NewzIntel.com

Category: Universities

  • MIL-OSI China: Britain’s job market sliding under rising labor cost, US tariff threat

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

    Photo taken on Jan. 18, 2022 shows a job center sign in Manchester, Britain. [Photo/Xinhua]

    Britain’s job market continues to show clear signs of weakening, with unemployment rising and recruitment stagnating amid escalating labor costs and external economic pressures. Experts have warned that uncertainty stemming from U.S. tariffs is further exacerbating the situation.

    Data released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) on Thursday revealed that the country’s unemployment rate for people aged 16 and over stood at 4.7 percent during the March-May period of 2025. This marks a notable increase both year-on-year and quarter-on-quarter, pushing the rate to its highest level in nearly four years.

    The ONS figures also showed job vacancies climbing to new highs, indicating that despite a growing number of unemployed individuals, businesses are still struggling to fill positions.

    “The government’s tax rises, a higher minimum wage and the U.S. trade war are hitting the jobs market,” Financial Times reported.

    David Bharier, head of research at the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), told Xinhua that steep increases in national insurance contributions and the national living wage weigh heavily on the latest employment data.

    “BCC research shows that recruitment remains challenging, and businesses cite labor costs as the biggest pressure,” Bharier said. “This mounting financial pressure, alongside pervasive skills shortages, remains a massive challenge for business, presenting big risks to investment and productivity.”

    According to Bharier, the BCC’s most recent economic forecast suggests hiring will remain subdued and the unemployment rate is expected to stay largely static. “We currently forecast a rate of 4.6 percent at the end of 2027,” he said.

    Tina McKenzie, policy chair of the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), stressed that the latest trends paint a worrying picture for Britain’s small business sector.

    “New FSB research has found that twice as many small businesses shed staff in the second quarter of 2025-20 percent-than increased their employee numbers,” she said.

    For the first time in the 15-year history of the FSB’s quarterly Small Business Index, more small businesses expect to shrink or close over the next 12 months than those that expect to expand. “That’s more than alarming for the economy and for communities across Britain where these hard-working businesses operate,” she said, noting that small businesses currently provide more than 16 million jobs in Britain-over half of all private sector employment.

    Experts also believe the ongoing threat of U.S. tariffs is contributing to the negative data and will continue to influence Britain’s job market and economy in the long term, despite the existence of a trade agreement.

    William Bain, head of policy at the BCC, said their April survey revealed that 62 percent of firms exporting to the U.S. had been affected by rising costs and order book pressures caused by higher U.S. tariffs, a sentiment that aligns with the rising unemployment figures reported by the ONS.

    David Bailey, professor of business economics at the University of Birmingham, noted that U.S. tariffs are impacting Britain’s export-driven sectors and, in turn, the job market.

    “Even though Britain has got this deal with Trump on tariffs, the tariffs are still going up from 2.5 percent to 10 percent. It may not be 25 percent, but it’s still going to affect exports from Britain and therefore hit economic growth,” Bailey said, adding that this uncertainty for British firms, combined with the government’s “mistake” of raising national insurance contributions alongside the higher minimum wage, has contributed to the sluggish employment situation. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Despite battlefield gains, Israel remains mired in war with no political endgame

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

    The photo released by Israel Defense Forces on May 19, 2025 shows Israeli troops during an operation in the Gaza Strip. [Photo/Xinhua]

    Nearly two years into a multi-front conflict, Israel has made apparent military gains: crippling Hamas’ infrastructure in Gaza, striking deep into Iran, and dealing blows to Hezbollah in Lebanon. Yet the country remains stuck in a prolonged war, with no clear exit strategy in sight.

    Analysts say that while Israel’s military campaign has made some progress, the absence of a coherent political strategy has left its broader objectives undefined. The government’s push to deepen ties with Arab states has come alongside a deliberate sidelining of the Palestinian issue, limiting prospects for long-term regional reconciliation.

    The war in Gaza has caused widespread destruction, decimated much of the enclave’s infrastructure, and killed at least 58,895 people, according to Gaza-based health authorities. The humanitarian toll has drawn international concern, but shows little sign of prompting a shift in Israeli policy.

    Critics argue the war’s continuation primarily serves the interests of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s governing coalition, which includes far-right and ultra-Orthodox parties. Netanyahu, who is standing trial on corruption charges, has faced internal divisions and consistently poor polling. Recent surveys suggest his coalition partners would not win enough seats to form a government if elections were held today.

    “The coalition now is actually committed to continuing the war,” said Roee Kibrik, head of research at Mitvim – The Israeli Institute for Regional Foreign Policies. “Its survival depends on the war’s continuation.”

    Kibrik said the government appears willing to pursue only limited hostage deals that would avoid ending the war. “If we analyze whether peace or diplomacy is possible under this government, the answer is no,” he said.

    Talks are ongoing in Doha over a possible hostage deal with Hamas. Netanyahu said on Friday that Israel was discussing the release of captives and a potential 60-day ceasefire in Gaza, but blamed Hamas for not engaging seriously.

    Also on Friday, Abu Ubaida, spokesperson for Hamas’ armed wing, said in a televised address that Hamas had repeatedly offered to release all hostages as part of a comprehensive ceasefire deal, but Israel had rejected it. “If the enemy obstructs or withdraws from this round, as it has every time, we cannot guarantee a return to partial deals,” he warned.

    Opposition leaders and families of hostages have accused Netanyahu of prolonging the war for political survival. Demonstrators regularly hold signs reading “The war is killing the hostages,” and describe the conflict as politically motivated to preserve Netanyahu’s rule.

    “The current ruling coalition is focused on staying in power,” said Eyal Zisser, vice rector of Tel Aviv University and a Middle East expert. “Early elections would be disastrous for all coalition members: every poll shows they would lose.”

    To maintain the alliance, he said, Netanyahu must accommodate competing demands: far-right factions insist on continuing the war, while ultra-Orthodox parties seek expanded budgets and draft exemptions.

    Both Zisser and Kibrik believe that the government is not only avoiding diplomatic progress but actively undermining it. “There can be no Palestinian state,” Zisser said, summarizing the coalition’s position. “They oppose even granting autonomy.”

    “Israel wants peace with Arab countries but is not prepared to give anything in return regarding the Palestinians,” he pointed out.

    Genuine progress toward a two-state solution could unlock broad regional cooperation and opportunities, Kibrik said, “but with this government, that option is off the table.”

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Global athletics talents descend on Bochum for University Games

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

    A star-studded athletics roster offers a taste of the Olympics, with Olympians and defending champions set to compete from July 21 to 27 at the FISU World University Games.

    The throwers’ showdown between Cierra Jackson of the United States and Antonia Kinzel of Germany in the women’s discus on July 24 will be a highlight on the field in the Lohrheidestadion in Bochum.

    Jackson, 22, set a championship record of 65.82 meters on her way to grabbing the 2025 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championship title this summer. That prompted the former Fresno State student to turn professional and then, in her first outing as a full-time athlete, Jackson improved her personal best to 67.82m, just 1.68m short of her compatriot Valarie Allman’s gold-winning distance of 69.50m at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

    Defending champion Kinzel, who set her own PB of 62.64m in May, can be counted as a potential challenger to Jackson while competing on home soil.

    “It’s a special feeling to compete in this internationally renowned event in your own country,” Kinzel said.

    “I want to build on my experiences from two years ago in Chengdu, defend my title in the discus throw, and I am really looking forward to the special atmosphere of the FISU Games, giving a little taste of the Olympics.”

    Bayanda Walaza of South Africa is a notable name on the track. He claimed silver in the men’s 4x100m relay at Paris 2024. Aged just 18, and originally a reserve, Walaza ran the leadoff leg in the final, as South Africa won its first ever medal in the event.

    Walaza, who also won the individual sprint double at the U20 World Championships last year, has kicked on this year too. After becoming just the ninth South African to clock under 10 seconds for the 100m, he improved his PB to 9.94 seconds in Zagreb in May. Weeks earlier, Walaza set a South African junior record of 20.08s in the 200m.

    Both PBs meet the qualification criteria for the senior World Athletics Championships, taking place in Tokyo in September.

    Walaza, along with teammate Lythe Pillay, will be looking to secure a 100m-200m-400m clean sweep. Pillay is the 2022 400m U20 world champion and a reigning World Athletics Relays 4x400m gold medalist.

    Fellow South African sprinter Marlie Viljoen is back as the defending champion after she set a PB of 51.42s in the 400m in March.

    Laura Pellicoro (front) of Italy crosses the finish line during the athletics women’s 1500m final at the 31st FISU Summer World University Games in Chengdu, southwest China’s Sichuan Province, Aug. 6, 2023. (Xinhua/Wang Xi)

    The other returning champion is Laura Pellicoro of Italy. Now 24, she won the middle-distance double two years ago and is part of a stellar Italian lineup.

    Dalia Kaddari (Italy) is expected to add something to her long list of achievements which already includes being a two-time Olympian (Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024), European Championship bronze medal in 2022 (4x100m relay), European U23 champion in 2021 (200m) and Youth Olympic Games silver medal in 2018 (200m).

    Edoardo Scotti has been at the center of an impressive 12 months for Italian athletics. He helped his nation finish sixth in the 4x400m mixed relay and seventh in the men’s 4x400m relay at Paris 2024. Then he inspired the team to double silver in the 4x400m mixed and 4x400m men’s relays at the 2024 European Championships in Rome.

    China’s Shu Heng, who is the Asian men’s long jump champion, will try to improve on his PB of 8.22m achieved in May at the Asian Athletics Championships.

    India’s Pooja Singh, at just 1.70 meters tall, will compete as the newly crowned women’s Asian high jump champion. Singh grew up in rural India, with her father taking out loans to fund an athletics journey that began with bamboo poles as crossbars and landing mats fashioned from rice husk and hay.

    Bridget Mbwali from Uganda, a double sprint gold medal winner at last year’s East African University Games, is another decorated runner from Africa. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Is spinal cord stimulation safe? Does it work? Here’s what you need to know if you have back pain

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Caitlin Jones, Postdoctoral Research Associate in Musculoskeletal Health, University of Sydney

    AsiaVision/Getty

    Spinal cord stimulators are electrical devices that are surgically implanted in the body to treat long-term pain. They have a battery pack and leads that deliver electrical impulses directly to the spinal cord. The devices are thought to work by providing electrical impulses that interfere with how the brain senses pain.

    Spinal cord stimulators are mainly used to treat chronic back pain, especially when other less invasive treatments have not worked. They also aim to reduce people’s reliance on risky pain medicines. These include opioids, which research shows are ineffective and harmful for low-back pain.

    But research, including our own, shows spinal cord stimulators work no better than a placebo. And they can also carry risks.

    Do they work?

    In a 2023 Cochrane review, researchers reviewed data from 13 randomised controlled trials on low-back pain and found no benefits in the short and medium term. These international reviews draw together the most robust evidence to provide a detailed summary of what we know on a particular topic.

    Only one of the trials in the review tested efficacy in the longer term (six months). That trial found no benefits of spinal cord stimulation.

    An earlier Cochrane review looked at the evidence of spinal cord stimulation for chronic pain in general, including for neck pain. Reviewers looked at 15 randomised controlled trials and couldn’t be certain about its benefits, largely due to the quality and reliability of the available trials.

    Are there side effects?

    Aside from disappointing results for pain relief, there are risks and side effects to consider.

    We co-authored an analysis of 520 adverse events reported to Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). We found 79% of reported events were rated as severe, with 13% life-threatening. The same research found 80% of events required surgery to correct.

    Our recent analysis in the Medical Journal of Australia looked at data from private health insurers. These cover 90% of spinal cord stimulation implants in Australia. Five major insurers, which covered 76% of privately insured people, contributed de-identified data.

    We found about one-quarter of people who had a spinal cord stimulator implanted needed corrective surgery afterwards. These surgeries occurred within a median of about 17 months. This indicates these surgeries are not routine or expected interventions, such as to replace batteries, which are meant to last five to ten years.

    Our previous research shows the sorts of reasons for corrective surgery. These include to replace a malfunctioning device, or the person was in more pain, had an infection, or a puncture of the delicate tissues covering the spinal cord.

    However, even our latest findings are likely to underestimate the risk of these devices.

    Sometimes the lead delivering the electrical current moves away from the spinal cord to elsewhere in the body. This requires surgery to reposition the lead, but does not necessarily require new hardware, such as a brand new lead. So this type of corrective surgery is not counted in the data from the private health insurance companies.

    How much does it cost?

    We found spinal cord stimulators cost about A$55,000 per patient, including the device, its insertion, and managing any associated additional surgeries.

    For people who only had a “trial” – where the leads are implanted temporarily but the battery pack remains outside the body – this cost was about $14,000 per patient.

    These figures do not include any out-of-pocket costs.

    What do regulators say about the devices?

    In 2022 the TGA began a review of spinal cord stimulators on the market because of safety and performance concerns.

    As a result, several devices were removed from the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods – that is, they were banned from use in Australia, but existing stock could still be used.

    The rest of the devices had conditions imposed, such as the manufacturers being required to collect and report safety data to the TGA at regular time points.

    Should I do my own online research?

    Yes, but be careful. Unfortunately not all online information about spinal cord stimulators is correct.

    Look for sites independent of those who manufacture or implant these devices.

    Government agencies, health departments and universities that have no financial interests in this area may be a better option.

    The Cochrane Library is also a reliable and independent source for trustworthy health information.

    What shall I ask my doctor?

    The Australian health department provides useful advice for consumers about medical implants.

    It says medical implants “are considered higher-risk therapeutic goods, and the decision to get one should not be taken lightly”. It recommends asking your health professional these questions:

    • do I really need this medical implant?

    • what are the risks/benefits?

    • is the medical implant approved?

    • where can I get more information?

    • what happens if I experience an adverse event?

    What else could I do for my back pain?

    There are other treatment options that are effective and have fewer risks than spinal cord stimulation.

    For example, education about how to manage your pain yourself, exercise, cognitive behavioural therapy (a type of psychological therapy), and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicines (such as ibuprofen) all have solid evidence to back them. All offer benefits that are not outweighed by their potential risks.

    Australian research has shown other types of therapy – such as sensorimotor retraining and cognitive functional therapy – are also effective. You can discuss these and other options with your health professional.

    Spinal cord stimulation is a good example of a treatment that got ahead of the evidence. Although the devices have been around since the 1960s, we’ve only had reliable trials to test whether they work in recent years.

    Everyone wants to find ways to help people with chronic pain, but we must ensure medical care is grounded in reliable science.

    Christopher Maher holds a research fellowship funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council.

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

    – ref. Is spinal cord stimulation safe? Does it work? Here’s what you need to know if you have back pain – https://theconversation.com/is-spinal-cord-stimulation-safe-does-it-work-heres-what-you-need-to-know-if-you-have-back-pain-261364

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: The first video of Earth’s surface lurching sideways in an earthquake offers new insights into this force of nature

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Jesse Kearse, Postdoctoral Researcher, Geophysics, Kyoto University

    Sai Aung MAIN/AFP via Getty Images

    During the devastating magnitude 7.7 Myanmar earthquake on March 28 this year, a CCTV camera captured the moment the plate boundary moved, providing the first direct visual evidence of plate tectonics in action.

    Tectonic plate boundaries are where chunks of Earth’s crust slide past each other – not smoothly, but in sudden, violent ruptures.

    The footage shows Earth’s surface lurching sideways, like a gigantic conveyor belt switched on for just a second, as the fault slips.

    What we’re seeing is the propagation of a large earthquake rupture – the primary mechanism that accommodates plate boundary motion at Earth’s surface. These shear fractures travel at several kilometres per second, making them notoriously difficult to observe.

    This video explains the moment Myanmar’s Sagaing Fault ruptured in a large earthquake, allowing the tectonic plate boundary to shift. Research: https://doi.org/10.1785/0320250024.

    These rare events, separated by centuries, have shaped our planet’s surface over millions of years, creating features such as Aotearoa New Zealand’s Alpine Fault and the Southern Alps.

    Until now, seismologists have relied on distant seismic instruments to infer how faults rupture during large earthquakes. This video sheds new light on the process that radiates seismic energy and causes the ground to shake.

    Analysis of the video

    In our new study, we analysed the video frame by frame. We used a technique called pixel cross-correlation to reveal that the fault slipped 2.5 metres sideways over a duration of just 1.3 seconds, with a maximum speed of 3.2 metres per second.

    The total sideways movement in this earthquake is typical of strike-slip fault ruptures, which move the land sideways (in contrast to faults that move land up and down).

    But the short duration is a major discovery.

    The timing of when a fault starts and stops slipping is especially difficult to measure from distant recordings, because the seismic signal becomes smeared as it travels through Earth.

    In this case, the short duration of motion reveals a pulse-like rupture – a concentrated burst of slip that propagates along the fault like a ripple travels down a rug when it’s flicked from one end.

    Capturing this kind of detail is fundamental to understanding how earthquakes work, and it helps us better anticipate the ground shaking likely to occur in future large events.

    Validation of the ‘slickenline’ hypothesis

    Our analysis also revealed something more subtle about the way the fault moved.

    We found the slip didn’t follow a straight path. Instead it curved. This subtle curvature mirrors patterns we’ve observed previously at fault outcrops.

    Called “slickenlines”, these geological scratch marks on the fault record the direction of slip.

    Our work shows the slickenlines we see on outcrops are curved in a manner similar to the curvature seen in the CCTV footage. Based on our video analysis, we can be certain that curved slip occurs, giving credence to our interpretations based on geological observations.

    In our earlier research, we used computer models to show that curved slickenlines could emerge naturally when an earthquake propagates in a particular direction. The Myanmar rupture, which is known to have travelled north to south, matches the direction predicted by our models.

    This alignment is important. It gives us confidence in using geological evidence to determine the rupture direction of past earthquakes, such as the curved slickenlines left behind after the New Zealand Alpine Fault’s 1717 earthquake.

    This first glimpse of a fault in motion shows the potential for video to become a powerful new tool in seismology. With more strategic deployments, future earthquakes could be documented with similar detail, offering further insight into the dynamics of fault rupture, potentially revolutionising our understanding of earthquake physics.

    Jesse Kearse receives funding from Royal Society Te Apārangi Marsden Fund.

    – ref. The first video of Earth’s surface lurching sideways in an earthquake offers new insights into this force of nature – https://theconversation.com/the-first-video-of-earths-surface-lurching-sideways-in-an-earthquake-offers-new-insights-into-this-force-of-nature-261004

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Hold up, humans. Ants figured out medicine, farming and engineering long before we did

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Tanya Latty, Associate Professor in Entomology, University of Sydney

    Tambon Nong Chaeng/Pexels

    Think back to a time you helped someone move a heavy object, such as a couch. While at first the task may have appeared simple, it actually required a suite of advanced behaviours.

    The job needed verbal commands for social coordination (“pivot!”) and anticipation of near-future events (moving other furniture out of the way). It also required a clear, shared vision of the final goal (which room to take the couch to).

    It’s a small but satisfying example of human cooperation. But before we all get too pleased with ourselves, consider that ants – creatures with tiny brains and no capacity for speech – routinely pull off feats that rival, and sometimes exceed, our own.

    Ants routinely pull off feats that rival, and sometimes exceed, our own.
    Andre Moura/Pexels

    Understanding ant intelligence

    Earth is literally crawling with ants. Scientists estimate there are at least 20 quadrillion ants on Earth. That’s 20 followed by 15 zeros – more ants than stars in our galaxy!

    These incredible insects are amongst the most successful organisms on the planet. Part of the success comes from an ability to form complex societies, ranging from a few individuals to millions. And those societies, or colonies, are remarkably co-operative.

    Take, for example, ants’ abilities to move large food items. To do it, they mobilise teams of dozens – or even hundreds – of fellow workers. Together, they efficiently work together to transport the load back to the nest.

    Longhorn crazy ants (Paratrechina longicornis) are even known to clear debris from a path before a heavy object arrives – seemingly anticipating its trajectory and preparing the way.

    One experiment pit longhorn crazy ants against humans, all tasked with moving T-shaped objects (scaled to body size) through tight spaces. In some trials, the human teams were not permitted to speak or use gestures.

    And the result? Ants performed better in larger groups compared to smaller ones, showing the clear benefits of collective action. In contrast, human performance did not improve with group size. And when communication was restricted, human performance declined as group size increased.

    All this highlights how ants rely on collective intelligence, without the need for central control or sophisticated cognition.

    Expert farmers

    Humanity’s invention of agriculture 12,000 years ago is understandably hailed as one of our greatest achievements.

    But leaf cutter ants beat us to it. These ants (from the species Atta and Acromyrmex) evolved to undertake large-scale agriculture about 55 million years ago.

    These ants cut and transport fresh leaves not to eat directly, but to feed a fungus that serves as their main food source.

    This evolutionary partnership allows the ants to feed colonies with populations in the millions.

    Remarkably, leaf cutter ants have also evolved a form of biological pest control to protect their crops from bacteria. Some worker ants patrol the gardens, detecting infected sections of the fungus. Then they apply antibiotics produced by bacteria that live on their bodies.

    What’s more, many ant species farm aphids and other sap-sucking insects.

    As these farmed insects feed on plant sap, they excrete a sugary liquid the ants eagerly collect. In return, ants serve as bodyguards, defending their tiny livestock from predators such as ladybirds and lacewings.

    In some species, queen ants gently carry sap-sucking insects in their jaws as they fly off to start new colonies. Fossilised ants preserved in amber suggest this behaviour evolved up to 20 million years ago, long before humans domesticated animals.

    Ant medicine

    Medical care may seem like a distinctly human innovation. But several ant species have evolved sophisticated ways to treat injuries.

    When a Florida carpenter ant (Camponotus floridanus) is injured during a battle between colonies, its nest-mates will amputate a damaged limb to prevent infection from spreading. Ants receiving this battlefield care are more likely to survive than ants left untreated.

    Some ants can also detect infection and treat infected wounds by cleaning them and applying antimicrobial secretions from specialised glands.

    Master builders

    Some ant species are known to literally put their bodies on the line for the colony.

    Army ants (Eciton burchellii) join their bodies together to form structures. These include bridges across gaps on the forest floor, and “scaffolds” across steep terrain to prevent other ants from slipping.

    Even the nest is made of hundreds of thousands of ants joined together, complete with tunnels and chambers housing the larvae and the queen. The entire structure is packed up and rebuilt each day, after the colony emigrates a few hundred metres into the forest.

    Army ants join their bodies together to form structures.
    Smartse/Wikimedia, CC BY

    Weaver ants (Oecophylla smaragdina), meanwhile, self-assemble into rope ladders to span vertical gaps.

    They also form a line of workers that pull leaves together in treetops to form nests. Once the leaves are winched into place, other ants arrive with ant larvae in their jaws. Each larva produces a tiny blob of silk which the ants use to glue the leaves together.

    Fire ants (Solenopsis invicta), a major pest species, owes its invasive success partly to a unique method of dispersal.

    When their underground nests are flooded by rain, the ants join together into a huge raft which floats on a layer of buoyant larvae. These rafts can ride floodwaters in safety for hundreds of kilometres, until the ants reach dry land.

    When their nests are flooded, fire ants join together into a huge raft.
    TheCoz/Wikimedia, CC BY

    Lessons for humanity?

    Humans rightly take pride in our greatest achievements – agriculture, medicine, engineering and building civilisations. But remarkably, ants mastered these innovations millions of years before we did.

    Ants may be tiny – but by working together they can build complex societies and solve many problems. They might even teach humans a thing or two.

    Tanya Latty co-founded and volunteers for conservation organisation Invertebrates Australia, is former president of the Australasian Society for the Study of Animal Behaviour and is on the education committee for the Australian Entomological Society. She receives funding from the Australian Research Council, NSW Saving our Species, and Agrifutures Australia

    Chris R. Reid receives funding from the Australian Research Council and Macquarie University. He is secretary of the Australasian Society for the Study of Animal Behaviour and is on the education committee for the Australasian Entomological Society.

    – ref. Hold up, humans. Ants figured out medicine, farming and engineering long before we did – https://theconversation.com/hold-up-humans-ants-figured-out-medicine-farming-and-engineering-long-before-we-did-258922

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Why has a bill to relax foreign investment rules had so little scrutiny?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jane Kelsey, Emeritus Professor of Law, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau

    Getty Images

    While public attention has been focused on the domestic fast-track consenting process for infrastructure and mining, Associate Minister of Finance David Seymour has been pushing through another fast-track process – this time for foreign investment in New Zealand. But it has had almost no public scrutiny.

    If the Overseas Investment (National Interest Test and Other Matters) Amendment Bill becomes law, it could have far-reaching consequences. Public submissions on the bill close on July 23.

    A product of the ACT-National coalition agreement, the bill commits to amend the Overseas Investment Act 2005 “to limit ministerial decision making to national security concerns and make such decision making more timely”.

    There are valid concerns that piecemeal reforms to the current act have made it complex and unwieldy. But the new bill is equally convoluted and would significantly reduce effective scrutiny of foreign investments – especially in forestry.

    A three-step test

    Step one of a three-step process set out in the bill gives the regulator – the Overseas Investment Office which sits within Land Information NZ – 15 days to decide whether a proposed investment would be a risk to New Zealand’s “national interest”.

    If they don’t perceive a risk, or that initial assessment is not completed in time, the application is automatically approved.

    Transactions involving fisheries quotas and various land categories, or any other applications the regulator identifies, will require a “national interest” assessment under stage two.

    These would be assessed against a “ministerial letter” that sets out the government’s general policy and preferred approach to conducting the assessment, including any conditions on approvals.

    Other mandatory factors to be considered in the second stage include the act’s new “purpose” to increase economic opportunity through “timely consent” of less sensitive investments. The new test would allow scrutiny of the character and capability of the investor to be omitted altogether.

    If the regulator considers the national interest test is not met, or the transaction is “contrary to the national interest”, the minister of finance then makes a decision based on their assessment of those factors.

    Inadequate regulatory process

    Seymour has blamed the current screening regime for low volumes of foreign investment. But Treasury’s 2024 regulatory impact statement on the proposed changes to international investment screening acknowledges many other factors that influence investor decisions.

    Moreover, the Treasury statement acknowledges public views that foreign investment rules should “manage a wide range of risks” and “that there is inherent non-economic value in retaining domestic ownership of certain assets”.

    Treasury officials also recognised a range of other public concerns, including profits going offshore, loss of jobs, and foreign control of iconic businesses.

    The regulatory impact statement did not cover these factors because it was required to consider only the coalition commitment. The Treasury panel reported “notable limitations” on the bill’s quality assurance process.

    A fuller review was “infeasible” because it could not be completed in the time required, and would be broader than necessary to meet the coalition commitment to amend the act in the prescribed way.

    The requirement to implement the bill in this parliamentary term meant the options officials could consider, even within the scope of the coalition agreement, were further limited.

    Time constraints meant “users and key stakeholders have not been consulted”, according to the Treasury statement. Environmental and other risks would have to be managed through other regulations. There is no reference to te Tiriti o Waitangi or mana whenua engagement.

    Forestry ‘slash’ after Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023: no need to consider foreign investors’ track records.
    Getty Images

    No ‘benefit to NZ’ test

    While the bill largely retains a version of the current screening regime for residential and farm land, it removes existing forestry activities from that definition (but not new forestry on non-forest land). It also removes extraction of water for bottling, or other bulk extraction for human consumption, from special vetting.

    Where sensitive land (such as islands, coastal areas, conservation and wahi tapu land) is not residential or farm land, it would be removed from special screening rules currently applied for land.

    Repeal of the “special forestry test” – which in practice has seen most applications approved, albeit with conditions – means most forestry investments could be fast-tracked.

    There would no longer be a need to consider investors’ track records or apply a “benefit to New Zealand” test. Regulators may or may not be empowered to impose conditions such as replanting or cleaning up slash.

    The official documents don’t explain the rationale for this. But it looks like a win for Regional Development Minister Shane Jones, and was perhaps the price of NZ First’s support.

    It has potentially serious implications for forestry communities affected by climate-related disasters, however. Further weakening scrutiny and investment conditions risks intensifying the already devastating impacts of international forestry companies. Taxpayers and ratepayers pick up the costs while the companies can minimise their taxes and send profits offshore.

    Locked in forever?

    Finally, these changes could be locked in through New Zealand’s free trade agreements. Several such agreements say New Zealand’s investment regime cannot become more restrictive than the 2005 act and its regulations.

    A “ratchet clause” would lock in any further liberalisation through this bill, from which there is no going back.

    However, another annex in those free trade agreements could be interpreted as allowing some flexibility to alter the screening rules and criteria in the future. None of the official documents address this crucial question. As an academic expert in this area I am uncertain about the risk.

    But the lack of clarity underlines the problems exemplified in this bill. It is another example of coalition agreements bypassing democratic scrutiny and informed decision making. More public debate and broad analysis is needed on the bill and its implications.

    Jane Kelsey has received funding from the Marsden Fund for research related to New Zealand’s foreign investment regime and international agreements.

    – ref. Why has a bill to relax foreign investment rules had so little scrutiny? – https://theconversation.com/why-has-a-bill-to-relax-foreign-investment-rules-had-so-little-scrutiny-261370

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Does play belong in primary school? New research suggests teachers are not sure

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katy Meeuwissen, Lecturer in Early Childhood and Primary Education, University of Canberra

    Jon Challicom/ Getty Images

    Play is one of the most important parts of early childhood education in Australia.

    We know children learn about the world through play and it helps them build creativity and independence.

    There is also broad agreement among early childhood educators and policymakers about the importance of play from birth to five years.

    But once children start school, there is less certainty. Despite growing research about the importance of play in primary school, play is not often used for learning in these years.

    Our new study with Australian primary teachers highlights significant confusion about the role of play in their schools.

    Play can benefit older kids

    There is nothing to suggest the importance of play suddenly stops when children reach school age.

    Research shows play can support learning well into the primary years, helping students develop critical thinking, problem-solving and social skills.

    Recent studies even show play has learning benefits well beyond childhood. Young adults (aged 19–25) who engage in regular play have shown improved emotional intelligence and resilience.

    What do we mean by play?

    When we are talking about play in primary school, it is more than just playground time during recess and lunch.

    Play is what children do naturally, whereas play-based learning is when teachers use that natural playfulness as a teaching tool. Teachers will deliberately incorporate various types of play with specific learning goals and varying levels of adult guidance.

    For example, children might explore mathematical concepts such as geometry and spatial reasoning through LEGO construction. Teachers would guide discovery of patterns, measurements and problem-solving, and then step back to allow students to be creative.

    There is also evidence play can support literacy, numeracy and other academic goals, because it supports attention, memory and planning skills that underpin academic learning.

    Research shows it can also help maintain students’ enjoyment of and engagement in their studies.

    So when used effectively, it could be used across the school curriculum.

    Our research

    To better understand what teachers think about play and why they hold these views, we surveyed 238 teachers across Australia primary schools. Teachers ranged from those teaching the first year of primary school through to Year 6.

    Most of the teachers were from public schools. We used an online questionnaire and recruited participants through email and social media.

    Teachers’ different views on play

    The results revealed some inconsistencies in teachers’ views.

    Teachers strongly agreed play benefits children’s development. More than three-quarters (77%) strongly agreed students develop social skills through play, with similar numbers supporting play’s role in emotional, physical and language development.

    One teacher described play as “magic” and “where real learning happens”.

    However, only 52% strongly agreed students develop academic skills during play, revealing uncertainty about play’s educational value. As another teacher told us:

    Play is something that children do and it’s fun for them, however, [it] should be out of school. School is for learning.

    Some teachers still viewed play as separate from learning, with 61% agreeing that “play is a necessary break from learning” – suggesting they see play and learning as distinct entities rather than integrated.

    Adding to this confusion, teachers often used the terms “play” and “play-based learning” interchangeably, despite these being different concepts.

    How should play-based learning be structured?

    Even when teachers valued play in principle, they struggled to provide time for it in their classrooms. Teachers reported feeling caught between covering mandated content and providing meaningful play experiences. As one teacher told us:

    Play is fantastic for children but a challenge when there is so much limited time to cover such a huge curriculum.

    Teachers were also divided about their role in children’s play. Should they structure it? Leave kids alone? Supervise but not interfere?

    Our analysis revealed several distinct approaches, from hands-off supervision to active involvement. This reveals confusion about best practice (the research suggests different approaches can work, depending on the context).

    What can we do instead?

    Our research suggest there is missed opportunity when it comes to structuring play as part of learning in primary schools.

    To address this, we need several changes. Teacher education programs should include training in practical ways to use play as a teaching tool. For example, how to teach science concepts through games and experiments that feel like play to children.

    Professional development should also help existing teachers understand how to structure meaningful play that supports the curriculum.

    At a policy level, we also need better alignment between the early education and primary years, to ensure play does not disappear at the school gate.

    Katy Meeuwissen 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. Does play belong in primary school? New research suggests teachers are not sure – https://theconversation.com/does-play-belong-in-primary-school-new-research-suggests-teachers-are-not-sure-259800

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Hold up, humans. Ants figured out medicine, farming and engineering long before we did

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tanya Latty, Associate Professor in Entomology, University of Sydney

    Tambon Nong Chaeng/Pexels

    Think back to a time you helped someone move a heavy object, such as a couch. While at first the task may have appeared simple, it actually required a suite of advanced behaviours.

    The job needed verbal commands for social coordination (“pivot!”) and anticipation of near-future events (moving other furniture out of the way). It also required a clear, shared vision of the final goal (which room to take the couch to).

    It’s a small but satisfying example of human cooperation. But before we all get too pleased with ourselves, consider that ants – creatures with tiny brains and no capacity for speech – routinely pull off feats that rival, and sometimes exceed, our own.

    Ants routinely pull off feats that rival, and sometimes exceed, our own.
    Andre Moura/Pexels

    Understanding ant intelligence

    Earth is literally crawling with ants. Scientists estimate there are at least 20 quadrillion ants on Earth. That’s 20 followed by 15 zeros – more ants than stars in our galaxy!

    These incredible insects are amongst the most successful organisms on the planet. Part of the success comes from an ability to form complex societies, ranging from a few individuals to millions. And those societies, or colonies, are remarkably co-operative.

    Take, for example, ants’ abilities to move large food items. To do it, they mobilise teams of dozens – or even hundreds – of fellow workers. Together, they efficiently work together to transport the load back to the nest.

    Longhorn crazy ants (Paratrechina longicornis) are even known to clear debris from a path before a heavy object arrives – seemingly anticipating its trajectory and preparing the way.

    One experiment pit longhorn crazy ants against humans, all tasked with moving T-shaped objects (scaled to body size) through tight spaces. In some trials, the human teams were not permitted to speak or use gestures.

    And the result? Ants performed better in larger groups compared to smaller ones, showing the clear benefits of collective action. In contrast, human performance did not improve with group size. And when communication was restricted, human performance declined as group size increased.

    All this highlights how ants rely on collective intelligence, without the need for central control or sophisticated cognition.

    Expert farmers

    Humanity’s invention of agriculture 12,000 years ago is understandably hailed as one of our greatest achievements.

    But leaf cutter ants beat us to it. These ants (from the species Atta and Acromyrmex) evolved to undertake large-scale agriculture about 55 million years ago.

    These ants cut and transport fresh leaves not to eat directly, but to feed a fungus that serves as their main food source.

    This evolutionary partnership allows the ants to feed colonies with populations in the millions.

    Remarkably, leaf cutter ants have also evolved a form of biological pest control to protect their crops from bacteria. Some worker ants patrol the gardens, detecting infected sections of the fungus. Then they apply antibiotics produced by bacteria that live on their bodies.

    What’s more, many ant species farm aphids and other sap-sucking insects.

    As these farmed insects feed on plant sap, they excrete a sugary liquid the ants eagerly collect. In return, ants serve as bodyguards, defending their tiny livestock from predators such as ladybirds and lacewings.

    In some species, queen ants gently carry sap-sucking insects in their jaws as they fly off to start new colonies. Fossilised ants preserved in amber suggest this behaviour evolved up to 20 million years ago, long before humans domesticated animals.

    Ant medicine

    Medical care may seem like a distinctly human innovation. But several ant species have evolved sophisticated ways to treat injuries.

    When a Florida carpenter ant (Camponotus floridanus) is injured during a battle between colonies, its nest-mates will amputate a damaged limb to prevent infection from spreading. Ants receiving this battlefield care are more likely to survive than ants left untreated.

    Some ants can also detect infection and treat infected wounds by cleaning them and applying antimicrobial secretions from specialised glands.

    Master builders

    Some ant species are known to literally put their bodies on the line for the colony.

    Army ants (Eciton burchellii) join their bodies together to form structures. These include bridges across gaps on the forest floor, and “scaffolds” across steep terrain to prevent other ants from slipping.

    Even the nest is made of hundreds of thousands of ants joined together, complete with tunnels and chambers housing the larvae and the queen. The entire structure is packed up and rebuilt each day, after the colony emigrates a few hundred metres into the forest.

    Army ants join their bodies together to form structures.
    Smartse/Wikimedia, CC BY

    Weaver ants (Oecophylla smaragdina), meanwhile, self-assemble into rope ladders to span vertical gaps.

    They also form a line of workers that pull leaves together in treetops to form nests. Once the leaves are winched into place, other ants arrive with ant larvae in their jaws. Each larva produces a tiny blob of silk which the ants use to glue the leaves together.

    Fire ants (Solenopsis invicta), a major pest species, owes its invasive success partly to a unique method of dispersal.

    When their underground nests are flooded by rain, the ants join together into a huge raft which floats on a layer of buoyant larvae. These rafts can ride floodwaters in safety for hundreds of kilometres, until the ants reach dry land.

    When their nests are flooded, fire ants join together into a huge raft.
    TheCoz/Wikimedia, CC BY

    Lessons for humanity?

    Humans rightly take pride in our greatest achievements – agriculture, medicine, engineering and building civilisations. But remarkably, ants mastered these innovations millions of years before we did.

    Ants may be tiny – but by working together they can build complex societies and solve many problems. They might even teach humans a thing or two.

    Tanya Latty co-founded and volunteers for conservation organisation Invertebrates Australia, is former president of the Australasian Society for the Study of Animal Behaviour and is on the education committee for the Australian Entomological Society. She receives funding from the Australian Research Council, NSW Saving our Species, and Agrifutures Australia

    Chris R. Reid receives funding from the Australian Research Council and Macquarie University. He is secretary of the Australasian Society for the Study of Animal Behaviour and is on the education committee for the Australasian Entomological Society.

    – ref. Hold up, humans. Ants figured out medicine, farming and engineering long before we did – https://theconversation.com/hold-up-humans-ants-figured-out-medicine-farming-and-engineering-long-before-we-did-258922

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Is spinal cord stimulation safe? Does it work? Here’s what you need to know if you have back pain

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Caitlin Jones, Postdoctoral Research Associate in Musculoskeletal Health, University of Sydney

    AsiaVision/Getty

    Spinal cord stimulators are electrical devices that are surgically implanted in the body to treat long-term pain. They have a battery pack and leads that deliver electrical impulses directly to the spinal cord. The devices are thought to work by providing electrical impulses that interfere with how the brain senses pain.

    Spinal cord stimulators are mainly used to treat chronic back pain, especially when other less invasive treatments have not worked. They also aim to reduce people’s reliance on risky pain medicines. These include opioids, which research shows are ineffective and harmful for low-back pain.

    But research, including our own, shows spinal cord stimulators work no better than a placebo. And they can also carry risks.

    Do they work?

    In a 2023 Cochrane review, researchers reviewed data from 13 randomised controlled trials on low-back pain and found no benefits in the short and medium term. These international reviews draw together the most robust evidence to provide a detailed summary of what we know on a particular topic.

    Only one of the trials in the review tested efficacy in the longer term (six months). That trial found no benefits of spinal cord stimulation.

    An earlier Cochrane review looked at the evidence of spinal cord stimulation for chronic pain in general, including for neck pain. Reviewers looked at 15 randomised controlled trials and couldn’t be certain about its benefits, largely due to the quality and reliability of the available trials.

    Are there side effects?

    Aside from disappointing results for pain relief, there are risks and side effects to consider.

    We co-authored an analysis of 520 adverse events reported to Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). We found 79% of reported events were rated as severe, with 13% life-threatening. The same research found 80% of events required surgery to correct.

    Our recent analysis in the Medical Journal of Australia looked at data from private health insurers. These cover 90% of spinal cord stimulation implants in Australia. Five major insurers, which covered 76% of privately insured people, contributed de-identified data.

    We found about one-quarter of people who had a spinal cord stimulator implanted needed corrective surgery afterwards. These surgeries occurred within a median of about 17 months. This indicates these surgeries are not routine or expected interventions, such as to replace batteries, which are meant to last five to ten years.

    Our previous research shows the sorts of reasons for corrective surgery. These include to replace a malfunctioning device, or the person was in more pain, had an infection, or a puncture of the delicate tissues covering the spinal cord.

    However, even our latest findings are likely to underestimate the risk of these devices.

    Sometimes the lead delivering the electrical current moves away from the spinal cord to elsewhere in the body. This requires surgery to reposition the lead, but does not necessarily require new hardware, such as a brand new lead. So this type of corrective surgery is not counted in the data from the private health insurance companies.

    How much does it cost?

    We found spinal cord stimulators cost about A$55,000 per patient, including the device, its insertion, and managing any associated additional surgeries.

    For people who only had a “trial” – where the leads are implanted temporarily but the battery pack remains outside the body – this cost was about $14,000 per patient.

    These figures do not include any out-of-pocket costs.

    What do regulators say about the devices?

    In 2022 the TGA began a review of spinal cord stimulators on the market because of safety and performance concerns.

    As a result, several devices were removed from the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods – that is, they were banned from use in Australia, but existing stock could still be used.

    The rest of the devices had conditions imposed, such as the manufacturers being required to collect and report safety data to the TGA at regular time points.

    Should I do my own online research?

    Yes, but be careful. Unfortunately not all online information about spinal cord stimulators is correct.

    Look for sites independent of those who manufacture or implant these devices.

    Government agencies, health departments and universities that have no financial interests in this area may be a better option.

    The Cochrane Library is also a reliable and independent source for trustworthy health information.

    What shall I ask my doctor?

    The Australian health department provides useful advice for consumers about medical implants.

    It says medical implants “are considered higher-risk therapeutic goods, and the decision to get one should not be taken lightly”. It recommends asking your health professional these questions:

    • do I really need this medical implant?

    • what are the risks/benefits?

    • is the medical implant approved?

    • where can I get more information?

    • what happens if I experience an adverse event?

    What else could I do for my back pain?

    There are other treatment options that are effective and have fewer risks than spinal cord stimulation.

    For example, education about how to manage your pain yourself, exercise, cognitive behavioural therapy (a type of psychological therapy), and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicines (such as ibuprofen) all have solid evidence to back them. All offer benefits that are not outweighed by their potential risks.

    Australian research has shown other types of therapy – such as sensorimotor retraining and cognitive functional therapy – are also effective. You can discuss these and other options with your health professional.

    Spinal cord stimulation is a good example of a treatment that got ahead of the evidence. Although the devices have been around since the 1960s, we’ve only had reliable trials to test whether they work in recent years.

    Everyone wants to find ways to help people with chronic pain, but we must ensure medical care is grounded in reliable science.

    Christopher Maher holds a research fellowship funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council.

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

    – ref. Is spinal cord stimulation safe? Does it work? Here’s what you need to know if you have back pain – https://theconversation.com/is-spinal-cord-stimulation-safe-does-it-work-heres-what-you-need-to-know-if-you-have-back-pain-261364

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Federal election feel like ages ago? Parliament is now back. Here’s your political refresher

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jill Sheppard, Senior Lecturer, School of Politics and International Relations, Australian National University

    Tracey Nearmy/Getty

    Despite many pre-election predictions, the 48th Australian parliament looks quite similar to the 47th. The Labor Party has greater representation than before: 94 Members of the House of Representatives (up from 77) and 29 Senators (up from 26).

    The Coalition’s numbers were famously smashed at the election, and will be represented by 43 Members and 27 Senators.

    Despite the landslide electoral victory, Labor’s parliamentary position is not materially improved. It retains a majority in the House of Representatives, but Prime Minister Anthony Albanese faces the problem of finding jobs to keep such a large backbench occupied. Restless politicians reliably create havoc for their leaders (just ask Keir Starmer).

    In the Senate, Labor has more possible paths to a majority, but none is particularly pretty. Pre-election, the government required 12 additional senators to support its legislation. Often this support came from the Coalition, with the crossbench bypassed entirely, as in the case of political donation reforms.

    Other reforms, including workplace relations, were passed by a combination of Greens and independent senators.

    Labor can achieve a majority (38 votes) in the new Senate by negotiating with either the Greens or the Coalition. If neither is forthcoming, Labor can then turn to a disparate group of crossbenchers: four One Nation Senators, plus Fatima Payman, Jacqui Lambie, Ralph Babet and David Pocock.



    Read more:
    Grattan on Friday: New parliament presents traps for Albanese and Ley

    Clearing the decks

    How the new Senate configuration affects Labor’s legislative agenda depends on what exactly that agenda looks like.

    Labor went into the 47th parliament emphasising the Voice referendum, COVID and rising inflation.

    At the end of that term, ten bills were listed for debate but were “timed out” by the constitutional requirement to hold an election.

    The most controversial of these is the proposal to add a new 15% tax on superannuation balances of more than $3 million. The Greens, under previous leader Adam Bandt, promised to support the bill in 2023 pending the government extending superannuation to paid parental leave (which was legislated in 2024 and came into effect on July 1 2025).



    Read more:
    Actually, Gen Z stand to be the biggest winners from the new $3 million super tax

    The Greens continue to support the tax proposal in principle, but want the threshold lowered to $2 million.

    One Nation is strongly opposed. The Coalition has expressed willingness to negotiate on the condition that unrealised gains are exempt from valuations.

    The government has also proposed cutting the number of overseas students at Australian universities, ostensibly due to concerns over exploitation of the student visa program. The Greens have called the proposal “disastrous for tertiary education”.

    Pocock and the Coalition have both called for key changes to the bill. Their primary concerns are about a ministerial power to decide appropriate student numbers without parliamentary approval.

    Despite opposing the bill for different reasons, the Greens and Coalition were willing to team up against the government – perhaps foreshadowing strategy in the new parliament.

    What’s on the horizon?

    Labor announced just 15 specific policy proposals before the election. Only two costed promises are registered with the Parliamentary Budget Office. This gives Labor a free hand to determine its policy agenda in the 48th parliament.

    Right out of the gate, the government promised to cut HECS debt by 20%. Given the Greens would wipe all current HECS debt, they seem likely to wave this through the Senate.

    Treasurer Jim Chalmers has since declared that while “the first term was primarily inflation without forgetting productivity, the second term will be primarily productivity without forgetting inflation”.

    In search of new thinking, the government has announced an economic reform roundtable comprising government, business and experts, and covering economic resilience, skills, new technologies, healthcare reform and clean energy.

    Productivity is notoriously difficult to measure and improve. Whether policies arising from the roundtable will pass the parliament remains to be seen.

    However, the government’s invitation to Shadow Treasurer Ted O’Brien was accompanied with commentary that Chalmers does not believe O’Brien or his leader Sussan Ley are “by their nature constructive, collaborative types”.

    Other election policies should be legislated with ease. The Coalition has already supported purchasing the Port of Darwin, promised instant asset write-offs for small business, and pledged to match Labor’s Medicare spending dollar for dollar.

    The Coalition is also likely to support new fast-track training for 6,000 tradies.

    The Greens will likely support pro-worker reforms. These include legislated weekend penalty rates and new mental health spending.

    In general, the government’s stated agenda is incremental and should be achievable in this parliament. If the Greens won’t play ball, the Coalition will be waiting in line.

    This will probably lead to quixotic policymaking as Labor bounces between two ideologically opposed partners.

    Elsewhere, as in the case of the government’s post-election approval of new licences for gas extraction, policy can happen without parliamentary approval at all.

    In such cases, meaningful opposition will come from the cross- and backbenches, full of politicians eager to make a name for themselves.

    Jill Sheppard receives funding from the Australian Research Council. She worked as an adviser to Coalition parliamentarians between 2003 and 2007.

    Patrick Leslie receives funding from the Australian Research Council.

    – ref. Federal election feel like ages ago? Parliament is now back. Here’s your political refresher – https://theconversation.com/federal-election-feel-like-ages-ago-parliament-is-now-back-heres-your-political-refresher-261360

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA News: President Trump Marks Six Months in Office with Historic Successes

    Source: US Whitehouse

    Today, President Donald J. Trump celebrates the most successful first six months in office for any President in modern American history.

    • Congress passed the One Big Beautiful Bill, thereby delivering the largest tax cut in American history, increasing Americans’ take-home pay by as much as $13,300, and terminating benefits for at least 1.4 million illegal immigrants who were gaming the system.
    • Congress passed President Trump’s historic rescissions package, which will save taxpayers $9 billion in wasteful, politically-motivated funding for leftwing foreign aid scams and biased NPR and PBS.
    • The wholesale price of a dozen eggs is down 53%, or $3.09, since the inauguration and is down 62%, or $5.08, from its March peak.
    • The U.S. economy has now added a net of 671,000 jobs since January 2025, with jobs numbers beating expectations four months in a row. Native-born workers have accounted for all job gains, with native-born employment increasing 2,079,000 while foreign-born employment has fallen 543,000.
    • U.S. Customs and Border Patrol encountered just 6,070 illegal immigrants at the southern border in June — setting a new record low (15% lower than the previous record set in March). Additionally, zero illegal immigrants were released into the U.S. on parole in June, compared to 27,766 a year prior.
    • The administration has ramped up deportations, breaking a record for the number of deportation flights in a month in June. President Trump’s self-deportation push has also been a massive success. Additionally, over 600 known and suspected terrorists have been removed from the United States.
    • At President Trump’s direction, U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement has arrested over 100,000 illegal alien criminals, including over 2,700 members of the vicious Tren de Aragua gang.
    • Following President Trump’s declaration of an energy emergency, the U.S. has reached its fastest rate of new oil and gas drilling permits in years, exceeding the Biden administration by 44%.
    • Since President Trump took office, core inflation has tracked at just 2.1% — levels not seen since the first Trump Administration, when prices were low and stable — and has come in below or at economists’ expectations every single month. Meanwhile, wholesale inflation remained flat in June, while import prices came in far below expectations.
    • Summer gas prices reached their lowest point since 2021, and, inflation-adjusted, are near a 20-year low.
    • President Trump’s deregulatory efforts have already saved Americans over $180 billion, or $2,100 per family of four, with the rollback of automobile-related rules alone expected to save consumers more than $1.1 trillion.
    • President Trump secured a historic agreement for NATO members to raise defense spending to 5% of GDP – a foreign policy feat long thought impossible.
    • Under President Trump’s strong and decisive leadership, the U.S. obliterated Iran’s nuclear program.
    • President Trump secured ceasefires between India and Pakistan and Israel and Iran, a peace agreement between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, and a pathway to stability for Syria.
    • As a result of his historic peacemaking efforts, President Trump has already received three Nobel Peace Prize nominations since returning to office.
    • In May, blue-collar wage growth saw its largest increase in nearly 60 years since President Trump’s return to office.
    • Companies and foreign governments have pledged over $7.6 trillion in investments into the U.S.
    • The U.S. Treasury has taken in nearly $90 billion in tariff duties since January 2025, with the agency posting a record $27.2 billion surplus in June – the first June surplus since 2005.
    • President Trump has once again proved to be the Dealmaker-in-Chief, inking a minerals deal with Ukraine, a $14 billion “perpetual Golden Share” sale of U.S. Steel, and trade deals with the United Kingdom, China, and Indonesia.
    • President Trump has signed over 170 executive orders, delivering on key campaign promises such as closing the border, protecting children from chemical and surgical mutilation, removing men from women’s sports, unleashing American energy, ending federal censorship, ending the radical indoctrination in K-12 schooling, and ending radical and wasteful government DEI programs and preferencing.
    • The S&P 500 and Nasdaq market indices have reached multiple record highs.
    • The Supreme Court consistently bolstered the Trump administration’s agenda, blocking activist judges from issuing nationwide injunctions, permitting “third-country deportations,” greenlighting the revocation of temporary protected status (TPS) from more than 500,000 migrants and approving efforts to shrink the federal bureaucracy.
    • President Trump signed several pieces of landmark legislation, including the Genius Act, the Halt Fentanyl Act, the Laken Riley Act, and the Take It Down Act.
    • The U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force and Space Force all reached their recruitment goals months in advance.
    • The Trump administration has made incredible strides in its effort to Make America Healthy Again, with roughly 35% of the American food industry making a commitment to eliminate the use of artificial dyes, including Hershey, Consumer Brands and dozens of ice cream companies representing more than 90% of the ice cream volume sold in the U.S.
    • President Trump has ensured U.S. benefit programs serve U.S. citizens, with the administration now having protected more than $40 billion in benefit programs from illegal aliens since POTUS signed an Executive Order in February “Ending Taxpayer Subsidization of Open Borders.”
    • President Trump inked an agreement to provide billions of dollars of military equipment to Ukraine, with NATO footing the bill.
    • President Trump has cracked down on international cartels, designating eight Latin American cartels as terrorist groups, including Tren de Aragua, MS-13 and the Sinaloa Cartel.
    • President Trump has solidified the U.S.’s position as the world leader in artificial intelligence, attracting north of $1 trillion in AI investment, including $90 billion in groundbreaking AI and energy investments in Pennsylvania.
    • The U.S. is on track for its lowest murder rate on record following President Trump’s reinstatement of law and order.
    • Following President Trump’s February executive order, universities and school systems have stopped allowing men in women’s sports, including the University of Pennsylvania, the Virginia High School League and the University of Maine System.
    • Hospitals and hospital systems across the country have halted so-called “gender-affirming care” for minors following President Trump’s executive order “protecting children from chemical and surgical mutilation.”
    • In his first six months, President Trump has met with 23 foreign leaders, including three visits from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as well as two visits from the NATO Secretary General — compared to thirteen foreign leaders and the UN Secretary General, the NATO Secretary General, and the Chinese Foreign Minister for Obama and just five in-person visits for Biden. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Six Months of Keeping America Safe Under President Trump and Secretary Noem

    Source: US Department of Homeland Security

    DHS has accomplished more in six months than most Administrations achieve in an entire term

    WASHINGTON – In just six months, President Trump and Secretary Noem have delivered the American people a long list of victories in their mission to secure the homeland and Make America Safe Again. 

    Under their leadership, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has closed the southern border, removed violent criminal illegal aliens, restored law and order to our immigration system, supported Americans in times of crisis, revolutionized our Coast Guard to meet the challenges of the 21st Century, and kept Americans safe. 

    Secured the Southern Border 

    • On day one, President Trump declared a national emergency at the southern border.    
    • President Trump immediately reinstated “Remain in Mexico” and ended catch-and-release.  
    • Daily border encounters have plunged by 93% since President Trump took office.
    • Under President Trump’s leadership, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) has located over 10,000 unaccompanied children.
    • Migrants are turning BACK before they even reach our border— migration through Panama’s Darien Gap is down 99%.
    • President Trump—with $46.5 billion from the Big Beautiful Bill—is finishing the border wall. DHS already has more than 85 miles either planned or under construction with funding from the prior year, in addition to hundreds of miles that are now planned to be funded by the bill. President Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill also includes over $5 billion for new technology and border surveillance.
    • With the Big Beautiful Bill, CBP will get the resources they need to keep America safe, including $4.1 billion to hire additional personnel, including 5,000 more customs officers and 3,000 new Border Patrol agents.
    • In June, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) had the lowest number of nationwide encounters in CBP history at 25,228.
    • The number of nationwide apprehensions in June was also a historic low of just 8,024.   
    • Notably, on June 28, Border Patrol recorded only 136 apprehensions across the entire Southwest Border—the lowest single-day total in agency history.
    • And in both May and June, U.S. Border Patrol reported zero parole releases—reinforcing the Administration’s commitment to ending catch-and-release policies.   

    Removed the Worst of the Worst Illegal Aliens  

    • The Trump Administration empowered our brave men and women in law enforcement to use common sense to do their jobs effectively. 
    • DHS returned to using the term “illegal alien” which is the statutory language. President Trump will not allow political correctness to hinder law enforcement. 
    • The Trump administration has arrested more than 300,000 illegal aliens in 2025 alone.
    • 70% of ICE arrests are criminal illegal aliens with criminal charges or convictions.     
    • The Big Beautiful Bill will allow ICE to arrest and remove even more criminal aliens by providing $14.4 billion for removals, 10,000 new ICE agents, 80,000 new ICE beds, and a $10,000 signing bonus for new ICE agents. This will help ICE achieve as many as 1 million deportations per year.
    • As part of 287(g), DHS partnered with the State of Florida and opened Alligator Alcatraz, giving the Trump administration the capability to lock up some of the worst scumbags who entered the country illegally under the previous administration. The new facility expands facility and bed space by the thousands.
    • Operation Tidal Wave, the first 287(g) enforcement operation coordinated with state and federal law enforcement partners, resulted in over 800 arrests.
    • President Trump and Secretary Noem are empowering state and local law enforcement to get these criminal illegal aliens off our streets. DHS has secured more than 800 signed agreements with state and local partnerships under 287(g).    
    • At the direction of President Trump, CBP and ICE began widescale immigration enforcement operations in sanctuary city Los Angeles and southern California. The month-long operation resulted in arresting some of the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens.
    • In July, federal law enforcement officers executed criminal warrant operations at marijuana grow sites in Carpinteria and Camarillo. At least 14 migrant children have been rescued from potential exploitation, forced labor and human trafficking. Federal officers also arrested at least 361 illegal aliens from both sites in Carpinteria and Camarillo.
    • After weeks of delays by activist judges, the Department of Homeland Security finally deported eight barbaric, violent criminal illegal aliens to South Sudan.    

    Delivering Justice for Victims of Illegal Immigration  

    • President Trump and Secretary Noem reopened the Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement (VOICE) office, which was shuttered by the Biden Administration. President Trump and Secretary Noem are standing up for the victims of illegal alien crime and ensuring they have access to much needed resources and support they deserve.    

    Incentivizing Historic Self-Deportations 

    • President Trump ended the CBP One app that allowed more than one million aliens to illegally enter the U.S. The Trump Administration replaced this disastrous program with the CBP Home app, which has a new self-deportation reporting feature for aliens illegally in the country.
    • President Trump launched Project Homecoming through a presidential EO. The United States is also offering any illegal alien who uses the CBP Home App a stipend of $1,000 dollars, paid after their return to their home country has been confirmed through the app. So far, tens of thousands of illegal aliens have used the app to self-deport.  
    • In addition to offering CBP Home, DHS announced illegal aliens who self-deport through the app will receive forgiveness of any civil fines or penalties for failing to depart the United States. DHS also made CBP Home more user friendly by eliminating certain steps and making it easier than ever for illegal aliens to self-deport.
    • DHS and DOJ are enforcing our immigration laws and fining illegal aliens who do not depart when they are supposed to. So far, nearly 10,000 fine notices have been issued by ICE.  

    Restoring Common Sense to America’s Legal Immigration System 

    • President Trump ended the broad abuse of humanitarian parole and returned the program to a case-by-case basis. As part of this effort, Secretary Noem terminated the Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela parole programs.
    • Following victory at the U.S. Supreme Court, DHS began sending termination notices in June, informing the illegal aliens both their parole is terminated, and their parole-based employment authorization is revoked – effective immediately.
    • DHS has returned the Temporary Protected Status immigration program to its original status: temporary. No longer will this program be abused and exploited by illegal aliens. Secretary Noem rescinded the previous administration’s extension of Venezuelan, Haitian, Nicaraguan, Honduran, and Afghan TPS.
    • Secretary Noem terminated Harvard University’s Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) certification—meaning Harvard can no longer enroll foreign students and existing foreign students must transfer or lose their legal status—for fostering violence, antisemitism, and coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party.
    • It is a privilege, not a right, for universities to enroll foreign students and benefit from higher tuition to help pad their multibillion-dollar endowments. Harvard University repeatedly abused this privilege and even stonewalled DHS’s request for information.   

    Initiating a Golden Age in American Air Travel 

    • Secretary Noem terminated the politically motivated Quiet Skies Program, which since its existence has failed to stop a single terrorist attack while costing US taxpayers $200 million a year. The program, under the guise of “national security,” was used to target political opponents and benefit political allies.
    • TSA ended the “shoes-off” travel policy, allowing passengers traveling through domestic airports to keep their shoes on while passing through security screening at TSA checkpoints. This change will drastically decrease passenger wait times at our TSA checkpoints, leading to a more pleasant and efficient passenger experience.
    • The Trump administration fully implemented REAL ID enforcement measures nationwide—a law signed 20 years ago. REAL ID helps ensure that travelers are who they say they are and prevents fraud by criminals, terrorists, and illegal aliens. Most travelers have not even noticed a difference because nearly 94% of travelers are already REAL ID compliant.
    • Secretary Noem ended collective bargaining for the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) Transportation Security Officers, which constrained TSA’s chief mission to safeguard our transportation systems.  

    Fixing Disaster Relief for the 21st Century 

    • The Federal Emergency Management Agency is now shifting from bloated, DC-centric dead weight to a lean, deployable disaster force that empowers state actors to provide relief for their citizens. The old processes are being replaced because they failed Americans in real emergencies for decades.
    • President Trump has established the FEMA Review Council to provide recommendations on how to best conduct disaster relief at the federal level. 
    • Under Secretary Noem’s leadership, the FEMA Review Council is developing a comprehensive plan for necessary change.
    • DHS has empowered state and local governments to lead disaster relief efforts without interference from the federal government.  

    Provided Rapid and Effective Support to Flood Victims in Texas 

    • Within moments of the flooding in Texas, DHS assets, including the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), CBP Border Search, CBP BORSTAR, and FEMA personnel surged into unprecedented action alongside Texas first responders for search and rescue operations.
    • FEMA deployed 311 staffers delivering critical intelligence, aerial imagery, and shelter for 171 survivors.
    • Combined state and federal rescue efforts evacuated and rescued over 1,500 people.   

    Getting CISA Back on Mission 

    • Under the Biden Administration, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency (CISA) censored free speech and targeted Americans.
    • Under President Trump’s direction, DHS closed CISA’s politically weaponized offices and fired those responsible for abusing their power.
    • CISA is now back on-mission: Protecting Americans and critical infrastructure from cyberthreats.
    • CISA is shifting away from an all-hazards approach to a risk-informed approach, prioritizing resilience and action over mere information sharing. 
    • CISA personnel are deployed across 10 regions in support of all 56 states/territories. 
    • CISA is also on the front lines of defending America from cyberattacks. 
    • CISA partnered with the FBI and NSA to ensure state and local governments have information and resources necessary for protection.
    • CISA is also providing security support for next year’s FIFA World Cup.
    • Secretary Noem discontinued the Critical Infrastructure Partnership Advisory Council (CIPAC) as a part of the implementation of President Trump’s Executive Order 14217, Commencing the Reduction of the Federal Bureaucracy, and removed members of the Cyber Safety Review Board (CSRB), which CISA oversees.  

    Revolutionizing the Coast Guard 

    • When President Trump came back into office, the Coast Guard faced its greatest readiness crisis since World War II because the Biden Administration left it underfunded and neglected.
    • President Trump’s order to surge Coast Guard assets to our maritime border changed the game.
    • In the first few months of the Trump Administration, the Coast Guard seized more cocaine and other illegal drugs than during the entirety of 2024.
    • For the first time in years, the Coast Guard expects to exceed its recruiting goals.
    • In Fiscal Year 2025, the Coast Guard has brought in more than 4,250 recruits – 1,200 more than the same time last year.
    • That’s 108% over the goal.
    • Under Biden, the Coast Guard fell short of its recruiting goals four years straight.
    • Under President Trump and Secretary Noem, the Coast Guard is unleashing “Force Design 2028,” a revolutionary new blueprint that will make the Coast Guard more agile, more capable, and more responsive than ever before.  

    Standing up for the American taxpayer 

    • The United States Coast Guard (USCG) eliminated an ineffective information technology (IT) program, saving nearly $33 million, and is now focusing resources where they’re most needed to protect our homeland. 
    • USCG partially terminated a wasteful Offshore Patrol Cutter (OPC) contract with Eastern Shipbuilding Group (ESG), which has been slow to deliver four OPCs, harming U.S. defense capabilities.
    • The Trump Administration stopped aliens on the Terror Watchlist from receiving Medicaid benefits.     
    • Secretary Noem cancelled CISA’s expensive headquarters project, saving taxpayers over half a billion dollars.  

    To stop policies that were magnets for illegal immigration, DHS froze all funding to non-governmental organizations that facilitate illegal immigration and announced a partnership with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to ensure taxpayer dollars do not go to housing illegal aliens. 

    ###  

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: AIXA Miner Advances Scalable Cloud Mining Solutions as Institutional Blockchain Demand Grows

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Denver, Colorado, July 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —  As the global cryptocurrency infrastructure continues to mature, a growing divide has emerged between large-scale institutional blockchain adoption and the accessibility of underlying mining technologies. In response, leading cloud mining platforms are rethinking how to scale operations while maintaining inclusivity for a broader range of users.

    AIXA Miner, a U.S.-based cloud mining operator, recently announced infrastructure updates aimed at addressing this industry-wide challenge—developments that coincide with a renewed wave of institutional interest in blockchain infrastructure and asset-backed mining contracts.

    According to a 2025 report by Statista, the global cloud mining market is projected to exceed $7.3 billion by 2028, driven largely by enterprise blockchain deployment and passive-income investment models. These trends are reinforcing the need for platforms that can balance regulatory compliance, high-volume hash power, and usability for both corporations and individuals.

    In a press release published on Yahoo Finance earlier this week, AIXA Miner outlined a suite of upgrades including integration with Gemini 2.5 Pro, a real-time AI engine used to optimize mining allocations based on transaction costs and network load. These updates also expanded backend support for large-scale contracts and institutional wallet integrations, timed alongside Bitcoin’s recent surge past $117,000 per coin.

    “What we’re seeing now is a convergence of interest from traditional financial firms and DeFi-native institutions. Many are looking for mining solutions that don’t require hardware investment but still offer performance transparency,” said Elina Chambers, Head of Infrastructure Strategy at AIXA Miner. “Our role is to enable that transition—without excluding individual participants who helped shape the ecosystem.”

    This development reflects a broader industry trend: decentralized infrastructure as a service. As blockchain moves beyond tokenization into supply chains, finance, and data privacy, mining operations are becoming more than just reward generators; they’re foundational compute layers. Institutional investors now demand verifiable uptime, audited compliance, and secure API access for treasury operations, all while being increasingly conscious of sustainability metrics.

    AIXA Miner’s hybrid model, combining contract-based mining for individuals with institutional-grade ASIC/GPU deployment—addresses these priorities through geographic dispersion, energy diversification, and encrypted reporting layers. Recent expansion efforts have centered on renewable-powered data centers across North America and Southeast Asia.

    While these developments are relevant to institutional actors, the company maintains that everyday users remain core to its growth strategy. The platform retains smart contract–based daily payout structures and entry-level plans starting at $100, even as it integrates enterprise wallet compatibility and third-party custodial options.

    From a regulatory standpoint, AIXA’s infrastructure roadmap also appears aligned with the sector’s current direction. In June 2025, the company completed an external audit of its asset verification and system redundancies, a move increasingly expected of platforms serving institutional clients.

    Industry experts note that such dual-tier strategies are likely to become more common as cloud mining seeks to reposition itself from a speculative income source to a standardized financial product. “As cloud mining matures, platforms will need to meet very different requirements on the retail and institutional ends of the spectrum,” said Dr. Lena Moore, a blockchain infrastructure researcher at the University of California. “Scalability will no longer just mean processing power, it will mean operational flexibility, risk mitigation, and reporting transparency.”

    That shift is underscored by developments elsewhere in the crypto sector. In Q2 2025, several exchanges expanded their DeFi analytics platforms to support mining-related metrics, indicating that mining is being folded into broader asset evaluation strategies. Similarly, asset managers are increasingly allocating to mining-yield derivatives and tokenised staking products mechanisms that parallel traditional bond structures.

    In this context, AIXA Miner’s recent platform adaptations represent a relevant case study in the evolution of cloud mining from a niche service into an enterprise-aligned infrastructure solution. Whether the future of mining lies in AI-optimized routing, renewable capacity expansions, or smart wallet integrations, one reality is becoming clear: cloud mining is no longer solely the domain of crypto-native retail users.

    Instead, it is emerging as a structural component of blockchain’s institutional future—one that demands both scale and accessibility in equal measure.

    Media Contact:
    PR Division
    info@aixaminer.com
    https://aixaminer.com

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: AIXA Miner Advances Scalable Cloud Mining Solutions as Institutional Blockchain Demand Grows

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Denver, Colorado, July 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —  As the global cryptocurrency infrastructure continues to mature, a growing divide has emerged between large-scale institutional blockchain adoption and the accessibility of underlying mining technologies. In response, leading cloud mining platforms are rethinking how to scale operations while maintaining inclusivity for a broader range of users.

    AIXA Miner, a U.S.-based cloud mining operator, recently announced infrastructure updates aimed at addressing this industry-wide challenge—developments that coincide with a renewed wave of institutional interest in blockchain infrastructure and asset-backed mining contracts.

    According to a 2025 report by Statista, the global cloud mining market is projected to exceed $7.3 billion by 2028, driven largely by enterprise blockchain deployment and passive-income investment models. These trends are reinforcing the need for platforms that can balance regulatory compliance, high-volume hash power, and usability for both corporations and individuals.

    In a press release published on Yahoo Finance earlier this week, AIXA Miner outlined a suite of upgrades including integration with Gemini 2.5 Pro, a real-time AI engine used to optimize mining allocations based on transaction costs and network load. These updates also expanded backend support for large-scale contracts and institutional wallet integrations, timed alongside Bitcoin’s recent surge past $117,000 per coin.

    “What we’re seeing now is a convergence of interest from traditional financial firms and DeFi-native institutions. Many are looking for mining solutions that don’t require hardware investment but still offer performance transparency,” said Elina Chambers, Head of Infrastructure Strategy at AIXA Miner. “Our role is to enable that transition—without excluding individual participants who helped shape the ecosystem.”

    This development reflects a broader industry trend: decentralized infrastructure as a service. As blockchain moves beyond tokenization into supply chains, finance, and data privacy, mining operations are becoming more than just reward generators; they’re foundational compute layers. Institutional investors now demand verifiable uptime, audited compliance, and secure API access for treasury operations, all while being increasingly conscious of sustainability metrics.

    AIXA Miner’s hybrid model, combining contract-based mining for individuals with institutional-grade ASIC/GPU deployment—addresses these priorities through geographic dispersion, energy diversification, and encrypted reporting layers. Recent expansion efforts have centered on renewable-powered data centers across North America and Southeast Asia.

    While these developments are relevant to institutional actors, the company maintains that everyday users remain core to its growth strategy. The platform retains smart contract–based daily payout structures and entry-level plans starting at $100, even as it integrates enterprise wallet compatibility and third-party custodial options.

    From a regulatory standpoint, AIXA’s infrastructure roadmap also appears aligned with the sector’s current direction. In June 2025, the company completed an external audit of its asset verification and system redundancies, a move increasingly expected of platforms serving institutional clients.

    Industry experts note that such dual-tier strategies are likely to become more common as cloud mining seeks to reposition itself from a speculative income source to a standardized financial product. “As cloud mining matures, platforms will need to meet very different requirements on the retail and institutional ends of the spectrum,” said Dr. Lena Moore, a blockchain infrastructure researcher at the University of California. “Scalability will no longer just mean processing power, it will mean operational flexibility, risk mitigation, and reporting transparency.”

    That shift is underscored by developments elsewhere in the crypto sector. In Q2 2025, several exchanges expanded their DeFi analytics platforms to support mining-related metrics, indicating that mining is being folded into broader asset evaluation strategies. Similarly, asset managers are increasingly allocating to mining-yield derivatives and tokenised staking products mechanisms that parallel traditional bond structures.

    In this context, AIXA Miner’s recent platform adaptations represent a relevant case study in the evolution of cloud mining from a niche service into an enterprise-aligned infrastructure solution. Whether the future of mining lies in AI-optimized routing, renewable capacity expansions, or smart wallet integrations, one reality is becoming clear: cloud mining is no longer solely the domain of crypto-native retail users.

    Instead, it is emerging as a structural component of blockchain’s institutional future—one that demands both scale and accessibility in equal measure.

    Media Contact:
    PR Division
    info@aixaminer.com
    https://aixaminer.com

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: President Museveni Calls for Household Census in Kampala to Refine Parish Development Model (PDM) Budgeting

    Source: APO – Report:

    .

    President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has directed local authorities in Kampala’s five divisions to establish accurate data on the number of households within their jurisdictions to help in the equitable allocation of funds under the Parish Development Model (PDM).

    The call was made on Saturday, July 19, 2025, during his visit to Kyambogo Complex Parish in Nakawa Division, where he met with PDM beneficiaries, including a standout success story, Ms. Mbabazi Lillian.

    The President emphasized the need for a data-driven approach to planning and budgeting for the PDM program, highlighting that the uniform allocation of UGX 100 million per parish annually is insufficient for urban centers with dense populations and high demand for financial support.

    “So, this is the kibalo (calculation) I want in the town: to know how many parishes and how many homesteads are in each parish so that when we plan, we shall give over one million, plus some additional funding, based on the number of homes in that parish,” said President Museveni.

    He noted that urban parishes, like those in Kampala, are experiencing overwhelming demand for PDM funds, and the current funding structure fails to cater effectively to the high number of eligible households.

    During the meeting, President Museveni who was accompanied by the First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Maama Janet Kataaha Museveni, also toured the poultry enterprise of Ms. Mbabazi, a PDM beneficiary who used her UGX 1 million funding to launch a successful poultry business.

    Mbabazi initially purchased 125 broiler chicks with UGX 350,000 and invested the remaining funds in feed and poultry housing. After a month, she sold the broilers for UGX 1.5 million and reinvested in a second round, earning UGX 2.6 million. Her success did not stop there. She later bought 250 more chicks at UGX 700,000 and sold them for UGX 3.2 million. Eventually, she transitioned into layer chicken farming for egg production, purchasing chicks at UGX 6,500 each. After three months, her hens began laying, and she now collects six trays of eggs daily.

    Standing beside her husband, Mr. Samuel Rukundo, Mbabazi expressed gratitude to the President and the government for initiating the PDM.

    “Now I have some achievement because I was badly off due to COVID-19. My children now go to school, and we’re doing well. I have UGX 3 million in savings and have also started a small juice and chips business,” she said.

    Despite her success, she voiced concern over her lack of permanent land, stating that her current residence is on Kyambogo University property, which restricts her expansion.

    Moved by her story, President Museveni congratulated Mbabazi for exemplifying the benefits of PDM when effectively implemented.

    He offered her UGX 10 million to scale up her poultry business and pledged to buy her two acres of land for permanent settlement and farming.

    “When I come here and see that Rukundo and Mbabazi have implemented one of the seven items under the four-acre model, then I feel very happy,” President Museveni stated.

    Additionally, the President extended UGX 10 million in cash to each PDM beneficiary from the Kyambogo complex parish.

    President Museveni used the opportunity to reflect on Uganda’s economic transformation journey since independence. He underscored the challenge of transitioning the population from subsistence farming to a money economy, citing that in the 1960s, only 4% of households were integrated into the monetary system.

    He explained that Uganda’s traditional economy revolved around “3 Cs and 3 Ts”—cotton, copper, coffee, tobacco, tea, and tourism. While some communities, particularly in Buganda and Northern Uganda, engaged in commercial farming, the majority remained in subsistence agriculture.

    “In my district, Ntungamo, there were six shops for Indians and Arabs. But we had land, banana plantations, and cows, just for home consumption. This has been our struggle,” President Museveni said.

    To reverse this, he initiated the four-acre model, a strategic framework advocating for diversified farming focusing on items such as coffee, fruits, pasture for dairy, food crops, and backyard enterprises such as poultry, piggery, or fish farming.

    “Those who listened have moved. Masaka focused on coffee and is doing well. Poultry and dairy are also transforming lives,” he remarked.

    President Museveni narrated the historical evolution of government-led wealth creation initiatives, from the Entandikwa program through LC structures to NAADS and eventually Operation Wealth Creation (OWC). While OWC saw a marked improvement in integrating Ugandans into the money economy, reaching 61% by 2020, President Museveni expressed discontent over reports of favoritism by UPDF officers.

    “I started hearing stories that the soldiers were “baali beegabira bokka” (giving to friends and relatives), spoiling the name of the UPDF. I told them, let the army get out. Let’s give money directly to people at their parishes. If they misuse it, God is there; he will deal with them,” the President said.

    He cited the success of Mbabazi as a vindication of the shift to direct disbursement of funds under the PDM.

    Highlighting the case of Kawempe Division, President Museveni noted that with 22 parishes each receiving UGX 100 million annually, a total of UGX 6.6 billion has been injected into approximately 7,000 households over the past three years.

    “This money, if used wisely, can transform lives. You don’t need a moneylender who charges UGX 400,000 per month, UGX 5.8 million a year. With PDM, you return UGX 1 million plus UGX 120,000 interest in two years,” H.E. Museveni explained, further urging beneficiaries to understand the revolving nature of PDM and not expect lump-sum access to the fund, emphasizing that with patience, all will benefit.

    President Museveni’s visit to Kyambogo marked one of the penultimate events of his nationwide PDM sensitization tour, which has seen him crisscross the country to evaluate impact, inspire uptake, and recalibrate the program’s delivery.

    The grand finale will be held on Sunday, July 20, 2025, at Kololo Independence Grounds in Kampala, where a mega rally is expected to draw thousands of Kampala residents.

    The event in Kyambogo was also attended by key government figures, including Government Chief Whip Hon. Hamson Denis Obua, National PDM Coordinator Hon. Denis Galabuzi Ssozi, KCCA Executive Director, Hajjat Sharifah Buzeki and her deputy Mr. Benon Kigenyi, Presidential Advisors Hajjat Sarah Kanyike and Hon. Florence Nakiwala Kiyingi, among others.

    – on behalf of State House Uganda.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Dmitry Chernyshenko and Andrey Fursenko presented diplomas to graduates of the program for developing personnel reserves in science

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Government of the Russian Federation – Government of the Russian Federation –

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    A group photo of the participants and members of the certification committee after defending their projects and awarding diplomas for the program for developing the management personnel reserve in the field of science, technology and higher education

    July 19, 2025

    Presidential Aide Andrey Fursenko and Dmitry Chernyshenko at the defense of projects of participants of the personnel reserve program

    July 19, 2025

    Defense of projects of participants of the personnel reserve program

    July 19, 2025

    Defense of projects of participants of the personnel reserve program

    July 19, 2025

    Defense of projects of participants of the personnel reserve program

    July 19, 2025

    Dmitry Chernyshenko defends projects of participants of the operational level of the program for development of the personnel management reserve in the field of science, technology and higher education

    July 19, 2025

    Aide to the President Andrei Fursenko, Dmitry Chernyshenko, Chairman of the Council of the Federal Territory “Sirius”, Head of the Educational Foundation “Talent and Success” Elena Shmeleva, Rector of the Presidential Academy Alexei Komissarov congratulated the participants and presented them with diplomas

    July 19, 2025

    Aide to the President Andrei Fursenko, Dmitry Chernyshenko, Chairman of the Council of the Federal Territory “Sirius”, Head of the Educational Foundation “Talent and Success” Elena Shmeleva, Rector of the Presidential Academy Alexei Komissarov congratulated the participants and presented them with diplomas

    July 19, 2025

    Previous news Next news

    A group photo of the participants and members of the certification committee after defending their projects and awarding diplomas for the program for developing the management personnel reserve in the field of science, technology and higher education

    The Government Coordination Centre held a defense of projects and the presentation of diplomas to participants in the operational level of the programme for the development of a management personnel reserve in the field of science, technology and higher education.

    Aide to the President of Russia Andrei Fursenko, Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko, Chairman of the Council of the Federal Territory “Sirius”, Head of the Educational Foundation “Talent and Success” Elena Shmeleva, Rector of the Presidential Academy Alexei Komissarov congratulated the participants and presented them with diplomas.

    “With each stream, the quality of the participants’ work grows. None of the teams approached the task formally; each wanted to create something new, something of their own. As a parting word, I would like to note: it is very important that in all projects that you will supplement and implement in the future, there is an emphasis not only on the process, but also on the final result. Of course, we all want to achieve some personal result. But it is very important that it is comparable in scale and significance to what is necessary for the interests of the country,” said Andrey Fursenko.

    Dmitry Chernyshenko thanked the Presidential Academy and Sirius University for organizing the program. He also noted the importance of the connections developed by the participants, their abilities and decision-making skills.

    “I am glad that our country has acquired even more advanced, more effective managers. They will help domestic science, which, like a huge ship, continues to move forward and has great potential, to become even more effective. We sincerely count on it. The opportunities that were given to the participants are one of the most valuable, effective investments in development, increasing the managerial potential in the field of science. So, good luck, let’s continue working together,” the Deputy Prime Minister said.

    Among them are 6 rectors and 10 vice-rectors of universities, a deputy chairman of the regional government, a deputy governor, regional ministers, 24 doctors of science, 46 candidates of science, and 4 corresponding members of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

    Addressing the graduates, Elena Shmeleva singled out the teams she particularly liked and invited them to internships at the federal territory of Sirius.

    “Each of the project participants underwent a serious selection and intensive training in eight modules of the program, which took place at leading educational and technological sites in Russia. All the students are experienced managers. And it is very important and responsible that it was the Presidential Academy that became the place where they were able to unite into a single professional community to solve the current problems of Russian science and education,” said Alexey Komissarov, Rector of the Presidential Academy.

    The participants were also congratulated and their projects were commented on by Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education Denis Sekirinsky, Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration for Scientific and Educational Policy Yulia Linskaya, and Deputy Director for Research at the N.F. Gamaleya National Research Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology Denis Logunov.

    The program for the development of a personnel management reserve in the field of science, technology and higher education is being implemented on the instructions of the President of Russia Vladimir Putin on the basis of the Presidential Academy’s Graduate School of Management and the Sirius University of Science and Technology in partnership with leading Russian educational centers since 2022.

    The goal of the program is to form a community of young managers in the field of science, technology and higher education, united by a common understanding of the challenges facing the country, and possessing the vision, knowledge, skills and motivation for the effective management of scientific organizations, universities, work in federal and regional executive bodies, and technology companies.

    Participants in the program include vice-rectors of universities and scientific organizations, heads of research departments of Russian technology companies, heads and deputy heads of regional government bodies overseeing the development of science, education and innovation.

    The program consisted of eight educational modules, which were held in Solnechnogorsk, the federal territory “Sirius”, in St. Petersburg, the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug, Novosibirsk, Irkutsk, Pyatigorsk and Moscow. Participants studied approaches to achieving the goals of scientific and technological development of Russia, the green economy, industrial and natural resource potential of the regions, considered issues of education and science in a multicultural context, and also carried out practical work.

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

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Key takeaways from US stablecoin law: What it means for global finance

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

    Photo taken on March 28, 2022 shows the Capitol building in Washington, D.C., the United States. [Photo/Xinhua]

    U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday signed the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins Act, or GENIUS Act, into law, marking the country’s first major federal law governing cryptocurrencies.

    Passed by a bipartisan majority in Congress, the legislation gave an immediate boost to market sentiment: the total value of cryptoassets surged past $4 trillion, according to CoinGecko, a cryptocurrency data aggregator website.

    “This could be perhaps the greatest revolution in financial technology since the birth of the Internet itself,” said Trump.

    What are stablecoins?

    Unlike volatile cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, stablecoins are designed to hold a steady value by being pegged one-to-one to a stable asset, usually to the U.S. dollar. For every stablecoin in circulation, the issuing company is expected to hold equivalent reserves, such as cash or short-term Treasury bonds.

    In a Brookings Institution report, stablecoins currently in circulation have a collective market capitalization of over $250 billion with approximately 99% pegged to the U.S. dollar.

    Among major stablecoin issuers are Tether (USDT) with a market cap of nearly $161 billion, and Circle (USDC) with about $65 billion, according to data from CoinMarketCap.

    “At the end of the day, it’s about being able to send dollars outside of banking hours and to send dollars the way you and I might interact with WhatsApp or messaging platforms,” Circle’s chief strategy officer Dante Disparte told CBS in a recent interview.

    With the GENIUS Act passed, banks, nonbanks and credit unions could dive into the market by issuing their own stablecoins, local media reported.

    Citigroup CEO Jane Fraser said on the company’s earnings call Tuesday that the bank is considering issuing its own form of the cryptocurrency.

    Pros and cons

    Stablecoins emerged in 2014 and have since ballooned in popularity particularly for their potential use in digital payments, said Darrell Duffie, a professor of finance at Stanford University.

    The total market value of stablecoins soared from $20 billion  in 2020 to $246 billion in May 2025, according to analysts at Deutsche Bank.

    U.S. Senator Bill Hagerty said stablecoins could allow businesses and consumers to settle payments “nearly instantaneously,” as opposed to the current system, which can take weeks.

    In some developing countries, where dollars aren’t easily accessible, firms with international partners are turning to stablecoins to speed up transfers that would otherwise take days or weeks through traditional banks.

    However, stablecoins come with mounting concerns. Among the biggest are the depegging risks. If reserve assets lose value or liquidity, stablecoins may break their peg. This can trigger trading losses or systemic market risks to insolvency and liquidity, as seen during the 2023 banking crisis, said a report from S&P Global Ratings.

    Another risk is lack of transparency. John Reed Stark, a former top financial regulator who served as chief of the SEC Office of Internet Enforcement, said, “In most instances, we have no visibility to any stablecoins, no public audits, no examinations, no inspections — who knows what is really going on?”

    A further concern revolves around the potential use of stablecoins by illicit actors, such as drug dealers and scammers. Zhao Yao, a researcher at Renmin University of China, said that the anonymity and decentralized nature of stablecoins could facilitate money laundering and other illegal transactions.

    Implications for U.S. and global finance

    The GENIUS Act aligns with Trump’s pledge to make the United States “the crypto capital of the world.”

    Christian Catalini, founder of the MIT Cryptoeconomics Lab, said this move could usher in mainstream adoption of stablecoins for digital payments and spur growth in the stablecoin industry.

    Lawmakers also passed two other crypto bills, rounding out what Republicans called “Crypto Week.” The Clarity Act will regulate digital commodities beyond stablecoins, and the Anti-CBDC Surveillance State Act prevents the Federal Reserve from issuing any retail central bank digital currency directly to Americans. The Trump administration and crypto advocates see the moves as a step toward mainstream adoption, local media reported.

    Eneko Knorr, CEO of Stabolut, said that stablecoins “strengthen dollar dominance” by boosting demand for dollars and U.S. Treasuries in global trade — though others like Dean Baker, co-director at the Center for Economic and Policy Research, argued that the benefits are “trivial” compared to central bank digital currencies, which offer similar advantages without the risks of private issuers.

    However, one point of controversy in this legislation is whether and how to restrict the ability of the president and other federal politicians from issuing stablecoins of their own, wrote a Brookings Institution commentary.

    The Trump family has direct ties to crypto ventures, including a meme coin called $TRUMP, and a business called World Liberty Financial, which has launched a stablecoin called USD1 — though the White House has said that there are no conflicts of interest present for Trump and that his assets are in a trust managed by his children.

    Hillary Allen, a law professor at American University, said in an interview with CNN that the crypto industry poured money into Trump’s reelection campaign and congressional races. “This is the return on investment for the campaign spending by the crypto industry,” Allen said.

    Critics also worry about unintended macroeconomic consequences. The Economist warned if consumers move funds from bank deposits into stablecoins, banks could lose key funding sources, limiting their ability to lend.

    It also pointed out an irony in U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s ambition to popularize stablecoins globally: Efforts to expand stablecoin use abroad could backfire economically at home — strengthening the dollar but undermining U.S. exports and trade goals.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: South African university programmes to support black students aren’t working. What needs to be done

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Anthea Adams, Lecturer: Academic Staff Development, Rhodes University

    Most universities and colleges have formal and informal programmes and initiatives to support student and staff development. Their goal is to create learning experiences that help students succeed academically. Typically, academic development practitioners design and run these programmes. They are usually academics themselves. To help students, they use tools like data analytics to design tutoring and mentoring programmes. For staff, development might include formal courses, webinars, workshops and seminars. Education researchers Anthea Adams, Sandra Williams, Patricia Muhuro and Charlene Van Wyk-Geduld reflect on their recent paper on academic development in South African higher education.

    What is the role of academic development in South African higher education?

    It started in the early 1980s when black students were first allowed to register at universities that had previously been reserved for white students.

    After 1994 when South Africa became a democracy, the main aim of academic development was to help transform society by giving black students better opportunities to succeed at university.

    Research on whether these efforts were making a difference in improving student learning, and our reflections, show a mismatch between what academic development is supposed to achieve and how it is being carried out in practice.

    What is the mismatch between goals and practices?

    Academic development has come a long way, mainly thanks to government support and funding. There is evidence of this in research and annual progress reports submitted to the Department of Higher Education and Training. This evidence clearly shows the positive impact of academic development efforts over the years.

    But even with these strides, we can’t ignore a major concern: many black students drop out of university or do not progress with their studies as expected. This tells us that there’s a serious disconnect between what academic development aims to achieve and its actual practices.

    One of the biggest red flags is the ongoing gap in graduation rates across different population groups. For example, the Council on Higher Education’s 2022 review of higher education highlighted that in 2018, white students were six percentage points more likely to complete their studies than black students.

    Read more: Why South Africa’s universities are in the grip of a class struggle

    What’s also worrying is that South African curricula and learning approaches are not yet relevant to diverse learning contexts. Students, academic staff and professional organisations like the Higher Education Learning and Teaching Association of Southern Africa have all said that academic development practices may not sufficiently address the academic realities of the majority of students.

    What lessons can we learn?

    We propose that academic development work should be based on research that can genuinely support all students’ success.

    A number of scholars have argued that the quality of current research on academic development work contributes to the mismatch between its goals and actual practices. The research is not yet as theoretical, scholarly and critical as it needs to be to help us fully understand and improve academic development work.

    This critique helps us understand why academic development research often feels limited to one specific context. This is particularly true of research that looks into why some students are dropping out or struggling to complete their studies.
    This kind of research doesn’t offer insights that help practitioners and academics think more broadly about how to apply the findings in different learning contexts.

    Valuable work is being done by both veteran and less experienced academic development practitioners. Their efforts have influenced academic development work as we know it today. But we should respond to the observation that most academic development work is still, in practice, limited to one context.

    What is the way forward?

    Less experienced academic development practitioners and scholars may find it daunting to produce research rich in theory. Therefore, we propose working together in communities of practice to build networks and benefit from reciprocal mentorship opportunities.

    Mentors can be peers or seasoned academic development practitioners and researchers. They can help each other unpack what it means to produce rigorous research based on real-life teaching and learning contexts.

    Working alongside each other and sharing knowledge and expertise can be fulfilling. It can also be the catalyst for building theory that will advance an understanding of academic development work. Opportunities to form peer networks help academics develop confidence and competence as teachers and scholars.

    This kind of work can happen naturally as long as the context is supportive. However, we recognise opportunities for both formal and informal reciprocal mentoring relationships. This is based on our reflections on our teaching experiences and engagements in postgraduate diplomas in higher education.

    Several scholars support the proposal for national directives to develop academics as university teachers and scholars. Professional development initiatives, such as postgraduate diplomas, can be conducive learning spaces where academics can engage in the scholarship of teaching and learning.

    In other words, supported by experienced facilitators, academics can use research and evidence to interrogate how they teach and how students learn.

    Professional development initiatives are not a panacea for the mismatch between academic development goals and actual practices. However, they can be a place where academics help each other to build theory in academic development. Only then, by working together, can academics respond to challenges casting a shadow on academic development work.

    – South African university programmes to support black students aren’t working. What needs to be done
    – https://theconversation.com/south-african-university-programmes-to-support-black-students-arent-working-what-needs-to-be-done-251954

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: South African university programmes to support black students aren’t working. What needs to be done

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Anthea Adams, Lecturer: Academic Staff Development, Rhodes University

    Most universities and colleges have formal and informal programmes and initiatives to support student and staff development. Their goal is to create learning experiences that help students succeed academically. Typically, academic development practitioners design and run these programmes. They are usually academics themselves. To help students, they use tools like data analytics to design tutoring and mentoring programmes. For staff, development might include formal courses, webinars, workshops and seminars. Education researchers Anthea Adams, Sandra Williams, Patricia Muhuro and Charlene Van Wyk-Geduld reflect on their recent paper on academic development in South African higher education.

    What is the role of academic development in South African higher education?

    It started in the early 1980s when black students were first allowed to register at universities that had previously been reserved for white students.

    After 1994 when South Africa became a democracy, the main aim of academic development was to help transform society by giving black students better opportunities to succeed at university.

    Research on whether these efforts were making a difference in improving student learning, and our reflections, show a mismatch between what academic development is supposed to achieve and how it is being carried out in practice.

    What is the mismatch between goals and practices?

    Academic development has come a long way, mainly thanks to government support and funding. There is evidence of this in research and annual progress reports submitted to the Department of Higher Education and Training. This evidence clearly shows the positive impact of academic development efforts over the years.

    But even with these strides, we can’t ignore a major concern: many black students drop out of university or do not progress with their studies as expected. This tells us that there’s a serious disconnect between what academic development aims to achieve and its actual practices.

    One of the biggest red flags is the ongoing gap in graduation rates across different population groups. For example, the Council on Higher Education’s 2022 review of higher education highlighted that in 2018, white students were six percentage points more likely to complete their studies than black students.



    Read more:
    Why South Africa’s universities are in the grip of a class struggle

    What’s also worrying is that South African curricula and learning approaches are not yet relevant to diverse learning contexts. Students, academic staff and professional organisations like the Higher Education Learning and Teaching Association of Southern Africa have all said that academic development practices may not sufficiently address the academic realities of the majority of students.

    What lessons can we learn?

    We propose that academic development work should be based on research that can genuinely support all students’ success.

    A number of scholars have argued that the quality of current research on academic development work contributes to the mismatch between its goals and actual practices. The research is not yet as theoretical, scholarly and critical as it needs to be to help us fully understand and improve academic development work.

    This critique helps us understand why academic development research often feels limited to one specific context. This is particularly true of research that looks into why some students are dropping out or struggling to complete their studies.
    This kind of research doesn’t offer insights that help practitioners and academics think more broadly about how to apply the findings in different learning contexts.

    Valuable work is being done by both veteran and less experienced academic development practitioners. Their efforts have influenced academic development work as we know it today. But we should respond to the observation that most academic development work is still, in practice, limited to one context.

    What is the way forward?

    Less experienced academic development practitioners and scholars may find it daunting to produce research rich in theory. Therefore, we propose working together in communities of practice to build networks and benefit from reciprocal mentorship opportunities.

    Mentors can be peers or seasoned academic development practitioners and researchers. They can help each other unpack what it means to produce rigorous research based on real-life teaching and learning contexts.

    Working alongside each other and sharing knowledge and expertise can be fulfilling. It can also be the catalyst for building theory that will advance an understanding of academic development work. Opportunities to form peer networks help academics develop confidence and competence as teachers and scholars.

    This kind of work can happen naturally as long as the context is supportive. However, we recognise opportunities for both formal and informal reciprocal mentoring relationships. This is based on our reflections on our teaching experiences and engagements in postgraduate diplomas in higher education.

    Several scholars support the proposal for national directives to develop academics as university teachers and scholars. Professional development initiatives, such as postgraduate diplomas, can be conducive learning spaces where academics can engage in the scholarship of teaching and learning.

    In other words, supported by experienced facilitators, academics can use research and evidence to interrogate how they teach and how students learn.

    Professional development initiatives are not a panacea for the mismatch between academic development goals and actual practices. However, they can be a place where academics help each other to build theory in academic development. Only then, by working together, can academics respond to challenges casting a shadow on academic development work.

    The authors 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. South African university programmes to support black students aren’t working. What needs to be done – https://theconversation.com/south-african-university-programmes-to-support-black-students-arent-working-what-needs-to-be-done-251954

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-Evening Report: The first video of Earth’s surface lurching sideways in an earthquake offers new insights into this force of nature

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jesse Kearse, Postdoctoral Researcher, Geophysics, Kyoto University

    Sai Aung MAIN/AFP via Getty Images

    During the devastating magnitude 7.7 Myanmar earthquake on March 28 this year, a CCTV camera captured the moment the plate boundary moved, providing the first direct visual evidence of plate tectonics in action.

    Tectonic plate boundaries are where chunks of Earth’s crust slide past each other – not smoothly, but in sudden, violent ruptures.

    The footage shows Earth’s surface lurching sideways, like a gigantic conveyor belt switched on for just a second, as the fault slips.

    What we’re seeing is the propagation of a large earthquake rupture – the primary mechanism that accommodates plate boundary motion at Earth’s surface. These shear fractures travel at several kilometres per second, making them notoriously difficult to observe.

    This video explains the moment Myanmar’s Sagaing Fault ruptured in a large earthquake, allowing the tectonic plate boundary to shift. Research: https://doi.org/10.1785/0320250024.

    These rare events, separated by centuries, have shaped our planet’s surface over millions of years, creating features such as Aotearoa New Zealand’s Alpine Fault and the Southern Alps.

    Until now, seismologists have relied on distant seismic instruments to infer how faults rupture during large earthquakes. This video sheds new light on the process that radiates seismic energy and causes the ground to shake.

    Analysis of the video

    In our new study, we analysed the video frame by frame. We used a technique called pixel cross-correlation to reveal that the fault slipped 2.5 metres sideways over a duration of just 1.3 seconds, with a maximum speed of 3.2 metres per second.

    The total sideways movement in this earthquake is typical of strike-slip fault ruptures, which move the land sideways (in contrast to faults that move land up and down).

    But the short duration is a major discovery.

    The timing of when a fault starts and stops slipping is especially difficult to measure from distant recordings, because the seismic signal becomes smeared as it travels through Earth.

    In this case, the short duration of motion reveals a pulse-like rupture – a concentrated burst of slip that propagates along the fault like a ripple travels down a rug when it’s flicked from one end.

    Capturing this kind of detail is fundamental to understanding how earthquakes work, and it helps us better anticipate the ground shaking likely to occur in future large events.

    Validation of the ‘slickenline’ hypothesis

    Our analysis also revealed something more subtle about the way the fault moved.

    We found the slip didn’t follow a straight path. Instead it curved. This subtle curvature mirrors patterns we’ve observed previously at fault outcrops.

    Called “slickenlines”, these geological scratch marks on the fault record the direction of slip.

    Our work shows the slickenlines we see on outcrops are curved in a manner similar to the curvature seen in the CCTV footage. Based on our video analysis, we can be certain that curved slip occurs, giving credence to our interpretations based on geological observations.

    In our earlier research, we used computer models to show that curved slickenlines could emerge naturally when an earthquake propagates in a particular direction. The Myanmar rupture, which is known to have travelled north to south, matches the direction predicted by our models.

    This alignment is important. It gives us confidence in using geological evidence to determine the rupture direction of past earthquakes, such as the curved slickenlines left behind after the New Zealand Alpine Fault’s 1717 earthquake.

    This first glimpse of a fault in motion shows the potential for video to become a powerful new tool in seismology. With more strategic deployments, future earthquakes could be documented with similar detail, offering further insight into the dynamics of fault rupture, potentially revolutionising our understanding of earthquake physics.

    Jesse Kearse receives funding from Royal Society Te Apārangi Marsden Fund.

    – ref. The first video of Earth’s surface lurching sideways in an earthquake offers new insights into this force of nature – https://theconversation.com/the-first-video-of-earths-surface-lurching-sideways-in-an-earthquake-offers-new-insights-into-this-force-of-nature-261004

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: International Olympiad in Mental Arithmetic was held in Vladivostok

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

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

    Vladivostok, July 20 (Xinhua) — The International Mental Arithmetic Olympiad “Pacific Cup -2025” was held on Saturday at the Far Eastern Federal University on Russky Island in Vladivostok, bringing together 123 young participants from different regions of Russia and China.

    Acting Consul General of the People’s Republic of China in Vladivostok Wang Jun gave a speech before the competition. According to him, mental arithmetic is an important part of traditional Chinese culture. In 2013, UNESCO officially included mental arithmetic in the list of intangible cultural heritage of humanity, making it a common spiritual treasure. The Olympiad is of great importance for the popularization of mental arithmetic.

    The organizer of the Olympiad is the Eastern Association of Mental Arithmetic. As the director of the association Elena Shumeiko said in an interview with Xinhua, this is a friendly competition that not only allows for strengthening friendship between the peoples of Russia and China, but also gives the participants an opportunity to exchange experiences.

    The head of the Chinese delegation, head of the Abacus and Mental Arithmetic Society of the Chinese city of Yantai Xu Gongcai said that the competition has become a platform for teenagers from China and Russia to express themselves and learn from each other. During the competition, the participants exchanged learning experiences and deepened their understanding of each other’s culture, which contributes to the popularization and development of mental arithmetic in the world. –0–

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

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: After yet another election, Tasmanians are left wondering what the point of it was

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robert Hortle, Deputy Director, Tasmanian Policy Exchange, University of Tasmania

    When the results firmed up a few hours after polling closed on Saturday, many Tasmanians would have been wondering, “what was the point of all that?”.

    A state election only 16 months after the last one looks to have delivered a parliament with a broadly similar distribution of seats.



    Read more:
    Liberals easily win most seats at Tasmanian election, but Labor may form government

    The results

    By the time counting ceased last night, the ABC had the Liberals on 14 seats, Labor on nine, the Greens on five, and three confirmed independents.

    The ABC’s projections of the Tasmanian election, captured at 11:15am on July 20th.
    ABC News

    With 65.3% of the vote counted, four seats remained in doubt. There was a small positive swing to the Liberals (3.3%), while a swing against Labor of 3.1% has them on track for their worst primary vote in more than a hundred years. The final seats may not be confirmed for a couple of weeks.

    Love, Labor’s lost

    At this stage, it looks like Labor’s gambit – instigating the no confidence motion that led to this election – has utterly failed. The party will now need to engage in some sober self-reflection on two fronts.

    First, there is the one-dimensional strategy that brought on the election and allowed the Liberals to blame Labor – and leader Dean Winter in particular – for dragging Tasmanians to the polls again.

    Labor had hoped that targeting the no confidence motion specifically at Premier Jeremy Rockliff would encourage the conservative-leaning Liberal cabinet to turf out their moderate leader.

    It was a near thing. Rockliff’s rivals apparently had almost enough votes to depose him by the time the Governor called the election.

    But did anyone at Labor HQ plan for what would happen if their gamble failed and the Liberals held firm under Rockliff? As Labor’s woefully under-prepared campaign stumbled into motion, it seemed the answer was “no”.

    Second, there will be questions asked about that lacklustre campaign, just as there were in 2024. An opposition could not ask for more favourable conditions: an 11-year incumbent government suffering a string of high profile policy failures; a looming mountain of debt; and ongoing health, education, housing, cost of living and sustainability challenges.

    And yet, Labor suffered negative swings in every seat, and they are battling to match their 2024 result of 10 seats.

    Liberals and Greens hold firm

    The Liberals will be pleased with the result. In the face of the dire circumstances outlined above, they have secured a positive swing in their primary vote and may pick up one or (at an outside chance) two additional seats.

    It doesn’t seem like their pro-stadium stance lost them votes in the north – where the proposal is unpopular – in part because Labor denied themselves a point of difference by also supporting the stadium.

    Another important factor in the north was the recruitment of two former federal Liberal MPs in Bass and Braddon, who are both polling well so far. However, their success may come at the expense of sitting Liberal members.

    The Greens’ vote held steady, with a projected 0.2% increase in their primary vote. All of their MPs had been returned before the close of counting on Saturday night, and they will be hoping one more can scrape through in Braddon.

    The crossbench zoo

    As expected, ex-Labor MP David O’Byrne, centre-left Kristie Johnston, and maverick Northwester Craig Garland were all returned. Johnston and Garland, in particlar, seem to have strongly increased their vote shares.

    There will be at least one new independent, with anti-salmon farm advocate Peter George securing a very strong primary vote in Franklin off the back of his recent federal campaign.

    There is a chance that this broadly progressive crossbench will be joined by climate change denier and pro-gun rights candidate Carlo di Falco (Lyons) from the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers.

    Where to now?

    So how are the major party leaders approaching the looming period of wheeling and dealing? Who’s forming minority government?

    Rockliff was the first to address the tally room on election night. He boldly claimed that the voters had re-endorsed his Liberal government – based on their increased vote share – and said he will ask the Governor to recommission him as premier.

    However, with only 14 or 15 seats, it will be challenging for the Liberals to implement their agenda in a parliament featuring a crossbench that is, for the most part, solidly progressive and vehemently anti-stadium.

    The Greens’ leader, Rosalie Woodruff, also spoke and again extended an offer of cooperation to Labor.

    Finally, as election night drew to a close, Labor Leader Dean Winter stepped up to speak. His tonally confused speech began with a tribute to murdered Tasmanian Police Constable Keith Smith, then shifted to the need for a more collaborative approach to politics. Winter left things on a cliffhanger, essentially saying “let’s wait and see”.

    Observers in the room noted the speech was strikingly similar to that given by former leader Rebecca White following the 2024 election – shortly before she was replaced by Winter.

    Will Labor have a crack at forming government? There would be a few obstacles to this. First, Winter would have to negotiate support from the diverse crossbench, including the Greens, with whom he has previously vowed not to collaborate.

    He and Labor have ignored previous opportunities to seize government in this way, the most recent being just five weeks ago. A change in tack at this stage could be difficult to sell.

    And if Rockliff forges ahead with his stated plan, Labor and the crossbench would need to vote down a new Liberal minority government on the floor of parliament. Labor would need to be very certain of their ability to govern before doing this – or risk another election.

    So while all of the party leaders spoke of maturity and collaboration in their speeches, until actions match words, Tasmanians will be forced to watch the parliamentary shenanigans continue.

    Robert Hortle 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. After yet another election, Tasmanians are left wondering what the point of it was – https://theconversation.com/after-yet-another-election-tasmanians-are-left-wondering-what-the-point-of-it-was-260505

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: ER Report: A Roundup of Significant Articles on EveningReport.nz for July 20, 2025

    ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on July 20, 2025.

    Liberals easily win most seats at Tasmanian election, but Labor may form government
    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 63% of enrolled voters counted in today’s Tasmanian state election, The Poll Bludger is projecting that the final results will give the Liberals 39.7% of the

    Palestine solidarity rally greeted by Rainbow Warrior Gaza protest
    Asia Pacific Report Palestinian supporters and protesters against the 21 months of Israeli genocide in Gaza marched after a rally in downtown Auckland today across the Viaduct to the Greenpeace environmental flagship Rainbow Warrior — and met a display of solidarity. Several people on board the campaign ship, which has been holding open days over

    ICE deportation action lands Marshallese, Micronesians in Guantánamo ‘terror’ base
    By Giff Johnson, editor, Marshall Islands Journal/RNZ Pacific correspondent United States immigration and deportation enforcement continues to ramp up, impacting on Marshallese and Micronesians in new and unprecedented ways. The Trump administration’s directive to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to arrest and deport massive numbers of potentially illegal aliens, including those with convictions from decades

    ER Report: A Roundup of Significant Articles on EveningReport.nz for July 19, 2025
    ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on July 19, 2025.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: HK scientists halt disease using AI

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    The use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the medical field is expanding rapidly, yielding significant breakthroughs.

    One example of this is the patented MOZAIC technology developed by the Chinese University of Hong Kong’s Microbiota I-Center with funding from InnoHK. This innovative solution combines faecal microbiota transplantation with AI, matching suitable microbiota to patients who have Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI).

    Sixty-nine-year-old Chow Yee-mei recalled how she previously suffered with the disease: “I pooped over ten times a day, to the point that I could barely stand. It was not a sharp pain, but an unwell feeling that made you feel an urgent need to go to the toilet. And I was excreting blood. The entire toilet bowl was filled with blood. I cried every day.”

    After seeking treatment from multiple doctors and spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on various antibiotics and other medications, without success, she finally recovered when she underwent MOZAIC.

    The procedure involves selecting beneficial bacteria from the stools of healthy donors and injecting them into a patient’s gut via endoscope to rebuild their gut microbiome.

    “I received the treatment at 8 or 9 o’clock in the morning,” said Ms Chow. “By 5 or 6 o’clock in the evening, I had stopped excreting blood. It was miraculous. It has now been over three years without any recurrence.”

    Growing caseload

    Over the past three years, Hong Kong has recorded more than 3,000 cases of CDI annually.

    Microbiota I-Center Co-Director Prof Francis Chan, a gastroenterology and hepatology specialist, highlighted that the elderly, people with chronic illnesses or inflammatory bowel disease, and frequent users of antibiotics are all high-risk groups. Treatment with standard antibiotics is often ineffective, and the recurrence and mortality rates of the disease are as high as 35% and 40%, respectively.

    “Long-term use of high-dose antibiotics wipes out the beneficial bacteria in the gut, allowing Clostridioides difficile to take hold,” Prof Chan said. “With an ageing population and frequent antibiotic use for various infections, this problem is only set to grow.”  

    Microbial matching

    In 2020, the Microbiota I-Center received InnoHK funding to establish one of Asia’s largest stool sample banks at the Hong Kong Science Park. Its samples are from people of all different ages, nationalities and health conditions. The centre’s MOZAIC solution draws on this bank of samples, leveraging AI to match patients with suitable microbiota.

    “We make use of our huge bio-bank, collected over the years in Asia, including our Chinese population,” Prof Chan explained “Then, with the use of AI, we optimise the matching between the donor and the recipient. Therefore, our success rate, in terms of curing CDI, has approached over 90%.”

    The centre has successfully applied this research in both public and private hospitals in Hong Kong, and the MOZAIC service has now been expanded to all Hospital Authority clusters. As of May this year, the authority had performed over 50 treatments, benefiting 48 patients.

    Recently, the centre received a second round of InnoHK funding. This will allow it to operate for another five years and to expand its research into diagnosing autism and dementia through the gut microbiome, in addition to developing new drugs.

     

    Research ecosystem

    InnoHK’s two research clusters comprise 29 laboratories and centres focused on healthcare and AI & robotics technologies. They span collaborations with over 30 leading universities and research institutions worldwide and engage more than 2,500 local and international researchers working across nearly 500 research projects.

    Commissioner for Innovation & Technology Ivan Lee said InnoHK is committed to helping research teams translate their findings into practical applications.

    “Hong Kong’s university professors are outstanding researchers. By giving additional resources, we hope that our research teams can get a more focused platform to carry out their research and development (R&D).

    “We expect that the complete ecosystem at the Science Park will help them establish networks and connect with potential investors, users of their R&D outcomes, as well as other business partners.”

    Mr Lee described research outcomes to date as successful, with over 1,200 patents being granted or filed.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Liberals easily win most seats at Tasmanian election, but Labor may form government

    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 63% of enrolled voters counted in today’s Tasmanian state election, The Poll Bludger is projecting that the final results will give the Liberals 39.7% of the statewide vote (up 3.0% since the March 2024 election), Labor just 25.7% (down 3.1%), the Greens 14.1% (up 0.2%), the Shooters 3.2% (up 0.9%), the Nationals 1.7% and independents 15.4%.

    Tasmania uses the proportional Hare-Clark system for its lower house elections. As described previously, the five seats Tasmania has at federal elections each return seven members for a total of 35 MPs. A quota for election is one-eighth of the vote, or 12.5%.

    The main Poll Bludger page gives projected quotas for each electorate for the Liberals, Labor and the Greens. The Liberals have just under four quotas in Braddon, over three in Bass and Lyons and over two in Clark and Franklin, suggesting 14 definite seats with more possible.

    Labor is just above or just below two quotas in all five seats, and should win ten seats. The Greens have 1.8 quotas in Clark, over one in each of Franklin, Bass and Lyons and 0.6 in Braddon, so they should win at least five seats.

    Of the independents, environmental campaigner Craig Garland has 0.8 quotas in Braddon and will be re-elected. Left-wing independent Kristie Johnston has 1.3 quotas in Clark, and will also be re-elected. In Franklin, both former Labor leader David O’Byrne and Teal Peter George (0.9 and 1.3 quotas respectively) have been elected.

    In Lyons, the Shooters candidate, with 0.6 quotas, is well positioned to win the final seat. In Bass, it appears more complex, but the final seat is likely to go to either the Liberals or the Shooters. None of the three former Jacqui Lambie Network MPs who won seats at the March 2024 election have been re-elected.

    Overall, the right-wing parties (Liberals and Shooters) are likely to win 16 of the 35 seats, but Labor, the Greens and left-wing independents are likely to win 19 seats. So even though the Liberals will win the most seats, Labor may be able to cobble together a government, but only if they cooperate with the Greens.

    This overall result assumes a 4–3 right split in Bass, Braddon and Lyons, but a 5–2 left split in both Clark and Franklin. In Franklin, the Liberals would be unlucky not to win three with 2.7 quotas, but Labor has 1.8 quotas and preferences from George should assist Labor.

    Many pre-poll votes have not yet been counted, and postals won’t be counted until next week. Postals are likely to assist the Liberals. The postal effect should be accounted for by The Poll Bludger’s projections.

    YouGov poll badly understated Liberals

    A late YouGov poll, conducted July 7–18 from a sample of 931, gave the Liberals 31% of the statewide vote (steady since June), Labor 30% (down four), the Greens 16% (up three), the Nationals 2%, the Shooters 1% and independents 20% (up two).

    A two-party vote is not applicable in Tasmania’s proportional system, but this poll gave Labor a 55–45 lead over the Liberals. Labor leader Dean Winter also led Liberal incumbent Jeremy Rockliff as better premier by 55–45. Rockliff was at -19 net approval and Winter at -13.

    The only other public Tasmanian polls were conducted by DemosAU. The final DemosAU poll, which I covered on Tuesday, gave the Liberals 34.9%, Labor 24.7%, the Greens 15.6%, the Nationals 2.7%, the Shooters 1.8% and independents 20.3%.

    The results show the Liberals headed for about a 14-point vote share win over Labor, so YouGov badly understated them.

    Federal Bradfield legal challenge

    Last Monday the Liberals challenged Teal Nicolette Boele’s 26-vote win in Bradfield at the May 3 federal election to the High Court, acting as the Court of Disputed Returns. Boele will be seated until the court resolves the case.

    The court can either confirm Boele’s win, void the election for this seat and order a byelection in Bradfield, or overturn the result and declare the Liberal candidate elected.

    After the official declaration of the election on June 12, the 40-day period for legal challenges to the results expires on Tuesday. Tuesday will also be the first sitting of federal parliament since the election, though it could have sat at any time after June 12.

    The Bradfield challenge will delay a Labor vs Liberal two-party count in that seat until the challenge is resolved. It’s likely the Australian Electoral Commission’s (AEC) current estimate in Bradfield is understating Labor, and therefore Labor is being very slightly understated nationally.

    DemosAU polls on democracy in Australia and Queensland federal

    DemosAU has emailed me a poll on democracy and voting systems in Australia. This poll was conducted in two waves in May and June from a total sample of 1,713.

    By 69–12, respondents thought Australian democracy is something to be proud of, and by 71–19 they did not think Australia needs a PM like Donald Trump. By 67–15, respondents trusted the AEC. By 53–23, they did not want the number of MPs increased.

    Asked for preferred voting system in the House of Representatives, 36% selected compulsory preferential voting (CPV), 27% first past the post (FPTP), 25% optional preferential voting (OPV) and 12% proportional representation (PR).

    Head to head, CPV and OPV both beat FPTP by 53–47, while CPV beat OPV by 54–46. All single-member systems were much preferred to PR.

    I previously covered the Queensland state DemosAU poll. In the federal Queensland poll, Labor led by 53–47 (50.6–49.4 to the Coalition at the election). Primary votes were 35% Labor, 31% Coalition, 13% One Nation, 12% Greens and 9% for all Others.

    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. Liberals easily win most seats at Tasmanian election, but Labor may form government – https://theconversation.com/liberals-easily-win-most-seats-at-tasmanian-election-but-labor-may-form-government-261255

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: How the QAnon movement entered mainstream politics – and why the silence on Epstein files matters

    Source: The Conversation – USA (3) – By Art Jipson, Associate Professor of Sociology, University of Dayton

    QAnon supporters wait for Donald Trump to speak at a campaign rally at Atlantic Aviation on September 22, 2020, in Moon Township, Pennsylvania. eff Swensen/Getty Images

    The Justice Department asked a federal court on July 18, 2025, to unseal grand jury transcripts in Jeffrey Epstein’s case. The direction from President Donald Trump came after weeks of frustration among some far-right groups over his administration’s refusal to release the complete and unredacted “Epstein files.”

    Epstein, a wealthy financier with high-profile connections, was arrested in 2019 on sex trafficking charges and later died by suicide in a Manhattan jail awaiting trial.

    In early 2025, a federal court unsealed portions of the court documents. While names of some of the alleged clients and victims were released, many were redacted or withheld.

    Epstein’s arrest and death became a central focus for QAnon followers, who saw them as proof of a hidden global elite engaged in child trafficking and protected by powerful institutions. The release – or withholding – of the Epstein files is often cited within QAnon movement circles as evidence of a broader cover-up by the so-called “deep state.”

    Some followers of the MAGA – Make America Great Again – movement and the Republican Party believe in the false claim that the United States is secretly controlled by a cabal of elites who are pedophiles, sex traffickers and satanists.

    Over time, what started as a baseless conspiracy on obscure platforms has migrated into the mainstream. It has influenced rhetoric and policy debates, and even reshaped the American political landscape. The foundational belief of many of the QAnon followers is that Trump is a heroic figure fighting the elite pedophile ring.

    Trump’s attempts at downplaying or obstructing the very disclosures they believe would validate their worldview has led to confusion. To some, the delay in the release of the files feels like a betrayal, or even the possibility of his wrongdoing. Others are trying to reinterpret Trump’s actions through increasingly baseless conspiracy logic.

    Trump has publicly dismissed demands for the full release of the Epstein Files as a “hoax.” He has also made false claims. On July 15, 2025, Trump said: “And I would say that, you know, these files were made up by Comey. They were made up by Obama.”

    As a scholar who studies extremism, I know that the movement views Trump as a mythological figure and it interprets Trump’s actions to fit this overarching narrative – an elasticity which makes the movement both durable and dangerous.

    From Pizzagate to QAnon

    The QAnon movement began with the Pizzagate conspiracy theory in 2016, which falsely claimed that high-ranking Democrats were operating a child sex trafficking ring out of a Washington, D.C., pizzeria. The baseless theory gained enough online momentum that a man armed with an assault rifle stormed the restaurant, seeking to “free the children.”

    In 2017, an anonymous figure called “Q” began posting cryptic messages on message boards like 4chan and 8kun. The baseless accusations of a global network of elites involved in controlling global institutions, including governments, businesses, and the media, as well as operating a child trafficking and ritual abuse, were central to the QAnon movement’s narrative.

    Supporters of President Donald Trump with messages referring to the QAnon conspiracy theory at a campaign rally at Las Vegas Convention Center on February 21, 2020.
    Mario Tama/Getty Images

    The movement has recruited followers through language like “Save the Children,” to mobilize around issues of child trafficking.

    The QAnon movement recruits new followers through appeals to stop child trafficking.
    Hollie Adams/Getty Images

    Many QAnon adherents, particularly women, were drawn to the movement through such appeals to child protection. According to psychologists Sophia Moskalenko and Mia Bloom, this type of appeal taps into powerful emotional instincts, making conspiracy theories like QAnon more persuasive and harder to dislodge, even in the face of contradictory evidence.

    QAnon movement’s rise

    QAnon followers perceived Trump as a messianic figure working to expose this cabal in a climactic reckoning known as “The Storm” – a moment when mass arrests would finally bring justice.

    They claimed that this moment would eventually bring about a “Great Awakening,” a reference to the religious revivalist movements of the 18th and 19th centuries. In this context the phrase described the supposed political and spiritual enlightenment that would follow “The Storm” – a moment of mass realization when people would “wake up” to the truth about the “deep state.”

    Trump reposted an image of himself wearing a Q lapel pin overlaid with the words ‘The Storm is Coming.’
    Olivier Douliery/AFP via Getty Images

    In 2019, the FBI identified QAnon as a domestic terrorism threat, and major social media platforms began banning related content, but by then, QAnon had bled into mainstream conservative politics. Q-endorsing candidates, such as Marjorie Taylor Greene, ran for and won elected office a year later.

    Trump and QAnon

    During Trump’s first administration – from 2017 to 2021 – the QAnon movement flourished. The posts from Q claimed to reveal insider knowledge of a secret war being waged by the president, often in coordination with the military, against the powerful elite.

    Trump never explicitly endorsed the movement, but he did little to distance himself from it.

    His administration also included figures, like former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn, who openly interacted with Q content online.

    Trump’s rhetoric, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2020 election, gave new life to QAnon narratives. When he questioned the integrity of the electoral process, QAnon followers interpreted it as confirmation of the deep state’s meddling.

    However, after Trump’s loss to Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential race, QAnon followers revised their original prophecy to maintain belief in “The Storm” and “The Great Awakening.” Some claimed the defeat was part of a larger secret plan, with Biden’s presidency serving as a cover for exposing the deep state. Some believed Trump remained the true president behind the scenes, while others reframed the awakening as a spiritual rather than political event.

    Indeed, by 2020, several congressional candidates openly embraced or showed sympathy for the QAnon movement.

    At various campaign rallies in 2022 and after Trump used the movement’s symbolism. On Truth Social, his social media platform, he retweeted Q-affiliated accounts, and praised QAnon supporters as “people who love our country.” That same year he reposted an image of himself wearing a Q lapel pin overlaid with the words “The Storm is Coming.”

    After the 2020 elections

    Trump’s departure from the White House in January 2021 created an existential crisis for the QAnon movement. Predictions that he would declare martial law or arrest Joe Biden and other Democrats on Inauguration Day failed to materialize. Q’s posts also stopped, leaving many followers adrift.

    Some abandoned the theory. Others rationalized the failed predictions or embraced new conspiracy narratives, such as the belief that Trump was still secretly in charge or that the military would soon act to reinstate him.

    Some QAnon communities merged with or were absorbed into broader anti-vaccine, anti-globalist, and Christian nationalist movements.

    How big is the movement?

    Estimating the number of QAnon believers is difficult because many individuals do not openly identify with the movement, and those who do often hold a range of loosely connected or partial beliefs rather than adhering to a consistent or uniform ideology. Not everyone who shares a Q meme or echoes a Q talking point identifies as being part of the movement.

    That said, surveys by groups like the 2024 Public Religion Research Institute and the Associated Press have found that 15–20% of Americans believe in some of QAnon’s core claims, such as the existence of a secret group of Satan-worshipping elites controlling the government.

    Among Republican voters, the number is often higher.

    This does not mean all these people are hardcore QAnon adherents, but it does show how far the narrative, or parts of it, has seeped into mainstream thinking.

    Epstein as evidence of ‘the cabal’

    The Trump administration’s failure to disclose the information in Epstein files has fueled internal confusion, disillusionment and even radicalization within the movement.

    For some QAnon believers, this failure was a turning point: if Trump – once seen as the hero in the conspiracy narrative – would not or could not reveal the truth, then the “deep state” must be more entrenched than imagined.

    At the same time, frustrations have grown within MAGA and the QAnon movement’s spaces. Some see it as a failure to fulfill one of his most important promises: exposing elite pedophiles. Others believe the delay is strategic, another example of “the plan” requiring more patience.

    The QAnon movement continues to evolve, even as its central figure hedges and hesitates, showing how potent myths can be in times of uncertainty. In my view, understanding why this belief continues to gain traction is essential for understanding the current state of American democracy.

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

    – ref. How the QAnon movement entered mainstream politics – and why the silence on Epstein files matters – https://theconversation.com/how-the-qanon-movement-entered-mainstream-politics-and-why-the-silence-on-epstein-files-matters-261316

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Winners of the Obraztsov Government Prize in Transport Science and Technology have been determined

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Government of the Russian Federation – Government of the Russian Federation –

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    Order of July 18, 2025 No. 1953-r

    Document

    Order of July 18, 2025 No. 1953-r

    Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin signed an order to award prizes in the field of transport science and technology named after V.N. Obraztsov in 2025.

    The award, established in 2023, is presented in three nominations: for merits in the field of transport science and transport education, for contribution to the development of transport and transport construction, for the implementation of innovative technological solutions in transport and in the field of transport construction. The award is named after Vladimir Nikolaevich Obraztsov, a Russian and Soviet scientist, theorist and practitioner of transport systems development.

    The laureate of the award for achievements in the field of transport science was the scientific director of the Russian University of Transport, Igor Rosenberg.

    The General Director of Simferopol International Airport LLC, Evgeny Plaksin, was awarded for his contribution to the development of transport and transport construction, including for his services in the field of public administration in the transport complex.

    The prize for the implementation of innovative technological solutions in transport and transport construction was awarded to the Director of Medicine at Russian Railways, Elena Zhidkova.

    The awards, worth 1 million rubles each, will be presented on November 20, when the country celebrates Transport Workers Day.

    Mikhail Mishustin announced his decision to establish the Obraztsov Prize atplenary session of the forum “Russia 2035: Towards a New Transport Economy”, which took place in November 2023.

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

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Tackling mpox through global and local collaboration in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

    Source: APO


    .

    Mpox continues to strain the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s health system. Between 1 January and 31 May 2025, the country reported more than 12 000 suspected cases and 22 deaths, accounting for over 50% of all mpox cases in Africa this year.

    In response, World Health Organization (WHO) and the Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN) are supporting the country’s efforts to strengthen clinical care, improve detection and build the skills and engagement of frontline responders.  

    GOARN, a network coordinated by WHO that supports countries respond to health emergencies by deploying personnel and resources, mobilized seven specialists to support Democratic Republic of the Congo’s mpox response. Working both on the ground and remotely from Nairobi, the team provided expertise in treatment, data analysis, epidemiology, and disease surveillance.

    Among them was Dr Andre Basilua Muzembo, a case management specialist from the University of Hyogo in Japan. Over nearly two months, he worked with health professionals at national level and WHO teams covering logistics, infection prevention, vaccination, and mpox response to ensure effective coordination.

    At Clinique Kinoise, Kinshasa’s main referral centre for severe mpox cases, he provided support to help address critical challenges. The facility, with 42 beds and an average of 20 patients, operated with just around five out of 95 staff trained on mpox management. Chronic shortages of gloves, medicines, and essential equipment, combined with limited access to laboratory testing and difficult working conditions, contributed to a mortality rate of around 10%.

    During more than 30 visits to five mpox treatment centres across Kinshasa, mainly in Clinique Kinoise, he mentored staff in compassionate care, worked with colleagues to improve hygiene practices and helped coordinate delivery of medicines and medical supplies. He also worked closely with Kokolo, Vijana, Masina Cinquantenaire and Kinkole treatment centres to streamline referrals and maintain continuity of care.

    The response team placed special attention to high-risk groups, including children, pregnant women, and people living with HIV. Some pregnant patients arrived with foetal deaths, partly due to difficulties in accessing essential diagnostic tools such as ultrasound. In collaboration with the National AIDS Control Programme (PNMLS) and Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), at least five HIV-Mpox co-infected patients were referred for specialized treatment.

    When two mpox cases were detected in a Kinshasa orphanage, an emergency vaccination reached 30 people at risk. Alerts on cases of infected prisoners at Kokolo Hospital, followed by more than 30 cases reported at Ndolo prison, underscored the need for sustained outreach in vulnerable settings.

    As part of efforts to strengthen the health system beyond the immediate response, 59 front-line workers, including 27 doctors and 32 nurses from the Clinique Kinoise received training in clinical management of mpox.

    Heavy flooding then complicated the outbreak response, requiring a more coordinated and multisectoral efforts. Response teams faced overlapping emergencies—managing mpox and cholera while supporting displaced communities. At four evacuation sites, including Stade Tata Raphaël and Bandalungwa, WHO and partners delivered essential supplies such as medicines, cholera kits, and hygiene items.

    “Despite extremely difficult working conditions, I witnessed how important it was to work to save lives with determination, compassion and team spirit. Resilience is not just about coping with adversity, it’s about living through it with those affected, listening to those on the edge of despair and doing what we can with even the most modest of means,” says Dr Muzembo.  

    These deployments are possible thanks to the support of UK public health rapid support team, Public health agency of Canada, Research institute of nursing care for people and community, University of Hyogo, and European centre for disease prevention and control.

    “This mission underscores the critical importance of partnership and collaboration in health emergencies,” said Dr Jerry-Jonas Mbasha, GOARN focal point at WHO Regional Office for Africa and WHO operational partnerships officer. “GOARN is a vital pillar in the Global Health Emergency Corps, ensuring a coordinated health emergency workforce that is both rooted in countries and connected regionally and globally.”

    “GOARN brings in targeted expertise to address critical gaps on the ground. With hands-on support and capacity strengthening, we are empowering countries to manage emergencies themselves. While the challenges in DRC remain, our continued mission is to work together, contain the outbreak, and build long-term resilience in the health system,” says Dr Mbasha.

    As the DRC continues to respond to mpox, joint efforts by national and international partners highlight the importance of collaboration. “This mission has not only helped us respond to the outbreak but also strengthened the local health system in ways that will last well beyond the end of the current crisis,” says Dr Boureima Hama Sambo, WHO Representative in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of World Health Organization (WHO) – Democratic Republic of Congo.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Malaysia’s close cooperation with China will enhance its ability to meet EV adoption targets: analyst

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

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

    KUALA LUMPUR, July 19 (Xinhua) — Malaysia has significantly accelerated its clean energy development and industrial restructuring in recent years, showing strong momentum in the electric vehicle (EV) sector and deepening cooperation with China in technology and investment in this area, Lee Pei Mei, an analyst with the International Islamic University Malaysia, told Xinhua.

    Malaysia’s shift to EVs has been supported by both domestic policy frameworks and external technology partnerships, she said. In particular, China’s advanced and cost-effective EV technologies have helped develop the country’s EV ecosystem and support its green industrial transformation.

    “China’s global expansion in the EV industry is not limited to just selling vehicles, it also involves the transfer of technological capabilities. Chinese companies are localizing production, investing in research and development and building supply chains, helping Malaysia build a comprehensive EV ecosystem,” Li Pei Mei emphasized.

    She noted that China’s EV sector is known for its vertically integrated value chain, spanning R&D, manufacturing, sales, after-sales service and standard setting. Several leading Chinese companies have already adapted this business model in Malaysia.

    Malaysia’s ambition to become a regional hub for electric vehicle manufacturing is centred on the Automotive High-Tech Valley (AHTV) project in Tanjung Malim, which is expected to attract significant investment and cement the country’s status as a global EV producer.

    Li Pei Mei added that the AHTV project is not limited to being a production site, but also supports the development of local talent in areas such as artificial intelligence, software development and automotive innovation.

    The analyst stressed that Chinese companies also benefit from this partnership and access to the Malaysian market. In her view, the growing middle class and favorable investment environment in Southeast Asia are the main attractions for them. “By expanding into Southeast Asia – especially in business-friendly countries like Malaysia – they gain access to new consumer bases and cost advantages,” she explained.

    Lee Pei Mei also noted that the right combination of policy support, strategic cooperation and industry alignment has put Malaysia on a solid path to becoming a leader in EVs in the region.

    “This is a classic win-win situation. Malaysia gets technology, jobs and industrial depth. China gets markets and long-term strategic partnerships. Together, both sides are shaping the future of green mobility in Asia,” she concluded. –0–

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

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    MIL OSI Russia News –