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Category: Universities

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: A global treaty to limit plastic pollution is within reach – will countries seize the moment?

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Winnie Courtene-Jones, Lecturer in Marine Pollution, Bangor University

    Bandung, Indonesia. Sony Herdiana/Shutterstock

    Representatives from 175 countries will gather in Geneva, Switzerland, in August for the final round of negotiations on a legally binding UN treaty to end plastic pollution. Non-governmental organisations, academics and industry lobbyists will also be in the room. They will all be hoping to influence what could be the world’s first truly global agreement on plastics.

    The summit, known as “INC-5.2”, follows a failed attempt to reach agreement in Busan, South Korea, late last year. That meeting ended without resolving important issues, despite hopes that it would conclude the treaty process. Now, it’s crunch time in Geneva.

    Either countries bridge their political divides, or risk the whole process falling apart.

    I’ve been researching the effects of plastic for more than a decade and have been involved in the UN treaty process since 2022. I’ve attended several of the negotiations and will be in Geneva next month. The science is clear: we need ambitious action which tackles every stage of the plastics lifecycle, from production through to disposal. But the question is, will countries deliver?

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    In 2022, the UN Environment Assembly agreed to develop a legally binding treaty to end plastic pollution. Since then, progress has been slow. Negotiations have repeatedly stalled over issues such as whether the treaty should limit plastic production or regulate chemicals, how to define terms, and how to fund implementation.

    Industry lobbying has also played a powerful role throughout. At the last round of talks, lobbyists for the petrochemical and plastics industries made up the single largest delegation. They outnumbered representatives from the EU, all of Latin America, the Pacific islands, independent scientists and Indigenous communities. This imbalance threatens to weaken the science-based action that is urgently needed.

    Although countries failed to reach agreement in Busan, a foundation was laid. They agreed to continue negotiations using the “chair’s text”, which is a draft treaty with multiple options still on the table. That document forms the starting point in Geneva. But it remains uncertain whether enough common ground can be found to finalise the text.

    What’s at stake?

    This treaty is a once-in-a-generation chance to tackle one of the world’s most urgent environmental crises. More than 450 million tonnes of plastic are produced every year. That figure is expected to double by 2045 if current trends continue.

    Only around 9% of plastic is ever recycled. The rest is landfilled, incinerated or ends up polluting the environment.

    An estimated 139 million tonnes of plastics pollute marine and fresh water. But that could be significantly higher when considering leakages of plastics to land, and from microplastics, which are plastics smaller than 5mm in diameter.

    Plastic is found in the deepest oceans, the remotest mountains and inside the human body. While scientists are only beginning to understand the long-term implications for human health, biodiversity and climate, studies show harmful effects of plastics and their chemicals on animals and ecosystems.

    Plastic pollution doesn’t respect national borders. It moves through rivers, oceans and air, and gets carried across continents. Global supply chains and waste exports have made this a problem no country can solve alone. That’s why a global treaty is essential.

    Crossroads

    Despite this growing urgency, a disparity in positions has hindered progress and continues to divide delegations.

    Some, such as members of the High Ambition Coalition, a group of countries committed to progressive climate action, want strong rules to cap plastic production, phase out toxic chemicals and hold polluters accountable. Others, often with prominent petrochemical industries, argue for a weaker, voluntary approach focused mainly on recycling and waste management.



    Read more:
    A global plastic treaty will only work if it caps production, modelling shows

    If these divisions aren’t resolved, there’s a real risk the treaty will end up being too watered down to make a difference. A patchy, fragmented agreement would fail to curb rising plastic production and could undermine the integrity of global action.

    Between December’s meeting in Busan and next month’s talks, countries have been holding smaller meetings to try to find compromise. That momentum must now be carried into the final negotiations.

    Important articles in the draft treaty, including those on chemicals and products, plastic production and finance, remain contested. Whether those provisions are strengthened or diluted will shape the treaty’s effects for decades to come.

    Flexibility will be needed. But leadership is also crucial. Countries that support an ambitious outcome must stand firm and bring others with them.

    As we approach what may be the final negotiating round, we’re at a critical crossroads. The world has the chance to take meaningful action on plastic pollution. Let’s not waste it.

    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.

    Winnie Courtene-Jones is an unpaid member and working-group lead of the Scientists’ Coalition for an Effective Treaty; an International network of independent scientific and technical experts contributing robust scientific evidence to the Treaty process.

    – ref. A global treaty to limit plastic pollution is within reach – will countries seize the moment? – https://theconversation.com/a-global-treaty-to-limit-plastic-pollution-is-within-reach-will-countries-seize-the-moment-261331

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: As Sri Lanka’s economy pivots from tourism, it’s well placed to benefit from global trade and geopolitical jostling – new research

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Hemamali Tennakoon, Senior Lecturer in Strategy and Management, Brunel University of London

    Dmytro Buianskyi/Shutterstock

    With its natural beauty, wildlife and culture, Sri Lanka is known as the “pearl of the Indian Ocean”, and attracts millions of tourists every year.

    But my research suggests that the country might not be so reliant on tourism in the future, as it looks to become a major player in global maritime trade. The island’s numerous harbours and enviable location along international sea routes have led to major investment from China and the US, as they seek to extend their strategic influence in the region.

    That investment is being welcomed after years of economic and political turmoil in Sri Lanka.

    The Easter bombings of 2019 targeted Catholic churches and hotels, killing 269 people and devastating tourism. The same year, significant tax cuts slashed government revenue before COVID did serious damage to the economy.

    In 2021, a ban on chemical fertilisers led to nationwide agricultural failure, while excessive borrowing and money printing triggered soaring inflation, which peaked at 70% in August 2022. The country ended up failing to pay its foreign debts.

    Following huge protests in 2022 and the resignation of the president, Sri Lanka began a major political and economic shift. It secured a bailout from the International Monetary Fund and implemented reforms aimed at stabilising the economy.

    So far, some of the effects have been positive. Inflation has eased, investor confidence has improved and more tea, clothing and rubber products are being exported up.

    Key to this has been improved logistics and port infrastructure. Business at the port of Colombo, the country’s largest, is booming, aided in part by global shipping disruptions, including the Red Sea crisis, which rerouted vessels through the Indian Ocean.

    But international maritime ambitions can be a complex affair, and Sri Lanka needs to be wary of becoming just a well-positioned commodity for the world’s economic superpowers.

    China for example, has secured a controversial 99-year lease of Hambantota port. India, wary of Chinese encroachment, has ramped up its own investments, including the development of a container terminal in Colombo.

    In 2023, the US announced a US$500 million (£372 million) plan to develop a deep-water shipping container terminal at the port of Colombo. And the potential US tariffs of 30% on imports from Sri Lanka have been interpreted by some as a pressure tactic to get greater access to its waters.

    Balancing these interests is a delicate act. While foreign investment is crucial for infrastructure development, Sri Lanka needs to protect its sovereignty and ensure that port operations serve national, not just international, interests.

    My research suggests that one way of building a resilient and diverse Sri Lankan economy would be to focus on its surrounding waters. Sri Lanka’s vast “exclusive economic zone”, an area of sea where it controls marine resources, holds massive untapped potential.

    Blue economy

    This potential lies in traditional sectors like fisheries and tourism, but also emerging industries such as marine biotechnology.

    This growing field offers opportunities in things like bioengineering and marine-based pharmaceuticals. With other countries rapidly advancing in these sectors, Sri Lanka is well-positioned to follow suit and become a regional leader in the blue economy (economic activities associated with the sustainable use of ocean resources).

    Business is booming in the port of Colombo.
    shutterlk/Shutterstock

    But there is still a complex web of geopolitical interests and economic pressures to navigate, as well as environmental challenges.

    At the moment for example, the Sri Lankan government is making plans for the deep natural port at Trincomalee to become a major marine repair and refuelling centre between Dubai and Singapore. Other proposed projects include offshore wind farms and oil rig facilities.

    The country also needs to compete with the likes of Malaysia, which is investing heavily in AI-driven port operations. To stay competitive, Sri Lanka must modernise infrastructure and streamline processes.

    And despite the progress, challenges persist. Poverty in Sri Lanka has doubled since 2021, while youth unemployment remains high.

    Sri Lanka faces rising maritime threats like piracy and illegal fishing, requiring stronger maritime surveillance. Simultaneously, port expansion risks damaging marine ecosystems. Green technologies and stricter environmental regulations are essential for long-term security and sustainability.

    Sri Lanka’s strategic location and maritime heritage offer a foundation for economic renewal. With wise governance, sustainability, and balanced geopolitics, its ports could once again become vital gateways to regional prosperity and global trade.

    Hemamali Tennakoon 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. As Sri Lanka’s economy pivots from tourism, it’s well placed to benefit from global trade and geopolitical jostling – new research – https://theconversation.com/as-sri-lankas-economy-pivots-from-tourism-its-well-placed-to-benefit-from-global-trade-and-geopolitical-jostling-new-research-261231

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Hosepipe ban survival guide: which garden plants to save and which to sacrifice

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Alastair Culham, Associate Professor of Botany, University of Reading

    Studio 37/Shutterstock

    With hosepipe bans in force across several English regions and more restrictions likely to follow, gardeners face some tough choices. When every drop counts, which plants deserve your precious water from the water butt, and which should you leave to fend for themselves?

    As someone who has researched how British gardeners need to adapt to respond to our changing climate, I can tell you that not all garden plants are created equal when it comes to water needs. Some plants will bounce back from a summer scorching, while others may never recover.

    Top plants to prioritise for watering

    1. New woody plants

    Any woody plant installed in the last 12-18 months should be your absolute priority. These haven’t yet developed the deep root systems needed to find moisture reserves and going without enough water the first year or so after planting could kill them.

    Water thoroughly and add a deep mulch of wood chips to help the soil hold water. For young trees you can install a watering bag around the trunk but you still need to top it up.

    2. Hydrangeas

    Hydrangeas adopt a conservative strategy when it comes to drought. They shut their stomata (leaf pores) rapidly when they sense dry soil, and keep them closed until consistent moisture returns. They often drop their leaves too.

    This can mean many weeks without growth, after even a relatively short drought period. So if you want to keep them looking at their best, they need consistent watering. You can cut growth back to reduce water loss, and save the the plant at the cost of flowers.

    Hydrangeas need help during a drought.
    savitskaya iryna/Shutterstock

    3. Moisture loving trees

    Japanese maples (Acer palmatum), along with other moisture-loving trees like birch and beech, are prone to serious die-back during summer droughts. Their shallow root systems and large leaves make them particularly vulnerable to water stress. Water and mulch them.

    4. Soft herbaceous plants

    Astilbe, dicentra, filipendula, heuchera, primula, trollius and many other soft herbaceous plants require good moisture levels and may not survive prolonged drought.

    5. Shallow-rooted shrubs

    Rhododendrons and azaleas are shallow-rooted shrubs particularly susceptible to drought stress, especially the large-leaved evergreen species which are also prone to wind damage when stressed.

    6. Clematis

    Many clematis varieties struggle with drought. Since they’re often grown for their spectacular flowering displays, maintaining adequate moisture around the roots is crucial, especially for autumn-flowering varieties, or spring-flowering varieties which flower on the previous year’s growth.

    A gravel mulch can help keep the roots cool and damp. However, clematis orientalis, terniflora, and evergreens such as C. cirrhosa can be surprisingly tolerant of a hot dry period.

    7. Ripening vegetables

    If you’re growing vegetables, prioritise crops approaching harvest and those that split when moisture returns after drought, such as carrots. Runner beans and courgettes need moist soil to keep cropping and potato yields are heavily influenced by water levels.

    8. All the pots

    Anything in pots has limited access to soil moisture reserves and will need regular attention. Move containers to shadier spots if possible. Always use a pot saucer to hold water and prevent it draining away.

    Plants that can survive without extra water

    Research into plant water-stress shows that many common garden plants are surprisingly resilient.

    Forsythia adopts a risk-taking strategy. It keeps growing and photosynthesising even when soil moisture becomes limited, gambling that it can regrow after damage. This makes it remarkably drought-tolerant. It is also tolerant of heavy pruning which can save it in severe conditions.

    Mediterranean shrubs like lavender, rosemary, sage and thyme are naturally adapted to dry conditions. Their grey, hairy or waxy leaves are evolved to conserve moisture. Soil conditions are crucial though. If the plants are deep rooted they will draw water up, but if your soil is shallow or compacted they might well be less drought tolerant.

    Sedums, sempervivums and other succulents store water in their fleshy leaves and can survive extended dry periods. RHS research identifies Sedum spectabile as particularly reliable under stress.

    Buddleja can cope better than you might think in dry spells.
    Steidi/Shutterstock

    Ornamental grasses generally have efficient root systems and many species actually prefer drier conditions once established.

    Established shrubs including cistus, phlomis, buddleja, cotoneaster, berberis and viburnum have deep roots and proven track records for drought survival. The RHS report identifies these as garden stalwarts, with high stress resilience.

    Some trees, including eucalyptus, bay (Laurus nobilis) and holm oak are remarkably drought tolerant.

    Those to sacrifice

    Grass lawns are thirsty and can be left to go dormant. If you have a newly seeded or turfed lawn from this year, some limited watering may be justified. But in general, embrace the golden colour of water-stressed lawns. As long as you don’t create too many bare patches from over-use, the green colour and growth will come back when it rains.

    Annual bedding plants like busy lizzies and begonias have shallow root systems and high water demands. However, they are only there for one season and are easily replaceable, so prioritise them for watering only if they’re particularly important to your garden’s summer display and you can spare the water. You could save some by potting them up and enjoying a display that needs less water.

    When you do water, research shows that technique is crucial. Water thoroughly but less frequently to encourage deep root growth. Focus water at the base of plants rather than on leaves, and water in early morning or evening to reduce evaporation.

    Consider “split-root” watering for established shrubs – water one side of the plant thoroughly, then switch to the other side two to three weeks later. This keeps plants hydrated while chemical signals from the dry side’s roots prevent excessive new growth that would increase water demands.

    This drought is a taste of Britain’s gardening future. The plants struggling most in this year’s drought are likely to become increasingly unsuitable for British gardens without intensive irrigation.

    Be willing to swap out plants that suffer in drought for new plants that are more tolerant. Refresh plantings to adapt to the new climate.

    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.

    Alastair Culham is affiliated with the Royal Horticultural Society through the RHS Science & Collections Group as a voluntary member. Opinions expressed here are his and do not represent the RHS.

    – ref. Hosepipe ban survival guide: which garden plants to save and which to sacrifice – https://theconversation.com/hosepipe-ban-survival-guide-which-garden-plants-to-save-and-which-to-sacrifice-261603

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: A Philosopher Looks at Clothes by Kate Moran is engaging and unpretentious – we need more philosophy books like this

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Sarah Richmond, Honorary Associate Professor of Philosophy, UCL

    With a few exceptions, philosophers have had little to say about clothes. Maybe this is because the topic seems frivolous, or feminine, unworthy of the attention of a predominantly male collection of thinkers.

    Perhaps, too, the transience of fashion, and the fact that clothes belong – quite literally – to the domain of mere appearance, also has something to do with it. In A Philosopher Looks at Clothes, an engaging and informative book, Kate Moran, philosophy professor at Brandeis University in the US, urges us to think again.

    As Moran points out, clothing looms large in life. Every day we dress, deciding how many layers to wear and whether we need a coat – or might a cardigan suffice? We gaze critically at other people’s choices (“OMG, those shoes!”). We wonder how to rise to the challenge of an imminent Eurovision-themed party.

    From a historical point of view, also, our species-specific recourse to clothes stretches back to the earliest human society. In mythical time, it begins with Adam’s and Eve’s discovery, in shame, that they were naked. If fashion is transient, clothes, per se, are not.

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    Clothes, Moran tells us, serve three basic purposes: protection, modesty and decoration. At once, these introduce questions of deep philosophical interest. Are the purposes equally important? Why, throughout human history, have we refused to settle merely for protection, desiring for example that a hat should be of some favoured colour or shape? To what extent do our decorative choices express our personal identity? Do clothes ever qualify as works of art? Why is modesty an abiding concern, given that we all know the contours of the unclothed body?

    In many contexts, and especially today, clothes invite ethical and political assessment. Clothes communicate a great deal of information about us, including our social position and the causes we espouse.



    Read more:
    A brief history of the slogan T-shirt

    We may knowingly exploit this, choosing to flaunt an obviously expensive garment or to wear our football team’s scarf. In other cases the meanings are imposed. The uniforms forced on prisoners, for example, emphasise subordination and erase their individuality.

    Poignantly, research into textile history has uncovered a streak of resistance in even the most ill-treated captives. In concentration camps during the second world war some prisoners altered their uniforms, or mended them, or added pockets. As Moran remarks, these actions were not just practical; their aim, too, was to “recover some sense of identity and dignity”.

    Portrait of Friedrich Nietzsche by Edvard Munch (1906).
    Thiel Gallery, Stockholm

    In the brilliantly conceived series by Cambridge University Press to which this title belongs, each author discusses some general topic from a perspective that is philosophically informed and at the same time personal.

    We need more books like these, to counteract the entrenched pretence of disinterestedness in philosophy. (Nietzsche, exceptionally, saw through it, denouncing philosophers as “advocates who do not want to be seen as such … sly spokesmen for prejudices that they christen as ‘truths’”.)

    Knowledge of the significance, in an author’s life, of her subject-matter enriches the reader’s imaginative experience of a book. Describing herself as an “ardent hobbyist” who sews her own clothes, Moran provides an additional facet to her account of today’s fashion industry and its scandalous environmental costs.

    The reader knows that Moran herself has found an alternative. This lends a certain authority to her judgement that, however futile it may seem for any one person to step off the fast-fashion bus: “There is an important moral difference between being inefficacious and being innocent.”

    Moran shows how many areas of philosophy can illuminate the phenomenon of clothes: not only ethics and political thought, but also aesthetics, theories of communication, of personal identity, of gender and cultural appropriation.

    For readers unfamiliar with academic philosophy, these forays offer a path into a rich conceptual landscape. Along the way, we are offered a multitude of riveting facts. Who would have guessed that pink has not always been for girls, and blue for boys? And there are pictures, too. My highlight was the “revenge dress” that Princess Diana wore to a gala dinner in the midst of hostilities with Charles, in a successful bid to divert press attention from his appearance on TV.

    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.

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

    – ref. A Philosopher Looks at Clothes by Kate Moran is engaging and unpretentious – we need more philosophy books like this – https://theconversation.com/a-philosopher-looks-at-clothes-by-kate-moran-is-engaging-and-unpretentious-we-need-more-philosophy-books-like-this-260473

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Farewell to summer? ‘Haze’ and ‘trash’ among Earth’s new seasons as climate change and pollution play havoc

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Felicia Liu, Lecturer (Assistant Professor) in Sustainability, University of York

    Throughout history, people have viewed seasons as relatively stable, recurrent blocks of time that neatly align farming, cultural celebrations and routines with nature’s cycles. But the seasons as we know them are changing. Human activity is rapidly transforming the Earth, and once reliable seasonal patterns are becoming unfamiliar.

    In our recent study, we argue that new seasons are surfacing. These emergent seasons are entirely novel and anthropogenic (in other words, made by humans).

    Examples include “haze seasons” in the northern and equatorial nations of south-east Asia, when the sky is filled with smoke for several weeks. This is caused by widespread burning of vegetation to clear forests and make way for agriculture during particularly dry times of year.

    Or there is the annual “trash season”, during which tidal patterns bring plastic to the shores of Bali, Indonesia, between November and March.

    Get your news from actual experts, straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily newsletter to receive all The Conversation UK’s latest coverage of news and research, from politics and business to the arts and sciences.

    At the same time, some seasons are disappearing altogether, with profound consequences for ecosystems and cultures. These extinct seasons can encompass drastically altered or terminated migratory animal behaviour, such as the decline of seabird breeding seasons in northern England.

    Climate change is also calling time on traditional winter sport seasons by making snow scarcer in alpine regions.

    Nature’s new rhythms

    Perhaps more common are “syncopated seasons”. The changes are akin to new emphases on beats or off-beats in familiar music that capture the listener’s attention.

    Syncopated seasons include hotter summers and milder winters in temperate climates, with increasingly frequent and severe extreme weather that exposes more people and ecosystems to stress.

    The timings of key seasonal events, like when leaves fall or certain migratory species arrive, are becoming more unpredictable. We coined the term “arrhythmic seasons”, a concept borrowed from cardiology, to refer to abnormal rhythms which include earlier springs or breeding seasons, longer summers or growing seasons, and shorter winters or hibernating seasons.

    Changing seasonal patterns throw the interdependent life cycles of plants and animals out of sync with each other, and disrupt the communities that are economically, socially and culturally dependent on them.

    In northern Thailand, human activity has reshaped nature’s rhythms and affected the supply of water and food in turn. Communities along the Mekong river’s tributaries have relied on the seasonal flow of rivers to fish and farm for generations.

    At first, upstream dams disrupted these cycles by blocking fish migration and preventing the accumulation of sediment that farms need for soil. More recently, climate change has shifted rainfall patterns and made dry seasons longer and rainy seasons shorter but more intense, bringing fires and further uncertainty to farmers.

    Let’s rethink time

    How we react to changing seasonal patterns can either worsen or improve environmental conditions. In south-east Asia, public awareness of the “haze season” has led to better forecasting, the installation of air filters in homes and the establishment of public health initiatives.

    These efforts help communities adapt. But if society only uses adaptive fixes like these, it can make the haze worse over time by failing to tackle its root causes. By recognising this new season, societies might normalise the recurrence of haze and isolate anyone who demands the government and businesses deal with deforestation and burning.

    Powerful institutions like these shape narratives about seasonal crises to minimise their responsibility and shift blame elsewhere. Understanding these dynamics is crucial to fostering accountability and ensuring fair responses.

    The shifting seasons require us to rethink our relationship with time and the environment. Today, most of us think about time in terms of days, hours and minutes, which is a globalised standard used everywhere from smartphones to train timetables. But this way of keeping time forgets older and more local ways of understanding time – those that are shaped by natural rhythms, such as the arrival of the rainy season, or solar and lunar cycles, rooted in the lives and cultures of different communities.

    Diverse perspectives, especially those from Indigenous knowledge systems, can enhance our ability to respond to environmental changes. Integrating alternative time-keeping methods into mainstream practices could foster fairer and more effective solutions to environmental problems.

    Seasons are more than just divisions of time – they connect us with nature. Finding synchrony with changing seasonal rhythms is essential for building a sustainable future.

    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.

    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. Farewell to summer? ‘Haze’ and ‘trash’ among Earth’s new seasons as climate change and pollution play havoc – https://theconversation.com/farewell-to-summer-haze-and-trash-among-earths-new-seasons-as-climate-change-and-pollution-play-havoc-260765

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Popular Tunisian island’s cultural heritage at risk due to tourism, neglect and climate change

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Majdi Faleh, Academic Fellow & Lecturer in Architecture and Cultural Heritage, Nottingham Trent University

    The Sidi Yati mosque in Djerba, which dates back to the 10th century, has been damaged by coastal erosion. Mehdi Elouati, CC BY-NC-ND

    Nestled in the southern Mediterranean, off the south-east coast of Tunisia, lies the island of Djerba. With a rich cultural and religious history, it has been a crossroad of many civilisations, including the Phoenicians, Romans, Byzantines and Arabs, and is home to many unique architectural sites. These include the Sedouikech underground mosque, St Joseph’s Church and the El Ghriba Synagogue.

    But, for many years, Djerba’s cultural heritage has been in danger. This is due to a combination of over-tourism, environmental change and human neglect.

    An underground mosque on the island of Djerba.
    Mariana Delca / Shutterstock

    By the 1990s to early 2000s, when Djerba was at the height of its popularity, the island was attracting between 1 million and 1.5 million visitors each year. It is one of Tunisia’s most popular tourist areas, with more hotels than any other destination in the country.

    Tourism has resulted in excessive tourist traffic in Djerba, particularly during the summer. It has also contributed to other problems such as water stress and waste generation. According to figures from 2020, hotels alone generate between 35% and 40% of all the waste on the island.

    But the development of tourism has, above all, altered Djerba’s cultural landscape. In some areas of the island, Djerba’s traditional housing – houmas, menzels and houchs – have given way to more modern tourist infrastructure.

    This has accelerated since Tunisia’s 2011 revolution, when long-time dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali was ousted. Weak institutional oversight has led to vandalism, illegal construction on archaeological sites and unauthorised demolitions.

    The development of tourism on Djerba has also eroded traditional ways of life. The island has experienced significant changes due to tourism, with the development of roads, ferries, an airport and the internet leading to a decline in traditional activity. Livelihoods like agriculture, fishing and artisanal crafts have declined and are often now showcased only in tourist areas.

    Life on Djerba has changed since it was opened up for tourism.
    BTWImages / Shutterstock

    Climate change has worsened Djerba’s problems. Rainfall patterns have changed across the island over recent decades, with models suggesting that annual precipitation rates could drop 20% by the end of the century. More frequent and prolonged droughts are expected.

    At the same time, rising sea levels and increasingly common storm surges are affecting the island. Research from 2022 found that 14% of Djerba’s beaches are now highly vulnerable to submersion and coastal erosion.

    Several historical monuments on Djerba have already experienced periodic flooding and saltwater intrusion. The ruins of Sidi Garous and the shrine of Sidi Bakour are now entirely underwater and have been replaced by memorials.

    Other archaeological sites located near the coast like Haribus, Meninx, Ghizene and Edzira, some of which date back to the Roman era (eighth century BC to fifth century AD), are now partially or fully submerged. Studies by Tunisia’s National Institute of Heritage suggest that many of these sites have been lost permanently to the encroaching sea.

    World heritage site

    Significant portions of Djerba’s cultural heritage have already been erased by sea-level rise and coastal erosion. Future losses could be even more severe. The island’s cultural heritage will only grow more precarious without meaningful preservation and climate adaptation efforts.

    However, many of Djerba’s monuments, historical buildings and traditional dwellings have suffered from years of neglect. A chronic lack of local and international funding, as well as weak institutional frameworks for heritage management, mean some of the island’s historic structures have been abandoned. Many other buildings have deteriorated due to a lack of protective measures and maintenance.

    Community organisations such as the Association for the Safeguarding of the Island of Djerba have tried to step in to fill the void left by weak institutional frameworks. Their work ranges from delivering public awareness campaigns to local young people to efforts like re-purposing ancient rainwater tanks to manage periods of drought.

    But these grassroots efforts alone are not enough to stop Djerba’s cultural heritage from deteriorating at its current pace.

    The ruins of a Housh, a traditional dwelling, on the island of Djerba.
    Ahmed Bedoui, CC BY-NC-ND

    In September 2023, the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco) announced that it was adding Djerba to its list of world heritage sites. Tunisia’s culture ministry welcomed the decision. It followed years of efforts by local groups and government officials to add Djerba to the list.

    Djerba’s inclusion offers hope for the long-term preservation of the island’s heritage. A world heritage site designation increases global recognition and enables improved access to sources of funding.

    And since Djerba’s classification, there has been some progress. The culture ministry has established a task force to monitor the construction of buildings and other infrastructure, collect data on designated protected areas, and prepare projects to preserve heritage sites.

    But Djerba’s cultural heritage remains in danger. Improved preservation of these sites will require continuous funding and stringent regulation of tourism and construction activities.

    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. Popular Tunisian island’s cultural heritage at risk due to tourism, neglect and climate change – https://theconversation.com/popular-tunisian-islands-cultural-heritage-at-risk-due-to-tourism-neglect-and-climate-change-223612

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • Defence, diaspora and digital: PM Modi’s UK trip to reinforce bilateral agenda

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi will undertake a two-nation visit from July 23 to 26, starting with the United Kingdom at the invitation of British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. This will be his fourth official visit to the UK, reaffirming the growing depth and breadth of India-UK ties, particularly in defence, innovation, healthcare, education, and diaspora engagement.

    Defence cooperation between the two countries spans joint exercises, technological collaboration, and knowledge exchange. The Indian and British armed forces regularly participate in bilateral and multilateral drills. In 2023, the Indian Navy joined Exercise Konkan in the Arabian Sea, while the Indian Air Force took part in Exercise Cobra Warrior at Royal Air Force Waddington. The Indian Army participated in the seventh edition of Exercise Ajeya Warrior held in Salisbury, UK. A major multinational air exercise, Exercise Tarang Shakti, is scheduled for August 2024. These engagements reflect a strategic partnership aimed at enhancing operational synergy and promoting indigenous defence production under India’s Make in India initiative.

    In the area of science and technology, India and the UK have established themselves as close partners, with joint research programmes amounting to $387–516 million (approx. £300–400 million). The India-UK Science and Innovation Council, which convenes biennially, provides the framework for cooperation in emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, clean energy, pandemic preparedness, and quantum science. During the April 2023 SIC meeting in the UK, an MoU was signed for expanded collaboration, including the creation of a new India-UK Net Zero Innovation Virtual Centre focused on industrial decarbonisation. India was also named a partner country in the UK’s International Science Partnership Fund, building upon the Newton-Bhabha Fund legacy.

    Healthcare cooperation saw a pivotal moment during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly with the joint development of the AstraZeneca vaccine by the UK and the Serum Institute of India. In July 2022, both nations signed the India-UK Framework Agreement for collaboration on healthcare workforce, aiming to streamline the recruitment and training of healthcare professionals. As per UK government data from June 2023, 60,533 Indian nationals are working in the National Health Service (NHS), the second-highest after British citizens. Among doctors in the NHS, 18 percent are of Asian origin, including 10,865 Indians. There are 31,992 Indian nurses and 11,499 clinical support staff, reflecting India’s critical contribution to the UK’s healthcare system.

    Education continues to be a key pillar of the bilateral relationship. The number of Indian students enrolling in UK universities has consistently risen since 2015-16, with an estimated 170,000 currently studying in the country. A landmark development under India’s New Education Policy: the University of Southampton’s Gurugram campus was recently inaugurated, becoming the first fully operational foreign university campus in India under UGC regulations. Further boosting collaboration, both nations signed a mutual recognition of academic qualifications MoU in July 2022.

    Mobility and migration are being actively facilitated under the Migration and Mobility Partnership Agreement signed in May 2021. The Young Professional Scheme, announced in November 2022 by Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Rishi Sunak on the sidelines of the G20 Bali Summit, enables 3,000 young graduates between 18 and 30 years of age to live and work in each other’s countries for up to two years.

    The Indian diaspora in the UK remains a cornerstone of bilateral relations. According to the 2021 Census, 1.864 million people of Indian origin reside in the UK, forming 2.6 percent of its population. Of these, 369,000 hold Indian passports. The diaspora has made significant contributions across academia, medicine, science, arts, business, and politics. A report by Grant Thornton and FICCI in 2022 identified over 65,000 Indian diaspora-owned businesses in the UK. Among them, 654 companies with annual revenues exceeding $129,000 (approx. £100,000) together generated $47.5 billion (approx. £36.84 billion) in revenue, paid over $1.29 billion (approx. £1 billion) in corporate taxes, invested more than $2.58 billion (approx. £2 billion) in capital expenditure, and supported over 174,000 jobs.

  • MIL-OSI USA: Amid GOP Assault on Healthcare, Pressley, Duckworth, DeGette, Schakowsky, Frost, Colleagues Unveil EACH Act, Keep Up Fight for Reproductive Justice

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07)

    Lawmakers File EACH Act to End Hyde Amendment, Lift Unjust Abortion Coverage Restrictions on Medicaid, Other Government Sponsored Plans

    Follows Passage of Big, Ugly Bill that Guts Medicaid, Defunds Planned Parenthood, Further Restricts Healthcare

    Bill Text (PDF) | Floor Speech (YouTube)

    WASHINGTON – Today, as Republicans continue their assault on healthcare, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), Co-Chair of the Reproductive Freedom Caucus, and Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), along with Congresswoman Diana DeGette (CO-01), Co-Chair of the Reproductive Freedom Caucus, Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), Congressman Maxwell Frost (FL-10), and Senators Patty Murray (D-WA) and Mazie Hirono (D-HI), led their colleagues in reintroducing the Equal Access to Abortion Coverage in Healthcare (EACH) Act, bold legislation to guarantee abortion coverage—regardless of how a patient gets their health insurance. The lawmakers’ bill follows the enactment of Trump and Republicans’ Big, Ugly Bill, which will gut Medicaid, defund Planned Parenthood health centers, and push essential reproductive care further out of reach for millions of people.

    The EACH Act ends the discriminatory Hyde Amendment and lifts unjust abortion coverage restrictions for those who depend on Medicaid and other government-sponsored plans. The bill affirms the fundamental right to abortion care and helps ensure everyone can get the reproductive healthcare they need, regardless of income, insurance, or zip code.

    Rep. Pressley unveiled the bill in a floor speech last night. Full video of that speech is available here.

    “Abortion care is health care, and health care is a human right. With Trump and Republicans advancing a cruel, coordinated assault on our bodily autonomy—gutting Medicaid, defunding Planned Parenthood, and decimating access to care—we must use every tool available to protect and expand reproductive healthcare,” said Congresswoman Pressley, Co-Chair of the Reproductive Freedom Caucus. “The EACH Act would help us do just that. By repealing the racist and discriminatory Hyde Amendment, which has denied necessary care for vulnerable communities for nearly half a century, our bill would help ensure everyone in America can get the reproductive healthcare they need, regardless of income, insurance, or zip code. I’m grateful to Senator Duckworth and our colleagues for their partnership on this critical priority.”

    “Ever since Trump’s far-right Supreme Court majority struck down Roe, Republicans have made it their mission to strip away a woman’s right to reproductive health care—a right they have no place to stand in the way of,” said Senator Duckworth. “As Republicans’ Big, Beautiful Betrayal kicks millions off their health care, we must act to help strengthen access to abortion coverage for low-income Americans, servicemembers and millions more—no matter their zip code. I’m proud to reintroduce this legislation alongside my colleagues so we can do just that.”

    “For nearly 50 years, the Hyde Amendment has been Republicans’ go-to tool for chipping away at abortion rights, denying coverage to the most vulnerable communities,” said Rep. DeGette, Co-Chair of the Reproductive Freedom Caucus. “Now, they’re doubling down with the Big Bad Bill, blocking Medicaid patients from accessing any kind of care, not only abortion care, but also birth control and cancer screenings, at Planned Parenthood. The EACH Act is how we fight back, guaranteeing access to abortion care—no matter your income, your insurance, or your ZIP code”

    “The Hyde Amendment is a racist, discriminatory policy designed to put reproductive and economic freedom out of reach for women of color and low-income women who need an abortion. By restricting Medicaid coverage of abortion, the Hyde Amendment robs those working to make ends meet of the freedom to control their lives and decisions about what is best for their families,” said Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky. “Keeping the Hyde Amendment in place is yet another way for Trump and the extremists in the GOP to limit peoples’ reproductive freedom. Every person should have the freedom to make their own reproductive health care decisions regardless of their income, race, where they work, what zip code they live in, or how they get their insurance. That is why our bill, the EACH Act, will finally repeal the harmful Hyde Amendment. Abortion is health care and health care is a human right.”

    “Women should be able to get the abortion care they need no matter where they live or how much money they have. But for decades, the Hyde Amendment and similar abortion restrictions have blocked low-income women from getting the health care they need and wrongfully divided abortion care from health care for no other reason than Republican politicians’ extreme anti-choice views,” said Senator Murray. “The EACH Act would get rid of the Hyde Amendment and related abortion coverage bans that endanger the health and lives of women who rely on Medicaid or other government-sponsored health coverage. I will always fight to end Hyde and other unjust policies that allow politicians to interfere with women’s ability to make decisions about their bodies, their lives, and their futures.”

    “As Republicans gut Medicaid, defund Planned Parenthoods nationwide, and continue their onslaught of attacks on our bodily autonomy, the Hyde Amendment and other federal coverage restrictions are discriminatory barriers that continue to prevent access to safe and legal abortion care,” said Senator Hirono. “Everyone deserves access to reproductive health care. By ending the Hyde Amendment and expanding coverage for abortion services, the EACH Act would help guarantee abortion access for all, protecting our reproductive rights and our ability to make decisions about our own bodies.”

    “Everyone should have the freedom to control their own lives and bodies, no matter their income, race, or zip code,” said Nourbese Flint, President of All* Above All. “For too long, restrictions like the Hyde Amendment have robbed people working to make ends meet of their ability to make personal decisions about their health, families, and futures. In a time of escalating attacks on reproductive freedom – and efforts to defund Planned Parenthood, shut down clinics, and restrict care – the EACH act sets a powerful standard and helps to end racist and classist health care restrictions. We are proud to support this visionary bill to expand abortion access and ensure coverage for all.”

    Trump and Republicans’ Big, Ugly Bill, which passed Congress earlier this year, will dismantle access to reproductive health care in every state. It will defund Planned Parenthood, block Medicaid reimbursements to health centers, and slash care for millions of people. It would also gut Medicaid, ripping coverage from at least 10 million Americans and cutting off access to essential maternity care, birth control, cancer screenings, and more.

    Text of the EACH Act is available here.

    Joining the lawmakers in introducing the EACH Act are Representatives Alma Adams, Pete Aguilar, Gabe Amo, Yassamin Ansari, Jake Auchincloss, Becca Balint, Nanette Barragán, Joyce Beatty, Wesley Bell, Ami Bera, Don Beyer, Suzanne Bonamici, Shontel Brown, Julia Brownley, Nikki Budzinski, Janelle Bynum, Salud Carbajal, André Carson, Troy Carter, Greg Casar, Ed Case, Sean Casten, Kathy Castor, Joaquin Castro, Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, Judy Chu, Gil Cisneros, Katherine Clark, Yvette Clarke, Emanuel Cleaver II, Steve Cohen, J. Luis Correa, Angie Craig, Jasmine Crockett, Jason Crow, Sharice Davids, Danny K. Davis, Madeleine Dean, Diana DeGette, Rosa DeLauro, Suzan DelBene, Chris Deluzio, Mark DeSaulnier, Maxine Dexter, Lloyd Doggett, Sarah Elfreth, Veronica Escobar, Adriano Espaillat, Dwight Evans, Shomari Figures, Lizzie Fletcher, Bill Foster, Valerie Foushee, Lois Frankel, Maxwell Frost, John Garamendi, Robert Garcia, Sylvia Garcia, Jesús “Chuy” García, Jared Golden, Dan Goldman, Maggie Goodlander, Josh Gottheimer, Al Green, Jahana Hayes, Jim Himes, Steven Horsford, Val Hoyle, Jared Huffman, Glenn Ivey, Sara Jacobs, Pramila Jayapal, Hank Johnson, Sydney Kamlager-Dove, William R. Keating, Robin Kelly, Tim Kennedy, Ro Khanna, Raja Krishnamoorthi, Greg Landsman, Rick Larsen, John B. Larson, George Latimer, Susie Lee, Summer L. Lee, Teresa Leger Fernández, Mike Levin, Ted Lieu, Seth Magaziner, John Mannion, Doris Matsui, Lucy McBath, Sarah McBride, April McClain Delaney, Jennifer McClellan, Betty McCollum, Morgan McGarvey, Jim McGovern, Gregory Meeks, Rob Menendez, Grace Meng, Kweisi Mfume, Dave Min, Gwen Moore, Joseph Morelle, Kelly Morrison, Jared Moskowitz, Seth Moulton, Kevin Mullin, Jerry Nadler, Eleanor Holmes Norton, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, Frank Pallone Jr., Jimmy Panetta, Chris Pappas, Nancy Pelosi, Scott Peters, Brittany Pettersen, Chellie Pingree, Mark Pocan, Mike Quigley, Delia Ramirez, Emily Randall, Jamie Raskin, Luz Rivas, Deborah Ross, Raul Ruiz, Patrick Ryan, Andrea Salinas, Linda T. Sánchez, Mary Gay Scanlon, Jan Schakowsky, Bradley Scott Schneider, Hillary Scholten, Kim Schrier, David Scott, Brad Sherman, Mikie Sherrill, Lateefah Simon, Adam Smith, Eric Sorensen, Darren Soto, Melanie Stansbury, Greg Stanton, Haley Stevens, Marilyn Strickland, Suhas Subramanyam, Eric Swalwell, Emilia Sykes, Mark Takano, Shri Thanedar, Mike Thompson, Dina Titus, Rashida Tlaib, Jill Tokuda, Paul Tonko, Norma Torres, Ritchie Torres, Lori Trahan, Derek T. Tran, Lauren Underwood, Juan Vargas, Gabe Vasquez, Marc Veasey, Nydia M. Velázquez, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, George Whitesides, Nikema Williams, and Frederica Wilson, along with Senators Klobuchar, Warren, Padilla, Merkley, Blumenthal, Rosen, Shaheen, Schiff, Heinrich, Gillibrand, Coons, Cantwell, Van Hollen, Blunt Rochester, Sanders, Gallego, Booker, Smith, Baldwin, Wyden, Welch, Markey, Murphy, Kim, Whitehouse, Fetterman, Cortez Masto, Kelly, and Lujan.

    The EACH Act is endorsed by the following organizations: All* Above All, National Women’s Law Center, Center for Reproductive Rights, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Center for American Progress, Guttmacher Institute, Power to Decide, National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum, Brigid Alliance, National Network of Abortion Funds, Midwest Access Coalition, Equality California, Silver State Equality, OutCenter Southwest Michigan, Hadassah, The Women’s Zionist Organization of America, National Abortion Federation, Cobalt, Health Not Prisons Collective, National Family Planning & Reproductive Health Association, Families USA, UCSF Bixby Center for Global Reproductive Health, Center for Biological Diversity, Reproductive Freedom for All, CA LGBTQ Health and Human Services Network, Autistic Women & Nonbinary Network, Physicians for Reproductive Health, Justice and Joy National Collaborative, End Rape On Campus, National Partnership for Women & Families, National Council of Jewish Women, Silver State Hope Fund of Nevada, Above!, The National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health (NPWH), National Council of Jewish Women, American Humanist Association, The American Society for Reproductive Medicine, Chicago Abortion Fund, Ibis Reproductive Health, SIECUS: Sex Ed for Social Change, American Atheists, National Health Law Program, National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice, Advocates for Youth, Courage California, ProgressNow New Mexico, In Our Own Voice: National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda, EMAA Project, Black Women for Wellness Action Project, Colorado Organization for Latina Opportunity and Reproductive Rights (COLOR), Keystone Progress Education Fund, Wyoming Right To Choose, Safe Abortions For Everyone Maine, REPRO Rising Virginia, National Abortion Federation, National Family Planning & Reproductive Health Association (NFPRHA), National Partnership for Women & Families, Catholics for Choice, Colorado Organization for Latina Opportunity and Reproductive Rights (COLOR), Families USA, American Civil Liberties Union, Indivisible, Women’s Foundation of Florida, People Power United, Equality California, Abortion Forward, Black Women’s Health Imperative, SiX Action, Population Institute, URGE: Unite for Reproductive & Gender Equity, Pregnancy Justice, Just Solutions, UltraViolet Action, National Women’s Political Caucus, Equal Rights Advocates, Feminist Majority Foundation, Clearinghouse on Women’s Issues, American Association of University Women (AAUW), Interfaith Alliance, and Community Catalyst.

    Last month, in the wake of the third anniversary of the Dobbs decision, Congresswoman Pressley spent the week convening leaders and impacted families, renewing her calls for comprehensive legislation to protect abortion care, and uplifting the experiences of people impacted by cruel abortion bans and denials of essential medical care.

    Congresswoman Pressley has been outspoken in demanding justice for Adriana Smith, a 30-year-old pregnant mother who was declared brain dead in February and was forced to remain on life support due to Georgia’s abortion ban. Rep. Pressley delivered an impassioned floor speech in which she underscored that Adriana’s case is far too common in the unjust history of denying Black women their dignity, humanity, and right to bodily autonomy – and that GOP abortion bans such as Georgia’s deepen this pain and bar critical healthcare freedom. Last week, Rep. Pressley issued a statement after Adriana’s infant son Chance was delivered via emergency Cesarean section and Adriana was taken off life support.

    Throughout her time in Congress, Rep. Pressley has fought persistently to protect fundamental reproductive and sexual healthcare rights. 

    • On the first anniversary of the Dobbs decision, Rep. Pressley introduced the Abortion Justice Act, sweeping, intersectional legislation to address access to abortion care and put forth a comprehensive vision of a just America where abortion care is readily available—without stigma, shame or systemic barriers—for all who seek it, regardless of zip code, immigration status, income, or background.
    • Rep. Pressley is a lead co-sponsor of the Women’s Health Protection Act (WHPA), bicameral federal legislation to guarantee equal access to abortion care, everywhere. 
    • Rep. Pressley is also a lead co-sponsor of the EACH Act, bold legislation to repeal the Hyde Amendment and help guarantee abortion coverage—regardless of how a patient gets their health insurance.
    • Shortly before the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade, Rep. Pressley led a group of her Black women colleagues in writing to President Biden urging him to declare a public health emergency amid the unprecedented threats to abortion rights nationwide. 
    • Rep. Pressley condemned the Supreme Court’s leaked draft opinion to overturn Roe v. Wade., and implored the Senate to protect abortion rights and slammed the white supremacist roots of anti-abortion efforts.
    • In October 2024, Rep. Pressley issued a statement on Josseli Barnica, who died on Sept. 3, 2021 after being denied emergency abortion care in Texas as she suffered a miscarriage.
    • In September 2024, in a House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee Hearing, Rep. Pressley highlighted the harmful and deadly impact of abortion bans in America to date, and outlined in detail the shameful circumstances under which Amber Nicole Thurman died after being denied necessary abortion care in Georgia.
    • In June 2024, Rep. Pressley issued a statement on the Supreme Court’s ruling in Idaho v. United States; Moyle v. United States – the case about whether emergency abortion care is included under the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA). 
    • In May 2024, Rep. Pressley issued a statement on a Louisiana bill that would classify medication abortion drugs mifepristone and misoprostol as controlled substances. 
    • In April 2024, at a House Oversight Committee hearing, Rep. Pressley played “Fact or Fiction” with Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Robert Califf to emphasize the safety and efficacy of medication abortion drug mifepristone.
    • In August 2023, Rep. Pressley issued a statement on the Fifth Circuit Court decision in Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine v. FDA.
    • In July 2023, Rep. Pressley, alongside Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Rep. Cori Bush (MO-01), and Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), reintroduced the Reproductive Health Care Accessibility Act, legislation to help people with disabilities—who face discrimination and extra barriers when seeking care—get better access to reproductive healthcare and the informed care they need to control their own reproductive lives.
    • In July 2023, Rep. Pressley applauded the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) approval of over-the-counter birth control.
    • In May 2023, Rep. Pressley applauded the FDA Advisory Committee’s unanimous, 17-0 vote to recommend the approval of the first-ever application for over-the-counter birth control. She and Senator Murray also held a press conference applauding the decision and urging the FDA to approval over-the-counter birth control without delay.
    • In May 2023, Rep. Pressley, along with Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14) and Ami Bera, MD (CA-06) and Senators Mazie Hirono (D-HI) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), reintroduced their bicameral Affordability is Access Act to ensure that once the FDA determines an over-the-counter birth control option to be safe, insurers fully cover over-the-counter birth control without any fees or out-of-pocket costs.
    • In April 2023, Rep. Pressley issued a statement condemning the Texas court ruling on mifepristone, and discussed the Texas case in a recent floor speech in which she affirmed medication abortion as routine medical care and access to mifepristone as essential. She later joined Governor Maura Healey, Senator Elizabth Warren (D-MA), and local leaders in announcing action to protect Mifepristone in Massachusetts.
    • In March 2023, Rep. Pressley, along with Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Reps. Schakowsky, Lee, DeGette, Torres and Strickland, reintroduced the Abortion is Healthcare Everywhere Act harmful and discriminatory Helms Amendment and expand abortion access globally.
    • In March 2023, Rep. Pressley and Senator Hirono led their colleagues in reintroducing a bicameral congressional resolution honoring abortion providers and clinic staff. 
    • In March 2023, Rep. Pressley delivered a speech in which she discussed the pending court case in Texas, which aims to restrict access to medication abortion across the entire nation. In her remarks, Rep. Pressley affirmed medication abortion as routine medical care, and accessibility to the abortion pill mifepristone as essential.
    • In September 2021, Rep. Pressley issued a statement condemning the Supreme Court’s inaction on SB-8, Texas’ restrictive abortion law. Later that month, she participated in a House Oversight Committee hearing to examine the threat posed by abortion bans and underscored the urgency of the Senate passing the Women’s Health Protection Act. 
    • In April 2021, Rep. Pressley, along with Congresswomen Barbara Lee (CA-13), Diana DeGette (CO-01) and Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), led a group of 131 Democratic members in reintroducing the Equal Access to Abortion Coverage in Health Insurance Act or the EACH Act, which would repeal the Hyde Amendment and ensure that all people, regardless of income, insurance or zip code, can make personal reproductive healthcare decisions without interference from politicians. She re-Introduced the legislation In January 2023.
    • Rep. Pressley has led calls in Congress for the FDA to remove medically unnecessary restrictions on the medication abortion drug mifepristone, and applauded the FDA’s action in January 2023 to allow retail pharmacies to dispense abortion medication pills.
    • As Chair of the Pro-Choice Caucus’s Abortion Rights and Access Task Force, Congresswoman Pressley has led the fight to repeal the Hyde Amendments from annual Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies appropriations bills and in July 2020 published a Medium post on the importance of doing so. She applauded the removal of the Hyde Amendment in President Biden’s FY2022 budget.
    • In May 2020, she led more than 155 Members of Congress in calling on House Democratic leadership to ensure that any future COVID-19 relief packages rejected Republican efforts to use the public health crisis to diminish abortion access.
    • In August 2021, Rep. Pressley, Oversight Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney, and Pro-Choice Caucus Co-Chairs Reps. Diana DeGette and Barbara Lee led more than 70 of their House Democratic colleagues in introducing a resolution in support of equitable, science-based policies governing access to medication abortion care. 
    • In January 2023, Rep. Pressley introduced a resolution to condemn all forms of political violence in the U.S., regardless of its target or intent. That same day, she delivered a powerful speech on the House floor slamming Republicans’ harmful, misleading anti-abortion resolution.
    • In September 2022, Rep. Pressley hosted U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra at the Codman Square Health Center in Dorchester for a convening on their work to address the Black maternal health crisis and the criminalization of abortion care in states across the nation following the harmful U.S. Supreme Court decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health. 
    • In May 2019, she led more than 100 colleagues in introducing H.Con.Res.40, a resolution reaffirming the House of Representative’s support for Roe v. Wade.
    • In June 2019, Rep. Pressley introduced H.R. 3296, the Affordability is Access Act, to make oral contraception available without a prescription. 
    • In September 2016, as a member of the Boston City Council, Pressley championed a resolution calling on Congress and President Obama to repeal the Hyde Amendment and reinstate insurance coverage for abortion services.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Materials Science and Engineering Department Leaders Transition

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    Dean JC Zhao of the University of Connecticut (UConn) College of Engineering is pleased to announce a transition in leadership for the Department of Materials Science and Engineering (MSE). 

    Zhao has appointed Professor Avinash Dongare as interim MSE department head, replacing current department head Professor Bryan Huey who will depart the UConn College of Engineering to join Purdue University as its next head of the School of Materials Engineering. Huey will start at Purdue on Aug. 15.

    Avinash Dongare has been selected as the new interim MSE department head.

    “I am pleased to appoint Professor Avinash Dongare as the interim head of our MSE Department at UConn,” says Zhao. “He is a nationally respected researcher and a dedicated educator whose leadership and collaborative approach will help guide the department during this important transition.” 

    Dongare earned his doctorate (2008) in MSE from the University of Virginia. He joined UConn in 2012 as an assistant professor in MSE and was recently promoted to a full professorship in 2023. He also holds joint appointments as a professor in the School of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Manufacturing Engineering and the Department of Physics. In addition, Dongare has been the director of graduate studies within the MSE department since 2020.   

    Dongare was recently elected as a Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (2024) and the Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering (2024). He is recognized as one of the world’s top 2% of scientists (2024). He is also the recipient of the Early CAREER Award from the National Science Foundation (2015), and the National Academies NRC Research Associateship Award from the US Army Research Office (2007).  

    Dongare’s research includes the development and application of advanced computational techniques across scales to predict the behavior of materials under extreme environments. He has authored 100+ peer-reviewed publications and proceedings. His research has totaled nearly $20 million in externally funded grants and contracts across a diverse array of sponsors (NSF, DOE, DOD, & industry). He also served as an editor for the Journal of Materials Science (2018 to 2022) and is active member in materials and mechanics communities (TMS, MRS, ASME, SES, and APS).  

    “It is an honor to serve as the interim department head and to help lead the community that I have been a part of for over a decade,” says Dongare. “I have been nurtured in this department and genuinely value the collegial and supportive culture that it offers. The department has continued to rise in rankings over the last decade – thanks to the inspirational leadership of Pamir Alpay and Bryan Huey. I am committed to working closely with our faculty, staff, and students to continue moving forward in materials research and education under Dean Zhao.” 

    Bryan Huey has been selected as Purdue University’s new head of materials engineering.

    Huey joined UConn Engineering in 2004 and rose through the ranks from assistant professor to full professor. He has served as the department’s head since 2017.

    He saw the growth of the department in those years, with their faculty overseeing $50 million in active research (as of fall 2024). The UConn MSE department is ranked 34th nationwide in the U.S. News & World Report rankings, and is in the top 20 among public institutions. Also in fall 2024, Huey and fellow faculty, staff and students celebrated moving into the new 200,000-square-foot Science One building, which also houses the Institute of Materials Science. 

    “I want to humbly thank Professor Bryan Huey for his outstanding leadership over the past seven years, and for many years serving the department beforehand,” Zhao says. “His commitment to research excellence, student success, and departmental growth has left an enduring legacy at UConn Engineering. We wish him continued success at Purdue.” 

    Before arriving at UConn, Huey earned three degrees in MSE: his bachelor’s in 1993 from Stanford University and his master’s (1996) and doctorate (1999) from the University of Pennsylvania. He is a Fellow of the American Ceramic Society and a member of the Materials Research Society’s Strategic Agility Council. Huey is also the past chair of the University Materials Council, the nationwide association of MSE department heads. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: The Government of Canada invests over $14.4 million in 17 projects that will foster youth environmental literacy across Canada

    Recipient Total Project description Maritime Aboriginal Peoples Council $741,487 This project will foster ocean and climate literacy for youth aged 5 through 18 in schools across Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and New Brunswick through classroom presentations and public outreach events. Students will learn about the organisms found within the Atlantic Ocean and local freshwater watersheds. Grand Council Treaty #3 Representative Services Inc.  $782,922 This project will deliver knowledge and skills on climate change for children, youth, and adults in Treaty #3 territory in Northwestern Ontario and Eastern Manitoba to become climate leaders in their communities and participate in the emerging green economy. The programming will combine western climate science and Anishinaabe Traditional Knowledge specific to Treaty #3. Aqqiumavvik Society $1,500,199 This project will develop and pilot a culturally relevant, age-appropriate environmental literacy program to enhance avatimik kamattiarniq (the concept of environmental stewardship) for youth in Arviat, Nunavut. Kitselas First Nation $221,700 This project will provide Kitselas First Nation youth with the skills and knowledge to address climate change, loss of biodiversity, and the cumulative effects of pollution affecting their traditional territory. BC Parks Foundation $1,800,000 This project will provide opportunities for students across British Columbia (BC) to learn about and take positive steps to mitigate climate change and biodiversity loss, both in British Columbia’s provincial parks and in their school grounds and classrooms. Cape Breton University $326,614 This project will conduct participatory analysis on the impact and accessibility of environmental literacy with youth and their teachers from schools in all provinces and territories in Canada. Project participants will also practice methods of policy writing and presentation, as well as co-create teaching materials. Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society, Southern Alberta Chapter $342,524 This project aims to develop the environmental literacy and leadership of young Canadians, especially those from underserved communities in Southern Alberta, through training and a mentoring group. This will give youth the skills and perspectives to help them overcome current environmental challenges and participate in eco-advocacy. Ducks Unlimited Canada, on behalf of the Nature Education Collective $797,898 This project will support the Nature Education Collective to systematically enhance environmental literacy at a national scale in school systems across Canada. Through an integrated package of scalable solutions that support normalizing climate and biodiversity education, this project will work with partner school systems to elevate regional leadership, expand teacher training, and provide inclusive programming directly to students. AquaAction $635,296 This project will help address eco-anxiety in kindergarten to Grade 12 students through a learning program in Montréal, Quebec. The program aims to create a generation of water stewards that will take action to address freshwater issues and contribute to sustainability. This will be done through encouraging entrepreneurial thinking and developing job-ready skills to help young Canadians participate in a sustainable blue economy. Aurora College $1,461,680 This project will provide a wide range of locally and culturally relevant opportunities for junior kindergarten to Grade 12 students and youth to learn about climate change and its impact on the Northwest Territories. This will include in-classroom and on-the-land programming, training for junior kindergarten to Grade 12 educators, and community workshops. The Jane Goodall Institute for Wildlife Research, Education and Conservation $939,592 This project will provide environmental knowledge, service-learning, and leadership opportunities for young Canadians, particularly Indigenous, BPOC, 2SLGBTQ+ youth and other underserved communities. This project will engage youth in community-based actions linked to the major environmental crises and provide training for educators to best integrate environmental education into their teaching. The Calgary Zoological Society $1,562,992 This project aims to integrate environmental literacy into teacher training and professional development for in-service teachers by identifying non-formal teaching institutions to serve as community practicum sites specializing in environmental education. Wanuskewin Heritage Park Authority $300,000 This project will create materials to enhance interactive ecological education through an Indigenous lens, enhance and develop new guided cultural tours, and augment their video series with a focus on the interconnections between cultures and the land for visitors of Wanuskewin Heritage Park in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. The Starfish Environmental Society $396,213 The goal of this project is to create experiential, Indigenous-led environmental literacy material to support kindergarten to Grade 12 teachers in Six Nations and Hamilton schools to ground youth environmental literacy in Haudenosaunee cultural perspectives. Friends of the Rouge Watershed Inc. $255,000 This project will ensure that students and community volunteers, with a high proportion of first-generation and racially diverse Canadians, have free access to natural spaces in the Rouge Watershed, including environmental education through skills training and hands-on opportunities to restore forest and wetland habitats. Nature Québec $1,117,814 The objective of the project is to green learning spaces by creating micro-ecosystems in schoolyards, while integrating environmental education for students and school staff. This project aims to foster student contact with nature and develop educational materials based on citizen science. By collaborating with experts, the project will assess the impact of environmental practices on student behaviour and raise awareness of climate issues throughout the school community. Conservation Council of New Brunswick $1,286,043 This project will create a province-wide network of environmental educators that will allow all schools in New Brunswick to access current, place-based, educational climate change-centered programming while also giving educators the tools to teach their students outside and utilize their outdoor spaces.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI: C&F Announces Expansion into Southwest Virginia

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TOANO, Va., July 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — C&F Financial Corporation (the Corporation) (NASDAQ: CFFI), the holding company for C&F Bank, is proud to announce a significant expansion of its commercial banking operations with a seasoned team that will establish its presence in Southwest Virginia. This strategic move positions C&F to serve key markets including Roanoke, Lynchburg, Danville, Martinsville, and Blacksburg.

    Leading this expansion is Matt Hubbard, who joins as Southwest Virginia Regional President. With over 15 years of commercial banking leadership experience, most recently at Atlantic Union Bank, (formerly American National Bank). Matt brings deep market knowledge and a strong commitment to community engagement. He is a graduate of Radford University and the William & Mary Mason School of Business.

    Joining Matt are two highly respected banking professionals:

    • Sally Siveroni, Commercial Credit Officer, began her banking career in 1986 and most recently served as Regional Credit Officer at Atlantic Union Bank. She is a graduate of James Madison University.
    • James Little, Commercial Banking Relationship Manager, has 17 years of experience in both retail and commercial banking. A fellow James Madison University graduate and VBA Bank School alumnus, James is also deeply involved in community initiatives.

    “We are thrilled to welcome Matt, Sally, and James to the C&F family,” said Tom Cherry, President and CEO of C&F Bank. “Their expertise and strong community ties will accelerate our growth in this promising region, where we already enjoy strong customer relationships.”

    With this expansion, C&F is now firmly positioned as one of the premier community banks serving the entire Commonwealth of Virginia—an achievement that underscores the company’s strategic vision and competitive strength.

    About C&F

    C&F Bank operates 31 banking offices and five commercial loan offices located throughout Virginia and offers full wealth management services through its subsidiary C&F Wealth Management, Inc. C&F Mortgage Corporation and its subsidiary C&F Select LLC provide mortgage loan origination services through offices located in Virginia and the surrounding states. C&F Finance Company provides automobile, marine and recreational vehicle loans through indirect lending programs offered primarily in the Mid-Atlantic, Midwest and Southern United States from its headquarters in Henrico, Virginia.

    Additional information regarding the Corporation’s products and services, as well as access to its filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, are available on the Corporation’s website at http://www.cffc.com.

    Contact: Jason Long, CFO and Secretary
      (804) 843-2360

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/7e0101d3-4ffc-436f-a151-f7f79df53bdd

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Livestock and lions make uneasy neighbours: how a fence upgrade helped protect domestic and wild animals in Tanzania

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Jonathan Salerno, Associate Professor, Colorado State University, Colorado State University

    Protecting livestock in areas where large carnivores (like lions) live is increasingly important as human land use expands, wildlife habitat shrinks, and climatic changes reshape the ways in which humans and wildlife interact. Protecting the carnivores from livestock owners is important too. Intact carnivore populations support more resilient food webs and the ecosystem services they provide.

    It’s not easy for people, livestock, and carnivores to live together without conflict, though. One of the best ways to reduce conflict is to protect livestock like cattle and sheep from being attacked by predators.

    There are various methods to do this, like guarding livestock or erecting fences. That’s all very well for the livestock inside the fences, but do predators simply turn to the nearest unprotected livestock for their meal instead? Are the neighbours’ cattle, sheep, and goats at greater risk? This question hasn’t been explored much by researchers.

    We’re a group of conservation practitioners and scientists who have studied the interactions of carnivores, livestock, and people in Tanzania and elsewhere for decades to try and find solutions to conflict problems.

    Our study area is next to a national park which protects important populations of lion, leopard, hyena, African wild dog, and cheetah. The people who live here have traditionally kept their livestock overnight in enclosures made of acacia-thorn branches. More recently, some of them have built pens, or corrals, from tall chain link fencing. We knew from years working with communities and from previous research that these fortified corrals were effective at keeping livestock safe from predators.

    Our next step was to find out whether this made other nearby livestock less safe.

    Read more: What’s behind the conflict between people and animals in Tanzania

    The results were intriguing. We found that the new enclosures made predation less likely in the nearby traditional enclosures too.

    This type of beneficial spillover effect had yet to be documented in other systems where interventions aim to protect livestock from large carnivores.

    Our results show that in conservation, it’s important to look closely at complex local dynamics. The findings may help explain why there’s so much uncertainty about the effectiveness of various human–wildlife conflict mitigation strategies.

    Beneficial spillover effects

    People who keep livestock in east Africa have long had strategies to keep their animals safe from large carnivores. Sometimes acacia-thorn night enclosures (known locally as bomas), intensive herding practices, and guarding dogs work well.

    Other times, and especially in communities within and adjacent to large, protected carnivore populations, traditional strategies fall short.

    This is the case in Tanzania’s Ruaha-Rungwa Landscape. In our study area adjacent to Ruaha National Park, any pastoralist or agropastoralist (herding and crop farming) household has about a 30% chance of losing one or more animals to predation each year. This is a serious economic loss on top of important cultural and emotional costs.

    Read more: Losing a calf to wolves in Sweden hurts. But if lions take one in Uganda, a farming family’s income is gone

    Lion Landscapes, an organisation that some of us have been running for over a decade, works to support human-carnivore coexistence. Adjacent to Ruaha, we have been partnering with households to build 1.8-metre chain-link corrals. We subsidise them. Households contribute 25% of the cost and some of the labour for construction.

    We analysed about 25,000 monthly reports of livestock predation in fenced and traditional enclosures, using statistical models. There were 846 predation events over nearly four years. Unexpectedly, while we did detect spillover effects, these appeared to be beneficial. Rather than displacing conflicts, fortified enclosures actually conferred protective effects on their traditional-enclosure neighbours.

    For example, households within 50 metres (the minimum observed distance) of a fortified enclosure were half as likely to experience predation compared with distant households 2 kilometres away. And these beneficial effects increased with the number of fortified enclosures in a neighbourhood. Finally, the effects appeared to be durable over time.

    The fortified enclosures were extremely effective. We showed that households could break even after paying for the fence in just a few years through avoided livestock losses. And we know that when domestic animals aren’t being killed, their owners are more tolerant of predators. We didn’t record carnivore killings in this study but it has happened fairly frequently in the area in the past.

    In a few of the world’s human-wildlife conflict systems, where data exist to assess spillover effects, there is evidence that detrimental spillovers do occur. For instance, beehive deterrents may redirect elephants to nearby crop fields, or lethal removal of individual wolves may redirect the surviving pack to prey on adjacent ranches. Nevertheless, these are very under-studied interactions.

    Livestock management and carnivore coexistence

    In systems where humans, livestock, and wildlife overlap and sometimes come into conflict, management strategies too often focus on wildlife. Another option is to reduce whatever attracts wildlife. In the case of large carnivores, this means managing livestock.

    Read more: Livestock are threatened by predators – but old-fashioned shepherding may be an effective solution

    Our results support this approach by demonstrating that management and protection of livestock is fundamental for reducing conflict, and can benefit not only livestock owners but landscape-level coexistence.

    Conservationists and policy-makers need to encourage these practices that benefit people, carnivores, and livestock in shared landscapes.

    – Livestock and lions make uneasy neighbours: how a fence upgrade helped protect domestic and wild animals in Tanzania
    – https://theconversation.com/livestock-and-lions-make-uneasy-neighbours-how-a-fence-upgrade-helped-protect-domestic-and-wild-animals-in-tanzania-258113

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Ghana’s security strategy has kept terror attacks at bay: what other countries can learn from its approach

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Paa Kwesi Wolseley Prah, Postdoctoral Fellow, Dublin City University

    Ghana stands out in west Africa as a nation that has not experienced terrorist attacks, even though it’s geographically close to countries that have. In Burkina Faso, Mali and Nigeria, extremist groups such as Boko Haram and Islamic State in West Africa (ISWAP) have wreaked havoc.

    This resilience is not accidental. It is the result of deliberate counter-terrorism strategies employed by Ghana’s security institutions.

    Ghana’s counter-terrorism framework was set out in 2020. It has four pillars: prevent, pre-empt, protect, and respond. The idea is to coordinate multiple agencies, including the Ghana Police Service, Ghana Immigration Service, Ghana Armed Forces and the National Intelligence Bureau.

    These pillars guide strategies to address both immediate threats and underlying vulnerabilities. Poverty, religious radicalism and porous borders are common drivers of terrorism in west Africa.

    I am an international security and global governance researcher. My co-author is a government and international studies scholar.

    Four years ago we wrote a paper examining Ghana’s resilience against terrorist attacks. Our findings are still relevant given the increasing activities of terror groups in the west African region.

    Read more: West Africa terror: why attacks on military bases are rising – and four ways to respond

    We wanted to identify what works as a potential model for other countries.

    Using a qualitative methodology, we interviewed stakeholders — including police officers, members of the armed forces, Muslim community leaders, and immigration officials. We also analysed the national framework for preventing and countering violent extremism and terrorism.

    Our findings showed that Ghana’s success is traceable to an approach that integrates community engagement with advanced border technology, inter-agency training, media collaboration and intelligence operations. And it addresses both immediate and underlying threats.

    We argue that Ghana’s ability to balance prevention with security offers solutions for stability in a geopolitically volatile region.

    Read more: Ghana’s new president faces tough regional security problems: why he’s well-placed to tackle them

    Community engagement

    One of the standout strategies is community engagement. This serves multiple purposes, from guiding people away from extremism to gathering intelligence.

    The Ghana Police Service, for instance, engages Muslim-dominated communities, known as “Zongos”, to counter radical Islamic ideologies that could be exploited by terrorist groups.

    By collaborating with local religious leaders, police make communities aware of the dangers of radicalisation. They foster trust and encourage residents to report suspicious activities. This approach also works in tackling illegal arms circulation.

    Ghana has an estimated 2.3 million small arms in circulation – 1.1 million of them illegally possessed. The availability of so many weapons fuels terrorist activities across west Africa.

    Community based de-radicalisation aligns with global best practices. In Norway, for instance, it was used to disengage youth from extremist groups.

    Technology at borders

    Ghana’s border control management is another part of its counter-terrorism strategy. Ghana Immigration Service uses advanced security software and integrated systems like the “Immigration 360” system, designed to fully automate passenger processing and data management.

    The system manages records of fingerprints and other data to improve reporting and intelligence sharing between Ghana Immigration and other security agencies.

    The technology makes it possible to quickly identity individuals on terrorist watchlists and detects concealed goods. This helps prevent illegal cross-border movements.

    There are gaps in Ghana’s defences, however. The influx of migrants fleeing extremist violence in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger in 2024 highlights the urgency of scaling up investments in the technology.

    Read more: West Africa could soon have a jihadist state – here’s why

    Training for preparedness

    Ghana combats new and varying forms of terrorism by uncovering trends and training personnel to deal with them.

    A notable example was the six-day joint training in 2022 involving the Ghana Immigration Service, Police Service, Customs, Economic and Organised Crime Office, and the National Intelligence Bureau.

    The country also works with regional neighbours like Burkina Faso, Togo and Benin, and partners such as the United States, through initiatives like “Operation Epic Guardian”.

    Media as a strategic partner

    Terrorists rely on media to amplify fear and publicise their causes. Ghana’s security agencies counter this tactic by actively engaging media houses to report accurately.

    The Ghana Armed Forces, for instance, works with media to debunk false reports, which can cause public panic and inadvertently aid terrorists.

    The Ghana Police Service emphasises regular dialogue with media to ensure sensitive information is verified before publication, reducing the risk of tipping off suspects. However, media competition for viewers poses a challenge.

    Surveillance and intelligence gathering

    Surveillance and intelligence gathering is critical. Plainclothes armed forces and immigration personnel blend into communities to monitor potential threats. The approach has worked but is constrained by resources.

    It can also risk human rights violations, such as wrongful profiling, and is less effective against multiple targets compared to technological solutions like facial recognition or CCTV.

    Read more: Funding terror: how west Africa’s deadly jihadists get the money they need to survive

    Challenges and regional implications

    Despite its successes, Ghana’s counter-terrorism framework faces challenges that could undermine its long-term efficacy:

    • logistical and financial constraints

    • the influx of migrants fleeing regional violence

    • a lack of harmonised security cultures within the regional body, Ecowas.

    In all, Ghana’s strategies offer lessons for west Africa, where terrorism is a growing threat.

    Its community engagement model could be followed in Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger to counter radicalisation and arms proliferation, provided it avoids religious stereotyping.

    – Ghana’s security strategy has kept terror attacks at bay: what other countries can learn from its approach
    – https://theconversation.com/ghanas-security-strategy-has-kept-terror-attacks-at-bay-what-other-countries-can-learn-from-its-approach-260333

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Learning statistics through story: students get creative with numbers

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Johan Ferreira, Professor, University of the Witwatersrand

    Statistics professor Johan Ferreira was feeling overwhelmed by the amount of “screen time” involved in online learning in 2021. He imagined students must be feeling the same way, and wondered what he could do to inspire them and make his subject matter more appealing.

    One of the topics in statistics is time series analysis: statistical methods to understand trend behaviour in data which is measured over time. There are lots of examples in daily life, from rainfall records to changes in commodity prices, import or exports, or temperature.

    Ferreira asked his students to write a short, fictional “bedtime” story using “characters” from time series analysis. The results were collected into a book that is freely available. He tells us more about it.

    Why use storytelling to learn about statistics?

    I’m fortunate to be something of a creative myself, being a professional oboe player with the Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra. It’s a valuable outlet for self-expression. I reflected on what other activity could inspire creativity without compromising the essence of statistical thinking that was required in this particular course I was teaching.

    Example of a time series, the kind of data analysed using statistical methods. Author provided (no reuse)

    I invited my third-year science and commerce students at the University of Pretoria to take part in a voluntary storytelling exercise, using key concepts in time series analysis as characters. Students got some guidelines but were free to be creative. My colleague and co-editor, Dr Seite Makgai, and I then read, commented on and edited the stories and put them together into an anthology.

    Students gave their consent that their stories could be used for research purposes and might be published. Out of a class of over 200 students, over 30 contributions were received; 23 students permitted their work to be included in this volume.

    We curated submissions into two sections (Part I: Fables and Fairy Tales and Part II: Fantasy and Sci-Fi) based on the general style and gist of the work.

    The project aimed to develop a new teaching resource, inspire students to take ownership of their learning in a creative way, and support them through informal, project-based peer learning.

    This collection is written by students, for students. They used personal and cultural contexts relevant to their background and environment to create content that has a solid background in their direct academic interests. And the stories are available without a paywall!

    What are some of the characters and stories?

    Student Lebogang Malebati wrote Stationaryville and the Two Brothers, a tale about AR(1) and AR(2). In statistics, AR refers to processes in which numerical values are based on past values. The brothers “were both born with special powers, powers that could make them stationary…” and could trick an evil wizard.

    David Dodkins wrote Zt and the Shadow-spawn. In this story, Zt (common notation in time series analysis) has a magic amulet that reveals his character growth through a sequence of models and shows the hero’s victory in the face of adversity. He is a function of those that came before him (through an AR process).

    Then there’s Nelis Daniels’ story about a shepherd plagued by a wolf called Arma (autoregressive moving average) which kept making sheep disappear.

    And Dikelede Rose Motseleng’s modern fable about the love-hate relationship between AR(1) (“more of a linear guy” with a bad habit of predicting the future based on the past) and MA(1), “the type of girl who would always provide you with stationarity (stability).”

    What was the impact of the project?

    It was a deeply enriching experience for us to see how students see statistics in a context beyond that of the classroom, especially in cases where students reformulated their stories within their own cultural identities or niche interests.

    Three particular main impacts stand out for us:

    • students have a new additional reference and learning resource for the course content

    • new students can refer to the experiences and contextualisation of this content of former students, leading to informal peer learning

    • students engage in a cognitive skill (higher-order and creative thinking) that is not frequently considered and included in this field and at this level.

    In 2024, shortly after the book was published, we asked students in the time series analysis course of that year to read any one of four stories (related to concepts that were already covered in the course material at that point in time). We asked them to complete a short and informal survey to gauge their experience and insights regarding the potential of this book as a learning resource for them.

    The 53 responses we got indicated that most students saw the book as a useful contribution to their learning experience in time series analysis.

    Student perceptions of value of stories. Author supplied, Author provided (no reuse)

    One positive comment from a student was:

    I will always remember that the Random Walk is indeed not stationary but White Noise is. I already knew it, but now I won’t forget it.

    Will you build on this in future?

    It is definitely valuable to consider similar projects in other branches of statistics, but also, in other disciplines entirely, to develop content by students, for students.

    At this stage, we’re having the stories and book translated into languages beyond English. In large classes that are essential to data science (such as statistics and mathematics), many different home languages may be spoken. Students often have to learn in their second, third, or even fourth language. So, this project is proving valuable in making advanced statistical concepts tactile and “at home” via translations.

    Our publisher recently let us know that the Setswana translation is complete, with the Sepedi and Afrikaans translations following soon. To our knowledge, it’ll be the first such project not only in the discipline of statistics, but in four of the official languages in South Africa.

    – Learning statistics through story: students get creative with numbers
    – https://theconversation.com/learning-statistics-through-story-students-get-creative-with-numbers-261198

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: First report on babies born following pioneering licensed IVF technique to reduce the risk of mitochondrial diseases

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    The first published research findings from the Newcastle team on the children born following pioneering licensed IVF technique to reduce the risk of mitochondrial diseases.

    The research papers, published in New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) by the team based at Newcastle University and the Newcastle Fertility Centre at Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust describe the reproductive and clinical outcomes of pronuclear transfer treatments performed to date.

    In the absence of a cure for mitochondrial DNA diseases, attention has focussed on IVF-based technologies to reduce the risk of disease by limiting transmission of disease-causing mitochondrial DNA mutations from mother to child.

    The UK was the first country to approve laws to allow the use of the ground-breaking IVF-based mitochondrial donation technology, pronuclear transfer, in 2015. The technique is designed to reduce the risk of mitochondrial DNA disease in children born to women who carry high levels of disease-causing mitochondrial DNA mutations.

    Journalists came to this press briefing to hear from clinicians, scientists and embryologists caring for the mothers affected by mitochondrial disease about the first babies, the science, the methods and the data, and to ask their questions. 

    Speakers included:

    Professor Sir Doug Turnbull, Emeritus Professor of Neurology, Newcastle University

    Professor Mary Herbert, Professor of Reproductive Biology, Newcastle University and Monash University

    Professor Bobby McFarland, Director of the NHS Highly Specialised Service for Rare Mitochondrial Disorders (Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust) and Professor of Paediatric Mitochondrial Medicine at Newcastle University

    Dr Louise Hyslop, Consultant Embryologist, Newcastle Fertility Centre, Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

    This Briefing was accompanied by an SMC Roundup of comments. 

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Genome engineering for species conservation

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Much has been made of the potential of genome engineering to bring back extinct species.  But what about its potential for biodiversity and conservation of existing threatened species?

    Traditional conservation techniques such as captive breeding and habitat protection can be successful in boosting population numbers but this can leave species populations with low genetic diversity, leaving them more vulnerable to future threats like new diseases or climate change.

    In a new Perspectives article in Nature Reviews Biodiversity, a team of scientists examines the potential for CRISPR-based editing to complement existing conservation in the following ways:

    1. Restoring lost variation – bringing back genetic diversity that has been lost from the gene pool of the modern populations of threatened species, using DNA from samples of the species collected decades or even centuries ago, which are stored in natural history museums all over the world
    2. Facilitated adaptation – introducing genes from related, better-adapted species to confer traits like heat tolerance or pathogen resistance, equipping threatened species to adapt to rapid environmental change
    3. Reducing genetic load – populations that have previously crashed in numbers often carry harmful mutations that have become fixed by chance, so targeted gene edits could replace these mutations with the healthy variant from before the population crash – with the potential to improve fertility, survival rates, and overall health.

    Is this what the future of conservation looks like?  What potential does it have and what are the risks scientists need to avoid?

    Journalists came to this briefing to hear from three of the authors and put their questions to them.

    Speakers included:

    Prof Cock van Oosterhout, Professor of Evolutionary Genetics at the University of East Anglia 

    Dr Anna Keyte, Species Director at Colossal Biosciences

    Prof Jim Groombridge, Professor of Biodiversity Conservation, Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology, University of Kent

    This Briefing was accompanied by an SMC Roundup of comments. 

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: expert reaction to study looking at estimates of brain ageing and the Covid pandemic

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    A study published in Nature Communications looks at brain ageing during the Covid-19 pandemic. 

    Dr Eugene Duff, Advanced Research Fellow in Informatics, Department of Brain Sciences, Imperial College London, said:

    “Mohammadi-Nejad and colleagues present a unique analysis of MRI data from the UK Biobank study to identify evidence for the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic period – independent of the infection itself – on brain health and aging.  They were able to show that, even in the absence of COVID-19 infection, living through the pandemic was associated with accelerated aging of the brain, and could point to a variety of factors potentially contributing to this acceleration, such as sex and socio-demographic background.  With this approach, the authors were able to quantify more extensive brain health associations of the pandemic period than studies focusing purely on effects of the virus itself.  However, as an observational study it is not possible to fully exclude that factors unrelated to the pandemic could contribute to the observed acceleration. While the events of the pandemic were exceptional, this work demonstrates the stark effects that the conditions of an individual’s life may have on brain and cognitive health, and the value of careful dissection of the myriad of local and global factors contributing to these conditions.”

    Prof Masud Husain, Professor of Neurology & Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Oxford, said:

    “While this is a very carefully conducted analysis, we have to be cautious with interpretation.

    “The brain age difference between the two groups (as indexed by brain scanning) was on average only 5 months, and difference in cognitive performance between groups was only on the total time taken to complete one of the tests.  Is this really going to make a significant difference in everyday life?

    “Furthermore, the time between scans was much shorter in the people scanned before and after the pandemic, compared to those who had both scans before the pandemic. We therefore don’t know if brain aging would have recovered if more time elapsed.”

    Dr Maxime Taquet, Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, said:

    “This landmark brain imaging study suggests that the COVID-19 pandemic may have accelerated brain ageing in some people.  By comparing scans taken more than two years apart, researchers found that the average person’s brain appeared to age an extra 5.5 months for every year lived during the pandemic.  It is important to note that the majority of people showed brain ageing at the expected rate.  However, a higher-than-usual proportion showed striking increases in brain age of an extra 15 to 20 months per year.

    “Among those infected with COVID-19, the increased brain age correlated with lower scores in a test of thinking skills like attention and problem-solving.  This might help explain why some people who had COVID-19 have impaired cognition.

    “The findings raise important questions about the long-term neurological impact of the pandemic, whether due to infection itself or the broader psychological and social stress it caused.  The authors suggest that the observed brain ageing may reflect a biopsychosocial effect combining the impact of COVID-19 infection with the psychological and social stresses of the pandemic.  However, it is also possible that the observed association is primarily biological, driven largely by undetected infections.  An analysis by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation estimated that over 90% of the UK population may have been infected by the end of 2022, meaning that many participants classified as ‘uninfected’ might have had asymptomatic or undocumented cases.  This raises the possibility that viral exposure played a more central role in the study findings than assumed.

    “Another possibility is that the findings do not reflect a causal relationship and are due to a form of selection bias.  For instance, if individuals whose brains were ageing more slowly happened to be scanned sooner, and therefore before the pandemic, this could have contributed to the observed association despite the study’s efforts to rule out such confounding.

    “The study was well-designed and based on unique UK Biobank data with repeated brain scans.  The researchers also acknowledge limitations.  The sample excludes people with chronic illnesses such as diabetes and depression and the UK Biobank underrepresents the most socioeconomically deprived groups, the very populations in which the association between the pandemic and brain ageing was largest. This means the association in the general population could be even more pronounced.”

    ‘Accelerated brain ageing during the COVID19 pandemic’ by Ali-Reza Mohammadi-Nejad et al. was published in Nature Communications at 16:00 UK time on Tuesday 22 July 2025. 

    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-61033-4

    Declared interests

    Dr Eugene Duff: “I have no conflicts of interest.”

    Prof Masud Husain: “I don’t have any conflict of interest.”

    Dr Maxime Taquet: “I do not have a conflict of interest.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: In the Vyshka tent at VK Fest, they sent messages into space and immersed themselves in the virtual world

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: State University “Higher School of Economics” –

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    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: How falling vaccination rates are fuelling the antibiotic resistance crisis

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Ruchika Gupta, Assistant Professor and Medical Microbiologist, Department of Pathobiology and Lab Medicine, London Health Sciences Centre and Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University

    Antibiotic resistance is one of the biggest health threats we face today. It’s often blamed on the overuse of antibiotics, and for a good reason. But there’s another major factor quietly driving this crisis that doesn’t get as much attention: low vaccination rates.

    In early 2025, Ontario had a measles outbreak with 2,200 cases as of mid-July, mostly in people who hadn’t been fully vaccinated. An outbreak in Alberta that began in March has expanded to more than 1,300 cases as of mid-July.

    Measles had been eliminated in Canada since 1998, but it’s now reappearing, largely due to missed or delayed vaccinations. On the surface, these might seem like a limited viral outbreak. But the ripple effects go much further, causing more illness, more complications and, ultimately, more antibiotic use.

    Why measles can lead to antibiotic use

    Measles itself is a viral infection, so antibiotics don’t treat it directly. But the virus weakens the immune system, leaving people vulnerable to bacterial infections like pneumonia or ear infections, conditions that do require antibiotics.

    Unsurprisingly, this pattern isn’t new. A 2019 study published in Pediatrics showed that many children hospitalized with measles in the United States developed secondary infections that required antibiotic treatment, especially pneumonia and ear infections.

    While data from the Ontario outbreak is still being analyzed, experts expect a similar surge in antibiotic prescriptions to treat these preventable complications.

    The antibiotic resistance chain reaction

    Every time we use antibiotics, we give bacteria a chance to adapt.
    (NIAID), CC BY

    Here’s where it gets dangerous. Every time we use antibiotics, we give bacteria a chance to adapt. The most vulnerable bacteria die, but tougher ones survive and spread. This leads to antibiotic resistance where treatments that used to work no longer do.

    Even appropriate use of antibiotics, like treating a bacterial infection after measles, adds to the problem. And the more often we need to prescribe antibiotics, the faster this resistance builds.

    A 2022 global study published in The Lancet estimated that antimicrobial resistance directly caused 1.27 million deaths in 2019 and contributed to many millions more. As resistance spreads, doctors are forced to use more toxic, expensive or last-resort drugs, and sometimes, no effective treatment exists at all.

    Antibiotic resistance means that treatments that used to work no longer do.
    (NIAID), CC BY

    How vaccines help fight resistance

    Vaccines are one of the most powerful tools we have not just to prevent disease, but to reduce antibiotic use and slow resistance. By stopping infections before they happen, vaccines reduce the need for antibiotics in the first place.

    Some vaccines protect directly against bacteria. Pneumococcal vaccines (PCV13, PCV15, PCV20) guard against a major cause of pneumonia, brain infections and ear infections. Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) and diphtheria vaccines prevent other respiratory bacterial diseases.

    Other vaccines protect against viruses, which can weaken the body and open the door to bacterial infections called as secondary bacterial infections.

    The MMR (measles-mumps-rubella) vaccine not only prevents measles but also reduces the chance of bacterial pneumonias that often occur after measles due to immunosuppression.

    The seasonal flu and COVID-19 vaccines help prevent viral infections that can trigger secondary bacterial complications.

    The rotavirus vaccine that protects against diarrheal disease in children has also been shown to reduce antibiotic use by more than 20 per cent, according to a 2024 study in Vaccine.

    In fact, a 2020 study in Nature found that improving childhood vaccination coverage in low- and middle-income countries could reduce antibiotic-treated illnesses in kids under five by more than 20 per cent. That’s a massive step forward in the fight against antibiotic resistance.

    A wake-up call

    The measles outbreaks in Ontario and Alberta aren’t just local issues; they are a global warning. Each missed vaccine doesn’t just put one person at risk; it potentially means more infections, more complications and more antibiotics. That, in turn, means more antibiotic resistance for everyone.

    Vaccines are not just about individual protection. They are a public health strategy that keeps antibiotics effective for when we really need them, especially for vulnerable people like cancer patients, transplant recipients and the elderly, who rely on antibiotics to survive routine infections.

    Vaccines, in fact, do more than prevent disease. They protect our ability to treat infections by reducing the need for antibiotics and slowing the rise of resistant bacteria. With preventable diseases like measles making a comeback, now is the time to recognize the broader impact of vaccine hesitancy.

    Choosing to vaccinate is more than a personal decision. It’s a way to protect our communities and preserve the life-saving power of antibiotics for generations to come.

    Ruchika Gupta 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 falling vaccination rates are fuelling the antibiotic resistance crisis – https://theconversation.com/how-falling-vaccination-rates-are-fuelling-the-antibiotic-resistance-crisis-259682

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: I research rip currents where ‘Cosby Show’ star Malcolm-Jamal Warner drowned. Here’s why they’re so deadly

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Chris Houser, Professor in Department of Earth and Environmental Science, and Dean of Science, University of Waterloo

    Malcolm-Jamal Warner, the actor who played Theo Huxtable on The Cosby Show, has drowned on Costa Rica’s Caribbean coast.

    It is reported that he was swimming at Playa Cocles in Limon province when a current pulled him offshore. This is a beach popular among surfers and one that’s known to have large waves and strong currents.

    It’s also a beach that I have taken students to in order to study the formation of rip currents and to better understand what beach users know about the hazard.

    What exactly are rip currents?

    Rip currents — commonly referred to as rips or colloquially as rip tides — are found on ocean beaches and some large lakes around the world.



    Read more:
    The Great Lakes are powerful. Learning about ‘rip currents’ can help prevent drowning

    The rips at Playa Cocles and along a large part of the Costa Rican Caribbean coast are known as channel or bathymetric rips that form as the nearshore sand bar moves toward the land through the summer. The water thrown towards the land by the breaking waves returns offshore as a concentrated and fast flowing current at gaps in the nearshore sand bar.

    During storm conditions, we have measured the rip currents at Playa Cocles at over two metres per second. These rips are known to increase rapidly (or pulse) in strength due to changes in wave breaking, leading to unsuspecting swimmers being taken far offshore and exiting beyond the zone of breaking waves.

    Rip current at Playa Cocles showing change in size and strength with surfers for scale. (Chris Houser)

    While it can be difficult to spot a rip from shore, they can be identified by an area of relatively calm water between breaking waves, a patch of darker water or the offshore flow of water, sediment and debris.

    Caught in a rip current

    A person caught in a rip is transported away from shore into deeper waters, but they aren’t pulled under the water. If they are a weak swimmer or try to fight the current, they may panic and fail to find a way out of the rip and back to shore. Survivor stories highlight panic, anxiety, distress and fear, a tendency to fight the current and an inability to make a decision on how to escape the rip.

    While it is possible to “break the grip of the rip” by swimming parallel to the beach or toward breaking waves at an angle to the beach, there is no single escape strategy due to the unique rip circulation pattern.

    It’s possible to escape a rip by flipping onto your back, floating to keep your head above the water and following the current until you’re returned to the shore by the current or able to swim safely toward the shore. If you are taken beyond where the waves break, or you’re unable to swim back to shore, continue to float and signal for help.

    Rip currents account for more than 50 deaths a year in Costa Rica; approximately 19 drownings a year involve foreign tourists from the United States, Nicaragua, Canada and Germany. While most drownings in the country occur on Pacific coast beaches that are a short distance to the city of San José, more than five drownings occur each year along the Caribbean coast.

    Playa Cocles was the site of five drownings that occurred over eight days in 2004, an event that prompted tourism-dependent business owners to establish a lifeguard station on the beach.

    Costa Rican drownings

    On average, each drowning in Costa Rica costs more than US$2 million (USD). This includes the direct costs of search and rescue, the costs of repatriation and the long-term economic burden of a lost life. This is in addition to the great personal loss experienced by family and friends.

    A survey at Playa Cocles and other beaches in Costa Rica revealed that a majority of beach users did not observe warning signs and that many were unable to interpret the warning and did not change their behaviour.

    The majority of foreign drowning victims in Costa Rica had limited knowledge of rips and were unable to avoid the times and locations that were most hazardous.

    In general, visitors to a beach often use simple visual cues when deciding to take risks. Recent studies suggest that tourists think beach access points and resorts are located adjacent to safe swimming areas, particularly when visual cues such as manicured paths and promotional posters that promote swimming at those locations.

    Visitors are a high-risk group for drownings. They’re generally unfamiliar with the beach and its safety measures and often have poor knowledge of beach hazards, such as rip currents and breaking waves. This lack of knowledge can be exacerbated by language barriers, an overconfidence in swimming ability and peer pressure.

    Rip current and beach users at Playa Cocles. The red flag was placed by lifeguards to mark the location of the rip for beach users. (Chris Houser)

    Playa Cocles is a beautiful beach, but it’s known to have dangerous rips depending on the size of the breaking waves and the position of the sand bar.

    When visiting any beach — from the Caribbean to the Great Lakes — it’s important to remember that there may be rip currents and to take serious precautions.

    Chris Houser receives funding from NSERC.

    – ref. I research rip currents where ‘Cosby Show’ star Malcolm-Jamal Warner drowned. Here’s why they’re so deadly – https://theconversation.com/i-research-rip-currents-where-cosby-show-star-malcolm-jamal-warner-drowned-heres-why-theyre-so-deadly-261653

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Ghana’s security strategy has kept terror attacks at bay: what other countries can learn from its approach

    Source: The Conversation – Africa (2) – By Paa Kwesi Wolseley Prah, Postdoctoral Fellow, Dublin City University

    Ghana stands out in west Africa as a nation that has not experienced terrorist attacks, even though it’s geographically close to countries that have. In Burkina Faso, Mali and Nigeria, extremist groups such as Boko Haram and Islamic State in West Africa (ISWAP) have wreaked havoc.

    This resilience is not accidental. It is the result of deliberate counter-terrorism strategies employed by Ghana’s security institutions.

    Ghana’s counter-terrorism framework was set out in 2020. It has four pillars: prevent, pre-empt, protect, and respond. The idea is to coordinate multiple agencies, including the Ghana Police Service, Ghana Immigration Service, Ghana Armed Forces and the National Intelligence Bureau.

    These pillars guide strategies to address both immediate threats and underlying vulnerabilities. Poverty, religious radicalism and porous borders are common drivers of terrorism in west Africa.

    I am an international security and global governance researcher. My co-author is a government and international studies scholar.

    Four years ago we wrote a paper examining Ghana’s resilience against terrorist attacks. Our findings are still relevant given the increasing activities of terror groups in the west African region.



    Read more:
    West Africa terror: why attacks on military bases are rising – and four ways to respond

    We wanted to identify what works as a potential model for other countries.

    Using a qualitative methodology, we interviewed stakeholders — including police officers, members of the armed forces, Muslim community leaders, and immigration officials. We also analysed the national framework for preventing and countering violent extremism and terrorism.

    Our findings showed that Ghana’s success is traceable to an approach that integrates community engagement with advanced border technology, inter-agency training, media collaboration and intelligence operations. And it addresses both immediate and underlying threats.

    We argue that Ghana’s ability to balance prevention with security offers solutions for stability in a geopolitically volatile region.



    Read more:
    Ghana’s new president faces tough regional security problems: why he’s well-placed to tackle them

    Community engagement

    One of the standout strategies is community engagement. This serves multiple purposes, from guiding people away from extremism to gathering intelligence.

    The Ghana Police Service, for instance, engages Muslim-dominated communities, known as “Zongos”, to counter radical Islamic ideologies that could be exploited by terrorist groups.

    By collaborating with local religious leaders, police make communities aware of the dangers of radicalisation. They foster trust and encourage residents to report suspicious activities. This approach also works in tackling illegal arms circulation.

    Ghana has an estimated 2.3 million small arms in circulation – 1.1 million of them illegally possessed. The availability of so many weapons fuels terrorist activities across west Africa.

    Community based de-radicalisation aligns with global best practices. In Norway, for instance, it was used to disengage youth from extremist groups.

    Technology at borders

    Ghana’s border control management is another part of its counter-terrorism strategy. Ghana Immigration Service uses advanced security software and integrated systems like the “Immigration 360” system, designed to fully automate passenger processing and data management.

    The system manages records of fingerprints and other data to improve reporting and intelligence sharing between Ghana Immigration and other security agencies.

    The technology makes it possible to quickly identity individuals on terrorist watchlists and detects concealed goods. This helps prevent illegal cross-border movements.

    There are gaps in Ghana’s defences, however. The influx of migrants fleeing extremist violence in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger in 2024 highlights the urgency of scaling up investments in the technology.



    Read more:
    West Africa could soon have a jihadist state – here’s why

    Training for preparedness

    Ghana combats new and varying forms of terrorism by uncovering trends and training personnel to deal with them.

    A notable example was the six-day joint training in 2022 involving the Ghana Immigration Service, Police Service, Customs, Economic and Organised Crime Office, and the National Intelligence Bureau.

    The country also works with regional neighbours like Burkina Faso, Togo and Benin, and partners such as the United States, through initiatives like “Operation Epic Guardian”.

    Media as a strategic partner

    Terrorists rely on media to amplify fear and publicise their causes. Ghana’s security agencies counter this tactic by actively engaging media houses to report accurately.

    The Ghana Armed Forces, for instance, works with media to debunk false reports, which can cause public panic and inadvertently aid terrorists.

    The Ghana Police Service emphasises regular dialogue with media to ensure sensitive information is verified before publication, reducing the risk of tipping off suspects. However, media competition for viewers poses a challenge.

    Surveillance and intelligence gathering

    Surveillance and intelligence gathering is critical. Plainclothes armed forces and immigration personnel blend into communities to monitor potential threats. The approach has worked but is constrained by resources.

    It can also risk human rights violations, such as wrongful profiling, and is less effective against multiple targets compared to technological solutions like facial recognition or CCTV.



    Read more:
    Funding terror: how west Africa’s deadly jihadists get the money they need to survive

    Challenges and regional implications

    Despite its successes, Ghana’s counter-terrorism framework faces challenges that could undermine its long-term efficacy:

    • logistical and financial constraints

    • the influx of migrants fleeing regional violence

    • a lack of harmonised security cultures within the regional body, Ecowas.

    In all, Ghana’s strategies offer lessons for west Africa, where terrorism is a growing threat.

    Its community engagement model could be followed in Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger to counter radicalisation and arms proliferation, provided it avoids religious stereotyping.

    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. Ghana’s security strategy has kept terror attacks at bay: what other countries can learn from its approach – https://theconversation.com/ghanas-security-strategy-has-kept-terror-attacks-at-bay-what-other-countries-can-learn-from-its-approach-260333

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Livestock and lions make uneasy neighbours: how a fence upgrade helped protect domestic and wild animals in Tanzania

    Source: The Conversation – Africa (2) – By Jonathan Salerno, Associate Professor, Colorado State University, Colorado State University

    Protecting livestock in areas where large carnivores (like lions) live is increasingly important as human land use expands, wildlife habitat shrinks, and climatic changes reshape the ways in which humans and wildlife interact. Protecting the carnivores from livestock owners is important too. Intact carnivore populations support more resilient food webs and the ecosystem services they provide.

    It’s not easy for people, livestock, and carnivores to live together without conflict, though. One of the best ways to reduce conflict is to protect livestock like cattle and sheep from being attacked by predators.

    There are various methods to do this, like guarding livestock or erecting fences. That’s all very well for the livestock inside the fences, but do predators simply turn to the nearest unprotected livestock for their meal instead? Are the neighbours’ cattle, sheep, and goats at greater risk? This question hasn’t been explored much by researchers.

    We’re a group of conservation practitioners and scientists who have studied the interactions of carnivores, livestock, and people in Tanzania and elsewhere for decades to try and find solutions to conflict problems.

    Our study area is next to a national park which protects important populations of lion, leopard, hyena, African wild dog, and cheetah. The people who live here have traditionally kept their livestock overnight in enclosures made of acacia-thorn branches. More recently, some of them have built pens, or corrals, from tall chain link fencing. We knew from years working with communities and from previous research that these fortified corrals were effective at keeping livestock safe from predators.

    Our next step was to find out whether this made other nearby livestock less safe.



    Read more:
    What’s behind the conflict between people and animals in Tanzania

    The results were intriguing. We found that the new enclosures made predation less likely in the nearby traditional enclosures too.

    This type of beneficial spillover effect had yet to be documented in other systems where interventions aim to protect livestock from large carnivores.

    Our results show that in conservation, it’s important to look closely at complex local dynamics. The findings may help explain why there’s so much uncertainty about the effectiveness of various human–wildlife conflict mitigation strategies.

    Beneficial spillover effects

    People who keep livestock in east Africa have long had strategies to keep their animals safe from large carnivores. Sometimes acacia-thorn night enclosures (known locally as bomas), intensive herding practices, and guarding dogs work well.

    Other times, and especially in communities within and adjacent to large, protected carnivore populations, traditional strategies fall short.

    This is the case in Tanzania’s Ruaha-Rungwa Landscape. In our study area adjacent to Ruaha National Park, any pastoralist or agropastoralist (herding and crop farming) household has about a 30% chance of losing one or more animals to predation each year. This is a serious economic loss on top of important cultural and emotional costs.



    Read more:
    Losing a calf to wolves in Sweden hurts. But if lions take one in Uganda, a farming family’s income is gone

    Lion Landscapes, an organisation that some of us have been running for over a decade, works to support human-carnivore coexistence. Adjacent to Ruaha, we have been partnering with households to build 1.8-metre chain-link corrals. We subsidise them. Households contribute 25% of the cost and some of the labour for construction.

    We analysed about 25,000 monthly reports of livestock predation in fenced and traditional enclosures, using statistical models. There were 846 predation events over nearly four years. Unexpectedly, while we did detect spillover effects, these appeared to be beneficial. Rather than displacing conflicts, fortified enclosures actually conferred protective effects on their traditional-enclosure neighbours.

    For example, households within 50 metres (the minimum observed distance) of a fortified enclosure were half as likely to experience predation compared with distant households 2 kilometres away. And these beneficial effects increased with the number of fortified enclosures in a neighbourhood. Finally, the effects appeared to be durable over time.

    The fortified enclosures were extremely effective. We showed that households could break even after paying for the fence in just a few years through avoided livestock losses. And we know that when domestic animals aren’t being killed, their owners are more tolerant of predators. We didn’t record carnivore killings in this study but it has happened fairly frequently in the area in the past.

    In a few of the world’s human-wildlife conflict systems, where data exist to assess spillover effects, there is evidence that detrimental spillovers do occur. For instance, beehive deterrents may redirect elephants to nearby crop fields, or lethal removal of individual wolves may redirect the surviving pack to prey on adjacent ranches. Nevertheless, these are very under-studied interactions.

    Livestock management and carnivore coexistence

    In systems where humans, livestock, and wildlife overlap and sometimes come into conflict, management strategies too often focus on wildlife. Another option is to reduce whatever attracts wildlife. In the case of large carnivores, this means managing livestock.



    Read more:
    Livestock are threatened by predators – but old-fashioned shepherding may be an effective solution

    Our results support this approach by demonstrating that management and protection of livestock is fundamental for reducing conflict, and can benefit not only livestock owners but landscape-level coexistence.

    Conservationists and policy-makers need to encourage these practices that benefit people, carnivores, and livestock in shared landscapes.

    Amy Dickman works for Lion Landscapes as the Joint CEO

    Jonathan Salerno, Kevin Crooks, Rekha Warrier, and Stewart Breck 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. Livestock and lions make uneasy neighbours: how a fence upgrade helped protect domestic and wild animals in Tanzania – https://theconversation.com/livestock-and-lions-make-uneasy-neighbours-how-a-fence-upgrade-helped-protect-domestic-and-wild-animals-in-tanzania-258113

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Learning statistics through story: students get creative with numbers

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Johan Ferreira, Professor, University of the Witwatersrand

    Photo by Markus Krisetya via Unsplash

    Statistics professor Johan Ferreira was feeling overwhelmed by the amount of “screen time” involved in online learning in 2021. He imagined students must be feeling the same way, and wondered what he could do to inspire them and make his subject matter more appealing.

    One of the topics in statistics is time series analysis: statistical methods to understand trend behaviour in data which is measured over time. There are lots of examples in daily life, from rainfall records to changes in commodity prices, import or exports, or temperature.

    Ferreira asked his students to write a short, fictional “bedtime” story using “characters” from time series analysis. The results were collected into a book that is freely available. He tells us more about it.

    Why use storytelling to learn about statistics?

    I’m fortunate to be something of a creative myself, being a professional oboe player with the Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra. It’s a valuable outlet for self-expression. I reflected on what other activity could inspire creativity without compromising the essence of statistical thinking that was required in this particular course I was teaching.

    I invited my third-year science and commerce students at the University of Pretoria to take part in a voluntary storytelling exercise, using key concepts in time series analysis as characters. Students got some guidelines but were free to be creative. My colleague and co-editor, Dr Seite Makgai, and I then read, commented on and edited the stories and put them together into an anthology.

    Students gave their consent that their stories could be used for research purposes and might be published. Out of a class of over 200 students, over 30 contributions were received; 23 students permitted their work to be included in this volume.

    We curated submissions into two sections (Part I: Fables and Fairy Tales and Part II: Fantasy and Sci-Fi) based on the general style and gist of the work.

    The project aimed to develop a new teaching resource, inspire students to take ownership of their learning in a creative way, and support them through informal, project-based peer learning.

    This collection is written by students, for students. They used personal and cultural contexts relevant to their background and environment to create content that has a solid background in their direct academic interests. And the stories are available without a paywall!

    What are some of the characters and stories?

    Student Lebogang Malebati wrote Stationaryville and the Two Brothers, a tale about AR(1) and AR(2). In statistics, AR refers to processes in which numerical values are based on past values. The brothers “were both born with special powers, powers that could make them stationary…” and could trick an evil wizard.

    David Dodkins wrote Zt and the Shadow-spawn. In this story, Zt (common notation in time series analysis) has a magic amulet that reveals his character growth through a sequence of models and shows the hero’s victory in the face of adversity. He is a function of those that came before him (through an AR process).

    Then there’s Nelis Daniels’ story about a shepherd plagued by a wolf called Arma (autoregressive moving average) which kept making sheep disappear.

    And Dikelede Rose Motseleng’s modern fable about the love-hate relationship between AR(1) (“more of a linear guy” with a bad habit of predicting the future based on the past) and MA(1), “the type of girl who would always provide you with stationarity (stability).”

    What was the impact of the project?

    It was a deeply enriching experience for us to see how students see statistics in a context beyond that of the classroom, especially in cases where students reformulated their stories within their own cultural identities or niche interests.

    Three particular main impacts stand out for us:

    • students have a new additional reference and learning resource for the course content

    • new students can refer to the experiences and contextualisation of this content of former students, leading to informal peer learning

    • students engage in a cognitive skill (higher-order and creative thinking) that is not frequently considered and included in this field and at this level.

    In 2024, shortly after the book was published, we asked students in the time series analysis course of that year to read any one of four stories (related to concepts that were already covered in the course material at that point in time). We asked them to complete a short and informal survey to gauge their experience and insights regarding the potential of this book as a learning resource for them.

    The 53 responses we got indicated that most students saw the book as a useful contribution to their learning experience in time series analysis.

    One positive comment from a student was:

    I will always remember that the Random Walk is indeed not stationary but White Noise is. I already knew it, but now I won’t forget it.

    Will you build on this in future?

    It is definitely valuable to consider similar projects in other branches of statistics, but also, in other disciplines entirely, to develop content by students, for students.

    At this stage, we’re having the stories and book translated into languages beyond English. In large classes that are essential to data science (such as statistics and mathematics), many different home languages may be spoken. Students often have to learn in their second, third, or even fourth language. So, this project is proving valuable in making advanced statistical concepts tactile and “at home” via translations.

    Our publisher recently let us know that the Setswana translation is complete, with the Sepedi and Afrikaans translations following soon. To our knowledge, it’ll be the first such project not only in the discipline of statistics, but in four of the official languages in South Africa.

    Johan Ferreira receives funding from the Centre of Excellence in Mathematical and Statistical Sciences, based at the University of the Witwatersrand, towards this Scholarship of Learning and Teaching project.

    – ref. Learning statistics through story: students get creative with numbers – https://theconversation.com/learning-statistics-through-story-students-get-creative-with-numbers-261198

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK Biobank’s whole body imaging project scans 100,000 volunteers

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    UK Biobank has reached its target of scanning 100,000 volunteers as part of a landmark project to provide for scientific research the most detailed look inside the human body. This is now the world’s largest whole-body imaging project – scanning the brains, hearts, abdomens, blood vessels, bones and joints of volunteers to give researchers a new layer of detail to explore what happens in people’s bodies as they age and how and why we become ill as we age.

    One billion images have now been generated from these scans, and tens of thousands of researchers around the world have been using these (as it has been released in batches since the project began) along with UK Biobank’s information on lifestyle, medical history, genetics and blood proteins from the same volunteers, to do research into ill health.

    Findings from the 1,300 peer-reviewed papers using this data so far include better brain scanning for patients with dementia symptoms in NHS memory clinics, faster analysis of heart scans in over 90 countries, and developments in understanding biological age of organs versus chronological age.

    Soon, approved researchers will have access to the full set of imaging data from all 100,000 volunteers to help develop new diagnostics, preventative medicines and treatments.

    Journalists came to this press briefing to ask your questions and to hear from those running the project discuss:

    – What’s so special about this data and why are researchers so excited by it?

    – How is this project helping the UK and the NHS right now?

    – What scientific findings have the imaging data already led to?

    – Why is the focus now switching to repeating scans of people, rather than scanning more people?

    – Who can use this data and what can they use it for?

    Speakers included:

    Prof Sir Rory Collins, Principal Investigator and Chief Executive, UK Biobank

    Prof Naomi Allen, Chief Scientist, UK Biobank

    Prof Paul Matthews, Chair of the UK Biobank Imaging Working Group; and Edmond and Lily Safra Professor of Translational Neuroscience and Therapeutics, Imperial College London; and Director, The Rosalind Franklin Institute

    Prof Louise Thomas, Professor of Metabolic Imaging, University of Westminster

    Prof Rachel McKendry, Executive Director, Discovery, Wellcome

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Security: #StopRansomware: Interlock

    Source: US Department of Homeland Security

    Summary

    Note: This joint Cybersecurity Advisory is part of an ongoing #StopRansomware effort to publish advisories for network defenders that detail various ransomware variants and ransomware threat actors. These #StopRansomware advisories include recently and historically observed tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) and indicators of compromise (IOCs) to help organizations protect against ransomware. Visit stopransomware.gov to see all #StopRansomware advisories and to learn more about other ransomware threats and no-cost resources.

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center (MS-ISAC)—hereafter referred to as “the authoring organizations”—are releasing this joint advisory to disseminate known Interlock ransomware IOCs and TTPs identified through FBI investigations (as recently as June 2025) and trusted third-party reporting.

    The Interlock ransomware variant was first observed in late September 2024, targeting various business, critical infrastructure, and other organizations in North America and Europe. FBI maintains these actors target their victims based on opportunity, and their activity is financially motivated. FBI is aware of Interlock ransomware encryptors designed for both Windows and Linux operating systems; these encryptors have been observed encrypting virtual machines (VMs) across both operating systems. FBI observed actors obtaining initial access via drive-by download from compromised legitimate websites, which is an uncommon method among ransomware groups. Actors were also observed using the ClickFix social engineering technique for initial access, in which victims are tricked into executing a malicious payload under the guise of fixing an issue on the victim’s system. Actors then use various methods for discovery, credential access, and lateral movement to spread to other systems on the network.

    Interlock actors employ a double extortion model in which actors encrypt systems after exfiltrating data, which increases pressure on victims to pay the ransom to both get their data decrypted and prevent it from being leaked. 

    FBI, CISA, HHS, and MS-ISAC encourage organizations to implement the recommendations in the Mitigations section of this advisory to reduce the likelihood and impact of Interlock ransomware incidents.

    Download the PDF version of this report:

    For a downloadable copy of IOCs, see:

    Note: This advisory uses the MITRE ATT&CK® Matrix for Enterprise framework, version 17. See the MITRE ATT&CK Tactics and Techniques section of this advisory for tables mapped to the threat actors’ activity.

    Overview

    Since September 2024, Interlock ransomware actors have impacted a wide range of businesses and critical infrastructure sectors in North America and Europe. These actors are opportunistic and financially motivated in nature and employ tactics to infiltrate and disrupt the victim’s ability to provide their essential services. 

    Interlock actors leverage a double extortion model, in which they both encrypt and exfiltrate victim data. Ransom notes do not include an initial ransom demand or payment instructions; instead, victims are provided with a unique code and are instructed to contact the ransomware group via a .onion URL through the Tor browser. To date, Interlock actors have been observed encrypting VMs, leaving hosts, workstations, and physical servers unaffected; however, this does not mean they will not expand to these systems in the future. To counter Interlock actors’ threat to VMs, enterprise defenders should implement robust endpoint detection and response (EDR) tooling and capabilities.

    The authoring agencies are aware of emerging open-source reporting detailing similarities between the Rhysida and Interlock ransomware variants.1 For additional information on Rhysida ransomware, see the joint advisory, #StopRansomware: Rhysida Ransomware.

    Initial Access

    FBI has observed Interlock actors obtaining initial access [TA0001] via drive-by download [T1189] from compromised legitimate websites, an atypical method for ransomware actors. Interlock ransomware methods for initial access have previously disguised malicious payloads as fake Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge browser updates, though a cybersecurity company recently reported a shift to payload filenames masquerading as updates for common security software (see Table 5 for a list of filenames).2

    In some instances, FBI has observed Interlock actors using the ClickFix social engineering technique, in which unsuspecting users are prompted to execute a malicious payload by clicking a fake Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart (CAPTCHA) [T1189]. The CAPTCHA contains instructions for users to open the Windows Run window, paste the clipboard contents, and then execute a malicious Base64-encoded PowerShell process [T1204.004].3

    Note: This ClickFix technique has been used in several other malware campaigns, including Lumma Stealer and DarkGate.4

    Execution and Persistence

    Based on FBI investigations, the fake Google Chrome browser executable functions as a remote access trojan (RAT) [T1105] designed to execute a PowerShell script [T1059.001] that drops a file into the Windows Startup folder. From there, the file is designed to run the RAT every time the victim logs in [T1547.001], establishing persistence [TA0003]. 

    FBI also observed instances in which Interlock actors executed a PowerShell command designed to establish persistence via a Windows Registry key modification [T1547.001]. To do so, Interlock actors used a PowerShell command [T1059.001] designed to add a run key value named “Chrome Updater” [T1036.005] that uses a specific log file as an argument upon user login.

    Reconnaissance

    To facilitate reconnaissance, a PowerShell script executes a series of commands [T1059.001] designed to gather information on victim machines (see Table 1).

    Table 1. PowerShell Commands for Reconnaissance
    PowerShell Command Description
    WindowsIdentity.GetCurrent() Returns a WindowsIdentity object that represents the current Windows user [T1033].
    systeminfo Displays detailed configuration information [T1082] about a computer and its operating system, including operating system configuration, security information, product ID, and hardware properties.
    tasklist/svc Lists unabridged service information [T1007] for each process currently running on the local computer.
    Get-Service Gets objects that represent the services [T1007] on a computer, including running and stopped services.
    Get-PSDrive

    Gets the drives [T1082] in the current session, such as:

    • Windows logical drives on the computer, including drives mapped to network shares.
    • Drives exposed by PowerShell providers.
    • Session-specified temporary drives and persistent mapped network drives.
       
    arp -a Displays and modifies entries in the Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) cache table [T1016], which contains entries on the IPv4 and IPv6 addresses on host endpoints.

    Command and Control

    FBI observed Interlock actors using command and control (C2) [TA0011] applications like Cobalt Strike and SystemBC. Interlock actors also used Interlock RAT5 and NodeSnake RAT (as of March 2025)6 for C2 and executing commands.

    Credential Access, Lateral Movement, and Privilege Escalation

    FBI observed that once Interlock actors establish remote control of a compromised system, they use a series of PowerShell commands to download a credential stealer (cht.exe) [TA0006] and keylogger binary (klg.dll) [T1056.001],[T1105]. According to open source reporting, the credential stealer collects login information and associated URLs for victims’ online accounts [T1555.003], while the keylogger dynamic link library (DLL) logs users’ keystrokes in a file named conhost.txt [T1036.005].7 As of February 2025, private cybersecurity analysts also observed Interlock ransomware infections executing different versions of information stealers [TA0006], including Lumma Stealer8 and Berserk Stealer, to harvest credentials for lateral movement and privilege escalation [T1078].9

    Interlock actors leverage compromised credentials and Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP)10 [T1021.001] to move between systems. They also use tools like AnyDesk to enable remote connectivity and PuTTY to assist with lateral movement [T1219].11 In addition to stealing users’ online credentials, Interlock actors have compromised domain administrator accounts (possibly by using a Kerberoasting attack [T1558.003])12 to gain additional privileges [T1078.002]. 

    Collection and Exfiltration

    Interlock actors leverage Azure Storage Explorer (StorageExplorer.exe) to navigate victims’ Microsoft Azure Storage accounts [T1530] prior to exfiltrating data. According to open source reporting, Interlock actors execute AzCopy to exfiltrate data by uploading it to the Azure storage blob [T1567.002].13 Interlock actors also exfiltrate data over file transfer tools, including WinSCP [T1048].

    Impact

    Following data exfiltration, Interlock actors deploy the encryption binary as a 64-bit executable named conhost.exe [T1486],[T1036.005]. FBI has observed Interlock ransomware encryptors for both Windows and Linux operating systems. Encryptors are designed to encrypt files using a combined Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) and Rivest-Shamir-Adleman (RSA) algorithm. In addition, cybersecurity researchers have identified Interlock ransomware samples using a FreeBSD ELF encryptor [T1486], a departure from usual Linux encryptors designed for VMware ESXi servers and VMs.14

    A cybersecurity company identified a DLL binary named tmp41.wasd—executed after encryption using rundll32.exe [T1218.011]—which uses the remove() function to delete the encryption binary [T1070.004];15 on Linux machines, the encryptor uses a similar technique to execute the removeme function. 

    Encrypted files are appended with either a .interlock or .1nt3rlock file extension, alongside a ransom note titled !__README__!.txt delivered via group policy object (GPO). Interlock actors use a double-extortion model [T1657], encrypting systems after exfiltrating data. The ransom note provides each victim with a unique code and instructions to contact the ransomware actors via a .onion URL. 

    Interlock actors do not leave an initial ransom demand or payment instructions on compromised networks, and do not relay this information until contacted by the victim. The actors instruct victims to make ransom payments in Bitcoin to cryptocurrency wallet addresses provided by the actors. The actors threaten to publish the victim’s exfiltrated data to their leak site on the Tor network unless the victim pays the ransom demand; the actors have previously followed through on this threat.16

    See Table 2 for publicly available tools and applications used by Interlock ransomware actors. This includes legitimate tools repurposed for their operations.

    Disclaimer: Use of these tools and applications should not be attributed as malicious without analytical evidence to support threat actor use and/or control.

    Table 2. Tools Used by Interlock Ransomware Actors
    Tool Name Description
    AnyDesk A common legitimate remote monitoring and management (RMM) tool maliciously used by Interlock actors to obtain remote access and maintain persistence. AnyDesk also supports remote file transfer.
    Cobalt Strike A penetration testing tool used by security professionals to test the security of networks and systems.
    PowerShell A cross-platform task automation solution made up of a command-line shell, a scripting language, and a configuration management framework, which runs on Windows, Linux, and macOS.
    PSExec A tool designed to run programs and execute commands on remote systems.
    PuTTY.exe An open source file transfer application commonly used to remotely connect to systems via Secure Shell (SSH). PuTTY also supports file transfer protocols like Secure File Transfer Protocol (SFTP) and Secure Copy Protocol (SCP).
    ScreenConnect A remote support, access, and meeting software that allows users to control devices remotely over the internet. CISA observed Interlock actors using a cracked version of this software in at least one incident. These versions may be standalone versions not connecting to ScreenConnect’s official cloud domains (domains available upon request from ConnectWise).
    SystemBC Enables Interlock actors to compromise systems, run commands, download malicious payloads, and act as a proxy tool to the actors’ C2 servers.
    Windows Console Host Windows Console Host (conhost.exe) manages the user interface for command-line applications in Windows, including Command Prompt and PowerShell. 
    WinSCP A free and open source SSH File Transfer Protocol (FTP), WebDAV, Amazon S3, and secure copy protocol client.

    See Table 3 and Table 4 for files used by Interlock ransomware actors. These were obtained from FBI investigations as recently as June 2025.

    Disclaimer: Some of the hashes are for legitimate tools and applications and should not be attributed as malicious without analytical evidence to support threat actor use and/or control. The authoring agencies recommend organizations investigate or vet these hashes prior to taking action, such as blocking.

    Table 3. Files Used by Interlock Ransomware Actors (SHA-256)
    File Name Hash
    1.ps1 fba4883bf4f73aa48a957d894051d78e0085ecc3170b1ff50e61ccec6aeee2cd 
    advanced_port_scanner.exe 4b036cc9930bb42454172f888b8fde1087797fc0c9d31ab546748bd2496bd3e5
    Aisa.exe 18a507bf1c533aad8e6f2a2b023fbbcac02a477e8f05b095ee29b52b90d47421
    AnyDesk.exe 1a70f4eef11fbecb721b9bab1c9ff43a8c4cd7b2cafef08c033c77070c6fe069
    autoservice.dll a4069aa29628e64ea63b4fb3e29d16dcc368c5add304358a47097eedafbbb565
    Autostart.exe d535bdc9970a3c6f7ebf0b229c695082a73eaeaf35a63cd8a0e7e6e3ceb22795
    cht FAFCD5404A992850FFCFFEE46221F9B2FF716006AECB637B80E5CD5AA112D79C
    cht.exe C20BABA26EBB596DE14B403B9F78DDC3C13CE9870EEA332476AC2C1DD582AA07
    cleanup.dll (SystemBC) 1845a910dcde8c6e45ad2e0c48439e5ab8bbbeb731f2af11a1b7bbab3bfe0127
    conhost 44887125aa2df864226421ee694d51e5535d8c6f70e327e9bcb366e43fd892c1
    conhost.dll a70af759e38219ca3a7f7645f3e103b13c9fb1db6d13b68f3d468b7987540ddf
    conhost.dll 96babe53d6569ee3b4d8fc09c2a6557e49ebc2ed1b965abda0f7f51378557eb1
    difxepi.dll (SystemBC) 1845a910dcde8c6e45ad2e0c48439e5ab8bbbeb731f2af11a1b7bbab3bfe0127
    iexplore.exe d0c1662ce239e4d288048c0e3324ec52962f6ddda77da0cb7af9c1d9c2f1e2eb
    klg.dll A4F0B68052E8DA9A80B70407A92400C6A5DEF19717E0240AC608612476E1137E
    !!!OPEN_ME!!!.txt 68A49D5A097E3850F3BB572BAF2B75A8E158DADB70BADDC205C2628A9B660E7A
    processhacker-2.39-bin.zip 88f26f3721076f74996f8518469d98bf9be0eaee5b9eccc72867ebfc25ea4e83
    PsExec.exe 078163d5c16f64caa5a14784323fd51451b8c831c73396b967b4e35e6879937b
    putty.exe 7a43789216ce242524e321d2222fa50820a532e29175e0a2e685459a19e09069
    puttyportable.exe 97931d2e2e449ac3691eb526f6f60e2f828de89074bdac07bd7dbdfd51af9fa0
    PuTTYPortable.zip ff7ad2376ae01e4b3f1e1d7ae630f87b8262b5c11bc5d953e1ac34ffe81401b5
    qrpce91.exe.asd 64a0ab00d90682b1807c5d7da1a4ae67cde4c5757fc7d995d8f126f0ec8ae983
    ScreenConnect.ClientService.exe 2814b33ce81d2d2e528bb1ed4290d665569f112c9be54e65abca50c41314d462
    SophosendpointAgent.exe f51b3d054995803d04a754ea3ff7d31823fab654393e8054b227092580be43db
    SophosScaner.exe dfb5ba578b81f05593c047f2c822eeb03785aecffb1504dcb7f8357e898b5024
    Starship.exe 94bf0aba5f9f32b9c35e8dfc70afd8a35621ed6ef084453dc1b10719ae72f8e2
    start 28c3c50d115d2b8ffc7ba0a8de9572fbe307907aaae3a486aabd8c0266e9426f
    start.exe 70bb799557da5ac4f18093decc60c96c13359e30f246683815a512d7f9824c8f
    StorageExplorer.exe 73a9a1e38ff40908bcc15df2954246883dadfb991f3c74f6c514b4cffdabde66
    Sysmon.sys 1d04e33009bcd017898b9e1387e40b5c04279c02ebc110f12e4a724ccdb9e4fb
    upd_2327991.exe 7b9e12e3561285181634ab32015eb653ab5e5cfa157dd16cdd327104b258c332
    webujgd.lnk 70EE22D394E107FBB807D86D187C216AD66B8537EDC67931559A8AEF18F6B5B3
    WinSCP-6.3.5-Setup.exe 8eb7e3e8f3ee31d382359a8a232c984bdaa130584cad11683749026e5df1fdc3
    Proxy Tool e4d6fe517cdf3790dfa51c62457f5acd8cb961ab1f083de37b15fd2fddeb9b8f
    Encryptor e86bb8361c436be94b0901e5b39db9b6666134f23cce1e5581421c2981405cb1
    Encryptor c733d85f445004c9d6918f7c09a1e0d38a8f3b37ad825cd544b865dba36a1ba6
    Encryptor 28c3c50d115d2b8ffc7ba0a8de9572fbe307907aaae3a486aabd8c0266e9426f
    Table 4. Files Used by Interlock Ransomware Actors (SHA-1)
    File Name Hash
    autorun.log 514946a8fc248de1ccf0dbeee2108a3b4d75b5f6
    jar.jar b625cc9e4024d09084e80a4a42ab7ccaa6afb61d
    pack.jar 3703374c9622f74edc9c8e3a47a5d53007f7721e

    See Table 5 through Table 16 for all referenced threat actor tactics and techniques in this advisory. For assistance with mapping malicious cyber activity to the MITRE ATT&CK framework, see CISA and MITRE ATT&CK’s Best Practices for MITRE ATT&CK Mapping and CISA’s Decider Tool.

    Table 5. Initial Access
    Technique Title ID Use
    Drive-By Compromise T1189

    Interlock actors obtain initial access by compromising a legitimate website that network users visit, or by disguising malicious payloads as fake browser updates or common security software, including the following:17

    • FortiClient.exe
    • Ivanti-Secure-Access-Client.exe
    • GlobalProtect.exe
    • Webex.exe
    • AnyConnectVPN.exe
    • Cisco-Secure-Client.exe
    • zyzoom_antimalware.exe

    Interlock actors also gain access via the ClickFix social engineering technique, in which users are tricked into executing a malicious payload by clicking on a fake CAPTCHA that prompts users to execute a malicious PowerShell script. 
     
    Table 6. Execution
    Technique Title ID Use
    Command and Scripting Interpreter: PowerShell T1059.001 

    Interlock actors implement PowerShell scripts to drop a malicious file into the Windows Startup folder.

    Interlock actors execute a PowerShell command for registry key modification.

    Interlock actors use a PowerShell script to execute a series of commands to facilitate reconnaissance.
    User Execution: Malicious Copy and Paste T1204.004 Via the ClickFix social engineering technique, users are tricked into clicking a fake CAPTCHA and prompted into executing a malicious Base64-encoded PowerShell process by following instructions to open a Windows Run window (Windows Button + R), pasting clipboard contents (“CTRL + V”), and then executing the malicious script (“Enter”).
    Table 7. Persistence
    Technique Title ID Use
    Boot or Logon Autostart Execution: Registry Run Keys/Startup Folder T1547.001

    Interlock actors establish persistence by adding a file into a Windows StartUp folder that executes a RAT every time a user logs in.

    Interlock actors also implement registry key modification by using a PowerShell command to add a run key value (named “Chrome Updater”) that uses a log file as an argument every time a user logs in.
     
    Table 8. Privilege Escalation
    Technique Title ID Use
    Valid Accounts: Domain Accounts T1078.002 Interlock actors compromise domain administrator accounts to gain additional privileges. 
    Table 9. Defense Escalation
    Technique Title ID Use
    Defense Evasion TA0005 Interlock actors execute the removeme function on Linux systems to delete the encryption binary for defense evasion. 
    Masquerading: Match Legitimate Resource Name or Location T1036.005

    Interlock actors disguise a malicious run key value by naming it “Chrome Updater”; the run key value uses a specific log file as an argument upon user login.

    Interlock actors disguise files of keystrokes logged by one of their credential stealers with a legitimate Windows filename: conhost.txt.

    Interlock actors disguise an encryption binary, a 64-bit executable, by giving it the same name as the legitimate Console Windows Host executable: conhost.exe
    System Binary Proxy Execution: Rundll32 T1218.011 Interlock actors use rundll32.exe to proxy execution of a malicious DLL binary tmp41.wasd. 
    Indicator Removal: File Deletion T1070.004 Interlock actors execute a DLL binary tmp41.wasd that uses the remove() function to delete their encryption binary for defense evasion. 
    Table 10. Credential Access
    Technique Title ID Use
    Credential Access TA0006 Interlock actors download credential stealer cht.exe and execute other versions information stealers (including Lumma Stealer and Berserk Stealer) to harvest credentials.
    Credentials from Password Stores: Credentials from Web Browsers T1555.003 Interlock actors download a credential stealer that collects login information and associated URLs for victims’ online accounts.
    Input Capture T1056 Interlock actors execute Lumma Stealer and Berserk Stealer information stealers on victim systems.
    Input Capture: Keylogging T1056.001 Interlock actors download klg.dll, a keylogger binary, onto compromised systems, where it logs users’ keystrokes in a file named conhost.txt. 
    Steal or Forge Kerberos Tickets: Kerberoasting T1558.003 Interlock actors possibly use a Kerberoasting attack to compromise domain administrator accounts. 
    Table 11. Discovery
    Technique Title ID Use
    System Owner/User Discovery T1033 Interlock actors execute a PowerShell command WindowsIdentity.GetCurrent() on victim systems to retrieve a WindowsIdentity object that represents the current Windows user.
    System Information Discovery T1082

    Interlock actors execute a PowerShell command systeminfo on victim systems to access detailed configuration information about the system, including OS configuration, security information, product ID, and hardware properties.

    Interlock actors execute a PowerShell command Get-PSDrive on victim systems to discover the drives in the current session, such as: 

    • Windows logical drives on the computer, including drives mapped to network shares.
    • Drives exposed by PowerShell providers.
    • Session-specified temporary drives and persistent mapped network drives.
    System Service Discovery T1007

    Interlock actors execute a PowerShell command tasklist /svc on victim systems that lists service information for each process currently running on the system. 

    Actors also execute a PowerShell command Get-Service on victim systems that retrieves objects that represent the services (including running and stopped services) on the system.
    System Network Configuration Discovery T1016 Interlock actors execute a PowerShell command arp -a on victim systems that displays and modifies entries in the Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) cache table (which contains entries on the IPv4 and IPv6 addresses on host endpoints).
    Table 12. Lateral Movement
    Technique Title ID Use
    Valid Accounts T1078 Interlock actors harvest and abuse valid credentials for lateral movement and privilege escalation.
    Remote Services: Remote Desktop Protocol T1021.001 Interlock actors use RDP and valid credentials to move laterally between systems.
    Table 13. Collection
    Technique Title ID Use
    Data from Cloud Storage T1530 Interlock actors use StorageExplorer.exe, the cloud storage solution Azure Storage Explorer, to explore Microsoft Azure Storage accounts. 
    Table 14. Command and Control
    Technique Title ID Use
    Command and Control TA0011 Interlock actors use applications Cobalt Strike and SystemBC for C2. 
    Ingress Tool Transfer T1105

    Interlock actors use a fake Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge browser update to cause users to execute a RAT on the victimized system.

    Interlock actors download credential stealers (cht.exe) and keylogger binaries (klg.dll) once actors establish remote control of a compromised system. 
    Remote Access Tools T1219 Interlock actors use legitimate remote access tools such as AnyDesk to enable remote connectivity and PuTTY to assist with lateral movement.
    Table 15. Exfiltration
    Technique Title  ID Use
    Exfiltration Over Web Service: Exfiltration to Cloud Storage T1567.002 Interlock actors exfiltrate data to cloud storage by executing AzCopy to upload data to the Azure storage blob.
    Exfiltration Over Alternative Protocol T1048 Interlock actors use file transfer tools like WinSCP to exfiltrate data.
    Table 16. Impact
    Technique Title  ID Use
    Data Encrypted for Impact T1486

    Interlock actors encrypt victim data using a combined AES and RSA algorithm on compromised systems to interrupt availability to system and network resources. Actors code encryptors using C/C++. Interlock actors use encryptors for both Windows and Linux operating systems. 

    Interlock actors also use a FreeBSD ELF encryptor to encrypt victim data. 
    Financial Theft   T1657 Interlock actors deliver a ransom note titled !__README__!.txt via a GPO which provides victims with instructions to use a .onion URL to contact the actors over the Tor network. Actors use a double-extortion model, both encrypting victim data and threatening release of victim data on their Tor network leak site if the ransom is not paid.

    The authoring agencies recommend organizations implement the mitigations below to improve your organization’s cybersecurity posture on the basis of the Interlock ransomware actors’ activity. These mitigations align with the Cross-Sector Cybersecurity Performance Goals (CPGs) developed by CISA and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). The CPGs provide a minimum set of practices and protections that CISA and NIST recommend all organizations implement. CISA and NIST based the CPGs on existing cybersecurity frameworks and guidance to protect against the most common and impactful threats and TTPs. Visit CISA’s CPGs webpage for more information on the CPGs, including additional recommended baseline protections.

    In addition to the below mitigations, Healthcare and Public Health (HPH) organizations should use HPH Sector CPGs to implement cybersecurity protections to address the most common threats and TTPs used against this sector.

    At-risk organizations should implement the following mitigations:

    • Prevent Interlock ransomware actors from obtaining initial access:
      • Implement domain name system (DNS) filtering to block users from accessing malicious sites and applications.
      • Implement web access firewalls to mitigate and prevent unknown commands or process injection from malicious domains or websites.
      • Train users [CPG 2.I] to identify, avoid, and report social engineering attempts.
    • Implement a recovery plan [CPG 5.A] to maintain and retain multiple copies of sensitive or proprietary data and servers in a physically separate, segmented, and secure location (e.g., hard drive, storage device, the cloud) [CPG 2.R].
    • Require all accounts with password logins (e.g., service accounts, admin accounts, and domain admin accounts) to comply with NIST password standards.
      • Require employees to use long passwords [CPG 2.B] and consider not requiring recurring password changes, as these can weaken security.
    • Require MFA [CPG 2.H] for all services to the extent possible, particularly for webmail, virtual private networks (VPNs), and accounts that access critical systems.
      • Implement ICAM policies across the organization as a precursor to MFA.
    • Keep all operating systems, software, and firmware up to date; prioritize patching known exploited vulnerabilities in internet-facing systems [CPG 1.E].
      • Timely patching is efficient and cost effective for minimizing an organization’s exposure to cybersecurity threats.
    • Implement robust EDR capabilities on VMs, systems, and networks.
    • Segment networks [CPG 2.F] to prevent the spread of ransomware.
      • Network segmentation can help prevent the spread of ransomware by controlling traffic flows between—and access to—various subnetworks and by restricting adversary lateral movement.
    • Identify, detect, and investigate abnormal activity and potential traversal of the indicated ransomware [CPG 3.A] with a networking monitoring tool [CPG 2.T].
      • To aid in detecting ransomware, implement a tool that logs and reports all network traffic, including lateral movement activity on a network.
      • Implement EDR tools; these are useful for detecting lateral connections as they provide insight into common and uncommon network connections for each host.
    • Filter network traffic by preventing unknown or untrusted origins from accessing remote services on internal systems.
      • This prevents threat actors from directly connecting to remote access services that they have established for persistence.
    • Install, regularly update, and enable real time detection for antivirus software on all hosts.
    • Review domain controllers, servers, workstations, and active directories for new and/or unrecognized accounts.
    • Audit user accounts with administrative privileges and configure access controls according to the principle of least privilege [CPG 2.E].
    • Disable unused ports.
    • Consider adding an email banner to emails received from outside of your organization [CPG 2.M].
    • Disable hyperlinks in received emails.
    • Implement time-based access for accounts set at the admin level and higher; for example, the just-in-time (JIT) access method provisions privileged access when needed and can support enforcement of the principle of least privilege (as well as the Zero Trust model):
      • This is a process where a network-wide policy is set in place to automatically disable admin accounts at the Active Directory level when the account is not in direct need.
      • Individual users may submit their requests through an automated process that grants them access to a specified system for a set timeframe when they need to support the completion of a certain task.
    • Disable command line and scripting activities and permissions [CPG 2.N].
      • Disabling software utilities that run from the command line makes it more difficult for threat actors to escalate privileges and move laterally.
    • Maintain offline backups of data and regularly maintain backups and restorations [CPG 2.R]; this avoids severe service interruption and irretrievable data in the event of a compromise.
    • Ensure all backup data is encrypted, immutable (i.e., cannot be altered or deleted), and covers the entire organization’s data infrastructure [CPG 2.R].

    In addition to applying mitigations, the authoring agencies recommend exercising, testing, and validating your organization’s security program against the threat behaviors mapped to the MITRE ATT&CK for Enterprise framework in this advisory. The authoring agencies recommend testing your existing security controls inventory to assess how they perform against the ATT&CK techniques described in this advisory.

    To get started:

    1. Select an ATT&CK technique described in this advisory (see Table 5 through Table 16).
    2. Align your security technologies against the technique.
    3. Test your technologies against the technique.
    4. Analyze your detection and prevention technologies’ performance.
    5. Repeat the process for all security technologies to obtain a set of comprehensive performance data.
    6. Tune your security program, including people, processes, and technologies, based on the data generated by this process.

    The authoring agencies recommend continually testing your security program, at scale, in a production environment to ensure optimal performance against the MITRE ATT&CK techniques identified in this advisory.

    Your organization has no obligation to respond or provide information back to FBI in response to this joint advisory. If, after reviewing the information provided, your organization decides to provide information to FBI, reporting must be consistent with applicable state and federal laws.

    FBI is interested in any information that can be shared, to include boundary logs showing communication to and from foreign IP addresses, a sample ransom note, communications with threat actors, Bitcoin wallet information, decryptor files, and/or a benign sample of an encrypted file.

    Additional details of interest include a targeted company point of contact, status and scope of infection, estimated loss, operational impact, transaction IDs, date of infection, date detected, initial attack vector, and host- and network-based indicators.

    The authoring agencies do not encourage paying ransom as payment does not guarantee victim files will be recovered. Furthermore, payment may also embolden adversaries to target additional organizations, encourage other criminal actors to engage in the distribution of ransomware, and/or fund illicit activities. Regardless of whether you or your organization have decided to pay the ransom, FBI and CISA urge you to promptly report ransomware incidents to FBI’s Internet Crime Complain Center (IC3), a local FBI Field Office, or CISA via the agency’s Incident Reporting System or its 24/7 Operations Center (contact@mail.cisa.dhs.gov) or by calling 1-844-Say-CISA (1-844-729-2472).

    State, local, tribal, and territorial governments should report incidents to the MS-ISAC (SOC@cisecurity.org or 866-787-4722).

    HPH Sector organizations should report incidents to FBI or CISA but also can reach out to HHS at HHScyber@hhs.gov for cyber incident support focused on mitigating adverse patient impacts.

    The information in this report is being provided “as is” for informational purposes only. The authoring agencies do not endorse any commercial entity, product, company, or service, including any entities, products, or services linked within this document. Any reference to specific commercial entities, products, processes, or services by service mark, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise, does not constitute or imply endorsement, recommendation, or favor by the authoring agencies. 

    Cisco Talos contributed to this advisory.

    July 22, 2025: Initial version.

    1 Elio Biasiotto, et. al., “Unwrapping the Emerging Interlock Ransomware Attack,” Talos Intelligence (blog), Cisco Talos, last modified November 7, 2024, https://blog.talosintelligence.com/emerging-interlock-ransomware/.

    2 Sekoia Threat Detection and Research team, “Interlock Ransomware Evolving Under the Radar,” Sekoia (blog), Sekoia, last modified April 16, 2025, https://blog.sekoia.io/interlock-ransomware-evolving-under-the-radar/.

    3 Yashvi Shah and Vignesh Dhatchanamoorthy, “ClickFix Deception: A Social Engineering Tactic to Deploy Malware,” McAfee Labs (blog), McAfee,last modified June 11, 2024, https://www.mcafee.com/blogs/other-blogs/mcafee-labs/clickfix-deception-a-social-engineering-tactic-to-deploy-malware/ and “HC3 Sector Alert: ClickFix Attacks,” Health Sector Cybersecurity Coordination Center, Department of Health and Human Services, last modified October 29, 2024, https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/clickfix-attacks-sector-alert-tlpclear.pdf.

    4 Shah, “ClickFix Deception: A Social Engineering Tactic to Deploy Malware.”

    5 Sekoia Threat Detection and Research team, “Interlock Ransomware Evolving Under the Radar.”

    6 Bill Toulas, “Interlock Ransomware Gang Deploys New NodeSnake RAT on Universities,“ Bleeping Computer, May 28, 2025, https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/interlock-ransomware-gang-deploys-new-nodesnake-rat-on-universities/.

    7 Biasiotto, “Unwrapping the Emerging Interlock Ransomware Attack.”

    8 International law-enforcement and Microsoft took down the Lumma Stealer malware in May 2025 by seizing internet domains the actors used to distribute the malware to actors and taking down domains that hosted the malware’s infrastructure. For more information, see Tara Seals, “Lumma Stealer Takedown Reveals Sprawling Operation,” Dark Reading, May 21, 2025, https://www.darkreading.com/cybersecurity-operations/lumma-stealer-takedown-sprawling-operation, and Steven Masada, “Disrupting Lumma Stealer: Microsoft Leads Global Action Against Favored Cybercrime Tool,” Microsoft On the Issues (blog), Microsoft, last modified May 21, 2025, https://blogs.microsoft.com/on-the-issues/2025/05/21/microsoft-leads-global-action-against-favored-cybercrime-tool/.

    9 Sekoia Threat Detection and Research team, “Interlock Ransomware Evolving Under the Radar.”

    10 Biasiotto, “Unwrapping the Emerging Interlock Ransomware Attack.”

    11 Biasiotto, “Unwrapping the Emerging Interlock Ransomware Attack.”

    12 Biasiotto, “Unwrapping the Emerging Interlock Ransomware Attack.”

    13 Biasiotto, “Unwrapping the Emerging Interlock Ransomware Attack.”

    14 Lawrence Abrams, “Meet Interlock — The New Ransomware Targeting FreeBSD Servers,” Bleeping Computer, November 3, 2024, https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/meet-interlock-the-new-ransomware-targeting-freebsd-servers/.

    15 Biasiotto, “Unwrapping the Emerging Interlock Ransomware Attack.”

    16 Graham Cluley, “Interlock Ransomware: What You Need to Know,” Fortra (blog), Fortra, last modified May 30, 2025, https://www.tripwire.com/state-of-security/interlock-ransomware-what-you-need-know.

    17 Sekoia Threat Detection and Research team, “Interlock Ransomware Evolving Under the Radar.”

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: People with MS and other fluctuating health conditions are often forced to quit their jobs when they want to work

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Alice Martin, Head of Research, Work Foundation, Lancaster University

    Andrey_Popov/Shutterstock

    Plans to cut health-related benefits in the UK continue to give the government political grief – as well as being a huge worry for claimants. Underpinning the controversy are government plans to move more people into work with a long-term ambition of 80% employment.

    But cutting welfare costs is a blunt and unhelpful way to face the challenge of increasing employment among people with long-term health conditions.

    For people with fluctuating and often invisible conditions such as multiple sclerosis (MS), welfare and work are not opposed. They are usually part of the same life journey – one that is rarely linear and requires systems and supports that are flexible, not punitive.

    This was the focus of a recent study led by my research colleague Aman Navani and the MS Society. It is a major UK survey of people with MS with more than 1,100 respondents, and highlights systemic failures in workplace support and welfare systems.

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    Because of its fluctuating nature, MS can act as an important case study to understand how work should accommodate people’s evolving health needs. It also offers lessons that are relevant to a wide array of other conditions.

    Cases of MS are rising globally. Around 150,000 people in the UK live with the condition, which affects the central nervous system and causes pain, mobility problems, cognitive issues and fatigue.

    Women are more likely to have MS, which is usually diagnosed in people in their 30s or 40s. These, of course, are peak working years.

    The vast majority of people with MS (96%) who participated in our study reported that their condition has affected their ability to work. This is because MS can make commuting and navigating workplace environments challenging, and physical and mental health impacts often overlap.

    Managing symptoms such as cognitive changes, pain and restricted mobility can contribute to anxiety and depression. All of these things put additional strain on the working lives of those affected.

    For a quarter of respondents (24%), MS had such a severe effect that they felt unable to work at all. Worryingly, one in two people said they have compromised their health by staying in a job.

    For many, leaving work is the only solution they can see. More than one-quarter (26%) cited unmanageable workloads, 19% could not afford to stay in work due to low pay, 20% lacked flexible hours, and for 22% the flexibility they were offered did not meet their needs.

    Just 8% said their employer helped them adapt their job to suit their health, and only 2% had progression opportunities tailored to their condition. But nearly half (45%) of those who left work said they could have stayed if their employer had understood their condition better.

    Almost half (46%) of respondents who were in work had used the personal independence payment (Pip) as a lifeline. This is an allowance that helps people with the extra living costs associated with having a disability. Under the government’s plans, conditions will be tightened for new claimants.

    Designing better jobs

    Living with a fluctuating condition requires constant adaptation, from coping with exhaustion to managing the extra time and cost of daily activities. As such, the way jobs are designed matters.

    A government report has said that one-quarter of those who are out of work and claiming health and disability benefits might be able to work if they could do so from home.

    The rise of remote and hybrid work has indeed been a lifeline for some disabled workers. A recent major study of people who are classified as disabled highlights just how vital this change has been for them: 85% said remote or hybrid work was essential or very important when job hunting, and 79% wouldn’t apply for roles without it.

    Among those working fully remotely, 64% said their physical health improved. Homeworking was valued by those with fluctuating conditions such as MS, and for disabled women and carers in particular, full-time homeworking was their preference.

    But these gains are precarious. Growth in hybrid roles has stalled and some employers are grabbing headlines with “return-to-office” mandates even at the risk of losing key members of their workforce.

    Return-to-office mandates can force some workers to navigate a challenging commute.
    AlvaroRT/Shutterstock

    Nearly one in four working-age people in the UK are disabled. Work and welfare must be designed from the perspective of this growing and diverse cohort – ensuring financial security for people with health conditions, both in work and out of work.

    Expanding and protecting access to secure and flexible jobs is key, including remote and hybrid roles, baking these models into more sectors of the economy. The government could lead by example with public sector workers, and protect jobs from knee-jerk employer mandates.

    In January this year, only 3.8% of vacancies on the Department for Work and Pensions jobs portal included an option for hybrid or remote work.

    Finally, it’s vital to improve job design and in-work support, with effective occupational health systems, consultation with workforces, normalising shorter working weeks and time off.

    This would enable people with fluctuating conditions to attend appointments, recuperate and even take career breaks without harming their careers. For this, the UK needs a benefits system that supports movement in and out of work, avoiding financial cliff edges.

    Too many people with MS and similar conditions who can and want to work are forced to leave jobs early due to inadequate support. They face a trade-off between progressing their working life and managing their health. The challenge for government and employers now is to remove this tension.

    Alice Martin works for the Work Foundation think tank at Lancaster University, which received funding from MS Society to conduct the research.

    – ref. People with MS and other fluctuating health conditions are often forced to quit their jobs when they want to work – https://theconversation.com/people-with-ms-and-other-fluctuating-health-conditions-are-often-forced-to-quit-their-jobs-when-they-want-to-work-259083

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Dog thefts: what really happened during the COVID pandemic

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Daniel Allen, Animal Geographer, Keele University

    smrm1977/Shutterstock

    Dog theft can be a devastating crime. During the COVID pandemic, newspapers suggested there was an epidemic of “dognapping” in the UK. If you have a dog, the reports may have alarmed you at a time when there were already many reasons to feel afraid.

    There are mixed views on whether or not lockdown triggered an increase in dog ownership. Animal welfare charity Battersea attributed a 53% increase in dog adoption to lockdown, and online pet adoption service Pets4Homes said in their 2022 report that demand for puppies rose 104% at the peak of lockdown in May 2020.

    But animal charity PDSA said its survey data pointed to a gradual increase in dog ownership since 2011 rather than a dramatic surge during lockdown. However, we do know lockdown saw inflated prices for dogs, with some fashionable breeds going for £9,000.

    In terms of criminal activity, social distancing restrictions seemed to lead to a decline in some forms of crime, including shoplifting and burglary. But many media outlets reported the number of dog thefts had increased up to 250% during the pandemic.

    Get your news from actual experts, straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily newsletter to receive all The Conversation UK’s latest coverage of news and research, from politics and business to the arts and sciences.

    We wanted to explore if the data supported claims of a dognapping epidemic and whether patterns in dog theft could suggest ways to help reduce it. Our recent study found new insights into dog theft patterns and showed the situation was more complicated than it seemed at first glance.

    Under the Theft Act 1968, dog theft is not a specific offence. It comes under other theft offences, such as burglary or theft from a person.

    This means police records on dog theft were not included in crime statistics. The only way to access such information is through Freedom of Information (FOI) requests to individual police forces. There are 45 territorial and three special police forces in the UK, and each has its own reporting and recording practices.

    Although police FOI data for dog theft must be approached with caution, it is useful. Previous studies exploring police FOI data found an upward trend in recorded dog thefts in England and Wales: rising nearly 20% from 2015 (1,545) to 2018 (1,849) for 41 police forces combined; and up 3.5% year on year from 2019 (1,452) to 2020 (1,504) for 33 police forces.

    DogLost, a UK online community for reuniting lost and stolen dogs with their owners, reported a 170% increase in stolen dogs (with Crime Reference Numbers) registered on their website in 2020 (465), compared to 2019 (172). This figure was widely quoted as a national increase “since lockdown started” by the media.

    The 250% increase figure first quoted in December 2020 was actually a comparison of two seven-month periods (January-July 2019 and 2020) for only one police force.

    Patterns and trends

    Our study found the data for the period covering the COVID pandemic is also incomplete. Data was provided by 32 forces (71%) for 2020, by 27 forces (60%) for 2021, and 23 forces (51%) for 2022.

    Patterns and trends do, however, emerge. Between 2020 and 2022, the available data shows a 3.7% rise in dog thefts in the UK, from 1,573 to 1,631. When making adjustments for the number of police forces providing data (which decreased over the period), the estimated national figures suggest there may have been more significant rise of up to 44.2%.

    While we cannot assume that the forces who supplied data are representative of all 45 regional forces, if this were the case, it would equate to 2,212 recorded dog thefts in 2020, 2,645 in 2021, and 3,191 in 2022.

    There was a lot of variation between different areas. For example, Cambridgeshire, Gwent and Northumbria police forces experienced increases of 36%, 49% and 80% respectively in the number of recorded dog thefts between 2020 and 2021.

    Monthly analysis of data from regional police forces and DogLost, show that the number of reports of stolen dogs started to go up when the UK entered its first national lockdown and again during part of the third lockdown. But the average number of police-recorded dog thefts was actually slightly higher outside of lockdown periods than during them between 2020 and 2022.

    However, in contrast with police trends, DogLost data shows a 65.2% drop in dogs reported stolen on DogLost’s website in 2022 compared to 2020. Lower DogLost numbers may reflect limited visibility or presence of their networks, the use of alternative lost and stolen dog services, or reluctance to share personal details online due to scams targeting dog theft victims.

    Dogs are often stolen from inside their own homes.
    GoodFocused/Shutterstock

    Our study found that, overall, there probably was an increase in dog theft from
    2020 to 2022, following already identified increases in the preceding years. This rise was probably driven by a combination of opportunity (more dogs, higher value) and situational factors (accessibility, dogs unattended in gardens while owners were inside).

    Our evidence does not support the notion of a widespread epidemic as portrayed by the media. However, increased media interest probably amplified awareness of the issue, and influenced the creation of the Pet Theft Taskforce, a UK government initiative set up in May 2021 to investigate and tackle dog thefts.

    New research appears to confirm the idea that dog abduction has significant welfare effects on both dogs and their owners. We also know that few dog thefts are successfully resolved, with under a quarter of stolen dogs likely to be returned and around 1%-5% of reported dog thefts result in someone being charged.

    However, there is potential good news. Our ongoing research suggests the number of police-recorded dog thefts decreased slightly in 2023, and again in 2024. This is supported by research from pet insurer Direct Line, which has estimated a 21% decrease in the number of stolen dogs from 2,290 in 2023 to 1,808 in 2024 in the UK.

    Daniel Allen is founder of Pet Theft Reform and patron of the Stolen and Missing Pets Alliance (Sampa).

    Melanie Flynn is a member of the Research Advisory Committee of the Vegan Society (UK).

    John Walliss 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. Dog thefts: what really happened during the COVID pandemic – https://theconversation.com/dog-thefts-what-really-happened-during-the-covid-pandemic-252061

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: What are education and health care plans and why are parents worried about them being scrapped?

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Jonathan Glazzard, Rosalind Hollis Professor of Education for Social Justice, University of Hull

    Drazen Zigic/Shutterstock

    For children in England with special educational needs and disabilities, an education and health care plan (EHCP) is a central pillar of support. The government is due to set out its educational strategy for children with special educational needs and disabilities in the autumn, though, and has not ruled out scrapping ECHPs. Their removal would signal radical change in how the system works in England.

    ECHPs are individualised plans that set out the needs of a particular child and the support they should receive – from education, health services and social care – in order have the best opportunity to thrive. But demand for ECHPs is soaring and providing support is proving financially catastrophic for local authorities.

    One of the criticisms of EHCPs is that they prioritise providing children with individual models of support, rather than developing inclusive cultures within schools and within the broader education system. Education secretary Bridget Phillipson has outlined a vision of building a system where more children with special educational needs and disabilities can attend mainstream schools.

    But removing ECHPs leads to the possibility of children who need more specialist support missing out.

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    To secure an ECHP, local authorities carry out a statutory assessment to determine whether a child’s needs warrant additional support. An assessment does not always lead to an EHCP, but if one is issued, it must outline how the child’s needs will be met and the additional resources needed to do so.

    These resources might include funding to provide a child with a teaching assistant, funding for equipment and transport to school, or funding to go to a specialist school. This system of support helps school leaders ensure that children and young people have the right support, at the right time.

    According to a report published earlier this year, the demand for EHCPs has risen by 140% since 2015. Recent data shows that there are 482,640 children and young people in England with an EHCP.

    Many more children have special educational needs, but do not have an ECHP. These pupils are classed as receiving special educational needs support. The percentage of pupils with an EHCP has increased to 5.3%, from 4.8% in 2024. The percentage of pupils with special educational needs support has increased to 14.2%, from 13.6% in 2024.

    Despite government investment of £10.7 billion to local authorities in 2024-25, a House of Commons committee report outlines that long waiting times for assessments, as well as to access support such as speech and language therapy, has led to parents losing confidence in the system.

    Support may include equipment or additional sessions.
    ABO PHOTOGRAPHY/Shutterstock

    Funding is allocated to each local authority from central government to fund provision in their areas. It is for local authorities, in consultation with their schools, to determine the individual allocation to schools. However, local authorities are struggling to meet the increased demand for EHCPs. Even when funding is allocated through EHCPs, it is not always sufficient to address the needs of those with complex needs.

    And funding is not sufficient to meet demand. Local authorities have accumulated huge deficits due to spending exceeding funding, placing some at risk of going bankrupt.

    Future plans

    Bridget Phillipson has refused to be drawn on whether EHCPs will be axed. “What I can say very clearly,” she has said, “is that we will strengthen and put in place better support for children.”

    Building more inclusive schools is obviously one way of achieving this vision. If scrapping EHCPs means less funding for children for special educational needs and disabilities, though, this cannot be the answer. Children need more support, not less, to enable them to thrive.

    The solution is for the government to work out what models of inclusion work well in mainstream schools and to decide how these can be resourced and evaluated. Clarity is also needed on inclusion in mainstream schools can be measured in order to assess whether it is working.

    Making more support in mainstream schools work also requires an adequate supply of knowledgeable, well-trained teachers. The government is prioritising this through revision to initial teacher education courses, with an emphasis on all teachers being teachers of special educational needs.

    If the government doesn’t get this right, the result may be poorer educational and long-term outcomes for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities. It may also lead to issues with teacher recruitment and retention in mainstream schools, particularly if teachers feel that they do not have the level of support in place that they need to meet the needs of their pupils.

    Jonathan Glazzard 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. What are education and health care plans and why are parents worried about them being scrapped? – https://theconversation.com/what-are-education-and-health-care-plans-and-why-are-parents-worried-about-them-being-scrapped-260622

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: The A to K of vitamins: what you need and where to get it

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Dan Baumgardt, Senior Lecturer, School of Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience, University of Bristol

    SpeedKingz/Shutterstock

    The late, great comedian Barry Humphries (of Dame Edna fame) once spoke whimsically about the health benefits of kale. Just one fistful, he joked, contained enough essential vitamins, minerals and trace elements to keep you in a sedentary position in the bathroom for two whole days. Apparently, it wasn’t tasty enough to justify a second helping.

    In a world where “superfoods” are relentlessly marketed for their supposed ability to deliver all the nutrients we need, it’s worth asking: which vitamins really are essential? And aside from kale (which I actually rather like), what foods help us meet our daily needs?

    Vitamin A

    Let’s start at the top. Vitamin A – also known as retinol – is found in foods like eggs, oily fish and dairy products. It plays a crucial role in keeping your skin and immune system healthy.

    But it’s probably most famous for supporting vision. Vitamin A binds with light-sensitive pigments in the rod and cone cells of your retina, helping you to see, particularly in low light.

    A deficiency in vitamin A, though uncommon in wealthy countries, can lead to serious vision problems and even blindness. Another source of vitamin A is beta-carotene, found in colourful fruits and vegetables like carrots, peppers, spinach and pumpkin. Your body converts beta-carotene into vitamin A, which is why we associate carrots with seeing in the dark.

    Vitamin B

    The B vitamins are a family of eight different nutrients, each with its own number and role.

    B1 (thiamin) helps the nervous system and aids digestion. People with chronic alcoholism are especially at risk of deficiency, which can lead to Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome, a serious neurological disorder that affects memory and movement.

    B2 (riboflavin) and B3 (niacin) support similar functions, while B9 (folate) and B12 (cobalamin) are essential for red blood cell production. A lack of either can lead to anaemia.

    Folate is especially important in early pregnancy, helping to prevent neural tube defects like spina bifida. That’s why it’s recommended for people who are pregnant or trying to conceive.

    You’ll find B vitamins in everything from beans and legumes to meat, fish and dairy; a wide-ranging family of nutrients in a wide-ranging variety of foods.

    Vitamin C

    The go-to vitamin when we’re under the weather, whether from a virus or a hangover, vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is known as the “healing” vitamin for good reason. It promotes wound healing, supports tissue repair and helps maintain blood vessels and bones.

    A deficiency in vitamin C causes scurvy – a condition once common among sailors – with symptoms like fatigue, bruising, depression and gum disease.

    Fortunately, vitamin C is found in many different fruits and vegetables, especially citrus fruits. That’s why 19th-century British sailors were given limes to prevent scurvy, earning them the nickname “limeys”.

    Vitamin D

    Vitamin D is essential for bones, teeth and muscles. It can be absorbed through diet, especially from oily fish, eggs and meat, but your body also makes it in the skin, thanks to sunlight.

    In the summer, most people get enough vitamin D from being outside. But in the winter months, diet and, if needed, supplementation become more important.

    Deficiency is more common, especially in areas with limited sun exposure. It can lead to soft, weakened bones and symptoms like bone pain, fractures and deformities – including the classic bow-legged appearance. In children, this condition is known as rickets; in adults, it’s called osteomalacia.

    Vitamin E

    Often overlooked, vitamin E helps protect cells, supports vision and bolsters the immune system. You’ll find it in nuts, seeds and plant oils and it’s usually easy to get enough through a varied diet.

    Vitamin F (Sort of)

    Not actually a vitamin, “vitamin F” is just a nickname for two omega fatty acids: alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) and linoleic acid (LA). These essential fats support brain function, reduce inflammation, and help maintain healthy skin and cell membranes. Since they’re technically not vitamins, we’ll let them quietly bow out.

    Vitamin K

    No, you didn’t miss vitamins G through J: they were renamed over the years. But vitamin K is real, and crucial for blood clotting.

    Deficiencies are more common in children, and can lead to bruising and bleeding that’s hard to stop. Supplements are effective and given after birth.

    Most adults get enough through foods like leafy greens and grains.

    And the winner is…

    All these vitamins are important – and all are found in a wide range of everyday foods. But which single food provides the widest variety?

    Kale, oily fish and eggs come in strong at second, third and fourth. But number one is: liver.

    Yes, liver. The stuff of childhood dread and overcooked school dinners. But it’s also rich in vitamins A, B, D and K. So rich in Vitamin A, in fact, that it’s advised to eat it only once a week to avoid vitamin A toxicity, and not at all if you’re pregnant. Sometimes, you just can’t win.

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

    – ref. The A to K of vitamins: what you need and where to get it – https://theconversation.com/the-a-to-k-of-vitamins-what-you-need-and-where-to-get-it-261209

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Sylvia Plath’s ‘fig tree analogy’ from The Bell Jar is being misappropriated

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Elisha Wise, English, University of Sheffield

    In chapter seven of Sylvia Plath’s The Bell Jar (1963), protagonist Esther Greenwood imagines her life branching out before her like a green fig-tree. Each individual fig on the branches represents a different “wonderful future” – a family, a successful career, romance, travel, fame, etc.

    High-achieving Esther has innumerable figs she can choose from, yet she envisages herself “starving to death” in the crook of the tree because she can’t make up her mind on which of the figs she should choose.

    Her indecision stems from the knowledge that choosing one wonderful future means losing out on the other, equally appealing opportunities. She wants to experience all of them, but knows she cannot, and, in the end, spends so long deciding that every single fig rots and falls to the ground, dead.

    By wanting to do everything, Esther misses her chance to do anything at all. This is a metaphor about wasted potential, fears of choosing the wrong pathway, and feeling rushed into making decisions before you truly know what you want. There is little wonder that it appeals to teenagers.

    The “fig tree analogy”, as it is known online, is beloved by gen Z and has become a TikTok staple over the last three years. It was first discussed on the platform as part of the 2023 “Roman Empire” meme, with female users citing it as an example of something they constantly think about.

    It then reached a new peak in early 2024 thanks to the “my fig tree” trend, in which users (again, predominantly young women) wrote future hopes and dreams onto a stock image of a fig branch in videos featuring accompanying audio of the passage being read aloud.

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    This trend was, in essence, a way for people to share their dream jobs – with career pathways as varied as “surgeon” and “influencer” sometimes appearing on a single branch. But it also allowed young users to express their anxieties about planning for the future.

    In one video, “I can’t help but wonder if I’m going to be truly happy in [my chosen career] forever” is written beside a beautifully illustrated fig tree. I remember feeling this way myself when I read The Bell Jar for the first time in the middle of university applications and big life choices.

    When you are young, it can feel like you have only one choice and can never remake it, which is why Plath’s words spoke to me then and seem to be speaking to hundreds now.

    But why exactly is this metaphor resonating so strongly with gen Z?

    The girls who are participating in the “my fig tree” trend are not subject to the same binary choice of marriage or career that Esther faced. It is now possible to have loads of lovers and then a husband and family, and neither disqualifies you from also being a “brilliant professor” or “amazing editor” or anything else you wish to be.

    In The Bell Jar, Plath treats these things as distinct because they would truly have felt that way in Esther’s time of enforced purity and nuclear families. She was, after all, writing pre-second-wave feminism.

    So why, in our fourth-wave feminist world, do women still feel their options are so narrow? It could be because women workers are disproportionately at risk of being displaced by AI, or because other TikTok sensations like the “trad wife” are promoting to young women the very purity culture that Plath rallied against.

    Perhaps, for this generation, it really seems urgent to grasp hold of one fig before all are lost.

    However, as the “fig tree analogy” goes more and more viral, it is at risk of being removed from its original context. The signs of this are already visible on TikTok, as the passage has in the last month been used to soundtrack #romanticisinglife content and promote fig-themed homeware at a garden centre.

    It was also referenced in a recent episode of reality dating show Love Island, where it was incorrectly named the “fig theory” and not attributed to Plath.

    All of this suggests that the passage has now reached an audience of people who have not read The Bell Jar and see the analogy more as some generic life wisdom than a literary device. Indeed, TikTok videos by self-styled philosophers encouraging watchers to pick any or every fig off the tree instead of being paralysed by indecision like Esther are gaining traction.

    While these may prove helpful to Zoomers unsure about their future pathway, I feel that the conversation around this metaphor is increasingly overlooking the fact that Esther is unable to choose a fig because she is depressed.

    The real meaning of the fig tree analogy

    The Bell Jar may be a novel about coming of age as a woman, but it’s also, at its core, the story of a woman having a breakdown. In the pages preceding the “fig tree analogy”, Esther calls herself “dreadfully inadequate” and claims that “I was only purely happy until I was nine years old”.

    So, in the context of the novel, the metaphor can be read as a product of depressive thinking. It is not meant to be a universal truth.

    Instead, it represents the subjective thoughts of a narrator who feels herself a failure, despite her plentiful opportunities, because she is mentally ill. Turning Plath’s prose into a theory or philosophy or meme minimises its darker aspects, particularly as the popular TikTok audio that accompanies “fig tree analogy” videos often cuts off before the figs fall, due to the app’s preference for short content.

    Some users may well have participated in the “my fig tree” trend without even realising that the quotation ends with Esther losing everything.

    Perhaps it should be concerning so many young people relate to a narrator who becomes so overwhelmed by her conflicting ambitions that she attempts to kill herself. I certainly wonder how Plath would feel about her words now being treated as emblematic of a collective female experience. If nothing else, I am sure she would be disappointed at how little has changed in 60 years.

    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.

    Elisha Wise will receive funding from the White Rose College of Arts and Humanities (ARCH) from October 2025.

    – ref. Sylvia Plath’s ‘fig tree analogy’ from The Bell Jar is being misappropriated – https://theconversation.com/sylvia-plaths-fig-tree-analogy-from-the-bell-jar-is-being-misappropriated-261597

    MIL OSI –