NewzIntel.com

Category: Universities

  • MIL-OSI Russia: SPbGASU celebrates the 80th anniversary of the Great Victory

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering – Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering – Participants of the memorial event

    A memorial event dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War was held at SPbGASU.

    Our university greeted the participants of the celebration with the sounds of wartime music. The veterans shared their memories.

    Zoya Ivanovna Kruglova taught French at LISI (SPbGASU) for 41 years and headed the trade union. When the war began, Zoya Ivanovna lived in Vyshny Volochok and went to first grade. “My father was at war, my brother was at war, my sister also volunteered for the front. My mother and I were left alone. As the Germans approached, we had to evacuate – first 20 kilometers to the village of Golovkino, then to another village where my father’s sister lived. There I went to second grade. It was three kilometers to school… Then we returned to Volochok.

    I remember Victory Day very well. It was a clear sunny day. I got up, my neighbor was running and saying – the war is over, victory! At school, the teacher told everyone to go to the city center, there would be a celebration there. We were very happy that the war was over. We danced, we danced.”

    Alexander Matveevich Maslennikov first entered the walls of our university 75 years ago, in 1950, as a student. He had A’s in all subjects. During his studies, he received only one B, and that was because he was ill. Then – postgraduate studies, defending a candidate’s and doctoral dissertation. Andrei Matveevich was one of the first in our country to introduce the matrix form of calculation of building structures and the finite element method into the educational process, he headed the department of structural mechanics of our university for 25 years, and was vice-rector for science.

    At the beginning of the war, Aleksandr Matveyevich was 14 years old. At 15, he went to work and worked on a ship of the Belsk River Shipping Company in Bashkiria throughout the war. Aleksandr Matveyevich jokes that his job title suited his last name very well – he was an oiler in the engine room. Aleksandr Matveyevich celebrated Victory Day in the firebox of a steamboat boiler.

    “There were three people on watch in the engine rooms. The mechanic was the main one. I was the oiler. And the third was the stoker. It was dark to go back to the city, we had to spend the night somewhere. It was cold in the steamer itself. We cleared the boiler firebox of ash, threw in rags – one of our materials that we used to clean the mechanisms so that they would work smoothly. And we spent the night right in the firebox. Suddenly the whistle blew. They were shouting – victory, victory! They announced that we had won, the war was over.”

    Marina Malyutina’s performance

    Marina Malyutina, Vice-Rector for Youth Policy, spoke about our university’s contribution to the Victory. More than 950 students, postgraduates, teachers, employees and graduates of LISI went to the active army, to hospitals, medical battalions, and air defense units. Teachers and professors designed and supervised the construction of pillboxes, bunkers, and other defensive structures outside the city, camouflaged military facilities and architectural monuments. It was largely due to their efforts that not a single monument was destroyed during the 900 days of the siege. From March 1942 to August 1944, the institute’s staff was evacuated, where scientific research continued and the educational process did not stop. In 1945, the Leningrad Civil Engineering Institute was awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Labor. Many teachers, employees and students were awarded medals “For the Defense of Leningrad”.

    Marina Viktorovna is sure that the memory of the war is a powerful factor in uniting people and forming national unity. “The exploits of previous generations are a moral guideline that inspires us to new achievements and hard work. We at SPbGASU will continue to preserve and increase the memory of the generation of victors and their legacy, educate highly qualified civil engineers and architects who will strengthen the sovereignty of our country with their work.”

    The Chairman of the Regional Public Organization “Association of Veterans of the Special Military Operation “Defenders of the Motherland”” Georgy Zhuravlev spoke to the participants of the memorial event. He spoke about the exploits of his family members during the Great Patriotic War and noted: through the stories of his loved ones, he understood what fascism brings to this world, so he went to the SVO. He took part in military operations near Kharkov, was seriously wounded, and was awarded the Order of Courage. Georgy Zhuravlev emphasized: now, when our country is facing new challenges, we are obliged to win the war against the new Nazism.

    The participants of the solemn ceremony observed a minute of silence in memory of the fallen defenders of the Motherland and laid flowers at the memorial plaques on the balustrade of the main building of the university. A concert prepared by the Student Leisure and Creativity Center “Kirpich” took place in the assembly hall.

    An exhibition entitled “Faces of Victory” opened on the lower balustrade, dedicated to the teachers, students, and graduates of our university who fought during the Great Patriotic War or worked in the rear, performing the most important tasks for the country.

    Aleksandr Vasilyevich Prygunov (1907–1943) – Hero of the Soviet Union, graduate of the Institute of Municipal Construction Engineers (as our university was then called) in 1936. From the end of 1941, he commanded a sapper platoon on the Karelian Front. From May 1943, he took command of a sapper company, which distinguished itself in equipping three bypasses and restoring two bridges across the Lisenok River in the Gaivoronsky District of the Kursk Region, ensuring the timely passage of all divisional cargo.

    In the autumn of 1943, the brigade was tasked with forcing the Dnieper with assault troops. On the night of September 27, 1943, the company’s grenadiers ferried the first assault troops across the Dnieper, quickly set up a ferry crossing and began delivering artillery, ammunition and soldiers. The enemy opened fierce artillery and mortar fire on the crossing. Most of the boats were damaged, but Senior Lieutenant Prygunov, organizing repairs to the watercraft, and his soldiers continued to selflessly work on the crossing and the two surviving boats. Fierce fighting continued for two days. Despite the losses suffered and the lack of ferry equipment, Prygunov’s sapper company, under enemy fire, transported 17 artillery pieces, 117 boxes of ammunition, 557 soldiers and officers, as well as a large amount of other military equipment across the Dnieper in two nights. On September 29, 1943, A. V. Prygunov was mortally wounded by a shell fragment in the chest.

    For exemplary performance of combat missions, Senior Lieutenant A. V. Prygunov was posthumously awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union.

    Ivan Ivanovich Solomakhin (1908–1989) is a graduate of the Leningrad Institute of Municipal Construction (another name for our university). In early 1943, Solomakhin’s battalion took part in Operation Iskra on the Leningrad and Volkhov Fronts to break through the blockade, and in the summer in the battles for the Sinyavin Heights. During battles with his battalion of sappers, using cold weapons, he was able to capture the “Devil’s Height,” which had been fought for over a year. As a result of the surprise attack, several hundred fascists were killed and 120 were captured. The engineering battalion lost 16 people killed and 26 wounded. He was awarded seven orders and three medals. A passage in the Kirovsky District of St. Petersburg is named after Ivan Solomakhin.

    In addition, the exhibition “The University During the War Years”, prepared by the historical and information center of SPbGASU, is open in the university museum (room 213). Anyone can visit it.

    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 Asia-Pac: Forests Are Our Lungs, Forests Regulate Climate, Buffer Disasters, and Support the Marginalised, Says VP

    Source: Government of India

    Forests Are Our Lungs, Forests Regulate Climate, Buffer Disasters, and Support the Marginalised, Says VP

    The Vice-President of India, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar, today said,“Forests are extremely important. Forests are our lungs. If a country’s forests are in good shape, its people will enjoy good health—because forests are the lungs. Agriculture is our lifeline. But we need forests as they regulate climate, they buffer disasters, and they support livelihoods—especially for the poor and marginalized.”

    Interacting with faculty members and students of the College of Forestry, Sirsi, during a special programme on the “Role of Forestry in Nation Building”, today, Shri Dhnakhar emphasised that,“We must pledge to protect our forests and contribute in every way possible, because climate change is a global challenge—a global menace. The situation is alarmingly cliff hanging, and we have no other planet to live on apart from Mother Earth,” he warned.

    Highlighting India’s civilisational wisdom, the Vice-President said, “This land is a confluence of spirituality and sustainability. Sustainability is not just vital for the economy—it is vital for healthy living. Our Vedic culture has preached sustainability for thousands of years. And today, there is no alternative to sustainable development. We cannot engage in reckless exploitation of natural resources. We must restrict ourselves to what is minimally required. We all need to be aware of this.”

    Calling for deeper ecological consciousness, he remarked, “We must develop a sense of self-realisation—that Mother Earth, this environment, the forests, the ecosystems, the flora and fauna—we are their trustees, not consumers. We are duty-bound to pass this on to future generations.”

    “Environment is that aspect of life which touches every living being on Earth. When the environment is challenged, the challenge is not just to humanity—it affects everything that exists on this planet. Today, we face a critical test: to protect and preserve the environment, and to find ways to overcome the grave crisis that is unfolding,” he observed.

    Stressing the role of education in building a sustainable future, the Vice-President said, “Today, no institution can function as a standalone entity. There was a time when medical education, engineering education, management education, environmental education, and forest education all existed in silos. But now, everything has become interdisciplinary. And therefore, we must adopt an inclusive approach to learning.”

    Encouraging young minds, Shri Dhankhar said, “Be inquisitive—have yearning and desire for new knowledge. The academic pursuit you are engaged in holds immense possibilities—far beyond imagination. In our cultural heritage, wherever you look, you will find a treasure trove. The more you study, the more you will be able to serve creation. The very subject you are pursuing today holds the key to remedies and production. You can truly become an effective crucible of research, especially when it comes to forest produce.”

    Applauding the natural setting of the institution, the Vice-President noted, “Sirsi, nestled in the lap of the majestic Western Ghats—is one of the richest biodiversity regions not just in Bharat, but in the entire world. Such an environment transforms the very concept of a classroom. Here, the classroom doesn’t end at four walls; it extends beyond them. This is an open classroom, breathing and brimming with life. The College of Forestry is, fortunately and uniquely, surrounded by nature—in its most pristine form. The view here is truly extraordinary; the atmosphere fills one with joy and celebration.”

    Shri Thaawar Chand Gehlot, Governor of Karnataka, Shri Basavaraj S. Horatti, Speaker of Legislative Council, Govt. of Karnataka, Shri Mankal S. Vaidya, District-in-Charge Minister (Uttara Kannada), Shri Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri, Member of Parliament, Dr. P.L.Patil, Vice Chancellor of University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad and other dignitaries were also present on the occasion.

    ****

    JK/RC/SM

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Late counting continues in several seats, with Goldstein and Melbourne among those too close to call

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

    With 78% of enrolled voters counted, the ABC is calling 85 of the 150 House of Representatives seats for Labor, 39 for the Coalition, zero for the Greens and 10 for all Others, with 16 still undecided. The Poll Bludger has Labor ahead in 94 seats, the Coalition in 41, the Greens in one and all Others in 14.

    Undecided seats can be sorted into several categories. In some seats, the Australian Electoral Commission selected the incorrect final two candidates, and is slowly redoing this count with the correct two candidates. From the small number of votes that have been realigned, the ABC has estimates of what the two candidate vote will be when all current votes in that seat are realigned.

    This category applies to Greens leader Adam Bandt’s Melbourne, and he’s currently estimated to be trailing Labor’s Sarah Witty by an estimated 2,896 votes. The ABC says the sample of votes counted so far may be skewed against Bandt.

    Other seats in this category are Labor-held Fremantle, where a teal is estimated to be ahead by just 196 votes, Labor-held Bendigo (Nationals lead Labor by an estimated 1,285 votes) and Labor-held Bean (an independent leads Labor by an estimated 206 votes).

    This election was a disaster for the Coalition, yet they are likely to gain Bendigo, which Labor won by 61.2–38.8 at the 2022 election.

    Bradfield, Goldstein and Kooyong are teal independent vs Liberal contests. The Liberals have surged on postals in all three, and Liberal Tim Wilson will regain Goldstein if the remaining postals behave like current postals. The teals look better in Bradfield and Kooyong.

    Bullwinkel, Menzies and Longman are standard two-party contests. Labor should win Menzies, and is more likely than not to win the other two, once left-leaning absent votes start being counted.

    Calwell is currently undecided because both major parties’ primary votes slumped. It’s possible that an independent could win from third or fourth by getting ahead of the Liberals then using their preferences to beat Labor.

    In Monash and Flinders, the Liberals are beating Labor, but a teal independent is close behind Labor and may move ahead of Labor after preferences from the Greens and other minor candidates. The Liberals will probably defeat the teal if these are the final two.

    Ryan and Wills are Labor vs Greens contests. In Ryan, the contest is to finish second, then beat the Liberal National Party on the other left party’s preferences. The Greens are just ahead of Labor in Ryan at the moment. Wills is a standard two-candidate contest that Labor is currently winning comfortably.

    We won’t have a national two-party result for some time

    Current national primary votes are 34.8% Labor (up 2.2% since 2022), 32.1% Coalition (down 3.6%), 11.8% Greens (down 0.4%), 6.2% One Nation (up 1.3%), 1.9% Trumpet of Patriots (down 2.3% on United Australia Pary’s 2022 vote), 7.6% independents (up 2.3%) and 5.6% others (up 0.5%).

    The Coalition does best and the Greens do worst on early postals, which have been added since election night. Absent votes need to be posted back to their home electorate before they can be counted. On these votes, the Greens do best and the Coalition does the worst.

    As the major parties’ primary votes are low, there are many seats where Labor and Coalition candidates will not be the final two. There are currently 28 “non-classic” seats, where one of the major parties did not make the final two.

    The electoral commission’s first priority is to determine which candidate has won every seat. Once this is finished, they will conduct a second count in all non-classic seats between the Labor and Coalition candidates. When all such counts are completed, we will have a final official two-party result, but this won’t happen for at least a few weeks.

    The ABC’s current estimate for the two-party vote is a Labor win by 55.0–45.0, while The Poll Bludger estimates a Labor win by 54.1–45.9. The electoral commission’s current figure of 54.7–45.3 to Labor excludes all non-classic seats.

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

    – ref. Late counting continues in several seats, with Goldstein and Melbourne among those too close to call – https://theconversation.com/late-counting-continues-in-several-seats-with-goldstein-and-melbourne-among-those-too-close-to-call-255868

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Polytechnic University hosted an educational online forum for future masters

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    The Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University held an online educational forum for future masters, attended by students from all over Russia. The event was traditionally organized by the SPbPU Applicant Work Center.

    The forum was held online for the fifth time, which allowed to attract participants from different regions of the country. More than 500 applications were received, and 470 people successfully completed the program. Students were able to listen to lectures, ask questions and get advice on further education and career.

    Leonid Potapov, Head of the ITAT Training System Development Program of the Gazprom Neft Information Technology, Automation and Telecommunications Department, spoke at the opening of the forum. He spoke about the development of IT competencies in modern business and shared the company’s view on the training of young specialists.

    The forum program covered key areas of training at the Polytechnic University — from high-tech engineering specialties and applied biotechnology to economics, management, and the humanities. Participants not only learned about modern challenges in their fields, but also had the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the nuances of future professions. Various master classes and interactive sessions were organized for this purpose.

    Particular attention was paid to preparing for the portfolio competition, one of the tools for admission to the Polytechnic University Master’s program. Thanks to it, applicants’ achievements are taken into account during admission: participation in forums, publications, research activities, professional experience, etc. The points scored can significantly increase the chances of admission to the chosen educational program. Participation in the forum and successful completion of tasks provide an opportunity to receive additional points for the portfolio.

    We strive to create the most comfortable conditions for students to make a conscious choice of their educational trajectory. The success of applicants in their professional career depends on how carefully they approach the choice of a master’s program. The forum helps future master’s students better understand what area they want to develop in and what direction to build their career in, – noted the project manager, leading analyst of the Directorate of Continuing Education and Industry Partnership Natalia Ivanova.

    Over the course of four intense days, participants worked with theoretical materials, analyzed real cases, and learned practical solutions from industry experts. Students learned to identify errors, develop recommendations, and offer their own options for project development. This practical focus significantly increased the level of involvement of participants and prepared them for the possible challenges that await them on their professional path.

    Following the forum, 238 participants became winners of the competition tasks and will receive an additional 45 points when entering the Polytechnic University Master’s program.

    The forum turned out to be an excellent opportunity to get acquainted with current trends in various industries and understand which competencies are most in demand today. Practical tasks for solving a case were especially useful and exciting for me, since they gave the opportunity to immediately apply the acquired knowledge in practice, – noted forum participant Maria Korchevnyuk.

    The forum became not only an important stage in the preparation of future masters, but also a platform for the exchange of experience and ideas, which will undoubtedly serve as the basis for the further professional growth of its participants.

    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-Evening Report: View from The Hill: a budding Trump-Albanese bromance?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra

    It took an election win, but Anthony Albanese on Monday finally received that much-awaited phone call from US President Donald Trump.

    The conversation was “warm and positive,” the prime minister told a news conference, thanking the president for “reaching out”.

    “I won’t go into all of the personal comments that he made, but he was very generous in his personal warmth and praise towards myself. He was fully aware of the [election] outcome and he expressed the desire to continue to work with me in the future.”

    While they talked about tariffs (as well as AUKUS), the detailed engagement on that sensitive matter was left for later.

    Trump, as they say, loves a winner.

    When asked earlier in Washington about the Australian election, Trump said he was “very friendly” with Albanese.

    “I don’t know anything about the election other than the man that won, he’s very good, he’s a friend of mine,” the president said. Albanese had been “very, very nice to me, very respectful to me.

    “I have no idea who the other person is that ran against him.” There’s more than a touch of irony in this, given all the effort by the government and his other opponents to paint Peter Dutton as “Trump-lite”.

    The prime minister is likely to meet Trump soon, perhaps in June. Albanese has been invited to the G7 meeting in Canada. Trump may or may not be there but a meeting could be arranged around this.

    On the tariff front, the government is readying to defend the local film industry, after Trump announced a 100% tariff on all movies going into the United States.

    Arts Minister Tony Burke said: “Nobody should be under any doubt that we will be standing up unequivocally for the rights of the Australian screen industry.”

    Indonesia to be Albanese’s first foreign visit of new term

    Albanese announced his first overseas visit would be to Indonesia. This will be a particularly important visit, given the significance of the bilateral relationship and the recent Russian request (which Indonesia rejected) to base planes in Papua.

    Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto congratulated Albanese on his win in a call on Sunday.

    In the call, Albanese asked the president to host his first overseas visit, and the president said it would be “a great honour” to do so.

    Meanwhile, in the next few days Labor’s factions will be jostling over the spoils of victory. The factions work out broadly the membership of the frontbench, but Albanese, given he has massive authority with the huge win, will be able to impose his will in this process where he wants to do so. The prime minister allocates the portfolios.

    Although there will be changes, Labor sources are expecting substantial continuity between the old and new ministries, especially at the higher level.

    Albanese has previously confirmed top cabinet members, notably Treasurer Jim Chalmers, Foreign Minister Penny Wong, Defence Minister Marles, Finance Minister Katy Gallagher and Trade Minister Don Farrell, will remain in their present ministries.

    Most interest is in whether Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek is moved. Albanese would not say, when asked during the campaign, whether she would remain in environment although he confirmed she would stay in cabinet. Albanese and Plibersek have had a poor relationship over decades. She had expected to become education minister after the last election and was shocked to be given the environment portfolio/

    Albanese told his news conference “I want Labor to be the natural party of government”.

    Knife out for Angus Taylor

    What goes around comes around. Outgoing NSW Liberal senator Hollie Hughes, who blamed shadow treasurer
    Angus Taylor for her loss of preselection because he endorsed the candidate who beat her, has unleashed on Taylor’s leadership aspirations.

    Hughes told the ABC on Monday she would not support Taylor to be the next leader.

    She said the opposition’s economic narrative “was just completely non-existent. I’m not quite sure what [Taylor has] been doing for three years.

    “There was no tax plan, I think the economic team has significantly let down the parliamentary team, it’s let down our membership, it’s let down our supporters and it’s let down people in Australia broadly – the fact they had nothing to sell, nothing to say, and clearly had not done the work that was required.”

    She said deputy leader Sussan Ley had done “a fantastic job over the past three years and I’m hopeful that she will definitely still be part of our leadership.”

    Four names are in the mix for the successor to Peter Dutton, who lost his seat of Dickson in Saturday’s rout. They are Taylor, Ley, immigration spokesman Dan Tehan and defence spokesman Andrew Hastie. None has yet declared their candidature.

    Hastie told The West Australian at the weekend, “I certainly want to be able to drive change within the party itself and what that looks like will be up to my colleagues to determine”.

    Michelle Grattan 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. View from The Hill: a budding Trump-Albanese bromance? – https://theconversation.com/view-from-the-hill-a-budding-trump-albanese-bromance-255619

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI China: Buffett, Cook stress dangers of new US tariff policy

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

    Billionaire investor Warren Buffett and Apple CEO Tim Cook have joined a chorus of business leaders warning against Washington’s tariff-driven trade policies, highlighting that they are inflating costs for companies in the United States and harming economic growth.

    Their remarks show that even large corporations with diversified supply chains, like Apple, are feeling the strain, while smaller US enterprises reliant on imports face bigger risks, industry experts said.

    “Trade should not be a weapon,” Buffett, the chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, told the company’s annual shareholders meeting on Saturday in Omaha, Nebraska.

    “It’s a big mistake, in my view, when you have seven and a half billion people that don’t like you very well, and you got 300 million that are crowing in some way about how well they’ve done — I don’t think it’s right, and I don’t think it’s wise,” said Buffett.

    He said tariffs had “led to bad things”.

    “Just the attitudes it’s brought out. In the US, I mean, we should be looking to trade with the rest of the world and we should do what we do best and they should do what they do best,” Buffett said.

    He emphasized that US prosperity hinges on global economic health.

    “I do think that the more prosperous the rest of the world becomes, it won’t be at our expense, the more prosperous we’ll become, and the safer we’ll feel and your children will feel someday,” he added.

    The remarks followed data showing that the US economy contracted for the first time in three years, swamped by a flood of imports as businesses raced to avoid higher costs from tariffs.

    The US GDP decreased at an annualized rate of 0.3 percent in the first quarter of 2025 compared with the preceding quarter, marking the first decline in three years, said Reuters, quoting a report from the US Commerce Department.

    Cook from Apple revealed on Thursday that tariffs could add $900 million to the US tech company’s costs this quarter.

    “Assuming the current global tariff rates, policies, and applications do not change for the balance of the quarter and no new tariffs are added, we estimate the impact to add $900 million to our costs,” he told a quarterly earnings call.

    About 90 percent of Apple’s iPhone, its most profitable product, is produced in China, according to estimates by the Los Angeles-based financial services firm Wedbush Securities.

    Bai Ming, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation in Beijing, said the “America First” approach has backfired, with tariffs raising input costs for manufacturers, squeezing consumer prices, and eroding business confidence.

    “The tariffs hit the US companies very hard. It is ultimately American consumers that pay the extra bill,” Bai added.

    Jeffrey Sachs, a world-renowned professor of economics and director of the Center for Sustainable Development at Columbia University, told China Daily that Washington’s tariff policy is “destructive for the United States and disruptive for the world”.

    “Protectionism will fail and increasingly isolate the US in the world economy and politics. There are few countries that will accept Trump’s approach, even in Europe,” Sachs added.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: In its soul-searching, Australia’s rightist coalition should examine its relationship with the media

    ANALYSIS: By Matthew Ricketson, Deakin University and Andrew Dodd, The University of Melbourne

    Among the many lessons to be learnt by Australia’s defeated Liberal-National coalition parties from the election is that they should stop getting into bed with News Corporation.

    Why would a political party outsource its policy platform and strategy to people with plenty of opinions, but no experience in actually running a government?

    The result of the federal election suggests that unlike the coalition, many Australians are ignoring the opinions of News Corp Australia’s leading journalists such as Andrew Bolt and Sharri Markson.

    Last Thursday, in her eponymous programme on Sky News Australia, Markson said:

    For the first time in my journalistic career I’m going to also offer a pre-election editorial, endorsing one side of politics […] A Dutton prime ministership would give our great nation the fresh start we deserve.

    After a vote count that sees the Labor government returned with an increased majority, Bolt wrote a piece for the Herald Sun admonishing voters:

    No, the voters aren’t always right. This time they were wrong, and this gutless and incoherent Coalition should be ashamed. Australians just voted for three more years of a Labor government that’s left this country poorer, weaker, more divided and deeper in debt, and which won only by telling astonishing lies.

    That’s staggering. If that’s what voters really like, then this country is going to get more of it, good and hard.

    The Australian and most of News’ tabloid newspapers endorsed the coalition in their election eve editorials.

    Repudiation of minor culture war
    The election result was a repudiation of the minor culture war Peter Dutton reprised during the campaign when he advised voters to steer clear of the ABC and “other hate media”. It may have felt good alluding to “leftie-woke” tropes about the ABC, but it was a tactical error.

    The message probably resonated only with rusted-on hardline coalition voters and supporters of right-wing minor parties.

    But they were either voting for the coalition, or sending them their preferences, anyway. Instead, attacking the ABC sent a signal to the people the coalition desperately needed to keep onside — the moderates who already felt disappointed by the coalition’s drift to the right and who were considering voting Teal or for another independent.

    Attacking just about the most trusted media outlet in the country simply gave those voters another reason to believe the coalition no longer represented their values.

    Reporting from the campaign bus is often derided as shallow form of election coverage. Reporters tend to be captive to a party’s agenda and don’t get to look much beyond a leader’s message.

    But there was real value in covering Dutton’s daily stunts and doorstops, often in the outer suburbs that his electoral strategy relied on winning over.

    What was revealed by having journalists on the bus was the paucity of policy substance. Details about housing affordability and petrol pricing — which voters desperately wanted to hear — were little more than sound bites.

    Steered clear of nuclear sites
    This was obvious by Dutton’s second visit to a petrol station, and yet there were another 15 to come. The fact that the campaign bus steered clear of the sites for proposed nuclear plants was also telling.

    The grind of daily coverage helped expose the lateness of policy releases, the paucity of detail and the lack of preparation for the campaign, let alone for government.

    On ABC TV’s Insiders, the Nine Newspapers’ political editor, David Crowe, wondered whether the media has been too soft on Dutton, rather than too hard as some coalition supporters might assume.

    He reckoned that if the media had asked more difficult questions months ago, Dutton might have been stress-tested and better prepared before the campaign began.

    Instead, the coalition went into the election believing it would be enough to attack Labor without presenting a fully considered alternative vision. Similarly, it would suffice to appear on friendly media outlets such as News Corp, and avoid more searching questions from the Canberra press gallery or on the ABC.

    Reporters and commentators across the media did a reasonable job of exposing this and holding the opposition to account. The scrutiny also exposed its increasingly desperate tactics late in the campaign, such as turning on Welcome to Country ceremonies.

    If many Australians appear more interested in what their prospective political leaders have to say about housing policy or climate change than the endless culture wars being waged by the coalition, that message did not appear to have been heard by Peta Credlin.

    The Sky News Australia presenter and former chief-of-staff to prime minister Tony Abbott said during Saturday night’s election coverage “I’d argue we didn’t do enough of a culture war”.

    Dr Matthew Ricketson is professor of communication, Deakin University and Andrew Dodd  is professor of journalism and director of the Centre for Advancing Journalism, The University of Melbourne. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons licence. Read the original article.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Is it dangerous to kiss someone who’s eaten gluten if you have coeliac disease?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Vincent Ho, Associate Professor and Clinical Academic Gastroenterologist, Western Sydney University

    Lordn/Shutterstock

    Coeliac disease is not a food allergy or intolerance. It’s an autoimmune disease that makes the body attack the small intestine if gluten (a protein found in wheat, rye and barley) reaches the gut. Even a small amount – a tiny bread crumb – can cause damage and inflammation.

    The only treatment is a gluten-free diet. This means completely eliminating foods containing the protein, such as pasta, bread, noodles and many processed products, and preparing food carefully to avoid cross-contamination.

    But what about other forms of cross-contamination? One study surveyed 538 adults with coeliac disease about their dating habits and found 39% were hesitant to kiss their partners because of the disease.

    But can gluten really be transferred this way, with a kiss? Research is only just beginning to look at this question – here’s what we know.

    How harmful is gluten for people with coeliac disease?

    Coeliac disease is common: surveys representative of the population estimate it affects one in 70 Australians. However, it tends to be under-diagnosed. Research suggests only 20% of those with coeliac disease have a medical diagnosis.

    This means most sufferers are unaware they have coeliac disease, despite experiencing unpleasant symptoms.

    When untreated, coeliac disease can stop the small intestine absorbing nutrients and lead to gut symptoms such as diarrhoea, abdominal pain, bloating and flatulence. It can also result in non-gut symptoms such as fatigue, skin rashes and brain fog.

    However, touching gluten won’t have any effect. Gluten only causes damage to people with coeliac disease if it enters the gut. This is why it can be effectively treated with a strict gluten-free diet.

    How much gluten is harmful?

    Researchers have investigated how much gluten can result in harm to people with coeliac disease. One study found some people with coeliac disease experienced damage to their small intestine with as little as 10 milligrams of gluten per day.

    For context, one slice of bread contains 2.5 grams of gluten. A very small amount can cause damage if eaten, such a tiny crumb accidentally transferred from a chopping board or plate.

    Australian researchers have determined that a dose of gluten below 3mg does not cause an immune response on very sensitive blood tests.

    Even a bread crumb can be harmful to people with coeliac disease, if it’s eaten.
    Master1305/Shutterstock

    Food regulatory authorities look at how much gluten is concentrated in particular foods to decide what is “gluten free”. In most countries a diet containing gluten at less than 20 parts per million (or 20mg per kilogram) is considered to be safe for people with coeliac disease.

    But Australia and New Zealand have much stricter requirements for labelling a food as “gluten free”. Testing methods in Australia allow for detection as low as three parts per million – this is known as the “limit of detection”. Foods below this limit contain no detectable gluten and can be labelled gluten free.

    So, what about kissing?

    What does this mean for kissing? Can enough gluten be transmitted from one person to another via saliva to cause problems? To date, there is very limited data.

    New US research presented today looked at ten couples, each with one partner who had coeliac disease.

    In the study, the non-coeliac partner ate ten crackers containing gluten before the couple kissed for ten seconds.

    The researchers found gluten transfer was minimal in the saliva. When the non-coeliac partner had a glass of water after eating the crackers, the gluten in their saliva was less than 20 parts per million (the international limit for gluten-free products).

    While this data has not yet been peer-reviewed, their preliminary finding seems to support similar research from 2022 which looked at peanut allergy and saliva to estimate gluten levels in saliva.

    It estimated that saliva after eating gluten could contain around 250 micrograms of gluten – one-twelfth of the minimum amount (3mg) believed to cause an immune response.

    This means, for people with coeliac disease, kissing should not be an issue to worry about.

    Cross-contamination from foods containing gluten is the biggest risk for people with coeliac disease.
    Jacob Lund/Shutterstock

    Other risks

    The bigger risk for people with coeliac disease continues to be exposure to gluten from food – even food labelled “gluten free”.

    One study found seven out of 256 manufactured food products sold as gluten free had detectable levels of gluten, in some cases as much as 3mg in a single serving.

    In 2018 another study found almost 10% of food sold as gluten free at cafes and restaurants across Melbourne actually contained gluten. One food sample contained a gluten concentration of more than 80 parts per million.

    Still, given Australia has strictest regulations in the world, the risk of getting sick from eating gluten-free foods is quite low.

    The risk from kissing? Even lower.

    If you want to look out for your loved one with coeliac disease, how you prepare food is more important. This includes preventing cross-contamination by storing and preparing gluten-free foods well away from foods containing gluten, and thoroughly cleaning equipment and utensils after they’ve been in contact with food containing gluten.

    And next time you’re on a date at your favourite eatery – whether they advertise as gluten free, or just have gluten-free items on the menu – it’s a good idea to politely ask about their food handling practices.

    Vincent Ho 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. Is it dangerous to kiss someone who’s eaten gluten if you have coeliac disease? – https://theconversation.com/is-it-dangerous-to-kiss-someone-whos-eaten-gluten-if-you-have-coeliac-disease-255721

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: NSU summed up the results of the regional qualifying stage of the Biotournament

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Novosibirsk State University – Novosibirsk State University –

    On April 27, the qualifying round of the student BioTournament was held for the third time at NSU. Five teams took part in it: two from Novosibirsk State University, the TPU team, the team of SSMU (Tomsk) and MIREA-RTU (Moscow), as well as the team of RNIMU named after N. I. Pirogov (Moscow).

    The first place was taken by the team “What is ML?” RNIMU named after N. I. Pirogov. The second place was taken by the team NSU “GeneShtab”. The third place was shared between the team NSU “myauRNK” and the team “SibGMU “μ-sli”. The prize-winning teams of the tournament received an invitation to the final stage of the tournament in Pushchino and memorable prizes.

    — We are pleased with the interest shown by teams from other universities in the event that we are holding. Despite the fact that the teams of SSMU and RNRMU named after Pirogov have already participated in other qualifying stages of the Biotournament held this year, they came to play here and provided good competition to the NSU teams playing “on their home field”. It is also worth noting that we have seen many of the participants, team leaders and jury members among the “tournament players” for many years and not only within the Biotournament, which, from our point of view, emphasizes the demand for this competition format, — said Elena Stolyarova, team coordinator and one of the tournament organizers.

    To participate in the tournament, participants had to assemble a team and solve six creative scientific problems compiled by leading research fellows, associate professors and candidates of biological sciences. The teams presented their solutions in turn, and also acted as opponents and reviewers of the solutions of their rivals. All actions were assessed by a jury consisting of candidates of biological sciences, research fellows of biological institutes of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences and teachers.

    — The qualifying round was intense, this year the first round of scientific battles was five teams, which seriously increased the emotional and mental load. But thinking over tactics was interesting and exciting. Our team prepared for this event for two months, gathering in a cozy circle in the coworking reading room and discussing ideas for solutions and their implementation. Our colleagues from other teams generally showed a decent level of opposition, by the second half of the day all the participants were in full swing, and sometimes it seemed that the air could be cut with a knife from excitement. Naturally, we plan to attend the final stage next autumn and bring back even more new acquaintances, ideas and, possibly, awards, — shared his impressions Yaroslav Gaburov, captain of the GeneShtab team, a third-year student of the Faculty of Natural Sciences of NSU.

    For the team “What is ML?” from the Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, this is the 12th tournament in the last three years. This time, the team competed with an incomplete lineup and a limited set of tasks, but the correctly chosen tactics allowed them to overcome all difficulties and win the qualifying round of the tournament.

    — The opponents were worthy and strong — among them, several teams with extensive tournament experience. It was interesting to observe how guys from different universities and specialties approached solving problems — this added variety to the discussions. The atmosphere was exciting, sometimes tense (how could it be otherwise!), but at the same time, the Biotournament is traditionally distinguished by a respectful culture of debate, which is very important for scientific events, — said Valentina Krokhaleva, captain of the team “What is ML?”, a 5th-year student of the Medical Biochemistry International Charitable Foundation of the Russian National Research Medical University named after N.I. Pirogov.

    As Valentina notes, tournaments are not only scientific battles and testing of one’s skills and knowledge, but also a great opportunity to escape from the usual schedule for a while and change the environment.

    — I was very happy to return to Akademgorodok after six years. We were lucky with the weather. On Saturday we walked around Akademgorodok all day, got to the student festival “Internedelya” on the campus territory and in the evening we reached the Ob Sea, — added Valentina Krokhaleva.

    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-Evening Report: Pie in the sky? After the Coalition’s stinging loss, nuclear should be dead. Here’s why it might live on

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adam Simpson, Senior Lecturer, International Studies, University of South Australia

    barmalini/Shutterstock

    When the Coalition launched its nuclear plan last year, Labor was on the nose and early polls showed some support for the policy. But then the wheels fell off.

    Nuclear didn’t stack up on cost or timeframe. Early support fell away. By the time of the election, support for maintaining Australia’s ban on nuclear power had increased from 51% to 59%.

    When Opposition leader Peter Dutton gave his budget reply speech in late March, he barely mentioned the nuclear policy – instead promoting gas and attacking renewables.

    After Saturday’s Coalition rout, the prospect of nuclear power in Australia should be dead and buried. But that’s not guaranteed. The National Party strongly backs nuclear power.

    With metropolitan Liberals sceptical of nuclear reduced to a rump, the Nationals and regional Liberals will gain influence within the Coalition. If conservative Nationals prevail, we may well see the nuclear policy survive the election post-mortem and be resurrected for the next election.

    Why did the Coalition back nuclear?

    In the 1990s, the Coalition introduced laws banning nuclear power in Australia. But interest in the technology has never gone away. Australia has abundant uranium, and nuclear power appeals to some demographics.

    Politically, Dutton’s choice to back nuclear power was pragmatic. There were real tensions inside the Coalition on climate action. Nuclear power seemed to offer a way past these tensions, as a zero emissions energy source providing baseload power. It would also have meant slowing the renewable rollout and building more gas power plants to cover the gap left by retiring coal.

    It appears the nuclear policy wasn’t a Dutton priority. Nationals leader David Littleproud says he and the Nationals pushed the Coalition to adopt nuclear in exchange for continued support for the 2050 net zero target. After Saturday’s wipeout in Liberal-held metropolitan seats, the Nationals will have a stronger hand.

    On Sky News yesterday, Littleproud claimed nuclear was not the reason for the Coalition’s loss. National MPs are still backing nuclear.

    If the Nationals stick to their guns, we may see the Coalition bring nuclear to the next election.

    Three-year federal terms make it difficult for new governments to embark on long term plans. Nuclear energy would take at least 15 years to come online. The Coalition’s last realistic opportunity to go nuclear would have been back in 2007, when there was renewed interest in the technology.

    At that time, renewables were quite expensive. But solar, wind and batteries now cost much less, while nuclear was already expensive and has remained so.

    Government tenders for renewable and storage projects tend to be massively oversubscribed, with far more interest than opportunities. By contrast, nuclear doesn’t have business backing. The Australian Industry Group has argued the Coalition’s nuclear policy was 20 years too late. This business reticence explains the Coalition’s proposal to build the nuclear reactors with public money.

    This year, clean energy levels in Australia’s main grid will reach 44–46%, according to the Clean Energy Regulator. With a strong pipeline of new projects, that could reach 60% by the next election. It’s hard to see what role nuclear could have in any future grid.

    Nuclear isn’t quite dead

    In contrast to intermittent renewables, nuclear offers reliable zero emissions baseload power. If you talk to nuclear backers, you’ll likely hear a variant of this sentence.

    But there’s “no going back” to the old baseload model where large, inflexible coal plants churned out power, as the head of the Australian Energy Market Operator Daniel Westerman pointed out last week. That’s because renewables are the cheapest energy source. Powering Australia on 100% renewables is possible with enough battery storage or pumped hydro to compensate for the solar duck curve, in which solar power drops off in the evening.

    So why does nuclear have a hold on the Coalition’s imagination, even as it faces its largest crisis since Menzies founded the Liberal Party?

    One likely reason is cultural opposition to renewables. This is especially evident among prominent Nationals such as Littleproud, Matt Canavan and Barnaby Joyce. As the thinking presumably goes, if “latte-sipping greens” in inner city areas back renewables, genuine country Australians should naturally oppose them.

    It is, of course, not that simple. Renewables are often just as popular in the bush as in the cities. A Lowy Institute poll found almost two-thirds of regional respondents supported the government’s 82% renewable target for 2030. Farmers hosting solar panels or wind turbines energy generation on their properties see them as guaranteed income even if livestock or grains are having a bad year.

    The problem for the Nationals and for the Coalition more broadly is that nuclear just isn’t that popular. Early support for the policy was soft. It melted away as authoritative sources such as the CSIRO pointed to the exorbitant cost and long timeframe to build reactors from scratch.

    Labor, with a resounding majority, is likely to accelerate the shift to clean energy. While the urban-rural political divide will still play out in Coalition opposition to clean energy, Labor’s large electoral mandate and dominance in the populous cities will encourage it to press ahead.

    As the surviving members of the Coalition lick their wounds and begin to figure out how they did so badly, we can expect to see nuclear up for discussion. But given the new power of the Nationals and regional Liberals in the party room, we may not have seen the last of nuclear fantasies in Australia.

    Adam Simpson 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. Pie in the sky? After the Coalition’s stinging loss, nuclear should be dead. Here’s why it might live on – https://theconversation.com/pie-in-the-sky-after-the-coalitions-stinging-loss-nuclear-should-be-dead-heres-why-it-might-live-on-255866

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: 5 huge climate opportunities await the next parliament – and it has the numbers to deliver

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anna Skarbek, Climateworks CEO, Monash University

    Australians have returned an expanded Labor Party to government alongside a suite of climate-progressive independents. Meanwhile, the Coalition – which promoted nuclear energy and a slower renewables transition – suffered a historic defeat.

    Labor also looks set to have increased numbers in the Senate, where the Greens are likely to hold the balance of power.

    These numbers mean support for progressive climate and energy policy in Australia’s 48th parliament is shaping as stronger than the last. So what does this mean as Australia seeks to position itself as a leader in the global net zero economy?

    In its first term in government, Labor laid the groundwork for stronger climate action, including legislating an emissions-reduction target and putting crucial policies and organisations in place. The next parliament will be well-placed to build on these foundations. Here, we explain where key opportunities lie.

    1. National emissions target for 2035

    By September this year, all signatories to the global Paris Agreement must set emissions reduction targets out to 2035.

    Labor is waiting on advice from the Climate Change Authority before setting its target. The authority’s initial advice last year suggested a target between 65% and 75%, based on 2005 levels.

    Some countries have already set their targets. The United Kingdom, for example, will aim for a reduction of at least 81% by 2035, based on 1990 levels.

    2. A firm plan for net-zero

    Australia has committed to reaching net-zero emissions by 2050. Getting there will require innovation and investment across the economy. In the last term of government, Labor began
    developing net-zero plans for each economic sector. They comprise energy, transport, industry, resources, the built environment, and agriculture and land.

    The plans are due to be finalised this year. They will act as a tangible map for Australia to meet both net zero and the 2035 emissions-reduction target, and are keenly awaited by state governments, industry and investors.

    This policy area presents the broadest opportunity for the crossbench to exert influence for greater ambition, scale and pace. Neither the 2035 target nor the sector plans need to go through parliament – however they could feature in broader parliamentary negotiations.

    Separately, the Safeguard Mechanism will be reviewed in 2027, during this parliament. The policy aims to reduce emissions reductions from Australia’s biggest greenhouse-gas polluters. It is key to reaching net zero in Australia’s industrial sector, and an important moment to ensure the policy reduces emissions at the rate needed.

    3. Bidding to host COP31

    Australia is bidding to host next year’s United Nations global climate talks, or COP, in partnership with Pacific Island nations. The bid was opposed by the Coalition.

    A decision on the COP host is expected in June. If Australia succeeds, the federal government will seek to use the high-profile global gathering to showcase its climate credentials – and there will be high expectations from Pacific co-hosts. So all policy between now and then really matters.

    4. An energy system to make Australia thrive

    Energy produces about 70% of Australia’s emissions. Tackling this means reducing emissions from electricity through renewable generation. Elsewhere in the economy, it means switching from gas, petrol and diesel to clean electricity.

    The government’s plan to reach 82% renewable energy by 2030 remains crucial. Australia’s electricity system is expected to reach around 50% renewable energy this year. But there is more work to do.

    A review of the National Electricity Market is due this year. It is expected to recommend ways to promote greater investment in renewable generation and storage. This includes what policy might follow the Capacity Investment Scheme, a measure to boost renewables investment which will be rolled out by 2027.

    Faster action on the renewable shift can also be achieved through the Australian Energy Market Operator’s next Integrated System Plan – the nation’s roadmap for guiding energy infrastructure and investment.

    Labor also has scope to improve energy efficiency, and better match energy demand and supply – especially at times of peak energy use. The government’s commitments to subsidise home batteries, and expand the Clean Energy Finance Corporation, will help achieve this. The crossbench, including the Greens, is likely to seek greater investments to reduce household energy use and costs.

    Beyond this, Australia’s electricity grid needs to be double the size of what’s currently planned, to power the entire economy with clean energy.

    5. Leverage clean energy export advantages

    Australia generates about a quarter of its GDP from exports – many of them emissions-intensive such as fossil fuels, minerals and agricultural products.

    In his election victory speech, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese urged Australia to seize the moment at a time of global economic disruption. Key to this will be building on the Future Made in Australia agenda and ensuring Australia makes the most of its competitive advantages as the world transitions to net-zero.

    This will include:

    • leveraging a strong reputation as a reliable trade partner
    • capitalising on our world-leading solar and wind energy resources to produce low-emissions goods for export
    • developing the industry around critical minerals and rare earths needed in low-emissions technologies
    • helping metals and minerals sectors achieve net-zero emissions pathways.

    This will be central to trade negotiations in the years to come. Realising Australia’s green exports aspiration requires action abroad as well as at home.

    A game-changing decade

    This decade is crucial to Australia’s future economy, and to the success of Australia’s long-term transition to net zero emissions. Our work has shown Australia can slash emissions while the economy grows.

    The question now is how quickly the re-elected government – indeed, the next parliament – can realise Australia’s ambition as a renewable energy superpower.

    The next three years will provide vital opportunities and they must be seized – for the sake of our energy bills, our economic prosperity and Australia’s reputation on the world stage.

    Anna Skarbek is on the board of the Net Zero Economy Authority, SEC Victoria, the Centre for New Energy Technologies, the Green Building Council of Australia, and the Asia-Pacific Advisory Board of the Glasgow Financial Alliance on Net Zero. She is CEO of Climateworks Centre which receives funding from philanthropy and project-specific financial support from a range of private and public entities including federal, state and local government and private sector organisations and international and local non-profit organisations. Climateworks Centre works within Monash University’s Sustainable Development Institute.

    Climateworks Centre is a part of Monash University. It receives funding from a range of external sources including philanthropy, governments and businesses. Businesses such as mining companies and industry associations have previously co-funded Climateworks’ research on industrial decarbonisation, and may benefit from policies mentioned in this article.

    – ref. 5 huge climate opportunities await the next parliament – and it has the numbers to deliver – https://theconversation.com/5-huge-climate-opportunities-await-the-next-parliament-and-it-has-the-numbers-to-deliver-255772

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: After its landslide win, Labor should have courage and confidence on security – and our alliance with the US

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Joanne Wallis, Professor of International Security, University of Adelaide

    The re-election of the Albanese Labor government by such a wide margin should not mean “business as usual” for Australia’s security policy.

    The global uncertainty instigated by US President Donald Trump means Australia’s security landscape is very different today from when Labor was first elected in 2022, or even when its Defence Strategic Review was released in 2023.

    As we argue in our recent book, the Albanese government faces increasingly difficult questions.

    How can we maintain our crucial security alliance with the US while deepening partnerships with other countries that have reservations about US policy?

    And, given Trump’s recent actions, how much can we continue to rely on the United States and what are the potential costs of the alliance?

    With a massive parliamentary majority, the new government has an opportunity for bold thinking on national security. This is not the time for Australia to keep its head down – we need to face the rapidly changing world with our heads held high.



    Read more:
    Blaming Donald Trump for conservative losses in both Canada and Australia is being too kind to Peter Dutton

    Trump 2.0 is not the same as 1.0

    We do not advocate Australia step away from the US alliance. We are also realistic that decades of defence procurement mean Australia is heavily reliant on US defence materiel (and its subsequent sustainment) for our security.

    The deep interoperability between the Australian Defence Force and the US military is something alliance sceptics too readily gloss over: much Australian military capability cannot function without ongoing American support.

    At the same time, many alliance advocates underestimate the impact of the new challenges we face. Some assumed a continuity between the first and second Trump administrations. However, we are not convinced the lessons learned from Trump 1.0 are still valid.

    A key difference between Trump 1.0 and 2.0 is the effect of his move away from respecting international law.

    For example, the US has voted with Russia against UN Security Council resolutions condemning the Ukraine war, withdrawn from the Paris Climate Agreement and World Health Organization, and damaged relations with NATO allies, among many other actions.

    As a middle power, Australia has long relied on the “rules-based order” to advance its foreign and strategic policy interests.

    Even if “normal transmission” resumes under a new US president in 2029, we are concerned the Trump administration’s structural changes to the international order will not easily be wound back. American soft power has been decimated by cuts to the US State Department, USAID and international broadcasting services. This will also not be rebuilt quickly.

    A second difference is there are few “adults left in the room” in the Trump administration.

    The advisers who kept Trump in check during his first administration have been replaced by loyalists less likely to push back against his ideas and impulses. This includes his long-held grievance that allies have been exploiting the US.

    The Albanese government needs to think more deeply about how to hedge against dependence on the US. This means investing in relations with other partners, especially in Asia and the Pacific, and working with them to promote the laws, rules and norms that maintain stability and predictability in global affairs.

    An idealistic vision for the future

    We are also concerned that many in the national security community base their policy recommendations on the assumption that war between the US and China is inevitable, and such a conflict could draw in Australia as America’s ally.

    Rather, the Trump administration’s preference for “deals” opens the possibility the US and China might come to an arrangement that will affect US presence and leadership in our region.

    Australia may not be prepared for this. The new government must engage in more open discussion about how we would maintain our security if the US does pull back from the region or makes decisions Australians don’t support.

    As a start, we need to consider how Australia can better pursue self-reliance within the alliance structure. We need a range of strategic options in the future that don’t rely on an outdated image of the US as a reliable partner.

    This debate should be guided by what we call “pragmatic idealism”.

    Rather than accepting the way things are, the government and members of the national security community need to re-imagine how things can be.

    We argue the Albanese government should draw confidence from its thumping electoral win to articulate a politics of hope, opportunity and possibility for our future security. This needs to drown out the cynicism, passive acceptance and learned helplessness that often characterises Australian national security debates.

    We are conscious that being “idealistic” is often dismissed as impractical, naïve “wishful thinking”. But the new government needs to demonstrate to Australians it has the courage to face the diverse, interlinked and complex security challenges we face – potentially on our own. These extend to issues such as cyber attacks, transnational crime and climate change.

    Practical steps

    As a first step, the Albanese government urgently needs to commission an integrated National Security Strategy that considers all the tools of statecraft Australia can use to respond to these challenges.

    This means engaging more with partners in Southeast Asia and the Pacific. In particular, Australia should consider investing more heavily in information programs and public diplomacy as the US withdraws from this arena.

    The government must also engage better with the public and be more transparent about its security options and decisions.

    On AUKUS, for instance, the government must build its “social licence” from the public to sustain such a massive deal across generations. Australians need to be better informed about – and consulted on – the decisions they will ultimately pay for.

    This also includes being upfront with Australians about the need for greater defence spending in a tumultuous world.

    It is understandably tempting for the new Albanese government to continue a “small target” approach when it comes to the US. This has meant minimising domestic debate about the alliance that could undermine support for AUKUS and avoid risking the ire of a thin-skinned Trump.

    But the government needs the courage to ask difficult questions and imagine different futures.

    Joanne Wallis receives funding from the Australian Research Council, the Australian Department of Defence, and the government of South Australia. She is a Senior Nonresident Fellow of the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C.

    Rebecca Strating receives funding from the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

    – ref. After its landslide win, Labor should have courage and confidence on security – and our alliance with the US – https://theconversation.com/after-its-landslide-win-labor-should-have-courage-and-confidence-on-security-and-our-alliance-with-the-us-255598

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: A rubbish election: voting in Australia produces mountains of waste – but there’s a better way

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lisa M. Given, Professor of Information Sciences & Director, Social Change Enabling Impact Platform, RMIT University

    More than 18 million Australians voted on Saturday, after walking past countless corflutes, reading campaign flyers and reviewing how-to-vote cards.

    The 2025 federal election was Australia’s biggest yet, with 710,000 more people on the electoral roll than in 2022. The Australian Election Commission amassed 250,000 pencils, 240,000 vests, 80,000 ballot boxes and 5,000 rolls of tamper-proof tape to stock some 7,000 polling places.

    So, what happens to these materials after polling day? Some are warehoused, ready for reuse next time around. Others are repurposed. But every election also generates a mountain of waste for landfill.

    It doesn’t have to be this way. Australia needs to mandate a cradle-to-grave approach to creating, using, recycling and disposing of election materials. Meanwhile, electronic machines and online voting can reduce the need for paper ballots, just as social media campaigns can reduce paper mail drops.

    Magill School in the Sturt electorate, like most polling centres, was wrapped in lightweight plastic posters.
    Clare Peddie

    Where do election materials go after the polls close?

    In response to inquiries from The Conversation, the Australian Election Commission said most AEC materials, such as tamper-proof tape, vests and pencils, are stored between elections at counting centres. Other materials, such as cardboard voting booths, are recycled or donated to schools or charities.

    Most councils require corflutes to be collected within seven days of an election. But no rules govern reuse or disposal. Corflutes are made from polypropylene, a lightweight plastic that is technically recyclable. But it’s not a straightforward process, so most recycling facilities reportedly cannot accept this waste.

    Some candidates donate corflutes to schools, childcare centres and charities, because the white reverse side can be used to mount artworks.

    Second-hand corflutes have also been used as shelters for homeless people, heat shields for bee hives, or to repair damaged skylights. But no doubt many end up in landfill.

    Are there alternatives?

    Many countries are “greening” their elections. In 2019, India’s election commission directed parties to eliminate single-use plastic including corflutes. In 2024, the United Kingdom’s Westminster Foundation for Democracy outlined strategies for reducing election “pollution”, addressing supply chains and packaging.

    Australia relies heavily on disposable election materials. While many of these can be recycled, it’s better to avoid single-use materials.

    Parties could also display how-to-vote instructions on posters at election sites, rather than handing out individual flyers that are recycled or thrown away.

    In 2022, the AEC introduced plain brown cardboard screens and ballot boxes, saying they are easier to recycle and reuse than previous versions “wrapped” in purple-and-white branded paper. However, Australian Electoral Commissioner Tom Rogers says elections will probably always be “highly manual and resource-intensive exercises”. We disagree.

    Could Australia use electronic or online voting to reduce waste?

    Other countries are introducing online voting to reduce waste. One study in Estonia found the carbon footprint of paper-based voting was 180 times greater than internet-based voting. More than 50% of the population voted online in 2023.

    India introduced electronic voting machines in 1982 and mandated them, nationwide, in 2004. In 1999 alone this saved 7,700 tonnes of waste.

    The United States introduced mechanical voting machines in the 1890s, punch cards and scanned ballots in the 1960s, and “direct-recording” electronic voting machines in the 1970s. Today, touch screens are used in many voting booths, with paper records for auditing. Now just 7% of districts rely on paper ballots and hand-counted ballots are rarely used.

    Yet electronic voting machines are not without controversy. Security concerns after the 2016 US election resulted in 94% of districts shifting to optical scanning, and use of “direct-recording” electronic voting machines almost halved.

    Ireland invested €50 million (A$88 million) into electronic voting machines in 2002, but they were never used due to concerns about potential tampering.

    Australia should explore secure options for electronic voting machines and online voting. In its response to The Conversation, the AEC said this would be a matter for parliament to consider, because the law currently demands that elections are in-person events.

    Can social media campaigning help?

    Social media enables candidates and voters to engage in new ways. For instance, Labor senators Katy Gallagher and Penny Wong took part in a Facebook “pop quiz” on April 29, which had 55,000 views. But social media can amplify misinformation, so consumers need to fact-check what they see and hear online.

    Combined, the parties and affiliated groups spent more than A$39 million on advertisements on YouTube, Facebook and Google during the 2025 campaign. The AEC had to update its authorisation guidelines to cover podcasters and other content creators.

    This mirrors global shifts towards social media campaigning. During Canada’s 2025 campaign, Liberal leader Mark Carney (who went on to be elected prime minister) created a video with celebrity Mike Myers, reaching 10 million views.

    While such creative approaches may engage voters, they still carry a carbon footprint. Carney and Myers’ video likely produced about six tonnes of CO₂ emissions due to the energy and electricity used in production, streaming and viewing.

    Mike Myers and Mark Carney used social media creatively in Canada’s 2025 election campaign.

    Text messages also connect candidates with voters. Clive Palmer’s Trumpet of Patriots party sent 17 million texts the election campaign. This equates to 240kg of CO₂ emissions from energy-hungry data centres and personal devices.

    This is less than the emissions the average Australian produces in a week. However, the unsolicited texts riled many voters, many concerned about privacy and who wanted to opt out.

    What’s the solution?

    Australia should mandate a reduction in the disposal of election materials.

    Some print materials may always be needed, because not all voters can access digital content or vote online. But the current situation is unsustainable.

    Global experiences show innovation is possible. Australia can reduce its reliance on new, physical materials, while maintaining public trust.

    Australia’s newly elected officials have an opportunity to green future elections, adopting a more sophisticated approach to voting in a digital age. There’s no excuse for producing mountains of plastic and paper waste every three or four years. Our nation deserves better.

    Lisa M. Given receives funding from the Australian Research Council. She is a Fellow of the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia and the Association for Information Science and Technology.

    Gary Rosengarten receives funding from the Australian Research Council, Australian Renewable Energy Agency and the Renewable Affordable Clean Energy for 2030 CRC, and is a non-executive board member of the Australian Alliance for Energy Productivity.

    Matt Duckham 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. A rubbish election: voting in Australia produces mountains of waste – but there’s a better way – https://theconversation.com/a-rubbish-election-voting-in-australia-produces-mountains-of-waste-but-theres-a-better-way-255780

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI China: China unveils draft of its first-ever environmental code

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

    China is poised for a significant enhancement in its green efforts as a draft of the country’s first-ever environmental code was unveiled on Sunday.

    The draft, submitted to the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC) for a first reading, comprises 1,188 articles in five chapters including the general provisions, pollution prevention and control, ecological protection, green and low-carbon development, legal liability and supplementary provisions.

    Once adopted, it will become China’s second formal statutory code, after the Civil Code, which was adopted in 2020. The compilation of the environmental code was initiated in 2023.

    An aerial drone photo taken on Sept. 5, 2024 shows a view of Yuehu Park and city skyline of Ningbo City, east China’s Zhejiang Province. (Xinhua/Huang Zongzhi)

    China formulated its first environmental protection law in 1979. Ever since, the country has rapidly advanced its legislation on environmental protection. Today, China boasts over 30 laws, more than 100 administrative regulations and numerous other legal documents in this field, forming a relatively comprehensive legal framework.

    The compilation of the code facilitates the systematic integration of legislation, fills gaps in the legal framework, elevates the status and authority of eco-environmental laws, and makes their enforcement and compliance more convenient, said Wang Canfa, a professor at China University of Political Science and Law.

    China has long been a champion of green development. After decades of sustained efforts, the country has emerged as a global leader in improving air quality and expanding forest resources.

    An aerial drone photo taken on May 14, 2023 shows people walking at the Changxing forest farm in Dongxing Town of Rongxian County, southwest China’s Sichuan Province. (Xinhua/Jiang Hongjing)

    In 2024, China saw significant improvements in its air quality. The average concentration of PM2.5 in cities at or above the prefecture level was 29.3 micrograms per cubic meter, a year-on-year decrease of 2.7 percent. The country is also home to the world’s largest total human-made forest area. In 2024 alone, China planted 4.45 million hectares of trees and improved 3.22 million hectares of grassland.

    However, the country’s drive to strengthen ecological conservation remains at a critical stage, facing considerable challenges, and the mission to build a Beautiful China and advance modernization in harmony with nature still requires significant and sustained efforts, Shen Chunyao, director of the NPC Standing Committee’s Legislative Affairs Commission, said on Sunday during an ongoing session of the top legislature when explaining the necessity of the draft code to lawmakers.

    During the session, scheduled from April 27 to 30, the lawmakers will review the draft environmental code, and other legislative bills.

    The draft outlines China’s overall requirements for green and low-carbon development. It establishes principles and guiding provisions on issues related to climate change and carbon peaking and neutrality goals, giving full consideration to both international and domestic situations and the need for climate change mitigation and adaptation.

    China will also engage in international cooperation on climate change, participate in, contribute to, and lead global climate governance efforts, according to the draft.

    An aerial drone photo taken on Aug. 1, 2024 shows the scenery of Mount Chomolhari in Yadong County of Xigaze City, southwest China’s Xizang Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Jiang Fan)

    “Addressing climate change is a global challenge,” said Zhang Zhongmin, a professor at the law school of Zhongnan University of Economics and Law. He added that the draft balances both international and domestic efforts, emphasizes mitigation and adaptation, and includes provisions for international cooperation, which will help enhance its international influence.

    The draft also includes provisions for preventing and controlling pollution in various fields, specifically addressing air pollution, water pollution, soil contamination, as well as issues related to solid waste, noise, radioactive pollution sources, chemical substances, electromagnetic radiation, and light pollution.

    The ecological protection chapter of the draft emphasizes the importance of safeguarding ecosystems, specifying that the country will enhance conservation efforts for forests, grasslands, wetlands, seas and marine islands, rivers, lakes, deserts, snow-capped mountains, glaciers, and croplands. It also calls for the advancement of major projects focused on protecting and restoring key ecosystems.

    An aerial drone photo taken on July 6, 2024 shows short-finned pilot whales swimming in the waters east of Hainan Island, south China. (Xinhua/Zhang Liyun)

    “The promulgation and implementation of the code will promote the integrated protection of air, water, soil, and biodiversity, as well as the coordinated management of mountains, rivers, forests, farmlands, lakes, grasslands, and deserts,” Wang said.

    China’s environmental law codification seeks to strike a balance between economic and social development and environmental protection, in contrast to some countries that focus primarily on either environmental preservation or economic gains, Wang said.

    Speaking to the media, Lyu Zhongmei, vice chairperson of the NPC Environmental Protection and Resources Conservation Committee, said that China’s environmental code should be rooted in the country’s national conditions, while also drawing on best practices and learning from the experiences of the codification efforts of other nations.

    “Having a separate chapter on green and low-carbon development is something that has never been done in other countries, and it is a significant feature of China’s ecological environmental code,” said Lyu. “This highlights the important value of our efforts in compiling this code, which is to implement the new development philosophy.”

    Highlighting the code’s global significance, Lyu said that, based on the fundamental concept of sustainable development, the code will become a landmark achievement in global ecological progress, offering a legislative model for other countries to follow and leading the way in the development of ecological law worldwide. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Tailoring and the Black dandy: how 250 years of Black fashion history inspired the 2025 Met Gala

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Toby Slade, Associate Professor of Fashion, University of Technology Sydney

    Portrait of a Man, c. 1855 National Gallery of Art

    Fashion is one of the most powerful tools we have for understanding ourselves and the world around us. Nowhere is this clearer than in the story of Black American tailoring and the legacy of the Black dandy.

    Inspired by scholar Monica L. Miller’s groundbreaking book Slaves to Fashion: Black Dandyism and the Styling of Black Diasporic Identity, the theme of The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute spring 2025 show is Superfine: Tailoring Black Style.

    The exhibition charts the evolution of the Black dandy from the 18th century to today. The story it tells is about more than suits. It’s about power, pride, resistance and joy.

    Each year, the Met Gala takes its dress code from the institue’s spring exhibition. This year’s is “Tailored for You”. So who is the Black dandy, why are they so important to fashion today, and what can we expect to see on the red carpet?

    The birth of the Black Dandy

    “Black dandy” is a modern term. Figures like American abolitionist Frederick Douglass (1818–95) or Haitian revolutionary leader Toussaint Louverture (1743–1803) would not have called themselves dandies, but they used style with similar effect: as a tool of resistance, self-fashioning and cultural pride.

    Toussaint Louverture was a leader during the widespread uprisings of enslaved people in Saint-Domingue (now Haiti) in 1791. This image was drawn in 1802.
    The Metropolitan Museum of Art

    French poet Charles Baudelaire (1821–67) first wrote about dandies in 1863, describing them as individuals who elevate style to a form of personal and aesthetic resistance.

    Baudelaire’s dandy was not just stylish but symbolic. He was an emblem of modernity itself: a time marked by fluid identities, liminal spaces and the collapse of clear boundaries between gender, authenticity and social order.

    Dandyism among Black men took root in the 18th and 19th centuries in both the United States and the Caribbean. Tailoring became a way to reclaim dignity under enslavement and colonialism.

    Dandies take the clothing of an oppressor – aristocratic, colonial, segregationist or otherwise – and turn it into a weapon of elegance. Through meticulous style and refinement, dandies make a silent yet striking claim to moral superiority.

    Frederick Douglass was born into slavery, and freed in 1838. This photograph shows him in 1855.
    The Metropolitan Museum of Art

    Douglass famously appeared in immaculate Victorian suits when campaigning for abolition, consciously dressing in the same style as those who denied his freedom.

    Louverture used perfectly tailored French military uniforms during the Haitian Revolution against French colonial rule.

    In the 1920s, Harlem dandies wore fine tailoring and flamboyant colours, rejecting the idea that poverty or discrimination should dictate presentation.

    In perfectly tied cravats, polished shoes and sharply tailored coats, Black dandies refashion power on their own terms.

    Presence through style

    Dandies also challenge the narrow rules of masculinity.

    Conventional menswear often demands restraint, toughness and invisibility. Dandies dare to embrace beauty, self-adornment and performance. This masculinity can be expressive, creative and even flamboyant.

    The luxurious silk suits and carefully groomed appearance of American Jazz pioneer Duke Ellington (1899–1974) projected glamour rather than austerity.

    The elegantly tailored overcoats and scarves of American poet Langston Hughes (1901–67) suggested a masculinity deeply entwined with creativity and softness.

    Figures in Harlem’s ballrooms and jazz clubs blurred gender boundaries decades before mainstream conversations about gender fluidity emerged.

    A street scene in Harlem, New York City, photographed in 1943.
    Library of Congress

    A tradition of Black tailoring

    In a world where Black self-presentation has long been scrutinised and politicised, tailored clothing asserted visibility, authority and artistry. Dandies transformed fashion into a political declaration of dignity, resistance and creative power.

    Black American tailoring practices blossomed most visibly in the zoot suits of the Harlem Renaissance, though they also had strong roots in New Orleans, Chicago and the Caribbean.

    As seen in the Sunday Best of the Civil Rights era, Black tailoring walked the line between resistance and celebration: beautiful but with clear political intent.

    In the 1970s, the Black dandy became more flamboyant, wearing tight, colourful clothes with bold accessories. He transformed traditional suits with exaggerated shapes, bright patterns and plaids inspired by African heritage.

    Artists popular with a white audience like Sammy Davis Jr (1925–90), Miles Davis (1926–91) and James Brown (1933–2006) embraced the aesthetic, contributing to its widespread acceptance.

    Sammy Davis Jr with his first European gold record, 1976.
    Nationaal Archief, CC BY

    Meanwhile, a super stylish contingent of Black men in the Congo, La Sapeur, refined their look so spectacularly they would become the benchmark of the Black dandy for generations to come.

    The 1990s saw a new era of Black dandyism emerge through luxury sportswear and hip-hop aesthetics.

    Designer Dapper Dan (1944–) revolutionised fashion by remixing luxury logos into bold, custom streetwear, creating a distinctive Black aesthetic that bridged hip-hop culture and high fashion.

    Musician Andre 3000 (1975–) redefined menswear by blending Southern Black style with bold colour, vintage tailoring and theatrical flair.

    Today, the tradition thrives in the style of influencer Wisdom Kaye, the elegance of LeBron James, and the risk-taking of Lewis Hamilton.

    Dressing for the red carpet

    Tailored for You invites guests to interpret the dandy’s legacy in personal, bold and boundary-pushing ways.

    Whether conforming to tradition, subverting expectations or creating something entirely new, this theme is a celebration of the freedom to dress – and be – on your own terms.

    The Black dandy is a figure of defiance and desire, of ambiguity and brilliance, of resistance and beauty. Dandyism blurs boundaries between masculinity and femininity, artifice and authenticity, conformity and rebellion. It unsettles fixed identities and reflects broader tensions within modern life.

    The poet and activist Countee Cullen, as depicted by Winold Reiss around 1925.
    National Portrait Gallery

    Black dandies have shocked, amused, offended, delighted and inspired society since their inception. In the sharp defiance of Douglass’ Victorian suits, the flamboyant spectacle of Harlem ballrooms, and the logo-laced rebellion of Dapper Dan’s streetwear, the Black dandy has continually forced the world to reckon with the politics of presence, pride and performance.

    Despite being overlooked by mainstream fashion history, they’ve shaped the way we see elegance, masculinity and self-expression. This Met Gala and the accompanying exhibition are not just a celebration – they are a long-overdue recognition.

    Dijanna Mulhearn receives funding from Australian Government Research Training Stipend.

    Toby Slade 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. Tailoring and the Black dandy: how 250 years of Black fashion history inspired the 2025 Met Gala – https://theconversation.com/tailoring-and-the-black-dandy-how-250-years-of-black-fashion-history-inspired-the-2025-met-gala-250650

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI China: Sporting events emerge as popular holiday attractions in China

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

    A Peking Opera performance during the World Aquatics Diving World Cup Super Final at the National Aquatics Center in Beijing, China, on May 3, 2025. (Xinhua/Na Yuqi)

    A captivating performance of Peking Opera staged on the diving platform amazed the audience during the World Aquatics Diving World Cup Super Final at the National Aquatics Center, famously known as the “Water Cube,” in Beijing on Saturday.

    “I was truly impressed by the vibrant atmosphere in the Water Cube. I traveled from Tianjin with my children to watch the Super Final, and the shows were beyond the competition itself. I believe I made a great choice for our holiday,” said Zhang Shaoyin during the three-day event that began on Friday.

    The Water Cube, originally built for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, hosted swimming and diving competitions during the Games, as well as the curling events during the 2022 Winter Olympics, after having been transformed into the “Ice Cube.”

    During China’s five-day Labor Day holiday starting Thursday, the dual-Olympic venue has been once again in the spotlight of the sports world.

    “I hadn’t watched a diving competition since Beijing 2008,” said Bai Xiaoke, a local resident. “I used to take my son to the water park here, but this time our family is here for this high-level international event.”

    The Super Final also attracted Jorge Alberto Cueva from Mexico, who also used mobile payment platforms such as Alipay for the first time.

    “Everything here is new for me. It is definitely a delightful experience, and I will keep the memory for a long time,” said Cueva.

    Organizers launched around 40 official licensed products, including pins, cups, bags, and keychains. Many fans purchased plush turtle toys — popular to Chinese star diver Quan Hongchan — to show their admiration.

    Tian Yao, a sports presentation manager at the Super Final, introduced, “Many cultural elements including the famous landmarks along the Beijing Central Axis, such as Tiananmen and Yongdingmen Gate, were vividly displayed in the venue through 3D projection. It is just like a city tour in the Water Cube for the audience.”

    “Sporting events held during holiday have a multiplier effect. The Super Final’s box office surpassed 5.7 million yuan (784,000 U.S. dollars), with over 7,000 spectators attending the diving competitions on Friday,” revealed Zhang Yun, deputy director of Beijing Sports Competitions Administration and International Exchange Center.

    Meanwhile, in Xiamen, Fujian Province, the Sudirman Cup is another major event attracting visitors. According to a manager at Wutong Pliport Hotel, room bookings have surged since the tournament began on April 27, with more than 80 percent of the 620 rooms reserved. The hotel provides shuttle services to the badminton venue and prepares food packs featuring local snacks and drinks for fans.

    Zhou Jiaze, 19, from Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, shared, “I love playing badminton. I missed the last Sudirman Cup two years ago when I was in high school, but now I’m here. I plan to explore the city and visit Xiamen University.”

    “I spent over 14 hours to get here, with a transfer in Tianjin,” said Xu Yuyan, traveling from Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. “I will stay here for five days and hope to see great performance of Chinese players.”

    Geoff Stensland, president of the Bellevue Badminton Club of Seattle, Washington, also visited Xiamen for the Sudirman Cup. “Badminton is getting more popular in America with new clubs opening almost every month. The Sudirman Cup is real fun,” Stensland said.

    Also during the Labor Day holiday, the Equestrian Shanghai Global Champions Tour was held from Friday to Sunday, attracting international tourists eager to enjoy outdoor sports. Additionally, the FIBA 3×3 Women’s Series and a World Tour event also took place in Chengdu, Sichuan Province. In less than 100 days, Chengdu will host the 12th World Games – the first major global sports event in western China since the 31st Universiade in 2023.

    “As an increasing number of sporting events are held in China in recent years, people have got used to taking exciting games as an integral part of their holiday,” said Zou Xinxian, a professor at Beijing Sport University. “This trend can not only boost the host city’s vitality, but also spur the economy driven by international events.”

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Australia can no longer take a ‘business as usual’ approach to the US. On security, it’s time for courage and confidence

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Joanne Wallis, Professor of International Security, University of Adelaide

    The re-election of the Albanese Labor government by such a wide margin should not mean “business as usual” for Australia’s security policy.

    The global uncertainty instigated by US President Donald Trump means Australia’s security landscape is very different today from when Labor was first elected in 2022, or even when its Defence Strategic Review was released in 2023.

    As we argue in our recent book, the Albanese government faces increasingly difficult questions.

    How can we maintain our critical security alliance with the US while deepening partnerships with other countries that have reservations about US policy?

    And, given Trump’s recent actions, how much can we continue to rely on the United States and what are the potential costs of the alliance?

    With a massive parliamentary majority, the new government has an opportunity for bold thinking on national security. This is not the time for Australia to keep its head down – we need to face the rapidly changing world with our heads held high.



    Read more:
    Blaming Donald Trump for conservative losses in both Canada and Australia is being too kind to Peter Dutton

    Trump 2.0 is not the same as 1.0

    We do not advocate Australia step away from the US alliance. We are also realistic that decades of defence procurement mean Australia is heavily reliant on US defence materiel (and its subsequent sustainment) for our security.

    The deep interoperability between the Australian Defence Force and the US military is something alliance sceptics too readily gloss over: much Australian military capability cannot function without ongoing American support.

    At the same time, many alliance advocates underestimate the impact of the new challenges we face. Some assumed a continuity between the first and second Trump administrations. However, we are not convinced the lessons learned from Trump 1.0 are still valid.

    A key difference between Trump 1.0 and 2.0 is the effect of his move away from respecting international law.

    For example, the US has voted with Russia against UN Security Council resolutions condemning the Ukraine war, withdrawn from the Paris Climate Agreement and World Health Organization, and damaged relations with NATO allies, among many other actions.

    As a middle power, Australia has long relied on the “rules-based order” to advance its foreign and strategic policy interests.

    Even if “normal transmission” resumes under a new US president in 2029, we are concerned the Trump administration’s structural changes to the international order will not easily be wound back. American soft power has been decimated by cuts to the US State Department, USAID and international broadcasting services. This will also not be rebuilt quickly.

    A second difference is there are few “adults left in the room” in the Trump administration.

    The advisers who kept Trump in check during his first administration have been replaced by loyalists less likely to push back against his ideas and impulses. This includes his long-held grievance that allies have been exploiting the US.

    The Albanese government needs to think more deeply about how to hedge against dependence on the US. This means investing in relations with other partners, especially in Asia and the Pacific, and working with them to promote the laws, rules and norms that maintain stability and predictability in global affairs.

    An idealistic vision for the future

    We are also concerned that many in the national security community base their policy recommendations on the assumption that war between the US and China is inevitable, and such a conflict could draw in Australia as America’s ally.

    Rather, the Trump administration’s preference for “deals” opens the possibility the US and China might come to an arrangement that will affect US presence and leadership in our region.

    Australia may not be prepared for this. The new government must engage in more open discussion about how we would maintain our security if the US does pull back from the region or makes decisions Australians don’t support.

    As a start, we need to consider how Australia can better pursue self-reliance within the alliance structure. We need a range of strategic options in the future that don’t rely on an outdated image of the US as a reliable partner.

    This debate should be guided by what we call “pragmatic idealism”.

    Rather than accepting the way things are, the government and members of the national security community need to re-imagine how things can be.

    We argue the Albanese government should draw confidence from its thumping electoral win to articulate a politics of hope, opportunity and possibility for our future security. This needs to drown out the cynicism, passive acceptance and learned helplessness that often characterises Australian national security debates.

    We are conscious that being “idealistic” is often dismissed as impractical, naïve “wishful thinking”. But the new government needs to demonstrate to Australians it has the courage to face the diverse, interlinked and complex security challenges we face – potentially on our own. These extend to issues such as cyber attacks, transnational crime and climate change.

    Practical steps

    As a first step, the Albanese government urgently needs to commission an integrated National Security Strategy that considers all the tools of statecraft Australia can use to respond to these challenges.

    This means engaging more with partners in Southeast Asia and the Pacific. In particular, Australia should consider investing more heavily in information programs and public diplomacy as the US withdraws from this arena.

    The government must also engage better with the public and be more transparent about its security options and decisions.

    On AUKUS, for instance, the government must build its “social licence” from the public to sustain such a massive deal across generations. Australians need to be better informed about – and consulted on – the decisions they will ultimately pay for.

    This also includes being upfront with Australians about the need for greater defence spending in a tumultuous world.

    It is understandably tempting for the new Albanese government to continue a “small target” when it comes to the US. This has meant minimising domestic debate about the alliance that could undermine support for AUKUS and avoid risking the ire of a thin-skinned Trump.

    But the government needs the courage to ask difficult questions and imagine different futures.

    Joanne Wallis receives funding from the Australian Research Council, the Australian Department of Defence, and the government of South Australia. She is a Senior Nonresident Fellow of the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C.

    Rebecca Strating receives funding from the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

    – ref. Australia can no longer take a ‘business as usual’ approach to the US. On security, it’s time for courage and confidence – https://theconversation.com/australia-can-no-longer-take-a-business-as-usual-approach-to-the-us-on-security-its-time-for-courage-and-confidence-255598

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI China: Rally held in Tokyo on Japan’s Constitution Day to honor peace, oppose war

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

    Nearly 40,000 peace-seeking Japanese participated in a rally in a park in Tokyo on Constitution Memorial Day on Saturday, calling for honoring the country’s pacifist constitution and opposition to war and arms expansion.

    Many Japanese lawmakers, scholars and citizens were invited to speak at the rally, with many participants holding banners and placards such as “Oppose arms expansion” and “Love the Constitution and safeguard world peace!” to express their firm support for the concept of peace.

    The current Constitution of Japan was enacted in 1947 and is known as the pacifist postwar constitution, in which Article 9 renounces war and bans the country from maintaining land, sea and air forces, as well as other war potential.

    For decades, Article 9 has been a fundamental constraint on Japan’s military endeavors. However, in recent years, the Japanese government has taken steps such as lifting the ban on collective self-defense and updating three security and defense-related documents, which have caused grave concern among the public.

    Senior officials from opposition parties called for not allowing the Diet, the country’s parliament, to propose constitutional amendments, while underscoring the need to protect peace, lives, livelihoods and human rights by utilizing the current constitution.

    Tomoko Tamura, head of the Japanese Communist Party, pointed out in her speech that the Japanese government’s series of actions have essentially incorporated the Self-Defense Forces into the U.S. military command system, adding that Japan should promote peace diplomacy in East Asia free from war concerns in accordance with the Constitution and build a broader framework for dialogue and cooperation.

    Ex-Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry official Shigeaki Koga said the world is undergoing profound changes and Japan should adhere to the spirit of peace embodied in its constitution. He stressed that Japan should break away from its dependence on certain countries and rebuild diplomatic relations based on people-to-people exchanges and understanding, noting that only through dialogue can confrontation be resolved and peace maintained.

    Emeritus Manabu Sato of the University of Tokyo criticized the current Japanese government’s military expansion policy as being contrary to the spirit of the Constitution and questioned the huge defense expenditure. He believes that war-renouncing Article 9 has brought long-term peace to Japan after the war, and the government should give priority to using resources for education, people’s welfare and the improvement of social structure.

    The rally attracted a large number of young people and families. A mother who brought her children to the rally told Xinhua: “I hope my children can grow up in an environment free from the threat of war. As a parent, I have the responsibility to pass on this concept.”

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Singapore’s ruling party clinches landslide victory

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

    The decisive victory of Singapore’s ruling People’s Action Party in Saturday’s elections gave Prime Minister Lawrence Wong a strong mandate in his first electoral test, extending the party’s 66-year rule in the city-state.

    The PAP secured 65.57 percent of share of the popular votes and won 87 of 97 parliamentary seats. Analysts said the landslide victory ensures that it has “outright political legitimacy” at a time when Singapore’s trade-dependent economy is being challenged by geopolitical tensions.

    Wong thanked the voters for a “clear signal of trust, stability and confidence”.

    “Singaporeans too can draw strength from this and look ahead to our future with confidence. The results will put Singapore in a better position to face this turbulent world,” Wong said on Sunday.

    Tan Ern Ser, an adjunct principal research fellow at the Institute of Policy Studies in Singapore, said the PAP “has a strong mandate and competence to help Singapore steer through the treacherous waters ahead”.

    David Black, founder and CEO of polling firm Blackbox Research in Singapore, said Wong has delivered a “decisive victory” for the PAP, giving the party an “outright political legitimacy in their own right”.

    According to a preelection survey conducted by Blackbox Research, the rising cost of living and soaring home prices were top concerns for voters.

    Champa Ha, a 34-year-old researcher, said her salary can barely catch up with the rising cost of living. “I’m worried that someday I might be priced out of a life in Singapore.”

    A 30-year-old marketing executive expressed satisfaction with the PAP’s performance in the past five years but voiced frustration over the government’s decision to raise the goods and services tax. She said she hopes more can be done to help Singaporeans cope with rising living expenses.

    James Chin, a professor of Asian studies at the University of Tasmania in Australia, said Singaporeans are largely worried about living costs and the threat to their rice bowl.

    “With Singaporeans thinking that the state of the economy is in trouble because of what (United States President Donald) Trump is doing in the international arena, they believe it’s better to go to the PAP,” Chin said.

    The main opposition Workers’ Party held on to the 10 seats it won in 2020. However, the WP polled consistently above 40 percent in the wards they lost, and introduced new candidates with strong credentials.

    Voters did not reject the WP outright, said Eugene Tan, an associate professor of law at Singapore Management University. “They signaled that they recognized the WP’s role, but (they) want it to measure up first.”

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: ‘Green-collar’ workers on the rise amid China’s green development quest

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

    On Changxing Island in east China’s Shanghai, a fisheries company operates bustling cold storage facilities to keep seafood fresh, while a nearby energy storage power station plays a crucial role in managing electricity costs.

    This energy storage system stores electricity during off-peak hours when rates are lower, and discharges during peak hours when prices rise, thereby helping the fisheries company reduce energy expenses.

    Wu Xiaochun patrols the power station to ensure the facilities run safely and efficiently. His role, energy storage power station maintenance administrator, is one of 19 new professions added to China’s list of officially recognized occupations in July 2024. Playfully, he refers to himself as a “green-collar” worker.

    As China pushes forward with its green transition, a wave of low-carbon industries has emerged, driving a surge in demand for “green-collar” workers.

    To date, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security has officially recognized 137 green professions. Notably, by the end of 2024, the number of practitioners in the ecological and environmental protection sector in China had exceeded 3.4 million.

    Many graduates are now choosing careers in green industries, such as environmental engineers, environmental, social and governance (ESG) consultants, renewable energy engineers, and environmental policy analysts, according to Yu Aitao from the School of Environmental Science and Engineering at Shanghai Jiao Tong University.

    “Students are drawn to these professions out of personal interests as well as by promising development potential supported by the country’s favorable policies,” Yu said.

    After graduation, Qin Jiawei, a young professional in his twenties, took up a position as a carbon capture technician at a power station on Changxing Island.

    In 2023, the station launched a 100,000-tonne carbon capture, utilization and storage project, aiming to capture the carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted by the plant and supply it to local marine equipment manufacturers.

    Qin is among 22 professionals, with an average age of 25, employed by the station to support the project’s operation. “As we plan to expand the project, the demand for skilled workers will continue to grow,” said Shen Hao, general manager of the power station.

    To meet the growing need for a green workforce, many colleges and universities have ramped up efforts to cultivate suitable professionals. Xu Juan, vice dean of the School of Ecological and Environmental Science at East China Normal University, said green talent is increasingly equipped with interdisciplinary skills — spanning fields including science and engineering, finance and management.

    In a laboratory at the College of Civil Engineering of Tongji University, professor Zhang Fengshou leads a team researching the potential of CO2 sequestration using basalt from the sea.

    “Civil engineering is not just about building roads and houses as it is generally perceived. We can also cultivate students with expertise in the low-carbon sector,” Zhang said.

    To better nurture green talent, Xu highlighted the need to establish academic programs focused on green and low-carbon development, such as carbon neutrality and green finance, as well as offering dual-degree programs and interdisciplinary courses to enhance students’ comprehensive abilities.

    Industry insiders have also pointed out that, compared with traditional occupations, emerging green professions still need improved occupational standards and certification systems.

    “The establishment of new green jobs is just the beginning,” said Lei Ting from State Grid Shanghai Municipal Electric Power Company, calling for joint efforts by government and enterprises to regulate such practitioners’ qualifications, guide vocational training, and boost employment and entrepreneurship.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Thought the election campaign was boring? Maybe you’re just not on TikTok

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Susan Grantham, Lecturer in Communication, Griffith University

    This year’s election campaign marked a turning point in Australian politics. TikTok has emerged not just as another tool, but as a main battleground.

    Although it played a part in the 2022 election, this was the first time the two major parties and the Greens embraced short-form video as a serious campaign strategy.

    These videos may seem silly or nonsensical, but for many Gen Z voters, they may have been the only political messages they encountered in the entire five-week campaign. Given the dominance of Gen Z and Millennial voters, social media videos are increasingly important.

    A blend of trends, podcasts and thirst traps

    The Australian Labor Party’s campaign leaned heavily into TikTok culture, crafting a multi-pronged strategy to reach younger voters where they scroll. This included meme engagement like this absurdist #italianbrainrot trend.

    #brainrot refers to deliberately absurd, low-effort videos that thrive on chaos and nonsensical repetition.

    It’s an existing TikTok trend that started in early 2025 and is designed to capture attention in an oversaturated feed. In other words, don’t try to understand, just watch and enjoy.

    Another standout is a now-viral video of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese edited with the stylistic flair typical of TikTok “thirst trap” content. The editing style and music choice are both characteristic of this sub-genre of video designed to make the subject appear attractive.

    It walked a fine line between irony and sincerity: an intentional nod to the platform’s unique language and humour. While some lapped it up as clever, others question whether such tactics undermine the seriousness of politics.

    Labor also heavily invested in podcasting, with Albanese appearing on youth-oriented shows with the likes of Abbie Chatfield and Ozzy Man. These long-form interviews were mostly promoted by the podcasters themselves, which was a clever use of their existing audiences. It contributed to a strategy that prioritised personality as much as policy.

    Combined with a coordinated influencer outreach, including briefings with popular creators, Labor’s campaign showed a keen understanding of the algorithmic economy. Whether it was cringey or clever, it was undeniably calculated.

    Trendsetters with turbulence

    The Liberal Party started its TikTok campaigning back in December 2024. These early videos, many AI-generated, saw remarkable traction. The highest-viewed video, an AI voice-change take on a scene from “The Grinch”, has been viewed 2.8 million times.

    Then came “Tim Cheese”, a trending fictional character they used to blur the lines in political storytelling. A “bad guy”, Tim Cheese was used by the Liberals to highlight that the known bad guys aren’t always bad.

    One standout video was the introduction of “Cheesy Albanese”, which merged political satire with platform-native humour that resonated with the audience.

    The Liberals also tapped into trending sounds and aesthetics such as #brainrot and #italianbrainrot. In fairness, they were the first to use it before the official campaign started.

    But with any innovative campaign comes risk.

    A notable misstep was the repurposing of influencer content, including that of Holly MacAlpine.

    Topham Guerin, the strategy company behind the campaign, has a reputation for provocative approaches that can come close to, but don’t actually break, the law. However, this use of content did wear thin for some followers, sparking early signs of disengagement.

    The campaign’s second major stumble came on election day.

    US-based TikTok creator Ray William Johnson, who has more than 18.5 million followers, called out the Liberals for blocking his account when they clearly used his video and animation style.

    Johnson said he had no issue with the mimicry, but the party’s pre-emptive blocking of him fuelled backlash. His response video, now seen more than 12 million times, ends with a blunt directive: “I hope everyone goes out and votes for the other guy.”

    It was a viral moment that undid much of the earlier momentum, and demonstrates the high stakes of campaigning in the age of creator culture.

    Despite a clever response video from the Liberals, it was overshadowed by the sheer scale of the backlash.

    With these lows there was still highs, including a highly effective and trending video game that saw players “Escape Albo”.

    The Liberals were early trendsetters, creating boundary-pushing content for all users, even those without strong political views. They experimented with styles that went on to be mimicked, particularly with Labor’s #brainrot-inspired content.

    Greens go from giant toothbrushes to DJ sets

    In a bid to connect with the gaming community, Tasmanian Senator Nick McKim took to livestreaming sessions of the popular game Fortnite. Donning comfortable clothes and a headset, McKim engaged viewers with gaming lingo and humour, aiming to make politics more relatable to younger audiences.

    These videos were a huge success, with this one being viewed 1.4 million times.

    A central feature of the Greens social media campaign was the deployment of a giant toothbrush prop, symbolising the party’s commitment to integrating dental care into Medicare. It featured across various platforms and was a nice link to events in Brisbane and Melbourne.

    These events featured the support of big-name influencers and prompted spinoff videos launching Greens Leader Adam Bandt’s DJ career.

    But despite the flashy props, influencer cameos and party vibes, the Greens’ campaign often felt more like a collection of stunts than a cohesive digital strategy: memorable in moments, but ultimately lacking impact.

    Did it make any difference?

    While many labelled the 2025 election dull, the TikTok campaign told a different story. It was unpredictable, occasionally “cringe”, but deeply entertaining.

    It’s too soon to know if any of this shifted votes or even opinions. Party officials, campaign strategists and academics will all be watching closely to find out.

    While social media is ubiquitous in our lives, using it to campaign is still relatively new in our political history. There are no best-practice guidelines or proven approaches. Of all this content thrown at the wall, it will be fascinating to see what sticks.

    But to the millions of Australians on TikTok, politics has never looked or sounded quite like it did in 2025.

    Susan Grantham 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. Thought the election campaign was boring? Maybe you’re just not on TikTok – https://theconversation.com/thought-the-election-campaign-was-boring-maybe-youre-just-not-on-tiktok-255847

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: “Farm of the Future”: Possibilities of Genetic Engineering in Agriculture

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Novosibirsk State University – Novosibirsk State University –

    As part of the 63rd International Scientific Student Conference, which was held at NSU in the second half of April, candidate of biological sciences, head of the laboratory of developmental genetics of the Institute of Cytology and Genetics of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences (ICG SB RAS), associate professor of the Department of Cytology and Genetics Faculty of Natural Sciences, Novosibirsk State University Nariman Battulin gave a popular science lecture, “Farm of the Future: How Genetic Technologies Change Animals.” The scientist told conference participants in an accessible form about how geneticists can influence the genome of farm animals.

    How to read a genome?

    A geneticist reads genetic texts (genomes) the same way we all read books or posts on the Internet. There are only 4 letters in DNA – A, T, G, C, but one line of the human genome contains 3 billion letters. These texts describe all the characteristics and features of living organisms, right down to eye color and perception of cold. Geneticists study these texts with great interest and try to decipher them.

    — The control section of DNA switches on and off certain genes in the right organ at the right time and at the right stage of development. If we learn to understand the “genetic texts”, we will be able to control the properties of organisms. Replacing just one letter can lead to dramatic changes. For example, “turning” brown eyes into blue. Naturally, this excites the imagination of scientists, because it opens up huge opportunities for them. Knowing the DNA “texts”, it is possible to solve many problems in various fields. The simplest is forensics: if the perpetrator left his DNA at the crime scene, it can be read and certain properties of his body and even some details of his appearance can be restored. A more difficult task is genetic modification. If we learn to modify DNA, we will be able to artificially set the properties of the organism we need. To do this, we need to solve a big interesting problem — learn to find those sections of DNA that are responsible for the formation of a certain feature, — explained Nariman Battulin.

    The scientist said that geneticists learn which letters in the DNA “text” are responsible for certain properties of the body using genome-wide association studies (GWAS), which helps scientists identify genes associated with a certain disease (or other trait). This method studies the entire DNA set (genome) of a large group of people, identifying small variations called single nucleotide polymorphisms or SNPs. It is based on a statistical procedure that determines the significance of the difference of a particular SNP between groups of people with and without a trait. In this way, it is possible to identify areas of the genome responsible for eye color or hair structure, cognitive abilities and mental characteristics. Up to the genes responsible for a person’s sense of musical rhythm or sense of humor, as well as the grades they receive in class or the level of income they will be able to achieve. Thanks to such studies, geneticists, if a person detects any pathology or body trait, can determine in which area of the genome the gene “breakdown” occurred.

    More muscles!

    In animal husbandry, similar studies are aimed at identifying genes responsible for economically valuable traits in animals, such as muscle mass in cattle, pigs and sheep, or egg production in birds. Geneticists have learned to identify regions of the genome that enable cows to produce record milk yields, which has revolutionized agriculture, because since this approach was first used to identify the best milk or meat producing animals, there has been a significant increase in agricultural productivity. This approach is no more than 10 years old, but the results achieved during this time allow us to look to the future with optimism and confidently predict further growth in productivity in the livestock industry.

    There is another approach: geneticists look for genome sections responsible for any pathological features of an organism by studying the genomes of animals with deformities. “Breakdowns” of genes can lead to the strangest changes in the phenotype of organisms. These changes are an excellent source of information for searching for DNA sections responsible for their development.

    Nariman Battulin mentioned the Belgian Blue cow breed as an example. Its characteristic feature is hypertrophied, sculpted muscles. It seems that this is how a product of genetic engineering should look, but no. The reason for this was not the experiments of geneticists, but a random mutation in one gene, which increased muscle growth. It happened quite a long time ago, but was fixed by breeders by selecting individuals with increased muscle mass as an economically valuable trait. Then it turned out that the initial mutation occurred as a result of a “breakdown” of just one gene – myostatin, which prevents the formation of an excessive number of muscle cells. If this gene is knocked out, nothing prevents muscle growth and their volume increases twice as much as normal. And scientists quickly learned to use this.

    There is another effective way to interfere with the genome of living organisms. Since they are all distant relatives and have a common ancestor, they also have common genes. If a “broken” myostatin gene is found in cows, this may indicate that a similar gene is present in other animals, and most likely, in their organisms it is responsible for the same trait or property.

    There is only one example in the scientific literature of a “breakdown” in a gene that prevents excessive muscle growth in humans—the same one that affects Belgian Blue cows. This is a boy born with a knockout of the myostatin gene. The baby had twice as much muscle tissue as his peers.

    — It would seem that here it is, an alternative to grueling workouts in gyms: it is enough to block myostatin, and relief muscles are provided from birth and without any effort. But this medal has a reverse side. All muscles increase twofold, and even those whose increase directly affects the quality of life and health. For example, the tongue, which is also a muscle.

    The complexity of such modifications is that each gene affects many traits at once. On the one hand, myostatin knockout increases muscle growth, on the other hand, it creates problems with nutrition due to the tongue being twice as large, and on the third hand, such massive animals with such a large muscle volume cannot be born naturally. For example, the same breed of cows, the Belgian Blue. Almost always, calves of this breed are born by cesarean section. Therefore, before creating such animals using genetic technologies, one should think: will it be economically justified and is it worth settling them on the farm of the future? Yes, they will give much more meat, but how many veterinarians will be needed if the production of meat from such cows is put on stream? After all, the birth of each calf will be accompanied by a surgical operation, – said Nariman Battulin.

    As a result, it turns out that the economic effect of one mutation is not really that impressive due to the additional costs of changing the technology of keeping animals with a knocked-out gene. Genetic engineers should always think through such situations. “Improving” one trait can lead to problems with another. And finding a balance so that the desired genetic variants are productive and economically effective is very difficult. In addition, as practice shows, there are very few of them.

    “Genetic scissors”

    — From the point of view of fundamental biology, if we want to learn how genes work, we need to study this mechanism in animals in which the mutation occurred by chance. But to better understand this mechanism, we need to reproduce it ourselves, transferring this genetic variant to another organism, and see what happens. Geneticists have several tools for this task. The most popular is the CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing tool. It is based on an element of the bacterial defense system that biologists have adapted to make changes to the DNA of plants, animals and humans. It consists of using short RNA that directs CRISPR/Cas9 to the desired site in the genome. After attaching to the target DNA, CRISPR/Cas9 cuts two DNA strands, allowing scientists to either deactivate the gene or insert a new DNA segment in place of the cut. Just one break is enough to “break” the gene and make changes to the DNA. In essence, this genomic editing tool is a biological molecule that can find the right place in the genome to “hit”. This is very important because the human genome, like the genome of a cow and other mammals, consists of 3 billion nucleotides, and finding the right one is not so easy. Genomic editing tools allow us to do this, – explained Nariman Battulin.

    With these tools, the most popular genetic variants can be transferred from one animal species to another. For example, the genome of the same Belgian Blue cows contains a knockout of the myostatin gene, while cows of other breeds do not. It is possible to introduce this genetic change by crossing, but it will take too much time. But with the help of genomic editing tools, it is quite possible to introduce the desired genetic variant directly into the DNA of meat breeds. And such calves have already been obtained.

    One of the scientific articles on this topic, “Efficient introduction of mutations into the piglet genome using CRISPR/Cas9,” which was published in the scientific journal Scientific Reports, says that the authors obtained 8 piglets with a knockout of the myostatin gene. And indeed, their muscles were twice as big as those of normal piglets. However, all the modified animals died within a week. But why did genome editing, which is successfully carried out on cows, fail on pigs?

    — The thing is that each gene affects not just one function, but several at once. For example, the genomes of Belgian Blue cows contain other genetic variants that compensate for the negative impact of myostatin knockout on the body, while pigs do not have such variants. Therefore, it is important for geneticists to remember that the results of transferring one genetic variant to another genetic background can be unpredictable and undesirable, which is what happened in the case of piglets, in whose genome the myostatin gene was knocked out. But sometimes the results are positive. Lambs successfully tolerated the knockout of the myostatin gene — their muscle mass increased, but, unlike piglets, they were viable. This gene was successfully blocked in fish. In Japan, sea bream was subjected to this manipulation, after which the muscle mass of this species increased by 17%. Experiments on “building up” muscles in these fish continue, attempts are being made to bring genetically improved sea bream to market. But genetically modified salmon has already entered the American market. True, it took the enterprise implementing such a bold project 30 years of work and 100 million dollars in investments. If a regular salmon at the age of 18 months reaches 33 cm in length and weighs 1.3 kg, then its transgenic relative is twice as long and reaches a weight of 3 kg, – said Nariman Battulin.

    By the way, the farm of the future will have a place for aquaculture, which is currently becoming an important element of agriculture. Most of the fish that comes to our table are not caught in the wild, but grown in fish farms.

    Beneficial mutations

    With the help of genetic engineering, scientists can make various useful changes to the genome of animals. For example, depriving cattle of horns, which will avoid many problems, namely, injury to other animals or farm workers.

    — There are genetic variants of natural mutations obtained in hornless cows. By identifying the genes responsible for such a beneficial mutation, it is possible to artificially edit the genome of cows of other breeds, and calves will be born that fully correspond to their breed with only one exception — they will not grow horns. At the same time, other features and advantages of the breed remain unchanged. Such calves have already been obtained. Normally, animals of their breed are characterized by long horns, but genetically modified cows of this breed do not have them, — Nariman Battulin specified.

    By means of genome editing, it is possible to “adapt” cows to climate change. For example, to global warming. There are genetic variants that allow increasing their temperature adaptation, i.e. resistance to heat stress. For example, if you introduce a corresponding mutation into the genome of Angus cows, “breaking” just one gene, the skin of the genetically modified animal becomes slightly thinner, and the wool becomes thinner, which reduces body temperature by 0.3-0.5 degrees under heat stress. Therefore, despite the fact that the absolute figures are small, from the point of view of the biological system, this is a very significant change.

    Cold-resistant animals can be created in a similar way. In this task, geneticists are looking for inspiration in the Yakut breeds of cattle, which can withstand even the harshest frosts. They can winter in open areas, so there is no need to build warm barns. And the reason for such resistance to the cold lies, of course, in their genome. Scientists have identified the very genetic variant that affects the cold resistance of Yakut breeds of cattle. This same genetic variant is found in deep-diving animals, as well as in mammals that can hibernate or significantly change their own body temperature.

    — Before actually reproducing these genetic variants in other breeds, it is very important to try to understand the mechanism by which these processes are realized. Therefore, at the Institute of Cytology and Genetics of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, we created modified mice in which we reproduced the genetic variant of Yakut cows. Now we are trying to understand how these mice feel in low temperatures. We are observing changes in the heart rate of mouse embryos depending on the decrease in the ambient temperature. And there is hope that very soon we will understand how this mechanism works and will be able to create cold-resistant mice. But it is desirable that they do not exist on the farm of the future, — the scientist said.

    According to Nariman Battulin, the most impressive thing that could be on a farm of the future is pigs that will become organ donors for humans. Unfortunately, humanity does not have the ability to provide donor organs to everyone in need. Genetically modified animals, whose organs can be transplanted to humans, could become an alternative to regular donors. By many parameters, the only species that can be used for these purposes is the pig. In recent years, significant progress has been made in this area. There are known cases of successful xenotransplantation of a kidney from a transgenic pig to a human in the world. However, after this, the few patients lived very short lives. The record holder was a man who underwent surgery in the United States in January of this year. He has been living with such a kidney for four months now.

    — The most complex genetic changes that were made on animals were made on pigs for the purpose of subsequent xenotransplantation. In this case, it is necessary to introduce dozens of modifications into the genome, to “break” the genes that produce proteins that our immune system perceives as foreign. In addition, it is necessary to combine the immune systems and blood coagulation systems of humans and pigs. And many such modifications need to be made — the more, the more successful the xenotransplantation procedure will be. Geneticists from all over the world, including scientists from the Novosibirsk Akademgorodok, are working on solving this problem, — the lecturer noted.

    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 China: Link personal pursuit with the country — Xi’s message to Chinese youth

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    China celebrates its annual Youth Day on Sunday, honoring the legacy of the patriotic May Fourth Movement of 1919 that shaped modern Chinese history.

    Around this time, President Xi Jinping usually sends greetings to young people and champions the inseparable bond between youth empowerment and national progress.

    Still fresh in the public’s mind is Xi’s visit to an AI incubator in Shanghai on Tuesday. During the inspection of the AI industry in the eastern metropolis, Xi spent some time engaging with young entrepreneurs participating in an innovators’ salon.

    “AI is a nascent industry, and it’s also an industry that belongs to young people,” Xi said, encouraging the younger generation to demonstrate their talent and capabilities at a time when “China is advancing the great cause of building a strong nation and realizing national rejuvenation on all fronts.”

    Xi urged the young people to cherish a deep love for the country, set their sights on serving the nation, and strengthen their capabilities. The youth should “closely link their personal endeavors with the country’s future,” he said.

    Xi has on multiple occasions stressed the necessity for young people to have unwavering dedication to the nation and the people, a conviction forged from his early experiences.

    In the late 1960s, as part of a national movement, millions of urban youth went to rural areas to work and live alongside farmers, aiming to foster resilience through hard labor. Among them was 15-year-old Xi, who arrived in a remote village in Shaanxi Province.

    Taking on farming, hauling coal, and building dams, Xi’s resilience, thirst for knowledge, and reputation as a “learned problem-solver” won the trust of villagers, who elected him as their Party branch secretary.

    As a young man toiling on the barren Loess Plateau of northern Shaanxi, Xi’s aspiration at that time was to ensure that all fellow villagers could have enough to eat. It was there that Xi forged a conviction to dedicate his life to the country and the people.

    Now, as China’s top leader, Xi frequently urges the younger generation to devote themselves to national development.

    Ahead of the Youth Day 2023, Xi penned a reply letter to students from China Agricultural University. For over a decade, the university has been operating the “science and technology backyards” program, sending postgraduate students specializing in agriculture to rural areas to assist in solving practical problems.

    In his letter, Xi expressed the hope for the students to closely integrate textbook knowledge with practices in rural areas, and devote their youth and strength to speeding up rural and agricultural modernization and the construction of a modern socialist country.

    In an article published on Thursday in Qiushi Journal, the flagship magazine of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, Xi again underscored the importance of strengthening the ideals and convictions of the younger generation.

    Young people should serve as pioneers and vital forces in areas such as scientific and technological innovation, rural revitalization, green development, social services, and national defense, the article noted.

    In his latest Youth Day greetings, Xi commended a group of volunteer teachers working in a remote border school in northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

    In the reply letter to the volunteer teachers, Xi noted that more young people have chosen to serve as volunteers in the country’s western regions and rural areas over the years, demonstrating their spirit of dedication and sense of responsibility.

    “Contribute to the country’s modernization drive by serving where the nation and the people need you most,” he urged.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China rolls out comprehensive measures to foster young scientific talent

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

    The 2025 China Youth May Fourth Medal honor was recently awarded to 30 individuals and 30 groups for making outstanding contributions, with sci-tech professionals accounting for a significant and growing share of recipients, showcasing the dynamism of China’s young scientific talent.

    Recipients this year include Gui Haichao, an astronaut who served as a payload expert on the Shenzhou-16 mission, and Wang Xingxing, founder of Unitree Technology, who made breakthroughs in the robotic technology field. The 2025 list also features researchers such as Du Lingjie, whose team for the first time presented experimental evidence of a graviton-like particle called chiral graviton modes.

    Du comes from the School of Physics, Nanjing University, in east China’s Jiangsu Province. The findings presented by Du and his team were published in the journal Nature in 2024, marking the first experimental substantiation of the concept of gravitons, posited by pioneering works in quantum gravity since the 1930s.

    As this study demanded costly and specialized equipment to operate in extremely low temperatures and strong magnetic fields, the research team once found itself in a budget crisis.

    A lifeline came from the Jiangsu provincial natural science foundation, which had established a special funding channel for early-career researchers. After expert reviews of his efforts, Du secured 3 million yuan (about 416,586 U.S. dollars) in project funding, resolving the team’s financial difficulties.

    “Early-career researchers face critical funding gaps despite the transformative potential of their research,” said Sun Jian, vice director of Nanjing University’s Office of Science and Technology.

    In recent years, Jiangsu Province has significantly boosted its support for early-career scientists, increasing both project allocations and financial grants — while eliminating application quotas in physics and applied mathematics and other fields.

    To incentivize innovation, a special funding channel for non-consensus research has been established, supporting projects that challenge conventional scientific paradigms. Once general objectives are approved, the funding channel grants the relevant research team full autonomy in terms of experimental design and budget execution.

    This mechanism minimizes the burden of operational management for scientists and maximizes intellectual freedom for groundbreaking discoveries, Sun added.

    While easing financial concerns faced by fundamental researchers, China has simultaneously bolstered efforts to commercialize applied research — ensuring that laboratory breakthroughs translate into tangible societal and economic gains while guaranteeing that scientists can benefit from the fruits of their applied work.

    Taking drug development as an example. This process requires rigorous testing, leading-edge infrastructure and specialized industrial services. To empower medical researchers to translate theoretical achievements into tangible clinical applications, China’s Ministry of Education and local governments in Jiangsu have established several biomedical innovation centers to facilitate related development. These centers provide research equipment leasing and other services, including intellectual property protection and funding applications.

    To further lower the risks in commercialization for research institutions and businesses, the innovation center in the city of Suzhou in Jiangsu has creatively partnered with an insurer to launch an insurance program, which covers losses arising from failed technology transfers, patent disputes, and other risks.

    Lin Yuhui, a 36-year-old associate professor at Nanjing Medical University, took part in this program through a stroke medication project. “Such institutional innovation empowers young scientists to focus on research and entrust commercialization to market forces, and provides financial incentives for our work,” said Lin.

    Many local governments across China are increasing the benefits scientific researchers can derive from transforming scientific research into practical outcomes — thereby encouraging the commercialization of research.

    Central China’s Hubei Province has introduced a policy requiring that at least 70 percent of net income or equity from commercializing scientific breakthroughs should be allocated to the researchers or teams behind them.

    East China metropolis, Shanghai, aims to achieve 100 billion yuan in cumulative technology commercialization contracts across public research institutions by 2027, while also embedding tech transaction services into Yangtze River Delta integration strategy.

    Over the past several years, the central government has consistently emphasized support for young scientists and the need to give them important responsibilities in government work reports.

    As part of this push to develop young scientists, China has introduced a series of policies, such as requiring researchers aged under 40 to fill at least half of leading or core roles in major science and technology projects. Meanwhile, the government requires setting aside over 45 percent of projects in the National Natural Science Foundation of China for early-career scientists, targeting pioneering work in emerging fields and interdisciplinary breakthroughs.

    “While research funding and equipment have been improved, the spirit of truth-seeking has persisted across generations of scientists. Today’s young researchers are not only passionate and innovative but also committed to upholding this spirit, thereby continuing to explore and pioneer new frontiers in technology,” said Zhang Jingyang, a professor at Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: A digital assistant for housing and communal services in the science city of Koltsovo is being created at NSU

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Novosibirsk State University – Novosibirsk State University –

    Employees of the Center for Artificial Intelligence of Novosibirsk State University have begun to create a digital twin of the infrastructure management systems of the science city of Koltsovo. The first project, the prototype of which should be presented this summer, will be a digital assistant for preparing the public utilities of the science city for the heating season. This was reported by Igor Boldyrev, Deputy Director of the NSU Center for Artificial Intelligence.

    — Our cooperation is developing within the framework of the agreement between Koltsovo and NSU, the leadership of the science city set us a number of tasks, in the solution of which artificial intelligence technologies could help. And to date, we have advanced the furthest in cooperation with the enterprises of the city housing and communal services, namely in the area of preparing the municipality for the beginning of the heating season, — he explained.

    At present, following a series of working meetings, a technical assignment has been formed for the team of developers of the NSU Center for Information Technologies, which determines what tasks their digital assistant should solve.

    First of all, preparation for the heating season involves following certain protocols, including collecting information and preparing relevant documentation, all within strictly specified timeframes.

    “This work fits completely into our concept of a digital twin of the SIGMA control system, which is one of the central developments of the NSU Artificial Intelligence Center,” Igor Boldyrev emphasized.

    In addition, NSU Center for Information Technologies and Communications specialists propose using their competencies in the field of creating systems for monitoring the state of the heating system and forecasting possible accidents and heat leaks, also integrating its work with a digital assistant. This will further increase the efficiency of both preparation for the heating season and its implementation.

    The university notes that virtually all municipalities in our country face similar challenges, and after testing on the Koltsovo infrastructure, the solutions created can be offered for widespread implementation in other populated areas.

    — Now the Center is entering a stage where we are moving from theoretical work to creating specific digital products and services based on this research, which involve the use of artificial intelligence in urban management and the construction industry. Let me remind you that the practical application of our developments was one of the key conditions for opening the center. And the science city of Koltsovo was immediately considered as one of the main sites for the implementation of pilot projects, — noted Alexander Lyulko, Director of the NSU Center for Innovative Research.

    The prototype of the digital assistant should be ready by the end of June, so that during the summer municipal enterprises of Koltsovo can test its operation and give appropriate assessments.

    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-Evening Report: ER Report: A Roundup of Significant Articles on EveningReport.nz for May 5, 2025

    ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on May 5, 2025.

    Trump’s push on deep sea mining leaves Nauru’s commercial ambitions ‘out in cold’
    By Teuila Fuatai, RNZ Pacific senior journalist Nauru’s ambition to commercially mine the seabed is likely at risk following President Donald Trump’s executive order last month aimed at fast-tracking ocean mining, anti-deep sea mining advocates warn. The order also increases instability in the Pacific region because it effectively circumvents long-standing international sea laws and processes

    A ‘Trump slump’ has lifted the left in Canada and now Australia – what are the lessons for NZ?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Grant Duncan, Teaching Fellow in Politics and International Relations, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau Trying to capitalise on the electoral success of US President Donald Trump, now that his policies are having real-world effects, is proving to be a big mistake for conservative leaders. Australian voters

    What is a ‘smart city’ and why should we care? It’s not just a buzzword
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Milad Haghani, Associate Professor & Principal Fellow in Urban Risk & Resilience, The University of Melbourne guitar photographer/Shutterstock More than half of the world’s population currently lives in cities and this share is expected to rise to nearly 70% by 2050. It’s no wonder “smart cities” have

    We talk a lot about being ‘resilient’. But what does it actually mean?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter McEvoy, Professor of Clinical Psychology, Curtin University Kinga Howard/Unsplash In a world with political polarisation, war, extreme weather events and increasing costs of living, we need to be able to cope as individuals and communities. Our capacity to cope with very real stressors in our lives

    Newly discovered tropical oyster reefs are thriving across northern Australia – they deserve protection
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Marina Richardson, Research Fellow in Marine Science, Griffith University Marina Richardson Oysters are so much more than a seafood delicacy. They’re ecosystem engineers, capable of building remarkably complex reefs. These structures act as the kidneys of the sea, cleaning the water and keeping the coast healthy, while

    New deal for journalism – RSF’s 11 steps to ‘reconstruct’ global media
    Australia (ranked 29th) and New Zealand (ranked 16th) are cited as positive examples by Reporters Without Borders in the 2025 World Press Freedom Index of commitment to public media development aid, showing support through regional media development such as in the Pacific Islands. Reporters Without Borders The 2025 World Press Freedom Index by Reporters Without

    Blaming Donald Trump for conservative losses in both Canada and Australia is being too kind to Peter Dutton
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Smith, Associate Professor in American Politics and Foreign Policy, US Studies Centre, University of Sydney Australia’s federal election, held less than a week after Canada’s, has produced a shockingly similar outcome. Commentators all over the world have pointed out the parallels. In both countries, centre-left governments

    In its soul-searching, the Coalition should examine its relationship with the media
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Matthew Ricketson, Professor of Communication, Deakin University Among the many lessons to be learnt by the Liberal-National Coalition parties from the election is that they should stop getting into bed with News Corporation Australia. Why would a political party outsource its policy platform and strategy to people

    Second-term Albanese will face policy pressure, devastated Liberals have only bad options
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra On February 1, on The Conversation’s podcast, Anthony Albanese not only declared that Labor would retain majority government, but held out the prospect it could win the Victorian Liberal seats of Menzies and Deakin. This was when the polls were

    Election flops – a night to forget for minor parties on the left and the right
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Maxine Newlands, Adjunct Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Policy Futures, University of Queensland, Adjunct Principal Research Fellow, Cairns Institute, James Cook University Minor parties were all the rage at the last election when, along with independent candidates, they secured almost a third of votes. But they have

    ‘Dead weight comes to mind’ when thinking about Gazan parents and genocide
    World Media Freedom Day reflections of a protester Yesterday, World Media Freedom Day, we marched to Television New Zealand in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland to deliver a letter asking them to do better. Their coverage [of Palestine] has been biased at its best, silent at its worst. I truly believe that if our media outlets reported

    Independents will not help form government – but they will be vital in holding it to account
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Joshua Black, Visitor, School of History, Australian National University When the newspapers delivered their standard election-eve editorials, there were few surprises. Former Fairfax papers and smaller outlets offered qualified support for Labor, while the News Corp papers unashamedly championed the Coalition. In Adelaide, The Advertiser ran a

    State of the states: 6 experts on how the election unfolded across the country
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Clune, Honorary Associate, Government and International Relations, University of Sydney While counting continues nationally, the federal election result is definitive: a pro-Labor landslide and an opposition leader voted out. But beyond the headline results, how did Australians in the key seats in each state vote, and

    ER Report: A Roundup of Significant Articles on EveningReport.nz for May 4, 2025
    ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on May 4, 2025.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: A ‘Trump slump’ has lifted the left in Canada and now Australia – what are the lessons for NZ?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Grant Duncan, Teaching Fellow in Politics and International Relations, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau

    Trying to capitalise on the electoral success of US President Donald Trump, now that his policies are having real-world effects, is proving to be a big mistake for conservative leaders.

    Australian voters have delivered a landslide win for the incumbent Labor Party, returning Prime Minister Anthony Albanese for a second term with a clear majority of seats.

    When he said in his victory speech that Australians had “voted for Australian values”, an unspoken message was that they’d firmly rejected Trumpian values.

    Meanwhile, opposition and Liberal Party leader Peter Dutton had such a bad election he lost his own seat. While not the only reason for his electoral demise, Dutton’s adoption of themes associated with Trump backfired.

    As recently as mid-February, however, it was a completely different story. Opinion polls were projecting Dutton’s Coalition to win. Betting markets followed suit, pricing in a change of government.

    But by March, Labor had pulled ahead in the polls, and exceeded expectations in the election itself. As one commentator put it, the Liberals were “reduced to a right-wing populist party that is all but exiled from the biggest cities”.

    Reversal of fortune

    Where, then, did Dutton go wrong? Commentators identified a number of reasons, including his “culture wars” and being depicted by Labor as “Trump-lite”.

    Following a Trumpian pathway turned out to be a strategic blunder. And Dutton’s downfall mirrors Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre’s defeat in Canada’s election on April 28.

    In January, Canada’s incumbent centre-left Liberals were heading for defeat to the Conservatives. But there were two gamechangers: the Liberals switched leaders from Justin Trudeau to Mark Carney, and Trump caused a national uproar with his aggressive tariffs and his call for Canada to become the 51st US state.

    Pre-election opinion polls then did a dramatic flip in favour of the Liberals, who went on to win their fourth election in a row.

    Poilievre’s campaign had adopted elements of the Trump style, such as attacking “wokeness” and using derogatory nicknames for opponents.

    His strategy failed as soon as Trump rolled out “America First” policies contrary to Canadians’ economic interests and national pride. The takeaway for serious right-wing leaders in liberal democracies is clear: let Trump do Trump; his brand is toxic.

    Not a universal trend

    Trump’s actions are harming America’s allies. His tariffs, disregard for the rule of law, and tough policies on migrants, affirmative action and climate change have seen voters outside the US react with self-protective patriotism.

    A perceived association with Trump’s brand has now upended the electoral fortunes of (so far) two centre-right parties that had been in line to win, and had been banking on the 2024 MAGA success somehow rubbing off on them.

    Admittedly, what has been dubbed the “Trump slump” isn’t a universal trend.

    In Germany, the centre-left Social Democratic-led government was ousted in February, in spite of Trump ally Elon Musk’s unhelpful support for the far-right, anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.

    And in the United Kingdom, the populist Reform UK party has risen above 25%, while Labour has fallen from 34% in last year’s election to the low 20s in recent polls.

    But other governing centre-left parties are seeing an upside of the Trump effect.
    Norway’s next election is on September 8. In early January it looked like the incumbent Labour Party would be trounced by the Conservatives and the right-wing Progress Party.

    Opinion polls dramatically flipped in early February, however, boosting Labour from below 20% back into the lead, hitting 30%. If that trend is sustained, Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre will get another term in office.

    Denmark’s governing Social Democrats have enjoyed a small polling boost, too, since Trump declared he’d like to take Greenland off their hands.

    Lessons for NZ’s left and right

    The common denominator underlying these shifts to the left seems to be the Trump effect. Voters in countries normally closely allied with the US are turning away from Trump-adjacent politicians.

    In 2024, elections tended to go against incumbents. But, for now at least, people are rallying patriotically around centre-left, sitting governments.

    Ironically, Trump is harming leaders who could have been his allies. Unrepentant as always, the man himself seemed proud of the impact he had in Canada.

    Winston Peters: culture war rhetoric.
    Getty Images

    In Australia and New Zealand, polls in mid-2024 showed support for Trump was growing – heading well above 20%. Australia’s election suggests that trend may now be past its peak.

    In New Zealand, with debate over ACT’s contentious Treaty Principles Bill behind it, and despite NZ First leader Winston Peters’ overt culture-war rhetoric (which may appeal to his 6% support base), the right-wing coalition government’s polling shows it could be on track for a second term – for the time being.

    While the Trump effect may have benefited centre-left parties in Australia and Canada, polling for New Zealand’s Labour opposition is softer than at the start of the year.

    While “America First” policies continue to damage the global economy, centre-right leaders who learn the lesson will quietly distance themselves from the Trump brand, while maintaining cordial relations with the White House.

    Centre-left leaders, however, could do worse than follow Anthony Albanese’s example of not getting distracted by “Trump-lite” and instead promoting his own country’s values of fairness and mutual respect.

    Grant Duncan 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. A ‘Trump slump’ has lifted the left in Canada and now Australia – what are the lessons for NZ? – https://theconversation.com/a-trump-slump-has-lifted-the-left-in-canada-and-now-australia-what-are-the-lessons-for-nz-255715

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: What is a ‘smart city’ and why should we care? It’s not just a buzzword

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Milad Haghani, Associate Professor & Principal Fellow in Urban Risk & Resilience, The University of Melbourne

    guitar photographer/Shutterstock

    More than half of the world’s population currently lives in cities and this share is expected to rise to nearly 70% by 2050.

    It’s no wonder “smart cities” have become a buzzword in urban planning, politics and tech circles, and even media.

    The phrase conjures images of self-driving buses, traffic lights controlled by artificial intelligence (AI) and buildings that manage their own energy use.

    But for all the attention the term receives, it’s not clear what actually makes a city smart. Is it about the number of sensors installed? The speed of the internet? The presence of a digital dashboard at the town hall?

    Governments regularly speak of future-ready cities and the promise of “digital transformation”. But when the term “smart city” is used in policy documents or on the campaign trail, it often lacks clarity.

    Over the past two decades, governments around the world have poured billions into smart city initiatives, often with more ambition than clarity. The result has been a patchwork of projects: some genuinely transformative, others flashy but shallow.

    So, what does it really mean for a city to be smart? And how can technology solve real urban problems, not just create new ones?

    What is a smart city, then?

    The term “smart city” has been applied to a wide range of urban technologies and initiatives – from traffic sensors and smart meters to autonomous vehicles and energy-efficient building systems.

    But a consistent, working definition remains elusive.

    In academic and policy circles, one widely accepted view is that a smart city is one where technology is used to enhance key urban outcomes: liveability, sustainability, social equity and, ultimately, people’s quality of life.

    What matters here is whether the application of technology leads to measurable improvements in the way people live, move and interact with the city around them.

    By that standard, many “smart city” initiatives fall short, not because the tools don’t exist, but because the focus is often on visibility and symbolic infrastructure rather than impact.

    This could be features like high-tech digital kiosks in public spaces that are visibly modern and offer some use and value, but do little to address core urban challenges.

    The reality of urban governance – messy, decentralised, often constrained – is a long way from the seamless dashboards and simulations often promised in promotional material.

    But there is a way to help join together the various aspects of city living, with the help of “digital twins”.

    Slick digital dashboards that show the stats of a city at a glance are a far cry from the messy reality of city governance.
    thinkhubstudio/Shutterstock

    Digital twin (of?) cities

    Much of the early focus on smart cities revolved around individual technologies: installing sensors, launching apps or creating control centres. But these tools often worked in isolation and offered limited insight into how the city functioned as a whole.

    City digital twins represent a shift in approach.

    Instead of layering technology onto existing systems, a city digital twin creates a virtual replica of those systems. It links real-time data across transport, energy, infrastructure and the environment. It’s a kind of living, evolving model of the city that changes as the real city changes.

    This enables planners and policymakers to test decisions before making them. They can simulate the impact of a new road, assess the risk of flooding in a changing climate or compare the outcomes of different zoning options.

    Used in this way, digital twins support decisions that are better informed, more responsive, and more in tune with how cities actually work.

    Not all digital twins operate at the same level. Some offer little more than 3D visualisations, while others bring in real-time data and support complex scenario testing.

    The most advanced ones don’t just simulate the city, but interact with it.

    Where it’s working

    To manage urban change, some cities are already using digital twins to support long-term planning and day-to-day decision-making – and not just as add-ons.

    In Singapore, the Virtual Singapore project is one of the most advanced city-scale digital twins in the world.

    It integrates high-resolution 3D models of Singapore with real-time and historical data from across the city. The platform has been used by government agencies to model energy consumption, assess climate and air flow impacts of new buildings, manage underground infrastructure, and explore zoning options based on risks like flooding in a highly constrained urban environment.

    In Helsinki, the Kalasatama digital twin has been used to evaluate solar energy potential, conduct wind simulations and plan building orientations. It has also been integrated into public engagement processes: the OpenCities Planner platform lets residents explore proposed developments and offer feedback before construction begins.

    Urban planners in Helsinki have been using a digital twin to help plan building orientations.
    Mistervlad/Shutterstock

    We need a smarter conversation about smart cities

    If smart cities are going to matter, they must do more than sound and look good. They need to solve real problems, improve people’s lives and protect the privacy and integrity of the data they collect.

    That includes being built with strong safeguards against cyber threats. A connected city should not be a more vulnerable city.

    The term smart city has always been slippery – more aspiration than definition. That ambiguity makes it hard to measure whether, or how, a city becomes smart. But one thing is clear: being smart doesn’t mean flooding citizens with apps and screens, or wrapping public life in flashy tech.

    The smartest cities might not even feel digital on the surface. They would work quietly in the background, gather only the data they need, coordinate it well and use it to make citizens’ life safer, fairer and more efficient.

    Milad Haghani receives funding from The Australian Research Council & The Australian Government.

    Abbas Rajabifard receives funding from Victorian Government via Land Use Department.

    Benny Chen 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. What is a ‘smart city’ and why should we care? It’s not just a buzzword – https://theconversation.com/what-is-a-smart-city-and-why-should-we-care-its-not-just-a-buzzword-255419

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Universities – Robinson Research Institute awarded $71 million to host advanced technology platform – Vic

    Source: Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington
     
    Robinson Research Institute, a pioneer in high-temperature superconductivity (HTS) research, has received funding of $71million towards setting up and hosting an advanced technology platform in Future Magnetic and Materials Technologies.
     
    The funding for the advanced technology platform was announced by Minister for Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr Shane Reti at Robinson Research Institute’s facility in Lower Hutt, and will operate through the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment-administered Strategic Science Investment Fund (SSIF) portfolio over a period of seven years.
     
    In line with the objective to grow New Zealand’s hi-tech exports, the advanced technology platform will apply materials and engineering expertise across a range of sectoral themes including space, electric aviation, critical minerals and technologies for fusion energy. The platform will play a crucial role in lifting New Zealand’s innovation capacity, enabling companies to take technology to market, and in accelerating the growth of the domestic manufacturing sector.  
     
    Professor Nick Long, director, Robinson Research Institute, said “It is an honour for the Institute to receive this strategic funding. At Robinson, our focus has always been on how applications of HTS can be leveraged to address real-world issues, ranging from propulsion in space to more accessible Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scanners. With proven capabilities in emerging areas like space and advanced aviation, Robinson is well-placed to drive growth in this area. Initially leveraging our capability in magnetics, the Institute has also developed processing methods for critical minerals from New Zealand resources. This funding will enable us to solve some problems with scaling these methods to commercial levels.”
     
    Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Research, Professor Magaret Hyland is excited by the possibilities that the funding offers. “Te Herenga Waka has a strong culture of research excellence and the work that our staff undertake has impact on national and international scales.  
     
    “A valued part of the University community, Robinson Research Institute has a strong track record of projects evolving into pilot projects or commercial enterprises. This new platform is a significant opportunity for Robinson to strengthen collaborations with the wider research community, in a way that delivers stronger outcomes for Aotearoa New Zealand. With an established network of research and commercialisation partnerships, within New Zealand and abroad, I can see Robinson now playing an even bigger role in enhancing New Zealand’s capabilities in advanced technology.”
     
    The objectives of the platform will include developing workforce capability through internships and postgraduate study, and encouraging early career researchers to take their research beyond the laboratory. Projects from the platform will also enhance local and international research and commercial partnerships, and encourage inward investment into the New Zealand research and development sector.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Arkansas Farmers Face Lingering Floodwaters

    Source: NASA

    After a slow-moving weather system swamped the Midwest U.S. in early April 2025, many rivers’ water levels soared to near-historic levels. Arkansas was particularly hard hit, with floodwaters spilling across rural landscapes in the Arkansas Delta, a region where commodity crops such as rice, corn, soybeans, and wheat are widely grown. Many farmers still faced high water levels more than a month after the flooding began.
    “This is one of the largest, most dramatic, and long-lasting agricultural floods we’ve seen in Arkansas in decades,” said Jason Davis, a remote sensing expert with the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture Cooperative Extension Service, noting that the April 2025 flood exceeded the severity of floods in the state in 2018, 2019, and 2023.
    The OLI-2 (Operational Land Imager) on Landsat 9 captured this false-color image (right) showing flooding along the borders of Craighead and Jackson counties in northeastern Arkansas on April 13. For comparison, the other image shows the same area on April 17, 2023, when water levels were much lower. The images combine shortwave infrared, near infrared, and red light (bands 6-5-4) to make it easier to distinguish water (blue) from land (brown) and vegetation (green).
    The Cache River crested on April 7, but floodwaters lingered as water from upstream worked its way through the watershed, breaching a key levee and pooling in areas that drain poorly. Joe Christian, a rice and soybean farmer who farms along the Cache, chronicled the state of his farm as floodwaters overwhelmed it.

    Posts on X showed an aerial photo of his flooded storage shed, young plants that were submerged for days (above), and muddy rows that he simply describes as “toast.”  
    In the Landsat imagery, notice how the river widens a few kilometers upstream of Grubbs. “That’s the line where ‘channelizing’ and ‘dredging’ of the river stopped in the 1970s,” Christian said in an interview with NASA Earth Observatory. “North of Grubbs, we get floods almost every year now.”
    Astronauts aboard the International Space Station also captured several photos (available here) showing the scope of flooding in Arkansas. The photo below shows flooding along the White River in Jackson County near the towns of Newport and Bradford on April 15.
    Many Arkansas farmers got an early start on planting this spring, thinking it would lead to bumper harvests in the fall, explained Jarrod Hardke, a rice agronomist for the extension service. Instead, many farmers will likely muddle through a season that brings lower than usual yields, he said.

    Rice is more flood-tolerant than corn or soybeans, “but there’s a limit to that tolerance,” Hardke said. The chance of rice surviving “can drop dramatically” after being submerged for 10 days. If floodwaters cover the ground before young rice plants emerge from the soil, they can die even sooner, he added.
    Hardke and Davis are part of a University of Arkansas team that estimated that the deluge inundated about 30 percent of the 839,000 acres that farmers had planted, amounting to losses of $79 million. Some wheat will be a total loss, while corn, soybeans, and rice will have to be replanted, the team reported.
    Losses of rice were notably high despite its water tolerance. That’s in part because farmers often plant rice in fields with the poorest drainage. “Many fields have been flooded for more than 25 days now,” Hardke said. “Seeds that haven’t emerged are just rotting in the soil.”
    Though losses would have been even higher later in the season, replanting costs will be significant. The extension service team estimated $11 million for corn, $10 million for soybeans, and $21 million for rice. Replanting costs include new seeds, herbicides, diesel fuel, and fertilizer. The aerial image below, taken by a farmer from the area, shows flooded fields and roads along the Cache.

    “I don’t think most people realize how much time, money, and energy goes into every acre of crop that gets planted,” Davis said. “It’s expensive—a complete nightmare,” said Christian, noting that the flood killed about three-quarters of his soybeans.
    Davis is using satellite observations to validate and supplement the extension team’s crop damage estimates, which are typically based on farmer surveys. The survey response rate can be low in some counties, but the growing availability of timely satellite observations makes it easier to assess the scope of flooding events quickly.
    Davis typically uses imagery from several satellites to analyze an event like this—“anything and everything I can get,” he said, often leaning on data from Planet, NASA, the U.S. Geological Survey, and the European Space Agency. He uses the raw imagery to produce maps of flooded areas, which he then combines with data about crop type to calculate damage estimates.
    “Then we share what we’re finding with the governor’s office, state and federal ag officials, and others involved in disaster response,” he said. “The goal is to deliver actionable information to people making decisions as quickly as possible.”

    The aerial photograph above, taken by a local farmer, shows where a helicopter was used to place white sandbags in a levee breach. As the flood situation evolves, the Division of Agriculture extension team will continue to use satellite imagery and ground observations to update damage estimates for farmers and policymakers.
     
    NASA Earth Observatory images by Wanmei Liang, using Landsat data from the U.S. Geological Survey. Flooded plant photo courtesy of Joe Christian. Astronaut photograph provided by NASA’s Crew Earth Observations Facility and the Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit. Aerial photographs courtesy of David Hodges and provided by the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. Story by Adam Voiland.

    MIL OSI USA News –