Category: Transport

  • MIL-OSI: Bitfarms Announces Results of Annual General and Special Meeting of Shareholders

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    This news release constitutes a “designated news release” for the purposes of the Company’s second amended and restated prospectus supplement dated December 17, 2024, to its short form base shelf prospectus dated November 10, 2023.

    TORONTO, Ontario, July 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bitfarms Ltd. (Nasdaq/TSX: BITF) (the “Company”), a global vertically integrated Bitcoin data center company, today announces the results of its annual general and special meeting of shareholders (the “Meeting”), held virtually on June 30, 2025. A total of 224,085,154 common shares, representing 43.9% of the issued and outstanding common shares (“Common Shares”) of the Company, were represented at the Meeting in person or by proxy. All items of business set forth in the Management Information Circular dated May 23, 2025 (the “Circular”) were approved by shareholders at the Meeting.

    Based on the proxies received and the votes cast at the Meeting, six directors (the “Directors”) were elected for the ensuing year. The following is a tabulation of the votes submitted:

    Nominee Votes For Votes Withheld*
    Brian Howlett 151,857,664 6,458,730
    Andrew J. Chang 151,870,218 6,446,175
    Amy Freedman 151,872,656 6,443,738
    Ben Gagnon 151,064,598 7,251,797
    Edie Hofmeister 151,042,254 7,274,141
    Fanny Philip 149,617,634 8,698,761

    *Proxies representing a total of: (i) 85,768,759 Common Shares were not voted in respect of the elections of Benjamin Gagnon, Edith Hofmeister, and Fanny Philip as director; (ii) 85,768,760 Common Shares were not voted in respect of the elections of Brian Howlett and Amy Freedman as director; and (iii) 85,768,761 Common Shares were not voted in respect of the elections of Andrew J. Chang as director.

    Shareholders also voted in favor of reappointing PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as independent auditors of the Company for the ensuing year and authorized the Directors to fix their remuneration, with votes “For” totaling 236,832,671 Common Shares and votes “Withheld” totaling 7,252,479 Common Shares.

    With votes “For” totaling 131,083,589 Common Shares and 27,232,799 “Against”, shareholders voted in favor of an ordinary resolution approving the Company’s new omnibus incentive plan and the unallocated entitlements thereunder for a period of three (3) years, as more particularly described in the Circular.

    With votes “For” totaling 202,494,926 common shares and 41,590,225 “Against”, shareholders voted in favor of a special resolution to approve a future consolidation of the Common Shares on the basis of one (1) post-consolidation Common Share for up to ten (10) pre-consolidation Common Shares, if, and at such time following the date of the Meeting up to and including June 30, 2027, as may be determined by the board of directors of the Company in its sole discretion, as more particularly described in the Circular.

    About Bitfarms Ltd.
    Founded in 2017, Bitfarms is a North American energy and compute infrastructure company that develops, owns, and operates vertically integrated data centers. Bitfarms currently operates 15 data centers situated in four countries, which currently mine Bitcoin: the United States, Canada, Argentina and Paraguay.

    To learn more about Bitfarms’ events, developments, and online communities:

    www.bitfarms.com
    https://www.facebook.com/bitfarms/
    http://x.com/Bitfarms_io
    https://www.instagram.com/bitfarms/
    https://www.linkedin.com/company/bitfarms/

    Forward-Looking Statements  
    This news release contains certain “forward-looking information” and “forward-looking statements” (collectively, “forward-looking information”) that are based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this news release and are covered by safe harbors under Canadian and United States securities laws. The statements and information in this release regarding the results of the Meeting, adoption of the Company’s new omnibus incentive plan, the consolidation of the Company’s common shares, growth opportunities and prospects for the Company, and other statements regarding future growth, plans and objectives of the Company are forward-looking information.

    Any statements that involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often but not always using phrases such as “expects”, or “does not expect”, “is expected”, “anticipates” or “does not anticipate”, “plans”, “budget”, “scheduled”, “forecasts”, “estimates”, “prospects”, “believes” or “intends” or variations of such words and phrases or stating that certain actions, events or results “may” or “could”, “would”, “might” or “will” be taken to occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking information. This forward-looking information is based on assumptions and estimates of management of Bitfarms at the time they were made, and involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements of Bitfarms to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Such factors, risks and uncertainties include, among others: an inability to apply the Company’s data centers to HPC/AI opportunities on a profitable basis; a failure to secure long-term contracts associated with HPC/AI customers on terms which are economic or at all; the construction and operation of new facilities may not occur as currently planned, or at all; expansion of existing facilities may not materialize as currently anticipated, or at all; an inability to satisfy the Panther Creek location related milestones which are conditions to loan drawdowns under the Macquarie Group financing facility; an inability to deploy the proceeds of the Macquarie Group financing facility to generate positive returns at the Panther Creek location; the construction and operation of new facilities may not occur as currently planned, or at all; expansion of existing facilities may not materialize as currently anticipated, or at all; new miners may not perform up to expectations; revenue may not increase as currently anticipated, or at all; the ongoing ability to successfully mine digital currency is not assured; failure of the equipment upgrades to be installed and operated as planned; the availability of additional power may not occur as currently planned, or at all; expansion may not materialize as currently anticipated, or at all; the power purchase agreements and economics thereof may not be as advantageous as expected; potential environmental cost and regulatory penalties due to the operation of the former Stronghold plants which entail environmental risk and certain additional risk factors particular to the former business and operations of Stronghold including, land reclamation requirements may be burdensome and expensive, changes in tax credits related to coal refuse power generation could have a material adverse effect on the business, financial condition, results of operations and future development efforts, competition in power markets may have a material adverse effect on the results of operations, cash flows and the market value of the assets, the business is subject to substantial energy regulation and may be adversely affected by legislative or regulatory changes, as well as liability under, or any future inability to comply with, existing or future energy regulations or requirements, the operations are subject to a number of risks arising out of the threat of climate change, and environmental laws, energy transitions policies and initiatives and regulations relating to emissions and coal residue management, which could result in increased operating and capital costs and reduce the extent of business activities, operation of power generation facilities involves significant risks and hazards customary to the power industry that could have a material adverse effect on our revenues and results of operations, and there may not have adequate insurance to cover these risks and hazards, employees, contractors, customers and the general public may be exposed to a risk of injury due to the nature of the operations, limited experience with carbon capture programs and initiatives and dependence on third-parties, including consultants, contractors and suppliers to develop and advance carbon capture programs and initiatives, and failure to properly manage these relationships, or the failure of these consultants, contractors and suppliers to perform as expected, could have a material adverse effect on the business, prospects or operations; the digital currency market; the ability to successfully mine digital currency; it may not be possible to profitably liquidate the current digital currency inventory, or at all; a decline in digital currency prices may have a significant negative impact on operations; an increase in network difficulty may have a significant negative impact on operations; the volatility of digital currency prices; the anticipated growth and sustainability of hydroelectricity for the purposes of cryptocurrency mining in the applicable jurisdictions; the inability to maintain reliable and economical sources of power to operate cryptocurrency mining assets; the risks of an increase in electricity costs, cost of natural gas, changes in currency exchange rates, energy curtailment or regulatory changes in the energy regimes in the jurisdictions in which Bitfarms operates and the potential adverse impact on profitability; future capital needs and the ability to complete current and future financings, including Bitfarms’ ability to utilize an at-the-market offering program ( “ATM Program”) and the prices at which securities may be sold in such ATM Program, as well as capital market conditions in general; share dilution resulting from an ATM Program and from other equity issuances; the risks of debt leverage and the ability to service and eventually repay the Macquarie Group financing facility; volatile securities markets impacting security pricing unrelated to operating performance; the risk that a material weakness in internal control over financial reporting could result in a misstatement of financial position that may lead to a material misstatement of the annual or interim consolidated financial statements if not prevented or detected on a timely basis; risks related to the Company ceasing to qualify as an “emerging growth company”; risks related to unsolicited investor interest, takeover proposals, shareholder activism or proxy contests relating to the election of directors; risks relating to lawsuits and other legal proceedings and challenges; historical prices of digital currencies and the ability to mine digital currencies that will be consistent with historical prices; and the adoption or expansion of any regulation or law that will prevent Bitfarms from operating its business, or make it more costly to do so. For further information concerning these and other risks and uncertainties, refer to Bitfarms’ filings on www.sedarplus.ca (which are also available on the website of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC“) at www.sec.gov), including the Company’s annual information form for the year ended December 31, 2024, management’s discussion & analysis for the year-ended December 31, 2024 and the management’s discussion and analysis for the three months ended March 31, 2025. Although Bitfarms has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended, including factors that are currently unknown to or deemed immaterial by Bitfarms. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate as actual results, and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking information. Bitfarms does not undertake any obligation to revise or update any forward-looking information other than as required by law. Trading in the securities of the Company should be considered highly speculative. No stock exchange, securities commission or other regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained herein. Neither the Toronto Stock Exchange, Nasdaq, or any other securities exchange or regulatory authority accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

    Investor Relations Contact:
    Laine Yonker
    lyonker@bitfarms.com

    Media Contact:
    Caroline Brady Baker
    cbaker@bitfarms.com

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Close-Up International Appoints Jim Barone as Executive Vice President of Business Solutions to Continue Launch into US Pharma CRM Market

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    PRINCETON, N.J., July 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Close-Up International, a global leading provider of CRM and data technology solutions for the life sciences industry is pleased to announce the appointment of Jim Barone as Executive Vice President of Business Solutions. In this role, Jim will lead efforts to expand Close-Up’s footprint across the U.S. CRM market and drive strategic growth initiatives.

    Jim brings over 30 years of experience in the life sciences sector, with a strong background in pharmaceuticals, data, and emerging technologies. Throughout his career, Jim has been at the forefront of innovation in CRM strategy and advanced analytics solutions. Prior to joining Close-Up, Jim held key leadership roles which included Senior Director of Product Strategy at Veeva Systems and Area VP of Sales at Komodo Health, where he led strategic initiatives to align CRM product development with the needs of key accounts teams and the launch of a market access and claims integration platform tailored for emerging and mid-size pharmaceutical companies, respectively. He was also President and CEO of BusinessOne Technologies for 15+ years and successfully led teams to develop and implement data-driven CRM platforms, delivering scalable and impactful solutions to the pharmaceutical industry.

    “Jim’s proven record and deep industry expertise make him an invaluable addition to our executive team,” said Robert Thomas, CCO of Close-Up. “His vision and leadership will be key as we continue to grow our CRM presence in the United States and deliver market-leading solutions to pharmaceutical companies.” With the current Salesforce and Veeva CRM disruption, we have a tremendous opportunity to provide Pharma companies a proven AI CRM solution with over 245 active CRM clients in over 50 Counties.”

    “I’m excited to join Close-Up at such a transformative moment for our industry,” said Jim Barone. “Close-Up has an exceptional CRM platform and is the only 5-star peer reviewed pharma CRM solution on Gartner in 2025. I look forward to collaborating with the team to further enhance our solutions and support clients in achieving commercial excellence.” Jim’s appointment reflects Close-Up’s continued commitment to innovation, client success, and further expansion in the US pharma CRM technology landscape.

    About Close-Up Intl.,
    Close-Up International is a leading provider of AI-powered CRM, data analytics and business intelligence solutions for the global life sciences industry. With 55+ years in the market, we serve 650+ healthcare clients in over 50 countries with 47,000+ active CRM users and top 3 global pharma CRM providers. Our AI-powered CRM platform enhances engagement with healthcare professionals, identifies real-time opportunities and threats, while boosting overall productivity. Designed for seamless adoption, it offers an intuitive user interface, flexible data integration, and long-term cost benefits to pharmaceutical companies. For more information, visit www.closeupus.com or email us at info@closeupus.com
    Contact:
    Robert Thomas | Close-Up Intl,
    rthomas@closeupus.com
    closeupus.com

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Amalgamated Financial Corporation Welcomes Steven S. SaLoutos and Tony Wells to its Board of Directors

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, July 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Amalgamated Financial Corp. (“Amalgamated” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: AMAL), today announced the addition of two new board members to their Board of Directors, Steven SaLoutos and Tony Wells. They will also serve on the Board of Directors of Amalgamated Bank.

    “We are thrilled to welcome Steven and Tony to our Board of Directors,” said Lynne Fox, Chair of the Board. “Our board has always included industry experts who know that profitability and social impact are not mutually exclusive. Steven and Tony have demonstrated this throughout their respective careers, and we know that they both will make valuable contributions to our board and future growth.”

    Mr. SaLoutos brings extensive expertise in the banking industry and a strong background in directorship. He is presently the Chief Financial Officer of ProSight Financial Association, following a distinguished 38-year career at U.S. Bank, N.A. His most recent position there was Executive Vice President and Midwest Regional Executive in Consumer and Business Banking.

    An active community supporter, Mr. SaLoutos is a member and former Chairperson of Wisconsin Women Business Initiative Corporation (WWBIC), a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) focused on startup and early-stage business lending for and education of women and minority-owned businesses throughout Wisconsin. Mr. SaLoutos holds a BBA degree from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, and an MBA, from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

    Mr. Wells brings nearly four decades of executive leadership across highly regulated industries including banking, payment services, telecommunications, and energy. He currently serves as a Venture Partner at AZ-VC, Arizona’s largest venture capital fund, and sits on the boards of publicly traded Nexstar Media Group (NASDAQ: NXST), Yelp (NYSE: YELP) and private ad-tech company TripleLift.

    Previously, Mr. Wells served as Chief Media Officer at Verizon from 2021 to 2023, and as a senior marketing executive at USAA from 2017 to 2021, culminating in his role as Chief Brand Officer. While at USAA, he also chaired both the USAA Foundation and the USAA Education Foundation, advancing initiatives in financial literacy, diversity, and customer trust. A former Marine Corps infantry officer, Mr. Wells holds a B.S. from the United States Naval Academy and a Management Certificate from Johns Hopkins University Carey School of Business.

    “Both men bring a wealth of expertise across multiple industries and disciplines, along with powerful strategic perspectives. Their insights will be invaluable as we continue to accelerate our growth and expand our impact.” said Priscilla Sims Brown, CEO of Amalgamated Bank

    “The passion and purpose they’ve demonstrated align with those of Amalgamated, and we are excited to welcome them as valued members of our board.”

    About Amalgamated Financial Corp:
    Amalgamated Financial Corp. is a Delaware public benefit corporation and a bank holding company engaged in commercial banking and financial services through its wholly owned subsidiary, Amalgamated Bank. Amalgamated Bank is a New York-based full-service commercial bank and a chartered trust company with a combined network of five branches across New York City, Washington D.C., and San Francisco, and a commercial office in Boston. Amalgamated Bank was formed in 1923 as Amalgamated Bank of New York by the Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America, one of the country’s oldest labor unions. Amalgamated Bank provides commercial banking and trust services nationally and offers a full range of products and services to both commercial and retail customers. Amalgamated Bank is a proud member of the Global Alliance for Banking on Values and is a certified B Corporation®. As of March 31, 2025, our total assets were $8.3 billion, total net loans were $4.6 billion, and total deposits were $7.4 billion. Additionally, as of March 31, 2025, our trust business held $35.7 billion in assets under custody and $14.2 billion in assets under management.

    Investor Contact:
    Jamie Lillis
    Solebury Strategic Communications
    shareholderrelations@amalgamatedbank.com
    800-895-4172

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Audiences

    Source: The Holy See

    Audiences, 01.07.2025

    This morning, the Holy Father Leo XIV received in audience:
    – Archbishop Odelir José Magri, M.C.C.J., of Chapecó, Brazil;
    – Archbishop Gil Antônio Moreira of Juiz de Fora, Brazil;
    – Archbishop Gilberto Alfredo Vizcarra Mori, S.J., of Trujillo, Peru;
    – Bishop Giovanni d’Ercole, F.D.P., emeritus of Ascoli Piceno, Italy;
    – His Eminence Cardinal Pedro Ricardo Barreto Jimeno, S.J., emeritus of Huancayo, Peru, president of the Ecclesial Conference of Amazonia (CEAMA);
    – His Eminence Cardinal Jaime Spengler, O.F.M., archbishop of Porto Alegre, Brazil, president of the Latin American Episcopal Conference (CELAM), with: His Eminence Cardinal Filipe Neri António Sebastião do Rosário Ferrão, archbishop of Goa and Damão, India, president of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC); His Eminence Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo Besungu, O.F.M. Cap., archbishop of Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, president of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM); Bishop Lizardo Estrada Herrara, O.S.A., titular of Ausuccura, auxiliary of Cuzco, Peru, secretary general of CELAM; Msgr. Josef Sayer:
    – His Eminence Cardinal Blase Joseph Cupich, archbishop of Chicago, United States of America;
    – Members of the Ordinary Synod of Bishops of the Syriac Patriarchal Church of Antioch.

    MIL OSI Europe News

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Audiences

    Source: The Holy See

    Audiences, 01.07.2025

    This morning, the Holy Father Leo XIV received in audience:
    – Archbishop Odelir José Magri, M.C.C.J., of Chapecó, Brazil;
    – Archbishop Gil Antônio Moreira of Juiz de Fora, Brazil;
    – Archbishop Gilberto Alfredo Vizcarra Mori, S.J., of Trujillo, Peru;
    – Bishop Giovanni d’Ercole, F.D.P., emeritus of Ascoli Piceno, Italy;
    – His Eminence Cardinal Pedro Ricardo Barreto Jimeno, S.J., emeritus of Huancayo, Peru, president of the Ecclesial Conference of Amazonia (CEAMA);
    – His Eminence Cardinal Jaime Spengler, O.F.M., archbishop of Porto Alegre, Brazil, president of the Latin American Episcopal Conference (CELAM), with: His Eminence Cardinal Filipe Neri António Sebastião do Rosário Ferrão, archbishop of Goa and Damão, India, president of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC); His Eminence Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo Besungu, O.F.M. Cap., archbishop of Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, president of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM); Bishop Lizardo Estrada Herrara, O.S.A., titular of Ausuccura, auxiliary of Cuzco, Peru, secretary general of CELAM; Msgr. Josef Sayer:
    – His Eminence Cardinal Blase Joseph Cupich, archbishop of Chicago, United States of America;
    – Members of the Ordinary Synod of Bishops of the Syriac Patriarchal Church of Antioch.

    MIL OSI Europe News

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Statement on behalf of the 14th Tata Steel / Port Talbot Transition Board

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    Statement on behalf of the 14th Tata Steel / Port Talbot Transition Board

    The fourteenth Tata Steel / Port Talbot Transition Board met on 26th June 2025.

    The Secretary of State for Wales, Rt Hon Jo Stevens MP, in her role as Chair of the Transition Board sought endorsement from the Board for the development of an £11.67 million Economic Growth and Investment Fund.  £6.67 million will be provided by UK Government and £5 million from Tata Steel UK. This joint funding is aimed to boost inward business investment in the region and to support longer-term growth by supporting businesses and helping to create new jobs. A period of engagement will take place to design the fund over the coming weeks, with the fund going live in the autumn.

    Today’s release of money marks the full allocation of the UK Government’s £80 million contribution from the Tata Steel / Port Talbot Transition Board fund. This funding has been delivered in just under a year, clearly demonstrating this Government’s commitment to the community impacted by Tata Steel UK’s transition to greener steelmaking. We are already seeing the positive impact of this investment to those impacted. The Board will continue to monitor the progress of the funds and ensure the right support continues to be administered to the region.

    The Board also received updates on:

    • Tata Steel UK’s decarbonisation programme;
    • The Department of Business and Trade’s plans for a steel strategy;
    • Mental health and well-being;
    • The Transition Board funds that have already been announced.

    Those in attendance included: Rt Hon Jo Stevens MP, Secretary of State for Wales; Rebecca Evans MS, Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy & Planning in the Welsh Government; Alex Norris MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary for MHCLG; Cllr Steven Hunt, Leader of Neath Port Talbot Council; Frances O’Brien, CEO of Neath Port Talbot Council; Rajesh Nair, CEO of Tata Steel UK; Chris Jaques, Chief HR Officer, Tata Steel UK; Stephen Kinnock, MP for Aberafan Maesteg; David Rees, MS for Aberavon; Tom Giffard, MS & Luke Fletcher MS for the region of South Wales West; Anne Jessopp CBE, Sarah Williams-Gardener & Katherine Bennett CBE, independent members of the Board; Alun Davies, National Officer for Steel & Metals, Community Union; Tom Hoyles, Politics, Press and Research Officer, GMB Wales & Jason Bartlett Regional Officer of Unite the Union Wales.

    Updates to this page

    Published 1 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Cost of Primary Care Services to reduce by £1001 July 2025 ​​​​From 1 July 2025, Islanders will benefit from a new £10 subsidy on appointments with Nurses, Pharmacists, Paramedics, Health Care Assistants, and for telephone consultations in general practice.… Read more

    Source: Channel Islands – Jersey

    01 July 2025

    ​​​​From 1 July 2025, Islanders will benefit from a new £10 subsidy on appointments with Nurses, Pharmacists, Paramedics, Health Care Assistants, and for telephone consultations in general practice. 

    This follows previous reductions in the cost of GP appointments, which saw £20 removed in 2023 and £30 in 2024, to make primary care more affordable for Islanders. 

    Reducing GP service fees is a government priority helping to ease financial pressures on households and supporting Islanders to access GP care early, without fear of high costs.

    The expanded subsidy does not apply to out-of-hours services provided by Jersey Doctors on Call, as well as patients in the Health Access Scheme who pay fixed reduced fees for GP services. 

    The Minister for Social Security, Deputy Lyndsay Feltham, said: “I’m pleased to introduce this new support, which extends financial relief to patients accessing a broader range of primary care professionals, including nurses and telephone consultations. 

    “I’m grateful to general practice for working with us to deliver this important expansion. Together, we are working to strengthen a high-quality, accessible, and flexible primary care system for all Islanders.” 

    Dr Gordon Callander from the Primary Care Body said: “Costs for providing healthcare continue to rise. Practices continue to do all they can to minimise the impact on patients.

    “Many practices now offer consultations with other healthcare professionals who can often meet patients’ needs. It is great that the important work of practice nurses, healthcare assistants, paramedics and pharmacists is recognised by Employment, Social Security and Housing ​to allow the evolution of services offered to patients. 

    “In addition, the use of remote consultations by phone or video has proved invaluable to a number of patients. We are grateful to government for recognising and encouraging new ways of working which reflect modern General Practice.”​

    MIL OSI United Kingdom

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: The NHS plan to genetically test all newborns sounds smart – until it creates patients who aren’t sick

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Luca Stroppa, Postdoctoral fellow (“borsista di ricerca) at the University of Turin, former Postdoctoral Fellow on the project “Early Diagnosis – Handling Knowing”, University of St Andrews

    The current heel-prick test checks for nine rare genetic conditions, antibydni/Shutterstock

    By 2030, every baby born in England could have their entire genome sequenced under a new NHS initiative to “predict and prevent illness”. This would dramatically expand the current heel-prick test, which checks for nine rare genetic conditions, into a far more extensive screen of hundreds of potential risks.

    On the surface, the idea sounds like an obvious win for public health: spot problems early, intervene sooner and save lives. But genetic testing on this scale carries real risks, especially if the results are misunderstood or poorly communicated.

    The new plan builds on a recent NHS pilot study that sequenced the genomes of 100,000 newborns in England to identify more than 200 genetic conditions. However, these tests don’t provide clear cut answers. They don’t offer a diagnosis or certainty, just an estimate of risk.

    A genetic result might suggest a child has a higher (or lower) probability of developing a certain disease later in life. But risk is not prediction. If parents, or even clinicians, misinterpret that nuance, the consequences could be serious.

    Some families may come to see a child flagged as “at risk” as a patient-in-waiting. In extreme cases, they may treat a probability as a certainty; assuming, for instance, that a child “has the gene” and will inevitably become ill. That assumption could reshape how children are raised, how they’re treated and how they could see themselves.

    Alarming language

    This isn’t speculation. Research shows that while some people understand risk scores accurately, many struggle with statistical information. Words like “high risk” or “likely” are interpreted differently by different people and often more seriously than intended. Even trained doctors can overestimate what a positive test result means. When it comes to genomics, the line between “you might get sick” and “you will get sick” can blur quickly.

    Policymakers haven’t helped this confusion. Government messaging refers to “diagnosis before symptoms even occur” and “leapfrogging disease.” But this language overpromises what genomic data can do and downplays its uncertainty.

    When testing is indiscriminate and communication unclear, the fallout can be wide ranging. Children identified as “high risk” may undergo years of monitoring, unnecessary medical appointments, or even treatment for diseases they never develop. In some cases, this leads to physical harms, from unnecessary medications to procedures with side effects. In others, the damage is psychological: shaping a child’s identity around an anticipated future of illness. These psychological effects can be lasting. Being told you’re likely to develop a condition like dementia may influence how a person plans their life, even if that illness never materialises.

    False positives

    There are also broader issues with applying this kind of screening to everyone. Risk based testing works best when it’s targeted; for example, among those with symptoms or a strong family history. But in the general population, where most people are healthy, false positives can far outnumber accurate results. Even well designed tests can produce misleading outcomes when applied at scale.

    This is a well-known statistical effect, discussed during the COVID pandemic. In populations where a disease is rare, even highly accurate tests produce more false positives than true ones. If DNA screening is rolled out universally, many families will be told their child is at risk when they are not. These false positives can lead to a cascade of further tests, stress and unnecessary clinical interventions; all of which consume time and resources and may cause real harm.

    This issue already affects adult testing. For example, Alzheimer’s tests that measure early changes in the brain work well in memory clinics, where patients already show symptoms. But when these same tests are used on the general population, where most people are healthy, they produce false positives in up to two-thirds of cases. If genetic screening in newborns is rolled out in the same way, it could lead to similar problems: mislabelling healthy children as sick, and causing unnecessary worry and follow-up tests.

    So what’s the solution? It’s not to abandon genetic testing altogether – far from it. When used carefully, genomic data can offer real benefits, particularly for patients with symptoms or in research settings. But if we’re going to roll this out to every newborn, the surrounding infrastructure needs to be robust.

    That includes:

    • Clear, consistent communication: Risk scores must be explained in ways that emphasise uncertainty, not oversold as definitive predictions.

    • Support for parents: For consent to be truly informed, parents need help understanding that a genetic flag is not a diagnosis – and that many people with elevated risk never go on to develop the condition.

    • Training for clinicians: Many doctors still lack the tools to interpret and explain genetic information accurately and responsibly.

    • A national network of genetic counsellors Genetic counsellors are essential for supporting families through testing and interpretation. But current numbers in the England fall far short of what universal newborn screening would require.

    Genomic data holds great promise. But using it as a blanket tool for all newborns demands caution, clarity, and investment in communication and care. Without these safeguards, we risk turning healthy babies into patients-in-waiting.

    Correction: An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated that every baby born in the UK could have their genome sequenced under a new NHS initiative. In fact, the initiative applies to England only.

    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. The NHS plan to genetically test all newborns sounds smart – until it creates patients who aren’t sick – https://theconversation.com/the-nhs-plan-to-genetically-test-all-newborns-sounds-smart-until-it-creates-patients-who-arent-sick-259816

    MIL OSI Analysis

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Air quality isn’t just bad in cities – here’s why and how we’re tracking pollution from upland fires

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Rebecca Brownlow, Senior Lecturer in Environmental Science, Sheffield Hallam University

    Peatland burns over the reservoir in Langsett, a village in South Yorkshire. Wendy Birks, CC BY-NC-ND

    Early one October afternoon in 2023, thick grey smoke drifted across Sheffield’s western skyline. As much of the city became blanketed, residents turned to social media to complain about “bonfire smoke”, while others were forced to leave the city due to breathing difficulties.

    However, this smoke did not originate within the city. It was drifting in from the Peak District, more than nine miles away, where controlled heather burning was taking place on the moorlands. For around six hours, levels of fine particulate matter (known as PM2.5), tiny airborne pollutants known to harm human health, exceeded 40 micrograms per cubic metre of air (µg/m³) and peaked at 70µg/m³, well above the guidelines recommended by the World Health Organization.

    This single incident points to the wider and largely invisible problem of the routine burning of the UK’s uplands. This can be a serious source of air pollution, but because most official air pollution monitoring concentrates on urban areas, the effects are overlooked. This is why we have started monitoring upland fires and the pollution they cause.

    Prescribed burning is a longstanding land management practice often used to control vegetation for grouse shooting or livestock grazing. It happens across a range of upland landscapes. Many of the areas being burned sit on deep peat, an organic-rich soil made from layers of slowly decomposed plant material formed over thousands of years in waterlogged conditions.

    Peatlands are incredibly important. They are one of the most carbon-rich ecosystems on the planet. In the UK, they cover around 12% of the land area and store an estimated 3.2 billion tonnes of carbon. This is equivalent to all the forests of Germany, France and the UK combined. Most of the UK’s peat is found in Scotland, but notable areas in England include the Peak District and North York Moors. However, their value goes well beyond carbon.

    Around 70% of Britain’s drinking water comes from upland areas that are largely peatland, and healthy peatlands help reduce flooding by slowing the flow of water from hills to towns and cities. They also provide vital habitats for birds, insects and rare plants, forming the UK’s largest area of semi-natural habitat.




    Read more:
    Wildfire smoke can harm human health, even when the fire is burning hundreds of miles away – a toxicologist explains why


    Despite their ecological importance, more than 80% of English peatlands are classified as degraded, often through historic air pollution, draining, overgrazing and, importantly, repeated burning.

    One hidden consequence of that burning is air pollution. These burns are often viewed as isolated rural events, but their effect on regional air quality can be substantial. On that day in Sheffield, pollution levels briefly rivalled those seen across the city during bonfire night, a well-known peak in urban air pollution.

    In response to that October event, our research team launched a new pilot monitoring network across part of the Peak District national park. This FireUp project combines air quality sensors, satellite data and community observations to detect and measure pollution from upland fires.

    Planned burning event in the Peak District captured via Copernicus Sentinel-2 data (2024), retrieved from Copernicus SciHub and processed by European Space Agency.
    CC BY

    By using a mix of technologies and local reporting, we have documented spikes in PM2.5 pollution that would have otherwise been missed. Our system offers a clearer picture of when and where fires occur, and how far their smoke spreads, opening the door for better planning and stronger protections for public health. But the problem is not just a lack of data, it is also a failure of regulation. England’s current upland burning regulations are limited on four fronts.

    Heather and grass burning regulations introduced in 2021 prohibit burning only on peat deeper than 40cm inside designated sites. That means 60% of upland peat is excluded from these protections.

    With more than 95% of PM2.5 monitors located in urban areas, smoke from moorland fires in remote rural locations is rarely registered on official networks.

    The resources for organisations responsible for enforcing regulations have shrunk over the last decade. Natural England, one of the government’s statutory bodies responsible for environmental protection, has experienced a 4% decrease in funding for 2024-25 compared to the previous year.

    Prosecutions for illegal burning are exceptionally rare, with satellite analyses pointing to a higher level of unlicensed activity than official records suggest.

    In short, narrow legal scope, limited monitoring coverage and under-resourced enforcement leave many prescribed burns undetected and unaccounted for, along with the health and environmental risks they carry.

    Our FireUp system improves fire detections and helps quantify the effects of air pollution from these burns. As the UK government reviews regulations as part of the 2025 heather and grass burning consultation for England, and as upland fire risk increases, this kind of evidence is essential, not just to track what is happening, but to help shape a healthier and better future for the UK’s uplands.

    Our next step is to develop a citizen science app that makes it easier for people to report peatland fire incidents and upland burning to help improve regulation and log the effects of changes in air quality.


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

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


    James is a member of the Welsh Government Clean Air Advisory Panel, and Promoting Awareness of Air Quality Delivery Group. James also sits on the Scottish Government’s Air Quality Advisory Group.

    Maria Val Martin receives funding from UKRI and is a member of the DEFRA Air Quality Expert Group.

    Rebecca Brownlow 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. Air quality isn’t just bad in cities – here’s why and how we’re tracking pollution from upland fires – https://theconversation.com/air-quality-isnt-just-bad-in-cities-heres-why-and-how-were-tracking-pollution-from-upland-fires-258034

    MIL OSI Analysis

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: With fresh songs and a spectacular set, Disney’s Hercules musical goes the distance

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Emma Stafford, Professor of Greek Culture, University of Leeds

    “Whose daring deeds are great theatre? Hercules!” So sing the Muses, as they close act one of Disney’s Hercules, which opened at London’s Theatre Royal, Drury Lane last week.

    The 1997 Disney animation this new show is based on is, of course, already a successful musical film. The hit song Go the Distance was nominated for a Golden Globe and an Academy Award. The new West End version includes all the film’s familiar musical numbers, notably The Gospel Truth (which is reprised as many as six times) but also I Won’t Say (I’m In Love), Zero to Hero and A Star is Born.

    There are plenty of new original songs, too, by the composer Alan Menken and lyricist David Zippel.

    Some of the changes to the film’s story, however, are puzzling. In place of adoptive mortal parents Amphitryon and Alcmene, Hercules is born to a single mother, who is given a new (modern Greek) name and her own song: Despina’s Lullaby.


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    More understandable is the skipping over of Hercules’ childhood, allowing Luke Brady’s engaging Hercules to emerge fully grown not too long into the show.

    Likewise, Meg (Mae Ann Jorolan) is made even feistier than her 1990s incarnation. Instead of being in the clutches of the centaur Nessus when Hercules first meets her, she has two Hydra-venom traders in a headlock, and she sings “let me tell you a little something about saving women who don’t need to be saved” in the great new duet Forget About It.

    Fans of the film may be disappointed that Pegasus – Hercules’s trusty flying steed – has been written out. Though he is nicely referenced through a topiary cameo. But there was effective use of puppetry for a suitably dramatic Hydra – the monster who grows two more heads for every one Hercules cuts off.

    Other highlights of stage-trickery include the contributions of air sculptor Daniel Wurtzel. The spirits of the dead are represented by light material floating in a stream of air, and statues of Zeus and Hera appeared to come to life – I really don’t know how they did it.

    In another controversial change, the shape-shifting comedy sidekicks Pain and Panic have been downgraded to the humans Bob (Craig Gallivan) and Charles (Lee Zarrett). They are an endearing pair nonetheless, who get their own new song Getting Even.

    Indeed, there’s more of an emphasis on both humanity and community throughout the show. In place of Danny de Vito’s satyr Philoctetes, with his hero-training facility based on a remote island, Phil (Trevor Dion Nicholas) operates out of his local pub – Medusa’s bar – with the help of a whole bunch of neighbours from Hercules’ hometown of Thebes.

    Also toned down is Hades, at least compared to James Wood’s flamboyant character in the animated film. Stephen Carlisle (previously seen as Scar in Lion King) plays Hades more in the tradition of the upper-class British villain we all love to boo. At the end of the show, however, he becomes literally larger-than-life as a giant puppet. The animation’s battle of the gods against the Titans is turned into a highly stylised confrontation between this turbo-charged Hades and everyone else.

    The trailer for Hercules.

    The show’s visuals, masterminded by Dane Laffrey, are undeniably impressive. Even before the curtain goes up, the theatre’s usual proscenium arch has been transformed into a monumental Greek temple facade. Thereafter the sets are dominated by four massive pairs of Doric columns, which glide smoothly into different formations. The backdrop to the gods’ home on Olympus is a giant gold sunburst motif, and everything to do with the gods is golden.

    Video-projected backgrounds (by George Reeve) feature further temples and a mosaic texture – really a Roman touch. But a more properly Greek element is the use of vases in the Attic black-figure style. These are seen especially in the early “young Hercules” scene in the market-place and again to go with the Zero to Hero line “they slapped his face on every vase”.

    And finally, the real stars of the show are the five Muses (played by Sharlene Hector, Brianna Ogunbawo, Robyn Rose-Li, Kamilla Fernandes and Kimmy Edwards the evening I attended).

    Their role – as a cross between the chorus of a Greek tragedy and a gospel choir – is even bigger here than in the animation, of which they were such an innovative feature. They must spend the whole evening on costume changes, appearing in a series of fabulous frocks (designed by Gregg Barnes and Sky Switser), each more spectacular than the last.

    Some early reviews have been critical of the show as lacking in emotional depth, and it’s true that the more serious theme of “finding where I belong” is subservient to the high-octane razzmatazz – but I suspect this won’t matter to the majority of West End audiences. Disney’s Hercules is indeed great (musical) theatre.

    Emma Stafford has received funding from the AHRC for the Hercules Project (https://herculesproject.leeds.ac.uk/).

    ref. With fresh songs and a spectacular set, Disney’s Hercules musical goes the distance – https://theconversation.com/with-fresh-songs-and-a-spectacular-set-disneys-hercules-musical-goes-the-distance-260024

    MIL OSI Analysis

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: From sore muscles to smartwatches and stubborn belly fat: answers to six of the most common fitness questions

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Paul Hough, Lecturer Sport & Exercise Physiology , University of Westminster

    PeopleImages.com – Yuri A/Shutterstock

    In a world flooded with fitness fads and “quick-fix” workout plans, solid evidence can often get drowned out. Yet the science is clear: jogging for just five to ten minutes a day can lower your risk of dying from heart disease and even reduce your overall risk of dying from any cause. This kind of research rarely gets the attention it deserves.

    As a sport and exercise scientist, I’ve been asked hundreds of fitness questions over the years by athletes, clients and on social media. Many of these questions are rooted in persistent myths or internet misinformation. Here are six of the most common ones, starting with one of the most popular:

    1. What exercise is best for fat loss?

    No specific exercise can reduce fat in one area, despite what ads or fitness influencers might promise.

    Instead, losing body fat comes down to maintaining a caloric deficit over time: burning more calories than you consume. If you eat more than you burn, even the most intense workouts won’t shift body fat.

    That said, exercise plays a key role in fat loss. Combining a healthy diet with physical activity is the most effective strategy for fat loss and long-term weight maintenance. Exercise helps by burning calories, improving sleep regulation, increasing confidence, and promoting metabolic adaptations like improved insulin sensitivity.

    Resistance training is especially important. It helps preserve muscle during calorie restriction, meaning the weight you lose is more likely to come from fat rather than lean tissue.




    Read more:
    Weight loss: why you don’t just lose fat when you’re on a diet


    2. Does fasting before exercise help you burn more fat?

    Fasted exercise (working out on an empty stomach, typically in the morning) increases fat oxidation, the metabolic process where fatty acids are broken down to produce energy due to low blood glucose and insulin levels, paired with elevated cortisol.

    But does it lead to greater fat loss overall? Not really.
    Studies comparing fasted versus fed exercise show no significant differences in long-term fat loss when total calories are matched. In short: fasted workouts might burn more fat during the session, but it doesn’t translate into greater weight loss over time.

    3. Why do my muscles feel sore two days after training?

    That ache you feel 24 to 48 hours after an intense or unfamiliar workout is called delayed onset muscle soreness (Doms). The delay in soreness is caused by inflammation, which takes time to fully develop. The inflammation is beneficial because it signals your body to rebuild stronger tissue by breaking down damaged proteins and building new ones. In response to the inflammation, the muscle and connective tissues release “protein messengers” that sensitise pain receptors in the connective tissues, which can make even basic movements feel uncomfortable.

    Doms often peaks two days after exercise. But the good news? Your body adapts quickly. Doms is a normal part of muscle adaptation that enables you to experience less soreness when you next perform the same activity.

    4. Should I train if my muscles are sore?

    If your muscles feel sore after exercise, they are temporarily weakened and it’s best to avoid high-intensity exercise.

    Mild Doms? Low-intensity, low impact activities like swimming or cycling can help improve blood flow and reduce stiffness, easing the sensation of soreness. However, light activity won’t necessarily speed up the recovery process. Another option is to train different muscle groups, such as the upper body if your legs are sore.

    5. Is running bad for your knees?

    This myth is surprisingly persistent but the evidence says otherwise. A 2023 study found no higher rates of knee osteoarthritis among runners compared to non-runners. In fact, running may even strengthen cartilage by stimulating collagen production.

    That said, certain risk factors, such as previous knee injury, excess body weight, or ramping up mileage too quickly, can raise your risk of knee pain or injury. But with smart training, including resistance work and gradual progression, running can be safe and beneficial for your knees.

    6. Do smartwatches accurately track calories burned?

    Not quite. While wearables can give a rough estimate of your energy expenditure, they’re not precise enough to rely on for dietary or fitness planning.

    A 2022 study found that smartwatches significantly miscalculated calories burned across different activities like walking, cycling and resistance training. These findings align with a wider systematic review that concluded most fitness trackers are inaccurate for energy expenditure.

    These devices can still be helpful for tracking heart rate trends, daily step counts and staying motivated but if you’re planning your diet or workouts around the calorie numbers they give you, it’s time to think again.




    Read more:
    Wearable fitness trackers can make you seven times more likely to stick to your workouts – new research


    When it comes to exercise and fat loss, there’s no one-size-fits-all solution – and no shortcut. The basics still matter: eat well, move often and listen to your body. And when in doubt, stick with exercise and nutrition advice supported by science – not what’s trending online.

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

    ref. From sore muscles to smartwatches and stubborn belly fat: answers to six of the most common fitness questions – https://theconversation.com/from-sore-muscles-to-smartwatches-and-stubborn-belly-fat-answers-to-six-of-the-most-common-fitness-questions-259305

    MIL OSI Analysis

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Radical listening: two big ideas and six core skills that could help you connect more deeply with others

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Christian van Nieuwerburgh, Professor of Coaching and Positive Psychology, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences

    brizmaker/Shutterstock

    Even though we live in a constantly connected world, more people feel lonely than ever before. According to public polling company Gallup, nearly a quarter of the world’s population reports feeling lonely.

    At the same time, we’re overwhelmed by distractions: 80% of desk-based workers admit to losing concentration during meetings. And with just a scroll through our newsfeeds, we see growing polarisation and political division on a global scale.

    In such uncertain times, the practice of radical listening – listening with greater intention – offers a way to reconnect and to foster a deeper sense of empathy, engagement and hope.

    In our book, Radical listening: the art of true connection, which I co-authored with positive psychology expert Dr Robert Biswas-Diener, we explore how radical listening can improve motivation, wellbeing and meaningful connection. To become a radical listener, you’ll need to embrace two core ideas and develop six essential skills.

    The first idea is about clarifying your intention when listening. At the heart of radical listening is the belief that we always listen with a purpose — even if we’re not fully aware of it. For example, we might listen to a podcast with the intention of learning something, or attend a comedy show with the goal of being entertained.

    When we set a clear intention, we become more attuned to what matters. If your aim is to show appreciation during a conversation, you’ll naturally tune in to the qualities you value in the other person — a thoughtful comment, a kind gesture. If you want to elevate your listening, enter conversations with a positive, deliberate intention.

    The second idea is about matching your listening intention to what will be most helpful for your conversation partner. This is grounded in the principle of optimal matching of social support. Biswas-Diener explains it well here: meaningful conversations happen when there’s alignment between what the speaker needs and what the listener offers.

    This may sound obvious, but we often miss the mark. Say your partner has had a tough day. Should you offer advice? Reassure them with a personal story? Just listen and empathise? Change the subject to distract them? The most effective response might be asking: “What do you need from me right now?” When you get the match right, you’ll feel the connection.

    Six core skills

    We all have our own listening styles: empathetic, animated, quiet, curious. The good news is that everyone can improve their listening by practising these six core skills:

    1. Noticing: This means scanning for subtle but relevant cues: body language, facial expressions, changes in tone, or unusual word choices. Noticing shows you’re fully present. For example: “I noticed you lit up when you talked about your previous job.”

    2. Quieting: Managing distractions, both external and internal. Great listeners reduce interruptions by putting away their phones or turning off notifications – but also by calming their internal chatter. Being rested and mentally present makes quieting possible.

    3. Accepting: Respecting others’ right to their views – even when you disagree. Acceptance doesn’t mean agreement. It means acknowledging that others have a valid perspective. Try practising this by listening to someone whose views challenge your own.

    4. Acknowledging: Validating your conversation partner’s experiences and contributions. Look for opportunities to highlight their strengths, reflect their feelings and show empathy through both your words and expressions.

    5. Questioning: Curiosity is a cornerstone of radical listening. Ask questions that express genuine interest and invite deeper sharing. Try: “What was it about that moment that made it so special for you?”

    6. Interjecting: Jump in (briefly) with minimal encouragers to show you’re engaged – then jump back out. Minimal encouragers are short verbal or nonverbal cues used during a conversation to show you’re engaged without interrupting or taking over. They’re a key skill in radical listening because they let the speaker know you’re present and responsive while keeping the focus on them. Think of it as offering small bursts of energy, like “That’s amazing!” or “Wow, I didn’t know that.” It shows you’re actively listening, not passively absorbing.

    Radical listening is a hyper-intentional, purposeful and proactive approach to connection. It’s about helping others feel seen, valued and heard. The benefits for your conversation partner are clear — but there are also real advantages for you. You’ll build deeper relationships, experience more satisfying interactions, and be able to create trust quickly.

    In a world of loneliness, distraction, and division, radical listening isn’t just a nice idea – it’s a powerful tool for human connection.


    This article features references to books that have been included for editorial reasons, and may contain links to bookshop.org. If you click on one of the links and go on to buy something from bookshop.org The Conversation UK may earn a commission.

    Christian van Nieuwerburgh 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. Radical listening: two big ideas and six core skills that could help you connect more deeply with others – https://theconversation.com/radical-listening-two-big-ideas-and-six-core-skills-that-could-help-you-connect-more-deeply-with-others-256289

    MIL OSI Analysis

  • MIL-OSI Banking: Updated regulations aim to enhance competitiveness of insurance sector

    Source: Isle of Man

    The Isle of Man Financial Services Authority has introduced a series of changes aimed at enhancing the competitiveness of the Island’s insurance sector, especially in relation to captive insurers and insurance special purpose vehicles.

    Updated insurance regulations, which came into effect on Monday 30 June 2025, also include new enabling provisions to support fast-track authorisations and insurance regulatory sandboxing.

    The intention is to support the Authority’s ability to be proportionate and adaptable in the delivery of its remit in a competitive international insurance business environment.

    The Authority has made the:

    and issued the:

    The amended regulations and binding guidance notes follow the public consultations CP24-03 (3 Apr 2024 to 17 May 2024) and CP24-05 (13 Dec 2024 to 7 Feb 2025).

    The Authority has also issued a feedback statement responding to consultation CP24-05 (Insurance Regulations 2025, Insurance (Fees and Miscellaneous) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 and Insurance (Special Purpose Vehicle and Corporate Governance) (Amendment) Guidance Notes 2025 – Cabinet Office of the Isle of Man Government – Citizen Space).

    MIL OSI Global Banks

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Regulatory Innovation Office to help streamline regulation, helping UK’s world-leading fintech sector

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Regulatory Innovation Office to help streamline regulation, helping UK’s world-leading fintech sector

    Regulatory Innovation Office to partner with Digital Regulation Cooperation Forum to cut red tape, and support fintech innovation, fuelling government plan for Plan for Change.

    Regulatory Innovation Office to cut red tape supporting fintech innovation

    • Technology Secretary Peter Kyle announces plans for the Regulatory Innovation Office to work with the Digital Regulation Cooperation Forum to cut red tape, and support fintech innovation, fuelling our Plan for Change
    • RIO push includes backing for new tech to help innovators use AI to better navigate complex digital regulations, from fintech to consumer services
    • UK’s world-leading fintech sector supported through a new one-stop shop to access all the guidance they need in one place

    Fintech and other digital firms will be better supported to navigate complex regulation through new tools backed by the Regulatory Innovation Office, the Technology Secretary announced today (Tuesday 1 July).

    Speaking at the AI and Digital Innovation Day at CityWeek, the Secretary of State hailed the UK’s world-leading financial services sector – last year the UK fintech sector specifically attracted $3.6 billion of investment. He set out plans to make it easier for fintech firms to bring cutting-edge products to market – from improved fraud detection to better tools for managing money – a key part of our Plan for Change to unlock innovation-led growth across the country.

    Innovators across the landscape – including those in fintech, from start-ups to scale-ups – often face the challenge of understanding the labyrinth of regulations in their sector. This can be especially tough for smaller companies, who often don’t have teams of compliance experts, and will help them scale faster – supporting the SMEs that are the backbone of the UK economy.

    The government’s Regulatory Innovation Office (RIO) is partnering with the Digital Regulation Cooperation Forum (DRCF) to support the development of new smarter tools to make navigating the system faster, clearer and more accessible. This will include evaluating a unified digital library providing a ‘one stop’ access to digital policy and regulations for innovators, helping to free up businesses to focus on growth and innovation.

    Science and Technology Secretary, Peter Kyle, said:

    The UK is a genuine world leader in both financial services and technology, and in the intersection between the two – fintech – but for far too many companies, the complex regulatory environment can be challenging to navigate.

    Our Regulatory Innovation Office will work to remove those hurdles, to help innovators unlock new products that could drive economic growth – delivering on our Plan for Change.

    Fintech firms are on the front line of solving big challenges – from fighting financial fraud and improving access to banking, to helping people save, borrow and invest more easily. The use of technologies like AI presents enormous opportunities for the sector, as shown at the Financial Conduct Authority’s AI Sprint earlier this year, which looked at how new technologies are set to overhaul the delivery of financial advice, compliance for firms, customer service and more.  

    But fragmented rules and regulatory complexity slow down innovation, delay safer financial products reaching the public, and deter investment. Supporting innovators to bring trusted products to market faster will help tackle real-world challenges more quickly – and give consumers access to safer, smarter services, which is at the core of The Chancellor’s Regulation Action Plan.

    This cooperation with DRCF builds on the broader work of the Regulatory Innovation Office, which already supports 4 priority technologies: engineering biology, space, AI and digital in healthcare, and drones and autonomous technologies. From using quantum techniques to tackle online fraud, to improving emergency response with drone technology, the government is helping unlock the potential of cutting-edge science for real-world benefit.

    In his speech, the Science Secretary also marked 6 months since the launch of the AI Opportunities Action Plan – highlighting how it has already delivered new cross-government partnerships, helped fund responsible AI trials, and supported regulators to better engage with innovators. He set out how AI will continue to transform key UK industries – from finance and transport to healthcare and defence.

    Kate Jones, CEO, Digital Regulation Cooperation Forum, said:

    The Digital Regulation Cooperation Forum is committed to breaking down barriers for innovators by making digital regulation simpler to find, understand and navigate. Our member regulators – Ofcom, the Competition and Markets Authority, the Information Commissioner’s Office, and the Financial Conduct Authority – are working together in support of their common vision: that regulation should enable responsible innovation.

    This new user-friendly tool will help businesses and investors to find and understand digital regulation more easily and quickly. We’re pleased to be working with the Regulatory Innovation Office on this, supporting the government’s AI Opportunities Action Plan.

    DSIT media enquiries

    Email press@dsit.gov.uk

    Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 6pm 020 7215 3000

    Updates to this page

    Published 1 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Coventry City Council achieves balanced budget and invests £128.8m in city’s future

    Source: City of Coventry

    The Council has delivered a balanced budget for 2024/25 and investing more than £125m in the city’s future, despite the significant national pressures affecting local authorities across the country.

    The Council’s final outturn position represents a remarkable turnaround from the predicted £7 million overspend projected at Quarter 3, demonstrating strong financial management and disciplined budget control throughout the challenging financial year.

    The Council successfully delivered a substantial £128.8 million capital investment programme during 2024/25, with an impressive 65% funded through external grants – demonstrating the authority’s success in securing funding that reduces the burden on local taxpayers.

    Key investments included:

    • £22 million in transport and highways infrastructure, including completion of the 220-meter Coventry Very Light Rail test track
    • £18.3 million across the city’s school estate, focusing on additional secondary school capacity
    • £16.5 million in climate change initiatives covering green homes and decarbonisation projects
    • £6.6 million supporting registered housing providers to tackle housing issues

    Councillor Richard Brown, Cabinet Member for Strategic Finance and Resources, said:

    “This strong financial performance demonstrates our commitment to sound fiscal management while continuing to invest in Coventry’s future.

    “Despite the challenging environment facing all local authorities and through the efforts of finance colleagues, we have ended the year with a balanced budget.”

    The Council’s commercial investments delivered exceptional returns, with the Asset Management Revenue Account generating a surplus exceeding £10 million.

    Strong dividend performance from Birmingham Airport and Coventry & Solihull Waste Disposal Company contributed to this success.

    Total commercial income of £27.7 million helps support the delivery of essential services for Coventry residents, representing approximately 10% of the Council’s net service expenditure.

    Like councils across the country, Coventry faced significant pressures in children’s and adult social care services due to increased demand, case complexity, and market challenges.

    The Council successfully managed these pressures through careful financial planning and the use of one-off income sources.

    The authority’s strong balance sheet position enabled it to manage budget variations while maintaining its ambitious capital programme, positioning the Council well to continue improving services for residents and investing in the city.

    The capital programme demonstrates the Council’s commitment to Coventry’s long-term prosperity:

    • Infrastructure preparation for the West Midlands Investment Zone focusing on advanced manufacturing
    • Continued progress on major regeneration projects including City Centre South
    • Sustainable transport improvements including cycling infrastructure that has enabled the city to avoid a city centre congestion charge
    • Digital and ICT improvements to enhance service delivery

    Cllr Brown added:

    “The authority’s success in attracting external funding and maintaining strong commercial returns demonstrates effective financial stewardship that benefits all Coventry residents.”

    Published: Tuesday, 1st July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom

  • MIL-OSI Russia: /China Spotlight/ Young Generation Z Farmers in China Embrace Smart Farming

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian –

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

    TAIYUAN, July 1 (Xinhua) — From AI-powered data analytics platforms to drones roaming the skies, young Generation Z farmers in China are actively adopting modern farming methods, redefining the very essence of being a farmer.

    Zoomers are generally defined as people born between 1995 and 2009 who grew up with access to the internet and digital technologies from an early age.

    Born and raised in a farming family in Yicheng County, north China’s Shanxi Province, 21-year-old Wang Huan still remembers the hardships of traditional farming in the pre-drone era of his childhood.

    “Back then, my family members had to carry tanks on their backs, manually spraying pesticides and fertilizers in the scorching summer sun. It seemed like there would be no end to the work,” he says.

    For Wang Huan, now an experienced drone pilot, the technology has revolutionized his life and work. He says a drone can spread two tons of fertilizer in just over a day, compared to four to five days it used to take farmers to do the same amount of work.

    In addition to drones, the young farmer also mastered other modern agricultural equipment: combines, seeders and balers.

    Stories like these are common across rural China. Ding Zehui, a native of Wanrong County in Shanxi Province, returned to his hometown after graduating from college last year to become a farmer.

    The 22-year-old joined a local cooperative that provides agricultural machinery rental services. He also convinced his family to buy an unmanned seed drill equipped with a Beidou navigation system, as it can operate around the clock, greatly improving the accuracy and efficiency of sowing.

    “Agricultural machinery is becoming more sophisticated, with air-conditioned cabins and more convenient controls. This has significantly improved working conditions,” the young man noted.

    As momentum for rural revitalization and agricultural modernization gathers pace in China, a new generation of tech-savvy young farmers like Wang Huan and Ding Zehui are aggressively adopting artificial intelligence, big data, advanced technology and smart machines to transform traditional farming methods once based on simple tools and backbreaking physical labor.

    Official data shows that the comprehensive mechanization rate of cultivation, planting and harvesting of agricultural crops in China has exceeded 75 percent. Moreover, as of 2024, more than 2.2 million units of agricultural machinery across the country have been equipped with the Beidou navigation system, helping them achieve world-leading levels of efficiency and precision in operation.

    The rise of smart farming is also giving farming a new, attractive image that is attracting young Chinese to the field. Unlike older generations, who often viewed farming as a humble, physically demanding job, today’s young Gen Z farmers bring a greater sense of pride and purpose to the job.

    “When you see a sea of wheat ready to be harvested at the end of a hard day’s work, no words can describe the sense of satisfaction you feel at that moment,” says Ding Zehui.

    Hashtags like “Zoomer tractor drivers” and “Zoomers transform their farm” regularly trend on Chinese social media, while creative videos like “drone farmer’s diary” and “AI pig farming vlog” go viral, racking up countless views. Last year, a video of young Chinese farmer Gao Yinghao arriving at his own wedding in a combine harvester caused a wave of admiration online.

    Wang Shumin, Wang Huan’s father and head of a local agricultural cooperative, said three of his son’s classmates, inspired by his example, joined the cooperative this year and quickly learned to operate various types of farm machinery.

    “They learn quickly, are genuinely passionate about farming and aren’t afraid of hard work,” he said. “Their results have exceeded my expectations.” -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Call for municipalities to harness innovation for service delivery

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    Call for municipalities to harness innovation for service delivery

    Municipalities across South Africa have been urged to adopt innovative technologies and foster a culture of innovation as an essential step towards enhancing service delivery and building a more responsive local government in the country.

    During the keynote address at the 2nd Municipal Innovation Recognition Awards (MIRA) held in Durban on Monday, Deputy Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation Nomalungelo Gina emphasised that adopting innovative technologies is not optional, but essential. 

    The Deputy Minister believes this is particularly true for rural municipalities that continue to face longstanding development challenges.

    She pointed to recent reports by the Auditor-General, highlighting persistent underperformance in municipalities, and said that repeating outdated methods will not yield different results.  

    “Innovation allows us to leapfrog to better outcomes,” she said. 

    “New technologies disrupt the status quo, reduce costs, and streamline processes, ultimately empowering citizens and restoring public trust in local government.”

    The MIRA awards are an initiative of the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI), the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), and the South African Local Government Association (SALGA). 

    The awards recognise municipalities that demonstrate leadership in applying innovative solutions to improve essential services such as water provision, waste management, and citizen engagement.

    Gina encouraged municipalities to embed innovation as a standard way of working. 

    “We must transform the culture of our municipalities to embrace new ideas, smarter tools, and evidence-based approaches to delivering services. Innovation is not a luxury reserved for metros; it is a necessity for every municipality, including those in rural areas,” she said.

    The awards are informed by the Municipal Innovation Maturity Index (MIMI), which was introduced in 2021 as a decision-support tool to assess the innovation capacity of municipalities. 

    In 2025, a total of 57 towns participated in the rollout of MIMI, and all received awards at the ceremony.

    Trailblazers 

    Among the trailblazers were the City of Cape Town, which received the Trailblazing Innovation Award for its Digital Wayleave Management System, which consolidates and streamlines development-related permissions into a single, web-based platform.  

    The City of Tshwane, Emalahleni, eThekwini, and Waterberg District Municipality received Special Recognition Awards for achieving Innovation Maturity Level 4, indicating that their innovation processes are consistent, well-managed, and embedded within their respective municipalities.

    Municipalities such as Vhembe, Waterberg, Modimolle-Mookgopong, and uMgungundlovu were also honoured for successfully applying innovation within specific departments. 

    Although not yet institutionalised across the entire municipality, their innovation efforts are considered promising and repeatable.
    The Deputy Minister congratulated all the winners of MIRA 2025 and encouraged more municipalities to follow suit. 

    “This recognition should inspire others to embark on their innovation journeys. In the future, we want to see all municipalities reaching the required innovation threshold, and I believe we are getting closer to that reality.”

    Municipal Innovation Fund

    A key milestone at the event was the official launch of the Municipal Innovation Fund (MIF), a dedicated funding instrument designed to support municipalities in developing and implementing innovative projects that enhance basic service delivery.  

    The Fund, which is managed by the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA) of the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI), will provide up to R3 million per project to qualifying municipalities for the development and scaling up of technologies that deliver measurable community impact.

    According to the department, funding will be prioritised for municipalities that have reached Level 4 or higher on the MIMI scale and that have demonstrated sound governance and clean audits.

    Approved projects must be implemented through dedicated accounts with regular reporting on progress, financial management, and community benefits.

    The ceremony also featured addresses by representatives of the University of KwaZulu-Natal, SALGA President Councillor Bheke Stofile, eThekwini Mayor Councillor Cyril Xaba, and Deputy Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Dr Namane Dickson Masemola. – SAnews.gov.za

    Gabisile

    MIL OSI Africa

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Operation Shanela nets 15 248 suspects

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    Operation Shanela nets 15 248 suspects

    Operation Shanela has netted over 15 000 suspects around the country in its latest sting, said the South African Police Service (SAPS).

    As part of a nationwide move to combat and prevent crime, 15 248 suspects were arrested for various crimes.  

    These crime-fighting activities included tracking operations, roadblocks, high visibility patrols, stop and searches, as well as tracing of wanted suspects. 

    According to the police, 2 441 wanted suspects were arrested for various serious and violent crimes such as murder, attempted murder, rape, business and house robberies. Additionally, 170 suspects were arrested for murder with KwaZulu-Natal recording the highest figure (47), followed by Gauteng (34) and the Western Cape (32).

    Police also arrested 106 suspects for attempted murder and 145 people for rape. A total 233 drug dealers were arrested, while 2 234 suspects were arrested for being in possession of drugs, with the highest arrests in the Western Cape (1 214).

    The long arm of the law also caught up with 96 suspects, who were arrested for being in the illegal possession of firearms while 1 460 illegal foreign nationals were also arrested.

    Additionally, 772 drivers were arrested for drunken driving, said the SAPS in a statement on Monday.

    Under recoveries and confiscations, police registered the following successes: 
    •    115 firearms were confiscated in the past week
    •    2 394 rounds of ammunition were also confiscated
    •    81 hijacked and stolen vehicles were also recovered during this week’s operations. 

    Highlights of major takedowns and other successes include the following:

    •    Eastern Cape: On 23 June 2025, six-armed extortion suspects were shot and killed in a shootout with police on the R61 between Mthatha and Ngcobo.
    •    Northern Cape: Police seized illicit cigarettes worth R2.8 million in a storage facility at Groblershoop in Upington, on 23 June 2025
    •    KwaZulu-Natal: Police recovered drugs worth over R10 million and arrested a 37-year-old foreign national during an intelligence-led operation, on 25 June 2025
    •    Free State: Police arrested three suspects on charges of kidnapping and rescued a 19-year-old Kamogelo Baukudi in Wepener, on 27 June 2025
    •    Western Cape: Anti-Gang Unit arrested a 68-year-old man for unlawful possession of seven different calibre firearms and ammunition in Gulden Crescent, Cape Town, on 23 June 2025
    •    Limpopo: Police arrested a 40-year-old man for the gruesome murder of his 87-year-old mother after her body parts were found in plastic buckets in Sebora Village in the Mashashane area, on 28 June 2025.
    •    Last week alone, the SAPS Anti-Kidnapping Task Team rescued a 30-year-old man and arrested three kidnappers during an operation in Germiston. In a separate case, on 27 June 2025, Gauteng police rescued an 82-year-old Businessman and arrested five suspects aged between 25 and 31 years in Roodepoort.

    “Police will continue with their operations by asserting the authority of the state to ensure the safety and security of all South Africans and visitors to the country,” the police said. – SAnews.gov.za

    Edwin

    MIL OSI Africa

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Lamola highlights investment challenges at international financing development conference

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    Lamola highlights investment challenges at international financing development conference

    International Relations and Cooperation Minister, Ronald Lamola, has underscored the persistent difficulties that hinder private investment, underscoring political and regulatory volatility as matters of primary concern. 

    “Frequent policy shifts, coupled with weak institutions and inconsistent regulatory frameworks, create a climate of uncertainty that undermines investor confidence. This unpredictability hampers long-term planning and complicates risk assessments,” he said on Monday. 

    The Minister was speaking at the 4th International Conference on the Financing for Development Summit, which is taking place in Seville, Spain. The gathering kicked off on Monday. 

    Lamola, the head of the South African delegation, delivered a speech at a multi-stakeholder roundtable themed: “Revitalising International Development Cooperation”.

    The event aims to address new and emerging issues in development financing, emphasising the need to fully implement the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

    Lamola called for a unified approach to building institutional capacity, coherence in policy, and independent regulatory bodies. 

    “We need robust investment protection laws to foster investor confidence. Without these safeguards, we are undermining our own potential for growth.”

    The Minister further elaborated on macroeconomic fragility, emphasising that high inflation, currency instability, and unsustainable debt burdens restrict governments’ abilities to provide incentives for investment. 

    To restore stability, he said leaders must adopt prudent fiscal and monetary policies. 

    Lamola believes that improving debt management and collaborating with development finance institutions can create an environment where private investment flourishes.

    Pointing out the limitations posed by underdeveloped financial markets, Lamola highlighted the necessity of expanding local capital markets. 

    “Governments must prioritise regulatory reforms and infrastructure improvements to unlock the potential of our economies. 

    “Supporting fintech innovation and promoting financial inclusion are pivotal in creating a more accessible financing landscape.”

    Building capacity to attract investment

    The Minister also addressed the significant infrastructure gaps that plague many developing nations, which further deter investment. 

    “Inadequate transport and energy infrastructure increase operational costs and evaporate profitability. 

    “We need strategic infrastructure planning, informed by private sector insights, to mobilise the capital necessary for development.”

    He noted that many initiatives falter due to weak design and a lack of feasibility assessments. 

    “We must invest in building technical capacity within the public sector. Establishing dedicated project preparation facilities will significantly increase the attractiveness of investment opportunities,” he urged.  

    To level the playing field for investors, Lamola stressed the importance of improving governance and regulatory certainty. 

    “Simplifying investment-related regulations and reducing bureaucratic hurdles can greatly enhance investor confidence.  

    “We must create an environment where potential investors feel secure in their commitments.”

    The Minister also stressed the importance of developing national sustainable finance strategies to align financial flows with environmental, social, and governance (ESG) criteria. 

    “We must define what constitutes a sustainable investment. Robust taxonomies and disclosure standards can enhance transparency and credibility in the market.”

    He also highlighted the crucial role of Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) in fostering a conducive investment environment. 

    “MDBs can offer credit enhancements, support project preparation, and co-finance investments alongside private capital.  

    “Their involvement can significantly increase the viability of projects in emerging markets.”

    The Minister expressed optimism about the potential for collaboration in driving sustainable development through private investment. 

    “Together, we can create a future where every dollar invested unlocks new opportunities, tackles pressing challenges, and builds a more sustainable world.” 

    The event highlighted a collective commitment from governments, private sector representatives, and development institutions to work together to revitalise international development cooperation and attract the much-needed private investment that can empower developing nations in their growth journey. – SAnews.gov.za

    Gabisile

    MIL OSI Africa

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: How tennis takes a toll: the leg and foot injuries players need to watch out for

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Craig Gwynne, Senior Lecturer in Podiatry, Cardiff Metropolitan University

    When Novak Djokovic limped out of the 2024 French Open with a torn meniscus in his knee, all eyes turned to whether he’d be fit for Wimbledon. And when Nick Kyrgios pulled out of Wimbledon for the third year running earlier this month due to a knee injury, fans were disappointed, but medical experts may not have been surprised.

    These weren’t freak accidents. They were reminders of just how much stress elite tennis puts on the legs and feet. But the same risks apply to anyone picking up a racket this summer. From Centre Court to local parks, tennis takes a toll on the body that many players don’t appreciate.

    Tennis demands explosive movement like lunges, pivots, sprints and sudden stops. Every serve starts with a push from the toes. Every rally shifts weight between the heel and forefoot. Unlike sports with linear movement, like sprinting, tennis places constant multi-directional stress on the feet and ankles – two of the most frequently injured body parts in the game.

    Grass courts like Wimbledon’s are notoriously slick, even when dry. They offer less traction than hard courts and can increase the risk of slipping and twisting injuries. Ankle sprains and midfoot stress injuries are more common on these surfaces, particularly for players not wearing surface-appropriate shoes.

    But problems aren’t limited to grass. Hard courts often trigger repetitive strain in the heel or forefoot. And while clay is more forgiving, it still demands relentless lateral movement. No matter the surface, tennis puts pressure on the small joints and bones of the foot.

    Consequently, even the world’s best aren’t immune. Nick Kyrgios’s long-running foot issues have disrupted multiple seasons for him. Rafael Nadal has battled Mueller-Weiss syndrome, which is a rare condition that damages the navicular bone in the foot and requires specialist treatment and custom shoe-inserts.

    In April 2024, French player Arthur Cazaux rolled his ankle at the Barcelona Open, posting a viral image of the swelling that underscored how brutal the sport can be.

    What science says about foot injuries in tennis

    Many foot and ankle injuries in tennis often don’t result from one big moment — they build slowly over time. Stress fractures in the navicular and metatarsals (small bones in the midfoot) are especially common in players who train and play often. These bones are repeatedly loaded during sprints, pivots and push-offs, and can become damaged without any obvious trauma.

    Sprained ankles are another common problem. The ligaments on the outside of the ankle (known as the lateral ligaments) are particularly at risk during sudden changes in direction, especially on slippery surfaces. This is a major feature of tennis movement and makes ankle injuries hard to avoid without good support or strength.

    Foot mechanics, which is the way the foot absorbs, transfers and responds to forces during movement, also play a key role in injury risk. Research shows that players shift their body weight across different areas of the foot depending on the shot. Over time, repeated pressure on the forefoot or heel can lead to tendon strain or bone stress injuries.

    Ankle flexibility and lower limb strength also matter. Studies show that players with poor ankle mobility or control are not only more likely to lose power in their shots, they’re also more prone to overloading the foot and ankle during play.

    Despite this, foot and ankle injuries still get overlooked in many tennis injury prevention plans. Most focus on the knees, hips or shoulders, leaving one of the most injury-prone parts of the body without enough attention or support.

    The Wimbledon effect

    Wimbledon inspires thousands to pick up a racket every summer. But this seasonal spike in participation is often matched by a rise in injuries, particularly among casual players.

    Studies show that leg and foot injuries are prevalent among amateur tennis players. Ankle sprains, Achilles tendon issues and plantar fasciitis (pain in the bottom of the foot) are among the most common complaints.

    Footwear is one of the main reasons for this. Professionals wear tennis-specific shoes tailored to surface type. Grass-court shoes, for example, have shallow pimples for traction without damaging the turf. But many recreational players hit the court in running shoes, which are designed for straight-line motion, not side-to-side movement. This increases the risk of slips, ankle rolls and stress to the plantar fascia.

    Others ignore foot pain, assuming it’s normal or age-related. But aching arches, bruised heels or soreness across the midfoot may signal deeper issues like tendon overload, early stress fractures or plantar tissue damage.

    How to protect your feet

    So if you’re heading out to play tennis this summer, whether at a club or on the local court, a few small changes can help protect your feet:

    1. Wear tennis shoes designed for the surface. Don’t rely on general trainers or running shoes.

    2. Warm up properly. Include ankle rolls, calf raises and lateral drills (side-to-side movements).

    3. Strengthen your feet between matches with balance work or resistance-band exercises. You can also do towel curls, which involves placing a towel on the floor and gripping it towards your arch with your toes.

    4. Listen to pain. Discomfort in the heel, arch or midfoot isn’t “just tiredness”. It may be a warning sign.

    5. Replace worn shoes regularly, especially if you play on grass where grip is crucial.

    If you do sustain a minor ankle sprain apply the “police” principle:

    Protection = Avoid activities that aggravate pain and further injury.

    Optimal loading = Gentle, controlled movement and weight-bearing as tolerated, aiming to promote tissue healing and prevent stiffness.

    Ice = Apply ice to reduce swelling and pain, typically for 15-20 minutes every few hours.

    Compression = Use an elastic bandage to help reduce swelling, but be mindful of circulation.

    Elevation = Keep the injured ankle elevated to minimise swelling.

    If pain doesn’t ease after 48 hours, or worsens during activity, speak to a podiatrist or physiotherapist. Stress fractures in particular can worsen without rest.

    Wimbledon is a celebration of tennis at its most graceful and exciting. But it’s also a high-impact sport that places a lot of strain on the body.

    Whether you’re serving aces at your club or just hitting a couple of balls with friends, your feet are your secret weapon and your first line of defence. Take care of them, and you’ll stay in the match for longer.

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

    ref. How tennis takes a toll: the leg and foot injuries players need to watch out for – https://theconversation.com/how-tennis-takes-a-toll-the-leg-and-foot-injuries-players-need-to-watch-out-for-258872

    MIL OSI Analysis

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Holiday Activity programme sets out summer of fun for Manchester’s kids

    Source: City of Manchester

    A range of free holiday activities are on offer for eligible families this summer.

    Through the Holiday Activity and Food programme (HAF) there is a huge number of things to help keep the kids active during the summer break.

    From arts and crafts, sporting events and other physical activities there is a host of entertaining things to do, making sure no one gets bored over the holidays.

    Funded through the Department for Education, HAF’s goal is to ensure that some of the most vulnerable children and young people in Manchester – aged between 5-16 years old – get the support they need when the school term is over.

    The HAF is primarily for families whose children are in receipt of free school meals – but eligibility can be checked via the MCRactive website.

    During the previous financial year via the HAF, Manchester City Council has supported 29,224 children in accessing 3,971 holiday sessions. Additional support is also on offer for children with special educational needs as well as children in care and young carers.

    A free and nutritious meal is also provided as part of this programme ensuring that no child has to endure holiday hunger.

    A range of families will be eligible for HAF – details of which can be found by visiting the MCRactive website here – mcractive.com/haf – where you can register for free.

    The Council knows that the HAF can make a huge difference for the families who take part. 98% of the children who take part say they came home having met a new friend, and parents have provided feedback telling us that their child comes home feeling more engaged and less likely to spend time using electronic equipment.

    On top of the HAF programme parents and families can find an extensive range of other free or low-cost activities that are taking place in Manchester this summer by visiting our Loads to Do website. They can enjoy great events like Parktastic, a new series of free, drop-in play sessions run by the council and its youth delivery partners taking place at parks all over the city.

    There is also a range of support available for anyone in Manchester who has been struggling due to the cost-of-living crisis, with a free advice line operating to anyone in need of additional help. Details can be found here.

    Councillor Julie Reid, Executive Member for Early Years, Children and Young People said: “We know the holidays can be a real pinch point for families which is why schemes such as the HAF programme are so important.

    “Providing free activities can be a real boost for children of all ages throughout the holidays, allowing them to meet new friends and try out new things – both hugely significant in terms of their personal wellbeing and mental health.

    “A huge amount of work has taken place in recent years to address the inequality around early years development and we’re proud to be able to have schemes in place that will help us achieve this aim.

    “There are a lot of great events that will be running over the summer holidays with a free meal or snack included, so if you have not already been contacted to take part I’d urge families to have a look at our Loads to Do website and see what they think their child would enjoy over the break.”


    Manchester as a Child Friendly City

    Manchester is determined to make the city the very best place for children and young people to grow up in. A place where children’s rights are understood, respected and actioned in the everyday life of the city and in decision making. A place also where children and young people are given a voice and where their ideas and opinions matter.

    In 2023 it therefore set itself the target of becoming a UNICEF recognised Child Friendly City.

    The city’s bid to be recognised by UNICEF as a Child Friendly City will see the council and local partners putting children’s rights into practice over a time frame of three to five years, as they work together towards the shared goal.

    As part of this the council, in consultation with children and young people, has had to identify areas of particular focus – known as ‘badges’ – that it must work towards before it can be recognised as a UNICEF Child Friendly City.

    The top three badges identified by Manchester’s children and young people for the city to focus on are: Safe and Secure, Place, and Healthy. In addition to these the city must also focus on a further three core badges – Culture, Co-operation and leadership, and Communication – and has also set itself the extra challenge of including a seventh badge, Equal and Included, as a cross-cutting golden thread through all its work in each of the different badge areas.

    With over 200 languages spoken in Manchester and as the only city outside London to have residents in each of the 90 listed ethnic groups in the census, city leaders agreed that the Equal and Included priority should as a necessity underpin all of the work undertaken towards becoming a Child-Friendly City.

    For more information visit childfriendlymanchester.co.uk

    Making Manchester Fairer

    Making Manchester Fairer is a five-year action plan initiated by the Manchester City Council aimed at addressing health inequalities and improving fairness in the city. The plan focuses on eight key themes:

    1. Early years, children, and young people
    2. Poverty, income, and debt
    3. Work and employment
    4. Prevention of ill health and preventable death
    5. Homes and housing
    6. Places, transport, and climate change
    7. Tackling systemic and structural racism and discrimination
    8. Communities and power

    This initiative is part of a broader Anti-Poverty Strategy that seeks to produce evidence-based recommendations to tackle poverty and its consequences.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Travel company to take over running of Park and Ride

    Source: City of Leicester

    LEICESTER’S three Park and Ride services are to be run by local company and current bus provider Roberts Travel Group, after it made a successful bid to the city and county councils to take on the full operation of the service.

    Roberts will take over the services, which operate from Birstall, Enderby and Meynell’s Gorse, from August 24 this year. The company will take on the revenue risk for the service and have control over the timetables and fares. The city and county councils will continue to fund the park and ride operation, but will reduce their subsidy by half, from £422,000 a year to £211,000.

    Under the three-year contract to operate, buses must continue to run at least every 15 minutes from Monday to Saturday, from 7am to 7pm.

    Roberts plans to introduce more stops along all three routes, introducing popular locations like Freemans Common, Redhill Circle and Braunstone Leisure Centre.

    Fares will increase for the first time in five years, but will remain lower than other commercial bus operators and city centre parking charges. A day return ticket will cost £4.85 and a group day ticket for up to five people will cost £6. Concessionary fares will be reduced from £1 to become free.

    Cllr Geoff Whittle, Leicester’s asst city mayor for environment and transport said: “After a thorough procurement process I’m pleased that Roberts Travel Group will be taking over the running of these important services.

    “Like all councils we are having to make some very difficult decisions around funding, and this contractual arrangement means we can reduce our subsidy to the park and ride service, while ensuring it continues to operate.

    “I know that the service from Enderby which stops at the Leicester Royal Infirmary is particularly well used by both staff and patients, with no other bus service on offer on that route

    “Roberts will be introducing more stops along all of the routes, and there are plans to better link in with our Hop! Service and the Hospital Hopper in the future, which will bring strong benefits to city residents.”

    The new timetables and fare changes will be introduced from 26 August this year.

    Alex Niemczyk, Managing Director of Roberts Travel Group said: “We are proud to have been awarded the contract to operate Leicester’s Park and Ride services.

    “As a local operator with a long-standing commitment to the community, we’re excited to take full responsibility for delivering a reliable, affordable, modern Park and Ride service from Birstall, Enderby and Meynell’s Gorse.

    “We look forward to welcoming passengers aboard and delivering a Park and Ride service Leicester can be proud of.”

    More detail is available on Roberts’ website  

    MIL OSI United Kingdom

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Secretary-General’s remarks at the opening of the 4th Financing for Development Conference [trilingual, as delivered; scroll down for all-English and all-Spanish and all-French]

    Source: United Nations

    Majestades,

    Excelencias, señoras y señores:

    Agradezco al Gobierno y al pueblo de España por su cálida acogida en Sevilla para esta importante conferencia.

    Durante décadas, la misión del desarrollo sostenible ha unido a países grandes y pequeños, desarrollados y en desarrollo.

    Juntos, hemos logrado avances.

    Reduciendo la pobreza y el hambre en el mundo.
     
    Salvando vidas con sistemas sanitarios más sólidos.
     
    Llevando más niños a la escuela.
     
    Ampliando las oportunidades para mujeres y niñas.
     
    Y fortaleciendo las redes de seguridad social.
     
    Pero hoy, el desarrollo y su gran impulsor – la cooperación internacional –enfrentan fortísimos vientos en contra.
     
    Vivimos en un mundo donde la confianza se está desmoronando y el multilateralismo está bajo tensión.
     
    Un mundo con una economía en desaceleración, tensiones comerciales crecientes y presupuestos de ayuda diezmados.
     
    Un mundo sacudido por desigualdades, caos climático y conflictos devastadores.
     
    El vínculo entre paz y desarrollo es evidente.
     
    Nueve de los diez países con los Indicadores de Desarrollo Humano más bajos se encuentran actualmente en situación de conflicto.
     
    Excelencias,
     
    La financiación es el motor del desarrollo.
     
    Y, ahora mismo, ese motor se está ahogando.
     
    Mientras nos reunimos, la Agenda 2030 para el Desarrollo Sostenible – nuestra promesa global de transformar nuestro mundo para lograr un futuro mejor y más justo – está en peligro.
     
    Dos tercios de las metas de los Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible están rezagadas.
     
    Alcanzarlos requiere una inversión de más de 4 billones de dólares al año.
     
    Pero no se trata sólo de una crisis de cifras.
     
    Es una crisis de personas.
     
    De familias que pasan hambre.
     
    De niños que no reciben vacunas.
     
    De niñas obligadas a abandonar la escuela.
     
    Estamos aquí en Sevilla para cambiar el rumbo.
     
    Para reparar y poner en marcha el motor del desarrollo y acelerar la inversión a la escala y velocidad necesarias.
     
    Y restaurar equidad y justicia – para todas y todos.
     
    Excellencies,
     
    The Sevilla Commitment is a global promise to fix how the world supports countries as they climb the development ladder.
     
    I see three areas of action.
     
    First — we must get resources flowing. Fast.  
     
    Countries must lead by mobilizing domestic resources and investing in areas of greatest impact: schools, health care, social protection, decent work, and renewable energy.
     
    Unlocking these investments requires strengthening tax systems, and tackling illicit financial flows and tax evasion.
     
    And helping developing countries dedicate a greater share of their tax revenues to the systems people need.
     
    The Sevilla Commitment’s call on developed countries to double their aid dedicated to domestic resource mobilization to support this.
     
    Multilateral and national development banks must unite to finance major investments. 
     
    This includes tripling the lending capacity of Multilateral Development Banks — and rechanneling Special Drawing Rights that can unlock lending capacity and help developing countries boost investment.
     
    We also need innovative funding solutions to unlock private capital.
     
    Solutions that mitigate currency risks;
     
    That combine public and private finance more effectively, and ensure the risks and rewards of development projects are shared by both the public and the private sectors; 
     
    And that ensure financial regulations assess risk appropriately and support investments in frontier markets.
     
    Second — we must fix the global debt system which is unsustainable, unfair and unaffordable.
     
    With annual debt service at $1.4 trillion, countries need — and deserve — a system that lowers borrowing costs, enables fair and timely debt-restructuring, and prevents debt crises in the first place.
     
    The Sevilla Commitment lays the groundwork:  
     
    With other aspects, by also creating a single debt registry for transparency, and promoting responsible lending and borrowing;
     
    By lowering the cost of capital through debt swaps and debt management support;
     
    And through debt service pauses in times of emergency.    
     
    And third — we must increase the participation of developing countries in the institutions of the global financial architecture. The present major shareholders have a role to play recognizing the importance of correcting injustices and adapting to a changing world. 

    A new borrowers forum will give voice to borrowers for fairer debt resolution and to foster transparency, shared learning and coordinated debt action.
     
    And we need a fairer global tax system shaped by all, not just by a few.
     
    Excellences, Mesdames et Messieurs,
     
    Cette conférence n’est pas une affaire de charité.
     
    Il s’agit de rétablir la justice – et de permettre à chacun de vivre dans la dignité.
     
    Cette conférence n’est pas une affaire d’argent.
     
    Il s’agit d’investir dans l’avenir que nous voulons construire – ensemble.
     
    Merci – à toutes et à tous – de participer à cet effort essentiel et ambitieux.
     

    ****

    DECLARACIONES DEL SECRETARIO GENERAL
    CON OCASIÓN DE LA INAUGURACIÓN DE LA CUARTA CONFERENCIA SOBRE LA FINANCIACIÓN PARA EL DESARROLLO

    Majestades,

    Excelencias, señoras y señores:

    Agradezco al Gobierno y al pueblo de España por su cálida acogida en Sevilla para esta importante conferencia.

    Durante décadas, la misión del desarrollo sostenible ha unido a países grandes y pequeños, desarrollados y en desarrollo.

    Juntos, hemos logrado avances.

    Reduciendo la pobreza y el hambre en el mundo.

    Salvando vidas con sistemas sanitarios más sólidos.

    Llevando más niños a la escuela.
            
    Ampliando las oportunidades para mujeres y niñas.

    Y fortaleciendo las redes de seguridad social.

    Pero hoy, el desarrollo y su gran impulsor – la cooperación internacional –enfrentan fortísimos vientos en contra.

    Vivimos en un mundo donde la confianza se está desmoronando y el multilateralismo está bajo tensión.

    Un mundo con una economía en desaceleración, tensiones comerciales crecientes y presupuestos de ayuda diezmados.

    Un mundo sacudido por desigualdades, caos climático y conflictos devastadores.

    El vínculo entre paz y desarrollo es evidente.

    Nueve de los diez países con los Indicadores de Desarrollo Humano más bajos se encuentran actualmente en situación de conflicto.

    Excelencias,

    La financiación es el motor del desarrollo.

    Y, ahora mismo, ese motor se está ahogando.

    Mientras nos reunimos, la Agenda 2030 para el Desarrollo Sostenible – nuestra promesa global de transformar nuestro mundo para lograr un futuro mejor y más justo – está en peligro.

    Dos tercios de las metas de los Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible están rezagadas.

    Alcanzarlos requiere una inversión de más de 4 billones de dólares al año.

    Pero no se trata sólo de una crisis de cifras.

    Es una crisis de personas.

    De familias que pasan hambre.

    De niños que no reciben vacunas.

    De niñas obligadas a abandonar la escuela.

    Estamos aquí en Sevilla para cambiar el rumbo.

    Para reparar y poner en marcha el motor del desarrollo y acelerar la inversión a la escala y velocidad necesarias.

    Y restaurar equidad y justicia – para todas y todos.

    Excelencias:

    El documento del Compromiso de Sevilla es una clara promesa global de reparar la forma en que el mundo apoya a los países que suben la escalera del desarrollo.

    Veo tres esferas de acción.

    En primer lugar, tenemos que hacer fluir los recursos. Rápido.

    Los países deben dirigir el proceso movilizando recursos nacionales e invirtiendo en las esferas de mayor impacto: escuelas, atención sanitaria, protección social, trabajo decente y energía renovable.

    Para favorecer estas inversiones es necesario reforzar los sistemas tributarios y combatir los flujos financieros ilícitos y la evasión fiscal.

    Y ayudar a los países en desarrollo a que puedan dedicar una mayor parte de sus ingresos tributarios a los sistemas que necesitan las personas.

    El llamamiento del Compromiso de Sevilla a los países desarrollados para que dupliquen la ayuda dedicada a la movilización de recursos nacionales para servir de apoyo.

    Los bancos multilaterales y nacionales de desarrollo deben unirse para financiar grandes inversiones. 

    Para ello, hay que triplicar la capacidad de préstamo de los bancos multilaterales de desarrollo y reorientar los derechos especiales de giro para aumentar la capacidad de préstamo y ayudar a los países en desarrollo a impulsar la inversión.

    También necesitamos soluciones de financiación innovadora para facilitar el capital privado: 

    Que mitiguen los riesgos cambiarios;

    Que combinen más eficazmente la financiación pública y privada, y garanticen que los riesgos y las recompensas de los proyectos de desarrollo sean compartidos por el sector público y el sector privado; 

    Y que garanticen que la reglamentación financiera evalúa los riesgos adecuadamente y apoya las inversiones en mercados frontera.

    En segundo lugar, debemos reparar el sistema mundial de la deuda, que es insostenible, injusto e inasequible.

    Con un servicio de la deuda que asciende a 1,4 billones de dólares al año, los países necesitan — y merecen — un sistema que abarate el costo del endeudamiento, facilite la reestructuración justa y oportuna de la deuda, y prevenga las crisis de deuda en primer lugar.

    El Compromiso de Sevilla sienta las bases:  

    Con otros factores, creando también un registro único de la deuda en aras de la transparencia, y promoviendo prácticas responsables de préstamo y endeudamiento;

    Reduciendo el costo del capital mediante canjes de deuda y el apoyo a la gestión de la deuda;

    Y suspendiendo el servicio de la deuda en épocas de emergencia.    

    Y en tercer lugar debemos incrementar la participación de los países en desarrollo en las instituciones de la arquitectura financiera global. Los principales accionistas tienen un papel que desempeñar al reconocer la importancia de corregir las injusticias y adaptarse a un mundo cambiante.

    Las partes principales deben apoyar reformas que les den una voz más potente.

    Un foro de prestatarios puede fomentar el aprendizaje común y la acción coordinada en materia de deuda. 

    Un nuevo foro de prestatarios dará voz a los prestatarios para una resolución de la deuda más justa y puede fomentar el aprendizaje compartido y la acción coordinada en materia de deuda.

    Y necesitamos un sistema tributario mundial más justo, conformado por todos, no solo por unos pocos.

    Excelencias, señoras y señores:

    Esta conferencia no trata de caridad.

    Trata de restablecer la justicia y permitir que todos vivan con dignidad.

    Esta conferencia no trata de dinero.

    Trata de invertir en el futuro que queremos construir, juntos.

    Gracias a todos por participar en este importante y ambicioso esfuerzo.
     

    ******

    THE SECRETARY-GENERAL
    REMARKS AT THE OPENING OF THE 4TH FINANCING FOR DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE

    Your Majesties,

    Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,

    I thank the Government and people of Spain for welcoming us to Sevilla for this important conference.

    For decades, the mission of sustainable development has united countries large and small, developed and developing.

    Together, we achieved progress.

    Reducing global poverty and hunger.

    Saving lives with stronger health care systems.

    Getting more children into school.
                                        
    Expanding opportunities for women and girls.

    And strengthening social safety nets.

    But today, development and its great enabler — international cooperation — are facing massive headwinds.

    We are living in a world where trust is fraying and multilateralism is strained.

    A world with a slowing economy, rising trade tensions, and decimated aid budgets.

    A world shaken by inequalities, climate chaos and raging conflicts. 

    The link between peace and development is clear.

    Nine of the ten countries with the lowest Human Development Indicators are currently in a state of conflict. 

    Excellencies,

    Financing is the engine of development.

    And right now, this engine is sputtering.

    As we meet, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development — our global promise to transform our world for a better, fairer future — is in danger.

    Two-thirds of the Sustainable Development Goals targets are lagging.

    Achieving them requires an investment of more than $4 trillion a year.

    But this is not just a crisis of numbers. 

    It’s a crisis of people.

    Of families going hungry.

    Of children going unvaccinated.

    Of girls forced to drop out of school.

    We are here in Sevilla to change course.
     
    To repair and rev up the engine of development to accelerate investment at the scale and speed required.

    And to restore a measure of fairness and justice for all.

    Excellencies,

    The Sevilla Commitment document is a global promise to fix how the world supports countries as they climb the development ladder.

    I see three areas of action.

    First — we must get resources flowing. Fast.  

    Countries must lead by mobilizing domestic resources and investing in areas of greatest impact: schools, health care, social protection, decent work, and renewable energy.

    Unlocking these investments requires strengthening tax systems, and tackling illicit financial flows and tax evasion.

    And helping developing countries dedicate a greater share of their tax revenues to the systems people need.

    The Sevilla Commitment’s call on developed countries to double their aid dedicated to domestic resource mobilization to support this. 

    Multilateral and national development banks must unite to finance major investments. 

    This includes tripling the lending capacity of Multilateral Development Banks — and rechanneling Special Drawing Rights that can unlock lending capacity and help developing countries boost investment.

    We also need innovative funding solutions to unlock private capital.  

    Solutions that mitigate currency risks;

    That combine public and private finance more effectively, and ensure the risks and rewards of development projects are shared by both the public and private sectors; 

    And that ensure financial regulations assess risk appropriately and support investments in frontier markets.

    Second — we must fix the global debt system which is unsustainable, unfair and unaffordable.

    With annual debt service at $1.4 trillion, countries need — and deserve — a system that lowers borrowing costs, enables fair and timely debt-restructuring, and prevents debt crises in the first place.

    The Sevilla Commitment lays the groundwork:  

    With other aspects, by also creating a single debt registry for transparency, and promoting responsible lending and borrowing;

    By lowering the cost of capital through debt swaps and debt management support;

    And through debt service pauses in times of emergency.    

    And third — we must increase the participation of developing countries in the institutions of the global financial architecture. The present major shareholders have a role to play recognizing the importance of correcting injustices and adapting to a changing world. 

    A new borrowers forum will give voice to borrowers for fairer debt resolution and can foster transparency, shared learning and coordinated debt action.

    And we need a fairer global tax system shaped by all, not just a few.

    Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,

    This conference is not about charity.

    It’s about restoring justice and lives of dignity.

    This conference is not about money.

    It’s about investing in the future we want to build, together.

    Thank you all for being part of this important and ambitious effort.
     

    *****
    [all-French]

    Je remercie le Gouvernement et le peuple espagnols de nous accueillir à Séville pour cette importante conférence.

    Depuis des décennies, l’aspiration au développement durable est le trait d’union entre tous les pays – grands et petits, développés et en développement.

    Ensemble, nous avons fait des progrès.

    En réduisant la pauvreté et la faim dans le monde.

    En sauvant des vies grâce à des systèmes de santé plus solides.

    En scolarisant plus d’enfants.

    En ouvrant de nouveaux horizons pour les femmes et les filles.

    Et en renforçant les filets de sécurité sociale.

    Aujourd’hui pourtant, le développement et son principal catalyseur – la coopération internationale – sont freinés par de puissants vents contraires.

    Nous vivons dans un monde où la confiance s’effrite et où le multilatéralisme est mis à rude épreuve.

    Un monde où l’économie ralentit, où les tensions commerciales s’accentuent et où les budgets consacrés à l’aide sont amputés.

    Un monde ébranlé par les inégalités, le chaos climatique et la brutalité des conflits.

    Le lien entre la paix et le développement saute aux yeux.

    De fait, neuf des dix pays ayant les indicateurs de développement humain les plus faibles sont actuellement en proie à un conflit.

    Excellences,

    Le financement est le moteur du développement.

    Et pour l’instant, ce moteur tousse.

    À l’heure où nous nous réunissons, le Programme de développement durable à l’horizon 2030 – notre promesse de transformer le monde et de faire advenir un avenir meilleur et plus juste – vacille.

    Deux tiers des cibles associées aux objectifs de développement risquent de ne pas être atteintes.

    Pour y remédier, il faudrait investir plus de 4 000 milliards de dollars par an.

    Mais la crise que nous traversons n’est pas qu’une affaire de chiffres.

    Elle touche aussi les personnes.

    Les familles qui ont faim.

    Les enfants que l’on ne peut pas vacciner.

    Les filles obligées d’abandonner l’école.

    Nous sommes ici à Séville pour changer de cap.

    Pour réparer le moteur du développement et passer la vitesse supérieure afin d’accélérer les investissements à l’échelle et à la vitesse voulues.

    Et pour rétablir un certain degré d’équité et de justice pour toutes et tous.

    Excellences,

    L’Engagement de Séville est une promesse qui cherche à changer la façon dont le monde aide les pays à gravir les échelons du développement.

    Pour moi, il faut agir sur trois fronts.

    Premièrement, nous devons dégager des ressources, sans attendre.

    Les pays doivent prendre les choses en main et mobiliser les ressources nationales pour les injecter dans les domaines qui ont le plus d’impact : l’éducation, la santé, la protection sociale, le travail décent et les énergies renouvelables.

    Pour débloquer ces investissements, il faut renforcer les régimes fiscaux et lutter contre les flux financiers illicites et la fraude fiscale.

    Il faut aider les pays en développement à consacrer une plus grande part de leurs recettes fiscales aux systèmes dont les populations ont besoin.

    À cette fin, un appel est lancé dans l’Engagement de Séville pour que les pays développés multiplient par deux l’aide qu’ils consacrent à la mobilisation des ressources nationales.

    Les banques de développement multilatérales et nationales doivent unir leurs forces pour financer les grands projets d’investissement.

    Il s’agit notamment de tripler la capacité de prêt des banques multilatérales de développement et de réaffecter les droits de tirage spéciaux qui peuvent débloquer la capacité de prêt et aider les pays en développement à stimuler l’investissement.

    Il nous faut, en outre, des modes de financement novateurs pour débloquer les capitaux privés.

    Des solutions qui atténuent les risques de change.

    Des solutions qui combinent plus efficacement les financements publics et privés et garantissent que les risques et les avantages des projets de développement se répartissent entre les secteurs public et privé.

    Des solutions qui garantissent que les réglementations financières évaluent correctement les risques et appuient l’investissement dans les marchés frontières.

    Deuxièmement, nous devons repenser le système mondial de la dette, qui est insoutenable et injuste, et qui coûte trop cher

    Le service de la dette atteint 1 400 milliards de dollars par an ; aussi les pays ont-ils besoin – et méritent-ils – un système qui réduise les coûts d’emprunt, qui facilite une restructuration équitable et rapide de la dette et qui s’attache en premier lieu à prévenir les crises de la dette.

    L’Engagement de Séville prépare le terrain :

    En créant notamment un seul registre de la dette pour plus de transparence et en encourageant les prêts et les emprunts responsables.

    En réduisant le coût du capital grâce à des conversions de dettes et à un soutien à l’administration de la dette.

    Et en suspendant le service de la dette en cas d’urgence.

    Troisièmement, nous devons accroître la participation des pays en développement aux institutions de l’architecture financière mondiale. Les principaux actionnaires actuels ont un rôle à jouer en reconnaissant l’importance de corriger les injustices et de s’adapter à un monde en mutation.

    Une nouvelle tribune permettra aux emprunteurs de défendre un règlement plus équitable de la dette et pourra favoriser la transparence, l’apprentissage en commun et une action coordonnée en matière de dette.

    Enfin, il nous faut un système fiscal mondial plus équitable, pensé par tous et pas seulement par une minorité.

    Excellences, Mesdames et Messieurs,

    Cette conférence n’est pas une affaire de charité.

    Il s’agit de rétablir la justice – et de permettre à chacun de vivre dans la dignité.

    Cette conférence n’est pas une affaire d’argent.

    Il s’agit d’investir dans l’avenir que nous voulons construire – ensemble.

    Merci – à toutes et à tous – de participer à cet effort essentiel et ambitieux.

    MIL OSI United Nations News

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Haiti on the brink: Gangs fill power vacuum as current solutions fail a nation in crisis

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Greg Beckett, Associate Professor of Anthropology, Western University

    Haiti is facing a multifaceted crisis unlike any in the country’s modern history.

    Haiti recently marked the one-year anniversary of Haiti’s Presidential Transitional Council’s (CPT) new government — an internationally backed effort to restore governance in the country after Prime Minister Ariel Henry was ousted by gangs.

    But rather than charting a path to stability, the CPT remains mired in dysfunction as Haiti’s crisis deepens with no end in sight. Armed gangs now control most of the capital, more than a million Haitians have been displaced and half the country faces acute food insecurity.

    Criminal gangs have taken control of most of the capital city of Port-au-Prince and significant parts of the country. Since 2021, gangs have killed more than 15,000 people and forcibly displaced over a million people.

    Beyond the security situation, there is a dire humanitarian emergency as more than half the country faces severe food insecurity.

    The United Nations says the country may be reaching a point of no return and risks falling into “total chaos.”

    Haitian friends tell me their whole country feels as blocked as the barricaded streets and choke points used by the gangs to control the capital.

    A security crisis paralyzing everything

    The impasse is undoubtedly shaped by entrenched gang violence. Armed groups have been used by political players for political ends in Haiti for decades.

    But now, new, well-organized armed gangs have emerged as political entities in their own right.

    For example, the G9 Alliance, the most notorious of gangs — actually a federation of gangs — is led by former police officer Jimmy “Barbecue” Chérizier.

    Chérizier presents himself on social media as a revolutionary figure fighting the elites, but in the streets of Port-au-Prince most, see him as a violent criminal.

    Last year, the G9 merged with rivals to form a coalition called Viv Ansamn (Live Together). Led by Chérizier and others, the group forced Prime Minister Ariel Henry from power. Henry had become prime pinister after the assassination of Haiti’s last elected head of state, President Jovenel Moïse, in July 2021, despite himself being implicated in the assassination.

    Both Henry and Moïse were accused of paying gangs to maintain control.

    Viv Ansamn’s takeover of the capital confirms gangs have become an autonomous political force. They have since expanded their power through their control over fuel supplies, critical infrastructure and key choke points.

    It’s telling that the gangs have become so powerful despite the presence of a UN-approved, Kenya-led Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission. The mission has been in Haiti since shortly after Henry was forced out of power.

    But with limited scope and funding from donor countries, including the United States, Canada and Ecuador, the mission has failed to achieve any major successes. Indeed, by the UN’s own estimates, gang violence continues to have a “devastating impact” on the population, despite the presence of the mission.

    Last month, the U.S. government designated Viv Ansamn and Gran Grif, Haiti’s two most powerful armed gangs, as terrorist organizations. Canada and others have also imposed sanctions on politicians and gang leaders, and perhaps this could lead to more sanctions against those who most directly benefit from the crisis. But for residents of Port-au-Prince, little has changed on the ground, where many feel the gangs are holding the country hostage.

    Democratic vacuum with no clear path forward

    A common saying in Haiti goes like this: peyi’m pa gen leta, my country has no state. Once a criticism of a particular government, it now feels literal. Haiti has no elected national officials.

    The CPT was established by the Organization of American States after Henry’s ousting, but has has done little to restore democracy. Elections are impossible under the current security conditions.

    Instead, the CPT has become another obstacle to resolution. Mired in internal conflict, some members have been accused of bribery. With no framework for political compromise, the council reflects a system where some key players actually benefit from the political impasse.

    Governing structures that can’t govern

    Haiti is now in uncharted territory. The CPT operates in a legal vacuum, making decisions without a clear mandate or authority.

    Still, the council is moving forward with a controversial plan to rewrite the Haitian constitution. The proposed changes will fundamentally alter Haiti’s government structure, including abolishing the senate and the prime minister, allowing presidents to hold consecutive terms, changing election procedures and allowing dual citizens and Haitians living abroad to run for office.

    This constitutional reform highlights the paradox at the heart of Haiti’s crisis: an institution with questionable legitimacy is attempting to redesign the very framework that would determine its own authority.

    These aren’t just procedural problems: they represent fundamental questions about who has the authority to govern and how decisions get made in a country where democratic institutions have always been fragile.

    International responses miss the mark

    International groups, including the UN, the Organization of American States and the Core Group that includes the United States, Canada and France, have overseen Haiti’s politics for decades. But their influence has often backfired. Many in Haiti see the international community as directly responsible for the current crisis.

    Whatever internal problems have given rise to the current crisis, the role played by the international community in Haiti has undoubtedly contributed to the impasse.

    The MSS mission is a stop gap at best and a liability at worst. It is insufficient for the scale of the crisis.

    Some observers have called for a full UN peacekeeping mission, but there is little support for it and such a mission would likely face resistance within Haiti given the country’s fraught history with international interventions.

    Can the international community undo the damage it has already done? And can Haiti make it through the impasse without the international community?

    Beyond the impasse: What needs to change

    There are no easy solutions. Addressing gang violence without legitimate governing institutions won’t create lasting stability. Yet the path to a legitimate government remains unclear as organizing elections without basic security is unrealistic.

    The international community must stop treating Haiti as a series of separate crises requiring separate responses. The current piecemeal approach treats symptoms while ignoring the underlying causes that block political resolutions.

    For Haitians, the stakes could not be higher. The question isn’t whether change is needed, but whether the international community and Haitian leaders can move beyond the impasse before the situation deteriorates even further.

    Greg Beckett receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.

    ref. Haiti on the brink: Gangs fill power vacuum as current solutions fail a nation in crisis – https://theconversation.com/haiti-on-the-brink-gangs-fill-power-vacuum-as-current-solutions-fail-a-nation-in-crisis-257948

    MIL OSI

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: How pterosaurs learned to fly: scientists have been looking in the wrong place to solve this mystery

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Davide Foffa, Research Fellow in Palaeobiology, University of Birmingham

    Ever since the first fragments of pterosaur bone surfaced nearly 250 years ago, palaeontologists have puzzled over one question: how did these close cousins of land-bound dinosaurs take to the air and evolve powered flight? The first flying vertebrates seemed to appear on the geological stage fully formed, leaving almost no trace of their first tentative steps into the air.

    Taken at face value, the fossil record implies that pterosaurs suddenly originated in the later part of the Triassic period (around 215 million years ago), close to the equator on the northern super-continent Pangaea. They then spread quickly between the Triassic and the Jurassic periods, about 10 million years later, in the wake of a mass extinction that was most likely caused by massive volcanic activity.

    Most of the handful of Triassic specimens come from narrow seams of dark shale in Italy and Austria, with other fragments discovered in Greenland, Argentina and the southwestern US. These skeletons appear fully adapted for flight, with a hyper-elongated fourth finger supporting membrane-wings. Yet older rocks show no trace of intermediate gliders or other transitional forms that you might expect as evidence of pterosaurs’ evolution over time.

    There are two classic competing explanations for this. The literal reading says pterosaurs evolved elsewhere and did not reach those regions where most have been discovered until very late in the Triassic period, by which time they were already adept flyers. The sceptical reading notes that pterosaurs’ wafer-thin, hollow bones could easily vanish from the fossil record, dissolve, get crushed or simply be overlooked, creating this false gap.

    Eudimorphodon ranzii fossil from Bergamo in 1973 is one of many pterosaur discoveries from southern Europe.
    Wikimedia, CC BY-SA

    For decades, the debate stalled as a result of too few fossils or too many missing rocks. This impasse began to change in 2020, when scientists identified the closest relatives of pterosaurs in a group of smallish upright reptiles called lagerpetids.

    From comparing many anatomical traits across different species, the researchers established that pterosaurs and lagerpetids shared many similarities including their skulls, skeletons and inner ears. While this discovery did not bring any “missing link” to the table, it showed what the ancestor of pterosaurs would have looked like: a rat-to-dog-sized creature that lived on land and in trees.

    This brought new evidence about when pterosaurs may have originated. Pterosaurs and lagerpetids like Scleromochlus, a small land-dwelling reptile, diverged at some point after the end-Permian mass extinction. It occurred some 250 million years ago, 35 million years before the first pterosaur appearance in the fossil record.

    Scleromochlus is one of the lagerpetids, the closest known relatives to the pterosaurs.
    Gabriel Ugueto

    Pterosaurs and their closest kin did not share the same habitats, however. Our new study, featuring new fossil maps, shows that soon after lagerpetids appeared (in southern Pangaea), they spread across wide areas, including harsh deserts, that many other groups were unable to get past. Lagerpetids lived both in these deserts and in humid floodplains.

    They tolerated hotter, drier settings better than any early pterosaur, implying that they had evolved to cope with extreme temperatures. Pterosaurs, by contrast, were more restricted. Their earliest fossils cluster in the river and lake beds of the Chinle and Dockum basins (southwest US) and in moist coastal belts fringing the northern arm of the Tethys Sea, a huge area that occupied today’s Alps.

    Scientists have inferred from analysing a combination of fossil distributions, rock features and climate simulations that pterosaurs lived in areas that were warm but not scorching. The rainfall would have been comparable to today’s tropical forests rather than inland deserts.

    This suggests that the earliest flying dinosaurs may have lived in tree canopies, using foliage both for take-off and to protect themselves from predators and heat. As a result of this confined habitat, the distances that they flew may have been quite limited.

    Changing climates

    We were then able to add a fresh dimension to the story using a method called ecological niche modelling. This is routinely used in modern conservation to project where endangered animals and plants might live as the climate gets hotter. By applying this approach to later Triassic temperatures, rainfall and coastlines, we asked where early pterosaurs lived, regardless of whether they’ve shown up there in the fossil record.

    Many celebrated fossil sites in Europe emerge as poor pterosaur habitat until very late in the Triassic period: they were simply too hot, too dry or otherwise inhospitable before the Carnian age, around 235 million years ago. The fact that no specimens have been discovered there that are more than about 215 million years old may be because the climate conditions were still unsuitable or simply because we don’t have the right type of rocks preserved of that age.

    In contrast, parts of the south-western US, Morocco, India, Brazil, Tanzania and southern China seem to have offered welcoming environments several million years earlier than the age of our oldest discoveries. This rewrites the search map. If pterosaurs could have thrived in those regions much more than 215 million years ago, but we have not found them there, the problem may again lie not with biology but with geology: the right rocks have not been explored, or they preserve fragile fossils only under exceptional conditions.

    Our study flags a dozen geological formations, from rivers with fine sediment deposits to lake beds, as potential prime targets for the next breakthrough discovery. They include the Timezgadiouine beds of Morocco, the Guanling Formation of south-west China and, in South America, several layers of rock from the Carnian age, such as the Santa Maria Formation, Chañares Formation and Ischigualasto Formation.

    Pterosaurs were initially confined to tropical treetops near the equator. When global climates shifted and forested corridors opened, pterosaurs’ wings catapulted them into every corner of the planet and ultimately carried them through one of Earth’s greatest extinctions. What began as a tale of missing fossils has become a textbook example of how climate, ecology and evolutionary science have come together to illuminate a fragmentary history that has intrigued paleontologists for over two centuries.

    Davide Foffa is funded by Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions: Individual (Global) Fellowship (H2020-MSCA-IF-2020; No.101022550), and by the Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851–Science Fellowship

    Alfio Alessandro Chiarenza receives funding from The Royal Society (Newton International Fellowship NIFR1231802)

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

    ref. How pterosaurs learned to fly: scientists have been looking in the wrong place to solve this mystery – https://theconversation.com/how-pterosaurs-learned-to-fly-scientists-have-been-looking-in-the-wrong-place-to-solve-this-mystery-259063

    MIL OSI

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Nineteen Eighty-Four might have been inspired by George Orwell’s fear of drowning

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Nathan Waddell, Associate Professor in Twentieth-Century Literature, University of Birmingham

    George Orwell had a traumatic relationship with the sea. In August 1947, while he was writing Nineteen Eighty-Four (1949) on the island of Jura in the Scottish Hebrides, he went on a fishing trip with his young son, nephew and niece.

    Having misread the tidal schedules, on the way back Orwell mistakenly piloted the boat into rough swells. He was pulled into the fringe of the Corryvreckan whirlpool off the coasts of Jura and Scarba. The boat capsized and Orwell and his relatives were thrown overboard.

    It was a close call – a fact recorded with characteristic detachment by Orwell in his diary that same evening: “On return journey today ran into the whirlpool & were all nearly drowned.” Though he seems to have taken the experience in his stride, this may have been a trauma response: detachment ensures the ability to persist after a near-death experience.

    We don’t know for sure if Nineteen Eighty-Four was influenced by the Corryvreckan incident. But it’s clear that the novel was written by a man fixated on water’s terrifying power.


    This article is part of Rethinking the Classics. The stories in this series offer insightful new ways to think about and interpret classic books and artworks. This is the canon – with a twist.


    Nineteen Eighty-Four isn’t typically associated with fear of death by water. Yet it’s filled with references to sinking ships, drowning people and the dread of oceanic engulfment. Fear of drowning is a torment that social dissidents might face in Room 101, the torture chamber to which all revolutionaries are sent in the appropriately named totalitarian state of Oceania.

    An early sequence in the novel describes a helicopter attack on a ship full of refugees, who are bombed as they fall into the sea. The novel’s protagonist, Winston Smith, has a recurring nightmare in which he dreams of his long-lost mother and sister trapped “in the saloon of a sinking ship, looking up at him through the darkening water”.

    George Orwell in 1943.
    National Union of Journalists

    The sight of them “drowning deeper every minute” takes Winston back to a culminating moment in his childhood when he stole chocolate from his mother’s hand, possibly condemning his sister to starvation. These watery graves imply that Winston is drowning in guilt.

    The “wateriness” of Nineteen Eighty-Four may have another interesting historical source. In his essay My Country Right or Left (1940), Orwell recalls that when he had just become a teenager he read about the “atrocity stories” of the first world war.

    Orwell states in this same essay that “nothing in the whole war moved [him] so deeply as the loss of the Titanic had done a few years earlier”, in 1912. What upset Orwell most about the Titanic disaster was that in its final moments it “suddenly up-ended and sank bow foremost, so that the people clinging to the stern were lifted no less than 300 feet into the air before they plunged into the abyss”.

    Sinking ships and dying civilisations

    Orwell never forgot this image. Something similar to it appears in his novel Keep the Aspidistra Flying (1936) where the idea of a sinking passenger liner evokes the collapse of modern civilisation, just as the Titanic disaster evoked the end of Edwardian industrial confidence two decades beforehand.

    The Titanic disaster had a profound impact on Orwell.
    Wiki Commons

    References to sinking ships and drowning people appear at key moments in many other works by Orwell, too. But did the full impact of the Titanic surface in Nineteen Eighty-Four?

    Sinking ships were part of Orwell’s descriptive toolkit. In Nineteen Eighty-Four, a novel driven by memories of unsympathetic water, they convey nightmares. Filled with references to water and liquidity, it’s one of the most aqueous novels Orwell produced, relying for many of its most shocking episodes on imagery of desperate people drowning or facing imminent death on sinking sea craft.

    The thought of trapped passengers descending into the depths survives in Winston’s traumatic memories of his mother and sister, who, in the logic of his dreams, are alive inside a sinking ship’s saloon.


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


    There’s no way to prove that the Nineteen Eighty-Four is “about” the Titanic disaster, but in the novel, and indeed in Orwell’s wider body of work, there are too many tantalising hints to let the matter rest.

    Thinking about fear of death by water takes us into Orwell’s terrors just as it takes us into Winston’s, allowing readers to see the frightened boy inside the adult man and, indeed, inside the author who dreamed up one of the 20th century’s most famous nightmares.

    Beyond the canon

    As part of the Rethinking the Classics series, we’re asking our experts to recommend a book or artwork that tackles similar themes to the canonical work in question, but isn’t (yet) considered a classic itself. Here is Nathan Waddell’s suggestion:

    As soon as the news broke of the Titanic’s sinking, literary works of all shapes and sizes started to appear in tribute to the disaster and its victims. As the century went on, and as research into the tragedy developed (particularly after the ships wreckage was discovered in 1985), more nuanced literary responses to the sinking became possible.

    One such response is Beryl Bainbridge’s Whitbread-prize-winning novel Every Man for Himself (1996). It reimagines the disaster from the first-person perspective of an imaginary character, Morgan, the fictional nephew of the historically real financier J. P. Morgan (who was due to sail on the Titanic but changed plans before it sailed).

    This article features references to books that have been included for editorial reasons, and may contain links to bookshop.org. If you click on one of the links and go on to buy something from bookshop.org The Conversation UK may earn a commission.

    Nathan Waddell 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. Nineteen Eighty-Four might have been inspired by George Orwell’s fear of drowning – https://theconversation.com/nineteen-eighty-four-might-have-been-inspired-by-george-orwells-fear-of-drowning-251289

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  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Air India crash in Ahmedabad sends reverberations to Canadian families of Air India Flight 182

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Chandrima Chakraborty, Professor, English and Cultural Studies; Director, Centre for Global Peace, Justice and Health, McMaster University

    The June 12 Air India crash in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India, with 230 passengers and 12 crew members aboard is sending deep reverberations through a group of Canadians who know all too well the shock, grief and horror of losing loved ones in hauntingly similar circumstances.

    They are the families of those killed in the bombing of Air India Flight 182 en route from Canada to India 40 years ago this month.

    I work closely with these families as a researcher and advocate. I began interviewing these families in 2014 and have witnessed firsthand their pain, advocacy and emotional turmoil of living in the shadow of a historical event.

    As reports of the Ahmedabad crash came in, the WhatsApp account of the Air India Flight 182 families immediately flooded with expressions of shock, concern, sympathy and memories triggered by the latest incident.

    On June 23, 1985, Flight 182 was brought down by terrorist bombs created and planted on Canadian soil. The devastating mid-air explosion occurred over the Atlantic Ocean near Ireland. It killed all 329 passengers and crew, including 268 Canadians. The crew and most of the passengers were of Indian origin.

    Investigations into the causes of the crash of Air India Flight 171, en route to London’s Gatwick airport, shortly after take-off are still underway. At least 279 people died in the crash, which also impacted people on the ground.

    Acknowledging losses as significant

    A recent public conference at McMaster University commemorated the 40th anniversary of Flight 182, bringing together Indian and Canadian families, researchers, creative artists and community members.

    Book cover for ‘Remembering Air India The Art of Public Mourning,’ edited by Chandrima Chakraborty, Amber Dean and Angela Failler.
    University of Alberta Press

    The conference dealt with critical themes, including the challenge of Flight 182 families recovering from their losses within a climate of broad indifference among their fellow Canadians.

    Regardless of what may have caused the more recent crash in western India, these Canadian families know the shock and loss that a new set of victims’ families are facing, and how important it is to support them.

    Hopefully, the home countries of last week’s crash victims — most of them Indian and British citizens, with at least one Canadian reported to have been aboard — will regard their deaths as significant losses. If so, this would be unlike what the 1985 victims’ families experienced in Canada.

    A little-mourned Canadian tragedy

    In Canada, we have a national day to remember on June 23, 1985. The bombing has been called a Canadian tragedy in a public inquiry report.

    Yet according to a 2023 Angus Reid poll, “nine out of 10 Canadians say they have little or no knowledge of the worst single instance of the mass killing of their fellow citizens.” That essentially means the bombing has yet to penetrate the consciousness of everyday Canadians or evoke shared grief or public mourning.

    The families continue to carry the torch of remembrance as they organize annual memorial vigils every June 23. Few others attend. Many victims’ relatives have died since 1985. Some spouses, siblings or parents are now in their 80s, wondering why the bombing is still not widely discussed in schools or in public discourse.

    The grinding and unsatisfying criminal proceedings, the belated public inquiry and the welcome but lukewarm apology by the Canadian government 25 years after the fact have all contributed to the failure of this tragedy to adhere more solidly to the Canadian consciousness. In fact, many continue to deny the Canadian significance of Flight 182 and view the bombing as a foreign event.

    A torch of remembrance

    At last month’s conference, my research team launched the Air India Flight 182 archive to counter this collective amnesia and lack of acknowledgement.

    Canadian archival consultant and writer Laura Millar has said that archives act as “touchstones to memory” and can aid the process of transforming individual memories into collective remembering. Adopting NYU professor Carol Gilligan’s ethics of care for the archive, we have been consulting with families to find ways to share their grief with the public.

    The Flight 182 memory archive — both physical and digital — serves as a repository for artefacts, first-person narratives, memorabilia and creative works related to the tragedy produced by family members. Family donations of artefacts such as dance videos and pilot wings redirect notions of archives away from a documental deposit. Hopefully, they can move the public to learn and care for the impacts of the Flight 182 bombing.

    The archive is a publicly accessible record of the tragedy, where scholars and everyday citizens can learn about the victims and their families.

    Since the past involves both the present and the future, the archive will enable a meaningful recognition of marginalized voices and histories. It can offer a form of memory justice for those who would otherwise be forgotten by sustaining memory from generation to generation.

    While the archive articulates the demand from families that the bombing of Flight 182 and its aftermath be incorporated into Canadian national consciousness, establishing this archive alone will not be enough to elevate the memory of Flight 182 to the place it deserves.

    But at least it establishes a rich, permanent academic and personal legacy for the community of mourners, and for the Canadian and global public to find it, use it and learn from its many lessons.

    Families of those on board the 1985 flight are preparing to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the terror bombing of Flight 182 that has devastated their lives.

    As we learn more about the tragic Air India Flight 171 crash on June 12, the lessons of Flight 182 will hopefully prevent a new set of families from feeling the pain of indifference on top of the unimaginable agony of loss they’re already experiencing.

    Chandrima Chakraborty receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.

    ref. Air India crash in Ahmedabad sends reverberations to Canadian families of Air India Flight 182 – https://theconversation.com/air-india-crash-in-ahmedabad-sends-reverberations-to-canadian-families-of-air-india-flight-182-258991

    MIL OSI

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Is Sabrina Carpenter’s Man’s Best Friend album cover satire or self-degradation? A psychology expert explores our reactions

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Katrina Muller-Townsend, Lecturer in Psychology, Edith Cowan University

    Island Records

    Sabrina Carpenter’s Man’s Best Friend album cover has fans divided.

    Carpenter poses on all fours, her glossy blond hair grasped by a male figure cropped from the frame. Her wide-eyed expression intensifies an ambiguous performance of subservience, tapping into a visual language tied to female objectification, from classic pin-up imagery to contemporary pop culture.

    The emotionally loaded image plays on her hyper-feminine, tongue-in-cheek pop star persona, forcing us to question where irony ends and objectification begins.

    Is it satire, or self-degradation?

    Up for debate

    At first glance, the cover seems like just another stylised, provocative pop image. It delivers what we’ve come to expect: a bold, ironic twist on the exaggerated Juno-style pose she reinvents on stage.

    To some fans, it’s clever satire: a pop star reclaiming and amplifying her image to mock industry norms. Satire uses exaggeration, irony, or humour to critique power structures – and Carpenter’s pose walks that tightrope.

    To others it crosses a line, reinforcing regressive attitudes about women’s sexuality and drawing criticism from domestic violence advocates.

    The debate reflects our unresolved discomfort about gender, power and control. There is a tension between Carpenter’s ironic persona and the submissive pose, creating uncertainty for the viewer.

    We can use psychology to better understand this dichotomy.

    The schema violation

    This mismatch between expectation and perception is a schema violation.

    A schema is a mental shortcut: a template built from experience and unspoken rules that helps us make sense of the world and predict what to expect. When something breaks that pattern, it’s called a schema violation.

    Carpenter’s brand is cheeky, self-aware irony – so when she adopts a pose steeped in submission and hyper-femininity as in this album image, it feels off.

    That can trigger cognitive dissonance: the mental tension we feel when two ideas (here, empowerment and obedience) don’t align.

    To resolve the conflict, some fans reinterpret the image as feminist sarcasm. Others reject it, fearing it panders to outdated, dangerous norms.

    Both reactions reflect our emotional and ideological investments in who Carpenter is or should be.

    Exploring confirmation bias

    Part of this conflicted reaction is driven by confirmation bias: our tendency to filter information to support what we already believe.

    Fans who see Carpenter as witty and empowered interpret the image as intentionally ironic. Others – more sceptical of the industry’s history of exploiting female sexuality – view it as a throwback to damaging norms.

    Either way, our interpretations often reflect more about ourselves than about Carpenter’s intent.

    When her image contradicts both her public persona and our social values, it creates a gap between what we think is right and what we want to be right. So, we try to explain it away, by either defending the image or criticising it.

    Satire and scandal

    Carpenter’s cover follows a long tradition of female artists whose work straddles satire and scandal, complicating public reception.

    Madonna’s Like a Prayer drew outrage for mixing religion with sexual imagery. Yet it positioned her as a provocateur – a woman resisting the lack of agency that so often defines sexualised media.

    Miley Cyrus’ Bangerz era shocked fans with a bold shift from Hannah Montana innocence to hypersexualised rebellion, challenging the narrow roles women in pop culture are confined to.

    Doja Cat’s shift from glam pop princess to glitch villainess unsettled audiences. Was it satire, rebellion, or just chaos?

    These women, like Carpenter, force us to confront our own discomfort with women who won’t stay in one lane.

    Performer and provocateur

    Audience reaction is also shaped by emotional investment in Carpenter’s persona. Through carefully curated social media, interviews and lyrics, fans build intimate narratives forming parasocial relationships – one-sided emotional bonds with celebrities.

    When an image contradicts that imagined persona, it can feel jarring, even like betrayal.

    Audiences often expect idols to be empowering but not polarising, sexy but safe, to challenge norms – but only in ways that affirm our own values.

    Carpenter’s image breaks that implicit contract, which creates discomfort for some viewers.

    Carpenter’s cover raises uncomfortable but necessary questions about how much freedom female artists have to be both critical and complicit. Can they play with society and play along, to be both performer and provocateur?

    This highlights the double bind many women face in media and popular culture. Female artists are expected to both subvert and satisfy; to entertain without offending; empower without alienating. The burden to be palatable and provocative is one male artists rarely face.

    It’s what we make of it

    Is Carpenter undermining herself or subverting the system? Perhaps both. Or perhaps the image isn’t the message: our reaction is.

    The image forces us to confront not only our perception of Sabrina Carpenter but also our cultural discomfort with women who defy neat categorisation. Satire demands interpretation, especially when it comes from women addressing sex or power.

    More than provocation, Carpenter’s cover mirrors our cultural struggle to accept women who defy simple labels of satire or submission. The image can reflect broader social ideals and tensions projected onto public figures.

    What we see says more about our assumptions than her intent. Understanding those reactions doesn’t kill the fun – it deepens it.

    Katrina Muller-Townsend 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. Is Sabrina Carpenter’s Man’s Best Friend album cover satire or self-degradation? A psychology expert explores our reactions – https://theconversation.com/is-sabrina-carpenters-mans-best-friend-album-cover-satire-or-self-degradation-a-psychology-expert-explores-our-reactions-259043

    MIL OSI

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Digital government can benefit citizens: how South Africa can reduce the risks and get it right

    Source: The Conversation – Africa (2) – By Busani Ngcaweni, Visiting Adjunct Professor, Wits School of Governance, University of the Witwatersrand

    The digital revolution is reshaping governance worldwide. From the electronic filing of taxes to digital visa applications, technology is making government services more accessible, efficient and transparent.

    South Africa is making progress in its digital journey. In 2024 it climbed to 40th place out of 193 countries, from 65th place in 2022, in the United Nations e-Government Index. This improvement makes the country one of Africa’s digital leaders, surpassing Mauritius and Tunisia.

    South Africa has identified more than 255 government services for digitisation. Already, 134 are available on the National e-Government Portal. This achievement is remarkable. Nevertheless, the shift to digitisation comes with challenges and risks.

    Some countries have weakened the state’s role by rapidly outsourcing key government functions. But South Africa has the opportunity to build a model of digital transformation that strengthens public institutions rather than diminishes them.

    New technologies must bring tangible benefits for citizens. Digital transformation can improve public administration. But, if mismanaged, it could burden taxpayers with costs.

    Benefits

    Digital transformation comes at a cost. This is particularly true if the state fails to use its procurement power to negotiate reasonable prices. Infrastructure upgrades, cybersecurity measures, software licensing and system maintenance require substantial financial investment.

    The question is whether these expenses are a necessary step towards a more efficient and accessible government.

    Two South African examples illustrate that digital transformation can save money and enhance service delivery quality.

    The first is the South African Revenue Service. Its goal is to ensure that taxpayers and tax advisers can use the service from anywhere and at any time. The changes made more than a decade ago show that digital systems can yield substantial financial gains. After introducing e-filing in 2006, the revenue service streamlined tax processes, reduced inefficiencies and led to higher compliance rates. Ultimately this led to improved revenue collection.

    Similarly, digitising social grant payments has had a number of positive effects. In a chapter of a recent edited volume on public governance, my colleagues and I wrote a case study about how the South African Social Security Agency used basic technologies and platforms like WhatsApp and email to process a grant during the COVID pandemic. It allowed over 14 million people to apply, paid grants to over 6 million beneficiaries during the first phase of the project.

    South African Social Security Agency annual reports show that over 95% of grant beneficiaries receive their payouts electronically through debit cards, instead of going to cash points. This improves security and lets beneficiaries decide when to get and spend their money.

    There are fears that automation could result in massive job losses. But global experience has shown that digitalisation does not necessarily lead to large-scale retrenchments. Instead it can shift the nature of work to other responsibilities.

    The South African Social Security Agency provides a compelling case. Its transition to digital grant payments did not lead to job losses. Similarly, the expansion of e-filing at the revenue service has not resulted in workforce reductions. In both cases efficiencies improved.

    These cases highlight that digital transformation is reshaping roles rather than displacing employees. Public servants are moving into areas such as cybersecurity, data analysis and AI-driven decision-making.

    Shortcomings and pitfalls

    A number of inefficiencies are at play in government services.

    Firstly, most government digital operations still work with outdated paper-based systems. The lack of a uniform digital identity creates bureaucratic inefficiencies and delays.

    Secondly, fragmented procurement of equipment in government has led to duplicated efforts, increased costs and fruitless expenditure.

    Thirdly, different departments often use isolated and incompatible digital systems. This reduce the mutual benefits of digital transformation. The State IT Agency has been blamed for inefficiencies, procurement failures and questionable spending.

    Fourthly, South Africa’s public service remains fragmented. Citizens still struggle to access government services seamlessly. They often move between departments to complete what should be a single transaction.

    Without a centralised system, departments operate in isolation, duplicating efforts, increasing costs and eroding public trust.




    Read more:
    South Africa’s civil servants are missing skills, especially when it comes to technology – report


    Fifth, a lack of skills. Increasing reliance on digital tools requires expertise in data analytics, cloud computing and automation. Many public servants lack the training to take on these new roles. The National Digital and Future Skills Strategy was introduced in September 2020 to bridge this gap, but its effectiveness depends on its implementation.

    Introducing it in 2020 at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic forced government to make digital leaps which otherwise might have taken longer. To sustain services, technology had to be rapidly adopted, including basic things like holding Cabinet meetings online, using a system rapidly developed by the State Information Technology Agency.

    Sixth, security concerns complicate the transformation. As government systems become digital, they become vulnerable to cyberattacks. South Africa must put in place cybersecurity infrastructure to prevent identity theft, data breaches and service disruptions. A cyberattack on one department could affect the entire public sector.

    What needs to be done

    Government must streamline procurement, improve coordination and eliminate inefficiencies to ensure interdepartmental collaboration.

    A single, integrated e-government platform would:

    • cut red tape

    • reduce queues

    • increase efficiency.

    Government needs to upskill civil servants and improve their digital literacy.

    Government must create a seamless e-government system that connects services while protecting citizens’ personal information. The success of digitalisation depends on technological advancements as well as the level of trust citizens have in government systems. Without strong security measures, transparency and accountability, even the most sophisticated digital tools will fail to gain public confidence.

    South Africa has the chance to demonstrate that a strong, capable state can successfully integrate technology while safeguarding public interests. It should take full advantage of offers by Microsoft, Amazon and Huawei to support digital skills training in the public sector in a way that does not advantage one company’s technologies over others. Choices of technology must be user-centric, not based on preferences of accounting officers and chief information officers. Leaders of public institutions must be measured on their ability to digitally transform their organisations.

    Busani Ngcaweni is affiliated with the National School of Government, Wits and Johannesburg Universities.

    ref. Digital government can benefit citizens: how South Africa can reduce the risks and get it right – https://theconversation.com/digital-government-can-benefit-citizens-how-south-africa-can-reduce-the-risks-and-get-it-right-254089

    MIL OSI

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Digital government can benefit citizens: how South Africa can reduce the risks and get it right

    Source: The Conversation – Africa (2) – By Busani Ngcaweni, Visiting Adjunct Professor, Wits School of Governance, University of the Witwatersrand

    The digital revolution is reshaping governance worldwide. From the electronic filing of taxes to digital visa applications, technology is making government services more accessible, efficient and transparent.

    South Africa is making progress in its digital journey. In 2024 it climbed to 40th place out of 193 countries, from 65th place in 2022, in the United Nations e-Government Index. This improvement makes the country one of Africa’s digital leaders, surpassing Mauritius and Tunisia.

    South Africa has identified more than 255 government services for digitisation. Already, 134 are available on the National e-Government Portal. This achievement is remarkable. Nevertheless, the shift to digitisation comes with challenges and risks.

    Some countries have weakened the state’s role by rapidly outsourcing key government functions. But South Africa has the opportunity to build a model of digital transformation that strengthens public institutions rather than diminishes them.

    New technologies must bring tangible benefits for citizens. Digital transformation can improve public administration. But, if mismanaged, it could burden taxpayers with costs.

    Benefits

    Digital transformation comes at a cost. This is particularly true if the state fails to use its procurement power to negotiate reasonable prices. Infrastructure upgrades, cybersecurity measures, software licensing and system maintenance require substantial financial investment.

    The question is whether these expenses are a necessary step towards a more efficient and accessible government.

    Two South African examples illustrate that digital transformation can save money and enhance service delivery quality.

    The first is the South African Revenue Service. Its goal is to ensure that taxpayers and tax advisers can use the service from anywhere and at any time. The changes made more than a decade ago show that digital systems can yield substantial financial gains. After introducing e-filing in 2006, the revenue service streamlined tax processes, reduced inefficiencies and led to higher compliance rates. Ultimately this led to improved revenue collection.

    Similarly, digitising social grant payments has had a number of positive effects. In a chapter of a recent edited volume on public governance, my colleagues and I wrote a case study about how the South African Social Security Agency used basic technologies and platforms like WhatsApp and email to process a grant during the COVID pandemic. It allowed over 14 million people to apply, paid grants to over 6 million beneficiaries during the first phase of the project.

    South African Social Security Agency annual reports show that over 95% of grant beneficiaries receive their payouts electronically through debit cards, instead of going to cash points. This improves security and lets beneficiaries decide when to get and spend their money.

    There are fears that automation could result in massive job losses. But global experience has shown that digitalisation does not necessarily lead to large-scale retrenchments. Instead it can shift the nature of work to other responsibilities.

    The South African Social Security Agency provides a compelling case. Its transition to digital grant payments did not lead to job losses. Similarly, the expansion of e-filing at the revenue service has not resulted in workforce reductions. In both cases efficiencies improved.

    These cases highlight that digital transformation is reshaping roles rather than displacing employees. Public servants are moving into areas such as cybersecurity, data analysis and AI-driven decision-making.

    Shortcomings and pitfalls

    A number of inefficiencies are at play in government services.

    Firstly, most government digital operations still work with outdated paper-based systems. The lack of a uniform digital identity creates bureaucratic inefficiencies and delays.

    Secondly, fragmented procurement of equipment in government has led to duplicated efforts, increased costs and fruitless expenditure.

    Thirdly, different departments often use isolated and incompatible digital systems. This reduce the mutual benefits of digital transformation. The State IT Agency has been blamed for inefficiencies, procurement failures and questionable spending.

    Fourthly, South Africa’s public service remains fragmented. Citizens still struggle to access government services seamlessly. They often move between departments to complete what should be a single transaction.

    Without a centralised system, departments operate in isolation, duplicating efforts, increasing costs and eroding public trust.




    Read more:
    South Africa’s civil servants are missing skills, especially when it comes to technology – report


    Fifth, a lack of skills. Increasing reliance on digital tools requires expertise in data analytics, cloud computing and automation. Many public servants lack the training to take on these new roles. The National Digital and Future Skills Strategy was introduced in September 2020 to bridge this gap, but its effectiveness depends on its implementation.

    Introducing it in 2020 at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic forced government to make digital leaps which otherwise might have taken longer. To sustain services, technology had to be rapidly adopted, including basic things like holding Cabinet meetings online, using a system rapidly developed by the State Information Technology Agency.

    Sixth, security concerns complicate the transformation. As government systems become digital, they become vulnerable to cyberattacks. South Africa must put in place cybersecurity infrastructure to prevent identity theft, data breaches and service disruptions. A cyberattack on one department could affect the entire public sector.

    What needs to be done

    Government must streamline procurement, improve coordination and eliminate inefficiencies to ensure interdepartmental collaboration.

    A single, integrated e-government platform would:

    • cut red tape

    • reduce queues

    • increase efficiency.

    Government needs to upskill civil servants and improve their digital literacy.

    Government must create a seamless e-government system that connects services while protecting citizens’ personal information. The success of digitalisation depends on technological advancements as well as the level of trust citizens have in government systems. Without strong security measures, transparency and accountability, even the most sophisticated digital tools will fail to gain public confidence.

    South Africa has the chance to demonstrate that a strong, capable state can successfully integrate technology while safeguarding public interests. It should take full advantage of offers by Microsoft, Amazon and Huawei to support digital skills training in the public sector in a way that does not advantage one company’s technologies over others. Choices of technology must be user-centric, not based on preferences of accounting officers and chief information officers. Leaders of public institutions must be measured on their ability to digitally transform their organisations.

    Busani Ngcaweni is affiliated with the National School of Government, Wits and Johannesburg Universities.

    ref. Digital government can benefit citizens: how South Africa can reduce the risks and get it right – https://theconversation.com/digital-government-can-benefit-citizens-how-south-africa-can-reduce-the-risks-and-get-it-right-254089

    MIL OSI