Source: Novosibirsk State University – Novosibirsk State University –
February 2025 promises to be quite interesting in terms of various astronomical events. The main event is, of course, what directly affects the Earth – solar activity. It remains quite high. Currently, seven groups of sunspots have formed on the surface of the Sun, and in these active areas there is an increase in electromagnetic activity, which will subsequently lead to emissions of streams of charged particles capable of destabilizing the situation around our planet.
In addition, as reported by SpaceWeatherLive, a coronal hole has formed in the magnetic field of the Sun’s magnetosphere: an area with reduced plasma density and temperature. From such areas, the flow of solar wind accelerates, and ionized particles reaching the Earth’s magnetosphere strike the magnetosphere harder, which leads to increased geomagnetic activity. This new hole is also now in a direct projection to the Earth in order to reach our planet as quickly as possible and have a negative effect on it.
If desired, these 7 groups of spots can be examined by using various dense black specialized filters or very thickly smoked glass.
Of the evening astronomical events, the following are worth mentioning:
The Big “parade” — the alignment of the planets — continues until February 28. And on February 28, when darkness sets in, seven planets will be visible at once. On this day, five of them — Saturn, Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, and Mars — will be visible to the naked eye, and to observe Uranus and Neptune, you will need binoculars or a viewfinder from any amateur telescope. It is important to note that Mercury will only become visible from mid-February.
This “parade” in our Northern Hemisphere should be observed above the southern horizon. The first, upper, easily visible yellowish-reddish planet is Mars, then comes Jupiter, Uranus, below Venus along the line, under Venus are Neptune and Mercury, and very close to the horizon is Saturn, on which even with an amateur telescope you can see the rings.
Of the meteor showers of February, we expect the Alpha Centaurids, whose intensity is weaker than that of the known meteor showers of August or November – only 6 meteors per hour. Moreover, at the peak of activity on February 8-9, the Moon will approach the full moon phase and will illuminate the entire sky. This shower is observed mostly in the Southern, and not in our Northern Hemisphere.
Bright constellations of February: Orion (alpha Betelgeuse), Canis Major (alpha Sirius), Canis Minor, Lepus, Monoceros, Taurus, Gemini and Auriga.
The most interesting phenomena of February 2025 are occultations:
February 1 – Saturn is covered by the Moon.
February 6 – the Pleiades star cluster will be covered by the Moon.
On the night of February 9-10, the Moon will cover Mars. It will start at 3:03 and end at 3:58. Mars itself is still quite bright – 0.8 magnitude.
February 17 – occultation of Spica (the brightest star in the constellation Virgo) by the Moon.
February 21 – Moon occultation of Antares.
February 22 – Neptune occultation by the Moon.
The following objects will continue to move in their orbits near the Moon, which moves around the Earth, throughout February: February 5 – the Moon near Uranus, February 6 – the Moon near the Pleiades, February 17 – the Moon near the star Spica (constellation Virgo).
Thus, in February, even without knowledge of star maps, one can easily observe various objects of the Solar System and various known constellations, simply by observing the Moon and those objects that will either be near or pass “behind” the disk of the Moon – and such phenomena are called “occultation” by the Moon.
Author: Alfiya Rashitovna Nesterenko, Head of the Educational Astrophysical Automated ComplexPhysics Department of NSU.
The image Sun was generated by a neural network.
Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
On Wednesday night US time, a passenger jet and US Army helicopter collided at a low altitude near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, and crashed into the the Potomac River.
A total of 60 passengers – including US and Russian champion figure skaters – and four crew were on board the American Airlines flight AA5342 from Wichita, Kansas. Three military personnel were in the chopper, which was conducting a routine training flight. Authorities say no one on board either aircraft survived.
This crash comes just over a month after a passenger jet crashed in South Korea – possibly as a result of a bird strike – killing all but two of the 181 people on board. The two incidents have focused attention on aviation safety around the world.
In the case of the most recent tragedy in the US, technology exists that is designed to help pilots avoid midair collisions with other aircraft. It is known as the Traffic Collision Avoidance System – or TCAS.
So how does it work? And why might it have failed to prevent disaster in this case?
What is a TCAS?
A TCAS is an aircraft safety system that monitors the airspace around a plane for other aircraft equipped with transponders. These are devices that listen for and respond to incoming electronic signals.
The system – also sometimes referred to as an ACAS (Airborne Collision Avoidance System) – operates independently of an external air traffic control system. Its purpose is to alert pilots immediately to nearby aircraft and potential midair collisions.
Since the technology was developed in 1974, it has undergone a number of advances.
The first generation technology, known as TCAS I, monitors what’s around an aircraft. It provides information on the bearing and altitude of any nearby aircraft. If there is a risk of collision, it generates what’s known as a “Traffic Advisory” – or TA. When a TA is issued, the pilot is notified of the threat, but must themselves determine the best evasive action to take.
The second generation technology, known as TCAS II, goes a step further: it provides a pilot with specific instructions on how to avoid a collision with a nearby aircraft or conflict with traffic, either by descending, climbing, turning or adjusting their speed.
These newer systems are also able to communicate with each other. This ensures the advice given to each aircraft is coordinated.
Any aircraft used for commercial purposes must be equipped with a TCAS in accordance with international regulations under what’s known as the Chicago Convention. There are specific provisions under the convention for noncommercial aircraft.
Military helicopters are not subject to the provisions of the Chicago Convention (although they are subject to domestic laws and regulations). And there are reports the military helicopter did not have a TCAS system on board.
Limitations of TCAS at low altitudes
Regardless of whether the military helicopter involved in the crash was fitted with a TCAS, the technology still has limitations. In particular, it is inhibited at altitudes below roughly 300 metres.
The last recorded altitude of American Airlines flight AA5342 was roughly 90 metres. The last recorded altitude of the US military helicopter that collided with the plane was roughly 60 metres.
It is not an accident that a TCAS is inhibited at low altitudes. In fact, this is part of the design of the technology.
This is primarily because the system relies on radio altimeter data, which measures altitude and becomes less accurate near the ground. This could potentially result in unreliable collision-avoidance instructions.
Another issue is that an aircraft at such a low altitude cannot descend any further to avoid a collision.
The site of several near misses
Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport is one of the busiest airports in the United States. Commercial, military and private aircraft share very limited airspace and corridors.
For example, in April 2024, a commercial plane pilot coming into land had to take evasive action to avoid a helicopter that was roughly 100 metres beneath it. In an incident report, the pilot said:
We never received a warning of the traffic from (air traffic control) so we were unaware it was there.
Many people, including Democratic US senator Tim Kaine, pointed to this near miss as evidence of why a plan to allow more flights into Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport should not proceed. Despite this, the plan was approved the following month.
All of this will undoubtedly be examined as part of the investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board into this disaster.
Chrystal Zhang 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 night falls over Australia’s forests, grasslands and backyards, the hidden world of nocturnal insects stirs to life. In many ecosystems, overall insect activity actually peaks at night, especially in warmer regions of the world.
These nighttime creatures play essential roles in ecosystems, providing services such as pollination, waste decomposition, and pest control. Here are some of the remarkable insects that come out after dark – and why they matter.
Moths: the stars of the night shift
While their flashier daytime relatives, the butterflies, often steal the spotlight, moths are the hidden stars of the night shift.
An estimated 22,000 species of moth call Australia home, and most are nocturnal, although some are diurnal (day active) or crepuscular (active at dawn and dusk).
Many species feed on flower nectar using their long, straw-like mouthparts, transferring pollen between flowers as they go.
In the Snowy Mountains, for instance, scientists found moths carry pollen from 19 different plant species.
While some moths feed on a wide variety of plants, others have evolved highly specialised relationships with specific flowers.
For instance, more than 500 species of leaf flower trees (Phyllanthus) across tropical Asia, Africa, Australia, and the Pacific are dependent on tiny leaf flower moths (Epicephala) for their pollination.
The trees’ flowers attract moths by producing nectar at night, when the moths are most active.
The larvae of moths, caterpillars, also play a vital role in ecosystems. For example, the larvae of Mallee moths (Oecophoridae) feed on dry leaves in the leaf litter, making them essential for the decomposition of tough, dry plant material.
Without their tireless work breaking down organic matter, leaf litter can accumulate to problematic levels.
Although most caterpillars feed on plant material, some have unusual diets. Trisyntopa neossophila caterpillars, for example, feeds on the faeces of parrots nesting in termite mounds.
Some caterpillars are even predators. The larvae of the brown scale moth (Mataeomera coccophaga), for instance, eats scale insects.
Once so abundant they famously blanketed the 2000 Sydney Olympics, large bogong swarms have become increasingly rare, putting at risk species that depend on them for essential nutrients.
Busy night beetles
Seeing the tiny, flashing lights of fireflies dancing through the darkness on a summer night is a magical experience.
Fireflies are actually beetles in the family Lampyridae, and 25 species call Australia home.
Each firefly species uses its own distinctive flash pattern to communicate with potential mates.
When large numbers of the same species gather, they can synchronise their light pulses, creating a breathtaking light show.
The fireflies’ distinctive light is produced through a biochemical reaction involving a molecule called luciferin and an enzyme called luciferase. When these interact in the presence of oxygen, they emit light.
Adult fireflies do not eat but firefly larvae mostly eat snails, which helps keep snail populations under control.
Beetles in the scarab family are often active at night. Large numbers of Christmas beetles (Anoplognathus spp) flying around porch lights used to be a common sight, but numbers appear to be in decline.
Some native dung beetles, such as the five-horned dung beetle (Onthophagus pentacanthus), are also nocturnal. Hardworking dung beetles play a vital role by breaking down animal dung, helping to recycle nutrients and improve soil health.
Lacewings and mantisflies
Lacewings belong to an ancient group of insects (Neuroptera) named for the delicate, lace-like net pattern of veins on their wings.
Most adult lacewings are nocturnal predators, feeding on smaller insects using their hollow, scissor-shaped mouthparts to catch and suck the nutrients from their prey.
Several lacewing species are effective pest controllers and are used in agriculture to manage pests such as aphids and mealybugs.
Mantid lacewings, also known as mantisflies, resemble a strange hybrid between a mantis and a fly but are actually in the same group as lacewings.
The larvae of mantisflies are poorly studied, but most species are believed to be predators of insects, although some are predators of spider eggs. By eating other insects, mantisflies may play a role in controlling pest populations.
Protecting these night shift workers
Artificial lights at night are causing serious disruption to insects on the night shift.
Insects often become disoriented, flying in endless circles around bright lights, burning energy they cannot afford to lose. This confusion can lead to exhaustion or death.
Artificial lighting at night can also disrupt nocturnal insect reproduction. And, predators such as owls and bats may learn to hunt around artificial lights where prey becomes more concentrated and vulnerable.
The exact reasons why nocturnal insects are drawn to light remain unclear, but recent research suggests that some nocturnal insects use light to maintain stable, level flight by orienting their bodies so light hits their upper surface.
This system works well when the only lights present at night are the Moon and stars, but fails when artificial lights disrupt the night.
We can help protect nocturnal insects by:
turning off unnecessary outdoor lights at night, especially during summer when many insects are breeding
using motion-activated lights to reduce light pollution
reducing or eliminating the use of insecticides in our gardens.
Small changes can make a big difference to help protect the insects working hard overnight to keep our ecosystems healthy.
Tanya Latty co-founded and volunteers for conservation organisation Invertebrates Australia, is former president of the Australasian Society for the Study of Animal Behaviour and is on the Education committee for the Australian Entomological Society. She receives funding from the Australian Research Council, NSW Saving our Species, and Agrifutures Australia.
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sharon McLennan, Senior Research and Teaching Fellow, School of Health, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington
Fiji’s minister of health declared an official HIV outbreak in January, citing 1,093 new cases from January to September 2024 – triple the number from the same period in 2023.
The World Health Organization defines a disease outbreak based on the number of cases being in excess of normal expectations. Similar to an epidemic, an outbreak typically refers to a more limited geographic area.
Declaring an outbreak enables prompt public health response measures and mobilises domestic and international resources to respond to the crisis.
Preliminary Ministry of Health data show half of the newly diagnosed individuals receiving anti-retroviral therapy contracted HIV through injecting drugs.
However, the crisis extends beyond drug use. Increasing urbanisation, homelessness and unemployment, coupled with disconnection from traditional land and culture, contribute to risky health behaviours.
Low HIV awareness and social stigma compound these factors. Many Fijians are reluctant to get tested and, if positive, to receive care. Knowledge of HIV prevention is low: a 2021 survey found less than a third of those aged between 15 and 24 had comprehensive HIV knowledge.
Fiji is a regional hub for education and business, attracting students and economic migrants from across the region. There’s a real risk the virus will spread to other island nations via returning workers and students, potentially undetected for long periods.
Fiji is also a major tourist destination. Unsuspecting visitors, whose fun in the sun extends to drug use or unsafe sexual activities, may be at risk.
There is also a risk of reputational damage for the tourism industry, whose success relies on marketing Fiji as a safe and happy destination. With Fiji still recovering from COVID’s impact on tourism, the new crisis is a major threat.
Fiji is also experiencing significant outward migration (5% net in 2023), mostly to Australia and New Zealand. This raises the risk of virus spread through established migration pathways, including labour mobility policies such as the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility scheme and New Zealand’s Recognised Seasonal Employer schemes.
The HIV surge will be costly for the country and the region. HIV/AIDS strains household finances through lost income and increased healthcare costs, diverts public spending from other areas, with flow-on impacts for national and regional economies.
What is being done to combat the outbreak?
The Ministry of Health’s 90-day HIV Outbreak Response Plan fast-tracks high-impact interventions. These include harm-reduction programs, condom distribution, and prophylactic pre-exposure treatment.
This complements the HIV Surge Strategy 2024–2027, a long-term road map for strengthening Fiji’s health system based on the United Nations’ global “95-95-95” targets: 95% rates of testing, treatment and viral suppression in the population.
However, as the health minister noted, the outbreak declaration “reflects the alarming reality that HIV is evolving faster than our current services can cater for”.
Funding is starting to trickle down to the front lines. For example, with support from Australia and New Zealand, the Fiji Reproductive and Family Health Association is working with experts on awareness, prevention and care strategies to reverse the surge.
Duty of care: Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at the Pacific Islands Forum in Suva, 2022. Getty Images
What can Australia and New Zealand do at home?
Both countries bear particular responsibility and face specific risks. Their domestic drug markets drive regional trafficking, fuelling Fiji’s meth crisis and the HIV outbreak.
Continued support for regional anti-narcotics initiatives is crucial, as is addressing domestic drug demand.
As beneficiaries of Fijian labour migration, Australia and New Zealand also have a duty of care for migrants. This includes education, screening and treatment for Pacific communities, and access to preventive treatments which are currently not funded for migrants in either country.
Finally, tourists and travellers need to be educated about the risks, and take precautions.
The outbreak declaration demonstrates Fiji’s commitment to addressing the crisis but success will require regional cooperation.
Australia and New Zealand are key stakeholders whose domestic policies and support can significantly affect the outbreak’s trajectory, contribute to a unified Pacific response and protect regional public health.
Sharon McLennan gratefully acknowledges the valuable input and guidance of Avendra Prakash (Chair, Reproductive & Family Health Association of Fiji), Dr Akisi Ravono (University of Fiji) and Dr Johanna Thomas-Maude (Victoria University of Wellington).
Sharon McLennan receives funding from the Royal Society Te Apārangi.
Source: United States Senator for Alabama Tommy Tuberville
“They are all outstanding choices and should be confirmed to President Trump’s cabinet as soon as possible.”
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) spoke on the Senate floor about the need to quickly confirm Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Kash Patel, and Tulsi Gabbard to key roles in President Trump’s cabinet. Sen. Tuberville defended each nominees’ qualifications and their commitments to making America healthy, more just, and secure again. During the speech, Sen. Tuberville denounced the baseless attacks aimed at these nominees by the media and career politicians as nothing but dishonest attempts to tank President Trump’s nominations.
Read Senator Tuberville’s remarks below or watch on YouTube or Rumble.
“Mr. President,
I’d like to start by thanking Leader Thune for President Trump’s cabinet nominees so far. President Trump is on the verge of having his full team. We’ve confirmed Pete Hegseth, Kristi Noem, Scott Bessent and many others who are doing an outstanding job implementing President Trump’s America First agenda, but there are more critical nominees that President Trump still needs to confirm. This includes Robert Kennedy, Kash Patel, and Tulsi Gabbard, along with a few others.
I’ve gotten the chance to meet with each of these nominees. I’ve been very impressed. They are all outstanding choices and should be confirmed to President Trump’s cabinet as soon as possible.
First, I’d like to express my complete and total support for Robert F. Kennedy’s nomination to be the next Secretary of Health and Human Services. You know, last November, we saw millions of Americans, especially young Americans, flock to the MAGA movement after Bobby Kennedy endorsed President Trump.
Both my sons, 28 and 30, Tucker and Troy, were huge fans of RFK and I know there’re just millions of young people who RFK [has] brought to the table and into the fold, opening our eyes towards something they had never really been involved in, and that’s the health of their generation and all generations across the country.
As we know, Bobby started [the] Make America Healthy Again movement, known as MAHA, which eventually joined forces with President Trump. MAHA isn’t just a political slogan. It’s not just a political slogan. It’s a movement. That has swept our Nation. For the first time, important issues like the effectiveness of vaccines, the dangers of prescription medicines, and the chemicals in our food and household products are part of our national political [discourse], as it should be. And it’s all because of the work of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
You know, before entering the arena, Bobby spent four decades, environmental law, and in healthcare policies, specializing in issues like water pollution, vaccines, and food safety. Four decades. He is an accomplished attorney who attended Harvard, the London School of Economics, and the University of Virginia. And he’s authored multiple best-selling books that I would suggest anybody, that’s concerned about the health of our country, should read.
Throughout his career, he has committed to discovering the truth about what is causing the chronic disease epidemic in America today. And his presidential campaign exposed the fact that we have a serious, a very serious public health crisis facing our country today and in the future.
For example, in his hearing yesterday, Bobby Kennedy laid out that over seventy percent of adults and one third of our children are overweight or obese. The rate of diabetes is ten times more prevalent today than it was in 1960. Cancer among our young people is rising by one or two percent every year. Auto immune diseases, neurodevelopmental disorders, and addiction cases are hugely on the rise. Depression and anxiety rates are absolutely through the roof. Meanwhile, more Americans are reliant on pharmaceutical drugs than ever before.
I saw that in my formal life of being a coach of players years ago, very few on any kind of drug such as Adderall or Ritalin for attention deficit. But the last few years, it was a huge uptick in prescription drugs and many, many young people across the country. These findings are alarming, and they should, and they had better shock, all of us.
Thank God, Bobby has dedicated his life to getting to the bottom of what’s causing these trends. As he did in his hearing yesterday, Bobby is an expert on the health issues facing our country and has the facts, the data, and the evidence to prove it. And he will bring his commitment to evidence-based science, transparency to our national health agencies. And it’s simple: Americans want access to all the facts so they can decide what’s best for themselves and for their families. Bobby is committed to giving Americans the information that they need to be informed and make informed decisions.
Recently, I’ve seen the mainstream media, and some politicians attempt to smear Bobby Kennedy as anti-vax, anti-industry, or an enemy of food producers. All of this couldn’t be further from the truth. It’s just a political attack. We’ve even heard from prominent Republicans like former -Vice President Mike Pence who is running ads on TV criticizing Bobby Kennedy for not being sufficiently pro-life.
Bobby addressed this himself yesterday. He believes every abortion is a tragedy, and he will work with President Trump to implement his pro-life policies. These attacks are nothing more than dishonest attempts by the DC establishment to tank his nomination. We’ve seen that in the last couple of weeks on all nominees.
Sure. Bobby Kennedy may not be the typical pick for the job, but the American people don’t want a typical pick. The one we picked four years ago for President Biden was a lawyer, lived in California, and very seldom came to Washington D.C., worked from home. We got nothing done in health and human services.
They gave us a mandate in November, 77 million people, to deliver Trump, President Trump’s agenda. And that includes Making America Healthy Again. As far as I’m concerned, Bobby is not part of being the healthcare establishment class. That’s a really good thing. We don’t need that. Look where it’s got us. The pharmaceutical industry and industrial food complex won’t be running the show anymore when Bobby Kennedy is confirmed. Instead, he will restore our health agencies to the gold standard of [scientific] research and explore [holistic] healthcare alternatives as part of our efforts to end chronic disease epidemics across this country.
Ultimately, this will lower cost for Americans and ease the burden on our entire healthcare system, which is being overrun by all of the conditions that we have popping up today. With the many public health crisis we’re facing as a country, we have no time to waste. Hope my colleagues will join me in supporting Bobby for HHS Secretary and help President Trump Make America Healthy Again.
Our next nominee, I’d like to turn to Kash Patel.
He is on the Hill today going through his confirmation hearings. Kash is President Trump’s pick to be the FBI Director, who testified in front of the Senate all morning long. Kash is an excellent choice, and he has my full support.
It’s clear to the American people that the culture at the top of our top police agency in this country, the FBI, is rotten. It’s rotten to the core. We have some good people. But the people in charge have made devastating decisions against a lot of people across this country. It is far past time to clean house at the FBI.
Over the last four years, we’ve seen the Bureau become politicized and weaponized. The Biden administration turned the FBI into the ‘fake bureau of investigation.’ The scales of justice were never fair and balanced under the last administration. Christopher Ray, the director, went after parents at school boards [and] pro-lifers. He went after Catholics. He went after grandmas who peacefully protested right outside this building on January the sixth. He went to their homes and arrested them. Not to mention the unprecedented raid on President Trump’s home in Mar-a-Lago, Florida.
What we’ve seen unfold at our nation’s premiere law enforcement agency over the last four years is a complete and absolute disgrace to the American people and to our Constitution.
Not only has the public’s trust in [the] FBI been completely eroded, it’s been a disservice to all the great men and women in the FBI, who commit every day to defending the Constitution and protecting us as American citizens. It’s going to take a lot of hard work to right this ship. Trust has to be put back into the FBI. Kash Patel is the right man to do [the] job.
He’s qualified and has an impressive resume. He served in several national security and intelligence roles, as [a] federal prosecutor, and as a public defender. Not only is Kash qualified, but he also has the courage and the resolve needed to restore our faith in the FBI. Despite the media’s lies, Kash won’t have his enemies list when he takes a job, unlike the Biden administration. If crimes are committed, he will open an investigation, follow facts wherever they lead. No bias, no partiality.
Kash will bring back truth and transparency, uphold the rule of law and the Constitution, and protect Americans against its enemies, foreign, and domestic. He will ensure that the government works for the American people and not the other way around.
Let’s confirm Kash quickly and give President Trump an important component of his national security team. I look forward to supporting Kash Patel, and I hope my Republican colleagues will do the same.
Finally, we need to confirm Tulsi Gabbard to be our next Director of National Intelligence. Like Kash, Tulsi will play a critical role on President Trump’s national security team.
She just had her hearing in front of the Senate Intel Committee this morning. Her hearing only further confirmed to me that Tulsi is the perfect candidate for the DNI role. She is a decorated lieutenant colonel, over twenty years of service in the military. Tulsi served in combat in the Iraq War and is currently active in [the reserves]. She has a top security clearance, having passed five background checks to receive it.
Tulsi served in Congress for eight years, where she sat on the Homeland Security, Armed Services, and Foreign Relations Committee. And as a member of Congress, she consistently participated in high-level intelligence briefings. [As] she has displayed throughout her entire career in the military and as an elected official, Tulsi will bring a fearless spirit to the DNI role.
I have to tell you my meeting with Tulsi is one of the most impressive meetings I’ve had since I’ve been in this office going on five years. [Her] knowledge and expertise is unmatched. I have no doubt she will keep our country secure while protecting the Constitution and the constitutional rights of all Americans. She will help us return to peace through strength and put an end to Americans costly foreign wars.
The attacks on her, questioning her loyalty to the United States are absolutely disgusting. It’s insulting. Tulsi has devoted her entire life to serving this country, [in] the military, and in public service.
To the Senators criticizing Tulsi for not fitting the typical mold of a DNI director, [it] might just be a good thing. Have the last several years shown us that the status quo is working? No. I don’t think so. And I don’t think the American people think so either, and they’re the ones that count.
Tulsi brings a fresh perspective to the job in the America that we all want and deserve. We do not need another James Clapper. Like the FBI, we’ve seen our intelligence community weaponized to target opponents of the regime. The IC conspired to take down President Trump in 2016 and 2020. And maybe most recently [in] the election a couple months ago.
For that reason, I think Tulsi is exactly the change agent we need leading our intelligence community. Like Bobby Kennedy, Tulsi switched her party affiliation because she saw the status quo as a threat to the American people and our constitutional rights. As Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi will check her politics at the door just like she’s done the last twenty years serving in our military.
She will come to DNI without any bias. She will fix our broken intelligence community, and folks, it is broken. I look forward to confirming Tulsi to DNI.
I urge all my colleagues to join me in voting for Tulsi. She will play a major role in President Trump’s team in restoring faith in our intelligence community.
Mr. President, I yield the floor.”
Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP, and Aging Committees.
Folk artists perform a lion dance in front of the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on Jan. 28, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
Folk artists performed lion and dragon dances in Cambodia on Tuesday to celebrate the Chinese New Year, or the Spring Festival, which will fall on Wednesday.
The dancers from eight different troupes jointly staged at the Royal Palace in the capital Phnom Penh and were greeted by Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Royal Palace Minister Kuy Sophal.
Spring Festival, social practices of the Chinese people in celebration of the traditional New Year, was inscribed on UNESCO’s representative list of the intangible cultural heritage of humanity on Dec. 4, 2024.
Diep Sophal, a history professor at the University of Cambodia, said the festival is broadly celebrated in the Southeast Asian country, particularly among Cambodians living in urban areas.
“Days prior to the New Year, Cambodian people of Chinese descent always clean and decorate their houses with red color paper-cuts, flowers, red lanterns and Chinese couplets,” he told Xinhua.
The professor said lion dance is usually invited by traditional Chinese families to perform as a symbolic ritual to usher in the Spring Festival and to ward off bad luck and evil spirits.
“Cambodian people celebrate, make offerings, or hold other Chinese rituals during the Chinese New Year because they believe that these will increase their luck,” Sophal said.
“I am happy to see that the peoples of the two nations have joined hands to build a culture of peace, a culture of good coexistence,” he added.
Folk artists perform a dragon dance near the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on Jan. 28, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
Source: United States Senator for Maine Susan Collins
Published: January 30, 2025
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Susan Collins applauded the signing of the Laken Riley Act into law. Senator Collins joined 52 of her Senate colleagues as cosponsors of this bipartisan legislation, which passed the House of Representatives and the Senate by votes of 263-156 and 64-35, respectively. The bill will require U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to detain illegal immigrants who are charged with, arrested for, or convicted of certain crimes including theft or burglary, and was amended to expand the list of crimes to include assault of a police officer or an offense that resulted in serious bodily harm or death.
“The horrific murder of Laken Riley by an illegal immigrant who had a criminal record was preventable,” said Senator Collins. “The Laken Riley Act will provide immigration and law enforcement authorities with the legal tools they need to help prevent such tragedies in the future.”
Laken Hope Riley was a 22-year-old nursing student who was brutally killed during a jog around the University of Georgia’s intramural fields. Her killer is a 26-year-old Venezuelan citizen who unlawfully entered the United States in 2022, had no personal connection to Laken, and had been arrested for criminal activity – including acting in a manner to injure a child less than 17, shoplifting, and other violations – after illegally entering the country. Despite these arrests, he was not detained and subsequently murdered Laken.
The complete text of the bill can be read here.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Scientists comment on final draft guidance from NICE on the use of exagamglogene autotemcel (exa-cel) for severe sickle cell disease.
Dr Diana Hernandez, director of immune and advanced therapies at UK stem cell charity Anthony Nolan, said:
“Today’s decision from NICE to grant access, on the NHS, to the UK’s first ever CRISPR-based therapy for some patients with sickle cell disease, represents a leap forward in the treatment of this debilitating and life-threatening condition. Sickle cell disease is caused by abnormally shaped red blood cells that can block blood vessels, causing fatigue, chronic pain and increased risk of infection. By modifying the DNA of the patient’s own stem cells so they produce healthy red blood cells, the treatment provides a ‘functional cure’ for people who otherwise have limited options.
“This treatment offers hope to thousands of patients in the UK, the majority of whom are from African and African-Caribbean backgrounds and have experienced years of feeling ignored, and is a glimpse into the exciting possibilities of gene therapies to treat diseases that have previously been considered incurable.”
Dr Alena Pance, Senior Lecturer in Genetics, University of Hertfordshire, said:
“Casgevy (exagamglogene autotemcel) is based on the innovative gene-editing tool CRISPR, which won its inventors the Nobel Prize in 2020
“This approach is a great medical advancement because gene-editing may represent a possible cure rather than a treatment of this inherited genetic disease and stem cell technology makes it possible to use patient-specific cells which avoid immunological issues.
“The background is that sickle cell disease is caused by mutation of one of the proteins that form haemoglobin. This is the main component of red blood cells that transports oxygen around the body. In adulthood, it consists of 4 globin proteins, 2 alpha and 2 beta, that form a tetramer with an iron core which binds the oxygen. During development however, the haemoglobin in the foetus is made with gamma globin instead of beta globin. This is because Gamma globin has higher affinity for oxygen, which is less abundant in the womb. At birth, there is a switch that silences Gamma globin which is no longer made and induces Beta globin to be made instead.
“When Beta globin is mutated long inflexible chains of haemoglobin form, called sickle haemoglobin that leads to a change in the morphology of the red blood cells which also become stiff and get stuck in small capillaries. This causes pain and loss of red blood cells or anaemia, which increases in situations of high need or use of oxygen, such as exercise or high altitude.
“What this therapy does is to switch off the factor that silences Gamma globin so that it can be produced in the red blood cells and substitute the faulty Beta globin. Because it is a blood disease, the gene-editing can be performed in the stem cells from the bone marrow from which all the cells in the blood originate. This means that the stem cells are extracted from the patient, modified and expanded in the lab and then put back into the patient where they will be able to reconstitute the blood. As a consequence, there is no immunological difference between the modified cells and the patient necessitating immunosuppressing medication for life and once the modified stem cells establish themselves in the bone marrow of the patient, they can repopulate the bone marrow and produce Gamma globin red blood cells technically for ever. An additional advantage this strategy has is that because it does not aim to correct the mutation (fix the faulty beta globin) it can be generally applied not just to sickle cell disease but also to beta-thalassemia. This is because there is a wide range of mutations in the beta globin gene and so fixing it would become patient-specific which would be even more costly and difficult.”
“There are some set backs to this approach and it is certain that the technology will continue improving, but at this moment in time, it is the greatest advance seen so far in the application of these technologies to health.”
Prof Ewan Birney, Deputy Director General of the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) and Director of EMBL’s European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), said:
“This is an exciting development for practical CRISPR based gene therapy. After impressive clinical trials worldwide, the technology provides a way for certain sickle cell disease individuals to have a far better life. This CRISPR based therapy uses an interesting molecular mechanism, where the gene therapy acts on a different, related gene (fetal haemoglobin), boosting this gene’s expression in adulthood which mitigates the effect of the sickle cell changed adult haemoglobin. The mechanism was discovered by genetic studies in particular from cohorts in Sub-Saharan Africa and people with recent African ancestries.
“Looking ahead, this technology has the potential to treat many other rare diseases with precise genetic diagnoses.”
Prof Felicity Gavins, Professor of Pharmacology,Brunel University of London, said:
“The approval of Exa-cel for NHS use in England is a very exciting moment, not only because this marks the first approval of a CRISPR-based gene therapy for SCD in the NHS, but also because it offers a potentially curative treatment for eligible patients. By addressing the genetic cause of SCD, Exa-cel reduces or eliminates vaso-occlusive crises (VOCs), decreases hospitalisations, and improves quality of life.
“Of the 15,000 people in England with SCD, approximately 1,750 may be eligible for Exa-cel treatment. The therapy works by editing the patient’s BCL11A gene to reactivate fetal haemoglobin production, preventing red blood cells from sickling and blocking blood flow which cause VOCs and disease complications.
“However, while Exa-cel is a breakthrough, it is not a cure for all SCD patients, and uncertainties remain about its long-term effectiveness, safety and accessibility. It is critical to continue funding research to develop treatment that benefit the broader SCD population and address remaining challenges in care.”
Professor Laurence D. Hurst,Professor of Evolutionary Genetics, The Milner Centre for Evolution, University of Bath, said:
“The recommendation of exa-cel (alias Casgevy, alias Exagamglogene autotemcel) by NICE is a potential step change for sufferers (and their carers) of a common genetic disorder, sickle cell disease (SCD) that particularly affects UK individuals with a Caribbean and Black African ancestry. It will come as a very welcome reversal of a prior draft recommendation (March 2024) by many within the at-risk communities.
“Part of NICE’s recommendation was based on the observation that the disorder is especially prevent in ethnic minority backgrounds and seeks to redress inequality in health access. This is a good news day for sufferers of severe SCD and for these communities.”
Why is there a need for a “cure” for sickle cell disease?
“Current treatments may be considered the equivalent of plastering over a wound repeatedly, rather than getting to the cause of the wound and curing it.
“SCD patients need regular blood transfusions and with that treatment to absorb excess iron. Some qualify for a drug therapy, Hydroxycarbamide, also used as in cancer chemotherapy, that reduces VOC rates. This increases rate of production of foetal globin and reduces red cell stickiness. There are very few treatments to stop symptoms and what is available often has intolerable side effects. A further issue is that while treatments may reduce VOC frequency they tend to increase pain associated with each VOC. They do not address the underlying cause.”
“Stem cell transfusion – the best current “cure” – is potentially different as you are replacing the cells that make red blood cells in the patient with those from a donor who doesn’t have SCD. However, only 15% of patients have a potential donor and this treatment can lead to immune rejection (graft versus host disease).
“Exa-cel is potentially a life-long cure – the patients can make their own non SCD inducing blood, thus immune rejection should not be an issue.”
How does this CRISPR therapy work?
“For many single gene genetic disorders gene therapy is now being actively researched and, in some cases, making it to clinic. To date the successful ones, have taken the strategy of adding in a copy of the properly functioning version of the gene (as in recent gene therapies for haemophilia A and B). Exa-cel is different as it involves “editing” your own DNA, not adding genes.
“It relies on the fact that as foetuses our haemoglobin was different. Indeed, foetal haemoglobin is a little better than the adult version at carrying oxygen. Adult haemoglobin consists of two beta globins and two alpha globins. In foetuses we use gamma globin instead of beta globin. Shortly after birth a protein BCL11A helps in the switch from foetal to adult haemoglobin, from gamma to beta. Exa-cel edits the gene for BCL11A preventing it from being made, and in so doing forces the cells to upregulate gamma globin so making more foetal haemoglobin.
“It does this by editing a part of the switch that turns the BCL11A gene on in developing blood cells. This causes BCL11A to not be made which in turn allows gamma globin to be produced, as BCL11A switches gamma globin off. As such – it is a CRISPR mediated gene edit – it is unlike the standard mode of gene therapy which involves addition of the correct gene. The treatment involve removing relevant cells from the patient, editing in the lab and replacing them into the patient.
“Given its mode of action it is a potential therapy for any genetic disease involving badly functioning beta-globin, notably sickle cell disease and beta thalassemia.
“Importantly it is also likely that making gamma globin is safe – it is our own protein. In addition, most of us fail to fully inactivate the foetal/gamma version and so well all have a bit of gamma globin. Indeed, with conditions like SCD, the higher the level of gamma globin the lesser the symptoms.”
The therapy is life transforming
“The evidence for the efficacy and safety of Casgevy for SCD is good, although sample numbers are low. Base line the patients had 2.6 VOCs per year. Of 43 patients 29 were followed long enough. 28 of 29 had no VOCs for at least a year. None were hospitalised.
“There is a further issue, however, that it can be difficult to collect cells in patients with SCD and some of those not followed up were because the treatment couldn’t be given.
What is the new decision?
“This new decision is not a statement about safety and efficacy. The therapy has been approved for use in the UK (late 2023), EU (spring 2024) and USA (late 2023) on safety and efficacy grounds. What is new is that NICE now recommends funding this with “managed access*” via the NHS as it is deemed adequately cost effective (or rather it was happy with the high level of uncertainty on cost effectiveness given the circumstances). This is a reversal of its prior draft recommendation in March 2024.
“It is restricted to those for whom a stem cell transplant donor cannot be found and with severe SCD ie recurrent VOCs meaning 2 or more in the prior 2 years.
“The defence for the opening of access was based on the health inequalities faced by people with SCD, the technology being innovative and the fact that prior decision had failed to capture the quality of life of the carers.
“Earlier this year NICE approved the same therapy for beta thalassemia -also owing to beta glogin issues- for a restricted number of patients.”
What does the treatment cost?
“The treatment is a one-off procedure. The headline cost per treatment £1,651,000 but the actual cost to the NHS is a commercial secret.”
What are the uncertainties?
“There are two main uncertainties:
“First, being a new treatment how long it will last is unknown. Why the treatment might revert is unclear but only time will tell.
“The second is whether there are downstream side effects. CRISPR as an application for example involves send a molecule to cut DNA at a designated site in our DNA. Sometimes, however, the cuts also happen at sites we didn’t want to have cut. These are so-called “off-target” effects. The early data from the research team behind found no evidence for such off-target effects but they remain a possibility. More classical forms of gene therapy – involving adding genes to our DNA – have been associated with induction of cancer and so the field is naturally cautious.”
What is SCD?
“Sickle cell disease is a genetic disease associated with a different form of a gene and its derived protein that make up part of the molecular that transports oxygen from the lungs to the body, heamoglobin, in our red blood cells. The affected gene/protein is “beta globin”.
“Sufferers have pain 4 days out of every seven and unpredictable episodes of severe pain, termed vaso-occlusive crises [VOCs] that can require hospitalization. Over 2 years about 2/3 of sufferers need emergency care 2 to 3 times and about a quarter spend 1-2 weeks in hospital. Higher rates of both define severe SCD. It causes ongoing anaemia (lack of red blood cells) and widespread organ damage. Even with access to medical support, life expectancy is typically around 50 years.”
Why is SCD so prevalent in ethnic minorities?
“Globally locations with endemic malaria have higher rates of the disorder. This is because individuals with a mix of beta globin genes (we all have two versions, one inherited from mother one from father) are less likely to die young from malaria. This selection favouring individuals with a mix of beta-globins maintains the two versions of the beta globin gene at relatively high frequencies. However, it also means that the rate at which individuals will inherit two of the SCD causing version of the gene is also high – if mum and dad were both carriers a quarter of their kids will get SCD. Having two SCD versions is needed for the full blown SCD. In sub-Saharan Africa up to 1-3% of the population suffer SCD making it a remarkably prevalent genetic disease.”
Professor David Rees, Professor of Paediatric Sickle Cell Disease, King’s College London, said:
“It is encouraging that Exa-cel has been approved for use to treat patients with sickle cell disease in England, particularly as it is based on discoveries made at King’s College London by Dr Stephan Menzel and Professor Swee Lay Thein. The treatment uses CRISPR gene editing technology to increase the level of fetal haemoglobin in people with sickle cell disease, which has a major effect in reducing the severity of the condition. The treatment is not curative in the traditional sense of the word, in that the patients still have some features of sickle cell disease, but early studies suggest that successfully treated patients have very few symptoms of the condition, at least in the medium term.
“Exa-cel has been approved for patients getting episodes of acute pain over the age of 12 years, and potentially more than 5000 people with sickle cell disease may be eligible for this in the UK. However, it is difficult to know how many people will actually benefit, because of the very high cost and potential toxicity of the treatment. Exa-cel treatment still requires very strong chemotherapy, similar to having a bone marrow transplant, which causes problems with reduced fertility and sometimes more serious complications, and it seems likely that it will most benefit patients with severe and progressive problems caused by sickle cell disease.
“Despite these concerns, the availability of Exa-cel is a major advance and offers a really important new treatment option for some patients with sickle cell disease. Excitingly, advances in gene editing are happening very rapidly at the moment and it seems likely that cheaper, safer and more effective forms of gene editing will emerge for sickle cell disease over the coming years, offering the prospect of a curative treatment which is universally applicable, even in low income countries where the majority of patients live.”
NICE’s final draft guidance on Exagamglogene autotemcel for treating severe sickle cell disease in people 12 years and over was published at 00:01 UK time on Friday 31 January 2025.
Declared interests
Professor David Rees: “I don’t think I have any significant conflicts of interest.”
Prof Ewan Birney: No conflict of interest.
Dr Alena Pance: No conflicts.
For all other experts, no response to our request for DOIs was received.
SANDY, Utah, Jan. 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Mountain America Credit Union, in collaboration with BYU Athletics, recently presented donations totaling $10,000 to Utah Crisis Food Response (UCFR) and Special Olympics Provo United. The organizations were each presented with $5,000 checks during the January 14, 2025, Brigham Young University (BYU) men’s basketball game. These donations were part of the Cougs Care initiative, where Cougar Nation fans nominated and voted for their favorite charitable organizations online.
“The Cougs Care initiative highlights the power of community and the positive impact that can be achieved when we come together to support worthy causes,” said Nathan Anderson, executive vice president and COO at Mountain America Credit Union. “Utah Crisis Food Response and Special Olympics Provo United both make a significant impact in addressing critical needs. It’s inspiring to see how our collective efforts can make a difference.”
UCFR provides delivery of essential meals and resources for families facing food insecurity. Their dedication to alleviating hunger and supporting vulnerable populations makes them a deserving recipient of this donation.
“We are amazed by Mountain America’s generosity and honored to be nominated by the community for this donation,” said Carie Fanning, executive director of Utah Crisis Food Response. “It is heartwarming to know the community recognizes the importance of our work. UCFR delivers thousands of meals every month, an impossible task without the help of donations like this one.”
Special Olympics Provo United empowers individuals with intellectual disabilities through sports, promoting inclusion and community engagement. Their programs foster physical fitness, confidence, and lifelong friendships, making a profound difference in the lives of many.
To learn more about Mountain America, visit macu.com.
About Mountain America Credit Union With more than 1 million members and $20 billion in assets, Mountain America Credit Union helps its members define and achieve their financial dreams. Mountain America provides consumers and businesses with a variety of convenient, flexible products and services, as well as sound, timely advice. Members enjoy access to secure, cutting-edge mobile banking technology, over 100 branches across multiple states, and more than 50,000 surcharge-free ATMs. Mountain America—guiding you forward. Learn more at macu.com. Insured by NCUA.
Volcano Watch is a weekly article and activity update written by U.S. Geological SurveyHawaiian Volcano Observatoryscientists and affiliates.
Winners of the Island of Hawaiʻi Volcano Awareness Month 2025 Art Contest. Upper left, Linda Hansen from Pāhoa, submitted a painting titled “Kīlauea welcomes Christmas 2024” that won in the adult division. In the lower left, Kaʻū High and Pāhala Elementary School 11th grader Añaza Nielsen won the high school category with their colored pencil artwork titled “Volcanic Activity,” which depicts the 2022 Mauna Loa eruption as a thermal image. The upper right shows “Lava Flow,” a watercolor and ink piece by Andrea Yanga, an 8th grader also attending Kaʻū High and Pāhala Elementary School who won in the middle school division. The lower right shows a lava pond created with construction paper by Milunaizarra Peltier, a 5th grader from Volcano School of Arts & Sciences, who won the elementary art division. USGS photo.
Participants were invited to submit a poem in haiku format or art recognizing Hawaii’s volcanic landscapes in the following age divisions: elementary (kindergarten–5th grade), middle (6th–8th), high (9th–12th), and adult. Nearly 60 entries were received, most from kamaʻaina.
Beautiful depictions in words and art highlight the diverse range of geologic processes and hazards we experience as residents in Hawaii, including the most recent episodic eruption in Halemaʻumaʻu at the summit caldera of Kīlauea. Many entries also reference Pele, the Hawaiian elemental forces associated with volcanic activity, highlighting the cultural significance of Hawaii’s volcanic history.
In the elementary school category, Sunny Mallams, a 4th grader who lives in Honolulu, won with her haiku, “Mahalo Pele:”
Lava shining bright
Giving birth to Hawaii
Mahalo Pele
“Pele’s Domain,” a haiku by 6th grader Austin Kesterson, who lives on Oahu, won in the middle school category:
Boom! Pele is here
Her hair rises through the sky
Fiery lava flows
Ella Hillstead, a high schooler from San Francisco, California, won the high school haiku with “The Harmony of Hawaii:”
Waves lap, sun sets on
Board basalt plains of land forged
By Pele’s fire
Travis Paradea won the adult haiku category with the haiku below:
You take your shoes off
When you enter someone’s home
Even for Pele?
In the adult art category, Linda Hansen from Pāhoa, submitted a painting titled “Kīlauea welcomes Christmas 2024.” She wrote, “Kīlauea gave us a brilliant show on December 23, 2024, as the caldera began to glow. The glow illuminated the walls of the caldera as the plumes of gas rose into the predawn sky.”
Students from Kaʻū High and Pāhala Elementary School won in the high and middle school art categories. Añaza Nielsen, in 11th grade, won with their colored pencil artwork titled “Volcanic Activity,” which they wrote depicts the 2022 Mauna Loa eruption. “This artwork represents the thermal camera view of the flowing rivers of lava coming down Mauna Loa. This artwork was inspired by seeing the glow of the eruption from my home during the night. This is represented through the colors I chose for this artwork.”
Andrea Yanga, an 8th grader, painted the winning middle school art, “Lava Flow,” using watercolors and ink. She wrote that it shows “an ancient eruption of Mauna Loa where the lava flowed from the mountain to the sea. The glow rises from the vapors of the lava touching the waters of the ocean. The artwork represents the beauty and radiance of these rivers of lava that formed Hawaii island.”
Milunaizarra Peltier, a 5th grader from Volcano School of Arts & Sciences, won the elementary art division with her construction paper artwork depicting a lava lake. She wrote, “I drew a lava pond because people don’t draw lava ponds as much.”
The votes were very close in many categories, and we appreciate every wonderful entry. Winners and a selection of other contestants will be on display at a scientific conference in Hilo during the second week of February. The conference theme is caldera-forming eruptions at basaltic volcanoes, such as what occurred at Kīlauea in 2018.
Gro Pederson, a geologist and postdoctoral fellow at the University of Iceland (and former USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory volunteer) will be giving a special After Dark in the Park presentation at Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park while here for the conference. Join Gro at 7 p.m. HST on February 6 at the Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium, as she summarizes several eruptions on the Reykjanes Peninsula in Southwest Iceland since 2021. Volcanic activity in Iceland, monitored by the Iceland Metrological Office, has hazards similar to those in Hawaii: earthquakes, opening of new fissure systems, lava flows, tephra fall, volcanic gas emissions, and land subsidence.
HVO voters were impressed and delighted by every entry in the art & poetry contest; mahalo again to everyone who participated in Volcano Awareness Month on the Island of Hawaiʻi in January 2025!
Volcano Activity Updates
Kīlauea is erupting. Its USGS Volcano Alert level is WATCH.
The summit eruption at Kīlauea volcano that began in Halemaʻumaʻu crater on December 23 continued over the past week, with two eruptive episodes (6 and 7). Episode 6 was active from January 24 evening until the afternoon of January 25 and episode 7 was active from the evening of January 27 until the morning of January 28. Kīlauea summit has been inflating since episode 7 ended. Resumption of eruptive activity is possible within days if summit inflation continues at current rate. Sulfur dioxide emission rates are elevated in the summit region during active eruption episodes. No unusual activity has been noted along Kīlauea’s East Rift Zone or Southwest Rift Zone.
Mauna Loa is not erupting. Its USGS Volcano Alert Level is at NORMAL.
Three earthquakes were reported felt in the Hawaiian Islands during the past week: a M2.3 earthquake 11 km (6 mi) ENE of Pāhala at 32 km (20 mi) depth on Jan. 28 at 10:13 a.m. HST, a M3.2 earthquake 2 km (1 mi) SW of Pāhala at 33 km (20 mi) depth on Jan. 28 at 8:11 a.m. HST, and a M2.6 earthquake 7 km (4 mi) W of Captain Cook at 6 km (4 mi) depth on Jan. 23 at 5:15 a.m. HST.
HVO continues to closely monitor Kīlauea and Mauna Loa.
Please visit HVO’s website for past Volcano Watch articles, Kīlauea and Mauna Loa updates, volcano photos, maps, recent earthquake information, and more. Email questions to askHVO@usgs.gov.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
BEIJING, Jan. 30 — The Spring Festival, or Chinese New Year, is typically a time for family reunions and visits with friends. However, this year Ren Jun and his family decided to celebrate it in a different way.
They set off on an adventure across northwest China, exploring ancient Buddhist caves in the mountains, discovering the secrets of temples, and even stepping into a 2,000-year-old underground tomb in the heart of the Gobi Desert.
“We’re from the south, and our daughter’s really into the culture of the northwestern region, so we thought it’d be a great idea to come check it out during this long break,” Ren said.
In recent years, driven by a growing interest in traditional Chinese culture and greater consumption power, an increasing number of people have been choosing to spend the Spring Festival holiday exploring the country’s splendid cultural wonders.
The Spring Festival, the most important festival in China, fell on Jan. 29 this year, with an eight-day public holiday break running from Jan. 28 to Feb. 4. During the 40-day travel rush surrounding the holiday, China is once again experiencing the world’s largest annual migration, with tourism accounting for a significant share of this travel surge.
Since Jan. 1, flight bookings to destinations known for their cultural heritage, such as the cities of Datong, Yangzhou, Quanzhou and Jingdezhen, have doubled compared to last year, according to data from Meituan Travel.
By the second day of the holiday, tickets for major attractions like the Palace Museum in Beijing were already sold out for the entire holiday, while the Emperor Qinshihuang’s Mausoleum Site Museum in Xi’an in northwest China’s Shaanxi Province had only a few remaining tickets for the last three days of this holiday.
Fueled by rising demand for more immersive travel experiences, travel agencies are offering group tours led by scholars who provide expert guidance during the journey.
Ren’s tour group was led by Xing Yaolong, a scholar with the Chinese Association of Dunhuang and Turfan Studies. With years of expertise as an expert guide, Xing has observed a “larger appetite” for cultural experiences among tourists.
Using Dunhuang’s Mogao Grottoes, a treasure trove of ancient Buddhist relics and art, as an example, Xing noted that more and more people are willing to dip into their pockets for visits to the exclusive, higher-priced caves with restricted access.
Riding this wave, niche travel agencies have been popping up. Having had trouble finding a satisfactory guided tour to culture-rich Shanxi Province in north China, Ding Manwen, a former documentary filmmaker, founded “The Seekers” in 2023 — a travel agency dedicated to cultural heritage tours.
Today, the agency offers not only in-depth tours to Shanxi but also a dozen other trips to destinations such as south China’s Guangdong, east China’s Fujian and southwest China’s Yunnan, with all available during this Spring Festival holiday.
“As the people enjoy greater material wealth, their hunger for spiritual enrichment has only grown. Moreover, the elderly, especially retirees, are now playing a key role in driving cultural and tourism consumption,” said Wang Lei, a professor at the school of government management, Beijing Normal University.
Instead of flocking to popular landmarks, many travelers have opted to visit charming, lesser-known ancient towns and villages that are buzzing with vibrant folk traditions during the Spring Festival.
A few days prior to the festival, a young man nicknamed “Daodao” shared his unique experience in Zhanqi Village in east China’s Anhui Province on popular Chinese social network and lifestyle-sharing platform Xiaohongshu, also known as rednote.
“As dusk falls, the village comes alive, with the sky glowing under a sea of colorful fish-shaped lanterns, swaying gently as they’re carried by the crowd. The air hums with the infectious energy of village galas, cheers echoing through the crowd, as locals and tourists alike get swept up in the lively dance, moving to the rhythm of folk music,” he shared in a short video, adding that he had returned to the village the following day to learn more about the fish-shaped lanterns.
To promote the fish-shaped lantern culture, an 800-year-old intangible cultural heritage item, local authorities have established workshops dedicated to this craft, while sharing schedules and locations of lantern performances on social media for the convenience of tourists.
From temple fairs to carnivals — a wide range of events celebrating intangible cultural heritage can be found all over China these days.
For those unable to make it in person, there is the option of soaking up the festive vibes online. This year’s Spring Festival Gala, broadcast by China Media Group on Chinese New Year’s Eve, featured significant intangible cultural heritage content and garnered 16.8 billion views across all media platforms.
“Gorgeous! I want to travel to Wuxi and Chongqing after watching this,” commented a user on the microblogging site, Weibo, in response to the gala.
“Only by understanding our roots can we know where we are headed,” said another user.
From early ocean dips to ice-cold polar plunges, cold-water immersion is increasingly popular among athletes and wellness warriors. But how much of the hype is backed by science?
Analysing data from 11 studies with 3177 participants, researchers found that cold-water immersion may lower stress, improve sleep quality, and boost quality of life.
UniSA researcher Tara Cain says the study reveals time-dependant and nuanced effects on health and wellbeing measures.
“Cold-water immersion has been extensively researched and used in sporting contexts to help athletes recover, but despite its growing popularity among health and wellbeing circles, little is known about its effects on the general population,” Cain says.
“In this study, we noted a range of time-dependant results. Firstly, we found that cold-water immersion could reduce stress levels, but for only about 12 hours post exposure.
“We also noted that participants who took 20, 60, or 90 second cold showers reported slightly higher quality of life scores. But again, after three months these effects had faded.
“Benefits may be gained from cold showers as well, with one study reporting that participants who took regular cold showers experiencing a 29% reduction in sickness absence.
“We also found some links to cold-water immersion and better sleep outcomes, but the data was restricted to males, so its broader application is limited.
“And while there have been many claims that cold-water immersion experiences can boost your immunity and mood, we found very little evidence to support these claims.”
Cold-water immersion involves immersing the body partially or fully in cold water, in temperatures typically ranging from 10-15 degrees Celsius, and in this study, data was only included if exposure was at or above chest level, and for a minimum time of 30 seconds. It included cold showers, ice baths and cold plunges.
Co-researcher, UniSA’s Dr Ben Singh says the study also showed that cold-water immersion caused a temporary increase in inflammation.
“At first glance this seems contradictory, as we know that ice baths are regularly used by elite athletes to reduce inflammation and muscle soreness after exercise,” Dr Singh says.
“The immediate spike in inflammation is the body’s reaction to the cold as a stressor. It helps the body adapt and recover and is similar to how exercise causes muscle damage before making muscles stronger, which is why athletes use it despite the short-term increase.
“Knowing this, people with pre-existing health conditions should take extra care if participating in cold-water immersion experiences as the initial inflammation could have detrimental health impacts.”
Researchers say that while the findings highlight the potential benefits of cold-water immersion, they also underscore the highly time-dependent and contextual nature of its effects.
“Whether you are an elite athlete or everyday wellness seeker – it’s important to understand the effects of what you put your body through,” Cain says.
“Right now, there isn’t enough high-quality research to say exactly who benefits most or what the ideal approach is to cold-water immersion. More long-term studies, among more diverse populations, are needed to understand its lasting effects and practical applications.”
Notes to editors:
The full paper – Effects of cold-water immersion on health and wellbeing: A systematic review and meta-analysis – by Tara Cain, Dr Jacinta Brinsley, Dr Hunter Bennett, Dr Max Nelson, Prof Carol Maher and Dr Ben Singh is available online: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0317615
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Shelley J. Walker, Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Justice Health, National Drug Research Institute, Curtin University
Many of us have tried to move on quickly from the pandemic, putting lockdowns and restrictions far behind us.
But for some Australians, this hasn’t been possible. Among the pandemic’s lingering impacts is the burden of outstanding fines, issued for breaking COVID restrictions.
Our new research involved surveys and in-depth interviews with people who used drugs during the pandemic. They reported feeling targeted by police and even harassed while trying to access drug treatments – and years later, many still have fines they’re unable to pay.
This is not the case in Victoria. In June 2023, around 30,000 fines were outstanding in Victoria, and to our knowledge the situation hasn’t changed since then.
Feeling targeted
We know that people who use drugs already face increased police scrutiny in general, due to the criminalisation of drug use.
We conduct two long-term studies with people who use drugs in Victoria, which involves participating in an annual survey.
During the pandemic we asked additional questions about people’s interactions with police. Between March 2020 and May 2022, 1,130 participants responded to our survey.
Our new research found one in ten reported being stopped by police.
A third of these received at least one COVID-related fine – mostly for breaking curfews, failing to wear a face mask or breaching travel restrictions – a rate we calculated as nearly three times higher than the general population.
However, this is a crude estimate, as accurate data on the numbers of fines in the general population is not publicly available.
Of those who received fines, most were unemployed, more than a quarter were in unstable housing or homeless, and more than half had been to prison.
We also did in-depth interviews with 76 participants. Many told us they felt the pandemic gave police an “excuse” to target them, leading to serious and lasting effects on their lives.
Fined while accessing services
Interactions with police were described as fraught with discrimination and harassment. Participants reported being stopped, searched and fined while trying to go about their daily lives. This may be partly because their circumstances meant they were more likely to be using public spaces – and therefore were more visible to police.
Daniel, aged 41, was fined $1,652 for breaching COVID rules he told us he didn’t understand. He said:
it was so obvious they were looking for drugs – it felt like they were doing everything they could to find a reason to fine us.
For people who use drugs, accessing harm-reduction services and drug treatment programs (such as methadone to replace opioids) is vital to their health. Some participants told us they were fined while doing so, despite carrying medical exemptions.
Natasha, aged 39, was homeless. She said she was fined while travelling to a needle and syringe program, despite being within the permitted travel zone.
Police issued her a fine for leaving the home for non-essential purposes. Natasha found the situation absurd, asking “how can you be (fined for being) outside if you sleep outside?”
Ryan, aged 45, was fined $1,800 while collecting methadone. He described the encounter as “humiliating” and unnecessary, saying police appeared more interested in finding drugs than enforcing public health measures.
The financial and emotional toll
In our study, the financial burden of COVID fines was devastating.
Most could not afford to pay fines or lacked the confidence to navigate appeals processes to contest them, leading to further entanglement with the criminal legal system.
For example, Sally, who received multiple fines while collecting her methadone during the pandemic, said:
at the end of the day, they’re government authority and I’m a nobody – the chances of me winning would be slim to none.
As a result, unpaid fines for some reportedly led to court orders, some were arrested, and a few even reported serving prison time.
The emotional toll was equally severe, with feelings of being targeted and harassed by police further eroding their trust in public institutions.
The Conversation contacted Victoria Police about our study, noting participants thought police were using the pandemic as an excuse to target them.
In response, a police spokesperson said: “At the time officers were performing duties on behalf of the Chief Health Officer’s direction.”
The burden can be lifted
Public health responses should be designed to protect people, not punish them. As we move forward, it is crucial to address the lasting impacts of COVID fines.
Shelley Walker is the recipient of an ARC Discovery Early Career Award (project number DE240101056) funded by the Australian Government. The study presented in this article was funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council NHMRC (#2003255). The SuperMIX and VMAX studies are funded by the NHMRC; #545891, #1126090, #1148170)
Paul Dietze receives funding from the NHMRC and government and non-government organisations for the conduct of research into the impacts of alcohol and other drug use.
Lisa Maher 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: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin
January 30, 2025
In a speech on the Senate floor, Durbin shared the stories of Illinois constituents who would be dramatically impacted by the Trump Administration’s federal funding freeze
WASHINGTON – In a speech on the Senate floor last night, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) shared stories of constituent calls his office received over the last two days in reaction to the Trump Administration’s decision to issue an Office of Management and Budget (OMB) memo to “temporarily pause all activities related to obligation or disbursement” of trillions of dollars of Federal financial assistance, which caused mass confusion about the funding and operations of hundreds of government-funded programs ranging from Medicaid, to Head Start, to Violence Against Women Act grants. Shortly before the federal funding freeze was set to begin, U.S. District Court Judge Loren L. Alikhan, who was confirmed under Durbin’s tenure as Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, temporarily blocked the move by the Trump Administration. The Trump Administration rescinded the memo yesterday but claimed that the federal funding freeze would still take place.
“On Monday night, President Trump threw America into chaos when he abruptly announced a freeze on trillions of dollars in federal grants and loans that so many communities, states, and Americans depend on. The reaction across the nation has been uniform. We had our phone ringing off the hook, computers busy and buzzing, everybody wants to know what does this mean, what has happened,” Durbin said. “Even members of the press were confused, members of Congress were confused, members of the American public were confused. Even members of the President’s own Administration were confused about the intent and scope of the freeze.”
In his remarks, Durbin spoke about the impact of the announcement on Illinoisans, who rely on federal funding to support critical programs and medical research. One woman told Durbin’s office that a halt on federal funding would prevent her brother, who has Down Syndrome, from receiving the care he needs. Another constituent shared that her work on biomedical research would be jeopardized if the Trump Administration’s funding freeze moves forward.
“Toni is a woman from Woodstock, Illinois. She shared with my office that her brother has Down Syndrome, and the care he receives is funded by a federal grant. His health and safety would be at risk if this freeze is allowed to be implemented,” Durbin said.
“Or take Dr. Kay, a professor and scientist at the University of Chicago. Her work depends on funding from the National Institutes of Health and other federal grants. She shared the freeze would ‘interrupt crucial biomedical research, stopping progress, sometimes destroying years’ worth of research that cannot be undone.’ And it would hurt the retention of our nation’s future scientists,” Durbin said.
“Or [take] Sarah, a supporter of community-based organizations that serve youth experiencing homelessness in the city of Chicago. If this freeze, in fact, takes place, the organization will not be able to access the federal funding it needs to provide services for youth, help them escape violence, or help to reunify their families,” Durbin continued.
The OMB memo caused immediate panic across the country as red and blue states’ Medicaid portals shut down and Head Start programs worried that they would not be open the following day to provide critical child care. The Trump Administration failed, when asked repeatedly, to provide clear guidance about what programs would be safe from being defunded.
“Americans across the country faced disruptions in accessing critical funds and services in popular programs like Head Start, Medicaid, and so many more. These are just a few of the many messages my office and others have received from Americans confused, outraged, and impacted by this freeze,” Durbin said.
After Judge Alikhan’s ruling on Monday temporarily blocked the freeze from starting, the Trump Administration claimed to rescind the memo while purporting that the funding freeze would still move forward.
“In response to the backlash from the American public, the organized efforts of many Democratic lawmakers, and the court ruling, President Trump’s Office of Management and Budget today rescinded the memo outlining the funding freeze. But that isn’t the end of the story. The President’s Press Secretary now claims that while the memo ordering the freeze has been rescinded, the freeze itself still stands… How does this make sense, you’re asking? The honest answer is, it doesn’t,” Durbin continued.
“In true Trump fashion, his Administration has made clear that it doesn’t intend to abide by the will of the American people, the letter of the law, or the Constitution. It will do whatever it takes to push through this policy, even if it means hurting Americans across the country,” Durbin said.
Durbin concluded his remarks by reiterating that he will push back against any unconstitutional or harmful policies enacted by the Trump Administration.
“We’re going to continue to fight this unconstitutional, devastating, and grossly unpopular freeze in federal spending. I want every American to know that your voice and participation in our democracy means more now than ever,” Durbin said.
“The President is betting that you won’t notice when he abuses power or breaks the law, that amidst the chaos that surrounds him you will be too confused, jaded, or just too tired to fight back. But I urge Americans to continue monitoring the actions of this new Administration, particularly when they touch you and your family personally,” Durbin said.
Video of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here.
Audio of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here.
Footage of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here for TV Stations.
Two men were arrested today on charges of participating in a neo-Nazi child exploitation enterprise that groomed and then coerced minors to produce child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and images of self-harm. The group allegedly victimized at least 16 minors around the world, including two in Southern California.
Colin John Thomas Walker, 23, of Bridgeton, New Jersey, and Clint Jordan Lopaka Nahooikaika Borge, 41, of Pahoa, Hawaii, were arrested this morning pursuant to a grand jury indictment that charges them with one count of engaging in a child exploitation enterprise. They are expected to make their initial appearances in court later today in New Jersey and Hawaii.
The indictment also charges two other defendants who are already in custody: Rohan Sandeep Rane, 28, of Antibes, France, and Kaleb Christopher Merritt, 24, of Spring, Texas. The indictment returned by a grand jury on Jan. 17 and unsealed today, also charges Rane and Walker with one count of engaging in a child exploitation enterprise.
According to the indictment, from at least 2019 to 2022, Rane, Walker, Merritt, and Borge were members of CVLT (pronounced “cult”), an online group that espoused neo-Nazism, nihilism, and pedophilia as its core principles. Members of the international enterprise engaged in online child sexual exploitation offenses and trafficked CSAM. Rane, Walker, and Merritt acted as leaders and administrators in the CVLT enterprise, hosting and running CVLT online servers and controlling membership for the group.
CVLT members worked collectively to entice and coerce children to self-produce CSAM on a platform run by CVLT members where they groomed children for the eventual production of CSAM through various means of degradation, including exposing the victims to extremist and violent content. CVLT specifically targeted vulnerable victims, including ones suffering from mental health challenges or a history of sexual abuse.
Victims were encouraged to engage in increasingly dehumanizing acts, including cutting and eating their own hair, drinking their urine, punching themselves, calling themselves racial slurs, and using razor blades to carve CVLT members’ names into their skin. CVLT members’ coercion escalated to pressuring victims to kill themselves on a video livestream.
When victims hesitated, resisted, or threatened to tell parents or authorities, CVLT members would threaten to distribute already-obtained compromising photos and videos of the victims to their family and friends. For victims who stopped participating in the CSAM, CVLT would sometimes carry through on their threats.
Rane previously was charged with several child exploitation and related offenses in France and has been in French custody since 2022. Merritt is currently in Virginia state custody, serving a 50-year sentence for child sex abuse crimes committed in 2020 and 2021.
If convicted, the defendants would face a minimum penalty of 20 years in prison and a statutory maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Los Angeles Police Department, San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Office, Henry County Sheriff’s Office (Virginia), Iowa State University Police, Police Nationale (France), the National Crime Agency (United Kingdom), the New Zealand Department of Internal Affairs, and EUROPOL are investigating this matter.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Catharine A. Richmond for the Central District of California and Trial Attorneys Justin Sher and James Donnelly of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting this case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Two men were arrested today on charges of participating in a neo-Nazi child exploitation enterprise that groomed and then coerced minors to produce child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and images of self-harm. The group allegedly victimized at least 16 minors around the world, including two in Southern California.
Colin John Thomas Walker, 23, of Bridgeton, New Jersey, and Clint Jordan Lopaka Nahooikaika Borge, 41, of Pahoa, Hawaii, were arrested this morning pursuant to a grand jury indictment that charges them with one count of engaging in a child exploitation enterprise. They are expected to make their initial appearances in court later today in New Jersey and Hawaii.
The indictment also charges two other defendants who are already in custody: Rohan Sandeep Rane, 28, of Antibes, France, and Kaleb Christopher Merritt, 24, of Spring, Texas. The indictment returned by a grand jury on Jan. 17 and unsealed today, also charges Rane and Walker with one count of engaging in a child exploitation enterprise.
According to the indictment, from at least 2019 to 2022, Rane, Walker, Merritt, and Borge were members of CVLT (pronounced “cult”), an online group that espoused neo-Nazism, nihilism, and pedophilia as its core principles. Members of the international enterprise engaged in online child sexual exploitation offenses and trafficked CSAM. Rane, Walker, and Merritt acted as leaders and administrators in the CVLT enterprise, hosting and running CVLT online servers and controlling membership for the group.
CVLT members worked collectively to entice and coerce children to self-produce CSAM on a platform run by CVLT members where they groomed children for the eventual production of CSAM through various means of degradation, including exposing the victims to extremist and violent content. CVLT specifically targeted vulnerable victims, including ones suffering from mental health challenges or a history of sexual abuse.
Victims were encouraged to engage in increasingly dehumanizing acts, including cutting and eating their own hair, drinking their urine, punching themselves, calling themselves racial slurs, and using razor blades to carve CVLT members’ names into their skin. CVLT members’ coercion escalated to pressuring victims to kill themselves on a video livestream.
When victims hesitated, resisted, or threatened to tell parents or authorities, CVLT members would threaten to distribute already-obtained compromising photos and videos of the victims to their family and friends. For victims who stopped participating in the CSAM, CVLT would sometimes carry through on their threats.
Rane previously was charged with several child exploitation and related offenses in France and has been in French custody since 2022. Merritt is currently in Virginia state custody, serving a 50-year sentence for child sex abuse crimes committed in 2020 and 2021.
If convicted, the defendants would face a minimum penalty of 20 years in prison and a statutory maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Los Angeles Police Department, San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Office, Henry County Sheriff’s Office (Virginia), Iowa State University Police, Police Nationale (France), the National Crime Agency (United Kingdom), the New Zealand Department of Internal Affairs, and EUROPOL are investigating this matter.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Catharine A. Richmond for the Central District of California and Trial Attorneys Justin Sher and James Donnelly of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting this case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
I’m at the park with my daughter, who is jumping in and out of puddles, splashing, shrieking at me (Mum! Look what I can do!), as I read frantically, taking one-handed notes on my phone (Mum! Look at this!). Part of me wishes I could enjoy with her this moment of pleasure in movement. The other, more insistent part is thinking about this essay: where to start, what to say, how to sum up the extraordinary legacy of the book I’m re-reading, Virginia Woolf’s Mrs Dalloway, which this year marks 100 years since its first publication in 1925. How am I supposed to write about this book?
If you were to read a synopsis, it might seem like a book purely for an academic specialist (which, admittedly, I am). One day in London in June 1923, an ageing rich woman, Clarissa Dalloway, prepares to give a party. Across town, a shell-shocked Great War veteran, Septimus Warren Smith, loses his grip on sanity. Between them oscillate other characters: Clarissa’s former lover Peter Walsh, Clarissa’s husband Richard and daughter Elizabeth, Elizabeth’s tutor Doris Kilman, Septimus’s wife Rezia, and his doctors Holmes and Bradshaw.
Like that other modernist monument, James Joyce’s Ulysses (1922), Mrs Dalloway is explicitly quotidian. It follows ordinary people through ordinary activities on an ordinary day – shopping, walking in the park, riding the bus, going to appointments, mending a dress. As Woolf’s characters go about their day, scenes and impressions are filtered through their individual consciousnesses, threaded together with language, images and memories.
The novel opens with the famous line “Mrs Dalloway said she would buy the flowers herself”, a sentence remarkable for its banality, as well as for its commitment to the in medias res plunge into life that Woolf was so keen on. The iconic status of the line is demonstrated by the number of online parodies it inspires, perhaps only surpassed by William Carlos Williams’s poem This Is Just To Say, which has become a verified meme.
A new seam
On Good Friday 1924, Woolf wrote on a page of the manuscript she was drafting – then called “The Hours” – that “I will write whatever I want to write.” She could write whatever she wanted to write because she owned her own publishing house, The Hogarth Press. The actual press was in the basement of her suburban Richmond home.
Mrs Dalloway was the second of Woolf’s novels to be self-published in this way. Being a small-press publisher allowed her to experiment formally in ways that would have been impossible if she was working with a mainstream publisher. In A Writer’s Diary, she describes her process as both exploratory and technical. On August 30, 1923, she wrote: “I dig out beautiful caves behind my characters”. Later, in October 1924: “I practise writing; do my scales”.
I recently co-hosted a conference here in Hobart, which included a panel on contemporary Tasmanian experimental writing. The writers who spoke that day talked of the struggle to place work that pushed the boundaries of form and genre. A hundred years after Woolf’s efforts to unearth what she called a new “seam”, commercial imperatives continue to constrain writers and their work.
Despite Woolf’s refusal to compromise with mainstream tastes, Mrs Dalloway was well received. Her contemporaries recognised the novel’s importance immediately. “An intellectual triumph”, proclaimed P.C. Kennedy in the New Statesman; “a cathedral”, pronounced E.M. Forster in the New Criterion.
It sold moderately well: 1,500 copies within about a month of its publication on May 14 – more than her prior novel, Jacob’s Room, had sold in a year. Her biographer Hermione Lee records that in 1926 income from writing allowed Woolf and her husband Leonard to install a hot water range and toilet at their country home.
Woolf’s novel was revolutionary for its depiction of same-sex attraction and mental illness, as well as for its challenge to the novel form and representation of time. Clarissa remembers the jolt of desire she felt as an 18-year-old for her friend Sally Seton, who kisses her on the terrace of her house at Bourton:
the most exquisite moment of her whole life passing a stone urn with flowers in it. Sally stopped; picked a flower; kissed her on the lips. The whole world might have turned upside down! The others disappeared; there she was alone with Sally. And she felt that she had been given a present, wrapped up, and told just to keep it, not to look at it – a diamond, something infinitely precious, wrapped up, which, as they walked (up and down, up and down), she uncovered, or the radiance burnt through, the revelation, the religious feeling!
Clarissa, made “virginal” in middle age by illness and marital boredom, is surprised by this irrupting memory. She connects it to her sense of joy in life itself: “the moment of this June morning on which was the pressure of all the other mornings […] collecting the whole of her at one point”.
Clarissa and Septimus Smith – though they never meet – are shadow versions of each other. Both have beaky noses, thin pale birdlike bodies, and histories of illness.
Septimus, so capable as a soldier in the Great War, buries the trauma of seeing his commanding officer Evans killed, only to have it resurface in visual and aural hallucinations, of Evans behind the trees, and birds singing in Greek. He perceives, as Clarissa does, the burden of the past upon the present, and he suffers as a result of the coercion of the social system – what Woolf’s narrator ironises as the sister goddesses Conversion and Proportion.
“Worshipping proportion […] made England prosper”, because proportion forbids despair, illness, and emotional extremes. Conversion, the strong arm of Empire, “offers help, but desires power; smites out of her way roughly the dissentient, the dissatisfied”. Conversion “loves blood better than brick, and feasts most subtly on the human will”. Together, they suck the life from those who cannot or will not comply with them.
For Septimus, who has witnessed the dreadful disproportion of the war, ordinary social life becomes a torturous pressure cooker, a “gradual drawing together of everything to one centre before his eyes, as if some horror had come almost to the surface and was about to burst into flames”. A reviewer for the Times Literary Supplement emphasised this aspect of its experimentalism:
Watching Mrs Woolf’s experiment, certainly one of the hardest and very subtly planned, one reckons up its cost. To get the whole value of the present you must enhance it, perhaps, with the past.
Watching my daughter lark about is shadowed by the two surgeries she had in early childhood to correct her developmental hip dysplasia. I hear her screech with joy in the park, rocketing about freely; I hear her scream in pain in the hospital, encased in plaster from the midsection down. As Woolf knew, the past and the present are experienced within us simultaneously.
Doubled experience
“In this book I have almost too many ideas,” Woolf wrote in her diary on June 19, 1923. “I want to give life and death, sanity and insanity; I want to criticise the social system, and to show it at work, at its most intense.”
Woolf’s ideas have inspired scores of interpretations, focusing on time, space, reality, psychology, domesticity, history, sexual relations, politics, fashion, the environment, health and illness. She is now probably the most written-about 20th century English author. I can remember vividly first reading this novel as an undergraduate, after which I devoured Woolf’s revolutionary 1929 essay A Room of One’s Own, which criticised the educational, economic and social constraints that prevented women, in many instances, from writing anything at all.
Cover of the first edition of A Room of One’s Own (1929). Public domain.
Woolf, of course, could and did write. This was a function, as she knew, of her financial and class privilege. Feminist politics has progressed beyond Woolf, but she laid one of the foundation stones. In her fiction, she modelled a method of writing that critiques patriarchal thinking. She focuses our attention on overlooked individuals and their inner lives, and she splendidly undoes the Victorian conception of plot.
The same year Woolf published Mrs Dalloway, she also published her important collection of essays, The Common Reader. The first piece in that book, on the medieval letters of the Paston family, describes the illumination cast by these ordinary, non-literary pieces of writing:
Like all collections of letters, they seem to hint that we need not care overmuch for the fortunes of individuals. The family will go on, whether Sir John lives or dies. It is their method to heap up in mounds of insignificant and often dismal dust the innumerable trivialities of daily life, as it grinds itself out, year after year. And then suddenly they blaze up; the day shines out, complete, alive, before our eyes.
Mrs Dalloway encompasses this doubled experience of insignificance and blazing life. Woolf writes of the past emerging into the present day and the present’s capacity to reshape the past. In her diary, she called this her “tunnelling process, by which I tell the past in instalments, as I have need of it”.
In tunnelling through narrative, digging out caves behind her characters, Woolf flung out a lot of what seems to be dust – buying flowers, ogling girls, table manners and weight gain, advertising, letter writing, doctor’s appointments, eating eclairs in a department store cafe. The novel reminds us of these moments’ triviality, and their significance, through repeated reference to the bells and clocks of London striking the hour.
This is why the opening line – and the novel as a whole – is so remarkable. It catches drops of shimmering reality from moments that can so easily go unremarked. This, Woolf knew, was what writing needed to do: to stop time. As she wrote of the Pastons’ letters: “There is the ancient day, spread out before us, hour by hour.”
Her metaphor shows that Woolf’s thinking about time also had a spatial dimension. These two dimensions of space and time structure Mrs Dalloway’s theme and method, As David Daiches explained in his 1939 book The Novel and the Modern World, Woolf first links a series of different perspectives through a single shared moment in time – marked by the sound of the bells – then switches to an individual perspective, anchored in space, and moves through that individual’s memories.
Woolf wrote in her diary that “the caves shall connect and each comes to daylight at the present moment.” Daiches diagrammed these relations in time and space as a series of connected trees, arguing that they illustrated the novel’s concern with “the importance of contact and at the same time the necessity of keeping the self inviolable, of the extremes of isolation and domination”.
A legacy of inspiration
Since its publication, Mrs Dalloway has continued to inspire. For second-wave feminism, Woolf was a touchstone. Since the 1970s, she has enjoyed an unparalleled position in the history of 20th century letters, inspiring the recovery of other contemporaneous women writers connected with the Bloomsbury group.
Michael Cunningham’s The Hours, Robin Lippincott’s Mr Dalloway and John Lanchester’s Mr Phillips all appeared in the three years between 1998 and 2000, all of them reflecting Woolf’s legacy, tacitly or explicitly.
Because of the Oscar-winning film adaptation by Stephen Daldry, Cunningham’s novel is the most recognisable of these three. The Hours revises Mrs Dalloway through the stories of three women: Virginia Woolf herself; Laura Brown, a 1950s housewife who reads Mrs Dalloway; and Clarissa Vaughan, nicknamed Mrs Dalloway by her former lover Richard, for whom she throws a literary party.
Cunningham’s novel counterpoints, as Woolf did, the work of living with the work of art. The homemaker Laura Brown tries to bake a cake to equal a work of art, hoping “to be as satisfied and as filled with anticipation as a writer putting down the first sentence, a builder beginning to draw the plans.” Later, her delirious dying son Richard regrets what he views as the failure of his art to compete with simply living:
I wanted to create something alive and shocking enough that it could stand beside a morning in somebody’s life. The most ordinary morning. Imagine trying to do that. What foolishness.
More recently, Michelle Cahill’s Daisy & Woolf (2023) and Miranda Darling’s Thunderhead (2024) have wrestled with Mrs Dalloway the character, and with Woolf’s legacy. Darling’s novel revives a new “Mrs” Dalloway, Winona, a wealthy Sydney suburban writer, wife and mother, who struggles to break through “to something more real” than the constraint of middle class domestication.
Cahill’s Daisy & Woolf explores a minor character from Mrs Dalloway, whom Woolf failed to make properly live: Daisy Simmons, Peter Walsh’s Anglo-Indian fiancee. In Woolf’s novel, Daisy exists entirely offstage. She is a romantic memory of Peter’s, “dark, adorably pretty”. Daisy, writes Cahill, is
trapped in the past, in a moment, a vignette, but not the kind that would enter a room, open a window, to a life inside, a life in the mind, as it does for Clarissa with a squeak of hinges on the very first page of Mrs Dalloway! Not a real girl, Daisy, too arch perhaps, the air not stirring for her, seeing as she has no present tense.
Cahill’s present-day narrator Mina, writing back to Woolf, sees Daisy as a fully fleshed character: a mixed-race woman living in Calcutta in the twilight of Empire, as the Indian independence movement grows in strength. In recovering Daisy’s rich personal and political history, narrated through letters to Peter, Cahill reclaims interiority for this marginalised character.
In her 1937 essay Craftsmanship, the BBC broadcast of which is the only surviving recording of her voice, Woolf wrote: “Words, English words, are full of echoes, of memories, of associations.”
Mrs Dalloway shows us the ways that words can both connect and sever. Characters pass each other on the street, muse on a shared past, or witness the same event from different vantage points and through different filters of personality and psyche. As Hermione Lee explained, for Woolf “the really important life was ‘within’”.
Peter remembers Clarissa’s theory of life, which is expounded on top of a bus going down Shaftesbury Avenue:
She felt herself everywhere; not here here here; […] but everywhere. […] so that to know her, or any one, one must seek out the people who completed them; even the places […] since our apparitions, the part of us which appears, are so momentary compared with the other, the unseen part of us, which spreads wide, the unseen might survive, be recovered somehow attached to this person or that, or even haunting certain places, after death.
Late in the book, Septimus’s suicide is reported to Clarissa at the party. “Oh,” she thinks, “in the middle of my party, here’s death”. And in the middle of her party, Clarissa feels not only the disaster of death – “her disaster, her disgrace […] and she forced to stand here in her evening dress” – but the deep pulsing joy of life. “Nothing could be slow enough; nothing last too long.”
In certain lights – to paraphrase Michael Cunningham – Mrs Dalloway might look like the book of one’s own life, a book that will locate you, parent you, arm you for life’s changes. As an undergraduate, I was mesmerised by Woolf’s language and her grasp on the inner life.
Though Clarissa Dalloway is 52, Woolf turned 43 the year her novel was published. I’m turning 43 this year, too. Woolf, ravaged by long periods of illness and partially toothless, thought of herself as elderly. I do not, though I am no longer young. But to re-read this novel at this age reminds me to relish these long hours and short years: to sniff flowers, feel the lift of the gusting wind, jump and splash with my children, read the patterns made by the clouds. To seize the day.
Naomi Milthorpe 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: United States Senator for Wyoming John Barrasso
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Senate Majority Whip, today spoke on the Senate floor ahead of confirmation votes for Governor Doug Burgum, President Donald J. Trump’s nominee to be the Secretary of the Interior, and Chris Wright, President Donald J. Trump’s nominee to be the Secretary of Energy.
Click HERE to watch Senator Barrasso’s remarks.
Sen. Barrasso’s remarks as prepared:
“I rise today to talk about prices, energy, and the economy.
“My message is simple: Unleashing American energy will help lower prices. It is essential.
“Energy is often called the master resource. By controlling our own energy production, we control our own future.
“Not long ago, America was the leading producer of energy in the world. President Trump made America energy independent for the first time in decades.
“That changed in four short years under the prior administration. We went from energy dominance to energy dependence.
“The previous administration went on a regulatory rampage. It was disastrous. The result was painfully high prices for food and for fuel.
“Suddenly, Washington was attacking energy producers and energy workers in states like my home state of Wyoming. America found itself turning to adversaries for energy.
“Let me ask a simple question.
“Does anyone believe we were better off relying on dictators in China, Russia, Venezuela and Iran to power America?
“Does anyone believe we were better off when energy prices were sky high?
“Were Americans more prosperous?
“The answer is no.
“For the past four years, the previous administration treated energy as the enemy.
“Governor Doug Burgum and Chris Wright will treat American energy as the God-given blessing it is.
“Available, affordable, reliable, American energy is an asset.
“Energy is the source of American strength. It is a solution to bring down painfully high prices.
“America is an energy superpower. We should act like it.
“Working together, Governor Burgum and Chris Wright will be a powerhouse energy team.
“Governor Burgum grew up in Arthur, North Dakota – population: 400.
“He studied business at Stanford University. He built Great Plains, a software company, into a global public company.
“As Governor of North Dakota for the last 8 years, he drove his state’s transformation into an energy and technology leader.
“Instead of blocking energy production, he invited and incentivized companies to operate in North Dakota. In turn, his state produced more and more energy.
“In his Senate hearing, Governor Burgum explained this success.
“He said, ‘We live in a time of tremendous abundance, and we can access that abundance by prioritizing innovation over regulation.’
“He is spot on.
“I questioned Governor Burgum in the Energy and Natural Resources Committee.
“We have more than 600,000 acres of federal land in Wyoming that were previously approved for energy production.
“The previous administration never offered those acres for lease.
“It also blocked using land even though energy explorers purchased the right to that land over 4 years ago.
“I am glad Governor Burgum committed to quickly address this issue. He will take the common-sense action of unlocking our lands for oil and gas production.
“Chris Wright is also an innovative leader.
“He studied nuclear fusion at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He then worked in solar and geothermal engineering.
“At Liberty Energy – a fracking company he founded and where he is currently the CEO – Wright’s creative, data-driven leadership kickstarted the American fracking revolution.
“What I like most about Mr. Wright is that he tells the truth about energy production.
“He acknowledges climate change is real. He knows more American energy is the solution, not the problem. His energy realism is welcomed news.
“When I spoke with Mr. Wright in the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, we agreed about the need for an all-of-the-above energy strategy,including nuclear energy.
“Mr. Wright agrees with me that it is not in America’s best interest to be dependent on imported uranium from Russia.
“Congress passed my legislation to ban the import of Russian uranium in the United States. The Secretary of Energy has discretion to provide waivers to companies to import Russian uranium.
“I am pleased that Mr. Wright committed to using these waivers only in very limited and extreme circumstances.
“He also pledged to work with us to end uranium imports from Communist China.
“These are positive steps towards rebuilding America’s nuclear supply.
“Both Governor Burgum and Mr. Wright are optimistic about America’s energy future.
“I strongly support them. They are America’s energy all stars.
“They have laid out an inspiring vision for lowering prices, building up our energy supply, and dealing with our adversaries from a position of strength.
“Later today, the Senate will vote to confirm Governor Burgum. Chris Wright’s confirmation will soon follow. They deserve strong support here in the Senate.
“With their leadership, the age of climate alarmism is over. The golden age of American energy dominance is here.”
Source: United States Senator for North Carolina Thom Tillis
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senator Thom Tillis, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, introduced Kash Patel at his nomination hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee to be the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
Watch the introduction here.
Read Senator Tillis’ statement below:
Chairman Grassley, Ranking Member Durbin and my colleagues on the Senate Judiciary Committee, it’s my honor to introduce Kash Patel, President Trump’s nominee to be FBI Director. I’ve completed due diligence on his life and career, and I’m convinced Kash possesses significant expertise and an ironclad commitment to justice. I have concluded he’s an outstanding choice to lead the FBI.
Kash’s parents are Indian immigrants of Gujarati ancestry. The Gujarat state is a melting pot of religions, including Hinduism, Islam, and Jainism, with temples, mosques, and other religious sites scattered across the state. His father was raised in Uganda, but his family fled the country to escape repression under Idi Amin. His mother was born and raised in Tanzania. They met and married in India and ultimately made their way to New York City by way of Canada, where his parents along with 7 brothers and sisters, their spouses, and at least a half dozen kids lived under the same roof. His parents raised Kash in the Hindu faith, and they instilled in him the values of hard work and education. Kash is a devout Hindu, and consistent with his faith, he has shown respect to people of all faiths.
Kash attended the University of Richmond, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and history. He went to Pace University School of Law, where he earned his JD and an International Law Certificate from the University College of London, Faculty of Laws.
Kash began his career as a public defender in Florida where he led or co-led more than 60 jury trials to verdict in state and federal courts. Kash has clearly demonstrated devotion to upholding the rule of law and defending the rights of individuals.
Kash led the defense of Jose Buitrago in United States v. Buitrago, a high-profile drug case in Florida in 2015. Buitrago was one of the Colombian nationals arrested in a major drug bust involving Operation BACRIM. Kash and his co-counsel successfully argued that key evidence was withheld by the prosecution, leading to Buitrago’s release. I suspect some of Kash’s disdain for prosecutorial misconduct stems from this firsthand experience.
Kash was hired as senior counsel on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence in 2017. He told me he distinctly remembers my friend Trey Gowdy’s comment shortly after they were introduced. He said, “Kash, Congress is where righteous investigations go to die, I hope you’re ready.” Kash wasready and he went on to establish a solid reputation for pursuing the facts. From there, he held senior posts at the NSC, DoD, and DNI.
Since leaving the administration after 2020, Kash has written articles and books on national security, law, and governance. Through his work as an author, Kash continues to advocate for justice and transparency and to be ever vigilant in defending our great democracy and the rule of law.
Colleagues, I’ve created a Kash BINGO that is available to any of my colleagues who would like on the other side of the aisle. Some may view this as an unserious caricature and not appropriate for this committee, but sadly I consider it a serious caricature of what I expect to be witnessed today. I think we will have words like “enemies list” and “deep state”, but the fact of the matter is some people will be here to substantiate a false narrative. At worst, they may just be going through an unfounded litany of quote and half quote and half-truths, some that have already been dispelled in the Chairman’s opening statement.
In my 10 years in the Senate, I hope I have established a reputation for being fair, doing my homework, and taking tough positions that have been met with harsh criticism. Heck, I’ve been censured by my party for taking tough positions, and I stand by those positions today and my position to support Kash Patel.
When President Trump announced his intent to nominate Kash, I contacted Trey Gowdy and others who’ve worked with Kash, and they gave glowing recommendations. So, I called Kash on December 2nd and offered to help with his nomination. Since then, we’ve spent hours together in person and on the phone.
I’ve asked him difficult questions and I’ve urged him to reach out to members across the aisle. He’s met with 60 members of the U.S. Senate, including several members of this committee.
Chair Grassley, Ranking Member Durbin, friends, and colleagues on the committee. I’ve completed my due diligence on Kash Patel, and I am honored to provide my strongest recommendation for his confirmation.
Canada is a top destination for international students, with over one million studying at various levels in 2023. International students contribute billions of dollars to the Canadian economy and much more to our social fabric.
But recent policy changes and increased public scrutiny have created a challenging environment for these students and the higher education institutions that host them.
After a decade of rapid growth, the federal government has implemented a two-year cap on international student permits, reducing undergraduate admissions by 35 per cent in 2024 and an additional 10 per cent in 2025.
This controversial decision aims to address growing concerns about the impact of international students and unchecked immigration on Canada’s economy, housing and public services.
An ongoing longitudinal research study at Thompson Rivers University (TRU) , which engages international students’ views and experiences through both surveys and interviews, sheds light on the lived experiences of international students amid these dramatic policy shifts. I have led this research with international graduate student research assistants.
Shifts from 2016 to 2024: housing
The first round of our study drew on a 2016 survey of more than 100 international students at TRU, and interviews with 14 from the same pool. We recently surveyed a further 215 international TRU students and conducted in-depth interviews with 14 more participants from various nations including India and China, across a range of undergraduate and graduate programs.
Our newest research findings revealed major challenges faced by international students, particularly in housing and finances. This echoes other findings that indicate the housing situation for international students has worsened over the past decade.
Over 55 per cent of students reported difficulties finding suitable accommodations, with many experiencing systemic racial discrimination in the rental market. Financial struggles were also prevalent, with about one-third of participants indicating insufficient financial support or uncertainty about their financial situation.
On a positive note, fewer students reported experiencing racism on campus in 2024 than in 2016.
In 2016, when students were asked to say to what extent they agreed with the statement “I encountered racism at university,” there were a wide range of statements: 14 per cent strongly agreed and 21 per cent agreed; 25 per cent strongly disagreed; 16 per cent disagreed and 23 per cent were undecided.
This was the only question that had such a pattern of responses spread evenly across the five-point scale. In 2024, only 13.5 per cent agreed or strongly agreed with this statement.
But in interviews, many students commented upon encountering racism and exploitation when job hunting or searching for housing accommodations. For example, one student reported that when seeking to renegotiate a lease due to problems with a roommate, the landlord threatened to take action to revoke their student visa.
In surveys and interviews, students lamented the dearth of co-op programs, work-integrated learning and experiential opportunities for their future success in Canada. This aligns with recent data from the Canadian Bureau for International Education, which found that 70 per cent of international students plan to apply for post-graduate work permits, and 57 per cent intend to seek permanent residency.
Students’ responses fell into three main themes: cross-cultural exchange, mutual learning and community building, and personal growth through international experiences. These findings were consistent across different nationalities and genders, suggesting a shared understanding of internationalization among diverse student groups.
A student carrying a backpack walks on campus at Trinity Western University in Langley, B.C., in 2017.
To address these challenges and support international students, our research recommends that universities continue to diversify their pools of international students by increasing scholarships for students from marginalized regions.
This matters in the wake of the recent announcement to reduce immigration targets from 485,000 in 2024 to 365,000 by 2027. This policy direction creates uncertainty for many international students hoping to build their futures in Canada.
This shift comes as public support for immigration has dramatically decreased, reaching an all-time low. Fifty-eight per cent of Canadians now believe the country accepts too many immigrants — a 31-point increase since 2022.
We also suggest fostering deeper cross-cultural understanding among university staff and domestic students, establishing program-specific student support centres with peer mentoring. The fragile school-to-work transition needs to be better facilitated through co-op education and other work-integrated learning opportunities. Action from policymakers to address systemic barriers in housing and employment is also needed.
Welcoming destination for global talent
International students contribute significantly to Canada’s economy, cultural diversity and multicultural society.
Government, educators, universities and employers have roles to play in reframing the “internationalization” of higher education. There is a need to balance economic rationales with social and academic outcomes, including a focus on global citizenship education for all students.
In the shadow of Donald Trump’s second presidency in the United States, which is amplifying xenophobic rhetoric and action against migrants, and amid major shifts in Canada’s federal landscape, it is important to take inventory of how changing government immigration policies can have a profound impact on Canada.
It is crucial to consider the perspectives of international students. Their insights matter for helping to shape policies and practices that affect their educational experiences, future opportunities in Canada and the very social fabric of Canada.
By addressing students’ challenges and the barriers they encounter, and by supporting their successes, we can ensure that Canada remains a welcoming destination for global talent.
Surbhi Sagar and Athira Pushpamgathan contributed to this research and co-authored this story.
Edward R. Howe 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 – Canada – By Camellia Bryan, Assistant Professor, Organizational Behaviour and Human Resources Division, Sauder School of Business, University of British Columbia
In the corporate world, DEI programs aimed at addressing systemic barriers that have historically disadvantaged marginalized groups are facing growing resistance, with backlash becoming increasingly visible in workplaces and in public discourse.
High-profile companies like Amazon, Meta, McDonalds and Target have been cancelling their DEI programs since last year. Although others, like Costco and Apple, have said they’re retaining theirs.
The backlash against DEI isn’t just about individuals rejecting change; it reveals deeper tensions in how people see themselves and their place in society.
Backlash often emerges from employees who belong to dominant social identity groups that hold disproportionate access to power and resources. Examples include white people in North America, men in patriarchal societies or heterosexual individuals in hetero-normative cultures.
For these employees, DEI initiatives can sometimes feel threatening. Why? Because such efforts highlight inequalities and challenge assumptions about fairness, merit and the status quo. When someone identifies strongly with their group — whether as a white person, a man or a member of another dominant identity — they may see DEI initiatives as attacks on their assumptions. This discomfort is known as social identity threat.
For instance, when a company introduces a gender equity policy aimed at addressing women’s under-representation in leadership, some men might perceive this as unfair. Their response — whether it’s skepticism, defensiveness or outright resistance — reflects a defensive reaction to that threat.
Beyond defensiveness: A path to learning
Traditional approaches to managing DEI backlash often focus on mitigating threat: providing reassurance, avoiding confrontation or encouraging self-affirmation (“DEI isn’t about you; it’s about everyone”). Yet these approaches miss an important point: social identity threat doesn’t have to result in defensiveness or backlash. It can also inspire reflection, learning and growth.
Our research draws on transformational learning theory, which explains how adults change their understanding of the world in response to disorienting experiences.
According to this theory, when people encounter information that challenges their assumptions, they can engage in a process of deep reflection. By questioning their beliefs and seeking out new perspectives, individuals can develop more accurate, inclusive interpretations of themselves and others.
Consider the story of Caolan Robertson, a former alt-right filmmaker in the United Kingdom.
For years, Robertson worked with extremist figures to produce anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim content that garnered millions of views online. Then, in 2019, Robertson saw media coverage of mosque shootings, where 51 people were killed by a white supremacist. The tragedy rattled him.
In Robertson’s own words, the event forced him to confront his assumptions about white identity and how it can be involved in violence and extremism. What began as an overwhelming sense of disorientation turned into a period of deep reflection. Robertson eventually rejected his old beliefs, began speaking out against extremism, and co-founded an organization to help others de-radicalize.
Similar learning occurs on smaller scales in workplaces every day. For example, a male manager who initially feels threatened by gender equity policies might, over time, come to recognize the barriers women face at work and become an advocate for change. Or a white employee who feels uncomfortable during discussions about racism might come to see how privilege has shaped their experiences.
Creating conditions for growth
So how can organizations turn social identity threat into an opportunity for learning rather than backlash? We propose three strategies:
1. Foster a “learning-oriented” DEI climate
Organizations must shift how they frame DEI initiatives. Instead of treating these efforts as compliance-driven checkboxes, companies should position DEI as a chance for employees to learn, grow and contribute to a more inclusive workplace. A strong diversity climate — where differences are valued, and conversations about identity are encouraged — creates a safe space for reflection. Our research shows that when employees feel that diversity is part of their organization’s mission, they’re more likely to approach identity threats as a learning opportunity.
2. Encourage dialogue across perspectives
One of the most effective ways to challenge harmful assumptions is through dialogue across perspectives — open conversations where employees with different lived experiences share their perspectives and provide feedback. This kind of dialogue requires psychological safety: employees need to feel secure enough to express their views, even when those views are incomplete or flawed. Importantly, these conversations don’t always have to occur between dominant and marginalized group members. Dialogue with other dominant-group colleagues who have already reflected on their identities can also provide valuable insights.
3. Support incremental progress
Transformational learning doesn’t happen overnight. Employees may initially engage in surface-level reflection, revising specific assumptions without challenging deeper systems of inequality. Over time, they may progress to deep-level reflection, critically analyzing the foundational beliefs that shape their identity. Organizations can support this incremental progress by recognizing small steps and encouraging continued learning.
Discomfort: A powerful motivator for change
The backlash to DEI efforts is often framed as evidence that the initiative is failing, but it can also be understood as a natural part of the learning process.
Social identity threat is uncomfortable, but it can serve as a powerful motivator for change when organizations provide the right tools and support.
Companies that ignore backlash risk deepening resistance and undermining their DEI goals. However, organizations that embrace discomfort as an opportunity for growth can transform their workplaces into spaces where employees are not only more inclusive but also more reflective, empathetic and engaged.
Backlash isn’t the end of the story — it’s the beginning of a conversation.
The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Ecosystems and species across the natural world are in serious trouble. The vast majority of Australians want more government action, but it’s not being delivered.
Take, for example, the federal government commitment to end extinctions via its Nature Positive plan. Or consider its promise to overhaul Australia’s environmental legislation and create a new independent regulator. Progress on both hasfaltered.
The biodiversity crisis calls for systemic change in humanity’s relationship with nature. This requires bold policy action from governments. Our new research examined how everyday people can help achieve this.
We mined the insider knowledge of politicians, senior public servants and environmental advocates. The participants were Victoria-based, but their advice applies more broadly.
Here, we present a recipe for achieving real, lasting change for the natural world.
1. Be prepared for a long haul
Change can take a long time. Be willing and able to see out the process. As one government interviewee told us:
[Change] is not going to happen by one research paper, one meeting, one event, it’s gonna be a whole range of things over a sustained period of time.
Also, find support. Our interviewees told us the most successful campaigns often happen when like-minded individuals band together. This provides the social support needed to stay the course.
Remember, change is possible. As one government interviewee told us, this is especially true in marginal seats, where “constant ongoing campaigning at every level” can shift the dial.
There is very likely a community group advocating for nature near you. These groups sometimes link up with larger, better-funded environment groups, to access their resources and networks.
Identify who you need to influence. The person holding the lever might not be a politician, but a public servant. Or public servants might rally for a cause internally, sometimes partnering with community groups.
So how do you find this key person? Build your networks. Start talking to people in your community and get to know your local elected representatives. Find out what they care about and pitch your message to appeal to their values and concerns.
One interviewee told us community groups would benefit from knowing more about how the system works:
What are the bits that can actually change? […] Community members can be a bit aggressive in trying to drive through their challenge without understanding why they’ve been ignored in the past, or feel that they’ve been ignored.
As another government interviewee told us:
People don’t see how much power they have if they just use their voice and use it in a constructive way.
3. Be strategic
Choose whether to work with the government, or challenge it publicly.
Environmental advocates can work alongside government to design solutions together. For example, a community group might work with their local council to design and implement management of a bush reserve. Big non-government environment groups often work in this way, relying on strong relationships with government insiders to achieve change.
The opposite strategy is an “outsider” approach, which, at the extreme end, might include physically disrupting industry. Think chaining yourself to a tree in a forest pegged for logging or ramming a ship into a commercial whaling vessel.
A less extreme outsider approach might be seeking to get your issue into the media to build public interest to get something on the political agenda.
Both approaches have their merits in the right context. As one staff member of an environment group told us:
We’re going to put on the suits […] and we’re not going to scale their buildings and release confidential information that they’ve given us to the media […] I don’t judge those that have that theory of change, because we need both, we need the really extreme advocacy to make us look mainstream and medium and reasonable.
4. Seize the moment
Identify when your advocacy might be most effective. It might be an upcoming election or budget, or when a policy is being reviewed.
Or it might be something less predictable, such as a bushfire, flood or other environmental disaster. In those cases, nature conservation issues are suddenly all over the media. It might be a chance for real change.
Effective advocates know how to identify, create, and be prepared for these windows. As one staff member at an environmental group told us:
Some organizations talk about making change. But that’s a harder exercise. Often it’s a sort of a
catching a wave of something else, or waiting for the opportunity.
The upcoming federal election is one such opportunity. The lead up is a good time to advocate for nature. Speak with your local politician and their competitors about the change you want to see.
If not us, who?
These are well-tested, effective actions you can use to achieve positive policy change for the environment. But remember, the system is dynamic. New methods and approaches will emerge as technologies, modes of communication and other factors evolve.
Governments, however, are a permanent fixture in the system. They stand to benefit politically by engaging with community and advocacy groups. So there is enormous potential for everyday people to genuinely make a difference.
Environmental crises can seem overwhelming, but we can – and must – try to make a difference. Because, as the old adage goes: if not us, who? And if not now, when?
The authors acknowledge Fern Hames and Kim Lowe for their contributions to this article.
Lily van Eeden receives funding from the Australian Research Council. Lily was previously employed by the Victorian government.
Liam Smith is a Councillor on the Biodiversity Council.
Sarah Bekessy receives funding from the Australian Research Council, the National Health and Medical Research Council, the Ian Potter Foundation and the European Commission. She is a Lead Councillor with The Biodiversity Council, a board member of Bush Heritage Australia, a member of the WWF Eminent Scientists Group and an advisor to ELM Responsible Investment, the Living Building Challenge and Wood for Good.
Source: United States Senator Pete Ricketts (Nebraska)
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts (R-NE)celebrated President Trump’s signing of the Laken Riley Act, with Sarah’s Law included. Ricketts made the comments while on a conference call with Nebraska media.
“Today, President Trump signed the Laken Riley Act into law. This is landmark legislation,” Ricketts said. “It’s a turning point in our fight to secure our border and keep Americans safe. It’s the strongest immigration legislation signed into law in decades. It closes the dangerous loopholes that have allowed criminal illegal aliens to roam our country and hurt innocent Americans.”
Ricketts highlighted the inclusion of Sarah’s Law in the legislation. Sarah’s Law is named in honor of Sarah Root. In 2016, Sarah was killed in Omaha by a drunk driver illegal alien named Eswin Mejia. She was killed just hours after graduating from Bellevue University.Due to a loophole in federal law, Mejia posted bail, was released from jail, and was never held accountable for his crime. Sarah’s Law, named in honor of Sarah Root, eliminates that loophole.
“Sarah’s Law – originally introduced by Senator Joni Ernst of Iowa – requires Immigration and Customs Enforcement – or ICE – to detain illegal aliens criminally charged with killing or seriously injuring another person,” Ricketts continued. “It also requires that ICE must make reasonable efforts to notify victims’ families when they encounter a illegal alien covered by the law. Sarah’s Law puts the safety and security of Americans first.”
“Last November, Americans spoke loudly and clearly,” Ricketts closed. “They demanded change. They demanded border security. Thanks to President Trump and Senate Republicans, Americans are getting what they voted for. Sarah’s Law is now the law of the land.”
[embedded content]
TRANSCRIPT:
Senator Ricketts: “Today, President Trump signed the Laken Riley Act into law.
“This is landmark legislation.
“It’s a turning point in our fight to secure our border and keep Americans safe.
“It’s the strongest immigration legislation signed into law in decades.
“It closes the dangerous loopholes that have allowed criminal illegal aliens to roam our country and hurt innocent Americans.
“The inclusion of Sarah’s Law is a crucial component of this legislation.
“Nine years ago, Sarah Root was killed in a car crash in Omaha by an illegal alien named Eswin Mejia (Meh-he-uh).
“Just hours before, Sarah had graduated from Bellevue University. She was 21 years old.
“She had her whole life ahead of her. She had her life taken from her by an illegal alien drunk driver.
“Her killer’s blood alcohol level was three times the legal limit.
“Due to a loophole in federal law, he posted bail, was released from jail, and was never seen again.
“He was never held accountable for the tragedy he caused.
“That’s wrong. It should have never happened.
“Sarah’s Law will end that loophole.
“Sarah’s Law – originally introduced by Senator Joni Ernst of Iowa – requires Immigration and Customs Enforcement – or ICE – to detain illegal aliens criminally charged with killing or seriously injuring another person.
“It also requires that ICE must make reasonable efforts to notify victims’ families when they encounter a illegal alien covered by the law.
“Sarah’s Law puts the safety and security of Americans first.
“For years, members of the Nebraska and Iowa delegations pushed for this law.
“For years, Senate Democrats blocked it.
“Last November, Americans spoke loudly and clearly.
“They demanded change. They demanded border security.
“Thanks to President Trump and Senate Republicans, Americans are getting what they voted for.
“Sarah’s Law is now the law of the land.
“The tragic stories of Laken Riley and Sarah Root are painful reminders of the consequences of failed open border policies.
“These women had bright futures ahead of them.
“Laken was a dedicated nursing student.
“Sarah was a recent college graduate.
“Both were taken from their loved ones far too soon.
“Both were killed by illegal aliens who should never have been allowed in our country.
“By passing the Laken Riley Act with Sarah’s Law included, we’ve taken action to prevent such tragedies from happening again.
“It will put Americans first and keep Americans safe.”
Shri Dharmendra Pradhan meets delegation from University of Southampton UoS Delhi NCR campus will offer high quality education driven by research, innovation and real-world applications to both Indian and international students – Shri Dharmendra Pradhan
Posted On: 30 JAN 2025 9:48PM by PIB Delhi
Union Minister for Education, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, met with a delegation from the University of Southampton and the British Council in India today in New Delhi. Also present at the meeting were Secretary of the Department of Higher Education, Shri Vineet Joshi; President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Southampton, Prof. Mark E. Smith; Country Director of the British Council in India, Ms. Alison Barrett MBE; along with other officials from the Ministry.
Shri Dharmendra Pradhan highlighted that as a globally top-100 university and the first foreign institution to establish a campus in India, the University of Southampton Delhi NCR campus will provide high-quality education rooted in research, innovation, and real-world applications for both Indian and international students. He emphasized that this initiative marks a crucial step in India’s journey toward the internationalization of education, supporting the Study in India program and advancing global education standards domestically, as envisioned in NEP 2020.
During the discussion, Prof. Smith briefed the Minister on the progress of the University of Southampton’s Delhi NCR campus.
Devi Ahilyabai Holkar: A Visionary Leader Who Embodied Strength and Compassion – Prof. Uma Vaidya Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) organized a special lecture on the life and legacy of Devi Ahilyabai Holkar,
Posted On: 30 JAN 2025 8:36PM by PIB Delhi
The Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), in collaboration with the Lokmata Ahilyabai Trishatabdi Samaroh Samiti, organized a special lecture on the life and legacy of Devi Ahilyabai Holkar, titled ‘Devi Ahilya – Empress Renunciate’. The lecture was delivered by Prof. Uma Vaidya, former Vice-Chancellor of Kavikulaguru Kalidas Sanskrit University, Ramtek, Maharashtra. The event was chaired by Padma Vibhushan Dr. Sonal Mansingh, a former Member of Parliament and Trustee of IGNCA. Adding to the distinguished presence was Dr. Sachchidanand Joshi, Member Secretary of IGNCA, and Prof. ShashiPrabha Kumar, Chairperson of IIAS, Shimla. Prof. Richa Kamboj , HoD, Kaladarsana Division was also present. The enriching session delved into the extraordinary life of Devi Ahilyabai, a ruler whose leadership, compassion, and foresight continue to inspire generations.
Professor Uma Vaidya gave an in-depth discussion on the social, cultural, and administrative contributions of the people’s queen, Devi Ahilyabai Holkar. She presented an elaborate and insightful account of Ahilyabai Holkar’s 70 years of life and work, focusing on the meanings of the words Devi and Ahilya. While delivering her lecture Prof. Vaidya said, “It is a great privilege to speak about Devi Ahilyabai Holkar, a masterpiece in God’s creation. Her life exemplifies the values of a true leader-someone who not only ruled with grace but nurtured her people like her own children. Etymologically, the name ‘Ahalya’ can be interpreted as ‘unploughed land,’ symbolising purity and pristine nature. The name Ahilya embodies purity, symbolising strength and resilience. This essence resonates with Devi Ahilyabai’s character, reflecting her unwavering determination and virtuous leadership. Through her life and actions, she exemplified the qualities her name represents, leaving an enduring legacy of compassion and dedication.
In Indian tradition, the term Devi is used not only to signify a ‘shining lady’ but also denotes divinity. Ahilyabai’s leadership embodied this divine essence, as she cared for her subjects (Praja) with the devotion of a mother, earning her the title of ‘Lokmata’. Ahilyabai’s life trajectory is both inspiring and rare, particularly during an era dominated by foreign rule. Her contributions spanned economic, political, diplomatic, and military domains, complemented by her philanthropy and commitment to public service. She stands as an exemplar of a woman ruler who balanced strength and compassion, values and action. Ahilyabai truly deserves the title ‘Empress Renunciate’- a leader who wielded power selflessly for the welfare of her people. She epitomised values, character, and a spirit of renunciation, leaving an indelible mark as a woman leader whose impact transcends time.
In her chair address, Dr. Sonal Mansingh highlighted various events from Devi Ahilyabai’s life, shedding light on her remarkable personality and accomplishments. She mentioned that during Raghoba’s intent to attack Indore, Devi Ahilyabai displayed exemplary courage, foresight, and strategic acumen, serving as a source of inspiration for all of us. Meanwhile, Prof. Shashi Prabha Kumar introduced the programme and later presented a summary of Prof. Uma Vaidya’s speech to the audience.
Expressing his thoughts, Dr. Sachchidanand Joshi said, “It is a matter of pride for us that the entire nation is celebrating the tri-centenary of ‘Punyashloka’ Ahilyabai. Commemorating her 300th birth anniversary is a way to honour our social commitment and recall the spirituality deeply ingrained in our country. We all know that the kind of work Ahilyabai Holkar accomplished amidst the complex challenges of her time can serve as an inspiration to anyone. At the end of the program, Professor Richa Kamboj expressed her gratitude to the speakers, guests, and visitors.
Meeting of Government with Leaders of Political Parties held today Meeting attended by 52 Leaders from 36 political parties
Posted On: 30 JAN 2025 7:59PM by PIB Delhi
A meeting was held under the Chairmanship of Shri Raj Nath Singh, Union Minister of Defence with Leaders of political parties today (30th January, 2025) in Parliament House Complex, New Delhi to discuss issues relating to ensuing Budget Session of Parliament, 2025. The meeting was called by Shri Kiren Rijiju, Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs. The meeting was also attended by Union Minister for Health & Family Welfare and Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers, Shri Jagat Prakash Nadda, who is also Leader of the House in Rajya Sabha, Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Law & Justice and Minister of State in the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal and Minister of State in the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs and Minister of State in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Dr. L. Murugan. In total, the meeting was attended by 52 Leaders from 36 political parties including Ministers.
At the outset, Shri Rajnath Singh, Minister of Defence made introductory remarks and welcomed all the Leaders attending the meeting and thereafter, Minister of Parliamentary Affairs conducted the meeting. He informed the leaders that the Budget Session, 2025 of Parliament will commence on Friday the 31st January, 2025 and subject to exigencies of Government Business, the session may conclude on Friday the 4th April, 2025. During this period, both the Houses will be adjourned for recess on Thursday, the 13th of February, 2025 to reassemble on Monday, the 10th of March, 2025 to enable the Standing Committees to examine the Demands for Grants of various Ministries/Departments and make their Reports thereon. The Session will provide a total of 27 sittings (09 sittings in first part and 18 sittings in second part) spread over a period of 64 days.
Shri Rijiju further stated that Session will mainly be devoted to the Financial Business relating to Union Budget for 2025-26 and discussion on the Motion of Thanks on President’s Address. However, essential Legislative and other Business will also be taken up during the Session. He mentioned that Economic survey of India and Union Budget for 2025-26 will be presented to Parliament on Friday, the 31st of January, 2025 and the Saturday, 1st February, 2025 respectively. He also informed thattentatively 16 items of legislative business and 3 items of financial business have been identified for being taken up during this session.
The Minister of Parliamentary Affairs also stated that the Government is prepared and ready to discuss any other important issue on the floors of the Houses as per rules of both Houses. Leaders of different political parties expressed their views on various issues likely to be raised by them during the forthcoming Budget Session of Parliament and assured the Government to provide full co-operation. He also thanked all the Hon’ble Leaders for attending the meeting, expressing their views and for their active and effective participation.
LIST OF BILLS LIKELY TO BE TAKEN UP DURING BUDGET SESSION, 2025
I – LEGISLATIVE BUSINESS
The Banking Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024
The Railways (Amendment) Bill, 2024
The Disaster Management (Amendment) Bill, 2024
The Oilfields (Regulation and Development) Amendment Bill, 2024
The Boilers Bill, 2024
The Readjustment of Representation of Scheduled Tribes in Assembly Constituencies of the State of Goa Bill, 2024
The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024
The Mussalman Wakf (Repeal) Bill, 2024
The Bills of Lading Bill, 2024
The Carriage of Goods by Sea Bill, 2024
The Coastal Shipping Bill, 2024
The Merchant Shipping Bill, 2024
The Finance Bill, 2025
The Protection of Interests in Aircraft Objects Bill, 2025
The “Tribhuvan” Sahkari University Bill, 2025
The Immigration and Foreigners Bill, 2025
II – FINANCIAL BUSINESS
Discussion and voting on Demands for Grants for the year 2025-26 and introduction, consideration and passing/return of the related Appropriation Bill.
Discussion and voting on Second and Final Batch of Supplementary Demands for Grants for the year 2024-25 and introduction, consideration and passing/return of the related Appropriation Bill.
Discussion and voting on Demands for Excess Grants for the year 2021-22 and introduction, consideration and passing/return of the related Appropriation Bill.
Gaming is no longer a niche activity reserved for a select few – it’s a global pastime enjoyed by people of all ages, backgrounds and interests. In fact, studies show 81% of Australians engage in some form of gaming.
But for those who don’t consider themselves “gamers”, it can be hard to know where to start. The idea of picking up a complex, console-focused title might feel intimidating.
But fear not. Whether you’re looking for a game that’s mentally stimulating, addictive enough to help kill time, or simply something everyone can enjoy, there are plenty of options. Here are our top picks for beginners.
1. Real Bird Fake Bird
Since Wordle’s meteoric rise in 2022, we’ve seen a wave of daily browser games, including Tradle, Vulture’s Cinematrix and the New York Times’ Connections.
The Melbourne-based developers behind the critically acclaimed Scrabble-esque Gubbins have created the newest addition to this list: Real Bird Fake Bird.
The premise is simple. Each day you’re given a topic, and are supposed to guess whether seven different things are “real” or “fake” examples of that topic. For instance, Adele is a real example of a Grammy winner, but “sun condemnation” is a fake example of a yoga pose.
Sounds simple, right? It’s harder than it seems. The lists often have devilish examples of fakes that seem real, and real things that seem fake, leaving you second-guessing.
And just like with Wordle, you can share your score with friends once you’ve made all seven guesses. It’s a great way to spend a minute of your day.
You can share your Real Bird Fake Bird score with your friends. Studio Folly
Then there’s a hypnotic re-imagining of the card game poker, Balatro, (playable everywhere).
Each round involves playing poker hands to hit a points target, but these hands can be upgraded and augmented by a deck of “jokers” that favour particular poker hands or combinations of cards. Hands swiftly ascend to scoring tens of thousands (if not millions) of points per hand, in a near-perfect gameplay loop that combines card-game logic with the immersive flow of games like Tetris.
Balatro, largely developed by a single, anonymous developer, was one of 2024’s biggest hits. It sold more than 3,500,000 copies, won best indie game and best mobile game at the Game Awards 2024, and even secured a surprise nomination for game of the year.
This is the gaming equivalent of an anonymous independent filmmaker getting a nod for Best Picture at the Oscars.
3. The Case/Rise of the Golden Idol
This recommendation is targeted at mystery lovers. If you, or someone you know, can’t get enough of films like Knives Out (2019) or mystery books like The Thursday Murder Club, then the Golden Idol series (2022 and 2024) may be the perfect fit.
Each level shows the moment of a crime and it’s up to the player to interact with the characters and environment to fill in the blanks on a file explaining what happened.
With simple controls and a retro art style recalling the classic LucasArts adventure games, much of the joy in the Golden Idol games comes from the devious logic puzzles the cases provide.
One case revolves around placing the locations of all the house guests at an estate party, while another involves interpreting an entire language made out of dance moves. Combine these puzzles with a delightful sense of humour and a slightly mystical meta-narrative and these games will keep your inner detective occupied for hours.
The original and sequel are both Netflix games, and are available through Netflix on mobile and tablet.
4. Mouthwashing
Heavily inspired by the films Alien (1979) and The Shining (1980) – and not for the faint-of-heart – Mouthwashing (2024) is perfect for horror fans who want to dip their toes into the gaming world.
The cargo spaceship Tulpar is deliberately crashed by its captain mid-voyage. Unable to call for help, its five crew members can do nothing but wait for rescue. They open the hold in search of food or medicine, but instead find millions of bottles of mouthwash. Lost in space with minimal supplies, the crew begin to turn on each other – and wonder why their beloved captain crashed the ship in the first place.
A haunting story of human fallibility, Mouthwashing tells its tale through “walking sim” gameplay: the player simply wanders around the wreck of the Tulpar, interacting with objects and characters, without any complicated controls.
With a compelling cast, gorgeously surreal art direction and a focus on dread and despair (rather than jump scares), Mouthwashing is a wonderful introduction to the renaissance happening in horror games right now.
For those who have endless bird facts on hand, can identify a bird at a glance and look forward to the Aussie Bird Count each year, Wingspan is the perfect game.
The goal of this competitive, card-driven board game (which also has a videogame version) is to attract the best birds to various habitats by gathering food and laying eggs. Each player also has a randomly determined individual goal, which they can use to score extra points, making Wingspan very re-playable.
The best aspects of the game include the beautiful art and the delightful facts on each bird card. There is even an Oceania expansion, so you can gather and admire Australian birds, too!
Wingspan is a relaxing and captivating strategy card game about birds. Steam
Although Wingspan was released in 2018, last year its publisher, Stonemaier Games, also released Wyrmspan – a spiritual successor which focuses on hatching dragons instead of birds. Wyrmspan is more complex than Wingspan, though, and offers a steeper learning curve for less-experienced board game players.
Acknowledgement: we would like to acknowledge the contributions of Mads Mackenzie to this article, director of the upcoming game Drăculești and co-director of the Freeplay Independent Games Festival.
Marcus Carter is a recipient of an Australian Research Council Future Fellowship (#220100076) on ‘The Monetisation of Children in the Digital Games Industry’. He has previously received funding from Meta, TikTok and Snapchat, and has consulted for Telstra. He is a current board member, and former president, of the Digital Games Research Association of Australia.
Taylor Hardwick is employed under funding by the Australian Research Council (Future Fellowship #220100076; DECRA #240101275). She is a board member of Freeplay, a Melbourne-based independent games festival.
Finn Dawson and Ryan Stanton 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.
As January lingers on, families may find themselves struggling with what a friend of mine has labelled the “electronic nanny”.
Children have been out of their normal routines for weeks during the holidays. Some are still yet to go back to school. Meanwhile, parents are back at work and needing to juggle those commitments with bored kids.
How can families encourage healthy screen use as we ease back into the routine of a new school year?
Parental monitoring recommended
While screen use guidelines provide time limits, there is now a broader move among experts towards “curation over duration”.
This means it matters what children are watching – not simply how long they are watching it for.
Is the content age-appropriate? Is it educational or inspiring? Has it been well-reviewed)?
This means parents should play an active role in what content kids are viewing or engaging with. An easy way to do so is to view with children, or at a minimum be present in the same room and alert to what they are watching.
When you are “interactive co-viewing”, you not only watch together, you also discuss the content. This helps children engage with what they are watching and then make connections off-screen.
For example, if you are interested in a sea creature you see on Octonauts, you could go and find a book about it in the local library. Or you could discuss a moral dilemma you see on SpongeBob SquarePants: should SpongeBob have quit his job after another chef was mean about his cooking?
For older children, you could discuss plot points in films or strategies in games.
If possible, try to watch programs with your child and talk about what you are watching. Kevin Woblick/ Unsplash, CC BY
There are also lots of ways to use screens that can build skills and encourage critical thinking and creativity. Some things to try include:
producing a short film, or stop-motion animation, all the way from idea, to script, shooting and editing
taking and editing photos to make a calendar
exploring an area of interest, such as dinosaurs, the Titanic or ballet dancing, using sites such as ABC Education or PBS LearningMedia.
investigating generative artificial intelligence (AI). For example, test the capabilities of ChatGPT by asking it a question your child knows the answer to, and evaluating the response together. Does it contain all the relevant information? Is it fair and balanced?
exploring how easy it is to edit an image, and consider what this tells us about the potential for online misinformation.
Research shows interactive screen use – such as playing games or using educational apps – is more beneficial for kids than just passively viewing content. It can can even support literacy, numeracy and academic persistence.
You can also use screens to encourage physical activity. For example, these holidays, my little ones have enjoyed “shaking their sillies out” with dance-along videos by Danny Go!. They have also done “yoga in space” with Cosmic Kids.
Older kids may enjoy the dance fitness program Zumba, boxing or sports competitions on the Nintendo Switch.
It’s also important for kids to see parents doing things other than using phones and other screens when they have downtime. Parents play a powerful role modelling time away from screens.
Make sure your kids see you enjoy offline activities too, such as reading, playing sport and socialising. If you are struggling to do this as a family – and we all know it is is hard – think about revisiting some of the old standards. You could:
And remember, you are certainly not the only family telling your kids “this is the very last episode”. If today has been a struggle, take tomorrow to recharge and reconnect as a family. Screens are part of our lives today, and we are all striving to find balance.
Jennifer Stokes 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.
This rhetorical and ideological vagueness obscures a pivotal point: there is no such thing as a singular form of democracy.
The ACT Party is behind both bills, and its leader David Seymour has also justified the Treaty Principles Bill – now before select committee – as upholding and protecting democracy. He asks, “are we a modern democracy where all citizens have equal rights?”.
But democracy takes various forms, and has done for millennia. Derived from the Ancient Greek “demos” (people) and “kratos” (power or rule), the word broadly means “rule by, or power of, the people”. And this can be realised in a number of ways.
The classical Greek form was direct democracy, also known as deliberative or participatory democracy. This involved male citizens participating equally and directly in political decisions.
In contrast, the ancient Roman form was indirect, representative democracy. Representatives elected by eligible citizens made decisions on their behalf. This was the basic model enacted in the 1852 New Zealand Constitution Act, as in most modern democracies.
Other models exist, too. But the point is that democracy is an evolving concept. It’s wrong to assert that any type of governance or decision-making other than our existing system of representative democracy (one person, one vote, underpinned by the rule of law) is undemocratic or anti-democratic.
Tyranny of the majority
Many of the political mechanisms the current government wishes to dismantle – such as Māori wards and consultation processes – were established because of the problems associated with representative democracy.
It is widely accepted that political representation should reflect the different characteristics of a community. But what has been called the “tyranny of the majority” can lead to minorities being constantly outvoted.
Unable to gain representation in proportion to their population, their interests are excluded. In short, it is entirely possible for democracy to be applied in ways that promote inequality rather than equality.
The common interpretation of equality as meaning “sameness” – everybody receiving the same resources and opportunities – underlies the insistence that laws and policies must be applied regardless of individual and group difference. Anything else is unfair or “special” treatment.
However, these assertions overlook the bias of our institutions towards members of the dominant or majority culture, and the unequal outcomes (in health and elsewhere) for Māori people that have resulted in marginalisation and disadvantage.
Correcting that imbalance is a political challenge. As others have argued, “protecting minority rights is an equal characteristic of genuine democracy”.
Contentious legislation: the hīkoi (protest march) against the Treaty Principles Bill arrives at parliament, November 2024. Getty Images
Tino rangatiratanga and democracy
The term “equity” refers to this recognition of the inequalities that exist between people. Where these inequalities are avoidable and unfair, resources and opportunities need to be allocated to reach an equal outcome.
For Māori, the unfairness extends beyond unequal health and other socioeconomic outcomes. It involves the disregarded guarantees pledged by the Crown in te Tiriti o Waitangi/Treaty of Waitangi in 1840.
These included Māori rights of self-determination, or tino rangatiratanga, which is the source of so much contemporary debate.
Tino rangatiratanga challenges the singular base of power assumed by the Crown, and a “one size fits all” system of representation. But despite claims to the contrary, others argue upholding tino rangatiratanga is entirely possible within the realms of democracy.
The idea of “rule of and by the people” may take many forms, as the work of Matike Mai, the Independent Working Group on Constitutional Transformation, tries to demonstrate.
In proposing constitutional change, Matike Mai describes a sphere of influence based on the Māori-Crown relationship where “conciliatory and consensual democracy” operates.
Difference and equity
It has been argued that te Tiriti is “of its time” and should therefore be subject to reinterpretation. And yet the same argument is rarely made about notions of democracy and equality that have been with us since 1852.
This is relevant to many communities which experience avoidable and unfair health and social inequalities, not only Māori.
In September last year, a Cabinet Office circular required public sector agencies to ensure “services are not arbitrarily allocated on the basis of ethnicity or any other aspect of identity”.
On the face of it, this is a call for fair and equal treatment based on need. But the language suggests difference is about how an individual chooses to identify, rather than how their identity and circumstances cause them to be treated differently in the first place.
As long as this is the case, those differences and their associated needs will always be underserved.
Annabel Ahuriri-Driscoll 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: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth
January 29, 2025
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) in introducing the Mentoring to Succeed Act in recognition of January as National Mentoring Month. U.S. Representatives Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-09), Jesús “Chuy” García (D-IL-04) and Lori Trahan (D-MA-03) introduced companion legislation in the House earlier this week. This legislation would create a strong, sustainable support system through mentorship to help ensure that children who experience barriers like poverty, disability, adverse childhood experiences or drug or alcohol abuse, can successfully transition to high school, college and the workforce. The Mentoring to Succeed Act would strengthen investments in mentorship programs to help youth facing risk develop the academic, social and workforce skills that lead to success.
“Too many young people, particularly young people of color, don’t have access to the academic or economic opportunities that everyone deserves,” said Senator Duckworth. “At the same time, too many struggle with violence in their communities and other obstacles that stifle their dreams and their ambitions. Our nation’s children deserve a chance to reach their full potential, and mentoring programs have been proven to help students do just that. I’m proud to join my colleagues in re-introducing this legislation to help ensure every child gets the guidance and resources they need to succeed in school, in the workforce and in life.”
“Across Illinois and the country, young kids, especially from underserved communities, face obstacles like community violence and underfunded schools that have a dramatic impact on their ability to graduate from high school and transition to college and the workforce. But with the guidance of a mentor, youth could lean on a trusted adult to help them navigate these challenges,” said Senator Durbin. “I’m introducing the Mentoring to Succeed Act to ensure that our most vulnerable children have the opportunity to succeed and achieve their full potential with the guidance of a mentor.”
“Across the country, young kids lack access to the resources they need to thrive academically and succeed post-graduation,” said Senator Booker. “Mentorship programs have a proven track record of helping young people stay on track and achieve their dreams by providing a stable support system for the kids who don’t have one at home. The Mentoring to Succeed Act will expand access to high quality, trauma-informed mentorship programs and help at-risk kids receive the help, support, and skills they need to pursue their aspirations.”
“In celebration of National Mentoring Month, I am proud to reintroduce the Mentoring to Succeed Act in the House of Representatives,” said Congresswoman Schakowsky. “Whether it be the gun violence epidemic, the ongoing threat of climate change, the rising cost of college education, or anything in-between, today’s students are dealing with a lot and deserve access to a support system. The Mentoring to Succeed Act will give students that support system – through a mentor – helping them get the resources and support they need to thrive in school, the workforce, and beyond.”
A study by MENTOR found that 70 percent of today’s young people could remember a time when they wanted a mentor for support but did not have one. As a result, these youth missed out on the powerful effects of mentoring that have been shown to make a child more likely to enroll in college, participate regularly in sports and extracurricular activities, volunteer in their communities and hold leadership positions. Researchers at the University of Chicago found that Youth Guidance’s school-based mentoring program, Becoming a Man, reduced rates of arrests for violent crime, improved school engagement and increased high school graduation rates.
Mentoring programs help youth develop valuable workforce skills that employers are seeking and prepare young people for future apprenticeships, internships and workforce-based learning opportunities. A 2024 study found that 84 percent of employers say job candidates must demonstrate social and emotional skills, such as communication and problem-solving—with the majority of employers stating that these types of skills were the most important. The federal government can strengthen investments in mentoring programs to help youth facing significant barriers develop the academic, social and workforce skills that lead to success in career and life.
The Mentoring to Succeed Act would:
Invest in Mentoring Programs. Establish a three-year, competitive grant program that provides federal funding to establish, expand, or support mentoring programs.
Help Youth Overcome Adversity and Trauma. Provide grant recipients with funding to train mentors in trauma-informed practices and interventions to increase resilience in youth and reduce juvenile justice involvement.
Strengthen Workforce Readiness. Support partnerships with local businesses and private companies to help youth facing risk with hands-on career training and career exploration.
Close the Opportunity Gap. Give preference to applicants that develop a plan to help prepare youth facing barriers for college and the workforce.
Support Capacity Building. Support partnerships with nonprofit, community-based, and faith-based organizations to increase the number of youth facing risk served.
Enhance Youth Success. Provide grant recipients with funding for program evaluation and identification of successful strategies.
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