Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

India is witnessing a significant rise in respiratory diseases such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, prompting a rapid technological transformation across the country’s healthcare sector. Against this backdrop, India’s diagnostic imaging market is projected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7% through 2035, forecasts GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

According to GlobalData’s Medical Intelligence Center, India accounts for 20% of the Asia-Pacific (APAC) diagnostic imaging market in 2025. This share is set to increase further as healthcare providers upgrade the existing infrastructure and adopt more sophisticated imaging technologies to support the early diagnosis, precise treatment planning, and continuous monitoring of chronic respiratory conditions.

Priyanka Chakraborty, Medical Devices Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “India bears a high burden of respiratory diseases, driven by air pollution, smoking, and occupational exposures. Limited access to affordable healthcare leads to many cases being misdiagnosed, mismanaged, or undiagnosed. Addressing this growing disease burden requires significant expansion of diagnostic and imaging capabilities, while ensuring these services remain cost-effective and accessible to the broader population.”

In November 2025, Cipla launched the Breathefree Lung Wellness Centre in New Delhi, India’s first integrated lung diagnostics and wellness facility. It offers 60+ tests including X-ray, CT scan another advanced lung function tests for people with or at risk of lung disease. The center also provides smoking cessation, pulmonary rehabilitation, and nutrition support, offering comprehensive, accessible, and affordable respiratory care.

The center combines Cipla’s longstanding respiratory expertise with advanced technology and protocols, delivered by trained technical professionals to ensure accurate testing, prompt detection, and precise diagnosis.

Chakraborty concludes: “As affordable diagnostic imaging facilities such as Cipla’s Breathefree Lung Wellness Centre expand in India, they are set to boost rapid detection, improve diagnostic accuracy, and enhance long-term outcomes for patients with respiratory diseases. With rapid growth in its diagnostic infrastructure, the country is strengthening its role as a regional hub for affordable, technology-driven imaging solutions.”

Notes:

Quotes provided by by Priyanka Chakraborty, Medical Devices Analyst at GlobalData
This press release was written using data and information sourced from proprietary databases, primary and secondary research, and in-house analysis conducted by GlobalData’s team of industry experts

About GlobalData

4,000 of the world’s largest companies, including over 70% of FTSE 100 and 60% of Fortune 100 companies, make more timely and better business decisions thanks to GlobalData’s unique data, expert analysis and innovative solutions, all in one platform. GlobalData’s mission is to help our clients decode the future to be more successful and innovative across a range of industries, including the healthcare, consumer, retail, financial, technology and professional services sectors.

Marine fouling triggers ongoing economic losses for the global shipping industry through detrimental effects on structures and vessels – but tests by Flinders University researchers on a new type of anti-foul coating reveal a solution that is not detrimental to the environment.

Controlling marine fouling is complex, as many factors influence organism settlement on surfaces under water – and a majority of antifouling coatings that are currently in use are hazardous to the environment.

However, Flinders has successfully developed and tested a novel electrochemically active coating to remove macrofouling organisms and reduce microfouling attachment on marine surfaces.

“The development of an environmentally friendly antifouling treatment could revolutionise the shipping industry and eliminate any biosecurity risks,” says lead researcher Dr Tamar Jamieson, from the ARC Training Centre for Biofilm Research and Innovation at the College of Science and Engineering.

Items painted with the antifouling treatment were submerged in the Port Adelaide River harbor basin (at Osborne, South Australia) for 55 days. Scanning electron microscopy, flow cytometry, and 16S amplicon sequencing were undertaken to assess the antifouling efficacy of the coatings.

The results showed that no macro-fouling was present on any items coated with the electrochemical parameters – and a reduction in the number of attached micro-organisms was evident on the electrochemical coatings.

“An existing generation of antifouling coatings based on a slow release of biocides are generally not environmentally friendly and cause concerns of heavy metal pollution in harbors, marinas, and coastal water. The new environmentally friendly antifouling treatment eliminates those concerns,” explainsProfessor Mats Andersson, senior author of the new article published in the American Chemical Society journal  ES&T Water.

“While micro-fouling could not be prevented from developing on the marine surfaces, the electrochemical activity significantly reduced the number of cells that attached to the surface,” says Professor Andersson, from the Flinders Institute for Nanoscale Science & Technology.

“Therefore, this novel electrochemically-active coating could effectively reduce macrofouling – and, with further development, also microfouling. It marks a significant positive development in the efficiency of controlling micro-fouling and macro-fouling.”

Coauthor Professor Sophie Leterme, director of the ARC Biofilm Research and Innovation training centre at Flinders University, says biofouling research aims to significantly reduce maritime emissions and the cost of large-scale environmental programs to eradicate exotic marine species.

Understanding and improving the design of corrosion and biofouling control systems will have a major economic impact on maritime industries, with biofilm build-up on naval and other large carrier and cargo ships linked to 40% higher fuel consumption and the spread of exotic pests on marine vessels travelling between international ports.

The research – ‘Prokaryote Fouling Communities on Novel Electrochemically Active Coatings after Submersion in Port Adelaide River Harbor Basin’, by Tamar Jamieson, Sophie Leterme, Mohsen Chitsaz, Giles Best, Sait Elmas, Andrew Scardino, Richard Piola and Mats Andersson – has been published in ACS ES&T Water journal. DOI: 0.1021/acsestwater.5c00794

Acknowledgements: This project was funded by a Defence Innovation Partnership (DIP CRF01055) Collaborative Research Fund 2020, ARC Discovery Project (ARC DP210101243) and by the ARC Training Centre for Biofilm Research & Innovation (IC220100003).

December 10 2025 – The Federal Reserve's latest interest rate cut today strengthens the case for two further reductions in 2026, despite the central bank's deliberately cautious tone, predicts the CEO of one of the world's largest independent financial advisory organizations.

Nigel Green, CEO of deVere Group, says today's move confirms that US monetary policy has entered an easing phase that remains incomplete.

“This rate cut validates our view that restrictive policy is giving way to a slower, more measured recalibration,” he says. “The Fed's language is hawkish by design, yet the underlying signals continue to point toward additional easing next year.”

The Fed lowered borrowing costs by a quarter percentage point, taking its benchmark rate to a range of 3.5% to 3.75%.

Officials paired the move with messaging aimed at tempering expectations for rapid follow-up action, a combination that has quickly been described in markets as a “hawkish cut.”

He says that characterization supports deVere's forecast rather than undermining it.

“A hawkish cut is a hallmark of a central bank managing transition,” he says. “It reflects disagreement over timing, not direction.

“The Fed is easing while attempting to keep financial conditions from loosening too quickly.”

The internal divide within the rate-setting committee remains clear. Some policymakers argue that further cuts are needed to prevent a deeper slowdown in the labour market, where job growth has weakened noticeably this year.

Others warn that inflation could remain above target, particularly with tariffs introduced by President Donald Trump pushing up prices across parts of the economy.

Nigel Green says this split explains why the Fed is unlikely to commit to an aggressive path, but also why holding rates steady for too long would carry risk. “Policy remains restrictive in real terms,” he says.

“If hiring continues to cool and inflation does not reaccelerate, keeping rates at current levels into 2026 would tighten conditions by default.”

Labour-market dynamics form a key pillar of deVere's outlook. Employment weakness often develops gradually before becoming visible in headline figures. Once firms slow hiring and reduce job turnover, momentum rarely reverses quickly.

“The Fed is acting on forward-looking risk,” says Nigel Green. “By the time deterioration becomes obvious, the cost of delay rises sharply. Two cuts next year would reflect risk management rather than urgency.”

Inflation concerns, while valid, carry a different profile than during earlier phases of the tightening cycle. Tariff-related pressures raise prices but do not generate demand-driven momentum. As a result, higher rates offer limited offset.

“Monetary policy cannot reverse tariff effects,” says Nigel Green. “What it can do is compound the drag on growth if it remains overly tight. That asymmetry increases the likelihood of further adjustments once inflation shows stability rather than acceleration.”

Another factor reinforcing the forecast is the impending leadership transition at the Fed. Today's decision comes ahead of the announcement of a new chair, following President Trump's confirmation that a nomination will be made early next year. Jerome Powell's term ends in May, marking a sensitive institutional handover.

Nigel Green says such transitions typically favour continuity. “Incoming leadership rarely begins with abrupt shifts,” he says.

“Measured changes spread over time allow credibility to carry across administrations. That makes a series of modest cuts more likely than a prolonged pause.”

Financial conditions also argue in favour of further easing. Interest-sensitive sectors continue to face pressure, while credit availability remains tight for smaller businesses. Market pricing alone cannot resolve these constraints without follow-through from policy.

“Validating part of the adjustment through action reduces the risk of uneven tightening,” says Nigel Green. “Two cuts across 2026 would still leave policy disciplined.”

He adds that today's decision should be viewed as confirmation of trajectory rather than conclusion. “This was not a finishing move,” he says. “It was a controlled step in a longer process.”

Nigel Green concludes: “The Fed's hawkish cut does not close the door on further easing.

“It reinforces our expectation that next year brings additional reductions as policy aligns more closely with a slowing labour market and a changing leadership landscape.”

deVere Group is one of the world's largest independent advisors of specialist global financial solutions to international, local mass affluent, and high-net-worth clients.  It has a network of offices around the world, more than 80,000 clients, and $14bn under advisement.

Flipping the script on previous years, spending on blockbuster sport and music events overshadowed Black Friday sales in November.

11 December 2025

Key takeaways:

• Household spending rose 0.5 per cent in November, now at 5.5% for the year.
• Fuelled by marquee events, recreation spending surged 1.6% in November, the biggest lift across all categories.
• Electronic stores, clothing stores and furniture stores saw spending spikes due to sales activity.
• Household spending growth has been remarkably consistent throughout 2025, which could weigh on the RBA.

What drove spending in November?

November was a blockbuster month for experiences that had Australians reaching for their wallets, according to the latest CommBank Household Spending Insights (HSI) report.

The Ashes cricket series bowled over fans in Perth, while concerts by AC/DC, Oasis and Metallica took place across the country. Add in the release of the movie Wicked: For Good boosting cinema spending, and recreation became the clear standout over the month.

“Households prioritised experiences in November, and the month’s busy calendar of sport and entertainment provided a strong boost to spending,” said Belinda Allen, CBA Head of Australian Economics.

Which categories led and lagged in November?

The HSI showed household spending rose 0.5 per cent in November in seasonally adjusted terms, as nine of 12 categories recorded gains.

Recreation was the clear standout, up 1.6 per cent, followed by Insurance and Motor Vehicles (both +0.9 per cent). Hospitality and Household Goods also rose 0.7 per cent each.

On the downside, Utilities recorded a 2.1 per cent fall as the last of the energy rebate payments impacted the category over November, while Food and Beverage Goods slipped 0.2 per cent. Transport was flat for the month.

Electronics, clothing and furniture stores all recorded significant spending growth in November. Picture: AAP

What impact did Black Friday sales have?

Black Friday sales still contributed to spending growth in November, with electronic stores, clothing stores and furniture stores all recording significant spending lifts in November.

This category trailed recreation however, marking a shift from previous years when discount events dominated November. Australians appeared to spread their spending more evenly across categories and months this year, rather than concentrating purchases around major sales periods.

“Patterns of consumer spending have evolved over recent years as sales events have shifted to as early as October, and we’re seeing less lumpiness in spending as a result,” Allen said.

What’s the big picture for spending in 2025?

Consistency is the story, as consumers continue to record stronger spending in 2025 compared to previous years.

Annual growth in the CommBank Household Spending Insights (HSI) index sits at 5.5 per cent, underpinned by improved household incomes and wealth.

What does this mean for the economy and interest rates?

The resilience in household spending suggests the economy is entering 2026 with solid momentum. While discretionary categories are thriving, this sustained strength could influence monetary policy.

“The risk of a potential rate hikes in 2026 gained traction over the past month and is now elevated post the hawkish December RBA meeting. Robust spending will be part of that conversation, added Allen. “For now, households appear well-positioned, with incomes and savings supporting confidence.”

• The Wearable Imaging for Transforming Elderly Care (WITEC) collaborative research project aims to develop the world’s first wearable ultrasound imaging system for continuous, real-time monitoring and personalised diagnosis of chronic conditions such as hypertension and heart failure.
• WITEC is a multi-million dollar, multi-year initiative that brings together top researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Nanyang Technological University and the National University of Singapore, with Tan Tock Seng Hospital as its clinical collaborator.
• To support the research, WITEC is equipped with advanced tools such as Southeast Asia’s first Nanoscribe Quantum X sub-micrometre 3D printer and the most advanced Verasonics ultrasonic imaging system available in Singapore. 

Singapore, 10 Dec 2025 – What if ultrasound imaging is no longer confined to hospitals? Patients with chronic conditions, such as hypertension and heart failure, could be monitored continuously in real time at home or on the move, giving healthcare practitioners ongoing clinical insights instead of the occasional snapshots – a scan here and a check-up there. This shift from reactive, hospital-based care to preventative, community and home-based care could enable earlier detection and timely intervention, and truly personalised care.
 
Bringing this vision to reality, the Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology (SMART), Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s (MIT) research enterprise in Singapore, has launched a new collaborative research project – Wearable Imaging for Transforming Elderly Care (WITEC).
 
 
WITEC marks a pioneering effort in wearable technology, medical imaging, research and materials science. It is Singapore’s first centre dedicated to foundational research and development of the world’s first wearable ultrasound imaging system capable of 48-hour intermittent cardiovascular imaging for continuous and real-time monitoring and diagnosis of chronic conditions such as hypertension and heart failure.
 
This multi-million dollar, multi-year initiative, supported by the National Research Foundation (NRF) Singapore under its Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise (CREATE) programme, brings together top researchers and expertise from MIT, Nanyang Technological University (NTU Singapore) and the National University of Singapore (NUS). Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) is WITEC’s clinical collaborator and will conduct patient trials to validate long-term heart imaging for chronic cardiovascular disease management.
 
“Addressing society’s most pressing challenges requires innovative, interdisciplinary thinking. Building on SMART’s long legacy in Singapore as a hub for research and innovation, WITEC will harness interdisciplinary expertise – from MIT and leading institutions in Singapore – to advance transformative research that creates real-world impact and benefits Singapore, the US and societies all over. This is the kind of collaborative research that not only pushes the boundaries of knowledge, but also redefines what is possible for the future of healthcare,” said Bruce Tidor, Chief Executive Officer and Director (Interim), SMART.
 
Industry-leading precision equipment and capabilities
To support this work, WITEC’s laboratory is equipped with advanced tools, including Southeast Asia’s first Nanoscribe Quantum X sub-micrometre 3D printer and the latest Verasonics Vantage NXT 256 ultrasonic imaging system, which is the first unit of its kind in Singapore.
 
Unlike conventional 3D printers that operate at millimetre or micrometre scales, WITEC’s 3D printer can achieve sub‑micrometre resolution, allowing components to be fabricated at the level of single cells or tissue structures. With this capability, WITEC researchers can prototype bioadhesive materials and device interfaces with unprecedented accuracy — essential to ensuring skin‑safe adhesion and stable, long‑term imaging quality.
 
Prototype of WITEC’s customised patch ultrasonic transducers that adhere to the human body using bioadhesive gel soft materials (Photo: SMART WITEC)
 
Complementing this is the latest Verasonics ultrasonic imaging system. Equipped with a new transducer adaptor and supporting a significantly larger number of probe control channels than existing systems, it gives researchers the freedom to test highly customised imaging methods. This allows more complex beamforming, higher‑resolution image capture, and integration with AI‑based diagnostic models — opening the door to long‑duration, real‑time cardiovascular imaging not possible with standard hospital equipment.
 
Together, these technologies allow WITEC to accelerate the design, prototyping and testing of its wearable ultrasound imaging system, and to demonstrate imaging quality on phantoms and healthy subjects.
 
Transforming chronic disease care through wearable innovation
Chronic diseases are rising rapidly in Singapore and globally, especially among the ageing population and individuals with multiple long-term conditions. This trend highlights the urgent need for effective home-based care and easy-to-use monitoring tools that go beyond basic wellness tracking.
 
Current consumer wearables, such as smartwatches and fitness bands, offer limited physiological data like heart rate or step count. While useful for general health, they lack the depth needed to support chronic disease management. Traditional ultrasound systems, though clinically powerful, are bulky, operator-dependent, can only be deployed episodically within the hospitals, and are limited to snapshots in time — making them unsuitable for long-term, everyday use.
 
WITEC aims to bridge this gap with its wearable ultrasound imaging system that uses bioadhesive technology to enable up to 48 hours of uninterrupted imaging. Combined with AI-enhanced diagnostics, the innovation is aimed at supporting early detection, home-based pre-diagnosis and continuous monitoring of chronic diseases.
 
Beyond improving patient outcomes, this innovation could help ease labour shortages by freeing up ultrasound operators, nurses and doctors to focus on more complex care, while reducing demand for hospital beds and resources. By shifting monitoring to homes and communities, WITEC’s technology will enable patient self-management and timely intervention, potentially lowering healthcare costs and alleviating the increasing financial and manpower pressures of an ageing population.
 
Driving innovation through interdisciplinary collaboration
WITEC is led by the following Co-Lead Principal Investigators:

Prof Xuanhe Zhao, Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, MIT
Prof Joseph Sung, Senior Vice President (Health & Life Sciences), NTU Singapore, and Dean, Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine (LKCMedicine)
Prof Cher Heng Tan, Assistant Dean, Clinical Research, LKCMedicine
Prof Chwee Teck Lim, NUS Society Professor of Biomedical Engineering, NUS, and Director, Institute for Health Innovation and Technology, NUS
Prof Xiaodong Chen, Distinguished University Professor, School of Materials Science & Engineering, NTU

“We’re extremely proud to bring together an exceptional team of researchers from Singapore and the US to pioneer core technologies that will make wearable ultrasound imaging a reality. This endeavour combines deep expertise in materials science, data science, AI diagnostics, biomedical engineering and clinical medicine. Our phased approach will accelerate translation into a fully wearable platform that reshapes how chronic diseases are monitored, diagnosed and managed,” said Prof Xuanhe Zhao, Co-Lead Principal Investigator, WITEC.
 
Research roadmap with broad impact across healthcare, science, industry and economy
Bringing together leading experts across interdisciplinary fields, WITEC will advance foundational work in soft materials, transducers, microelectronics, data science and AI diagnostics, clinical medicine and biomedical engineering. As a deep tech R&D, its breakthroughs will have the potential to drive innovation in healthcare technology and manufacturing, diagnostics, wearable ultrasonic imaging, metamaterials, and AI-powered health analytics. WITEC’s work is also expected to accelerate growth in high-value jobs across research, engineering, clinical validation and healthcare services, and attract strategic investments that foster biomedical innovation and industry partnerships in Singapore, the US and beyond.
 
“Chronic diseases present significant challenges for patients, families, and healthcare systems, and with aging populations such as Singapore, those challenges will only grow without new solutions. Our research into a wearable ultrasound imaging system aims to transform daily care for those living with cardiovascular and other chronic conditions – providing clinicians with richer, continuous insights to guide treatment, while giving patients greater confidence and control over their own health. WITEC’s pioneering work marks an important step towards shifting care from episodic, hospital-based interventions to more proactive, everyday management in the community,” said Prof Joseph Sung, Co‑Lead Principal Investigator, WITEC.
 
Led by Dr Violet Hoon, Senior Consultant at TTSH, the clinical trials are expected to commence in early 2026 to validate long-term heart monitoring in the management of chronic cardiovascular disease. Through innovations in bioadhesive couplants, nanostructured metamaterials and ultrasonic transducers, over the next three years, WITEC aims to develop a cart-based bioadhesive ultrasound (BAUS) system capable of continuous, real-time monitoring and personalised diagnosis of medical conditions. In future stages, WITEC aims to develop a fully integrated portable BAUS platform capable of 48-hour intermittent imaging.
 
As MIT’s research enterprise in Singapore, SMART is committed to advancing breakthrough technologies that address pressing global challenges. WITEC adds to SMART’s existing research endeavours that foster a rich exchange of ideas through collaboration with leading researchers and academics from the US, Singapore, and around the world in key areas such as antimicrobial resistance, cell therapy development, precision agriculture, AI and 3D-sensing technologies.

The Global Coincident and Leading Barometers rise in December, with both surpassing slightly the 100-point mark for the first time since March of this year. This month's increases are primarily attributable to favourable developments in the Asia, Pacific & Africa region.

In December, the Global Economic Coincident Barometer rises by 1.4 points to 101.3 points, and the Leading Barometer rises by 1.5 points to 101.6 points. Among the regions, Asia, Pacific & Africa and, to a lesser extent, the Western Hemisphere contribute positively to the result, while the indicators for Europe remain stable in both time horizons.

“Although it is only slightly above its long-term average, the Coincident Global Barometer has reached its highest level since March 2022. It is the Western Hemisphere, and specifically the US, that is pulling this sentiment down. The latter also applies to the Leading Global Barometer. This does not mean that structural problems in Europe and Asia have been resolved. Rather, it suggests that the world economy can no longer depend on the US market to ensure demand to the same extent as before”, comments KOF Director Jan-Egbert Sturm.

Coincident Barometer – regions and sectors

The 1.4-point increase in the Coincident Barometer in December results from a positive contribution of 1.2 points from the Asia, Pacific & Africa region and a small contribution of 0.2 points from the Western Hemisphere. The Europe indicator remains stable this month. As a result, only the Western Hemisphere records levels below 100 points, despite improvements in the last two months, while the Asia, Pacific & Africa region reaches 102.2 points, its highest level since February 2022 (107.1 points).

Among the coincident sectoral indicators, only the Services sector decreases in the month. Wholesale and retail trade records the highest level among sectors for the third consecutive month.

Leading Barometer – regions and sectors

The Global Leading Barometer rises in December, with the Asia, Pacific & Africa and Western Hemisphere regions contributing positively with 0.9 and 0.6 points, respectively. Europe, as in the Coincident Barometer, remains stable in the month. As a result, only the Western Hemisphere remains below the 100-point level. The Leading Global Barometer leads the world economic growth rate cycle by three to six months on average.

Among the leading sectoral indicators, only wholesale and retail trade decreases in the month and remains below the 100-point level. Construction returns to the neutral level.

Chișinău, Republic of Moldova, December, 2025 –  AmCham Moldova has released the second edition of  METRIX, a comprehensive assessment of the Moldovan business climate that combines nationwide survey data, econometric policy impact modeling, and forward-looking indicators.

METRIX, the Moldovan Economic Transformation and Reform IndeX, measures how companies perceive the business environment across key domains such as taxation, labor, trade, digitalization, and human capital. Supported by Visa, Victoriabank, and the Netherlands Embassy to Chisinau, the second edition  shows a shift from initial optimism to a cautious, balanced outlook, signaling stabilizing expectations rather than deterioration. Overall sentiment remains neutral, with rising concerns in operational areas and enduring structural constraints in labor and regulatory predictability.

What is METRIX & why it matters

Developed by a team of  international experts organized by AmCham Moldova, METRIX combines three complementary analytical components: a nationwide statistically representative survey of companies across sectors, including a dedicated sample of AmCham members; qualitative interviews that capture deeper perspectives from the business community; and a comparative policy-impact assessment using a Vector Auto-Regression (VAR) model to benchmark Moldova against regional peers. Together, these elements form a coherent evidence framework that allows both policymakers and the private sector to understand how reforms shape the business environment in practice and to identify areas requiring further action. The methodology has been reviewed and validated by academic and professional experts from leading institutions such as Oxford University, NYU Shanghai, IFC, and the World Bank, ensuring its analytical rigor and credibility

“METRIX provides the business community and policymakers with a shared language about the real effects of policy – not assumptions, but measurable insights,” Alexandru Gozun, President, AmCham Moldova, PwC Moldova Country Director

A remarkably preserved horseshoe crab fossil from North America offers rare insight into some of the earliest known cases of animal disease in a Late Carboniferous swamp – more than 300 million years before the age of dinosaurs.

The specimen, uncovered from the mass-burial fossil deposit at the famous Mazon Creek Lagerstätte in Illinois in the US, shows more than 100 small pits across the front of its shell, representing one of the earliest documented examples of microbial or algal infection killing groups of these ancient aquatic animals.

“Ancient arthropods faced many of the same ecological pressures that modern species experience today, including microbial attacks and environmental stress,” says Dr Russell Bicknell, lead author of a new Biology Letters article, and recent appointee at Flinders University in South Australia.

“This fossil links a specific biological event – likely microbial or algal infestation – to a broader evolutionary picture, showing that interactions between animals and microbes were already well established long before dinosaurs evolved,” says Dr Bicknell, who previously worked at the American Museum of Natural History in New York.

“It also ties the specimen to the Late Carboniferous world, a time when Earth’s ecosystems were undergoing significant changes that shaped the future of animal evolution.

“From an evolutionary perspective, this discovery pushes back evidence of such infestations in horseshoe crabs by more than 300 million years. “

Dr Bicknell, an Australian Research Council DECRA fellow at Flinders University, says the fossil horseshoe crab (Euproops danae) regularly shed their shells while growing so the “heavy fouling” indicates the specimen had stopped moulting and reached maturity.

“The Late Carboniferous nutrient-rich environment at Mazon Creek, with its regular flooding and fluctuating salinity, would have promoted microbial growth and rapid burial. These conditions helped preserve organisms inside ironstone concretions with exceptional detail.”

At the time, vast forests covered the planet, oxygen levels were high, and land animals – including amphibians and reptile ancestors, were diversifying.

“This fossil adds to a new piece of the ecological puzzle, highlighting the pressures shaping ancient marine anthropods and their evolutionary responses to infestation.”

Horseshoe crabs are related to spiders and scorpions today.

The article, ‘Unique, dimple-like exoskeletal structures suggest syn-vivo infestations in Late Carboniferous horseshoe crabs’ (2025) by Russell DC Bicknell (American Museum of Natural History, University of New England and Flinders University), Jason Dunlop (Museum für Naturkunde, Berlin), Andrew Young (Lauer Foundation, Illinois), Bruce Lauer (Lauer Foundation), René Lauer (Lauer) and Victoria E McCoy (Lauer Foundation and University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee) has been published in the journal of Biology Letters (Royal Society) – DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2025.0565.

Acknowledgement: This research was funded by a MAT Program Postdoctoral Fellowship to Dr Bicknell. With thanks for access to the collection at the Lauer Foundation for Paleontology, Science and Education.

Against a backdrop of the spread of authoritarian practices, climate collapse and the erosion of international law, Amnesty International is launching its annual Write for Rights campaign on Human Rights Day (10 December) to support the victims of human rights violations and show that humanity can win.

This year’s campaign brings people together from around the world to fight for justice, dignity and a shared future, supporting those who are paying the price for defending human rights and speaking truth to power. From an Indigenous reindeer herder fighting to protect her community’s land in Norway, to a photojournalist jailed for reporting on a cyclone in Myanmar, and a little boy who lost his life after falling into a pit toilet at his pre-school in South Africa, all those featured in this year’s campaign are connected because their human rights have been violated.

“Despite the stark challenges facing humanity, every year Amnesty witnesses countless people from all over the world coming together to demonstrate the importance of activism and the lifechanging power of solidarity. Amongst others, this year’s Write for Rights campaign features people on the frontlines of the climate crisis, fighting to protect their communities from droughts, gas flares, development projects and pollution, who urgently need our collective support,” said Agnès Callamard, Amnesty International’s Secretary General.

“We have a choice to make at this critical moment in history: continue to let authoritarian practices erode our freedoms or resist together and stand up for human rights. By taking just a few minutes to write a letter, post on social media or sign a petition, anyone can help change the world and even save a life. Together we will prove that, even in the most adverse of circumstances, humanity can, must and will win out.”

Supporting people at risk

This year, Write for Rights is calling on millions of people to come together to change the lives of individuals whose rights have been violated around the world.

Those featured in this year’s campaign include: 

• Damisoa, from Madagascar, who is fighting for climate-displaced people in his country.
• Unecebo Mboteni, a three-year-old boy who died after falling into a pit toilet at his pre-school in South Africa.
• Juan López, from Honduras, shot dead after fighting to protect local rivers and a national park from mining and energy projects.
• Members from Mother Nature Cambodia, jailed for defending Cambodia’s environment from exploitation.
• Photojournalist Sai Zaw Thaike, arrested and sentenced to 20 years in prison with hard labour for reporting on the aftermath of a cyclone in Myanmar. 
• Ellinor Guttorm Utsi, fighting to ensure Sámi voices in Norway are heard and their rights are respected. 
• Sonia, a Tunisian lawyer who has dedicated her life to defending human rights and is facing years in prison for speaking out.
• The Guerreras por la Amazonía, from Ecuador, who are protecting their communities from gas flares which are causing toxic fumes and environmental degradation in the Ecuadorian Amazon.

For Ellinor Guttorm Utsi, the support she is receiving as part of Write for Rights has given her hope. The reindeer herder’s land and way of life are currently under threat, as the Norwegian Government plans to build several hundred wind turbines, which would disrupt the reindeer’s herding patterns.

While Ellinor is calling for a stop to these wind turbines, in a bid to protect her land and her culture, the 60-year-old is struggling to do it on her own.

“I am so pleased Amnesty International, an organization focused on activism, is supporting my campaign today. I am so happy to have the support of people who do this work every day,” said Ellinor. “This is our life – I don’t know another way of living. We need to fight for our land, to protect future generations.”

Changing lives

Since Write for Rights started in 2001, millions of people have changed the lives of those whose human rights had been stripped from them. Over 100 people featured in the campaign have seen a positive outcome to their case.

In 2023, Rocky Myers, a Black man with an intellectual disability, featured in the Write for Rights campaign. Rocky spent three decades on death row in Alabama for murder. He was convicted following testimonies blighted by inconsistencies and alleged police pressure. Hundreds of thousands of Amnesty supporters called for Rocky’s release, writing letters to demand that Alabama’s governor grant him clemency and commute his death sentence. In February 2025, this was granted.

Rocky’s fight is not over, as he seeks justice for violations in his case, but the threat of execution has been stopped. 

“Not only did this campaign bring awareness to his case, but it was done in such a way that honoured Rocky as a person, father, and grandfather,” said Miriam Bankston, a member of Rocky Myers’ legal team. 

“I know the outpouring of support meant the world to Rocky, and to know that so many people felt called to action is truly inspiring.”

Join this year’s campaign and become part of a community working to make the world a more just and compassionate place. Join Write for Rights today.

JUBA – 9 December 2025 – People in South Sudan are facing a deteriorating humanitarian situation while at the same time international interest and support continue to decline, says a new report titled Left Behind in Crisis: Escalating Violence and Healthcare Collapse in South Sudan by Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF).

Drawing on routine medical data as well as testimonies from patients, caretakers, community members, and healthcare staff living in areas where MSF works, it shares the human impact of a faltering health system and humanitarian response.    

“South Sudan's health system is stretched to breaking point. In every location where MSF works, our teams witness huge gaps in health services. Health facilities are either non-functional or severely under-resourced. Chronic shortages of medicine and staff mean that people are dying from preventable and treatable diseases. Health facilities need support on the ground not on paper,” says Dr Sigrid Lamberg, MSF head of field operations in South Sudan.  

This year, violence between government and opposition forces, and non-state armed groups steeply increased, marking the worst escalation since the signing of the 2018 peace agreement. Escalating violence, attacks on health facilities by all parties to the conflict, and access constraints are further impeding the delivery of healthcare and aid. According to UN since January, new waves of violence have displaced over 320,000 people and 2,000 have been killed. In Malakal, between April and November 2025, MSF teams treated 141 trauma patients, including women and children, many with gunshot wounds.

In flagrant violation of international humanitarian law, 2025 also saw a sharp increase in attacks on health facilities by all parties to the conflict. MSF alone experienced eight targeted attacks on its facilities and staff in Central Equatoria, Jonglei and Upper Nile, forcing the closure of two hospitals in Ulang and Old Fangak. On 3 December, our facility was hit by an airstrike in Pieri town, Jonglei State. On the same day, after Pieri, MSF teams witnessed additional airstrikes in Lankien, where MSF also runs healthcare facilities.

Communities are facing multiple overlapping crises: conflict, large-scale displacement, flooding, malnutrition, and disease outbreaks – including the largest cholera outbreak in the country’s history. International support, however, continued to decline in 2025 despite people’s living situations and access to essential services getting worse.  

The Health Sector Transformation Project (HSTP), a multi-donor initiative launched in July 2024, remains South Sudan’s main vehicle for healthcare delivery. Led by the government with WHO, UNICEF, and other partners, the project originally aimed to support 1,158 health facilities across 10 states and three administrative areas. However, due to funding constraints, 816 facilities are currently supported under the programme, and even these still face persistent shortages of medicines and staff.

“I travelled from Keurdeng, it took one hour. There is a small health facility [in Keurdeng], but it does not have all the medication – sometimes they finish supplies very fast. I took the child to the health centre, but there was no medication,” a female caretaker in Toch told MSF teams.  

Malaria remains a major challenge, continuing to be the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in South Sudan, particularly for women and children. Despite this, for the second year in a row, 2025 saw nationwide stockouts of malaria drugs during peak season. Without timely treatment, malaria can quickly become deadly. Between January and September 2025, MSF teams treated 6,680 people with severe malaria who required hospitalisation.  

For years, people in South Sudan have faced some of the world’s highest medical and humanitarian needs. In 2025, the situation in South Sudan has worsened significantly. Rising needs require urgent action: international donors must uphold their commitments to support health and humanitarian efforts, and shortcomings in existing programmes must be urgently addressed.

At a minimum, the timely delivery of essential medicines, supplies, and salaries for health workers need to be ensured. Amidst escalating violence, humanitarian access, protection of civilians, and respect for health facilities must be guaranteed. MSF also calls on South Sudan’s government to raise the national health budget in line with its Abuja Declaration commitment of allocating 15 per cent to health. Currently, only 1.3 per cent of the national budget is allocated to health.

“The situation in the country is catastrophic,” says Lamberg. “The urgent needs of people in South Sudan demand coordinated action, renewed commitment, and genuine international solidarity. The world can’t look away, especially not now.”

MSF is an international, medical, humanitarian organisation that delivers medical care to people in need, regardless of their origin, religion, or political affiliation.  MSF Australia was established in 1995 and is one of 24 international MSF sections committed to delivering medical humanitarian assistance to people in crisis. Every year more than 120 Australians and New Zealanders go on assignment with Médecins Sans Frontières  working as: doctors, midwives, psychologists, laboratory technicians, human resource/finance coordinators, pharmacists, mental health specialists and logisticians. MSF delivers medical care based on need alone and operates independently of government, religion or economic influence and irrespective of race, religion or gender. For more information visit msf.org.au