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Category: Science

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Polytechnic University presented the book “Peter the Great: Meanings and Discourses of Time”

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University – Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University –

    On February 7, in anticipation of two important dates in Russian history – the 300th anniversary of the death of Russian Emperor Peter I and Russian Science Day, the House of Books hosted a presentation of the monograph “Peter the Great: Meanings and Discourses of Time”, written by Marina Arkannikova, Director of the Higher School of Media Communications and Public Relations of the SPbPU Institute of Geography.

    The Arts Hall of the Book House brought together students and teachers of the Polytechnic University, residents and guests of the city for an important conversation about the legacy of the first Russian emperor. The discussion combined a historical assessment and analysis of existential threats, geopolitical challenges to Russia’s sovereignty, as well as tools for protecting the Russian world. Introducing her scientific work, Marina Sergeevna spoke about the idea of the publication and emphasized that the key task of the book was to rethink the contours of Russia’s civilizational future through the prism of Peter’s legacy.

    “Three centuries later, the genius of Peter the Great not only continues to amaze and excite the imagination, but has also determined the development of Russian social and political thought throughout this time, and has been the starting point for discussions about the historical fate of Russia and discussions about Russian civilization. His geopolitical vision and political rhetoric today, more than ever, are in tune with the country’s national security strategy, which defends sovereign rights to identity and statehood, the preservation of the nation’s cognitive code, and the protection of the mentality of the Russian world,” Marina Arkannikova addressed the meeting participants. “And today, on the eve of the date of Peter I’s death, this is not only a tribute to his memory, but also a relevant dialogue with the past, which helps us understand the present and future of our country.”

    The research conducted by Marina Sergeevna is fundamentally important for modern science, since it is a calm constructive attitude to the colossal potential of the Peter the Great theme, which records the museumification of Peter’s legacy, the politics of memory. Therefore, this book is very important today, – noted the author of the preface to the publication, Honored Scientist of the Russian Federation Grigory Tulchinsky.

    Speaking about the empirical part of the study, Marina Sergeevna thanked the Director General of the State Hermitage, Honorary Doctor of SPbPU Mikhail Piotrovsky for the opportunity to carry out sociological research of visitors to the Peter the Great Gallery, as well as for the provided photo materials from the exhibition. She expressed sincere gratitude for the support in the work on the publication to the reviewers, designer, editor, and administration of the Publishing and Printing Center of the Polytechnic University.

    Marina Arkannikova emphasized the value of the fact that the book presentation took place in the year of the 115th anniversary of the Polytechnic being given the name “St. Petersburg Polytechnic Institute of Emperor Peter the Great”. She told the audience that on January 19, 1910, Emperor Nicholas II signed a decree on assigning this status, which the university held until 1918, and only in 2015, on the initiative of SPbPU Rector Andrei Rudskoy, the Polytechnic was returned to its historical name.

    After the presentation, the audience asked questions. They noted the multifaceted and contradictory nature of Peter’s image, the influence of his reforms on Russian society and culture. Concluding the meeting, the presenter reminded that the book can be purchased at the Dom Knigi store.

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: From Declaration to action: Antimicrobial resistance initiatives centre stage at Jeddah conference

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI b

    Health

    Antimicrobial resistance initiatives are back in the spotlight as stakeholders gather in Jeddah, on the Saudi Arabian coast, a few months after a high-level meeting in New York led to the unanimous adoption of a political declaration by the UN General Assembly. With that declaration the 193-member body pledged concerted action against the under-recognized but serious health concern.

    Concerned parties from around the world gathered on Thursday at the Ritz-Carlton in the Red Sea city ahead of the 4th Global Ministerial Conference on AMR for a session focused on non-state actors – non-governmental organizations, private sector, academia and others – to work across sectors to address “one of the most urgent global health threats and development challenges”.

    The conference is expected to bring together representatives of 57 states, including 48 Ministers and Vice-Ministers, and more than 450 participants from leading international and civil society organizations, including UN offices and agencies.

    The aim is to move from “declaration to implementation” through multisectoral partnerships in the combat against antimicrobial resistance, which has had disastrous effects on health, economies, and societies, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.

    A silent pandemic

    When bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites stop responding to antimicrobial medications, it’s known as antimicrobial resistance. Drug resistance raises the risk of disease transmission, serious sickness, disability, and death by making antibiotics and other antimicrobial medications ineffective and making it harder or impossible to treat infections.

    In the political declaration adopted by the General Assembly, world leaders agreed to reduce the estimated five million human deaths associated with AMR annually by 10 per cent by 2030. They further called for sustainable national financing and $100 million in catalytic funding, to help achieve a target of at least 60 percent of countries having funded national action plans on AMR by 2030.

    It also formalized the Quadripartite Joint Secretariat on Antimicrobial Resistance, which includes the UN World Health Organization (WHO), the UN Development Programme (UNEP) and the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) along with the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH), as the central coordinating structure to support the global response.

    Minsitry of Health/Saudi Arabia

    Opening session of AMR, the urgent global health and socioeconomic crisis that threatens all age groups in all regions, especially with low- and middle-income countries most affected.

    Saudi Minister of Health Fahad Al-Jalajel has stressed the need to adopt a “One Health” approach that systematically addresses the obstacles hindering progress as AMR impacts humans, animals, and the environmental alike. “The Jeddah meeting is a crucial opportunity to strengthen our collective global response to the risks of this growing, silent pandemic”, he has said.

    The meeting will address priorities, including surveillance and stewardship, capacity building, funding provision, governance, innovation, research and development.

    UN News/Nabil Midani

    Political commitment at the highest level

    UN News is in Jeddah covering this global conference and spoke to Kathrine Urbaez, Executive Director of the Geneva-based non-governmental organization (NGO), Health Diplomacy Alliance.

    The Alliance focuses on advocacy and diplomacy to advance global health issues. She told us that the COVID-19 pandemic has proven the vital importance of ‘One Health’ policies and of garnering cooperation and awareness across sectors and stakeholders.

    Ms. Urbaez underscored the need to move from commitments to practical actions and added that the General Assembly’s Political Declaration and the Jeddah Conference are great steps in the right direction, and what is needed is to ensure that the political momentum continues. The Executive Director insisted that implementing commitments is feasible if there is a political will to do so, and establishing “a monitoring and accountability mechanism” is key.

    She added: “We have to see antimicrobial resistance from a really holistic global health perspective. I think it is important to have the involvement of politicians at the highest level, not only Ministers of Health, Environment, Agriculture or Finance. We really need political commitment to advance AMR policies and to engage in the one health approach”.

    More than a health threat

    The complexity of the issue, a lack of funding, and political will in some nations “with the competing health issues that governments have to grapple with” have made it difficult to move from policy documents to action, according to Julian Nyamupachitu, Deputy Director of ReAct Africa, a global network that works to catalyze action on AMR primarily in low- and middle-income countries.

    UN News/Nabil Midani

    As countries are reviewing and weighing new national plans, Ms. Nyamupachitu said ReAct Africa is helping them prioritize activities that are more practical, and use tools that are available to them to help inform their policy making, such as the WHO costing and budgeting tool.

    The Deputy Director said the Political Declaration was an improvement over its 2016 predecessor, but it would have been “good to see commitments, and not just targets” on funding.

    She said the theme “moving from declaration to implementation” is very timely and she hoped to see a serious commitment by Ministers in Jeddah.

    “I believe awareness has been raised. They have appreciated the statistics that have been shared. This is indeed a global health threat, not just affecting the health sector, not just affecting the agriculture, environment, and animal sectors, but it’s actually an economic problem as well”, she added.

    ‘The antibiotics market is broken’

    Michiel Peters is the Secretariat Representative of the AMR Industry Alliance, which includes companies and industry organizations in the fields of research and development (R&D), pharmaceuticals, generics, biotech and diagnostics. He also represents the broader private sector on the AMR Multi-Stakeholder Partnership Platform Steering Committee, which was established and is facilitated by the four organizations supporting the global response.

    UN News/Nabil Midani

    Mr. Peters said antibiotics are “fundamentally different” than any other product brought to market “where your goal would be to sell as much of it as possible”. He said with antibiotics, the goal is to get the “right drug to the right person when they need it”, which is not always a lucrative business. He also noted that developing antibiotics requires an “incredible amount of time and investment” and in many cases the drugs don’t reach the market, and so “the marketplace for antibiotics is broken”.

    Mr. Peter’s added that there is a serious lack of government funding and incentives for antibiotic R&D, but the larger concern is that “the researchers actually needed to do the science in the laboratories are leaving this field”, as opposed to diseases like cancer, for example, where research is strong.

    The private sector representative said a lot of progress was made since the first High-Level Meeting on AMR took place in 2016, but there is still so much more to do and “nobody can tackle this problem alone”. 

    He said the Jeddah conference and the plenary meeting for the Multi-Stakeholder Partnership Platform, running in parallel on the closing day, are both very important to see “not just what we can put on paper, but what it is that we are actually going to do”.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Will COP29 deliver the trillions needed to tackle the man-made climate crisis?

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI b

    Climate and Environment

    The latest round of UN climate negotiations, COP29, opened this past Monday in Baku, Azerbaijan, following a year that broke multiple extreme heat records and saw widespread climate-driven chaos – from wildfires to destructive floods and hurricanes – hit nearly every corner of the world. A major increase in financial commitments to assist vulnerable countries in mitigating and adapting to climate impacts is the main goal of this year’s conference, which has been dubbed the “climate finance COP.”

    Can countries agree on a new climate finance target?

    The UN’s main climate science body, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), has issued increasingly dire warnings about the accelerating pace of global warming. To limit temperature rise to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, substantial investments are needed in clean energy technologies, infrastructure, and adaptation measures.

    Developing countries, particularly small island nations and least developed countries, are disproportionately vulnerable to climate impacts like sea level rise, extreme weather events, and droughts. They require significant financial support to build resilience, transition to low-carbon economies, and compensate for loss and damage.

    The midway point at COP29 comes as leaders are heading to Brazil for next week’s G20 summit. 

    Round-the-clock negotiations in Baku on the always thorny topic of money are reportedly moving slowly. Delegates from developing nations are calling for more and faster progress on new funding for loss and damage and accelerated clean energy goals.

    Simon Stiell, Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), which convenes the annual COP meetings, had a message for G20 leaders early on Saturday before they hopped on their planes for Rio de Janeiro:

    “Climate finance progress outside of [the UNFCCC process] is equally crucial, and the G20’s role is mission-critical…the global climate crisis should be order of business Number One, in Rio next week. The [G20] Summit must send crystal clear global signals. That more grant and concessional finance will be available; that further reform of multilateral development banks is a top priority, and G20 governments – as their shareholders and taskmasters – will keep pushing for more reforms.”

    Finally, the UN climate chief said that “in turbulent times and a fracturing world, G20 leaders must signal loud and clear that international cooperation is still the best and only chance humanity has to survive global heating. There is no other way.”

    Earlier in the week, Mr. Stiell gave a stark assessment of the stakes: Worsening climate change and the socioeconomic damage it inflicts mean “billions of people simply cannot afford for their government to leave COP29 without a global climate finance goal.”

    “So, for leaders here and back in capitals – make it clear that you expect a strong set of outcomes. Tell your negotiators – skip the posturing – and move directly to finding common ground,” he said.

    In his opening remarks on Tuesday to the World Leaders Climate Action Summit, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said that 2024 has been “a masterclass in climate destruction.” He emphasized the critical role of climate finance in addressing the crisis: “The world must pay up, or humanity will pay the price…climate finance is not charity, it’s an investment. Climate action is not optional, it’s an imperative.”

    Mr. Stiell later echoed this sentiment: “Let’s dispense with the idea that climate finance is charity. An ambitious new climate finance goal is entirely in the self-interest of every single nation, including the largest and wealthiest.”

    Beyond the $100 billion pledge

    In 2009 at the 15th Conference of UNFCCC Parties (COP15) in Copenhagen, developed countries committed to mobilizing $100 billion per year in climate finance by 2020. While this target was finally met in 2022, it has been criticized as insufficient and delayed.

    At COP29, negotiators are aiming to set a new, more ambitious target for climate finance. Developing countries are pushing for a significantly higher figure, potentially in the trillions of dollars per year. However, discussions on the exact amount and the modalities for delivering the funds remain contentious.

    An early breakthrough on carbon

    A significant breakthrough on the opening day at COP29 was the adoption of Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, paving the way for a UN-backed global carbon market. This market will facilitate the trading of carbon credits, incentivizing countries to reduce emissions and invest in climate-friendly projects.

    James Grabert, head of the Mitigation Division at UN Climate Change, the shorthand by which the UNFCCC secretariat is known, said that this historic agreement will provide countries with a “valuable tool” to meet their climate targets and drive sustainable development.

    With COP29 coming on the heels of presidential polls in the United States, impact of a new US Administration on global climate action has been on the minds of many in the corridors of Baku Centre.

    At a press conference, President Hilda Heine of the Marshall Islands and Ireland’s Environment Minister Eamon Ryan stressed that despite worries about a US withdrawal from the Paris Agreement, the combat against climate change is a global effort that requires global cooperation towards a better economy for all. The two leaders also cited the ongoing progress by states and cities as reasons for hope.

    UNFCCC/Kiara Worth

    Around the clock negotiations are underway at COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, on a new global climate finance deal.

    A just transition, not a ‘stampede of greed’

    Before heading to the G20 summit in Brazil, Mr. Guterres held several climate-related meetings, including one on critical minerals essential for renewable energy technologies like solar panels, wind turbines, and electric vehicles.

    These minerals, such as copper, lithium, nickel, cobalt, and rare earth elements, are crucial for the transition away from fossil fuels, with demand expected to triple by 2030.

    Many of these minerals are found in Africa, which could benefit financially. However, there’s concern about a “resource curse,” where countries where these resources are located don’t benefit.

    Mr. Guterres emphasized managing demand without triggering a “stampede of greed” that exploits and crushes the poor but instead ensures local communities benefit.

    Dario Liguti from the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) also highlighted the need for “sustainable exploitation of these minerals”, especially in emerging markets, to protect the environment and support local communities. In April, the UN chief formed a High-Level Panel to ensure countries and communities with these resources benefit the most.

    © UN Office for Partnerships

    Youth activism and climate justice

    Young people around the world are increasingly demanding climate action and climate justice. They are calling on governments and businesses to take bold steps to reduce emissions, protect vulnerable communities, and create a sustainable future for all.

    After meeting with youth representatives and climate advocates at COP29, the Secretary-General posted on social media that he understood their frustrations: “You have every right to be angry. I am angry too…because we are on the verge of the climate abyss, and I don’t see enough urgency or political will to address the emergency.”

    Basmallah Rawash, a Climate Activist with Care About Climate, said, “We are not the ones that are supposed to carry the burden of mitigation. We are not the ones who have caused this, but we are the ones that will carry the burden of the biggest struggle at the moment.”

    The decisions made in Baku will have far-reaching consequences for generations to come. It is imperative that negotiators reach an ambitious agreement that delivers the finance needed to build a resilient and low-carbon future for all.

    Stay tuned to UN News! Our team in Baku will be following the action through the end of next week.

    Want to know more? Check out our special events page, where you can find all our coverage of COP29, including stories and videos, explainers and our newsletter.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Quantum Matters in Material Sciences (QMMS)

    Source: US Government research organizations

    As part of the JARVIS workshop series, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is organizing the 4th Quantum Matters in Materials Science (QMMS) workshop in-person on Feb 19-20, 2025. The workshop will be focused on quantum phenomena in emerging materials for next generation devices. All materials are inherently quantum in nature, but when quantum phenomena manifest at the classical scale can we hope to leverage their properties for applications. Large scale initiatives such as the Materials Genome Initiative, the National Quantum Initiative, and the CHIPS for America Act represent compelling approaches to investigate quantum materials and accelerate their development for quantum information systems (QIS), for the use in future integrated circuits, and other practical industrial applications. For these approaches and initiatives to be successful, it is essential to have good synergy between experimental and computational efforts. This workshop aims at streamlining this effort. To make the workshop as effective as possible, we plan to mainly focus on 2D and 3D inorganic superconductor, topological, magnetic, and semiconducting materials, but we are not limited to those systems.

     

    Some of the key topics to be addressed by both theory and experiments are:

    1) discovery and characterization of new superconductors/topological, magnetic, and semiconducting materials,

    2) optimization of known quantum materials,

    3) investigation of defect induced behavior and transitions,

    4) electronics, spintronics, and quantum memory applications,

    5) challenges in applying QIS technologies at industrial scale,

    6) successes and challenges in integrating next-generation materials into integrated circuits (microchips),

    7) the role of material interfaces at the quantum level,

    8) high fidelity many-body computational methods to treat quantum materials,

    9) applications for quantum computing and quantum simulations.

     

    CALL FOR ABSTRACTS

    If registered participants are interested in presenting a poster, please send name, affiliation, title, and abstract to nia.rodney-pollard [at] nist.gov (nia[dot]rodney-pollard[at]nist[dot]gov) no later than 1/31/2025.

    A room block has been reserved at the following location:

    Sheraton Rockville

    Address: 920 King Farm Blvd, Rockville, MD 20850

    Rate: $119/person (plus tax). Rate includes shuttle to and from NCCoE for both days of the workshop.

    CLICK HERE to book your room

    Last day to book your room: January 27, 2025

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: 86 Metric System Education Resources – CANCELED

    Source: US Government research organizations

    The International System of Units (SI), commonly known as the metric system, is easy to use and learn when taught using metric tools. The ability to interpret measurement scales, magnitude, and approximate a quantity are essential Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) competencies.

    This 1.5-hour session will explore NIST Metric Program education publications and other resources teachers, parents, and students can download and freely reproduce. These resources are helpful to students as they become familiar with metric units, develop measurement quantity reference points, and learn more about SI basics.

    National Metric Week, a collaboration between the NIST Metric Program and the U.S. Metric Association (USMA) will be discussed, as well as related USMA online education resources that include scholarships, awards, national Science Fair Program, and the Certified Metrication Specialist Program.

    Learning Objectives

    At the end of this session, using your notes, you will be able to:

    • LIST five best practices for teaching the International System of Units (SI), commonly known as the metric system.
    • DESCRIBE how you will use at least one SI education publication or resource to educate students in a traditional classroom, distance learning environment, or community outreach event.
    • REQUEST a free NIST Metric Teacher Kit.
    • PREPARE to celebrate National Metric Week (the 10th month of the year and the week containing the 10th day).

    Minimum Requirements

    Successful completion includes participation in all activities and discussions. Session participants will receive a Certificate of Attendance (does not include participant name or CEUs) by email after the session. Attendance is recorded in the unofficial transcript, which is available in the OWM Contacts System.

    Audience

    This session is ideal for K-12 educators and Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics (STEAM) professionals and other outreach ambassadors responsible for instructing middle school students on measurement techniques and STEAM careers. Parents and academic coaches who assist with student homework completion and science fair participation may also attend.

    Cost

    There is currently no registration fee for this webinar.

    Instructor

    Elizabeth Benham
    Phone: (301) 975-3690
    Email: elizabeth.benham [at] nist.gov (elizabeth[dot]benham[at]nist[dot]gov)

    Technology Requirements

    The webinar will be a live stream, so participants must have a constant connection during the webinar (hard-wired is preferred).  Review these system requirements to verify that MS Teams may be used on your computer, mobile device, or web browser. The performance of MS Teams may be influenced by other factors, such as network connectivity or other device applications. 

    Operating System (browsing) configurations:

    • Windows
      • Windows 8.1 and later, 64-bit;
        • Google Chrome;
        • Mozilla Firefox; and
        • Microsoft Edge.
    • macOS
      • One of the three latest MacOS versions;
        • Mozilla Firefox;
        • Apple Safari (no calls via Teams possible); and
        • Google Chrome.
    • Linux
      • Operating system: DEB or RPM;
      • Desktop environment: GNOME, KDE;
        • Mozilla Firefox; and
        • Opera.

    Web Browsers:

    • On computers running Windows, Mac, or Linux, ensure you have the latest release of one of these browsers:
      • Google Chrome;
      • Mozilla Firefox;
      • Apple Safari; and
      • Microsoft Edge.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: What’s the difference between ageing and frailty? One is inevitable – the other is not

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Julee McDonagh, Senior Research Fellow of Frailty Research, University of Wollongong

    PeopleImages.com – Yuri A/Shutterstock

    Ageing is a normal part of the life course. It doesn’t matter how many green smoothies you drink, or how many “anti-ageing” skin care products you use, you can’t stop the ageing process.

    But while we’re all getting older, not everyone who ages will necessarily become frail. Ageing and frailty are closely related, but they’re not the same thing.

    Let’s break down the difference between the two.

    What is ageing?

    On a biological level, ageing is the result of the build-up of cellular and molecular damage in the body over time.

    The ageing process causes a gradual decline in physical and mental function, a higher risk of disease, and eventual (and unavoidable) death.

    Still, some people think they can cheat the system, spending millions trying to stay young forever. While we may be able to reduce the appearance of ageing, ultimately there’s no magic pill to increase our longevity.

    Around one in six Australians are over the age of 65 (16% of the total population). Yet as individuals and a society many of us still have a fear of ageing.

    But what is it about ageing we are so afraid of? When it comes down to it, many people are probably less afraid of ageing, and more afraid of becoming frail.

    Ageing is inevitable – but frailty isn’t.
    Rawpixel.com/Shutterstock

    What is frailty?

    Frailty is defined as a state of vulnerability characterised by a loss of reserve across multiple parts of the body.

    Frailty is generally characterised by several physical symptoms, such as weakness, slow walking speed, exhaustion, unintentional weight loss, and low activity level.

    Lower bone density and osteoporosis (a condition where the bones become weak and brittle) are also associated with frailty, increasing the risk of falls and fractures.

    Notably, someone who is frail is less able to “bounce back” (or recover) after a stressor event compared to someone who is not frail. A stressor event could be, for example, having a fall, getting a urinary infection, or even being admitted to hospital.

    Frailty is more common in older people. But in some cases, frailty can affect younger people too. For example, people with advanced chronic diseases, such as heart failure, can develop frailty much younger.

    Frailty is more common in people who are older.
    Fit Ztudio/Shutterstock

    Frailty is dynamic. While it can get worse over time, in some cases frailty can also be reversed or even prevented through health and lifestyle changes.

    For example, we know physical inactivity and a sedentary lifestyle can significantly increase a person’s risk of becoming frail. On the flip side, evidence shows doing more exercise can reduce frailty in older adults.

    There are other lifestyle modifications we can make too. And the earlier we make these changes, the better.

    Preventing frailty

    Here are some key things you can do to help prevent frailty:

    1. Get moving

    Exercise more, including resistance training (such as squats and lunges, or grab some stretchy resistance bands). Many of these sorts of exercises can be done at home. YouTube has some great resources.

    You might also consider joining a gym, or asking your GP about seeing an accredited exercise physiologist or physiotherapist. Medicare subsidies may be available for these specialists.

    The physical activity guidelines for older Australians recommend at least 30 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity on most days or preferably every day.

    The guidelines also highlight the importance of incorporating different types of activities (such as resistance, balance or flexibility exercises) and reducing the time you spend sitting down.

    2. Stay socially active

    Social isolation and loneliness can contribute to the progression of frailty. Reach out to friends and family for support or contact local community groups that you may be able to join. This might include your local Zumba class or bridge club.

    3. Ask your doctor or pharmacist to regularly check your medications

    “Polypharmacy” (when someone is prescribed five or more medications) is associated with an increased risk of frailty. The presence of frailty can also interfere with how the body absorbs medicines.

    Home medicine reviews are available for older adults with a chronic medical condition or a complex medication regimen. These reviews aims to help people get the most benefit from their medicines and reduce their risk of experiencing adverse effects.

    Always consult your doctor before making any changes to your current medications.

    4. Eat a protein-rich diet with plenty of fruit and vegetables

    Low nutrient intake can negatively impact physical function and may increase your risk of becoming frail. There’s some evidence to suggest eating more protein may delay the onset of frailty.

    A food-first approach is best when looking to increase the protein in your diet. Protein is found in foods such as lean meats, poultry, seafood, eggs, dairy products, legumes and nuts.

    Adults over 50 should aim to eat 64 grams of protein per day for men and 46g per day for women. Adults over 70 should aim for 81g per day for men and 57g per day for women.

    Ask your GP for a referral to a dietitian who can provide advice on a dietary regime that is best for you.

    Supplements may be recommended if you are struggling to meet your protein needs from diet alone.

    Dr Julee McDonagh receives funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council and the NSW Office of Health and Medical Research. She is also a member of the executive committee of the Cardiovascular Nursing Council of the Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand and the Emerging Leaders Committee of the Australian Cardiovascular Alliance.

    Professor Caleb Ferguson receives funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council, Medical Research Future Fund, Heart Foundation (Australia) and Stroke Foundation (Australia). He is a Board Director of the Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand and Chair of the Cardiovascular Nursing Council. He is Associate Editor for European Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing and Heart Lung and Circulation. He was a co-author of the Australian Heart Foundation & Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand clinical guidelines for the management of atrial fibrillation. He is co-leads the Western Sydney Clinical Frailty Registry, a clinical quality registry of older adults.

    – ref. What’s the difference between ageing and frailty? One is inevitable – the other is not – https://theconversation.com/whats-the-difference-between-ageing-and-frailty-one-is-inevitable-the-other-is-not-247450

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Australians may soon be able to fly with their pets in a plane’s cabin – but not every pet is suited to it

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Susan Hazel, Associate Professor, School of Animal and Veterinary Science, University of Adelaide

    Masarik/Shutterstock

    In some overseas countries, pets can travel with their owners in a plane’s cabin, in a carrier under a seat.

    In Australia, pets must travel in the luggage hold of aircraft. But this may soon change. Virgin Australia last year announced it would allow small dogs and cats into the cabin from 2025. Now the plan has progressed further. The Australian newspaper this week reported two rows of Virgin aircraft will be designated as “pet friendly” on selected flights, although more work is needed before a trial begins.

    Only small dogs or cats would be allowed in the cabin. They would have to be contained in a carrier and placed under the seat in front of their owner. The combined weight of pet and carrier must be no more than 8 kilograms.

    Australians love their pets, and increasingly holiday with them. But the “pets on planes” policy is not without challenges. So how can the experience be made as smooth as possible for pets, pet owners and other passengers?

    Many Australians want to take their pets onto the plane cabin with them.
    Pixel-Shot/Shutterstock

    What are the potential negatives for pets?

    Research shows pets kept in the luggage or cargo areas of planes face risks. These include being deprived of food and water and being exposed to extreme temperatures. Pet owners may also give their pets sedatives or other drugs to calm them down, which can cause harm.

    Allowing pets to travel in a plane’s cabin, close to their owner, is likely to reduce these risks.

    But the plane’s cabin is still an unfamiliar environment with strange smells, sounds and people. So, some dogs and cats may still find the experience stressful.

    There are ways to minimise this. They include getting pets used to being in containers (a process known as “habituation”) and using positive reinforcement training to encourage pets to remain calm.

    If a dog or cat is already anxious and you want to travel with them, it’s best to consult a vet well before you fly.

    Some dogs and cats may benefit from a sedative or medication that reduces anxiety. This must be done in consultation with your vet, because these drugs may be dangerous for animals with certain health conditions.

    Pets can die on flights

    One study on dogs transported by air into the United States (many of which travelled in the cabin as “hand luggage”) found that every year, some pets die.

    Media outlets have reported several instances of pets that died while travelling in the cargo hold or while left on the tarmac before their flight.

    One risk factor occurs when the pet is a “brachycephalic” breed. These are dogs or cats with flat and shortened noses, such as pugs and the Boston terrier.

    These animals have abnormal airways, meaning they are at higher risk of hyperthermia if the temperature is high, and can also have breathing difficulties.

    Not all pets are suited to air travel.
    Regina Erofeeva/Shutterstock

    What should pet owners do before flying?

    Should the “pets on planes” policy at Virgin Australia come to pass, it’s still not clear how exactly practicalities such as offering food, water or managing toileting will work. The airline is yet to release these details.

    It’s possible you would need to “fast” your pet before arriving at the airport – in other words, refrain from feeding them for a period of time, to reduce the chance they will vomit or need to defecate.

    Melbourne and Sydney airports have reportedly upgraded their “pet relief” facilities – essentially pet toilets – to cope with increased future demand.

    Guide and assistance dogs that currently use these facilities will always have priority. These dogs are trained to toilet on cue, making it much easier to travel with them.

    If you and your pet would like to be frequent flyers, consider getting this type of training.

    If your pet gets anxious, consult a vet well before you fly.
    MarinaTr/Shutterstock

    What about other passengers?

    Virgin Australia is still consulting doctors and vets on their policy, including about risks to passengers with dog or cat allergies.

    Clearly, the allergy risk to humans must be well managed – especially when in the air, isolated from medical services.

    Air is filtered more frequently in plane cabins than in homes. However, even very low levels of an allergen can trigger severe reactions such as anaphylaxis or asthma attacks in some people. Also, pet dander (from shed skin cells) can remain on seats long after a pet has gone.

    What’s more, some people may be frightened of, or have a phobia relating to dogs or cats. Phobia to dogs may be linked to a direct traumatic event. People with serious phobias may not be able to enter a plane if they need to walk past a dog or cat. So, placement of the pets in cabins will need to be carefully considered.

    Pets are part of human lives and will likely be integrated more into transport in future, including planes. Careful planning will allow us to maximise the benefits for all: people travelling with and without pets, and the animals themselves.

    Susan Hazel is affiliated with the Dog & Cat Management Board of South Australia and the RSPCA South Australia.

    – ref. Australians may soon be able to fly with their pets in a plane’s cabin – but not every pet is suited to it – https://theconversation.com/australians-may-soon-be-able-to-fly-with-their-pets-in-a-planes-cabin-but-not-every-pet-is-suited-to-it-249689

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: President Lai meets Deputy Prime Minister Thulisile Dladla of the Kingdom of Eswatini

    Source: Republic of China Taiwan

    Details
    2025-02-08
    Presidential Office thanks US and Japan for joint leaders’ statement
    On February 7 (US EST), President Donald Trump of the United States and Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru of Japan issued a joint leaders’ statement reiterating “the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait as an indispensable element of security and prosperity for the international community.” In the statement, the two leaders also “encouraged the peaceful resolution of cross-strait issues, and opposed any attempts to unilaterally change the status quo by force or coercion” and “expressed support for Taiwan’s meaningful participation in international organizations.” Presidential Office Spokesperson Karen Kuo (郭雅慧) on February 8 expressed sincere gratitude on behalf of the Presidential Office to the leaders of both countries for taking concrete action to demonstrate their firm support for peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and for Taiwan’s international participation. Spokesperson Kuo pointed out that there is already a strong international consensus on the importance of peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. The spokesperson emphasized that Taiwan, as a responsible member of the international community, is capable and willing to work together with the international community and will continue strengthening its self-defense capabilities as it deepens its trilateral security partnership with the US and Japan and works alongside like-minded countries to uphold the rules-based international order. The spokesperson said that Taiwan will work toward ensuring a free and open Taiwan Strait and Indo-Pacific region, as well as global peace, stability, and prosperity, as it continues to act as a force for good in the world.

    Details
    2025-02-08
    President Lai’s response to Pope Francis’s 2025 World Day of Peace message  
    President Lai Ching-te recently sent a letter to Pope Francis of the Catholic Church in response to his message marking the 58th World Day of Peace. The following is the full text of the president’s letter to the pope: Your Holiness, In your message for the 2025 World Day of Peace entitled Forgive us our trespasses: grant us your peace, you called for a cultural change that would bring an end to the governance of interpersonal and international relations by a logic of exploitation and oppression and herald true and lasting peace. I wholeheartedly admire and identify with your point of view. Since transitioning from a medical career to politics, I have remained true to my original intentions in the sense that, while a doctor can help only one person at a time, a public servant can simultaneously assist many people in resolving the difficulties affecting their lives. In my inaugural address in May 2024, I pledged that every day of my term, I would strive to act justly, show mercy, and be humble, which accord with the teachings of the Bible. I promised to treat the Taiwanese people as family and prove myself worthy of their trust and expectations. With an unwavering heart, I have accepted the people’s trust and taken on the solemn responsibility of leading the nation forward and building a democratic, peaceful, and prosperous new Taiwan. In this new year, the changing international landscape continues to present many grave challenges to democratic nations around the world. As the Russia-Ukraine war persists, the steady convergence of authoritarian regimes, including China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran, threatens the rules-based international order and severely impacts peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific and the world at large. Your Holiness has stated that war is a defeat for everyone. I, too, firmly believe that peace is priceless and that war has no winners. A high level of consensus has formed in the international community on upholding peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. The Taiwanese people also maintain an unyielding commitment to safeguarding a way of life that encompasses freedom, equality, democracy, and human rights. Taiwan will continue to spare no effort in preserving regional peace and stability and serving as a pilot for global peace. In your World Day of Peace message, you urged prosperous countries to assist poorer ones. This compassion is truly touching. Taiwan is proactively implementing values-based diplomacy and, under the Diplomatic Allies Prosperity Project, enhancing allies’ development through a range of initiatives. Over many years, Taiwan has accumulated abundant and unique experience of providing foreign assistance. Seeking to foster self-reliance among disadvantaged countries, we have extended genuine support to help alleviate poverty through such avenues as strengthening basic infrastructure, transferring technology, and cultivating talent. In your message, you reminded countries worldwide that assistance should not be merely an isolated act of charity and pointed to the need to devise a new global financial framework so that food crises, climate change, and other challenges could be jointly addressed. I hold this view in high regard. I therefore earnestly hope that international organizations will stop excluding Taiwan for political reasons. Taiwan is willing to shoulder its international responsibilities so that it can contribute and share its valuable experience through many global platforms.  On behalf of the government and people of the Republic of China (Taiwan), I again express our interest in collaborating with the Holy See to advance world peace through concrete action. We also aspire to demonstrate Taiwanese values and the Taiwanese spirit and work together with the Holy See to uphold the core values of justice, democracy, freedom, and peace.  Please accept, Your Holiness, the renewed assurances of my highest consideration, as well as my best wishes for your good health and the continued growth of the Catholic Church.

    Details
    2025-02-08
    President Lai meets former US Vice President Mike Pence
    On the afternoon of January 17, President Lai Ching-te met with former Vice President of the United States Mike Pence. In remarks, President Lai thanked former Vice President Pence for his contributions to the deepening of Taiwan-US relations, noting that he actively helped to strengthen Taiwan-US cooperation and facilitate the normalization of military sales to Taiwan, and did his utmost to deepen the Taiwan-US economic partnership. The president indicated that former Vice President Pence also spoke up for Taiwan on numerous occasions at international venues, backing Taiwan’s international participation. President Lai expressed hope for a stronger Taiwan-US partnership to maintain peace and stability throughout the world, and that the two sides can advance bilateral exchanges in such areas as the economy, trade, and industry. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: I am delighted to welcome former Vice President Pence and Mrs. Karen Pence to the Presidential Office. Former Vice President Pence is not only an outstanding political leader in the US, but also a staunch supporter of Taiwan on the international stage. On behalf of the people of Taiwan, I would like to take this opportunity to extend our deepest gratitude to former Vice President Pence for his contributions to the deepening of Taiwan-US relations. Thanks to former Vice President Pence’s strong backing, ties between Taiwan and the US rose to unprecedented heights during President Donald Trump’s first administration. Former Vice President Pence actively helped to strengthen Taiwan-US security cooperation and facilitate the normalization of military sales to Taiwan, helping Taiwan reinforce its self-defense capabilities. He also did his utmost to deepen the Taiwan-US economic partnership. Former Vice President Pence also paid close attention to the military threats and diplomatic isolation faced by Taiwan. He spoke up for Taiwan on numerous occasions at international venues, taking concrete action to back Taiwan’s international participation. We were truly grateful for this. As we speak, China’s political and military intimidation against Taiwan persist. China and other authoritarian regimes, such as Russia, North Korea, and Iran, are continuing to converge and present serious challenges to democracies around the globe. At this moment, free and democratic nations must come together to bolster cooperation. I believe that a stronger Taiwan-US partnership can be an even more powerful force in maintaining peace and stability throughout the world. Former Vice President Pence has previously supported the signing of a trade agreement between Taiwan and the US. Taiwan looks forward to continuing to work with the new US administration and Congress to advance bilateral exchanges in such areas as the economy, trade, and industry. This is the first time that former Vice President Pence and Mrs. Pence are visiting Taiwan, and their visit is significantly meaningful for Taiwan-US exchanges. On behalf of the people of Taiwan, I want to extend a warm welcome. Moving forward, I hope we will jointly realize even more fruitful achievements through Taiwan-US cooperation. Former Vice President Pence then delivered remarks, thanking President Lai for his hospitality on his and his wife’s first visit to Taiwan, saying that it is an honor to be here to reaffirm the bonds of friendship between the people of America and the people of Taiwan, which are strong and longstanding. The former vice president indicated that the American people admire the people of Taiwan and all that has been accomplished in a few short decades for Taiwan to rise to one of the world’s preeminent economic powers and free societies. He said that he is grateful for President Lai’s courageous and bold leadership of Taiwan, and grateful to be able to express the support of the overwhelming majority of the American people for this alliance. Former Vice President Pence indicated that the values shared by Taiwan and the US, including freedom, the rule of law, and respect for human rights, bind us together in a partnership that transcends geographic boundaries and cultures. He then assured President Lai that China’s increasingly aggressive posture in the Taiwan Strait and across the Indo-Pacific, for the values and interests that both sides share, is deeply concerning to the American people. Former Vice President Pence stated that America is a Pacific nation, and is committed to the status quo, adding that they recognize it is China that wants to change the status quo that America, Taiwan, and other allies in the region want to preserve, which has created an environment of extraordinary growth and prosperity. The former vice president concluded by once again thanking President Lai and his team for their gracious hospitality and conveying best wishes to him and the people of Taiwan. Former Vice President Pence then assured President Lai that just as Taiwan will never surrender its freedom, he will continue to be a voice for a strong US-Taiwan relationship in the defense and the benefit of Taiwan, the US, and the free world. Later that day, Vice President Bi-khim Hsiao hosted a banquet for former Vice President Pence and his delegation at Taipei Guest House to thank him for his longstanding friendship and staunch support for Taiwan-US ties.  

    Details
    2025-02-08
    President Lai meets delegation to 60th Inaugural Ceremonies of US president and vice president
    On the morning of January 16, President Lai Ching-te met with Taiwan’s delegation to the 60th Inaugural Ceremonies of the President and Vice President of the United States. In remarks, President Lai stated that democratic Taiwan stands united, working hard to deepen Taiwan-US ties together. He then entrusted the delegation with three missions: to convey best wishes from the people of Taiwan, convey our firm commitment to democracy, and help Taiwan-US relations reach a new milestone. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: The 60th Inaugural Ceremonies of the President and Vice President of the US will be held on January 20. I want to thank Speaker Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜), president of the Legislative Yuan, for accepting my invitation to lead our nation’s representative delegation to the event. I also thank Legislative Yuan Members Ko Chih-en (柯志恩), Wang Ting-yu (王定宇), Ko Ju-chun (葛如鈞), Lee Yen-hsiu (李彥秀), Chen Kuan-ting (陳冠廷), Kuo Yu-ching (郭昱晴), and Chen Gau-tzu (陳昭姿) for joining this visit to the US to attend the inauguration of President Donald Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance. We have gathered together today despite differences in party affiliation because in democratic Taiwan, while parties may compete domestically, when it comes to engagement externally, they stand united and share responsibility, working hard to deepen Taiwan-US ties and strive for the best interests of the nation. We share the value of defending freedom and democracy, and we share the goal of advancing peace and prosperity. Today, we engage with the world together as those from the same country – the Republic of China (Taiwan). In this complex and volatile new international landscape, and as the nation faces difficulties and challenges, I want to stress that in Formosa, there is no hostility that cannot be let go, and no hardship that cannot be overcome. Unity is the most important, and I hope that Taiwan can stand united, because there is true strength in unity. Democratic Taiwan must stand united in engaging with the world and initiate exchanges with confidence. On that ground, I am entrusting this delegation with three key missions. First, convey best wishes from the people of Taiwan. Just last year, Taiwan and the US celebrated the 45th anniversary of the passage of the Taiwan Relations Act. And on May 20, the US sent a senior bipartisan delegation to congratulate me and Vice President Bi-khim Hsiao on our inauguration. As the leader of this cross-party delegation, Speaker Han must clearly convey the well-wishes of the people of Taiwan, congratulate President Trump and Vice President Vance on their inauguration, and wish success to the new administration and prosperity to the US. Second, clearly convey the firm commitment of the people of Taiwan to democracy. The theme of these inaugural ceremonies is “Our Enduring Democracy: A Constitutional Promise.” Taiwan and the US share the universal value of democracy and are staunch allies. I hope that the delegation can faithfully convey the firm commitment to democracy that the people of Taiwan have, which will not change even in the face of authoritarian threats. Taiwan is willing to stand side by side with the US and other members of the democratic community to defend the sustainable development of global democracy and prevent the expansion of authoritarianism. Third, help Taiwan-US relations reach a new milestone. In recent years, Taiwan-US relations have continued to grow, with the first agreement under the Taiwan-US Initiative on 21st Century Trade having formally taken effect last month. This morning, the House of Representatives also passed the US-Taiwan Expedited Double-Tax Relief Act. I hope that the delegation can help Taiwan-US relations reach a new milestone through these exchanges so that our relations continue to grow, our cooperation expands even more, and so that we can achieve even greater success after the new administration takes office. Four years ago, Taiwan’s representative to the US inaugural ceremonies was Vice President Hsiao, who was then our representative to the US. Everyone has a lot to learn from her. I have specially invited everyone here to converse so that you can draw from Vice President Hsiao’s experience and ensure an even smoother visit. Washington, DC was also hit by a rare blizzard recently, and the weather has been very cold, so make sure to stay warm. I am sending everyone off with hand warmers and thermoses so that you can bring some warmth from Taiwan with you on your journey. And I ask that Speaker Han exercise his wisdom to help generate some warmth between the ruling and opposition parties through cooperation, which they can then bring back to Taiwan. Let us unite to give our all for diplomacy so that we can unite to give our all for Taiwan. I wish the delegation a smooth and safe trip, and hope your missions can be carried out successfully. Speaker Han then delivered remarks, stating that it was an honor to be invited by President Lai to organize a delegation to represent our nation at the 60th Inaugural Ceremonies of the President and Vice President of the US in Washington, DC, and express the Republic of China’s sincere and cordial best wishes. The Legislative Yuan’s president has assumed this important task numerous times in the past, he said, not only to represent the government of the Republic of China, but also to take on the mission of conveying the voices of 23 million people. He went on to say that he is honored to take up the baton, lead eight legislators to the US to attend this celebration that will attract global attention, and express sincere best wishes to newly elected President Trump, Vice President Vance, and the new administration’s team. As enjoined by President Lai, he hopes the delegation’s trip will help open a new chapter in Taiwan-US exchanges. Speaker Han stated that the US is the most free and democratic country in the world. He noted that in 1776 in the US Declaration of Independence, founding father Thomas Jefferson propounded the concept of “unalienable rights,” and emphasized that the people have a right to freedom and the pursuit of happiness, democratic ideas that have long been rooted in the people’s hearts. Today, he said, democracy is also embedded in the DNA of Taiwan’s 23 million people, and this hard-won democratic achievement is a result of the concerted efforts of our pioneering predecessors, thinkers, and activists over the past 100 years. Speaker Han stated that during this visit, the Legislative Yuan delegation hopes to convey the voice of Taiwan as a democratic country. Taiwan’s security, he said, is like the four legs of a table: The first leg is defending the Republic of China, the second is defending freedom and democracy, the third is maintaining Taiwan-US relations, and the fourth is maintaining cross-strait peace. The delegation will travel to the US amidst severe cold weather to show that we value our relationship with the US, and our citizens have great hopes and expectations. Speaker Han stated that this will be a cross-party delegation of eight legislators, all of whom have a strong sense of mission. He hopes that all democratic nations will acknowledge Taiwan’s importance, and pay attention to Taiwan’s 23 million people. The delegation, he said, will do its utmost to convey the goodwill and warmth that the people of Taiwan give to each and every one of our good friends.

    Details
    2025-02-08
    President Lai confers decoration on former Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis
    On the morning of January 14, President Lai Ching-te conferred the Order of Brilliant Star with Special Grand Cordon upon former Minister of Foreign Affairs Gabrielius Landsbergis of the Republic of Lithuania in recognition of his remarkable contributions to deepening Taiwan-Lithuania relations. In remarks, President Lai thanked former Minister Landsbergis for standing firmly with Taiwan and remaining a staunch defender of democratic values, yielding fruitful cooperative results. The president expressed hope that the two countries will engage in even more cooperation and exchanges in such areas as the economy, trade, technology, and culture, and continue to advocate for the values of freedom and democracy so that together we can contribute even more to our nations’ development and to peace and prosperity throughout the world. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: Today, by conferring the Order of Brilliant Star with Special Grand Cordon upon former Minister Landsbergis, we recognize his outstanding contributions during his time as foreign minister of Lithuania. On behalf of the people of Taiwan, I thank him for the key role he has played in deepening Taiwan-Lithuania relations. During the COVID-19 pandemic, thanks to the efforts of former Minister Landsbergis, Lithuania was the first European nation to donate vaccines to Taiwan. On that occasion, he stated that “freedom-loving people should look out for each other.” His statement was very moving and left a deep impression on many Taiwanese people. We will never forget it. Former Minister Landsbergis has continued to express the spirit of those words through his concrete actions. With his staunch support, Taiwan and Lithuania have mutually established representative offices. Moreover, our representative office in Lithuania was the first in Europe to incorporate “Taiwan” in its name. As for bilateral cooperation, Taiwan and Lithuania have seen fruitful results in such fields as semiconductors, laser technology, finance, and medicine. Be it overcoming the challenges posed by the pandemic or resisting expanding authoritarianism, former Minister Landsbergis has stood firmly with Taiwan and remained a staunch defender of democratic values. We greatly admire and appreciate his spirit. Today, authoritarian regimes continue to converge, posing threats and challenges to democracies around the world. Taiwan, Lithuania, and other democratic countries must come closer together, drawing on the strength of unity, so as to jointly safeguard freedom and democracy and uphold the rules-based international order. Looking ahead, we hope that Taiwan and Lithuania will engage in even more cooperation and exchanges in such areas as the economy, trade, technology, and culture. Let us continue to advocate for the values of freedom and democracy. Together, we can contribute even more to our nations’ development and to peace and prosperity throughout the world. In closing, I once again thank you, former Minister Landsbergis, for your support and for all that you have done for Taiwan. We welcome you and your wife to visit often. I wish you both a smooth and successful visit in Taiwan, and hope you leave with lasting memories.    Former Minister Landsbergis then delivered remarks, saying that it is a great honor to receive the decoration today. He noted that only partially can he accept the honor, as there have been many people who worked together with him in the ministry and in the whole country who support the people of Taiwan and see the benefit of supporting democracy in Taiwan. He often says that in Lithuania they remember well the fight for their freedom, and just today, he mentioned, he was shown the permanent exhibition in the Presidential Office, where he saw similar pictures of Taiwanese people fighting for democracy. He emphasized that not even one generation has passed since these events took place here in Taipei or similar events took place in Vilnius. Former Minister Landsbergis said that decision-makers in the Lithuanian government are either people who were themselves fighting for freedom, or, as in his case, those who were sitting on the shoulders of parents who were fighting for freedom. So for them, he underlined, freedom, democracy, liberty, and sovereignty are very real concepts that they cherish, not just things read about in a history book. He said that this is the main connector between Lithuania and Taiwan, a feeling of freedom and support for each other. Former Minister Landsbergis stated that in the face of authoritarians who do not wish us prosperity, who do not wish us freedom and future achievements, what he expects from the future is that the friendship, collaboration, and mutual support between Lithuania and Taiwan will inspire others to join in. This, he said, will make other countries not be afraid to support freedom and democracy, and will allow our group of friends to continue to grow. Lithuanian history, the former minister said, is difficult, and a big part of it was fighting for their freedom. He explained that during the 19th century when Lithuania was part of Russia’s empire, they had several revolutions and uprisings with the aim of becoming free, and that they were fighting for that freedom alongside Poland and Belarus. He then applied a phrase that they used in the revolution of 1864 – “for your freedom and ours,” meaning that they will continue to fight for their freedom while helping Taiwan fight for ours. Also in attendance at the ceremony were former Minister Landsbergis’ wife Dr. Austėja Landsbergienė and Lithuanian Representative to Taiwan Paulius Lukauskas.

    Details
    2025-01-01
    President Lai delivers 2025 New Year’s Address
    On the morning of January 1, President Lai Ching-te delivered his 2025 New Year’s Address, titled “Bolstering National Strength through Democracy to Enter a New Global Landscape,” in the Reception Hall of the Presidential Office. President Lai stated that today’s Taiwan is receiving international recognition for its performance in many areas, among them democracy, technology, and economy. In this new year, he said, Taiwan must be united, and we must continue on the right course. The president expressed hope that everyone in the central and local governments, regardless of party, can work hard together, allowing Taiwan sure footing as it strides forward toward ever greater achievements.  President Lai emphasized that in 2025, we must keep firm on the path of democracy, continue to bolster our national strength, make Taiwan more economically resilient, enhance the resilience of supply chains for global democracies, and continue working toward a Balanced Taiwan and generational justice, ensuring that the fruits of our economic growth can be enjoyed by all our people. The president said that Taiwan will keep going strong, and we will keep walking tall as we enter the new global landscape. A translation of President Lai’s address follows: Today is the first day of 2025. With a new year comes new beginnings. I wish that Taiwan enjoys peace, prosperity, and success, and that our people lead happy lives. Taiwan truly finished 2024 strong. Though there were many challenges, there were also many triumphs. We withstood earthquakes and typhoons, and stood firm in the face of constant challenges posed by authoritarianism. We also shared glory as Taiwan won the Premier12 baseball championship, and now Taiwanese people around the world are all familiar with the gesture for Team Taiwan. At the Paris Olympics, Wang Chi-lin (王齊麟) and Lee Yang (李洋) clinched another gold in men’s doubles badminton. Lin Yu-ting (林郁婷) took home Taiwan’s first Olympic gold in boxing. At the International Junior Science Olympiad, every student in our delegation of six won a gold medal. And Yang Shuang-zi’s (楊双子) novel Taiwan Travelogue, translated into English by King Lin (金翎), became a United States National Book Award winner and a tour de force of Taiwan literature on the international level. Our heroes of Taiwan are defined by neither age nor discipline. They have taken home top prizes at international competitions and set new records. They tell Taiwan’s story through their outstanding performances, letting the world see the spirit and culture of Taiwan, and filling all our citizens with pride. My fellow citizens, we have stood together through thick and thin; we have shared our ups and downs. We have wept together, and we have laughed together. We are all one family, all members of Team Taiwan. I want to thank each of our citizens for their dedication, fueling Taiwan’s progress and bringing our nation glory. You have given Taiwan even greater strength to stand out on the global stage. In this new year, we must continue bringing Taiwan’s stories to the world, and make Taiwan’s successes a force for global progress. In 2025, the world will be entering a new landscape. Last year, over 70 countries held elections, and the will of the people has changed with the times. As many countries turn new pages politically, and in the midst of rapid international developments, Taiwan must continue marching forward with steady strides. First, we must keep firm on the path of democracy. Taiwan made it through a dark age of authoritarianism and has since become a glorious beacon of democracy in Asia. This was achieved through the sacrifices of our democratic forebears and the joint efforts of all our citizens. Democracy’s value to Taiwan lies not just in our free way of life, or in the force driving the diverse and vigorous growth of our society. Democracy is the brand that has earned us international trust in terms of diplomacy. No matter the threat or challenge Taiwan may face, democracy is Taiwan’s only path forward. We will not turn back. Domestic competition among political parties is a part of democracy. But domestic political disputes must be resolved democratically, within the constitutional system. This is the only way democracy can continue to grow. The Executive Yuan has the right to request a reconsideration of the controversial bills passed in the Legislative Yuan, giving it room for reexamination. Constitutional institutions can also lodge a petition for a constitutional interpretation, and through Constitutional Court adjudication, ensure a separation of powers, safeguard constitutional order, and gradually consolidate the constitutional system. The people also have the right of election, recall, initiative, and referendum, and can bring together even greater democratic power to show the true meaning of sovereignty in the hands of the people. In this new year, the changing international landscape will present democratic nations around the world with many grave challenges. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and conflict between Israel and Hamas rage on, and we are seeing the continued convergence of authoritarian regimes including China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran, threatening the rules-based international order and severely affecting peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region and the world at large. Peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait are essential components for global security and prosperity. Taiwan needs to prepare for danger in times of peace. We must continue increasing our national defense budget, bolster our national defense capabilities, and show our determination to protect our country. Everyone has a responsibility to safeguard Taiwan’s democracy and security. We must gather together every bit of strength we have to enhance whole-of-society defense resilience, and build capabilities to respond to major disasters and deter threats or encroachment. We must also strengthen communication with society to combat information and cognitive warfare, so that the populace rejects threats and enticements and jointly guards against malicious infiltration by external forces. Here at home, we must consolidate democracy with democracy. Internationally, we must make friends worldwide through democracy. This is how we will ensure security and peace. The more secure Taiwan, the more secure the world. The more resilient Taiwan, the sounder the defense of global democracy. The global democratic community should work even closer together to support the democratic umbrella as we seek ways to resolve the war in Ukraine and conflict between Israel and Hamas. Together, we must uphold stability in the Taiwan Strait and security in the Indo-Pacific, and achieve our goal of global peace. Second, we must continue to bolster our national strength, make Taiwan more economically resilient, and enhance the resilience of supply chains for global democracies. In the first half of 2024, growth in the Taiwan Stock Index was the highest in the world. Our economic growth rate for the year as a whole is expected to reach 4.2 percent, leading among the Four Asian Tigers. Domestic investment is soaring, having exceeded NT$5 trillion, and inflation is gradually stabilizing. Export orders from January to November totaled US$536.6 billion, up 3.7 percent from the same period in 2023. And compared over the same period, exports saw a 9.9 percent increase, reaching US$431.5 billion. Recent surveys also show that in 2024, the average increase in salaries at companies was higher than that in 2023. Additionally, over 90 percent of companies plan to raise salaries this year, which is an eight-year high. All signs indicate that Taiwan’s economic climate continues to recover, and that our economy is growing steadily. Our overall economic performance is impressive; still, we must continue to pay attention to the impact on Taiwan’s industries from the changing geopolitical landscape, uncertainties in the global economic environment, and dumping by the “red supply chain.”  For a nation, all sectors and professions are equally important; only when all our industries are strong can Taiwan be strong as a nation. Our micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) are the lifeblood of Taiwan, and the development of our various industrial parks has given Taiwan the impetus for our prosperity. We must carry the spirit of “Made in Taiwan” forward, bringing it to ever greater heights. Thus, beyond just developing our high-tech industry, our Executive Yuan has already proposed a solution that will help traditional industries and MSMEs comprehensively adopt technology applications, engage in the digital and net-zero twin transition, and develop channels, all for better operational structures and higher productivity. Taiwan must continue enhancing its economic resilience. In recent years, Taiwan has significantly increased its investments in the US, Japan, Europe, and the New Southbound countries, and such investment has already surpassed investment in China. This indicates that our efforts in diversifying markets and reducing reliance on any single market are working. Moving forward, we must keep providing assistance so that Taiwan industries can expand their global presence and market internationally from a solid base here in Taiwan. At the same time, Taiwan must use democracy to promote economic growth with the rest of the world. We must leverage our strengths in the semiconductor and AI industries. We must link with democratic countries so that we can together enhance the resilience of supply chains for global democracies. And through international cooperation across many sectors, such as UAVs, low-orbit communications satellites, robots, military, security and surveillance, or biopharmaceuticals, renewable energy technology, new agriculture, and the circular economy, we must keep abreast of the latest cutting-edge technology and promote diverse development. This approach will help Taiwan remain a leader in advancing global democratic supply chains, ensuring their security and stability. Third, we must continue working toward a Balanced Taiwan and generational justice, ensuring that the fruits of our economic growth can be enjoyed by all our people. Democracy means the people have the final say. Our nation belongs to all 23 million of us, without regard for ethnic group, generation, political party, or whether we live in urban or rural areas. In this new year, we must continue to pursue policies that promote the well-being of the nation and the people. But to that end, the central government needs adequate financial resources to ensure that it can enact each of these measures. Therefore, I hope that the ruling and opposition parties can each soberly reconsider the amendments to the Act Governing the Allocation of Government Revenues and Expenditures and find a path forward that ensures the lasting peace and stability of our country. For nine consecutive years, the minimum wage has continued to rise. Effective today, the minimum monthly salary is being raised from NT$27,470 to NT$28,590, and the hourly salary from NT$183 to NT$190. We hope by raising the pay for military personnel, civil servants, and educators for two consecutive years, coupled with benefits through wage increases and tax reductions, that private businesses will also raise wages, allowing all our people to enjoy the fruits of our economic growth. I know that everyone wants to pay lower taxes and rent. This year, we will continue to promote tax reductions. For example, unmarried individuals with an annual income of NT$446,000 or less can be exempt from paying income tax. Dual-income families with an annual income of NT$892,000 or less and dual-income families with two children aged six or younger with an annual income of NT$1,461,000 or less are also exempt from paying income tax. Additionally, the number of rent-subsidized housing units will also be increased, from 500,000 to 750,000 units, helping lighten the load for everyone. This year, the age eligibility for claiming Culture Points has been lowered from 16 to 13 years, so that now young people aged between 13 and 22 can receive government support for experiencing more in the arts. Also, our Taiwan Global Pathfinders Initiative is about to take effect, which will help more young people in Taiwan realize their dreams by taking part in education and exchange activities in many places around the world. We are also in the process of establishing a sports ministry to help young athletes achieve their dreams on the field, court, and beyond. The ministry will also be active in developing various sports industries and bringing sports and athletics more into the lives of the people, making our people healthier as a result. This year, as Taiwan becomes a “super-aged society,” we will launch our Long-term Care 3.0 Plan to provide better all-around care for our seniors. And we will expand the scope of cancer screening eligibility and services, all aimed at creating a Healthy Taiwan. In addition, Taiwan will officially begin collecting fees for its carbon fee system today. This brings us closer in line with global practices and helps us along the path to our goal of net-zero emissions by 2050. We will also continue on the path to achieving a Balanced Taiwan. Last month, the Executive Yuan launched the Trillion NT Dollar Investment National Development Plan and its six major regional flagship projects. Both of these initiatives will continue to expand the investment in our public infrastructure and the development of local specialty industries, narrowing urban-rural and wealth gaps so that all our people can live and work in peace and happiness. My fellow citizens, today’s Taiwan is receiving international recognition for its performance in many areas, among them democracy, technology, and economy. This tells us that national development is moving in the right direction. In this new year, Taiwan must be united, and we must continue on the right course. We hope that everyone in the central and local governments, regardless of party, can work hard together to ensure that national policies are successfully implemented, with the people’s well-being as our top priority. This will allow Taiwan sure footing as it strides forward toward ever greater achievements. In this new year, we have many more brilliant stories of Taiwan to share with the world, inspiring all Taiwanese, both here and around the world, to cheer time and again for the glory of Taiwan. Taiwan will keep going strong. And we will keep walking tall as we enter the new global landscape. Thank you.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Sen. Sullivan leads Alaska Delegation, Sec. of Transportation, and NTSB Chair in Press Conference on Alaska Aviation Safety

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Alaska Dan Sullivan

    02.11.25

    WASHINGTON— U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), a member of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, led a press conference with Senator Lisa Murkowski and Representative Nick Begich (both R-Alaska), U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy, and National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy for Alaska media regarding their shared focus on enhancing aviation safety in Alaska. This conference followed the tragic crash of a commuter aircraft in Alaska in the Bering Sea near Nome last weekend that took the lives of 10 Alaskans.

    Click here or the image above to watch the full press conference.

    Senator Sullivan is a member of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee which has oversight of the Federal Aviation Administration, the Department of Transportation, and the National Transportation Safety Board. He has strongly advocated for critical infrastructure to provides greater flexibility to meet Alaska’s unique aviation needs in this role. In May 2024, the FAA Reauthorization was signed into law which included several Sullivan-authored provisions specifically for Alaska.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Retrospectives, festivals, solo exhibitions. The main projects of the Moscow Museum of Modern Art in 2025

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    The Moscow Museum of Modern Art is planning a large-scale program for 2025. Visitors will be presented with retrospectives, personal exhibitions of young artists and research projects, and the museum will also take part in regional festivals. Details are in the mos.ru article.

    “The museum is one of the city’s key venues where Muscovites and visitors to the capital can get acquainted with contemporary art. This year we are implementing more than 40 exhibitions, including a large-scale project dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Great Patriotic War,” noted the Minister of the Moscow Government, head of the city Department of Culture

    Alexey Fursin.

    In February, the exhibition “This is the best we have. The Art Newspaper Russia’s choice” opens in the building on Gogolevsky Boulevard (10). It is based on the most striking interviews with artists published in the publication over the past 10 years and collected in the book “The Art Newspaper Russia presents: 25 interviews with contemporary artists. 2014–2024”. The title of the exhibition was inspired by the work of Valery Chtak, one of the authors whose works will be on display. It will bring together artists of different generations — from Ilya Kabakov and Erik Bulatov to Recycle Group — and will demonstrate a wide range of creative approaches, a variety of styles and views represented on the Russian art scene.

    On April 30, an exhibition dedicated to the 80th anniversary of victory in the Great Patriotic War will open in the building on Petrovka. The anniversary project focuses not only on works from the museum’s collection, but also on Russian military memorials and monuments. The exhibition is dedicated to commemorative practices — visual forms of collective cultural memory of the last 30 years. The curators examine striking artistic ensembles, often complex works by groups of authors. One of the central themes of the exhibition is Victory Park on Poklonnaya Gora in Moscow, the ontology of images and themes associated with the Great Patriotic War. Of the diverse works of art from the 20th–21st centuries, those were chosen that reflect the phenomenon of memory not literally, but on a symbolic level. The exhibition also includes works by artists who are war veterans and works created in 1941–1945.

    In the autumn, Petrovka will host the exhibition “Head of a Contemporary. From the Collection of Denis Khimilyayne”, curated by Alexander Dashevsky. The project will unite works of Soviet unofficial art and Russian contemporary art, and will help to understand the principles of selection and the taste of the collector. The exhibition, consisting of 18 sections, will reveal a wide variety of topics – from fear and despair to humor, paradoxes and dreamlike images. The exhibition will feature works by Vadim Sidur, Boris Sveshnikov, Nikita Alekseev, Vladimir Yankilevsky, Khaim Sokol, Vladislav Mamyshev-Monroe, Semyon Faibisovich, Boris Orlov, Francisco Infante-Arana and other masters.

    Personal projects of contemporary artists

    In March, Gogolevsky Boulevard will host an exhibition by Evgenia Tut about human self-awareness, being in a place of power, and sacred encounters. In August, the same place will host an exhibition by Georgy and Irina Totibadze, covering 10 years of their work and displaying both widely known and new works. In the spring, Petrovka will host a series of works by LU (Lyusya Solovieva) created specifically for the Moscow Museum of Modern Art and dedicated to the nuances of human emotions that often remain unexpressed. In the summer, the same place will host an exhibition by Ksenia Dranish, an artist who addresses images of the unconscious through painting, ceramics, installations, and video art. At the end of the year, Gogolevsky Boulevard will host an exhibition by Rostan Tavasiev, “The Hare’s Path to the Stars,” bringing together the author’s key works from the last 20 years, from game motifs to science fiction.

    Also in 2025, solo exhibitions of Elena Surovtseva, Irina Zatulovskaya, Oleg Ivaschenko, Alexandra Mitlyanskaya and other authors will be presented.

    In June, a retrospective exhibition of Boris Messerer will open in the building on Gogolevsky Boulevard. The exposition will allow us to follow the entire creative path of the outstanding painter, graphic artist, and stage designer, who worked in various genres. This project will be one of the key events of the upcoming season for the museum. Viewers will see both Messerer’s early works and his latest series of abstract compositions. For the second time in Moscow, Boris Asafovich’s early paintings from the 1950s and 1960s will be shown.

    Work will continue with the legacy of outstanding authors of the second half of the 20th century. In the fall, the museum will introduce visitors to a retrospective of Yevgeny Gorokhovsky (1951–2021), timed to coincide with the 75th anniversary of his birth. The exhibition will showcase key works from museum collections and private collections, as well as works that have not been exhibited before.

    Research projects

    In 2025, the Moscow Museum of Modern Art will continue to develop its research initiatives. The long-term program “Collection. Viewpoint” offers a new look at works from the museum’s collection. One of the projects will be the exhibition “Love Me as I Love You”, dedicated to the theme of romantic relationships. Object art, video art and photography will be displayed alongside classical painting. In May, the exhibition “In the Closet” will open, where artists will explore the transformation of furniture and familiar and customary forms into artistic ideas through their interpretation. In the summer, the exhibition “Early Graphics by Viktor Umnov and Its Context” will open, focusing on form-building in graphics of the 1960s and revealing the artist’s work in a broader cultural context.

    In the autumn, the EMA Expo 2025 exhibition will open in the museum’s educational centre (17 Ermolaevsky Lane) – a large-scale event dedicated to the themes of sound, technological art and related disciplines.

    Vadim Sidur Museum and Dmitry Nalbandyan Museum-Workshop

    The Vadim Sidur Museum will continue to explore the artist’s personal myth. This year’s projects will unite the image of a symbolic garden and its significance in the culture and work of Vadim Sidur. Viewers will see sculptures, graphic series, archival materials and excerpts from literary works, and will also be able to consider his art in the context of the latest artistic practices. This will open up opportunities for contemporary young artists – the museum plans to exhibit works by Anastasia Rybakova and Alexander Pozin in dialogue with the works of Vadim Sidur.

    The Dmitry Nalbandyan Museum and Studio will continue to rethink the return to the Soviet past through the artist’s personal experience and history, and will display documents and museum items. The young artist Kutka will work on studying Nalbandyan’s personal archive at the invitation of the museum. The project will include a series of photographic works with embroidery, installations and textiles that will draw attention to the connection of times and the memory of generations, and will also allow us to turn to the legacy of Nalbandyan’s family archives from the Soviet period.

    Regional projects and support for young artists

    In the summer, the interdisciplinary festival of contemporary art “Tuzhi-art” will be held for the third time in the land art park “Tuzhi” (Zabaikalsky Krai), in which the museum will take part. One of the goals of the project is to preserve the unique identity of this place and integrate it into the all-Russian cultural context. In 2025, four creative residences will open at the festival.

    The series of regional projects will be continued by the festival of contemporary art “Territory. Irkutsk”, where the Moscow Museum of Modern Art will present an exhibition from its collection. This exhibition will be the second project in Irkutsk within the framework of a joint program with the festival. Among its main objectives are the development of cultural exchange and familiarization of viewers with one of the largest collections of Russian art of the 20th and 21st centuries.

    Support for young artists is a very important area of the museum’s activity. Over the years, thanks to it, viewers have become acquainted with dozens of aspiring authors, and many of their names have since become known to the general public. This year, the exhibition halls on Gogolevsky Boulevard will present five personal projects by artists Oksana Afanasyeva, Yulia Vorobyova, Yukiko Ogawa, Maria Smolyaninova, and Elena Sharganova.

    There will also be a traditional annual exhibition of young art, “Workshop,” where artists will be able to work with the museum’s collections, conduct artistic research, and show the results of their work within the museum’s walls in December 2025.

    In addition, it is worth noting the cooperation with other institutions. As part of the continuation of a long-term joint program with the GES-2 Culture House, the museum will help artists implement their projects using high-quality materials and advanced equipment. The result this year will be two exhibition projects at the main sites of the Moscow Museum of Modern Art.

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

    Please Note; This Information is Raw Content Directly from the Information Source. It is access to What the Source Is Stating and Does Not Reflect

    https: //vv.mos.ru/nevs/ite/149974073/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Greater scientific inquiry to be fostered in schools

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

    The Ministry of Education has issued a guideline to promote science education in elementary and high schools, and support the nation’s ongoing drive to boost its self-reliance and strength in science and technology.

    The guideline, released on the ministry’s website on Jan 22, asks local education authorities to ensure the availability of sufficient science teachers in elementary schools.

    The release came days after China publicized a sweeping plan to turn itself into a leading country in education by 2035, which elaborated on measures needed for improving students’ science literacy.

    Junior and senior high schools should have enough science teachers, as well as teachers for other related subjects such as physics, chemistry, biology, geography and information science and technology, the guideline said.

    To ensure that schools stay committed to improving science education, the ministry requires them to have at least one “vice-principal of science”, and encouraged scientists and experts from high-quality universities and research institutions to take on the role.

    These vice-principals are tasked with making full use of their resources and professional backgrounds, and lead their schools’ science education by conducting lectures, participating in the design of curricula and overseeing students’ science projects.

    Normal universities — universities that train teachers — should improve the curricula and programs of their science education majors, the guidance said, while emphasizing the cultivation of science literacy for elementary and high school teachers.

    Resources at universities, research institutions and science museums should be fully mobilized to develop a training system to improve science teachers’ abilities, including the ability to design and carry out experiments and projects, it said.

    Students’ performance in experiments should be tested in proficiency exams before they graduate from junior high school, and their performance in daily experiments and science projects should also be assessed at school, the guideline said.

    Schools should enhance their science education facilities, set up laboratories and let students participate in more open inquiry experiments, it said.

    It also called for schools to explore experiments with teaching using artificial intelligence and virtual reality.

    More science courses should be included in school after-class activities to meet the needs and interests of students in different school years, the guideline said.

    The guideline also urges schools to tap into natural resources such as rivers, ponds, farmland and woods, and introduce knowledge about nature by setting up signs and posters and displaying specimens.

    It also called on universities, research institutions and the National Natural Science Foundation of China to work together to conduct research in educational theories and strengthen international cooperation in the field.

    Local authorities should carry out surveys to determine the level of science literacy of students, and make policies to improve science education based on the surveys, it said.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Yaz and Yasmin contraceptive pills will be cheaper from March. How are they different from other pills?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nial Wheate, Professor of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Macquarie University

    Miriam Alonso/Pexels

    The oral contraceptive pills Yaz and Yasmin will be listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) from March 1 2025, meaning Australian women will pay less for them.

    This listing follows advice from the Australian Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee, which recommended adding these pills to the PBS so women who find other contraceptive pills unsuitable have more options. These contraceptives also help manage acne and some other hormone-related conditions.

    So how do Yaz and Yasmin work? And how much will they cost once they’re on the PBS?

    What makes Yaz and Yasmin different?

    From March, a three-month box of Yaz or Yasmin will cost $31.60 (or $7.70 with a concession card).
    Nial Wheate

    Oral contraceptive pills prevent pregnancy primarily by stopping ovulation – the release of an egg from the ovaries.

    They also thicken mucus in the cervix, making it harder for sperm to reach an egg. And they thin the lining of the uterus, reducing the likelihood of implantation.

    Most combination oral contraceptive pills contain an oestrogen-based hormone (typically ethinylestradiol) and a progestogen hormone.

    Both Yaz and Yasmin contain ethinylestradiol and a synthetic progestogen, called drospirenone. They both contain 3 milligrams of drospirenone.

    They differ from each other in the amount of ethinylestradiol they contain. Yaz has 20 micrograms and Yasmin has 30 micrograms of the hormone. They also differ in the number of active and placebo pills a pack contains. Yaz has 24 active pills and 4 placebo pills while Yasmin has 21 active pills and 7 placebos.

    Both contraceptives are just as effective in preventing pregnancies as other oral contraceptives. The chance of getting pregnant while taking either medication is around 9%.

    In deciding which one is most suitable, a doctor will consider how their patient has responded to hormone treatment in the past and any other hormone-related conditions they have.

    Both Yaz and Yasmin have benefits beyond birth control. Drospirenone is thought to help reduce hormone-related acne and hirsutism (excessive facial hair growth).

    Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) is a severe form of premenstrual syndrome that causes intense mood swings, depression, anxiety, and irritability before menstruation. The hormonal stability provided by Yaz, with its short hormone-free interval, can help alleviate PMDD symptoms.

    Things to look out for if taking them

    All combined oral contraceptive pills have common side effects that women may experience, including nausea, vomiting, break-through bleeding, absent or missed periods, headaches, irritability and breast tenderness.

    There are some additional risks for the Yaz and Yasmin products. The drospirenone in the contraceptives has been associated with a slightly higher risk of blood clots when compared with other progestogens. The risk is low but may be higher in women who smoke, are over 35, or have other risk factors for clots.

    All contraceptive pills can cause side effects such as nausea, headaches and irritability.
    Mart Production/Pexels

    Drospirenone can also cause a build up of potassium in the blood. This is a particular risk for women with kidney problems, and for those who also take diuretics or blood pressure medications, which can also raise potassium levels.

    Elevated potassium can cause symptoms such as muscle weakness, fatigue, dizziness and an irregular heart rhythm.

    What’s changing? How much will they cost?

    These approvals are the first contraceptive pills to be added to the PBS in 30 years and are part of a larger package of women’s health measures the government announced on the weekend.

    The government will also provide incentives for doctors and nurses to bulk bill services for implanting long-term contraceptives such as IUDs (intrauterine devices).

    Currently, pharmacies advertise three-months’ supply of Yaz and Yasmin for around A$79 dollars ($316 per year).

    Come March, the price women will pay will drop to $31.60 per box, or $126.40 per year. Concession card holders will pay $7.70 per box, or $30.80 per year.

    But the price of Yaz and Yasmin will still be higher than other combined oral contraceptives (containing the hormones levonorgestrel and ethinylestradiol) on the PBS, which start at $22 for a four-month supply or $66 per year.

    How can you switch?

    If you are considering Yaz or Yasmin, speak to your doctor. They will take your medical history and discuss your lifestyle and any other specific health needs.

    They will also explain the potential side effects to watch out for and any precautions you may need to take.

    If you proceed, your doctor will outline a process for transitioning to the new medication, including timing and where to start in the pill sequence.



    Read more:
    What is premenstrual dysphoric disorder? And how is it different to PMS?

    Nial Wheate in the past has received funding from the ACT Cancer Council, Tenovus Scotland, Medical Research Scotland, Scottish Crucible, and the Scottish Universities Life Sciences Alliance. He is a fellow of the Royal Australian Chemical Institute, a member of the Australasian Pharmaceutical Science Association and a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Nial is the chief scientific officer of Vaihea Skincare LLC, a director of SetDose Pty Ltd (a medical device company) and was previously a Standards Australia panel member for sunscreen agents. Nial regularly consults to industry on issues to do with medicine risk assessments, manufacturing, design, and testing.

    Shoohb Alassadi 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. Yaz and Yasmin contraceptive pills will be cheaper from March. How are they different from other pills? – https://theconversation.com/yaz-and-yasmin-contraceptive-pills-will-be-cheaper-from-march-how-are-they-different-from-other-pills-249480

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Six bold environmental leaders named 2024 Champions of the Earth

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI b

    Climate and Environment

    Brazil’s first-ever Minister of Indigenous Peoples and an initiative promoting sustainable agriculture in Egypt are among the six recipients of the 2024 Champions of the Earth award, announced by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) in Nairobi, Kenya, on Tuesday. 

    The laureates were honoured for their outstanding leadership, brave actions and sustainable solutions to tackle land degradation, drought and desertification.

    Protecting people and the planet

    The Champions of the Earth award is the UN’s highest environmental honour and recognizes trailblazers from the public and private sectors, civil society and academia who are at the forefront of efforts to protect both people and the planet.

    It has been presented annually since 2005, with122 laureates to date.

    This year, nominations focused on finding champions who are restoring degraded land, increasing drought resilience and preventing desertification.

    Honouring ‘extraordinary individuals’

    UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen noted that almost 40 per cent of the world’s land is already degraded.  At the same time, desertification is on the rise and devastating droughts are becoming more regular.

    “The good news is that solutions already exist today, and around the world, extraordinary individuals and organizations are demonstrating that it is possible to defend and heal our planet,” she said.

    “The efforts of the 2024 Champions of the Earth stand tall as a reminder that the fight to protect our land, our rivers and our oceans is a fight we can win. With the right policies, scientific breakthroughs, system reforms, activism, as well as the vital leadership and wisdom of Indigenous Peoples, we can restore our ecosystems.”

    Meet the Champions

    Sonia Guajajara, Brazil’s Minister of Indigenous Peoples, was honoured in the Policy Leadership category.

    Ms. Guajajara has been advocating for Indigenous rights for more than two decades. She became Brazil’s first Minister of Indigenous Peoples and the country’s first female Indigenous minister in 2023. Under her leadership, 10 territories have been recognized as Indigenous land to ward off deforestation, illegal logging, and drug traffickers.

    Amy Bowers Cordalis, an Indigenous rights advocate, received the award in the Inspiration and Action category

    Ms. Cordalis is using her legal expertise and passion for restoration to secure a better future for the Yurok tribe and the Klamath River in the United States. UNEP said her work to restore the river ecosystem and encourage the adoption of sustainable fishing practices demonstrate how bold environmental action can bring significant positive change, while upholding Indigenous Peoples’ rights and livelihoods.

    Gabriel Paun, a Romanian environmental defender, was honoured in the Inspiration and Action category.

    Mr. Paun is the founder of Agent Green, a non-governmental organization (NGO) which has been helping save thousands of hectares of precious biodiversity in the Carpathians since 2009 by exposing the destruction and illegal logging of Europe’s last old growth forest.

    He has received death threats and been physically attacked for his work in documenting deforestation in an area that is vital for the ecosystem and supports unique biodiversity such as endangered lynx and wolves.

    Chinese scientist Lu Qi was honoured in the Science and Innovation category.  He has worked in science and policy sectors for three decades, helping China reverse degradation and shrink its deserts

    As Chief Scientist of the Chinese Academy of Forestry and founding President of the Institute of Great Green Wall, Mr. Lu has played a key role in implementing the world’s largest afforestation project, establishing expert research networks and partnerships, and boosting multilateral cooperation to stem desertification, land degradation and drought.

    Madhav Gadgil, an Indian ecologist was named as the laureate in the Lifetime Achievement category.  He has spent decades protecting people and the planet through research and community engagement.

    “From landmark environmental impact assessments of state and national policies to grassroots environmental engagement, Gadgil’s work has greatly influenced public opinion and official policies on the protection of natural resources.

    “He is renowned for his seminal work in the ecologically fragile Western Ghats region of India, which is a unique global biodiversity hotspot,” said UNEP.

    The SEKEM initiative in Egypt was honoured in the Entrepreneurial Vision category for helping farmers transition to more sustainable agriculture.

    Its promotion of biodynamic agriculture plus afforestation and reforestation work has been transforming large swathes of desert into thriving agricultural business, advancing sustainable development across the country. 

    © World Bank/Andrea Borgarello

    A woman carries a baby and a water container as she walks across arid land in Niger.

    Restoring the world’s ecosystems

    Roughly 3.2 billion people worldwide are currently threatened by desertification, according to UNEP. Additionally, by 2050, more than three-quarters of the world’s population is expected to be affected by droughts. 

    In March 2019, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution declaring 2021–2030 the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. 

    Led by UNEP and the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and supported by partners, it aims to prevent, halt, and reverse the loss and degradation of ecosystems worldwide to revive billions of hectares of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. 

    The announcement of the 2024 Champions of the Earth on 10 December coincides with Human Rights Day and the Resilience Day at the 16th Session of the Conference of the Parties (COP16) of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) taking place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.  

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Royal Astronomical Society (RAS)

    Source: UNISDR Disaster Risk Reduction

    Mission

    The Royal Astronomical Society (RAS), founded in 1820, encourages and promotes the study of astronomy, solar-system science, geophysics and closely related branches of science.

    The RAS maintains an astronomy research library, engages in public outreach and advises the UK government on astronomy education. The society recognises achievement in astronomy and geophysics by issuing annual awards and prizes, with its highest award being the Gold Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society. The RAS is the UK adhering organisation to the International Astronomical Union and a member of the UK Science Council.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Disaster losses and damages data

    Source: UNISDR Disaster Risk Reduction

    Reviewing existing applications and use cases

    Data on disaster losses and damages is an essential basis for preparedness, effective response, recovery and reconstruction, the quantification and economic valuation of losses and damages, for understanding root causes and shifts in exposure and vulnerability, and to assess the risk of cascading events and impacts across multiple hazards.

    Not all countries, however, collect and use disaster data systematically and there are major disparities across countries regarding methods, coverage and system governance, creating barriers to effective risk management.

    The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and World Meteorological Organization (WMO) are jointly addressing this gap and developing an enhanced disaster tracking system for hazardous events and related losses and damages aimed at national users interested in upgrading and institutionalizing national disaster tracking systems.

    The report and life repository of case studies below explore current data applications and ways that stronger data collection and management could support better decision-making and informed action.

    Application areas for disaster losses and damages data

    1. Understanding risks

    While still a comparatively young science, hazard modelling has accelerated dramatically in recent years, in terms of the number of models developed, research budgets and expertise, granularity, quality and coverage. Impact information, vulnerability models and integrated assessments have not followed. As a result, the different drivers of vulnerability and, therefore, of underlying risk, remain hidden in plain sight.

    Disaster losses and damages data can make such drivers and hidden vulnerabilities visible. In addition, where solid foundations of exposure, vulnerability and capacity baseline data exist, they provide critical information on the cost of loss, i.e. the ratio of loss compared to total exposure. Disaster data must be collected consistently and over time for them to provide evidence of trends and inform longer-term planning. The importance of baseline information on exposure and vulnerability for risk modelling cannot be underestimated. While high quality is desirable, even modest improvements in increasing coverage, consistency and frequency of updating can go a long way. Combined with disaster losses and damages data information on pre-existing vulnerabilities becomes a powerful contribution to risk modelling and analysis.

    Case study: Understanding multidimensional vulnerability in Sri Lanka: combining disaster losses and damages data with national survey data

    In Sri Lanka, data collected as part of national citizen surveys provide a clear picture of the multiple dimensions of vulnerability and could directly inform hotspot, vulnerability and risk analysis (UNDP, Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative [OPHI] and Government of Sri Lanka, 2023 (c)). Analysed through the lens of the Multidimensional Vulnerability Index (MDVI) (UNDP, 2023 (a)), data from the surveys clearly highlight pre-existing vulnerabilities

    Combined with long-term records on the impact of disasters from their Desinventar-based national disaster losses and damages database, a disaggregated analysis makes apparent differences on vulnerability dimensions and their drivers providing useful insights for more in depth risk analysis.

    Recommendations to enhance the usability of disaster losses and damages data for risk analysis and modeling

    Disaster losses and damages data can provide a “real time” window on ongoing risk accumulation identifying new risk patterns and trends that should feedback into recalibrated risk information. Disaster data can illustrate changing patterns and trends that can be interpreted through qualitative analysis of the underlying risk drivers to explain the changes. Historical disaster data cannot replace risk analysis but can provide additional or substitute information to improve risk modelling for both short-term forecasting and longer-term climate impact assessments. Historic data is particularly useful for capturing frequently occurring, localized and small-scale events, such as local landslides or flash floods – often called extensive disaster events – where global risk models have limitations.

    Risk assessments are only useful if they are communicated in a manner that is meaningful to decision makers. While historical losses alone are not a good guide to the future, presenting data on actual (realized) losses and damages alongside more complex risk analysis can help in communicating risk effectively. Data on disaster losses and damage can contribute to improved modelling of existing as well as emerging or newly accelerating risks. To improve its usability, it is recommended to:

    • Strengthen disaggregated data collection and analysis both in terms of hazard type, geography, and sectoral impacts, as well as in regard to data sex, age, disability status, income levels, and other dimensions of differentiated exposure and vulnerability.
    • Enable georeferenced impact data collection to support the development of more accurate and replicable risk models.

    2. Preparedness, early warning and early action

    Hazardous event and disaster losses and damages data is critical in the design, development and monitoring of early warning systems and early action. By informing key components of multi hazard early warning systems (MHEWS) – as proposed in 1997 and later adopted by WMO, the United Nations and national governments – these systems and related anticipatory and early action can become impact-based.

    Case study: Impact-based forecasting for anticipatory action to typhoons in the Philippines

    To reduce the humanitarian impact of TC, both the Philippines Red Cross and United Nations OCHA Philippines have designed an agency-specific protocol, respectively in 2019 and 2021, which can be used to trigger early actions and release funding based on an impact-based forecasting model. Building on the Netherlands Red Cross 510 model, early actions (such as distributing house-strengthening kits) are pre-identified and triggered when the impact-based forecasting model indicates a pre-defined danger level is exceeded (with a lead time of 120 to 72 hours before landfall). The machine learning model consists of a classification and regression component and is trained on over 60 historical events.

    Recommendations to enhance the usability of disaster losses and damages data for preparedness, early warning and early action

    • Record losses and damages recorded along with the associated characteristics of the hazardous event (physical phenomena) to be able to link impacts to vulnerability, exposure and specific hazard intensity, characteristics and cascading events.
    • Enhance spatial resolution of damage records to enable training of machine learning models that could enhance resolution of predictions and allow impact-based forecasting model to achieve a higher performance.
    • Collect sector, geographic and population groups disaggregated impact information to be able to understand common disruptions to livelihood systems and services associated with recurrent hazards and to device and monitor effectiveness of early/ anticipatory actions.

    3. Disaster risk reduction financing

    Disaster losses and damages data are the backbone of any financing strategy and plan for preparedness, response, recovery or risk reduction. Without knowing what has been lost in the past and what is at stake in the present and future, the case for investment in risk management and even for contingency planning remains weak (UNDRR, 2013). National ministries of finance, regional financing institutions and multilateral development banks, as well as private-sector finance and insurance companies, all require data to underpin budgets, financing plans and funding proposals for priority sectors or systems

    Strategies for disaster risk reduction financing can look very different, depending on scale, risk context and financing sources. However, as states are insurers of last resort in disasters, it is increasingly important that they have ownership of the data that informs disaster financing strategies and lead the development of financing instruments, including insurance (Radu, 2022).

    Insurance mechanisms

    Methods from the insurance sector have been replicated across the public sector, from modelling approaches to estimations of disaster losses. A critical gap that both the private and public sectors face in developing financing strategies for disaster risk management, however, is the question of indirect and downstream costs, for example in the form of business disruption, cascading costs from power outages or disruption in water supply, etc.

    Case study: Using disaster data to calibrate parametric insurance in Manizales, Colombia.

    In Manizales, Colombia a disaster database registered a total of 1,149 local landslides, between March 2003 and August 2021. These events were classified according to the severity of their impacts on a D-Index using a scale from 1 – 10. A parameter called C5Max, was then established for a critical level of rainfall over 5 days, captured in selected meteorological stations, that could trigger landslides. The level of critical rainfall could then be associated with the severity of landslide impact. This enabled the prediction of expected landslide impacts once a given rainfall threshold was surpassed. In Manizales this was used for the development and calibration of a parametric insurance scheme to cover emergency response. However, the same approach could also be used in impact-based early warning.

    DRR Financing strategies

    Whereas the insurance industry usually employs fully developed risk estimation methods, including actuarial data from past disaster impact assessments, many public-sector institutions lack the resources and experience to undertake analysis based on systematic assessments of past events (UNDRR, 2023 (b)).

    As a result, many national disaster risk reduction financing strategies and risk management budgets rely on a weak evidence base and only a few use disaster loss data collected in the past as a critical input into their assessments (Radu, 2022; UNDRR, 2015; Climate Adapt, n.d.). Instead, estimates of financing needs often use financing commitments or humanitarian spending in previous disasters, rather than records of actual losses.

    Case study: Sri Lanka – disaster losses and damages data to identify financing needs in the agriculture sector

    In Sri Lanka, analysis of historical disaster losses in the infrastructure sector helped identify risk and potential financing gaps in the irrigation sector (see Figure 13a). The calculation of these historical costs provides the basis for modelled estimates of costs associated with damage from future disasters and the potential financing gap the Government of Sri Lanka may face (see Figure 13b).

    Recommendations to enhance applicability of disaster losses and damages data for disaster risk reduction financing

    • Improve the collection of sector-specific asset and service system (e.g. water distribution or electricity generation) disaggregated and georeferenced data to enhance the understanding on how specific parameters of hazardous events (e.g. water level, flow speeds, stagnation time) cause damage and dysfunction to different structures to better enable sector-specific catastrophic insurance products
    •  Ensure losses and damages data is recorded in a way that private vs public sector effects are accounted separately, understanding which losses are incurred by individuals, households and private sector versus those borne by public sector will be particularly helpful when devising risk reduction financing strategies for productive and infrastructure sectors.

    Disaggregated historical damage data solid baseline data on sector exposure, i.e. inventories of assets and production processes beyond the basic exposure data on buildings and people would enhance the evidence base to develop catastrophic insurance products.

    4. Risk-informed planning and development

    Disaster losses and damages data that is of good quality, geographical and temporal coverage, and consistency of metrics and indicators, can inform and enhance local assessments for sector-specific preparedness, response and recovery planning and beyond, risk-informed development and sector planning. Particularly relevant sectors in this regard are health and education, urban planning (including building and zoning regulations), agriculture and natural resources management, and basic infrastructure and services (transport, energy, waste, and drinking water).

    High-quality disaster losses and damages data with good geographical and temporal coverage and consistent metrics and indicators, can inform and enhance local assessments for sector-specific preparedness, response and recovery planning, as well as risk-informed development and sector planning.

    Case study: Planning resilient roads in Cambodia

    The Government of Cambodia has recognized that the transportation sector, vital for the country’s economic development, is regularly and severely affected by disaster impacts. Road damage and destruction from disasters is systematically collected and recorded and stored in the Cambodia Disaster Loss and Damage Information System (CamDi), national database managed by the National Committee on Disaster Management (NCDM). Baseline data is collected with details on all roads and related infrastructure and recorded together with disaster loss data, allowing for lost cost assessments, seasonal analysis, and analysis by region or specific location and by road or infrastructure type.

    Recommendations to enhance the usability of disaster losses and damages for risk-informed development

    • Sector and geographic disaggregated data recording and management would further enable the application of disaster losses and damages data for risk-informed policies, plans, budgets and actions
    • Consistent and institutionalized tracking of losses and damages with engagement of whole-of-government entities and following agreed definitions, metrics and standard would enable creating relevant time series of historic impact data required for enhancing relevance and applicability of data for risk-informed planning.
    • Application of disaster losses and damages data for risk-informed planning at multiple levels should be complemented by monitoring and evaluation frameworks and mechanisms that utilize same data elements to measure progress against targets and milestones.

    5. Reporting, benchmarking and progress monitoring

    Monitoring progress on resilience building

    Progress on climate change adaptation and action on losses and damages can be efficiently monitored, among other things, by maintaining consistent and granular impact records. Reducing losses and damage from hazardous events over time is the ultimate measurement of progress and the Sendai Framework specifies several indicators that all require disaster losses and damages quantification. Similarly, reporting against the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) requires disaster-related data, as 25 targets relate directly to disaster risk and to reducing the negative impacts of disasters).  The ongoing development of indicators to monitor the Global Goal on Adaptation targets contained in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Framework for Global Climate Resilience will also benefit from the enhanced disaster tracking system, enabling monitoring of the reduction in losses and increase in resilience across several sectors (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change [UNFCCC], 2023 (a)). Other national frameworks and processes, such as for Nationally Determined Contributions and National Adaptation Plans or Biennial Transparency Reports, can also draw on the enhanced tracking system to strengthen coherence in reporting (UNFCCC, n.d. (a); UNEP, n.d.; UNFCCC, n.d. (b)).

    Recommendations to enhance usability of disaster losses and damages data for monitoring, reporting and benchmarking progress.

    • Utilize globally agreed definitions and standards, such as the hazard classification and information profiles to organize database and tracking systems to further enable cross-cutting and regional benchmarking.
    View more case studies

    Related and further reading

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  • MIL-OSI United Nations: In the shadow of Mount Vesuvius

    Source: UNISDR Disaster Risk Reduction

    My first field trip of 2025 was to Naples, for a fascinating day and a half of visits to volcanic sites.

    In Naples, volcanoes are ever present in the public consciousness. From archival paintings dating from the 18th century to decorative art in restaurants and shops, Mount Vesuvius is the most iconic image of modern Naples.

    My Italian colleagues gave me a crash course on managing the city’s disaster risks – most notably the presence of a live volcano. I was treated to fascinating insights from volcanologists, seismologists, meteorologists, hydrologists, structural engineers, civil protection officers, psychologists, and risk communicators – including Chiara Cardaci from Italian Civil Protection and Mauro Di Vito, the director of the Italian National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV).

    Our detailed and interesting discussions taught me a lot about volcano risk. Here are my highlights:

    1. Every volcano has a unique personality.

    Not all volcanoes are iconic towering landmarks like Japan’s Mount Fuji, Indonesia’s Mount Merapi, Italy’s Mount Vesuvius, or the Philippines’ Mount Pinatubo. In Naples itself, the Campi Flegrei caldera may not look like it to an untrained visitor, but it is a very active volcanic site.

    Each volcano has a different style – some are explosive, and others erupt more slowly (“effusive” in volcanologists’ terminology). Some have a different character at different times – sometimes explosive, sometimes effusive. As a result, the hazard potential of every individual active volcano is quite unique.

    2. Early warning for volcanic eruptions is inherently challenging

    An effective early warning would require that we are able to predict and convey the time, location and nature of eruption at a volcanic site. But this is difficult – especially with sufficient lead time. Probabilistic risk assessments, however, are possible – so we can estimate the likelihood of eruption over 10 years, 50 years and so on. Scenarios can be developed for these likely eruptions.

    While the science of estimating volcanic risk is seated primarily in the domain of volcanology, it also draws on other disciplines: meteorology (to determine which way the wind will carry the volcanic ash), hydrology (to work out how the ground water could be affected), anthropology (to analyze how people may perceive and respond to risk), communication science (to determine the best way to communicate risk). For each scenario, preparedness plans for evacuation and other response measures need to be developed and practised.

    3. Ultimately it is human actions that increase or decrease risk

    The presence of people, capital assets, and economic activity (e.g. tourism, agriculture) around volcanic sites has steadily increased over the years, sometimes without attention to risk-sensitive land-use planning. Some of these areas are experiencing gradual uplift of the ground, a phenomenon known as bradyseism.

    Despite this, human settlements continue to grow – and even flourish – in these areas. This is a major driver of risk. In such areas, we must replan, redevelop and explore adaptive infrastructure that can be modified over time to suit the changing conditions and minimize the risks from seismic events

    4. Historic eruptions can present new risks

    Signatures of past eruptions are all around volcanic sites, and can become new hazards.

    For example, slopes around volcanic sites have ash deposits from eruptions that may have taken place centuries ago. Extreme rainfall on and around these slopes may cause large and sudden mudslides (lahars) with devastating consequences for nearby human settlements. To manage these risks, we need to adopt a multi-hazard approach.

    5. Volcanoes are resources as well as hazards

    Volcanic ash from previous eruptions often provides fertile soils for cultivation; many of the rocks around volcanic sites have excellent strength and geotechnical properties that are suitable as construction materials; volcanic sites offer great potential for geothermal energy; and many volcanic sites are picturesque, with fascinating geothermal activity, making them attractive tourist destinations.

    Because of these features, any human settlement around volcanic sites needs to be carefully managed to maximize the potential benefits and minimize the potential harm.

    The government and people of Italy set an inspiring example in their pursuit of disaster risk reduction. They have made long-term investment in continuous improvements of understanding disaster risk, communicating risk to the population, and co-creating risk management plans with all stakeholders.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Proceedings of IAHS

    Source: UNISDR Disaster Risk Reduction

    Mission

    Proceedings of IAHS (PIAHS) aim to provide up-to-date overviews of work in specific fields of hydrological sciences by presenting peer-reviewed papers from IAHS conferences and workshops.

    The scope covers all hydrological and related sciences and is determined by the activities of the IAHS. Every volume has a theme reflecting the topic considered at the corresponding event and is guest-edited.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Gender Advisor (Programme Management Officer), P-4, Bangkok

    Source: UNISDR Disaster Risk Reduction

    Apply here

    Created in December 1999, the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) is the designated focal point in the United Nations system for the coordination of efforts to reduce disasters and to ensure synergies among the disaster reduction activities of the United Nations and regional organizations and activities in both developed and less developed countries. Led by the United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction (SRSG), UNDRR has over 150 staff located in its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, and in regional offices. Specifically, UNDRR guides, monitors, analyses and reports on progress in the implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, supports regional and national implementation of the Framework and catalyses action and increases global awareness to reduce disaster risk working with U.N. Member States and a broad range of partners and stakeholders, including civil society, the private sector, parliamentarians and the science and technology community. 

    The project position is located in the Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific of United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), Bangkok. The incumbent reports to the Chief of Regional Office.

    Under the supervision and guidance of the Chief of Regional Office, the incumbent will be responsible for the following duties and responsibilities: 

    • Develops, implements and evaluates a regional program designed to enhance women’s leadership in disaster risk reduction in Asia-Pacific (WIN DRR), including liaising with relevant parties and ensuring follow-up actions, and supporting the expansion to other regions. This program will provide leadership skills training, expand networks and build partnerships to strengthen the role of women leaders in DRR. 
    • Facilitates and guides the integration of gender equality and disability inclusion into core UNDRR global processes, including strategic planning, programme management, resource mobilization, global and regional platforms, communications, staff training and partnerships. 
    • Leads UNDRR’s implementation of the Gender Action Plan to Support Implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, and initiates and coordinates outreach activities on gender-responsive DRR with UNDRR partners and stakeholder groups. 
    • Supports UNDRR’s commitment to, and implementation of, UN-wide gender initiatives and ensures appropriate reporting processes. 
    • Researches, analyzes and presents information related to inclusive disaster risk reduction, including gender equality, disability inclusion and human rights, gathered from diverse sources and provides recommendations to UNDRR SRSG, Director, management and staff to enhance inclusive and accessible DRR. 
    • Coordinates policy development related to gender equality, disability inclusion and human rights, including Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), the review and analysis of issues and trends at the global and regional levels. 
    • Promotes sex, age and disability disaggregated data and supports the use of gender data to improve Sendai Framework Monitoring and evidence-based decision making that leaves no one behind. 
    • Contributes technical expert advice on gender, women’s leadership and DRR and represents UNDRR at regional and national meetings where needed. 
    • Organizes and prepares written outputs related to gender equality and women’s leadership, disability inclusion and human rights e.g. draft background papers, speeches, analysis, sections of reports and studies, inputs to publications, etc. 
    • Supervises staff and coordinates activities related to budget funding (programme/project preparation and submissions, progress reports, financial statements, etc.) and prepares related documents/reports (pledging, work programme, programme budget, etc.). 
    • Performs other duties as required.

    PROFESSIONALISM: Shows pride in work and in achievements; Demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; Is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; Is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; Shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; Remains calm in stressful situations; Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work. 

    ACCOUNTABILITY: Takes ownership of all responsibilities and honours commitments; Delivers outputs for which one has responsibility within prescribed time, cost and quality standards; Operates in compliance with organizational regulations and rules; Supports subordinates, provides oversight and takes responsibility for delegated assignments; Takes personal responsibility for his/her own shortcomings and those of the work unit, where applicable. 

    CREATIVITY: Actively seeks to improve programmes or services; offers new and different options to solve problems or meet client needs; promotes and persuades others to consider new ideas; takes calculated risks on new and unusual ideas; thinks “outside the box”; takes an interest in new ideas and new ways of doing things; is not bound by current thinking or traditional approaches.

    Advanced university degree (Master’s Degree or equivalent degree) in gender and women’s rights, development studies, social science or related humanities field, international relations, human rights, law, gender studies, or related area is required. A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

    Not available.

    A minimum of seven years of progressively responsible programme management experience in gender mainstreaming, women’s leadership and disability inclusion in disaster risk management, humanitarian response, or development programming is required. 

    Experience in conducting gender analysis is required. 

    At least two years of experience designing and managing large projects is required. 

    At least two years of experience working in international organizations such as the United Nations or other comparable organizations is required. 

    Experience in developing partnerships and collaborative networks is desirable.

    Experience in improving organizational systems and processes to strengthen gender results is desirable.

    English and French are the two working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this position, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another UN official language is desirable.

    Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which will be followed by competency-based interview.

    Special Notice

    This is a project post. The appointment against this project position is limited to the duration of the project. The appointment or assignment and renewal thereof are subject to the availability of the post or funds, budgetary approval or extension of the mandate. At the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the recruitment and employment of staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity, with due regard to geographic diversity. All employment decisions are made on the basis of qualifications and organizational needs. The United Nations is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. The United Nations recruits and employs staff regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, race, religious, cultural and ethnic backgrounds or disabilities. Reasonable accommodation for applicants with disabilities may be provided to support participation in the recruitment process when requested and indicated in the application. The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position. In line with the overall United Nations policy, the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction encourages a positive workplace culture which embraces inclusivity and leverages diversity within its workforce. Measures are applied to enable all staff members to contribute equally and fully to the work and development of the organization, including flexible working arrangements, family-friendly policies and standards of conduct. Staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and to assignment by him or her. In this context, all staff are expected to move periodically to new functions in their careers in accordance with established rules and procedures. Pursuant to section 7.11 of ST/AI/2012/2/Rev.1, candidates recruited through the young professionals programme who have not served for a minimum of two years in the position of their initial assignment are not eligible to apply to this position. Individual contractors and consultants who have worked within the UN Secretariat in the last six months, irrespective of the administering entity, are ineligible to apply for professional and higher, temporary or fixed-term positions and their applications will not be considered.

    United Nations Considerations

    According to article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. Candidates will not be considered for employment with the United Nations if they have committed violations of international human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law, sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment, or if there are reasonable grounds to believe that they have been involved in the commission of any of these acts. The term “sexual exploitation” means any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another. The term “sexual abuse” means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions. The term “sexual harassment” means any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that might reasonably be expected or be perceived to cause offence or humiliation, when such conduct interferes with work, is made a condition of employment or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, and when the gravity of the conduct warrants the termination of the perpetrator’s working relationship. Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment. Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible. The United Nations places no restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to participate in any capacity and under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary organs. The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process. By accepting a letter of appointment, staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). Further, staff members in the Professional and higher category up to and including the D-2 level and the Field Service category are normally required to move periodically to discharge functions in different duty stations under conditions established in ST/AI/2023/3 on Mobility, as may be amended or revised. This condition of service applies to all position specific job openings and does not apply to temporary positions. Applicants are urged to carefully follow all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira, and to refer to the Applicant Guide by clicking on “Manuals” in the “Help” tile of the inspira account-holder homepage. The evaluation of applicants will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted in the application according to the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislations of the United Nations including the Charter of the United Nations, resolutions of the General Assembly, the Staff Regulations and Rules, administrative issuances and guidelines. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications according to the instructions provided in inspira to be considered for the current job opening. No amendment, addition, deletion, revision or modification shall be made to applications that have been submitted. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to reference checks to verify the information provided in the application. Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date.

    No Fee

    THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.

    Apply here

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: University of Southern California Dornsife

    Source: UNISDR Disaster Risk Reduction

    Mission

    The USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences is the academic heart of the University of Southern California. Its breadth and depth are vast, with more than 40 academic departments and programs in the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences and dozens of research centers and institutes.

    USC Dornsife fosters the liberal arts ethos of small classes and close working relationships between students and faculty within the context of a premier research university, where internationally recognized scholars continuously pursue new ventures.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Strengthening disaster resilience: Financing and early warning systems set the stage for the 6th Arab Regional Platform for DRR

    Source: UNISDR Disaster Risk Reduction

    Kuwait, 9 February 2025 – As the Arab region struggles with increasing disaster risks and climate change challenges, two critical pre-conference events took place ahead of the Sixth Arab Regional Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction in Kuwait. These events – focused on Resilient Infrastructure and Disaster Risk Reduction Financing and the Early Warnings for All Multistakeholder Forum for the Arab States – were pivotal in driving forward regional collaboration and strengthening resilience against disasters.

    A financial foundation for resilience: the resilient infrastructure and DRR financing and conference

    The Resilient Infrastructure and DRR Financing Conference addressed one of the most pressing challenges facing the Arab region that is mobilizing sufficient financial resources for disaster resilience.

    The Arab region remains highly vulnerable to a range of natural hazards, from earthquakes and floods to droughts and storms. Without adequate financing, infrastructure remains susceptible to destruction, exacerbating socio-economic vulnerabilities and setting back development gains. The conference brought together policymakers, financial experts, and DRR practitioners to explore how financing strategies could be improved, identify investment gaps, and discuss innovative financial instruments such as insurance, bonds, and public-private partnerships.

    “Financing resilient infrastructure is a great challenge. But getting it right offers great rewards because the economic cost of disasters is only projected to increase as a result of climate change,” said Kamal Kishore, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for DRR and Head of UNDRR, in his opening remarks.

    A key highlight conference was the deep dive into strategic financing mechanisms essential for disaster resilience. Discussions explored global funding gaps and opportunities, emphasizing the need for governments to prioritize DRR within national budgets and leverage both domestic and international financial resources. Experts shared insights on innovative financial instruments such as catastrophe bonds, resilience bonds, and parametric insurance, which offer scalable and sustainable solutions for risk reduction. The role of public-private partnerships (PPPs) was also underscored, demonstrating how collaboration between governments, businesses, and NGOs can unlock new funding streams. Additionally, the conference examined how climate finance and DRR strategies can be better aligned, ensuring that investments in climate adaptation directly support disaster preparedness and infrastructure resilience. Case studies from across the region and beyond showcased successful models, providing actionable insights for Arab states to strengthen financial resilience and break the costly cycle of disaster-response-recovery.

    By fostering knowledge-sharing and strengthening financial commitments, this conference, led by the  United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), aimed to highlight the importance of moving beyond reactive disaster responses and establishing proactive, long-term strategies for risk reduction.

    The power of early warnings: Early warnings for all multistakeholder forum for the Arab states

    In parallel, the Early Warnings for All Multistakeholder Forum for the Arab States underscored the importance of inclusive, people-centered early warning systems across the region. In a world where climate-related disasters are increasing in frequency and intensity, effective early warning systems can mean the difference between life and death.
    This forum, led by the UNDRR and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), convened government representatives, scientific experts, private sector actors, and civil society organizations to discuss the latest advancements in early warning technologies and risk communication strategies.

    It provided an essential platform for experts and stakeholders to explore innovative approaches to strengthening early warning systems in the region. Key discussions focused on leveraging science and technology, including artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, and the Internet of Things (IoT), to improve forecasting accuracy and risk communication. Sessions also examined regional collaboration mechanisms for data sharing, ensuring that all nations, regardless of capacity, have access to timely early warning information. Another critical theme was the economic benefits of EWS, highlighting cost-effective strategies to mitigate disaster losses through public-private partnerships and sustainable financing mechanisms. Additionally, the forum addressed socioeconomic vulnerabilities, including the role of gender, disability inclusion, and community-based approaches in ensuring that early warnings reach the most at-risk populations. Through interactive knowledge exchanges and case studies from across the region, the forum fostered actionable recommendations, paving the way for more integrated and people-centered early warning systems in the Arab States.

    In his speech, Dr. Abdulla Al Mandous, President of the World Meteorological Organization, highlighted the importance of the Early Warning for All initiative, which is a top priority for WMO at the global, regional, and national levels. “We firmly believe that strengthening early warning systems, improving climate services, and enhancing regional and international partnerships are essential pillars for effective disaster risk reduction.”

    Kishore expands on this by stressing that no single entity can achieve this alone. “Creating and maintaining early warning systems cannot be accomplished by any single government agency. It requires the support of multiple partners inside and outside of government. This includes partners in the private sector, academia, the media, and civil society.”

    The significance of these two pre-conference events cannot be overstated. They went beyond technical discussions and served as platforms for action-oriented collaboration, ensuring that disaster risk reduction becomes a regional priority integrated into national policies and funding mechanisms. The discussions and insights made in these forums shaped the discussions at the Sixth Arab Regional Platform for DRR, setting a strong foundation for bold new initiatives in disaster resilience.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: There’s a new push to teach Australian students about civics. Here are 6 ways to do it well

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Murray Print, Professor of Education, University of Sydney

    A federal parliamentary inquiry has just recommended civics and citizenship become a compulsory part of the Australian Curriculum, which covers the first year of school to Year 10.

    The committee also recommended a mandatory civics and citizenship course for all Year 11 and 12 students to prepare them to vote.

    This comes amid growing concern about misinformation on social media, as well as increasing antisemitism and declining social cohesion.

    This is not the first time there have been calls to improve the quality of civics education in Australia – such calls have been made as far back as 1994.

    As a researcher in political education, I argue we need to make sure civics education is relevant, engaging and given adequate space in the curriculum.

    What is civics?

    At the moment, civics and citizenship is included in the national Australian Curriculum. But it is not mandatory and many states only make passing reference to it in primary school. Some states provide more opportunities in high school.

    The topics covered include how governments and democracy work, how laws work, the rights of individuals, diversity and national identity, and how to critically evaluate different sources of information.

    Every three years since 2004, a national sample of Year 6 and Year 10 students are assessed on their civics knowledge, skills and attitudes through a national test.

    In the most recent results from 2019, 53% of Year 6 students were at or above the national proficient standard for civics, while only 38% of Year 10 students were at or above the standard. Year 10 students’ results have shown a substantial decline since 2004.

    This suggests many young people are leaving school without the knowledge, skills and values to sustain our democracy.

    Both Australian and international studies have repeatedly shown civics and citizenship education makes a positive difference to young people’s political participation (including the likelihood they will vote), understanding of democracy and support for democratic values.

    What does good civics education look like?

    1. Make sure it has its own subject

    At the moment, civics education might be included as part of students’ work in history or other humanities subjects. But research shows it should be taught as a separate subject, otherwise it can get lost among other material.

    2. Don’t forget senior students

    It should also be taught at relevant points in students’ lives.

    While Year 11 and 12 are times when students get to pick most of their subjects for major exams, it is important they also study how the electoral system works. Many will vote in elections before they even leave school.

    3. Make it relevant to young people

    As important as they are, some aspects of civics – such as lawmaking or how parliament works – may seem dry to young people.

    Research shows teachers need to make the content engaging. This means students are shown how lessons relate to the real world.

    For example, a lesson on how parliament works could focus on the passage of contentious legislation such as banning social media for young people. Or lessons on misinformation could look at how social media had an impact on a particular issue or election.

    4. Have class discussions

    Research also shows students need to learn civics knowledge, skills and values in various ways, including role play, problem-solving, simulations and direct instruction.

    Students should be encouraged to ask questions in an open classroom environment. Class discussions are important for controversial issues so both sides of issues can be discussed in a supervised environment.

    5. Have school elections

    My research has found school elections (for school captains or a student council) can engage students in democratic processes. This way, they see first-hand how elections work and how voting can have an impact on their lives.

    6. Train teachers in law and government

    It is also important for teachers to have specific training in law, government or politics. Research shows teachers with these backgrounds have a greater impact on students’ civic knowledge – students come away knowing more. Similarly, teachers with these backgrounds achieve better results with students’ civic media literacy – or ability to handle misinformation and “outrage” online.

    This means existing teachers need to have professional opportunities to upgrade their civic knowledge and skills.

    Ultimately, it will take well-trained teachers, teaching a compulsory subject, to see Australian students appropriately educated about our democracy and how to participate in it.

    Murray Print receives funding from the Australian Research Council. An ARC grant was conducted in association with the Australian Electoral Commission.

    – ref. There’s a new push to teach Australian students about civics. Here are 6 ways to do it well – https://theconversation.com/theres-a-new-push-to-teach-australian-students-about-civics-here-are-6-ways-to-do-it-well-249584

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: OpenAI’s new ‘deep research’ agent is still just a fallible tool – not a human-level expert

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Raffaele F Ciriello, Senior Lecturer in Business Information Systems, University of Sydney

    Jan Antonin Kolar/Unsplash

    OpenAI’s “deep research” is the latest artificial intelligence (AI) tool making waves and promising to do in minutes what would take hours for a human expert to complete.

    Bundled as a feature in ChatGPT Pro and marketed as a research assistant that can match a trained analyst, it autonomously searches the web, compiles sources and delivers structured reports. It even scored 26.6% on Humanity’s Last Exam (HLE), a tough AI benchmark, outperforming many models.

    But deep research doesn’t quite live up to the hype. While it produces polished reports, it also has serious flaws. According to journalists who’ve tried it, deep research can miss key details, struggle with recent information and sometimes invents facts.

    OpenAI flags this when listing the limitations of its tool. The company also says it “can sometimes hallucinate facts in responses or make incorrect inferences, though at a notably lower rate than existing ChatGPT models, according to internal evaluations”.

    It’s no surprise that unreliable data can slip in, since AI models don’t “know” things in the same way humans do.

    The idea of an AI “research analyst” also raises a slew of questions. Can a machine – no matter how powerful – truly replace a trained expert? What would be the implications for knowledge work? And is AI really helping us think better, or just making it easier to stop thinking altogether?

    What is ‘deep research’ and who is it for?

    Marketed towards professionals in finance, science, policy, law and engineering, as well as academics, journalists and business strategists, deep research is the latest “agentic experience” OpenAI has rolled out in ChatGPT. It promises to do the heavy lifting of research in minutes.

    Currently, deep research is only available to ChatGPT Pro users in the United States, at a cost of US$200 per month. OpenAI says it will roll out to Plus, Team and Enterprise users in the coming months, with a more cost-effective version planned for the future.

    Unlike a standard chatbot that provides quick responses, deep research follows a multi-step process to produce a structured report:

    1. The user submits a request. This could be anything from a market analysis to a legal case summary.
    2. The AI clarifies the task. It may ask follow-up questions to refine the research scope.
    3. The agent searches the web. It autonomously browses hundreds of sources, including news articles, research papers and online databases.
    4. It synthesises its findings. The AI extracts key points, organises them into a structured report and cites its sources.
    5. The final report is delivered. Within five to 30 minutes, the user receives a multi-page document – potentially even a PhD-level thesis – summarising the findings.

    At first glance, it sounds like a dream tool for knowledge workers. A closer look reveals significant limitations.

    Many early tests have exposed shortcomings:

    • It lacks context. AI can summarise, but it doesn’t fully understand what’s important.
    • It ignores new developments. It has missed major legal rulings and scientific updates.
    • It makes things up. Like other AI models, it can confidently generate false information.
    • It can’t tell fact from fiction. It doesn’t distinguish authoritative sources from unreliable ones.

    While OpenAI claims its tool rivals human analysts, AI inevitably lacks the judgement, scrutiny and expertise that make good research valuable.

    What AI can’t replace

    ChatGPT isn’t the only AI tool that can scour the web and produce reports with just a few prompts. Notably, a mere 24 hours after OpenAI’s release, Hugging Face released a free, open-source version that nearly matches its performance.

    The biggest risk of deep research and other AI tools marketed for “human-level” research is the illusion that AI can replace human thinking. AI can summarise information, but it can’t question its own assumptions, highlight knowledge gaps, think creatively or understand different perspectives.

    And AI-generated summaries don’t match the depth of a skilled human researcher.

    Any AI agent, no matter how fast, is still just a tool, not a replacement for human intelligence. For knowledge workers, it’s more important than ever to invest in skills that AI can’t replicate: critical thinking, fact-checking, deep expertise and creativity.

    If you do want to use AI research tools, there are ways to do so responsibly. Thoughtful use of AI can enhance research without sacrificing accuracy or depth. You might use AI for efficiency, like summarising documents, but retain human judgement for making decisions.

    Always verify sources, as AI-generated citations can be misleading. Don’t trust conclusions blindly, but apply critical thinking and cross-check information with reputable sources. For high-stakes topics — such as health, justice and democracy — supplement AI findings with expert input.

    Despite prolific marketing that tries to tell us otherwise, generative AI still has plenty of limitations. Humans who can creatively synthesise information, challenge assumptions and think critically will remain in demand – AI can’t replace them just yet.

    Raffaele F Ciriello 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. OpenAI’s new ‘deep research’ agent is still just a fallible tool – not a human-level expert – https://theconversation.com/openais-new-deep-research-agent-is-still-just-a-fallible-tool-not-a-human-level-expert-249496

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: 11 February 2025 News release WHO, St. Jude launch groundbreaking international delivery of childhood cancer medicines

    Source: World Health Organisation

    The World Health Organization (WHO) and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital have commenced distribution of critically-needed childhood cancer medicines in 2 of 6 pilot countries, through the Global Platform for Access to Childhood Cancer Medicines. Currently, these medicines are being delivered to Mongolia and Uzbekistan, with next shipments planned for Ecuador, Jordan, Nepal and Zambia. The treatments are expected to reach approximately 5000 children with cancer across at least 30 hospitals in these countries within this year.

    The Global Platform is a first initiative of its kind. Countries in the pilot phase will receive an uninterrupted supply of quality-assured childhood cancer medicines at no cost. In low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), childhood cancer survival rates are often below 30%, significantly lower than those in high-income countries. Six additional countries have been formally invited to join the platform.

    The initiative is poised to become the largest, with the goal of reaching 50 nations in the next 5 to 7 years. It aims to eventually provide medicines for the treatment of approximately 120 000 children with cancer in LMICs, significantly reducing mortality rates. 

    “For too long, children with cancer have lacked access to life-saving medicines,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “This unique partnership between WHO and St. Jude is working to provide quality-assured cancer medicines to paediatric hospitals in low-and middle-income countries. WHO is proud to be part of this joint initiative with St. Jude, bringing health and hope to children around the world.”

    Every year, an estimated 400 000 children worldwide develop cancer. The majority of these children, living in resource-limited settings, are unable to consistently obtain or afford cancer medicines. It is estimated that 70% of the children from these settings die from cancer due to factors such as lack of appropriate treatment, treatment disruptions or low-quality medicines.

    “A child’s chances of surviving cancer are largely determined by where they are born, making this one of the starkest disparities in global healthcare,” said James R. Downing, MD, president and CEO of St. Jude. “St. Jude was founded on Danny Thomas’ dream that no child should die in the dawn of life. By developing this platform, we believe this dream can someday be achieved for children stricken by cancer, irrespective of where they live.”

    St. Jude and WHO announced the platform in 2021 to ensure children around the world have access to lifesaving treatments. The platform brings together governments, the pharmaceutical industry and non-governmental organizations in a unique collaborative model focused on creating solutions for children with cancer. The co-design approach addresses the broader needs of national stakeholders, with a focus on capacity building and long-term sustainability.

    The platform provides comprehensive end-to-end support, from consolidating global demand to shaping the market, assisting countries with medicine selection and developing treatment standards. It represents a transformative model for the broader global health community working together to tackle health challenges, in particular for children and noncommunicable diseases. To accomplish this, St. Jude and WHO partner with UNICEF Supply Division, and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) Strategic Fund.
     

    Notes to editors:

    World Health Organization

    Dedicated to the well-being of all people and guided by science, the World Health Organization (WHO) leads and champions global efforts to give everyone, everywhere an equal chance at a safe and healthy life. WHO is the UN agency for health that connects nations, partners and people on the front lines in 150+ locations – leading the world’s response to health emergencies, preventing disease, addressing the root causes of health issues and expanding access to medicines and health care. WHO’s mission is to promote health, keep the world safe and serve the vulnerable. 

    On childhood cancer, WHO works with over 100 global partners through the Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer, to support governments in developing high-quality cancer centres and regional satellites that ensure early, accurate diagnosis and effective treatments for children with cancer. WHO also develops standards and tools to guide the planning and implementation of interventions for diagnosis, treatment and palliative and survivorship care. Progress on childhood cancer, as well as on other noncommunicable diseases, are part of the agenda for the UN General Assembly Fourth High-Level Meeting of the on noncommunicable diseases to take place in September 2025.

    St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

    St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is leading the way the world understands, treats and cures childhood cancer, sickle cell disease and other life-threatening disorders. It is a non-profit organization based in Memphis, Tennessee, USA, and the only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center devoted solely to children. Treatments developed at St. Jude have helped push the overall childhood cancer survival rate from 20% to 80% since the hospital opened more than 60 years ago. St. Jude shares the breakthroughs it makes to help doctors and researchers at local hospitals and cancer centers around the world improve the quality of treatment and care for even more children. To learn more, visit stjude.org, read Progress: A Digital Magazine and follow St. Jude on social media at @stjuderesearch.

    WHO and St. Jude first collaborated in 2018, when St. Jude became the first WHO Collaborating Centre for Childhood Cancer and committed US$15 million for the creation of the Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer (Global Initiative). This initiative supports more than 70 governments in building and sustaining local cancer programs and aims to increase survival to 60% by 2030. The Global Platform for Access to Childhood Cancer Medicines (Global Platform) synergizes with the Global Initiative, with activities implemented through this new effort expected to contribute substantially to the achievement of the initiative’s goals. The Global Platform is part of the St. Jude Strategic Plan focused on accelerating progress on catastrophic childhood diseases on a global scale through the institution’s largest investment in research and patient care.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Charting a path for global action on land and drought

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    Climate and Environment

    The largest and most inclusive UN land conference wrapped up in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Saturday, charting a path for global action following two weeks of intense negotiations on how best to tackle land degradation, desertification and drought, which affects one quarter of the world.

    The nearly 200 countries gathered at the 16th Conference of the Parties (COP16) to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) and committed to prioritising land restoration and drought resilience in national policies and international cooperation as an essential strategy for food security and climate adaptation.

    While parties failed to agree on the nature of a new drought regime, they adopted a strong political declaration and 39 decisions shaping the way forward.

    According to UNCCD’s newly released World Drought Atlas and Economics of Drought Resilience reports, droughts affect the livelihoods of 1.8 billion people worldwide, pushing already vulnerable communities to the brink. They also cost an estimated $300 billion per year, threatening key economic sectors such as agriculture, energy and water.

    Among the main outcomes reached at COP16 were:

    • A prototype launch of the International Drought Resilience Observatory, the first ever global AI-driven platform to help countries assess and enhance their capacity to cope with harsher droughts
    • Mobilisation of private sector engagement under the Business4Land initiative
    • The creation of designated caucuses for Indigenous Peoples and for local communities to ensure their unique perspectives and challenges are adequately represented

    “Today, history has been made”, said Oliver Tester from Australia, a representative of Indigenous Peoples. “We look forward to championing our commitment to protect Mother Earth through a dedicated caucus and leave this space trusting that our voices be heard.”

    UN News/Martin Samaan

    Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim, an Indigenous Peoples rights campaigner, attends the COP16 desertification conference in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

    Global drought regime

    Nations also made significant progress in laying the groundwork for a future global drought regime, which they intend to complete at COP17 in Mongolia in 2026.

    At COP16, more than 30 decisions were issued on key topics through the negotiation process, including migration, dust storms, enhancing the role of science, research and innovation, and empowering women to tackle environmental challenges.

    Some decisions introduced new topics to the agenda, namely environmentally sustainable agrifood systems and rangelands, which cover 54 per cent of all land. The degradation of rangelands alone threatens one sixth of global food supplies, potentially depleting one third of the Earth’s carbon reserves.

    At the same time, more than $12 billion was pledged to tackle land challenges around the world, especially in the most vulnerable countries. Right now, some two billion people living in pastoral areas are among the world’s most vulnerable in the face of desertification, land degradation and drought.

    Now, the work begins

    COP16 was the largest and most diverse UNCCD COP to date. It attracted more than 20,000 participants, around 3,500 of them from civil society, and featured more than 600 events as part of the first Action Agenda to involve non-State actors in the work of the convention. It also set records for youth attendance and for the most ever private sector participants at a UN land conference, with more than 400 representatives from such industries as finance, fashion, agri-food and pharmaceuticals.

    UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed said now, the work begins.

    “Our work does not end with the closing of COP16,” she told delegates. “We must continue to tackle the climate crisis. It is a call to action for all of us to embrace inclusivity, innovation and resilience”

    She said youth and Indigenous Peoples must be at the heart of these conversations.

    “Their wisdom, their voices, and their creativity are indispensable as we craft a sustainable future with renewed hope for generations to come.”

    Vital turning point

    The meeting also marked a turning point in raising international awareness of the pressing need to accelerate land restoration and drought resilience, according to COP16 president, Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture Abdulrahman Alfadley.

    “We hope the outcomes of this session will lead to a significant shift that strengthens efforts to preserve land, reduce its degradation, build capacities to address drought, and contribute to the wellbeing of communities around the world,” he said in closing remarks.

    UN Under-Secretary-General and UNCCD Executive Secretary Ibrahim Thiaw agreed, underscoring a significant shift in the global approach to land and drought issues and the interconnected challenges with broader global issues such as climate change, biodiversity loss, food security, forced migration and global stability.

    NOOR for FAO/Benedicte Kurzen

    In Koyli Alpha, Senegal, women work in tree nurseries created as part of the Great Green Wall Initiative.

    ‘Solutions are within our grasp’

    During COP16, participants heard that UNCCD estimates that at least $2.6 trillion in total investments are needed by 2030 to restore more than one billion hectares of degraded land and build resilience to drought.

    This equals $1 billion in daily investments between now and 2030 to meet global land restoration targets and combat desertification and drought.

    New pledges were also announced for large-scale land restoration and drought preparedness and for some existing projects that are already winning the battle, like the Great Green Wall, an African-led initiative to restore 100 million hectares of degraded land straddling across the Sahel region, which mobilised $11.5 million from Italy and nearly $4 million from Austria.

    UNCCD Executive Secretary Ibrahim Thiaw summed up a common message heard throughout COP16 in his closing remarks.

    “As we have discussed and witnessed, the solutions are within our grasp,” he said.

    “The actions we took today will shape not only the future of our planet but also the lives, livelihoods and opportunities of those who depend on it.”

    Read more stories on climate and the environment here.

    Sacred Lands Declaration

    © UNCCD/Papa Mamadou Camara

    Assessing drylands in Caating, Brazil.

    In a landmark decision, COP16 parties requested the creation of a caucus for Indigenous Peoples with the goal of ensuring that their unique perspectives and priorities are represented in the work of the Convention to Combat Desertification.

    The Sacred Lands Declaration, presented during the inaugural Indigenous Peoples Forum on 7 December, underscored their role in sustainable resource management and called for greater involvement in global land and drought governance, including through participation in land restoration efforts.

    Here are some calls for action in the declaration:

    • We call on parties to ensure an approach that embraces human rights and Indigenous Peoples’s rights in all policies and actions related to land restoration and resilience building
    • We call on parties to respect, recognise, promote and protect Indigenous Peoples’ rights, based on the fundamental right to self-determination, provided for in the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the International Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination and its General Recommendation 23

    • We encourage the UNCCD to create a dedicated fund for Indigenous Peoples’ initiatives on land restoration, conservation, desertification and drought resilience

      Read the full Sacred Lands Declaration here.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Spirit of resilience braces desertification winds in Saudi Arabia

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    By Daniel Dickinson, Al Ahsa, Saudi Arabia

    Climate and Environment

    A low tech and sustainable solution to holding back advancing desert sands in eastern Saudi Arabia could help farming communities to thrive and conserve vulnerable habitats.

    The deserts of Saudi Arabia are amongst the largest in the world and controlling the natural migration of sand has always been a challenge not just to farmers, who want to increase agricultural productivity, but also to communities that want to ensure a more prosperous future or seek investment for growth.

    The Al Ahsa oasis in the eastern province of the Gulf state, one of the country’s largest and most productive oases, is threatened by encroaching sands.

    UN News/Daniel Dickinson

    Villages like this one close to the Al Ahsa oasis have been fully submerged by sand.

    At least nine villages in the immediate area have been inundated by sand dunes which can reach up to 15 metres high. Some have been dug out, others have remained buried.

    Holding back desertification

    “This is not a new phenomenon,” said Mona Dawalbeit from the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) which has been working with the Saudi government and local communities on trials to hold back desertification, “but communities and farmers especially do need extra support as they do not have the resources to do this alone.”

    Climate change has made the issue more pressing as higher temperatures and lower ground moisture contribute to drier sand and the increased likelihood of desertification.

    The state-owned oil company, Aramco, which extracts oil and gas in the eastern desert has over many decades protected infrastructure, including roads, mechanically removing sand amongst other measures, but the costs are high, so FAO has been promoting more sustainable approaches.

    UN News/Daniel Dickinson

    Palm fronds arranged in quadrants can help to slow down the pace of desertification.

    It is trialing low-level sand barriers made of palm fronds which are inexpensive and use material may otherwise would go to waste.

    Various designs can be tailored to protect farms and service facilities based on the geographical and geomorphological conditions,” said Mona Dawalbeit.

    These designs may include checkerboard and linear patterns with varying heights, ranging from 10 cm to one metre, depending on the specific purpose of the sand barrier.

    Environmental benefits

    The checkerboard technique effectively reduces sand encroachment and promotes the growth of natural vegetation including createing favourable conditions for planting trees or the spreading of seeds.

    “The palm barriers will not fully prevent the wind from moving sand towards land you want to protect,” said Mona Dawalbeit, “but it does slow the speed and completely change the flow of the sand.”

    There are additional environmental benefits of using palm fronds as typically they would be burned as waste, releasing the harmful carbon dioxide gas which is fuelling climate change.

    UN News/Daniel Dickinson

    Palm fronds are collected and reused as sand barriers.

    FAO is also piloting weather stations based on global standards which provide data on the complicated science of sand movements.

    Preventive action

    By analysing sand grain ‘deposit suspension’ (particles are suspended in mid-air and are blown by the wind across land), ‘saltation’ (smaller particles which are blown in jumps across the surface) and ‘surface creep’ (particles which are rolled over the ground) the volume and direction of sand encroachments can be predicted in conjunction with other climatic factors such as wind speed and direction, humidity and temperature.

    Preventative action can be targeted in specific locations where sand tends to move onto valuable agricultural land eroding the topsoil.

    UN News/Daniel Dickinson

    An FAO-supported meteorological station measures sand movements.

    FAO collaborated with Green Environment Society in Al Ahsa to implement sand barriers aimed at protecting Al Ahsa National Park, a government-managed entity.

    The initiative sought to strengthen the relationship between governmental institutions and local communities while building the capacity of NGOs to construct sand barriers using palm fronds.

    Community involvement 

    “This approach not only ensures local sustainability,” said FAO’s Mona Dawelbait “but also promotes community involvement in environmental conservation efforts”.

    “In Saudi Arabia and in Al Ahsa in particular, there are concerns about land degradation and the loss of productive land,” she added, “but together we can change these challenges into opportunities.”

    UN News/Daniel Dickinson

    Climate change is contributing to increased sand movements in Saudi Arabia.

    “I have worked with desert communities for 20 years. They are resilient people with strong spirits and I believe, the wind of change in terms of holding back land loss will carry on beyond this FAO intervention.”

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Scientists develop corrosion-induced electrodes for biomass upgrading

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    A group of Chinese researchers have utilized metal corrosion to prepare high-performance electrodes, enabling efficient and cost-effective upgrading of biomass, according to a research article published in journal Chem Catalysis on Monday.
    Corrosion is a common phenomenon that can lead to material failure and economic losses. Meanwhile, scientists around the world are exploring the potential of metal corrosion for beneficial applications, particularly in biomass upgrading.
    Biomass is among the most abundant renewable resources on earth, said Zhang Jian from the Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering (NIMTE) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS).
    Through catalytic conversion, biomass can upgrade into fuels and chemicals that can substitute traditional fossil resources.
    Inspired by the idea of “turning damage into benefits,” Zhang and his teammates at the NIMTE combined spontaneous metal corrosion with efficient biomass upgrading.
    They fabricated a type of microwire array on copper foam to enable the efficient electrochemical reduction of the biomass, which can be further converted into environmentally friendly plastic or rubber products, high-value derivatives, and high-quality bio-based chemicals through simple methods.
    Moreover, the prepared electrode demonstrated a remarkable biomass conversion rate of roughly 96 percent, according to the study. And the activation energy for the electrocatalytic reduction of the biomass was significantly lower than in thermocatalysis.
    The researcher acknowledged that their study challenged conventional views on metal corrosion phenomena and enabled the production of highly efficient catalysts at an extremely low cost. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Diabetes during pregnancy can cause serious problems later – mothers need proper screening after birth

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Phyllis Ohene-Agyei., Doctoral Researcher in Maternal Health, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau

    Shutterstock/Dragana Gordic

    A growing number of women experience high blood sugar levels during pregnancy which typically resolve after birth.

    Known as gestational diabetes, this is the most common metabolic disorder in pregnancy and affects one in seven women worldwide and one in sixteen in New Zealand.

    Gestational diabetes is associated with complications during pregnancy. This includes high blood pressure, giving birth to a big baby (which increases the risk of vaginal birth complications) and increased rates of Caesarean section. It can also significantly affect the mother’s mental health and wellbeing.

    Worryingly, more women are being diagnosed with gestational diabetes than ever before. Our new review of later health impacts for these women suggests they could be receiving better care after birth and in the long term.

    Recommended care

    Women who experienced gestational diabetes are ten times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes and twice as likely to experience cardiovascular disorders such as heart disease in the years following birth, compared to women who don’t develop gestational diabetes.

    These mothers may also suffer from mental health problems, including depression, particularly in high-risk groups such as women of non-European ethnicity and those with a previous history of gestational diabetes.

    For these reasons, care after birth for these women is important. This should include regular screening for blood sugar levels, cardiovascular problems and mental wellbeing after birth. It is also important women receive advice on diet and exercise.

    Support for continued breastfeeding is also important as women who get gestational diabetes may experience a delay in milk flow and generally have lower breastfeeding rates compared to others. Breastfeeding may even reduce the risk of progression to type 2 diabetes.

    Gestational diabetes can delay the flow of milk and make breastfeeding more difficult.
    Shutterstock/Pixel Shot

    Screening should continue for more than the first year after giving birth. Best practice would see women who had gestational diabetes being provided with long-term follow-up care, given their high risk for type 2 diabetes and heart problems.

    Current evidence, however, suggests this isn’t necessarily happening. In a 2018 British study across several general practice centres, women who had gestational diabetes reported their levels of care during pregnancy dropped sharply after birth – to the point where they felt abandoned by the health system.

    In a 2024 New Zealand study, mothers who had had gestational diabetes were interviewed five years after birth and expressed the need for more support from the health system.

    While this study involved mothers’ perceptions about the optimal health and wellbeing for their children who were exposed to gestational diabetes, the findings also suggest room for improvement in care for the women themselves.

    Gaps in clinical guidelines

    Following on from this, our research team reviewed existing clinical practice guidelines to see if there were any gaps. These guidelines play an important role in contributing to quality care because they summarise research findings to provide recommendations for healthcare professionals to optimise health and reduce harm.

    We looked at recommendations from 26 clinical practice guidelines published in the past decade in 22 countries, including New Zealand. The findings showed we could be doing better for women who have experienced gestational diabetes.

    A key example relates to screening for diabetes after birth. It is common practice to check the blood sugar levels of women within three months of giving birth to see if they have gone back to normal.

    This testing ensures any abnormalities (like high blood glucose, which may suggest diabetes) are detected so that appropriate management begins early on. Sadly, a nationwide study reported only about half of women receive this screening within six months after birth in New Zealand.

    Sending reminders and combining these tests with other postnatal baby health checks and care procedures might encourage more women to check their blood sugar levels. However, very few guidelines we assessed recommend ways to raise the number of women who attend this screening.

    Even fewer guidelines talk about screening for poor mental health, despite an increased chance these women could experience depression after birth.

    Research we carried out in 2022, using randomised trial data of women with a previous history of gestational diabetes, revealed that around one in five self-reported symptoms of anxiety, depression or poor mental functioning at six months after birth.

    Postnatal screening for mental health problems for all women who had gestational diabetes should be recommended to help improve quality of care.

    Encouraging women who have had gestational diabetes to attend screening tests, continue breastfeeding and adopt healthy dietary choices and physical exercise requires health professionals to provide adequate counselling on the long-term risks of this condition. This will help women stick with their care plan after birth.

    Phyllis Ohene-Agyei. 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. Diabetes during pregnancy can cause serious problems later – mothers need proper screening after birth – https://theconversation.com/diabetes-during-pregnancy-can-cause-serious-problems-later-mothers-need-proper-screening-after-birth-245658

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: China is committed to dialogue, ‘not throwing gas on the fire’, Foreign Minister Wang says

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    UN Affairs

    Wang Yi, the Foreign Minister of China reiterated on Saturday his country’s commitment to playing a constructive role and engaging in mediation for peace, not exploiting volatile situations for “selfish gains”.

    To that end, China, jointly with Brazil and other countries of the Global South, launched a Group of Friends for Peace, he said in his address the UN General Assembly.

    “Its very purpose is to uphold the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, build consensus for a political settlement of the crisis and contribute to a prospect of peace,” the Minister said.

    He noted that the question of Palestine is the “biggest wound” to the human conscience.

    The ongoing conflict in Gaza is causing more casualties with each passing day, he said, adding that fighting has started again in Lebanon.

    “But might cannot replace justice. Palestine’s long held aspiration to establish an independent state should not be shunned anymore, and the historical injustice suffered by the Palestinian people should not be ignored anymore.”

    The Foreign Minister also noted China’s partnerships with African nations as well as with some least developed countries (LDCs), while highlighting its opposition to unilateral coercive measures, such as sanctions and blockades, and disruption of supply chains.

    “Sanctions and pressure will not bring monopolistic advantages. Suppressing and containing others will not solve problems at home. The right of people of all countries to pursue a better life should not be taken away,” he said, calling on the United States to completely lift its blockade, sanctions and terrorism related designation against Cuba.

    Mr. Wang also emphasized China’s commitment to a “path of green, low-carbon, and sustainable development”.

    “We will move from carbon peaking to carbon neutrality in the shortest time span in world history, contributing China’s efforts to harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature at the global level,” he said.

    He also highlighted that the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities must be upheld, and that the Paris Agreement on climate change must be implemented in earnest.  

    Developed countries should also assist developing nations in building their capacity to cope with climate change, he added.

    Foreign Minister Wang further highlighted China’s support for UN reform and modernization, as well as for international financial systems to be fit for current times. China would also continue fulfil its obligations, providing financial support and qualified human resources.

    He urged the Organization to “respond to the legitimate calls” of developing countries and increase the representation and voice of those in the Global South.

    Concluding his address, Mr. Wang said next year will mark the 80th anniversary of end of World War II and the founding of the United Nations.

    “China stands ready to work with all countries to renew the founding purposes and mission of the UN, reaffirm our steadfast commitment to the UN Charter, advocate and practice true multilateralism, build a community with a shared future for mankind, and jointly usher in a better world.”

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Confirmed: 2024 was the hottest year on record, says UN weather agency

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    Climate and Environment

    UN weather experts from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) confirmed on Friday that 2024 was the hottest year on record, at 1.55 degrees Celsius (C) above pre-industrial temperatures.

    “We saw extraordinary land, sea surface temperatures, extraordinary ocean heat accompanied by very extreme weather affecting many countries around the world, destroying lives, livelihoods, hopes and dreams,” WMO spokesperson Clare Nullis said. “We saw many climate change impacts retreating sea ice glaciers. It was an extraordinary year.”

    Four of the six international datasets crunched by WMO indicated a higher than 1.5℃ global average increase for the whole of last year but two did not. 

    The 1.5℃ marker is significant because it was a key goal of the 2015 Paris Agreement to try to ensure that global temperature change does not rise more than this above pre-industrial levels, while striving to hold the overall increase to well below 2℃.

    Climate deal under pressure

    The Paris Agreement is “not yet dead but in grave danger”, the WMO maintained, explaining that the accord’s long-term temperature goals are measured over decades, rather than individual years.

    However, WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo insisted that “climate history is playing out before our eyes. We’ve had not just one or two record-breaking years, but a full ten-year series. “It is essential to recognize that every fraction of a degree of warming matters. Whether it is at a level below or above 1.5C of warming, every additional increment of global warming increases the impacts on our lives, economies and our planet.”

    LA fires: climate change factor

    Amid still raging deadly wildfires in Los Angeles that weather experts including the WMO insist have been exacerbated by climate change – with more days of dry, warm, windy weather on top of rains which boosted vegetation growth – the UN agency said that 2024 capped a decade-long “extraordinary streak of record-breaking temperatures”.

    © CAL FIRE

    A bank building burns in Los Angeles, California.

    UN Secretary-General António Guterres described the WMO’s findings as further proof of global warming and urged all governments to deliver new national climate action plans this year to limit long-term global temperature rise to 1.5C – and support the most vulnerable deal with devastating climate impacts.

    “Individual years pushing past the 1.5℃ limit do not mean the long-term goal is shot,” Mr. Guterres said. “It means we need to fight even harder to get on track. Blazing temperatures in 2024 require trail-blazing climate action in 2025,” he said. “There’s still time to avoid the worst of climate catastrophe. But leaders must act – now.”

    The datasets used by WMO are from the European Center for Medium Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), the Japan Meteorological Agency, NASA, the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the UK Met Office in collaboration with the Climatic Research Unit at the University of East Anglia (HadCRUT) and Berkeley Earth.

    Listen back to an interview climate scientist Alvaro Silva at the WMO, following the heat alert in the United States at the end of June: 

    Soundcloud

    Ocean warming

    Highlighting a separate scientific study on ocean warming, WMO said that it had played a key role in last year’s record high temperatures.

    “The ocean is the warmest it has ever been as recorded by humans, not only at the surface but also for the upper 2,000 metres,” the UN agency said, citing the findings of the international study spanning seven countries and published in the journal Advances in Atmospheric Sciences.

    WMO noted that about 90 per cent of the excess heat from global warming is stored in the ocean, “making ocean heat content a critical indicator of climate change”.

    To put the study’s findings into perspective, it explained that from 2023 to 2024, the upper 2,000 metres of ocean became warmer by 16 zettajoules (1,021 Joules), which is about 140 times the world’s total electricity output.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Climate emergency: 2025 declared international year of glaciers

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    By Pia Blondel

    Climate and Environment

    As glaciers disappear at an alarming rate due to climate change, the UN General Assembly has declared 2025 the International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation (IYGP).

    Co-facilitated by the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), this global initiative seeks to unite efforts worldwide to protect these vital water sources, which provide freshwater to more than 2 billion people.

    Glaciers and ice sheets hold around 70 per cent of the world’s freshwater and their rapid loss presents an urgent environmental and humanitarian crisis.

    WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo emphasised this urgency, saying “Melting ice and glaciers threaten long-term water security for many millions of people. This international year must be a wake-up call to the world.”

    Alarming data

    In 2023, glaciers experienced their greatest water loss in over 50 years, marking the second consecutive year in which all glaciated regions worldwide reported ice loss.

    Switzerland, for instance, saw their glaciers lose 10 per cent of their total mass between 2022 and 2023, according to the WMO.

    Dr. Lydia Brito, UNESCO’s Assistant Director-General for Natural Sciences, explained during the launch event in Geneva that the “50 UNESCO heritage sites with glaciers represent almost 10 per cent of Earth’s glacier area.” However, a recent study warned that glaciers in one-third of these sites are projected to disappear by 2050.

    With 2024 confirmed as the hottest year on record, the need for immediate and decisive action has never been more critical.

    2025 key initiatives

    A key focus, the panel explained, is raising global awareness about the essential role glaciers, snow and ice play in regulating the climate and supporting ecosystems and communities.

    “Glaciers don’t care if we believe in science – they just melt in the heat,” said Dr. Carolina Adler of the Mountain Research Initiative.

    The initiative also aims to enhance scientific understanding through programmes like the Global Cryosphere Watch, ensuring that data guides effective climate action.

    Strengthening policy frameworks is another priority, with the integration of glacier preservation into global and national climate strategies, such as the Paris Agreement.

    Mobilising financial resources is another priority – essential to support vulnerable communities and fund adaptation and mitigation efforts – alongside engaging youth and local communities.

    Milestones on climate

    The first World Glacier Day will be celebrated on 21 March 2025, coinciding with World Water Day, coming a day later.

    In May, Tajikistan will host the International Glacier Preservation Conference, bringing together scientists, policymakers and community leaders to discuss solutions and form partnerships.

    “Tajikistan is immensely proud to have played an instrumental role in advocating for this resolution,” said Bahodur Sheralizoda, Chair of Tajikistan’s Committee of Environmental Protection.

    “Let us be clear, the only way to preserve glaciers as an important resource for the entire planet is for all governments to collectively course correct with Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) fully consistent with the 1.5°C Paris Agreement limit,” he underscored.

    Challenges ahead

    According to the policy brief on the IYGP, “Some level of glacier loss remains inevitable given current loss rates, which modelling shows will continue until temperatures stabilise.”

    “We must prepare for cryospheric destruction through urgent policy changes,” explained Dr. John Pomeroy from the University of Saskatchewan.

    These efforts will require global cooperation, particularly in regions like Central Asia, where glacier loss has led to significant water security challenges.

    “In Tajikistan alone nearly 1,000 glaciers have melted, accounting for one-third of the country’s glacier volume,” Dr. Brito highlighted.

    A shared responsibility

    The IYGP seeks to unite nations, organizations and individuals in a common mission.

    “[It] provides a mechanism to kick start both renewed efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase the science and adaptation necessary to prepare for a warmer, less icy world,” said Dr. Pomeroy

    “History will record that 2025 was the tipping point where humanity changed course and eventually saved the glaciers, ourselves and our planet,” he concluded.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –