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  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Up to 21,000 people are dying each day from conflict-fuelled hunger around the world

    Source: Oxfam –

    On World Food Day, hunger has reached an all-time high exposing the flaws in global peacebuilding and conflict recovery efforts 

    Between 7,000 to as many as 21,000 people are likely dying each day from hunger in countries impacted by conflict, according to a new Oxfam report published on World Food Day.

    The report, Food Wars, examined 54 conflict-affected countries and found that they account for almost all of the 281.6 million people facing acute hunger today. Conflict has also been one of the main causes of forced displacement in these countries, which has globally reached a record level today of more than 117 million people.

    It argues that conflict is not only a primary driver of hunger, but that warring parties are also actively weaponizing food itself by deliberately targeting food, water and energy infrastructure and by blocking food aid. 

    “As conflict rages around the world, starvation has become a lethal weapon wielded by warring parties against international laws, causing an alarming rise in human deaths and suffering. That civilians continue to be subjected to such slow death in the 21st century, is a collective failure”.

    Emily Farr, Oxfam’s Food and Economic Security Lead

    Oxfam

    “As conflict rages around the world, starvation has become a lethal weapon wielded by warring parties against international laws, causing an alarming rise in human deaths and suffering. That civilians continue to be subjected to such slow death in the 21st century, is a collective failure”, says Emily Farr, Oxfam’s Food and Economic Security Lead. 

    “Today’s food crises are largely manufactured. Nearly half a million people in Gaza – where 83% of food aid needed is currently not reaching them – and over three quarters of a million in Sudan, are currently starving as the deadly impact of wars on food will likely be felt for generations.”

    The report also found that the majority of the countries studied (34 out of 54) are rich in natural resources, relying heavily on exporting raw products. For example, 95% of Sudan’s export earnings come from gold and livestock, 87% of South Sudan’s come from petroleum products, and nearly 70% of Burundi’s come from coffee.

    In Central America, meanwhile, mining operations have led to violent conflicts, uprooting people from their homes as they no longer become able to live in degraded and polluted environments.

    Oxfam argues that current peacebuilding and post-conflict reconstruction efforts are too often based on encouraging more foreign investment and export-related economies. However, this focus on economic liberalization can instead create more inequality, suffering and the potential for conflict to resume.

    “It is no coincidence that the lethal combination of war, displacement and hunger has often occurred in countries rich in natural resources. The exploitation of these raw commodities often means more violence, inequality, instability, and renewed conflict. Too often, large-scale private investment—both foreign and domestic —has also added to political and economic instabilities in these countries, where investors seize control over land and water resources forcing people out of their homes,” said Farr.

    Conflict often compounds other factors like climate shocks, economic instability and inequalities to devastate people’s livelihoods. For example, climate shocks like droughts and floods, coupled with the surge in global food prices associated with pandemic shut-downs and additional food-chain disruptions connected to the Russia-Ukraine war, have fueled the hunger crises in East and Southern Africa.

    Many of those fleeing are women and children. Aisha Ibrahim, age 37, told Oxfam that she had to walk four days with her four children, leaving their home in Sudan for Joda, across the border in South Sudan. She left her husband behind to protect their home. “I used to live in a proper home. I could never imagine myself in this situation,” she said.

    The international community’s pledge of “zero hunger” by 2030 remains out of touch. Oxfam says that states and institutions globally, including the UN Security Council, must hold to account those committing “starvation crimes” in accordance with international law.

    “To break the vicious cycle of food insecurity and conflict, global leaders must tackle head-on the conditions that breed conflict: the colonial legacies, injustices, human rights violations, and inequalities – rather than offering quick band-aid solutions.” 

    “We cannot end conflict by simply injecting foreign investments in conflict-torn countries, without uprooting the deep inequalities, generational grievances, and human rights violations that fuel those conflicts. Peace efforts must be coupled with investment in social protection, and social cohesion building. Economic solutions must prioritize fair trade and sustainable food systems,” said Farr.

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Urgent joint statement: Northern Gaza is being erased – global leaders must act now to end Israel’s atrocities

    Source: Oxfam –

    Oxfam and 37 other humanitarian organisations are raising the alarm about the catastrophic situation in Northern Gaza

    The Israeli forces’ assault on Gaza has escalated to a horrifying level of atrocity. Northern Gaza is being wiped off the map. Under the guise of “evacuation,” Israeli forces have ordered the forced displacement of an estimated 400,000 Palestinians trapped in northern Gaza, including Gaza City. This is not an evacuation—this is forced displacement under gunfire. Since 1 October, no food has been allowed into the area, and civilians are being starved and bombed in their homes and their tents. 

    Hospitals, already overwhelmed, are being ordered to evacuate. They are running out of fuel and essential supplies, while doctors and nurses battle to save lives with what little they have left. The wounded flood in – children, older people, victims of Israeli airstrikes – but with no resources to treat them. 

    Dr. Mohammed Salha, acting director of Al-Awda Hospital in northern Gaza, described the dire situation: “The Israeli military has contacted us more than once to evacuate the hospital… [All] the departments are full of wounded people and we are discharging even the wounded who have minor or moderate injuries, because we do not have [enough] beds for them. I [told the Israeli military] clearly that we would not evacuate the hospital unless there are ambulances that can preserve the lives of the wounded people we have and reach another hospital that provides better service to the wounded.” 

    The world cannot continue to stand by as the Israeli government commits these atrocities. Global leaders have both a legal and moral duty to act now. The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has ordered Israel to take all measures within its power to prevent the commission of all acts within the scope of Article II of the Genocide Convention including “killing members of the group; causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group; deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part; and imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group”. There is no evidence that Israel has adhered to these orders, and the killing of Palestinians has only intensified. 

    Any attempt to alter the territorial integrity of Gaza constitutes a blatant violation of international law. This is especially egregious in light of the recent ICJ advisory opinion, which significantly heightens the obligation of third states to take decisive action. Failure to do so risks their complicity in perpetuating the illegal occupation. 

    All parties must allow unimpeded access for humanitarian organisations to deliver aid based on need, without restricting types, volumes, or locations. Aid delivery must remain impartial and independent of military objectives to prevent its instrumentalisation or politicisation. Civilians must not be forced to flee to receive aid; those choosing to stay in their homes must be protected under international law. 

    We demand an immediate ceasefire and an end to Israel’s illegal occupation. Global leaders must act in line with the UN General Assembly Resolution on the ICJ Advisory Opinion and fulfil their obligation not to facilitate or support Israel’s illegal occupation. Third states must halt now the transfer of all weapons, parts and ammunition that could be used to commit further violations of international humanitarian law.

    This is not a time for silence – this is a time for action. The people of Gaza cannot wait. The world must intervene now before more innocent lives are lost. 

    The forcible transfer of Palestinian civilians in Gaza is a grave breach of the Fourth Geneva Convention and does not amount to a permissible evacuation. Relocation areas have not provided safety, adequate shelter or essential services, and there has also been no guarantee that displaced populations will be able to return once hostilities end. 

    Signatories:

    1. ActionAid 
    2. Action For Humanity 
    3. Afri (Action from Ireland) 
    4. Amos Trust 
    5. Bloody Sunday Trust 
    6. Centre for Global Education 
    7. CESVI 
    8. Children Not Numbers 
    9. Christian Aid 
    10. Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) 
    11. Comhlamh Justice for Palestine 
    12. Council for Arab-British Understanding (Caabu) 
    13. Embrace the Middle East 
    14. Feminist Humanitarian Network (FHN) 
    15. Gender Action for Peace and Security (GAPS) 
    16. Global Justice Now 
    17. HelpAge International 
    18. Interpal 
    19. Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign 
    20. Islamic Relief 
    21. KinderUSA 
    22. Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP) 
    23. Médecins du Monde Spain 
    24. Middle East Children’s Alliance 
    25. Muslim Aid 
    26. Novact Institute for Nonviolence 
    27. Oxfam 
    28. Plan International Jordan 
    29. Sabeel-Kairos UK 
    30. Sadaka-The Ireland Palestine Alliance 
    31. TDH Italy 
    32. Trócaire 
    33. Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union/ Aontas Mac Léinn Choláiste na Tríonóide (TCDSU/AMLCT) 
    34. Vento di Terra 
    35. War Child 
    36. War on Want 
    37. WeWorld 
    38. Welfare Association 

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Shaheen Welcomes USS Manchester Crew, Joins for Visit with Manchester West High School NJROTC Students

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Jeanne Shaheen

    Published: 10.15.2024

    (Manchester, NH) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), a senior member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee and the Ship Sponsor for the USS Manchester, welcomed crew members, including Commander Ralph Lufkin, back to Manchester and joined them for a visit with Manchester West High School Navy Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps (NJROTC) students. The USS Manchester crew members delivered a presentation to the NJROTC students and other faculty and students on the ship’s recent deployment, Navy career opportunities and the importance of civic duty. Photos from today’s event can be found here. 
    “I was excited to welcome members of the crew of the USS Manchester back to their ship’s namesake city, and to join them in speaking to Manchester West High School’s Navy Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps students,” said Senator Shaheen. “As future defenders of freedom and the epitome of civic duty, I was pleased these aspiring Naval cadets were able to meet and speak with Commander Lufkin and some of his crew.”  
    As the Ship Sponsor of the USS Manchester, Shaheen led the Ship’s Commissioning in Portsmouth in May 2018 and is considered a permanent member of the ship’s crew. The USS Manchester is part of the Independence Class of Littoral Combat Ships. These ships are designed to face asymmetrical threats in shallow areas of coastlines and primarily perform surface warfare, antisubmarine warfare and mine countermeasures. 

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Statement From Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder on PRC Military Drills Near Taiwan

    Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND

    We have closely monitored the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) exercise, JOINT SWORD 2024B, around Taiwan. This military pressure operation is irresponsible, disproportionate, and destabilizing. As the White House noted last week, it is a long-standing tradition for Taiwan’s president to deliver remarks on 10/10. It is a routine, domestic-focused address that has historically prompted little response from the PRC. Still, the PRC has chosen this opportunity to take provocative, military action.
     
    Deterrence remains strong in the Indo-Pacific, and the Department remains confident in its current force posture and operations in the region. The entire world has a stake in peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, and we continue to see a growing community of countries committed to peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. We will continue to work with allies and partners to advance our shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific, despite the PRC’s destabilizing behavior. The United States remains committed to its longstanding one China policy, guided by the Taiwan Relations Act, the Three Joint Communiqués, and the Six Assurances.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for South and Southeast Asia Concludes Visit to Cambodia for Defense Policy Dialogue

    Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND

    Department of Defense spokesperson John Supple provided the following readout:

    Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (DASD) for South and Southeast Asia Laura Updegrove concluded her visit to Cambodia today for the first U.S.-Cambodia Defense Policy Dialogue since 2019 and for meetings with Cambodian defense and foreign policy officials. DASD Updegrove’s trip follows Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin’s visit to Cambodia on June 4, 2024.

    DASD Updegrove co-chaired the U.S.-Cambodia Defense Policy Dialogue, marking the third time the Dialogue has been held since its inception in 2011. The two sides discussed opportunities to strengthen the U.S.-Cambodia bilateral defense relationship, including through the resumption of military training exchanges on disaster assistance, United Nations Peacekeeping and de-mining and unexploded ordnance clearance, as well as Cambodia’s participation in U.S. professional military education (PME). The two sides also exchanged views on the regional security environment and reaffirmed their commitment to continued dialogue.

    On the margins of the dialogue, DASD Updegrove met with Minister of National Defence Tea Seiha and Prime Minister Hun Manet’s Foreign Policy Advisor Eat Sophea to discuss advancing bilateral defense cooperation in support of regional peace and security.

    During her visit DASD Updegrove also met with Cambodian graduates of U.S. PME programs, where she highlighted the longstanding defense training ties between the United States and Cambodia.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI China: Two giant pandas from China arrive in Washington, D.C.

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    An airplane transporting giant pandas arrives at the Dulles International Airport near Washington, D.C., the United States, on Oct. 15, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

    A pair of giant pandas, Bao Li and Qing Bao, arrived at Washington, D.C. on Tuesday, after an approximately 19-hour trans-Pacific trip from Sichuan Province in southwest China.

    A dedicated “FedEx Panda Express” Boeing 777F aircraft landed at the Dulles International Airport near Washington, D.C. at around 10:00 a.m. local time (1400 GMT).

    The pandas were loaded onto trucks and were sent to the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute (NZCBI). The three-year-old pandas will make their new home at the zoo, as part of a 10-year international giant panda protection cooperation program.

    “Our team has worked tirelessly to prepare for the pandas’ arrival, and we’re thrilled to welcome Bao Li and Qing Bao to Washington, D.C.,” Brandie Smith, NZCBI’s John and Adrienne Mars director, said in a statement.

    “I am appreciative of our Chinese colleagues for our collaborative conservation and research efforts, to FedEx for providing them with safe transportation and to our donors and members whose philanthropic contributions makes our giant panda conservation program possible,” said Smith.

    Bao Li, male, whose name means “treasure” and “energy” in Chinese, was born in August 2021. He shares a special bond with the zoo, as he is the son of Bao Bao and the grandson of Tian Tian and Mei Xiang — all former residents of the zoo.

    Qing Bao, female, whose name means “green” and “treasure” in Chinese, was born in September 2021.

    Per standard procedure, the pandas will be quarantined in the panda house for a minimum of 30 days, according to the zoo.

    This is the second time this year that China has sent giant pandas to the United States. Two giant pandas, Yun Chuan and Xin Bao, landed in California from China on June 27, and made their public debut on Aug. 9.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Frankfurt Book Fair 2024 kicks off

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    The Frankfurt Book Fair officially opened on Tuesday, highlighting a variety of genres and topics, including the “New Adult” category – romantic novels targeting young adults – alongside children’s and young adult literature, comics, streaming services, and educational and academic publishing.

    One of the most anticipated discussions at the fair is the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on the publishing industry.

    At a press conference, Karin Schmidt-Friderichs, Chairwoman of the German Publishers & Booksellers Association, acknowledged that while AI offers many opportunities for publishers, bookstores, and the logistics sector, it has yet to produce the kind of surprising, thought-provoking, or emotionally resonant works that come from human creativity.

    She also expressed concern about the ethical implications of AI, warning that its capabilities rely on “the largest-scale data theft in history.” She pointed out that massive amounts of text and images, many protected by copyright, have been used to train AI systems without proper consent or compensation for the original creators.

    Chinese publishers are making a significant impact at this year’s fair, showcasing more than 3,500 books, including 1,500 in foreign languages. In addition to new book releases, Chinese publishers are holding numerous premieres and signing ceremonies for copyright agreements, with up to 1,000 books available for copyright trade. The fair will also feature a promotional event for the 2025 Beijing International Book Fair and a session on copyright trade between China and Europe.

    Juergen Boos, Director of the Frankfurt Book Fair, noted the growing presence of Chinese publishers at the event, saying that they have evolved from being primarily copyright importers to becoming major copyright sellers. Boos also announced the introduction of an “Asian Stage” at the fair for the first time, which will foster dialogue between authors from China, other Asian countries, and Germany. Topics such as continuing education and training will be discussed to promote mutual learning between Chinese and German authors.

    This year’s Frankfurt Book Fair, which runs for five days, will feature thousands of exhibitors from around 100 countries.

    First held in 1949, the fair has since grown into the largest book fair in the world. Italy is the guest of honor for this year’s event.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Blogging taxi driver takes road to fame

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    Donning a cowboy hat, Ge You, one of the most renowned actors in the country, takes on the role of an ambassador of justice in his latest film, The Hutong Cowboy.

    However, unlike the typical cowboy archetype, the “weapon” of Ge’s character, Zhang Beijing, isn’t a sixgun holstered at his side. Instead, it’s the essential tools of the digital age — a smartphone and a selfie stick.

    In the movie, Zhang, a Beijing taxi driver in his 50s, unexpectedly becomes an internet sensation after a video capturing his moment of anger goes viral online. He seizes this newfound fame to start his own video blog, where he helps everyday individuals defend their rights.

    The footage shows the irate protagonist riding a sightseeing mini-train, chasing a soap seller dressed as a Transformers-like robot portrayed by actress Li Xueqin. The protagonist is triggered by the seller’s violation of his image rights. Earlier, the “robot” claw snags his wig, revealing his bald head, and this embarrassing moment is subsequently showcased on a large screen aimed at attracting more passersby to buy her soaps.

    As the latest directorial effort of veteran director Ning Hao and emerging talent Xu Lei, the 113-minute comedy was released across domestic theaters on Oct 1.

    Starring actress Gong Beibi as Zhang’s former wife and actor Wu Lei as his son, the movie unfolds with Zhang’s determination to deliver a parental speech at the upcoming wedding, rather than allowing his son’s wealthy entrepreneur stepfather to do so.

    Despite his efforts, including trying to rent luxury cars for the wedding and purchasing an expensive wig, Zhang eventually conceives a plan to become an internet influencer, aiming to demonstrate that he too can achieve success after the incident. However, the situation takes an unexpected turn.

    Director Ning, one of the most renowned figures among China’s “sixth-generation directors”, tells China Daily that he has been considering shooting a feature-length film centered on Zhang, a chatty yet warmhearted taxi driver representing the Chinese capital’s unique hutong culture, since 2019.

    Zhang’s character was initially introduced in Ning’s Nihao Beijing (Hello Beijing), one of the six standalone short stories featured in the 2019 anthology blockbuster My People, My Country. The narrative of Zhang was revisited in Beijing Haoren (A Kind-hearted Beijing Native), also directed by Ning, and one of the five separate stories of the 2020 anthology My People, My Homeland, a sequel to the 2019 film.

    Ning unveils that the inspiration for Zhang stems from the uncle of Wang Ang, the film’s scriptwriter.

    “We had interviewed his uncle before developing the storyline for the 2019 film,” recalls Ning.

    The archetype individual, characterized by his helpful, hospitable, and talkative nature, embodies a subset of native Beijing taxi drivers, who enjoy exchanging perspectives on international and domestic affairs with passengers and typically possess a broad spectrum of knowledge, Ning says.

    After being invited on board to codirect the film, Xu, who shot to fame for the award-winning suspense comedy Summer Detective, recalls that he and the cameraman Cheng Ma sought out the ideal filming locations in Beijing’s hutong areas.

    Living in a community near the East Fifth Ring Road, Xu shares that the journey has helped him realize the unique charm of Beijing — from its labyrinthine alleyways to the close-knit relationships among neighbors and the picturesque courtyards adorned with gray tiles, gray walls and red doors.

    “The preservation of hutong houses within the Second Ring Road represents a preservation of traditional and classical ways of living,” Ning adds.

    A native of Taiyuan, Shanxi province, Ning says that he believes Beijing locals, especially those residing in hutong, are renowned across the country for their wit and convivial dispositions, shaped by their distinctive living environment.

    “For many families, they share one courtyard with neighbors and have to go out to use communal toilets. Residents frequently run into each other. If nobody speaks, it can create pressure and lead to anxiety. Therefore, they rely on conversations and jokes to navigate life more smoothly,” Ning explains.

    Moreover, the film aims to capture how everyday individuals navigate the challenges of embracing a modern era dominated by livestreams, short videos and online commerce.

    Ning, seeking insights through his observations of daily life, recalls several instances that shed light on this dynamic. Intrigued by late-night livestreamed plant sales, Ning watched sellers diligently maneuvering electric bikes across fields to fulfill customers’ requests for close-ups of saplings. Similarly, he observed a grill restaurant owner fervently promoting her dishes to just a few online viewers. Even Ning’s shy and introverted nephew, who is recruited as a livestreamer to sell vehicles, found his primary audience to be Ning’s own relatives, who needed to support the young man as he struggled to attract enough customers.

    “Though the internet has reshaped our lives, it’s heartening to witness the resilience and fervor of ordinary individuals in the face of difficulties and challenges. Every single one of them is working hard to keep pace with the changes of the era,” reflects Ning.

    Interestingly, the courtyard of Zhang, the protagonist, was filmed within a hutong near Zhihua Temple, a Buddhist temple constructed during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). The backdrop of the sweeping and fluid Galaxy SOHO complex, designed by the late Iraqi-British architect Zaha Hadid, adds a metaphorical depth to the film.

    Director Xu explains that this deliberate contrast aims to convey a message about the potential for harmonious coexistence between tradition and modernity in a vibrant metropolis like Beijing.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Paintings explore odyssey of vision

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    Gazing at the paintings of Chang Shuhong (1904-94), founding director of the Dunhuang Academy, people can still feel the fundamental draw of the Mogao Caves that brought him back from France in the 1930s, leaving behind a prospect of an emerging classical oil painter.

    The following five decades saw him immerse in the charm of the treasure trove of Buddhist murals and painted sculptures as a wholehearted protector of the grottoes in the Gobi Desert of Northwest China.

    His later works, therefore, were largely influenced by murals in the Mogao Caves of Dunhuang, Gansu province — a UNESCO World Heritage Site — and a more down-to-earth, local artistic expression of China popular at that time, says Zhang Yiqing, research librarian at the Zhejiang Provincial Museum in Hangzhou, Chang’s hometown.

    In commemoration of the 120th anniversary of Chang’s birth, some of his oil paintings, watercolors and sketches are on show at the museum through to Sunday.

    The exhibits also include Chang’s copies of the murals in the Mogao Caves, as well as zhongcai (heavy-color) paintings, an important genre of Chinese painting with fine, precise delimitation and the layering of pigmented hues.

    Through Chang’s own depiction, the exhibition gives a display of early conservation efforts of the Dunhuang Academy, while tracing Chang’s artistic exploration and achievements before and after he went back from France.

    Chang was born in Hangzhou, a warm, wet and picturesque city along the lower reaches of the Yangtze River. In his early 20s, he went to France to study oil painting and fabric pattern design.

    His graduation work at the Ecole Nationale Superieure des Beaux-Arts de Lyon, Portrait of Madame G, ranked top among his peer graduates. He later entered the prestigious Ecole Nationale Superieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris with a scholarship funded by the city of Lyon.

    In France, Chang was active in salons, official art exhibitions sponsored by the French government. Having received several awards, some of his works were included among the collections of French cultural and artistic institutions, such as the Centre Pompidou in Paris.

    An encounter on the bank of the Seine changed his life.

    From a bookseller Chang got to read French explorer and Sinologist Paul Pelliot’s photo catalog, the six-volume Les Grottes de Touen-Houang (The Grottoes of Dunhuang). He then visited the Guimet Museum, or the National Museum of Asian Arts, to see the relics of Dunhuang taken by Pelliot.

    Chang marveled at the beauty and profoundness of the caves, first built more than 1,600 years ago, while mourning the loss of or damage to the cultural relics.

    He then made up his mind to go back to his home country and devote his life to the preservation of the grottoes and the promotion of Dunhuang studies.

    Chang came back in 1936. Amid the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45), he managed to arrive in Dunhuang after a month’s arduous journey in 1943 and prepared for the establishment of what is known today as the Dunhuang Academy.

    This year also marks the 80th anniversary of the founding of the academy, which currently oversees the Mogao Caves and several other relics sites in Gansu.

    In the late 1990s, Chang’s second wife Li Chengxian (1924-2003) and their children donated more than 200 paintings of Chang to the Zhejiang Provincial Museum, a small part of which are displayed at the museum’s permanent Chang Shuhong Gallery.

    Zhang, who is also curator of the ongoing temporary exhibition, says its more than 80 paintings serve as a larger presentation of Chang’s works housed at the museum, alongside the collection of Shanghai-based Long Museum and the private collection of Chang Jiahuang, Chang Shuhong’s second son.

    Sincere creativity

    With his subtle brush, Chang Shuhong recorded the Mogao Caves and the Dunhuang city in different seasons: the trees and blossoms in spring; the frozen Daquan River in front of the caves during winter, children playing on ice, a white stupa in the distance; and birds in snow against the backdrop of the landmark timber-structured nine-floor building that houses the tallest statue of Maitreya Buddha, or the Buddha of the Future, at the Mogao Caves.

    Upon his arrival, Chang Shuhong and colleagues pioneered a systematic conservation of the relics, planting trees and building protective walls, reinforcing the cliffs, constructing pathways, cleaning up the caves buried in sand, investigating and numbering them. Many of his paintings feature these efforts carried out at the windy and sandy Gobi Desert.

    He also depicted several times the bustling temple fair in front of the caves, falling annually around the eighth day of the fourth month on the Chinese lunar calendar, in celebration of the birthday of Siddhartha Gautama (better known as the Buddha).

    During the nine years in France, Chang Shuhong focused mainly on classical realistic oil painting, constantly exploring what could possibly become a “Chinese style of oil painting” and integrating it with his generation of artists’ reflection of life and concern about society.

    Hence, the art of Dunhuang particularly resonated with Chang Shuhong, as it was, in his own words, “created by ordinary people and for the ordinary people”. He saw in it exuberant, sincere creativity that he realized would have a significant impact on the creation of art in the coming decades, Zhang says.

    Two paintings of fresh produce Chang Shuhong created in different periods exemplify his transformation in artistic style. One was painted in 1933 in Paris, displayed at the Chang Shuhong Gallery, and the other in 1976, on show at the temporary exhibition.

    The earlier painting, conforming to the classical style, is overall of a gray tone with low saturation, whereas in the latter one, the painter used bold and clear lines, large red and green blocks to create striking contrast, though like before, the fish glisten in subtle light.

    Zhang adds that such transformation reflects the influence of the art of Dunhuang.

    Highlights of the exhibition also include one of Chang Shuhong’s facsimiles of a mural from Cave 254, dating back to the Northern Wei Dynasty (386-534), depicting a well-known piece of the Jataka tales, narratives of former incarnations of the Buddha. In his lifetime, Chang Shuhong copied this mural many times.

    He once wrote, the creators of this mural, featuring Prince Sattva sacrificing himself to feed a hungry tigress, so cleverly and skillfully combined different scenes of different times in the space of a single picture — his trip to the jungles, his offering of his own blood and flesh to the tigress, as well as his two brothers’ discovery of his remains, their grief, and how they bury their sibling and build a stupa for him.

    A solemn and heavy atmosphere is strengthened with the lines and colors, the contours and content, as well as the deep brown hue, he added.

    Chang Shuhong wrote in 1948 that conservation of the caves required detailed, accurate and systematic facsimile of the murals with a faithful attitude, which is a matter of patience and sacrifice of one’s own style and personality. His devotion to protecting the Mogao Caves largely cut down the time and effort paid to his own painting.

    In 1951, staff members of the academy co-authored an article introducing their facsimile project, which said that over the past four decades, many of the murals presented in Pelliot’s photo catalog had been destroyed or faded. With limited scientific knowledge and facilities, facsimile had become their priority and urgency.

    According to Chang Jiahuang, since the 1950s, his father had been frequently inviting art majors from across the country to copy the murals and sculptures of the Mogao Caves, while learning the traditional arts of Dunhuang.

    In 1979, he also replicated the mural featuring Prince Sattva of Cave 254, when he and a dozen classmates at the Lanzhou-based Academy of Fine Art and Design of Northwest Normal University joined this program under the strict supervision of his father, who, nevertheless, would sometimes visit them without notice late at night in the caves where they were working, bringing pears he himself grew.

    Chang Jiahuang says: “It was only after a long time that I learned from my father’s memoir why he had such an attachment to this mural and why he wanted me to copy it.

    “During his most difficult times, this painting inspired him, generating courage for him to persevere. In those three months, I deeply felt the dedication of ancient painters of Dunhuang and my own parents.”

    This year also marks the 100th anniversary of his mother’s birth, who joined in the research and conservation of the Mogao Caves in 1947. In April, the son donated their family’s 1,500 boxes of belongings to Zhejiang University, his father’s alma mater, for research and digitalization.

    Embracing technology

    As early as in the 1980s, Chang Shuhong had foreseen the potential of digitalization in cultural relics conservation.

    Pan Yunhe, academician at the Chinese Academy of Engineering and former principal of Zhejiang University, who joined the initial digitalization exploration of the Mogao Caves, recalls his first meeting with Chang Shuhong in 1982.

    At that time, Chang Shuhong was among the jury of Pan’s first academic program, which pioneered in generating patterns with artificial intelligence. Chang Shuhong expressed interest in preserving the murals of Dunhuang with a digital approach, visiting Pan’s laboratory and discussing the feasibility.

    “He was open-minded and very sensitive to new things. Ahead of his time, he could always absorb new things into his own creation,” Pan says, adding that Chang Shuhong was very kind and gentle to young people like him, who was at that time in his 30s.

    In 1998, the Dunhuang Academy and Zhejiang University launched an academic program led by Pan and sponsored by the National Natural Science Foundation of China to explore preservation, research and utilization of the Mogao Caves on a digital basis.

    Pan says, the launch of the program resulted from years of endeavor with the Chang family — the parents, firstborn daughter Chang Shana, who was director of what is now Academy of Arts and Design of Tsinghua University, and Chang Jiahuang — as well as Fan Jinshi, who took charge as director of the Dunhuang Academy that year.

    “Chang Shuhong was well-established in oil painting. It’s a pity he painted so little in the latter part of his life,” Pan said while visiting the exhibition at the Zhejiang Provincial Museum on Sept 29.

    That day, Chang Jiahuang said at the exhibition’s opening ceremony that as his parents’ student, secretary and assistant, he witnessed their twists and turns, their creation and research, and experienced their art and spirits, following which he grew to become introspective, modest and rigorous.

    According to him, the ongoing exhibition is the largest display of Chang Shuhong’s paintings since 1990 and a good presentation of the master’s spirits conveyed through his works.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Beijing People’s Art Theatre showcases Chinese theatre in Shanghai

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    The star-studded cast of the play Tea House, a celebrated repertoire of Beijing People’s Art Theatre, announced the start of the theater’s residential project in Shanghai on Oct 13.

    Arguably the most esteemed theater company in China, Beijing People’s Art Theatre built a repertoire of more than 300 productions since its founding in 1952. The ongoing residential project is part of the program of the 24th China Shanghai International Arts Festival.

    Starting from the performance of Tea House at Shangyin Opera House on Oct 14 to 16, the company will present five plays altogether in Shanghai until Nov 9, and hold a series of workshops, lectures, and other public educational events.

    Since the company’s first large-scale tour to Shanghai in 1961, Beijing People’s Art Theatre has made several important visits to the city. Tea House is one of the most renowned productions featuring household names of actors such as Pu Cunxin, Yang Lixin, Wu Gang, Feng Yuanzheng, and so on. The play premiered in 1958 and is known to “encapsulate the history of theater art in China,” said Feng, director of the theater. The touring version, starring the second-generation cast of the show, alongside with a group of young actors, reflected the “inheritance of the theatrical tradition of the company,” he said.

    The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial, a play adapted from the Pulitzer-prize winning novel by Herman Wouk, will be performed on Oct 20 to 22, and Sunrise, a play by modern Chinese theatrical master Cao Yu, who was also the first director of the Beijing People’s Art Theatre, will be presented from Oct 26-28.

    Poet Du Fu by playwright Guo Hongqi, depicting the life-story of the poet in the Tang Dynasty, will be shown from Nov 1 to 3, and Beneath the Red Banner, a new interpretation of the unfinished novel of the same title by Lao She, will be staged on Nov 7 to 9.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Exhibition in Budapest explores ancient China’s culinary secrets

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    The Hungarian Museum of Ethnography in Budapest opened the highly anticipated exhibition “Fine Dining: Food Stories of Ancient China” on Tuesday, offering visitors a fascinating journey through China’s ancient culinary traditions.

    The exhibition, co-hosted with the National Museum of China, runs until Jan. 19, 2025, and features over 100 pieces of Chinese art and artifacts, providing an in-depth look at China’s rich and diverse food culture, which spans millennia.

    Speaking at the opening ceremony, Chinese Ambassador to Hungary Gong Tao emphasized that the exhibition “is not only a vivid demonstration of cultural exchange between China and Hungary but also a testament to the deep friendship between the two peoples.” He noted the widespread popularity of Chinese cuisine in Hungary and expressed hope that the exhibition would further strengthen cultural ties between the two nations.

    Lajos Kemecsi, director of the Hungarian Museum of Ethnography, called the event a “special occasion for Hungarian-Chinese cultural relations.” He remarked that the exhibition “not only showcases the long history of Chinese dining culture but also offers insights into the linguistic, philosophical, and spiritual aspects of Chinese gastronomy.”

    The exhibition presents a carefully curated collection of ancient cooking tools, dining utensils, and intricate artwork, illustrating the complexity and diversity of Chinese food culture. It highlights concepts such as the philosophy of “the right blend of five tastes” and the belief that “medicine and food come from the same source,” providing visitors with a holistic understanding of how gastronomy has shaped Chinese life and thought.

    Deputy Secretary of State Gabor Csaba, representing Hungary’s Ministry of Culture and Innovation, underscored the importance of cultural exchange between Hungary and China. He noted the vital role of diplomacy in fostering deeper understanding between nations, stating that “cultural cooperation based on mutual respect and understanding is crucial for establishing the foundations of harmonious development and shared prosperity.”

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Reverend Warnock, Georgia Delegation Colleagues Demand EPA Regulate BioLab Chemicals Following Latest Incident at Conyers Facility

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock – Georgia

    Senator Reverend Warnock, Georgia Delegation Colleagues Demand EPA Regulate BioLab Chemicals Following Latest Incident at Conyers Facility

    Senator Reverend Warnock is calling on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to strengthen federal oversight of facilities manufacturing or storing certain hazardous chemicals 
    Senator Reverend Warnock joined Senator Jon Ossoff in the bicameral push with Representatives Hank Johnnson, David Scott, Lucy McBath, and Nikema Williams
    ICYMI from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Georgia congressional leaders demand EPA scrutiny of BioLab chemicals
    Senator Reverend Warnock, lawmakers: “Given TCCA’s involvement in multiple safety incidents due to its highly reactive properties, we urge the EPA to include it on the list of regulated substances under the Risk Management Program (RMP)”
    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) led a bicameral push to urge the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to strengthen federal oversight of facilities manufacturing or storing certain hazardous chemicals in the wake of the latest incident at the BioLab plant in Conyers. 
    Leading alongside Senator Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Congressman Hank Johnson (D-GA-04), and joined by U.S. House Representatives David Scott (D-GA-13), Lucy McBath (D-GA-07) and Nikema Williams (D-GA-05), Senator Warnock sent a letter to EPA Administrator Michael Regan urging the agency to enhance federal oversight of facilities that manufacture and/or store the hazardous chemical Trichloroisocyanuric Acid (TCCA), which is at the heart of the incident at the BioLab plant in Conyers. The environmental and public health crisis that has been ongoing since September 29.
    “We are concerned that facilities like BioLab Conyers, which manufacture and/or store TCCA are improperly managing these substances,” the lawmakers wrote. “When not handled correctly, these chemicals can contaminate local air, water, and soil, posing severe public health risks which include respiratory issues, skin irritations, and long-term conditions like lung and heart disease.”
    Specifically, the lawmakers urge the EPA to “include it on the list of regulated substances under the Risk Management Program (RMP),” which would prompt federal and state agencies to develop more effective safety protocols and management strategies, ensuring stricter adherence to safety standards for facilities handling this chemical.
    “The gravity of this situation underscores the need for changes to the federal and state regulatory systems,” concluded the lawmakers.
    The lawmakers are also requesting the agency respond to nine key questions surrounding the reactive chemical in question.
    Read the letter HERE or below.
    The Honorable Michael Regan
    Administrator 
    U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
    1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
    Washington, DC 20460
    Dear Administrator Regan,
    We are writing to urge the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to take immediate action to enhance federal oversight of facilities that manufacture and/or store the hazardous chemical Trichloroisocyanuric Acid (TCCA). 
    On September 29, 2024, just after Hurricane Helene slammed the area, a catastrophic chemical fire took place at the BioLab facility in Conyers, Georgia, that stores TCCA. The fire released a large, billowing plume of hazardous, toxic gasses into the air, which caused the closure of parts of Interstate 20 for nearly 17 hours, with local businesses and government offices forced to close while 17,000 residents living near the plant were forced to evacuate.  
    As of today, toxic substances continue to rise into the air from the smoldering ruins of the plant, with corporate and government officials being unable to offer a specific timetable as to when the danger will end.   People not just in the immediate vicinity of the plant but also millions across southeastern metropolitan Atlanta are under constant exposure to hazardous air quality. This incident has raised serious concerns about the community’s vulnerability to toxic chemical exposure. The danger is heightened by approaching rain which will douse the collapsed building under which millions of pounds of TCCA remain exposed to moisture.
    BioLab, a division of KIK Consumer Products, manufactures and stores millions of pounds of chemical mixtures primarily composed of TCCA at the Conyers, Georgia facility. When TCCA comes into contact with small amounts of water, a hazardous chemical reaction is triggered that generates heat and causes decomposition of the chemical and can in turn produces toxic chlorine gas and can also produce explosive nitrogen trichloride. The Conyers BioLab facility has experienced three separate chemical incidents in the past seven years, four in the past 20. Each event resulted in dangerous chemical reactions and fires, releasing toxic gases like chlorine into the air.
    There have been conflicting reports on what caused the most recent fire at the Conyers facility. One report cited water used to douse a fire on the roof of the plant seeping in, while another report blames the fire on a malfunctioning sprinkler system. Rainwater from Hurricane Helene seeping into the BioLab facility during and after Hurricane Helene has not been ruled out as a cause as well.
    We are concerned that facilities like BioLab Conyers, which manufacture and/or store TCCA are improperly managing these substances. When not handled correctly, these chemicals can contaminate local air, water, and soil, posing severe public health risks which include respiratory issues, skin irritations, and long-term conditions like lung and heart disease.
    A similar incident occurred on August 27, 2020, at the Lake Charles BioLab facility in Westlake, Louisiana, in the aftermath of Hurricane Laura. The facility sustained severe damage after TCCA manufactured and stored therein was moistened by small amounts of water and decomposed, producing toxic chlorine gas and nitrogen trichloride. These gases ignited, causing a fire and noxious clouds of toxic gases. The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazardous Investigation Board (CSB) investigated the incident and issued safety recommendations to minimize the consequences of future accidental chemical releases like the Lake Charles incident.
    The 2023 (CSB) report on BioLab Lake Charles found a regulatory gap regarding the oversight of chemicals like TCCA, particularly in their classification and management under existing federal regulations. Given TCCA’s involvement in multiple safety incidents due to its highly reactive properties, we urge the EPA to include it on the list of regulated substances under the Risk Management Program (RMP).
    This action will prompt federal and state agencies to develop more effective safety protocols and management strategies, ensuring stricter adherence to safety standards for facilities handling this chemical. We hope the Conyers debacle will prompt the inclusion of TCCA to the Process Safety Management (PSM) Standard under the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
    We call on the EPA to collaborate with states to implement training programs specifically designed for emergency responders and facility staff. These programs should address the unique challenges posed by reactive chemicals that adversely react to water used to extinguish fires, focusing on appropriate firefighting techniques, chemical behavior, and risk assessment. The EPA, in partnership with state fire marshals and chemical safety experts, can establish comprehensive guidelines for fire suppression techniques tailored to reactive chemicals, including recommendations for effective alternative extinguishing agents, such as dry chemical extinguishers or foam.
    Considering these concerns, we respectfully request clarification by November 20, 2024, on the following matters regarding regulatory oversight and preventative measures at chemical facilities like BioLab: 
    1. Has the EPA, in conjunction with the State of Georgia, initiated any investigations or inspections regarding BioLab Conyers’ compliance with federal environmental and chemical safety and risk management standards following its incidents since 2020?
    2. What immediate actions are the EPA and State agencies taking in response to this latest fire, given the history of public safety concerns at the Conyers facility?
    3. The 2023 Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) found that TCCA and TCCA-based formulations are not covered by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Process Safety Management (PSM) Standard. Has there been any progress in addressing this regulatory gap?
    4. Following the BioLab Conyers incident, is the EPA considering adding TCCA to the list of regulated substances under the Risk Management Program (RMP)?
    5. How is the EPA collaborating with state agencies to ensure that chemical facilities like BioLab Conyers are prepared for extreme weather events that could worsen fire hazards or hazardous material spills?
    6. In response to BioLab Conyers’ repeated safety failures, what specific measures will the EPA implement with state agencies to improve fire preparedness protocols, particularly for training facility staff and local emergency responders on handling fires involving non-water extinguishable substances?
    7. Does the EPA anticipate monitoring potential groundwater, soil, and water contamination from the chemical fire at the Conyers BioLab facility?
    8. We understand that the EPA is working to monitor air quality following the chemical fire. What steps has the EPA taken to inform affected communities of their findings and recommendations to safeguard the health and safety of these communities and their environment?
    a.How have the locations and spatial extent of the EPA’s air quality monitoring area changed as the location and direction of the smoke plume has shifted?
    9. What specific additional authority and resources does the EPA need to effectively prevent future incidents at chemical facilities like BioLab Conyers?
    The gravity of this situation underscores the need for changes to the federal and state regulatory systems. We look forward to your prompt response and urge robust, decisive measures to address the serious environmental and safety concerns posed by incidents like this.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI China: 26 Palestinians killed in Israeli attacks across Gaza

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    An injured man is transferred to a hospital in Gaza City, following an Israeli airstrike in the city, on Oct. 15, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

    At least 26 Palestinians were killed on Tuesday in Israeli attacks across the Gaza Strip, according to Palestinian medical and security sources.

    Medical sources said 11 Palestinians were killed in Israeli shelling near the al-Faluja area in Jabalia refugee camp, while at least 10 others were killed in an airstrike targeting an inhabited house east of Khan Younis city in southern Gaza.

    They added five more were killed in the Israeli bombing of a house in the Nuseirat camp in central Gaza, noting they were all transferred to Al-Aqsa Hospital.

    According to Palestinian security sources, Israeli tanks continue to besiege the Jabalia refugee camp for the 11th day in a row, as residents of Jabalia, its camp, and the nearby cities of Beit Hanoun and Beit Lahia were ordered to evacuate southward.

    The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement on Tuesday that the IDF continues its operations in the Jabalia area targeting militant infrastructure and operatives embedded inside civilian areas.

    The IDF added it acted in line with international law to facilitate humanitarian aid to Gaza residents, particularly assistance concerning the health system, including the transfer of patients, accompanying personnel and hospital staff, as well as fuel delivery for operating hospitals.

    Israel has been conducting a large-scale offensive against Hamas in Gaza to retaliate against a Hamas rampage through the southern Israeli border on Oct. 7, 2023, during which 1,200 people were killed and about 250 others taken hostage.

    The Palestinian death toll from ongoing Israeli attacks in Gaza has risen to 42,344, Gaza-based health authorities said in a statement on Tuesday.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Senior military official killed in al-Qaeda attack in SE Yemen

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    A high-ranking military official of the Southern Transitional Council (STC) aligned with the Yemeni government was killed in an attack by al-Qaeda militants in Yemen’s southeastern Shabwa province on Tuesday, a security official said.

    “Ahmed Sulaimani, chief of staff of the First Brigade of Shabwa Defense Forces, lost his life when an explosive device detonated near his vehicle,” the official said on condition of anonymity, adding Sulaimani was on a pre-dawn inspection of his forces’ positions in As Said district when killed.

    Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula has claimed responsibility for the attack and three other separate assaults on STC forces.

    The latest attack underscores the persistent security challenges facing the Yemeni government, as various armed groups continue to vie for control amid a protracted civil war between the government and the Houthi group, which has devastated the nation since 2014.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Large high-grade iron ore deposit found in east China

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    A high-grade iron ore deposit has been discovered in east China’s Shandong Province, with estimated reserves at 104 million tonnes.

    The Department of Natural Resources of Shandong Province has identified 16 high-grade iron ore bodies in the Qihe-Yucheng region.

    High-grade iron ore typically has a total iron content of over 45 percent — making it a strategic mineral resource in short supply in China.

    Hu Zhiyong, an official with the department, said the newly confirmed high-grade iron ore deposit is one of few in China, and is notable for its large distribution, considerable ore body thickness, high ore quality, and promising exploration potential.

    He emphasized the global imbalance in iron ore supply and demand, noting that major reserves are concentrated in countries such as the United States, Australia, Brazil, Russia and China. Despite having iron ore reserves, China faces a shortage of high-grade iron ore.

    The Qihe-Yucheng area, now poised to become a major high-grade iron ore base, is expected to alleviate some of the resource challenges facing China and improve the nation’s security in terms of iron ore supply, he added.

    As of 2022, a total of 173 kinds of minerals had been found in China, according to a report released by the Ministry of Natural Resources.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Early cancer testing urged despite growing awareness

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    Despite an increased awareness of cancer among older adults in China, it is important to step up early screenings for certain types, such as prostate cancer, to curb rising incidences, according to a recent report and experts.
    A rapidly aging population and changes in lifestyles have elevated cancer rates and related deaths in China. It is estimated that 2022 saw more than 4.8 million cancer cases, and nearly 2.6 million related mortalities, and incidence rates began rising significantly among those in their late 30s.
    According to a report, 85.8 percent of surveyed urban residents age 45 and older said that they are concerned about the risk of being diagnosed with cancer. Cancer of the lungs, stomach and liver are their biggest fears. These three types are also among the top five most common cancers in the nation, according to the report released on the sidelines of an event held by Chinese Aging Well Association on Friday.
    Moreover, more than 96 percent of surveyed men and women said they believe in the importance of cancer screenings, and more than 80 percent said they have undergone such tests.
    Women and high-income groups exhibit a stronger willingness to take screening examinations.
    While screenings for lung, liver and stomach cancer are the most prevalent, the report has called attention to the relatively low screening rates for prostate cancer and cervical cancer. Prostate cancer is the most common cancer for men in two-thirds of the countries across the globe. In China, the incidence rate is lower than that in developed Western countries, but the rate has been on the rise in recent years.
    Xing Nianzeng, vice-president of the Cancer Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, said that the incidence rate of prostate cancer has increased by about 7 percent annually in recent years. However, the five-year survival rate of the disease in China is around 70 percent, lower than the nearly 100 percent in developed countries.
    “There is a very simple and sensitive test called the PSA test, or prostate-specific antigen test, which only requires collecting a small amount of blood,” he said.
    “Abnormal test results signify that the man should go through further examinations.
    “It is important to raise awareness of early screening among high-risk groups,” he added.
    Experts suggested men age 50 and above take the test every two years, and those with a family history of prostate cancer are advised to have the test done annually starting at 45 years old.
    Gao Jie, chief physician at hepatobiliary surgery department at Peking University People’s Hospital, said during an interview with The-Paper.cn that about 70 percent of liver cancer patients are at an advanced or late stage when seeking treatment, and only 30 percent see a doctor at an early stage.
    Early screenings and diagnoses will play a significant role in tackling cancer, he added.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Marines Complete Typhoon Krathon Humanitarian Assistance Efforts

    Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND

    MANILA, Philippines  –  

    U.S. Marines across multiple forward-deployed commands concluded six days of foreign disaster relief efforts in the Philippines Oct. 10, 2024, supporting the U.S. Agency for International Development’s humanitarian response to Typhoon Krathon (locally known as Julian) at the request of the Philippine government.

    Marines and Sailors from Marine Rotational Force – Southeast Asia (MRF-SEA); 1st Marine Aircraft Wing (1st MAW); III Marine Expeditionary Force (III MEF); and the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit (15th MEU) embarked aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Boxer (LHD 4) delivered nearly 96,000 pounds of foreign disaster relief supplies to Batan Island, a remote island in the Batanes Province and one of the locations most impacted by Krathon.

    Typhoon Krathon originated 155 miles southwest of Okinawa before moving northwest, reaching peak intensity Oct. 1, with sustained winds of 195 kph (120 mph). Krathon heavily battered the northern islands of the Philippines, leading to evacuations, infrastructure damage, and food supply insecurity in affected communities.

    At the request of the Government of the Republic of the Philippines, U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin directed U.S. Indo-Pacific Command to support USAID’s relief efforts due to the unique capabilities and high state of readiness of forward-deployed U.S. Marine Corps forces.

    MRF-SEA first arrived in the Philippines in late September to participate in upcoming training exercises with the Armed Forces of the Philippines. Operating out of Fort Bonifacio, Philippines, MRF-SEA immediately began coordination with the U.S. Department of State, USAID, the AFP, and other U.S. Marine Corps units to plan support for the relief effort. Two teams of Marines and Sailors from MRF-SEA integrated with USAID and AFP personnel in Manila and Laoag to plan and prepare for the arrival of KC-130J Super Hercules aircraft from 1st MAW in Okinawa, Japan, and personnel from 3rd Marine Logistics Group.

    “Before Marine Corps aircraft ever touched down in the Philippines, Marines and Sailors with MRF-SEA were integrated with our partners in the U.S. and Philippine governments, on site at Villamor Air Base and Laoag International Airport, with the manpower and heavy equipment needed to package and move aid material,” said Col. Stuart Glenn, commanding officer, MRF-SEA. “Forward-deployed Marine Corps forces allow us to quickly respond to humanitarian missions because we’re already in the region. I am extremely proud that our team was able to set the necessary conditions to quickly provide relief to the Philippine people.”

    After arriving on Oct. 5, the cargo planes were loaded with supplies at Villamor Air Base and flown to Laoag International Airport in northern Luzon for staging and preparation to move the supplies to their final destination on Batan Island. The KC-130 crews conducted 26.2 hours of flight operations, successfully transported all aid materials to Laoag.

    As U.S. and Philippine personnel worked to move supplies north, the 15th MEU arrived aboard USS Boxer and began flight operations to support relief efforts on Oct. 8. MV-22B Ospreys, assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 165 (Reinforced), landed in Laoag, and combined teams from the 15th MEU, MRF-SEA, and Philippine Marines spent the next three days loading Ospreys, the Marine Corps’ medium-lift tiltrotor V/STOL platform, with disaster relief supplies for the final leg of the movement to the Basco Airport on Batan Island. Pilots and aircrews from VMM-165 (Rein.) conducted more than 55 flights and successfully delivered the final disaster relief material on Thursday, Oct. 10.

    “The primary focus of our mission is helping the people of the Philippines recover as quickly and safely as possible,” said Col. Sean Dynan, commanding officer, 15th MEU. “Humanitarian assistance in an expeditionary environment is what we train to do, and it is one of the reasons we are forward-deployed as an amphibious force.”

    The forward presence and ready posture of U.S. Marine forces in the Indo-Pacific region was pivotal to the rapid and effective response to Typhoon Krathon, demonstrating the U.S.’s commitment to its allies and partners during times of need.

    POINT OF CONTACT:
    Capt. Mark McDonough
    Communication Strategy & Operations Director
    Marine Rotational Force – Southeast Asia
    +1 (760) 799-4590
    mark.mcdonough@usmc.mil

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Boxer Celebrates Navy’s 249th Birthday

    Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND

    PHILIPPINE SEA  –  

    Sailors assigned to the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Boxer (LHD 4) and embarked Marines, assigned to the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), held a ceremony on the mess decks to celebrate the Navy’s 249th birthday, Oct. 13, 2024.

    The theme of this year’s celebration is warfighting, strength and readiness, highlighting the Navy’s ability to operate anywhere, at any time, to promote security, deter aggression, and defend shared ideals.

    For the last 249 years, the United States Navy has been there to answer the call. From the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean, and from the skies around the world, we continue to operate in support of our Allies and Partners, defending our protected interests, bringing lifesaving supplies to those in need, and countless other missions.

    During Boxer’s celebration ceremony, Capt. Brian Holmes, commanding officer, recalled the story of Lt. Cmdr. John D. Bulkeley, a Medal of Honor recipient who showed extraordinary heroism during World War II as the commander of Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron Three in the same waters that Boxer is currently operating in today.

    Under Bulkeley’s command, the PT boats of Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron Three severely damaged and destroyed multiple Japanese enemy planes, surface combatants and merchant ships, and dispersed landing parties and enemy forces for over four months in the waters surrounding the Philippines. His team was also responsible for safely bringing General Douglas MacArthur and his family out of the island of Corregidor in the Philippines, sailing through heavily-patrolled enemy waters, allowing him to evade capture and lead the counteroffensive in the Pacific that ultimately changed the course of WWII.

    “That same courage and that same determination that Lt. Cmdr. Bulkeley showed in World War II, we still celebrate today,” said Holmes. “I take great pride in knowing that we are the same Navy today that we were 249 years ago – strong, capable, and ready. I am incredibly proud to be sailing in the same waters, with the crew of Boxer and the embarked 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, where Lieutenant Commander Bulkeley and those who have gone before us so bravely operated in defense of our nation’s security.”

    The United States Navy was born through the sacrifice and determination of the men and women who served a noble cause to defend the people of the United States of America, tracing its origins back to the American Revolution.

    “Soon after the War on Independence, the U.S. Constitution empowered the new Congress to provide and maintain the Navy,” said Chief Aviation Ordnanceman Corey Gadson during the ceremony. “Acting on this authority, Congress established the Department of the Navy on April 30, 1798, and in the years that followed, the first ships were constructed: the Constellation, Constitution, Congress, Chesapeake, United States and the President, known as the six frigates.”

    In the last 249 years, the Navy has since grown to become a symbol of freedom for both the American people and the world, protecting the air and seas, deterring aggression and operating alongside our Allies and Partners in support of shared interests of peace and stability.

    “Today, we have more than 280 ships – with 77 more under construction or on order – manned and backed by more than 300,000 Sailors,” said Aviation Electronics Technician 2nd Class Alana Reyes. “We are our nation’s vital maritime maneuver force – persistent, versatile, and capable of winning any fight and ready for the challenges of the future.”

    Boxer and embarked elements of the 15th MEU are conducting routine operations in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations. U.S. 7th Fleet is the U.S. Navy’s largest forward-deployed numbered fleet, and routinely interacts and operates with allies and partners in preserving a free and open Indo-Pacific region.

    Boxer is a Wasp-class amphibious assault ship homeported in San Diego. Commissioned February 11, 1995, Boxer is the sixth ship to bear the name. Boxer’s crew is made up of approximately 1,200 officers and enlisted personnel and can accommodate up to 1,800 Marines.

    For more information or imagery for USS Boxer visit: https://www.dvidshub.net/unit/LHD-4
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    Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/ussboxer/

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Young musicians from Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao to showcase diverse artistic vitality of Greater Bay Area with fine music

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         The Hong Kong Youth Symphony Orchestra (HKYSO) of the Music Office under the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, the Macao Youth Symphony Orchestra (MYSO) and the Guangzhou Symphony Youth Orchestra (GSYO) will come together to present the talents of young musicians from Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao at the “2024 GBA Youth Symphonic Spectacular” concert at the Auditorium of Sha Tin Town Hall at 7.30pm on November 16 (Saturday).

         A delightful concert programme will be presented to the audience by the three youth orchestras under the batons of the conductor of the HKYSO Lee Sing-wan, the conductor of the MYSO Stephen Lam, and the Music Director of the GSYO Jing Huan respectively.

         Highlights include “Namouna Suite d’orchestre No. 1” by the prominent French composer Lalo of the Romantic era; “Romanian Rhapsody No. 1” featuring composer Enescu’s unique interpretation of Romanian folk music; and “Harvest Song”, depicting the joy of a better life. At the finale of the concert, musicians from the three orchestras, under the baton of Jing, will perform Shi Wanchun’s “Festival Overture” and Borodin’s “Polovtsian Dances” as a joint orchestra, drawing the concert to a perfect conclusion.

         Tickets priced at $70, $90 and $115 are now available at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk). For telephone bookings, please call 3166 1288. For programme enquiries and concessionary schemes, please call 2796 7537 or 3842 7784 or visit http://www.lcsd.gov.hk/en/mo/activities/yme/2024gba.html.

         This concert is one of the programmes of the 4th Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Culture and Arts Festival. Hong Kong is the host city of the Festival for the first time, organising and co-ordinating over 260 performances and exchange activities to be held in the “9+2” cities in the Greater Bay Area. The festival aims to showcase the vibrant and diverse cultural richness of the region and foster cultural exchange and co-operation among the cities. For more information, please visit http://www.gbacxlo.gov.hk.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Update: State Highway 65, Maruia to Shenandoah, closed following truck crash

    Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

    Update 3:10 pm: State Highway 65 remains closed to traffic between Springs Junction and the Buller Gorge junction following a truck crash earlier today.

    Work to clear the crash site is continuing and the highway is expected to remain closed for some time.

    Drivers are asked to avoid the area and use the recommended detour.

    Updates on the highway’s status can be found on the NZTA/Waka Kotahi website:

    Highway conditions – West Coast(external link)

    12.45pm:

    Drivers are asked to avoid State Highway 65 between Springs Junction and the Buller Gorge junction following a truck crash.

    The incident, which was reported shortly before 11:30 this morning, occurred  near the intersection of State Highway 65 and Pea Soup Road. The truck’s trailer has overturned.

    State Highway 65 is closed between Springs Junction and the Buller Gorge. Drivers must avoid the area, delay their journey or use an alternative route.

    Northbound traffic can detour via State Highway 7 to Reefton, then use State Highway 69  to Inangahua, and then State Highway 6 and the Buller Gorge. The reverse applies for southbound traffic.

    Emergency services and contractors are attending the crash. Work is underway to reopen the road, but no timeframes for this are currently available.

    Further information on the highway’s status will be provided when available. Updates can be found on the NZTA/Waka Kotahi website:

    Highway conditions – West Coast(external link)

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Interview with Paul Taylor, 3BA 102.3FM, Ballarat

    Source: Australian Treasurer

    PAUL TAYLOR:

    It’s nice to have in studio in person the federal Treasurer of Australia Jim Chalmers. Good morning to you, my friend.

    JIM CHALMERS:

    Good morning to you Paul, thanks for having me.

    TAYLOR:

    Well, we’ve only met once but I feel like I’m –

    CHALMERS:

    We’re old mates.

    TAYLOR:

    Well we have met, we’re old mates, aren’t we?

    CHALMERS:

    That’s how Australia works.

    TAYLOR:

    Once upon a time I got to speak to a Prime Minister, he of the budgie smuggler fame, and now I get to speak to the federal Treasurer. How are you?

    CHALMERS:

    There you go. I’m really good thanks, and I wanted to shout out from the outset the wonderful people at the George Hotel for one of the best coffees I have ever had. Thank you so much.

    TAYLOR:

    I’ll have to go and get one now, now you’ve put that in my head. We only have Nescafe downstairs. But see the thing is, Jim, it’s free and I’m a bit of a tight person.

    CHALMERS:

    Oh, right. Yeah, the moths fly out of your wallet when you open it kind of guy.

    TAYLOR:

    Yeah, they do. I’m rather rapt that you joined us here today because today’s is a special day and, Jim Chalmers, it’s World Banana Day. So I went to our local fruit and veg, Wilsons Fruit and Veggies just up the road in Mair Street and I got you a banana.

    CHALMERS:

    You got me a nana.

    TAYLOR:

    I got you a banana for World Banana Day. Can I just say I probably, if I were you, would start to eat that because to get through this interview you’re going to need all the energy you can muster.

    CHALMERS:

    Oh, I see. You’re buttering me up at the start with a nana.

    TAYLOR:

    I’m trying to.

    CHALMERS:

    You know I saw that banana in front of me and I thought, ‘I wonder if Paul’s going to tuck into that while we’re talking’.

    TAYLOR:

    I’ve got one for me, don’t worry. There we go, we’ve got one each.

    Where do we start? Well you and the Prime Minister, Mr Albo, must be, I don’t know, shaking in your boots at the moment. Coalition are ahead two‑party preferred basis, 2 points, 51 per cent. Behind in the primary vote as well, 38 to 31. It seems that Albo’s setting himself up for retirement, just bought himself a $4.3 million on the beach pad. What’s happening here, Jim?

    CHALMERS:

    Well I think when it comes to the opinion polls what I try and do, and I think what we try and do collectively, is we don’t get too carried away when they’re really good, we don’t get too carried away when they’re really tight. The truth is, when you’re in my line of work, you learn not to take anyone’s vote for granted, and particularly when people are doing it tough. There’s a lot going on around the world and around the country. we don’t take any outcome for granted. I think the polls are reflecting the fact that people are under pressure, and we understand that.

    When it comes to the other part of your question, I work as closely if not more closely than anyone with the PM, with Anthony, and I’ve seen for myself his total focus is on how we roll out this cost‑of‑living help, how do we build more houses for people to rent and buy, how do we take some of this pressure off people where we can? And I understand there’s interest in the place that he bought. I do understand that, and I think we all understand that when you’re in our line of work, people will have an interest in those sorts of private decisions that you take. In this case, he and Jodie wanted somewhere a bit closer to Jodie’s family in that beautiful part of Australia on the Central Coast. But I want to assure your listeners and anyone who checks out our interview, I see how focused he is on the cost of living, on housing for more Australians because those are the main issues that are putting pressure on people right now, and I think that’s reflected in our politics.

    TAYLOR:

    Would you agree it’s bad timing on the Prime Minister’s behalf?

    CHALMERS:

    I’m not going to give him free advice or kind of second‑guess –

    TAYLOR:

    You are a money man though. Surely you can give him free monetary advice?

    CHALMERS:

    I don’t give him free advice about these sorts of things. He’s very fortunate that he has Jodie and Jodie’s very fortunate that she has that loving family on the Central Coast and they want to be nearer to them. I’m not pretending that people don’t have a legitimate interest in the sorts of things that Prime Ministers do.

    TAYLOR:

    This is the talk of Australia at the moment.

    CHALMERS:

    I understand that. I think he understands that too. I spent yesterday with him in my own community just south of Brisbane around Logan City. He understands that too. But really the assurance that I can give your listeners and the country beyond is, he is extremely focused on all of the things that we’re doing to try and ease some of these cost‑of‑living pressures that people are confronting. That’s his focus.

    TAYLOR:

    There’s a couple of things out of that answer that you’ve given me. You’ve mentioned cost‑of‑living crisis, you’ve mentioned the housing crisis. Jim Chalmers, are we still the lucky country or are we not the lucky country any more?

    CHALMERS:

    Well I believe you make your own luck. I’m not the first one to say that but I really believe that this country has not just an amazing history, and being in Ballarat is really to be struck by the incredible history of our country, but our future is even brighter, and when Donald Horn wrote that book about Australia being a lucky country it was tongue‑in‑cheek. He was saying we were lucky despite the leadership that was being shown at the time. And so how I think about the future of this place is I think we’ve got enormous potential, we’ve got almost limitless opportunity. It matters how we share that opportunity. And the decisions we take now about the energy transformation and how we adapt and adopt technology and how we provide good services to people and how we make sure regions like this one are part of our story of economic success, these are the big challenges that we confront. We can be more than lucky. We can be successful not by accident but by design.

    TAYLOR:

    I’ve got some stats that I want to give to you and throw your way which make it extremely difficult to see the brighter light here in Australia that you speak of going forward. Eighty‑five per cent of Australians, 85 per cent, are now convinced, convinced, they’ll never be able to buy their own home except maybe through the bank of mum and dad. Eighty‑five per cent.

    CHALMERS:

    There’s a real intergenerational element to this. I’m off to Ballarat High shortly and I anticipate that one of the questions I’ll get will be about housing because there’s a real sense in Australia, and not an unwarranted one, that it’s harder to get a toe hold in the housing market and that’s why probably the biggest, if not the biggest, and certainly one of the biggest investments we’ve been making as a government is the $32 billion we found in 3 budgets to try and build more homes. Because the best thing we can do to make it easier for people to find somewhere to rent or somewhere to buy, somewhere to raise a family, is to build more homes. We don’t have enough homes in this country. We’re starting from a long way back. We’ve got a lot of investment flowing right now and that’s really important because we need to turn this ship around.

    TAYLOR:

    Housing Accord, 1.2 million homes by 2029. The HIA have come out today and said we need 22,000 carpenters, 17,000 sparkies, 1,200 plumbers. Now we’re going to import a heap of doctors into the country. Should we be doing the same with our plumbers and our carpenters and our sparkies? I don’t know. Is immigration the way to go? Because once they get here they’re not going to be living in swags, they need homes to live in, don’t they, Jim?

    CHALMERS:

    The first priority, the most important thing we can do is train more tradies. The housing pipeline is nowhere near what we want it to be. We agree with some of the analysis from the industry and from others that says we’re starting from a long way back but that doesn’t mean you kind of throw your hands in the air and say, it’s all too hard. We’re investing a bunch of money, but we do need the tradies. We need the carpenters and the plumbers and the sparkies to be able to build these homes. And so it’s not talking out of school to say that a big part of the conversations we’ve been having with the new Housing Minister, Clare O’Neil, a proud Victorian, is how we actually build the capacity to build all these homes and the most important part of that is skills. There will be a role for migration in that but the primary role is for TAFE and training, making sure that we can get the skills that we need to build the homes that we need.

    TAYLOR:

    Yeah, there’s a lot of work ahead for the Albanese government, the Prime Minister saying he wants to be there for a long time to come. Is that the charter of this government, to dig in, to show Australia that we can find the light at the end of the tunnel?

    CHALMERS:

    That’s our objective because we want to bed down the changes that we’re making. We want to build the homes, build the skills base, all of these important things that you’ve been asking me about this morning and that sometimes takes time, takes more than one term.

    If you think about the story of this government, we have done a lot, we’ve got a lot more to do, and the country has a lot to lose if we go back to the worst aspects of the government that preceded us.

    We don’t pretend that we have every issue fixed in this country, but if you think about – in my part of the shop – the progress that we’ve made together, and I don’t claim 100 per cent of the credit for this, this is to Australia’s credit – we’ve halved inflation, we’ve got real wages growing again, we’ve created a million jobs in a soft economy, we’ve got tax cuts flowing to everyone, and yet we’ve still delivered a couple of surpluses and we’ve avoided $150 billion in debt which means we pay less interest on it. So we’ve made a heap of progress as a country together, working together, but we know that there is more to do and that’s why we need another term to do it.

    TAYLOR:

    Just quickly, direct you to a feature in our local paper, the Ballarat Courier this morning, a story that says growing numbers of Ballarat families are facing ‘relentless poverty’, quote unquote, with parents being forced to choose between buying food and paying for other essentials, including medication, bills and school costs because times are tough out there and it’s not easy. Families are suffering. I see it first‑hand. I volunteer for an organisation called the Soup Bus and the Soup Bus goes out and helps the homeless, those in need, and now it’s families in crisis who are showing up. We’ve now got a community house that I do a lot for up in Wendouree West and we are seeing more and more families come in for a feed because they simply can’t afford to put food on the table.

    CHALMERS:

    Yes. I don’t disagree that there are a lot of people doing it really tough, and if you think about those 3 budgets that we’ve handed down, really the most important part of those budgets, really the government’s reason for being, is in the near‑term to try and take pressure off people and in the longer term to build more opportunities for people.

    If you think about the things that we’re doing which are motivated by what you’re raising with me, I don’t dispute what you’re raising with me, I see it in my own community and around Australia that people are doing it tough, so that’s why the tax cuts are so important, the energy bill relief for every household, cheaper medicines, rent assistance, cheaper early childhood education, fee‑free TAFE, getting wages moving again. All of those things are motivated by what we see with our own eyes around Australia, which is people doing it tougher than we would like them to do.

    We have to get on top of this inflation and cost‑of‑living challenge and we are. We’re rolling out a bunch of help in the most responsible way that we can, but we acknowledge that even with that help that we’re rolling out, billions of dollars of assistance for people who are doing it tough, we know that that the pressures are still there and as a Labor government, we take our responsibilities to the people that you’re referencing very seriously.

    TAYLOR:

    I know you can’t tell the RBA what to do but in your mind how soon before we see interest rates drop?

    CHALMERS:

    Well the first part of your question’s right. I try not to pre‑empt or predict or second‑guess the decisions that are taken rightly and independently by the Reserve Bank. They do their job, and I do mine. My job is to help them in the fight against inflation and we made a heap of progress as a country in the fight against inflation, and they’ll weigh that up. They’ve got a meeting in November, another one in December, and then not ‘til February. I know there’s a lot of interest in that and the decisions that they might take, but I try and mind my own business and focus on what I can control and leave them to do their job.

    TAYLOR:

    All right, great to see the government backing the ACCC where price gouging is concerned with the supermarkets, the big 2, Woolies and Coles. How much, is it talk, is it rhetoric, that the government are now going to take the big banks to task about fees where credit and debit cards are concerned? Is it really going to happen? Are we going to see the end of that gouging when it comes to the big banks?

    CHALMERS:

    We don’t want to see people charged these big fees just to use their own money, that’s why our primary focus is on debit cards. Debit cards are now actually most of the payment system. I think it’s just edged over 50 per cent of payments are from debit cards, so that’s people using their own money, and you shouldn’t get slugged just to use your own money, so we do want to crack down on that.

    We’ve got some work to do with the Reserve Bank and others to make sure that we do it the right way and one of the things we want to be really careful about there is the impact on small business and consumers. We want to make sure consumers and small businesses are beneficiaries of any change that we make but we are prepared to ban surcharges on debit cards subject to that work.

    TAYLOR:

    Jim Chalmers, it’s been an absolute pleasure to have you here in person. Great to see you getting out and about and into the regional areas given you’re the federal Treasurer. I want to thank you for your time, for your candid answers and enjoy your banana on World Banana Day.

    CHALMERS:

    Well thanks for having me on your show, Paul, and thanks for the nana as well. I’ll eat that shortly, it looks terrific.

    TAYLOR:

    Thank you very much. The federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: The government has a target for Indigenous digital inclusion. It’s got little hope of meeting it

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bronwyn Carlson, Professor, Critical Indigenous Studies and Director of The Centre for Global Indigenous Futures, Macquarie University

    Digital inclusion for Indigenous communities is important. It’s so important, in fact, that the government has made it one of the targets under the Closing The Gap plan. The goal is:

    by 2026, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have equal levels of digital inclusion.

    Digital exclusion is the continuing unequal access and capacity to use digital technology that is essential to participate fully in society.

    It severely stifles Indigenous creativity. It restricts access to essential tools, skills and platforms that are crucial for digital expression and innovation.

    For many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, this exclusion leads to missed opportunities, particularly in areas linked to economic prosperity, such as employment and education. As the government’s policy focus is on economic empowerment, this is a major barrier.

    Measuring progress towards the 2026 deadline is challenging because there are simply no recent data.

    But given how big the gap was to start with, the lack of importance based on gathering relevant data and the insufficient government action since, we know the target is highly unlikely to be met.



    Read more:
    ‘Digital inclusion’ and closing the gap: how First Nations leadership is key to getting remote communities online

    What’s being done?

    To support the goal, the First Nations Digital Inclusion Plan offers a comprehensive strategy focused on three key pillars:

    • access (to telecommunication services, devices, and data)

    • affordability (the cost of services, devices, and data)

    • ability (skills, attitudes, and confidence with technology).

    Focused mostly on remote communities, initiatives such as the Australian Digital Inclusion Index highlight persistent challenges across all three areas.

    Although digital inclusion is an urgent issue in remote areas, research also shows Indigenous populations face widespread digital exclusion across the nation, regardless of remoteness.

    Some 84.6% (832,800) of Indigenous people live in non-remote areas. Many of these people are also excluded.

    Last year, the government established an advisory group to drive progress.

    It has developed a “road map”. This involves travelling to Indigenous communities across Australia to ensure their diverse needs, aspirations and environments are fully considered.

    Despite these ongoing government initiatives and policies, efforts to close the digital divide for Indigenous peoples remain insufficient. As technology continues to advance, Indigenous communities are left in an increasingly precarious situation.

    The rise of artificial intelligence

    The government’s current plans do not explicitly address the role of artificial intelligence (AI). This oversight is particularly concerning given the rapid advancement of AI technologies.

    A recent report on adult media literacy in Australia reveals 48% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander participants do not understand what AI is or the risks and opportunities it presents. This knowledge gap could further exacerbate the digital divide and deepen existing inequalities.

    AI presents both opportunities and challenges. When led by Indigenous people, it holds transformative potential across multiple sectors.

    It could enhance learning tailored to Indigenous knowledge systems, help in the revitalisation and preservation of languages, and improve healthcare delivery. It could also empower Indigenous businesses by optimising operations and market reach.



    Read more:
    AI affects everyone – including Indigenous people. It’s time we have a say in how it’s built

    Indigenous people are already collaborating on research that combines Indigenous knowledge with AI to support land-management practices.

    There are very few Indigenous-led AI projects underway nationally, but there’s great potential. With Indigenous people helping develop AI, these technologies could contribute to meaningful, self-determined growth across Indigenous communities.

    But only if we’re included.

    Avoiding exploitation

    Indigenous digital exclusion, especially in policy development and regulation, can result in AI being used by non-Indigenous people to tell our stories without our permission.

    They can profit from appropriation of our culture, including art and languages.

    The government needs to adopt a more comprehensive and forward-thinking approach. This should involve expanding the scope of digital inclusion initiatives beyond the current limited focus to encompass Indigenous communities across the entire country.

    The development of Indigenous-led digital literacy programs that respect learning styles and culture is also essential.

    The government should incorporate AI and other emerging technologies into planning to ensure Indigenous communities are not left behind.

    Establishing long-term partnerships with technology companies, educational institutions and Indigenous organisations to create sustainable digital inclusion programs is vital.

    The focus should be on creating Indigenous-led opportunities that leverage digital technologies for economic empowerment without exploiting or harming.

    Underrepresented in tech

    One barrier to this is there are very few Indigenous peoples involved in the tech industry, especially in decision-making roles and policy development.

    As of 2022, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people accounted for less than 1.4% of tech workers. There urgently needs to be more support to boost this figure.

    That’s because technology like AI presents potential careers for Indigenous people.

    Currently however, Indigenous peoples are not employed in the industries involved in AI. Of the global study of people working in this specific industry, Indigenous participation was not noted.

    The fact the government recognises digital inclusion as a national priority is a positive step. The current approach, however, is piecemeal and limited. We need a more holistic strategy.

    By developing more inclusive, technologically advanced policies led by Indigenous people, the government can ensure they are not left behind in the digital age. We need to be at the decision-making table.

    Closing the digital divide requires a multifaceted, long-term commitment from government. This means a national strategy recognising the diverse needs and aspirations of Indigenous communities across the country.

    By harnessing the full potential of digital technologies, including AI, and addressing the unique challenges faced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, the government can create lasting positive change and truly empower Indigenous communities in the digital era.

    Bronwyn Carlson is a member of the First Nations Digital Inclusion Advisory Council.

    – ref. The government has a target for Indigenous digital inclusion. It’s got little hope of meeting it – https://theconversation.com/the-government-has-a-target-for-indigenous-digital-inclusion-its-got-little-hope-of-meeting-it-239733

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Should King Charles apologise for the genocide of First Nations people when he visits Australia?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rebe Taylor, Associate Professor of History, University of Tasmania

    King Charles and Queen Camilla will visit Australia from Friday on a five-day tour of Canberra and Sydney.

    The king will be the second ruling British monarch to visit Australia, after Queen Elizabeth II’s 16 visits over 57 years.

    These visits showcase Australians’ evolving relationship with the monarchy and our colonial past.

    Changing attitudes

    An estimated 75% of Australians greeted Elizabeth on her first tour in 1954, at events that celebrated Australia’s growth as a prosperous nation.

    Historical milestones remained central to the queen’s subsequent visits.

    In 1970, she attended the re-enactment of Captain Cook’s arrival at Botany Bay. This included depictions of shooting at First Nations actors.

    The queen’s 1986 visit included signing the Australia Act that severed Britain’s formal powers over Australia.

    Her 1988 visit coincided with the Australian bicentenary of the arrival of the First Fleet carrying convicts and officials from Britain. But by this time, many Australians had lost their royal fervour.

    Her final tour, in 2011, came 12 years after Australia had attempted to become a republic by referendum.

    The queen’s death in 2022 not only reignited questions over the future of the monarchy in Australia, it instigated a public discussion over the monarchy’s role in imperial colonialism.

    Genocide in Australia?

    On the eve of Charles’ coronation in 2023, Indigenous leaders from 12 settler states including Australia and New Zealand cosigned a letter calling on the new monarch to apologise for the genocides that British colonisation brought to their territories.

    Australia was settled in the name of the Kingdom of Great Britain. Did that settlement result in genocide?

    Recent research led by Ben Kiernan for The Cambridge World History of Genocide has investigated this question using the 1948 United Nations Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide as a framework.

    The convention defines genocide as “acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group”.

    The term “genocide” itself is modern; coined by Raphael Lemkin in 1944. The colonisation of Tasmania by the British provided Lemkin with one of the clearest examples.

    The prosecution of crimes before 1951 is not permissible under the convention, which provides a definitional framework to evaluate past events as constituent acts of genocide.

    The Cambridge World History of Genocide Volume II and Volume III demonstrate how settlers and government agents committed acts of genocide against First Nations Australians from the beginning of settlement to the late 20th centuries.

    All parts of Australia are considered. Acts conforming to the convention’s clauses include killing, forcibly removing children and inflicting destructive conditions.

    Australian historian Lyndall Ryan’s chapter, Frontier Massacres in Australia, draws on her research for a Massacre Map showing how British troops and settlers committed more than 290 massacres across Australia between 1794 and 1928.

    These massacres killed more than 7,500 Aboriginal people.

    Ryan found the massacres were not sporadic and isolated – they were planned and sanctioned killings, integral to the aims of the Australian colonial project.

    Rebe Taylor’s chapter on genocide in Tasmania details a pattern of government-sanctioned mass killings in a colony where an estimated 6,000 Palawa (Tasmanian Aboriginal) people were reduced to about 120 by 1835.

    Raymond Evans shows how as colonisation moved northward in Australia, massacres increased in size.

    Evans documents killings that persisted into the 1940s, postdating the 1928 Coniston massacre widely regarded as the last frontier slaughter.

    These findings are underscored by Tony Barta’s insight that colonists’ destructive actions constitute a record of genocidal intent “more powerful than any documented plot to destroy a people”.

    Research by Anna Haebich documents the taking of Indigenous children during the 19th century.

    Joanna Cruikshank and Crystal Mckinnon explain how these state-sanctioned removals in the 20th century were intended to eliminate First Nations people from Australia’s national life.

    The 1997 Bringing Them Home report, commissioned by the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission, concluded the “Australian practice of Indigenous child removal involved […] genocide as defined by international law”.

    A significant moment of resistance

    The colonial governor of Tasmania began to exile Palawa people from their land in 1829.

    More than 200 survivors of the “Black War” were removed to Flinders Island and subjected to life-threateningly harsh conditions. High death rates were caused by ill-treatment, disease and insufficient care.

    In 1846, the Palawa petitioned Queen Victoria to honour the agreement made when they were removed: that in exchange for temporarily leaving their country, they would regain their freedom.

    In this bold petition, Tasmanian Aboriginal people initiated a historic appeal to the British monarchy.

    Aware of Queen Victoria’s sovereign authority across the vast British Empire, this action marked a significant moment in their continued resistance to genocide.

    An acknowledgement of wrongs

    British sovereignty over Australia was imposed without the required consent of its First Nations. The result has been continued dispossession and suffering.

    Despite the Crown’s deferral of power to its parliament, the call for an apology from the king has immense symbolic importance.

    It is rooted in the desire for acknowledgement of wrongs. These include genocide and the continuing destructive effects of colonisation across Australia.

    Rebe Taylor receives funding from the Australian Research Council.

    Greg Lehman receives funding from the Australian Research Council and the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies. He is a member of the Board of the Tasmanian Land Conservancy.

    – ref. Should King Charles apologise for the genocide of First Nations people when he visits Australia? – https://theconversation.com/should-king-charles-apologise-for-the-genocide-of-first-nations-people-when-he-visits-australia-239092

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Mounjaro is more effective for weight loss than Ozempic. So how does it work? And why does it cost so much?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Paul Joyce, Senior Research Fellow, University of South Australia

    Halfpoint/Shutterstock

    A weight-loss drug more effective than Ozempic and Wegovy has recently been approved in Australia.

    The drug, tirzepatide, is sold under the brand name Mounjaro and affects feelings of hunger and fullness, as well as changing how the body processess food. (In other countries, tirzepatide is also sound under the brand name Zepbound.)

    So how does tirzepatide work and differ from Ozempic? And with a price tage of $315–$645 per month for the starting dose, why is it so expensive?

    How does it work?

    Think of tirzepatide as a master key that unlocks two important doors in your body’s weight control system. It mimics two hormones: GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) and GIP (glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide).

    When you eat, your body naturally releases GIP and GLP-1 hormones. These hormones play crucial roles in regulating appetite, food intake and blood sugar levels. Tirzepatide mimics and amplifies the effects of these hormones.

    By mimicking the GLP-1 and GIP hormones, tirzepatide makes people feel fuller with smaller meals. This can reduce the overall food intake and lead to weight loss over time.

    It also helps your body process sugar more effectively and slows down how quickly food leaves your stomach. This results in eating less, feel satisfied for longer and having healthier blood sugar levels.

    How does it compare with Wegovy/Ozempic?

    Tirzepatide (Mounjaro) and semaglutide (Wegovy/Ozempic) are similar in many ways. Both are injectable medications used for weight loss and work by mimicking hormones that regulate appetite and blood sugar.

    The key difference is that tirzepatide acts on two hormone receptors (GIP and GLP-1), while semaglutide only acts on one (GLP-1). This dual action is thought to be why tirzepatide shows slightly better results for weight loss in clinical trials.

    Clinical trials have shown participants lost an average of 25% of their body fat in the first year of treatment with tirzepatide. This is when combined with lifestyle counselling from a health-care professional who encouraged a healthy and reduced-calorie diet (500 calories less per day compared to patient’s diet at the beginning of the study) and at least 150 minutes of physical activity per day.

    This compares with an average of 15% weight loss in the first year for semaglutide, also alongside a reduced-calorie diet (a 500 calorie-deficit per day) and increased physical exercise (150 minutes per week).

    For a person weighing 120kg, this might mean the difference between losing 30kg with tirzepatide versus 18kg with semaglutide. But of course, with both drugs, some people will lose less weight than the average, some will lose more, and some may not respond to the drug at all.

    What are the side effects of tirzepatide?

    Like any medication, tirzepatide has side effects. The most common are nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and constipation. These could feel like a mild tummy bug and are similar to those seen with semaglutide.

    For most people, these side effects are manageable and often improve over time.

    There are also some rarer, more serious risks to consider. These include inflammation of the pancreas and gallbladder problems. There is also a potential increased risk for thyroid cancer, although this has only been seen in lab rats so far, not humans.

    As with Ozempic and Wegovy, when you stop taking tirzepatide, its effects stop. Most people regain some, if not all, of the weight they lost.

    People often regain some or all of the weight they lost after stopping the medication.
    /John Hanson PyeShutterstock

    Who can access tirzepatide?

    In Australia, tirzepatide is approved for use in adults with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher, or a or BMI of 27 or above if you have a weight-related health condition such as diabetes. It can only be prescribed by a doctor, after you have tried other weight-loss methods.

    But it’s not suitable for everyone. It shouldn’t be used in pregnancy and may not be suitable for people with certain medical conditions and those with a history of eating disorders.

    If you’re considering tirzepatide, it’s important to discuss the benefits and risks for your personal health situation with your doctor.

    Why is it so expensive?

    Tirzepatide typically costs around A$345 per month for the starting dose. This can escalate to $645 per month for the ongoing “maintenance” dose if a higher dose is necessary for diabetes and/or weight management. This puts the drug out of reach for most people.

    Tirzepatide, sold as Mounjaro in Australia, is only available on private prescription and is not subsidised by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS). This means you pay the full cost of the medication without any government support.

    However, the United Kingdom recently announced it would add tirzepatide to the National Health Service in a phased approach over the next three years, so it’s possible we might see it subsidised in Australia in the future.

    Developing new drugs is a costly business. Companies spend billions on research, clinical trials, and getting regulatory approvals. They then set high prices to recoup these costs and make a profit.

    The patent for tirzepatide lasts until 2036. So we won’t have any cheaper generic versions for more than a decade.

    Paul Joyce receives funding from The Hospital Research Foundation, Cancer Council SA, and the Australian Research Council. He is Director of the Australian Controlled Release Society.

    Srinivas Kamath 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.

    – ref. Mounjaro is more effective for weight loss than Ozempic. So how does it work? And why does it cost so much? – https://theconversation.com/mounjaro-is-more-effective-for-weight-loss-than-ozempic-so-how-does-it-work-and-why-does-it-cost-so-much-239185

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Glucose monitors for diabetes have finally been funded – but a chronic workforce shortage will limit the benefits

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lynne Chepulis, Associate Professor, Health Sciences, University of Waikato

    Pharmac’s decision to fund continuous glucose monitors and automated insulin delivery systems for the approximately 18,000 people who currently live with type 1 diabetes in Aotearoa New Zealand is good news.

    The decision comes after years of advocacy from patient groups and clinicians.

    But there are problems within the broader system – particularly around workforce shortages – that mean full patient access to training on how to use the insulin pumps will likely take years.

    Failing to address these issues will also perpetuate health inequities for Māori and Pacific people, who are less likely to have used the monitor and pump in the past, and may have to wait longer for training. These delays could mute the positive effect of Pharmac’s funding decision.

    A complex balance

    Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disorder that causes a person’s pancreas to stop producing insulin. This all-important hormone is needed to move glucose into every cell in the body.

    Without insulin, the cells (and the person) “starve”. While the current approach to the management of type 1 diabetes – finger pricking to test blood glucose levels and injecting insulin – works, it’s complex.

    Inject too much insulin and you’ll get low blood sugar (hypoglycaemia). This leaves a person with type 1 feeling shaky and weak, or possibly even in a coma. Don’t inject enough and you have ongoing high blood sugar (hyperglycaemia). This leads to long-term health complications.

    Figuring out the right amount of insulin is elusive. Needs constantly vary according to time of day, diet, exercise, illness, caffeine, alcohol, stress and other factors. This can take a toll psychologically and physiologically.

    Modern solutions

    Continuous monitors track blood glucose levels 24 hours a day through a sensor just under your skin, replacing finger-prick testing. They are widely funded and used overseas.

    The monitors alert users to low blood glucose and have significantly reduced hospitalisations for people with type 1 diabetes.

    Combining the monitors with a pump and appropriate algorithm automates the delivery of insulin when glucose levels rise higher than a patient’s target range – significantly reducing the day-to-day burden of treatment.

    But the continuous monitors and insulin pumps are expensive.

    Prior to Pharmac’s decision, the monitors were completely unfunded. Prices ranged between NZ$2,600 and $4,800 per year. Insulin pumps were funded, but only for a small group of people.

    This created an ever-widening equity gap. Māori and Pacific people with type 1 diabetes were less likely to access monitors and pumps. They were also more likely to have recurrent hospitalisations for diabetes-related events.

    A workforce shortage

    When compared with other countries, New Zealand has been slow to fund the monitors.

    Unfortunately, the diabetes workforce is also significantly understaffed when compared to international guidelines.

    There is a shortage of all qualified health care professionals for type 1 diabetes including endocrinologists, nurse practitioners, diabetes nurse specialists, dietitians, psychologists, social workers and podiatrists.

    To meet international recommendations, New Zealand would have to more than double the clinical workforce.

    Most people with type 1 diabetes will be able to rapidly access the monitors because these can be prescribed through GPs as well as by diabetes specialists. However, insulin pumps and automated insulin delivery will only be accessible through specialists.

    While insulin pumps offer advantages for managing glucose levels, learning to use the device takes time and requires support from clinicians. This will likely be a problem, particularly for those who already have challenges accessing healthcare services in this country.

    An equity issue

    Māori and Pacific people with type 1 diabetes are less likely to be current insulin pump users. This means there is a clear risk of workforce shortages causing those who would benefit most from automated insulin delivery to be among the last to have access.

    Increasingly, evidence on continuous glucose monitors and automated insulin delivery shows they improve managing type 1 diabetes for everyone.

    Monitor use has been shown to reduce the differences in the management of glucose levels between Māori and non-Māori children with type 1 diabetes.

    Automated insulin delivery can also be an effective tool for children and adolescents with very high-risk glucose levels.

    So, thank you Pharmac. Funded devices are a game changer. New Zealand has moved from an outdated, inequitable system of technology funding in type 1 diabetes to a progressive and fair system. But so much more needs to be done to support everyone with this disease.

    Lynne Chepulis receives funding from the Health Research Council of New Zealand. She is an executive member of the New Zealand Society for the Study of Diabetes.

    Hamish Crocket receives funding from the Health Research Council of New Zealand. He is an executive member of the New Zealand Society for the Study of Diabetes and is the chairperson of Nightscout New Zealand, a diabetes advocacy group. Hamish has been living with type one diabetes since 2013.

    Martin de Bock receives funding from Novo Nordisk, Medtronic, Ypsomed, Dexcom, and Insulet. Honoraria, travel expenses or speaking fees from Novo Nordisk, Sanofi, Pfizer, Medtronic, Boerhinger Ingelheim, Ypsomed, Dexcom, and Insulet. Advisory Boards for Tandem and Dexcom, Tautoko Tech, Nascence biomedical.

    – ref. Glucose monitors for diabetes have finally been funded – but a chronic workforce shortage will limit the benefits – https://theconversation.com/glucose-monitors-for-diabetes-have-finally-been-funded-but-a-chronic-workforce-shortage-will-limit-the-benefits-241113

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Overtly handmade and so very moving: Adam Elliot’s Memoir of A Snail is a stop motion triumph

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jack McGrath, Lecturer in Animation at the University of Newcastle, University of Newcastle

    Many iconic Melbourne sights, including Luna Park, feature in Adam Elliot’s new film. Madmad Entertainment

    Stop motion films are by their nature a remarkable feat. When you know a movie has been carefully crafted, over several years and through thousands of photographs of handmade sets and characters, this alone makes it a delight to watch.

    But when the story is also deep, thought-provoking and at times laugh-out-loud funny, this takes the medium to a whole new level. Adam Elliot’s Memoir of a Snail is such a film.

    Told through stop motion animation using clay (otherwise known as claymation), the film is a tactile experience in which everything you see has been made by human hands. This provides a warmth that is exacerbated by Elliot’s very human story of identity.

    The film explores how it can be difficult to find your way in life, particularly when you’re different – and that it is, in fact, OK to be different.

    Grace Pudel, the protagonist, is a snail enthusiast and we follow her as she navigates the many challenges that emerge in her life. Grace’s narration is raw and honest, and we can’t help but feel a deep connection with her.

    The story is so human and so very moving – and to be told through human-made characters perfectly rounds off the experience.

    Grace is a hoarder of ornamental snails, romance novels and guinea pigs.
    Madman Entertainment

    A win at Annecy

    In June, I was fortunate enough to help facilitate an animation study tour in France with students from the University of Newcastle. It was there we saw the world premiere of Memoir of a Snail at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival, the pre-eminent festival for animated film.

    The story clearly resonated with the audience, who sat captivated throughout its 90-minute runtime. They laughed and cried in unison as one engaged mass of humanity – culminating in a long and enthusiastic standing ovation.

    We were even lucky enough to bump into Elliot and his crew, and our students spoke with him about his journey in making Memoir of a Snail. The film went on to win the festival’s prestigious Cristal award for best feature.

    More than 7,000 individual items were handcrafted by various artisans, with most objects made from clay, wire, paper, paint and silicon.
    Madman Entertainment

    While claymation is generally viewed as a medium aimed at young audiences, Memoir of a Snail tells a wholly unique adult story.

    Much of its sophistication lies in its ability to effortlessly touch on many complex topics through a mixture of humour and emotion. Indeed, this approach to storytelling has become Elliot’s calling card.

    The film’s themes include identity, loneliness, alcoholism, cultism, hoarding, suicide, homosexuality, bullying, ageing, family, fat fetishism, grief and death. The story cleverly pulls you into deep thought, before surprising you with a hilarious gag.

    Grace (voiced by Sarah Snook) strikes up friendship with an eccentric elderly woman named Pinky (Jacki Weaver).
    Madman Entertainment

    Elliot’s dark and captivating aesthetic

    When introducing the film at Annecy, Elliot explained how his team’s limited budget led to a heavy reliance on narration, with limited walking and dialogue shots. Yet these constraints seemed to enhance the team’s creativity rather than stifle it.

    Elliot has a history of working around such limitations to bring his unique aesthetic to life. His first film Uncle (1996) was shot on 16mm black-and-white film, while his other short Cousin (1999) was shot on colour – but with a muted palette of grey tones.

    This palette has carried through Elliot’s work and is present in Memoir of a Snail. His version of the Australian landscape isn’t orange and sun-bleached. Rather, it is grey, overcast and drab – a dark world resembling the work of Eastern European animators such as Jan Švankmajer.

    Elliot’s other films include Brother (2000), the Oscar-winning short film Harvie Krumpet (2003) and his first feature film Mary and Max (2009).

    His works present tortured individuals – outsiders, misfits and oddballs – living in dark, suburban worlds. Behind the funny-looking faces and humorous vignettes lie deeper afflictions that become clear as the characters struggle through their lives.

    More than 1,000 plasticine mouths had to be made so the characters could talk.
    Madman Entertainment

    A gentle vulnerability shines through

    Elliot brings a naivety to the narration, where a simple statement of facts couches a deeper meaning. As the audience, we uncover mixed feelings of humour, dread and empathy for the tortured blobs of clay before us.

    The characters stand, blinking, looking back at us while the narrator describes their situation. They feel vulnerable, as though asking for our help as they stand silently, trapped in Elliot’s bleak world.

    Grace falls into dark spiral after she is seperated from her twin brother Gilbert (Kodi Smit-McPhee) at a young age).
    Madman Entertainment

    Memoir of a Snail maintains a strong sense of materiality, as evidenced by fingerprints left on clay and brush strokes on painted backgrounds. Elliot’s self-described “chunky wonky” aesthetic abides by the rule that nothing in the world is straight.

    Almost everything in Elliot’s animated world is overtly handmade, presenting a kind of nostalgic and childlike innocence you’d expect from a school project. This helps add weight and authenticity to the film.

    The 3D work intersects with thoughtfully crafted 2D items such as handwritten title cards and signs.
    Madman Entertainment

    Elliot’s world is created “in-camera”, which means no digital effects were used. Water, for example, was created using cellophane, while droplets were painstakingly animated with blobs of glycerine, one frame at a time.

    Welcome relief in a hyper-digital world

    Lately, Australian animation has found an international audience and this has emboldened Australian animators to tell Australian stories. Bluey, for instance, has struck a chord with viewers globally because of – and not despite – its uniquely Australian voice.

    It took eight years to create Memoir of a Snail, which seems like a lifetime in today’s world. Witnessing such dedication may inspire audiences to think more deeply about animation as an art form and about film-making itself.

    Elliot’s handmade style is a nice counter to the digital and visual effects that seem ever-present in media today.
    Madman Entertainment

    Memoir of a Snail is a testament to stop motion’s power to move people. Elliot himself pointed out how stop motion seems to be experiencing a renaissance, with Guillermo Del Toro’s Pinocchio (2022), Phil Tippett’s Mad God (2021), Henry Selick’s Wendell & Wild (2022) and Chris Butler’s Missing Link (2019) all serving as recent examples of stop motion features.

    I hope Memoir of a Snail helps sustain this interest. In an age of automation and artificial intelligence, the film is a welcome return to the human experience. Thought-provoking, funny and wholly unique in its story and visual style, it’s well worth the watch.

    Other voice actors on the production include Eric Bana, Nick Cave and Tony Armstrong.
    Madman Entertainment

    The author would like to thank Daisy De Windt for her contributions to this article.

    Jack McGrath 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.

    – ref. Overtly handmade and so very moving: Adam Elliot’s Memoir of A Snail is a stop motion triumph – https://theconversation.com/overtly-handmade-and-so-very-moving-adam-elliots-memoir-of-a-snail-is-a-stop-motion-triumph-233105

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: [Unboxing] Meet Galaxy Ring: A Personalized Health Care Device Encased in a Fancy Charging Case

    Source: Samsung

    Samsung Electronics’ latest wearable, the Galaxy Ring, is the smallest device in the Galaxy lineup to date. Despite its size, it’s packed with Samsung’s most advanced sensor technology and Galaxy AI capabilities, helping users keep tabs on their health by simply wearing it on their finger.
     
    Samsung Newsroom unboxed the Galaxy Ring, designed to enhance both style and convenience in everyday life.
     
     
    A Journey That Begins With Fine Packaging
    
    ▲ The Galaxy Ring and its charging case
     
    The Galaxy Ring’s innovative form factor is reflected in its thoughtfully crafted packaging. Constructed in a clamshell design, the packaging resembles a jewelry box, thereby accentuating the wearable’s unique form. Opening the box unveils a transparent charging case with LED lighting — evoking the feeling of revealing a precious gem.
     

    ▲ The Galaxy Ring in titanium black mounted inside its LED-lit clamshell charging case
     
    Consistent with the packaging, the charging case adopts a design similar to that of a jewelry box as well. Once opened, the charging case reveals the Galaxy Ring with its titanium frame and sleek curved body, subtly illuminated by LED lighting.
     
    The Galaxy Ring is available in three colors — titanium black, titanium silver and titanium gold — and comes in nine ring sizes from size 5 to 13. This range allows users to select the perfect combination of color and fit, tailored to their personal style and size.
     
    ▲ The Galaxy Ring, alongside its packaging, charging case and a USB Type-C cable
     
     
    Sophisticated Design Offering Comfort All Week Long
    To provide continuous support and help users stay on track with their health, the Galaxy Ring is equipped with a powerful battery that lasts up to seven days on a single charge.1 The battery level and charging status can be easily monitored through the LED lighting in the charging case.
     

    ▲ The Galaxy Ring’s battery level can be intuitively monitored via an LED light when stored in the charging case. The case’s battery level can be checked by removing the Galaxy Ring and briefly pressing the central multipurpose button.
     
    
    ▲ The Galaxy Ring’s charging case is compatible with both USB Type-C wired charging and wireless charging.
     
    The Galaxy Ring’s main appeal lies in its lightweight and comfortable fit. Weighing between 2.3 grams (size 5) and 3 grams (size 13),2 the device’s sleek, slim design creates an effortless wearing experience that is so comfortable users might forget they have anything on.
     
    ▲ The Galaxy Ring boasts a sleek, lightweight design.
     
    The Galaxy Ring is exceptionally durable, thanks to its concave design and Titanium Grade 5 finish that resists everyday scratches and wear.3 The device is also 10 ATM water resistant,4 allowing it to withstand pressures equivalent to a depth of 100 meters. This means the Galaxy Ring can continue to monitor users’ health while they wash their hands, take a shower or engage in strenuous activities without worrying about damaging the device.
     
    
    ▲ The Galaxy Ring’s Titanium Grade 5 finish and 10 ATM water resistance provide users with greater freedom in their daily lives.
     
     
    Advanced Sensors for Comprehensive Health Monitoring
    ▲ The Galaxy Ring features three state-of-the-art sensors.
     
    The Galaxy Ring’s ability to deliver a comprehensive range of health information, from sleep quality to daily activities, is rooted in its advanced built-in sensors. With a skin temperature sensor, heart rate monitor sensor and accelerometer, the Galaxy Ring’s trio of state-of-the-art sensors encircle the user’s finger — meticulously tracking data that is subsequently analyzed by Galaxy AI to provide personalized health insights. Users can access detailed health information and insights on the Samsung Health app.
     
     
    Quick and Easy Pairing With Galaxy Smartphones
    To use the Galaxy Ring, it must first be paired with a Galaxy smartphone. This process is very straightforward. When the case is opened, the device automatically enters pairing mode. Users can follow the instructions on their Galaxy smartphone to complete the connection.
     
    
    ▲ Opening the Galaxy Ring charging case automatically pairs the device to a Galaxy smartphone.
     
    To pair manually, place the Galaxy Ring in the case and press the multipurpose button for at least three seconds to activate pairing mode.
     
    ▲ A long press on the multipurpose button for three seconds will manually activate pairing mode. A short press will display the battery level via an LED light.
     
    The Galaxy Ring can be worn on the finger once paired, and users can begin personalizing and monitoring their health care right away.
     
    ▲ The initial setup screen for the Galaxy Ring when pairing showcases signature digital health features like Energy Score, sleep analysis, Wellness Tips and Heart Rate Alert.
     
     
    Finding the Perfect Fit With Galaxy Ring
    Choosing the right size and wearing the Galaxy Ring properly are crucial for optimal performance. If determining the right size proves challenging, consider using the sizing kit that can be tried at Samsung stores or shipped free from Samsung.com.5 This complimentary kit includes nine rings identical in size to the actual product from size 5 to size 13, allowing users to find the perfect fit.
     
    ▲ A complimentary ring sizing kit to measure the user’s finger size
     
    For accurate data tracking, the device should be worn with the protruding line that indicates the sensor’s direction facing the palm. The Galaxy Ring can be worn on any finger, but it is recommended that users try the sizing kit rings for a day or more to find out which finger suits them best.
     
    ▲ The Galaxy Ring worn correctly, with the protruding line facing the palm.
     
    In addition to health management, the Galaxy Ring also offers a handy smartphone control feature with just a simple gesture of the fingers. When wearing the device, users can double pinch via Gestures to take a photo or turn off an alarm on a connected Galaxy smartphone.6
     
    ▲ The Galaxy Ring’s smartphone control feature lets users take a photo or turn off an alarm by double-pinching their thumb and index finger together.
     
    The Galaxy Ring combines powerful performance and a sleek design for a refined and comfortable wearable experience. Reflecting Samsung’s commitment to advancing user convenience and health monitoring, the Galaxy Ring invites users to embark on a new journey towards healthier living.
     
     
    1 Based on the battery life of a size 13 product. Battery life will vary depending on ring size.2 Weight of Galaxy Ring varies by size. Size 5 Galaxy Ring is 2.3g, size 6 Galaxy Ring is 2.4g, size 7 Galaxy Ring is 2.4g, size 8 Galaxy Ring is 2.6g, size 9 Galaxy Ring is 2.7g, size 10 Galaxy Ring is 2.8g, size 11 Galaxy Ring is 3.0g, size 12 Galaxy Ring is 3.0g, and size 13 Galaxy Ring is 3.0g.3 Titanium is only applied on Galaxy Ring device frame.4 ATM stands for the standard atmosphere, a unit of air pressure. In theory, one ATM means that the product is waterproof to a depth of 10 meters under water.5 One Sizing Kit is available free of charge upon purchasing the Galaxy Ring. Only one Sizing Kit is provided per order number. Sample rings included in the Galaxy Ring Sizing Kit are inoperable and for measuring ring size only. Wearing the ring for at least 24 hours is recommended to test the ring.6 The double-pinch feature with the thumb and index finger is only able to take photos and turn off alarms on Galaxy Rings paired with Samsung Galaxy smartphones running on One UI 6.1.1 or later.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Radio interview – ABC Tasmania, Mornings with Leon Compton

    Source: Australian Government – Minister of Foreign Affairs

    Leon Compton, host: Australia’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong in Tasmania. At a speech last night, the Foreign Minister heckled by protestors angry at the Government’s non-sanctioning of Israel at a recent vote in the United Nations, and it’s an interesting look through your text questions this morning and how many of them are focused on that issue. We’ll get to them in a moment. If you’ve got a question, text me.

    I can also tell you the Foreign Minister is in the process of launching a new focus for humanitarian policy for Australia. Penny Wong, good morning to you.

    Penny Wong, Foreign Minister: Good morning, Leon. Good to be with you.

    Compton: Your Government is launching a new humanitarian policy, Foreign Minister, that says it will aim to, ‘strengthen adherence to international humanitarian law.’ Can I ask you to describe Israel’s adherence to international humanitarian law in Gaza and Lebanon, as Israel prosecutes the atrocities of October 7?

    Foreign Minister: Look, we have said from the start of this conflict that Israel was required to adhere to international law. And that includes the protection of civilians, the protection of aid workers. This is something we have said from day one, and you might recall that Mr Dutton has been very critical of me for saying so.

    I made the point at the United Nations in the National Statement there, that we have – there are rules of war and those rules apply even when confronting terrorists and even when acting in self-defence. So, we should continue to express our view that Israel is bound by international law, and work with others, as we have, to continue to press Israel on particular issues, and the most recent issue, obviously, is access of humanitarian aid into Gaza, where you’ve seen developments overnight.

    Compton: And we’ll get to those in just a moment. So, can you confirm you’re of a view that the Israeli Government under Benjamin Netanyahu have breached international humanitarian law in its conflict – in its conduct of this war?

    Foreign Minister: Well, Leon, ultimately those are decisions that international tribunals make. My job as the Foreign Minister for this country is not to sit as the international tribunal but to advocate for, and with others, advocate for, innocent civilians, and that’s what we’re doing.

    Compton: Can you understand the frustration that perhaps your language isn’t stronger on this, Penny Wong? I’ll read you a question that’s come in from one listener. It was the shortest of the questions we’ve received, many of them about exactly this. ‘Can you ask Penny Wong when she’s going to call for a ceasefire and stand up against the genocide?’

    Foreign Minister: I have called for a ceasefire. I did that months ago. And this is the problem with this debate, Leon – there’s a lot of disinformation that’s going around. You know, people – one person said yesterday, ‘When are you going to stop bombing Lebanon?’ I said, we’ve called for a ceasefire in Lebanon. We joined with the United States and all members of the G7 to call for a ceasefire in Lebanon over a week ago. In fact, that’s what Peter Dutton has been criticising the Government for. I called, the Prime Minister called, and we voted for a ceasefire months ago. We’ve said there should be a ceasefire in Gaza.

    Compton: The US, and you talked about, sort of the way things are turning overnight. Unless I’m wrong, are you referring to the fact that Israel have given – rather, the US have given Israel 30 days to improve humanitarian aid access to Gaza or else military support could be halted?

    Foreign Minister: Those and other actions by partners is what I was referring to. And I want to start by saying this: we can’t have Palestinian civilians continuing to pay the price for defeating Hamas. I’ve said that to Israel directly and personally, and I’ve said that publicly. I’ve said that, and I’ve been criticised for it by Mr Dutton. Part of what we agreed as an international community is you have to allow humanitarian aid in. When I went to Israel I put that directly to the President and to the Foreign Minister. We support the US and others who are putting pressure on Israel to allow more aid in.

    Compton: How do you explain the fact that Israel seems to just be able to feel it can – I mean, it has a right to do, you know, as it will, but it seems to have a right – see its role as thumbing its nose at its allies who are putting whatever level of pressure is being applied? It thumbs its nose to that pressure.

    Foreign Minister: Well, I’m not going to speak for Israel. I speak for Australia and the Australian Government, and our position from the start has been, you know, we, like all – I think all around the world looked at the atrocities of October 7, we recognise Israel’s right to respond to what was the greatest loss of Jewish life since the Holocaust. We understand what that meant. We know hostages are still being held.

    We’ve also said how Israel responds matters. And that international law, which includes the protection of civilians must be observed. I pointed out that we have seen over 11,000 children killed in Israel’s response since this conflict began. And that – we are deeply concerned about the loss of civilian life and that Palestinian civilians can’t continue to pay the price of defeating Hamas. I’ve said all of these things.

    I appreciate that some people would like us to end the war. That is not within our power. I also appreciate that there are some people who don’t like the fact that I talk about international law. You’ve seen a lot of criticism from Mr Dutton of me and the Prime Minister for talking about that. But I’ll continue to argue that, because that is in Australia’s interests.

    Compton: Penny Wong is our guest this morning, Australia’s Foreign Minister. You were speaking in Hobart last night, protestors interrupted your speech, heckled you repeatedly. Can I ask what you felt at that moment? Those that were there suggested that you seemed to be experiencing frustration. Can I ask what you felt during that interruption?

    Foreign Minister: I think it was probably the 10th interruption, I was a bit frustrated I couldn’t finish a sentence. Look, I understand the depth of feeling this issue generates. I understand people are upset, horrified, distressed by what they are seeing. What I’d say is what I said there – I don’t think we gain anything by shouting each other down. And I don’t think we gain anything by being disrespectful to one another. And some of the things that were being said and shouted were not true. As I said, the example – one example is being told to stop bombing Lebanon. We are calling for a ceasefire in Lebanon. So, these are, you know, untruths which are told as part of people’s response. This is a hard issue for Australians, and what I’d say is, we should try and deal with it respectfully. And I don’t think you ever gain by shouting another person down.

    Compton: On Mornings around Tasmania a couple of other policy issues: you’re releasing a new humanitarian policy focus document for Australia. It’s obviously complex. So, in a simple way of addressing this for our listener, might be asking this question: Penny Wong, how is it different from the policy that it replaces?

    Foreign Minister: Well, it’s responding to the world as it is. I mean, we’ve got more people displaced in the world. We have 117 million people around the world displaced. We’ve got more people who need humanitarian assistance. We’ve got 300-plus million people who need humanitarian assistance this year. So, we have to recast our policy to prioritise. And the three priorities are we’re going to focus on – there are three Rs really. One is readiness, so we want to do more to make sure we are ready for and prepared with local communities and countries for disasters before they occur. Second, we’ve got to respond, so respond to crises and deliver more support, particularly with others. And the third is reinforce – reinforce the international humanitarian system to say, look, these rules that humanity came together and agreed after World War II, that we would protect civilians, that we would protect aid workers – and you might recall, we had an Australian killed by the Israeli Defence Force, and I’ve spoken a lot about that, in a strike – that we would work with others to try and reinforce the international humanitarian system. That is the system that enables both protection of people and also aid to get in. So they’re the three priorities.

    Compton: Can we move on to a different issue, which is allied in some way?

    Foreign Minister: Sure.

    Compton: It would be great for the competition and it would be great for Papua New Guinea if Papua New Guinea gets a rugby league team. How significant would the federal – is the fact that the Federal Government would contribute seeing it as a way of sort of boosting international relations in the near region? How significant is that proposal for relationships between Australia and PNG?

    Foreign Minister: I think it’s really significant, Leon. And what I would say is this: you know, if you look at how do we make ourselves more safe and secure in the world, part of what we do is we ensure we have deep, stable, strong relationships with our near neighbours, with our region. And to do that we have to make sure we look at what is it we bring to the relationship. Now, some of that is history, people to people, some of that is economic. But some of it also is, you know, culture. And that includes sport. It’s part of who we are. It’s who, you know, Papua New Guinea is. So, obviously, Prime Minister Marape of Papua New Guinea has been really clear that he wants Papua New Guinea to be in the NRL. We know how much – if you’ve been – I don’t know if you’ve been to PNG, Leon, but they’re pretty focused on sport, both men and women. And obviously there’s a women’s team as well. So, I hope that we can get this moving and make a good announcement in the near future.

    Compton: And how significant with would that be, Penny Wong, in helping combat the influence of China in Papua New Guinea and the wider region?

    Foreign Minister: Look, China’s doing what great powers do, and great powers try to lift their influence and expand their influence in the region that they wish. I’ve described what’s happening in the Pacific as a permanent contest. We’re not going back to where we were, you know, 10 or 20 years ago. I think the opportunity to be the only partner of choice in the Pacific was lost under Scott Morrison and Peter Dutton. And now what we have to do is make sure we are a partner of choice and that we do do all we can to make sure we contribute to a stable region, a peaceful region and a region where the interests of Australia and the Pacific island nations such as Papua New Guinea or Samoa or Fiji, all of our interests in peace are respected.

    Compton: Final question for you – we’ve got a minute left to news, appreciate you talking to us, Foreign Minister – are you still committed to the construction of nuclear submarines for Australia given the capability gap that we’ll have while that happens between the Collins class going out, the nuclear subs coming in? Andrew Wilkie is in The Mercury newspaper today saying that this is a mistake, that diesel subs would be better, faster, cheaper and allow us to maintain more military independence.

    Foreign Minister: Yeah, look, first, any submarines would be under Australian command. We’ve been very clear about that. The second point is obviously we would prefer not to be in this position, that we haven’t had, three different submarine plans that were junked over time. We have addressed the capability gap. We think submarines are important. Very happy to discuss why they’re important. It’s obviously about, you know, changing the strategic calculous of the region. But ultimately everything we do, whether it’s obtaining more deterrents or the work we do diplomatically, we’re all about trying to ensure peace and stability for Australia.

    Compton: Appreciate you talking with us this morning. Thank you.

    Foreign Minister: Good to speak with you, Leon. Thanks for having me.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: CPI figures show rents continuing to soar

    Source: Green Party

    Stats NZ has confirmed that higher rent prices were the biggest contributor to the annual inflation rate. Almost a fifth of the 2.2 per cent annual increase in the CPI was due to rent prices. 

    “Housing is a human right, but this Government is treating it like a game of Monopoly,” says the Green Party’s Housing spokesperson, Tamatha Paul. 

    “Everyone deserves a warm and affordable place to call home. We have everything we need to make this happen. All we need to do is start treating housing as the public good it really is instead of exploiting it for profit. 

    “Successive governments have turned housing into a business venture, locking people out from having a home while a privileged few benefit at the expense of everybody else. 

    “The current landlord Government has only inflamed the situation by handing landlords $2.9 billion in tax cuts while punching down on renters with no cause evictions and allowing rents to spiral out of control.  

    “The current system is forcing people into making the impossible choice of either buying essentials like food or paying rent. 

    “The Government is entrenching the imbalance between tenant and landlord to the point where people are too afraid to ask for leaks to be fixed or smoke alarms to be replaced out of fear of being kicked out of their home. 

    “We deserve better than this. We need rent controls which will limit the amount that landlords can increase rent and how often they can do this. We also need a Rental Warrant of Fitness to ensure quality, and for the Government to commit to building more public housing to make sure that our most marginalised and vulnerable can also have affordable, secure homes.

    “Everyone deserves to live in a warm and healthy home,” says Tamatha Paul. 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Council appoints Craig Pauling as Chair

    Source: Environment Canterbury Regional Council

    There were no other nominations for the role.

    Councillor Deon Swiggs has been appointed as Deputy Chair.

    Councillor Pauling, who represents the Christchurch West/Ōpuna constituency, said it will be an honour and a privilege to lead the Council.

    “We have an ambitious work programme for the next 10 years, and I am proud of that. Now we just need to get on with it.”

    Pauling was nominated by Ngāi Tahu Councillor Tutehounuku ‘Nuk’ Korako and this was seconded by Ngāi Tahu Councillor Iaean Cranwell.

    Deputy Chair Deon Swiggs (left) and Chair Craig Pauling

    “We are all on the same waka and we are paddling hard for our communities, most importantly for the precious place we call home, for our water and our land and our air and sea,” Pauling said shortly after his appointment.

    “A lot of our work goes unnoticed but it is happening – from the thousands of bus trips taken on our public transport each month to the 26,000 consents we manage. We have been a leader in setting rules for land use and farming consents.

    “We protect homes, farms and businesses through our river flood protection systems. We protect towns across Canterbury. Our regional parks provide multiple benefits, including sediment control, flood protection, biodiversity as well as being used for recreation. We clean up wrecked vessels and ensure safe use of our harbours and waterways.

    “We don’t always get it right, but at the end of the day, we’re doing a lot of good work for a lot of people,” Pauling said.

    Deputy Chair Swiggs, who represents Christchurch West/Ōpuna, said he’s looking forward to working alongside Chair Pauling.

    “I’m humbled to be appointed to this role of Deputy. For me, the priority will be ensuring we focus on our core services, and do it well.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –