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Category: Science

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: On PM’s call Ayush Labs Open Doors: Young Minds Step into the World of Science & Innovation under the ‘One Day as a Scientist’ initiative

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 01 MAR 2025 1:31PM by PIB Delhi

    In response to the call made by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi during his Mann Ki Baat address, institutions under the Ministry of Ayush have actively engaged young students in the ‘One Day as a Scientist’ initiative. The program has provided aspiring minds with an immersive experience in scientific research, offering them firsthand exposure to laboratory work, advanced equipment, and the integration of traditional medicine with modern scientific advancements.

    Prime Minister, addressing the nation via his monthly radio programme, encouraged students to visit research laboratories, planetaria, space centres, and science institutions to nurture their curiosity and foster a scientific temperament. Inspired by this vision, Ayush institutions welcomed students to their research facilities, allowing them to interact with scientists, explore cutting-edge technology, and understand the vast potential of Ayush systems in mainstream healthcare.

    As part of the initiative, students from Amity University, Jaipur, visited the National Institute of Ayurveda (Deemed to be University), Jaipur, on February 19, 2025. Under the guidance of Prof. C.R. Yadav (Dean Research & HOD), Dr. Mahendra Prasad, Dr. Sarika Yadav, Dr. Bhanu Pratap Singh, and Dr. Rashmi Prakash Gurao, the students explored the Kriya Sharir department’s advanced equipment and machinery, with a special focus on the respiratory system. They had the opportunity to witness the working of state-of-the-art devices like the Body Plethysmograph, CPET, and the 3D VR lab. The students expressed keen interest in the innovative technology, recognising its potential in advancing healthcare research.

    Similarly, on February 28, 2025, students of Dr. Gururaju Government Homeopathy Medical College, Gudivada, visited the research laboratory of Regional Research Institute (H), Gudivada, under the Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy (CCRH), in celebration of National Science Day. The laboratory staff provided students with a detailed demonstration of laboratory equipment and research methodologies used in homoeopathy. The session was presided over by Dr. Kishan Banoth, AD(H) Incharge, RRI(H), Gudivada, who emphasised the importance of scientific inquiry in traditional medicine.

    Students from Captain Jailal Academic School, Lohat, Gurugram, Badli, Jhajjar, Haryana, visited the Central Research Institute for Yoga & Naturopathy (CRIYN), Jhajjar, for an insightful and immersive experience in Ayush research. The visit provided young minds with a unique opportunity to explore the scientific principles behind yoga and naturopathy, interact with researchers, and witness firsthand how traditional healing practices are being studied through modern scientific methodologies.

     

    The theme for National Science Day 2025, ‘Empowering Indian Youth for Global Leadership in Science and Innovation for Viksit Bharat’, perfectly aligns with the spirit of this initiative. These visits not only ignited the students’ passion for research but also strengthened India’s vision of developing future leaders in science and innovation.

    Students who participated in these visits expressed excitement and appreciation for the opportunity. Many were inspired by the dedication of scientists and researchers working in the Ayush sector and expressed a desire to explore careers in traditional medicine research. Faculty members and institutional representatives also lauded the initiative, noting how such interactions provide students with a deeper understanding of scientific processes and career pathways in healthcare and innovation.

    By facilitating these visits, the Ministry of Ayush has reinforced its commitment to fostering scientific temperament and curiosity among young minds. Encouraged by the positive response, the Ministry looks forward to expanding similar initiatives, bridging the gap between traditional knowledge and modern scientific exploration.

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    (Release ID: 2107207) Visitor Counter : 36

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Towards a Fit and Healthy India: Combating Obesity Through Collective Action

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Posted On: 01 MAR 2025 10:41AM by PIB Delhi

    “By making small changes in our food habits, we can make our future stronger, fitter and disease-free.”

    • Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi

     

    Introduction

    Obesity has become a major public health challenge in India, affecting people across all age groups and increasing the risk of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes, heart disease, and hypertension. Driven by unhealthy diets, sedentary lifestyles, and environmental factors, obesity is rising at an alarming rate, impacting both urban and rural populations. The shift towards processed foods, reduced physical activity, and lifestyle changes has further contributed to this growing crisis.

     

    Recognizing the urgency of this issue, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his recent Mann Ki Baat address, emphasized the need for nationwide awareness and collective action to reduce obesity, particularly through lower edible oil consumption. He nominated prominent individuals across India to lead an awareness movement. This call for collective action highlights the importance of tackling obesity at both individual and community levels, reinforcing the need for a fitter and healthier India. The Government of India has launched several initiatives, including the Fit India Movement, NP-NCD, POSHAN Abhiyaan, Eat Right India, and Khelo India, to promote healthier lifestyles, better nutrition, and physical activity. These programs aim to encourage long-term behavioural change, ensuring a healthier future for all. As India moves towards Amrit Kaal, a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach is being adopted to tackle obesity through policy reforms, community engagement, and regulatory measures. Strengthening public health systems, promoting sustainable food habits, and increasing awareness are key to reversing this trend and safeguarding future generations from obesity-related health risks.

    Understanding Obesity: Definition and Causes

    What is Obesity?

    According to the World Health Organization (WHO), obesity is defined as an abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that presents a risk to health. The commonly used metric to classify obesity is Body Mass Index (BMI), where a BMI of 25 or above is considered overweight, and a BMI of 30 or above is classified as obese. In India, a person is considered overweight if their Body Mass Index (BMI) is between 23.0 and 24.9 kg/m², and obese if their BMI is 25 kg/m² or higher. Morbid obesity occurs when a person’s BMI is 35 or more.

    What is BMI?

    Body Mass Index (BMI), previously known as the Quetelet index, is a simple way to check if an adult has a healthy weight. It is calculated by dividing a person’s weight in kilograms by their height in meters squared (kg/m²). To find BMI, take a person’s weight (kg) and divide it by their height (m) squared.

    Healthy BMI Range
    A normal BMI falls between 18.5 and 24.9, based on the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines.

    Global Statistics

    The prevalence of overweight and obesity has been rising steadily among both adults and children worldwide. Between 1990 and 2022, the percentage of children and adolescents (aged 5–19 years) with obesity increased fourfold, from 2% to 8%. During the same period, the proportion of adults (aged 18 and older) with obesity more than doubled, rising from 7% to 16%.

    India’s Obesity Statistics

    • As per the National Family Health Survey (NFHS)-5 (2019-21), overall, 24% of Indian women and 23% of Indian men are overweight or obese
    • As per the NFHS-5, (2019-2021) in the category of ages 15-49 years, 6.4 % of women and 4.0 % of men, are obese.
    • There has also been an increase in the percentage of children under 5 years who are overweight (weight-for-height) from 2.1 percent in NFHS-4 (2015-16) to 3.4 percent in NFHS-5 (2019-21) at All-India level.

    Key Factors Driving the Rise of Obesity in India

    Government of India’s Strategic Framework for Obesity Prevention

    Policy Innovations and Measurable Outcomes

     

    Recognizing obesity as a critical public health concern, the Government of India has launched comprehensive, multi-pronged initiatives to prevent, manage, and reduce obesity at all levels. The interventions are strategically designed by multiple ministries to promote a holistic approach that integrates health, nutrition, physical activity, food safety, and lifestyle modifications. These efforts can be categorized under the following key intervention areas:

     

    1. Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) – Strengthening Public Health Responses

    1.1 National Programme for Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (NP-NCD) 

    In India, non-communicable diseases (NCDs) cause 63% of all deaths, according to WHO’s 2018 – NCD India profile. The leading causes are cardiovascular diseases (27%), followed by chronic respiratory diseases (11%), cancers (9%), diabetes (3%), and other conditions, including obesity (13%).

    Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as cardiovascular diseases, cancers, diabetes, and chronic respiratory diseases are largely driven by modifiable lifestyle factors, including tobacco use, unhealthy diets, physical inactivity, and alcohol consumption. Air pollution further increases the risk. These factors contribute to obesity, high blood pressure, elevated blood sugar, and raised cholesterol levels, all of which significantly increase the likelihood of developing NCDs. Since many of these risk factors are preventable, addressing obesity and unhealthy habits can play a crucial role in reducing the burden of NCDs.

    The Department of Health and Family Welfare under the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) (NP-NCD) through the National Health Mission (NHM), aims to promote health through behaviour change by engaging communities, civil society, media, and development partners. It focuses on screening, early diagnosis, management, referral, and follow-up at all healthcare levels to ensure continuous care. The program also strengthens the capacity of healthcare providers for prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, awareness (IEC/BCC), monitoring, and research. Additionally, it enhances supply chain management for essential drugs, equipment, and logistics while ensuring effective supervision, evaluation, and nationwide implementation through a uniform ICT system.

    Mortality due to Non Communicable Diseases in India

    Key Components

    • Facilities Established Under NPCDCS – 682 District NCD Clinics, 191 District Cardiac Care Units, 5,408 CHC NCD Clinics. 
    • Preventive Care & Awareness – Implemented through Ayushman Bharat HWCs with wellness activities & community outreach.

    2. Ministry of AYUSH: Promoting Traditional & Holistic Wellness Practices

    The Ministry of Ayush has implemented several initiatives to address obesity and promote effective weight management through Ayurveda:

     

    1. Specialized Ayurvedic Care: The All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA) in New Delhi offers specialized treatments for obesity and related lifestyle disorders. These treatments combine Panchakarma therapies, Ayurvedic medications, personalized dietary guidelines, and yoga therapy. To date, approximately 45,000 patients with diabetes and metabolic disorders have benefited from these services.

     

    1. Research and Evidence Generation: The Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS) conducts research to validate the safety and efficacy of Ayurvedic interventions for lifestyle disorders, including obesity. Studies have demonstrated that practices such as Dincharya (daily regimen), Ritucharya (seasonal regimen), Ahara (dietary guidelines), and Yoga are effective in maintaining overall health and preventing conditions like obesity.
    2. Ayurswasthya Yojana: This Central Sector Scheme, operational since FY 2021-22, includes the ‘Ayush and Public Health’ component aimed at promoting AYUSH interventions in community healthcare. The scheme supports projects focused on managing lifestyle disorders and non-communicable diseases (NCDs), with 11 projects currently addressing issues such as obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and osteoporosis.
    3. Collaborative Research Efforts: The Ministry has partnered with the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) to enhance scientific research in Ayurveda. This collaboration focuses on developing and implementing research programs that integrate traditional Ayurvedic knowledge with modern science, particularly in managing lifestyle disorders like obesity.

    Through these comprehensive measures, the Ministry of Ayush is actively contributing to the prevention and management of obesity, promoting a holistic approach to health and well-being.

     

    3. Ministry of Women and Child Development:

    POSHAN Abhiyaan : Preventing Childhood Obesity

     

    POSHAN Abhiyaan, launched on 8th March 2018, is the Government of India’s flagship initiative for holistic nourishment. It aims to improve nutritional outcomes for children, adolescent girls, pregnant women, and lactating mothers by fostering a convergent ecosystem that enhances nutrition content, delivery, and awareness to combat malnutrition and promote overall wellness.

     

     

    Key Components of POSHAN Abhiyaan & Poshan 2.0

     

    POSHAN Abhiyaan adopts a holistic approach to tackle malnutrition through technology-driven monitoring, multi-ministerial collaboration, and community engagement under the Jan Andolan Movement. It promotes Poshan Vatikas (Nutri-Gardens) for homegrown nutrition, strengthens Anganwadi services and adolescent health under Mission Saksham Anganwadi & Poshan 2.0 (2021), and integrates AYUSH-based wellness practices. The program emphasizes maternal and child nutrition, dietary diversity, and food fortification, encouraging millet consumption and nutrient-rich diets to combat anemia and deficiencies.

     

    4. Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports: Fostering a Culture of Physical Fitness

    4.1 Fit India Movement: A Mass Fitness Revolution 

    • Launched by PM Narendra Modi in 2019, the Fit India Movement promotes active lifestyles and encourages individuals to incorporate fitness into daily routines.
    • Key Components:
      • Fit India School Certification for schools incorporating physical activity in their curriculum.
      • Fit India Sundays on Cycle initiative promoting cycling and walking in urban spaces 

    Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, inaugurated the ‘Fit India Cycling Drive’

    • Community-led fitness programs such as mass yoga sessions, running clubs, and workplace fitness challenges.

    4.2 Khelo India Programme: Building an Active Generation

    The Khelo India – National Programme for Development of Sports was launched in 2016-17 to promote sports participation at all levels, from schools to elite competitions, by fostering a culture of athletic excellence across the country. It focuses on providing top-notch training and world-class infrastructure to young athletes, ensuring they receive the necessary resources to excel in their respective sports. The scheme ensures equal sports opportunities across rural and urban India.

     

    Major Achievements:

    5. Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI): Regulating Food for Public Health

    5.1 Eat Right India Movement (FSSAI): Reforming Food Choices for a Healthier Future 

    The Eat Right India movement, initiated by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), encompasses several key initiatives aimed at ensuring safe, healthy, and sustainable food for all. Below are the primary initiatives:

    Key Initiatives of Eat Right India

     

    Supply-Side Initiatives:

    • Food Safety Training and Certification (FoSTaC): The Food Safety Training and Certification (FoSTaC) certificate is issued by FSSAI, certifying food safety supervisors in every food business.
    • Certification Programs: Ensures hygiene in street food hubs, markets, stations, and places of worship.
    • Hygiene Rating: Rates restaurants, catering services, sweet shops, and meat vendors on hygiene standards.

     

    Demand-Side Initiatives:

    • Consumer Awareness: Promotes food safety through Eat Right Campus & Eat Right School programs.
    • Adulteration Detection: Provides DART Book & Magic Box for home and school food testing.

     

    Food Safety DART Book – The Detect Adulteration with Rapid Test (DART) booklet provides over 50 easy household tests to detect food adulteration using simple solutions. Freely downloadable for public awareness, it cannot be used for commercial purposes or imply FSSAI endorsement.

     

    Food Safety Magic Box – FSSAI’s Food Safety Magic Box-Companion Book is a learning tool for schools, teachers, and parents, featuring 102 simple tests to detect food adulterants, along with a companion guidebook.

     

             FOOD SAFETY-MAGIC BOX                                    FOOD SAFETY – DART BOOK

     

    • Mobile Testing: Deploys Food Safety on Wheels for remote-area testing & training.
    • Food Fortification: Promotes fortified staples to tackle micronutrient deficiencies.

    The Food Safety & Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) plays a pivotal role in guiding public dietary choices and regulating food safety standards to combat obesity and lifestyle-related diseases.

    5.2 Nationwide Awareness Campaign – ‘Aaj Se Thoda Kam’
    To encourage healthier eating habits, FSSAI launched the ‘Aaj Se Thoda Kam’ campaign, urging consumers to gradually reduce their intake of fat, sugar, and salt. This multimedia campaign includes:

    • Short educational videos with subtitles in 12 languages to reach a diverse audience.
      1. Flyers, banners, and audio clips reinforcing the message of mindful eating.
      2. A dedicated ‘Eat Right India’ website, offering valuable resources for making informed dietary changes.

     

     

    5.3 Regulating High Fat, Salt, and Sugar (HFSS) Foods
    FSSAI, in collaboration with the ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition (NIN), has recommended mandatory labeling of High Fat, Salt, and Sugar (HFSS) foods. This initiative aims to:

    1. Ensure clear front-of-pack labeling on ready-to-eat foods.
    2. Help consumers make informed choices and moderate their intake of unhealthy foods.

    5.4 Multi-Platform Public Awareness Initiatives
    The Government, with FSSAI’s leadership, has been actively spreading awareness through:

    a. Print, electronic, and social media campaigns educating the public on healthier food choices.

    b. Integration with the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases, and Stroke (NPCDCS), which supports state-level awareness activities on obesity prevention and healthy living.

    5.5 RUCO Initiative

    FSSAI’s RUCO (Repurpose Used Cooking Oil) initiative ensures that used cooking oil is not re-entered into the food chain but is safely repurposed. When oil is repeatedly used for frying, harmful Total Polar Compounds (TPC) form, increasing the risk of diseases like hypertension, atherosclerosis, and liver disorders. To protect public health, FSSAI has set a 25% TPC limit beyond which oil must not be used. Under the EEE Strategy (Education, Enforcement, Ecosystem), used cooking oil is collected by aggregators from food businesses and redirected for biodiesel or soap production, promoting health, energy security, and environmental sustainability.  

    Conclusion

     

    Obesity is a pressing public health challenge in India, but the nation is actively addressing it through a comprehensive, multi-sectoral approach. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Government of India has launched strategic interventions integrating health, nutrition, fitness, and regulatory measures. Initiatives such as the Fit India Movement, NP-NCD, POSHAN Abhiyaan, Eat Right India, and Khelo India are fostering a culture of health consciousness, preventive care, and active living. As India moves towards Amrit Kaal, the vision of a Fit and Healthy India is becoming a reality. With sustained commitment, cross-sector collaboration, and active citizen participation, the country is well-positioned to reverse obesity trends and safeguard future generations. By prioritizing awareness, lifestyle changes, and policy-driven action, India can set a global example in tackling obesity—building a nation that thrives on wellness, vitality, and holistic well-being.

     

    References

    · https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetailm.aspx?PRID=2105618&reg=3&lang=1

    · https://www.who.int/health-topics/obesity#tab=tab_1

    · https://www.who.int/europe/news-room/fact-sheets/item/a-healthy-lifestyle—who-recommendations#:~:text=Note.,osteoarthritis%2C%20some%20cancers%20and%20diabetes.

    · https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1823047

    · https://sansad.in/getFile/loksabhaquestions/annex/1712/AU3780.pdf?source=pqals – LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3780

    · https://ncdc.mohfw.gov.in/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Obesity-English.pdf

    · https://mohfw.gov.in/sites/default/files/NP-NCD%20Operational%20Guidelines_0.pdf

    · https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1812388

    · https://sansad.in/getFile/annex/267/AU168_aJuwFy.pdf?source=pqars – RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 168

    · https://x.com/moayush/status/1771778688310210809/photo/1

    · https://www.mygov.in/campaigns/poshan-abhiyaan-2024/

    · https://x.com/PIBWCD/status/1702599507563946219

    · https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1910409

    · https://fitindia.gov.in/

    · https://fitindia.gov.in/fit-india-school-registration

    · https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2105644

    · https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=2085581

    · https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2078544

    · https://x.com/kheloindia/header_photo

    · https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1740750

    · https://eatrightindia.gov.in/eri-initiatives.jsp

    · https://foodsafetystandard.in/eat-right-india/

    · https://eatrightindia.gov.in/eri-initiatives.jsp

    · https://foodsafetystandard.in/eat-right-india/

    · https://www.fssai.gov.in/book-details.php?bkid=363

    · https://www.fssai.gov.in/book-details.php?bkid=346

    · https://eatrightindia.gov.in/eatrightschool/assets/resource/file/fs_magicbox.pdf

    · https://eatrightindia.gov.in/EatRightIndia/images/gallery/books/aaj_se_thoda_kam.jpg

    · https://westregion.fssai.gov.in/RUCO.php

    · https://eatrightindia.gov.in/ruco/

    Click here to download PDF

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    Santosh Kumar/ Ritu Kataria / Vatsla Srivastava

    (Release ID: 2107179) Visitor Counter : 96

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: English rendering of PM’s speech at ‘Jahan-e-Khusro 2025’ programme in Delhi

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 28 FEB 2025 10:10PM by PIB Delhi

    Dr. Karan Singh Ji, Muzaffar Ali Ji, Meera Ali Ji, other dignitaries, ladies and gentlemen present in the programme! 

    It is very natural to be happy after coming to Jahan-e-Khusrau today. The spring that Hazrat Amir Khusrau was crazy about, that spring is not only present in the season here in Delhi today, but is also present in the atmosphere of Jahan-e- Khusrau. In the words of Hazrat Khusrau-

    (Mustard is blooming in the entire forest, Mango tree is blooming, Tesu is blooming, cuckoo is singing from branch to branch…)

    The atmosphere here is indeed something like this. Before coming to the gathering, I had the opportunity to visit the market (Tah Bazaar). After that, I also exchanged greetings with some friends in Bagh-e-Firdaus. Now, Nazar-e-Krishna and the various events that took place, amidst the inconveniences the mike has its own strength for the artist, but even after that, whatever they tried to present with the help of nature, they too might have been a little disappointed. Those who had come to enjoy this event may have been disappointed. But sometimes such occasions leave us with a lesson in life. I believe that today’s occasion will also leave us with a lesson.

    Friends, 

    Such occasions are important for the country’s art and culture, they also provide solace. This series of Jahan-e- Khusrau is completing 25 years. The fact that this event has made a place in the minds of people in these 25 years is in itself its biggest success. I congratulate Dr. Karan Singh Ji, my friend Muzaffar Ali Ji, sister Meera Ali Ji and other associates for this. I wish the Rumi Foundation and all of you the very best of luck for this bouquet of Jahan-e-Khusrau to keep blooming like this. The holy month of Ramadan is also about to begin. I wish Ramadan Mubarak to all of you and all the countrymen. Today I have come to Sunder Nursery, so it is quite natural for me to remember His Highness Prince Karim Aga Khan. His contribution in decorating and beautifying Sunder Nursery has become a boon for millions of art lovers.

    Friends, 

    Sarkhej Roza has been a major center of Sufi tradition in Gujarat. At one point of time, its condition had deteriorated due to the blows of time. When I was the Chief Minister, a lot of work was done on its restoration and very few people would know that there was a time when Krishna Utsav was celebrated with great pomp and show in Sarkhej Roza and it was made in large quantities and even today we were all immersed in the colour of Krishna devotion here. I also used to participate in the annual Sufi music programme held in Sarkhej Roza on an average. Sufi music is a shared heritage that we all have lived together. We all have grown up like this. Now the presentation of Nazar-e-Krishna here also reflects our shared heritage.

    Friends, 

    There is a different fragrance in this event of Jahan-e-Khusrau. This fragrance is of the soil of Hindustan. That Hindustan which Hazrat Amir Khusrau compared to heaven. Our Hindustan is that garden of heaven, where every colour of culture has flourished. There is something special in the nature of the soil here. Perhaps that is why when the Sufi tradition came to India, it also felt as if it had become connected with its own land. Here, the spiritual talks of Baba Farid gave peace to the hearts. The gatherings of Hazrat Nizamuddin lit the lamps of love. The words of Hazrat Amir Khusrau strung new pearls and the result that came out was expressed in these famous lines of Hazrat Khusrau.

    (The birds of the forest have gone mad, Sanware played such a beautiful flute, the tune of each string is unique, All the branches of the forest are dancing.)

    The Sufi tradition created a distinct identity for itself in India. Sufi saints did not limit themselves to mosques or khanqahs, they read the letters of the Holy Quran and also listened to the Vedas. They added the sweetness of devotional songs to the sound of the Azan and hence what the Upanishads called एकं सत् विप्रा बहुधा वदन्ति (Ekam Sat Vipra Bahudha Vadanti) in Sanskrit, Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya said the same thing by singing Sufi songs like हर कौम रास्त राहे, दीने व किब्‍ला गाहे (Har Qaum Raast Rahe, Deen-e-Kibla Gahe). Different language, style and words but the message is the same. I am happy that today Jahan-e-Khusrau has become a modern identity of the same tradition.

    Friends, 

    The civilization and culture of any country gets its voice from its songs and music. It gets its expression through art. Hazrat Khusrau used to say that there is a hypnotism in this music of India, such a hypnotism that the deer in the forest used to forget the fear of their life and become still. Sufi music came as a different flow in this ocean of Indian music and it became a beautiful wave of the ocean. When those ancient streams of Sufi music and classical music joined each other, we got to hear a new sound of love and devotion. This is what we found in Hazrat Khusrau’s Qawwali. This is where we found Baba Farid’s couplets. Bulleh Shah’s voice, Mir’s songs, here we found Kabir, Rahim and Raskhan. These saints and Aulias gave a new dimension to devotion. Whether you read Surdas or Rahim and Raskhan or you listen to Hazrat Khusrau with your eyes closed, when you go deep, you reach the same place. This place is the height of spiritual love where human restrictions are broken and the union of man and God is felt. You see, our Raskhan was a Muslim, but he was a Hari devotee. Raskhan also says- प्रेम हरी को रूप है, त्यों हरि प्रेम स्वरूप। एक होई द्वै यों लसैं, ज्यौं सूरज अरु धूप॥ That is, both love and Hari are the same form, like the sun and the sunshine and Hazrat Khusrau also had this feeling. He had written खुसरो दरिया प्रेम का, सो उलटी वा की धार। जो उतरा सो डूब गया, जो डूबा सो पार।। That is, only by immersing in love, the barriers of discrimination are crossed. We have also felt the same in the grand presentation that took place here.

    Friends, 

    The Sufi tradition has not only bridged the spiritual distances between humans, but has also reduced the distances in the world. I remember when I went to the Parliament of Afghanistan in 2015, I remembered Rumi there in very emotional words. Eight centuries ago, Rumi was born in the Balkh province there. I would definitely like to repeat a Hindi translation of Rumi’s writings here because these words are equally relevant even today. Rumi had said, give importance to words, not to voice, because flowers are born in rain, not in storm. I remember one more thing of his, if I say it in local words, it means, I am neither from the east nor from the west, neither I came from the sea nor I came from the land, there is no place for me, there is none, I do not belong to any place, that is, I am everywhere. This thought, this philosophy is not different from our spirit of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam. These thoughts give me strength when I represent India in different countries of the world. I remember, when I went to Iran, during the joint press conference I recited a couplet of Mirza Ghalib there

    That is, when we wake up, we see the distance between Kashi and Kashan is only half a step. Indeed, in today’s world, where war is causing such a great loss to humanity, this message can be very useful.

    Friends, 

    Hazrat Amir Khusrau is called ‘Tuti-e-Hind’. The songs he sang in praise of India, in love for India, the description of the greatness and charm of Hindustan is found in his book Nuh-Sipihr. Hazrat Khusrau described India as greater than all the big countries of the world of that time. He called Sanskrit the best language in the world. He considered the sages of India to be greater than the great scholars. How did the knowledge of zero, mathematics, science and philosophy in India reach the rest of the world? How did Indian mathematics reach Arabia and became known as Hindsa there? Hazrat Khusrau not only mentions it in his books, but is also proud of it. If we are familiar with our past today when so much was destroyed during the long period of slavery, then the writings of Hazrat Khusrau have a big role in it.

    Friends, 

    We have to keep enriching this heritage. I am satisfied that the efforts like Jahan-e-Khusrau are fulfilling this responsibility very well and doing this work continuously for 25 years is not a small feat. I congratulate my friend very much. I once again congratulate all of you for organising this event. Despite some difficulties, I got some opportunity to enjoy this function, for this I express my heartfelt gratitude to my friend. Thank you very much! Thank you very much!

    DISCLAIMER: This is the approximate translation of PM’s speech. Original speech was delivered

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Cyclone Alfred is expected to hit southeast Queensland – the first in 50 years to strike so far south

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Steve Turton, Adjunct Professor of Environmental Geography, CQUniversity Australia

    If you’re in southeast Queensland, brace yourself.

    Tropical Cyclone Alfred is expected to cross the southeast Queensland coast late this Thursday as a Category 2 storm. The last tropical cyclone to make landfall in the region was ex-Tropical Cyclone Zoe in 1974, half a century ago.

    Category 2 cyclones produce winds at levels considered damaging at best, destructive at worst – typically gusting as high as 164 kilometres per hour. It can cause minor damage to houses and significant damage to signs, trees and caravans. Power failures are common, while small boats can break moorings. Significant beach erosion is likely on the Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast.

    Cyclone Alfred formed nine days ago in the Coral Sea, 900 kilometres north east of Cairns, then headed out to sea. Then it tracked south, reaching severe Category 4 status east of Mackay. In recent days, the storm weakened further as it meandered into the cooler waters of the southern Coral Sea. The cyclone seemed set to peter out, far offshore.

    No longer. The latest forecasts show the storm sharply changing direction and making a beeline for heavily populated areas of southeast Queensland.

    Its erratic path is not unexpected. Cyclones forming over the Coral Sea have the most unpredictable paths in the world, frustrating coastal Queensland residents, fishers, tourist operators and meteorologists themselves.

    Alfred is a typically unpredictable Coral Sea cyclone. But unusually, it has maintained its cyclonic structure and intensity much further south, into subtropical latitudes.

    Issued Monday March 3rd, this map shows the forecast path of Cyclone Alfred this week.
    Bureau of Meteorology, CC BY-NC-ND

    Cyclones, typhoons and hurricanes explained

    Cyclones, hurricanes and typhoons are different names for the same intense, horizontally rotating tropical storms. They occur in seven tropical ocean basins, above and below the equator.

    These storms need atmospheric heat. They only form over seas warmer than 27°C, where evaporation rates are high. They don’t occur in the cooler South Atlantic basin, and only rarely in the southeast Pacific, during strong El Niño events when sea surface temperatures are warmer.

    The northwest Pacific – off eastern Asia and the Philippines – experiences the most frequent and intense tropical storms (known there as typhoons).

    Australia averages about 13 cyclones a year. Most won’t make landfall and only a few are severe. The world’s hardest hit nation is China, where six cyclones make landfall annually.

    This map shows the aggregated paths of the world’s tropical cyclone over the 150 years to 2006. Note: this map uses the Saffir-Simpson scale in measuring wind speeds, which differs slightly to the Australian scale.
    NASA, CC BY-NC-ND

    In the north Pacific and north Atlantic, cyclones typically follow predictable tracks. They move westwards, steered by sub-tropical high pressure sytems to their north.

    Cyclone paths are also fairly predictable off the northwest coast of Australia. They typically form over the Timor Sea and drift southwest before shifting south and crossing the coast. Some are severe, as we saw with Category 5 Cyclone Zelia last month.

    By contrast, Coral Sea cyclones such as Alfred are much harder to predict.

    In the southern hemisphere, cyclones spin clockwise. This figure shows how cyclones form around a low pressure system over warm seawater. Depending on their intensity, tropical cyclones are steered by dominant winds in the lower, middle and upper layers of the atmosphere.
    Metservice New Zealand, CC BY-NC-ND

    How cyclones are steered

    Strong winds are the main force steering cyclones, determining direction and forward speed.

    Severe tropical cyclones (categories 3–5) are characterised by deep convection currents, which form the famous eye at the centre of the storm, as well as feeder rainbands converging into their centre. Severe systems are generally steered by winds in the middle to upper levels.

    By contrast, weaker cyclones (categories 1–2) are much shallower and often have little or no convection around their centre. They tend to be steered by winds in the lower to middle levels. At present, Cyclone Alfred looks to remain relatively weak.

    Wind speed and direction can differ markedly in different levels of the atmosphere. Winds can also change direction at the same level. These competing influences are what lies behind the erratic paths of our cyclones.

    Cyclones forming in the Coral Sea are more likely to be pushed in different directions by different winds and weather systems than their equivalents in other ocean basins. This is what makes them so hard to predict.

    In our region, cyclones are largely steered by two high pressure systems.

    The first pushes cyclones east, and the second steers them west. If both are present and roughly equal in strength, they can hold a cyclone near-stationary. We saw this with Cyclone Alfred for most of the last week.

    Slow-moving tropical cyclones such as Alfred are more likely to wander, while faster-moving cyclones such as Severe Cyclone Yasi follow a stronger steering pattern and more predictable paths.

    Quite often, cyclones travel south and east out to sea. There, they quietly die in a large area of ocean colloquially known as the cyclone graveyard, southeast of Brisbane. These cyclones are steered by different weather systems – upper troughs, cold masses of air from the Southern Ocean.

    Cyclone Alfred was initially steered east by a near equatorial ridge to its northeast, then became stuck between this high pressure ridge and a sub-tropical ridge to its southwest. This is why it meandered very slowly south and built up strength to become severe.

    An upper trough then pushed it southeast over the weekend. This week, it’s likely to turn sharply westward towards land, propelled by a high pressure ridge to the south.

    Landfall – but where?

    After meandering around the Coral Sea for more than a week, Cyclone Alfred’s forecast track now seems more certain.

    The system is expected to intensify from a Category 1 to 2 tomorrow as it moves over warmer waters and draws in more moisture-laden air. This should see it maintain near Category 2 status until landfall. After it hits, it should rapidly weaken to a tropical low over southern Queensland into the weekend.

    Alfred will bring a lot of rain, making flooded rivers and flash flooding likely. The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a flood watch for catchments all the way from Maryborough to the Northern Rivers area of New South Wales. These communities should prepare now.

    Cyclone Alfred has a large area of gales, so will affect a wide swathe of coastline from K’gari (Fraser Island) to Byron Bay. Storm-force winds will cover a 100km wide area, mostly concentrated on its southern flank as it approaches and crosses the coast.

    In the longer term, Alfred’s remnants will likely be captured by an approaching upper trough and taken back offshore, where it will die in the cyclone graveyard – gone, but not likely to be forgotten.

    Steve Turton has previously received funding from the Australian Government.

    – ref. Cyclone Alfred is expected to hit southeast Queensland – the first in 50 years to strike so far south – https://theconversation.com/cyclone-alfred-is-expected-to-hit-southeast-queensland-the-first-in-50-years-to-strike-so-far-south-251241

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Grants to fuel future STEM pathways

    Source: Government of Queensland

    Issued: 3 Mar 2025

    • Recipients will share in almost $500,000 for science activities.
    • STEM-based events and activities to increase participation in science and encourage people to enter STEM career pathways.

    From the coast to the city, the future generation of science superstars are set to benefit from a range of engaging science activities throughout Queensland.

    The Queensland Government has committed almost $500,000 to encourage students to a consider a STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) career and encourage communities to engage with science.

    Grants of up to $20,000 have been awarded to 28 recipients through the Engaging Science Grants program, with community science-based festivals and tailored education programs for groups traditionally under-represented in science among the projects.

    The broad range of events and activities encourage engagement between scientists and the community, playing a vital role in building science literacy.

    Queensland Chief Scientist Professor Kerrie Wilson said the Engaging Science Grants program is a great opportunity for students and communities to connect with scientists.

    “Engaging in science activities and events is essential to inspire the future generation of scientists so our workforce is well-equipped to ensure our economy thrives.

    “I am particularly excited by those projects that introduce the wonders of science to groups that are generally under-represented in STEM such as the #STEMLIKEAPATSGIRL project which aims to empower and engage North Queensland girls in STEM, with hands-on activities that encourage them to envision their futures in the field.

    “Our commitment to building Queensland’s science ecosystem under the Future Queensland Science Strategy also includes a focus on empowering community awareness and engagement in science.

    “Whether you’re a student exploring future pathways, an aspiring scientist, or simply curious about how the world works, I encourage everyone to take part in some of these events and activities.”

    View more information about the 2025 recipients from the Engaging Science Grants program.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Call for nominations for ASEAN Prize 2025 opens

    Source: ASEAN

    JAKARTA, 3 March 2025 – ASEAN officially announces the call for nominations for the ASEAN Prize 2025, today. Recognised as the region’s premier award, the ASEAN Prize honours outstanding individuals and organisations across ASEAN for their exemplary contributions and significant accomplishments, towards fostering the building of an inclusive and outward looking ASEAN Community.
     
     
    Currently in its eighth edition, the recipient of ASEAN Prize 2025 will be presented with a prestigious trophy at the 47th ASEAN Summit under Malaysia’s Chairmanship, along with a monetary award of US$20,000, in partnership with the Temasek Foundation of Singapore.
     
     
    Eligible ASEAN individuals and organisation are invited to file the application for the ASEAN Prize Submissions must be made through the National Focal Points of the respective ASEAN Member State from 3 March to 16 May 2025. Applicants are required to submit a completed ASEAN Prize 2025 nomination form, providing comprehensive details and highlighting the nominee’s future initiatives. 
     
    Applicants are encouraged to elaborate and detail their achievements that fall under the following actions:
     
    Outstanding collaboration between ASEAN Member States (AMSs);
    Outstanding collaboration between ASEAN and the world;
    Outstanding people-to-people engagement among AMSs;
    Outstanding economic integration and promotion of standards between AMSs;
    Other outstanding contributions to ASEAN Community Building;
    Applications must be accompanied by supporting documents that substantiate the nominee’s concrete contributions and achievements for the regional development. A character reference accompanying the supporting documents highlighting the nominee’s eligibility would be valuable addition. On the important note, the ASEAN Prize will not consider self-nominations and posthumous submissions.
    The Judging Committee Meeting for ASEAN Prize, chaired by Secretary-General of ASEAN Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, will convene round of intensive assessments to select this year’s recipient. The panel of judges for ASEAN Prize 2025 comprises of both former and current Secretaries-General of ASEAN.
    Since its inauguration in 2018, a total of four individuals and three organisations have been awarded with the ASEAN Prize. Last year, the ASEAN Youth Organization (AYO), a regional youth set-up based in Indonesia, was selected as the ASEAN Prize Recipient following their influential and impactful contributions to fostering cross-cultural collaborations and promoting ASEAN identity among the region’s youth. Their determination and efforts have significantly contributed to further regional community engagement, especially among ASEAN youths, and  strengthened the building of the ASEAN Community.
     
    Under Lao PDR Chairmanship, Prime Minister of the Lao PDR Sonexay Siphandone conferred the ASEAN Prize trophy to ASEAN Youth Organization during the opening ceremony of the 44th and 45th ASEAN Summit last October in Vientiane.
     
    The ASEAN Prize serves as a testament to the region’s resolute commitment to celebrate and honor the significant efforts of the individuals and organisations who have made steadfast contributions to the development of a resilient ASEAN Community, demonstrating concrete efforts in fostering regional integration, all the while forging an inclusive and stronger ASEAN identity.
    ###

     

    Details on the nomination and eligibility for ASEAN Prize 2025
    Nomination calls start on 3 March 2025
    The nominee must be an ASEAN citizen or an ASEAN-based organisation.
    The nominee shall submit valid/verifiable documents and highlight his/her achievement and influence on ASEAN since the launch of the ASEAN Community on 31 December 2015.
    The nominee should also share future initiatives detailing how the cited work will continue after winning the Prize.
    All nominations must be submitted to the ASEAN National Focal Point by 16 May 2025 at 5 PM, GMT+7 (Jakarta time).
    Please submit nominations to your respective National Focal Point listed below. The ASEAN Prize 2025 nomination form can be downloaded from https://asean.org/nomination-form/.
     
    ASEAN Member States
    National Focal Points for the ASEAN Prize
    Brunei Darussalam
    ASEAN-Brunei Darussalam National Secretariat Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Brunei Darussalam. Email : dept.ofasean@mfa.gov.bn
    Cambodia
    General Department of ASEAN Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Email: mfaic.asean@mfaic.gov.kh
    Indonesia
    Directorate of ASEAN Social and Cultural Cooperation Ministry of Foreign Affairs Email: dit.ksba@kemlu.go.id; direktoratkfa@gmail.com
    Lao PDR
    ASEAN Political-Security Community Division Lao National ASEAN Secretariat Email: aseanlaos@gmail.com
    Malaysia
    ASEAN-Malaysia National Secretariat Email: myasean@kln.gov.my
    Myanmar
    Socio-cultural Division, ASEAN-Myanmar National Secretariat, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Email: dgasean@gmail.com; amns.mofa@gmail.com
    Philippines
    ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community Division ASEAN-Philippines National Secretariat Tel.: 8344431, 8344470; Fax: 8321667 Email: asean@dfa.gov.ph
    Singapore
    ASEAN-Singapore National Secretariat Email: Mfa_asean_singapore@mfa.gov.sg
    Thailand
    Department of ASEAN Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs ASEAN-Thailand National Secretariat Email: mfa1202@mfa.go.th
    Viet Nam
    ASEAN-Viet Nam National Secretariat Email: asean.mfa@mofa.gov.vn; asean.mfa.vn@gmail.com
     
    The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) was established on 8 August 1967 and constitutes ten Member States: Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Viet Nam. On 31 December 2015, the ASEAN Community was formally established. The ASEAN Secretariat is based in Jakarta, Indonesia.
     
    Temasek Foundation supports a diverse range of programmes that uplift lives and communities in Singapore and beyond. Temasek Foundation’s programmes, made possible through philanthropic endowments gifted by Temasek, strive towards achieving positive outcomes for individuals and communities now, and for generations to come.
    Collectively, Temasek Foundation’s programmes strengthen social resilience, foster international exchange and regional capabilities, advance science,and protect the planet. For more information, visit www.temasekfoundation.org.sg.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI China: China plays major role in global climate affairs

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    China is a critical force in the global energy transition and its involvement in international climate talks is essential, the head of the United Nations’ climate science panel said on Saturday.
    Jim Skea, chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, made the remarks ahead of the release of its findings from its 62nd plenary session, which concluded on Saturday in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province.
    Skea emphasized China’s leading role in deploying renewable energy, noting it has the world’s highest levels of solar and wind energy.
    “Without China’s participation, global efforts would be much less effective,” Skea said, highlighting the country’s importance in discussions under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement.
    The weeklong session focused on outlining reports for the IPCC’s seventh assessment cycle, covering the physical science of climate change, its impacts, adaptation, vulnerability and mitigation, as well as greenhouse gas inventories.
    The Hangzhou meeting stressed the importance of integrating climate action with economic growth and improved quality of life.
    “The idea of improving people’s well-being and quality of life is not opposed to taking climate change action. They actually go together,” Skea said.
    He praised China’s advancements in climate monitoring technologies, including early warning systems and meteorological satellites, which are crucial for tracking climate conditions, greenhouse gas emissions and socioeconomic changes, particularly in developing nations.
    Xiong Shaoyuan, deputy head of China’s delegation, said the nation will collaborate with other countries to build early warning platforms and share its experiences in meteorological services.
    Established in 1988, the IPCC provides scientific information to governments on climate change. For its current cycle, the IPCC will focus on climate change in urban areas and carbon dioxide removal technologies, including carbon capture, utilization and storage. The first meeting on urban climate change will be held from March 10 to 14 in Osaka, Japan, Skea said.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Echo of the Big Bang

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Novosibirsk State University – Novosibirsk State University –

    As part of the popular science marathon “Darwin Week”, this year the dean Faculty of Physics, Novosibirsk State University, Doctor of Physical and Mathematical Sciences Vladimir Blinov gave a lecture on how people’s ideas about the origin and structure of the Universe have changed and what role relic radiation plays in this.

    “My lecture is a story about how humanity tried to understand the structure of the world in which it lives. And I will tell you how the history of the Universe appears in the light of relic radiation,” he began his speech.

    People have been trying to understand how the Universe works and to build a model of it for quite some time. Even before our era, in ancient Alexandria, the scholar and scribe Claudius Ptolemy wrote an encyclopedia of astronomical and mathematical knowledge of the ancient Greek world, known today as the Almagest. In his picture, the center of the universe was a flat Earth, around which the Sun, planets, and fixed stars were located.

    Interestingly, at about the same time, another scientist from Alexandria, Eratosthenes, used mathematics to prove that the Earth is spherical and even calculated its approximate dimensions. True, he was wrong in his calculations by about 10%, but given the imperfection of his instruments, this was excusable. However, it was Ptolemy’s concept that became officially recognized for a long time.

    After about one and a half thousand years, Renaissance scientists finally debunked it, and through the efforts of Nicolaus Copernicus, Tycho Brahe, Johannes Kepler and Isaac Newton, the model of a heliocentric solar system and a universe based on the laws of classical mechanics was established in science.

    — This state of affairs lasted for about 300 years, and during this time, data gradually accumulated that could not be explained from the standpoint of classical Newtonian mechanics. And then Einstein appeared, who created the Special and General Theories of Relativity and, on their basis, created a model of the Universe, — Vladimir Blinov continued.

    This model no longer operated with classical mechanics, but with relativistic mechanics. And one of the first predictions of the General Theory of Relativity was the explanation of the anomalous precession of the orbit of the planet Mercury.

    And a few decades later, the American astronomer Hubble established that the Universe is expanding. Then, physicists, relying on the results obtained by Hubble, abandoned the stationary model of the Universe (from which, by the way, Einstein also proceeded) and came to the conclusion that it used to be more compact, hotter, and approximately 13.8 billion years ago its expansion began. Simply put, this is how the cosmological concept, better known as the Big Bang Theory, was born.

    By the way, the age of the Universe determines the radius of the part of the Universe visible to us due to the finiteness of the speed of light.

    — But this gives scientists a huge bonus: the further away from us the observed object is, the younger we see it. Therefore, thanks to the development of telescopes, astrophysicists and cosmologists can see and study the history of the Universe with their own eyes, rather than reconstructing it from indirect data, — Vladimir Blinov emphasized.

    He then briefly described the various stages of the history of the Universe, starting from the time when it was in a state of helium-hydrogen plasma. It was the recombination of this plasma, according to astrophysicists, that led to the appearance of individual atoms, from which stars and other structures in the Universe were later formed. The consequence of this, in particular, according to scientists’ calculations, was the emergence of radiation with a high degree of isotropy and a spectrum characteristic of an absolutely black body with a temperature of 2.73 K. Soviet astrophysicist I.S. Shklovsky designated it with the term “relict radiation”.

    At first it was a theory, but in 1965, astronomers Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson of Bell Telephone Laboratories, while investigating the effects of cosmic radiation on radar, discovered that the antenna had an excess noise temperature of 3.5 K, which they could not explain. It was only after consulting with physicists at Princeton University, who had been trying to detect the relic radiation for a year, that it became clear that this was it.

    — This became proof that the Big Bang model works, that at the age of 380 thousand years the Universe consisted of plasma with a temperature of 3000 K and this radiation is the noise of that same plasma. But further observations began to give rise to new questions, — the dean of the Physics Department emphasized.

    In particular, why is this temperature the same at different, distant points in the Universe, which could not contact each other at that time. There were other inconsistencies. They were explained using the inflationary model of the expansion of the Universe, to the creation of which Soviet physicists Andrei Starobinsky, Andrei Linde and their American colleague Alan Guth contributed.

    In its framework, the expansion of space occurred as a result of quantum fluctuations of a scalar field similar to the field proposed by Higgs, whose quantum, the Higgs boson, was discovered in 2021 at the Large Hadron Collider, and it was almost instantaneous and led to the formation of many “bubble” universes. Precise calculations showed that the sizes of these bubble universes were many orders of magnitude larger than the visible radius of our Universe. For this reason, we do not observe “walls” separating these “bubble” universes.

    — This is how the concept of the Multiverse was born, in which an infinite number of Universes with different properties were, are, and will be formed. Some of them quickly collapse, some do not. We live in one of these universes, — the speaker concluded.

    And since the number of universes is infinite, and the number of particles in them is finite, all possible scenarios of their composition and evolution are realized. Even exact copies of our Universe are possible, and perhaps somewhere at this time the same lecture is being given by Vladimir Blinov’s double.

    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 Global: The only ‘winner’ here is Putin: Ukraine unites in response to Trump-Zelenskyy spat and resigns itself to new reality

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Lena Surzhko Harned, Associate Teaching Professor of Political Science, Penn State

    A trap or a misstep? Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy sit-down with Donald Trump and JD Vance heads south. AP Photo/ Mystyslav Chernov

    “A president just disrespected America in the Oval Office. It wasn’t Zelenskyy.”

    That was the verdict of the editorial team at the Kyiv Independent, one of Ukraine’s leading media outlets, on a remarkable spat in the Oval Office that played out on Feb. 28, 2025.

    The online newspaper European Pravda characterized the “quarrel at the highest level” as a diplomatic failure, but added that it was “not yet a catastrophe.”

    Some Ukrainians I have spoken to since the fractious encounter, during which Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy was repeatedly hectored by U.S. President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance, have indeed characterized it as disastrous for the country. But for others, the incident has been calmly accepted as the new reality in U.S.-Ukraine relations.

    There have been some questions directed at Zelenskyy – did he allow himself to be baited into an an argument that could have real consequences? Should he have remained silent? But for the most part, the treatment of Ukraine’s president by Trump and Vance has produced a presumably unintended consequence: It has unified a war-weary Ukrainian people.

    As one friend who has been displaced by war from the now occupied city of Nova Kakhovka told me, there has not been this level of mobilization and patriotism in three years.

    ‘The country needs unity’

    This unity is seen in the response across Ukraine’s political divide.
    Petro Poroshenko, an often outspoken opponent of Zelenskyy and leader of the opposition party European Solidarity, said on March 1 that, to the surprise of many, he will not criticize Zelenskyy’s performance at the White House. “The country does not need criticism, the country needs unity,” he said in the video posted on X.

    Anecdotally, even those Ukrainians who did not vote for Zelenskyy have told me that events in the Oval Office made them feel more supportive of Zelenskyy.

    However, a sense of realism is sinking in over the shifting stance of the U.S. administration. Trump’s stated trust in Vladimir Putin and his conciliatory comments over Russian aggression – including a refusal to acknowledge Russian war crimes – have, for many Ukrainians, set low expectations that the White House can help achieve a quick and lasting peace. Yet, as Inna Sovsun of the opposition party Holos noted, “It was difficult to watch a president who’s been a victim of Russian aggression being attacked by the leader of the free world.”

    Setting the record straight

    The Feb. 28 meeting between the U.S. and Ukrainian leaders followed weeks of increasingly harsh Trump rhetoric toward Zelenskyy. Since being inaugurated on Jan. 20, Trump has called the Ukrainian leader a “dictator without elections,” claiming – incorrectly – that Zelenksyy had 4% approval ratings. He also indicted that the invasion by Russian troops in February 2022 was Ukraine’s fault.

    Such comments had already made Ukrainians rally around Zelenskyy, who has a healthy 63% approval rating, according to the latest polls.

    The ugly scenes in the Oval Office could see a further rallying around Zelenskyy, especially if he can successfully characterize his role in the dispute as that of defender of his people. Doing so would tap into growing popular resentment over the new U.S. administration’s apparent unwillingness to acknowledge Russian war crimes.

    Large U.S. and Ukrainian flags hang on the Kyiv River Port building on March 2, 2025 in Kyiv, Ukraine.
    Photo by Pierre Crom/Getty Images

    In the days leading up to the Zelenskyy-Trump meeting, the U.S. voted with Russia against a United Nations resolution condemning Russian aggression and opposed the wording of a draft G7 statement marking the third anniversary of the war, which depicted Russia as the aggressor.

    Letting Putin off the hook

    The angry exchanges in the Oval Office seemed to have been sparked by Zelenskyy’s objection to Trump’s assertion that Russian President Vladimir Putin is a man of his word.

    That refusal to call out Putin – who faces an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court – angers Ukrainians who have suffered Russian aggression for three years. To hammer that point home, Zekenskyy showed Trump and others in the Oval Office photos of Ukrainian prisoners of war who return from Russian captivity tortured and abused.

    As Ukrainian human rights lawyer and Nobel Prize winner Oleksandra Matviichuk noted in a Feb. 17 speech, 65% of Ukrainians polled early in the conflict said their main disappointment in ending the war would be “impunity for Russian crimes.” Three years of conflict will have only hardened that sentiment – yet the U.S., under Trump’s leadership, looks increasingly willing to let Putin off the hook.

    Defender of the nation – and truth

    A large section of Ukrainian media – both traditionally pro- and anti-Zelenskyy alike – have since Feb. 28 portrayed the president in the role of a defender of both his nation and the truth.

    He was, this framing has it, forced into the difficult position of having to set the record straight and challenge untrue statements in real time, and in front of the seemingly antagonistic leader of the world’s largest economy, whose support has been crucial in Ukraine’s attempt to repel the invading Russian army.

    To some, keeping silent would have been tantamount to capitulation, but others have questioned Zelenskyy’s approach.

    While still maintaining that Zelenskyy’s key message was correct, some Ukrainians have suggested that his emotional tone in the Oval Office was not constructive.

    Opposition lawmaker Oleskiy Goncharenko suggested in an interview on CNN that Zelenskyy should have been more “diplomatic” and more “calm” given that the stakes were so high.

    Meanwhile, there were also those who questioned the decision to hold such an important conversation in front of the press, especially without the use of professional translators who potentially could have tamped down the rhetoric and slowed the pace of the exchange. Thus, as Tymofiy Mylovanov, the adviser to the office of the president and head of the Kyiv School of Economics put it, some things could “have been lost in translation.”

    ‘Zelensky is our democratic leader’

    So where does the Oval Office dispute leave both Zelenskyy and U.S.-Ukrainian relations?

    In the aftermath of the dispute, Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham – who has been a staunch supporter of Ukraine – suggested that Zelenskyy should resign, the implications being that his relationship with Trump was so broken that his presence is now counterproductive for Ukraine’s priorities.

    It is a line that hasn’t gone down well in Ukraine. Kira Rudyk, the leader of opposition party Holos, retorted that it was up to the Ukrainian people alone to decide on their leadership and future.

    Moreover, to many Ukrainians the barrier to harmonious Ukraine-U.S. relations is not Zelenskyy, but Trump.

    Mustafa Nayyem, who served in Zelesnkyy’s government, summed up the view of many Ukrainians by claiming in a social media post that the Trump administration “does not just dislike Ukraine. They despise us.” The “contempt is deeper than indifference, and more dangerous than outright hostility,” he added in the Feb. 28 post.

    Intentional provocation

    Serhii Sternenko, a Ukrainian activist lawyer and blogger, described the Oval Office spat as an intentional provocation on behalf of Trump to discredit Ukraine as an unreliable partner in the peace negotiations.

    Sternenko is not alone in his assessment. Journalist and blogger Vitaly Portnikov argued that the spat was the result of Trump’s unrealistic promise of ending the war quickly being confronted with the reality that perhaps Russia does not want to make any concessions. The thinking here is Putin has shown no indication that he will bend on his war goals, so for Trump, framing Zelenskyy as “not ready for peace” allows the U.S. president to walk away from his campaign promise without accepting defeat.

    Among friends: Zelenskyy with Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer and France’s President Emmanuel Macron on March 2, 2025.
    Justin Tallis – WPA Pool/Getty Images

    A new reality

    Beyond the headlines and initial reactions from Ukrainian politicians, journalists and civilians, there is also another sentiment that is emerging: resignation to the new reality.

    Most Ukrainians want an end to war, but in a way that preserves their sovereignty and guarantees future security. Until recently, that was shared by the occupants of the White House. It is becoming increasingly clear to many Ukrainians that, in regards the war in Ukraine, the U.S. will play a different role under Trump – meaning Ukraine will increasingly look to European leaders as primary partners.

    Perhaps Goncharenko, the opposition member of Ukraine’s Parliament, best summed up the consequences of the Oval Office spat: “It was not Ukraine, it was not the United States who won … it was Putin.”

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

    – ref. The only ‘winner’ here is Putin: Ukraine unites in response to Trump-Zelenskyy spat and resigns itself to new reality – https://theconversation.com/the-only-winner-here-is-putin-ukraine-unites-in-response-to-trump-zelenskyy-spat-and-resigns-itself-to-new-reality-251228

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI China: China launches construction of cold-seep ecosystem research facility

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    China commenced construction on a research facility focused on the cold-seep ecosystem on Friday in Guangzhou, south China’s Guangdong Province.
    The research facility, designated as one of the country’s major national science and technology infrastructure projects, will support cutting-edge fundamental research and high-tech development. Its scope will encompass the exploration of the origins of life in extreme deep-sea environments and the green development of deep-sea resources.
    A cold seep is a region on the ocean floor where hydrogen sulfide, methane and other hydrocarbon-rich fluid seep out. These areas are a birthplace for life that can thrive under extreme conditions.
    The study of cold seep is gaining increasing attention; however one challenge lies in the limitations of short-term, random underwater probes deployed by manned submersibles and remotely operated vehicles. These probes often struggle to capture long-term biological migration and the evolution of the ecosystem.
    The research facility, combining a manned deep-sea laboratory and a land-based fidelity simulation installation, is set to be completed within five years, according to its builder, the South China Sea Institute of Oceanology (SCSIO) under the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
    SCSIO said the facility will play an important role in research on the development of the cold-seep ecosystem, the succession of chemosynthetic organisms and methane phase evolution, and its environmental effects.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Critical minerals and hydrogen production incentives now law

    Source: Australian Department of Revenue

    As part of the 2024–25 Budget, the Government announced its Future Made in Australia package to support Australia’s transition to a net zero economy. This package included 2 new, temporary tax incentives:

    These measures are now law.

    Critical Minerals Production Tax Incentive

    The CMPTI provides eligible companies with a refundable tax offset of 10 per cent of the eligible costs of processing certain critical minerals in Australia. The offset will be available for a maximum of 10 years between 1 July 2027 and 30 June 2040.

    The CMPTI is jointly administered by the ATO and the Department of Industry, Science and Resources.

    Hydrogen Production Tax Incentive

    The HPTI is a refundable tax offset of $2 per kilogram of eligible hydrogen produced by eligible companies. The HPTI applies to eligible hydrogen produced in income years between 1 July 2027 and 30 June 2040, for a maximum of 10 years.

    The HPTI is jointly administered by the ATO and the Clean Energy Regulator.

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    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: UniSA Sports Science Hub

    Source: University of South Australia

    03 March 2025

    It’s the multi-million-dollar sports complex, 15 years in the planning and two years to build, but today the UniSA Sport Science Hub opens its doors to its first cohort of university students ready to engage in its world-class teaching and research facilities at South Australia’s new sports precinct.

    Created in partnership with the South Australian Sports Institute (SASI) and the Office for Recreation, Sport and Racing, the UniSA Sports Science Hub is the only facility of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere, and only the second in the world.

    The Hub is designed to deliver industry-embedded specialist sports science education, greater research opportunities, and cutting-edge solutions for industry, so that all students have authentic learning experiences, scope to engage with leading industry staff and elite athletes, and a career-ready education.

    Its state-of-the-art facilities feature:

    • A biomechanics lab with a VICON motion capture system and force plates that measure movement patterns and show how changes in force production can benefit athletic performance.
    • An environmental chamber that can simulate humidity, altitude (0 – 5000m above sea level) and temperatures extremes (from -11 to 45°C) to track how body the responds to different environments.
    • Exercise physiology teaching laboratories housing exercise testing equipment for physiology classes and work integrated learning (plus a BodPod for safely measuring body composition).
    • An exercise research lab for high performance, intensive exercise research.
    • An exercise teaching space, housing exercise and resistance training equipment, a 20-metre running track, and an impact wall to train students how to prescribe and deliver exercise training and testing.
    • Collaborative, flexible teaching spaces to accommodate large and small student groups.
    UniSA students test the new training facilities in the UniSA Sports Science Hub.

    Professor Jon Buckley, Executive Dean of UniSA’s Allied Health and Human Performance Unit, says the new Sports Science Hub will provide multiple benefits for students, researchers, SASI, and the State.

    “UniSA and SASI have had a long-standing relationship for more than 20 years,” Prof Buckley says.

    “The new UniSA Sports Science Hub solidifies this, bringing together our world-leading teaching and research capabilities in exercise and sports science, with SASI’s expertise in preparing high-performance athletes, to highlight a partnership that is truly unique.

    “For our students, the new facilities will provide a genuine and authentic learning experience, where they’ll be able to interact with SASI staff and athletes as part of their learning, even undertaking analysis and training with data that’s being used by staff at SASI. So, they’ll get very industry-relevant training and exposure to the exercise and sports science sector before they graduate.

    “For our researchers, the first-class technology and equipment will both further their research capabilities, and research opportunities with SASI and the broader business sector.

    Testing underway in the biomechanics lab.

    “Our world-class research equipment and facilities – which include a biomechanics lab, an environmental chamber and a range of specialised research spaces – means that our researchers can deliver exercise and sports science knowledge that can be fed back to SASI to help them better prepare their high-performance athletes to perform at their best.

    “Ultimately, our collaboration highlights the integral role that sport plays in Australian society and culture.

    “We’re supporting South Australia’s premier athletes, educating the next generation of sports and exercise experts, and generating new research opportunities, which together loop back to create significant social and economic benefits for the State.”

    Notes for editors:

    • Community Open Day: On Sunday 30 March, UniSA’s new Sports Science Hub will be open and on display with the SASI facilities. The event will feature live demonstrations of the SASI building in use, panel discussions, athlete ‘meet and greets’, self-guided tours, sport and recreation activities, food trucks, music, and giveaways. See: https://www.sasi.sa.gov.au

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

    Contact for interview:  Prof Jon Buckley E: Jon.Buckely@unisa.edu.au
    Media contact: Annabel Mansfield M: +61 479 182 489 E: Annabel.Mansfield@unisa.edu.au

    Other articles you may be interested in

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: In many of Appalachia’s flood-ravaged areas, residents have little choice but rebuild in risky locations

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Kristina P. Brant, Assistant Professor of Rural Sociology, Penn State

    Parts of the North Fork of the Kentucky River flooded in July 2022, and again in February 2025. Arden S. Barnes/For The Washington Post via Getty Images

    On Valentine’s Day 2025, heavy rains started to fall in parts of rural Appalachia. Over the course of a few days, residents in eastern Kentucky watched as river levels rose and surpassed flood levels. Emergency teams conducted over 1,000 water rescues. Hundreds, if not thousands of people were displaced from homes, and entire business districts filled with mud.

    For some, it was the third time in just four years that their homes had flooded, and the process of disposing of destroyed furniture, cleaning out the muck and starting anew is beginning again.

    Historic floods wiped out businesses and homes in eastern Kentucky in February 2021, July 2022 and now February 2025. An even greater scale of destruction hit eastern Tennessee and western North Carolina in September 2024, when Hurricane Helene’s rainfall and flooding decimated towns and washed out parts of major highways.

    Scenes of flooding from several locations across Appalachia in February 2025.

    Each of these events was considered to be a “thousand-year flood,” with a 1-in-1,000 chance of happening in a given year. Yet they’re happening more often.

    The floods have highlighted the resilience of local people to work together for collective survival in rural Appalachia. But they have also exposed the deep vulnerability of communities, many of which are located along creeks at the base of hills and mountains with poor emergency warning systems. As short-term cleanup leads to long-term recovery efforts, residents can face daunting barriers that leave many facing the same flood risks over and over again.

    Exposing a housing crisis

    For the past nine years, I have been conducting research on rural health and poverty in Appalachia. It’s a complex region often painted in broad brushstrokes that miss the geographic, socioeconomic and ideological diversity it holds.

    Appalachia is home to a vibrant culture, a fierce sense of pride and a strong sense of love. But it is also marked by the omnipresent backdrop of a declining coal industry.

    There is considerable local inequality that is often overlooked in a region portrayed as one-dimensional. Poverty levels are indeed high. In Perry County, Kentucky, where one of eastern Kentucky’s larger cities, Hazard, is located, nearly 30% of the population lives under the federal poverty line. But the average income of the top 1% of workers in Perry County is nearly US$470,000 – 17 times more than the average income of the remaining 99%.

    This income and wealth inequality translates to unequal land ownership – much of eastern Kentucky’s most desirable land remains in the hands of corporations and families with great generational wealth.

    When I first moved to eastern Kentucky in 2016, I was struck by the grave lack of affordable, quality housing. I met families paying $200-$300 a month for a small plot to put a mobile home. Others lived in “found housing” – often-distressed properties owned by family members. They had no lease, no equity and no insurance. They had a place to lay one’s head but lacked long-term stability in the event of disagreement or disaster. This reality was rarely acknowledged by local and state governments.

    Eastern Kentucky’s 2021 and 2022 floods turned this into a full-blown housing crisis, with 9,000 homes damaged or destroyed in the 2022 flood alone.

    “There was no empty housing or empty places for housing,” one resident involved in local flood recovery efforts told me. “It just was complete disaster because people just didn’t have a place to go.”

    Most homeowners did not have flood insurance to assist with rebuilding costs. While many applied to the Federal Emergency Management Agency for assistance, the amounts they received often did not go far. The maximum aid for temporary housing assistance and repairs is $42,500, plus up to an additional $42,500 for other needs related to the disaster.

    The federal government often provides more aid for rebuilding through block grants directed to local and state governments, but that money requires congressional approval and can take months to years to arrive. Local community coalitions and organizations stepped in to fill these gaps, but they did not necessarily have sufficient donations or resources to help such large numbers of displaced people.

    Affordable rental housing is hard to find in much of Appalachia. When flooding wipes out homes, as Jackson, Ky., saw in July 2022 and again in February 2025, it becomes even more rare.
    Michael Swensen/Getty Images

    With a dearth of affordable rentals pre-flood, renters who lost their homes had no place to go. And those living in “found housing” that was destroyed were not eligible for federal support for rebuilding.

    The sheer level of devastation also posed challenges. One health care professional told me: “In Appalachia, the way it usually works is if you lose your house or something happens, then you go stay with your brother or your mom or your cousin. … But everybody’s mom and brother and cousin also lost their house. There was nowhere to stay.” From her point of view, “our homelessness just skyrocketed.”

    The cost of land – social and economic

    After the 2022 flood, the Kentucky Department for Local Government earmarked almost $300 million of federal funding to build new, flood-resilient homes in eastern Kentucky. Yet the question of where to build remained. As another resident involved in local flood recovery efforts told me, “You can give us all the money you want; we don’t have any place to build the house.”

    It has always been costly and time-intensive to develop land in Appalachia. Available higher ground tends to be located on former strip mines, and these reclaimed lands require careful geotechnical surveying and sometimes structural reinforcements.

    If these areas are remote, the costs of running electric, water and other infrastructure services can also be prohibitive. For this reason, for-profit developers have largely avoided many counties in the region. The head of a nonprofit agency explained to me that, because of this, “The markets have broken. … We have no [housing] market.”

    Eastern Kentucky’s mountains are beautiful, but there are few locations for building homes that aren’t near creeks or rivers. Strip-mined land, where mountaintops were flattened, often aren’t easily accessible and come with their own challenges.
    Posnov/Moment via Getty Images

    There is also some risk involved in attempting to build homes on new land that has not previously been developed. A local government could pay for undeveloped land to be surveyed and prepared for development, with the prospect of reimbursement by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development if housing is successfully built. But if, after the work to prepare the land, it is still too cost-prohibitive to build a profitable house there, the local government would not receive any reimbursement.

    Some counties have found success clearing land for large developments on former strip mine sites. But these former coal mining areas can be considerable distances from towns. Without robust public transportation systems, these distances are especially prohibitive for residents who lack reliable personal transportation.

    Another barrier is the high prices that both individual and corporate landowners are asking for properties on higher ground.

    The scarcity of desirable land available for sale, combined with increasingly urgent demand, has led to prices unaffordable for most. Another resident involved in local flood recovery efforts explained: “If you paid $5,000 for 30 acres 40 years ago, why won’t you sell that for $100,000? Nope, [they want] $1 million.” That makes it increasingly difficult for both individuals and housing developers to purchase land and build.

    One reason for this scarcity is the amount of land that is still owned by outside corporate interests. For example, Kentucky River Properties, formerly Kentucky River Coal Corporation, owns over 270,000 acres across seven counties in the region. While this landholding company leases land to coal, timber and gas companies, it and others like it rarely permit residential development.

    But not all unused land is owned by corporations. Some of this land is owned by families with deep roots in the region. People’s attachment to a place often makes them want to stay in their communities, even after disasters. But it can also limit the amount of land available for rebuilding. People are often hesitant to sell land that holds deep significance for their families, even if they are not living there themselves.

    Rural communities are often tight-knit. Many residents want to stay despite the risks.
    AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley

    One health care professional expressed feeling torn between selling or keeping their own family property after the 2022 flood: “We have a significant amount of property on top of a mountain. I wouldn’t want to sell it because my papa came from nothing. … His generation thought owning land was the greatest thing. … And for him to provide his children and his grandchildren and their great-grandchildren a plot of land that he worked and sweat and ultimately died to give us – people want to hold onto that.”

    She recognized that land was in great demand but couldn’t bring herself to sell what she owned. In cases like hers, higher grounds are owned locally but still remain unused.

    Moving toward higher ground, slowly

    Two years after the 2022 flood, major government funding for rebuilding still has not resulted in a significant number of homes. The state has planned seven communities on higher ground in eastern Kentucky that aim to house 665 new homes. As of early 2025, 14 houses had been completed.

    Progress on providing housing on higher ground is slow, and the need is great.

    In the meantime, when I conducted interviews during the summer and fall of 2024, many of the mobile home communities that were decimated in the 2022 flood had begun to fill back up. These were flood-risk areas, but there was simply no other place to go.

    Last week, I watched on Facebook a friend’s live video footage showing the waters creeping up the sides of the mobile homes in one of those very communities that had flooded in 2022. Another of my friends mused: “I don’t know who constructed all this, but they did an unjustly favor by not thinking how close these towns was to the river. Can’t anyone in Frankfort help us, or has it gone too far?”

    With hundreds more people now displaced by the most recent flood, the need for homes on higher grounds has only expanded, and the wait continues.

    Kristina Brant has received funding from the National Science Foundation and United States Department of Agriculture to support her past and ongoing research in rural Appalachia.

    – ref. In many of Appalachia’s flood-ravaged areas, residents have little choice but rebuild in risky locations – https://theconversation.com/in-many-of-appalachias-flood-ravaged-areas-residents-have-little-choice-but-rebuild-in-risky-locations-240429

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Soaring U.S. egg prices and millions of dead chickens signal the deep problems and risks in modern poultry production

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Tony Weis, Professor of Geography and Environment, Western University

    The recent volatility of egg prices in the United States has been a hot topic. Media coverage has consistently made the connection between supply problems and virulent strains of avian flu that has been afflicting poultry birds since 2022.

    Many articles have indicated that, in addition to millions of birds dying from avian flu, infected flocks have widely been killed en masse in an attempt to contain its spread. The livestock industry euphemistically calls this killing of infected animals “depopulation,” and around 150 million birds have been depopulated since the current crisis began.

    I have studied industrial livestock production for many years and have seen its myriad problems flash in and out of the media — such as greenhouse gas emissions, air and water pollution, food-borne illnesses, labour exploitation, and animal suffering. But it’s rare for the sector to stay in the media for long.

    The unusually heavy media coverage of expensive eggs, depopulated chickens and avian flu has highlighted some of the deep problems and risks of modern poultry production. Unfortunately, however, important context and dynamics have been regularly omitted.

    Unpacking key omissions helps to better understand both the nature of these chronic risks of infectious disease and the perilous response of the Trump administration.

    The spotlight on avian flu

    Multiple strains of avian flu chronically circulate within populations of both wild and domesticated birds. Avian flu is prone to frequent mutations, and occasionally some strains become more virulent and spillover across species.

    In addition to the problems avian flu in poultry production, recent media coverage has also highlighted the virus’s broader dangers.

    Avian flu is currently ravaging many wild animal species around the world, reaching into extremely remote places and even zoos.

    In the U.S., avian flu recently spilled over into cattle — causing widespread illness after a mutation enabled intra-species transmission.

    Avian flu has also caused a small number of severe human illnesses in the U.S. (primarily workers in poultry operations). Although no human-to-human transmission is evident — a necessary condition for a pandemic — this potential remains a grave threat.

    Key issues underplayed

    Although the media coverage of egg prices, depopulated chickens and avian flu has cast a valuable spotlight on many aspects of modern poultry production, it has also tended to leave out some important elements.

    Mentions in the media of many millions of chickens being killed to contain the spread of avian flu will surely sound jarring to some. But such figures pale in comparison to the 9.5 billion chickens slaughtered annually in the U.S. and the 76 billion slaughtered annually worldwide.

    Poultry birds now comprise 70 per cent of the total biomass of all birds on earth. Most are produced in densely-packed operations where reproduction, life and death have been greatly accelerated.

    Modern chickens have been selectively bred to either put on weight (broilers) or produce eggs (layers) very quickly. Broilers reach slaughter weight in a mere six weeks. Layer hens produce nearly an egg a day for about a year or two, before being slaughtered. These short life-cycles are rarely mentioned in coverage of depopulations.

    The growing risk of avian flu mutations relate to both enormity of poultry bird populations — by far the biggest habitat for the virus — and the unhealthy conditions of life in large enclosures.

    According to the U.S. Census of Agriculture, over 97 per cent of layers live in operations with at least 10,000 birds. Over 99 per cent of broilers are grown in operations with annual sales of at least 100,000 birds.

    This scale also relates to a question that has, with a few notable exceptions, received scant coverage: since infected populations cannot simply be shipped to the slaughterhouse, how are the birds actually killed?

    A leading approach to depopulation is ventilation shutdown. This involves turning off the powerful fans needed to make the ambient conditions in large enclosures bearable, and results in agonizing deaths.

    Researchers are investigating ways to augment ventilation shutdown as part of a broader research agenda seeking to develop systematic ways to depopulate large operations. This agenda clearly illustrates that the livestock industry is acutely aware of the great risks of infectious disease evolution within these spaces.

    Undermining infectious disease surveillance

    In the 2024 election campaign, Republicans regularly pointed to high egg prices in efforts to highlight rising inflation. In early 2025, the continuing rise of egg prices has cast a glare on U.S. President Donald Trump’s failed promise to immediately solve inflation.

    In response to scrutiny, the Trump administration initially tried to blame Biden for the depopulation of chickens. While such deflection might work for a time, Trump and his advisors realize they need a strategy to increase egg supplies.

    This emerging strategy must be viewed in relation to Trump’s sweeping assault on state institutions and regulations — which includes undermining crucial capacity for infectious disease surveillance. Trump made immediate cuts to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and forced it to disengage with the World Health Organization. He has also promised big cuts to the National Institutes of Health.

    In this context, it’s unsurprising that Trump is laying out a simple plan to increase the egg supply: rebuilding layer populations, reducing depopulations and trusting the livestock and pharmaceutical industries to find ways of containing avian flu — likely through vaccines and strengthened biosecurity.

    It’s profoundly irrational to be weakening infectious disease surveillance in the midst of the current avian flu crisis (and amid mounting infectious disease risks more generally).
    It’s also hard to fathom how further empowering the leading actors in poultry production can be expected to resolve the risks of avian flu that are so bound up in the nature of modern production.

    Pursuing this course might temporarily bring egg prices down, but it also inevitably means passing untold risks into the future.

    Tony Weis 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. Soaring U.S. egg prices and millions of dead chickens signal the deep problems and risks in modern poultry production – https://theconversation.com/soaring-u-s-egg-prices-and-millions-of-dead-chickens-signal-the-deep-problems-and-risks-in-modern-poultry-production-249679

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Wildfire season is changing in Canada — posing even greater risks to the nation’s communities and ecosystems

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Hossein Bonakdari, Associate professor, L’Université d’Ottawa/University of Ottawa

    Wildfire season in Canada has historically spanned from late April to August — with the most damaging of these fires typically burning in June and July. But in recent years, we’ve seen a significant change in when wildfires burning; they are no longer a seasonal phenomenon.

    For example, in 2024, Alberta’s wildfire season started in February due to the province’s warm and dry conditions. Québec recorded its forth earliest wildfire since 1973 in mid-march of the same year. British Columbia then reported their first wildfires of the season shortly after.

    In 2023, Canada had one of its most catastrophic wildfire years — with over 18.4 hectares of forest burned. These wildfires caused approximately 232,000 people to be evacuated from their homes in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Québec.

    The huge number of wildfires that burned in 2023 released more than three times the total CO2 emissions of Canada’s entire transportation sector produces in a year. This catastrophic wildfire season also started burning far earlier than normal.

    Changing wildfire patterns represent a growing danger to Canadians and our nation’s communities, ecosystems and air quality.

    Recipe for a wildfire

    The recipe for wildfire is simple and needs only three ingredients: fuel (combustible vegetation), ignition (either from human or natural causes — such as lightning) and favourable weather conditions (hot, dry and windy weather).

    But drought can act as a key accelerating factor. As a professor who specializes in sustainable land and water management, I have spent over 15 years researching the impacts of climate change on natural disasters. My most recent research has highlighted the role that droughts play in wildfire vulnerability in Canada.

    Droughts not only dry vegetation — which gives wildfires more fuel — they also prolong hot, dry and windy weather. This further creates a high-risk environment for wildfires to ignite and spread.

    Canada may appear to be a water-rich country, with vast networks of lakes, rivers and considerable amounts of annual precipitation. But these rich resources suffer from significant seasonal and regional variations.

    For example, even British Columbia, where many towns average more than a 1,000mm of precipitation a year, experiences severe drought conditions — particularly during the summer months.

    At the end of 2024, 43 per cent of Canada was classified as abnormally dry or in moderate to extreme drought. Around 35 per cent of the country’s agricultural land was directly impacted. These conditions highlight the growing vulnerability of even water-rich regions to long, dry seasons.

    During 2023, there was a strong link between soil moisture levels measured between May and October and wildfire activity. Areas with the lowest soil moisture levels experienced heightened wildfire activity. This underscores the critical role of drought conditions in amplifying wildfire risks.

    Wildland and urban development

    In January 2025, California experienced one of the most catastrophic wildfire crises in the state’s history.

    At least 29 people tragically lost their lives. Over 16,000 structures have been destroyed or severely damaged, and approximately 200,000 residents were forced to evacuate from their own homes.

    The total economic damage and losses are estimated to be more than $250 billion. This catastrophic crisis has clearly highlighted the growing impacts of climate change on densely populated areas at the interface of wildland and urban zones.

    Drought was a major factor that exacerbated these wildfires.

    But another important factor that significantly contributed to the damage caused by these wildfires in California was the wildland-urban interface (WUI). These are areas where natural, undeveloped vegetation meets human development. This creates a high-risk zone where flammable plants and structures combine — increasing the chance of wildfires spreading from wildlands to communities.

    In Canada, the WUI is rapidly expanding as large cities contend with population growth. But this is putting even more Canadians at risk from potentially detrimental wildfires. The recent, severe wildfires in California’s WUI areas offer a clear warning for Canada, highlighting an urgent need to address the risks associated with these rapidly growing zones.

    Safeguarding strategies

    One way of safeguarding Canada’s expanding WUI zones is by using the leaf area index (LAI). This is a measure of vegetation density.

    The more dense the vegetation in a particular region (which means it has a higher LAI value), the greater that area’s risk of wildfire. This is because densely wooded areas contain significant fuel sources for wildfires, making them capable of sustaining and intensifying fire spread.

    British Columbia’s coastline, Eastern Canada, Southern Ontario and parts of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick (including Halifax and Saint John) are all densely vegetated, highly populated areas that are highly susceptible to wildfire threats — especially during periods of drought and high temperatures.

    By pinpointing Canada’s most vulnerable regions, targeted wildfire prevention strategies can be carried out to mitigate risks and enhance community resilience in the face of escalating wildfire threats. This might include reducing the amount of dry vegetation, carrying out controlled burns and building fire-resistant infrastructure.

    Canada announced a new goal to build nearly 3.9 million houses by 2031. For these houses to be built, parts of WUI zones will need to be used. It will be important for planning and development policies to ensure resilience against wildfires.

    Canada stands at a pivotal moment in wildfire risk management because of expanding WUI zones, prolonged drought conditions and intensifying fire weather converge. Without a multi-pronged strategy, wildfires will only continue to be a growing threat to ecosystems, infrastructure and public safety.

    Hossein Bonakdari 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. Wildfire season is changing in Canada — posing even greater risks to the nation’s communities and ecosystems – https://theconversation.com/wildfire-season-is-changing-in-canada-posing-even-greater-risks-to-the-nations-communities-and-ecosystems-248323

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: It was risky for Ontario Premier Doug Ford to call an early election — but it paid off

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Sam Routley, PhD Candidate, Political Science, Western University

    Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s election gamble has paid off. As a consequence of last night’s election results, the Progressive Conservatives are now set to form their third consecutive majority government.

    By and large, last night’s election results were dull and uninspiring, looking very similar to the outcome of the province’s election in 2022. The Progressive Conservatives return (going from 79 to 80) with only one additional member of caucus, receiving a noticeable but modest two per cent bump in support.

    And, while the Liberals saw even more of a recovery from 2018, the generally widespread distribution of that vote means that they were only able to gain five seats. Although tarnished, the New Democrats return as the official opposition party.

    Unprepared rivals

    These lacklustre results flow directly from lacklustre campaigns. The fact is that, regardless of Premier Ford’s legitimate calls for a renewed mandate amidst an aggressive American administration, the party had been looking for an excuse to call a premature election for quite some time. In doing so, they were able to — quite intentionally — catch their rivals unprepared, complete with incomplete candidate slates, unknown leaders and undercooked policy platforms.

    It meant that, while Ford was able to run a safe and constrained front-runner’s campaign, his main opponents struggled to find the momentum necessary to move the dial and exploit enough backlash. This is alongside real policy vulnerabilities in health care and education, with enough voters expressing discontent with what they felt to be an unnecessary and self-serving election call.

    Chaotic news cycle

    There are good reasons to believe that voters were mostly apathetic towards the parties and their candidates. Alongside the reasons already stated, the dense, chaotic and ever-shifting news cycle of the last few months may have entailed that this election was able to slip by quietly.

    But this does not seem to be the full story, as this year’s turnout — while still low — is slightly higher than that of 2022. Instead, voters also seemed to have wanted to maintain the status quo.

    On the local level, siting members of the provincial legislature from all three parties generally performed quite well. Of the 111 ridings with party-nominated incumbents, for example, only four lost. So while many voters may have been unhappy with the election call, the unpredictable environment may have also had the reverse effect of leading them to support, if not fully endorse, the leaders they already have.

    Regardless of the more limited dynamics of this election, however, we cannot overlook the fact that this has been a very real accomplishment for Doug Ford and the Progressive Conservatives. In a period of high executive turnover and anti-incumbent backlash, Doug Ford has, as the leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario, brought about a track record of secure, consecutive majorities — a feat that was last attained by Leslie Frost and John Robarts.

    In many ways, it brings to mind the years of the traditional “big blue machine,” when the party controlled the government of Ontario for 40 consecutive years.

    Durable persona

    Here, Ford’s success is much deeper than a matter of suave electoral maneuvering, and it is more long-standing than the recent confrontation with the Trump administration. Instead, these results attest to the fact that, while the Premier is not without his detractors, he has nevertheless managed to secure a stable, solid and sufficient base of support through the combination of both a carefully balanced policy agenda and a durable leadership persona.

    As with his successful conservative predecessors, Ford practices a form of the pragmatic and moderate governance that characterizes Ontario. A large part of what makes this successful is the fact that while it makes policy decisions flexible, it does not make them arbitrary.

    Ford continues to emphasize a government oriented around continual economic growth and innovation as a means to accomplish raising living standards, fund the province’s social programs and — more recently — rival the United States. Combined with Ford’s aptitude in retail politics this has created a clear and accessible political project supported by big developers, small business owners and private-sector workers’ unions.

    In a political environment shaped by personality, Ford continues to suck up the majority of the political oxygen in Ontario. Even while a good portion of Ontarians may dislike Ford — he is far from the most popular of Canada’s premiers — they have not experienced an overriding need to get rid of the incumbent, nor pursue another course of change.

    While politics is impossible to predict, it suggests that this state of continuity will persist in Ontario, even amid a chaotic global environment.

    Sam Routley 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. It was risky for Ontario Premier Doug Ford to call an early election — but it paid off – https://theconversation.com/it-was-risky-for-ontario-premier-doug-ford-to-call-an-early-election-but-it-paid-off-251142

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Over 500,000 people demand oil & gas companies pay for climate damages

    Source: Greenpeace Statement –

    Cape Town, February 28, 2024 — Greenpeace Africa delivered on Friday 28th February a global petition on behalf of more than half a million people, calling on governments to force fossil fuel companies to “stop their climate wrecking activities” and “repair and pay for the damage they have caused.” The petition was handed over to a coalition of 17 countries and groups currently reviewing “polluter pays” levies [1] at the sidelines of the meeting of the Finance in Commons Summit in Cape Town.[2] In parallel, Cape Town’s iconic Table Mountain National Park is being consumed by wildfires, in the midst of the worst drought in more than 100 years across Southern Africa.[3]

    Sherelee Odayar, Greenpeace Africa’s Oil and Gas Campaigner, said: “It is unfair to expect that ordinary people will face the climate crisis with cents and rands, while the polluters in chief will pocket billions. It is also impractical: Most world governments simply cannot afford to provide climate solutions at the needed scale. Drought, extreme heat, storms, floods and fires are disproportionately affecting Africa and other Global Majority countries. Science and technology can help bring relief, now governments must make polluters pay to deliver justice and raise the necessary funds.”  

    Signatures by people from Africa, the Middle East, Europe, North America, and Southeast Asia were collected between 2023-24, the two hottest years since records began, replete with extreme weather events fuelled by greenhouse gas emissions from the oil and gas industry. At the same, five oil and gas corporations alone reported over US$100 billion cumulatively in profit for last year. 

    The collective demand was presented to the secretariat of the Global Solidarity Levies Taskforce, a coalition of 17 countries and groups, co-led by Barbados, France, and Kenya. It contributes to a public process of consultation which started last month concerning a series of proposals being considered by the governments who are members of the Taskforce, including options to apply levies on fossil fuel industry profits and extraction to fund climate action.

    A letter accompanying the petition reminds that oil and gas companies “knowingly lied about climate change and lobbied to slow action” and are failing to pay their fair share. “Super rich individuals and other polluting industries… should also be held to account. Making polluters pay for the damages they have caused is vital to help communities across the world to recover, rebuild and invest in climate solutions.” 

    The petition’s demands are in line with public polling across a range of geographies, including research recently commissioned by Greenpeace International, which has consistently demonstrated the strong popularity of increasing taxes on oil and gas profits. 

    Greenpeace Africa calls for designing tax and penalty mechanisms in a way that is fair and proportionate – including: ensuring a well-managed and just transition out of coal, oil and gas, while imposing more polluter taxes and fines on the industry to help fund the transition; taking steps to prevent knock-on increases in prices and the cost of living, especially for people living in poverty; and ensuring that people most impacted by climate change benefit the most from revenues raised. 

    Notes:

    [1] The Global Solidarity Levies Task Force: For People and the Planet explores feasible, scaleable and sensible options for levies to raise additional resources for climate and development: https://globalsolidaritylevies.org/world-leaders-pledge-action-on-climate-finance-as-coalition-for-solidarity-levies-launched-at-cop29/ 

    [2] The 5th Finance in Common Summit (FiCS), co-hosted by the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB): https://www.financeincommonsummit2025.com/ 

    [3] A night of flames: Table Mountain fire lights up the Cape Town skyline https://www.capetownetc.com/news/a-night-of-flames-table-mountain-fire-lights-up-the-ct-skyline/ ; Climate change behind the 2021 Table Mountain fire – study https://mg.co.za/the-green-guardian/2023-03-02-climate-change-behind-the-2021-table-mountain-fire-study/ 

    Photos: Handover of petition by Greenpeace Africa campaigner

    For more information, contact: 

    Greenpeace Africa Press Desk: [email protected] 

    Greenpeace International Press Desk: [email protected], +31 (0) 20 718 2470 (available 24 hours). Follow @greenpeacepress for our latest international press releases.

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI USA: In Letter to Makary, Sens. Murray, Baldwin, Alsobrooks Raise Alarm over Decision to Cancel Critical FDA Flu Shot Meeting Amid Worst Flu Season in 15 Years

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray
    Senators: “We intend to use your nomination hearing next week to understand whether you support this ill-informed measure to slow critical public health decision making.”
    Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), a senior member and former Chairof the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), and U.S. Senator Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD) sent a letter to Dr. Marty Makary, President Trump’s nominee to lead the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), expressing extreme concern with the FDA’s unprecedented decision to abruptly cancel the March 13th planned meeting of the Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC), which is the annual opportunity for FDA to hear expert advice and make recommendations on the selection of influenza strains to be included in the flu vaccines this coming fall. The cancellation of the VRBPAC’s meeting to consider flu shot characteristics for the upcoming flu season comes while the U.S. is experiencing the worst flu season in 15 years. As of February 15, 2025, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that there have been at least 33 million illnesses, 430,000 hospitalizations, and 19,000 deaths from flu so far this season.
    Dr. Makary is set to appear before the HELP Committee on Thursday, March 6th, for a hearing on his nomination to lead FDA. “We intend to use your nomination hearing next week to understand whether you support this ill-informed measure to slow critical public health decision making,” Murray, Baldwin, and Alsobrooks—all members of the HELP Committee—wrote.
    “The cancellation of next week’s VRBPAC meeting is unprecedented. This Committee has met every year for the past 30 years to discuss the influenza virus vaccines for the upcoming flu season and make recommendations to the FDA. It is essential for this meeting to occur, and its expert recommendations to be issued, in a timely, routine manner,” the senators continued. “Any delay in the Committee meeting and issuing recommendations may impact flu vaccine availability and effectiveness, if manufacturers do not have sufficient time to prepare the correct vaccines.”
    “While we acknowledge you are not yet at the agency, we expect you to answer questions about whether you will adopt a position of responsible public health leadership or continue the Trump Administration’s current, troubling trajectory into vaccine skepticism should you be confirmed to lead FDA,” Murray and her colleagues wrote, asking that Dr. Makary be prepared to address the following questions:
    Will you reschedule FDA VRBPAC meeting to consider influenza virus vaccines for the 2025-2026 flu season? If not, why not?
    Are you planning to remove or otherwise change the membership of the FDA VRBPAC?
    Will FDA accept the expert, independent recommendations of the FDA VRBPAC, for influenza virus vaccines and all other vaccine types?
    Do you commit to convening the FDA VRBPAC on its established annual basis to discuss and issue recommendations on flu shot characteristics?
    The full text of the letter is below and HERE:
    Dear Dr. Makary:
    Next week, you are scheduled to appear before the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee for your nomination to serve as the Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). We write today to express our extreme concern with the decision to abruptly cancel the planned meeting of the Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC), which is the annual opportunity for FDA to hear expert advice and make recommendations on the selection of strains to be included in the influenza virus vaccines for the 2025 to 2026 influenza season. We intend to use your nomination hearing next week to understand whether you support this ill-informed measure to slow critical public health decision making. 
    The cancellation of the VRBPAC’s meeting to consider flu shot characteristics for the upcoming flu season comes while the U.S. is experiencing the worst flu season in 15 years. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has classified the United States’ 2024-2025 influenza season as “high severity” overall and for all age groups. As of February 15, 2025, the CDC estimates that there have been at least 33 million illnesses, 430,000 hospitalizations, and 19,000 deaths from flu so far this season. The flu vaccine is one essential tool for prevention of flu illness, complications, hospitalizations, and untimely deaths.
    The VRBPAC is comprised of independent experts and is critical for ensuring that public health decisions, including the development and approval of vaccines, are based on the best available science and expert, independent review. VRBPAC members are experts in vaccines, infectious diseases, and epidemiology, among other relevant areas, and are essential to conducting these independent reviews and evaluating the data concerning the safety, effectiveness, and appropriate use of vaccines. The Committee typically meets in March to make recommendations for which strains should be included in the flu vaccines for the upcoming flu season.
    The cancellation of next week’s VRBPAC meeting is unprecedented. This Committee has met every year for the past 30 years to discuss the influenza virus vaccines for the upcoming flu season and make recommendations to the FDA. It is essential for this meeting to occur, and its expert recommendations to be issued, in a timely, routine manner. This is integral to give vaccine manufacturers this information to start production on flu vaccines for the upcoming flu season. Any delay in the Committee meeting and issuing recommendations may impact flu vaccine availability and effectiveness, if manufacturers do not have sufficient time to prepare the correct vaccines.
    In FDA’s response concerning the cancellation of the March 13 VRBPAC meeting, FDA stated that the agency “will make public its recommendations to manufacturers in time for updated vaccines to be available for the 2025-2026 influenza season.” This suggests FDA plans to forgo any independent expertise from the Committee when making its determinations for flu shot strains, and it remains unclear who will be making this critical public health decision.
    The options are not inspiring. The newly confirmed Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. has stated “there is no vaccine that is safe and effective” and called vaccines “sham science.” He refuses to believe the definitive science showing vaccines are not linked to autism. You have promoted natural immunity as “at least as effective as vaccinated immunity, and probably better” and stated, “The greatest perpetrator of misinformation during the pandemic has been the United States government.” President Trump’s nominee to lead CDC has a long history of championing the false connection between vaccines and autism.
    While we acknowledge you are not yet at the agency, we expect you to answer questions about whether you will adopt a position of responsible public health leadership or continue the Trump Administration’s current, troubling trajectory into vaccine skepticism should you be confirmed to lead FDA. Please be prepared to address the following questions:
    Will you reschedule FDA VRBPAC meeting to consider influenza virus vaccines for the 2025-2026 flu season? If not, why not?
    Are you planning to remove or otherwise change the membership of the FDA VRBPAC?
    Will FDA accept the expert, independent recommendations of the FDA VRBPAC, for influenza virus vaccines and all other vaccine types?
    Do you commit to convening the FDA VRBPAC on its established annual basis to discuss and issue recommendations on flu shot characteristics?
    Whether it’s influenza, COVID-19, measles, or other threats facing our nation’s public health, I call on you to recognize the immense responsibility placed on you if confirmed as one of the nation’s public health leaders. It will be incumbent upon you to maintain FDA’s credibility as the nation’s leading agency for ensuring the safety of our vaccines, diagnostics, medicines, foods, and more.
    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Stay off saltpans – protect the environment and your vehicle

    Source: Government of Queensland

    Issued: 26 Feb 2025

    Open larger image

    The vehicle was bogged and abandoned on the saltpan for almost six weeks.

    Four-wheel-drive enthusiasts in the Townsville region are urged to stop driving on saltpans due to the risks of getting bogged and having their vehicles written off.

    Recently, a Toyota Hilux was bogged to the axels and most likely written off after being stuck on the saltpans at Cape Cleveland for almost six weeks.

    Senior Conservation Officer Craig Dunk from the Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation said the owner tried crossing the saltpan in the Bowling Green Bay National Park.

    “We don’t want anyone getting bogged on the saltpans, and there are locations in the Townsville region where people can lawfully test their four-wheel-drive skills and their vehicles,” Mr Dunk said.

    “Four-wheel-drive enthusiasts need to protect the environment and their vehicles by staying off the saltpans.

    “Unfortunately, the Hilux owner tried to drive about three kilometres across the saltpan to reach a creek on the other side and made it about halfway across before abandoning his vehicle.

    “He reported it to the department on 23 September 2024, and unfavourable weather conditions meant it couldn’t be retrieved until 5 November 2024.

    “During that time, it was inundated by several king tides and exposed to heavy rain, and it is likely that it will be written off.

    “Once the thick saltpan crust is broken a vehicle will quickly sink to the axels, and this is an expensive price to pay for disregarding the environment.”

    Mr Dunk said under the Nature Conservation Regulation, it is an offence to drive or ride a vehicle into restricted sections of a protected area and people can be fined for leaving access tracks.

    “We have issued a $322 fine to the Hilux owner and issued fines to two other people who recently became bogged in our protected areas,” he said.

    “Saltpans in Bowling Green Bay National Park are also listed under the Ramsar convention on wetlands of international importance, and the maximum penalty for unauthorised use of a vehicle in a protected area is $3,226.

    “Driving on saltpans damages the crust, uproots vegetation, causes soil compaction and erosion, disturbs bird and crustacean populations and has the potential for contamination.

    “They are critical parts of our marine ecosystems and support hidden life, including saline or brackish sedgelands, crustaceans, worms and birdlife.”

    Information about what roads or tracks are approved can be found in maps on the QPWS website at https://parks.desi.qld.gov.au/parks.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Bookings closed and campers urged to consider leaving K’gari, Inskip and Cooloola ahead of cyclone threat

    Source: Government of Queensland

    Issued: 28 Feb 2025

    We are strongly advising campers to consider leaving K’gari, Inskip and Cooloola camping areas, while it is still safe to do so, with Tropical Cyclone Alfred influences starting to be felt in South East coastal areas today, and forecast to intensify.

    Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) is currently not accepting new camping bookings in these recreation areas, with refunds available for those who have already booked.

    While there is increasing confidence by the Bureau of Meteorology that Tropical Cyclone Alfred will stay off shore, K’gari, Inskip and the Cooloola Coast are experiencing higher than normal tides, and coastal erosion due to worsening weather conditions.

    Increased rainfall and strong gale force winds are expected to impact the region over the weekend.

    The safety of campers in our national parks is our top priority and we will visit re-opening camping bookings when it is safe to do so.

    We urge those leaving camping areas to drive safely, stay off the dunes and follow the instructions of QPWS rangers and emergency services.

    Monitor Park Alerts for up-to-date information on protected area closures.

    If you have a camping booking and would like to request a camping credit or refund visit: Queensland National Parks Booking Service | Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation, Queensland – Camping.

    Once the cyclonic conditions have passed, QPWS will assess the protected areas and reopen them when it is safe to do so.

    For up-to-date weather information see the Bureau of Meteorology

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Padilla, Schiff, EPW Democrats Slam Zeldin’s Covert Push to Dismantle Climate Safeguards

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)

    Padilla, Schiff, EPW Democrats Slam Zeldin’s Covert Push to Dismantle Climate Safeguards

    Senators: “Your push to undermine the Endangerment Finding seems based not on sound science or legal reasoning, but rather on an agenda that prioritizes industry profits over public health, environmental protection, and climate safety.”
    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senators Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff (both D-Calif.), along with all other Democratic members of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (EPW), demanded answers about Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin’s secretive efforts to roll back the longstanding EPA endangerment finding that greenhouse gases are harmful to human health and welfare. The endangerment finding underpins greenhouse gas regulations, and repealing it would ignore scientific consensus while in effect gutting emissions standards for vehicles, power plants, airplanes, and more — which would increase harmful, toxic pollution.  
    During then-nominee Zeldin’s confirmation, he testified that he “strongly believe[s] we have a moral responsibility to be good stewards of our environment for generations to come,” and that he was “someone who believes strongly that we should work with the scientists, leaving the science to the scientists.” But this week, it was revealed that he — behind the scenes and away from public scrutiny — has been urging the Trump Administration to rescind the evidence-based endangerment finding. The fact that greenhouse gases harm public health was scientific fact when the endangerment finding was issued in 2009, and 16 years later, the evidence has only gotten stronger and the looming economic harms more dangerous. Since Administrator Zeldin’s confirmation, he has also announced plans to carry out a politically motivated purge of scientists from EPA and has overseen an illegal funding freeze that is threatening to kill jobs and drive up energy costs nationwide.
    “This key finding underpins EPA’s ability to regulate emissions from motor vehicles, which EPA also found in 2009 to ‘contribute to the greenhouse gas pollution that threatens public health and welfare,’ as well as other pollution-emitting sources. Without the finding, EPA cannot fulfill its core mission and legal obligation of ensuring clean air for the American people,” wrote the Senators.
    “As you surely know, any attempt to rescind the Endangerment Finding flies in the face of established science and EPA’s own findings. EPA has found that its greenhouse gas regulations generate billions of dollars in savings for Americans and huge reductions in premature deaths, emergency room visits, heart disease, cancer, stroke, asthma onset and symptoms, and missed workdays,” continued the Senators.
    “Your recommendation to strike down the Endangerment Finding appears to be part of a broader effort to dismantle environmental protections at the behest of fossil fuel interests. Reporting and previous investigations of the Senate Committee on the Budget indicate that oil industry lobbyists pre-drafted executive orders that would weaken climate regulations in anticipation of a second Trump Administration. In short, the fossil fuel industry is now collecting the return on its investment in the 2024 election,” concluded the Senators. “… [Y]our push to undermine the Endangerment Finding seems based not on sound science or legal reasoning, but rather on an agenda that prioritizes industry profits over public health, environmental protection, and climate safety.”
    Specifically, Zeldin recommended to the Office of Management and Budget that the EPA withdraw its 2009 finding under section 202(a) of the Clean Air Act that “the current and projected concentrations of the six key well-mixed greenhouse gases … in the atmosphere threaten the public health and welfare of current and future generations” (the ‘Endangerment Finding’). 
    Over the past 15 years, the scientific consensus supporting the endangerment finding has only strengthened, with successive National Climate Assessments and reports from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change demonstrating extensive environmental and economic harms caused by climate change, including increased risks from flooding and wildfires. EPA’s endangerment finding is the foundation of subsequent endangerment findings for greenhouse gases emitted from power plants, aircraft engines, and oil and gas sector sources of methane. 
    Padilla and Schiff signed the letter, led by EPW Ranking Member Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), along with Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.).
    Full text of the letter is available here and below:
    Dear Administrator Zeldin,
    We write to express grave concern about your recommendation to the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) withdraw its December 7, 2009, finding under section 202(a) of the Clean Air Act that “the current and projected concentrations of the six key well-mixed greenhouse gases . . . in the atmosphere threaten the public health and welfare of current and future generations” (the “Endangerment Finding”).  This key finding underpins EPA’s ability to regulate emissions from motor vehicles, which EPA also found in 2009 to “contribute to the greenhouse gas pollution that threatens public health and welfare,” as well as other pollution-emitting sources. Without the finding, EPA cannot fulfill its core mission and legal obligation of ensuring clean air for the American people.
    On February 20, 2025, President Trump issued Executive Order 3418, directing you, in collaboration with other agency heads, to submit joint recommendations to the OMB Director on the legality and continuing applicability of the Endangerment Finding. On February 26, 2025, the Washington Post reported that you had “privately urged the White House to strike down” the finding. President Trump’s directive and your recommendation, which follow years of legal precedent affirming the EPA’s authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions under the Clean Air Act, raise serious concerns about the Administration’s commitment to respecting established science, following the law, and fulfilling EPA’s core mission of protecting clean air—all three of which you promised the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee you would do if confirmed as EPA Administrator.
    In 2007, the Supreme Court ruled in Massachusetts v. EPA that greenhouse gases qualify as pollutants under the Clean Air Act, compelling the EPA to regulate them if they pose a threat to public health and welfare. Following a rigorous review of peer-reviewed scientific evidence and extensive public input, EPA then issued the Endangerment Finding in 2009, requiring it to regulate greenhouse gases. The 2012 D.C. Circuit ruling in Coalition for Responsible Regulation v. EPA reaffirmed that the Endangerment Finding is grounded in substantial scientific evidence. The Supreme Court declined to review that decision and, in 2014, reaffirmed the EPA’s ability to regulate GHG emissions in Utility Air Regulatory Group v. EPA.  The Supreme Court has continued to decline to hear challenges to the Endangerment Finding, including as recently as December 11, 2023.
    Over the intervening decade and a half, the scientific consensus supporting the Endangerment Finding has only strengthened, with successive National Climate Assessments and reports from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change outlining in increasing detail the extensive harms caused by climate change.  Multiple other sources echo these warnings, and extend them to coming economic harms, which we see already presenting themselves in a property insurance—and increasingly unpredictable—crisis driven by increased flooding and wildfire risk. This overwhelming evidence underpinned EPA’s promulgation of subsequent endangerment findings for greenhouse gases emitted from power plants, oil and gas sector sources of methane, and aircraft engines.
    As you surely know, any attempt to rescind the Endangerment Finding flies in the face of established science and EPA’s own findings. EPA has found that its greenhouse gas regulations generate billions of dollars in savings for Americans and huge reductions in premature deaths, emergency room visits, heart disease, cancer, stroke, asthma onset and symptoms, and missed workdays.  Any attempt to rescind the Endangerment Finding will face significant legal and procedural hurdles, and will create chaos and uncertainty for industries that are relying on existing regulations.
    Your recommendation to strike down the Endangerment Finding appears to be part of a broader effort to dismantle environmental protections at the behest of fossil fuel interests. Reporting and previous investigations of the Senate Committee on the Budget indicate that oil industry lobbyists pre-drafted executive orders that would weaken climate regulations in anticipation of a second Trump Administration.  In short, the fossil fuel industry is now collecting the return on its investment in the 2024 election. Nevertheless, you promised at your confirmation hearing that you would “work with the scientists, leaving the science to the scientists.”  Despite that pledge, your push to undermine the Endangerment Finding seems based not on sound science or legal reasoning, but rather on an agenda that prioritizes industry profits over public health, environmental protection, and climate safety.
    Accordingly, in order to assist in our understanding of your recommendation concerning the Endangerment Finding, please respond to the following questions and requests for production of documents no later than March 6, 2025:
    1. Provide a copy of your correspondence with OMB and any other executive branch parties recommending that the Endangerment Finding be rescinded;
    2. Identify the author(s) of any such correspondence;
    3. Provide all scientific, legal, and economic analyses used to inform your recommendation to OMB regarding the Endangerment Finding;
    4. Identify all individuals and organizations consulted as part of this review process, including meetings with industry representatives and external stakeholders;
    5. Explain how the EPA intends to reconcile any proposed rescission of the Endangerment Finding with the Supreme Court’s ruling in Massachusetts v. EPA and subsequent legal precedent, which remains valid law;
    6. Provide any communications (including but not limited to emails, text messages, and memoranda)—dating from November 1, 2024 to present—between and among the EPA and White House officials, members of the Trump 2024 campaign, members of the Trump-Vance Transition Team, OMB staff, Elon Musk, Russell Vought, Mandy Gunasekara, or Jonathan Brightbill regarding the review and potential withdrawal of the Endangerment Finding; and
    7. Detail any plans the EPA has to conduct a formal rulemaking process to revise or rescind the Endangerment Finding.
    The American people deserve transparency regarding policies that impact public health, the environment, and the stability of our climate. We expect your prompt and thorough response.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Astronomer details dual targets of Tianwen-2 mission

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    China is set to launch the Tianwen-2 mission this year, aiming to unravel the mysteries of a “living fossil” of the solar system and one “rebel” of the main asteroid belt.
    The Tianwen-2 mission aims to achieve multiple goals in a single launch: it will collect samples from the near-Earth asteroid 2016HO3, as well as explore the main-belt comet 311P.
    An astronomer with the National Astronomical Observatories of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (NAOC) recently explained why these two targets are so intriguing and what cosmic secrets they might hold.
    Discovered in 2016 by the Pan-STARRS telescope in Hawaii, asteroid 2016HO3, located millions to tens of millions of kilometers away from Earth, is the first quasi-satellite of Earth ever discovered. Though not a natural moon, this 40-100 meter-wide asteroid orbits the Sun with parameters almost identical to Earth’s, constantly “wandering” near our planet.
    “A quasi-satellite is essentially a small celestial body that orbits the Sun, just like Earth. Its trajectory is quite similar to Earth’s. From our perspective on Earth, it appears to oscillate periodically around us. That’s why we call it a quasi-satellite,” explained Yan Wei, senior engineer at the NAOC.
    Scientists believe such asteroids preserve critical information about the solar system’s infancy. “These ‘cosmic fossils’ could reveal details about early solar system composition and evolution,” Yan noted.
    However, some researchers speculate the asteroid 2016HO3 might be debris from an ancient cosmic collision.
    Upon arrival, the Tianwen-2 probe will photograph the asteroid’s surface, analyze its rotation patterns and composition. “Comparing its material composition with that of the moon and Earth will be the focus of our exploration,” Yan emphasized.
    The mission also targets main-belt comet 311P, a celestial anomaly discovered in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter by American scientists in 2013. It had multiple dust tails and resembled a comet, which was highly unusual in the dry asteroid belt. Further observations confirmed that this object had the stable orbit of an asteroid but occasionally released dusts. It was thus classified as a main-belt comet and became the seventh such object ever confirmed and the most peculiar one to date.
    “Main-belt comets are actually a unique type of asteroid, but exhibiting some cometary features. When they get closer to the Sun, they can release materials, including gases and particles,” Yan explained.
    Traditionally, comets are believed to originate from the outer edges of the solar system with large amounts of ice. When they approach the Sun, the ice evaporates, forming a spectacular tail.
    Located in the main asteroid belt, a region hosting over 90 percent of the solar system’s asteroids, 311P challenges astronomers’ conventional understanding, as the region is too close to the Sun for the celestial body to retain its volatile materials like water ice.
    Tianwen-2 will visit this “rebel” of the asteroid belt to uncover its mysteries and advance human’s understanding of the solar system. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: King, Moran Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Research Effects of Low-Level Blast Injuries on Veteran Mental Health

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Angus King

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Jerry Moran (R-KS) – chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs – and Angus King (I-ME) – member of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs – introduced legislation to direct the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and other research partners to comprehensively study the impacts of repetitive low-level blast injuries on veterans’ mental health.

    The Precision Brain Health Research Act of 2025 would require VA to work with the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine to create a ten-year research plan to establish the effects of repetitive low-level blast injuries, where benchmarks must be reported to Congress, in order to develop further legislation for veterans who suffer with the effects of these repetitive blast exposures.

    “Brain injuries are a common, yet misunderstood and often undetectable, injury — and we’re finding they can be caused by exposure to large explosions, as well as consistently being near smaller blasts such as when firing a rifle, so we need to confront this threat from all angles,” said Senator King. “The bottom line is we must expand our understanding of the impact all blasts have on mental health, so that we can take proactive measures and protect the long-term health and well-being of our military community. Here in Maine we know all too well the horrible tragedies that can occur when brain injuries are left untreated. This commonsense bill builds off of previous efforts to deliver on our government’s sacred promise to provide our servicemembers, veterans and their families the very best care and support.”

    “Research has linked low-level blasts, which servicemembers are exposed to during training and in combat, to increased occurrences of brain injuries, mental health conditions and suicides,” said Senator Moran. “The Precision Brain Health Research Act will help us better understand why and how blast injuries are impacting veterans’ mental health and make certain VA is able to quickly incorporate these findings into care for veterans and enable them to receive an accurate diagnosis and treatment plan. This legislation is a step towards providing veterans the evidence-based health care and benefits they have earned and deserve, and I look forward to its passage.”

    This legislation builds off the Precision Brain Health initiative in the Commander John Scott Hannon Mental Health Care Improvement Act, which became law in 2020.

    The full text of the bill can be found here.

    “America’s Warrior Partnership is proud to fully endorse the VA Precision Brain Health Act of 2025, led by Chairman Moran and Senator King,” said Jim Lorraine, President & CEO, America’s Warrior Partnership. “As a former member of United States Special Operations Command and an advocate for many I served with, I know firsthand the long-term health impact of repetitive exposure.  For far too long, our service members and veterans have suffered with unexplained symptoms because of undetected brain injuries caused by repetitive low-level blasts during their time in training and in combat. This legislation will ensure these veterans will no longer be left behind.”

    “The Navy Seal Foundation applauds U.S. Senators Jerry Moran and Angus King on their work leading the Precision Brain Health Research Act,” said Robin King, CEO, The Navy Seal Foundation. “This bill will begin groundbreaking federal research—with accountability benchmarks built in—to ensure our Seals and others in the Special Operations community will not be left behind with the wounds they have suffered due to repetitive low-level blast injuries.”

    “The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) supports the Precision Brain Health Research Act of 2025 to expand VA research on repetitive low-level blast exposure, dementia, and other brain injuries affecting veterans,” said Joy Craig, Associate Director of Service Member Affairs, Veterans of Foreign Wars. “By strengthening VA-DOD data-sharing, funding large-scale studies, and partnering with the National Academies of Sciences, this bill advances cutting-edge care for those suffering from service-related brain injuries. We urge swift passage to ensure veterans receive the timely, evidence-based treatments they deserve.”

    “Traumatic Brain Injury, or TBI, is a complex injury with a spectrum of short- and long-term conditions, and it is a signature wound of post-9/11 military service,” said Brian Dempsey, Director of Government Affairs, Wounded Warrior Project. “Part of keeping our promise to veterans is making sure that the Department of Veterans Affairs is prepared to deliver the best possible care and support to those who suffered brain injuries in service.  The Precision Brain Health Research Act of 2025 would set VA on a course to more effectively treat TBI and better understand the impact of repetitive low-level blast exposure on veterans’ mental and brain health.  Wounded Warrior Project is proud to support this important legislation and thanks Senators Jerry Moran and Angus King for their commitment to improving how we care for veterans with TBIs”

    This legislation is also supported by The American Legion.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Dan Sullivan Announces Leadership Roles in 119th Congress

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Alaska Dan Sullivan

    02.28.25

    WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) announced his leadership roles for the 119th Congress: deputy whip for the Senate Republican Conference, chair of the Senate Armed Services (SASC) Subcommittee on Readiness and Management Support, and chair of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation (CST) Subcommittee on Coast Guard, Maritime, and Fisheries.

    “The new Senate Republican majority has a great opportunity to enact President Trump’s agenda to unleash American energy, build up our military readiness, strengthen our national security, and revitalize our economy,” said Senator Sullivan. “The Readiness and Management Support Subcommittee serves an incredibly vital role in overseeing the Defense Department and supporting our military’s readiness as we face one of the most dangerous periods since World War II with dictators on the march and increasingly working together. As chair of this subcommittee, I will be intently focused on our military’s lethality and ensuring our service members are as well-trained and equipped as possible should they ever be called upon to defend our nation. Similarly, I look forward to building up Alaska and America’s infrastructure, broadband, and maritime capabilities to maximize our national security and commercial and economic opportunities through my leadership role on the Commerce Committee. I will also continue this focus on Senator Barrasso’s team as a deputy whip. I am looking forward to working with this administration and with my Senate colleagues to get our country back on track.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Raised voices and angry scenes at the White House as Trump clashes with Zelensky over the ‘minerals deal’

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stefan Wolff, Professor of International Security, University of Birmingham

    The visit of Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky to the White House has not gone to plan – at least not to his plan. There were extraordinary scenes as a press conference between Zelensky and Trump descended into acrimony, with the US president loudly berating his opposite number, who he accused of “gambling with world war three”.

    “You either make a deal or we’re out,” Trump told Zelensky. His vice-president, J.D. Vance, also got in on the act, accusing the Ukrainian president of “litigating in front of the American media”, and saying his approach was “disrespectful”. At one point he asked Zelensky: “Have you said thank you even once?”

    Reporters present described the atmosphere as heated with voices raised by both Trump and Vance. The New York Times said the scene was “one of the most dramatic moments ever to play out in public in the Oval Office and underscored the radical break between the United States and Ukraine since Mr Trump took office”.

    Underlying the angry exchanges were differences between the Trump administration and the Ukrainian government over the so-called “minerals deal” that Zelensky was scheduled to sign. But any lack of Ukrainian enthusiasm for the deal is understandable.

    In its present form, it looks more like a memorandum of understanding that leaves several vital issues to be resolved later. The deal on offer is the creation of what will be called a “reconstruction investment fund”, to be jointly owned and managed by the US and Ukraine.

    Into the proposed fund will go 50% of the revenue from the exploitation of “all relevant Ukrainian government-owned natural resource assets (whether owned directly or indirectly by the Ukrainian government)” and “other infrastructure relevant to natural resource assets (such as liquified natural gas terminals and port infrastructure)”.

    This means that private infrastructure – much of it owned by Ukraine’s wealthy oligarchs – is likely to become part of the deal. This has the potential of further increasing friction between Zelensky and some very powerful Ukrainians.

    Meanwhile, US contributions are less clearly defined. The preamble to the agreement makes it clear that Ukraine already owes the US. The very first paragraph notes that “the United States of America has provided significant financial and material support to Ukraine since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022”.

    This figure, according to Trump, amounts to US$350 billion (£278 billion). The actual amount, according to the Ukraine Support Tracker of the Kiel Institute for the World Economy, is about half that.

    Western and Ukrainian analysts have also pointed out that there may be fewer and less accessible mineral and rare earth deposits in Ukraine than are currently assumed. The working estimates have been based mostly on Soviet-era data.

    Since the current draft leaves details on ownership, governance and operations to be determined in a future fund agreement, Trump’s very big deal is at best the first step. Future rounds of negotiations are to be expected.

    Statement of intent

    From a Ukrainian perspective, this is more of a strength than a weakness. It leaves Kyiv with an opportunity to achieve more satisfactory terms in future rounds of negotiation. Even if any improvements will only be marginal, it keeps the US locked into a process that is, overall, beneficial for Ukraine.

    Take the example of security guarantees. The draft agreement offers Ukraine nothing anywhere near Nato membership. But it notes that the US “supports Ukraine’s efforts to obtain security guarantees needed to establish lasting peace”, adding that: “Participants will seek to identify any necessary steps to protect mutual investments.”

    The significance of this should not be overstated. At its bare minimum, it is an expression of intent by the US that falls short of security guarantees but still gives the US a stake in the survival of Ukraine as an independent state.

    But it is an important signal both in terms of what it does and does not do – a signal to Russia, Europe and Ukraine.

    Trump does not envisage that the US will give Ukraine security guarantees “beyond very much”. He seems to think that these guarantees can be provided by European troops (the Kremlin has already cast doubts on this idea).

    But this does not mean the idea is completely off the table. On the contrary, because the US commitment is so vague, it gives Trump leverage in every direction.

    He can use it as a carrot and a stick against Ukraine to get more favourable terms for US returns from the reconstruction investment fund. He can use it to push Europe towards more decisive action to ramp up defence spending by making any US protection for European peacekeepers contingent on more equitable burden-sharing in Nato.

    And he can signal to the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, that the US is serious about making a deal stick – and that higher American economic stakes in Ukraine and corporate presence on the ground would mean US-backed consequences if the Kremlin reneges on a future peace agreement and restarts hostilities.

    That these calculations will ultimately lead to the “free, sovereign and secure Ukraine” that the agreement envisages is not a given.

    For now, however, despite all the shortcomings and vagueness of the deal on key issues –– and the very public argument between the parties – it still looks like it serves all sides’ interests in moving forward in this direction.

    This article has been updated with details of the meeting between Volodymyr Zelensky and Donald Trump.

    Stefan Wolff is a past recipient of grant funding from the Natural Environment Research Council of the UK, the United States Institute of Peace, the Economic and Social Research Council of the UK, the British Academy, the NATO Science for Peace Programme, the EU Framework Programmes 6 and 7 and Horizon 2020, as well as the EU’s Jean Monnet Programme. He is a Trustee and Honorary Treasurer of the Political Studies Association of the UK and a Senior Research Fellow at the Foreign Policy Centre in London.

    Tetyana Malyarenko 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. Raised voices and angry scenes at the White House as Trump clashes with Zelensky over the ‘minerals deal’ – https://theconversation.com/raised-voices-and-angry-scenes-at-the-white-house-as-trump-clashes-with-zelensky-over-the-minerals-deal-250855

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Are unions really shifting toward Conservatives? Here’s a closer look at their Ontario election endorsements

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Steven Tufts, Associate Professor, Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change, York University, Canada

    Ontario Premier Doug Ford has secured a third consecutive majority government for the Progressive Conservative Party.

    Despite attacks on public sector unions through laws deemed unconstitutional and extensive privatization plans, Ford managed to increase endorsements from labour unions during his campaign.

    Police and firefighter unions endorsed the Ontario PCs and Ford continued to build support in private sector unions. The Carpenters’ Regional Council, UNITE HERE! Local 75 representing hotel workers and some Unifor Local groups endorsed the party for the first time. Ford centred this union support in much of his media campaign material.

    Conservatives now claim we are in the middle of a “movement” of workers away from the New Democratic Party, which has historically been seen as the party of labour, toward both federal and provincial conservative parties.

    Former Conservative Party of Canada leader Erin O’Toole reached out to workers in the last federal election and current Conservative leader, Pierre Poilievre, continues to do so.

    However, the actual extent of union support for Ford must be put into context. There is no evidence to suggest a major political re-alignment of unions with conservative parties. At the same time, the ability of Ford’s brand of populism to engage with a strategic transactionalism in some unions is a serious challenge to labour movement solidarity.

    The truth behind union support

    While researchers have observed a shifting relationship between unions and the NDP, it varies greatly by sector and region. Although some affiliates endorsed Ford, the Ontario Federation of Labour, representing 54 unions, publicly supported the NDP.

    Local autonomy is part of a democratic labour movement, and many of the endorsements for Ford came from union locals, not the entirety of a union’s membership.

    Some unions have policies of not endorsing any party, while others allow endorsements by union locals of individual candidates. More importantly, even if unions decide to endorse a candidate or party, individual members vote for whoever they want. Union members continue to vote in complex and contradictory ways, and they can be swayed by populist politicians as much as any other voter.

    Right-wing populism presents a challenge to unions whose members are not isolated from populist politics. Ford’s brand of populism has proven effective in attracting and dividing organized labour, especially public versus private sector union members. He uses populist rhetoric to challenge public sector unions while making more moderate overatures to non-union and private sector workers.

    This pivoting populism has proven effective. Promises of a “buck-a-beer” and allowing liquor into corner stores appeals to workers while potentially reducing unionized jobs at LCBO outlets and government revenue for health care and education.

    Ford has also demonstrated the ability to shift his populist message when needed. He quickly positioned himself as a leading voice against tariffs proposed by United States President Donald Trump. He successfully engaged a nationalist economic populism defending workers, specifically in Ontario’s manufacturing sector.

    Despite being caught saying he was “100 per cent” happy with Trump’s victory, he pivoted to a message that muzzled, at least temporarily, the racist, anti-immigrant, anti-transgender and anti-climate change sentiments of Trumpian populism.

    Ford’s folksy rhetoric was flexible enough to maintain his appeal. Union leaders representing workers supportive of Ford, especially in the private sector, either felt pressure to reflect their members politics or were supportive themselves. As a result, some unions were more open to being transactional with the Ontario PCs than in the past.

    Transactional approach to politics

    In their recent book Shifting Gears, labour experts Stephanie Ross and Larry Savage document Unifor’s shift toward a more transactional approach when dealing with political parties. They argue the union abandoned its traditional party-union alliance with the NDP for more pragmatic relationships with those in power.

    Transactional politics are increasingly practised by many unions, and Ford has used it to his advantage. Private sector unions in the building trades and hospitality industries that endorsed Ford have secured millions in training funds from the government.

    For example, on Jan. 25, the Carpenter’s Regional Council announced it received $14 million from Ontario’s Skills Development Fund to train 1,500 workers. Less than a month later, the Ontario PCs announced it received the council’s endorsement.

    Ford’s transactional relationships with unions are not without growing pains. Several unions that supported the Ontario PCs in the 2022 election condemned Bill 28, which would have removed the right to strike for 55,000 educational workers. After thousands walked off the job in response, the government withdrew the bill.

    Here, we see a broader form of transactional politics in play. If Ford wanted to maintain even minimal union support, he had to recognize basic rights for unionized workers.

    The current levels of union support for the Ontario PCs may have an exaggerated significance. After all, the Conservatives only slightly increased their popular vote and lost three seats, dropping to 80 from 83. Similarly, the NDP remains the official opposition, but had their seat count and popular vote diminished, while the Liberals increased both.

    The future of labour

    Shifting union support for political parties can have an impact, as unions have people and resources that can be allocated to campaigns. But there are limits to the union support conservative parties can build.

    First, much of this support is driven by right-wing populism, which can fade over time. The traditional conservative business community can reinstate neoliberal policies that restricts unions and their power.

    Second, transactional politics that use taxpayer money are expensive for governments. After all, not every union can be awarded a new training centre.

    Perhaps the most significant implications are for the future of the labour movement itself. The politics between unions that collaborate with right-wing populists and those who are attacked by them remain divisive as labour leaders have publicly debated the issue. At what point will the fissures erupt and threaten overall solidarity?

    It may be time for the labour movement to go on the offensive against support for right-wing populists among their own memberships — the unions giving endorsements in exchange for resources and the bare minimum, in terms of union recognition.

    At this juncture, this will be a struggle. Union political education has always been a challenge, and it’s more difficult in the era of right-wing legacy and social media. Any attempt by central labour bodies, such as the Ontario Federation of Labour, to sanction or expel affiliates who support right-wing parties would have high political costs.

    But accommodating, rather than confronting, right-wing populist sentiments among workers and maintaining inter-union solidarity may eventually lead to the movement and political realignment conservatives are hoping for.

    Steven Tufts receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. He also sits on the board of an organisation that has recevied past funding from the Ontario Skills Development Fund mentioned in the article.

    – ref. Are unions really shifting toward Conservatives? Here’s a closer look at their Ontario election endorsements – https://theconversation.com/are-unions-really-shifting-toward-conservatives-heres-a-closer-look-at-their-ontario-election-endorsements-250988

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Tatyana Golikova presented the national project “Family”

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova presented the national project “Family” at an extended meeting of the State Duma Committee on Family Protection, Fatherhood, Motherhood and Childhood.

    Tatyana Golikova presented the national project “Family”

    February 28, 2025

    Previous news Next news

    Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova, Minister of Labor and Social Protection Anton Kotyakov, Minister of Health Mikhail Murashko, Minister of Culture Olga Lyubimova, Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education Olga Petrova and Deputy Minister of Education Andrei Nikolaev spoke about the prerequisites for the formation, main goals and directions of the new national project.

    As Tatyana Golikova noted, the national project “Family” is comprehensive and was formed taking into account the instructions of the President of Russia and his decree No. 309. It is aimed at achieving three national development goals:

    • preserving the population, strengthening health and improving well-being of people, supporting families;

    • realizing the potential of each person, developing his talents, raising a patriotic and socially responsible individual;

    • comfortable and safe living environment.

    “When developing the national project, we focused on the family in the broadest sense of the word. Therefore, the national project included measures aimed at both stimulating new births and supporting various types of families, including young, large families, and older generations of families,” the Deputy Prime Minister emphasized.

    She noted that the national project “Family” replaces the national projects “Demography”, “Culture” and some activities of the national project “Healthcare” and takes into account all the experience of positive decisions accumulated in recent years.

    The national project consists of five federal projects. The Ministry of Labor has been appointed as the head of three projects: FP “Family Support”, “Large Families”, “Older Generation”. FP “Maternity and Childhood Protection” is assigned to the Ministry of Health, FP “Family Values and Cultural Infrastructure” to the Ministry of Culture.

    17.9 trillion rubles have been allocated for the implementation of the national project over six years, including 7.8 trillion rubles over the next three years.

    “The President of the country has set the task of ensuring sustainable growth in the birth rate, increasing the total fertility rate to 1.6 by 2030 and to 1.8 by 2036. The target value can be achieved provided that not only the social sphere, but also all areas of our life – the economy, development of housing and rural infrastructure, improvement of cities and towns – will work towards this goal,” said Tatyana Golikova.

    According to her, preliminary results for 2024 show that, compared to 2023, the total fertility rate, according to Rosstat’s operational data, has remained almost unchanged, decreasing by 0.7% to 1.4.

    At the same time, 18 regions have seen an increase in the birth rate. It is important that among them are regions of Central Russia, the North-West from the cluster “Demographic Winter” – these are Smolensk, Oryol, Ryazan, Leningrad and Kaliningrad regions.

    “The growth dynamics of births of third and subsequent children has been maintained – by 1.1% compared to the previous year. At the same time, Russia, like many developed countries, is characterized by demographic challenges and new trends in the development of the institution of the family. Based on these challenges, we have formed seven key areas,” the Deputy Prime Minister said.

    The first direction is the implementation of the “plus one child in every family” approach. The target is large families.

    The second direction is to level out the high regional differentiation in birth rates.

    According to preliminary results for 2024, in 38 regions, excluding new regions, the birth rate is higher than the Russian average, and in two – the Chechen Republic and Tuva – it exceeds the level of simple reproduction – 2.1. In general, the differentiation between regions has not changed – the indicator differs by three times).

    In such conditions, federal umbrella measures with uniform conditions for the entire country must be supplemented in all subjects with regional support measures linked to local specifics and targeted work with individual groups of regions, supporting them from the federal level. It is important that the growth of the total fertility rate in the territory, support for large families, and the reduction of their poverty become a personal project of each governor.

    The third direction is the creation of conditions for the harmonious combination of professional development with the birth and upbringing of children.

    “To do this, we are fine-tuning both state and corporate policies. Together with the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs and the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Russia, we have developed recommendations for the implementation of corporate social policy. Informally, we call them the “corporate demographic standard”. At the end of the year, it was adopted by the Russian Tripartite Commission,” noted Tatyana Golikova. “As you remember, at the final meeting of the State Council, the President supported certain additional measures, including tax incentives for employers, so that there would be an opportunity to support working women and working families. And of course, an important topic here is support for the older generation.”

    The fourth direction is increasing the birth rate in rural areas.

    The village has traditionally been the basis for population growth in the country, large families. Despite the decrease in the total fertility rate in the village by a third in the last 10 years, the fertility rate in the village as a whole is currently maintained at the level that must be achieved throughout the country by 2030. It is important to maintain it at this level and, if possible, increase it.

    “Last year, a pilot project was launched in three regions – Novgorod, Tambov and Penza regions, which is aimed at developing infrastructure. And although not much time has passed, we are already seeing the first positive results. Over the three quarters of 2024, compared to the same period in 2023, the number of women registered for pregnancy at antenatal clinics in the pilot regions increased by 15% on average, and the number of women who continued their pregnancy increased by 22% on average,” the Deputy Prime Minister said.

    “Another area is improving the well-being of families so that they can make decisions about having another child. These are, of course, new targeted support measures. And here, both within the framework of the national project and within the framework of individual state programs and general policy, we will continue measures aimed at increasing the minimum wage, increasing citizens’ labor incomes, and, of course, keeping inflation low,” Tatyana Golikova emphasized.

    The sixth direction is strengthening reproductive health and developing children’s medicine. It is planned to further increase additional investments in infrastructure and technologies in healthcare.

    The seventh direction is strengthening the values of the family institution. All events related to the national project “Culture” implemented in previous years are concentrated here. These include cultural centers, cinemas in rural areas, modernized theaters and museums, model libraries, renovated and equipped children’s art schools, and new cinemas.

    “There are no trifles in issues such as birth rate. This really should become the business of every governor, so that there are more of us, Russians,” concluded Tatyana Golikova.

    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: NANO Nuclear Energy Announces Active Corporate Role for Veteran Investment & Merchant Banker Darlene T. DeRemer as its Executive Director of Corporate Finance

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    New York, N.Y., Feb. 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — NANO Nuclear Energy Inc. (NASDAQ: NNE) (“NANO Nuclear” or “the Company”), a leading advanced nuclear energy and technology company focused on developing clean energy solutions, today announced that Darlene T. DeRemer, previously Chairwoman of NANO Nuclear’s Executive Advisory Board for Institutional Finance, has now transitioned to a new, active corporate role with NANO Nuclear as its Executive Director of Corporate Finance.

    In her new role, Ms. DeRemer will assist NANO Nuclear’s executive management as a consultant in the continuing development and execution of the Company’s financing strategies and its corporate processes and procedures, all with a view towards supporting NANO Nuclear’s long-term growth.

    This appointment follows a similar, previously announced, leadership transition for the Hon. John G. Vonglis, who now serves as NANO Nuclear’s Executive Director of Global Government Affairs after having served on the Company Executive Advisory Board. These appointments highlight the confidence of leading professionals in NANO Nuclear’s mission and potential. Since its inception, NANO Nuclear has attracted highly qualified and proven leaders in finance, regulation, and science. Ms. DeRemer’s appointment adds to a growing roster of exemplary professionals dedicated to NANO Nuclear’s emerging status at the forefront of the advanced nuclear energy technology industry.

    “Working alongside Jay and James on NANO Nuclear’s Executive Advisory Board confirmed my confidence in NANO Nuclear’s mission and leadership, and I’m thrilled to step into a more active role where I can contribute to NANO Nuclear’s continued success,” said Darlene T. DeRemer, Executive Director of Corporate Finance of NANO Nuclear Energy. “I believe that the future of the nuclear energy industry and NANO Nuclear’s mission are closely aligned, given the innovative potential of our technologies to provide reliable, robust, and secure power to data centers, remote communities, mining projects, military installations, and beyond.”

    Figure 1 – NANO Nuclear Energy Executive Advisory Board Member Darlene T. DeRemer Transitions to Active Role within the Company as its Executive Director of Corporate Finance.

    Darlene DeRemer is the Chair of the ARK Invest ETF Trust Board and co-founder of Grail Partners LLC, a merchant banking firm where she leads the firm’s Boston office. As a senior banker, she focuses on the global asset management industry, advising clients on a wide range of strategic transactions. With over 25 years of experience as a leading adviser in the financial services industry, Ms. DeRemer specialized in strategic marketing, product design, and the implementation of innovative service strategies.

    Before transitioning into investment banking, Ms. DeRemer led or participated in numerous advisory transactions. Her current clients include institutional and mutual fund managers in the U.S., as well as alternative investment firms seeking to access public markets both domestically and internationally. Previously, Ms. DeRemer ran NewRiver’s eBusiness Advisory unit for four years and operated her own strategy firm, DeRemer + Associates, for 18 years. Founded in 1987, DeRemer + Associates was the first consultancy focused on the U.S. mutual fund industry. Darlene holds a B.S. in finance and marketing (summa cum laude, 1977) and an MBA with distinction (1979) from Syracuse University.

    “I’m pleased to welcome Darlene to her new role at NANO Nuclear and thank her for her contributions as Chairwoman of our Executive Advisory Board for Institutional Finance,” said Jay Yu, Founder and Chairman of NANO Nuclear Energy. “Her extensive background in guiding growing companies will be hugely beneficial as we expand and strengthen our operations in both the near and long term. I look forward to working with Darlene to ensure that NANO Nuclear has the financial capabilities to achieve our ambitious goals and as we seek to establish ourself as leader in the advanced nuclear energy industry.”

    “Darlene’s decision to move into a more active role with our company underscores both the great promise of our ambitions and our track record of achievements to date,” said James Walker, Chief Executive Officer and Head of Reactor Development of NANO Nuclear Energy. “Her leadership abilities and finely honed expertise will be tremendous assets as we continue to expand. In particular, her extensive network and talent for navigating complex financial landscapes will be vital as NANO Nuclear looks to capitalize on the growing momentum in the nuclear energy industry.”

    About NANO Nuclear Energy, Inc.

    NANO Nuclear Energy Inc. (NASDAQ: NNE) is an advanced technology-driven nuclear energy company seeking to become a commercially focused, diversified, and vertically integrated company across five business lines: (i) cutting edge portable and other microreactor technologies, (ii) nuclear fuel fabrication, (iii) nuclear fuel transportation, (iv) nuclear applications for space and (v) nuclear industry consulting services. NANO Nuclear believes it is the first portable nuclear microreactor company to be listed publicly in the U.S.

    Led by a world-class nuclear engineering team, NANO Nuclear’s reactor products in development include “ZEUS”, a solid core battery reactor, and “ODIN”, a low-pressure coolant reactor, each representing advanced developments in clean energy solutions that are portable, on-demand capable, advanced nuclear microreactors. NANO Nuclear is also developing patented stationary KRONOS MMR™ Energy System and space focused, portable LOKI MMR™.

    Advanced Fuel Transportation Inc. (AFT), a NANO Nuclear subsidiary, is led by former executives from the largest transportation company in the world aiming to build a North American transportation company that will provide commercial quantities of HALEU fuel to small modular reactors, microreactor companies, national laboratories, military, and DOE programs. Through NANO Nuclear, AFT is the exclusive licensee of a patented high-capacity HALEU fuel transportation basket developed by three major U.S. national nuclear laboratories and funded by the Department of Energy. Assuming development and commercialization, AFT is expected to form part of the only vertically integrated nuclear fuel business of its kind in North America.

    HALEU Energy Fuel Inc. (HEF), a NANO Nuclear subsidiary, is focusing on the future development of a domestic source for a High-Assay, Low-Enriched Uranium (HALEU) fuel fabrication pipeline for NANO Nuclear’s own microreactors as well as the broader advanced nuclear reactor industry.

    NANO Nuclear Space Inc. (NNS), a NANO Nuclear subsidiary, is exploring the potential commercial applications of NANO Nuclear’s developing micronuclear reactor technology in space. NNS is focusing on applications such as the LOKI MMR™ system and other power systems for extraterrestrial projects and human sustaining environments, and potentially propulsion technology for long haul space missions. NNS’ initial focus will be on cis-lunar applications, referring to uses in the space region extending from Earth to the area surrounding the Moon’s surface.

    For more corporate information please visit: https://NanoNuclearEnergy.com/

    For further NANO Nuclear information, please contact:

    Email: IR@NANONuclearEnergy.com
    Business Tel: (212) 634-9206

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    Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements

    This news release and statements of NANO Nuclear’s management in connection with this news release contain or may contain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In this context, forward-looking statements mean statements related to future events, which may impact our expected future business and financial performance, and often contain words such as “expects”, “anticipates”, “intends”, “plans”, “believes”, “potential”, “will”, “should”, “could”, “would” or “may” and other words of similar meaning. In this press release, forward-looking statements include those regarding the anticipated benefits of Ms. DeRemer’s association with the Company as described herein. These and other forward-looking statements are based on information available to us as of the date of this news release and represent management’s current views and assumptions. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, events or results and involve significant known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may be beyond our control. For NANO Nuclear, particular risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual future results to differ materially from those expressed in our forward-looking statements include but are not limited to the following: (i) risks related to our U.S. Department of Energy (“DOE”) or related state or non-U.S. nuclear fuel licensing submissions, (ii) risks related the development of new or advanced technology and the acquisition of complimentary technology or businesses, including difficulties with design and testing, cost overruns, regulatory delays, integration issues and the development of competitive technology, (iii) our ability to obtain contracts and funding to be able to continue operations, (iv) risks related to uncertainty regarding our ability to technologically develop and commercially deploy a competitive advanced nuclear reactor or other technology in the timelines we anticipate, if ever, (v) risks related to the impact of U.S. and non-U.S. government regulation, policies and licensing requirements, including by the DOE and the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, including those associated with the recently enacted ADVANCE Act, and (vi) similar risks and uncertainties associated with the operating an early stage business a highly regulated and rapidly evolving industry. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which apply only as of the date of this news release. These factors may not constitute all factors that could cause actual results to differ from those discussed in any forward-looking statement, and NANO Nuclear therefore encourages investors to review other factors that may affect future results in its filings with the SEC, which are available for review at www.sec.gov and at https://ir.nanonuclearenergy.com/financial-information/sec-filings. Accordingly, forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as a predictor of actual results. We do not undertake to update our forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that may arise after the date of this news release, except as required by law.

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Five essential strategies to master your habits

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Eike Buabang, Research Fellow, Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience (TCIN), Trinity College Dublin

    Branislav Nenin / Shutterstock

    We often set ambitious goals, such as going to the gym, adopting healthier eating habits, or reducing our social media use. However, despite our best intentions, staying committed can often feel like an uphill battle.

    A review of evidence published in 2024 highlights why. While understanding the benefits of behaviour change and believing in its value are important, these play only minor roles. The strongest determinant of our ability to shift how we act everyday is our habits.

    As the 19th and 20th-century philosopher William James put it, we are essentially “bundles of habits”. He believed that these habits could hold people back from achieving their full potential. If he were around today, he would probably be concerned at the way some people mindlessly check their phones every five minutes.

    In a recent academic review, my colleagues and I at Trinity College Dublin illustrated that habits are governed by a delicate balance between two distinct brain systems. One system drives automatic responses to familiar cues in the environment, while the other enables the control of behaviour directed towards goals.

    This interplay helps explain why we might mindlessly scroll through social media when bored, yet still retain the ability to deliberately put our phones away to focus on work. We reviewed decades of research from laboratory studies and real world settings for the study. Here, we share five practical strategies to help you build positive habits and break negative ones.

    1. Forget the 21-day myth

    Forget the 21-day rule – there is no magic number. This rule refers to a popular perception that it takes 21 days to form a new habit. Habit formation is different for every person.

    In one study, habit formation such as having a piece of fruit with lunch was estimated to take 66 days on average, but it varied widely between individuals, from 18 days to 254 days.

    It also depends on the specific habit itself. A study demonstrated this using a subset of AI called machine learning. The study analysed more than 12 million gym visits and 40 million instances of hospital handwashing to understand how habits form.

    The research found that forming a gym habit typically takes months, while hospital staff can develop a handwashing habit in just weeks. No matter how long it takes, the key is sticking with it, even if you miss a day here and there.

    2. Make rewards your ally

    Your brain learns to repeat behaviour that is rewarding. One study examining people’s intake of water throughout the day found that it was more of a habit for people who perceived it as more rewarding.

    The habit loop can also be reinforced through external rewards, such as treating yourself to something enjoyable after completing a workout.

    Rewards are also important for breaking habits. If scrolling through social media becomes a way to unwind, try replacing it with an alternative activity that provides a similar sense of relaxation and enjoyment.

    By substituting a positive behaviour, you not only avoid feeling deprived but also create a competing response to the old habit, making it easier to break the cycle.

    3. Stack your habits

    The brain has a natural tendency to combine different actions and respond to contextual cues – the kind that help people understand their surroundings. A strategy called habit stacking takes advantage of this by linking a desired behaviour to something you already do.

    For example, research on flossing found that people who flossed immediately after brushing their teeth were more likely to establish a lasting habit. The existing cue – brushing your teeth – serves as a reminder, making the new habit – flossing – feel like a natural part of your routine.

    So, if you want to start meditating, pair it with your morning coffee. Sip your coffee, then meditate for five minutes. Over time, the two types of behaviour become intertwined, making it easier to stick with your goals.

    4. Watch out for stress

    When life gets overwhelming, many of us find ourselves falling back into old habits, even ones we thought we had moved past. Acute and chronic stress can shift the balance away from controlled goal directed behaviour towards the automatic response system in the brain.

    A functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study revealed that prolonged stress in humans leads to an over-reliance on the brain’s circuits that drive habits, while suppressing the prefrontal cortex, which governs deliberate decision making.

    The good news? These effects are reversible. After a six week stress-free period, participants returned to goal directed behaviour, and their brain activity normalised.

    5. Plan for weak moments

    We like to set new ambitious goals when we feel motivated. Motivational changes are often initiated based around time, such as the start of a new year, a phenomenon known as the “fresh start effect”. But it is important to be strategic and prepare for situations when motivation is low and we still want to work towards our goals.

    A powerful strategy for overcoming these weak moments is to plan ahead for specific situations by saying, “If I find myself reaching for a snack when I’m stressed, then I will take a five-minute walk instead.” This strategy is generally referred to as “if-then” plans.

    This approach helps to preemptively trigger a healthier response in those moments when bad habits might otherwise take over.

    So, while it might seem difficult, if you’re looking to rid yourself of a bad habit or replace it with a good one, our research suggests it’s possible to change your behaviour using strategies based on scientific evidence.

    Eike Buabang receives funding from the Government of Ireland Postdoctoral Fellowship Programme.

    – ref. Five essential strategies to master your habits – https://theconversation.com/five-essential-strategies-to-master-your-habits-250099

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: How does toothpaste affect the good bacteria in your mouth?

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Niamh Coffey, Senior Lecturer, Dentistry, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences

    Ground Picture/Shutterstock

    The goal of brushing one’s teeth is to have fresh breath and prevent cavities. But the effect of toothpaste on the complex ecosystem of bacteria in our mouths — the oral microbiome — is often overlooked.

    Recent research has highlighted just how crucial the oral microbiome is for our overall health. A well-balanced microbiome helps regulate harmful bacteria, aids digestion and protects the gums. But does toothpaste support this balance, or could it be disrupting it? And could the toothpaste of the future be designed to work with the oral microbiome rather than against it?

    The mouth is one of the most densely populated microbial habitats in the body, home to more than 700 species of bacteria. These bacteria inhabit not only the surfaces of the teeth and gums in biofilm – a sticky, structured community that can be both beneficial and harmful – but also thrive in our saliva, contributing to the dynamic oral microbiome.

    A healthy microbiome includes bacteria that help regulate pH levels (a measure of how acidic or alkaline a substance is), break down food and even produce natural antimicrobial compounds. But when the balance is disrupted — often due to diet, poor oral hygiene or certain medical conditions — harmful bacteria can take over. This imbalance, known as dysbiosis, is linked to tooth decay and gum disease.

    What does toothpaste actually do?

    The main function of toothpaste isn’t to kill bacteria outright but to disrupt the biofilm that allows harmful bacteria to thrive. Brushing mechanically removes this biofilm from teeth and gums, while abrasives in toothpaste help break it up further.

    Many toothpastes also contain fluoride, which strengthens tooth enamel and helps prevent cavities. Interestingly, fluoride itself doesn’t kill bacteria, but it makes it harder for acid-producing bacteria like Streptococcus mutans, a key player in tooth decay, to cause damage.

    Some toothpastes include antibacterial agents, such as triclosan (now banned in some countries due to safety concerns) or newer alternatives like stannous fluoride and zinc compounds. These ingredients target harmful bacteria, but there’s still debate about whether they also disrupt beneficial microbes in the process.

    Despite toothpaste being a daily staple, research into its effects on the oral microbiome is still evolving. Some studies suggest that certain antibacterial agents reduce both harmful and beneficial bacteria, potentially changing the microbiome in ways we don’t yet fully understand. Others indicate that the microbiome recovers quite quickly after brushing, making any disruption temporary.

    Scientists are now exploring whether future toothpaste formulations could take a more targeted approach, reducing harmful bacteria while preserving beneficial species. Some emerging research looks at probiotics and prebiotics — ingredients that could actively support a healthier oral microbiome rather than simply disrupting it.

    Keeping the oral microbiome in balance isn’t just about avoiding cavities. There’s growing evidence linking gum disease to heart disease, diabetes and harms during pregnancy. Inflammation triggered by harmful oral bacteria can spread beyond the mouth, potentially contributing to long-term health problems.

    Brushing with fluoride toothpaste twice a day and cleaning between the teeth helps reduce the bacterial load in the mouth, lowering the risk of both oral and systemic diseases.

    Tooth decay is linked to a number of systemic diseases.
    Jo Panuwat D/Shutterstock

    Microbiome-friendly toothpaste?

    As our understanding of the oral microbiome grows, toothpaste may evolve to become more selective in its action. Instead of broad-spectrum antibacterial agents, future formulations might include ingredients that support beneficial bacteria while keeping harmful species in check.

    Some promising candidates include arginine, a naturally occurring amino acid that promotes the growth of beneficial bacteria, and plant-derived antimicrobials that disrupt harmful biofilms without killing good bacteria. However, research in this area is still in its early stages, and more evidence is needed to determine the long-term effects of these ingredients.

    Toothpaste plays a key role in oral health by breaking up bacterial biofilm, reducing the risk of tooth decay and gum disease. While some ingredients may affect the oral microbiome, research suggests that brushing and flossing remain the most effective ways to maintain a healthy mouth.

    Future toothpaste innovations may shift towards microbiome-friendly formulations but, for now, the best advice remains the same: brush twice a day with fluoride toothpaste, spit out the excess and clean between your teeth daily.

    Nothing to disclose.

    Albert Leung and Niamh Coffey do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. How does toothpaste affect the good bacteria in your mouth? – https://theconversation.com/how-does-toothpaste-affect-the-good-bacteria-in-your-mouth-250826

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –