Headline: ‘STEM for ALL’ : Thales Joins the Singapore-Industry Scholarship (SgIS) Programme
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As a Sponsoring Organisation with SgIS, Thales will provide Singaporean undergraduate students scholarships in a comprehensive programme that includes internship, mentoring and a starting career with Thales.
With this initiative, Thales is extending its ‘STEM for ALL’ programme to Singapore, the first launch outside Europe, with its dedicated mission to advance STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) education amongst youth.
In its inaugural intake, four nominated scholars will undertake engineering or research roles in strategic sectors including air traffic management, public security, cybersecurity and digital identity, working within Thales businesses and research labs like the Thales Digital Factory.
With engineers comprising one-third of Thales Singapore’s 2000+ employees, the Group has a strong interest in promoting STEM education and growing the next generation of engineering talent. On 29thJuly, Thales was proud to join SgIS as a Sponsorship Organisation at its launch event and to present awards to the scholars, aligning with the government’s mandate to develop young talent in Singapore’s strategic sectors.
Established in 2012, SgIS is an initiative which partners government and industries to nurture a strong core of Singaporean talent in 16 strategic industries which include Aerospace & Aviation and Engineering. It is the only government-led, multi-industry scholarship under the Ministry of Education which provides talented Singaporean students access to close to 150 Sponsoring Organisations, giving them development opportunities as they further their studies and begin their professional careers.
Throughout May and June, over 100 potential candidates with diverse skillsets were introduced to Thales by SgIS and invited to an Open Day to get to know Thales’ businesses. From this, over 40 were taken through rigorous technical assessments, following which 12 were further shortlisted for panel interviews with Thales experts and business leaders to further assess their technical expertise and leadership attributes.
Four talented candidates from the Nanyang Technological University (NTU), the Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) and the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) were the final recipients of the Thales award. Currently at different stages in their university education, the four students will progressively join the cybersecurity and digital identity, public security, air traffic management and Thales Digital Factory teams over the next 2 years.
Expanding the Thales Group’s STEM for ALL Programme to Singapore
In early 2025, Thales, through its endowment fund Thales Solidarity, launched its STEM for ALL programme in France and Belgium to foster vocation in scientific fields to remarkable young students.
By partnering the SgIS programme, Thales is extending the Group’s ambition in endorsing STEM education worldwide by reinforcing academic excellence. Singapore is the first country outside of Europe to have a STEM scholarship programme under the STEM for ALL umbrella.
“Thales recognises the essential role that science and technology play in furthering human progress and creating a world that is safer, greener and more sustainable. Many of the younger generation are passionate about making an impact and we are constantly looking for talented individuals, skilled in STEM, to help bring this ambition to life.”said Emily TAN, Country Director & Chief Executive, Thales in Singapore.“The scholars we selected have strong technical skills which we hope to nurture when they join the Thales family. I believe that their enthusiasm to learn, coupled with the mentorship opportunities and experiences within Thales, will provide a good starting point for their careers.”
About Thales
Thales (Euronext Paris: HO) is a global leader in advanced technologies for the Defence, Aerospace, and Cyber & Digital sectors. Its portfolio of innovative products and services addresses several major challenges: sovereignty, security, sustainability and inclusion.
The Group invests more than €4 billion per year in Research & Development in key areas, particularly for critical environments, such as Artificial Intelligence, cybersecurity, quantum and cloud technologies.
Thales has more than 83,000 employees in 68 countries. In 2024, the Group generated sales of €20.6 billion.
About Thales in Singapore
Thales established its presence in Singapore in 1973 to support the growth of aerospace activities in Asia. Since then, it has grown to be a leading deep-tech company operating in the Aeronautics (including avionics and air traffic management), Defence, Public Security, Cybersecurity & Digital Identity sectors.
Thales in Singapore runs global industrial operations for avionics and digital identity solutions and has a strong commitment to Research, Technology and Innovation, with Centres of Excellence for radars, naval drones, space, avionics, public security and defence. With over 2000 employees across four locations, Thales is actively supporting Singapore in driving its digital transformation and Smart Nation ambitions.
Source: United States Senator for Louisiana Bill Cassidy
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) announced he secured $70,286,000.00 in Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) in the latest Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Appropriations bills advanced by the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee. These projects, included in the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD) and Interior & Environment bills, fund critical infrastructure improvements across Louisiana.
“To make Louisiana even better, we must fix outdated sewer systems, congested roadways, and aging infrastructure,” said Dr. Cassidy. “I worked to return our federal tax dollars, supporting communities in 14 different parishes with better roads, better sewer systems, and stronger infrastructure.”
Since taking office, Cassidy has been one of the most effective U.S. Senators at directing federal dollars home to Louisiana, despite not serving on the Appropriations Committee. In FY2024, Roll Call reported Cassidy was one of the top 20 senators in total funding secured for his state—and one of only five in that group who does not sit on the committee. That year, he secured a record $1.3 billion for Louisiana, the highest of any member of the state’s congressional delegation.
This latest round of $70 million builds on the $49 million Cassidy announced earlier this month, bringing the total secured so far in FY2026 to over $115 million with more expected in the coming weeks.See below for a list of the funding secured by Senator Cassidy.
Funding Amount
Recipient
Project Description
$8,000,000.00
Jefferson Parish
This funding will support the West Bank Rail Alignment Project.
$7,500,000.00
City of Lafayette
This funding will support Johnston Street Safety Mitigation and Enhancements.
$7,000,000.00
City of Kenner
This funding will support stabilization and improvements to the city’s sewer and wastewater treatment plant.
$6,500,000.00
Nicholls State University
This funding will support the Engineering Workforce Development Center in Thibodaux.
$5,000,000.00
Tangipahoa Parish
This funding will support the Airport Road and Highway 3158 Roundabout Project.
$5,000,000.00
Livingston Parish
This funding will support the Browns Road Improvement Project.
$5,000,000.00
City of Covington
This funding will support the US 190 Widening Project.
$5,000,000.00
Baton Rouge
This funding will support the McKinley Diversion Canal Retrofit Project.
$5,000,000.00
Lake Charles Harbor and Terminal District
This funding will support harbor and terminal district improvements.
$5,000,000.00
Ascension Parish
This funding will support the Airline Highway Raising Project.
$4,500,000.00
City of Monroe
This funding will support improvements to the Benoit Community Center.
$2,000,000.00
City of St. George
This funding will support safety improvements along Burbank Drive.
$1,700,000.00
Chennault International Airport
This funding will support their Hangar and Apron Development Project.
$1,500,000.00
University of New Orleans
This funding will support upgrades to the Shea Penland Coastal Research Educational Facility.
$1,500,000.00
City of Lake Charles
This funding will support the North Lake Charles Water Rehabilitation Project.
$86,000.00
Kisatchie National Forest
This funding will support cooperative law enforcement in adjacent parishes (Grant, Vernon, Winn).
NANCHANG, China, July 31, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Ruanyun Edai Technology Inc. (“Ruanyun” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: RYET), a leading AI-powered education technology company in China, today announced its financial results for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2025.
Key Financial Performance Highlights
Revenue decreased by 27.0% to $6.7 million in FY2025, primarily due to declines in SmartHomework® platform development and digitalization services, despite significant increases in revenues from SmartHomework® software customization and content development, and licensing sales, which rose by 3117% and 5492%, respectively, along with a 70.4% growth in SmartExam® services driven by international expansion after the IPO.
Gross profit rose 29.1% to $3.8 million, with gross margin improving from 32.1% to 56.7%, driven by a shift to higher-margin software services.
As a result, net loss narrowed to $0.5 million from $2.1 million.
Yan Fu, Founder and CEO of Ruanyun, commented: “In FY2025, despite our decrease in total revenue, our software customization and content development segment saw strong growth. As policy changes in China impacted revenue from some of our services, we’re strategically shifting towards higher-margin software and AI-based services like AI-OCR for greater efficiency and customer diversification.”
“Aggressive cost management significantly strengthened our financials. Cost of revenue dropped by more than 50% to approximately $2.9 million. This led to a substantial 29.1% gross profit increase to approximately $3.8 million, expanding our gross margin by 24.6% to 56.7%. Consequently, our net loss narrowed significantly to approximately $0.5 million in FY2025 from approximately $2.1 million a year earlier.”
“Looking ahead, our U.S. IPO has already enabled the international replication of our business model, demonstrated by services provided to Lorpzenst Innovations LLC in the United States. Furthermore, our advancements in AI-based digital technology services, particularly with AI-OCR, present broad applicability beyond our current focus. In Saudi Arabia our innovative Chinese language learning platform, HanLink, has already established local partnerships and we are structured to keep expanding in the Middle Eastern region. We believe that this technological foundation and our proven operational model position us well for potential expansion into vocational, postgraduate, and adult education sectors, as well as broader geographic markets. Ruanyun believes that these strategic shifts, combined with improved profitability and efficient cost management, lay the groundwork for sustainable long-term growth and enhanced value for our shareholders.”
Fiscal Year 2025 Financial Results
For fiscal years ended March 31
In USD Millions, except %, differences due to rounding.
2025
2024
Variances %
Total revenues
6.7
9.2
(27.0)
Cost of revenues
2.9
6.2
(53.5)
Gross profit
3.8
2.9
29.1
Loss from operations
(0.5)
(2.1)
(77.1)
Net loss
(0.5)
(2.1)
(75.3)
Revenue The Company’s revenue has primarily come from two main product lines: SmartExam® solution and SmartHomework® solution. These solutions generate revenue through six core streams: platform development, other testing services, software customization and content development, licensing, personalized exercise books and MOTK Pro, and digitalization services.
Revenue decreased by approximately $2.5 million, or 27.0%, from approximately $9.2 million in fiscal year 2024 to approximately $6.7 million in fiscal year 2025. The decrease in revenue primarily reflects a decrease in SmartHomework® solution digitalization services and SmartHomework® solution platform development, which was partially offset by an increase in SmartHomework® solution software customization and content development sales, as explained in details below.
The following table presents our revenue breakdown for the years indicated in absolute amounts:
For the years ended March 31
USD million, except %, differences due to rounding
2025
2024
Variances %
SmartExam® solution
0.7
0.6
15.5
SmartHomework® solution
6.0
8.6
(29.8)
Total revenues
6.7
9.2
(27.0)
SmartExam® Solution
Platform Development revenue decreased by $97,758, or 31.5%, to $212,377 in FY2025 from $310,135 in FY2024, due to a smaller project scale, despite completing one project each year. Future growth hinges on capturing market share in China’s computerized testing sector.
Other Services revenue jumped 70.4%, from $265,707 in FY2024 to $452,881 in FY2025. This growth is largely due to our U.S. IPO enabling international business replication, notably with Lorpzenst Innovations LLC in the United States.
SmartHomework® Solution
Platform Development revenue decreased significantly by approximately $2.6 million, or 81.8%, to $571,658 in FY2025 from approximately $3.1 million in FY2024. This decline was primarily due to the high capital risk of upfront hardware investments and extended repayment cycles for domestic government projects, leading us to reduce these constructions.
Software Customization and Content Development revenue soared by 3117%, from $74,138 in FY2024 to approximately $2.4 million in FY2025. This surge was driven by standardized, rapidly replicable software products meeting customer needs and enabling robust market expansion in China.
Licensing revenue increased by 5492%, from $2,748 to $153,666, despite a decrease from two subscribers in FY2024 to one in FY2025. This significant growth is attributable to our standardized question bank’s broad applicability, extending our reach to higher-paying vocational education.
Personalized Exercise Book and MOTK Pro revenue decreased by $55,040, or 62%, from $88,815 in FY2024 to $33,775 in FY2025. The drop was primarily due to changes in Chinese education policies prohibiting direct value-added service fees to students/parents, an impact we couldn’t fully offset despite seeking new collaborations such as with telecom operators.
Digitalization Services revenue decreased by approximately $2.4 million, or 45.5%, from approximately $5.3 million in FY2024 to approximately $2.9 million in FY2025. This was largely due to Chinese education policies limiting supplementary materials. However, this service is no longer a core focus of Ruanyun as the Company transitions to AI-based digital technology services using proprietary AI Optical Character Recognition (AI-OCR). This technology efficiently processes and converts various documents and images, enabling intelligent recognition, automated data collection and processing, automated data entry and verification, and customized OCR solutions.
Cost of Revenue
Cost of revenue decreased by approximately $3.3 million, or 53.5%, from approximately $6.2 million in FY2024 to approximately $2.9 million in FY2025. The decrease was primarily attributable to the Company’s plan to discontinue businesses with significant hardware investment, reduce cost input, and increase gross profit.
Gross Profit and Margin
Gross profit increased by $855,732, or 29.1%, from approximately $2.9 million in FY2024 to approximately $3.8 million in FY2025. Gross margin increased by 24.6% from 32.1% in FY2024 to 56.7% in FY2025.
This increase was primarily due to personnel optimization and a strategic shift towards higher-margin software development and service businesses, boosting overall gross profit.
Operating Expenses
Operating expenses decreased by $779,212, or 15.4%, from approximately $5.1 million in FY2024 to $4.3 million in FY2025. The decrease was primarily due to reductions in selling expenses and research and development expenses, partially offset by an increase in general and administrative expenses.
Selling Expenses
Selling expenses decreased by $583,900, or 24.7%, from approximately $2.4 million in FY2024 to approximately $1.8 million in FY2025. This decrease was primarily due to a reduction of $787,847 digital publishing expense, partially offset by an increase in consulting services. The decline in digital publishing expense aligns with the decrease in digitization service revenue.
General and Administrative Expenses
General and administrative expenses increased by $125,377, or 8.7%, from approximately $1.4 million in FY2024 to approximately $1.6 million in FY2025, while core administrative expenses remained flat.
Research and Development Expenses
Research and development expenses decreased by $320,689, or 25.6%, from approximately $1.3 million in FY2024 to approximately $0.9 million in FY2025. This decrease primarily resulted from lower employee compensation and benefits for early-stage research, reduced rent expense and other R&D expense reductions.
Net loss
Net losses for FY2025 and FY2024 were approximately $0.5 million and approximately $2.1 million, respectively. This was primarily attributable to the decrease in revenue not being able to cover costs and operating expenses.
Cash balances
As of March 31, 2025 and March 31, 2024, cash balances were approximately $0.7 million and $1.1 million, respectively.
Recent Developments
On July 11, 2025, Ruanyun announced partnership with the Confucius Institute at Prince Sultan University to bring its AI-powered HanLink platform to Saudi Arabia’s first national online Confucius Institute.
On May 20, 2025, Ruanyun announced the successful launch and pilot of its innovative Chinese language learning platform, HanLink via a four-week trial at Riyadh’s Education & Skills International School in Saudi Arabia.
On April 09, 2025, Ruanyun completed its initial public offering on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange, raising total gross proceeds of approximately $15 million, before deducting underwriting discounts and other offering expenses.
About Ruanyun Edai Technology Inc.
Ruanyun Edai Technology Inc. is an innovative AI-driven education technology company dedicated to transforming the K-12 education landscape in China. By leveraging proprietary AI-powered solutions, the Company provides intelligent learning tools, assessment platforms, and adaptive learning systems that enhance academic performance and streamline educational processes. Committed to modernizing education, the Company empowers schools, teachers, and students with cutting-edge teaching, learning, and evaluation tools through the integration of AI and the internet, fostering a more efficient and effective learning model. For more information, please visit: http://www.ruanyun.net/, https://investors.ruanyun.net/.
Forward-Looking Statement
This press release contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include statements concerning plans, objectives, goals, strategies, future events or performance, and underlying assumptions and other statements that are other than statements of historical facts. When the Company uses words such as “may, “will, “intend,” “should,” “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “project,” “estimate” or similar expressions that do not relate solely to historical matters, it is making forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties that may cause the actual results to differ materially from the Company’s expectations discussed in the forward-looking statements. These statements are subject to uncertainties and risks including, but not limited to, the uncertainties related to market conditions and other factors discussed in the “Risk Factors” section of the registration statement filed with the SEC. For these reasons, among others, investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance upon any forward-looking statements in this press release. Additional factors are discussed in the Company’s filings with the SEC, which are available for review at www.sec.gov. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly revise these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that arise after the date hereof.
SANTA BARBARA, Calif., July 31, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — AppFolio (NASDAQ:APPF), the technology leader powering the future of the real estate industry, today announced that its Board of Directors has appointed Tim Eaton as the Chief Financial Officer of AppFolio, effective July 30, 2025.
Eaton’s appointment follows a distinguished tenure at AppFolio, where he most recently served as Interim Chief Financial Officer since October 2024. Since joining AppFolio in 2020, he has also held other key positions including Chief of Staff to the CEO and various other leadership roles. Before joining AppFolio, Eaton built a strong foundation through his work in financial, strategic, and operational positions at Visa, Google, and Goldman Sachs. He earned his M.B.A. in finance and entrepreneurship from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, a B.S. in Business Management from Brigham Young University, and is a CFA charterholder.
“Tim’s appointment reflects his impactful leadership in positioning AppFolio for long-term growth and success,” said Shane Trigg, CEO of AppFolio. “I look forward to continuing to partner with Tim as we drive AppFolio’s path forward, focused on creating even greater value for our customers, our people, and our shareholders.”
“AppFolio’s future is bright, and I am deeply proud to be part of an organization that values continuous innovation, close customer partnerships, and building trust every day,” said Eaton. “We are building the platform where the real estate industry comes to do business, and I am honored to fully embrace the CFO role and help lead our exceptional team as we power the future of the real estate industry.”
About AppFolio AppFolio is the technology leader powering the future of the real estate industry. Our innovative platform and trusted partnership enable our customers to connect communities, increase operational efficiency, and grow their business. For more information about AppFolio, visit appfolio.com.
For more information, please contact: Stephanie Mitchell pr@appfolio.com
Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, which statements are subject to considerable risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements include all statements that are not statements of historical fact contained in this press release, and can be identified by words such as “anticipates,” “believes,” “could,” “estimates,” “expects,” “intends,” “may,” “plans,” “potential,” “future’” “predicts, “projects,” “target,” “seeks,” “contemplates,” “should,” “will,” “would” or similar expressions and the negatives of those expressions. In particular, forward-looking statements contained in this press release relate to future operating results and financial position, including the Company’s fiscal year 2025 financial outlook, anticipated future expenses and investments, the Company’s business opportunities, the impact of the Company’s strategic actions and initiatives, the effect of the Company’s 2025 Share Repurchase Program, the potential benefits and effect of the Company’s resident experience related services, including FolioSpace, and their impact on the Company’s plans, objectives, expectations and capabilities.
Forward-looking statements represent AppFolio’s current beliefs and expectations based on information currently available and speak only as of the date the statement is made. Forward-looking statements are subject to numerous known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the Company’s actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. The risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the Company’s actual results, performance or achievements to materially differ from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements include those risks, uncertainties and other factors described in the section entitled “Risk Factors” in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024, which was filed with the SEC on February 6, 2025, as such risk factors may be updated from time to time in our subsequent filings with the SEC, and the section entitled “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in the Company’s most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K or Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, as well as in the Company’s other filings with the SEC. You should read this press release with the understanding that the Company’s actual future results may be materially different from the results expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements.
The Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements made in this press release to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this press release or to reflect new information or the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as required by law.
Thirty-five research labs at the University of Calgary and University of Alberta will receive more than $8.4 million in grants through the Research Capacity Program to help researchers get the essential equipment they need to expand their work.
With a strong focus on health innovation and life sciences, advanced manufacturing, artificial intelligence and quantum science, this round of funding will support high-impact economic projects, including AI-powered health diagnostics, energy, quantum computing and wildfire management, furthering Alberta’s global competitiveness in AI, advanced manufacturing and health innovation.
“Our province has a strong history of being on the leading edge of science. Programs like the Small Equipment Grant help ensure Alberta’s world-class institutions and their researchers can continue to make groundbreaking discoveries, commercialize their work for the benefit of all Albertans and Canadians, and compete for talent on the world stage.”
Providing Alberta researchers with the equipment they need strengthens the province’s globally competitive position, and helps post-secondary institutions attract and retain top-tier talent from around the world, supporting economic diversification and technological growth in Alberta.
“Alberta’s universities are at the leading edge of research and innovation, developing solutions to many of the most pressing issues we face today. Research and commercialization are essential to fostering economic growth and addressing productivity challenges, and this investment will help Alberta remain globally competitive in a rapidly changing innovation landscape.”
“This investment is a catalyst for innovation at the University of Calgary. It enables our researchers to access the specialized tools they need to accelerate discovery and tackle real-world challenges. From health innovation to quantum science, this funding strengthens our ability to deliver research that drives meaningful impact for Albertans.”
The Research Capacity Program is a competitive, multi-stream funding program designed to help Alberta post-secondary institutions expand their research capacity. Its Small Equipment Grant stream covers up to 40 per cent of the costs and enables researchers to buy specialized lab equipment.
Successful applicants are selected through a rigorous, multi-disciplinary review process that assesses each proposal for its innovation, feasibility and potential for real-world impact to ensure that only the best solutions are chosen for funding.
Quick facts
Alberta’s government has invested more than $570 million into post-secondary research through the Research Capacity Program since it was established in 2000.
More than 70 per cent (7,250 of 10,000) of the skilled professionals recruited or trained by a lab funded through the Research Capacity Program stay in Alberta.
Funding decisions for the Research Capacity Program grants are recommended by an external Multidisciplinary Review Panel, which independently assesses proposals based on academic excellence, alignment with Alberta’s priorities and potential impact.
This process ensures impartiality, as the panel’s expert peer review is independent and adheres to best practices used by leading research bodies like the Canada Foundation for Innovation and National Institutes of Health.
The Research Capacity Program has multiple competition streams, including the College-Industry Innovation Grant, Research Infrastructure Grant and Small Equipment Grant.
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Duncan Caillard, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, School of Communication Studies, Auckland University of Technology
Jason Momoa’s historical epic Chief of War, launching August 1 on Apple TV+, is a triumph of Hawaiians telling their own stories – despite the fact their film and TV production industry now struggles to be viable.
The series stars Momoa (Aquaman, Game of Thrones) as Kaʻaina, an ali’i (chief) who fights for – and later rises against – King Kamehameha I during the bloody reunification of Hawaii.
Already receiving advance praise, the nine-episode first season co-stars New Zealand actors Temeura Morrison, Cliff Curtis and Luciane Buchanan, alongside Hawaiian actors Kaina Makua, Brandon Finn and Moses Goods.
A passion project for Momoa, the Hawaiian star co-created the series with writer Thomas Pa’a Sibbett after years in development. With a reported budget of US$340 million, it is one of the most expensive television series ever produced.
It is also a milestone in Kānaka Maoli (Native Hawaiian) representation onscreen. Controversially, however, the production only spent a month in Hawaiʻi, and was mostly shot in New Zealand with non-Hawaiian crews.
Momoa has even expressed an interest in New Zealand citizenship, but the choice of location is more a reflection of the troubled state of the film industry in Hawaiʻi. On the other hand, it is a measure of the success of the New Zealand screen industry, with potential lessons for other countries in the Pacific.
Ea o Moʻolelo – story sovereignty
Set at the turn of the 19th century, Chief of War tells the moʻolelo (story, history) of King Kamehameha I’s conquest of the archipelago.
Hawaiʻi was historically governed by aliʻi nui (high chiefs), and each island was ruled independently. Motivated by the threat of European colonisation and empowered by Western weaponry, Kamehameha established the Hawaiian Kingdom, culminating in full unification in 1810.
The series is an important example of what authors Dean Hamer and Kumu Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu have called “Ea o Moʻolelo”, or story sovereignty, which emphasises Indigenous peoples’ right to control their own narrative by respecting the “the inalienable right of a story to its own unique contents, style and purpose”.
Chief of War is also the biggest Hawaiian television series ever produced. Although Hawaiʻi remains a popular setting onscreen, these productions have rarely involved Hawaiians in key decision-making roles.
Sea of troubles
The series hits screens at a time of major disruption in Hollywood, with streaming services upending established business models.
“Linear” network television faces declining viewership and advertising revenue. Movie studios struggle to draw audiences to theatres. The consequences for workers in the the industry have been severe, as the 2023 writers strike showed.
Those changes have had a catastrophic impact on the Hawaiʻi film industry, too.
Long a popular location – Hawaii Five-O (1968-1980, 2010-2020), Magnum P.I. (1980-1988, 2018-2024) and Lost (2004-2010) were all shot on location in Hawaiʻi – it is an expensive place to film.
Actors, crew and production equipment often have to be flown in from the continental United States, and producers compete with tourism for costly accommodation.
Kaina Makua as King Kamehameha and New Zealand actor Luciane Buchanan as Ka’ahumanu in Chief of War. Apple TV+
An industry in transition
These are not uncommon problems in distant locations, and many governments try to attract screen productions through tax incentives and rebates on portions of the production costs.
New Zealand, for example, offers a 20-25% rebate for international productions and 40% for local productions. Hawaiʻi offers a 22-27% rebate.
But this is less than other US states offer, such as Georgia (30%), Louisiana (40%) and New Mexico (40%). Hawaiʻi also has an annual cap of US$50 million on rebates.
To make things even harder, Hawaiʻi offers only limited support for Indigenous filmmakers. Governments in Australia and New Zealand provide targeted funding and support for Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and Māori filmmakers.
By contrast, the Hawaiʻi Film Commission doesn’t provide direct grants to local filmmakers or producers (Indigenous or otherwise). Small amounts of government funding have been administered through the Public Broadcasting Service, but this is now in jeopardy after US President Donald Trump recently cut federal funding.
The Hawaiʻi screen industry faces a perfect storm. For the first time since 2004, film and TV production has ground to a halt. Many workers now doubt the long-term sustainability of their careers.
Lessons from Aotearoa NZ
While there are lessons Hawaiʻi legislators and industry leaders could learn from New Zealand’s example, there should also be a measure of caution.
The Hawaiʻi tax credit system is out of date. But despite industry lobbying, legislation to update it failed to reach the floor of the legislature earlier this year. New tax settings would help make local production viable again.
Secondly, decades of investment in Māori cinema have seen it become diverse, engaging and creatively accomplished. Hawaiʻi could benefit from greater direct investment in Hawaiian storytelling, respecting its cultural value even if it doesn’t turn a commercial profit.
On the other hand, New Zealand has a favourable currency exchange rate with the US which can’t be replicated in Hawaiʻi. And New Zealand film production workers have seen their rights to unionise watered down compared to their American peers.
But if Hawaiʻi can get its settings right, a possible second season of Chief of War may yet be filmed there, which could mark a genuine rejuvenation of its own film industry.
Duncan Caillard 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.
As the cool nights continue, it’s the perfect time to cozy up with a new batch of captivating films and series.
This month’s streaming highlights bring a little bit of everything, from gripping true crime, to thought-provoking political drama, and a nostalgic music documentary on the life and times of piano man Billy Joel.
So grab a blanket (and maybe a snack or two). Your next binge-watch awaits.
One Night in Idaho: The College Murders
Prime Video
I remember seeing the gruesome 2022 murder of four college students in Moscow, Idaho, splashed all over the news in Australia. The world seemed momentarily gripped by the brutality of the killings, which happened in off-campus housing, while two other roommates slept downstairs.
The ensuing investigation was given significantly less attention, though. So when Prime Video dropped this four-episode limited series, well, that was my weekend sorted.
The docuseries features exclusive interviews with the friends and families of the victims, so it doesn’t feel gratuitous. It respectfully recounts the tragedy and explores its continued impact, while honouring the victims. It also builds the kind of tension and disquiet that is so beloved in the true crime genre, but not in a way that makes you feel gross watching it.
Notably, legal proceedings for the case were still underway when One Night in Idaho was released. And the series made it clear there was more to the story which couldn’t be shared with, or by, the producers.
However, the trial has since concluded, with more information now available for anyone wanting to dive deeper into the case. This makes the series an absorbing watch.
– Alexa Scarlata
The Night of the Hunter
Various platforms
In 1955, director Charles Laughton crafted The Night of the Hunter: one of the darkest, strangest fairy tales ever to come out of Hollywood.
Shortly before Ben Harper is hanged for robbing a bank and killing two men, he hides the $10,000 loot in the toy doll of his young daughter Pearl. Only Pearl and her brother John know the secret – until the deranged serial killer-priest Harry Powell hears about the money and sets out to recover it.
Harry marries Willa, Harper’s widow, and then, after killing her, pursues John and Pearl relentlessly across West Virginia.
Robert Mitchum’s depiction of pure evil is one of cinema’s most vivid creations, with LOVE and HATE tattooed on the fingers of each hand.
The film did not align with the mainstream tastes of the era. Audiences and reviewers didn’t know what to make of this abnormal mix of fairy tale logic, nightmarish imagery and biblical allegory.
Successive generations of critics and filmmakers have caught on to its brilliance. Critic Roger Ebert said it was “one of the greatest of all American films”. In 2008, French film magazine Cahiers du cinémavoted it as the second-best film of all time, behind only Citizen Kane (1941).
The Night of the Hunter remains unsettlingly modern, 70 years on.
The highest point in Denmark, Mollehoj, is 171 metres above sea level, so it is plausible to imagine the whole country being overrun by water due to rising sea levels, leading to mass evacuation. This is the basic premise of the Danish series Families Like Ours.
The cleverness of this premise is that it turns comfortable middle-class Danes into refugees, facing hostility, poverty and violence as they seek to resettle. Given Denmark’s hard line on refugees, this makes the series politically powerful, equally so for us in Australia.
The central figure is a young woman, Laura (Amaryllis August), who creates disaster for her family through what she believes is an act of huge empathy. The same is true of Henrik (Magnus Millang), who shoots an innocent man in what he believes is an act of self-defence.
Families Like Ours is not a comfortable series to watch, but it manages to raise central issues of our time, without ever seeming didactic or preachy. It succeeds in combining the personal and the political in a six-part show that is powerful – and leaves enough loose ends for a potential second season.
– Dennis Altman
The Man from Hong Kong
Various platforms
A cinematic firecracker of a film exploded onto international screens 50 years ago, blending martial arts mayhem, Bond-esque set pieces, casual racism – and a distinctly Australian swagger.
From its audacious visual style; to its complex, life-threatening stunts; to its pioneering status as an international co-production, Brian Trenchard-Smith’s The Man from Hong Kong has solidified its place as a cult classic.
A Sydney-based crime lord’s activities come under the scrutiny of a determined Hong Kong detective, Inspector Fang Sing Leng. A fiery East-meets-West martial arts showdown explodes across the Australian landscape, pushing both sides to their limits.
The movie is a playful pastiche that confidently combines martial arts action, police procedurals, spy thrillers, and Westerns, all filtered through a distinctly Australian “crash-zoom” lens.
The film was an influence to Quentin Tarantino and paved the way for films such as Mad Max (1979), particularly in what Trenchard-Smith and his partner in film, stunt legend Grant Page, might call its “cunning stunts”.
The elaborate car chases and explosive stunt setups in The Man from Hong Kong served as prototypes for iconic sequences that would inspire the Mad Max films, among others, a testament to a bygone era of practical effects and thrill seeking audacity.
The Man from Hong Kong remains an exhilarating piece of pure cinema, despite its relatively small budget. It’s an exemplar (and occasional cautionary tale) for filmmakers in terms of international co-production, its cunning stunts, and genre blending.
Based on the book series by Jussi Adler-Olsen, Dept Q is a gripping television adaptation for fans of Nordic noir and British crime drama.
In Edinburgh, Scotland, Detective Chief Inspector Carl Morck (Matthew Goode) has returned to work after a shooting which left him physically and psychologically wounded, his colleague partially paralysed, and another colleague dead.
With the dregs of a budget assigned to cold cases, and a team of misfit officers, Morck sets out to solve the four-year-old case of missing Crown prosecutor, Merritt Lingard (Chloe Pirrie).
We follow Merritt’s story across various stages of her life. We see her as a teenager in the lead-up to a devastating crime that left her brother with a traumatic brain injury, as well as later in life, when she loses a major case involving a wealthy man on trial for his wife’s death.
Shortly after the devastating verdict, Merritt went missing on a ferry ride to her childhood home, on the fictionalised island of Mhòr. Returning to the present, we see she has been held captive inside a hyperbaric chamber for the past four years.
The pressure under which Merritt is kept makes Morck’s investigation high stakes from the start, while the movement between past and present highlights the impacts of past traumatic events on both characters.
Dept Q is a fast-paced, breathless thriller which will leave viewers craving its rumoured second season.
– Jessica Gildersleeve
Billy Joel: And So It Goes
HBO Max
Produced by Tom Hanks, this two-part documentary about singer/songwriter Billy Joel covers more than five decades of music. Created very much from Joel’s perspective, who is also the main narrator, the archival content is fascinating, and the music difficult to deny.
Discussion of Joel’s early suicide attempts are a shocking and terrible reminder of how different things might have been. From here, the role of the women in his life – his wives, daughters, and mother (“his champion”) – becomes vital. Beyond the headlines (particularly with his second wife Christie Brinkley), are partners who were muses, business supporters and emotional support pillars – some of whom gave Joel ultimatums when the time came to battle his alcohol addiction.
Brinkley, as well as Joel’s first wife, Elizabeth Weber, are particularly moving interviewees. They would wait at home, or stand nervously backstage as Joel “went to work” to earn, repair and rebuild against the odds. No spoilers, but let’s just say Joel ended up in trouble more than once.
On the other hand, the men in Joel’s life are often distant: Jewish grandparents who escaped Nazi Germany; a father who left when Joel was small; a half-brother discovered later in life. These losses are never really healed.
Billy Joel: And So It Goes is a five-hour epic, a story of survival and ultimately, of peace. It is, of course, also a reminder of an incredible catalogue of music – joyful, ordinary and wonderful – and the extraordinary life behind it.
– Liz Giuffre
If you or someone you know needs help, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14
Gardening Australia, season 36
ABC iView
Since it first aired in 1990, Gardening Australia has offered tips and inspiration from every state and territory on a weekly basis. A perennial favourite, the show seems to possess perpetual appeal for world-weary viewers open to slowing down by growing plants.
The no-nonsense host Peter Cundall helmed the series until 2008 (Cundall died in 2021 at the age of 94). The honour of “King of Compost” now rests with the gregarious Costa Georgiadis, and a wider cast of presenters that has expanded to be more diverse and engaging. One stalwart from the start, Jane Edmanson, is still flourishing in season 36: her episode 4 segment titled “Fronds with Benefits” certainly caught my eye.
Topics covered this season range from small-space innovation and passion projects, to Indigenous knowledge and bush foods, through to permaculture and climate change. Episodes 6 and 20 – specials on native plants and NAIDOC Week, respectively – are both worth a watch.
While the series can distance renters, and might not be edgy enough for younger audiences, it has managed to stake out ground in the digital realm – with a blooming online presence for budding green thumbs.
One of the longest-running Australian shows still on air, it doesn’t look as though Gardening Australia will be pulling up roots anytime soon.
– Phoebe Hart
The Buccaneers, season two
Apple TV
Loosen your corsets, The Buccaneers is back for a second season of feminist sisterhood and fabulous gowns.
Adapted from Edith Wharton’s unfinished final novel, the series follows a group of outspoken young American women navigating the marriage market in 1870s Victorian England. Gleefully anachronistic with feisty girl power speeches and a contemporary pop music soundtrack, The Buccaneers is equal parts Bridgerton and Gossip Girl (complete with a character played by Leighton Meester).
Season two picks up where the first left off, with Jinny (Imogen Waterhouse) and Guy (Matthew Broome) fleeing the country to escape Jinny’s violent husband Lord James Seadown (Barney Fishwick).
Meanwhile, sister Nan (Kristine Froseth) is busy back home leveraging her position as Duchess of Tintagel to help facilitate Jinny’s return – a campaign that includes wearing a showstopping red gown to a black and white ball. In keeping with the series’ M.O., this might be narrative nonsense, but it looks exquisite.
While trysts and love triangles continue to provide escapist entertainment, Jinny’s abusive marriage dominates later episodes. If season one sought to expose the isolation and entrapment Jinny endured in her marriage, season two foregrounds her resistance in the face of it, intent on highlighting how perpetrators of violence manipulate legal and medical systems to tighten the noose around victims’ necks.
Season two’s veering between frothy excess and melodrama arguably results in some tonal patchiness. Nonetheless, it should be commended for its careful treatment of the corrosive impacts and dangers of coercive control. This – more than the downloadable soundtrack and dazzling costumes – makes it good viewing.
– Rachel Williamson
Dangerous Animals
Prime Video
Dangerous Animals is perhaps the most original and entertaining shark horror film we have seen since Jaws – incorporating traditional elements of the shark thriller genre, while challenging them at the same time.
The film starts with the primal fear of being eaten alive by monstrous sharks, with gruesome shock-thrill scenes of tourists being torn apart in a blood red ocean.
But later, the narrative reminds us it is the boat captain, not the great white, who is the real sadistic killer. Predictably, we see a young bikini-clad woman who gets horribly dismembered (just like the first unforgettable victim in Jaws).
However, it is also a fearless bikini-clad woman, Zephyr (Hassie Harrison) who turns the tables on the boat captain, outwits him, rescues her boyfriend and even makes friends with the shark.
Dangerous Animals includes some interesting subtext and commentary, such as when it compares women to fish – creatures hunted for sport – and when it highlights the inherent cruelty of fishing, and the hook that impales the prey.
The film delivers sophisticated special effects and gruesome eco-horror entertainment. It is a fun, self-aware and postmodern watch that will leave you thinking.
The Australian influence is delightfully evident in the irreverent humour. And for anyone who has been to the Gold Coast, there is much pleasure in seeing the film play out across its iconic locations.
This film will trigger your childhood fear of Jaws – but with a twist.
– Susan Hopkins
Shark Whisperer
Netflix
In Shark Whisperer, the great white shark gets an image makeover – from Jaws villain to misunderstood friend and admirer.
However the star of the documentary is not so much the shark, but the model and marine conservationist Ocean Ramsey (yes, that’s her real name).
The film centres on Ramsey’s self-growth journey, with the shark co-starring as a quasi-spiritual medium for finding meaning and purpose (not to mention celebrity status).
Whisperer and the Ocean Ramsey website tap into the collective fascination with dangerous sharks fuelled by popular culture. Many online images show Ramsey in a bikini or touching sharks – she’s small, and vulnerable in the face of great whites. As with forms of celebrity humanitarianism, what I have dubbed “sexy conservationism” leaves itself open to criticism about its methods – even if its intentions are good.
Globally at least 80 million sharks are killed every year. Thanks in part to the hashtag activism of Ocean Ramsey and her millions of fans and followers, Hawaii was the first state in the United States to outlaw shark fishing.
So, Ramsey may be right to argue her ends justify the means.
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.
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Marlee Bower, Senior Research Fellow, Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, University of Sydney
Without even realising it, your world sometimes gradually gets smaller: less walking, fewer days in the office, cancelling on friends. Watching plans disintegrate on the chat as friends struggle to settle on a date or place for a catch-up.
You might start to feel a bit flat or disconnected. Subtle changes in habit and mood take hold. Could you be … lonely?
It’s not a label many of us identify with easily, especially if you know you’ve got friends, or are in a happy relationship.
But loneliness can happen to us all from time to time – and identifying it is the first step to fixing it.
So, what is loneliness?
Loneliness is the distress we feel when our relationships don’t meet our needs – in quality or quantity.
It’s not the same as being objectively alone (otherwise known as “social isolation”).
You can feel deeply lonely even while surrounded by friends, or totally content on your own.
Loneliness is subjective; many people don’t realise they’re lonely until the feeling becomes persistent.
What are some of the signs to look for?
You may feel a physicalcoldness, emptiness or hollowness (I’ve heard it described as feeling like you are missing an organ). Some research shows social pain is experienced similarly in the brain to physical pain.
In the past, being separated from your tribe meant danger and risk from predators, so our brains developed a way to push us back towards connection.
The pain of loneliness is designed to keep us connected and safe.
Why is it often hard to recognise loneliness?
Sadly, there’s still a lot of stigma around admitting loneliness, especially for men.
Many people resist identifying as lonely, or feel this marks them as a “loser”.
But this silence can make the problem worse.
When no one talks about it, it becomes harder to break the cycle of loneliness, and the stigma remains.
While passing loneliness is normal, chronic or persistent loneliness can hurt our health.
Research shows chronic loneliness is associated with:
depression
anxiety
weakened immunity
heart disease
earlier death.
Loneliness can also become self-reinforcing. When loneliness feels normal, it can start to shape how you see the world: you expect rejection, withdraw more and the cycle deepens.
The earlier you notice you’re lonely, the easier it is to break.
But I’m in a relationship, have loads of friends and a rewarding job
Yes, but you can still be lonely.
Most of us need different kinds of relationships to thrive. It’s not about how many people you know, but whether you feel connected and have a meaningful role in these relationships.
You may feel lonely even with strong friendships if you are lacking deeper connection, shared identity or a sense of community.
This doesn’t mean you’re ungrateful, or a bad friend.
It just means you need more or different kinds of connection.
OK, I’ve realised I am lonely. Now what?
Start by asking yourself: what kind of connection am I missing?
Is it one-to-one friendships? A partner? Casual social interactions? A shared purpose or community?
Then reflect on what’s helped you feel more connected in the past. For some, it’s joining a choir, a book club or a sports group. For others, it may be volunteering or just saying “yes” to small social moments, like chatting with your local barista or learning the name of the local butcher.
If you’re still struggling, a psychologist can help with tailored strategies for building connection.
The structural causes of loneliness
It’s also important to remember loneliness is often not because of personal failings or overall mental health.
We are also learning more about how climate change can disrupt social connection and worsen loneliness due to, for example, higher temperatures or bushfires.
Loneliness is normal, common, human and completely solvable.
Start by noticing it in yourself and reach out if you can.
Let’s start talking about it more, so others can feel less alone too.
Marlee Bower receives funding from the Henry Halloran Urban and Regional Research Initiative, the BHP Foundation, AHURI and NHMRC. She is affiliated with the University of Sydney Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use and Australia’s Mental Health Think Tank.
Imagine an area larger than the Australian Capital Territory, nearly twice the size of London and four times that of New York City covered in coca plantations.
Colombia produces an estimated 2,664 metric tonnes of cocaine annually. That is enough to fill 20 Boeing 747 cargo planes per year.
Not even during the darkest days of Pablo Escobar’s infamous empire did Colombia cultivate as much coca or produce as much cocaine as it does today.
In the past year alone, coca crops expanded by 10% and production capacity soared more than 50%.
So how did it come to this?
A worrying mix
Colombia did not arrive at this point overnight, nor by chance. A complex mix of radical and failed policy shifts, scientific innovation and global demand, among other factors, has shaped this trajectory.
For example, in 2015, Colombia’s Constitutional Court suspended aerial fumigation and banned the use of glyphosate. Despite the herbicide’s effectiveness in killing coca plants, the court cited concerns over its health risks and environmental impact.
Aerial spraying had allowed the government to reduce the risk that manual eradication brigades were exposed to over large areas.
In 2016, then-president Juan Manuel Santos introduced a scheme to substitute coca with non-illicit plants. Incentives were offered to farmers. However, it ended up encouraging many peasants who had never grown coca before to begin cultivating it, simply to qualify for the new subsidies.
It is no surprise that during Santos’ second term (2014–18), Colombia’s coca crops nearly doubled, from 96,000 hectares to more than 170,000.
More recently, in 2022, President Gustavo Petro announced his Paz Total (Total Peace) policy. This was designed to bring trafficking organisations – including Colombia’s second largest narco-terrorist group, the National Liberation Army (ELN) – to the negotiation table.
What happens in Colombia matters to Australia because criminal innovation is fuelling greater cocaine volumes and higher purity. This means more is flowing towards Australian shores.
Colombia’s coca production is being reshaped by enhanced cultivation techniques, more secure and autonomous smuggling methods, and an increasingly fragmented criminal landscape.
Production is now more efficient and profitable than ever. Growers are planting improved coca leaf varieties and achieve more harvest cycles per year with higher alkaloid yields per kilo.
Some networks are also transitioning from manned to unmanned operations.
Also, the growing presence and operational influence of Mexican cartels in Colombia has amplified the scope and scale of alliances between transnational organised crime groups across Europe, Asia and Oceania. International police investigations are even more complex.
Despite record-high seizure numbers and total volumes intercepted, Australia is still among the most attractive destination markets for drug trafficking organisations because of the high price users pay for the drugs.
Unless something radically changes in Colombia, Australia continues to face growing risks from maritime trafficking routes. There is also an increased threat of being used as a transit and money laundering hub in the global drug economy.
Some possible solutions
Even if conditions in Colombia were to change swiftly and drastically, supply-focused strategies alone are insufficient to mitigate the risks facing Australia.
After all, Colombia cannot simply fumigate its way out of this cocaine crisis, just as Australia cannot arrest its way out of it.
However, continued collaboration between the Australian Federal Police and the National Police of Colombia remains essential to keep drugs at bay.
The appointment of Colombia’s first police attaché to Australia will be a welcome and meaningful step forward. (While not yet formally announced, the Colombian embassy in Australia has informed me and several other experts the country is appointing the attaché.)
Both countries must deepen this relationship and collectively engage meaningfully and frequently to help solve the problem.
Cesar Alvarez 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.
In 2024, the problem of deepfakes became a crisis in South Korea: more than 500 schools and universities were targeted in a coordinated wave of deepfake sexual abuse.
AI-generated sexualised images of students — mostly girls — were circulated in encrypted Telegram groups. The perpetrators were often classmates of the victims.
A new report from global child-protection group ECPAT with funding from the UK-based Churchill Fellowship takes a close look at what happened in Korea, so other countries can understand and avoid similar crises. Here’s what Australia can learn.
A glimpse into our future?
The events in South Korea were not just about deepfake technology. They were about how the technology was used.
Perpetrators created groups on the Telegram messaging platform to identify mutual acquaintances in local schools or universities. They then formed “Humiliation Rooms” to gather victims’ photos and personal information so they could create deepfake sexual images.
Rooms for more than 500 schools and universities have been identified, often with thousands of members. The rooms were filled with deepfake imagery, created from photos on social media and the school yearbook.
Bots within the app allowed users to generate AI nudes in seconds. One such bot had more than 220,000 subscribers. The bot gave users two deepfake images for free, with additional images available for the equivalent of one Australian dollar.
Telegram screenshots show an automated deepfake bot that charges users to produce images. Telegram
This wasn’t the dark web. It was happening on a mainstream platform, used by millions.
And it wasn’t just adult predators. More than 80% of those arrested were teenagers. Many were described as “normal boys” by their teachers — students who had never shown signs of violent behaviour before.
The abuse was gamified. Users earned rewards for inviting friends, sharing images, and escalating the harm. It was social, yet anonymous.
Could this happen in Australia?
We have already seen smaller, less organised deepfake incidents in Australian schools. However, the huge scale and ease of use of the Korean abuse system should be cause for alarm.
The Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation recorded 58,503 reports of pictures and videos of online child abuse in the 2023–24 financial year. This is an average of 160 reports per day (4,875 reports a month), a 45% increase from the previous year.
This increase is likely to continue. In response to these risks, the Australian government, through the eSafety Commissioner, is applying the existing Basic Online Safety Expectations to generative AI services. This creates a clear expectation these services must work proactively to prevent the creation of harmful deepfake content.
Internationally, the European Union’s AI Act has set a precedent for regulating high-risk AI applications, including those that affect children. In the United States, the proposed Take It Down Act aims to criminalise the publication of non-consensual intimate images, including AI-generated deepfakes.
These are a start, but a lot more work remains to be done to provide a safe online environment for young people. The Korean experience shows how easily things can escalate when these tools are used at scale, especially in peer-to-peer abuse among adolescents.
5 lessons from Korea
The South Korean crisis holds several lessons for Australia.
1. Prevention must start early. Korea’s crisis involved children as young as 12 (and even younger in some primary schools targeted). We need comprehensive digital ethics and consent education in primary schools, not just in high schools.
2. Law enforcement needs AI tools of their own to keep up. Just as offenders are using AI to scale up abuse, police must be equipped with AI to detect and investigate it. This may include facial recognition, content detection, and automated triage systems, all governed by strict privacy protocols.
3. Platforms must also be held accountable. Telegram only began cooperating with South Korean authorities after immense public pressure. Australia must enforce safety-by-design principles and ensure encrypted platforms are not safe havens for abuse.
4. Support services must be scaled up. Korea’s crisis caused trauma for entire communities. Victims often had to continuing going to school with perpetrators in the same classrooms. Australia must invest in trauma-informed support systems that can respond to both individual and collective harm.
5. We must listen to victims and survivors. Policy must be shaped by those who have experienced digital abuse. Their insights are crucial to designing effective and compassionate responses.
Joel Scanlan 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.
Source: United States Senator for Idaho Mike Crapo
Washington, D.C.–Senate Finance Committee Chairman Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) today announced the following staff updates:
Molly Newell, Chief International Trade Counsel
Molly has been promoted to Chief International Trade Counsel. Molly joined the Finance Committee in January 2023 from Hogan Lovells US LLP, where she was an associate in the International Trade and Investment practice group working on issues involving trade remedies, customs, and U.S. trade policy. Before Hogan Lovells, she was a Senior Legislative Assistant in Representative Luke Messer’s (R-Indiana) office. Molly holds a J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center; a Master in Economic Law from Sciences Po; and a B.A. in French and International Studies from Indiana University.
Brian Bombassaro, International Trade Counsel
Brian rejoined the Committee in March after working as a Senior Associate at Arnold & Porter LLP. Prior to that, he served under former Finance Committee Chairmen Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Orrin Hatch (R-Utah). He received his J.D. from Yale Law School, M.P.P. from the Harvard Kennedy School and B.S.B.A. and B.A. from the University of Florida.
Caitlin Wilson, Senior Health Counsel
Caitlin joins the Committee from the Senate Budget Committee, where she participated in the reconciliation process to pass the One Big Beautiful Bill Act as senior counsel. She previously served as counsel to Senators John Cornyn (R-Texas), Roy Blunt (R-Missouri) and the House Energy and Commerce Committee under Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Washington). She received her J.D. from Catholic University in Washington, D.C., and her B.A. in Political Science from Gettysburg College.
Today’s passing of the Crown Minerals Amendment Act is the cherry on top of a great week for mining, says New Zealand Minerals Council chief executive Josie Vidal.
“To make the most of international interest in mining in New Zealand, untap the potential of critical minerals, and make a greater contribution to jobs, exports and the economy, we need enabling legislation such as the Crown Minerals Amendment Act,” Vidal says.
“One of the significant aspects of this law for us, is that the emphasis on promoting mining goes back into the purpose statement of the Act. This is important because it shows the world that the New Zealand Government understands the value of our mining industry and that gives export markets and investors confidence.
“The positivity around mining has been reflected in the respected international analysis of policy and investment attractiveness in 82 mining jurisdictions globally by the Fraser Institute in itsAnnual Survey of Mining Companies, 2024, released this week.
“After languishing near the bottom of rankings for too many years, due to uncertainty about the environment for mining, New Zealand has made a massive leap and is now ranked higher than any Australian jurisdiction on the Investment Attractiveness Index – at 12th of 82, compared with 43rd of 86 in 2023 – and 15th of 82 on the Policy Perception Index, compared with 50th of 86 in 2023.
“This week we also hosted an event to discuss science in the sector, and it was heartening to see the buzz around the critical minerals the world needs and what is available in New Zealand, and how we can add value and be part of the global supply chain.
“Professor Chris Bumby, Chief Scientist (Materials) at the Robinson Research Institute within Victoria University of Wellington spoke about the potential for value-add processing of New Zealand’s critical mineral resources. He pointed out why metals production matters – ‘today’s world is built from metals and tomorrow’s world will require a whole bunch more’, he said.
“He highlighted New Zealand opportunities included critical minerals vanadium, titanium, zirconium, tungsten, and antinomy, among others, and the value New Zealand minerals bring to the world’s steel production.
“New Zealand science and research stands out globally and Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Shane Reti also spoke about the work the Government is doing to further enable science and technology to advance our country in a rapidly changing high-tech world.
“There is so much exciting work happening in our minerals industry and it is important to have enabling laws that back our claims that New Zealand is open for business, and that the Fast-track Approvals Act is allowed to work as it is intended and is not derailed by vexatious detractors,” Vidal says.
Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Amin Saikal, Emeritus Professor of Middle Eastern and Central Asian Studies, Australian National University; and Vice Chancellor’s Strategic Fellow, Victoria University
When it comes to dealing with two of the biggest current crises in the Muslim world – the devastation of Gaza and the Taliban’s draconian rule in Afghanistan – Arab and Muslim states have been staggeringly ineffective.
Their chief body, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), in particular, has been strong on rhetoric but very short on serious, tangible action.
The OIC, headquartered in Saudi Arabia, is composed of 57 predominantly Muslim states. It is supposed to act as a representative and consultative body and make decisions and recommendations on the major issues that affect Muslims globally. It calls itself the “collective voice of the Muslim world”.
Yet the body has proved to be toothless in the face of Israel’s relentless assault on Gaza, triggered in response to the Hamas attacks of October 7 2023.
The OIC has equally failed to act against the Taliban’s reign of terror in the name of Islam in ethnically diverse Afghanistan.
Many strong statements
Despite its projection of a united umma (the global Islamic community, as defined in my coauthored book Islam Beyond Borders), the OIC has ignominiously been divided on Gaza and Afghanistan.
True, it has condemned Israel’s Gaza operations. It’s also called for an immediate, unconditional ceasefire and the delivery of humanitarian aid to the starving population of the strip.
It has also rejected any Israeli move to depopulate and annex the enclave, as well as the West Bank. These moves would render the two-state solution to the long-running Israeli–Palestinian conflict essentially defunct.
Further, the OIC has welcomed the recent joint statement by the foreign ministers of 28 countries (including the United Kingdom, many European Union members and Japan) calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, as well as France’s decision to recognise the state of Palestine.
The OIC is good at putting out statements. However, this approach hasn’t varied much from that of the wider global community. It is largely verbal, and void of any practical measures.
What the group could do for Gaza
Surely, Muslim states can and should be doing more.
For example, the OIC has failed to persuade Israel’s neighbouring states – Egypt and Jordan, in particular – to open their border crossings to allow humanitarian aid to flow into Gaza, the West Bank or Israel, in defiance of Israeli leaders.
Nor has it been able to compel Egypt, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan and Morocco to suspend their relations with the Jewish state until it agrees to a two-state solution.
Further, the OIC has not adopted a call by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and the United Nations special rapporteur on Palestinian territories, Francesca Albanese, for Israel to be suspended from the UN.
Nor has it urged its oil-rich Arab members, in particular Saudi Arabia and the UAE, to harness their resources to prompt US President Donald Trump to halt the supply of arms to Israel and pressure Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to end the war.
Stronger action on Afghanistan, too
In a similar vein, the OIC has failed to exert maximum pressure on the ultra-extremist and erstwhile terrorist Taliban government in Afghanistan.
Since sweeping back into power in 2021, the Taliban has ruled in a highly repressive, misogynist and draconian fashion in the name of Islam. This is not practised anywhere else in the Muslim world.
In December 2022, OIC Secretary General Hissein Brahim Taha called for a global campaign to unite Islamic scholars and religious authorities against the Taliban’s decision to ban girls from education.
But this was superseded a month later, when the OIC expressed concern over the Taliban’s “restrictions on women”, but asked the international community not to “interfere in Afghanistan’s internal affairs”. This was warmly welcomed by the Taliban.
In effect, the OIC – and therefore most Muslim countries – have adopted no practical measures to penalise the Taliban for its behaviour.
It has not censured the Taliban nor imposed crippling sanctions on the group. And while no Muslim country has officially recognised the Taliban government (only Russia has), most OIC members have nonetheless engaged with the Taliban at political, economic, financial and trade levels.
Why is it so divided?
There are many reasons for the OIC’s ineffectiveness.
For one, the group is composed of a politically, socially, culturally and economically diverse assortment of members.
But more importantly, it has not functioned as a “bridge builder” by developing a common strategy of purpose and action that can overcome the geopolitical and sectarian differences of its members.
In the current polarised international environment, the rivalry among its member states – and with major global powers such as the United States and China – has rendered the organisation a mere talking shop.
This has allowed extremist governments in both Israel and Afghanistan to act with impunity.
It is time to look at the OIC’s functionality and determine how it can more effectively unite the umma.
This may also be an opportunity for its member states to develop an effective common strategy that could help the cause of peace and stability in the Muslim domain and its relations with the outside world.
Amin Saikal 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.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Brown University on Wednesday announced an agreement with the Donald Trump administration to restore federal funding and resolve three ongoing nondiscrimination reviews.
“The agreement will reinstate payments for active research grants and restore Brown’s ability to compete for new federal grants and contracts, while also meeting Brown’s core imperative of preserving the ability for its students and scholars to teach and learn without government intrusion,” the university said in a statement.
The agreement will restore Brown’s medical and health sciences research funding, including reimbursement of more than 50 million U.S. dollars in unpaid federal grant costs.
The agreement also includes Brown’s commitment to pay 50 million dollars in grants over 10 years to workforce development organizations in Rhode Island, where the university is located.
“The University’s foremost priority throughout discussions with the government was remaining true to our academic mission, our core values, and who we are as a community at Brown,” Brown President Christina H. Paxson said in a letter to the Brown community.
“We stand solidly behind commitments we repeatedly have affirmed to protect all members of our community from harassment and discrimination, (and) we protect the ability of our faculty and students to study and learn academic subjects of their choosing,” Paxson said.
The president noted that the agreement “does not include any payments or fines to the federal government.”
Explaining why Brown “voluntarily negotiated toward an agreement,” Paxson said that for the last few months, the university’s mission and its community have been under threat.
“Beyond the financial stresses of terminated and unpaid research grants and contracts, we have observed a growing push for government intrusion into the fundamental academic operations of colleges and universities, and with the stated purpose of compelling a commitment to comply with laws focused on prohibitions against antisemitism and discrimination,” she said.
U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon reacted to the agreement on social media platform X, saying, “The Trump Administration is successfully reversing the decades-long woke-capture of our nation’s higher education institutions.”
“Because of the Trump Administration’s resolution agreement with Brown University, aspiring students will be judged solely on their merits, not their race or sex. Brown has committed to proactive measures to protect Jewish students and combat Antisemitism on campus. Women’s sports and intimate facilities will be protected for women,” McMahon said.
In April, the Trump administration announced that it would freeze 510 million dollars in federal contracts and funding to Brown University, citing its handling of campus antisemitism and diversity policies.
The Education Department had previously announced that approximately 60 American colleges and universities — including Harvard, Cornell, Yale, and Brown — were under federal investigation.
Brown University is one of the eight elite Ivy League universities, known for its academic excellence and historic legacy.
Last week, another Ivy League school, Columbia University, announced that it had reached a settlement with the federal government, agreeing to pay over 200 million dollars to restore access to 400 million dollars in federal funding.
Source: United States Navy (Logistics Group Western Pacific)
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LAE, Papua New Guinea (July 30, 2025) Pacific Partnership 2025 multinational band members pose with students from the Papua New Guinea University of Technology elementary school in Lae, Papua New Guinea, July 30, 2025. Now in its 21st iteration, the Pacific Partnership series is the largest annual multinational humanitarian assistance and disaster management preparedness mission conducted in the Indo-Pacific. Pacific Partnership works collaboratively with host and partner nations to enhance regional interoperability and disaster response capabilities, increase security and stability in the region, and foster new and enduring friendships in the Indo-Pacific. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communications Specialist Seaman Mario E. Reyes Villatoro)
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Namibia’s Petroleum Training and Education Fund (Petrofund) officially launched its flagship scholarship program during the 2nd Youth in Oil and Gas Summit, reinforcing its commitment to building a highly skilled national workforce for the country’s burgeoning oil and gas sector. The new scholarship complements the Namibian government’s free tertiary education policy by fully funding undergraduate and postgraduate students in engineering, geosciences, paramedics and technical vocational training disciplines relevant to upstream oil and gas operations. Courses will be offered at accredited institutions across the Southern African Development Community region and internationally.
As the voice of the African energy sector, the African Energy Chamber (AEC) commends Petrofund’s leadership and forward-thinking strategy to anchor Namibian youth at the core of the country’s growing energy economy. With major discoveries in the Orange Basin and increasing momentum towards first oil, initiatives like this are essential to ensure local capacity meets international operational standards.
In addition to its flagship scholarship program, Petrofund has introduced several strategic initiatives to accelerate youth integration into Namibia’s oil and gas industry. Through its expanded on-the-job training program, more than 82 young professionals have been deployed across various technical roles in collaboration with premier service and operating companies including TechnipFMC, SBM, Subsea 7, Baker Hughes, Halliburton, SLB, BW Energy, Shell, ReconAfrica, TotalEnergies and QatarEnergy. Petrofund has also signed ten memoranda of understanding to deepen these partnerships and enhance practical industry exposure. Additionally, the government-led fund is developing a national oil and gas CV repository – set to launch in Q4 2025 – to bridge the gap between skilled graduates and industry demand.
Petrofund is also strengthening its collaboration with Namibian institutions of higher learning. Partners include the Namibia University of Science and Technology and University of Namibia, along with regulatory authorities such as the Namibia Qualifications Authority; National Council for Higher Education; Namibia Training Authority; and Ministry of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sports, Art and Culture. This initiative aims to introduce and accredit more oil and gas-related programs locally, enhancing access to technical education aligned with global industry standards. To date, Petrofund has invested over N$115 million to support 438 Namibians in petroleum-related studies, achieving a 90% internship and employment placement rate for its Master’s level beneficiaries.
As Namibia progresses towards final investment decisions for high-impact offshore projects led by operators such as TotalEnergies and Shell, this program ensure that Namibians are equipped with the technical expertise to actively participate and lead in-country value creation. Imminent first production means Petrofund’s holistic approach to human capital development can align with the country’s Local Content Policy and sets the foundation for long-term, inclusive growth. The AEC supports these efforts as a model for Africa’s youth empowerment in energy.
“Petrofund is setting the standard for what youth empowerment in Africa’s energy sector should look like. By aligning skills development with industry demand and embracing inclusivity, Namibia is not just preparing its young people for jobs – it’s preparing them for leadership. The Chamber fully supports these efforts, which will ensure that Namibians are not just bystanders, but key drivers of their energy future,” states NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman, AEC.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
The effect of water on the longitudinal gigahertz elastic modulus of collagen-based hydrogel was studied by a student of the Department of Physical Methods of Solid State Research using optical spectroscopy methods Faculty of Physics, Novosibirsk State University Anna Laktionova under the scientific supervision of Valeria Zykova, PhD in Physics and Mathematics, Senior Researcher at the Institute of Automation and Electrometry SB RAS. The data from this study became the basis for her master’s thesis, which she successfully defended this year. In her work, she used optical research methods – Mandelstam-Brillouin scattering (MBS) spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy.
— Changes in the elastic properties of biological objects may be associated with disruptions in the functioning of living cells, in such cases, information about the elastic modulus plays a key role. Currently, a contactless and non-invasive technique for characterizing the viscoelastic properties of materials is actively developing – Mandelstam-Brillouin scattering spectroscopy (MBS), which has proven itself in application to biomedical problems. MBS spectroscopy allows obtaining information about the speed of sound in a substance and the gigahertz elastic modulus. However, when studying real biotissues, difficulties arise in interpreting experimental data that are associated with the multicomponent composition of the studied objects and small changes in the elastic modulus due to pathologies occurring in the bioobject. This is due to the fact that the main contribution to the elastic modulus value in the case of real tissues is made by the water component, the content of which is quite high for the case of biological samples. For this reason, researchers often use simpler model two-component objects instead of real tissues, which are hydrogels, in particular, collagen-based hydrogels. By varying the water content, various parameters of viscoelastic properties are achieved, thereby hydrogels imitate the properties of a wide variety of real tissues, explained Anna Laktionova.
Samples of collagen -based hydrogels with different water content were made for conducting research. Further, with the help of a number of optical techniques (RMB, cattle, low -frequency cattle and depolarized light scattering), Anna described the elastic and relaxation properties of manufactured hydrogels. Spectra measurement was made during drying of hydrogel samples in the air. This was done in order to observe how, depending on the content of water in the sample, its elastic properties are changed, determined from the parameters of the spectrum of light scattering. With the dehydration of the sample from the most hydrated state (water content of 99.5 %) to a completely dry elasticity module increases by 6 times. At the same time, significant growth is observed with protein concentrations above 60 %. For a detailed study of such behavior, two spectrometers were required to synchronously measure the spectra of RMB and CRC. In this regard, some difficulties arose. The devices were in different rooms, which could affect the accuracy of measurements: while the sample was transferred from one office to another, it could be subjected to undesirable exposure to external factors, which would lead to its additional drying. To characterize the content of water in the samples and their elastic module from the same point in the process of drying, participants in the experiment, which was conducted in the spectroscopy laboratory of the condensed media of the Institute of Automation and Electrometry of the SB RAS, established a fiber -fiber channel between two spectrometers. This technical solution was implemented for the first time in Russia.
The analysis of the dependence of the Brillouin line position on the protein concentration in the hydrogel showed that the value of the gigahertz elastic modulus changes almost 6 times within the full range of concentrations (water content 0 – 100%). This is a very significant change. Earlier in the literature it was demonstrated that in the case of chemical treatments it is only a few percent. This fact fully demonstrates the strong influence of water. The resulting concentration dependence of the elastic modulus was described by a model considering the hydrogel as a rigid protein framework filled with water.
— From the analysis of the shape of the Brillouin spectrum of hydrogels, a non-trivial dependence of the Brillouin line width on the protein content was obtained. It is generally accepted, at least for single-component systems, that the Brillouin line width characterizes the viscosity of the object under study. However, in our case, everything was not so simple. When the hydrogel dried, the Brillouin line width actually increased to protein concentrations of about 70%, where the dependence extremum was observed. With further dehydration, up to completely dry collagen, the Brillouin line width narrowed. According to our assumptions, the reason for such an unexpected result lies in the influence of relaxation processes on the shape of the Brillouin spectrum of the hydrogel. To confirm this hypothesis, it was necessary to conduct a study using another spectroscopic technique – depolarized light scattering spectroscopy, – said Anna Laktionova.
A comprehensive comparison of the behavior of the RMB line width and the shape of the depolarized spectrum made it possible to verify the relaxation nature of the Brillouin line broadening with a change in water content. The results of RMB spectroscopy of hydrogels with different water contents for several temperatures (25, 0, -10 °C) additionally confirmed the influence of relaxation processes on the Brillouin line width, explained Anna Laktionova.
The analysis of the obtained results allowed us to obtain complete information on the nature of the interaction of the biopolymer matrix with the water component and to study in detail the issue of the influence of the water component on the parameters of the Brillouin spectrum of a hydrogel with different degrees of hydration. The participants of the study came to the conclusion: the work done demonstrates the prospects of the complex application of spectroscopic techniques (RMB, Raman, low-frequency Raman and depolarized light scattering) for characterizing the properties of hydrogels and studying the issue of the interaction of water with the protein matrix.
— It is very important to study the effect of water on the elastic properties of collagen-based hydrogel using optical methods, because such an object is simple enough to interpret spectral data, while it is capable of imitating the mechanical properties of more complex biological objects. This work, using such simple objects as an example, demonstrates the capabilities of optical spectroscopy methods, which in the future can be used to study more complex real tissues, — said Anna Laktionova.
Material prepared by: Elena Panfilo, NSU press service
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.
Source: Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
The renowned polytechnician, assistant of the Higher School of Sports Education of the Institute of Physical Culture and Sport, Kirill Prigoda became the winner of the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore. He won gold in the 4×100 m combined relay. And before that, he won silver in the individual event at the 50 m breaststroke.
The World Championships are being held in Singapore from July 11 to August 3. On July 30, Kirill Prigoda, Miron Lifintsev, Darya Klepikova and Darya Trofimova won the combined relay. Our team not only won a confident victory in the final, but also set a new world championship record – 3:37.37. This victory went down in history – before it, Russian swimmers had not won the relay at major international tournaments for 22 years! The last time our athletes won was in 2003. Then Kirill Prigoda was seven years old.
The emotions are very pleasant, because the team gave 110%. The guys are great, but the championship is not over yet. We will celebrate at the end of the competition, – said Kirill Prigoda on air at Match TV.
Let us remind you that the Russian team is performing in Singapore in a neutral status. Thus, during the swim it was forbidden to chant “Russia”. This is a strict condition of the International Swimming Federation. The team was given a special guide. If we violated it, we were threatened with exclusion from the championship. And even though we did not see the Russian flag or hear our anthem at the awards ceremony, everyone in the world understood that the Russians were on the top step of the podium.
Less than an hour before the team victory, Kirill Prigoda secured the title of vice-champion in the 50-meter breaststroke. In the final swim, he showed a result of 26.62 seconds. This medal was the 11th for the Russians and the first personal award for Russian swimmers at the current championship.
We are proud of Kirill and once again we are convinced that Polytechnic University helps develop abilities and talents in science, creativity, and sports! – noted SPbPU Rector Andrey Rudskoy.
Kirill Prigoda is already an eight-time world champion! He is also a four-time world championship medalist, a two-time European champion, and a silver and bronze medalist at the European Short Course Championships. He currently holds three world records.
The World Championships are ongoing, and Kirill Prigoda has a great opportunity to add to the Russian team’s medal collection.
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.
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Dear applicants of the State University of Management, we publish up-to-date information on the competition lists. They can be viewed in two ways.
The first is on a special page of the SUM website, where you can find yourself using your unique applicant number.
The second is on the State Services portal using the following algorithm: – Find SUM in the university selection service; – Select a direction; – Expand the program; – Open “Lists of applicants” and “Competition lists”; – Find yourself using your unique applicant number.
The lists for the budget and quotas have already been published. Preliminary lists for the contract will appear on August 10. The order for transfer to the budget – August 7.
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.
Source: Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University recently hosted delegations from top Chinese universities: Tsinghua University (20th place in the QS ranking), Zhejiang University (49th place in QS), and Peking University (13th place in QS).
Study visits to prestigious partner universities in foreign countries are a mandatory element of the educational program at Chinese universities. That is why every summer students from China come to the Polytechnic University to develop scientific and educational cooperation and exchange best practices in working with young people.
The delegation of Tsinghua University (SPbPU’s strategic partner), headed by the deputy secretary of the party committee of the university’s Youth Union, Chen Zhihao, consisted of student activists (secretaries of faculty committees of the Komsomol, postgraduates and masters). The visit was organized within the framework of the elite program for training personnel reserves and future leaders of Tsinghua University, implemented under the auspices of the Communist Youth Union of China.
The introduction to the history and infrastructure of SPbPU began with a tour of the Main Academic Building (White Hall, library, portrait gallery) and the SPbPU History Museum. The key point was a visit to the Youth Trajectory Center in the Polytech Tower — a modern space for student life, project activities, and interaction with industry. At a meeting with Ivan Khlamov, Head of the SPbPU Youth Policy Department, the guests discussed options for involving young people in scientific and technical creativity, project work, developing leadership skills, and a mentoring system. Colleagues from Tsinghua presented the successful experience of their university ecosystem for supporting innovation and entrepreneurship, including the Lighthouse program, Challenge Cup and Entrepreneurship Competitions, as well as the Innovation Plus incubator, which has grown hundreds of startups with a total funding of about 5 billion rubles.
The study visit of the best students of Zhejiang University to the Polytechnic is a long-standing tradition that has been strictly observed throughout the years of strategic partnership between our universities. The envoys from the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering were led by its international coordinator Qiu Yixin.
The program included an introduction to the historical heritage of the university, a visit to the modern laboratories of the Institute of Mechanical Engineering, Materials and Transport, and a working meeting with representatives of the SPbPU International Service. The students visited the innovative laboratories of IMMiT and learned about the latest developments of research groups and young scientists of the institute.
Chinese students were presented with opportunities to study at SPbPU, in particular within the framework of additional programs, summer and winter schools. The guests highly appreciated the educational potential of the Polytechnic University, including that already implemented in partnership with Chinese universities, and expressed interest in creating a joint program in the field of mechanical engineering.
In addition to students, the representative delegation from Peking University included Dean of the College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering Peng Hailin, Dean of the Faculty of Materials Science and Engineering Zou Ruqiang, Professor of the Faculty of Physics Wang Xinqiang, and other scientists.
The visit was eventful: the guests were divided into groups according to their scientific interests to visit specialized laboratories, where they got acquainted with the advanced research of SPbPU in the field of new materials, energy and microelectronics. Of particular interest were the developments of carbon nanomaterials, artificial intelligence for chemistry and promising catalysts. The visit ended with presentations of scientific areas of both universities.
The past visits demonstrated the mutual interest of Russian and Chinese universities in deepening cooperation, the desire to organize interaction not only between leading scientists, but also among young researchers. As noted by representatives of SPbPU, such meetings help not only to exchange best practices in education and science, but also to create a solid foundation for future joint projects, student initiatives, entrepreneurship. Particular attention was paid to student mobility, academic exchange programs, joint participation in student conferences and youth initiatives. The doors of the Polytechnic University are always open to students of partner universities in China.
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.
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
Recently, under the auspices of the Jilin Provincial Komsomol Committee and Tonghua Normal University, a student internship entitled “Developing the Spirit of the Anti-Japanese United Army – Resolute Youth Ready for Responsibility” was organized to study the culture of the Northeast China Anti-Japanese United Army.
The event brought together 140 teachers and students from 15 practical teams representing 13 universities in and outside Jilin Province. The participants retraced the steps of the revolution and delved into important revolutionary sites and museums in the province, including three iconic formation and battlefields of the Anti-Japanese Allied Army, as well as three “cradles” of China’s industry. Through hands-on learning, historical immersion, and discussion, the teams grasped the modern reinterpretation of the spirit of the Anti-Japanese Allied Army in Northeast China, which helps consolidate the resolute youth force to serve the motherland.
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.
The Government today announced the revision of the eligibility criteria for government-subsidised post-secondary student places and subsidies.
The revision – which will introduce two categories of tuition fees and revise the eligibility criteria – will apply to the 2027-28 academic year and thereafter.
Under the current admissions arrangements, dependant visa/entry permit holders who were below 18 years old when first issued with the visa/entry permit by the Immigration Department (ImmD) are considered local students.
There has been recent concern that some of these students did not come to reside in Hong Kong but applied for government-subsidised student places at University Grants Committee-funded universities as local students, which affected opportunities for university admission and the targeted use of public funds.
Having regard to overseas practices and the practical situation in Hong Kong, the Education Bureau considers it necessary for dependant children to reside in Hong Kong for two years before becoming eligible for government-subsidised post-secondary student places.
In addition, holders of a full-time employment visa/work permit or a visa/entry permit for various admission schemes will no longer be eligible for government-subsidised post-secondary student places.
The two categories of tuition fees being introduced are subsidised fees and non-subsidised fees respectively.
Persons holding specific documents are eligible for government-subsidised student places in relation to sub-degree, undergraduate and taught postgraduate programmes.
These documents include a Hong Kong permanent identity card, other documents issued by the ImmD showing the right to land/right of abode in Hong Kong, and a visa label for unconditional stay; a One-way Permit for entry to Hong Kong; and a dependant visa/entry permit.
Holders of a dependant visa/entry permit who were below 18 years old when first issued with the visa/entry permit by the ImmD, must have resided in Hong Kong for two years immediately preceding the first day of their respective programmes.
The Government will put in place a transitional arrangement for the revision, whereby the residency requirement for the 2027-28 academic year will be set at one year. The two-year residency requirement will be implemented starting from the 2028-29 academic year.
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Dafydd Townley, Teaching Fellow in US politics and international security, University of Portsmouth
There are masked men, and some women, on the streets in American cities, sometimes travelling in unmarked cars, often carrying weapons and wearing military-style kit. They have the power to identify, arrest, detain non-citizens and deport undocumented immigrants. They also have the right to interrogate any individual who they believe is not a citizen over their right to remain in the US.
These are agents from US Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency, known as Ice. This is a federal law enforcement agency, which falls under the control of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and is playing a significant and contentious role in the implementation of Donald Trump’s tough immigration policy.
On the campaign trail Trump promised “the largest domestic deportation operation in American history”. And he is giving Ice more power to deliver his plans.
Since Trump took office in January, Ice funding has been significantly increased. Trump’s “big beautiful bill”, passed by Congress in July 2025, gave Ice US$75 billion (£55 billion) of funding for the next four years, up from around US$8 billion a year.
This funding boost will allow the agency to recruit more agents as well as adding thousands more beds plus extensions to buildings to increase the capacity of detention centres. There is also new funding for advanced surveillance tools including AI-assisted facial recognition and mobile data collection. There’s another US$30 billion going to frontline operations, covering removing immigrants and transport to detention centres.
The president has committed to deporting everyone who is in the US illegally, that is estimated by the Wall Street Journal to be about 4% of the current US population. For the past five months, the numbers of people being picked up by Ice agents has been ticking up fast.
Average daily arrests were up 268% to about 1,000 a day in June 2025, compared with the same month a year earlier. This was also a 42% rise on May 2025, according to data analysis from the Guardian and the Deportation Data Project. However, this is still considerably short of the 3,000 a day ordered by secretary of homeland security Kristi Noem and White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller.
Ice’s tactics have already attracted significant criticism. Right-leaning broadcaster Fox News has reported on how masked agents are not showing ID or naming their agency when picking up people in raids. Other reporting has highlighted allegations that American citizens are also sometimes being swept up in the raids.
The agency, currently led by acting director Todd M. Lyons, has three main divisions: the Enforcement and Removal Operations division, which identifies and deports undocumented immigrants as well as manages detention centres. The Homeland Security Investigations, which investigates criminal activities with an international or border nexus such as human trafficking, narcotics, and weapons smuggling. The Office of the Principal Legal Advisor provides legal advice to Ice and prosecutes immigration cases in court.
Lyons claimed that mask wearing was necessary because of Ice agents being “doxed” – when a person’s personal information such as names and home addresses are revealed online without their permission. Assaults on Ice agents have risen, he claimed. DHS data suggested that there were 79 assaults on Ice agents from January to June 2025, compared to ten in the same period in 2024.
Democratic House minority leader Hakeem Jeffries compared mask wearing by Ice agents to secret police forces in authoritarian regimes. “We’re not behind the Iron Curtain. This is not the 1930s.”
The Ice agency was established in 2003 by the George W. Bush administration, partly as a result of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, and was part of a broader reorganisation of federal agencies under the then newly created DHS. It incorporated parts of the former Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) and some elements of the US Customs Service.
According to the agency’s website, Ice’s core mission is “to protect America through criminal investigations and enforcing immigration laws to preserve national security and public safety”.
News coverage of Ice agents wearing masks and not identifying themselves.
What’s changed?
At the start of the administration in January, the White House gave Ice the authority to hasten the deportation of immigrants that had entered the country with government authorisation during the previous administration. This “expedited removal” authority allowed Ice to deport individuals without requiring an appearance before an immigration judge.
As arrests have grown in the past months, Lyons told CBS News that Ice would detain any undocumented immigrant, even if they did not have a criminal record.
And the Trump administration has also allowed Ice agents to make arrests at immigration courts, which had previously been off limits. This restriction was introduced by the Biden administration in 2021 to ensure witnesses, victims of crimes and defendants would still appear in court without fear of arrest for immigration violations, unless the target was a national security threat.
Protests over Ice raids have spread across California.
However, Lyons rescinded those restrictions in May, part of a broader shift towards aggressive enforcement.
Much of the time, Ice has targeted illegal immigrants. But the agency has also arrested and detained some individuals who were residents (green card holders) or tourists – and, in some cases, citizens.
In recent weeks, according to the Washington Post, Ice has been ordered to increase the number of immigrants shackled with GPS-enabled ankle monitors. This would significantly increase the number of immigrants that are under surveillance. Ankle monitors also restrict where people can travel.
Sparking protests
There have been numerous public protests about Ice raids, most notably in California. This peaked on June 6 after Ice had conducted numerous raids in Los Angeles, resulting in clashes between agents and protesters. This led to the White House sending around 2,000 National Guard troops and 700 Marines to Los Angeles, despite opposition from California governor Gavin Newsom.
Part of the friction between the Trump administation and the state is that Los Angeles and San Francisco have adopted local policies to limit cooperation with federal immigration authorities including Ice. California has sanctuary laws, such as SB 54, that prohibit local police and sheriffs from assisting Ice with civil immigration enforcement.
However, Trump shows every sign of pushing harder and faster to crack down on illegal immigrants, and Ice agents are clearly at the forefront of how he aims to do it.
Dafydd Townley 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.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
News story
RSV vaccine prevents hospitalisation in older people and newborns
RSV vaccines are 82% effective for older people and 72% for newborns when mothers are vaccinated at least 14 days before birth.
A new UK Health Security Agency study – Effectiveness of RSV Vaccine Against RSV Associated Hospitalisation Among Adults Aged 75 to 79 years in England – in partnership with Nottingham University Hospitals and other NHS trusts, shows the RSV vaccine provided strong protection for older people, around 82% effective in preventing hospital admissions with RSV infection.
The study also found that the vaccine is highly effective in preventing hospitalisation for older people with a chronic respiratory condition and those living with immunosuppression.
Two new Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) vaccination programmes were introduced to the NHS Vaccination Schedule in September last year; an older adults programme and a maternal programme.
The programme for older adults offers the vaccine to those turning 75, as well as a one-off catch up campaign for all adults aged 75 to79 years.
The maternal vaccination programme is offered to women from 28 weeks of pregnancy to protect newborns, who are at higher risk of severe illness from RSV.
A separate new study – Vaccination in Pregnancy and RSV Hospitalisation in Infants in the UK, led by NHS paediatricians, published in the Lancet Child and Adolescent Health – found that the maternal RSV vaccine was 72% effective in preventing hospitalisation for infants whose mothers were vaccinated more than 14 days before delivery.
UKHSA has also today published the latest vaccine uptake figures for both RSV programmes, including the:
older adults programme: overall coverage as of 30 June 2025 in the catch-up cohort (adults aged 75 to 79) reached 62.9%, up from the 60.3% reported in March
maternal programme: of the 36,657 women reported as having given birth in March 2025, 20,051 (54.7%) had received an RSV vaccine
maternal coverage varied by ethnic group with the highest coverage reported among the Chinese ethnic group (73.3%) and lowest among Black and Black British Caribbean (26.4%)
Greta Hayward, Consultant Midwife at the UK Health Security Agency, said:
Having the RSV vaccine during every pregnancy is the best way for women to protect their newborn against RSV, as the vaccine boosts their immune system to produce more antibodies against the virus, and these then pass through the placenta to help protect their baby from the day they are born. RSV infects around 90% of children in their first 2 years of life.
The RSV season usually starts in October and while there is no risk-free birth month, babies born in late summer or the autumn are most likely to be admitted to hospital. Hundreds of babies attend Emergency Departments each day for bronchiolitis through most of November and December. That is why it is so important that over the summer pregnant women reaching 28 weeks of pregnancy, ensure they are vaccinated as soon as possible.
Dr Conall Watson, Immunisation Consultant at the UK Health Security Agency, said:
The evidence clearly shows the RSV vaccine for pregnant women is highly effective and will give much reassurance to parents, knowing their newborn is protected from birth, when they are at much greater risk from RSV.
As a parent and health professional I can’t stress enough the importance of getting the RSV vaccine during every pregnancy. We recommend vaccination in week 28 or soon after but if you are later on in your pregnancy and still haven’t had your vaccine please contact your maternity service or GP practice to arrange one.
RSV can be a particularly serious infection for older people, so this new evidence will also give much reassurance that having the RSV jab will greatly reduce their chances of ending up in hospital.
While the uptake of the RSV vaccine continues to rise, we want to see every single pregnant woman and eligible older person getting protected. The virus picks up in the autumn, so don’t put if off over the summer – as soon as you reach your 75th birthday or week 28 of pregnancy get the vaccine for healthy peace of mind.
UKHSA has published its first RSV Annual Report, which looks back at the 2024 to 2025 RSV season, providing analysis on disease pattern, vaccine uptake and vaccine impact.
The surveillance shows RSV activity started across all UK nations around week 42 of 2024 (week starting 14 October) and peaked around weeks 47 to 49 2024 (18 November to 8 December), before steadily declining and reaching baseline activity around weeks 7 to 8 2025 (10 to 23 February).
The Report also details UKHSA’s analysis from the primary care surveillance, which involves swabbing in around 300 GP Practices in England when a patient presents with an acute respiratory infection (ARI). This found that by age group, the highest RSV positivity (% of laboratory confirmed RSV cases out of total ARI swabs) was observed in children under 5 years; with positivity peaking at 53.1% in week 46 (11-17 November).
Among those aged 75 years and above, the highest RSV positivity rate was 18.5% reported in week 49 (2 to 8 December).
Surveillance of patients attending hospital emergency departments (ED) in England found that among infants (babies under 1), bronchiolitis peaked in late November. This is the main clinical presentation of infant RSV and RSV is the primary pathogen causing bronchiolitis.
The Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) Press will launch a new book this evening that explores the diverse ways in which the Jukskei River has influenced the cultural, social, political and scientific narratives of Johannesburg.
Titled ‘Johannesburg from the Riverbanks: Navigating the Jukskei’, this engaging volume is edited by Mehita Iqani and Renugan Raidoo.
According to HSRC, this innovative volume brings together an array of interdisciplinary voices, shedding light on the complex and often tangled relationships between the city and this vital waterway.
Five different launches have been organised, starting with the launch at Exclusive Books in Rosebank on Thursday, 31 July 2025, from 6:30 pm.
The organisation said the book builds on the insightful discussions and interdisciplinary perspectives shared at the 2022 Riparian Urbanism Conference, which brought together a diverse range of voices to explore the complex relationship between the city and this river.
“From the bustling inner city to the tranquil northern suburbs, the Jukskei’s history acts as a mirror reflecting the city’s growth, struggles and stark inequalities.
“Readers will uncover the dynamic interaction of memories, identities, and aspirations that the river embodies, all while addressing the urgent environmental challenges resulting from modernisation.”
Professor Emeritus at the University of the Witwatersrand, Isabel Hofmeyr, said this “treasure trove of a book” tells stories of how Johannesburg and the Jukskei River make each other.
“A sparkling compendium of chapters and images by artists, activists, scientists, urban planners, and historians will make you think about the river in new ways,” she said.
Professor of History at the University of the Witwatersrand, Mucha Musemwa, believes the book not only investigates the Jukskei River itself but also enriches the city’s understanding of Johannesburg in refreshing ways.
“[It is] an invigorating read for anyone interested in the intersection of nature and urban life,” he said.
The Head of the History Workshop at the University of the Witwatersrand, Noor Nieftagodien, believes that authors highlight how the processes of modernisation, such as the mining industry and urbanisation, have contaminated this historic waterway.
Nieftagodien said they also illustrate how the banks of the river reflect the city’s significant inequalities.
“Yet, amidst these challenges, artists and activists offer hope by reimagining our relationship with the river, making this a crucial contribution to current conversations about environmental crises,” Nieftagodien added.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
The summer session of the 14th Beijing Tour for Overseas Talents, a crucial channel for overseas talent to connect with Beijing and develop in the city, commenced on Tuesday at HICOOL industrial park in Beijing’s Shunyi district.
As a platform of international talent exchange and cooperation, the tour brought nearly 30 representatives of student associations and international students from 16 prestigious universities — including Yale University, Columbia University, New York University, and the University of Milan — to engage in networking and matchmaking sessions with leading enterprises and innovation parks in the Chinese capital.
At the opening ceremony, the Investment Promotion Service Center of Shunyi District presented the region’s development environment, highlighting its unique advantages in industrial clusters and business-friendly policies. A service station for overseas student associations was also established to provide comprehensive support for international students who intend to start their careers in Beijing.
During the tour, overseas talent will also visit selected districts in Beijing and the Xiong’an New Area to gain firsthand insight into the city’s innovation and entrepreneurship environment, as well as the latest development in Xiong’an.
The “Hong Kong Talents Beijing Tour” was held concurrently, with 32 outstanding individuals from seven renowned universities — including the University of Hong Kong, the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, and the Chinese University of Hong Kong — invited to visit and engage in exchange activities in Beijing.
RSV vaccine highly effective in preventing hospitalisation
RSV vaccines are 82% effective for older people and 72% for newborns when mothers are vaccinated at least 14 days before birth.
A new UK Health Security Agency study – Effectiveness of RSV Vaccine Against RSV Associated Hospitalisation Among Adults Aged 75 to 79 years in England – in partnership with Nottingham University Hospitals and other NHS trusts, shows the RSV vaccine provided strong protection for older people, around 82% effective in preventing hospital admissions with RSV infection.
The study also found that the vaccine is highly effective in preventing hospitalisation for older people with a chronic respiratory condition and those living with immunosuppression.
Two new Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) vaccination programmes were introduced to the NHS Vaccination Schedule in September last year; an older adults programme and a maternal programme.
The programme for older adults offers the vaccine to those turning 75, as well as a one-off catch up campaign for all adults aged 75 to79 years.
The maternal vaccination programme is offered to women from 28 weeks of pregnancy to protect newborns, who are at higher risk of severe illness from RSV.
A separate new study – Vaccination in Pregnancy and RSV Hospitalisation in Infants in the UK, led by NHS paediatricians, published in the Lancet Child and Adolescent Health – found that the maternal RSV vaccine was 72% effective in preventing hospitalisation for infants whose mothers were vaccinated more than 14 days before delivery.
UKHSA has also today published the latest vaccine uptake figures for both RSV programmes, including the:
older adults programme: overall coverage as of 30 June 2025 in the catch-up cohort (adults aged 75 to 79) reached 62.9%, up from the 60.3% reported in March
maternal programme: of the 36,657 women reported as having given birth in March 2025, 20,051 (54.7%) had received an RSV vaccine
maternal coverage varied by ethnic group with the highest coverage reported among the Chinese ethnic group (73.3%) and lowest among Black and Black British Caribbean (26.4%)
Greta Hayward, Consultant Midwife at the UK Health Security Agency, said:
Having the RSV vaccine during every pregnancy is the best way for women to protect their newborn against RSV, as the vaccine boosts their immune system to produce more antibodies against the virus, and these then pass through the placenta to help protect their baby from the day they are born. RSV infects around 90% of children in their first 2 years of life.
The RSV season usually starts in October and while there is no risk-free birth month, babies born in late summer or the autumn are most likely to be admitted to hospital. Hundreds of babies attend Emergency Departments each day for bronchiolitis through most of November and December. That is why it is so important that over the summer pregnant women reaching 28 weeks of pregnancy, ensure they are vaccinated as soon as possible.
Dr Conall Watson, Immunisation Consultant at the UK Health Security Agency, said:
The evidence clearly shows the RSV vaccine for pregnant women is highly effective and will give much reassurance to parents, knowing their newborn is protected from birth, when they are at much greater risk from RSV.
As a parent and health professional I can’t stress enough the importance of getting the RSV vaccine during every pregnancy. We recommend vaccination in week 28 or soon after but if you are later on in your pregnancy and still haven’t had your vaccine please contact your maternity service or GP practice to arrange one.
RSV can be a particularly serious infection for older people, so this new evidence will also give much reassurance that having the RSV jab will greatly reduce their chances of ending up in hospital.
While the uptake of the RSV vaccine continues to rise, we want to see every single pregnant woman and eligible older person getting protected. The virus picks up in the autumn, so don’t put if off over the summer – as soon as you reach your 75th birthday or week 28 of pregnancy get the vaccine for healthy peace of mind.
UKHSA has published its first RSV Annual Report, which looks back at the 2024 to 2025 RSV season, providing analysis on disease pattern, vaccine uptake and vaccine impact.
The surveillance shows RSV activity started across all UK nations around week 42 of 2024 (week starting 14 October) and peaked around weeks 47 to 49 2024 (18 November to 8 December), before steadily declining and reaching baseline activity around weeks 7 to 8 2025 (10 to 23 February).
The Report also details UKHSA’s analysis from the primary care surveillance, which involves swabbing in around 300 GP Practices in England when a patient presents with an acute respiratory infection (ARI). This found that by age group, the highest RSV positivity (% of laboratory confirmed RSV cases out of total ARI swabs) was observed in children under 5 years; with positivity peaking at 53.1% in week 46 (11-17 November).
Among those aged 75 years and above, the highest RSV positivity rate was 18.5% reported in week 49 (2 to 8 December).
Surveillance of patients attending hospital emergency departments (ED) in England found that among infants (babies under 1), bronchiolitis peaked in late November. This is the main clinical presentation of infant RSV and RSV is the primary pathogen causing bronchiolitis.
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
The State University of Management invites you to take part in the XI All-Russian Prize “For Loyalty to Science”. Applications are accepted until August 17.
Participants may include scientists, journalists, press service workers popularizing Russian science, as well as business representatives who have made a significant contribution to supporting the prestige of professional scientific activity and popularizing domestic scientific achievements.
This year the Award includes 11 nominations:
Scientific press service of the year. Scientific journalist of the year. Author of digital content. Recognition. Russian science to the world (nomination named after Konstantin Eduardovich Tsiolkovsky). On the use of artificial intelligence technology in scientific research. Working with experience: scientists’ contribution to the Victory. Science for children. Special prize named after Khristophor Ledentsov. Special prize named after Daniil Granin. Special prize for the 80th anniversary of the nuclear industry.
All winners will receive a cash prize from the Art, Science and Sport charity foundation, and the winners of the Special Prize for the 80th Anniversary of the Nuclear Industry nomination will also go on a trip on a nuclear icebreaker organized by the Rosatom State Corporation.
The award ceremony will take place at the end of October in Moscow.
Let us recall that the All-Russian Prize “For Loyalty to Science” is awarded annually for outstanding achievements in the field of scientific communication, popularization of scientific achievements and support of the prestige of scientific activity in the Russian Federation. In 2022, the Prize became one of the flagship projects of the Decade of Science and Technology announced by the President of Russia.
You can find out more about the Award and submit an application on the official website, and ask any questions by email at zavernostnauke@minobrnauki.gov.ru.
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.
Donald Trump’s lawyers are pushing to get Rupert Murdoch deposed, and quickly.
The US president is suing the billionaire media owner, alongside the Wall Street Journal and Dow Jones and others, for libel after it published an article alleging that Trump once wrote a “bawdy” birthday letter to the convicted sex offender, the late Jeffrey Epstein.
Trump and Murdoch have a transactional friendship that goes back decades. Despite past tensions, this rupture is something new in a relationship that has continued to serve both men’s interests.
In this episode of The Conversation Weekly podcast, professor of journalism Andrew Dodd at the University of Melbourne takes us back to where their relationship began in 1970s New York, to understand how Murdoch helped to build brand Trump.
Murdoch was already a very successful media magnate in Australia and the UK before he made his move to America. In 1976, after dabbling in two newspapers in Texas, he bought the New York Post.
“ Murdoch wanted to make it big in the US and to do that he really needed to break into New York,” says Dodd. US television networks were all based in US, he explains, “so by influencing what was going on in Manhattan, he was influencing the entire country’s media.”
Meanwhile, Trump was a young property developer from Queens. “ He’s wanting to develop and build, and he’s also wanting a profile because the profile will help him along the way,” says Dodd. “But he’s also an egomaniac. He needs publicity for its own sake, and so he’s attracted to the media.” Trump became easy and frequent fodder for the new Page Six gossip column of Murdoch’s New York Post.
Dodd says that both men saw in each other “opportunities for their own advancement”. For Trump, it was about access to notoriety. For Murdoch, a newcomer and foreigner in New York, he needed to make friends quickly and start establishing relationships. “He’s becoming ingratiated with power in the city, and so they’re all using one another,” he says.
Listen to the conversation with Andrew Dodd about Trump and Murdoch and the power they now wield over each other, on The Conversation Weekly podcast.
This episode of The Conversation Weekly was written and produced by Mend Mariwany and Gemma Ware with assistance from Ashlynne McGhee. Mixing and sound design by Eloise Stevens and theme music by Neeta Sarl.
Listen to The Conversation Weekly via any of the apps listed above, download it directly via our RSS feed or find out how else to listen here. A transcript of this episode is available on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
Andrew Dodd 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.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
News story
New members appointed to OPSS Advisory Board
New members appointed to the Office for Product Safety and Standards Advisory Board.
Five new members have been appointed to the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) Advisory Board. They are:
Jen Dinmore – Legal Director, Digital, Commerce and Creative team, Lewis Silk
Frank Given – Founder, Close Focus
Amanda Long – Chief Executive, Construction Product Information
Professor John Loughhead – Industrial Professor of Clean Energy at the University of Birmingham and Chair of the Redwheel-Turquoise ClimateTech fund
John McDermid – Professor of Software Engineering, University of York
OPSS welcomes these new members of its Advisory Board, who have a wealth of experience in areas including engineering, regulation, research and standards development.
The OPSS Advisory Board typically meets once a quarter. Its members act as critical friends, providing external challenge and bringing fresh perspectives and ideas, ensuring OPSS is best prepared to deal with current and future challenges. The group is not involved in operational decisions, such as handling individual regulatory incidents.
