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Category: European Union

  • MIL-Evening Report: Tyranny is an ever-present threat to civilisations. Here’s how Ancient Greece and China dealt with it

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Shannon Brincat, Senior Lecturer in Politics and International Relations, University of the Sunshine Coast

    Panasevich/Getty Images

    We’re just a few months into US president Donald Trump’s second term but his rule has already been repeatedly compared to tyranny.

    This may all feel very new to Americans, and to the rest of us watching on from around the world. But the threat of tyranny is an ancient one.

    We can learn much from how people in ancient Greece and China dealt with this issue.

    Where does tyranny come from?

    The peoples of classical Greece were separated into city-states known as the polis.

    A few of these, such as Athens and Argos, were democratic.

    Others, such as Rhodes or Chios, had had democratic features such as civic participation in public life.

    These city-states routinely faced external enemies but also the threat of tyrannical take-over from within.

    Things came to a head in 510 BCE under the rule of an oppressive tyrant known as Hippias. He was ultimately expelled, leading eventually to the establishment of democracy through reforms made under an Athenian statesmen called Cleisthenes.

    According to Plato, tyranny is the most degenerate political regime and emerges out of democracy’s excesses.

    He argued that as democratic citizens become accustomed to living by pleasure rather than reason or duty to the public good, society becomes fragmented.

    Demagogues – populist leaders who gain power by appealing to base desires and prejudices of the masses – promise the people more liberties. They turn citizens away from virtue and toward tyranny.

    Aristotle, who was Plato’s student, defines tyranny as the corrupted form of monarchy. The tyrant perverts the constitutional order to bring about self-serving rulership – the rule of one. Tyranny, he argued, destroys law and justice, eroding all public trust.

    The approach of Plato and Aristotle to combating tyranny was closely tied to their conception of the polis and the importance of citizenship.

    For the classical Greeks, citizenship was a binding relationship of reciprocal duties and obligations owed to all other citizens. The law, they believed, was king.

    It was these conventions that constrained political power, especially the arbitrary rule of one.

    Civic education by participation in daily democratic life promoted virtue, they believed. All citizens and the ruler were subservient to the law – a bond that tyranny destroyed.

    Aristotle said a strong middle class that could best prevent tyranny because they indicated a less unequal, and therefore more stable, society.

    Plato’s view was more inward looking. He saw tyranny as a political manifestation of a disordered “enslaved soul” governed by appetites rather than reason. For him, philosophical guidance back to harmony was required for the tyrant and for the people.

    Only through wisdom, he argued, could the people recognise and reject demagogues and populists.

    Protecting democracy from tyranny

    Some city-states learned from their institutional failings when tyranny had taken them over.

    For example, after a coup of aristocrats overtook Athenian democracy in 411 BCE, Athenians began to swear the Oath of Demophantos. This was among the first attempts at a constitutional safeguard of democracy against tyranny.

    It legally and morally obliged citizens to resist any attempt to overthrow democracy by force. The undertaking was a reciprocal duty; as other scholars have argued, each citizen could count on the support of all others to protect the democracy when a tyrant tried again.

    This made it far more likely for people to take action against a would-be-tyrant; they knew every other citizen had sworn an oath to have their back.

    The Greek historians of the time support these views. For example, Herodotus in the 5th century documented the rise of several tyrants across Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey). He blamed the political vacuum created by the decline of aristocratic rule. Here, the personal ambition and luxury of elites laid the path to tyrannical behaviour.

    Another famous historian named Thucydides, writing at the same time, analysed the power and political corruption behind tyranny. He observed how times of crisis exposed vulnerabilities within Athens, leading to factionalism, instability, and the erosion of democracy.

    Tyranny in classical China

    In classical China we see a complementary, yet unique view of tyranny.

    During the Warring States period (475–221 BCE), when the Zhou Dynasty was divided amongst several competing states, preventing tyranny was a central concern.

    These states were mostly hereditary monarchies rather than democracies but they still emphasised accountability to the people.

    Mencius was a Chinese philosopher and disciple of Confucius.
    Pictures from History/Getty Images

    Mencius, a 4th-century BCE Chinese philosopher and Confucian scholar, argued the people’s welfare was the foundation of legitimate rule.

    There is, he argued, a responsibility to all under the Mandate of Heaven (天命, tiānmìng). This ancient Chinese doctrine asserted that heaven grants legitimacy to just rulers. If a ruler became despotic or failed to uphold harmony and virtue, the mandate can be withdrawn, justifying rebellion and dynastic change.

    Mencius famously said a ruler who oppresses the people is not a ruler but a “mere man” who could be violently overthrown.

    Xunzi, another Confucian philosopher writing in the late 4th to 3rd Centuries BCE, believed humans were inherently selfish and chaotic.

    To fend off tyranny he emphasised ritual, education, and rule of law. He believed in formal ceremonies and structured practices such as court etiquette, family rites, and daily ethical conduct. These, he believed, helped cultivate virtue, regulate behaviour, and maintain social harmony.

    Mozi, writing mostly in the 5th to early 4th centuries BCE, was a Chinese philosopher who opposed Confucianism and founded Mohism, offered a different view.

    Opposing all hierarchies, he emphasised jiān ài(兼爱) – universal obligation or care to all others – as a core ethical and political principle.

    According to Mozi, tyranny arises when rulers act selfishly – favoring their own families, states, or interests over the common good. He advocated for strong moral conduct and competence of leaders, rather than their lineage, wealth or status.

    Tyranny today

    Viewed together, these traditions suggest preventing tyranny requires more than just moral leadership.

    Rather, it requires a notion of reciprocity – of shared obligations between citizens – and systemic safeguards against the personal ambitions of rulers.

    Ethical governance, civic education, legal frameworks, and shared responsibilities are essential.

    Shannon Brincat 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. Tyranny is an ever-present threat to civilisations. Here’s how Ancient Greece and China dealt with it – https://theconversation.com/tyranny-is-an-ever-present-threat-to-civilisations-heres-how-ancient-greece-and-china-dealt-with-it-259680

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Tyranny is an ever-present threat to civilisations. Here’s how Ancient Greece and China dealt with it

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Shannon Brincat, Senior Lecturer in Politics and International Relations, University of the Sunshine Coast

    Panasevich/Getty Images

    We’re just a few months into US president Donald Trump’s second term but his rule has already been repeatedly compared to tyranny.

    This may all feel very new to Americans, and to the rest of us watching on from around the world. But the threat of tyranny is an ancient one.

    We can learn much from how people in ancient Greece and China dealt with this issue.

    Where does tyranny come from?

    The peoples of classical Greece were separated into city-states known as the polis.

    A few of these, such as Athens and Argos, were democratic.

    Others, such as Rhodes or Chios, had had democratic features such as civic participation in public life.

    These city-states routinely faced external enemies but also the threat of tyrannical take-over from within.

    Things came to a head in 510 BCE under the rule of an oppressive tyrant known as Hippias. He was ultimately expelled, leading eventually to the establishment of democracy through reforms made under an Athenian statesmen called Cleisthenes.

    According to Plato, tyranny is the most degenerate political regime and emerges out of democracy’s excesses.

    He argued that as democratic citizens become accustomed to living by pleasure rather than reason or duty to the public good, society becomes fragmented.

    Demagogues – populist leaders who gain power by appealing to base desires and prejudices of the masses – promise the people more liberties. They turn citizens away from virtue and toward tyranny.

    Aristotle, who was Plato’s student, defines tyranny as the corrupted form of monarchy. The tyrant perverts the constitutional order to bring about self-serving rulership – the rule of one. Tyranny, he argued, destroys law and justice, eroding all public trust.

    The approach of Plato and Aristotle to combating tyranny was closely tied to their conception of the polis and the importance of citizenship.

    For the classical Greeks, citizenship was a binding relationship of reciprocal duties and obligations owed to all other citizens. The law, they believed, was king.

    It was these conventions that constrained political power, especially the arbitrary rule of one.

    Civic education by participation in daily democratic life promoted virtue, they believed. All citizens and the ruler were subservient to the law – a bond that tyranny destroyed.

    Aristotle said a strong middle class that could best prevent tyranny because they indicated a less unequal, and therefore more stable, society.

    Plato’s view was more inward looking. He saw tyranny as a political manifestation of a disordered “enslaved soul” governed by appetites rather than reason. For him, philosophical guidance back to harmony was required for the tyrant and for the people.

    Only through wisdom, he argued, could the people recognise and reject demagogues and populists.

    Protecting democracy from tyranny

    Some city-states learned from their institutional failings when tyranny had taken them over.

    For example, after a coup of aristocrats overtook Athenian democracy in 411 BCE, Athenians began to swear the Oath of Demophantos. This was among the first attempts at a constitutional safeguard of democracy against tyranny.

    It legally and morally obliged citizens to resist any attempt to overthrow democracy by force. The undertaking was a reciprocal duty; as other scholars have argued, each citizen could count on the support of all others to protect the democracy when a tyrant tried again.

    This made it far more likely for people to take action against a would-be-tyrant; they knew every other citizen had sworn an oath to have their back.

    The Greek historians of the time support these views. For example, Herodotus in the 5th century documented the rise of several tyrants across Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey). He blamed the political vacuum created by the decline of aristocratic rule. Here, the personal ambition and luxury of elites laid the path to tyrannical behaviour.

    Another famous historian named Thucydides, writing at the same time, analysed the power and political corruption behind tyranny. He observed how times of crisis exposed vulnerabilities within Athens, leading to factionalism, instability, and the erosion of democracy.

    Tyranny in classical China

    In classical China we see a complementary, yet unique view of tyranny.

    During the Warring States period (475–221 BCE), when the Zhou Dynasty was divided amongst several competing states, preventing tyranny was a central concern.

    These states were mostly hereditary monarchies rather than democracies but they still emphasised accountability to the people.

    Mencius was a Chinese philosopher and disciple of Confucius.
    Pictures from History/Getty Images

    Mencius, a 4th-century BCE Chinese philosopher and Confucian scholar, argued the people’s welfare was the foundation of legitimate rule.

    There is, he argued, a responsibility to all under the Mandate of Heaven (天命, tiānmìng). This ancient Chinese doctrine asserted that heaven grants legitimacy to just rulers. If a ruler became despotic or failed to uphold harmony and virtue, the mandate can be withdrawn, justifying rebellion and dynastic change.

    Mencius famously said a ruler who oppresses the people is not a ruler but a “mere man” who could be violently overthrown.

    Xunzi, another Confucian philosopher writing in the late 4th to 3rd Centuries BCE, believed humans were inherently selfish and chaotic.

    To fend off tyranny he emphasised ritual, education, and rule of law. He believed in formal ceremonies and structured practices such as court etiquette, family rites, and daily ethical conduct. These, he believed, helped cultivate virtue, regulate behaviour, and maintain social harmony.

    Mozi, writing mostly in the 5th to early 4th centuries BCE, was a Chinese philosopher who opposed Confucianism and founded Mohism, offered a different view.

    Opposing all hierarchies, he emphasised jiān ài(兼爱) – universal obligation or care to all others – as a core ethical and political principle.

    According to Mozi, tyranny arises when rulers act selfishly – favoring their own families, states, or interests over the common good. He advocated for strong moral conduct and competence of leaders, rather than their lineage, wealth or status.

    Tyranny today

    Viewed together, these traditions suggest preventing tyranny requires more than just moral leadership.

    Rather, it requires a notion of reciprocity – of shared obligations between citizens – and systemic safeguards against the personal ambitions of rulers.

    Ethical governance, civic education, legal frameworks, and shared responsibilities are essential.

    Shannon Brincat 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. Tyranny is an ever-present threat to civilisations. Here’s how Ancient Greece and China dealt with it – https://theconversation.com/tyranny-is-an-ever-present-threat-to-civilisations-heres-how-ancient-greece-and-china-dealt-with-it-259680

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Tyranny is an ever-present threat to civilisations. Here’s how Ancient Greece and China dealt with it

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Shannon Brincat, Senior Lecturer in Politics and International Relations, University of the Sunshine Coast

    Panasevich/Getty Images

    We’re just a few months into US president Donald Trump’s second term but his rule has already been repeatedly compared to tyranny.

    This may all feel very new to Americans, and to the rest of us watching on from around the world. But the threat of tyranny is an ancient one.

    We can learn much from how people in ancient Greece and China dealt with this issue.

    Where does tyranny come from?

    The peoples of classical Greece were separated into city-states known as the polis.

    A few of these, such as Athens and Argos, were democratic.

    Others, such as Rhodes or Chios, had had democratic features such as civic participation in public life.

    These city-states routinely faced external enemies but also the threat of tyrannical take-over from within.

    Things came to a head in 510 BCE under the rule of an oppressive tyrant known as Hippias. He was ultimately expelled, leading eventually to the establishment of democracy through reforms made under an Athenian statesmen called Cleisthenes.

    According to Plato, tyranny is the most degenerate political regime and emerges out of democracy’s excesses.

    He argued that as democratic citizens become accustomed to living by pleasure rather than reason or duty to the public good, society becomes fragmented.

    Demagogues – populist leaders who gain power by appealing to base desires and prejudices of the masses – promise the people more liberties. They turn citizens away from virtue and toward tyranny.

    Aristotle, who was Plato’s student, defines tyranny as the corrupted form of monarchy. The tyrant perverts the constitutional order to bring about self-serving rulership – the rule of one. Tyranny, he argued, destroys law and justice, eroding all public trust.

    The approach of Plato and Aristotle to combating tyranny was closely tied to their conception of the polis and the importance of citizenship.

    For the classical Greeks, citizenship was a binding relationship of reciprocal duties and obligations owed to all other citizens. The law, they believed, was king.

    It was these conventions that constrained political power, especially the arbitrary rule of one.

    Civic education by participation in daily democratic life promoted virtue, they believed. All citizens and the ruler were subservient to the law – a bond that tyranny destroyed.

    Aristotle said a strong middle class that could best prevent tyranny because they indicated a less unequal, and therefore more stable, society.

    Plato’s view was more inward looking. He saw tyranny as a political manifestation of a disordered “enslaved soul” governed by appetites rather than reason. For him, philosophical guidance back to harmony was required for the tyrant and for the people.

    Only through wisdom, he argued, could the people recognise and reject demagogues and populists.

    Protecting democracy from tyranny

    Some city-states learned from their institutional failings when tyranny had taken them over.

    For example, after a coup of aristocrats overtook Athenian democracy in 411 BCE, Athenians began to swear the Oath of Demophantos. This was among the first attempts at a constitutional safeguard of democracy against tyranny.

    It legally and morally obliged citizens to resist any attempt to overthrow democracy by force. The undertaking was a reciprocal duty; as other scholars have argued, each citizen could count on the support of all others to protect the democracy when a tyrant tried again.

    This made it far more likely for people to take action against a would-be-tyrant; they knew every other citizen had sworn an oath to have their back.

    The Greek historians of the time support these views. For example, Herodotus in the 5th century documented the rise of several tyrants across Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey). He blamed the political vacuum created by the decline of aristocratic rule. Here, the personal ambition and luxury of elites laid the path to tyrannical behaviour.

    Another famous historian named Thucydides, writing at the same time, analysed the power and political corruption behind tyranny. He observed how times of crisis exposed vulnerabilities within Athens, leading to factionalism, instability, and the erosion of democracy.

    Tyranny in classical China

    In classical China we see a complementary, yet unique view of tyranny.

    During the Warring States period (475–221 BCE), when the Zhou Dynasty was divided amongst several competing states, preventing tyranny was a central concern.

    These states were mostly hereditary monarchies rather than democracies but they still emphasised accountability to the people.

    Mencius was a Chinese philosopher and disciple of Confucius.
    Pictures from History/Getty Images

    Mencius, a 4th-century BCE Chinese philosopher and Confucian scholar, argued the people’s welfare was the foundation of legitimate rule.

    There is, he argued, a responsibility to all under the Mandate of Heaven (天命, tiānmìng). This ancient Chinese doctrine asserted that heaven grants legitimacy to just rulers. If a ruler became despotic or failed to uphold harmony and virtue, the mandate can be withdrawn, justifying rebellion and dynastic change.

    Mencius famously said a ruler who oppresses the people is not a ruler but a “mere man” who could be violently overthrown.

    Xunzi, another Confucian philosopher writing in the late 4th to 3rd Centuries BCE, believed humans were inherently selfish and chaotic.

    To fend off tyranny he emphasised ritual, education, and rule of law. He believed in formal ceremonies and structured practices such as court etiquette, family rites, and daily ethical conduct. These, he believed, helped cultivate virtue, regulate behaviour, and maintain social harmony.

    Mozi, writing mostly in the 5th to early 4th centuries BCE, was a Chinese philosopher who opposed Confucianism and founded Mohism, offered a different view.

    Opposing all hierarchies, he emphasised jiān ài(兼爱) – universal obligation or care to all others – as a core ethical and political principle.

    According to Mozi, tyranny arises when rulers act selfishly – favoring their own families, states, or interests over the common good. He advocated for strong moral conduct and competence of leaders, rather than their lineage, wealth or status.

    Tyranny today

    Viewed together, these traditions suggest preventing tyranny requires more than just moral leadership.

    Rather, it requires a notion of reciprocity – of shared obligations between citizens – and systemic safeguards against the personal ambitions of rulers.

    Ethical governance, civic education, legal frameworks, and shared responsibilities are essential.

    Shannon Brincat 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. Tyranny is an ever-present threat to civilisations. Here’s how Ancient Greece and China dealt with it – https://theconversation.com/tyranny-is-an-ever-present-threat-to-civilisations-heres-how-ancient-greece-and-china-dealt-with-it-259680

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Tyranny is an ever-present threat to civilisations. Here’s how Ancient Greece and China dealt with it

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Shannon Brincat, Senior Lecturer in Politics and International Relations, University of the Sunshine Coast

    Panasevich/Getty Images

    We’re just a few months into US president Donald Trump’s second term but his rule has already been repeatedly compared to tyranny.

    This may all feel very new to Americans, and to the rest of us watching on from around the world. But the threat of tyranny is an ancient one.

    We can learn much from how people in ancient Greece and China dealt with this issue.

    Where does tyranny come from?

    The peoples of classical Greece were separated into city-states known as the polis.

    A few of these, such as Athens and Argos, were democratic.

    Others, such as Rhodes or Chios, had had democratic features such as civic participation in public life.

    These city-states routinely faced external enemies but also the threat of tyrannical take-over from within.

    Things came to a head in 510 BCE under the rule of an oppressive tyrant known as Hippias. He was ultimately expelled, leading eventually to the establishment of democracy through reforms made under an Athenian statesmen called Cleisthenes.

    According to Plato, tyranny is the most degenerate political regime and emerges out of democracy’s excesses.

    He argued that as democratic citizens become accustomed to living by pleasure rather than reason or duty to the public good, society becomes fragmented.

    Demagogues – populist leaders who gain power by appealing to base desires and prejudices of the masses – promise the people more liberties. They turn citizens away from virtue and toward tyranny.

    Aristotle, who was Plato’s student, defines tyranny as the corrupted form of monarchy. The tyrant perverts the constitutional order to bring about self-serving rulership – the rule of one. Tyranny, he argued, destroys law and justice, eroding all public trust.

    The approach of Plato and Aristotle to combating tyranny was closely tied to their conception of the polis and the importance of citizenship.

    For the classical Greeks, citizenship was a binding relationship of reciprocal duties and obligations owed to all other citizens. The law, they believed, was king.

    It was these conventions that constrained political power, especially the arbitrary rule of one.

    Civic education by participation in daily democratic life promoted virtue, they believed. All citizens and the ruler were subservient to the law – a bond that tyranny destroyed.

    Aristotle said a strong middle class that could best prevent tyranny because they indicated a less unequal, and therefore more stable, society.

    Plato’s view was more inward looking. He saw tyranny as a political manifestation of a disordered “enslaved soul” governed by appetites rather than reason. For him, philosophical guidance back to harmony was required for the tyrant and for the people.

    Only through wisdom, he argued, could the people recognise and reject demagogues and populists.

    Protecting democracy from tyranny

    Some city-states learned from their institutional failings when tyranny had taken them over.

    For example, after a coup of aristocrats overtook Athenian democracy in 411 BCE, Athenians began to swear the Oath of Demophantos. This was among the first attempts at a constitutional safeguard of democracy against tyranny.

    It legally and morally obliged citizens to resist any attempt to overthrow democracy by force. The undertaking was a reciprocal duty; as other scholars have argued, each citizen could count on the support of all others to protect the democracy when a tyrant tried again.

    This made it far more likely for people to take action against a would-be-tyrant; they knew every other citizen had sworn an oath to have their back.

    The Greek historians of the time support these views. For example, Herodotus in the 5th century documented the rise of several tyrants across Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey). He blamed the political vacuum created by the decline of aristocratic rule. Here, the personal ambition and luxury of elites laid the path to tyrannical behaviour.

    Another famous historian named Thucydides, writing at the same time, analysed the power and political corruption behind tyranny. He observed how times of crisis exposed vulnerabilities within Athens, leading to factionalism, instability, and the erosion of democracy.

    Tyranny in classical China

    In classical China we see a complementary, yet unique view of tyranny.

    During the Warring States period (475–221 BCE), when the Zhou Dynasty was divided amongst several competing states, preventing tyranny was a central concern.

    These states were mostly hereditary monarchies rather than democracies but they still emphasised accountability to the people.

    Mencius was a Chinese philosopher and disciple of Confucius.
    Pictures from History/Getty Images

    Mencius, a 4th-century BCE Chinese philosopher and Confucian scholar, argued the people’s welfare was the foundation of legitimate rule.

    There is, he argued, a responsibility to all under the Mandate of Heaven (天命, tiānmìng). This ancient Chinese doctrine asserted that heaven grants legitimacy to just rulers. If a ruler became despotic or failed to uphold harmony and virtue, the mandate can be withdrawn, justifying rebellion and dynastic change.

    Mencius famously said a ruler who oppresses the people is not a ruler but a “mere man” who could be violently overthrown.

    Xunzi, another Confucian philosopher writing in the late 4th to 3rd Centuries BCE, believed humans were inherently selfish and chaotic.

    To fend off tyranny he emphasised ritual, education, and rule of law. He believed in formal ceremonies and structured practices such as court etiquette, family rites, and daily ethical conduct. These, he believed, helped cultivate virtue, regulate behaviour, and maintain social harmony.

    Mozi, writing mostly in the 5th to early 4th centuries BCE, was a Chinese philosopher who opposed Confucianism and founded Mohism, offered a different view.

    Opposing all hierarchies, he emphasised jiān ài(兼爱) – universal obligation or care to all others – as a core ethical and political principle.

    According to Mozi, tyranny arises when rulers act selfishly – favoring their own families, states, or interests over the common good. He advocated for strong moral conduct and competence of leaders, rather than their lineage, wealth or status.

    Tyranny today

    Viewed together, these traditions suggest preventing tyranny requires more than just moral leadership.

    Rather, it requires a notion of reciprocity – of shared obligations between citizens – and systemic safeguards against the personal ambitions of rulers.

    Ethical governance, civic education, legal frameworks, and shared responsibilities are essential.

    Shannon Brincat 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. Tyranny is an ever-present threat to civilisations. Here’s how Ancient Greece and China dealt with it – https://theconversation.com/tyranny-is-an-ever-present-threat-to-civilisations-heres-how-ancient-greece-and-china-dealt-with-it-259680

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Tyranny is an ever-present threat to civilisations. Here’s how Ancient Greece and China dealt with it

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Shannon Brincat, Senior Lecturer in Politics and International Relations, University of the Sunshine Coast

    Panasevich/Getty Images

    We’re just a few months into US president Donald Trump’s second term but his rule has already been repeatedly compared to tyranny.

    This may all feel very new to Americans, and to the rest of us watching on from around the world. But the threat of tyranny is an ancient one.

    We can learn much from how people in ancient Greece and China dealt with this issue.

    Where does tyranny come from?

    The peoples of classical Greece were separated into city-states known as the polis.

    A few of these, such as Athens and Argos, were democratic.

    Others, such as Rhodes or Chios, had had democratic features such as civic participation in public life.

    These city-states routinely faced external enemies but also the threat of tyrannical take-over from within.

    Things came to a head in 510 BCE under the rule of an oppressive tyrant known as Hippias. He was ultimately expelled, leading eventually to the establishment of democracy through reforms made under an Athenian statesmen called Cleisthenes.

    According to Plato, tyranny is the most degenerate political regime and emerges out of democracy’s excesses.

    He argued that as democratic citizens become accustomed to living by pleasure rather than reason or duty to the public good, society becomes fragmented.

    Demagogues – populist leaders who gain power by appealing to base desires and prejudices of the masses – promise the people more liberties. They turn citizens away from virtue and toward tyranny.

    Aristotle, who was Plato’s student, defines tyranny as the corrupted form of monarchy. The tyrant perverts the constitutional order to bring about self-serving rulership – the rule of one. Tyranny, he argued, destroys law and justice, eroding all public trust.

    The approach of Plato and Aristotle to combating tyranny was closely tied to their conception of the polis and the importance of citizenship.

    For the classical Greeks, citizenship was a binding relationship of reciprocal duties and obligations owed to all other citizens. The law, they believed, was king.

    It was these conventions that constrained political power, especially the arbitrary rule of one.

    Civic education by participation in daily democratic life promoted virtue, they believed. All citizens and the ruler were subservient to the law – a bond that tyranny destroyed.

    Aristotle said a strong middle class that could best prevent tyranny because they indicated a less unequal, and therefore more stable, society.

    Plato’s view was more inward looking. He saw tyranny as a political manifestation of a disordered “enslaved soul” governed by appetites rather than reason. For him, philosophical guidance back to harmony was required for the tyrant and for the people.

    Only through wisdom, he argued, could the people recognise and reject demagogues and populists.

    Protecting democracy from tyranny

    Some city-states learned from their institutional failings when tyranny had taken them over.

    For example, after a coup of aristocrats overtook Athenian democracy in 411 BCE, Athenians began to swear the Oath of Demophantos. This was among the first attempts at a constitutional safeguard of democracy against tyranny.

    It legally and morally obliged citizens to resist any attempt to overthrow democracy by force. The undertaking was a reciprocal duty; as other scholars have argued, each citizen could count on the support of all others to protect the democracy when a tyrant tried again.

    This made it far more likely for people to take action against a would-be-tyrant; they knew every other citizen had sworn an oath to have their back.

    The Greek historians of the time support these views. For example, Herodotus in the 5th century documented the rise of several tyrants across Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey). He blamed the political vacuum created by the decline of aristocratic rule. Here, the personal ambition and luxury of elites laid the path to tyrannical behaviour.

    Another famous historian named Thucydides, writing at the same time, analysed the power and political corruption behind tyranny. He observed how times of crisis exposed vulnerabilities within Athens, leading to factionalism, instability, and the erosion of democracy.

    Tyranny in classical China

    In classical China we see a complementary, yet unique view of tyranny.

    During the Warring States period (475–221 BCE), when the Zhou Dynasty was divided amongst several competing states, preventing tyranny was a central concern.

    These states were mostly hereditary monarchies rather than democracies but they still emphasised accountability to the people.

    Mencius was a Chinese philosopher and disciple of Confucius.
    Pictures from History/Getty Images

    Mencius, a 4th-century BCE Chinese philosopher and Confucian scholar, argued the people’s welfare was the foundation of legitimate rule.

    There is, he argued, a responsibility to all under the Mandate of Heaven (天命, tiānmìng). This ancient Chinese doctrine asserted that heaven grants legitimacy to just rulers. If a ruler became despotic or failed to uphold harmony and virtue, the mandate can be withdrawn, justifying rebellion and dynastic change.

    Mencius famously said a ruler who oppresses the people is not a ruler but a “mere man” who could be violently overthrown.

    Xunzi, another Confucian philosopher writing in the late 4th to 3rd Centuries BCE, believed humans were inherently selfish and chaotic.

    To fend off tyranny he emphasised ritual, education, and rule of law. He believed in formal ceremonies and structured practices such as court etiquette, family rites, and daily ethical conduct. These, he believed, helped cultivate virtue, regulate behaviour, and maintain social harmony.

    Mozi, writing mostly in the 5th to early 4th centuries BCE, was a Chinese philosopher who opposed Confucianism and founded Mohism, offered a different view.

    Opposing all hierarchies, he emphasised jiān ài(兼爱) – universal obligation or care to all others – as a core ethical and political principle.

    According to Mozi, tyranny arises when rulers act selfishly – favoring their own families, states, or interests over the common good. He advocated for strong moral conduct and competence of leaders, rather than their lineage, wealth or status.

    Tyranny today

    Viewed together, these traditions suggest preventing tyranny requires more than just moral leadership.

    Rather, it requires a notion of reciprocity – of shared obligations between citizens – and systemic safeguards against the personal ambitions of rulers.

    Ethical governance, civic education, legal frameworks, and shared responsibilities are essential.

    Shannon Brincat 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. Tyranny is an ever-present threat to civilisations. Here’s how Ancient Greece and China dealt with it – https://theconversation.com/tyranny-is-an-ever-present-threat-to-civilisations-heres-how-ancient-greece-and-china-dealt-with-it-259680

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI China: Chinese archaeologists inspired by Xixia Imperial Tombs’ World Heritage inscription

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

    Chinese archaeologists inspired by Xixia Imperial Tombs’ World Heritage inscription

    Tourists visit the Xixia Imperial Tombs archaeological site park in Yinchuan, northwest China’s Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, July 13, 2025. China’s Xixia Imperial Tombs were officially added to the UNESCO World Heritage List on Friday during the 47th session of the World Heritage Committee held in Paris, France. (Photo by Yuan Hongyan/Xinhua)

    Upon receiving the news that the Xixia Imperial Tombs have been inscribed on the World Heritage List, archaeological workers at the historical site of Yinxu in central China’s Henan Province were overjoyed.

    “We’ve always had high hopes for the Xixia Imperial Tombs’ successful inscription on the list,” said Yang Liying, deputy head of the Anyang Yinxu world cultural heritage protection and management committee in the city of Anyang, where Yinxu, or the Yin Ruins, are located.

    She added that the Xixia Imperial Tombs’ inscription on the list will help elevate China’s status and influence in the realm of world cultural heritage preservation, and hoped that the two sites can engage in broader cooperation and exchange.

    The 3,300-year-old Yin Ruins, confirmed as the capital site of the late Shang (Yin) Dynasty (1600 B.C.-1046 B.C.), was added to the World Heritage List in 2006 by UNESCO.

    Now, nearly two decades later, the Xixia Imperial Tombs were inscribed on the list during UNESCO’s 47th session of the World Heritage Committee held in Paris, France, on July 11. This has brought the total number of World Heritage sites in China to 60, nearly doubling the figure from 2006, when there were 33.

    Located at the foot of Helan Mountain in Yinchuan, capital of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, the tombs were built by the Tangut, an ethnic group that thrived in northwest China between the 11th and 13th centuries. In 1038, the Tangut people founded the Xixia Dynasty, establishing its capital in what is now Yinchuan.

    By analyzing the tombs’ location, layout, architecture and artifacts, historians were able to see how the Xixia Dynasty adapted Han models during the Tang (618-907) and Song (960-1279) dynasties while infusing distinct ethnic features.

    This evidence of ethnic integration is not unique to the Xixia tombs. It can be found in many of China’s historical sites. According to Ji Tao, head of the Hailongtun cultural heritage management bureau in Zunyi, Guizhou Province, the tombs and the ancient ruins of Hailongtun Fortress share similarities in this regard.

    “Both are important physical evidence of the development of a pluralistic yet integrated ethnic pattern in Chinese history, and both manifest the political wisdom of ‘harmony without uniformity,’” said Ji.

    In 2015, Hailongtun Fortress was added to the World Heritage List, along with two other historical sites. The three were jointly referred to as “Tusi Sites”. They were deemed to “bear exceptional testimony” to the Tusi system, a chieftain system adopted by ancient Chinese central governments to unify national administration, while allowing ethnic minorities to retain their customs and way of life.

    Apart from its historic and cultural value, the Xixia Imperial Tombs also illustrate China’s multifaceted preservation of cultural heritage sites, said Liu Xiangyu, head of the cultural relics protection and management institute of Ji’an, northeast China’s Jilin Province.

    The protection work of the tombs is overseen by the cultural relics administration department of Yinchuan Municipal People’s Government. Meanwhile, departments of city planning, land and resources, as well as housing and urban-rural development all work in coordination within their respective duties, forming a joint force for protection.

    According to Liu, this tiered and coordinated system of historical site preservation was also adopted in the protection of the Capital Cities and Tombs of the Ancient Koguryo Kingdom in Jilin, which was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2004. “As heritages of the same type, the two sites share many similarities in terms of protection methods,” Liu said.

    With its World Heritage inscription, the Xixia Imperial Tombs have now gained a new opportunity to inspire archaeological workers in China and the Chinese people as a whole. The head of the Xixia tomb area management office has vowed to take the inscription as an opportunity to comprehensively and continuously explore the cultural value of the site, and spare no effort in advancing its systematic protection, utilization and research. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Chinese archaeologists inspired by Xixia Imperial Tombs’ World Heritage inscription

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

    Chinese archaeologists inspired by Xixia Imperial Tombs’ World Heritage inscription

    Tourists visit the Xixia Imperial Tombs archaeological site park in Yinchuan, northwest China’s Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, July 13, 2025. China’s Xixia Imperial Tombs were officially added to the UNESCO World Heritage List on Friday during the 47th session of the World Heritage Committee held in Paris, France. (Photo by Yuan Hongyan/Xinhua)

    Upon receiving the news that the Xixia Imperial Tombs have been inscribed on the World Heritage List, archaeological workers at the historical site of Yinxu in central China’s Henan Province were overjoyed.

    “We’ve always had high hopes for the Xixia Imperial Tombs’ successful inscription on the list,” said Yang Liying, deputy head of the Anyang Yinxu world cultural heritage protection and management committee in the city of Anyang, where Yinxu, or the Yin Ruins, are located.

    She added that the Xixia Imperial Tombs’ inscription on the list will help elevate China’s status and influence in the realm of world cultural heritage preservation, and hoped that the two sites can engage in broader cooperation and exchange.

    The 3,300-year-old Yin Ruins, confirmed as the capital site of the late Shang (Yin) Dynasty (1600 B.C.-1046 B.C.), was added to the World Heritage List in 2006 by UNESCO.

    Now, nearly two decades later, the Xixia Imperial Tombs were inscribed on the list during UNESCO’s 47th session of the World Heritage Committee held in Paris, France, on July 11. This has brought the total number of World Heritage sites in China to 60, nearly doubling the figure from 2006, when there were 33.

    Located at the foot of Helan Mountain in Yinchuan, capital of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, the tombs were built by the Tangut, an ethnic group that thrived in northwest China between the 11th and 13th centuries. In 1038, the Tangut people founded the Xixia Dynasty, establishing its capital in what is now Yinchuan.

    By analyzing the tombs’ location, layout, architecture and artifacts, historians were able to see how the Xixia Dynasty adapted Han models during the Tang (618-907) and Song (960-1279) dynasties while infusing distinct ethnic features.

    This evidence of ethnic integration is not unique to the Xixia tombs. It can be found in many of China’s historical sites. According to Ji Tao, head of the Hailongtun cultural heritage management bureau in Zunyi, Guizhou Province, the tombs and the ancient ruins of Hailongtun Fortress share similarities in this regard.

    “Both are important physical evidence of the development of a pluralistic yet integrated ethnic pattern in Chinese history, and both manifest the political wisdom of ‘harmony without uniformity,’” said Ji.

    In 2015, Hailongtun Fortress was added to the World Heritage List, along with two other historical sites. The three were jointly referred to as “Tusi Sites”. They were deemed to “bear exceptional testimony” to the Tusi system, a chieftain system adopted by ancient Chinese central governments to unify national administration, while allowing ethnic minorities to retain their customs and way of life.

    Apart from its historic and cultural value, the Xixia Imperial Tombs also illustrate China’s multifaceted preservation of cultural heritage sites, said Liu Xiangyu, head of the cultural relics protection and management institute of Ji’an, northeast China’s Jilin Province.

    The protection work of the tombs is overseen by the cultural relics administration department of Yinchuan Municipal People’s Government. Meanwhile, departments of city planning, land and resources, as well as housing and urban-rural development all work in coordination within their respective duties, forming a joint force for protection.

    According to Liu, this tiered and coordinated system of historical site preservation was also adopted in the protection of the Capital Cities and Tombs of the Ancient Koguryo Kingdom in Jilin, which was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2004. “As heritages of the same type, the two sites share many similarities in terms of protection methods,” Liu said.

    With its World Heritage inscription, the Xixia Imperial Tombs have now gained a new opportunity to inspire archaeological workers in China and the Chinese people as a whole. The head of the Xixia tomb area management office has vowed to take the inscription as an opportunity to comprehensively and continuously explore the cultural value of the site, and spare no effort in advancing its systematic protection, utilization and research. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • In reversal, Trump arms Ukraine and threatens sanctions on countries that buy Russian oil

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    U.S. President Donald Trump announced new weapons for Ukraine on Monday, and threatened sanctions on buyers of Russian exports unless Russia agrees a peace deal, a major policy shift brought on by frustration with Moscow’s ongoing attacks on its neighbour.

    But Trump’s threat of sanctions came with a 50-day grace period, a move that was welcomed by investors in Russia where the rouble recovered from earlier losses and stock markets rose.

    Sitting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in the Oval Office, Trump told reporters he was disappointed in Russian President Vladimir Putin and that billions of dollars of U.S. weapons would go to Ukraine.

    “We’re going to make top-of-the-line weapons, and they’ll be sent to NATO,” Trump said, adding that Washington’s NATO allies would pay for them.

    The weapons would include Patriot air defence missiles Ukraine has urgently sought, he said.

    “It’s a full complement with the batteries,” Trump said. “We’re going to have some come very soon, within days.”

    “We have one country that has 17 Patriots getting ready to be shipped … we’re going to work a deal where the 17 will go or a big portion of the 17 will go to the war site.”

    Rutte said Germany, Finland, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Canada all wanted to be a part of rearming Ukraine.

    Trump’s threat to impose so-called secondary sanctions on Russia, if carried out, would be a major shift in Western sanctions policy. Lawmakers from both U.S. political parties are pushing for a bill that would authorise such measures, targeting other countries that buy Russian oil.

    Throughout the more than three-year-old war, Western countries have cut most of their own financial ties to Moscow, but have held back from taking steps that would restrict Russia from selling its oil elsewhere. That has allowed Moscow to continue earning hundreds of billions of dollars from shipping oil to buyers such as China and India.

    “We’re going to be doing secondary tariffs,” Trump said. “If we don’t have a deal in 50 days, it’s very simple, and they’ll be at 100%.”

    A White House official said Trump was referring to 100% tariffs on Russian goods as well as secondary sanctions on other countries that buy its exports. Eighty-five of the 100 U.S. senators are co-sponsoring a bill that would give Trump the authority to impose 500% tariffs on any country that helps Russia, but the chamber’s Republican leaders have been waiting for Trump to give them the go-ahead for a vote.

    Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Telegram he had spoken to Trump and “thanked him for his readiness to support Ukraine and to continue working together to stop the killings and establish a lasting and just peace.”

    Zelenskiy held talks with Trump’s envoy Keith Kellogg on Monday.

    In Kyiv, people welcomed Trump’s announcement but some were cautious about his intentions.

    “I am pleased that finally European politicians, with their patience and convictions, have slightly swayed him (Trump) to our side, because from the very beginning it was clear that he did not really want to help us,” said Denys Podilchuk, a 39-year-old dentist in Kyiv.

    GRACE PERIOD

    Artyom Nikolayev, an analyst from financial information firm Invest Era, said Trump did not go as far as Russian markets had feared.

    “Trump performed below market expectations. He gave 50 days during which the Russian leadership can come up with something and extend the negotiation track. Moreover, Trump likes to postpone and extend such deadlines,” he said.

    Asked about Trump’s remarks, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said an immediate ceasefire was needed to pave the way for a political solution and “whatever can contribute to these objectives will, of course, be important if it is done in line with international law.”

    Since returning to the White House promising a quick end to the war, Trump has sought rapprochement with Moscow, speaking several times with Putin. His administration has pulled back from pro-Ukrainian policies such as backing Kyiv’s membership in NATO and demanding Russia withdraw from all Ukrainian territory.

    But Putin has yet to accept a proposal from Trump for an unconditional ceasefire, which was quickly endorsed by Kyiv. Recent days have seen Russia use hundreds of drones to attack Ukrainian cities.

    Trump said his shift was motivated by frustration with Putin.

    “We actually had probably four times a deal. And then the deal wouldn’t happen because bombs would be thrown out that night and you’d say we’re not making any deals,” he said.

    Last week he said, “We get a lot of bullshit thrown at us by Putin.”

    Russia began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and holds about one-fifth of Ukraine. Its forces are slowly advancing in eastern Ukraine and Moscow shows no sign of abandoning its main war goals.

    Evelyn Farkas, a former senior Pentagon official who is now executive director of the McCain Institute, said Trump’s moves could eventually turn the tide of the war if Trump ratchets up enforcement of current sanctions, adds new ones and provides new equipment quickly.

    “If Putin’s ministers and generals can be convinced that the war is not winnable they may be willing to push Putin to negotiate, if nothing else but to buy time,” said Farkas.

    (Reuters)

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: expert reaction to scoping review of over-the-counter herbal products and dietary supplements used for depression

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    A review published in Frontiers in Pharmacology looks at over-the-counter herbal products and dietary supplements used for depression.

    Prof Stella Chan, Charlie Waller Chair in Evidence-based Psychological Treatment, University of Reading, said:

    “This review paper synthesised findings from a large volume of research studies investigating the effects of over-the-counter (OTC) products on depressive symptoms. It was appropriately conducted with a systematic search and provided a helpful summary of what had been studied and their findings. However, it is crucially important for readers to understand that this was a narrative review paper, meaning that it was only a summary of the findings reported from existing research papers. These papers would inevitably vary in terms of their scientific quality, including some that might report biased or misleading findings due to limitations such as small sample sizes and poor designs. Meta-analyses (that is, analyses that involve combining all existing data into a single dataset) need to be conducted before conclusive statements can be made about the effectiveness of these products.

    “Additionally, this review paper excluded studies on individuals with more complicated co-morbid conditions. Individuals with more complex mental health needs should be particularly vigilant and avoid making personal health decisions based solely upon narrative review papers.”

    ‘Understanding the research landscape of over-the-counter herbal products, dietary supplements, and medications evaluated for depressive symptoms in adults: a scoping review’ by first author et al. was published in Frontiers in Pharmacology at 05:00 UK time on Tuesday 15th July.

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2025.1609605

    Declared interests

    Prof Stella Chan: No COI

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • Shubhanshu Shukla set to return to Earth today with a splashdown off the California coast.

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, the first Indian to reach the International Space Station (ISS), is set to return to Earth on Tuesday, marking the end of a historic mission under Axiom Space’s Ax-4 program.

    After an extraordinary 18-day stay aboard the orbital laboratory, Shukla and his three international crewmates are scheduled to splash down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California at 3:01 p.m. IST (4:31 AM CT).

    Shukla, along with fellow astronauts Peggy Whitson (USA), Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski (Poland), and Tibor Kapu (Hungary), boarded SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft “Grace” at 3:30 a.m. CT (2 PM IST) on Monday. The spacecraft undocked from the ISS’s Harmony module at 7:15 a.m. ET (4:45 p.m. IST).

    NASA confirmed the hatch closure occurred at 5:07 a.m. EDT, and SpaceX announced “Dragon separation confirmed” shortly afterward via its official X account. “Dragon is GO to undock from the Space Station,” SpaceX said in a post on X. “Dragon separation confirmed!” the post added.

    This marks the completion of a nearly 23-hour return journey. Upon splashdown, the crew will be retrieved by recovery teams and Shukla will then begin a 7-day rehabilitation protocol to readjust to Earth’s gravity after spending over two weeks in microgravity.

    Shukla’s mission originally spanned 14 days but was extended to 18, allowing for additional scientific research and collaborative work aboard the station. His participation in the Ax-4 mission makes him only the second Indian astronaut to travel to space, following Rakesh Sharma’s legendary mission in 1984.

    In a touching farewell message from orbit, Shukla described his experience as “an incredible journey,” expressing deep gratitude to ISRO, NASA, Axiom Space, and SpaceX. “India still looks better than the whole world,” he remarked, gazing down from the cupola of the ISS.

    Shukla’s return today is a proud moment for India and a significant step in the country’s growing presence in global space exploration. (IANS)

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Interview with Tom McIlroy, Australian Politics podcast, The Guardian

    Source: Australian Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Industry

    Tom McIlroy:

    Hi, I’m Tom McIlroy, coming to you from the lands of the Ngunnawal and Ngambri peoples in Canberra. We have a special early episode in your podcast feed this week.

    Ahead of his trip to the G20 Finance Ministers meeting in Durban this week, Treasurer Jim Chalmers joins the podcast to talk about Australia’s dream scenario in dealing with Donald Trump’s trade war.

    Jim Chalmers:

    Oh, the dream scenario is that these unnecessary tariffs are lifted. I mean we have to be realistic about that.

    McIlroy:

    As well as immediate challenges at home on housing and taxation.

    Chalmers:

    We’ve all got an interest in building more homes, it’s one of the defining challenges in our economy is that we don’t have enough.

    McIlroy:

    Plus, on a lighter note, the reading challenge laid down by his wife.

    Chalmers:

    And I gave her about a 12‑book head start in the lead‑up to the election. I’m trying to rein that in.

    McIlroy:

    From Guardian Australia, this is the Australian Politics podcast.

    Jim Chalmers, thanks for joining us on the pod.

    Chalmers:

    Thanks for having me back, Tom.

    McIlroy:

    This is actually my first face‑to‑face podcast interview with you, but I think you’ve been in the pod cave a few times over the years.

    Chalmers:

    I’ve been in here a bunch, all the way back to Murph days. And I really like it ‘cause it’s a good chance to go beyond the sound bites and key lines and themes that often dominate press conferences – a good chance to have a chat.

    McIlroy:

    That’s great, that’s great. Well, you’ve got a busy week. We’re going to talk about the G20 Finance Ministers meeting in a moment.

    I’ll start with the story of the day. There’s been a bit of a snafu with the Treasury incoming government brief, parts of it that would have been redacted, some sub‑headings have been made public. You say you’re relaxed about it. Tell us what’s going on here.

    Chalmers:

    Every incoming government, whether they’re a re‑elected government or when there’s a change, every department writes one briefing for a Labor government, one briefing for a Coalition government. And that advice is provided to you – well, in both of our instances, both times we’ve been elected I’ve received it on the Sunday morning after the election. And it runs through really all of the challenges in the portfolio, all the issues around policy.

    What’s happened this time is that there’s been a mistake made in the Treasury. Somebody’s sent out a document which has usually got bits of it pulled out, and they’ve left those parts in. And when I say I’m relaxed, we can’t change it now, it’s out there, so be it, is really my view about it. But the other reason I’m relaxed about it is because the Treasury is talking about a lot of things that I’ve talked about publicly when I’ve tried to be upfront with people about our economic challenges.

    Our economy is growing, there’s lots that’s going well in our economy, but it’s not productive enough. We’ve made a lot of progress getting the budget in much better nick, but we need it to be even more sustainable. And at a time when the global conditions are so volatile we need our economy to be more resilient as well. And those are really the major themes of the Treasury brief that was released. But also the major themes of really every opportunity I’ve taken since the election to talk about our challenges and what the government is doing about them. I’ve been focused on those 3 things too.

    McIlroy:

    One of the things that we’ve picked up with you today is that the brief says that the housing targets might not be met, or will not be met, I think is the language. You say that’s not quite right, that the government’s got real ambition. Give me some examples of the things that are happening, cutting red tape and speeding up housing construction that you think mean you will hit that 1.2 million.

    Chalmers:

    We’ve all acknowledged that this is an extremely ambitious target, and the Treasury advice is that we need to do better, and we need to do more in order to hit that target.

    I think that’s entirely consistent with what we’ve said, what the government and its ministers have said publicly.

    So there’s lots of things we’re focused on, we’re investing tens of billions of dollars in housing – record amounts of housing from a Commonwealth investment point of view. We’ve changed the tax arrangements when it comes to Build to Rent, for example, a whole range of things. A really important piece of the puzzle is around zoning and regulations and what you call red tape.

    We’re engaged with the state and territory governments and with local government to see where we can sensibly minimise that to get more homes built sooner. We’ve all got an interest in building more homes, it’s one of the defining challenges in our economies that we don’t have enough. And that’s why rents are higher than we would like, it’s why it’s harder than we would like for people to get a toe‑hold as first home buyers.

    Really the best solution is to build more homes. We have a whole bunch of ways that we intend to go about that, and the Treasury is really warning us that we’ll need to be better, we’ll need to do more, we’ll need to be quicker in order to hit the target.

    As I said to you earlier on when we did our press conference here in Canberra, I think it’s good to have ambitious targets. I think this challenge has been hanging around for so long, and the alternative to the ambition that we’re showing is to not build enough homes for our people. And we’d rather be ambitious, we’d rather set a big target and try and hit it than to continue to pretend that there’s not a challenge here.

    McIlroy:

    The incoming government brief talked about the need to increase taxes, and we’re going to talk in our interview today about the upcoming roundtable. That’s probably one of the things that has to come out, right; some taxes might have to be higher when the mix is reassessed?

    Chalmers:

    I think it’s good to think about the mix, as you just did in your question, Tom. Because for example, in our first term, we increased taxes on the PRRT, which is offshore gas, so that people – Australians – would get more return for their resources earlier. And that helped us pay for some other things like income tax cuts.

    We’re a government that’s actually enthusiastically been cutting income taxes 3 times for every Australian taxpayer. There is a mix in the tax system. We’re trying not to artificially limit the ideas or narrow the ideas that people will bring to that reform roundtable next month. There will be a whole bunch of ideas, some that the government will want to pick up and run with and some that we won’t be able to for whatever reason.

    But there’s a lot of pressure on the budget, and what we showed in the first term is we could deliver budget surpluses, we could engineer the biggest nominal turnaround in the Budget in a single term in our history, we could get the Liberal debt down, we could do all of those things. But we need ongoing effort to make the budget even more sustainable, and that will typically require a combination of spending restraint, which we’ve shown, spending cuts, which we’ve been able to deliver $100 billion worth working with Katy Gallagher. But also if there are opportunities like we found in multinational taxes or the PRRT, then sometimes that can help pay for lower taxes elsewhere.

    McIlroy:

    Today you’ve talked about the themes for the roundtable; resilience, productivity and sustainability. I think it’s going to attract a lot of attention; we’ll certainly be watching closely for Guardian readers. Are you expecting concrete outcomes quickly from that process; will they guide the rest of the term?

    Chalmers:

    I’m certainly expecting a lot of guidance. I think it’s still to be determined whether we pop up at the end of the 3 days and we’ve got some immediate changes that we want to make or whether we’ll need a bit more time to work with the States or with my Cabinet colleagues, or in other ways of consultation.

    So I think that remains to be seen, that’s an open question. But I spend a big chunk of my week thinking through the ideas that have already started coming in to us and thinking about the structure of the agenda and who we’ll invite and all of those sorts of things.

    I think the most likely outcome is that there are a couple of obvious things which we can commit to in one way or another, but obviously there will be the need to further explore and work up some of the other ideas that are put to us.

    But one of the things that’s been really encouraging, really surprised on the up side, is this – really this tsunami of interest that people have shown in that.

    We can’t have everyone in the room, ‘cause there’s a lot of interest in being in the room. But all these other opportunities people have taken, including the superannuation sector today have put forward a whole bunch of considered ideas; that’s good, that’s exactly what we want.

    And ideally the government can take from that ways to build on the progress we’re already making in our economy, to build on the big agenda we already have in economic policy and to work out what the next steps are. And that’s because from the Prime Minister down we genuinely believe that the best way to work out what the next steps are are together. And that’s why we go to this roundtable with not just an open door but an open mind.

    McIlroy:

    You’re off to Durban this week for the G20 Finance Ministers meeting hosted by South Africa. You’re going to meet with your counterparts from Canada, Indonesia, Japan, Germany, the UK. Will tariffs be one of the big things you’re talking about with your counterparts, will economic uncertainty around the world be guiding those talks?

    Chalmers:

    I think that will be the dominant theme, and the way we come at this is to recognise that the best defence against all of this uncertainty in the global economy. All this unpredictability and volatility which comes from either the trade tensions or conflict in the Middle East, conflict in Eastern Europe. The best defence against all of that is more engagement, not less, more diverse markets, not less diverse markets, and also more resilience in our own economy.

    And so that’s – when we engage with the world we engage with those objectives in mind, finding good reliable markets, good reliable partners and making our economy more resilient.

    I expect that the – really the foundation of all of the discussions we have with our international counterparts will be this global uncertainty and the big shift that’s happened in my thinking. But also I think in the world’s thinking, is that it used to be that periods of uncertainty were these sort of punctuation points. There’d be long periods of calm, they’d be punctuated by kind of an outbreak of uncertainty, temporary uncertainty, and I think there’s a more structural thing going on here where uncertainty and volatility and unpredictability has become the norm rather than the exception.

    We’ve had 4 big economic shocks now in less than 2 decades, and so this rolling challenge of volatility in the global economy is something that we’ve all had to adapt to.

    When I meet with my G20 counterparts, obviously trade will be a big part of the story, supply chains, critical minerals, how we get capital flowing more effectively in the global economy. These are the sorts of things I expect to be talking with them about.

    McIlroy:

    Are you and those ministers that you’re meeting with the same as the rest of us, you wake up every day and think, God what’s Donald Trump done this morning? Another round of tariffs, another setting his trade war. It must be taking years off your life.

    Chalmers:

    Look, I don’t know about that, but certainly when you check in with the international media every morning we’re becoming more and more accustomed to, probably more and more desensitised to some of these big announcements, and not just out of D.C., to be fair. That’s an important source of the uncertainty in the global economy but it’s not the only source of uncertainty.

    A lot of the old rules, as I said a moment ago, have kind of been thrown out the window. There’s a step change in the way that the world conducts its business, and that is – what I was trying to say earlier – uncertainty’s gone from a cyclical challenge to a kind of a structural challenge and part of that means expect the unexpected. Whether it’s the pretty much weekly news out of different parts of the world, some element of these escalating trade tensions, but also conflict, real conflict as well.

    I think all of that really feeds into this sense that the global economy is a dangerous place. We’re pretty well‑placed and pretty well‑prepared to deal with it as Australians, but we’re not spared from it. And that’s why our engagement’s so important, whether it’s what I’m doing at the G20 or what the Prime Minister’s doing in China.

    McIlroy:

    The proposed tariffs on pharmaceuticals were a big story last week, and a concerning one for you and for the economy here. Give us an update on how things are going in that specific area. You must have heard a lot from business about the possible effect those tariffs could have.

    Chalmers:

    The big developments from our point of view last week, I mean our baseline tariff has not changed, 10 per cent is at the low end. The lowest end of what the Americans are proposing as a baseline, but last week there was news about developments on copper and pharmaceuticals.

    Now copper is, we export less than 1 per cent of our copper to the US, it’s a very small part of our market. We, I think from memory, export 5 times more to Indonesia than we do to the US. And so our copper sector, our wonderful copper sector will work out the best way to adapt to those tariffs if and when they occur.

    Pharmaceuticals are a bit different in that a bigger part, a bigger chunk of our industry, are exports to the US. And President Trump has said he will take some time to work out the pharmaceutical arrangements. And so that gives us the opportunity to do what we have been doing, which is engage with the industry, try and work out what they think their exposures are. CSL, for example, has made a public contribution to our thinking about all of that.

    So we work through these issues, even when there’s a sense of unpredictability and volatility, we actually work through these issues in a pretty calm and considered way. And I think that’s been important, whether it’s been reacting to the initial tariff announcements on so‑called Liberation Day, or subsequently. We work through these issues in a methodical, calm, considered way from the Prime Minister right down, and that’s served us pretty well.

    McIlroy:

    Would a good outcome be Australia sticks on the 10 per cent, it’s the best deal going, the baseline, and the other steel and aluminium, pharmaceuticals, those kind of things we get an exemption from; is that your dream scenario?

    Chalmers:

    The dream scenario is that these unnecessary tariffs are lifted, we have to be realistic about that, and it feels like this discussion has a long way to run. Partly because as you rightly pointed out in your question before, you know, there’s a shift in emphasis or policy relatively frequently. And so we’re engaging at every level that we can to try and get the best outcome from Australia.

    We see these tariffs as unnecessary and self‑defeating; we’ve been pretty blunt about that, certainly blunt by the standards of international diplomacy. We’ve made it really clear that we think these tariffs are bad for the US, bad for Australia and bad for the global economy. Big implications potentially for global demand at a time when global growth is not exactly thick on the ground.

    We come at these issues, as I said a moment ago, in a pretty considered way. But we’ve been very, very clear that the best outcomes would be if they’re not levied in the first place.

    McIlroy:

    All right. Let me bring you home to some domestic matters here. The parliament’s coming back next week, it will be our first taste of Sussan Ley as Opposition Leader up against Anthony Albanese. What’s your assessment of her and of Ted O’Brien, your new Coalition counterpart, shadow? How do you see the term playing out politically in the parliament?

    Chalmers:

    Yeah, my general rule with politics is you don’t underestimate anyone. And for all his faults I didn’t underestimate Angus Taylor when he was my opposite number. And I won’t underestimate Ted O’Brien or Sussan Ley either.

    I personally get a bit worried by this idea because we won a big majority that the next election is kind of assured, I don’t believe it is. There are few such assurances I think in politics in modern times, but I think there are good reasons not to assume the outcome of the next election. Politics is volatile, and I mean it when I say I don’t underestimate either of those 2 people that you mentioned.

    I’s been interesting to see their reaction, you know, I invited Ted O’Brien to the reform roundtable in good faith. It’s been interesting to see his reaction to that, whether he takes up that opportunity in a mature way or wastes that opportunity, whether he reads the room. If Ted O’Brien comes to the reform roundtable and treats it as an extension of Question Time, I think that will go down pretty badly in the room.

    I also think if they aren’t constructive it will show that they haven’t learned anything from the last term which delivered that pretty stunning outcome on 3 May. And so let’s see how they perform.

    We intend to engage with them in a respectful way but there will be robust exchanges as well, no doubt, that’s the nature of our politics. But I for one won’t be underestimating anyone.

    McIlroy:

    They’ve signalled strong opposition to the $3 million super changes from the last parliament. You say you’ve got a mandate on that having won the election. Is the test for the Opposition on tax reform more broadly, that constructive approach that you mentioned? Is there any possibility of a bipartisan tax reform plan coming out of this?

    Chalmers:

    Oh, we’ll see. We need to have realistic expectations about that. I think a lot of the commentary, whether it’s from Ted O’Brien or Sussan Ley, I don’t think they are by their nature constructive, collaborative types. Here again, it feels like – when I listen to them it feels like they weren’t paying attention on 3 May.

    Ted O’Brien kind of looks like Scott Morrison but he sounds like Peter Dutton. And I think that’s interesting, because if I were them and I saw the outcome of 3 May I’d try and work out how to be different from the last term. Whereas they seem to be putting a lot of effort into working out how they can be the same with that obstructionist kind of hyper‑partisan, hyper‑critical approach.

    So let’s see, I might be wrong about that, let’s see. But by inviting Ted O’Brien to the roundtable, what we are trying to convey is we think that these big challenges in our economy will outlast governments. We’re talking about generational challenges – we’ve got all this global volatility which I think is structural and not cyclical. But it’s against the backdrop of changes in energy, technology, demography, industry, geopolitics, and we’d be mad to think they were constrained to kind of 3‑year Australian political cycles.

    From an Australian point of view, to take all of the parties out of it, all the partisanship out of it, the best outcome for our people would be if both parties could take a long‑term view about necessary reform and not just the Labor Party on its own.

    McIlroy:

    Are you open to the Greens counter‑proposals on 3 million super, for example, the $2 million threshold they’ve talked about?

    Chalmers:

    I’m grateful that the Greens have been privately and publicly pretty constructive about this. And at some stage, I’m not sure when – we were hoping that would be quite soon, but our pretty congested diaries with parliament coming back – at some point we’ll engage properly with the Greens on this. We can’t pass anything in the Senate on our own, that’s just the reality of the Senate. So we’ll have those discussions.

    But this won’t be the first piece of parliamentary business. We’ve made it clear that our first parliamentary priority coming back is to legislate the student debt relief. And so at some point there will be those discussions, but ideally we would legislate the proposal we announced a long time ago.

    McIlroy:

    Jillian Segal presented her report on combating antisemitism last week. Have you picked up any concern within the caucus about that? Some of those recommendations are pretty broad and there’s been a bit of bumpy politics, I would say, across the weekend.

    Chalmers:

    I’ve had conversations with a bunch of colleagues in the last week or so, but not about that. So if there is that concern, I haven’t heard it directly, it may be that others have heard that directly.

    But I don’t think it should surprise us in an area this contentious in the community, that there would be a range of views. And my personal point of view is that some of the antisemitism that we have seen, some of the attacks that we have seen are disgraceful, they have no place in a society like ours. So we are already taking a whole bunch of steps to crack down on antisemitism.

    The Envoy has provided us with some proposals; I think Tony and Anthony and others will work through those proposals.

    But as we do that, it would be pretty naive, I think, to assume that there was a unanimous view about the way forward here in an area which has got so much history, so much contention, where emotions are running hot for good reason. So let’s see where those considerations lead us.

    McIlroy:

    Okay. We’ve got a couple more minutes before we have to wrap up. Let me ask you about a budget question for the term ahead. Big big opportunities for Labor, big ambitions, as you’ve outlined. What’s a sign of success on budget repair for the end of this term, perhaps for you as Treasurer longer term; fixing the structural deficit perhaps, changing some of the settings to make things better going forward?

    Chalmers:

    I see it as an important part of our work, not on my own but with Katy Gallagher obviously, the Finance Minister, would see it along similar lines to the government. We’re lucky we’ve got a Prime Minister and a Cabinet very engaged and very enlightened about our budget challenges, that’s a good thing, and we have made all this progress together, that’s too easily dismissed, not by you but by a lot of commentators.

    They pretend that we haven’t engineered already this stunning improvement in the budget. Hundreds of billions of dollars better off than we inherited, much less debt, 2 surpluses for the first time in 2 decades.

    But Katy and I have always recognised that budget repair and budget sustainability is not the task of one budget, it’s the task of every budget.

    Measuring success would be making the budget more sustainable over time. There is a structural challenge in there, we have got some fast‑growing areas in the care economy and elsewhere which we’re very attuned to. And we would like to make some more progress on that.

    But the reason I’ve set up this roundtable around 3 priorities is because I think the big challenges are budget sustainability, but also our economy needs to be more productive. You can’t just flick a switch and make it more productive overnight, you’ve got to do that over time. And also resilience in the face of this global economic uncertainty. And so if we could make some progress on those 3 fronts for however long I’m here, then that would be good.

    McIlroy:

    Is there a risk that Labor is baking in some pretty big spending that will become part of the structural challenge itself? Your critics would say some of the big social spending – social policy areas, the spending in there is contributing to that problem even before the NDIS challenge is addressed properly.

    Chalmers:

    If you think about the 6 big fast‑growing areas in the budget, we’ve made really good progress on 3 of them – which is debt interest, aged care and the NDIS. And the other 3 are defence, childcare and health and hospitals. And so some of those changes are deliberate; in both directions necessary, some of them reflect demographic change. Our society is changing, our society is ageing, our preferences are changing, our industrial base is changing, the role of technology and energy, all of these things are happening, and so that has implications for the budget.

    There are some structural challenges there, but we’ve made more progress, I think, than is broadly acknowledged in reining in some of those structural challenges, but we know that there’s more work to do.

    McIlroy:

    Okay, Jim Chalmers, you’ve got a busy job, you’ve got a busy couple of weeks ahead.

    Tell us about a time when you’re not at work. What do you do to relax, what do you do when you’ve got a bit of free time?

    Chalmers:

    I think normal people have New Year’s resolutions, and people like me have after election resolutions. That’s because in elections you eat your feelings and you run out of time to do exercise and all those sorts of things. So my post‑election resolutions are more running, more reading – and I’m trying to get back into those 2 things.

    McIlroy:

    You’re an early‑morning runner, I think, right?

    Chalmers:

    I was, I haven’t been running a lot lately, I ran today, which was an effort, let’s say. When you’re – I’m not sure how old you are now, Tom, but I’m 47 now, and I’ve noticed that taking a break from running is more consequential than it used to be. I really felt that around Lake Burley Griffin this morning, so I’m trying to get back into better shape on that front.

    McIlroy:

    And what about reading? Tell us something that’s on your bedside table coming up.

    Chalmers:

    My reading is divided into my directly work reading and what I call nights and flights, and my nights and flights reading is – increasingly I’m getting back into a lot of history.

    But also I’ve got this – what seemed like a good idea at the time at the start of the year – my wife Laura and I, we agreed we’d try and read 30 books each this year. And I gave her about a 12‑book head start in the lead‑up to the election, I’m trying to rein that in. And so I’m trying to churn through a lot, but a lot of history, but also some classics too. Obviously I’m reading your book about Jackson Pollock and Blue Poles.

    McIlroy:

    Thanks for the plug.

    Chalmers:

    Yeah, everyone should get out and buy it. But if we’ve got time I’ll tell you a quick story. I was in Noosa with my family the other day and we went into the Village Bookshop and there’s a wonderful, wonderful woman there called Noelle. And I said to her quietly ‘cause the kids were there and Laura was there, I said, ‘Noelle, I’m a few books behind in our family reading challenge’. And she said, ‘I’ve got just the thing for you’, so she recommended to me the Steinbeck novel Of Mice and Men, but it’s a bleak but beautiful thing. And she said, ‘Come over here’, and she took me to the classics and she sold me a couple of classics of shorter length, let’s say, and that helped me –

    McIlroy:

    Some quick runs on the board.

    Chalmers:

    Quick runs on the board, it will help me make up the difference. So big shout‑out to Noelle at the Village Bookshop, a former schoolteacher. She knew exactly what I needed to try and close the gap on my reading.

    McIlroy:

    Well, Jim Chalmers, thanks for making some time for us today, we’ve covered a lot of ground. It’s really great to speak to you on the pod.

    Chalmers:

    I appreciate it, Tom. All the best, thank you.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: UNESCO grants World Heritage status to Khmer Rouge atrocity sites – paving the way for other sites of conflict

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Rachel Hughes, Associate Professor of Geography, The University of Melbourne

    A series of atrocity sites of the Khmer Rouge regime in Cambodia have been formally entered onto the World Heritage list, as part of the 47th session of the World Heritage Committee.

    This is not only important for Cambodia, but also raises important questions for atrocity sites in Australia.

    Before this, the World Heritage list only recognised seven “sites of memory” associated with recent conflicts, which UNESCO defines as “events having occurred from the turn of the 20th century” under its criterion vi. These sat within a broader list of more than 950 cultural sites.

    In recent years, experts have intensely debated the question of whether a site associated with recent conflict could, or should, be nominated and evaluated for World Heritage status. Some argue such listings would contradict the objectives of UNESCO and its spirit of peace, which was part of the specialised agency’s mandate after the destruction of two world wars.

    Sites associated with recent conflicts can be divisive. For instance, when Japan nominated the Hiroshima Peace Memorial, both China and the United States objected and eventually disassociated from the decision. The US argued the nomination lacked “historical perspective” on the events that led to the bomb’s use. Meanwhile, China argued listing the property would not be conducive for peace as other Asian countries and peoples had suffered at the hands of the Japanese during WWII.

    Heritage inscriptions risk reinforcing societal divisions if they conserve a particular memory in a one-sided way.

    Nonetheless, the World Heritage Committee decided in 2023 to no longer preclude such sites for inscription. This was done partly in recognition of how these sites may “serve the peace-building mission of UNESCO”.

    Shortly after, three listing were added: the ESMA Museum and Site of Memory, a former clandestine centre for detention, torture and extermination in Argentina; memorial sites of the Rwandan genocide at Nyamata, Murambi, Gisozi and Bisesero; and funerary and memory sites of the first world war in Belgium and France.

    A number of legacy sites associated with Nelson Mandela’s human rights struggle in South Africa were also added last year.

    Atrocities of the Khmer Rouge

    The recently inscribed Cambodian Memorial Sites include prisons S-21 (now known as Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum) and M-13, as well as the execution site Choeung Ek.

    These sites were nominated for their value in showing the development of extreme mass violence in relation to the security system of the Khmer Rouge in 1975–79. They also have value as places of memorialisation, peace and learning.

    The Khmer Rouge developed its methods of disappearance, incarceration and torture of suspected “enemies” during the civil conflict of 1970–75. It established a system of local-level security centres in so-called “liberated” areas.

    One of these centres was known as M-13, a small, well-hidden prison in the country’s rural southwest. A man named Kaing Guek Eav – also called Duch – was responsible for prisoners at M-13.

    Shortly after the entire country fell to the Khmer Rouge in April 1975, Duch was assigned to lead the headquarters of the regime’s security system: a large detention and torture centre known as S-21.

    Under his instruction, tens of thousands of people were detained in inhumane conditions, tortured and interrogated. Many detainees were later taken to the outskirts of the city to be brutally killed and buried in pits at a place called Choeung Ek.

    The sites operated until early 1979, when the Khmer Rouge was forced from power.

    The S-21 facility and the mass graves at Choeung Ek have long been memorialised as the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum and the Choeung Ek Genocidal Centre.

    However, the former M-13 site shows few visual clues to its prior use, and has only recently been investigated by an international team led by Cambodian archaeologist and museum director Hang Nisay. The site is on an island in a small river that forms the boundary between the Kampong Chhnang and Kampong Speu provinces.

    Further research, site protection and memorialisation activities will now be supported, with help from locals.

    From repression to reflection

    The Cambodian memorial sites have been recognised as holding “outstanding universal value” for the way they evidence one of the 20th century’s worst atrocities, and are now places of memory.

    In its nomination dossier for these sites, Cambodia drew on findings from the Khmer Rouge Tribunal to verify and link the conflict and the sites.

    In 2010, the tribunal found Duch guilty of crimes against humanity and grave breaches of the Geneva Conventions. Duch was sentenced to 30 years in prison (which eventually turned into life imprisonment). He died in 2020.

    While courts such as the International Criminal Court have previously examined the destruction of heritage as an international crime, drawing on legal findings to assert heritage status is an unusual inverse. It raises important questions about the legacies of former UN-supported tribunals and the ongoing implications of their findings.

    The recent listings also raise questions for Australia, which has many sites of documented mass killing associated with colonisation and the frontier wars that lasted into the 20th century.

    Might Australia nominate any of these atrocity sites in the future? And could other processes such as truth-telling, reparation and redress support (or be supported by) such nominations?

    Rachel Hughes has consulted to UNESCO Cambodia.

    Maria Elander 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. UNESCO grants World Heritage status to Khmer Rouge atrocity sites – paving the way for other sites of conflict – https://theconversation.com/unesco-grants-world-heritage-status-to-khmer-rouge-atrocity-sites-paving-the-way-for-other-sites-of-conflict-260923

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-Evening Report: ER Report: A Roundup of Significant Articles on EveningReport.nz for July 15, 2025

    ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on July 15, 2025.

    A warning from the future: the risk if NZ gets climate adaptation policy wrong today
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tom Logan, Senior Lecturer Above the Bar, Civil and Natural Resources Engineering, University of Canterbury Getty Images New Zealand 2050: On the morning of February 27, the sea surged through the dunes south of the small town of Te Taone, riding on the back of Cyclone Harita’s

    ABC’s and CBS’s settlements with Trump are a dangerous step toward the commander in chief becoming the editor-in-chief
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael J. Socolow, Professor of Communication and Journalism, University of Maine Will settlements by news companies with President Donald Trump turn journalists into puppets? MARHARYTA MARKO/iStock Getty Images Plus It was a surrender widely foreseen. For months, rumors abounded that Paramount would eventually settle the seemingly frivolous

    Is there any hope for the internet?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Aarushi Bhandari, Assistant Professor of Sociology, Davidson College Hate and mental illness fester online because love and healing seem to be incompatible with profits. Ihor Lukianenko/iStock via Getty Images In 2001, social theorist bell hooks warned about the dangers of a loveless zeitgeist. In “All About Love:

    Hung parliament still likely outcome of Tasmanian election, with Liberals well ahead of Labor in new poll
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne A new Tasmanian DemosAU poll gives the Liberals a 34.9–24.7 statewide vote lead over Labor, implying the Liberals will win the most seats but be short of

    Luxon and Peters to miss Cook Islands’ 60th Constitution Day celebrations
    By Caleb Fotheringham, RNZ Pacific journalist New Zealand will not send top government representation to the Cook Islands for its 60th Constitution Day celebrations in three weeks’ time. Instead, Governor-General Dame Cindy Kiro will represent Aotearoa in Rarotonga. On August 4, Cook Islands will mark 60 years of self-governance in free association with New Zealand.

    Keith Rankin Analysis – Reporting International Migration: Less than the Truth
    Analysis by Keith Rankin. Yesterday I listened to RNZ’s political commentators. The principal topic was an aspect of the recently released May 2025 international migration. Kathryn Ryan starts by reminding us of the “old saying, would the last person to leave New Zealand please turn out the lights” (a saying which has been used in

    Antisemitism plan fails on a number of fronts – a contentious definition of hate is just the start
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Louise Chappell, Scientia Professor, UNSW Sydney The antisemitism strategy presented to the Albanese government has attracted considerable – and wholly justifed – criticism. Produced by Jillian Segal, the special envoy to combat antisemitism, the blueprint falls short in a range of areas essential to good public policy.

    Do I have prostate cancer? Why a simple PSA blood test alone won’t give you the answer
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kevin M. Koo, NHMRC Emerging Leadership Fellow, The University of Queensland Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in Australia, with about 26,000 men diagnosed per year. The majority (more than 85%) are aged over 60. Prostate cancer kills around 3,900 Australians a year. Yet most prostate

    Many fish are social, but pesticides are pushing them apart
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kyle Morrison, PhD Candidate in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, UNSW Sydney Kazakov Maksim, Shutterstock Scientists have detected pesticides in rivers, lakes and oceans worldwide. So what are these pesticides doing to the fish? Long before pesticides reach lethal doses, they can disrupt hormones, impair brain function and

    Almost half of young workers expected to work unpaid overtime, while a quarter aren’t paid compulsory super
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Howe, Associate Dean (Research), Melbourne Law School, The University of Melbourne Anna Kraynova/Shutterstock A young person gets a job, excited to earn their first paycheck. Over time, they realise the hours are long and the payslips small. They are told to stay back to clean up

    Israeli settlers shoot, beat to death 2 Palestinians in latest lynchings
    BEARING WITNESS: By Cole Martin in occupied West Bank Two young Palestinians were shot and beaten to death on their land, and 30 injured, by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank on Saturday. A large group of settlers attacked the rural Palestinian village of Sinjil, in the Ramallah governorate, beating Sayfollah “Saif” Mussalet, 20,

    View from The Hill: Segal’s antisemitism plan gives government controversy, not clarity
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Prime Minister Anthony Albanese may be rueing what seemed a good idea at the time – the appointment of a special envoy to combat antisemitism (as well as an envoy to combat Islamophobia). Or perhaps Jillian Segal, a former president

    David Robie condemns ‘callous’ health legacy of French, US nuclear bomb tests in Pacific
    Report by Dr David Robie – Café Pacific. – A journalist who was on the Rainbow Warrior voyage to Rongelap last night condemned France for its “callous” attack of an environmental ship, saying “we haven’t forgotten, or forgiven this outrage”. David Robie, the author of Eyes of Fire: The Last Voyage and Legacy of the

    Was the Air India crash caused by pilot error or technical fault? None of the theories holds up – yet
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Guido Carim Junior, Senior Lecturer in Aviation, Griffith University Over the weekend, the Indian Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau released a preliminary report on last month’s crash of Air India flight 171, which killed 260 people, 19 of them on the ground. The aim of a preliminary report

    Confusing for doctors, inequitable for patients: why Australia’s medicinal cannabis system needs urgent reform
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christine Mary Hallinan, Senior Research Fellow, Department of General Practice and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, The University of Melbourne Vanessa Nunes/Getty Images In 2024 alone, Australia’s medicines regulator, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), authorised at least 979,000 prescription applications for medicinal cannabis

    Treasury warns the government it may not balance the budget or meet its housing targets
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Hawkins, Head, Canberra School of Government, University of Canberra Kokkai Ng/Getty In the runup to each election, federal treasury produces a “blue book” and a “red book”, with advice tailored to the priorities of the two alternative governments. One of these is given to the incoming

    UNESCO grants World Heritage status to Khmer Rouge atrocity sites – paving the way for other sites of conflict
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rachel Hughes, Associate Professor of Geography, The University of Melbourne A series of atrocity sites of the Khmer Rouge regime in Cambodia have been formally entered onto the World Heritage list, as part of the 47th session of the World Heritage Committee. This is not only important

    How do you stop an AI model turning Nazi? What the Grok drama reveals about AI training
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Aaron J. Snoswell, Senior Research Fellow in AI Accountability, Queensland University of Technology Anne Fehres and Luke Conroy & AI4Media, CC BY Grok, the artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot embedded in X (formerly Twitter) and built by Elon Musk’s company xAI, is back in the headlines after calling

    Author condemns ‘callous’ health legacy of French, US nuclear bomb tests in Pacific
    Asia Pacific Report A journalist who was on the Rainbow Warrior voyage to Rongelap last night condemned France for its “callous” attack of an environmental ship, saying “we haven’t forgotten, or forgiven this outrage”. David Robie, the author of Eyes of Fire: The Last Voyage and Legacy of the Rainbow Warrior, said at the launch

    Washington’s war demands – Australia right to refuse committing to a hypothetical conflict with China over Taiwan
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Blaxland, Professor, Strategic and Defence Studies Centre, Australian National University Andy. LIU/Shutterstock The United States can count on Australia as one of its closest allies. Dating back to the shared experiences in the second world war and the ANZUS Treaty signed in 1951, Australia has steadfastly

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: ER Report: A Roundup of Significant Articles on EveningReport.nz for July 15, 2025

    ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on July 15, 2025.

    A warning from the future: the risk if NZ gets climate adaptation policy wrong today
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tom Logan, Senior Lecturer Above the Bar, Civil and Natural Resources Engineering, University of Canterbury Getty Images New Zealand 2050: On the morning of February 27, the sea surged through the dunes south of the small town of Te Taone, riding on the back of Cyclone Harita’s

    ABC’s and CBS’s settlements with Trump are a dangerous step toward the commander in chief becoming the editor-in-chief
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael J. Socolow, Professor of Communication and Journalism, University of Maine Will settlements by news companies with President Donald Trump turn journalists into puppets? MARHARYTA MARKO/iStock Getty Images Plus It was a surrender widely foreseen. For months, rumors abounded that Paramount would eventually settle the seemingly frivolous

    Is there any hope for the internet?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Aarushi Bhandari, Assistant Professor of Sociology, Davidson College Hate and mental illness fester online because love and healing seem to be incompatible with profits. Ihor Lukianenko/iStock via Getty Images In 2001, social theorist bell hooks warned about the dangers of a loveless zeitgeist. In “All About Love:

    Hung parliament still likely outcome of Tasmanian election, with Liberals well ahead of Labor in new poll
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne A new Tasmanian DemosAU poll gives the Liberals a 34.9–24.7 statewide vote lead over Labor, implying the Liberals will win the most seats but be short of

    Luxon and Peters to miss Cook Islands’ 60th Constitution Day celebrations
    By Caleb Fotheringham, RNZ Pacific journalist New Zealand will not send top government representation to the Cook Islands for its 60th Constitution Day celebrations in three weeks’ time. Instead, Governor-General Dame Cindy Kiro will represent Aotearoa in Rarotonga. On August 4, Cook Islands will mark 60 years of self-governance in free association with New Zealand.

    Keith Rankin Analysis – Reporting International Migration: Less than the Truth
    Analysis by Keith Rankin. Yesterday I listened to RNZ’s political commentators. The principal topic was an aspect of the recently released May 2025 international migration. Kathryn Ryan starts by reminding us of the “old saying, would the last person to leave New Zealand please turn out the lights” (a saying which has been used in

    Antisemitism plan fails on a number of fronts – a contentious definition of hate is just the start
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Louise Chappell, Scientia Professor, UNSW Sydney The antisemitism strategy presented to the Albanese government has attracted considerable – and wholly justifed – criticism. Produced by Jillian Segal, the special envoy to combat antisemitism, the blueprint falls short in a range of areas essential to good public policy.

    Do I have prostate cancer? Why a simple PSA blood test alone won’t give you the answer
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kevin M. Koo, NHMRC Emerging Leadership Fellow, The University of Queensland Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in Australia, with about 26,000 men diagnosed per year. The majority (more than 85%) are aged over 60. Prostate cancer kills around 3,900 Australians a year. Yet most prostate

    Many fish are social, but pesticides are pushing them apart
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kyle Morrison, PhD Candidate in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, UNSW Sydney Kazakov Maksim, Shutterstock Scientists have detected pesticides in rivers, lakes and oceans worldwide. So what are these pesticides doing to the fish? Long before pesticides reach lethal doses, they can disrupt hormones, impair brain function and

    Almost half of young workers expected to work unpaid overtime, while a quarter aren’t paid compulsory super
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Howe, Associate Dean (Research), Melbourne Law School, The University of Melbourne Anna Kraynova/Shutterstock A young person gets a job, excited to earn their first paycheck. Over time, they realise the hours are long and the payslips small. They are told to stay back to clean up

    Israeli settlers shoot, beat to death 2 Palestinians in latest lynchings
    BEARING WITNESS: By Cole Martin in occupied West Bank Two young Palestinians were shot and beaten to death on their land, and 30 injured, by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank on Saturday. A large group of settlers attacked the rural Palestinian village of Sinjil, in the Ramallah governorate, beating Sayfollah “Saif” Mussalet, 20,

    View from The Hill: Segal’s antisemitism plan gives government controversy, not clarity
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Prime Minister Anthony Albanese may be rueing what seemed a good idea at the time – the appointment of a special envoy to combat antisemitism (as well as an envoy to combat Islamophobia). Or perhaps Jillian Segal, a former president

    David Robie condemns ‘callous’ health legacy of French, US nuclear bomb tests in Pacific
    Report by Dr David Robie – Café Pacific. – A journalist who was on the Rainbow Warrior voyage to Rongelap last night condemned France for its “callous” attack of an environmental ship, saying “we haven’t forgotten, or forgiven this outrage”. David Robie, the author of Eyes of Fire: The Last Voyage and Legacy of the

    Was the Air India crash caused by pilot error or technical fault? None of the theories holds up – yet
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Guido Carim Junior, Senior Lecturer in Aviation, Griffith University Over the weekend, the Indian Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau released a preliminary report on last month’s crash of Air India flight 171, which killed 260 people, 19 of them on the ground. The aim of a preliminary report

    Confusing for doctors, inequitable for patients: why Australia’s medicinal cannabis system needs urgent reform
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christine Mary Hallinan, Senior Research Fellow, Department of General Practice and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, The University of Melbourne Vanessa Nunes/Getty Images In 2024 alone, Australia’s medicines regulator, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), authorised at least 979,000 prescription applications for medicinal cannabis

    Treasury warns the government it may not balance the budget or meet its housing targets
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Hawkins, Head, Canberra School of Government, University of Canberra Kokkai Ng/Getty In the runup to each election, federal treasury produces a “blue book” and a “red book”, with advice tailored to the priorities of the two alternative governments. One of these is given to the incoming

    UNESCO grants World Heritage status to Khmer Rouge atrocity sites – paving the way for other sites of conflict
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rachel Hughes, Associate Professor of Geography, The University of Melbourne A series of atrocity sites of the Khmer Rouge regime in Cambodia have been formally entered onto the World Heritage list, as part of the 47th session of the World Heritage Committee. This is not only important

    How do you stop an AI model turning Nazi? What the Grok drama reveals about AI training
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Aaron J. Snoswell, Senior Research Fellow in AI Accountability, Queensland University of Technology Anne Fehres and Luke Conroy & AI4Media, CC BY Grok, the artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot embedded in X (formerly Twitter) and built by Elon Musk’s company xAI, is back in the headlines after calling

    Author condemns ‘callous’ health legacy of French, US nuclear bomb tests in Pacific
    Asia Pacific Report A journalist who was on the Rainbow Warrior voyage to Rongelap last night condemned France for its “callous” attack of an environmental ship, saying “we haven’t forgotten, or forgiven this outrage”. David Robie, the author of Eyes of Fire: The Last Voyage and Legacy of the Rainbow Warrior, said at the launch

    Washington’s war demands – Australia right to refuse committing to a hypothetical conflict with China over Taiwan
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Blaxland, Professor, Strategic and Defence Studies Centre, Australian National University Andy. LIU/Shutterstock The United States can count on Australia as one of its closest allies. Dating back to the shared experiences in the second world war and the ANZUS Treaty signed in 1951, Australia has steadfastly

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Chairman Wicker Issues Statement on Ukraine Developments

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Mississippi Roger Wicker

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, R-Miss., Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, today issued a statement after President Trump announced he would work with NATO to continue supplying Ukraine with military aid. The President also signaled he would implement U.S. tariffs on Russia if a deal to end the war in Ukraine was not reached in 50 days. After these announcements, Chairman Wicker released the following statement:

    “Russian dictator Vladimir Putin has been given every chance to negotiate in good faith with President Trump. Instead, he has chosen to further his terror campaign against the Ukrainian people and extend the illegal war he started. Today’s announcement by President Trump demonstrates his determination to implement a peace through strength policy against the Russian dictator. I also commend NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and our allies, especially Germany, for their commitment in this effort and for taking decisive action to transfer weapons immediately.

    Putin understands only strength. I hope President Trump’s decision to accelerate military aid to Ukraine and to threaten crippling sanctions will drive this conflict closer to its end.  The president should have every tool available to increase pressure on Putin. To that end, I will continue working with my colleagues in Congress and with officials at the Pentagon to rebuild the Arsenal of Democracy and improve the president’s ability to use European money to arm Ukraine.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Zelensky holds phone talk with Trump

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

    Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday held a phone talk with U.S. President Donald Trump.

    In a post on X, Zelensky said that the discussion with Trump touched on the solutions needed to better protect Ukrainians from Russian attacks and to strengthen Ukraine’s positions.

    “We are ready to work as productively as possible to achieve peace,” he said.

    Zelensky said Trump shared details of his recent meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.

    Zelensky had a phone call with the NATO chief the same day, during which Rutte outlined the details of U.S.-European cooperation to sustain and strengthen support for Ukraine.

    The United States, Germany and Norway are working jointly to provide additional Patriot air defense systems for Ukraine, Zelensky said.

    Earlier in the day, Trump announced an agreement with NATO regarding weapons to assist Ukraine while meeting Rutte in Washington, D.C. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: New technology for restoring gas turbine engine blades patented at Novosibirsk State University

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Novosibirsk State University –

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    Employees Competence Center of the National Technology Initiative (NTI) in the direction of “Modeling and development of new functional materials with specified properties” based at NSU developed an innovative method for restoring damaged turbine blades of engines for aviation and energy (gas turbine units). The technology was developed with financial support from the NTI Foundation, successfully patented and is already beginning to be implemented in practice.

    Leading researcher of the NTI Center of Novosibirsk State University, head of the laser technology laboratory of the Institute of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Doctor of Engineering Alexander Malikov spoke in detail about the essence of the development and the prospects for its implementation:

    — Our new method allows us to restore heavily worn sections of gas turbine blades, fully preserving the original performance characteristics of the product. To do this, we use a special mode of laser pulse-periodic action, which allows us to form strong protective layers of metal or ceramic composites on the surface.

    According to Alexander Malikov, the task was to restore the thin edges of the blades, which are subject to intense exposure to high temperatures and pressure during engine operation. The advantage of the proposed technology is that using the traditional surfacing method would lead to overheating and destruction of sensitive areas of the parts.

    “We proposed an original solution to the problem by preliminary forming special protective layers before the main stage of surfacing. This approach allowed us to preserve the original geometric shape of the blade and ensure reliable adhesion of the restored layer to the main structure,” the scientist explained.

    The new method significantly reduces the cost of repairs, ensuring high strength and durability of restored elements of gas turbine units.

    The developed technology is in high demand on the Russian energy generation and aircraft manufacturing market. Modern gas turbine engines are used everywhere – from civil aviation to electric power engineering and natural gas transportation.

    Alexander Malikov noted the importance of this area of research:

    — The production of high-quality blades is one of the ten key technologies of the modern world. Their production requires complex solutions due to extreme operating conditions. Only four countries in the world have the necessary competencies: the USA, Great Britain, France and Russia.

    Previously, the energy segment of the Russian market was heavily dependent on foreign suppliers of spare parts and services for the restoration of parts. With the departure of Western companies from the Russian market, there was a need to develop our own technologies and services capable of replacing foreign analogues. The new technology created by Novosibirsk scientists is capable of significantly increasing the reliability and cost-effectiveness of servicing large industrial enterprises and facilities using gas turbine units.

    In the near future, it is planned to introduce the technology into serial production; a number of Russian companies have shown interest in it. Meanwhile, researchers continue to develop technologies for the restoration of various types of blades and other elements of industrial equipment.

    — To solve problems of this type, we first need to carefully study the properties of the material from which the product is made at the atomic level. In our work, we use synchrotron radiation, which provides great opportunities for emitting phase composition at a very high resolution level, and if we know the exact phase states of the material, the structural phases, then we can control it, — explained Alexander Malikov.

    Scientists will have even more opportunities with the launch of the Siberian Ring Photon Source (SKIF), at one of whose workstations a number of studies in this area are already planned.

    Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Panasonic Washing and Drying Machine “ALPHA Set” wins “Best of the Best” at the Red Dot Award: Product Design 2025

    Source: Panasonic

    Headline: Panasonic Washing and Drying Machine “ALPHA Set” wins “Best of the Best” at the Red Dot Award: Product Design 2025

    Essen, Germany – The Panasonic Washing and Drying Machine “ALPHA Set” was awarded the “Best of the Best”—the top honor at the Red Dot Award: Product Design 2025. Twelve other Panasonic products also received Red Dot Awards. 

    The award-winning products are as follows:

    Red Dot Award: Best of the Best

    Red Dot Award

    Panasonic Corporation, Living Appliances and Solutions Company

    Panasonic Corporation, Heating & Ventilation A/C Company

    Panasonic Corporation, China & Northeast Asia Company

    Panasonic Corporation, Technics Brand Business Promotion Office

    Panasonic Entertainment & Communication Co., Ltd.

    The Red Dot Award, founded in 1955, is a globally recognized design competition spanning over 60 years. In the Product Design Category, approximately forty experts rigorously evaluated all entries against nine criteria, including quality, ergonomics, and product life.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: New financing instrument for socially beneficial and development promotion projects in low- and lower middle-income countries

    Source: Government of Sweden

    The Government has adopted a new ordinance that enables development assistance funding in conjunction with export credits and export credit guarantees for the implementation of socially beneficial development promotion projects in low- and lower middle-income countries. The new financial instrument enables projects that benefit sustainable development in low- and lower middle-income countries that would not be possible on commercial grounds. In parallel to this, Swedish companies will contribute with their products and expertise in implementation.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: New financing instrument for socially beneficial and development promotion projects in low- and lower middle-income countries

    Source: Government of Sweden

    The Government has adopted a new ordinance that enables development assistance funding in conjunction with export credits and export credit guarantees for the implementation of socially beneficial development promotion projects in low- and lower middle-income countries. The new financial instrument enables projects that benefit sustainable development in low- and lower middle-income countries that would not be possible on commercial grounds. In parallel to this, Swedish companies will contribute with their products and expertise in implementation.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Sweden orders artillery ammunition for more than SEK 5 billion

    Source: Government of Sweden

    The Swedish Defence Materiel Administration has entered into two agreements with ammunition manufacturers Nammo and Rheinmetall Denel Munition. The orders include a substantial amount of artillery shells and represent the largest investment in artillery ammunition in Sweden since the 1980s.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Minister for Foreign Affairs visits Bosnia and Herzegovina

    Source: Government of Sweden

    Minister for Foreign Affairs Maria Malmer Stenergard travelled to Bosnia and Herzegovina on 10–11 July to attend a memorial ceremony marking the International Day of Reflection and Commemoration of the 1995 Genocide in Srebrenica. Thirty years have passed since the genocide and the subsequent conclusion of the General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which brought the war to an end.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI China: US tariff threat on EU ‘absolutely unacceptable’: Danish FM

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

    EU trade chief Maros Sefcovic attends a joint press conference in Brussels, Belgium, July 14, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen condemned the Trump administration’s threat to impose 30 percent tariffs on European Union (EU) exports as “absolutely unacceptable” during a joint press conference with EU trade chief Maros Sefcovic on Monday.

    Rasmussen said that the bloc views the threat as “absolutely unacceptable and unjustified” and is prepared to respond if talks with Washington fail to produce a viable outcome.

    “We are committed to continuing working with the United States on a negotiated outcome,” he said, but the agreement has to be “mutually acceptable” on both sides.

    He revealed that the EU will react with robust and proportionate countermeasures if required.

    Sefcovic noted that the 27-country bloc is preparing potential countermeasures worth 72 billion euros (84 billion U.S. dollars).

    “We must be prepared for all outcomes, including, if necessary, well-considered proportionate measures to restore balance in our transatlantic relationship,” he stressed.

    Sefcovic said that he believes there is “still a potential to continue the negotiations” but stressed any deal will need the backing of all EU member states and the European Parliament. (1 euro = 1.17 U.S. dollar) 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China reports surge in foreign tourists as summer vacation begins

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

    Inbound passengers line up for documents checking at Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport in southwest China’s Chongqing, July 8, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    China is experiencing a surge in foreign tourist arrivals as the summer vacation season kicks off, with increasing numbers of international travelers drawn to the country’s unique blend of ancient culture and modern vitality.

    Thomas Watts, a short video creator from the United States, said he invited friends to Chongqing this summer after seeing numerous online posts highlighting the city’s steep hills and bold flavors.

    “It reminds me of San Francisco, but with spicier food and a spectacular neon-lit skyline. I came to experience it and film it myself,” he said.

    He is not alone in choosing China as a summer destination. Kittiphume Pannil, a university student from Thailand, arrived in China for the first time last week and plans to spend his summer break on an exchange program at a local university in Chongqing.

    “When I saw Chongqing from the plane, it looked like a city of dazzling lights and towering skyscrapers, like something straight out of the future,” Pannil said.

    Official data showed that in the first half of 2025, Chongqing’s border checkpoints handled more than 1.14 million inbound and outbound travelers, a 35 percent year-on-year increase. Among them, over 330,000 were foreign nationals, setting a new record for the city.

    The country’s capital is also drawing a growing number of international visitors. According to official data, Beijing’s ports of entry handled over 640,000 inbound and outbound travelers from July 1 to 10, including 171,000 foreign tourists, marking a 22.1 percent year-on-year increase.

    Among the newcomers is Robert Alex Barbender, a traveler from the Netherlands. “A friend told me Beijing is beautiful, and now with the visa-free policy, I thought why not come and have a look?” he said.

    “Honestly, it feels like I’ve stepped into a video game, everything is busy and crowded, but still runs in perfect order,” he added.

    Other major cities are also welcoming record numbers of international visitors. According to official data, a total of 2.56 million foreign travelers entered China through Shanghai’s Pudong and Hongqiao international airports in the first half of this year, marking a 44.7 percent year-on-year increase.

    Meanwhile, Xi’an, a cultural hub known for its Terracotta Warriors, has welcomed more than 135,000 foreign visitors this year, a 124 percent jump from the same period last year. Notably, over 100,000 of them arrived under visa exemption policies, including unilateral and mutual visa-free entry as well as the visa-free transit policy, marking a staggering 290 percent surge compared to 2024.

    To meet the growing demand, immigration authorities at major border checkpoints have introduced a range of measures to reduce waiting times and improve the travel experience.

    Tourism destinations across the country are also tailoring experiences for international visitors. In Beijing, the Palace Museum offers foreign-language tours focusing on the architectural significance of the landmark spots. In Xi’an, tourists can immerse themselves in China’s rich history by dressing in traditional Tang Dynasty costumes.

    This significant rise in inbound tourism this summer is no coincidence. Summer is traditionally a major vacation season for travelers from Europe, North America and Southeast Asia, leading many to choose China as their preferred destination during these months.

    The surge has also been driven by China’s continued easing of entry policies for foreign visitors. As of now, China’s 240-hour visa-free transit policy applies to 55 countries, while nationals from 47 countries are eligible for unilateral visa-free entry. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Chinese FM holds talks with Malta’s deputy PM

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

    Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, holds talks with Ian Borg, Malta’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Tourism, in Beijing, capital of China, July 14, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    BEIJING, July 14 — Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held talks with Ian Borg, Malta’s deputy prime minister and minister for foreign affairs and tourism, in Beijing on Monday.

    Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said that Malta plays a unique and positive role in world peace and stability.

    China is willing to maintain high-level political mutual trust, mutual respect, mutual understanding and mutual support with Malta, and will honor its commitments on issues concerning each other’s core interests and major concerns, Wang said.

    Wang said that China will work with Malta to deepen mutually beneficial cooperation in trade, investment, culture and tourism, science and education, and continue to maintain good communication and coordination in international affairs.

    On China-EU relations, Wang pointed out that the most important experience and enlightenment from the 50-year development of bilateral ties is that China-EU relations are positioned as partners rather than rivals, with a tone of dialogue and cooperation.

    As the world’s two major forces, civilizations and markets, China and the EU should understand, respect and appreciate each other, Wang said.

    Wang called on the two sides to view the mutually beneficial and win-win essence of their relations with a developmental perspective, jointly promote the process of human civilization and maintain world peace and stability.

    Borg stated that Malta highly values its relations with China, always take relations with China in its diplomatic priority, firmly adheres to the one-China principle, actively participates in the Belt and Road Initiative, and welcomes more Chinese friends to visit Malta.

    The Maltese side also believes that the EU and China should be partners rather than rivals, and differences should be properly resolved through dialogue and consultation, Borg said, expressing a willingness to continue playing an active role in promoting EU-China relations. 

    Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, holds talks with Ian Borg, Malta’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Tourism, in Beijing, capital of China, July 14, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Barca demotion sparks Ter Stegen’s doubts over Germany future

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

    Marc-Andre ter Stegen’s reported demotion at Barcelona has raised fresh concerns about his standing in Germany’s national team just a year before the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

    According to Spanish and German media reports, including Sport, Mundo Deportivo and Kicker, new Barcelona coach Hansi Flick has informed the 33-year-old goalkeeper that he will serve as third-choice next season, behind new signing Joan Garcia and 35-year-old Wojciech Szczesny.

    Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes (R) argues with Barcelona’s goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen during the UEFA Europa League play-off 2nd leg match between Manchester United and Barcelona in Manchester, Britain, Feb. 23, 2023. (Xinhua)

    Germany head coach Julian Nagelsmann has publicly sought clarification on Ter Stegen’s future, warning that regular playing time is essential for selection. “Rhythm and consistent match practice are inevitable for anyone wanting to be part of the World Cup squad,” Nagelsmann said.

    Garcia, 24, joined Barcelona from local rivals Espanyol for a reported 25 million euros on a contract through 2031, while Szczesny has agreed to a two-year extension. Despite being under contract until 2028, Ter Stegen’s demotion threatens his role with Germany.

    Reports indicate that a transfer may be the only solution to safeguard Ter Stegen’s World Cup hopes. Clubs including Galatasaray, Monaco, and several Premier League sides have reportedly shown interest.

    Ter Stegen had previously insisted he would fight for his place at Barcelona. However, Flick’s stance may alter his plans. The German keeper had only recently returned to action after a long-term knee injury, reclaiming the starting spot during last month’s UEFA Nations League Finals.

    Kicker described Barcelona’s approach as a clear signal the club wants to move on from Ter Stegen, despite his decade of service, 422 appearances and 19 trophies. Complicating matters further, the goalkeeper recently separated from his wife but remains committed to staying in Barcelona for personal reasons, as his children live there.

    Former Germany international and ex-Bayer Leverkusen goalkeeper Rene Adler criticized Barcelona’s treatment of Ter Stegen as disrespectful, given his years of elite performances. Adler advised him to seek a transfer to protect his chances of being Germany’s No. 1 at the World Cup.

    Ter Stegen, according to reports, is both surprised and disappointed by the decision, though polls in Spanish media suggest the majority of Barcelona supporters back Flick’s move.

    The 2026 tournament represents Ter Stegen’s first chance to start at a major tournament after having spent much of his international career as backup to Bayern Munich’s Manuel Neuer, who withdrew from Germany duty after Euro 2024.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Hung parliament still likely outcome of Tasmanian election, with Liberals well ahead of Labor in new poll

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

    A new Tasmanian DemosAU poll gives the Liberals a 34.9–24.7 statewide vote lead over Labor, implying the Liberals will win the most seats but be short of a majority at this Saturday’s election. I also cover the Coalition’s vote was inefficiently distributed at the federal election, as well as US and UK politics.

    The Tasmanian state election will be held this Saturday. Tasmania uses the proportional Hare-Clark system for its lower house elections. The five Tasmanian seats used at federal elections each have seven members, for a total of 35 MPs. A quota for election is one-eighth of the vote, or 12.5%.

    A DemosAU poll for Pulse Tasmania, conducted July 6–10 from a sample of 3,421, gave the Liberals 34.9% of the vote (up 0.9 since the June 19–26 DemosAU poll), Labor 24.7% (down 2.6), the Greens 15.6% (up 0.5), the Nationals 2.7%, the Shooters 1.8% and independents 20.3% (up 1.0).

    The Nationals are only contesting Bass, Braddon and Lyons, and the poll would not have included them in the other two electorates of Clark and Franklin, so the Nationals’ vote in the electorates they are contesting would be higher than their statewide vote.

    With a total sample of over 3,400, the sample size per electorate would be over 680. Using the results in individual electorates, this poll has the Liberals on a total of 13–14 seats out of 35, Labor on 9–10, the Greens on 6–7, independents on 4–6 and both the Nationals and Shooters either winning zero or one seat.

    If the election results reflect this poll, the Liberals would easily be the largest party, but they would not win the 18 seats needed for a majority. There would probably be a majority for Labor, the Greens and left-wing independents, but Labor did not attempt to form government in a similar situation after the March 2024 election.

    It’s been 11 years since Labor last held government in Tasmania, with the Labor/Greens government at that time widely blamed for Labor’s heavy defeat in the March 2014 election. But with the continuing decline of the major parties, Labor may have to reach an agreement with the Greens if they want to form government again in Tasmania.

    Labor and the Liberals have both supported construction of a new AFL stadium. I believe this partly explains the drop in Labor’s vote, as many on the left would oppose this stadium. Labor’s refusal to attempt to form government after the March 2024 election probably also contributed to its low vote.

    Voters may also be blaming Labor for this early election, just 16 months after the previous Tasmanian election. This election is just over two months after the federal election.

    Federal election: Coalition’s vote inefficiently distributed

    Analyst Kevin Bonham has a pendulum of House of Representatives seats after the results of the May 3 federal election. There are likely to be federal redistributions from July 2026 in some states, so this won’t be the pendulum used at the next federal election.

    Labor won 94 of the 150 seats, the Coalition 43 and all Others 13, from a two-party vote of 55.2–44.8 to Labor. Assuming the Others are unchanged, Labor would need to lose 19 seats to drop below the 76 needed for a majority. On the pendulum, this occurs when the seat of Whitlam falls, but Labor won Whitlam by 56.3–43.7, more than 1% higher than their national vote.

    This means that, using a uniform swing on the actual results, Labor would have won a majority even if they had lost the national two-party vote by 51.0–49.0, despite 13 Other seats.

    Despite the electoral hammering, the Coalition retained many regional seats by large margins. This contributed to an inefficiently distributed vote. With voters in the cities making up a majority of all Australian voters, the Coalition can’t win by appealing just to voters in the regions.

    The Coalition would be the largest party if they won 26 seats from Labor. This happens when the Coalition gains Braddon, which Labor won by 57.2–42.8, so the Coalition would need a 51.9–48.1 national two-party margin. For a Coalition majority, they would need 33 gains, and need a 53.7–46.3 national two-party win.

    US and UK politics

    I wrote for The Poll Bludger on Saturday that United States President Donald Trump’s net approval was nearly unchanged at -6.7 after the passage of the “big beautiful bill” through Congress. I also covered Elon Musk’s new party and New York City mayoral general election polls.

    In the United Kingdom, a Labour MP has defected to a potential Jeremy Corbyn-led party. The far-right Reform has led Labour in UK national polls since the early May local elections. In a House of Commons vote on a welfare reform bill, 49 Labour MPs rebelled.

    Two Queensland poll give LNP big leads

    A Queensland state DemosAU poll, conducted July 4–9 from a sample of 1,027, gave the Liberal National Party a 55–45 lead (53.8–46.2 to the LNP at the October 2024 election). The Poll Bludger said this was a one-point gain for the LNP since a February DemosAU poll.

    Primary votes were 40% LNP (steady), 28% Labor (down two), 13% Greens (up one), 12% One Nation (up two) and 7% for all Others (down one). On the recent Queensland state budget, 24% thought it would be good for the Queensland economy, 19% bad and 57% were unsure. By 43–26, respondents thought Labor would not have delivered a better budget.

    A Queensland state Redbridge poll gave the LNP a 56–44 lead. Primary votes were 43% LNP, 29% Labor, 11% Greens and 17% for all Others (there was no One Nation breakdown).

    Queensland was the only state the Coalition won at the federal election, though only by 50.6–49.4. The state LNP is still benefiting from a honeymoon after ousting Labor at last year’s election.

    Adrian Beaumont does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Hung parliament still likely outcome of Tasmanian election, with Liberals well ahead of Labor in new poll – https://theconversation.com/hung-parliament-still-likely-outcome-of-tasmanian-election-with-liberals-well-ahead-of-labor-in-new-poll-261073

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Hung parliament still likely outcome of Tasmanian election, with Liberals well ahead of Labor in new poll

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

    A new Tasmanian DemosAU poll gives the Liberals a 34.9–24.7 statewide vote lead over Labor, implying the Liberals will win the most seats but be short of a majority at this Saturday’s election. I also cover the Coalition’s vote was inefficiently distributed at the federal election, as well as US and UK politics.

    The Tasmanian state election will be held this Saturday. Tasmania uses the proportional Hare-Clark system for its lower house elections. The five Tasmanian seats used at federal elections each have seven members, for a total of 35 MPs. A quota for election is one-eighth of the vote, or 12.5%.

    A DemosAU poll for Pulse Tasmania, conducted July 6–10 from a sample of 3,421, gave the Liberals 34.9% of the vote (up 0.9 since the June 19–26 DemosAU poll), Labor 24.7% (down 2.6), the Greens 15.6% (up 0.5), the Nationals 2.7%, the Shooters 1.8% and independents 20.3% (up 1.0).

    The Nationals are only contesting Bass, Braddon and Lyons, and the poll would not have included them in the other two electorates of Clark and Franklin, so the Nationals’ vote in the electorates they are contesting would be higher than their statewide vote.

    With a total sample of over 3,400, the sample size per electorate would be over 680. Using the results in individual electorates, this poll has the Liberals on a total of 13–14 seats out of 35, Labor on 9–10, the Greens on 6–7, independents on 4–6 and both the Nationals and Shooters either winning zero or one seat.

    If the election results reflect this poll, the Liberals would easily be the largest party, but they would not win the 18 seats needed for a majority. There would probably be a majority for Labor, the Greens and left-wing independents, but Labor did not attempt to form government in a similar situation after the March 2024 election.

    It’s been 11 years since Labor last held government in Tasmania, with the Labor/Greens government at that time widely blamed for Labor’s heavy defeat in the March 2014 election. But with the continuing decline of the major parties, Labor may have to reach an agreement with the Greens if they want to form government again in Tasmania.

    Labor and the Liberals have both supported construction of a new AFL stadium. I believe this partly explains the drop in Labor’s vote, as many on the left would oppose this stadium. Labor’s refusal to attempt to form government after the March 2024 election probably also contributed to its low vote.

    Voters may also be blaming Labor for this early election, just 16 months after the previous Tasmanian election. This election is just over two months after the federal election.

    Federal election: Coalition’s vote inefficiently distributed

    Analyst Kevin Bonham has a pendulum of House of Representatives seats after the results of the May 3 federal election. There are likely to be federal redistributions from July 2026 in some states, so this won’t be the pendulum used at the next federal election.

    Labor won 94 of the 150 seats, the Coalition 43 and all Others 13, from a two-party vote of 55.2–44.8 to Labor. Assuming the Others are unchanged, Labor would need to lose 19 seats to drop below the 76 needed for a majority. On the pendulum, this occurs when the seat of Whitlam falls, but Labor won Whitlam by 56.3–43.7, more than 1% higher than their national vote.

    This means that, using a uniform swing on the actual results, Labor would have won a majority even if they had lost the national two-party vote by 51.0–49.0, despite 13 Other seats.

    Despite the electoral hammering, the Coalition retained many regional seats by large margins. This contributed to an inefficiently distributed vote. With voters in the cities making up a majority of all Australian voters, the Coalition can’t win by appealing just to voters in the regions.

    The Coalition would be the largest party if they won 26 seats from Labor. This happens when the Coalition gains Braddon, which Labor won by 57.2–42.8, so the Coalition would need a 51.9–48.1 national two-party margin. For a Coalition majority, they would need 33 gains, and need a 53.7–46.3 national two-party win.

    US and UK politics

    I wrote for The Poll Bludger on Saturday that United States President Donald Trump’s net approval was nearly unchanged at -6.7 after the passage of the “big beautiful bill” through Congress. I also covered Elon Musk’s new party and New York City mayoral general election polls.

    In the United Kingdom, a Labour MP has defected to a potential Jeremy Corbyn-led party. The far-right Reform has led Labour in UK national polls since the early May local elections. In a House of Commons vote on a welfare reform bill, 49 Labour MPs rebelled.

    Two Queensland poll give LNP big leads

    A Queensland state DemosAU poll, conducted July 4–9 from a sample of 1,027, gave the Liberal National Party a 55–45 lead (53.8–46.2 to the LNP at the October 2024 election). The Poll Bludger said this was a one-point gain for the LNP since a February DemosAU poll.

    Primary votes were 40% LNP (steady), 28% Labor (down two), 13% Greens (up one), 12% One Nation (up two) and 7% for all Others (down one). On the recent Queensland state budget, 24% thought it would be good for the Queensland economy, 19% bad and 57% were unsure. By 43–26, respondents thought Labor would not have delivered a better budget.

    A Queensland state Redbridge poll gave the LNP a 56–44 lead. Primary votes were 43% LNP, 29% Labor, 11% Greens and 17% for all Others (there was no One Nation breakdown).

    Queensland was the only state the Coalition won at the federal election, though only by 50.6–49.4. The state LNP is still benefiting from a honeymoon after ousting Labor at last year’s election.

    Adrian Beaumont does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Hung parliament still likely outcome of Tasmanian election, with Liberals well ahead of Labor in new poll – https://theconversation.com/hung-parliament-still-likely-outcome-of-tasmanian-election-with-liberals-well-ahead-of-labor-in-new-poll-261073

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Discount of up to £3,750 on electric cars set to slash costs for thousands

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Discount of up to £3,750 on electric cars set to slash costs for thousands

    Car manufacturers can apply for the Electric Car Grant from 16 July 2025.

    • new £650 million grant will slash electric car prices, saving UK households up to £3,750 when they upgrade or switch to electric  
    • car manufacturers to apply through the Electric Car Grant – speeding up access and cutting costs for drivers and businesses  
    • comes as more than 380,000 zero emission cars were registered last year, delivering the government’s Plan for Change to kickstart economic growth and put more money in working people’s pockets

    Drivers across the UK will soon enjoy discounts on dozens of new electric car models after the Transport Secretary today (15 July 2025) announced a £650 million grant scheme worth up to £3,750 per car, putting more money back in working people’s pockets as part of the Plan for Change and making owning an electric car a reality for thousands.  

    Supporting the manifesto commitment to phase out the sale of new petrol and diesel cars by 2030, the £650 million Electric Car Grant (ECG) will back UK and other manufacturers, with eligibility dependent on the highest manufacturing sustainability standards. Discounts up to £3,750 will be available at the point of sale for new eligible electric cars priced at or under £37,000.

    Drivers will start to benefit from discounts as soon as manufacturers successfully apply for their zero emission cars to be part of the grant scheme from 16 July 2025, with funding available until the 2028 to 2029 financial year.

    With drivers citing upfront costs as a key barrier to adoption, the grant will narrow the upfront cost between petrol and electric vehicles, giving thousands more drivers access to savings of up to £1,500 a year in fuel and running costs compared to a petrol car. The discount means that zero emission cars are now cheaper to buy and run than ever before and comes on top of preferential tax rates, delivering real savings for working families.  

    Owning and buying an electric vehicle (EV) is becoming cheaper, with 2 in 5 of used electric cars sold at under £20,000 and 34 brand new electric cars available from under £30,000.

    Standing firmly on the side of British drivers, this latest investment is part of the government’s major plan to support motorists, including a record £1.6 billion invested to tackle potholes and freezing the fuel duty at 5 pence until spring 2026, saving the average motorist £50 to £60 over the year.

    Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander, said:  

    This EV grant will not only allow people to keep more of their hard-earned money – it’ll help our automotive sector seize one of the biggest opportunities of the 21st century.  

    And with over 82,000 public chargepoints now available across the UK, we’ve built the infrastructure families need to make the switch with confidence. 

    This is our Plan for Change in action. We’re backing British drivers, British jobs and British growth.

    This latest scheme builds on the government’s major £63 million package to support at home charging for households without driveways, transition NHS fleets to electric and create thousands of chargepoints at business depots across the country. 

    In total, the government is investing £4.5 billion to turbocharge the switch to EVs, securing Britain’s position as a world-leader in electric vehicle adoption while helping put more money in people’s pockets. Today, the UK is already a global leader in the transition to zero emissions driving, with the largest EV market in Europe in 2024 and sales up a fifth on the previous year.

    The latest update also comes as the UK hits over 82,000 public chargepoints nationwide – with one added every 30 minutes – giving peace of mind to drivers that they will be able to charge conveniently at home, work or on longer journeys.  

    This latest move comes alongside the Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Mandate, which requires manufacturers to sell increasing percentages of zero emission vehicles each year. Recent changes to the mandate give industry the certainty, stability and support they’ve been asking for, alongside crucial trade deals with the US, India and the European Union following the recent global economic headwinds.

    Simon Williams, RAC head of policy, said:

    Within weeks, discounted cars should start appearing at dealerships across the country. And, as the biggest savings will be given to cars with the strongest ‘green’ manufacturing credentials, drivers will be picking models that are not only better for their wallets, but better for the planet too.

    This is further welcome news following last week’s announcement about more funding for pavement gully charging solutions that will enable those without driveways to charge an EV at home. Together, these initiatives should mean more drivers than ever start benefitting from the lower costs of running an electric car.

    Vicky Read, CEO of ChargeUK, said:

    This announcement is brilliant news – for drivers and for the UK’s transition to electric vehicles.

    With a commitment to invest £6 billion through to 2030, the UK’s charging industry has rolled out infrastructure ahead of demand to ensure that when drivers switch, the network is there to make charging as convenient as possible. There are now 82,000 public charge points and a new one goes in the ground every 29 minutes on average.

    Hot on the heels of the weekend’s announcement on measures to support charging, including meeting ChargeUK’s calls for improvements to signage on main roads, today’s package is another vital boost to the charging industry, helping it invest with confidence.

    Dan Caesar, CEO, Electric Vehicles UK, said: 

    A targeted incentive program is a significant step forward in encouraging consumers to buy battery electric vehicles and to make them more accessible. While battery-only EVs are much cheaper to buy and run than most realise, surveys show that cost misperceptions are the primary reason for hesitance.

    A generous grant of this nature gives a new group of interested buyers, who might have thought that going electric was beyond them, a gentle nudge into what is great tech. More than 9 out of 10 battery EV drivers will never revert, and there’s a reason for that.

    John Lewis, CEO, char.gy, said:

    It’s encouraging to see the government stepping up to support consumers in making the switch to electric vehicles. This move brings us closer to a future where driving electric is accessible to everyone – not just the privileged few.

    Combined with the introduction of the price cap and the additional funding for on-street charge points, we can get more affordable cars on the road and more people enjoying the benefits of EVs. The outcome will be cleaner air for all and more cash in the consumer’s wallet as they enjoy the long-term savings of driving electric.

    Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive, said:

    Today’s announcement of the return of government support for the purchase of electric vehicles is a clear signal to consumers that now is the time to switch.

    Rapid deployment and availability of this grant over the next few years will help provide the momentum that is essential to take the EV market from just 1 in 4 today, to 4 in 5 by the end of the decade.

    This announcement is a welcome response to consistent calls from the industry for more support, which will be in addition to the substantive subsidies already provided by manufacturers. Taken with recent announcements regarding infrastructure investments and the Industrial Strategy, the UK has the opportunity to maintain its position as a leader in both the manufacture and sale of zero emission vehicles.

    Roads media enquiries

    Media enquiries 0300 7777 878

    Switchboard 0300 330 3000

    Updates to this page

    Published 15 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Joe Wicks and government join forces to get children moving

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Joe Wicks and government join forces to get children moving

    New animated series for kids, known as Activate, will get more children across the country moving more and encouraging a healthier lifestyle.

    • Children to be inspired to get physically active over summer as Joe Wicks, MBE, launches Activate, a new animated series for kids
    • Created by Joe and produced by Studio AKA, Activate aims to tackle inactivity among children through fun, five-minute workouts – led by Joe as an animated character
    • Programme backed by government funding as part of Plan for Change to give children the best start in life

    Children across the country are being inspired to move more this summer following the launch of a new series from fitness coach, Joe Wicks MBE, backed by the government as part of a new partnership to reach schools and families across the country.

    The innovative animated Activate series features five-minute episodes which combine animation with upbeat music, courtesy of Universal Music UK, encouraging children to enjoy short bursts of movement that easily fit into their day and can be transformational for their physical and mental health. The government will be backing the programme to fund a further ten episodes.

    The series has been co-created by Joe and BAFTA award-winning Studio AKA (creators of Hey Duggee), bringing the nation’s favourite fitness coach to life through animation for the first time.

    Activate is backed by the government’s 10 Year Health Plan, which is already hitting the ground running with its pledge to work with influencers and changemakers across society to shift the NHS from treating illness to preventing it.

    The new animated series was unveiled at Ripple Primary School in Barking, east London, where Joe Wicks and Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Wes Streeting, met teachers and parents to discuss keeping kids moving over the summer holidays and beyond.

    Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said: 

    Childhood obesity robs our young people of their future, and inactivity is one of the biggest culprits. That’s why it’s crucial to start building healthy habits from a young age.

    Our 10 Year Health Plan sets out how we would tackle obesity through prevention and today demonstrates how we’re taking action. In the spirit of mission-driven government, we’re building a coalition of the willing to tackle the obesity epidemic head-on. 

    This initiative directly supports our focus on giving children the best start in life—a cornerstone of our Plan for Change. By investing in prevention today, we’re building a healthier generation for tomorrow.” 

    Being physically active is good for physical and mental health and helps relieve pressure on the NHS, preventing an additional £10.5 billion worth of treatment a year. Despite that, inactivity levels remain stubbornly high for adults and children, with huge inequalities across the country. The Activate programme represents a collaborative approach to tackling this growing health challenge. 

    The first episode is now available on Joe Wicks’ The Body Coach YouTube channel, with further episodes set to be released weekly over the summer holidays. 

    The series is released five years after Wicks united the nation with PE With Joe, which received over 100 million views online. Now, Joe is on a renewed mission to get children moving through this series.

    Joe Wicks said:

    Activate is the natural next step in everything I’ve worked towards over the past decade. From my early YouTube workouts, to ‘PE with Joe’ during the pandemic, my goal has always been to get children moving and feeling good – physically and mentally.

    This project brings together everything I am most passionate about, and everything I’ve learned on my journey – going back to my own childhood where I discovered movement as a way to cope with the challenges of living with parents with drug addiction and mental health issues.

    Activate is designed to make movement fun and inclusive for every child, with short, high-energy workouts that fit into everyday life – these can be enjoyed in the living room, the garden, in the classroom, or anywhere else!

    As a dad, I know how important it is to make movement something kids enjoy, not something they have to do. That’s exactly what Activate is all about so I hope it can be a real support for busy families, this summer and beyond.

    Earlier this month, the government launched its 10 Year Health Plan, which outlined how a shift from sickness to prevention will safeguard the nation’s health and put forward a range of measures to tackle growing rates of childhood obesity. 

    Obesity rates have doubled since the 1990s, including among children. A forthcoming report by the Chief Medical Officer will show that more than 1 in 5 children are living with obesity by the time they leave primary school, rising to almost 1 in 3 in areas with higher levels of poverty and deprivation. 

    Measures included in the 10 Year Health Plan include:

    • Launching a world-first partnership with food retailers and manufacturers to help families make healthier choices
    • Restricting junk food advertising targeted at children
    • Reforming the soft drinks industry levy to drive reformulation 

    This two-pronged approach of encouraging active lifestyles and healthy diets aims to tackle the UK’s most preventable chronic illnesses, such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease, whilst tackling the £11.4 billion bill that obesity costs the NHS a year.     

    Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Lisa Nandy, said:

    I know what a difference sport and physical activity make in shaping a young person’s life. It’s why we’re investing £400 million in grassroots facilities for all, joining up schools with sports clubs across the country and backing major events that inspire.

    For too long, it has felt as if we have hit a ceiling on participation in this country, and for too long the dial on inactivity has gone unmoved. Together, through initiatives like this, we will put that right and deliver on our Plan for Change.

    With Universal Music UK as the exclusive music partner, each episode features upbeat tunes from UK artists, including Becky Hill and Bastille. Each track has been chosen for its appeal to parents and children alike.

    Sue Goffe, Chief Executive at Studio AKA, said:

    We’re thrilled to bring the world of Activate to life through animation. Collaborating with Joe Wicks has been a joy, and we’re proud to be part of this creative project to inspire movement and wellbeing in children.

    Sarah Boorman, General Manager, Youth Strategies at Universal Music UK, said:

    Our shared goal with Joe was to make being active feel like something children genuinely want to do, powered by great music which is appropriate for them and loved by families too.

    Alison Lomax, Managing Director for YouTube UK & Ireland, said:  

    We’re so excited that Joe Wicks is bringing his new kids’ fitness show Activate to YouTube just in time for the holidays. Joe’s fun, energetic approach to getting kids moving has already made a huge impact on our platform, and Activate is set to become a go-to for families looking to keep active over the summer. It’s great to see YouTube being used in such a positive way – bringing free, accessible, and family-friendly fitness to homes everywhere.

    About the programme

    Created by Studio AKA, the BAFTA-winning creators of Hey Duggee, the Activate series sees Joe Wicks brought to life through animation alongside six loveable new characters, ‘The Activators’, accompanied by upbeat music from top UK artists. Together, they make movement feel personal, playful, and inclusive – so every child can find a character to connect with.

    Joe and the Activators lead children through fun, five-minute bursts of movement, that can be easily integrated into their day – whether at home, at summer clubs or on the go.

    With Wicks appearing as an animated character (a first for the family fitness coach), each short episode offers a burst of movement, fun, and energy to get kids’ hearts pumping and minds engaged. These include easy-to-follow exercises like jogging, squats, and burpees, wrapped up in a playful, gamified format that can keep kids active over the summer holidays and beyond.

    But Activate isn’t just for the summer holidays. It will also be available to schools during term time, to help build confidence, support mental wellbeing, and help children develop healthy habits for life.

    Joe added:

    Being turned into an animated character has been a surreal and wonderful experience, and my dream is that it connects with millions of kids and families across the UK and beyond.

    Updates to this page

    Published 15 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –