Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
China will ramp up efforts to provide more effective financial and policy support for young entrepreneurs and aspiring business owners as part of a broader push to invigorate the economy and promote higher-quality employment.
Seven central government departments, including the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Finance, recently issued a guideline aimed at optimizing the business environment and fostering more individual entrepreneurs and startups.
The guideline underscores the importance of cultivating entrepreneurial awareness, particularly among young people. Universities and vocational colleges are encouraged to organize innovation-related activities and competitions while integrating more entrepreneurship-focused resources into their curricula.
College graduates, migrant workers, demobilized military personnel and people having trouble finding jobs due to financial or physical difficulties will be the key beneficiaries of the government’s support. They will be provided with opportunities to gain hands-on experience at well-established companies, the guideline says.
Local authorities are encouraged to use digital tools to create entrepreneurial simulation platforms, allowing aspiring business owners to gain immersive, real-world experience in company management, marketing and commercial operations.
The guideline also calls for improved public services for entrepreneurs. Local governments can establish mentorship programs by inviting successful business leaders, investors and experts to provide guidance.
For those whose ventures fail, authorities are urged to offer assistance in labor relations and social security, as well as provide loan support for those seeking a second chance.
The government will also enhance financial support by expanding tax reductions, offering low-interest loans and providing one-time subsidies to eligible entrepreneurs.
Banks are encouraged to streamline their approval processes to facilitate financing for startups.
Additionally, China plans to promote entrepreneurship by highlighting success stories and awarding individuals who create significant employment opportunities or contribute to industrial development.
Li Chang’an, a professor at the Academy of China Open Economy Studies at the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing, said entrepreneurship plays a crucial role in easing employment pressure and generating job opportunities.
“Our surveys show that a self-employed individual can create three to five jobs, while a small private startup can generate about 10 jobs,” he said, adding that innovation and entrepreneurship have long been part of China’s national strategy to drive technological progress and economic growth.
Source: United States Senator for Wyoming Cynthia Lummis
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senate Western Caucus Chair Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), along with Senators Mike Crapo (R-ID) and Jim Risch (R-ID) released the following statements today regarding the announcement that Tom Schultz will serve as the 21st chief of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service.
“President Trump and Secretary Rollins have made a great choice in naming Tom Schultz to lead the U.S. Forest Service,” said Lummis. “Tom is a University of Wyoming graduate and I’m confident that he is the leader who will bring balance back to the Forest Service and return the agency to responsible logging and management. I look forward to working with Tom to restore and protect our country’s great national forests.”
“Congratulations to Idaho’s own Tom Schultz for being named the 21st Chief of the U.S. Forest Service. Tom is a forester’s forester. With over 27 years of natural resource management experience, he is the no-nonsense leader our Western states urgently need to rein in the wildfire crisis and reinforce forest health,” said Risch. “Tom’s selection to lead the U.S. Forest Service underscores President Trump and Secretary Rollins’ recognition of the immense value that Idahoans bring to restoring American greatness. I look forward to the good work Tom will accomplish for our nation and the West.”
“Tom Schultz’s deep on-the-ground experience and skills, including his long-time service in Idaho, will be critically useful as he manages our federal forests,” said Crapo. “He intimately understands how federal decision-making impacts our great state, and I look forward to working with him in this capacity.”
Background:
Schultz previously served as vice president of resources and government affairs at Idaho Forest Group, where he led timber procurement operations and managed relationships with government officials at all levels. A former U.S. Air Force officer, Schultz also served as director of the Idaho Department of Lands, overseeing the management of several million surface acres of endowment lands and minerals. He held leadership roles in Montana’s Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, managing the Trust Lands and Water Resources Divisions.
Schultz holds a bachelor’s degree in government from the University of Virginia, a master’s degree in political science from the University of Wyoming, and a master’s degree in forestry from the University of Montana.
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Louise Zarmati, Senior Lecturer in Humanities and Social Sciences Education, Faculty of Education, University of Tasmania
A young man killed in the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 CE was likely overcome by a fast-moving cloud of gas at a temperature of more than 500°C in a process that transformed fragments of his brain into glass, according to new research.
The man’s remains were discovered in 1961, and in 2020 researchers confirmed that parts of his brain had been turned into glass. This is only example of vitrified brain matter found to date at any archaeological site.
The new study, led by Guido Giordano of Roma Tre University and published in Scientific Reports, explains how the unusual sequence of rapid heating and cooling required to turn organic matter into glass may have occurred.
Pompeii’s less famous neighbour
The city of Pompeii is one of the most famous archaeological sites in Italy and the world. Fewer people know about its smaller neighbour, Herculaneum, which was also destroyed by the devastating eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 CE.
Herculaneum was settled during the sixth century BCE by Greek traders who named it after the Greek hero Herakles (whom the Romans called Hercules). By the first century CE, it had developed into a typical Roman town.
The excavated ruins of Herculaneum today. Mount Vesuvius can be seen in the background. WitR / Shutterstock
Built on a grid plan, Herculaneum boasted a forum, theatre, elaborate bath complexes, multi-storey buildings and luxurious private seafront villas with spectacular views over the Bay of Naples.
The town’s population is estimated to have been around 5,000 people at the time of the eruption. They consisted of wealthy Roman citizens, merchants, artisans, and current and freed slaves. About 7 kilometres to the east, Mount Vesuvius loomed.
A tale of two destructions
Although Pompeii and Herculaneum were both destroyed, their experiences of the eruption were different.
Located about 8km southeast of Vesuvius, Pompeii was violently pelted by falling pumice and ash for about 12 hours before its final destruction by what are called “pyroclastic surges”: fast-moving, turbulent clouds filled with hot gases, ash and steam. Pompeii’s end arrived some 18–20 hours after the eruption began.
Herculaneum’s destruction came much sooner. During the first hours it experienced light ash and pumice fall. Most of the population is believed to have left during this time.
Then, about 12 hours after the eruption began, in the early hours of the morning, Herculaneum was engulfed by a swift-moving, deadly pyroclastic surge. The deadly cloud of gas, ash and rock swept over the town at speeds greater than 150km per hour. Anyone who had not already escaped died rapidly and violently as the town was buried.
Because of the differences in how the eruption hit the two towns, those who died in each were preserved in different ways.
At Pompeii, victims were buried under ash that hardened around their bodies. This allowed archaeologist Giuseppe Fiorelli to develop a technique in the 1860s for creating the now-famous plaster casts that dramatically preserved the victims’ final positions at the moment of death.
At Herculaneum, extreme heat (400–500°C) from pyroclastic surges caused instant death. As a result, we see skeletal remains with signs of thermal shock: skulls fractured from boiling brain tissue and rapidly carbonised flesh.
Victims found in boat houses and along the shore at Herculaneum in the 1980s appear to have died quickly while waiting to escape by sea.
‘The custodian’
In 1961, Italian archaeologist Amedeo Maiuri discovered a skeleton in a small room of the College of the Augustales, a public building dedicated to worship of the emperor. The victim was lying face-down on the charred remains of a wooden bed.
Maiuri identified the person as male and about 20 years old, and dubbed him “the custodian” of the Augustales. What was unusual about this skeleton was the appearance of glassy, black material scattered within the cranial cavity, something archaeologists had not seen before at either Herculaneum or Pompeii.
In 2020, a scientific team led by anthropologist PierPaolo Petrone and volcanologist Guido Giordano conducted the first study of the glassy material using a scanning electron microscope and a neural network image-processing tool. They identified traces of the victim’s brain cells, axons and myelin in the well-preserved sample.
Petrone and Giordano concluded that the conversion of the man’s brain tissue into glass was the result of its sudden exposure to scorching volcanic ash followed by a rapid drop in temperature.
Brain of glass
The follow-up study, released today in Scientific Reports, provides a more detailed analysis of the vitrification process. The scientists estimate the temperature at which the brain transformed into glass had to be above 510°C, followed by rapid cooling.
The researchers propose the following scenario to describe the victim’s death and explain how his brain was vitrified.
The victim died when he was engulfed by the fast-moving, extremely hot ash cloud of the pyroclastic surge. His brain rapidly heated to a temperature exceeding 510°C. The thick bones of the skull may have protected the brain tissue from turning to gas and vaporising.
Within minutes, the ash cloud dissipated and the temperature quickly dropped to around 510°C, a temperature suitable for vitrification. The researchers also believe the fact the brain was broken into small pieces allowed it to cool quickly and therefore vitrify.
In the final phase of the eruption, Herculaneum was buried by thick, lower-temperature deposits that preserved what remained of the man’s body in cement-like material. The vitrification resulted in the preservation of complex neural structures such as neurons and axons.
This research makes a significant contribution to scientific knowledge. After centuries of archaeological research, this is still the only known example of human brain matter preserved by vitrification.
Louise Zarmati 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.
Source: Australian Government – Antarctic Division
Data crucial to understanding diversity, distribution, connectivity The Denman Marine Voyage has a large number of early career researchers and Professor Delphine Lannuzel from the University of Tasmania, working with ACEAS, said she was particularly excited by the “breadth of expertise and career stages brought together on this voyage”. “The Denman Glacier is one of the most dynamic and vulnerable parts of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet,” she said. “This is a unique opportunity for ACEAS scientists and collaborators to study this remote area and contribute our piece of the puzzle to understand the drivers and consequences of changes.” Scientists from SAEF will investigate the region’s biodiversity. One major project will seek to reveal life on the seafloor, including octopus, sea spiders, starfish and urchins. “The ocean off the Denman Glacier terminus is a freezing, remote and almost unexplored habitat, yet if it is anything like other parts of the Southern Ocean, it could be home to a surprising diversity of life, potentially rivalling that found in tropical seas,” SAEF science coordinator Professor Jan Strugnell, from James Cook University, said. “The data gathered on this trip will be crucial to understanding the diversity, distribution and connectivity of life in this habitat, which is key to its conservation. “In addition, harnessing some of the information encoded in their DNA will enable us to look into the future and improve projections of the behaviour of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet and its contributions to sea level rise.” It is scheduled to leave Hobart on March 1 and return in early May. The DMV is a collaboration between the Australian Antarctic Division, Securing Antarctica’s Environmental Future (SAEF), the Australian Centre for Excellence in Antarctic Science (ACEAS) and the Australian Antarctic Program Partnership (AAPP).
People experiencing domestic violence are often urged to report their abuse to police. But what if your abuser is a police officer?
Our new research, drawing on 17 interviews with victim-survivors from two studies and published in the journal Violence Against Women, examined the challenges faced by victim-survivors in this situation.
‘He knows how to make sure that there is no evidence’
Victim-survivors told us their abusers often initially used their police role to project a “safe” image. Later, however, many perpetrators were able to draw on their police training and skills in control, surveillance and investigation to abuse and entrap their partners. One interviewee said:
He is a state-funded, trained master manipulator.
Police also have access to weapons, and importantly, knowledge about how domestic violence evidence is collected. One interviewee said:
They’re doing things that they believe they can get away with or that they know they can get away with […] Police offenders are smarter than that and they’re looking for these little insidious ways to skirt the system.
One person who experienced coercive control from her police officer father-in-law said:
He knows how to make sure that there is no evidence.
‘The people coming to interview me are his colleagues’
Victim-survivors told us they faced many barriers when seeking help.
Some victim-survivors had moved away from family and friends for the perpetrator’s job and only socialised with other “police families”, leaving them isolated.
One person said her perpetrator:
used to bitch about DVs, like just how it’s that victim’s moment of 15 minutes of fame, a moment of attention.
This made some victim-survivors reluctant to report abuse.
When they did report abuse, many encountered police reluctance or refusal to take action against “one of their own”. One person said:
I tried to report his stalking to the local police station. The moment I mentioned the name, I was pretty much told to get the fuck out.
Other victim-survivors we interviewed said:
I had to report at the police station where he works, where everybody knows everybody […] So the people coming to interview me are his colleagues […] You can’t trust them, you don’t feel safe, and even the police stations nearby, it’s still regional and they still work with each other.
They just had a chat to him and he went, “No, that didn’t happen” and then that was it, he just got more and more and more empowered.
Some victim-survivors in our study felt no amount of evidence was sufficient to see the perpetrator charged or convicted. One told us:
Every time I spoke to a solicitor, they’d say, “Oh, well. You’ll have such a – you’ll have a far higher threshold to prove anything because he’s a police officer, and magistrates don’t like giving orders against police officers because they get made non-operational.”
In some cases, the police perpetrator had the victim-survivor arrested or subjected to a domestic violence intervention order. One victim-survivor recounted:
He’d wake you up all night, he’d break in, he’d destroy property, intimidation. He did do an assault but it wasn’t an assault — it didn’t leave a mark, but then he said that I had dug my fingernails into his hand and that’s what I was charged on the basis of. Minor, minor injury that I actually saw him do […] So I ended up with assault occasioning an actual bodily harm over that.
‘I can call the police now if I want and get you sectioned’
Some interviewees told us police officers can use police databases to get information (such as location) about the victim-survivor.
In one case, a fellow police officer drove the perpetrator to the victim-survivor’s “secure” location.
Police perpetrators can also draw on their knowledge and connection with broader formal institutions. One interviewee told us:
He was convincing me that I had a mental health issue. He’d get me to a point where I’d be sobbing because he’d tell me everything that was wrong with me and berate me and then say, “I can call the police now if I want and get you sectioned and you have to go to [mental health facility] for the night”.
Many interviewees expressed frustration that family violence cases where the perpetrator was a police officer are often not referred to Professional Standards Command, an internal police oversight body operating in most state and territory police forces.
Calls for genuine accountability and independence
Many victim-survivors interviewed said police perpetrators were not – in their experience – likely to be held accountable. One told us:
Police sought [an intervention order] for my protection and this was granted for 12 months. He has his weapon taken from him, then returned two weeks later.
Another said:
He didn’t get sacked, they let him resign […] and now he’s on a nice cushy pension for the rest of his life.
Another participant said her perpetrator was simply moved to another location.
Cases were often handed back and forth between different police stations, Professional Standards Command, and other independent or semi-independent police bodies. There was often no transparency in how decisions were made and little – if any – communication with the victim-survivor about the progression of their case.
Legal or professional repercussions were rare and minimal. They also often failed to stop the abuse, and allowed the perpetrator to keep their job.
Some state and territory police forces, including Victoria Police and Tasmania Police, now have specific police officer-involved domestic violence policies.
For example, Professional Standards Command in Victoria has a Sexual Offences and Family Violence Unit to investigate allegations that involve Victoria Police employees accused of family violence, sexual assault, serious sexual harassment and predatory behaviour.
Victim-survivors welcomed this but expressed concern these new dedicated teams may remain vulnerable to the “boy’s club mentality” and information leaks.
Ultimately, broader police responses to gender-based violence cannot improve while a problematic police culture persists.
The National Sexual Assault, Family and Domestic Violence Counselling Line – 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) – is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week for any Australian who has experienced, or is at risk of, family and domestic violence and/or sexual assault.
Ellen Reeves has received funding for family violence related research from the Australian Institute of Criminology, the Australian Research Council and Respect Victoria.
Kate has received funding for family violence related research from a range of federal and state government and non-government sources. Currently, Kate receives funding from Australia’s National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety (ANROWS), the South Australian government, Safe Steps, Australian Childhood Foundation, and 54 Reasons. This piece is written by Kate Fitz-Gibbon in her role at Monash University and is wholly independent of Kate Fitz-Gibbon’s role as chair of Respect Victoria and membership on the Victorian Children’s Council.
Sandra Walklate has received funding from the Australian Institute of Criminology and the Australian Research Council for family violence relayed research.
Silke Meyer has received federal and state government funding for research and evaluation. She currently receives research funding from Australia’s National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety (ANROWS), the Queensland government and non-government organisations.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Press release
Intertrade UK kickstarts drive to boost trade
Boost to internal market as Intertrade UK holds its first meeting today. The new body, chaired by Baroness Foster of Aghadrumsee, was a key Safeguarding the Union commitment.
In a further move to strengthen and protect the UK internal market for businesses across the country, Intertrade UK will hold its first meeting today.
The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Hilary Benn has today announced the five panel members of Intertrade UK who will join the Chair of Intertrade UK, The Rt Hon. the Baroness Foster of Aghadrumsee DBE.
The new body will advise on opportunities to promote and boost trade across the UK, utilising the wide-ranging expertise of its members drawn from industry and academia who are recognised leaders in their fields.
Intertrade UK will do this through promoting trade in goods and services across the UK and advising on overcoming identified barriers, considering how best businesses can take advantage of the full opportunities of the UK internal market, and conduct research and publish insights aimed at advancing domestic trade.
The first meeting of Intertrade UK will be held this morning in Enniskillen where members will formally adopt the Terms of Reference, discuss and agree a programme of work with key priorities to take forward over the next 18 months.
Speaking about today’s appointments, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Hilary Benn, said:
The UK internal market is vital for businesses right across the country, and the Government is committed to taking all steps to protect and strengthen it.
East West trade is essential for UK growth, and part of the success of Intertrade UK will be to ensure that people can enjoy the full benefits of the UK internal market for both goods and services.
This was an important commitment in the Safeguarding the Union command paper, and with this experienced panel of members in place, I look forward to seeing Intertrade UK play an important role in promoting UK-wide trade and economic growth.
Chair of Intertrade UK, Baroness Arlene Foster, said:
The Safeguarding the Union Command paper had strengthening the UK internal market at its core. I am very pleased that we will have our first meeting of Intertrade UK today which was set up as a consequence of that Command paper so we can take this important work forward.
The panel members which have been appointed by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland have a wealth of experience on trade in and out of Northern Ireland and we will immediately get to work looking at challenges which have been identified and if and how these can be practically resolved.
The establishment of Intertrade UK represents another significant step in delivering on the commitments set out in the Safeguarding the Union Command Paper and a key asset in delivery of this Government’s Growth Mission.
Notes to editors
Intertrade UK full panel members:
The Rt Hon. the Baroness Foster of Aghadrumsee DBE – Chair of Intertrade UK
Dr Esmond Birnie – Senior Economist, Ulster University
Kirsty McManus – Northern Ireland Director, Institute of Directors
The Australian Government has appointed Professor Sarah Holland-Batt and reappointed Dr Shane Simpson AM as members of the Council of the National Library of Australia for three-year terms.
Minister for the Arts, Tony Burke, said both members would contribute significant experience towards the management and operation of the Library.
“Shane has been a valuable member of the Council, providing expertise and knowledge in the arts and law for the past six years and his insight will continue to be of great value.
“I’d also like to welcome Sarah, whose experience will help the National Library forge stronger connections with Australia’s academic and literary communities.
“The library holds some of our Nation’s most valuable treasures, and is the custodian of Trove, so we need strong leadership to guide its administration.”
The Council – established by the National Library Act 1960 – is the National Library’s governing body and sets the overall strategic direction of the Library.
Dr Shane Simpson AM is Special Counsel at Simpsons Solicitors, having established the firm in 1986. One of Australia’s most highly regarded intellectual property and entertainment lawyers, Dr Simpson was the founder of the Arts Law Centre of Australia and has served as the Chair of the Bundanon Trust Board, the New South Wales Film and Television Office (now Screen NSW), Museums and Galleries of NSW and various other boards and foundations. In 2011 Dr Simpson was appointed as a Member of the Order of Australia for service to the law and the arts through leading roles in intellectual property and entertainment law, and as a contributor to a range of cultural organisations.
Professor Sarah Holland-Batt is an award-winning contemporary poet, editor, critic and academic. Professor Holland-Batt’s books have won several literary prizes, including the Prime Minister’s Literary Award for Poetry, the Stella Prize, the Queensland Premier’s Award for State Significance and more. Her poems have been widely published in international journals and magazines, including The New Yorker and Poetry, and have been translated into several languages. In 2025 Professor Holland-Batt was elected as an Honorary Fellow of the Australian Academy of the Humanities. Professor Holland-Batt is a member of the Creative Writing and Literary Studies faculty at Queensland University of Technology. She also works as an advisor to various industry bodies and is currently Chair of Australian Book Review.
Source: Australia Government Ministerial Statements
The Australian Government has reappointed Ms Hayley Baillie and Mr Hugo Michell as members of the Board of the National Portrait Gallery of Australia for two-year terms.
Minister for the Arts, Tony Burke, said the reappointments would help ensure the Gallery could continue its important role telling Australian stories.
“Hugo and Hayley have been valued members of the board and I’m confident they will continue to make strong contributions.
“Both have leadership experience in Australia’s arts industry and will continue lending their valuable expertise to the Gallery.”
The National Portrait Gallery holds Australia’s largest collection of portraits of notable Australians, exploring our identity, history, culture, creativity and diversity.
Ms Hayley Baillie co-founded Baillie Lodges, an experiential travel enterprise, with her husband James in 2003. In addition to the National Portrait Gallery Board, Ms Baillie currently sits on the board for the Great Barrier Reef Foundation, the Australian String Quartet Board and is a foundation member of the Australian Ballet. Ms Baillie was also a member of the Tourism Australia Board from 2016-2022. Ms Baillie holds a Bachelor of Arts from Southern Cross University.
Mr Hugo Michell established Hugo Michell Gallery in Beulah Park, South Australia in 2008 and has grown the gallery to be highly respected within the Australian art scene. Over the past few years Hugo Michell Gallery has collaborated with some of Australia’s top galleries such as Darren Knight Gallery in Sydney and Tolarno Galleries in Melbourne. Mr Michell currently sits on the Visual and Performing Arts Foundation Board, the Jam Factory South Australia Board and assists with judging and advisory panels for numerous local organisations.
Teens sit outside of Ponderosa High School in Coconino County, Arizona, in the garden that students created and maintained. Photo from Ponderosa High School
At Ponderosa High School in Coconino County, Arizona, students are determined to overcome obstacles on their path to graduation. Some arrive behind on credits, while others are returning to the classroom after time away. The alternative school offers more than a second chance—it is an opportunity for transformation.
That is just one reason why Coconino County Schools selected Ponderosa as the focus of an advanced energy initiative through the Wells Fargo Innovation Incubator (IN2), managed by the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).
“Our goal at Ponderosa is to create opportunities that shift perspectives—helping students see a hopeful future and discover industries they may not have considered,” Ponderosa High Principal Les Hauer said. “The energy future is full of possibility, and this initiative helps us show students what’s possible while preparing them to succeed.”
Coconino County is one of 10 members of IN2’s latest cohort, which marked a significant milestone for the program. For the first time in its 10-year history, IN2 shifted its focus from supporting startups to implementing energy technologies within established organizations.
Before pitching their projects in December 2024, participants engaged in months of preparation and education, including technology selection and impact analyses. The pitch session culminated in the cohort presenting their plans to install and use a tool or system within six months, with winners receiving a share of $750,000 in Wells Fargo funding to bring their projects to life.
“This is a monumental new direction for IN2,” said IN2 Program Manager Sarah Derdowski. “IN2 continues to help startups move forward over the ‘valleys of death,’ but now we also get to support the implementation of innovative technologies and make real progress in building a resilient, adaptable future.”
Pumpkins grow in the student garden outside of Ponderosa High School. Photo from Ponderosa High School
The participants in the cohort are:
Avangrid
Coconino County
CBRE
Digital Realty
Galvanize Real Estate (GRE)
Intermountain Health
Prime Data Centers
Schneider Electric
Southern Company
University of Colorado Boulder.
Although some cohort members are large companies, they face unique barriers where IN2’s support is invaluable. During pitch day, one of the presenters made the problem plain: Even large, well-funded organizations may find resistance to innovative technologies if they might compromise profitability.
“Pursuing new technologies is often seen as a cost and business risk for any size organization,” said Howard Branz, director of science and impact for Galvanize Climate Solutions. “At GRE, our scientists and investors work together to mitigate these risks by piloting technologies in real-world settings where we can test and prove their performance, ensuring that increasing profitability and meeting our metrics go hand-in-hand. The IN2 award allows us to further accelerate the deployment of cutting-edge building technology solutions, advancing our goals.”
Coconino County’s Teaching Moment
Coconino County’s ambitious vision stood out among the pitches in early December with its goal of reducing the district’s energy consumption by 40% while creating a replicable school model for the region.
“We hope to transform our local schools by serving as a demonstration site for retrofitting and energy practices,” Superintendent Cheryl Mango-Paget said.
Ponderosa High School, located near the Grand Canyon, has about 70 students. The district identified heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) as the best opportunity because it could have the greatest impact. The district’s aging air conditioning units are due for replacement, and the hope is that Ponderosa can serve as a blueprint for surrounding schools.
To achieve that, Coconino County would integrate three technologies in one building. Blue Frontier, a company that graduated from IN2 several years ago, will install a new AC unit that uses liquid desiccant technology developed by NREL. Rensair will improve air quality. And Komfort will address energy through lighting. The single Blue Frontier unit could replace up to 18 AC units already on the building. Estimates done during IN2 show the new systems, at minimum, could cut utility costs by 50%.
Participants from Coconino County pitch their proposal during the pitch day in early December 2024. Photo by Agata Bogucka, NREL
“This partnership with NREL and IN2 is a powerful teaching tool,” Hauer said. “We’re giving students a hands-on experience beyond the classroom by letting them observe the installation process.”
While the students will not install the systems themselves, they will learn from the process and gain insight into future job opportunities in the HVAC and advanced energy industries.
CBRE’s AC Pivot
When Jeff Dunbar, senior sustainability director for CBRE, first got involved with IN2, he thought their project would focus on advanced cement. Then he realized they only had six months to implement, so he pivoted to a faster solution: rooftop HVAC units.
“We replace thousands of rooftop units every year in the U.S.,” Dunbar said. “This became an easy lever for us to pull.”
CBRE manages more than 7 billion square feet of property around the world and spent more than $33 billion with suppliers last year globally. Once CBRE identified the HVAC direction, NREL helped pinpoint where to go next.
Jeff Dunbar, senior sustainability director for CBRE, pitches the company’s proposal during the IN2 pitch day. Photo by Agata Bogucka, NREL
“I stood in a room at NREL and stared at Blue Frontier’s mockup of this technology while an NREL engineer explained how it works,” Dunbar said. “Together, we found our ‘Goldilocks’ site that matches the necessary specs on a building in Delaware.”
The pilot project will install and test Blue Frontier’s unit on this building in Delaware, with the potential of replicating it at other sites nationwide. The system is designed as a drop-in replacement—it integrates seamlessly with existing infrastructure and eliminates the need for costly modifications.
“Our hope is that by the end of the first summer season, the results will give us the confidence to move forward with other sites,” Dunbar said during the pitch.
Additionally, CBRE is not giving up on the idea of an advanced cement project.
“As an offshoot, NREL pulled us into conversations with several advanced concrete partners about a potential project in 2025,” Dunbar said. “We can continue to pursue the concrete challenge outside of the IN2 program.”
Intermountain Health’s Strive for Change
Glen Garrick, system sustainability director for Intermountain Health, is also working with NREL on a project separate from the IN2 pitch he presented. The company has 16 traditional shuttles, and it wants to change that and incorporate advanced technologies.
Initially, the employee responsible for managing the fleet resisted the idea, uncertain about its feasibility. But the project gained momentum after a visit to NREL.
“We flew out to NREL and sat in a room talking with 10 experts,” Garrick said. “Some on our team had a healthy skepticism about the shuttles. But after candid discussions with subject matter experts and experienced professionals from NREL, those individuals on our team completely changed their mindset.”
With approximately 400 clinics and 34 hospitals across the Intermountain West, Intermountain Health plans to order the first set of shuttles in 2025 and begin using them in 2026.
In addition to the shuttles, Garrick presented a pilot project at one location that would include a solar canopy with panels that move with the sun and battery storage for advanced energy.
“We tried to find projects that have a long payback because those wouldn’t get approved without IN2,” Garrick said. “It’s not meant to be a huge sexy project—it’s a demonstration project that helps us start to shift toward more on-campus renewables.”
The driving force is to avoid taking money away from patient care.
“Every dollar that goes to energy or waste is one less for patient funding,” he said. “Whenever I can bring in external funding, that’s money saved for patient care.”
During the IN2 pitch day, the attendees networked with each other in between the pitches from the different participants. Photo by Agata Bogucka, NREL
NREL’s Assistance
This IN2 cohort did not have to figure out the solutions to their challenges on their own. With guidance from NREL experts and support from consulting firm Overlay Build, participants overcame technical and strategic hurdles unique to their companies to move their projects forward.
For Coconino County, narrowing down a daunting list of 168 potential HVAC technologies was a critical first step.
“When I saw the list, first I cried,” Mango-Paget said. “But IN2 and NREL helped us discover the best bang for our buck, and that led us to three companies that could make the biggest impact.”
NREL’s support did not stop at the planning phase. For CBRE, NREL’s direct involvement in monitoring the Delaware pilot will ensure a smooth transition from concept to implementation.
“The scientists who helped birth this liquid desiccant technology are going to come help monitor the site in Delaware,” Dunbar said. “That helps de-risk it for us. We’re trying to do this at scale; it’s exciting to be at the front end of that curve.”
The value of NREL’s expertise also extends beyond IN2’s formal structure. Garrick believes Intermountain’s partnership with NREL will continue independently of the IN2 project.
“I could see a new project evolving in the next six months,” he said. “We have all the contacts, and I think it’s entirely possible we’ll reach out directly for support.”
By providing both education now and actionable solutions down the road, NREL and IN2 have empowered these organizations to overcome barriers, adopt innovative technologies, and make measurable progress.
Winners
Five of the 10 participants in this first-of-its-kind cohort earned monetary awards.
CBRE received $150,000 for its project, which will cover the engineering, design, and construction costs for the pilot and a scalability study.
Coconino County received $55,000 for the Rensair and Komfort parts of its project.
Digital Realty received $125,000 to partner with Hayzel and improve chilling in its data centers in Santa Clara, California.
Galvanize Real Estate received $200,000 to work with EnKoat, an IN2 portfolio company, and Alpen for a pilot on a building in Pedricktown, New Jersey.
The University of Colorado Boulder received $220,000 to work with INOVUES to retrofit existing windows in aging buildings with hermetically sealed high-performance glass.
All the pilot projects must be completed within six months. NREL will keep track of their progress and post updates in the future.
And the participants—including the five teams that did not earn funding—are walking away with tailored technology adoption playbooks and access to expertise in digitization and change management.
“Alongside the new relationships formed with NREL, the program itself is an award,” Derdowski said. “We’re already seeing renewed efforts to change the culture at all of these organizations.”
“I’m really glad we went through the process because we saved one project because of it,” Garrick said. “If it wasn’t for that contact with NREL, that project would have died.”
Updates on how the installations proceed will be found onwww.in2ecosystem.comlater this year.
overnor Kathy Hochul today announced that the Bronx neighborhood of Greater Morris Park will receive $20 million in funding as the New York City winner of the eighth round of the Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) and the third round of NY Forward. Recognizing the unique scale and density of New York City neighborhoods, New York City NY Forward and DRI funding are being combined into one $20 million award. For Round 8 of the DRI and Round 3 of the NY Forward Program, each of the state’s 10 economic development regions are being awarded $10 million from each program, to make for a total state commitment of $200 million in funding and investments to help communities boost their economies by transforming downtowns into vibrant neighborhoods.
“We are making an historic investment in Greater Morris Park with this $20 million combined award from our Downtown Revitalization Initiative and NY Forward programs,” Governor Hochul said. “Through this investment, we’re giving local leaders the tools they need to enhance the quality of life for New Yorkers in their community, draw visitors, and spur economic opportunity in the Bronx for generations to come.”
To receive funding from either the DRI or NY Forward program, localities must be certified under Governor Hochul’s Pro-Housing Communities Program – an innovative policy created to recognize and reward municipalities actively working to unlock their housing potential and encourage others to follow suit. Governor Hochul’s Pro-Housing Communities initiative allocates up to $650 million each year in discretionary funds for communities that pledge to increase their housing supply; to date, 277 communities across New York have been certified as Pro-Housing Communities. This year, Governor Hochul is proposing an additional $100 million fund to assist certified Pro-Housing Communities with critical infrastructure projects necessary to create new housing as well as $10.5 million for technical assistance grants to help communities design and adopt policies that foster housing growth.
Many of the projects funded through the DRI and NY Forward support Governor Hochul’s affordability agenda. The DRI has invested in the creation of more than 4,400 units of housing – 1,823 of which are affordable or workforce. The programs committed over $8.5 million to 11 projects that provide affordable or free childcare and childcare worker training. DRI and NY Forward have also invested in the creation of public parks, public art (such as murals and sculptures) and art, music and cultural venues that provide free outdoor recreation and entertainment opportunities.
$20 Million Combined Downtown Revitalization Initiative and NY Forward Award for Greater Morris Park, Bronx Greater Morris Park is largely composed of Bronx Community District 11, as well as part of Community District 10. The neighborhood is home to many medical facilities, comprising one of the largest employment centers in the Bronx, and a top ten job center in all of New York City. This includes the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Jacobi Medical Center, Calvary Hospital, Montefiore Medical Center, and the Bronx Behavioral Health Center. The Albert Einstein College of Medicine made headlines this year by announcing a generous billion-dollar endowment guaranteeing free tuition to all medical students in perpetuity. The area expects growth in population and economic activity from planned zoning and infrastructure changes, including two new Metro-North stations in the area.
Morris Park’s vision is to transform the area into a premier transit-oriented development hub leveraging the addition of expanded Metro-North commuter rail service and rezoning, which will allow additional commercial and residential growth to bolster existing economic activity and drive future economic and employment growth. The community’s plan will also support Morris Park’s status as the second largest job center in The Bronx while maximizing the transformative impact of the new commuter rail service. This vision will enable Greater Morris Park to become a complete community that would feature safe streets, green public spaces, and intermodal connections. The Metro-North expansion presents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to put in motion transformative changes that will allow both residents and local businesses of Morris Park to thrive.
New York Secretary of State Walter T. Mosley said, “Morris Park is a vibrant community full of rich history and cultural heritage that is ripe for revitalization. This $20 million in funding will allow the community to leverage its newly expanded rail service to drive both residential and commercial growth, making Morris Park an ideal place for new and existing residents to live, work and play. Congratulations to Morris Park and all of the Bronx!”
Empire State Development President, CEO and Commissioner Hope Knight said, “The $20 million investment in Greater Morris Park represents a strategic opportunity to transform one of the Bronx’s key economic engines into an even more vibrant, transit-oriented community. By leveraging the area’s strong medical and educational institutions alongside the planned Metro-North expansion, we’re creating the conditions for sustainable economic growth while ensuring residents benefit from improved connectivity, enhanced public spaces, and new housing opportunities. This investment exemplifies Governor Hochul’s commitment to community-driven revitalization that creates inclusive prosperity across New York State.”
New York State Homes and Community Renewal Commissioner RuthAnne Visnauskas said, “Today’s $20 million DRI and NY Forward award represents a monumental investment in Morris Park that will enable a growing neighborhood to flourish and gain vibrancy through transit-oriented development. This is only the latest example of Governor Hochul’s commitment to helping our State’s communities meet their full potential with targeted investments backed by local leaders. I look forward to seeing DRI and NY Forward’s transformative impact on Morris Park.”
NYCREDC Co-Chairs Félix V. Matos Rodríguez, City University of New York Chancellor and William D. Rahm, CEO of Everview Partners, said, “Greater Morris Park stands at a pivotal moment in its development, with world-class medical institutions and the upcoming Metro-North stations creating unprecedented momentum. This $20 million award will help the community harness these assets while addressing critical needs for improved streetscapes, intermodal connections, and quality public spaces. We’re proud to support a vision that strengthens Morris Park while creating a more livable, accessible, and sustainable neighborhood for all who live and work there.”
Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson said, “Today’s announcement by Governor Kathy Hochul of $20 million in downtown revitalization initiative funding for Morris Park is a significant investment in the Bronx and a huge win for our borough! We have an incredible, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to position the Greater Morris Park community as a critical intermodal transit hub that will drive future growth and dramatically enhance the economic vitality of The Bronx. As the second-largest employment center in The Bronx and a top 10 business hub across all of New York City, Greater Morris Park has already positioned itself to be a vital economic engine for the borough and the greater New York City region. We are grateful for the Governor’s continued leadership in recognizing the incredible economic potential of our borough to create job growth and career opportunities for our residents. This historic investment will help build a brighter future for Morris Park and the entire borough. We are excited to see this $20 million financial commitment and are grateful for our Bronx Economic Development Corporation team, led by our President Rob Walsh, our Bronx Tourism Council, and our Planning & Development team. We remain committed to advocating for funding that supports all our communities, ensuring the Bronx continues to strive and thrive in `25 and beyond.”
State Senator Nathalia Fernandez said, “This is a major investment for Morris Park and the Bronx. Governor Hochul’s support through the Downtown Revitalization Initiative lays the foundation for a stronger, more vibrant Bronx. I look forward to seeing this help strengthen local businesses, improve public spaces, and create new opportunities for the community.”
Assemblymember John Zaccaro, Jr. said, “I would like to extend my thanks to Governor Hochul and her team for having the foresight to select the Greater Morris Park area of the Bronx, a community I proudly represent, as the recipient of a $20 million grant from the Downtown Revitalization Initiative and NY Forward programs. The Greater Morris Park area is home to a growing number of small businesses owned and operated by members of our incredible and diverse community. This funding will ensure that these neighborhoods continue to thrive for years to come.”
Assemblymember Karines Reyes, R.N said, “The Bronx is deserving of resources and investment. I applaud Governor Hochul and the agencies involved in making this $20 million funding award for the neighborhoods of the East Bronx. This commitment to housing, planning, transit, and the beautification of our communities will continue to reinforce and elevate the commitment that residents have for our neighborhoods. I am thankful for Governor Hochul’s leadership on this issue and look forward to seeing these investments come to fruition for our region of the Bronx.”
The Bronx Economic Development Corp President Rob Walsh said, “This $20 million investment is a transformative moment for Greater Morris Park and the Bronx. It will fuel small businesses, improve infrastructure, and drive lasting economic growth. BXEDC, alongside the Bronx Borough President’s Office, is committed to ensuring this funding creates real opportunities for businesses and residents alike. We thank Governor Hochul for her leadership and vision in empowering communities across New York City.”
Greater Morris Park, Bronx will now begin the process of developing a Strategic Investment Plan to revitalize their downtowns. A Local Planning Committee made up of municipal representatives, community leaders and other stakeholders will lead the effort, supported by a team of private sector experts and state planners. The Strategic Investment Plan will guide the investment of DRI and NY Forward grant funds in revitalization projects that are poised for implementation, will advance the community’s vision for their downtown and that can leverage and expand upon the state’s investment.
The New York City Regional Economic Development Council conducted a thorough and competitive review process of proposals submitted from communities throughout the region and considered all criteria before recommending these communities as nominees.
About the Downtown Revitalization Initiative The Downtown Revitalization Initiative was created in 2016 to accelerate and expand the revitalization of downtowns and neighborhoods in all ten regions of the state to serve as centers of activity and catalysts for investment. Led by the Department of State with assistance from Empire State Development, Homes and Community Renewal and NYSERDA, the DRI represents an unprecedented and innovative “plan-then-act” strategy that couples strategic planning with immediate implementation and results in compact, walkable downtowns that are a key ingredient to helping New York State rebuild its economy from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as to achieving the State’s bold climate goals by promoting the use of public transit and reducing dependence on private vehicles. Through eight rounds, the DRI will have awarded a total of $900 million to 89 communities across every region of the State.
About the NY Forward Program First announced as part of the 2022 Budget, Governor Hochul created the NY Forward program to build on the momentum created by the DRI. The program works in concert with the DRI to accelerate and expand the revitalization of smaller and rural downtowns throughout the State so that all communities can benefit from the State’s revitalization efforts, regardless of size, character, needs and challenges.
NY Forward communities are supported by a professional planning consultant and team of State agency experts led by DOS to develop a Strategic Investment Plan that includes a slate of transformative, complementary and readily implementable projects. NY Forward projects are appropriately scaled to the size of each community; projects may include building renovation and redevelopment, new construction or creation of new or improved public spaces and other projects that enhance specific cultural and historical qualities that define and distinguish the small-town charm that defines these municipalities. Through three rounds, the NY Forward program will have awarded a total of $300 million to 60 communities across every region of the State.
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stefan Korber, Senior Lecturer in Innovation and Entrepreneurship, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau
It might have surprised some people when the United Nations made 2025 the International Year of Cooperatives and praised the “significant role cooperatives play in advancing the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals”.
Because cooperatives certainly have their critics. Economically, cooperative principles such as democratic ownership and governance are sometimes linked to inefficiency, low competitiveness and conservative decision-making.
Environmentally, agricultural cooperatives can be portrayed as ecologically suspect and immune to effective regulation. New Zealand’s cooperative dairy giant Fonterra, for example, has been labelled “New Zealand’s worst climate polluter” by Greenpeace due to the methane emissions and effluent its cows produce.
Obviously there is a major political dimension to that argument. But our recent research suggests agricultural cooperatives can also play a positive role when it comes to sustainable development – precisely because of their inherently diverse and democratic structure.
Cooperatives are basically associations of individuals or businesses who voluntarily join to meet common economic, social or cultural needs. Jointly owned and democratically controlled, their profits are distributed among members rather than external shareholders.
We interviewed individuals – from farmers to top-level managers and directors – in three New Zealand agricultural cooperatives. We wanted to shed more light on how their model can work to address one of the most pressing challenges New Zealand faces: sustainable land and water use.
Spreading innovative ideas
The three horticultural and dairy co-ops in our study collectively employ around 800 staff and are part of important value chains that connect New Zealand farmers to foreign markets. Industry experts described them as especially innovative in tackling sustainability challenges.
For decades, industrialised agriculture has exacerbated land degradation by draining natural aquifers for farming, polluting land and water with effluent runoff, and creating food safety concerns about chemical residues.
However, the co-ops in our study have developed methods and approaches to respond to these problems by enabling collaboration between members and external stakeholders. They also leverage some good old “number 8 wire” thinking from their farmers.
First, organised workshops enable members to learn about the latest policy requirements and how customer expectations are changing. Instead of presenting ready-made solutions, the cooperatives support their farmers to experiment with novel ideas in response to identified problems.
Motivated by increased awareness of ecological issues, some farmers came up with pioneering solutions, such as novel effluent systems, that made a positive environmental impact and saved money.
Because of their networked structure, cooperatives can help innovative ideas spread rapidly across the broader membership. Farmers take pivotal roles, acting as champions and “thought leaders” to promote new ideas on roadshows and at field days.
Networked learning: farmers become ‘thought leaders’ within cooperatives, spreading knowledge and innovative ideas. Shutterstock
Building collaboration and trust
Secondly, our co-ops ensured solutions developed on the farm held up to scientific scrutiny. They established working groups where researchers from public research institutes collaborated with farmers to develop solutions that worked for everyone.
The most promising ideas even receive funding to conduct on-farm trials to test their real-world application, and that they meet the practical requirements of farmers.
Explaining why getting farmers and scientists in the same room was vital, one cooperative manager told us:
A lot of farmers often see science as purely academic and not practical. So, giving the farmers a say in that whole process is vital. You’ve got to instil that trust […] that’s when you are getting results.
Third, the cooperatives codify novel agricultural methods into best-practice guidelines and audit them regularly. By combining these efforts, cooperatives can achieve widespread acceptance of new farming practices that are scientifically validated but also practical.
Power in the collective
Ultimately, our findings show large-scale sustainable transformation rests on finding ways to orchestrate the efforts of many individuals and organisations towards a common goal.
To be sure, we are not saying some cooperatives and their members don’t also contribute to climate change. But we are suggesting they can play a more positive and proactive role than typically assumed.
A lot of attention these days is paid to investor-owned, multinational corporations that seek to tackle complex challenges with technical solutions. Similarly, small-scale “ecopreneurial” initiatives that make a difference locally often find media and public favour.
But it’s questionable whether single organisations, small or large, can galvanise the large-scale changes contemporary challenges demand.
Cooperatives, on the other hand, are inherently diverse. They can represent the interests of local communities better than organisations controlled by often distant shareholders.
As such, they are ideally placed to coordinate and facilitate the collaborative solutions needed to develop and implement sustainable transformation.
The author acknowledges his colleagues in this research project: Lisa Callagher (University of Auckland), Frank Siedlok (University of St Andrews) and Ziad Elsahn (Lancaster University).
Stefan Korber 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.
As Alberta continues work to address increasing domestic and international economic pressures, Budget 2025 works to strengthen Alberta’s economy. This budget helps build communities, secure Alberta’s southern border and boost investments in the province’s economic future.
“While we work closely with partners to find solutions to a possible trade conflict, we will continue our work to make sure Alberta’s economy is strong – in and outside of the energy sector – so that we can manage any turbulence that comes our way. Budget 2025 carves our path forward in the face of this uncertainty.”
Budget 2025: Supporting a strong workforce
Alberta’s workforce is the backbone of the provincial economy. Budget 2025 continues the commitment to training and developing a skilled and resilient labour force to further grow Alberta’s economy and help businesses succeed, including:
$26.1 billion over three years from the Capital Plan, to support about 26,500 direct and 12,000 indirect jobs each year through 2027-28.
$135 million for skilled trade programs such as apprenticeship and adult learning initiatives to help Albertans gain the skills and training needed for successful careers, and support access to job opportunities.
$2 billion in 2025-26 to support and expand early learning and child-care system so parents and caregivers can participate in training, education or work opportunities.
Budget 2025: Securing our borders
Alberta’s government is committed to being a good neighbour and trading partner, and part of this commitment involves taking measures to secure the Alberta-US border. Budget 2025 includes $29 million in 2025-26 for a new Interdiction Patrol Team within the Alberta Sheriffs to tackle illegal drug and gun smuggling, human trafficking, apprehension of persons attempting to cross the border illegally, and other illegal activities along Alberta’s international land border. Budget 2025 also includes a $15 million investment over two years for three new vehicle inspection stations located near borders to the USA.
Budget 2025: Investing in post-secondary education
Budget 2025 invests a total of $7.4 billion in post-secondary education, with an operating budget of $6.6 billion in 2025-26. This includes:
$78 million per year over the next three years to create more seats in apprenticeship classes across the province to build skilled trades and apprenticeship education that will respond to the needs of industry, support the economy and connect Albertans with jobs.
$113 million to support greater demand for scholarships and the Alberta Student Grant, with $60 million funded from the Alberta Heritage Scholarship Fund.
$4 million to the First Nations Colleges Grant which is distributed equally across five colleges in rural and remote Indigenous communities.
“Our government is ensuring that Alberta students have the skills and training they need to meet the needs of today while preparing for the economy of the future. Budget 2025 makes foundational investments to meet the challenge of a rapidly growing population while supporting a sustainable post-secondary education system.”
Budget 2025: Building communities
Alberta’s vibrant communities make Alberta the best place in Canada to live, work and raise a family. Budget 2025 invests in stronger communities across Alberta, including:
$17.2 million to increase grants made to municipalities in lieu of property taxes on government-owned property to 75 per cent, up from the current 50 per cent. By next year, the province will cover 100 per cent of the amount that would be paid if the property was taxable.
$820 million this year and $2.5 billion over three years in Local Government Fiscal Framework capital funding to help fund local infrastructure priorities.
Budget 2025: Supporting trade and diversification
Alberta continues to champion economic growth and policies that support productivity. Through Budget 2025, Alberta’s government will continue to build on current successes through:
Attracting more investment through low corporate income taxes. At eight per cent, Alberta’s corporate income tax rate is 30 per cent lower than the next lowest province.
Providing greater incentive for small- and medium-sized firms that increase their spending on research and development, with Alberta’s Innovation Employment Grant.
Promoting Alberta as a reliable partner in supporting North American and global energy security to investors. The province will optimize new and existing infrastructure to access new markets for Alberta’s energy and mineral resources.
Supporting Alberta’s agriculture producers and value-added processors, addressing barriers to trade by cultivating export markets, and working to increase market access for Alberta products.
Reinforcing Alberta as a critical contributor to North American energy security by continuing to advocate for our remarkable energy sector across Canada, the U.S., Germany, Japan and the rest of the world.
Budget 2025: Investing in business and industry
Budget 2025 continues to find ways to help Alberta’s economy grow through investments in business and industry and help our economy grow, including:
Support to attract investment in Alberta’s energy and mineral resource sector to accelerate opportunities in emerging resources.
$45 million over three years for the Investment and Growth Fund to attract investment into Alberta’s economy.
$1.8 million in Western Crop Innovations for industry-leading crop research.
$780,000 to support small- and medium-sized meat processors.
$3.1 million for the University of Calgary’s Faculty of Veterinary Medicine to expand toward a full-service veterinary diagnostic laboratory. This will give livestock producers and vets access to quicker, more affordable livestock diagnostics closer to home.
“Budget 2025 builds a stronger Alberta by growing industries, creating high-quality jobs and expanding opportunities for workers and families. With strategic investments in innovation, infrastructure and workforce development, Alberta is rising to the challenge, strengthening our province for many years to come.”
“We are advancing cutting-edge research in agriculture and supporting small and medium-sized businesses. Additionally, we are strengthening our agricultural infrastructure, ensuring quicker and more affordable services for livestock producers and veterinarians. We’re supporting innovation, attracting investment, and building a resilient economy for the future.”
Budget 2025 is meeting the challenge faced by Alberta with continued investments in education and health, lower taxes for families and a focus on the economy.
Related information
Budget 2025
Related news
Budget 2025: Meeting the challenge (Feb 27, 2025)
Budget 2025: Meeting the challenge in health and education (Feb 27, 2025)
This weekend, Australia’s National Rugby League (NRL) continues to trumpet its now annual pilgrimage to open its season in Las Vegas.
While it’s only the second year of a five-year arrangement, the NRL claims its Vegas experiment has been a great success at a time when the league has been in excellent health on and off the field.
But why is the Australian league hosting games in Las Vegas? And has this experiment paid dividends?
The NRL has made the bold decision to play games at Las Vegas.
The NRL’s Vegas play
There are a few reasons behind the NRL’s Vegas venture, with money at the heart of it.
It’s partly about future TV revenue and trying to grab a slice of the US sports gambling market.
And then there’s sponsors – it’s allowed the NRL to fish in the larger US pond in terms of corporate involvement in the game.
According to NRL CEO Andrew Abdo:
Outside of the benefit we get here domestically, in America we’ve now got sponsors that are incremental. We would not have had these sponsors had we not been growing in America. We’ve got a successful travel experience for fans, and we’ve got incremental subscriptions on Watch NRL, so you’ve got real revenue coming in which allows to us to now invest in expansion, and invest in a better product here.
The move is also part of a grand vision to grow the game internationally.
There may also be some football diplomacy at play. For example, some Sharks players visited the Los Angles firefighters who fought the recent wildfires for some lessons on leadership and crisis management.
What happened last year?
The Vegas venture started a year ago with the Sydney Roosters playing the Brisbane Broncos and the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles playing the South Sydney Rabbitohs in a groundbreaking double-header.
These matches were the first NRL regular season games held outside Australia and New Zealand.
The crowd at Allegiant Stadium, which holds 65,000 fans, surpassed all expectations, with 40,746 turning up when about 25,000 were expected.
According to Steve Hill, CEO of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, more than 14,000 fans flew from Australia for the games and many Aussie expats living in the US also made the trip.
In terms of TV audiences in Australia, the experiment was a big hit.
The Manly-South Sydney clash was the most-watched NRL game ever on Fox Sports, with 838,000 fans tuning in. The Roosters-Broncos contest drew a Fox Sports audience of 786,000.
There was a lot of success in Vegas last year that we didn’t even plan, and for me that was record viewership in Australia and […] record attendances at pubs and clubs.
Stateside reaction
Of course a lot of Aussies tuned in, but how about US viewers?
Around 61,000 tuned into Manly-South Sydney while 44,000 watched the Roosters and Broncos, which is well below the threshold of 100,000 viewers for profitable sports broadcasting, according to TV ratings experts Sports Media Watch in the US.
The NRL set up fan zones and other activities in the build-up to the games in Las Vegas to attract US fans and entertain the visting Aussie tourists.
This year there will be even more on offer: there are four games instead of two, with the NRL bringing over the Canberra Raiders and the New Zealand Warriors, and reigning four-time premiers the Penrith Panthers and the Cronulla Sharks.
In addition, there’s an English Super League game, with the Wigan Warriors taking on Warrington Wolves, as well as an Australia-England women’s Test match.
Is it worth it?
So, has it been worth all the expense for the NRL?
According to V’Landys, the competition’s bottom line has been largely unaffected despite the significant costs of the games:
This year there’s a possibility that we’ll actually return a profit on Vegas and if not, it’ll be a small loss.
But he’s not leaving anything to chance. In fact, in a televised plea on US TV show Fox and Friends, V’Landys invited President Donald Trump to attend the game.
Will the president attend? Unlike a major US event like the Superbowl, where Trump was the first sitting president to attend, there’s not a big domestic constituency for rugby league, so chances are he won’t join the revelry in Vegas.
But it sounds like the NRL, on current projections, won’t need him.
With the introduction of a new team in PNG in 2028 and a possible 19th outfit in Perth soon after, the NRL has showcased an impressive vision to take the game into new markets.
Even if a tiny proportion of the US market jumps on board rugby league, it can only help take the game closer to to its goal of being the undisputed number one sport in Australia.
Tim Harcourt 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.
If you want to get an idea of how Donald Trump’s mind works (and this can change from day to day, as we know), it’s worth taking a look at his TruthSocial website. As I write, beneath a video pinned to the top of his feed featuring an AI-generated vision of “Trump Gaza” (complete with casinos, shopping malls and a giant golden statue of the man himself), can be found a clue to the frenetic presidential activity of the past month.
In a post threatening legal action against any writer or publisher whose “Fake books” offends, Trump refers to himself as “a President who is being given credit for having the Best Opening Month of any President in history”. Apparently George Washington is second on that list – and, given that Potus #1 took 33 days to sign the first bill passed under the new US constitution, you could say Potus #47 has left him trailing in his wake.
Of course #47 appears to face fewer constitutional constraints than his illustrious predecessor.
Sadly, though, Trump will be unable to include in this list the deal he has reportedly just struck with Volodymyr Zelensky which swaps a share in Ukraine’s mineral wealth for an as yet unspecified security guarantee.
Precise details of this deal aren’t confirmed. But we’re told that the original US$500 billion (£394 billion) demand has been dropped in return for a share in an investment fund into which Ukraine will contribute 50% of the revenue from its mineral resources. “What better could you have for Ukraine than to be in an economic partnership with the United States?” commented US national security adviser, Mike Waltz.
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But for the sake of social media, a deal’s a deal and can be trumpeted as such. Zelensky is heading to Washington to sign the agreement and we shall find out in due course whether or not this will assure Ukraine’s future security. There is still the actual peace deal with Russia to work out, after all.
Another landmark foreign policy deal brokered by the Trump White House was with the Taliban in 2020 and concerned the future of Afghanistan. And, as Philip A. Berry writes, Zelensky can take little comfort in that.
Berry, a research fellow at King’s College London, who has extensive experience of working with anti-narcotics agencies in Afghanistan, points to similarities in the way Trump managed negotiations with the Taliban and his deal-making with Ukraine and discussions so far with Russia. The Afghan government was largely cut out of the negotiations, as Trump has threatened to do to Ukraine with regards a peace deal. And like the current situation, Trump’s regular public utterances seriously undermined the talks. Berry concludes:
Trump’s Taliban deal excluded the US’s ally, conceded too much to an adversary, and was partly motivated by the perception of wasting American dollars in a far-off land. Unfortunately, these hallmarks are all too evident in the president’s stance on Ukraine. Zelensky can only hope that things work out better this time around.
Trust will be absolutely vital if the US and Ukraine are to conclude this agreement and, more critically, if they are to reach terms with Russia that will guarantee the “just peace deal” that Zelensky craves, writes David J. Wilcox of the University of Birmingham. Wilcox points to the relationship of trust built by Mikhail Gorbachev and Ronald Reagan in the 1980s which paved a way for a series of nuclear weapons reduction treaties between the Soviet Union and the US.
It has just been announced that preparations are being made for “expert-level” talks between the US and Russia, but, as Wilcox points out, “any negotiations to end the war will rest ultimately on those two states and their leaders”. And at present, nothing has been publicly said about whether Putin and Zelensky have even agreed to meet.
Meanwhile, what do we know about Ukraine’s mineral wealth and what sort of return Trump can expect for the US? Dafydd Townley, an expert in international security at the University of Portsmouth, stresses that Trump’s recent decision to impose punitive tariffs against Beijing has closed off China as a source of key minerals on which the US has been reliant up until now.
It’s a clue, writes Townley, as to why the US president seemed very keen on bringing his deal-making facilities to bear on Greenland, which also has large deposits of desirable minerals.
Interestingly, as Townley points out, Russia has taken control of about 20% of Ukraine’s mineral deposits under the territory it now controls (which America would be open to exploiting according to an offer made by Vladimir Putin’s aides at the recent talks in Saudi Arabia).
It’s also worth noting that Ukraine’s extraction sector has suffered over the past decade from chronic under-investment, thanks to the ongoing hostilities between Russia and Ukraine. As a result it could be some years before the US gets what it needs from the deal it has reportedly struck with Kyiv.
Amid all the shuttle diplomacy and wheeler-dealing taking place around them, at the start of the week the embattled Ukrainian population marked the third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion. They were joined by more than a dozen foreign leaders who gathered in Kyiv to express their continuing support.
As the conflict moves into its fourth year, Stefan Wolff, an international security expert at the University of Birmingham, takes a look at the broader geopolitical implications of the conflict in the era of Trump.
He sees worrying parallels with the Munich conference of 1938 which sealed Czechoslovakia’s fate. Not, as you might expect, in terms of Trump’s apparent appeasement of Putin – but because, like Munich, talks on the fate of a sovereign nation are being held without that nation being present. Wolff writes:
There is every indication that Putin is unlikely to stop in or with Ukraine. And it is worth remembering that the second world war started 11 months after Neville Chamberlain thought he had secured “peace in our time”.
This, of course, is the prospect that has both terrified and stiffened the resolve of Ukraine’s western allies. But Wolff also points to limitations in this analogy, in that he doesn’t believe that Trump is acting out of fear that he is in a weaker position than Putin, as did Neville Chamberlain and the French prime minister Édouard Daladier.
It’s rather that Trump sees himself as part of a triumvirate of world leaders, along with Putin and China’s president, Xi Jinping, who have the opportunity to carve out spheres of influence and establish a new world order based on the exercise of raw power.
Richard Youngs, meanwhile, sees the dawning of what he calls a “no world order”. Youngs, an international relations expert at the University of Warwick, sees an era of flux, where the stability of the past 80 years is disintegrating without anything stable or concrete to replace it.
Several European leaders, including Keir Starmer who is today visiting Trump in Washington, are due to meet this Sunday ahead of a bigger defence summit in Brussels next week, to continue discussions about how to respond to the changing Ukraine situation. Reports suggest a European defence bank or fund that would include the UK may be on the cards.
Youngs certainly believes that European powers will need to consider practical measures in order to bind themselves into more cohesive relationship and ensure their continuing autonomy. One of those will be in boosting their defence capabilities – something that is now gathering pace in the face of US pressure.
But more radical thinking will be needed, writes Youngs, who has coined the term “geoliberalism” as a way of visualising the sort of thinking about the values and certainties that can bind Europe together in the face of global turbulence.
Alex Titov, meanwhile, believes that for all the talk of “deals” to end the violence, both sides have their reasons for wanting to continue, given that their stated positions remain diametrically opposed and irreconcilable.
Russia’s battlefield progress, while steady, is slow and there’s no real prospect of it forcing a capitulation from Kyiv in the next 12 months. But – particularly with the radically different US position under Donald Trump, neither is there any chance of Russia being forced off the territory it has captured. Ominously, Titov concludes, this could mean that “the bloodiest battles of the war are yet to come”.
After a whirlwind first month, Trump held his first cabinet meeting this week, with a special appearance from his right-hand man Elon Musk, who reportedly got to speak more than anyone else. Musk, of course, has been responsible for much of the maelstrom of activity that has caused so much disquiet and is providing a lot of work for lawyers who are pushing back against many of the new adminstration’s measures on the grounds they are unconstitutional.
Musk, Trump and his vice-president J.D. Vance have, in turn, pushed back against judges who have issued injunctions to either halt or delay some of their measures. Musk, in a fit of pique this week when three judges halted three of the administration’s policies, complained bitterly “What is the point of having democratic elections if unelected activist ‘judges’ can override the clear will of the people? Well, that’s no democracy at all!”
Stephen Lovell, professor of modern history at King’s College London, has been looking at the way that Trump and his team are attempting to bend the US constitution to their will, comparing their approach to that of Vladimir Putin. Putin, as we know, never saw a constitutional loophole he didn’t want to wriggle through or otherwise obliterate.
Dr. Edison Martinez Monegro, 28, hails from San Juan, Puerto Rico where he attended the University of Puerto Rico San Juan Bautista School of Medicine. He is thriving in Connecticut at UConn School of Medicine as he completes his third year of general surgery residency training.
He credits his residency success thanks to the growing Visiting Externships for Students Underrepresented in Medicine (VESUM) program at UConn School of Medicine and its strong mentorship.
UConn School of Medicine general surgery resident Dr. Edison Martinez Monegro (Courtesy of Edison).
He was just the second medical student in the new and growing VESUM program to match in a UConn residency. So far over forty students have visited UConn for externships over the past 8 years and eight have successfully matched to UConn for residency.
Surgical resident Dr. Edison Martinez Monegro at UConn John Dempsey Hospital (Tina Encarnacion/UConn Health Photo).
The VESUM program was founded and is directed by UConn’s Dr. Linda Barry, a recent recipient of the nation’s highest honor for mentorship from the President of the United States. VESUM is increasing diversity in academic medicine by offering externships to fourth-year medical students from groups underrepresented in medicine. It gives medical students a four-week insider’s view to various medical specialty fields and UConn Health before they choose their residency match.
“Edison hails from Puerto Rico and has worked diligently to come to UConn and succeed as a surgical resident,” says Barry, professor of Surgery and Public Health Sciences at UConn School of Medicine, associate dean of Office of Multicultural and Community Affairs and associate director of the UConn Health Disparities Institute. “He is the second VESUM student to match and the first student to match for surgery at UConn Health. Edison truly reflects the community we serve. I know the patients he cares for appreciate his genuine dedication and commitment.”
Martinez Monegro first learned about the VESUM program as a third-year medical student while at the University of Puerto Rico through an email his dean shared about the UConn summer scholarship rotation opportunity.
Martinez Monegro in his native Puerto Rico (Photo Courtesy of Edison).
“I applied to VESUM, and I received a letter from Dr. Barry telling me she wanted to meet with me, and I was accepted. I was super excited!” said Martinez Monegro who had his UConn VESUM externship as a rising fourth year medical student within the Division of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery at UConn Health working closely with its faculty such as Chief Dr. Kwame Amankwah and Dr. Mina Boutros. “It was a very good experience. I learned a lot I didn’t know. The UConn rotation allowed for me to have greater exposure to the field of surgery and learn more about UConn too. I also met the residency program director and even the dean of the medical school. Most importantly, I got to see other current UConn residents in action.”
He adds, “The VESUM program really prepared me for my residency. And, UConn, it just felt right for me. UConn was at the top of my list for my residency. I was excited when I got the call that I matched to UConn for general surgery.”
“I made the right choice of coming to UConn,” he says heartwarmingly. “Surgery residency is hard. You want the people around you to help you and make you feel at home. UConn does that. Dr. Barry has been amazing.”
Puerto Rico, its culture, and its people are very important to Martinez Monegro.
“Every year there are less and less physicians in Puerto Rico,” stresses Martinez Monegro, who attended as an undergraduate the University of Puerto Rico and its medical school too. “My first goal was to become a doctor to help with that shortage.”
He was inspired to go into the surgery field also by the shows he saw on TV.
At his White Coat Ceremony Dr. Martinez Monegro with his parents (Photo Courtesy of Edison).
“I was always captivated by the surgeries in TV shows. As a senior in high school I shadowed a surgeon for a full day in the OR. Spending the day, tucked into the corner of the OR, I was amazed by it all. I thought I could work here. The OR felt like home. Surgery I realized is what I have to do.”
Also, he says the Hartford area really does have it all. The Puerto Rican people of Hartford are at the heart of Martinez Monegro’s love of Connecticut too.
“What I like about my residency at UConn is that we rotate though a mix of academic and community hospitals,” he says about the five area hospitals of UConn John Dempsey Hospital, Hartford Hospital, Connecticut Children’s, St. Francis Hospital, and Hospital of Central Connecticut. “Hartford’s population is 40 percent Puerto Rican. I want to be able to practice medicine in a place where I can serve my people and speak my language of Spanish while at work.”
Martinez Monegro believes a VESUM externship rotation experience is a great way to visit and learn more about a medical or surgical field and also UConn Health just like he did.
“I learned the OR is where I like to be. It’s a long day, but I love learning, the responsibility of caring for our patients, and working with the UConn medical team. I am motivated every day to keep helping patients,” he says.
UConn resident Dr. Edison Martinez Monegro with his parents in Puerto Rico (Photo Courtesy of Edison).
He also applauds UConn School of Medicine for its longstanding work of diversifying the future health care workforce.
“UConn has done an excellent job of diversifying medicine. We have residents of all different backgrounds in our residency programs,” Martinez Monegro. “For example, I speak Spanish, so my colleagues ask me for help translating for their patients sometimes. When I need help, funny enough I first ask my fellow residents to translate for me in their languages ranging from Russian to Arabic.”
Dr. Edison Martinez Monegro (Tina Encarnacion/UConn Health Photo).
His message to those applying to residency or in the thick of residency: “Enjoy what you do! Try to find new learning opportunities in everything you do!”
Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren
February 27, 2025
One study found that the health care and criminal justice systems save up to $100,000 over the course of a person’s life when they are treated with medication for opioid addiction.
“If Republicans really wanted to save money, they’d be expanding treatment to folks they claim they want to represent here, rather than ripping it away so that we can bankroll tax cuts for billionaires.”
Video of Exchange (YouTube)
Washington, D.C. – At a hearing of the Senate Committee on Aging, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) slammed Republican proposals to cut Medicaid, which would harm the millions of Americans struggling with opioid addiction who rely on Medicaid to receive treatment. Medicaid is the single largest payer of substance use disorder services in the entire country.
Republicans’ plan would pay for more tax cuts for billionaires by slashing Medicaid funding by over $800 billion.
Dr. Malik Burnett, Assistant Professor in Addiction Medicine at the University of Maryland Midtown Campus, testified that capping Medicaid funding would limit patients’ options for addiction treatment. It would also reduce access to in-network providers for Medicaid patients as more providers would disenroll from the Medicaid network, denying patients the ability to access treatment close to where they live.
Dr. Burnett also testified that receiving opioid addiction treatment allows people to return to work sooner and become productive members of society, ultimately reducing strain on the social safety net. As a result, cutting Medicaid funding would actually force states to spend more.
Senator Warren called on Republicans in Congress to deliver real solutions to the constituents they represent instead of pushing for tax cuts for billionaires and large corporations while ripping away people’s health care.
Transcript: Hearing to Examine Combating the Opioid Epidemic U.S. Senate Committee On Aging February 26, 2025
Senator Elizabeth Warren: Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you and Ranking Member Gillibrand for holding this hearing today. It’s a really important topic, and I appreciate the care with which you treat this issue.
Since 2017, the opioid epidemic has taken the lives of nearly half a million Americans. Their families—and so many more—need Congress to come up with real solutions. For example, I know Chairman Scott and I agree on the need to close a trade loophole that lets China ship fentanyl precursors into the country uninspected, and it’s time to put a stop to that.
But, as we sit here today, President Trump and Congressional Republicans are working hard to advance budget legislation that would make the opioid epidemic worse, not better. They have proposals to cut over $800 billion from Medicaid, which is the largest single payer of substance use disorder services in the entire country. Why? So they can fund tax cuts for billionaires.
Let’s be clear about this: slashing Medicaid funding either through per capita caps or back door cuts like work requirements in an area that already has work requirements would mean ripping away health care from millions of vulnerable Americans, including about a million people right now, who are getting treatment for their opioid addiction.
Dr. Burnett, you’ve worked on the front lines of the opioid crisis. You have helped countless people overcome addiction. I want to thank you for your work and express my admiration for that, but tell me, in this budget space, what percentage of your patients rely on Medicaid for their treatment?
Dr. Malik Burnett, Assistant Professor in Addiction Medicine at the University of Maryland Midtown Campus: I would say, currently, about 80% of our patients rely on Medicaid for treatment.
Senator Warren: Wow. So, in other words, Medicaid, as I understand it, is not just one option for how people get treatment. It is the backbone of the entire system for treating opioid addiction. Is that fair?
Dr. Burnett: That’s a fair comment.
Senator Warren: All right, and yet, Republicans are talking about gutting that system to the tune of nearly a trillion dollars. So, I’d like to look at just a little deeper level about what those cuts would actually mean for our country’s battle against the opioid crisis. Two of the policies proposed by House Republicans are capping Medicaid payments to states and imposing red tape like additional work requirements.
Dr. Burnett, can you just talk for a minute about how those changes would affect access to treatment if they were put into law?
Dr. Burnett: Absolutely. I think one, there was a recent Kaiser Family Foundation study that talks about the work requirements issue, and that actually almost 92% of people on Medicaid already are either working or involved in some sort of part-time or full-time work. So, the work requirements situation would just really add a lot of administrative burdens, ultimately resulting in people getting kicked off of Medicaid.
Senator Warren: So I just want to make sure we say that again: what proportion of people are now already subject to work requirements?
Dr. Burnett: 92%
Senator Warren: 92%. All right, so adding more work requirements on top of this has what impact?
Dr. Burnett: It would certainly increase the administrative burdens of keeping people on Medicaid.
Senator Warren: That’s right. And what’s the consequence of increasing those administrative burdens?
Dr. Burnett: They would lose access to their addiction.
Senator Warren: That’s right. So, people just can’t get the paperwork filled out. More people fall by the wayside. I think that was the Arkansas experiment, as I recall.
Dr. Burnett: That’s correct.
Senator Warren: Yeah. But there’s another part to this as well. What about capping the funding?
Dr. Burnett: Yeah, capping the funding would create two problems. One, it would definitely curtail the amount of choice that patients have relative to the types of addiction treatment that they would have, and then capping the funding would also create a network adequacy problem because more providers would disenroll from accepting patients on Medicaid, so patients would not have the ability to access treatment close to where they live.
Senator Warren: Yeah, in fact, we don’t have to speculate on what the consequences would be. In states expanding Medicaid treatment for opioid addiction, it increased over four times faster than in states that refused the expansion. Meanwhile, Republican states that imposed so-called work requirements did not actually increase employment, because that was never the point. Instead, opioid overdoses went up and access to treatment actually went down. So look, there is no denying the critical role that Medicaid plays in fighting the opioid epidemic. Cutting that program is not just cruel, it’s totally backwards in what we’re trying to accomplish.
Might I ask one more question, Mr. Chairman? Thank you.
Dr. Burnett, I want to ask about something you’ve done some scholarly work on and you’ve published. You’ve written extensively about the positive effects of investing in treatment and how that ultimately lowers costs down the line, so that if you cut the investments for treatment like cutting Medicaid, the question is, is that really going to save any money?
Dr. Burnett: No, I think, as I said in my testimony, people who experience treatment are much faster to return to work, be productive members of society, and ultimately not be a burden on the social safety net. So it would actually be more detrimental to cut Medicaid funding in terms of the amount of expenditure that states and public dollars would be needing to use.
Senator Warren: So, this treatment gets people back to work, fewer trips to the emergency room?
Dr. Burnett: Totally.
Senator Warren: The long-term cost is that we save money by making these investments. One study found that for every patient treated with medication for opioid addiction, the government saves up to $100,000 over the course of that person’s lifetime. Let’s be clear: the budget cuts the Republicans are proposing are not about saving money. If Republicans really wanted to save money, they’d be expanding treatment to folks they claim they want to represent here, rather than ripping it away so that we can bankroll tax cuts for billionaires.
Families and communities across this country are counting on us to deliver real solutions to the opioid epidemic, not play politics, and I won’t stop fighting for that. Thank you very much. Thank you all for being here. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Source: United States Senator for Commonwealth of Virginia Mark R Warner
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and John Thune (R-SD), alongside U.S. Reps. Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY-11) and Scott Peters (D-CA-50), introduced theEmployer Participation in Repayment Act– bipartisan legislation to help Americans tackle their student loan debt by making permanent a provision that allows employers to contribute up to $5,250 tax-free to their employees’ student loans.
In 2020, Sens. Warner and Thune along with Rep. Peters negotiated the inclusion of a provision in the CARES Act that allowed these contributions temporarily. Later that year, as part of the government spending package, they secured an extension allowing this benefit until January 1, 2026. By making this tax benefit permanent, today’s legislation would provide employees with much-needed relief and employers with a unique and permanent tool to attract and retain talented employees.
“As the first in my family to graduate from college, I wouldn’t have been able to afford my tuition without the help of student loans,”said Sen. Warner.“Unfortunately as the cost of higher education continues to skyrocket, so has the rate of Americans who turn to student loans to pay for college. Today too many Americans are saddled with tough-to-manage student loan debt, with no end in sight. That’s why I’ve teamed up with Sen. Thune to create an innovative, bipartisan approach to help ease the burden of student loans. By making employer student loan repayments tax-exempt, employers will have a tool to recruit and retain a talented workforce while also helping working Americans manage their financial future.”
“Incentivizing employers to help repay their employees’ student loans was a common-sense step Congress took to address the high levels of student debt that borrowers face,”said Sen. Thune. “This bill would permanently equip employers with this unique tool to help attract and retain talented employees while protecting American taxpayers from costly burdens. This is a win-win for graduates and their employers, and I hope it will once again garner strong, bipartisan support.”
“Over the past 20 years, the cost to attend college has risen 45 percent, forcing students to choose between pursuing higher education and taking on tens of thousands of dollars in burdensome student loan debt,”said Rep. Malliotakis. “Our bipartisan legislation enables employers to contribute up to $5,250 per year, tax-free, toward their employees’ student loans—helping those entering the workforce pay down debt faster and build a stronger financial future. This tax incentive will continue to strengthen our workforce, increase our nation’s competitiveness, and provide much-needed economic relief to millions of Americans.”
“I relied on student loans to get through college when the cost of higher education was much lower than it is today. Now, the collective debt among Americans is $1.7 trillion, which limits our economic growth and the economic prospects of young adults,”said Rep. Peters.“Over the last five years, this program has been a huge success — employers have helped pay off thousands of employees’ loans and it gave employers a tool to compete for the best talent. This public-private collaboration has proven itself as a cost-effective solution to the student debt crisis and it is imperative that we make it permanent.”
Americans owe a combined $1.77 trillion dollars in student loan debt, according to the most recentquarterly reportfrom the Federal Reserve. This debt is a significant financial burden that not only influences the way the American workforce saves and spends, but also has a stifling effect on the economy. This legislation would update an existing federal program so that it works better for employees living with the reality of burdensome student loan debt.
The legislation has support from numerous educational organizations and business groups.
“The National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU) is pleased to support bipartisan legislation that would make permanent the expansion of IRC Sec. 127. This expansion to allow student loan repayment assistance should absolutely be a permanent benefit and not expire next year as currently scheduled. This assistance helps working students, employers, and ultimately the U.S. economy. Section 127 benefits play a critical role in maintaining U.S. competitiveness and preventing the accumulation of student debt by enabling employers to fund the training, development and education of their employees, without imposing tax burdens on those employees for the education they receive. Employees use these benefits to pursue their educational and career goals and use amounts provided by their employer to either help pay for the cost of tuition or repay student loans,”said Karin Johns, Director of Tax Policy, National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities.
“The bipartisan and bicameral Employer Participation in Repayment Act will reduce borrowers’ student loan burdens and encourage successful repayment. In turn, it gives employers a permanent tool with which to attract a stable workforce. EFC is proud to endorse this legislation, and we look forward to collaborating with you to advance public policies that appropriately balance the interests of student loan borrowers, employers, and taxpayers,”said Gail daMota, President, Education Finance Council.
“The U.S. Chamber supports the Employer Participation in Repayment Act because it allows employers voluntarily to provide a valued employee benefit that helps their employees’ financial well-being,”said Chantel Sheaks, Vice President, Retirement Policy, U.S. Chamber of Commerce
“Candidly has facilitated more than $100M in tax-free Student Loan Employer Contributions to help employees pay down their debt faster, as a workplace benefit, resulting in a whopping 67% reduction in turnover across participating workers. Permanency is crucial to sustaining and scaling this highly efficacious new category of benefit into a new normal,”said Laurel Taylor, CEO, Candidly.
“Fidelity Investments commends the bipartisan re-introduction of the Employer Participation in Repayment Act. Permanently extending this important incentive is critical to the American workforce’s financial wellness. As a market leader for student debt workplace benefits since 2016, Fidelity has enabled hundreds of employers across a wide range of industries to seamlessly contribute to and ease the student debt burden for their employees. To date, these employers have helped more than 100k employees save more than $500mn and an average of 3-4 years in payments. The growth and popularity of these benefits have accelerated since the introduction of this provision as part of the 2020 CARES Act, and we look forward to working with Congress to enact this legislation permanently into law,”said Jesse Moore, Senior Vice President, Head of Student Debt at Fidelity Investments.
“We commend Senators Thune and Warner, along with Representatives Malliotakis and Peters, for their leadership in introducing the Employer Participation in Repayment Act. Making the student loan repayment expansion permanent is a critical step toward easing the financial burden on millions of Americans while empowering businesses to attract and retain top talent. This bipartisan, bicameral effort underscores a shared commitment to workforce development, economic growth, and financial well-being for employees nationwide. We urge Congress to pass this legislation and ensure long-term support for student loan repayment benefits,”said Chatrane Birbal, Vice President of Policy and Government Relations at the HR Policy Association.
“SHRM strongly supports the reintroduction of the Employer Participation in Repayment Act, a bipartisan bill that would permanently allow employers to assist employees in repaying their student loans. At SHRM, we have long championed policies that empower employers to provide education assistance programs that align with the evolving needs of the workforce. This legislation is key to strengthening the education-to-employment pipeline—ensuring that individuals can pursue and complete their education without being burdened by overwhelming debt, while also helping employers build a skilled and competitive workforce. This legislation provides a commonsense solution that would benefit workers, workplaces, and the economy,”said Emily M. Dickens, Chief of Staff and Head of Government Affairs at the Society for Human Resource Management.
“We commend the introduction of bipartisan legislation to permanently extend the student loan repayment benefit under Section 127. Supporting efforts by employers to offer education or debt relief to their employees is both economically and fiscally responsible. This bill is a crucial step towards modernizing Section 127 of the tax code, addressing the evolving needs of employees, and ensuring our workforce remains competitive. InStride is dedicated to reducing the burden of student debt and expanding economic opportunities through innovative employer-sponsored education programs. This legislative effort aligns with our mission and helps create a more financially resilient workforce,”said Craig Maloney, CEO, InStride.
“The National Association of REALTORS ® (NAR) has long supported efforts to ease the burden of student loan debt. The Employer Participation in Repayment Act is a useful tool in easing the weight of student debt. NAR applauds the leadership from Representatives Peters and Malliotakis and Senators Warner and Thune in making this change permanent. This legislation creates a win-win for both employers in search of attracting and maintaining talented workers and employees who will receive relief on their debt, enabling them to save money for important life decisions like purchasing a home,”said National Association of Realtors® President Kevin Sears.
“Extending the tax exclusion for employer-provided student loan repayment assistance is crucial for today’s U.S. workforce and is 100% aligned with employer perspectives on these benefits,”said Scott Thompson, CEO of Tuition.io. “As the cost of higher education continues to skyrocket, this benefit enables companies to foster a more educated and skilled workforce, while helping their employees cover basic living expenses, a challenge for so many people today. Since Tuition.io started administering contributions in 2016, employers on our platform have helped pay down student loan debt for hundreds of thousands of employees in key sectors like healthcare, manufacturing, and technology. We at Tuition.io strongly support making these benefits under Section 127 permanent, as their removal would be a significant setback for both corporations and their employees.”
“The introduction of this bill is a huge step in the right direction and, when passed, will be a major win for companies, employees, and society at large. Tax-free employer contributions to student loans is a great way to help employees pay back student loans while providing a unique incentive for employees to align with company priorities. As the cost of education has and will likely continue to rise, this benefit will help alleviate the financial stress employees have incurred in order to gain employment. Permanently including employer student loan contributions under tax-free educational assistance will help pave the way for more employers to play a massive role in solving the student debt crisis,”said Mick MackLaverty, CEO of Highway Benefits.
“We are proud to support this initiative and grateful to Congressmember Peters for his dedication to San Diego’s small businesses,”said Jessica Anderson, Interim President and CEO of the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce.“The Employer Participation in Repayment Act of 2025 will expand the benefits employers can offer by assisting with student debt repayment, in turn helping small businesses attract and retain talent in a competitive workforce.
Full text of the legislation can be foundhere. A summary of the legislation can be foundhere.
Source: United States Senator for Wyoming Cynthia Lummis
February 27, 2025
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) led the inaugural Digital Assets Subcommittee hearing where witnesses expressed the need for Congress to provide a clear regulatory framework for digital assets to promote growth and maintain our nation’s reputation as a global leader in financial innovation.
“We have come a long way since I was elected to the Senate in 2020, when many of the members of this body were still trying to wrap their heads around what a bitcoin is, what a stablecoin is, and why the Howey test is important,” said Lummis. “We are on the precipice of finally creating a bipartisan legislative framework for both stablecoins and market structure. I am hopeful that we can get both pieces of legislation to President Trump for his signature this year.”
Members heard testimony from Lewis Cohen, a partner at Cahill, Gordon & Reindel; Jonathan Jachym, Deputy General Counsel and Global Head of Policy with Kraken Digital Asset Exchange; Jai Massari, Chief Legal Officer at Lightspark and Tim Massad, Research Fellow at Harvard University and former Chair of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) where they outlined the need for Congress to act swiftly to provide regulatory clarity.
Source: United States Senator for Utah Mike Lee
WASHINGTON – Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) introduced the Higher Education Reform and Opportunity (HERO) Act, a bill that brings transparency, accountability, and competition to higher education. Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) sponsored the HERO Act in the House of Representatives.
The HERO Act aims to simplify federal student loans by offering a single option and introduces a new financial “skin-in-the-game” requirement for universities. Under this requirement, universities will be rewarded for each Pell Grant graduate but will also be obliged to repay a percentage of the total loans issued, with consideration for loan default rates and the average national unemployment rate.
Moreover, the bill empowers states to establish alternative accreditation systems that can accredit any postsecondary institution offering programs applicable to degrees, credentials, or professional certifications. This flexibility allows states to determine clock hour and minimum program length requirements, making short-term workforce development programs and nontraditional educational providers eligible for federal student aid.
Additionally, the HERO Act mandates higher education institutions participating in federal student loan programs to publish relevant outcome information in an easily accessible format. This transparency provides students with the necessary information to make informed decisions about which institutions to attend.
“Too often, our bright young minds needlessly face the unfair choice of either drowning in debt or sacrificing their dreams of higher education,” Sen. Lee said. “The HERO Act aims to alleviate the ever-increasing financial burden required of students pursuing their educational goals by capping loans that exacerbate costs. It would transform our educational landscape and allow students to tailor their unique learning journey and gain the skills needed to excel in today’s dynamic economy.”
“Universities have largely become government-run crony rackets focused on turning students into far-left political activists rather than young adults prepared for success in the workforce,” Congressman Roy said. “Federal involvement has only made this problem worse. The HERO Act is an important first step to fix this and will require institutions of higher education to have some ‘skin in the game’ regarding their students’ outcomes, simplify the federal student loan system, and perhaps most important empower states to establish alternative accreditation systems. I look forward to working with my colleagues to get this across the finish line.”
For bill text, click HERE.For a two-pager, click HERE.
Australia is in the grip of a severe housing shortage. Many people are finding it extremely difficult to find a place to live in the face of rising rents and property price surges. Homelessness is rising sharply. Tent cities are becoming more common.
The federal government has pledged to encourage the building of about 1.2 million new dwellings over the five years from mid-2024. The problem is, conventional building techniques are unlikely to be able to respond to the scale of demand quickly. Conventional building is expensive and slow. Faster, cheaper construction methods are needed.
There might be a way to accelerate the build. In recent years, car manufacturers Ford, General Motors and Toyota have shuttered their Australian factories, due to intense global competition.
Before these factories fell silent, they were home to trained workers, advanced machinery and efficient production systems. In Australia, companies such as Hickory Group are working to turn car factories into house factories. In Japan, Toyota has been making modular housing for decades, by adapting car production line techniques.
Scaling this approach up in Australia could simultaneously address industrial decline and housing demand.
Can mothballed car factories really make houses?
After years of decline, Australia’s car manufacturing industry came to an end in 2017, when Toyota and General Motors’ factories stopped mass production. Ford’s local factories closed a year earlier. It was the end of 70 years of mass production, though companies such as Premcar are still making local versions of overseas cars.
Thousands of factory workers lost their jobs. But the effect rippled outward, as about 40,000 workers in the supply chain lost their jobs.
These automobile factories left behind more than just empty structures.
Most of them have not been demolished. Some still have advanced manufacturing lines. Their former workers with automation and precise engineering training might be working in different fields, such as caravan manufacturing.
Building a house in a factory has similarities to car manufacturing. Both use modular production, in which individual parts are manufactured and then assembled into a final product.
That’s not to say this would be easy – there would be regulatory hurdles to overcome and the factories would need an overhaul.
One tough part is figuring out how to use modern car-building tools (such as robotics) to make components of houses. While building cars and houses share some ideas, they’re not the same.
Bringing these factories back into production would boost the economies of states such as Victoria.
States such as South Australia have already started down this path, turning Mitsubishi’s defunct Tonsley Park factory into an innovation precinct hosting modular construction companies such as Fusco Constructions, which will begin operations next year.
Meanwhile, much work has been done in Australia and overseas to find ways to mass-produce housing using factories.
Imagine thousands of individual car parts were delivered to your front yard, where workers painstakingly put the car together. This seems crazy. But it’s essentially what we do with houses, especially freestanding ones. Advocates for modern methods of construction have pointed out the inefficiencies of transporting building materials to a site and assembling them there.
Some large-scale builders are already working to automate more of the home-building process. Besides making houses more cheaply, the benefits include centralising production around a factory, protection from weather delays, and the ability to use industrial robots.
Car assembly lines guarantee each component is manufactured to exacting specifications. Automobile manufacturing has been transformed by new technologies, including digital twin simulations, robotics and 3D printing. But the building industry has been slower to take these up. If we can bring these technologies to bear on how we make homes, we can accelerate construction, reduce errors and cut prices.
In fact, we are seeing some car manufacturers moving into home building. Mercedes-Benz, Bugatti, Bentley, Aston Martin and Porsche are all putting their names on high-end homes in some way, while Honda has explored manufacturing smart, low-energy homes.
Change is coming – but slowly
Advanced building techniques are not new to Australia. Prefab buildings are already being built on factory lines by companies such as Fleetwood, ATCO Structures and Logistics and Modscape.
Here, building components are produced in a controlled factory setting before being delivered to the construction site for prompt assembly. Dozens of companies are working in this space. To date, however, most of these buildings will be used as schools, police stations or temporary housing for mining workers.
Last year, the federal government set up a A$900 million fund as an incentive for state and territory governments to accelerate building approvals and take up prefab techniques. To date, the sector is struggling to scale up due to a lack of infrastructure and too few manufacturers.
Other countries are further along the path. In Sweden, up to 84% of detached homes are made with prefabricated components, compared with about 15% in Japan and 5% in the United States, United Kingdom and Australia.
One option is to adopt yet more advanced techniques, such as lean manufacturing and automated assembly. Both of these are well established in car-making, and could be used to increase the speed and accuracy of prefab home construction.
What would it take to make this happen?
Australia’s housing crisis has been years in the making. To solve it, we may need bold solutions.
Converting old car factories into affordable home factories could help accelerate our response to the challenge – and reinvigorate industrial precincts.
It would take work and funding to make this happen. But there are commonalities. Making prefab homes depends on precise, modular production methods that work best when automated. Transitions like these can happen.
Dr. Ehsan Noroozinejad has received funding from both national and international organisations to support research addressing housing and climate crises. His most recent funding comes from the James Martin Institute for Public Policy. He has received funding from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada
Located 2.5 million light-years away, the majestic Andromeda galaxy appears to the naked eye as a faint, spindle-shaped object roughly the angular size of the full Moon. What backyard observers don’t see is a swarm of nearly three dozen small satellite galaxies circling the Andromeda galaxy, like bees around a hive. These satellite galaxies represent a rambunctious galactic “ecosystem” that NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope is studying in unprecedented detail. This ambitious Hubble Treasury Program used observations from more than a whopping 1,000 Hubble orbits. Hubble’s optical stability, clarity, and efficiency made this ambitious survey possible. This work included building a precise 3D mapping of all the dwarf galaxies buzzing around Andromeda and reconstructing how efficiently they formed new stars over the nearly 14 billion years of the universe’s lifetime.
In the study published in The Astrophysical Journal, Hubble reveals a markedly different ecosystem from the smaller number of satellite galaxies that circle our Milky Way. This offers forensic clues as to how our Milky Way galaxy and Andromeda have evolved differently over billions of years. Our Milky Way has been relatively placid. But it looks like Andromeda has had a more dynamic history, which was probably affected by a major merger with another big galaxy a few billion years ago. This encounter, and the fact that Andromeda is as much as twice as massive as our Milky Way, could explain its plentiful and diverse dwarf galaxy population. Surveying the Milky Way’s entire satellite system in such a comprehensive way is very challenging because we are embedded inside our galaxy. Nor can it be accomplished for other large galaxies because they are too far away to study the small satellite galaxies in much detail. The nearest galaxy of comparable mass to the Milky Way beyond Andromeda is M81, at nearly 12 million light-years. This bird’s-eye view of Andromeda’s satellite system allows us to decipher what drives the evolution of these small galaxies. “We see that the duration for which the satellites can continue forming new stars really depends on how massive they are and on how close they are to the Andromeda galaxy,” said lead author Alessandro Savino of the University of California at Berkeley. “It is a clear indication of how small-galaxy growth is disturbed by the influence of a massive galaxy like Andromeda.” “Everything scattered in the Andromeda system is very asymmetric and perturbed. It does appear that something significant happened not too long ago,” said principal investigator Daniel Weisz of the University of California at Berkeley. “There’s always a tendency to use what we understand in our own galaxy to extrapolate more generally to the other galaxies in the universe. There’s always been concerns about whether what we are learning in the Milky Way applies more broadly to other galaxies. Or is there more diversity among external galaxies? Do they have similar properties? Our work has shown that low-mass galaxies in other ecosystems have followed different evolutionary paths than what we know from the Milky Way satellite galaxies.” For example, half of the Andromeda satellite galaxies all seem to be confined to a plane, all orbiting in the same direction. “That’s weird. It was actually a total surprise to find the satellites in that configuration and we still don’t fully understand why they appear that way,” said Weisz.
The brightest companion galaxy to Andromeda is Messier 32 (M32). This is a compact ellipsoidal galaxy that might just be the remnant core of a larger galaxy that collided with Andromeda a few billion years ago. After being gravitationally stripped of gas and some stars, it continued along its orbit. Galaxy M32 contains older stars, but there is evidence it had a flurry of star formation a few billion years ago. In addition to M32, there seems to be a unique population of dwarf galaxies in Andromeda not seen in the Milky Way. They formed most of their stars very early on, but then they didn’t stop. They kept forming stars out of a reservoir of gas at a very low rate for a much longer time. “Star formation really continued to much later times, which is not at all what you would expect for these dwarf galaxies,” continued Savino. “This doesn’t appear in computer simulations. No one knows what to make of that so far.” “We do find that there is a lot of diversity that needs to be explained in the Andromeda satellite system,” added Weisz. “The way things come together matters a lot in understanding this galaxy’s history.” Hubble is providing the first set of imaging where astronomers measure the motions of the dwarf galaxies. In another five years Hubble or NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope will be able to get the second set of observations, allowing astronomers to do a dynamical reconstruction for all 36 of the dwarf galaxies, which will help astronomers to rewind the motions of the entire Andromeda ecosystem billions of years into the past. The Hubble Space Telescope has been operating for over three decades and continues to make ground-breaking discoveries that shape our fundamental understanding of the universe. Hubble is a project of international cooperation between NASA and ESA (European Space Agency). NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, manages the telescope and mission operations. Lockheed Martin Space, based in Denver, also supports mission operations at Goddard. The Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, conducts Hubble science operations for NASA.
Media Contact: Claire Andreoli (claire.andreoli@nasa.gov)NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland Ray VillardSpace Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore, Maryland Science Contact: Alessandro SavinoUniversity of California, Berkeley, California
NASA has selected eight participating scientists to join its Lucy mission to the Jupiter Trojan asteroids. These asteroids are remnants of our early solar system trapped on stable orbits associated with – but not close to – the planet Jupiter.
NASA’s Lucy in the L4 Trojans Participating Scientist Program supports scientists to carry out new investigations that address outstanding questions related to the Jupiter Trojan asteroids as part of the Lucy mission. Launched in 2021, the Lucy spacecraft is currently on its way to the L4 Trojan swarm, which leads Jupiter in its orbit around the Sun. This is the first selection of Lucy participating scientists, who will become mission science team members for the four major asteroid encounters that the Lucy spacecraft will have in the L4 swarm in 2027 and 2028, and who will remain on the team for subsequent scientific analysis until 2030. The newly selected participating scientists are:
Harrison Agrusa, Observatoire de la Côte d’Azur in Nice, France Benjamin Byron, University of Central Florida in Orlando Emily Costello, University of Hawaii, Honolulu Masatoshi Hirabayashi, Georgia Tech Research Corporation [TSS1] in Atlanta Fiona Nichols-Fleming, Smithsonian Institution in Washington Norbert Schorghofer, Planetary Science Institute in Tucson, Arizona Jennifer Scully, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California Anne Verbiscer, University of Virginia, Charlottesville
Lucy’s principal investigator, Hal Levison, is based out of the Boulder, Colorado, branch of Southwest Research Institute, headquartered in San Antonio. NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, provides overall mission management, systems engineering, and safety and mission assurance. Lockheed Martin Space in Littleton, Colorado, built and operates the spacecraft. Lucy is the 13th mission in NASA’s Discovery Program. NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, manages the Discovery Program for the Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington. For more information on NASA’s Lucy mission, visit: https://www.nasa.gov/lucy
An artist’s rendition of one of the many thousands of near-Earth objects that could potentially impact Earth in the future. (European Space Agency/P.Carril)
For a few days in mid-February, headlines around the world buzzed about the potential for an asteroid to hit the Earth in 2032 — specifically, asteroid 2024 YR4. The chance of this impact rose to a high of 3.1 per cent on Feb. 18.
The number has since dropped to near zero, but this news was a real-life Don’t Look Up moment, and a stark reminder of the threat that asteroid impacts pose to life on Earth.
As a planetary geologist, my research focuses on meteorite impact craters, the scars of large asteroid and cometary impacts in Earth’s past.
Impact Earth
There are countless numbers of asteroids and an unknown number of comets throughout our solar system. Most of these objects date back to the very beginnings of our solar system, around 4.5 billion years ago.
Research has identified approximately 200 locations where these asteroids or comets have struck the Earth in the past to form meteorite impact craters. It’s very rare that planetary geologists can tell whether it was an asteroid or comet that hit.
One of the most famous of these 200 or so impact craters is the 200 km diameter Chicxulub impact crater in the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico. This impact wiped out 65 per cent of all species on Earth, including the dinosaurs, 66 million years ago.
One of the most recent and best-preserved craters on Earth is the 1.2 km in diameter Meteor Crater in Arizona, which formed 50,000 years ago.
The Meteor Crater in Arizone is one of the most recent and best-preserved craters on Earth. (G.Osinski), CC BY
Millions of craters
Two hundred craters over 4.5 billion years hardly seems like a big number or cause for concern however, this number is a tiny fraction of the actual record. Most impact craters formed on Earth have been erased due to plate tectonics, volcanic eruptions, and erosion by water, wind and ice.
To truly appreciate how common impact craters are, we need to look to Earth’s closest neighbour, the moon. Because of its proximity, objects that can hit the moon can also hit the Earth. In fact, because the Earth is bigger, which means our gravitational attraction is higher, more asteroids and comets would have hit the Earth over the past 4.5 billion years than the moon.
The best estimate is 1.3 million craters over one kilometre in diameter on the moon, with another 700,000 or so smaller ones.
The dots represent a snapshot of the population of near-earth asteroids that scientists think are likely to exist. The simulated near-Earth asteroids are blue, and Earth’s orbit is green. (NASA/JPL-Caltech)
In January, the probability of this asteroid hitting Earth surpassed one per cent, which triggered a series of international responses. The International Asteroid Warning Network coordinates telescopes around the world to make further observations and narrow down uncertainties in its orbit.
An image of asteroid 2024 YR4 captured by one of the ATLAS telesopes. (SOURCE)
On Feb. 18, NASA and the European Space Agency announced that the probability of asteroid 2024 YR4 hitting Earth in 2023 was 3.1 per cent, the highest ever recorded for an object of this size. This represents one in 32 odds. For comparison, the chance of dying in a motor vehicle crash in the United States is one per cent, or one in 95; the chances of the asteroid hitting Earth were pretty significant.
Thankfully, the most recent estimates of the probability of impact have gone down to near zero, based on improved calculations of its orbit.
We’re off the hook… for now.
Potential impact
Bruce Betts, chief planetary scientist at the Planetary Society, was quoted as saying: “If you put it over Paris or London or New York, you basically wipe out the whole city and some of the environs,” leading to asteroid 2024 YR4 being dubbed “a city-killer.”
The average impact velocity for an asteroid on Earth is a whopping 17 km per second — this is 25 times faster than an F-35 Lightning strike fighter.
To calculate the mass of an asteroid, we need to know its size. Estimates for 2024 YR4 range from 40 to 90 metres. If we take the upper estimate of 90 m, we can calculate the energy released at approximately nine megatons, the equivalent of the explosive energy of nine million tons of TNT. For comparison, the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima in Japan in 1945 was only 0.015 megatons.
The destruction doesn’t stop there, however. Research on nuclear weapons suggests that each megaton can destroy roughly 50 square kilometres, so this impact could destroy up to 450 square km around the crater through a fireball, supersonic ejecta and seismic shaking.
Would this be a city killer as some reports suggested? Absolutely. With an urban area of 232 square kilometres, my hometown of London, Ont., with a population of around 420,000 would be totally destroyed.
The good news is that we estimate that the impact of a 90 m diameter asteroid will occur once in every 10,000 years. For a 40 m size asteroid, this drops to once every 1,000 years — but the destructive effects are drastically reduced. It’s worth pointing out that these numbers are very approximate, and they don’t really help us figure out when the next one might happen.
As the story around asteroid 2024 YR4 shows, there is more good news in that we are getting better at detecting asteroids. Thanks to the coordination of the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs, many space agencies around the world are collaborating, with the knowledge that this is a problem for our entire planet.
If the calculations had continued to show that the chance of asteroid 2024 YR4 hitting Earth in 2032 was high, with enough time, an attempt to deflect the asteroid could have been attempted. In September 2022, NASA’s DART spacecraft provided the first demonstration that deflecting an asteroid from its path is possible, something that had been imagined in Hollywood movies, but not proven to be possible until then.
Gordon Osinski receives funding from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada and the Canadian Space Agency.
Denmark’s med-tech sector receives a boost as Norlase strengthens its position in the global ophthalmic laser market with EIB venture debt financing.
Norlase will employ the funding for the further development and market access of its innovative portable ophthalmic laser technology.
The EIB’s financing is backed under the European Commission’s InvestEU initiative.
Med-tech company Norlase, a spin-out of the Technical University of Denmark (DTU), has signed a €20 million venture debt financing with the European Investment Bank (EIB). The funding will support the expansion of Norlase’s innovative ophthalmic laser technology, reinforcing Denmark’s position as a hub for world-class med-tech innovation. Ensuring that European companies developing critical technology have the possibility and funding to grow in the EU, is an important building block in European strategic autonomy. The EIB financing is supported by the European Commission’s InvestEU programme.
“Denmark’s efforts in building up its bio- and med-tech ecosystem are definitely paying dividends today. Like other Danish companies we recently financed, Norlase’s technology is top of its class and a real example of excellence in European innovation.” said EIB Vice-President Ioannis Tsakiris. “With the support of InvestEU, the EIB finances projects that advance state-of-the-art medical treatment, and this funding aims to enhance the position of Norlase as a European med-tech champion.”
“As the patient burden continues to grow, the need to accelerate technological innovation in eye care has never been greater. With four product launches in just five years and rapid adoption by the ophthalmic community, Norlase is leading this transformation,” said Norlase CEO and Co-founder Oliver Hvidt. “This funding from the EIB allows us to scale our global presence and push even further beyond the limits of existing technology, solidifying Norlase’s role as a leader in the future of eye care. We’re just getting started.”
The Head of the European Commission Representation to Denmark, Per Haugaard, added: “It’s crucial that European companies develop critical technology and that we secure investments in med-tech companies like Norlase across the continent.”
On a technical level, the financing will support the development and market access of Norlase’s innovative portable ophthalmic lasers, designed to diagnose and treat causes of vision loss and blindness. The project focuses on advancing novel ophthalmic laser technologies and expanding production facilities to support increased demand. The company recently launched its fourth and most innovative device, LYNX, which can reduce treatment time by more than 50%, setting new standards for efficiency, accessibility, and precision in ophthalmic laser treatments.
Background information
The European Investment Bank is the long-term lending institution of the European Union, owned by its Member States. It finances investments that contribute to EU policy objectives. EIB projects bolster competitiveness, drive innovation, promote sustainable development, enhance social and territorial cohesion, contribute to peace and security, and support a just and swift transition to climate neutrality. The Group’s AAA rating allows it to borrow at favourable conditions on the global markets, benefiting its clients within the European Union and beyond. The Group has the highest ESG standards and a tier one capital ratio of 32%.
High-quality, up-to-date photos of our headquarters for media use are available here.
The InvestEU programme provides the European Union with crucial long-term funding by leveraging substantial private and public funds in support of a sustainable economy. It helps generate additional investments in line with EU policy priorities, such as the European Green Deal, the digital transition and support for small and medium-sized enterprises. InvestEU brings all EU financial instruments together under one roof, making funding for investment projects in Europe simpler, more efficient, and more flexible. The programme consists of three components: the InvestEU Fund, the InvestEU Advisory Hub, and the InvestEU Portal. The InvestEU Fund is implemented through financial partners who invest in projects using the EU budget guarantee of €26.2 billion. This guarantee increases their risk-bearing capacity, thus mobilising at least €372 billion in additional investment.
Norlase was founded in Denmark to commercialize patented laser technology developed at the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) and its products are now in use in the top ophthalmic hospitals globally.
EIB provides €72 million loan to Cypriot government to build state-of-the-art archaeological museum in capital Nicosia
Credit for landmark Cypriot cultural project follows 2024 EIB Group financing in Cyprus totalling €225 million mainly for university-campus and road-network upgrades.
Latest annual results bring EIB Group support in Cyprus to €1.3 billion over past five years.
The European Investment Bank (EIB) is providing the Cypriot government with a €72 million loan for a new national archaeological museum in the capital Nicosia. The EIB credit will be used to build the planned state-of-the-art Cyprus Archaeological Museum, which will serve as a cultural landmark while contributing to urban regeneration.
The EIB Group, which also includes the European Investment Fund (EIF), today also announced that new financing in Cyprus in 2024 totalled €225 million. Top projects last year included EIB loans of €125 million for the Cyprus University of Technology (CUT) to build affordable student housing and upgrade campus facilities in Paphos and Limassol and €100 million for the Cypriot government to improve and expand road networks.
“Our work in Cyprus is a testament to the transformative power of the EIB’s strategic financing,” said EIB Vice-President Kyriakos Kakouris. “In 2024, we reaffirmed our commitment to the country by supporting major projects in sustainable and affordable student housing as well as critical transport- infrastructure improvements, reinforcing social cohesion in the process.”
Cultural landmark
The planned Cyprus Archaeological Museum, whose construction is due to be completed in 2029 .will be located in the centre of Nicosia and transform the area into a vibrant cultural hub. The museum will feature spacious exhibition halls equipped with cutting-edge technologies to enhance the presentation of Cyprus’s rich archaeological heritage, which dates to the Neolithic period and extends to the Christian era.
“The new museum will offer dedicated spaces for research, education and engagement with the scientific and cultural community, further strengthening Cyprus’s role in the global archaeological and cultural dialogue,” said EIB Vice-President Kyriacos Kakouris.
It will house an extensive collection from Department of Antiquities of the Cypriot Culture Ministry’s
“The Cyprus Archaeological Museum will stand as the country’s most significant cultural initiative,” said Cypriot Minister of Finance Makis Keravnos. “This is a crucial project for the Cypriot government and the people as it will revitalise and showcase – in the most fitting way – our country’s rich and diverse history. It will also create a dynamic cultural, recreational, and social hub in the heart of the city.”
The new project includes a state-of-the-art 30,000 sqm museum and a 20,000 sqm landscaped public square, transforming the Nicosia area into a vibrant cultural hub.
“For many years, it has been the state’s vision to establish a museum capable of housing, with the dignity they deserve, the memories of our archaeological past,” said Cypriot Minister of Transport, Communications and Works Alexis Vafeades. “This museum will become a place of attraction for people of all ages and nationalities, fostering inclusivity and sharing Cyprus’s rich archaeological history with the world.”
2024 results
The latest annual results from the EIB Group bring its total financing in Cyprus over the past five years to €1.3 billion. The annual average in the country since 2000 is €256 million.
The EIB’s support for CUT last year included two financing agreements with the university totalling €108 million and one accord with the Municipality of Paphos amounting to €17 million. The project features the construction and renovation of academic and administrative spaces, along with the addition of 703 student accommodation units.
In Limassol, the planned upgrades include the creation of a solar energy park to power the campus, making it energy self-sufficient.
Part of the financing is supported by the InvestEU programme, marking its first initiative in Cyprus.
The EIB’s support for Cypriot road development in 2024 was part of a €200 million package for such infrastructure in the country, with a second €100 million tranche expected to be signed in 2025. The projects, which involve road upgrades in various Cypriot regions, are expected to be completed by 2029.
Background information
EIB
The European Investment Bank (ElB) is the long-term lending institution of the European Union, owned by its Member States. Built around eight core priorities, we finance investments that contribute to EU policy objectives by bolstering climate action and the environment, digitalisation and technological innovation, security and defence, cohesion, agriculture and bioeconomy, social infrastructure, high-impact investments outside the European Union, and the capital markets union.
The EIB Group, which also includes the European Investment Fund (EIF), signed nearly €89 billion in new financing for over 900 high-impact projects in 2024, boosting Europe’s competitiveness and security.
All projects financed by the EIB Group are in line with the Paris Climate Agreement, as pledged in our Climate Bank Roadmap. Almost 60% of the EIB Group’s annual financing supports projects directly contributing to climate change mitigation, adaptation, and a healthier environment.
Fostering market integration and mobilising investment, the Group supported a record of over €100 billion in new investment for Europe’s energy security in 2024 and mobilised €110 billion in growth capital for startups, scale-ups and European pioneers. Approximately half of the EIB’s financing within the European Union is directed towards cohesion regions, where per capita income is lower than the EU average.
High-quality, up-to-date photos of our headquarters for media use are available here.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Dubai (Dubai ETO), in collaboration with the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), hosted gala dinners in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on February 24 (Riyadh time) and in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on February 25 (Dubai time) to celebrate the Year of Snake with Saudi and UAE communities, and promote Hong Kong as well as its unique advantages and culture to locals from various sectors.
A total of over 450 guests from the government, business and cultural sectors as well as the local Hong Kong community attended the two gala dinners. Among them were the Minister of State for Foreign Trade of the UAE, Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, the Consul-General of the People’s Republic of China in Dubai, Ms Ou Boqian, and the Chairman of the Saudi Chinese Business Council, Mr Mohammed Al Ajlan.
In his welcoming remarks to the guests, the Director-General of the Dubai ETO, Mr Damian Lee, highlighted the closer-than-ever relations and booming exchanges between Hong Kong and the Middle East region, marked by robust and active trade and economic co-operation as well as deepening collaboration in tourism, culture, education and many areas, since the establishment of the Dubai ETO more than three years ago and successive visits to Gulf countries by the Chief Executive and various Principal Officials.
Mr Lee also shared with guests how Hong Kong’s distinctive advantages of having strong support of the country while maintaining unparalleled connectivity with the world render the city her role as a bridge linking the Mainland China and the rest of the world. He encouraged local business operators to make good use of Hong Kong’s measures dovetailing with national development strategies to expand their business in Hong Kong.
“Like the virtuous snake in the Chinese zodiac, Hong Kong demonstrated her wisdom, flexibility and resilience amidst global uncertainties: in 2024, Hong Kong remained the world’s freest economy and the third-largest global financial centre with a record number of 10 000 non-local firms, a 10 per cent increase on the previous year and a testament to the abundant confidence of people from around the world. Hong Kong also launched the New Capital Investment Entrant Scheme last year, further enhancing our attractiveness to foreign capital and talents. In the Year of Snake ahead, Hong Kong and the Middle East will definitely build upon the strong foundation of our relationship for further collaborations.”
The Dubai ETO also invited Legislative Council Member and Associate Vice-President of Lingnan University, Professor Lau Chi-pang, to deliver a keynote presentation, on Hong Kong’s rich intangible cultural heritage, as guests marvelled at the diversity, openness and the unique mix of Eastern and Western cultures of Hong Kong. During the dinners, representatives from Invest Hong Kong and HKTDC also shared respectively Hong Kong’s promising investment opportunities and the upcoming trade fairs and activities in Hong Kong, and encouraged local businesses to invest and join fairs in Hong Kong.
The events also featured cultural performances, including the ancient Chinese theatrical art form from Sichuan opera – face-changing, as well as fascinating and interactive magic shows with Hong Kong elements by Louis Yan, an internationally renowned champion magician from Hong Kong who has won the Merlin Award, also known as the “Oscars” among professional magicians. The performances received enthusiastic applause from the audience who were deeply impressed by the beauty of the traditional Chinese culture and the authentic local culture of Hong Kong.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
The Education Bureau (EDB) held the “Set Sail for Hong Kong – International Assessments” Ceremony today (February 27) to encourage the education sector and students to actively participate in international assessments, showcasing Hong Kong’s educational excellence and the exceptional capabilities of its students. About 450 principals, teachers, students and parents attended.
Officiating at the ceremony, the Secretary for Education, Dr Choi Yuk-lin, expressed her gratitude to all stakeholders for their efforts in nurturing students. She encouraged schools and students to actively participate in international assessments, which could allow schools to gain a deep understanding of factors affecting students’ study with a view to formulating more effective education strategies.
Dr Choi also encouraged students who would be representing Hong Kong in the international assessments. She noted that their participation was not only meant to test their abilities; it was also set out to be an invaluable learning journey. She said that she hoped students will give full play to their strength in embracing various experiential learning opportunities to bring glory to Hong Kong.
At the ceremony, student representatives from 18 districts led a procession into the venue, carrying the designs of the winning entry of the Mascot Design Competition for Hong Kong’s Participation in International Assessments. The procession was followed by the presentation of awards for the competition. The winning entries incorporated a variety of elements, with designs that reflected the significance of Hong Kong’s participation in international assessments, showcasing students’ creativity and talents. The competition received enthusiastic responses, with over 800 students from more than 90 secondary schools participating.
In addition, student representatives shared their learning experiences from past participation in international assessments. They said that the assessments gave them opportunities to apply knowledge, think and solve real-life problems. These experiences had not only broadened their horizons but also motivated them to take a more proactive approach to learning and apply what they have learnt in daily life. They encouraged future student participants in international assessments to cherish these learning experiences.
For more than two decades, Hong Kong has been participating in various international assessments, such as the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study and Progress in International Reading Literacy Study. For this event, the EDB also invited the PISA 2025 Project Team from the University of Hong Kong to introduce various experiential learning activities related to international assessments. These included educational activities for students and professional development programmes for teachers, aimed at deepening the understanding of international assessments among schools, teachers and students, as well as enriching students’ learning experiences.
The Main Study of PISA 2025 will be conducted from late May to early July this year, with approximately 230 schools and 8 000 15-year-old Hong Kong students participating.
India is becoming an Economic Powerhouse and a key part of the world’s future, says Scot Faulkner Former US House Chief Administrative Officer Scot Faulkner says PM Shri Narendra Modi is one of the top leaders in the world and is an inspiration to others
Posted On: 27 FEB 2025 6:08PM by PIB Delhi
India is becoming an economic powerhouse and a key player in shaping the future of the world, said Former US House Chief Administrative Officer Scot Faulkner on Thursday. He noted that the country is at the forefront of 21st-century development, seamlessly integrating technology and governance to meet the evolving needs of its people. Mr. Faulkner is on a week-long visit to India to attend a media conclave.
Praising Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, Mr. Faulkner described him as one of the world’s top leaders and an inspiration to others. After visiting the Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya, he emphasized the need for more such museums worldwide, stating that the museum serves as an inspiration and should be shared widely.
Mr. Faulkner visited the Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya and the newly constructed Parliament. Following his visit, he lauded India’s advancements and leadership on the global stage. He previously served as Director of Personnel for the Reagan Campaign and was part of the Presidential Transition and the White House Staff. He has held executive positions at the Federal Aviation Administration, the General Services Administration, and the Peace Corps.
Mr. Faulkner earned a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from American University and a Bachelor’s Degree in Government from Lawrence University. He also studied at the London School of Economics and Georgetown University and currently serves as the Vice President of Shepherd University’s George Washington Institute of Living Ethics.
Speaking after his visit to the New Parliament, Mr. Faulkner was highly impressed with its state-of-the-art architecture and technological innovations. He particularly noted the efficient management of multiple languages, simultaneous translation facilities, and the fully automated document system, calling them innovations that the world can learn from.
We’ve probably all had a moment when we stopped taking the Oscars too seriously. For me, it was when Denzel Washington won best actor for Training Day (2001), a crime film in which he displays virtually none of his acting chops.
And as popular cinema becomes uglier (it’s mostly shot on digital video now, which almost never looks as good as film) and streamers (or logistics companies such as Amazon) take over film production, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to appreciate the point of the ceremony.
From this year’s ten nominees for best picture, The Brutalist, Conclave and I’m Still Here are good – while (most of) the other nominees are only okay.
Some well-made films, but nothing outstanding
Writer-director Sean Baker’s Anora is nominated for best picture this year, after already winning the Palme d’Or. It’s a moderately sweet film in the tradition of Pretty Woman – having more nudity and sex, and a disappointing ending, doesn’t automatically make it edgier. It’s too long by at least half an hour, with some okay performances.
It’s certainly not bad, but the idea that this is one of the “best pictures” of 2024 is alarming – or would be, if I wasn’t already so cynical. Most importantly, there’s nothing formally or aesthetically compelling about it, in which case I might have forgiven the silly (anti) Cinderella story.
Another nominee, A Complete Unknown, is similarly well-made. Timothée Chalamet gives a predictably moody performance as Bob Dylan, and it’s fun to learn something about the relationships between Dylan and musical legends Joan Baez and Pete Seeger.
But there’s also something fundamentally weird about watching a memoir about a person as iconic as Dylan. It veers too often into the terrain of impersonation, and this is even more off-putting given Dylan is still alive. Throw in Chalamet’s (certainly accomplished) singing of Dylan’s songs, and it feels like we’re watching someone do karaoke really well.
The Substance tries to shock and titillate the viewer with its caricature of celebrity in an era of body modification and mega-media corporations. Demi Moore, Margaret Qualley and Dennis Quaid try hard to be funny, but the whole thing plays like an undergraduate essay that makes the same point ad nauseam. Though the actors surely had fun, there’s nothing compelling about their guffawing.
This is also the problem with messy hybrid musical-thriller Emilia Pérez, the other over-the-top genre film tipped by some to win the award.
The film, following a cartel leader who disappears and transitions into a woman, is overly dependent on making a point about the world outside of itself. This point is so obvious that it rapidly becomes tedious, with insufficient attention given to the formal and narrative tensions and ambiguities that compel an audience to engage with a film on a serious, visceral level.
Dune: Part Two sounds and looks good, but is more meandering than Part One in developing Herbert’s unwieldy epic. If you liked Part One, you’ll probably like Part Two, but it’s not exactly cutting-edge material.
Nickel Boys is a low-key, sentimental rendition of Colson Whitehead’s novel about two African American boys sent to a reform school in Florida in the early 1960s, and their coming of age as they survive myriad abuses. It’s watchable, if not particularly memorable.
Finally, Wicked is, well … Wicked. If you like the musical you may like the film (although the live aspect of musicals makes this one play better on the stage than on the screen, unlike The Wizard of Oz, which was made for the screen). In any case, it’s not ridiculously bad, even though it is too long.
A few top contenders
Walter Salles’ I’m Still Here – which traces the struggle of an activist in Brazil after the forced disappearance of her husband in 1970 – works well in its evocation of place and time, and should soften the heart of even the most cynical viewer.
Based on Marcelo Rubens Paiva’s 2015 memoir, the entire film is washed over with a faint scent of nostalgia that complements the idea of failing to find, and then remembering, that which is missing.
Conclave, adapted from Robert Harris’ novel, is another solidly made affair. It follows the political machinations of the Vatican as the Dean of Cardinals sets up a conclave to elect a new pope after the previous one dies of a heart attack.
Ralph Fiennes is as effective and sombre as usual in the lead role as Cardinal Lawrence and various twists and turns keep us watching throughout. But one suspects the primary pleasure of the film is that it seems to offer an insider’s view of the Vatican, including all the fetishistic processes and rituals.
Despite its serious tone, Conclave is a fun romp. And what a pleasure it is to watch Isabella Rossellini on the big screen once again.
The strongest nominee
The film that is most classically like a best picture nominee is The Brutalist – an epic, visually-magnificent study of the struggles of (fictional) architect László Toth, a Hungarian Jew who moves to America following the Holocaust.
Testament to the technical accomplishments of the film, and its superb creation of a coherent world, The Brutalist runs close to four hours (thankfully with an intermission) without becoming tedious. It chugs along with the relentless momentum of a steam engine.
Adrien Brody is charming as Toth, endowing the character with a roguish and playful quality, and the supporting cast are solid. Akin to one of Toth’s constructions (as we hear in the epilogue section), the film neither indicates nor tells us anything beyond itself.
There may be conclusions to be drawn regarding the relationship between art, power and capitalism, but the film gives you the space to devise these yourself. The film is, in a sense, beautifully mute.
Out of all the nominations, The Brutalist is the only one that feels like a genuine best picture contender (with something of the grandeur of classical Hollywood cinema about it). Although many critics arepredicting Anora will win, The Brutalist is the strongest of the nominees.
That said, my pick for the best film of 2024 goes to a production that didn’t get a best picture nomination (as usual). Magnus von Horn’s The Girl With the Needle is a stunning Danish expressionistic nightmare that seamlessly integrates formal experimentation with a thrilling and horrific true crime narrative.
It is absolutely sensational – the kind of thing you never forget. Thankfully, it has been recognised through its nomination for best international feature film.
Ari Mattes 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.
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gemma Sharp, Professor, NHMRC Emerging Leadership Fellow & Senior Clinical Psychologist, The University of Queensland
Eating disorders impact more than 1.1 million people in Australia, representing 4.5% of the population. These disorders include binge eating disorder, bulimia nervosa, and anorexia nervosa.
Meanwhile, more than 4.1 million people (18.9%) are affected by body dissatisfaction, a major risk factor for some types of eating disorders.
But what image comes to mind first when you think of someone with an eating disorder or body image concerns? Is it a teenage girl? If so, you’re definitely not alone. This is often the image we see in popular media.
Eating disorders and body image concerns are most common in teenage girls, but their prevalence in adults, particularly in women, aged in their 30s, 40s and 50s, is actually close behind.
So what might be going on with girls and women in these particular age groups to create this heightened risk?
The 3 ‘P’s
We can consider women’s risk periods for body image issues and eating disorders as the three “P”s: puberty (teenagers), pregnancy (30s) and perimenopause and menopause (40s, 50s).
A recent report from The Butterfly Foundation showed the three highest prevalence groups for body image concerns are teenage girls aged 15–17 (39.9%), women aged 55–64 (35.7%) and women aged 35–44 (32.6%).
We acknowledge there’s a wide age range for when girls and women will go through these phases of life. For example, a small proportion of women will experience premature menopause before 40, and not all women will become pregnant.
Variations in the way eating disorder symptoms are measured across different studies can make it difficult to draw direct comparisons, but here’s a snapshot of what the evidence tells us.
Puberty
In a review of studies looking at children aged six to adolescents aged 18, 30% of girls in this age group reported disordered eating, compared to 17% of boys. Rates of disordered eating were higher as children got older.
Pregnancy can represent a major change in identity and self-perception. Pormezz/Shutterstock
Perimenopause
It’s estimated more than 73% of midlife women aged 42–52 are unsatisfied with their body weight. However, only a portion of these women would have been going through the menopause transition at the time of this study.
The prevalence of eating disorders is around 3.5% in women over 40 and 1–2% in men at the same stage.
So what’s going on?
Although we’re not sure of the exact mechanisms underlying eating disorder and body dissatisfaction risk during the three “P”s, it’s likely a combination of factors are at play.
These stages can also represent a major change in identity and self-perception. A girl going through puberty may be concerned about turning into an “adult woman” and changes in attitudes of those around her, such as unwanted sexual attention.
Pregnancy obviously comes with significant body size and shape changes. Pregnant women may also feel their body is no longer their own.
While social pressures to be thin can stop during pregnancy, social expectations arguably return after birth, demanding women “bounce back” to their pre-pregnancy shape and size quickly.
Women going through menopause commonly express concerns about a loss of identity.
In combination with changes in body composition and a perception their appearance is departing from youthful beauty ideals, this can intensify body dissatisfaction and increase the risk of eating disorders.
These periods of life can each also be incredibly stressful, both physically and psychologically.
For example, a girl going through puberty may be facing more adult responsibilities and stress at school. A pregnant woman could be taking care of a family while balancing work and other demands. A woman going through menopause could potentially be taking care of multiple generations (teenage children, ageing parents) while navigating the complexities of mid-life.
Research has shown interpersonal problems and stressors can increase the risk of eating disorders.
Body image concerns and eating disorders are not limited to teenage girls. transly/Unsplash, CC BY
We need to do better
Unfortunately most of the policy and research attention currently seems to be focused on preventing and treating eating disorders in adolescents rather than adults. There also appears to be a lack of understanding among health professionals about these issues in older women.
In research I (Gemma) led with women who had experienced an eating disorder during menopause, participants expressed frustration with the lack of services that catered to people facing an eating disorder during this life stage. Participants also commonly said health professionals lacked education and training about eating disorders during menopause.
We need to increase awareness among health professionals and the general public about the fact eating disorders and body image concerns can affect women of any age – not just teenage girls. This will hopefully empower more women to seek help without stigma, and enable better support and treatment.
Jaycee Fuller from Bond University contributed to this article.
If this article has raised issues for you, or if you’re concerned about someone you know, call Lifeline on 13 11 14. For concerns around eating disorders or body image visit the Butterfly Foundation website or call the national helpline on 1800 33 4673.
Gemma Sharp receives funding from an NHMRC Investigator Grant. She is the Founding Director and Member of the Consortium for Research in Eating Disorders.
Amy Burton and Megan Lee do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
