Kategori: News in English

As he claimed victory in the battle for Bakhmut, Yevgeny Prigozhin, the founder of Wagner private military company (PMC), gave another of his firebrand interviews. He lambasted, in unequivocal terms, the Russian minister of defence and his chief of staff, Russia’s “deep state” – namely, the presidential administration and the “quasi-defence” establishment – and the elites who shield their sons from the battlefronts.

He revealed that he does not understand what the war in Ukraine is fought for, but “as long as there is a fight, we have to fight it well” – even though he added that the long war to come would take a huge toll. In this, Prigozhin spoke the bitter truth – which begs the question how he manages to get away with it, when others are being handed jail terms for far milder criticisms.

The answer is that he reflects the views of a significant segment of Russian society. These people are pro-war, but critical of the way it is fought, and gutted by the corruption and incompetence that have cost army lives. This anti-elite but “patriotic” sentiment is shared by those who, under certain circumstances, can act politically and, if necessary, forcefully, empowering Prigozhin with a sense of a popular resonance.

Prominent among these figures are the “heroes” of the so-called Russian Spring, the men who fought in the insurgency in Donbas from 2014. The common narrative in the west is that this insurgency was exclusively a Kremlin gambit. But my research with leaders, such as Igor Strelkov (real name Girkin) and field commanders suggested otherwise. Many of these commanders were motivated by personal convictions – antithetic to Putin’s regime, they dreamed of establishing an idealised Russian world in a new “Novorossiya” in eastern Ukraine, in contrast to the crony capitalism that characterises Putin’s Russia.

I was convinced that they were genuine in their beliefs and prepared to give their own and other people’s lives in the pursuit of a greater goal. I came to believe that if critical circumstances arise, this group will have a role to play – and it may be coming.

The Russian state, which initially was at a loss as to how to deal with these vehemently pro-Russia but unruly characters, realised that they could be dangerous. Since 2017, they started to be suppressed. Sputnik–i-Pogrom, the main online intellectual resource of rightwing Russian nationalism, was blocked, and its editor Yegor Prosvirnin died under suspicious circumstances in 2021. Those who survived, were kept in check and out of the media and politics, so they turned their energies to “milblogging”.

Men who love war

These are men who love war and everything that goes with it – the weapons, the tactics, historical battles, wargaming, uniforms, battle thrills. They exist in any society – but in Russia, the intervention in Ukraine created a chance for them to find political prominence.

These “internet warriors” rose from the obscure margins to the spotlight of politics. Their resources command large audiences on the popular app Telegram. Channels such as Rybar (1.13 million subscribers), WarGonzo (1.3 million) and personalities Igor Strelkov, the former “minister of defence” of the self-declared Donetsk People’s Republic, who started the initial uprising in 2014 (790.000), have attracted more followers in Russia than their liberal counterparts. They post articles, videos and engage with their audiences, classing themselves as voenkory, or war correspondents. Viewers appreciate their candid assessment of the frontline realities, their sources with real knowledge, engaging journalism and interesting guests.

Collective emotions matter, and the “warriors” have created a sub-culture which has proved catchy. It has own legends, such as Vladlen Tatarsky (Maxim Fomin), who robbed banks, served time, escaped from jail when a tank shelled it, fought in the Donbas insurgency, published three memoir books and hosted a popular channel. He was recently assassinated in a targeted explosion. For Tatarsky and those like him, war was an adventure worth having – even if it was a short one.

The “Reverse Side of the Medal”, a YouTube channel with which Tatarsky was involved, markets martial clothing and insignia such as the Wagner group’s – a red skull with two mortar shells – which have become a stamp of recognition among followers.

Culture clash

Thus, two radically different military cultures clash: a rigid and top-heavy ministry of defence establishment which has resources of the state behind it, and the guerrilla tactics of volunteers and private military companies (PMCs) that rely on improvisation and initiative.
These two groups are wary of each other. The ministry of defence has been cagey about providing Wagner with large amounts of ammunition. Meanwhile Prigozhin lashes out at them for the military failure. Putin, meanwhile, looks on, appearing to enjoy the generals being challenged.

The state cannot afford to alienate this “warrior” constituency as it may have to rely on them both on the frontlines and to help maintain a pro-war momentum in society. But the Kremlin is also mindful of the risks involved – “warriors” like Prigozhin can be hard to control and may develop ambitions. Their camp is not uniform, and personal animosities and different views on the future of Russia exist. And yet, the contours of a political force that could influence post-Putin outcomes in Russia are beginning to emerge.

If an internal crisis – Putin suddenly dies, for example – opens a window of opportunity and the ruling elite lose control, this constituency will be the one most prepared to act. Thanks to the likes of Prigozhin, they will have organisational, financial and media resources at their disposal.

Prigozhin will become a kingmaker, even if not a king himself. Hence, we need to look beyond seeing the Kremlin’s hand everywhere and notice autonomous actors who can become movers and shakers of the new order. Läs mer…

South Africa will host the BRICS summit in August 2023. The event could offer the country an opportunity to exercise leadership in the BRICS’ efforts to reform the arrangements for global economic governance and in supporting sustainable and inclusive development in Africa and the Global South. However, the opportunity has morphed into an international challenge because Russia’s President Vladimir Putin, who has been indicted by the International Criminal Court, has indicated that he will attend. South Africa could face the wrath of its BRICS partners if it fulfils its international obligation and arrests him. On the other hand, if it does not arrest him, it could face sanctions from those countries that want to see Putin tried for war crimes.

Hosting the 2023 BRICS summit is therefore fraught with dangers. The international environment is complicated, dynamic and unpredictable. South Africa can avoid embarrassment and capitalise on the opportunities presented by the BRICS summit only if it is able to skilfully manoeuvre in these choppy waters._

Trying to understand South Africa’s dilemma raises a number of questions: Who are the BRICS? What has the grouping achieved?

Who are the BRICS?

In 2001, the global investment bank Goldman Sachs stated that it expected Brazil, Russia, India and China to become leading actors in the global economy. It collectively named the four countries “BRICs”.

These countries decided that Goldman Sachs had a point and that they could enhance their global influence if they cooperated. They first met at a ministerial level in 2006 and at a leaders’ summit in 2009. In 2010 they invited South Africa to join the group. The group became known as “BRICS”.

A primary objective of the group is to reform global economic governance so that it is more responsive to the concerns and interests of the Global South. For example, the BRICS have called for a new global currency that can challenge the dominant role of the US dollar in the international monetary system. It has also pushed for a greater voice – and more votes – for developing countries in key international economic organisations like the IMF and the World Bank.

The group has also sought, through groups like its business forum, to promote greater economic cooperation between the participating countries.

What has the BRICS grouping achieved?

The BRICS record of achievements is mixed.

In 2016, the group established two new international economic entities.

The first was the New Development Bank. They contend that it is a “new” multilateral development bank which offers its members an alternative to institutions like the World Bank. It claims that its governance is fairer than the World Bank because its five original members all have equal votes. At the World Bank, shares (and therefore votes) are unevenly distributed among member states.

The development bank also strives to provide financing more quickly than the World Bank, and in a way that is more respectful of the laws in its member states.

However, to date, the New Development Bank has been less transparent and accountable than other multilateral development banks.

It has provided US$32.8 billion to 96 projects in the 5 BRICS countries and it has begun looking to expand the scope of its operations.

Since 2021 it has approved membership for Bangladesh, Egypt, United Arab Emirates and Uruguay. It is expected to add new members in the coming years.

The second new entity was the Contingent Reserve Arrangement. This established a series of swap arrangements between the BRICS central banks. These arrangements allow each central bank, when its country is facing a balance of payments crisis, to exchange its local currency for hard currencies, like the US dollar, with its counterparts in the BRICS.

Pursuant to the terms of the arrangement, a central bank can only draw on a fraction of the available financing without also having to enter into a financing arrangement with the IMF. Thus, the conditions that are attached to the IMF’s finances also become applicable to the funds made available through the Contingent Reserve Arrangement.

To date, no BRICS central bank has used the arrangement.

According to their communiques, the BRICS leaders have agreed to create other entities, such as a vaccine centre and a new credit rating agency. However, they have not yet implemented these agreements.

They have not been successful either in reforming the existing institutions and arrangements for global economic governance, such as the IMF. One reason for this failure is the strong opposition to reform from states, primarily those in Europe, which currently have dominant voices in the IMF and would lose them in the case of true reform.

But another important reason is that the BRICS are not unified in their demands for reform. For example, while Brazil, India and South Africa support reforming the UN Security Council to include more permanent members and to eliminate the veto power of the existing permanent members, China and Russia, as sitting permanent members, don’t.

Similarly, not all the other BRICS have supported South Africa’s call for a third African seat on the IMF’s board of directors.

Are there any downsides to BRICS membership?

The global political and economic situation has changed dramatically since 2010. These changes have created both opportunities and challenges for the BRICS.

One opportunity arises from the fact that approximately 19 countries in the Global South, including Argentina, Cuba, Iran and Saudi Arabia, have expressed an interest in joining the BRICS. It is expected that the BRICS will consider the issue of membership at their upcoming August 2023 summit.

Another opportunity arises from the growing interest around the world in having an alternative currency to the US dollar as the basis for the international financial system. The BRICS have been vocal supporters of de-dollarisation. However, given the complex economic and political relations between the BRICS member states, there is considerable scepticism about the feasibility of the BRICS developing a new global currency in the near term.

The primary challenges facing the BRICS arise from geopolitics. The war in Ukraine has created tensions within the BRICS. The participating states have been forced to balance their respect for such international law principles as self-determination, sovereignty and peaceful resolution of disputes with their friendly relations with Russia. In addition, the BRICS cannot escape the fallout from the growing economic and security tensions between China and the west, particularly the US.

Both these issues complicate the efforts of the other BRICS to maintain their formal non-aligned position. They also exacerbate existing tensions within the BRICS. The most important example of this is the complex and tense relationship between India and China. In recent years, they have had military skirmishes in disputed border areas. In addition, India has imposed economic constraints on Chinese companies operating in India. The two countries have refused to renew the visas of journalists from each country so that now there are almost no journalists from Chinese publications in India and vice versa.

What hangs on the summit?

South Africa faces another opportunity that is fraught with danger when it hosts the G20 in 2025. The G20, which brings together the 20 leading economic powers in the world, has called itself the “premier forum” for global economic governance. South Africa is currently the only permanent African member of the G20 and 2025 will be the first time the group is hosted by an African country.

Planning for this G20 event must begin soon because in 2024 South Africa will join India, the current G20 host, and Brazil, the 2024 G20 host in the troika that manages the G20 process. If the country does not plan carefully and effectively for this G20 event, South Africa risks emerging with a diminished reputation and its credibility shredded. Läs mer…

While incumbent Joe Biden is the favoured Democratic pick for the 2024 US presidential nomination, another more controversial candidate is gaining popular support in the polls. Robert F. Kennedy Jr, a self-described vaccine sceptic, announced his candidacy to run for president as a Democrat in April.

Our new study on the rhetorical techniques used to spread vaccine disinformation partly explains Kennedy’s appeal to voters. We examined the strategies of RFK Jr and American osteopath Joseph Mercola, two prominent members of the “disinformation dozen”.

These 12 anti-vaccine advocates, according to research conducted by the Center for Countering Digital Hate, were responsible for nearly two-thirds of anti-vaccine content posted to Facebook and Twitter during the pandemic.

We analysed their social media profiles, books, documentaries, websites and newsletters from 2021-22, and identified the techniques that comprise what we call the “truther playbook”. These take the form of four enticing promises which figures like Kennedy and Mercola use to give their claims legitimacy and build a loyal following.

These techniques – promising identity and belonging, revealing “true” knowledge, providing meaning and purpose, as well as promising leadership and guidance – feature prominently in Kennedy’s 2024 presidential campaign.

1. Identity and belonging

COVID truthers offer their followers access to an exclusive in-group identity. They adhere to a dualistic belief system that divides the world into good and bad actors, light and dark forces. For COVID truthers, it is not simply that their opponents have acted through ignorance or error – they frame them as corrupt and evil.

Kennedy’s and Mercola’s social media posts, newsletters and publications frequently frame prominent public figures such as Anthony Fauci and Bill Gates as evil elites, or “dark forces” allegedly conspiring against ordinary people.

COVID truthers present themselves in opposition to these corrupt corporations and government institutions. They offer a promising invitation to their followers: join me, and be part of the movement fighting “the system”.

Kennedy, for example, refers to himself as a resolute “defender” of children and the public. His anti-vaccine activism is framed as a noble pursuit aligned with the public good. Similarly, his presidential pledge of honest government is pitched as being “for the people”.

2. True knowledge and enlightenment

The spread of disinformation about COVID vaccines has occurred in a society characterised by low institutional trust. Figures such as Kennedy and Mercola capitalise on this, appealing to those disillusioned with the government’s official narrative. They present themselves as having access to privileged knowledge and understanding.

They do this by revealing alternative “facts” that contradict the official narrative, and that they claim have been concealed from the public. Some researchers refer to such information as “stigmatised knowledge”, meaning claims that are not accepted by mainstream institutions.

COVID truthers, as the name suggests, promise to expose, release and reveal the truth, which they claim has been censored by powerful, corrupt organisations.

Kennedy’s presidential bid exists in opposition to what he has described as “an incredibly sophisticated system of information control”. He refers to himself as a “truth teller”, and promises to establish an honest government that will earn back the trust of the public.

The truther playbook promises followers ‘true’ knowledge and enlightenment.
metamorworks/Shutterstock

3. Meaning and purpose

COVID truthers provide their followers with meaning, offering a reason to believe in a greater purpose. This can take the form of New Age spirituality, suggesting that humanity is undergoing a “shift in consciousness”, or a more secular commitment to truth, freedom and justice.

Kennedy frequently deploys the language of social justice in his posts and newsletters, as a rallying call to unite his followers. Most of his early anti-vaccine messaging focused on protecting pregnant women and children from harmful ingredients in vaccines.

During the pandemic, Kennedy shifted to the topic of medical racism – situating the opposition to vaccine mandates in a broader civil rights agenda. He compared racial segregation to non-vaccination, or what he refers to as “the new apartheid”.

In a direct call to action, Kennedy’s newsletters invited followers to “unite to create a better world”, and reminded them of the importance of “seeking justice and spreading the truth”. He made explicit analogies to the civil rights movement, telling supporters: “We won a revolution before, we can win it again.”

Similar messaging appears in his presidential campaign, which calls on supporters to “join the movement”, “spread the word”, and “restore our rights”.

4. Leadership and guidance

COVID truthers proffer order and security in a world that feels disorderly and insecure. They speak to the institutional distrust many people feel towards “the establishment”.

Kennedy’s campaign contrasts the power of corrupt government institutions, corporate cronyism and nefarious media elites with the powerlessness that the disenfranchised public feels. As a consequence, he positions himself as an incorruptible leader with the capacity to “clean up government”, restore civil liberties, and speak truth to power.

Why this matters

The success of the truther playbook in spreading anti-vaccine discourse during the pandemic demonstrates the popular appeal of belief and emotion in the current political climate. Filings with charity regulators show that revenue for Kennedy’s organisation more than doubled in 2020, to US$6.8 million.

In our current post-truth era, where opinions often triumph over facts, influencers and celebrities can achieve authority. By framing their opponents as corrupt and evil, and claiming to expose this corruption, COVID truthers can successfully encourage others to join their movement.

And, as Kennedy’s campaign is now demonstrating, these rhetorical techniques can be used to promote populist politics just as much as anti-vaccine content. Läs mer…

Children and young people should be able to study in schools that recognise and respect their diverse backgrounds. But teachers sometimes struggle to handle this diversity in the classroom.

Findings from research conducted in Ireland have shown that teachers may not receive adequate training in intercultural education.

My research investigated how parents from minority ethnic (non-white) backgrounds who had immigrated to Ireland felt about their children’s school education.

I carried out five group discussions with 20 parents from minority-ethnic backgrounds in Ireland in early 2020. I wanted to understand the parents’ experiences with schooling in Ireland and other countries, their opinions on teaching and learning in Irish schools, their relationships with teachers and schools, and their advice for creating culturally inclusive learning environments.

Uncertainty and unfamiliarity

I found that some parents may feel fear and uncertainty when their children attend school, as they may not be familiar with the customs and practices of the education system of the country they have moved to. They had worries about the way their childrens’ race affected their school experiences: one parent said they thought teachers were unfairly singling their children out because of their colour.

The parents also had concerns about the cultural knowledge of the staff at their children’s schools, and how this might affect their education. One said:

Teachers […] need to learn how to deal with kids of different backgrounds. […] I suppose they need to further learn all the different cultures.

The parents suggested that schools needed to take specific action to learn about the cultures and backgrounds of the children they taught:

Any school with people from diverse cultures should try to organise meetings where they invite parents, particularly those from migrant backgrounds, to discuss with the parents, the difficulties they as teachers are having with their work.

Research has found that parental engagement with school promotes good behaviour by children. But how an immigrant parent interacts with their child’s school may be affected by factors such as a language barrier and lack of familiarity with the school system.

Teaching about cultures

The parents also emphasised the importance of school and teachers to convey understanding of other cultures to pupils.

Just the other day […] my daughter was playing on the yard with other children, but because they don’t understand her hair, she got her natural hair, they told her she needs to go to a hairdresser, they think something is wrong with her hair. They don’t understand. You can’t blame them because, in school, that’s what they learn. And it should be incorporated into the curriculum that we are different. Our hair is different. The teacher has to understand that.

Parents thought that children should learn about cultural differences in the classroom.
Dragana Gordic/Shutterstock

They spoke about the potential benefits of increasing diversity among teachers and other school staff. This can create a more inclusive and welcoming environment for minority ethnic students, providing them with role models who they can relate to and who understand their cultural backgrounds.

Who is teaching them is white, who is taking them on break is white, who is giving them canteen food is white […] So we should ensure that these young guys [from minority ethnic backgrounds] who are attending universities should choose the teaching profession as a priority […] For me, the solution is to diversify the teaching profession and have representations from different culture.

Inclusive education, which puts childrens’ diverse needs at the heart of the curriculum rather than in particular, separate classes or programmes, is not always implemented. School leaders and teachers may lack the competency to put inclusive education into practice.

It is essential that schools take an approach that considers how a student’s culture affects their learning. This is known as culturally responsive pedagogy. It is a teaching approach that aims to create classrooms where all students feel included and valued by teachers who incorporate their cultural backgrounds and experiences. Läs mer…

As we race to decarbonise by electrifying everything, solar panels – now cheaper per square metre than marine-grade plywood – will do much of the heavy lifting. But if we don’t rethink how our rooftop panels plug into the grid, the transition will be unfair and costly – for both people who own solar panels (and electric cars and smart appliances) and people who don’t.

Australia has the world’s highest solar installation rate per person. When solar panels generate more energy than a household is using, the excess electricity can be exported to the grid. Rooftop solar regularly provides more than a quarter of daytime electricity across the National Electricity Market. At times it exceeds 90% in South Australia.

Solar panel prices per square metre since 1970 (assuming 18% efficient modules).
Data: IRENA Database. Graph: Niraj Lal, Author provided

The amount of solar in our grids is affecting how the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) and distribution businesses (which own the powerlines) keep the lights on. The measures in place are costing households that are generating solar power, but also non-solar owners and network operators. So how can we make the system fairer for all?

We suggest solar panels should be thought of a little more like apple trees. If you have a tree in your backyard you should be able to use as many apples as you produce. But selling apples for profit creates extra responsibilities, along with uncertainties about supply and the fair selling price.

Our new research paper, published in The Electricity Journal, outlines principles for fairness and proposes a bill of rights and responsibilities for connecting to the grid.

What’s not fair about the current system?

At times, the amount of solar energy being exported can be too much for the network to handle.

That’s why inverters (the box on the side of a house with solar panels) have settings that automatically reduce exported electricity when network capacity is under strain. Other mechanisms are also being put in place to allow AEMO to occasionally curtail output from rooftop solar to maintain power system security.

However, such measures not only reduce how much electricity is flowing from a home to the grid, but the entire output of the home’s rooftop system. There aren’t any fundamental reasons for this, just that appropriate inverter and control settings haven’t been enabled.

But this means a household, at times, can’t use any of the electricity it’s generating. In South Australia, the annual cost to customers of this sort of curtailment is already between A$1.2 million and A$4.5 million. This isn’t fair.

But it also isn’t fair when solar owners get paid to export electricity when prices are negative – that is, when other generators must pay to keeping exporting to the grid. This is happening more often, totalling more than half of all daytime hours in SA and Victoria last quarter.

Nor is it fair for distribution businesses to build more poles and wires to accommodate everyone’s solar exports all the time. Or if the system operator has to buy more reserves to cover for the uncertainties of rooftop solar output.

In these instances, all customers foot the bill whether they own solar panels or not. But non-owners are hit hardest when the costs of such measures are passed on. People without rooftop solar are completely exposed to the 20-25% electricity price rises from July 1.

Some solar owners will hardly notice the increase.

It’s time to rethink the social contract for grid electricity

Australia’s electrification will replace fossil fuels to run households, businesses, vehicles and industry. It’s expected rooftop solar will increase five-fold. How should households with these growing distributed energy resources interact with the grid in future?

We reckon the social contract for grid electricity needs to evolve from the pay-plug-play expectations dating from the 19th century to a two-way engagement to support fairness for all.

To return to the apple tree analogy, if you have a tree in your backyard you should be able to eat as many apples as you’d like, and make crumble, cider, whatever. But selling apples for profit comes with a responsibility not to carry codling moth. And selling crumble or cider is subject to food safety and licensing requirements.

If there’s an abundance of apples, you can’t expect to sell them for a high price.
Shutterstock

And the prices? That depends on the availability of trucks and local market value. Maybe you or our government could pay more for trucks for everyone to be able to sell apples all the time, but it probably wouldn’t be efficient or fair.

The main distinction we draw is between growing for yourself and selling for profit. The analogy obviously isn’t perfect. Apples aren’t an essential service, apple trucks aren’t a regulated monopoly, and the supply and demand of apples doesn’t need to be balanced every second.

However, the principles remain – especially for a future where apple trees (rooftop solar) and apple warehouses (home batteries and electric vehicles) are everywhere.

The principles guiding a bill of rights and responsibilities for distributed energy resources. CC-BY-NC-SA.
Author provided

A fairer balance of rights and responsibilities

In our research paper we distinguish between rights for passive use (using your own rooftop solar electricity) and responsibilities for active use (selling electricity).

No-one should be able to stop you using your own self-generated electricity (for the vast majority of the time). But making money from the grid will likely come with responsibilities to allow trusted parties such as network operators to manage your exports at times (a system known as flexible export limits).

If you’re charging and discharging batteries for profit, you will likely have a responsibility to provide some visibility of your expected use to help the operator manage the grid.

In a country with lots of solar energy, prices for selling energy mightn’t be guaranteed all the time either.

We must think about this new social contract. If we don’t, electrifying everything will be harder, more expensive, less fair and more reliant on large-scale projects requiring new transmission lines, which are complex and costly to build.

The story of distributed electricity is incredible – the power is literally in our hands when we flick a switch, grab the wheel, buy a product. We have an opportunity now to make it work better and be fairer for all of us.

You can see a summary of the DER Bill of Rights and Responsibilities here. Läs mer…

The latest health trend on TikTok has been dubbed “nature’s own Ozempic”. It’s the herbal preparation berberine.

Influencers have been enthusiastically claiming its success in helping them lose weight, with their posts viewed by millions.

But what actually is berberine? How is it related to the drug Ozempic?
Does it help people lose weight? And is it safe?

Read more:
The WHO says we shouldn’t bother with artificial sweeteners for weight loss or health. Is sugar better?

Why berberine? What is it anyway?

Many people who cannot lose weight through diet and exercise turn to medication. That includes the high-profile prescription medicine Ozempic, a diabetes drug that also leads to weight loss.

World-wide supply shortages of the drug and the need to get a prescription for it have likely driven people to look for alternatives available online or in pharmacies, such as berberine.

Berberine is a bitter tasting chemical extracted from the roots of plants, such as goldenseal and barberry.

It belongs to the class of plant chemicals called isoquinoline alkaloids. Other well known chemicals in this class include the pain-relieving medicines morphine and codeine.

Berberine extracts have been used in traditional medicines for disorders of the gut and to treat infections. It is mostly taken orally as a powder, capsule or tablet.

Read more:
Weekly dose: Taxol, the anticancer drug discovered in the bark of a tree

Is it the same as Ozempic?

Berberine is not the same as Ozempic. Ozempic is the brand name of the drug semaglutide, which is used to treat people with type 2 diabetes.

Ozempic works by imitating a natural hormone called glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1). This hormone is important because it helps the body produce insulin to regulate blood sugar levels.

More recently, Ozempic has been shown to be effective for weight loss in people who are overweight or obese. By mimicking GLP-1, Ozempic makes you feel full and less hungry.

Read more:
Ozempic helps weight loss by making you feel full. But certain foods can do the same thing – without the side-effects

Does berberine help you lose weight?

In clinical studies, berberine leads to modest weight loss in people who are obese. But the data are not conclusive as most published studies are small and of varying quality.

The strongest evidence we have comes from two meta-analyses, types of studies that pool together and analyse the results of other studies.

These show that taking a 300-3,000mg berberine a day orally is associated with modest reductions in body mass index (BMI), waist circumference and body weight (around 3kg). These results were most significant in women with a BMI great than 30, taking at least 1,000mg daily for at least three months.

Studies have only been conducted with people who are overweight or obese. So we don’t know whether berberine leads to weight loss in others.

We also don’t yet have the data to say what happens when people stop taking berberine.

We don’t exactly know how berberine works to help people lose weight. But a recent systematic review (when researchers pool together evidence) gives some clues.

It influences GLP-1 levels like Ozempic, but probably results in weight loss in other ways too. It decreases blood sugar levels, stimulates insulin release, influences how the body absorbs cholesterol, and changes the way fat is processed in the body.

Read more:
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Is berberine safe?

Just because berberine is sold over the counter, doesn’t mean it’s safe. It can have side effects and interfere with other drugs you may be taking.

Common side effects include diarrhoea, constipation, gas and an upset stomach. Large quantities may be fatal.

Berberine is not recommended for people who are pregnant as it is thought it can cross the placenta and may harm the fetus. It may also stimulate contractions of the uterus, which can inappropriately trigger birth. Because it can be transferred to breast milk it is not appropriate if breastfeeding.

Berberine can also interact with many other drugs and supplements. These include the immune-system drug ciclosporin, cough suppressants like dextromethorphan, and herbal remedies and medicines used to lower blood pressure, lower blood sugar levels, reduce blood clotting, and help with relaxation and sleep.

Read more:
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So what do do?

If you are obese or overweight and are having trouble losing weight through diet and exercise alone then berberine may be of some help.

However, before buying berberine, discuss it with your doctor or pharmacist to see if it will be safe for you, or if other medications might be more appropriate. Läs mer…

On Thursday, Justice Anthony Besanko of the Federal Court dismissed defamation proceedings brought by former Special Air Service soldier Ben Roberts-Smith against several Australian news outlets.

The court found that reporting by Nick McKenzie, Chris Masters and David Wroe had satisfactorily established the truth of several serious imputations against Roberts-Smith. These included claims he committed war crimes during his service in Afghanistan.

The judgement is a landmark moment in Australian military history, with implications for the investigation and potential prosecution of other Australians suspected of war crimes. The explosive evidence heard in the case also underlines the need for the Army, the broader defence community and the Australian public to reckon fully with the conduct of Australian forces in the Afghanistan campaign.

Read more:
A win for the press, a big loss for Ben Roberts-Smith: what does this judgment tell us about defamation law?

Standards of proof and evidence

Roberts-Smith could conceivably face criminal prosecution for the alleged murders at a future war crimes trial. This case was a civil proceeding, meaning the imputations only needed to be proven true on the balance of probabilities, a substantially lower requirement than proof beyond a reasonable doubt, which would be required in a criminal trial.

Because of the different standards of proof, it is not certain Roberts-Smith would be found guilty in a war crimes trial, assuming all the same evidence was called. Prosecutors will be concerned, moreover, that the outcome of the high-profile defamation trial might influence a future war crimes proceeding.

It is likely any criminal trial for Roberts-Smith will be held before a judge, without a jury. It is not unusual for a war crimes trial to be held without a jury; past Australian trials were held before a panel of three to five judges, all of whom were military officers.

Another way to overcome the problem of the defamation outcome poisoning a future criminal trial in Australia would be for the government to hand Roberts-Smith over to the International Criminal Court in the Hague, a court with long experience in dealing with very high profile war crimes cases. However, doing so would probably be deeply unpopular and signal to the world that Australia cannot dispense its own military justice.

Contextual truth

Some imputations against Roberts-Smith were not substantiated at the defamation trial. However, Justice Besanko found that these defamatory statements, which concerned threatening a fellow soldier and domestic violence, were nonetheless contextually true. This ruling means the newspapers are not liable for these imputations because the more injurious claims, including war crimes, were found to be true, so the defendant would suffer no further reputational damage.

Broader implications

It remains to be seen what the full reaction to Thursday’s judgement will be. Roberts-Smith still holds the Victoria Cross, the country’s highest military honour. He received financial support for the case from Kerry Stokes – who, from 2015 to 2022, was chair of the Australian War Memorial. Stokes allegedly referred to McKenzie and Masters as “scumbag journalists”.

While the memorial as an institution did not support Roberts-Smith with the case, Stokes remained as chair even after his role was publicly questioned. The interpretation from some quarters that reporting on Roberts-Smith constitutes unfair criticism of a war hero will persist. Others, of course, will see it as exactly the job investigative reporting is meant to do.

The Australian Defence Force has taken the allegations brought forward by journalists and other sources seriously. It commissioned Paul Brereton’s Afghanistan inquiry and appears to accept that the conduct of some Australian personnel was potentially illegal.

Read more:
Why investigating potential war crimes in Afghanistan just became much harder – and could take years

While the findings in the defamation case support the ADF’s position that an inquiry was needed, the case was not a “proxy war crimes trial”. It does not deliver justice for alleged war crimes. Only properly convened war crimes trials can answer the questions that hover over Australian conduct in Afghanistan, including the role of commanding officers.

War crimes trials, however, take significant institutional momentum to convene and sustain: they are costly, long-running and controversial. The challenge for the ADF now is to continue to support the thorough investigation of alleged war crimes and to pursue criminal prosecution where it is warranted.

Since the second world war, Australia has positioned itself internationally as a champion of the laws and proper conduct of war. Australian forces have been deployed to many difficult conflicts, where they have largely been trusted operators.

The judgement in this case ought to have minimal impact on Australian forces who are deployed overseas, as following the rules of war is assumed to be part of any mission they undertake. If the case does come as a wake-up call to some, then the ADF will have to further assess its training on the laws of war, its leadership, and its culture.

The Roberts-Smith case, the finding against him and the graphic detail in the publicly available evidence made headlines around the world. If public faith in the ADF is to be restored, together with its international reputation, there must now be an exhaustive process of investigation and prosecution of any war crimes committed in Afghanistan. Läs mer…

The world missed the boat with social media. It fuelled misinformation, fake news, and polarisation. We saw the harms too late, once they had already started to have a substantive impact on society.

With artificial intelligence – especially generative AI – we’re earlier to the party. Not a day goes by without a new deepfake, open letter, product release or interview raising the public’s concern.

Responding to this, the Australian government has just released two important documents. One is a report commissioned by the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) on the opportunities and risks posed by generative AI, and the other is a consultation paper asking for input on possible regulatory and policy responses to those risks.

I was one of the external reviewers of the NSTC report. I’ve read both documents carefully so you don’t have to. Here’s what you need to know.

Read more:
No, AI probably won’t kill us all – and there’s more to this fear campaign than meets the eye

Trillions of life-changing opportunities

With AI, we see a multi-trillion dollar industry coming into existence before our eyes – and Australia could be well-placed to profit.

In the last few months, two local unicorns (billion dollar companies) pivoted to AI. Online graphic design company Canva introduced its “magic” AI tools to generate and edit content, and software development company Atlassian introduced “Atlassian intelligence” – a new virtual teammate to help with tasks such as summarising meetings and answering questions.

These are just two examples. We see many other opportunities across industry, government, education and health.

AI tools to predict early signs of Parkinson’s disease? Tick. AI tools to predict when solar storms will hit? Tick. Checkout-free, grab-and-go shopping, courtesy of AI? Tick.

The list of ways AI can improve our lives seems endless.

Read more:
AI could threaten some jobs, but it is more likely to become our personal assistant

What about the risks?

The NSTC report outlines the most obvious risks: job displacement, misinformation and polarisation, wealth concentration and regulatory misalignment.

For example, are entry level lawyers going to be replaced by robots? Are we going to drown in a sea of deepfakes and computer generated tweets? Will big tech companies capture even more wealth? And how can little old Australia have a say on global changes?

The Australian government’s consultation paper looks at how different nations are responding to these challenges. This includes the US, which is adopting a light touch approach with voluntary codes and standards; the UK, which looks to empower existing sector-specific regulators; and Europe’s forthcoming AI Act, which is one of the first AI-specific regulations.

Europe’s approach is worth watching if their previous data protection law – the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) – is anything to go by. The GDPR has become somewhat viral; 17 countries outside of Europe now have similar privacy laws.

We can expect the European Union’s AI Act to set a similar precedent on how to regulate AI.

The European Union’s GDPR regulations came into effect on May 25 2018, and have become a model for other nations around the world.
Shutterstock

Indeed, the Australian government’s consultation paper specifically asks if we should adopt a similar risk and audit-based approach as the AI Act. The Act outlaws high-risk AI applications, such as AI-driven social scoring systems (like the system in use in China) and real-time remote biometric identification systems used by law enforcement in public spaces. It allows other riskier applications only after suitable safety audits.

China stands somewhat apart as far as regulating AI goes. It proposes to implement very strict rules, which would require AI-generated content to reflect the “core value of socialism”, “respect social morality and public order”, and not “subvert state power”, “undermine national unity” or encourage “violence, extremism, terrorism or discrimination”.

In addition, AI tools will need to go through a “security review” before release, and verify users’ identities and track usage.

It seems unlikely Australia will have the appetite for such strict state control over AI. Nonetheless, China’s approach reinforces how powerful AI is going to be, and how important it is to get right.

Read more:
How AI and other technologies are already disrupting the workplace

Existing rules

As the government’s consultation paper notes, AI is already subject to existing rules. These include general regulations (such as privacy and consumer protection laws that apply across industries) and sector-specific regulations (such as those that apply to financial services or therapeutic goods).

One of the major goals of the consultation is to decide whether to strengthen these rules or, as the EU has done, to introduce specific AI risk-based regulation – or perhaps some mixture of these two approaches.

Government itself is a (potential) major user of AI and therefore has a big role to play in setting regulation standards. For example, procurement rules used by government can become de facto rules across other industries.

Missing the boat

The biggest risk, in my view, is that Australia misses this opportunity.

A few weeks ago, when the UK government announced its approach to deal with the risks of AI, it also announced an additional £1 billion of investment in AI, alongside the several billion pounds already committed.

We’ve not seen any such ambition from the Australian government.

The technologies that gave us the iPhone, the internet, GPS, and wifi came about because of government investment in fundamental research and training for scientists and engineers. They didn’t come into existence because of venture funding in Silicon Valley.

We’re still waiting to see the government invest millions (or even billions) of dollars in fundamental research, and in the scientists and engineers that will allow Australia to compete in the AI race. There is still everything to play for.

AI is going to touch everyone’s lives, so I strongly encourage you to have your say. You only have eight weeks to do so. Läs mer…

While plants can’t walk, they can certainly travel. Some species have travelled vast distances over millennia, moving by different and varied modes.

Some found new habitats when the continent they were riding on slowly crashed into another. Others went on perilous ocean going journeys – think of coconuts washing up on new island shores. Others still have been carried as seeds by birds or other animals – including us.

Many have now become local, endemic to their region of Australia. Some may surprise you.

Native nuts – how macadamia trees began

Early in the age of jet aeroplanes, flying to America meant a stop-over in Hawaii to refuel. Here, many Australians tasted macadamia nuts for the first time and probably assumed they were a local delicacy. Imagine their surprise at discovering the truth. Hawaii’s macadamia industry began when a few nuts were sent from Australia in the 1880s.

Of course, this was not news to Australia’s First Nations people, many of whom had enjoyed macadamia nuts for millennia.

Macadamia nuts first gained notice in Hawaii – but they’re Australian as can be.
Shutterstock

There are four species of Macadamia, of which two are the most important nut producers, namely Macadamia integrifolia and M
. tetraphylla. All species belong to the Proteaceae family, meaning they are related to banksias, grevilleas and proteas.

This family connection reveals the genus has a long evolutionary history, dating back about 100 million years. Macadamias travelled with the continent of Australia as it split off from Antarctica and South America.

In their natural habitat across northern New South Wales and southern Queensland, these subtropical trees can reach heights of 25 metres. But even though they are now widely farmed, they’re actually threatened in the wild – and may be further threatened by climate change.

Oranges, lemons – and native citrus?

Many of us are fond of tart and tasty citrus – oranges from southern China, lemons probably from northern India. All the world’s citrus trees stem from an ancestor species which grew in the foothills of the Himalayas, according to DNA evidence. Over time, these trees spread out and new species split off. Eventually, about 8–10 million years ago, they arrived in Australia.

Read more:
Food, tools and medicine: 5 native plants that illuminate deep Aboriginal knowledge

The most well known is the finger lime, C. australasica, with tiny globes spilling out of the fruit like citrus caviar. But there are others, like the Australian lime, Citrus australis and the desert lime C. glauca. Like many citrus, they can be prickly customers with long painful spines. While most are shrubs and small trees, the Australian lime can reach heights of 20 metres.

Native raspberries

In recent years, the native raspberry, Rubus probus, has achieved celebrity status as a prickly, quick growing bramble with a good fruit.

But like its relative, the blackberry, Rubus fruticosus, you have to work hard to get fruit and rarely come away unscathed.

That’s why it was big news when a thornless specimen was found and propagated. This will make a big difference to the cultivation of our native raspberry.

Our native raspberry is becoming popular.
Shutterstock

So how did Australia come to have raspberries? It seems likely their ancestors migrated from North America towards Europe and Asia between 10 and 15 million years ago and eventually made it to Oceania.

Exactly how the genus Rubus made it to Australia is unknown, but the most likely pathway is a few seeds stuck to the feathers of a migrating bird. It could have happened as recently as a few hundred thousand years ago.

Native geraniums? It’s true

I associate geraniums with my maternal grandmother, who had the most magnificent red geraniums along her back fence. Family folklore had it they were cuttings from a prize winner at a major horticultural exhibition – and I believe it.

While we associate garden geraniums with Europe, they’re actually African and only arrived in Europe in the 17th century.

But while we all know these geraniums, Australia has its own species. That fact still amazes me after decades of studying plants.

But first, let’s clear up the debate over names. In the 17th century, geraniums and closely-related pelargoniums were grouped together in a single genus. But early in the 18th century, Charles LeHeritier – the botanist who first described eucalypts – divided them and there has been confusion ever since.

The easiest way of telling them apart is that geraniums have five petals of the same size and shape but pelargoniums have two larger petals and three smaller ones.

Most of the Australian native plants commonly called geraniums are in fact pelargoniums. You may have stumbled across Pelargonium australe, the most common of our seven species, which is spread across much of southern Australia.

Native geranium? The pelargonium australe is the native plant most commonly thought of as a geranium.
Wikimedia, CC BY

Native orchids: from flying ducks to the Queen of Sheba

There’s something about orchids. In the 19th century, so many Europeans went mad for their flowers that the name “orchidelirium” was coined.

We have some of the most iconic orchids as natives, such as the remarkable flying duck orchid and the stunning Queen of Sheba. Our 1800 species mostly grow in our tropical and subtropical areas.

Australia’s flying duck orchid (Caleana major) is world-famous for its resemblance.
Shutterstock

Some orchids can be traced back to the last years of Gondwana. But curiously, we also have tropical species which must have island hopped from Papua New Guinea and Indonesia more recently.

That’s only the start of our surprising plants. We have native tamarinds, native rivermint, and a native rhododendron.

And did you know that cloves come from an Indonesian species of lilly pilly? This species is related to Australian lilly pillies, a genus which evolved as the final fragmentation of Gondwana occurred about 65 million years ago. They rapidly diversified and there are now over 1000 species.

The Eastern Queen of Sheba orchid is rightly famous.
Shutterstock

Plants move slowly. But they move much more than you’d expect. Their success has enriched the biodiversity and novelty of our ecosystems in surprising ways. As for me, I love an Australian macadamia nut – and I’ll always love those imported red geraniums.

Read more:
Let’s show a bit of love for the lillipilly. This humble plant forms the world’s largest genus of trees – and should be an Australian icon Läs mer…

While plants can’t walk, they can certainly travel. Some species have travelled vast distances over millennia, moving by different and varied modes.

Some found new habitats when the continent they were riding on slowly crashed into another. Others went on perilous ocean going journeys – think of coconuts washing up on new island shores. Others still have been carried as seeds by birds or other animals – including us.

Many have now become local, endemic to their region of Australia. Some may surprise you.

Native nuts – how macadamia trees began

Early in the age of jet aeroplanes, flying to America meant a stop-over in Hawaii to refuel. Here, many Australians tasted macadamia nuts for the first time and probably assumed they were a local delicacy. Imagine their surprise at discovering the truth. Hawaii’s macadamia industry began when a few nuts were sent from Australia in the 1880s.

Of course, this was not news to Australia’s First Nations people, many of whom had enjoyed macadamia nuts for millennia.

Macadamia nuts first gained notice in Hawaii – but they’re Australian as can be.
Shutterstock

There are four species of Macadamia, of which two are the most important nut producers, namely Macadamia integrifolia and M
. tetraphylla. All species belong to the Proteaceae family, meaning they are related to banksias, grevilleas and proteas.

This family connection reveals the genus has a long evolutionary history, dating back about 100 million years. Macadamias travelled with the continent of Australia as it split off from Antarctica and South America.

In their natural habitat across northern New South Wales and southern Queensland, these subtropical trees can reach heights of 25 metres. But even though they are now widely farmed, they’re actually threatened in the wild – and may be further threatened by climate change.

Oranges, lemons – and native citrus?

Many of us are fond of tart and tasty citrus – oranges from southern China, lemons probably from northern India. All the world’s citrus trees stem from an ancestor species which grew in the foothills of the Himalayas, according to DNA evidence. Over time, these trees spread out and new species split off. Eventually, about 8–10 million years ago, they arrived in Australia.

Read more:
Food, tools and medicine: 5 native plants that illuminate deep Aboriginal knowledge

The most well known is the finger lime, C. australasica, with tiny globes spilling out of the fruit like citrus caviar. But there are others, like the Australian lime, Citrus australis and the desert lime C. glauca. Like many citrus, they can be prickly customers with long painful spines. While most are shrubs and small trees, the Australian lime can reach heights of 20 metres.

Native raspberries

In recent years, the native raspberry, Rubus probus, has achieved celebrity status as a prickly, quick growing bramble with a good fruit.

But like its relative, the blackberry, Rubus fruticosus, you have to work hard to get fruit and rarely come away unscathed.

That’s why it was big news when a thornless specimen was found and propagated. This will make a big difference to the cultivation of our native raspberry.

Our native raspberry is becoming popular.
Shutterstock

So how did Australia come to have raspberries? It seems likely their ancestors migrated from North America towards Europe and Asia between 10 and 15 million years ago and eventually made it to Oceania.

Exactly how the genus Rubus made it to Australia is unknown, but the most likely pathway is a few seeds stuck to the feathers of a migrating bird. It could have happened as recently as a few hundred thousand years ago.

Native geraniums? It’s true

I associate geraniums with my maternal grandmother, who had the most magnificent red geraniums along her back fence. Family folklore had it they were cuttings from a prize winner at a major horticultural exhibition – and I believe it.

While we associate garden geraniums with Europe, they’re actually African and only arrived in Europe in the 17th century.

But while we all know these geraniums, Australia has its own species. That fact still amazes me after decades of studying plants.

But first, let’s clear up the debate over names. In the 17th century, geraniums and closely-related pelargoniums were grouped together in a single genus. But early in the 18th century, Charles LeHeritier – the botanist who first described eucalypts – divided them and there has been confusion ever since.

The easiest way of telling them apart is that geraniums have five petals of the same size and shape but pelargoniums have two larger petals and three smaller ones.

Most of the Australian native plants commonly called geraniums are in fact pelargoniums. You may have stumbled across Pelargonium australe, the most common of our seven species, which is spread across much of southern Australia.

Native geranium? The pelargonium australe is the native plant most commonly thought of as a geranium.
Wikimedia, CC BY

Native orchids: from flying ducks to the Queen of Sheba

There’s something about orchids. In the 19th century, so many Europeans went mad for their flowers that the name “orchidelirium” was coined.

We have some of the most iconic orchids as natives, such as the remarkable flying duck orchid and the stunning Queen of Sheba. Our 1800 species mostly grow in our tropical and subtropical areas.

Australia’s flying duck orchid (Caleana major) is world-famous for its resemblance.
Shutterstock

Some orchids can be traced back to the last years of Gondwana. But curiously, we also have tropical species which must have island hopped from Papua New Guinea and Indonesia more recently.

That’s only the start of our surprising plants. We have native tamarinds, native rivermint, and a native rhododendron.

And did you know that cloves come from an Indonesian species of lilly pilly? This species is related to Australian lilly pillies, a genus which evolved as the final fragmentation of Gondwana occurred about 65 million years ago. They rapidly diversified and there are now over 1000 species.

The Eastern Queen of Sheba orchid is rightly famous.
Shutterstock

Plants move slowly. But they move much more than you’d expect. Their success has enriched the biodiversity and novelty of our ecosystems in surprising ways. As for me, I love an Australian macadamia nut – and I’ll always love those imported red geraniums.

Read more:
Let’s show a bit of love for the lillipilly. This humble plant forms the world’s largest genus of trees – and should be an Australian icon Läs mer…

When a driver and a pedestrian approach a T-intersection, who has to give way?

In newly published research we tested over 1,000 road users’ knowledge of the Australian road rules. We presented them with the two scenarios shown below.

When asked who should give way in these scenarios, many road users answered incorrectly.
Browne & Flower 2023

When asked who should give way, the green car or the pedestrian, in the first and second scenarios, 37% and 39% of road users respectively answered incorrectly.

So what do the Australian Road Rules say? The answer may surprise you. The rules (specifically rule 353) state:

(1) If a driver is turning from a road at an intersection –

(a) the driver is required to give way to a pedestrian who is crossing the road that the driver is entering […] and

(b) the driver is not required to give way to a pedestrian who is crossing the road the driver is leaving.

An obvious source of people’s confusion is the inconsistency between parts (a) and (b) of rule 353. In effect, it gives pedestrians “right of way across only half an intersection”.

Part (b) is also quite counter-intuitive. After all, most people would expect that a stop or give way sign would mean drivers have to stop for pedestrians as well as cars.

Changing the rules to require drivers to give way to pedestrians who are crossing the road the driver is leaving would create a “generalised and unambiguous duty to give way on turning”“. This change has been proposed before. But more recent developments have added to the case for such a rule change.

A driver approaching this stop sign isn’t required to give way to pedestrians, but a driver turning into the same street must give way.
Shutterstock

Read more:
Why Australian road rules should be rewritten to put walking first

The UK’s new rule H2

The UK recently made the same change to its road rules. In late 2021, the UK Highway Code introduced rule H2 which, at a junction, requires drivers to give way to pedestrians crossing or waiting to cross a road into which or from which the driver is turning.

The change eliminated inconsistencies and the counter-intuitiveness about who has to give way.

Giving pedestrians an unambiguous right of way also encourages walking. Examples of apparently minor ”urban acupuncture” like this can have long-term benefits for liveability and for public health and wellbeing.

Read more:
Cars have taken over our neighbourhoods. Kid-friendly superblocks are a way for residents to reclaim their streets

Zebra crossings have unintended consequences

The second recent development is that local councils around Melbourne have been installing zebra crossings at prioritised locations – but not all locations – within activity centres and on routes designated as part of the so-called Principal Pedestrian Network. The purpose has been to encourage and enable walking for transport, particularly since 2020 when COVID-19 lockdowns meant people were seeking more opportunities to exercise in their local area.

A zebra crossing improves safety where it has been installed, but can lead to confusion at intersections without such crossings.
Geoffrey Browne, Author provided

Zebra crossings at T-intersections like the one pictured above are certainly well intentioned, and they over-ride rule 353(1)(b) to create pedestrian priority where it wouldn’t otherwise exist. The evidence suggests such zebras crossings do improve safety at the intersections where they are installed.

At the same time, however, there is a very real risk that, without a rule change, the crossings unintentionally undermine walkability more widely. This is because when they are installed at some but not all intersections, they can lead people to believe that at sites where they are not installed, drivers do not have to give way to a pedestrian who is crossing the street into which the driver is turning.

Our research, which was the first to examine this issue, found the risk of this unintended consequence is very real.

Read more:
We all have to walk across roads — why aren’t pedestrians a focus of road safety?

A rule change is the best answer

We also interviewed traffic engineers, local government planners and walking experts. A clear majority agreed a rule change that requires drivers to give way to pedestrians at a stop or give way sign would improve road safety and promote walking.

It would taking some getting used to, but road rules have been changed before.

In 1993 the road rules in Victoria were changed for vehicles turning left at intersections to have the right of way before vehicles turning right. Previously, and somewhat counter-intuitively, it was the other way around.

From April 2021, motorists across Australia were required to give cyclists clearance of at least one metre when overtaking.

Both of these rule changes were accompanied by public awareness campaigns to ensure the community knew about them.

Read more:
Minimum space for passing cyclists is now law Australia-wide. It increases safety – but possibly road rage too

Encouraging walking has broader public benefits

Requiring drivers approaching and turning at a T-intersection from any direction to give way to pedestrians would be an important simplification of the road rules. And the more the rules are biased toward the convenience of walkers, the more walkers there will be.

Importantly, changes like this can send subtle but powerful social signals that society values walking for transport because it reduces pollution and encourages incidental exercise. Such changes can play a small part in shifting communities from being car-dominated to enabling everyone, but particularly children, older people and people with disabilities, to feel safe to walk more. Läs mer…

Russia’s war with Ukraine is now at a critical turning point. The relentless missile and drone strikes on the capital Kyiv may look like a sign of strength, but appearances can be deceiving.

The Russian assault is a sign of weakness. It is an attempt to weaken Kyiv’s air defences in advance of a much-anticipated Ukrainian counteroffensive against Russian forces in Ukraine.

Earlier this week, a suspected Ukrainian drone attack damaged two residential buildings in Moscow. If confirmed, this would be the first strike by Kyiv on a civilian area in Moscow.

BBC Russia editor Steve Rosenberg, whose own Moscow home windows shook during the explosions, reported feeling “as if the hostilities are coming much closer to home now”.

But this was not the first drone attack on Moscow. In early May, the Russian government reported that two unmanned aerial vehicles had unsuccessfully attempted to attack the Kremlin.

The clear concern now is that the war is escalating. And the repercussions will affect the United States-China relationship, as well as Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific.

Russia’s home front: a damaged Moscow apartment building after the drone attack on May 30.
Getty Images

Diplomatic absence

As University of Chicago scholar John Mearsheimer wrote in the journal Foreign Affairs in August 2022:

The maximalist thinking that now prevails in Washington and Moscow gives each side more reason to win on the battlefield so that it can dictate the terms of the eventual peace. In effect, the absence of a possible diplomatic solution provides an added incentive for both sides to climb up the escalation ladder.

Read more:
Moscow drone attacks are a morale booster for Ukraine and a warning for Russia – here’s why

If this sounds alarmist, it shouldn’t. Does anyone doubt Vladimir Putin’s political (and possibly personal) survival rests on winning the first land war in Europe since the 1990s, one that directly involves NATO and Russia?

And does anyone doubt that NATO will not rest until its efforts in Ukraine secure Russia’s strategic defeat? That is the obvious interpretation of US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin’s April 2022 statement:

We want to see Ukraine remain a sovereign country, a democratic country able to protect its sovereign territory. We want to see Russia weakened to the point where it can’t do things like invade Ukraine.

While we may be sympathetic to that statement, its escalatory implications are clear.

An escalation triangle

The current regime in Russia is arguably its own worst enemy. As Stanford historian Stephen Kotkin has written, Putin is repeating a pattern of failed modernisation and unsuccessful aggression that can be traced back to Tsar Peter the Great (1672-1725).

The savagery of the Russian campaign in Ukraine demands the scrutiny of an international criminal court. Whether this happens or not, history should teach us not to expect a consolidated liberal democracy to emerge from the ashes of the Putin regime. Indeed, the only thing worse than its continuation could be what replaces it.

Read more:
How Russia might rethink its alliance with China after Putin

Russia’s war in Ukraine has also escalated existing tensions in the US relationship with China.

If that relationship was adversarial before the Ukraine war, it is far more so now. The war has turbocharged Beijing’s view of US expansionism, and the US sense that it should press its advantage against its Chinese and Russian rivals.

Evidence suggests Beijing will do all it can to ensure the Putin regime’s survival, and eventually support the transition to a more restrained Russian leader who remains aligned with China.

Read more:
Approach with caution: why NZ should be wary of buying into the AUKUS security pact

NZ and the ANZAC alliance

These escalations are now being felt within Australia and New Zealand’s strategic environment.

In recent years, China’s leader, Xi Jinping, has made clear that China’s “national rejuvenation” cannot be achieved without “reunification” with Taiwan. The present situation, he has said, “cannot go on [from] generation to generation”.

Since 2020, New Zealand’s sole alliance partner Australia has borne the brunt of a coercive economic and diplomatic sanctions policy initiated by China. Canberra responded with the ambitious 2021 AUKUS initiative, a strategic technology-sharing partnership with the US and UK.

Read more:
As Australia signs up for nuclear subs, NZ faces hard decisions over the AUKUS alliance

China then escalated tensions by signing a security agreement with the Solomon Islands in May 2022. The operational details weren’t transparent but the strategic target was clear – Australia.

These developments profoundly affect New Zealand’s own security. This explains Minister of Defence Andrew Little’s announcement in April 2023 that Wellington is interested in hearing more detail about possible “pillar two” participation in AUKUS.

One necessary casualty of the current era of conflict escalation is a worldview based on plentiful security and few hard choices. How far we have come from the benign era when New Zealand signed a free trade agreement with China in 2008. Läs mer…

By withdrawing its support for the Medium Density Residential Standards (MDRS) it helped introduce in the first place, the National Party has essentially only made a soft policy even softer.

Lauded by many as progress towards increasing urban housing supply and density, the MDRS allows land owners to develop up to three housing units, three storeys high, on most urban lots without seeking consent.

The standards and the law behind them stipulate no requirements for higher housing densities, nor do they apply additional restrictions on any other form of building. It was always unlikely the MDRS would contribute significantly to housing supply or density.

That’s because while the law enables more housing units, it does not fundamentally change how land is developed. Considering this already light approach, National’s change of heart will likely push future development even further into undeveloped “greenfield” land.

Encouraging urban sprawl

Undeveloped or very lightly developed land surrounding cities, greenfields are typically agricultural. But they can also include wetlands, forests, floodplains or any other location not yet swallowed up by urban expansion.

Developing low-density residential and commercial units on greenfields creates what is known as sprawl – something of an obscenity in urban planning circles.

Characterised by single-family, car-dominated suburbs, these developments may provide affordable housing for those willing to drive longer to work, school or shopping. But they are also extremely costly for cities and ratepayers.

Read more:
NZ cities urgently need to become ’spongier’ – but system change will be expensive

Sprawling suburbs require a lot of new infrastructure: roads, sewers, freshwater and stormwater pipes, power and broadband connections – and sometimes new schools, police and fire stations, and other social services. All this costs a lot.

This infrastructure is already well developed within the city, and often has extra capacity. Where there is an infrastructure deficit, such as in some parts of Auckland, the costs and benefits of adding and renewing infrastructure is spread across a large population.

Adding more users to existing infrastructure only reduces service and maintenance costs (providing it is sufficient, of course). A 200-unit apartment complex, for example, spreads the cost of all this infrastructure over many users and is unlikely to affect rates.

Read more:
We’re building harder, hotter cities: it’s vital we protect and grow urban green spaces – new report

When the same infrastructure is used to service single-family units spaced half a hectare or more apart, the cost per user is exponentially higher. In many cases, it is subsidised by urban ratepayers while the infrastructure investment benefits only a few households.

The government’s recent budget committed billions of dollars to repair and strengthen existing road and rail networks. So it makes little sense to encourage development in places that will need even more potentially vulnerable infrastructure.

Urban sprawl, traffic crawls: public transport becomes difficult and private car use increases.
Getty Images

Increasing carbon emissions

Sprawl also makes public transport inefficient or entirely impossible. In a dense urban environment, a single train or bus stop can service hundreds or thousands of potential riders. Again, the cost per rider is much lower than in sprawling, remote suburbs.

The same can be said about active transport modes. The cul-de-sac development style that characterises many modern suburbs can make it challenging to walk or cycle anywhere.

Embracing greenfield development means we are making a conscious decision that future generations must rely on cars as a primary mode of transport.

Read more:
Road to nowhere: why the suburban cul-de-sac is an urban planning dead end

Cars are a major source of carbon emissions in cities. In Auckland, vehicle emissions account for up to 35% of emissions. Pushing more housing out to the edges of the city means households will need more cars to drive longer distances more frequently.

Sprawl means locking ourselves into increased carbon emissions when the Zero Carbon Act has committed New Zealand to reduce emissions by 30% below 2005 levels by 2030, and make the country carbon neutral by 2050.

New Zealand’s largest city has committed to reduce transport emissions by 64% by 2030, primarily by shifting to public and active transport modes. None of this is possible if it continues to grow outward rather than upward.

The medium density standards aren’t perfect. They’re probably not even very useful as a tool to grow the housing supply. But they are better than encouraging continued outward urban expansion.

The missing middle: townhouses and apartments are the future of urban housing development.
Getty Images

Urban growth boundaries

What is missing from the MRDS, and especially from sprawling greenfield development, is true medium-density housing. Outside New Zealand, this “missing middle” in the urban equation is characterised by townhouses, row houses, and three- to five-storey apartment buildings.

This type of development is critical to providing a more plentiful and affordable housing supply in places with good existing infrastructure serviced by public transport and active mode connections.

Read more:
To get New Zealanders out of their cars we’ll need to start charging the true cost of driving

Worldwide, cities are rapidly working towards creating more density and housing supply within existing urban areas. For decades, cities like Melbourne, Portland, Vancouver, Copenhagen and even Beijing have applied urban growth boundaries to help preserve undeveloped lands.

In the US, where sprawl has long dominated urban growth, cities have worked to increase density and housing supply by removing zoning requirements for single-family housing.

All in all, the MRDS could go much further. But throwing the baby out with the bathwater isn’t the answer. Greenfield development is more costly for everyone, while burdening future generations with car dependence and excess infrastructure. Läs mer…

Fireworks have become a fixture of many celebrations around the world, from weddings to national holidays. But there are many among us, including the furry, feathered and finned, who feel fear with every thundering boom.

Animal caretakers, wildlife rehabilitators and fire services see firsthand the damaging — and sometimes fatal — effects whenever and wherever fireworks are deployed.

Real risks for animals

Cats and dogs both experience sounds at far greater intensity than humans. Fireworks appear for them as discordant noise without warning.

Read more:
Five ways to help your pets cope with fireworks

Studies suggest up to 50 per cent of dogs are afraid of fireworks. Frightened animals awakened from sleep or startled from a state of relaxation will hide, pace, shake, cry or flee, unable to process what is going on or find a safe haven.

I had a tough and confident rescue dog named Ms Macey who was only afraid of one thing: fireworks. She would try to find reprieve by hiding in the bathtub.

Ms Macey, the author’s dog, was afraid of nothing except fireworks.
(K. Coulter), Author provided

Horses’ innate fear responses can take over when they hear fireworks. This led to the tragic death of a horse in Nova Scotia in 2022, neither the first nor last related equine casualty.

So far this year, Murphy and Tallulah were two horse victims of fireworks, the latter so afraid she ran through a wooden fence.

It’s not only animals who are at risk either. Spooking horses can accidentally hurt people trying to handle and comfort them. Bystanders can also be injured when horses bolt out of fear.

Wild animals’ responses

The dangers are serious for wild animals like birds, squirrels, frogs and fish too. During fireworks explosions, nearby resting birds will flee in fear en masse from trees and ponds, and fly off into the night sky.

Some birds have flown so far out to sea, they would not physically have been able to return to land alive. Birds can crash into buildings, get lost and disoriented and literally fall, by the thousands, onto communities.

Because fireworks are launched at night, the full effects on wild animals are challenging to document. Researchers expect that millions of birds are affected around the world and that the results linger after the smoke has disappeared.

In spring and early summer, when animals like birds and squirrels are nesting or in the early stages of rearing their offspring, the risks are even greater. Babies die of dehydration or starvation when terrified or disoriented animal parents cannot find their way back to their nests and burrows. These painful deaths are particularly tragic because they are completely avoidable.

Risks to people

The negative impacts of fireworks extend beyond animals — they can also trigger refugees and veterans.

When set off, fireworks can release toxic chemicals and pollute the environment. And during warnings of the potential of an intense and dangerous fire season, the incendiary risks of fireworks are even more dire.

Nearly 20,000 blazes were started by fireworks in the United States in 2018 alone, killing five people and injuring dozens more. The fact that fires are already decimating forests and communities makes these facts even more alarming. It’s difficult to see why fireworks are permitted at all.

Harm is nothing to celebrate

Thankfully, some communities are taking action and exploring alternatives to conventional fireworks.

In 2018, the Italian town of Collecchio made headlines as the first in the world to implement “silent” fireworks; they aren’t completely noiseless, but make far less noise than traditional fireworks.

That same year Banff, Alta. moved to a much quieter pyrotechnic display for its Canada Day event. And this year, the city suspended the light show to “review the impacts of noise and light flashes on wildlife and the secondary impacts on pets and people in the community,” which is laudable.

In 2023, Banff decided to stop setting off fireworks for celebrations to review their impact on animals and people.
(Shutterstock)

It is a disturbing display of ego that the human desire to light up the quiet night sky with explosions continues despite the serious effects it has on vulnerable people, other species and our shared environment (not to mention the cost when governments are footing the bill).

Since backyard and community-run fireworks continue in most places, concerned animal caretakers should take steps to protect their animals.

But individual actions aren’t enough to mitigate the damaging effects of fireworks on domesticated and wild animals. The more this issue is raised, the more likely this harmful practice will be replaced with alternatives that are more respectful and genuinely joyful. Harm should be prevented not cheered. Governments ought to ensure celebrations consider the well-being of humans and other animals alike. Läs mer…

“You old bag!”

Herb receiving birthday cards from students in the iGen program.
Author provided

To many, this phrase might spark confusion or concern. But, for Herb, a long-term care resident of Saskatoon’s Sherbrooke Community Centre, it is his favourite phrase for teasing friends.

So, when he was gifted a t-shirt with those words on his 69th birthday, you couldn’t have seen a bigger smile on his face, nor heard more laughter from the friends who gave it to him — a class of 11- and 12-year-olds.

Herb’s connection with these young students is sincere and an important one to celebrate. Especially on June 1, which marks Intergenerational Day.

Established in 2010, Intergenerational Day was created to shrink the widening gap between the old and young, two generations that people believe differ wildly on a broad range of topics, from core moral values and political views to tastes in music.

Intergenerational Day serves as a reminder of what the old and young can learn from one another, as well as the benefits that come from connecting with others.

Intergenerational classroom

For the past three years, we have been researching the benefits of intergenerational connections. We have found that, just like Herb, most people not only feel a great deal of meaning in connecting with someone of a different age than themselves, but that these connections are associated with greater well-being.

In our research, we have focused our attention on a program called iGen: an intergenerational classroom in Saskatoon housed at the Sherbrooke Community Centre and created in partnership with educator Keri Albert.

Each year, 25 Grade 6 students complete the standard curriculum at Sherbrooke while interacting with the long-term care residents called Elders. The term “Elders” is used within the Eden Alternative Philosophy of long-term care to honour residents and the wisdom of their life experiences.

Every day, students connect with and support the Elders through various activities like reading, painting, playing games or simply chatting. These repeated interactions provide a comfortable opportunity for conversations and true friendships to grow.

The iGen program brings young students together with older adults living in long-term care to foster intergenerational connections.

Improving well-being

In our recently published study, we worked with Albert and Sherbrooke’s Communications leader, Eric Anderson, to survey 24 students in the iGen class of 2020. Students told us about their experiences and rated how it had impacted several aspects of their well-being, such as their energy, self-esteem, optimism and life satisfaction.

What did we find? First, students’ ratings were off the charts: Students said that their conversations, activities and experiences with the Elders were incredibly meaningful and rated their well-being at the top of our scales. In other words, these students were enjoying their experience in iGen and feeling happy about themselves.

Frequent intergenerational interactions provide an opportunity for meaningful connections and friendships to grow.
Author provided

Second, we found that forming meaningful connections with care home residents in the program was associated with greater happiness. Students who reported having more meaningful intergenerational experiences also reported greater well-being on every single measure included in our surveys, such as greater life satisfaction and self-esteem.

These findings align with hundreds of studies indicating that social relationships are a key source of happiness.

How were students and Elders able to form meaningful relationships? Responses to our survey offer one insight: spending time together. In fact, the more time that students spent with the Elders, the more meaningful they reported their intergenerational experiences to be. This suggests that when generations interact through programs like iGen, they can reap the potential benefits of these relationships.

Building intergenerational connections may be especially timely now given widespread worries of loneliness for people of all ages, which may contribute to the young and elderly’s declining mental health.

One-in-five youth in Canada struggle with mental illness. While in the U.S. the number of youth reporting feelings of sadness and hopelessness has grown by 40 per cent in the last 10 years.

At the other end of the lifespan, many older adults struggle with their well-being, with roughly seven per cent of the world’s older population suffering from depression.

Yet, new data shows that even in 2022, after years of separation due to the pandemic, people reported greater feelings of social connection than loneliness. This is promising, because feeling socially connected is one of the strongest predictors of greater well-being. And it provides us with yet more reasons to create and celebrate social connections across generations.

At a time when the young and old are growing further apart, we show that programs like iGen may help youth form valuable relationships that can bridge social divides like age and ability, and possibly, leave us all happier for it. Läs mer…

What are blue balls? Most people — health-care providers included — are familiar with this term referring to scrotal discomfort experienced in response to prolonged sexual arousal without orgasm.

Although no one knows how the pain of blue balls develops, most implicate the slowed drainage of blood from the testicles in the absence of orgasm during sexual arousal.

One of the key physiological aspects of sexual arousal is increased blood flow to areas of the body, including the genitals. Genital-based signs of sexual arousal include engorgement of the genital structures leading to erection of the penis and external clitoris, and this engorgement usually resolves quickly after orgasm, which acts like a fast release valve.

In the absence of orgasm, the increased blood flow can take longer to get back to a non-aroused state (think of a slow-release valve), which is hypothesized to result in discomfort or pain in some people. In addition, the genitals may take on a blue hue due to the lingering presence of deoxygenated blood under the skin, hence the adjective “blue” in “blue balls.”

Even though most people have heard about “blue balls” and a quick internet search reveals links to a variety of health-related and popular websites containing basic information, there is surprisingly little research on this phenomenon in medical journals. Is this because the experience of blue balls is “no big deal?”

Anyone can get ‘blue balls’

‘Blue balls’ isn’t specific to genitals featuring a scrotum; it can occur in all bodies.
(Shutterstock)

My research team and I paired up with the Science Vs podcast team Wendy Zukerman and Blythe Terrell to analyze the results of a survey they conducted in 2021 examining who experiences discomfort during sexual arousal without orgasm.

The survey also asked about consequences of this experience in terms of frequency and level of discomfort, as well as whether respondents had been asked to continue sexual activity by a sexual partner who may have experienced this.

The results, featuring responses from more than 2,000 participants (about 57 per cent with a penis and 43 per cent with a vagina) and published in Sexual Medicine, revealed that in some ways, this experience is “no big deal” and in other ways, it is a very big deal.

Let’s first clarify a major issue assumed by the term “blue balls” related to who can experience this phenomenon, based on the results of this study.

The term assumes that discomfort resulting from sexual arousal without orgasm only exists in “balls,” referring to the scrotum. The process of sexual arousal described earlier, however, isn’t specific to genitals featuring a scrotum. It occurs in all bodies, as long as there are no obstacles (for example, health conditions impacting blood flow) to physiological sexual response.

In line with this, our results show that just over 42 per cent of participants with a vulva reported experiencing discomfort resulting from sexual arousal without orgasm. Fifty-six per cent of respondents with a penis reported this experience.

Also, the discomfort and pain experiences were overall mild and infrequent. This is consistent with the lack of medical research and clinical attention to this topic.

Concerns about coercion

Respondents’ reports of consequences of being with a partner who experienced or feared experiencing pain without orgasm, however, were extremely concerning. Significantly more participants with a vagina (40.1 per cent) than with a penis (3.7 per cent) reported pressure to engage sexually in this situation.

Pressure to engage in sexual activity is sexual coercion, which is associated with negative outcomes in terms of health and well-being.
(Shutterstock)

Pressure to engage in sexual activity is sexual coercion, which is associated with negative outcomes in terms of health and well-being, such as increased risk of depression and anxiety, low self-esteem and negative sexual self-perceptions. Sexual activity in response to coercion certainly does not conform to enthusiastic and freely given sexual consent.

A recent discussion about sexual coercion in response to “blue balls” gained much attention in response to a TikTok, which has since been deleted. This TikTok claimed that “blue balls” are not painful and that men use it as a ruse to convince partners to engage sexually with them. This resulted in an uproar, with angry comments posted by those who recounted experiences of continuing sexual activity out of guilt to prevent their partner’s pain.

In our study, many participants reported in their own words that the experience of pain without orgasm should never be used as a coercive tactic. Yet, results also showed that almost half the participants — mostly women and some men — reported pressure to engage sexually.

Gendered expectations

It will take effort to change ideas related to sexual expectations in our society, many of which are gendered.

The traditional sexual script — guidelines for “appropriate” sexual behaviour in heterosexual couples (for example, the “steps” to sexual intercourse, such as kissing and genital touching) — emphasizes heterosexual men’s pleasure. The orgasm gap, defined as the higher orgasm frequency in heterosexual men as compared to heterosexual women during partnered sexual activity, is only one example of the real-life manifestation of this privileging of men’s sexual pleasure.

Read more:
Why are men having more orgasms than women in heterosexual relationships?

Sexual coercion in response to pain due to sexual activity without orgasm, is another example. Also note that this has been shown to occur in men who have sex with men.

Sexual coercion includes actions like begging, pleading, and making someone feel guilty about the pain or that it is their fault that the pain is there (for example, calling someone a “tease”). Our research has found that plenty of things can help with the pain that does not involve coercion, including masturbation, waiting it out, cold or heat application and engaging in nonsexual activities such as exercising, sleeping or studying.

It’s time to take the management of this pain into your own hands, so to speak, as it will pass, and it is not a valid excuse to implicate unwilling others in its resolution. Läs mer…

Fans can mourn the passing of music legends for years, the hits echoing long after the original voice is silenced. Little wonder, then, that recent advances in holographic technology and artificial intelligence have found a ready market for performances from beyond the grave.

But this ability to resurrect deceased artists in spectral form raises fascinating questions about the ethics, artistry and the economic implications of these modern revival shows.

Since a holographic Tupac Shakur headlined at Coachella in 2012, there have been similar tributes to Frank Zappa and Roy Orbison. Posthumous tours have also been staged or proposed for Whitney Houston, Amy Winehouse and Ronnie James Dio.

But it’s the holographic performance by a still-living act that stands as the landmark case. ABBA, the Swedish pop sensation that ruled the charts during the 1970s and 1980s, launched their ABBA Voyage virtual reunion tour in 2021, describing the holographic versions of themselves as “ABBAtars”.

Our recent study of the “tour” found a mixture of fan reactions, from some who found it emotionally satisfying to others who questioned its authenticity. The results suggest we need to know more about the enormous cultural implications of these holographic experiences.

Virtual success

While the music industry routinely uses the term “hologram” to describe such shows, it’s not strictly accurate. A true hologram is a 3D object produced by the intersection of light and matter, designed to be observed from all perspectives.

With the exception of ABBA’s recently developed holographic concert, today’s holograms are more akin to digital videos, where images are projected onto a translucent screen in front of real musicians, with the virtual artist seeming to interact with the band and audience. It’s similar to the theatrical optical illusion known as “Pepper’s Ghost” used by 19th-century magicians.

Creating a convincing audience experience is a challenge, however, as fans can be cynical about such events, and the technology doesn’t translate well to YouTube or in photographs. Some find these shows feel too much like watching a movie.

Still, the demand and enthusiasm for virtual concerts is rising steadily, with impressive crowd turnouts and fans paying as much as US$125 for a ticket. The Roy Orbison hologram tour sold an average of 1,800 seats per show.

Read more:
Abba and Tupac in the metaverse: how digital avatars could be the bankable future of band touring

‘Ghost slavery’

Our ABBA Voyage study confirmed the reasons for this popularity. After analysing upwards of 34,000 online comments discussing the virtual concert, we found audience members reported positive responses overall.

People mainly appreciated the opportunity to witness the legendary band “perform” once more. Two comments are indicative of the general feeling:

I don’t care if they’re avatars. Nobody expected ABBA to ever reunite in any way, shape, or form, so this is amazing!

It would be so wonderful to see them as I remember them and transport myself back to my childhood. It’s like the closest thing to time travel.

Fans also appreciated the technical wizardry responsible for recreating the band in its 1979 prime:

I find the fact they use the Abbatars instead of themselves on stage simply an amazing idea. It keeps us feeling young and them timeless.

Not everyone was emotionally moved, though, with some questioning the authenticity of the shows. This echoed previous criticism of holographic shows as lacking the essential “live” element of performance, and also being exploitative – what one critic called “ghost slavery”.

Technology has evolved since a ‘hologram’ of rapper Tupac Shakur ‘performed’ at Coachella in 2012.
Getty Images

Replacing the irreplaceable

Recreating an artist is one thing, but capturing their spirit, charisma and spontaneous performance style is where motion capture and AI technologies are starting to make a real difference.

The process involves a detailed scan of the artist to create a 3D digital model which AI then refines. Next, movements are digitised through motion capture and transferred onto the model (again using AI), recreating an artist’s distinctive performance. AI is also used to analyse vast recording archives to mimic the artist’s voice.

Read more:
Holographic history is making ’Night at the Museum’ a reality

For all that, AI’s ability to capture the spontaneity and charisma of live performances remains limited. The future of holographic concerts, then, will likely depend on continued technological progress, shifting audience reactions, and careful navigation of the ethical issues raised.

Future applications could also extend beyond music to educational displays of historical figures. Given the success of ABBA and their Voyage experience, it might even expand the touring capacity of living artists.

All this requires a delicate equilibrium: honouring the artist’s legacy, acknowledging fans’ emotions, and providing an experience that genuinely transcends present limitations. Replacing the irreplaceable may be possible at some level, but ultimately the audience will decide. Läs mer…

Cases of influenza (the flu) and COVID are set to rise over winter, with many Australians looking to protect themselves from both of these respiratory viruses.

For most adults, if it has been six months since you had COVID or your last vaccination, you’re likely eligible to book in your next dose.

Meanwhile, the flu vaccine is recommended for everyone over the age of six months.

But can you get both at once? Yes, you can get your flu vaccine and COVID booster safely at the same time, saving you a trip to the GP, nurse or pharmacy.

Read more:
Haven’t had COVID or a vaccine dose in the past six months? Consider getting a booster

Why has the advice changed?

When COVID vaccines were first rolled out, a gap was recommended between COVID and flu vaccines. This is because we didn’t have adequate data of the individual and long-term effects of the new COVID vaccines.

After examining the latest available evidence on safety and efficacy, the World Health Organization updated its interim guidelines. It suggests getting an influenza vaccine and any dose of any approved COVID vaccine at the same time is a practical option.

However, until more data becomes available, the WHO advises using different arms for vaccination. This is to prevent the ingredients of the vaccines mixing and to limit the initial immune response to a different group of lymph nodes.

The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation updated its vaccination guidelines in March 2022, advising that influenza and COVID vaccines can be administered on the same day.

It’s practical to get both at once.
Shutterstock

What happens when you get two shots at once?

Getting multiple vaccinations at once isn’t new. Childhood vaccinations are routinely and safely administered at the same time.

For COVID and flu vaccines, randomised controlled trials show no significant difference in the immune responses of the people who had both vaccines at once compared to those who had them on different days.

Participants who had both vaccines at once reported the same types of side effects from the body’s inflammatory response to vaccination (injection-site pain, redness, swelling at the injection site) as well as general symptoms associated with both COVID and flu vaccines, such as fever, muscle pain and a headache.

These minor side-effects were of similar intensity and duration to those who had either vaccine administered alone.

Side effects are similar when you have the vaccines individually or at once.
Annie Sprat/Unsplash

Getting both COVID and flu vaccines is also more cost-effective, the uptake is higher when people don’t have to make multiple trips, and it saves health practitioners’ time.

Read more:
Should I get a flu vaccine this year? Here’s what you need to know

What about the viruses? Can you get COVID and the flu at the same time?

Although simultaneous infections with two different viruses are common, SARS-CoV-2 has been infecting humans for a relatively short time. We therefore have limited data on how influenza strains and SARS-CoV-2 interact with the host at the same time, and if there is any interaction between the viruses.

However, one large study in England reported that people positive for influenza had lower odds of also testing positive for SARS-CoV-2. This was attributed to possible cross-reactive immunity between viruses.

It did, however, find people infected with both viruses at the same time had worse outcomes and were twice as likely to die as those who were only infected with SARS-CoV-2.

Some experimental evidence suggested prior infection with type A influenza virus promotes SARS-CoV-2 entry and infectiousness. This could be due to a unique feature of the influenza A virus which allows COVID to take hold more easily.

Read more:
Flu, COVID and flurona: what we can and can’t expect this winter

Where can I get vaccinated and how much will it cost?

Influenza and COVID vaccines are available at GP clinics and pharmacies.

Australians aged five years and over are eligible for a free COVID vaccination. The flu vaccine is free for people at higher risk of complications, including:

pregnant women
people six months and older with selected chronic conditions
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

For the rest of the population, the flu vaccine costs around A$20-30. Some practitioners also charge a consultation fee.

Read more:
I’m over 65 and worried about the flu. Which vaccine should I have? Läs mer…

Sailor Moon has been with us for over 30 years, but the cartoon series is popular enough that brands are still producing themed merchandise – everything from high end, crystal-encrusted Jimmy Choos to Black Milk leggings and speciality stationary.

As we approach the release of the final instalment of the Sailor Moon Crystal reboot, I can’t help but wonder: why are we still obsessed with fighting evil by moonlight and winning love by daylight?

Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon

Sailor Moon was not not the first “magical girl” series in anime. “Magical girl” is a genre of anime, usually a TV or comic book series with a female lead with special powers and a cute wardrobe, aimed at girls. Yet there was something about Sailor Moon that caught the public’s imagination, and changed anime in Japan – and later the rest of the world – for good.

Written by Naoko Takeuchi as a continuation of her series Code Name: V, Bishōjo Senshi Sērā Mūn (Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon) ran from 1991-97. An animated series followed in 1992 and an English-language dub was released in 1995 by DIC.

The series follows Usagi Tsukino (Serena, in the 1995 dub) and her school friends as they battle against the forces of evil, fall in love and try to get their homework in on time. Sailor Moon revolutionised magical girl series by mixing girls’ story lines with elements from the Super Sentai series, which audiences might remember as being adapted into Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers.

Sailor Moon takes stories about friendship and love and mixes them with a monster of the day format and colour-coded superheroes.

Girls comics

Sailor Moon was published as a shōjo manga or “girls comic” – but it’s important to remember this is a marketing term to indicate an intended readership. These days we can think of these terms as an indicator of genre or style.

Both shōjo (girls) and shōnen (boys) manga can include fast-paced, action-packed narratives, love stories, science fiction, high fantasy and suspense. Manga for girls and young women are more likely to be linked to fashion and will often include full body images of characters to illustrate the latest styles. Takeuchi famously referenced collections by Dior, Mugler and Christian Lacroix and has recently illustrated the 2023 Chanel Collection.

For western and Anglophone viewers in the late 1990s, Sailor Moon provided a role model alongside Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Xena: Warrior Princess for girls and young women, showing that being a princess didn’t preclude kicking arse.

For the 20th anniversary of the series, Sailor Moon and her friends were redrawn into something a little softer for the Sailor Moon Crystal re-release, which began in 2014. Three anime series and two films later, it is this version of Sailor Moon that perhaps resonates best with a younger generation of anime viewers.

Anniversary fancy goods

Girls magazines have a long tradition of including “fancy goods” as gifts with their magazines. These might be as simple as pre-cut cardboard toys that can be torn out and folded, or designer collaborations on bags, pencil cases and other accessories.

Over Sailor Moon’s 30-year run, there have been a number of such collaborations, such as a forthcoming UniQLO UT t-shirt release and a Sanrio team-up with Hello Kitty. There are, of course, more obvious fashion links, such as the Jimmy Choo collaboration launched in February, which centres around a made-to-order, pink crystal-encrusted boot for A$21,846.18 (¥1,975,600).

The Jimmy Choo Sailor Moon collaboration.
Jimmy Choo

Causing more of a stir was a collaboration with lingerie company Peach John, which saw sailor collar padded bras and matching panties released as part of Sailor Moon’s 20th anniversary. At that time, 20 was the legal age of adulthood in Japan (this has recently been lowered to 18).

It seemed an odd statement to make about coming of age – especially as this occasion also marked the re-release of the Sailor Moon anime as Sailor Moon Crystal, meaning that, rather than an adult women, Usagi and her friends were once again 14-year-olds.

Read more:
Cosplay, crossplay and the importance of wearing the right underwear

Coming of age in Sailor Moon

There is something delightful about the Jimmy Choo collaboration being paired with Sailor Moon’s 30th anniversary. The characters are now at the age of shoe appreciation – as is her global audience of fans, similar to Sex and the City protagonists.

Sex and the City was very popular in Japan and it may have launched something of a sexual revolution, allowing late 1990s viewers to start having frank conversations about sex and desire.

For many though, the most surprising collaboration was a line of condoms released to help raise awareness of Japan’s syphilis and STI epidemic. While some questioned Sailor Moon’s suitability as a mascot for STI awareness, in many ways this is just another monster of the day to be vanquished.

The STI awareness ad from Japan featuring Sailor Moon.
Wikimedia

A queer wonderland

Sailor Moon Cosmos, the final two-part film, is due to be released on June 9 and June 30. These two films cover the final season of the 1990s anime, Sailor Moon Sailor Stars, and the equivalent manga.

This arc is some of the queerest in the series. It introduces the Sailor Starlights who transform from male idols to female Sailor Scouts.

Given the on going resistance to LGBTQI+ equality in countries such as Japan, the US and Australia, it will be interesting to see how Sailor Moon Cosmos will be received.

Will she remain a bastion of 1990s Girl Power? Or will she and the Sailor Stars once again act as champions of truth and justice, righting wrongs and triumphing over evil in the name of the moon? Läs mer…

Have you ever wondered why your dog is eating your beautifully cropped lawn or nibbling at the grass at the dog park?

Eating grass is a common behaviour in pet dogs. Some surveys show up to 80% of guardians notice their dog regularly snacking on the grass.

Grass eating isn’t a new behaviour either, or only done by our new designer dog breeds. Studies in Yellowstone National Park show plant matter (mostly grass) is found in up to 74% of wolf scats, suggesting the behaviour is possibly inherited from the beginning of doggy time.

The answer to why your dog eats grass may simply be: because they like to.
Shutterstock

Read more:
Why do cats and dogs get the zoomies?

So why does my dog eat the grass?

A lot of people think dogs eat grass when they have a sore stomach, believing grass causes dogs to vomit. This is probably not the case; a study with 12 dogs that ate grass daily found there were few vomiting episodes and the ones that did occur came after the dog had eaten a meal.

And if a dog has a mild gastrointestinal disturbance because of something they’ve been fed, they are in fact less likely to eat grass than if they are fed a normal diet.

Other theories include that dogs eat grass because they want a laxative or that it provides roughage in their diet (get that fibre!).

Like the vomiting discussed above, there is little to no scientific proof for most of these theories. For example, in the study of 12 dogs mentioned above, all of them were wormed and had no previous digestive problems. Yet all 12 still happily ate grass (709 times).

Their main finding was that when the dog had not yet had their daily meal, they were more likely to eat grass. In short, the hungrier the dog, the more likely they were to eat some grass.

The answer to why your dog eats grass may simply be: because they like to. Your dog may be bored, and chewing on grass is something to do.

Maybe your dog just enjoys eating grass. Ripping grass from the ground can be satisfying. The texture and taste of grass offers something different to what they usually eat. You may even notice they prefer grass in certain seasons; perhaps fresh spring grass a favourite delicacy.

You may even notice your dog prefers grass in certain seasons.
Shutterstock

Is there any reason why you shouldn’t let your dog eat grass?

Well, yes, there are several. Firstly, you may not want your dog eating your neighbour’s immaculately presented fancy Kikuyu lawn.

More importantly, though, grass is sometimes treated with herbicides. Grass at the local oval or parkland may have been treated or sprayed. Some local councils use a non-hazardous dye to show where grass has been sprayed with herbicide, which is very helpful.

Lawn chemicals are frequently detected in lawn for up to 48 hours after they’re applied, and have also been detected in the urine of dogs with access to grass treated this way.

Research has suggested there may be a link between bladder cancer in dogs and exposure to herbicides.

In fact, dogs may even act as sentinels; the same chemical exposures appear in the urine of dogs and people sharing the same environment.

There are some circumstances in which it’s better for your dog not to eat the grass.
Shutterstock

If you are using herbicides on your own grass, remove your dog, their toys, food and water bowls from the area prior to any application.

Make sure the pesticide has completely dried out before you allow the dog back in the area, and be certain to check the packaging for the appropriate drying time period.

This is particularly the case for granular pesticides or fertilisers that soak into the soil, as these can require up to 24 hours or longer.

If you want to reduce the risk even further, hand weeding may be a better option.

Apart from grass, many leaves, flowers and berries from common plants can be toxic to your dog. This includes plants such as oleander and arum lily; even oregano and bay leaves can cause vomiting and diarrhoea in dogs.

One of the best things you can do for your dog is take them for a walk. And if they eat some grass along the way, provided it has not been sprayed with herbicide, you have nothing to worry about.

Don’t worry if they occasionally vomit. If there is more serious vomiting or diarrhoea, however, please consult your vet.

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