feelings and behaviours affect your pain system and, ultimately, the experience of pain you have

    • occupational factors include the physical demands of your job and how well you can manage them, as well as aspects like low job satisfaction, all of which can contribute to ongoing pain.

    It’s important to keep up your normal routines when you have low back pain.
    Raychan/Unsplash

    What works for chronic back pain

    Once pain has been around for more than 12 weeks, it can become more difficult to treat. But relief is still possible.

    Exercise therapy

    Exercise – especially programs tailored to your needs and preferences – is likely to reduce pain and help you move better. This could include aerobic activity, strength training or Pilates-based movements.

    It doesn’t seem to matter what type of exercise you do – it matters more that you are consistent and have the right level of supervision, especially early on.

    Multidisciplinary treatment

    As with short-term pain, coordinated care involving a mix of physical, occupational and psychological approaches likely works better than usual care alone.

    Psychological therapies

    Psychological therapies for chronic pain include approaches to help people change thinking, feelings, behaviours and reactions that might sustain persistent pain.

    These approaches are likely to reduce pain, though they may not be as effective in improving physical function.

    Acupuncture

    Acupuncture probably reduces pain and improves how well you can function compared to placebo or no treatment.

    While some debate remains about how it works, the evidence suggests potential benefits for some people with chronic back pain.

    Some people may find relief from accupuncture.
    Katherine Hanlon/Unsplash

    What doesn’t work or still raises uncertainty?

    The review found that many commonly advertised treatments still have uncertain benefits or probably do not benefit people with back pain.

    Spinal manipulation, for example, has uncertain benefits in acute and chronic back pain, and it likely does not improve how well you function if you have acute back pain.

    Traction, which involves stretching the spine using weights or pulleys, probably doesn’t help with chronic back pain. Despite its popularity in some circles, there’s little evidence that it works.

    There isn’t enough reliable data to determine whether advertised treatments – such back braces, vibrating massage guns and herbal patches – are effective.

    How can you use the findings?

    If you have back pain, start by considering how long you’ve had it. Then explore treatment options that research supports and discuss them with your GP, psychologist or physiotherapist.

    Your health provider should reassure you about the importance of gradually increasing your activity to resume meaningful work, social and life activities. They should also support you in making informed decisions about which treatments are most appropriate for you at this stage.

    Rodrigo Rossi Nogueira Rizzo receives funding from the Australian Government’s Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF).

    Aidan Cashin receives funding from a National Health and Medical Research Council Investigator Grant

    – ref. Do any non-drug treatments help back pain? Here’s what the evidence says – https://theconversation.com/do-any-non-drug-treatments-help-back-pain-heres-what-the-evidence-says-253122

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI China: Three additional industries added to carbon trading market

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    China will expand its national carbon trading market this year to include three additional major carbon-emitting industries as the country accelerates efforts to curb greenhouse gas emissions, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment announced on Wednesday.
    Launched in July 2021, China’s carbon trading market is already the world’s largest. It currently covers 2,200 coal-fired power generation companies that emit about 5 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide annually.
    The expansion will add about 1,500 companies in the steel, cement and electrolytic aluminum sectors, ministry spokesman Pei Xiaofei said at a news conference.
    Carbon trading allows designated emitters to buy and sell allowances to emit greenhouse gases. In the coal-fired power generation sector, for example, emission limits are set for each unit of electricity produced. After meeting the benchmark, operators can sell surplus carbon allowances. Those exceeding their limits must buy additional allowances.
    Pei said the steel, cement and electrolytic aluminum industries collectively emit the equivalent of about 3 billion tons of carbon dioxide per year, accounting for 20 percent of China’s total carbon dioxide emissions.
    With the expansion, China’s national carbon market will cover more than 60 percent of the country’s total carbon dioxide emissions.
    The ministry said it aims to further explore carbon trading as a cost-effective tool for reducing emissions in seven major industries: power generation, chemicals, construction materials, steel, nonferrous metals, paper manufacturing and civil aviation.
    China has made significant progress in using carbon trading to promote a green, low-carbon transition in the coal-fired power generation sector, the ministry said in a statement. Over the past four years, the carbon intensity of electricity generation, or carbon dioxide emissions per unit of electricity, has fallen by 8.78 percent, reducing emission control costs by an estimated 35 billion yuan ($4.8 billion).
    By the end of last year, more than 630 million tons of carbon emission allowances had been traded on China’s national carbon market, with a total transaction value of nearly 43 billion yuan.
    Pei said the ministry has completed extensive preparations for the expansion, including conducting greenhouse gas emission accounting and verification for steel, cement and electrolytic aluminum producers and other high-emission industries. It has also issued six technical specifications, upgraded the management platform for carbon trading and enhanced systems for allowances registration and transactions.
    The ministry has organized a series of training sessions to support the expansion, Pei said.
    “All the preparations for the expansion are complete,” he said. “These efforts have laid a solid foundation and provided a guarantee for the market’s growth.”

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: EIT Auckland Valedictorian fulfils dream after long road to education | EIT Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti

    Source: Eastern Institute of Technology – Tairāwhiti

    22 minutes ago

    EIT Auckland valedictorian Muddassar Khot has always believed that education has no age limit.

    At 42, he has now graduated with a Master of Information Technology, having balanced work, fatherhood, and student leadership along the way.

    He crossed the stage as one of EIT Auckland’s two valedictorians at a graduation ceremony at the Aotea Centre today (Tuesday, March 25).

    “It’s a huge privilege,” he says. “I wasn’t always the top student, but I’ve always aimed high. I believe if you’re not updated, you’ll be outdated. That’s what kept me going.”

    Originally from India, Muddassar worked in Qatar in the education sector and nearly secured an IT director role in the Middle East. But when the final decision went to someone with a Western qualification, he was motivated to study abroad.

    That goal took time.

    “It took me five years to start the process,” he says. “Initially the plan was for my wife Shaheen to study first and then I would, however, she decided not to and then pushed me to study.”

    He arrived in New Zealand in 2020 to study a Postgraduate Diploma in IT and immediately felt supported at EIT.

    “During lockdown, we were isolated. But EIT acted like family. Cherie and the team organised virtual coffee mornings, moved learning online almost overnight, and made sure no one was left behind.”

    He describes EIT’s culture as one of genuine care.

    “The professors were incredible. They always answered my questions with a smile, even the silly ones. They never made me feel like just a student, but like a friend. That kind of support makes all the difference.”

    He returned to EIT in 2023 to pursue his master’s degree—while working as Lead Networks and Systems Engineer at The IT Team.

    He also juggled study with life at home, where he and Shaheen raise their three children, aged 2, 9, and 13. Their youngest was born during his studies, making the balancing act even more challenging.

    “It was intense. But my wife and kids were understanding, and I couldn’t have done it without my family’s support.”

    Muddassar also served as chairperson of the Student Association and helped organise trips and student support during lockdown.

    “Leadership is something I value deeply. Being a leader means feeling the pain of your team and doing what you can to help.”

    Looking ahead, Muddassar hopes to pursue a PhD and eventually become an entrepreneur.

    He also dreams of opening a not-for-profit organisation for people with visual impairments, inspired by his grandmother and father’s struggles with sight.

    “It’s my mother’s dream too,” he says. “If you can help someone, you should. Education is a treasure that never dies—and through it, we can all help build a better world.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Brazil’s Supreme Court indicts Bolsonaro over alleged coup plot

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro (C) speaks to the media at the Federal Senate in Brasilia, Brazil, on March 26, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    Brazil’s Supreme Court on Wednesday formally indicted former President Jair Bolsonaro and seven of his allies over an alleged plot to overturn the results of the 2022 presidential election.

    The justices voted unanimously to move forward with criminal charges, which include attempted coup, conspiracy, and sabotage of democratic institutions.

    Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who is overseeing the case, said prosecutors presented sufficient evidence that Bolsonaro led efforts to discredit the election, drafted plans to nullify the vote, and sought to block the inauguration of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

    Among those indicted are several former high-ranking officials, including Walter Braga Netto, Augusto Heleno, and Anderson Torres.

    With the indictment approved, the case now moves into the trial phase. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Foreign aid cuts could mean 10 million more HIV infections by 2030 – and almost 3 million extra deaths

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rowan Martin-Hughes, Senior Research Fellow, Burnet Institute

    CI Photos/Shutterstock

    In January, the Trump administration ordered a broad pause on all US funding for foreign aid.

    Among other issues, this has significant effects on US funding for HIV. The United States has been the world’s biggest donor to international HIV assistance, providing 73% of funding in 2023.

    A large part of this is the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), which oversees programs in low- and middle-income countries to prevent, diagnose and treat the virus. These programs have been significantly disrupted.

    What’s more, recent funding cuts for international HIV assistance go beyond the US. Five countries that provide the largest amount of foreign aid for HIV – the US, the United Kingdom, France, Germany and the Netherlands – have announced cuts of between 8% and 70% to international aid in 2025 and 2026.

    Together, this may mean a 24% reduction in international HIV spending, in addition to the US foreign aid pause.

    We wanted to know how these cuts might affect HIV infections and deaths in the years to come. In a new study, we found the worst-case scenario could see more than 10 million extra infections than what we’d otherwise anticipate in the next five years, and almost 3 million additional deaths.

    What is HIV?

    HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) is a virus that attacks the body’s immune system. HIV can be transmitted at birth, during unprotected sex or thorough blood-to-blood contact such as shared needles.

    If left untreated, HIV can progress to AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome), a condition in which the immune system is severely damaged, and which can be fatal.

    HIV was the world’s deadliest infectious disease in the early 1990s. There’s still no cure for HIV, but modern treatments allow the virus to be suppressed with a daily pill. People with HIV who continue treatment can live without symptoms and don’t risk infecting others.

    A sustained global effort towards awareness, prevention, testing and treatment has reduced annual new HIV infections by 39% (from 2.1 million in 2010 to 1.3 million in 2023), and annual deaths by 51% (from 1.3 million to 630,000).

    Most of that drop happened in sub-Saharan Africa, where the epidemic was worst. Today, nearly two-thirds of people with HIV live in sub-Saharan Africa, and nearly all live in low- and middle-income countries.

    HIV can be diagnosed with a simple blood test.
    MaryBeth Semosky/Shutterstock

    Our study

    We wanted to estimate the impact of recent funding cuts from the US, UK, France, Germany and the Netherlands on HIV infections and deaths. To do this, we used our mathematical model for 26 low- and middle-income countries. The model includes data on international HIV spending as well as data on HIV cases and deaths.

    These 26 countries represent roughly half of all people living with HIV in low- and middle income countries, and half of international HIV spending. We set up each country model in collaboration with national HIV/AIDS teams, so the data sources reflected the best available local knowledge. We then extrapolated our findings from the 26 countries we modelled to all low- and middle-income countries.

    For each country, we first projected the number of new HIV infections and deaths that would occur if HIV spending stayed the same.

    Second, we modelled scenarios for anticipated cuts based on a 24% reduction in international HIV funding for each country.

    Finally, we modelled scenarios for the possible immediate discontinuation of PEPFAR in addition to other anticipated cuts.

    With the 24% cuts and PEPFAR discontinued, we estimated there could be 4.43 million to 10.75 million additional HIV infections between 2025 and 2030, and 770,000 to 2.93 million extra HIV-related deaths. Most of these would be because of cuts to treatment. For children, there could be up to an additional 882,400 infections and 119,000 deaths.

    In the more optimistic scenario in which PEPFAR continues but 24% is still cut from international HIV funding, we estimated there could be 70,000 to 1.73 million extra new HIV infections and 5,000 to 61,000 additional deaths between 2025 and 2030. This would still be 50% higher than if current spending were to continue.

    The wide range in our estimates reflects low- and middle-income countries committing to far more domestic funding for HIV in the best case, or broader health system dysfunction and a sustained gap in funding for HIV treatment in the worst case.

    Some funding for HIV treatment may be saved by taking that money from HIV prevention efforts, but this would have other consequences.

    The range also reflects limitations in the available data, and uncertainty within our analysis. But most of our assumptions were cautious, so these results likely underestimate the true impacts of funding cuts to HIV programs globally.

    Sending progress backwards

    If funding cuts continue, the world could face higher rates of annual new HIV infections by 2030 (up to 3.4 million) than at the peak of the global epidemic in 1995 (3.3 million).

    Sub-Saharan Africa will experience by far the greatest effects due to the high proportion of HIV treatment that has relied on international funding.

    In other regions, we estimate vulnerable groups such as people who inject drugs, sex workers, men who have sex with men, and trans and gender diverse people may experience increases in new HIV infections that are 1.3 to 6 times greater than the general population.

    The Asia-Pacific received US$591 million in international funding for HIV in 2023, which is the second highest after sub-Saharan Africa. So this region would likely experience a substantial rise in HIV as a result of anticipated funding cuts.

    Notably, more than 10% of new HIV infections among people born in Australia are estimated to have been acquired overseas. More HIV in the region is likely to mean more HIV in Australia.

    But concern is greatest for countries that are most acutely affected by HIV and AIDS, many of which will be most affected by international funding cuts.

    Rowan Martin-Hughes receives funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia. He has previously received funding to conduct HIV modelling studies from the Australian government Department of Health and Aged Care, Gates Foundation, Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, UNAIDS, UNFPA, UNICEF, World Bank and World Health Organization.

    Debra ten Brink has previously received funding to conduct HIV modelling studies from the Australian government Department of Health and Aged Care, Gates Foundation, Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, UNAIDS, UNFPA, UNICEF, World Bank and World Health Organization.

    Nick Scott receives funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia. He has previously received funding to conduct HIV modelling studies from the Australian government Department of Health and Aged Care, Gates Foundation, Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, UNAIDS, UNFPA, UNICEF, World Bank and World Health Organization.

    – ref. Foreign aid cuts could mean 10 million more HIV infections by 2030 – and almost 3 million extra deaths – https://theconversation.com/foreign-aid-cuts-could-mean-10-million-more-hiv-infections-by-2030-and-almost-3-million-extra-deaths-253017

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Do any non-drug treatments help back pain? Here’s what the evidence says

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rodrigo Rossi Nogueira Rizzo, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Neuroscience Research Australia

    Monika Wisniewska/Shutterstock

    Jason, a 42-year-old father of two, has been battling back pain for weeks. Scrolling through his phone, he sees ad after ad promising relief: chiropractic alignments, acupuncture, back braces, vibrating massage guns and herbal patches.

    His GP told him to “stay active”, but what does that even mean when every movement hurts? Jason wants to avoid strong painkillers and surgery, but with so many options (and opinions), it’s hard to know what works and what’s just marketing hype.

    If Jason’s experience sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Back pain is one of the most common reasons people visit a doctor. It can be challenging to manage, mainly due to widespread misunderstandings and the overwhelming number of ineffective and uncertain treatments promoted.

    We assessed the best available evidence of non-drug and non-surgical treatments to alleviate low back pain. Our review – published today by the independent, international group the Cochrane Collaboration – includes 31 Cochrane systematic reviews, covering 97,000 people with back pain.

    It shows bed rest doesn’t work for back pain. Some of the treatments that do work can depend on how long you’ve been in pain.

    Is back pain likely to be serious?

    There are different types of low back pain. It can:

    • be short-lived, lasting less than six weeks (acute back pain)
    • linger for a bit longer, for six to twelve weeks (sub-acute)
    • stick around for months and even years (chronic, defined as more than 12 weeks).

    In most cases (90-95%), back pain is non-specific and cannot be reliably linked to a specific cause or underlying disease. This includes common structural changes seen in x-rays and MRIs of the spine.

    For this reason, imaging of the back is only recommended in rare situations – typically when there’s a clear suspicion of serious back issues, such as after physical trauma or when there is numbness or loss of sensation in the groin or legs.

    Many people expect to receive painkillers for their back pain or even surgery, but these are no longer the front-line treatment options due to limited benefits and the high risk of harm.

    International clinical guidelines recommend people choose non-drug and non-surgical treatments to relieve their pain, improve function and reduce the distress commonly associated with back pain.

    So what works for different types of pain? Here’s what our review found when researchers compared these treatments with standard care (the typical treatment patients usually receive) or no treatment.

    What helps for short-term back pain

    1. Stay active – don’t rest in bed

    If your back pain is new, the best advice is also one of the simplest: keep moving despite the pain.

    Changing the way you move and use your body to protect it, or resting in bed, can seem like to right way to respond to pain – and may have even been recommended in the past. But we know know this excessive protective behaviour can make it harder to return to meaningful activities.

    This doesn’t mean pushing through pain or hitting the gym, but instead, trying to maintain your usual routines as much as possible. Evidence suggests that doing so won’t make your pain worse, and may improve it.

    2. Multidisciplinary care, if pain lingers

    For pain lasting six to 12 weeks, multidisciplinary treatment is likely to reduce pain compared to standard care.

    This involves a coordinated team of doctors, physiotherapists and psychologists working together to address the many factors contributing to your back pain persisting:

    • neurophysiological influences refer to how your nervous system is currently processing pain. It can make you more sensitive to signals from movements, thoughts, feelings and environment

    • psychological factors include how your thoughts, feelings and behaviours affect your pain system and, ultimately, the experience of pain you have

    • occupational factors include the physical demands of your job and how well you can manage them, as well as aspects like low job satisfaction, all of which can contribute to ongoing pain.

    It’s important to keep up your normal routines when you have low back pain.
    Raychan/Unsplash

    What works for chronic back pain

    Once pain has been around for more than 12 weeks, it can become more difficult to treat. But relief is still possible.

    Exercise therapy

    Exercise – especially programs tailored to your needs and preferences – is likely to reduce pain and help you move better. This could include aerobic activity, strength training or Pilates-based movements.

    It doesn’t seem to matter what type of exercise you do – it matters more that you are consistent and have the right level of supervision, especially early on.

    Multidisciplinary treatment

    As with short-term pain, coordinated care involving a mix of physical, occupational and psychological approaches likely works better than usual care alone.

    Psychological therapies

    Psychological therapies for chronic pain include approaches to help people change thinking, feelings, behaviours and reactions that might sustain persistent pain.

    These approaches are likely to reduce pain, though they may not be as effective in improving physical function.

    Acupuncture

    Acupuncture probably reduces pain and improves how well you can function compared to placebo or no treatment.

    While some debate remains about how it works, the evidence suggests potential benefits for some people with chronic back pain.

    Some people may find relief from accupuncture.
    Katherine Hanlon/Unsplash

    What doesn’t work or still raises uncertainty?

    The review found that many commonly advertised treatments still have uncertain benefits or probably do not benefit people with back pain.

    Spinal manipulation, for example, has uncertain benefits in acute and chronic back pain, and it likely does not improve how well you function if you have acute back pain.

    Traction, which involves stretching the spine using weights or pulleys, probably doesn’t help with chronic back pain. Despite its popularity in some circles, there’s little evidence that it works.

    There isn’t enough reliable data to determine whether advertised treatments – such back braces, vibrating massage guns and herbal patches – are effective.

    How can you use the findings?

    If you have back pain, start by considering how long you’ve had it. Then explore treatment options that research supports and discuss them with your GP, psychologist or physiotherapist.

    Your health provider should reassure you about the importance of gradually increasing your activity to resume meaningful work, social and life activities. They should also support you in making informed decisions about which treatments are most appropriate for you at this stage.

    Rodrigo Rossi Nogueira Rizzo receives funding from the Australian Government’s Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF).

    Aidan Cashin receives funding from a National Health and Medical Research Council Investigator Grant

    – ref. Do any non-drug treatments help back pain? Here’s what the evidence says – https://theconversation.com/do-any-non-drug-treatments-help-back-pain-heres-what-the-evidence-says-253122

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Category 2C homes in Māngere

    Source: Auckland Council

    Homes across Auckland that were impacted by the 2023 storms are being assessed for their future flood and landslide risk.  

    Based on the government’s risk categories framework, the assessments are focused on identifying where there is an ‘intolerable risk to life’ from future flooding or landslides, and whether anything can be done to reduce that risk. Any support aims to help address the risk, or where that’s not possible – to help whānau move out of harm’s way.  

    About Category 2C 

    A ‘Category 2C’ is given to homes that meet the threshold of intolerable risk to life, but where Auckland Council is planning a community stormwater project that will reduce the risk to an acceptable level.  

    Māngere is the first community to receive priority funding for flood resilience projects, which includes $53 million for the rapid delivery of stormwater projects at Harania Creek and Te Ararata Creek in Māngere. The projects are expected to start in April 2025 and be completed by mid-2026. 

    Not all homes in these areas will be assigned a Category 2C – each home’s category depends on the unique level of risk and whether these projects or a construction solution at the home can reduce that risk. This is why confirming categories in the two project areas takes more care. Properties given a Category 2C will have their risk reduced to a reasonable level when the project in their neighbourhood is complete in mid-2026.  

    Category 2C Homeowners Guide 

    Preparing your home, tenants and whānau 

    The risk assessments we carry out are based on an extreme event with a one per cent chance of happening or being exceeded in any year. While they are uncommon, it is very hard to predict if, or when, another large storm may happen again. 

    So until the projects are complete it’s especially important you take steps at home to reduce your flood risk, while having an emergency plan in place in case another major storm hits.  

    We expect homeowners to have open communication with their tenants about the property category and any risks, as well as ensuring they have information about emergency preparedness.  

    More information about preparing for flooding is available in the Category 2C Homeowners Guide and via the link below.  

    Preparing your property and whānau for flooding 

    Category 2C FAQs 

    What support am I eligible for as a 2C homeowner?  

    Your property has been confirmed as Category 2C because an upcoming stormwater project in your neighbourhood will reduce the future risk to life at your home to a safe level. This means you will be able to continue living in your community and will not need to carry out construction solutions to reduce the risk at your home. Because of this you won’t have access to buy-out or construction grant support. However, you will continue to have access to our Storm Recovery Navigator Service connecting you to wellbeing, financial and accommodation support where relevant. If you don’t have a navigator and would like one, please email navigators@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz.

    What if I have more questions or disagree with my category? 

    If you have questions about your report and how your category was assigned, we have a technical expert that can meet with you to discuss your questions. You can continue using this technical helpdesk service for any other questions about your report. 

    If you still disagree with your Category 2C, you can raise a dispute through the formal dispute process. You’ll also have the option to seek a further external review if you are unhappy with that decision.  

    Outside of technical helpdesk support, your Navigator will continue doing their best to support your wider wellbeing needs and can help you navigate these next steps.

    What about the risk levels while the projects are underway?  

    Local stormwater systems are built to international standards, to manage a good amount of rainfall. The categorisation risk assessments we carry out are based on an extreme event with a one per cent chance of this happening or being exceeded in any year. While they are uncommon, it is very hard to predict if, or when, another large storm may happen again.  

    A local stormwater project will reduce the risk to life at Category 2C homes, but the full risk reduction benefits will only be realised when the project is fully completed in mid-2026.   

    So, while Auckland Council is working on this major project, it is also prioritising stormwater monitoring, maintenance and catchpits in your neighbourhood.    

    At home, there are also important things you can do to reduce your flooding risk and prepare in case one of these extreme storms happens again. We have provided some general information in our 2C homeowner guide about preparing for major storms, and a community-level plan is being finalised for each local board area.  

    Can you guarantee these stormwater projects will stop flooding at my home? 

    The specific purpose of the limited categorisation programme is to address situations where there is an intolerable risk to life – not to protect property. The projects will reduce this risk to life at Category 2C homes to a safe level, while also reducing the flooding risk at the property.

    It isn’t possible to stop all flooding, but these projects will significantly reduce the risk of flooding to residential properties around the stream. Any remaining flooding in residential areas will happen at a lower level and less often. 

    What if I have tenants? 

    We expect homeowners to have open communication with their tenants about the property category and any risks, as well as ensuring they have information about emergency preparedness. You can visit our page, Supporting tenants through storm recovery and information about preparing for flooding is available in the Category 2C Homeowners Guide or via the links above.  

    Will my Category 2C home still be insurable?  

    We have been working closely with the insurance industry since the floods. They have told us that 2C homeowners will still be able to get insurance cover, but ultimately this is up to individual insurance companies.   

    Auckland Council has to disclose property categories to the insurance industry because they use official information requests to ask for this information. This means your insurance company will know what your property category is. We recommend you speak to your own insurer to understand if there is an impact on your insurance policy.   

    If your insurer makes a decision to stop providing flood cover, or they increase your premiums, we recommend you speak to other insurance companies as you may find another company will provide a better policy for you. 

    What goes on my LIM? 

    A notation will be added to your LIM to explain that your home has been categorised as 2C. This notation will be removed at the completion of the flood infrastructure project. Outside of categorisation, general council information on natural hazards will continue to be disclosed on all LIMs, including homes that were not categorised. 

    What are the stormwater projects in Māngere? 

    Māngere is the first community to receive priority funding for flood resilience projects which includes $53 million for the rapid delivery of flood resilience projects at Harania Creek and Te Ararata Creek in Māngere. The projects are expected to start in April 2025 and be completed by mid-2026.  

    For more information on each project visit:  

    Information about key impacts is available on the project webpages and you can contact the project team at bluegreen@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz 

    How does Auckland Council measure ‘intolerable risk to life’ from flooding risk? 

    For flooding, an intolerable risk to life is where there is a high risk to life for vulnerable people in a flood event that has a one per cent chance of happening or being exceeded in any one year (an existing 1% Annual Exceedance Probability (AEP) flood event). 

    To determine the risk to life from floods on a property, Auckland Council completes a ‘flood danger risk assessment’ and assigns a ‘danger rating’ that indicates the threat to people’s lives from flooding inside or outside the home.  

    More information is available in the Category 3 Homeowners Guide or on our guide to flood risk assessments.  

    What are the risk categories? 

    Category 1 

    These properties do not meet the threshold for intolerable risk to life.  

    They are not eligible for a buy-out or other financial support from the council but can access wellbeing and other support. 

    Category 2P 

    Category 2P means there is intolerable risk to life at the property, but changes to the property can be made to reduce the risk to life from future weather events.  

    Homeowners can apply for a grant to make these changes so that the property is safe to live in. 

    Category 2C 

    Category 2C means that there is intolerable risk to life at the property, but community-level measures (or interventions) will be developed to reduce the risk to life at a property. 

    Category 3 

    Category 3 means there is intolerable risk to life at the property, and changes to the property are not feasible.  

    Category 3 properties can opt-in to the voluntary buyout by the council. 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Humans are bad at reading dogs’ emotions – but we can learn to do better

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Juliane Kaminski, Associate professor of comparative Psychology, University of Portsmouth

    Seregraff/Shutterstock

    A lot of dog owners believe that they can tell what their dogs are feeling. They believe that they can assess their dog’s emotions no matter the context.

    Yet newspapers frequently publish stories about dogs who attack “out of nowhere”, where owners claim there were “no signs” prior to the attack. A recent US study has found the answer may lie with humans – as it turns out, we’re not very good at interpreting dogs’ emotions.

    Previous research has shown that experience with dogs affects how successful people are in assessing a dog’s emotional state. As a psychologist, the more I know about dogs and the more I study and observe them, the better I become in assessing their behaviour. However, even experts can struggle to get it right.

    In the recent US study, researchers looked at how successful people are at assessing dogs’ emotions from looking at pictures. The images showed the dogs in different postures such as submissive or anxious. Sometimes the context around the dog was positive (for example, the owner approaching the dog with a lead) and sometimes the context around was negative (a person about to scold the dog).

    The study found that the context influenced whether people assessed the dog’s behavioural response as positive or negative even though the posture and other signals didn’t change.

    Research also suggests we have the tendency to misinterpret some facial expressions of dogs. A 2018 University of Lincoln study examined how children aged three to five years old and their parents interpret dogs’ facial expressions.

    Participants were shown pictures of dogs, for example showing bare teeth, which signals high levels of distress. The children especially misinterpreted that as a smiling and happy dog. The study also showed that interventions, which educated participants on how to interpret dogs’ behavioural signals, increased their understanding of dogs’ stress signals (though this was mostly true in the adults).

    We tend to anthropomorphise and attribute human emotions to our dogs. A good example of this is the so-called guilty look. You often see videos on social media in which a dog avoids eye contact with humans, for example turning its head slightly to the side.

    If this happens after the dog has done something they shouldn’t have, the owner may classify this as indicative of shame or guilt. In reality, dogs avoid eye contact as a kind of deescalation behaviour.
    It indicates that they do not want a confrontation. Perhaps the owner has already reacted to the mishap. Or the dog has learned to expect a reaction from the owner in certain situations. Insecure or fearful dogs also often avoid eye contact because they feel threatened or intimidated. However, this behaviour has little to do with shame.

    Another classic misconception is that a dog that wags its tail is a happy and friendly dog. In reality, a wagging tail only means that the dog is aroused. To assess the dog’s emotional state, you also have to consider the position of the tail. If it is standing upright, then this is more a sign of a tense dog. If it is positioned lower and the movement of the tail is relaxed and wide from left to right, then it is probably a friendly signal.

    We anthropomorphise dogs because we have evolved a human-specific way to interpret others’ emotions. If we see a person who pulls up the corners of their mouth and smiles, then we understand them to be happy or at least cheerful. That leads to problems if we apply that system to interpret other species’ emotional expressions.

    So how can we analyse dogs’ emotional expression in an objective way? One approach that scientists use is a technical method called DogFACS. In this method, each facial muscle is assigned a movement on the surface of the face. Facial movements are documented by numbers and analysed separately from each other.

    In 2013 University of Portsmouth researchers went to dog shelters across the UK and filmed dogs for two minutes each. They then analysed the dogs’ behaviour, including their facial expressions.

    The animal shelter told the researchers how long it took for the filmed dogs to be adopted by new owners. Neither barking nor wagging tails influenced the adoption rate, but only a specific eyebrow movement: the so-called puppy dog eyes look. The more often the dogs raised their eyebrows and produced the puppy dog eyes, the quicker they were rehomed. Nothing else had an effect. This could be because the puppy dog eyes resemble a facial movement that we produce when we are sad and makes us want to care for the dog.

    Could you resist those puppy dog eyes?
    SakSa/Shutterstock

    In fact my 2019 study showed that the facial muscle anatomy of dogs has evolved for facial communication with humans. My team compared the facial muscle anatomy of dogs and wolves and demonstrated that the facial muscles of dogs and wolves are identical – except for one muscle, the levator anguli oculi medialis. This muscle is responsible for the lifting of the inner eyebrow in dogs.

    We may not be much good at reading dogs’ emotions but as the University of Lincoln study shows, we can learn to be.

    Juliane Kaminski receives funding from ASAB.

    – ref. Humans are bad at reading dogs’ emotions – but we can learn to do better – https://theconversation.com/humans-are-bad-at-reading-dogs-emotions-but-we-can-learn-to-do-better-252773

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rosen Pushes Back on Attempts to Use AI to Raise Prices

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV)

    WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) sent a letter to Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Chairman Andrew Ferguson expressing concern over the use of artificial intelligence (AI) by corporations to target individuals with different prices for the same products through surveillance pricing. Senator Rosen urged Chair Ferguson to reverse his decision to close a public comment window early so the FTC can fully understand how large retailers are using technology to hurt consumers’ budgets.
    “I write to express my concern with your recent decision to close the public comment window two months early on the FTC’s Request for Information regarding retailers’ use of such surveillance pricing,” wrote Senator Rosen. “I urge you to reopen this public comment period, as it is important for the agency to fully understand how surveillance pricing is potentially driving up costs for consumers.”
    “Recent improvements in artificial intelligence (AI) and the accumulation of specific consumer data like geographic location and demographic information are allowing large corporate retailers to raise prices artificially, inconsistently, and unfairly,” she continued. “With Nevadans already experiencing some of the
    highest grocery prices in the United States, consumers’ ability to compare costs across stores and find the lowest price is important for putting food on the table.”
    The full letter can be found HERE.
    Senator Rosen has been pushing back on the Trump Administration’s actions that raise prices for hardworking Nevadans. Last month, she took to the Senate floor to call out the Trump Administration for its lack of actions to lower grocery prices and address the egg shortage. Senator Rosen has also been urging her colleagues to reject Congressional Republicans’ legislative plans to increase the cost of living for Americans. Additionally, she sent a letter urging the Trump Administration to reverse course on imposing tariffs on Canada and Mexico to prevent housing prices from rising even further. Earlier this month, Senator Rosen strongly criticized President Trump for resuming the implementation of his across-the-board tariffs on imported goods from Mexico and Canada.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Albany Felon Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Distribute Fentanyl and Possessing a Firearm

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ALBANY, NEW YORK – Henassy McConico, age 27, of Albany, pled guilty yesterday to conspiring to possess with intent to distribute and distribute a controlled substance and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. 

    United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), New York Division, made the announcement.

    McConico admitted to personally distributing fentanyl pills numerous times in 2024, including on October 15, 2024, when he distributed approximately 485 fentanyl pills to another individual. McConico further admitted that he possessed a loaded handgun and assorted ammunition in his home. As a result of his prior conviction for attempted robbery, McConico could not lawfully possess the handgun.

    At sentencing scheduled for July 23, 2025, McConico faces a minimum term of 10 years and a maximum term of life in prison, a maximum fine of $8 million, and a term of supervised release after imprisonment of at least 8 years and up to life. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the statute the defendant violated, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.

    DEA investigated this case with the assistance of the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office and Hudson Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mikayla Espinosa is prosecuting this case. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ernst Fights to Keep Resources Meant for Iowans in Iowa

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA)
    WASHINGTON – To protect housing for rural Iowa communities, U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) is introducing her Rural Housing Accessibility Act. 
    In recent years, there has been a troubling trend where individuals from urban areas – where wait lists for affordable housing vouchers are long – are moving to rural states like Iowa to apply for and receive federal housing assistance but then leave, effectively taking away an Iowan’s chance to obtain a resource meant for them.
    “I’m ensuring rural Iowa communities have the housing resources they need to thrive. By protecting our in-state public housing authorities, we can make sure low-income Iowa families, seniors, and the disabled receive the assistance meant for them,” said Senator Ernst. “My bill will close gaps that have let too many game the system, help alleviate some of the housing challenges facing rural America, and ensure that these programs are effectively supporting the Iowans who need them most.”
    “The Rural Housing Accessibility Act ensures that Iowans have access to the resources meant for them. Community Housing Initiatives is thankful for Senator Ernst’s leadership on legislation to preserve affordable housing resources in Iowa’s rural communities,” said Sam Erickson, CEO of Community Housing Initiatives.
    Read the bill here. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Chinese company donates home appliances to South Africa’s largest hospital

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    Chinese manufacturer Hisense on Wednesday donated home appliances to Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital, South Africa’s largest hospital, in Johannesburg to help improve patients’ experience.

    Hisense South Africa handed over the donation of laundry appliances and air conditioning units worth over 300,000 rands (about 16,430 U.S. dollars) to the hospital. The donation included 20 top-loader washing machines, 20 tumble dryers, and seven air conditioning units.

    “When we learned of the challenges facing Baragwanath, particularly the lack of laundry and cooling appliances in Johannesburg’s summer heat, we knew we had to act… We are proud to be here today, and we are committed to continuing this journey of impact,” said Luna Nortje, deputy general manager of Hisense South Africa.

    Nthabiseng Makgana, chief executive officer of Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital, welcomed the donation. “This donation is more than just machines. It is about creating a healing space, where patients feel cared for, and our medical staff are equipped to do their best,” he said.

    “We are deeply grateful to Hisense South Africa and their partners for stepping forward with practical support and a long-term commitment to providing public institutions in our country with access to the technology they so desperately need,” Makgana added.

    As Africa’s largest medical facility, Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital provides treatment for patients across the region, the continent, and beyond. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Iran’s IRGC unveils new missile base

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) has unveiled a new underground missile base.

    Belonging to the IRGC’s Aerospace Division, the base, dubbed “missile city,” was unveiled during a visit by Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Mohammad Baqeri, and Commander of the IRGC’s Aerospace Division Amir-Ali Hajizadeh, according to footage released by the Sepah News, the IRGC’s official news outlet, on Tuesday night.

    The narrator speaking on the footage said the facility was one of the IRGC’s “hundreds” of missile bases across Iran, “which is home to thousands of homegrown solid- and liquid-fueled precision-guided and network-based ballistic missiles, made by the experts of the IRGC’s Aerospace Division.”

    He listed some of the missiles in the base as Kheybar Shekan, Martyr Haj Qassem, Qadr-H, Sejjil, and Emad. The narrator said the listed missiles were the ones used in the two military operations against Israel on April 13 and October 1, 2024.

    Iran has unveiled several underground missile and naval bases since the beginning of 2025. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Marshall Joins Newsmax to Discuss the Defining Male and Female Act

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall

    Washington – U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas) joined National Report on Newsmax to discuss the Defining Male and Female Act, legislation he reintroduced today to codify the legal definitions of male, female, and sex to ensure they are based on biological reality rather than radical, left-wing ideology.
    This bill would enshrine into law President Donald Trump’s Executive Order entitled “Defending Women From Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government,” which clarifies that sex is determined at conception and is dependent on the size of reproductive cells and ensures the federal government uses this sex dichotomy.

    [embedded content]

    You may click HERE or on the image above to watch Senator Marshall’s full interview.
    Highlights from Senator Marshall’s interview include:
    On the Defining Male and Female Act:
    “I can’t believe it’s necessary. But as you all know, I was an obstetrician for 30 years of my life. I delivered a baby almost every day. I delivered the baby, and I would say a prayer until it made its first cry, and then as the baby started crying, I would hand the baby to the new mom and the new dad and say, it’s a boy, it’s a girl. I never said, well, we’re not sure what this is. We’re going to do a little gender affirmation later and we’re going to assess this baby in three years. And I’d fill out the birth certificate. I would check male or female.
    “So, what this bill does, and I’m embarrassed that we have to do this, is say, look, if this child, if this baby, if this future young man, makes sperm, then he’s a male. He’s a dude. And if it’s a person that makes oocytes, makes eggs, then guess what? It’s a girl.”
    On President Trump’s executive order recognizing only two sexes:
    “[President Trump] [issued] an executive order on day number one to protect the rights, the safety and dignity of women and this, this bill would codify that, that boys are boys and girls are girls. Let’s keep boys out of girls’ sports. Let’s keep boys out of the girls’ locker room.
    “If you have a passport, you need to put on your biological sex, not your gender identity. If you’re in a public place, like a prison, a jail, some type of housing situation, public housing, the boys go on the boys’ side, and the girls go on the girls’ side… We just need a little more common sense. But this bill would codify exactly what President Trump did in his executive order.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Interview, ABC Ballarat Breakfast

    Source: Workplace Gender Equality Agency

    STEVE MARTIN: It’s a bit of a rare thing these days where we spend this half hour of the program talking to politicians back to back, but we’re going to do that today. Catherine King is the federal member for Ballarat and also the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, and is with us this morning to talk about last night’s Federal Budget.

    Catherine King, good morning. Welcome.

    CATHERINE KING: Good morning. I’m not sure your listeners will thank you for too many politicians back to back there, but there you go.

    STEVE MARTIN: It was my gentle reminder that we don’t do this often, but we have to do this today. It is circumstance.

    CATHERINE KING: It is post-Budget day, yes.

    STEVE MARTIN: Post-Budget day and leading into an election at some point. I won’t ask you again when that’s going to be. What I do want to know, Catherine King, is from this Budget, it doesn’t sound like there was anything new for your electorate or Western Victoria more generally, other than the overall things, such as the tax cuts that have taken a few by surprise. So is there any extra in there for Western Victoria that isn’t already on the table?

    CATHERINE KING: Yeah. So what Budgets do is account for both decisions that we’ve already announced before the Budget and then any new initiatives. And obviously, last night the single biggest new initiative was the tax cuts. So every single Ballarat, Western Victorian taxpayer will receive an additional tax cut. And whilst they’re – and they are solely focused on how can we continue to help with cost of living pressure, trying to keep costs down, but also make sure people keep more of what they earn and that’s what they’re focused on building on the tax cuts of previous Budgets. Of course, what the Budget accounts for then is the significant investments that we’re making in Sunshine Station, for example. And I think that sort of – it’s gone – it hasn’t been spoken enough about, but in essence, what Sunshine Station does is detangle the regional rail and the other rail lines that are coming in there, builds almost the Southern Cross of the west, and then allows for airport rail to happen. It will see significant improvements for regional rail services that come through Sunshine and then head on to Southern Cross Station, which will still continue to happen. But it means we get our own –basically our own dedicated line through and our own dedicated platform. So that’s a good thing.

    It accounts for the money, obviously for the Western Highway, the $1.1 billion. And of course, there is already a billion dollars that is already being invested from the border down to the Ballarat. And that money and those programs – projects continue. But what we’ve also noticed and known is that we’ve had this huge housing growth down around Caroline Springs, Melton and the highway is just not keeping up with demand. And if you’re driving, you know, during peak hour or trying to get home, that is a really congested part. And so we’re trying to resolve that. And then obviously the issue we’ve had in Ballarat around Brewery Tap Roads is starting to get the detailed design work really finalised for that project, and it’s kick started.

    STEVE MARTIN: So most of that is city spend, but regional benefit for our purposes. There has been criticism that the federal government hasn’t committed enough to regional roads, for example, that most of the money has been going into metropolitan areas. And this Budget doesn’t address that in any way that hasn’t already been addressed as you’ve just outlined. So what do you say in response to that?

    CATHERINE KING: Well, I’m really proud of our record on regional roads. As I just said, there’s already a billion dollars that is committed to the Western Highway. For example, in – you know, in our rural and regional areas, I was out on the weekend announcing $54 million for 32 regional and rural level road crossing treatments, $13 million for local government road projects across the entire state. One of the things that really shocked me when I first came to government was that the previous government had cut money for maintenance of our national highways, the vast majority of which are in our regions. We have fixed that. We’ve re-indexed – so, re-indexed the maintenance money, but also then backdated it. So all that missing gap, that hole of money that was there has been paid back to states. So that’s now allowing states to really improve their road maintenance on our regional highways as they go through the regions.

    And of course I have doubled Roads to Recovery money. So instead of using a colour coded spreadsheet to say one council gets $40 million or $100 million to seal their roads, which is what the previous government did – there are councils that got substantial money just on their own – every single council in the country now gets- will now get double the amount of road money. And they are those local roads that, you know, farmers are getting their produce to market on, people are driving every day to get to work or to get to their families. And I am really proud of that commitment. And the vast majority of our councils are in our regions.

    STEVE MARTIN: Some of the reaction to the Budget has been around the energy rebate, and questions as to why it hasn’t been means tested. Now, I know some politicians have raised this, but also listeners. I’ve been watching the SMS system this morning. That’s being raised about means testing for the energy rebate. While people welcome it, many people think it should be more targeted. So is it a misstep not to means-test it?

    CATHERINE KING: We looked at this last time when we obviously provided the $350 million. The way in which we are delivering it is through the energy companies themselves. And so dropping that off your bills. The difficulty we had if you administer something based on income is that, you know, energy companies obviously don’t know their individual customers’ incomes. So that’s – and nor should they. So the most efficient way for us to deliver it is the way that we’ve done it. It actually costs quite a bit of money to do it the different way, and that’s really why it’s just more efficient to do it. We understand there may be people who say, I don’t deserve an energy relief. You know, I think that is a matter for people to think about. But really that’s the – it was the most efficient way to deliver it. That’s basically the reason we’ve done it that way. And it was the same with the 350 million. We had to deliver it that way because it’s basically cheaper for government to deliver it that way. It would have cost us money to do it any other way.

    STEVE MARTIN: Catherine King, I know you have appointments you have to get to shortly, so I won’t go for too long. But just in relation to the HECS debt, one thing I would like to ask you, and this is in relation to regional universities, particularly Federation University, you’ve offered more HECS debt relief for people with a debt. Is there also an ability or a change to the way people will accumulate HECS debt? Because that seems to be a resistant force for young people to go to university, not wanting to acquire that debt in the first place. And as I say, I ask this in light of Fed University and the fortunes of other regional universities.

    CATHERINE KING: Well, a couple of things. We’ve already passed legislation that looked at the way in which the sort of interest rate was applied to HECS debt, and that’s had a significant impact already, and this obviously new commitment around cutting the student debt by 20 per cent. In terms of the incentives, and I think one of the really big things you’ve got to remember, Federation University, we are very lucky is a dual sector university, and as a dual sector university, a large proportion of the students who are going there are TAFE students. So fee free TAFE has been an absolute game changer. I meet people right the way across our communities who are mature aged students who’ve gone back and are retraining in the building sector, childcare workers, aged care workers who are getting now qualifications that they couldn’t afford to. And I think if you ask Federation Uni, they will tell you that TAFE is going gangbusters.

    Obviously through the universities accord, there is significant work being done around university funding and governance structures and we’ll continue that work if we’re privileged enough to form government at the next election.

    STEVE MARTIN: Just finally on that wage cut, the tax breaks that were getting. ACOSS put out a press release saying: astounded, more dollars for everyone except those with the least. And there’s an SMS that says nothing in this Budget regarding homelessness. Has your side of politics ignored those who are facing the most challenges with the cost of living crisis?

    CATHERINE KING: Not at all. And I think that what we’ve done, one, you know, if you remember, we’re the only government who actually – we increased the base rate, both of JobSeeker. We have had two increases to Commonwealth rent assistance, and we have the single largest investment in building new social and affordable homes through the Housing Australia Future Fund. There is a $33 billion program to actually get and help social community housing providers to actually build more homes. That has been the really big thing that we’ve got. We just do not have enough homes being built, particularly in that social sector, what we used to call public housing; getting that done, and we’ve delivered that. We’ve delivered increases to funding to the states for homelessness services as well through our partnership agreements. So there is always more to do, always more that you can do. And Budgets are about trying to do what we can to provide relief right the way across the community.

    But the other thing I’d say, the really significant investment we’re making in making medicines cheaper is a really – again, about helping the most vulnerable in our community, people who are really highly dependent on our Medicare system through our urgent care clinics, making sure we’re improving bulk billing. They are really important services for vulnerable people.

    STEVE MARTIN: Catherine King, thanks for your time.

    CATHERINE KING: Really good to be with you, Steve.

    STEVE MARTIN: Catherine King, member for Ballarat and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, just in the wake of the Budget that was handed down last night.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Reducing debt financing barriers for Community Housing Providers

    Source: New Zealand Government

    New Crown lending facilities and a loan guarantee scheme will support the growth of the Community Housing Provider (CHP) sector and put CHPs on a more level playing field with Kāinga Ora, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. 

    “This Government believes in social housing. We are working hard to deliver better housing to those who need support, including by assisting the CHP sector to expand and grow.

    “Currently, CHPs account for 16 percent of our social homes – around 13,000 houses. The government has funded an additional 1,500 social houses in Budget 2024, 1,000 of which are to be delivered by CHPs from June this year.

    “Our ambition for the social housing system is for a level playing field between CHPs and Kāinga Ora. The underlying ownership of a house – whether public or private – should be irrelevant. What matters is the provision of warm, dry homes to those who need them, along with social support if required.

    “We call this competitive neutrality. In some areas and for some people, CHPs are the answer. In other areas, Kāinga Ora will be the way to go.

    “While KO’s borrowing is done through the Crown, CHPs currently access debt from the private market at higher rates. We have further work to do to better align KO and CHP access to, and costs of, finance.

     “The Government is moving to level the playing field between Kāinga Ora and CHPs by establishing Crown lending facilities of up to $150 million for the Community Housing Funding Agency (CHFA). CHFA was launched by Community Finance in 2024 and pools financing requirements for CHPs, unlocking lower cost finance at scale to support the delivery of CHP housing.  

    “The Government is working closely with CHFA and will provide them an interim lending facility in early April to support their immediate financing needs, with the final liquidity facility up and running later this year. 

    “This will lay the foundation for CHFA to borrow hundreds of millions or billions of dollars, supporting not just the delivery of social housing, but also CHPs’ broader affordable housing portfolios.  

    “We are also exploring the appetite of banks to participate in a loan guarantee scheme for CHPs, aligned to the principles of previous initiatives like the Business Finance Guarantee Scheme, and the North Island Weather Events Loan Guarantee Scheme.  

    “A loan guarantee scheme is where the Government takes on some proportion of the loan’s default risk, meaning lenders won’t need to hold as much capital to cover the debt and can use the capital elsewhere. This will likely enable lenders to pass on reduced interest rates to borrowers.  

    “I expect that this scheme will encourage greater participation by banks in the sector and enable them to pass on meaningfully reduced interest rates and other lending accommodations to CHPs. 

    “If banks see merit in a CHP loan guarantee scheme, the Minister of Finance will finalise its design and work towards a go-live date later this year. 

    “Together, these two initiatives will increase the scale at which CHPs can access lower cost debt financing, enabling them to grow.  

    “This is a really exciting day for the CHP sector in New Zealand. The changes are complex but important and will do a lot to allow the CHP sector to grow and deliver more warm dry houses for people in need.” 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Speech to KangaNews Debt Capital Markets Forum

    Source: New Zealand Government

    Opening
    Good afternoon. I’m excited to be here at the KangaNews Debt Capital Markets Forum. 
    It’s a pleasure to be here with all of you – investors, financial institutions, and wholesale market participants who play a vital role in unlocking New Zealand’s economic future.
    I’d like to thank ANZ for hosting this event and for inviting me to speak. 
    Debt capital markets are fundamental to the success of the Government’s plan to go for growth. 
    Capital is like water to a seed – it enables New Zealanders, businesses, government, and NGOs to action and grow their bright-ideas, ambitions, and aspirations. 
    The deeper our capital markets get, the more opportunities our country will have to thrive. 
    Today, I want to discuss how the Government is unlocking growth and overcoming funding and financing challenges in housing and infrastructure in a fiscally constrained environment. 
    I will also be announcing actions Cabinet has recently agreed to that will reduce debt financing barriers for Community Housing Providers. 
    Unlocking growth
    New Zealanders have said that inflation and the economy are in the top three issues facing the country. 
    The only sustainable way to fix the cost-of-living crisis is to ensure wages grow faster than inflation. 
    That means growing the economy through more high-paying jobs, increased productivity, greater innovation, and more investment. 
    The best thing the Government can do to support this is:

    one ensuring systems, regulations, and laws are growth-enabling – like the Resource Management Act, and
    two getting interest rates lower. 

    Now, the Government doesn’t set the Official Cash Rate (OCR) – that’s the Reserve Bank’s job – but we can help support lower interest rates through responsible fiscal management, getting the government’s books back in order, and investing in productivity-enhancing infrastructure. 
    That’s what we have been doing, and since we came into Government the OCR has dropped 175 basis points.
    In Budget 2024, we found $5.9 billion on average in annual operating savings and revenue, and $3.1 billion in capital savings and revenue over the forecast period. We reprioritised savings to fund tax relief and cost pressures in Health, and to support other growth-enabling initiatives. 
    For us, it’s about ensuring every public dollar goes to its best use. Greater value for money means we can provide more and higher quality services that people need. 
    Budget 2025 will be no different. 
    Without swerving too far into the Minister of Finance’s lane – I can say that Budget 2025 will focus on four areas:

    Lifting economic growth through measures to tackle New Zealand’s long-term productivity challenges,
    Using a social investment approach to improve life outcomes for people with high needs,
    Keeping tight control of government spending, while funding high-priority commitments and cost pressures, and
    Developing a pipeline of long-term infrastructure investments.

    In terms of infrastructure, this Government has and will continue to invest a record amount. More than $68 billion in capital is forecast to be spent by central government on infrastructure over the next five years. 
    For comparison from 2019 to 2023, $50.8 billion in capital was spent on infrastructure.
    Infrastructure Investment Summit 
    However, we know achieving economic growth is not all about government. We can’t unlock New Zealand’s potential without the private sector.
    So, we are also focused on attracting long-term private capital, capacity, and capability into our economy.
    To do this, earlier this month, the Prime Minister and I hosted the New Zealand Infrastructure Investment Summit in Auckland, which was attended by over 100 world-leading institutional investors, private investment firms, and construction companies.
    It was a huge win for our country, and it was good to see some of you there.
    During the Summit, we reaffirmed New Zealand’s position as being open for business, and as a safe and strong country to invest in.
    Overall, we focused on three areas:

    First, New Zealand’s infrastructure vision and upcoming public infrastructure opportunities,
    Second, changes to policy, regulation, and legislation to make it easier to do business here, and
    Third, other investment opportunities in growth sectors and the Māori economy.

    I just want to briefly touch on the first area. 
    It was great to get investable and developable opportunities in public infrastructure to market, including Christchurch Men’s Prison PPP and the Northland RoNS PPP. 
    But as Minister for Infrastructure, I think showcasing our long-term infrastructure pipeline made the biggest impression.
    This is what will give the private sector confidence to stay here and invest in people and equipment. 
    Firms just want to know: What’s next.
    For example, the Italian tunnelling company Ghella was preparing to leave New Zealand after completing the 16.2-kilometre Central Interceptor tunnel in Auckland. But following presentations on the pipeline and the positivity of the Summit, Ghella have decided to keep their workers, expertise, and tens of millions of dollars of plant, equipment, and associated services here. 
    Similarly, Plenary, an infrastructure investment firm managing more than $100 billion in assets has also committed to opening an office in New Zealand and to bidding on at least five PPPs over the next five years due to the PPP pipeline.
    Many global firms showed an interest in New Zealand. 
    When Guido Cacciaguerra of Webuild, a multinational construction and civil engineering firm, said “the Italians are coming back”, all I could think was – yes, that’s fantastic. 
    These guys helped us construct tunnels for the Tongariro hydro scheme in the 1960s. 
    It’s partnerships like these we need to help us close our infrastructure deficit, and we are committed to keep this momentum going.
    Overcoming funding and financing challenges in infrastructure and housing
    Now, let’s move onto overcoming funding and financing challenges in infrastructure and housing. 
    Public infrastructure in New Zealand has historically been primarily funded by taxpayers or ratepayers.
    But our heavy reliance on this blunt approach is not serving us well and has led to perverse outcomes including congestion, run-down assets, and the unresponsive provision infrastructure – contributing to unaffordable housing.
    The scale of New Zealand’s infrastructure challenge means we cannot continue the status quo – we need to leverage private capital and alternative funding and financing tools. 
    I want to outline several pieces of work that interact with debt capital markets, including:

    The establishment of the National Infrastructure Funding and Financing Ltd– or NIFFCo,
    Treasury’s new Funding and Financing Framework,
    The refresh of the Government’s PPP policies, and
    New funding and financing tools for infrastructure to support growth.

    Establishment of NIFFCo
    Let’s start with NIFFCo. 
    On 1 December 2024, we established NIFFCo to carry out three key functions: 

    Its first function is to act as the Crown’s ‘shopfront’ to facilitate private sector investment and interest in infrastructure – this includes receiving and evaluating any Market Led Proposals, or Unsolicited Bids.
    Its second function is to partner with agencies, and in some cases, local government, to provide expertise on projects involving complex procurement, alternative funding mechanisms and private finance – including PPPs and IFF Act transactions.
    Its third function is to administer central government infrastructure funds.

    When you decide to join us in transforming New Zealand’s infrastructure, you will likely work with NIFFCo. 
    Overall, I expect NIFFCo will help unlock access to capital for infrastructure and give the private sector a clear and knowledgeable Government-side partner to work with on projects and transactions.
    So, if you want to put forward a project, are looking for an opportunity to invest in New Zealand infrastructure or want to partner with Government – NIFFCo is open for business.
    NIFFCo will also lift the government’s commercial capability and help us be a better client of infrastructure. It will do this by deploying expertise into agencies that are working on projects involving private finance and alternative funding mechanisms.
    This includes, but is not limited to, projects involving traditional loans, equity investments, PPPs, developer levies, beneficiary levies, concessions, or other value uplift mechanisms.
    Funding and Financing Framework
    Now, let’s talk about Treasury’s new Funding and Financing Framework. 
    Last year, Treasury released this Framework to broaden the funding base for Crown investments, and to utilise private capital where efficient.
    It provides guidance to agencies that they should, in the first instance, seek user or beneficiary pays to fund new infrastructure projects rather than defaulting to taxpayer money.
    I expect proposals from sectors like transport, water, energy, housing, and adaptation to demonstrate how user or beneficiary pays can contribute towards funding.
    More utilisation of user- and beneficiary-pays will provide greater opportunities for the private sector, including debt capital markets, to participate in public investments.
    We want to use the government’s balance sheet more strategically and apply good commercial disciplines when deciding how to financially support a proposal – essentially providing “just enough support” to make proposals feasible.
    This will mean we can deliver more projects, and channel support to sectors where it is appropriate for the Crown to be the primary funder, like in health and education.
    PPP Framework and other guidance 
    To match our more commercial Funding and Financing Framework – we also needed to modernise the Crown’s policies and contracts, particularly in the PPP space.
    After extensive engagement, in November last year, we released a Blueprint outlining how the government will approach future PPPs.
    There are several key elements in the refreshed Blueprint that will foster a more appealing market for all participants:

    A more practical approach to risk transfer,
    Guidance for agencies on bid cost recognition,
    Enhancing the Interactive Tender Process,
    Allowing reasonable price validation to occur during the procurement process,
    Improving the process for managing claims and dispute resolution, and
    Increasing the capability and resourcing of the Crown so that we can be a better client.

    Our approach is to be smart about private capital and use it in a way that unlocks investment, enhances incentives for on-time on-budget delivery, and brings more maturity to the design, build, and maintenance of projects.
    The new PPP Blueprint sits alongside new Strategic Leasing Guidance, and Guideline for Market Led Proposals.
    New infrastructure funding and financing tools to get more houses built
    Let’s move onto new infrastructure funding and financing tools to get more houses built.
    As Minister of Housing, I am committed to – well, more accurately obsessed with – fixing our housing crisis.
    We are not a small country by land mass, but our restrictive planning system, particularly restrictions on the supply of urban land, has created a scorching hot land and housing market driven by artificial scarcity. 
    We are changing that by allowing our cities to grow up and out. But this won’t be enough on its own. We also need to enable the timely provision of enabling infrastructure. 
    Put simply, you can’t have housing without water, transport, and community facilities.
    However, under current settings councils, infrastructure providers, and developers face significant challenges to fund and finance enabling infrastructure for housing.
    We want to move to a future state where funding and financing tools enable the responsive supply of infrastructure where it is commercially viable to build new houses. 
    This will shift market expectations of future scarcity, bring down the cost of land for new housing, and improve incentives to develop land sooner instead of land banking.
    To achieve this future, our overarching approach is that growth pays for growth.
    Last month, I announced five changes to our infrastructure funding and financing toolkit to support urban growth. 
    I won’t cover all of these. But the most relevant to you are changes to the Infrastructure Funding and Financing Act (IFF) Act. 
    The IFF Act allows the creation of a Special Purpose Vehicle to raise finance for projects, where the cost is repaid through a levy charged to properties that benefit from a project over a period of about 20 to 30 years.
    We are making several remedial amendments to improve the effectiveness of the Act, particularly for developer-led projects, which will make the process simpler and cheaper.
    We are also broadening the Act to enable levies to be charged for major transport projects – a gamechanger in New Zealand for funding city-shaping projects. 
    These changes will lead to the Act being more effective, efficient, and utilised more often. 
    I expect, private capital will have far more opportunity to support public infrastructure projects.
    Reducing debt financing barriers for CHPs 
    Now, I would like to move onto actions the Government is taking to reduce debt financing barriers for Community Housing Providers, or CHPs. 
    As I noted earlier, we are fixing the housing crisis by getting the underlying market fundamentals right. This is the single best thing we can do to make housing more affordable.
    At the same time, I recognise that these changes will take some time and that there will always be New Zealanders who need housing support. 
    This Government believes in social housing, and we believe the CHP sector and private capital have a greater role to play in this space. 
    Currently, CHPs account for 16% of our social homes – or around 13,000 houses. 
    My ambition for the social housing system is to create a level playing field between CHPs and Kāinga Ora.
    I’m obsessed with building houses across the housing continuum for people who need them. But I am agnostic as to whether those houses are delivered by CHPs or by the government.
    I call this competitive neutrality. In some areas and for some people, CHPs are the answer. In other areas, Kāinga Ora is the way to go.
    However, we don’t have competitive neutrality right now.
    As I am sure you are aware, Kāinga Ora can borrow at a small margin above the Crown’s cost of financing, while CHPs effectively get access to finance at commercial rates.
    Update on last year’s announcement
    In November last year, I outlined three actions we are taking to help CHPs access borrowing to deliver housing:
    The first was making $70 million of Operating Supplement available upfront, unlocking equity CHPs need to raise debt.
    The second was making changes to IRRS contracts that makes the revenue stream more attractive for financiers. 
    And the third was to review the use of leasing to provide social housing.
    I’ll just give you a quick update on where those are at. 
    The Ministry of Housing and Urban Development are implementing updated criteria for providing Operating Supplement upfront to support delivery of the 1,500 CHP places committed through Budget 2024. 
    The updated criteria will focus on the basics – strategic alignment, value for money, deliverability, and whether upfront funding is really needed to unlock financing. We are also removing unhelpful eligibility requirements and allowing larger CHPs and projects in urban areas to access upfront funding, where appropriate. 
    On updates to the IRRS contracts, HUD are making the following changes that will be in place for the contracting of places from late May onwards: 

    Additional compensation where the Termination for Convenience clause is exercised on Build to Lease projects,
    Limiting the ‘step-in’ period to six months, and
    Providing a Financier Direct Deed when requested on all Build to Own projects.

    These changes will go some way to reducing real and perceived risk to financiers, although I acknowledge that there is more work to do. 
    On the use of leasing to provide social housing, HUD has moved to an ownership-agnostic approach. 
    Leasing could be useful where CHPs want to leverage their local expertise in managing social housing, while partnering with developers who could leverage their larger balance sheets to access finance that a small CHP could not.
    CHP credit enhancement 
    Last year, I also announced that the Government would explore a credit enhancement intervention for CHPs, so that they can access suitable debt.
    I am pleased to announce today that Cabinet has agreed to establish Crown lending facilities of up to $150 million for the Community Housing Funding Agency (CHFA) to cover:

    an interim lending facility to be provided in early April to support CHFA’s immediate financing needs, and
    a final liquidity facility. 

    In addition to this, the Minister of Finance intends to offer a loan guarantee scheme to banks to support their CHP lending.
    Both of these interventions align with our market-led approach to fixing our housing crisis, and our transition to more efficient and effective Crown investment. 
    The liquidity facility and loan guarantee scheme will provide critical support whilst we get the system right. 
    Let’s start with CHFA – 
    CHFA was launched by Community Finance in 2024 and aggregates the finance requirements for CHPs around New Zealand, unlocking lower cost finance at scale to support the delivery of social housing.
    The CHFA is largest lender to CHPs in New Zealand already indicating they are providing lending solutions highly valued by the sector.
    A Crown liquidity facility and credit rating will allow CHFA to lend to more CHPs on a much larger scale.
    This will lay the foundation for CHFA to borrow billions of dollars, supporting not just the delivery of social housing, but also CHPs’ broader affordable housing portfolios. 
    Housing Australia has a similar model – the Affordable Housing Bond Aggregator (AHBA). 
    Since its inception in 2018, Housing Australia has approved around $4.5 billion in AHBA loans to support the development of more than 18,800 social and affordable homes. 
    The AHBA loans have helped the sector save an estimated $800 million in interest and fees.
    I want this for New Zealand too. 
    Finally, on the loan guarantee scheme, the Minister of Finance and I have endorsed key design criteria as a starting point for Government’s engagement with banks. 
    I don’t want to get into too much detail, I will leave that to officials –
    But, at a high-level, I expect that this scheme will encourage participation among banks and enable them to pass on meaningfully reduced interest rates and other lending accommodations to CHPs. 
    Relatedly, last year, the Minister of Finance wrote to the Reserve Bank asking them to look further at the risk weights for lending to CHPs. The Bank intends to consult on potential changes in the middle of 2025. This process may also lead to a meaningful reduction in borrowing costs for CHPs.
    Overall, I am really excited about how these changes will support the CHP sector – we heard you, and we hope these changes enable you to grow and do more good work.  
    Conclusion
    Delivering on this Government’s vision for growth and higher living standards will require a strong partnership between government, investors, and the private sector. 
    Capital markets will play a pivotal role in financing New Zealand’s infrastructure future, and I encourage all of you to explore how your expertise and resources can contribute to this effort.
    We are committed to creating a stable, predictable, and investable infrastructure and housing environment – one that supports economic growth, enhances productivity, and improves the quality of life for New Zealanders.
    Together, through innovation and partnership, I am confident we can build a more prosperous New Zealand.
    I look forward to your insights and collaboration.
    Thank you. 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: New sentencing laws will drive NZ’s already high imprisonment rates – and budgets – even higher

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Linda Mussell, Senior Lecturer, Political Science and International Relations, University of Canterbury

    Paremoremo Maximum Security Prison near Auckland. Getty Images

    With the government’s Sentencing (Reform) Amendment Bill about to become law within days, New Zealand’s already high incarceration rate will almost certainly climb even higher.

    The new legislation essentially limits how much judges can reduce a prison sentence for mitigating factors (such as a guilty plea, young age or mental ability). A regulatory impact statement from the Ministry of Justice estimated it would result in 1,350 more people in prison.

    This and other law changes are effectively putting more people in prison for longer. By 2035, imprisonment numbers are expected to increase by 40% from their current levels, with significant cost implications. Last year, the Corrections budget was NZ$1.94 billion, up $150 million from the previous year.

    In sheer numbers, the Ministry of Justice projects the prison population will increase from 9,900 to 11,500 prisoners over the next decade. But Minister of Corrections Mark Mitchell recently said government policies could see a peak of 13,900 prisoners over that period.

    New Zealand’s imprisonment rate is already high at 187 per 100,000 people. That’s double the rate of Canada (90 per 100,000), and well above Australia (163 per 100,000) and England (141 per 100,000).

    Accounting for imprisonment and population projections, New Zealand’s prisoner ratio could be between 238 and 263 per 100,000 by 2035. That is higher than the current imprisonment rate in Iran (228 per 100,000).

    The role of remand

    Much of this increase is driven by the number of people awaiting trial or sentencing on remand. This has risen substantially in the past ten years and is expected to keep rising.

    Remand prisoner numbers are projected to nearly equal sentenced prisoners in 2034. Among women and young people, remand numbers are already higher than for sentenced prisoners.

    In October 2024, 89% of imprisoned youth were on remand, a 15% increase in seven years. In December 2024, 53% of women prisoners were on remand, more than double the 24% rate a decade ago. Men on remand comprise 41% of prisoners, nearly double the 21% rate a decade ago.

    Māori are affected most by these increases, making up 81% of imprisoned youth, 67% of imprisoned women and 53% of imprisoned men.

    Some 30% of those on remand are not convicted. Of those who are, data released to RNZ last year showed 2,138 people (15% of remand prisoners) were not convicted of their most serious change, almost double the 2014 figure of 1,075 people.

    Significant court delays can mean people are remanded for a long time. By 2034, it is projected the average remand time will be 99 days, compared with 83 days in February 2024. As well as being a human rights concern, this is very expensive.

    Minister of Corrections Mark Mitchell: prisoner numbers could reach 13,900 over the next decade.
    Getty Images

    Putting more people away for longer

    Crime and imprisonment rates fluctuate independently of each other, as the former Chief Science Advisor acknowledged in a 2018 report. Increasing imprisonment rates are the result of political decisions, not simple arithmetic.

    The Bail Amendment Act 2013 reversed the onus of proof in certain cases, meaning the default rule is that an accused person will not be granted bail. This results in more people being sent to prison while awaiting a hearing, trial or sentencing.

    When this week’s changes to the Sentencing Act come into effect, they will further constrain judges’ discretion, capping sentence reductions for mitigating factors at 40% (unless it would be “manifestly unjust”).

    At the same time, it has become more difficult for prisoners to return to the community. For example, some are kept in prison or recalled because they do not have stable housing. (Dean Wickliffe, currently on a hunger strike over an alleged assault by prison staff, was arrested for breaching parole by living in his car.)

    Last year, Corrections received $1.94 billion in operating and capital budget, a $150 million increase to account for rising imprisonment numbers and prison expansion. There was no meaningful increase in funding for rehabilitation programmes or investment in legal aid.

    Imprisoning people is expensive. The cost of a person on custodial remand has almost doubled since 2015, from $239 a day to $437. For sentenced prisoners, it is $562 per day. This comes to between $159,505 and $205,130 per year to confine one person.

    The Waikeria expansion and beyond

    Corrections has developed a Long-Term Network Configuration Plan to meet anticipated prison population growth. This year’s budget in May will fund 240 high-security beds and 52 health centre beds at Christchurch men’s prison, at a cost of approximately $700-800 million.

    Those 240 beds will fit within 160 cells, meaning “double-bunking”. This is known to have a significant impact to prisoner health and rehabilitation, and can also add to staffing costs.

    Former corrections minister Kelvin Davis acknowledged this before the first 600-bed expansion of Waikeria prison, costed at $750 million in 2018. By June 2023, that had increased by 22% to $916 million.

    The second Waikeria expansion will deliver another 810 beds for an estimated $890 million, although the exact budget has been unclear. These projects will involve public private partnership, a model known for not always delivering the cost savings and service quality initially promised.

    There will be other costs for facilities maintenance, asset management services and financing. And there can be unanticipated costs, too. For example, the government’s partner in the Waikeria expansion, Cornerstone, claimed $430 million against Corrections in 2022 for “time and productivity losses” due to COVID-19.

    These overall trends are happening while the government is also cutting funding for important social services. Shifting resources to improve social supports would be a better option – and one that has worked in Finland – than pouring more money into expanding prisons.

    Linda Mussell 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. New sentencing laws will drive NZ’s already high imprisonment rates – and budgets – even higher – https://theconversation.com/new-sentencing-laws-will-drive-nzs-already-high-imprisonment-rates-and-budgets-even-higher-253119

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Avon, NY, police trainee pleads guilty to possession of child pornography and cyberstalking

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Casey Medina, 33, of Rochester, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Meredith A. Vacca to possession of child pornography and cyberstalking, which carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Katelyn M. Hartford, who is handling the case, stated that on August 22, 2024, investigators executed a search warrant on Medina’s cellular telephone. During a forensic extraction and a manual review of the phone, approximately 360 images of child pornography the defendant had received over a social media platform were recovered. At least one image involved a prepubescent child being subjected to violence.

    In addition, between May and August 2024, Medina disseminated and posted sexually explicit photographs that had been edited to falsely depict an individual (victim) engaged in sexually explicit activity to various social media platforms and public websites via the internet. The photographs depicted the victim’s face superimposed on pornographic images made to appear as if she was engaged in sexual intercourse. Beginning in May 2024, over the course of approximately 26 days, and again between June 2024 and July 2024, Medina sent, and recruited others via the internet to send, threatening and harassing text messages to the victim. The messages included threats to kidnap, rape, sexually abuse, and kill her, as well as including the sexually explicit images with her face superimposed on them. In many instances, Medina included identifying information while disseminating the victim’s images, including her hometown and place of work.

    The plea is the culmination of an investigation by the Onondaga County, NY, Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Tobias Shelley, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia.         

    Sentencing is scheduled for August 4, 2025, at 2:00 p.m., before Judge Vacca.

    # # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI China: China expands carbon trading market to steel, cement, aluminum smelting sectors

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

    BEIJING, March 26 — China on Wednesday released a work plan to expand its carbon trading market to include the steel, cement and aluminum smelting industries, in the market’s first industrial expansion since its launch in 2021, according to the Ministry of Ecology and Environment.

    China launched its carbon trading market in July 2021, with a focus on the power-generation sector. The carbon-emissions intensity in the generation of electricity has since decreased by 8.78 percent, the ministry said.

    The expansion is expected to add 1,500 enterprises to the carbon trading market. The three added sectors release some 3 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent annually, accounting for over 20 percent of the country’s total carbon dioxide emissions, according to the ministry.

    Carbon trading, which allows the buying and selling of permits to emit carbon dioxide or other greenhouse gases, is regarded as a critical tool in reducing carbon footprints and meeting emissions targets.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Government to support greenfield housing

    Source: New Zealand Government

    The Government has made changes to build more homes on the outskirts of our cities, allocating $100 million to be lent to developers for housing infrastructure, as well as cutting the RMA red tape restricting land available for development, says Housing and Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop.

    “The government is committed to letting our cities grow up and out to address our housing crisis. Medium-sized greenfield developments play a crucial role in increasing supply, but without the right support, many projects risk being delayed or unable to progress,” says Chris Bishop.

    “The government’s Going for Housing Growth and Resource Management Act reforms will be critical in addressing our housing crisis – but it will take time to legislate and then bed in. In the meantime, we don’t have time to waste, so these immediate changes are necessary interim measures to help boost housing supply. 

    “The government’s National Infrastructure Funding and Financing Agency (NIFFCo) has been developing a pipeline of potential important greenfield projects, and the initial transactions are expected to be drawn from this pipeline.

    “Under this new model, which we are calling the Greenfield Model, NIFFCo will lend to an Infrastructure Funding and Finance Act Special Purpose Vehicle at a very competitive interest rate during the development phase of a project. Then, the debt will be refinanced to private markets once the development is complete. The funding will ultimately be repaid by future homeowners through an annual levy.

    “The development phase of a project is often the riskiest, and private financiers reflect this by charging higher interest rates. NIFFCo’s loan will provide lower cost financing to developers over the development period by charging approximately what private financiers would charge for completed developments.

    “This support will bridge the financing gap and help ensure that new homes continue to be built in areas where they are needed most.

    “Funding for the new ‘Greenfield Model’ comes from unallocated funding within NIFFCo. It will be able to recycle capital into new projects after the five- to seven-year development period.

    “I am also announcing today that Cabinet has agreed to remove LUC-3 protections from the National Policy Statement on Highly Productive Land (NPS-HPL) this year, fulfilling National’s election promise.

    “The NPS-HPL protects our productive soils from development, ensuring New Zealand has a secure food supply. However, there needs to be a balance between how we protect our most productive land with our need for more housing to tackle our housing crisis.

    “As currently drafted, the NPS-HPL protects a total of 15 percent of the country’s landmass. Three classifications of soil are protected under the NPS-HPL, with two thirds being classified as LUC-3, the lowest quality.

    “Across the country, this change has the potential to open up new land for greenfield housing roughly equivalent to the size of the Waikato region.

    “To ensure we have got the balance between protecting our food supply and enabling more houses to be built, alongside this change we are going to consult on whether we should establish ‘special agriculture zones’. 

    “These would essentially protect LUC 1, 2 and 3 land when it is grouped together in a natural configuration in key horticultural horticulture hubs like Horowhenua or Pukekohe.

    “These are good, short-term and cost-effective interventions while we get the underlying system settings right to fix our housing crisis. They will both make it easier to bring new much needed housing projects to market that otherwise wouldn’t have happened or would have happened much later.”

    Notes to Editors:

    Background:

    1. The Infrastructure Funding and Finance Act (IFF Act) enables Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) to finance infrastructure by charging a levy to those who benefit from the infrastructure. NIFFCo provides equity and debt, raises necessary external debt finance, operates SPVs, and repays finance through levies collected through councils.
    2. The IFF Act has been successfully used for city-wide transport projects in Tauranga and a wastewater treatment plant in Wellington.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Speech to the Property Council Residential Development Summit

    Source: New Zealand Government

    Good morning. 
    I’m excited to be here at the Residential Development Summit. 
    Thank you to the Property Council for hosting this event. 
    Residential developers, investors, and the broader property community will play a key role in fixing New Zealand’s housing crisis.
    We need your knowledge, expertise, and big ideas to help New Zealand’s housing system grow. We need to go up, we need to go out, we need more housing choice, and we need more tenure types.
    Today I’d like to give you an update on our Going for Housing Growth programme, and how changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) will make it simpler and easier to supply the housing that New Zealanders so desperately need. 
    I will also be announcing actions Government has agreed to that will enable more greenfield development – allowing our cities to grow out.
    Letting our cities grow
    I am, unapologetically, an urbanist – dare I say, an ‘urban nerd’ – and a proponent of growth. 
    I won’t dwell on our housing challenge. You’ve all heard me bang on about that before. Our housing crisis is holding New Zealand back socially and economically. 
    Report after report and inquiry after inquiry has found that our planning system, particularly restrictions on the supply of urban land, are at the heart of our housing affordability challenge.
    I believe that fixing our planning system by making it more enabling and getting the fundamentals right in housing are the best things we can do to unleash New Zealand’s potential.
    Getting this right will:

    lift economic growth and productivity,
    reduce the cost-of-living pressure from housing, and
    ensure New Zealanders can enjoy a higher standard of living. 

    As the Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Minister of Housing, and now Minister of Transport, I get up every day determined to try and make a difference.
    Update on Going for Housing Growth 
    Let me start with an update of our Going for Housing Growth programme. 
    It has three pillars: 

    Pillar One: freeing up land for development and removing unnecessary planning barriers,
    Pillar Two: improving infrastructure funding and financing to support urban growth, and
    Pillar Three: providing incentives for communities and councils to support growth.
    Housing Growth Targets for Tier 1 and 2 councils to “live-zone” 30-years of housing demand,
    making it easier for cities to expand,
    strengthening the intensification provisions in the National Policy Statement on Urban Development (NPS-UD),
    putting in new rules requiring councils to enable mixed-used development, and
    abolishing minimum floor areas and balcony requirements.

    Pillar One
    We have made good progress on Pillar One which includes:
    I announced these changes last year and officials have been working hard on the finer details.
    The changes I announced last year build on the NPS-UD brought in by the previous government in 2020, but they obviously sit within the existing RMA structure.
    As you’ll have seen on Monday, the Government is replacing the RMA entirely with two new laws.
    This presents an obvious sequencing problem. We are committed to housing growth targets, strengthening density requirements, and so on.
    This year we will consult on changes through Pillar One, as intended. You can expect that around May.
    However, if we implemented them straight away in 2026, Councils would be forced to conduct expensive and lengthy plan changes – only to start all over again a year or so later once the new RMA comes into effect.
    So, we’ve made the pragmatic decision to implement Pillar One of our Housing Growth changes as part of the replacement of the RMA.
    This also allows us to think about housing growth targets in the context of standardised zones.
    So, councils will implement Phase 3 of the Resource Management reforms through development of new plans, starting from 2027.
    Rest assured, Pillar One will be ready to go for Councils’ 2027 Long Term Plan cycle. 
    Pillar Two
    Now, let’s talk about Pillar Two – improving infrastructure funding and financing.
    Pillar One is about upending the system by flooding the market with development opportunities and fundamentally making housing more affordable.
    But, freeing up urban land is not enough on its own. We also need to ensure the timely provision of infrastructure. 
    Put simply, you can’t have housing without land, water, transport, and other community infrastructure. 
    But under the status quo, councils and developers face big challenges to fund and finance enabling infrastructure. 
    So, last month I announced five changes to our infrastructure funding and financing toolkit to get more houses built. 

    The first is replacing Development Contributions (DCs) with a Development Levy System, where growth pays for growth,
    The second is establishing regulatory oversight of these Levies to ensure charges are fair and appropriate,
    The third is increasing the flexibility of targeted rates,
    The fourth is making changes to the Infrastructure Funding and Financing Act (IFF Act) that will make it more effective and simplify processes, and
    The fifth is broadening the IFF Act so that beneficiaries can help pay for major transportation projects.

    I won’t go into too much detail here today.
    But at a high-level, these changes will help create a flexible funding and financing system to match our flexible planning system. 
    These are some big changes, and it will take some time to get them right. 
    Our aim is to have legislation in the House by September this year, to come into effect next year. 
    Councils will be able to make the shift to development levies on the same timeline as the 2027 Long Term Plan cycle. 
    You can see, I hope, a lot of really good things coming together around 2027.
    Pillar Three 
    On Pillar Three, officials are working away on this, and we will have more to say later this year.
    Changes to RMA will support more housing
    I want to quickly talk about how RMA reform will make it simpler and easier to supply the housing New Zealanders need.
    For example, standardised zones will be a game changer. 
    I completely agree with urban economist Stuart Donovan – zoning is so balkanised that even large developers tend to stick to one or a few main centres as branching out requires reconfiguring to different planning rules.
    Developers currently face a Gordian knot of these rules. 
    Maximum building heights of 9m in Kapiti versus 8m in Dunedin. Porirua requires an outdoor living space of at least 20m2 for a medium-density residential unit – in the Manawatu it’s 36m2. In Dunedin, maximum building site coverage can vary from 30% to 60% whereas in Taupō it varies from 2.5% to 55%. 
    Councils are even getting involved with things as niche as whether it is possible for someone to see the TV from the likely location of their couch – or whether doors should face out for “privacy” or in for “inclusion and community”. 
    I get email after email about this stuff. People stop me in the street to tell me about it. It is utterly out of control.
    Councils should be focusing on engaging with communities, looking at capacity in the network, and making decisions on where growth is most appropriate. 
    And we need to grow both up and out. 
    For the remainder of this speech, I want to focus on what we are doing to enable more greenfield development. 
    Changes to the NPS-HPL
    The National Policy Statement for Highly Productive Land – or the NPS-HPL, was introduced by the last Government to protect New Zealand’s highly productive soils. This piece of national direction is intended to boost food security for both our domestic food supply and primary exports.
    However, it is clear that it has gone too far. As currently drafted, the NPS-HPL protects a total of 15 percent of the country’s landmass. That’s nearly as large as the entire Canterbury region.
    This protected land often surrounds our biggest and fastest growing cities where growth is busting to get out.
    I have lost count of the number of developers who have come up to me since this has been introduced, frustrated that they are unable to secure land for greenfield housing to be developed. 
    There needs to be a balance between how we protect our most productive land with our need for more housing to tackle our housing crisis. 
    Right now, that balance is out of whack. 
    National campaigned on amending the NPS-HPL to remove the lowest classification of land protected, what is known as LUC-3. 
    This kind of land is not the golden soils we need in Pukekohe – instead, it’s much lower quality land that is good for housing. 
    Despite being a lower quality of soil, two thirds of land protected by the NPS-HPL is classified as LUC-3.
    I am pleased to announce today that Cabinet has agreed to remove LUC-3 from the NPS-HPL this year, fulfilling our election promise. 
    Across the country, this will open up land for housing roughly equivalent to the size of the Waikato region. 
    Alongside this, we are going to consult on whether we should establish what we’ve called ‘special agriculture zones’ around key horticulture hubs like Horowhenua or Pukekohe. This would essentially protect LUC 1, 2 and 3 land when it is grouped together in a natural configuration.
    We need more houses, and we need more greenfield development. 
    Removing these restrictions will allow us to have our vegetables and eat them too. 
    Changes to the NPS-HPL will be progressed as part of our National Direction changes in Phase 2 of our RMA reforms. 
    I will announce further details about the timing and shape of that package tomorrow but wanted to announce this change today to highlight our Government’s commitment to greenfield housing.
    Greenfield Model 
    To further demonstrate this commitment, we are also taking action to get more greenfield houses built in the near term. 
    I am pleased to announce that the Government will provide finance to developers to ensure more medium-sized greenfield developments – think around 1,000 to 2,000 dwellings – are enabled through the Infrastructure Funding and Finance Act.  
    We are calling this the Greenfield Model. 
    The Government will support National Infrastructure Funding and Financing Ltd – or NIFFCo – in lending up to $100 million to developers for infrastructure needed to enable new greenfield housing. 
    This model is being funded using existing unallocated funding within NIFFCo. 
    Here is how it will work. 
    NIFFCo will lend to an IFF Act Special Purpose Vehicle at a very competitive interest rate during the development phase of a project. 
    Then, the debt will be refinanced to private markets once the development is complete, with the funding ultimately being repaid by future homeowners through an annual levy.
    The development phase of a project is often the riskiest – and private financiers reflect this by charging higher interest rates.
    NIFFCo’s loan will provide lower cost financing to developers over the development period by charging approximately what private financiers would charge for completed developments. 
    This is a big win for growth.  
    NIFFCo will also be able to recycle capital into new projects after the five- to seven-year development period. 
    We are putting the Greenfield Model in place as a targeted interim measure while our Going for Housing Growth policy and Local Government reforms bed-in from 2027 or so onwards.
    To date, the IFF Act has not been used for greenfield housing developments. 
    The Act is complex, and levies are deemed too expensive. The higher than anticipated levies are also much less favourable than using DCs which are often artificially low, under-recover growth costs, and are cross subsidised by rates. 
    The economics of IFF Act levies just don’t make sense right now. 
    The changes we are making through Pillar Two, particularly around improvements to the IFF Act and our shift from DCs to Development Levies, will do the heavy lifting to fix incentives and put in place a more effective infrastructure funding and financing system where growth pays for growth. 
    But, as fast as we are going on this, it won’t happen overnight. 
    So, the Greenfield Model is a good short-term, cost-effective intervention as the lower interest rate provides benefits of around $10,000 per dwelling. 
    For comparison, the Infrastructure Acceleration Fund, which was set up to support new housing by the previous government, cost around $28,000 per house. 
    This model will support growth that otherwise wouldn’t have happened – or would have happened much later. 
    I am excited to just crack on. 
    Conclusion
    Let me finish by saying that solving our housing crisis is one of this Government’s top priorities.
    And to be honest, it is my number one priority. 
    I look forward to working with you to grow up and out, and to deliver more housing that New Zealanders need. 
    Thank you. 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Australia may no longer be a ‘deputy sheriff’, but its reliance on the US has only grown deeper since 2000

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Andrews, Senior Manager, Policy & Engagement, Australian National University

    The year 2000 marked an inflection point for many Western countries, including Australia, in their outlook towards the world.

    The focus began to shift away from the peacekeeping interventions that had dominated the previous decade to one shaped by counter-terrorism operations and deployments to the Middle East.

    The threat of terrorism hasn’t gone away. But Australia is much more preoccupied by threats of a different nature 25 years later, largely emanating from China. These include cyber attacks, economic coercion, political interference, and the harassment of Australian Defence Force (ADF) ships, aircraft and personnel.

    Though our international outlook has changed a lot over the past quarter century, Australia’s alliance with the US has remained a constant throughout.

    However, as our militaries have grown closer, the US-China competition has also intensified. Combined with the array of unpredictable and destabilising decisions coming from the second Trump administration, this closeness has caused some unease in Australia.

    Evolving threats and challenges

    In December 2000, the Howard government released its first Defence White Paper. This marked the beginning of a period of major change in Australia’s international outlook and presence.

    It emphasised that “two interrelated trends seem likely to shape our strategic environment most strongly – globalisation and US strategic primacy”. It also noted that “military operations other than conventional war [were] becoming more common.”

    The paper was prescient in respect to China’s rise, as well. It said:

    The United States is central to the Asia-Pacific security system […] It will be in Asia that the United States is likely to face the toughest issues in shaping its future strategic role – especially in its relationship with China.

    There is a small but still significant possibility of growing and sustained confrontation between the major powers in Asia, and even of outright conflict. Australia’s interests could be deeply engaged in such a conflict, especially if it involved the United States.

    Yet, nine months after that document’s release, the terrorist attacks of September 11 2001, followed by the Bali bombings of 2002, began to dramatically reshape the global security outlook.

    A few days after the September 11 attack, Howard invoked the ANZUS Treaty for the first and only time, joinging US President George W. Bush’s “war on terror”. Australian forces then deployed to Afghanistan as part of the US-led invasion in October 2001.

    By the time the 2003 Foreign Policy White Paper was released, it highlighted “terrorism, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, regional disorder and transnational crimes such as people smuggling” as the key features of Australia’s “more complex security environment”.

    A month later, Australia joined the US-led “coalition of the willing” to invade Iraq to overthrow the regime of Saddam Hussein and locate and destroy stockpiles of weapons of mass destruction believed to be there. (It later emerged that evidence of the existence of these weapons was erroneous.)

    Australia contributed 2,000 troops to the mission. Our soldiers remained actively engaged in training, reconstruction and rehabilitation work in Iraq until July 2009.

    Both of these events tied Australia’s foreign policy interests to the US to a greater degree than any time since the Vietnam War.

    Although the relationship with the US had been critical to Australian defence and foreign policy for decades, it had become less prominent in Australia’s strategic planning in the years following the end of the Cold War.

    US support – and diplomatic pressure on Indonesia – had been vital in securing the post-referendum presence of Australian peacekeepers in East Timor in 1999. However, it was the “war on terror” that really re-centred the relationship as core to Australian foreign policy.

    In fact, Australia was even referred to as the US’ “deputy sheriff” in the Asia-Pacific – a nickname used by Bush in 2003 that caused some unease at home and in the region.

    This image has since gone on to have significant staying power, and it’s proved difficult for Australia to dislodge.

    History repeating?

    Though the accusations of war crimes levelled against Australian special forces in Afghanistan continue to reverberate, our foreign policy focus has shifted firmly back to our own region.

    This change was driven in large part by the perceived threat posed by a rising China. While the need to focus more on China was acknowledged as early as the 2009 Defence White Paper, this emphasis became most pronounced under Scott Morrison’s leadership.

    The 2024 National Defence Strategy portrayed Australia as facing “its most challenging strategic environment since the Second World War”.

    It advocated for a significant change in the ADF’s strategic objectives and structure, noting the optimism of the 1990s had been “replaced by the uncertainty and tensions of entrenched and increasing strategic competition between the US and China”.

    Today, the military ties between the US and Australia are arguably as close as they have ever been.

    The ADF operates top-tier US platforms like the F-35 combat aircraft, P-8 maritime patrol aircraft, M1 Abrams tanks, and AH-64 Apache helicopters. Defence Minister Richard Marles has gone so far as to say the ADF should not only interoperable with the US, but interchangeable.

    If all goes to plan, Australia will also build and operate its own fleet of nuclear-powered submarines under the AUKUS partnership in the coming decades.

    At the same time, US President Donald Trump’s “America First” positioning has made the US’ closest allies nervous.

    His early moves have put paid to the notion that globalisation is the goal all major states are pursuing. In fact, some argue that deglobalisation may be taking hold as the US aggressively enacts tariffs against its allies, pursues economic onshoring and withdraws from key international bodies.

    These actions have led to many to question whether Australia has become too dependent on its major ally and if we need to emphasise a more self-reliant defence posture. However, this is much easier said than done.

    Looking back, the year 2000 represented the beginning of a period of major change for Australian foreign policy. Such is the pace of change now, we may view 2025 in the same light in another quarter century.

    Whether Australia’s alliance with the US will face long-term harm is yet to be seen. No matter how the bilateral relationship may change, the Indo-Pacific region will continue to be at the core of Australia’s foreign policy outlook, much as it was at the turn of the century.

    This piece is part of a series on how Australia has changed since the year 2000. You can read other pieces in the series here.

    David Andrews has not personally received funding from any relevant external bodies, but he has previously worked on projects funded by the Departments of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Home Affairs, and Defence. David is a member of the Australian Labor Party and Australian Institute of International Affairs, and previously worked for the Department of Defence.

    – ref. Australia may no longer be a ‘deputy sheriff’, but its reliance on the US has only grown deeper since 2000 – https://theconversation.com/australia-may-no-longer-be-a-deputy-sheriff-but-its-reliance-on-the-us-has-only-grown-deeper-since-2000-252501

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Happy dogs make happy humans, and 9 other reasons science says dogs need to chew

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Paul McGreevy, Professor, School of Veterinary Science, University of Sydney

    Chernika 888/Shutterstock

    In the wild, dogs spend a lot of their time chewing on bones, carcasses, sticks and kernels. For example, Australian dingoes can feed for up to 108 minutes in a single session.

    But most domestic dogs chew far less than their free-roaming counterparts. This is largely because of the introduction of easy-to-eat, processed pet foods such as kibble, which now comprises the majority of domestic dogs’ diet.

    This is a problem because although chewing carries some risks, overall it has significant benefits for dogs.

    As our new review, published in Frontiers in Veterinary Science, demonstrates, it enriches the physical, psychological and emotional health of dogs in many interconnected ways.

    1. Food acquisition and nourishment

    Dogs chew primarily to nourish themselves.

    Their large canine, premolar and molar teeth and wide gape help them to capture and dismember prey. Chewing whole carcasses provides them access to marrow, fibre and minerals that would otherwise be inaccessible.

    When they are not chowing down on body parts, free-ranging dogs forage on nuts, berries, and insects – a portion of which are also hidden in kernels, shells or exoskeletons and require chewing.

    Wild dogs such as dingoes can feed for up to 108 minutes in a single session.
    Cynthia A Jackson/Shutterstock

    2. Clean teeth and oral hygiene

    Dental disease is one of the most common health issues in companion and kennelled dogs. It is more common in smaller and older dogs.

    The abrasive action of chewing on hard and fibrous materials helps to remove and prevent the formation of plaque.

    This reduces bad breath, gum disease, tooth loss and therefore the requirement for dental procedures at the vet clinic.

    Of course, dogs with existing dental issues might find it impossible to chew. And it is recognised that some dental fractures may arise from chewing.

    3. Gastrointestinal health

    Chewing between meals can help facilitate digestion in all mammals.

    It can also prevent stomach inflammation and stimulate peristalsis (waves of contractions) in the gastrointestinal tract.

    This helps maintain regular bowel movements and stool consistency.

    4. Healthy microbiome

    The action of chewing promotes resident bugs that comprise a healthy microbiome and reduces harmful microbes, both in the oral cavity and in the lower intestine.

    The microbes of the microbiome work for their own survival and also for that of their dog host, for whom they help maintain healthy oral hygiene and gut health.

    5. Stress management

    Chewing stimulates the rest-and-digest elements of a dog’s life and can reduce acute stress.

    This gives dogs a potential mechanism to manage some of the challenges of both boredom and over-arousal.

    In this way, providing long-lasting chewables can help to alleviate anxiety associated with challenging situations such as being home alone.

    6. Bone density

    Stress is common to all mammals. It causes a release of cortisol, a hormone that can reduce bone density and, over time, lead to osteoporosis.

    Because chewing makes dogs less stressed, it can help to prevent some forms of osteoporosis by reducing corticosteroid concentrations in the blood.

    Chewing helps dogs destress and relax – especially when they’re at home alone.
    Olga Popko/Shutterstock

    7. Performance and focus

    Dogs can moderate their own arousal levels if they have the opportunity to chew.

    This appears to be bidirectional in that chewing can be stimulating for a bored dog or calming for an unsettled dog.

    As such, chewing may be a unique means of bringing dogs into the Goldilocks zone of arousal, also known as “eustress”. This zone improves a dog’s ability to focus, learn and perform complex tasks.

    8. Ageing well

    Dogs are living longer than they have in the past. Because of this, more are experiencing cognitive decline.

    Chewing on a bone or even a stick can help facilitate digestion in dogs and other mammals.
    Drew Rooke, CC BY-NC

    Research has shown that in other mammals, such as humans and rodents, chewing can protect cognitive function.

    For dogs already suffering some loss of cognitive function, chewing, with its variety and manipulative challenges, may be a valuable management tool to help sustain quality of life.

    9. Positive welfare

    The pet industry supplies myriad chewable products ranging from toys, dried or fresh animal products and commercially made chews.

    They are meeting the market populated by carers who’ve noticed their dogs relish chewing.

    Dogs usually become enlivened when offered chews, seeking them out and playing with them.

    Some even find a chew so highly valuable that they risk breaking bonds with dog or human family members by exhibiting resource-guarding behaviours.

    When we fail to provide chewables, dogs will instead select other less appropriate articles to serve their purpose. In the smorgasbord of potential targets in our homes, leather shoes are often toward the top of the menu.

    Providing dogs with healthy chewables will help stop them chewing on our shoes instead.
    Reddogs/Shutterstock

    10. Happy dogs make happy humans

    The very latest study on dog-human relationships has revealed a correlation between dogs’ cardiac responses to positive interactions and those of their human guardians.

    Although this study focussed on co-operative breed types, such as herding dogs, known to be highly responsive to humans, it demonstrated that cardiac activity of dogs and their owners mirrored each other. It also indicated cross-species connections comparable to those found in attachment relationships between humans.

    So, providing your dog with a way to de-stress can have the same benefits for your own emotional and physiological state.

    Incorporating chewing into the daily lives of our dogs may be one simple yet important way to ensure they are living happy and healthy lives. Note that chewing ability is individual and advice on the type of chew and its suitability for your dog should be sought from your veterinarian.

    We would like to acknowledge the enormous contribution of Rimini Quinn to this article.

    Paul McGreevy has received funding from the Australian Research Council, RSPCA Australia and animal welfare focussed philanthropy. He is a member of the British Veterinary Association and currently sits on the NSW Veterinary Practitioners Board.

    Kathryn Mills is affiliated with University of Sydney School of Veterinary Science

    – ref. Happy dogs make happy humans, and 9 other reasons science says dogs need to chew – https://theconversation.com/happy-dogs-make-happy-humans-and-9-other-reasons-science-says-dogs-need-to-chew-244028

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senators Reverend Warnock, Ossoff, Join Congressmembers Scott, Bishop, to Reintroduce Bipartisan, Bicameral Bill to Establish Ocmulgee Mounds as Georgia’s First National Park & Preserve

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock – Georgia

    Senators Reverend Warnock, Ossoff, Join Congressmembers Scott, Bishop, to Reintroduce Bipartisan, Bicameral Bill to Establish Ocmulgee Mounds as Georgia’s First National Park & Preserve


    Bipartisan, bicameral bill would establish Georgia’s first U.S. National Park & Preserve
    Bill introduction follows years of advocacy by Muscogee (Creek) Nation, Middle Georgia leaders
    Senator Reverend Warnock toured the Ocmulgee Mounds in Macon in November 2023
    Senator Reverend Warnock: “Ocmulgee Mounds is a living testament to our intertwined histories and a robust source of economic and cultural vitality, so I’m proud to continue supporting the bipartisan, bicameral efforts to establish Ocmulgee Mounds as Georgia’s first National Park and Preserve”

    Above: Senator Reverend Warnock’s visit to Ocmulgee Mounds in November 2023

    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), alongside U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff (D-GA) and U.S. Representatives Austin Scott (R-GA-08) and Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (D-GA-02) reintroduced the bipartisan Ocmulgee Mounds National Park and Preserve Establishment Act, which would establish the Ocmulgee Mounds and surrounding areas in Middle Georgia as Georgia’s first National Park and Preserve.

    “Ocmulgee Mounds is a living testament to our intertwined histories and a robust source of economic and cultural vitality, so I’m proud to continue supporting the bipartisan, bicameral efforts to establish Ocmulgee Mounds as Georgia’s first National Park and Preserve,” said Senator Reverend Warnock. “I want to thank Congressmen Scott and Bishop for their yearslong efforts on this in the U.S. House, as well as Senator Ossoff for his leadership. Local leaders and everyday Georgians have been waiting for Congress to act and now is the time. Working together, we can prove what is possible when we put politics aside to serve the people of Georgia.”

    “We made unprecedented progress last Congress toward creating Georgia’s first ever National Park,” Senator Ossoff said. “I look forward to working alongside Congressman Scott, Senator Reverend Warnock, Congressman Bishop, the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, and local leaders to successfully establish Georgia’s first national park.”

    “Establishing the Ocmulgee Mounds and surrounding areas as Georgia’s first National Park and Preserve remains a top bipartisan initiative for all lawmakers and stakeholders involved,” said Rep. Austin Scott. “The Ocmulgee Mounds are of invaluable cultural, communal, and economic significance to our state, and I am committed to keeping this initiative moving forward.”

    “I am proud to join my colleagues in reintroducing this bipartisan bill. By establishing the Ocmulgee Mounds as Georgia’s first National Park and Preserve, we are highlighting over 17,000 years of history and culture as well as welcoming people from across the country to enjoy Georgia’s natural beauty,” said Rep. Bishop. “Elevating the status of and expanding this site to a national park and preserve will raise awareness about it, increase public hunting and fishing grounds, encourage more visitors to our area, and boost the local economy.”

    The bill is cosponsored by 11 other members of Georgia’s Congressional Delegation: Representatives Earl L. “Buddy” Carter (R-GA-01), Brian Jack (R-GA-03), Henry C. “Hank” Johnson (D-GA-04), Nikema Williams (D-GA-05), Lucy McBath (D-GA-06), Rich McCormick (R-GA-07), Mike Collins (R-GA-10), Barry Loudermilk (R-GA-11), Rick Allen (R-GA-12), David Scott (D-GA-13), and Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA-14).

    The area is the ancestral home of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation and has been inhabited continuously by humans for over 12,000 years. American Indians first arrived in the area during the Paleo-Indian Period hunting Ice Age mammals. Around 900 CE, the Mississippian Period began, and Muskogean people constructed mounds for meeting, living, burial, agricultural, and other purposes, many of which remain today and would be encompassed in the new U.S. National Park and Preserve.

    “The Muscogee (Creek) Nation remains steadfast in our support of the Ocmulgee Mounds National Park and Preserve Bill. The opportunity to make the historic Ocmulgee Mounds a national park is so important to us because we have been included, we have been shown the respect of collaboration, and because of that we can feel confident that the living history that will be told here is authentic and has the power to elevate Georgia forever. We are thrilled to continue offering our support for this legislation every step of the way,” said David Hill, Principal Chief of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation.

    “I cannot overstate the importance of this legislation to our region, state, and country. Tens of millions of private dollars have been leveraged to conserve the precious cultural and ecological resources of the Ocmulgee Corridor and this bipartisan legislation allows us to continue to grow the middle Georgia economy, protect our national security interests at Robin Air Force Base, expand hunting and fishing access, and authentically preserve some of the most culturally significant sites in the country,” said Seth Clark, Macon Mayor Pro Tempore and Executive Director of the Ocmulgee National Park and Preserve Initiative.“We’re grateful for the continued bipartisan dedication of the Georgia delegation. And call for the swift passage of this legislation this year so that we can continue our stewardship of this landscape and our economy.” 

    “Preserving the undeveloped lands within the Ocmulgee River Corridor is critical to safeguarding Robins Air Force Base from incompatible land use, ensuring we can sustain our national security missions,” said Brig. Gen. John C. Kubinec, USAF (ret), President/CEO of 21st Century Partnership. “This park and preserve will also provide our military members and their families with valuable opportunities for outdoor recreation and leisure, enhancing their quality of life while strengthening the economic vitality of Middle Georgia.”

    “Establishing Georgia’s first National Park and Preserve at Ocmulgee Mounds will serve as a robust form of economic development for Middle Georgia while conserving the site’s important series of ecological and cultural assets. Representatives Austin Scott and Sanford Bishop with their bipartisan leadership and admirable partnership with the Muscogee (Creek) Nation have assembled a broad statewide coalition including chambers of commerce, hunters and anglers, and conservation organizations working to pass this legislation. The formal process of creating a National Monument out of the Ocmulgee Old Fields formally began in 1933, when the Macon Junior Chamber of Commerce purchased the sites and requested their protection. Today, through the leadership of the Greater Macon Chamber of Commerce and other local leaders, we are one step closer to making that a reality. The Georgia Chamber is proud to support Representatives Scott and Bishop’s legislation to create Georgia’s first National Park and Preserve, after almost a century of civic advocacy,” said Chris Clark, CCE, President and CEO of the Georgia Chamber.

    “The Greater Macon Chamber of Commerce has long seen the national park and preserve designation as a top congressional priority. Getting this done this year is vital to the economic viability and stability of middle Georgia. Being home to Georgia’s first and only national park and preserve will create a better business climate, allow for lower taxes, and create thousands of good paying, sustainable jobs. Our members have marshaled tens of millions of dollars in preparing middle Georgia for the passage of this legislation and as we have for almost a century, we and the greater middle Georgia business community fully support and call for getting it done this year,” said Jessica Walden, President and CEO of the Greater Macon Chamber of Commerce.

    The full text of the legislation can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Reed, Senate Democrats Demand Transparency and Accountability on Trump Admin. Sharing Attack Plans Over Signal Chat

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Jack Reed

    WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), the Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee today joined Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and top Senate Democrats on key national security committees in seeking information about members of President Trump’s cabinet using the Signal app to convene a group chat to “coordinate and share classified information about sensitive military planning operations.”                   

    In a letter to President Trump, the U.S. Senators sounded the alarm over the public discovery that the Trump Administration has been sharing discussions of classified military operations via unsecured text chains, jeopardizing national security, and endangering the lives of American servicemembers.  The letter was also cc’ed to Attorney General Pam Bondi as well as numerous Trump administration officials who were reportedly members of the Signal group chat, including: Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard.

    Reed and Schumer, along with U.S. Senator Mark Warner (D-VA), Vice Chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee; U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee; U.S. Senator Gary Peters (D-MI), Ranking Member of the Senate Homeland Security Committee; U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee; and U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-DE), Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, are pressing for answers to questions after The Atlantic revealed that an unsecured text chain with at least 18 senior-level Trump administration officials was used to coordinate and share highly sensitive military planning and operations information. This reckless operational security failure made a sensitive military mission vulnerable to interception by U.S. adversaries, and was exposed after the group inexplicably included a journalist, damaging our national security and risking the lives of American servicemembers.

    “We write to you with extreme alarm about the astonishingly poor judgment shown by your Cabinet and national security advisors,” the seven Senators wrote. “You have long advocated for accountability and transparency in the government, particularly as it relates to the handling of classified information, national security, and the safety of American servicemembers. As such, it is imperative that you address this breach with the seriousness and diligence that it demands.”

    The Senators note the willful or negligent disclosure of classified information constitutes a criminal offense and call for Attorney General Bondi to conduct a thorough and impartial investigation.

    Additionally, the Senators demanded answers to ten questions, more information about the “Houthi PC small group” chat, and if any other classified information is currently being discussed on unsecured text chains in a similar fashion by senior administration officials. 

    Full text of the letter follows:

    Dear President Trump,

    We have learned that members of your Cabinet recently convened a group chat on the commercial messaging app “Signal” to discuss active, highly classified military plans and operations, and that they mistakenly included the editor-in-chief of The Atlantic in this group. The group, which was titled “Houthi PC small group,” apparently encompassed at least 18 people including your Vice President; Secretaries of Defense, State, and Treasury; National Security Advisor; CIA Director; Director of National Intelligence; White House Chief of Staff; and several other senior appointees.

    Over the course of several days, this group chat reportedly discussed operational plans, targets, and weapon systems for upcoming U.S. military strikes in Yemen, and provided after-action battlefield damage assessments. These messages allegedly provided detailed intelligence about the movements and future locations of specific military assets and personnel in active combat zones. The group chat also contained extremely sensitive conversations between the Vice President and Cabinet officials that could have a negative impact on our diplomatic efforts with foreign allies and partners, particularly in Europe. We are aware that the Director of National Intelligence, and possibly others, appears to have been overseas while this group chat was active, making the entire discussion more vulnerable to interception by foreign adversaries. Inexplicably, throughout the days-long chat conversation, the editor-in-chief of The Atlantic remained in the group chat and his presence was never questioned.

    Let us be clear, if any American military servicemember, intelligence official, or law enforcement officer committed such an egregious breach of operational security and endangered the lives of their comrades downrange, they would be investigated and likely prosecuted.

    We write to you with extreme alarm about the astonishingly poor judgment shown by your Cabinet and national security advisors. You have long advocated for accountability and transparency in the government, particularly as it relates to the handling of classified information, national security, and the safety of American servicemembers. As such, it is imperative that you address this breach with the seriousness and diligence that it demands.

    Our committees have serious questions about this incident, and members need a full accounting to ensure it never happens again. Moreover, given that willful or negligent disclosure of classified or sensitive national security information may constitute a criminal violation of the Espionage Act or other laws, we expect Attorney General Bondi, copied here, to conduct a thorough and impartial investigation of the conduct of the government officials involved in improperly sharing or discussing such information. We also ask that you immediately direct relevant officials to preserve records of these communications and any other discussions of government business occurring on any messaging application. Some of the messages in the Signal chat were apparently set to disappear after a certain period of time – a potential violation of both the Federal Records Act and the Presidential Records Act.

    We hereby request answers to the following:

    1.         Please provide a complete and unredacted transcript of the “Houthi PC small group” chat for review by our appropriate committees in a secure setting.

    2.         Please provide a complete list of all personnel who participated in or had access to the “Houthi PC small group” chat.

    3.         What dates was the “Houthi PC small group” established and when was the last message transmitted to the Signal group chat?

    4.         Were there any other individuals, in addition to Jeffrey Goldberg, who were erroneously included in the “Houthi PC small group” chat?

    5.         Did any U.S. government personnel access the “Houthi PC small group” chat using personal communication devices?

    6.         Were any personnel who participated in or had access to the “Houthi PC small group” chat traveling overseas while the group chat was active? If yes, on which devices did group members operate while accessing the group chat?

    7.         Did any individuals transfer classified information, including operational war plans, from classified systems to unclassified systems, and if so, how?

    8.         Has the intelligence community conducted a damage assessment of the potential leakage of classified and sensitive information via the “Houthi PC small group” chat and subsequent reporting?

    9.         Are any Cabinet level officials, their deputies or other designees, or White House officials using Signal or other commercial products to discuss classified or sensitive information or any communications subject to statutory recordkeeping requirements?

    10.       If so, how is the Administration ensuring that it meets its statutory requirements with regard to these conversations?

    You and your Cabinet are responsible for the safety and security of the American people, as well as our military servicemembers and intelligence personnel in the field. We expect your Administration to address this dangerous lapse in security protocol—whether intended or not—with the utmost seriousness, and to uphold the ethic of accountability that our nation holds sacred. We must work together to ensure this does not happen again, and we look forward to reviewing the forthcoming reports.

    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: RI Delegation Blasts Trump Admin’s Claw Back of Public Health Funding

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Jack Reed

    WASHINGTON, DC – As the Trump Administration announces that it will claw back $11.4 billion in previously awarded federal funding to state and local health departments, the Rhode Island congressional delegation is teaming up to say that the Trump Administration’s short-sighted approach to public health is leaving local communities more susceptible to preventable outbreaks of dangerous diseases, like measles.

    The federal funding being targeting for recoupment by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) include investments that have significantly strengthened local preparedness for public health emergencies, made it easier for people to get safe and effective vaccinations, and supported community health workers on the frontlines of keeping their neighbors safe and healthy.  Additionally, portions of the $11.4 billion being pulled back across the nation were being used to address health disparities in high-risk and vulnerable populations, like seniors and low-income families who were most affected by the pandemic.

    In Rhode Island, the CDC has cancelled four grants totaling over $30 million that support the state’s post-pandemic initiatives. Despite the CDC’s claim that these funds were being pulled back because the pandemic ended, the claw backs come at a time when lessons learned from the pandemic can be critical in helping states better respond to future public health emergencies.

    Much of the funding being pulled back by the Trump Administration had to be expended within the next six months. In many cases, the undisbursed federal funding was being used to help communities address public health issues beyond COVID and strengthen successful programs that helped save lives and kept communities informed and healthy.

    “Penny-wise and pound-foolish sums up this latest Trump move. Clearly the Trump Administration has learned no lessons from their botched COVID-19 response during President Trump’s first term nor their current mismanagement of measles outbreaks across the nation.  The programs being targeted were critical in helping states respond to and recover from the pandemic and helped to create new public health infrastructure that will be critical to responding to future public health emergencies,” said Senator Reed. “By failing state and local public health departments and allowing us to lapse in our preparedness for future emergencies, the Trump Administration’s CDC claw back is a sure-fire way to ensure we get caught flat-footed for future pandemics.”

    “Our delegation supports preparedness and response capacity to keep Rhode Islanders safe from public health threats.  This claw back is not helpful to Rhode Island’s medical community,” said Senator Whitehouse.

    “Federal public health funding helps keep Rhode Islanders safe, supports frontline health workers, and strengthens Rhode Island’s ability to respond to future health emergencies,” said Representative Seth Magaziner. “It’s outrageous that the Trump Administration is clawing back these vital resources. We should be expanding access to public health—not gutting programs like these to pay for tax breaks to benefit the wealthy.”

    “As the old saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. By stealing funding dedicated to bolster Rhode Island’s public health infrastructure, the Trump administration is leaving our community less prepared and less safe for future emergencies,” said Congressman Gabe Amo. “I join my delegation colleagues in demanding the immediate restoration of critical funds. This decision leaves our state and local health departments without the tools and resources necessary to keep Rhode Islanders healthy and safe.”

    Although the COVID-19 pandemic has ended, the disease is still claiming hundreds of lives across the nation each week. The public health emergency declared for COVID ended on May 11, 2023.  Additionally, researchers across the nation are still working to better understand and treat long COVID.

    The delegation also emphasized that Trump’s CDC claw back of federal public health funding comes as over 300 cases of the dangerously contagious measles virus have been reported in 15 states, including Rhode Island.  As the Trump Administration targets federal public health agencies for mass-firings and scientific censorship, disease surveillance is being weakened, research is being halted, irresponsible vaccine skepticism is being touted by top Trump public health officials, and preventable diseases are spreading across America.

    MIL OSI USA News –