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Category: Statistics

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Families and households in the 2023 Census – further insights into how we live – Stats NZ media and information release: Families, households, and housing: 2023 Census

    Source: Statistics New Zealand

    Families and households in the 2023 Census – further insights into how we live – 10 April 2025 – Today’s release of 2023 Census data includes more detailed information about families and households, and the people within them.

    This information is widely used for many different purposes and helps inform planning and decision-making in many areas including health and education.

    Increase in families with adult children living at home

    In 2023, just over one-third (34.5 percent) of all families with children had adult children living with them. This figure was particularly high for families with at least one person belonging to the Pacific peoples ethnic group (38.7 percent).

    “The 2023 Census shows a substantial increase in the number of adult children living at home,” principal analyst Dr Rosemary Goodyear said.

    Files:

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Families and households in the 2023 Census – further insights into how we live – Stats NZ media and information release: Families, households, and housing: 2023 Census

    Source: Statistics New Zealand

    Families and households in the 2023 Census – further insights into how we live – 10 April 2025 – Today’s release of 2023 Census data includes more detailed information about families and households, and the people within them.

    This information is widely used for many different purposes and helps inform planning and decision-making in many areas including health and education.

    Increase in families with adult children living at home

    In 2023, just over one-third (34.5 percent) of all families with children had adult children living with them. This figure was particularly high for families with at least one person belonging to the Pacific peoples ethnic group (38.7 percent).

    “The 2023 Census shows a substantial increase in the number of adult children living at home,” principal analyst Dr Rosemary Goodyear said.

    Files:

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: New publishing date for Productivity statistics: 1978?2024

    New publishing date for Productivity
    statistics: 1978–2024

    9 April 2025

    The productivity statistics release due to
    be published on 16 April 2025 has been rescheduled and will now be published
    on 16 May 2025.

    Ends

    For media enquiries contact: Sandi
    Reily, Wellington, 021 285 9191, media@stats.govt.nz

    The Government Statistician authorises all
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    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Stats NZ information release: Household labour force survey estimated working-age population: March 2025 quarter

    Household labour force survey estimated working-age population: March 2025 quarter – information release

    9 April 2025

    The household labour force survey estimated working-age population table shows the population benchmarks used to produce household labour force survey estimates for the upcoming labour market statistics release.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: expert reaction to the BARCODE1 trial assessing the use of a polygenic risk score in screening for prostate cancer

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    The results of the BARCODE1 trial, published by The New England Journal of Medicine assesses the use of a polygenic risk score in screening for prostate cancer.

    Prof Michael Inouye, Professor of Systems Genomics & Population Health, University of Cambridge, said:

    “This study is the strongest evidence to date on the clinical utility of a polygenic score for prostate cancer screening. It shows that a polygenic score can improve early detection of clinically significant prostate cancer, including those warranting radical treatment. A large proportion of prostate cancer cases detected using a polygenic score would not have been detected using the current diagnostic pathway. The authors appropriately discuss the study’s limitations and further research required (e.g. cost effectiveness). Taken together, I suspect we will look back on this as a landmark study that really made the clinical case for polygenic scores as a new tool that moved health systems from disease management to early detection and prevention.”

    When asked how long it would take to know if this could be used clinically?

    “This is a big step along the path to clinical implementation, but it is still a long road. Realistically, it will likely be years for the NHS to use polygenic scores routinely. It will require investment in infrastructure, generation of genomic data, training for healthcare practicians and potentially access to counselling for patients. There are more targeted ways to use polygenic scores clinically which may make for good next steps. To me, the study really makes me start to believe that these investments are worth it.”

     

    Mr Ben Lamb, Consultant Urological and Robotic Surgeon, Barts Health and UCLH NHS Trusts, and Clinical Senior Lecturer, Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London (QMUL), said:

    “This is a very interesting study that assesses the utility of polygenic risk score in the detection of prostate cancer. The population may not be representative of those most at risk of prostate cancer, or of poorer health outcomes in general (e.g. black men, men in areas of deprivation), and further research is needed to test the results in these populations. Further research is also needed to understand longitudinal risk for men with a higher polygenic risk score i.e. their risk of developing cancer over time.

    “Interestingly, the best rate of detection of significant prostate cancer arose when the saliva test, PSA test and MRI tests were all positive. The saliva test may help to direct resources to those men most likely to have significant prostate cancer, but at present it does not replace these investigations, which we know are powerful tools in reassuring some men and recommending biopsy (and performing a better biopsy) in others.

    “The saliva test is less invasive than a blood test, or an MRI, and may be more acceptable for larger populations.”

    Dr Oliver Pain, Sir Henry Wellcome Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN), King’s College London, said:

    “This study uses solid data and analyses and its findings fit nicely with the previous literature suggesting that polygenic scores can improve estimation of prostate cancer risk. It goes a step further than previous research in this area by providing a direct comparison with the current diagnostic pathway, showing that stratifying individuals by their polygenic score helped to identify people with clinically significant prostate cancer who would have otherwise been missed. As stated by the authors, the main limitation of this study is that it is restricted to individuals of European ancestry. Previous research has shown that the polygenic score they have used performs worse in non-European individuals, limiting the generalisability of this study’s conclusions. However, this is a common limitation of the field, not just this study, and there is progress being made with polygenic scores performing better across ancestral populations as the training data (GWAS) becomes more ancestrally diverse and polygenic scoring methods develop to improve their ability to be transferred across populations. There is evidence that progress is being made in this area for prostate cancer specifically, although there is a lot more work to be done (https://elifesciences.org/articles/78304, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1011990).

    “In general, this study fits with others coming out for other diseases, and it is great step forward, but I would say we need research demonstrating the predictive utility of polygenic scores for prostate cancer in a more representative sample before we can start implementing them in the clinical setting.”

    Dr Chantal Babb de Villiiers, Senior Policy Analyst at PHG Foundation, said:

    “The BARCODE study results contribute valuable insights into the use of polygenic scores for risk stratification of prostate cancer, and how they can supplement risk prediction with known risk factors. The follow-up of the entire cohort will provide crucial data for evaluating the clinical and economic impact of using polygenic scores. Whilst some polygenic scores are showing promise in very specific scenarios, it is important to approach their implementation with caution and ensure thorough validation. We need further research to determine the best combination of these risk factors as well as how to effectively implement stratified screening.”

    Professor Rhian Gabe, Professor of Biostatistics and Clinical Trials, Queen Mary University of London (QMUL), said:

    “The test evaluated in this high quality study has exciting results in terms of detection, the hopes for an optimal future prostate cancer screening strategy and deserves larger-scale evaluation. Excitingly, this will happen in the TRANSFORM trial of prostate cancer screening where the test will also be evaluated in terms of acceptance, impact on prostate cancer deaths and incidence by comparing it with other promising strategies involving PSA testing and MRI.”

    Dr Samuel Lambert, Assistant Professor of Health Data Science, University of Cambridge, said:

    “The results of the BARCODE1 study are a major achievement, clearly illustrating the value of targeting prostate cancer screening to individuals defined as high-risk using a polygenic risk score. Targeting screening to the high-polygenic score population identified significant cancers that would not have been detected using existing thresholds, a comparable rate to previous trials targeting screening to individuals with pathogenic BRCA1/2 variants.

    “A current limitation is that the polygenic risk score in this study could only be used in individuals of European ancestry due to limitations in the diversity of available genome-wide association study data. This limitation is likely to be overcome in the long term, with data from new studies like Our Future Health in the UK that have prioritised diversity in their recruitment and linked health records to genetics data. Diverse studies like Our Future Health will allow researchers to better identify the variants associated with disease in all ancestries.”

     

    Prof Dusko Ilic, Professor of Stem Cell Sciences, King’s College London (KCL), said:

    “Polygenic risk scores (PRS) offer moderate discriminatory power when used alone. The study used a score based on 130 SNPs and showed that men in the top 10% of the PRS distribution had significantly higher risk. However, when added to established factors like age, PSA level, and MRI findings, the predicting clinically significant prostate cancer improved only modestly. Notably, further stratification within the top decile (e.g., 90th vs. 99th percentile) did not significantly improve predictive accuracy, suggesting diminishing returns at extreme PRS levels.

    “Furthermore, there is no direct evidence yet that using PRS improves long-term outcomes such as mortality or quality-adjusted life years. Modelling suggests benefit, but empirical confirmation is needed.

    “While the results are promising, especially in identifying significant cancers that would otherwise be missed, major caveats remain:

    • Population limitations: The cohort was self-selected, highly educated, and entirely of European ancestry.
    • Unclear generalizability: The PRS used was only validated in men of European descent.
    • No mortality data: The study doesn’t demonstrate reduced prostate cancer mortality or improved overall survival.
    • Cost-effectiveness: Not yet fully evaluated.

    “So, while PRS could supplement existing screening in high-risk individuals, the evidence is insufficient to recommend a standalone screening program based solely on PRS at this time.”

     

    Dr Britta Stordal, Associate Professor in Cancer Research, Middlesex University, said:

    “McHugh et al show that through the use of their BARCODE1 genetic risk score they are able to identify men who are at a higher risk of prostate cancer. 74 men had their prostate cancer diagnosed as a result of participating in this clinical trial that would not have been detected with current standard care on the NHS. This work is possible due to extensive previous research into genetic risk for prostate cancer in European populations. A similar risk score for men of Black African or Caribbean ancestry is urgently needed as we know that these men have a much higher prostate cancer risk than those of European ancestry.”

     

    ‘Assessment of a Polygenic Risk Score in Screening for Prostate Cancer’ by J.K. McHugh et al. was published in The New England Journal of Medicine at 22:00 UK time Wednesday 9 April 2025. 

    DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa2407934

    Declared interests

    Prof Michael Inouye: Trustee of the Public Health Genomics (PHG) Foundation, Scientific Advisory Board of Open Targets, and research collaborations with AstraZeneca, Nightingale Health, and Pfizer. All of these are not related to the study. It’s also worth noting that, while the study is obviously driven by the Institute of Cancer Research in London, one of the coauthors (Pashayan) is a colleague at Cambridge.

    Prof Dusko Ilic: I declare no interest.

    Prof Rhian Gabe: I am Co-Lead of the TRANSFORM trial of prostate cancer screening, we are collaborating with Professor Eles to evaluate her PRS test.

    Dr Samuel Lambert: No conflicts of interest to disclose.

    Dr Britta Stordal: No conflicts of interest to declare.

    For all other experts, no reply to our request for DOIs was received.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Springfield Man Sentenced to 30 Years for Fentanyl Conspiracy

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Mo. man was sentenced in federal court today for his leadership role in a large-scale drug-trafficking organization in southwest Missouri that resulted in the overdose deaths of at least two people.

    Delante Leon Worsham, 40, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann A. Ketchmark to 30 years in federal prison without parole.

    On Jan. 29, 2024, Worsham pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl. Worsham admitted that he participated in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl in Christian and Greene counties from Sept. 23, 2018 to Nov. 14, 2019.

    During a Sept. 23, 2018, traffic stop in Springfield, Mo., law enforcement officers located 21.50 grams of fentanyl in Worsham’s vehicle. On Nov. 15, 2019, Worsham was arrested in Springfield with approximately $2,390 in cash and a golf-ball sized bag containing smaller bags of fentanyl totaling 30 grams. Worsham admitted that he intended to distribute the fentanyl from both incidents and that the money was proceeds from a drug-trafficking conspiracy. Worsham further admitted to “cutting” fentanyl with heroin and powdered sugar in order to maximize his profit.

    According to court documents, statistics from the Centers for Disease Control indicate that Missouri was one of only nine states west of the Mississippi River with an age-adjusted rate of drug overdose deaths of more than 21.1 per 100,000 in 2020. Court documents also cite a widely reported analysis of CDC data by Families Against Fentanyl that fentanyl overdoses are now the leading cause of death among adults between ages 18 and 45 in the United States.

    Worsham is the eleventh defendant to be sentenced in this case, among 14 defendants who have pleaded guilty.

    This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica R. Eatmon and Cameron A. Beaver. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Springfield, Mo., Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Bourbon, Mo., Police Department, and the Phelps County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department.

    Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force

    This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Tripped at the first hurdle: fees-free changes could put some students off tertiary study altogether

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Wendy Ann Alabaster, PhD candidate, University of Canterbury

    skynesher/Getty Images

    The door to tertiary education will likely close for some students now changes have kicked in for the fees-free policy.

    In 2017, the Labour government introduced a fee holiday for students’ first year of academic study, or two years of training in a work-based setting. This was meant to help those who had been put off tertiary study because of the cost. It was also intended to boost the number of people going into higher education.

    But students who started university or other tertiary training in 2025 will instead have to wait until their final year for the fees holiday under a policy change by the current coalition government.

    According to Tertiary Education Minister Penny Simmonds, the goal was to incentivise “hard working learners, businesses and tertiary providers” and help those “most in need of support to access tertiary education and training”.

    However, my research suggests the change will likely compound existing inequalities in access to tertiary education for students from low-income backgrounds.

    Through repeated in-depth interviews with students throughout their first year of study, I examined the impact of the fees free policy on their attitudes and behaviours. What I found is for students from low-income backgrounds, the policy is going to make entering study harder.

    Fees free as an entry point

    My study focused on ten students from low-income backgrounds or who were first in their family to undertake tertiary study. They were interviewed three times: on enrolment, mid-year and at the end of their first year.

    Five of the ten students said they could not have imagined beginning their studies without the first year fees-free support. One student said,

    If it had cost, I wouldn’t have gone.

    Another said,

    I don’t think I would have [studied], to be honest.

    And a third said,

    I’m definitely not one to have debt. No, I don’t think I would have [studied].

    The students in my study were also worried about the debt associated with a student loan. As of December 2024, the total student loan debt in New Zealand was around NZ$15.6 billion, with the median loan balance being $17,949.

    One student said she did not want the debt from a student loan. Another commented,

    It was always the thought that, oh, uni, there’s a massive student loan that you’re going to end up with later down the line. I don’t want to end up stuck in debt and then, you know, never be able to pay off things like that.

    A third said,

    It’s daunting because it was only recently that my mum’s paid off her student loan or her debt.

    Throughout the interviews, the students suggested other changes that could help how low-income students approached tertiary study.

    These included improving access to career education advice, assistance and mentoring in navigating the tertiary environment (including application processes), and increased health and wellbeing support.

    Despite Labour’s fees-free policy, there has been a persistent decline in the number of students from low socioeconomic backgrounds entering tertiary study.
    Phil Walter/Getty Images

    The participants in this study found it difficult to access help with scholarship and enrolment applications. One student commented,

    [High school staff] were very passionate about people to go to uni so it looked good on their reports, but not like helping people apply or anything like that. So it was quite one sided.

    Another student was frustrated with trying to navigate Studylink, the student loan and assistance provider. She said,

    I don’t know why [Studylink] make it so hard for everybody.

    It was difficult for low-income and first-in-family students to communicate with their families about their struggles. One student said,

    Coming from a low-income family meant I was the first in my family to attend tertiary study. It was hard to communicate to my family the struggles of tertiary education and I found it difficult to connect with them and feel like they understood my experience.

    Ongoing unequal access

    Despite the fees free policy, there has been a persistent disparity in the background of students who go on to study at university or other tertiary institutions.

    In 2021, the proportion of students undertaking tertiary study from decile one schools (those with the highest number of students from low-income backgrounds) was under 4%. The proportion from decile 10 schools was closer to 16%. (The decile system has since been replaced by the Schooling Equity Index).

    Regardless of the fees free programme’s original goals, the percentage of students accessing tertiary education from the schools with the lowest five deciles has decreased from 38% in 2017 to 28% in 2021. At the same time, the number of students from the highest five decile schools has increased from 62% to 72%.

    Improving access for students

    Research in 2019 and 2020 revealed that students who were more influenced by the fees-free policy may need extra support to complete qualifications and have a successful tertiary experience.

    The students who were more influenced by the fees-free policy were approximately 1.67 times more likely to struggle during the transition to university and show an interest in early departure within the first few weeks of study.

    My study suggests free fees in the first year allowed students from low-income families to feel they had a right to study.

    Rather than being a reward for students at the end of their study, it is more likely the shift of the fees-free year will discourage low-income students from taking the risk to commit to study at the tertiary level.

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

    – ref. Tripped at the first hurdle: fees-free changes could put some students off tertiary study altogether – https://theconversation.com/tripped-at-the-first-hurdle-fees-free-changes-could-put-some-students-off-tertiary-study-altogether-253613

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) – Key Employment Unemployment Indicators for 2024

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 09 APR 2025 4:00PM by PIB Delhi

    Labour Force Indicators in Current Weekly Status(CWS)

    Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR)

    • In Urban areas, LFPR increased for males (74.3% in 2023 to 75.6% in 2024) and slightly for females (25.5% to 25.8%), leading to an overall rise in LFPR (50.3% to 51.0%). Overall LFPR remained constant at 56.2%, despite minor variations across categories.

    Worker Population Ratio (WPR)

    • Slight improvements were seen across all categories, particularly in the overall WPR (47.0% to 47.6%) in Urban areas. At all India level overall WPR remained relatively unchanged (53.4% to 53.5%).

    Unemployment Rate (UR)

    • In rural area, marginal decline in overall unemployment (4.3% to 4.2%), with slight reductions for both men and women. In urban male unemployment rose (6.0% to 6.1%), but female unemployment declined (8.9% to 8.2%), keeping the overall urban rate stable at 6.7%. At all India level, Unemployment saw a minor drop (5.0% to 4.9%), suggesting slight improvements in employment opportunities.
    • Decline in unpaid helpers in household enterprises seems to have contributed to the drop in WPR as well as LFPR among rural females, as the percentage of “helpers in Household Enterprises” decreased from 19.9% to 18.1%  from 2023 to 2024.

    Labour Force Indicators in Principal and Subsidiary Status(PS+SS)

    Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR)

    • The labour force participation rate (LFPR) in India remained largely stable between 2023 and 2024, though there were some variations across rural and urban areas. At the national level, the overall LFPR remained nearly unchanged, with a marginal decline from 59.8% to 59.6%.

    Worker Population Ratio (WPR)

    • The worker population ratio (WPR) followed a similar pattern. At the all-India level, WPR recorded a marginal decline, moving from 58.0% to 57.7%, indicating a slight drop in employment despite stable participation rates.

    Unemployment Rate (UR)

    • Unemployment rates (UR) showed mixed trends across different sectors. At the all-India level, unemployment recorded a minor increase from 3.1% to 3.2%, though the levels remain relatively low.
    1. Introduction

    The Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) was launched by the National Statistics Office in April 2017 with the view of making labour force data available at more frequent time intervals.

    The objective of PLFS has been primarily twofold:

    • to estimate the key employment and unemployment indicators (viz. Worker Population Ratio, Labour Force Participation Rate, Unemployment Rate) in the short time interval of three months for the urban areas only in the ‘Current Weekly Status’ (CWS).
    • to estimate employment and unemployment indicators in both ‘Usual Status’ (ps+ss) and CWS in both rural and urban areas annually.

    On the basis of PLFS, Annual Reports are brought out which covers both rural and urban areas and provides estimates of all important parameters of employment and unemployment in both usual status (ps+ss) and current weekly status (CWS). Seven such PLFS Annual Reports have been released with the latest report brought out based on PLFS conducted during July 2023 – June 2024.

    In the Annual Reports of PLFS, estimates of labour market indicators are presented on the basis of the data collected during the period July of a year to the June of the next year, e.g., in the Annual Report, PLFS, 2023-24 estimates are presented based on data collected during July 2023 – June 2024.

    The samples of First Stage Units (FSU) of PLFS canvassed during the period July of one year to   June of the next year are independently drawn for each quarter before commencement of the survey. Since the quarterly samples are drawn independently, estimates of labour force indicators for a calendar year i.e. for the period January – December of a specific year have been obtained by combining the data collected during the four quarters of the calendar year.

    The calendar year estimates presented here are based on information collected during first visit of PLFS.

    Sample Size for First Visit during January 2024 – December 2024 in rural and urban areas for the estimates of 2024: A total of 12,749 FSUs (6,982 villages and 5,767 urban blocks) were surveyed for canvassing the PLFS schedule (Schedule 10.4). The number of households surveyed was 1,01,957 (55,846 in rural areas and 46,111 in urban areas) and number of persons surveyed was 4,15,549 (2,40,492 in rural areas and 1,75,057 in urban areas).

    Annexure-I

    1. LFPR, WPR and UR (in per cent) in usual status (ps+ss) from PLFS conducted during January 2023 – December 2023 and January 2024 – December 2024 for persons aged 15 years and above

    all-India

    Indicator

    Rural

    Urban

    Rural + Urban

    male

    female

    person

    male

    female

    person

    male

    female

    person

    (1)

    (2)

    (3)

    (4)

    (5)

    (6)

    (7)

    (8)

    (9)

    (10)

    January 2023 – December 2023

    LFPR

    79.8

    47.3

    63.4

    74.9

    27.2

    51.4

    78.3

    41.3

    59.8

    WPR

    77.7

    46.4

    61.9

    71.6

    25.2

    48.8

    75.8

    40.1

    58.0

    UR

    2.7

    1.9

    2.4

    4.4

    7.5

    5.2

    3.2

    3.0

    3.1

    January 2024 – December 2024

    LFPR

    80.6

    45.8

    62.9

    76.2

    27.6

    52.2

    79.2

    40.3

    59.6

    WPR

    78.4

    44.8

    61.4

    72.8

    25.8

    49.6

    76.6

    39.0

    57.7

    UR

    2.8

    2.1

    2.5

    4.4

    6.7

    5.0

    3.3

    3.1

    3.2

     

     

    1. LFPR, WPR and UR (in per cent) in Current Weekly Status (CWS) from PLFS conducted during January 2023 – December 2023 and January 2024 – December 2024 for persons aged 15 years and above

    all-India

    Indicator

    Rural

    Urban

    Rural + Urban

    male

    female

    person

    male

    female

    person

    male

    female

    person

    (1)

    (2)

    (3)

    (4)

    (5)

    (6)

    (7)

    (8)

    (9)

    (10)

    January 2023 – December 2023

    LFPR

    78.3

    39.6

    58.8

    74.3

    25.5

    50.3

    77.0

    35.4

    56.2

    WPR

    74.6

    38.0

    56.2

    69.9

    23.2

    47.0

    73.2

    33.7

    53.4

    UR

    4.6

    3.8

    4.3

    6.0

    8.9

    6.7

    5.0

    4.9

    5.0

    January 2024 – December 2024

    LFPR

    79.2

    38.6

    58.6

    75.6

    25.8

    51.0

    78.1

    34.7

    56.2

    WPR

    75.7

    37.1

    56.1

    71.0

    23.7

    47.6

    74.2

    33.0

    53.5

    UR

    4.3

    3.9

    4.2

    6.1

    8.2

    6.7

    4.9

    4.9

    4.9

    Annexure-II

     

    The key employment and unemployment Indicators presented here are the Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR), Worker Population Ratio (WPR), Unemployment Rate (UR). These estimates have been presented following the Current Weekly Status (CWS) and Usual Status (ps+ss) approach.  Definition of these indicators, and the ‘Usual Status’ and ‘Current Weekly Status’ are as follows:

    (a)        Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR): LFPR is defined as the percentage of persons in labour force (i.e. working or seeking or available for work) in the population.

    (b)        Worker Population Ratio (WPR): WPR is defined as the percentage of employed persons in the population.

    (c)        Unemployment Rate (UR): UR is defined as the percentage of persons unemployed among the persons in the labour force.

    (d)       Activity Status- Usual Status: The activity status of a person is determined on the basis of the activities pursued by the person during the specified reference period. When the activity status is determined on the basis of the reference period of last 365 days preceding the date of survey, it is known as the usual activity status of the person.

    Principal activity status (ps) – The activity status on which a person spent relatively long time (major time criterion) during 365 days preceding the date of survey, was considered as the usual principal activity status of the person.

    Subsidiary economic activity status (ss)- The activity status in which a person in addition to his/her usual principal status, performs some economic activity for 30 days or more for the reference period of 365 days preceding the date of survey, was considered as the subsidiary economic activity status of the person.

    Usual status (ps+ss) is determined considering both principal activity status (ps) and subsidiary economic activity status (ss) together.

    (e)        Activity Status- Current Weekly Status (CWS): The activity status determined on the basis of a reference period of last 7 days preceding the date of survey is known as the current weekly status (CWS) of the person.

    (f)        The Key Employment Unemployment Indicators for 2024 along with the corresponding unit level data is available at the website of the Ministry (https://mospi.gov.in). The key results are given in the statements annexed.

    Click here to see PDF.

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Grassley Highlights Efforts to Safeguard Critical Resources for Victims of Crime

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley

    WASHINGTON – Amid National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) highlighted his ongoing oversight of the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Crime Victims Fund. 

    Last Congress, Grassley revealed the Biden administration diverted more than $1 billion away from the Crime Victims Fund, which provides critical resources to crime victims and survivors nationwide. Since Grassley began shining light on the issue, the fund’s balance has grown by more than $3 billion. 

    Grassley recently wrote to Attorney General Pam Bondi urging the DOJ to safeguard the fund. Read his letter to Bondi HERE.

    Video and transcript of Grassley’s remarks follow.

    Floor Remarks by Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa
    Senate President Pro Tempore
    “Supporting Victims and Survivors of Crime”
    Wednesday, April 9, 2025

    [embedded content]

    VIDEO

    Today, I come to the floor to support National Crime Victims’ Rights Week.  

    For many years, I’ve pressed the Department of Justice to do its part to shore up what is called the Crime Victims Fund.  

    That fund supports victims and survivors of crime across the nation. 

    On Monday, I, along with Senators Ernst, Crapo and Risch, sent a letter to Department of Justice.  

    That letter urged the Department of Justice to ensure that criminal fines and penalties are collected and deposited into the Crime Victims Fund.

    I made this request because last Congress, my oversight revealed Biden administration failures.

    Specifically, since the enactment of the Victims of Crime Act fix in 2021, the Biden Justice Department failed to collect and deposit more than a billion dollars in criminal fines and penalties which belongs to this fund.  

    Instead, the Biden administration allowed the fines to be paid to foreign governments and elsewhere. 

    Since my oversight shined the light on the Biden Justice Department’s failures and misguided approach, the Department of Justice Inspector General opened its own independent audit.  

    And at my request, the Government Accountability Office also agreed to review the Department of Justice’s administration of this Crime Victims Fund. 

    History has shown sunshine is the best disinfectant.  

    Since my Crime Victims Fund oversight began, the balance increased from $1 billion dollars in 2023, the lowest in over a decade, to its current balance of $4.3 billion. 

    Those figures that I just gave you came from the Department of Justice’s statistics. 

    The Department of Justice must ensure the Crime Victims Fund has adequate resources. 

    If the Department of Justice doesn’t, organizations across the nation helping survivors and helping victims of crime are at serious risk of potentially closing their doors and not being able to continue this help.  

    The Department of Justice shouldn’t allow the mistakes of the Biden administration to happen again.

    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Majority of DPU/SmartNIC Shipments Driven by Two Customers, Reports Crehan Research

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SAN FRANCISCO, April 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The DPU/SmartNIC Ethernet market posted very strong growth in 2024, with annual revenues and shipments increasing by nearly 30%, according to a recent report from Crehan Research. Cloud service providers remained the main driver of growth, with just two of these companies, Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Microsoft Azure, accounting for most of the deployments – see accompanying figure. Other cloud providers including Alibaba, CoreWeave, Google, IBM, Oracle and xAI comprised most of the remaining shipments.

    “DPU/SmartNIC adoption has, so far, been mostly within companies that rent server capabilities to customers, and has not yet seen broad penetration into markets beyond this,” said Seamus Crehan, president of Crehan Research. “However, we are seeing new innovations, use cases and deployment models such as DPU-enabled Ethernet switches and CPU replacement, which should expand the customer base.”

    In correlation with a couple of cloud service providers comprising most of the market’s shipments, Crehan’s report shows that the majority of the DPU/SmartNIC volumes are self-built, as opposed to merchant-built. But Crehan said that is beginning to change. “Self-built DPUs/SmartNICs continue to account for the majority of market revenues and shipments, but we saw much higher growth from the merchant-built segment, as adoption of these products broadens beyond the largest few cloud service providers,” he said.

    About Crehan Research Inc.
    Crehan Research Inc. produces reports with very detailed statistics and information on the data center switch and server-class adapter & LOM/controller (NIC) markets. The company’s reports are supported with rich insights and context to deliver increased value. For more information visit www.CrehanResearch.com.

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e66bad1c-839f-49a5-a5b0-a796e5dd57ce

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Jan Frait: Monetary policy analysis at the crossroads – insights from central banks’ reviews

    Source: Bank for International Settlements

    Introductory remarks for the Panel Discussion

    It is a great honour for me to chair the second panel today, in which we move further towards research and academic thinking. In particular, we will focus on the analytical and modelling frameworks used by central banks to support monetary policy decision-making.

    Before we do so, I’d like to start by introducing myself as a monetary policymaker with some personal statistics. I have attended more than 200 monetary policy meetings in one capacity or another. As a board member, I have voted 93 times – 31 times for a cut and only twice for a hike. That looks pretty dovish, for sure. On the other hand, for 87% of the time I’ve been voting on interest rates, the relevant monetary policy rate has been higher than headline inflation. This appears more hawkish. Well, things are really state-dependent.

    No matter how long or how many times I’ve done this, I still consider myself a young apprentice, caught between Scylla and Charybdis – to borrow a lyric from one of my favourite bands, The Police. I approach decision-making with plenty of humility. In other words, even after all these years, much of what goes on in the economy remains to some extent a mystery to me. I don’t feel I understand macroeconomic dynamics much better than I did 20 years ago.

    When I was a student, macroeconomics and monetary theory textbooks described monetary policy as more of an art than a science. By the time I joined the Czech National Bank at the beginning of the century, it was a different story. Monetary policy had been operating under the then-new inflation-targeting regime for two years. Decision-making was increasingly based on a modelling framework derived from New Keynesian macroeconomics, which had gained the status of a fully-fledged science. Whether or not it actually deserved it was never discussed at the time.

    One of the key aspects of this new paradigm was the belief that vague monetary policy objectives such as “sound money”, “monetary stability”, and “macroeconomic stability” should be replaced by the more concrete objective of price stability – ideally in the form of a specific numerical inflation target expressed as growth in the consumer price index.

    After more than a quarter of a century of experience with this approach, I’m inclined to think that, as usual, we romantically overestimated its capacity. The primary monetary policy objective started to be viewed too narrowly. The focus on a specific number was opportunistically misused to maintain extremely low interest rates and highly supportive monetary policy in times of positive supply shocks, even when there weren’t always strong macroeconomic grounds for doing so.

    In many countries, monetary policy became rather asymmetric. A regime designed to prevent time inconsistency in monetary policy often ended up fostering it. I constantly heard the argument, “It doesn’t matter that inflation is currently above the target. It’ll soon return to it thanks to anchored expectations.” Yet as soon as inflation dropped below the target, the rhetoric changed to, “There’s a threat of deflation. We need to have extremely low rates or use other instruments to ease monetary and financial conditions.”

    This was despite – or maybe even because of – the fact that monetary policy in developed countries had become a very powerful tool of economic policy. A tool on which hopes are pinned whenever sentiment worsens and economic activity slows. The models we use to assess and forecast macroeconomic developments undoubtedly encourage such hopes.

    In the summer of 2002, the Czech National Bank introduced a small-scale, semi-structural, gap-based model called the Quarterly Projection Model (QPM) for forecasting and analysis. QPM was a big step forward. It taught experts and board members to apply a model-consistent approach to macroeconomic policy. In a converging economy with a nominally appreciating currency and a rapidly developing financial sector, it was, of course, difficult for the model to explain everything that was happening. Frustration with the model outcomes began to mount when global macroeconomic volatility surged in 2007 amid large financial imbalances.

    I was no longer at the monetary policy coalface at that time, as between 2007 and 2022, I worked in financial stability and macroprudential policy. My only monetary policy-related legacy from this period can be seen on the webpage about “the mandate of the Czech National Bank”, which states: “Through the joint action of monetary policy and macroprudential policy, we contribute to maintaining confidence in the value of the Czech koruna and safeguarding the stability of the macroeconomic environment.” We keep doing so.

    Frustration with predictions probably drove the decision to switch hastily to a New Keynesian DSGE model in the summer of 2008. Maybe there were other reasons, but the Czech National Bank’s representatives did not expand on them at the time. Then the Global Financial Crisis erupted, and there was no longer any time for such discussions.

    It’s no secret that I never considered it beneficial to replace the semi-structural model with the DSGE model as the sole approach for macroeconomic forecasting. Not because I dislike one theory or model over another, but because theories and models are valuable to a central bank only to the extent that they facilitate an informed and sufficiently comprehensive debate – one that helps us understand the evolving economic story in the short, medium, and long run.

    Basing monetary policy decision-making solely on the microeconomically consistent but economically limited New Keynesian DSGE model ultimately narrowed the debate. The process became more automatic, and the decision-making appeared easier. The dilemmas that board members typically face became less visible. They were obscured by the standard linearization around the inflation target, which is typical of New Keynesian models. We tended to overestimate the impact of short-term interest rate changes while underestimating the effects of our powerful communication on long-term interest rates and asset markets. Paradoxically, this more “scientific” approach resulted in greater discretion in decision-making – and in sizeable unintended effects.

    Today, in 2025, we are a little more enlightened. The recent wave of inflation was a kind of blessing in disguise. It reminded us that monetary policy is still an art as well as a science. It taught us that the primary purpose of macroeconomic analysis is to distinguish fundamental trends from temporary fluctuations, local peculiarities from global phenomena, and supply shocks from demand shifts. It helps monetary policymakers be principled yet flexible in challenging times, especially during geopolitical and economic turbulence.

    In this context, it’s only natural that many inflation-targeting central banks are considering changes to their monetary policy frameworks. More than a year ago, the CNB also decided to undertake an external review of its monetary policy analytical and modelling framework – the first such review in its history. We commissioned three independent reviews to gain a comprehensive perspective. And we got it. Two of the three reviewers accepted our invitation to join this panel.

    Before I introduce the panellists, I’d like to make another musical analogy. I belong to a generation where many were briefly fascinated by jazz-rock – virtuoso musicians playing a lot of notes very fast. Amazing at first listen, still entertaining at the third, but for most of us, boring by the tenth – because the music lacked variation in mood, timbre, and rhythm. Then bands like The Police came along – jazz-trained musicians playing simple yet original songs in a technically brilliant yet energetic way, capturing the zeitgeist. With stops and double stops. Leaving plenty of space for the imagination.

    I’d be glad if this approach became more widespread in the modelling we do to support monetary policy decision-making. We need analyses that are technically rigorous yet responsive to economic, social, and political dynamics – driven by emotion and belief, scepticism and conviction, avarice and altruism. To achieve this, we must diversify our thinking, remain open to adjusting our mindsets when major shifts occur, and invest in people who can develop alternative models and implement fresh ideas from academic research. We should be open to semi-structural, DSGE, agent-based, and other sorts of models, and use them in a way that improves our understanding of sometimes enigmatic developments in the economy.

    Now I will truly hand over the mic to the power trio here today, who – except for one member – also happened to fly in from Britain. They all pay great attention to similar issues while differing in their methodological approaches.

    John Muellbauer is a Senior Research Fellow at Nuffield College, Professor of Economics, and a Senior Fellow at the Institute for New Economic Thinking at the Oxford Martin School, University of Oxford.

    He earned his undergraduate degree from Cambridge University and his doctorate from the University of California. John has collaborated with legendary macroeconomists and econometrists such as Charles Goodhart, David Hendry, Peter Sinclair, and Adrian Pagan. He has also served as a consultant for the Bank of England, HM Treasury, the South African Reserve Bank, and, more recently, the Czech National Bank. In 2024, he conducted a review of the Czech National Bank’s analytical framework for policy analysis and forecasting, assessing its core and satellite models as part of an integrated approach to monetary policymaking.

    Roman Šustek is a Reader in Economics at Queen Mary University of London and a Research Associate at the Centre for Macroeconomics at the London School of Economics. His research focuses on housing, mortgage finance, monetary policy, and the term structure of interest rates. He transitioned to academia after five years as an economist in the Monetary Assessment and Strategy Division of the Bank of England. He earned his PhD from the Tepper School of Business at Carnegie Mellon University, following an earlier role as an economist at the Czech National Bank in Prague. As part of the 2024 Czech National Bank monetary policy review, Roman contributed to the assessment of macroeconomic forecasting models and processes used in policy analysis. In his research and writings, Roman often focuses on the same topics as John, in particular on the links between household consumption, house prices, and mortgage regulation. These are ultimately the topics that were viewed as rather important by the BIS economists under our keynote speaker-Claudio Borio.

    Jakub Matějů is the Deputy Executive Director of the Monetary Department at the Czech National Bank and the Acting Director of the department’s Macroeconomic Forecasting Division. He is also temporarily heading the Monetary Department. His research and policy work focuses on macroeconomic forecasting and monetary policy. Before his current role, he worked as an economist in the CNB’s Monetary Department. He later joined the European Central Bank and served as a senior economist in the analytical team of Komerční banka. In 2019, he returned to the CNB as an adviser to the Bank Board and has been the Deputy Executive Director of the Monetary Department since 2023. Jakub has received several Czech Economic Society Young Economist awards and the CNB’s Economic Research Award for his research. He earned his PhD in Economics from CERGE-EI, following his studies at the Institute of Economic Studies, Faculty of Social Sciences, Charles University.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Stats NZ information release: Household labour force survey estimated working-age population: March 2025 quarter

    Household labour force survey estimated working-age population: March 2025 quarter – information release

    9 April 2025

    The household labour force survey estimated working-age population table shows the population benchmarks used to produce household labour force survey estimates for the upcoming labour market statistics release.

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: New publishing date for Productivity statistics: 1978?2024

    New publishing date for Productivity
    statistics: 1978–2024

    9 April 2025

    The productivity statistics release due to
    be published on 16 April 2025 has been rescheduled and will now be published
    on 16 May 2025.

    Ends

    For media enquiries contact: Sandi
    Reily, Wellington, 021 285 9191,     media@stats.govt.nz

    The Government Statistician authorises all
    statistics and data we publish.

    If you wish to change your details or unsubscribe
    please email     subscriptions@stats.govt.nz.

    Thank you for using the Stats NZ subscription
    service.

    Publishing team

    +64 4 931 4600

    publishing@stats.govt.nz

    www.stats.govt.nz

    More information is available on the Stats
    NZ website at     www.stats.govt.nz

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    us on Twitter

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    us on Facebook  

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Overseas merchandise trade: March 2025 – rescheduled to 22 April 2025

    Overseas merchandise trade: March 2025 – rescheduled to 22 April 2025

    Overseas merchandise trade: March 2025 has been rescheduled for release on Tuesday, 22 April 2025.

    Our release calendar has been updated to reflect the new release date.  

    Ends

    For media enquiries contact: Sandi Reily, Wellington, 021 285 9191, media@stats.govt.nz

    The Government Statistician authorises all statistics and data we publish.

    If you wish to change your details or unsubscribe please email subscriptions@stats.govt.nz.

    Thank you for using the Stats NZ subscription service.

    Publishing team
    +64 4 931 4600
    publishing@stats.govt.nz
    www.stats.govt.nz

    More information is available on the Stats NZ website at www.stats.govt.nz

     Follow us on Twitter

     Like us on Facebook  


    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Domain of economic activities comprising Manufacturing and New Industrialisation-related Industries and corresponding economic performance announced

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Domain of economic activities comprising Manufacturing and New Industrialisation-related Industries and corresponding economic performance announced 
    The process of manufacturing and production involves a variety of other economic activities, such as product design, technological development, data services and software development, testing and certification, as well as professional and technical services etc, all of which qualify as important elements in the development of new industrialisation. To facilitate the growth of new businesses, new industries and new modes of production in Hong Kong brought about by the integrated development of innovation and technology (I&T) and emerging industries, and to more effectively drive the development of new industrialisation, having considered the characteristics of economic development in Hong Kong, the ITIB has, in collaboration with the C&SD, formulated a domain of economic activities that comprises Manufacturing and New Industrialisation-related Industries.  The C&SD has also defined the corresponding statistical coverage based on the existing framework of the Hong Kong Standard Industrial Classification Version 2.0, with a view to reflecting the economic performance of these new industries of importance more precisely through objective statistical figures. In 2023, the value added of Manufacturing and New Industrialisation-related Industries amounted to $76.8 billion, representing an increase of 7.6 per cent over the previous year, and accounted for around 2.6 per cent of Gross Domestic Product.
     
         The Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong, said, “Hong Kong is in the midst of a key transitional period of its economic model, and the development of I&T and a new real economy has become a broadly accepted consensus in Hong Kong society. Furthering the development of innovation technology and the integrated development of emerging industries are crucial objectives of the country and Hong Kong as of present and in the future, and are altering the economic and industrial composition of Hong Kong. Driving new industrialisation is of paramount importance to Hong Kong’s high-quality development. To assist us in formulating various policies with more precision and to effectively guide social resources towards supporting and encouraging the upgrading and transformation of the traditional manufacturing industry, as well as the development of new industrialisation in Hong Kong to realise the developmental targets outlined in the Hong Kong I&T Development Blueprint, we must specifically identify a range of economic activities to be covered, and from time to time conduct reviews along with the ever-changing technological and innovative landscape and the development of emerging industries. At the same time, we need to compile relevant statistics to objectively measure the progress of the development of innovation and new industrialisation.”
     
    To realise high-quality economic growth, the Government has, through a multitude of means, furthered the development of manufacturing and new industrialisation-related industries in Hong Kong, such as by launching the Research, Academic and Industry Sectors One-plus Scheme, the New Industrialisation Funding Scheme, and the New Industrialisation Acceleration Scheme. The Government is also preparing to launch the Pilot Manufacturing and Production Line Upgrade Support Scheme, the Innovation and Technology Accelerator Pilot Scheme, the Innovation and Technology Venture Fund Enhanced Scheme, and the Innovation and Technology Industry‑Oriented Fund.
     
    A spokesperson for the C&SD said, “To couple with the work of the Government in driving the development of I&T and new industrialisation-related industries, it is necessary for the society to monitor relevant developments over time through objective and accurate statistical figures. The C&SD has made use of the existing framework of industry classification and further defined the statistical coverage that corresponds to the Manufacturing and New Industrialisation-related Industries, and compiled statistics as appropriate to reflect the economic performance of the relevant industries. We will continue to keep abreast of the latest developments and suitably review the relevant statistical framework from time to time with the ITIB and other stakeholders.”
     
         Manufacturing and New Industrialisation-related Industries in Hong Kong encompass manufacturing and economic activities relating to I&T and emerging industries:
     
    Manufacturing: For instance, the manufacturing of food products, pharmaceuticals, medicinal chemicals and botanical products, computer, electronic and optical products, and new energy equipment, etc;
     
    Science, product design and technology development: For instance, industrial and product design, chip design, new drug development, AI model development and application, and technical consulting services, etc;
     
    Data services and software development: Information technology activities such as data and computing centre services, data storage and processing, related cloud services, and software development, etc;
     
    Verification, testing and certification: For instance, functional testing and verification, technical and prototype testing, and compliance certification, etc;
     
    Professional technical services: For instance, system design, integrated delivery and maintenance services, etc; and
     
    Environmental engineering and green business: For instance, sewage treatment, waste recovery, sorting, and disposal, etc.
    Issued at HKT 14:00

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI: TransUnion Study Finds More than Half (56%) of Canadians Said They Were Targeted by Fraud in Second Half of 2024

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Almost One in Five (17%) Canadians Reported Losing Money Due to Fraud in Last Year with
    Median Loss of $2,013

    Gaming, Government and Communities were Most Targeted Sectors by Digital Fraudsters in Canada

    Key Study Findings:

    • 39% of Canadians surveyed said fraud concerns is the top reason why they abandon online shopping carts.
    • 46% prioritize security of personal data as the #1 quality (more than cost savings or quality of goods and services) when deciding what online company to do business with.
    • 13% report taking no action when discovering they became a victim of fraud.
    • 43% who said they were targeted by fraud involved phishing.
    • 11% of attempted digital gaming transactions (including online betting, poker, etc.) where consumer was in Canada were suspected of digital fraud in 2024.

    TORONTO, April 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — According to the newly-released TransUnion (NYSE: TRU) H1 2025 Update to the State of Omnichannel Fraud Report, more than half (56%) of 1,000 Canadians surveyed said they were targeted by fraudsters through email, online, phone call or text messaging channels from August to December 2024. Nearly one in 10 (9%) of those reporting being targeted said they fell victim to it. Furthermore, when surveyed from Nov. 21 to Dec. 6, 2024, nearly one-fifth of Canadians (17%) said they lost money due to email, online, phone call or text messaging in the past year. The number of Canadians targeted and who fell victim may be significantly higher, but people may be unaware they were targeted.

    “Our research indicates that many Canadians don’t take the proper steps if they have fallen victim to Digital Fraud,” said Patrick Boudreau, head of identity management and fraud solutions at TransUnion Canada. “These steps should include reporting the suspected fraud to your bank or credit card company to freeze accounts and changing all passwords. Consumers should also notify credit bureaus, including TransUnion, to place a fraud alert on their file, as well as report the incident to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre. If personal information was compromised or large sums of money were involved, it should be reported to the local police as well.”

    Fraud concerns have major influence on who Canadians choose to do business with online.
    When engaging online, concerns around security and fraud has a significant impact on Canadians’ preferences and behaviours, including when making purchases or choosing who to do business with.

    According to the survey that was part of TransUnion’s State of Omnichannel Fraud Report:

    • 91% of Canadians said having confidence that their personal data will not be compromised is important when choosing who to transact with online.
    • 46% said security of personal data is the number one consideration when deciding what company to do business with online, significantly higher than prioritizing cost savings (25%) and quality of goods and services (19%).
    • 70% said fraud concerns would cause them not to return to a website.
    • 31% said they have switched doing online transaction to another website due to fraud or security concerns.
    • 39% said fraud and/or security concerns is a top reason to abandon their online shopping cart. Conversely, 16% said having too many security steps is a top reason to abandon their online cart.
    • 35% said they have abandoned an online application for a financial or insurance product before completing it.

    While many Canadians took various actions after discovering they had become a victim of fraud, more than 1 in 10 (13%) reported no action at all.
    Among Canadians who said they fell victim to email, online, phone call or text messaging fraud from August to December 2024, they reported taking the following actions:

    • 51% contacted relevant impacted companies such as credit card issuers, retailers, etc.
    • 48% placed a freeze on their credit.
    • 29% placed a fraud alert on their credit report.
    • 16% called the police.
    • 15% contacted a company that compiles and provides credit reports.
    • 13% said they took no action.

    While Canadians were targeted by a mix of fraud schemes, phishing was the most reported kind.
    Among those who said they were targeted by email, online, phone call or text messaging fraud in the second half of last year, the most common reported method by them was phishing (43%). Phishing is when a fraudster uses an email, website, social post or QR code that appears to legitimate meant to trick a consumer into sharing personal information. Other common fraud attempt methods reported by those who said they were targeted include:

    • Smishing (40%), where fraudulent text messages try to trick recipients into revealing data.
    • Vishing (35%), where fraudulent phone calls try to induce recipients into revealing personal information.
    • Third-party seller scams on legitimate online retail websites (19%).

    Gaming, Government and Communities Were the Top 3 Industries Targeted by Digital Fraudsters in Canada.
    Gaming (including online betting, poker, etc.) had the highest rate of suspected digital fraud1 attempts where the consumer or fraudster was in Canada when transacting. Over 11% of all attempted digital gaming-related transactions were suspected of fraud in 2024, an 80% increase from 2023. This was followed by government (9%), communities which includes online dating sites and forums (7%) and video gaming (6%).

    The logistics industry, which has seen growth in shipping fraud (often perpetrated by organized crime rings), saw the greatest suspected digital fraud attempt rate and volume growth among industries analyzed, up 203% and 180% respectively for transactions from Canada YoY compared to 2023. However, the suspected digital fraud attempt rate for that industry was a relatively modest 2% in 2024. Conversely, telecommunications saw the biggest YoY suspected digital fraud attempt rate and volume decrease from 2024 (-88% and -86%) from Canada in that time period.

    Canadian Sectors that Experienced Shifts in YoY Suspected Digital Fraud in Many Cases Differed from Global Changes:

    Industry Canada suspected digital fraud attempt rate 2024 Change from 2023 Global suspected digital fraud attempt rate 2024 Global change from 2023
    Gaming (online sports betting, poker, etc.) 11.1% +80% 7.8% +20%
    Government 8.5% +21% 1.7% +6%
    Communities (online dating, forums, etc.) 7.0% -19% 11.6% +9%
    Video gaming 6.4% +15% 10.8% -23%
    Financial services 4.7% +13% 4.9% +3%
    Retail 4.6% +9% 7.6% -45%
    Insurance 3.3% +54% 2.0% -29%
    Logistics 1.9% +203% 2.6% +101%
    Telecommunications 0.3% -88% 3.0% -79%
    Travel & leisure 0.2% -26% 0.9% -38%

    Source: TransUnion TruValidate™

    “While cybercriminals will attack at any time using any channel, they appear to focus on channels most popular in the regions they are targeting,” added Boudreau. “Emails are widely used in Canadians’ personal and business lives, while many use their mobile phones for everything from work calls to ordering groceries and organizing their families’ lives. Fraudsters view these channels as the most likely way that they’ll be able to trick people into sharing personal information, which is why all Canadians need to be vigilant about responding to messages of any kind on their digital platforms.”

    TransUnion came to its conclusions about digital fraud based on intelligence from TransUnion TruValidate.

    Specific country and regional data in the report includes Canada, Botswana, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Hong Kong, India, Kenya, Mexico, Namibia, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, Rwanda, South Africa, Spain, the United Kingdom, the United States and Zambia. Download the TransUnion H1 2025 Update to the State of Omnichannel Fraud Report for more information and insights about the global fraud trends.

    About TransUnion® (NYSE: TRU)
    TransUnion is a global information and insights company with over 13,000 associates operating in more than 30 countries, including Canada, where we’re the credit bureau of choice for the financial services ecosystem and most of Canada’s largest banks. We make trust possible by ensuring each person is reliably represented in the marketplace. We do this by providing an actionable view of consumers, stewarded with care.

    Through our acquisitions and technology investments we have developed innovative solutions that extend beyond our strong foundation in core credit into areas such as marketing, fraud, risk and advanced analytics. As a result, consumers and businesses can transact with confidence and achieve great things. We call this Information for Good® — and it leads to economic opportunity, great experiences and personal empowerment for millions of people around the world.

    For more information visit: www.transunion.ca

    For more information or to request an interview, contact:
    Contact: Katie Duffy
    E-mail: katie.duffy@ketchum.com
    Telephone: +1 647-772-0969

    1 The rate or percentage of suspected digital fraud attempts reflects those which TransUnion customers determined met one of the following conditions: 1) denial in real time due to fraudulent indicators, 2) denial in real time for corporate policy violations, 3) fraudulent upon customer investigation, or 4) a corporate policy violation upon customer investigation — compared to all transactions assessed. The country and regional analyses examined transactions in which the consumer or suspected fraudster was located in a select country or region when conducting a transaction. Global statistics represents every country worldwide and not just the select countries and regions.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: The State Management Institution and the Ministry of Cleanliness of the Moscow Region will form a rating of heads of management organizations

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: State University of Management – Official website of the State –

    On April 8, 2025, the Ministry for Territory Maintenance and State Housing Supervision of the Moscow Region held a seminar for the region’s management organizations, at which representatives of the State University of Management spoke.

    The event was moderated by Deputy Minister of Cleanliness of the Moscow Region Svetlana Vikulova.

    The speakers of the seminar from our university were the head of the department of scientific research coordination Maxim Pletnev and the deputy head of the department of “Statistics” Tatyana Pershina. The specialists presented the methodology for the efficiency and effectiveness of the activities of the heads of management organizations, the founders of which include municipalities of the Moscow region, developed in 2024 at the State University of Management.

    “The six main indicators included in the developed methodology will allow us to characterize the activities of the head of the management company as transparently as possible, identify problem areas and growth points. Now the working group faces the following task – collecting data from management organizations, on the basis of which the rating will be formed,” explained Maxim Pletnev.

    The heads of management organizations participating in the seminar were presented with the criteria included in the rating, the mechanism and frequency of the assessment.

    Subscribe to the TG channel “Our GUU” Date of publication: 04/09/2025

    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 Asia-Pac: SLW’s speaking notes on labour, manpower development and retirement protection policy areas tabled at LegCo Finance Committee special meeting

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         Following are the speaking notes of the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Chris Sun, on labour, manpower development and retirement protection policy areas tabled at the special meeting of the Legislative Council (LegCo) Finance Committee today (April 9):

    Chairman and Honourable Members,

         Recurrent government spending on labour and manpower development in 2025-26 is estimated to be $3,480 million, representing an increase of about $350 million (11.1 per cent) over the revised estimate of $3,140 million last year. It accounts for 0.6 per cent of the total recurrent government expenditure. I will highlight the key areas of work in respect of the relevant areas in the coming year.

    Abolishing the Mandatory Provident Fund (MPF) offsetting arrangement

         The abolition of the MPF offsetting arrangement will take effect on May 1 this year, alongside the launch of a 25-year subsidy scheme on the same date. I would like to remind employers again that the abolition has no retrospective effect, and the pre-transition portion of severance payment (SP) and long service payment for existing employees can still be offset after May 1. Dismissing employees before the abolition takes effect will not save money. 

    Enhanced Supplementary Labour Scheme (ESLS)

         The Labour Department (LD) has implemented the ESLS since September 4, 2023, to suspend the general exclusion of the 26 job categories as well as unskilled or low-skilled posts from labour importation under the previous Supplementary Labour Scheme for two years. As at March this year, the ESLS received over 12 000 applications for importing about 107 000 workers. During the period, over 7 800 applications involving around 54 000 imported workers were approved. The LD is reviewing the ESLS, including its coverage, operation and implementation arrangements; measures to promote and ensure employment priority for local workers; measures to protect the rights and benefits of imported workers; as well as other requirements and matters relating to the ESLS. The Government will take full account of the views of stakeholders, including employer associations and labour organisations, in mapping out the way forward. 

    Statutory Minimum Wage (SMW)

         The SMW rate will be raised from the prevailing level of $40 per hour to $42.1 on May 1, providing further protection to low-income employees. Moreover, the Government is firming up a new annual review mechanism for future SMW rates. The first rate derived under the new mechanism is expected to take effect on May 1 next year.

    Amending the Trade Unions Ordinance (TUO)

         The Government also proposes to amend the TUO to better safeguard national security and strengthen the regulatory regime for trade unions. The Labour Advisory Board (LAB) and the Legislative Council (LegCo) Panel on Manpower supported the amendment proposals. The Government will introduce the Bill into the LegCo this month.

    Relaxing the “continuous contract” requirement under the Employment Ordinance (EO)

         Based on the consensus reached by the LAB, the Government is amending the EO to relax the working hours threshold of the “continuous contract” requirement, enabling more employees to enjoy fuller protection. The Government will introduce the Bill into the LegCo this month.

    Increasing the ceiling of ex gratia payment on SP under the Protection of Wages on Insolvency Fund (PWIF)

         The Government on March 21 this year increased the ceiling of ex gratia payment on SP under the PWIF from $100,000 plus 50 per cent of any excess entitlement to $200,000 plus 50 per cent of any excess entitlement, further strengthening the protection for the rights of employees affected by business closures. 

    Strengthening youth employment services

         The LD in January this year enhanced the Greater Bay Area (GBA) Youth Employment Scheme to relax the eligibility requirements to include young people aged 29 or below with sub-degree or higher qualifications, and increase the limit of allowance granted to enterprises to $12,000 per young person per month. The LD also raised the upper age limit for participants of the Youth Employment and Training Programme to 29 and introduced workplace attachment opportunities in the GBA to enhance young people’s employability.

    Re-employment Allowance Pilot Scheme

         The LD on July 15 last year launched the three-year Re-employment Allowance Pilot Scheme. The response is very favourable. As at March this year, the Scheme recorded over 38 000 participants and more than 16 000 placements, mobilising more older and middle-aged persons to join the employment market.

    Enhancing occupational safety and health (OSH)

         The LD is highly concerned about the levels of OSH risks across different industries, as well as the changes in these risks, with a particular focus on the construction industry. On top of routine OSH inspections, the LD conducts special enforcement operations, safety audit inspections and in-depth inspections targeting high-risk processes and construction sites with poor safety performance. In addition, the LD has stepped up district patrols targeting minor repair, maintenance, alteration and addition works to curb unsafe work activities.

         The LD will also enhance the application of technology by introducing small unmanned aircraft in the second half of this year to assist with inspections, evidence collection, law enforcement operations, etc.

         Last year, the LD brought the remaining four elements of the Factories and Industrial Undertakings (Safety Management) Regulation into operation and revised the Code of Practice on Safety Management to strengthen the safety management system. The LD also revised the Code of Practice for Bamboo Scaffolding Safety and the Code of Practice for Safety and Health at Work in Confined Spaces to further strengthen bamboo scaffolding safety and enhance OSH in confined space works. Following the revision of the Guidance Notes on Prevention of Trapping Hazard of Tail Lifts in March this year, the LD will revise the Code of Practice for Safe Use of Tower Cranes and the Guidance Notes on Safe Use of Power-operated Elevating Work Platforms in 2025-26 to enhance the safety requirements for operating the relevant machinery.

    Talent attraction 

         To address the labour shortage across industries, the Government, on top of the ongoing promotion of local training, has also implemented various well-received talent attraction measures, including the launch of the Top Talent Pass Scheme (TTPS) since the end of 2022.

         As at end-March this year, over 460 000 applications were received under various talent admission schemes, of which over 300 000 were approved. During the same period, a total of about 203 000 talents arrived in Hong Kong. Some of them brought along families to settle in Hong Kong, and about 189 000 spouses of the approved applicants and their children under the age of 18 arrived in Hong Kong. These incoming talents and their families bring about a positive impact on Hong Kong’s labour force and add new impetus to the local economy. The first batch of visas under the TTPS have started to expire from end-December last year, with nearly 10 000 TTPS visas estimated to expire by the middle of the year. As only a small number of applications have been processed at present, we will analyse in detail the relevant statistics when a certain number of applications for extension of stay have been accumulated and release them at an opportune time.

         The Government is reforming various aspects of the talent admission regime to continue to strive to trawl for and retain talents. We have also initiated the arrangements under the Quality Migrant Admission Scheme for proactively inviting top-notch and leading talents to come to Hong Kong for development, which have been endorsed by the Committee on Education, Technology and Talents led by the Chief Secretary for Administration. Under the new mechanism, we will, having regard to various development needs of our country and Hong Kong, proactively persuade the target top-notch talents to settle in Hong Kong, promoting Hong Kong as the focal point of international high-calibre talents. The Government will provide throughout the process various personalised facilitations to the invitees. It is well appreciated that these top-notch talents are highly sought after worldwide. To avoid affecting the lobbying, we will not disclose the specific operational details about the invitation mechanism.

         In addition, to address the acute manpower shortage in the local skilled trades, we will enhance the General Employment Policy and the Admission Scheme for Mainland Talents and Professionals to allow young and experienced non-degree talents with relevant professional and technical qualifications to come to Hong Kong to join the skilled trades facing acute manpower shortage. Meanwhile, the 2023 Policy Address announced the launch of the two-year pilot Vocational Professional Admission Scheme (VPAS). The number of eligible programmes in the 2025/26 admission cohort will be increased to 34. While applications will be only open next year upon the graduation of the first batch of eligible non-local students, we have noticed that since the announcement of VPAS, many non-local students have been attracted to enrol in the eligible programmes that had difficulties enrolling local students in the past. The Vocational Training Council will enhance its promotional efforts and support non-local graduates in applying under the scheme for staying in Hong Kong for one year to seek jobs relevant to their disciplines.

         Hong Kong Talent Engage (HKTE) provides comprehensive one-stop support to incoming talents. It organises online and offline workshops (including Cantonese learning courses), seminars and job fairs centred on living, employment and entrepreneurship in Hong Kong, as well as social inclusion activities (including the Talent+ Volunteer Programme), to help incoming talents settle in Hong Kong, and promote Hong Kong’s advantages to the world and recruit talents. HKTE organised the inaugural Global Talent Summit．Hong Kong (GTS) in May 2024 and will organise the second GTS early next year to reinforce Hong Kong’s status as an international hub for high-calibre talents.

    Reform of the Employees Retraining Board

         The Employees Retraining Board (ERB) is taking forward its reform and has since early this year implemented short-term measures to enhance its services, including lifting the restriction on educational attainment of trainees. In the medium to long term, the ERB will rename the organisation, enhance training and employment support services, strengthen research capabilities, and formulate a pertinent training framework. The ERB will submit an implementation plan to the Government by the end of this year. The Government will continue to work with the ERB to implement the reform, with a view to enhancing local manpower training, upskilling and re-skilling.

         To encourage more young people to participate in the Apprenticeship Scheme and join the relevant trades, each registered apprentice, for a period of three years starting from 2024-25, is provided with an additional training allowance of $1,000 per month, and graduated apprentices will be subsidised to undertake upskilling courses of relevant trades. Meanwhile, the VTC receives subvention to organise short in-service training courses with a view to meeting the market demand. 

    Manpower projection

         The LWB released the report on the 2023 Manpower Projection in 2024, projecting that Hong Kong will face an overall manpower shortage of 180 000 by 2028, with over one-third being skilled technical workers. We would commence a mid-term update of the 2023 Manpower Projection in late 2025, with the findings expected to be available in 2026.

         Chairman, this concludes my opening remarks. Members are welcome to raise questions. 

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Evidence-Based Rural Development Gets a Push with Rollout of First-Ever Panchayat Advancement Index (PAI) Baseline Report for FY 2022-23

    Source: Government of India

    Evidence-Based Rural Development Gets a Push with Rollout of First-Ever Panchayat Advancement Index (PAI) Baseline Report for FY 2022-23

    PAI 2022–23: Out of 2.16 Lakh Validated Panchayats,

    35.8% Gram Panchayats Recognized as Performers; 61.2% Identified as Aspirants; Gujarat and Telangana Lead as Front Runners

    Posted On: 09 APR 2025 1:43PM by PIB Delhi

    In a major stride towards localizing Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and empowering grassroots governance, the Ministry of Panchayati Raj has launched the Panchayat Advancement Index (PAI) — a transformative tool to measure the progress of over 2.5 lakh Gram Panchayats (GPs) across India. The PAI captures Panchayats’ performance across nine themes of Localized SDGs (LSDGs) ie. Poverty-Free and Enhanced Livelihoods in Panchayat, Healthy Panchayat, Child-Friendly Panchayat, Water-Sufficient Panchayat, Clean and Green Panchayat, Panchayat with Self-Sufficient Infrastructure, Socially Just and Socially Secured Panchayat, Panchayat with Good Governance and Women-Friendly Panchayat. These themes align global goals with rural realities, helping local governments tailor their strategies for holistic development.

    State-wise, Gujarat led the pack with 346 Gram Panchayat as Front Runners, followed by Telangana with 270 Front Runners. States with a high number of Performers include Gujarat (13781), Maharashtra (12,242), Telangana (10099) along with Madhya Pradesh (7,912), and Uttar Pradesh (6593) while Bihar, Chhattisgarh, and Andhra Pradesh have a significant share of Aspirant Gram Panchayats, highlighting areas needing focused development efforts. The 2022-23 PAI data reveals that out of 2,55,699 Gram Panchayats, 2,16,285 submitted validated data. While 699 (0.3%) Panchayats emerged as Front Runners, 77,298 (35.8%) were Performers, 1,32,392 (61.2%) were Aspirants while 5,896(2.7%) Gram Panchayats were at the Beginner Level. None of the Gram Panchayat is qualified as an Achiever. As of now, no inter-state comparison has been done.

    About Panchayat Advancement Index

    Panchayat Advancement Index (PAI) is a composite Index & has been compiled based on 435 unique local Indicators (331 mandatory & 104 optional) consisting of 566 unique data points across 9 themes of LSDGs (Localization of Sustainable Development Goals) aligned with National Indicator Framework (NIF) of the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) , the PAI reflects India’s commitment to achieving the SDG 2030 Agenda through participatory, bottom-up development. Based on the PAI scores & thematic Scores achieved by different Gram Panchayats, these GPs are grouped into one of the categories of performance – Achiever: (90+), Front Runner: (75 to below 90); Performer: (60 to below 75); Aspirant: (40 to below 60) and Beginners (below 40).

    PAI aims to assess and measure the progress made by grassroots-level institutions in achieving localized SDGs, thereby contributing to the attainment of SDG 2030. The Panchayat Advancement Index (PAI) is a multi-domain and multi-sectoral index that is intended to be used to assess the overall holistic development, performance & progress of Panchayats. The index takes into account various socio-economic indicators and parameters to gauge the well-being and development status of the local communities within the jurisdiction of a Panchayat. One of the purposes of the PAI is to identify the development gaps of the Panchayats through the scores achieved across various LSDG themes and enable the Panchayat for evidence-based planning at grassroots level. The outcomes of the PAI, over time, will reflect incremental progress based on the scores achieved by Panchayats, highlighting their advancement toward realizing the LSDGs. The first ever baseline Panchayat Advancement Index (PAI) FY 22-23, will play a vital role in setting local targets, identifying actionable points, and facilitating the preparation of evidence-based Panchayat Development Plans aimed at achieving the desired goals. The index resonates with the needs of rural India making them contextually meaningful at the grassroots level. The PAI serves as a tool for assessment and promotes healthy competition among Panchayats. Moreover, the data collected through PAI serves as a foundation for evidence-based planning, enabling Panchayats to identify development gaps, set clear targets, and allocate resources more effectively, thus driving more strategic and impactful governance at the local level. Crucially, it enables policymakers at all levels from State Governments to Members of Parliament to assess ground-level progress and fine-tune strategies accordingly.

    Release of the Panchayat Advancement Index has been possible due to the collaboration with various Union Ministries, State Governments and UN Agencies. These stakeholders have shared essential data that forms the backbone of the index, making it a comprehensive tool for monitoring development. Over 2.16 lakh Gram Panchayats from 29 States/UTs have already entered their data into the dedicated PAI Portal with each entry rigorously validated before being included in the final index. The PAI portal (www.pai.gov.in) serves as a robust, multilingual data management platform enabling Panchayats to enter and track their development metrics. Data from over 2.16 lakh Panchayats has been processed, with validation by States/ UTs. Data for 11,712 Panchayats from five States/UTs (Meghalaya, Nagaland, Goa, Puducherry, and West Bengal) were not included due to pending validation.

    As India continues its journey towards the 2030 SDG targets, the PAI stands as a landmark innovation in rural governance promoting transparency, efficiency, and community-centered development. For further insights and access to detailed reports, visit www.pai.gov.in.

    State Wise Number of Panchayats in Each Performance Category

     

     

     

     

     

    For List of Top 25 GPs across India: Click Here

    ****

    Aditi Agrawal

    (Release ID: 2120320) Visitor Counter : 32

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Import of poultry meat and products from areas in Poland and Canada suspended

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (April 9) that in view of notifications from the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) about outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza in Åšrem District of Wielkopolskie Region in Poland, and in Lambton County of Ontario Province in Canada, the CFS has instructed the trade to suspend the import of poultry meat and products (including poultry eggs) from the above-mentioned areas with immediate effect to protect public health in Hong Kong.

    A CFS spokesman said that according to the Census and Statistics Department, Hong Kong imported about 6 600 tonnes of frozen poultry meat from Poland, and about 400 tonnes of frozen poultry meat from Canada last year. 

    “The CFS has contacted the Polish and Canadian authorities over the issues and will closely monitor information issued by the WOAH and the relevant authorities on the avian influenza outbreaks. Appropriate action will be taken in response to the development of the situation,” the spokesman said.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Over £35 million in Cold Weather Payments support paid this winter

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Over £35 million in Cold Weather Payments support paid this winter

    Over 1.4 million Cold Weather Payments – worth around £35 million in total – were paid this past winter to people in England and Wales, according to statistics released today [09 April].

    • Over 1.4 million Cold Weather Payments were made this past winter
    • This represents around £35 million in support, in addition to other benefits
    • Over £9 million of this was issued to those in receipt of Pension Credit

    Cold Weather Payments are issued to vulnerable households when the average temperature in their local area is recorded as, or forecast to be, zero degrees Celsius or below over seven consecutive days. 

    Those eligible received £25 for each seven-day period of very cold weather between 1 November and 31 March.

    Of those who received a Cold Weather Payment, 385,000 were also in receipt of Pension Credit – equating to around £9 million.

    It comes as the Government’s drive to support low-income pensioners has led to around 50,000 extra Pension Credit awards since the summer – an increase of 64 per cent compared to the same period last year. 

    Minister for Pensions Torsten Bell said:

    We supported millions of households this winter through Pension Credit and Cold Weather Payments, alongside extending the Household Support Fund and the Warm Home Discount. 

    For pensioners, this will have come on top of the State Pension which is set to increase by up to £1,900 over this parliament for millions, thanks to our commitment to the Triple Lock.

    Pensioners who receive Pension Credit automatically qualify for Cold Weather Payments. This is alongside extra support available such as the Household Support Fund, which was extended from 1 April 2025 until 31 March 2026, providing support with the cost of essentials such as food, heating and bills.

    Working age people who receive qualifying benefits such as Universal Credit and Jobseeker’s Allowance can also receive a Cold Weather Payment if they meet further criteria relating to employment, health conditions and caring responsibilities for young children or a disabled child.

    Additional Information

    • A breakdown of Cold Weather Payments issued can be found on gov.uk: Cold Weather Payment estimates: 2024 to 2025 – GOV.UK
    • There have been an estimated 1,402,000 Cold Weather Payments in the year 2024/25.
    • There have been an estimated 220,000 more Cold Weather Payments 2024/25 compared to the 2023/24 season, including an additional 21,000 to those receiving Pension Credit.
    • Eligibility criteria for Cold Weather Payments can be found on gov.uk: Cold Weather Payment: Eligibility – GOV.UK

    Updates to this page

    Published 9 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Economic activities domain launched

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    The Government today announced a domain of economic activities that comprises manufacturing and new industrialisation-related industries as devised by the Innovation, Technology & Industry Bureau (ITIB), in collaboration with the Census & Statistics Department (C&SD), and released statistics on the economic performance of relevant activities.

    The process of manufacturing and production involves a variety of other economic activities, such as product design, technological development, data services and software development, testing and certification, as well as professional and technical services etc, all of which qualify as important elements in the development of new industrialisation.

    Besides formulating the domain, the C&SD has also defined the corresponding statistical coverage based on the existing framework of the Hong Kong Standard Industrial Classification Version 2.0, with a view to reflecting the economic performance of these new industries of importance more precisely through objective statistical figures.

    In 2023, the value added of Manufacturing & New Industrialisation-related Industries amounted to $76.8 billion, representing an increase of 7.6% over the previous year, and accounted for around 2.6% of Gross Domestic Product.

    Secretary for Innovation, Technology & Industry Prof Sun Dong said Hong Kong is in the midst of a key transitional period of its economic model, and the development of innovation technology and the integrated development of emerging industries are crucial objectives of the country and Hong Kong.

    He said: “To assist us in formulating various policies with more precision and to effectively guide social resources towards supporting and encouraging the upgrading and transformation of the traditional manufacturing industry, as well as the development of new industrialisation in Hong Kong to realise the developmental targets outlined in the Hong Kong Innovation & Technology Development Blueprint, we must specifically identify a range of economic activities to be covered, and from time to time conduct reviews along with the ever-changing technological and innovative landscape and the development of emerging industries.

    “At the same time, we need to compile relevant statistics to objectively measure the progress of the development of innovation and new industrialisation.”

    The C&SD said that it will continue to keep abreast of the latest developments and suitably review the relevant statistical framework from time to time with the ITIB and other stakeholders.

    Click here for the domain.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: From import to innovation: how Grown in Britain and ercol are transforming UK furniture manufacturing

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Case study

    From import to innovation: how Grown in Britain and ercol are transforming UK furniture manufacturing

    A woodland management case study demonstrating how traditional craftsmanship and sustainable forestry practices work hand in hand to bring ash trees to market.

    In the heart of Buckinghamshire, a remarkable transformation is taking place. The century-old furniture maker, ercol, has partnered with Grown in Britain and Tyler Hardwoods in a pioneering project supported by the Woods into Management Forestry Innovation Fund.

    The UK is currently the second largest importer of wood, importing 73% of timber. 85% of locally sourced hardwood is being burned as fuel while manufacturers import wood for furniture making. In a market worth hundreds of millions of pounds and growing, this is a challenge for the industry to address.

    It also presents a great opportunity for a shift towards home-grown timber for the furniture industry, particularly as customers are becoming more invested in products with local provenance.

    A corridor inside the ercol factory showing pallets of wood. Copyright ercol

    For ercol, this challenge and subsequent opportunity resonated deeply. After closing their sawmill at the end of the 90s, ercol stopped buying locally sourced timber, and with time much of the knowledge and understanding about converting trees into usable timber components was lost.

    This pattern, repeated across UK manufacturing, has led to a significant loss of sawmilling expertise in the sector. At the same time, the ecological condition of our woodlands was being impacted from years of undermanagement.

    An early vision for environmental change

    Ian Peers, Operations Director, ercol said:

    We were already having discussions internally about our environmental journey. We knew we had to do something, but we weren’t quite sure where to begin. The opportunity to work with Grown in Britain came at exactly the right time.

    The winds of change began blowing when ercol started examining their environmental impact. Through discussions with the Sylva Foundation and subsequently Grown in Britain, a vision emerged for what furniture manufacturing could become.

    The project’s ambitions were clear: create a sustainable UK market for ash timber, bring as much of ercol’s manufacturing back to its roots, create skilled local jobs and demonstrate a model others could follow.

    Investing in process to create space to innovate

    Ercol’s vision was clear from the outset as they selected their most iconic pieces to be made in Grown in Britain certified ash. Recognising the impact of ash dieback, ercol wanted to make the most of the timber, finding a high value use. A decision that sent a clear message about ercol’s commitment to the future of home-grown timber while making the most out of a fantastic species. The choice of their most recognised designs – the chair, sofa, and pebble nest tables – demonstrated real conviction in the project’s viability.

    ercol’s Marino chair: a version of the chair in nature within a forest and a version of the chair in a living room. Copyright ercol

    The funding secured by Grown in Britain proved transformative, enabling a complete rethink of the supply chain. At Tyler Hardwoods, this meant substantial investment in new equipment and facilities. A Weinig automatic rip saw improved the efficiency of width processing, while a new Houfek sander with an extraction unit enhanced finish quality. Tyler Hardwoods also installed a biomass heating system powered by processing co-products to create a more efficient manufacturing process.

    Innovation went beyond equipment. The team developed British alternatives to traditionally imported materials, such as using local poplar instead of imported plywood for seat bases. The project team even tackled small but crucial components like dowels and biscuits for furniture jointing, traditionally imported but now made from home-grown timber.

    Production expanded systematically. Following the success of the initial ranges, ercol introduced the Fairmile table and chairs, along with the Lugo chair. Each new product presented new challenges but also gave the opportunity to explore new processes to increase efficiency.

    ercol’s Fairmile dining table and chairs flanked by 2 Lugo armchairs. Copyright ercol

    Overcoming challenges through innovative thinking

    The journey wasn’t without its hurdles, cost was the biggest initial challenge. Grown in Britain timber initially commanded a premium over imports – getting started is challenging and can be expensive in the beginning. Both ercol and Tyler Hardwoods accepted reduced margins while scaling up, resting on their shared vision of the future.

    Technical challenges required innovative solutions. The Lugo chair’s distinctive curved back initially resulted in significant waste during machining. However, the funding gave the team space to innovate, allowing them to redesign manufacturing methods while maintaining design integrity. Teething problems with the cross-cutting system meant the team at Tyler Hardwoods adapted and found alternative solutions while continuing to improve efficiency in other areas.

    Remarkable results

    Autumn marked a significant milestone with the opening of ercol’s first branded store on London’s King’s Road in Chelsea. The 3,500 square foot flagship store showcases their Grown in Britain certified pieces, creating closer relationships with customers and the design community.

    The numbers tell a compelling success story. While the wider furniture market experiences a downturn, ercol’s Grown in Britain ranges are showing remarkable growth and the cost premium continues to fall. 

    Ian Peers, Operations Director, ercol said:

    The design and quality of our products ensures they are long lasting, and the wood will store carbon across their lifetime.

    Future growth and industry impact

    The momentum shows no signs of slowing. After starting with chairs and tables, the 2025 product pipeline may extend, presenting new opportunities for innovation when working with home-grown timber.

    Ian Peers, Operations Director, ercol said:

    As the business has grown, we’ve achieved improvements in economies of scale, closing the gap of competitiveness with imports. Home-grown timber will get more competitive as demand and investment in the supply chain grows.

    Their success demonstrates how UK manufacturers can rebuild lost capabilities while creating new, sustainable business models and the project’s impact is extending beyond ercol as others see what is possible.

    The Grown in Britain logo stamped on ercol furniture. Copyright ercol

    Jack Clough, Grant Manager, Forestry Commission said:

    This stood out as a new and impactful collaboration, bringing together Grown in Britain’s knowledge of domestic timber supply chains with ercol, a family run furniture brand renowned for producing long-lasting and iconic pieces.

    From importing timber to championing home-grown wood, from lost expertise to innovation leadership, ercol’s journey shows what’s possible when vision meets support. They’ve helped create a blueprint for UK manufacturing at scale with a sustainable future.

    With the right partnerships and funding, traditional craftsmanship and timeless design can not only survive, but thrive in the modern marketplace. All while contributing to the health of our woodlands and local economies.

    Find out how the Forestry Commission’s Woods into Management Forestry Innovation Funds helps to support the future health and resilience of UK woodlands.

    References

    Forest Research details more on the UK being the second largest importer of wood, importing 73% of timber.

    The National Wood Strategy expands on how locally sourced hardwood is being burned as fuel while manufacturers import wood for furniture making.

    Updates to this page

    Published 9 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Plus or minus: HSE students discuss the impact of sanctions on the Russian economy

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: State University Higher School of Economics – State University Higher School of Economics –

    Students from the International Institute of Economics and Finance and the Faculty of World Economy and International Relations discussed the positive and negative aspects of the impact of sanctions on the Russian economy during a debate.

    © MIEF

    On April 2, a student debate was held, jointly organized by ICEF and FMEI on the topic “The Impact of Sanctions on the Russian Economy”. The students were divided into two “mixed” teams in advance, each of which was offered a position to defend in the debate.

    The debate began with a short presentation of the teams’ positions. The team led by ICEF student Daria Tochilina, defending the position “Sanctions rather have a positive effect on the Russian economy”, emphasized the importance of the agricultural sector, which has shown significant growth since the introduction of sanctions in 2014. They also drew attention to the stability of the Russian financial sector, which has demonstrated positive dynamics and sufficient independence from the international payment system. The foundations for this, including the creation of its own payment system, were laid during the same period.

    The team noted that companies that had previously borrowed on international markets and transferred profits abroad had now switched to the domestic market. This led to a reduction in capital outflow, including due to the restrictions introduced. As a result, the savings rate in Russia, which is one of the main growth factors, has increased. The team also used the example of the oil and gas sector to show Russia’s diversification in the choice of trading partners, which has a positive effect on strengthening international relations and the revenue of companies in this sector.

    The team led by FMEiMP student Gleb Lopatin, who presented the thesis “Sanctions rather have a negative impact on the Russian economy”, focused on the growth of transaction costs when redirecting commodity and financial flows. The team also noted problems with settlements that arose due to the disconnection of a large number of banks from SWIFT. Other negative factors, especially in the long term, were limited access to innovative products and the outflow of human capital.

    In the second, “cold” part of the debate, the teams took turns asking each other questions. Thus, the “negative influence” team put forward a counterexample to the opponents’ argument about the creation of an analogue of SWIFT in the Russian Federation (SPFS) and the introduction of alternative forms of payment about additional difficulties associated with the ban on the use of SPFS by foreign companies. The students also noted the example of “stuck” payments in India in 2023, which demonstrates that many of the problems that arose were new in nature and the financial system was not always prepared for them. The “positive” influence team responded to the question about the effect of international companies leaving Russia with statistics on the accelerated development of small and medium-sized businesses in Russia associated with the emergence of “niches” in the market. Data on the growth of salaries and real disposable incomes of the population in Russia in 2023-24 were presented.

    The third part of the debate was the most heated, as participants had the opportunity to ask questions without observing the order, and even interrupt their opponents. In this part, the teams returned to discussing the effects on individual sectors and economic agents. High dividends of Lukoil, successes in the development of the IT and electronics market were noted, but also problems with payments and individual services in Russia. The departure of individual companies, on the one hand, created new opportunities for Russian business, but, on the other hand, in a number of cases, negatively affected the supply and orders for local manufacturers (the example of IKEA).

    The moderator of the discussion, Director for the Development of Teaching Excellence A. V. Dementyev, played an important role in the debate. Andrey Viktorovich regulated the “degree” of the discussion and asked both teams pointed questions. Thus, at first he suggested that both teams give a clear definition of “sanctions” for further discussion, and during the discussion he asked the team for the “positive effect” to think about the choice between the position of “sanctions do not work” and “sanctions are useful”, and he suggested that the team for the “negative impact” highlight the structural long-term and short-term effects of the sanctions.

    Following the debate, the jury, consisting of Deputy Director of the Department of Eurasian Integration of the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation S.A. Raschukov, Head of the Monitoring Department of the Department for Control over External Restrictions of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation V.A. Filippov, Deputy Director of the ICEF O.O. Zamkov, Deputy Dean of the Faculty of World Economy and International Relations A.K. Morozkina, Deputy Head of the Scientific and Methodological Department of the ICEF N.E. Kogutovskaya, determined the winner. It was the team in defense of “positive” effects, which demonstrated greater flexibility in adapting to different areas of discussion. It should be borne in mind that it was not the positive or negative effect itself that was assessed, but the persuasiveness of the teams in presenting each of these positions. The participants in the debate noted during the debate that it is impossible to unambiguously determine the prevalence of positive or negative effects. In the short and long term, negative effects may be more pronounced, while in the medium term – positive ones. At the same time, the impact of sanctions on different sectors of the economy and different economic agents varies.

    The debates were energetic, the participants showed a high level of involvement and activity, and the jury highly appreciated the level of preparation and performance of both teams! We wish the guys further success!

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Can you spot a financial fake? How AI is raising our risks of billing fraud

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Matthew Grosse, Director of the Master of Business Analytics, Senior Lecturer, Accounting, University of Technology Sydney

    Along with the many benefits of artificial intelligence – from providing real time navigation to early disease detection – the explosion in its use has increased opportunities for fraud and deception.

    Large and small businesses and even the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) may be hit with fraudulent reimbursement claims, which are almost impossible to distinguish from legitimate receipts and invoices.

    Individuals also need to be wary.

    Look at the photos of the receipts shown below. One documents a genuine transaction. The other was created using ChatGPT. Can you spot the fake?

    Now have a look at this one.

    You possibly couldn’t – and that’s exactly the point. Systems which can reproduce near perfect counterfeits of legitimate financial documents are increasingly prevalent and sophisticated.

    Last week, OpenAI released an improved image generation model which can create images with photorealistic outputs including text.

    Why should we care?

    Fraud involving fake financial documents is a massive global issue. The international Association of Certified Fraud Examiners estimate organisations lose approximately 5% of revenue to fraud each year.

    In its 2024 report, the association documents losses exceeding US$3.1 billion across 1,921 cases. Billing and expense fraud constitute 35% of asset misappropriation cases, with firms reporting median losses of US$150,000 per incident.

    Most concerning, fraudsters primarily conceal these crimes by creating fake documents or altering files, exactly what AI now simplifies.

    Fake documents enable fraud in various ways. An employee might create a fictitious receipt for a business lunch that never happened, or a contractor might fabricate receipts for expenses never incurred. In each case, the fraudster uses counterfeit documentation to extract money they’re not entitled to.

    This problem is likely more widespread than recognised. A 2024 survey revealed 24% of employees admitted to expense fraud, with another 15% considering it.

    Even more concerning, 42% of UK public sector decision makers confessed to submitting fraudulent claims.

    AI removes barriers to deception

    Understanding how AI technology may lead to a surge in potential fraud requires examining the classic “fraud triangle”. This explains that fraud requires three elements: incentives, rationalisation and opportunity.

    Historically, technical barriers limited the ability to create fake documentation even when motivation existed.

    AI eliminates these barriers by making fake documentation easy to create. Research confirms when opportunity expands, fraud increases.

    When fake claims become everyone’s problem

    When fake receipts support tax deductions, we all pay.

    Consider a marketing consultant earning $120,000, who uses an AI image generator to create several convincing receipts for non-existent expenses totalling $4,000. At their marginal tax rate of 30%, this fraud saves them about $1,200 in taxes – if they are not caught.

    The Australian Taxation Office estimates a $2.7 billion annual annual gap from incorrectly over-claimed deductions by small businesses. With digital forgery becoming more accessible, this gap could widen significantly.

    Fake receipts and invoices

    Consumers are also becoming increasingly vulnerable to scammers using AI-generated receipts and invoices.

    Imagine receiving what looks like an official invoice from your energy provider. The only difference? The payment details direct funds to a scammer’s account.

    This is already occurring. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission reported more than $3.1 billion lost to scams in 2023, with payment redirection fraud growing rapidly.

    As AI tools make creating and editing convincing business documentation easier, these scam numbers have the potential to increase.

    The growing threat

    This vulnerability for both businesses and consumers is amplified by our increasing reliance on digital documentation.

    Today, many businesses issue receipts in digital formats. Expense management systems typically require employees to submit photos or scans of receipts. Tax authorities also accept electronically stored documentation.

    With paper receipts becoming increasingly rare and paper’s physical security features gone, digital forgeries become nearly impossible to spot through visual inspection alone.

    Is digital authentication the answer?

    One potential countermeasure is the Content Provenance and Authenticity (C2PA) standard. The C2PA standard embeds AI generated images with verifiable information about file origin.

    However, a major weakness remains, as users can remove metadata by taking a screenshot of an image. For businesses and tax authorities, digital authentication standards are just part of the answer to sophisticated digital forgery. Yet reverting to paper documentation isn’t feasible in our digital era.

    Seeing is no longer believing

    AI’s ability to create realistic fake financial documents fundamentally changes our approach to expense verification and financial security.

    The traditional visual inspection of receipts and invoices is rapidly becoming obsolete.

    Businesses, tax authorities and individuals need to adapt quickly by implementing verification systems that go beyond simply looking at documentation.

    This might include transaction matching with bank records, and automated anomaly detection systems that flag unusual spending patterns. Perhaps the use of blockchain technology will expand to help verify transactions.

    The gap between what AI can create and what our systems can reliably verify continues to widen. So how do we maintain trust in financial transactions in a world where seeing is no longer believing?

    Matthew Grosse 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. Can you spot a financial fake? How AI is raising our risks of billing fraud – https://theconversation.com/can-you-spot-a-financial-fake-how-ai-is-raising-our-risks-of-billing-fraud-253912

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: 80 Fundamentals of Metrology – SIM Participants Only

    Source: US Government research organizations

    Credit: OWM/K. Dill

    Course Description

    The 5-day Fundamentals of Metrology seminar is an intensive course that introduces participants to the concepts of measurement systems, units, good laboratory practices, data integrity, measurement uncertainty, measurement assurance, traceability, basic statistics and how they fit into a laboratory Quality Management System. Additional topics covered will include overall Laboratory Management and specific discussions of the requirements for proficiency testing, calibration certificate generation and software verification and validation. Topics will be covered using a variety of measurement disciplines and laboratory measurements and case studies so that the participants will be able to apply the concepts to any measurement discipline upon completion. Topics are covered in a mixture of training styles including lecture, hands-on exercises, case studies and discussion.

    This class covers the following procedures from NISTIR 6969:

    • GLP 1, Quality Assurance of the Measurement Process;
    • GLP 9, Rounding Expanded Uncertainties and Calibration Values;
    • GMP 11, Assignment and Adjustment of Calibration Intervals for Laboratory Standards;
    • GMP 13, Ensuring Traceability;
    • SOP 1, Preparation of Calibration Certificates;
    • SOP 29, Assignment of Uncertainty; and
    • SOP 30, Process Measurement Assurance Program.

    Learning Objectives

    At the end of this seminar, participants will be able to:

    • IDENTIFY and USE reference materials to ensure good quality, accurate, traceable measurement results;
    • EXPLAIN highlights and key concepts of each topic (noted on the Table of Contents and the detailed learning objectives) to each other and to your managers and show how these topics fit into a management system using ISO/IEC 17025 as the basis;
    • Have and know how to IMPLEMENT several simple tools, job aids, and references to use and improve your laboratory operations.

    Materials & Supplies

    Several notebooks and course materials will be provided.

    Prerequisites

    The instructor will send registered participants the prerequisite documentation ‘AFTER’ the registration deadline.  Required prerequisites include having a demonstrated knowledge of basic mathematics (pre-test) and completion of a number of reading assignments (listed in Pre-work section). Additional helpful pre-work will be provided to students who have been accepted by the instructor prior to the seminar to minimize course homework time. Participants must be proficient in spreadsheet functions and operations, and formatting in word processing software.

    Pre-Work

    In addition to completing and submitting the Math Exercises, please read:

    Pre-Work Deadline

    Submit the math exercises (pre-work) according to instructions by COB on Monday, February 17, 2025.

    Post-Work

    Fundamentals of Metrology, Laboratory Auditing Program (LAP) Problems – required for State Weights and Measures Laboratories (not applicable for other participants.)

    Minimum Requirements

    Successful completion requires that participants fully participate in all classroom and laboratory exercises, turn in or present accurate work assignments, and be present for the entire course. There will also be a Final Exam on the last day of the class. The Final Exam and Final Calibration Certificate each contribute equal value to the final grade; the final grade also includes class participation and laboratory exercises. A passing grade on all portions is required to obtain a training certificate that indicates “successful completion” (e.g., getting a 100 percent on the final is not an excuse to participate minimally in classroom and laboratory.) Successful completion qualifies the participant to participate in the Mass, Volume and Length seminars, though those may have additional prerequisites.

    *Homework note: students generally report taking one to two hours for homework each night.

    Audience

    National Metrology Institute personnel within the Interamerican Metrology System (SIM) who have responsibilities for developing, implementing, and/or improving national measurement system and quality management systems in their laboratories.  Please contact Andrew Conn at andrew.conn [at] nist.gov (andrew[dot]conn[at]nist[dot]gov) for further information.

    Registration Fee

    This class is for SIM participants only and payment arrangements are made through the International and Academic Affairs Office.  Please contact Andrew Conn at andrew.conn [at] nist.gov (andrew[dot]conn[at]nist[dot]gov) for further information.

    Instructors

    Micheal Hicks and Jose Torres
    Email: micheal.hicks [at] nist.gov (micheal[dot]hicks[at]nist[dot]gov)

    Technology Requirements

    Registered participants will need to bring a 10-digit scientific calculator to use during this seminar. Participants MUST be familiar with the use of the hand-held scientific calculator. Additionally, use of a laptop or tablet PC is required to succeed in the seminar. Participants must have access to Microsoft Word and Excel (version 2010 or newer are acceptable) and be able to open and use template Excel workbooks that will be provided on USB media. Participants must be able to save/store files to USB media devices facilitate printing and turning in homework assignments; if not able to use USB media, participants must be able to connect their laptop to a printing device by cable or BlueTooth and be able to upload files to a secure Google Drive.

    You will need a government-issued photo ID (e.g., passport or driver’s license) when you check into the Visitors Center at the entrance of NIST and if bringing a vehicle onto the NIST campus, a vehicle registration card.

    PLEASE NOTE: Effective July 21, 2014, under the REAL ID Act of 2005 (https://www.dhs.gov/real-id/real-id-frequently-asked-questions), agencies, including NIST, can only accept a state-issued driver’s license or identification card for access to federal facilities if issued by states that are REAL ID compliant or have an extension. NIST currently accepts other forms of federally issued identification in lieu of a state-issued driver’s license, such as a valid passport, passport card, DOD’s Common Access Card (CAC), Veterans ID, Federal Agency HSPD-12 IDs, Military Dependents ID, Transportation Workers Identification Credential (TWIC), and TSA Trusted Traveler ID. See Visitor Information for the latest information.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Don’t let embarrassment stop you – talking about these anal cancer symptoms could save your life

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Suzanne Mahady, Gastroenterologist & Clinical Epidemiologist, Senior Lecturer, Monash University

    sarkao/Shutterstock

    Anal cancer doesn’t get a lot of attention. This may be because it’s relatively rare – anal cancer affects an estimated one to two Australians in every 100,000. As a comparison, melanomas affect around 70 in every 100,000 people.

    But it’s also likely due to embarrassment. Anal cancer is an abnormal growth in the cells lining the anus, the last few centimetres of the bowel. Many people feel awkward talking about this part of their body.

    So, when symptoms appear – such as bleeding or itchiness – they may delay speaking to a doctor. But it’s crucial to know what to look for, because if anal cancer is caught early the chances of treating it are much higher.

    The anus is the last few centimetres of the bowel.
    Designua/Shutterstock

    Do we know what causes it?

    Up to nine in ten anal cancers are caused by human papillomavirus (HPV), a sexually transmitted infection.

    HPV is common – more than 80% of people who have ever been sexually active will be infected at some point with a strain (there are more than 150).

    Most HPV strains won’t cause any problems. But some, particularly HPV16, are higher risk. Persistent infection can cause changes in the anal lining and this can progress to anal cancer. This can happen even if you don’t have anal sex.

    Vaccination against HPV is a highly effective method to reduce the risk of cancers related to HPV infection such as anal and cervical cancer.

    Since the national HPV vaccination program began in Australia in 2007, there has been a substantial drop in diseases linked to HPV (such as genital warts). While it’s too early to say, it is hoped that over time cancer rates will also fall due to vaccination.

    Other factors that increase your risk for anal cancer include:

    • being older
    • a history of smoking
    • a weakened immune system (for example from medication or HIV)
    • sexual activity (having anal sex or multiple sexual partners)
    • a history of cervical, vulval or vaginal cancer.
    Only some HPV strains are linked to cancer.
    wisely/Shutterstock

    What are the symptoms?

    Sometimes anal cancer doesn’t cause any symptoms. A doctor may instead detect the cancer visually during a colonoscopy or another examination.

    Other times, symptoms may include bleeding from the bottom (you might see blood on the toilet paper), a new anal lump, or feeling non-specific discomfort or itchiness in your anus.

    You may also have an unusual sensation that you can’t pass a stool as “fully” or easily as before.

    If you have any of these symptoms – particularly if they are new or getting worse – it is important to speak with your doctor.

    The symptoms of anal cancer can be very similar to common conditions such as haemorrhoids, so it’s best to get them checked by a doctor to get the diagnosis right.

    It’s understandable you might be embarrassed. But for doctors, this is all part of routine practice.

    Catching it early improves your chances

    Survival rates are much better for anal cancer caught in the early stages.

    Around 90% of people diagnosed with stage one anal cancer will live five years or more. That drops to 60% if the diagnosis is made when the cancer has developed to stage three.

    The test may be as simple as a quick anal examination. Or it may require other investigations such as anoscopy (looking inside the bottom with a slim tube) or specialised ultrasounds or scans.

    Most tests involve only a small amount of discomfort or none at all. They can rule out anything serious, giving you peace of mind.

    If a cancer is detected, treatment usually involves radiotherapy, chemotherapy or surgery, or a combination.

    The bottom line

    If you need another reason to get symptoms checked out, here’s one: they could also indicate bowel cancer.

    Bowel cancer (also known as colon or colorectal cancer) is the fourth most common cancer diagnosed in Australia, and the second most common cause of cancer death, with similar symptoms such as bleeding from the bottom.

    So, it’s crucial to not to let awkwardness get in the way. Speak to your doctor if any symptoms concern you. Starting the conversation early could save your life.

    Suzanne Mahady 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. Don’t let embarrassment stop you – talking about these anal cancer symptoms could save your life – https://theconversation.com/dont-let-embarrassment-stop-you-talking-about-these-anal-cancer-symptoms-could-save-your-life-249570

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Gold rush Melbourne and post-war boom: how Australia overcame housing shortages in the past

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rachel Stevens, Lecturer, Institute for Humanities and Social Sciences, Australian Catholic University

    As part of their federal election campaign, the Coalition announced plans to limit the number of international students able to commence study each year to 240,000, “focused on driving […] housing availability and affordability”.

    This announcement was criticised as a “fact free zone” by the Property Council.

    The Coalition proposal falsely equates high immigration with housing shortages. Studies indicate limiting international students will have minimal impact on housing supply. Most international students stay in student housing or share house accommodation, not suitable or desirable for many Australians to live in.

    History shows us Australia has previously gone through periods of high migration and economic uncertainty. But history also shows us, if we are willing to adapt and innovate, high immigration and housing affordability can co-exist.

    Lessons from Australia’s gold rush

    The discovery of gold in Victoria caused Melbourne’s population to explode.

    In 1851, Melbourne’s population was 77,000. Within a decade, that figure had more than quadrupled to 540,000.

    As a young colony, the Victorian government actively recruited British and Irish migrants, subsidising fully or partially the cost of the sea voyage to Australia.

    It wasn’t all smooth sailing: competition across migrant groups developed, and new Chinese immigrants in particular were singled out. Europeans staged violent anti-Chinese riots, which included the murder of three Chinese migrants.

    To accommodate new migrants, the Victorian colonial government expanded housing supply in two ways.

    ‘Canvas Town’ was built on the banks of the Yarra in South Melbourne, captured in this illustration from the 1850s.
    State Library Victoria

    First, in 1852 Lieutenant-Governor Charles La Trobe permitted the establishment of Canvas Town, essentially a tent city on the southern bank of the Yarra River.

    There were problems in Canvas Town: disease was common, sanitation nonexistent, and crime rife. But Canvas Town provided newcomers protection from the elements. Canvas Town was officially disbanded in 1854, although people continued to live in tents across Melbourne as they awaited the construction of more permanent housing.

    Second, prefabricated iron houses were imported to Melbourne from Britain to overcome supply shortages. These British-built “kit homes” were dismantled, every component labelled and then shipped to Australia for assembly.

    Rapidly-built homes appeared in Port Melbourne, North Melbourne, Fitzroy, Collingwood and Richmond. Three such examples still exist today in South Melbourne.

    A portable town for Australia erected at Hemming’s Patent Portable House Manufactory, Bristol.
    National Library of Australia

    Gold Rush Victoria reminds us of the importance of nimble government intervention in the housing market to offset housing pressures and mitigate anti-foreigner sentiments.

    Responding to migrants after World War II

    One hundred years later, Australia was again facing an immigration and population boom. Australia faced housing shortages in the post-World War II years, as the population grew from 7.6 million to 10.5 million people between 1947 and 1961.

    In the era of post-war shortages and rationing, Australians worried about the impacts of the new arrivals on employment and social issues such as crime.

    The arrival of displaced persons and assisted migrants from Europe strained existing housing stock. Some new and existing Australians resorted to squatting and other forms of temporary housing.

    Commonwealth and state governments took leading roles in housing construction.

    Houses were pre-fabricated in the United Kingdom, like in this photograph from 1947, before being shipped to Australia.
    State Library Victoria

    Between 1947 and 1961, Australia’s housing stock increased by 50% compared with a 41% increase in population. Australian governments directly contributed to 24% of this increase in stock, or 221,700 homes.

    As the minister for immigration, Harold Holt said in 1950, “migrant labour was helping to solve Australia’s housing problems, not aggravating it” by working in essential industries that produce housing materials.

    Once again, prefabricated homes were part of the solution.

    British migrant bricklayers work on building new State Housing Trust houses in Elizabeth, South Australia, in 1958.
    National Archives of Australia

    But on-site construction also had a role to play and could capitalise on the skills of new migrants, particularly in the new migrant town of Elizabeth, South Australia.

    Migrants also pooled their resources and constructed homes for their community.

    In Wexcombe, Western Australia, 12 British families formed a building group. Within three years, they had built new homes for each family.

    Eras of innovation

    In the 1850s and 1950s, increased immigration triggered bigotry and xenophobia. However, governments at this time were focused on nation building.

    Bill Wilson from Belfast making a footpath around his new home in Wexcombe, Western Australia, in 1960.
    National Archives of Australia

    Even if this was largely focused on supporting new white migrants, many politicians resisted the temptation to fan social divisions for political gain.

    Instead, during the Gold Rush and post-World War II eras, Australian governments assisted individuals to adapt and innovate to new circumstances and create novel forms of housing.

    Australian history gives us episodes where we see our society under strain and yet capable of addressing social issues with innovation and adaptability, while welcoming migrants.

    Rachel Stevens works for the Australian Catholic University, which will be impacted by the proposed reforms on international students discussed in this article.

    – ref. Gold rush Melbourne and post-war boom: how Australia overcame housing shortages in the past – https://theconversation.com/gold-rush-melbourne-and-post-war-boom-how-australia-overcame-housing-shortages-in-the-past-253952

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Chinese-Australian voters were key to Labor’s win in 2022. Are some now swinging back to the Liberals?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Wanning Sun, Professor of Media and Cultural Studies, University of Technology Sydney

    Chinese-Australian voters were pivotal to Labor’s win in the 2022 election, with the swing against the Liberals in several key marginal seats almost twice that of other seats.

    Many traditionally pro-business Liberal supporters switched sides in protest against the Coalition’s anti-China rhetoric under then-Prime Minister Scott Morrison. This exacerbated the widespread anti-Chinese racism many people felt in the wake of the COVID pandemic.

    A new survey by Sydney Today, a digital Chinese-language media outlet, suggests Labor will most likely retain the support of many of these Chinese-Australian voters.

    Nearly two-thirds (64%) of the 3,000 respondents in the ongoing survey have said they would vote for Labor in the upcoming federal election, while just 27% were backing the Liberals, 2% the Greens and 5% independents.

    If these results mirror the views of the wider Chinese-Australian community, it bodes well for Labor’s prospects, at least in seats with a high concentration of Chinese-Australian voters.

    However, Labor may not succeed in improving on its performance in the last election. One in five voters said they would vote differently this time compared to 2022, with 55% of this group indicating they would switch from Labor to the Coalition and just 18% going the other way.

    When asked why they were changing their vote, 51% said economic management, while 26% said Australia–China relations.

    Survey respondents were predominantly first-generation migrants from China. Nearly four in five were born outside Australia, but have lived here for more than ten years. Most (73%) were Australian citizens and eligible to vote.

    What issues are most important

    The 2021 census counted approximately 1.39 million Australian residents with Chinese heritage, around 536,000 of whom were born in mainland China. As this group continues to grow rapidly, first-generation Chinese-Australians are becoming a significant political force.

    The survey results reveal a complex and shifting picture of party loyalties and preferences among these voters.

    Participants were asked to identify one issue out of a list of 17 that concerns them most in this election. This list included things such as housing, income, taxes, welfare, health, education, immigration and the environment. The economy ranked first with 14% of respondents, followed closely by Australia–China relations (12%).

    The fact that many Chinese-Australians see the Liberals as better economic managers may account for the shift back to the party among some swing voters.

    Yet, most Chinese-Australians seem to agree Labor has handled Australia–China relations much better than the Liberals. This may be why the majority of respondents overall have preferred to stick with Labor.

    About 70% of respondents said they would consider voting for a party that is friendly to Chinese-Australian communities, while 72% said they would consider voting for a party that adopts a moderate approach to China.

    Opposition Leader Peter Dutton, long a hardline critic of the Chinese Communist Party, has attempted to soften his stance in the lead-up to this election. He said last year, for instance, he was “pro-China” and wanted to see the trade between the two countries double.

    In recent days, however, he has attacked Prime Minister Anthony Albanese for his “weak” response to the presence of a Chinese research vessel off the coast of Australia.

    Some Chinese-Australian voters would prefer Australia to adopt a more independent foreign policy that is less reliant on the US for its national security. Research suggests Chinese-Australians tend to be more critical of the bipartisan AUKUS agreement with the United States and United Kingdom than the general public.

    And I’ve observed anecdotal evidence in conversations with Chinese-Australian voters suggesting some are unhappy with both major parties’ positions on China and the US. This is convincing a small number of rusted-on Labor supporters to consider voting for the Greens, minor parties or independents.

    Support for Chinese candidates not a guarantee

    There is a widespread assumption that ethnic voters tend to vote for a candidate who shares their cultural or ethnic background. This seems to be the thinking behind both major parties’ choice of candidates to run in electorates with high concentrations of Chinese voters.

    The Liberals’ preselection of Grange Chung (Reid), Scott Yung (Bennelong), and Howard Ong (Tangney) are cases in point.

    But the survey indicates this may not be a foolproof strategy. When asked whether they would support a candidate on the basis of their Chinese or Asian appearance, respondents were split down the middle. Only slightly more than half (52%) said they would.

    Much can change between now and election day on May 3. Whether the Liberals can retain the small swing they seem to have gained among Chinese-Australians may depend on Dutton’s stance on China. They will no doubt be watching closely to see what he says.

    Wanning Sun 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. Chinese-Australian voters were key to Labor’s win in 2022. Are some now swinging back to the Liberals? – https://theconversation.com/chinese-australian-voters-were-key-to-labors-win-in-2022-are-some-now-swinging-back-to-the-liberals-254052

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Security: United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee Observes National Crime Victims’ Rights Week

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Memphis, TN – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee and the Department of Justice’s Office of Victims of Crime (“OVC”) joins communities nationwide in observing National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, April 6-12, 2025, and in celebrating victims’ rights, protections, and services. This year’s theme, “Kinship – Connecting & Healing,” is a call to action to recognize that shared humanity should be at the center of supporting all survivors and victims of crime. KINSHIP is a state of being with survivors that drives vital connections to services, rights, and healing. KINSHIP is where victim advocacy begins.

    Each year in April, the Department of Justice and United States Attorney’s Offices observe National Crime Victims’ Rights Week nationwide by taking time to honor victims of crime and those who advocate on their behalf. According to a report from the Bureau of Justice Statistics, in 2023, there were approximately 20 million crime victimizations in the United States. More than 6.4 million were the result of violent crimes, including rape or sexual assault, robbery, aggravated assault, and simple assault. Of that 6.4 million, only about 45% were reported to police.

    The United States Department of Justice’s Office for Victims of Crime leads communities across the country in observing National Crime Victims’ Rights Week. In 1981, President Ronald Reagan proclaimed the first National Crime Victims’ Rights Week to bring greater sensitivity to the needs and right of victims of crime.

    Here, in the Western District of Tennessee, we have a dedicated Victim Witness Coordinator who supports federal crime victims by providing victims with essential services, including referrals to counseling, securing temporary housing, assisting with access to victim’s compensation funds, and accompanying victims to court proceedings to provide support and guidance. These services provide victims with tools to reshape their futures.

    The U.S. Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs provides innovative leadership to federal, state, local, and tribal justice systems by disseminating state-of-the-art knowledge and practices across the United States and by providing grants for the implementation of these crime-fighting strategies. Because most of the responsibility for crime control and prevention falls to law enforcement officers in states, cities, and neighborhoods, the federal government can be effective in these areas only to the extent that it can enter partnerships with these officers.

    Further National Crime Victims’ Rights Week resources can be found at https://ovc.ojp.gov/ncvrw2025/overview.

    ###

    For more information, please contact the media relations team at USATNW.Media@usdoj.gov. Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.

    MIL Security OSI –