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Category: Education

  • MIL-OSI China: Beijing tops national ranking for high-quality development

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    Beijing ranks first nationally in high-quality development, according to the Beijing High-Quality Development Report released at the sixth Capital High-Quality Development Symposium at Beihang University on March 14, 2025. This solidifies its leading position alongside Shanghai and Shenzhen as top-tier cities.

    The sixth Capital High-Quality Development Symposium is held at Beihang University in Beijing on March 14, 2025. [Photo by Yang Chuanli/China.org.cn]
    The report expanded its research scope for the first time to 318 prefecture-level cities across China, identifying the nation’s top 50 cities in high-quality development. Beijing’s high-quality development index demonstrated steady growth, rising from 0.71 in 2017 to 0.86 in 2023. This marked a 21.1% increase with an average annual growth rate of 3.25%.
    Beijing demonstrates excellence across six dimensions: economy, society, environment, innovation, culture and governance, with a particularly strong performance in economic, innovation and cultural metrics. The top 10 cities are Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Hangzhou, Guangzhou, Wuxi, Nanjing, Xiamen, Suzhou and Ningbo.
    Jia Pinrong, director of the High-quality Development Research Center at the Beijing Academy of Science and Technology, attributed Beijing’s leadership to five pillars. These include the deep implementation of high-quality development principles, the transformation of scientific innovation into industrial momentum and the dual-driven growth of high-end precision industries and the digital economy.
    Jia also highlighted the role of regional synergy through the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei coordinated development strategy and the expansion of new quality productive forces. Additionally, he emphasized Beijing’s national leadership in green and low-carbon transition practices.
    Looking ahead to the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030), Jia proposed a three-tiered strategy for urban high-quality development. At the micro level, priorities should include advancing core technologies, cultivating talent, upgrading infrastructure, stimulating consumer spending and empowering industry leaders.
    For industries, Jia recommended optimizing structures, fostering new quality productive forces and enhancing global supply chain competitiveness. At the city level, efforts should focus on establishing incentive mechanisms, accelerating digital transformation, improving workforce skills and aligning development with green and intelligent trends.
    The symposium featured an invited address by Yu Bin, a national committee member of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and director of the Technical Economics Research Center at Tsinghua University. Other keynote speakers included Fan Ying, dean of the School of Economics and Management at Beihang University, and Pan Chong, dean of the School of Aeronautics and Astronautics at Beihang University. 
    Roundtable discussions at the symposium explored topics including artificial intelligence applications, green new productive forces and environmental, social and governance (ESG) solutions. Scholars proposed integrated technical and managerial strategies for these areas.
    Since 2019, the Beijing High-Quality Development Report has provided an annual assessment of Beijing’s progress across various dimensions. This year’s edition, co-organized by the Beijing Academy of Science and Technology and Beihang University, provides a comprehensive benchmark for national urban development.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Losing pounds goes viral amid China’s wellness wave

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    Weight control in China was once a solitary battle. Now, the government is offering a helping hand.
    At a recent news conference, Lei Haichao, head of the National Health Commission (NHC), announced plans to establish more weight management clinics at medical and health facilities, helping people shed pounds safely and pivot to healthier lifestyles.
    The announcement, made on the sidelines of the annual gathering of national lawmakers in Beijing — where the year’s priorities and goals are set — quickly caught fire online. Social media platforms like Weibo and rednote buzzed with reactions to the news.
    The 2025 government work report, green-lit by lawmakers on March 11, reaffirmed China’s commitment to a health-first strategy in its medical and health system — a clear departure from the traditional emphasis on disease treatment.
    The public didn’t hold back on the fun. A cheeky hashtag, “The country’s calling you to drop those pounds,” took off, along with a flood of witty cartoons from netizens that lit up the internet.
    Wang Youfa, head of the Global Health Institute at Xi’an Jiaotong University, saw this as a sign of growing public awareness about the toll of obesity.
    “It mirrors an alignment of scientific research, government action, and public engagement,” he said, noting this synergy indicates a vibrant wellness boom unfolding across the country.
    For a nation that had long struggled to feed its vast population, obesity barely registered until the late 1970s, when reform and opening-up ignited an economic boom, as well as a swelling national appetite.
    Today, with more than 1.4 billion people, China faces a growing obesity challenge. The NHC reported that over half of adults are overweight or obese. It warned that if left unchecked, the rate could climb to 70.5 percent by 2030.
    An estimate once projected that the economic burden attributed to overweight and obesity would account for 21.5 percent of the country’s total medical expenses by that time.
    In response, authorities launched a nationwide campaign in June 2024 to foster a supportive environment for weight control within three years. Obesity clinics are a key component of these efforts.

    Participants compete during the 2025 Chongqing Marathon in southwest China’s Chongqing Municipality, March 2, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Professional aid
    Weighing 100 kilograms, a Beijing resident surnamed Chen became one of the first to benefit from the new weight management clinic at Peking Union Medical College Hospital.
    On Wednesday, the 104-year-old institution unveiled its joint clinic, staffed by experts in clinical nutrition, endocrinology, and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM).
    Greeted by clinical nutrition specialist Chen Wei, Chen learned she faced not only obesity but also diabetes and high blood pressure. Chen Wei brought in endocrinology and TCM specialists, and the trio crafted a treatment plan blending TCM medications, acupuncture and Metformin, along with a personalized health management strategy.
    Highlighting the prominence of traditional medicine in this approach, Wang said that practices such as acupuncture, massage, Qigong and medicinal diets have given China a distinct edge in tackling obesity.
    At Suzhou Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine in east China’s Jiangsu Province, physician Jiang Yawen has already treated over 100 patients with acupuncture for obesity just two weeks into March.
    From the perspective of TCM, obesity is linked to the functioning of the liver, spleen and kidneys, said Jiang. Acupuncture can help by enhancing the function of these organs, curbing appetite, and improving nutrient absorption in the stomach and intestines, she added.
    Jiang has even taken these techniques abroad. As part of a Chinese medical team sent to Malta from 2020 to 2021, she brought her therapy to the Mediterranean country, where it helped relieve locals of obesity and was warmly embraced.
    While weight control clinics offer professional services, they carry the risk of over-treatment and unintended health or financial consequences, Wang cautioned. “We need to put in place relevant research, assessment, oversight and regulation.”

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    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: How China is lifting consumer spending to boost its growth

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Vowing to make domestic demand “the main engine and anchor of economic growth”, China’s policymakers have sent fresh and firm signals on empowering the vast number of consumers to spend, countering skepticism about the country’s shift toward a consumption-driven economy.

    China will “place a stronger economic policy focus on improving living standards and boosting consumer spending”, according to this year’s Government Work Report submitted on March 5 to the National People’s Congress, the national legislature, for deliberation.

    Boosting consumption is hardly a fresh concept in the Chinese policy toolbox, and consumer spending has played an increasingly vital role in China’s economy. In 2024, final consumption contributed 44.5 percent to China’s economic growth, surpassing investment and exports, and drove GDP up by 2.2 percentage points.

    This year, however, the push has been particularly important as China’s economy contends with rising trade protectionism and global headwinds, while the domestic shift from traditional growth drivers, such as real estate, to new and more sustainable ones poses new challenges.

    “Expanding domestic demand through stimulating consumption can effectively counter external uncertainties, and it stabilizes short-term growth while aiding structural shifts over time,” said Yang Decai, a national political advisor and economics professor at Nanjing University, during the annual meetings of China’s top legislature and political advisory body, known as the two sessions.

    To support this pivotal transition, the Government Work Report unveiled stronger supportive measures, including issuing ultra-long special treasury bonds of 300 billion yuan ($41.3 billion) to back the consumer goods trade-in program, doubling the scale from last year.

    The trade-in program, launched a year ago, has played a vital role in revitalizing consumer markets. In 2024, it led to sales exceeding 1.3 trillion yuan, including over 6.8 million vehicles, 56 million home appliances and 1.38 million e-bikes. More items have been added to the list of subsidized products this year.

    “The trade-in program is more than just an economic policy,” Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao told a news conference on the sidelines of the third session of the 14th NPC on March 6, noting that it has fostered new development engines and improved the quality of life for millions of households.

    Wang pointed out that the primary issue constraining goods consumption is the ability and willingness to spend, while the main challenge for services consumption is the lack of high-quality supply.

    To tackle these weaknesses, the Chinese government, in addition to clinching cheaper deals for consumers, aims to lift consumer confidence by bolstering people’s well-being, with a focus on creating jobs, raising incomes and easing their financial burdens.

    More funds and resources will be used to serve the people and meet their needs, according to the Government Work Report.

    Targeting over 12 million new urban jobs this year, the government will provide stronger support for full and higher-quality employment, according to the report. It also pledged to raise the minimum basic old-age benefits for rural and non-working urban residents as well as the basic pension benefits for retirees.

    “Raising farmers’ pension payments may be the most effective way to boost consumption because it will significantly reduce the savings rate and boost consumption for half of China’s population,” said Lu Ting, chief China economist at Nomura, who expects more will be done in this regard in coming years.

    Government spending on education will rise by 6.1 percent this year and that on social security and employment by 5.9 percent, with strong gains also expected in healthcare and housing, Finance Minister Lan Fo’an revealed at the news conference on March 6.

    Chinese policymakers have also tied consumption to lifestyle upgrades, not just spending volume, as the Government Work Report highlighted the need to create new consumption scenarios to accelerate the growth of digital, green, smart, and other new types of consumption.

    It promised to improve the leave system and ensure its implementation to unlock consumption potential in sectors like culture, tourism and sports, which are among the most powerful service consumption engines.

    Meanwhile, new consumption trends, from winter sports boom to silver-haired consumer spending upsurge, are already stoking fresh growth.

    The silver economy, which caters to China’s aging population, could reach 30 trillion yuan by 2035 and create at least 100 million jobs by 2050, according to national political advisor Jin Li, vice-president of Southern University of Science and Technology.

    Sun Guangzhi, head of the provincial culture and tourism department of the ice and snow-rich Jilin province, said the northeastern province sparked over 100 million yuan in direct spending by issuing consumption vouchers in the latest snow season.

    “This demonstrates the combined benefits of policy incentives and local resource strength,” said Sun, a national lawmaker.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Hundreds of livestock breeds have gone extinct – but some Australian farmers are keeping endangered breeds alive

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Catie Gressier, Adjunct Research Fellow in Agriculture and Environment, The University of Western Australia

    Berkshire pigs JWhitwell/Shutterstock

    It took thousands of years to develop the world’s extraordinary range of domesticated farm animals – an estimated 8,800 livestock breeds across 38 farmed species.

    But this diversity is dwindling fast. Advances in selective breeding and artificial insemination have fuelled the global spread of a small number of profitable livestock types. Their popularity has left ever more heritage breeds at risk of extinction.

    Why does this matter? Each breed represents vital genetic diversity for the livestock species on which we rely, known as agrobiodiversity. As the number of breeds shrink, we lose their genetics forever.

    There are bright spots amid the decline. Hundreds of passionate farmers are working hard to keep heritage breeds alive around Australia. As my new book shows, they do it primarily for love.

    Which livestock breeds are disappearing – and why?

    Cattle have experienced the highest number of extinctions, with at least 184 breeds lost globally.

    Of all chicken breeds, one in ten is now extinct, and a further 30% are endangered.

    Sheep are also rapidly losing diversity, with 160 breeds now extinct. The rise of synthetic materials has endangered the remaining breeds producing carpet wool in New Zealand and Australia, including the unique Tasmanian Elliottdale.

    The fleece of Elliotdale sheep has been used to make woollen carpets.
    Sue Curliss, CC BY-NC-ND

    Pigs fare little better. Australia’s 2.5 million pigs are predominantly Large White, Landrace and Duroc crossbreeds, while none of the eight remaining purebred pig breeds in Australia currently has more than 100 sows registered with the Rare Breeds Trust. While not all sows are registered, we know breeds such as Tamworths are at dangerously low numbers.

    How did this happen? Over the past century, the goal of animal husbandry has shifted from breeding hardy, multipurpose animals to increasing performance for economic gain. For livestock, performance means more of what humans value, such as pigs with extra ribs, prolific egg-laying hens and sheep with finer wool.

    Huge sums have been spent on selective breeding and artificial insemination technologies. This, in turn, has made it possible for a small number of profitable livestock types to be farmed globally.

    For instance, when you buy a roast chicken, it will likely be one of just two types of fast-growing broilers (meat chickens), the Ross or the Cobb. Their genetics are developed and trademarked by two multinational agribusinesses who dominate the global broiler market.

    Chicken breed numbers have shrunk too, risking rare breeds such as Transylvanian naked neck cockerel bantams.
    Scott Carter, CC BY-NC-ND

    It’s hard to overstate how big the increases in production have been from reproductive technologies. In the dairy industry, for instance, milk yield per cow has doubled in the past 40 years. These volumes are around six times greater now than a century ago.

    Holsteins, the top dairy breed, have become globally dominant. Almost 1.4 million of Australia’s 1.65 million dairy cows are Holsteins. But as Holstein numbers soar, other breeds dwindle. Many farmers have simply stopped rearing other breeds, leading to many becoming endangered or extinct.

    For Holsteins themselves, this has come with a cost. Selective breeding for high milk volume has meant Holsteins suffer more medical issues such as metabolic diseases and frequent mastitis. They also have reduced fertility and longevity.

    Researchers have found 99% of Holstein bulls produced by artificial insemination in the United States are descended from just two sires. This wide dissemination of limited bloodlines has led to the spread of genetic defects.

    Holstein cows produce much more milk – but there’s a cost.
    VanderWolf Images/Shutterstock

    What is at stake?

    Our food systems face growing threats. Genetic diversity provides a safeguard for livestock species against lethal animal diseases such as H5N1 bird flu and African swine fever.

    If we rely on just a few breeds, we risk a wipe out. The Irish potato famine is a catastrophic example. In the 1800s, Irish farmers took up the “lumper” variety of potatoes to feed a growing population. But when fungal rot struck in the 1840s, it turned most of the crop to mush – and led to mass starvation.

    Some breeds have very useful traits, such as resistance to particular pests and diseases.

    Chickens and other birds die in swathes if infected by Newcastle disease, one of the most serious bird viruses. But breeds such as the hardy Egyptian Fayoumi survive better, while the European Leghorn – whose genetics are used in commercial egg-laying breeds – is highly susceptible.

    Local breeds can also have better resistance to endemic pests. The Indian zebu humped cattle breed, for example, is less prone to tick infestation than crossbreeds.

    Climate change is also making life harder for livestock, and some breeds are better adapted to heat than others.

    For different cultural groups, local heritage breeds also have unique symbolic and culinary value.

    While it’s well-known eating less meat would benefit ecosystems, animal welfare and human health, eating meat remains entrenched in our diets and the economy. Pursuing more sustainable and higher-welfare approaches to livestock production is crucial.

    Some Aussie farmers love heritage breeds

    A cohort of Australian farmers is working hard to conserve dozens of endangered livestock breeds such as Large Black pigs, Shropshire sheep and Belted Galloway cattle.

    A rare Belted Galloway cow with a one week old calf.
    Scott Carter, CC BY-NC-ND

    But these farmers are hampered by our reluctance as consumers to pay more to cover the cost of raising slower-growing breeds in free-range environments. Not only that, but meat processors are increasingly closing their doors to small-scale producers.

    Why persevere? For four years, I’ve conducted ethnographic research with Australia’s heritage breed farmers. I found they were motivated by one of the most powerful conservation tools we have: love.

    Of his endangered English Leicester sheep, one farmer told me:

    I consider them to be family; they have been our family for over 150 years. I talk to them, and the rams in particular talk to me. Sorry if I sound like a silly old man, but you must talk to them. I gave myself a 60th birthday present by commissioning a large portrait of an English Leicester head, which hangs in our kitchen (I do not have a painting of my wife).

    Love doesn’t often feature in agricultural research. But it is an important force. We know from wildlife conservation that humans will act to save what they love. This holds for livestock, too.

    What can you do? If you eat meat or work with wool, seek out rare breeds and join organisations such as the Rare Breeds Trust of Australia and the Australian Food Sovereignty Alliance who back farmers supporting breed diversity.

    Catie Gressier receives funding from the Australian Research Council’s Discovery Project scheme as well as the European Research Council. She is affiliated with the Rare Breeds Trust of Australia and the Australian Food Sovereignty Alliance.

    – ref. Hundreds of livestock breeds have gone extinct – but some Australian farmers are keeping endangered breeds alive – https://theconversation.com/hundreds-of-livestock-breeds-have-gone-extinct-but-some-australian-farmers-are-keeping-endangered-breeds-alive-250393

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Luxon meets Modi: why a ‘good’ NZ-India trade deal is preferable to a ‘perfect’ one

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Chris Ogden, Associate Professor in Global Studies, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau

    Some have said Christopher Luxon’s pledge to get a free trade deal between New Zealand and India over the line in his first term as prime minister was overly optimistic. But not all trade deals are the same, and Luxon may yet get to claim bragging rights.

    Already he is managing expectations, saying a “good” deal will be better than waiting a long time for a “perfect” one. And with formal negotiations confirmed not long after Luxon touched down in New Delhi, we can perhaps expect genuine movement.

    At the same time, India’s negotiating style is notoriously rigid, with its bilateral investment treaty model having proved a stumbling block to deals with many other nations or blocs, including the United Kingdom and European Union.

    New Zealand first held formal negotiations with India over a decade ago. But talks derailed in 2015 over the inclusion of dairy products in any agreement. We can be fairly sure this will be the compromise Luxon’s government is ready to make now.

    One model might be Australia’s Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement, which leaves out dairy, too. And New Zealand was able to sign a free trade deal with China in 2008 that excluded diary, with those restrictions removed in a 2022 upgrade.

    Beyond the economic implications, of course, lie domestic political calculations. Luxon needs a win to counter flatlining poll numbers and speculation about his leadership future. Good news in India offers just that.

    Playing the Indo-Pacific card

    Using diplomatic language that plays up New Zealand being part of the Indo-Pacific region – rather than the traditional Western alliance – will be essential.

    New Zealand – despite its relatively small size – is still a significant regional player, with the Indo-Pacific’s fourth highest GDP per capita.

    In the context of an imminent “Asian Century”, and the region becoming a crucial zone for economic and military power, New Zealand also provides a strategic pathway into the Pacific, where India is becoming increasingly involved.

    All of this will influence Luxon’s keynote address today at the 10th Raisina Dialogue, India’s flagship multilateral conference on global politics and economics. He is the first leader not governing a European country to make such a speech, and is also the chief guest at the dialogue.

    Luxon is already on the record as saying New Zealand and India are “very aligned” on Indo-Pacific security and concerns over Chinese regional influence, with scope for more joint defence exercises. This linkage between security and trade mirrors Wellington’s recent relations with Beijing, which have become increasingly difficult to navigate.

    Solid foundations

    But there is a long way to go. In 2024, India-New Zealand trade was worth a combined NZ$3.14 billion – a fraction of the $208.46 billion generated by trade with China in the same year.

    Nevertheless, Luxon and his ministers have made undeniable progress. His “recalibration of a relationship that has long been neglected” bore fruit in October last year when he met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the ASEAN summit, and the countries announced their intention to take the relationship to “greater heights”.

    The previous Labour government helped set the scene with a succession of high-level diplomatic visits and parliamentary exchanges. In 2023, the Indian government described relations with New Zealand as having “an upward trajectory”.

    And there are clearly good foundations to build on – especially the 292,000 people of Indian ethnicity in New Zealand, who contribute US$10 billion to the New Zealand economy.

    Great expectations

    Trade is ripe for expansion, too. New Zealand primarily exports wool, iron and steel, aluminium, fruits and nuts, wood pulp and recovered paper, and imports Indian pharmaceuticals, machinery, precious metals and stones, textiles, vehicles and clothing.

    There’s potential to grow trade with India in tourism (especially attractive to India’s growing middle class), and collaboration on space technology, renewable energy and agritech.

    There were 8,000 Indian students in New Zealand last year, a number that may well grow given a relative drop in student numbers from China. With the US and UK becoming more hostile to immigration, New Zealand can offer a relatively safe and tolerant alternative.

    In many ways, India is the new China. In 2023, India’s GDP was US$14.54 trillion, making it the world’s fourth largest economy. New Delhi is on the cusp of becoming a great power, and is being courted by all countries, big and small.

    As such, while Luxon has momentum on a trade deal, he is also part of a long queue. Given the relative power imbalance between the two countries, the weight of expectation sits squarely on his shoulders.

    Chris Ogden is a Senior Research Fellow with The Foreign Policy Centre, London.

    – ref. Luxon meets Modi: why a ‘good’ NZ-India trade deal is preferable to a ‘perfect’ one – https://theconversation.com/luxon-meets-modi-why-a-good-nz-india-trade-deal-is-preferable-to-a-perfect-one-252036

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI China: Detectives from another era grab attention

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    When a movie presents tragic history in a comedic way, it goes beyond entertainment to convey profound meaning. Detective Chinatown 1900 is one such cinematic endeavor.

    Set in San Francisco in 1900, the film follows detectives Qin Fu and Ah Gui as they investigate the murder of an American woman in Chinatown. Starring Chow Yun-fat, Wang Baoqiang and Liu Haoran, this fourth installment of the Detective Chinatown franchise premiered during the Spring Festival holiday, quickly capturing public attention.

    Praising the movie for its seamless blend of mystery and humor, Georges Chamchoum, an Emmy Award-winning film director and producer, says that the film effectively employs over-the-top acting and comedic elements to depict the harsh realities of historical racism.

    “I believe the story resonates with a broad audience, including American viewers, as it vividly portrays the racism of that era,” Chamchoum told China Daily at a recent special screening hosted by the Asian World Film Festival in Culver City in the United States.

    Co-directed by Chen Sicheng and Dai Mo, the film explores issues of race, immigration and national identity. Despite the invaluable contribution of Chinese immigrants to the development of the US during the Gold Rush, and the construction of the Pacific Railway, they faced discrimination and were even labeled the “yellow peril”, and the subject of derogatory rumors. The film highlights the rhetoric surrounding the Chinese Exclusion Act and its exploitation by one of the film’s characters, a mayoral candidate named Grant, who attempts to frame Chinese laborers in order to drive them out of the US.

    Although the film treats these serious historical themes with a touch of caricature, its subtext regarding racial discrimination remains “significant”, according to Chamchoum.

    For Chow, the role of Bai Xuanling was a long-awaited opportunity. Speaking to Chinese media, the actor said that he had been offered a similar role in the 1990s when he first arrived in Hollywood seeking opportunities. The late director King Hu had given him the script for The Battle of Ono, a film about Chinese laborers building American railways during the late Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). However, Hu died before the project could be realized.

    Three decades later, Chow finally found his dream role in Detective Chinatown 1900. The film dramatically portrays the real-life injustices suffered by Chinese immigrants through its fictitious plot in which San Francisco elites fabricate a “Chinese Jack the Ripper” to justify dismantling Chinatown.

    One of the most powerful scenes in the film has Chow’s character Bai delivering a passionate courtroom monologue in English. Facing an all-American jury, he exposes the discrimination endured by Chinese immigrants, despite their critical role in the growth of the US. The moment has been widely discussed for its emotional impact and historical significance.

    “I think a lot of Americans didn’t know this history before, but the film brings it back to life and explains it to younger audiences, and I was so proud of those Chinese workers,” Miriam Ajibekova, an audience member, told China Daily.

    Detective Chinatown 1900 is more than just an action-comedy mystery; it is a cultural bridge between China and the US, according to Chamchoum. Chen who studied in Hollywood has successfully merged Chinese and American cultural elements in the Detective Chinatown series through international collaborations. The latest installment features Hollywood actor John Cusack in the role of mayoral candidate Grant.

    The film’s composer, Nathan Wang, a University of Southern California-trained musician born in the US, shared his experiences of working on the film after the special screening. “We recorded the pipa (a four-stringed lute), guzheng (plucked zither), and erhu (a two-stringed fiddle) here in LA and layered them with Western orchestration,” says the composer, who worked with German film composer Hans Zimmer on Kung Fu Panda 3.

    Wang adds that he took pride in writing a score that blends Western orchestral elements with traditional Chinese instruments.

    The film was shot in Shandong province at the Laoling Film Studio in Laoling county-level city, Dezhou, where a replica of 1900s San Francisco Chinatown was built. Covering a 200,000-square-meter area, the set took seven months to complete, adding to the film’s authenticity.

    “The production value is incredible,” Chamchoum says, expressing hope for further collaborations between Chinese and American filmmakers.

    Detective Chinatown 1900 is among the flagship Chinese films released internationally during Spring Festival, China’s most profitable box-office period. The film opened to 460 million yuan ($64 million) on its first day, Jan 29, the first day of Chinese New Year, and grossed 3.4 billion yuan in early March. The three preceding films in the franchise amassed over 8.74 billion yuan before the latest installment.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: US airstrikes target Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    U.S. warplanes launched extensive airstrikes across northern Yemen on Saturday night, targeting multiple Houthi-controlled locations in a large-scale operation. According to Houthi estimates on Sunday, the bombardment resulted in at least 31 deaths and 101 injuries.

    Widespread military campaign

    American fighter jets carried out approximately 40 airstrikes targeting multiple locations across six Houthi-controlled governorates in northern Yemen. The coordinated assault struck sites in the capital Sanaa as well as Dhamar, Al-Bayda, Marib, Hajjah, and Saada provinces, according to the Houthi-affiliated al-Masirah TV.

    In Sanaa, the strikes focused on strategic military installations including the Jabal Attan area housing missile brigade headquarters, the Jarban area in Sanhan district east of the capital, and Al-Jarraf residential neighborhood in the north, which reportedly contains significant Houthi political offices.

    The bombing campaign extended to critical civil infrastructure in Saada province, the Houthi main stronghold in Yemen’s far north, where the U.S. warplanes targeted a key power plant in Dahyan area.

    Additional targets included sites in Marib’s oil-rich Majzar district, areas in central Al-Bayda province, positions in the outskirts of Dhamar province and military sites in Hajjah province.

    The U.S. Central Command publicly announced the large-scale operation against “Iranian-backed Houthi targets” via social media, stating the mission aims to “defend American interests, deter enemies, and restore freedom of navigation.”

    This is the first military operation conducted by the U.S. military against the Houthi sites since U.S. President Donald Trump assumed office in January and redesignated the group as a “foreign terrorist organization.”

    Trump posted on social media Truth Social that the aerial attacks on the “terrorists’ bases, leaders, and missile defenses were to protect American shipping, air and naval assets, and to restore navigational freedom.”

    He also warned the Houthis that if they do not stop their attacks “starting today … hell will rain down upon you like nothing you have ever seen before.”

    Civilian impact & casualties

    The strikes on residential areas, particularly in Sanaa’s Al-Jarraf neighborhood, caused widespread panic among civilians. One resident, speaking under the pseudonym Ahmed Hayani, described the terrifying experience to Xinhua: “I was at home with my children when suddenly we heard a huge explosion and the glass of the house’s windows fell on us, as if an earthquake had struck.”

    He recounted four massive explosions that followed within minutes as missiles struck a building in the neighborhood. Security forces quickly cordoned off streets leading to the targeted structure while ambulances rushed to retrieve victims. The resident noted significant damage to nearby homes and the traumatic night experienced by all neighborhood inhabitants.

    Following Saturday’s night bombardment, witnesses reported that huge explosions continued on early Sunday in Faj Attan, generating powerful shockwaves that affected scores of businesses in neighboring areas and shattering storefront windows. Ambulances were seen rushing to the targeted neighborhoods following the attacks.

    The Houthi-controlled Ministry of Health in Sanaa reported this morning that most casualties were women and children, describing the attacks as “a full-fledged war crime.”

    Houthi response & regional implications

    In response to the U.S. strikes, the Houthi Supreme Political Council — the group’s highest governing authority — vowed a “painful” retaliation, framing the American attacks as support for Israel and warning they would “drag the situation to a more severe and painful level.”

    In a statement, the council said “the aggressors against Yemen will be punished in a professional and painful manner,” while calling on the international community to address what it termed “U.S.-Israeli recklessness.”

    The Houthi leadership also confirmed that its naval operations would continue until the blockade on Gaza is lifted, and humanitarian aid is permitted entry.

    Fatima Asrar, research director at the Washington Center for Yemeni Studies, told Xinhua that the Houthis are unlikely to be deterred by these strikes.

    “The Houthis have a known pattern of escalation, and they will not yield to deterrence,” she explained, predicting the group may target Israel directly “to justify their position of weakness and frame it as support for the Palestinians so that they can garner sympathy.”

    The renewed conflict comes after Israel halted the entry of goods and supplies into Gaza on March 2, coinciding with the end of the first phase of the ceasefire agreement.

    On Tuesday, the Houthi group announced that it would resume launching attacks against any Israeli ship in the Red Sea, Arabian Sea, the Gulf of Aden, and the Bab al-Mandab Strait until the crossings of Gaza Strip are reopened and aid allowed in.

    From November 2023 to Jan. 19, the Houthi group launched dozens of drone and rocket attacks against Israel-linked ships and Israeli cities to show solidarity with Palestinians amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict. The attacks later expanded to include U.S. and British ships after the U.S.-British navy coalition started to intervene, launching air raids and missile strikes against Houthi targets to deter the group.

    The Houthis stopped their attacks on Jan. 19, when the Gaza ceasefire deal took effect.

    The Houthi group has maintained control of Sanaa and most of northern Yemen for more than a decade with strong ties to Iran.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Family Court Judges appointed

    Source: New Zealand Government

    Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of two new Family Court Judges.  

    The new Judges will take up their roles in April and May and fill Family Court vacancies at the Auckland and Manukau courts.

    Annette Gray

    Ms Gray completed her law degree at Victoria University before joining Phillips Fox in 1987. She then moved to Buddle Findlay, where she worked in the family and medical areas, before joining specialist family law practice Jan Clark Law in Porirua in 1994.

    Ms Gray spent a year with Volunteer Service Abroad in Solomon Islands in 1999, returning to Wellington in 2000 and setting up practice as a specialist family lawyer. Since 2007 she has been principal of Buchanan Gray.

    She is a District Inspector under the Mental Health Act and is a member of the panel of legal counsel for Hague Convention cases.

    Judge Gray will sit in Auckland and will be sworn in on 16 April.

    Annette Page

    Ms Page was admitted to the bar in 1997 and commenced her legal career as a junior barrister working with Marie Dyhrberg KC before joining Smith and Partners in Waitākere, practising a broad range of litigation work in the District and High courts. 

    She has been a barrister sole since 2010, practising in all areas of family law.  

    Ms Page has held several roles within the New Zealand Law Society and is presently the Waitākere regional representative of the Family Law Section.

    Judge Page will sit in Manukau and will be sworn in on 1 May.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Safety switch: Date set for Average Speed Camera trial

    Source: New South Wales Premiere

    Published: 16 March 2025

    Released by: Minister for Regional Transport and Roads, Minister for Roads

    Average speed cameras will be switched on to warning mode for light vehicles in two key regional locations from 1 May.

    The trial, a recommendation from the 2024 NSW Road Safety Forum, will see the NSW Government flick the switch on cameras which measure a 15km stretch of the Pacific Highway between Kew and Lake Innes and cameras on the Hume Highway which measure a 16km stretch between Coolac and Gundagai to capture speeding light vehicles.

    These two stretches have been chosen based on several factors, including known crash history. There were a combined total of six fatalities and 33 serious injuries between 2018 and 2022 at these locations.

    In NSW average speed cameras only enforce speeding offences for heavy vehicles, however data shows that in the past five years (2018-2022) almost 80% of all fatalities and serious injuries across all existing 31 average speed camera lengths in NSW did not involve a heavy vehicle.

    NSW is unique in that it’s the only place known to use these cameras for just a subset of vehicles. Most other Australian jurisdictions either use Average Speed Cameras for all vehicles or plan to do so in the future. Studies from around the world have shown that average speed enforcement for all vehicles leads to significant reductions in crash-related injuries and fatalities.

    The trial will have a two-month warning letter period for light vehicle drivers caught speeding on both lengths of road before it is switched to full enforcement mode. From 1 July, those detected speeding will face fines and demerit point penalties. Existing enforcement of heavy vehicle offences at these sites will be unaffected by the trial.

    A comprehensive communications campaign will begin to roll out before the warning letter period to help alert motorists to the trial.

    Road signs will notify all drivers that their speed is being monitored by the cameras on the trial stretches, giving them the opportunity to adjust their speed as needed.

    The average speed camera trial builds on other road safety initiatives introduced by the Minns Labor Government, including:

    • seatbelt enforcement by the existing mobile phone camera detection network
    • removing a loophole to force all motorists driving on a foreign licence to convert to a NSW licence within six months
    • the demerit return trial that rewarded more than 1 million drivers for maintaining a demerit-offence-free driving record during the second year of the trial
    • doubling roadside enforcement sites used for mobile speed cameras, with the addition of 2,700 new locations where a camera can be deployed. Enforcement hours will remain the same
    • hosting the state’s first Road Safety Forum with international and local experts
    • signed National Road Safety Data Agreement with the Commonwealth

    Minister for Roads, John Graham said:

    “We know that speed remains our biggest killer on the road, contributing to 41 per cent of all fatalities over the past decade.

    “Studies from around the world show that using average speed enforcement cameras for all vehicles reduces the road toll, and road trauma.

    “We know the trial will be a change for motorists in New South Wales, so it will be supported by community and stakeholder communications. All average speed camera locations have warning signs installed.

    Minister for Regional Transport and Roads, Jenny Aitchison said:

    “Regional NSW is home to a third of the population but is where two-thirds of all road deaths happen.

    “With the majority of road trauma occurring in our regions we have chosen two regional locations to test the impact these cameras could have on road safety for all road users.

    “I know this trial will be a change, particularly for regional people who travel through the areas where these two camera lengths are in place, which is why we are committed to ensuring that the community is aware of what we are doing.

    “We will have a communications strategy in place including the use of print, radio and social media as well as variable messaging signs and mobile billboards to help communicate the trial details to drivers and riders.

    “We will also have clear warning signs installed before the enforcement sites, but most importantly we will have a 60 day warning period in place so that people have an opportunity to adjust their driving behaviour before they receive a penalty.”

    Background

    • Enforcement of average speed is generally considered a fair form of enforcement as drivers demonstrate intentional and consistent speeding behaviour over a long length of road and/or time, not only at a single point.
    • Research conducted in New South Wales in 2024 found that 68 per cent of respondents thought that average speed cameras were important in making New South Wales roads safer.
    • A 2015 study in Norway found that average speed cameras cut deaths and serious injuries by 49%. Similarly, a 2016 study in the United Kingdom showed a 36% reduction in fatal and serious injury crashes with the use of average speed cameras.
    • Average speed cameras in NSW have cut fatalities and serious injuries from crashes involving heavy vehicles. There was a reduction on fatalities and serious injuries from crashes involving heavy vehicles at average speed camera locations of about 50%, when data from the five years before they were installed is compared to the five years after installation.
    • The Road Transport Act 2013 (the Act) was amended in October 2024 so that average speed cameras can enforce speeding by all vehicle types.
    • The trial will run for 14 months in total. (2 months in warning mode, 12 months in enforcement)
    • Warning mode will begin on 1 May, enforcement mode will begin on 1 July.
    • The NSW Government will report back to Parliament on the outcomes of the trial in 2026, consistent with legislative changes made in late 2024.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: New requirements for Child Care Subsidy providers from 1 April

    Source: Australian Department of Revenue

    All new Child Care Subsidy (CCS) provider approval applicants will need to supply a statement of tax record (STR) to the Australian Government Department of EducationExternal Link. Some existing providers may also be asked to provide an STR. The Department of Education will notify those existing providers who will require an STR.

    The STR demonstrates your satisfactory engagement with the tax system and is required when applying to administer CCS.

    To apply for an STR, use our online services. After you submit your application, you’ll get a receipt and your STR within 4 business days.

    Important tips:

    1. Check your registration: Make sure you have an Australian business number (ABN), tax file number (TFN) and goods and service tax (GST) registration if your income is above the relevant limits.
    2. Review your tax lodgements: Ensure you’ve submitted at least 90% of your income tax returns, business activity statements (BAS), and fringe benefits tax (FBT) due in the past 4 years (or since your tax record started, if less than 4 years).
    3. Address outstanding debts: If you owe $10,000 or more (not including disputed debts), either pay them off or set up a payment plan.

    Taking these steps will help you resolve any tax issues with us before applying for your STR.

    Keep up to date

    We have tailored communication channels for medium, large and multinational businesses, to keep you up to date with updates and changes you need to know.

    Read more articles in our online Business bulletins newsroom.

    Subscribe to our free:

    • fortnightly Business bulletins email newsletterExternal Link
    • email notifications about new and updated information on our website – you can choose to receive updates relevant to your situation. Choose the ‘Business and organisations’ category to ensure your subscription includes notifications for more Business bulletins newsroom articles like this one.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Gains for Labor as they lead in three of last five polls

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne

    A national Freshwater poll for The Financial Review, conducted March 13–15 from a sample of 1,051, gave the Coalition a 51–49 lead by respondent preferences, a one-point gain for Labor since the late February Freshwater poll.

    Primary votes were 39% Coalition (down two), 31% Labor (steady), 14% Greens (up one) and 16% for all Others (up one). By 2022 election preference flows, this would be about a 50–50 tie.

    Anthony Albanese’s net approval improved one point to -10, while Peter Dutton’s slid four points to -12. In the last two months, Albanese is up eight and Dutton down eight. It’s the first time since May 2024 that Albanese has had a better net approval than Dutton in this poll.

    Albanese led Dutton by 45.9–42.5 as preferred PM, his best lead in this poll since last September. By 42–40, respondents thought Dutton better suited to negotiate with US President Donald Trump than Albanese (47–36 in November).

    The Coalition leads on important issues, but Labor has gained seven points on economic management and three points on cost of living since February.

    There has been improvement for Labor across a range of polls in the last few weeks, and the graph below has Labor leads in three of the last five national polls (two YouGovs and a Morgan), with the Coalition still ahead in Newspoll and Freshwater.

    In analyst Kevin Bonham’s aggregate, Labor now leads by 50.5–49.5 using 2022 election flows, while it’s a 50–50 tie adjusting for a likely pro-Coalition shift in One Nation preferences.

    Last Wednesday Trump imposed 25% tariffs on steel and aluminium imports into the US, including on Australia. I believe this will assist Labor as the tariff imposition will appear unjustified to most Australians, and the Coalition is the more pro-Trump party. If the stock market continues to fall, this will undermine support for Trump’s economic agenda.

    Trump has been threatening Canada with tariffs for much longer than Australia, and the centre-left governing Liberals have surged back in the polls to a near-tie with the Conservatives from over 20 points behind, and have taken the lead since Mark Carney’s March 9 election as Liberal leader.

    Labor retains lead in YouGov

    A national YouGov poll, conducted March 7–13 from a sample of 1,526, gave Labor a 51–49 lead, unchanged from the February 28 to March 6 YouGov poll. YouGov is conducting weekly polls, and the previous poll was the first Labor lead in YouGov since July 2024.

    Primary votes were 36% Coalition (steady), 31% Labor (steady), 13.5% Greens (up 0.5), 7.5% One Nation (up 0.5), 1% Trumpet of Patriots (steady), 9% independents (down one) and 2% others (steady). YouGov is using weaker preference flows for Labor than occurred in 2022, and by 2022 flows Labor would have a lead above 52–48.

    Albanese’s net approval improved three points to -6, with 49% dissatisfied and 43% satisfied, while Dutton’s net approval slid two points to -6. Albanese led Dutton as better PM by an unchanged 45–39.

    Since the first weekly YouGov poll in late February, Albanese has gained six points on net approval while Dutton has slid four points. This is the first time Dutton has not had a better net approval than Albanese in YouGov since March 2024.

    On the ongoing conflict caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, 69% of Australians thought we should stand with Ukraine President Zelensky, while 31% wanted us to stand with Trump.

    Labor regains lead in Morgan poll

    A national Morgan poll, conducted March 3–9 from a sample of 1,719, gave Labor a 51.5–48.5 lead by headline respondent preferences, a two-point gain for Labor since the February 24 to March 2 poll. This is Labor’s second lead in the last three Morgan polls, after they had trailed in this poll since November.

    Primary votes were 37% Coalition (down three), 30% Labor (up 1.5), 13.5% Greens (steady), 5% One Nation (up one), 10.5% independents (steady) and 4% others (up 0.5). By 2022 election flows, Labor led by 52–48, a two-point gain for Labor.

    By 51.5–33, respondents said the country was going in the wrong direction (52–31.5 previously). Morgan’s consumer confidence index was down 0.8 points to 86.9.

    Poll of teal-held seats has the teals struggling

    Freshwater took a poll for the News Corporation tabloids of six seats held by teal independents. These are Curtin in WA, Goldstein and Kooyong in Victoria and Mackellar, Warringah and Wentworth in NSW. The poll was conducted March 5–7 from an overall sample of 830.

    Across the six seats polled, the Liberals had a 51–49 lead, representing a 5% swing to the Liberals since the 2022 election. On these figures, the Liberals would gain four of these teal seats (Curtin, Goldstein, Kooyong and Mackellar).

    Primary votes were 41% Liberals (up two since 2022), 33% teals (steady), 7% Labor (down six), 7% Greens (down two) and 12% others (up six). Albanese and Dutton were tied at 39–39 on better PM. By 47–42, respondents opposed their local MP backing an Albanese Labor minority government.

    The YouGov MRP poll that was conducted between late January and mid-February from a sample of over 40,000 had all the teals holding their seats. At the March 8 Western Australian election, swings to the Liberals were lowest in affluent Perth seats.

    WA election late counting

    With 70% of enrolled voters counted for the WA election, the ABC is calling 43 of the 59 lower house seats for Labor, six for the Liberals, four for the Nationals and six seats remain undecided. The Poll Bludger has Labor ahead in 47 seats, with the Liberals and Nationals ahead in six seats each.

    On election night, it had appeared likely that an independent would win Labor-held Fremantle. However, the independent has performed badly on absent and postal votes, and Labor will retain.

    In the upper house, all 37 seats are elected by statewide proportional representation with preferences, and a quota for election is just 2.63%. With 63% of enrolled counted, Labor has 15.8 quotas, the Liberals 10.5, the Greens 4.1, the Nationals 2.1, One Nation 1.35, Legalise Cannabis and the Australian Christians 1.0 each, an independent group 0.48 and Animal Justice 0.43.

    On current figures, Labor will win 16 seats, the Liberals ten, the Greens four, the Nationals two, One Nation, Legalise Cannabis and the Christians one each and two seats are unclear (Liberals, independent group and Animal Justice contesting). Counting of absents in the lower house has hurt the Liberals, so their vote is likely to drop further. Labor and the Greens will have a combined upper house majority.

    Liberals hold Port Macquarie at NSW byelection

    A byelection occurred on Saturday in the New South Wales Liberal-held state seat of Port Macquarie. Labor did not contest after finishing third behind the Nationals and Liberals at the 2023 NSW election with 19.2%.

    With 59% of enrolled counted, The Poll Bludger is projecting that the Liberals will defeat the Nationals by 52.8–47.2, a 7.9% swing to the Nationals since 2023. Current primary votes are 34.2% Liberals (down 4.1%), 31.2% Nationals (up 5.5%), 12.8% for an independent (new), 10.7% Greens (up 3.7%) and 7.9% Legalise Cannabis (up 3.4%).

    Adrian Beaumont 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. Gains for Labor as they lead in three of last five polls – https://theconversation.com/gains-for-labor-as-they-lead-in-three-of-last-five-polls-252016

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Universities – Fiordland’s marine habitats surveyed to develop first complete picture of biodiversity – Vic

    Source: Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington

     

    Scientists have long known Fiordland’s marine habitats are home to a diverse range of species, from bright orange cup corals to huge black corals. A project to survey and catalogue these habitats is now underway to help support evidence-based management of this unique environment. 

     

    Researchers from Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington have been working with Environment Southland to develop the first comprehensive classification of the different habitats in the Fiordland (Te Moana o Atawhenua) Marine Area. This area includes 14 fiords and 10 marine reserves.

     

    “The aim of this project is to describe the distribution of different marine communities throughout Fiordland so, in the future, we can precisely map where they occur,” said Professor James Bell, a marine biologist at Te Herenga Waka.

     

    The research team has already spent several weeks diving on rocky reefs and soft sediments on the seafloor in Fiordland’s Te Puaitaha—Breaksea and Tamatea—Dusky Sounds to collect data on the marine communities that live in these areas.

     

    “Many locations we surveyed had a high diversity of species, while others had very different and very low diversity. At one site near Entry Island in Te Puaitaha—Breaksea, we found diverse communities of ascidians, bryozoans, and sponges living on rocky reefs. In contrast, neighbouring soft sediment areas of the seafloor had comparatively few species. It’s important to capture these extremes,” said Professor Bell.

     

    The researchers dived to depths of about 30 metres, taking high resolution videos in Breaksea and Dusky Sounds. Analysis of this footage was used to classify the different communities found.

     

    “Understanding which species are present is important, but we also need to know where they’re located. This project will eventually enable comprehensive maps of the different habitats across Fiordland and the wider Southland coast. This information can then be used to support management decisions.”

     

    Professor Bell said further research was being undertaken to collect data from more locations in Breaksea and Dusky Sounds, and from deeper areas in the fiords.

     

    “Eventually, we hope to have a complete picture of the different habitats in the entire Fiordland (Te Moana o Atawhenua) Marine Area.”

     

    The research was funded by Environment Southland.  

     

    Ash Rabel, Environment Southland’s team leader—aquatic ecosystems, said cataloguing the communities and their composition in this way provides a strong foundation for future scientific endeavour and supports evidence-based management of these ecosystems.

     

    “By undertaking this work with Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington, we’re able to tap into world-class expertise and knowledge the team holds of the underwater realm,” he said.

     

    Reports resulting from the research are available on Environment Southland’s website. The research is part of wider work to understand Fiordland’s ocean floor ecosystems as well as the rest of Murihiku Southland’s coastal marine area.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Strengthening education ties across the Pacific

    Source: New Zealand Government

    Universities Minister Dr Shane Reti will travel to Port Moresby this week to attend the Conference of Pacific Education Ministers alongside representatives from Pacific nations and Australia, to collaborate on shared education priorities. 

    The theme of the conference, Transforming Edukesen for a Better Pacific, reflects the need for the region to adapt and embrace innovative approaches in response to global educational changes. 

    This transformation aims to enhance growth and create a more effective, equitable and sustainable education system. It will impact everything from individual classrooms to national education frameworks.

    “The Pacific is critically important to New Zealand given our shared social, language, cultural, and historical links,” says Dr Reti. 

    “This conference is an opportunity to reaffirm New Zealand’s commitment as a Pacific nation to working together in addressing shared education challenges.

    “This engagement is of particular significance to New Zealand, given we are celebrating 50 years of independence and diplomatic relations with Papua New Guinea.

    “New Zealand enjoys a positive and longstanding relationship with the Pacific education community. Our investments across the region support the educational aspirations of our Pacific whanau. 

    “I am therefore pleased to announce New Zealand’s investment of $1.5 million over three years from our International Development Cooperation programme in the UNESCO Global Education Monitoring Report. 

    “This investment will support education leaders, Ministers, officials, teachers, and communities to better understand global challenges in education and use this information to bolster local education policy and planning, including in New Zealand,” Dr Reti says.

    While in Papua New Guinea, Dr Reti will meet with education counterparts and experts from across the region to further strengthen relationships and collaborate on shared educational goals. He will also provide a statement on the recent Second Pacific Education Development Partners Coordination Meeting hosted in Wellington. 

    Dr Reti will host an event with recipients and alumni of the Manaaki New Zealand Scholarships Programme, which provides a range of tertiary and short-term scholarships across the Pacific.

    Dr Reti departs New Zealand on Tuesday 18 March and returns on Thursday 20 March 2025. 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: There’s plenty of pork on Chinese forks, but the environment is paying a heavy price

    Source: University of South Australia

    17 March 2025

    Pork accounts for at least 60% of all meat eaten in China, but its popularity exacts a heavy toll on the environment that has proven tricky to resolve until now.

    A new study by Chinese and Australian researchers has identified a sustainable solution to mitigating excessive amounts of copper found in the 3.8 billion tons of pig manure turned into organic fertiliser to increase crop yields.

    Although an essential nutrient in small doses, high concentrations of copper – added to pig feed to promote growth – is toxic to plants, soil, water and humans.

    Researchers from China’s Fujian Normal University and the University of South Australia have demonstrated that adding green-synthesised iron nanoparticles (G-nFe) to pig manure neutralises the amount of bioavailable copper in piggery effluent, reducing the environmental risks.

    China has regulations limiting the amount of copper allowed in pig feed, but the scale of livestock farming keeps increasing to feed a population of 1.4 billion people, making it difficult to control the huge amount of manure and sewage released into the environment.

    Experiments undertaken by researchers showed that adding G-nFe to pig manure compost reduced exchangeable cooper by 66.8%, carbonate-bound copper by 47.5%, and iron-manganese oxide-bound copper by 15.4%.

    “This process was able to convert free copper into a less bioavailable form, reducing the potential for uptake by plants,” according to UniSA environmental chemist, Associate Professor Gary Owens, who was part of the study.

    Residual copper levels initially increased by a third in the first five days before declining by over 60.9% over the full composting period.

    The study findings have recently been published in the journal Science of the Total Environment.

    China processes approximately 628 million pigs annually, making it the world’s largest pork producer.

    Nearly half of the 3.8 billion tons of the resulting pig manure is inadequately treated, researchers say, and the heavy metal and organic pollutants are causing widespread environmental contamination.

    While pig manure has traditionally been valued s an inexpensive organic fertiliser for Chinese farmers, it is increasingly posing a serious problem due to the heavy metal contamination, posing a challenge for both government and researchers seeking economically viable solutions.

    Green synthesised iron nanoparticles have been widely used to remediate water and soil contamination due to its cost-effectiveness, low toxicity, and strong absorption rates.

    However, this is the first study to explore its use in organic compost to remediate heavy metal pollution.

    “This research presents a significant step forward in addressing heavy metal contamination in agricultural waste,” according to Assoc Prof Owens.

    “By using green-synthesised iron nanoparticles, we can not only improve the safety of composted pig manure, but also contribute to more sustainable farming practices.”

    The researchers plan to test G-nFe’s efficiency in larger composting systems using fresh pig manure, hoping to encourage stakeholders in the livestock and composting sectors to adopt the process.

    A video explaining the research is available at https://youtu.be/CoEz82qlSq8

    Notes for editors

    “Enhanced Copper Passivation in Pig Manure Composting through Iron Nanoparticle Amendment” is authored by researchers from Fujian Polytechnic Normal University, Fujian Key Laboratory of Pollution Control & Resource Reuse, and the University of South Australia. DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.177950

    The University of South Australia and the University of Adelaide are joining forces to become Australia’s new major university – Adelaide University. Building on the strengths, legacies and resources of two leading universities, Adelaide University will deliver globally relevant research at scale, innovative, industry-informed teaching and an outstanding student experience. Adelaide University will open its doors in January 2026. Find out more on the Adelaide University website.

    …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

    Media contact: Candy Gibson M: +61 434 605 142 E: candy.gibson@unisa.edu.au
    Researcher contact: Associate Professor Gary Owens E: gary.owens@unisa.edu.au

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Education delegation departs for Europe & UK

    Source: New Zealand Government

    Education Minister Erica Stanford is leading a New Zealand delegation to Iceland to participate in the 2025 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP). 

    “The summit will be attended by Education Ministers, union leaders, and teacher leaders from high performing OECD countries. It provides an excellent opportunity for sharing best practice and gaining an international perspective on common challenges,” Ms Stanford says.

    The New Zealand delegation includes representatives from the Ministry of Education, the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa. 

    This year’s summit theme is ‘Quality Education: The Key to Prosperity and Well-being’. The discussion topics include building a foundation for equitable and inclusive education, supporting educators to foster equity and wellbeing, and the educator’s role in child-centred education systems.

    “Everything we’re doing is aimed at lifting achievement and closing the equity gap so all Kiwi kids can succeed. I look forward to continuing to share our education journey with my ministerial counterparts and strengthening New Zealand’s education ties with the world,” Ms Stanford says.

    Minister Stanford will also travel to the United Kingdom, Sweden and Germany.

    While in the UK, she will meet with the Secretary of State for Education, Department for Education officials, the Office for Standards in Education, and the Education Endowment Foundation. She will also visit local schools and have meetings with Oxford University Press and the Cambridge Assessment.

    In Stockholm, Sweden, Minister Stanford will give a keynote speech and participate in the 2025 Knowledge Rich Curriculum Forum. In Hamburg, Germany, Minister Stanford will participate in a German New Zealand Chamber of Commerce networking event to promote overseas investment in New Zealand. 

    Minister Stanford travelled to the UK and Europe on 16 March and returns to New Zealand on 29 March. 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Chinese only introduced a feminine pronoun in the 1920s. Now, it might adopt a gender-inclusive one

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Janet Davey, PhD Candidate, Australian Centre on China in the World, Australian National University

    Andra C Taylor Jr/Unsplash

    Including pronouns in introductions, your email signature or your social media bio may seem like a minor detail. Pronouns are just small words we use in place of names all the time. But, like names, pronouns have personal significance. They say something about who we are.

    Trans, nonbinary and gender-diverse people face many issues more pressing than pronouns, including health and educational disparities and disproportionately higher rates of abuse, violence and discrimination. Getting pronouns right is a simple thing everyone can do to show respect.

    Linguistic shifts towards gender inclusivity are occurring worldwide, and the use of gender-neutral or inclusive pronouns is not a new nor exclusively Western phenomenon.

    Chinese, one of the world’s oldest languages and spoken by more than one billion people, illustrates how languages adapt to reflect shifting understanding of gender. Its pronoun system may be on the cusp of significant change.

    Developing pronouns

    In my newly published research, I’ve explored what is happening with Chinese third-person pronouns.

    The modern Chinese pronoun system is fascinating for two reasons.

    First, gendered pronouns have only been part of the Chinese language for 100 years: the feminine pronoun 她 (she) was only adopted in the 1920s.

    Second, although there are now distinct Chinese characters for “he”, 他, and “she”, 她, these are both pronounced tā in Mandarin. You can have a whole conversation about someone without revealing their gender.

    The lack of gender-distinct pronouns in spoken Mandarin has prompted calls for written Chinese to follow suit. Queer Chinese speakers have proposed several gender-inclusive pronouns that would be pronounced tā, just like 他 (he) and 她 (she).

    Queer Chinese speakers have proposed several gender-inclusive pronouns.
    Mogome01/Shutterstock

    These include the romanised form “TA” and new Chinese characters 「⿰无也」 and 「⿰㐅也」. These new characters might look strange: they are written like this to clarify that they should be read as one Chinese character. Currently, they take up the space of two Chinese characters because they are not yet in Unicode and cannot be typed properly.

    Other people hope to see the now-masculine 他 regain its original function as an ungendered pronoun.

    What pronouns do queer Chinese speakers use?

    To understand how Chinese pronouns are changing, I surveyed more than 100 queer Chinese speakers across 12 countries. I asked survey respondents, a third of whom were nonbinary or otherwise gender-diverse, about their pronoun preferences and perceptions. I also analysed how pronouns are used in a large database of contemporary Chinese texts.

    My research found gender-inclusive pronouns accounted for about a quarter of first-choice pronouns, and nearly half of all pronouns used by survey respondents. TA was overwhelmingly preferred by gender-diverse individuals (70%), with the English “they” (20%) the next most popular option.

    While cisgender and transgender men almost exclusively used masculine pronouns, cis and trans women showed significant openness to using gender-inclusive pronouns alongside feminine ones. After 她 (she), TA was the second most common pronoun for women (40%) and second most common overall (17%).

    Notably, 他 (he) was not used by any women or gender-diverse people, except one who considered it gender-neutral. This suggests reviving its original ungendered usage may be difficult.

    Survey participants were overwhelmingly positive about TA.
    Chay_Tee/Shutterstock

    TA emerged as the most recognised gender-inclusive pronoun, with nearly all respondents (97%) familiar with it regardless of their age, gender, region or language background. In contrast, fewer than 8% had encountered the new character-based pronouns 「⿰无也」 or「⿰㐅也」 and no one reported using them.

    What makes TA so popular?

    Survey participants were overwhelmingly positive about TA, with 63% expressing favourable views. As one respondent explained:

    The look and feel is good, it suits people’s everyday pronunciation habits, and doesn’t create issues with having to specify someone’s gender.

    TA functions similarly to English singular “they”. It works in two ways: as a gender-neutral pronoun when gender is unknown (like saying “someone left their umbrella”), and as a gender-inclusive pronoun specifically including gender-diverse people.

    Many survey respondents called TA “respectful” and “inclusive” but also simply “convenient”.

    However, some respondents were concerned TA is “untraditional” and “pollutes the Chinese language”.

    Practical considerations for using emerging Chinese pronouns also extend to the technical challenges of typing new Chinese characters. Before a new character can be typed on computers or phones, it needs to be officially encoded in Unicode, the global standard for digital text.

    My research shows this requirement is strongly influencing which emerging Chinese pronouns can gain traction.

    While some survey respondents hoped to see a gender-inclusive Chinese character adopted, they weren’t optimistic about 「⿰无也」or 「⿰㐅也」 becoming mainstream.

    As one noted:

    「⿰无也」is good, but it’s hard to type and it takes a long time to explain.

    User-friendly and easily understandable

    TA is currently the most popular emerging Chinese gender-inclusive pronoun, crucially because it mimics how people use tā in spoken Mandarin.

    It is already part of people’s vocabulary, and already used (at least as a gender-neutral pronoun) by mainstream Chinese media and on online platforms.

    This 2023 TEDxSuzhouWomen talk is titled ‘We are all gender misfits’ (你我ta都是”性别酷儿)

    Unlike other recently proposed pronouns, TA is versatile, user-friendly and easily understandable for queer and non-queer Chinese speakers alike. This makes TA a strong contender for widespread adoption into contemporary Chinese.

    Like the introduction of a Chinese feminine pronoun 她 (she) in the 1920s, the emergence of TA as a gender-inclusive pronoun in the 2020s is about recognising a wider spectrum of identities.

    Pronouns are not a political statement, just a personal statement. When you use someone’s correct pronouns, you’re saying, “I see you, and I respect who you are”. That’s something worth talking about, in any language.

    Janet Davey is supported by an Australian Government Research Training Program (RTP) Scholarship.

    – ref. Chinese only introduced a feminine pronoun in the 1920s. Now, it might adopt a gender-inclusive one – https://theconversation.com/chinese-only-introduced-a-feminine-pronoun-in-the-1920s-now-it-might-adopt-a-gender-inclusive-one-221013

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Whatever happens to Star, the age of unfettered gambling revenue for casinos may have ended

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Charles Livingstone, Associate Professor, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University

    Casino operator Star Entertainment has been under financial pressure for some time. The company’s share price has tanked, and the business, with its three casino properties, has been bleeding money.

    Last year’s opening of a new riverside casino in Queen’s Wharf, Brisbane, was seen as a way to revitalise the business. But Star has swung from one lifeline to another.

    Just as it was set to run out of cash on Friday March 7, Star announced a last-minute rescue package. This centred on selling its 50% stake in the Queens Wharf casino to Hong-Kong-based joint venture partners for $53 million.

    Star has also started documentation for a $250 million bridging loan but still needs to finalise a proposal for long-term refinancing.

    All of this remains subject to details being finalised, and regulatory approvals. An alternative $250 million takeover offer from US casino operator Bally’s currently isn’t Star’s preference because it is considered too low.

    But Star is far from out of the woods yet. Whatever happens to it and its casino assets, there are bigger questions about whether the age of unfettered gambling revenue for casinos may have already ended.

    Elsewhere, gambling is booming

    If Australian casinos are struggling, it’s not because punters are giving up gambling. Whereas most of the gambling market recovered rapidly after the end of pandemic restrictions, casinos floundered.

    Between 2018–19 and 2022–23, before and after pandemic restrictions were in place, total Australian gambling expenditure (in other words, gamblers’ losses) grew by 6.8% in real terms (adjusted for inflation).

    Real wagering losses grew by 45%. This segment has clearly emerged as the second-biggest gambling market in the country, with gambling expenditure of $8.4 billion.

    But over the same period, expenditure at casinos declined by more than 35% nationally, and by 42% in New South Wales.



    Read more:
    The rate of sports betting has surged more than 57% – and younger people are betting more

    Do casinos have a viable business model?

    Both Star and Australia’s other major casino operator, Crown, have emerged from a range of high-profile scandals in recent years.

    Media reporting, inquiries, and royal commissions into Crown, and then Star, give some insight into how the casino business used to be run in Australia.

    Star’s (and Crown’s) business model appears to have previously relied on two major revenue streams: benefiting from the proceeds of crime (by operating as a cash laundry for organised criminal gangs), and exploiting every vulnerable person who walked onto their premises.

    Both casinos facilitated money laundering, particularly via junket operators, organisers of casino visits by high rollers. Unfortunately, many of these people had strong links to organised crime gangs keen to launder their illegally acquired money.

    Former Star executives and board members are now facing Federal Court proceedings brought by ASIC, with two already having been fined.



    Read more:
    ‘Multiple red flags’: ASIC’s court case against Star executives shows the risks of complacency

    Star and Crown preyed on addiction

    Both Star and Crown were also found to have encouraged significant expenditure by addicted gamblers.

    This wasn’t just high rollers. Ordinary people were also encouraged to use poker machines for hours without any attempt at encouraging a break, as mandated by “responsible gambling” codes.

    The Victorian Royal Commissioner, investigating Crown, regarded its “responsible gambling” failures as particularly heinous.

    The result was the turnover of the board and management, hundreds of millions of dollars in fines, and increased regulatory oversight.

    Although neither casino chain closed its doors, regulatory breaches led to appointment of special managers to oversee the business and hold the licences. Further change included beefing up regulators’ powers and resources.

    Turning a page

    Without significant funds from the proceeds of crime, or exploitation of the vulnerable, casinos are clearly struggling.

    In NSW and Victoria, the casinos have been required to introduce “cashless gaming” systems.

    This takes cash out of the system, deterring money launderers. Gamblers must also set a limit on their gambling spend, and adhere to it. The system is in the process of being introduced in Queensland.

    Certainly, overcapitalisation of new developments has played a part in casinos’ struggles. Crown Melbourne was effectively sold to Kerry Packer in 1998 on the back of its own financial issues. Overcapitalisation of the business was seen as an issue then.

    Stronger competition

    Competition from online wagering and pokie venues may also be playing a part. These businesses are not currently regulated as effectively as casinos.

    Precommitment systems for online wagering would be relatively easy to introduce. They would require punters to set a limit on deposits or bets, or indeed the time they spend gambling, and enforce these technically.

    Getting these in place, however, may be as formidable a task as getting gambling ads banned from sporting broadcasts, if not more so.

    The gambling industry understandably opposes this. After all, these measures would reduce the amount that people lose. From a public health perspective, however, they provide an effective system to prevent harm in the first place, rather than simply picking up the pieces.

    Without effective reform of local gambling venues and online wagering, casinos may try to mount an argument for less effective regulation. That would be an admission that their “tourism” attractiveness has waned. It’s also a powerful argument to speed up the transition of effective regulation to all gambling operators.

    Charles Livingstone has received funding from the Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation, the (former) Victorian Gambling Research Panel, and the South Australian Independent Gambling Authority (the funds for which were derived from hypothecation of gambling tax revenue to research purposes), from the Australian and New Zealand School of Government and the Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education, and from non-government organisations for research into multiple aspects of poker machine gambling, including regulatory reform, existing harm minimisation practices, and technical characteristics of gambling forms. He has received travel and co-operation grants from the Alberta Problem Gambling Research Institute, the Finnish Institute for Public Health, the Finnish Alcohol Research Foundation, the Ontario Problem Gambling Research Committee, the Turkish Red Crescent Society, and the Problem Gambling Foundation of New Zealand. He was a Chief Investigator on an Australian Research Council funded project researching mechanisms of influence on government by the tobacco, alcohol and gambling industries. He has undertaken consultancy research for local governments and non-government organisations in Australia and the UK seeking to restrict or reduce the concentration of poker machines and gambling impacts, and was a member of the Australian government’s Ministerial Expert Advisory Group on Gambling in 2010-11. He is a member of the Lancet Public Health Commission into gambling, and of the World Health Organisation expert group on gambling and gambling harm. He made a submission to and appeared before the HoR Standing Committee on Social Policy and Legal Affairs inquiry into online gambling and its impacts on those experiencing gambling harm.

    – ref. Whatever happens to Star, the age of unfettered gambling revenue for casinos may have ended – https://theconversation.com/whatever-happens-to-star-the-age-of-unfettered-gambling-revenue-for-casinos-may-have-ended-251248

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: How long will you live? New evidence says its much more about your choices than your genes

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hassan Vally, Associate Professor, Epidemiology, Deakin University

    Rawpixel.com/Shutterstock

    One of the most enduring questions humans have is how long we’re going to live. With this comes the question of how much of our lifespan is shaped by our environment and choices, and how much is predetermined by our genes.

    A study recently published in the prestigious journal Nature Medicine has attempted for the first time to quantify the relative contributions of our environment and lifestyle versus our genetics in how we age and how long we live.

    The findings were striking, suggesting our environment and lifestyle play a much greater role than our genes in determining our longevity.

    What the researchers did

    This study used data from the UK Biobank, a large database in the United Kingdom that contains in-depth health and lifestyle data from roughly 500,000 people. The data available include genetic information, medical records, imaging and information about lifestyle.

    A separate part of the study used data from a subset of more than 45,000 participants whose blood samples underwent something called “proteomic profiling”.

    Proteomic profiling is a relatively new technique that looks at how proteins in the body change over time to identify a person’s age at a molecular level. By using this method researchers were able to estimate how quickly an individual’s body was actually ageing. This is called their biological age, as opposed to their chronological age (or years lived).

    The researchers assessed 164 environmental exposures as well as participants’ genetic markers for disease. Environmental exposures included lifestyle choices (for example, smoking, physical activity), social factors (for example, living conditions, household income, employment status) and early life factors, such as body weight in childhood.

    They then looked for associations between genetics and environment and 22 major age-related diseases (such as coronary artery disease and type 2 diabetes), mortality and biological ageing (as determined by the proteomic profiling).

    These analyses allowed the researchers to estimate the relative contributions of environmental factors and genetics to ageing and dying prematurely.

    What did they find?

    When it came to disease-related mortality, as we would expect, age and sex explained a significant amount (about half) of the variation in how long people lived. The key finding, however, was environmental factors collectively accounted for around 17% of the variation in lifespan, while genetic factors contributed less than 2%.

    This finding comes down very clearly on the nurture side in the “nature versus nurture” debate. It suggests environmental factors influence health and longevity to a far greater extent than genetics.

    Not unexpectedly, the study showed a different mix of environmental and genetic influences for different diseases. Environmental factors had the greatest impact on lung, heart and liver disease, while genetics played the biggest role in determining a person’s risk of breast, ovarian and prostate cancers, and dementia.

    The environmental factors that had the most influence on earlier death and biological ageing included smoking, socioeconomic status, physical activity levels and living conditions.

    Genetic factors affected the risk of some diseases more than others.
    Kleber Cordeiro/Shutterstock

    Interestingly, being taller at age ten was found to be associated with a shorter lifespan. Although this may seem surprising, and the reasons are not entirely clear, this aligns with previous research finding taller people are more likely to die earlier.

    Carrying more weight at age ten and maternal smoking (if your mother smoked in late pregnancy or when you were a newborn) were also found to shorten lifespan.

    Probably the most surprising finding in this study was a lack of association between diet and markers of biological ageing, as determined by the proteomic profiling. This flies in the face of the extensive body of evidence showing the crucial role of dietary patterns in chronic disease risk and longevity.

    But there are a number of plausible explanations for this. The first could be a lack of statistical power in the part of the study looking at biological ageing. That is, the number of people studied may have been too small to allow the researchers to see the true impact of diet on ageing.

    Second, the dietary data in this study, which was self-reported and only measured at one time point, is likely to have been of relatively poor quality, limiting the researchers’ ability to see associations. And third, as the relationship between diet and longevity is likely to be complex, disentangling dietary effects from other lifestyle factors may be difficult.

    So despite this finding, it’s still safe to say the food we eat is one of the most important pillars of health and longevity.

    What other limitations do we need to consider?

    Key exposures (such as diet) in this study were only measured at a single point in time, and not tracked over time, introducing potential errors into the results.

    Also, as this was an observational study, we can’t assume associations found represent causal relationships. For example, just because living with a partner correlated with a longer lifespan, it doesn’t mean this caused a person to live longer. There may be other factors which explain this association.

    Finally, it’s possible this study may have underestimated the role of genetics in longevity. It’s important to recognise genetics and environment don’t operate in isolation. Rather, health outcomes are shaped by their interplay, and this study may not have fully captured the complexity of these interactions.

    This study found environmental factors influence health and longevity to a far greater extent than genetics.
    Ground Picture/Shutterstock

    The future is (largely) in your hands

    It’s worth noting there were a number of factors such as household income, home ownership and employment status associated with diseases of ageing in this study that are not necessarily within a person’s control. This highlights the crucial role of addressing the social determinants of health to ensure everyone has the best possible chance of living a long and healthy life.

    At the same time, the results offer an empowering message that longevity is largely shaped by the choices we make. This is great news, unless you have good genes and were hoping they would do the heavy lifting.

    Ultimately, the results of this study reinforce the notion that while we may inherit certain genetic risks, how we eat, move and engage with the world seems to be more important in determining how healthy we are and how long we live.

    Hassan Vally 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 long will you live? New evidence says its much more about your choices than your genes – https://theconversation.com/how-long-will-you-live-new-evidence-says-its-much-more-about-your-choices-than-your-genes-251054

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Australia’s next government may well be in minority. Here’s how that can be a good outcome for the country

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Shamit Saggar, Executive Director, Australian Centre for Student Equity and Success and Professor of Public Policy, Curtin University

    Two months out from an Australian federal election, the polling is pointing to a very tight race between the two major parties. This means, if the polls are correct, neither party will likely win enough seats to command a parliamentary working majority.

    Australia’s most recent experience of a hung parliament was the Gillard-Rudd government of 2010–13. Many still see that as an unhappy era, with internal division within Labor’s party room in Canberra, and yet another leadership coup, as the lasting, bitter memory.

    So, it is time to reassess whether – or how well – Australia might be governed in similar circumstances.

    Building a stable coalition

    The answer depends on us being open to the meaning of a stable, inter-party coalition. This is particularly tricky in Australia for three reasons. First, although the political parties themselves are coalitions of philosophies and factions, this is often masked by high levels of party discipline. With very few exceptions, MPs elected through the major parties pretty much do as they are told when they go to Canberra.

    Second, the popular vote share that goes to the two major parties has been in long-term decline, from about 90% 40 years ago, to about 70% of late. The drift hasn’t just gone towards populist insurgents and protests, but increasingly to the benefit of the Greens and, more recently, the Teals. The national preferential voting system pushes candidates to compete in the traditional left-right middle ground. But this overlooks the fact that some voters’ sympathies lie in single-issue campaigns.

    Third, and most importantly, our model of minority government is conspicuously one-dimensional. For instance, party leaders and managers think purely in terms of confidence and supply agreements. These are important, of course, but they provide artificial stability by limiting disagreement in parliament that might bring down a government.

    One eye-catching proposition for stable minority government involves Labor and the Coalition coming together to agree not to topple the other for an arbitrary period of half a parliamentary term.

    There are several better options. The UK’s Conservatives and Liberal Democrats ran a joint government from 2010–15, with some distinction. A big party and small party formed a coalition, and once they had agreed to disagree, they ringfenced specific policy areas as belonging to one party and the other party signed up to it as a policy priority of the whole government. This resulted in the full implementation of their respectively most prized policies.

    And just two months ago, Ireland’s centre-right Fianna Fáil and Fine Gail parties, working with unaligned independents and a more formal Independent Ireland, came up with similar coalition agreement.

    The inference is that stable multi-party government involves a mature negotiation on the issues, priorities and policies that can unite across party lines. It also requires a readiness to prioritise policy issues within parties.

    Of course, this is an indirect way of asking if the Teals can and wish to operate as a de facto party. And while the Greens are a political party to begin with, the extent of their party discipline has not been tested to the full.

    Meanwhile, there is evidence of pressure to keep both the Teals and Greens at a distance from any such agreement, with reports that lobby groups for the hospitality and coal sectors respectively will fund major party candidates to help defeat hostile crossbenchers.

    As politicians mull these challenges, we should consider the likely “safe” issues – as against the “tricky” ones – in the coming parliament that a stable minority government or coalition would face. Their appetite to govern will be affected accordingly.

    ‘Safe’ and ‘tricky’ issues in a minority government

    From Labor’s perspective, the nucleus is around a disparate set of economic and social modernisation policies. Since many of these have begun in this parliament, the focus in the next will be on pursuing them to full implementation.

    For the Coalition, reshaping tax and spending, increasing housing affordability checking workplace employee rights and a bold nuclear power proposal sit at the core. This is accompanied by wariness of immigration and identity politics. Survey research points to its broad appeal certainly but less is known about the depth of this support.

    Finding a middle path on these issues that would satisfy enough crossbenchers to help one of the major parties form government will be the challenge. It is not necessarily a bad outcome for the nation. But it means all MPs will have to take into account the greatly enhanced premium on stable government before any serious horse-trading happens.

    Shamit Saggar 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. Australia’s next government may well be in minority. Here’s how that can be a good outcome for the country – https://theconversation.com/australias-next-government-may-well-be-in-minority-heres-how-that-can-be-a-good-outcome-for-the-country-252162

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Three years after Russia’s invasion, a global online army is still fighting for Ukraine

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Olga Boichak, Senior Lecturer in Digital Cultures, Australian Research Council DECRA fellow, University of Sydney

    More than three years after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, a 30-day ceasefire between the two warring countries may be imminent. But much more needs to happen before a just and lasting peace is achieved.

    The Russian-Ukraine war is one of the most visible, analysed and documented wars in human history. Since the night of February 24 2022, millions of Ukrainian citizens, military personnel, journalists, officials and civil society activists have shared first-hand eyewitness accounts, updates, commentaries and opinions on the war.

    Around the world, many online communities have also sprung into action to counter Russian propaganda and raise awareness of what is happening inside Ukraine.

    We have been studying these communities for the past three years, conducting hours of interviews with members and observing their activity on social media. To conduct much of this research and connect with members, we had to join some of these communities – a common requirement for researchers working in online settings.

    Our work reveals a range of skills and strategies activists use in the online fight against Russia. More broadly, it shows how social media users can mobilise during times of war and other international crises and have a material impact offline.

    Russian war of disinformation

    Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was accompanied by online disinformation and propaganda campaigns. The aims of these campaigns are to sow discord, distrust and dismay among both Ukrainian and international audiences by, for example, depicting Ukraine as a failed state ruled by Nazis.

    Ukraine responded by launching its own information operations to counter Russian propaganda, appeal for help from the world and maintain the security of its defensive operations.

    In some cases, social media platforms have aided the Russian cause. At the same time, they have suppressed evidence of war crimes.

    For example, in the first year of the Russian invasion, independent investigative journalism organisations such as Disclose documented thousands of war crimes committed by Russian soldiers against Ukrainian civilians. These crimes included murder, torture, physical and sexual violence, forced relocation, looting, and damage to civilian infrastructure such as schools and hospitals.

    Much of this content included graphic imagery, violence and offensive language. As a result, it was permanently removed from platforms such as Instagram and YouTube.

    On the other hand, content containing disinformation evaded moderation. For example, a 2023 investigation by the BBC revealed thousands of fake TikTok accounts created as part of a Russian propaganda campaign spreading lies about Ukrainian officials.

    This often led to a distorted information environment online. Russian disinformation was visible, while the true extent of Russian violence against Ukrainians was hidden.

    Boosting Ukrainian voices

    In this context, thousands of internet users formed online communities to creatively support Ukraine without attracting the attention of content moderators.

    This isn’t new or unique to the war in Ukraine. For example, in 2019, US TikToker Feroza Aziz shared a makeup tutorial in which she subtly raised awareness of China’s treatment of the Uyghurs – a topic that is often suppressed on the Chinese-owned platform.

    One of the most prominent and well-known online communities that emerged following Russia’s invasion was the North Atlantic Fella Organisation.

    It started in May 2022 when a young man with the online name Kama mashed up a Reddit meme of a Shiba Inu dog nicknamed Cheems and a picture of a dilapidated Russian tank. This was a celebration of a Ukrainian battlefront victory. It was only intended to mock Russia.

    But as Kama changed his profile picture to the meme, the trend started spreading quickly to his followers on X (formerly Twitter). They quickly grew into an online collective dedicated to fighting Russia online. Members – or “fellas”, as they are known – from many regions around the world were brought together by its rituals using internet and popular culture memes.

    Calls to action

    In many similar posts across Facebook, X and TikTok, users share selfies or other images to achieve high visibility while calling followers to action. In most cases, this involves raising funds for urgent military or humanitarian efforts to benefit Ukraine.

    Another common strategy is storytelling. Some users share amusing or ridiculous anecdotes from their lives before closing with a donation request.

    These requests often have a clear target and beneficiary. They are also often time-sensitive. For example, they may be aimed at purchasing a particular model of a drone for a particular brigade of Ukraine’s armed forces that will be delivered to the battlefront within days.

    Through collaborations with Ukraine’s official fundraising platform, the North Atlantic Fella Organisation has collected more than US$700,000 towards Ukraine’s defence.

    Combatting propaganda

    Members of the North Atlantic Fella Organisation also try to combat Russian propaganda and disinformation.

    Instead of arguing in good faith with highly visible disinformation-spreading accounts (often controlled by the Russian government), members try to derail the disinformation campaigns. They highlight their ridiculousness by responding with memes and jokes. They call this practice “shitposting”.

    People spreading Russian disinformation often find themselves annoyed by the swarms of “meme dogs” in their replies. This has led some to respond aggressively. In turn, this has allowed North Atlantic Fella Organisation members to report them for violation of X’s terms of service and have their accounts suspended, as our forthcoming research documents.

    However, from late 2022 onward, North Atlantic Fella Organisation members we interviewed as a part of our research reported decreased effectiveness of X’s response to problematic user conduct. This was soon after tech billionaire Elon Musk bought the social media platform.

    Despite this, members continue to support each other and develop playful tactics to ensure they remain visible on the platform.

    It seems war will continue online for as long as Russia wages its war on Ukraine’s territory.

    Olga Boichak has received funding from the Australian Research Council. She is a director of the Ukrainian Studies Foundation in Australia and an executive committee member of the Ukrainian Studies Association of Australia and New Zealand. She has been a member of the North Atlantic Fella Organisation since 2022 for research purposes.

    Kateryna Kasianenko has been a member of the North Atlantic Fella Organisation since 2022 for research purposes.

    – ref. Three years after Russia’s invasion, a global online army is still fighting for Ukraine – https://theconversation.com/three-years-after-russias-invasion-a-global-online-army-is-still-fighting-for-ukraine-251480

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: When is workplace chat ‘just gossip’ and when is it ‘sharing information’? It depends who’s doing it

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Greenslade-Yeats, Research Fellow in Management, Auckland University of Technology

    THEBILLJR/Shutterstock

    When two junior employees bump into each other in the corridor and start chatting about their manager’s overbearing manner, it’s typically considered gossip. But what about when two managers have an off-record catch-up to discuss an under-performing employee?

    Both scenarios meet traditional definitions of gossip – the information being shared is about other people, the people it’s about are absent, the information is shared in a way that casts judgement on those people, and it’s informal. Yet the two situations are viewed very differently.

    What counts as gossip is much more slippery than we might think. I reviewed 184 academic articles to understand what really constitutes workplace gossip.

    The key, I found, is not any set of objective criteria, but rather people’s shared agreement that a situation counts as gossip.

    This understanding of gossip helps us make sense of the “workplace gossip paradox” – the idea that gossip can be considered both a reliable source of social information (“the inside word”) and an unreliable information source (“just gossip”).

    My work also provides insights into how businesses can manage gossip before it becomes a scandal.

    Knowledge is power – but power controls knowledge

    How does recognising the slipperiness of gossip help us understand the workplace paradox? The answer has to do with the role of power in legitimising information.

    Leaders and managers need information to justify action. If a manager is going to investigate a sexual harassment claim, they can’t do so based solely on a hunch. They need to hear about from it someone.

    If the victim of sexual harassment complains directly to their manager, an investigation is automatically justified. But what if the manager hears about harassment indirectly and unofficially (for example, through “gossip”), with the added complication that the alleged perpetrator is another manager?

    If the manager does something about what they’ve heard and the source turns out to be unreliable, they could face negative consequences for acting on what was essentially “just gossip.” But if they don’t act, and the information turns out to be credible, they could face repercussions for ignoring the “inside word.”

    There is evidence that such paradoxical situations play out quite frequently in real-world workplaces. For example, inside information about negligence towards patient safety in healthcare settings has, in the past, been dismissed as “just gossip” until it provoked a public scandal.

    The same thing happened in a university where gossip shared through a “whisper network” was eventually corroborated by an independent inquiry. In this case, the inquiry also found official complaints had been ignored.

    One case study from the United States found managers tended to keep an ear out for information passing through the grapevine and selectively use it to further their own interests.

    If gossip threatened their power, they repressed it as “just gossip”. But if gossip provided “useful” information – ammunition against a subversive employee, for example – management legitimised gossip as “official information”.

    To avoid workplace scandals when gossip is ignored, managers should co-opt the information and make it safe to address anti-social behaviour.
    La Famiglia/Shutterstock

    How to manage the workplace gossip paradox

    To avoid scandals stemming from when gossip is ignored, managers might consider “co-opting” gossip, bringing it into official communication channels.

    But there’s a problem with this approach. Gossip gains its credibility as the inside word because it takes place outside official communication channels. Therefore, if managers try to co-opt gossip into formal management processes, it’s likely to have the unintended consequence of discrediting the shared information.

    Instead, “managing gossip” requires a better understanding of its functions and motivations.

    One function is to reduce uncertainty. Research suggests gossip often arises to fill information gaps. For example, people might speculate about a manager’s salary by gossiping about their expensive car or holiday.

    Such gossip is likely to be exaggerated and counterproductive. However, it could be managed simply by being transparent about staff salaries, filling the information gap before gossip does.

    Another key function of gossip is to warn against antisocial behaviours like bullying. But if employees feel comfortable speaking up about such behaviour — even when it’s perpetrated by those with official power – managers will not face the dilemma of whether to act on information that could turn out to be “just gossip.”

    Gossip is a slippery and paradoxical form of communication. Some would say it’s unmanageable. But what can be managed are the workplace behaviours and hierarchical relationships that gossip loves to sink its teeth into.

    The author would like to acknowledge Trish Corner, Helena Cooper-Thomas and Rachel Morrison for their contributions to developing this research.

    James Greenslade-Yeats 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. When is workplace chat ‘just gossip’ and when is it ‘sharing information’? It depends who’s doing it – https://theconversation.com/when-is-workplace-chat-just-gossip-and-when-is-it-sharing-information-it-depends-whos-doing-it-251242

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: President Ramaphosa to open ECD leadership summit

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    Sunday, March 16, 2025

    President Cyril Ramaphosa will on Monday officially open the Bana Pele Early Childhood Development (ECD) Leadership Summit at the Atlas Studios, in Johannesburg.

    The summit, convened by the Department of Basic Education (DBE) and Business Leadership South Africa (BLSA), aims to mobilise a public and private coalition behind the DBE’s 2030 ECD Roadmap for quality, universal access to early learning.

    In a statement on Saturday, The Presidency noted that in South Africa, more than 1.3 million children are not enrolled in any form of ECD programme, leaving them without the foundational literacy and numeracy skills required to succeed in school.

    “This learning gap affects their ability to take on critical subjects, such as Mathematics, Science, Accounting, and Economics in later years, which are the skills that are vital for innovation, economic growth, and job creation,” the Presidency said.

    The summit will bring together government, business, civil society and education experts to “construct a roadmap for universal access to quality ECD across the country.

    “This initiative is a crucial step toward ensuring that every child, regardless of background, has access to the early learning opportunities they need to thrive in life,” the Presidency said. – SAnews.gov.za

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: President to open ECD leadership summit

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    Sunday, March 16, 2025

    President Cyril Ramaphosa will on Monday officially open the Bana Pele Early Childhood Development (ECD) Leadership Summit at the Atlas Studios, in Johannesburg.

    The summit, convened by the Department of Basic Education (DBE) and Business Leadership South Africa (BLSA), aims to mobilise a public and private coalition behind the DBE’s 2030 ECD Roadmap for quality, universal access to early learning.

    In a statement on Saturday, The Presidency noted that in South Africa, more than 1.3 million children are not enrolled in any form of ECD programme, leaving them without the foundational literacy and numeracy skills required to succeed in school.

    “This learning gap affects their ability to take on critical subjects, such as Mathematics, Science, Accounting, and Economics in later years, which are the skills that are vital for innovation, economic growth, and job creation,” the Presidency said.

    The summit will bring together government, business, civil society and education experts to “construct a roadmap for universal access to quality ECD across the country.

    “This initiative is a crucial step toward ensuring that every child, regardless of background, has access to the early learning opportunities they need to thrive in life,” the Presidency said. – SAnews.gov.za

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Deputy President leads working visit to Japan

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    Sunday, March 16, 2025

    Deputy President Paul Mashatile will on Sunday undertake a working visit to Tokyo, in Japan.

    The Presidency said the visit, from 16 – 19 March 2025, is aimed at “reaffirming the strong cooperation between” the countries in areas of mutual interest.

    “The two countries enjoy well established diplomatic relations, and the year 2025 marks 115 years of such relations. The working visit by the Deputy President underscores South Africa’s strong commitment and the importance that South Africa attaches to the relationship with Japan.

    “During the working visit, the Deputy President and his delegation will meet with the Japanese Government and private sector stakeholders to advance South Africa’s key economic growth drivers, such as manufactured-led growth and increasing South Africa’s exports,” the Presidency said in a statement on Saturday.

    The Deputy President will be accompanied by Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Tandi Moraka; Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Gayton McKenzie, Minister of Higher Education, Dr Nobuhle Nkabane; Minister of Agriculture, John Steenhuisen, Trade Industry and Competition Minister, Parks Tau; and Science, Technology and Innovation Deputy Minister,  Nomalungelo Gina. – SAnews.gov.za

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Businesses encouraged to operate ethically

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    Mpumalanga MEC for Economic Development and Tourism, Makhosazane Masilela, has called on businesses to “go above and beyond” to demonstrate ethical business practices.

    The MEC was speaking at the commemoration of World Consumer Rights Day (WCR), held at the University of Mpumalanga, on Saturday.

    “As we celebrate this significant day, we are reminded of the central role that consumers play in our economy, and the critical need to protect their rights, while also encouraging businesses to operate ethically, responsibly, and with integrity. 

    “It is not enough to simply adhere to the bare minimum of legal requirements; businesses must go above and beyond to establish a culture of fairness, respect, and responsibility,” Masilela said.

    World Consumer Rights Day is celebrated annually on the 15th of March, as a means of raising global awareness about consumer rights and needs. 

    Celebrating the day is a chance to demand that the rights of all consumers are respected and protected, and to protest against market abuses and social injustices which undermine those rights.

    The National Consumer Commission held the commemoration in partnership with the Competition Commission of South Africa, the Mpumalanga Department of Economic Development and Tourism, and various regulatory bodies, under the umbrella of the Consumer Protection Forum (CPF).

    The WCR was celebrated under the theme “Empowering Consumers—Balancing Rights with Ethical Business Practices”.

    Acting Commissioner of the NCC, Hardin Ratshisusu, emphasised the ongoing need to intensify efforts in addressing the sale of expired food items in local spaza shops.

    “Recent inspections on local spaza shops in various communities have revealed expired food items on shelves, prompting their removal and destruction. 

    “It is important we continue with this work given the recent spate of foodborne illnesses affecting the most vulnerable consumers in our society – our children,” Ratshisusu said.

    Competition Commission Acting Head of Advocacy, Andile Gwabeni, emphasised the importance of the Competition Act in ensuring a competitive market.

    “We understand that a fair and competitive market inherently protects consumers…and we therefore see consumer welfare as a direct output of our work,” he said. – SAnews.gov.za

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Email signatures are harming the planet and could cost people their lives — it’s time to stop using them

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Joshua M. Pearce, John M. Thompson Chair in Information Technology and Innovation and Professor, Western University

    A recent study has shown that the environmental and human mortality impacts of modern information technology — especially email infrastructure — are significant. (Shutterstock)

    The use of information technology (IT) has significant environmental and social impacts, including human mortality from climate change. One striking example is the carbon emissions and impacts associated with digital communication.

    To quantify the human cost of carbon-emitting technology, researchers use the 1,000-ton rule that estimates that for every 1,000 tons of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere, one person dies prematurely.

    This rule is derived from the following calculation: burning one trillion ton of fossil carbon is likely to cause 2 C of anthropogenic global warming, which in turn is likely to cause about one billion premature deaths spread over the next century.

    This theory can be used as a decision-making framework for policymakers to compare the value of an activity to the cost of that activity in human lives.

    It’s also what I used in my recent study that analyzed how additional information in email signatures contributes to climate-related deaths in Canada.

    Email signatures causing emissions

    Sending emails is an everyday activity, but it comes with an environmental cost. Emails use energy, and that energy often comes from burning fossil fuels, which in turn, contribute to increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide levels.

    The overwhelming scientific consensus is that human activity is destabilizing the climate and is likely to cause irreversible damage to the global environment and humanity.

    My recent study explored the environmental impact of lengthening email signatures, focusing specifically on two types of information: gender pronouns and land acknowledgements because both are relatively new additions to email signatures.

    In both cases, the extra carbon emissions for each email for the extra characters is estimated and aggregated over the population that uses them.

    The environmental consequences of minor digital habits are often overlooked.
    (Shutterstock)

    The results showed that in Canada, where about 15 per cent of people include gender pronouns in emails, the resulting carbon emissions from this small change (three extra words) may contribute to the premature deaths of one person a year, according to the 1,000-ton rule.

    The environmental harm and human mortality caused by this seemingly minor digital habit is evident. Large blocks of text like legal disclaimers and land acknowledgements cause even more harm. Images and logos, which contain even larger amounts of data, cause more emissions and deaths still.

    Doing away with email signatures

    Most of the content in email signatures is redundant, as we tend to email the same people repeatedly. The environmental and human cost of using email signatures clearly outweighs the benefits. One solution to this issue is to replace email signatures with a hyperlinked name to additional information.

    Another simple way to increase efficiency and reduce emissions is by eliminating email signatures entirely, since emails already identify senders in the header. After all, we don’t sign our texts, so why do we feel the need to sign our emails?

    If you receive an email with a long signature, you might consider asking the sender to switch to a hyperlink instead, or eliminate their signature all together.

    Additionally, you can encourage others to use free, open-source ad blockers to reduce unnecessary data from ads while browsing or emailing. Ads, especially on websites, generate an enormous amount of unnecessary data and energy consumption.

    While these steps may seem small on their own, collectively, they can make a significant difference in reducing digital waste and unnecessary emissions.

    The hidden cost of spam emails

    The results of my recent study make it clear that Canada’s current IT and energy infrastructure are unsustainable. The study should serve as a wake-up call for the need to eliminate the use of fossil fuels from our energy systems entirely, particularly because it is already possible to displace fossil fuels with renewable energy with lower costs.

    It also gives pause for the far more damaging impacts of other forms of digital communications, particularly email spam.

    Already more than half of all emails are spam.
    (Shutterstock)

    Spam accounts for over half of all emails and, despite having lower carbon emissions per email (since many are deleted without being opened), spam accounts for far more emissions-producing data. Beyond its environmental toll, spam also wastes the time of every email user.

    In response, several proposals and laws have been put forward to reduce this digital waste, from including taxes on emails, opt-in or opt-out systems to even outlawing spam entirely. While these efforts are a step in the right direction, we all still suffer through an enormous amount of spam.

    The environmental impact of our online habits is far larger than most realize, and as digital communication continues to evolve, we must consider its long-term consequences on the environment and human life. We should take the easy steps of cutting wasteful energy use in our communications and it can start with eliminating email signatures.

    Joshua M. Pearce 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. Email signatures are harming the planet and could cost people their lives — it’s time to stop using them – https://theconversation.com/email-signatures-are-harming-the-planet-and-could-cost-people-their-lives-its-time-to-stop-using-them-251215

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Why some Canadians are in denial about Donald Trump

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Aisha Ahmad, Associate Professor, Political Science, University of Toronto

    Prime Minister Mark Carney has vowed Canada will never be a 51st American state and has called on Canada to present a united front to defend against United States President Donald Trump’s escalating attacks on Canada’s economy and sovereignty.

    Most Canadians are already on board. Provincial premiers have committed to defending against tariffs, and recent polling data shows 85 per cent of Canadians resolutely reject Trump’s threats of annexation.

    Yet, despite this widespread patriotism, some Canadians may have a relative or friend in the contrarian 10 per cent of citizens who welcome annexation.

    Why do these people support Trump?

    Psychology and security

    The answer has less to do with politics or economic frustration than it does psychology. The reason some Canadians are reacting positively to Trump’s threats is because cognitive biases often prevent human beings from accurately assessing shocks to their security environment.

    Psychological biases are well-researched in international security scholarship, and I have witnessed their consequences first-hand in my work in conflict zones.

    From peacekeepers to politicians to ordinary civilians, I have seen how cognitive biases can cause rational, intelligent people to ignore valuable evidence, even at great peril.

    Humans often react to unsettling evidence by denying, minimizing or re-interpreting the information to restore their cognitive ease. Everyone in a conflict-prone part of the world experiences cognitive distortions and denial at some point. Psychological security often overrides physical security.

    But these biases are dangerous. They undermine decision-making, slow down reaction times and cause people to believe dangerous things that make them unsafe.

    The tricky part is that challenging a person’s denial can provoke defensiveness, even rage. But allowing denial to persist leaves them dangerously unprepared to face real-world threats.

    On balance, the safer choice is to rip off these psychological Band-aids.

    Denial through confirmation bias

    Except for a small percentage of extremists, the 10 per cent who are in favour of American annexation are ordinary Canadians. What makes them different are two interrelated cognitive biases: confirmation bias and belief perseverance.

    For Canadians who hold Trump in high esteem, acknowledging his threats creates cognitive dissonance. Some people find dissonance so distressing that it feels easier to reject or reinterpret the contrary information in a way that protects prior-held ideas and restores cognitive ease.

    These confirmation biases allow the 10 per cent to redefine the word “annexation” to mean something else, such as peaceful political unification. That imagined definition turns Trump’s threat into a friendly proposal leading to greater prosperity and security.

    That reinterpretation may reduce psychological distress, but it’s delusional.

    Political unification is a non-coercive and consent-based process, wherein parties agree to incorporation through referendum, typically producing an all new government. Trump is proposing unilateral annexation, which is the hostile and illegal seizure of a sovereign state’s territory and the subjugation of its population.

    Annexation is not marriage. It’s rape.

    Unilateral annexation is so inherently violent that its prohibition in Article 2(4) of the United Nations Charter is considered the legal cornerstone of the post-Second World War international order.

    As Trump, Russia’s Vladimir Putin and China’s Xi Jinping each champion annexing nearby sovereign nations in the name of greatness, that international order is now crumbling. If the laws, norms and institutions preventing annexation collapse, it opens the door to invasions, insurgencies and even global war.



    Read more:
    Why annexing Canada would destroy the United States

    Many of the 10 per cent are simply unaware of what “annexation” truly means, and could rationally change their position once they understand the facts. But a smaller subset of that group may reject the evidence entirely.

    Belief perseverance causes some people to aggressively hold their original position, even when presented with disconfirming evidence.

    While denial helps them feel safe in the moment, it also makes them dangerously unprepared to deal with real threats.

    Denial through normalcy bias

    Patriotic “elbows up” Canadians must also be wary of denial. For them, the issue is not identifying the threats, but comprehending their full implications.

    Even among informed citizens, NATO, NORAD and the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing alliance are not easy to relate to. Trade wars show up on grocery bills, but these defence organizations keep peace in the background, which is harder to notice.

    Canadians may intellectually understand that North American security is deteriorating, but that crisis may not seem as real as tariffs.

    This is called “normalcy bias,” a psychological tendency to minimize the probability of threats or the dangers they pose, which delays protective action. Normalcy and optimism biases are why many people fail to evacuate quickly when they are forewarned about wildfires, hurricanes, earthquakes and even wars.

    Slow reactions are not caused by stupidity or laziness. Research shows that the majority people respond inefficiently to warnings of forthcoming disasters. I have witnessed this bias in conflict zones and even experienced its effects myself. I can run 10 kilometres in about an hour, but when the Taliban attacked a bazaar less than 10 kilometres from my flat, it still felt far away.

    Why? Because security threats don’t feel close until your windows start to shake.

    While a military invasion is not imminent, Trump’s threats are so extreme that they warrant immediate action to improve Canadian defence. The time to take protective action is before windows start shaking.

    For the majority of Canadians who already take Trump’s threats seriously, the first step in countering the normalcy bias is to pay attention to new risks and fractures in existing security co-operation.

    With that evidence, they can initiate a national conversation about how to reduce vulnerabilities and improve resilience and defence.

    Acceptance and adaptation

    There is no time to argue with people who remain cognitively confused. The majority of Canadians are ready to have a laser-focused discussion about the real security challenges on the horizon.

    The good news is that Canada can fortify its security and deter threats in this perilous new world.

    The range of options may not be as comfortable as the bygone era of friendly alliances and NATO supremacy. But through intelligent debate, Canadians can develop realistic new approaches to national defence, and quickly.

    Acceptance and adaptation are the keys to survival.

    Aisha Ahmad receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.

    – ref. Why some Canadians are in denial about Donald Trump – https://theconversation.com/why-some-canadians-are-in-denial-about-donald-trump-251893

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Why Gordie Howe’s elbows are Canada’s answer to Donald Trump

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Stacy L. Lorenz, Vice Dean and Professor, Physical Education and History, Augustana Campus, University of Alberta

    When Canadian ice hockey centre Connor McDavid scored in overtime to lead Canada to victory over the United States in the National Hockey League’s 4 Nations Face-Off tournament in February, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau posted on social media, “You can’t take our country — and you can’t take our game.”

    Trudeau’s comment was a direct response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s repeated denigration of the prime minister as the “governor” of the “51st state.” It captured the escalating tensions between the two countries over trade, tariffs and Trump’s threats to annex Canada.

    Meanwhile, the tournament itself, which pitted the top Canadian and American players against one another for the first time in more than a decade, became a representation of these deepening political divisions and showed that hockey isn’t as politically neutral as is often suggested.

    Since the 4 Nations Face-Off ended, hockey analogies and imagery continue to dominate the conversation around Canada-U.S. relations. This time the focus is on Gordie Howe (or “Mr. Hockey” as he was widely known), whose strategic use of elbows on the ice has become a political rallying cry for Canadians.

    A CBC News report on ‘Elbows Up’ becoming a rallying cry against Trump.

    Canada is “elbows up”

    During his professional career from 1946 to 1980, Howe combined skill and scoring ability with toughness, physicality and a willingness to fight when necessary.

    In particular, Howe’s practice of keeping his “elbows up” in the corners to ward off belligerents on the opposing team has become a focal point for Canadians’ actions against Trump’s aggression.

    The hashtag #ElbowsUpCanada has been trending on social media. Howe’s guidance has been echoed by Canadian comedian Mike Myers on Saturday Night Live and by Trudeau at the Liberal leadership convention that marked the transition to Prime Minister Mark Carney.

    In his first speech as Liberal leader, Carney made another hockey reference when he said:

    “We didn’t ask for this fight, but Canadians are always ready when someone else drops the gloves. So the Americans, they should make no mistake: In trade, as in hockey, Canada will win.”

    While it may be surprising to see such enthusiasm for an “elbows up” approach and for “dropping the gloves” as one would in a hockey fight, this kind of strategic employment of violence fits perfectly with Howe’s longstanding brand of hockey manhood.

    “Mr. Elbows” and the “Bashful Basher”

    Although Howe’s early nickname of “Mr. Elbows” has received the bulk of the public’s attention recently, his other moniker used extensively by the Detroit media during his first season in the NHL — the “Bashful Basher” — captures even more effectively the style of masculinity that Canadians are currently calling upon in their clash with Trump.

    Writing in the Detroit Free Press in 1947, reporter Marshall Dann invited readers to “Meet Red Wings’ Bashful Basher.” Alongside a photo of a youthful Howe innocently sipping a milkshake through a pair of straws, Dann noted:

    “Howe not only had proven himself an exceptionally promising rookie, but he also had established the fact that while he might be a malted milk devotee off the ice, he positively was no milk-sop on a hockey rink.”

    Howe’s brand of violence was careful and calculated, rather than reckless or emotional. Even when he used his fists to batter an opponent — such as in his famous 1959 fight with New York Rangers enforcer Lou Fontinato — Howe presented himself as a reluctant and reasonable fighter who conformed to the idealized, manly “code” of hockey.

    He resorted to fighting only to defend smaller teammates and to deter even more harmful forms of violence, such as stick attacks or overly aggressive hits. Far from a wild brawler, Howe was a calm protector, governed by a sense of honest accountability for his actions.

    Author Don O’Reilly’s 1975 biography Mr. Hockey also highlights the image of “two Gordie Howes — quiet, unassuming, and bashful off the ice and aggressive and competitive on the ice.”

    O’Reilly contrasts “the mild-mannered, smiling, innocent-faced Howe, the clean-cut All-Canadian-American boy” with his more ruthless counterpart: “The guy who excels with his elbows as weapons, a man who, his opponents say, is skilled with the illegal high stick and so devious that the officials often fail to see the offense.”

    Likewise, a 1962 Time magazine profile quoted a rival coach as saying:

    “When Howe gets knocked down, he looks like he doesn’t care. But when he’s getting up, he looks for the other guy’s number. A little later, the guy will have four stitches in his head.”

    Mr. Hockey and Canadianness

    A combination of humble manliness and controlled violence firmly established Howe’s masculine credentials within the culture of hockey. More broadly, Mr. Hockey became an admirable embodiment of the most valued manly qualities of the postwar period in North America.

    Howe’s strategic use of fighting also normalized the high level of violence in hockey by showing that it could be measured and purposeful, in accordance with the informal code of expectations that governed the game.

    Although critics of fighting and violence have become more outspoken in recent years, these values remain integral to hockey culture at the highest level and an influential point of reference for what it means to be a “true” hockey fan and a patriotic Canadian.

    In the current political climate, it is perhaps the title of the story that appeared in Life magazine in 1959 that resonates most clearly: “Don’t mess around with Gordie. Hockey’s tough guy (Lou Fontinato) discovers that the game’s best player (Gordie Howe) is a rough man in a fight.”

    With their “elbows up,” Canadians are counting on a Gordie Howe-style response — rational, expert and effective — in a trade war with the United States that may just be getting started.

    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. Why Gordie Howe’s elbows are Canada’s answer to Donald Trump – https://theconversation.com/why-gordie-howes-elbows-are-canadas-answer-to-donald-trump-252167

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Trump’s English language order upends America’s long multilingual history

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Mark Turin, Associate professor, Department of Anthropology, University of British Columbia

    Across its nearly 250-year history, the United States has never had an official language. On March 1, U.S. President Donald Trump changed that when he signed an executive order designating English as the country’s sole official language. The order marks a fundamental rupture from the American goverment’s long-standing approach to languages.

    “From the founding of our Republic, English has been used as our national language,” Trump’s order states. “It is in America’s best interest for the federal government to designate one — and only one — official language.”

    This new order also revokes a language-access provision contained in an earlier executive order from 2000 that aimed to improve access to services for people with limited English. Federal agencies now seem to have no obligation to provide vital information in other languages.

    Despite some reactions in the New York Times, Washington Post and elsewhere, it remains unclear whether Trump’s executive order will face legal or political challenges. Amid continual attacks from the Trump administration on established norms, this decree may pass with relatively little resistance, despite a deeper meaning that extends far beyond language.

    Multilingual realities and monolingual fantasies

    The U.S. has a long multilingual history, beginning with the hundreds of Indigenous languages indelibly linked to these lands. The secondary layer are colonial languages and their variants, including French in Louisiana and Spanish in the Southwest. In all historical periods, immigrant languages from around the world have added substantially to the linguistic mix that makes up the U.S.

    Today, New York is one of world’s most linguistically diverse cities, with other U.S. coastal cities not far behind. According to data from the Census Bureau, one-fifth of all Americans can speak two or more languages. The social, economic and cognitive benefits of bilingualism are well-established, and there is no data to support the assertion that speaking more than one language threatens the integrity of the nation state.

    A building in Jackson Heights, Queens, New York City, which hosts speakers of diverse South Asian languages and their associations, April 17, 2017.
    (Ross Perlin)

    English has long functioned as a pragmatic lingua franca for the U.S. Yet an American tendency towards ideological monolingualism is gathering momentum.

    The emergence of Spanish as the nation’s second language, with well over 40 million speakers, has generated a particular anxiety. During the last few decades, more than 30 American states have enshrined English as an official language.

    Linguistic insecurity

    The March 1 executive order is a crowning achievement for the “English-only movement.” Trump has tapped directly into this sentiment and its xenophobic preoccupations, rooted in white fragility and white supremacy.

    In 2015, during his first bid for the Oval Office, Trump reprimanded Jeb Bush, the bilingual former governor of Florida, during a televised debate, stating: “This is a country where we speak English, not Spanish.”

    Speaking at the Conservative Political Action Conference in February 2024, Trump gave voice to his own linguistic insecurity:

    “We have languages coming into our country. We don’t have one instructor in our entire nation that can speak that language…These are languages — it’s the craziest thing — they have languages that nobody in this country has ever heard of. It’s a very horrible thing.”

    Beyond the brazen untruths and intentional exaggerations, such statements only reflect weakness and fear. The March 1 executive order states that “a nationally designated language is at the core of a unified and cohesive society.”

    It is in fact a sign of strength that Americans have not needed such a mandate until now, effectively navigating their complex multilingual reality without top-down legislation.

    English around the world

    It’s instructive to compare the language policy of the U.S. with other settler colonial contexts where English is dominant.

    In neighbouring Canada, the 1969 Official Languages Act grants equal status to English and French — two languages that were brought European migrants — and requires all federal institutions to provide services in both languages on request. Revealingly, only 50 years later did Canada finally pass an Indigenous Languages Act granting modest recognition to the original languages of the land.

    While Australia’s constitution specifies no official language, the government promotes English as the “national language,” and then offers to translate some web pages into other languages.

    Navigating the distinction between de facto and de jure, New Zealand has taken a more considered approach. Recognizing that English is unthreatened and secure, even without legal backing, New Zealand legislators have focused their attention elsewhere. Te reo Māori was granted official language status in 1987, followed by New Zealand Sign Language in 2006.

    Even the colonial centre and origin point for the global spread of English, the United Kingdom assumes a nuanced position on language policy. Welsh and Irish have both received some official recognition, while in Scotland, the Bòrd na Gàidhlig continues to advocate for official recognition of Gaelic.

    Principle and practice

    Trump’s recent executive order is both practical and symbolic.

    Practically, it remains unclear what the order means for Spanish in Puerto Rico, the Indigenous languages of Hawaii and Alaska — which have received official recognition — for American Sign Language and for all the multilingual communities that make up the nation.

    Language access can be a matter of life or death.

    Interpretation in courts, hospitals and schools is a fundamental human right. No one should be barred from accessing vital services simply because they don’t speak English, whether that’s when dealing with a judge, a doctor or a teacher. The consequences of government agencies abandoning their already limited efforts at translation and interpretation could have huge ramifications.

    Symbolically, Trump’s order is red meat for his MAGA followers. Associating national integrity with the promotion of one language above others might seem to reflect American exceptionalism, but it in fact destroys the cultural and linguistic diversity that makes the U.S. exceptional.

    Ironically, this executive order brings the U.S. into alignment with most of the world’s other nation-states — albeit not the ones that speak English as their first language — which seek to impose the standardized language of an ethnic majority on all of their citizens. The consequences can be both polarizing and homogenizing.

    Most of the world’s people are resolutely multilingual and are only becoming more so. Americans will not stop speaking, writing and signing in languages other than English because of an executive order. The linguistic dynamism of the U.S. is essential to the country’s social fabric. It should be nurtured and defended.

    Mark Turin receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada and Tokyo College, the University of Tokyo.

    Ross Perlin has received funding from the National Science Foundation and the National Endowment for the Humanities.

    – ref. Trump’s English language order upends America’s long multilingual history – https://theconversation.com/trumps-english-language-order-upends-americas-long-multilingual-history-252163

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Donald Trump thinks some accents are ‘beautiful,’ but what makes them so?

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Nicole Rosen, Professor and Canada Research Chair in Language Interactions, University of Manitoba

    United States President Donald Trump has recently been commenting on accents while meeting foreign leaders and taking questions from foreign journalists. Trump praised British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s “beautiful” accent, saying he would have been president 20 years ago if he’d had that accent.

    He didn’t answer an Afghan journalist’s question, saying her accent was “beautiful” but that he didn’t understand it, and he completely dismissed the question of a journalist from India during a joint news conference with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying he didn’t understand his accent before abruptly moving on.

    What is a “beautiful” accent, and what makes one hard to understand? There is much evidence showing that opinions on language are not based in any objective standards of beauty or aesthetics, but rather on our attitudes about the people speaking them.

    Accent attitudes reflect our biases

    Consider long-standing attitudes regarding the southern American accent. Some might automatically assess an accent from Tennessee or Kentucky as sounding less smart than one from Michigan or California. However, there is no scientific relationship between accent and intelligence; these stereotypes are learned behaviour.

    Research shows young children of about five or six, for example, do not discriminate between U.S. northern and southern accents. As they get older, they start to develop the same attitudes of the adults around them, and by age 10 they start to find that northern-accented speakers sound “smarter” and more “in charge” than southern-accented speakers.

    Many negative stereotypes about accents and the people who have them are often based in racism or classism. Take, for example, the following quote from American writer Edward Larocque Tinker’s 1935 essay on “Gombo,” the dialect of French spoken by the Black population in Louisiana:

    “French, which had taken centuries to develop into a most subtle intricate form — the height of sophistication — was far too complex for these simple savages to learn. So they did their poor, primitive best and contrived a queer, simplified ‘pidgin’ French dialect of their own.”

    It is quite clear this judgment is not based in scientific fact, but rather on racist attitudes toward Black people. Today, language attitudes may be more subtle in their racism or classism, but they persist, using our biases about a group of people to affect how we feel about their way of speaking.

    How people judge accents

    Studies show that speakers tend to rate their own dialects as very pleasant. Research also shows that when people are unfamiliar with accents, they tend to not discriminate between them. In other words, when unfamiliar listeners have no knowledge about an accent or its place of origin, they rate accents equally.

    When speakers are familiar with an accent or dialect, however, they use their social knowledge to make judgments about the esthetics, determining which is more pleasing than another. This means that it’s not always the actual phonetic aspects of the language that drive our preferences, but rather social knowledge about the people who speak with that accent that we are assessing.

    In terms of foreign accents in particular, our native language shapes the way we categorize the sounds of other languages. When languages have unfamiliar sounds, our brains need a little more time to process the correspondences between the foreign accent and our own so we can accurately categorize the sounds in the foreign-accented speech. Understanding different accents is a skill that develops over time, and greater exposure to speakers with a particular accent helps us understand that accent more easily.

    Processing accents is more demanding for the brain. For example, in a noisy room, our brains might have to work more than usual to separate out the sounds in order to hear. On the telephone or when the speaker is wearing a mask, the listener doesn’t have access to cues such as lip movements. Older adults with hearing loss also have a harder time understanding foreign accents, as do people with dementia.

    The attitude we have about foreign accents is affected by our social knowledge of a person, their accent and where they come from. Having more frequent and positive associations with people from a particular region will make us more likely to find the accent pleasing and worth deciphering. Our ability to understand reflects the cognitive load that our brain is put through in order to categorize the different sounds that we are hearing.

    Putting these two together, it is easy to see how the historical prestige associated with European accents, as well as the political power of leaders like Emmanuel Macron of France, Starmer from the United Kingdom or Modi of India would be reflected in Trump’s positive attitude towards them.

    Similarly, he might consider a foreign journalist’s position on the world stage to be far less worth doing the cognitive work necessary to understand them.

    Fundamentally, there is no objective criteria for determining the “beauty” of someone’s accent. Our attitudes towards particular accents are often much more rooted in our biases and how we see others in our world.

    Nicole Rosen 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. Donald Trump thinks some accents are ‘beautiful,’ but what makes them so? – https://theconversation.com/donald-trump-thinks-some-accents-are-beautiful-but-what-makes-them-so-251458

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –