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Category: Universities

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Newsom statement on selection of new UC President

    Source: US State of California 2

    May 2, 2025

    SACRAMENTO — Governor Gavin Newsom issued the following statement today after the University of California Board of Regents named James Milliken the new president of the University of California:

    “California’s future depends on the strength of our institutions, and few are more vital than the University of California. Chancellor Milliken brings years of experience and the steady, strategic leadership needed to expand UC’s impact across the state. I am excited to see him drive the next chapter of innovation, talent, and progress that will shape California and the country for generations to come.

    “I also want to thank Dr. Michael Drake for his leadership and vision during his tenure — he is a strong partner and his intellect, experience and commitment to our students has helped grow the next generation of California leaders. We wish him well in his retirement.”

    Governor Gavin Newsom

    James B. (“JB”) Milliken is chancellor of The University of Texas System, where he also holds the Lee Hage and Joseph D. Jamail Regents Chair in Higher Education Leadership. As chancellor, he oversaw 14 academic and health institutions, including seven medical schools and five Carnegie R1 research universities. Before joining the UT System, Milliken served as the chancellor of The City University of New York (CUNY), president of the University of Nebraska, and senior vice president of the University of North Carolina. 

    Press Releases

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    May 2, 2025

    News What you need to know: As part of the California Jobs First initiative, the state is awarding $30.5 million in tax credits to seven companies committed to creating new jobs and investing over $2.1 billion across key industries like clean energy, advanced…

    May 1, 2025

    News LOS ANGELES — California First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom today joined students, mental health professionals, and athletes at two schools in Pasadena and the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Peninsula’s East Palo Alto Clubhouse to celebrate Move Your Body, Calm…

    May 1, 2025

    News What you need to know: For the second year in a row, California’s Department of Finance released data showing the Golden State’s population grew. In 2024, the state added more than 100,000 residents. SACRAMENTO — Today, Governor Gavin Newsom announced that…

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Blaming Donald Trump for conservative losses in both Canada and Australia is being too kind to Peter Dutton

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – 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 looked like they were in serious trouble not long ago.

    On February 23, a Resolve Strategic poll found the Coalition leading Labor 55-45% on a two-party-preferred basis. An Angus Reid poll in December found voting intention for Canada’s Liberals dropping to just 16%, compared to 45% for the Conservatives.

    Yet, both governments are now celebrating historic victories. And in both countries, the conservative opposition leaders, Pierre Poilievre and Peter Dutton, lost their own seats.

    US President Donald Trump was undoubtedly a factor in both elections. Even Trump’s most ardent Australian fans admit the reversal of the Coalition’s fortunes in the polls seems to have been precipitated by Trump’s actions, particularly his chaotic tariff announcements and his White House humiliation of Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky.

    In Canada, Trump cheerfully presented himself as an existential threat to the country.

    But if anything, Labor’s landslide win in the Australian election on Saturday highlights just how poorly the Coalition fared under Dutton compared to Canada’s Conservatives. The Coalition bottomed out, while the Tories fared reasonably well in the face of difficult circumstances.

    A painful but respectable loss for Conservatives in Canada

    So, why the huge difference between the two parties? This is largely because of the differences between the Canadian and Australian electoral systems.

    Unlike Australia, Canada does not have preferential voting – a vote for one party is a vote against another. The Liberals’ rise in the polls came mostly at the expense of the left-wing New Democratic Party (NDP) rather than the Conservatives.

    Back in December, 21% of voters preferred the NDP, compared to 16% for Justin Trudeau’s deeply unpopular Liberals. But when Trudeau stepped down and Mark Carney became the party’s new leader, the threat posed by Trump unified centre-left Canadian voters behind the Liberals, who had the best chance of winning.

    This is the strategic voting that is necessary in winner-take-all systems. The NDP has never won the largest share of seats in a national election, and it never had a chance of winning this one.

    The NDP was left with seven seats in last week’s election and under 7% of the vote, losing their party status in parliament and their leader. This was the most significant “Trump effect” on the Canadian election.

    Canada’s Conservatives ended up with 41.3% of the vote. This was only a few points down from their December high of 45% in the Angus Reid poll. They also won the greatest share of the national vote by any centre-right party since 1988, and expanded their share of seats in the parliament.

    The Liberals, meanwhile, barely won the popular vote and fell three seats short of a majority.

    Poilievre was rightly criticised for failing to respond effectively to the challenge posed by Trump’s bullying, instead continuing to campaign as if the election were still a referendum on Trudeau.

    That may have cost him a victory that seemed certain months earlier, especially considering Carney made his campaign all about standing up to Trump.

    Yet, the Conservatives still performed well enough for Poilievre to retain his position as opposition leader despite losing his seat. Another Conservative sacrificed his own seat to let Poilievre back into parliament.

    Dutton’s mistakes were bigger

    It’s hard to imagine any member of Dutton’s party doing the same. Dutton handed Labor a staggeringly high two-party-preferred vote and (likely) the most seats it has ever had. Labor won 86 seats in 1987, while Anthony Albanese’s party will have at least 86, with the count continuing.

    Dutton’s campaign has been widely described as “shambolic”. But it wasn’t just the last five weeks that doomed the Coalition.

    From the moment he became leader, it was clear Dutton had little interest in winning back the former Liberal heartland seats that fell to Teal independents in 2022. Instead, he held out the promise the outer suburbs would become the new heartland.

    Following the patterns established by John Howard, Tony Abbott and Scott Morrison, he believed the loss of middle-class women, once the backbone of the Liberal vote, could be compensated by gains among working-class men.

    This was always a pipe dream, given the flimsiness of the culture war issues that have been Dutton’s preferred terrain. But it drove urban voters further away from the Liberal Party.

    The Liberals should have been alarmed that in state elections and byelections last year, they were making almost no gains in metropolitan seats, whether inner suburban or outer suburban.

    The Coalition should resist seeing Trump as a natural disaster over which they had no control. Dutton consciously positioned himself as part of the global populist right that Trump leads. Voters recognised this, even when Dutton half-heartedly tried to distance himself from Trump.

    Not all right-wing populists are the same. Poilievre and Dutton have their own brands of populism they have spent decades cultivating, as have other right-wing populists like Javier Milei in Argentina. But in the suffocating global environment created by Trump, there is limited room for brand differentiation. He is the unavoidable reference point of right-wing politics.

    Last November, many right-wing figures thought this would benefit them. One of them is now a spectacular political casualty.

    David Smith 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. Blaming Donald Trump for conservative losses in both Canada and Australia is being too kind to Peter Dutton – https://theconversation.com/blaming-donald-trump-for-conservative-losses-in-both-canada-and-australia-is-being-too-kind-to-peter-dutton-255599

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: ‘Silver lining’ effect for many women who separate in midlife

    Source:

    05 May 2025

    A new study challenges a common assumption that Australian women who divorce or separate in midlife are destined for a bleak future.

    While finances can be a struggle and personal happiness declines in the short term, it gradually increases within a few years, often exceeding pre-divorce levels.

    That’s one finding from a South Australian study that tracked over 1400 women who had divorced or separated, comparing them with a control group of over 2500 women who remained in long-term relationships.

    Life satisfaction was tracked over multiple decades, using data from nine waves of the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health. The findings have been published in the Journal of Happiness Studies.

    Researchers from the University of South Australia (UniSA) and the University of Adelaide said that social support, perceived control, and income satisfaction influenced how well women adjusted after their relationships dissolved.

    Lead author, UniSA clinical psychology master’s student Olivia Arcangeli, says that divorce and separation are among the most stressful experiences of adulthood, yet little is known about the impact of later-life relationship dissolution.

    “When long-term relationships end during midlife (age 45-50), people still have decades ahead of them, but also less time to re-establish themselves financially and in other ways,” Arcangeli says.

    “We found that within three to four years, divorced and separated women returned to their pre-dissolution levels of life satisfaction. This contrasts with a similar study in Germany, which showed that women still had not returned to pre-divorce levels of happiness five to six years after their relationship ended.”

    The difference between the two countries may be attributed to more lenient attitudes towards divorce in Australia, where there is far less stigma around divorce than in Germany.

    University of Adelaide psychology lecturer, Dr Anastasia Ejova, says the Australian study showed that life satisfaction levels for divorced and separated women matched those of married and partnered women approximately 13.5 years after their relationship ended, and continued growing somewhat faster, slightly exceeding the control group’s life satisfaction in the last few years of measurement.

    “This finding can be explained through the lens of post-traumatic growth, whereby individuals who experience major crises may develop increased insight and gratitude regarding their circumstances, which in turn increases their wellbeing,” Dr Ejova says. “We would ideally need to keep following the women for another few years to see whether the faster growth post-separation is sustained.”

    Women whose life satisfaction levels fell sharply in the years surrounding the relationship breakup experienced greater long-term happiness afterwards.

    The researchers say this could be linked to feelings of relief after dealing with high levels of stress and conflict during their relationship.

    Among the control group, happiness levels also rose later in the marriage, consistent with the view that many marital problems were able to be resolved over time.

    Women with strong support networks, a sense of control over their lives, and a greater ability to manage on their available income reported higher life satisfaction post separation.

    The effects of re-partnering, having children, and education were either non-significant or unexpected.

    Unlike previous research on men and women, this study did not find re-partnering to improve life satisfaction levels post-divorce for Australian women. The researchers note it is possible that the benefits of re-partnering are more likely to be seen in men.

    In addition, despite an assumption that children present significant emotional and financial challenges for divorcees, the study showed minimal differences in happiness levels post-divorce between women with and without children.

    “The findings highlight the need for targeted support services for middle-aged women going through divorce and separation,” Arcangeli says.

    “Providing access to counselling, financial advice and social support networks could help women navigate the emotional and economic challenges of separation more effectively, making a big difference to their long-term wellbeing.”

    Notes for editors

    “Does Time Heal All Wounds? Life Satisfaction Trajectories in Australian Middle-Aged Women Before and After Relationship Dissolution” is published in the Journal of Happiness Studies.
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-024-00853-5

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

    Media contact: Candy Gibson M: +61 434 605 142 E: candy.gibson@unisa.edu.au

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Reform or retreat? The Catholic church in Africa after Pope Francis

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Stan Chu Ilo, Research Professor, World Christianity and African Studies, DePaul University

    The Catholic church faces a fundamental question as it prepares to elect a new pope. That is, whether to go back to a monarchical papacy with its pomp and pageantry, or to build on the momentum begun by Pope Francis. He focused on the poor and proffered a humble lifestyle and message of hope.

    I am a theologian who has studied the development of Catholicism in Africa, especially under the leadership of Pope Francis. In my view, the church after him will be defined by two forces, which will be at play during the process of choosing a new pope.

    First, those who embrace Pope Francis’ wide-ranging, modernising changes in the Catholic church. The reform-minded pope made it possible to advance a new church culture that respected the voice and agency of the non-ordained. He pushed for a servant leadership, and a more pastoral, missionary, and accountable exercise of authority.

    In the second camp are those Catholics who oppose the reforms introduced by Pope Francis. They see cultural evolution and social change as destroying the traditions and teachings of the church. They would like to restore the Latin Mass with its ancient church rituals and male clerical culture.

    Read more: How the next pope will be elected – what goes on at the conclave

    These camps are entrenched in their positions. The 138 cardinals (18 of whom are Africans) who will elect the new pope will voice their views at meetings held ahead of the conclave. These processes will determine who will be elected.

    The 18 African cardinal-electors will be fully aware that the divisive issues in contemporary Catholicism often neglect the concerns and needs of Africa. These concerns include a continued colonial structure, and racialised thinking and mentality that sees Africa as one country rather than a continent of diversity and pluralism.

    My hope is that the cardinals will find among their ranks someone in the mould of Pope Francis who has a far-reaching vision. Someone with the courage to continue reforming the ecclesial systems and structures to meet this moment with the gospel of love.

    Catholicism in Africa

    Pope Francis often pointed to Africa, which is seeing the highest growth in population in the Catholic church, as the continent of joy and hope. A continent where the world can see how religious faith can bring about a different attitude to human relationship, communal resilience, solidarity, and global fraternity.

    But African Catholicism has been severely affected by the polarisation in the broader church. This is particularly true on issues of marriage and family life. Other polarising issues include same-sex marriages, climate change, the place of women in leadership in a patriarchal church, and the autonomy of local African Catholic dioceses from the central authority of the Roman Catholic Church.

    The Catholic bishops of Africa need to be united in addressing these issues. In particular, there is a growing consensus that the most pressing challenge facing African Catholicism is how to wean itself from being dependent on resources from the west.

    The Catholic church in Africa – despite its exponential growth – is still treated as a “mission territory”, in need of institutional, theological, pastoral and material support from Rome. As a result, it receives financial support for its activities, and the running of schools and social agencies, from the Roman Church and other western Catholic charities.

    This dependency has affected the growth and autonomy of African Catholics and churches in setting forth and implementing priorities and projects that address the unique situation of Africa. As mission churches, African Catholic churches are “under the protection” of the Roman agency in charge of evangelisation. As a result, there are limits to what African churches can do on their own without the permission and supervision of the Roman office.

    A self-reliant Catholic church in Africa that’s free from the control of Rome would be able to stand strong in world Catholicism. A less dependent African Catholic church could be an alternative staging ground for new forms of faith that meet the spiritual hunger of today’s world. This would mean providing vibrancy of worship and a sense of community through the social and spiritual bonds that exist in African churches.

    Read more: Pope Francis: why his papacy mattered for Africa – and for the world’s poor and marginalised

    Given the changing demographics in the world church – where a majority of the 1.4 billion Catholics live outside Europe – it’s clear that Africa and the rest of the global south can no longer accept being dominated by Eurocentric Catholicism. Catholicism cannot be reduced to a single cultural or ecclesial form. It is not a western prototype that has to be replicated in Africa and the rest of the global south without regard to the social, spiritual and cultural contexts of churches in these regions.

    Viewed in this light, the future of Catholicism in Africa must be built on the agency of African cultures, religious values and traditions. Not on a rigid centralisation of power that reduces African dioceses, institutions and congregations to outposts of Rome.

    The Catholic church in Africa must take the lead in promoting human rights, good governance and the empowerment of women. It needs to reflect the values of inclusion through its leadership, structures and priorities.

    Renewed focus

    Pope Francis’ attention to the poor and the victims of history, and his commitment to global solidarity and fraternity, captured the imaginations of many. In my view, the power that the Catholic church or the next pope will wield won’t arise from the power of position or a rigid doctrinal formula. It will come from the power of non-transactional and self-effacing love through gospel non-violence. This promotes reconciliation, justice and compassion.

    Catholicism suffers when it narrows what it means to be Catholic to rituals and repetitive communal practices and devotions, without attention to people’s personal experience and encounters with God, nature and others. Or when it interprets as normative and divine revelation those traditions, laws or structures that are the product of history, culture and human attempts to meet the challenges of a bygone age.

    – Reform or retreat? The Catholic church in Africa after Pope Francis
    – https://theconversation.com/reform-or-retreat-the-catholic-church-in-africa-after-pope-francis-255452

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Boosting high-tech exports with advanced technology

    Source: New Zealand Government

    New investment in advanced technology research will boost high-tech exports, strengthen connections between research and industry and generate high value jobs, Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Dr Shane Reti announced today. 
    “Advanced technology research leads to life-changing innovation,” says Dr Reti. 
    “The breakthroughs that can be achieved through areas like cryogenic and quantum science are hugely significant. 
    “From developing portable MRI machines, to building smaller and faster engines, this investment will enable innovation that has the potential to improve our daily lives, while boosting economic growth in sectors like health, transport, energy and our space industry.” 
    The Government is investing $71 million over seven years into a new advanced technology science platform hosted by the Robinson Research Institute, who are based out of Victoria University of Wellington. 
    Dr Reti says this funding will not only support innovation that can be turned into economic gains but also maintain critical staff and develop young scientists into world-class innovators.
    “Through this new science platform, the Government is investing in the materials and engineering expertise needed to achieve technological breakthroughs and turn innovative ideas into real-world products and services right here in New Zealand,” says Dr Reti. 
    “This research platform aims to grow New Zealand’s hi-tech exports based on cryogenics, superconductors, magnets and processed materials.
    “Robinson Research Institute are known for world-leading expertise in superconductors, magnets and materials technologies and proven experience in commercialisation.
    “The team will develop workforce capability through internships and postgraduate study and encourage early career researchers to take their ideas beyond the laboratory. 
    “Projects from the platform will also enhance local and international research and commercial partnerships and encourage international investment into the New Zealand research and development sector.
    “I look forward to the contribution this platform will make to growing and diversifying our economy, supporting the development of world-class scientists and innovators and the creation of high-quality jobs for people in New Zealand.”  
    This investment is part of the Government’s work to drive economic growth by reforming and refocusing New Zealand’s science, innovation and technology system for the future. It is the first step in establishing the new Advanced Technology Public Research Organisation. 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: WAVES 2025: A People’s Movement that Empowers Every Creator to be a Star

    Source: Government of India

    WAVES 2025: A People’s Movement that Empowers Every Creator to be a Star

    WAVES Bazaar a resounding success; records business transactions worth more than Rs. 1328 crores with 3000+ B2B Meetings in 3 days; Govt of Maharashtra signs MoUs worth Rs 8000 crores in M&E Sector

    Member Nations adopt WAVES Declaration at Global Media Dialogue

    Investment worth Rs 50 crores in pipeline as part of WAVEX Startup Accelerator

    Indian Institute of Creative Technology (IICT) poised to be a milestone in capacity building for Creative Economy

    Create in India Challenge promises to foster Creative Economy in India

    Knowledge Reports unveiled at WAVES project India’s giant leaps in Creative Economy

    Posted On: 04 MAY 2025 7:48PM by PIB Mumbai

    Mumbai, 4 May 2025

     

    The premier edition of World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES 2025) concluded on a high note today in Mumbai, registering an overwhelming response from exhibitors, industry leaders, startups, policymakers, academia, and the general public. The summit emerged as a key convergence point for the media and entertainment ecosystem, drawing participation from every segment of the industry — from celebrated artists and influential content creators to tech innovators and corporate leaders. With a vibrant mix of exhibitions, panel discussions, and B2B collaborations, the event witnessed a remarkable turnout and reaffirmed India’s position as a rising global Powerhouse of media and entertainment.

    The celebration of creativity, technology, and storytelling began with the inauguration of its maiden edition by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi in a star-studded event held in Jio World Convention Centre. In his inaugural address, Prime Minister Modi remarked that WAVES is not just an acronym, it is a wave of culture, creativity and universal connectivity. The Prime Minister said that India is emerging as a global hub for film production, digital content, gaming, fashion, music and live concerts. He called upon the creators of the world to dream big and tell their stories; to the investors to invest not just in platforms, but in people; and to the Indian youth – to tell their one billion untold stories to the world. Declaring WAVES as the dawn of India’s Orange Economy, he urged the youth to lead this creative surge and make India a global creative hub.

    High-impact Knowledge Sessions

    Taking forward the vision of the Prime Minister, WAVES 2025, over the last four days, acted as a platform for high-level exchange of ideas, skills, and sectoral insights. The Conference Track of WAVES 2025 served as a vital forum for dialogue and collaboration, bringing together thought leaders, industry pioneers, policymakers, and professionals from across the globe. Through a carefully curated series of plenary sessions, breakout discussions, and master classes, the summit explored the latest innovations and emerging strategies shaping the future of the Media & Entertainment industry. The sessions enabled meaningful exchange of ideas, cutting across domains and specialisations.

    The maiden edition of WAVES will be known for the high impact knowledge sessions and the discourse covering a broad spectrum of topics, including Broadcasting and Infotainment, AVGC-XR, Digital Media, and Films. With more than 140 sessions featuring more than 100 international speakers, spread across three main halls (each accommodating over 1,000 participants) and five additional halls with capacities ranging from 75 to 150, the Summit maintained overwhelming attendance levels — with many sessions recording full occupancy.

    The plenary Sessions featured over 50 keynote addresses by eminent personalities such as Mukesh Ambani, Ted Sarandos, Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, Neal Mohan, Shantanu Narayen, Mark Read, Adam Mosseri, and Nita Ambani. Their insights offered compelling perspectives on the evolving entertainment industry, advertising landscape, and digital transformation. Film icons including Chiranjeevi, Mohanlal, Hema Malini, Akshay Kumar, Nagarjuna, Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone, Allu Arjun, and Shekhar Kapur, many of whom were also members of the WAVES Advisory Board, engaged in thought-provoking conversations on the future of cinema and content creation in the age of virtual production and artificial intelligence.

    The 40 masterclasses at WAVES 2025 were designed to offer practical learning and creative exploration. Participants gained direct exposure to industry techniques through sessions such as The Art of Acting by Aamir Khan, Craft of Direction by Farhan Akhtar, and Insights into Filmmaking by Michael Lehmann. Other sessions explored behind-the-scenes narratives like the making of Panchayat by Amazon Prime, designing AR lenses, creating AI avatars, and developing games using generative AI. These sessions provided professionals and aspiring creators with actionable knowledge and tools to stay ahead in a rapidly evolving creative economy.

    WAVES also featured 55 breakout sessions, which provided a platform for in-depth discussions on specialised themes such as broadcasting, digital media, OTT, AI, Music, News, Live events, Animation, Gaming, Virtual production, Comics, and Filmmaking. These interactive sessions brought together senior professionals from leading companies including Meta, Google, Amazon, X, Snap, Spotify, DNEG, Netflix, and NVIDIA, along with representatives from industry bodies such as FICCI, CII, and IMI. Designed to encourage sector-specific insights and collaboration, the discussions addressed critical challenges and charted new directions for growth and innovation.

    WAVES Bazaar garners Rs 1328 crores in Business Deals; Govt of Maharashtra signs MoUs worth Rs 8000 crores in M&E Sector

    The inaugural edition of WAVES Bazaar, organized under the umbrella of WAVES, was a resounding success as it has established itself as a premier platform for international business collaboration in the creative industries. The marketplace recorded business deals or transactions worth Rs. 1328 crores across the film, music, radio, VFX, and animation sectors. Out of the total estimated outcome, Rs. 971 cr has been from B2B meetings alone. A key highlight of the Bazaar was the Buyer-Seller Market which witnessed over 3,000 B2B meetings. In a major achievement under international collaboration, Film India Screen Collective and Screen Canterbury NZ from New Zealand announced a collaborative proposal to launch the first-ever Indian Film Festival in New Zealand. Only Much Louder CEO Tushar Kumar and Alexander Zharov, CEO of Russian firm Gazprom Media CEO announcing early talks on a MoU to collaborate on cross-cultural festivals and co-produce comedy and music shows in Russia and India was another achievement. The announcement of the Prime Video & CJ ENM Multi-Year Collaboration was another highlight of the Bazaar as the strategic partnership was unveiled to distribute premium Korean content globally. The other milestones include the announcement of the film ‘Devi Chowdhurani,’ which became the India’s first official Indo-UK co-production, and the film ‘Violated’ which will be a co-production of Fusion Flicks from the UK and JVD Films.

    The Maharashtra government has also added business value to the summit by signing MoUs worth ₹8,000 crore at the WAVES. While MoUs worth ₹1,500 crore were signed each with the University of York and the University of Western Australia, the state’s Industries Department signed MoUs worth ₹3,000 cr and ₹2,000 cr with Prime Focus and Godrej respectively.

    Member Nations adopt ‘WAVES Declaration’ at the Global Media Dialogue 2025

    The Global Media Dialogue 2025, held during the World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES 2025) in Mumbai, was a landmark event with participation from 77 nations, underscoring India’s pivotal role in the global media and entertainment arena. The dialogue highlighted the power of international collaborations in fostering creativity while respecting cultural sensitivities. The member nations collectively adopted the ‘WAVES Declaration’, emphasizing the urgency of bridging the digital divide and leveraging media to promote global peace and harmony. The discussions underscored the profound role of films in uniting diverse cultures and the growing significance of individual stories in the creator economy, amplified by technological advancements.

    Dr. S. Jaishankar, Union External Affairs Minister, stressed the need for a synergy between technology and tradition, advocating for the empowerment of youth through skill development and innovation. Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw, Union Minister for Information & Broadcasting, highlighted the transformative impact of technology on content creation and the critical importance of fostering local content, co-production agreements, and joint funding initiatives. India’s “Create in India” challenges, which successfully identified over 700 global creators, were showcased, with plans to expand them to 25 languages in the next edition. This summit laid a robust foundation for future global cooperation in media and entertainment, emphasizing creative excellence and ethical content production.

    WAVEX: An Accelerator for Aspiring Start-ups in M&E Sector

    WAVES Start-Up Accelerator selected 30 M&E Start-Ups to pitch their unique ideas directly to a battery of heavy-weight investors like Lumikai, Jio, CABIL, WarmUp Ventures – among the 45 key angel investors on board. With over 1000 registrations, the initiative germinated investment discussions worth Rs. 50 crore that are in pipeline. Apart from this, over 100 Start-Ups exhibited their ideas and products to potential investors in the dedicated Start-Up pavilion. WAVEX as an initiative aims to create a palpable investment ecosystem for start-ups to thrive and grow by forming an angel investor network specifically focussed on the Media and Entertainment sector. Start-Ups from Tier 1 and Tier 2 shined at WAVEX and their founders took centre-stage. To facilitate such creators better, WAVEX will set up a network of incubators with dedicated mentors for handholding and investors for seed investment. WAVEX is unique as it facilitates ideas that do not have a tangible product yet, but have a solid potential.

    Key Knowledge Reports Released at WAVES 2025

    Dr. L. Murugan, Union Minister of State for Information & Broadcasting and Parliamentary Affairs, unveiled five pivotal reports at the WAVES Summit 2025 in Mumbai. These reports provide a comprehensive overview of India’s thriving media and entertainment ecosystem, covering key aspects like content production, policy frameworks, and live events.

    • Statistical Handbook on Media & Entertainment 2024-25:The Statistical Handbook, prepared by the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, offers valuable data-driven insights into India’s media landscape. It highlights growth trends in broadcasting, digital media, film certifications, and public media services, providing essential information for future policymaking and industry strategies based on empirical evidence.
    • ‘From Content to Commerce’ by BCG:  Boston Consulting Group’s Report highlights the explosive growth of India’s creator economy, estimating 2 to 2.5 million active digital creators. These creators influence over $350 billion in annual spending, with projections to surpass $1 trillion by 2030. It emphasizes building long-term, authentic partnerships over transactional engagements with creators.
    • ‘A Studio Called India’ by Ernst & Young: Ernst & Young’s Report envisions India as a global content hub, leveraging its linguistic diversity, rich culture, and technological expertise. It highlights India’s 40%-60% cost advantage in animation and VFX services and growing international demand for Indian OTT content, strengthening India’s role in global cultural diplomacy.
    • Legal Currents and Live Events Industry Reports: Khaitan & Co.’s Legal Handbook covers vital issues such as influencer marketing and compliance norms, helping media stakeholders navigate India’s regulatory landscape. Additionally, the White paper on India’s live events industry outlines the sector’s 15% growth rate, advocating for upgraded infrastructure and streamlined licensing processes to support the booming sector.

    Indian Institute of Creative Technology: A National Centre of Excellence

    Indian Institute of Creative Technology (IICT)— a National Centre of Excellence being set up in Mumbai is poised to be a milestone in capacity building for Creative Economy. Dedicated exclusively to the AVGC-XR sector, the establishment of the Institute was formalized on Day-3 of WAVES 2025. WAVES also witnessed the signing of strategic MoUs with Industry Associations to transform IICT as a world-class institution in the M&E Sector. Union Minister Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw, who ceremonially flagged off these strategic associations, emphasized India’s potential to become a global leader in media and entertainment, stating that IICT is on track to evolve into a premier institution in its field, much like how IITs and IIMs have become benchmarks in technology and management education. Some companies who have extended their hands for long-term collaborations are JioStar, Adobe, Google & YouTube, Meta, Wacom, Microsoft and NVIDIA.

    Create in India Challenge & CreatoSphere: A Global Celebration of Creative Talent

    One of the standout highlights of WAVES 2025 was the grand culmination of the Create in India Challenge (CIC) Season 1, which drew nearly one lakh registrations from over 60 countries. Launched as a flagship initiative under WAVES, CIC brought together creators across age, geography, and disciplines, spanning animation, XR, gaming, AI, filmmaking, digital music, and more. The initiative has transformed every creator who participated to be a star.

    From 32 imaginative and future-forward challenges emerged 750+ finalists, including 1100+ international participants. These talented individuals showcased their work at Creatosphere, a dedicated innovation zone at WAVES, where they presented their projects, could network with industry leaders for potential associations.

    Beyond just a competition, the Create in India Challenge evolved into a movement celebrating diversity, youth energy, and storytelling rooted in both tradition and technology. With finalists ranging from 12 to 66 years of age, and strong participation from all Indian states and UTs, the initiative embodied inclusivity and aspiration. The Creatosphere was also a launchpad for themes like grassroots innovation, drone storytelling, and future-ready content offering a glimpse into the creative India of tomorrow. As Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw aptly said during the award ceremony of CIC, “The journey has just begun.” And with initiatives like the Indian Institute of Creative Technology on the horizon, the momentum is only growing stronger.

    8th National Community Radio Sammelan and National Awards for CRs

    Organized as part of the WAVES, the 8th National Community Radio Conference in which Union Minister of State Dr. L. Murugan honored 12 outstanding community radio stations with National Community Radio Awards at the event. Dr L. Murugan congratulated the winners and said that the national conference is aimed to strengthen the community media landscape in India through innovation, inclusiveness, and impact. The conference brought together representatives from more than 400 Community Radio (CR) Stations across the country on one platform to provide an opportunity for dialogue and collaboration. At present, there are 531 CR Stations across the country.

    Bharat Pavilion – India’s Journey from Kala to Code

    The Bharat Pavilion, an immersive viewing zone that took visitors through the continuum of India’s storytelling traditions at WAVES 2025, has received an overwhelming reception and response from the public. The Pavilion, under the theme “From Kala to Code”, offered a compelling narrative of India’s evolution in media and entertainment—from oral and visual traditions to cutting-edge digital innovations.

    The Pavillion presented the soul of India, balancing our rich cultural heritage with the new waves of technical advancements that are already underway. On the inaugural day of WAVES 2025, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi visited the Pavilion. Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Shri Devendra Fadnavis, External Affairs Minister Shri S. Jaishankar, Union Minister Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw and many other dignitaries visited the pavilion and appreciated its role in telling the story of Bharat. The pavilion also garnered huge footfall, leaving people in awe and wonder on discovering the many treasures of our nation.

    Celebrating India’s creative journey, the Bharat Pavilion was not just an exhibition of content but a powerful expression of India as a creator. It projected India’s cultural depth, artistic excellence, and emerging dominance in global storytelling.

    WAVES concludes with the promise of bright future for Creative Economy

    WAVES 2025 has set a benchmark as a global platform that seamlessly brought together creativity, commerce, and collaboration. From visionary policy announcements and landmark international agreements to robust business deals and groundbreaking startup investments, the summit underscored India’s growing stature as a global leader in the creative economy. The adoption of the WAVES Declaration by 77 participating nations and the success of the WAVES Bazaar and WAVEX Accelerator collectively signal a future anchored in innovation, inclusivity, and international partnerships. As the curtains fall on this historic first edition, WAVES has not only showcased India’s creative prowess but has also catalysed a sustained global movement — one that will continue to inspire, invest in, and elevate the voices of creators worldwide.

     

    For official updates on realtime, please follow us: 

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    https://x.com/WAVESummitIndia

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi addresses the inaugural ceremony of 7th Khelo India Youth Games

    Source: Government of India

    Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi addresses the inaugural ceremony of 7th Khelo India Youth Games

    Best wishes to the athletes participating in the Khelo India Youth Games being held in Bihar, May this platform bring out your best and promote true sporting excellence: PM

    Today India is making efforts to bring Olympics in our country in the year 2036: PM

    The government is focusing on modernizing the sports infrastructure in the country: PM

    The sports budget has been increased more than three times in the last decade, this year the sports budget is about Rs 4,000 crores: PM

    We have made sports a part of mainstream education in the new National Education Policy with the aim of producing good sportspersons as well as excellent sports professionals in the country: PM

    Posted On: 04 MAY 2025 8:02PM by PIB Delhi

    The Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi addressed the inaugural ceremony of 7th Khelo India Youth Games via videoconferencing today. Addressing the athletes, coaches, and staff members present at the event, he remarked that players from across the country had gathered, showcasing exceptional talent and determination. He highlighted their dedication and hard work, acknowledging their contribution to the sporting spirit of the nation. Emphasizing the remarkable skills and commitment of the athletes, the Prime Minister affirmed that their passion for sports and continuous pursuit of excellence bring pride to the nation. He extended his best wishes to them for their future endeavors.

    Highlighting the extensive competitions to be held across multiple cities in Bihar during the Khelo India Youth Games, including Patna, Rajgir, Gaya, Bhagalpur, and Begusarai, Shri Modi noted that in the coming days, over six thousand young athletes would participate, carrying their dreams and aspirations with them. He extended his best wishes to all the players, emphasizing that sports in India is now evolving into a distinct cultural identity. “As India’s sporting culture grows, so will the country’s soft power on the global stage”, said Shri Modi, underscoring the significance of the Khelo India Youth Games in providing a major platform for the nation’s youth.

    Underscoring the importance of continuous improvement for athletes, emphasizing the necessity of playing more matches and participating in more competitions to refine their skills, the Prime Minister reiterated that their government has always given top priority to this aspect in its policies. He highlighted that various sporting events under Khelo India—University Games, Youth Games, Winter Games, and Para Games—are held throughout the year at multiple levels nationwide. These consistent competitions, he remarked, boost athletes’ confidence and bring their talent to the forefront. Citing an example from cricket, the Prime Minister lauded Bihar’s own Vaibhav Suryavanshi for his outstanding performance in the IPL at such a young age. He emphasized that while Vaibhav’s hard work was crucial, the exposure to multiple competitions also played a key role in shaping his talent. The Prime Minister asserted that the more an athlete plays, the more they thrive. He remarked that the Khelo India Youth Games provide young athletes with an opportunity to understand the nuances of national-level sports and gain valuable experience.

    Stressing that hosting the Olympics in India has been a long-cherished dream of every citizen, Shri Modi underlined India’s efforts to bring the Olympics to the country in 2036, reaffirming the nation’s commitment to strengthening its presence in international sports. He underscored the government’s focus on identifying sporting talent at the school level and providing them with structured training. He remarked that initiatives like Khelo India and the Target Olympic Podium (TOP) scheme have contributed to building a robust sports ecosystem, benefiting thousands of athletes across Bihar and the rest of the country. He stressed the importance of giving athletes opportunities to explore diverse sports. He noted that Khelo India Youth Games has incorporated traditional and indigenous games like Gatka, Kalaripayattu, Kho-Kho, Mallakhamb, and even Yogasana to promote India’s rich sporting heritage. Shri Modi also acknowledged the growing presence of Indian athletes in new and emerging sports. He highlighted recent commendable performances in disciplines such as Wushu, Sepak Takraw, Pencak Silat, Lawn Bowls, and Roller Skating. He recalled the historic moment when India’s women’s team secured a medal in Lawn Bowls at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, bringing global recognition to the sport in India.

    The Prime Minister highlighted the government’s focus on modernizing India’s sports infrastructure, noting that in the past decade, the sports budget has increased more than threefold, reaching approximately ₹4,000 crore this year, with a significant portion allocated to infrastructure development. He remarked that over 1,000 Khelo India Centers are operational across the country, including more than three dozen in Bihar. He emphasized that Bihar is benefiting from the Union and State governments, with the state government expanding several initiatives at its level. The Prime Minister acknowledged the establishment of the Khelo India State Centre of Excellence in Rajgir and institutions like Bihar Sports University and the State Sports Academy. He highlighted the ongoing construction of a Sports City along the Patna-Gaya Highway and the development of sports facilities in Bihar’s villages. He affirmed that the Khelo India Youth Games will further strengthen Bihar’s presence on the national sports map.

    “The world of sports and its associated economy extend far beyond the playing field, sports are creating new avenues for employment and entrepreneurship for young individuals”, said Shri Modi. He noted various emerging fields such as physiotherapy, data analytics, sports technology, broadcasting, e-sports, and management, which offer diverse career opportunities. He remarked that young professionals could explore roles as coaches, fitness trainers, recruitment agents, event managers, sports lawyers, and media experts. “Today, a stadium is no longer just a venue for matches but has become a source of thousands of jobs”, stated Shri Modi, underlining the growing possibilities in sports entrepreneurship, with initiatives like the establishment of National Sports Universities and the integration of sports into mainstream education through the new National Education Policy. Shri Modi stressed the importance of sportsmanship in every aspect of life, highlighting how sports instill teamwork, collaboration, and perseverance. Encouraging the athletes, he urged them to perform at their best and represent the spirit of ‘Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat’ as brand ambassadors. He expressed confidence that the athletes would carry fond memories from Bihar. He also encouraged those visiting from outside the state to savor the taste of Litti Chokha and Bihar’s famous Makhana.

    Expressing hope that the Khelo India Youth Games would elevate both the spirit of sportsmanship and patriotism among the participants, the Prime Minister officially announced the commencement of the seventh edition of the Khelo India Youth Games.

    The Chief Minister of Bihar, Shri Nitish Kumar, Union Ministers Shri Mansukh Mandaviya, Smt Raksha Khadse, Shri Ram Nath Thakur were present among other dignitaries at the event.

     

     

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Shri Amit Shah, attends the grand closing ceremony of 1008 Sanskrit Sambhashan Shivirs in New Delhi as the Chief Guest

    Source: Government of India

    Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Shri Amit Shah, attends the grand closing ceremony of 1008 Sanskrit Sambhashan Shivirs in New Delhi as the Chief Guest

    Since 1981, Sanskrit Bharati has been working to present the vast knowledge available in Sanskrit to the world and to train and enable millions of people to speak and learn Sanskrit

    Due to the efforts of Sanskrit Bharati, the interest in Sanskrit and acceptance of Sanskrit among the people of the country, both are increasing

    Sanskrit is one of the most scientific languages of the world

    Under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, now a favorable environment for the promotion of Sanskrit is available in the country

    It is now time to work for the revival of Sanskrit instead of merely remembering its decline

    PM Modi launched the ‘Gyan Bhartam Mission’ with a fund of ₹500 crore for the preservation of manuscripts

    Sanskrit is the mother of most Indian languages, and therefore, the rise of Sanskrit is intrinsically linked to the rise of India

    The richer and more powerful Sanskrit becomes, it will strengthen more every language and dialect of the country

    By compiling and presenting the knowledge available in Sanskrit, solutions to all of the world’s problems can be found

    Posted On: 04 MAY 2025 5:31PM by PIB Delhi

    Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Shri Amit Shah, today attended the grand closing ceremony of 1008 Sanskrit Sambhashan Shivirs in New Delhi as the Chief Guest. The event was graced by several distinguished dignitaries, including Delhi Chief Minister Smt. Rekha Gupta.

    In his address at the event, the Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation praised Sanskrit Bharati for its remarkable and courageous initiative in organizing 1008 Sanskrit Sambhashan Shivirs. He noted that the decline of Sanskrit began even before the era of colonial rule, and its revival will require time and sustained effort. He emphasized that under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, a favorable atmosphere has emerged across the country for the resurgence of Sanskrit. He added that the government, the public, and the collective mindset are all firmly dedicated and committed to the revival and promotion of Sanskrit.

    Shri Amit Shah said that since 1981, Sanskrit Bharati has been working to present the vast knowledge available in Sanskrit to the world and to train and enable millions of people to speak and learn Sanskrit. He highlighted that many renowned global scholars have acknowledged Sanskrit as the most scientific language. Emphasizing a forward-looking approach, he said that rather than dwelling on the history of Sanskrit’s decline, efforts should now focus on its resurgence. Shri Shah said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the government has launched various initiatives to promote Sanskrit. He mentioned that around 18 projects have been implemented under the Ashtadashi scheme, and the Government of India provides financial support for the publication, bulk purchase, and reprinting of rare Sanskrit texts. Moreover, the honorarium for distinguished Sanskrit scholars has been increased.

    Union Home Minister highlighted that the Modi government’s new National Education Policy (NEP) places strong emphasis on the Indian Knowledge System, with Sanskrit as its core pillar. He noted that the Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan has been elevated to the status of a Central Sanskrit University. He also mentioned that under the Sahasra Chudamani Yojana, the government has facilitated the appointment of retired eminent Sanskrit scholars as educators. Shri Shah emphasized that one of the most significant initiatives of the Modi government is a nationwide campaign with a budget of approximately Rs 500 crore aimed at collecting scattered manuscripts in Sanskrit and Prakrit. He said that Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has launched the Gyan Bharatam Mission with a foundational corpus of Rs 500 crore dedicated to manuscript preservation, with allocations planned in every budget going forward. He further informed that over 52 lakh manuscripts have already been documented, around 3.5 lakh digitized, and 1,37,000 made available online at namami.gov.in. To support this massive effort, a team comprising scholars from various disciplines and languages has been constituted to translate and preserve these rare manuscripts.

    Shri Amit Shah said that the work undertaken by Sanskrit Bharati since 1981 is truly unparalleled. He emphasized that the solutions to many of the world’s challenges can be found through the revival, propagation, and simplification of the profound knowledge contained in Sanskrit. He highlighted that since its inception, Sanskrit Bharati has introduced over one crore people to spoken Sanskrit, trained more than one lakh Sanskrit teachers, and nurtured 6,000 families who converse exclusively in Sanskrit. Moreover, there are now 4,000 villages in India where all communication is conducted entirely in Sanskrit. Shri Shah noted that Sanskrit Bharati has established 4,500 centers across 26 countries and, in 2011, organized the world’s first World Sanskrit Book Fair. It also hosted the Sahitya Utsav in Ujjain in 2013. He stated that these efforts have significantly increased public interest in Sanskrit and its acceptance is steadily growing. The Home Minister affirmed that while there is no opposition to any language, no one can be distanced from their mother tongue — and Sanskrit is the mother of nearly all Indian languages. He concluded by saying that as Sanskrit becomes richer and stronger, it will, in turn, empower every language and dialect across the country.

    Union Home Minister said that 1008 Sanskrit Sambhashan Shivirs have concluded here today.  He shared that, through these Shivirs (camps), over 17,000 participants were introduced to Sanskrit over a 10-day period starting from April 23. During this time, they also engaged in spoken Sanskrit practice, which will help foster greater interest and enthusiasm for the language among the public.

    Shri Amit Shah said that Sanskrit represents India’s faith, tradition, truth, and timeless essence. He emphasized that the light of knowledge and wisdom is deeply embedded in the Sanskrit language. As the mother of most Indian languages, Sanskrit’s promotion is not just about its revival, but also about advancing the nation’s overall progress. He noted that for thousands of years, the churning of ideas across various disciplines has produced a wealth of knowledge preserved in Sanskrit. He said that this vast treasure spans every field and should be made accessible to the entire world. Shri Shah stressed that the profound wisdom contained in the Vedas, Upanishads, and countless Sanskrit manuscripts must reach a global audience. He added that the ongoing efforts by Sanskrit Bharati are a significant first step toward achieving this goal.

    Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation said that Sanskrit is not only the most scientific language in the world, but also possesses an unparalleled grammatical structure. He noted that Sanskrit was the first language to refine the use of meter and syllables, which has contributed to its continued vitality and relevance even today.

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman to attend ADB’s Annual Meeting in Milan, Italy, from 4th to 7th May 2025

    Source: Government of India

    Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman to attend ADB’s Annual Meeting in Milan, Italy, from 4th to 7th May 2025

    The Union Finance Minister will also hold bilateral meetings with Finance Ministers of Italy, Japan, and Bhutan as well as heads of other international organisations, besides meeting global think-tanks, business leaders and CEOs in Milan

    Smt. Sitharaman will also interact with the Indian diaspora in Milan and also address a plenary session in at the Bocconi University on “Balancing Economic and Climate Resilience”

    Posted On: 04 MAY 2025 4:04PM by PIB Delhi

    Union Minister for Finance & Corporate Affairs Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman will lead the Indian delegation of officials from the Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance, to attend the 58th Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors of Asian Development Bank (ADB), scheduled to take place in Milan, Italy, from May 4 to 7, 2025.

    The meetings will be attended by official delegations of Board of Governors of ADB, official delegations of ADB members and international financial institutions. The Union Finance Minister will participate in the Annual Meeting’s focal events like the Governors’ Business session, Governor’s Plenary Session and as a panelist in the ADB Governors’ Seminar on “Cross-Border Collaboration for Future Resilience”.

    On the sidelines of the ADB’s 58th Annual Meeting, Smt. Sitharaman will also hold bilateral meetings with Finance Ministers of Italy, Japan, and Bhutan, in addition to meetings with President of ADB, the President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), and the Governor of the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC).

    The Union Finance Minister will also interact with the Indian diaspora in Milan, besides meeting global think-tanks, business leaders and CEOs, and participating in a Plenary Session of the NEXT Milan Forum at the Bocconi University on “Balancing Economic and Climate Resilience”.

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Sports Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya Leads 750 Participants in Special Event with Teachers at Fit India Sundays on Cycle in Delhi

    Source: Government of India

    Sports Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya Leads 750 Participants in Special Event with Teachers at Fit India Sundays on Cycle in Delhi

    Olympian Wrestlers Ravi Dahiya and Deepak Punia Join Alongside Teachers of Various Institutions in the National Capital

    Posted On: 04 MAY 2025 3:05PM by PIB Delhi

    The Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium here turned into a celebration of fitness and inspiration this Sunday morning as the latest edition of Fit India Sundays on Cycle witnessed enthusiastic participation from 750 participants, including teachers, athletes, Fit India influencers and fitness lovers.

    Leading the charge was Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, who cycled alongside Union Sports Secretary, Sh. Hari Ranjan Rao along with a powerful line-up of national icons, including Tokyo Olympics silver medalist Ravi Dahiya, Olympian and Commonwealth Games gold medalist Deepak Punia, Guinness World Record holder Rohtash Chaudhary (Push-up Man of India), and renowned mountaineer Narender Kumar, who recently conquered Mount Annapurna, the 10th highest mountain in the world at 8091 meters, in a record time of 12 days.

    With this week’s theme being ‘Cycling with Teachers’, the event witnessed educators, mentors, and academic coaches from various educational institutions across the city, including schools, universities and private institutes.

    “Teachers are the heroes for our students and now, you have to become heroes for Viksit Bharat. You all can make cycling a fashion and I urge all teachers to restart using cycles themselves and ask students to emulate the same. We are into the digital age but we need to also improve our physical fitness. So, we have to transition from digital activity to physical activity. This will ensure the mission of ‘Fight Against Obesity’ and the vision of Fit India and Viksit Bharat, which our Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has laid down, takes shape,” Dr. Mandaviya said while addressing the participants.

    This Sunday’s event was conducted with the teachers in collaboration with our esteemed partners – the Cycling Federation of India (CFI), MY Bharat and the State Governments. The special partners included Physical Education Foundation of India (PEFI), Delhi University, CBSE and CISCE boards, Kendriya Vidyalaya, National Progressive School Conference, National Forensic Sciences University, Yogasana India, Indian Rope Skipping Foundation, and more.

    Wrestling stars Ravi Dahiya and Deepak Punia shared words of encouragement with the crowd, urging youth and educators alike to incorporate physical fitness into their daily lives. “This is a very important movement started by our government to ensure physical fitness is given thorough attention. ‘Sharir is shaktimaan’ (your body is the mightiest thing) and keeping this mantra in mind, everyone should cycle at least 1-2 hours a day,” remarked Ravi Dahiya, silver medalist, Tokyo Olympics.

    “I truly appreciate this movement as a commendable initiative, and I believe everyone should take up cycling as it promotes fitness and contributes to a pollution-free India,” added Deepak Punia, who narrowly missed out on a medal at the Tokyo Olympics.

    Also present was Narender Kumar, fresh from his Mount Annapurna expedition. “I believe, cycling is a great start to better health. Sundays on Cycle seems like a perfect way to promote that. For me, climbing the Annapurna was undoubtedly difficult, but what made it possible was consistent efforts towards fitness. This movement also gives out that message,” he said.

    The Fit India Sundays on Cycle initiative has touched 2.5 lakh participation from over 5000 locations, since its launch in December 2024. The wide expanse of the cycling drive has seen the event reach places like Andaman and Nicobar, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh as well as Lakshwadeep Islands. Events are simultaneously held nationwide with massive participation from SAI Regional Centres, National Centres of Excellence (NCOEs), SAI Training centres, SAI Extension centres, the Khelo India centres (KICs) and Khelo India State Centres of Excellence (KISCEs), among others.

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  • MIL-OSI USA: FAYETTE COUNTY – Shapiro Administration to Highlight Proposed Investments to Improve Maternal Health and Support Rural Health Care Workforce During Visit to Uniontown Hospital’s New, Reopened Maternity Unit

    Source: US State of Pennsylvania

    May 05, 2025 – Uniontown, PA

    ADVISORY – FAYETTE COUNTY – Shapiro Administration to Highlight Proposed Investments to Improve Maternal Health and Support Rural Health Care Workforce During Visit to Uniontown Hospital’s New, Reopened Maternity Unit

    Pennsylvania Secretary of Human Services Dr. Val Arkoosh will join leaders from West Virginia University Medicine at Uniontown Hospital to tour their recently reopened maternity unit, which brings labor and delivery services back to the Uniontown community. The visit will also highlight Governor Josh Shapiro’s proposed 2025-26 budget and the significant investments it proposes for hospitals, maternal health, and the rural health care workforce across the state.

    Since taking office, Governor Shapiro has prioritized addressing maternal health disparities and access to quality health care for all Pennsylvanians. The Governor’s 2025-2026 budget proposal provides $5 million to fund maternal health initiatives, which builds on the success of the 2024-25 bipartisan budget that included $2.6 million for maternal mortality prevention.

    In addition, the Governor’s budget proposal makes targeted investments to expand the health care workforce, ensure rural communities have access to care, and help keep hospitals open. The budget proposal includes $10 million in state funds to support rural hospitals and an additional $10 million for hospitals statewide – investments that can lead to additional federal funding to support health care systems that are the backbone of their communities.

    WHO:
    Department of Human Services Secretary Dr. Val Arkoosh
    WVU Medicine Uniontown Hospital President and CEO, Carrie Willetts
    WVU Medicine Children’s Birthing Center at Uniontown Hospital Medical Director, Lawrence Glad, MD
    WVU Medicine Uniontown Hospital Clinical Director of Obstetrics, Beth LaFrankie, MSN, RNC-NIC

    WHEN:
    Monday, May 5, 2025, at 10:15 AM

    WHERE:
    Uniontown Hospital
    500 W Berkeley Street
    Uniontown, PA 15401

    MEDIA RSVP:
    Please bring a photo ID. Media interested in attending must RSVP with the name of the reporter and photojournalist to ra-pwdhspressoffice@pa.gov.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: MATSUI, SCHAKOWSKY, BONAMICI DEMAND ANSWERS ON THE DISBANDMENT OF THE ADMINISTRATION FOR COMMUNITY LIVING

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Doris Matsui (D-CA)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswomen Doris Matsui (CA-07), Jan Schakowsky (IL-09) and Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01) led 63 House Democrats in a letter to Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. expressing their strong opposition to the elimination of the Administration for Community Living (ACL) and the unjustified termination of nearly half of the agency’s workforce. 

    “Established in 2012, the ACL was created to eliminate fragmentation in federal programs for aging and disability populations, improve access to quality healthcare and long-term services, and ensure consistent policies across federal agencies,” wrote the lawmakers. “ACL’s workforce plays a crucial role in managing and coordinating federal, state, and local programs aimed at helping seniors and people with disabilities remain healthy and thrive in their homes and communities.”

    “We are gravely concerned about your arbitrary directive to dismantle the ACL and urgently request answers to understand the wide-ranging consequences this decision will have upon the health and wellbeing of older adults and individuals with disabilities,” the lawmakers continued.

    This letter is in response to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) announcement to end ACL’s critical programs across the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE), and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). This month, a draft budget proposal outlining the proposed elimination of ACL’s Aging Programs and Nutrition and Disability Services Programs from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) was made public. 

    This letter has been endorsed by Justice in Aging, National Health Law Program (NHeLP), National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care, National Council on Aging, National Adult Protective Services Association (NAPSA), USAging, Caring Across Generations, Autistic Self Advocacy Network, and National Association of Social Workers (NASW).

    Full text of the letter can be found here and below.

    Dear Secretary Kennedy:

    We are writing to express our strong opposition to the disbandment of the Administration for Community Living (ACL), the closure of ACL’s Regional Offices, and the unjustified termination of nearly half of the agency’s workforce, all of which threaten the delivery of critical services for our nation’s seniors, people with disabilities, families, and caregivers. Millions of Americans rely on the ACL’s supportive services—such as Meals on Wheels, caregiver supports, respite, and adult protective services—to live independently and with dignity. We are gravely concerned about your arbitrary directive to dismantle the ACL and urgently request answers to understand the wide-ranging consequences this decision will have upon the health and wellbeing of older adults and individuals with disabilities.

    ACL’s workforce plays a crucial role in managing and coordinating federal, state, and local programs aimed at helping seniors and people with disabilities remain healthy and thrive in their homes and communities. Established in 2012, the ACL was created to eliminate fragmentation in federal programs for aging and disability populations, improve access to quality healthcare and long-term services, and ensure consistent policies across federal agencies. The Older Americans Act (OAA) authorizes funding for various ACL- administered programs and activities, providing nearly $1.9 billion in 2024. The ACL oversees grants for state and community programs on aging, including nutrition services, in-home care, transportation, legal assistance, and research. For example, the ACL manages funding for research, training, and demonstration projects, such as the Alzheimer’s Disease Program, Chronic Disease Self-Management Education Program, Elder Falls Prevention Program, and the Senior Medicare Patrol Program. The ACL is also responsible for funding and overseeing disability programs under the Developmental Disabilities Act to support people with disabilities and their families through the State Councils on Developmental Disabilities and University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDDs), and to protect people with disabilities from abuse and neglect through the Protection & Advocacy programs. Moreover, the ACL administers the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program and the Elder Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation Prevention Program. These programs advocate for the rights of residents in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities and train professionals in elder abuse prevention. Additionally, the ACL manages the State Health Insurance Assistance Program, which offers cost-free, unbiased Medicare guidance to seniors, people with disabilities, and their families. Lastly, The ACL also funds and administers the independent living programs, the state Assistive Technology Programs, and the Aging and Disability Resource Centers to help people get the supports they need to live in the community instead of nursing homes or other institutions.

    We understand that HHS has eliminated the staff of entire offices within ACL—seemingly eliminating these offices altogether. For example, the Center for Policy and Evaluation plays a critical role in supporting the Assistant Secretary for Aging in her role as the advisor to the HHS Secretary on aging and disability policy, engaging across HHS to ensure policies consider the needs of these populations, and evaluating the effectiveness of programs consistent with statutory requirements. We understand that all staff in that office have been fired. Finally, we understand that virtually all staff in the Center for Management and Budget, including the budget and grant staff that distribute and monitor funding, have been terminated. Finally, your announcement to eliminate all of ACL’s regional staff will put the direct work with local grantees, particularly the regional staff’s critical coordinating role during natural disasters and other emergencies, at risk.

    We are also deeply concerned with your decision to dissolve the ACL and reallocate whichever programs and functions HHS unilaterally decides to keep. We understand from HHS’ April 2nd fact sheet, HHS’ Transformation to Make America Healthy Again, that HHS plans to dismantle unspecified ACL functions across agencies, such as the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE), and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). On April 16th, a draft budget proposal from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) was made public, outlining the proposed elimination of the ACL’s Elder Falls Prevention, Long-term Care Ombudsman, Elder Rights Support Activities, etc. Additionally, the proposal recommended eliminating ACL’s Nutrition and Disability Services programs, including the State Councils on Developmental Disabilities, Paralysis Resource Center, Limb Loss Resource Center, etc. Lastly, the proposal suggested shifting the aging programs to CMS, the disability and nutrition programs to ACF, and the National Institute of Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR), along with the UCEDD’s, to the Office of Strategy. ACL has been successful in coordinating across the aging and disability networks, ensuring that limited resources can reach most people.

    Spreading ACL’s programs across three separate agencies will undermine the efficiencies that have been created by housing these programs together.

    Given the severe impacts that ACL’s disbandment and mass staff firings will have on the health of seniors and people with disabilities, we request that you respond to the following questions no later than May 20th:

    1. Sec 201 of the OAA establishes the Administration on Aging and mandates that it be led by an Assistant Secretary for Aging. It is the Assistant Secretary’s duty to provide technical assistance and best practices to States, Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs), and Aging and Disability Resource Centers, on how to coordinate services with health care organizations.13 With the elimination of the ACL, which point person will uphold the responsibilities previously held by the Assistant Secretary for Aging and oversee the federal, state, and local coordination of aging and disability services?
    2. We are deeply troubled by your directive to divide unspecified remaining ACL programs and allocate them across several agencies such as ACF, ASPE, and CMS. This decision is particularly alarming given the recent substantial staff terminations within these very same agencies. Given the insufficient staffing, how will you ensure that these agencies are equipped to take on additional responsibilities under ACL’s new organizational structure? With ACL’s programs spread across multiple departments, how do you plan to ensure effective coordination among them and the entities with which ACL coordinates to promote access to services for people with disabilities (including the Department of Labor, Department of Education, and others)?
    3. The proposed OMB draft budget suggests the elimination of ACL’s Aging Programs, Nutrition and Disability Services Programs, and the NIDILRR and the UCEDD’s. It also calls for the elimination of discretionary funding for the Aging and Disability Resource Centers and the State Health Insurance Assistance Program. If these proposed cuts are implemented, what concrete steps will be taken to address the critical needs these programs currently meet for individuals with disabilities, older adults, and their families?
    4. The ACL administers billions of dollars in grants annually to state and local governments and nonprofit organizations that offer services and supports for nearly 10.1 million seniors and people with disabilities.14 It has been reported that staff at ACL’s Center for Management and Budget, who are responsible for overseeing ACL’s grants and contracts, have been terminated. How will you guarantee that funds continue to be delivered in a timely manner to the 56 State Units on Aging (SUAs), 614 AAAs, over 280 Title VI Native American Aging Programs, and tens of thousands of local service providers? Can you guarantee that services and supports to disabled people and older adults will not be disrupted?

        # # #

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: 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 providing homes for millions of other animals.

    Oyster reefs were once thought to be restricted to southern, cooler coastal waters where they’re the temperate equivalent of tropical coral reefs. But now, oyster reefs are being found right across Australia’s tropical north as well.

    These tropical oyster reefs are bigger and more widespread than anyone expected. In fact, they are some of the largest known intertidal oyster reefs (exposed at low tide) left in Australia. And they’re everywhere – from the southern limit of the Queensland tropics across to the northern coast of Western Australia – yet we know almost nothing about them.

    In our recent research, my colleagues and I completed the first detailed study of Australian tropical oyster reefs. These reefs are so new to science that until now, the species responsible for building them remained a mystery.

    Using DNA, we identified the main reef-building oyster species in tropical Australia as “Saccostrea Lineage B”, making it a new addition to our national list of known reef-builders.

    Lineage B is a close relative of the commercially important Sydney rock oyster (Saccostrea glomerata), but so little is known about this tropical reef-building species that it is yet to be assigned a scientific name.

    The Saccostrea Lineage B oysters we found in Australia’s tropical north are related to Sydney rock oysters.
    Marina Richardson

    Hiding in plain sight

    So why are we only learning about tropical oyster reefs now?

    Across the globe, oyster reefs have been decimated by human activity. These reefs declined in most tropical regions long ago, even as far back as 1,000 years ago. Most oyster reefs disappeared without a trace before scientists even knew they were there.

    However, Australia’s tropical oyster reefs haven’t just survived, in some cases they have thrived.

    Despite being delicious to many, the species we now know as Lineage B was not very attractive to the aquaculture industry, due to its small size. And while oyster reefs near Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne were dredged and burned to produce lime for mortar, used in the early construction of roads and buildings, this practice was not widespread in tropical regions. This lack of commercial interest is probably the reason why tropical oyster reefs have persisted unnoticed for so long in northern Australia.

    Here the tropical oyster reefs were found growing on a combination of both rock and muddy sediment.
    Marina Richardson

    What we did and what we found

    We assessed three tropical oyster reefs in Queensland, Australia. At Wilson Beach, near Proserpine and Turkey Beach, near Gladstone, reefs were surveyed in late winter 2022. The reef at Mapoon in the Gulf of Carpentaria was surveyed in early spring 2023.

    Using drone footage, we measured reef area and structure. We then collected oysters for genetic analysis.

    Oysters are notoriously difficult to identify, because their shape, size and colour varies so much. Oysters from the same species can look completely different, while oysters from different species can look identical. That’s why it’s necessary to extract DNA.

    We found almost all reef-building oysters across the three locations were Saccostrea Lineage B.

    At Gladstone reefs, several other reef-building species were also present, including leaf oysters, pearl oysters and hairy mussels.

    We compared three tropical oyster reefs in Queensland.
    Richardson, M., et al (2025) Marine Environmental Research

    An ecosystem worthy of protection

    In southern Australia, oyster reefs are critically endangered. But we don’t really know how threatened their tropical counterparts are, although there is some evidence of decline. Further research is underway.

    A new project has begun to map oyster reefs across tropical Australia. Since the project launched in June 2024, more than 60 new reefs have been found across Queensland, the Northern Territory and Western Australia – including some as large as 5 hectares.

    These unexpected discoveries provide a beacon of hope in a world currently overwhelmed by habitat decline and ecological collapse. But tropical oyster reefs are not yet protected. It’s crucial we include them in assessments of threatened ecosystems, to understand how much trouble they’re in and what we can do to protect them into the future.

    By locating and understanding these overlooked ecosystems, we can ensure they’re not left behind in the global oyster reef restoration movement.

    Scientists and others involved in reef restoration are now inviting everyday people across Australia to get involved as citizen scientists in The Great Shellfish Hunt. Anyone can upload tropical oyster reef sightings to this mapping project. It’s more important than ever to work together and ensure tropical oyster reefs receive the protection they deserve, so they continue to thrive for generations to come.

    Marina Richardson currently receives funding from the National Environmental Science Program (NESP) and the Queensland Government Department of Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation.

    – ref. Newly discovered tropical oyster reefs are thriving across northern Australia – they deserve protection – https://theconversation.com/newly-discovered-tropical-oyster-reefs-are-thriving-across-northern-australia-they-deserve-protection-254612

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: 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 – our resilience – can determine whether we thrive, just survive, or are deprived of a reasonable quality of life.

    Stress vs resilience

    Resilience means having the ability to cope with, and rebound from, life’s challenges and still achieve our goals.

    Stress isn’s something to be avoided. We need to feel some stress to achieve our best. Exposure to manageable levels of stress and adversity develops our coping skills and resilience.

    But if we feel too much stress, we can flounder or become overwhelmed.

    The ability to re-activate ourselves when we feel down, fatigued or disengaged helps to optimise our focus and motivation. Sportspeople, for example, might listen to high intensity music just before a competition to increase their energy levels.

    Conversely, the ability to dampen down emotional intensity can make use feel less stressed or anxious. Exercising, listening to relaxing music, or patting a much-loved pet can prevent high arousal from interfering with completing a task.

    Effective emotion regulation is crucial for adapting to life’s ups and downs, and keeping us on a relatively even keel.

    How does resilience develop?

    Resilience emerges from interactions between personal and environmental factors.

    In addition to emotion regulation skills, personal factors that can bolster resilience include academic achievement, developing a range of skills and abilities (such as sport and music) and problem-solving skills. Many of these skills can be fostered in childhood. And if one area of life isn’t going well, we can still experience confidence, joy and meaning in others.

    Sometimes we need to increase our energy levels, other times we need to lower anxiety.
    Ilias Chebbi/Unsplash

    People who reflect on traumatic experience and develop new positive meanings about themselves (getting through it means I’m strong!) and life (a greater appreciation) can also have higher levels of resilience.

    Genetic factors and temperament also play an important role. Some of us are born with nervous systems that respond with more anxiety than others in novel, uncertain, or potentially threatening situations. And some of us are more likely to avoid rather than approach these situations. These traits tend to be associated with lower levels of resilience. But we can all learn skills to build our resilience.

    Environmental factors that promote resilience include:

    • a nurturing home environment
    • supportive family and peer relationships
    • cultural identity, belonging and rituals
    • modelling from others overcoming hardship
    • community cohesion
    • government policies that provide social safety nets, strong education, anti-discrimination and inclusion
    • investment in facilities, spaces, services and networks that support the quality of life and wellbeing of communities.

    Can resilience be taught?

    Many factors associated with resilience are modifiable, so it stands to reason that interventions that aim to bolster them should be helpful.

    There is evidence that interventions that promote optimism, flexibility, active coping and social support-seeking can have small yet meaningful positive effects on resilience and emotional wellbeing in children and adults.

    However, school-based programs give us reason to be cautious.

    A trial across 84 schools in the United Kingdom evaluated the effectiveness of school-based mindfulness programs. More than 3,500 students aged between 11 and 13 years received ten lessons of mindfulness and a similar number did not.

    There was no evidence that mindfulness had any benefit on risk for depression, social, emotional and behavioural functioning, or wellbeing after one year. Teaching school children mindfulness at scale did not appear to bolster resilience.

    In fact, there was some evidence it did harm – and it was most harmful for students at the highest risk of depression. The intervention was not deemed to be effective or cost-effective and was not recommended by the authors.

    In another recent trial, researchers found an emotion regulation intervention with Year 8 and 9 school children was unhelpful and even harmful, although children who engaged in more home practice tended to do better.

    The evidence doesn’t support school-based resilience programs.
    Mitchell Luo/Unsplash

    These interventions may have failed for a number of reasons. The content may not have been delivered in a way that was sufficiently engaging, comprehensive, age-appropriate, frequent, individually tailored, or relevant to the school context. Teachers may also not be sufficiently trained in delivering these interventions for them to be effective. And students didn’t co-design the interventions.

    Regardless of the reasons, these findings suggest we need to be cautious when delivering universal interventions to all children. It may be more helpful to wait until there are early signs of excessive stress and intervening in an individualised way.

    What does this mean for resilience-building?

    Parents and schools have a role in providing children with the sense of security that gives them confidence to explore their environments and make mistakes in age-appropriate ways, and providing support when needed.

    Parents and teachers can encourage children to try to solve problems themselves before getting involved. Problem-solving attempts should be celebrated even more than success.

    Schools need to allocate their scarce resources to children most in need of practical and emotional support in non-stigmatising ways, rather than universal approaches. Most children will develop resilience without intervention programs.

    To promote resilience, schools can foster positive peer relationships, cultural identity and involvement in creative, sporting and academic pursuits. They can also highlight others’ recovery and resilience stories to demonstrate how growth can occur from adversity.

    More broadly in the community, people can work on developing their own emotion regulation skills to bolster their confidence in their ability to manage adversity.

    Think about how you can:

    • approach challenges in constructive ways
    • actively problem-solve rather than avoid challenges
    • genuinely accept failure as part of being human
    • establish healthy boundaries
    • align your behaviour with your values
    • receive social and professional support when needed.

    This will help you navigate the ebbs and flows of life in ways that support recovery and growth.



    Read more:
    People’s mental health goes downhill after repeated climate disasters – it’s an issue of social equity

    Peter McEvoy is a Professor of clinical psychology at the Curtin enAble Institute and School of Population Health. He is also a Senior Clinical Psychologist at The Centre for Clinical Interventions, Perth, and a Board Member of the Australian Association of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy. He does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article. The opinions and perspectives in this article are his own.

    – ref. We talk a lot about being ‘resilient’. But what does it actually mean? – https://theconversation.com/we-talk-a-lot-about-being-resilient-but-what-does-it-actually-mean-245256

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Moolenaar, Dingell Bill to Prevent TB Outbreaks Advanced by Committee

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman John Moolenaar (4th District of Michigan)

    Headline: Moolenaar, Dingell Bill to Prevent TB Outbreaks Advanced by Committee

    Today, Congressman John Moolenaar and Congresswoman Debbie Dingell’s (D-MI) bill, H.R. 1082, the Shandra Eisenga Human Cell and Tissue Product Safety Act, was passed unanimously by the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. The bipartisan legislation, which first passed the House of Representatives last December, would require the Department of Health and Human Services to conduct research and education campaigns to prevent deadly outbreaks of tuberculosis (TB) from infected tissue transplants. The legislation would also impose penalties on providers of tissue material responsible for any future TB infections. 

    “The tuberculosis outbreak in 2023 that tragically took the life of Shandra Eisenga should never have happened. Our bill honors Shandra’s legacy by ensuring no one has to endure what she and her family went through. I am grateful for the bipartisan support of our bill, and I will continue my work to make it law to prevent future deadly TB outbreaks,” said Moolenaar.

    “Shandra Eisenga’s death was a preventable tragedy, and we’ve seen far too many people lose their lives due to tuberculosis infection from bone graft material,” said Dingell, a member of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. “I am thankful this bill passed Committee on a bipartisan basis, and am thankful to the Washtenaw County Health Department and doctors at the University of Michigan who recognized this issue requires federal government action. We must do more to increase awareness of the risks of human cell and tissue product transplants and implement additional safeguards to protect patients from the dangers of these infections.”

    The bipartisan legislation was introduced in response to the death of Shandra Eisenga on August 10, 2023, due to a tuberculosis infection from an infected bone graft. Shandra was one of 36 patients in seven states to contract TB after receiving a bone graft from an infected donor in 2023.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Stauber Legislation to Award Congressional Gold Medals to the “Miracle on Ice” Olympic Hockey Team Passes the House

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Pete Stauber (MN-08)

    WASHINGTON, D.C.– Today, the House of Representatives passed Congressman Pete Stauber’s (MN-08) Miracle on Ice Congressional Gold Medal Act, which will award three Congressional Gold Medals to the members of the 1980 United States Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Team for their historic victory over the Soviet Union in the Winter Olympics. 

    “Coach Herb Brooks and his team of young hockey players defied all odds, proving that miracles are possible when we need them most,” said Congressman Pete Stauber. “At a time when our nation was in desperate need of hope, they united us in belief and patriotism. Minnesotans played a vital role in this unforgettable victory, so it fills me with immense pride to have helped pushed this legislation through the House. Today, we are one step closer to honoring these American hockey heroes, and I am truly grateful to my colleagues who joined me in supporting this bill. 

    “On behalf of the National Hockey League and as a member of the Board of Directors for USA Hockey, I want to thank the members of the House of Representatives for passing the Miracle on Ice Congressional Gold Medal Act,” said Bill Daly, NHL Deputy Commissioner and USA Hockey Board Member. “The 1980 U.S. Olympic Men’s Hockey Team’s victory over the Soviet Union remains one of the most extraordinary and inspiring moments in the history of sports. The ‘Miracle on Ice’ was not only a triumph of athletic excellence, but also a defining moment that lifted the spirits of an entire nation and inspired generations of hockey players and fans.”

    Daly continued, stating, “This honor is particularly meaningful for both the NHL and USA Hockey, as the 1980 team’s legacy has been instrumental in growing the game in the United States. We are proud to see their historic achievement recognized with the Congressional Gold Medal—one of our country’s highest honors. The legacy of that team lives on in the hearts of hockey fans across the world, and we look forward to seeing the bill passed by the Senate and signed into law by the President.”

    “It’s an exciting day,” said Pat Kelleher, Executive Director of USA Hockey. “We’re thankful to the members of the House, particularly Representatives Stauber and Quigley, who championed the legislation. The Congressional Gold Medal is a very fitting and well-deserved honor for our 1980 Olympic Team, and we look forward to the Senate passing its version of the bill in the very near future.”

    Once signed into law, the three Congressional Gold Medals will be given to three different locations: the United States Hockey Hall of Fame in Eveleth, MN; the Lake Placid Olympic Center in Lake Placid, NY; and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Museum in Colorado Springs, CO.

    BACKGROUND: 

    On February 22, 1980, the U.S. Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Team defeated the Soviet Union in Lake Placid, New York. This game is now known as the “Miracle on Ice.” The United States team was comprised of amateur college athletes while the Soviet’s team was comprised of some of the best players to ever play the game. Prior to this game, the Soviet Union had not lost an Olympic game since 1968. 

    Eight years after this game, Congressman Stauber and the Lake Superior State University Division 1 hockey team won the National Championship at the same rink in Lake Placid, New York. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Wildfire smoke and extreme heat can occur together: Preparing for the combined health effects of a hot, smoky future

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Stephanie Cleland, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University

    In recent years, Canadians have been subjected to both severe wildfire smoke and extreme heat events, as evidenced by the record-breaking 2023 wildfire season and the 2021 heat dome. Western Canada in particular has a long history of wildfires and heat waves, and with climate change, communities have experienced an increasing number of days per year affected by wildfire smoke or extreme temperatures.

    It’s well understood that exposure to either wildfire smoke or extreme heat poses a significant threat to health. For example, there is substantial evidence linking wildfire smoke to an increased risk of hospitalizations for lung or heart complications, with emerging evidence that exposure may also affect birth outcomes and cognitive function. Similarly, we know that extreme heat can increase the risk of illness or death from conditions related to our lungs, hearts and brains.

    However, most available research has focused on the effects of these climate hazards in isolation, without considering what the health risks might be when wildfire smoke and extreme heat happen at the same time. We live in a complex world where we’re rarely exposed to one hazard at a time, and wildfire season overlaps with the warmest months of the year, making it essential to consider the potential risks of concurrent exposure to heat and smoke.

    While only a handful of studies have explored the effects of co-occurring wildfire smoke and extreme heat events, early evidence indicates that simultaneous exposure may actually amplify the adverse health effects, leading to worse respiratory, cardiovascular and birth outcomes than either exposure on their own.

    This emerging evidence of amplified effects, paired with expected increases in Canadians’ exposure to both wildfire smoke and extreme heat, prompted me and my colleagues at the British Columbia Centre for Disease Control to explore how often, and where, these climate hazards are co-occurring in Canada. In doing so, we aimed to identify priority communities to guide public health communication and adaptation planning in the face of hotter and smokier summers.

    When wildfire smoke and extreme heat co-occur

    To understand how often communities are simultaneously exposed to wildfire smoke and extreme heat, we analyzed 13 years of temperature and air pollution data across British Columbia. We calculated the number of days affected by both wildfire smoke and extreme heat in each dissemination area (small, government-defined geographic regions that have an average population of 400-700 people). We also assessed if the frequency and intensity of these simultaneous climate hazards has changed over time.

    The number of days with simultaneous exposure to wildfire smoke and extreme heat between 2010-2022. The number of days are calculated for each community (dissemination area) in British Columbia.
    (Cleland et al., 2025), CC BY-NC-ND

    We found that wildfire smoke and extreme heat frequently co-occur in British Columbia, with all communities experiencing at least seven, and upwards of 65, days with simultaneous exposure to wildfire smoke and extreme heat between 2010 to 2022.

    We also identified that the frequency and intensity of these events has escalated over time, with 42.5 per cent of communities (approximately 1.9 million people) experiencing significant increases in their exposure. For example, between 2018 to 2022, communities on average experienced 4.5 days per year with simultaneous exposure to wildfire smoke and extreme heat, compared with only one day per year between 2010 to 2014.

    Trends in the number of days with simultaneous exposure to wildfire smoke and extreme heat between 2010-2022. The left figure illustrates which communities (dissemination areas) experienced significant increases in their exposure, and the right figure illustrates the number of days with simultaneous exposure during each year of the study period.
    (Cleland et al., 2025), CC BY-NC-ND

    We also found that communities across the province were not equally affected by these co-occurring wildfire smoke and extreme heat events. Those in the northeastern and south-central regions of British Columbia tended to experience more frequent and intense exposure.

    When we dug a bit more into the characteristics of these highly exposed communities, we found that they were primarily located in rural and remote regions of the province, often with lower socioeconomic status and a higher proportion of susceptible populations, such as older adults.

    These types of communities tend to have lower resilience and adaptability to climate hazards, with reduced access to the resources necessary to follow public health guidance and reduce their exposure to wildfire smoke and extreme heat.

    Preparing for hotter and smokier summers

    Our findings, together with evidence of amplified health risks, make it clear that Canada needs to prepare for hotter and smokier summers. There is also a clear need to increase the resilience and adaptive capacity of rural and remote communities in certain regions of British Columbia.

    To do so, we need to invest in strategies that account for the unique ways in which a community experiences wildfire smoke and extreme heat as well as their specific needs and susceptibilities.

    While Health Canada and the British Columbia Centre for Disease Control provide guidance on actions to take when exposed to wildfire smoke and extreme heat together, a recent review of public health guidance on simultaneous exposure to smoke and heat found that the current messaging is often incomplete and inconsistent. This unclear messaging can make it difficult for communities to adequately plan and prepare for these recurrent and intense climate hazards.

    Additionally, a lot of the strategies that cities currently rely on to reduce exposure to smoke or heat do not account for the complex world of multiple hazards. For example, cities often open cooling centres during periods of extreme heat to provide access to air conditioning, but these centres don’t always have air filtration.

    Similarly, cities often designate cleaner air spaces during periods of wildfire smoke to provide access to clean indoor air, but these spaces don’t always have air conditioning.

    Moving forward, Canada needs to invest in co-ordinated public health guidance and adaptation strategies that serve multiple purposes and account for the numerous climate hazards that communities face each year. In doing so, we can better protect the health and well-being of the communities that are experiencing increasingly frequent and intense wildfire smoke and extreme heat events.

    Stephanie Cleland receives funding from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research

    – ref. Wildfire smoke and extreme heat can occur together: Preparing for the combined health effects of a hot, smoky future – https://theconversation.com/wildfire-smoke-and-extreme-heat-can-occur-together-preparing-for-the-combined-health-effects-of-a-hot-smoky-future-252245

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: How Lady Gaga acts as a custodian of hope

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By M. Tina Dacin, Stephen J.R. Smith Chaired Professor of Strategy & Organizational Behaviour, Queen’s University, Ontario

    In an age of cynicism and despair, Lady Gaga’s recent Coachella performance “The Art of Personal Chaos” brings audiences hope.

    Over two weekends, audiences were treated to a visually lavish set, flawless choreography and strong vocals. Gaga’s performance in five acts — staged for fans as an opera house set in the Indio, California desert — was a self-reflexive event exploring many influences upon the singer.

    Gaga’s performance paid homage to past greats such as Michael Jackson and Prince as well as her different past selves. From donning armour and crutches from her “Paparazzi” persona to her Fame-era look, Gaga showed that where she is today follows and emerges from every iteration of her artistic identity over the years.

    The evocation and embodiment of her different selves suggested not only a journey of mixed emotions and struggles regarding fame, but her negotiation and resolution of these struggles as pathways into a promising future.

    In a recent interview, Gaga highlights that for her, despite emotional struggles and pain, reflexiveness, acceptance and forward thinking can yield eventual peace and happiness.

    For me as scholar who researches organizations, Gaga’s performance is an allegory of the need for stewarding change and transition in today’s world.

    Allegory of the need to steward change

    In my work with organizational scholars Peter Dacin and Derin Kent, we suggest that people involved in stewarding change and transition in organizations are “custodians” — people with a vested interest in protecting traditions, while also re-imagining and renewing them over time.

    Lady Gaga, ‘Vanish Into You,’ Coachella 2025 Livestream Feed.

    As our work argues, custodians are agents of maintaining the best aspects of cultural continuity, as well as change. Such custodians in workplaces or social organizations facing disruption take valued remnants from the past and curate them to be accessible and relevant for the future.

    Gaga’s performance reminds us how artists may be understood to serve this role for society at large. This leads us to view Gaga as an architect of future possibility, a “custodian of hope.”

    Cultivating expectations, visions

    Custodians of hope are deliberately prospective — meaning, they cultivate expectations and concrete visions for the future.

    They craft futures that are worth preserving. They do this by translating current and past practices through renewal and reinvention and by keeping things continually refreshed. Gaga did this by reimagining her past hits during her performance and by injecting them with a new and renewed sense of energy and style.

    As writer Coleman Spilde’s brilliant review in Salon noted, Gaga’s performance reminds us that in a world where it is easy to feel defeated, “beauty is not lost; its just harder to find.”

    Throughout several of the numbers performed during her Coachella set, Gaga showed that existing in the present is not so simple. Battles are fought and choices must be made. By embodying resilience, Gaga gives us hope and inspiration that in a world full of volatility and despair, small acts of resistance and emotional contagion can craft and re-craft the future.

    The past is a resource for renewal

    According to recent research by organizational studies scholars Matthias Wenzel, Hannes Krämer, Jochen Koch and Andreas Reckwitz, people can work to make alternative futures that are not strictly bound to the past but still align with their values. We shouldn’t just passively allow the future to unfold: we need to be intentional about crafting truly desirable futures, as suggested by organizational scholars Ali Aslan Gümüsay and Juliane Reinecke.

    As my research with entrepreneurship scholar Nico Klenner examines, custodians of hope care for the past while projecting the past into futures they and others desire.

    Yet Gaga goes beyond merely preserving tradition. As a custodian, Gaga curates the past, showing us that tradition is not simply the weight or remnant of the past. Bits of the past are reworked and recrafted as she selectively incorporates past styles of Prince and Michael Jackson into her performance as well as nods to fashion moments of her varied personas.

    As expressed by a fan on Tik Tok, dance moves choreographed during “Shadow of a Man” are reminiscent of Michael Jackson. The past becomes a valuable resource for renewal and re-invention moving us towards what might be.

    Evoke emotion to enlist others

    However, invoking the past is not enough. To realize change, custodians need to evoke emotion to enlist others. As sociologist Ann Mische suggests, hope is ultimately an emotion of possibility.

    As a custodian of hope, Gaga takes audiences through an emotionally laden and inclusive journey that reminds us how struggles can be overcome through acts of confrontation, defiance and resilience. For example, during her performance of “Poker Face” performed on a chess board, Gaga confronts a blond figure, an earlier version of her past self.

    Early on in her second performance at Coachella, Gaga experienced a wireless microphone failure and grabbed a connected mic and exclaimed “I’m sorry my mic was broken for a second; At least you know I sing live; And I guess all we can do is our best; I’m definitely giving you my best tonight; I love you so much,” sending the crowd into an uproar.

    The audience experienced a collective sense of resilience or effervescence, in what seemed to be a public celebration of generosity and improvisation above perfection.

    Collective sense of care

    Through interactivity with the audience via the live performance and livestream, fans are drawn in to co-imagine the future not through Lady Gaga but with her. Asking the crowd to raise their “monster paws” signals encouragement and support highlighting the importance of a sense of collective care.

    In addition to evoking emotion, Gaga reminded us of the importance of anchoring her vision for the future in the collective sense of care embedded in the Born This Way Foundation. For example, her #BeKind365 platform has logged millions of acts of kindness since its inception. This shows how value can be generated through structured supports or programs that link positive emotion with specific and concrete acts.

    Gaga curates as well as extends the past through renewal and reinvention to enlist new believers into a plausible path forward. Her performance underscores that hope is not a one-off moment but rather, an ongoing custodial effort of curating and reconciling the past towards a kinder and more authentic future.

    M. Tina Dacin 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. How Lady Gaga acts as a custodian of hope – https://theconversation.com/how-lady-gaga-acts-as-a-custodian-of-hope-255209

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: How Donald Trump’s tariffs threaten Canadians’ access to prescription drugs

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Joel Lexchin, Professor Emeritus of Health Policy and Management, York University, Canada

    If the United States imposes 25 per cent tariffs on exports from Canada, nearly all economists agree a recession is inevitable. Estimates are that between 600,000 to 2.4 million jobs are at risk.

    Based on previous recessions, the unemployment rate could rise to 10 per cent and stay stuck at that level for some time.

    Adding insult to injury, about 55 per cent of Canadians are covered by employer-sponsored drug plans, which means that when these workers get laid off, they also lose their health benefits, including prescription drug insurance tied to their jobs.

    Affordability of prescription drugs

    During the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Statistics Canada, about one-fifth of the population reported not having insurance to cover prescription medications. This coincided with a soaring unemployment rate that peaked at 13.7 per cent in May 2020. The problem of not having insurance for prescription medications was especially acute among immigrants and racialized people. These are the same groups of people that will be at the highest risk of any recession-linked job losses.

    Unsurprisingly, 23 per cent of those without insurance spent more than $500 out-of-pocket in 2022 on prescription drugs compared to 10 per cent for those with insurance. Canadians in the lowest income quintile spent more money on prescription drugs in absolute terms than those in the highest income quintile ($296 versus $268) in 2009, and it’s unlikely this disparity has significantly changed.

    Already there are estimates that the lack of access to prescription drugs leads to 370 to 640 premature deaths due to ischemic heart disease, 550 to 670 premature deaths from all causes among people 55-64 years of age and avoidable deterioration in health status in 70,000 people age 55 and over.

    When Canadians must choose between buying prescription drugs and paying for food and rent, it’s often no contest; patients skip their medications and suffer the consequences. The result is additional physician visits, more visits to already overcrowded emergency departments and more admissions to hospitals.

    Tariffs and drug prices

    Added to the threat of losing prescription drug coverage with job loss is the very real possibility that drug prices will increase. Thirty-two per cent of the active pharmaceutical ingredients that go into the medicines that North Americans take originate in China. U.S President Donald Trump has now threatened to slap U.S. tariffs on Chinese drugs and drug ingredients that were previously exempt.

    Canada already imports $8.76 billion annually in prescription drugs from the U.S. To the extent that tariffed drugs go from China to the U.S. to Canada, the cost of both publicly and privately funded drug plans will increase.

    Those people at the bottom of the income scale who pay out-of-pocket — and can least afford to pay more — will be saddled with those higher prices. If Canada follows the U.S. in imposing tariffs on drugs made in China, as we have done with electric vehicles, then the price of generic drugs made in Canada from Chinese ingredients will also rise.

    We can hope that any tariffs — on Canada or China — will be only temporary and we can avoid the ongoing effects on both access to prescription drugs and their price. But given Trump’s volatility and unpredictability, we can’t rely on that outcome.

    With the passage in October 2024 of Canada’s new Pharmacare Act, the government of Canada committed to “making sure that you can get the medications you need, no matter where you live or your ability to pay.” We need to expand Canada’s federal pharmacare plan to cover all Canadians for all medically necessary drugs. Indeed, the need has never been as acute.

    So far, only three provinces (British Columbia, Manitoba and Price Edward Island) and one territory (Yukon) have signed agreements with the federal government to cover contraceptives and diabetes drugs and devices — the only products currently covered under Bill C-64. The remaining provinces and territories urgently need to sign on. Prime Minister Mark Carney and the Liberals must decisively commit to expanding the range of drugs that is covered by pharmacare.

    All the provincial, territorial and federal leaders have pledged to protect Canadians from U.S. tariffs. Expanding pharmacare is part of that protection.

    Between 2022-2025, Joel Lexchin received payments for writing a brief for a legal firm on the role of promotion in generating prescriptions, for being on a panel about pharmacare and for co-writing an article for a peer-reviewed medical journal. He is a member of the Boards of Canadian Doctors for Medicare and the Canadian Health Coalition. He receives royalties from University of Toronto Press and James Lorimer & Co. Ltd. for books he has written. He has received funding from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research in the past.

    – ref. How Donald Trump’s tariffs threaten Canadians’ access to prescription drugs – https://theconversation.com/how-donald-trumps-tariffs-threaten-canadians-access-to-prescription-drugs-255581

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Yale scholars’ move to Canada can prompt us to reflect on the rule of law

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Jeffrey B. Meyers, Instructor, Legal Studies and Criminology, Kwantlen Polytechnic University

    In the most non-controversial and basic sense, the rule of law means formal legality. The law binds citizens and governments. When it comes to nation states, law is enacted by democratically elected legislatures; legal statutes are openly available and sufficiently clear to follow. State actions can be judicially reviewed for compliance with a constitution.

    In its more ambitious conceptualization, the rule of law can also be understood to include substantive human rights and equity. In Canada, The Constitution Act of 1982 references the rule of law in its preamble.

    The modern Canadian iteration of the rule of law — which includes substantive ideas about human rights as well as Indigenous treaty rights — is based on liberal ideas shared by many countries, including, historically, the United States. What distinguishes a rule-of-law state from an authoritarian one to a large extent is whether state actions can be judicially reviewed for compliance with a constitution.

    Although rule of law scholars debate the parameters of the concept of the rule of law, few would debate that what is happening during U.S. President Donald Trump’s second term presents anything other than a wholesale attack on the rule of law both domestically in the U.S and internationally.

    I am a rule of law researcher, educator and lawyer. Since Trump was elected to his first term in 2016, I’ve relied on American scholars, from a variety of disciplines, to understand what is happening.

    These include two prominent Yale professors, philosopher Jason Stanley and historian Timothy Snynder, both of whom have recently announced they’re moving to the Munk School of Global Affairs at the University of Toronto.

    Authoritarian impulse

    In their scholarship, Stanley and Snyder have sought to explain the authoritarian impulses of the first Trump administration and how to resist it.

    Stanley’s father, a German Jew who fled Germany for America in 1939, carries the remembrance of fascism.

    Both Stanley and Snyder explore the similarities between what is occurring in Trump’s America, Viktor Orban’s Hungary, Vladimir Putin’s Russia, Xi Jinping’s China and, equally chillingly, between Trump’s America and Adolf Hitler’s Germany. Even prior to the first Trump presidency, Stanley already asked in his 2015 book, How Propoganda Works, whether the U.S., “the world’s oldest liberal democracy,” might already have become a liberal democracy “in name only?”



    Read more:
    Why the radical right has turned to the teachings of an Italian Marxist thinker

    Examination of propaganda, rhetoric

    In his 2018 book, The Road to Unfreedom: Russia, Europe, America, Snyder described Trump as a “sado-populist, whose policies were designed to hurt the most vulnerable people of his own electorate.”

    Stanley’s focus on propaganda and rhetoric were especially useful for framing the politics of Trump.

    Similarly, Snyder’s focus on the similarities between Trump and other authoritarian leaders, through their attachment to extreme illiberal ideologies, helped frame public discourse in the U.S. during the first Trump presidency. “Illiberal” does not imply conservative in opposition to “being liberal” (with the resonance of “leftist”); rather, it denotes a repudiation of liberal democracy, in the words of political scientist Thomas J. Main.

    Both Stanley and Snyder are on the public record explaining their decision to immigrate to Canada, on the basis that they can no longer continue their scholarly activities in an American university, even a premier one like Yale.

    Jason Stanley speaks with Amanpour and Company.

    Improper interference

    This is an admission by important thinkers that civil society, intellectuals and critical scholars, in particular, are under assault.

    It comes as no surprise given other developments. Trump’s executive orders, threats to some university funding and crackdowns on activists and academics — as well as the attempted deportations of those without U.S. citizenship — have used the idea of combatting campus antisemitism as cover for an attack on free expression, academic independence and student activism.

    From my perspective as a Jewish person, a post-secondary teacher and as someone with a legal education, all of these developments have hit hard, especially alongside accounts of some of America’s most prestigious law firms caving to improper interference by the Trump administration.

    What ‘fascism’ means

    In the introduction to his bestselling 2020 book, How Fascism Works, Stanley wrote: “In recent years, multiple countries across the world have been overtaken by a certain kind of far-right nationalism; the list includes Russia, Hungary, Poland, India, Turkey and the United States.”

    He explains the choice of the word “fascism” to speak about each of these countries, despite their differences of degree and context:

    “I have chosen the label ‘fascism’ for ultra nationalism of some variety (ethnic, religious, cultural), with the nation represented in the person of an authoritarian leader who speaks on its behalf. As Donald Trump declared in his Republican National Convention speech in July 2016, ‘I am your voice.’”

    In his similarly bestselling book, On Tyranny, published in 2017, Snyder wrote: “To abandon facts is to abandon freedom. If nothing is true, then no one can criticize power, because there is not basis upon which to do so. If nothing is true, then all is spectacle. The biggest wallet pays for the most blinding lights.”

    Now that Trump is back in office, Stanley and Snyder, as well as Snyder’s Yale colleague and spouse, Marie Shore, the celebrated author of The Ukrainian Night, are leaving Yale for Canada with good reason.

    Author Timothy Snyder speaks about Democracy and the Risk of Tyranny with Public Policy Forum.

    Shared mutual concern

    While the departure of a handful of prominent academics is hardly a trend, it raises questions about whether there will be an accelerated academic “brain drain”, or more American students in Canada.

    As a Canadian, I would like to say America’s loss is our gain, and I wish these scholars well. I am also aware that narratives of flight to Canada as refuge have historically bolstered national myths while obscuring Canadian inequities. My hope is that Canadians will not observe the arrival of U.S. scholars with smugness, but instead with shared concern.

    We should not be blind to this unique moment in which Canada is called to revisit why we care about Canada and keep watch on the rule of law. Yet, we must also recognize our own profound historical blind spots.

    For example, while an overt threat to sovereignty is new for some Canadians, it is nothing new for Canada’s Indigenous Peoples. Today it’s important to understand the distinctively Canadian importance of Indigenous law to any reaffirmation of the rule of law tradition in Canada in the 21st century.



    Read more:
    Wet’suwet’en hereditary chief is ‘prisoner of conscience’ after failure of Delgamuukw ruling 25 years ago

    Too much cynicism might prevent us from acknowledging the importance of these three scholars’ decisions to leave their country and come to ours at this particular time in history. However, my hope is also that we are also inspired by their considerable truth-telling skills to demand Canada also do better.

    Jeffrey B. Meyers 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. Yale scholars’ move to Canada can prompt us to reflect on the rule of law – https://theconversation.com/yale-scholars-move-to-canada-can-prompt-us-to-reflect-on-the-rule-of-law-254434

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-Evening Report: 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 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 program 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.

    The election result was a repudiation of the minor culture war 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.



    Read more:
    Peter Dutton calling the ABC and the Guardian ‘hate media’ rings alarm bells for democracy

    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.

    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”.

    Andrew Dodd has been the recipient of Australian Research Council funding

    Matthew Ricketson 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. In its soul-searching, the Coalition should examine its relationship with the media – https://theconversation.com/in-its-soul-searching-the-coalition-should-examine-its-relationship-with-the-media-255846

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: 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 looked like they were in serious trouble not long ago.

    On February 23, a Resolve Strategic poll found the Coalition leading Labor 55-45% on a two-party-preferred basis. An Angus Reid poll in December found voting intention for Canada’s Liberals dropping to just 16%, compared to 45% for the Conservatives.

    Yet, both governments are now celebrating historic victories. And in both countries, the conservative opposition leaders, Pierre Poilievre and Peter Dutton, lost their own seats.

    US President Donald Trump was undoubtedly a factor in both elections. Even Trump’s most ardent Australian fans admit the reversal of the Coalition’s fortunes in the polls seems to have been precipitated by Trump’s actions, particularly his chaotic tariff announcements and his White House humiliation of Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky.

    In Canada, Trump cheerfully presented himself as an existential threat to the country.

    But if anything, Labor’s landslide win in the Australian election on Saturday highlights just how poorly the Coalition fared under Dutton compared to Canada’s Conservatives. The Coalition bottomed out, while the Tories fared reasonably well in the face of difficult circumstances.

    A painful but respectable loss for Conservatives in Canada

    So, why the huge difference between the two parties? This is largely because of the differences between the Canadian and Australian electoral systems.

    Unlike Australia, Canada does not have preferential voting – a vote for one party is a vote against another. The Liberals’ rise in the polls came mostly at the expense of the left-wing New Democratic Party (NDP) rather than the Conservatives.

    Back in December, 21% of voters preferred the NDP, compared to 16% for Justin Trudeau’s deeply unpopular Liberals. But when Trudeau stepped down and Mark Carney became the party’s new leader, the threat posed by Trump unified centre-left Canadian voters behind the Liberals, who had the best chance of winning.

    This is the strategic voting that is necessary in winner-take-all systems. The NDP has never won the largest share of seats in a national election, and it never had a chance of winning this one.

    The NDP was left with seven seats in last week’s election and under 7% of the vote, losing their party status in parliament and their leader. This was the most significant “Trump effect” on the Canadian election.

    Canada’s Conservatives ended up with 41.3% of the vote. This was only a few points down from their December high of 45% in the Angus Reid poll. They also won the greatest share of the national vote by any centre-right party since 1988, and expanded their share of seats in the parliament.

    The Liberals, meanwhile, barely won the popular vote and fell three seats short of a majority.

    Poilievre was rightly criticised for failing to respond effectively to the challenge posed by Trump’s bullying, instead continuing to campaign as if the election were still a referendum on Trudeau.

    That may have cost him a victory that seemed certain months earlier, especially considering Carney made his campaign all about standing up to Trump.

    Yet, the Conservatives still performed well enough for Poilievre to retain his position as opposition leader despite losing his seat. Another Conservative sacrificed his own seat to let Poilievre back into parliament.

    Dutton’s mistakes were bigger

    It’s hard to imagine any member of Dutton’s party doing the same. Dutton handed Labor a staggeringly high two-party-preferred vote and (likely) the most seats it has ever had. Labor won 86 seats in 1987, while Anthony Albanese’s party will have at least 86, with the count continuing.

    Dutton’s campaign has been widely described as “shambolic”. But it wasn’t just the last five weeks that doomed the Coalition.

    From the moment he became leader, it was clear Dutton had little interest in winning back the former Liberal heartland seats that fell to Teal independents in 2022. Instead, he held out the promise the outer suburbs would become the new heartland.

    Following the patterns established by John Howard, Tony Abbott and Scott Morrison, he believed the loss of middle-class women, once the backbone of the Liberal vote, could be compensated by gains among working-class men.

    This was always a pipe dream, given the flimsiness of the culture war issues that have been Dutton’s preferred terrain. But it drove urban voters further away from the Liberal Party.

    The Liberals should have been alarmed that in state elections and byelections last year, they were making almost no gains in metropolitan seats, whether inner suburban or outer suburban.

    The Coalition should resist seeing Trump as a natural disaster over which they had no control. Dutton consciously positioned himself as part of the global populist right that Trump leads. Voters recognised this, even when Dutton half-heartedly tried to distance himself from Trump.

    Not all right-wing populists are the same. Poilievre and Dutton have their own brands of populism they have spent decades cultivating, as have other right-wing populists like Javier Milei in Argentina. But in the suffocating global environment created by Trump, there is limited room for brand differentiation. He is the unavoidable reference point of right-wing politics.

    Last November, many right-wing figures thought this would benefit them. One of them is now a spectacular political casualty.

    David Smith 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. Blaming Donald Trump for conservative losses in both Canada and Australia is being too kind to Peter Dutton – https://theconversation.com/blaming-donald-trump-for-conservative-losses-in-both-canada-and-australia-is-being-too-kind-to-peter-dutton-255599

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: 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 failed to build on that success at this election. The biggest and best funded of the minor parties – the Greens, One Nation and Trumpet of Patriots – have all had disappointing results.

    Few green shoots

    The Greens are the largest party outside of the traditional two-party system. But they failed to launch on Saturday night.

    In 2022, the Greens secured 12.2% of the primary support which returned a record four members to the lower house. This time around, their nationwide vote is up – but only marginally and not where it matters.

    The party has lost big in Queensland, with Stephen Bates in Brisbane and Max Chandler-Mather in Griffith relinquishing their seats to Labor. Elizabeth Watson-Brown could hold on in the neighbouring seat of Ryan, though preference flows will be critical.

    Peter Dutton might not be the only party leader to lose his seat, with Adam Bandt on a knife’s edge in Melbourne, which he has held for 15 years. Again, it will come down to the spread of preferences.

    The Greens had high hopes for two other Melbourne-based seats. They remain a chance in Wills, but got nowhere near it in Macnamara.

    And it is unlikely to snatch the New South Wales seat of Richmond from Labor despite running a close second on primary vote.

    Balance of power

    The Greens have performed much better in the Senate, where they will once again be the largest cross bench party with a predicted 11 seats.

    While the ALP will clearly dominate the lower house in the 48th parliament, the Senate is looking to be more of a two-way spilt between Labor and the Coalition.

    The Albanese government will likely require only the support of the Greens to pass legislation. This is a much better scenario for Labor than the previous parliament when it needed to stitch together all the Greens and four independents to navigate the Senate.

    Once again, the Greens will effectively hold the balance of power. However, Labor will have other crossbench options, such as independents David Pocock, Lidia Thorpe and Fatima Payman if the Greens obstruct bills that are also opposed by the Coalition.

    Minor party fizzers

    Despite their disappointing result in the lower house, the Greens easily outperformed the right-wing minor parties, most of which flopped.

    None more so than Clive Palmer’s newly registered Trumpet of Patriots, which fielded candidates in most lower house seats and in the Senate. It scored 1.8% of the vote, the highest positive swing of all the minor parties.

    But it misfired everywhere, despite Palmer’s reported $A50-60 million advertising spend. While Senate votes are still being counted, Trumpet of Patriots is lagging behind both One Nation and the Legalise Cannabis Party.

    Pauline Hanson’s One Nation recorded just over 6% of first preference votes, up only slightly on its 2022 result and nowhere near enough to win any lower house seats. However, there are enough disaffected voters in Queensland to return Malcolm Roberts to the Senate. Hanson won’t be up for reelection until 2028.

    Hanson’s daughter Lee Hanson is an outside chance of securing a Senate spot for One Nation in Tasmania. Her main rivals are Jacqui Lambie and Legalise Cannabis, which is also in the mix to win the final Senate seat in Victoria.

    Gerard Rennick’s People First party also failed to make an impression. So too, Fatima Payman’s Australia’s Voice.

    What next for the minor parties?

    Minor parties play an important role in the Australian political landscape, and have long been players in federal parliament.

    The previous two elections have seen shifts away from the two-party system, with one in four voters preferring minor parties or independent candidates in 2019, and one in three in 2022.

    On the numbers counted so far in this election, voters have favoured either the traditional major parties or the array of independent candidates.

    The trend towards minor parties has been halted, at least for now.

    Maxine Newlands 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. Election flops – a night to forget for minor parties on the left and the right – https://theconversation.com/election-flops-a-night-to-forget-for-minor-parties-on-the-left-and-the-right-255623

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: 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 still bad for Labor and the Coalition was confident of gaining a swathe of seats in Victoria.

    Now Liberal Michael Sukkar has lost Deakin to Labor’s Matt Gregg, while fellow Liberal Keith Wolahan says it is “more likely than not” he’ll be ousted from Menzies.

    Obviously Albanese’s political judgement was better than most. Two other points are notable. The first is how quickly things turned around. But there’s a counterpoint: maybe they didn’t turn around in quite the way they seemed. Perhaps a few months ago, voters were expressing their frustrations, but many were always going to be reluctant to endorse Peter Dutton when decision-time came.

    Even so, the extent of the decimation of the Liberals was nearly unthinkable. Labor minister Don Farrell said that two days out, Labor’s polling showed a majority but not this result. The Liberals are a rump, without a leader, with no obvious successor, and no clue of what direction to take a party left with hardly any urban seats and the prospect of another two terms, at least, in the wilderness.

    First, however, to the government. Albanese is basking in golden days. But he knows Labor must avoid hubris. As he enjoyed Sunday morning at a local coffee shop, he said “we will be a disciplined, orderly government”.

    To state the obvious, the win will boost Albanese’s authority. But it will also open him to pressures, externally and internally.

    In Labor’s first term, many commentators and stakeholders argued the government was too cautious. Some urged it should tackle more robust economic reform; others wanted it to shift left. Those voices will strengthen now Labor has the numbers to flex its muscles more vigorously. But Albanese is wary of breaking promises – it took a long time for him to go back on his word over the stage three tax cuts – or surprising the electorate.

    The person to watch is Treasurer Jim Chalmers.

    On Saturday night, the treasurer said, “We do believe we’re an ambitious government but we know there is a sense of impatience as well when it comes to some of our big national challenges”.

    Chalmers told the ABC on Sunday, “The best way to think about the difference between our first term and the second term that we won last night [is the] first term was primarily inflation without forgetting productivity, the second term will be primarily productivity without forgetting inflation”.

    This is a very big aspiration. Australia’s productivity performance is dreadful. If that’s to improve significantly, Chalmers may have to take on battles in some policy areas, such as industrial relations, that are very sensitive for Labor and the unions.

    The win, but more particularly the issues ahead, which focus on the economy here and overseas, will give Chalmers an even more central voice, as well as present even tougher tests for him. Chalmers was lavish in his praise of Albanese on Saturday night and Sunday; he said he had rung the PM during Saturday, before the result, and “I said his was an extraordinary campaign, he’s got a lot to be proud of and we are certainly proud to be part of his team”.

    For all that, Chalmers is, and sees himself as, Albanese’s most credible successor, although other aspirants are in the mix. Despite Albanese indicating he will serve a full term and the result leading people to say he will be well placed to lead into the 2028 election, that is not inevitable.

    Who will lead the Liberals into that election is absolutely unknowable. The potential field for the post election leadership vote is lacklustre, and whoever wins that vote could be a seat warmer.

    That field includes shadow treasurer Angus Taylor, deputy leader Sussan Ley, shadow immigration minister Dan Tehan, and defence spokesman Andrew Hastie.

    Taylor, an economic conservative, has faced immense criticism for his performance over the past three years. Ley, who is more towards the centre, has been guilty of overreach, although she’s toned down somewhat recently. Hastie has not broadened out from his defence comfort zone. Tehan is experienced but does not present well to voters.

    Dutton had a weak team around him; the next leader will have an even thinner one.

    Even more diabolical than who the Liberal Party should choose is where it should go in its positioning. The party has become an identity vacuum. It has lost its more genteel urbanites, and failed to win the aspirational suburbanites. These constituencies have different priorities but to revive themselves the Liberals have to thread the needle between them, which looks, at the moment, an impossible task.

    Then there are the problems with women and younger voters. The Liberals’ “women problem” has been debated for years; they seem further than ever from grappling with it. The failure ranges from candidate selection to policy blindness.

    On the latter, the working-from-home debacle was a classic example of disconnect with many women’s lives. The policy (later dumped) to bring public servants back to the office five days a week was driven by a woman, shadow finance minister Jane Hume. It wasn’t properly workshopped, but surely it was obvious that running this policy would be a disaster, especially with female voters. You wouldn’t need a focus group to tell you that.

    As the baby boomers, already outnumbered, fade further, how are the Liberals to connect with the younger voters who are now the dominant demographic? These voters are increasingly progressive. For them, the Liberals need generational change. But the only new generation contender in the present leadership list is Hastie, and he is a conservative.

    Another complication for the Liberals is that the Nationals have done well. This means they’ll have a bigger say in the Coalition, including a bigger share of the frontbench. This might push the Coalition further to the populist right. A few will argue the Coalition parties should separate, but this is not the answer – it hasn’t worked in the past.

    There’ll be a policy overhaul, and that could involve a tricky argument over nuclear, to which the Nationals especially are deeply committed. And will the Coalition commitment to the Paris agreement and the 2050 net zero emissions target come under assault?

    The Liberals are in an extraordinarily bad place. Politicians in such circumstances search for so-called “narrow goat tracks” to better ground. Debris is littering any track in sight for the Liberals. Their only comfort can be that politics is volatile.

    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. Second-term Albanese will face policy pressure, devastated Liberals have only bad options – https://theconversation.com/second-term-albanese-will-face-policy-pressure-devastated-liberals-have-only-bad-options-255618

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Reform or retreat? The Catholic church in Africa after Pope Francis

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Stan Chu Ilo, Research Professor, World Christianity and African Studies, DePaul University

    The Catholic church faces a fundamental question as it prepares to elect a new pope. That is, whether to go back to a monarchical papacy with its pomp and pageantry, or to build on the momentum begun by Pope Francis. He focused on the poor and proffered a humble lifestyle and message of hope.

    I am a theologian who has studied the development of Catholicism in Africa, especially under the leadership of Pope Francis. In my view, the church after him will be defined by two forces, which will be at play during the process of choosing a new pope.

    First, those who embrace Pope Francis’ wide-ranging, modernising changes in the Catholic church. The reform-minded pope made it possible to advance a new church culture that respected the voice and agency of the non-ordained. He pushed for a servant leadership, and a more pastoral, missionary, and accountable exercise of authority.

    In the second camp are those Catholics who oppose the reforms introduced by Pope Francis. They see cultural evolution and social change as destroying the traditions and teachings of the church. They would like to restore the Latin Mass with its ancient church rituals and male clerical culture.



    Read more:
    How the next pope will be elected – what goes on at the conclave

    These camps are entrenched in their positions. The 138 cardinals (18 of whom are Africans) who will elect the new pope will voice their views at meetings held ahead of the conclave. These processes will determine who will be elected.

    The 18 African cardinal-electors will be fully aware that the divisive issues in contemporary Catholicism often neglect the concerns and needs of Africa. These concerns include a continued colonial structure, and racialised thinking and mentality that sees Africa as one country rather than a continent of diversity and pluralism.

    My hope is that the cardinals will find among their ranks someone in the mould of Pope Francis who has a far-reaching vision. Someone with the courage to continue reforming the ecclesial systems and structures to meet this moment with the gospel of love.

    Catholicism in Africa

    Pope Francis often pointed to Africa, which is seeing the highest growth in population in the Catholic church, as the continent of joy and hope. A continent where the world can see how religious faith can bring about a different attitude to human relationship, communal resilience, solidarity, and global fraternity.

    But African Catholicism has been severely affected by the polarisation in the broader church. This is particularly true on issues of marriage and family life. Other polarising issues include same-sex marriages, climate change, the place of women in leadership in a patriarchal church, and the autonomy of local African Catholic dioceses from the central authority of the Roman Catholic Church.

    The Catholic bishops of Africa need to be united in addressing these issues. In particular, there is a growing consensus that the most pressing challenge facing African Catholicism is how to wean itself from being dependent on resources from the west.

    The Catholic church in Africa – despite its exponential growth – is still treated as a “mission territory”, in need of institutional, theological, pastoral and material support from Rome. As a result, it receives financial support for its activities, and the running of schools and social agencies, from the Roman Church and other western Catholic charities.

    This dependency has affected the growth and autonomy of African Catholics and churches in setting forth and implementing priorities and projects that address the unique situation of Africa. As mission churches, African Catholic churches are “under the protection” of the Roman agency in charge of evangelisation. As a result, there are limits to what African churches can do on their own without the permission and supervision of the Roman office.

    A self-reliant Catholic church in Africa that’s free from the control of Rome would be able to stand strong in world Catholicism. A less dependent African Catholic church could be an alternative staging ground for new forms of faith that meet the spiritual hunger of today’s world. This would mean providing vibrancy of worship and a sense of community through the social and spiritual bonds that exist in African churches.



    Read more:
    Pope Francis: why his papacy mattered for Africa – and for the world’s poor and marginalised

    Given the changing demographics in the world church – where a majority of the 1.4 billion Catholics live outside Europe – it’s clear that Africa and the rest of the global south can no longer accept being dominated by Eurocentric Catholicism. Catholicism cannot be reduced to a single cultural or ecclesial form. It is not a western prototype that has to be replicated in Africa and the rest of the global south without regard to the social, spiritual and cultural contexts of churches in these regions.

    Viewed in this light, the future of Catholicism in Africa must be built on the agency of African cultures, religious values and traditions. Not on a rigid centralisation of power that reduces African dioceses, institutions and congregations to outposts of Rome.

    The Catholic church in Africa must take the lead in promoting human rights, good governance and the empowerment of women. It needs to reflect the values of inclusion through its leadership, structures and priorities.

    Renewed focus

    Pope Francis’ attention to the poor and the victims of history, and his commitment to global solidarity and fraternity, captured the imaginations of many. In my view, the power that the Catholic church or the next pope will wield won’t arise from the power of position or a rigid doctrinal formula. It will come from the power of non-transactional and self-effacing love through gospel non-violence. This promotes reconciliation, justice and compassion.

    Catholicism suffers when it narrows what it means to be Catholic to rituals and repetitive communal practices and devotions, without attention to people’s personal experience and encounters with God, nature and others. Or when it interprets as normative and divine revelation those traditions, laws or structures that are the product of history, culture and human attempts to meet the challenges of a bygone age.

    Stan Chu Ilo 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. Reform or retreat? The Catholic church in Africa after Pope Francis – https://theconversation.com/reform-or-retreat-the-catholic-church-in-africa-after-pope-francis-255452

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-Evening Report: 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 curious line recommending a majority government of whatever persuasion, “lest our futures be in the hands of the mad Greens, self-serving teals or the independent rabble.”

    How must those editors feel this morning? On the one hand, they got the majority government they wished for, and then some. The 2025 election will be mythologised in Labor circles for decades to come.

    On the other hand, the “independent rabble” defied the expectations of some, and the best efforts of others, holding their seats and making gains in Sydney and Canberra, and potentially Melbourne and Perth as well. New crossbenchers will certainly be welcomed into the 48th parliament. And with the Coalition reeling from an historic defeat, they may all play a critical role in policy the debates to come.

    Weathering the storm

    The election campaign put all of the incumbent independent MPs through their paces. Coalition candidates and some of their outspoken media allies applied enormous personal pressure, with accusations of weakness on the issue of antisemitism and piercing questions from conservative news outlets about the transparency of some independent MPs’ donations.

    Vast sums of money were also involved. In the Perth-side seat of Curtin, for example, independent MP Kate Chaney’s supporters and the Liberal Party allegedly spent $1 million each on their respective campaigns.

    In the end, incumbent independents benefited from the historic pattern in federal politics: that a good independent is a tough proposition to beat. At election time, successful independent MPs benefit from the advantages of incumbency, the ability to point to specific policy or project victories arising from greater political competition for the seat, and the flexibility to adapt more quickly to changing voter attitudes, unencumbered by any party machinery.

    Zali Steggall in Warringah and Helen Haines in Indi enjoyed their third successive wins, Rebekah Sharkie in Mayo a fourth general election win (she won a competitive byelection in 2018), Andrew Wilkie in Hobart a sixth victory on the trot, and north Queensland’s Bob Katter yet another term after 50 years of parliamentary service.

    At the time of writing, all of the independents who won their seats in 2022 appear to have been returned. (The exception was Kylie Tink, whose electorate was abolished last year.) The closest count is in Goldstein, where incumbent Zoe Daniel narrowly leads her Liberal predecessor Tim Wilson. Other incumbents, such as Sophie Scamps in Mackellar, Allegra Spender in Wentworth, Monique Ryan in Kooyong and Kate Chaney in Curtin, have enjoyed distinctive swings toward them. In the formerly safe Labor seat of Fowler, where the party hoped to win, independent MP Dai Le enjoyed a handsome primary vote swing of around 6% in her favour.

    Changing hands

    The picture has been more mixed for the rest of the crossbench and other minor parties. The Greens seem set to lose two of their Brisbane seats, but a close race in the formerly safe Labor seat of Wills in Victoria may yet provide a win. Another record spendathon from Clive Palmer will see the Trumpet of Patriots win zero seats. One Nation may keep Queensland senator Malcolm Roberts in his place, but there do not appear to be any other gains for Pauline Hanson’s team.

    Coalition defectors fared poorly, too. Monash MP, independent and former Liberal Russell Broadbent, appears to have secured just 10% of the primary vote, placing him behind both major parties and the community independent candidate.

    In the Perth seat of Moore, Liberal defector Ian Goodenough has fallen behind Labor, Liberal and the Greens, with preferences flowing mainly to Labor candidate Tom French. Right-wing LNP defector Gerard Rennick appears unlikely to win his contest for a Queensland senate seat. In the regional NSW seat of Calare, ex-National MP Andrew Gee appears the only one able to buck the trend, coming second on primary votes and benefiting from a stronger flow of preferences than his National Party opponent.

    New crossbench faces?

    A series of close contests may yet result in extra independent members of parliament. Despite a bitter campaign, community independent Nicolette Boele appears likely to win in the north Sydney seat of Bradfield. In the Victorian seat of Flinders, independent Ben Smith has enjoyed a 5.4% swing toward him, and away from Liberal MP Zoe McKenzie, though preferences have not yet been published in that seat. In Fremantle, where the Australian Electoral Commission is yet to report any preference flows, independent candidate Kate Hulett may still be in with a shot to beat Labor’s Josh Wilson. The competitive result follows an impressive campaign from Hulett at the state election earlier this year.

    After five weeks of vicious debates about the public service and Canberra, voters in the ACT sent clear messages to both major parties. Voices for Bean candidate Jessie Price appears to have taken one of the three ACT electorates from Labor, and independent Senator David Pocock enjoyed an easy victory. Labor received less than a third of the primary vote in that Senate race, and barely one in seven ACT residents voted Liberal.

    Not burning down the house

    Despite that qualification, Labor’s victory is historic by several measures. It is one of only four occasions over the past 30 years where its primary vote actually grew at a federal election. It looks to have won a lower house majority comparable with that of the Howard government’s final term, and maybe even with the Coalition’s 2013 victory (when it won 90 seats, more than double the figure it is likely to have won this time). The two-party preferred vote shows Albanese securing the kind of victory that made John Curtin a Labor hero in 1943.

    So what role does that leave for independents in the 48th parliament?

    Returning crossbenchers will regard their impressive primary votes as confirmation their voters want them to keep doing politics differently. The Liberal and National parties, on the other hand, will be consumed for much of the parliamentary term with introspection and institutional reckoning. Given how unhelpful their studied unity over the past term ultimately proved, it may be there’s more infighting within the Coalition during the next parliament.

    Does it matter that the crossbenchers will not hold the balance of power in the lower house? Not necessarily. In the event of a serious policy misstep from the Albanese government during this term, the crossbenchers may prove to be the more influential voices of opposition in the lower house.

    Sometimes a solo voice speaks with powerful volume. In 2001 the rural independent for Calare, Peter Andren, proved to be a singularly powerful voice against the Howard government’s draconian offshore detention program for asylum seekers arriving in Australia by boat. Andren defied the national trends (and the local opinion polls) and was returned with an increased primary vote, and again in 2004. When he died, some said his opposition to the Howard government showed “more guts and decency” than “all the other Coalition and ALP candidates combined”.

    Several of the current independents have earned themselves a national profile and are trusted advocates on issues such as public integrity and accountability, climate and energy policy and even foreign and security affairs. There will certainly be few MPs left on the opposition benches who can speak with compelling authority on some of these issues. In the face of an emboldened Labor government, their opposition to contentious legislation may sometimes have outsized influence.

    In pragmatic political terms, it is arguably in the Labor Party’s interests to negotiate, and to be seen to negotiate, with the crossbench. The independents in formerly safe Liberal seats are some of the biggest obstacles in any future Liberal pathway back into office.

    Newly-elected Labor MPs may also depend on preferences from community independent candidates next time they go to the polls. The Menzies government owed part of its longevity in the late 1950s and 1960s to its ability to win the preferences of the Democratic Labor Party, an anti-communist breakaway party from Labor.

    Independents are nothing like the DLP, and many run open tickets instead of strictly recommending preferences on their how to vote cards. But in some seats, including the leader of the opposition’s seat of Dickson, independent and Greens voters’ preferences will have proven crucial for Labor’s success.

    ‘Every day is minority government in the Senate’

    The other crucial reason independents still have a role to play is the Senate. Pocock recently remarked that “every day is minority government in the Senate”. Albanese’s victory, no matter how impressive, does not extend to a majority in the red chamber.

    The last time a party won a majority in the Senate was in 2004. Before that, it was 1977. No matter how large a lower-house majority, negotiation and compromise are simply unavoidable for laws to get passed in the federal parliament.

    The Greens will continue to exercise their crucial balance of power role in the Senate. So too will Pocock and, assuming she is re-elected as the sixth senator for Tasmania, Jacqui Lambie. During the 47th parliament, Pocock and Lambie often proved decisive in shaping, amending and sometimes postponing legislation they felt needed improvement.

    Both will bring a range of priorities to the 48th parliament. They may also collaborate more routinely with lower house crossbench colleagues to make those critical votes in the senate count for everything that they are worth. That would be a good thing. After all, both chambers really do matter in our parliamentary system.

    Joshua Black is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at The Australia Institute.

    – ref. Independents will not help form government – but they will be vital in holding it to account – https://theconversation.com/independents-will-not-help-form-government-but-they-will-be-vital-in-holding-it-to-account-255517

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: 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 how did it shape the outcome?

    Here, six experts break down what happened in New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia.

    New South Wales

    Swing to Labor: 3.4%

    David Clune, honorary associate, government and international relations, University of Sydney

    The election results showed, in NSW as with the rest of Australia, a stronger than predicted swing to the government, returning it with a solid majority.

    Not only did Labor hold all its NSW marginals, many with increased margins, but it appears to have gained from the Liberals the seats of Banks and Hughes in suburban Sydney. Labor’s Jerome Laxale has retained Bennelong which was notionally Liberal after the redistribution.

    The Liberals appear likely to lose Bradfield to Teal Nicolette Boele and former National Andrew Gee seems likely to retain Calare in the central west as an independent.

    The three sitting Teals were all easily re-elected and right wing independent Dai Le held Fowler.

    At the time of writing, Labor has won 28 seats in NSW to the Coalition’s 12, a gain of three, with four independents so far and the probability of two more.

    The ALP two-party preferred vote in NSW was 54.8%, a swing towards it of 3.4%.

    Labor’s primary vote was 35.0% to the Coalition’s 31.8%, a swing against the latter of 4.7%.

    Albanese staged a Houdini-like escape from what seemed to be, in 2024, a steady decline in his prospects. Although only an average campaigner in 2022, he ran an almost flawless campaign three years later. The prime minister had a consistent, resonant message about Labor’s record, appealing policies for the future, and projected an image of stability in government.

    Given the bite of the cost of living, particularly in Western Sydney, the government should have been vulnerable. Instead, Albanese transformed this into a strength by persuading voters he was best placed to deal with the crisis.

    Queensland

    Swing to Labor: 3.9%

    Paul Williams, associate professor of politics and journalism, Griffith University

    I long argued Queensland would be inconsequential as to who would win the keys to The Lodge at this election.

    I was partly right. If Labor, as projected, wins 93 of the 150 House of Representatives seats, the six Queensland Labor appears to have seized from the Liberal-National Party (LNP) are but a small fraction of the government’s national haul. Even with no Labor gains in Queensland, Albanese could still have governed with a comfortable majority.

    But I was also partly wrong. The fact there were primary swings of up to five percentage points away from the LNP across Queensland (even in very safe seats like Maranoa), and the fact Labor appears to have captured two seats (Brisbane and Griffith) from the Greens, suggests the state has behaved very differently from expectations and, for the first time in more than a decade, become one of real consequence.

    Labor now looks to hold 13 of the state’s 30 seats, the LNP 15, the Greens one, and Bob Katter returned in Kennedy for the KAP. Few would be surprised that Pauline Hanson’s One Nation (PHON) and Clive Palmer’s Trumpet of Patriots failed to win any House seats, although PHON’s Malcolm Roberts is likely to be returned to the Senate.

    Nor is it unexpected that Dickson, held by the LNP by a tiny 1.7% margin, should have been in play this election. But that fact Dickson was lost by an opposition leader – the first such occurrence at federal level – is astonishing.

    So, too, are the LNP losses in the outer-suburban “battler” seats of Forde and Petrie (held by the LNP since 2010 and 2013 respectively) that embraced former Liberal PM Scott Morrison, even when he was at his nadir.

    The additional reality of an LNP losing such contrasting seats as Leichhardt in far north Queensland and Bonner in middle Brisbane suburbia now points to a deep existential crisis for conservatives even in their Queensland heartland.

    In the Northern Territory, Labor’s Marion Scrymgour has retained the seat of Lingiari and strengthened her position, with a 6.6% swing in her favour.

    So, what happened? How did Queensland, like the rest of Australia, defy electoral gravity? Was it that angry Queenslanders, stinging from a cost-of-living crisis, had already vented their wrath on a state Labor government six months ago? Or did the state finally warm to an Albanese it now concluded was a more competent economic manager? Or did Queensland, like every other state, reject a hard-right Peter Dutton – offering little in meaningful policy amid a ramshackle campaign – as out of touch with a moderate, centrist Australia?

    After defeats at local and state elections in 2024, Labor is back in Queensland.

    South Australia

    Swing to Labor: 5.1%

    Rob Manwaring, associate professor of politics and public policy, Flinders University

    On first glance, South Australia did not seem to be at the centre of the Albanese government’s landslide win. Of the ten electoral seats in the state, only one changed hands – the seat of Sturt which Labor’s Claire Clutterham won from the Liberals’ James Stevens. Yet, this was a massive win for Labor, with a 57–43 two-party preferred vote.

    This is a seismic result and exemplifies all of the Coalition’s electoral problems. Sturt was a classic Liberal blue ribbon seat which the Liberals had held since 1972. The Teal candidate in Sturt, Dr Verity Cooper, might well be disappointed not to have scored a higher primary vote than her 7.2%.

    Elsewhere, Labor handsomely improved its position in the hitherto marginal seat of Boothby. A 8% swing to Louise Miller-Frost saw the Liberals’ Nicolle Flint easily routed.

    To confirm the Liberal misery in the state, the Centre Alliance’s Rebekha Sharkie consolidated her place in Mayo. The scale of Labor’s performance also brought into scrutiny the Liberal regional seat of Grey, where long-standing member Rowan Ramsay retired. The Liberals will retain it despite a swing against them.

    Overall, this is now a solidly Labor state, and the party holds a remarkable seven of the ten seats. Those with long memories, will know seats like Kingston and Adelaide, traditionally bellweather, are now solidly safe Labor seats.

    The Liberals’ loss of Sturt confirms the party now has only two seats in the state, and no representation at all in the major cities around the country. It might well be a long road back for the centre-right.

    Tasmania

    Swing to Labor: 8.1%

    Robert Hortle, deputy director of the Tasmanian Policy Exchange, University of Tasmania

    If the Liberal Party’s ranks were thinned out on the mainland, in Tasmania they have been clear-felled. The state elected four Labor candidates out of five, and notably, all women.

    In Braddon, Labor’s Anne Urquhart overturned the 8.3% margin enjoyed by retiring Liberal MP Gavin Pearce. It looks like the swing to Labor will be around 15%, with Urquhart’s pro-salmon farming and pro-jobs position resonating in the traditionally conservative electorate.

    A swing of around 10% to Labor in Bass was more than enough for first-time candidate Jess Teesdale to defeat Liberal MP Bridget Archer. Labor’s messaging that “a vote for Archer is a vote for Dutton” successfully neutralised Archer’s personal popularity in the electorate and reputation for standing up to her party.

    Lyons was Tasmania’s most marginal seat after the 2022 election. That’s no longer the case, with Rebeca White, former state Labor leader, securing a swing of around 10%. White’s popularity as a state MP transferred smoothly to the federal level – Labor’s primary vote in the seat looks to have jumped by more than 14%.

    So why was the swing to Labor in these Tasmanian seats so much greater than on the mainland? Astute candidate selection played a role – in particular, White and Urquhart were well-known in their communities.

    It is also possible the ongoing travails of the state Liberal government played a part. Northern Tasmanians are strongly opposed to the controversial AFL stadium in Hobart, and the ongoing Spirit of Tasmania ferry fiasco has involved prominent mismanagement of port upgrades in Devonport in the state’s north-west. State politics isn’t usually considered to have a big impact on federal elections, but these issues may have been high profile – and long running – enough to make a difference.

    The southern seat of Franklin was a focal point for a lot of drama during the campaign. In the end, Julie Collins, Tasmania’s only cabinet minister, received a bit of a scare. She slightly increased her primary vote, but the ABC currently projects her overall margin will be cut in half. Anti-salmon farming independent Peter George achieved the second highest primary vote, but wasn’t close enough to Collins for preferences to get him over the line.

    As expected, independent Andrew Wilkie won the Hobart seat of Clark for a sixth time, with a margin of just over 20%. He increased his primary vote, but it looks like Labor will shave a tiny amount off his margin.

    Victoria

    Swing to Labor: 1.8%

    Zareh Ghazarian, senior lecturer in politics, school of social sciences, Monash University

    The Liberal Party’s fortunes in Victoria went from bad in 2022 to much worse in 2025.

    The ALP’s primary vote increased by about 1% while the Liberal Party’s primary vote fell by about 2.5%. While the percentages are smaller than in other states, this performance had a significant affect on the representation of the parties in Victoria.

    The Liberal Party lost Deakin in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne. Held by Michael Sukkar since 2013, the seat has been marginal for several elections. The primary vote swing against the Liberal Party was 4.2%. In a two-party preferred outcome, Deakin now appears to be a relatively safe seat for Labor.

    The Liberal Party primary vote also went backwards in Kooyong which was held by independent Monique Ryan. High profile Liberal candidate Amelia Hamer could not reclaim the seat which had previously been held by then-Treasurer Josh Frydenberg.

    Goldstein, the other inner metropolitan seat won by an independent at the last election, looks to be a closer contest with the Liberal Party’s Tim Wilson experiencing a rise in the primary vote but it may not be enough to defeat incumbent Zoe Daniel.

    Compounding the problems for the Liberal Party was that it could not make any inroads in other key seats across the eastern suburbs in Melbourne. This was where the party needed to win seats if it was to be competitive in forming government. In Aston, the seat the party lost at a byelection in 2023, the Liberal Party’s primary vote fell by 5%. The party’s primary vote also went back in Chisholm and McEwen.

    In short, this was a disastrous result for the Liberal Party in the state of Victoria.

    Western Australia

    Swing to Labor: 1.2%

    Narelle Miragliotta, associate professor in politics, Murdoch University

    WA didn’t disappoint for Labor. Although the two-party swing was more muted than in other parts of the country, it came off the back of a more much stronger electoral position entering this contest. On a two-party preferred basis, Labor gained 56.2% of the vote.

    Labor has retained the nine lower house seats it won in 2022, and it has also managed to make decent, even if not spectacular, gains in the party’s share of the primary vote in Tangney (+4.9%), Hasluck (+5.93), Swan (+3.5%), and Perth (+4.7%).

    One of the unexpected wins for Labor was the former Liberal held seat of Moore. Labor won the seat on the back of +0.9% increase in the party’s primary vote. Assisting Labor’s electoral fortunes was a former Liberal incumbent who ran as an independent, and whose vote accounts for much of the -10.4% swing against the Liberal candidate.

    But it wasn’t all good news for Labor, going backwards on primary votes in Fremantle (-4.48%) Brand (-5.96%) and Pearce (-0.01%).

    The Liberals’ performance affirms just how much trouble the party in the West. The Liberals recorded a swing of -5.66% in their primary vote, winning only 28.5% of the first preference vote.

    In addition to the loss of Moore, the party failed to win back the once-prized seat of Curtin, despite a heavy investment of resources into the contest. The Liberals also have a fight to retain the seat of Forrest, where is registered a -13.4% swing in its primary vote. The Liberals are, however, expected to win it.

    There were very few bright spots for the Liberals. The Liberals did achieve an increase in their two-party preferred vote in O’Connor (+6.3%) and Canning (+3.8%). And at last check, the Liberals are still in the hunt for the new seat of Bullwinkel.

    In the senate, the swing against the Liberals on primary votes was even more pronounced (-7.36%) although the party are on track to elect two senators. The Greens senate primary vote held up, enjoying a very slight increase (+0.74%) and comfortably returning a senator. Although recording a -0.04% swing, Labor has two senators confirmed and the possibility of the election of a third.

    Paul Williams is a research associate with the T.J. Ryan Foundation.

    David Clune, Narelle Miragliotta, Rob Manwaring, Robert Hortle, and Zareh Ghazarian do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. State of the states: 6 experts on how the election unfolded across the country – https://theconversation.com/state-of-the-states-6-experts-on-how-the-election-unfolded-across-the-country-255508

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: 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.

    Too many journalists remain silent over the Gaza genocide, a threat to our media credibility
    Report by Dr David Robie – Café Pacific. – By David Robie on World Press Freedom Day 2025 I ask you now: Do not stop speaking about Gaza. Do not let the world look away. Keep fighting, keep telling our stories – until Palestine is free. These are not my words, although I believe and

    Labor makes Senate gains, and left-wing parties will hold a Senate majority
    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 On Saturday, Labor won a thumping victory in the House of Representatives, and this has carried over to the Senate results. Only 35% of enrolled voters have

    Rabuka salutes Fiji media but warns against taking freedom for granted
    By Anish Chand in Suva Fiji Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has paid tribute to all those working the media industry in his message to mark World Press Freedom Day. He said in his May 3 message thanks to democracy his coalition government had removed the “dark days of oppression and suppressions”. “Today as we join

    Albanese increases majority and Dutton loses seat in stunning election landslide
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The Albanese government has been re-elected with a substantially increased majority, and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has lost his seat, in a crushing defeat of the Coalition. As of late Saturday night, there was a two-party swing to Labor of

    Labor wins election in landslide: full results
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Digital Storytelling Team, The Conversation The Conversation, CC BY-SA Digital Storytelling Team 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. Labor

    Labor wins surprise landslide, returned with a thumping majority
    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 52% of enrolled voters counted, The Poll Bludger has Labor ahead in 92 of the 150 House of Representatives seats, the Coalition in 43, the Greens

    Labor routs the Coalition as voters reject Dutton’s undercooked offering
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra In a dramatic parallel, what happened in Canada at the beginning of this week has now been replicated in Australia at the end of the week. An opposition that a few months ago had looked just possibly on track to

    Dutton and the Coalition did not do the work, and misread the Australian mood
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Kenny, Professor, Australian Studies Institute, Australian National University The former federal director of the Liberal Party, Brian Loughnane, used to tell media companies that their practice of commissioning expensive opinion polls right through a parliamentary term was a waste of money. Election 2025 seemed to vindicate

    Labor wins with a superior campaign and weak opposition – now it’s time to make the second term really matter
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Chris Wallace, Professor, School of Politics Economics & Society, Faculty of Business Government & Law, University of Canberra Superior campaigning by the Labor machine, a lift in the personal performance of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, and a woeful campaign by Opposition Leader Peter Dutton have seen Labor

    Albanese’s government might not thrill, but it has shown unity and competence – and that’s no mean feat
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Frank Bongiorno, Professor of History, ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences, Australian National University The Coalition’s election campaign of 2025 has a strong claim to be considered among the worst since federation. I know of none more shambolic. Barely a day passed without some new misstep

    Palestine protesters march on TVNZ, accuse broadcaster of bias on Gaza
    Asia Pacific Report About 1000 pro-Palestinian protesters marked World Press Freedom Day — May 3 — today by marching on the public broadcaster Television New Zealand in Auckland, accusing it of 18 months of “biased coverage” on the genocidal Israeli war against Gaza. They delivered a letter to the management board of TVNZ from Palestine

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Labor makes Senate gains, and left-wing parties will hold a Senate majority

    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

    On Saturday, Labor won a thumping victory in the House of Representatives, and this has carried over to the Senate results.

    Only 35% of enrolled voters have been counted in the Senate so far, compared with 71% in the House. It’s likely that the current Senate count is biased to Labor, so Labor is likely to drop back in some states as more votes are counted.

    There are 76 senators, who have six-year terms, with about half up for election at every House election. Each state has 12 senators, with six up for election, and the territories have two senators each, who are all up for election.

    Senators are elected by proportional representation with preferences. A quota in a state is one-seventh of the vote, or 14.3%. In the territories, it’s one-third or 33.3%. I had a Senate preview on April 16.

    Comments on each state are below. I disagree with the ABC’s view that Labor is “likely” to win a third New South Wales seat. Putting this seat into the doubtful column reduces Labor to an overall 27 senators with the Greens on 11, so the two main left-wing parties would hold a minimum 38 of the 76 seats in the new Senate.

    This would represent a two-seat gain for Labor (one in Queensland, one in South Australia). Labor has reasonable chances to gain further Senate seats.

    If Labor and the Greens combined hold the minimum 38 seats after the election, Labor will only need one more vote to pass legislation supported by the Greens but opposed by right-wing parties. Independent David Pocock, former Green Lidia Thorpe and former Labor senator Fatima Payman will be good options.

    In NSW, Labor has 2.6 quotas, the Coalition 1.9, the Greens 0.9 and One Nation 0.4. Labor would win three seats on current primaries, but the Senate swing to them is much greater than in the House, so they will drop back.

    In Victoria, Labor has 2.4 quotas, the Coalition 1.9, the Greens 1.0, One Nation 0.3 and Legalise Cannabis 0.3. Labor is likely to drop back, with the final seat likely a three-way contest between Labor, One Nation and Legalise Cannabis.

    In Queensland, Labor has 2.1 quotas, the Liberal National Party 1.8, the Greens 0.9, One Nation 0.5 and former LNP senator Gerard Rennick 0.35. One Nation is the favourite to win the sixth seat.

    In Western Australia, Labor has 2.4 quotas, the Liberals 1.7, the Greens 1.1, One Nation 0.4, Legalise Cannabis 0.3 and the Nationals 0.3. Labor would be the favourite to win the sixth seat on current counting, as the Liberals would absorb right-wing preferences that would otherwise help One Nation.

    In SA, Labor has 2.6 quotas, the Liberals 1.8, the Greens 1.0 and One Nation 0.4. Labor won the House vote in SA by 58.4–41.6, so the Senate result looks plausible. Labor and the Greens are likely to win four of SA’s six Senate seats.

    In Tasmania, Labor has 2.4 quotas, the Liberals 1.5, the Greens 1.2, Jacqui Lambie 0.5, One Nation 0.4 and Legalise Cannabis 0.3. It’s difficult to determine which parties are the favourites to win the last two seats.

    In the ACT (two senators), Pocock has been easily re-elected with 1.3 quotas, and Labor will win the second seat. In the Northern Territory, Labor and the Country Liberals will win one seat each.

    Doubtful House seats, and the Greens’ and teals’ performance

    There are many seats where the electoral commission selected the incorrect final two candidates on election night and now needs to redo this count. Labor could lose Bean, Fremantle or Calwell to independents. Labor could also lose Bullwinkel or Bendigo to the Coalition.

    The Greens have lost Brisbane and Griffith to Labor. They lost Brisbane after falling to third behind Labor and the LNP and Griffith because the LNP fell to third and their preferences will help Labor. Labor is narrowly ahead against the Greens in Wills.

    In Greens leader Adam Bandt’s Melbourne, there was a substantial primary vote swing to Labor and against Bandt, and the electoral commission needs to redo the preference count between Bandt and Labor.

    Teal independents in Kooyong, Goldstein and Curtin are likely to retain their seats, but they didn’t gain substantial swings that usually occur when an independent elected at the last election recontests. It’s possible they’ve become too associated with the left in their seats. Fortunately for them, the left won a thumping victory at this election.

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

    – ref. Labor makes Senate gains, and left-wing parties will hold a Senate majority – https://theconversation.com/labor-makes-senate-gains-and-left-wing-parties-will-hold-a-senate-majority-255848

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Task Group on New Medical School meets with universities that submitted proposals (with photo)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Task Group on New Medical School meets with universities that submitted proposals (with photo) 
    The Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, said, “Establishing a third medical school is an important project in the development of medical education in Hong Kong. I am pleased to see the positive feedback from the three universities that submitted detailed proposals within a specified period. During the two-hour session with each university today, our expert advisers of the Task Group and representatives from the relevant policy bureaux had fruitful exchanges with the university representatives on the content of the proposals, including innovative strategic positioning, curriculum structure and assessment methodologies, and financial sustainability. We also took the opportunity to further understand the preparatory work and resource plans underpinning each proposal, such as collaboration models with local and non-local partners and the allocation of resources for software and hardware of the curriculum, teaching manpower and student recruitment and training. The Task Group will enhance speed and efficiency in the next phase of work, adopting a holistic and integrated approach to assess the proposals, with a view to completing the assessments within this year and recommending to the Government the option that best supports the development of Hong Kong into an international medical training, research and innovation hub.”
     
    The Secretary for Education, Dr Choi Yuk-lin, said, “The 2024-2035 master plan on building China into a leading country in education newly released by our nation strives to accelerate the development of world-class universities and advanced disciplines. To tie in with this important blueprint, Hong Kong is making forward-looking preparations for a third medical school to further enhance our status as an international post-secondary education hub. We expect the new medical school not only to drive the overall advancement of the host university but also to strengthen Hong Kong’s competitiveness on the global stage. Strategically located in the Northern Metropolis University Town with a prime geographic location, the new medical school has immense potential for fostering synergy among academia, research, and industry within the vicinity and the Greater Bay Area. We hope the selected university will seize this valuable opportunity to take Hong Kong’s medical academic and research excellence to new heights through active collaboration within the region.”
     
    Established in October last year, the Task Group comprises seasoned local, Mainland and overseas academics in medical education and university management, professionals, representatives from the Medical Council of Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Academy of Medicine, as well as representatives from the relevant government bureaux and departments. It has already set the overall direction and parameters for establishing the new medical school. The 10 key parameters for consideration are: (1) innovative strategic positioning, (2) staffing, (3) campus and teaching facilities, (4) clinical exposure and learning resources, (5) curriculum structure and assessment methodologies, (6) student admission arrangements, (7) funding arrangements, (8) implementation plan, (9) teaching and learning quality, and (10) research excellence. The Task Group issued a letter of invitation on December 2 last year to all University Grants Committee-funded universities to invite local universities interested in establishing the new medical school to submit proposals by March 17 this year, and three proposals were received by the deadline.
    Issued at HKT 20:05

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