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Category: Asia Pacific

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Dr. Jitendra Singh Commemorates CSIR-IITR’s Diamond Jubilee: A Commitment to a Toxin-Free India

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Dr. Jitendra Singh Commemorates CSIR-IITR’s Diamond Jubilee: A Commitment to a Toxin-Free India

    Lauds some of the institute’s milestone achievements which have established its credibility and trustworthiness across the country as possibly the only institution of its kind in India and perhaps one of the few of its kind in the world.

    Dr Jitendra Singh also placed on record the institute’s appreciable contribution in investigating the cause of the mysterious disease currently making news from the Rajouri district of Jammu & Kashmir.

    Minister Emphasizes CSIR-IITR’s Support for Startups & MSMEs in Environmental Innovation

    Inaugurates Key Facilities at CSIR-IITR Bolstering Research and Innovation

    Launches Pioneering Products and Unveils Commemorative Stamp

    Posted On: 28 JAN 2025 6:49PM by PIB Delhi

    LUCKNOW, January 28 : Marking its 60thanniversary, the CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research (CSIR-IITR) showcased its contributions and future ambitions at a celebratory event addressed by Dr. Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology; Earth Sciences and Minister of State for PMO, Department of Atomic Energy, Department of Space, Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, wherein he lauded some of the institute’s milestone achievements which have established its credibility and trustworthiness across the country as possibly the only institution of its kind in India and perhaps one of the few of its kind in the world.

    Dr Jitendra Singh also placed on record the institute’s appreciable contribution in investigating the cause of the mysterious disease currently making news from the Rajouri district of Jammu & Kashmir.

    The Minister lauded the institute’s pivotal role in addressing public health challenges and called for its expanded reach to ensure a “toxin-free India” by 2047, aligning with the vision of Viksit Bharat.

    The Minister emphasized the institute’s support for startups and MSMEs through initiatives like the DSIR-CRTDH Environmental Monitoring Hub and BIRAC-BioNEST. With more than 30 startups and 55 MSMEs receiving support, CSIR-IITR is fostering innovation and entrepreneurship in sectors like environmental monitoring and pollution abatement.

    The Minister stressed the need for wider visibility of the institute’s work, urging modern outreach strategies, including leveraging social media, to connect with stakeholders and the public.

    “Institutes like these don’t often make headlines unless linked to a crisis. It’s time for a proactive approach to showcase their contributions,” he remarked.

    Underlining the significance of synergy, Dr. Jitendra Singh proposed greater collaboration between CSIR-IITR and like-minded institutions, including IITs and medical research centres, to foster a holistic approach to science and innovation. He also celebrated the institute’s support for over 30 startups and 50 MSMEs, highlighting its contribution to India’s bio-economy.

    As part of the Diamond Jubilee Celebrations, Dr. Jitendra Singh inaugurated several key facilities at CSIR-IITR, strengthening its research and innovation capabilities. These included the Diamond Jubilee Arches, the new Diamond Jubilee Block, the NaMo-ATAL facility, and VV Sansa—an advanced reference material facility. Additionally, the Minister inaugurated the third-floor TDIC, the operational hub of the BioNEST initiative, aimed at fostering biotech startups and research collaborations.The Minister toured the CSIR-IITR Exhibition, which showcased the institute’s latest research breakthroughs and technological innovations.

    Dr. Jitendra Singh also unveiled a commemorative stamp highlighting the institute’s remarkable journey. Among the major product launches were Apatkaleen AHAAR, a shelf-stable, high-nutrition food solution for disaster relief and emergency preparedness, and NFit: Nutritious Food in Tablets, a compact superfood designed for endurance and cognitive performance in extreme environments, including space travel. Another innovation, MIL-FiT: Millet-enriched All-in-One Tablets, offers a high-fibre, protein-rich food solution for trekkers, adventurers, and field personnel operating in remote locations. Additionally, SenzSCAn: Point-of-Care Chromogenic Sensor for Sickle Cell Anaemia was introduced—a cost-effective and portable diagnostic tool enabling rapid detection of sickle cell anaemia, particularly in underserved regions.

    In a boost to translational research, major technology transfers—VV Sansa’s TT, and Oneer—were also formalized, underscoring CSIR-IITR’s commitment to transforming lab innovations into real-world applications. Further strengthening its knowledge-sharing efforts, the Minister released the CSIR-IITR Annual Report and Vish-Vigyan Sandesh Sankalan (Volume 1), documenting the institute’s recent achievements and scientific contributions.

    The event also witnessed the launch of the WARMEST and EARTH-25 conferences, aimed at fostering research collaboration on environmental and health challenges, along with the Diamond Jubilee Internship and the E-PARAM initiative, promoting skill development and digital transformation.

    Dr. Jitendra Singh highlighted the institute’s evolution over six decades, transitioning from its original focus on industrial toxicology to tackling contemporary issues like environmental hazards, food safety, and health crises. He emphasized the institute’s critical role during national emergencies, such as the Odisha cyclone and the epidemic dropsy outbreak, and its integration into flagship government missions like NamamiGange and air quality monitoring.

    Dr. Jitendra Singh commended the institute’s innovations in developing cost-effective tools, such as on-field detection kits for haemoglobin content and sickle cell anaemia, which hold great potential for improving healthcare accessibility. He also lauded its role as the only CSIR laboratory with both NABL accreditation and GLP certification, ensuring adherence to international quality standards.

    Dr. Jitendra Singh also appreciated the institute’s efforts in promoting scientific temper among students through its Jigyasa programs and skill development initiatives. He encouraged the institute to continue its focus on creating affordable, accessible technologies, such as strip-based tests for food adulteration, which directly benefit citizens in their daily lives.

    The Minister’s address underscored a broader commitment to safeguarding public health as a cornerstone of India’s developmental goals. By focusing on reducing toxins—both chemical and social—CSIR-IITR aims to play a crucial role in achieving a healthy and prosperous India by its centenary in 2047.

     

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    NKR/PSM

    (Release ID: 2097112) Visitor Counter : 85

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Mahakumbh 2025: Special Preparations made by Mela Administration and Police for Devotee Safety and Convenience on Mauni Amavasya

    Source: Government of India

    Mahakumbh 2025: Special Preparations made by Mela Administration and Police for Devotee Safety and Convenience on Mauni Amavasya

    Devotees advised to maintain Lane Discipline, avoid rushing by observing Patience at Barricades and Pontoon Bridges; Cooperate with Police in maintaining Order, seek Police Assistance in case of problems

    Posted On: 28 JAN 2025 6:32PM by PIB Delhi

    Millions of devotees are arriving in Prayagraj on the sacred occasion of Mauni Amavasya at the Mahakumbh 2025. To ensure their safety and convenience, the Mela administration has made special arrangements. In case of emergencies, teams of Mela police, traffic police, and special doctors are stationed 24/7 to assist the devotees.

    Senior Superintendent of Police, Mahakumbh Nagar, Shri Rajesh Dwivedi, mentioned that special preparations have been made for the second Amrit Snan on Mauni Amavasya. Devotees are being especially encouraged to stay alert and avoid any rumours. They have been urged to cooperate with the police in maintaining order and seek police help if any problem arises. Police and administration are available round the clock to assist the devotees.

    Crowd Management:

    Dos:

    • Use the designated lanes to reach the Sangam Ghat.
    • Stay in your lane while going for the Ganga Snan.
    • After performing the bath and darshan, head directly to the parking area.
    • While visiting temples, stay in your lane and proceed to your destination.
    • Seek police assistance, when necessary.
    • In case of health issues, get checked at the nearest sector hospital.
    • Be patient at barricades and pontoon bridges; avoid rushing.
    • Use paper, jute, or eco-friendly utensils and kulhads (clay cups).
    • All ghats are part of the Sangam; bathe at the ghat you reach.

    Don’ts:

    • Devotees should not stop at any one location in large groups.
    • Avoid having devotees meet face-to-face while arriving or leaving.
    • Do not fall for rumors being spread at the Mela.
    • Do not believe any misinformation spread through social media.
    • Do not rush or show urgency while visiting temples.
    • Avoid stopping on paths instead of holding areas; do not block any routes.
    • Do not fall for misleading suggestions regarding arrangements or services.
    • Avoid spreading misleading news.
    • Do not rush for the sacred bath.
    • Avoid using plastic bags and utensils.

     

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    AD/VM

    (Release ID: 2097102) Visitor Counter : 14

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Mahakumbh 2025: Over 1000 Medical Personnel deployed for the safety of Devotees on Mauni Amavasya; 300 Specialist Doctors stationed at the Super Speciality Hospital in Mahakumbh Nagar

    Source: Government of India

    Mahakumbh 2025: Over 1000 Medical Personnel deployed for the safety of Devotees on Mauni Amavasya; 300 Specialist Doctors stationed at the Super Speciality Hospital in Mahakumbh Nagar

    High-tech arrangements for Minor Operations to Major Surgeries done in every sector; Over 2 lakh patients have already availed OPD services, with over 2.5 lakh Pathology Tests conducted in Mahakumbh Nagar

    Posted On: 28 JAN 2025 6:31PM by PIB Delhi

    On the auspicious occasion of Mauni Amavasya, the Uttar Pradesh government has deployed over 1000 medical personnel in Mahakumbh Nagar, keeping in mind the safety and health of the devotees. Modern medical facilities have been provided in every sector of the Mahkumbh, with arrangement in place for minor operations to major surgeries.

    In Mahakumbh Nagar, 300 specialist doctors have been stationed at the Super Speciality Hospital, ready to handle any emergency situation. So far, over 2 lakh patients have benefitted from OPD services at central and other hospitals, and more than 2.5 lakh pathology tests have been conducted.

    Easily Accessible Health Services

    Dr. Gaurav Dubey, the nodal medical officer for the Mahakumbh Mela, stated that devotees coming from across the country and abroad are receiving medical care in Mahakumbh Nagar. The government has taken all possible measures to make the Mela safe and healthy with modern medical facilities.

    Further, with the support of the government, saints from monasteries, temples, and akhadas are also helping devotees with medicines and tests. These saints are organizing various camps, through which devotees are being provided with Ayurvedic, Homeopathic treatment and medicines.

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    AD/VM

    (Release ID: 2097101) Visitor Counter : 17

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Indian Railways is operating an all-time high of 360 trains from Prayagraj Station, including 190 special trains, 110 regular trains, and 50-60 MEMU trains, to cater to the demand for Mauni Amavasya: Shri Satish Kumar

    Source: Government of India

    Indian Railways is operating an all-time high of 360 trains from Prayagraj Station, including 190 special trains, 110 regular trains, and 50-60 MEMU trains, to cater to the demand for Mauni Amavasya: Shri Satish Kumar

    Indian Railway arranging Elderly care, Crowd management, and a comfortable holding area for pilgrims during the Mahakumbh 2025

    Posted On: 28 JAN 2025 6:27PM by PIB Delhi

    Indian Railways has undertaken massive efforts to ensure smooth and convenient travel for the millions of devotees attending the ongoing Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj. Addressing the media, the Chairman and CEO of the Railway Board, Shri Satish Kumar, said that Railways has taken extensive measures to accommodate the unprecedented influx of pilgrims. As part of these efforts, Indian Railways operated 132 to 135 special trains on January 14 and has decided to significantly increase train services for the upcoming Mauni Amavasya, the most auspicious day of Maha Kumbh 2025. Shri Satish Kumar said railways is operating an unprecedented operation of 360 trains, for this occasion, including 190 special trains, the special trains comprising from three zones NR, NER & NCR to manage the massive influx of devotees. This historic move will ensure a train runs every four minutes, will provide seamless connectivity and uninterrupted travel for millions of pilgrims.

    He mentioned that Indian Railways has developed infrastructure worth ₹5,000 crore in and around Prayagraj to support the Maha Kumbh Mela, ensuring timely upgrades and enhanced capacity. The key infrastructure developments such as new Road Under Bridges (RUBs) and Road Over Bridges (ROBs), track doubling and station upgrades, which have made this record-breaking train service possible by decongesting the Rail lines.

    He further stated, “Indian Railways has significantly improved passenger amenities to ensure a seamless journey for devotees. Every station in Prayagraj possesses newly constructed toilets along with ample drinking water and food courts. In case of emergencies, First Aid booths and medical observation rooms will provide the needed assistance. At Prayagraj Junction and Prayagraj Chheoki, the Yatri Suvidha Kendra will assist devotees with wheelchairs, luggage trolleys, hotel and taxi bookings, medicines, baby milk and other essentials.”

    For better crowd management, RPF personnel are deployed at railway stations to ensure seamless boarding and deboarding. A special RPF team has been assigned to ensure the safety of devotees during the ongoing Maha Kumbh. To facilitate smooth movement, colour-coded tickets and designated Ashriya Asthals have been introduced. RPF personnel escort devotees from the Ashriya Asthals and assist them in reaching the trains. Holding areas have been set up both at Prayagraj station and outside the station, where food, water, and other essential facilities are provided for up to one lakh people. Medical teams are also stationed at the locations, ready to attend to any devotee who requires immediate care.

    Shri Kumar stated that devotees are arriving around the clock by train for the Maha Kumbh, and to manage the large crowds, numerous CCTV cameras have been installed to monitor and divert pilgrims to less crowded areas. He also praised the State government’s exceptional arrangements for the convenience of the devotees, including provisions for both accommodation and food. In a coordinated effort with the Uttar Pradesh government, Indian Railways has established multiple holding areas where passengers can wait comfortably in tents. These areas are equipped with food arrangements and display information in several languages. One of the largest such areas is Khusro Bagh, located just outside Prayagraj station, which can accommodate up to 1 lakh passengers at a time.

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    Dharmendra Tewari/ Shatrunjay Kumar

    (Release ID: 2097100) Visitor Counter : 46

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: CCI approves the proposed acquisition of up to 72.64% shareholding in ITD Cementation India Limited by Renew Exim DMCC

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Posted On: 28 JAN 2025 6:19PM by PIB Delhi

    The Competition Commission of India has approved the proposed acquisition of up to 72.64%shareholding in ITD Cementation India Limited by Renew Exim DMCC.

    The proposed combination involves the following:

    1. Acquisition by Renew Exim DMCC (Acquirer) of approximately 46.64% equivalent to 8,01,13,180 shares of the total issued and voting equity share capital of the ITD Cementation India Limited (Target).

     

    1. Pursuant to the SEBI (Substantial Acquisition of Shares and Takeovers) Regulations, 2011 (as amended) (Takeover Regulations), the Acquirer has launched an open offer for further acquisition of up to 4,46,64,772 fully paid-up equity shares having a face value of INR 1 (Indian Rupee One) each, representing approximately 26% of the Voting Share Capital of the Target (Open Offer).

     

    The Acquirer is incorporated in Dubai, United Arab Emirates and belongs to the Adani group. The Acquirer is a holding company engaged in the business of investment in commercial enterprises and management. The Acquirer does not have any operations in India.

    ITD Cementation India Limited is an engineering and construction company undertaking heavy civil, infrastructure and engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) business and operating in India and overseas with an established presence and expertise in EPC for maritime structures, mass rapid transit system, airports, hydro-electric power, tunnels, dams & irrigation, highways, bridges & flyovers, industrial structures and buildings, water & wastewater and foundation & specialist engineering.

    Detailed order of the Commission will follow.

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    NB/AD

    (Release ID: 2097096) Visitor Counter : 13

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: ICG and Indonesian Coast Guard renew MoU for another three years

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Posted On: 28 JAN 2025 5:51PM by PIB Delhi

    The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) and the Indonesia Coast Guard (Badan Keamanan Laut Republik Indonesia – BAKAMLA) renewed their Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Maritime Safety and Security Cooperation for another three years during the 2nd High-Level Meeting (HLM) in Coast Guard Headquarters, New Delhi on January 27, 2025. The meeting was led by Director General ICG General Paramesh Sivamani and BAKAMLA Chief Vice Admiral Irvansyah with an eight-member delegation, who under the MoU provisions are on an official visit to India from January 24-28, 2025. 

    Discussions centered on bolstering operational collaboration in areas like Maritime Search and Rescue, Pollution Response, and Maritime Law Enforcement. Both sides emphasised on sharing best practices and maintaining professional exchanges to enhance the safety and resilience of the Indo-Pacific region. 

    Highlighting the ties between the two nations, ICG Ship Shaunak is currently on a deployment to Jakarta from January 27-30, 2025, to strengthen operational linkages with BAKAMLA. The renewed agreement underscores the commitment of India and Indonesia to fostering a secure and cooperative maritime environment.

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    SR/KB

    (Release ID: 2097082) Visitor Counter : 84

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Forthcoming World Audio Visual Entertainment Summit a grand occasion to showcase India’s creative power and obtain a new identity for us before the world: Prime Minister of India

    Source: Government of India

    Forthcoming World Audio Visual Entertainment Summit a grand occasion to showcase India’s creative power and obtain a new identity for us before the world: Prime Minister of India

    Events like WAVES not only generate revenue, help develop the perception but promotes states globally by tapping the creative talent pool: PM at Utkarsh Odisha – Make in Odisha Conclave

    Golden opportunity for amateur music creators, fashion buffs, creative freelancers, advertising professionals & designers to take part in WAVES & become a celebrity maestro in your art

    Hurry up and apply under Doordarshan and Dilli Darbar joint venture – Wah Ustad music talent hunt reality show for classical, semi classical, and Sufi artists for age 18 & above

    Drop the Beat with epic EDM Challenge: WAVES offers maiden opportunity to digital music producers to showcase their talent in EDM

    ‘Make the world wear Khadi’ challenge seeks global participation from ad makers & talented amateurs to craft innovative campaigns helping India position Khadi as a global brand

    WAVES running 19 Create in India Challenges for freelancers as well as professionals from around the world, rest 12 for Indians, to make their career in media & entertainment industry and earn fame

    Posted On: 28 JAN 2025 5:35PM by PIB Delhi

    The Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi said that the forthcoming WAVES (World Audio Visual & Entertainment Summit) will provide a new global identity to India’s creative prowess. Addressing the audience at Utkarsh Odisha – Make in Odisha Conclave in Bhubaneswar, he highlighted how major events like WAVES not only generate significant revenue but also build  perceptions and push the economy. He underscored the immense potential of such initiatives to harness India’s vast pool of creative talent and position the nation as a global leader in the media and entertainment sector.

    WAVES 2025: Bridging India’s timeless traditions with contemporary creativity

    WAVES 2025 presents a unique confluence of India’s rich cultural legacy and modern creativity, offering platforms for everyone—from creators of classical and semi-classical music to creators of modern music of EDM and innovative advertising professionals, designers and creators for Khadi.

    This dynamic blend of past and present is exemplified in challenges like Wah Ustad, celebrating India’s traditional musical heritage, Resonate: The EDM Challenge, embracing modern global music trends, and Make The World Wear Khadi, which seeks to reimagine India’s iconic fabric as a global symbol of sustainable fashion. These three challenges were launched by Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw along with WAVES Bazaar and WAVES Awards, on 27 January, 2025 where he urged the creators to help India become the global capital of content creation.

    Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw while addressing the audience at the launch of WAVES Bazaar-Global-e-marketplace WAVES CIC Challenge including ‘Wah Ustad’ and WAVES Awards on 27 January, 2025

    Together, these initiatives provide content creators with unparalleled opportunities to showcase their talent, bridge tradition and innovation, and gain recognition while contributing to India’s cultural and creative renaissance. These challenges join a diverse lineup of total 31 Create in India Challenges,offering a stage for content creators across various genres to showcase their talent.

    About the New Challenges

    Wah Ustad: A Reality Show to Discover India’s Hidden Musical Gem

    The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture and Doordarshan, has launched Wah Ustad, an extraordinary classical and semi-classical music talent hunt, under the Create in India Challenges, a flagship initiative of WAVES 2025.It aims to nurture exceptional talent in Hindustani, Carnatic, and soulful Sufi music while preserving and promoting India’s rich musical legacy.

    Envisioned with the expertise of the esteemed “Dilli Gharana,” Wah Ustad will serve as a platform for young, classically trained vocalists aged 18 and above. Open to global participation, the program invites entries from talented individuals with a passion for Hindustani or Carnatic music, Sufi singing, and semi-classical genres.

    The journey for participants has already begun with online registrations through the Dilli Durbar portal. This will progress to regional auditions, thematic episodes, and ultimately culminating in a grand finale at WAVES 2025 in Mumbai. The top five finalists will compete for the coveted title, with the winner receiving a cash prize, mentorship opportunities, recording contracts, and nationwide recognition.

    With 26 episodes airing on Doordarshan, Wah Ustad will celebrate India’s cultural heritage while inspiring the next generation of musicians. By blending traditional expertise with modern technology, the program promises to highlight the soulful charm of classical music and its relevance in today’s world.

    Resonate: The EDM Challenge

    In a first-of-its-kind global celebration of electronic music, Resonate: The EDM Challenge will take center stage at the inaugural World Audio Visual & Entertainment Summit (WAVES). Organized by the Indian Music Industry (IMI) in collaboration with the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (I&B), the challenge aims to reinforce India’s position as a global hub for music fusion, electronic music, and the vibrant art of DJing.

    If you excel at crafting digital or electronic music and have a flair for DJing, Resonate: The EDM Challenge at WAVES 2025 is your ultimate stage to shine. This unique competition invites talented individuals from across the globe to showcase their skills in music production and live performance, offering an unparalleled opportunity to become a DJ maestro. With exciting prizes and a platform to perform in front of industry experts and a global audience, this challenge is your chance to turn your passion for electronic music into international recognition.

    Open to individual artists and creative teams, Resonate provides a platform for both emerging and seasoned musicians to compete across two thrilling stages:

    • Preliminary Round: Participants will submit their original EDM tracks online, which will be evaluated by a panel of industry experts to shortlist the top 10 entries.
    • Grand Finale: The finalists will perform live at WAVES 2025, competing for top honors in front of a distinguished jury and a global audience.

    Winners will receive substantial cash prizes (₹2,00,000 for the Grand Prize winner and ₹50,000 for runners-up), along with a chance to feature in promotional materials, gain international exposure, and perform on a global stage.

    Make The World Wear Khadi: A Global call to elevate India’s iconic fabric

    India’s timeless fabric, Khadi, is set to make a global statement with the launch of the “Make The World Wear Khadi” challenge under the Create in India initiative at WAVES 2025. This unique competition invites advertising professionals, creative freelancers, and designers from around the world to craft innovative campaigns that position Khadi as a global brand.

    Open to international participation, the challenge encourages participants to explore bold and imaginative design concepts across digital, print, video, and experiential formats. The goal is to elevate Khadi’s brand image, inspire consumer engagement, and establish it as a symbol of sustainable fashion and cultural heritage worldwide. Winners will secure recognition and opportunities to further their professional journey while playing a pivotal role in driving Khadi’s transformation into an internationally celebrated brand.

    WAVES Awards

    The WAVES Awards will honour the outstanding contributions in the global creative industry, with nominations opening on February 15, 2025. Recognizing excellence across diverse fields, the awards feature two major categories: ‘Best of the Year’ Global Awards and Special Selection Awards.

    The ‘Best of the Year’ Global Awards celebrate top achievements in gaming, film, animation, web series, advertising, startups, and digital influence. Key categories include Game of the Year, Film of the Year, Influencer of the Year, Podcaster of the Year, and Song of the Year, among others.

    The Special Selection Awards acknowledge individuals and initiatives that have made a significant impact. This includes the prestigious G.O.A.T. (Greatest of All Time) Lifetime Achievement Award, Businessperson of the Year, Social Impact Award, and Tech Icon Awards. The Stories of Change category further highlights transformative contributions in Broadcast, Print, and Digital Media.

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    Dharmendra Tewari/Kshitij Singha

    (Release ID: 2097072) Visitor Counter : 52

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: India-Oman Joint Commission Meeting held; leaders focus on enhancing bilateral cooperation in trade, investment, technology, food security and renewable energy

    Source: Government of India (2)

    India-Oman Joint Commission Meeting held; leaders focus on enhancing bilateral cooperation in trade, investment, technology, food security and renewable energy

    Union Minister of Commerce & Industry Shri Piyush Goyal concludes successful visit to Oman

    Posted On: 28 JAN 2025 5:03PM by PIB Delhi

    Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Shri Piyush Goyal concluded a successful visit to the Sultanate of Oman from 27-28 January 2025.

    During the visit, Shri Goyal co-chaired the 11th Session of the India-Oman Joint Commission Meeting (JCM) with H.E. Qais bin Mohammed Al Yousef, Minister of Commerce, Industry, and Investment Promotion of Sultanate of Oman. The JCM saw productive discussions on enhancing bilateral cooperation in trade, investment, technology, food security, renewable energy and other key areas. The Minister held a productive bilateral meeting with Minister Qais during which he undertook a detailed review of the bilateral trade and economic relations between India and Oman and identified concrete steps to further strengthen the mutually beneficial business ties.

    The two Ministers also exchanged views on a bilateral India-Oman Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), which is under advanced stages of negotiations. Both Ministers agreed to expedite the discussions for an early signing of the CEPA which will be a new milestone in bilateral trade relations and has the potential to significantly scale-up two-way trade and investments.

    On the sidelines of the visit, both sides signed the Protocol to amend the India-Oman Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA), aligning it with international standards on cross-border taxation, simplifying tax procedures, and promoting greater cooperation in tax matters.

    Minister Goyal called-on His Highness Sayyid Asa’ad bin Tarik Al Said, Deputy Prime Minister for International Relations and Cooperation Affairs and Special Representative of His Majesty on January 28, 2025. HH Sayyid Asaad had led the Omani delegation to India for the G-20 Summit in September 2023.

    Shri Goyal also held bilateral meetings with H.E. Sultan bin Salem Al Habsi, Minister of Finance, and H.E. Ali bin Masoud Al Sunaidy, Chairman of the Public Authority for Special Economic Zones and Free Zones (OPAZ), to deepen economic ties.

    The Minister participated in the India-Oman Joint Business Council (JBC) meeting which was hosted by the Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OCCI), with support and participation of a delegation from FICCI. The JBC, which is traditionally held on the sidelines of the India-Oman JCM, provided an excellent platform for wide ranging discussions among the two business communities and provided exposure to investment opportunities and incentives of both India and Oman.

    Shri Goyal met with a select group of CEOs and business leaders of Oman at a Business Roundtable hosted by the Ambassador of India at the Indian Embassy premises. This interaction provided an opportunity for the Minister to directly engage with key business leaders of Oman to apprise them of the India opportunity and seek their suggestions for bilateral cooperation.

    Minister Goyal also addressed the Future Leaders Programme at the Royal Academy of Management, Oman, highlighting India’s growth story and sharing insights on leadership and its role in shaping a better world.

    The Commerce Minister visited the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque in Muscat which is an icon of cultural and architectural heritage of Oman. He will also offer prayers at the historic Shiva Temple in old Muscat, later this evening, underscoring the deep-rooted cultural and people-to-people ties between India and Oman.

    The successful visit of the Shri Goyal reinforced the strong foundations of India-Oman relations, paving the way for enhanced collaboration in trade and investment.

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    Abhisekh Dayal/Abhijith Narayanan/Asmitabha Manna

    (Release ID: 2097043) Visitor Counter : 37

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: DPIIT and JKEDI sign MoU to strengthen startup ecosystem in Jammu & Kashmir

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 28 JAN 2025 4:45PM by PIB Delhi

    Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) and the Jammu & Kashmir Entrepreneurship Development Institute (JKEDI) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at fostering collaboration, mentorship, and support for startups in the region.

    The signing took place during “Jammu Kashmir Konnect,” a special startup-focused program organized at JKEDI’s Baribrahamna campus, where startups, incubators, and key-way stakeholders gathered to discuss innovation and growth opportunities. DPIIT and JKEDI formally signed the MoU marking a significant step toward strengthening startup support systems in J&K.

    The MoU between DPIIT and JKEDI paves the way for greater branding, outreach, and accessibility to Startup India’s ecosystem, fostering mentorship, knowledge exchange, and infrastructure support. It also focuses on market linkages, funding networks, and international expansion opportunities, aligning with India’s vision of becoming a developed nation by 2047.

    During the program, Director DPIIT and Director JKEDI held one-on-one interactions with all incubators, discussing their challenges, needs, and future plans. The session provided a unique platform for incubators to share insights, suggest improvements, and seek policy-level support for enhancing the startup ecosystem.

    During the event, Shri Rajinder Kumar Sharma, JKAS, Director JKEDI highlighted the impact of the JK Startup Policy, launched in March 2024, which has led to over 250 new startup registrations on the DPIIT portal taken the total to 988 in a short span. He also emphasized the significant outreach efforts undertaken by JKEDI, stating that during the current financial year, the institute has successfully conducted 601 Entrepreneurship Awareness Programs (EAPs) across Universities, Colleges, Higher Secondary Schools, and IITs in 20 districts of J&K—without incurring any expenses.

    The “Jammu Kashmir Konnect” program, coupled with the signing of the MoU, marks a major milestone in J&K’s startup ecosystem, ensuring that aspiring entrepreneurs receive the mentorship, funding opportunities, and ecosystem support needed to thrive.

    The Head of the Incubators from IIT- Jammu, IIM-Jammu, Jammu University, SKUAST-Jammu, Cluster University and CIIIT Jammu along with the FICCI Flo attended the event physically. Incubators from NIT- Srinagar, IUST University, SKUAST – Kashmir and CIIIT Baramulla joined virtually.

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    Abhisekh Dayal/Abhijith Narayanan/Asmitabha Manna

    (Release ID: 2097035) Visitor Counter : 47

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Confined Electrons paves the way for improved optoelectronic materials, sensors & nano-catalysts

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Posted On: 28 JAN 2025 4:17PM by PIB Delhi

    In a major stride forward for nanoscience, researchers have uncovered a groundbreaking phenomenon — electron confinement-induced plasmonic breakdown in metals.

    This study opens new avenues for understanding and manipulating the fundamental behaviour of electrons in nanoscale systems which can help design more efficient nanoelectronic devices and optoelectronic materials with enhanced precision, sensors that operate at atomic and molecular levels as well as efficient nano catalysts.

    Metals have long been celebrated for their plasmonic properties—collective oscillations of free electrons that enable unique optical responses. From catalysis to advanced photonic devices, plasmonic behaviour underpins a wide range of modern technologies. However, Prof. Saha’s research sheds light on an unexpected and transformative aspect of this field: how the confinement of electrons at the nanoscale disrupts and ultimately breaks down plasmonic behaviour.

    A new study by Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR) in Bengaluru, under the Department of Science and Technology (DST), GoI, probe how the quantum confinement of electrons, driven by size reduction to the nanoscale, changes the electronic structure of metals. This shift, as shown by the team steered by Prof Bivas Saha leads to a suppression of the collective oscillations essential to plasmonic properties, fundamentally altering the material’s optical and electronic behaviour.

    At the nanoscale, materials behave in ways that often defy classical intuition. JNCASR’s work published in the prestigious Science Advances (2024, Vol. 10, Issue 47), bridges the gap between traditional plasmonics and the quantum effects that emerge at this scale.

    Prof. Saha’s team employed advanced spectroscopy techniques to observe plasmonic phenomena in metallic systems with varying degrees of confinement. Alongside, computational simulations provided a deep theoretical framework to explain the observed breakdown.

    They used cutting-edge tools such as electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) and first-principles quantum mechanical calculations which helped them predict electron behaviour with unprecedented accuracy.

    Apart from JNCASR, Prof. Alexandra Boltasseva and Prof. Vladimir Shalaev from Purdue University and Prof. Igor Bondarev from North Carolina State University in USA, and Dr. Magnus Garbrecht and Dr. Asha Pillai from the University of Sydney participated in this study.

    This research challenges long-held assumptions in plasmonics, redefining the boundaries of what is possible with metal-based materials. The electron confinement-induced plasmonic breakdown represents not just a scientific revelation but also a call to rethink the design principles of nanoscale materials.

    Speaking about the breakthrough, Prof. Saha remarked, “Our findings highlight the transformative role of quantum confinement in redefining material properties. This is not just about understanding plasmonic breakdown—it’s about pushing the limits of how we can harness nanoscale phenomena for technological innovation.”

    With growing interest in quantum materials and nanotechnology, Prof. Saha’s work positions JNCASR as a leader in exploring the uncharted territory where classical and quantum physics converge.

    “The electron confinement-induced plasmonic breakdown in metals represents a landmark achievement in materials science and nanotechnology. By unravelling the intricate interplay between quantum confinement and plasmonic behaviour, this research sets the stage for revolutionary advancements across industries.”- commented Prasanna Das, lead author of the paper.

    The implications of the study are vast, spanning — electronics and photonics, sensing technologies and catalysts and energy conversion.

     

     

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Tripura becomes first North East State to sign MoU with Bhashini for Multi-lingual Governance

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Posted On: 28 JAN 2025 4:12PM by PIB Delhi

    The Government of Tripura, has signed a MOU agreement with Digital India Bhashini Division (DIBD) of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Government of India, under the esteem guidance of Hon’ble Chief Minister Prof. Dr. Manik Saha, marking a significant milestone in the state’s efforts to  increase the usage of the rich regional languages of Tripura and to facilitate citizen’s digital participation by using these languages in governance.

    The MOU signing ceremony was held at Pragna Bhavan in Agartala, during a State Level Workshop- ‘Bhashini Rajyam”  which was inaugurated  by Shri Pranajit Singha Roy, Hon’ble IT Minister of Tripura, in presence of  Shri Kiran Gitte, Secretary IT, Government of Tripura,   Shri Amitabh Nag, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), DIBD, MeitY  and  Shri Jeya Ragul Geshan B, Director IT, Government of Tripura. Bhashini is a revolutionary initiative under the Digital India program, to ensure seamless communication and internet accessibility for all Citizens in 22 Indian languages. With Voice as a medium, Bhashini aims to bridge digital as well as the literacy divides.

    The workshop outlined Bhashini’s vision for Digital Inclusivity, showcasing its software capabilities such as real-time translation, speech-to-text, text-to-speech, and voice-to-voice translation between Indian Regional Languages and English. It highlighted the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Natural Language Processing (NLP) for high accuracy translations and emphasized the State’s, DIBD’s roles and responsibilities in the mission. Additionally, strategies for promoting regional languages on digital platforms and software applications for the Government of Tripura were discussed to reduce the digital divide and increase inclusivity for diverse linguistic communities in Tripura.

    Currently many citizens of Tripura face challenges due to language barriers, especially those in rural and tribal areas who struggle with software systems in English or Hindi. Bhashini can integrate with existing systems like the CM Helpline, eVidhan, Kisan Sahayata App and e-Districts to enable multilingual communication. It can enhance local governance through apps like Amar Sarkar and improve education with multilingual technologies. Bhashini can also support the CCTNS Platform by translating FIRs and enabling voice-based data entry. Bhashini would reduce the digital divide by easing access to Internet in regional and local languages of Tripura.

    Tripura proudly stands as the first north-eastern state, the first in eastern India, and the eighth state in the country to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Bhashini. This pioneering step underscores Tripura’s commitment to digital inclusivity and leveraging technology for enhanced citizen centric governance. Tripura’s initiative places it among pro-Citizen states that have conducted focused workshops on Bhashini, with only four other states having taken similar steps before.

    Integrating Bhashini into Tripura’s e-Governance software will bridge the digital divide, providing cost-effective translations, promoting inclusive policy implementation, and enhancing regional identity. This MOU marks a pivotal step in ensuring the seamless integration of Bhashini with Tripura’s governance systems. Supported by the Digital India Bhashini Division (DIBD) of MeitY, this initiative empowers citizens by eliminating language barriers and enabling multilingual access to essential services. Implementing Bhashini will further unify Tripura’s linguistic diversity, fostering a more inclusive and connected society.

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Pariksha Pe Charcha 2025

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Pariksha Pe Charcha 2025

    A Historic Milestone with over 5 Crore participants, including 3.56 Crore registrations and 1.55 Crore engaged in Nationwide ‘Jan Andolan’ Activities

    Quiz competition conducted on Bharat Hai Hum series

    Posted On: 28 JAN 2025 4:02PM by PIB Delhi

    Pariksha Pe Charcha (PPC), an initiative by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi to transform exam-related stress into a festival of learning, witnessed unprecedented growth in its 8th edition.  Pariksha Pe Charcha (PPC), an initiative by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi to transform exam-related stress into a festival of learning, witnessed unprecedented growth in its 8th edition. Since its beginning in 2018, PPC has evolved into a nationwide movement, garnering a staggering 3.56 crore registrations for its 8th edition in 2025. This also marks a significant increase from the 7th edition, which saw 2.26 crore registrations, reflecting a remarkable surge of 1.3 crore registrations.

    Pariksha Pe Charcha has not only become a popular program but has also transformed into a “Jan Andolan” (people’s movement), resonating deeply with students, teachers, and parents across the country. The initiative’s focus on addressing exam stress and encouraging students to view examinations as a festival – “Utsav” – has struck a chord with people from all walks of life. The overwhelming participation in PPC reflects a growing awareness and acceptance of the importance of mental well-being and holistic education. The program’s interactive format, which involves open dialogue between students, teachers, and the Prime Minister, has further contributed to its success.

    To further strengthen PPC as a “Jan Andolan,” a series of engaging activities were conducted from 12th January 2025 (National Youth Day) to 23rd January 2025 (Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Jayanti) at the school level. These activities, conducted across States/UTs, aimed to engage students, parents, and teachers in celebrating PPC as a festival. A total of 1.42 crore students, 12.81 lakh teachers, and 2.94 lakh schools participated. These activities were designed to reduce stress, improve focus, and enhance performance during exams and beyond. Students were encouraged to participate in a diverse range of activities, including indigenous games like Kho-Kho and Kabaddi, short-distance marathons, creative meme competitions, engaging Nukkad Natak performances, and eye-catching poster-making. They were also encouraged to share their experiences through student testimonials, participate in student-led discussions, and engage in yoga and meditation sessions to cultivate relaxation and mindfulness. Schools organized plays developed by students, conducted workshops, and invited special guests to share their insights.

     

    Culminating these activities, screening of glorious inspirational stories of valour and sacrifice, the “Bharat Hai Hum” series was conducted on 23rd January 2025. Thereafter, a quiz competition based on the series “Bharat Hai Hum” was conducted across 567 Kendriya Vidyalayas nationwide. A total of 55,961 students participated, including 17,408 from Kendriya Vidyalayas, 4,567 from Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas, 5,542 from PM SHRI Schools, 18,394 from CBSE-affiliated schools, and 10,050 from State Board schools. Prizes were awarded to the winners, and all participants received a copy of the book “Exam Warriors,” authored by the Prime Minister of India. This initiative not only tested the students’ knowledge but also reinforced the valuable lessons imparted through the “Bharat Hain Hum” series.

    Pariksha Pe Charcha 2025 has once again proven to be a resounding success, solidifying its position as a pivotal initiative in fostering a positive and supportive learning environment for students across India.

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  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Bonta Files Lawsuit, Seeks Immediate Court Order to Block Sweeping OMB Directive Freezing up to $3 Trillion in Vital Federal Funding

    Source: US State of California Department of Justice

    New OMB directive would pause funding for disaster recovery, as well as public health, education, and public safety programs 

    SACRAMENTO — California Attorney General Rob Bonta today, along with New York Attorney General Letitia James, led a coalition of 23 attorneys general in filing a lawsuit to block implementation of a memo by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) threatening to freeze up to $3 trillion in federal assistance funding effective at 2pm PT / 5pm ET today. The attorneys general are seeking a temporary restraining order to block the memo from taking effect, citing immediate harms to their states, which stand to lose billions in funding essential for the administration of vital programs that support the health and safety of their residents. Already, the order has thrown state programs into chaos and created uncertainty around their administration. Impacted programs include disaster-relief funding necessary for Los Angeles’ recovery from recent wildfires, as well as public health, education, public safety, and government programs.

    “The Trump Administration is recklessly disregarding the health, wellbeing, and public safety of the people it is supposed to serve,” said Attorney General Bonta. “This directive is unprecedented in scope and would be devastating if implemented. Already, it has created chaos and confusion among our residents. I will not stand by while the President attempts to disrupt vital programs that feed our kids, provide medical care to our families, and support housing and education in our communities. Instead of learning from the defeats of his first Administration, President Trump is once again plowing ahead with a damaging – and most importantly, unlawful – agenda. I’m proud to co-lead a coalition of attorneys general in taking him to court.” 

    The OMB directive freezing federal funding less than 24 hours after it was announced will cause immediate and irreparable harm to the states every day that it is in effect — in the form of millions of dollars in funds and mass regulatory chaos. Many states could face immediate cash shortfalls, making it difficult to administer basic programs like funding for healthcare and food for children and to address their most pressing emergency needs. This will result in devastating consequences for California in particular, given the uncertainty around continued disbursement of FEMA funding that is essential for recovery from the Los Angeles wildfires, which have caused an estimated $150 billion in economic losses.

    In the lawsuit, the attorneys general argue that the OMB directive violates the U.S. Constitution, violates the Administrative Procedure Act, and is arbitrary and capricious. Specifically, the attorneys general argue that Congress has not delegated any unilateral authority to OMB to indefinitely pause all federal financial assistance under any circumstance, irrespective of the federal statutes and contractual terms governing those grants, and without even considering them. The directive also violates the “separation of powers” between Congress and the Executive Branch because the Spending Clause of the U.S. Constitution gives the power of the purse exclusively to Congress. The attorneys general seek a temporary restraining order to block the directive from being implemented.   

    Attorney General Bonta is joined by the attorneys general of New York, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, North Carolina, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia in filing the lawsuit.  

    A copy of the lawsuit and TRO will become available here.  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Department of Chemicals & petrochemicals conducts 4th training programme on “Chemical and Petrochemical Industrial Safety” at Chennai; motto: “Safety First, Sustainability Always: Protecting People and Planet!”

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 28 JAN 2025 3:41PM by PIB Delhi

    As a part of Government of India’s Action Plan for Viksit Bharat@2047, the Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals conducted 4th training programme on “Chemical and Petrochemical Industrial Safety” at Chennai during 23-24th January 2025 at Institute of Petrochemicals Technology (IPT) – Chennai, a centre of Central Institute of Petrochemicals Engineering & Technology (CIPET), with focus on Major Accident Hazard (MAH) units in Chemical and Petrochemical Sector.

    This program is the part of a series of training programmes that are being organised by the Department on Industrial Chemical Safety covering 2393 Major Accident Hazard units identified across the country. A total of 48 training programmes are planned to cover all these MAH Units over the period of next five years. This training programme witnessed participation of 113 representatives across 65 MAH industries.

    Technical Experts from CLRI, Anna University, Dr. MGR Educational and Research Institute, Thirumalai Chemicals and various consulting firms delivered lectures on various aspects related to safety, Environment & Hazardous waste Management.

    Thematic areas that were covered under the training programme included Safety & Health at work, Process safety Management, Advance Risk Assessment techniques, Toxicology, Hazard Identification techniques, Emergency preparedness, Role of ICT and other technologies in Chemical Safety, Global Harmonized System, Loss statistics and loss Prevention, Environmental Prevention and Spill prevention, Hazardous Waste Management, Labelling of chemicals and Safety data Sheet (SDS) & Fire and Explosion Safety.

    To give the industrial employees a hands on experience, a mock drill was also conducted in coordination with Kothari Petrochemicals at CIPET: IPT Chennai.

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Mahakumbh 2025: Digital Exhibition at Prayagraj highlights how Government initiatives are spreading the message ‘Unity in Diversity’

    Source: Government of India

    Mahakumbh 2025: Digital Exhibition at Prayagraj highlights how Government initiatives are spreading the message ‘Unity in Diversity’

    The exhibition is also providing information about various Government of India schemes on Entrepreneurship

    Posted On: 28 JAN 2025 3:37PM by PIB Delhi

    A digital exhibition highlighting ‘Unity in Diversity’ through initiatives of Government of India put up at the Mahakumbh 2025 in Prayagraj by M/o Information and Broadcasting is drawing huge crowds.

    The phrase “ऐक्यं बलं सामंजस्य” (Unity in Diversity) is being realized through initiatives by the Government of India like ‘One Nation, One Tax’, ‘One Nation, One Power Grid’, and ‘One Nation, One Ration Card’ etc. Visitors to the digital exhibition set up by the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting at the Triveni Marg in Mahakumbh, Prayagraj, are being informed about these initiatives that are strengthening the unity of the country. A picture conveying the message of unity also features a statue of Sardar Patel, the symbol of national unity.

     

     

    With the American of Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir, the pledge of ‘One Nation, One Constitution’ has been fulfilled. Efforts toward ‘One Nation, One Election’ and ‘One Nation, One Civil Code’ are speeding up the realization of the dream of a developed India, which is also presented in an attractive format at the exhibition.

     

    The exhibition, based on public welfare programs, policies, and the achievements of the Government of India, emphasizes efforts to promote entrepreneurship and self-employment, which is being realized through various schemes like the MUDRA Scheme, PM Vishwakarma Yojana, PMEGP, and the Credit Guarantee Fund Scheme.

    Since the exhibition began on January 13, a large number of devotees have visited, gaining information about development and heritage through audio-visual mediums. Documentaries displayed on the LED wall showcasing different government schemes are attracting visitors, with which they are also taking selfies.

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  • MIL-OSI USA: Schatz Statement on Trump Shutdown

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Hawaii Brian Schatz

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) today released the following statement on the Trump Administration’s recent decision to freeze all federal grants.

    “This Trump shutdown is completely illegal, and we expect the courts will stop this. But what is clear is this: They are creating chaos. They are going after your health care. They are trying to take aid away from people recovering from hurricanes and fires. They’re defunding police departments and firefighters. They’re cutting off support for kids – whether it’s for schools, meals, or child care services. All of this is meant to cause pain and fear for regular people while they continue to work on the biggest tax cuts for billionaires in history.”

    For more information on potential impacts of President Trump’s shutdown, click here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Durbin: The Anti-Immigrant Executive Action Taken By President Trump Do Nothing To Make America Safer

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin

    January 28, 2025

    WASHINGTON – In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, spoke out against executive actions taken by President Donald Trump during his first week in office, including cracking down on immigrant communities, that, among other things, suspend refugee resettlement and attempt to deprive U.S.-born children of citizenship.

    “We can all agree that the border of the United States should be secure. And, of course, we must deport any dangerous individuals who are here unlawfully. But the executive orders that President Trump signed this past week don’t target criminals. In fact, President Trump terminated a Biden administration policy that required immigration officials to prioritize for arrest and deportation individuals who threaten public safety or national security,” Durbin said. “Instead, President Trump has authorized Immigration and Customs Enforcement Officers, known as ICE officers, to make arrests in schools, churches, and courthouses across the country. The President has reportedly even directed ICE to set quotas for arrests, ramping up from a few hundred a day to more than 1,500 per day. These kinds of arbitrary quotas will ensure that essential workers, family members of U.S. citizens, and so many others who are no threat to this country and are not criminals, are caught up in the mass deportations.”

    Durbin went on to explain how President Trump’s actions—like many of the President’s decisions on immigration—have nothing to do with protecting public safety or national security. 

    Instead, he decided to suspend a life-saving legal immigration program—the refugee admissions program, which provides safe haven for those fleeing oppressive regimes around the world, including Afghan women, Uyghurs fleeing Chinese persecution, and the Rohingya fleeing Myanmar’s military dictatorship.

    “President Trump has also suspended the refugee admissions program. Why is that important? Well because when American soldiers go overseas to represent this country and to risk their lives for the country that they have sworn allegiance to, the United States, many times they rely on local citizens in those countries to help them. That’s what happened in Afghanistan,” Durbin said. “Men and women risked their lives to step forward and to help our troops… they included families of Afghans who are now facing persecution for that political decision to help the United States. We’ve offered to them, after going through extensive background checks, an opportunity to come to the United States.”

    Durbin continued, “But the President canceled flights for approximately 10,000 refugees who have been approved to travel to the United States after waiting for long periods of time and going through extensive background checks. This includes nearly 1,600 Afghans who had been cleared for resettlement, many of them risked their lives for the United States’ cause and we were giving them safety and security… Stopping these flights makes America less safe. It is needlessly cruel to American families waiting to be reunited with loved ones. It also sends a message to allies supporting our troops around the world that we will not protect them if they face retribution for helping the United States.”

    Durbin then criticized President Trump’s attempt to deny birthright citizenship to children born in the United States if their parents are not citizens or lawful permanent residents. Durbin noted that this move is a clear violation of the Constitution and our values as a nation, and it does nothing to make our country safer.

    “Additionally, President Trump is attempting to deny birthright citizenship to children born in the United States if their parents are not citizens or lawful permanent residents. This is a clear violation of the Constitution,” said Durbin. “The order by President Trump has been blocked by a judge who was appointed by President Ronald Reagan. Listen to what he said about the lawsuit challenging birthright citizenship and the 14th Amendment’s explicit language, ‘I’ve been on the bench for over four decades. I can’t remember another case where the question presented was as clear as this one is… This is a blatantly unconstitutional order.’”

    Finally, Durbin called out the Trump administration’s mass deportation raids in Chicago over the weekend.

    “I was disappointed to see the White House border czar, Tom Homan, come to Chicago recently with ICE agents arresting immigrants… I am concerned these sweeping executive actions will leave those arrested by ICE, including those with lawful status and U.S. citizenship, with little opportunity to even state their case and show that they belong in this country. Let’s be clear, 90 percent of undocumented immigrants have no criminal convictions—90 percent,” Durbin said. “Immigrants are a key part of America’s success story. I do not want a single dangerous person to remain in this country or to be allowed to seek permanent residence here, period. But there are many who have been here for periods of time, have paid their taxes, followed the law, and should be part of America’s future. Our nation needs immigrants in many important places.”

    Durbin concluded, “There is no room in this country for dangerous people, but there is plenty of room for those who aspire to make this a better nation. We should be fair in making a distinction and realizing the difference is significant.”

    Video of Durbin’s remarks on the floor is available here.

    Audio of Durbin’s remarks on the floor is available here.

    Footage of Durbin’s remarks on the floor is available here for TV Stations.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: From Humans to Canines: NMRTC Twentynine Palms corpsmen cross-train with Army vets

    Source: United States Navy (Medical)

    Naval Medical Readiness and Training Command (NMRTC) Twentynine Palms corpsmen have been participating in cross-training sessions with Army veterinarians at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center (MCAGCC), enhancing their readiness to provide medical care to military working dogs (MWDs) in field and deployed settings.

    The initiative, spearheaded by Army Capt. Andrea Lin, Officer in Charge of the MCAGCC Veterinary Section, and Navy Lt. Cmdr. Neal Petersen, provides corpsmen with hands-on experience in veterinary care. Since September of 2024, corpsmen have been invited to attend bi-monthly training sessions to observe and practice key veterinary techniques, including intravenous (IV) catheter placement, endotracheal intubation, and anesthesia monitoring. These skills are critical for providing point-of-injury care and stabilizing MWDs when veterinary specialists are unavailable.

    “This cross-training is invaluable for fostering collaboration and ensuring we’re prepared to care for MWDs,” said Lin, who joined the Army two years ago after working as a civilian veterinarian for over eight years. “It’s also a great opportunity for our team to develop leadership skills and confidence by teaching others.”

    The Veterinary Section at MCAGCC is responsible for the medical care of the installation’s MWDs, including 24/7 emergency services and routine health maintenance. The team also ensures food safety for service members, families, and civilians by inspecting commissaries, mess halls, and other food facilities on base.

    During recent training sessions, corpsmen observed and assisted with various procedures, including a spay (ovariohysterectomy) on a husky, a neuter (orchiectomy) on a shepherd mix, and suturing a laceration on a visiting MWD. These sessions also included detailed comparisons of medications and techniques used in human versus veterinary medicine.

    MWDs are indispensable members of the armed forces, serving in roles ranging from explosive detection to patrol. However, they face unique health challenges, including musculoskeletal injuries, paw pad lacerations, and heat-related conditions. Cross-training ensures that corpsmen can provide immediate, effective care in the absence of veterinary staff.

    “There are not enough Veterinary Corps Officers (VCOs) or Army Veterinary Care Specialists (68T) to provide all MWD care in a deployment setting. We rely on the first line medics such as Army 68W and Navy Corpsmen to know and apply Canine TCCC (Tactical Combat Casualty Care) in the field,” explained Lin. “Training like this bridges gaps and enhances inter-branch collaboration.”

    “Training with the corpsmen allows for better care in the field when there may not frequently be an Army vet staff member present, so that the working dogs can get the immediate first aid that they need before they can be transferred to a better location for more extensive treatment,” added Pfc. Amelia Knosp, an Animal Care Specialist from Fremont, Nebraska. “Personally, it has also allowed me to interact with more of my peers on base and given me opportunities to teach that I may not have gotten in other settings, especially as a lower enlisted member.”

    Corpsmen participating in the program have brought a wealth of enthusiasm and curiosity, impressing the Army veterinarians with their skills and confidence.

    “The corpsmen are a lot of fun to work with,” expressed Angela Adkerson, an experienced civilian Animal Health Assistant from Brisbane, Australia who moved to Twentynine Palms with her family in 2014. “While they may not know the ins and outs of veterinary medicine, many of them enjoy noting the differences between human medical care and animal medical care. They enjoy the new opportunities they get to try, like using our model dog as a learning tool for things such as IV placement, intubation, and CPR.”

    The training has also allowed corpsmen to draw parallels between human and veterinary medicine.

    “The vets were great with medical education. They allowed me to help them with procedures and observe their work. I saw how preoperative and postoperative care are similar,” said Hospitalman Jessica Sanderson from San Tan Valley, Arizona. “My takeaway from this experience is you’ll never know what kind of patient you’ll have. Being ready with proper training will help with future triaging and understanding that there can always be something new to learn.”

    “The most challenging aspect of observing the surgeries was learning about the anatomical differences between canines and humans, especially while finding landmarks for intubation and with the actual spay or neuter,” explained Hospitalman Hailey Alaguena, a corpsman from San Jose, California. “It was interesting as well to learn about how certain medications used in the clinic have reversal agents that would otherwise not work if administered to humans.”

    “I observed how quickly and efficiently veterinary teams must work to minimize an animal’s time under anesthesia,” said Hospitalman John Udanoh, a corpsman from Detroit, Michigan. “Working closely with a veterinary team teaches you a lot about precision, quick decision making and the unique aspect of animal care. As a corpsman, this helps improve our adaptability and overall skills.”

    The cross-training program not only enhances medical readiness but also fosters camaraderie and mutual respect among service members from different branches.

    “We’re all on the same team,” said Lin. “Collaborating in this way prepares us to better support each other in a deployed setting.”

    As the program continues, the participating corpsmen at NMRTC Twentynine Palms are gaining valuable skills that will enhance their ability to provide comprehensive care to animals when needed, helping ensure mission readiness across both branches of service.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Sydney’s Museum of Contemporary Art is now charging for entry. It’s a sign our cultural sector needs help

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Chiara O’Reilly, Senior Lecturer in Museum Studies, University of Sydney

    From January 31, Sydney’s Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) will reintroduce ticketed entry, charging adults $20 for general admission and $35 for combined special exhibitions and museum entry. Entry will remain free for Australian students and people under 18.

    This decision, which reverses 24 years of free general entry to the museum, reflects broader challenges faced by museums globally.

    Driven by philanthropy

    The MCA was opened in 1991, established through the bequest of Australian expatriate artist John Power. As an independent, not-for-profit organisation, its administrative and financial structure is different from major cultural institutions in Sydney.

    Unlike the Art Gallery of New South Wales and Australian Museum, which are statutory bodies of the NSW government, the MCA receives a far smaller proportion of state funding.

    For 2023-2024, the NSW government delivered A$46.2 million in recurrent funding to the Art Gallery of NSW and $47.4 million to the Australian Museum. The MCA received $4.2 million, which represented just 16% of its total revenue.

    This funding disparity has always required the MCA to secure the bulk of its budget through other revenue streams. Corporate and philanthropic partnerships have been vital.

    In 2000, financial support from Telstra allowed the museum to offer free admission. In 2012, philanthropists including Simon and Catriona Mordant contributed greatly to fund the museum’s expansion.

    The MCA has also been proactive in leveraging its venue to maximise income. In 2023, 41% of revenue was earned through commercial services including venue hire, retail and commercial leases.

    Why there’s no more free entry

    Despite reducing its opening hours to six days a week post-COVID and scaling back audience engagement, the MCA’s financial pressures continued. According to director Suzanne Cotter, the museum “didn’t have any choice” but to implement an admission fee.

    While ticketed admission creates a financial barrier, it also provides visitors a way to invest directly in the museum’s future and sustainability.

    The MCA has consistently demonstrated its value, generating impressive visitor numbers. In 2019, attendance surpassed one million visitors, setting the museum ahead of many international peers.

    But the effects of the COVID pandemic have lingered. In 2022-23, the museum attracted 859,386 visitors – a 15% decline compared to 2019.

    In comparison, the Art Gallery of NSW welcomed almost two million visitors to its expanded campus in 2023, representing a 51% increase from pre-COVID figures.

    The MCA isn’t struggling alone

    Internationally, there are clear signs of an industry under immense pressure.

    Major US institutions such as The Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met), The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) and the Guggenheim and Whitney have all increased general adult admission fees to US$30.

    The Met’s shift away from a pay-what-you-can model to fixed admission for most visitors in 2018 was driven by speculation of a US$40 million deficit. However, New York state residents and students, as well as New Jersey and Connecticut students, can still pay what they wish – even as little as one cent.

    Similarly, at the Whitney, a US$2 million donation last year by Trustee and artist Julie Mehretu has helped enable free entry for under-25s.

    These examples show how paying visitors can support a museum’s sustainability while preserving subsidised access for priority groups.

    Across Europe, major museums including the Louvre and Uffizi are also increasing prices, though many retain periodic free days to ensure accessibility.

    In the UK, smaller regional museums are resorting to admission charges for the first time in their histories.

    Meanwhile, commentators such as cultural historian Ben Lewis argue major institutions such as the British Museum should start charging general admission fees to supplement stagnant government funding and decrease dependence on potentially unethical corporate donors.

    This would allow the museums to pay competitive wages and fund essential work, Lewis argues.

    Lewis’s concerns about corporate donations accord with debates taking place internationally and in Australia around the role of big oil, mining and pharmaceutical companies that use the arts to “greenwash” their public brand.

    Can accessiblity be prioritised in Australia?

    The MCA’s situation, which reflects international trends, raises questions about arts funding and access.

    Both the NSW and federal governments’ arts policies recognise the value of providing access to the arts. As the NSW government’s Creative Communities policy notes, “the right to participate in arts, cultural and creative activities is a fundamental human right.”

    The MCA excelled in this regard under its free admission policy, attracting a diverse audience that other museums often struggled to reach. In 2023, about half of the museums on-site visitors were under 35, and 45% were from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.

    The NSW government’s policy – along with its national counterpart Revive – also emphasises the importance of telling Australian stories. This is another area the MCA has excelled in.

    The question then is: if the state and federal governments value equitable access to the arts and appreciates the platforming of Australian stories, will they commit to a more sustainable funding arrangement for organisations like the MCA?

    Without such a commitment, the gap between those who can afford to attend museums and those who can’t will continue to widen – compromising the democratic ideal of an accessible cultural sector.

    The authors 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. Sydney’s Museum of Contemporary Art is now charging for entry. It’s a sign our cultural sector needs help – https://theconversation.com/sydneys-museum-of-contemporary-art-is-now-charging-for-entry-its-a-sign-our-cultural-sector-needs-help-247458

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: As the Black Summer megafires neared, people rallied to save wildlife and domestic animals. But it came at a real cost

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Danielle Celermajer, Professor of Sociology and Social Policy, University of Sydney

    As the 2019-2020 megafires took hold across eastern Australia, many of us reeled at the sight of animals trying and often failing to flee. Our screens filled up with images of koalas with burned paws and possums in firefighter helmets.

    The death toll was staggering, estimated at up to three billion wild animals killed or displaced. Millions more were severely injured. Tens of thousands of domesticated animals were killed or had to be euthanised.

    In fighting these fires, authorities focused almost entirely on protecting human lives and property, other than targeted rescue efforts for the last remaining wild stand of Wollemi pine. The role of rescuing and caring for domesticated and wild animals fell almost entirely to community groups and individual carers, who stepped up to fill the gap at significant cost to themselves – financially, emotionally and sometimes even at a risk to their safety.

    Our new research draws on more than 60 interviews with wildlife carers and groups in the Shoalhaven region south of Wollongong in New South Wales. These people spontaneously organised themselves to care for thousands of domesticated, farm and wild animals, from evacuating them from fire zones to giving them shelter, food, water and healthcare.

    The lengths our interviewees went to were extraordinary. But these rescue efforts were largely invisible to authorities – and, as our interviewees told us, sometimes even condemned as irresponsible.

    What did our interviews tell us?

    The standard view in Australia is that only humans matter in the face of bushfires. But the way affected communities reached out to save as many animals as they could shows many people think we ought to be acting differently.

    One interviewee told about screaming for “her babies” as Rural Fire Service firefighters evacuated her. In response, the firies searched the house for human babies to no avail. When they found out she meant her wombat joeys, they laughed in relief. But to our interviewee, the joeys were like her babies. The joeys were safe inside her house.

    People cared for a wide range of species, from horses, chickens, bees and cows to native birds, possums, wombats and wallabies. Despite this, we found common themes.

    Many people felt the system had let them down when it came to protecting animals. This is why many of them felt they had to take matters into their own hands to ensure that animals survived.

    As one interviewee told us:

    one thing that you have to realise, is people’s animals are their children, and they are their life. If you let someone think that their animal isn’t safe, they will put themselves in danger to try and get to that animal or save that animal […] That’s one thing the firies — you know, if they’re not an animal compassionate person, they don’t get that.

    While some guidance on disaster preparation talks about how to protect pets such as cats and dogs, wildlife carers, farmers and horse owners often found themselves facing incoming fires with little or no information or support.

    People also told us about a lack of information on how to care for different types of animals during disasters. Information was often nonexistent or hard to locate, making decision-making during the crisis very difficult.

    As one farmer told us:

    there’s not any information on realistically what you do with your animals in a case of […] a massive disaster. I mean, it’s like someone said about cutting the fences. But now you’ve got stocking cattle running through the bush and they don’t know where the fire’s going to turn or what’s going to happen.

    The needs of animals differ significantly. It’s harder to find shelter for a horse than a smaller animal, for instance. Wildlife being cared for already need assistance, due to being orphaned, injured or ill. It’s harder to evacuate injured animals or joeys who need regular feeding than it is to evacuate healthy adult animals.

    Our interviewees reported price spikes for transport, food, temporary fencing and medicines during the 2019-2020 emergency season. Caring for animals always comes with costs, but the cost burden intensified over the Black Summer and afterwards.

    Caring for animals came with another cost too, to mental health. Many of our interviewees told us they still felt traumatised, even though our interviews were two or three years after the fires.

    As one interviewee told us:

    the people at Lake Conjola […] said it was like an apocalypse. They said there was dead birds dropping out of the sky. Kangaroos would come hopping out of the bush on fire […] I know it really heavily affected most people on the beach, the horrific things that they saw.

    Despite facing a lack of formal support and with limited information, people organised themselves very quickly into networks to share access to safe land, transport, food, labour and information. Dedicated people set up social media groups to allocate tasks, call for help and so on. This unsung animal rescue effort was almost entirely driven by volunteers.

    What should we do before the next megafires?

    Australia will inevitably be hit by more megafires, as climate change brings more hot, dry fire weather and humidity falls over land.

    What would it mean to include animals in our planning? To start with, more and better information for wildlife carers, farmers, pet owners and the wider community. It would mean directing more funds to animal care, both during and after disasters, and including animal care in local, state and federal disaster planning. It would mean improving communication networks so people know where to go.

    To this end, we developed a new guide for communities wanting to be better prepared to help animals in the next disaster. We prototyped an app designed to help communities organise themselves in order to help animals during disasters.

    The scale of the Black Summer fires found governments and communities largely
    unprepared. But we are now in a position to learn from what happened.

    As authorities prepare for the next fires, they should broaden how they think about disaster preparation. Our research suggests disaster planning needs to take place at a community level, rather than a focus on individual households. And vitally, authorities need to think of communities as made up of both humans and animals, rather than just humans.

    This research project was funded by the Australian government via a Bushfire Recovery Grant from the Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources. It was conducted in partnership with the Shoalhaven City Council. This article was prepared solely by the University of Sydney research team and reflects our research and analysis only.

    This research project was funded by the Australian government via a Bushfire Recovery Grant from the Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources. It was conducted in partnership with the Shoalhaven City Council.

    – ref. As the Black Summer megafires neared, people rallied to save wildlife and domestic animals. But it came at a real cost – https://theconversation.com/as-the-black-summer-megafires-neared-people-rallied-to-save-wildlife-and-domestic-animals-but-it-came-at-a-real-cost-248432

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: What’s in the supplements that claim to help you cut down on bathroom breaks? And do they work?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nial Wheate, Professor of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Macquarie University

    Christian Moro/Shutterstock

    With one in four Australian adults experiencing problems with incontinence, some people look to supplements for relief.

    With ingredients such as pumpkin seed oil and soybean extract, a range of products promise relief from frequent bathroom trips.

    But do they really work? Let’s sift through the claims and see what the science says about their efficacy.

    What is incontinence?

    Incontinence is the involuntary loss of bladder or bowel control, leading to the unintentional leakage of urine or faeces. It can range from occasional minor leaks to a complete inability to control urination and defecation.

    This condition can significantly impact daily activities and quality of life, and affects women more often than it affects men.

    Some people don’t experience bladder leakage but can sometimes feel an urgent need to go to the bathroom. This is known as overactive bladder syndrome, and occurs when the muscles around the bladder tighten on their own, which greatly reduces its capacity. The result is the person feels the need to go to the bathroom much more frequently.

    There are many potential causes of incontinence and overactive bladders, including menopause, pregnancy and child birth, urinary tract infections, pelvic floor disorders, and an enlarged prostate. Conditions such as diabetes, neurological disorders and certain medications (such as diuretics, sleeping pills, antidepressants and blood-pressure drugs) can also contribute.

    While pelvic muscle rehabilitation and behavioural techniques for bladder retraining can be helpful, some people are interested in pharmaceutical solutions.

    What’s in these products?

    A number of supplements are available in Australia that include ingredients used in traditional medicine for urinary incontinence and overactive bladders. The three most common ingredients are:

    • Cucurbita pepo (pumpkin seed extract)

    • glycine max (soybean extract)

    • an extract from the bark of the Crateva magna or nurvala (Varuna) tree.

    The supplements have common ingredients.
    Author

    How are they supposed to work?

    Pumpkin seeds are rich in plant sterols that are thought to reduce the testosterone-related enlargement of the prostate, as well as having broader anti-inflammatory effects. The seed extracts can also contain oleic acid, which may help increase bladder capacity by relaxing the muscles around the organ.

    Soybean extracts are rich in isoflavones, especially daidzen and genistein. Like olieic acid, these are thought to act on the muscles around the bladder. Because isoflavones are similar in structure to the female hormone oestrogen, soy extracts may be most beneficial for postmenopausal women who have overactive bladders.

    Crateva extract is rich in lupeol- and sterol-based chemicals which have strong anti-inflammatory effects. This has benefits not just for enlarged prostates but possibly also for reducing urinary tract infections.

    Do they actually work?

    It’s important to note that the government has only approved these types of supplements as “listed medicines”. This means the ingredients have only been assessed for safety. The companies behind the products have not had to provide evidence they actually work.

    A 2014 clinical trial examined a combined pumpkin seed and soybean extract called cucurflavone on people with overactive bladders. The 120 participants received either a placebo or a daily 1,000mg dose of the herbal mixture over a period of 12 weeks.

    By the end of study, those in the cucurflavone group went to the bathroom around three fewer times per day, compared with people in the control group, who only went to the bathroom on average one fewer time each day.

    In a different trial, researchers examined a combination of Crateva bark extract with herbal extracts of horsetail and Japanese evergreen spicebush, called Urox.

    For the 150 participants, the Urox formulation helped participants go to the bathroom less frequently when compared with placebo treatment.

    After eight weeks of treatment, participants in the placebo group were going to the bathroom to urinate 11 times per day. Those in the Urox group were only going around to 7.5 times per day. And those who took Urox also needed to go to the bathroom one fewer time during the night.

    Finally, another study also examined a Creteva, horsetail and Japanese spicebush combination, but this time in children. They were given either a 420mg dose of the supplement or a placebo, and then monitored for how many times they wet the bed.

    After two months of taking the supplement, slightly more than 40% of the 24 kids in the supplement group wet the bed less often.

    While these results may look promising, there are considerable limitations to the studies which means the data may not be reliable. For example, the trials didn’t include enough participants to have reliable data. To conclusively provide efficacy, final-stage clinical trials require data for between 300 and 3,000 patients.

    From the studies, it is also not clear whether some participants were also taking other medicines as well as the supplement. This is important, as medications can interfere with how the supplements work, potentially making them less or more effective.

    What if you want to take them?

    If you have incontinence or an overactive bladder, you should always discuss this with your doctor, as it may due to a serious or treatable underlying condition.

    Otherwise, your GP may give you strategies or exercises to improve your bladder control, prescribe medications or devices, or refer you to a specialist.

    If you do decide to take a supplement, discuss this with your doctor and local pharmacist so they can check that any product you choose will not interfere with any other medications you may be taking.

    Nial Wheate in the past has received funding from the ACT Cancer Council, Tenovus Scotland, Medical Research Scotland, Scottish Crucible, and the Scottish Universities Life Sciences Alliance. He is a fellow of the Royal Australian Chemical Institute, a member of the Australasian Pharmaceutical Science Association and a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Nial is the chief scientific officer of Vaihea Skincare LLC, a director of SetDose Pty Ltd (a medical device company) and was previously a Standards Australia panel member for sunscreen agents. Nial regularly consults to industry on issues to do with medicine risk assessments, manufacturing, design, and testing.

    – ref. What’s in the supplements that claim to help you cut down on bathroom breaks? And do they work? – https://theconversation.com/whats-in-the-supplements-that-claim-to-help-you-cut-down-on-bathroom-breaks-and-do-they-work-245755

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: As the Myanmar junta’s hold on power weakens, could the devastating war be nearing a conclusion?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adam Simpson, Senior Lecturer, International Studies, University of South Australia

    It has now been four years since the Myanmar military launched its cataclysmic coup against the democratically elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi on February 1 2021, starting a civil war that has devastated the country.

    Suu Kyi remains locked up, as do countless other activists and regime opponents. There is no easy resolution in sight.

    Indeed, the country is at a nadir. The war has sparked an economic crisis that has destroyed Myanmar’s health and education systems. Half the population now lives in poverty, double the rate from before the coup. The deteriorating electricity network causes widespread blackouts.

    According to the United Nations, more than 5,000 civilians have been killed and 3.3 million people have been displaced by the fighting. More than 27,000 people have also been arrested, with reports of sexual violence and torture rife.

    Nevertheless, opposition forces – including ethnic armies and the People’s Defence Force militias drawn from the civilian population – have been gathering strength, with a string of victories against the junta’s army.

    The regime now controls less than half the country. And recent strategic losses are weighing heavily on the military leaders, raising questions about whether the government could suddenly collapse like the Assad regime in Syria late last year.

    As the war enters a fifth year, there are two significant things to watch that could determine the country’s future – the battleground gains made by the opposition forces and the state of the failing economy.

    Junta under pressure on the battlefield

    Following the opposition Three Brotherhood Alliance’s battleground successes in late 2023, China brokered a ceasefire between the junta and alliance in northern Shan State.

    When that ceasefire ended last June, the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), one of the members of the alliance, captured the key trading town of Lashio, as well as the junta’s nearby Northeast Regional Military Command. It was the first time one of the 14 regional military commands had fallen to an opposition group in more than 50 years of military rule.

    China has recently brokered another ceasefire between the MNDAA and the military, according to the Chinese foreign ministry. The terms have not been made public, but unless the insurgents relinquish Lashio and the military command – which is unlikely – it won’t alter the balance of power.

    In December, the military lost another command centre in Rakhine State in western Myanmar to the Arakan Army, another member of the Three Brotherhood Alliance. The Arakan Army now controls 14 of that state’s 17 townships.

    The Arakan Army, too, said recently it is open to political dialogue to potentially end the fighting. But it, too, is only likely to stop its military offensives for extremely favourable terms.

    In a major study undertaken in late 2024, the BBC assessed the junta only had full control of 21% of Myanmar’s territory. Ethnic armies and other opposition forces controlled 42% of the country, while the remaining areas were contested.

    In response, the junta has intensified its “scorched earth” tactics in areas outside its control, including indiscriminate and deliberate strikes against civilians. With dwindling reserves of willing fighters, air power is the main combat advantage it holds over the opposition forces.

    Economic woes

    Myanmar’s economic situation four years after the coup shows, starkly, just how much has been lost.

    Myanmar is now experiencing a full-blown economic and currency crisis.

    The incremental gains in economic development, education, nutrition and health care of recent decades have been reversed very quickly. Three-quarters of the population is now living a subsistence existence.

    Many young people are fleeing abroad, joining resistance groups, or eking out dangerous livelihoods on the margins. To make matters worse, the junta activated a longstanding but dormant conscription law last February to boost its dwindling forces. Those who refuse the draft face five years in prison.

    In response to the Arakan Army’s successes, the junta is also isolating much of Rakhine State. This is contributing to widespread poverty and a looming famine, which could affect two million people.

    And in an attempt to control the digital space, the junta enacted a sweeping new cybersecurity law earlier this month. People can now be imprisoned for using a virtual private network or sharing information from banned websites, among many other offences.

    Could Myanmar fall apart?

    The ASEAN regional bloc, chaired by Malaysia this year, has done little to solve the crisis, although it hasn’t accepted the junta’s hollow plans to hold elections this year.

    Disagreements among the ASEAN members over strategy have ensured that little progress has been made. Thailand recently broke ranks to invite the junta’s foreign minister to regional talks about border security, even though the junta currently controls few of the country’s borders.

    An accelerated economic deterioration could contribute to further unrest and drive even more migrants to neighbouring countries. Already, the millions of Myanmar migrants living in Thailand have precipitated anti-migrant protests and mass arrests.

    So, given the combustible state of the country, could the junta’s hold on power suddenly collapse like the Assad regime in Syria last year?

    It’s not likely. Unlike Syria, the opposition in Myanmar is not heavily backed by major international players. China’s support for various insurgent actors comes and goes depending on political calculations, while the United States and European Union have provided little material support.

    In addition, the military has been effectively running Myanmar for 60 years and is well practised in counterinsurgency strategies. Although defections from the military continue, the conscription law is bolstering its numbers of – mostly reluctant – soldiers.

    However, the fall of Syria’s oppressive government – as well as the government in Myanmar’s neighbour, Bangladesh – demonstrates how fragile long-standing regimes can be, particularly when faced with persistent challenges from armed groups and a motivated population.

    And as in Syria, there are fears – particularly within China – that Myanmar could splinter along ethnic lines. The deteriorating security situation has led China to send its own private security corporations to secure its strategic investments in the country and become an active ceasefire deal-maker.

    Even if the junta can be ousted, creating a workable federal system that involves power-sharing among the complex patchwork of ethnic groups will be a difficult task. The question of how to reintegrate nearly a million Rohingya displaced across the border in Bangladesh is another daunting challenge.

    However, for the first time in years, there is optimism that opposition forces could eventually succeed in vanquishing the junta. Then begins the arduous task of rebuilding a shattered nation.

    As a pro vice-chancellor at the University of Tasmania, Nicholas Farrelly engages with a wide range of organisations and stakeholders on educational, cultural and political issues, including at the ASEAN-Australia interface. He has previously received funding from the Australian government for Southeast Asia-related projects and from the Australian Research Council. Nicholas is on the advisory board of the ASEAN-Australia Centre, which is a new Australian government body, and also deputy chair of the board of NAATI, Australia’s government-owned accreditation authority for translators and interpreters. He writes in his personal capacity.

    Adam Simpson 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. As the Myanmar junta’s hold on power weakens, could the devastating war be nearing a conclusion? – https://theconversation.com/as-the-myanmar-juntas-hold-on-power-weakens-could-the-devastating-war-be-nearing-a-conclusion-247987

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Serious crash, State Highway 1, Tuamarina

    Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

    Motorists travelling between Picton and Blenheim should expect delays following a three-vehicle crash that has left a person critically injured.

    Emergency services were called to the crash at Tuamarina, between Bush and Para roads, about 6.30am.

    A vehicle hit a wire barrier and one of the occupants was ejected; the person suffered critical injuries and will be airlifted to hospital.

    Two other people are being treated for minor and moderate injuries.

    The road is expected to be closed for some time and the Serious Crash Unit has been notified.

    Diversions are in place and motorists are asked to expect delays and take care.

    ENDS

    Issued by the Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Piha: Search effort continues for missing swimmer

    Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

    A search for a missing swimmer at Piha Beach will resume this morning.

    The man was part of a group of swimmers who got into difficulty yesterday afternoon.

    Five swimmers were rescued, however a sixth member of the group was not located. Surf Lifesaving New Zealand alerted Police just after 4pm on Tuesday.

    A shoreline search, involving Police and Land Search and Rescue, will be carried out around the Lion Rock and South Piha/Blue Pool area.

    The Police Eagle helicopter will conduct an aerial search where possible today.

    Police are liaising with the man’s family, and we will continue to provide updates as these are available.

    ENDS

    Jarred Williamson/NZ Police

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Fatal Crash, Kelly Road, Paengaroa

    Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

    One person has died following a serious crash in Paengaroa overnight.

    At around 1am, Police were called to a single-vehicle crash at the Kelly Road and Te Tumu Road intersection.

    One person was located deceased at the scene.

    The Serious Crash Unit has examined the scene and enquiries into the crash are ongoing.

    ENDS

    Issued by Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Rereading Rembrandt: how the slave trade helped establish the golden age of Dutch painting

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Caroline Fowler, Starr Director of the Research and Academic Program, Clark Art Institute, and lecturer in Art History, Williams College

    The so-called golden age of Dutch painting in the 1600s coincided with an economic boom that had a lot to do with the transatlantic slave trade. But how did the slave trade shape the art market in the Netherlands? And how is it reflected in the paintings of the time?

    This is the subject of a new book called Slavery and the Invention of Dutch Art by art historian Caroline Fowler. We asked about her study.

    What was Dutch art about before slavery and what was the golden age?

    The earliest paintings that would be called Dutch were predominantly religious. They were made for Christian devotion. In the 1500s, major divisions in the church led to a fragmentation of Christianity called the Reformation.

    In this new religious climate, artists began to create new types of paintings, studying the world around them. They included landscapes, seascapes, still lifes, and interior scenes of their homes. Instead of working for the church, many painters began to work within an art market. There was a rising middle class that could afford to buy paintings.

    Duke University Press

    Historically, this period in Dutch economic prosperity has been called the “golden age”. This is when many of the most famous Dutch painters worked, such as Rembrandt van Rijn and Johannes Vermeer.

    Their work was made possible by a strong Dutch economy built on global trade networks. This included the transatlantic slave trade and the rise of the middle class. Although artists did not directly paint the transatlantic slave trade, in my book I argue that it is central to understanding the paintings produced in the 1600s as it made the economic market possible.

    In turn, many of the types of painting that developed, like maritime scenes and interior scenes, are often obliquely or directly about international trade. The slave trade is a haunting presence in these images.

    How did this play out within Dutch colonialism?

    The new “middle class” consisted of economically prosperous merchants, artisans, lawyers and doctors. For many of the wealthiest merchants, their prosperity was fuelled by their investments in trade overseas. In land and plantations, and also commodities such as sugar, salt, mace and nutmeg.

    Read more: Slavery, tax evasion, resistance: the story of 11 Africans in South America’s gold mines in the 1500s

    Slavery was illegal within the boundaries of the Dutch Republic on the European continent. But it was widely practised within Dutch colonies around the world. Slavery was central to their trade overseas – from the inter-Asian slave network that made possible their domination in the export of nutmeg, to the use of enslaved labour on plantations in the Americas. It also contributed in less visible ways to Dutch economic prosperity, like the development of maritime insurance.

    What was the relationship between artists and Dutch colonies?

    In the new school of painting, artists would sometimes travel to the Dutch colonies. For example, Frans Post travelled to Dutch Brazil and painted the sugar plantations and mills. Another artist named Maria Sibylla Merian went to Dutch Suriname, where she studied butterflies and plants on the Dutch sugar plantations.

    Both depict landscapes and the natural world but don’t directly engage with the profound dehumanisation of slavery, and an economic system dependent on enslaved labour. But this doesn’t mean that it’s absent in their sanitised renditions.

    Among the sources that I used to think about the presence of the transatlantic slave trade in a culture that did not overtly depict it were inventories of paintings and early museum collections. Often the language in these sources differed from the painting in important ways. They demonstrate how the violence of the system emerges in unexpected places.

    One inventory that describes paintings by Frans Post, for example, also narrates the physical punishment meted out if the enslaved tried to run away from the Dutch sugar plantations. This isn’t depicted in the painting, but it is part of the inventory that travelled beside the painting.

    These moments reveal the profound presence of this system within Dutch painting, and point to the ways in which artists negotiated making this structure invisible in their paintings although they were not able to completely erase its presence.

    How do you discuss Rembrandt’s paintings in your book?

    Historically, studies of the transatlantic slave trade in early modern painting (about 1400-1700) have looked at paintings that directly depict either enslaved or Black individuals.

    One of the points of this book is that this limits our understanding of the transatlantic slave trade in Dutch painting. A focus on blackness, for example, precludes understanding how whiteness is constructed at the same time. It fails to recognise the ways in which artists sought to diminish the presence of the slave trade in their sanitised rendition of Dutch society.

    Syndics of the Draper’s Guild by Rembrandt. Txllxt TxllxT/Wikimedia Commons/Rijksmuseum

    One painting that I use to think about this is Rembrandt van Rijn’s very famous work called Syndics of the Draper’s Guild. It’s a group portrait of wealthy, white merchants gathered around a table looking at a book of fabric samples.

    Although there aren’t enslaved or black individuals depicted, this painting would be impossible without the transatlantic slave trade. Cloth from the Netherlands was often exchanged for enslaved people in west Africa, for example.

    In my book, I draw attention to these understudied histories to understand how certain assumptions around whiteness, privilege, and wealth developed in tandem with an emerging visual vocabulary around blackness and the transformation of individual lives into chattel property.

    What do you hope readers will take away from the book?

    I hope that readers will think about how many of our ideas about freedom, the middle class, art markets, and economic prosperity began in the 17th-century Dutch Republic. As this book demonstrates, a central part of this narrative that has been overlooked was the transatlantic slave trade in building this fantasy.

    This is in many ways an invention that traces back to the paintings of overt consumption and wealth produced in the Dutch Republic – like Vermeer’s interiors of Dutch homes.

    Read more: How we proved a Rembrandt painting owned by the University of Pretoria was a fake

    My aim with this book is to present not only a more complex view of Dutch painting but also a reconsideration of certain dogmas today around prosperity and the art market. The rise of our current financial system, art markets and visible celebration of landscapes, seascapes and interior scenes are all inseparable from the transformation of individual lives into property. We live with this legacy today in our systems built on racial, economic and gendered inequalities.

    – Rereading Rembrandt: how the slave trade helped establish the golden age of Dutch painting
    – https://theconversation.com/rereading-rembrandt-how-the-slave-trade-helped-establish-the-golden-age-of-dutch-painting-247918

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Rereading Rembrandt: how the slave trade helped establish the golden age of Dutch painting

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Caroline Fowler, Starr Director of the Research and Academic Program, Clark Art Institute, and lecturer in Art History, Williams College

    Detail from Rembrandt van Rijn’s painting Two African Men. Sailko/The Mauritshuis/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY

    The so-called golden age of Dutch painting in the 1600s coincided with an economic boom that had a lot to do with the transatlantic slave trade. But how did the slave trade shape the art market in the Netherlands? And how is it reflected in the paintings of the time?

    This is the subject of a new book called Slavery and the Invention of Dutch Art by art historian Caroline Fowler. We asked about her study.

    What was Dutch art about before slavery and what was the golden age?

    The earliest paintings that would be called Dutch were predominantly religious. They were made for Christian devotion. In the 1500s, major divisions in the church led to a fragmentation of Christianity called the Reformation.

    In this new religious climate, artists began to create new types of paintings, studying the world around them. They included landscapes, seascapes, still lifes, and interior scenes of their homes. Instead of working for the church, many painters began to work within an art market. There was a rising middle class that could afford to buy paintings.

    Historically, this period in Dutch economic prosperity has been called the “golden age”. This is when many of the most famous Dutch painters worked, such as Rembrandt van Rijn and Johannes Vermeer.

    Their work was made possible by a strong Dutch economy built on global trade networks. This included the transatlantic slave trade and the rise of the middle class. Although artists did not directly paint the transatlantic slave trade, in my book I argue that it is central to understanding the paintings produced in the 1600s as it made the economic market possible.

    In turn, many of the types of painting that developed, like maritime scenes and interior scenes, are often obliquely or directly about international trade. The slave trade is a haunting presence in these images.

    How did this play out within Dutch colonialism?

    The new “middle class” consisted of economically prosperous merchants, artisans, lawyers and doctors. For many of the wealthiest merchants, their prosperity was fuelled by their investments in trade overseas. In land and plantations, and also commodities such as sugar, salt, mace and nutmeg.



    Read more:
    Slavery, tax evasion, resistance: the story of 11 Africans in South America’s gold mines in the 1500s

    Slavery was illegal within the boundaries of the Dutch Republic on the European continent. But it was widely practised within Dutch colonies around the world. Slavery was central to their trade overseas – from the inter-Asian slave network that made possible their domination in the export of nutmeg, to the use of enslaved labour on plantations in the Americas. It also contributed in less visible ways to Dutch economic prosperity, like the development of maritime insurance.

    What was the relationship between artists and Dutch colonies?

    In the new school of painting, artists would sometimes travel to the Dutch colonies. For example, Frans Post travelled to Dutch Brazil and painted the sugar plantations and mills. Another artist named Maria Sibylla Merian went to Dutch Suriname, where she studied butterflies and plants on the Dutch sugar plantations.

    Both depict landscapes and the natural world but don’t directly engage with the profound dehumanisation of slavery, and an economic system dependent on enslaved labour. But this doesn’t mean that it’s absent in their sanitised renditions.

    Among the sources that I used to think about the presence of the transatlantic slave trade in a culture that did not overtly depict it were inventories of paintings and early museum collections. Often the language in these sources differed from the painting in important ways. They demonstrate how the violence of the system emerges in unexpected places.

    One inventory that describes paintings by Frans Post, for example, also narrates the physical punishment meted out if the enslaved tried to run away from the Dutch sugar plantations. This isn’t depicted in the painting, but it is part of the inventory that travelled beside the painting.

    These moments reveal the profound presence of this system within Dutch painting, and point to the ways in which artists negotiated making this structure invisible in their paintings although they were not able to completely erase its presence.

    How do you discuss Rembrandt’s paintings in your book?

    Historically, studies of the transatlantic slave trade in early modern painting (about 1400-1700) have looked at paintings that directly depict either enslaved or Black individuals.

    One of the points of this book is that this limits our understanding of the transatlantic slave trade in Dutch painting. A focus on blackness, for example, precludes understanding how whiteness is constructed at the same time. It fails to recognise the ways in which artists sought to diminish the presence of the slave trade in their sanitised rendition of Dutch society.

    One painting that I use to think about this is Rembrandt van Rijn’s very famous work called Syndics of the Draper’s Guild. It’s a group portrait of wealthy, white merchants gathered around a table looking at a book of fabric samples.

    Although there aren’t enslaved or black individuals depicted, this painting would be impossible without the transatlantic slave trade. Cloth from the Netherlands was often exchanged for enslaved people in west Africa, for example.

    In my book, I draw attention to these understudied histories to understand how certain assumptions around whiteness, privilege, and wealth developed in tandem with an emerging visual vocabulary around blackness and the transformation of individual lives into chattel property.

    What do you hope readers will take away from the book?

    I hope that readers will think about how many of our ideas about freedom, the middle class, art markets, and economic prosperity began in the 17th-century Dutch Republic. As this book demonstrates, a central part of this narrative that has been overlooked was the transatlantic slave trade in building this fantasy.

    This is in many ways an invention that traces back to the paintings of overt consumption and wealth produced in the Dutch Republic – like Vermeer’s interiors of Dutch homes.



    Read more:
    How we proved a Rembrandt painting owned by the University of Pretoria was a fake

    My aim with this book is to present not only a more complex view of Dutch painting but also a reconsideration of certain dogmas today around prosperity and the art market. The rise of our current financial system, art markets and visible celebration of landscapes, seascapes and interior scenes are all inseparable from the transformation of individual lives into property. We live with this legacy today in our systems built on racial, economic and gendered inequalities.

    Caroline Fowler 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. Rereading Rembrandt: how the slave trade helped establish the golden age of Dutch painting – https://theconversation.com/rereading-rembrandt-how-the-slave-trade-helped-establish-the-golden-age-of-dutch-painting-247918

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: King Cosponsors Bipartisan Bill to Increase Price Transparency on Prescription Drug Advertising

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Angus King
    WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) is cosponsoring legislation to promote transparency, boost competition, and bring down the cost of prescription drugs. The bipartisan Drug-Price Transparency for Consumers (DTC) Act would require price disclosures on advertisements for prescription drugs in order to inform patients who are considering certain medications after seeing television commercials. By requiring direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertisements for prescription drugs to include a disclosure of the list price, patients can make informed choices when inundated with drug commercials and pharmaceutical companies may reconsider their pricing and advertising tactics. 
    Each year, the pharmaceutical industry spends $6 billion in DTC drug advertising to fill the airwaves with ads, resulting in the average American seeing nine DTC ads each day. Studies show that these commercials often steer patients to more expensive drugs, even when a patient may not need the medication or a lower-cost generic is available. Studies show that patients are more likely to ask their doctor, and ultimately receive a prescription, for a specific drug when they have seen ads for it.  For these reasons, most countries have banned DTC prescription drug advertising — the United States and New Zealand are the only industrialized nations that allow these ads.
    “Current advertisement practices in the pharmaceutical industry allow drug companies to unfairly inflate the efficacy of their products while concealing their exorbitant prices,” said Senator King. “The Drug-Price Transparency for Consumers (DTC) Act would ensure that Maine people have more transparency, choice, and competition in the prescription drug marketplace. I want to thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for putting Americans first above the profits of big pharma.”
    The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has found that prescription drugs advertised directly to consumers accounted for more than half of Medicare’s spending on drugs between 2016 and 2018, while a 2023 study in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that two-thirds of advertised drugs offered “low therapeutic value.” Additionally, a Kaiser survey found that 88 percent of Americans support this price disclosure policy for advertisements.
    Below are some key findings from the GAO report:
    Two-thirds of pharma’s spending between 2016 and 2018 on DTC ads ($12 billion out of $18 billion total) was concentrated on just 39 drugs.
    During this period, these advertised drugs accounted for 58 percent of Medicare’s spending on drugs ($320 billion out of $560 billion). 
    Among the top 10 drugs with the highest cost to Medicare, four were also in the top 10 for advertising spending (Humira, Eliquis, Keytruda, Lyrica).
    Joining King on this bill are Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Tina Smith (D-MN), Peter Welch (D-VT), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI).
    Senator King has consistently worked to lower healthcare costs and increase transparency for Maine people. Last year, he introduced bicameral legislation to prohibit direct-to-consumer drug advertising of pharmaceutical drugs in the first three years after the drug receives Federal Drug Administration (FDA) approval. Senator King also cosponsored the Health Care Affordability Act which permanently extends enhanced Premium Tax Credits (PTCs) — tax subsidies that increase the amount of financial assistance available to people buying their own health insurance. Additionally, Senator King has introduced legislation to prohibit pharmaceutical drug manufacturers from claiming tax deductions for consumer advertising expenses.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: How people will be ringing in the year of the snake

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Sijing Lu, Assistant Professor in Translation and Transcultural Studies, University of Warwick

    SeventyFour/Shutterstock

    Lunar new year is the most important traditional festival for the Chinese people, symbolising unity, prosperity and hope for the future. It is, however, celebrated all over Asia and in the diaspora.

    Unlike, the new year that is celebrated only on December 31 and January 1, lunar new year celebrations begin the month before and end days after the start of the new year.

    In the Chinese tradition, new year celebration begins on the eighth day of the 12th lunar month with the Laba festival (腊八节). On this day, it is customary to eat Laba congee, a porridge which is also known as “eight-treasure congee” because it’s often made with eight or more ingredients. This year the Laba festival fell on January 7.

    The biggest day in this period of celebration is, of course, new year, which this year falls on January 29.

    According to historical records, the Chinese people have been celebrating the lunar new year for over 4,000 years. Around 2,000BC, Shun, an ancient Chinese leader, ascended to the throne and led his followers in a worship ceremony to honour heaven and earth.

    This day was regarded as the beginning of the year, corresponding to the first day of the first lunar month. This event is believed to mark the origin of the lunar new year.

    During this festival, people typically express their hopes for prosperity and health in the coming year through family reunions and ancestor worship. Communities also host traditional activities to celebrate, such as lion dances, the giving of red envelopes, and putting up of spring couplets (pairs of poems written on red paper with black or gold characters), all of which symbolise good fortune and abundance.

    The traditional Chinese lunar new year reunion dinner includes many symbolic dishes. For example, eating fish represents abundance, dumplings symbolise reunion and wealth, and rice cakes signify progress and success.

    Looking for something good? Cut through the noise with a carefully curated selection of the latest releases, live events and exhibitions, straight to your inbox every fortnight, on Fridays. Sign up here.

    But this day isn’t the end of celebrations. Instead, new year is celebrated up until the 15th day of the first lunar month when the lantern festival (元宵节) is celebrated. This festival coincides with the first full moon of the lunar year. On this day reconciliation, peace and forgiveness are sought.

    To celebrate, people will cover their houses with colourful lanterns, often with riddles written on them. Children will go out and try to solve these to win small gifts. There might be lion and dragon dances as well as parades and fireworks. People eat small glutinous rice balls, known as yuanxiao or tangyuan. The round shape symbolises wholeness and unity within the family.

    This year’s lantern festival – and the end of lunar new year celebrations – is on February 12. By this time, we will be well into 2025, which is the year of the snake.

    The year of the snake

    The year of the snake holds profound meaning and special significance in Chinese culture. The animal symbolises wisdom, spirituality, elegance and renewal.

    In Chinese traditions, the snake is also considered a “small dragon” and has a unique presence. Many scholars believe that the basic form of the dragon has evolved from the snake, with the snake’s body forming the main structure of the mythical beast.

    In ancient art, images of dragons and snakes often overlap, with motifs that appear simultaneously dragon-like and snake-like being very common.

    In ancient China, the snake was regarded as a mysterious and powerful creature. Its strong reproductive ability symbolised a continuous lineage and abundant offspring, while its ability to shed its skin and renew itself represented life and longevity. This process of renewal and rebirth highlighted the snake’s connection to cycles of growth and the passage of time.

    Beyond its physical traits, the snake was also revered for its intelligence and adaptability, often being portrayed as a creature of wisdom and strategy.

    These qualities have translated into cultural beliefs about people born in the year of the snake. For instance, for those born in this year, the snake’s flexibility and patience are seen as representing wisdom in problem-solving and overcoming challenges.

    Sijing Lu 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. How people will be ringing in the year of the snake – https://theconversation.com/how-people-will-be-ringing-in-the-year-of-the-snake-248468

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Suffocating seas: low oxygen levels emerging as third major threat to tropical coral reefs

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Jennifer Mallon, Postdoctoral research fellow, Nova Southeastern University

    Corals in low-oxygen seawater may not show visible signs of stress. Mike Workman/Shutterstock

    Coral reef research has focused on the twin evils birthed by record-high greenhouse gas emissions: warming oceans and increasingly acidic seawater. These global threats are caused by seawater absorbing the excess heat and carbon dioxide that fossil fuel burning has added to the atmosphere. But there is another consequence that is seldom discussed.

    Globally, oceanic oxygen is being depleted because seawater holds less oxygen as it heats up. In the warm coastal waters where tropical coral reefs grow, the immediate effects of low oxygen concentrations can be catastrophic. Short-term hypoxia events are increasingly reported in which dissolved oxygen levels suddenly plummet – often triggered or exacerbated by chemical pollution running off the land, like nutrient-rich fertilisers – which can kill entire coral communities and decimate reefs within days.

    Corals are animals, and like other aquatic animals, they breathe in oxygen from the water to fuel their metabolism. Thanks to a symbiotic relationship with microscopic algae, corals also turn the Sun’s energy into food – oxygen is the byproduct.

    Oxygen levels on coral reefs naturally fluctuate in a daily cycle, with dissolved oxygen peaking around noon and gradually falling as the light fades. At night when photosynthesis stops, corals continue to respire (consume oxygen), and seawater oxygen is depleted.

    This cyclic rise and fall in oxygen means that some corals have already evolved strategies to withstand changes in dissolved oxygen. When the amount of oxygen available to corals falls below this natural range, corals can get stressed and their normal biological processes are disrupted, in many cases leading to death.

    Just like us, corals need oxygen to survive. But I (Jennifer Mallon) discovered that the effects of low oxygen on corals are not always obvious to the naked eye, and that juvenile corals may be especially vulnerable.

    Hard to spot signs

    To understand the effects of low oxygen levels on corals I travelled to the Smithsonian Marine Station in Florida, as part of a research project led by the University of Florida’s Andrew Altieri and the Smithsonian’s Maggie Johnson and Valerie Paul.

    At the Smithsonian, 24 climate-controlled seawater tanks simulate varying levels of deoxygenation already present on coral reefs around the world, ranging from severe deoxygenation, which our research observed on the Caribbean coast of Panama, to normal conditions, such as those replicated in aquariums around the world.

    Researchers recreated environmental conditions for corals in the lab.
    Jennifer Mallon

    While some corals, like the Caribbean staghorn coral (Acropora cervicornis),
    died within a few days of severe deoxygenation, other important reef-building species such as the mountainous star coral (Orbicella faveolata) survived, demonstrating that tolerance of low oxygen was different between species.

    When we studied the corals that survived deoxygenation, we discovered that hypoxic stress may not always be visible. Even when exposed to deoxygenation for two weeks, some corals showed no signs of bleaching, which is when the colourful algae depart and corals turn a ghostly white. More detailed measurements revealed something worrying: despite outward appearances, low oxygen exposure had impaired coral metabolism, potentially stunting their growth and reef-building abilities.

    Existing methods for measuring coral health in the field are mainly visual, and include assessments by trained divers who search for signs of paling or bleaching corals. The hypoxic stress responses we saw in our experiment could be going under the radar.

    Baby corals at risk

    We also wanted to know how deoxygenation affects a coral’s ability to breed.

    Coral sexual reproduction is already a tricky business. Spawning events, when corals release egg bundles into the water, occur just a few nights a year, and the resulting larvae are highly vulnerable. Few survive the multi-day swim to the reef where they settle and metamorphose into juvenile corals.

    On modern Caribbean reefs, wild juvenile corals are rare. People involved in restoring reefs help corals to sexually reproduce in the lab and rear the juveniles in order to later transplant them onto the reef.

    Juvenile corals often settle in reef crevices where they are exposed to lower oxygen levels for longer than in open water, because less water flows over them. When we incubated coral larvae in deoxygenated water throughout the settlement process, we found that initial rates of larval survival and settlement were not significantly affected.

    Things changed once the larvae had settled and begun to form juvenile corals. Early-stage juvenile corals, known as primary polyps, lack symbiotic algae to help them meet their nutritional needs via photosynthesis and so rely on respiration for energy. Without enough oxygen, they cannot respire properly and begin to die off.

    A coral spawning event off the coast of Queensland, Australia.
    Coral Brunner/Shutterstock

    Coral conservation in breathless waters

    Our research can help those involved in restoring reefs understand the oxygen needs of corals, as well as highlight a previously overlooked threat.

    Even corals that survive deoxygenation show signs of a weaker metabolism that will make it harder to conserve healthy reefs, as restoration relies on healthy coral growth to regenerate what is damaged.

    As a next step, field measurements of coral metabolism will be carried out on Florida’s barrier reef tract when oxygen levels are predicted to drop during the warm summer months, to capture the real impact of deoxygenation on coral health.

    Dissolved oxygen data has not always been collected as part of reef monitoring, even during warm water bleaching events when oxygen is low. As the climate crisis worsens, it will be imperative to do more of this monitoring in tropical coastal waters. Further research into how distinct coral species respond to hypoxia is also essential for targeted conservation strategies.

    By confronting the silent threat of deoxygenation head on, we can safeguard the future of coral reefs and the countless marine species that depend on them.

    Jennifer Mallon receives funding from US-UK Fulbright Commission, Smithsonian Institution Fellowship Program, University of Glasgow Early Career Mobility Award and the Link Foundation.

    Adrian Michael Bass receives funding from the Natural Environmental Research Council.

    Maggie D. Johnson has received funding from NOAA’s Coastal Hypoxia Research Program and the Smithsonian Marine Global Earth Observatory.

    – ref. Suffocating seas: low oxygen levels emerging as third major threat to tropical coral reefs – https://theconversation.com/suffocating-seas-low-oxygen-levels-emerging-as-third-major-threat-to-tropical-coral-reefs-224805

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –