NewzIntel.com

Category: Universities

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Elena Vinogradova: “Both at work and at home I strive for a stable life balance”

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

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

    On March 17, the director of the Department of Economics and Finance of SPbPU, Doctor of Economic Sciences Elena Vinogradova, celebrates her anniversary.

    We congratulate Elena Borisovna and take this opportunity to say that the university is proud of such a specialist – passionate, purposeful, talented.

    Many colleagues, knowing Elena Borisovna well as a high-class professional, would like to learn more about her as a person. We provide you with such an opportunity. Read the interview with Elena Borisovna Vinogradova in our special project “Persona”.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Show “Debate-Knockout”: come to the battle of the best orators of Moscow

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: State University of Management – Official website of the State –

    On March 20, 2025, the 1/8 finals of the Debate Knockout Candidates Tournament will take place, in which 16 of Moscow’s strongest orators will take part, including students from the State University of Management.

    “Debate Knockout” is a show where debaters act like real fighters, and the victory is determined with the help of a noise meter. This is a place where oratory and the ability to win over the audience rule.

    We invite you to support two speakers from the State University of Management, who will prove that managers are the most charismatic!

    When: March 20 at 18:00 Where: Development Center, Taganskaya St., 40-42

    Nikita Kolesnichenko, a representative of the Student Parliamentary Club of the State University of Management, will discuss the topic “Is Clip Thinking a Problem?” with a student of the Russian State Agrarian University – Moscow Agricultural Academy named after K.A. Timiryazev, Sofia Grishina. And our Anna Smirnova will argue with Mikhail Molokanov from the National Research University Moscow State University of Civil Engineering on the topic “Increasing the Average Life Expectancy on the Planet: an Achievement of World Medicine or a Direct Path to Global Overpopulation?”

    Go to the conversation to get all the rest of the information: https://t.me/ Qj2ip0oGvm0yZDky

    Subscribe to the tg channel “Our State University” Announcement date: 03/17/2025

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: You’ve heard of the Big Bang. Now astronomers have discovered the Big Wheel – here’s why it’s significant

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Themiya Nanayakkara, Lead Astronomer at the James Webb Australian Data Centre, Swinburne University of Technology

    The Big Wheel alongside some of its neighbours. Weichen Wang et al. (2025)

    Deep observations from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) have revealed an exceptionally large galaxy in the early universe. It’s a cosmic giant whose light has travelled over 12 billion years to reach us. We’ve dubbed it the Big Wheel, with our findings published today in Nature Astronomy.

    This giant disk galaxy existed within the first two billion years after the Big Bang, meaning it formed when the universe was just 15% of its current age. It challenges what we know about how galaxies form.

    What is a disk galaxy?

    Picture a galaxy like our own Milky Way: a flat, rotating structure made up of stars, gas and dust, often surrounded by an extensive halo of unseen dark matter.

    Disk galaxies typically have clear spiral arms extending outward from a dense central region. Our Milky Way itself is a disk galaxy, characterised by beautiful spiral arms that wrap around its centre.

    An artist impression of the Milky Way showcasing the dusty spiral structures similar to The Big Wheel.

    Studying disk galaxies, like the Milky Way and the newly discovered Big Wheel, helps us uncover how galaxies form, grow and evolve across billions of years.

    These studies are especially significant, as understanding galaxies similar to our own can provide deeper insights into the cosmic history of our galactic home.

    A giant surprise

    We previously thought galaxy disks form gradually over a long period: either through gas smoothly flowing into galaxies from surrounding space, or by merging with smaller galaxies.

    Usually, rapid mergers between galaxies would disrupt the delicate spiral structures, turning them into more chaotic shapes. However, the Big Wheel managed to quickly grow to a surprisingly large size without losing its distinctive spiral form. This challenges long-held ideas about the growth of giant galaxies.

    Our detailed JWST observations show that the Big Wheel is comparable in size and rotational speed to the largest “super-spiral” galaxies in today’s universe. It is three times as big in size as comparable galaxies at that epoch and is one of the most massive galaxies observed in the early cosmos.

    In fact, its rotation speed places it among galaxies at the high end of what’s called the Tully-Fisher relation, a well-known link between a galaxy’s stellar mass and how fast it spins.

    Remarkably, even though it’s unusually large, the Big Wheel is actively growing at a rate similar to other galaxies at the same cosmic age.

    The Big Wheel galaxy is seen at the centre. In striking contrast, the bright blue galaxy (upper right) is only about 1.5 billion light years away, making the Big Wheel roughly 50 times farther away. Although both appear a similar size, the enormous distance of the Big Wheel reveals its truly colossal physical scale.
    JWST

    Unusually crowded part of space

    What makes this even more fascinating is the environment in which the Big Wheel formed.

    It’s located in an unusually crowded region of space, where galaxies are packed closely together, ten times denser than typical areas of the universe. This dense environment likely provided ideal conditions for the galaxy to grow quickly. It probably experienced mergers that were gentle enough to let the galaxy maintain its spiral disk shape.

    Additionally, the gas flowing into the galaxy must have aligned well with its rotation, allowing the disk to grow quickly without being disrupted. So, a perfect combination.

    An illustration of how a massive spiral galaxy forms and evolves over billions of years. This evolutionary path is similar to real-world galaxies like Andromeda, our closest spiral galaxy neighbour, which also developed distinct spiral arms similar to the Big Wheel.

    A fortunate finding

    Discovering a galaxy like the Big Wheel was incredibly unlikely. We had less than a 2% chance to find this in our survey, according to current galaxy formation models.

    So, our finding was fortunate, probably because we observed it within an exceptionally dense region, quite different from typical cosmic environments.

    Besides its mysterious formation, the ultimate fate of the Big Wheel is another intriguing question. Given the dense environment, future mergers might significantly alter its structure, potentially transforming it into a galaxy comparable in mass to the largest ones observed in nearby clusters, such as Virgo.

    The Big Wheel’s discovery has revealed yet another mystery of the early universe, showing that our current models of galaxy evolution still need refinement.

    With more observations and discoveries of massive, early galaxies like the Big Wheel, astronomers will be able to unlock more secrets about how the universe built the structures we see today.



    Read more:
    From dead galaxies to mysterious red dots, here’s what the James Webb telescope has found in just 3 years

    Themiya Nanayakkara receives funding from Australian Research Council.

    – ref. You’ve heard of the Big Bang. Now astronomers have discovered the Big Wheel – here’s why it’s significant – https://theconversation.com/youve-heard-of-the-big-bang-now-astronomers-have-discovered-the-big-wheel-heres-why-its-significant-252170

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Russian Army Generals at GUU: National Security Issues Discussed at the University

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: State University of Management – Official website of the State –

    The 3rd All-Russian Interdepartmental Scientific and Practical Conference “Current Issues of Security of the Russian Federation” was held at the State University of Management. Its holding was initiated by the management of the Institute of Distance Education of the State University of Management with the active participation of the non-profit organization “Innovation Fund”.

    In addition to an impressive number of representatives of the scientific community and experts from various ministries and departments, for the first time the Conference was attended by the former Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, and now the Inspector General of the Russian Ministry of Defense, General of the Army Yuri Baluevsky, as well as Doctor of Military Sciences, Colonel General Vladimir Moltenskoy, and representatives of military command bodies and veteran organizations.

    On the eve of the event, a meeting of military leaders with the management of the State University of Management represented by Rector Vladimir Stroyev and Advisor to the Rectorate Nikolay Mikhailov took place. During the conversation, Yuri Baluevsky spoke warmly about the university’s centuries-old traditions and the university’s major role in training industry managers for the country, and also outlined the need to develop cooperation in the area of training modern management personnel, taking into account the main trends in the development of modern society.

    Yuri Nikolaevich also spoke with university students and expressed a desire to have an “open conversation about something important” with them in the near future.

    During the Conference, issues of military and economic security, the current state and prospects of the fight against terrorism and extremism, theoretical and legal problems of comprehensive security of society, information, industrial and environmental security were considered and, of course, much attention was paid to issues of youth policy and its role in ensuring state security.

    Director of the Institute of Distance Education Sergey Lenshin, in his welcoming speech to the Conference participants, drew attention to the multipolarity of the tasks that go far beyond the issues outlined in the Conference program, but which need to be addressed today.

    Of great interest was the speech by Army General Yuri Baluevsky, who shared his many years of experience and drew the audience’s attention to the fact that “Russia has not had, does not have, and never will have allies other than its army and navy, that the Central Military District has demonstrated the need to improve many aspects of military development and has required a reassessment of the role and place of different types of weapons in armed confrontation.”

    Almost all participants of the Conference emphasized the relevance of issues related to the continuity of generations, the transmission and preservation of the heroic traditions of our country, the preservation of the historical memory of its military glory and the need for spiritual and moral education of youth.

    At the end of the Conference, high-ranking guests were given tours of the university and the halls of the State University of Management Museum.

    Subscribe to the TG channel “Our GUU” Date of publication: 03/17/2025

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: NSU track and field athletes successfully completed the winter competition season

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Novosibirsk State University – Novosibirsk State University –

    The Koltsovo Manege hosted two interregional track and field competitions: the Koltsovo Mayor’s Prize and the National Student Cup among students of higher education institutions of the Siberian Federal District. These were the last starts of the winter season, and NSU students showed good results.

    In the Mayor’s Prize competition in the 800 m race, 2nd place was taken by Nika Sigunova (EF), the result of 2.10.78, and 3rd place by Nikita Bosak (MMF), the result of 1.56.27. The top six in the same distance included Alexey Chviruk (MMF) and Miron Gaskov (FIT), and Yana Stepanchuk (FEN) became fifth in the long jump.

    12 universities from different cities of Siberia took part in the National Student Cup, and the NSU team took 5th place in the team standings.

    In the individual championship, FIT student Miron Gaskov managed to win the 600 m race with a record of the arena!

    The team also included:

    Danil Kasyanov, Gleb Mamonov, Daria Zavalishina and Olga Trofimova (MMF), Alexander Lapushinsky and Irina Katsuk (FIT), Andrey Birkin and Danil Merzaev (EF), Ksenia Zubareva (FEN), Arseniy Tikhanchik (IFP) and Artem Golovin (GI)

    Congratulations to the winners of the medals of the interregional status competitions! We thank the team and the coach – teacher of the KAFV Anton Mamekov for a good performance and wish you success in the upcoming summer competition season!

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Who does Spiderman vote for? Study shows people project their political views onto fictional heroes and villains

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Stuart J. Turnbull-Dugarte, Associate Professor in Quantitative Political Science, University of Southampton

    From a very young age, we’re socialised to view the world as being made up of “goodies” and “baddies”. When you’re a child fooling around with your friends in the playground, nobody ever wants to be the baddy. And when it comes to dressing up, everybody wants to be Luke Skywalker – not Darth Vader.

    This oversimplified way of viewing the world as being made up of right and wrong or good people and bad people doesn’t dissipate as we grow older. If anything, it tends to solidify as we form the social identities that define who we are in adult life.

    This is particularly the case when it comes to our political identities and, specifically, the partisan identities and loyalties that individuals attach themselves to.

    Partisanship is one hell of a powerful force. Not only does sticking a party label under a candidate determine whether we support them or not – often regardless of what the individual candidate actually stands for – but it also shapes how we view the state of the country and economy. Note how Democrats’ view of how the US economy was doing tanked the day Donald Trump took office, while Republicans’ positivity about the same economy spiked.

    Want more politics coverage from academic experts? Every week, we bring you informed analysis of developments in government and fact check the claims being made.

    Sign up for our weekly politics newsletter, delivered every Friday.

    Our partisanship can also affect who we choose to socialise with, who we share a beer with, and who we date. There is even evidence that it affects who gets hired and who doesn’t. Knowing who your neighbour votes for and if they vote for “your team” shapes your view of them as good or bad.

    In a new study, I show that the reverse is also true. Knowing someone is good or bad shapes if we think they are one of “us” or one of “them”. In other words, partisans project their own political identities onto people they view as good, and project the political identities of their opponents onto those they dislike.

    Who do Darth Vader and Cinderella vote for?

    The first part of the study involved a social experiment that applied a political twist on a childish game. In a representative survey of thousands of respondents from both the US and UK, participants were shown images of fictional characters. These were heroes like Harry Potter and Spiderman, or villains like Scar from Disney’s The Lion King and Joffrey Baratheon from Game of Thrones.

    Participants were then asked to guess each character’s political affiliation. What emerged was a striking pattern: participants thought that heroes voted for the same party as them, and that villains voted for the opposing party.

    Essentially, US Democrats consistently thought Harry Potter and his friends Ron and Hermione voted Democrat, whereas Republicans consistently thought they voted Republican. Similar behaviour was expected of heroes (and the opposite of villains) from across a whole host of characters from different film and fiction.

    Percentages who thought each character voted for ‘their’ party:

    Heroes in pink, villains in blue: how we think fictional characters vote.
    Stuart Turnbull-Dugarte, CC BY-ND

    Participants thought Spiderman, Cinderella, Yoda, Aladdin, Brienne of Tarth, Gandalf and Captain America shared their political views. They dismissed Kylo Ren, Ursula the sea witch, Cersei Lannister and Thanos as siding with their political opposition.

    Participants were also asked to read a short story about a local politician. In one version of the story, the politician was depicted as a generous figure who donated money to charity. In another, the same politician was shown in a negative light, and as having been accused of corruption. At no point in the story was the partisanship of the politician mentioned.

    Despite the absence of any direct mention of partisanship, respondents falsely “remembered” the politician’s party affiliation in a way that aligned with the moral tone of the story. Labour-voting participants who read the generous politician story said they remembered it was about a Labour politician. Conservative-voting participants reading the same story said they remembered it being about a Conservative politician. The reverse pattern was observed among participants who read the corrupt politician story.

    These results are striking. Even when there is nothing to be remembered and participants could say that partisanship wasn’t part of the story, voters read what they wanted between the lines based on their own tribal political identities.

    These studies demonstrate that partisan identities undermine voter rationality. Politically motivated projection – assuming those who are good must be one of “us” and those who are bad must be one of “them” – doesn’t just shape how we view others; it reinforces and consolidates partisan divisions.

    If we assume the person who lives next door is a lousy neighbour because they vote for our political opponents, and simultaneously assume the person who lives down the street votes for our political opponents because they are a lousy neighbour, then we very quickly fall into a scenario where our politically tribal instincts feel increasingly justified.

    This cycle of political villainisation deepens divides, making it harder to find common ground. If we continue to let partisanship shape not just how we vote but how we see each other, we risk turning those who don’t share our political views into our enemies.

    Stuart J. Turnbull-Dugarte has received funding from the British Academy and the Leverhulme Trust

    – ref. Who does Spiderman vote for? Study shows people project their political views onto fictional heroes and villains – https://theconversation.com/who-does-spiderman-vote-for-study-shows-people-project-their-political-views-onto-fictional-heroes-and-villains-252221

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Chewing gum is plastic pollution, not a litter problem

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By David Jones, Sessional Teaching Fellow, School of the Environment and Life Sciences, University of Portsmouth

    Wirestock Collection/Shutterstock

    Thousands of tonnes of plastic pollution could be escaping into the environment every year … from our mouths. Most chewing gum on sale is made from a variety of oil-based synthetic rubbers – similar to the plastic material used in car tyres.

    If you find that thought slightly unsettling, you are not alone. I have been researching and speaking about the plastic pollution problem for 15 years. The people I talk to are always surprised, and disgusted, when they find out they’ve been chewing on a lump of malleable plastic. Most manufacturers just don’t advertise what gum is actually made of – they dodge around the detail by listing “gum base” in the ingredients.

    There’s no strict definition of synthetic gum base. Chewing gum brand, Wrigley Extra partners with dental professionals around the world to promote the use of sugar-free chewing gum to improve oral health.

    The brand’s Wrigley Oral Health Program states that: “Gum base puts the “chew” in chewing gum, binding all the ingredients together for a smooth, soft texture. We use synthetic gum base materials for a consistent and safe base that provides longer-lasting flavour, improved texture, and reduced tackiness.“

    It almost sounds harmless. But chemical analysis shows that gum contains styrene-butadiene (the durable synthetic chemical used to make car tyres), polyethylene (the plastic used to make carrier bags and bottles) and polyvinyl acetate (woodglue) as well as some sweetener and flavouring.

    The chewing gum industry is big business, worth an estimated US$48.68 billion (£37.7 billion) in 2025. Three companies own 75% of the market share, the largest of which is Wrigley, with an estimated 35%. There are few reliable statistics available about the amount of gum being produced, but one peer-reviewed global estimate states 1.74 trillion pieces are made per year.

    I examined several types of gum and found that the most common weight of an individual piece of gum is 1.4g – that means that globally, a staggering 2.436 million tonnes of gum are produced each year. About a third (30%) of that weight, or just over 730,000 tonnes, is synthetic gum base.

    If the idea of chewing plastic isn’t disturbing enough, consider what happens after you spit it out. Most people have experienced discarded gum under bench seats, school desks and on street pavements. But, like other plastics, synthetic chewing gum does not biodegrade and can persist in the environment for many years.

    In the environment it will harden, crack and breakdown into microplastics but this can take decades. Cleaning it up is not cheap because it is labour intensive. The average cost is £1.50 per square metre and estimates suggest that the annual clean-up cost for chewing gum pollution for councils in the UK is around £7 million.

    There have been some efforts to address the problem. In many public locations around the UK, gum collection pots supplied by Dutch company Gumdrop Ltd have been installed to collect and recycle used gum. Signage provided by councils encouraging responsible disposal is also now a regular feature in some UK high streets, and there is a growing number of small producers offering plant-based alternatives.

    In the UK, the environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy launched the chewing gum task force in 2021. This collaboration involves three major manufacturers who have committed to investing up to £10 million in order to clean up “historic gum staining and changing behaviour so that more people bin their gum”.



    Read more:
    Car tyres shed a quarter of all microplastics in the environment – urgent action is needed

    But, here lies the crux of the issue.

    The first objective implies that cleaning up gum is a solution to this form of plastic pollution; it isn’t. Manufacturers making a financial contribution to clean-up efforts is like plastic manufacturers paying for litter pickers and bin bags at volunteer beach cleans. Neither addresses the root cause of the problem.

    Binning gum is not the solution either. Addressing gum as a plastic pollutant dictates that the prevention of gum pollution should include the well-known tenets, like all plastic pollution, of reduce, reuse, recycle and redesign. It is not only a disposal issue.

    Another issue that I have uncovered is definition. In the two annual reports published by the gum litter task force since its inception, there is no mention of the word pollution. The distinction between litter and pollution is important. By calling it chewing gum pollution, the narrative changes from an individual negligence issue to a corporate one. That places an onus for accountability onto the producers rather than the consumers.

    Single-use solutions

    Like single-use plastic items, chewing gum pollution needs to be tackled from all angles – education, reduction, alternatives, innovation, producer responsibility, and legislation.

    Educating people about the contents of gum and the environmental consequences those ingredients have will reduce consumption and encourage better disposal habits. More transparent labelling on packaging would empower shoppers to make informed choices. Stricter regulations can hold manufacturers to account – a levy tax on synthetic gum can help pay for clean ups. In turn, this would incentivise more investment in plant-based gums and other sustainable alternatives.

    We can all reduce the environmental consequences of this plastic pollution by kicking the gum habit, calling on councils to enforce stricter pollution penalties and encouraging governments to put a tax levy on manufacturers to fund clean ups and force them to list the contents of gum base.

    Throwing away any non-disposable, inorganic products is unsustainable. Chewing gum pollution is just another form of plastic pollution. It’s time we start treating it as such.

    Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like?

    Get a weekly roundup in your inbox instead. Every Wednesday, The Conversation’s environment editor writes Imagine, a short email that goes a little deeper into just one climate issue. Join the 40,000+ readers who’ve subscribed so far.

    David Jones is affiliated with the marine conservation charity Just One Ocean

    – ref. Chewing gum is plastic pollution, not a litter problem – https://theconversation.com/chewing-gum-is-plastic-pollution-not-a-litter-problem-251662

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Many of history’s deadliest building fires have been in nightclubs. Here’s why they’re so dangerous

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Milad Haghani, Associate Professor & Principal Fellow in Urban Risk & Resilience, The University of Melbourne

    A fire at a nightclub in North Macedonia has killed at least 59 people and injured more than 150. The blaze broke out at the Pulse nightclub in Kočani, where around 500 people were attending a concert.

    Witnesses reported that pyrotechnics used during the performance ignited the ceiling, causing flames to spread rapidly.

    Authorities have arrested 20 people so far, including the club’s manager. Investigations continue. The North Macedonian government has declared a seven-day mourning period.

    While building fires are not limited to nightclubs, many of the most devastating building fires in history have happened in nightclubs around the world. So why are nightclubs such a risky place for deadly fires?

    A long history of nightclub fires

    A look at past nightclub fires shows just how common and deadly they’ve been in the past 100 years. We identified at least 24 nightclub fires where ten or more people died since 1940.

    Collectively, these 24 incidents account for at least 2,800 deaths, with nearly 1,300 in the 21st century alone.

    The Cocoanut Grove fire (Boston, 1942) remains the deadliest on record, killing 492 people. The club’s flammable decorations and locked exits turned what should have been an ordinary night out into one of the worst fire disasters in history.

    In Argentina, the República Cromañón fire killed 194 people in 2004, caused by pyrotechnics igniting flammable materials inside the club.

    The Kiss nightclub fire in Brazil in 2013 was even deadlier, claiming 242 lives.

    More recently, Thailand’s Mountain B nightclub fire killed 23 people in 2022.

    And in 2023, 13 people died in a fire at the Fonda Milagros nightclub in Spain.

    Now, North Macedonia’s Pulse nightclub joins this long list.

    Why are nightclubs so risky for fires?

    A review of past nightclub fires we’ve collated in our database reveals common patterns. Two key factors have contributed to the frequency and severity of these fire disasters.

    1. Pyrotechnics, fireworks and flammable materials

    One of the most common causes of nightclub fires has been the use of pyrotechnics in enclosed spaces. Pyrotechnics are controlled chemical reactions designed to produce flames, smoke, or light effects.

    They have been involved in at least six of the deadliest nightclub fires, including the recent Pulse nightclub fire in North Macedonia, as well as The Station (United States, 2003), Kiss (Brazil, 2013), Colectiv (Romania, 2015), Lame Horse (Russia, 2009) and República Cromañón (Argentina, 2004).

    When used indoors, pyrotechnics can easily ignite flammable ceiling materials, acoustic foam, or decorations.

    In some cases, fireworks – which are different from stage pyrotechnics and sometimes illegally used indoors – have played a role. The Lame Horse nightclub fire, which killed 156 people in Russia in 2009, was caused by a spark from fireworks igniting a low ceiling covered in flammable plastic decorations.

    Even when fires don’t start from pyrotechnics or fireworks, the materials used in nightclub interiors can rapidly turn a small fire into a major disaster.

    Foam insulation, wooden panelling, plastic decorations and carpeted walls have all been key factors in past nightclub fires. In Cocoanut Grove (Boston, 1942), artificial palm trees and other flammable decorations accelerated the blaze.

    2. Overcrowding and blocked or insufficient exits

    Evacuation failures have been a factor in nearly every major nightclub fire.

    In some instances, crowds may not immediately recognise the severity of the situation, especially if they mistake alarms for false alarms or special effects (for example, smoke machines, loud music).

    Further, patrons could be intoxicated due alcohol or other drugs. Intoxication combined with potential disorientation due to dim lighting can further reduce judgement during an evacuation.

    Clearly, the best way to protect patrons is to prevent a fire from breaking out in the first place. But in settings where fire risks are inherently high, the ability to evacuate people swiftly is crucial.

    Nightclubs, however, have a poor track record when it comes to evacuation safety measures.

    Nightclubs are among the most crowded indoor spaces. While crowd density is part of a nightclub’s design and atmosphere, overcrowding beyond legal capacity is common.

    A crowd that has gradually gathered over several hours must suddenly evacuate in seconds or minutes to survive a fire. This is made more difficult by narrow hallways and limited exits, which quickly become bottlenecks when hundreds of people attempt to escape at once.

    What’s more, not all exits are always accessible during a fire. In several past nightclub disasters, locked or obstructed emergency exits have significantly worsened the death toll.

    Minimising the risks

    Nightclubs are uniquely vulnerable to fires due to a combination of structural risks, unsafe materials, overcrowding and regulatory failures.

    While human behaviour plays a role in how fires unfold in confined spaces such as nightclubs, people should be able to go for a night out and expect to come home safely.

    Regulatory oversight must ensure strict compliance with fire codes. Venues should have fire suppression systems (such as sprinklers, fire extinguishers and smoke detectors) to control or contain fires before they spread, and adequate exits.

    Nightclubs should ban indoor pyrotechnics and fireworks, as history has repeatedly shown their deadly consequences.

    Capacity limits must be enforced, and emergency exits should always be accessible.

    Australia has strict fire safety regulations for nightclubs, with venues required to have fire suppression systems, emergency exits and trained staff to manage fire risks.

    Public awareness is also key. Patrons need to understand the real risk of fires in nightclubs, and be prepared to evacuate swiftly but calmly if danger arises.

    Ruggiero Lovreglio receives funding from Royal Society Te Apārangi (NZ) and National Institute of Standards and Technology (USA).

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

    – ref. Many of history’s deadliest building fires have been in nightclubs. Here’s why they’re so dangerous – https://theconversation.com/many-of-historys-deadliest-building-fires-have-been-in-nightclubs-heres-why-theyre-so-dangerous-252372

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: NSU students became prize winners at the XV Regional Olympiad in Surgery of the Siberian Federal District

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Novosibirsk State University – Novosibirsk State University –

    The Olympiad was held on February 26-28 at the Novosibirsk State Medical University. Talented students from all over the Siberian Federal District came to the event to compete in more than twenty contests, including tying surgical knots, kidney and nerve transplants, and operations on experimental animals.

    The Olympiad lasted three days. Two of them were devoted to performing various operations, and on the last day, participants were tested on their ability to tie knots at speed, and also looked through creative business cards.

    — In the future, I plan to connect my life with neurosurgery, and the Olympiad is a great place to meet colleagues and mentors, as well as further hone my skills, learn weak points in order to work on them. The most difficult thing was not even the operations themselves, since we worked on them for a long time, but in the moment to cope with anxiety, calm my hands so that they do not shake, find a way out if I made a mistake, but the team helps a lot with this, — admits Ekaterina Vasenina, a 4th-year student Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, NSU, which became a prize winner in the nominations “Plastic Surgery” and “Microvascular Anastomosis” as an operator.

    — I decided to take part because I dream of becoming a trauma surgeon, and since childhood, thanks to my father, I have been surrounded by the attributes of surgery in one way or another — surgical instruments were used at home on par with construction ones, medical cases were discussed at the table. When I found out that I had become a prize winner, to be honest, I squealed with joy and hurried to brag to my parents, grandparents. For me, participating in an Olympiad of this format was a debut, so I am very proud of myself and my team! Despite the fact that we gathered for training before the Olympiad, we never performed the entire operation “from start to finish” before the Olympiad, which is why our success was also a surprise. My team — Sergey and Yaroslav — are great, they got together and did what we had never managed to do during training. I am proud of them! We all tried hard, and this was reflected in the result we got – we deserved the prize place, said Sofia Eksharova, a 4th year student. Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, NSU, which became a prize winner in the nomination “Osteometallosynthesis” as an operator.

    Individual results for competitions in which NSU students won prizes:

    — Plastic surgery PSO: operator — E. Vasenina, assistant — D. Akhtyrtseva.

    — Osteometallosynthesis: operator — S. Eksharova, assistant — S. Balasov, nurse — Ya. Rusanov.

    — Microvascular anastomosis: operator — E. Vasenina, assistant — D. Akhtyrtseva.

    — It was both unexpected and joyful. I was an operator at 3 stages, but I was completely satisfied with my work only at one operation, it was with it that I took first place, in the remaining two I understood that there were moments that needed to be worked on, but for one of them I received third place, which, of course, was a pleasant moment, — shared Ekaterina Vasenina.

    For Ekaterina and Sofia, this was the first experience of participating in an Olympiad of such a scale, which gave them a ton of impressions, acquaintances and motivation to develop skills and knowledge.

    Congratulations to the guys on their victories!

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Booming blueberry industry elevates SW China’s Yunnan to global supplier

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    While blueberry bushes in most parts of China are just beginning to bloom, early-ripening varieties in southwestern Yunnan Province are already being harvested.

    Farmers are currently working tirelessly to pick and pack the fresh berries, which swiftly make their way to markets across China and beyond.

    Originally native to North America, blueberries have found a second home in China.

    In 2024, the country’s blueberry cultivation area surpassed 73,000 hectares, yielding around 500,000 tonnes of berries, making China one of the fastest-growing blueberry producers in the world. Yunnan Province, with its ideal climate and extended growing season, has emerged as a leading production hub, contributing about 30 percent of the national output.

    Thanks to its unique geographical conditions, abundant sunlight, significant temperature variations between day and night, Yunnan offers an optimal environment for blueberry cultivation. “Yunnan is a natural habitat for blueberries,” said He Jiawei, head of the Institute of Alpine Economic and Botany, Yunnan Academy of Agricultural Science.

    The province is home to 46 wild blueberry species — more than half of China’s total, making it one of the best production areas worldwide.

    The city of Mengzi in Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture is home to over 2,300 hectares of greenhouse-grown blueberry cultivation space, generating over 3 billion yuan (about 418.48 million U.S. dollars) in revenue and improving incomes and livelihoods for more than 20,000 local farmers.

    Min Hongwei set up a 12-hectare blueberry plantation base in Mile, another city in Honghe, last year. “During peak harvest season, our workforce jumps to over 150 people, most of whom are local villagers. They can earn at least 150 yuan per day, and some make as much as 300 yuan,” he said.

    Yunnan’s blueberry boom has attracted over 100 domestic and international companies to Honghe, creating jobs for more than 100,000 people. According to the province’s agricultural department, Yunnan’s blueberry cultivation area reached 16,660 hectares in 2024, producing 171,000 tonnes with an estimated industry value of 17 billion yuan.

    While Chinese blueberries were initially grown for domestic consumption, they are now making their mark on the international stage.

    Chen Canling, sales manager of Anmei, an agriculture and technology company, said the company had successfully entered the Malaysian market this year.

    “To meet export standards, we’ve implemented precision management throughout the supply chain from harvesting techniques to packaging and international logistics,” Chen said. “Our goal is to export 300 tonnes of blueberries this year.”

    “Every four days, we airfreight two tonnes of blueberries to Dubai,” said Wang Rui, chairman of Fengji, an agricultural development company, adding that customers in Dubai can enjoy fresh blueberries from Yunnan in about 40 hours.

    China’s blueberry exports are rapidly gaining momentum. According to Kunming Customs, in 2024, the customs office in Mengzi supervised the export of 1,425 tonnes of blueberries, accounting for over half of China’s total blueberry exports and making it the country’s top blueberry exporter.

    “Since China first exported homegrown blueberries to Russia in 2020, they have reached more than 10 countries and regions, highlighting the immense market potential of Chinese blueberries,” said Li Yadong, a professor at Jilin Agricultural University. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Fijian academic says PM’s plans to change constitution ‘might take a while’

    By Koroi Hawkins, RNZ Pacific editor

    A Fijian academic believes Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka’s failed attempt to garner enough parliamentary support to change the country’s 2013 Constitution “is only the beginning”.

    Last week, Rabuka fell short in his efforts to secure the support of three-quarters of the members of Parliament to amend sections 159 and 160 of the constitution.

    The prime minister’s proposed amendments also sought to remove the need for a national referendum altogether. While the bill passed its first reading with support from several opposition MPs, it failed narrowly at the second reading.

    Video: RNZ Pacific

    While the bill passed its first reading with support from several opposition MPs, it failed narrowly at the second reading.

    Jope Tarai, an indigenous Fijian PhD scholar and researcher at the Australian National University, told RNZ Pacific Waves that “it is quite obvious that it is not going to be the end” of Rabuka’s plans to amend the constitution.

    However, he said that it was “something that might take a while” with less than a year before the 2026 elections.

    “So, the repositioning towards the people’s priorities will be more important than constitutional review,” he said.

    This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Japanese encephalitis has claimed a second life in NSW and been detected in Brisbane. What is it?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Cameron Webb, Clinical Associate Professor and Principal Hospital Scientist, University of Sydney

    encierro/Shutterstock

    A second man has died from Japanese encephalitis virus in New South Wales on March 6, the state’s health authorities confirmed on Friday. Aged in his 70s, the man was infected while holidaying in the Murrumbidgee region.

    This follows the death of another man in his 70s in Sydney last month, after holidaying in the same region in January.

    Japanese encephalitis virus has also been detected for the first time in mosquitoes collected in Brisbane’s eastern suburbs, Queensland health authorities confirmed on Saturday.

    With mosquito activity expected to increase thanks to flooding rains brought by Ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred, it’s important to protect yourself from mosquito bites.

    What is Japanese encephalitis virus?

    Japanese encephalitis is one of the most serious diseases that spreads via mosquitoes, with around 68,000 cases annually across Southeast Asia and Western Pacific regions.

    The virus is thought to be maintained in a cycle between mosquitoes and waterbirds. Mosquitoes are infected when they feed from an infected waterbird. They then pass the virus to other waterbirds. Sometimes other animals, and people, can be infected.

    Pigs are also a host, and the virus has spread through commercial piggeries in Victoria, NSW and Queensland. (But it poses no food safety risk.)

    Feral pigs and other animals can also play a role in transmission cycles.

    What are the symptoms?

    Most people infected show no symptoms.

    People with mild cases may have a fever, headache and vomiting.

    In more serious cases – about one in 250 people infected – people may have neck stiffness, disorientation, drowsiness and seizures. Serious illness can have life-long neurological complications and, in some cases, the infection can be life-threatening.

    There’s no specific treatment for the disease.

    When did Japanese encephalitis get to Australia and why is it in Brisbane?

    Outbreaks of Japanese encephalitis had occurred in the Torres Strait during the 1990s. The virus was also detected in the Cape York Peninsula in 1998.

    There had been no evidence of activity on the mainland since 2004 but everything changed in the summer of 2021–22. Japanese encephalitis virus was detected in commercial piggeries in southeastern Australia during that summer.

    This prompted the declaration of a Communicable Disease Incident of National Significance. At the time, flooding accompanying the La Niña-dominated weather patterns and a resulting boom in mosquito numbers, and waterbird populations, was thought responsible.

    The virus has spread in subsequent years and has been detected in the mosquito and arbovirus surveillance programs as well as detection in feral pigs and commercial piggeries in most states and territories. Only Tasmania has remained free of Japanese encephalitis virus.

    Human cases of infection have also been reported. There were more than 50 cases of disease and seven deaths in 2022.

    Cases of Japanese encephalitis have already been reported from Queensland in 2025.

    Due to concern about Japanese encephalitis virus and other mosquito-borne pathogens, health authorities around Australia have expanded and enhanced their surveillance programs.

    In Queensland, this includes mosquito monitoring at a number of locations, including urban areas of southeast Queensland. Mosquitoes collected in this monitoring program tested positive for Japanese encephalitis virus, promoting the current health warnings.

    Why is its detection in Brisbane important?

    Up to now, scientists have thought the risk of Japanese encephalitis was likely greatest following seasons of above-average rainfall or flooding. This provides ideal conditions for waterbirds and mosquitoes.

    But the activity of Japanese encephalitis virus over the summer of 2024–25 has taken many scientists by surprise. Before Ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred arrived, there had been somewhat dry conditions with less waterbird activity and low mosquito numbers in many regions of eastern Australia.

    However there has still been widespread Japanese encephalitis virus activity in Victoria, NSW and Queensland.

    To date, Japanese encephalitis virus activity hasn’t extended to the coastal regions of southeast Queensland. The detection of the virus in suburban Brisbane may require authorities to rethink exactly where the virus may turn up next. Authorities are ramping up their surveillance to see just how widespread the virus is in the region.

    Health authorities and scientists are also trying to understand how the virus moved from western areas of the state to the coast and what drives virus transmission in different regions.

    There is currently no evidence the virus is active in coastal regions of northern NSW.

    Mosquitoes collected in Brisbane have tested positive for Japanese encephalitis virus.
    A/Prof Cameron Webb (NSW Health Pathology)

    What can people do to protect themselves?

    Avoiding mosquito bites is the best way to reduce the risk of Japanese encephalitis virus.

    Cover up with long-sleeved shirts and long pants for a physical barrier against mosquito bites.

    Use topical insect repellents containing DEET, picaridin, or oil of lemon eucalyptus. Be sure to apply an even coat on all exposed areas of skin for the longest-lasting protection.

    Ensure any insect screens on houses, tents and caravans are in good repair and reduce the amount of standing water in the backyard. The more water there is around your home, the more opportunities for mosquitoes there are.

    A safe and effective vaccine is available against Japanese encephalitis. Each state and territory health authority (for example Queensland, NSW, Victoria) have specific recommendations about access to vaccinations.

    It may take many weeks following vaccination to achieve sufficient protection, so prioritise reducing your exposure to bites in the meantime.

    Cameron Webb and the Department of Medical Entomology, NSW Health Pathology and University of Sydney, have been engaged by a wide range of insect repellent and insecticide manufacturers to provide testing of products and provide expert advice on medically important arthropods, including mosquitoes. Cameron has also received funding from local, state and federal agencies to undertake research into various aspects of management of various medically important arthropods.

    Andrew van den Hurk has received funding from local, state and federal agencies to study the ecology of mosquito-borne pathogens, and their surveillance and control. He is an employee of the Department of Health, Queensland government.

    – ref. Japanese encephalitis has claimed a second life in NSW and been detected in Brisbane. What is it? – https://theconversation.com/japanese-encephalitis-has-claimed-a-second-life-in-nsw-and-been-detected-in-brisbane-what-is-it-252373

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Non-compete agreements and other restraints can end up hurting Australian workers – and all of us pay the price

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Paula McDonald, Professor of Work and Organisation, Queensland University of Technology

    Twinsterphoto/Shutterstock

    Australian workers have to overcome some significant barriers in navigating their careers.

    Some may lack the training or work experience opportunities needed to make themselves stand out and take the next step. Others may be extensively qualified, but face limited new job or promotional opportunities relevant to their skill set.

    But there’s another common barrier that’s often overlooked: post-employment restraints. Among the most well-known are non-compete clauses, but these aren’t the only kind.

    These tools are designed to protect employer interests. But their widespread use has far-reaching consequences for job mobility, wages and innovation across Australia.

    Our new research, which was commissioned by the Department of Treasury and conducted by researchers at Queensland University of Technology, set out to examine how these agreements are impacting Australia’s workforce.

    We zeroed in on two very different occupational groups – hairdressers and IT professionals. Our findings point to an urgent need for regulatory reform in Australia. But we also offer solutions that could better balance business needs with worker rights.

    What are post-employment restraints?

    Post-employment restraints are contractual clauses that restrict what workers can do after leaving their jobs.

    One common type are non-compete clauses, which prevent workers from joining competitors or starting their own businesses, usually (though not always) in the same industry.

    Signing a non-compete agreement often prevents you from working for a competing business.
    G.Tbov/Shutterstock

    There are also non-solicitation agreements, which restrict them from approaching former clients or colleagues.

    And non-disclosure obligations can limit the use of confidential information concerning the employer’s business – even when created by workers themselves.

    Businesses argue these clauses help them safeguard their proprietary interests, such as hard-won client relationships, trade secrets and intellectual property.

    However, their application is not limited to high-level executives or sensitive roles. Such restraints are more common than many realise.

    Data cited in our report from businesses with 200 employees or less confirms previous Australian research: at least one in five businesses use non-compete, non-solicitation of clients and non-solicitation of co-workers clauses. The number is even higher if non-disclosure agreements are included in the list of restraints.

    Overall, half of all Australian workers are reported to have post-employment restraints – including many in low-paid jobs.

    As former Fair Work Commission President Iain Ross has pointed out, this raises critical questions about fairness and the broader impacts on the labour market.

    A tangle of restrictions in hairdressing

    Hairdressing is a predominantly female, low-wage profession. Our interviews with hairdressers reveal the outsized impact that post-employment restraints can have on vulnerable workers.

    Restrictions typically include bans on working within a certain radius of their former salon, taking clients to a new employer, or starting their own business.

    Many interviewees only learned about these restrictions after accepting a position or deciding to leave. Some reported being barred from telling clients of their departure or facing demands to pay penalties if clients followed them to a new salon.

    The personal relationships hairdressers form with their clients are central to their work and professional identity. However, these relationships often become battlegrounds when employment ends.

    Hairdressers explained the difficulties that often arose from becoming “friends” with clients. As one put it:

    As soon as you leave, it’s almost harder than a breakup.

    Client relationships are a prized asset in the hairdressing industry.
    MarijaBazarova/Shutterstock

    Chained to the chair

    Financially, these restrictions exacerbate the already precarious conditions in the hairdressing industry.

    With limited opportunities for wage growth, many hairdressers establish their own businesses or rent chairs in salons for greater independence.

    Yet, non-compete clauses often delay these plans. Hairdressers are then forced to accept lower-paying positions or leave the profession entirely.

    Social media has added a whole new layer of complexity. Hairdressers are often required to use their personal social media accounts to promote their employer’s business, only to have their posts deleted or accounts locked when they leave. This can erase years of professional work and connections.

    Many young hairdressers we spoke to expressed particular frustration that their social media presence, cultivated under the salon’s brand, could not be carried forward to new roles.

    Holding back innovation

    Our study found while hairdressers face restrictions on their mobility and client relationships, IT professionals face obstacles that limit their ability to innovate.

    IT professionals often develop new technologies, software or processes, sometimes in their own time. However, contracts often claim ownership of these innovations for the employer.

    We found non-disclosure agreements, non-compete clauses and intellectual property ownership terms are all common in the industry.

    This environment discourages entrepreneurial ventures and independent projects, even as the industry demands agility and creativity.

    As one participant explained:

    It’s made me pause multiple times, made me think about not developing a code that you’re interested in just for your own development.

    Professionals reported feeling “locked in” to roles, unable to pursue side projects or start their own businesses without risking legal action.

    Non-compete clauses in IT contracts also restrict job mobility when professionals cannot join competitor companies or use their expertise in new roles.

    This impacts not only individual workers but also the broader industry, as firms struggle to recruit skilled talent.

    Paradoxically, some employers actively poach talent from competitors while enforcing non-compete clauses against their own staff.

    Intellectual property restrictions can discourage IT professionals from working on their own innovative projects.
    Jacob Lund/Shutterstock

    The way forward

    By limiting job mobility, post-employment restraints contribute to wage stagnation and reduce workers’ bargaining power.

    Australia’s regulatory approach to this issue lags behind other countries. There are no formal limits on the length or breadth of restraints, just a vague test of “reasonableness” that makes it hard to know what is permissible, without costly litigation.

    In the United States, California has banned non-compete clauses outright, fostering a thriving tech industry. In Europe, companies like Germany impose strict limits on the duration of restraints and require employers to compensate workers during the restricted period.

    These models demonstrate that balancing employer interests with worker rights is possible and can yield positive outcomes.

    One option for policymakers in Australia would be to impose new restrictions on the scope and duration of restraints to ensure they serve legitimate business interests without unduly restricting workers.

    Employers could be required to provide plain-language explanations around these restrictions at the time of hiring and compensate workers for the duration of any restraint, as seen in some European models.

    Post-employment restraints are a double-edged sword. While they may protect legitimate business interests, their overuse undermines job mobility, innovation and worker wellbeing.



    Read more:
    Would a mandatory five-day working week solve construction’s work-life balance woes?

    Paula McDonald receives funding from the Australian Research Council and the Commonwealth Department of Treasury.

    Andrew Stewart receives funding from Commonwealth Department of Treasury.

    – ref. Non-compete agreements and other restraints can end up hurting Australian workers – and all of us pay the price – https://theconversation.com/non-compete-agreements-and-other-restraints-can-end-up-hurting-australian-workers-and-all-of-us-pay-the-price-247449

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Coalition promises Australian version of United States’ RICO act to target CFMEU

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

    Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has announced a Coalition government would introduce legislation, based on an American law used to pursue the Mafia, to enable police to target the “kingpins” of criminal organisations such as outlaw motorcycle gangs.

    This follows new allegations by Nine newspapers and 60 Minutes about the rogue union the CFMEU. The allegations include “the employment of ‘baseball-twirling violent people’ on the [Victorian government’s] Big Build, where women have been bashed and then black-banned after they complained”.

    The Nine investigation further alleged that “gangland and bikie-linked figures are receiving large payments from companies on publicly funded projects looking to gain favour with union insiders, leaving state and federal taxpayers in effect underwriting payments to the underworld.”

    The Coalition said Monday the proposed new offences would “be based on the highly effective Mafia takedown laws in the US”. Dutton and shadow ministers Michaelia Cash and James Paterson said in a statement:

    By targeting groups that engage in a pattern of criminal behaviour, these offences will put police in the position where they can target the criminal organisation and its leadership.

    This  means the bosses and kingpins of groups such as outlaw motorcycle gangs can be jailed even if they distance themselves from the crimes their organisations commit.

    Dutton described the CFMEU as “a modern-day mafia operation”. He added:

    The culture of criminality and corruption is so entrenched, and it will never change – especially under the weak and incompetent Albanese Labor government.

    Dutton claimed the CFMEU affair was the “biggest corruption scandal in our country’s history”.

    The opposition said it would also set up an Australian Federal Police-led taskforce that would bring together federal law enforcement agencies and state and territory police forces to target criminal behaviour.

    After the latest revelation surfaced in Nine media at the weekend, Workplace Relations Minister Murray Watt said on social media he would refer the allegations to the police.

    On Monday, Watt condemned Dutton’s proposal for a new law.

    We don’t need to import an American racketeering law – we already have our own laws to go after ‘kingpins’, such as section 390.6 of the Criminal Code, which already deals with directing criminal organisation.

    He also condemned the opposition’s long-standing policy to deregister the union, saying this would mean there was no regulation.

    Peter Dutton’s reckless desire for a headline puts at risk the investigations and crime-fighting that the Coalition never bothered to commence in their decade in office.

    Victoria police is undertaking an investigation into the fresh allegations.

    The US Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organisations (RICO) Act, dating from 1970, enables prosecutors to take down whole mob-related organisations rather than having only the power to deal with figures individually. It is intended to deal with mob bosses who could not be directly connected to the crimes.

    Its use, however, has extended well beyond mob prosecutions to a range of targets, from street gangs to politicians.

    US President Donald Trump was charged under Georgia’s RICO act for “knowingly and willfully joining a conspiracy to unlawfully change the outcome of the [2020] election”.

    The construction and general division of the CFMEU has been in administration since last August.

    The union’s national secretary, Zach Smith, said on Facebook: “We cannot  let our union or our industry be a safe haven for criminality of corruption”.

    He also said that “violence against women is completely unacceptable to our union”.

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

    – ref. Coalition promises Australian version of United States’ RICO act to target CFMEU – https://theconversation.com/coalition-promises-australian-version-of-united-states-rico-act-to-target-cfmeu-252172

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Many of history’s deadliest building fires have been in nightclubs. Here’s why they’re so dangerous

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

    A fire at a nightclub in North Macedonia has killed at least 59 people and injured more than 150. The blaze broke out at the Pulse nightclub in Kočani, where around 500 people were attending a concert.

    Witnesses reported that pyrotechnics used during the performance ignited the ceiling, causing flames to spread rapidly.

    Authorities have arrested 20 people so far, including the club’s manager. Investigations continue. The North Macedonian government has declared a seven-day mourning period.

    While building fires are not limited to nightclubs, many of the most devastating building fires in history have happened in nightclubs around the world. So why are nightclubs such a risky place for deadly fires?

    A long history of nightclub fires

    A look at past nightclub fires shows just how common and deadly they’ve been in the past 100 years. We identified at least 24 nightclub fires where ten or more people died since 1940.

    Collectively, these 24 incidents account for at least 2,800 deaths, with nearly 1,300 in the 21st century alone.

    The Cocoanut Grove fire (Boston, 1942) remains the deadliest on record, killing 492 people. The club’s flammable decorations and locked exits turned what should have been an ordinary night out into one of the worst fire disasters in history.

    In Argentina, the República Cromañón fire killed 194 people in 2004, caused by pyrotechnics igniting flammable materials inside the club.

    The Kiss nightclub fire in Brazil in 2013 was even deadlier, claiming 242 lives.

    More recently, Thailand’s Mountain B nightclub fire killed 23 people in 2022.

    And in 2023, 13 people died in a fire at the Fonda Milagros nightclub in Spain.

    Now, North Macedonia’s Pulse nightclub joins this long list.

    Why are nightclubs so risky for fires?

    A review of past nightclub fires we’ve collated in our database reveals common patterns. Two key factors have contributed to the frequency and severity of these fire disasters.

    1. Pyrotechnics, fireworks and flammable materials

    One of the most common causes of nightclub fires has been the use of pyrotechnics in enclosed spaces. Pyrotechnics are controlled chemical reactions designed to produce flames, smoke, or light effects.

    They have been involved in at least six of the deadliest nightclub fires, including the recent Pulse nightclub fire in North Macedonia, as well as The Station (United States, 2003), Kiss (Brazil, 2013), Colectiv (Romania, 2015), Lame Horse (Russia, 2009) and República Cromañón (Argentina, 2004).

    When used indoors, pyrotechnics can easily ignite flammable ceiling materials, acoustic foam, or decorations.

    In some cases, fireworks – which are different from stage pyrotechnics and sometimes illegally used indoors – have played a role. The Lame Horse nightclub fire, which killed 156 people in Russia in 2009, was caused by a spark from fireworks igniting a low ceiling covered in flammable plastic decorations.

    Even when fires don’t start from pyrotechnics or fireworks, the materials used in nightclub interiors can rapidly turn a small fire into a major disaster.

    Foam insulation, wooden panelling, plastic decorations and carpeted walls have all been key factors in past nightclub fires. In Cocoanut Grove (Boston, 1942), artificial palm trees and other flammable decorations accelerated the blaze.

    2. Overcrowding and blocked or insufficient exits

    Evacuation failures have been a factor in nearly every major nightclub fire.

    In some instances, crowds may not immediately recognise the severity of the situation, especially if they mistake alarms for false alarms or special effects (for example, smoke machines, loud music).

    Further, patrons could be intoxicated due alcohol or other drugs. Intoxication combined with potential disorientation due to dim lighting can further reduce judgement during an evacuation.

    Clearly, the best way to protect patrons is to prevent a fire from breaking out in the first place. But in settings where fire risks are inherently high, the ability to evacuate people swiftly is crucial.

    Nightclubs, however, have a poor track record when it comes to evacuation safety measures.

    Nightclubs are among the most crowded indoor spaces. While crowd density is part of a nightclub’s design and atmosphere, overcrowding beyond legal capacity is common.

    A crowd that has gradually gathered over several hours must suddenly evacuate in seconds or minutes to survive a fire. This is made more difficult by narrow hallways and limited exits, which quickly become bottlenecks when hundreds of people attempt to escape at once.

    What’s more, not all exits are always accessible during a fire. In several past nightclub disasters, locked or obstructed emergency exits have significantly worsened the death toll.

    Minimising the risks

    Nightclubs are uniquely vulnerable to fires due to a combination of structural risks, unsafe materials, overcrowding and regulatory failures.

    While human behaviour plays a role in how fires unfold in confined spaces such as nightclubs, people should be able to go for a night out and expect to come home safely.

    Regulatory oversight must ensure strict compliance with fire codes. Venues should have fire suppression systems (such as sprinklers, fire extinguishers and smoke detectors) to control or contain fires before they spread, and adequate exits.

    Nightclubs should ban indoor pyrotechnics and fireworks, as history has repeatedly shown their deadly consequences.

    Capacity limits must be enforced, and emergency exits should always be accessible.

    Australia has strict fire safety regulations for nightclubs, with venues required to have fire suppression systems, emergency exits and trained staff to manage fire risks.

    Public awareness is also key. Patrons need to understand the real risk of fires in nightclubs, and be prepared to evacuate swiftly but calmly if danger arises.

    Ruggiero Lovreglio receives funding from Royal Society Te Apārangi (NZ) and National Institute of Standards and Technology (USA).

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

    – ref. Many of history’s deadliest building fires have been in nightclubs. Here’s why they’re so dangerous – https://theconversation.com/many-of-historys-deadliest-building-fires-have-been-in-nightclubs-heres-why-theyre-so-dangerous-252372

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Research breakthrough offers hope for Canola growers

    Source: New South Wales Department of Primary Industries

    17 Mar 2025

    Researchers from the NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) have opened the door to enhancing canola production in challenging growing environments, after identifying a key gene that helps protect plants from manganese toxicity in acidic soils.

    Soil acidity is a significant challenge for crop production in Australia, and crops like canola are particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of acidic soils which can limit growth and reduce yields.

    Dr Harsh Raman, Senior Principal Research Scientist at NSW DPIRD, said the the discovery is the result of five years of dedicated research by an international team of scientists, with NSW DPIRD leading the effort.

    “Soil acidity is a global issue, severely limiting crop production and affecting a huge 13.7 million hectares in NSW alone,” Dr Raman said.

    “After conducting a range of experiments in controlled field conditions, NSW DPIRD has successfully cloned the specific gene responsible for manganese tolerance in acidic soils.”

    “We have also uncovered new insights into the genetic networks that influence this trait, which will enable the research team to develop practical methods for selecting canola plants with manganese tolerance based on morphological traits and molecular markers.”

    According to Dr Raman, the discovery could lead to higher productivity and improved profitability for Canola growers.

    “By understanding how canola plants cope with excessive manganese in acidic soils, researchers and crop breeding companies can now work towards developing new crop varieties that are more resilient to thestresses of manganese toxicity. ,” Dr Raman said.

    While manganese is an essential nutrient for plant growth, excessive amounts in acidic soils (pH <5) can lead to severe toxicity which can stunt plant growth and reduce crop yields. This is most common in waterlogged soils or those with poor drainage, particularly under high-temperature conditions.

    Dr. Raman said that while researchers still recommend a regular application of lime to manage high-acidity soils, manganese tolerance is a valuable enhancement trait for canola varieties by allowing growers to get about their business without having to wait for the lime to ameliorate into the soil.

    “Thanks to this research, canola farmers will no longer exclusively need to invest significant time and money into lime applications and wait for amelioration to proceed before they can grow high yield crops.

    Now, by unlocking the secret to cultivating varieties that are tolerant to acidic soils, growers can grow high yielding canola whilst applying lime to improve their soils long term PH, increasing productivity and profitability.”

    “As farmers face increasing challenges  such as soil degradation, this research provides a promising new tool to enhance crop resilience and secure long-term food production,” Dr Raman said.

    The project was supported by the NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Grains Research and Development Cooperation, Oil Crops Research Institute China, Monash University, ARC Training Centre for Future Crops Development at Australian National University and Wagga Wagga, and INRA France.

    The research findings were recently published in Plant Cell and Environment, available at (Genome‐Wide Association Study Elucidates the Genetic Architecture of Manganese Tolerance in Brassica napus – Raman – Plant, Cell & Environment – Wiley Online Library).

    Media contact: pi.media@dpird.nsw.gov.au

    Vision pack available at https://tinyurl.com/5n7f56ca

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Priority News – The Book of Disappearance – Longlisted for the International Booker Prize 2025

    Source: Text Publishing (Melbourne, Australia)


    The Book of Disappearance, by Ibtisam Azem, translated by Sinan Antoon has been Longlisted for the International Booker Prize, 2025.

    This critically acclaimed Arabic novel invites English readers into the complex lives of Palestinians living in Israel.

    What if all the Palestinians in Israel simply disappeared one day?

    The Book of Disappearance is set in contemporary Tel Aviv. Alaa is a young Palestinian man who is haunted by his grandmother’s memories of being displaced from Jaffa and becoming a refugee in her homeland. His Jewish neighbour and friend, Ariel, is a journalist who believes in Israel’s national myth but is critical of the military occupation of the West Bank and Gaza. He begins to search for clues about why Alaa and the Palestinians have vanished. Their stories, and the stories of the ordinary people of Jaffa and Tel Aviv, reveal the fissures at the heart of the Palestinian question.

    Ibtisan Azem’s spare and evocative novel is an unforgettable glimpse into contemporary Palestine as it grapples with both the memory of loss and the loss of memory.

    Ibtisam Azem is a Palestinian novelist, short story writer, and journalist, based in New York. She was born and raised in Taybeh, near Jaffa, the city from which her mother and maternal grandparents were internally displaced in the 1948 Nakba. She lived in Jerusalem before moving to Germany and later to the US. Azem has published two novels in Arabic: The Sleep Thief (2011) and The Book of Disappearance (2014). Her first short story collection, City of Strangers, is forthcoming in Arabic in the summer of 2025.
     
    Sinan Antoon is an Iraqi poet, novelist, translator, and scholar. He holds degrees from Baghdad and Harvard and has published two collections of poetry and five novels in Arabic. Antoon’s writings in English have appeared in the New York Times, the Guardian and the Nation, among others. Antoon returned to his native Baghdad in 2003 to co-direct About Baghdad, a documentary about the lives of Iraqis in a post-Saddam-occupied Iraq. He is an associate professor of Arabic literature at New York University.
     
    Praise for Ibtisam Azem:

    • ‘Brilliantly conceived and searingly executed.’ Claire Messud 
    • ‘In this immensely readable novel, Ms Azem does not resolve for us the calamity of Palestine’s occupation by Israel. But stylishly and with jeweled virtuosity she makes us understand that acts of great and human imagination will be required, and with this potent book points where and how we must all go.’ Richard Ford
    • ‘Speculative and haunting, this is an exceptional exercise in memory-making and psycho-geography.’ The International Booker Prize 2025 Judges
    • ‘Seductively bold…This rich, potent novel reminds us that there are no easy answers.’ Guardian.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Serwah Attafuah: a powerful and most welcome voice in contemporary Australian art

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dominic Redfern, Associate Professor, School of Art, RMIT University

    Serwah Attafuah, The Darkness Between The Stars, JOAN. Landscape still. Courtesy of the artist.

    Virtuosic digital artistry is on show in Serwah Attafuah’s installation The Darkness Between the Stars, currently showing at ACMI.

    The work fiercely challenges stereotypes of black femininity and draws upon the history and culture of the Ashanti people of modern-day Ghana, one of the countries most affected by the Atlantic slave trade and the site of remembrance and pilgrimage for many descendants of the people trafficked as slaves.

    Serewah is part of a generation of video artists like Melbourne’s Xanthe Dobbie, British artist Rachel Maclean, and Paris based, French Guianese artist Tabita Rezaire. These artists all channel the moving image culture of gaming and the internet, rather than the cinematic or televisual references of their forebears.

    Each of these artists uses exuberant humour and a tough-minded politic to challenge the reductive construction of female and queer identities.

    As we pass through the arch at the entry to the gallery, we are greeted by a 3D animation of an ocean reflecting a sky that cycles from starlit to slowly emerging dawn. We are told the arch references the entry to the Elmina castle built by the Portuguese: one of two major points from which enslaved African people were cast into the hell of the Atlantic passage and life in bonds.

    African warriors

    Beyond the entrance we are faced by a series of five screens in portrait format. Each shows short loops of African warriors, suggesting the idealised – and, here, heroic – forms of game avatars a la Fortnite.

    Each of the images is framed in gold e-waste. This brings to mind Congolese street art costumes, similarly made of waste which blend cultural traditions and an Afrofuturist resistance that dares to imagine a better future.

    The first portrait is a furred, horn helmeted, and neck ringed warrior woman. Armed with a laser and an automatic pistol, she has further weapons adorning her back ready to be deployed.

    Serwah Attafuah, The Darkness Between The Stars, ANANSI, 2025.
    Still courtesy of the artist

    Behind and around her are malfunctioning computer screens. One scrolls through an online dating text exchange which evokes the idealised and reductive self-curation of the online profile. This chat is between Jenny and Mark, a FIFO worker on an offshore oil rig in Western Australia. This ties to the images of oil rigs found elsewhere in the show, evoking the plundering of African resources: human and otherwise; historical and ongoing.

    The second screen pictures an armoured woman (or cyborg?) atop a rearing tiger. The tiger is an intriguing choice given it is an Asian animal but potentially points to a pan exoticism rooted in the confusion of cultures.

    She wields a curved blade amid a savannah populated with umbrella thorn acacia and what appear to be comfortingly homely (and amusing) ground-hugging waratahs in the foreground.

    Serwah Attafuah, The Darkness Between The Stars, JOAN, 2025.
    Still courtesy of the artist.

    Complicating fetishes

    Moving around the room, floating robots accompany another warrior who props against a sword supported by a fragmented classical column.

    She stands beneath an oversized moon, evoking an off-world setting, a reading compounded by her protective headwear.

    Alongside a writhing snake, we catch sight of her Betty Davis (no, the Black one) super heels: a clear link to the under-remembered pioneer of Afrofuturism.

    Serwah Attafuah, The Darkness Between The Stars, KING, 2025.
    Still courtesy of the artist.

    Continuing this play of sexual provocation and power is the addition of a techno tutu which further accentuates her already thrusting buttocks.

    The problematisation of sexualised imagery is one of the exhibition’s central themes. Attafuah toys with the Western fetishisation and fear of Black women’s sexuality.

    Occasionally borrowing cliches from the gaming and pornographic worlds, Attafuah forcefully complicates such fetishes by arming four of her five warriors to the teeth. They take aim at us, challenging their construction as passive objects for our visual consumption.

    A further figure, singularly unarmed apart from her thorny armbands, appears in the next frame. She runs through a series of coquettish modelling poses in her mesh bodysuit as she stands amid buzzing screens and computer detritus.

    In yet another confusingly (and amusingly) stereotyped African landscape she is pictured among palm trees and sand, in what I took to be an evocation of a North African environment complete with desert fortress, oil rig and passing container ship.

    In the final of the five portraits a young, braided, and fantastically eyelashed woman takes aim at us with a pistol straight from Star Wars (Rebel Alliance issue, naturally).

    Serwah Attafuah, The Darkness Between The Stars, VENUS, 2025.
    Still courtesy of the artist.

    She stands hip deep in a lagoon of water lilies and floating CDs. A futuristic city fills the background with a slowly turning wind turbine that sports yellow and black radiation colouring – yet another paradoxical meeting in an exhibition characterised by mixed messages that contradict easy readings.

    In The Darkness Between the Stars, Attafuah proves herself to be a powerful, uncompromising and most welcome voice in contemporary Australian art. She proves herself capable of generating sophisticated, nuanced and playful reflections on complex problems that we carry from past to present.

    Serwah Attafuah: The Darkness Between the Stars is at ACMI, Melbourne, until June 1.

    Dominic Redfern works at RMIT with, and previously taught, Xanthe Dobbie.

    – ref. Serwah Attafuah: a powerful and most welcome voice in contemporary Australian art – https://theconversation.com/serwah-attafuah-a-powerful-and-most-welcome-voice-in-contemporary-australian-art-250154

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Trump is surveying Australian academics about gender diversity and China – what does this mean for unis and their research?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brendan Walker-Munro, Senior Lecturer (Law), Southern Cross University

    Shortly after taking office, US President Donald Trump issued executive orders banning federal funding on so-called “woke” research.

    This is part of his broader ban on all diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies, grants and programs in the US government.

    These orders are massive in scope, impacting studies as varied as stroke recovery, computing and ancient languages.

    The impact in the United States so far has been dramatic. Some universities are already cutting student admissions and looking at ways to shed academic staff and researchers.

    Now the ban has impacted Australian researchers who have links to US government-funded projects. The Trump Administration is asking for information on how their research fits in with US foreign and domestic policy.

    What has happened?

    The US government has sent a 36-point questionnaire to some Australian researchers who are working on joint projects with US colleagues.

    ABC Radio National reports at least eight Australian universities are involved. Their research areas include foreign aid, medicine, vaccines and defence. The New York Times reports a similar document has also been sent to other overseas organisations with US funding links.

    The questions are wide-ranging and cover academics’ links to China as well as their projects’ focus on topics such as diversity, inclusion and gender identity, as well as climate change.

    Some of the specific questions include:

    Can you confirm that your organisation has not received ANY funding from PRC People’s Republic of China, Russia, Cuba or Iran?

    Can you confirm that this is no DEI [diversity, equity and inclusion] project or DEI elements of the project? [sic]

    Does this project take appropriate measures to protect women and to defend against gender ideology as defined in the below Executive Order?

    Can you confirm this is not a climate or “environmental justice” project or include such elements?

    The survey also covers issues such as secure borders with Mexico, ending government waste, terrorism, the war on opioids, and “eradicating anti-Christian bias”.

    Concern and anger

    In response, the Group of Eight (which represents Australia’s top research universities) and Australian Academy of Science have separately raised concerns with the Australian government about the survey and its impact on Australian research.

    The Group of Eight says the US has already suspended or terminated research grants with six of its eight member universities.

    The National Tertiary Education Union also labelled the survey “blatant foreign interference”.

    A spokesperson for Education Minister Jason Clare says Australia is
    “engaging with the US government to understand what these measures mean for future funding and collaboration”.

    Are Trump’s orders legal?

    Trump’s executive orders are currently the subject of numerous lawsuits in the US. Plaintiffs say Trump’s orders violate the First and Fifth Amendments – those dealing with protection of free speech, equal protection and “due process of law” when depriving a citizen of property.

    Whether Trump’s orders are legal or not is a tricky question, and will likely come down the judges hearing each case.

    In the meantime, US government agencies are withholding funding anyway. Reports also suggests Trump has instructed his administration to ignore court orders – hardly surprising, given Trump’s history of contempt of US courts.

    What does this mean for Australia?

    US involvement in Australian research is significant. According to the Academy of Science, US government research funding involving Australian research organisations was $A386 million in 2024.

    It is arguable Trump’s orders infringe Australian sovereignty. But the US has always had the capacity to interfere in Australian university research – it just hasn’t actually done it until now.

    Research contracts signed between universities and funding bodies can contain all kinds of requirements, so US law can end up applying to Australian researchers. When the AUKUS deal was announced in 2021, a huge question was how universities would comply with notoriously harsh US export control laws.

    The survey indicates it was issued by the US Office of Management and Budget and appears to be supported by the US CHIPS and Science Act (which authorises certain research investments) and National Science Foundation policies. So, while Australian researchers could potentially ignore these questionnaires, that would legally give a US funding body grounds to cancel the funding contract.

    Our foreign interference laws also weren’t designed for situations like this. Even if they did, Trump is the current head of the US government, and is likely to be immune from prosecution

    Statutory tests for foreign interference – including criteria that such acts are covert, and/or involve threats of harm – simply don’t apply to a US president like Trump.

    So legally, it doesn’t look like there is much Australia can do about Trump’s orders.

    What can Australia do?

    Some newly unemployed researchers are now poised to leave the US, taking their research with them. This poses a potential security risk, with countries such as China and Russia both keen to capitalise on Trump’s decisions.

    But other nations are also aware of the possibilities. The European Union has already offered displaced US scientists a more “sympathetic place to work”. South Korea and Canada are also marketing themselves as attractive options. Australia could follow suit.

    The federal government is currently doing a strategic review of Australia’s research and development system. This could make diversifying our research partners a national priority.

    This could include revisiting a 2023 decision, not to join Horizon Europe – the European Union’s key research fund.

    Either way, given such radical changes in the US, Australia needs to seriously reconsider how it is funding and structuring research.

    Brendan Walker-Munro has consulted for the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) and the Independent National Security Legislation Monitor, and is also an Adjunct Expert Associate of the National Security College. He has received funding from the Social Cyber Institute and Active Cyber Defence Alliance.

    – ref. Trump is surveying Australian academics about gender diversity and China – what does this mean for unis and their research? – https://theconversation.com/trump-is-surveying-australian-academics-about-gender-diversity-and-china-what-does-this-mean-for-unis-and-their-research-252282

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: New associate psychology role to grow the mental health workforce

    Source: New Zealand Government

    Improving access to mental health and addiction support took a significant step forward today with Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey announcing that the University of Canterbury have been the first to be selected to develop the Government’s new associate psychologist training programme.

    “I am thrilled that the University of Canterbury is the first to be awarded funding to help lead the new associate psychology pathway. I know this new role will help ease New Zealand’s psychology workforce shortages,” Mr Doocey says.

    “Currently, there are far too many people in New Zealand who are stuck on waiting lists for psychological services or missing out altogether. This is utterly unacceptable. That is why the Government has created this new programme that will help ensure more people are receiving the support they need, when they need it.

    “From next year in 2026 the first cohort of students will begin their studies. As the associate psychologist training programme is a one-year postgraduate diploma, from early 2027 we will see more graduates as a result entering the mental health and addiction workforce, making it easier for New Zealanders to access support.

    “Every year there is a large amount of psychology students who graduate with an undergraduate degree but are unable to progress further due to the limited number of post-graduate clinical pathways. This new qualification now offers an opportunity for those students to continue pursuing a career within the mental health and addiction workforce.

    “These graduate associate psychologists will be registered health professionals who will work under supervision within a mental health or addiction service. This will also help free up registered psychologists to allow them to focus on more complex cases.

    “The associate psychologist could also work, with the appropriate support, in areas where there are few psychologists. This will help support rural and harder to reach communities improve their access to support.

    “I’m very pleased that the University of Canterbury is continuing to expand their psychology programmes. Last year I was pleased to commended UC for increasing its intake of clinical psychology students each year to meet the growing demand for mental health professionals in New Zealand.”

    The Government has set a workforce target of training 500 mental health and addiction professionals annually.

    “To reach this target, a number of initiatives are underway including increased numbers of funded psychology internships and psychiatry trainees, better utilisation of the Peer Support workforce and work to create innovative new roles,” Mr Doocey says.

    Notes to editors: 
    •    The University of Canterbury will work to develop the curriculum and qualification which will include both theoretical training and practical experience working in mental health and addiction services.

    •    A further tertiary provider is expected to be confirmed in due course. The tertiary providers will work collaboratively to develop this training alongside Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora and the New Zealand Psychologists Board, who are guiding the development of the scope of practice, competencies and accreditation process for the role.
     

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Beijing tops national ranking for high-quality development

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    Beijing ranks first nationally in high-quality development, according to the Beijing High-Quality Development Report released at the sixth Capital High-Quality Development Symposium at Beihang University on March 14, 2025. This solidifies its leading position alongside Shanghai and Shenzhen as top-tier cities.

    The sixth Capital High-Quality Development Symposium is held at Beihang University in Beijing on March 14, 2025. [Photo by Yang Chuanli/China.org.cn]
    The report expanded its research scope for the first time to 318 prefecture-level cities across China, identifying the nation’s top 50 cities in high-quality development. Beijing’s high-quality development index demonstrated steady growth, rising from 0.71 in 2017 to 0.86 in 2023. This marked a 21.1% increase with an average annual growth rate of 3.25%.
    Beijing demonstrates excellence across six dimensions: economy, society, environment, innovation, culture and governance, with a particularly strong performance in economic, innovation and cultural metrics. The top 10 cities are Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Hangzhou, Guangzhou, Wuxi, Nanjing, Xiamen, Suzhou and Ningbo.
    Jia Pinrong, director of the High-quality Development Research Center at the Beijing Academy of Science and Technology, attributed Beijing’s leadership to five pillars. These include the deep implementation of high-quality development principles, the transformation of scientific innovation into industrial momentum and the dual-driven growth of high-end precision industries and the digital economy.
    Jia also highlighted the role of regional synergy through the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei coordinated development strategy and the expansion of new quality productive forces. Additionally, he emphasized Beijing’s national leadership in green and low-carbon transition practices.
    Looking ahead to the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030), Jia proposed a three-tiered strategy for urban high-quality development. At the micro level, priorities should include advancing core technologies, cultivating talent, upgrading infrastructure, stimulating consumer spending and empowering industry leaders.
    For industries, Jia recommended optimizing structures, fostering new quality productive forces and enhancing global supply chain competitiveness. At the city level, efforts should focus on establishing incentive mechanisms, accelerating digital transformation, improving workforce skills and aligning development with green and intelligent trends.
    The symposium featured an invited address by Yu Bin, a national committee member of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and director of the Technical Economics Research Center at Tsinghua University. Other keynote speakers included Fan Ying, dean of the School of Economics and Management at Beihang University, and Pan Chong, dean of the School of Aeronautics and Astronautics at Beihang University. 
    Roundtable discussions at the symposium explored topics including artificial intelligence applications, green new productive forces and environmental, social and governance (ESG) solutions. Scholars proposed integrated technical and managerial strategies for these areas.
    Since 2019, the Beijing High-Quality Development Report has provided an annual assessment of Beijing’s progress across various dimensions. This year’s edition, co-organized by the Beijing Academy of Science and Technology and Beihang University, provides a comprehensive benchmark for national urban development.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Losing pounds goes viral amid China’s wellness wave

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    Weight control in China was once a solitary battle. Now, the government is offering a helping hand.
    At a recent news conference, Lei Haichao, head of the National Health Commission (NHC), announced plans to establish more weight management clinics at medical and health facilities, helping people shed pounds safely and pivot to healthier lifestyles.
    The announcement, made on the sidelines of the annual gathering of national lawmakers in Beijing — where the year’s priorities and goals are set — quickly caught fire online. Social media platforms like Weibo and rednote buzzed with reactions to the news.
    The 2025 government work report, green-lit by lawmakers on March 11, reaffirmed China’s commitment to a health-first strategy in its medical and health system — a clear departure from the traditional emphasis on disease treatment.
    The public didn’t hold back on the fun. A cheeky hashtag, “The country’s calling you to drop those pounds,” took off, along with a flood of witty cartoons from netizens that lit up the internet.
    Wang Youfa, head of the Global Health Institute at Xi’an Jiaotong University, saw this as a sign of growing public awareness about the toll of obesity.
    “It mirrors an alignment of scientific research, government action, and public engagement,” he said, noting this synergy indicates a vibrant wellness boom unfolding across the country.
    For a nation that had long struggled to feed its vast population, obesity barely registered until the late 1970s, when reform and opening-up ignited an economic boom, as well as a swelling national appetite.
    Today, with more than 1.4 billion people, China faces a growing obesity challenge. The NHC reported that over half of adults are overweight or obese. It warned that if left unchecked, the rate could climb to 70.5 percent by 2030.
    An estimate once projected that the economic burden attributed to overweight and obesity would account for 21.5 percent of the country’s total medical expenses by that time.
    In response, authorities launched a nationwide campaign in June 2024 to foster a supportive environment for weight control within three years. Obesity clinics are a key component of these efforts.

    Participants compete during the 2025 Chongqing Marathon in southwest China’s Chongqing Municipality, March 2, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Professional aid
    Weighing 100 kilograms, a Beijing resident surnamed Chen became one of the first to benefit from the new weight management clinic at Peking Union Medical College Hospital.
    On Wednesday, the 104-year-old institution unveiled its joint clinic, staffed by experts in clinical nutrition, endocrinology, and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM).
    Greeted by clinical nutrition specialist Chen Wei, Chen learned she faced not only obesity but also diabetes and high blood pressure. Chen Wei brought in endocrinology and TCM specialists, and the trio crafted a treatment plan blending TCM medications, acupuncture and Metformin, along with a personalized health management strategy.
    Highlighting the prominence of traditional medicine in this approach, Wang said that practices such as acupuncture, massage, Qigong and medicinal diets have given China a distinct edge in tackling obesity.
    At Suzhou Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine in east China’s Jiangsu Province, physician Jiang Yawen has already treated over 100 patients with acupuncture for obesity just two weeks into March.
    From the perspective of TCM, obesity is linked to the functioning of the liver, spleen and kidneys, said Jiang. Acupuncture can help by enhancing the function of these organs, curbing appetite, and improving nutrient absorption in the stomach and intestines, she added.
    Jiang has even taken these techniques abroad. As part of a Chinese medical team sent to Malta from 2020 to 2021, she brought her therapy to the Mediterranean country, where it helped relieve locals of obesity and was warmly embraced.
    While weight control clinics offer professional services, they carry the risk of over-treatment and unintended health or financial consequences, Wang cautioned. “We need to put in place relevant research, assessment, oversight and regulation.”

    1  2  >  

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: How China is lifting consumer spending to boost its growth

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Vowing to make domestic demand “the main engine and anchor of economic growth”, China’s policymakers have sent fresh and firm signals on empowering the vast number of consumers to spend, countering skepticism about the country’s shift toward a consumption-driven economy.

    China will “place a stronger economic policy focus on improving living standards and boosting consumer spending”, according to this year’s Government Work Report submitted on March 5 to the National People’s Congress, the national legislature, for deliberation.

    Boosting consumption is hardly a fresh concept in the Chinese policy toolbox, and consumer spending has played an increasingly vital role in China’s economy. In 2024, final consumption contributed 44.5 percent to China’s economic growth, surpassing investment and exports, and drove GDP up by 2.2 percentage points.

    This year, however, the push has been particularly important as China’s economy contends with rising trade protectionism and global headwinds, while the domestic shift from traditional growth drivers, such as real estate, to new and more sustainable ones poses new challenges.

    “Expanding domestic demand through stimulating consumption can effectively counter external uncertainties, and it stabilizes short-term growth while aiding structural shifts over time,” said Yang Decai, a national political advisor and economics professor at Nanjing University, during the annual meetings of China’s top legislature and political advisory body, known as the two sessions.

    To support this pivotal transition, the Government Work Report unveiled stronger supportive measures, including issuing ultra-long special treasury bonds of 300 billion yuan ($41.3 billion) to back the consumer goods trade-in program, doubling the scale from last year.

    The trade-in program, launched a year ago, has played a vital role in revitalizing consumer markets. In 2024, it led to sales exceeding 1.3 trillion yuan, including over 6.8 million vehicles, 56 million home appliances and 1.38 million e-bikes. More items have been added to the list of subsidized products this year.

    “The trade-in program is more than just an economic policy,” Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao told a news conference on the sidelines of the third session of the 14th NPC on March 6, noting that it has fostered new development engines and improved the quality of life for millions of households.

    Wang pointed out that the primary issue constraining goods consumption is the ability and willingness to spend, while the main challenge for services consumption is the lack of high-quality supply.

    To tackle these weaknesses, the Chinese government, in addition to clinching cheaper deals for consumers, aims to lift consumer confidence by bolstering people’s well-being, with a focus on creating jobs, raising incomes and easing their financial burdens.

    More funds and resources will be used to serve the people and meet their needs, according to the Government Work Report.

    Targeting over 12 million new urban jobs this year, the government will provide stronger support for full and higher-quality employment, according to the report. It also pledged to raise the minimum basic old-age benefits for rural and non-working urban residents as well as the basic pension benefits for retirees.

    “Raising farmers’ pension payments may be the most effective way to boost consumption because it will significantly reduce the savings rate and boost consumption for half of China’s population,” said Lu Ting, chief China economist at Nomura, who expects more will be done in this regard in coming years.

    Government spending on education will rise by 6.1 percent this year and that on social security and employment by 5.9 percent, with strong gains also expected in healthcare and housing, Finance Minister Lan Fo’an revealed at the news conference on March 6.

    Chinese policymakers have also tied consumption to lifestyle upgrades, not just spending volume, as the Government Work Report highlighted the need to create new consumption scenarios to accelerate the growth of digital, green, smart, and other new types of consumption.

    It promised to improve the leave system and ensure its implementation to unlock consumption potential in sectors like culture, tourism and sports, which are among the most powerful service consumption engines.

    Meanwhile, new consumption trends, from winter sports boom to silver-haired consumer spending upsurge, are already stoking fresh growth.

    The silver economy, which caters to China’s aging population, could reach 30 trillion yuan by 2035 and create at least 100 million jobs by 2050, according to national political advisor Jin Li, vice-president of Southern University of Science and Technology.

    Sun Guangzhi, head of the provincial culture and tourism department of the ice and snow-rich Jilin province, said the northeastern province sparked over 100 million yuan in direct spending by issuing consumption vouchers in the latest snow season.

    “This demonstrates the combined benefits of policy incentives and local resource strength,” said Sun, a national lawmaker.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Hundreds of livestock breeds have gone extinct – but some Australian farmers are keeping endangered breeds alive

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Catie Gressier, Adjunct Research Fellow in Agriculture and Environment, The University of Western Australia

    Berkshire pigs JWhitwell/Shutterstock

    It took thousands of years to develop the world’s extraordinary range of domesticated farm animals – an estimated 8,800 livestock breeds across 38 farmed species.

    But this diversity is dwindling fast. Advances in selective breeding and artificial insemination have fuelled the global spread of a small number of profitable livestock types. Their popularity has left ever more heritage breeds at risk of extinction.

    Why does this matter? Each breed represents vital genetic diversity for the livestock species on which we rely, known as agrobiodiversity. As the number of breeds shrink, we lose their genetics forever.

    There are bright spots amid the decline. Hundreds of passionate farmers are working hard to keep heritage breeds alive around Australia. As my new book shows, they do it primarily for love.

    Which livestock breeds are disappearing – and why?

    Cattle have experienced the highest number of extinctions, with at least 184 breeds lost globally.

    Of all chicken breeds, one in ten is now extinct, and a further 30% are endangered.

    Sheep are also rapidly losing diversity, with 160 breeds now extinct. The rise of synthetic materials has endangered the remaining breeds producing carpet wool in New Zealand and Australia, including the unique Tasmanian Elliottdale.

    The fleece of Elliotdale sheep has been used to make woollen carpets.
    Sue Curliss, CC BY-NC-ND

    Pigs fare little better. Australia’s 2.5 million pigs are predominantly Large White, Landrace and Duroc crossbreeds, while none of the eight remaining purebred pig breeds in Australia currently has more than 100 sows registered with the Rare Breeds Trust. While not all sows are registered, we know breeds such as Tamworths are at dangerously low numbers.

    How did this happen? Over the past century, the goal of animal husbandry has shifted from breeding hardy, multipurpose animals to increasing performance for economic gain. For livestock, performance means more of what humans value, such as pigs with extra ribs, prolific egg-laying hens and sheep with finer wool.

    Huge sums have been spent on selective breeding and artificial insemination technologies. This, in turn, has made it possible for a small number of profitable livestock types to be farmed globally.

    For instance, when you buy a roast chicken, it will likely be one of just two types of fast-growing broilers (meat chickens), the Ross or the Cobb. Their genetics are developed and trademarked by two multinational agribusinesses who dominate the global broiler market.

    Chicken breed numbers have shrunk too, risking rare breeds such as Transylvanian naked neck cockerel bantams.
    Scott Carter, CC BY-NC-ND

    It’s hard to overstate how big the increases in production have been from reproductive technologies. In the dairy industry, for instance, milk yield per cow has doubled in the past 40 years. These volumes are around six times greater now than a century ago.

    Holsteins, the top dairy breed, have become globally dominant. Almost 1.4 million of Australia’s 1.65 million dairy cows are Holsteins. But as Holstein numbers soar, other breeds dwindle. Many farmers have simply stopped rearing other breeds, leading to many becoming endangered or extinct.

    For Holsteins themselves, this has come with a cost. Selective breeding for high milk volume has meant Holsteins suffer more medical issues such as metabolic diseases and frequent mastitis. They also have reduced fertility and longevity.

    Researchers have found 99% of Holstein bulls produced by artificial insemination in the United States are descended from just two sires. This wide dissemination of limited bloodlines has led to the spread of genetic defects.

    Holstein cows produce much more milk – but there’s a cost.
    VanderWolf Images/Shutterstock

    What is at stake?

    Our food systems face growing threats. Genetic diversity provides a safeguard for livestock species against lethal animal diseases such as H5N1 bird flu and African swine fever.

    If we rely on just a few breeds, we risk a wipe out. The Irish potato famine is a catastrophic example. In the 1800s, Irish farmers took up the “lumper” variety of potatoes to feed a growing population. But when fungal rot struck in the 1840s, it turned most of the crop to mush – and led to mass starvation.

    Some breeds have very useful traits, such as resistance to particular pests and diseases.

    Chickens and other birds die in swathes if infected by Newcastle disease, one of the most serious bird viruses. But breeds such as the hardy Egyptian Fayoumi survive better, while the European Leghorn – whose genetics are used in commercial egg-laying breeds – is highly susceptible.

    Local breeds can also have better resistance to endemic pests. The Indian zebu humped cattle breed, for example, is less prone to tick infestation than crossbreeds.

    Climate change is also making life harder for livestock, and some breeds are better adapted to heat than others.

    For different cultural groups, local heritage breeds also have unique symbolic and culinary value.

    While it’s well-known eating less meat would benefit ecosystems, animal welfare and human health, eating meat remains entrenched in our diets and the economy. Pursuing more sustainable and higher-welfare approaches to livestock production is crucial.

    Some Aussie farmers love heritage breeds

    A cohort of Australian farmers is working hard to conserve dozens of endangered livestock breeds such as Large Black pigs, Shropshire sheep and Belted Galloway cattle.

    A rare Belted Galloway cow with a one week old calf.
    Scott Carter, CC BY-NC-ND

    But these farmers are hampered by our reluctance as consumers to pay more to cover the cost of raising slower-growing breeds in free-range environments. Not only that, but meat processors are increasingly closing their doors to small-scale producers.

    Why persevere? For four years, I’ve conducted ethnographic research with Australia’s heritage breed farmers. I found they were motivated by one of the most powerful conservation tools we have: love.

    Of his endangered English Leicester sheep, one farmer told me:

    I consider them to be family; they have been our family for over 150 years. I talk to them, and the rams in particular talk to me. Sorry if I sound like a silly old man, but you must talk to them. I gave myself a 60th birthday present by commissioning a large portrait of an English Leicester head, which hangs in our kitchen (I do not have a painting of my wife).

    Love doesn’t often feature in agricultural research. But it is an important force. We know from wildlife conservation that humans will act to save what they love. This holds for livestock, too.

    What can you do? If you eat meat or work with wool, seek out rare breeds and join organisations such as the Rare Breeds Trust of Australia and the Australian Food Sovereignty Alliance who back farmers supporting breed diversity.

    Catie Gressier receives funding from the Australian Research Council’s Discovery Project scheme as well as the European Research Council. She is affiliated with the Rare Breeds Trust of Australia and the Australian Food Sovereignty Alliance.

    – ref. Hundreds of livestock breeds have gone extinct – but some Australian farmers are keeping endangered breeds alive – https://theconversation.com/hundreds-of-livestock-breeds-have-gone-extinct-but-some-australian-farmers-are-keeping-endangered-breeds-alive-250393

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Luxon meets Modi: why a ‘good’ NZ-India trade deal is preferable to a ‘perfect’ one

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Chris Ogden, Associate Professor in Global Studies, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau

    Some have said Christopher Luxon’s pledge to get a free trade deal between New Zealand and India over the line in his first term as prime minister was overly optimistic. But not all trade deals are the same, and Luxon may yet get to claim bragging rights.

    Already he is managing expectations, saying a “good” deal will be better than waiting a long time for a “perfect” one. And with formal negotiations confirmed not long after Luxon touched down in New Delhi, we can perhaps expect genuine movement.

    At the same time, India’s negotiating style is notoriously rigid, with its bilateral investment treaty model having proved a stumbling block to deals with many other nations or blocs, including the United Kingdom and European Union.

    New Zealand first held formal negotiations with India over a decade ago. But talks derailed in 2015 over the inclusion of dairy products in any agreement. We can be fairly sure this will be the compromise Luxon’s government is ready to make now.

    One model might be Australia’s Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement, which leaves out dairy, too. And New Zealand was able to sign a free trade deal with China in 2008 that excluded diary, with those restrictions removed in a 2022 upgrade.

    Beyond the economic implications, of course, lie domestic political calculations. Luxon needs a win to counter flatlining poll numbers and speculation about his leadership future. Good news in India offers just that.

    Playing the Indo-Pacific card

    Using diplomatic language that plays up New Zealand being part of the Indo-Pacific region – rather than the traditional Western alliance – will be essential.

    New Zealand – despite its relatively small size – is still a significant regional player, with the Indo-Pacific’s fourth highest GDP per capita.

    In the context of an imminent “Asian Century”, and the region becoming a crucial zone for economic and military power, New Zealand also provides a strategic pathway into the Pacific, where India is becoming increasingly involved.

    All of this will influence Luxon’s keynote address today at the 10th Raisina Dialogue, India’s flagship multilateral conference on global politics and economics. He is the first leader not governing a European country to make such a speech, and is also the chief guest at the dialogue.

    Luxon is already on the record as saying New Zealand and India are “very aligned” on Indo-Pacific security and concerns over Chinese regional influence, with scope for more joint defence exercises. This linkage between security and trade mirrors Wellington’s recent relations with Beijing, which have become increasingly difficult to navigate.

    Solid foundations

    But there is a long way to go. In 2024, India-New Zealand trade was worth a combined NZ$3.14 billion – a fraction of the $208.46 billion generated by trade with China in the same year.

    Nevertheless, Luxon and his ministers have made undeniable progress. His “recalibration of a relationship that has long been neglected” bore fruit in October last year when he met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the ASEAN summit, and the countries announced their intention to take the relationship to “greater heights”.

    The previous Labour government helped set the scene with a succession of high-level diplomatic visits and parliamentary exchanges. In 2023, the Indian government described relations with New Zealand as having “an upward trajectory”.

    And there are clearly good foundations to build on – especially the 292,000 people of Indian ethnicity in New Zealand, who contribute US$10 billion to the New Zealand economy.

    Great expectations

    Trade is ripe for expansion, too. New Zealand primarily exports wool, iron and steel, aluminium, fruits and nuts, wood pulp and recovered paper, and imports Indian pharmaceuticals, machinery, precious metals and stones, textiles, vehicles and clothing.

    There’s potential to grow trade with India in tourism (especially attractive to India’s growing middle class), and collaboration on space technology, renewable energy and agritech.

    There were 8,000 Indian students in New Zealand last year, a number that may well grow given a relative drop in student numbers from China. With the US and UK becoming more hostile to immigration, New Zealand can offer a relatively safe and tolerant alternative.

    In many ways, India is the new China. In 2023, India’s GDP was US$14.54 trillion, making it the world’s fourth largest economy. New Delhi is on the cusp of becoming a great power, and is being courted by all countries, big and small.

    As such, while Luxon has momentum on a trade deal, he is also part of a long queue. Given the relative power imbalance between the two countries, the weight of expectation sits squarely on his shoulders.

    Chris Ogden is a Senior Research Fellow with The Foreign Policy Centre, London.

    – ref. Luxon meets Modi: why a ‘good’ NZ-India trade deal is preferable to a ‘perfect’ one – https://theconversation.com/luxon-meets-modi-why-a-good-nz-india-trade-deal-is-preferable-to-a-perfect-one-252036

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI China: Detectives from another era grab attention

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    When a movie presents tragic history in a comedic way, it goes beyond entertainment to convey profound meaning. Detective Chinatown 1900 is one such cinematic endeavor.

    Set in San Francisco in 1900, the film follows detectives Qin Fu and Ah Gui as they investigate the murder of an American woman in Chinatown. Starring Chow Yun-fat, Wang Baoqiang and Liu Haoran, this fourth installment of the Detective Chinatown franchise premiered during the Spring Festival holiday, quickly capturing public attention.

    Praising the movie for its seamless blend of mystery and humor, Georges Chamchoum, an Emmy Award-winning film director and producer, says that the film effectively employs over-the-top acting and comedic elements to depict the harsh realities of historical racism.

    “I believe the story resonates with a broad audience, including American viewers, as it vividly portrays the racism of that era,” Chamchoum told China Daily at a recent special screening hosted by the Asian World Film Festival in Culver City in the United States.

    Co-directed by Chen Sicheng and Dai Mo, the film explores issues of race, immigration and national identity. Despite the invaluable contribution of Chinese immigrants to the development of the US during the Gold Rush, and the construction of the Pacific Railway, they faced discrimination and were even labeled the “yellow peril”, and the subject of derogatory rumors. The film highlights the rhetoric surrounding the Chinese Exclusion Act and its exploitation by one of the film’s characters, a mayoral candidate named Grant, who attempts to frame Chinese laborers in order to drive them out of the US.

    Although the film treats these serious historical themes with a touch of caricature, its subtext regarding racial discrimination remains “significant”, according to Chamchoum.

    For Chow, the role of Bai Xuanling was a long-awaited opportunity. Speaking to Chinese media, the actor said that he had been offered a similar role in the 1990s when he first arrived in Hollywood seeking opportunities. The late director King Hu had given him the script for The Battle of Ono, a film about Chinese laborers building American railways during the late Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). However, Hu died before the project could be realized.

    Three decades later, Chow finally found his dream role in Detective Chinatown 1900. The film dramatically portrays the real-life injustices suffered by Chinese immigrants through its fictitious plot in which San Francisco elites fabricate a “Chinese Jack the Ripper” to justify dismantling Chinatown.

    One of the most powerful scenes in the film has Chow’s character Bai delivering a passionate courtroom monologue in English. Facing an all-American jury, he exposes the discrimination endured by Chinese immigrants, despite their critical role in the growth of the US. The moment has been widely discussed for its emotional impact and historical significance.

    “I think a lot of Americans didn’t know this history before, but the film brings it back to life and explains it to younger audiences, and I was so proud of those Chinese workers,” Miriam Ajibekova, an audience member, told China Daily.

    Detective Chinatown 1900 is more than just an action-comedy mystery; it is a cultural bridge between China and the US, according to Chamchoum. Chen who studied in Hollywood has successfully merged Chinese and American cultural elements in the Detective Chinatown series through international collaborations. The latest installment features Hollywood actor John Cusack in the role of mayoral candidate Grant.

    The film’s composer, Nathan Wang, a University of Southern California-trained musician born in the US, shared his experiences of working on the film after the special screening. “We recorded the pipa (a four-stringed lute), guzheng (plucked zither), and erhu (a two-stringed fiddle) here in LA and layered them with Western orchestration,” says the composer, who worked with German film composer Hans Zimmer on Kung Fu Panda 3.

    Wang adds that he took pride in writing a score that blends Western orchestral elements with traditional Chinese instruments.

    The film was shot in Shandong province at the Laoling Film Studio in Laoling county-level city, Dezhou, where a replica of 1900s San Francisco Chinatown was built. Covering a 200,000-square-meter area, the set took seven months to complete, adding to the film’s authenticity.

    “The production value is incredible,” Chamchoum says, expressing hope for further collaborations between Chinese and American filmmakers.

    Detective Chinatown 1900 is among the flagship Chinese films released internationally during Spring Festival, China’s most profitable box-office period. The film opened to 460 million yuan ($64 million) on its first day, Jan 29, the first day of Chinese New Year, and grossed 3.4 billion yuan in early March. The three preceding films in the franchise amassed over 8.74 billion yuan before the latest installment.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Family Court Judges appointed

    Source: New Zealand Government

    Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of two new Family Court Judges.  

    The new Judges will take up their roles in April and May and fill Family Court vacancies at the Auckland and Manukau courts.

    Annette Gray

    Ms Gray completed her law degree at Victoria University before joining Phillips Fox in 1987. She then moved to Buddle Findlay, where she worked in the family and medical areas, before joining specialist family law practice Jan Clark Law in Porirua in 1994.

    Ms Gray spent a year with Volunteer Service Abroad in Solomon Islands in 1999, returning to Wellington in 2000 and setting up practice as a specialist family lawyer. Since 2007 she has been principal of Buchanan Gray.

    She is a District Inspector under the Mental Health Act and is a member of the panel of legal counsel for Hague Convention cases.

    Judge Gray will sit in Auckland and will be sworn in on 16 April.

    Annette Page

    Ms Page was admitted to the bar in 1997 and commenced her legal career as a junior barrister working with Marie Dyhrberg KC before joining Smith and Partners in Waitākere, practising a broad range of litigation work in the District and High courts. 

    She has been a barrister sole since 2010, practising in all areas of family law.  

    Ms Page has held several roles within the New Zealand Law Society and is presently the Waitākere regional representative of the Family Law Section.

    Judge Page will sit in Manukau and will be sworn in on 1 May.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Gains for Labor as they lead in three of last five polls

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

    A national Freshwater poll for The Financial Review, conducted March 13–15 from a sample of 1,051, gave the Coalition a 51–49 lead by respondent preferences, a one-point gain for Labor since the late February Freshwater poll.

    Primary votes were 39% Coalition (down two), 31% Labor (steady), 14% Greens (up one) and 16% for all Others (up one). By 2022 election preference flows, this would be about a 50–50 tie.

    Anthony Albanese’s net approval improved one point to -10, while Peter Dutton’s slid four points to -12. In the last two months, Albanese is up eight and Dutton down eight. It’s the first time since May 2024 that Albanese has had a better net approval than Dutton in this poll.

    Albanese led Dutton by 45.9–42.5 as preferred PM, his best lead in this poll since last September. By 42–40, respondents thought Dutton better suited to negotiate with US President Donald Trump than Albanese (47–36 in November).

    The Coalition leads on important issues, but Labor has gained seven points on economic management and three points on cost of living since February.

    There has been improvement for Labor across a range of polls in the last few weeks, and the graph below has Labor leads in three of the last five national polls (two YouGovs and a Morgan), with the Coalition still ahead in Newspoll and Freshwater.

    In analyst Kevin Bonham’s aggregate, Labor now leads by 50.5–49.5 using 2022 election flows, while it’s a 50–50 tie adjusting for a likely pro-Coalition shift in One Nation preferences.

    Last Wednesday Trump imposed 25% tariffs on steel and aluminium imports into the US, including on Australia. I believe this will assist Labor as the tariff imposition will appear unjustified to most Australians, and the Coalition is the more pro-Trump party. If the stock market continues to fall, this will undermine support for Trump’s economic agenda.

    Trump has been threatening Canada with tariffs for much longer than Australia, and the centre-left governing Liberals have surged back in the polls to a near-tie with the Conservatives from over 20 points behind, and have taken the lead since Mark Carney’s March 9 election as Liberal leader.

    Labor retains lead in YouGov

    A national YouGov poll, conducted March 7–13 from a sample of 1,526, gave Labor a 51–49 lead, unchanged from the February 28 to March 6 YouGov poll. YouGov is conducting weekly polls, and the previous poll was the first Labor lead in YouGov since July 2024.

    Primary votes were 36% Coalition (steady), 31% Labor (steady), 13.5% Greens (up 0.5), 7.5% One Nation (up 0.5), 1% Trumpet of Patriots (steady), 9% independents (down one) and 2% others (steady). YouGov is using weaker preference flows for Labor than occurred in 2022, and by 2022 flows Labor would have a lead above 52–48.

    Albanese’s net approval improved three points to -6, with 49% dissatisfied and 43% satisfied, while Dutton’s net approval slid two points to -6. Albanese led Dutton as better PM by an unchanged 45–39.

    Since the first weekly YouGov poll in late February, Albanese has gained six points on net approval while Dutton has slid four points. This is the first time Dutton has not had a better net approval than Albanese in YouGov since March 2024.

    On the ongoing conflict caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, 69% of Australians thought we should stand with Ukraine President Zelensky, while 31% wanted us to stand with Trump.

    Labor regains lead in Morgan poll

    A national Morgan poll, conducted March 3–9 from a sample of 1,719, gave Labor a 51.5–48.5 lead by headline respondent preferences, a two-point gain for Labor since the February 24 to March 2 poll. This is Labor’s second lead in the last three Morgan polls, after they had trailed in this poll since November.

    Primary votes were 37% Coalition (down three), 30% Labor (up 1.5), 13.5% Greens (steady), 5% One Nation (up one), 10.5% independents (steady) and 4% others (up 0.5). By 2022 election flows, Labor led by 52–48, a two-point gain for Labor.

    By 51.5–33, respondents said the country was going in the wrong direction (52–31.5 previously). Morgan’s consumer confidence index was down 0.8 points to 86.9.

    Poll of teal-held seats has the teals struggling

    Freshwater took a poll for the News Corporation tabloids of six seats held by teal independents. These are Curtin in WA, Goldstein and Kooyong in Victoria and Mackellar, Warringah and Wentworth in NSW. The poll was conducted March 5–7 from an overall sample of 830.

    Across the six seats polled, the Liberals had a 51–49 lead, representing a 5% swing to the Liberals since the 2022 election. On these figures, the Liberals would gain four of these teal seats (Curtin, Goldstein, Kooyong and Mackellar).

    Primary votes were 41% Liberals (up two since 2022), 33% teals (steady), 7% Labor (down six), 7% Greens (down two) and 12% others (up six). Albanese and Dutton were tied at 39–39 on better PM. By 47–42, respondents opposed their local MP backing an Albanese Labor minority government.

    The YouGov MRP poll that was conducted between late January and mid-February from a sample of over 40,000 had all the teals holding their seats. At the March 8 Western Australian election, swings to the Liberals were lowest in affluent Perth seats.

    WA election late counting

    With 70% of enrolled voters counted for the WA election, the ABC is calling 43 of the 59 lower house seats for Labor, six for the Liberals, four for the Nationals and six seats remain undecided. The Poll Bludger has Labor ahead in 47 seats, with the Liberals and Nationals ahead in six seats each.

    On election night, it had appeared likely that an independent would win Labor-held Fremantle. However, the independent has performed badly on absent and postal votes, and Labor will retain.

    In the upper house, all 37 seats are elected by statewide proportional representation with preferences, and a quota for election is just 2.63%. With 63% of enrolled counted, Labor has 15.8 quotas, the Liberals 10.5, the Greens 4.1, the Nationals 2.1, One Nation 1.35, Legalise Cannabis and the Australian Christians 1.0 each, an independent group 0.48 and Animal Justice 0.43.

    On current figures, Labor will win 16 seats, the Liberals ten, the Greens four, the Nationals two, One Nation, Legalise Cannabis and the Christians one each and two seats are unclear (Liberals, independent group and Animal Justice contesting). Counting of absents in the lower house has hurt the Liberals, so their vote is likely to drop further. Labor and the Greens will have a combined upper house majority.

    Liberals hold Port Macquarie at NSW byelection

    A byelection occurred on Saturday in the New South Wales Liberal-held state seat of Port Macquarie. Labor did not contest after finishing third behind the Nationals and Liberals at the 2023 NSW election with 19.2%.

    With 59% of enrolled counted, The Poll Bludger is projecting that the Liberals will defeat the Nationals by 52.8–47.2, a 7.9% swing to the Nationals since 2023. Current primary votes are 34.2% Liberals (down 4.1%), 31.2% Nationals (up 5.5%), 12.8% for an independent (new), 10.7% Greens (up 3.7%) and 7.9% Legalise Cannabis (up 3.4%).

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

    – ref. Gains for Labor as they lead in three of last five polls – https://theconversation.com/gains-for-labor-as-they-lead-in-three-of-last-five-polls-252016

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Universities – Fiordland’s marine habitats surveyed to develop first complete picture of biodiversity – Vic

    Source: Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington

     

    Scientists have long known Fiordland’s marine habitats are home to a diverse range of species, from bright orange cup corals to huge black corals. A project to survey and catalogue these habitats is now underway to help support evidence-based management of this unique environment. 

     

    Researchers from Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington have been working with Environment Southland to develop the first comprehensive classification of the different habitats in the Fiordland (Te Moana o Atawhenua) Marine Area. This area includes 14 fiords and 10 marine reserves.

     

    “The aim of this project is to describe the distribution of different marine communities throughout Fiordland so, in the future, we can precisely map where they occur,” said Professor James Bell, a marine biologist at Te Herenga Waka.

     

    The research team has already spent several weeks diving on rocky reefs and soft sediments on the seafloor in Fiordland’s Te Puaitaha—Breaksea and Tamatea—Dusky Sounds to collect data on the marine communities that live in these areas.

     

    “Many locations we surveyed had a high diversity of species, while others had very different and very low diversity. At one site near Entry Island in Te Puaitaha—Breaksea, we found diverse communities of ascidians, bryozoans, and sponges living on rocky reefs. In contrast, neighbouring soft sediment areas of the seafloor had comparatively few species. It’s important to capture these extremes,” said Professor Bell.

     

    The researchers dived to depths of about 30 metres, taking high resolution videos in Breaksea and Dusky Sounds. Analysis of this footage was used to classify the different communities found.

     

    “Understanding which species are present is important, but we also need to know where they’re located. This project will eventually enable comprehensive maps of the different habitats across Fiordland and the wider Southland coast. This information can then be used to support management decisions.”

     

    Professor Bell said further research was being undertaken to collect data from more locations in Breaksea and Dusky Sounds, and from deeper areas in the fiords.

     

    “Eventually, we hope to have a complete picture of the different habitats in the entire Fiordland (Te Moana o Atawhenua) Marine Area.”

     

    The research was funded by Environment Southland.  

     

    Ash Rabel, Environment Southland’s team leader—aquatic ecosystems, said cataloguing the communities and their composition in this way provides a strong foundation for future scientific endeavour and supports evidence-based management of these ecosystems.

     

    “By undertaking this work with Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington, we’re able to tap into world-class expertise and knowledge the team holds of the underwater realm,” he said.

     

    Reports resulting from the research are available on Environment Southland’s website. The research is part of wider work to understand Fiordland’s ocean floor ecosystems as well as the rest of Murihiku Southland’s coastal marine area.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Strengthening education ties across the Pacific

    Source: New Zealand Government

    Universities Minister Dr Shane Reti will travel to Port Moresby this week to attend the Conference of Pacific Education Ministers alongside representatives from Pacific nations and Australia, to collaborate on shared education priorities. 

    The theme of the conference, Transforming Edukesen for a Better Pacific, reflects the need for the region to adapt and embrace innovative approaches in response to global educational changes. 

    This transformation aims to enhance growth and create a more effective, equitable and sustainable education system. It will impact everything from individual classrooms to national education frameworks.

    “The Pacific is critically important to New Zealand given our shared social, language, cultural, and historical links,” says Dr Reti. 

    “This conference is an opportunity to reaffirm New Zealand’s commitment as a Pacific nation to working together in addressing shared education challenges.

    “This engagement is of particular significance to New Zealand, given we are celebrating 50 years of independence and diplomatic relations with Papua New Guinea.

    “New Zealand enjoys a positive and longstanding relationship with the Pacific education community. Our investments across the region support the educational aspirations of our Pacific whanau. 

    “I am therefore pleased to announce New Zealand’s investment of $1.5 million over three years from our International Development Cooperation programme in the UNESCO Global Education Monitoring Report. 

    “This investment will support education leaders, Ministers, officials, teachers, and communities to better understand global challenges in education and use this information to bolster local education policy and planning, including in New Zealand,” Dr Reti says.

    While in Papua New Guinea, Dr Reti will meet with education counterparts and experts from across the region to further strengthen relationships and collaborate on shared educational goals. He will also provide a statement on the recent Second Pacific Education Development Partners Coordination Meeting hosted in Wellington. 

    Dr Reti will host an event with recipients and alumni of the Manaaki New Zealand Scholarships Programme, which provides a range of tertiary and short-term scholarships across the Pacific.

    Dr Reti departs New Zealand on Tuesday 18 March and returns on Thursday 20 March 2025. 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –