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Category: Education

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: expert reaction to study looking at shipping aerosol emissions, ocean surface temperatures and rate of global warming

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    A study published in Environment: Science and Policy for Sustainable Development looks at shipping aerosol emissions and the rate of global warming.

    Dr Karsten Haustein, Climate Scientist, Leipzig University, said:

    “Jim Hansen and colleagues have revisited the topic of aerosol-induced warming due to reduced shipping emissions (due to regulatory changes in 2020).  It’s a more credible attempt than their last – rather disappointing – effort, but there is still much speculation involved.  They estimate the global aerosol forcing from reduced shipping aerosols might be as high as 0.5 W/m2, which is far higher than the current estimates of 0.05-0.15 W/m2.  They argue that Earth’s radiative imbalance as well as high levels absorbed solar radiation justify such assumption.  Accordingly, they argue that Climate Sensitivity (temperature response after CO2 doubling in the atmosphere) might be as high as 4.5 W/m2.

    “Given that Earth’s radiative imbalance has considerably come down in the 2nd half of 2024 (notwithstanding the uncertainties related to measuring the global radiative imbalance), I continue to remain skeptical of their claims.  This is particularly true, as some of the extra warming could be traced to other internal factors that have not been discussed.  The so-called ‘hiatus’ discussion in the 2010s should be an example of a cautionary tale.  This is true all the more as we know with some certainty that CO2 and methane (CH4) forcing has continued to accelerate slightly, such that additional aerosol forcing increase is not necessarily required to explain what has happened in 2023 and 2024.

    “They are correct in one aspect though: 2025 will prove whether there is more to the warming story than we thought.”

    Prof Richard Allan, Professor of Climate Science, University of Reading, said:

    “Multiple lines of evidence are showing that human caused climate change is gathering pace.  Heat is continuing to flood into the climate system as atmospheric greenhouse gases continue to rise and the reflective haze of aerosol particle pollution diminishes in some regions following clean air policies.  This is causing the warming of the oceans to increase at ever greater rates.

    “The comprehensive, extensive and wide-ranging new report argues that masking of global warming by particle pollution has been underestimated and future climate change may be even worse than anticipated.  Cleaning up dirty air may be having a larger than expected effect on increasing how much sunlight reaches the ground, which is adding to a more potent greenhouse effect from continued fossil fuel emissions.  The arguments presented are not new and although reasonable they appear overly bleak compared to the growing body of scientific research.  However, the magnitude of increases in Earth’s heating rate and ocean surface warming, as well as record January global temperatures despite an expected cooling from La Niña, mean that scientists are carefully scrutinising and puzzling over the unfolding changes to Earth’s climate.  And the new report emphasises the urgent need to cut greenhouse gas emissions and to properly account for the full economic cost of our actions on the planet and people.”

    Prof William Collins, Professor of Climate Processes, University of Reading, said:

    “This paper suggests that the cooling effects of aerosols has been underestimated and hence this has hidden more of the warming effect of greenhouse gases than has previously been assessed.  This would make the climate sensitivity to carbon dioxide larger than has been assessed.  If this is the case then cleaning up aerosol pollution (as has happened with shipping since 2020) will uncover more of the underlying warming from greenhouse gases.  Aerosol pollution peaked in the 1980s, when studies have increased the cooling effect of aerosols their calculations give cooler temperatures in the 1980s than we observed.  So this paper sits outside most previous assessments of the strength of aerosol cooling.

    “There have been several assessments of the recent decline in shipping aerosols.  These range from a negligible effect on the record-breaking 2023 temperatures to a small contribution.  It will require detailed comparisons with these previous studies to determine why the shipping contribution in this paper is so much more significant.”

    ‘Global Warming Has Accelerated: Are the United Nations and the Public Well-Informed?’ by James E. Hansen et al. was published in Environment: Science and Policy for Sustainable Development at 14:00 UK time on Tuesday 4 February 2025.

    DOI: 10.1080/00139157.2025.2434494

    Declared interests

    Dr Karsten Haustein: “No conflict of interests.”

    Prof Richard Allan: “No competing interests.”

    Prof William Collins: “No conflicts.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: expert reaction to observational study of cholesterol and glaucoma

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    An observational study published in British Journal of Ophthalmology looks at the association between cholesterol levels and glaucoma. 

    Rachel Richardson, Manager at the Methods Support Unit at Cochrane, said:

    “Although this is an well-conducted study, the usual caveats for observational research apply. The authors have controlled for several factors that may also influence lipid levels and the development of glaucoma, including age and sex. However, there are other factors, such as diet, that have not been accounted for.

    “It’s also important to consider the sample on which the study is based. The authors have used data from the UK Biobank Study, which is not fully representative of the UK population. The press release acknowledges that participants are predominantly of European ancestry, but there is also a ‘healthy volunteer’ bias. Participants in the UK Biobank Study tend to be healthier than average, so findings may not be applicable to the whole UK population. The authors were only able to use data from hospital inpatient records to ascertain who developed glaucoma, and this potentially misses people who developed glaucoma, but were not admitted to hospital. For example, records from opticians and GP practices were not used.

    “Finally, it’s important to not only consider the effect estimate, but also the margins of error (confidence intervals). The authors state that people who had the highest level of HDL cholesterol were 10% more likely to develop glaucoma than those with the lowest level. However the lower confidence level for this estimate is 2%, and this could mean that there is a much smaller difference. Likewise, the authors state that people with the highest levels of LDL cholesterol were 8% less likely to develop glaucoma, but the upper confidence level for this estimate is 1%, which could again mean that there is a much smaller difference.

    “The impact of all these limitations means that further research is needed to investigate these associations and look at the effects in more representative populations. This should be carried out before any changes are made to advice on lipid management.”

    ‘Associations between serum lipids and glaucoma: a cohort study of 400 229 UK Biobank participants’ by Yiyuan Ma et al. was published in British Journal of Ophthalmology at 23:30 UK time on 4th February.

    DOI: 10.1136/bjo-2024-326062

    Declared interests

    Rachel Richardson: I have no conflicts of interest to declare

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Bacteria in your mouth may hold clues to your brain health and dementia risk – new study

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Joanna L’Heureux, Postdoctoral Researcher, Public Health and Sport Sciences, University of Exeter

    Could the bacteria in your mouth predict whether you are at risk of dementia? Emerging research suggests that the bacteria living on your tongue and gums may affect how the brain works and how it changes as we age. In turn, this could affect whether someone ages normally or develops dementia.

    Scientists are uncovering surprising connections between the oral microbiome, which is the bustling ecosystem of bacteria in our mouths, and brain health. A new study my colleagues and I conducted suggests that certain bacteria may help memory and thinking skills, while others could be early warning signs of a decline in brain function.

    This raises the possibility that diet and treatments that change our oral bacteria could one day play a role in helping to preserve brain health as we age.

    For our investigation, we analysed saliva samples from 115 adults over 50 years old. Among these people, 52% had healthy brain function, and the other 48% had early signs of decline in memory and other brain functions.

    We examined the bacteria in these samples and showed that people who had large numbers of two groups of bacteria called Neisseria and Haemophilus performed better in brain health tests. In particular, people with these bacteria had better memory, and better ability to pay attention and perform complex tasks.

    These people also had higher levels of the ion nitrite in their mouths. Nitrite is made by bacteria when they break down nitrate, which is a natural part of a vegetable-rich diet.

    Bacteria can also break down nitrite to produce nitric oxide, which improves circulation, including blood flow to the brain. This suggests that eating lots of nitrate-rich vegetables, such as leafy green spinach and rocket, could boost levels of healthy bacteria and help improve brain health, which might be especially important as people age.

    We are now investigating whether nitrate-rich beetroot juice can improve brain function in older adults by hijacking bacteria in the mouth.

    On the other hand, a different group of bacteria may be causing more harm than good. Our study found two groups of bacteria that are potentially linked to worse brain health.

    One group called Porphyromonas, which is often associated with gum disease, was more common in people with memory problems than people who were healthy.

    A second group called Prevotella was linked to low nitrite, which in turn could mean poorer brain health. Prevotella was also more common in people who carry the gene APOE4, which is associated with an increased risk of Alzheimer’s.

    These findings suggest that some bacteria might play a detrimental role in changes in brain health as people age. It also raises the question of whether routine tests to measure levels of these bacteria could be used to detect very early signs of declining brain health as part of dental checkups in the future.

    Profound implications

    The implications of this research are profound. If certain bacteria support brain health while others contribute to decline, then treatments to change the balance of bacteria in the mouth could be part of a solution to prevent dementia.

    Encouraging the growth of nitrite-producing bacteria like Neisseria, while reducing Prevotella and Porphyromonas, could help maintain brain function as we age. This could be achieved through dietary changes, probiotics, oral hygiene routines, or even targeted treatments that reshape the microbiome.

    While we’re still in the early stages of understanding the intricate links between the mouth bacteria and the brain, our findings provide a strong rationale for further research.

    If future studies confirm that the oral microbiome plays a role in maintaining a healthy brain, then by paying closer attention to the bacteria in our mouths we may unlock new possibilities for detecting and potentially delaying dementia.

    In the meantime, the best advice is to keep your teeth clean, see the dentist regularly and eat food with lots of nitrate, like leafy green vegetables, to keep feeding the good bacteria in your mouth.

    Dr L’Heureux’s PhD scholarship was supported by the Wellcome Trust’s Institutional Strategic Support Fund.

    This paper represents independent research part-funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research Exeter
    Biomedical Research Centre, UK. The views expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the NIHR
    (UK) or the Department of Health and Social Care, UK. It was also supported by the NIHR Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care South-West Peninsula, UK. Genotyping was performed at deCODE Genetics. This work was funded in part through the MRC Proximity to Discovery: Industry Engagement Fund (External Collaboration, Innovation and Entrepreneurism: Translational Medicine in Exeter 2 (EXCITEME2, ref. MC_PC_17189) awarded to Dr Creese. This project utilized equipment funded by the Wellcome Trust Institutional Strategic Support Fund (WT097835MF), Wellcome Trust Multi User Equipment Award (WT101650MA) and BBSRC LOLA award (BB/K003240/1).

    – ref. Bacteria in your mouth may hold clues to your brain health and dementia risk – new study – https://theconversation.com/bacteria-in-your-mouth-may-hold-clues-to-your-brain-health-and-dementia-risk-new-study-248625

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Vladimir Spivakov held an open rehearsal as part of the project “Lesson with a Star”

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    The second season of the Lesson with a Star project has begun, in which outstanding artists conduct master classes, sharing their experience with students of Moscow art schools and students of creative colleges. The famous violinist and conductor, People’s Artist of the USSR, full Cavalier of the Order “For Merit to the Fatherland”, President of the Moscow International House of Music (MIHM) Vladimir Spivakov held an open rehearsal together with the State Chamber Orchestra “Moscow Virtuosi” that he heads. The lesson was held in the chamber hall of the MIHM.

    “The project, which began in 2024, has received a lively response from both students and teachers of children’s art schools and students of creative colleges, as well as representatives of culture and art – famous and experienced artists, artists, musicians. Thanks to “Lesson with a Star”, students of children’s art schools and students of specialized colleges last season were able to learn first-hand about all the intricacies of the profession. This year, we plan to develop new formats, including off-site classes for children in workshops, concert halls, theaters and studios where our mentors work,” said the Minister of the Moscow Government, head of the capital’s Department of Culture

    Alexey Fursin.

    More than 150 people attended the master class — talented children, teachers and parents. They were able to see the entire process of preparation for the upcoming concert. The young listeners were keenly interested in the fact that the soloist who participated in the rehearsal, 13-year-old pianist from Switzerland Lukas Schiesch, was their peer. The maestro’s comments on the intricacies of performing Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 12, addressed to the soloist, were understandable to the young participants of the master class and were perceived as useful advice from the legendary musician, which can help in the daily learning process.

    “I am glad that such a meeting took place. In order for a person to become an individual in any field, and especially in music and art, great examples are needed. And such examples are received by the children with whom we work. I think that today’s meeting, which was so warm, will be remembered by them for a long time,” Vladimir Spivakov admitted after the rehearsal.

    In the second season of the project, famous musicians, artists, and sculptors prepared open lessons for students of Moscow art schools. Meetings with artists Konstantin Petrov and Nikas Safronov will take place in February.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    Please Note; This Information is Raw Content Directly from the Information Source. It is account to What the Source Is Stating and Does Not Reflect the Position of Mil-Sosi or Its Clients.

    https: //vv.mos.ru/nevs/ite/149701073/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Trump wants the US to ‘take over’ Gaza and relocate the people. Is this legal?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tamer Morris, Senior lecturer, international law, University of Sydney

    In an astonishing news conference in Washington, US President Donald Trump proposed the United States “take over” the Gaza Strip and permanently relocate the nearly two million Palestinians living there to neighbouring countries.

    Trump has previously called on Egypt and Jordan to resettle Palestinians from Gaza, which both countries firmly rejected.

    His new comments – and the possibility of a US takeover of a sovereign territory – were immediately met with criticism and questions about the legality of such a move.

    When asked what authority would allow the US to do this, Trump did not have an answer. He only noted it would be a “long-term ownership position”. He also did not rule out using US troops.

    So, what does international law say about this idea?

    Can the US take over a sovereign territory?

    The quick answer is no – Trump can’t just take over someone else’s territory.

    Since the end of the second world war in 1945, the use of force has been prohibited in international law. This is one of the foundations of international law since the creation of the United Nations.

    The US could only take control of Gaza with the consent of the sovereign authority of the territory. Israel can’t cede Gaza to the US. The International Court of Justice has ruled that Gaza is an occupied territory – and that this occupation is illegal under international law.

    So, for this to happen legally, Trump would require the consent of Palestine and the Palestinian people to take control of Gaza.

    And what about removing a population?

    One of the biggest obligations of an occupying power comes under Article 49 of the Geneva Conventions. This prohibits an occupying power from forcibly transferring or removing people from a territory.

    All other states also have an obligation not to assist an occupying power in violating international humanitarian law. So that means if the US wanted to move the population of Gaza by force, Israel could not assist in this action. And likewise, the US cannot assist Israel in violating the rules.

    Occupying powers are allowed to remove a population for the reason of safety.

    Trump and his Middle East envoy who visited Gaza last week have repeatedly referenced how dangerous it is. Trump questioned how people could “want to stay” there, saying they have “no alternative” but to leave.

    However, removing people for this reason has to only be temporary. Once it’s fine for someone to return, they must be returned.

    What if people voluntarily leave?

    Transferring a population has to be consensual. But in this specific case, it would mean the consent of all Palestinians in Gaza. The US could not force anyone to move who does not want to.

    Further to this, a government, such as the Palestinian Authority, cannot give this consent on behalf of a people. People have a right to self-determination – the right to determine their own future.

    A perfect example is migration – if a person migrates from one state to another, that is their right. It’s not displacement. But forcefully displacing them is not permitted.

    And using what sounds like a threat would arguably not be consensual, either. This could be saying, for instance, “If you stay, you’ll die because there’s only going to be more war. But if you leave, there’s peace.” This is the threat of force.

    Would forcing people to leave be ethnic cleansing?

    Ethnic cleansing has not been defined in any treaty or convention.

    However, most international law experts rely on the definition in the Commission of Experts report on the former state of Yugoslavia to the UN Security Council in 1994. It defined ethnic cleansing as:

    rendering an area ethnically homogeneous by using force or intimidation to remove persons of given groups from the area.

    So, under that definition, what is being suggested by Trump could be classified as ethnic cleansing – removing the Palestinian people from a certain geographical area through force or intimidation.

    What can be done if Trump follows through?

    If Trump follows through with this plan, it would be a violation of what is known as jus cogens, or the paramount, foundational rules that underpin international law.

    And international law dictates that no country is allowed to cooperate with another in violating these rules and all countries must try to stop or prevent any potential violations. This could include placing sanctions on a country or not providing support to that country, for example, by selling it weapons.

    A perfect example of this is when Russia illegally annexed Crimea in 2014, very few countries recognised the move. Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 was then followed by sanctions and the freezing of Russian assets, among other actions.

    If Trump pursued this course of action, he too could be personally liable under international criminal law if he’s the one instigating the forcible transfer of a population.

    The International Criminal Court has already issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the former Israeli defence minister and a Hamas commander in relation to the conflict.

    The risk of this kind of language

    One of the dangers of this kind of rhetoric is the potential to dehumanise the enemy, or the other side.

    Trump does this through statements such as, “You look over the decades, it’s all death in Gaza”, and resettling people in “nice homes where they can be happy” instead of being “knifed to death”. This language implies the situation in Gaza is due to the “uncivilised” nature of the population.

    The risk at the moment, even if Trump doesn’t do what he says, is that the mere vocalisation of his proposal is dehumanising to the Palestinian people. And this, in turn, could lead to more violations of the rules of war and international humanitarian law.

    The nonchalant way Trump is discussing things such as taking over a territory and moving a population gives the impression these rules can easily be broken, even if he doesn’t break them himself.

    Tamer Morris 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. Trump wants the US to ‘take over’ Gaza and relocate the people. Is this legal? – https://theconversation.com/trump-wants-the-us-to-take-over-gaza-and-relocate-the-people-is-this-legal-249143

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI China: ‘Ne Zha’ sequel sets box office record for Chinese animation

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    A poster for “Ne Zha 2.” [Image courtesy of Coloroom Pictures]

    Fantasy feature “Ne Zha 2” has become the top-grossing domestic animated feature of all time in a milestone for Chinese cinema.

    As of Wednesday, “Ne Zha 2,” has earned over 5.05 billion yuan (about 705 million U.S. dollars) since it premiered just eight days ago on Jan. 29, according to data from ticketing app Beacon.

    It is remarkable that the previous high was set by the same film series, with the first “Ne Zha” installation raking in nearly 5.04 billion yuan in 2019.

    As ticket sales continue to climb, the sequel could reach a total box office revenue of 6 billion yuan, which would be a record for Chinese film, Beacon projects.

    The franchise takes its name from a mythological character in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) novel “Fengshen Yanyi,” or “The Investiture of the Gods.” This character, Ne Zha, is also depicted as a demon-slaying hero in the 16th-century Chinese classic “Journey to the West.”

    While rooted in Chinese mythology, “Ne Zha 2” — directed by Yang Yu, who goes by the nickname Jiaozi — takes bold creative strides by focusing on Ne Zha’s struggles and growth.

    The film reimagines classic elements of Chinese mythology, preserving cultural authenticity while offering fresh interpretations with themes such as personal identity, self-fulfillment, family and friendship, which resonate widely with audiences and evoke a strong sense of empathy.

    “As I was watching, I burst out in both laughter and tears. It’s hilarious at the beginning, but deeply touching when the mother and son are separated,” said Zhang Bohan, a film enthusiast from Beijing, commenting on “Ne Zha 2.”

    The visuals of “Ne Zha 2” surpass the film’s predecessor, with over 1,900 special effects shots offering an even more immersive cinematic experience. Ne Zha’s costumes, Taiyi Zhenren’s magical artifacts, the architecture of the underwater Dragon Palace, and the scene design of Kunlun Wonderland — every detail of the film highlights the unique charm of traditional Chinese culture.

    Impressing audiences with its stunning visuals and engaging storyline, “Ne Zha 2” is rated above 95 percent of animations on Douban, a popular Chinese film review platform.

    The film’s domestic box office success has further fueled expectations for its overseas performance, thanks to its fusion of traditional Chinese culture, cutting-edge special effects and modern values.

    According to its overseas release schedule, “Ne Zha 2” will be screened in countries such as the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Egypt, Singapore, Japan and the Republic of Korea.

    Gou Qiangshi, an associate professor at Chengdu University’s College of Chinese & ASEAN Arts, has noted that Chinese literary classics are a major source of inspiration for domestic animated films. The key to bringing new life to these classics is their creative adaptation to align with contemporary narrative arts.

    In recent years, domestic animated films that celebrate traditional Chinese culture have received increased attention, entering a period of rapid development. Films like “Chang’an,” “White Snake” and “Ne Zha” have sparked widespread interest, leading a fresh wave of cinema trends. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Xi Jinping and his four-decade bond with Iowan friends

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

    BEIJING, Feb. 5 — China and the United States, sharing extensive common interests and broad space for cooperation, can become partners and friends.

    This goodwill message, along with Chinese New Year greetings, was sent by Chinese President Xi Jinping to his friends in the U.S. state of Iowa ahead of this year’s Spring Festival.

    He was replying to 58 Iowans who sent him a greeting card and recalled in it the Chinese leader’s first visit to Iowa in 1985. Among them are Xi’s longtime friends Luca Berrone, Gary Dvorchak and Sarah Lande.

    Nearly four decades ago, Xi traveled to the United States for the first time. During that visit, he met these ordinary Americans. Since then, a special bond has been formed that lasts to this day.

    CURIOUS YOUNG MAN

    In the spring of 1985, Xi, then an official of Zhengding County, Hebei Province, led a five-member delegation to Iowa, known as “the world’s food capital,” to learn about crop production and livestock farming.

    During the visit, he spent three days in Muscatine, a city in rural eastern Iowa along the Mississippi River, where he stayed with local hosts Thomas and Eleanor Dvorchak. The homestay left a lasting impression.

    Recalling the trip decades later, Xi said he still remembered where he stayed: 2911 Bonnie Drive. “That was my first face-to-face contact with the Americans,” Xi said. “The days I spent with them are unforgettable.”

    Xi and his delegation were warmly received in Muscatine. “On our first night, our hostess asked what time we would wake up the next morning and what we would like to eat,” recalled Xia Wenyi, the delegation’s translator.

    Xi responded that he was happy to eat whatever the family typically had. According to Xia’s recollection, Xi said, “We want to experience and understand the daily life of an everyday American family.”

    Hostess Eleanor prepared a big breakfast with coffee and tea every day during Xi’s stay. Xi slept in the Star Trek-themed bedroom belonging to the Dvorchaks’ son, Gary, who was then away at university.

    “Everything, no matter what, was very acceptable to him — he was humble,” Eleanor recounted.

    Xi’s visit came after China and the United States had spent years working to restore relations in the late 1970s. In 1983, then Iowa Governor Terry Branstad signed a sister-state agreement with Hebei and led a 50-member delegation to the provincial capital of Shijiazhuang in 1984, which, as he recalled, led to Xi’s trip in 1985.

    “We wanted to treat them as we were treated in Hebei. So we went all out,” recalled Branstad, who served as U.S. ambassador to China from 2017 to 2020.

    Xi’s itinerary in Muscatine included tours to farms and food processing plants, interviews with local media, a “Welcome to Muscatine” luncheon and a boat excursion on the Mississippi River.

    It was Xi’s first sighting of the Mississippi River. “When I was young, I had read the novels of Mark Twain, and I had long wanted to see for myself the picturesque scenery of the Mississippi,” Xi said when he revisited Iowa back in 2012.

    “He was curious about everything and asked questions about everything,” recalled Sarah Lande, one of the Muscatine tour coordinators. Local newspaper Muscatine Journal also reported on how Xi engaged with residents, answering “a variety of questions about China and its people.” Xi was also given a key to the city.

    In 2023, reminiscing about this experience, Xi said, “I have found that although our two countries are different in history, culture and social system and have embarked on different development paths, our two peoples are both kind, friendly, hardworking and down-to-earth.”

    LASTING CONNECTIONS

    Xi has said on several occasions that the foundation of China-U.S. relations was laid by the people of both sides. Xi has stayed in touch with old friends in Iowa through reunions, letters and shared memories.

    In 2012, Xi visited Iowa once again as China’s vice president. He made sure to add Muscatine to his jam-packed itinerary so he could reunite with the old friends. They chatted over tea at Lande’s home, gathering around a couch in the living room. Their hour-long meeting was filled with laughter.

    Thomas and Eleanor Dvorchak, who had moved to Florida, made a special trip back. Xi recognized the couple the moment he saw them and shared his memories of his stay at the Dvorchaks.

    “You were the first group of Americans I came into contact with,” Xi told his Iowa friends. “To me, you are America.”

    Lande compiled their stories into a memoir titled Old Friends: The Xi Jinping-Iowa Story, which was published in 2018. Upon learning about Lande’s book project, Xi sent some of his own photos.

    Another reunion of these old friends occurred in 2023 when Xi visited San Francisco for the APEC leaders’ meeting. When Xi saw Gary, son of the Dvorchaks, he said, “I stayed in your room and remember the sweatshirts and ball gear there.”

    “There was genuine happiness, so you could see the smile on his face. He was really enjoying it,” Gary said of the reunion.

    Gary first met Xi in person in 2015 when the Chinese president hosted the Dvorchak family for a private dinner in Beijing. During the gathering, Gary’s parents presented Xi with a photo album titled “Commemorating 30 Years of Friendship,” featuring photos from 1985 and 2012.

    When Gary’s father, Thomas Dvorchak, passed away in 2024, Xi conveyed his condolences, expressing that he had always valued the genuine friendship.

    The Dvorchaks’ Iowa home, where Xi once stayed, has been turned into a museum and renamed the Sino-U.S. Friendship House. Gary noted that visitors can appreciate how much the friendship has grown over the years.

    “For America and China to be friends as countries, it is important for people to understand each other,” he said.

    THE YOUTH AND TOMORROW

    For the Chinese leader, the future of China-U.S. relations depends on the youth. For years, Xi has worked to foster friendly exchanges between young people in China and the United States.

    During his 2023 visit to San Francisco, Xi announced an initiative to invite 50,000 young Americans to China for exchange and study programs over a five-year span.

    Shortly after, Lande, who maintained correspondence with Xi, wrote to him, expressing hope that Muscatine High School students could join the program.

    With Xi’s support, over 20 Muscatine students visited Beijing, Shanghai, Hebei and other places in China in January 2024, becoming the first group of American students to participate in the program.

    After their visit, the students, delighted by their experiences, wrote a letter to Xi. In a reply, Xi told them he felt happy for them. He encouraged more young Americans to visit China to get a first-hand experience of the real China and foster genuine friendships with their Chinese counterparts.

    In April, another group of Muscatine students arrived in Hebei. They made a special trip to Zhengding County to visit the place where Xi once worked.

    Lucas Berrone, board of directors of Iowa Sister States, escorted the students on the trip. Berrone met Xi in 1985. He mapped out a two-week itinerary for Xi’s first Iowa tour and spent hours driving the delegation to farms and plants. Their friendship has endured over the decades.

    Berrone sees these exchange trips as an opportunity to introduce a new generation to the friendship between China and the United States. He is hopeful about “passing the torch” to the younger generation.

    Joseph McNeely, a student from Muscatine who traveled to China thanks to the exchange program, expressed his gratitude to Berrone: “Thank you for continuing the friendship between you and President Xi and for helping this trip come to light.”

    McNeely made some Chinese friends from Shijiazhuang Foreign Language School during the trip. As a symbol of friendship, they planted a tree in Hebei.

    This year, during the Chinese Spring Festival, Berrone hosted Chinese students from Shijiazhuang Foreign Language School in Iowa. The students were on vacation, touring the United States and making new friends in Muscatine.

    As he had many times before, Berrone shared his story of hosting Xi and other Chinese delegates in Iowa 40 years ago. “Their stay, even though brief, made the connection with the families opening up their homes and their hearts.”

    “That connection was the first building brick of a relationship that has lasted 40 years and continues to grow as a wonderful friendship and an inspiring story for relations between China and the United States,” Berrone added.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Albanese Government introduces legislation to guarantee 3 days of early education and care

    Source: Australian Executive Government Ministers

    The Albanese Labor Government has today introduced legislation to deliver an early education 3 Day Guarantee and replace the Liberal’s Activity Test.

    Every child has the right to go to school – and governments have a responsibility to make that possible. 

    We believe every child has the right to go to early education, to help make sure they don’t start school behind – and our Labor Government is going to make this possible. 

    This legislation introduced today guarantees three days a week of subsidised early education for children who need it from January 2026.

    Families earning between $50,000 to $100,000 who will be better off under the 3 Day Guarantee are expected to save on average $1,460 per year. 

    This provides cost-of-living relief to families and helps ensure that children can access the benefits of high-quality early education and care.

    This is good for families and good for children. 

    Under this reform, more than 100,000 families will be entitled to more hours of subsidised care. 

    A re-elected Albanese Labor Government will also establish a $1 billion Building Early Education Fund, which is the next step in creating universal child care system in Australia. 

    More centres will be built and expanded in areas of need, including in the outer suburbs and regional Australia. 

    The Building Early Education Fund will deliver grants to providers and the Government will also explore options for the Commonwealth to invest in owning and leasing out services. 

    It will include a focus on co-locating services on school sites and on supporting the growth of high-quality not-for-profit providers. 

    This is a key part of ensuring more Australian families can access quality early education and care. 

    Comment attributable to Minister for Education, Jason Clare: 

    “We have made child care cheaper for more than 1 million families. 

    “We are delivering a 15 per cent pay rise to build the early education workforce.

    “The 3 Day Guarantee is the next step.

    “It means more children will be able to access early education and care and more likely to start school ready to learn.

    “This is a key part of our plans to build a universal early education system and make sure that every child gets a great start in life.”

    Comment attributable to Minister for Early Childhood Education, Dr Anne Aly:

    “The activity test locks out the children who can most benefit from early childhood education and care. 

    “The 3 Day Guarantee is about making sure that every child no matter their background and no matter where they live, has access to the transformative benefits of early childhood education and care. 

    “We’re laying the foundation for a truly universal early childhood education system through improving affordability, boosting supply, increasing accessibilty and securing the vital workfroce families rely on.” 

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Spanish potter shapes fusion of Eastern and Western art in China’s ‘porcelain capital’

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    This photo taken on May 1, 2023 shows a view of the Taoxichuan Ceramic Art Avenue at night in Jingdezhen, east China’s Jiangxi Province. (Xinhua)

    In the quiet of winter, the cherry trees in the courtyard have withered, yet the fruits continue to flourish in the porcelain works of Spanish ceramic artist Jaume Ribalta.

    The 32-year-old artist, who has spent the past three years wandering through Jingdezhen, dubbed China’s “porcelain capital”, in Jiangxi Province, draws inspiration from his surroundings to craft pieces that seamlessly blend nature with artistry.

    Ribalta settled in Xianghu Village, a hub for ceramic artists in Jingdezhen, where he established his studio and now feels at home, deeply immersed in the rhythms of rural Chinese life.

    Amid the Spring Festival aura, Ribalta’s studio courtyard hums with festive energy, as red lanterns sway among the greenery, festive paintings adorn the doors, and traditional decorations like spring couplets and Chinese knots complete the scene, marking a joyful celebration of the season.

    “Over the years, I’ve created a Zodiac series of teacups, each featuring a different Chinese zodiac animal in my designs. Last year it was the dragon, and this year it’s the snake,” he explains. “I’ve grown to love this traditional Chinese cultural element and have continued to incorporate it into my work.”

    His studio is filled with Chinese elements — antique furniture, a portrait of Confucius, and traditional ink landscape paintings — each detail reflecting Ribalta’s deep appreciation for Chinese culture.

    “I learned Chinese painting from books, with masters like Qi Baishi serving as my ‘teachers,’” he said. Beyond this, Ribalta has expertly fused his Spanish heritage with Chinese artistry, drawing inspiration from the black-and-white ceramic designs of his hometown, Barcelona. He employs traditional blue-and-white porcelain techniques to craft distinctive works that seamlessly blend Eastern and Western artistic styles.

    Jingdezhen’s history of ceramics spans over 2,000 years, and its role as an official and royal kiln elevated its porcelain-making techniques to the highest level in history. Driven by a passion for ceramics, thousands of foreign artists have migrated to Jingdezhen, a city with a population of less than 900,000, in recent years. During the peak period, there was one foreigner among every six migrants.

    The open, inclusive and eclectic creative environment of Jingdezhen has allowed foreign drifters like Ribalta, despite initial language barriers, to quickly adapt to local life. For him, Jingdezhen is a vast cultural heritage, where every corner offers fertile ground for ceramic artistry.

    In addition to the many ceramic studios nearby, Ribalta said another reason he was drawn to this particular village is its proximity to Jingdezhen Ceramic University.

    “Engaging in conversations with young ceramic artists and students, exploring how to blend tradition with innovation, is key to keeping my inspiration alive,” he said.

    For Ribalta, Jingdezhen was the obvious choice for his ceramic art, as the city is like “an art utopia,” boasting an omnipresent artistic atmosphere and a warm, free-spirited environment. However, creating individual ceramic pieces is not his sole ambition. He said that his goal for the year 2025 is to create a cultural landmark for the village.

    He pulled up his design concept on his phone, explaining how blue-and-white porcelain could move beyond its traditional role as vessels and be repurposed as striking wall decorations.

    “In Spain and Portugal, ceramics are often used in architectural decoration,” he said. “China has many exquisite, large blue-and-white porcelain vases, but their application in architectural settings is relatively rare. I hope to integrate ceramics into architecture in a public space someday, creating a monumental scene that blends Chinese and Western cultures with my own hands.”

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: To keep your cool in a heatwave, it may help to water your trees

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gregory Moore, Senior Research Associate, School of Agriculture, Food and Ecosystem Sciences, The University of Melbourne

    Gena Melendrez/Shutterstock

    Heatwaves are among the world’s deadliest weather hazards. Every year, vast numbers of people are killed by heat stress and it can worsen health problems such as diabetes, asthma and heart disease.

    Unfortunately, the bitumen roads, brick and concrete structures and roofing tiles in cities can absorb and retain vast amounts of heat, much of which is released after the sun has set. This creates what’s known as the urban heat island effect. In fact, temperatures can be significantly higher in cities than in surrounding or rural areas.

    Trees and greenspace can drive down urban temperatures – but they must be able to draw water from the soil to achieve these massive cooling effects.

    In other words, it can sometimes be helpful to water your trees during a heatwave.

    Trees need to be able to access water in the soil to achieve transpiration.
    Tirachard Kumtanom/Shutterstock

    How trees keep us cool (and no, it’s not just about shade)

    Trees reduce urban temperatures in two significant ways. One is by the shade they provides and the other is through their cooling effect – and no, they’re not the same thing.

    Water is taken up via a plant’s roots, moves through the stems or trunks and is then misted into the air from the leaves through little holes called stomata. This is called transpiration, and it helps cool the air around leaves.

    Transpiration helps cools the air around a plant’s leaves.
    grayjay/Shutterstock

    Water can also evaporate from soil and other surfaces. The combined loss of water from plants and soil is called evapotranspiration.

    The cooling effects of evapotranspiration vary but are up to 4°C, depending on other environmental factors.

    Watering your trees

    If heatwaves occur in generally hot, dry weather, then trees will provide shade – but some may struggle with transpiration if the soil is too dry.

    This can reduce the cooling effect of trees. Keeping soil moist and plants irrigated, however, can change that.

    The best time to irrigate is early in the morning, as the water is less likely to evaporate quickly before transpiration can occur.

    You don’t need to do a deep water; most absorbing roots are close to the surface, so a bit of brief irrigation will often do the trick. You could also recycle water from your shower. Using mulch helps trap the water in the soil, giving the roots time to absorb it before it evaporates.

    All transpiring plants have a cooling effect on the air surrounding them, so you might wonder if trees have anything special to offer in terms of the urban heat island effect and heatwaves.

    Their great size means that they provide much larger areas of shade than other plants and if they are transpiring then there are greater cooling effects.

    The surface area of tree leaves, which is crucial to the evaporative cooling that takes place on their surfaces, is also much greater than many other plants.

    Another advantage is that trees can be very long lived. They provide shade, cooling and other benefits over a very long time and at relatively low cost.

    Not all trees

    All that said, I don’t want to overstate the role of urban trees in heatwaves when soils are dry.

    Some trees cease transpiring early as soils dry, but others will persist until they wilt.

    Careful tree selection can help maximise the cooling effects of the urban forest. Trees that suit the local soil and can cope with some drying while maintaining transpiration can provide greater cooling

    And, of course, it is important to follow any water restriction rules or guidelines that may be operating in your area at the time.

    Trees keep us cool

    Despite the clear benefits trees can provide in curbing heat, tree numbers and canopy cover are declining annually in many Australian cities and towns.

    Housing development still occurs without proper consideration of how trees and greenspace improve residents’ quality of life.

    It is not an either/or argument. With proper planning, you can have both new housing and good tree canopy cover.

    We should also be cautious of over-pruning urban trees.

    Trees help us when we help them.
    maxim ibragimov/Shutterstock

    Trees cannot eliminate the effects of a heatwave but can mitigate some of them.

    Anything that we can do to mitigate the urban heat island effect and keep our cities and towns cooler will reduce heat-related illness and associated medical costs.

    Gregory Moore is affiliated with Make Victoria Greener, which campaigns to preserve trees in Victoria.

    – ref. To keep your cool in a heatwave, it may help to water your trees – https://theconversation.com/to-keep-your-cool-in-a-heatwave-it-may-help-to-water-your-trees-246486

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Returning home after a flood? Prioritise your health and take it one step at a time

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kazi Mizanur Rahman, Associate Professor of Healthcare Innovations, Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine, Bond University

    Parts of North Queensland have received almost two metres of rain since the weekend, causing flash and riverine flooding that claimed the lives of two women around Ingham.

    While some North Queensland residents are on alert for more flooding, others are returning home to assess the damage.

    This can be very confronting. You may have left in a rush when the evacuation order was issued, taking only a few valuables and necessary items, and maybe your pet. You may have been scared and unsure of what would happen.

    Coming back and seeing the damage to the place you lived in and loved can be painful. You might also be worried about the financial consequences.

    First, focus on safety

    Make sure it’s safe to return home. Check with your energy provider whether power has been restored in your area and, if so, whether it’s safe to turn the main switch back on. Do not use appliances that got wet, as electrical hazards can be deadly.

    Look for any structural damages to your property and any hazards such as asbestos exposure. Watch out for sharp objects, broken glass, or slippery areas.

    The hardest part is cleaning up. You will need to be patient, and prioritise your health and safety.

    What risks are involved with flood clean ups?

    Floodwater carries mud and bugs. It can also be contaminated with sewage.

    Contaminated flood water can cause gastroenteritis, skin infections, conjunctivitis, or ear, nose and throat infections.

    Mud can make you sick by transmitting germs through broken skin, causing nasty diseases such as the bacterial infection melioidosis.

    Your house may also have rodents, snakes, or insects that can bite. Rats can also carry diseases that contaminate water and enter your body through broken skin.

    Be careful about mould, as it can affect the air quality in your home and make asthma and allergies worse.

    Stagnant water in and around your home can become a place where mosquitoes breed and spread disease.

    How can you reduce these risks?

    When you first enter your flood-damaged home, open windows to let fresh air in. If you have breathing problems, wear a face mask to protect yourself from any possible air pollution resulting from the damage, and any mould due to your home being closed up.

    Cleaning your home is a long, frustrating and exhausting process. In this hot and humid weather, drink plenty of water and take frequent breaks. Identify any covered part of your home with sufficient ventilation which is high and dry, and where flood water did not enter. Use that as your resting space.

    While assessing and cleaning, wear protective clothing, boots and gloves. Covering your skin will reduce the chance of bites and infection.

    Wash your hands with soap and water as often as possible. And don’t forget to apply sunscreen and mosquito repellent.

    Throw away items that were soaked in floodwater. These could have germs that can make you ill.

    Empty your fridge and freezer because the food inside is no longer safe.

    If there is standing water, avoid touching it.

    When you can, empty outdoor containers with stagnant water to prevent mosquitoes breeding.

    Don’t overlook your mental health

    When cleaning up after a flood, you may feel sad, anxious, or stressed. It’s hard to see your home in this condition.

    But know you are not alone. Stay connected with others, talk to your friends and families, and accept support. If you feel too overwhelmed, seek help from mental health support services in your area or contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.

    On top of everything, be mindful about those who are vulnerable, such as older people and those with disabilities, as they may be more affected and find the clean up process harder.

    Recovering from a flood takes time. Focus on what needs to be fixed first and take it step by step.

    Kazi Mizanur Rahman 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. Returning home after a flood? Prioritise your health and take it one step at a time – https://theconversation.com/returning-home-after-a-flood-prioritise-your-health-and-take-it-one-step-at-a-time-248902

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: In freezing foreign aid, the US leaves people to die – and allows China to come to the rescue

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Melissa Conley Tyler, Honorary Fellow, Asia Institute, The University of Melbourne

    One of the executive orders US President Donald Trump signed the day he was inaugurated was a 90-day pause in US foreign development assistance.

    The US Agency for International Development, USAID, was ordered to halt funding. Programs worldwide were issued with stop-work orders.

    All of a sudden, more than US$60 billion (around A$95 billion) of programs for the world’s most vulnerable people just stopped.

    So what happened? The world became less fair, and US soft power fizzled.

    What’s happened so far?

    We know this decision will cause deaths.

    Stop-work orders were delivered to programs that provide AIDS medication to patients. If you stop this, people die.

    Charities, many of which work on a shoestring, had no choice but immediately to lay off staff.

    Food and vaccines already in warehouses couldn’t be distributed.

    Programs providing landmine clearing and counterterrorism training ceased.

    Belatedly, the US walked this back to some extent by saying life-saving humanitarian programs would be exempted.

    But it doesn’t appear to have slowed the pace of layoffs, partly because of confusion.

    With USAID staff now either sacked, placed on forced leave or told to stay home – and the agency’s website taken down – USAID is essentially no longer operational.

    Agents from Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency have raided the offices of USAID and assumed control, with Musk posting on his X social network that “USAID is a criminal organization” and “it’s time for it to die”.

    Some of the people affected have gone public, including Australian organisations on behalf of their partners.

    But most in the sector can’t speak up if they hope for funding in the future. So the true extent of the impacts, including their knock-on effects, is likely much larger than has been publicly reported so far.

    A more unequal and unstable world

    With the halt in aid for the poorest, the world just became more unequal.

    Before this week, the US was the world’s largest aid donor.

    USAID was established by then-US president John F. Kennedy in 1961. Its programs focused on improving global health, alleviating poverty and providing emergency relief in response to natural disasters or conflict, as well as enhancing education and strengthening democratic institutions abroad.

    The countries that were receiving the most USAID assistance in 2023 were Ukraine, Ethiopia, Jordan, Afghanistan and Somalia.

    In the Indo-Pacific, the Lowy Institute’s aid maps show that the Pacific received US$249 million (about A$470 million) and SouthEast Asia received US$1 billion (almost A$1.6 billion) in US overseas development assistance annually in the most recent data.

    This funded 2,352 projects, including peacebuilding in Papua New Guinea, malaria control in Myanmar, early childhood development in Laos, and programs to improve the education, food security and health of school-age children across the region.

    All of these programs are now being reviewed to ensure they are “fully aligned with the foreign policy of the President of the United States”.

    Based on the first Trump administration, there seems no chance that programs on climate, gender equality, abortion and equity inclusion will be reinstated after the 90-day assessment period. Losing funds for climate adaptation and mitigation is a huge issue for the Pacific Islands.

    Assistance for survivors of gender-based violence, employment for people with disabilities and support for LGBTQIA+ youth will likely lose funding.

    In communities that received significant USAID funding, the sudden cut in programs and loss of community organisations will damage the fabric of society.

    An unequal world is a less stable one. Australia’s peak body for the non-government aid sector, the Australian Council for International Development, says the suspension of USAID programs “will work against efforts to build peace, safety, and economic stability for the world”.

    A power that’s no longer super

    Thinking of the impact on the US interests, there has been an enormous hit to US soft power from an entire pillar of US foreign policy suddenly disappearing.

    This is underlined by the fact the cuts apply equally to ally, partner and adversary nations alike.

    In the Pacific, the Biden Administration made a real effort to increase US presence, opening embassies and announcing USAID programs.

    All of this has now been squandered by withdrawing from this space. I am aware of a project for which China has come in to provide funding where US funding has gone. It is a spectacular setback for the US.

    What is most extraordinary is that this is self-inflicted damage. There were alternatives, such as continuing business as usual during a 90-day period of review, then giving notice to some programs that they would be discontinued.

    The performative and haphazard way in which the policy has been implemented suggests an administration that doesn’t care much about the world outside its borders and is more concerned about ideological battles within.

    Researcher Cameron Hill describes Trump as linking foreign aid “to the symbols and slogans of his domestic political coalition”. This is likely to continue beyond the demise of USAID to other agencies involved in foreign assistance, such as development finance.

    Australia needs to help fill the gap

    What does this mean for Australia? As a middle power, it has an opportunity to step up – and work with other development partners such as Japan, Korea, India, Indonesia, Canada and European donors in the face of a genuine emergency.

    For the Australian government this might mean an emergency increase in development funding or freeing up existing funding to keep the lights on.

    Australia will undoubtedly now need to step up on climate programs in the Pacific if US funding doesn’t return. Australia could seek to convene an urgent meeting through the Pacific Islands Forum to discuss.

    The first fortnight of the Trump administration has had global impact well beyond US politics. On the most important issue for the majority of the world – development – the US decided to withdraw, destroying in a few days what have taken decades to build.

    Melissa Conley Tyler is Executive Director at the Asia-Pacific Development, Diplomacy & Defence Dialogue (AP4D), an initiative funded by the foreign affairs and defence portfolios and hosted by the Australian Council for International Development.

    – ref. In freezing foreign aid, the US leaves people to die – and allows China to come to the rescue – https://theconversation.com/in-freezing-foreign-aid-the-us-leaves-people-to-die-and-allows-china-to-come-to-the-rescue-249024

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Markey Blasts Trump’s Vow to Dismantle the Department of Education

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey

    Washington (February 4, 2025) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), a member of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, released the following statement today after President Trump vowed to dismantle the Department of Education at a White House press conference. In Massachusetts, the U.S. Department of Education last year provided more than $720 million to support 1,800 K-12 schools and more than 926,000 students.

    “Investment in our children is an investment in our future. Dismantling the Department of Education would do the opposite by making it harder for children to achieve and for parents, caregivers, and communities to thrive. President Trump wants to lock the promise of public education — of equal opportunity and hope for all — behind an ivory tower accessible only to his billionaire donors at a time when a third of children in America cannot read proficiently. It is callous and cynical.

    “This attack on educators, families, and students will not go unanswered. I will not stop fighting for our future.”

    President Trump’s nominee to serve as the Secretary of the Department of Education, Linda McMahon, is expected to appear before the HELP Committee.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Online diagnostics for children with disabilities has become available in Moscow

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    Experts City Psychological and Pedagogical Center can now remotely assess the developmental characteristics of children with disabilities and provide recommendations for their education and socialization. Every year, about 50 thousand Moscow families turn to specialists. This was reported by the press service of the capital Department of Education and Science.

    “As a mother, I have already used the service in a new format. You can send all the documents to specialists in advance in electronic form and choose the time for your child to undergo online diagnostics. In format, it is similar to a distance lesson, based on the results of which psychologists, speech therapists and defectologists give feedback. Since March, the conclusion will be sent by e-mail. The procedure has become very convenient and fast, for most parents and children this is a huge saving of time and effort,” said Maya Bulaeva, deputy of the Moscow City Duma, director of the educational institution “School in Nekrasovka”.

    Remote diagnostics are available for children over three years of age without hearing or vision impairments. The examination is carried out on a video conferencing platform. “Negotiation room”To connect, you will need a computer or tablet with a camera, microphone and a stable Internet connection. Recording is carried out through the portal Mos.ru.

    The Central Psychological-Medical-Pedagogical Commission operates on the basis of the City Psychological-Pedagogical Center. Its specialists develop recommendations based on their own diagnostics and taking into account medical reports provided by the child’s parents.

    “When parents are interested in their child’s development, the family’s life is scheduled down to the minute. Every day you need to manage to do a lot of things: take the child to kindergarten or school, to the pool, to developmental classes, repeat the speech therapist’s exercises at home. In this situation, time is the most important resource, and you begin to appreciate technologies that help you use it rationally. Online diagnostics of special children is a godsend for parents. The family does not need to waste time on the way there and back. This is especially important for children who have difficulty moving. During online testing, communication with the commission specialists takes place using a gadget. The child is at home, in a familiar environment. He is calm and comfortable, that is, the stress factor is excluded,” shared actress Evelina Bledans, mother of a child with Down syndrome.

    For children with disabilities who have received a commission’s conclusion, special conditions are created in educational institutions. Adapted educational programs and manuals are developed, and assistance from tutors, assistants and other specialists is provided. Such children and disabled children can also participate in sports sections.

    If a child has difficulties in mastering the school curriculum or social adaptation, support can be obtained from City Psychological and Pedagogical Center capital Department of Education and ScienceThe institution’s branches operate in every district of Moscow.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    Please Note; This Information is Raw Content Directly from the Information Source. It is access to What the Source Is Stating and Does Not Reflect

    https: //vv.mos.ru/nevs/ite/149715073/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Beyoncé is right – music genres can force artists into conformity. But ditching them isn’t an option

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Timothy McKenry, Professor of Music, Australian Catholic University

    Beyoncé appeared visibly astonished to hear her album Cowboy Carter had won best country album at this year’s Grammy Awards. Onstage, the singer offered a heartfelt reflection on musical genre:

    I think sometimes genre is a code word to keep us in our place as artists and I just want to encourage people to do what they’re passionate about and stay persistent.

    Beyoncé’s speech built on a more pointed critique of genre found in one of the tracks from her album, SPAGHETTII.

    The track opens with a soundbite from Linda Martell, a pioneering Black country music singer who enjoyed commercial success in the 1960s, but whose career was marred by both overt racial abuse and accusations she didn’t “sound black”. In the soundbite, Martell says:

    Genres are a funny little concept, aren’t they? […] In theory, they have a simple definition that’s easy to understand, but in practice, well, some may feel confined.

    This description of confinement was echoed in 2024, when the Country Music Association Awards controversially excluded Cowboy Carter from the nomination process due to insufficient radio airplay, as per the award rules.

    Media reports claimed some country radio stations refused to play, or were slow to play, Beyoncé’s new album because they didn’t recognise her as a country artist.

    Debates about the usefulness of genre have been around for a while, and won’t disappear anytime soon. Beyoncé’s Grammy win presses us to consider the relevance of genre in the modern music world – and the extent to which these rigid definitions can be justified.

    Is ‘genre’ useful in music?

    On one level, genre is a simple and necessary mechanism for categorising different types of music. Genre encodes various aspects of music, including instrumentation, the time period it originates from, its emotional character, and the melodic, rhythmic and harmonic conventions it employs.

    Terms such as jazz, rock, country, R&B, metal, hip-hop, folk and EDM are rich in meaning, and are routinely used as identity markers for performers – and for award categories at events like the Grammys. They also help us discuss our musical preferences, and teach and learn about music in educational settings.

    At the same time, these terms remain fluid and contested. Research tracking the rise and fall of musical genres highlights the power genres have in shaping our understanding and experience of music.

    Consider rock as an example. In the early 1950s, radio disc jockeys popularised the term rock’n’roll to describe a distinct style that drew from genres including rhythm and blues, gospel and country music, but which differed from each of these in character and function.

    The societal adoption of rock’n’roll as a “new” genre wasn’t just driven by the features present in the music, but by its resonance with a teenage audience for whom it signalled rebellion, associations with sexuality and a merging of different American music cultures.

    Just as Elvis Presley came to embody the genre, divergent practices gave rise to new and adapted terminology. “Rockabilly” (a style that combines elements of country and rock’n’roll) entered the lexicon. Rock’n’roll simply became “rock” and numerous adjectives such as “folk”, “psychedelic”, “progressive”, “punk”, “classic” and “hard” were attached to make sense of the continually evolving style.

    I’d argue the music of Elvis Presley has little in common with the stoner rock band Kyuss, yet we group them in the same broad musical taxonomy.

    Research has revealed significant inconsistencies in how people use and understand music genre terminology. Nonetheless, genre labels have historically been considered useful tools to communicate meaningful information about musical experiences.

    So, what’s Beyoncé’s problem with genre?

    Problems can arise for musicians when genres don’t simply describe musical practices, but work to control or distort them. Record labels have a profit imperative that incentivises artists to create music that’s easily categorised into well-established genres.

    The risk this incentive poses to creativity has traditionally been offset by audiences demanding new and diverse music – alongside a flourishing independent musical culture that either ignores or is overtly antagonistic towards the generic preferences of large record labels.

    That said, musicians are also pushed to adhere to narrow definitions of genre due to search functions in streaming services and methodologies used by music charts.

    For example, the ARIA (Australian Recording Industry Association) charts’ code of practice lists six genre charts: core classical, country, crossover/classical, dance, hip hop/R&B, and jazz and blues. And while the ARIAs have a range of mechanisms to track record sales, the codification of these genres inevitably influences Australian musicians who wish to make a living from their music.

    Beyond this, powerful cultural associations with certain genres can make their boundaries difficult to cross. Sometimes genre boundaries are rightly inflexible – particularly those associated with regional music-making or First Peoples’ cultures.

    Cowboy Carter however, represents a rediscovery and celebration of Black country musicians. It draws attention to how these musicians were neglected because they didn’t align with prevailing assumptions about the genre.

    The fact that Beyoncé’s choice to explore country music was in any way contentious emphasises this point. The foray by The Beatles’ drummer Ringo Starr into country music was, by contrast, uncontroversial.

    Genre as a framework is, ultimately, necessary. It’s impossible to discuss music without some way of making sense of it all. Listeners, however, should recognise that rigid genre definition can distort creativity. They should also reflect on whether it may be distorting their listening habits, too.

    Timothy McKenry 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. Beyoncé is right – music genres can force artists into conformity. But ditching them isn’t an option – https://theconversation.com/beyonce-is-right-music-genres-can-force-artists-into-conformity-but-ditching-them-isnt-an-option-249016

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Bold statement, or a product of misogyny? What Bianca Censori’s ‘naked dress’ says about fashion on the red carpet

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Harriette Richards, Senior Lecturer, School of Fashion and Textiles, RMIT University

    Despite the many musical achievements celebrated at this year’s Grammy Awards, it was Bianca Censori’s red carpet appearance that won the award for most headlines.

    Walking the red carpet with her husband Ye (Kanye West), nominated for best rap song, Censori first appeared wrapped in an oversized black fur coat. As the couple stood to be photographed, she dropped the coat to reveal her outfit: a transparent mini dress with no underwear.

    In contrast to Ye, dressed head to toe in black, Censori’s nudity was shocking – yet somewhat unsurprising. Censori has become well known for her revealing outfits.

    In September 2023, Censori was photographed in Florence wearing sheer stockings and clutching a purple throw pillow to her chest in lieu of a top. Later that year, she was spotted in Miami wearing a skimpy metal mesh bikini and hugging onto a large fluffy cat soft toy. In 2024 she was seen in Los Angeles in a clear raincoat with nothing underneath and at a dinner in Italy wearing a sheer poncho, again with nothing underneath.

    And so-called “naked dresses”, like the one Censori wore to the Grammys, have pushed the boundaries of red carpet attire since 1974, when Cher famously wore a barely-there Bob Mackie gown to the Met Gala.

    Changing winds of fashion

    Since then, many models and actresses have embraced revealing clothing choices. Rose McGowan famously attended the MTV Video Music Awards with Marilyn Manson in 1998 wearing a chain mail dress by designer Maja Hanson that bared all.

    In 2014, Rihanna wore a daring sparkling gown at the CFDA Awards encrusted with 230,000 Swarovski crystals.

    At the 2017 Met Gala, both Kendall Jenner and Bella Hadid wore transparent garments, Jenner in a La Perla slip and Hadid in a glittering Alexander Wang catsuit.

    In 2022, when Florence Pugh wore a magnificent pink dress at a Valentino couture show in Rome, she garnered international attention for the way the outfit revealed her nipples.

    For many commentators, these sheer, transparent or minimal garments have been bold fashion statements. They have also prompted conversations about misogyny and the policing of women’s bodies.

    Some previous instances of naked dressing have been cause for celebration. They seem to have symbolised a feminist victory, indicating the power of women to take control of their appearance and their bodies. This has perhaps been why they have remained so popular.

    However, as Donald Trump begins his second term as president with a new agenda for discriminatory gender politics, the trend now seems to be falling out of favour. Indeed, directly contrasting Censori’s look, the big names at Sunday’s event were wearing gowns that were all about design – not exposure.

    Charli XCX wore a voluminous grey corseted dress straight from the Jean Paul Gaultier Spring/Summer 2025 couture show by Ludovic de Saint Sernin. Sabrina Carpenter lent into old Hollywood glamour in a custom baby blue, low backed gown by JW Anderson. And Beyoncé wore a custom glittering gold Schiaparelli gown and opera gloves designed by Daniel Roseberry.

    Far from the positive responses some recent examples of naked dressing have garnered, commentary about Ye and Censori’s stunt – apparently an attempt to replicate Ye’s Vultures I album cover – bristled with concern, pity and accusations of abuse.

    But is it art?

    In large part, this response is because Censori has no voice. She does not give interviews or speak to the media. Her only form of communication is her body. That she frequently appears like a deer in headlights, her eyes wide and empty, provokes assumptions about her lack of autonomy in the choice to wear such daring outfits.

    Ye’s reputation for controlling behaviour merely exacerbates these assumptions.

    Some have argued the outfits Censori wears are a form of “performance art”. Whether or not she is complicit in their choreographed production is a source of much speculation.

    Regardless of who orchestrates these stunts or what their purpose is (beyond mere attention seeking), they are undoubtedly gendered. It is Censori’s body on display; Ye’s body remains concealed beneath layers of oversized black garments.

    They also call into question the very purpose of clothes as a practical protective layer between a vulnerable body and the world.

    It must be remembered that Censori was not wearing nothing. She was wearing a dress that exposed everything. But protective layer it was not. She eschewed protection – from the elements and the gaze of the world – in favour of risk, revelation and shock.

    For a pair who have capitalised on the attention received by wearing outlandishly revealing outfits, this new iteration seems to be a logical conclusion. But where does Censori go from here? There is nothing more to reveal.

    Harriette Richards 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. Bold statement, or a product of misogyny? What Bianca Censori’s ‘naked dress’ says about fashion on the red carpet – https://theconversation.com/bold-statement-or-a-product-of-misogyny-what-bianca-censoris-naked-dress-says-about-fashion-on-the-red-carpet-249001

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tuberville Promotes Access to High-Quality Job Training through Pell Grants

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Tommy Tuberville (Alabama)

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) joined his colleagues in introducing the Jumpstarting Our Businesses by Supporting Students (JOBS) Act, legislation to help more Americans get good-paying jobs by allowing students to use federal Pell Grants—needs-based education grants for lower-income individuals—to pay for shorter-term job training programs for the first time. Currently, students can only use Pell Grants for two- and four-year colleges and universities. By expanding Pell Grant eligibility, the JOBS Act would help close the skill gap by allowing people to access job training they might otherwise be unable to afford but need for careers in high-demand fields.

    “A college degree isn’t the one-size-fits-all solution to achieving the American dream,” said Sen. Tuberville. “Since I got to Congress, I’ve been focused on expanding workforce training and skills-based learning programs. Students should not be discouraged from entering the labor industry because they cannot afford the mandatory training. Alabama relies on these skilled workers, and Congress should be making it easier for them to pursue necessary training, not harder. This bill will open up more career opportunities for students in an evolving job market. I’m proud to join my colleagues in cosponsoring the JOBS Act.”

    Joining U.S. Senator Tuberville in cosponsoring the legislation are U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Cory Booker (D-NJ), John Boozman (R-AR), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Chris Coons (D-DE), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Steve Daines (R-MT), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), John Hoeven (R-ND), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Angus King (I-ME), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Mark Warner (D-VA), Roger Wicker (R-MS), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).

    The JOBS Actis supported by Advance CTE, the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), the Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE), the Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT), the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM), Business Roundtable, the Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP), the Exhibitions and Conferences Alliance (ECA), Higher Learning Advocates (HLA), HP Inc., the Information Technology Industry Council (ITI), Jobs for the Future (JFF), the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, NAF, the National Association of Workforce Boards (NAWB), the National Association of Workforce Development Professionals (NAWDP), the National Skills Coalition (NSC), the Progressive Policy Institute (PPI), Rebuilding America’s Middle Class (RAMC), and the Virginia Community College System.

    Read full text of the legislation here. 

    BACKGROUND:

    The JOBS Act would allow Pell Grants to be used for high-quality job training programs that are at least eight weeks in length and lead to industry-recognized credentials or certificates. Under current law, Pell Grants can only be applied toward programs that are over 600 clock hours or at least 15 weeks in length, rendering students in shorter-term high-quality job training programs ineligible for crucial assistance.

    Specifically, the JOBS Act would amend the Higher Education Act by:

    • Expanding Pell Grant eligibility to students enrolled in rigorous and high-quality, short-term skills and job training programs that lead to industry-recognized credentials and certificates and ultimately employment in high-wage, high-skill industry sectors or careers.
    • Ensuring students who receive Pell Grants are earning high-quality postsecondary credentials by requiring that the credentials:
      • Meet the standards under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), such as meaningful career counseling and aligning programs to in-demand career pathways or registered apprenticeship programs,
      • Are recognized by employers, industry, or sector partnerships,
      • Align with the skill needs of industries in the state or local economy,
      • Are approved by the state workforce board in addition to the U.S. Department of Education.
    • Defining eligible job training programs as those providing career and technical education instruction at an institution of higher education, such as a community or technical college that provides:
      • At least 150 clock hours of instruction time over a period of at least eight weeks,
      • Training that meets the needs of the local or regional workforce and industry partnerships,
      • Streamlined ability to transfer credits so students can continue to pursue further education in their careers,
      • Students with licenses, certifications, or credentials that meet the hiring requirements of multiple employers in the field for which the job training is offered.

    Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP, and Aging Committees.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: NSU scientists create a database of samples from the Scientific and Educational Center “Evolution of the Earth” on the CoGIS platform

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Novosibirsk State University – Novosibirsk State University –

    Employees Scientific and educational center “Evolution of the Earth” Faculty of Geology and Geophysics, Novosibirsk State University are creating a database that will combine information about all samples located in open exhibits and storage facilities. The result of this work should be the creation of a website for all those interested in geology and mineralogy. Third-party visitors will be able to see exhibits of the Evolution of the Earth Scientific and Educational Center here, and professional geologists and NSU employees will be able to obtain information about samples from the faculty’s closed storage facilities. Work on creating the database and the website is being carried out with the support of the program “Priority 2030”The software product is being created by the Novosibirsk IT company Data East, which employs graduates of the Faculty of Geology and Geophysics of NSU.

    — The domestic geoinformation platform CoGIS allows specialists to create websites from ready-made modules without resorting to the services of programmers. They design the database themselves, create object cards and thus document museum exhibits. Each object contains a description and multimedia information — photos, videos, presentations. The interface is so simple that it can be easily mastered by both a scientist and a schoolchild. We expect that the CoGIS platform for the Scientific and Educational Center “Evolution of the Earth” and for the university as a whole will become a universal environment for storing and processing scientific and practical information, useful for student term papers and diploma papers, industrial practices, as well as for the implementation of research programs of the university, — said Mikhail Zadorozhny, GIS specialist at Data East.

    — At the moment, the database is only being created and functions only for internal use. We have digitized all the samples exhibited in the expositions of the Scientific and Educational Center “Evolution of the Earth” — both inside its premises and in display cases located in the adjacent corridors. The samples that are in the faculty’s storage facilities have also been partially digitized. To date, the database contains information on more than three thousand samples. About the same number has been digitized, but has not yet been entered into the database. To do this, we, together with specialists from Data East, have created sample cards, in each of which we place an image of a mineral or rock and a number of its geological characteristics: name, chemical composition, weight, size, date of receipt in the storage of the Scientific and Educational Center “Evolution of the Earth”, place and date of extraction, name of the extractor. Of course, not every sample is provided with a full list of this data — often some characteristics are unknown to us. Not all samples are provided with a photo image — only the exposition ones and the most impressive in appearance. The rest will be accompanied only by descriptions at the first stage, said Olga Khokhryakova, a research fellow at the Evolution of the Earth Scientific and Educational Center.

    The database compilers still have a lot of work ahead of them. Many of the specimens that require detailed descriptions and photographs are under glass, so the database contains incomplete data and “rough” photographs. The specimens from the Alexander Godovikov collection, located in the passage next to the exhibition halls of the Scientific and Educational Center “Evolution of the Earth”, have full descriptions. The remaining specimens, which are stored packed in boxes, will not be accompanied by photographs for now.

    — The storage facilities of the Geological and Geophysical Faculty contain thousands of undescribed samples brought back from student practices and expeditions in the 1980s and 1990s. Before the creation of the Scientific and Educational Center “Evolution of the Earth” in the new building, there was an educational museum at the Geological and Geophysical Faculty (it was located in the laboratory building), and now its samples make up a significant part of the faculty’s collection. All the exhibits placed in display cases had descriptions and labels. In the new building, the collection was replenished with new samples. We also enter them into our database. But a considerable part of the minerals and rocks still remain unsorted. The samples are in boxes wrapped in old newspapers from the Soviet era. Now we sort them out, describe the contents and put them on the balance sheet. The most spectacular samples have been selected for placement in museum display cases or in educational collections intended for classrooms, — said Olga Khokhryakova.

    In addition, the staff of the Scientific and Educational Center “Evolution of the Earth” work with unaccounted samples brought from geological practices and trips of the members of the student mineralogical society “Crystal”. For several decades, these samples were stored in the laboratory building of NSU, and now they have been transported to the storage facilities of the Scientific and Educational Center “Evolution of the Earth”. Some parcels with samples have not yet been unpacked. The most interesting and beautiful samples were previously selected and placed in display cases of the museum of the SMO “Crystal”, the rest did not have time to be sorted out. Now NSU geologists have taken up this work, dividing the samples into several categories. They combine samples, for example, by place of discovery, chemical composition or area of application. The volume of the collection to be sorted out is calculated not in the number of boxes, but in cubic meters. At the moment, there are 10 of them.

    — We classify, systematize, arrange all the samples that come to us by storage location and enter them into the database, which allows us to quickly and easily find them in the storage facility when there is a need to form exhibitions, replenish educational collections or present them as illustrations on the Internet. We understand that a methodical description of all the samples will probably take a decade, so we decided to take a different approach: first, we select those samples that are interesting to us from an exhibition or educational point of view, and work with them. We will move on to less interesting samples later. We fill the database gradually, as we describe the samples, — Olga Khokhryakova explained.

    According to the plan of the staff of the Scientific and Educational Center “Evolution of the Earth”, the database they are creating will not only be used internally. Access to the database is via the Internet, adding and viewing information occurs within the framework of the geoportal, which presents the mineralogical and paleontological expositions of the Scientific and Educational Center “Evolution of the Earth”. Different levels of access – for employees who can edit data, and for visitors who will visit the site to admire photographs of sparkling crystals and multi-colored stones, and at the same time learn interesting facts about them – are configured using CoGIS. Visitors to the geoportal will be able to familiarize themselves with the contents of the exhibition showcases of the Scientific and Educational Center “Evolution of the Earth” and with each exhibit presented on them separately. It is assumed that NSU employees and students will be able to see more information than all other visitors. For example, they will be able to get acquainted with archival and educational collections.

    — Our website, thanks to its impressive design and beautiful photo illustrations, will attract the attention of schoolchildren and teachers. Having learned about us, teachers will be able to contact the Scientific and Educational Center “Evolution of the Earth” with a request for educational mineralogical collections, which would present, for example, minerals and rocks that are often found in our region, or samples necessary for mastering the curricula in geography and chemistry. Our employees form school collections at the request of teachers. One of them was transferred to Novosibirsk School No. 112 in November last year, — said Olga Khokhryakova.

    The website, which contains a database of mineralogical and paleontological samples, is expected to become available to a wider audience later this year.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI USA News: Withdrawing the United States from and Ending Funding to Certain United Nations Organizations and Reviewing United States Support to All International Organizations

    Source: The White House

    By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered:

    Section 1.  Purpose.  The United States helped found the United Nations (UN) after World War II to prevent future global conflicts and promote international peace and security.  But some of the UN’s agencies and bodies have drifted from this mission and instead act contrary to the interests of the United States while attacking our allies and propagating anti-Semitism.  As in 2018, when the United States withdrew from the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC), the United States will reevaluate our commitment to these institutions.

    Three UN organizations that deserve renewed scrutiny are the UNHRC; the UN Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO); and the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).

    UNRWA has reportedly been infiltrated by members of groups long designated by the Secretary of State (Secretary) as foreign terrorist organizations, and UNRWA employees were involved in the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel.  UNHRC has protected human rights abusers by allowing them to use the organization to shield themselves from scrutiny, while UNESCO has demonstrated failure to reform itself, has continually demonstrated anti-Israel sentiment over the past decade, and has failed to address concerns over mounting arrears.

    Sec. 2.  UNHRC and UNESCO Participation.  (a)  The United States will not participate in the UNHRC and will not seek election to that body.  The Secretary shall terminate the office of United States Representative to the UNHRC and any positions primarily dedicated to supporting the United States Representative to the UNHRC. 

    (b)  The United States will also conduct a review of its membership in UNESCO.  This review shall be led by the Secretary, in coordination with the United States Representative to the United Nations (UN Ambassador), and must be completed within 90 days of the date of this order.  The review will include an evaluation of how and if UNESCO supports United States interests.  In particular, the review will include an analysis of any anti-Semitism or anti-Israel sentiment within the organization.  

    Sec. 3.  Funding.  (a)  Executive departments and agencies shall not use any funds for a contribution, grant, or other payment to UNRWA, consistent with section 301 of title III, division G, of Public Law 118-47 (March 23, 2024).  The Secretary shall withdraw the determination previously made under section 7048(c)(1) of title VII, division F, of Public Law 118-47.  Accordingly, of the funds appropriated for a contribution to the UN Regular Budget under the heading “Contributions to International Organizations” of Public Law 118-47, as most recently continued by Public Law 118-158 (December 21, 2024), the Secretary shall withhold the United States proportionate share of the total annual amount of UN Regular Budget funding for the UNHRC, consistent with section 7048(c) of title VII, division F, of Public Law 118-47.

    (b)  Within 180 days of the date of this order, the Secretary, in consultation with the UN Ambassador, shall conduct a review of all international intergovernmental organizations of which the United States is a member and provides any type of funding or other support, and all conventions and treaties to which the United States is a party, to determine which organizations, conventions, and treaties are contrary to the interests of the United States and whether such organizations, conventions, or treaties can be reformed.  Upon the conclusion of that review, the Secretary shall report the findings to the President, through the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, and provide recommendations as to whether the United States should withdraw from any such organizations, conventions, or treaties. 

    Sec. 4.  Notification.  The Secretary shall inform the UN Secretary General and the leadership of UNRWA and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights that the United States will not fund UNRWA or the UNHRC and that the United States will not satisfy any claims to pay 2025 assessments or prior arrears by these organizations.

    Sec. 5.  General Provisions.  (a)  Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:

    (i)   the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or

    (ii)  the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.

    (b)  This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.

    (c)  This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.

    THE WHITE HOUSE,

        February 3, 2025.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA News: Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Withdraws from Anti-American UN Organizations

    Source: The White House

    ENDING U.S. SUPPORT FOR RADICAL ANTI-AMERICAN UN ORGANIZATIONS: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order withdrawing the United States from the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) and prohibiting any future funding for the UN Relief and Works Agency for the Near East (UNRWA).

    • The Executive Order also requires the Secretary of State to review and report to the President on which international organizations, conventions, or treaties promote radical or anti-American sentiment.
      • The UN Educational, Science, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), in particular, will undergo a review under an expedited timeline due to its history of anti-Israel bias.
    • The Executive Order will prohibit the United States from providing any additional funding to UNRWA, which has consistently shown itself to be anti-Semitic and anti-Israel, as evidenced by the number of its staff members who took part in the horrific October 7th terrorist attacks against Israel.
      • UNRWA facilities have repeatedly been used by Hamas and other terrorist groups to store weapons and build tunnels.

    STANDING UP FOR HUMAN RIGHTS: The UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) has not fulfilled its purpose and continues to be used as a protective body for countries committing horrific human rights violations.

    • The UNHRC has demonstrated consistent bias against Israel, focusing on it unfairly and disproportionately in council proceedings.
    • In 2018, the year President Trump withdrew from the UNHRC in his first administration, the organization passed more resolutions condemning Israel than Syria, Iran, and North Korea combined.

    BUILDING ON PAST SUCCESS: During his first administration, President Trump stopped funding the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) and withdrew the United States from the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) and the UN Educational, Science and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

    • President Trump in 2017: “The United Nations must reform if it is to be an effective partner in confronting threats to sovereignty, security, and prosperity.”
    • After the U.S. withdrew from UNESCO, the organization took steps to improve its relationship with Israel.
    • President Trump successfully stopped U.S. funding to UNRWA during his first administration. The Biden Administration initially resumed funding until being forced to confront UNRWA’s corruption after the October 7th attacks, and President Trump is once again taking action to stand up for human rights by withdrawing the United States from this corrupt organization for good.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Teacher Sentenced to Over 11 Years in Federal Prison for Possessing and Receiving Child Sexual Abuse Material

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BOISE – Chad Joseph Longley, 45, of Boise, was sentenced to 141 months in federal prison with 20 years of supervised release for one count of receipt of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today.

    According to court records, investigators with the Idaho Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force received a tip that Longley possessed child sexual abuse material.  ICAC investigators investigated and corroborated this tip which led to a search warrant authorizing law enforcement to search Longley’s residence and digital devices.  While executing the search warrant, investigators seized digital devices belonging to Longley.  A computer forensic examiner discovered child sexual abuse material on the devices.  During an interview, investigators advised Longley of his Miranda rights and he admitted to possessing the child sexual abuse material.

    In July 2021, a grand jury charged Longley with the crime of possession of child pornography.  While awaiting sentencing, Longley and the Government engaged forensic computer experts to further review the digital devices.  This review revealed additional criminal conduct beyond possession of child sexual abuse material.

    According to court records, around 2017, Longley had a fake profile of a young female on a social media platform.  Posing as a young female, he became social media friends with one of his former students.  He tricked the former student into sending him child sexual abuse material.  The victim was unaware that it was his teacher using a fake persona when he sent the child sexual abuse material.  In March 2024, Longley was indicted by a grand jury for the additional criminal conduct.  Longley entered into a new plea agreement, whereby he pleaded guilty to the crime of receiving child pornography and agreed to a jointly recommend a sentence of 141 months in prison with 20 years of supervised release.

    On February 4, 2025, Senior U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill followed the recommendations and sentenced Longley to 48 months in federal prison followed by 20 years of supervised release in his first case involving the possession of child pornography, and to 141 months in federal prison followed by 20 years of supervised release in his second case involving the receipt of child pornography.  The two sentences will run concurrently to each other.

    “The defendant’s actions in taking advantage of a former student are particularly heinous, and he deserves this lengthy prison sentence,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit.  “Our office is fortunate to have outstanding prosecutors who work tirelessly to hold child predators accountable and seek justice for victims.  The result in this case would not have been possible without their dedication and that of our law enforcement partners.”

    “The actions of this former teacher are reprehensible,” said Attorney General Raúl Labrador.  “This sentence represents the hard work of ICAC’s investigators, the federal prosecutor, and the team of professionals committed to stopping these crimes.  I’m grateful for their commitment to keep our kids safe from abuse and exploitation, and for the courts that recognize the seriousness of these crimes.”

    U.S. Attorney Hurwit commended the work of the Idaho ICAC Task Force, which led to the charges.  Assistant U.S. Attorney David G. Robins prosecuted the case.

    This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. As part of Project Safe Childhood, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho and the Idaho Attorney General’s Office partner to marshal federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI China: Sweden’s worst mass shooting in history kills 10 at school

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    This is a screenshot captured from the video of the Swedish government’s press conference held on the evening of Feb. 4, 2025. Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson is speaking to the press. [Photo/Xinhua]

    The school shooting in central Sweden’s Orebro is the worst mass shooting in the country’s history, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said at a press conference late Tuesday.

    Swedish police confirmed on Tuesday evening that around ten people were killed in the shooting, which took place at noon at Risbergska Skolan, an education center, in Orebro. The shooter suspect is among the deceased, according to the police.

    While investigation and further search are ongoing, authorities said the exact number of the victims remained unclear. However, initial findings indicate that the suspect acted alone, and police have ruled out terrorism as a motive.

    Kristersson urged the public to refrain from speculation, emphasizing that authorities must be given space to conduct their investigation.

    “The Swedish public wants to know the reasons, but will have to wait for the answers,” said Swedish Minister of Justice Gunnar Strommer at the press conference. “With time, the picture will clear up.”

    King Carl XVI Gustaf expressed his condolences in a statement, describing the day as a “black day” for Sweden. He extended his sympathies to the families and friends of the victims and the injured, and expressed appreciation for the efforts of police, rescue and healthcare workers.

    Risbergska Skolan mainly serves adults over the age of 20, while also offering primary and secondary school courses and Swedish language classes for immigrants. The city of Orebro is located about 200 km west of Stockholm.

    Speaking to Swedish Radio (SR), local school security specialist Lena Ljungdahl said that while armed violence in schools has been extremely rare in Sweden, violence has escalated outside the educational institutions, including multiple shootings near schools in recent years.

    “I have expected this. Schools are not an isolated place. What happens outside will sooner or later happen inside schools,” Ljungdahl said.

    Mats Knutson, a political analyst of SR, highlighted that the shooting occurred amid years of escalating armed violence in Sweden, with the past few months witnessing an unprecedented number of explosions.

    Sweden is now in a crisis situation, and it is the government’s responsibility to unify the nation, Knutson said.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Woodblock prints add to holiday’s traditional flavor

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    Xu Jiahui, a national inheritor of Liangping woodblock New Year painting, colors a woodblock print at his workshop in Chongqing’s Liangping district on Jan 14. HUANG WEI/XINHUA

    As Wen Li attached her handmade Liangping woodblock print featuring door gods — an item of national intangible cultural heritage — to her front door, she knew this Spring Festival would be unforgettable for her family.

    Wen, 32, from Yihe, a village in Panlong township of Liangping district, Chongqing, recently took part in a celebration activity in the district, for which she had personally crafted a woodblock print.

    “When every household in our village hangs up traditional well-wishing Chinese couplets and woodblock prints on their doors, I can feel that the New Year is in the air,” she said.

    According to the local cultural and tourism commission, over 50,000 copies of woodblock prints and couplets were distributed in 33 townships in Liangping at themed events.

    The local government has also collaborated with multiple platforms to enhance the festive atmosphere, with the prints being offered as gifts at several local shopping malls.

    On Jan 10, over 1,000 students completed a massive Liangping woodblock New Year painting spanning approximately 1,000 square meters on the playground of Chongqing Liangping Vocational Education Center.

    Under the guidance of Xu Jiahui, a national inheritor of Liangping woodblock New Year painting, the students completed the art work, titled Generals as Door Gods.

    Woodblock paintings have been well received in many places. From January to February, Liangping woodblock New Year painting exhibitions are taking place in multiple districts of the municipality, as well as in Xiong’an New Area and Handan in Hebei province. In Beijing, the paintings are currently being exhibited at the China Intangible Cultural Heritage Museum, local authorities said.

    The custom of New Year paintings is one of the important traditional activities to celebrate Spring Festival.

    Woodblock printing was invented in the Song Dynasty (960-1279). As this art form developed and became more and more popular among Chinese people, its content and functions also increased.

    On Dec 4, the Spring Festival and the social practices associated with the celebration of the traditional Chinese New Year, were added to UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Liangping woodblock New Year paintings played a role in the application process, local authorities said.

    In May 2006, the art form of Liangping woodblock New Year painting was included in the first batch of national intangible cultural heritage items.

    “I believe our intangible cultural heritage should be presented in its good old traditional form,” said Xu, who is 59, and has dedicated 48 years to studying the craft.

    Situated in northeastern Chongqing, Liangping is renowned for its rich intangible cultural heritage, boasting five national-level, 26 municipal-level, and 124 county-level items.

    Recognized by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism for its unique Spring Festival customs, folk culture and art heritage, Liangping is particularly celebrated for its woodblock New Year paintings and bamboo curtains, both of which hold national geographical indication trademarks.

    Building on this cultural legacy, the district has established five primary and secondary schools dedicated to preserving traditional Chinese culture and art. Additionally, it has developed 13 city-level experimental bases for intangible heritage inheritance, and offered over 120 special interest classes, engaging more than 10,000 students in the vibrant traditions of Liangping.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Additional support for healthcare students and graduates from Rural, Regional and Remote locations

    Source: New South Wales Government 2

    Headline: Additional support for healthcare students and graduates from Rural, Regional and Remote locations

    Published: 5 February 2025

    Released by: Minister for Regional Health, Minister for Regional NSW

    Healthcare students and graduates living or seeking employment in rural, regional and remote NSW can now apply for 9 types of scholarships designed to support their studies and boost the state’s regional health workforce.

    Minister for Regional Health Ryan Park today opened the first round of the NSW Government’s $5 million Rural and Regional Health Career Scholarships Program for 2025, which support Students of Nursing, Midwifery, Medicine, Dentistry and Allied Health.

    Applications are now open for the Diploma of Nursing Rural Travel Support Incentive, which provides financial travel assistance for Diploma of Nursing students from a rural area (Modified Monash Model locations 3 or above) and live more than 100km (one way) from the Registered Training Organisation. Eligible students can apply for a travel incentive of $5,000 to go towards the cost of travel and accommodation related to their Diploma of Nursing studies.

    Applications are also open for the New Graduate Nursing and Midwifery Rural Support Incentive, which provides a one-off payment of $1,000 to support relocation costs for non-local graduate registered nurses and midwives seeking employment in identified rural or remote LHD locations.

    These scholarships are expected to support more than 1,100 healthcare workers.

    The full list of scholarships include:

    • Diploma of Nursing Rural Travel Support Incentive
    • New Graduate Nursing and Midwifery Rural Support Incentive
    • Allied Health Rural Generalist Program (Level 1) Scholarship
    • Allied Health Rural Generalist Diploma Rural Practice (Level 2) Scholarship
    • Rural Allied Health Assistant Scholarship
    • Aboriginal Rural Allied Health University Student Scholarship
    • Supporting Entry into University Medicine or Dentistry Scholarship (GAMSAT)
    • Supporting Entry into University Medicine or Dentistry Scholarship (UCAT)
    • Getting Started in Medicine Scholarship for First Year Students

    For more information on the $5 million Rural and Regional Health Career Scholarships Program, including eligibility criteria and opening dates, visit the NSW Health website.

    These scholarships build on a series of measures The Minns Labor Government has introduced to strengthen the state’s health workforce including:

    • Implementing the Safe Staffing Levels initiative in our emergency departments
    • Providing permanent funding for 1,112 FTE nurses and midwives on an ongoing basis
    • Abolishing the wages cap and delivering the highest pay increase in more than a decade for nurses and other health workers
    • Investing an additional $200.1 million in key worker accommodation
    • Beginning to roll out 500 additional paramedics in regional, rural and remote communities
    • Boosting subsidies for regional health workers.

    Quotes attributable to Minister for Regional Health Ryan Park:

    “Staffing our regional, rural and remote healthcare facilities is a major challenge.

    “This year the program is expected to support 150 nursing and midwifery students, 100 medical and dentistry and 35 allied health students from regional, rural and remote locations while they undertake their healthcare studies.

    “This Program is helping to strengthen our regional, rural and remote health workforce in NSW, which will result in improved experiences for patients living in these locations.”

    Quotes attributable to Minister for Regional NSW Tara Moriarty:

    “Ensuring rural and regional communities have access to the best healthcare is a key priority for the Minns Government and also a significant challenge.

    “These scholarships are not just a great opportunity for regional and rural students looking for a career in healthcare, but they will also play a part in helping recruit and retain healthcare workers in our regional communities.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Employee Charged With Defrauding Mt. Diablo Unified School District In Fake Invoices Scheme

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    OAKLAND – A federal grand jury has charged Eric Rego with three counts of mail fraud in connection with a multi-million-dollar scheme to defraud his former employer, the Mt. Diablo Unified School District (MDUSD), through fake invoices for electronic devices that Rego kept and resold.  

    According to an indictment unsealed today, Rego, 39, a resident of El Dorado Hills, Calif., committed fraud by using MDUSD funds earmarked for an after-school program to purchase tablet computers and other electronic devices that he then sold for his own profit.  Rego was an employee of MDUSD, a public school district in Contra Costa County.  The school district had an after-school program that offered to students in transitional kindergarten through twelfth grade academic, recreational, and environmental programming.  The after-school program was free to students and funded primarily through state grants designed to benefit high-need population areas.  Rego was MDUSD’s after-school program coordinator.

    The school district had a contract with a nonprofit (referred to as Nonprofit 1) to run its after-school program.  As the program coordinator, Rego worked closely with Nonprofit 1.  Beginning around July 2020 and continuing through around May 2024, Rego purchased or caused to be purchased iPads, MacBooks, GoPro cameras, and other electronic devices through Nonprofit 1.  Rego allegedly falsely claimed to a Nonprofit 1 employee that the iPads and other devices were needed for students in the after-school program, but instead kept the devices and resold them at a fraction of their cost.  

    To carry out his scheme, Rego directed a Nonprofit 1 employee to submit monthly invoices containing a line-item expense for subcontracts and supplies and to include the cost of the iPads and other devices in this line-item.  Rego reviewed and approved these monthly invoices and caused their submission to MDUSD for processing and payment.  In so doing, Rego falsely represented to MDUSD that the invoices were for Nonprofit 1’s expenses incurred from operating the after-school program.  In all, the indictment alleges that Rego fraudulently obtained iPads, MacBooks, GoPro cameras, and other devices at a cost of not less than approximately $3.3 million.

    The defendant was arrested today and will appear in federal district court in Sacramento on Feb. 5, 2025.  

    An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.  If convicted, defendant faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000 for each count of mail fraud.  Any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.  

    United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey and FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge Dan Costin made the announcement.  

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Rezaei is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Linda Love.  The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI and the Concord Police Department.  The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the FBI thank the Mt. Diablo Unified School District and Superintendent Adam Clark, Ed.D. for their cooperation with the investigation.

    Rego Indictment
     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Milo Hartill’s Black, Fat and F**gy is rough around the edges – and all the more beautiful for it

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jonathan Graffam-O’Meara, PhD Candidate in Theatre, Monash University

    Matto Lucas/UMAC/Midsumma

    Milo Hartill is “Black, fat and f**gy”, according to the title of her new cabaret work.

    Actor, model, influencer and one helluva singer, 24-year-old Hartill shines. Black, Fat and F**gy is an autobiographical show, tracing defining moments of Hartill’s life as a Black, fat and queer person who grew up in Western Australia and now works in show biz.

    Centred in its name, the performance wades through aspects of her intersectional identity. This itself serves as a loose structure for the production: Blackness to fatness to queerness, with clear overlaps.

    The unapologetic self

    Hartill leans into stereotypes and tropes so hard she ultimately upends them.

    An early moment has her teasing an audience member – importantly, a white audience member – with an invitation to touch her hair. It’s a stunning moment within the work as it plays out, an image potentially loaded with racism interjected into performance with subversive, tongue-in-cheek humour and support for the chosen audience member.

    It leads immediately into a rendition of Solange’s Don’t Touch My Hair. Other featured songs include Chaka Khan’s I’m Every Woman, Frank Sinatra’s Something Stupid (performed with puppetry) and Whitney Houston’s I Have Nothing, with notable changes to the lyrics to fit the themes and tone of the show.

    Hartill is supported onstage by Lucy O’Brien on piano, who regularly chimes in with commentary and humour. The duo share a strong bond, their rapport is apparent and endearing. Within the first minute of the show we are eating from the palm of their hands.

    The duo read out examples of real, fat-phobic hate mail sent to Hartill’s social media inboxes.

    As an artist and researcher in fat-centred performance, for me, this is one of the more interesting moments in the show. It unapologetically adopts a didactic mode of delivery, revealing to audiences the kinds of despicable, violent language directed at fat people.

    Black, Fat and F**gy is an entirely unique, memorable and vital performance work.
    Matto Lucas/UMAC/Midsumma

    Theatre audiences (and makers, especially) tend to despise these kinds of didactic moments, especially pertaining to identity politics, as it marks a shift from “showing” (with metaphor) to “telling” in its messaging.

    But how else can performance give contextual significance to something without this kind of direct telling, especially when most audiences will not have an embodied experience of fatness to draw on and make inferences?

    Unless you have directly seen or heard the unrelenting, unmitigated hate speech directed at fat bodies, it is difficult to capture or convey. The “unique” aspect of this language, laid bare by Hartill in performance, is that it is delivered with a sense of righteousness: that this person is in a way helping the fat person by shaming them.

    Moments like this serve a vital function in how performance can, broadly, capture both actual experiences and associated feelings related to a topic, while aiming to impart some new knowledge or finding for its audience to take away, to sit with, to talk about and maybe go on to learn more on.

    A beautiful mixed bag

    This didactic mode of delivery is only fleeting within the show. Adopting a cabaret-style delivery (but with standard theatre seated rows), Black, Fat and F**gy weaves together aspects of musical theatre (songs), stand-up (humour) and drag performance (aesthetic): it is a queerly hybrid form.

    The show is rough around the edges. The performance allows for a high level of improvisation and audience engagement, which can lead to stalled moments and interruptions of laughter. Performance scholar T.L. Cowan writes the improvisatory nature of cabaret informs a “cabaret consciousness” that “allows an audience to enjoy a show not in spite of the mixed-bag-ness of cabaret, but because of it”.

    The mixed-bag-ness of Black, Fat and F**gy is its charm, and Hartill complements this style with a mixed-bag delivery of tricks from her deep repertoire of skills.

    The show weaves together songs, stand-up and drag: it is a queerly hybrid form.
    Matto Lucas/UMAC/Midsumma

    Black, Fat and F**gy is an entirely unique, memorable and vital performance work you should move to the top of your list of must-see Midsumma events. The production is a 70-minute-plus romp which will leave you crying, both from laughter and by acknowledging the current climate against Black, fat f*gs everywhere.

    Black Fat and F**gy is at the Guild Theatre, University of Melbourne, for Midsumma Festival until February 6.

    Jonathan Graffam-O’Meara 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. Milo Hartill’s Black, Fat and F**gy is rough around the edges – and all the more beautiful for it – https://theconversation.com/milo-hartills-black-fat-and-f-gy-is-rough-around-the-edges-and-all-the-more-beautiful-for-it-248998

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Booker, DeLauro Introduce Expanded Food Safety Investigation Act

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Cory Booker

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) and U.S. Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-03) introduced the Expanded Food Safety Investigation Act (EFSIA), legislation that would grant the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) the authority to collect microbial samples from concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs), also known as factory farms, during outbreaks or when there is a public health need. 

    Factory farming is at the heart of the spread of bird flu. The reintroduction of this legislation comes as public health experts raise alarms about the ongoing threat of H5N1, avian influenza, as variations continue to mutate, and in addition to persistent foodborne illness risks.  

    The CDC reports that 1 in 6 Americans suffer from foodborne illnesses annually, resulting in 128,000 hospitalizations and 3,000 deaths. Many of these illnesses stem from bacteria and other microbes originating in animal agriculture. Over 55 percent of foodborne Salmonella cases are linked to animals and animal products. Harmful bacteria from animal production facilities also contaminate fields of produce, further endangering consumers.

    Despite these clear threats, public health agencies currently lack the authority to conduct microbial sampling on factory farms, limiting their ability to investigate and prevent outbreaks. Investigators are frequently denied access to farms, obstructing efforts to pinpoint the source of outbreaks and implement safeguards.

    “Every year, thousands of Americans fall victim to foodborne illnesses,” said Senator Booker. “Currently, the FDA lacks the jurisdiction to investigate outbreaks and identify the sources of contaminated food stemming from animal agriculture. This bicameral legislation will reduce the prevalence of foodborne diseases by empowering the FDA and other public health agencies to properly respond to and investigate outbreaks when they happen and get contaminated food off our grocery shelves.”

    “It is clear that corporate consolidation has made our food system more vulnerable—not only to foodborne illness but also to emerging public health threats like H5N1,” said Representative DeLauro. “This crisis is exacerbated by a weak FDA, which lacks the authority to properly investigate outbreaks and remove contaminated food from the market. Under current law, multinational corporations can obstruct FDA foodborne illness investigations, delaying critical public health interventions. That cannot continue. That is why I am reintroducing the Expanded Food Safety Investigation Act, which will ensure FDA has the power to investigate corporate agribusinesses, respond effectively to public health threats, and protect American consumers.”

    “The Expanded Food Safety Act would close a critical gap in our public health safety net by allowing outbreak investigators a chance to trace the source of outbreaks on large animal farms,” said Sarah Sorscher, Director of Regulatory Affairs at Center for Science in the Public Interest. “This common sense safeguard is long overdue and can help provide solutions to stop outbreaks at their source.”

    The legislation is endorsed by American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), Animal Rights Initiative, Antibiotic Resistance Action Center at The George Washington University, Associated Humane Societies, Center for Biological Diversity, Center for Food Safety, Center for Science in the Public Interest, Ceres Community Project, Chilis on Wheels, Compassionate Action for Animals, Consumer Federation of America, Consumer Reports, Earthjustice, Environmental Working Group, Farm Forward, Farm Sanctuary, Food and Water Watch, Food Animal Concerns Trust, Friends of the Earth, Godspeed Horse Hostel Inc, Government Accountability Project, Iowa Environmental Council, KWT Consulting, Mercy For Animals, National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, Natural Resources Defense Council, Mercy For Animals, PIRG, San Francisco Bay Physicians for Social Responsibility, Slow Food USA, STOP Foodborne Illness, Strategies for Ethical & Environmental Development (SEED), Texas Humane Legislation Network, Vegan Activist Alliance, and World Animal Protection.

    The full text of the bill can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Teaching Council elections 2025

    Source: Post Primary Teachers Association (PPTA)

    Elections for the Teaching Council are now open. Seven of the 13 Governing Council members are elected by the profession during elections held every three years. Election voting opens on Wednesday 5 February 2025.

    PPTA Te Wehengarua encourages members to vote in these elections and we support members stepping up to these positions. Four PPTA Te Wehengarua members are putting themselves forward  to be the secondary teachers’ representative.

    Ava Asby

    Science and Chemistry teacher, Western Heights High School, Rotorua

    Profile statement:

    I am a dedicated educator driven to help secondary students reach their fullest potential in New Zealand’s education system. Since arriving in NZ over 20 years ago, I have become a fully qualified and experienced science teacher in Rotorua, committed to fostering lifelong learning.
    If elected, I will prioritize policies that empower middle management to lead effectively, enhancing team communication and collaboration to improve student outcomes, particularly in applied sciences.
    My goal is to link modern, relevant science education with everyday experiences, preparing students for today’s job market. I am also passionate about advancing teacher training policies, supporting high-quality classroom management, and efficient resource planning across schools to ensure the best educational experience possible. Let’s work together to make meaningful, positive changes for our students and educators.

    Simon Curnow

    Curriculum Leader Languages at Marlborough Girls’ College, Blenheim

    Profile statement:

    Kia ora koutou, no Kernowek oku tipuna. 
    I would like to use this position to advocate for a reduction in fees for Teacher Registration. There must be creative ways for doing this through the Ministry of Education and School Boards. If budgeted for, the real costs for the average school would not be prohibitive on a yearly basis. 
    A simplification of the Standards for the Teaching Profession and the Educational Leadership Capability Framework is needed. Too often these documents are used in a pedantic manner to create a rod for hard-working teachers’ backs. Accountability needs to go both ways – bottom up as well as top down. 
    The Teacher’s Council should work, in conjunction with NZQA, to attract teachers from different parts of the world to the profession. Recognition of overseas qualifications needs to be re-examined and expanded.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Honouring Australia’s first women’s cricket legend Barbara Rae

    Source: State of Victoria Local Government 2

    Exciting news! A permanent bronze statue to honour the legacy of pioneering cricketer Barbara Rae will be installed in Greater Bendigo later this year.

    It follows the City of Greater Bendigo’s successful submission for funding from the Victorian Women’s Public Art Program to commemorate the 19 year old cricketer.

    It is the first statue to honour a female cricketer in Victoria and only the second in Australia.

    Bendigo is the birthplace of women’s cricket in Australia and the first match between the ‘Blues’ and the ‘Reds’ occurred as part of the Easter Fair in 1874 to raise funds for the Bendigo Hospital and Benevolent Asylum.

    Primary school teacher Barbara Rae was pivotal in organising the inaugural match, recruiting players and running coaching sessions at local cricket grounds. At that time, women required permission to play in ‘male-only’ sports in public.

    As captain of the winning Blues team, Barbara was the top scorer and named player of the match.

    The inaugural match was initially deemed a success and attended by thousands. It was during the following days that match players faced hostility in many Victorian newspapers for what was considered ‘deplorable’ and ‘unseemly’ behaviour for women to play public sport.

    Now, almost 151 years since that first match, Barbara Rae’s leadership and legacy lives on as women’s cricket in Australia thrives, with record-breaking crowds and participation levels.

    The City made a submission to the Victorian Women’s Public Art Program last year and was shortlisted with 12 others from across the state. The program honours legacies of those who have forged a path for all Victorian women – reflecting diversity, and highlighting leadership, excellence, and service to the community across a range of fields.

    The program’s aim is to address the under-representation of women and their achievements by funding six public artworks in Victoria.

    Public engagement on the submissions attracted more than 10,000 submissions before a final decision was made by the Minister for Women. The statue of Barbara Rae is the first of the six successful projects to be announced publicly.

    The artist involved in the project will be revealed soon and the statue is expected to be installed in the latter half of 2025 in Bendigo.

    Mayor Cr Andrea Metcalf said it was fantastic news for the cricketer to be immortalised in this way.

    “Barbara Rae paved the way for women’s cricket in Australia and it happened right here in Greater Bendigo,” Cr Metcalf said.

    “I’d like to take this opportunity to thank the community for getting behind the campaign for Barbara.

    “Barbara was a trailblazer who challenged the values of 19th century society.

    “This new statue will be an important landmark for Greater Bendigo and Australia’s cricketing history and a fitting tribute to Barbara’s legacy to women’s sport.”

    Barbara Rae’s great granddaughter Diane Robertson said she was delighted to see Barbara honoured in this way.

    “It has been such a thrill to see our great grandmother’s contribution recognised for what has now become an established and vibrant sport. Barbara set a wonderful example for women and girls in sport,” Ms Robertson said.

    Last year’s Easter Festival marked the 150th anniversary of Australia’s first women match with a commemorative celebration at the Queen Elizabeth Oval and a representative T20 match between Bendigo and Ballarat. The anniversary event was supported by the City, the Bendigo Easter Fair Society, the Bendigo Historical Society, the Bendigo District Cricket Association and Cricket Victoria.

    The Bendigo Historical Society held its inaugural exhibition, Frisky Matrons & Forward Spinsters to honour Barbara and women’s cricket in the region. The City’s Heritage Collections Officer Simone Ewenson curated the stunning exhibition.

    Bendigo Easter Fair Society President Simon Mulqueen said the statue was a wonderful celebration of women’s cricket which began at the Bendigo Easter Fair in 1874.

    “The Bendigo Easter Fair Society is extremely proud and excited about the Barbara Rae statue which represents the women who played the first game during the Bendigo Easter Fair in 1874. It was not easy for women to play the game that they loved as there was a lot of adversity. This is a wonderful acknowledgment,” Mr Mulqueen said.

    Bendigo Historical Society President Euan McGillivray said it was important for Greater Bendigo.

    “The Bendigo Historical Society is thrilled with the news. It’s a wonderful way to mark this moment in our history and pay tribute to Barbara Rae with a permanent statue,” Mr McGillivray said.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Watching the doom loop: Sydney Festival artists witness climate change, and imagine our post-apocalyptic future

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Blake Lawrence, PhD Candidate (Design) and Performance Artist, University of Technology Sydney

    Re-Stor(y)ing Oceania. Giacomo Cosua/Sydney Festival

    The first weeks of 2025 have seen catastrophic wildfires locally and internationally, record global ocean temperatures, and unprecedented coral bleaching events.

    Trump has signed executive orders to exit from the Paris Agreement, and locally, the Coalition continues its decades-long campaign of climate denial

    Species fall swiftly and silently to extinction. The language of bird-song collapses. For many peoples, and for many species, apocalypse is past tense.

    For climate risk researchers Laurie Laybourn and James Dyke, politics illustrates a doom loop, a political diving-towards apocalypse.

    Artists in this year’s Sydney Festival imagine exit strategies from this doom loop – and dream of taking root in its post-apocalyptic rubble.

    Anito

    Phasmahammer is the alter-ego and ongoing creative project of artist Justin Talplacido Shoulder. Anito is the latest in a series of their theatre-scale works that blend live performance with mythology, story-telling, costume and ceremony.

    We begin in the cavernous Carriageworks foyer with a living miniature fig tree.

    Damun (as it is known in the Gadigal language), Ficus rubingosa (Latin), the Port Jackson fig, is known for establishing itself insurgently in the pavements and gutters of the city’s colonial (apocalyptic) architecture.

    Here, the bonsai sits like a welcome party, stifled and vibrant in its little pot.

    In an introductory speech, Shoulder’s collaborator Matthew Stegh acknowledges the city of Sydney as “a theatre and a prison” – tripling in reference to both the experience of producing theatre for institutions, and the stunted experience of our little fig.

    Anito blends live performance with mythology, story-telling, costume and ceremony.
    Sarah Walker/Sydney Festival

    He pays homage to the ecological and cosmological traditions of Gadigal Country, and to the ancestral Philippines of Shoulder. In the next breath Stegh shifts his homage to Sydney’s histories of queer and counter-cultural performance, to sex workers, strippers, clowns, club kids and drag queens.

    He offers reflections on apocalypse and ruin, referring to the “cultish suicide pact” of white supremacy, capitalism, imperialism and colonialism – to doom loops.

    We are led into the auditorium, where Shoulder and fellow performer Eugene Choi animate a series of hallucinatory images.

    Using their bodies, costume pieces, puppetry and inflatable set design, they work with immaculate sound (Corin Ileto) and lighting (Fausto Brusamolino).

    A ghostly hologram of the buttress of a great tree fills the stage. Metallic roots writhe at its foundation. Shoulder and Choi emerge, and from there, eruptions: the first man and woman, a pair of thunder-lizards, bickering, a quadruped. A scale-bending colonial ghost smothered in lace searches tragically for something among planetary ruins. A stony reef of polyps and anemones blooms and dances. A single clap by three pairs of hands. The Big Bang.

    It is often hard to discern exactly how the images are performed. They are both magic and bewildering.
    Liz Ham/Sydney Festival

    By design, it is often hard to discern exactly how these images are performed. They are both magic and bewildering.

    For philosopher Ben Ware, thinking about the horizon of the extinction of all biological life on Earth poses a paradoxical opportunity. The only thing that can thwart the end of this world – “a world of converging and multiplying catastrophes” – is the recognition that the politics of this time have one outcome: “the slow unravelling of intimately entangled forms of life”.

    The fantasy theatre of Anito makes those intimate entanglements visual. We must begin from understanding that the way the world is organised produces its own end.

    Like Shoulder, artist communities of the Pacific know this intimately.

    Re-Stor(y)ing Oceania

    Re-Stor(y)ing Oceania is an exhibition led by artists of the South Pacific Ocean.

    Originally conceived for the Venice Biennale, and curated by Taloi Havini, the exhibition comprises two commissions by Elisapeta Hinemoa Heta and Latai Taumoepeau.

    This is a space for conversation, performance, song and activism.
    Giacomo Cosua/Sydney Festival

    The rooms of a freshly-renovated Artspace in Woolloomooloo are transformed by Heta’s architectural interventions. In one, a mass of bricks creates an altar-like structure, on which bowls of coconut milk sit in concentric circles. In another, pavers form a platform for a circle of seats. They function as stages or gathering places for conversation, performance, song and activism.

    Within these happenings, Havini and her artists speak to the narrative and politics that have produced and compounded catastrophe in the South Pacific.

    Taumoepeau’s interactive installation Deep Communion sung in minor (ArchipelaGO, THIS IS NOT A DRILL) requires visitors to row on standing-paddle-board-like treadmills, which activate immersive songs sung by Taumoepeau and her collaborators.

    The physical exacerbation and the ecological trauma on the screens coalesce in our bodies.
    Giacomo Cosua/Sydney Festival

    In conversation with Heta’s installation, these songs rise and fall, the edges of the artworks and activations become blurry. Visitors paddle towards projections visualising the rubble of marine-ecological wastelands produced by regional deep-sea extraction.

    The physical exacerbation and the ecological trauma on the screens coalesce in our bodies. To drop the oar enacts the fading of the song from the speakers. We are left with reflections of the connections between bodies and calamity, and the labour of working towards futures beyond ruin.

    Plant a Promise

    Henrietta Baird’s Plant a Promise, like Anito and Re-Stor(y)ing Oceania, is a performance with blurry edges. Its roots spread out of Bangarra’s Studio Theatre to incorporate installation, in-situ yarns (storytelling and conversation) and tree-planting projects across the city.

    Inside the theatre, three contemporary dancers animate recorded stories of Indigenous experiences of bushfires beside frustrations with the surrounding political footballing. The sentiment is clear: less talk, more action.

    Plant a Promise beckons audiences into attentiveness to the lives of trees, fire and people.
    Stephen Wilson Barker/Sydney Festival

    At its finale, audience members are invited to the stage to collaborate in the transformation of the set. We are led to take handfuls of verdant eucalyptus and acacia leaves and implant them into large woven columns that have functioned theatrically as abstracted tree-forms. The stage is transformed into a forest of our making together.

    Through its many stories, Plant a Promise beckons audiences into attentiveness to the lives of trees, fire and people.

    In the shadows of catastrophe, the roots of Indigenous knowledge systems and environmental science cross-pollinate to share and enact care for Country.

    The stage is transformed into a forest of our making together.
    Stephen Wilson Barker/Sydney Festival

    Generously, we receive a gift as we exit the theatre. The exchange of a native sapling invites us into casual conversation – into reflections on Country, and how we might, all of us, commit to it.

    Again, we begin, from the recognition of an end. More rubble. More roots.

    Putricia

    At the time of writing, Sydneysiders are enamoured with the life of another plant, gathered around livestreams and making excited trips to the city’s Botanic Gardens.

    Putricia, the resident titan arum, or corpse flower (Amorphophallus titanium), has thrown her immense flower spike into the air. She has commenced her slow strip-tease after a week of tantalising her admirers.

    In a few weeks we have become attentive to her story of life and renewal. She will likely have bloomed, wilted and returned to the soil before this text goes live.

    Performances like Putricia’s blooming, Anito, Re-Stor(y)ing Oceania and Plant a Promise offer new vantage points from which to understand ourselves in relation to the natural world, and to glimpse myriad alternatives to what feels like a diving towards our own demise.

    Performances of aliveness beside and within the ecologies we inhabit move us beyond what Ben Ware sees as a naïve sense of “hope”. Instead, these stories make material, make cultural, make real, the impossible task of imagining what comes next.

    Amid the smell of rotting corpses, the pillowy puppetry of a theatrical coral spawning event, the planting of a forest or the singing of invocations for the protection of the planet’s oceans, we might yet find ourselves. This is not a drill.

    Blake Lawrence 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. Watching the doom loop: Sydney Festival artists witness climate change, and imagine our post-apocalyptic future – https://theconversation.com/watching-the-doom-loop-sydney-festival-artists-witness-climate-change-and-imagine-our-post-apocalyptic-future-249017

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –