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Category: Reports

  • MIL-OSI Global: How architecture shapes video game play

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Gabriele Aroni, Senior Lecturer in Games Art at the School of Digital Arts, Manchester Metropolitan University

    When players enter the virtual worlds of video games, they are greeted by complex architectural environments. These virtual spaces do more than serve as mere backdrops for gameplay. The design of buildings, streets and entire cities guides player emotions, behaviours and even advances the narrative.

    As an architect specialising in digital media, I am interested in how video games use architecture to convey meaning. Virtual worlds in video games are often rooted in real-world architectural principles.

    Game rules are technically completely disjointed from our physical world: we could easily traverse a concrete wall as if made of air. However, how players understand how to play is the opposite. For instance, if I see a door in a game, I can assume that it can opened, or that it leads somewhere. Players need a frame of reference to understand games, and this is why most game environments resemble, at least in some way, real-world architecture.

    Video game architecture varies wildly. There are realistic historical cities like the ones in Assassin’s Creed or the contemporary Japan of Like a Dragon. Fantastic interpretations of architecture range from the ancient Chinese scenery of Black Myth: Wukong to the science fiction metropolis of Cyberpunk 2077.

    Visionary architectural sceneries are less common, as they are harder to relate to. Their design displays architectural forms that are so transformed in their size, shape or materials that they look distant from normal architectural conventions and the laws of physics. Examples of this can be seen in experimental independent games such as Manifold Gardenor NaissanceE.

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    Much like real-world architecture, game architecture must work. There is a budget, even though it is based on how many polygons and textures buildings can be made of, rather than their construction costs. There is no building code to comply with, but distances and paths must follow the coded rules of the game.

    Take Assassin’s Creed II, where the protagonist runs and climbs buildings in 15th-century Florence. The reconstruction is relatively accurate, so much so that people who played the game can reasonably orientate themselves in the real Florence. But there are several adjustments which were necessary on technical and gameplay terms.

    The whole city and all of the buildings are noticeably scaled down to offer shorter distances to traverse and jump across. While not a large city, taking half an hour to traverse it on foot is an eternity in video game time.

    Environmental storytelling

    In addition to guiding gameplay, architecture in video games plays a critical role in telling stories. This is known as environmental storytelling. Unlike traditional forms of narrative, where story is told through dialogue or cutscenes, environmental storytelling allows the world itself to communicate plot and themes.

    In games, the design of spaces can hint at a game’s backstory, themes or the emotions players should feel at a given moment. For instance, in the cyberpunk game Deus Ex: Mankind Divided, shady corporations dominate the world. To establish this narrative, their buildings are designed to manifest their power through impenetrable monolithic structures which loom over the skyline of future Prague.

    Some games exclusively use their environments to tell their stories. This is the case in Manifold Garden, a puzzle game created by artist William Chyr. Players are catapulted in a world where space repeats in every direction and objects that fall down reappear from the top, including the player. Chyr was inspired by the visionary art of M.C Escher – you might know his artwork Relativity where staircases go off in all directions and appear upside down. Chrys was also inspired by real architects, such as Frank Lloyd Wright and Tadao Ando. As such, he used architectural elements to guide players in this strange world, such as placing windows strategically in order not to lose their orientation.

    All these elements are implemented most successfully when they are seamlessly blended into the game space and setting, while not being too conspicuous. In Mirror’s Edge, a game set in a sterile modern metropolis dominated by white skyscrapers, primary colours on common structural elements are used to indicate directions and interactable items, such as red pipes or doors. This way, players are easily and rapidly directed by objects that are not out of place, but distinct enough to be noticeable.

    When clues indicating what to do are too evident, they are usually not looked upon too well by players. For instance, in the recent games Resident Evil 4 Remake and Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, splotches of yellow paint have been placed on the objects necessary to progress. This was met with ridicule from many players.

    So game architecture must always walk a fine line between presenting engaging environments and helping gameplay without being too obtrusive. As games continue to evolve, the role of architecture will remain central to the ways in which digital environments are designed to engage, challenge and inspire players.

    Gabriele Aroni 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. How architecture shapes video game play – https://theconversation.com/how-architecture-shapes-video-game-play-254632

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: A small difference in how ratings are displayed can unintentionally mislead consumers

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Deepak Sirwani, Assistant Professor, UBC Sauder School of Business, University of British Columbia

    Ratings have become as crucial to purchasing decisions as factors like price, brand reputation or recommendations from family and friends (Shutterstock)

    Ratings are ubiquitous in today’s digital world. Platforms like Amazon, Yelp and Uber Eats bombard users with stars, numbers and symbols that can heavily influence consumer decision-making.

    Research suggests ratings have become as crucial to purchasing decisions as factors like price, brand reputation or recommendations from family and friends, especially in terms of online shopping. Even a small increase of 0.2 in a rating can boost sales by 30 to 200 per cent.

    However, not all rating formats are created equal. Consider two hotels, both rated 3.5 out of five stars. One hotel displays its rating as a visual image of three stars with a fourth partially filled, while the other just lists the numerical score “3.5.” Which one would you be more likely to choose?

    My recent research study with my co-authors found that the way ratings are displayed — as stars versus numbers — can shape consumer perceptions in subtle yet predictable ways. Visual star ratings, fractional ones in particular, tend to appear more appealing to consumers than their number rating counterparts.

    Stars versus number ratings

    We conducted a series of 12 experiments involving thousands of participants. In one, participants were asked to plot fractional numbers on an unmarked line; another tested how people visually process partially filled stars. In another experiment, respondents were given half ratings (like 1.5 or 2.5) and asked how they might round up or down, while another tested whether one format was more memorable than the other.

    We found that fractional star ratings (a visual image of three stars with the fourth partially filled) tend to be overestimated by roughly 0.12 points, meaning a 3.5-star rating feels more like 3.62. In contrast, numeric ratings (like “3.5”) are underestimated by about 0.05 points, making them feel close to 3.45.

    These biases stem from different cognitive processes. Fractional star ratings trigger the visual-completion effect, in which the brain instinctively tries to complete the image. When people see a half-filled star, their brains unconsciously perceive it as closer to a full star, effectively rounding the rating upward because it can’t resist filling in the missing piece.

    This process occurs automatically, without conscious awareness. This mental shortcut is a fundamental aspect of how humans see the world. It’s what allows people to recognize familiar faces behind masks, identify logos from partial images and interpret obscured road signs. When applied to product ratings, this natural tendency can lead consumers to overestimate a product or service’s true rating.

    Numeric fractions, on the other hand, trigger left-digit bias where the brain anchors on the leftmost digit — the three in 3.5 — causing perceptions to lean downward, instead of up.

    While these biases may seem small, they can significantly influence where consumers decide to eat, stay or shop.

    The ethical dilemma for marketers

    For businesses, star ratings can offer a subtle, often irresistible boost in perceived quality. Yet, exploiting this illusion comes with ethical implications.

    Inflated ratings might drive short-term sales, but they risk damaging consumer trust over time. Take, for example, a hotel boasting a four-and-a-half-star rating. Such a score sets expectations of near perfection, and when reality falls short, customer disappointment can lead to critical reviews. In the digital age, such reviews spread quickly, potentially causing long-term damage to a company’s reputation.

    Negative online reviews can have enduring detrimental effects on both sellers and platforms. Research indicates that negative reviews can significantly decrease consumer trust and purchase intentions. In one study, consumers who encountered just one negative review were 41.8 per cent less likely to buy a product compared to when no negative feedback was present.

    Transparency matters deeply in today’s marketplace. Marketers and online rating platforms should carefully consider how their rating designs might unintentionally mislead customers. Honest ratings build lasting trust; misleading ratings erode it.

    A call for rating standardization

    Our research has also identified practical solutions to the problem of misleading ratings. One simple yet effective approach is to use visually complete stars. Showing visually complete stars instead of partially filled ones dramatically reduces the tendency to round up. In fact, overestimation of fractional ratings was reduced by 86 per cent by replacing normal stars with visually complete stars.

    Another effective approach is to prioritize numeric ratings, which have smaller biases. A numeric rating might cause a consumer to dismiss a quality establishment because a 3.5 feels closer to three than four. While this might lead them away from genuinely good choices, this distortion is less impactful than the significant overestimation triggered by partial stars.

    Given how influential ratings are, standardization across platforms is crucial. Policymakers and industry bodies should consider establishing consistent standards, such as requiring visually complete stars or using numeric scores, to ensure fairness and transparency. This would enable consumers to make informed decisions and ensure businesses compete based on actual quality.

    Small visual illusions can drive big changes in behaviour, but by understanding and correcting these subtle biases, we can create a fairer digital marketplace. Clearer, standardized rating displays benefit everyone: consumers make better-informed choices, businesses are rewarded for genuine quality and platforms build lasting consumer trust.

    Next time you see a rating, pause for a moment and ask yourself: is this star rating nudging me toward an inflated expectation? Being aware of these subtle visual tricks can help you make better choices as a consumer and avoid disappointment.

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

    – ref. A small difference in how ratings are displayed can unintentionally mislead consumers – https://theconversation.com/a-small-difference-in-how-ratings-are-displayed-can-unintentionally-mislead-consumers-250985

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: I was a child soldier – here’s what it’ll take to protect young lives in conflict zones

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Charles Wratto, Associate Professor of Peace, Politics, and Conflict Studies, Babes Bolyai University

    The use of child soldiers is a profound human tragedy that continues to scar generations across the world.

    According to the United Nations, over the years, thousands of children, some as young as six years old, have been manipulated, indoctrinated and coerced into joining armed groups.

    Many of these children have fought against peacekeeping troops in Liberia, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, the Democratic Republic of Congo and US-led coalition soldiers in Afghanistan, Iraq and Somalia.

    The devastating effect of this grave, yet persistent, tragedy extends beyond the individual child. It tears communities and families apart and leaves generations scarred with the trauma of war long after the guns fall silent.

    International agreements like the Optional protocol on the involvement of children in armed conflict, the Paris principles and commitments, the Rome statute and the Cape Town principles have condemned the practice. They provided legal and practical pathways to stop the use of child soldiers.

    Intervention campaigns like Child Soldiers International, the Children, Not Soldiers campaign, and the Kony 2012 campaign were launched to combat unlawful recruitment. They also raise awareness to protect child combatants in conflict regions.



    Read more:
    Why some rebel groups force kids to fight: it depends on how they are funded

    The International Criminal Court has held trials and convicted warlords responsible for the abduction and arming of children.

    The United Nations has published a list to “shame” governments and non-state actors that enlist minors in their armies.

    Despite these efforts, the problem persists as governments and insurgent groups recruit minors in various regions of the world.

    One of the reasons may be that children’s presence on the battlefield throws the training and ethics of professional soldiers off balance. Children are widely considered innocent, harmless, and deserving of care and protection. Harming them can cause severe emotional and psychological distress that conventional soldiers are ill-equipped to handle. Armed groups who use children can get a strategic advantage if they make adult soldiers feel guilt, terror, shame and cowardism.

    As a researcher in peace, politics and conflict studies and a former child soldier in the Liberian civil war, I have centred my studies on children in armed conflict and how states respond to crises and conflict.

    I am passionate about protecting children in conflict zones because I know what it means to experience violence at a very young age.

    I also understand, from my own experience, what it means to return to a society that saw me as a dangerous and irredeemable person and to find purpose in a world that labelled people like me as a “lost generation”.

    Based on my personal experiences and interaction with child soldiers, I identify six ways society can help protect children in conflict zones. They are: cutting off arms sales to conflict regions; providing continuous education during conflict; providing life-saving essentials; working with local communities; listening to children’s voices; and involving child soldiers in the implementation of disarmament and reintegration programmes.



    Read more:
    The old ways of reintegrating young veterans need to be abandoned

    Six ways to protect children in conflict zones

    Cut arm sales to conflict regions

    Armed groups often rely on the constant flow of small arms and light weapons to maintain their operations.

    The availability of these weapons enables groups to enlarge their forces, often using vulnerable children. Stopping weapons sales would undermine the effectiveness of these groups.

    If there are fewer arms, warlords will find it harder to lure children with false promises of protection and power. Warlords might have to create pathways for peace talks, and children could be demobilised.

    Under Charles Taylor, Liberia was a regional hub for illicit weapons trade and child soldier recruitment. The UN arms embargo in 2001 limited Taylor’s ability to resupply his troops, leading to his eventual exile and an end to the war in 2003. While an effective arms embargo may not end a war or child recruitment immediately, it can erode armed groups’ combat ability, pressuring them to negotiate, collapse, or lose their grip over vulnerable children.

    Provide life-saving essentials

    In war-torn places, poverty and starvation sometimes push families to hand over their children to armed groups in exchange for food.

    Given life-saving essentials such as food, shelter and medical care, families can be shielded from poverty. This will reduce voluntary enlistment.

    Microfinance initiatives that support small businesses, and provision of vocational training programmes, can also lift families from poverty.

    Continuous education during conflict

    Governments and multilateral institutions must provide emergency education
    and train teachers and caregivers in camps for internally displaced people.

    Being able to carry on with schooling in a safe environment can curb child recruitment and empower young people for the post-war reconstruction of their nations. Such sanctuaries should also include mobile counselling and trauma therapy centres where children can process their grief and experiences to rebuild trust.



    Read more:
    Adolescent girls in five African conflict zones share stories about their lives

    Work with local communities and leaders

    Governments, NGOs and policymakers must address existing grievances and empower local communities to assist in reintegrating former child soldiers. Reintegration involves not only children returning home but also ensuring communities are better prepared and equipped to welcome them.

    Partnering with local communities can also strengthen awareness about the dangers of child (re) recruitment.

    Ex-child soldiers as part of disarmament and reintegration

    Governments and humanitarian agencies must include former child soldiers in the design and implementation of disarmament, demobilisation, and reintegration programmes.

    Their firsthand knowledge of the conscription process, combat realities, fears, nightmares and reintegration struggle offers unique insights. They can help create programmes that meet real needs.

    Although the current disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration guidelines emphasise children’s rights to disarm, they do not mention children’s inclusion in the development of effective life changing programmes.

    Listen to children’s voices

    Educational institutions, governments and peacebuilding agencies must take children’s contributions to peacebuilding seriously.

    Children bear the wounds of war. They have seen the destruction firsthand and have experienced various forms of loss and pain. This makes them not only observers of violence but also powerful advocates for peace.



    Read more:
    War affects girls and boys differently: what we found in our study of children in the DRC

    Why the world must act

    My experiences have taught me that no child is beyond redemption, particularly when given the right support and care they need.

    Child soldiers, though shaped by unfortunate circumstances, are not inherently violent. They should not be feared or stigmatised. They are victims who deserve healing, love and education.

    I was not given a gun because I was strong. I was handed one because I was weak, because children, stripped of alternatives, can be manipulated and turned into weapons of war.

    I survived not because I was better than others, I survived because someone, a Nigerian, refused to reduce me to the war I was forced into. This is why I believe everyone can play a role to protect children in conflict zones. Those who can, but refuse to, are no different from the warlords who enlisted the children.

    Charles Wratto is affiliated with the Center for Peace and Violence Prevention.

    – ref. I was a child soldier – here’s what it’ll take to protect young lives in conflict zones – https://theconversation.com/i-was-a-child-soldier-heres-what-itll-take-to-protect-young-lives-in-conflict-zones-245517

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Ritual murder of children: study in Ghana and Kenya explores who’s doing it and why

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Emmanuel Sarpong Owusu, Doctoral Researcher and Lecturer, Aberystwyth University

    Superstition, an irrational belief in paranormal influences or a false attribution of events, is an age-old phenomenon found in probably all human societies or cultures. It encompasses a wide range of beliefs, practices and behaviours. Some of these have harmful or even deadly consequences.

    In many African communities, there are widespread beliefs relating to the use of human body parts for traditional healing rituals. Human body parts and blood are said to enhance the potency of traditional medicines and rituals that supposedly guarantee wealth, business success, fertility, protection and longevity, among others.

    Ritual killings, including those of children, are reported regularly around Africa. A case in point is the targeting of children with albinism for ritual purposes in Tanzania. One research report says one in five people in Mozambique and one in four people in South Africa believe that rituals and traditional medicines made with human body parts are more potent and effective than those using nonhuman objects.

    Children are particularly targeted for killing because they can’t repel attacks, and because of beliefs about the potency of their body parts. The victims in more than half of all the ritual murders reported in Ghana and Kenya in 2022 were children.

    I am a legal scholar with years of research on superstition-driven crimes against vulnerable groups in African settings and the criminal justice response to such crimes. In a recent study I explored the magnitude, characteristics and motivations, as well as the socio-cultural and economic contexts, of ritual child murder in Ghana and Kenya. My study was carried out through in-depth analysis of news reports of ritual murders for a period of 10 years, coupled with semi-structured interviews with academics and other experts.

    I found that the major factors contributing to the persistence of ritual child murders were superstition, economic hardship, illiteracy and inefficient criminal justice systems. A new consumerist ethos also plays a role: wanting a life of luxury and the admiration that comes with it.

    The study seeks to enhance awareness of the ritual child murder phenomenon and encourage support for the enforcement of child rights protection laws. When policymakers know more about the scale and circumstances of ritual child murders, they are better equipped to act on it.

    Ritual murders in Ghana and Kenya

    Belief in juju is widespread in Ghana and Kenya. This is the belief that people can mystically control events by using incantations (“magic words”) and, sometimes, objects.

    My study analysed data drawn from online news reports in eight media outlets in Ghana and Kenya. I used media content because the countries don’t have national data sets on ritual homicide, and empirical research is limited. Secondly, I interviewed 28 experts in criminology and criminal justice, sociology, African religions, and child and family welfare and social protection. These participants were selected using the purposeful sampling technique.

    In Ghana, the media reported at least 160 ritual murders between 2012 and 2021. Of this number, 94 (about 58.8%) were children. This suggests that an average of 9.4 children fall victim to ritual murder each year in the country. Of the 102 ritual murders in Kenya in the study period, 66 (64.7%) were children. This represents an annual average of 6.6 in the country.

    In both countries, most victims (over 80%) tend to be drawn from families of low socio-economic backgrounds in rural and semi-rural communities. In Kenya, children with albinism are also targeted.

    The overwhelming majority of offenders are males. There are three main categories of perpetrators of ritual child murders:

    • the juju practitioner or traditional healer who usually prescribes the required body parts and effects the medicine or ritual

    • the client who consults traditional healers and stands to benefit directly from the ritual or medicine

    • the (hired) ritual murderer, who abducts the victim and extracts the required body parts.

    Data from media reports show that most of the perpetrators apprehended are those directly involved in the killing. They are usually aged between 20 and 39 years and of low socio-economic status in rural communities. However, some interviewees insisted that some rich and prominent persons are also involved.

    In Ghana, uncles, fathers and stepfathers were the dominant perpetrators in cases where victims and perpetrators were known to be related. Unlike other types of homicide, ritual child murder generally involves strangers nearly as often as it involves family members and acquaintances.

    Motivations and responses

    The dominant motivation for ritual murder is financial gain. This conclusion is drawn from the media accounts and the interviews. Perpetrators are promised money in exchange for specific human body parts. Others kill to use the body parts for rituals that are supposed to ensure a long life, fertility, business growth, or protection against evil. In Kenya, some perpetrators kill in fulfilment of their obligations as members of occult sects.

    Other factors that sustain the practice – based on media reports and interviews – are superstition, unemployment and economic hardship. Adding to these are illiteracy, which fosters unfounded beliefs, and an inefficient criminal justice system, which enables these crimes to thrive.

    Poor parental supervision is an important risk factor for ritual child murder. In both countries, over 70% of the ritual murder victims were under 10 years old. They were abducted or murdered while going to or returning home from school. Others were abducted while running errands such as fetching water from a stream unaccompanied. Some may have been playing outside their homes unsupervised, or running errands by themselves for relatives.

    In both countries, the criminal justice system’s response is evidently ineffective. In Kenya, over 90% of perpetrators are not apprehended. Of 68 suspects arrested in Ghana, only four convictions were reported. Crime scenes are poorly managed and preserved by police officers and detectives in both countries.

    Crime scene videos show the victims’ remains being removed by authorities and conveyed to the morgue without diligent forensic examination of the body and the crime scene for evidence.

    What governments can do

    The belief in the power of juju and associated rituals and medicines cannot be wished away. It can only be combated in various ways:

    • bringing the activities of traditional healers and occult-related sects under closer scrutiny

    • promoting education and awareness, emphasising the need for supervision of children

    • stronger criminal justice systems.

    Emmanuel Sarpong Owusu 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. Ritual murder of children: study in Ghana and Kenya explores who’s doing it and why – https://theconversation.com/ritual-murder-of-children-study-in-ghana-and-kenya-explores-whos-doing-it-and-why-249173

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Canada’s federal election doesn’t seem like it’s about climate change, but it actually is

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Mark Winfield, Professor, Environmental and Urban Change, York University, Canada

    A defining feature of the ongoing federal election campaign has been the apparent marginalization of the environment and climate change as top-of-mind issues due to threats by the United States against Canadian sovereignty, security and trade.

    But how Canada responds to U.S. President Donald Trump’s actions will also have profound implications for its future greenhouse gas emissions and its economy.

    The current federal election is very different from those held in 2015, 2019 and 2021. In those elections, the environment and climate were central issues. Each time, more than 60 per cent of Canadian voters chose parties (Liberal, NDP, Bloc Québécois and Green) that advocated for strong climate action, including some form of carbon pricing.



    Read more:
    Canada’s federal election made big strides for climate and the environment

    The increasing evidence of the consequences of a changing climate had placed the environment and climate change among the leading issues in the minds of Canadians for nearly two decades. The political landscape has shifted dramatically since then.

    The role of inflation

    Although Trump’s second presidency is often cited as the trigger point for a decline of the environment as a top-of-mind concern for Canadians, the slide actually began a year earlier, in the fall of 2023.

    Despite the record wildfire season that summer, the impact of inflation, triggered in large part by the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, moved economic concerns to the forefront of the public’s mind. Government stimulus programs needed to counter the impacts of the pandemic contributed to inflationary pressures, prompting the Bank of Canada to hike interest rates in response, adding to Canadians’ economic distress.

    Amid high inflation and high interest rates, the Liberal government’s climate strategies — especially consumer carbon pricing — became an easy political target, particularly for a Conservative opposition with little apparent concern for the climate challenge.

    But even though climate change is no longer top of mind for Canadians, it remains a significant embedded concern, with as many as 70 per cent of Canadians believing climate change is real and caused by human activity. And perhaps surprisingly, despite the criticism levelled at the consumer carbon tax, between 60 and 70 per cent of non-Conservative leaning voters (those intending to cast their ballots for Liberal, NDP, Bloc and Green candidates) continue to support the concept of carbon pricing.

    Focus on fossil fuels

    Despite this, many political and business leaders have responded to Trump’s actions by focusing on natural resource exports, especially fossil fuels and critical minerals, to bolster the Canadian economy.

    This has been accompanied by calls to further streamline environmental review and approval processes for resource extraction and export projects like pipelines, and to expand their subsidization by taxpayers.

    Discussions about the climate implications of these initiatives have been noticeably absent. So have conversations about the long-term economic viability and desirability of expanding Canada’s dependency on resource commodity exports to increasingly uncertain global markets.

    On fossil fuels, the International Energy Agency and others are predicting that global consumption will peak within the next decade. This will reflect the falling costs of renewable energy, improving energy productivity and the imperative of reaching net zero greenhouse gas emissions by mid-century.

    The peak will likely happen before any new major export infrastructure can be built in Canada, regardless of what review and approval requirements they might be subjected to.

    In a world of declining fossil fuel consumption, Canada — increasingly reliant on high-cost and high-carbon production like oilsands crude and fracked and liquified natural gas — seems more likely to be among the earliest producers to fall than among the last standing. Public investments in new export infrastructure look like dubious propositions in this scenario.



    Read more:
    Coal in Alberta: Neither public outrage nor waning global demand seem to matter to Danielle Smith

    International markets for critical minerals are likely to remain in deep flux as the pace of technological development in renewable energy and energy storage accelerates to reduce or avoid dependency on costly and difficult-to-access materials.

    Mining operations also continue to have substantial environmental impacts with significant implications for reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples in Canada.

    Backwards approach

    All of this means there must be continued meaningful scrutiny of projects in terms of their implications for climate change, environmental sustainability and reconciliation, as well as their economic viability and potential legacy costs for taxpayers — not a further streamlining of review processes.

    Falling back on fossil fuels in response to Trump is a fundamentally backwards approach. It ignores the implications of the climate challenge. As recently noted by at least one Canadian business leader, it also overlooks the need to not just diversify Canada’s markets, but to diversify Canadian products as well.

    Canada must design and implement strategies that transform its industries from producers of low-value raw materials into producers of higher-value products and services for a world that must decarbonize and advance sustainability.

    As a coalition of Canadian mayors recently pointed out, climate change remains a real threat to Canadians and their communities. It’s not going away regardless of what Trump’s executive orders might say.

    As they campaign to lead the country, the situation requires more substantive responses from Canada’s would-be prime ministers than Canadians are getting right now.

    Mark Winfield receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.

    – ref. Canada’s federal election doesn’t seem like it’s about climate change, but it actually is – https://theconversation.com/canadas-federal-election-doesnt-seem-like-its-about-climate-change-but-it-actually-is-254458

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Ethiopia’s 2026 elections: without reforms, the vote may not be free or fair

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Bizuneh Yimenu, Lecturer in Comparative Politics, Queen’s University Belfast

    Ethiopia is due to hold elections in 2026. But will they be free and fair?

    Since 1995, Ethiopia has held elections every five years, except for the 2021 election, delayed by COVID-19. The incumbent party has consistently secured over 95% of national parliament seats, except for 2005, when the opposition won about 32%. In 2021, the ruling Prosperity Party won 96.8% of the seats.

    I specialise in Ethiopian politics and federalism, and recently published a paper on the country’s electoral landscape. In my study, I examined elections under the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front, which ruled from 1991 to 2019, and its successor, the Prosperity Party.

    My aim was to see whether Ethiopia was moving towards political pluralism, where diverse voices are represented in government decision-making, or if it remained authoritarian.

    I conclude that the government still tends to suppress, detain and eliminate the opposition. I identified three main reasons for this.

    • Despite changes in leadership and ruling parties, state repression, vote-rigging and political exclusion have been common features in the country’s elections since 1995.

    • Ethiopia suffers from an uneven electoral playing field. Some regions experience contests while the ruling party tightly controls others.

    • Ethiopia’s first-past-the-post electoral system has excluded significant opposition voices from parliament. This allows the ruling party to dominate both federal and regional legislative seats.

    The way the electoral system works means that Ethiopia’s parliament is a one-party house, where other voices are drowned out.

    My research highlights the fact that elections can be both “free” and “unfair”. Citizens technically have the right to vote. But an unbalanced electoral system and an uneven playing field ensure that ruling parties retain power.

    The 2026 elections provide an opportunity for reforms that ensure greater political inclusion.

    How elections are run

    Ethiopia has held six rounds of elections since 1995. Despite some variations, the same patterns of electoral control persist. The ruling Prosperity Party has sustained and adapted authoritarian strategies to maintain dominance.

    The party still uses many of the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front’s tactics, including harassing, detaining and eliminating political adversaries.

    It also has some new ways of looking for support, like selectively addressing regional grievances.

    Regional differences

    Opposition parties in different regions have faced varying degrees of repression. Electoral control has been strategic, rather than uniform.

    Unlike previous studies that broadly assess Ethiopia’s authoritarian past, my research zooms in on regional variations in electoral competition. I show that repression is not uniform but strategically applied based on political calculations. This adds a new dimension to discussions on African elections. It shows that ruling parties can finetune control tactics to target specific threats.

    In an ethnically diverse federal state like Ethiopia, an electoral system that promotes broad representation is essential for stability and inclusive governance.

    First-past-the-post system

    The current winner-takes-all system fosters a political monopoly. It sidelines critical perspectives and erodes trust in democratic processes.

    In the 2021 election, opposition parties performed better in ethnically diverse regions, such as the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples. However, these parties were heavily suppressed in political strongholds like Oromia and Somali regions. The first-past-the-post system has consistently led to one-party dominance, even when opposition parties gained significant public support.

    For example, in 2005, opposition parties secured around 38% of the vote but ended up with far fewer parliamentary seats than their vote share justified.

    In 2021, the Prosperity Party won 96.8% of federal parliament seats, despite getting 90% of the total vote. In Addis Ababa, opposition groups such as Balderas and Ezema received 32% of the vote but won no seats in parliament. This is because the system gives all the seats to the party with the highest votes in each constituency. It doesn’t even matter if opposition parties collectively get a substantial vote.

    In Oromia and Somali regions, major opposition parties like the Oromo Liberation Front and the Ogaden National Liberation Front withdrew from fielding candidates due to repression. As a result, the ruling party was the sole option for two-thirds of federal seats and three-fourths of regional seats.

    A way forward

    So, what can be done? My research suggests three steps.

    First, moving towards a proportional representation system would help balance the political competition. Proportional representation means that if a party gets 20% of the vote, it receives 20% of the seats.

    About 130 countries, including South Africa, Namibia and Sierra Leone, use this system. Multi-party representation has led to more stable and inclusive governance. Fewer than 55 countries use first-past-the-post.

    Second, the government must guarantee that opposition parties can operate freely in all regions, not just in areas where they pose little threat. All parties should have an equal chance to compete.

    Third, independent electoral bodies and international observers need greater access to ensure fair play. Strengthening Ethiopia’s electoral board and making sure it’s impartial will foster public trust in elections.



    Read more:
    Ethiopia’s civil war: what’s behind the Amhara rebellion?

    Ethiopia’s democracy is at a tipping point. If the country continues with its current system, it risks further political alienation and instability. By embracing electoral reform, Ethiopia could move towards a more peaceful, inclusive, democratic and representative future.

    Bizuneh Yimenu 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. Ethiopia’s 2026 elections: without reforms, the vote may not be free or fair – https://theconversation.com/ethiopias-2026-elections-without-reforms-the-vote-may-not-be-free-or-fair-253161

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: South Africans don’t donate enough blood – technology can help drive the numbers

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Relebohiseng Matubatuba, Lecturer in Marketing, University of the Witwatersrand

    The shortage of blood for medical use is a global challenge. South Africa is not exempt. Blood collection organisations such as the South African National Blood Service struggle to meet the demand for blood products, because of insufficient blood donations and the scarcity of loyal blood donors.

    Blood collection organisations rely on the goodwill of a few individuals who voluntarily donate blood. To maintain a sustainable supply of blood, the World Health Organization (WHO) has recommended that at least 1% of a country’s population donate blood. In South Africa the donation rate is below this.

    There are two blood collection organisations in South Africa – the Western Cape Blood Service operates exclusively in the Western Cape province while the South African National Blood Service, operates in the other eight provinces of the country.

    To increase the numbers, the country’s blood donation organisations have focused on the recruitment of new donors and awareness initiatives, using research findings that look at what motivates, and what deters, people from donating blood. But little focus has been put on the behaviour of those who already donate.



    Read more:
    Blood donation saves lives but few South Africans are regular donors

    I have conducted research in a bid to fill this gap. In a recent paper I examined factors influencing consumers’ intention to donate blood. In addition, in my recently completed PhD, I looked at the retention of existing blood donors and what drives their donation behaviour.

    The research suggests that blood collection organisations need to shift focus from acquiring new blood donors to building relationships with existing blood donors. Existing donors are an important cohort because they are reliable, and have higher donation eligibility and lower recruitment costs.

    The aim should be to drive loyalty.

    I considered the use of technology to encourage people to donate blood regularly. I concluded from my findings that blood collection organisations should customise appeals to various types of donors. They need to appeal to people in a personalised way if they want to drive loyalty.

    The drivers

    To understand what drives donor loyalty, it was important to understand why people donate blood.

    As part of my research, 658 blood donors completed the survey and I conducted interviews with 18 blood donors. The interviews revealed various reasons for donating blood. These included:

    • Awareness of the importance of donating blood

    As one participant in my research put it:

    I’ve been in and out of hospital for my kids and for my wife when she was pregnant. If I don’t donate, where are they going to get that blood from?

    • Contribution to society – saving or changing someone’s life

    This was articulated by one person:

    I’m past the point of only going for a reward, but I actually want to go, because I want to save someone’s life and do good in the community.

    • Moral responsibility

    As one participant put it:

    When I don’t donate blood, I feel bad because, as a universal donor, I could potentially be saving lives as my blood is not limited, as opposed to other groups.

    • Health-related benefits, like free health checks and the requirement to live a healthy lifestyle

    • Incentives

    The gifts make me feel appreciated. It makes me want to donate more and more.

    Beyond just donating blood, some donors also expressed that they shared their blood donation experiences with their friends, family, co-workers and on their social media platforms to encourage others to donate.

    The use of technology

    Findings from my PhD show that donors would like personalised communication from the blood collection organisations. This should include:

    • sharing information about blood donation achievements specific to them (the donor)

    • checking up on the donors who are not donating as they used to or may have stopped donating

    • following up on deferred donors to encourage them to return for a checkup and subsequent donation. Deferred donors are those who were unable to donate during a donation drive because they didn’t meet the donation requirements (for example they had low iron levels).

    • reminding donors of their upcoming donations.

    Others shared that they would like more interactive communication beyond being told that they have saved three lives after donating blood. This could include sharing specific information about the impact of the donors donation – “your donation helped a cancer patient recover” – and stories to make their contribution more tangible.

    What needs to be done

    Research has shown that digital technologies have been used successfully to foster customer engagement, enhance customer experiences and satisfaction, facilitate communication and information-sharing, and offer opportunities to shape and influence behaviour. To achieve this, donor organisations have large amounts of donor data and other data (big data) which they can use to gain insights that can be used in the following ways.

    Firstly, they should analyse donor data to identify patterns and segment donors based on factors such as how long an individual has been donating, donation frequency, blood type, location, and preferred communication channels.

    This information can be used to tailor communication and engagement strategies to specific donor groups. Donors follow different donor paths over time and cannot be viewed as a single segment.

    Secondly, organisations should monitor donation trends over time. This will help to understand seasonal fluctuations, identify peak donation periods, and anticipate potential donor needs. These insights can be used to plan targeted recruitment campaigns and allocate resources.



    Read more:
    Explainer: what are blood groups and why do they matter?

    Thirdly, organisations should consider personalised communication. This could include:

    • Targeted nudging: timely and relevant communication, like reminders for upcoming donation appointments, personalised thank-you messages, information about the donation they have made or invitations to special donor events.

    • Multi-channel engagement: reaching donors through their preferred communication channels, such as email, SMS, or social media.

    • Loyalty programmes: rewarding frequent donors with exclusive merchandise, discounts or special recognition, based on individual donor preferences and donation history.

    • Gamification: using game-like elements to make communication and the donation process more engaging and fun, using challenges, leaderboards and badges to motivate donors and foster a sense of community.

    • Predictive analytics: using data history and past events to establish donor patterns and predicts future outcomes. This data can be used to identify donors who might lapse and reach out to them with personalised communication.

    Relebohiseng Matubatuba 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. South Africans don’t donate enough blood – technology can help drive the numbers – https://theconversation.com/south-africans-dont-donate-enough-blood-technology-can-help-drive-the-numbers-251827

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: The Stolen Girl: Disney+ drama is an intriguing companion piece to Netflix’s Adolescence

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Rachel Moseley, Co-founder of the Centre for Television History, Heritage and Memory Research, University of Warwick

    From the opening moments of the new Disney+ series The Stolen Girl, you could be forgiven for thinking that you’ve happened upon a Scandi-noir crime drama.

    From the air, we follow a dark Volvo estate driving a dusty road through a tree-lined mountainous landscape. The palette is cool and desaturated, the music underpinned by a distorted electronic buzz. After the sound of a zip, light picks out the face of a child who seems to have been transported in the cramped and claustrophobic boot of the Volvo, that emblem of (Scandinavian) family road safety. “Who are you?” the child asks.

    Unlike Scandi-noir, however, there is no elevated title sequence and the five-episode thriller is set between the north of England and the south of France. We cut to the latter rapidly, to a brightly lit balcony, from which Elisa Blix (Denise Gough), private jet flight crew and the mother of the eponymous girl, looks out at the Côte D’Azur.

    In the first episode, Elisa and her husband, criminal lawyer Fred (Jim Sturgess) realise that their eldest child, Lucia, has been kidnapped while on a hastily arranged sleepover at a new school friend’s house.

    Looking for something good? Cut through the noise with a carefully curated selection of the latest releases, live events and exhibitions, straight to your inbox every fortnight, on Fridays. Sign up here.

    A number of stylistic motifs contribute to the sense of unease which pervades The Stolen Girl. The camera peers around corners into dark, claustrophobic spaces. It creeps along the ground, or tracks slowly towards buildings. In the opening sequence, for example, it drifts through lush, dark foliage towards stone steps, offering a glimpse of a doorway at their apex.

    The significance of this repeated shot doesn’t become clear until near the end of the series. Similarly, motifs from the elaborate décor of the Blixes’ “perfect” home are disturbingly echoed later in the setting of the French villa. As the drama proceeds, flashbacks and memories provide the opportunity to reassess and reinterpret, for the characters and the viewer.

    The Stolen Girl trailer.

    The Stolen Girl is meticulously constructed to unsettle and intrigue the viewer, from sound design and imagery to narrative organisation.

    For the most part, we discover and interpret clues along with another main character – doggedly persistent journalist Selma Desai (Ambika Mod). Her grasp of social media and pop psychology leads her to solve the case ahead of the detectives working it.

    I found myself having light-bulb moments with, and occasionally just before, Selma – an effective and carefully designed immersion technique which, along with frequent reversals and twists, keeps us guessing until near the very end. It’s clever, and satisfying for the attentive viewer as the whole-series release in the UK makes it easily bingeable and easy to pick up clues.

    The series was adapted for television by Catherine Moulton from Alex Dahl’s 2020 novel Playdate. It centres on two mothers and a female journalist, with a young female victim at the centre. This makes it a fascinating companion piece to the much-discussed recent Netflix drama Adolescence, which has been critiqued for its focus on the young male perpetrator and his family.



    Read more:
    Adolescence in schools: TV show’s portrayal of one boyhood may do more harm than good when used as a teaching tool

    There are very clear references to the Madeleine McCann case in The Stolen Girl. Not just in the similarly posed “victim ID” photo of Lucia, but also in the persistent blame directed at her mother Elisa. Described as a “jet-set mum-fluencer”, her decision in a harried moment between work and home facilitated the abduction of her daughter. “She spent half her childhood with me while you were up in the air”, claims her mother-in-law.

    The drama unfolds and the mystery is revealed through a highly screen-literate pastiche of gothic, noir and horror tropes. Central characters are narrated through a costume story told in shirts: tucked in, tied at the waist, over-sized, striped, floral and tailored. The mise-en-scène of The Stolen Girl is simultaneously presented as aspirational (I spotted a number of well-known fancy brands) and carefully crafted to present an unreliable façade, as the perfect life of the white middle-class family at the series’ centre is systematically unpicked.

    As it unravels, a nexus of trauma, infidelity, financial insecurity, lies and secrets are revealed. Like Adolescence, the programme identifies social media as a factor in facilitating crime, but also, through Selma, as an instrument of solving it.

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

    – ref. The Stolen Girl: Disney+ drama is an intriguing companion piece to Netflix’s Adolescence – https://theconversation.com/the-stolen-girl-disney-drama-is-an-intriguing-companion-piece-to-netflixs-adolescence-254513

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Why you should think twice before wearing outdoor shoes indoors

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Manal Mohammed, Senior Lecturer, Medical Microbiology, University of Westminster

    Wearing outdoor shoes indoors can bring in more than just a bit of dirt and blades of grass. Pixel-Shot/Shutterstock

    My mother has always had one unbreakable rule: no outdoor shoes inside the house. It didn’t matter who you were – family member, neighbour, or guest – you had to take them off before crossing the threshold. As a child, I thought it was just one of her many quirks. But as I’ve grown older (and wiser), I’ve come to understand that this wasn’t about obsessive tidiness. It was about health, safety and keeping our living space hygienic.

    Removing shoes indoors may seem like a cultural custom or a personal preference. But mounting scientific evidence suggests it’s a smart – and even vital – habit that protects us from invisible, yet serious, health threats.

    Cleanliness is often associated with visible dirt. But when it comes to shoes, what’s lurking beneath the surface is often microscopic and far more dangerous than a little mud or dried grass. Outdoor shoes carry bacteria, allergens and toxic chemicals – many of which are linked to serious health concerns.

    Consider where your shoes go each day: public toilets, pavements, hospital corridors and lawns treated with chemicals such as weed killers and insecticides to control weeds and pests. According to a University of Arizona study, a whopping 96% of shoes tested positive for coliform bacteria, which is commonly found in faecal matter. Disturbingly, 27% carried E. coli, a bacterium linked to various infections – some of them life-threatening.

    While some strains of E. coli are harmless, others produce Shiga toxin, which can cause bloody diarrhoea and lead to hemolytic uremic syndrome, a potentially fatal condition involving kidney failure. Children under five are especially at risk due to their still-developing immune systems and frequent hand-to-mouth activity.

    But E. coli isn’t the only germ hitching a ride into your living room. Shoes also pick up Clostridium difficile, a bacterium known for causing painful, sometimes severe diarrhea and Staphylococcus aureus, including MRSA, a drug-resistant “superbug” that can cause deep skin infections, pneumonia, or even deadly bloodstream infections.

    Not just germs

    The health risks extend beyond bacteria. Shoes also act as carriers for chemicals and allergens. Studies have shown that outdoor footwear can bring in pesticides, herbicides and heavy metals like lead – all of which pose serious health risks, particularly to young children and pets.

    Lead exposure, often from urban dust or soil, is especially harmful to children, as it can impair brain development and cause lifelong cognitive issues. Additionally, allergens like pollen can cling to your soles, aggravating allergies and respiratory issues inside what should be a safe haven.

    Even more alarming, asphalt sealants used on driveways and roads contain carcinogenic compounds. A US study found that these chemicals can be tracked indoors and linger in household dust – sometimes at levels 37 times higher than outdoor levels.

    And who spends the most time closest to the ground? Children and pets. Kids crawl, play and often put their hands in their mouths. Pets lick their paws after walking on these contaminated surfaces. Wearing outdoor shoes indoors can unintentionally increase their exposure to harmful substances.

    Clean floors, healthy home

    Given the evidence, my mother’s rule doesn’t sound so unreasonable anymore. In fact, it might be one of the simplest and most effective public health measures you can adopt at home. By removing your shoes at the door, you’re not just preventing dirt from staining your carpet – you’re significantly reducing your family’s exposure to harmful microbes and chemicals.

    And it’s not difficult to do. Consider designating a shoe-free area by the entrance or maybe provide a shoe rack or basket and even a few pairs of comfy indoor slippers for guests. Asking someone to remove their shoes may feel awkward at first – but it’s easy to overlook how something as routine as walking into your house could carry such hidden risks.

    But when you realise the sheer volume of bacteria and toxic chemicals that cling to your soles, it becomes clear: wearing outdoor shoes indoors is like inviting the streets – and everything on them – into your most intimate living spaces.

    So, next time you come home, take a moment to slip off your shoes. Your floors – and your health – will thank you. As my mother always said, “Clean house, clear conscience”. Turns out, she was right all along.

    Manal Mohammed 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. Why you should think twice before wearing outdoor shoes indoors – https://theconversation.com/why-you-should-think-twice-before-wearing-outdoor-shoes-indoors-254427

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Mysterious objects from other stars are passing through our solar system. Scientists are planning missions to study them up close

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Billy Bryan, Research Leader, RAND Europe

    NASA/ESA/STScI

    In late 2017, a mysterious object tore through our solar system at breakneck speed. Astronomers scrambled to observe the fast moving body using the world’s most powerful telescopes. It was found to be one quarter mile (400m) long and very elongated – perhaps 10 times as long as it was wide. Researchers named it ‘Oumuamua, Hawaiian for “scout”.

    ‘Oumuamua was later confirmed to be the first object from another star known to have visited our solar system. While these interstellar objects (ISO) originate around a star, they end up as cosmic nomads, wandering through space. They are essentially planetary shrapnel, having been blasted out of their parent star systems by catastrophic events, such as giant collisions between planetary objects.

    Astronomers say that ‘Oumuamua could have been travelling through the Milky Way for hundreds of millions of years before its encounter with our solar system. Just two years after this unexpected visit, a second ISO – the Borisov Comet – was spotted, this time by an amateur astronomer in Crimea. These celestial interlopers have given us tantalising glimpses of material from far beyond our solar system.

    But what if we could do more than just watch them fly by?

    Studying ISOs up close would offer scientists the rare opportunity to learn more about far off star systems, which are too distant to send missions to.

    There may be over 10 septillion (or ten with 24 zeros) ISOs in the Milky Way
    alone. But if there are so many of them, why have we only seen two? Put simply, we cannot accurately predict when they will arrive. Large ISOs like ‘Oumuamua, that are more easily detected, do not seem to visit the solar system that often and they travel incredibly fast.

    Ground- and space-based telescopes struggle to respond quickly to incoming ISOs, meaning that we are mostly looking at them after they pass through our cosmic neighbourhood. However, innovative space missions could get us closer to objects like ‘Oumuamua, by using breakthroughs in artificial intelligence (AI) to guide spacecraft safely to future visitors. Getting closer means we can get a better understanding of their composition, geology, and activity – gaining insights into the conditions around other stars.

    Emerging technologies being used to approach space debris could help to approach
    other unpredictable objects, transforming these fleeting encounters into profound
    scientific opportunities. So how do we get close? Speeding past Earth at an average of 32.14 km/s, ISOs give us less than a year for our spacecraft to try and intercept them after detection. Catching up is not impossible – for example, it could be done via gravitational slingshot manoeuvres. However, it is difficult, costly and would take years to execute.

    The good news is that the first wave of ISO-hunting missions is already in motion:
    Nasa’s mission concept is called Bridge and the European Space Agency (Esa) has a mission called Comet Interceptor. Once an incoming ISO is identified, Bridge would
    depart Earth to intercept it. However, launching from Earth currently requires a 30-day launch window after detection, which would cost valuable time.

    The Comet Interceptor mission is scheduled to launch in 2029.
    ESA / Work performed by ATG under contract to ESA, CC BY-SA

    Comet Interceptor is scheduled for launch in 2029 and comprises a larger spacecraft and two smaller robotic probes. Once launched, it will lie in wait a million miles from Earth, waiting to ambush a long period comet (slower comets that come from further away) – or potentially an ISO. Placing spacecraft in a “storage orbit” allows for rapid deployment when a suitable ISO is detected.

    Another proposal from the Institute for Interstellar Studies, Project Lyra, assessed the feasibility of chasing down ‘Oumuamua, which has already sped far beyond Neptune’s orbit. They found that it would be possible in theory to catch up with the object, but that this would also be very technically challenging.

    The fast and the curious

    These missions are a start, but, as described, their biggest limitation is speed. To chase down ISOs like ‘Oumuamua, we’ll need to move a lot faster – and think smarter.

    Future missions may rely on cutting-edge AI and related fields such as deep learning – which seeks to emulate the decision making power of the human brain – to identify and respond to incoming objects in real time. Researchers are already testing small spacecraft that operate in coordinated “swarms”, allowing them to image targets from multiple angles and adapt mid-flight.

    At the Vera C Rubin Observatory in Chile, a 10-year survey of the night sky is due to begin soon. This astronomical survey is expected to find dozens of ISOs each year. Simulations suggest we may be on the cusp of a detection boom.

    Any spacecraft would need to reach high speeds once an object is spotted and
    ensure that its energy source doesn’t degrade, potentially after years waiting in
    “storage orbit”. A number of missions have already utilised a form of propulsion called a solar sail.

    These use sunlight on the lightweight, reflective sail to push the spacecraft through space. This would dispense with the need for heavy fuel tanks. The next generation of solar sail spacecraft could use lasers on the sails to reach even higher speeds, which would offer a nimble and low cost solution compared to other futuristic fuels, such as nuclear propulsion.

    The Vera Rubin Observatory in Chile should discover more interstellar objects.
    RubinObs/NOIRLab/SLAC/NSF/DOE/AURA/Y. AlSayyad

    A spacecraft approaching an ISO will also need to withstand high temperatures and possibly erosion from dust being ejected from the object as it moves. While traditional shielding materials can protect spacecraft, they add weight and may slow them down.

    To address this, researchers are exploring novel technologies for lightweight, more durable and resistant materials, such as advanced carbon fibres. Some could even be 3D printed. They are also looking at innovative uses of traditional materials such as cork and ceramics.

    A suite of different approaches is needed that involve ground-based telescopes and space based missions, working together to anticipate, chase down and observe ISOs.

    New technology could allow the spacecraft itself to identify and predict the trajectories of incoming objects. However, potential cuts to space science in the US, including to observatories like the James Webb Space Telescope, threaten such progress.

    Emerging technologies must be embraced to make an approach and rendezvous with an ISO a real possibility. Otherwise, we will be left scrabbling, taking pictures from afar as yet another cosmic wanderer speeds away.

    Billy Bryan works on projects at RAND Europe that are funded by the UK Space Agency and DG DEFIS. He is affiliated with RAND Europe’s Space Hub and is lead of the civil space theme, the University of Sussex Students’ Union as a Trustee, and Rocket Science Ltd. as an advisor.

    Chris Carter works on projects at RAND Europe that are funded by the UK Space Agency and DG DEFIS. He is affiliated with RAND Europe’s Space Hub and is a researcher in the civil space theme.

    Theodora (Teddy) Ogden is a Senior Analyst at RAND Europe, where she works on defence and security issues in space. She was previously a fellow at Arizona State University, and before that was briefly at Nato.

    – ref. Mysterious objects from other stars are passing through our solar system. Scientists are planning missions to study them up close – https://theconversation.com/mysterious-objects-from-other-stars-are-passing-through-our-solar-system-scientists-are-planning-missions-to-study-them-up-close-254404

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Animal abuse often signals human abuse — should therapists be allowed to report it?

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Laleh Dadgardoust, Course Instructor at Glendon Campus at York University, Research Assistant, PAWSitive Connections Lab, University of Saskatchewan

    Imagine being a therapist and sitting across from a client who casually admits to kicking their dog. They kick until the dog stops barking.

    As a therapist, you are bound by a sacred code of confidentiality, a cornerstone of your profession. But the session ends, and the client walks out. And sitting alone now, you can’t help but think about the suffering dog.

    What if the reported abuse is a warning sign of worse to come? You want to report the abuse, but the law ties your hands.

    This is the tightrope therapists walk. They are caught between protecting privacy and preventing harm, with laws that do not fully address the complexities of the situation.

    The sacred shield of confidentiality

    The principle of confidentiality has deep roots that date back to the Hippocratic Oath: “What I may see or hear in the course of treatment, I will keep secret.” This oath reflects the imperative role confidentiality has played in medical and clinical practices.

    In modern times, health information laws such as HIPAA in the United States and PHIPA in Canada reinforce this principle. It requires therapists to protect client information unless there is a clear risk of harm to the client or others, particularly vulnerable groups like children.

    These protections foster openness, allowing clients to share their most personal thoughts without fear of judgment or exposure.

    However, there is a critical gap in the law: animal cruelty is not covered by the current confidentiality limitations.

    Unlike child abuse, which requires mandatory reporting, animal abuse leaves therapists unable to report without client consent. This creates a difficult dilemma, where therapists are torn between their duty to maintain client confidentiality and their ethical responsibility to stop ongoing cruelty towards animals.

    The emotional toll on therapists

    This legal gap places a toll that can lead to emotional struggles known as moral injury.

    Moral injury occurs when individuals witness actions against their deepest values or feel powerless to prevent harm. In clinical settings, this often emerges when policies prevent clinicians from acting ethically — whether protecting the vulnerable, or stopping cruelty they’re aware of.

    For some therapists, hearing disclosure of animal abuse and not being able to make a report can cause profound stress. Research has linked moral injury to negative mental health outcomes, such as intense feelings of guilt and shame, symptoms of depression and job dissatisfaction and retention issues.

    Animal abuse is connected to human violence

    Historically, animal cruelty has been treated as separate from other types of violence. However, animal abuse is often not an isolated behaviour.

    In fact, advocates have described animal abuse as “the tip of the iceberg.” And researchers have shown that animal abuse and violence towards people are often interconnected.

    How animals are treated within a family offers valuable insight into family dynamics and signals broader issues.

    One study commissioned by the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty of Animals in 1997 found that 70 per cent of people charged with animal cruelty had a history of other violent behaviours, including homicide.

    Other studies show how animal abuse is linked to interpersonal violence including bullying, delinquency, intimate partner violence, family violence and adult violent crimes.

    Also, a history of animal cruelty during childhood is found to be linked to antisocial personality disorder and perpetration of interpersonal violence in adulthood.

    Rethinking confidentiality in an evolving world

    Confidentiality is paramount because it improves therapy outcomes and serves the public.

    As the practice of therapy continues to grow and evolve, principles like confidentiality deserve renewed attention. While protecting client privacy remains essential, changing social contexts call for a deeper look at how this principle is applied in practice.

    Given the strong link between animal abuse and other forms of violence, it’s difficult to justify not reporting animal abuse. Failing to report animal abuse could result in missed opportunities to prevent further harm to society.

    Therapists are obliged to protect their clients’ confidentiality, but what if their role also evolved to include reporting animal abuse, a recognized early indicator of escalating violence?

    Addressing the complex nature of violence requires education and collaboration. The National Link Coalition, an education and advocacy non-profit based in the U.S., for instance, trains professionals globally to recognize the link between animal cruelty, domestic violence, child abuse and elder abuse, advocating for prevention.

    A more holistic view of violence prevention requires changes to how animal abuse is viewed and reported, ensuring that therapy is aligned with its core mission: promoting well-being.

    And a change would also spare therapists the moral injury of being torn between law and ethics. So making this change would benefit the animals, the therapists and the safety of all.

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

    – ref. Animal abuse often signals human abuse — should therapists be allowed to report it? – https://theconversation.com/animal-abuse-often-signals-human-abuse-should-therapists-be-allowed-to-report-it-253400

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: On stage but out of the spotlight − the quiet struggle of being an opening act

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Jeff Apruzzese, Professor of Music Industry, Drexel University

    Getting heard has never been easier. Being recognized and staying relevant is the real challenge. PeopleImages/E+ via Getty Images

    I grew up playing in a lot of different bands, and my bandmates and I always held onto the belief that if we could just open for a more established act, it would pave the way to more success.

    When I started playing in the indie pop band Passion Pit – a group known for its shimmering synths, energetic live shows and breakout hits like Sleepyhead and Take a Walk – we began gaining traction and soon had the chance to open for the British band Muse, in what would be our first arena shows.

    Until then, we’d been headlining 3,000-capacity venues. Our label, management and booking team made it clear that this next step – playing in front of massive audiences – would catapult us to megastardom.

    Reality was different. After playing our own packed shows where fans cheered and called for encores, we suddenly found ourselves in 15,000-capacity arenas, where it seemed like everyone was ignoring us: chatting among themselves, still getting to their seats or waiting in line for food and drinks.

    It was a wake-up call. The transition from being a headliner at a smaller music venue to opener for a major act didn’t feel like a step forward. It felt like starting over.

    Years later, as an academic studying the music industry, I found myself returning to this question: Does opening for a major act help an artist’s career?

    There’s an assumption that it’s a golden ticket. But I’d seen plenty of openers, some incredibly talented, disappear from the spotlight soon after a tour ended. If touring is supposed to be a stepping stone to long-term success, why do so many promising acts fade into obscurity?

    These questions became the basis for my most recent study. I wanted to see whether these high-profile opportunities deliver any benefits for a singer or band, or if they were more like a sugar high, providing little more than a brief boost in exposure.

    It’s harder to stick out from the crowd

    Popular music is a US$28.6-billion global industry, and music consumption, according to a 2025 report from the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry, is at an all-time high. People around the world now spend an average of 20.7 hours per week listening to music on radio, streaming platforms, vinyl, CDs and social media.

    The ease of listening to and recording music presents both an opportunity and a challenge for aspiring artists.

    On one hand, streaming platforms such as Spotify and Apple Music have removed traditional gatekeepers, making it easier than ever to release music and reach a global audience. But these platforms have also saturated listeners with content, and discovery is dictated more by algorithms rather than by word-of-mouth buzz, local touring circuits or traditional artist development.

    Social media, especially TikTok, can launch an unknown act into viral stardom within days. However, the attention span of digital audiences is fleeting. Most people consume music passively – often through playlists they didn’t curate and might not even remember.

    In other words, getting heard has never been easier. Being recognized and staying relevant? That’s the real challenge.

    For artists trying to break through, it’s no longer a question of choosing between touring or posting content. It’s about doing both, constantly, at a high level.

    Josh Ross performs as the opener for country superstar Jelly Roll in Edmonton on March 13, 2025.
    Ron Palmer/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

    Fleeting benefits

    But while headlining tours are often seen as a marker of success, many emerging acts first step onto national stages as openers – raising the question, does opening for a major artist actually lead to meaningful career growth?

    In my study, I analyzed the touring and streaming data of 57 opening acts on major U.S. tours in 2022 and 2023. For this project, “major” referred to nationally promoted, ticketed tours at venues with capacities of 2,000 or more, such as Harry Styles’ “Love On Tour,” Paramore’s spring arena run and Mitski’s “Laurel Hell Tour.” These tours drew large, dedicated fanbases – offering opening artists significant exposure.

    Using platforms such as Pollstar, Songkick and Chartmetric, I tracked each artist’s listenership across Spotify four weeks before the tour, during the tour and four weeks after the tour. I also conducted surveys with 500 fans to better understand how people were discovering and engaging with openers.

    The results were revealing. Most opening acts saw a streaming bump during the tour – usually between 18% and 20%, with some surging up to 200%.

    But that momentum rarely held. Within weeks, streams often dropped by 6% to 10%, or returned to their pre-tour levels entirely. While a few artists managed to hold onto new listeners, most saw the gains quickly fade. And even when audiences enjoyed an opener’s set, their interest withered: They may have checked out a song or two after the show, but few became regular listeners.

    These findings challenge the long-standing narrative that opening for a major artist is a surefire path to career growth. Exposure helps, but it’s not enough on its own. Without a clear post-tour strategy, that attention quickly fades.

    Rapper Rapsody performs as an opener for Lauryn Hill on Oct. 19, 2023, in New York City.
    Astrida Valigorsky/Getty Images

    Algorithms can’t generate loyalty

    I’m not trying to discourage aspiring bands from going on tour. Far from it. Touring remains a crucial part of building a fan base.

    In a landscape defined by passive consumption, there’s still something powerful about the shared experience of live music. A performance can create an emotional connection that a stream simply can’t.

    Today, discovery often starts with a playlist. Someone hears a song and maybe adds it to their rotation. But they rarely click to learn more about the artist. Listeners follow the playlist, not the person behind the music. Many acts land on major playlists and go on to generate tens of thousands of streams. Others will even go viral on social media. And they still can’t sell more than 25 tickets to a local show.

    Live performances offer something different. A great set can turn a casual listener into a true fan. I’ve heard countless people say a particular show changed the way they experienced that artist’s music, that it left a lasting impression and forged a bond with the singer or group.

    That kind of loyalty doesn’t come from an algorithm. It comes from being in the room. And with more than 100,000 tracks uploaded to streaming services each day, artists need to use every tool they can to stand out.

    Cutting through the noise

    In an era when streaming revenue is notoriously slim, touring has become one of the few reliable sources of income for working artists. The top artists in 2017 earned 80% of their income from touring, 15% from recorded music and 5% from publishing fees.

    Even though touring is far from a guarantee – especially if you’re not the headliner, as my research shows – it’s still one of the few ways left to cut through the noise. In the survey I ran for my study, 68% of concertgoers said they discovered at least one new artist through an opener, and 39% said the opener influenced their ticket purchase.

    And there are success stories – instances where opening slots have helped launch lasting careers.

    Billie Eilish opened for Florence + The Machine early on in her career, using that visibility to build a massive following. Taylor Swift, in particular, has a reputation for picking future stars: Justin Bieber, Ed Sheeran, Shawn Mendes, Sabrina Carpenter and Chappell Roan all opened for her before becoming major names.

    Billie Eilish’s tour with Florence + the Machine in 2018 helped catapult the young singer to stardom.
    Jeff Hahne/Getty Images

    These examples are outliers, of course. For most openers, visibility comes quickly but fades just as fast.

    Today’s artists need more than one big moment. There needs to be some sort of plan, whether it’s releasing new content, crafting a strong identity or figuring out ways for new fans to stay engaged after the show ends.

    Because at the end of the day, it’s not about being seen once. It’s all about being remembered.

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

    – ref. On stage but out of the spotlight − the quiet struggle of being an opening act – https://theconversation.com/on-stage-but-out-of-the-spotlight-the-quiet-struggle-of-being-an-opening-act-252350

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Beggar thy neighbor, harm thyself: Tariffs like Trump’s come with pitfalls, history shows

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Bedassa Tadesse, Professor of Economics, University of Minnesota Duluth

    Feeling tariff whiplash? You’re not alone. On April 2, 2025, President Donald Trump announced sweeping new tariffs – a 10% levy on nearly all U.S. imports, along with targeted duties aimed at punishing countries he accuses of exploiting American markets. Just a week later, on April 9, his administration abruptly paused much of the plan for 90 days, leaving markets and allies scrambling for clarity.

    The proposed tariffs were pitched as a way to revive U.S. manufacturing, reclaim jobs and counter what Trump considers unfair trade practices. But they immediately rattled the financial markets and raised alarms among economists and America’s global partners. Critics across the political spectrum revived a familiar warning: “beggar-thy-neighbor.”

    History shows that such policies rarely succeed. In today’s interconnected world, they’re more likely to provoke swift, precise and painful retaliation.

    What is the ‘beggar-thy-neighbor’ strategy?

    The phrase comes from economic history and refers to protectionist measures – tariffs, import restrictions or currency manipulation – designed to boost one country’s economy at the expense of its trading partners. Think of it like cleaning your yard by dumping the trash into your neighbor’s property: It looks tidy on your side until they respond.

    This approach starkly contrasts with the principles laid out by Adam Smith. In “The Wealth of Nations,” he argued that trade is not a zero-sum game. Specialization and open markets, he observed, create mutual benefit – a rising tide that lifts all boats. Trump’s tariffs disregard this logic.

    And history backs Smith. In the 1930s, the U.S. adopted a similar strategy to the one Trump is experimenting with through the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act, raising duties to protect domestic jobs. The result was a wave of global retaliation that choked international trade and worsened the Great Depression.

    A case in point: Lesotho

    As an example, consider the 50% tariff the United States imposed on imports from Lesotho, a small landlocked African nation. The measure took effect at midnight on April 3 but was reportedly subject to the 90-day pause starting midday April 4.

    The tariff rate was calculated by taking the U.S. trade deficit with Lesotho – US$234.5 million in 2024 – dividing that by the total value of Lesotho’s exports to the U.S., or $237.3 million, and dividing that by two.

    The 50% tariff would have a negligible effect on the U.S. economy – after all, out of the $3.3 trillion the U.S. imported in 2024, only a tiny fraction came from Lesotho. But for Lesotho, a nation that relies heavily on garment exports and preferential U.S. market access, the consequences would be severe. Using the same tariff logic across all partners, big or small, overlooks basic economic realities: differences in scale, trade capacity and vulnerability. It epitomizes beggar-thy-neighbor thinking: offloading domestic frustrations onto weaker economies for short-term political optics.

    Lesotho is just one example. Even countries that import more from the U.S. than they export, such as Australia and the U.K., haven’t been spared. This “scoreboard” mentality – treating trade deficits as losses and surpluses as wins – risks reducing the complexity of global commerce to a tit-for-tat game.

    The return of a familiar — and risky — playbook

    Such thinking has consequences. During Trump’s first term, China retaliated against U.S. tariffs by slashing imports of American soybeans and pork. As a result, those exports plummeted from $14 billion in 2017 to just $3 billion in 2018, hitting politically sensitive states like Iowa hard. The European Union responded to U.S. steel and aluminum tariffs by threatening to target bourbon from Kentucky and motorcycles from Wisconsin – iconic products from the home states of former GOP leaders Mitch McConnell and Paul Ryan. Canada and the European Union have shown a willingness to use similar tactics this time around.

    This isn’t new. In 2002, President George W. Bush imposed tariffs of up to 30% on imported steel, prompting the European Union to threaten retaliatory tariffs targeting products such as Florida citrus and Carolina textiles made in key swing states. Facing domestic political pressure and a World Trade Organization ruling against the measure, Bush reversed course within 21 months.

    A decade earlier, the Clinton administration endured a long-running trade dispute with the EU known as the “banana wars,” in which European regulators structured import rules that disadvantaged U.S.-backed Latin American banana exporters in favor of former European colonies.

    During the Obama years, the U.S. increased visa fees that disproportionately impacted India’s technology services sector. India responded by delaying approvals for American drugmakers and large retail investments.

    Not all forms of trade retaliation grab headlines. Many are subtle, slow and bureaucratic – but no less damaging. Customs officials can delay paperwork or may impose arbitrary inspection or labeling requirements. Approval for U.S. pharmaceuticals, tech products or chemicals can be stalled for vague procedural reasons. Public procurement rules can be quietly rewritten to exclude U.S. companies.

    While these tactics rarely draw public attention, their cumulative cost is real: missed delivery deadlines, lost contracts and rising operational costs. Over time, American businesses may shift operations abroad – not because of labor costs or regulation at home, but to escape the slow drip of bureaucratic punishment they experience elsewhere.

    Tariffs in a connected economy

    Supporters of tariffs often argue that they protect domestic industries and create jobs. In theory, they might. But in practice, recent history shows they are more likely to invite retaliation, raise prices and disrupt supply chains.

    Modern manufacturing is deeply interconnected. A product may involve assembling components from a dozen countries, moving back and forth across borders. Tariffs hurt foreign suppliers and American manufacturers, workers and consumers.

    More strategically damaging, they erode U.S. influence. Allies grow weary of unpredictable trade moves, and rivals, including China and Russia, step in to forge deeper partnerships. Countries may reduce their exposure to the U.S. dollar, sell off Treasury bonds, or align with regional blocs like the BRICS group – led by Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa – not out of ideology, but necessity.

    In short, the U.S. weakens its own strategic hand. The long-term cost isn’t just economic – it’s geopolitical.

    Rather than resorting to beggar-thy-neighbor tactics, the U.S. could secure its future by investing in what truly drives long-term strength: smart workforce development, breakthrough innovation and savvy partnerships with allies. This approach would tackle trade imbalances through skillful diplomacy instead of brute force, while building resilience at home by equipping American workers and companies to thrive – not by scapegoating others.

    History makes a clear case: Ditching the obsession with bilateral trade deficits and focusing instead on value creation pays off. The U.S. can source components from around the world and elevate them through unmatched design, innovation and manufacturing excellence. That’s the heartbeat of real economic might.

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

    – ref. Beggar thy neighbor, harm thyself: Tariffs like Trump’s come with pitfalls, history shows – https://theconversation.com/beggar-thy-neighbor-harm-thyself-tariffs-like-trumps-come-with-pitfalls-history-shows-254141

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Educators find creative work-arounds to new laws that restrict what they can teach

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Riley Drake, Assistant Professor, University of Wisconsin-Stout

    Some educators are chafing under new laws that limit what and how they can teach. VectorMine/iStock via Getty Images Plus

    An onslaught of executive orders from President Donald Trump aim to restrict how and what educators can teach America’s children.

    Since taking office in January 2025, Trump has attempted to bar teachers from discussing racism and sexism in K-12 schools and order all schools that receive federal funding to recognize only two gender identities – male and female – potentially barring teachers from acknowledging the existence of nonbinary, gender queer and transgender people, including among their students.

    Educators say the orders are having a chilling effect in classrooms, with some teachers censoring themselves by minimizing dialogue about race, gender and other topics. Other educators, however, are finding ways to resist what they see as federal intrusion into the classroom.

    In March 2025, Sarah Inama, a sixth grade history teacher in Meridian, Idaho, refused to remove a classroom poster reading “Everyone is Welcome” when school district officials claimed the message was too controversial.

    “There are only two opinions on this sign. Everyone is welcome here or not everyone is welcome here,” Inama said in a March 2025 interview with Today.com.

    I am a scholar and former elementary school counselor. My research explores how educators act alongside young people and community organizers to challenge laws, policies and ways of controlling society that they see as harmful in schools.

    In my studies, I’ve encountered some educators who have found clever ways to support their students and have difficult conversations without violating executive orders or the law.

    Modeling transformative justice

    The Trump administration’s restrictive federal orders for schools are new, but some U.S. states have been limiting what educators can tell their students for several years. And educators in those places have found quiet, creative ways to push back.

    In 2022 I led a study of how educators in one Midwestern state were teaching social emotional learning – that is, the attitudes, skills and knowledge to develop healthy relationships and manage their emotions.

    The state – research ethics prohibit me from precisely identifying it – had recently passed legislation that prevented teachers from openly discussing the harms of racism, slavery, colonialism and gender violence in the U.S. Critics felt the law not only erased Black and Indigenous history but also banned truth-telling and accountability.

    One second grade teacher I observed in my study felt it was essential that her students learn to tell the truth, even in uncomfortable situations, and take accountability for their actions. She partnered with local community organizers to practice transformative justice in her classroom.

    Transformative justice seeks to address the root causes of people’s harmful behavior rather than merely punishing it. When communities can get to the core of the conditions that caused the harm, this theory holds, they can better address it.

    Rather than craft a lesson plan that might run up against the state’s restrictive new laws, the teacher in my study demonstrated the values of truth-telling and accountability in her approach to everyday conflicts.

    For example, one day after afternoon recess, two students refused to come back inside. The teacher waited patiently, and when eventually they returned to the classroom, she asked them what had been bothering them. The students said they were mad their classmates hadn’t allowed them to play a specific character in a game at recess.

    The teacher invited the rest of the class to discuss the incident. They acknowledged that those students had been excluded. Together, the class brainstormed ways to better include everyone next time. The upset students calmed down and listened actively, then began chiming in with their own ideas about solving the problem constructively.

    When schoolyard games go wrong, teachers can model different ways to resolve conflict.
    Peter Cade/Stone via Getty Images

    Finally, the teacher asked the class to reflect on how she had handled the situation.

    “What would have happened if I had called the principal on the students who wouldn’t come inside?” she asked.

    “They would have gotten in trouble!” the students said.

    “Yes, and would that have solved anything?” the teacher responded.

    “No, it would have made things worse,” one student remarked.

    In her actions and words, this teacher taught her students that punishment isn’t the only or best way to deal with conflict. And she showed them that when people tell the truth and take responsibility for their actions, they have an opportunity to build connections and repair relationships.

    In doing so, my research finds this teacher challenged her state’s policy of silencing certain conversations. Other educators in this study found other ways to challenge the law, including one who invited community organizers into her classroom to support immigrant students in learning about their rights.

    Solidarity with LGBTQ students

    I led another study in 2023 and 2024 following legislation in Iowa and other states banning books and restricting classroom discussion about gender identity and sexual orientation. In it, I documented how one middle school counselor supported student activists who’d been retaliated against after leading a school walkout protesting the state’s anti-LGBTQ bill.

    The student activists had been taunted by their peers during the walkout. Some had Pride flags torn from their hands and stomped on. Money the students had been collecting to donate to an LGBTQ organization was stolen.

    “I wish we didn’t have to be quiet to be safe,” one of the students told the counselor when debriefing after the incident.

    The counselor arranged a meeting with the school principal to share how their peers had hurt them and how disconnected it made them feel from their school. When administrators did only minimal follow-up afterward, the counselor partnered with a community arts organization outside school to create LGBTQ-affirming spaces for students to make art together.

    In my assessment, her actions demonstrated that people can come together to care for one another and showed that LGBTQ young people matter. First as an educator and then as a community member, she delivered a meaningful message to the students through showing rather than telling.

    Sometimes art can deliver a message as clearly as words.
    VeeStudio89/E+ via Getty Images

    Resistance in the classroom

    These are just a few examples of the many creative ways I’ve documented that educators from Iowa, Michigan, Indiana and Florida and other states are trying to offset the impacts of recent restrictions on what teachers can say and what topics curricula can address.

    Educators in the U.S. have long found ways to resist laws they feel are unjust.

    In the 1940s, a Black teacher named Madeline Morgan fought alongside hundreds of other Black women teachers and parents for Chicago Public Schools to include Black history in its curriculum. The curriculum she created later became a model for districts across the U.S. to teach Black history.

    Septima Clark is another Black educator who fought racism through teaching. After she was fired from her teaching position in South Carolina due to her connections with the NAACP, she dedicated her life to teaching, organizing and training civil rights activists in defiance of laws that attempted to keep her out of the classroom.

    Collaborating with others, today’s educators are finding creative ways to ensure that their classrooms demonstrate justice, in actions if not in words.

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

    – ref. Educators find creative work-arounds to new laws that restrict what they can teach – https://theconversation.com/educators-find-creative-work-arounds-to-new-laws-that-restrict-what-they-can-teach-254033

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Volcanic ash is a silent killer, more so than lava: What Alaska needs to know with Mount Spurr likely to erupt

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By David Kitchen, Associate Professor of Geology, University of Richmond

    One of two main craters on Alaska’s Mount Spurr, shown in 1991. Earthquake activity suggests the volcano is close to erupting again in 2025. R.G. McGimsey/Alaska Volcano Observatory/U.S. Geological Survey, CC BY

    Volcanoes inspire awe with spectacular eruptions and incandescent rivers of lava, but often their deadliest hazard is what quietly falls from the sky.

    When a large volcano erupts, as Mount Spurr appears close to doing about 80 miles from Anchorage, Alaska, it can release enormous volumes of ash. Fine ash can infiltrate the lungs of people and animals who breathe it in, poison crops and disrupt aquatic life. Thick deposits of ash can collapse roofs, cripple utilities and disrupt transport networks.

    Ash may lack the visual impact of flowing lava, but as a geologist who studies disasters, I’m aware that ash travels farther, lasts longer and leaves deep scars.

    Ash buried cars and buildings after the 1984 eruption of Rabaul in Papua New Guinea.
    Volcano Hazards Program, U.S. Geological Survey

    Volcanic ash: What it is, and why it matters

    Volcanic ash forms when viscous magma – molten rock from deep beneath Earth’s surface – erupts, exploding into shards of rock, mineral and glass carried in a near-supersonic stream of hot gas.

    Towering clouds of ash rise several miles into the atmosphere, where the ash is captured by high-altitude winds that can carry it hundreds or even thousands of miles.

    As the volcanic ash settles back to Earth, it accumulates in layers that typically decrease in thickness with distance from the eruption source. Near the vent, the ash may be several feet deep, but communities farther away may see only a dusting.

    When Mount Spurr erupted in 1992, a dark column of ash and gas shot into the atmosphere from the volcano’s Crater Peak vent. Wind patterns determine where the ash will fall.
    U.S. Geological Survey

    Breathing danger: Health risks from ash

    Breathing volcanic ash can irritate the throat and lungs, trigger asthma attacks and aggravate chronic respiratory conditions such as COPD.

    The finest particles pose the greatest risk because they can penetrate deep into the lungs and cause death by asphyxiation in the worst cases. Mild, short-term symptoms often resolve with rest. However, the long-term consequences of ash exposure can include silicosis, a lung disease and a possible cause of cancer.

    The danger increases in dry regions where fallen ash can be kicked up into the air again by wind or human activity.

    Risks to pets and livestock

    Humans aren’t the only ones at risk. Animals experience similar respiratory symptoms to humans.

    Domestic pets can develop respiratory distress, eye inflammation and paw irritation from exposure to ash.

    Ash covers sheep in Argentina after the 2011 Puyehue volcanic eruption in Chile.
    Federico Grosso/U.S. Geological Survey

    Livestock face greater dangers. If grazing animals eat volcanic ash, it can damage their teeth, block their intestines and poison them.

    During the 2010 Eyjafjallajökull eruption in Iceland, farmers were advised to shelter sheep and cattle because the ash contained fluoride concentrations above the recognized safety threshold of 400 parts per million. Animals that remained exposed became sick and some died.

    Harm to crops, soil and water

    Soil and crops can also be damaged. Volcanic ash alters the acidity of soil and introduces harmful elements such as arsenic and sulfur into the environment.

    While the ash can add nutrients such as potassium and phosphorus that enhance fertility, the immediate impact is mostly harmful.

    Ash can smother crops, block sunlight and clog the tiny stomata, or pores, in leaves that allow plants to exchange gases with the atmosphere. It can also introduce toxins that render food unmarketable. Vegetables, fruit trees and vines are particularly vulnerable, but even sturdy cereals and grasses can die if ash remains on leaves or poisons emerging shoots.

    Following the 1991 Mount Pinatubo eruption, vast tracts of farmland in central Luzon in the Philippines were rendered unproductive for years due to acidic ash and buried topsoil. If multiple ashfalls occur in a growing season, crop failure becomes a near certainty. It was the cause of a historic famine that followed the eruption of Mount Tambora in 1815.

    Ash from a 1953 eruption of Mount Spurr included very fine grains, like powder. The ash cloud reached about 70,000 feet high and left Anchorage under a blanket of ash up to a quarter-inch deep, according to a U.S. Geological Survey report at the time.
    James St. John via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY
    Electron microscope images of ash show how sharp the shards are. The top left image of shards from Mount Etna in 2002 is 1 mm across. Top right is an ash particle from Mount St. Helens magnified 200 times. The shards in the lower images are less than 0.064 mm.
    Volcano Hazards Program, U.S. Geological Survey

    Ash can also contaminate surface water by introducing toxins and increasing the water’s acidity. The toxins can leach into groundwater, contaminating wells. Fine ash particles can also settle in waterways and smother aquatic plants and animals. During the 2008 Chaitén eruption in Chile, ash contamination led to widespread fish deaths in the Río Blanco.

    Ash can ground airplanes, gum up infrastructure

    Ash clouds are extremely dangerous to aircraft. The glassy ash particles melt when sucked into jet turbines, clog fuel systems and can stall engines in midair.

    In 1982, British Airways Flight 9 lost power in all four engines after flying through an ash cloud. A similar incident occurred in 1989 to KLM Flight 867 over Alaska. In 2010, Iceland’s Eyjafjallajökull eruption grounded more than 100,000 flights across Europe, disrupting travel for over 10 million passengers and costing the global economy billions of dollars.

    Volcanic ash can also wreak havoc on infrastructure by clogging water supplies, short-circuiting electrical systems and collapsing roofs under its weight. It can disrupt transportation, communication, rescue and power networks, as the 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines dramatically demonstrated.

    What to do during ashfall

    During an ashfall event, the most effective strategy to stay safe is to stay indoors as much as possible and avoid inhaling ash particles.

    Anyone who must go outside should wear a properly fitted N95 or P2 mask. Cloth masks provide little protection against fine ash. Rainwater tanks, troughs and open wells should be covered and monitored for contamination. Livestock should be moved to clean pastures or given uncontaminated fodder.

    The challenges Alaska is facing if Mount Spurr erupts.

    To reduce structural damage, ash should be cleared from roofs and gutters promptly, especially before rainfall.

    Older adults, children and people who are sick are at greatest risk, particularly those living in poorly ventilated homes. Rural communities that are dependent on agriculture and livestock are disproportionately affected by ashfall, as are low-income people who lack access to clean water, protective masks or safe shelter.

    Communities can stay informed about ash risks through official alerts, including those from the Volcanic Ash Advisory Centers, which monitor ash dispersion and issue timely warnings. The International Volcanic Health Hazard Network also offers guidelines on personal protection, emergency planning and ash cleanup.

    The long tail of ash

    Volcanic ash may fall quietly, but its effects are widespread, persistent and potentially deadly. It poses a chronic threat to health, agriculture, infrastructure and aquatic systems.

    Recognizing the risk is a crucial first step to protecting lives. Effective planning and public awareness can further help reduce the damage.

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

    – ref. Volcanic ash is a silent killer, more so than lava: What Alaska needs to know with Mount Spurr likely to erupt – https://theconversation.com/volcanic-ash-is-a-silent-killer-more-so-than-lava-what-alaska-needs-to-know-with-mount-spurr-likely-to-erupt-254461

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: 25 years of Everglades restoration has improved drinking water for millions in Florida, but a new risk is rising

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By John Kominoski, Professor of Biological Sciences, Florida International University

    The Everglades has often been referred to as a vast river of grass. National Park Service/B.Call via Flickr

    Do you know where your drinking water comes from?

    In South Florida, drinking water comes from the Everglades, a vast landscape of wetlands that has long filtered the water relied on by millions of people.

    But as the Everglades has shrunk over the past century, the region’s water supply and water quality have become increasingly threatened, including by harmful algal blooms fueled by agriculture runoff. Now, the water supply faces another rising challenge: saltwater intrusion.

    Waterways cut through the Everglades.
    South Florida Water Management District/Flickr, CC BY-ND

    Protecting South Florida’s water hinges on restoring the Everglades. That’s why, 25 years ago, the federal government and universities launched the world’s largest ecosystem restoration effort ever attempted.

    I’m involved in this work as an ecosystem ecologist. The risks I see suggest continuing to restore the Everglades is more crucial today than ever.

    What happened to the Everglades?

    The Florida Everglades is a broad mosaic of fresh water, sawgrass marshes, cypress domes and tree islands, mangrove forests and seagrass meadows all connected by water.

    But it is half its original size. In the early 1900s, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began installing canals and levees to control flooding in the Everglades, which allowed people to build farms and communities along its edges. The Tamiami Trail became the first road across the Everglades in 1928. It connected Tampa to Miami, but the road and canals cut off or diverted some of the natural water flow in South Florida.

    Maps show how the Everglades changed over time. Source: USGS.

    Since then, Florida’s economy, agriculture and population have exploded – and with them has come a nutrient pollution problem in the Everglades.

    The major crop, sugarcane, is grown in a region south of Lake Okeechobee covering 1,100 square miles that’s known as the Everglades Agricultural Area. Nearly 80 tons of phosphorus fertilizer from federally subsidized farm fields runs off into the Everglades wetlands each year. And that has become a water quality concern. Drinking water with elevated nitrogen is linked to human health problems, and elevated phosphorus and associated algal blooms can cause microbes to accumulate toxins such as mercury.

    Healthy wetlands can filter out those nutrients and other pollutants, cleaning the water.

    Some of the ways the Everglades filters water contaminated with phosphorus.
    South Florida Water Management District

    Rain falling in the Everglades percolates through the porous limestone and recharges the Biscayne Aquifer, which supplies drinking water for 1 in 3 Floridians.

    But wetlands need time and space to function properly, and the damage from farm pollution has harmed that natural filtering system.

    By the 1990s, Everglades wetlands and the wildlife they support hit a critical stress level from elevated concentrations of phosphorus, a nutrient in fertilizer that washes off farm fields and fuels the growth of toxic algal blooms and invasive species that can choke out native plant populations.

    The changes led to seagrass die-offs and widespread invasion of sawgrass marshes by cattail and harmful algal blooms. Degraded wetlands can themselves become pollution sources that can contaminate surface water and groundwater quality by decreasing oxygen in the water, which can harm aquatic life, and releasing chemicals and nutrients as they decay.

    A vast restoration campaign

    Congress approved the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan in 2000 to support reducing phosphorus concentrations by recreating large wetlands areas to remove excess nutrients and reestablishing more of the natural water depth to bolster native populations.

    That restoration effort is making progress in reconnecting wetlands to natural water flows by rehydrating large areas that were cut off. Phosphorus levels are lower in many wetlands that now remain hydrated longer, and in these wetlands fresh water is recharging the aquifer, helping sustain the drinking water supply.

    However, delays in critically important components of that work have left some wetlands in degraded conditions for longer than expected, especially in regions near and downstream of the Everglades Agricultural Area, where phosphorus concentrations remain stubbornly high.

    An algal bloom spreads in Florida’s Lake Okeechobee, at the heart of the Everglades.
    Nicholas Aumen/USGS

    South Florida continues to experience harmful algal blooms from phosphorus reaching rivers and the coast, resulting in fish kills and the deaths of manatees. Red tide can shut down fishing and keep beach-going tourists away, harming local economies. This pollution is estimated to have cost Florida’s economy US$2.7 billion in 2018.

    The unexpected risk: Saltwater

    An unforeseen threat has also started to creep into the Everglades: saltwater.

    As sea level rises, saltwater reaches further inland, both in rivers and underground through the porous limestone beneath South Florida. Saltwater intrusion also occurs when wells draw down aquifers to provide water for drinking or irrigation. That saltwater is causing parts of the Everglades marshes, often referred to as a river of grass, to collapse into open water.

    Saltwater intrusion into South Miami and how Everglades restoration can help. Source: Emily Northrop and Rachael Johnson, University of Miami.
    The red line shows how far saltwater had intruded into aquifers beneath Fort Lauderdale as of 2019.
    South Florida Water Management District

    The loss of these freshwater marshes reduces the capacity of the Everglades to remove phosphorus from the water. And that means more nutrients flowing downstream, contaminating aquifers and causing harmful algal blooms to form in coastal waters.

    Scientists have learned that marsh plants need freshwater pulses during the wet season, from April to November, to avoid saltwater intrusion.

    For example, saltwater intruded about one mile inland between 2009 and 2019 in parts of the Fort Lauderdale area. More fresh water is needed to push the saltwater back out to sea.

    However, the restoration effort was never intended to combat saltwater intrusion.

    Reasons for optimism

    Despite the continuing challenges, I am optimistic because of how scientists, policymakers and communities are working together to protect the Everglades and drinking water.

    I lead part of that restoration work through the Florida Coastal Everglades Long Term Ecological Research program. The effort started at Florida International University on May 1, 2000, the same year the Everglades restoration plan was authorized by Congress.

    Our research was used to set the levels of nutrients allowable to still protect the region’s water supplies, and we have been working for 25 years to reduce saltwater intrusion and phosphorus pollution to ensure drinking water for South Florida remains both fresh and clean. We continually use our research to inform water managers and policymakers of the best practices to reduce saltwater intrusion and pollution.

    A roseate spoonbill hunts for dinner in Everglades National Park.
    National Park Service, R. Cammauf, via Flickr

    As saltwater intrusion continues to threaten South Florida’s freshwater aquifer, Everglades restoration and protection will be increasingly important.

    Everyone in the region can help.

    By rehabilitating degraded wetlands, allowing for more fresh water to flow throughout the Everglades ecosystems, reducing the use of fresh water on lawns and crops, and reusing municipal water for outdoor needs, South Florida can keep its drinking water safe for generations of future residents and visitors. This is something that everyone can contribute to.

    Mangroves along Turner River in the Everglades.
    Chauncey Davis/Flickr, CC BY

    Marjory Stoneman Douglas, Miami’s renowned conservationist who helped establish the Everglades National Park, often said, “The Everglades is a test. If we pass it, we may get to keep the planet.”

    John Kominoski works for Florida International University. He receives funding from federal agencies, such as the National Park Service and the National Science Foundation.

    – ref. 25 years of Everglades restoration has improved drinking water for millions in Florida, but a new risk is rising – https://theconversation.com/25-years-of-everglades-restoration-has-improved-drinking-water-for-millions-in-florida-but-a-new-risk-is-rising-253167

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Preventive care may no longer be free in 2026 because of HIV stigma − unless the Trump administration successfully defends the ACA

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Kristefer Stojanovski, Assistant Professor of Social, Behavioral and Population Sciences, Tulane University

    Americans may lose free coverage for cancer and blood pressure screenings, HIV prevention medication and other essential services. Halfpoint Images/Moment via Getty Images

    Many Americans were relieved when the Supreme Court left the Affordable Care Act in place following the law’s third major legal challenge in June 2021. This decision permitted widely supported policies to continue, such as ensuring health coverage regardless of preexisting conditions, allowing coverage for dependents up to age 26 on their parents’ plan, and removing annual and lifetime benefit limits.

    But millions are still at risk of losing access to lifesaving medicine and preventive services, following the Supreme Court’s decision to hear another case – Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. v. Braidwood – that has been working its way through lower courts for several years.

    Interestingly, the Trump administration has chosen to build upon the same argument the Biden administration used to defend the law.

    HIV stigma and preventive care

    The case the Supreme Court is scheduled to hear in April 2025 was filed by Braidwood Management, a Christian for-profit corporation owned by Steven Hotze, a Texas physician and Republican activist who has previously filed multiple lawsuits against the Affordable Care Act.

    Braidwood and its co-plaintiffs, a group of conservative Christian employers, objected to providing their 70 employees free access to preexposure prophylaxis, or PrEP, a medicine that prevents HIV infection. Hotze claimed that PrEP “facilitates and encourages homosexual behavior, intravenous drug use and sexual activity outside of marriage between one man and one woman,” without citing scientific evidence to support this. He and his plaintiffs argue that religious beliefs prevent them from providing PrEP under their insurance plans.

    The AIDS epidemic has been claiming lives for decades.

    Since the HIV/AIDS epidemic began in the 1980s, the disease has been politicized and stigmatized. Because it had predominantly affected men who had sex with men, AIDS was initially called gay-related immune deficiency, making people reluctant to be associated with the disease. It was only after a teenage boy from Indiana named Ryan White contracted HIV from a blood transfusion to treat his hemophilia, along with public statements from high-profile celebrities such as Arthur Ashe and Magic Johnson about their HIV status, that social attitudes began to shift with more education about AIDS.

    Yet, the same stigma is still at play in the Braidwood case and other recent policy decisions. In 2023, for example, Tennessee officials declined US$9 million in federal funding for HIV prevention. Those federal funds focused on groups most affected by HIV, including men who have sex with men, heterosexual Black women and people who inject drugs.

    Tennessee has since transitioned to using state dollars for HIV prevention, with a focus on first responders, pregnant women and sex trafficking survivors, groups that aren’t major at-risk populations. Researchers have found that this pivot will be a less efficient use of funds, costing $1 million per life-year saved versus $68,600 when focusing on the most at-risk populations.

    Preventive care and the Affordable Care Act

    The ongoing stigma and politicization of HIV/AIDS may not only hamper the national goal of ending the HIV epidemic but also lead to less or no preventive care for many people.

    Section 2713 of the Affordable Care Act requires insurers to offer full coverage of preventive services endorsed by one of three federal groups: the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices or the Health Resources and Services Administration. For example, the CARES Act, which allocated emergency funding in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, used this provision to ensure COVID-19 vaccines would be free for many Americans.

    For a preventive service to be covered by this provision, it requires an A or B rating from the Preventive Services Task Force, an independent body of experts trained in research methods, statistics and medicine that evaluates the rigor and quality of available scientific evidence, with support from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Vaccinations require a recommendation from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, while women’s health services require approval from the Health Resources and Services Administration.

    PrEP received an A rating in June 2019, given its near 100% effectiveness. This paved the way for it to be covered at no cost for millions of people.

    PrEP is a key tool to helping the U.S. reach its goal of substantially reducing new HIV infections by 2030.
    AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais

    Over 150 million Americans with private health insurance are able to benefit from free preventive care through the Affordable Care Act, with around 60% using at least one free preventive service each year.

    The consequences of losing these benefits would likely be an increase in the number of people getting and dying from preventable diseases. Raising the cost barrier for PrEP, for example, would disproportionately harm younger patients, people of color and those with lower incomes. It will also increase the cost of HIV prevention.

    As public health researchers who study sexual health and health insurance, we believe that prevention and health equity in the U.S. stand to take a big step backward, depending on the outcome of the Braidwood case.

    Future of preventive care lies with Supreme Court

    The most recent ruling in Braidwood – made by a lower court in 2023 – focuses on the appointments clause of the U.S. Constitution, which specifies that certain governmental positions require presidential appointment and Senate confirmation, while other positions have a lower bar.

    District Judge Reed O’Connor ruled that because the Preventive Services Task Force is an independent volunteer panel and not made up of officers of the U.S. government, it does not have appropriate authority to make decisions about what preventive care should be free, unlike the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices or Health Resources and Services Administration. O’Connor also ruled that being forced to cover PrEP violated the religious freedom of the plaintiffs.

    O’Connor invalidated all of the task force’s recommendations since the Affordable Care Act was passed in March 2010, returning the power to insurers and employers to decide which, if any, preventive care would remain free to their patients. A few of the recommendations affected by his ruling besides PrEP include blood pressure, diabetes, lung and skin cancer screenings, along with medications to lower cholesterol and reduce breast cancer risk.

    The Trump administration filed a brief continuing the argument from the Biden administration that because the Preventive Services Task Force is overseen by the secretary of Health and Human Services, there is appropriate oversight of the task force and its decision-making by a Senate-confirmed officer. Oral arguments in the case are scheduled for April 21, 2025.

    The Affordable Care Act has faced many legal challenges over the years.
    AP Photo/Alex Brandon

    Insurance contracts are typically defined by calendar year, so if the Supreme Court rules against the government, people would likely see changes starting in 2026. Importantly, these services will likely still need to be covered by health insurance plans as essential health benefits through a separate provision of the ACA − they just won’t be free anymore.

    There were concerns that the Supreme Court could take the ruling even further, endangering the free coverage of contraception and other preventive care that wasn’t covered by the lower court ruling. The Trump administration’s support for the case may make this less likely by leaning into the authority of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as secretary to support or override recommendations made by the Preventive Services Task Force and the other bodies.

    However, this could also mean the secretary of HHS can more directly control the task force’s recommendations, potentially determining whether PrEP, contraception and other services are available at no cost to patients. Building more political authority into the process − as well as partisan differences in support for LGBTQ+ health − belies the original intent of having nonpartisan medical experts make decisions about preventive care coverage. Legal experts we have spoken to caution that this approach may be more about preserving powers for the executive branch rather than actually protecting preventive care.

    All of this is happening in the context of massive layoffs at HHS. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, which supports the Preventive Services Task Force, was not spared from the recent cuts. It is unclear how all of this will affect the task force’s ability to continue its work, separate from the outcome of Braidwood.

    One way or another, the end to this yearslong case is nearing, with important implications for America’s ability to reach its goals in fighting cancer, diabetes and the HIV epidemic.

    Portions of this article originally appeared in previous articles published on Sept. 7, 2021, Dec. 1, 2021, Sept. 13, 2022, and April 7, 2023.

    Paul Shafer receives research funding from the National Institutes of Health, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, and Department of Veterans Affairs. The views expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the position or policy of these agencies or the United States government.

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

    – ref. Preventive care may no longer be free in 2026 because of HIV stigma − unless the Trump administration successfully defends the ACA – https://theconversation.com/preventive-care-may-no-longer-be-free-in-2026-because-of-hiv-stigma-unless-the-trump-administration-successfully-defends-the-aca-250011

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: How bird flu differs from seasonal flu − an infectious disease researcher explains

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Hanna D. Paton, PhD Candidate in Immunology, University of Iowa

    There is currently no bird flu vaccine for people. Digicomphoto/ Science Photo Library via Getty Images

    The flu sickens millions of people in the U.S. every year, and the past year has been particularly tough. Although infections are trending downward, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has called the winter of 2024-2025 a “high severity” season with the highest hospitalization rate in 15 years.

    Since early 2024, a different kind of flu called bird flu, formally known as avian influenza, has been spreading in birds as well as in cattle. The current bird flu outbreak has infected 70 Americans and caused two deaths as of April 8, 2025. Public health and infectious disease experts say the risk to people is currently low, but they have expressed concern that this strain of the bird flu virus may mutate to spread between people.

    As a doctoral candidate in immunology, I study how pathogens that make us sick interact with our immune system. The viruses that cause seasonal flu and bird flu are distinct but still closely related. Understanding their similarities and differences can help people protect themselves and their loved ones.

    What is influenza?

    The flu has long been a threat to public health. The first recorded influenza pandemic occurred in 1518, but references to illnesses possibly caused by influenza stretch back as as early as 412 B.C., to a treatise called Of the Epidemics by the Greek physician Hippocrates.

    Today, the World Health Organization estimates that the flu infects 1 billion people every year. Of these, 3 million to 5 million infections cause severe illness, and hundreds of thousands are fatal.

    Influenza is part of a large family of viruses called orthomyxoviruses. This family contains several subtypes of influenza, referred to as A, B, C and D, which differ in their genetic makeup and in the types of infections they cause. Influenza A and B pose the largest threat to humans and can cause severe disease. Influenza C causes mild disease, and influenza D is not known to infect people. Since the turn of the 20th century, influenza A has caused four pandemics. Influenza B has never caused a pandemic.

    A notice from Oct. 18, 1918, during the Spanish flu pandemic, about protecting yourself from infection.
    Illustrated Current News/National Library of Medicine, CC BY

    An influenza A strain called H1N1 caused the famous 1918 Spanish flu pandemic, which killed about 50 million people worldwide. A related H1N1 virus was responsible for the most recent influenza A pandemic in 2009, commonly referred to as the swine flu pandemic. In that case, scientists believe multiple different types of influenza A virus mixed their genetic information to produce a new and especially virulent strain of the virus that infected more than 60 million people in the U.S. from April 12, 2009, to April 10, 2010, and caused huge losses to the agriculture and travel industries.

    Both swine and avian influenza are strains of influenza A. Just as swine flu strains tend to infect pigs, avian flu strains tend to infect birds. But the potential for influenza A viruses that typically infect animals to cause pandemics in humans like the swine flu pandemic is why experts are concerned about the current avian influenza outbreak.

    Seasonal flu versus bird flu

    Different strains of influenza A and influenza B emerge each year from about October to May as seasonal flu. The CDC collects and analyzes data from public health and clinical labs to determine which strains are circulating through the population and in what proportions. For example, recent data shows that H1N1 and H3N2, both influenza A viruses, were responsible for the vast majority of cases this season. Standard tests for influenza generally determine whether illness is caused by an A or B strain, but not which strain specifically.

    Officials at the Food and Drug Administration use this information to make strain recommendations for the following season’s influenza vaccine. Although the meeting at which FDA advisers were to decide the makeup of the 2026 flu vaccine was unexpectedly canceled in late February, the FDA still released its strain recommendations to manufacturers.

    The recommendations do not include H5N1, the influenza A strain that causes avian flu. The number of strains that can be added into seasonal influenza vaccines is limited. Because cases of people infected with H5N1 are minimal, population-level vaccination is not currently necessary. As such, seasonal flu vaccines are not designed to protect against avian influenza. No commercially available human vaccines currently exist for avian influenza viruses.

    How do people get bird flu?

    Although H5N1 mainly infects birds, it occasionally infects people, too. Human cases, first reported in 1997 in Hong Kong, have primarily occurred in poultry farm workers or others who have interacted closely with infected birds.

    Initially identified in China in 1996, the first major outbreak of H5 family avian flu occurred in North America in 2014-2015. This 2014 outbreak was caused by the H5N8 strain, a close relative of H5N1. The first H5N1 outbreak in North America began in 2021 when infected birds carried the virus across the ocean. It then ripped through poultry farms across the continent.

    The H5N1 strain of influenza A generally infects birds but has infected people, too.
    NIAID and CDC/flickr, CC BY

    In March 2024, epidemiologists identified H5N1 infections in cows on dairy farms. This is the first time that bird flu was reported to infect cows. Then, on April 1, 2024, health officials in Texas reported the first case of a person catching bird flu from infected cattle. This was the first time transmission of bird flu between mammals was documented.

    As of March 21, 2025, there have been 988 human cases of H5N1 worldwide since 1997, about half of which resulted in death. The current outbreak in the U.S. accounts for 70 of those infections and one death. Importantly, there have been no reports of H5N1 spreading directly from one person to another.

    Since avian flu is an influenza A strain, it would show up as positive on a standard rapid flu test. However, there is no evidence so far that avian flu is significantly contributing to current influenza cases. Specific testing is required to confirm that a person has avian flu. This testing is not done unless there is reason to believe the person was exposed to sick birds or other sources of infection.

    How might avian flu become more dangerous?

    As viruses replicate within the cells of their host, their genetic information can get copied incorrectly. Some of these genetic mutations cause no immediate differences, while others alter some key viral characteristics.

    Influenza viruses mutate in a special way called reassortment, which occurs when multiple strains infect the same cell and trade pieces of their genome with one another, potentially creating new, unique strains. This process prolongs the time the virus can inhabit a host before an infection is cleared. Even a slight change in a strain of influenza can result in the immune system’s inability to recognize the virus. As a result, this process forces our immune systems to build new defenses instead of using immunity from previous infections.

    Reassortment can also change how harmful strains are to their host and can even enable a strain to infect a different species of host. For example, strains that typically infect pigs or birds may acquire the ability to infect people. Influenza A can infect many different types of animals, including cattle, birds, pigs and horses. This means there are many strains that can intermingle to create novel strains that people’s immune systems have not encountered before – and are therefore not primed to fight.

    It is possible for this type of transformation to also occur in H5N1. The CDC monitors which strains of flu are circulating in order prepare for that possibility. Additionally, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has a surveillance system for monitoring potential threats for spillover from birds and other animals, although this capacity may be at risk due to staff cuts in the department.

    These systems are critical to ensure that public health officials have the most up-to-date information on the threat that H5N1 poses to public health and can take action as early as possible when a threat is evident.

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

    – ref. How bird flu differs from seasonal flu − an infectious disease researcher explains – https://theconversation.com/how-bird-flu-differs-from-seasonal-flu-an-infectious-disease-researcher-explains-248407

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: A need for chaos powers some Americans’ support for Elon Musk taking a chainsaw to the US government

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Dannagal G. Young, Professor of Communication and Political Science, University of Delaware

    There’s a sizable group of Americans who agree with the phrase ‘I think society should be burned to the ground.’ Anton Petrus-Moment/Getty Images

    A video of a Las Vegas Tesla dealership that had been set on fire by anti-Elon Musk protesters was posted on March 18, 2025, by an account on X called EndWokeness.

    The next day Musk replied to the post, “Some people just want to watch the world burn,” an iconic line from the 2008 Batman film “The Dark Knight.” Alfred, the Wayne family’s faithful butler, says the line to Bruce Wayne – Batman – to describe the motivations behind the Joker’s chaotic acts of violence.

    Musk – and Alfred – was right. Some people do, in fact, say they think that society should be burned to the ground. It’s part of a psychological measure political psychologists created called “need for chaos.”

    New data from the Center for Political Communication at the University of Delaware suggests that those people – the ones who want society to burn – are the ones with more, not less, trust in Musk. They also report more trust in the Department of Government Efficiency, the government entity Musk advises, which the Trump administration claims it created to cut government waste and fraud.

    Yet, critics point out that Musk and DOGE’s seemingly indiscriminate approach to spending cuts risks damaging the infrastructure necessary for American innovation.

    This desire to watch the world burn doesn’t come out of nowhere.

    Fear of losing status

    Somewhat like the Joker, whose perpetual sense of victimhood – “You wanna know how I got these scars?” – drove his need for chaos and destruction, people can develop a need for chaos in response to a sense that they are losing.

    When political psychologists introduced this concept of “need for chaos” in 2021, they described it not as a psychological trait, but as a character adaptation that occurs when some people experience a cultural and political situation that makes them feel like they are losing status and power. For some people, this feeling triggers a desire to “burn it all down” – “it” being society, institutions, the world – maybe to rebuild it all anew, or maybe just to see it all destroyed.

    Only a small percentage of the U.S. population – less than 15% – tends to score high in need for chaos. But even so, understanding this minority is important to gaining insight into this political moment.

    For example, people who score high in need for chaos exhibit greater support for political violence and a willingness to knowingly share hostile and false information online. And in our data, those higher in need for chaos report holding more trust in Musk, DOGE and Trump than people who score lower in the need for chaos measure.

    Who wants to burn it down

    We are political psychologists who study the link between psychological traits and political beliefs. Last month, the University of Delaware’s Center for Political Communication ran a national survey that we designed to understand where the public stands on various political issues and how those beliefs relate to psychological traits, including need for chaos.

    In our national study of 1,600 Americans conducted between Feb. 27-March 5, 2025, by YouGov, we asked respondents how much they agreed or disagreed with the following statements:

    • “I fantasize about a natural disaster wiping out most of humanity such that a small group of people can start all over”

    • “I think society should be burned to the ground”

    • “We cannot fix the problems in our social institutions; we need to tear them down and start over”

    • “I need chaos around me – it is too boring if nothing is going on”

    Similar to prior work by author Kevin Arceneaux and his colleagues, our data shows that a very small number – fewer than 20% of the sample – agrees strongly or agrees somewhat with each item.

    However, looking at need for chaos among groups of varying ages, education levels and media habits, we find the highest need for chaos scores among people under age 40, those with less education, and those who pay the least attention to politics.

    Burning it down through government policy

    Our new data also shows that while people highest in need for chaos report having more trust in Musk, DOGE, and President Trump, these chaos-seeking folks report having less trust in “people in general,” journalists or the federal government. These findings hold even when statistically accounting for other factors, among them party, race, gender, education and ideology.

    Musk’s penchant for wielding chainsaws as a symbol of DOGE’s work provides some insight into why chaos seekers may like what they see in Musk.

    It’s not clear exactly what Musk’s aim is with his work at DOGE, as he eliminates the jobs of hundreds of thousands of government workers.

    What is clear, however, is that by many accounts, the mass firings and the gutting of agencies, like the U.S. Agency for International Development and the Institute for Peace, are sowing chaos. And a significant portion of Americans want just that.

    Dannagal G. Young receives funding from the Center for Political Communication Research Fund at the University of Delaware

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

    – ref. A need for chaos powers some Americans’ support for Elon Musk taking a chainsaw to the US government – https://theconversation.com/a-need-for-chaos-powers-some-americans-support-for-elon-musk-taking-a-chainsaw-to-the-us-government-253420

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Boat Race row is just the latest example of a century of academic dispute over teacher education

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Oliver Mumford, PhD Candidate in History of Education, Liverpool Hope University

    When the men’s and women’s boats took to the water for the 2025 Oxford-Cambridge Boat Race, a few students who would have hoped to be part of the crews were missing.

    Matt Heywood, Molly Foxell and Kate Crowley, all of Cambridge, did not take part after a complaint from Oxford University Boat Club over their eligibility was upheld by an independent panel. All three students are studying at Cambridge for PGCEs, a teacher training qualification. Oxford University Boat Club had argued that a PGCE “is a diploma … not a degree”.

    The decision seems to reflect a specific ideal of the university as a place of scholarly focus unencumbered by more practical vocational qualifications. It’s also far from a new attitude towards teacher education as an academic discipline.

    My ongoing PhD research into the history of teacher training shows that for a century, teacher education has maintained a complex and often conflicting relationship with the ivory and red brick towers of higher education.

    This has been reinforced by over a century of numerous gender- and class-based prejudices. Teaching has historically been, and continues to be, a female-dominant profession.

    Significantly, training colleges and university education departments were one of the few places where women could partake in intellectual and professional development, an opportunity which linked them to transnational, and colonial networks.

    Formalising teacher training

    From the 1840s, Christian residential colleges of varying denominations had come to dominate the training of teachers. These primarily provided courses of around two years for mostly female non-graduates.

    From the 1890s, English universities began their own involvement with professional teacher education. The university training departments offered a one-year postgraduate certificate course following three years of degree study – today the PGCE.

    In the complex mix of training colleges and university education departments, formalised teacher training occupied an uneasy position. It was not considered a “pure” subject like history or mathematics. It was also distinct from the traditionally male “applied” subjects, like medicine, engineering and law.

    In 1925, the Burnham report on teacher training considered the desirable balance between the intellectual and professional development of teachers. The majority opinion of the report considered teacher training as primarily vocational. It cautioned against undergraduate degrees for most trainee teachers.

    But it did lead to the establishment of a system whereby students were certified as teachers by a board of examiners drawn from universities and training colleges. This was the beginning of a set teaching qualification and brought teacher training into a closer relationship with universities.

    In 1944, another report contemplated the relationship between universities and teacher training. The members of the report committee held a range of views. Sir Arnold McNair, chancellor of the University of Liverpool, who chaired the report, feared vocational qualifications such as teaching could erode the purpose of universities. He was concerned that universities would become institutions of training, not education.

    But others thought differently. The report claimed that bringing together these two teacher training institutions – the colleges and universities – would improve the standard of teaching and the profession. Following the McNair report, institutes of education were established in the main universities of England and Wales alongside area training organisations. In this closer relationship, universities often assumed the senior positions.

    Teacher education in universities

    By the 1960s, a still closer relationship was forming between universities and teacher training, from both academic and administrative perspectives. University staff played greater roles teaching in teacher training colleges, for instance. An undergraduate teaching degree programme, the BEd, was introduced.

    Teaching became increasingly professionalised. From the 1970s, teacher training was transformed into an all-graduate profession, and later systematically dismantled. Many of the teacher training colleges faced closure, amalgamation or incorporation to polytechnics and universities. But dissenting opinions around the level of education – as opposed to vocational training – teachers should receive remained.

    Teaching became a graduate profession.
    Yuganov Konstantin/Shutterstock

    The preface to Cambridge academic Sheila Lawlor’s 1990 pamphlet, titled Teachers mistaught, bemoaned the rise of education as a subject and its presence in, rather than an adjunct to, higher education. In the pamphlet, Lawlor called for graduates to learn to be teachers “on the job”.

    The debate on the position of teacher training has remained remarkably consistent – unlike other subjects with vocational elements.

    Business schools feature courses taught and directed by companies. Business courses include vocational industry placements and are designed with employment in mind. But they do not so readily have their academic status or place in a university called into question. As this year’s Boat Race shows, the question over the value of vocational and academic education in teacher training is still very much alive.

    Oliver Mumford receives funding from Liverpool Hope University (Vice-Chancellor’s Scholarship). He is the 2025 Ruth Watts Fellow with the History of Education Society UK.

    – ref. Boat Race row is just the latest example of a century of academic dispute over teacher education – https://theconversation.com/boat-race-row-is-just-the-latest-example-of-a-century-of-academic-dispute-over-teacher-education-254250

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Trump has shown he will backtrack on tariffs. What does that say about how to wage a trade war?

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Antonio Navas, Senior Lecturer in Economics, University of Sheffield

    Countries can target products that they can produce themselves or source from other partners. darksoul72/Shutterstock

    Amid Donald Trump’s escalating tariff war with China, the world has been left in no doubt. Consistent with his campaign messaging, and going against the overwhelming majority of economists’ advice, it’s clear that the US president still loves tariffs. He is ready to use them as a bargaining tool – and also to change them on a whim.

    Countries responded to the tariffs announced on “liberation day” in different ways – before Trump backtracked and announced a 90-day pause. But China – which was not granted the pause – refused to back down. It hit back with extra tariffs of its own on US imports, affecting mainly agricultural goods.

    Before Trump announced the delay, the EU had also shown it was prepared to hit back (before climbing down itself in response to the pause). Meanwhile Canada had initially retaliated angrily with tariffs and consumer boycotts.

    This contrasts with the muted response of the UK government, despite the tariff on steel clearly affecting its economy. “Cool heads” are one thing. But knowing what we do now about how easily Trump changes his mind on this matter, is the UK following the right course of action?

    Economists have long studied the impact of trade wars and find no good news for the countries involved. Studies suggest that trade wars end up in high tariffs that are damaging to consumers in both of the nations involved.

    Recent studies of the 2018 US-China trade war, initiated by Trump, document that US citizens have suffered significantly since that time. The tariff was mostly passed on to US consumers, resulting in higher prices and less choice for shoppers. These offset any gains in government revenue and competitive advantage for domestic producers.

    Other evidence suggests that there was a significant decline in Chinese economic activity in sectors for which the US tariffs were introduced, such as solar panels and washing machines.

    So there’s clearly a lot to lose for both sides. Imposing tariffs on foreign goods may damage a nation’s own consumers. If that country is thinking of counterattacking with retaliatory tariffs, then it must consider what its ultimate goals are. It must also think of the price it is prepared to pay.

    Consider the next move

    Among the potential goals, two stand out. First, to convince the country initiating the trade war to drop its tariffs. And second, to avoid tariffs from other countries in future.

    An effective tariff retaliation should target selected goods. This minimises the negative impacts in the domestic economy and maximises the harm to the foreign economy. It can be achieved by targeting goods that have easy substitutes in the domestic economy – an example might be scotch whisky as a substitute for bourbon in the UK.

    And they should target products that are supported by powerful lobbies in the rival country. That could be, for example, sugar or soybeans in the US. When their sectors are hit, these lobby groups can flex their muscles to press governments for change or demand subsidies to cover their losses.

    But there can also be complicating factors – governments should be aware of global value chains and interlinked production between countries when targeting goods.

    Studies published after the first Trump administration found that in response to Trump’s 2018 tariffs, countries retaliated by targeting goods that could easily be substituted in their economies and which would hurt Trump’s voter base.

    This appears to mirror what the EU outlined in its now-paused retaliation plans, by slapping tariffs on key exports from states that voted for Trump in 2024. These products included soybeans, tobacco and steel. The bloc has also been considering new taxes against big US tech firms.

    This retaliatory strategy should increase pressure on the country that initiated the trade war to drop their initial tariffs. In theory, at least.

    The first US-China trade war, which resulted in five waves of tariffs and subsequent retaliations, concluded with a trade deal in January 2020. Under the deal, the US cut some of the tariffs and China committed to increase US imports by US$200 billion (£151 billion) over the next two years.

    It is difficult to say whether retaliatory tariffs played a role in the de-escalation of US-China tensions. But US businesses and consumers could indeed have felt the pain from tariffs on Chinese goods. This may have influenced the US’s willingness to negotiate.

    In a parallel trade war over US steel and aluminium in 2018, the EU imposed retaliatory tariffs on iconic US goods such as jeans and Harley-Davidson motorbikes. This led to the renegotiation of some of the tariffs in 2021. The tariffs were eventually paused under president Joe Biden’s administration.

    Trade wars harm both sides and negotiations should be the first tool to use when disputes arise. Given how unpredictable Trump is on this matter, the UK’s response of not rushing into retaliation seems like a sensible approach. But at the same time, it should keep the threat of tariffs on the table for any future negotiations. With Trump, all countries should remember to expect the unexpected.

    Antonio Navas 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. Trump has shown he will backtrack on tariffs. What does that say about how to wage a trade war? – https://theconversation.com/trump-has-shown-he-will-backtrack-on-tariffs-what-does-that-say-about-how-to-wage-a-trade-war-254265

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: First UK birth after womb transplant is a medical breakthrough – but raises important ethical questions

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Laura O’Donovan, Lecturer in Law, University of Sheffield

    Costs and who will get access to the treatment are key questions that will need to be answered. Antonio Marca/ Shutterstock

    A baby girl named Amy Isabel has become the first child in the UK to be born to a mother who has had a womb transplant. Amy is one of around 65 children worldwide born as a result of pioneering research into the procedure.

    This breakthrough provides hope for many of the estimated 15,000 UK women with uterine factor infertility – which means they are unable to have children naturally due to problems with their womb, or because they were born without one. Previously, adoption and surrogacy were their only reproductive options. This latest success could some day make womb transplantation another option for these patients.

    However, before this new treatment is offered more widely, complex questions will need to be answered about how it will be resourced, how wombs will be procured and who will get access to the treatment.

    The cost of a transplant

    The first birth by a mother following a womb transplant happened in Sweden in 2014. Since then, the number of womb transplant programmes being established globally has greatly increased.

    The past 12 years have seen significant advances in the field. These include live births following a womb transplant from a deceased donor and the expansion of donor and recipient acceptance criteria. We’ve also seen the introduction of robotic-assisted surgery, which has made it possible to perform donor retrieval surgery in a faster, less invasive and more precise way.

    While most transplant centres only offer the procedure as part of research trials, several now offer it in clinic – including in the UK.

    The UK’s womb-transplant programme is currently funded by charitable donations from Womb Transplant UK, who currently only have plans to fund up to 15 living donor procedures. The procedure is expensive – costing the charity an estimated £25,000-£30,000. And it appears that this amount only covers the cost of the transplant, despite the fact that many other costs need to be factored in – such as IVF treatment, medications and follow-up care.

    At present, prospective recipients normally bear the costs of the IVF treatment needed themselves. To be eligible for the transplant, women must have first produced and stored at least five embryos. IVF is necessary as the transplanted uterus will not be connected to the patient’s ovaries. This means that pregnancy through sexual intercourse is not possible. But before womb transplants can become routinely available within the NHS, commissioners will have to decide whether this treatment should be publicly funded – and under what circumstances.

    On the face of it, public funding seems justified in the interests of patient autonomy and well-being. There are many psychological harms associated with infertility – such as depression, anxiety, stress and diminished quality of life. These harms must be taken seriously.

    However, NHS resources are constrained – and there is already a “postcode lottery” of unequal access to IVF, with people in certain areas of England being less able to access NHS treatment. So there’s a risk that similar inequalities will arise for womb transplants if the procedure is NHS-funded.

    Who gets priority?

    If womb transplants are ever to become a routine procedure in the UK, difficult decisions will also need to be made about organ allocation policies.

    According to the law in England, adults are considered to have agreed to become organ donors when they die unless they have opted out or are in an excluded group (such as those lacking mental capacity). However, this “deemed consent” only applies to commonly transplanted organs and tissues such as skin, hearts and lungs. It doesn’t apply to novel or rare transplants, which would include wombs. The NHS organ donor register also excludes the womb. Family members would therefore need to give explicit consent to the donation of their relative’s womb after death.

    Living organ donors in the UK are able to specify a named recipient (such as a family member). Deceased donors can also request for directed allocation to a specific person. But this is only permitted so long as the offer to donate is unconditional and certain criteria are met, such as the recipient being able to receive the organ and being in need of a transplant.

    More generally, since organs and tissues are scarce resources, complex policies are currently used to ensure fair and transparent allocation. Clinical need also guides allocation so that the sickest patients are prioritised for a transplant.

    However, the same logic cannot apply to womb transplants. This is because absolute uterine factor infertility does not come in degrees. All women with the condition have a 0% chance of becoming pregnant.

    As such, considerations that normally play no role in allocating life-saving organs could be explored in the context of womb transplantation. For instance, priority might be given to those who are childless. Age may also be relevant, especially given that the fertility treatment needed to create embryos is only funded by the NHS if a woman is below a certain age. The age limit varies by region, but can be as low as 35 in some places.

    Policy decisions will also be needed about whether wombs are included in donor registers to increase their supply. Even if they are, people may prove less willing to donate reproductive organs than lifesaving organs and tissues. These decisions could also have knock-on effects on public trust in transplantation and organ-donation willingness more widely. And the inclusion of novel and rare organs could lead to more blanket opt-outs from organ donation altogether.

    Next steps

    Given the relative novelty and experimental nature of the procedure, there has not yet been a comprehensive roll-out of womb transplants as a mainstream fertility treatment anywhere in the world. In the UK, we’re not even at the beginning of that journey. Before that happens, womb transplants would need to be demonstrably cost-effective relative to other NHS-funded fertility treatments.

    Nevertheless, there’s an opportunity here for the UK to become a world leader in creating and applying equitable access policies for womb transplants. To do this well, it will be necessary to carefully consider the clinical and health economic data, the ethical and legal issues, and the views of all those affected – especially those with uterine factor infertility.

    Laura O’Donovan has previously collaborated with members of the Womb Transplant UK research team.

    Nicola J. Williams currently receives funding from The Wellcome Trust (grant number: 222858_Z_21_Z) and previously held a Leverhulme ECR fellowship (grant number: ECF-2018-113). She is currently chair of the Special Interest Group: Ethics and Law for the European Society for Human Reproduction and Embryology and has previously collaborated with members of Womb Transplant UK.

    Stephen Wilkinson currently receives funding from Wellcome (grant number: 222858_Z_21_Z). He has previously collaborated with members of Womb Transplant UK. He is a member of the Nuffield Council on Bioethics (NCoB) but this article is a personal view and unrelated to his NCoB role.

    – ref. First UK birth after womb transplant is a medical breakthrough – but raises important ethical questions – https://theconversation.com/first-uk-birth-after-womb-transplant-is-a-medical-breakthrough-but-raises-important-ethical-questions-254154

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: How mine water could warm up the UK’s forgotten coal towns

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Jingyi Li, Research Associate, Geothermal Energy and Climate Change, University of Manchester

    Historic coal mining in north-east England. Jingyi Li, CC BY-NC-ND

    The Ukraine war sent shockwaves through global energy markets, driving up prices and leaving households across the UK struggling with soaring energy bills. But beneath the ground, in disused coal mines, lies a hidden resource – warm water. This underused geothermal source could be transformed into affordable, low-carbon heating for homes and businesses, especially in regions hardest hit economically by the decline of coal.

    Across the UK, around 25% of the population lives above disused coal mines. This underground warmth could be harnessed by pumping naturally warm water to the surface and using heat pumps to raise its temperature for heating. This could lower energy bills and cut emissions by about the same as removing 44,000 cars from the roads annually, according to our calculations. Despite this promise, mine-water heating remains largely underutilised across the UK, as deployment has lagged far behind, leaving most of the resource untapped.

    Although flagship projects like the one in Gateshead, operational since 2023, demonstrate the feasibility of mine-water heating in the UK, they remain the exception. Deployment has been especially slow even in high-potential areas like south Wales. Meanwhile, the mine-water heating scheme at Seaham Garden Village, near Sunderland, has only recently kicked off construction after a prolonged delay since its initial planning in 2019.

    Our new research shows that despite growing interest, projects across the UK continue to be stalled by funding gaps, regulatory hurdles and a shortage of skilled workers. Without immediate action, these former coal-mining communities are at risk of falling further behind as the country moves towards cleaner energy for net zero, widening the gap between wealthier and disadvantaged regions.

    The solution is simple but not easy: sufficient and accessible funding schemes especially for those undeserved communities, streamlined regulations and support from fossil fuel companies, whose engineering expertise can be applied to mine water heating. Technology could transform a forgotten coal legacy into a sustainable future for communities in need.

    Coal production history v today’s mining village.
    Jingyi Li, CC BY-NC-ND

    The UK has a vast network of abandoned coal mines, especially in north-east England, which once produced 14% of the nation’s coal. However, around a quarter of the population in this region lives below the poverty line today.

    Many households in the north east experience fuel poverty at rates higher than the national average, with energy bills that are often higher than in most other parts of England. Mine-water heating could help address this burden, but to make a meaningful difference, both the number and scale of schemes must be increased nationwide.

    Gateshead mine water heat scheme.
    Jingyi Li, CC BY-NC-ND

    However, current government funding schemes, like the heat networks delivery unit, only cover about 33% of capital costs according to our interviewee, leaving local authorities and developers to find the rest. This competitive model disadvantages poorer areas that need the most support. Without solid financial backing, many projects will never get off the ground.

    The Coal Authority has played a key role in piloting early mine water schemes, but industry feedback points to a need for faster, more transparent deployment pathways. Developers face regulatory uncertainty in accessing mine-water heat from the Coal Authority, citing delays and procedural complexity as barriers to investment.

    Ambiguities in the regulatory framework for accessing this form of geothermal heat create delays and add to the financial burden for developers. The expertise required, such as drilling and pipework, is common in the UK’s longstanding oil and gas industry, but our research found that the current small-to-medium scale and uncertain future of mine water heating sector make it difficult to attract these skilled workers.

    Learning from the past

    Often the simplest and most reliable designs are the most effective. William Reid Clanny, a 19th-century inventor, made mine-safety lamps more sophisticated but ultimately delicate and impractical – his design required manual air pumping, used fragile glass that broke easily underground, and was too heavy for regular use. The same principle applies to mine-water heating. Straightforward, direct policies can cut through red tape to get projects up and running without unnecessary bureaucratic complications.

    Simple safety lamps like these were used by UK miners.
    Image Seeker/Shutterstock

    For mine-water heating to work on a larger scale, funding must be easier to access, especially for regions hardest hit by the decline of coal. The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero could allocate funds specifically for these areas, giving them a fair chance to develop projects without having to compete with wealthier regions.

    New rules should clearly set a timeline for gaining the permission to access and exploit the underground heat. This would give developers confidence and attract investment. The US and New Zealand show how clear rules can boost interest in renewables.

    To overcome the skills shortage, the Indian government introduced a corporate social responsibility law whereby companies are required to invest a portion of their profits into local projects. Applying this approach in the UK could encourage fossil fuel companies to fund training and support local green initiatives. It could also provide opportunities for laid-off workers unable to find similar high-paying jobs abroad and training for local workers in former mining communities.

    Mine water isn’t just a low-carbon heating source, it’s a chance to deliver justice to communities long left behind. But achieving this will require decisive action from policymakers. Unlocking this hidden resource can help power the UK’s green transition.

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

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

    Cathy Hollis receives funding from the Natural Environment Research Council. She is affiliated with and President of the International Association of Sedimentology, a not-for-profit, non-political scientific society.

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

    – ref. How mine water could warm up the UK’s forgotten coal towns – https://theconversation.com/how-mine-water-could-warm-up-the-uks-forgotten-coal-towns-241834

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Birth of India: ‘biggest experiment’ with democracy was a huge gamble. Happily the people have made it work – here’s how

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Tripurdaman Singh, British Academy Postdoctoral Fellow, Institute of Commonwealth Studies, School of Advanced Study, University of London

    The birth of Indian democracy is the stuff of legend. It was a moment of such staggering idealism and exuberance, a leap of faith so audacious, that the famous jurist and scholar Kenneth Wheare termed it “the biggest liberal experiment in democratic government” that the world had seen.

    At its centre lay the country’s new constitution. That document, with its fabled chapter of fundamental rights, transformed in one stroke what had been the world’s largest colony into the world’s largest democracy.

    Think about the origins of this constitution. It promised freedom to a fifth of humanity. It embodied the enfranchisement of the world’s largest electorate and the conversion of colonial subjects into rights-bearing citizens.

    This very exuberance has often been used to direct attention to its functional shortcomings. But today, 75 years on with Narendra Modi at the helm and the country classified in 2024 as an “electoral autocracy” by the V-Vdem (Varieties of Democracy) institute, it has also become a powerful tool to highlight Indian democracy’s contemporary problems.

    India’s notoriously fractured opposition was able to assemble a coalition to take on Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the 2024 general election. It did so by appealing to the liberal vision underpinning the constitution. But have things really changed so much since the constitution’s adoption in 1950?



    Read more:
    Moments of hope: how Indians keep pushing back against the hollowing out of democracy

    Democracy in decline? The risk and rise of authoritarianism

    Democracy is under pressure around the world in 2025. But is this part of a larger historical cycle or does it signal a deeper, more fundamental shift? Join us for a free event in central London on May 8 to discuss these important questions. Come for a panel discussion and stay for food, drinks and conversation.
    Get tickets here

    Unlike its American counterpart, India’s constitution is not animated by the impulse to limit political power and secure public freedom. It is dominated by the idea of enabling political power for the aim of social and economic reform.

    It aimed to create a state explicitly committed to achieving what India founders believed to be social, economic and political justice. As the country’s first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru put it, they were freeing India “through a new constitution to feed the starving people and clothe the naked masses”.

    This is partly explained by the circumstances of independent India’s birth. This was marked by violence, the upheaval of partition and a fear of balkanisation if the country became fragmented by religious, ethnic and linguistic minorities.

    Added to this were the pressures of establishing political sovereignty. And this upheaval crashed against an uneducated and destitute population with no experience of democracy and deep-seated social divisions.

    But the larger truth is that, for independent India’s leaders, civil liberties were always eclipsed by what they saw as the more important concerns of destitution and social discrimination. They felt the urgency to secure the new state through which these concerns were to be addressed.

    This required substantial restrictions of civic freedoms and the licensing of coercive state power. From the outset, the constitution enshrined centralisation and executive supremacy.

    It retained the “bureaucratic authoritarianism” of its British colonial predecessor, by placing authority in the hands of appointed bureaucrats rather than elected officials.

    It also gave the centre power over the states, enabling it to create and dismember provinces at will, and it gave the executive power over the legislature. The government can dictate when parliament is summoned or prorogued and can rule by executive decree in its absence.

    It also gave the state power over the citizen. Almost every fundamental right guaranteed in part III of the constitution is qualified on nebulous grounds such as public order, the security of the state or social harmony.

    Soaring rhetoric about freedom masked the reality that the constitution concentrated power to an unprecedented degree and enabled a vast armoury of coercive laws. As Somnath Lahiri, member of the constituent assembly for Bengal and the leader of the Communist Party of India remarked sarcastically in a debate in April 1947, the provisions for fundamental rights seemed to have “been framed from the point of view of a police constable”.

    The Preventive Detention Act, the first piece of legislation passed in the new democratic republic in February 1950, allowed the government to preemptively jail anyone without a trial and without recourse to judicial review.

    It’s ample testament to the fact that the constitution was never intended as a bulwark in the service of liberal individualism – whatever the framers might have said at the time.

    Diluting liberalism

    Since the constitution’s adoption there have been more than 106 amendments and additions. These have further diluted the constitution’s liberal intentions and eroded even the limited system of checks and balances.

    The tenth schedule – or “anti-defection law” – added in 1985 is one egregious example. It forces individual legislators to vote according to party diktats on pain of disqualification.

    This has cemented the grip of party bosses on legislative parties, disempowered individual legislators and degraded parliamentary oversight. Since the threat of backbench rebellions has become negligible, majoritarianism has become entrenched.

    Concentration of power and its use by the executive are, by design, baked into India’s constitutional order and institutional structure, which has always been inhospitable terrain for any rights and freedoms beyond voting and elections. Anti-democratic tendencies operate through constitutional means, hindering the establishment of the principles of legality and legislative primacy.

    Given this situation, it is hardly surprising that almost all governments in India have used the powers they have been granted for these very purposes.

    Nehru’s rule saw a first amendment which drastically curtailed freedom of speech. It also introduced a special schedule in the constitution to protect unconstitutional legislation from judicial review, and draconian legislation such as the laws to enable preventive detention.

    Nehru’s daughter Indira Gandhi suspended the constitution for 21 months from 1975 to 1977 in a state of emergency, when her leadership came under threat. Her government forcibly sterilised thousands as part of a botched population control programme. Yet everything was duly legal and constitutional.

    Modi’s growing authoritarianism, his attacks on opposition media and those who oppose him in the judiciary, then, are less a departure from the norm than a confirmation of it. The real story lies elsewhere.

    It is not the constitution or the legislature that is the most important issue here. It has actually been the disinclination of India’s voters to deliver parliamentary majorities too often that has constituted the major check on executive power.

    For 25 years between 1989 and 2014, voters delivered split mandates and coalition governments, which diluted and dispersed political power. Unsurprisingly, this caused the country’s democracy indices to rise. These actually peaked in the 2000s when the ruling coalitions comprised upwards of a dozen parties. But the underlying problems remained the same.

    When the voters, contrary to all expectations, elected yet another coalition to office in 2024, they understood what the country’s liberal intelligentsia has consistently failed to grasp. It is not the celebrated constitution, but the Indian voters themselves that have, over the years, doggedly held authoritarianism at bay. Only time will tell how long they will continue to do this.

    Tripurdaman Singh receives funding from the British Academy and from Fonds National Suisse. He is currently affiliated to the Geneva Graduate Institute, where I am an Ambizione Fellow at the Albert Hirschman Centre on Democracy.

    – ref. Birth of India: ‘biggest experiment’ with democracy was a huge gamble. Happily the people have made it work – here’s how – https://theconversation.com/birth-of-india-biggest-experiment-with-democracy-was-a-huge-gamble-happily-the-people-have-made-it-work-heres-how-252564

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: When dogs return to nature – just how domesticated are our pooches really?

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Jacqueline Boyd, Senior Lecturer in Animal Science, Nottingham Trent University

    Photobox.ks/Shutterstock

    It’s hard to imagine a beloved pet dog surviving in the world. But reports of a 4 kg miniature dachshund looking well 500 days after she escaped during a family holiday is raising questions about how dependent our dogs really are on their humans. Our loyal pooches may be less domesticated than we like to think.

    In November 2023, Valerie, a black and tan dachshund, went on holiday with her family. They visited Kanagaroo island off the south Australian coast, an area famous for its wildlife, including koalas and sea lions. During the holiday, Valerie vanished from her family’s campsite.

    Initially there were local sightings of Valerie, wearing her little pink collar, but she refused to be caught and gradually, reported sightings slowed. Her owners were shocked she had survived even one night alone because she was a pampered dog who “never left” their side.

    Now, well over a year since she went missing, Valerie has been sighted again still apparently choosing to be wild and free. A local wildlife rescue organisation is trying to track and catch Valerie with cameras and traps to return the plucky pooch home.

    Dependent dogs?

    Dogs and humans have lived together for more than 15,000 years, longer than any other domesticated animal. During that time, dogs have changed considerably from their early ancestors both physically and behaviourally. This is a result of human preferences and selection for particular characteristics, such as flat faces as seen in pugs, or working ability.

    The close relationship we typically have with dogs as friends and family members makes it easy to view them as dependent upon us.

    The reality however, is probably a little less “Lassie come home” and more “the call of the wild”.

    Not all dogs are pets

    The global dog population is estimated to be around 500 million. The majority of these dogs live on the edges of human society as feral, pariah or street dogs and are often viewed as pests rather than cuddly companions. These dogs largely exist on human-derived food sources including waste and faecal matter, but otherwise generally live successfully, independent of human care and management.

    Dogs evolved as highly efficient scavengers, eating a mixed diet. Many of those traits remain in our canine companions. Pet dog behaviour we often label problematic, including counter-surfing and poop eating, stems from their scavenging characteristics.

    This means that even dogs living lives of luxury can survive in extreme situations. This might help to explain Valerie’s apparent independence on Kangaroo Island, where she is presumed to be living on roadkill, carrion and natural fresh water.

    The abundant wildlife on the island, such as birds and small rodents, might partly account for Valerie’s success, especially as dachshunds were developed as hunting dogs, shaped for squeezing into animal burrows. Even highly domesticated dogs have been known to hunt independently and cooperatively with each other. One report from the 1990s, describes a pack of dogs hunting humans in Newfoundland, Canada, after they were abandoned on a remote island.

    The dogs of Chernobyl also reveal their ability to adapt to changing circumstances. A population of dogs survives in the vicinity of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant that was destroyed in a catastrophic incident in 1986. These dogs probably originate from strays or once-loved family pets who were released immediately following the accident and have diverged to two separate breeding populations. Notably, the dogs of Chernobyl appear to be surviving and breeding successfully, without direct human intervention.

    Homeward bound

    Despite the evidence suggesting that Valerie and her canine cousins might have impressive survival skills, this can create challenges for other animals.

    Dogs can be problematic in many ecosystems causing damage and spreading disease. This applies to our beloved pets as well as stray and free-living dogs. Cases of domestic dogs interbreeding with local wildlife,, including foxes and endangered species, are concerning for conservationists.

    So efforts to return Valerie back home are important for the island wildlife too.

    When dogs go missing, the vast majority return home quickly and safely. Occasionally stories of faithful dogs finding their family hit the headlines, but these stories are the exception to the norm and many lost pets sadly never return to their original home.

    Part of responsible canine caregiving is ensuring that dogs wear identification, and are microchipped, so that if found, they can be quickly returned home. Combining this with essential skills such as recall can go a long way to keeping your dog safe.

    Should the worst happen and your dog does go missing, seek professional advice from local dog wardens, walkers and vets. Many lost dogs will quickly enter survival mode, making even the most human-oriented dog wary of people, including their family members. This means experienced advice is essential.

    Valerie the valiant dachshund gives us a fascinating insight to the survival capabilities and behavioural adaptability of our domestic dogs. Hopefully it won’t be too long before she is safely returned to her home comforts.

    Jacqueline Boyd is affiliated with The Kennel Club (UK) through membership and as advisor to the Health Advisory Group. Jacqueline is a full member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT #01583) and she also writes, consults and coaches on canine matters on an independent basis, in addition to her academic affiliation at Nottingham Trent University.

    – ref. When dogs return to nature – just how domesticated are our pooches really? – https://theconversation.com/when-dogs-return-to-nature-just-how-domesticated-are-our-pooches-really-253265

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Canada is lagging in innovation, and that’s a problem for funding the programs we care about

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Andrew Maxwell, Bergeron Chair in Technology Entrepreneurship, Lassonde School of Engineering, York University, Canada

    As Canadians prepare to vote in another federal election, the country’s economy faces a sobering reality. As the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) notes, productivity is stagnating, our innovation performance lags global peers and high-potential startups often fail to scale.

    Despite these warning signs, innovation policy remains largely absent from political discourse. Canadians hear a great deal about how political parties are going to spend money, but little about where the money is going to come from.

    This is a critical oversight. Canada’s enduring productivity gap is more than an economic statistic — it’s why the country is struggling to sustain the social programs, such as health care and education, that Canadians value.

    If Canadians want to maintain their standard of living, Canada must close that gap through a more deliberate, strategic approach to innovation.

    Innovation is economic strategy

    In today’s knowledge-based economy, as business executive and innovator Jim Balsillie observes, power flows to countries that own digital data and their “value-added applications” (like apps or platforms) and intellectual property.

    Countries like the United States, China and South Korea have embedded innovation into national strategy, investing in sectors like artificial intelligence (AI), clean technology and biotech to drive growth and resilience. Canada, by contrast, has taken a fragmented, reactive approach.

    Canada’s over-reliance on research and development (R&D) spending and patent counts has failed to translate into commercial success. According to the OECD, Canada ranks among the highest in public R&D investment but among the lowest in innovation outcomes such as productivity growth and technology adoption.

    Canada also often conflates research with innovation. While both are vital, innovation is about turning knowledge into use through deployment, adoption, commercialization and scaling. Much of today’s transformative innovation, particularly in AI and software, depends on the transfer of tacit knowledge (related to things like user insights, execution experience and expertise in a particular domain) not just codified knowledge (for example, patents, technical drawings and licenses).

    Why innovation policy fails

    Governments struggle with innovation because it defies conventional policymaking:

    • It requires failure tolerance. Innovation is iterative. But political systems fear failure.

    • It demands long-term vision. Results may take years, beyond typical electoral cycles.

    • It’s technically complex. Few policymakers have deep expertise in emerging technologies or understand the research and development process.

    • It’s often misunderstood. Funding research is not the same as building innovation capacity or developing innovation processes.

    • It’s hard to quantify. Quantifying innovation outcomes is complex and challenging to measure, making it also difficult to measure return.

    As economist and innovation policy expert Mariana Mazzucato argued in The Entrepreneurial State: Debunking Public vs. Private Sector Myths, innovation success depends on bold missions, cross-sector collaboration and a willingness to learn from failure. Canada’s current model lacks these ingredients.

    Breaking the cycle of failure

    To break this cycle, Canada needs a non-partisan national innovation institution — an agency empowered to advise on strategy, evaluate outcomes and embed technical expertise into policy at the federal, provincial and municipal levels.

    Models like DARPA from the U.S., Vinnova from Sweden and the Israel Innovation Authority show how long-term, high-impact innovation can be achieved with the right institutional scaffolding and appropriate knowledge.

    Video about Vinnova, Sweden’s national innovation agency.

    Canadians have created a number of innovation organizations with national implications, such as the Council of Canadian Academies, the CD Howe Institute, Canada Foundation for Innovation and the Institute for Competitiveness and Prosperity (ICP), which closed in 2019.

    Yet none have been national organizations that addressed the broad proposed mandate to explicitly advise governments on technology and policy strategy, evaluate innovation outcomes and embed technical expertise into recommendations.

    A non-partisan national innovation institution must:

    1. Track outcomes more than inputs. Innovation success can be measured by a number of project- or industry-specific outcomes, such as productivity, firm growth and export revenue. The ICP proposed measuring the “prosperity gap,” comparing innovation performance to peer jurisdictions.

    2. Support long-term strategic objectives, focusing on Canada’s strengths in critical areas like AI, clean technology, energy health-care technology, and leveraging expertise and experience in these and other areas.

    3. Embed technology experts alongside health-care and education experts in the decision-making process. Recruit scientists, engineers and entrepreneurs to anticipate technology and market trends, guiding both implementation and policy development.

    4. Differentiate innovation from research. Support both, but recognize the differences and explicitly link innovation to adoption and new use cases.

    5. Promote value capture. Ensure Canadian firms and the country benefit from and retain control of key technologies that enable them to scale domestically.

    6. Recognize the inherent risks in innovation and the potential for failure. Evaluate and build on impact and learn from failure to enhance innovation processes and improve future outcomes.

    7. Align our educational institutions with innovation goals revising programs, creating more flexible learning options and enhancing entrepreneurship so that more research outcomes are commercialized.

    These steps aren’t hypothetical. They’re backed by evidence from countries that have succeeded in turning innovation into sustained economic performance.

    Why now?

    Canada’s economy is heavily dependent on resource exports and vulnerable to technological disruption. Meanwhile, the global AI and clean tech races are accelerating. Canada is at risk of falling further behind — not just economically, but geopolitically.

    But Canada also has strengths: world-class researchers, diverse entrepreneurial talent and global partnerships. What’s missing is a cohesive national strategy to harness this potential. Creating a non-partisan innovation institution would be a powerful first step.

    If Canadians want to provide revenue for governments decide how to fund education, health care and climate adaptation, they must grow their economy. And to do that, Canada needs smarter innovation policy.

    It’s time to stop celebrating activity and start rewarding outcomes. Let’s build the structures that allow Canadian ingenuity to thrive — not in theory, but in practice.

    Andrew Maxwell works for York University, but received no direct benefit from comments in this article. He receives funding from various research agencies for his work in the area, but none of which creates the potential for conflict. He is a member of the Academy of Management, the International Society for Professional Innovation Management and Professional Engineers Ontario..

    – ref. Canada is lagging in innovation, and that’s a problem for funding the programs we care about – https://theconversation.com/canada-is-lagging-in-innovation-and-thats-a-problem-for-funding-the-programs-we-care-about-254423

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Breaking copyright law can help EDM DJs get more gigs, but there’s a catch

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Amandine Ody-Brasier, Associate Professor of Organizational Behavior, McGill University

    DJs who release illegal remixes improve their chances of getting hired for live gigs, but only when their actions are seen as selfless. (Shutterstock)

    In most industries, breaking the law can end a career. But in the electronic dance music (EDM) scene, certain forms of lawbreaking can have the opposite effect.

    Our recent study found that DJs who release illegal remixes — also called bootlegs — can improve their chances of getting hired for live gigs, but only when their actions are seen as serving the broader community rather than as a self-serving tactic.

    Most EDM artists support and respect copyright law and know that sharing a remix online without the permission of the copyright owner is illegal. They also recognize the importance of respecting others’ work, as illustrated by the public apology issued by Dutch DJ Hardwell in a recent feud with Swedish House Mafia over a trio of bootlegs.

    Yet in practice, bootlegs are not necessarily condemned, and in some cases, can even be supported by the community.

    Not all bootlegs are the same

    We studied the careers of nearly 39,000 DJs across 97 countries from 2007 to 2016, tracking their music production activity and live performances. Given the legal and reputational risks involved, illegal remixing is relatively uncommon. Our data suggest that fewer than 10 per cent of EDM DJs post bootlegs online.

    Still, we found that those who do post bootlegs tend to get more gigs than those who produce legal remixes or original tracks.

    Bootlegging refers to the unauthorized remixing, editing or distribution of a track without the official permission of the original artist or copyright holder.
    (Shutterstock)

    To better understand this surprising result, we complemented our secondary data analyses with an expert survey, an online experiment with almost 900 EDM fans and interviews with 34 industry professionals including DJs, promoters and label managers.

    Interestingly, we found that bootlegs weren’t generally seen as more creative, higher quality or attention-grabbing than legal remixes or original tracks. So why then did some DJs benefit from them?

    The answer lies in how the broader EDM community perceived the bootlegger’s intentions.

    Valuing disinterestedness

    We found that artists who were seen as disinterested — breaking the law to give back to the community — tended to be rewarded, despite violating copyright law.

    When bootlegs were perceived as homages to a peer, a gift to fans or a way to revive a beloved song, it triggered community support for the artist. Specifically, other community members would step in and provide that artist with more opportunities to perform and open for peers.

    Sharing a bootleg online increased the number of monthly opening acts a DJ played by 4.4 per cent — twice the impact of releasing official remixes or original music.

    This could explain seemingly surprising responses to bootlegs, like in 2019, when a young DJ named Imanbek Zeikenov remixed “Roses” by Saint Jhn and shared it online without obtaining the proper rights.

    The EDM community reacted positively to the remix, which helped propel Zeikenov’s career forward. He has since become an established artist and has opened for high-profile artists, including Saint Jhn himself.

    It’s clear the EDM community places a lot of value on disinterestedness. But the inverse is also true: when bootlegs were believed to be self-serving attempts to ride someone else’s success, the support quickly waned.

    In fact, bootleggers perceived as self-serving experienced a decrease of up to 10 per cent in the number of monthly bookings.

    Norms take precedence over formal regulations

    Many occupational communities rely on informal norms. Usually, the degree to which formal regulations align with an industry’s core values determines whether a community promotes, discourages or only superficially supports compliance with the law.

    However, in more ambiguous situations, compliance becomes discretionary, meaning community members must interpret unlawful actions themselves and decide whether to enforce or overlook them.

    While formal rules exist in EDM — like copyright law — they’re not always strictly enforced. When this happens, a community’s norms fill in the gap in a process known as “occupational self-regulation.” In the EDM scene, these informal norms include unspoken rules about remixing, collaboration and credit.

    As our study shows, this ambiguity has resulted in a system where EDM artists who break copyright laws can still gain informal support, provided their actions are seen as disinterested and beneficial to the broader community.

    Breaking the rules for the right reasons

    It’s important to note that EDM artists do not encourage lawbreaking per se, and that the DJs we interviewed described bootlegging as a practice born out of necessity — something artists resort to when they lack the resources to clear tracks.

    Community support in EDM hinges less on strict legal compliance and more on how an artist’s intent is perceived. For emerging DJs, this creates a delicate balancing act: breaking the law carries real risks, but under certain circumstances, it can paradoxically open a path to a legitimate career.

    EDM isn’t the only field where this kind of phenomenon occurs. It’s likely that other creative occupations that value disinterestedness will see similar dynamics play out. This is also true in academia or tech. For example, patent infringement in bioscience research may be treated differently, at least in part, because of perceived differences in scientists’ intentions.

    Ultimately, how these transgressions are judged comes down to their perceived motives and how the broader community makes sense of them. Sometimes, breaking the law isn’t just tolerated, but can even be a stepping stone to professional success.

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

    – ref. Breaking copyright law can help EDM DJs get more gigs, but there’s a catch – https://theconversation.com/breaking-copyright-law-can-help-edm-djs-get-more-gigs-but-theres-a-catch-252593

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Why weakening U.S. bank regulators could repeat the mistakes of the 2008 financial crisis

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By William D. O’Connell, Postdoctoral Research Associate, Center for Political Economy, Columbia University

    As United States President Donald Trump’s tariff announcements wreak havoc on stock markets, concerns are mounting over the possibility of a global financial crisis.

    These concerns have intensified amid reports that the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), headed by Tesla founder Elon Musk, has set its sights on the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) — the U.S. agency responsible for protecting deposits and administering bank insolvencies.

    The targeting of the FDIC appears to mark an escalation in the Trump administration’s efforts to rein in regulatory agencies. In February, an executive order issued issued by Trump expanded his control over independent regulators, including the FDIC.

    What sets the FDIC apart from other agencies targeted by DOGE is that it’s not under direct executive authority and it isn’t funded by the U.S. government. Instead, the FDIC is funded through levies on the banks it monitors — a structure designed to insulate it from political pressure.

    An escalating campaign over regulation

    In February, the FDIC cut 1,000 new and temporary staff as part of DOGE’s broader cuts to the federal bureaucracy. According to a regulatory official, DOGE has reportedly been reviewing the agency’s contracts and staffing.

    In December, Trump administration officials reportedly floated abolishing the FDIC with prospective nominees for various bank regulatory appointments.

    More recently, in February, DOGE and U.S. administration officials attempted to dismantle the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, a separate regulator that was established after the 2008 financial crisis. A judge moved to block this process in late March after finding the administration had acted “completely in violation of law.”

    There are also reports suggesting the FDIC’s regulatory and intervention functions could be transferred to the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC). Unlike the FDIC, the OCC is under the authority of the Treasury Department, therefore lacking the same degree of operational independence. This risks further politicizing decisions on bank regulation or intervention.

    Any of these reforms would be a disaster for the stability of the global financial system.

    What the FDIC does and why it matters

    Deposit insurers like the FDIC cover losses for deposits in the event of a bank failure. In theory, this coverage is capped at $250,000 in the U.S. and $100,000 in Canada. In practice, as the failure of Silicon Valley Bank in 2023 made clear, there is no upper limit to this insurance.

    This insurance serves two main purposes. First, it protects everyday people and small businesses from risks taken by their banks. Two, it prevents panic, as it means depositors have no reason to rush to withdraw their money before a bank collapses.

    The FDIC and its Canadian equivalent, the Canadian Deposit Insurance Corporation, have the authority to intervene when banks fail, ensuring they are wound down in an orderly fashion without a bailout or broader economic disruption.

    During the 2008 financial crisis, few mechanisms other than taxpayer-funded bailouts existed to rescue the financial system. Post-crisis reforms, like the Dodd–Frank Act, granted the FDIC more power help address systemically important bank failures with a broader set of tools. Many of these reforms were negotiated at the international level.

    Project 2025, a Heritage Foundation plan that has supported many of DOGE’s interventions, has called to repeal these reforms. Dismantling or undermining the FDIC would strip the U.S. of one of its most effective ways to respond to a financial crisis.

    The FDIC also plays a role in monitoring large banks, alongside the Federal Reserve and the OCC. At the international level, the FDIC works with foreign regulators to plan for the possibility of a crisis, and to implement solutions if one occurs.

    Global financial system at risk

    In 2023, the FDIC failed to prevent the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank largely due to two key reasons: deregulation enacted during the first Trump administration and staffing shortages that existed even before the February cuts.

    However, once the FDIC did intervene, it was able to contain the crisis and prevent wider fallout. Weakening the FDIC, as has occurred with other U.S. federal agencies, would greatly reduce its ability to perform this function in the future. Fewer regulators means less oversight and more risk-taking behaviour by financial institutions.



    Read more:
    What Canada can learn from the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank

    Limiting the FDIC’s capacity to intervene would effectively return the U.S. to a pre-2008 world in which large banks operated with the expectation of public bailouts. This is a hazard made more dangerous by the fact that many of those banks are much larger and more interconnected than they were back then.

    Foreign regulators also rely heavily on the FDIC for information on the health of U.S. banks and U.S.-based subsidiaries of foreign banks. This co-operation was crucial to ensuring a smooth resolution when global bank Credit Suisse failed in 2023. Without a reliable, independent FDIC, these relationships may fall apart, leaving the world with few options to avoid another financial meltdown.

    Global financial stability depends, in large part, on U.S. leadership. But recent developments indicate the current administration no longer believes this responsibility is in its best interests. If this view extends to the FDIC’s role in regulating and resolving too-big-to-fail banks, the world faces risks far greater than just volatility in the stock market.

    William D. O’Connell 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. Why weakening U.S. bank regulators could repeat the mistakes of the 2008 financial crisis – https://theconversation.com/why-weakening-u-s-bank-regulators-could-repeat-the-mistakes-of-the-2008-financial-crisis-254365

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Playing and exploring outdoors brings risk – and that’s good for children

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Adele Doran, Principal Lecturer/Research & Innovation Lead, Sheffield Hallam University

    sirtravelalot/Shutterstock

    We are currently in the midst of a youth mental health crisis. In 2023 in England, a fifth of children aged eight to 16 had a probable mental disorder.

    One way to address children’s wellbeing is through letting them take part in outdoor risky play.

    When climbing trees, building dens, riding a bike fast, constructing rafts to float on water, or exploring a woodland, children make their own decisions on which risks to take and which to avoid. This empowers children to be decisive and independent in other situations, such as in their transition to secondary school, rather than relying on adult prompting or direction.

    Progressive incremental exposure to uncertainty and risk builds resilience and enhances overall wellbeing in young people. In our own research with 622 teenagers, we used questionnaires to measure their resilience and wellbeing before and after taking part in an outdoor adventure education residential trip. We found that their scores for wellbeing increased by 23%, their resilience by 36%.

    Outdoor risky play supports experimentation and exploration. It helps children develop social skills such as turn-taking and cooperation, and so gives them tools to overcome future challenges. It nurtures their curiosity. Children can be revitalised by being in nature, and by the adventurous uncertainty of playing without rules and restrictions.

    Forest school and residential trips

    One way children can play in this risky way with the support to build a healthy relationship with nature and risk is through regular attendance at a forest school.

    The forest school is a form of outdoor education where hands-on learning takes place in a woodland environment. It offers the chance for children to connect with nature, experience risk, build social skills and be active in their learning. This may include activities such as cooking on a campfire, doing nature-based arts and crafts, or building a den. It can be a weekly activity that children take part in for a few hours.

    Longer residential trips offer an extended opportunity to experience aspects of learning outdoors. These might be organised by a school or club, and include a variety of activities, such as orienteering, rock climbing, abseiling, and land and sea expeditions. These are aimed at developing leadership skills, resilience, autonomy and confidence. Children are challenged by exploring unfamiliar environments.

    Children make their own decisions about which risks to take.
    Sergey Novikov/Shutterstock

    However, in order to be beneficial, risky outdoor play needs to be frequent, progressive and to take place throughout a child’s education. The benefits it provides cannot be achieved with a one-time forest school or residential experience.

    One option would be to make forest school and outdoor play a regular part of children’s school education.

    But the current schooling system in the UK and – in England – the school qualities valued by Ofsted do not support the holistic development of children. A school’s worth is primarily measured by attendance and attainment in a limited number of core subjects. Few opportunities exist for schools to implement a range of activities that purposefully boost and sustain learners’ wellbeing and encourage risky play.

    A shift in thinking is required for schools to recognise the worth of outdoor risky play, and for teachers to be empowered to embed the culture of educated risk-taking within and beyond their school gates.

    There have been calls in the Welsh and Scottish governments for a universal entitlement to a weeklong residential trip. Campaigns in England have called for all children to be guaranteed time in nature. But actual progress towards a goal of broadening opportunities for accessing outdoor activities and experiencing risky play is glacial.

    At a point in time when children have faced unprecedented upheaval and threats to their wellbeing, it has never been more important to create daily opportunities for them to build their ability to deal with uncertainties. Experiencing the outdoors and positive risk-taking are fundamental to the everyday lives of all young people.

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

    – ref. Playing and exploring outdoors brings risk – and that’s good for children – https://theconversation.com/playing-and-exploring-outdoors-brings-risk-and-thats-good-for-children-249538

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: From trauma to anxiety and depression, how online sexual harassment can seriously harm victims’ mental health

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Freya O’Brien, Senior Lecturer in Policing, Liverpool John Moores University

    dean bertoncelj/Shutterstock

    In today’s hyperconnected world, where much of our social and professional lives plays out online, the digital realm should feel safe and respectful. But for many, particularly women, young boys and marginalised groups, that’s far from reality. Cyber-sexual harassment is a growing and deeply harmful issue that demands greater awareness and action.

    Cyber-sexual harassment describes a wide range of unwanted or abusive sexual behaviour online. Gender harassment includes offensive messages, images, or memes targeting someone’s gender, often without direct sexual content – but still deeply degrading. Unwanted sexual attention online can take the form of unsolicited sexting or cyberflashing – sending sexually explicit images to another person without their consent.



    Read more:
    Cyberflashing is a form of gendered sexual violence that must be taken seriously

    Sexual coercion is using threats, blackmail or emotional manipulation to force someone into sharing intimate content or engaging in sexual behaviour online. A growing concern is sextortion – where victims are blackmailed with private images, often under, sometimes unbearable, pressure.

    According to UK police data, an average of 117 sextortion cases involving children were reported monthly between January and May 2024. The Internet Watch Foundation even found children as young as 11 being targeted.

    Terrible toll

    Cyber-sexual harassment isn’t just invasive – it’s damaging. Our study builds on clinical psychologist Marvin Iroegbu’s doctoral research on the relationship between cyber-sexual harassment and psychological difficulties in women. We found that women who experienced online sexual harassment reported significantly poorer mental health than those who hadn’t. Anxiety, depression, trauma and poor body image were all more likely. Our research suggests that this may stem from increased self-objectification and a heightened focus on physical appearance due to being targeted.

    Government research shows that women experience online abuse more frequently – and more severely – than men. Unwanted images, comments and messages are just the beginning. And the impact starts young. Studies highlight the psychological toll on both children and adults, noting that unexpected, anonymous and rapid abuse can leave victims feeling fearful, powerless, deeply ashamed and with low self-esteem.

    Our research also found that younger women and those with large social media followings are more frequently targeted for cyber-sexual harassment. This may be due to greater online visibility or time spent on platforms. Our study also found that women in newer or no romantic relationships reported higher levels of harassment.

    There’s also a clear link between online and offline abuse. Victims of cyber-sexual harassment were more likely to report in-person harassment too. According to the European Institute for Gender Equality, online abuse often mirrors and extends to real-world gender-based violence.

    Unequal burden

    Cyber-sexual harassment disproportionately affects LGBT+ people and ethnic minorities. LGBT+ people often face sexualised threats, non-consensual outing and image-based abuse. People from ethnic minorities, meanwhile, are often subjected to racially charged sexual abuse, combining racism and misogyny.

    Research into how cyber-sexual harassment affects these groups is still lacking, however. Many national cybercrime studies fail to include data on race, gender identity, or sexual orientation – making it harder to advocate for targeted support.

    While the Online Safety Bill now allows for prosecution of offences such as cyberflashing – with recent convictions in some cases leading to prison sentences for the offender – many victims still don’t report abuse. Barriers include frustrating reporting systems, victim-blaming, and the perception among victims that their complaints won’t be taken seriously.

    New legislation should be assessed to see whether it sufficiently supports victims, encourages reporting, leads to convictions and deters perpetrators.

    Many charities and organisations now provide support for online abuse victims – but more needs to be done. Mental health professionals are encouraged to consider online experiences as part of their patient assessments. Meanwhile, research like ours explores how different types of cyber-sexual harassment – such as the frequency or content of explicit messages – affect people differently.

    One thing is clear: cyber-sexual harassment is intrusive, traumatic and rooted in a lack of respect for consent. Cyberflashing and other forms of online sexual abuse are not harmless jokes. They’re violations. And no one should have to deal with them in silence.

    Freya O’Brien 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. From trauma to anxiety and depression, how online sexual harassment can seriously harm victims’ mental health – https://theconversation.com/from-trauma-to-anxiety-and-depression-how-online-sexual-harassment-can-seriously-harm-victims-mental-health-226531

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –