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Source: Flinders University

It’s survival of the fittest in nature, and an alien-looking ground mite demonstrates how the most promiscuous males fight and sometimes even cannibalise other males to ‘win’ greater access to females. 

Flinders University researchers have found that these tiny mites (Rhizoglyphus echinopus), which can breed to pest levels and damage bulb crops including onions and garlic, can regulate their aggression to target and eat rivals which are not related to them.

“We know male competition influences long-term population growth and understanding levels of aggression in populations can help to understand their strengths and weaknesses if conservation or control measures are required,” says evolutionary biologist Dr Bruno Buzatto, senior author of a new journal article about these microscopic bulb mites, barely visible at less than 0.5mm on average.

For example, separate studies have previously found some arthropods such as Colorado potato beetles, forked fungus beetles, praying mantises and wolf spiders do not exhibit kin discrimination and display equal levels of aggression regardless of relatedness.

“With these mites, we were able to examine levels of fighter aggression towards their own brothers versus unrelated males, and when females were present,” says Dr Buzatto, who leads the Behaviour and Ecology of Terrestrial Arthropods (BETA) Lab in the College of Science and Engineering.

“Male fighters can quickly kill their rivals and are more likely to do so if their rivals are unrelated genetically.

“Like some insects and spiders, this study noted less aggression towards kin and higher mortality among mites not related to fighter males – and more intensity in fighter aggression when females are present.”  

Researchers say the study helps to fully understand the impact of kinship on aggression within the context of mate competition, especially when aggression evolved as part of a reproductive tactic.

The article, 'Mate competition and relatedness among males mediate the evolution of lethal fights in bulb mites'(2025) by Incheol Shin, Sebastian Hayden and Bruno A Buzatto has been published in the journal Evolution(Oxford Academic). DOI: 10.1093/evolut/qpaf094. https://doi.org/10.1093/evolut/qpaf094

14 August 2025 – Over 100 organizations call for an end to Israel’s weaponization of aid.

Despite claims by Israeli authorities that there is no limit on humanitarian aid entering Gaza, most major international NGOs have been unable to deliver a single truck of lifesaving supplies since 2 March.

Instead of clearing the growing backlog of goods, Israeli authorities have rejected requests from dozens of NGOs to bring in lifesaving goods, citing that these organizations are “not authorized to deliver aid.” In July alone, over 60 requests were denied under this justification.

This obstruction has left millions of dollars’ worth of food, medicine, water, and shelter items stranded in warehouses across Jordan and Egypt, while Palestinians are being starved.

“Anera has over $7 million worth of lifesaving supplies ready to enter Gaza – including 744 tons of rice, enough for six million meals, blocked in Ashdod just kilometers away,” said Sean Carroll, President and CEO of Anera.

Many of the NGOs now told they are not “authorized” to deliver aid have worked in Gaza for decades, are trusted by communities and experienced in delivering aid safely. Their exclusion has left hospitals without basic supplies, children, people with disabilities, and older people dying from hunger and preventable illnesses, and aid workers themselves going to work hungry.

The obstruction is tied to new INGO registration rules introduced in March. Under these new rules, registration can be denied on the basis of vague and politicized criteria, such as alleged “delegitimization” of the state of Israel. INGOs warned the process was designed to control independent organizations, silence advocacy, and censor humanitarian reporting. This new bureaucratic obstruction is inconsistent with established international law as it entrenches Israel’s control and annexation of the occupied Palestinian territory.

Unless INGOs submit to the full registration requirements, including the mandatory submission of details of private donors, complete Palestinian staff lists and other sensitive information about personnel for so-called “security” vetting to Israeli authorities, many could be forced to halt operations in Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and remove all international staff within 60 days. Some organizations have even been issued a seven-day ultimatum to provide Palestinian staff lists.

NGOs have made clear that sharing such data is unlawful (including under relevant data protection laws), unsafe, and incompatible with humanitarian principles. In the deadliest context for aid workers worldwide, where 98 percent of those humanitarians killed were Palestinian, NGOs have no guarantees that handing over such information would not put staff at further risk, or be used to advance the government of Israel's stated military and political aims.

Today, INGOs’ fears have proven true: the registration system is now being used to further block aid and deny food and medicine in the midst of the worst-case scenario of famine.

“Since the full siege was imposed on 2 March, CARE has not been able to deliver any of our $1.5 million worth of pre-positioned supplies into Gaza,” said Jolien Veldwijk, Country Director of CARE. “This includes critical shipments of food parcels, medical supplies, hygiene kits, dignity kits, and maternal and infant care items. Our mandate is to save lives, but due to the registration restrictions civilians are being left without the food, medicine, and protection they urgently need.”

“Oxfam has over $2.5 million worth of goods that have been rejected from entering Gaza by Israel, especially WASH and hygiene items as well as food,” said Bushra Khalidi, Oxfam Policy Lead. “This registration process signals to INGOs that their ability to operate may come at the cost of their independence and ability to speak out.”

These restrictions are part of a broader strategy that includes the so-called “GHF” scheme – a militarized distribution mechanism promoted as a humanitarian solution. In reality, it is a deadly tool of control, with at least 859 Palestinians killed around “GHF” sites since it began operating.

“The militarized food distribution scheme has weaponized starvation and curated suffering. Distributions at GHF sites have resulted in extreme levels of violence and killings, primarily of young Palestinian men, but also of women and children, who have gone to the sites in the hope of receiving food,” according to Aitor Zabalgogeazkoa, MSF emergency coordinator in Gaza.

Both the “GHF” scheme and the INGO registration process aim to block impartial aid, exclude Palestinian actors, and replace trusted humanitarian organizations with mechanisms that serve political and military objectives. They come as the government of Israel escalates its military offensive and deepens its occupation in Gaza, making clear these measures are part of a broader strategy to entrench control and erase Palestinian presence.

“At this point, everyone knows what the correct, humane answer is, and it's not a floating pier, airdrops or the “GHF.” The answer, to save lives, save humanity and save yourselves from complicity in engineered mass starvation, is to open all the borders, at all hours, to the thousands of trucks, millions of meals and medical supplies, ready and waiting nearby,” said Sean Carroll of Anera.

We call on all states and donors to:

● Press Israel to end the weaponization of aid, including through bureaucratic obstruction, such as the INGO registration procedures.

● Insist that INGOs are not forced to share sensitive personal information, in violation of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), or compromise staff safety or independence as a condition for delivering aid.

● Demand the immediate and unconditional opening of all land crossings and conditions for the delivery of lifesaving humanitarian aid.

Notes 

● The occupied Palestinian territory is the deadliest setting for aid workers worldwide, with Palestinian staff accounting for 98% of aid worker fatalities: 509 out of 517 killings that took place between 2023-2025, according to the Aid Worker Security Database. 

● On 6 May, 55 organizations warned that Israel’s new INGO registration measures are a grave threat to humanitarian operations and international law. 

● On 1 July, 200+ organizations called for immediate action to end the deadly Israeli distribution scheme, including the so-called “GHF” in Gaza, revert to the existing UN-led coordination mechanisms, and lift the Israeli government’s blockade on aid and commercial supplies. 

● On 23 July, 100+ organizations warned that, as mass starvation spreads across Gaza, our colleagues and those we serve are wasting away. 

● On 29 July, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) wrote that the worst-case scenario of famine is currently playing out in the Gaza Strip. 

● Israel has consistently denied restricting the amount of aid allowed into Gaza, including throughout the period of July 2025, when most of the denials discussed in this statement were issued. 

● On 31 July, OHCHR wrote that since 27 May, at least 1,373 Palestinians have been killed while seeking food; 859 in the vicinity of the “GHF” sites and 514 along the routes of food convoys. Most of these killings were committed by the Israeli forces. 

● On 4 August, a Palestinian nurse in Gaza was killed when an airdrop struck him. ● On 5 August, it was reported that Israeli authorities are planning for the full occupation of the Gaza Strip. 

● On 6 August, UN agencies and NGOs warned that without immediate action most international NGO partners could be de-registered by Israel in coming weeks. ● On 6 August, the Dutch Data Protection Authority (DPA) concluded that Israel’s information requests under the INGO registration process risk violating the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The DPA advised that INGOs should not comply with these requests, and that the only solution is for Israel to amend its requirements and for the relevant ministries to issue a formal protest. 

● On 7 August, MSF released a report stating food distributions in Gaza run by the so-called “GHF” are sites of “orchestrated killing and dehumanization” that must be shut down.” 

● On 10 August, Save the Children reported the deaths of 100 children due to starvation in Gaza since October 2023. 

● On 12 August, a group of UN Special Rapporteurs on human rights published a letter to the Israeli government, stating deep concern that the INGO registration measures “weaken the ability of INGOs to operate independently and impartially and to carry out their humanitarian and human rights work without interference or fear of reprisal” and that “that the obligation to report on INGO personnel, in the context of occupation, armed conflict and serious violations of international law, could raise serious protection and reprisal concerns.” 

Signatories: 

1. A New Policy 

2. ACT Alliance 

3. ActionAid Denmark 

4. ActionAid International 

5. Action Against Hunger (ACF) 

6. Action For Humanity 

7. All We Can 

8. Alliance Sud 

9. American Fri

Newly arrived refugees in South Australia will have access to sporting events as well opportunities in volunteering, education, employment and community engagement thanks to a new partnership between A League soccer club Adelaide United and settlement agency AMES Australia.

The partnership is aimed at supporting the settlement and integration of newly arrived communities across South Australia through the inclusive power of sport, youth engagement, and community-focused programs.

The collaboration will see AMES and Adelaide United work together to deliver a range of initiatives, including dedicated multicultural matchdays during Harmony Week, pre-match citizenship ceremonies, junior development clinics, youth engagement events, and volunteer opportunities, all designed to promote social inclusion and cultural understanding.

At the heart of this partnership is a shared commitment to empowering individuals and communities through sport.

A key focus will be placed on the development of female-focused football programs, fostering participation, leadership, and confidence among girls and young women from diverse backgrounds.

These programs will also incorporate AMES’ “Sport for Respect” initiative, using football as a platform to promote respect, prevent domestic and gender-based violence, and champion positive role models in the community.

AMES CEO, Catherine Scarth welcomes the partnership, highlighting its potential to support long-term settlement outcomes for migrants and refugees.

“Football is the world game, and it has the power to bring diverse communities and people together. We value our partnership with Adelaide United because of the opportunities it presents for our clients and the communities we work with in terms of access to sport, community engagement, education and employment,” Ms Scarth said.

SA Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing Emily Bourke said the partnership is a key step towards inclusive community development.

“Our Government is proud to support initiatives that increase participation and create a more inclusive environment through sport. This partnership sets out to provide opportunities for girls and women to achieve their goals on and off the pitch, which we continue to build through programs like The Power of Her.”

Nathan Kosmina, CEO of Adelaide United, said the partnership closely aligns with the Club’s core values of inclusion and community connection.

“Our purpose ext

CommBank and OpenAI team up to explore cutting edge generative AI-enabled banking services for customers

CommBank today announced a multi-year partnership with OpenAI to bring advanced AI to customers and employees, becoming OpenAI’s strategic banking partner in Australia.

CommBank and OpenAI engineers will work together to explore advanced generative AI solutions that aim to strengthen scam and fraud detection and deliver more personalised services for CommBank customers.

The Commonwealth Bank has responded to the Reserve Bank of Australia’s cash rate decision, reducing rates on eligible variable-rate business loans.

Following the Reserve Bank of Australia’s (RBA) decision to decrease the official cash rate by 0.25% per annum (p.a.), CBA will decrease rates by 0.25% p.a. on eligible variable-rate business lending products.

The rate reduction will apply to CBA Business Bank’s Variable Base Rate, Residential Equity Rate, and Overdraft Reference Rate, flowing through to eligible variable-rate business lending products including BetterBusiness Loans and Business Overdrafts.

These changes will be effective 22 August 2025.

Support for business customers

We offer a wide range of tools and programs to support business customers at every stage of their business journey. These include:

• Free comprehensive cash flow tracking capabilities via a Business Cash Flow tool in the CommBank app.
• Bill Sense to help customers predict future bills and CommBank’s business insights tool called Daily IQ.
• CommBank has partnered with University of NSW to offer a free Cash Flow Management course for any Australian small business.
• Eligible business customers can also benefit from discounts and special offers available via CommBank Yello for Business, the bank’s customer rewards and recognition program.
• A range of financial support options are available for business customers experiencing difficulty, including deferred business loan repayments or debt restructuring.

More information is available on our website and businesses seeking support can speak to their Relationship Manager or call CBA’s dedicated Business Financial Assistance team, available 24/7, on 13 26 07.

The Commonwealth Bank is reducing variable home loan rates following the Reserve Bank of Australia’s cash rate decision.

Following the Reserve Bank of Australia’s (RBA) decision to decrease the official cash rate by 0.25% per annum (p.a.), CBA will decrease home loan variable interest rates by 0.25% p.a.

All home loan variable rate changes announced today will be effective 22 August 2025.

Speaking of the change Angus Sullivan, CBA’s Retail Group Executive, said “With now three rate cuts this year, Australian borrowers are getting some breathing room back in their budgets. It will be very welcome for those with a home loan.”

“We can see people are responding to lower interest rates in different ways – some are covering everyday costs a little more comfortably, others are getting ahead on their home loans.”

“We want to make it as easy as possible for our customers to take advantage of the cut in the way that makes sense for them. Tools like our Mortgage Repayment Calculator show you the difference an extra repayment can make. They’re easily accessible in the CommBank app and NetBank.”

Cumberland City Council, in partnership with the St Vincent de Paul Society NSW, marked Homelessness Week 2025 with a youth-focused workshop designed to raise awareness and empower young people to drive social change.

Homelessness Week ran until Sunday 10 August 2025, under this year’s national theme “Homelessness Action Now”, which called for urgent and coordinated action to address the root causes of homelessness and provide support for those affected.

Council and the St Vincent de Paul Society NSW invited local young people aged 12 to 25 to attend a Homelessness Week Youth Workshop held on Wednesday 6 August, from 4pm to 5:30pm at the Auburn Centre for Community (44A Macquarie Road, Auburn).

This interactive workshop:

• Explored the experiences and causes of homelessness in Western Sydney
• Provided insight into how Council and the St Vincent de Paul Society NSW support vulnerable community members
• Created a platform for young people to share ideas and perspectives
• Supported the development of a youth-led social justice action plan.

Cumberland Mayor Ola Hamed endorsed this collaboration and focus on youth-based discussion.

“Homelessness impacts people across all parts of our community, including young people. By engaging youth in open dialogue and social planning, we are investing in long-term, community-led solutions.”

“This is not a problem that can be fixed overnight, the ongoing cost of living crisis is affecting all age groups across our communities and is forcing more people into homelessness every day.”

CBA unveils Australian-first Gen AI Scam Checker tool in the Truyu app and online card transaction verification in the CommBank app.

What’s the news?

• CommBank has seen a 76% drop in customer scam losses since peak (2H25 vs. 1H23)
• CommBank invested over $900 million in FY25 to help protect its customers against fraud, scams, financial crime and cyber threats.

The International Indigenous Peoples' Forum on Plastics (IIPFP), present at the Global Plastics Treaty negotiations (INC-5.2) at the United Nations (UN) in Geneva, held an event with the INC Chair, Luis Vayas Valdivieso calling on governments to uphold the rights of Indigenous Peoples in all aspects of the treaty, as affirmed by the UN Declarations on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP).

The high level event, which took place only six days away from the end of the negotiations, commemorated the efforts of Haudenosaunee Chief Deskaheh Levi General and Māori leader Tahupōtiki Wiremu Ratana. They both made long journeys from their ancestral territories to Geneva to claim their rights as sovereign peoples, demanding a seat at the table to participate in global decision-making about their futures.

Today marks the 31st year since the UN recognised the International Day for the World's Indigenous Peoples, a day that marks the first meeting of the UN Working Group on Indigenous Populations held here in Geneva in 1982.

Carson Kiburo, (Endorois, Africa) says, “We stand at a crossroads. You can choose the path that repeats old mistakes, or you can choose justice. Our IIPFP today, carries the voices of over 476 million Indigenous Peoples from all over the world. We are not just participants in this fight. We are the strong grassroot contributors and partners in this. Let this be the treaty where you get it right. Let this be the moment where you chose the wisdom of Indigenous Peoples over the failures of the past.”

Despite Indigenous Peoples' record attendance at INC-5.2 an analysis by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) reveals the disproportionate influence of polluting industries on these negotiations.

Samantha Jack (Nuu-Chah-Nulth and Yale First Nations, North America) from the Global Indigenous Youth Caucus states, “As Indigenous youth, we are inheriting the consequences of decisions made today, yet we continue to be pushed to the margins of global decision-making. Our land and our waterways are not commodities, they are our relatives. The plastics crisis is devastating our sacred relationships with the land, threatening our ways of life, and undermining our sovereignty and self-determination. From the extraction of fossil fuels to the dumpsites and microplastics that invade our territories and bodies, this crisis spans the full lifecycle of plastic. Decision-makers must uphold Indigenous Peoples' distinct rights as affirmed in the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, ensure full and equitable participation supported by sustained funding, and recognize Indigenous Knowledge in its own right. As youth, we are not just the voices of tomorrow, we are the voices of now. You say this is a once-in-a-generation treaty. Then please treat it like one.”

Arctic – Sara Olvig, Chair of Inuit Circumpolar Council. “Plastic pollution affects Inuit and other Arctic Indigenous Peoples adversely. The Arctic is already disproportionately impacted by climate change, warming 3-4 times faster than other regions. Our region is a sink for pollutants causing health effects. Arctic species that are part of our traditional diets have been found with plastics in their stomachs, directly affecting our mental and physical health, food sovereignty and ways of life. We call on all states to ensure our rights as Indigenous Peoples, including our right of full, effective and meaningful participation as affirmed in the UN Declaration, in all
processes related to the development and implementation of this treaty.”

Asia – Prem Singh Tharu, Tharu. “Indigenous Peoples hold and practice the most resilient solution pathways to the plastic pollution crisis, including other environmental crises. The treaty must defend our rights and shape the future of our new generations guaranteeing the rights, knowledge and practices of Indigenous Peoples in this historical instrument, the world will greatly applaud and commend you all historically forever. The treaty is not just a treaty, but it is a roadmap for keeping the human and planet clean, healthy, and sustained in peace and harmony. Take this precious opportunity to prove that you have done the crucial job of making and keeping the human and planet alive, clean, healthy, and sustainable.”

Pacific – Heni Unwin, Te Ati Haunui-a-Paparangi, Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Ngāi Tūhoe, Ngāti Kahungunu ki Te Wairoa, Rongomaiwahine. “We are here because we received the call, it washed up upon our shores, it invaded our food systems and it has colonized every part of our bodies and lives. Our ancestors also received a call to fight for our Indigenous rights, Tahupōtiki Wiremu Ratana was turned away at the league of nations 100 years ago in 1925. Our people have turned up and fought for our rights ever since to have a seat at the table. We will continue to fight because this planet, our planet, is worth it.”

Latin and Central America – Carlos Gaitan Rodriguez, Indigenous Peoples of Piapoco, Coordinator of the Territory and Environment at the Organización Nacional de los Pueblos Indígenas de la Amazonía Colombiana (OPIAC). “Our lands, bodies, territories, nature commons and health as Indigenous Peoples, are systematically affected by all types of plastics pollution. Many of these plastics carry toxic poison, pesticide conductors. Our communities become garbage deposits for food packaging, manufactured by large food corporations and agribusiness, that are threatening our food sovereignty.”

The IIPFP is comprised of representatives of Indigenous Peoples from the seven Indigenous socio-cultural regions recognised by the UN – 1) Africa; 2) the Arctic; 3) Asia; 4) Central and South America and the Caribbean; 5) Eastern Europe, Russian Federation, Central Asia and Transcaucasia; 6) North America; and 7) the Pacific.

www.breakfreefromplastic.org

The Coincident and Leading Barometers rise in August for the third consecutive month, recovering much of the losses recorded between January and May this year.

The Coincident Global Economic Barometer rises by 2.1 points in August, reaching 97.8 points, while the Leading Barometer increases by 2.6 points, reaching 100.9 points. The increases are mainly driven by indicators from the Asia, Pacific & Africa, as well as the Western Hemisphere regions.

“After the initial negative impact of US Liberation Day on sentiment, both global barometers have risen for the third time in a row. Although the latest tariff increases by the world's largest economy are not yet reflected in the current data, this is a positive sign and hopefully reflects the increased resilience of the global economy. Alongside changes in supply chains and efficiency losses, the tense trade situation will lead to a decline in dependence on a single economy” comments KOF Director Jan-Egbert Sturm the latest results.

Coincident Barometer – regions and sectors

The 2.1-point increase in the Coincident Barometer in August results from positive contributions of 1.0 and 0.9 points from the Asia, Pacific & Africa and Western Hemisphere regions, respectively. The Europe indicator contributes with 0.2 points to the aggregated result. All regional indicators rise for the third consecutive month, but only Europe is above the level recorded at the end of last year. The Asia, Pacific & Africa indicator is close to its December 2024 level, while the Western Hemisphere indicator still remains the lowest among the three major regional indicators.

Four out of five bundles of coincident sector indicators rise in August. The Trade indicator bundle is the exception, although it still holds the highest level among the sectors. The positive highlight of the month is the rise in the Economy indicator bundle (aggregated development of business and consumer indicators), which is approaching the neutral level of 100 points.

Leading Barometer – regions and sectors

The 2.6-point increase in the Leading Global Barometer in August results from positive contributions of 1.6 points from the Western Hemisphere and 0.8 points from the Asia, Pacific & Africa region. Europe contributes with 0.2 points. All three regional indicators are above the 100-point level, with the Western Hemisphere indicator now standing out at 102.9 points.

All leading sector indicator bundles rise in August, with Trade standing out for its third consecutive monthly increase. Despite this, only Economy and Industry are above the neutral level of 100 points.