Analysis: Here is a summary of significant articles published on ForeignAffairs.co.nz on May 29, 2025.
MIL-Evening Report: Sudden arrivals: NZ ambulance crews describe what it’s like when babies are born out of the blue
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Vinuli Withanarachchie, PhD candidate, College of Health, Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa – Massey University WOWstockfootage/Getty Images It doesn’t happen very often, but every now and then expectant mothers don’t quite make it to the delivery suite on time – requiring specialised care from emergency medical services (EMS). […]
MIL-Evening Report: Why NZ must act against Israel’s ethnic cleansing and genocide
ANALYSIS: By Ian Powell When I despairingly contemplate the horrors and cruelty that Palestinians in Gaza are being subjected to, I sometimes try to put this in the context of where I live. I live on the Kāpiti Coast in the lower North Island of Aotearoa New Zealand. Geographically it is around the same size […]
MIL-Evening Report: Knife crime is common but difficult to investigate. Robots can help
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Paola A. Magni, Associate Professor of Forensic Science, Murdoch University The following article contains material that some readers might find distressing. Around the world, knives are a popular weapon of choice among criminals. In Australia, for example, they are the most common weapon used in homicides. And […]
MIL-Evening Report: Can your cat recognise you by scent? New study shows it’s likely
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Julia Henning, PhD Candidate in Feline Behaviour, School of Animal and Veterinary Science, University of Adelaide Ever wonder if your cat could pick you out of a line up? New research suggests they could … but maybe not in the way you would expect. Previous research has […]
MIL-OSI Global: Vladimir Putin’s bombing of Ukrainian civilians won’t end the war any faster. So, why is he doing it?
Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Mark Edele, Hansen Professor in History and Deputy Dean, The University of Melbourne United States President Donald Trump was “not happy” with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, this week. For three consecutive nights, from Friday to Sunday, Russia launched about 900 drones and scores of missiles at […]
MIL-Evening Report: Behind the wellness industry’s scented oils and soothing music are often underpaid, exploited workers
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rawan Nimri, Lecturer in Tourism and Hospitality, Griffith University Prostock Studio/Shutterstock Wellness tourism is booming. Think yoga retreats in Bali, digital detox weekends in a rainforest, or a break on a luxury island to “find yourself”. It’s no longer just about taking selfies at the beach or […]
MIL-Evening Report: PCOS affects 1 in 8 women worldwide, yet it’s often misunderstood. A name change might help
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Helena Teede, Director of Monash Centre for Health Research Implementation, Monash University LightField Studios/Shutterstock Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) affects one in eight women globally. However, this complex hormonal condition is under-researched and often misunderstood. This is partly due to its name, which overemphasises “cysts” and the ovaries. […]
MIL-Evening Report: X-rays have revealed a mysterious cosmic object never before seen in our galaxy
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ziteng Wang, Associate Lecturer, Curtin Institute of Radio Astronomy (CIRA), Curtin University Author provided In a new study published today in Nature, we report the discovery of a new long-period transient – and, for the first time, one that also emits regular bursts of X-rays. Long-period transients […]
MIL-Evening Report: Antarctica’s sea ice is changing, and so is a vital part of the marine food web that lives within it
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jacqui Stuart, Postdoctoral Researcher in Marine Ecology, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington Jacqui Stuart, VUW, CC BY-NC-ND Antarctica is the world’s great cooling unit. This vital part of Earth’s climate system is largely powered by the annual freeze and melt of millions of square […]
MIL-Evening Report: The body as landscape: how post-war Japanese dance and theatre shaped performance in Australia
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jonathan W. Marshall, Associate Professor & Postgraduate Research Coordinator, Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts, Edith Cowan University “Tamaokoshi (たまおこし-) – Evocation” (2013) by Yumi Umiumare. Performers: Umiumare, Felix Ching Ching Ho, Fina Po, Helen Smith, Willow Conway, Sevastian Peters-Lazaro, Takashi Takiguchi. Photo by Vikk Shayen, reproduced […]
MIL-OSI Global: Anxious over AI? One way to cope is by building your uniquely human skills
Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Nitin Deckha, Lecturer in Justice Studies, Early Childhood Studies, Community and Social Services and Electives, University of Guelph-Humber The concern over the loss and transformation of work by generative AI is well-founded and widely documented. (Shutterstock) We live in a time of growing anxiety and fear, where the […]
MIL-OSI Global: What is AI slop? Why you are seeing more fake photos and videos in your social media feeds
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Jon Roozenbeek, Lecturer in Psychology, University of Cambridge Pikselstock/Shutterstock In May 2025, a post asking “[Am I the asshole] for telling my husband’s affair partner’s fiancé about their relationship?” quickly received 6,200 upvotes and more than 900 comments on Reddit. This popularity earned the post a spot on […]
MIL-OSI Global: Why Islamic State is expanding its operations in north-eastern Nigeria
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Folahanmi Aina, Lecturer in Political Economy of Violence, Conflict and Development, SOAS, University of London Islamic State West Africa Province (Iswap), one of the most powerful global affiliates of the Islamic State jihadist organisation, is in the middle of its largest offensive against the Nigerian military in years. […]
MIL-OSI Global: From soil to slugs to songbirds – how plastic is moving through ecosystems
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Emily Thrift, PhD Candidate and Doctoral Tutor in Ecology, University of Sussex Philippe Clement / shutterstock For many people, “plastic pollution” calls to mind pictures of turtles and other marine life drowning in single-use plastic bottles and discarded fishing nets. My own research looks at how the same […]
MIL-OSI Global: Have sanctions against Russia backfired? What apartheid-era South Africa tells us about who may be profiting
Source: The Conversation – UK – By John Luiz, Professor of International Management and Strategy, University of Sussex There are no longer any golden arches logos in Russia, but is the firm hoping for a return? forden/Shutterstock Even as the war in Ukraine grinds on, some multinational companies are quietly positioning themselves for a thaw […]
MIL-OSI Global: The Phoenician Scheme: a fun watch even though it’s the same journey in a different vehicle
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Daniel O’Brien, Lecturer, Department of Literature Film and Theatre Studies, University of Essex As someone attuned to the distinct styles of auteur filmmakers, I came to Wes Anderson’s latest offering The Phoenician Scheme intrigued, feeling a mix of distance and familiarity. My appreciation for other auteur directors like […]
MIL-OSI Global: Trump’s West Point speech brought partisanship to the home of the US military − 2 essential reads
Source: The Conversation – USA – By Jeff Inglis, Environment + Energy Editor, The Conversation US President Donald Trump delivers the commencement address at West Point on May 24, 2025. AP Photo/Adam Gray President Donald Trump’s speech at the graduation of the class of 2025 from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point included segments […]
MIL-OSI Global: Do biases affect assessment in kindergarten? Educators discuss strategies for mitigation
Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Natalie Spadafora, Research Associate, Offord Centre for Child Studies, McMaster University Educators in a study agreed that the scarcity of dedicated resources, time, attention and training on bias affected their ability to assess their students’ development as accurately as they would like. (Allison Shelley/The Verbatim Agency/EDUimages), CC BY-NC-SA […]
MIL-OSI Global: Most South African farmers are black: why Trump got it so wrong
Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Johann Kirsten, Director of the Bureau for Economic Research, Stellenbosch University When world leaders engage, the assumption is always that they engage on issues based on verified facts, which their administrative staff are supposed to prepare. Under this assumption, we thought the meeting at the White House on […]
MIL-OSI Global: Is Vladimir Putin’s indiscriminate bombing of Ukrainian civilians ‘crazy’? It’s more a sign of impatience
Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Mark Edele, Hansen Professor in History and Deputy Dean, The University of Melbourne United States President Donald Trump was “not happy” with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, this week. For three consecutive nights, from Friday to Sunday, Russia launched about 900 drones and scores of missiles at […]