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Category: Science

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ15: Training of artificial intelligence talents

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Following is a question by the Hon Rock Chen and a written reply by the Secretary for Education, Dr Choi Yuk-lin, in the Legislative Council today (May 14):

    Question:

    In September last year, the State President delivered an important speech at the National Conference on Education, following which the 2024-2035 master plan on building China into a leading country in education (the master plan) was issued, setting out a roadmap for the national education development in the next 10 years. The master plan clearly proposed to establish a mechanism for co-ordinating and promoting the integration of education, technology and talent by leveraging the support of education to technology and talent. The master plan also set out the close collaboration with the development of the innovation and technology (I&T) hub in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) and the building of a high-calibre talent hub and platforms for talent attraction and retention, thereby enhancing the overall effectiveness of the innovation system. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

    (1) against the background of the master plan’s proposals to establish a mechanism for co-ordinating and promoting the integration of education, technology and talent as well as to closely collaborate with the development of I&T hub in the GBA, how the Government will further deepen the collaboration among the “government, industry, academic and research” sectors to promote the transformation of research and development outcomes of tertiary institutions into a driving force for innovation in the industry, with a view to enhancing Hong Kong’s competitiveness in the GBA’s I&T ecosystem;

    (2) as there are views that universities of applied sciences (UAS) play an important role in Hong Kong in complementing the master plan’s proposal to leverage the support of education to technology and talent, how the Government will further define the self-positioning of UAS and assist UAS in leveraging their unique advantages, so as to nurture more applied technology talents who suit the needs of the industries in the GBA;

    (3) how the Government plans to assist tertiary institutions and scientific research institutions in increasing their expenditure on research and development (R&D) and intensifying the efforts in nurturing talents in the field of artificial intelligence (AI), so that Hong Kong can contribute to the development of the I&T hub in the GBA in the aspect of AI technology’s R&D and application; and

    (4) whether it has studied how the Government should further strengthen STEAM (i.e. Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Mathematics) education in primary and secondary schools (particularly focusing on AI), including teaching basic AI knowledge, methods of data processing and interdisciplinary knowledge, so as to enhance students’ skills in AI, critical thinking and capacity for innovation, thereby meeting the demand for education, technology and talent arising from the GBA development?

    Reply:

    President,

    Solid promotion of education and technological development can provide and replenish talents and manpower for various trades and industries, boost socio-economic development, and render firm support for building an international hub for high-calibre talents. The 2024-2035 master plan on building China into a leading country in education, issued earlier by the nation, clearly proposes establishing an integrated co-ordinating mechanism for education, technology and talents, and strengthen the supporting role of education for science and talents. To this end, the Government has set up the Committee on Education, Technology and Talents, which is led by the Chief Secretary for Administration, to co-ordinate and drive the integrated development of education, technology and talents, expand connections, formulate policies to attract and cultivate talents, foster the development of technologies, and also promote Hong Kong as an international hub for high-calibre talents.

    The replies of the Education Bureau (EDB) and the Innovation, Technology and Industry Bureau to the Hon Rock Chen’s questions are as follows:

    (1) With an aim to enhance the innovation and technology (I&T) ecosystem and Hong Kong’s competitiveness on the I&T front in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), the Government has been promoting collaboration among the Government, industry, academic and research sectors through various measures, and adopting a multi-pronged approach to support commercialisation of research and development (R&D) outcomes of tertiary institutions. For example, the $10 billion Research, Academic and Industry Sectors One-plus Scheme under the Innovation and Technology Fund (ITF) funds, on a matching basis, research teams from universities with good potential to become successful start-ups to transform and commercialise their R&D outcomes, while industry sponsorship is a mandatory requirement. Furthermore, the ITF will continue to provide annual funding to the Technology Transfer Office of each of the eight University Grants Committee (UGC)-funded universities, thereby supporting the development of innovative ideas and R&D outcomes into new products or services. The R&D centres set up by the Government have also been taking forward industry-driven applied R&D work that suits market needs and transferring technologies to the industries through contract researches, licensing arrangements, etc to commercialise their R&D outcomes. Meanwhile, the Government has facilitated the establishment of the Hong Kong New Industrialisation Development Alliance. The Alliance serves as a platform for collaboration among the Government, industry, academia, research and investment sectors, with a view to promoting new industrialisation and co-operation among enterprises and organisations.

    (2) To provide an alternative pathway to success for young people who aspire to pursue careers in professional skills sectors, the Government has been promoting the establishment of universities of applied sciences (UAS), and, in February 2024, promulgated the criteria for qualifying as UAS along with the relevant mechanisms. UAS provide vocational and professional education and training (VPET) programmes with an applied focus blending theory and practice, including applied degree programmes, and closely collaborate with professional skills sectors, incorporating substantial internship and work-based learning opportunities in other degree programmes to nurture students’ applied skills, demonstrating a clear division of labour with traditional academic research universities. The EDB announced in March and November 2024 respectively that Hong Kong Metropolitan University and Saint Francis University had been confirmed as the first two UAS in Hong Kong after undergoing stringent procedures and reviews.

    The Government proactively supports UAS to collaborate with industries and other stakeholders in accordance with the VPET development strategy of fostering industry-institution collaboration and diversified development to respond to the keen manpower needs of different sectors and nurture more professional talent with applied skills. In this connection, the Government has allocated $100 million to support UAS and VPET institutions to establish the Alliance of UAS (the Alliance) in November 2024. The Alliance has been actively engaging supporting organisations and stakeholders and has drawn up the future work plan and strategic direction, which include fostering collaboration and joint promotion efforts among member institutions and over 80 supporting organisations from different sectors, organising international conferences, and strengthening exchanges and co-operation with Mainland and overseas UAS. Amongst others, the Alliance has planned to visit VPET institutions in the GBA within the year to strengthen exchanges and co-operation. The EDB will continue to work closely with the Alliance to support its work.

    (3) Strengthening the nurturing of local I&T talents and fostering the deep integration of technology and industry are key factors in advancing the development of the artificial intelligence (AI) industry. Taking the opportunity of the triennial planning exercise for the UGC-funded universities, the Government set out strategic directions to guide the universities to align their planning with our nation’s and Hong Kong’s strategic development and policy priorities, including nurturing talents for growth, transformation and future challenges.

    With the advent of AI, innovative and breakthrough technology in the new era, the universities are encouraged to introduce appropriate teaching frameworks and new programmes to meet ever-changing societal needs and enhance support for academic staff and students. A number of UGC-funded universities have offered AI-related undergraduate programmes in the 2025-28 triennium in response to the strategic directions, for example, Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Artificial Intelligence and Educational Technology and Bachelor of Education (Honours) (Primary) – Mathematics of the Education University of Hong Kong, Bachelor of Engineering in Artificial Intelligence of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, and Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Engineering in Artificial Intelligence and Data Science of the University of Hong Kong.

    In addition, the Government has been developing the AI ecosystem on different fronts through various measures such as provision of infrastructure and computing power, promoting R&D and talent cultivation. The first-phase facility of Cyberport’s Artificial Intelligence Supercomputing Centre (AISC) commenced operation to meet the strong local demand and enhance Hong Kong’s R&D capabilities in various technological research and application fields. With a view to encouraging the industry to optimise the AISC’s computing resources, the Government launched the Artificial Intelligence Subsidy Scheme to subsidise local institutions, R&D centres and enterprises, etc to leverage the AISC’s computing power to achieve scientific breakthroughs and launch promotional and educational activities. As of April 2025, Cyberport has organised 35 promotional activities (including information seminars at local institutions), attracting over 6 500 participants. The Government is also nurturing local talents and gathering top-notch researchers from all around the world, through the AIR@InnoHK research cluster and its R&D laboratories focusing on AI and robotic technologies. To further promote the R&D and applications of AI in Hong Kong, the 2025-26 Budget announced the establishment of the Hong Kong Artificial Intelligence Research and Development Institute (AIRDI), which will spearhead and support Hong Kong’s innovative R&D and industry applications of AI, facilitating upstream R&D, midstream and downstream transformation of R&D outcomes, and expanding application scenarios. We expect the AIRDI will help pool talents in AI-related fields, promote R&D and extensive application of AI, and facilitate exchanges on AI between Hong Kong and the Mainland (including the GBA) as well as overseas countries and regions.

    The Finance Committee of the Legislative Council approved on May 9 a funding of $3 billion for the implementation of the Frontier Technology Research Support Scheme, with a view to attracting international top-notch talents in frontier technology areas such as AI to conduct research in Hong Kong, thereby expanding Hong Kong’s research capacity. The eligible applicant institutions for the Scheme are local universities funded by the UGC, and funding will be provided to the institutions concerned on a matching basis to encourage them to invest in research, promote cross-sector collaboration and enhance manpower training.

    (4) To align with the national strategy of building a leading country in education, keeping pace with global development trends, and nurturing talents for the advancement of I&T in Hong Kong, the EDB has been stepping up to promote STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Mathematics) education in primary and secondary schools, further promoting the digitalisation of education. Through a range of diversified strategies, including ongoing curriculum renewal, strengthening teacher training, providing resource support to schools, and enhancing collaboration with stakeholders, the EDB seeks to integrate digital technology into learning and teaching, enhance students’ creativity and problem-solving skills, and lay a solid foundation of talent for the future development of the country and society. Additionally, the EDB established the Steering Committee on Strategic Development of Digital Education in early 2025, making reference to the latest developments on the Mainland and relevant policies and experiences from other countries, to propose recommendations on the goals, strategies and future directions for the implementation of digital education in Hong Kong.

    Regarding curriculum renewal, the EDB launched the “Module on Artificial Intelligence for Junior Secondary Level” in the 2023/24 school year that covers topics such as AI basics and AI ethics. The EDB also launched the “Enriched Module on Coding Education for Upper Primary Level” to enhance computational thinking and creative thinking. At present, almost all publicly-funded primary and secondary schools have implemented enriched coding education and AI education at the upper primary and the junior secondary levels respectively. On the other hand, the newly introduced Primary Science and the updated Junior Secondary Science will be implemented starting from the 2025/26 and 2027/28 school years respectively. Both curricula emphasise inquiry-based learning and cross-disciplinary learning, with a view to cultivating students’ capabilities in innovation.

    As for teacher training, the EDB focuses on empowering teachers by helping them equipping with AI-related knowledge and teaching strategies. The EDB continuously organises training programmes on the aforementioned AI and coding education modules, covering fundamental AI theories, applied technologies, pedagogical practices, data security, and the use of generative AI in education. These training sessions are conducted in both online and face-to-face modes to broaden participation and coverage among teachers. Furthermore, the EDB promotes the application of AI in learning and teaching through an “AI+Subject” approach and provides relevant teacher training. Examples include the launch of the “AI for Science Education” programme in Junior Secondary Science, the integration of digital technologies (including AI elements) into mathematical modelling activities in Mathematics, and the incorporation of AI into learning and teaching activities in Visual Arts. These efforts aim to enhance teachers’ confidence and competence in utilising AI to assist teaching.

    The EDB also provides various resource support to schools. The EDB updated the “Information Literacy for Hong Kong Students” Learning Framework to strengthen data security and AI ethics education, and collaborated with the Hong Kong Police Force and the Journalism Education Foundation to launch teaching resources on cyber security and media and information literacy, to help students to develop critical thinking skills when using I&T. Moreover, the Quality Education Fund has allocated $500 million for the implementation of the e-Learning Ancillary Facilities Programme, supporting 22 projects related to AI, big data and education technology. These projects cover various subjects and deploy innovative technologies to enhance learning and teaching effectiveness. As at end-March 2025, around 400 schools and 31 000 students have participated in this programme. It is expected that the deliverables of the projects will be successively released starting from mid-2025 for subscriptions and use by all local schools.

    The EDB actively promotes collaboration and exchange by deepening partnerships with local, Mainland, and international stakeholders. The EDB works closely with tertiary institutions and I&T-related organisations to conduct various projects and activities, enabling school leaders and teachers to stay abreast of the latest developments in science and I&T. Examples include the “Exchange cum Training Programme for Hong Kong STEAM Education Leaders”, co-organised with the Teacher Education Centre under the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, and the “Professional Development Programme on Innovation and Technology”, co-organised with Cyberport. In collaboration with Hong Kong Education City, the EDB is organising the “Digital Education Week” from June 30 to July 7 this year. Key events include the “Learning & Teaching Expo”, and the International Summit on the Use of AI in Learning and Teaching Languages and Other Subjects & Post-Summit Workshop Series jointly hosted with the Standing Committee on Language Education and Research and the Hong Kong Polytechnic University. The events will invite experts to share insights on I&T education (including the use of AI in teaching) to promote the integration of AI in education.

    The EDB will actively align with the competencies and skills required by national and global trends. In close collaboration with stakeholders from various sectors, the EDB aims to strengthen basic education in primary and secondary schools. To dovetail the integrated development of “education, science and technology, and talent” advocated by our country, the EDB is committed to nurturing the next generation of innovators in science and technology.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sols 4536-4538: Dusty Martian Magnets

    Source: NASA

    Written by Remington Free, Operations Systems Engineer at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory
    Earth planning date: Friday, May 9, 2025
    I was on downlink today for SA-SPaH, our robotic arm team. We successfully completed a number of fun arm activities, including a DRT brushing and APXS observations of a bedrock target, and also completed a traverse of about 25 meters (about 82 feet). Exciting!
    Today, our uplink team planned three sols of activities. On Sol 4536, we are using the arm to do some inspection imaging of the MAHLI magnet using Mastcam. This magnet allows us to determine whether or not the MAHLI cover has successfully opened or closed. These magnets accumulate a lot of Martian dust particles, so we periodically take imaging to inspect the quantity of dust and get a better understanding of the state of the hardware. I’ve included above an image of the MAHLI instrument, from our last inspection on Sol 4291. After the magnet inspection, we’ll do some more typical arm activities, which include some APXS placements, DRT brushing, and MAHLI imaging on targets of interest. 
    In this workspace, we are interested in targets characterizing the pale layered sulfate unit we’ve been driving on, as well as a target in the new ridge-forming unit. Beyond our arm activities, we’ll do additional science observations of the surface using Mastcam and ChemCam.  
    On Sol 4537, we’ll focus on driving! Prior to our drive, we’ll take some more scientific observations, including a Navcam cloud movie, Mastcam documentation of some geological units, and ChemCam LIBS on a ridge-forming unit. We have then planned a 21-meter drive (about 69 feet) to take us to a bedrock area of scientific interest. We’re excited because the terrain looks pretty benign, so we’re hoping it all goes smoothly!
    Post-drive, we’ll take some Mastcam survey imaging of clasts and soils along the traverse. Finally on Sol 4538, we’ll aim our focus upwards and take a number of observations of the sky. We’ll start with a Navcam large dust-devil survey, a Mastcam tau measurement of the atmospheric optical depth, and a ChemCam passive sky observation to study atmospheric composition. Early the following morning, we’ll take some additional Navcam observations of clouds, and complete another Mastcam tau measurement of optical depth.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NASA Hosts Industry, Government, Academia to Explore Partnerships

    Source: NASA

    On April 29, more than 90 representatives from industry, U.S. federal labs, government agencies, and academia gathered at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley to learn about the center’s groundbreaking research and development capabilities. The three-day event provided insight into the many ways to collaborate with NASA, including tapping into the agency’s singular subject matter expertise and gaining access to state-of-the-art facilities at NASA Ames and centers across the country. Partnerships help the agency to advance technological innovation, enable science, and foster the emerging space economy.
    Terry Fong, senior scientist for autonomous systems at NASA Ames, summed up the objective of the event when he noted, “I don’t believe anyone – government, academia, industry – has a monopoly on good ideas. It’s how you best combine forces to have the greatest effect.”

    Author: Jeanne Neal

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: ‘Best horse in the world’ does double at Badminton

    Source: Anglia Ruskin University

    Writtle-bred Lordships Graffalo becomes just the fifth horse ever to win twice

    Superstar horse Lordships Graffalo, who was bred at ARU Writtle, has won the prestigious Badminton Horse Trials for the second time.
     
    Ridden by Ros Canter, the horse affectionately known as Walter followed up his 2023 victory on the challenging course by sealing victory on the final day of the weekend’s competition in Gloucestershire.
     
    Later, an emotional Canter called Lordships Graffalo “the best event horse in the world”. The 13-year-old Lordships Graffalo becomes only the fifth horse to have won twice at Badminton, and the weekend’s triumph follows up victory at the Burghley Horse Trials in September. 
     
    The bay gelding has also won a European title and an Olympic Gold medal during his glittering career.
     
    ARU Writtle, on Lordship Road, is one of the UK’s leading centres for equine education and performance, housing around 70 horses on campus.  
     
    As well as offering courses at college, undergraduate and postgraduate level, ARU Writtle has a number of indoor and outdoor riding arenas, livery facilities for students’ horses, and an Equine Academy for talented riders.

    “Lordships Graffalo is a remarkable horse and he will always enjoy a lot of support from us at ARU Writtle. Winning twice at Badminton is an incredible achievement and he and the superb Ros join an extremely elite club. Their record is simply incredible, Ros has produced him so beautifully.
     
    “We continue to follow Lordships Graffalo’s career with great pride following the small part ARU Writtle has played in his life. Credit must go to Pennie Wallace, our co-breeder and to Caroline Moore, who was Ros’ trainer who sadly died earlier this spring.”

    Caroline Flanagan, Head of the School of Agriculture, Animal and Environmental Sciences at ARU Writtle

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI China: Chinese researchers build high-precision topographic dataset for Chang’e-6 landing area

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

    Chinese researchers build high-precision topographic dataset for Chang’e-6 landing area

    Xinhua | May 14, 2025

    Chinese researchers have created a high-precision terrain dataset with millimeter-to-decimeter spatial resolution around the landing site of China’s Chang’e-6 lunar probe.

    Based on this dataset, the researchers from the National Astronomical Observatories of the Chinese Academy of Sciences determined the accurate location of the landing site of Chang’e-6 and conducted a microscale geological analysis, according to a recent research article published in the journal Nature Communications.

    Through comparison, the researchers found that the geological features of the region, such as surface roughness, the ratio of crater depth to diameter, the thickness of lunar regolith, and the number of rocks, all fall between those of the landing sites of Chang’e-4 and Chang’e-5, indicating that the surface exposure time of the region is also roughly intermediate between the two.

    Through detailed topographic analysis, they have revealed that the Chang’e-6 landing area was primarily covered by local Mare materials, which were excavated from a nearby unnamed crater with a diameter of about 51 meters and accounted for 30-35 percent in volume.

    The Chang’e-6 lunar probe returned to Earth in June last year, with 1,935.3 grams of lunar samples collected from the previously unexplored far side of the moon. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Polytechnic and Iranian universities unite to train specialists of the future

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University – Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University –

    Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, Iran University of Science and Technology and Pardis Technopark signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at establishing a Joint Institute for Technological Leadership in Iran. The new educational project will be implemented at Pardis Technopark, the largest in Western Asia, in cooperation with an alliance of leading Iranian universities, including Sharif University of Technology, Iran University of Science and Technology and Shahid Beheshti University.

    The parties agreed to jointly develop master’s programs in key areas such as energy, construction and information technology. Particular attention will be paid to training specialists in the field of renewable energy, power engineering and intelligent control systems. Students will be able to undergo training and research practices at the Pardis Technopark, which will allow them to gain not only theoretical knowledge, but also practical experience in a high-tech environment.

    This agreement will be the next step in the development of Russian-Iranian cooperation after the signing of a comprehensive strategic partnership between our countries in January of this year. For Iran, the project is important in terms of attracting Russian technologies and expertise, especially in solving problems related to the energy balance. Russia, in turn, is strengthening its scientific and educational presence in the region and expanding cooperation with Iran’s leading educational centers.

    Vice-Rector for International Affairs at SPbPU Dmitry Arsenyev noted that the project opens up new opportunities for students and researchers from both countries, combining academic traditions and innovative approaches.

    We are starting with master’s programs in energy and IT, but this is just the start. Our goal is for students from Iran and Russia to design real solutions together. There will be no educational projects, only tasks from Technopark Pardis and our industrial partners. Our graduates will come to enterprises with skills, not just a diploma, – commented Dmitry Arsenyev.

    Vice President for Innovation Development Mojtaba Jabaripour emphasized that the technopark is actively developing international cooperation, and the partnership with SPbPU will be an important element of this strategy. The Iranian side is interested in the experience of Russian specialists to solve key technological problems.

    In the near future, the parties plan to detail the terms of cooperation and begin developing joint master’s programs, after which it is planned to sign an agreement on the launch of the Joint Institute of Technological Leadership.

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: New public research organisation boards dominated by men – PSA

    Source: PSA

    In a week when the government has been under fire for its rollback of pay equity, the announcement today of two of the three new Public Research Organisations (PRO) Boards has raised concerns for their lack of diversity.
    A PSA assessment of the announcement by the Minister for Science, Innovation and Technology, Hon Dr Shane Reti, shows that the boards of the New Zealand Institute of Earth Sciences and the New Zealand Institute of Bioeconomy Science are collectively over 70 per cent male.
    These two institutes are replacing the soon-to-be merged entities AgResearch, Scion, Manaaki Whenua, Plant and Food, NIWA, and GNS. The Boards of these CRIs collectively have a roughly 50-50 gender split, with 20 men and 22 women across the six Boards.
    “It’s pretty outrageous that in 2025 that we are still seeing Boards – any Board, but particularly publicly funded research Boards – be made up of a majority of men,” Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi national secretary, Fleur Fitzsimons, said.
    “There are more men called Paul on the Earth Science Institute Board than there are women.”
    Of the 11 people named on the two Boards today, all had previously served as Crown Research Institute (CRI) directors, bar one exception.
    “It really just looks like a shuffle of the existing CRI board members, but the women got the sack,” Fitzsimons said.
    According to the 2018 census, women make up 48 per cent of roles within STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics), but only 30 per cent are in leadership positions.
    “These appointments are a real throwback to when the sciences were completely and utterly dominated by men.
    “The gains that women have made in science over the past few decades are in no way reflected here. How can we possibly expect women to join STEM professions when our public institutions don’t represent them or their interests?
    “The National government continues to show us its true colours this week. The message to women is pretty clear – we’re not interested in what you have to say and you’re not invited to the table.”
    The Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi is Aotearoa New Zealand’s largest trade union, representing and supporting more than 95,000 workers across central government, state-owned enterprises, local councils, health boards and community groups.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Eagles, seagulls and the mythical gamayun: we go looking for birds in Moscow architecture

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    Moscow is a city with a rich architectural heritage. Among buildings of different eras and styles, one can notice a recurring motif — images of birds. Eagles, owls, seagulls, as well as the mythical sirens and gamayuns decorate mansions, train stations, and apartment buildings. Sculptures, bas-reliefs, mosaics, and stucco decorations with birds can be found on the facades of buildings throughout the capital. We tell you which Moscow buildings are home to birds.

    Soaring Falcon and Console Owls

    Animalistic motifs were often used by representatives of Moscow Art Nouveau in the early 20th century. Artists and architects working in this style were inspired by the beauty of nature, so they decorated buildings with sculptural and mosaic images of birds, plants and animals.

    On Kuznetsky Most rises the apartment building of M.V. Sokol (house 3, building 2). The five-story building is decorated with a curving attic with a majolica panel. On it, the famous Russian artist Nikolai Sapunov depicted a falcon soaring over snow-capped mountain peaks, a river and fields with blooming edelweiss. The bird seems to be frozen in flight, tracking down its prey.

    The M.V. Sokol apartment building is considered one of the best projects by the architect Ivan Mashkov, born Sokolov. The Art Nouveau monument was built at the beginning of the 20th century by order of Moscow homeowner Maria Sokol. Thus, the image of the bird encodes two names at once – the owner of the mansion and the architect himself. The facade of the building is highlighted by three rectangular bay windows with balconies and display windows, faced with sandstone, majolica slabs and relief tiles based on drawings by the famous artist Mikhail Vrubel. Before the October Revolution, there were apartments, shops, a hairdresser, a furniture salon and a restaurant here. During the Soviet era, the building was occupied by various institutions, and since 1961, it has housed the Mosproekt-3 urban development institute.

    Another Art Nouveau monument decorated with birds is located at 21 Gogolevsky Boulevard, Building 1. The Bocharovs’ apartment building was built in 1903 by architect Lev Kekushev. The four-story building is popularly called the House of Owls: sculptures of these birds support the bay window ledges, replacing traditional consoles. The mansion is decorated with rich stucco decor: in addition to owls, Egyptian male masks are carved into the frieze and window panels.

    The apartments in the Bocharovs’ tenement house were intended for wealthy residents: businessmen, lawyers, professors, engineers, doctors, and artists. Today, the building houses the Rostec corporation.

    In 2024, restoration in Moscow was completed at 157 sitesHouse with Atlanteans and Examples of Wooden Architecture: Which Buildings Have Been Recognized as Cultural Heritage Sites

    Birds of Moscow railway stations

    The clock tower of the Kievsky Railway Station (Kievsky Railway Station Square, Building 1) is decorated with four sculptures of eagles. The massive cast-iron birds with outstretched wings symbolize the power of the Russian Empire and the victory over Napoleon’s army. The connection with the Patriotic War of 1812 can also be seen in the architectural design of the station, which combines neoclassical style with elements of the Empire style.

    The building of the Kievsky railway station (until 1934 it was called Bryansky) was built according to the design of the architects Ivan Rerberg and Vyacheslav Oltarzhevsky. Due to the First World War and the revolution that followed, work on the main volume of the building dragged on for several years and was completed in 1918, and in 1940-1945 an additional volume was added to the station. The design of the landing stage and the hall ceilings was completed by the legendary engineer Vladimir Shukhov, the author of the sculptures was Sergei Aleshin, and the interior paintings were created by the artists Ignatiy Nivinsky and Fyodor Rerberg.

    In 2016, the Kyiv railway station, recognized as a cultural heritage site of federal significance, was restored. Using archival documents and original samples, specialists restored the historical appearance of the building and elements of its interiors, including ceiling and wall paintings, architectural stucco decor, marble panels and stained glass. The renovated station became a laureate of several nominations of the Moscow Restoration competition.

    And on the facade of the Yaroslavsky railway station (Komsomolskaya Square, Building 5) — a famous masterpiece of the neo-Russian style — you can see three-dimensional images of seagulls with fish in their beaks. The most interesting thing is that the bird bas-reliefs appeared only several decades after the construction of the station — during a large-scale reconstruction that was completed in 1947. At the same time, a swan, a black grouse, a wood pigeon, a white partridge and a wild goose “settled” on the columns inside the building.

    Due to the expansion of the railway, the Yaroslavsky railway station was rebuilt several times. In 1902, the project for the main building in the style of fairy-tale chambers with semicircular arches and pointed towers was proposed by the outstanding architect Fyodor Shekhtel. Inspired by the northern nature, the artists of Savva Mamontov’s Abramtsevo circle decorated the station in the neo-Russian style with reliefs, openwork metal lace and majolica panels.

    In 1947, the interiors of the Yaroslavsky railway station were completely changed according to the design of the Soviet architect Alexey Dushkin, and the sculptor Ivan Efimov decorated the façade, vestibule, interior columns and walls at the entrance to the building with reliefs of the fauna of the Russian North, motifs of fishing, moose and bear hunting. After that, the station, recognized as a cultural heritage site of federal significance, was reconstructed two more times, the last time in 2005.

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    Herons and bats

    Images of birds decorate the Zoological Museum of the Lomonosov Moscow State University (Bolshaya Nikitskaya Street, Building 2) — one of the largest natural science museums in the capital. It consists of two buildings built at right angles along Bolshaya Nikitskaya Street and Nikitsky Lane. Under the roof, a stucco frieze of plant garlands, birds, and animals stretches along the entire façade of the building. The sculptor depicted bats, squirrels, snakes, lizards, hares, wolves, bears, mountain goats, and other animals. The semicircular windows on the second floor are decorated with herons hunting snakes, waxwings and cockatoos hide under the cornice, and owls are in the capitals of the pilasters.

    This architectural monument in the eclectic and neoclassical style was built in 1902. According to the idea of the architect Konstantin Bykovsky, the two-story building seems three-story due to the additional row of windows on the second level. The zoological museum exhibits almost 10 thousand exhibits – from single-celled animals to crocodiles, tigers and anthropoid apes.

    Walking along Sretensky Boulevard, it is difficult to pass by one of the most remarkable local buildings, which is called Sretensky Castle. The house of the insurance company “Russia” (Sretensky Boulevard, house 6/1, buildings 1 and 2) is a monument of the Art Nouveau era. A real bird market is molded on its facades. There is a sea pelican, an exotic parrot, owls, and on the corner from Turgenevskaya Square, flocks of cast-iron bats are hiding under two semicircular bay windows.

    Two buildings connected by openwork lattices form a whole block with inner courtyards. Their construction was completed in 1902. The architects were prominent representatives of Moscow Art Nouveau Nikolai Proskurnin and Viktor Velichkin. The rusticated ground floor is emphasized by patterned platbands, pointed arches and turrets. The house is decorated with balconies, bay windows, allegorical sculptures and friezes with complex ornamentation, and its main feature is a stylized Gothic tower with a clock and a bell.

    Sobyanin told how valuable elements of architectural monuments are preserved in MoscowFrom Udarnik to Konstantin Melnikov’s Garage: Restorers Bring Constructivist Monuments Back to Life

    Birds of Paradise of the Ancient Slavs

    At the corner of Soymonovsky Proezd and Prechistenskaya Embankment, in Kursovoy Lane, a red brick tower rises — the house of Z.A. Pertsova. The artist Sergei Malyutin designed the mansion in the Russian Empire style and decorated the facades with majolica panels. Fabulous animals look at passers-by: a roguish fox, toothy pikes, hares and snakes, on the ridge of the roof there is a lattice with golden lions, the drainpipes are made in the form of forest eagle owls, and the balconies are supported by dragon brackets. The house is decorated with mythical birds from Slavic folklore: the panels depict the heavenly sirens and gamayun, and an alkonost is embossed above the entrance door. Sculptures-weather vanes sit on the turrets and a brick ledge in the middle of the facade.

    Architect Nikolai Zhukov and engineer Boris Shnaubert built the fairy-tale tower in just 11 months. The customer was the wealthy engineer and philanthropist Pyotr Pertsov, who bought a fabulously expensive plot of land on the bank of the Moscow River in the name of his wife. The project was selected on a competitive basis, the jury included Viktor Vasnetsov, Vasily Surikov, Fyodor Shekhtel and Vasily Polenov. The first prize went to Apollinary Vasnetsov, but Pertsov himself chose Malyutin’s project, which took second place. The majolica panels were created by the Murava artel of artists from the Stroganov School.

    The building currently houses the Main Directorate for Servicing the Diplomatic Corps of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation.

    On the left bank of the Yauza River at 56 Zemlyanoy Val Street, Building 3, a two-story mansion with a peach-colored façade, richly decorated with plaster moldings, attracts attention. At first, it belonged to the richest Moscow merchant Gerasim Khlodov, and in 1892 it became the property of a wealthy peasant from the Vladimir province, Filipp Panteleev. The name – the Khlodov-Panteleev house – retains the surnames of both owners.

    Filipp Panteleev owned stucco workshops and turned the mansion into an advertising showcase. He commissioned the major renovation to architect Konstantin Duvanov. The central part of the main façade was highlighted with a risalit and richly decorated with sculptural decor. The building is decorated with female figures, cupids, lion masks, plant ornaments, pilasters, Corinthian capitals, rustication, architraves, a profiled cornice and a triangular pediment. The windows on the second floor are decorated with cornices-sandriks, under the three central ones plaster eagles spread their wings.

    In 2023, the Khlodov-Panteleev house restored. The painstaking work of the specialists was recognized with a prize from the Moscow Government competition “Moscow Restoration”. Today, the building houses a boutique hotel.

    Showcase of gypsum decor: the Khlodov-Panteleev house on Zemlyanoy Val has been restored734 objects in Moscow recognized as architectural monuments in 14 yearsMoscow Restoration in Examples: How the Capital’s Architectural Monuments Are Gaining New Life

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  • MIL-OSI China: China’s first AI-generated sci-fi series draws millions of viewers

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

    “The Sun That Fell,” China’s first AI-generated science fiction micro drama, has drawn significant attention from viewers and industry insiders since its online debut on April 30, marking a breakthrough in AI-driven content production.

    A still from “The Sun That Fell.” [Image courtesy of Wukong Media]

    Director Zheng Hang told China.org.cn the sci-fi series contains more than 50 characters and 200 scenes across 30 episodes. Each episode follows the “micro drama” format popular in China, with ultra-short installments running just two to three minutes in length.

    Every step of the project — from generating scenes and creating characters to filming and visual effects — was handled entirely by AI, according to Zheng. This approach dramatically reduced both production time and costs, allowing the team to finish all episodes in just three months.

    The Chinese short-video platform Douyin selected Zheng’s project for its premium original content program after reviewing multiple proposals. Platform executives cited “The Sun That Fell’s” compelling narrative structure and dramatic tension as key factors in their decision to greenlight the production.

    Adaptation to the micro-drama format demanded nearly half the content be newly created, ensuring each brief episode sustained the intensity and narrative momentum this condensed storytelling style requires.

    The micro drama, based on Zhang Ran’s Chinese Nebula Award-winning novella, depicts a future where solar storms cripple Earth’s energy supply. In the story, humanity constructs three space stations to harness solar power, but rival factions weaponize these installations. The AI-produced series combines disaster spectacle with philosophical questions as Earth battles both cosmic dangers and technological threats. Douyin, Sichuan New Media Group and Wukong Media co-produced the project.

    A photo captures director Zheng Hang during the production of “The Sun That Fell.” [Photo provided to China.org.cn]

    Zheng said the script became the production’s biggest challenge due to a compressed timeline of just over a month, having originally targeted a Spring Festival release. 

    The team wrote and produced simultaneously, revising the script more than a dozen times and redoing completed scenes when necessary. The production faced additional technical hurdles with scenes involving multiple characters and group interactions, which current AI technology struggles to render convincingly. 

    Several space station sequences required multiple redesigns, and creating the station’s collapse demanded extra effort because the novella provided limited descriptive details.

    To overcome these limitations, the production team utilized nearly all major AI models currently available, combining their various capabilities to achieve the final result.

    “The Sun That Fell” has garnered over 4.7 million views so far on Douyin, impressing viewers with visual effects and character performances that approach human-created quality.

    “Honestly, I’m surprised,” said author Zhang Ran. “Sci-fi has always been among the hardest genres to adapt. Future, space and extraterrestrial elements always demand extensive visual effects, which traditionally meant prohibitive costs. Many writers instinctively avoided such ambitious concepts. But AI-generated content (AIGC) now liberates creators. This breakthrough empowers all storytellers to think bigger.”

    Director Zheng sees similar potential, noting that AIGC technology can enable adaptation of literary works that lack top-tier IP status.

    A photo captures a creative meeting during the production of “The Sun That Fell.” [Photo provided to China.org.cn]

    “AIGC provides more than just simple cost reduction; it creates a more efficient feedback loop between content and commerce,” he said. “We can achieve bolder ideas at lower costs and quickly receive market feedback, forming a new business model that feeds back into the creative process.”

    “Through this efficient, high-quality sci-fi content, we can gradually build reputation, cultivate audience taste and ultimately establish stable paying habits among viewers, enabling continuous output,” Zheng added.

    Dong Jing, assistant to the chair of the Chinese Nebula Awards organizing committee, said that high costs, long timelines and risks have long challenged sci-fi adaptations.

    “AIGC is reshaping that model, which is significant,” he said. “The project marks a milestone and signals new possibilities for the sci-fi industry.”

    Dong Renwei, a prominent figure in China’s sci-fi community and co-founder of the Chinese Nebula Awards, described the AI-produced series as a significant milestone for adapting Chinese sci-fi, following major adaptations like “The Three-Body Problem” and “The Wandering Earth.”

    He noted that numerous classic works by Chinese science fiction authors remain unadapted, with the Chinese Nebula Awards archive serving as a repository of high-quality content awaiting screen adaptation.

    Wukong Media’s previous AI-generated sci-fi project “Awakening” garnered over 50 million views in 2024. Following the release of “The Sun That Fell,” the production company has secured agreements with more than 10 Chinese science fiction authors to develop additional AI-generated content series. 

    Zheng said his team plans to eventually produce feature-length films using AI, but recognized that audience expectations for theatrical releases would require further technological advancement.

    A still from “The Sun That Fell.” [Image courtesy of Wukong Media]

    Zheng downplayed concerns about AI replacing human talent in filmmaking as “somewhat sensational,” though he acknowledged the possibility of significant industry transformation through gradual integration of the technologies.

    “The technology is evolving rapidly,” he said.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Men are shaving off their eyelashes on TikTok. Here’s why that might be a bad idea

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amanda Meyer, Senior Lecturer, Anatomy and Pathology, James Cook University

    Bhatakta Manav/Shutterstock

    Videos of men removing their eyelashes, by trimming or shaving, have been circulating on social media in recent weeks. This trend is based on the idea short eyelashes look more masculine.

    Hair can tell us a lot about our social and cultural values. As the Canadian sociologist Anthony Synnott says, it can represent embedded ideas about biological sex, such as “opposite sexes have opposite hair” and “head hair and body hair are opposite”.

    But do sex differences have any basis in biology? And what about the health risks of tampering with your lashes?

    If the idea of a buzzing razor coming near your eyes makes you nervous, there’s good reason.

    Does sex determine eyelash length?

    Most warm-blooded animals have eyelashes. Human eyelashes begin to develop in the womb at around seven weeks and by six months they are fully formed.

    Typically, we have 100 to 150 lashes on the upper eyelid that grow in two or three rows. There are half as many eyelashes on the lower lid.

    Eyelash length is usually around one-third of the eye’s width. Lower lashes are shorter (6–8 millimetres) compared to the upper lashes (8–12mm).

    The density, length, thickness and curl of eyelashes are determined by your genetics. But there is no evidence these anatomical differences are linked to sex.

    This means the idea men “naturally” have short eyelashes – and women’s are longer, darker and thicker – is based in culture, not biology.

    Regardless of your sex or gender, eyelashes serve several important functions.

    What are eyelashes for?

    Protection

    Eyelashes provide a barrier against dust, debris, bugs, bacteria and chemicals (such as hairspray and deodorants), stopping them from entering the eyes.

    Tears form a fluid film that covers the eye to keep it lubricated. Eyelashes also prevent air drying out this film.

    From an aerodynamic point of view, medium-length lashes (8mm) are ideal for stopping the eye’s surface from drying out. Very short lashes can expose the surface to air, while very long lashes can channel more air flow towards it.

    Eyelashes also shield our eyes from glare, reducing how much light enters the eye by up to 24%.

    Sensation

    Eyelashes are highly sensitive, so touching the eyelashes triggers a blink reflex that makes the eye shut. This protects it from unwanted materials.

    Blinking also activates the release of tears and distributes them across the eyes’ surface.

    Social interaction

    Eyelashes help us communicate. Blinking slowly can signal attentiveness or flirtation – and eyelashes make this more appealing.

    Wearing mascara or fake eyelashes emphasises the eyelashes and can make the eyes look larger and more expressive.

    Eyelashes form in the womb by six months of pregnancy, and are not linked to male or female sex.
    DUSITARA STOCKER/Shutterstock

    So, what if you don’t have eyelashes?

    People can lose their eyelashes for various reasons.

    For example, chemotherapy for cancer often results in hair loss – including eyelashes – as does alopecia, an autoimmune condition which causes the body to attack its own hair follicles.

    Some people also pull out their eyelashes when they are anxious or stressed.

    If you can’t stop this behaviour, and your eyelash loss is noticeable and affects day-to-day life, you may have a condition called trichotillomania.

    The compulsion to cut or shave hair (rather than pull it out) is known as trichotemnomania.

    If you’re worried, you should speak to your doctor to get support.



    Read more:
    ‘I wanted to stop … but I also wanted to pull’. 1 in 50 people have trichotillomania – a new memoir unpacks compulsive hair-pulling

    No matter how hair is lost, without eyelashes you will likely feel greater discomfort. More foreign particles can enter the eye – exposing you to greater risk of infection – and you will blink more to try to wash them away.

    More air on the eyes’ surface can also make them feel dry and irritated.

    Is removing eyelashes risky?

    Putting sharp blades near your eyes means if you are bumped, slip, or even blink, you risk injury to the eyelid or cornea (the clear, dome-shaped covering at the front of your eyeball).

    Anything that goes near your eye should be very clean. If blades aren’t sterile, bacteria can lead to blepharitis (eyelid inflammation) or conjunctivitis (“pink eye”).

    Will shaved eyelashes grow back?

    Cutting eyelashes doesn’t remove the hair follicle.
    art4stock/Shutterstock

    Yes. If eyelashes are trimmed or shaved, the hair bulb and follicle (the sac surrounding the hair) remains in the skin of the eyelid, allowing the hair to keep growing.

    Eyelashes grow at an average rate of 0.12mm per day, or 3.6mm a month. It could take up to three or four months for your eyelashes to grow back to their typical length.

    Shaving does not affect the length, thickness and darkness of your regrown eyelashes – these will grow back the same as before (unless there has been irreversible damage to the follicle itself).

    Sex, gender, and eyelashes

    Perceptions of sex and gender differences in eyelashes persist, thanks in part to social norms and media portrayals.

    For example, a 2023 study from the United States surveyed 319 people (142 men and 177 women) of diverse ethnic backgrounds about eyelash length in women. Men and women of all backgrounds said images of female faces with no or short eyelashes were the least attractive, regardless of ethnicity.

    Cartoon characters illustrate how deeply ingrained and socially constructed these gender differences are. Compare Minnie Mouse’s long, thick lashes with Mickey Mouse, who has none.

    Cartoons often depict women with exaggerated lashes and male characters with none at all.
    Loren Javier/flickr, CC BY-NC-ND

    This is not a thing of the past, as the masculine- and feminine-presenting characters of a popular current children’s cartoon Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir still demonstrate.

    The top row depicts masculine-presenting characters with no lashes, and the bottom row shows feminine-presenting characters with long and plentiful eyelashes.
    Zagtoon Wiki

    In reality, all bodies and features, including eyelashes, are naturally diverse.

    Body autonomy means recognising that personal choices about appearance are valid and should be respected without judgement. But when altering your body, it’s important to also know the health risks.

    Amanda Meyer is affiliated with the Australian and New Zealand Association of Clinical Anatomists, the American Association for Anatomy, and the Global Neuroanatomy Network.

    Monika Zimanyi is affiliated with the Australian and New Zealand Association of Clinical Anatomists and the Global Neuroanatomy Network.

    – ref. Men are shaving off their eyelashes on TikTok. Here’s why that might be a bad idea – https://theconversation.com/men-are-shaving-off-their-eyelashes-on-tiktok-heres-why-that-might-be-a-bad-idea-256222

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: China successfully completes test of 140-ton reusable liquid rocket engine

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

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

    BEIJING, May 14 (Xinhua) — China has successfully completed a full-scale test of a 140-ton liquid oxygen-methane propellant engine that will power the country’s reusable launch vehicles, the engine’s maker said Tuesday.

    The rocket engine, developed by the Academy of Aerospace Propulsion Technology under the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, has the highest thrust among China’s existing open-cycle liquid oxygen and methane engines.

    It is intended to be used as a critical power source for reusable rockets and will play a vital role in future space-to-Earth transportation systems, reusable launch vehicles and the development of heavy-lift rockets.

    The academy said the latest successful test marks a breakthrough in the country’s development of 100-ton liquid oxygen and methane engines. The entire process from the official start of engine development to the completion of testing took just seven months.

    In December 2024, the Academy of Aerospace Propulsion Technology tested its 90-ton reusable liquid oxygen-kerosene engine for commercial spacecraft, a major achievement since it began focusing on commercial spaceflight in 2023.

    China’s 2024 government work report called commercial space exploration “a new engine of economic growth.”

    The academy assured that additional efforts will be made to develop heavier engines, in particular, 200-ton reusable engines running on liquid oxygen and methane. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Wang Huning stresses key role of scientific and technological innovation in driving high-quality development

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

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

    BEIJING, May 14 (Xinhua) — Wang Huning, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), on Tuesday stressed the key role of scientific and technological innovation in cultivating new-quality productive forces and advancing high-quality development.

    Wang Huning made the remarks during a consultative meeting on developing new-quality productive forces through scientific and technological innovation.

    He noted that it is necessary to make full use of the advantages of the new type of nationwide mobilization system in order to achieve victory in the intense struggle to master the main key technologies.

    Wang Huning called for deepening the integration of scientific and technological and industrial innovation, building a modern production system, strengthening international scientific and technological exchanges and cooperation, and comprehensively reforming systems and mechanisms in education, science and technology, and human resource development.

    Wang Huning called on the CPPCC National Committee members to conduct in-depth research, actively put forward proposals, and make contributions to high-quality development and China’s modernization.

    About 100 members of the CPPCC National Committee attended the meeting.

    Member of the Politburo of the CPC Central Committee and Vice Premier of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China Zhang Guoqing also attended the meeting and delivered a speech.

    Zhang Guoqing stressed that it is necessary to strengthen the status of enterprises as subjects of innovation activities and promote the commercialization of the results of scientific and technological activities.

    In addition, Zhang Guoqing noted the need to use artificial intelligence (AI) to develop the real sector of the economy and promote new-type industrialization, and coordinate the development of AI with digital transformation to promote high-quality development. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Students in the capital have begun to use MES virtual laboratories almost three times more often

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    This year, Moscow schoolchildren have started using virtual laboratories almost three times more often “Moscow Electronic School” (MESh), and the total number of requests since the launch of online simulators has exceeded 6.5 million. This was reported by Anastasia Rakova, Deputy Mayor of Moscow for Social Development.

    “MES is one of the main participants in the capital’s educational process, which is constantly being modernized and offers the most convenient, modern and understandable tools and materials for schoolchildren to learn. Thus, virtual laboratories allow you to study science in an interactive format. The online format does not require additional equipment, experiments can be safely carried out without adult supervision, and their clarity is not inferior to real experiments. Today, 42 virtual laboratories in seven school subjects are available on the platform, and their popularity is growing: if last academic year students used online simulators more than 618 thousand times, then this year the number of requests has exceeded 1.7 million. Thus, the popularity of the laboratories has grown almost threefold. In total, since the launch of the first virtual laboratories in 2019, Moscow schoolchildren and teachers have accessed them more than 6.5 million times,” said Anastasia Rakova.

    Teachers use virtual labs to conduct engaging lessons, organize project and research activities. This develops children’s interest in science and technology.

    The most popular was the drawing laboratory, which was used about 660 thousand times this academic year. The online simulator is available to students in grades 7–11 and is as close as possible to the real drawing process. The MES. Computer Science laboratory is also in demand: it was used over 330 thousand times this academic year. It includes more than 10 thousand tasks, 300 programming courses, and an online compiler for developing codes in 12 programming languages.

    For lovers of natural sciences, the MES library has 12 virtual physics laboratories available, covering topics such as optics, mechanics, electrodynamics, and thermodynamics. For example, students can recreate Mikhail Lomonosov’s experiment by moving a cylinder of a certain weight from hot water to cold water, study the properties of lenses and mirrors, and observe how light waves pass through obstacles and overlap. Students conduct experiments in conditions close to real ones and complete assignments from the main state exam and the All-Russian School Olympiad.

    Biology is represented by 10 online cytology simulators that help study the structure and functions of cells. For students in grades five through seven, there are seven technology labs where they master the skills of 3D modeling, robotics, and building logical circuits. Two online chemistry simulators allow you to study chemical reactions and the properties of substances.

    The first virtual laboratories in physics and mathematics appeared at MES in 2019, and three more laboratories were opened in 2020. In 2021, their number more than tripled to 29 online simulators. Today, 42 virtual laboratories are available in the MES library, which are actively used by schoolchildren and teachers.

    “Moscow Electronic School” is a joint project of the capital Department of Education and Science And Department of Information Technology, created in 2016. A single digital educational platform is available to Moscow teachers, students and their parents. Among the main services of “MES” are a library of educational materials, an electronic diary and journal, “Moskvenok”, “Student Portfolio” and “Olympiads”.

    Providing Moscow schoolchildren with modern digital services increases the efficiency of the educational process, helps young Muscovites plan their time wisely and is in line with the objectives of the “All the Best for Children” national project“Youth and Children”.

    Get the latest news quickly official telegram channel the city of Moscow.

     

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  • MIL-OSI Russia: The best volunteers were chosen among Moscow schoolchildren and students

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    More than eight thousand students from schools, colleges and additional education centers took part in the competition for the best organization of volunteer activities of the city youth forum “Moscow – the Territory of Good Deeds”. The winners and prize winners were awarded well-deserved prizes.

    “The popularity of the volunteer movement in the capital is growing. Today, there are more than 100 thousand child volunteers in the Moscow education system – their number has increased by 10 percent compared to 2024. The number of applications submitted for the competition for the best organization of volunteer activities has tripled this year. The most active volunteers received awards for their work: for collecting humanitarian aid for those in need, organizing events, helping animals in shelters, orphans, veterans and the elderly, for writing messages and greeting cards to participants in a special military operation,” the press service of the capital said.

    Department of Education and Science.

    In the nomination “Volunteer of the Year” in the age category from six to 10 years old, the victory was won by a student of school No. 2001 Taisiya Nesterova. The winner in the age category from 11 to 14 years old was a student of school No. 709 named after twice Hero of Socialist Labor V.I. Dolgikh Ksenia Shlykova. The title of absolute winner in the nomination “Volunteer of the Year” in the age category from 15 to 18 years old was earned by a student of school No. 2120 Alexey Gubatenko.

    The Volunteer of the Year among college students was Dmitry Kapustin, a student of the College of Communications No. 54. The winner of the Volunteer of the Year nomination in additional education centers was Victoria Ermakova from the Presnya Center for the Development of Children’s and Youth Creativity.

    The best volunteer squad based on the school was the volunteer squad “Volunteers of School No. 2005”. The first place among volunteer squads of colleges was taken by the squad “In touch with good” of the College of Communications No. 54 named after P.M. Vostrukhin. The best volunteer squad in the centers of additional education was “Civilization of the Young” of the Palace of Children’s and Youth Creativity named after A.P. Gaidar.

    Olga Bolotskikh was recognized as the best leader of a volunteer squad. She supervises a volunteer squad at school No. 2005. The winner in the nomination among college representatives was Diana Movsesyan, leader of the “In touch with good” squad at P. M. Vostrukhin College of Communications No. 54. The best leader of a volunteer squad in additional education centers was Liliya Kaipova from the Presnya Center for the Development of Children’s and Youth Creativity.

    In the nomination “Best practice of organizing volunteer activities” the winners were schools No. 1542, 1474, 2005, 1273, 507, 203, Izmailovskaya school No. 1508, school No. 648 named after Hero of the Russian Federation A.G. Karlov, school No. 709 named after twice Hero of Socialist Labor V.I. Dolgikh, College of Communications No. 54 named after P.M. Vostrukhin and the Moscow College of Business Technologies. The contestants told how they organize volunteer work in their educational institutions.

    “I am overwhelmed with joy because I took first place in the Volunteer of the Year category. There was a warm atmosphere in the hall today: we were all rooting for our teammates and leaders. I want to wish all Moscow volunteers not to give up and to go towards their goals. Doing good deeds is not difficult, and everyone who wants to help and change the world for the better is great,” shared Victoria Ermakova.

    As part of the forum “Moscow – Territory of Good Deeds”, participants attended interactive educational events – master classes, speaker sessions and a meeting with a participant in a special military operation. In addition, the forum hosted a city initiation into volunteers of Moscow education. The forum “Moscow – Territory of Good Deeds” was organized by the Moscow Center for Educational Practices of the capital’s Department of Education and Science.

    Today, more than 100 thousand children have joined the volunteer movement. More than 800 volunteer units operate in schools, colleges and additional education centers. The main areas include sports, environmental, social, event, patriotic, media and zoo volunteering. The Moscow Center for Educational Practices holds events and programs for participants and leaders of volunteer units. This allows them to improve their competencies, gain social experience, exchange best practices with like-minded people and implement useful initiatives.

    You can find out more about additional education in the capital in Telegram channels “Moscow education” And“Moscow Center for Educational Practices”.

    Supplementary education programs develop creative and critical thinking in schoolchildren and develop skills that will be useful to them in their future profession. Events held within the framework of supplementary education contribute to the project “All the best for children” of the national project “Youth and Children”.

    Get the latest news quicklyofficial telegram channel the city of Moscow.

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  • MIL-OSI USA: Foster Leads over 100 Colleagues in Demanding Answers on National Science Foundation Funding Freeze

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Bill Foster (11th District of Illinois)

    Washington, DC – Today, Congressman Bill Foster (D-IL), Congress’ only PhD physicist, led 112 Members of Congress in expressing their concern with the Trump Administration’s directive for the National Science Foundation to freeze all grant funding.

    In a letter to President Trump, the Members wrote:

    “The NSF has, for decades, been a cornerstone of American innovation, funding groundbreaking research that has led to advancements in medical imaging, artificial intelligence, geographic information systems, and numerous other fields. Central to the NSF’s success has been its commitment to a merit-based, peer-reviewed grant process, ensuring that funding decisions are made based on scientific excellence and potential impact, free from political or ideological influence.

    “Changes to this commitment have far-reaching implications. They not only disrupt ongoing research but also erode the confidence of the scientific community in the federal funding apparatus. Moreover, in an era of intense global competition, particularly with nations like China investing heavily in science and technology, these actions risk ceding our leadership position and compromising our ability to address critical challenges.”

    A full copy of the letter can be found here.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: In Defense of the Courts and the University

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Rep Ro Khanna (CA-17)

    In Defense of the Courts and the University 

    Rep. Ro Khanna | Yale Law School | 4.15.25

    My return today is not one of nostalgia for good pizza or to relive faded dreams. I chose to come to Yale at a serious moment in the life of our Republic because the Woodward Report, issued by this very institution in 1974, defines the paramount duty of the American university: the defense of free expression and free inquiry.

    There are moments in a mature democracy — dating as far back as the prosecution of Socrates — when institutions must stand firm as guardians of free thought against the roar of the crowd.

    This is such a moment.

    In our nation, a mobocratic spirit — fanned by amoral, ambitious men — threatens not only our constitutional way of life but freedom of thought itself. For generations, American power has been checked by the Constitution and the quiet strength of reasoned debate. Politicians have bowed to the courts and stood before the people — not to silence opposition, but to answer it. 

    But today, a great anger grips the public — burned by years of war, wearied by economic stagnation, and fearful that the foreign-born among us now comprise a larger share of our population than at any point in a century. From this disquiet rises not a call to reform, but to dismantle — to cast off the judges in their robes, the scholars in their gowns, and the press with its inconvenient questions. 

    And at the head of this gathering storm stands JD Vance — calling on the President to defy the Supreme Court, and casting universities like Yale, his alma mater and mine, as the enemy.

    He claims that you here at Yale are being corrupted — taught to reject American values — as if he alone possesses the authority to define what it means to be an American, as if the life of the mind is to be excised from our nation’s story. How far we have fallen from the days when Thomas Jefferson chose not to list the presidency on his epitaph, but instead the founding of a university. 

    Jefferson understood that the life of the mind is as vital to liberty as the laws we live by, and that an educated citizenry is essential for democracy to thrive.

    Now, I remember they don’t teach much black letter law at Yale. But the President must obey court orders is about as basic as it gets. Our whole system depends on the idea that the Constitution gives the courts the power to say what the law is in any given case. In Cooper versus Aaron, the Court held that the “Constitution is the supreme law of the land,” and when specific disputes arise, the judiciary gets to decide what the law requires. In Youngstown, the Court made it clear that President Truman was limited by the Constitution and could not seize steel mills for our national defense during the Korean war because Congress did not give him that power.

    This check on executive power has not only kept the President from becoming a king — it is what has made America the most innovative and dynamic free enterprise economy in the world. We saw the fiasco of a President imposing tariffs on a whim. But imagine if he could go further: launch investigations into companies he disliked, void contracts to punish rivals, deport an immigrant business leader for political gain, or pull funding from scientists and scholars who challenge convention. 

    Those who complain that America suffers from too much regulation certainly would not want the system to be replaced with arbitrary decision making by the state. The United States has been successful because the predictability and stability the rule of law provides for long term economic investment. Unlike other nations, our business leaders do not have to worry about capricious rule changes that benefit political elites or worry about their assets being seized.

    And yet, every day that Vance tweets of defying court orders, he chips away at that trust — the invisible thread that binds our economic, social, and political life. Most recently, he defended the deportation of Abrego Garcia to a notorious Salvadoran prison — even after his own administration called it an “administrative error”. When Americans asked for due process, he answered not with reason, but with feigned rage — accusing us of sympathy for a gang member. Nine Supreme Court justices firmly rejected his claim that Abrego had no legal right to be here.

    To stir up public fury by painting due process as weakness is a timeless danger. Lincoln saw it clearly. In his Lyceum Address, he warned against mob vengeance, saying:

    “When men take it in their heads to hang gamblers or burn murderers, they should recollect that… they will be as likely to hang someone who is neither a gambler nor a murderer.”

    Without due process, Vance is as likely to destroy the life of an innocent man as he is to punish the guilty. And he does not seem to care. But Lincoln cared. He warned: 

    “The innocent… fall victims to the ravages of mob law, and thus it goes on, step by step, till all the walls erected for the defense of the persons and property of individuals, are trodden down, and disregarded.”

    We have been fortunate in our history to have leaders — like Lincoln — who appealed not to fury, but to reason. But we’ve also seen leaders, like Vance, who win public adulation by stoking anger and treating legal limits as nuisances to be ignored. Lincoln’s path is harder, slower — but it is truer to our founding, as it defends the sacred right of the individual over the exercise of impulsive power.

    Now, Vance says the President, elected by the people, should tell the Court what the Constitution means — and if the Court disagrees, let them try to enforce their ruling. That the President, as a co-equal, may simply ignore the Court’s judgment of the law. 

    In Vance’s America, the police can knock on any immigrant’s door, deport him to a dictatorship without due process, and then wash their hands of his fate, pretending that America is powerless to free someone outside our border. They did this with Abrego. They did this with Merwil Gutierrez, a 19 year old Venezuelan, who may have had no criminal record and whose heartbroken father is searching for him in vain . JD Vance, your cold indifference to the lives of vulnerable immigrants mocks every principle that this law school was built to uphold.

    Your affiliation with this law school is now a stain on the degree of every Yale graduate. I hope Yalies –alumni, student, faculty and administrators will have the moral clarity to say so plainly.

    But what about Vance’s argument that courts can be wrong?

    Here again, Lincoln teaches us. He did not accept the abhorrent Dred Scott decision as the final word, recognizing that the decision was destined to be overturned, not through blanket defiance of the judiciary, but through a legal crusade for equality. Lincoln’s reverence for the law did not weaken his moral clarity — it deepened it. He showed that his cause was not mere personal conviction, but rooted in the values and documents etched into the nation’s character. He pursued it through argument, elections, legislation, and new judicial appointments. He didn’t trample the Constitution in the name of justice — he worked through the Constitution to achieve justice. 

    And so must we.

    In our system, there is no Executive sovereignty. No Congressional sovereignty. No Judicial sovereignty. There is only popular sovereignty. The people ultimately decide what the Constitution means and what our laws should be. But that power is channeled through a constitutional framework — where the popular will must express itself through an intricate and deliberate system of elections, legislation, court decisions, appointments, and amendments. When Vance urges the President to defy that framework in the name of a false populism, he does not honor the people’s will — he undermines it. Ours is not a system of brute majoritarianism, but of constitutional self-government. To abandon that is a radical rejection of the very design of the American experiment.

    Vance has not only declared war on the courts — but on the universities. And it is no accident. As Stephen Kotkin observed in his study of Stalin, strongmen do not fear recessions or even failed wars as much as they fear the university. The greatest threat to consolidating power is not resistance — it is alternatives. Vance calls the university the enemy because he knows what lives here: historians, economists, law professors, and scientists who threaten him not with force, but with ideas.

    Why else propose raising the endowment tax from 1.4 to 35%, if not from a deep fear that the ideas presented in lecture halls may take root in the hearts of a new generation? That young Americans might see a nation not of grievance, but of promise. That is what Vance fears most—not rebellion, but the birth of new thinking. 

    If ever there were a moment in our nation’s history for the defense of liberalism — as a defense of free thought and the examined life — it is now. Those who sneer at our universities — who mock thinking, learning, and degrees for cheap applause while credentialing themselves — are engaged in rank hypocrisy. They are gatekeepers of privilege, dissuading their fellow citizens from pursuing for their families the very opportunities they seek for their own children.

    I hope university presidents will find their voice, pledging mutual support to each other, by remembering leaders like Yale’s Kingman Brewster, who stood with student protestors even when donors withdrew their support; Harvard’s James Conant, who resisted McCarthyism in the face of pressure from government and alumni; and Chicago’s Robert Hutchins, who defended the independence of scholarship against the demands of powerful business interests. Their place in history was not secured by the size of the endowment they left behind, but by the ideals they refused to abandon.

    President Garber, you’ve shown courage in standing up to the bullies in the White House. I have no doubt that Harvard—with its legacy of liberty predating the founding of our nation—will prevail over the fleeting ignorance of our time. 

    President McInnis, I hope you will follow his lead.

    And let Brewster, Conan, Hutchins, and Garber be an example for each of you. When  a student is snatched from campus and denied due process, speak up. When  a student protestor is harassed for their viewpoint, stand in their defense. When you are told to keep silent about the need for diversity by a potential employer, walk away.

    Each of us must ask: What, in this hour, are we willing to risk? What is needed is not the towering courage of a Socrates, nor even of my grandfather, who spent four years in jail as part of Gandhi’s movement for Indian independence. What is needed now are the small acts of conscience that together shape the soul of a nation.

    We may not have been able to save the deportation of Abrego or Gutierrez, but the louder we speak, the more of us who speak, the longer we speak, the more we become a human shield against an arbitrary state and resist the cold routinization of injustice. This is the time to stand up for a free society. 

    As for me, I have called out the richest man in the world, who responded by declaring on X that my career is over. I have called out J.D. Vance, who said I was a whiny congressman who disgusts him. But I have no regret.

    In speaking out, we can find direction not only from Woodward’s report celebrating free expression but also from his seminal work on the history of segregation, which Dr. King called the “bible of the civil rights movement.” Woodward reminded us that the path to Jim Crow was not inevitable. What was true of the 1890s is true today. To paraphrase Woodward: “There are still real choices to be made, and alternatives to the course that now threatens us are still available”.

    In times of crisis, this nation has often cast aside the old guard and turned to a new generation for new paths. That we were fortunate to witness Lincoln’s unlikely rise in our darkest hour is perhaps the strongest evidence of providence. The fate of liberal democracy now rests not only with those of us in Congress — it rests with you. It rests on whether you will rise to history’s call.

    I believe you will.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Adams, Figures Introduce Legislation to Protect Federal Funding for Land-Grant HBCUs

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Alma Adams (12th District of North Carolina)

    WASHINGTON, DC— Congresswoman Alma S. Adams, Ph.D. (NC-12), founder and co-chair of the Bipartisan, Bicameral Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Caucus, and Congressman Shomari C. Figures (AL-02) introduced the Land-Grant Institution Parity Act. 

    The Land-Grant Institution Parity Act protects federal funding for our land-grant colleges and universities, including the country’s 19 land-grant HBCUs, commonly referred to as 1890 Institutions. This bill comes following the USDA’s suspension and reinstatement of the 1890 National Scholars Program, a scholarship program for 1890 Institution students studying agriculture, food, or natural resources sciences, earlier this year.

    “The Land-Grant Institution Parity Act is an important step to protect funding for our land-grant HBCUs and build equity in higher education,” said Congresswoman Adams. “1890 Institutions have always punched above their weight and provided outsized benefits to their students, their research, and their communities. They know how to do more with less, but they shouldn’t have to. It’s time we ensure these institutions of excellence always receive the funding they deserve.”

    “Earlier this year, the Trump Administration suspended funding for historically Black land-grant colleges, but did not pause the same funding for the predominately white land-grant institutions,” said Rep. Figures. “That is simply wrong, and that decision sent a clear message about the vulnerability of programs designed to uplift underserved communities. Under this bill, funding for land-grant institutions will be treated equally and funds cannot be paused, cut, or eliminated without congressional approval. I’m committed to protecting our HBCUs and the students that they serve.”

    Under the Land-Grant Institution Parity Act, federal officials are prohibited from reducing, eliminating, or suspending funding for 1890 Institutions without authorization from Congress. This bill aims to ensure long-term stability and equity for land-grant HBCUs and other land-grant universities serving underserved communities.

    The original cosponsors for this bill include Reps. Jennifer McClellan (VA-04), Terri Sewell (AL-07), Valerie Foushee (NC-04), Bennie G. Thompson (MS-02), Hank Johnson (GA-04), Glenn Ivey (MD-04), Robin Kelly (IL-02), Cleo Fields (LA-04), David Scott (GA-13), and Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37).

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • Earthquake of magnitude 6.3 strikes off Crete, Greece, GFZ says

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    An earthquake of magnitude 6.3 struck off the island of Crete in Greece on Wednesday, the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ) said.

    The quake was at a depth of 83 km (52 miles), GFZ said.

    Residents in Egypt also felt the quake with the country’s National Research Institute of Astronomy and Geophysics reporting no casualties or property damage.

    The institute said it recorded a quake of 6.4 magnitude 431 km off Egypt’s northern coasts.

    (Reuters)

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Magnitude 6.3 earthquake hits off Greece coast – GFZ

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

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

    NEW YORK, May 13 (Xinhua) — An earthquake with a magnitude of 6.3 was recorded off the coast of the Greek island of Crete at 22:51 GMT on Tuesday, the German Research Center for Geosciences (GFZ) said.

    According to initial data, the epicenter of the earthquake was located at a point with coordinates of 34.92 degrees north latitude and 26.93 degrees east longitude. The epicenter was located at a depth of 83.3 km. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Names announced for new science organisations

    Source: Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment MBIE (2)

    These new organisations, formed by merging and refocusing New Zealand’s 7 existing Crown Research Institutes, will concentrate on key areas of national importance to deliver a science system that is more connected, more commercially focused, and better aligned with the needs of New Zealand.  

    The new institutes will be:

    • New Zealand Institute for Bioeconomy Science – advancing innovation in agriculture, aquaculture, forestry, biotechnology and manufacturing; protecting ecosystems from biosecurity threats and climate risks; and developing new bio-based technologies and products.
    • New Zealand Institute for Earth Science – supporting energy security and sustainability; developing land, marine and mineral resources; and improving resilience to natural hazards and climate-related risks.
    • New Zealand Institute for Public Health and Forensic Science – strengthening public health through disease detection and response; and supporting public safety through forensic science services.

    To lead this transformation, Barry Harris has been appointed Chair of the Bioeconomy Science Institute, and David Smol has been appointed Chair of the Earth Science Institute. Both bring outstanding leadership and deep sector experience and will be supported by highly capable deputy chairs and directors. 

    Kim Wallace has been appointed Deputy Chair for the Institute for Bioeconomy Science, with Candace Kinser, Andrew Morrison and Gray Baldwin as directors.

    Mary-Anne Macleod will be Deputy Chair for the Earth Science Institute alongside directors Paul Connell, Paul White, Peter Landon-Lane and Professor Chris Bumby.

    Existing governance will remain in place for the Institute of Environmental Science and Research (ESR) as they refocus to become the Institute for Public Health and Forensic Science.

    See existing governance for ESR:

    Our people(external link) — ESR

    Read the Minister’s announcement:

    Bold science reforms to fuel economic growth(external link) — Beehive.govt.nz

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: ER Report: A Roundup of Significant Articles on EveningReport.nz for May 14, 2025

    ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on May 14, 2025.

    Young detainees often have poor mental health. The earlier they’re incarcerated, the worse it gets
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emaediong I. Akpanekpo, PhD Candidate, School of Population Health, UNSW Sydney Populist rhetoric targeting young offenders often leads to kneejerk punitive responses, such as stricter bail laws and lowering the age of criminal responsibility. This, in turn, has led to more young people being held in detention.

    PNG police authorised to use lethal force with ‘domestic terrorist’ kidnappers as one hostage escapes
    RNZ Pacific An escape of a 13-year-old girl from a hostage crisis on the border of Papua New Guinea’s Western and Hela provinces has boosted hopes for the rescue of her fellow captives. The group of 10 people was taken captive early on Monday morning at Adujmari. PNG Police Commissioner David Manning has called the

    Political parties can recover after a devastating election loss. But the Liberals will need to think differently
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Frank Bongiorno, Professor of History, ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences, Australian National University Australia has just had its second landslide election in a row. In 2022, there was a landslide against the Liberals, but not to Labor, which fell over the line (as a majority

    NZ celebrates Rotuman as part of Pacific Language Week series
    By Grace Tinetali-Fiavaai, RNZ Pacific journalist Aotearoa celebrates Rotuman language as part of the Ministry for Pacific Peoples’ Pacific Language Week series this week. Rotuman is one of five UNESCO-listed endangered languages among the 12 officially celebrated in New Zealand. The others are Tokelaun, Niuean, Cook Islands Māori and Tuvaluan. This year’s theme is, ‘Åf’ạkia

    In Indonesia, Albanese has a chance to reset a relationship held back by anxiety and misperceptions
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hangga Fathana, Assistant Professor of International Relations, Universitas Islam Indonesia (UII) Yogyakarta Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has wasted little time taking his first overseas trip since Labor won a historic victory in Australia’s federal election. He’ll head to Indonesia today to meet the country’s new president, Prabowo

    From GPS to weather forecasts: the hidden ways Australia relies on foreign satellites
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Cassandra Steer, Chair, Australian Centre for Space Governance, Australian National University Japan Meteorological Agency via Wikimedia You have probably used space at least 20 times today. Satellites let you buy a coffee with your phone, book a rideshare, navigate your way to meet someone, and check the

    Using a blue inhaler alone is not enough to manage your asthma
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Hughes, Lecturer in Pharmacy Practice, University of Sydney New Africa/Shutterstock Inhalers have been key to asthma management since the 1950s. The most common, salbutamol, comes in a familiar blue-coloured inhaler (or “puffer”). This kind of “rescue inhaler” brings quick relief from asthma symptoms. You may know

    The pay equity puzzle: can we compare effort, skill and risk between different industries?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gemma Piercy, Lecturer, Sociology, Social Policy and Criminology, University of Waikato Getty Images Last week’s move by the government to amend pay equity laws, using parliamentary urgency to rush the reforms through, caught opposition parties and New Zealanders off guard. Protests against the Equal Pay Amendment Bill

    Sussan Ley makes history, but faces unprecedented levels of difficulty
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Kenny, Professor, Australian Studies Institute, Australian National University As if by visual metaphor, Sussan Ley’s task seemed both obvious and impossible in her first press conference as the new Liberal leader. Three years ago this month, Ley had done something uncannily similar to what Ted O’Brien

    View from The Hill: Ley says Liberals must ‘meet the people where they are’, but how can a divided party do that?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Cynics point out that when a party turns to a woman leader, it is often handing her a hot mess. That’s certainly so with the federal Liberals, now choosing their first female leader in eight decades. For the Liberals, and

    It’s a hard job being environment minister. Here’s an insider’s view of the key challenges facing Murray Watt
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Burnett, Honorary Associate Professor, ANU College of Law, Australian National University Australia’s new environment minister, Murray Watt, is reported to be a fixer. That’s good, because there’s a lot to fix. Being environment minister is a hard gig. It often requires difficult choices between environmental and

    AWPA calls on Albanese to raise West Papuan human rights with Prabowo
    Asia Pacific Report An Australian solidarity group for West Papuan self-determination has called on Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to raise the human rights crisis in the Melanesian region with the Indonesian president this week. Albanese is visiting Indonesia for two days from tomorrow. AWPA has written a letter to Albanese making the appeal for

    The US and China have reached a temporary truce in the trade wars, but more turbulence lies ahead
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Draper, Professor, and Executive Director: Institute for International Trade, and Jean Monnet Chair of Trade and Environment, University of Adelaide Defying expectations, the United States and China have announced an important agreement to de-escalate bilateral trade tensions after talks in Geneva, Switzerland. The good, the bad

    Physicists at the Large Hadron Collider turned lead into gold – by accident
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ulrik Egede, Professor of Physics, Monash University Sunny Young / Unsplash Medieval alchemists dreamed of transmuting lead into gold. Today, we know that lead and gold are different elements, and no amount of chemistry can turn one into the other. But our modern knowledge tells us the

    New Caledonia riots one year on: ‘Like the country was at war’
    SPECIAL REPORT: By Lydia Lewis, RNZ Pacific presenter/bulletin editor Stuck in a state of disbelief for months, journalist Coralie Cochin was one of many media personnel who inadvertently put their lives on the line as New Caledonia burned. “It was very shocking. I don’t know the word in English, you can’t believe what you’re seeing,”

    New Caledonia riots one year on: ‘Like the country was at war’
    SPECIAL REPORT: By Lydia Lewis, RNZ Pacific presenter/bulletin editor Stuck in a state of disbelief for months, journalist Coralie Cochin was one of many media personnel who inadvertently put their lives on the line as New Caledonia burned. “It was very shocking. I don’t know the word in English, you can’t believe what you’re seeing,”

    From nuclear to nature laws, here’s where new Liberal leader Sussan Ley stands on 4 energy and environment flashpoints
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Justine Bell-James, Professor, TC Beirne School of Law, The University of Queensland Sussan Ley has been elected Liberal leader after defeating rival Angus Taylor in a party room vote on Tuesday. Now the leadership question is settled, the hard work of rebuilding the party can begin. In

    The ‘extroverted’ north and ‘introverted’ south: how climate and culture influence Iranian architecture
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mahsa Khanpoor Siahdarka, PhD Candidate in Built Environment, RMIT University Shutterstock The architecture of northern Iran exhibits an extroverted quality. Buildings are designed to let in the sounds of rain, birds and rustling trees, as well as scents of nature. Architecture in this region is characterised by

    ER Report: A Roundup of Significant Articles on EveningReport.nz for May 13, 2025
    ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on May 13, 2025.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Young detainees often have poor mental health. The earlier they’re incarcerated, the worse it gets

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emaediong I. Akpanekpo, PhD Candidate, School of Population Health, UNSW Sydney

    Populist rhetoric targeting young offenders often leads to kneejerk punitive responses, such as stricter bail laws and lowering the age of criminal responsibility. This, in turn, has led to more young people being held in detention.

    In Australia, the number of young people held in detention facilities increased by 8% (from 784 to 845) between the June quarter of 2023 and the June quarter of 2024.

    But what if some of these young people were treated and helped, rather than incarcerated? A series of recently published studies examining mental health in the youth justice population suggests treatment would be more beneficial than punitive measures – some of which may even promote persistent offending.

    Increased incarceration

    New South Wales saw a 31% increase in young people in detention between 2023 and 2024.

    Increases in youth detention numbers have also been reported in Queensland, the Australian Capital Territory, Tasmania and South Australia over the same period.

    About 60% of young people in detention are First Nations youth.

    Custody as a catalyst

    Young people in the justice system have significantly higher rates of mental ill-health and adverse childhood experiences than their peers in the general population.

    However, less clear is how involvement in the justice system, particularly custody, affects the severity and trajectory of these mental health issues over time.

    Our team examined how exposure to the justice system affected mental health among young people in NSW. We analysed administrative health and justice data over two years post-supervision.

    These data came from more than 1,500 justice-involved youth who participated in the Young People in Custody Health Survey in 2003, 2009 and 2015 and Young People on Community Orders Health Survey between 2003 and 2006.

    We found young people who had spent time in custody faced markedly higher rates of subsequent psychiatric hospitalisation compared with those supervised in the community.

    The risk of psychiatric hospitalisations was higher for those with multiple custody episodes. This demonstrates the significant negative impact of incarceration on the mental health of young people long after they are released.

    We also examined how the impact of custody on psychiatric hospitalisations differed by age.

    We found psychiatric hospitalisation rates were similar among youth aged 14–17 years who had been supervised in the community, compared with those aged 18 and older.

    However, youth aged 14–17 who were placed in custody were hospitalised at significantly higher rates than their older peers aged 18 and above.

    This suggests incarceration is particularly harmful for younger offenders.

    How does this affect crime?

    When we examined the long-term consequences of youth detention on subsequent offending, we found conviction during adolescence, especially before the age of 14, significantly increased the likelihood of later entering the adult prison system.

    Those who were incarcerated during adolescence faced a fivefold increase in the risk of being incarcerated as an adult, compared with young people who’d never been in custody.

    This suggests it may be beneficial to delay the involvement of young people in the justice system to help prevent repeat offending in the future.

    Breaking the cycle

    So what can be done to help?

    In NSW, laws allow young people with mental health conditions to be diverted from judicial processes into treatment. Such laws for young people also exist in other states, although specific models vary.

    While research shows those diverted into treatment have a lower risk of reoffending, less than half of eligible youth receive this option.

    How do we help those who miss out? Our studies examined whether going to mental health services voluntarily (without a court order) could help reduce recidivism.

    Among boys who had been in custody, we found they were 40% less likely to reoffend if they received mental health treatment after release than those who did not receive such treatment.

    A similar, but larger, benefit was observed among boys supervised in the community. There, mental health treatment was associated with a 57% reduction in reoffending risk.

    Evidence-based reform

    Evidence shows punitive measures do not deter youth crime, but instead are likely to perpetuate cycles of offending into adulthood.

    Policymakers should reimagine youth justice to protect young people and create real pathways to rehabilitation.

    Raising the minimum age of criminal responsibility to delay the onset of formal contact with the justice system aligns with developmental science and prevents early criminalisation of young people.



    Read more:
    Locking up young people might make you feel safer but it doesn’t work, now or in the long term

    Enhancing routine mental health screening in the justice system and expanding access to diversion programs is warranted.

    Our findings on the benefits of routine mental health treatment highlight the potential for more integrated approaches. When combined with wraparound services for health and education, they could be even more effective.

    As detaining a young person costs around $1 million annually, mental health treatment-based approaches make sound financial sense too.

    Tony Butler receives funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council.

    Emaediong I. Akpanekpo 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. Young detainees often have poor mental health. The earlier they’re incarcerated, the worse it gets – https://theconversation.com/young-detainees-often-have-poor-mental-health-the-earlier-theyre-incarcerated-the-worse-it-gets-252376

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI China: Xi holds talks with Brazilian president

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Chinese President Xi Jinping holds talks with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who is on a state visit to China, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, May 13, 2025. (Xinhua/Huang Jingwen)

    Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who is on a state visit to China, in Beijing on Tuesday.

    Xi said that on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Brazil last year, the two sides jointly announced the elevation of bilateral relations to a China-Brazil community with a shared future for a more just world and a more sustainable planet.

    He called on the two sides to vigorously advance the construction of a China-Brazil community with a shared future, continuously deepen the alignment of development strategies, and jointly promote strengthened solidarity and cooperation among Global South countries.

    Xi stressed that China and Brazil should maintain strategic mutual trust, provide mutual support on issues concerning each other’s core interests and major concerns, and strengthen exchange at all levels and in all respects.

    He called on the two countries to expand cooperation, deepen the effective alignment of the Belt and Road Initiative with Brazil’s development strategy, give full play to the role of the various cooperation mechanisms between the two countries, strengthen cooperation in traditional fields such as infrastructure, agriculture and energy, and expand new areas of cooperation in energy transition, aerospace, the digital economy and artificial intelligence.

    He said that China and Brazil should enhance cultural and people-to-people exchanges, provide more convenience for personnel exchanges between the two sides, and strengthen cooperation on culture, education, tourism, and media, and at the sub-national level.

    He emphasized that the two sides should adhere to multilateral coordination. As the biggest developing country in the Eastern and Western hemispheres respectively, they should enhance coordination and cooperation within multilateral mechanisms, uphold multilateralism, improve global governance, maintain the international economic and trade order, and resolutely oppose unilateralism, protectionism and bullying, Xi added.

    Brazil is willing to deepen strategic cooperation with China and promote the construction of a Brazil-China community with a shared future, Lula said.

    Brazil stands ready to align its development strategy with the Belt and Road Initiative to enhance cooperation between the two countries in areas such as trade, infrastructure, aerospace and finance, Lula added. He also called on the two countries to expand exchange in areas of the youth and culture, and to enhance exchange and friendship between the two peoples.

    Protectionism and tariff abuse cannot promote development and prosperity. Instead, they will lead to chaos. China’s resolute stance in addressing global challenges gives strength and confidence to all countries, Lula noted, adding that Brazil is willing to strengthen strategic coordination with China in international affairs, work with China to safeguard the common interests of the Global South, and safeguard international fairness and justice.

    At the Great Hall of the People, the two heads of state witnessed the signature of 20 cooperation documents covering the fields of development-strategy alignment, science and technology, agriculture, the digital economy, finance, inspection and quarantine, and media.

    The two heads of state also met with the press together.

    China and Brazil issued a joint statement on strengthening the construction of a China-Brazil community with a shared future for a more just world and a more sustainable planet, and on jointly upholding multilateralism, as well as a joint statement on the Ukraine crisis.

    Prior to the talks, Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, held a welcome ceremony for Lula and his wife, Rosângela Lula da Silva, at the square outside the east gate of the Great Hall of the People.

    Xi and Peng also hosted a welcome banquet for Lula and his wife on Tuesday evening. 

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    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China Book Corner inaugurated in Bangladesh

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

    A China Book Corner was officially inaugurated at the National Library of Bangladesh on Sunday in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The unveiling ceremony and subsequent “Reading China” China-Bangladesh Youth Exchange brought together nearly 300 participants, including representatives from governments, media organizations, universities, and enterprises of both countries.

    Du Zhanyuan, president of China International Communications Group (CICG), speaks at the China Book Corner unveiling ceremony in Dhaka, Bangladesh, May 11, 2025. [Photo/CICG]

    In his opening remarks, Du Zhanyuan, president of China International Communications Group (CICG), noted that 2025 marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of China-Bangladesh diplomatic relations, and it is also the China-Bangladesh People-to-People Exchange Year. He said he hopes that the book corner and exchange event would deepen cultural ties and mutual understanding. 

    Du said books are vital bridges for the exchange of civilizations, and he encouraged young people to embrace reading and dialogue to better understand other cultures.

    Mostofa Sarwar Farooki, honorable adviser of the Ministry of Cultural Affairs of Bangladesh, speaks at the China Book Corner unveiling ceremony in Dhaka, Bangladesh, May 11, 2025. [Photo/CICG]

    Mostofa Sarwar Farooki, honorable adviser of the Ministry of Cultural Affairs of Bangladesh, called the book corner a key outcome of the two countries’ leadership exchanges and a model of cultural cooperation. He expressed hope for expanded collaboration in fields such as new media and film.

    Yao Wen, Chinese ambassador to Bangladesh, speaks at the China Book Corner unveiling ceremony in Dhaka, Bangladesh, May 11, 2025. [Photo/CICG]

    Yao Wen, Chinese ambassador to Bangladesh, highlighted the millennium-old cultural ties between China and Bangladesh, saying the new book corner would serve as a high-quality platform for deepening mutual understanding and promoting cultural exchange.

    Mofidur Rahman, secretary of the Ministry of Cultural Affairs of Bangladesh, speaks at the China Book Corner inaugural ceremony in Dhaka, Bangladesh, May 11, 2025. [Photo/CICG]

    Mofidur Rahman, secretary of the Ministry of Cultural Affairs of Bangladesh, emphasized that with growing cooperation in infrastructure and economic development, it is the right time to expand into cultural collaboration. He said the book corner would open a new window for the Bangladeshi public to better understand China.

    The China Book Corner is officially inaugurated at the National Library of Bangladesh in Dhaka, Bangladesh, May 11, 2025. [Photo/CICG]

    The book corner received a donation of more than 1,200 books, including titles covering China’s politics, culture, science, and agriculture.

    Jointly hosted by CICG, Bangladesh’s Ministry of Cultural Affairs, and the Chinese Embassy in Bangladesh, this event was part of CICG’s broader cultural exchange initiative in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of China-Bangladesh diplomatic relations, as well as the China-Bangladesh People-to-People Exchange Year.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China completes testing of heavy, reusable liquid rocket engine

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

    China completes testing of heavy, reusable liquid rocket engine

    Xinhua | May 14, 2025

    China has successfully completed the full-engine testing of a 140-tonne liquid oxygen-methane engine that will power the country’s reusable carrier rockets, the engine’s maker said on Tuesday.

    Developed by the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation’s Academy of Aerospace Propulsion Technology, the rocket engine boasts the largest thrust among China’s current open-cycle liquid oxygen-methane ones.

    It is designed to serve as a crucial power source for reusable rockets and will play a vital role in future space-Earth transportation systems, reusable launch vehicles and heavy-lift rocket development.

    The academy said that the latest successful test marks a breakthrough in the production of China’s hundred-tonne-class liquid oxygen-methane engines. It also highlighted the efficiency of the development process, noting that it was completed in just seven months.

    In December 2024, the state-owned rocket engine developer tested its 90-tonne reusable liquid oxygen-kerosene engine for commercial spacecraft — a milestone achievement since it began focusing on the commercial space sector in 2023.

    The commercial space sector was listed in the country’s 2024 government work report as a “new engine of economic growth.”

    The academy said that more efforts will be dedicated to developing heavier engines, specifically targeting reusable 200-tonne liquid oxygen-methane engines. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Secretary-General’s video message to the 25th edition of the Electrical and Computer Engineering Conferences (JEEC/25) at Instituto Superior Técnico Lisboa, 5-9 May 2025 [scroll down for English version]

    Source: United Nations secretary general

    Download the vídeo:
    https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/downloads2.unmultimedia.org/public/video/evergreen/MSG+SG+/SG+25th+Coordination+of+the+Electrical+and+Computer+Engineering+Career+Week+5-9+MAY+25/MSG+SG+ENGINEERING+CAREER+WEEK+IST+LISBON+21+FEB+25.mp4

    https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/downloads2.unmultimedia.org/public/video/evergreen/MSG+SG+/SG+25th+Coordination+of+the+Electrical+and+Computer+Engineering+Career+Week+5-9+MAY+25/MSG+SG+ENGINEERING+CAREER+WEEK+IST+LISBON+21+FEB+25+EN.mp4

    Caras alunas e caros alunos,

    Saúdo-vos calorosamente por ocasião destas importantes e entusiasmantes jornadas no Instituto Superior Técnico.

    Como antigo aluno, posso afirmar que o Técnico teve um papel decisivo na minha formação e na minha capacidade de aprender a aprender e de começar a procurar soluções para os desafios do nosso mundo em rápida mudança.

    Esta procura de soluções é o objetivo das disciplinas de ciências, tecnologia, engenharia e matemática.

    Da luta contra a pobreza, a fome, a desigualdade e a discriminação, passando pela resolução de conflitos e pela crise climática, até ao aproveitamento do grande potencial de tecnologias em rápida evolução como a Inteligência Artificial, precisamos das vossas ideias, conhecimentos e inovações. 

    Ao empreenderem por uma carreira em engenharia eletrotécnica e de computadores, têm a oportunidade de desempenhar um papel fundamental para enfrentar estes desafios e melhorar a vida das pessoas. 

    Através do Pacto para o Futuro, recentemente adotado pelas Nações Unidas, os países concordaram em acelerar os investimentos nos sistemas educativos, para garantir que os alunos de todas as idades possam ter um melhor acesso à formação e à tecnologia de que precisam ao longo das suas vidas.

    O Pacto apela também à criação de um Painel Científico Internacional Independente sobre Inteligência Artificial que promova um entendimento comum dos riscos, benefícios e capacidades – e um diálogo global que garanta que todos os países tenham uma voz ativa na definição do futuro da Inteligência Artificial.

    Caras alunas e caros alunos,

    Os vossos estudos no Técnico estão a proporcionar-vos a base de que precisam.

    Mas os próximos passos dependem de cada um de vós.

    Por isso, mantenham-se curiosos e empenhados.

    Continuem a alargar os limites da inovação e do conhecimento humano.

    Continuem a aprender a aprender.

    E obrigado por dedicarem as vossas mãos, mentes e corações à tarefa mais importante de todas – a de moldar um futuro melhor, mais justo e mais saudável para todas as pessoas.

    Bem hajam!

    ***

    Dear students,

    I send warm greetings for this important and exciting week at Instituto Superior Técnico.

    As a former student, I can say that Técnico played a decisive role in my own education and in my ability to learn how to learn, and to begin seeking solutions to the challenges of our rapidly changing world.

    This search for solutions is what the science, technology, engineering and math subjects are all about.

    From fighting poverty, hunger, inequality and discrimination, to addressing conflicts and the climate crisis, to harnessing the great potential of rapidly evolving technology like Artificial Intelligence, we need the ideas, expertise and innovations of all of you. 

    By pursuing a career in electrical and computer engineering, you can play a critical role in tackling these challenges and improving people’s lives. 

    Through the recently adopted Pact for the Future, countries agreed to accelerate investments in education systems, to ensure that learners of all ages can better access the training and technology they need throughout their lives.

    The Pact also calls for the creation of an Independent International Scientific Panel on AI that promotes a common understanding of risks, benefits and capabilities — and a global dialogue that ensure that all countries have a voice in shaping the future of Artificial Intelligence.

    Dear students,

    Your studies at Técnico are giving you the foundation you need.

    But the next steps are up to you.

    So stay curious and engaged.

    Keep pushing the boundaries of innovation and human knowledge.

    Continue learning how to learn.

    And thank you for lending your hands, minds and hearts to the most important task of all — shaping a better, fairer, healthier future for all people.

    Thank you.

    ***
     

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: The growth rate and potential of the Chinese market are attractive to American companies

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

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

    Peng Zhenke, president of Pfizer China and chairman of the executive committee of the pharmaceutical research and development working committee of the China Association of Foreign-Invested Enterprises, recently announced Pfizer’s plans to invest another US$1 billion in China by 2030. The company has already opened a new research and development center in Beijing and an innovation center in Hangzhou.

    Zhang Jianping, deputy director of the academic committee of the Institute of International Trade and Economic Cooperation under the Ministry of Commerce of China, noted that investments by American companies in China can be divided into two main categories:

    First, market-oriented: companies that provide goods and services directly to the Chinese market, such as Tesla, Starbucks, and General Motors, which make significant profits in China.

    Second, global supply chain oriented: companies that use China as an important base for organizing supply chains and creating added value on a global scale, seeking maximum benefit. A typical example is Apple.

    China has enormous growth potential, making it particularly attractive to American companies, especially multinational corporations.

    Cui Shoujun, a professor at the School of International Relations at Renmin University of China, identifies three key aspects that determine the irreplaceable strategic value of the Chinese market for many American companies:

    First, the advantages of a super-large market: China, with a population of over 1.4 billion and a middle-income group of over 400 million, has huge demand. Growing urbanization in China has driven steady growth in demand for home appliances, automobiles, communications, medical services and other consumer goods.

    Secondly, the obvious advantages of the full industrial chain: China has 41 major industrial categories, 207 medium sub-categories and 666 minor sub-categories, being the only country in the world represented in all industrial sectors of the UN classification. China’s supply chain is not only comprehensive and complete, but also extremely flexible and responsive.

    Third, continuous expansion of high-level opening-up and optimization of the business environment: China creates favorable conditions for the development of foreign companies, including American ones.

    Peng Yu, director of the International Trade Research Department at the Institute of World Economy, Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, stressed that the Chinese market provides American companies with many business and profit opportunities. China is the largest export market for American soybeans and cotton, the second-largest export market for integrated circuits and coal, and the third-largest export market for medical equipment and automobiles.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Political parties can recover after a devastating election loss. But the Liberals will need to think differently

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Frank Bongiorno, Professor of History, ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences, Australian National University

    Australia has just had its second landslide election in a row.

    In 2022, there was a landslide against the Liberals, but not to Labor, which fell over the line (as a majority government) by three seats and with just over 32% of the primary vote. But the Coalition – actually Liberal – loss of seats, at 19, was the kind of result usually associated with the term “landslide”.

    In 2025, we have a genuine landside to Labor. At the time of writing, the ABC has declared a Labor gain of 15 seats (78 to 93), but with the strong likelihood of one more, and an outside chance of another.

    Labor’s share of the two-party preferred vote sits at 54.8%. To add a bit of historical perspective: Labor’s two-party preferred vote is lower than the Coalition’s in the so-called Vietnam election of 1966 (56.9%) and the Dismissal election of 1975 (55.7%), but better than John Howard’s in 1996 (53.6%) and Tony Abbott’s in 2013 (53.5%). The Coalition managed 94 seats in a slightly smaller House of Representatives of 148 (compared to 150 at the 2025 election) in 1996. Labor might also land on 94 this time, once the counting is done.

    For Labor, it is a victory on a scale only rivalled – and indeed slightly overshadowed statistically – by John Curtin’s wartime election in 1943, when Labor gained 49 seats in a House of 74. That was two-thirds of the available seats and perhaps 58% of the two-party preferred vote. (The full distribution of preferences only came in later elections). In 2025, Labor is likely to land on just under 63% of the House.

    Big majorities carry their own headaches, as Labor’s factional wrestling of recent days reminds us. But a big loss is a much worse ordeal for the loser.

    First, there is the problem of finding a leader. He, or she, will be selected from depleted ranks. They will often inherit a demoralised party that will lack belief in its ability to return to office in a single term – allowing that there has been no one-termer in Australian federal politics since the Scullin government (1929-32).

    Sussan Ley, the new Liberal leader, will realise – or should realise – that as a leader elected following such a defeat, her chances of ever making it to the prime ministership are slim.

    Since the second world war, a new leader chosen after a loss of office has never become prime minister. Peter Dutton, who became opposition leader in 2022, joined Billy Snedden (after 1972), Kim Beazley (1996), Brendan Nelson (2007) and Bill Shorten (2013) as those who never went on to lead the country.

    But any leader who slips into the role – either re-elected or for the first time – after a big loss is a long shot to make it. The best example we have from the postwar era is Gough Whitlam, elected leader in February 1967 after one of the biggest landslides in Australian political history, won by Harold Holt at the 1966 election. It is therefore worth revisiting what he did to get there.

    Whitlam biographers such as Graham Freudenberg and Jenny Hocking have offered us a detailed picture of Whitlam’s systematic work on reforming the party and policy as part of his pitch to the people. The Liberals could do worse than think in those terms as they contemplate their rebuild. They have vast work to do on all of those fronts.

    As a party, Labor was a basketcase in 1967. In Victoria, it was dominated by a group of left-wing unionists and members who seemed more concerned with maintaining ideological purity than winning elections. Whitlam taunted them at the state conference in 1967 that “certainly, the impotent are pure”.

    But between 1967 and 1972, Whitlam and his allies – some of them on the left outside Victoria – modernised the party’s structures and rules, and moderated left-wing domination of the Victorian branch. Alongside these reforms came a comprehensive policy overhaul – the formulation of what Whitlam reverentially called “The Program” – drawing on a vast network of experts across the country and the most compelling models from other countries.

    This was paired with a redesign of the party’s image that helped it win back a vast number of voters at the 1969 election, culminating in the remarkable, election winning “It’s Time” campaign in 1972.

    It was a six-year effort, and it was far from easy. But it is perhaps the best modern example we have of what a shattered party needs to do to win back office.

    Labor faced similar challenges after 1975 and, although the process was messier, Bob Hawke’s eventual election in March 1983 owed much to a process of reform of Labor party, policy and image led by Bill Hayden between 1977 and 1983. This time, it was the Queensland branch of the party – Hayden’s own – that needed an overhaul, which it received through federal intervention of the kind applied to Victoria a decade before.

    Labor also worked out a Prices and Incomes Accord with the union movement, designed to avoid many of the economic and political problems experienced by Whitlam in government, such as runaway inflation. Hayden, like Whitlam before him, crafted an electable opposition. Hawke, however, reaped the benefit after he replaced Hayden on the eve of the 1983 campaign.

    There are lessons here for the Liberals. First, they can no longer avoid party reform. Their post-election reviews of recent times often read like Gothic tales: indeed, I could recommend the Western Australian one after the 2021 state election only to those with stomachs capable of standing up to slasher movies.

    Second, the 2025 election revealed a Coalition policy wasteland. Some, such as the idea of a nuclear power plants across the country, were daft. Others, like cuts to the fuel excise for a year – coinciding with a decline in petrol prices – were dross. Others again simply made it appear the Coalition was making it up as it went along. It would be hard to conceive of anything further removed from the best examples we have of policy rebuilding by shattered parties.

    Finally, there are the people. Who, exactly, are the Liberals trying to win over? From May 2022, Dutton seemed to have his eye on Labor voters in the outer suburbs, but he did very little that was likely to win them over. He did even less to win over groups who have turned decisively away from the Liberals in recent years, such as women and the young.

    Whatever efforts they made to win over the so-called multicultural communities, such as Chinese-Australian voters, were undone by clumsy messaging from the ministerial ranks about “spies”. In the end, it often seemed that Dutton – and possibly also most of the survivors of 2022 – didn’t have their hearts in appealing to the kinds of voters who had turned to the teals, Labor and Greens in 2022. They preferred to commune with their own.

    The impotent are still pure: the Liberals emerge from the 2025 campaign unsullied by a dalliance with strangers. They now have their reward. Whether a party organisation with branches dominated by the ideologue, the conservative, the elderly and the eccentric can act as an instrument for forging a new electoral alliance of the kind that set up the party in the 1940s for decades of success must be considered doubtful. There is no Robert Menzies on the horizon. And there is no Liberal movement speaking a language of progress rather than reaction.

    This is the greatest crisis faced by Australia’s centre right since 1943 – and we can be certain that, unlike Ben Chifley, Anthony Albanese won’t do his opponents the favour of trying to nationalise the banks.

    Frank Bongiorno 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. Political parties can recover after a devastating election loss. But the Liberals will need to think differently – https://theconversation.com/political-parties-can-recover-after-a-devastating-election-loss-but-the-liberals-will-need-to-think-differently-232695

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cotton Introduces Bill to Repeal DEI Requirements within STEM Workforce

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Arkansas Tom Cotton

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
    Contact: Caroline Tabler or Patrick McCann (202) 224-2353
    May 13, 2025

    Cotton Introduces Bill to Repeal DEI Requirements within STEM Workforce

    Washington, D.C. — Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) today introduced the Dismantling Ideological Policies for Semiconductors and Science Act, legislation that would restore the original intention of the Chips and Science Act to supercharge the domestic semiconductor industry and STEM workforce development by repealing requirements related to DEI ideology. Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee) and Pete Ricketts (R-Nebraska) are cosponsors of this legislation. 

    “The United States must work at breakneck speed to build up our STEM workforce. The focus must be on excellence and innovation, rather than burdensome, divisive DEI policies. My bill ensures that we provide equal opportunities to all STEM talent driven by merit and that every talented person is invited to contribute,” said Senator Cotton.

    Full text of the bill may be found here.

    The DIPSS bill would eliminate duplicative, burdensome, or discriminatory provisions in the Chips and Science Act that are related to DEI and other left-wing priorities.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cantwell Condemns GOP’s Cruel Proposal to Kick Millions Off Medicaid: ‘You’re Going to Make All Those People Go to An Emergency Room?’

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington Maria Cantwell
    05.13.25
    Cantwell Condemns GOP’s Cruel Proposal to Kick Millions Off Medicaid: ‘You’re Going to Make All Those People Go to An Emergency Room?’
    GOP proposal would cancel health coverage and drive-up co-pays for hundreds of thousands of Washingtonians
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), senior member of the Senate Finance Committee and ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, delivered a speech on the Senate floor condemning the House GOP’s ill-conceived proposal to cut health care by $715 billion to help pay for a tax break for the ultra-rich and corporations, forcing at least 13.7 million Americans off their health insurance.
    “House Republicans say that these cuts are about waste, fraud, and abuse — but the real fraud is telling the American people that by implementing these requirements, that somehow these policies are going to save money. The truth is, it’s just making it harder on Americans to stay on Medicaid,” Sen. Cantwell said.
    “In 2018 Arkansas tried the same thing that the House of Representatives are now suggesting. They became the first state to establish a work requirement for certain Medicaid enrollees. It took just four months, and the new requirement got 18,000 people kicked off Medicaid. Where do you think those people go? You think they don’t have any health care needs? You don’t think they go to the hospital and cost us all a bunch load more money?” she continued.
    “So I ask my colleagues to make sure that we are fighting these cuts to Medicaid. Our communities are demanding it. They are watching.”
    Video of her speech is available HERE and a full transcript is HERE.
    On Sunday, the Republican leadership of the U.S. House of Representatives released a draft proposal to cut $912 billion from the Energy and Commerce Committee budget — the committee that oversees Medicaid, the federal program that insures many low-income adults and children, pregnant people, seniors, and people with disabilities. Their proposal would institute new co-pays and onerous work requirements, ultimately blocking access to health care for the people who need it most.
    Medicaid, also known as Apple Health in Washington state, covers 1.9 million Washingtonians. On May 2, Sen. Cantwell released a snapshot report highlighting the impact that Medicaid cuts would have on Washington state’s highly-ranked long-term care system for seniors and people with disabilities. In February, she additionally released a snapshot report that demonstrated how cuts would harm health care access in Washington state, and followed up with a report in March that dove into impacts on the Puget Sound region.
    Highlights of those snapshot reports include:
    In Washington state, WA-04 (Central Washington) and WA-05 (Eastern Washington) have the highest proportions of adults and total population on Medicaid (Apple Health). In District 4, 70% of children are on Medicaid.
    In the Puget Sound, children in Seattle’s blue-collar strongholds would feel the deepest pain from Medicaid cuts. More than half of children in Burien, SeaTac, Kent, Federal Way, Auburn, Renton, and Rainier Valley depend on Medicaid.
    In an exclusive new survey of 68 WA nursing homes, 67 of 68 would cut services if Medicaid were cut by 5% or more, and 65% would consider closing.
    Over the past two months, Sen. Cantwell also took a tour around the state to hear from folks who would be directly impacted by cuts to Medicare. Doctors, patients, and health care providers in Seattle, Spokane, the Tri-Cities, and Wenatchee warned that such cuts would devastate Washington state’s health care system and limit access to lifesaving care.
    Last week, a coalition of Washington state hospital leaders and Republican elected officials sent a letter opposing any cuts to Medicaid. The group included the CEOs of Skyline Health and Klickitat Valley Hospital, as well as multiple Republican members of the Washington state legislature, leaders of Klickitat County, and councilmembers of White Salmon and Goldendale. The letter emphasized that hospitals in rural areas are especially reliant on Medicaid, and any funding reductions would result in loss of services or even hospital closures. The letter warned, “Any reduction in funding from any source will undoubtedly result in a reduction of services, reduction of access or worse – hospital closures,” and further that “Policy decisions that put a community’s access to healthcare in jeopardy are a sure way to hasten the demise of rural Washington State.”  

    MIL OSI USA News –