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  • MIL-OSI China: China’s Dunhuang Academy celebrates 80th founding anniversary

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    Tourists visit the Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang, northwest China’s Gansu Province, March 16, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhang Zhimin)

    China’s Dunhuang Academy, a comprehensive national institution for the conservation, management and research of the world-famous grottoes in Gansu Province, held a meeting on Monday to celebrate the 80th anniversary of its founding.

    The meeting reviewed the history of the Dunhuang Academy over the past eight decades and called for the future high-quality development of the academy.

    While delivering remarks, Xie Bing, deputy head of China’s National Cultural Heritage Administration (NCHA), praised the academy’s contributions to cultural heritage protection, academic studies and education.

    Xie also urged efforts to promote the innovative transformation and development of Dunhuang’s cultural sector, as well as efforts to foster more talent capable of providing intellectual support to this high-quality development.

    Attendees at the meeting included representatives of the NCHA, relevant government departments in Gansu, and higher education and cultural heritage institutions. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: ADB approves $500M loan to support Indonesia’s energy transition

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a 500 million U.S. dollars loan for Indonesia to help the Southeast Asian country accelerate its energy transition agenda, the bank’s official said on Saturday.

    ADB Country Director for Indonesia Jiro Tominaga said in a statement that the loan would support the development of Indonesia’s basic and collaborative policy that would be formulated to identify and address the complex challenges it faces in speeding up the transition into sustainable and clean energy.

    “Indonesia is at a very important junction in its energy transition journey. It has rapid growth of power generation capacity that helps it overcome most of its electricity supply constraints. However, it has also made the country heavily dependent on fossil fuel-based power sources such as coal, gas and diesel,” Tominaga said.

    Therefore, he said, the loan would be mainly used in efforts to build a strong policy and regulatory framework to facilitate the transition to clean energy, strengthen sector governance and financial sustainability, and ensure an equitable and inclusive transition.

    Indonesia, one of the world’s largest producers and exporters of coal, is currently pursuing a reduction of carbon emissions to achieve net-zero emissions by 2060.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murphy Readout Of Meeting With Foreign Minister Of Lebanon

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Connecticut – Chris Murphy

    September 23, 2024

    NEW YORK–U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, on Monday released the following statement after meeting with Foreign Minister of Lebanon Abdallah Bou Habib.

    “This is a critical moment where the focus on the region and world must be on de-escalating the deepening conflict between Hezbollah and Israel. I spoke with Foreign Minister Bou Habib today and we exchanged views on how the United States, Lebanon and Israel can take steps to avoid the devastating consequences of a larger conflict breaking out in the Middle East. We had a candid, serious discussion about the importance of de-escalation in the immediate term, but also the need to establish a plan for the day after in Gaza and a credible path forward for a Palestinian state.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Permanent basic farmland inquiry platform opens to public

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    Starting Monday, the public can access information online about the area and location of permanent basic farmland to confirm the nature of cultivated land and report illegal actions, such as any unauthorized changes to the nature of the permanent basic farmland, according to an official from the Ministry of Natural Resources.

    As the permanent basic farmland inquiry platform launches on Monday, the public can now easily access information about the permanent basic farmland through various channels such as the WeChat mini-program, the ministry’s official website, or its app, said Su Qiang, deputy director of the farmland protection supervision department of the ministry, at a news conference in Beijing.

    Citizens are encouraged to report to local county-level natural resources authority when discovering illegal or unauthorized occupation of permanent basic farmland via the platform. The ministry will guide relevant departments at all levels to verify and handle any suspected illegal activities reported by the public, according to Su.

    He added that the rollout of the platform marks the first time at the national level that permanent basic farmland inquiry services are being provided to the public via the internet. The scope of information available for inquiry follows the principle of maximum disclosure, although a small amount of data still requires further processing and refinement. The data will be updated and improved annually to achieve full coverage over time.

    “The rollout of the platform aims to strictly enforce the special protection system for permanent basic farmland, strengthen social supervision, ensure the public’s right to know and supervise, and firmly establish the responsibility for cultivated land protection at all levels,” Su said.

    Permanent basic farmland is high-quality arable land designated by law and plays a crucial role in ensuring national food security. No unit or individual is allowed to occupy or change its use without authorization, according to the Land Administration Law of the People’s Republic of China.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: All-green electricity smart energy service station opens in Xinjiang

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    An all-green electricity smart energy service station has recently opened in Bole city of Bortala Mongolian autonomous prefecture in Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region. This station marks a significant achievement in new green comprehensive energy generation, consumption, display, and experience in the prefecture.

    The station features an advanced smart integrated energy production and display system, incorporating a small, intelligent, and comprehensive energy network that integrates power generation, storage, charging, and consumption.

    The station is divided into indoor and outdoor sections, with four functional zones: a green energy production display area, a green energy consumption display and experience area, a smart energy display and interaction area, and a customer service area.

    All the electricity for the station is generated using a combined electricity power generation method, which includes roof photovoltaic panels, photovoltaic curtain walls, and photovoltaic sunflowers. This method achieves zero carbon emissions, providing pure green electricity.

    Wang Yongli, an executive at State Grid Bortala Electric Power Supply Co, mentioned that the data display platform at the station allows customers to clearly see the entire process of electricity generation, storage, and consumption. This enables customers to monitor their electricity usage while charging, making consumption transparent.

    The station not only facilitates new green comprehensive energy production, consumption, and display, but also provides green electricity-related consulting services. Additionally, it offers warm volunteer services for resting, drinking, and charging.

    The company aims to leverage the station’s advantages to enhance green electricity smart energy services and provide high-quality and efficient services to electricity customers, contributing to local economic development.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China’s top political advisor urges advancing political consultative conference system

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    Wang Huning, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee, presides over a brain-storming session of the Chairpersons’ Council of the CPPCC National Committee and delivers a speech, Sept. 23, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
    China’s top political advisor Wang Huning on Monday urged efforts to uphold and advance the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) system and fully tap into the CPPCC’s political strength.
    Wang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the CPPCC National Committee, made the remarks while addressing a brain-storming session of the Chairpersons Council of the CPPCC National Committee.
    Wang urged efforts to ensure the integration of Party leadership, the united front and consultative democracy, promote high-quality development of the CPPCC, and give better play to the CPPCC’s role as a specialized consultative body.
    Wang also called for efforts to strengthen confidence in the path, theory, system, and culture of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and to maintain a lively, stable, and united political atmosphere.
    Efforts should be made to deliberate and offer suggestions on advancing Chinese modernization, raise the efficacy of democratic oversight, and refine the working systems and mechanisms of the CPPCC, Wang said.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China adds over 30,000 rural place names to protection lists

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    More than 30,000 old rural place names have been added to China’s protection lists since a rural geographic naming project was launched last year, a senior official of the Ministry of Civil Affairs (MCA) said Monday.
    Tang Chengpei, vice minister of civil affairs, said at a press conference that the project, which collects rural place names and inputs them into maps, aimed to improve geographic naming and cultural protection in rural areas.
    As of August this year, the government had standardized the naming of 430,000 locations, installed 330,000 place name signs, and placed 14.42 million building and door plaques in rural areas under the project, Tang said.
    He added that as the project was promoted, more nameless rural places and places with multiple names had obtained their own standardized names.
    The government has also provided guides for online map services to present correct and consistent rural place names, which has facilitated backpacking and road trips in rural areas as well as the delivery of both parcels into villages and rural goods to urban areas, Tang said.
    Benefiting from the naming project, many places have created a range of geographic brands of agricultural products, and rural place naming has been integrated with the development of rural e-commerce and agricultural tourism, he added.
    The MCA announced the launch of the rural place naming project as a measure to advance rural revitalization in May 2023. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Readout of the Secretary-General’s meeting with  H.E. Mr. Pedro Sánchez Pérez-Castejón, President of the Government of Spain [scroll down for Spanish version]

    Source: United Nations secretary general

    The Secretary-General met with H.E. Mr. Pedro Sánchez Pérez-Castejón, President of the Government of Spain. The Secretary-General and the President of the Government discussed the situation in the Middle East and in Venezuela. They also exchanged views on the Summit of the Future and Spanish support for the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals, including through the upcoming Conference on Financing for Development to be held in Seville, Spain in 2025.

    *****
    El Secretario General se reunió con el Excelentísimo Señor Pedro Sánchez Pérez-Castejón, Presidente del Gobierno de España. El Secretario General y el Presidente del Gobierno abordaron la situación en el Medio Oriente y en Venezuela. También intercambiaron puntos de vista sobre la Cumbre del Futuro y el apoyo de España para la implementación de los Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible, incluyendo mediante la próxima Conferencia sobre la Financiación para el Desarrollo que tendrá lugar en Sevilla, España en el 2025.
     

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: STL to visit Beijing and Tianjin

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    STL to visit Beijing and Tianjin
    STL to visit Beijing and Tianjin
    ********************************

         The Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Mr Lam Sai-hung, will leave for a visit to Beijing and Tianjin this evening (September 24).     Mr Lam will attend the Global Sustainable Transport Forum (2024) hosted by the Ministry of Transport of the People’s Republic of China in Beijing tomorrow (September 25), where he will speak at a thematic session. During his visit in Beijing, Mr Lam will also meet with officials of the Ministry of Transport.     Mr Lam will then visit Tianjin to attend the 11th China Air Finance Development (DFTP) Summit and deliver a speech at the opening ceremony on September 26.     He will return to Hong Kong on the evening of September 26. During his absence, the Under Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Mr Liu Chun-san, will be the Acting Secretary for Transport and Logistics.

     
    Ends/Tuesday, September 24, 2024Issued at HKT 10:00

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: President Meloni attends Global Citizen Awards ceremony

    Source: Government of Italy (English)

    Vai al Contenuto Raggiungi il piè di pagina

    24 Settembre 2024

    The President of the Council of Ministers, Giorgia Meloni, delivered a speech at the Atlantic Council’s Global Citizen Awards ceremony in New York this evening, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.

    [President Meloni’s speech]

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Navy Bloodborne Infection Management Center Officer in Charge Maximizes Contributions of Service members Living with HIV and Viral Hepatitis

    Source: United States Navy (Medical)

    The Navy Bloodborne Infection Management Center (NBIMC) held a change of charge ceremony, at Naval Support Activity Bethesda, Maryland, where Cmdr. Marshall Hoffman relieved Capt. Nimfa Teneza-Mora as Officer in Charge (OIC) Aug. 23, 2024.

    “The NBMIC provides leadership, expertise, and support for Navy Medical Readiness, developing policy for HIV, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C screenings for the department of the Navy,” said Capt. Marion Gregg, commander, Navy and Marine Corps Force Health Protection Command, and director, Defense Center for Public Health Portsmouth.

    “Under Capt. Tenza-Mora’s dedicated leadership, NBMIC has certainly done some amazing work helping operational forces with direct support from medical readiness in policy development related to HIV, hepatitis B and C, as well as other bloodborne pathogens.”

    During her tenure, Teneza-Mora, successfully conducted over two million precise screenings for HIV, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C, while also securing a $45 million contract to support the Department of the Navy’s infectious disease testing over the next five years. NBIMC enhanced support for service members diagnosed with positive results by ensuring swift notification and seamless access to medical care and treatment, ultimately promoting their health, wellness, and rapid return to full duty.

    “I had a truly memorable 36 months as the OIC here at the NBMIC,” said Teneza-Mora. “I have had the opportunity to grow professionally in this position. We have experienced a good number of challenging situations here at the NBMIC, but our team here always responded appropriately.

    Teneza-Mora also provided expert guidance for revising a Defense Health Agency instruction, which addressed HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for those at risk. She co-led a tri-service work group to expand PrEP use in the military health system by developing training for primary care providers and creating patient education materials. These efforts aimed to reduce HIV infection rates among service members and support the goal of ending the HIV epidemic in the United States.

    Additionally, Teneza-Mora oversaw the operational suitability screening of more than 207 service members with HIV, hepatitis B, or hepatitis C, determining 172 to be fit for operational and overseas assignments. She directed the expansion of NBIMC’s HIV Management System, enhancing the tracking and support of service members with bloodborne infections. Her leadership fostered a culture of excellence and directly contributed to increasing service members’ deployability, aligning with Navy Medicine’s second line of effort to ensure Sailors and Marines are mission ready.

    “My experiences at this command will always shape my thoughts and my actions and I will always remember you all. I will remember your willingness, your friendship, and your comradery. Thank you all for your hard work, sacrifice, and duty. It has been an honor and a privilege to serve with you,” said Teneza-Mora in her closing statements to the command.

    Hoffman, the incoming officer in charge, shared his perspective as an internal medicine physician, having treated service members with HIV during his overseas assignments. “Modern HIV management allows individuals to live full, healthy lives, and I’m proud that the military supports this by enabling service members with HIV to serve their country to the fullest extent possible,” said Hoffman. “Although HIV remains a serious diagnosis, the dedicated NBIMC staff work diligently to ensure our Sailors and Marines with HIV are ready for operational and overseas assignments whenever possible.”

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-Evening Report: From waste to power: how floating solar panels on wastewater ponds could help solve NZ’s electricity security crisis

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Faith Jeremiah, Lecturer in Business Management (Entrepreneurship and Innovation), Lincoln University, New Zealand

    Getty Images

    Wastewater ponds may seem an unlikely place to look for solutions to New Zealand’s electricity security crisis. But their underutilised surfaces could help tackle two problems at once – high power prices and algal growth.

    Floating solar panels on wastewater ponds offer a multifaceted answer. They generate renewable energy, improve water quality in the treatment ponds and reduce costs.

    Leading this approach is the 2020 installation of New Zealand’s first floating solar array at the Rosedale wastewater treatment plant in Auckland. This project demonstrates how New Zealand could double the country’s power supply without requiring additional land. It serves as a test for future deployments on other reservoirs and dams.

    The project comprises 2,700 solar panels and 4,000 floating pontoons. It covers one hectare of the treatment pond, making excellent use of a marginal land asset in a dense urban environment.

    The floating solar array generates 1,040 kilowatts of electricity and reduces 145 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually. It also saves NZ$4.5 million in electricity costs per year. The electricity it generates, alongside biogas co-generation, meets 25% of the plant’s energy needs.

    The floating solar panel array, together with biogas generation, meets a quarter of the Rosedale wastewater treatment plant’s energy needs.
    Lynn Grieveson/Getty Images

    The project represents the first use of floating solar and the first megawatt-sized solar project in the country. As energy prices soar and environmental pressures mount, it is time to start exploring innovative solutions with the resources we already have.

    Wastewater ponds provide underused surface

    New Zealand is currently grappling with an electricity crisis, marked by increasing demand, aging infrastructure and a challenging transition to renewable energy sources.

    The country relies heavily on hydroelectric power. This makes it particularly vulnerable during periods of low water levels in hydro lakes, especially in winter. This in turn leads to frequent supply shortfalls and, combined with diminishing gas supplies, to rising electricity prices.

    As New Zealand intensifies its efforts to integrate more renewable energy, we need innovative solutions to stabilise the grid and meet growing energy demands.

    One underutilised resource lies in wastewater treatment ponds. New Zealand has more than 200 wastewater ponds, chosen for their simplicity and low operational costs. They remain the most common form of wastewater treatment because they are robust, require low energy, cope with high water and waste loads and provide buffer storage to avoid applying agricultural effluent to wet soils.

    However, because of the high surface area and nutrient-rich environment, algal growth is one of the biggest issues with waste stabilisation ponds. This is exacerbated on days with high sunshine levels and warmer water temperatures. It complicates the treatment process and necessitates costly chemical interventions.

    An opportunity for New Zealand

    My background is in entrepreneurship and innovation and the idea of floating solar panels on New Zealand’s expansive wastewater ponds represents an untapped opportunity.

    Apart from generating power and preventing algal growth, the solar panels provide shade that keeps the water cooler and reduces evaporation. This is critical for maintaining effective wastewater treatment.

    Utility-scale solar panels are now recognised as the cheapest form of energy, with rapidly declining costs over the past five years.

    While relatively new to New Zealand, floating solar panels have shown significant advantages in other parts of the world. New Zealand may be held back by a misconception that solar panels work best in hot and sunny climates. In fact, solar panels harness the sun’s energy – not its temperature – making New Zealand’s cooler climate an ideal environment for efficient solar energy generation.

    Given New Zealand uses more energy per capita than 17 of our 30 OECD peers, floating solar panels on wastewater ponds could set an example for how we tackle energy and environmental challenges.

    By turning underutilised spaces into power-generating assets, we not only address immediate needs but also pave the way for a more sustainable, resilient future.

    Faith Jeremiah 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. From waste to power: how floating solar panels on wastewater ponds could help solve NZ’s electricity security crisis – https://theconversation.com/from-waste-to-power-how-floating-solar-panels-on-wastewater-ponds-could-help-solve-nzs-electricity-security-crisis-237455

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SBA to Open Business Recovery Centers in Gonzales and Donaldsonville to Help Businesses Impacted by Hurricane Francine

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The U.S. Small Business Administration today announced the opening of its SBA Business Recovery Centers in Gonzales on Tuesday, Sept. 24 and Donaldsonville on Wednesday, Sept. 25, to provide a wide range of services to businesses impacted by Hurricane Francine that occurred Sept. 9 – 12.

    “Due to the severe property damage and economic losses inflicted on Louisiana businesses, we want to provide every available service to help get them back on their feet,” said Francisco Sánchez, Jr., associate administrator for the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the Small Business Administration. “The centers will provide a one-stop location for businesses to access a variety of specialized help. SBA customer service representatives will be available to meet individually with each business owner,” he added. No appointment is necessary. All services are provided free of charge. The centers will open as indicated below.

    ASCENSION PARISH
    Business Recovery Center
    Ascension Credit Union
    Small Business Center
    2430 S. Burnside Ave.
    Gonzales, LA  70737

    Opens at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 24

    Mondays – Tuesdays, 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

     

    ASCENSION PARISH
    Business Recovery Center
    Ascension Credit Union
    2256 LA-70
    Donaldsonville, LA  70346

    Opens at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 25

    Wednesdays – Fridays, 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

    According to Louisiana’s Small Business Development Center’s State Director Bryan Greenwood, SBDC business advisors will provide business assistance to clients on a wide variety of matters designed to help small business owners re-establish their operations, overcome the effects of the disaster and plan for their future. Services include assessing business working capital needs, evaluating the business’s strength, cash flow projections, and most importantly, a review of options with the business owner to help them evaluate their alternatives and make decisions that are appropriate for their situation.

    Businesses of any size and private nonprofit organizations may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory, and other business assets. These loans cover losses that are not fully covered by insurance or other recoveries.

    For small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture, and most private, nonprofit organizations of any size, SBA offers Economic Injury Disaster Loans to help meet working capital needs caused by the disaster. Economic Injury Disaster Loan assistance is available regardless of whether the business suffered any property damage.

    Interest rates can be as low as 4 percent for businesses, 3.25 percent for private nonprofit organizations and 2.813 percent for homeowners and renters with terms up to 30 years. Loan amounts and terms are set by SBA and are based on each applicant’s financial condition.

    Interest does not begin to accrue until 12 months from the date of the first disaster loan disbursement. SBA disaster loan repayment begins 12 months from the date of the first disbursement.

    SBA representatives will also provide help to business owners and residents at disaster recovery centers when they are opened in the impacted area.

    In addition, applicants may apply online and receive additional disaster assistance information at SBA.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.

    The deadline to apply for property damage is Nov. 18, 2024. The deadline to apply for economic injury is June 16, 2025.

    ###

    About the U.S. Small Business Administration

    The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow, expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Emory S. Land Departs HMAS Stirling Following Submarine Maintenance

    Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND

    HMAS STIRLING, Western Australia  –  

    The submarine tender USS Emory S. Land (AS 39) departed from HMAS Stirling, Western Australia, after a regularly scheduled port call, Sept. 14. HMAS Stirling was the seventh port call in Australia of Emory S. Land’s current deployment, which began May 17.

    Emory S. Land arrived at HMAS Stirling Aug. 16 with a mixed crew of active-duty and Reserve U.S. Navy Sailors, Royal Australian Navy sailors and Military Sealift Command civil service mariners to conduct a submarine tended maintenance period (STMP) with Virginia-class fast-attack submarine USS Hawaii (SSN 776).

    “It was a great experience working with our Australian counterparts, expanding the sustainment options for U.S. SSNs while helping the Royal Australian Navy prepare for Submarine Rotational Force – West and eventually their own Virginia-class submarines,” said Capt. Brent Spillner, commanding officer of Emory S. Land. “We have a lot of very complementary aims and capabilities, and it was very rewarding to find new ways to support each other’s fleets.”

    The STMP marked a significant step toward Australia gaining the capability to operate, maintain, and support a fleet of sovereign conventionally armed SSNs, which is a central requirement in executing Pillar 1 of the AUKUS security partnership between Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States.

    During the STMP, Australian Sailors who have been attached to the submarine tender since January took the lead on conducting repairs aboard USS Hawaii. Emory S. Land also worked in conjunction with the Royal Australian Navy’s Fleet Support Unit-West at HMAS Stirling, which provides repair and maintenance services to the Australian fleet.

    “The work that we’ve done during the STMP is critical in demonstrating the tasks required to repair and sustain nuclear powered submarines,” said Cmdr. Calvin Hargadine, Emory S. Land’s repair officer. “The Royal Australian Navy sailors embedded with Emory S. Land were directly involved with each of the jobs accomplished during the availability, highlighting the interchangeability and proficiency of these sailors in conducting maintenance on these vessels. They became a part of our crew while they were here for over seven months and became family in a short amount of time. It is sad to see them go, but I know they’re going to be doing great things when they get back to their own fleet.”

    At the end of Emory S. Land’s port call, the Royal Australian Navy sailors bid farewell to their American counterparts and returned to their parent commands around Australia.

    “I think that the skillset that we learned and the experiences that we got will help the Royal Australian Navy in a number of ways,” said LEUT Joseph Melbin, the officer in charge of the Australian detachment aboard the submarine tender. “The biggest one is not necessarily on the technical front, but more so on the social front in terms of the connections we’ve made with the crew aboard as well as the differences that we learned from each other in the engineering systems that we use.”

    For the STMP, Melbin assumed the position as the ship’s production maintenance assistant, a vital role tasked with coordinating and communicating all major repairs performed on the submarine.

    “The Fleet Support Unit is very, very good at what they do, and it was a pleasure to work with them throughout this exchange program,” said Spillner. “LEUT Melbin and his team really took the reins and made the STMP a success, performing just as well as USN personnel who’ve been doing this work far longer. There’s already a high degree of trust and interchangeability between our navies, and I’m sure we’ll only draw closer in the future. It really is exciting to have such capable and energetic partners and to be able to more rapidly exchange new technologies and best practices with each other.”

    While with Emory S. Land, Royal Australian Navy sailors were trained within the repair department of the ship, working in varying divisions such as the hull maintenance division, electrical repair division and the ship’s mechanical repair division.

    Royal Australian Navy Able Seaman Marine Technician April Franklin commented on the goal of working side-by-side with her U.S. counterparts stating, “The main mission overall was to get as many skills and integrate as best as we could with the Emory S. Land Sailors and adapt as much as we could, and I think we’ve definitely done that. I think we went above and beyond, and exceeded.”

    Also embedded with the crew of the submarine tender were U.S. Navy Reservists. For this portion of the deployment, 66 Reservists activated and mobilized to HMAS Stirling to assist with repairs and ship husbandry.

    “I joined the Navy for a sense of service and to be a part of something bigger than myself,” said Machinist’s Mate 1st Class Bryan Overton, one of the Reservists. “The best part of active duty was experiencing the submarine community and the camaraderie the community offers.”

    While the STMP was a pivotal part of the port call, Sailors were also able to strengthen cultural ties with the Australian public by participating in community relation events (COMREL) such as volunteering at the food bank, cleaning enclosures at a zoo, and playing sports with local organizations in order to foster collaboration and understanding between the U.S. Navy and local communities.

    “I took part in two Ronald McDonald House COMRELs, helping out by cooking in the kitchen,” said Machinery Repairman 2nd Class Sean Reese. “It is a good feeling to know that I was there to make a difference for the local kids and families in Australia. That is an experience worth doing every time.”

    While moored at HMAS Stirling, Emory S. Land also hosted a series of tours to a wide range of guests, including Prime Minister Albanese, several other cabinet members, senior military leaders including Acting Undersecretary of the U.S. Navy Thomas Mancinelli, Chief of the Royal Australian Navy Vice Adm. Mark Hammond, and Director-General of the Australian Submarine Agency Vice Adm. Jonathan Mead, as well as a wide range of international diplomats, state and local government officials, business leaders, academics, civic groups, and media.

    “I am very proud to be able to show our medical capabilities during tours, because when people think of military medicine, they think of medics, who are more specialized, whereas Corpsmen, we can bounce back and forth between many specialties,” said Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Oriana Winebrinner. “Showing people that we have the capabilities and training onboard to save lives was an incredibly proud moment.”

    During the previous five months, Emory S. Land conducted scheduled port calls in Darwin, Cairns, Sydney, Eden, Melbourne, and Adelaide. The ship’s Sailors had the opportunity to volunteer in the community, host tours, and repair allied nations’ ships in these cities. Emory S. Land is on deployment supporting the U.S. 7th Fleet, the U.S. Navy’s largest forward deployed numbered fleet, operating with allies and partners in preserving a free and open Indo-Pacific region. Emory S. Land provides expeditionary intermediate-level maintenance, services, and logistics support to deployed submarines.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Air Force Airmen exercise warfighter mindset in Southern Beach

    Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND

    KADENA AIR BASE, Japan  –  

    U.S Air Force Airmen conducted training operations during exercise Southern Beach, Sept. 17 – 20.

    Southern Beach enables U.S. forces to refine shared tactics, techniques and procedures to better integrate defense capabilities in support of regional security.

    “Our objective in this operation is to integrate our 4th and 5th generation platforms,” said U.S. Air Force Capt. Jonathan Greene, Southern Beach 24-3 project officer. “We want to measure the ability of our fighter squadrons to gain and maintain air superiority in a controlled environment.”

    F-22A Raptors assigned to the 27th Fighter Squadron and 199th Fighters Squadrons, F-16CM Fighting Falcons assigned to the 179th Fighter Squadron, KC-135 Stratotankers assigned to the 909th Air Refueling Squadron, an E-3 Sentry assigned to the 961st Airborne Air Control Squadron, and the 623rd Air Control Squadron, all participated in the exercise.

    This iteration of Southern Beach consisted of a Defensive Counter Air scenario, designed to detect, identify, intercept, and negate enemy forces attempting to penetrate or attack through friendly airspace.

    Southern Beach provides the opportunity to practice employing airpower in a contested environment, promoting national sovereignty, and improving global safety and security.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Readout of the Secretary-General’s meeting with H.E. Mr. Emomali Rahmon, President of the Republic of Tajikistan

    Source: United Nations secretary general

    The Secretary-General met with H.E. Mr. Emomali Rahmon, President of the Republic of Tajikistan. They discussed cooperation between the United Nations and Tajikistan on sustainable development and addressing climate change, including its impacts on glaciers. The Secretary-General appreciated Tajikistan’s leadership on water issues. They also exchanged views on regional security, including the fight against terrorism.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Call for more mates to support Port Macquarie’s Sailability

    Source: New South Wales Government 2

    Headline: Call for more mates to support Port Macquarie’s Sailability

    Published: 24 September 2024

    Released by: Minister for Agriculture

    The Port Macquarie community group, Sailability, is calling for volunteers ahead of this year’s sailing season, as the club prepares to take to the Hastings River again on Wednesday 25 September.

    Sailability is a volunteer organisation whose mission is to offer people with varying abilities freedom on the water.

    The club uses a fleet of specially designed sailing dinghies with simplified controls and enhanced stability to hold weekly sailing days for people living with physical and mental disability.

    The club received $55,920 from the NSW Government to extend its carpark and complete landscaping around its new boat shed and accessible amenities block, as well as to install six accessible picnic tables in McInherney Park.

    The not-for-profit club is the only organisation of its kind in the area and its 80 volunteers cater to approximately 60 sailors each week.

    The group provides its services at no charge, with sailors coming from disability support units at local schools in Port Macquarie, Wauchope, Laurieton and Kempsey, as well as disability service providers, aged care facilities and private enquiries.

    Census statistics for show there are approximately 6,000 people with serious or profound disability in the Port Macquarie area, and the club struggles to meet the demand for its services.

    People keen to get involved in volunteering with the club can attend McInherney Park on Wednesdays between September and May to learn more, or go to www.sailabilitypm.com.au and click the Contact Us tab.

    Minister for Agriculture and Regional NSW, Tara Moriarty said:

    “This fantastic community group is really making waves in terms of improving quality of life for people in the Port Macquarie area with disability.

    “It’s wonderful to see people experience a sense of achievement and improved self-confidence and self-esteem through their participation in Sailability’s program.”

    Parliamentary Secretary for Disability Inclusion, Liesl Tesch* said:

    “Sailability is a beacon of hope and inclusion in Port Macquarie. By fostering a sense of belonging on the water, they’re not only enhancing the lives of people with disability but also enriching the entire community.”

    “The amazing volunteers at Sailability do such important work helping build confidence and resilience for so many people in the region each week.”

    *Liesl Tesch is a seven-time Paralympian including winning two gold medals in sailing

    Sailability Port Macquarie volunteer Rick Eller said:

    “The club has come a long way from humble beginnings when it launched in December 2012, we were using two borrowed boats at the time, we had a handful of volunteers, and we were borrowing life jackets from the SES or emergency services here in Port Macquarie.

    “The best part about working for Sailability is the expressions and the smiles when the people who’ve been sailing come back to the pontoon, that’s what makes it all worthwhile.”

    Sailability Port Macquarie Vice President Julie Constable said:

    “It’s extremely important that people are aware that people with a disability are very able and keen to get out into society so something like this is off great benefit to the community.”

    Case study: Vision impaired sailor – Kathryn Stephens

    Sailability Port Macquarie

    • Kathryn has been sailing with the Port Macquarie group since it began.
    • In October, Kathryn will set course for Southport to compete in the Hansa Class Asia Pacific Championships.
    • Kathryn has previously competed in the state para championships, coming second behind the world champion in the doubles.
    • She has also placed third in the Middle Harbour Yacht Club inclusive classes regatta alongside a sailing partner from another branch of Sailability.

    Quotes attributable to Kathryn Stephens:

    “Participating in sailing has opened up a whole new world of opportunities for me.

    “I love the whole idea of being out on the water, the sensation and the sound and just the feel of sailing because I can’t see what I’m doing so it’s all by sound and feel, and just the freedom of being out on the water, it’s a great sensation.

    “The people come from all sorts of different backgrounds and interests and it’s just wonderful to catch up with them as well as meeting other sailing participants every week and we just have a great time and it’s a really lovely community and it’s got a really great feel about it.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Lower recent petrol prices welcome after prices moved higher in the June quarter

    Source: Australian Competition and Consumer Commission

    Average retail petrol prices were higher in the June quarter but have since reduced, according to the ACCC’s latest quarterly petrol monitoring report.

    In the June quarter 2024, average retail petrol prices across the five largest cities (Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth) were 196.5 cents per litre (cpl). This was an increase of 3.3 cpl from the March quarter 2024 (193.2 cpl). 

    Click to enlarge

    “The lower prices since the end of the quarter have provided some relief to many motorists around the country,” ACCC Commissioner Anna Brakey said.

    Average retail petrol prices across the five largest cities decreased in July and August 2024, following lower international refined petrol benchmark prices. On a monthly basis, average retail petrol prices across the five largest cities were 193.6 cpl in June 2024, and decreased by around 10 cpl to 183.7 cpl in August 2024.

    The following chart shows 7-day rolling average retail petrol prices across the five largest cities from July 2022 to August 2024.

    Seven-day rolling average retail petrol prices across the 5 largest cities in nominal terms

    Source: ACCC calculations based on data from FUELtrac and Informed Sources. 
    Notes: The grey shaded area in the chart represents the June quarter 2024. 
    The blue shaded area in the chart represents July and August 2024. 
    A 7-day rolling average price is the average of the current day’s price and prices on the 6 previous day.
     

    Among the five largest cities in the June quarter 2024, average petrol prices increased the most in Sydney (by 5.7 cpl), with average Adelaide prices decreasing by 0.7 cpl, while Brisbane’s average retail petrol prices were the highest of the five largest cities (204.8 cpl).

    Quarterly average retail petrol prices increased in Canberra, Hobart and Darwin. Average prices in Darwin were the third lowest among all eight capital cities, behind Adelaide and Perth. Quarterly average prices in Canberra were 205.1 cpl, the highest among the eight capital cities.

    The ACCC’s latest report also gives results for the financial year 2023-24. Annual average retail petrol prices across the five largest cities were 195.1 cpl in 2023-24. This was the highest on record in nominal terms and the highest in 10 years in real (inflation adjusted) terms. After adjusting for inflation, annual average prices in 2013-14 were 196.6 cpl.

    The ACCC encourages motorists to make the most of fuel price apps and websites

    In August 2024, the ACCC released a report on fuel price apps and websites and petrol price cycles in Australia, illustrating the benefits of using one of the many free fuel price apps and websites to shop around for lower fuel prices. There are more than 40 free to use fuel price apps and websites available.

    “In the current economic climate, making savings is important to many motorists. It can always be worth using a fuel price app or website to quickly check for a lower priced retailer near you before filling up,” Ms Brakey said.

    The following chart shows a range of average petrol prices by major brand in Brisbane during a petrol price cycle in the June quarter 2024. The chart also shows the levels of terminal gate prices (or indicative wholesale prices), represented by the grey shaded area.

    “There is often a range of petrol prices available across retail sites and using a fuel price app or website to find a lower priced site can result in large savings,” Ms Brakey said.

    From April to early June 2024 in Brisbane, the range of retail petrol prices between the highest and lowest priced brands was around 19 cpl on average. The range varied from as high as 42 cpl (when retail prices were increasing in the cycle) to around 9 cpl (when prices were decreasing).

    Daily average retail regular unleaded petrol prices by major brand and daily average terminal gate prices (lagged 7 days) in Brisbane

    Source: ACCC calculations based on data from the Queensland Government open data portal – Fuel price reporting 2024. 
    Notes: The grey shaded area in the chart represents average terminal gate prices in Brisbane (lagged by 7 days). 
    Retail prices are averaged across sites on a brand basis using data from the Queensland Government fuel price transparency scheme. Major retail brand means a retail brand with at least 7 retail sites under one brand that sold regular unleaded petrol. The ‘Independent’ category represents a collection of other branded and unbranded sites. Daily average retail prices are calculated from price observations at 6 hour intervals.
     

    Observing petrol price cycles in the five largest cities can also be a useful way for motorists to save on petrol. The ACCC web page – Petrol price cycles in major cities – includes up to date price charts, buying tips, and information on petrol price cycles in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth. 

    “We know that because of longer petrol price cycles, motorists in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane can’t always wait for the price cycle to reach the next low point,” Ms Brakey said.

    “Where possible though, taking advantage of the low points of the cycle, and topping up or filling up before prices increase, can save money.”  

    Retail petrol price components

    The following chart shows changes in the components of average retail petrol prices in the five largest cities between the March quarter 2024 and the June quarter 2024.

    The largest components include the international price of refined petrol (Mogas 95) and excise and wholesale goods and services tax. The Australian/US dollar exchange rate can impact retail prices because international refined petrol is bought and sold in US dollars in global markets – although in the June quarter the exchange rate was relatively stable and had minimal impact on changes in average Mogas 95 prices in Australian dollar terms. 

    Other components include wholesale costs and margins (including international shipping costs and other import costs, and wholesale costs and margins) and retail costs and margins (represented by gross indicative retail differences).

    Changes in the components of average retail petrol prices across the 5 largest cities – cents per litre (cpl)

    Source: ACCC calculations based on data from Informed Sources, Argus Media, Ampol, bp, Mobil, Viva Energy, FuelWatch, the Reserve Bank of Australia and the Australian Taxation Office. 
    Notes: cents per litre change from the previous quarter. 
    The excise and wholesale goods and services tax component in this chart (65.9 cpl) is different to the excise and goods and services tax (wholesale and retail) component in the bowser, shown in the ‘June quarter 2024 – Petrol snapshot’. This is because a small amount of retail goods and services tax (1.6 cpl) is included in the gross indicative retail differences component in the above chart, for consistency in reporting gross indicative retail difference figures throughout this report. 
    Total excise and goods and services tax was 67.5 cpl in the June quarter 2024, an increase of 0.6 cpl from the previous quarter.

    Gross indicative retail differences increased to slightly above pre-pandemic levels 

    Average gross indicative retail differences across the five largest cities (in aggregate) were 17.2 cpl in the June quarter 2024. This was 1.8 cpl higher than the previous quarter (15.4 cpl). Gross indicative retail differences are a broad indicator of gross retail margins (including both retail operating costs and profits).

    In the 2023-24 financial year, annual average gross indicative retail differences across the five largest cities were 16.3 cpl, slightly higher than pre-pandemic levels on a real terms (inflation-adjusted) basis. 

    The level of gross indicative retail differences is not uniform across each of the five largest cities. In the June quarter 2024, quarterly gross indicative retail differences were lowest in Adelaide (9.2 cpl) and highest in Brisbane (25.6 cpl). In 2023–24, annual average gross indicative retail differences were lowest in Perth (10.7 cpl) and highest in Brisbane (22.0 cpl).

    The ACCC will continue to closely monitor the levels of gross indicative retail differences, including the differences between cities.

    Quarterly average regional retail petrol prices were marginally higher than prices across the five largest cities

    The ACCC monitors fuel prices in all capital cities and over 190 regional locations across Australia. In the June quarter 2024, average regional retail petrol prices (regional prices) were 197.4 cpl, an increase of 3.7 cpl from the March quarter 2024. 

    Regional prices were 0.9 cpl higher than average retail petrol prices across the five largest cities (196.5 cpl).

    Diesel prices were lower in many capital cities

    Quarterly average retail diesel prices across the five largest cities were 194.5 cpl in the June quarter 2024, a decrease of 1.2 cpl from the March quarter 2024 (195.7 cpl).

    Quarterly average retail diesel prices decreased in each of the capital cities except Canberra, where prices increased by 0.8 cpl. Retail diesel prices generally followed lower international diesel benchmark prices, which accounted for the largest component of retail diesel prices.

    Petrol sales continue to remain below pre-pandemic levels 

    The volumes of regular unleaded petrol sales reduced by 2.8 per cent in the June quarter (to 2,196 million litres) and continue to remain below pre-pandemic levels.

    “As consumers are increasingly switching from combustion engine vehicles to hybrid and electric vehicles, demand for fuel has reduced. Other factors would also be influencing demand such as working from home arrangements, vehicles becoming more fuel efficient, and changes in driving habits quite possibly due to cost of living pressures,” Ms Brakey said.

    Note to editors

    ‘Petrol’ means regular unleaded petrol unless otherwise specified.

    Singapore Mogas 95 Unleaded (Mogas 95) is the relevant international benchmark for the wholesale price of petrol in Australia. Singapore Gasoil with 10 parts per million sulphur content (Gasoil 10 ppm) is the international benchmark for the wholesale price of diesel.

    Background

    The ACCC has been monitoring retail prices in all capital cities and over 190 regional locations across Australia since 2007.

    On 14 December 2022, the Treasurer issued a new direction to the ACCC to monitor the prices, costs and profits relating to the supply of petroleum products in the petroleum industry in Australia and produce a report every quarter for a further three years.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Gallego Calls on Administration to Approve Major Disaster Declaration for Havasupai Tribe

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Ruben Gallego (AZ-07)

    September 23, 2024

    PHOENIX – Today, Rep. Ruben Gallego (AZ-03) sent a letter to President Biden calling on his administration to approve the Havasupai Tribe’s request for a major disaster declaration in response to the recent severe flooding on their reservation.  

    On August 22nd, severe flash flooding at Havasu Creek inundated Supai Village on the Havasupai reservation, requiring the rescue and evacuation of over one hundred tribal members and tourists. The flooding resulted in significant damage to bridges, homes, roads, campgrounds, and trails as well as challenges to emergency response due to limited trail access to the reservation, and the Tribe has declared a state of emergency.

    “I appreciate your administration’s quick response, as FEMA staff were on the ground in a matter of days to begin assessing the damage, and the National Park Service immediately assisted with search and rescue efforts,” Rep. Gallego wrote. “Further providing the resources unlocked through a major disaster declaration will be crucial in rebuilding homes, fortifying tribal resources, and ensuring the resilience of Havasupai communities after this devastating flood.”

    Full text of the letter can be found HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Baird’s Mathematical and Statistical Modeling Education Act Passes U.S. House

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jim Baird (R-IN-04)

    Rep. Baird’s Mathematical and Statistical Modeling Education Act Passes U.S. House

    Washington, September 23, 2024

    Today, Congressman Jim Baird’s (IN-04) Mathematical and Statistical Modeling Education Act passed the U.S. House of Representatives. Congressman Baird is the Republican lead on the bipartisan legislation, which was introduced by Representative Chrissy Houlahan (PA-06). The Mathematical and Statistical Modeling Education Act modernizes math curricula to make it more applicable to real-world scenarios and improves science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education in K-12 schools.

    “As a PhD scientist, I know the impact STEM education has on American innovation, and we must ensure students have the mathematical problem-solving skills necessary to succeed,” said Rep. Baird. “I am grateful to work with Representative Houlahan on this important bill to update school curricula to better equip our students with the STEM education they need to tackle the challenges of our modern world. I am proud to see this bill pass the full U.S. House, and I hope to work with the Senate to get this legislation signed into law soon.”

    ###

     

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Angelica Mesiti’s The Rites of When finally makes sense of the Art Gallery of NSW’s Tank. It is worth the plane flight

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Joanna Mendelssohn, Honorary Senior Fellow, School of Culture and Communication. Editor in chief, Design and Art of Australia Online, The University of Melbourne

    Installation view of Angelica Mesiti ‘The Rites of When’ 2024, 7-channel digital video installation, colour, sound, approx 30 min, collection of the artist, commissioned by the Art Gallery of New South Wales for the Nelson Packer Tank, 2024
     © Angelica Mesiti, photo © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Jenni Carter

    The Nelson Packer Tank, that cavernous space at the very bottom of the Art Gallery of NSW’s Naala Badu building, has been waiting for art like this.

    The former World War II oil storage tank is huge, held together by rows of structural columns. Their dominance means it is just not possible for viewers to have an unimpeded fields of vision for any art on display. Then there are the acoustics. Every sound resonates, but few carry far.

    This is a room of echoes, embedded in the dark.

    In this space Angelica Mesiti, an Australian living in France, has created The Rites of When: an event that rethinks ancient rituals of seasonal celebrations, while also marking the terrible changes wrought on our heating planet. Her tools are video, performers, music and song – all modified by the unique whispering echoes of the Tank.

    The sky, and the snow

    As the title implies, Mesiti has used the structure of Stravinski’s The rite of spring as one of the elements in her great design. But she shows a world far removed from mythical Russian peasants.

    Each of the two movements are preceded by “Celestial Nebula”, where abstract forms of light dissolve into a vision of the night sky, presented on seven giant video screens.

    This is not the sky as seen by city dwellers, where artificial light eliminates the stars, but rather the Milky Way in all its glory, with its hero stars which we call the Seven Sisters, but people in the northern hemisphere call the Pleiades.

    Installation view of Angelica Mesiti ‘The Rites of When’ 2024, 7-channel digital video installation, colour, sound, approx 30 min, collection of the artist, commissioned by the Art Gallery of New South Wales for the Nelson Packer Tank, 2024.
    © Angelica Mesiti, photo © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Jenni Carter

    Mesiti has said one of her inspirations was that, when COVID came, she and her partner began to spend time away from Paris in rural France. Here she came to know the night sky, and to see both the rhythms and the realities of rural life.

    In the first movement, a dazzling starscape is gradually bleached by artificial light, which transforms into sunlight, and the viewer is looking at drone footage of a snow-capped pine forest which we then zoom through.

    The dominant columns of The Tank combine with the straight tree trunks of this plantation forest give a sense of visual ambiguity. With the all surrounding sound, it is hard to work out where the screened image ends and where the columns begin.

    Angelica Mesiti ‘The Rites of When’ 2024 (video still), 7-channel digital video installation, colour, sound, approx 30 min, collection of the artist, commissioned by the Art Gallery of New South Wales for the Nelson Packer Tank, 2024.
    © Angelica Mesiti

    A sudden shift of mood in the music, and the viewers are plunged into the middle of a Brueghel-like celebration of people dancing in the winter solstice. The colours are warm, the rustic dancers are wearing decorations made of the fruits of the field. They dance around a bonfire made from wooden planks, they form a procession with an effigy of a horned beast, stuffed with fireworks.

    The fireworks and the dancers become a frenzy of ever increasing movement of rhythmic sound which explodes into dazzling white silence.

    Capturing the summer solstice

    When she was discussing The Rites of When at the media preview, Mesiti casually mentioned how hard it had been to film the snowy forest as, for the first time ever, winter was so mild it hardly snowed at all on the pine plantations of the Jura Mountains.

    Global heating added an extra element when filming the summer solstice.

    At first the viewer sees the seven screens as giant patterns of gold, marked by elegant patterns of vertical lines. Perspective changes when a tiny toy moving up one of the screens is revealed to be a harvester. This is a drone’s eye view of a wheat harvest in modern industrial scale farming. As the fields are slowly stripped of their crop, a puff of smoke appears, then a line of fire, and the gold is steadily eaten away to become charcoal.

    Installation view of Angelica Mesiti ‘The Rites of When’ 2024, 7-channel digital video installation, colour, sound, approx 30 min, collection of the artist, commissioned by the Art Gallery of New South Wales for the Nelson Packer Tank, 2024.
    © Angelica Mesiti, photo © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Jenni Carter

    This was not planned. Europe was so hot and dry last June that a single spark from a harvester grinding a stray stone turned the wheat to ash. Monoculture, so effectively described by those endless flat golden fields, has no defence against nature.

    The mood of the music changes and golden smoke covering the wheat dissolves into golden light. A small, solemn procession appears and moves across each screen in turn. They elevate each member in turn, in a quiet ritual performance.

    The colours of the background change with their movement– from gold, to red, to purple, to blue. As they reach the last screen the blue fades to grey, to rain.

    In the silence, a single hand on a single screen snaps fingers. On the other side of the room, another responds. Now there is a rhythmic orchestra clicking, clapping and slapping – ever faster, ever louder. The hands become dancers, moving in a wild ecstatic dance of increasing intensity, as the bodies are caught up with the music and the light.

    Angelica Mesiti ‘The Rites of When’ 2024 (video still), 7-channel digital video installation, colour, sound, approx 30 min, collection of the artist, commissioned by the Art Gallery of New South Wales for the Nelson Packer Tank, 2024.
    © Angelica Mesiti

    In her notes, Mesiti calls this section “Ecstatic Collectivity”. It seems an apt description.

    At the very end, Mesiti returns us to the pure colours of the Celestial Nebula. Perhaps she is saying the folly of humanity may change the moods of the earth, but the stars will endure forever.

    The Rites of When lasts just over 30 minutes. Because it is so dependent on its location, this is a piece that cannot travel. It is worth the price of an air fare.

    The Rites of When is at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, until May 11 2025.

    Joanna Mendelssohn has in the past received funding from the Australian Research Council.

    – ref. Angelica Mesiti’s The Rites of When finally makes sense of the Art Gallery of NSW’s Tank. It is worth the plane flight – https://theconversation.com/angelica-mesitis-the-rites-of-when-finally-makes-sense-of-the-art-gallery-of-nsws-tank-it-is-worth-the-plane-flight-239599

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: ‘Who looks after me?’ More than 40% of disability carers have disability themselves – and they need more support

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Susan Collings, Senior Research Fellow, Transforming early Education and Child Health Research Centre, Western Sydney University

    Yiistocking/Shutterstock

    Caring for someone with disability is a complex and demanding task. The latest Australian Bureau of Statistics figures show this role is increasingly being undertaken by people who have disability themselves. There were 1.2 million primary carers in Australia in 2022, and of these, 43.8% have disability (up from 32.1% in 2018).

    Disability support and aged care are critical issues for the federal government right now. The new Aged Care Act will take effect in July next year and amendments to the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) Act roll out from early October.

    A National Carers Strategy, recognising the demands placed on informal carers and the need for better supports, is also being developed.

    What do this group of carers need? And are they getting the right kind of support?

    Invisible labour

    Three million Australians currently provide informal care for loved ones with disability, medical conditions, mental illness or frailty from ageing.

    In line with our ageing population, one in six carers are over 65 and most older Australians want to age “in place” at home. This means informal care needs are set to rise exponentially.

    Improved diagnosis, more disclosure of disability status and higher prevalence of health conditions leading to disability are increasing the numbers of and demands on informal carers.

    Who is doing the caring and why?

    While both women (12.8% of the population) and men (11.1%) provide informal care, women are more likely to be primary carers (6.1% are women, 3% are men.

    Primary carers are less likely to be in paid employment than non-carers (64.6% to 82%), and fewer than half of those caring for 40 hours or more a week are employed. Informal carers are more likely to have a disability or chronic health condition (38.6%) than the general population (21.4%), with even higher rates among primary carers (43.8%).

    The main reasons for becoming a carer are a sense of family responsibility and emotional obligation. Over a third of those caring for their child say they have no other choice.

    We analysed qualitative data from the 2022 National Carer Survey conducted by Carers NSW.

    Of 6,825 respondents from across Australia, over 80% were women and almost half (47.6%) identified as having disability or long-term health conditions, which the survey combines. Disability and poor health among carers are associated with higher levels of emotional distress and greater difficulty in accessing services.

    Most carers are women and their caring load may prevent them doing paid work.
    Desizned/Shutterstock

    ‘My prospect of earning an income and saving is bleak’

    Statistics tell us only part of the story. The voices of informal carers who report living with disability or chronic health conditions shed light on the layered demands they face. They reported that care is often invisible, undervalued and ceaseless. One woman, aged 73, described informal care as “hard and unappreciated work”.

    A lack of government support and financial uncertainty left many despairing. As one carer, aged 56, said:

    No government recognises us and in the end we are saving them billions/trillions of dollars […] I have been a carer for over 13 years and it will go on for many years, so my prospect of earning an income and saving is bleak.

    Caring can have profound health and wellbeing effects. As another woman, aged 56, said:

    Being close to retirement myself, and having elderly parents, puts so much strain on my own health, mentally and physically. I have had to deal with breast cancer and its treatments and ongoing side effects. This is really stressful. I oversee all the services, and manage ongoing issues. My care role is endless. I only work minimal hours myself due to my care role. Who looks after me?

    Caring for carers

    Carers with disability or chronic health conditions report a lack of appropriate, accessible and timely services. This makes it hard to meet their own health-care needs. Many struggle with arranging support across mainstream and NDIS providers on behalf of the person they care for and themselves.

    Our research about the needs of a specific group of disabled Australians with care-giving responsibilities – parents with intellectual disability – find they can fall between system gaps when mainstream services are not accessible or the NDIS fails to take a family-centred approach.

    A parent with intellectual disability may struggle to understand complex and shifting eligibility rules and might be able to use their NDIS funding to assist with meal preparation for themselves but not for their child. As one mother with intellectual disability said:

    No one explained to me, ‘Oh, the NDIS package can help you with a lot of different things’, like helping with my parenting capacity.

    Changes and opportunity

    A cornerstone of the NDIS reforms is the creation of foundational supports. That’s good news for the 86% of disabled Australians without an NDIS plan and their informal carers, who rely on mainstream services like schools, health services and public transport.

    Likewise, the National Carers Strategy is an opportunity to ease some of the burden shouldered by many informal carers. By consulting with carers directly, services designed to meet their diverse needs and circumstances can be made available. In the immediate term, often carers reach crisis point before receiving support. Early interventions in the form of practical, everyday, orientated supports – including respite together with peer support – can help.

    Proper support for carer wellbeing and economic and social participation, from all levels of government, recognises the complex role carers play and their own support and health-care needs. These are only going to increase in the future.

    The authors wish to acknowledge the contribution of Sarah Judd-Lam and Lukas Hofstaetter from Carers NSW for their data and analysis contributions to this piece.

    Gabrielle Weidemann receives funding from the Australian Research Council and the Department of Defence. This funding is not for research on disability and/or care for those with disability.

    Elisabeth Duursma, Michelle O’Shea, and Susan Collings do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. ‘Who looks after me?’ More than 40% of disability carers have disability themselves – and they need more support – https://theconversation.com/who-looks-after-me-more-than-40-of-disability-carers-have-disability-themselves-and-they-need-more-support-236786

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: The ‘publish or perish’ mentality is fuelling research paper retractions – and undermining science

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nham Tran, Associate Professor and MTP Connect REDI Industry Fellow, University of Technology Sydney

    zefart/Shutterstock

    When scientists make important discoveries, both big and small, they typically publish their findings in scientific journals for others to read. This sharing of knowledge helps to advance science: it can, in turn, lead to more important discoveries.

    But published research papers can be retracted if there is an issue with their accuracy or integrity. And in recent years, the number of retractions has been rising sharply. For example, in 2023 more than 10,000 research papers were retracted globally. This marked a new record.

    The huge number of retractions indicates a lot of government research funding is being wasted. More importantly, the publication of so much flawed research also misleads other researchers and undermines scientific integrity.

    Fuelling this troubling trend is a mentality known in academia as “publish or perish” which has existed for decades. The publication of research papers drives university rankings and career progression, yet the relentless pressure to publish has contributed to an increase in fraudulent data. Unless this changes, the entire research landscape may shift toward a less rigorous standard, hindering vital progress in fields such as medicine, technology and climate science.

    A ‘publish or perish’ environment

    Universities and research institutes commonly use the rate of publications as a key indicator of research productivity and reputation.

    The Times Higher Education Index, which ranks these institutions, assigns 60% of its score to research, and publications are fundamental to this score.

    Additionally, publications are closely tied to individual career advancement. They influence decisions on tenure, promotions and securing funding.

    These factors create a “publish or perish” environment, a term first coined in 1942 by sociologist Logan Wilson.

    A growing trend

    Recent evidence indicates the constant pressure to generate data and publish papers may be affecting the quality of research and fuelling retractions of research papers.

    Retraction Watch is one of the largest databases to monitor scientific retractions. Launched in 2010, it reveals a growing trend in the number of publications being retracted.

    In the past decade, there have been more than 39,000 retractions, and the annual number of retractions is growing by around 23% each year.

    Nearly half the retractions were due to issues related to the authenticity of the data. For example, in August the United States Office of Research Integrity found that Richard Eckert, a senior biochemist at the University of Maryland, Baltimore, faked data in 13 published papers. Four of these papers have been corrected, one has been retracted and the remainder are still awaiting action.

    Plagiarism was the second most common reason research papers were retracted, accounting for 16% of retractions.

    Fake peer review was another reason why research papers were retracted.

    Typically, when a publication is submitted to a journal, it undergoes peer review by experts in the same field. These experts provide feedback to improve the quality of the work.

    However, the use of fake peer reviewers has increased tenfold over the past decade. There has also been an eightfold rise in publications linked to so-called “paper mills”, which are businesses that provide fake papers for a fee.

    In 2022, up to 2% of all publications were from paper mills.

    Genuine mistakes in the scientific process accounted for only roughly 6% of all retractions in the last decade.

    More pressure, more mistakes

    One reason for the surge in retractions over the last decade may be that we are getting better at finding and detecting suspicious data.

    Digital publishing has made it easier to detect potential fabrication, and more scientists are making a brave stand against these dubious practices. No doubt, the current number of retractions is an underestimate of a much larger pool.

    But the intensification of the “publish or perish” culture within universities also plays a major role.

    Nearly all academic staff are required to meet specific publication quotas for performance evaluations, while institutions themselves use publication output to boost their rankings. High publication counts and citations enhance a university’s position in global rankings, attracting more students and generating income from teaching.

    The prevailing reward system in academia often prioritises publication quantity over quality. When promotions, funding, and recognition are tied to the number of papers published, scientists may feel pressured to cut corners, rush experiments, or even fabricate data to meet these metrics.

    Changing the model

    Initiatives such as the San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment are pushing for change. This initiative advocates for evaluating research based on its quality and societal impact rather than journal-based metrics such as impact factors or citation counts.

    A shift in journal policies to prioritise the sharing of all experimental data would enhance scientific integrity. It would ensure researchers could replicate experiments to verify others’ results.

    Academics face increasing pressure to publish journal articles to advance their careers.
    Protasov AN/Shutterstock

    Also, universities, research institutions and funding agencies need to improve their due diligence and hold those responsible for misconduct accountable.

    Including a simple question such as, “Have you ever had or been involved in a retracted paper?” on grant applications or academic promotions would improve the integrity of research by deterring unethical behaviour. Dishonest answers could be easily detected, thanks to the availability of online tools and databases such as Retraction Watch.

    Over the past 20 years, scientific research has significantly improved our quality of life. Career scientists must shoulder the responsibility of ensuring researchers uphold the values of truth and integrity that are fundamental to our profession. Protecting the integrity of our work is foremost to our mission, and we must remain vigilant in safeguarding these principles.

    Nham Tran receives funding from the Australian Research Council

    – ref. The ‘publish or perish’ mentality is fuelling research paper retractions – and undermining science – https://theconversation.com/the-publish-or-perish-mentality-is-fuelling-research-paper-retractions-and-undermining-science-238983

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Readout of the Secretary-General’s meeting with H.E. Mr. João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço, President of the Republic of Angola

    Source: United Nations secretary general

    The Secretary-General met with H.E. Mr. João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço, President of the Republic of Angola. The Secretary-General congratulated Angola for its commitment to peace and security and its efforts to promote peace and stability in Africa. The Secretary-General and the President discussed the situation in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and Angola’s mediation efforts, through the Luanda process. 
     

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Number of China’s manufacturing firms tops 6M

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Workers assemble parts at a children wheels factory in Pingxiang County, north China’s Hebei Province, Aug. 19, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

    China had 6.03 million enterprises in the manufacturing sector as of the end of August, surging 5.53 percent from the end of last year, data showed.

    Among them, 515,300 were related to the strategic emerging industries, accounting for 8.55 percent of the total, according to statistics from the China Organization Data Service.

    The number of manufacturing companies in China’s eastern region totaled 3.87 million, accounting for 64.21 percent of the total. The central region had 1.13 million manufacturing companies, followed by 755,900 and 268,300 in the western and northeastern regions, respectively, by the end of August, the data showed.

    In the first eight months of this year, the number of manufacturing companies in China showed a steady growth trend, with the central region having recorded the fastest growth of 6.55 percent compared to the end of 2023.

    The scale and quality of China’s manufacturing enterprises have gradually improved as policies to promote the optimization and upgrading of economic structure have begun to take effect, it said.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China to cut mortgage rates for existing home loans

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    This aerial photo taken on July 4, 2023 shows the construction site of a residential housing project in the start-up area in Xiong’an New Area, north China’s Hebei Province. [Photo/Xinhua]

    China will lower mortgage rates on existing home loans to a level similar to those of newly issued housing loans, Pan Gongsheng, governor of the People’s Bank of China, said on Tuesday.

    The average reduction in mortgage rates for existing home loans is expected to be around 0.5 percentage points, he told a press conference.

    The minimum down payment ratio for both first and second homes will be unified, with the nationwide minimum down payment ratio for second homes to be reduced from 25 percent to 15 percent, Pan said.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China makes notable progress via equipment, consumer goods renewal program

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    This photo taken on April 24, 2024 shows a new energy vehicle (NEV) assembly line of BYD, China’s leading NEV manufacturer, at the plant of BYD in Zhengzhou, central China’s Henan Province. [Photo/Xinhua]

    China has made noteworthy progress in promoting large-scale equipment upgrades and consumer goods trade-ins this year, an official said on Monday.

    China unveiled an action plan to implement the renewal program in March 2024 in an effort to expand domestic demand and shore up the economy, and stepped up policy support in July with an extra funds injection of 300 billion yuan (about 42.53 billion U.S. dollars) via ultra-long special treasury bonds.

    Zhao Chenxin, deputy head of the National Development and Reform Commission, cited a string of positive results achieved by the program, highlighting increased equipment manufacturing investment and robust sales of automobiles and home appliances, when addressing a press conference on Monday.

    In the first eight months of 2024, China’s investment in equipment and tool purchases had increased by 16.8 percent year on year — well above the 3.4 percent increase in total fixed-asset investment.

    Retail sales of passenger vehicles in August rose by 10.8 percent compared with the previous month, while new energy vehicle (NEVs) sales increased by 17 percent month on month in August. The market share of NEVs remained above 50 percent for a second consecutive month. Sales of home appliances and audio and video products returned to growth last month, up 3.4 percent year on year.

    Thanks to the renewal program, many enterprises are optimistic about the prospects of sectors related to equipment and consumer goods, leading to brisk investment, Zhao said.

    The program, riding on the great potential of green and digital transition, will provide more impetus to economic sustainability and transformation efforts, Zhao added.

    China’s drive to promote equipment upgrades covers a wide range of areas including industrial equipment, environmental infrastructure, operating vessels, new energy buses and agricultural machinery, while consumer goods trade-ins involve products ranging from automobiles to home appliances and electric bicycles.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Shift toward new engines of growth underway

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Robots work on an assembly line of a factory of a private enterprise in Zouping City, east China’s Shandong Province, Sept. 13, 2023. [Photo/Xinhua]

    A sustained focus on supporting innovation in strategic emerging sectors, future industries and traditional industries will be high on the agenda as China advances its economic structural reforms, which are aimed at fostering new quality productive forces and driving a shift from old growth drivers to new ones, economists and entrepreneurs said.

    Economists said the new quality productive forces will serve as a key driver for boosting the country’s economic growth in the coming years, which will help offset the real estate downturn, accelerate the building of a modern industrial system and promote high-quality development in the long run.

    Huang Hanquan, head of the Chinese Academy of Macroeconomic Research, said that fostering new quality productive forces is of vital importance in promoting high-quality economic growth, boosting total factor productivity and realizing Chinese modernization.

    “Various regions and departments across China have embraced this approach to drive economic progress, which will significantly accelerate technological innovation, enhance industrial application and facilitate the shift of growth drivers from old to new ones,” Huang said.

    A new report says that despite geopolitical headwinds that are having an impact on China’s economic growth trajectory and momentum, the nation is achieving success by boosting investment in science and technology, as well as by refocusing its efforts to enhance capabilities in emerging industries including artificial intelligence, autonomous vehicles and electric vehicles, and this is key to reinvigorating China’s growth engine.

    According to the Milken Institute’s Best-Performing Cities China Index, cities that were home to a significant number of tech hubs displayed a high level of economic resilience. According to the report, Chinese cities that have strategically invested in emerging technologies will continue to thrive, even as the broader economy faces challenges at home and abroad.

    Highlighting that sci-tech innovation is a key element in the development of new quality productive forces, Huang from the Chinese Academy of Macroeconomic Research called for more efforts to achieve breakthroughs in core technologies by investing more in fundamental research and tackling choke points, and by stepping up reforms in the science and technology, education and talent systems.

    More efforts should also be made to advance reforms in the market-based allocation of production factors, allowing factors such as land, labor, capital and technology to flow freely and efficiently to fields of new quality productive forces, he said.

    Looking ahead, Huang said the country should foster new pillar industries, including next-generation information technology, new energy vehicles, new energy and new materials, to offset the impact of the decline in real estate on China’s economy and create new growth drivers.

    Huang’s remarks came after a resolution adopted in July at the third plenary session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China placed great emphasis on improving the institutions and mechanisms for fostering new quality productive forces in line with local conditions.

    Justin Yifu Lin, dean of Peking University’s Institute of New Structural Economics, said that regions with development gaps should measure their progress compared with their own past rather than shifting their focus to the pursuit of success in frontier activities, which could result in haphazard or uneven development.

    There are two types of new quality productive forces — one that invents new technologies and one that applies them, Lin said. Therefore, applying new technologies in traditional sectors should be treated as part of the drive to harness new quality productive forces, he added.

    “Regions with gaps in development should use new technologies to improve productivity. It’s essential to follow the principle of seeking truth from facts and develop according to competitive advantages,” Lin said.

    China must better leverage the role of the market and tap the opportunity of technological innovation to enhance productivity, especially as it stands at the same starting line with other countries for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, which is an opportunity that China “cannot afford to miss”, he said.

    The nation, which recently released a guideline to improve its market access system, is taking solid steps to optimize its business environment and foster new quality productive forces. This marks the country’s key push to implement the resolution adopted at the third plenary session.

    The guideline details 10 measures, including improving the negative list management model, strengthening the coordination of policies for domestic and foreign-funded enterprises, and optimizing the market access environment for new forms of business and new sectors.

    Liu Qiao, dean of Peking University’s Guanghua School of Management, said that high-standard opening-up and deeper institutional reforms will create immense room for improvement in resource allocation efficiency, leading to an increase in the growth rate of total factor productivity.

    Liu noted that the path to new quality productive forces involves expanding into industries and fields that can enhance total factor productivity and form new quality productive forces, adding that there are two paths to achieving this objective.

    “The first route involves leveraging revolutionary technological changes to foster strategic emerging industries and future endeavors, including sectors associated with energy transition and digital transformation, as well as future-oriented industries like quantum computing and AI-driven big data. These will create new momentum, aiding in the acceleration of total factor productivity growth.

    “The second path involves opportunities brought about by China’s transformation and upgrade of traditional industries. Currently, the productivity in China’s agricultural and services sectors, for example, is relatively low, offering significant potential for increasing total factor productivity,” he said.

    Global executives hailed China’s reform initiatives aimed at fostering new quality productive forces, saying that they present opportunities for global stakeholders.

    Nancy Wang, country manager at LinkedIn China, said that China’s vigorous pursuit of new quality productive forces aims to foster an innovation-driven economic growth model centered on technological advancement, sending a signal of China’s readiness to face the challenges of globalization and technological revolution with greater openness, inclusivity and innovation.

    Victor Tsao, vice-president of open-source solutions provider Red Hat and general manager of Red Hat Greater China, said, “We believe that through further deepening reform and opening-up, and optimizing the business environment, China will continue to attract more foreign enterprises.”

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: PBN23505 [2024] NZPrivCmr1 – Ultimate Care Group Limited

    Source: Privacy Commissioner

    Resources available

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Daily progress for Tuesday, 24 September 2024

    Source: New Zealand Parliament

    Order Paper for Tuesday, 24 September 2024

    2.00pm

    Government motion

    A motion welcoming the release from captivity of New Zealand pilot Phillip Mehrtens was agreed to.

    Introduction of bills

    The following bills were introduced:

    Oral questions

    Question Time is in progress.

    MIL OSI

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –