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Category: Universities

  • MIL-Evening Report: Politics aside, new research shows there are good financial reasons to back working from home

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dorina Pojani, Associate Professor in Urban Planning, The University of Queensland

    Fizkes/Shutterstock

    In the pre-industrial era, people often lived and worked in the same building. This removed the need to travel to work.

    The separation of home and work occurred much later, during the Industrial Revolution. Factories and offices were grouped in designated areas and residential zoning was invented.

    Even then, people typically spent about 60 to 90 minutes travelling each day, no matter how technology or urban layouts changed. This is known as Marchetti’s constant.

    The rise of the internet in the 1990s – and more recently, the COVID-19 pandemic – sparked a rethink of commuting. As we head towards the polls in Australia’s largest federal election, working from home has become a hot-button issue.

    Labor and the Coalition have been polarised for and against working from home, citing research and even anecdotes backing their positions.

    That was until this week. Opposition Leader Peter Dutton swung from insisting all public servants would have to return to the office five days a week under the Coalition to saying current arrangements would remain unchanged.

    But beyond political squabbles, what does the latest research – including our own on workers in Brisbane – show?

    Impacts of working from home

    Working from home impacts multiple areas including transport, housing, business and health. A systematic literature review on working from home – covering international studies between 2000 and 2022 – shows it:

    • reduces traffic congestion and saves commuting time. However, it financially strains public transport operators due to lower demand.

    • boosts regional growth as workers relocate in search of larger homes with home-office space. But this raises regional housing demand and prices.

    • helps employers cut costs and increase productivity and job satisfaction rates. It can, however, limit promotion opportunities for remote workers.

    • cuts traffic pollution and improves work-life balance. But it may cause social isolation, overwork, strained family relationships and musculoskeletal problems if ergonomic furniture isn’t used.

    These are short-term effects, which may eventually disappear as society adjusts. The long-term effects are harder to predict because government and workplace policies change, as do economic conditions.

    While working from home reduces the need for daily commuting, people may reallocate this saved time to off-peak trips for shopping or recreation.

    As households move from urban cores, urban sprawl increases, resulting in less frequent but longer trips. This may lead to increased overall travel, offsetting environmental benefits. Marchetti’s constant may no longer hold.

    The redistribution of activity zones may create new economic dynamics. Suburbs and regional centres may gain from more local spending, while areas with fewer shops may rely more on online shopping. Traditional CBDs could decline, needing new uses for office spaces.

    New research on Brisbane workers

    Our new research – to be published in a forthcoming book in Elsevier’s series “Advances in Transport Policy and Planning” – assesses the short-term costs and benefits of working from home for individuals, the private and the public sectors in Brisbane.

    Here, a big shift to working from home occurred during the pandemic. We’ve used secondary and proxy data from 2020-2021 when working from home peaked. During that time, Brisbane was in and out of lockdowns.

    We’ve created an accounting tool that lists the costs and benefits of working from home. The net impact is calculated by subtracting total costs from total benefits, allowing us to measure tangible and, when possible, intangible effects.

    We found individuals and the private sector gained the most, while the public sector has felt the greatest losses. Employees have enjoyed more benefits from working from home than expected, while employers have cut spending in CBDs and seen increased revenues in suburbs.

    In Brisbane the total annual working from home (for individuals, the private and public sector) costs amounted to A$557.5 million, while the total benefits reached $4.1 billion. These benefits outweigh costs by a factor of seven.

    However, this is a preliminary look, rather than a comprehensive account. It is important to remember the cost-benefit balance may evolve over time, depending on technological advances, corporate culture and generational preferences.

    Should Australia continue to support working from home?

    Based on our findings and assuming other state capitals perform like Brisbane, we recommend keeping work from home arrangements. But what about public sector losses?

    While public transport revenues have been lower due to working from home, it doesn’t seem to be a major issue for South East Queensland. Here, 50 cent fares were introduced before the last state election and have since become permanent.

    However, the budgets of public transport operators in other states might be different. In those cases, more proactive measures might be needed. This might involve shifting from peak-hour services to frequent all-day routes and adjusting fares for vulnerable customers.

    Some agencies might offer demand-responsive services, like ride-sharing. If all public transport becomes financially unsustainable, community-based cooperatives could step in.

    These shifts in transport patterns may prompt land-use changes. For instance, businesses relying on daily commuters, like restaurants and shops in city centres, may move to the suburbs or pivot to delivery, take-out or meal-prep kits.

    In any case, not all jobs can be done remotely. Certain sectors, such as manufacturing, healthcare, justice and hospitality will continue to require employees to be physically present.

    Dorina Pojani has received funding from the Australian Research Council, the Australian Urban Research Infrastructure Network (AURIN), the Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR), and iMOVE Australia Cooperative Research Centre.

    Neil G Sipe has received funding from the Australian Research Foundation.

    Ying Lu 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. Politics aside, new research shows there are good financial reasons to back working from home – https://theconversation.com/politics-aside-new-research-shows-there-are-good-financial-reasons-to-back-working-from-home-253629

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Padilla, Cassidy Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Increase Access to Digital Health Services, Modernize Health Care System

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)

    Padilla, Cassidy Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Increase Access to Digital Health Services, Modernize Health Care System

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) and Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-La.) introduced bipartisan legislation to improve digital health services by allowing patients to easily search for and book health care appointments online while protecting personal health information. The Health Accelerating Consumers’ Care by Expediting Self-Scheduling (ACCESS) Act would increase patients’ access to modernized health care, safeguard patients’ personal health information, and ensure certainty for patients seeking digital health services.

    “Every American deserves easy access to physical and mental health care,” said Senator Padilla. “As provider wait times increase, integrating digital health programs into our health care system is essential to efficiently administering care. We cannot let scheduling obstacles prevent Americans in crisis from receiving care when they need it most.”

    “It’s enough to struggle with an illness. Patients should have easy access to the care they need,” said Dr. Cassidy. “There are plenty of tools to provide affordable, quality care. As a doctor, I’m focused on using them.”

    The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the demand for digital health services and other innovative practices. Under current law, however, there is no distinction between illegal referral practices and scheduling services that reduce the barriers associated with accessing necessary and appropriate care.

    The Health ACCESS Act would remove the regulatory ambiguity, allowing digital health and appointment booking platforms to work together to better serve patients. Doing so would improve access to care via user-friendly services, expand provider choice and scheduling availability, and enhance the overall health care experience and ecosystem. 

    The Health ACCESS Act is supported by Advanced Dermatology and Cosmetic Surgery, Boston Medical Center, Brownsville Community Health Center (FQHC), California Children’s Hospital Association, California Hospital Association, Circle Medical, Chronic Care Policy Alliance, Corewell Health, Digital Health New York (DHNY), GoHealth Urgent Care, Grow Therapy, HANYS (Health Assoc of NYS), Healthcare Leadership Council (HLC), Housing Works Community Healthcare (FQHC), Illinois Hospital Association, Indiana University Health, Intermountain Health, LabFinder, Main Line Health, Manhattan Cardiology, Medical Offices of Manhattan, Memorial Hermann Health System, Octave, SohoMD, Spring Branch Community Health Center (FQHC), Stanford Children’s Hospital, and The Dermatology Specialists.

    Senator Padilla has long been a leader in the fight to make health care more equitable in the United States. Last week, Senator Padilla joined Senators Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) in introducing bipartisan legislation that would increase access to specialty care for rural and underserved Medicare, Medicaid, and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) patients. Last year, Padilla, Senator Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) and Senator Cory Booker (D-N.J.) introduced the Health Equity and Accountability Act (HEAA) of 2024 to address health disparities among racial and ethnic minorities as well as women, the LGBTQ+ community, rural populations, and socioeconomically disadvantaged communities across the United States. Additionally, Padilla and Booker introduced the Equal Health Care for All Act, bicameral legislation that would make equal access to medical care a protected civil right to help address the racial inequities and structural failures in America’s health care system.

    Full text of the bill is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: We’re hardwired to laugh – this is why watching comedians try to be the ‘Last One Laughing’ is so funny

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Fergus Edwards, Lecturer in English, University of Tasmania

    Amazon MGM Studios

    Last One Laughing is a battle royale for stand-ups. Ten comedians, one room, surrounded by cameras. Laugh once and they’re warned. Laugh again, and they’re out. Last comic left wins.

    It is an international TV phenomenon, in 29 countries from Australia to Iran.

    The latest season is from the United Kingdom, hosted by Jimmy Carr and featuring comedians like Bob Mortimer, Sara Pascoe and Joe Lycett.

    But why do we, whatever our linguistic or cultural background, love watching comedians trying desperately hard not to laugh at each other?

    It works because it’s funny – but it’s not about comedy. It’s about laughter. Philosophers and psychologists have spent hundreds of years thinking about what makes us laugh.

    Here’s what they’ve had to say about laughter – and what they, perhaps, would have to say about Last One Laughing.

    What makes us laugh?

    Comedy takes time, but laughter can take less than a moment. Last One Laughing shows us the three major theories of humour that try to explain moments of spontaneous laughter.

    The oldest is “superiority theory”. English philosopher Thomas Hobbes explained in is 1651 book Leviathan we “maketh those Grimaces called LAUGHTER” when we realise we’re better off than someone else. We “suddenly applaud” ourselves when we recognise our superiority.

    In the new Last One Laughing series, Richard Ayoade nearly catches out two players when, asked what his childhood hobbies were, he replies: “I don’t know. I cried a lot?”

    Irish philosopher Francis Hutcheson disagreed with Hobbes and suggested an alternative: “incongruity theory”.

    In Reflections Upon Laughter (1750) he maintains we laugh in surprise at “bringing resemblances from subjects of a quite different kind from the subject to which they are compared”.

    This happens when we meet one word with two meanings, like in every Christmas cracker joke, or Rob Beckett asking “What did one plate say to the other plate?” and answering “Dinner’s on me”.

    In Jokes and Their Relation to the Unconscious (1905), Austrian founder of psychoanalysis Sigmund Freud suggests our subconscious works to stop us from consciously understanding something that might be socially unacceptable. If we allow ourselves to acknowledge what we think we’re seeing, the energy we had been using to repress ourselves is then “discharged by laughter”.

    Last One Laughing has many, mostly unprintable, moments that illustrate Freud’s relief theory of humour. No-one is at ease when Bob Mortimer’s magic act features a napkin rising into the air at groin height.

    The art of not laughing

    In Anatomy of the Gag (1963), the Czech playwright – and politician – Václav Havel suggests a gag has two phases. We see something and think we know what it is. Then, we see the same thing again – but we recognise it as something different. But the two interpretations can’t both be true! So we know we’ve made a mistake.

    We laugh because of a “surprising quality” that “stems not from the revelation of the unknown, but from the unexpected look at the known”. We laugh because now we know we’re properly seeing the world as it is.

    Comedians laugh at their own jokes because they experience this fresh look at the world before they’ve put it into words. This explains why Mortimer laughs at his own teeth, and Lou Sanders is laughing before she reaches her own punchline. Or, indeed, her own set-up.

    But Last One Laughing doubles our laughs. We watch the actual joke, we get it, we laugh. And then we see comedians desperately trying not to laugh – but we know that they get the joke too! And so we get an unexpected second look at the joke.

    Comedians not laughing when it’s expected is, in itself, a second gag. Our doubled laugh lets us express our understanding of this rather odd thing that’s happening. We’re reassuring ourselves, and anyone with us, that we know what’s going on.

    Understanding the world

    Douglas Robinson’s work in linguistics and Antonio Damasio’s work in neuropsychology suggests our brain and our body learn to respond to the world before our mind has kicked in. We’re physically laughing before we’ve mentally processed what’s funny. We see this response in babies, and it stays with us throughout our lives.

    The feedback that tells us that we’ve understood the world correctly comes from other human beings. So it’s unsurprising we are 30 times more likely to laugh in company. It’s unsurprising that laughter is infectious. And it should be unsurprising that the winning moment of Last One Laughing comes from a game we play with newborns: “peek-a-boo”.

    Last One Laughing helps us understand why we laugh at our own jokes, why we can’t always explain what’s funny, and why gags don’t need words. We’re watching professional comedians get the joke (as we do!) without laughing (as we expect?) but we know that it’s all OK. And, however briefly, we glimpse the world anew.

    Fergus Edwards 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. We’re hardwired to laugh – this is why watching comedians try to be the ‘Last One Laughing’ is so funny – https://theconversation.com/were-hardwired-to-laugh-this-is-why-watching-comedians-try-to-be-the-last-one-laughing-is-so-funny-253935

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Labor’s $1 billion for mental health is good news for young people in particular – but leaves some gaps

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sebastian Rosenberg, Associate Professor, Health Research Institute, University of Canberra, and Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney

    mooremedia/Shutterstock

    The Labor government has announced it would invest A$1 billion in mental health if re-elected to provide more Australians – particularly young people – with “free, public mental health care”.

    The package includes:

    • $225 million to either build or upgrade 31 Medicare mental health centres

    • more than $200 million to build or upgrade 58 headspace services for young people

    • $500 million to establish 20 youth specialist centres for young people with complex needs

    • $90 million to support more than 1,200 training places for mental health professionals and peer workers.

    This is good news – but there are some important things that are left out.

    A focus on youth

    Some 75% of severe mental health problems develop before a person turns 25. We know intervening early improves clinical outcomes as well as prospects for completing education and maintaining employment in the future.

    So this focus on youth mental health is really welcome and needed. If we can execute it properly, it represents an investment not just in young people and their families, but will also see longer-term benefits for communities and the economy.

    Australia’s continued investment in a network of youth mental health services, headspace, is unique and positive. That said, multiple reviews have found there are often issues finding enough staff to provide appropriate care for the young people accessing these services.

    It’s crucial to ensure existing and new headspace centres have properly trained staff to deliver the required services. The new training places are welcome in this regard but will of course will take time to come on stream.

    The youth specialist centres would be new, and could fill an important gap.

    At present, we have federally funded Medicare services for mental health, such as GPs and psychologists. At the other end of the spectrum there are state-funded hospital inpatient and outpatient services for people with more severe problems.

    What has been missing is much in the middle, in the way of community mental health services. The new specialist centres for young people with complex needs may go some way to filling this gap, but we need more detail about how they’ll operate.

    The importance of holistic care

    This funding package has focused on new provisions for clinical and medical mental health care. While this is important, it neglects psychosocial care.

    Psychosocial services help keep people in stable housing, in employment, at school and enjoying some quality of life. This is what really matters to most people.

    The psychosocial workforce can be found in some of the non-government and charitable organisations providing mental health and community services. It includes people with a range of qualifications, with staff such as social workers, peer workers and others, who can help young people stay connected across these social determinants of health, while they receive treatment from clinical staff for their mental illness.

    Of those needing help for their mental health, a large proportion of young people face multiple concerns, including drugs and alcohol, sexual health or other issues such as unstable housing. So rather than simply seeing one clinician, someone with an eating disorder, for example, may need a team including a psychologist, a GP, a social worker, a dietitian, a nurse and others.

    It’s unclear whether the youth specialist centres would bring together multidisciplinary teams such as this, but it’s important they do, including professionals who can provide psychosocial care.

    A young person with a mental illness may also need help with everyday issues.
    ultramansk/Shutterstock

    Psychosocial support services have traditionally been very poorly funded in Australia. One option could be to set up new Medicare mental health centres to be managed by community sector organisations already using team-based service delivery models.

    Ultimately, while having more services is great, we need to think imaginatively and flexibly about who has the skills to best respond to young people’s needs. A heavy reliance on clinical and medical care, without psychosocial care, is a bit like trying to fight with one arm behind our back.

    A national analysis found that in 2022–23, 335,800 people aged 12–64 with severe mental illness would benefit from 21.9 million hours of psychosocial support services. A further 311,500 people with moderate mental illness would benefit from 3.3 million hours.

    Other questions we need answered

    Different groups face different levels of need and different barriers to accessing mental health care. So if we’re establishing new centres, we need to understand clearly things such as where the highest levels of psychological distress are, and what services will need to look like in areas where a high proportion of young people speak English as a second language.

    What’s more, young women are more likely to seek mental health care than young men. We need to ask what’s making accessing services less appealing to young men and address these issues.

    In a nutshell, we need to develop models of care tailored to local circumstances. This should involve working with local communities, rather than looking to impose centralised, one-size-fits-all solutions.

    We also need to know how well new services will be linked to existing services, such as hospitals, GPs, and non-government organisations providing psychosocial care. If we don’t invest properly in coordination, these changes could risk perpetuating the fragmentation which often hampers our current mental health system.

    Finally, we need a new level of accountability so we can tell whether what we’re doing is helping or not. We need regularly reported outcomes – such as hospital admissions among young people with mental illness – so we can understand system quality and performance, address any issues, and build our collective confidence that we’re meeting the needs of Australia’s young people.

    Without this, we risk well-intentioned investments failing to deliver better support.

    Sebastian Rosenberg 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. Labor’s $1 billion for mental health is good news for young people in particular – but leaves some gaps – https://theconversation.com/labors-1-billion-for-mental-health-is-good-news-for-young-people-in-particular-but-leaves-some-gaps-254054

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI China: Trump administration revokes hundreds of visas for foreign students

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    The Trump administration has revoked visas for more than 300 international students across the United States, a move confirmed by universities and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio as part of a nationwide effort targeting foreign students.

    “Maybe more than 300 at this point. We do it every day. Every time I find one of these lunatics, I take away their visas,” Rubio said during a press conference in Guyana on March 27.

    Over the weekend, the visa revocations were reported by dozens of universities nationwide, including prestigious ones like Columbia, Cornell, Harvard and Stanford.

    Many affected students had participated in pro-Palestinian campus protests. But university officials said that others with no connection to protests had also suffered visa revocations without explanation.

    At Tufts University, Turkish doctoral student Rumeysa Ozturk was arrested by masked immigration agents on March 25 while walking near her home. Video of the arrest showed plainclothes officers taking the 30-year-old into custody as she was heading to break her Ramadan fast with friends, according to her attorney.

    The Department of Homeland Security claimed Ozturk “engaged in activities in support of Hamas,” though they provided no evidence for this allegation. Ozturk co-authored an opinion piece in the student newspaper criticizing Tufts’ response to the Israel-Gaza conflict.

    The Turkish embassy said it was working with U.S. authorities regarding Ozturk’s detention. “Every effort is being made to provide the necessary consular services and legal support to protect the rights of our citizen,” the embassy stated.

    At Columbia University, graduate student Mahmoud Khalil, who has legal permanent residency, was detained by immigration authorities last month.

    Khalil said in his Columbia Daily Spectator opinion piece that the school “laid the groundwork for my abduction” and urged the students not to “abdicate their responsibility to resist repression.”

    “Since my abduction on March 8, the intimidation and kidnapping of international students who stand for Palestine has only accelerated,” Khalil wrote in Friday’s piece.

    The actions extend beyond East Coast schools. The University of Colorado and Colorado State University reported a combined total of 10 students with revoked visas this weekend. Meanwhile, Minnesota State University identified five students whose visas were canceled for unclear reasons.

    In California, the situation is equally concerning so far.

    University of California, Los Angeles reported nine affected international students, while UC Berkeley confirmed six visa revocations — four for current students and two for recent graduates.

    UC Davis officials stated seven students and five recent graduates had their visas terminated, and Stanford University confirmed six visa revocations.

    “The federal government has not explained the reasons behind these terminations,” UC Davis said in a statement as reported by NBC News.

    Universities are scrambling to support affected students.

    “We are focused on supporting the success of all of our students, including international students. Each one of our students is seeking to advance their careers and the lives of their families, and we understand the anxieties that visa revocations cause to impacted students,” reported NBC News, citing University of Colorado.

    The Council of University of California Faculty Associations issued a statement Sunday, urgently calling upon the University of California to address the revocation of visas and deportation of international students.

    “It has been reported that in the past week alone, at least 44 students across the UC system have had their I-20 Student and Exchange Visitor Information System record terminated by the Department of Homeland Security, with at least one deportation occurring,” the statement noted.

    Civil rights organizations have condemned the administration’s actions. The American Civil Liberties Union issued an open letter to universities warning: “The federal government cannot mandate student expulsions or threaten funding cuts to suppress constitutionally protected speech.”

    College officials worry this crackdown will deter international students from studying in the United States in the future.

    The situation is “a far different, unprecedented intrusion by the executive branch” involving “revoking student visas for different reasons than we have seen previously and at higher rates than we have ever seen,” said Violeta Chapin, a University of Colorado Boulder law professor and immigration expert. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: If Australia switched to EVs, we’d be more reliant on China’s car factories – but wean ourselves off foreign oil

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hussein Dia, Professor of Future Urban Mobility, Swinburne University of Technology

    Prapat Aowsakorn/Shutterstock

    Australia has huge reserves of coal and gas – but very little oil. Before the 20th century, this didn’t matter – trains ran on local coal. But as cars and trucks have come to dominate, Australia has become more and more reliant on imported oil.

    Imports now account for around 80% of total refined fuel consumption, the highest level on record.

    If the flow of oil stopped due to war or economic instability, Australia would have about 54 days worth in storage before we ran out. That would be a huge problem.

    But as more drivers switch from petrol and diesel to electric cars, this equation will change. We can already see this in China, where a rapid uptake of electric vehicles has seen oil demand begin to fall.

    On one level, ending Australia’s dependence on foreign oil makes sense at a time of great geopolitical uncertainty. But on the other, going electric would lead to more reliance on China, now the world’s largest manufacturer of EVs.

    Reducing reliance on oil makes clear sense for climate and national security reasons. But going electric has to be done carefully, to ensure Australia isn’t reliant on just one country.

    If the oil tankers stopped, Australia would have just one month of fuel.
    Ryan Fletcher/Shutterstock

    Importing oil makes us vulnerable

    In recent years, almost all of Australia’s refineries have closed. The government spent billions keeping the Geelong and Brisbane refineries open, as well as other fuel security measures, such as boosting domestic fuel reserves and building more storage.

    The last two refineries rely on imported crude oil, as Australian oil from the North-West Shelf largely isn’t suitable for local refining.

    As a result, Australia is more reliant than ever on importing fuels from large refineries in Asia such as South Korea, Singapore and Malaysia. In 2023, around 45,000 megalitres of fuel were imported from these nations.

    Almost three-quarters (74%) of these liquid fuels are used in transport, across road, rail, shipping and air transport. But road transport is the big one – our cars, trucks and other road vehicles use more than half (54%) of all liquid fuels.

    This reliance presents clear energy security risks. If war, geopolitical tension, economic turmoil or price volatility slows or stops the flow of oil, Australia’s cities and towns would grind to a halt.

    In January, Australia had 30 days worth of petrol. Our stores of all types of oil are a bit higher, at 54 days worth. But that’s still well short of the 90 days the International Energy Agency (IEA) requires of member nations.

    Electricity made locally

    Shifting to electric vehicles promises cleaner air and far lower ongoing costs for drivers, as electricity is much cheaper than petrol or diesel and maintenance is far less.

    But there’s another factor – the energy source. Australia’s electricity is all produced and consumed inside its borders, using local resources (sun, wind, water, coal and gas).

    In this respect, electric vehicles offer much greater energy security. A war in the Middle East or a trade war over tariffs would not bring Australia to a halt. This is one reason why China has so aggressively gone electric – to end its soaring dependence on foreign oil.

    Mainstreaming EVs in Australia will mean accelerating production of renewable electricity further so we can power not just homes and industry but charge cars, trucks and buses, too.

    Doing this would boost our energy security, break our dependency on imported oil and drive down emissions.

    EV manufacturing is expanding rapidly with more models, lower purchase prices, improved battery charging times and increasing consumer adoption.

    Globally, over 17 million EVs (battery and plug-in hybrids) were sold in 2024, including 91,000 battery and 23,000 plug-in hybrids in Australia.

    IEA data shows electric vehicles are already reducing oil demand globally, as are electric bikes and mopeds.

    Ending our dependence on oil will be slow. Australia Institute research estimates 8% of imported fuels could be replaced by local electricity once EVs make up 25% of the passenger car fleet. At 100% EVs, we would reduce oil demand by 33%.

    The other two-thirds of demand is largely from trucks, planes and ships. Electric trucks are coming, but the sector isn’t as mature as electric cars. It’s a similar story for planes and cargo ships.

    All electricity in Australia is produced locally. For transport, that’s a boon to energy security.
    Marian Weyo

    Energy security and EVs

    Australia doesn’t manufacture EVs at scale. As a result, we import EVs from the top manufacturing nations. China is far and away the leader, building 80% of Australia’s new EVs.

    Australia is a major producer of critical minerals essential to the manufacture of EVs, as well as other green technologies such as lithium, cobalt and nickel. But China dominates much of the global supply chain for refining these minerals and manufacturing batteries.

    There’s a risk in relying largely on one country for EVs, especially given the present geopolitical instability.

    Australia’s EVs are imported from the top EV nation China and other suppliers.
    Rangsarit Chaiyakun/Shutterstock

    Balancing security and sustainability

    EVs unquestionably offer large benefits for Australia’s energy security by steadily reducing our reliance on imports from volatile global oil markets.

    But this has to be balanced with other security concerns, such as a heightened reliance on China, as well as the privacy and security risks linked to data collection from digitally connected EVs.

    A balanced approach would see authorities emphasise energy independence through renewables and strong support for vehicle electrification through legislative and regulatory frameworks.

    Under this approach, policymakers would work to diversify supply chains, strengthen cybersecurity and encourage local manufacturing of EV components.

    This approach would reduce new security risks while unlocking the environmental and economic benefits of widespread EV adoption.

    Hussein Dia receives funding from the Australian Research Council, the iMOVE Australia Cooperative Research Centre, Transport for New South Wales, Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads, Victorian Department of Transport and Planning, and Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts.

    – ref. If Australia switched to EVs, we’d be more reliant on China’s car factories – but wean ourselves off foreign oil – https://theconversation.com/if-australia-switched-to-evs-wed-be-more-reliant-on-chinas-car-factories-but-wean-ourselves-off-foreign-oil-252388

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Here’s a simple, science-backed way to sharpen your thinking and improve your memory

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ben Singh, Research Fellow, Allied Health & Human Performance, University of South Australia

    Centre for Ageing Better/Unsplash

    Many of us turn to Sudoku, Wordle or brain-training apps to sharpen our minds. But research is increasingly showing one of the best ways to boost memory, focus and brain health is exercise.

    Our new research reviewed data from more than 250,000 participants across 2,700 studies. We found exercise helps boost brain function – whether it’s walking, cycling, yoga, dancing, or even playing active video games such as Pokémon GO.

    Moving your body improves how we think, make decisions, remember things and stay focused – no matter your age.

    What the science says

    Our review adds to a growing body of research that shows regular physical activity improves three key areas of brain function:

    • cognition, which is your overall ability to think clearly, learn and make decisions

    • memory, especially short-term memory and the ability to remember personal experiences

    • executive function, which includes focus, planning, problem-solving and managing emotions.

    We conducted an umbrella review, which means we looked at the results of more than 130 high-quality research reviews that had already combined findings from many exercise studies. These studies usually involved people starting a new, structured exercise program, not just tracking the exercise they were already doing.

    To assess the effects on cognition, memory and executive function, the original studies used a range of brain function tests. These included things like remembering word lists, solving puzzles, or quickly switching between tasks – simple activities designed to reliably measure how well the brain is working.

    The improvements were small to moderate. On average, exercise led to a noticeable boost in cognition, with slightly smaller but still meaningful gains in memory and executive function.

    The benefits showed up across all age groups, though children and teens saw major gains in memory.

    People with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) showed greater improvements in executive function after physical activity than other population groups.

    The brain started responding fairly quickly – many people experienced improvements after just 12 weeks of starting regular exercise.

    Generally, the greatest benefits were seen in those doing at least 30 minutes of exercise on most days of the week, aiming for a total of about 150 minutes per week.

    Many people notice the difference after 12 weeks.
    Isaac Takeu/Unsplash

    What’s happening in the brain?

    Activities such as walking or cycling can increase the size of the hippocampus, the part of the brain responsible for memory and learning.

    In one study, older adults who did aerobic exercise for a year grew their hippocampus by 2%, effectively reversing one to two years of age-related brain shrinkage.

    More intense workouts, such as running or high-intensity interval training, can further boost neuroplasticity – the brain’s ability to adapt and rewire itself. This helps you learn more quickly, think more clearly and stay mentally sharp with age.

    Another reason to get moving

    The world’s population is ageing. By 2030, one in six of people will be aged over 60. With that comes a rising risk of dementia, Alzheimer’s disease and cognitive decline.

    At the same time, many adults aren’t moving enough. One in three adults aren’t meeting the recommended levels of physical activity.

    Adults should aim for at least 150 of moderate exercise – such as brisk walking – each week, or at least 75 minutes of more vigorous activity, like running.

    It’s also important to incorporate muscle-strengthening exercises, such as lifting weights, into workouts at least twice a week.

    Adults need 75 minutes of vigorous activity a week, or 150 minutes of moderate exercise – plus two sessions of strength training.
    Centre for Ageing Better/Unsplash

    Everyday movement counts

    You don’t need to run marathons or lift heavy weights to benefit. Our study showed lower-intensity activities such as yoga, tai chi and “exergames” (active video games) can be just as effective – sometimes even more so.

    These activities engage both the brain and body. Tai chi, for instance, requires focus, coordination and memorising sequences.

    Exergames often include real-time decision-making and rapid response to cues. This trains attention and memory.

    Importantly, these forms of movement are inclusive. They can be done at home, outdoors, or with friends, making them a great option for people of all fitness levels or those with limited mobility.

    Although you may already be doing a lot through daily life – like walking instead of driving or carrying shopping bags home – it’s still important to find time for structured exercise, such as lifting weights at the gym or doing a regular yoga class, to get the full benefits for your brain and body.

    Real-life applications

    If you’re a grandparent, consider playing Wii Sports virtual tennis or bowling with your grandchild. If you’re a teenager with signs of ADHD, try a dance class, and see if it impacts your concentration in class. If you’re a busy parent, you might be more clear-headed if you can squeeze a 20-minute yoga video session between meetings.

    In each of these cases, you’re not just being active, you’re giving your brain a valuable tune-up. And unlike most brain-training apps or supplements, exercise delivers far reaching benefits, including improved sleep and mental health.

    Workplaces and schools are starting to take note. Short movement breaks are being introduced during the workday to improve employee focus.

    Schools that incorporate physical activity into the classroom are seeing improvements in students’ attention and academic performance.

    Exercise is one of the most powerful and accessible tools we have for supporting brain health. Best of all, it’s free, widely available and it’s never too late to start.

    Ashleigh E. Smith receives grant funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council, the Medical Research Future Fund and is a Henry Brodaty mid-career fellow awarded from Dementia Australia Research Foundation.

    Ben Singh 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. Here’s a simple, science-backed way to sharpen your thinking and improve your memory – https://theconversation.com/heres-a-simple-science-backed-way-to-sharpen-your-thinking-and-improve-your-memory-253751

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Reserve Bank Gov Appointed – Christian Hawkesby appointed as Governor of the RBNZ for 6 months

    Source: Reserve Bank of New Zealand

    8 April 2025 – Christian Hawkesby has been appointed as Governor of the Reserve Bank of New Zealand for a six-month term by the Minister of Finance, upon the recommendation of the RBNZ Board.  

    Mr Hawkesby has been acting Governor since 5 March and will be Governor from 8 April for six months while the recruitment of a Governor to serve for a five-year term takes place. Mr Hawkesby’s appointment may be extended by the Minister of Finance for up to three additional months.  

    “I am proud to step into the role of Governor and continue contributing to our mission of working to enable economic prosperity and wellbeing for all New Zealanders,” Mr Hawkesby says.

    Board Chair Neil Quigley says, “Mr Hawkesby’s leadership and expertise have been invaluable to Te Pūtea Matua since he joined the RBNZ in 2019. His appointment reflects both his contributions and our confidence in his ability to continue strengthening New Zealand’s financial system, chair the Monetary Policy Committee and be CEO of RBNZ.”  

    The RBNZ board has commenced the recruitment process to nominate for appointment a Governor who will serve for five years. During the recruitment process the MPC will consist of 3 internal RBNZ staff and 3 external members. The MPC Chair holds a casting vote.

    More information

    For further information on making a temporary appointment, please see:

    https://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/2021/0031/latest/LMS287123.html  

    For further information on the MPC’s quorum, please see: https://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/2021/0031/latest/LMS287133.html

    RBNZ Governor Adrian Orr resigns: https://govt.us20.list-manage.com/track/click?u=bd316aa7ee4f5679c56377819&id=18640a250c&e=f3c68946f8

    Christian Hawkesby – Reserve Bank of New Zealand – Te Pūtea Matua: https://govt.us20.list-manage.com/track/click?u=bd316aa7ee4f5679c56377819&id=ed7e50fcfa&e=f3c68946f8

    Mr Hawkesby joined Te Pūtea Matua in 2019 and was appointed Deputy Governor/General Manager of the Financial Stability Group after serving as Assistant Governor. He previously helped establish Harbour Asset Management and spent nine years in senior roles at the Bank of England. He holds a Master of Commerce (Hons) in Economics from the University of Canterbury.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Cross-party delegation to visit Pacific

    Source: New Zealand Government

    A high-level delegation from across New Zealand’s Parliament will visit the Pacific over the coming week, led by Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters.

    “New Zealand’s commitment to the Pacific is long-term and endures through successive governments and across the political spectrum,” Mr Peters says. “That’s why we are visiting the region with a senior delegation from across our Parliament to listen to our partners and learn more about the Pacific’s priorities.”     

    “The Pacific is grappling with a complex, challenging geostrategic and economic environment, and New Zealand is committed to doing its part to help,” Mr Peters says. 

    “New Zealand has deep connections in the Pacific, befitting our close historical, strategic, economic, and people-to-people links, and reflecting our place in the Pacific Islands Forum family. 

    “It is incumbent on us to regularly spend quality time in the Pacific to renew relationships and ensure that we are working with our partners towards mutually-beneficial cooperation. The upcoming Pacific tour is part of this ongoing process.”      

    Alongside Mr Peters, the delegation comprises: 

    • Pacific Peoples and Universities Minister, Dr Shane Reti;
    • Climate Change and Energy Minister, Simon Watts;
    • Courts Minister, Nicole McKee;
    • Deputy Leader of the Opposition and Vice Chair of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Executive Committee, Carmel Sepuloni;
    • Chair of the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee, Tim van de Molen;
    • Assistant Speaker, Green Foreign Affairs Spokesperson, and Co-Chair of the NZ-Pacific Interparliamentary Friendship Group, Teanau Tuiono;
    • Co-Chair of the NZ-Pacific Interparliamentary Friendship Group, Jenny Salesa; and
    • Chair of the Transport and Infrastructure Committee, Andy Foster.   

    The delegation leaves New Zealand on Thursday (10 April), and includes time in Tonga, Hawai’i and Vanuatu. It returns to New Zealand on 17 April.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: ER Report: A Roundup of Significant Articles on EveningReport.nz for April 8, 2025

    ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on April 8, 2025.

    The latest update on NZ’s state of the environment is sobering – but there are glimmers of progress
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christina McCabe, PhD Candidate in Interdisciplinary Ecology, University of Canterbury Shutterstock/synthetick If left unaddressed, many environmental changes in Aotearoa New Zealand could threaten livelihoods, health, quality of life and infrastructure for generations to come, according to the latest update on the state of the environment. The Ministry for the Environment and StatsNZ produce an environmental assessment every three years, collating data and trends on air quality, freshwater and marine environments, the land and climate. The latest report shows that long-term drivers of change – including international influences, economic demands and climate change

    ‘Never our intention to mock Jesus’ – Naked Samoans respond to backlash over controversial poster
    By Susana Suisuiki, RNZ Pacific journalist Pasifika comedy troupe Naked Samoans is facing a backlash from some members of the Pacific community over its promotional poster. In the image, which has now been taken down, the Naked Samoans depicted themselves as the 12 disciples surrounding Jesus, a parody of The Last Supper. Several Pasifika influencers condemned the image online, with one person labelling it “disrespectful”. However, Naked Samoan group member Oscar Kightley told RNZ Pacific Waves he did not anticipate the uproar. Oscar Kightley talking to RNZ Pacific Waves. The award-winning writer has addressed the backlash as they gear up

    Here’s who topped the rankings in this year’s scorecard for sustainable chocolate – and which confectionery giant refused to participate
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephanie Perkiss, Associate professor in accounting, University of Wollongong Jiri Hera/Shutterstock With the Easter weekend now around the corner, the sixth edition of the Global Chocolate Scorecard has just been released. This is an annual initiative produced by Be Slavery Free, in collaboration with two Australian universities and a wide range of consultants and sustainability interest groups. It ranks companies across the entire chocolate sector – from major multinational producers through to retailers – on a wide range of sustainability policies and practices. This year, there have been some improvements across the

    This Easter, check out which chocolate brands are most ethical
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephanie Perkiss, Associate professor in accounting, University of Wollongong Jiri Hera/Shutterstock With the Easter weekend now around the corner, the sixth edition of the Global Chocolate Scorecard has just been released. This is an annual initiative produced by Be Slavery Free, in collaboration with two Australian universities and a wide range of consultants and sustainability interest groups. It ranks companies across the entire chocolate sector – from major multinational producers through to retailers – on a wide range of sustainability policies and practices. This year, there have been some improvements across the

    Open letter to NZME board – don’t allow alt-right Canadian billionaire to take over NZ’s Fourth Estate
    NZME directors ‘have concerns’ about businessman Jim Grenon taking editorial control NZME’s directors have fired their own shots in the war for control of the media company, saying they have concerns about a takeover bid including the risk of businessman Jim Grenon taking editorial control. In a statement to the NZX, the board said it was delaying its annual shareholders meeting until June and opening up nominations of other directors. NZME . . . RNZ report on NZME’s directors “firing their own shots in the war for control of the media company”. Grenon, a New Zealand resident since 2012, bought

    Why are some cats more allergenic than others? It’s not their coat length
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jazmine Skinner, Lecturer in Animal Science, University of Southern Queensland evrymmnt/Shutterstock Allergies can be debilitating for those who have them – even more so when the cause of the allergic reaction is a beloved pet. Second only to dust mites, the humble domestic house cat is one of the major causes of indoor allergens for people. But what is the actual source of the allergic response? And are certain breeds less allergenic than others? There are many myths and misconceptions related to cat allergens, so let’s debunk a few. Cats produce several

    Australia’s innovative new policies are designed to cut smoking rates – here are 6 ideas NZ could borrow
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Janet Hoek, Professor in Public Health, University of Otago Shutterstock/chayanuphol At the start of this month, when denicotinisation would have been due to come into effect in Aotearoa New Zealand (had the government not repealed smokefree laws), Australia introduced innovative smokefree policies to change the look, ingredients and packaging of tobacco products. New Zealand’s current goal is to reduce smoking prevalence to no more than 5% (and as close to zero as possible) among all population groups. However, realising this goal now seems very unlikely. Latest figures show 6.9% of the general

    Trump has Australia’s generic medicines in his sights. And no-one’s talking about it
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Deborah Gleeson, Associate Professor in Public Health, La Trobe University PeopleImages.com – Yuri A/Shutterstock While Australia was busy defending the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme against threats from the United States in recent weeks, another issue related to the supply and trade of medicines was flying under the radar. Buried on page 19 of the Trump’s administration’s allegations of barriers to trade was a single paragraph related to Australia’s access to generic medicines. These are cheaper alternatives to branded medicines that are no longer under patent. The US is concerned about how much notice

    New research shows digital technology is linked to reduced wellbeing in young kids. So what can parents do?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jacquelyn Harverson, PhD Candidate, School of Psychology, Deakin University Alex Segre/ Shutterstock Once upon a time, children fought for control of the remote to the sole family television. Now the choice of screen-based content available to kids seems endless. There are computers, tablets, phones and gaming consoles offering streaming services, online content and apps. Children also use devices at school, with digital literacy part of the Australian curriculum from the start of school. The speed and scale of this change has left parents, researchers and policymakers scrambling to catch up. And it

    3.5 million Australians experienced fraud last year. This could be avoided through 6 simple steps
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gary Mortimer, Professor of Marketing and Consumer Behaviour, Queensland University of Technology Zigres/Shutterstock About 14% of Australians experienced personal fraud last year. Of these, 2.1 million experienced credit card fraud, 675,300 were caught in a scam, 255,000 had their identities stolen and 433,000 were impersonated online. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics latest Personal Fraud Survey, between July 2023 and June 2024, Australians lost A$2.1 billion through credit card fraud. This was up almost 9% from the previous year. Even after reimbursements, the loss was still $477 million. These figures do

    What do medieval puzzles and the New York Times Connections have in common?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emma Knowles, Lecturer, Western Civilisation Program, Australian Catholic University Getty The New York Times Connections game asks players to categorise 16 words into four groups of four. For example, in one collection of 16, a category included “blow”, “cat”, “gold” and “sword”: these are all words that might come before “fish”. As described by puzzle editor Wyna Liu, completing the puzzle should feel “challenging and satisfying”. Players are encouraged to “think flexibly”. Liu says her job as puzzle designer is “to trick you”. Challenging word-based games are not a modern invention. In

    Selling your old laptop or phone? You might be handing over your data too
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ritesh Chugh, Associate Professor, Information and Communications Technology, CQUniversity Australia berdiyandriy/Shutterstock You’re about to recycle your laptop or your phone, so you delete all your photos and personal files. Maybe you even reset the device to factory settings. You probably think your sensitive data is now safe. But there is more to be done: hackers may still be able to retrieve passwords, documents or bank details, even after a reset. In fact, 90% of second-hand laptops, hard drives and memory cards still contain recoverable data. This indicates that many consumers fail to

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI China: China unveils new radio telescope in Antarctica

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    This photo taken in December 2024 shows “Three Gorges Antarctic Eye,” a 3.2-metre aperture radio/millimetre-wave telescope, at China’s Zhongshan Station in Antarctica. [Photo/China Three Gorges University]
    China has unveiled the “Three Gorges Antarctic Eye,” a 3.2-metre aperture radio/millimetre-wave telescope, at a scientific research station in Antarctica.
    Officially launched at the country’s Zhongshan Station in Antarctica on April 3, the telescope, co-developed by China Three Gorges University (CTGU) and Shanghai Normal University (SHNU), further cemented China’s advancements in Antarctic astronomy.
    The “Three Gorges Antarctic Eye” has officially begun scientific observations of the Milky Way’s neutral hydrogen and ammonia molecular spectral lines, providing vital data to help unravel the dynamics of interstellar gas and the processes of star formation, CTGU told Xinhua on Monday.
    “This telescope has broken through key technical bottlenecks in Antarctic observatory construction, laying the foundation for future submillimeter-wave telescopes in Antarctica,” said Zhang Yi, an associate professor at SHNU and a member of China’s Antarctic expedition team currently working in the continent.
    He added that the device will expand observations across radio to low-frequency millimeter-wave bands, driving technological advancements for next-generation Antarctic astronomy tools.
    Zeng Xiangyun, an associate professor at CTGU, noted that Antarctica is the coldest continent on Earth, and the extreme cold and strong winds pose significant challenges for the development and installation of radio telescopes.
    Since 2023, CTGU has actively collaborated with SHNU to tackle the challenges of conducting astronomy in extreme environments. Over the past two years, researchers have overcome key technical hurdles, such as adapting equipment to withstand Antarctica’s harsh sub-zero temperatures and hurricane-force winds, Zeng said.
    He Weijun, Party chief of CTGU, emphasized the significance of the project.
    “The successful operation of the ‘Three Gorges Antarctic Eye’ showcases our university’s achievements in polar research equipment,” He said.
    “It reflects the spirit of Chinese scientists scaling new heights in science and technology, as well as the vital role of universities in national innovation,” he added.
    Once the telescope enters stable operation, CTGU plans to send researchers to Zhongshan Station for on-site scientific expeditions.
    China has been steadily expanding its astronomical capabilities in Antarctica, leveraging the continent’s pristine atmospheric conditions for infrared and millimeter-wave observations.
    The deployment of the “Three Gorges Antarctic Eye” builds on China’s earlier initiatives, including the Antarctic Survey Telescopes AST3 and other astronomical instruments, further strengthening global efforts to study cosmic phenomena from one of Earth’s most remote locations.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: The latest update on NZ’s state of the environment is sobering – but there are glimmers of progress

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christina McCabe, PhD Candidate in Interdisciplinary Ecology, University of Canterbury

    Shutterstock/synthetick

    If left unaddressed, many environmental changes in Aotearoa New Zealand could threaten livelihoods, health, quality of life and infrastructure for generations to come, according to the latest update on the state of the environment.

    The Ministry for the Environment and StatsNZ produce an environmental assessment every three years, collating data and trends on air quality, freshwater and marine environments, the land and climate.

    The latest report shows that long-term drivers of change – including international influences, economic demands and climate change – mean many natural systems have become less resilient and are at risk of collapse. But it also highlights improvements in urban air quality and reduced waste flows to landfill.

    Real risks to people, communities and places

    Many environmental trends in New Zealand are sobering.

    Soil erosion is increasing and continues to degrade downstream freshwater and marine ecosystems. Soils misplaced from land, including through landslides or gradual loss of topsoil, can threaten homes and infrastructure and reduce the potential for growing food or storing carbon.

    Climate change is projected to increase erosion rates by up to 233%, depending on future emissions scenarios.

    Native forests are most effective at reducing soil erosion, but exotic forests can also help. The report shows the area planted in exotic forest has increased by 12% (220,922 hectares) between 1996 and 2018, with most of this new area coming from exotic grassland.

    Landfill contaminants, including leachates and microplastics, threaten soil health. New Zealand remains the highest producer of waste to landfill per capita among developed countries, but waste flows to landfill have dropped by 11% in 2023, compared with a 2018 peak.

    The report offers another glimmer of progress. While air pollution still affects health, long-term air quality is gradually improving thanks to a shift away from cars with combustion engines.

    Population growth and urban development are displacing green spaces.
    Getty Images

    Water quality and green spaces

    What happens on land commonly flows into water, often affecting human health and recreation. The report shows that between 2019 and 2024, nearly half of all groundwater monitoring sites failed to meet drinking water standards for E. coli at least once. Nitrate concentrations also rose at around half of all sites.

    Freshwater ecosystems are critically affected by the space we give them. Urban development can displace natural features such as wetlands and floodplains, which store water and provide a buffer against extreme weather events.

    Four in five New Zealanders live in urban areas and the report shows green spaces have not kept up with population growth. Continued development near rivers and on floodplains, without maintaining natural buffers, increases risks to homes and infrastructure as flood extremes worsen with climate change.

    Coastal areas face their own challenges. Rising seas and storm surges threaten not only homes and roads, but also culturally significant places. As many as 420 archaeological sites on public conservation land are at risk of coastal inundation and 191 marae are within one kilometre of the coast.

    Livelihoods and biodiversity at risk

    New Zealand is a globally significant biodiversity hotspot and natural landscapes are central to cultural identity. The land and waters, and species we share them with, are inseparable from Māori identity. The economy, from agriculture to tourism, also depends on thriving ecosystems.

    But many pressures on biodiversity are worsening, according to the report. About 94% of native reptiles and 78% of native birds are threatened or at risk of extinction.

    Extreme weather events (expected to increase with climate change) threaten food and fibre crops. The report estimates the recovery of these sectors from Cyclone Gabrielle will cost up to NZ$1.1 billion.

    Pest species continue to damage ecosystems at a cost of $9.2 billion in 2019–20, including primary-sector losses of $4.3 billion.

    Wilding conifers are a particular concern, having invaded an estimated two million hectares of land, primarily on the conservation estate. Without careful management, the report projects they could cover up to 25% of New Zealand’s land within 30 years.

    The restoration of Te Auaunga, Auckland’s longest urban river, is helping to reduce flooding and improve recreational spaces.
    Shutterstock/aiyoshi597

    Stories behind the numbers

    For the first time, the ministry has released a companion report to share stories of hope.

    It highlights the links between environmental challenges and how nature-based approaches can benefit both people and the environment.

    In Tairāwhiti, for instance, a native forest restoration project is protecting Gisborne’s drinking water supply. A large block of commercial pine is being replaced with native forests to stabilise erodible land, filter water runoff before it reaches dams, and provide habitat for native flora and fauna.

    In Auckland, the Making Space for Water program is restoring Te Auaunga (Oakley Creek), the city’s longest urban river. The work includes widening the river channel, removing restrictive structures and planting native vegetation to regenerate historical wetland habitats. Along with reducing flooding in the area, these changes provide improved recreational spaces for people.

    The report notes the complexity of interactions between people and the natural environment, which means that many impacts cannot be seen straight away. For instance, nitrates move through groundwater very slowly and we may continue to see the effects of past decisions for some time yet. Furthermore, climate change can amplify many environmental stressors.

    The state of our environment mirrors our collective decisions. This update offers an opportunity to guide those decisions towards a more resilient future.

    Christina McCabe is affiliated with Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha / The University of Canterbury, and Te Pūnaha Matatini, a Centre of Research Excellence.

    – ref. The latest update on NZ’s state of the environment is sobering – but there are glimmers of progress – https://theconversation.com/the-latest-update-on-nzs-state-of-the-environment-is-sobering-but-there-are-glimmers-of-progress-254051

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Here’s who topped the rankings in this year’s scorecard for sustainable chocolate – and which confectionery giant refused to participate

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephanie Perkiss, Associate professor in accounting, University of Wollongong

    Jiri Hera/Shutterstock

    With the Easter weekend now around the corner, the sixth edition of the Global Chocolate Scorecard has just been released.

    This is an annual initiative produced by Be Slavery Free, in collaboration with two Australian universities and a wide range of consultants and sustainability interest groups.

    It ranks companies across the entire chocolate sector – from major multinational producers through to retailers – on a wide range of sustainability policies and practices.

    This year, there have been some improvements across the board.

    Transparency has increased, with 82% of companies now fully disclosing child labour data, up from 45% in 2023. The data reported also shows the discovery of child labour is down in the sector.

    On other measures, the sector is less commendable. Deforestation is still high, with more than a third of cocoa bought by companies coming from deforested or unknown sources.

    Companies reported that 84% of cocoa farmers in their supply chain are not earning a living income – or their income is unknown. And there hasn’t been enough progress on the use of pesticides to address the chronic exposure of communities to harmful chemicals.

    Chocolate’s annual scorecard

    The Global Chocolate Scorecard evaluates and ranks chocolate traders, manufacturers, brands and retailers.

    The Global Chocolate Scorecard is released every year around Easter time.
    New Africa/Shutterstock

    This year, 60 companies from around the world were invited to participate. Collectively, these companies purchase more than 90% of the world’s cocoa.

    Companies are categorised as either large, small (less than 1,000 tons of cocoa) or retailers. They’re evaluated based on a range of policies and practices.

    These include:

    • traceability and transparency levels across supply chains
    • whether they pay farmers a living income
    • efforts to prevent the use of child labour
    • action on climate and deforestation
    • how they support agroforestry
    • efforts to eliminate the use of harmful pesticides.

    Top of the class

    Awards were given out this year to the best and the worst performers – a “Good Egg” award in each category, a gender award, and a “Bad Egg” award overall.

    This year, Tony’s Chocolonely won the Good Egg award in the large company category. It scored the highest against the six markers, representing the most sustainable chocolate company according to the scorecard.

    The Gender award went to Mars Wrigley – which produces Mars, Snickers, Twix and Malteasers – recognising the company for work supporting gender equality.

    The Good Egg award for smaller companies went to US chocolate manufacturer Beyond Good. Beyond Good buys beans directly from farmers in Madagascar and Uganda, ensuring traceability and fair trade practices.

    Unlike indirect sourcing in the cocoa commodity supply chain, Beyond Good’s direct trade model means the company buys cocoa direct from the farmers. Bypassing intermediaries enables better transparency and supply chain relationships.

    Companies reported 84% of cocoa farmers either weren’t earning a living income, or their income was unknown.
    Narong Khueankaew/Shutterstock

    The ‘bad egg’ award

    This year, multinational chocolate manufacturer Mondelēz, producers of Cadbury, Toblerone, Green & Black’s, Oreo and Daim, was given the “Bad Egg” award.

    The award recognises the company’s decision not to participate in this year’s chocolate scorecard process, indicating of a lack of transparency and public accountability.

    Mondelēz did participate in the last (fifth) edition, ranking 25th out of 38 large companies. The company has not provided a reason for not participating this year. However, it is an outlier, as all other large chocolate companies participated.

    Another notable absence from this year’s scorecard was major Australian retailer Coles, which has participated in the past.

    Transparency allows consumers to find out what steps companies are taking to improve sustainability in their supply chains.
    New Africa/Shutterstock

    The understanding that businesses have a responsibility to be accountable to their consumers is not new. It encompasses aspects of corporate social responsibility – compliance, ethical and sustainable practices, and transparency.

    To be transparent, companies need to be open and honest about how their products are made, how their prices are set and what policies they follow.

    A sector in turmoil

    The global chocolate sector is facing some serious challenges. About 75% of the world’s cocoa is produced in West Africa.

    Cocoa prices surged to record highs in 2024. Many major chocolate companies increased their prices as a result.

    Despite the price of chocolate rising, these increases are often not passed on, leaving many cocoa farmers in extreme poverty. This is in addition to struggling with the impacts of climate change.

    New uncertainty for producers are only set to worsen in the wake of the Trump administration’s dismantling of USAID and International Labour Affairs Bureau programs. Such cuts ending projects for health, humans rights and monitoring risk reversing the much celebrated progress on reducing child labour in chocolate supply chains.

    Stephanie Perkiss is part of the Chocolate Scorecard’s Data Integrity & Ethics and Research team.

    – ref. Here’s who topped the rankings in this year’s scorecard for sustainable chocolate – and which confectionery giant refused to participate – https://theconversation.com/heres-who-topped-the-rankings-in-this-years-scorecard-for-sustainable-chocolate-and-which-confectionery-giant-refused-to-participate-253933

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Why are some cats more allergenic than others? It’s not their coat length

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jazmine Skinner, Lecturer in Animal Science, University of Southern Queensland

    evrymmnt/Shutterstock

    Allergies can be debilitating for those who have them – even more so when the cause of the allergic reaction is a beloved pet.

    Second only to dust mites, the humble domestic house cat is one of the major causes of indoor allergens for people.

    But what is the actual source of the allergic response? And are certain breeds less allergenic than others? There are many myths and misconceptions related to cat allergens, so let’s debunk a few.

    Cats produce several allergens, but Fel d 1 is the biggest culprit.
    My Agency/Shutterstock

    It’s not the hair!

    Contrary to common misconception, cat hair is not the cause of allergies in people.

    Rather, the allergy is down to a pesky protein commonly referred to as Fel d 1. This protein is produced in a cat’s saliva and skin glands. While cats produce at least eight allergens, it is Fel d 1 which studies have shown to be the leading cat allergen.

    Fel d 1 is a microscopic protein that readily sticks to clothing and other surfaces. It can also remain airborne for long periods of time, making it easy to inhale.

    Studies have shown it can even be found in homes without cats, brought in from outside on clothes and other objects – not great news for people with a severe allergy.

    The Fel d 1 allergen is transferred to the cat’s hair and skin when they groom themselves. It then spreads into their environment when they shed hair and dander, which is mostly comprised of dead skin cells.

    Although the cat’s hair can carry the allergens, the hair itself is not at fault here. Even hairless Sphynx cats secrete the protein. This is also why longer haired, fluffier cats don’t necessarily make you more allergic.

    Sphynx cats might not have much hair, but they still produce the allergen.
    Erin Agius/Unsplash

    It’s not the breed, either

    In fact, research has shown that neither the length of the cat’s hair, nor the colour of its coat, appear to have any significant bearing on how much allergen the cat produces.

    Regardless of a cat’s breed, sex and individual variation in the production of Fel d 1 are the main reason why some cats seem to cause a greater allergic response than others.

    It has long been known that on average, unneutered male cats produce more Fel d 1 than females or neutered males. Some studies have also found that older cats tend to produce lower levels of Fel d 1 than younger cats.

    While there are breeds referred to as “hypoallergenic”, it is important to remember this does not mean “allergen-free”. According to a review published in 2024, “to date, there is no scientific evidence for a hypoallergenic cat breed”.

    However, putting our strict hypoallergenic definition aside, a few small studies have reported reduced levels of Fel d 1 production in some of these breeds. It is important to remember though that even in individual cats, production of Fel d 1 can vary widely throughout the year.

    Further studies in these breeds, using larger sample sizes, is needed to confirm these findings.

    Overall, the fact that sensitive people report an increased allergic response to some cats rather than others is likely due to variation in how much Fel d 1 the individual cat produces.

    Just because a cat is fluffy, doesn’t mean it’s going to set your allergies off more.
    Ricardo L/Unsplash

    Can we make cats less allergenic?

    In the last few years, several studies have investigated the possibility of vaccinating cats against the Fel d 1 protein.

    While this would be great news for allergy sufferers, the issue is that researchers are currently unsure what role the protein plays in cats. Current evidence suggests it may play a role in the dispersal of pheromones, and potentially in protecting the cat’s skin; further research is needed.

    There is also some initial evidence to suggest that therapeutic diets in which an antibody is added from chicken eggs (IgY antibodies) can reduce the production of Fel d 1 that a cat produces. However, larger studies are needed before we might start seeing “anti-allergy” cat food on the shelves.

    There is some evidence to suggest that exposure to cats at a young age may reduce the likelihood of a person developing an allergy.

    If you’re an adult allergic to cats but still would like to have one, there is good evidence to suggest regular cleaning can substantially decrease the amount of cat allergens in your home.

    Even though the jury is out on the scientific evidence for “hypoallergenic” cat breeds, some cats really are less allergenic than others.

    Despite the challenges for those that are allergic, you are not doomed to have to avoid cats for the rest of your life. With the right management and care, cat ownership is entirely possible – and absolutely worth it.

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

    – ref. Why are some cats more allergenic than others? It’s not their coat length – https://theconversation.com/why-are-some-cats-more-allergenic-than-others-its-not-their-coat-length-251133

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: This Easter, check out which chocolate brands are most ethical

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephanie Perkiss, Associate professor in accounting, University of Wollongong

    Jiri Hera/Shutterstock

    With the Easter weekend now around the corner, the sixth edition of the Global Chocolate Scorecard has just been released.

    This is an annual initiative produced by Be Slavery Free, in collaboration with two Australian universities and a wide range of consultants and sustainability interest groups.

    It ranks companies across the entire chocolate sector – from major multinational producers through to retailers – on a wide range of sustainability policies and practices.

    This year, there have been some improvements across the board.

    Transparency has increased, with 82% of companies now fully disclosing child labour data, up from 45% in 2023. The data reported also shows the discovery of child labour is down in the sector.

    On other measures, the sector is less commendable. Deforestation is still high, with more than a third of cocoa bought by companies coming from deforested or unknown sources.

    Companies reported that 84% of cocoa farmers in their supply chain are not earning a living income – or their income is unknown. And there hasn’t been enough progress on the use of pesticides to address the chronic exposure of communities to harmful chemicals.

    Chocolate’s annual scorecard

    The Global Chocolate Scorecard evaluates and ranks chocolate traders, manufacturers, brands and retailers.

    The Global Chocolate Scorecard is released every year around Easter time.
    New Africa/Shutterstock

    This year, 60 companies from around the world were invited to participate. Collectively, these companies purchase more than 90% of the world’s cocoa.

    Companies are categorised as either large, small (less than 1,000 tons of cocoa) or retailers. They’re evaluated based on a range of policies and practices.

    These include:

    • traceability and transparency levels across supply chains
    • whether they pay farmers a living income
    • efforts to prevent the use of child labour
    • action on climate and deforestation
    • how they support agroforestry
    • efforts to eliminate the use of harmful pesticides.

    Top of the class

    Awards were given out this year to the best and the worst performers – a “Good Egg” award in each category, a gender award, and a “Bad Egg” award overall.

    This year, Tony’s Chocolonely won the Good Egg award in the large company category. It scored the highest against the six markers, representing the most sustainable chocolate company according to the scorecard.

    The Gender award went to Mars Wrigley – which produces Mars, Snickers, Twix and Malteasers – recognising the company for work supporting gender equality.

    The Good Egg award for smaller companies went to US chocolate manufacturer Beyond Good. Beyond Good buys beans directly from farmers in Madagascar and Uganda, ensuring traceability and fair trade practices.

    Unlike indirect sourcing in the cocoa commodity supply chain, Beyond Good’s direct trade model means the company buys cocoa direct from the farmers. Bypassing intermediaries enables better transparency and supply chain relationships.

    Companies reported 84% of cocoa farmers either weren’t earning a living income, or their income was unknown.
    Narong Khueankaew/Shutterstock

    The ‘bad egg’ award

    This year, multinational chocolate manufacturer Mondelēz, producers of Cadbury, Toblerone, Green & Black’s, Oreo and Daim, was given the “Bad Egg” award.

    The award recognises the company’s decision not to participate in this year’s chocolate scorecard process, indicating of a lack of transparency and public accountability.

    Mondelēz did participate in the last (fifth) edition, ranking 25th out of 38 large companies. The company has not provided a reason for not participating this year. However, it is an outlier, as all other large chocolate companies participated.

    Another notable absence from this year’s scorecard was major Australian retailer Coles, which has participated in the past.

    Transparency allows consumers to find out what steps companies are taking to improve sustainability in their supply chains.
    New Africa/Shutterstock

    The understanding that businesses have a responsibility to be accountable to their consumers is not new. It encompasses aspects of corporate social responsibility – compliance, ethical and sustainable practices, and transparency.

    To be transparent, companies need to be open and honest about how their products are made, how their prices are set and what policies they follow.

    A sector in turmoil

    The global chocolate sector is facing some serious challenges. About 75% of the world’s cocoa is produced in West Africa.

    Cocoa prices surged to record highs in 2024. Many major chocolate companies increased their prices as a result.

    Despite the price of chocolate rising, these increases are often not passed on, leaving many cocoa farmers in extreme poverty. This is in addition to struggling with the impacts of climate change.

    New uncertainty for producers are only set to worsen in the wake of the Trump administration’s dismantling of USAID and International Labour Affairs Bureau programs. Such cuts ending projects for health, humans rights and monitoring risk reversing the much celebrated progress on reducing child labour in chocolate supply chains.

    Stephanie Perkiss is part of the Chocolate Scorecard’s Data Integrity & Ethics and Research team.

    – ref. This Easter, check out which chocolate brands are most ethical – https://theconversation.com/this-easter-check-out-which-chocolate-brands-are-most-ethical-253933

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Washington Delegation Honors WSU President Dr. Kirk Schulz

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Dan Newhouse (4th District of Washington)

    Headline: Washington Delegation Honors WSU President Dr. Kirk Schulz

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Members of the Washington Congressional Delegation congratulated Washington State University President Dr. Kirk Schulz on his outstanding tenure and retirement with a written statement in the Congressional Record. 

    The Congressional Record statement reads as follows:  

    Honoring the Legacy of Washington State University President Kirk Schulz 

    April 7, 2025

    Mr. Newhouse of Washington. Mister Speaker, I rise today, alongside my colleagues from Washington state, Representatives Suzan DelBene, Rick Larsen, Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, Michael Baumgartner, Emily Randall, Pramila Jayapal, Kim Schrier, Adam Smith, and Marilyn Strickland, to recognize and commend the distinguished tenure of Dr. Kirk Schulz as President of Washington State University (WSU). Since 2016, President Schulz has guided WSU through a period of immense growth, advancing research, student success, and statewide partnerships. As he prepares for retirement, we honor his leadership and dedication to higher education in Washington State.

    Under President Schulz’s tenure, WSU has strengthened its reputation as a world-class research institution, addressing critical challenges in agriculture, medicine, and clean energy. His efforts have ensured that students across our state have access to high-quality education, and his work with Washington’s congressional delegation has helped secure funding for key university initiatives.

    Each of Washington’s ten congressional districts has benefited from President Schulz’s leadership, reinforcing WSU’s role as an institution that serves all Washingtonians. I would like to highlight a few key impacts across the state:

    1st District: WSU has built strong partnerships with the region’s tech industry, working with companies in King and Snohomish counties to prepare students for careers in artificial intelligence, software development, and semiconductor manufacturing. These efforts ensure Washington remains at the forefront of technological advancement.

    2nd District: WSU’s agricultural extension programs in Northwest Washington have played a vital role in supporting farmers and sustaining fisheries in the region. WSU’s Everett campus provides entrepreneurs critical business management skills and trains engineers for the world-class aerospace and high-tech industries in Northwest Washington.

    3rd District: WSU Vancouver has expanded opportunities in STEM education, creating new pathways for students to enter high-demand fields like engineering and healthcare. By connecting with local industries and healthcare providers, WSU is strengthening Southwest Washington’s workforce and economic outlook.

    4th District: Home to some of the nation’s premier vineyards, Central Washington has benefited from WSU’s viticulture and enology programs. Through cutting-edge research and collaboration with winemakers, WSU has helped the region maintain its reputation as a world-class wine producer.

    5th District: WSU’s Pullman campus is a cornerstone of agricultural research, and the completion of the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) building has only strengthened that legacy. The facility provides farmers and food producers with critical innovations in crop science and food security, supporting one of Washington’s most essential industries.

    6th District: WSU researchers have been at the forefront of sustainable forestry and climate resilience efforts. Their work supports the health of Washington’s forests, which are vital for the economy, outdoor recreation, and the environment, ensuring these natural resources are protected for future generations.

    7th District: WSU’s collaborations with Seattle-area institutions have led to major advancements in medical research, including breakthroughs in cancer treatment and biomedical engineering. These efforts not only push the boundaries of science but also create opportunities for students to engage in life-changing research.

    8th District: With a focus on clean energy, WSU has led the way in developing innovative hydroelectric, wind, and solar power solutions. These advancements have benefited communities across the Cascades, helping Washington transition to a more sustainable energy future.

    9th District: The Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine has provided new opportunities for students from diverse backgrounds to enter the medical profession. By expanding access to healthcare education, WSU is addressing physician shortages and improving healthcare access across Washington.

    10th District: Military families near Joint Base Lewis-McChord have benefited from WSU’s extension programs, which provide educational support and workforce development opportunities. These initiatives ensure that service members and their families have access to the resources they need to succeed.

    Mister Speaker, as President Schulz concludes his tenure, we recognize his transformative impact on Washington State University and our communities. His leadership has strengthened WSU’s role as a center of innovation, education, and economic opportunity.

    I thank President Schulz for his years of service, and I look forward to seeing how WSU continues to grow and thrive in the years to come. 

    Members of the delegation personally congratulated Dr. Schulz on his retirement: 

    Rep. Susan DelBene (WA-01) said, “As Dr. Schulz prepares for retirement after his impactful tenure at Washington State University, I want to recognize his contributions to the students, the faculty, and the entire community. Under Dr. Schulz, WSU has become a leader in research and innovation, forging partnerships with tech companies in Washington’s 1st Congressional District to equip students with the skills needed for careers in artificial intelligence and software development. His legacy as president will continue to inspire and benefit students for years to come.” 

    Rep. Rick Larsen (WA-02) said, “During President Schulz’s tenure at Washington State University, tens of thousands of Cougars got a quality education and entered the workforce ready to succeed. Thank you President Schulz for your hard work, years of service and contributions to agriculture in Northwest Washington.” 

    Rep. Dan Newhouse (WA-04) said, “Under my friend President Schulz’s tenure, WSU has strengthened its reputation as a world-class research institution, addressing critical challenges in agriculture, medicine, and clean energy. His efforts have ensured that students have access to high-quality education, and his work with Washington’s congressional delegation has helped secure funding for key university initiatives.” 

    Rep. Emily Randall (WA-06) said, “President Schulz’s leadership can be felt across our entire community, as he has been a champion not just for education but for ensuring students have the resources they need to live and build their best lives. President Schulz and I worked closely together when I served as chair of the Higher Education and Workforce Committee in the Washington State Senate where I got to see first hand the care, intention, and passion he brought to this role — a legacy that will be hard to match.” 

    Rep. Pramila Jayapal (WA-07) said, “Thanks to President Schulz’s leadership, WSU’s students, faculty, and staff have played a significant role in groundbreaking innovations in the Seattle area and throughout our region, including supporting major advancements in medical research, cancer treatment, and biomedical engineering. There is no doubt that his partnership and leadership have positively impacted and inspired thousands of students across our district and our state. I wish him all the best as he enters retirement and this next chapter!” 

    Rep. Adam Smith (WA-09) said, “I appreciate the years of service of Washington State University President Kirk Schulz. Under his guidance, WSU has not only excelled as a world-class research institution but also expanded opportunities for students of diverse backgrounds and enabled student success. I wish him the best in his next chapter and look forward to seeing how his legacy continues to inspire WSU in the coming years.”

    Rep. Marilyn Strickland (WA-10) said, “Land grant universities are special, and I thank President Schulz for his commitment to student success and expanding opportunities for all students. Because of Schulz’s leadership, WSU has made a positive impact in my district, and communities across the entire state.” 

    ###  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Securing a successful future for the University of Dundee

    Source: Scottish Government

    Expert group convened to support institution.

    A team of experts from across academia, industry and local and national government will be convened to advise on the future success of the University of Dundee and its impact across the city region.

    Sir Alan Langlands, formerly Chief Executive of the Higher Education Funding Council for England and the NHS in England, will chair the University of Dundee Strategic Advisory Taskforce. Sir Alan was also Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Dundee and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Leeds.

    The group will meet for the first time this month to develop recommendations which will support the future of the University and its role in the wider city region. The Taskforce will focus on key issues linked to the recovery of the University, such as its teaching offering and its research strengths in key fields such as the life sciences.

    It will include representation from the University, Dundee City Council, business, trades unions, local further and higher education institutions and the Scottish Government.

    Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth said:

    “We are establishing this Taskforce to ensure the University of Dundee has all the important advice and expertise needed to recover and build a strong, secure and sustainable future.

    “The impact of the University’s teaching and world-leading research is profound, and its success is interwoven with the success of the Dundee city region. Ministers are determined that the institution – with a vibrant community of staff and students at its heart – will thrive long into the future.

    “We will draw on the expertise of the Taskforce to identify credible solutions and do everything possible to protect the interests of current and future students and staff. We will take account of all potential sources of funding and support, and we will continue to carefully consider any further asks of Government.”

    Sir Alan Langlands said:

    “It is a privilege to chair the University of Dundee Strategic Advisory Taskforce, and to advise Ministers, the University, the Scottish Funding Council and the City on this important matter.

    “These are very challenging times for a great many universities. At its core Dundee is a great University in a great City, transforming people’s lives and life chances through education, research and innovation, and contributing so much to the economic, social and cultural life of the city and beyond.

    The Scottish Government’s commitment to ensuring its long term future and impact, and protecting the interests of students and staff provides a strong foundation for the work of the Taskforce.”

    Professor Shane O’Neill, Interim Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Dundee, said:

    “We welcome the announcement of the Strategic Advisory Taskforce and the appointment of Sir Alan Langlands as its Chair.

    “Sir Alan of course has a longstanding connection to the University of Dundee and a strong understanding of its importance to the city, Scotland and the wider higher education and research environment.

    “We are committed to engaging fully with the Taskforce to ensure the future success and sustainability of the University.”

    Background

    • The Scottish Government has provided additional support for the universities sector this year totalling £25 million, on top of the £1.1 billion in the 2025-26 budget for university teaching and research.
    • The Scottish Funding Council has already provided £22 million to University of Dundee as support for liquidity, which is giving them the space and time to work through a plan for financial stability.
    • In addition to the advisory Taskforce, the Deputy First Minister is chairing a cross-Ministerial group to consider what further action the Scottish Government may be able to take to support the University as it continues to develop its Financial Recovery Plan.
    • The final membership of the Taskforce is currently being confirmed by the chair and will be announced in due course.
    • The Taskforce will advise the University, the Scottish Funding Council, Ministers and the City region. The University remains the legally responsible decision maker.

    Sir Alan Langlands FRSE Hon FMedSci

    Now semi-retired, Alan’s career spanned five decades in the NHS and universities. This included leadership roles in teaching hospitals in Edinburgh and London and as the Chief Executive of the NHS in England, Chief Executive of the Higher Education Funding Council for England, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Dundee and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Leeds.

    He has served as the inaugural chair of UK Biobank, chair of the Health Foundation, and is now the Chair of Trustees for Yorkshire Cancer Research. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh and an Honorary Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences and five Medical Royal Colleges, with honorary doctorates awarded by a number of leading universities.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Reed Leads Calls for Hearings on Trump’s Tariff Chaos & Misuse of Executive Power

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Jack Reed

    WASHINGTON, DC – As President Donald Trump’s tariff taxes continue to increase prices on American consumers and businesses, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), a leading member of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, joined U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Ranking Member of the committee, and every Democrat on the committee in urging Chairman Tim Scott (R-SC) to convene a hearing on President Trump’s use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to impose his tariff tax.

    The Senate Banking Committee has critical responsibilities for overseeing the use of IEEPA, which gives the President broad authority to impose economic measures in response to declared national emergencies. But that authority is not intended as a blank check for the President to create national emergencies out of thin air so he can use IEEPA to circumvent Congress and enact economic policies that are unrelated to any actual threats or emergencies facing the U.S., as President Trump has done with his sweeping new trade policies that harm hard-working American families.

    “The committee has jurisdiction over key aspects of IEEPA and tariffs policy, and we have a responsibility to the American people to exercise our oversight function to scrutinize how the President is using these tools,” the eleven Senate Banking Democrats wrote to Chairman Scott.

    In the letter, the U.S. Senators raise concerns that Trump’s tariff policies lack a coherent strategy that could damage the economy and hurt American consumers by needlessly driving up prices.

    The letter also warned that President Trump could unfairly grant tariff exemptions to friendly business leaders and preferred industries, noting: “The president’s tariffs also raise concerns about whether he will repeat mistakes from his first term in handing out exceptions to well-connected friends or companies at the expense of everyone else.”

    According to joint research from Fordham University, Lehigh University, the State University of New York at Buffalo, and the University of Oklahoma published in The Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis: politically-connected companies that made contributions and investments to help Republicans before and during Trump’s first term were more likely to win tariff exemptions.

    “We urge you to hold a hearing so the American people can understand the President’s plan and how it will affect their economic futures,” the Senators implored.

    In addition to Reed and Warren, the letter was also signed by U.S. Senators Mark Warner (D-VA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Catherine Cortez-Masto (D-NV), Tina Smith (D-MN), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Reuben Gallego (D-AZ), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Andy Kim (D-NJ), and Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE).

    Full text of the letter follows:

    Chairman Tim Scott

    Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs

    United States Senate

    Washington, D.C. 20510

    Chairman Scott,

    We write to request that the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs hold hearings on President Trump’s use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to implement his tariff agenda. The committee has jurisdiction over key aspects of IEEPA and tariffs policy, and we have a responsibility to the American people to exercise our oversight function to scrutinize how the President is using these tools.

    Tariffs can be critical to grow American industry and promote good manufacturing jobs. But many of the President’s tariffs lack a coherent strategy, generating economic chaos and giving giant corporations an excuse to raise prices on Americans — which the President and his Administration have no plan to prevent. The President’s tariffs also raise concerns about whether he will repeat mistakes from his first term in handing out exceptions to well-connected friends or companies at the expense of everyone else.

    We urge you to hold a hearing so the American people can understand the President’s plan and how it will affect their economic futures.

    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: expert reaction to first baby being born from a womb transplant in the UK

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Scientists comment on the first baby being born from a womb transplant in the UK.

    Dr Nicola Williams, Wellcome Lecturer in Ethics of Human Reproduction, Lancaster University, said: 

    “Clinicians, lawyers and ethicists from the UK have long been involved in research surrounding this novel transplant, and it is encouraging to hear of the birth of a healthy baby following the UK’s first uterus transplant. While this is a key milestone in developing this treatment, there is still much work to do to ensure that all can benefit. Crucially, this includes establishing the long-term safety of the procedure for recipients, donors, and children born after uterus transplantation. Given the novelty of the procedure and its high costs (both physical and financial) for donors and recipients, careful consideration needs to be given to balancing the risks and benefits of this procedure, and teams worldwide must work together to ensure safety, efficacy and the adequate monitoring of long-term health outcomes for all involved.”

     

    Dr Laura O’Donovan, Lecturer in Law, University of Sheffield, said:

    “This has been a long time in the making, and I’m so pleased for the recipient, her family and the clinical team. As the UK sees more of these transplants it will become increasingly important to discuss NHS funding priorities and access policies to ensure that the treatment is available as a real option for those with uterine factor infertility. For example, should uterus transplants be publicly funded, and who should be able to access them? – these are difficult decisions that NHS commissioners will need to make in the context of scarce resources and the current IVF postcode lottery, which has already resulted in unequal access to fertility treatment.

    Prof Adam Balen, Professor of Reproductive Medicine and Surgery, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, said:

    “This is a fantastic achievement by the team lead by Professor Richard Smith who has been researching this very exacting surgical procedure for many years. This presents the opportunity for women to conceive a pregnancy without need for surrogacy, which until now has been the only option for women without a womb to have a baby.”

     

    Dr Ippokratis Sarris, Consultant in Reproductive Medicine, Director of King’s Fertility and Executive Committee Member of the British Fertility Society, said:

    “The birth of the first UK baby following a womb transplant is a remarkable milestone in reproductive medicine. It offers real hope to women with absolute uterine factor infertility, providing an alternative to surrogacy. While this complex procedure will only be suitable for a small number of women, it marks an extraordinary advance in science and care. Congratulations to the dedicated clinical and scientific team for their years of commitment, and to the courageous women who undertook this pioneering treatment.”

    Mr Stuart Lavery, Consultant in Reproductive Medicine/Honorary Associate Professor, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (UCLH), said:

    “This amazing event represents both a personal miracle for the couple involved but also a vindication for the team of surgeons and scientists who have for so many years worked tirelessly to get to this place. Like so many milestones in UK Reproductive Medicine, it takes a combination of a courageous patient and a committed and supportive medical team to push the scientific boundaries in the hope of helping more couples have the families they desire.”

    Prof Alison Campbell, Chief Scientific Officer, Care Fertility:

    “It’s truly incredible how science is making more families possible and to see this progress in reproductive medicine. The success of uterine transplantation is a huge milestone for people who believed it was impossible to carry a child. This news gives hope and promises to further expand reproductive freedom.”

    Prof Melanie Davies, Professor of Reproductive Medicine and Consultant Gynaecologist, University College London Hospitals, said:

    “The first UK birth after womb transplantation is a fantastic achievement. It is wonderful for the couple concerned, especially Grace who never thought she could carry a child, congratulations!  And it must be immensely satisfying for the team of doctors and scientists to see this outcome – in particular, congratulations go to Prof Richard Smith, who has held this vision for 25 years and had to overcome many hurdles on the way, not least raising the funds for the programme. It required skills from many specialities: gynaecology, pelvic surgery, organ transplantation, IVF, and maternal medicine. It is an exemplar of teamwork and dedication.

    “This gives hope to other women who have been born without a womb and may also help some young women who have needed a hysterectomy. The only alternative for these women is surrogacy, which is not easy to access and not always acceptable. Womb transplantation remains a challenging process, involving major surgery for the recipient, who will go through IVF before the procedure, and afterwards needs immunosuppressive drugs to avoid tissue rejection. The transplanted womb will need to be removed once her family is complete. The ethical aspects are thoughtfully considered, including the risk to the living donor who also undergoes major pelvic surgery.

    “This is not a world first, there have been a small number of successful births in other countries, notably in Sweden. But for the very first patient having a womb transplant in the UK to give birth so soon afterwards demonstrates the care that has been taken in preparing for this well-deserved success”

     

    Sarah Norcross, Director of the Progress Educational Trust (PET), said:

    “We at PET could not be happier to learn of the birth of Amy Isabel. This is a testament to many years of hard work and perseverance on the part of Professor Richard Smith, Isabel Quiroga, and the rest of the team at Womb Transplant UK, plus remarkable determination on the part of Grace Davidson and Amy Purdie. It has been little more than a decade since the world’s first ever live birth following a womb transplant, and now the UK has its own womb transplant success story. This news will give hope to other women who wish to carry a pregnancy, but who have no uterus of their own.”

    Prof Andrew Shennan, Professor of Obstetrics, King’s College London, said:

    “Although infertility is common, many women can achieve a pregnancy through assisted medical techniques such as IVF. Very few women have the problem related to an absent or abnormal uterus (about 1 in 500) but for them a womb transplant could be a solution rather than opt for surrogacy (using another woman to carry the pregnancy or adopt. The procedure is very specialised and requires immunosuppressive drugs and caesarean section, but these cases show it can be successful, now also in the UK.”

    All our previous output on this subject can be seen at this weblink:

    https://www.sciencemediacentre.org/expert-reaction-to-first-womb-transplant-performed-in-the-uk/

    Declared interests

    Dr Nicola Williams “I have previously co-authored papers and collaborated with members of the clinical team.”

    Dr Laura O’Donovan “I have previously collaborated with members of the clinical team.”

    Prof Adam Balen: “None to declare”

    Dr Ippokratis Sarris: “None to declare”

    Mr Stuart Lavery: “None to declare”

    Prof Alison Campbell “Alison Campbell is a minor shareholder in Care Fertility”

    Prof Melanie Davies “Nothing relevant to womb transplants, I am Professor of Reproductive Medicine with a special interest in fertility preservation”

    Sarah Norcross “PET is a charity which improves choices for people affected by infertility and genetic conditions.”

    Prof Andrew Shennan “No conflicts”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Powerful new tool promises major advances in cancer treatment

    Source:

    08 April 2025

    Dr Aidan Cousins, Dr Nicole Dmochowska and Professor Benjamin Thierry with the probe.

    New Australian technology is set to transform the way that gastrointestinal cancers are detected and treated with precise, minimally invasive surgery.

    Backed by the Federal Government’s Economic Accelerator (AEA) Ignite Grant, researchers from the University of South Australia (UniSA) are using quantum technology to develop a first-of-its-kind laparoscopic probe that will allow surgeons to accurately map the spread of tumours.

    The technology has the potential to improve cancer survival rates and patient quality of life worldwide.

    Led by Dr Nicole Dmochowska from UniSA’s Future Industries Institute, the $405,050 project is being undertaken in partnership with precision cancer surgery company Ferronova.

    The probe will work alongside Ferronova’s iron-oxide nanoparticle formulation (FerroTrace) to improve the detection of cancerous lymph nodes during surgery, reducing the need for extensive procedures that often lead to life-threatening complications and life-long side-effects for survivors.

    Gastrointestinal cancers are among the deadliest, often spreading through the lymphatic system to distant lymph nodes before diagnosis. Traditional surgical methods involve removing large sections of tissue, increasing the risk of infections and long-term digestive issues.

    “By integrating state-of-the-art quantum sensors into a minimally invasive laparoscopic probe, we aim to give surgeons a powerful new tool to precisely locate affected lymph nodes,” Dr Dmochowska says.

    “This will potentially enable more targeted surgery, reducing the need for extensive tissue removal and improving post-surgical recovery.”

    The UniSA research team has already demonstrated the feasibility of the quantum sensor-based magnetometer probes in a successful phase-1 clinical trial for oral cancer.

    This new project will take this technology further by miniaturising the probe for use in laparoscopic – or keyhole – surgery, allowing for more precise and less invasive cancer treatments.

    Researchers have spent more than eight years developing the magnetometer probes for cancer surgery. The AEA Ignite grant will fund the next crucial step: developing a fully functional, preclinically validated prototype that can be trialled in large animal models before progressing to human clinical trials.

    “This research aligns with Australia’s national priority areas in both medical science and quantum technology,” according to UniSA researcher Professor Benjamin Thierry.

    “The commercial potential is immense, with an anticipated global market exceeding $2 billion annually,” Prof Thierry says.

    Unlike existing lymphatic mapping techniques that rely on radioactive tracers, the quantum probe and FerroTrace combination provide a safer and more effective combination, according to Ferronova senior researcher and development engineer Dr Aidan Cousins.

    “This technology is particularly promising for patients undergoing chemotherapy and radiotherapy before surgery, where conventional lymphatic mapping methods have limited effectiveness,” Dr Cousins says.

    “This could be a paradigm shift in cancer treatment, enhancing the quality of life for millions of patients worldwide.”

    Preclinical trials are expected to start within the next year.

    …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

    Media contact: Candy Gibson M: +61 434 605 142 E: candy.gibson@unisa.edu.au
    Researcher contact: Dr Nicole Dmochowska E: nicole.dmochowska@unisa.edu.au

    Other articles you may be interested in

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tiny lenses grown from bacteria and enzymes may help doctors see inside cells

    Source: US Government research organizations

    Researchers create microlenses with superior optical capabilities at a microscopic scale by replicating the glass skeletons of sea sponges

    A team of researchers supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation has successfully made self-growing microlenses using bacteria and enzymes found in sea sponges. Because the microlenses are created by bacterial cell factories that function at standard temperatures and pressures, they are less expensive to produce — and they are exceptional at focusing light into very bright beams. The microlenses could allow for higher-resolution image sensors that go beyond current capabilities, potentially allowing doctors to more clearly see tiny structures inside cells.

    In nature, sea sponges mineralize silica-based glass at a cellular level to create their intricate and strong glass skeletons. The researchers replicated that mechanism in a lab setting. Their research was published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

    “This research is the first to engineer light-focusing properties into bacteria cells, and I am excited to explore the different possibilities that our work has opened up,” says one of the study’s authors and University of Rochester researcher Anne S. Meyer.

    Credit: Photo by J. Adam Fenster/University of Rochester

    University of Rochester graduate student Lynn Sidor prepares a batch of bacteria cells that will self-assemble their own glass coating, in the lab of associate professor Anne S. Meyer. Meyer has worked with colleagues in optics and physics to develop a new type of microlens made from bacteria. These living optical devices could potentially be used to produce image sensors for cameras to improve medical imaging and could also enhance conventional microscopy by enabling the imaging of tiny objects, such as those on the molecular level.

    Microlenses, typically the size of a single cell, are designed to capture and focus or manipulate light into intense beams at a microscopic scale. The development of traditional microlenses has previously required complex, expensive machinery and extreme temperatures or pressures to achieve the desired optical effects. Sea sponge microlenses require none of the traditional nanofabrication machinery, allowing for more portable microlens fabrication in a variety of circumstances — including outer space.

    The engineered bacteria from Meyer’s lab remain alive for several months after glass encapsulation, making them living optical devices that could be used to sense and respond to their environment by changing their optical properties. 

    “Using data-driven mathematical modeling and bio-inspired materials, these researchers have achieved something new in microscopic optics that could enable new capabilities in medical science, low-gravity environments and more,” says Zhilan Feng, program director in the NSF Division of Mathematical Sciences, which supported the research. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Statement on Student Abductions and Trump Administration Attacks on Free Speech

    Source: Communications Workers of America

    The following statement is from Margaret Cook, Vice President of the Communications Workers of America Public, Healthcare and Education Workers Sector:

    Since the March 8 abduction of Mahmod Khalil—father, legal permanent resident, scholar, and union member—from the Columbia University campus for his activism and speech, the Trump Administration has seized at least seven additional international graduate students and scholars across the country. They have all participated in the peaceful protest movement against the ongoing and brutal war against Gaza and are being persecuted for their background, faith, and beliefs.

    These abductions are an assault on the freedoms we value and depend on as union members. Our movement was built by workers who fought for the freedom to speak out and to engage in peaceful protest so we could pursue a better life for our families. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has declared his personal power to issue arrest and deportation mandates for these individuals without due process, taking us back to the days when police, acting on behalf of robber barons, used threats and violence to silence anyone who stood in their way.

    We should make no mistake that these actions will target anyone the Administration deems to be problematic or undesirable, including workers who speak out in order to improve their working conditions. The Trump Administration has threatened to expand its extreme cuts to university research programs in retaliation for non-compliance with its repressive agenda, and too many university boards and administrators have chosen to collaborate rather than to defend our fundamental freedoms.

    These students must be released. We must demand that campuses across this country stand up for everyone’s right to speak out, protest, and assemble. And we must continue to build and mobilize our unions in defense of one another, our colleagues, and all working people.

    We must resist this authoritarian, unconstitutional attack on these students and scholars in order to uphold our democratic rights, protect speech—and stop this campaign of repression in its tracks before it spreads to every campus, including all of those at which we teach, research, study, work, and organize.

    ###

    About CWA: The Communications Workers of America represents working people in telecommunications, customer service, media, airlines, health care, public service and education, manufacturing, tech, and other fields, including tens of thousands of members on university and college campuses.

    cwa-union.org @cwaunion

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Selling your old laptop or phone? You might be handing over your data too

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ritesh Chugh, Associate Professor, Information and Communications Technology, CQUniversity Australia

    berdiyandriy/Shutterstock

    You’re about to recycle your laptop or your phone, so you delete all your photos and personal files. Maybe you even reset the device to factory settings.

    You probably think your sensitive data is now safe. But there is more to be done: hackers may still be able to retrieve passwords, documents or bank details, even after a reset.

    In fact, 90% of second-hand laptops, hard drives and memory cards still contain recoverable data. This indicates that many consumers fail to wipe their devices properly before resale or disposal.

    But there are some simple steps you can take to keep your personal information safe while recycling responsibly.

    The data security risks

    Discarded or resold electronics often retain sensitive personal and corporate information. Simply deleting files or performing a factory reset may not be sufficient. Data can often be easily recovered using specialised tools. This oversight has led to alarming incidents of data leaks and breaches.

    For example, 42% of used storage devices sold on eBay still contained sensitive data, despite sellers following methods to erase data. This included passport images, school records, and corporate documents.

    Another 2022 study found that improperly erased internet-connected devices stored private data, making them vulnerable to exploitation. European e-waste exported to Ghana also contained classified corporate and government files, exposing security risks beyond personal identity theft.

    A major wireless provider in the United States failed to securely decommission storage devices. This lead to a data breach affecting 14 million customers.

    Similarly, in 2021 improperly discarded medical hard drives exposed over 100,000 confidential patient records.

    Why standard factory resets are not enough

    Many people believe performing a factory reset fully erases their data. But this is not always the case.

    An analysis of secondhand mobile devices found that 35% still contained recoverable data after being reset and resold. This highlights the risks of relying solely on factory resets.

    On older devices or those without encryption, residual data can still be recovered using forensic tools.

    iPhones use hardware encryption, making resets more effective, while Android devices vary by manufacturer.

    Performing a factory reset on a phone doesn’t always fully erase personal data.
    010110010101101/Shutterstock

    Best practices for secure disposal

    To protect your personal and organisational information, consider these measures before disposing of old devices:

    Data wiping

    Personal users should use data-wiping software to securely erase their hard drive before selling or recycling a device.

    However, for solid-state drives, traditional wiping methods may not be effective. This is because solid-state drives store data using flash memory and algorithms, which prolong a device’s lifespan by distributing data across memory cells and can prevent direct overwriting.

    Instead, enabling full-disk encryption with software such as BitLocker on Windows or FileVault on Mac before resetting the device can help to ensure data is unreadable.

    On Android phones, apps such as Shreddit provide secure data-wiping options. iPhones already encrypt data by default, making a full reset the most effective way to erase information.

    Businesses that handle customer data, financial records or intellectual property must comply with data protection regulations. They could use certified data-wiping tools that meet the United States National Institute of Standards and Technology’s guidelines for media sanitisation or the US Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers’ standard for sanitising storage. These guidelines are globally recognised.

    Many companies also choose third-party data destruction services to verify compliance and enhance security.

    Darik’s Boot and Nuke, also known as DBAN, is a computer program designed to permanently erase data.
    Darik Horn/Wikimedia

    Physical destruction

    If the data is highly sensitive, physically destroying the storage medium (such as a hard drive) is the most secure option. Common methods include degaussing (using a strong magnetic field), shredding, disintegration, melting, and drilling.

    However, some of these techniques can be hazardous if not handled by professionals. They also make a hard drive or device unsuitable for resale and instead require it to be taken to a waste recovery centre so the rare earth metal components can be recovered.

    Certified recycling services

    Use reputable e-waste recyclers who adhere to strict data destruction protocols to ensure your information does not fall into the wrong hands. Look for certifications such as R2, e-Stewards, or AS/NZS 5377, which ensure compliance with industry security standards. An online database run by sustainable electronics organisation SERI of R2-certified facilities around the world can help with this.

    Safe selling and donating practices

    Before selling or donating devices, conduct a thorough data wipe. Be cautious of devices linked to cloud accounts, and remove all personal information to prevent unauthorised access. Resetting alone may not be enough.

    Legal and regulatory considerations for businesses

    Different regions have strict data-protection laws that impose legal and financial penalties for improper disposal of sensitive data.

    It’s important for businesses to consider the legal standards for handling and disposing personal information in whatever region they’re operating in, whether that be Europe, the United States, Australia or elsewhere.

    Before recycling or selling an old device, take the necessary steps to ensure your data is completely erased. Identity theft, financial fraud and data breaches are real risks. But they can be prevented with the right precautions.

    A few extra steps now can protect your information and ensure responsible recycling.

    Ritesh Chugh 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. Selling your old laptop or phone? You might be handing over your data too – https://theconversation.com/selling-your-old-laptop-or-phone-you-might-be-handing-over-your-data-too-251613

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Labrador Announces New Directors of Consumer Protection and Communications

    Source: US State of Idaho

    [BOISE] – Attorney General Raúl Labrador announced the promotion of Dan Estes to Director of Consumer Protection and appointment of Damon Sidur as Communications Director for the Idaho Office of the Attorney General.
    Estes has served as the Public Information Officer for the Attorney General’s Office since November 2023, where he has successfully led the office’s media relations, enhanced public awareness of key legal victories, and strengthened outreach efforts across Idaho. His dedication to clear, effective communication has played a critical role in advancing the Attorney General’s priorities and ensuring Idahoans are informed about the work being done on their behalf.
    In his new role as Director of Consumer Protection, Estes will oversee a team of analysts, coordinate media efforts to inform the public about consumer issues, and collaborate closely with the Attorney General on community outreach across Idaho.
    “Dan has been an outstanding Public Information Officer, ensuring Idahoans are informed about the important work our office is doing on their behalf,” Labrador said. “His dedication and skill for serving the people of Idaho have made a real difference. Dan’s commitment to consumer protection and keeping Idahoans informed makes him the right choice for this role. This promotion is well-deserved, and I have no doubt he will excel.”
    Labrador also announced the appointment of Damon Sidur as Communications Director. Sidur most recently served as Communications Director for Congressman Michael Cloud (R-TX) and Congressman Cliff Bentz (R-OR), where he led media relations and communications outreach. Before that, he served as Digital Media Director for Congressman Bob Good (R-VA) and as Deputy Communications Director for the Colorado House Republican Caucus. Sidur is a graduate of Colorado Christian University.
    “Damon is a talented, strong conservative communicator who will lead our efforts to ensure Idahoans hear directly about the work we’re doing to defend their rights, freedoms, and way of life,” Labrador said. “I’m excited to have him on the team.”
    Members of the press should direct all future press correspondence to damon.sidur@ag.idaho.gov.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: What do medieval puzzles and the New York Times Connections have in common?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emma Knowles, Lecturer, Western Civilisation Program, Australian Catholic University

    Getty

    The New York Times Connections game asks players to categorise 16 words into four groups of four. For example, in one collection of 16, a category included “blow”, “cat”, “gold” and “sword”: these are all words that might come before “fish”.

    As described by puzzle editor Wyna Liu, completing the puzzle should feel “challenging and satisfying”. Players are encouraged to “think flexibly”. Liu says her job as puzzle designer is “to trick you”.

    Challenging word-based games are not a modern invention.

    In fact, in early medieval England, around the year 1000, there was also a strong appetite for word puzzles designed to entertain (and trick) avid players.

    Gaming in the Middle Ages

    Riddles were very popular in early medieval England.

    Many examples of riddles from this period are in Latin, but a collection of approximately 95 poems, written in Old English and found in a manuscript known as the Exeter Book are the earliest surviving vernacular collection of riddles in Western Europe.

    Compiled around the year 1000, The Exeter Book also includes a variety of poetic works with both religious and secular themes. This, and its location since 1072 in Exeter Cathedral Library, suggests it had a religious audience of monks.

    Take the shortest riddle in the Exeter collection, Riddle 69, included here in both its original Old English form and in translation, thanks to riddles scholar Megan Cavell, one of the creators of the website The Riddle Ages:

    Wundor wearð on wege; wæter wearð to bane.

    There was a wonder on the wave; water turned to bone.

    Early English riddles ask their audience to guess what the different clues point to, usually an object or animal. In Riddle 69, the audience is asked to identify what might be referred to through the metaphor of water turning to bone.

    The solution to this riddle is debated, but most suggestions have to do with ice: ice, icicle, iceberg and frozen pond.

    The Exeter Book is a 10th Century poetry anthology written in Old English.
    Per Se/Flickr, CC BY-SA

    The answer hangs on the various qualities that attach to the word bone: it is hard, difficult to break and can also be long, like an icicle.

    It’s possible to imagine bone and ice linked in a Connections category “things that are tough”.

    Most Old English riddles are a little more complex but still rely on the trickery that comes from word play, metaphor and ambiguity.

    One of the more surprising riddles in the Exeter collection (particularly when we consider the likely monastic audience) is Riddle 45:

    I heard that something was growing in the corner,
    swelling and sticking up, raising its roof.
    A proud bride grasped that boneless thing,
    with her hands. A lord’s daughter
    covered with a garment that bulging thing.

    A series of clues point to possible solutions. The answer will be something that rises, that needs physical touch to grow, and which is covered by cloth.

    The innocently playful solution to this riddle is dough – though it certainly puts another, more vulgar, solution in mind. This innuendo likely added to the entertainment and challenge of the original riddle, teasing its audience with a taboo answer.

    The Exeter Book Riddles does not come with answers. This is both a frustration and a reason for their longevity: modern audiences continue to grapple with possible solutions 1,000 years later.

    It is also possible that part of the entertainment for both medieval and modern audiences is their ambiguity. There are multiple plausible solutions.

    Culture is a game changer

    Part of what makes interpreting the Old English riddles so difficult for modern players is that word puzzles are shaped by the culture in which they were created.

    This cultural coding is obvious in Connections puzzles too. For example on January 3 2025 a category linked American slang words for a dollar, less familiar in other countries: buck, clam, single and smacker.

    Similarly, Old English riddles assume knowledge of aspects of life in early medieval England. For example, Riddle 26 requires an understanding of the processes by which an animal hide became a book.

    Some even rely on knowledge of runic characters to understand their solution; this was an alphabet that was used in England prior to the adoption of the Latin alphabet from the 7th century.

    To truly understand many riddles, you need to know the context in which they were written.
    Getty

    Old English riddles offer an excellent insight into not just the sorts of games and puzzles that entertained early medieval audiences, and continue to entertain us today, but also into domestic life in the period.

    In 1,000 years, Connections puzzles will be harder to guess because players will be unfamiliar with our current way of life. They will also be a type of relic into how minds and culture operated in the early 21st century.

    Emma Knowles 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 do medieval puzzles and the New York Times Connections have in common? – https://theconversation.com/what-do-medieval-puzzles-and-the-new-york-times-connections-have-in-common-250155

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: 3.5 million Australians experienced fraud last year. This could be avoided through 6 simple steps

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gary Mortimer, Professor of Marketing and Consumer Behaviour, Queensland University of Technology

    Zigres/Shutterstock

    About 14% of Australians experienced personal fraud last year. Of these, 2.1 million experienced credit card fraud, 675,300 were caught in a scam, 255,000 had their identities stolen and 433,000 were impersonated online.

    According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics latest Personal Fraud Survey, between July 2023 and June 2024, Australians lost A$2.1 billion through credit card fraud.

    This was up almost 9% from the previous year. Even after reimbursements, the loss was still $477 million.

    These figures do not include financial loss through identity theft, or phishing, romance, computer support and dodgy financial advice scams.

    Why the increase?

    Research shows the more frequently we use technology, the more likely we are to be scammed. Monica Whitty from the Cyber Security Centre, University of Warwick, found victims of cyber-frauds were more likely to score high on impulsivity measures like ‘urgency’ and engage in more frequent online routine activities that place them at great risk of becoming scammed.

    We communicate via email, we shop online, use dating apps and allow technicians to remotely access our computers. Meanwhile, amazing “get rich quick” opportunities are apparently being liked by our friends on our socials almost every day.

    But too many of us do not stop and think, “is this legitimate?” It is no wonder we see personal fraud and scams increase every year.

    While the Australian Bureau of Statistics figures suggest older Australians (aged 45 and over) are more exposed to card fraud, research has found demographics are not a significant predictor of fraud victimisation.

    Taking risks

    Being too trusting, drives complacency, which produces gullibility. Think about an online dating sites. The site uses a multi-factor authenticator, it requires you to authenticate your photo, password protect your profile and read the scam warnings.

    A site’s apparent legitimacy increases your trust. Research has found if you perceive a platform to be legitimate you could be exposed to romance fraud. Fraudsters may be operating within a site, even if it is legitimate.

    Another strong predictor of exposure to online fraud is self-control. Self-control theory predicts individuals with low self-control tend to pursue their own self-interest without considering the negative consequences.

    Simply, if the investment scheme looks “too good”, they will mostly likely click on the link and get scammed.

    Giving away too much

    Some individuals are prone to self-disclosing personal information online – and scammers love personal information. Self-disclosure is defined as the amount of information a person decides to make common knowledge.

    Sometimes, we disclose, even when we don’t intend to. A common phishing technique on social media is status updates that read, “Your porn star name is your first pet’s name and the first street you lived on.”

    They’re interesting, funny and bring on a healthy dose of nostalgia, but the answers to those questions that you tap in for all to see are also most likely to be your security questions on your bank accounts.

    The most common scams in 2023-2024:

    • Buying or selling scams (1.4% or 308,200)
    • Information request or phishing scams (0.7% or 148,800)

    What is the government doing to protect me?

    The Australian government recently passed legislation which targets scams. It places increased responsibilities on banking and finance, telecommunications and digital platforms organisations to protect customers.

    Suspicious numbers can now be accompanied a warning of “potential fraud” on your smartphone screen. Banks are also informing customers about the latest scams. Some banking transactions can verify the identity of the payment recipient, to ensure the details you have match the actual account holder.

    While these will not stop all scams, they are a step towards reducing the number of victims and the amount of money lost to fraudulent approaches.

    Six steps to protect yourself

    There are some small but powerful steps we can all take to reduce the likelihood of financial harm.

    1. Passwords: it is important to have strong, unique passwords across your accounts. Using a password manager can help with this.

    2. Multi-factor authentication: many platforms will allow you to add extra layers of security to your account by using one-time passwords, authenticator apps, or tokens.

    3. Review privacy settings: be aware of the different settings on your accounts and ensure you are in control of what information you provide and what can be accessed by others.

    4. Be vigilant: know what you see and hear may not be real. The person or company you are communicating with may not be authentic. It is okay to be sceptical and take time to do your own checks.

    5. Money transfers: never send money you are not willing to lose. Too often, people will send money before realising it is a scam. Never feel rushed or forced into any financial decision. It is OK to say no.

    6. Credit monitoring: if you know or suspect you have been scammed, you can enact a credit ban, meaning no one can access your details or take further action in your name. This can be a good short-term solution.

    And if you are scammed …

    Anyone can report money lost in a scam to ReportCyber, the Australian online police reporting portal for cyber incidents. If you have received scam texts or emails, you can report these to Scamwatch, to assist with education and awareness activities.

    Gary Mortimer receives and has received funding from the Building Employer Confidence and Inclusion in Disability Grant, AusIndustry Entrepreneurs’ Program, National Clothing Textiles Stewardship Scheme, National Retail Association and Australian Retailers Association.

    – ref. 3.5 million Australians experienced fraud last year. This could be avoided through 6 simple steps – https://theconversation.com/3-5-million-australians-experienced-fraud-last-year-this-could-be-avoided-through-6-simple-steps-253623

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: New research shows digital technology is linked to reduced wellbeing in young kids. So what can parents do?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jacquelyn Harverson, PhD Candidate, School of Psychology, Deakin University

    Alex Segre/ Shutterstock

    Once upon a time, children fought for control of the remote to the sole family television. Now the choice of screen-based content available to kids seems endless. There are computers, tablets, phones and gaming consoles offering streaming services, online content and apps.

    Children also use devices at school, with digital literacy part of the Australian curriculum from the start of school.

    The speed and scale of this change has left parents, researchers and policymakers scrambling to catch up. And it has inevitably led to concerns about screen use, as well as guidelines about limiting their use.

    Our new study looks at the links between digital technology use and young children’s wellbeing, specifically for those aged four to six.

    Our comprehensive analysis shows children who spend longer periods using digital technologies are more likely to have social, emotional and behavioural difficulties. However, we can’t say at what age or level of screen use these negative effects are likely to become evident.

    But for parents trying to navigate a world where technology is all around us, our study also shows there are things they can do to help their kids use screens in healthier ways.



    Read more:
    Why parents need to be like Big Ted and ‘talk aloud’ while they use screens with their kids

    Our study

    We carried out a systematic review of the research literature on children’s use of digital devices since 2011 (after the Apple iPad was launched). This means we examined all the available peer-reviewed research on digital devices and their impact on wellbeing for children.

    We also focused on ages four to six age as it is a time when children are developing rapidly and beginning school. Other studies have focused on particular types of device. But we included all kinds of digital devices in our search – from televisions to phones, tablets and gaming consoles – to make sure we could provide comprehensive analysis of what kids are using.

    The studies came from 20 countries, including Australia, China, the United States, Turkey, Germany and Canada. They were almost exclusively based on parents’ reports of their children and include more than 83,000 parents.

    Our research also showed the the type of content children consume is important – not just the time it takes.
    Morrowind/Shutterstock

    4 areas of child wellbeing

    From this, we analysed the relationship between children’s technology use and the following four areas:

    1. psychosocial wellbeing: an overall measure that captures children’s happiness, as well as social and emotional adjustment.

    2. social functioning: children’s social skills, including how well they get along with their peers.

    3. the parent-child relationship: the level of closeness or conflict between parents and their children.

    4. behavioural functioning: the absence of behavioural difficulties such as tech-related tantrums, hyperactivity, depression or anxiety.

    We did this with a meta-analysis – a statistical method that uses data from multiple studies to draw conclusions.



    Read more:
    3 ways to help your child transition off screens and avoid the dreaded ‘tech tantrums’

    What we found

    Our analysis found more digital technology use in young children was associated with poorer wellbeing outcomes across the four areas.

    It is important to note correlation doesn’t equal causation. The scope of the research means at this point, it is not possible to identify the exact reasons behind the negative relationships.

    But we do know the more time children spent watching TV, playing on iPads or apps, the more likely they were to have problems with behaviour, social skills, their relationship with their parents, and their emotional wellbeing.

    But tech use is more than just time

    Our research also brought together emerging evidence which shows the relationship between digital tech use and child wellbeing is complex.

    This means the type of content children consume, and the context in which they consume it, can also have a bearing on their wellbeing. The research shows there are several ways parents can guide their children to potentially mitigate the negative links with social, emotional and behavioural wellbeing.

    With this in mind, how can you encourage healthier screen use?

    Our research showed if parents watch with their kids, it can open up opportunities for conversation and interaction.
    Ketut Subiyanto/Pexels, CC BY

    3 tips for kids and screens

    1. Keep an eye on the clock

    The research cannot provide a specific “time limit” for screen use. But you can still be mindful of how much time your child spends on devices both at home and at school – moderation is key.

    Try and mix screen time with other activities, such as time outside or time with friends and family, books or imaginary play.

    2. Seek out quality

    Research shows encouraging high-quality educational content during screen use may curb negative links between tech use and wellbeing.

    Consider swapping fast-paced cartoons and time spent on lots of short clips with educational viewing, for example ABC kids programs that promote learning.

    Introduce your child to age-appropriate educational and interactive games that challenge them and encourage them to be creative.

    3. Use tech together

    Tech time isn’t just for kids – parents can also join in.

    Solo tech use may reduce opportunities for positive social interactions. But watching or playing with friends or family opens up opportunities for conversation, working together and learning.

    This could include watching a movie together and talking about the characters, working on an online puzzle together or learning new coding skills together.

    Jacquelyn Harverson is affiliated with the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for the Digital Child.

    Louise Paatsch receives funding from Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for the Digital Child

    Sharon Horwood is affiliated with the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for the Digital Child.

    – ref. New research shows digital technology is linked to reduced wellbeing in young kids. So what can parents do? – https://theconversation.com/new-research-shows-digital-technology-is-linked-to-reduced-wellbeing-in-young-kids-so-what-can-parents-do-253637

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Trump has Australia’s generic medicines in his sights. And no-one’s talking about it

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Deborah Gleeson, Associate Professor in Public Health, La Trobe University

    PeopleImages.com – Yuri A/Shutterstock

    While Australia was busy defending the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme against threats from the United States in recent weeks, another issue related to the supply and trade of medicines was flying under the radar.

    Buried on page 19 of the Trump’s administration’s allegations of barriers to trade was a single paragraph related to Australia’s access to generic medicines. These are cheaper alternatives to branded medicines that are no longer under patent.

    The US is concerned about how much notice their drug companies have that Australia will introduce a generic version of their product. Once a single generic version of a medicine is listed on the PBS, the price drops. The US argues that lack of advance notice is a barrier to trade.

    There is pressure for Australia to emulate aspects of the US system, where drug companies can delay generic copies of their medicines by 30 months.

    If the US plays hardball on this issue, perhaps in return for other concessions, this could delay Australia’s access to cheaper generic drugs.

    It would also mean significant pressure on Australia’s drug budget, as the government could be forced to pay for the more expensive branded versions to ensure supply.

    What’s the current process?

    Drug companies use patents to protect their intellectual property and prohibit other manufacturers from copying the drug. The standard patent term in Australia is 20 years, but the time a product is protected by patents can be extended in a number of ways. When patents expire, other companies are able to bring generic versions to market.

    A generic manufacturer wanting to market its drug in Australia must apply to the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) for regulatory approval. Before approval is granted, the generic company must provide a certificate to the TGA that states either:

    a) that the product will not infringe a valid patent, or

    b) that it has notified the patent-holder of its intention to market the product.

    The certificate can be provided after the TGA has evaluated the generic – before it grants approval.

    If the generic company chooses option “a”, the manufacturer of the patented product may not find out the competing product is going to be launched until after the TGA has approved it.

    The patent-holder can then apply for a court order to temporarily stop the generic from coming to market, while legal battles are fought over patent-related issues.

    However, if the first generic has already launched and been added to the PBS, it triggers an automatic 25% price drop. This affects all versions of the drug, including the patented product.

    In Australia, patented drug companies that try to delay generics by taking legal action without good reason can face penalties and be required to pay compensation.

    Patented drug companies don’t like this system. They want to know as early as possible that a generic is planning to launch so they can initiate legal action and prevent or delay generic entry and the associated price reductions.

    Is Australia’s system consistent with our trade obligations?

    Australia introduced its patent notification system at the request of the US, to comply with the Australia-US Free Trade Agreement (AUSFTA). The World Trade Organization doesn’t require patent notification.

    Australia’s system is different to that of the United States. But it’s consistent with the rules negotiated between the two countries.

    US drug companies have long argued Australia’s system is a barrier to trade. They want Australia to change it to be more like the US system.

    Why is the US arguing this is a barrier to trade?

    The Trump Administration’s 2025 report on foreign trade barriers states “US and Australian pharmaceutical companies have expressed concerns about delays” in the patent notification process.

    The report also mentions US concerns about the potential for penalties and compensation when a patent owner takes legal action against a generic company.

    This report reflects long-standing concerns of the US pharmaceutical industry. In March, its drug makers trade association wrote to the US trade representative complaining that “lack of adequate notification” is an unfair trade practice. It argued this creates uncertainty for patent-holders, prevents resolution of patent challenges before generics enter the market, and penalises patented-drug companies for trying to protect their rights.

    Medicines Australia, which represents the Australian subsidiaries of many big patented drug makers, echoes these concerns.

    What does the US want instead?

    The US patent notification system is much more favourable to the patented drug companies than Australia’s.

    In the US, the generic company must notify the patented drug company within 20 days of filing an application for approval.

    Then, within 45 days of receiving the notification, the patent-holder can ask the regulator to impose a 30-month delay on approval for the generic.

    This means there is an automatic 30-month delay on the launch of the generic, unless patents expire in the meantime or the court decides earlier that valid patents aren’t being infringed.

    What could happen if Australia bowed to pressure from the US?

    Changing Australia’s system to be more like the US would delay generics entering the market in Australia and keep the price of drugs higher for longer.

    The quicker generics can be added to the PBS, the less the government pays. When the first generic is listed on the PBS, a 25% price cut is applied to all versions of the product, including the patented version.

    Over time, as more generics get added, prices continue to fall. Having plenty of generic competition can eventually result in prices lower than the PBS co-payment, resulting in savings for consumers.

    In the longer term, lost savings from timely listing of generics on the PBS would reduce value for money and add cost pressure.

    In time, it could also delay savings for consumers from drugs priced below the PBS co-payment.

    Both major parties are saying they won’t use the PBS as a bargaining chip in negotiations with the US over tariffs. They also need to resist pressure to slow down access to generic drugs.

    Deborah Gleeson has received funding in the past from the Australian Research Council. She has received funding from various national and international non-government organisations to attend speaking engagements related to trade agreements and health, including access to medicines. She has represented the Public Health Association of Australia on matters related to trade agreements and public health.

    – ref. Trump has Australia’s generic medicines in his sights. And no-one’s talking about it – https://theconversation.com/trump-has-australias-generic-medicines-in-his-sights-and-no-ones-talking-about-it-253836

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Australia’s innovative new policies are designed to cut smoking rates – here are 6 ideas NZ could borrow

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Janet Hoek, Professor in Public Health, University of Otago

    Shutterstock/chayanuphol

    At the start of this month, when denicotinisation would have been due to come into effect in Aotearoa New Zealand (had the government not repealed smokefree laws), Australia introduced innovative smokefree policies to change the look, ingredients and packaging of tobacco products.

    New Zealand’s current goal is to reduce smoking prevalence to no more than 5% (and as close to zero as possible) among all population groups. However, realising this goal now seems very unlikely.

    Latest figures show 6.9% of the general population smoke daily, but smoking places a much heavier burden on Māori and Pacific peoples, where 14.7% and 12.3% smoke, respectively.

    New Zealand could borrow measures from Australia’s new regulations, or even go beyond, to begin salvaging its reputation as a country that develops progressive, evidence-based smokefree policy. Here are six ideas New Zealand should consider implementing.

    1. Refresh and diversify on-pack warnings

    New Zealand introduced plain packaging in 2018. This policy replaced vibrant on-pack branding with dissuasive colours and much larger health warnings. However, despite annual warning rotation, recent work suggests on-pack warnings have “worn out”.

    Our work with people who smoke suggests we need two responses: refresh existing health warnings and create more diverse warnings that illustrate other risks, such as the financial burden smoking imposes and its inter-generational harms.

    2. Offer hope that quitting is possible

    On-pack warnings aim to ensure people who smoke understand the many health risks smoking causes.

    However, few countries (with the exception of Canada) also provide advice to increase people’s confidence they can quit or promote the benefits of becoming smokefree. Australia has now followed Canada’s lead and will introduce “health promotion inserts that encourage and empower people to quit smoking”.

    The ASPIRE Aotearoa Centre’s recent work shows that by promoting positive outcomes and offering practical advice, health promotion inserts foster hope and help motivate people who smoke to think about quitting.

    New Zealand should complement external pack warnings with inserts that increase people’s agency and support smoking cessation.

    Cigarette filters mislead people into believing they are reducing the risks smoking presents.
    Shutterstock/Gudman

    3. Change the experience of smoking

    Tobacco companies use cigarette stick design to shape how people experience smoking. It is no coincidence that cigarette sticks are white. The colour has connotations of cleanliness and deflects attention from the harms smoking causes.

    Until Canada introduced on-stick warnings in 2023, no country had changed the design of cigarette sticks.

    Australia has now followed suit and will require health warnings on cigarette filters. New Zealand could both adopt and go beyond this measure.

    Our earlier work examined the effects of dissuasive colours and designs on cigarette sticks. People who smoke found colours such as murky green and mustard yellow aversive. They also reacted strongly against graphics, such as a chart showing the minutes of life lost with each cigarette, which could be printed on sticks.

    4. Eliminate additives

    Tobacco companies use several ingredients to make smoking more palatable and enhance nicotine delivery. For example, many cigarettes contain menthol, even those without a characterising menthol flavour. These ingredients ease harshness and make the initial, sometimes disagreeable, experience of smoking much smoother.

    Other additives enhance nicotine delivery. For example, tobacco companies may add sugars to tobacco that, once combusted, create acetaldehyde, which may increase the addictiveness of nicotine.

    Disallowing these additives could further reduce smoking uptake. By making smoking a harsher experience, this measure could also encourage people who smoke to quit.

    5. Get rid of gimmicks that appeal to young people

    Tobacco companies have developed product features that enable people who smoke to experience different flavours. Brands such as Dunhill Switch contain a flavour capsule within the filter. When squeezed, the capsule releases a flavouring agent, thus creating a more varied and novel smoking experience.

    Our study of young people’s responses to capsule cigarettes found these appealed more to those who did not smoke than to those who did. New Zealand should follow Australia by closing loopholes and disallowing products likely to increase interest in smoking among young people who do not smoke.

    6. Disallow filters

    There is one measure New Zealand could implement to go beyond Australia’s new policies.

    The draft Smokefree Aotearoa 2025 action plan proposed disallowing filters in cigarettes, but this measure was not part of the final action plan. Described by renowned Stanford University historian Robert Proctor as “the deadliest fraud in the history of human civilization”, filters may mislead people who smoke into believing they have reduced the risks smoking presents.

    In addition, filters do not biodegrade and studies report they cause considerable harm to the environment and impose substantial clean-up costs on local authorities.

    Australia has made important changes that will increase knowledge of smoking’s risks, reduce tobacco companies’ ability to develop cigarette features likely to appeal to young people, and support smoking cessation.

    Meanwhile New Zealand, once a leader in tobacco control policy, is very unlikely to reach the government’s smokefree 2025 goal. Adopting Australia’s policies could support smoking cessation. But there are opportunities to go beyond Australia’s approach; disallowing filters could bring comprehensive health as well as environmental benefits.

    Janet Hoek receives (or has received) funding from the Health Research Council of New Zealand, Royal Society Marsden Fund, NZ Cancer Society and NZ Heart Foundation. She is a member of the Health Coalition Aotearoa’s smokefree expert advisory group and of the Ministry of Health’s smokefree advisory group, a senior editor at Tobacco Control (honorarium paid), and she serves on several other government, NGO and community advisory groups.

    – ref. Australia’s innovative new policies are designed to cut smoking rates – here are 6 ideas NZ could borrow – https://theconversation.com/australias-innovative-new-policies-are-designed-to-cut-smoking-rates-here-are-6-ideas-nz-could-borrow-253717

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warner & Kaine Join Colleagues in Letter Emphasizing Immense Harm Shuttering Department of Education will have on Students with Disabilities

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Virginia Tim Kaine
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, (both D-VA) joined 19 of their senate colleagues in writing to U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon to emphasize the detrimental effect shuttering the Department of Education will have on approximately 9.5 million students with disabilities and their families. Programs at risk include those authorized by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which conducts vital oversight of federal civil rights laws such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and the Civil Rights Act of 1964.  
    “We write with deep concern regarding the Trump administration’s recent actions to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education (the Department) and the impact this will have on students with disabilities and their families,” the senators wrote. “Shuttering the Department will cause immense harm to all students, and especially students with disabilities and their families who rely on federal funding for key special education services and support.” 
    “Over the years, the Department has developed specific expertise to deliver on the promise that children with disabilities will have equal and fair access to educational opportunity in the United States. Congress has promised to families that students with disabilities will have a free appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment and has specifically charged the Department of Education with making that promise real in the lives of students with disabilities,” the senators continued. “…Yet, on March 20th, President Trump signed an executive order directing the closure of the Department.” 
    “We are alarmed by the potential consequences your proposed reassignment will have on the larger framework of education for students with disabilities,” the senators wrote. “Prior to the passage of IDEA, only one in five children with disabilities were educated in schools, and more than 1.8 million children were systemically excluded from public school in the United States. Disabilities were seen as medical conditions to be treated and as a result, many children with disabilities were institutionalized rather than educated. We cannot risk regression to an outdated and dehumanizing perspective on disability, which prevented millions of children from accessing the inclusive public education they deserve. Our entire nation benefits when disabled people have equal access to a high-quality education that enables them to use their gifts and talents.”
    Warner and Kaine have long supported equitable access to education for students with disabilities. Earlier this month, they joined their colleagues in cosponsoring the IDEA Full Funding Act, legislation that would ensure Congress fulfills its commitment to fully fund the IDEA.
    The letter was led by U.S. Senator Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE) and cosigned by U.S. Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Chris Coons (D-DE), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ed Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Patty Murray (D-WA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Jack Reed (D-RI), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Tina Smith (D-MN), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).
    Full text of the letter can be found here and below:
    Dear Secretary McMahon:
    We write with deep concern regarding the Trump administration’s recent actions to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education (the Department) and the impact this will have on students with disabilities and their families. 
    Shuttering the Department will cause immense harm to all students, and especially students with disabilities and their families who rely on federal funding for key special education services and support. There are approximately 9.5 million students with disabilities in the United States. The Department administers critical programs to support these students, such as those authorized by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and conducts vital oversight of federal civil rights laws including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and the Civil Rights Act of 1964. 95 percent of students served under IDEA attend public schools, and these 7.5 million students comprise 15 percent of the public school population. 
    Over the years, the Department has developed specific expertise to deliver on the promise that children with disabilities will have equal and fair access to educational opportunity in the United States. Congress has promised to families that students with disabilities will have a free appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment and has specifically charged the Department of Education with making that promise real in the lives of students with disabilities. It administers programs that support employment outcomes, like the Vocational Rehabilitation Services program which supports jobseekers with disabilities in preparing for and succeeding at work, including for underserved communities such as Native Americans.  Yet, on March 20th, President Trump signed an executive order directing the closure of the Department.  This followed your decision earlier this month to move forward with a reduction in force plan that will critically damage your ability to fulfill your statutory duties to students with disabilities by eliminating nearly half of your workforce.
    It is essential to recognize the vital role the Department plays in safeguarding the rights of students with disabilities. We are concerned by President Trump’s effort to transfer implementation and oversight of special education to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), a move which you indicated you support during your confirmation hearing. The Department of Education has the statutory authority to implement and enforce IDEA. Without an act of Congress giving authority to HHS, this administration’s attempts to shift IDEA responsibility to HHS will merely prevent the law from being enforced at all. The Senate report from 1979 on the creation of the Department of Education found that the “significant, but carefully restrained Federal role in education…is severely hampered by its burial in [The Department of Health, Education and Welfare]…its confusing lines of authority and administration, its fragmentation, and its obvious lack of direction.”  In other words, the Senate’s findings in 1979 indicate that this department structure was inefficient and resulted in a lack of attention to public education. The Department of Education is the only agency with an existing institutional infrastructure and a staff of subject matter experts dedicated to ensuring equal educational opportunity for children and students with disabilities. More than this, disabled students deserve to be seen as and treated as the learners and scholars they are. Students with disabilities belong in classrooms alongside their nondisabled peers, and they deserve the accommodations and supports that enable them to thrive. Because of the Department of Education’s specific expertise, it is best positioned to do the job well and efficiently. Transferring these authorities to HHS will not only overburden an agency already confronting massive workforce cuts orchestrated by this administration, but it will also stretch HHS beyond its expertise as medical, rather than educational, professionals.
    We are alarmed by the potential consequences your proposed reassignment will have on the larger framework of education for students with disabilities. Prior to the passage of IDEA, only one in five children with disabilities were educated in schools, and more than 1.8 million children were systemically excluded from public school in the United States.  Disabilities were seen as medical conditions to be treated and as a result, many children with disabilities were institutionalized rather than educated. We cannot risk regression to an outdated and dehumanizing perspective on disability, which prevented millions of children from accessing the inclusive public education they deserve. Our entire nation benefits when disabled people have equal access to a high-quality education that enables them to use their gifts and talents.
    Additionally, the Trump administration instituted a one-month freeze on investigating discrimination complaints, an unprecedented decision even during a presidential transition. The Office for Civil Rights currently faces a backlog of 12,000 investigations, half of which involve students with disabilities. While the freeze was lifted February 20th for disability discrimination claims, we are concerned that the Department will still not have the capacity to process the backlog of 6,000 disability claims, as well as any incoming additional claims—especially considering the unjustified termination of dedicated public servants across the 12 regional divisions of the Office for Civil Rights.
    While all disabled students are harmed when supports are taken away and barriers left unchecked, disabled students of color are harmed disproportionately relative to disabled white students and nondisabled students of color. Students of color are misidentified for special education – both improperly identified and improperly excluded from identification, overrepresented in restrictive placements (segregated from their nondisabled peers) and disciplined in school.  Because of cuts to the Office for Civil Rights, as well as undermining the administration of education programs such as Title I that serve low-income students (who are disproportionately of color), disabled students of color stand to suffer the greatest harms of your policy actions. The Department of Education’s irreplaceable role providing guardrails and enforcing laws has allowed progress towards the goal of equal opportunity in education. While the work is unfinished, we must move forward not backwards.
    In a speech on March 3rd, you called for the elimination of “unnecessary bureaucracy” at the Department.  Yet, the Department has the smallest staff of any Cabinet-level agency while administering the third-largest discretionary budget. Prior to the recent firings, this number stood at 4,245 employees, including over 700 employees dedicated to addressing the needs of students with disabilities.  More than 1,300 employees have since been fired, in addition to over 500 employees who have opted for separation packages. Indiscriminate firings of workers who are stewards of federal dollars appropriated by Congress with the mandate of ensuring equal access to education for all students does not eliminate “bureaucracy;” it merely impedes the Department’s ability to carry out its work on behalf of children. Indeed, following the recent reduction in force, a coalition of 20 state attorneys general filed a lawsuit arguing the layoffs are so severe the Department “can no longer function, and cannot comply with its statutory requirements.”
    We are also concerned about the combined efforts from the Department and the “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE) to slash $900 million in education-related research and over $600 million in educator preparation grants. These cuts will negatively impact critical research into best practices to support students with disabilities who have the shared dream of graduating high school and contributing to our economy.  The cuts also result in the suspension of highly successful programs designed to address the special education teacher shortage which has been consistent over decades and negatively impacts the educational outcomes of students with disabilities. We cannot effectively serve students with disabilities or make informed policy decisions without quality information and highly qualified teachers.
    It is critical that students, parents, teachers, and schools have clear and accurate guidance in response to these recent actions to ensure and affirm the right of all students with disabilities to a free and appropriate public education.
    We request that you respond to the following questions by no later than April 11, 2025.
    Please provide a complete list of all terminated grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements that impact students with disabilities.
    Please provide the guidance developed by the Department and DOGE to determine which grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements to cancel.
    How many Department employees have been affected by the reduction in force who conduct essential functions pertaining to serving students with disabilities?
    How many employees impacted by the reduction in force are involved in investigating civil rights complaints? Of those employees, how many were investigating disability discrimination cases? 
    How many employees impacted by the reduction in force are responsible for ensuring compliance with the requirements of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)? How many employees in the Office of the General Counsel who focused on oversight of IDEA were impacted? What provisions have been made to ensure that oversight of that law continues?
    As of January 20th, 2025, how many Department staff were employed in the Institute of Education Sciences’ National Center for Special Education Research, and how many staff have been impacted by the Department’s Reduction in Force (RIF) announced on March 11th, 2025?
    Given the recent RIF and media reported cancellations of Institute of Education Sciences’ routine activities, what is the Department’s plan to carry out special education research, including the statutorily required scientific peer-review for research grants awarded by National Center for Special Education Research?
    What, if any, criteria are the Department of Education using to determine which employees and divisions to cut or eliminate?
    What is your plan to ensure that all statutory obligations to students with disabilities are properly delivered in light of recent executive actions?
    Do you commit to the timely investigation of all disability-based discrimination complaints received by the Office for Civil Rights?
    What evidence do you have that indicates transferring existing programs to other agencies will be more efficient and improve outcomes for students with disabilities?
    How will the Department continue to monitor compliance with the significant disproportionality requirement of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and its implementing regulation? How will cuts to OCR, OSERS, and OESE affect the Department’s ability to ensure students are protected from discrimination based on disability and race?
    This letter has been endorsed by the following organizations: Access Ready Inc., American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD), American Federation of Teachers (AFT), The Arc of Delaware, The Arc of the United States, Association of People Supporting Employment First (APSE), Association of University Centers On Disabilities (AUCD), Autism Society of America, Center for Learner Equity, CommunicationFIRST, Council of Administrators of Special Education, Inc. (CASE), Council for Exceptional Children, Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates, Delaware State Education Association (DSEA), Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund (DREDF), Division for Early Childhood of the Council for Exceptional Children (DEC),Division for Learning Disabilities of the Council for Exceptional Children, Michigan Alliance for Special Education, MomsRising, Muscular Dystrophy Association, National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD), National Down Syndrome Society, National Education Association (NEA), New America’s Early & Elementary Education Policy Team, School Social Work Association of America (SSWAA).
    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –