More than 3 tons of cocaine have been stopped from reaching Europe’s streets thanks to a large-scale international operation targeting maritime drug smuggling. Frontex, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, played a central role in co-leading the action, which ran throughout June.
Operation White Sea V focused on smuggling routes in the Atlantic, the North Sea, and the English Channel. It brought together forces from 12 countries, including Belgium, France, Spain, and the United Kingdom, along with Frontex, Europol, and MAOC-N.
3.3 tons of cocaine seized
951 ships tracked
119 ships inspected
13 arrests
One of the biggest hauls came on 23 June, when Belgian authorities found 647 kg of cocaine hidden deep inside a tanker from Brazil docked in Zeebrugge. Five crew members were arrested and remain in custody.
Frontex provided real-time ship tracking, aerial surveillance flights, and deployed six cross-border crime officers to support boarding and inspection teams on the ground, including during the Zeebrugge operational period.
Operation White Sea V, which took place in the month of June, reflects a growing trend of traffickers using the sea to smuggle large quantities of cocaine. Frontex remains fully committed to supporting Member States in disrupting organized crime and keeping European borders secure.
Frontex played a key part in the operation by tracking nearly 1 000 ships and providing the tools needed to support national teams. We sent six of our experts to assist with inspections on the ground, including the one that led to the major seizure in Zeebrugge.
We also contributed from the air, coordinating 12 surveillance flights over key sea routes. These flights, which covered nearly 25 hours in total, helped spot suspicious activity and guide enforcement teams.
The operation highlights a worrying trend in sea-based cocaine smuggling. Frontex will continue working closely with national authorities to fight organized crime and protect Europe’s borders.
The European Multidisciplinary Platform Against Criminal Threats (EMPACT) tackles the most important threats posed by organized and serious international crime affecting the EU. EMPACT strengthens intelligence, strategic and operational cooperation between national authorities, EU institutions and bodies, and international partners. EMPACT runs in four-year cycles focusing on common EU crime priorities.
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Susan Hopkins, Senior Lecturer in Education (Curriculum and Pedagogy), University of the Sunshine Coast
Netflix
In the new Netflix documentary Shark Whisperer, the great white shark gets an image makeover – from Jaws villain to misunderstood friend and admirer.
But the star of the documentary is not so much the shark, but the model and marine conservationist Ocean Ramsey (yes, that’s her real name).
The film centres on Ramsey’s self-growth journey, with the shark co-starring as a quasi-spiritual medium for finding meaning and purpose (not to mention celebrity status).
The film, and some in it, are happy to attribute Ramsey’s success as a shark conservation activist to how driven and photogenic she is. Ramsey says “People look first and listen second. I’ll use my appearance, I’ll put myself out there for a cause.”
Her husband, the photographer Juan Oliphant, enthuses she is good for sharks partly because she is so beautiful and uses all the attention she attracts in the selfless service of sharks.
The image of the long-haired, long-limbed young woman in a bikini swimming above an outsized great white shark is not a new one.
Primal fears and fantasies
Since Jaws (1975), generations have been fascinated and titillated by filmic images and promotional materials of bikini-clad young women juxtaposed with dangerous sharks.
The heroine of Deep Blue Sea (1999) is a neuroscientist – however the film and its promotional materials still require her to appear in a wet t-shirt and underwear while pursued by a massive shark monster.
The Shallows (2016) presents countless images of its bikini-clad heroine, with partially exposed bottom and long legs marked by bite marks as a kind of meat to be consumed – not least by the voyeuristic lens of the camera.
The poster for 47 Meters Down: Uncaged (2019) features a bikini-clad young woman with legs dangling precariously in front of the gaping jaws of an unnaturally large great white.
I have previously explored the psychosexual symbolism of these films and images. These films were never really about actual sharks. They are about very human fears and fantasies about being exposed and vulnerable.
Whisperer and the Ocean Ramsey website tap into the collective fascination with dangerous sharks fuelled by popular culture. Many online images show Ramsey in a bikini or touching sharks – she’s small, and vulnerable in the face of great whites. As with forms of celebrity humanitarianism, what I have dubbed “sexy conservationism” leaves itself open to criticism about its methods – even if its intentions are good.
The paradox of Shark Whisperer – and indeed the whole Ocean Ramsey empire – is it both resists and relies on Jaws mythology and iconography to surf the image economy of new media.
Saving, not stalking
Ramsey and Oliphant are on a mission not just to save individual sharks, but to change the public perception of great whites to a more positive one.
This mission is reiterated in Shark Whisperer and in the Saving Jaws documentary linked to the website, which also promotes a book, accessories and shark-diving tours.
Shark Whisperer both resists and relies on the mythical status of the shark brought to us by Jaws. Netflix
It is reassuring to know proceeds from the bikini you buy from the official website are donated to shark conservation. But the (often sexualised) media attention which fuels the whole enterprise still depends on tapping into the legacy of popular culture representations of great whites as fearsome monsters.
In footage, Ramsey seems to spend most of her time with smaller tiger sharks, yet her website and the Shark Whisperer film foreground her rare close encounters with an “enormous” or “massive” great white as the climax and cover shot.
Shark Whisperer also includes the kind of “money shots” we have come to expect: images of a large great white tearing at flesh (here, a whale carcass) with blood in the water. Images like these arouse our collective cultural memory of the filmic great white as the ultimate bestial predator.
In its climactic scene, Whisperer strategically deploys eerie music to build the suspense and foretell the appearance of the enormous great white which rises from the depths. Again echoes of Jaws are used to stimulate viewing pleasures and sell the mixed messages of sexy shark conservation.
A story of (personal) growth
The self-growth narrative which underpins Whisperer will feel familiar to shark film fans. Jaws was always about overcoming fears and past traumas, as in the scene where Quint and Brody compare their real and metaphorical scars.
The poster for the 2022 film Shark Bait. IMDB
Over the past decade, a new generation of post-feminist shark films have used sharks as metaphorical stalkers to tell stories about women overcoming past trauma, grief, “inner darkness” or depression.
In The Reef: Stalked (2022) the heroine must overcome the murder of her sister. In Shark Bait (2022) the heroine must rise above a cheating partner. In The Shallows, the heroine is processing grief.
Whisperer also leans into the idea of Ramsey fighting inner demons on a journey to self-actualisation.
And while Ramsey has undoubtedly raised the profile of shark conservation, as a model-designer-conservationist-entrepreneur she has also disseminated another more dubious message: that the way to enact influence and activism is through instagrammable images of beautiful models in high risk situations.
Happy endings
The end credits of Whisperer are a montage of happy endings: Ramsey frolics with sharks and shows off her diamond ring. There is even an ocean-themed wedding scene.
Yet beneath all the glossy surface lies a sombre reality: globally at least 80 million sharks are killed every year.
The Ramsey website and the film rightly remind us of this. They also remind us that, thanks in part to the hashtag activism of Ocean Ramsey and her millions of fans and followers, Hawaii was the first state in the United States to outlaw shark fishing.
So, Ramsey may be right to argue her ends justify the means.
Susan Hopkins does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tanya M. Smith, Professor in the Australian Research Centre for Human Evolution & Griffith Centre for Social and Cultural Research, Griffith University
The climate we live in affects our lives in profound ways: hot summers, cold winters, dry spells and wet weather all leave their mark.
For growing children, one way seasons and storms are recorded is in their teeth. As we have shown in new research, teeth contain a week-by-week climatic history of their owner’s childhood.
To establish this, we studied the teeth of wild chimpanzees, captive macaque monkeys, and a woman born in Brisbane in January 1990. Her infancy included distinctive weather events – but its more powerful use is to reveal the climates that shaped individual lives thousands or even millions of years ago.
How does it work?
You wouldn’t know it, but changes in rainfall and temperature cause subtle changes in drinking water. Specifically, they affect the proportions of different atomic variants of oxygen (the isotopes oxygen-18 and oxygen-16).
Under a microscope, you can see tiny lines inside teeth that correspond to daily layers of growth. Using a machine called the Sensitive High Resolution Ion MicroProbe (SHRIMP) at the Australian National University, we vaporised spots of enamel corresponding to these lines and analysed the oxygen isotopes in the vapour.
Once we know about the balance of oxygen isotopes, we can work backwards to determine changes in drinking water and the corresponding climatic conditions.
Top: Teeth start to develop before birth, forming mineralised layers with visible growth lines. Middle: the balance of oxygen isotopes from tiny spots in the enamel are sampled with the SHRIMP. Bottom: isotopic values reveal cycles of wetter (dark blue) and drier (light blue) seasons during the development of the tooth. Smith et al. 2025 / Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta
Brisbane, 1990
Our Australian tooth donor began her life during a wet summer during which a cyclone dumped enormous amounts of rain on Brisbane and surrounds, and months of high rainfall in the region persisted through to autumn.
Oxygen isotopes (red) in a child’s tooth enamel compared to local rainfall (blue). Isotopic values decrease with rainfall and become higher during dry seasons. Smith et al. 2025 / Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta
Her tooth enamel formed during the summer of 1990 showed oxygen isotope trends that were consistent with the rainfall patterns at the time. The minimum values occurred close in time to the wettest period, and the maximum values happened towards the end of the long dry spell that began later in the year.
After she reached her first birthday, these climate markers became more challenging to interpret. This likely happened because she began to consume more cooked foods, which carry a different isotope balance from raw food and breast milk.
Diet records
Thankfully, the SHRIMP can also help us learn more about these dietary changes by measuring nitrogen isotopes in the tooth dentine (which is found under the outer layer of enamel). There is a known relationship between the balance of nitrogen-15 and nitrogen-14 and the protein in a child’s diet.
In an earlier study, we looked at these records in the same tooth. Mothers’ milk contains high levels of nitrogen-15, and our donor showed a clear signal of rising values from birth. Shortly after six months of age, her nitrogen isotope ratio began to fall, as her mother gradually began offering her fruits and vegetables to supplement her exclusive milk diet.
Nitrogen isotopes (red) in a child’s tooth compared to breastfeeding history (grey bars), showing higher values during intensive nursing and decreases as milk was gradually replaced with weaning foods. Smith et al. 2024 / American Journal of Biological Anthropology
During our donor’s second year of life, she was fed more solid foods, including bread, cheese, eggs, and yogurt – leading to a further decline in the isotopic ratio. She continued breastfeeding at night for a few months into her third year, and finally as she ceased nursing entirely, her nitrogen values reached a minimum.
From 35 years ago to 17 million years ago
Fine-scaled isotopic studies such as these are a world first. Teeth are typically sampled with hand-held drills or small saws to measure inputs from water and food.
These coarse sampling methods are relatively common and inexpensive, but they cannot show short-term changes in the composition of teeth. This limits how well they can be used to identify important environmental or dietary changes.
Our new technique has many applications. We’ve studied Neanderthal children from the Rhône basin of southeastern France, who experienced some rough seasons 250,000 years ago. By SHRIMPing thin tooth slices, and relating this to enamel formation ages, we were even able to estimate the seasons in which one child was born and weaned 2.5 years later.
Designed for geological studies, the Sensitive High Resolution Ion MicroProbe (SHRIMP) can be used to determine the balance of different atomic variants in many different kinds of material – including teeth. Tanya Smith / Australian Academy of Science
We have just begun to produce isotopic weaning curves for humans who lived several hundred to several thousand years ago, yielding new insights into ancient maternal behaviour and infant health.
This technology can also be applied to much more ancient fossils, including apes who lived in Africa 17 million years ago. In this instance, isotopic differences between fossils were consistent with other evidence that a changing climate played an important role in influencing the anatomy and development of humanity’s forebears.
Teeth hold many more tales, and technological breakthroughs such as those at the Australian National University will continue to reveal hidden details of our ancient humanity as well as the unintended consequences of our modern lifestyles.
Tanya M. Smith receives funding from the Australian Research Council.
Ian Stuart Williams has previously received funding from the Australian Research Council.
In the new Netflix documentary Shark Whisperer, the great white shark gets an image makeover – from Jaws villain to misunderstood friend and admirer.
But the star of the documentary is not so much the shark, but the model and marine conservationist Ocean Ramsey (yes, that’s her real name).
The film centres on Ramsey’s self-growth journey, with the shark co-starring as a quasi-spiritual medium for finding meaning and purpose (not to mention celebrity status).
The film, and some in it, are happy to attribute Ramsey’s success as a shark conservation activist to how driven and photogenic she is. Ramsey says “People look first and listen second. I’ll use my appearance, I’ll put myself out there for a cause.”
Her husband, the photographer Juan Oliphant, enthuses she is good for sharks partly because she is so beautiful and uses all the attention she attracts in the selfless service of sharks.
The image of the long-haired, long-limbed young woman in a bikini swimming above an outsized great white shark is not a new one.
Primal fears and fantasies
Since Jaws (1975), generations have been fascinated and titillated by filmic images and promotional materials of bikini-clad young women juxtaposed with dangerous sharks.
The heroine of Deep Blue Sea (1999) is a neuroscientist – however the film and its promotional materials still require her to appear in a wet t-shirt and underwear while pursued by a massive shark monster.
The Shallows (2016) presents countless images of its bikini-clad heroine, with partially exposed bottom and long legs marked by bite marks as a kind of meat to be consumed – not least by the voyeuristic lens of the camera.
The poster for 47 Meters Down: Uncaged (2019) features a bikini-clad young woman with legs dangling precariously in front of the gaping jaws of an unnaturally large great white.
I have previously explored the psychosexual symbolism of these films and images. These films were never really about actual sharks. They are about very human fears and fantasies about being exposed and vulnerable.
Whisperer and the Ocean Ramsey website tap into the collective fascination with dangerous sharks fuelled by popular culture. Many online images show Ramsey in a bikini or touching sharks – she’s small, and vulnerable in the face of great whites. As with forms of celebrity humanitarianism, what I have dubbed “sexy conservationism” leaves itself open to criticism about its methods – even if its intentions are good.
The paradox of Shark Whisperer – and indeed the whole Ocean Ramsey empire – is it both resists and relies on Jaws mythology and iconography to surf the image economy of new media.
Saving, not stalking
Ramsey and Oliphant are on a mission not just to save individual sharks, but to change the public perception of great whites to a more positive one.
This mission is reiterated in Shark Whisperer and in the Saving Jaws documentary linked to the website, which also promotes a book, accessories and shark-diving tours.
Shark Whisperer both resists and relies on the mythical status of the shark brought to us by Jaws. Netflix
It is reassuring to know proceeds from the bikini you buy from the official website are donated to shark conservation. But the (often sexualised) media attention which fuels the whole enterprise still depends on tapping into the legacy of popular culture representations of great whites as fearsome monsters.
In footage, Ramsey seems to spend most of her time with smaller tiger sharks, yet her website and the Shark Whisperer film foreground her rare close encounters with an “enormous” or “massive” great white as the climax and cover shot.
Shark Whisperer also includes the kind of “money shots” we have come to expect: images of a large great white tearing at flesh (here, a whale carcass) with blood in the water. Images like these arouse our collective cultural memory of the filmic great white as the ultimate bestial predator.
In its climactic scene, Whisperer strategically deploys eerie music to build the suspense and foretell the appearance of the enormous great white which rises from the depths. Again echoes of Jaws are used to stimulate viewing pleasures and sell the mixed messages of sexy shark conservation.
A story of (personal) growth
The self-growth narrative which underpins Whisperer will feel familiar to shark film fans. Jaws was always about overcoming fears and past traumas, as in the scene where Quint and Brody compare their real and metaphorical scars.
The poster for the 2022 film Shark Bait. IMDB
Over the past decade, a new generation of post-feminist shark films have used sharks as metaphorical stalkers to tell stories about women overcoming past trauma, grief, “inner darkness” or depression.
In The Reef: Stalked (2022) the heroine must overcome the murder of her sister. In Shark Bait (2022) the heroine must rise above a cheating partner. In The Shallows, the heroine is processing grief.
Whisperer also leans into the idea of Ramsey fighting inner demons on a journey to self-actualisation.
And while Ramsey has undoubtedly raised the profile of shark conservation, as a model-designer-conservationist-entrepreneur she has also disseminated another more dubious message: that the way to enact influence and activism is through instagrammable images of beautiful models in high risk situations.
Happy endings
The end credits of Whisperer are a montage of happy endings: Ramsey frolics with sharks and shows off her diamond ring. There is even an ocean-themed wedding scene.
Yet beneath all the glossy surface lies a sombre reality: globally at least 80 million sharks are killed every year.
The Ramsey website and the film rightly remind us of this. They also remind us that, thanks in part to the hashtag activism of Ocean Ramsey and her millions of fans and followers, Hawaii was the first state in the United States to outlaw shark fishing.
So, Ramsey may be right to argue her ends justify the means.
Susan Hopkins does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Given the number of times this has happened already, it should come as little surprise that we’re now faced with yet another new subvariant of SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID.
This new subvariant is known as XFG (nicknamed “Stratus”) and the World Health Organization (WHO) designated it a “variant under monitoring” in late June. XFG is a subvariant of Omicron, of which there are now more than 1,000.
A “variant under monitoring” signifies a variant or subvariant which needs prioritised attention and monitoring due to characteristics that may pose an additional threat compared to other circulating variants.
While recombination and other spontaneous changes happen often with SARS-CoV-2, it becomes a problem when it creates a subvariant that is changed in such a way that its properties cause more problems for us.
Most commonly this means the virus looks different enough that protection from past infection (and vaccination) doesn’t work so well, called immune evasion. This basically means the population becomes more susceptible and can lead to an increase in cases, and even a whole new wave of COVID infections across the world.
XFG has four key mutations in the spike protein, a protein on the surface of SARS-CoV-2 which allows it to attach to our cells. Some are believed to enhance evasion by certain antibodies.
The earliest XFG sample was collected on January 27.
As of June 22, there were 1,648 XFG sequences submitted to GISAID from 38 countries (GISAID is the global database used to track the prevalence of different variants around the world). This represents 22.7% of the globally available sequences at the time.
This was a significant rise from 7.4% four weeks prior and only just below the proportion of NB.1.8.1 at 24.9%. Given the now declining proportion of viral sequences of NB.1.8.1 overall, and the rapid rise of XFG, it would seem reasonable to expect XFG to become dominant very soon.
According to Australian data expert Mike Honey, the countries showing the highest rates of detection of XFG as of mid-June include India at more than 50%, followed by Spain at 42%, and the United Kingdom and United States, where the subvariant makes up more than 30% of cases.
In Australia as of June 29, NB.1.8.1 was the dominant subvariant, accounting for 48.6% of sequences. In the most recent report from Australia’s national genomic surveillance platform, there were 24 XFG sequences with 12 collected in the last 28 days meaning it currently comprises approximately 5% of sequences.
The big questions
When we talk about a new subvariant, people often ask questions including if it’s more severe or causes new or different symptoms compared to previous variants. But we’re still learning about XFG and we can’t answer these questions with certainty yet.
Some sources have reported XFG may be more likely to course “hoarseness” or a scratchy or raspy voice. But we need more information to know if this association is truly significant.
Notably, there’s no evidence to suggest XFG causes more severe illness compared to other variants in circulation or that it is necessarily any more transmissible.
Will vaccines still work against XFG?
Relatively frequent changes to the virus means we have continued to update the COVID vaccines. The most recent update, which targets the JN.1 subvariant, became available in Australia from late 2024. XFG is a descendant of the JN.1 subvariant.
Fortunately, based on the evidence available so far, currently approved COVID vaccines are expected to remain effective against XFG, particularly against symptomatic and severe disease.
Because of SARS-CoV-2’s continued evolution, the effect of this on our immune response, as well as the fact protection from COVID vaccines declines over time, COVID vaccines are offered regularly, and recommended for those at the highest risk.
One of the major challenges we face at present in Australia is low COVID vaccine uptake. While rates have increased somewhat recently, they remain relatively low, with only 32.3% of people aged 75 years and over having received a vaccine in the past six months. Vaccination rates in younger age groups are significantly lower.
Although the situation with XFG must continue to be monitored, at present the WHO has assessed the global risk posed by this subvariant as low. The advice for combating COVID remains unchanged, including vaccination as recommended and the early administration of antivirals for those who are eligible.
Measures to reduce the risk of transmission, particularly wearing masks in crowded indoor settings and focusing on air quality and ventilation, are worth remembering to protect against COVID and other viral infections.
Paul Griffin has been the principal investigator for clinical trials of 8 COVID-19 vaccines. He has previously participated in medical advisory boards for COVID-19 vaccines. Paul Griffin is a director and medical advisory board member of the immunisation coalition.
Could you ever be truly alone in the woods of ancient Greece or Rome? According to myth, the ancient world was filled with wild animals, terrifying monsters, and mischievous deities. Among them were nymphs: semi-divine female figures that personified elements of the natural world.
But nymphs offer us more than just stories of sexy nature spirits.
They can reveal how ancient people thought about their world and connected with their landscape through mythology.
Personifying elements of nature
Nymph was a broad category in myth. It encompassed almost every semi-divine woman and girl in myth, including a number of goddesses. The sea goddess Thetis and the underworld river Styx were both sea nymphs as well as goddesses.
Nymphs were typically portrayed as young, exceptionally beautiful women in art and literature. The word “nymph” in ancient Greek could even be used to mean “young girl” or “unmarried woman” when applied to mortal women.
Despite this etymological connection, many nymphs were married or mothers or gods. Amphitrite was the wife of Poseidon, and her sister Metis, the personification of wisdom, was Zeus’ first wife, according to Hesiod’s Theogony. Maia was the mother of Hermes, the messenger god.
What links all nymphs was their connection with the natural world. Nymphs typically personified elements of nature, like bodies of water, mountains, forests, the weather, or specific plants.
One of the most quintessential nymphs was Daphne (or Laurel, in Latin). According to the Roman poet Ovid in his poem the Metamorphoses, Daphne was a stunningly beautiful nymph who lived in the forest.
Daphne had chosen to follow in the footsteps of Artemis (Diana), the goddess of the hunt, by being a huntress and abstaining from sex and marriage. But her beauty would be her downfall.
One day the god Apollo saw Daphne and immediately tried to pursue her. Daphne did not feel similarly and fled through the forest. Apollo chased and nearly caught her.
But Daphne’s father Peneus, a river god, saved his daughter by transforming her into the laurel tree.
Like many nymphs, Daphne’s myth was an origin story for her namesake tree and its significance to the god Apollo.
But her story also followed one of the most common tropes in nymph myths – the trope a nymph transformed into her namesake after running away from a male deity.
Different nymphs for trees, water, mountains, stars
There were even special names for different types of nymph.
Daphne was a dryad, or tree nymph. Oreads (mountain nymphs) are referenced in Homer’s Iliad. There were three different types of water nymph: the saltwater oceanids and nereids, and the freshwater naiads.
Nymphs lived in the wilderness. These untamed places could be dangerous but they also held precious natural resources that nymphs personified, such as special trees and springs.
Spring nymphs personified one of the most precious resources of all: freshwater.
It was hard to find freshwater in the ancient world, especially in places without human infrastructure. Cities were often built around springs.
The nymph Arethusa was the personification of the spring Arethusa in Sicily. Today, you can visit the Fountain of Arethusa in modern day Syracuse.
No matter where you looked in the ancient landscape, there were nymphs – even in the sky.
The Pleiades and Hyades were two sets of daughters of the god Atlas who eventually were transformed into stars.
Their myths gave an origin for two sets of constellations that were used for navigation and divination.
The Pleiades and Hyades constellations were visible to the naked eye, and can still be seen today.
Although myths may feel like a fictional story told to kids, nymph myths show that ancient myth is inseparable from the ancient landscape and ancient people.
The natural world was imbued with a divine presence from the gods who physically made it – Gaia (Earth) was literally the soil underfoot. Nymphs were a part of this divine presence.
This divine presence brought with it a very special boon: the gift of inspiration.
Some writers (such as Plato) referred to this sort of natural inspiration as being “seized by the nymphs” (νυμφόληπτος or nympholeptus).
Being present in nature and present in places with nymphs could bring about divine inspiration for philosophers, poets and artists alike.
So, if you ever do find yourself alone in a Grecian wood, you may find yourself inspired and in good company – as long as you remain respectful.
Kitty Smith is a member of the Australian Society for Classical Studies and of Australasian Women in Ancient World Studies.
For a long time, universities worked off a simple idea: knowledge was scarce. You paid for tuition, showed up to lectures, completed assignments and eventually earned a credential.
That process did two things: it gave you access to knowledge that was hard to find elsewhere, and it signalled to employers you had invested time and effort to master that knowledge.
The model worked because the supply curve for high-quality information sat far to the left, meaning knowledge was scarce and the price – tuition and wage premiums – stayed high.
Now the curve has shifted right, as the graph below illustrates. When supply moves right – that is, something becomes more accessible – the new intersection with demand sits lower on the price axis. This is why tuition premiums and graduate wage advantages are now under pressure.
According to global consultancy McKinsey, generative AI could add between US$2.6 trillion and $4.4 trillion in annual global productivity. Why? Because AI drives the marginal cost of producing and organising information toward zero.
Large language models no longer just retrieve facts; they explain, translate, summarise and draft almost instantly. When supply explodes like that, basic economics says price falls. The “knowledge premium” universities have long sold is deflating as a result.
Employers have already made their move
Markets react faster than curriculums. Since ChatGPT launched, entry-level job listings in the United Kingdom have fallen by about a third. In the United States, several states are removing degree requirements from public-sector roles.
In Maryland, for instance, the share of state-government job ads requiring a degree slid from roughly 68% to 53% between 2022 and 2024.
In economic terms, employers are repricing labour because AI is now a substitute for many routine, codifiable tasks that graduates once performed. If a chatbot can complete the work at near-zero marginal cost, the wage premium paid to a junior analyst shrinks.
But the value of knowledge is not falling at the same speed everywhere. Economists such as David Autor and Daron Acemoglu point out that technology substitutes for some tasks while complementing others:
codifiable knowledge – structured, rule-based material such as tax codes or contract templates – faces rapid substitution by AI
tacit knowledge – contextual skills such as leading a team through conflict – acts as a complement, so its value can even rise.
Data backs this up. Labour market analytics company Lightcast notes that one-third of the skills employers want have changed between 2021 and 2024. The American Enterprise Institute warns that mid-level knowledge workers, whose jobs depend on repeatable expertise, are most at risk of wage pressure.
So yes, baseline knowledge still matters. You need it to prompt AI, judge its output and make good decisions. But the equilibrium wage premium – meaning the extra pay employers offer once supply and demand for that knowledge settle – is sliding down the demand curve fast.
What’s scarce now?
Herbert Simon, the Nobel Prize–winning economist and cognitive scientist, put it neatly decades ago: “A wealth of information creates a poverty of attention.” When facts become cheap and plentiful, our limited capacity to filter, judge and apply them turns into the real bottleneck.
That is why scarce resources shift from information itself to what machines still struggle to copy: focused attention, sound judgement, strong ethics, creativity and collaboration.
I group these human complements under what I call the C.R.E.A.T.E.R. framework:
critical thinking – asking smart questions and spotting weak arguments
resilience and adaptability – staying steady when everything changes
emotional intelligence – understanding people and leading with empathy
accountability and ethics – taking responsibility for difficult calls
teamwork and collaboration – working well with people who think differently
entrepreneurial creativity – seeing gaps and building new solutions
reflection and lifelong learning – staying curious and ready to grow.
These capabilities are the genuine scarcity in today’s market. They are complements to AI, not substitutes, which is why their wage returns hold or climb.
What universities can do right now
1. Audit courses: if ChatGPT can already score highly on an exam, the marginal value of teaching that content is near zero. Pivot the assessment toward judgement and synthesis.
2. Reinvest in the learning experience: push resources into coached projects, messy real-world simulations, and ethical decision labs where AI is a tool, not the performer.
3. Credential what matters: create micro-credentials for skills such as collaboration, initiative and ethical reasoning. These signal AI complements, not substitutes, and employers notice.
4. Work with industry but keep it collaborative: invite employers to co-design assessments, not dictate them. A good partnership works like a design studio rather than a boardroom order sheet. Academics bring teaching expertise and rigour, employers supply real-world use cases, and students help test and refine the ideas.
Universities can no longer rely on scarcity setting the price for the curated and credentialed form of information that used to be hard to obtain.
The comparative advantage now lies in cultivating human skills that act as complements to AI. If universities do not adapt, the market – students and employers alike – will move on without them.
The opportunity is clear. Shift the product from content delivery to judgement formation. Teach students how to think with, not against, intelligent machines. Because the old model, the one that priced knowledge as a scarce good, is already slipping below its economic break-even point.
Patrick Dodd does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
The “mushroom murder trial”, as it has popularly become known, has gripped Australia over the past 11 weeks. More than that, it’s prompted worldwide headlines, multiple daily podcasts, and even YouTube videos of self-proclaimed “body language experts” assessing defendant Erin Patterson’s every move.
There’s an ABC drama series in the works. Acclaimed Australian author Helen Garner has been in the courtroom.
But why did this tragedy, in which three people died and a fourth was lucky to survive, grip the public consciousness in way no other contemporary Australian case has?
On July 29 2023, in a sleepy town called Leongatha in the foothills of the Strzelecki Ranges in Victoria, a very normal woman called Erin Patterson made an ostensibly very normal lunch of beef Wellington.
She was cooking for her in-laws, Gail and Don Patterson, Gail’s sister Heather Wilkinson, and Heather’s husband Ian. Erin’s estranged husband, Simon Patterson, was also invited, but chose not to attend.
Simon and Erin had two children, a boy and a girl, who did not attend the lunch either.
Shortly after the lunch, all four guests were admitted to hospital with suspected gastroenteritis. Erin Patterson also presented to hospital, but refused to be admitted.
Within a few days, Gail, Don, and Heather all died as a result of what was later confirmed as poisoning with Amanita phalloides, better known as death cap mushrooms.
Ian survived, but he was lucky. He spent seven weeks in hospital and needed a liver transplant.
The questions became, how did the mushrooms get into the beef Wellington? Was this an awful accident or something more sinister?
Public obsession
These questions became the focus of very significant public and media attention.
Erin Patterson spoke to the media in the days after the incident. She presented as your typical, average woman of 50.
That is, in my opinion, where the obsession with this case began.
This case had the feel of a Shakespearean drama: multiple deaths within one family, death by poison, and a female protagonist.
The juxtaposition between the normality of a family lunch (and the sheer vanilla-ness of the accused) and the seriousness of the situation sent the media into overdrive.
Then there were the lies. Patterson lied about foraging for mushrooms, and about having cancer to encourage the guests to attend.
The location also played a huge part. Leongatha is known for its staggering natural beauty and thriving food and wine scene. It’s hardly a place where the world expected a mass murderer to live.
However, the perception that rural areas are utopias of safety and social cohesion, and cities are dark and dangerous places, is a myth.
One study by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare paints a different picture.
For serious assault cases that resulted in hospitalisation, for major cities the rates were 65 per 100,000 people. In rural areas, this rose to 1,244 people per 100,000. And for murder, in very remote areas the rate was five per 100,000 population, but fewer than one per 100,000 in urban areas.
Then there was Erin Patterson’s unusual behaviour. She disposed of the desiccator in which the mushrooms she had foraged were dehydrated. She used multiple phones, one of which underwent multiple factory resets on in the days following the lunch. One of these resets was done remotely after police seized her phone.
There are also the much-discussed plates. The court heard she prepared her meal on a different-coloured plate to those of her other guests so they were easily identifiable.
The public latched onto these details, each providing a new talking point around water coolers or spurring new Reddit threads dedicated to unpacking their significance.
The courtroom as a stage
Ultimately, after three months, Erin Patterson was charged with three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder. She pleaded not guilty.
The trial lasted 40 days. The prosecution alleged Patterson intentionally poisoned her guests, whereas the defence suggested it was all an awful, tragic accident.
The jury took six and a half days to deliberate. During that time, various media outlets did everything they could to keep the story on the front page.
Bizarre pieces began appearing online from credible sources such as the ABC, profiling people who had attended court. They included stories of people turning down work to attend the court daily, cases of friendships blossoming during the trial between regular attendees, and the outfit choices of locals turning up every day to watch the drama unfold.
There were also articles profiling local cafe owners and how they felt about being at the centre of the legal theatrics. The daily podcasts continued even when news from the courtroom didn’t.
The vibe felt more appropriate for a royal visit than a triple murder trial.
It seemed everyone in Australia was gripped by one event, united in a way few other things could manage. We all waited with bated breath to see what the 12 men and women of the jury would decide.
The end to this strange and unique criminal case came on Monday July 7.
The result? Guilty on all four counts. Erin Patterson is formally a mass murderer, though many in the court of public opinion had reached the same conviction months earlier.
Leongatha will always be known for being the setting of (arguably) the most infamous multiple murder case in Australian history. It will join Snowtown in South Australia (home of the “bodies in the barrell” murder case), Kendall in New South Wales (where William Tyrrell disappeared), and Claremont in Western Australia (the murder or disappearance of three women) as places forever linked to tragic crimes.
While the trial is over, there’s much more content still to come, the public’s appetite yet to be satiated.
But the final word should be saved for the Patterson and Wilkinson families. This is an awful tragedy, and there are no winners. Ian and Simon have lost loved ones. The Patterson children have lost grandparents and now have to come to terms with the fact their mother caused those deaths intentionally.
Amid the spectacle, it’s easy to lose sight of the humanity at the centre. As the media spotlight dims, may the families get the privacy and respect they deserve.
Xanthe Mallett does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Today, U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) led a RECA victory rally in St. Louis to celebrate new funding for radioactive waste survivors in Missouri and other states. His announcement comes after a two-year battle that resulted in theRadiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA) expansion in the “Big, Beautiful Bill,” which President Trump signed into law last week.
The Senator’s expansion provision revives RECA for survivors, allows tens of thousands of new claimants to receive life-saving assistance—including those across Missouri—and protects the program for years to come. For two years,Senator Hawley has led the fight to secure funding for survivors of nuclear contamination across the country, passing a reauthorization bill through the Senate in July 2023 and March 2024.
“It wasn’t just the people of Missouri who had waited for seventy years to have justice done. It was the people of the Navajo Nation; It was the people of Utah; It was the people of New Mexico; It was the people of Idaho; It was the uranium miners and atomic veterans from all over the country, who have been waiting for decades for the federal government to finally own up to what it had done,” Senator Hawley said. “RECA is the government saying, ‘what we did was wrong. Lying to you was wrong, and we are finally going to make it right.’”
Displaying the nationwide impact of the legislation, Senator Hawley was joined at the RECA victory rally by Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren; Missouri RECA activists Dawn Chapman and Karen Nickel; New Mexico downwinders Maggie Billman and Laura Greenwood; Arizona downwinder Sherrie Hanna; Keith Kiefer of the National Association of Atomic Veterans, and many more.
Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren thanked Senator Hawley in his remarks for leading the fight in Congress to obtain compensation for radiation victims in Missouri and across the nation.
“Senator Hawley, thank you to you and your team and your constant willingness to champion on behalf of all of America. Especially people that have sacrificed so much for this country. So on behalf of the Navajo Nation and the Navajo people, I want to say thank you,” Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren said.
The Government’s responsible fiscal management has supported the Reserve Bank to keep the Official Cash Rate low, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says.
The Reserve Bank of New Zealand today announced it would keep the Official Cash Rate (OCR) at 3.25 per cent while continuing to foreshadow further reductions in the OCR.
“There has been a 2.25 percentage point reduction in the Official Cash Rate since August last year – easing the cost of borrowing and delivering much needed cost of living relief for many New Zealand households,” Nicola Willis says.
“While many Kiwis are already experiencing lower mortgage repayments off the back of previous OCR reductions, more will benefit when they re-fix their mortgage this year, meaning the positive effects of previous rate drops will continue to flow-through our economy over the coming months.
“Lower interest rates free-up household budgets for spending elsewhere and they ease the path for those wishing to enter the housing market. They also provide relief to interest-rate sensitive sectors of the economy, including building and construction, with lower interest rates often providing a kick-start for big new projects.
“Despite global uncertainty, the Government is continuing to drive New Zealand’s economic recovery forward. Our careful stewardship of the Government books and our ongoing efforts to reduce costly laws and regulations mean inflation and interest rates can stay lower than would otherwise be the case.
“Gone are the days of reckless economic management fueling the flames of inflation and interest rates – New Zealand now has steady hands at the wheel, and a Government that is determined to keep our economic fundamentals in good order.”
The Government’s responsible fiscal management has supported the Reserve Bank to keep the Official Cash Rate low, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says.
The Reserve Bank of New Zealand today announced it would keep the Official Cash Rate (OCR) at 3.25 per cent while continuing to foreshadow further reductions in the OCR.
“There has been a 2.25 percentage point reduction in the Official Cash Rate since August last year – easing the cost of borrowing and delivering much needed cost of living relief for many New Zealand households,” Nicola Willis says.
“While many Kiwis are already experiencing lower mortgage repayments off the back of previous OCR reductions, more will benefit when they re-fix their mortgage this year, meaning the positive effects of previous rate drops will continue to flow-through our economy over the coming months.
“Lower interest rates free-up household budgets for spending elsewhere and they ease the path for those wishing to enter the housing market. They also provide relief to interest-rate sensitive sectors of the economy, including building and construction, with lower interest rates often providing a kick-start for big new projects.
“Despite global uncertainty, the Government is continuing to drive New Zealand’s economic recovery forward. Our careful stewardship of the Government books and our ongoing efforts to reduce costly laws and regulations mean inflation and interest rates can stay lower than would otherwise be the case.
“Gone are the days of reckless economic management fueling the flames of inflation and interest rates – New Zealand now has steady hands at the wheel, and a Government that is determined to keep our economic fundamentals in good order.”
9 July 2025 – The Monetary Policy Committee today agreed to hold the Official Cash Rate at 3.25 percent.
Annual consumers price inflation will likely increase towards the top of the Monetary Policy Committee’s 1 to 3 percent target band over mid-2025. However, with spare productive capacity in the economy and declining domestic inflation pressures, headline inflation is expected to remain in the band and return to around 2 percent by early 2026.
Elevated export prices and lower interest rates are supporting a recovery in the New Zealand economy. However, heightened global policy uncertainty and tariffs are expected to reduce global economic growth. This will likely slow the pace of New Zealand’s economic recovery, reducing inflation pressures.
The economic outlook remains highly uncertain. Further data on the speed of New Zealand’s economic recovery, the persistence of inflation, and the impacts of tariffs will influence the future path of the Official Cash Rate.
If medium-term inflation pressures continue to ease as projected, the Committee expects to lower the Official Cash Rate further.
Northern Territory Coroner Elizabeth Armitage’s inquest findings into the death of Kumanjayi Walker have sparked conversations across Australia.
The coroner found the NT police officer who shot Walker, Zachary Rolfe, was “racist”, and she couldn’t exclude the possibility that his “values […] contributed to his decision to pull the trigger”.
For many, the findings have raised questions about the history, role, purpose and limitations of coronial inquests. So what are they, and what do they do?
What is a coroners court?
The office of coroner emerged in England in 1194. Coroners were powerful officers of the realm – collecting taxes, adjudicating treasure troves and investigating deaths.
In the 21st century, each state and territory in Australia has its own coroners court. A coroners court consists of a state coroner or chief coroner, who is the equivalent of a judge, and other coroners, who hold the position of a magistrate (beneath a judge in the court hierarchy).
All coroners are legally trained. In the 19th century, all coroners in Australia were doctors. There is no longer a requirement for coroners to have medical qualifications.
The office of the coroner came about in England centuries ago. Getty
Coroners investigate unexpected, unnatural, violent and accidental deaths. In Victoria, for instance, this is about 7,400 deaths each year.
Legislation requires coroners to determine the who, when, where, what and how of such “reportable” deaths.
This means they need to determine the identity of the deceased, when and where that person died, what caused their death, and the circumstances or manner in which they died. In many instances, they make recommendations for reducing preventable deaths in the future.
Police help coroners in their investigations by providing a brief of evidence, but the coroners court is separate from the police, just as other law courts are. Forensic pathologists assist coroners in finding the medical cause of death.
Since 2005, first in Victoria and then elsewhere in Australia, forensic pathologists and radiologists have used postmortem CT scans to determine cause of death. This has greatly reduced the need for invasive autopsies.
Coroners can make findings “on the papers” – which means investigations won’t proceed to an inquest – or deliver findings at the conclusion of an inquest.
So what is a coronial inquest?
A coronial inquest is a formal public hearing into why someone (or sometimes a group of people) died. It’s often held across multiple days, during which the facts can be examined, witnesses can be questioned, and the community can come together to understand how a person died.
What is unique about the Coroners Court is that it’s inquisitorial, not adversarial. This means there shouldn’t be any warring parties.
In addition, inquests have an expansive scope compared to a criminal trial. They can investigate the wider institutional, social and economic contexts of a death, examining what may have contributed to it, and comment on factors connected to the death, such as public health and safety.
Not all investigations proceed to an inquest. In fact, the number of inquests across Australia has been steadily declining since the early 2000s. In New South Wales there were 142 held in 2013 and only 103 in 2023. This is despite the number of investigations over that period increasing by 37%.
The former Deputy State Coroner of NSW, Hugh Dillon, cites a lack of funding, delays due to backlog, and structural design flaws as some reasons for the decline in holding inquests into reportable deaths.
Juries were a feature of inquests in Australia in the 19th century. They were no longer compulsory in the early 20th century, and were formally abolished in NSW in 1999.
Coroners must hold an inquest in certain circumstances. For example:
where the deceased was in custody or care immediately before death
where the identity of the deceased is unknown
or where there is suspicion that the death was due to homicide (though in this situation an inquest will most likely be superseded by a criminal trial).
Coroners are prohibited from making findings of guilt or liability. The purpose of the investigation is to issue findings of facts about unnatural deaths, not to determine questions of law.
Researcher Rebecca Scott Bray points out that coronial proceedings have the potential to be positive experiences, especially for grieving families.
But these processes can fail to live up to that potential, particularly with respect to inquests into deaths in custody.
Why does all this matter?
There is little understanding of the purpose of the Coroners Court in Australian society. More research is required to ascertain why this is the case, but even law graduates have a low level of literacy about the powers and limitations of coroners. They are seldom taught about the coroner in law school.
This results in misunderstandings that coroners can find someone guilty of causing a death, or that coronial recommendations for preventing similar deaths in the future must be implemented.
It isn’t mandatory, for instance, for the NT government to implement any of Coroner Armitage’s 32 recommendations for preventing deaths in custody in the future.
Coronial investigations matter for families and friends of the bereaved: discovering the “truth” of how a person died, memorialising their life, and hoping their death prevents similar deaths from occurring in future.
It also matters for Australian society: improving health and safety for all, healing a community amid tragedy, and giving voice to the dead.
Marc Trabsky’s research for this article received funding from an Australian Research Council Discovery Early Career Researcher Award (DE220100064).
Source: Center for Diagnostics and Telemedicine of the Moscow Health Department (MHD)
Earlier, the Center for Diagnostics and Telemedicine of the Moscow Department of Health and RTU MIREA signed a landmark agreement to jointly develop and deliver specialized training programs in artificial intelligence applied to healthcare. This collaboration resulted in the creation of a unique, and at the time, the only joint educational program integrating scientific knowledge and practical expertise gained from the Moscow Experiment on computer vision implementation. The program combines the Center’s hands-on experience with the university’s foundational competencies in mathematics and computer science. Additionally, practitioners from Third Opinion Platform, a leading Russian AI healthcare developer, contributed to curriculum development and student training.
On June 10, 2025, the inaugural graduation ceremony was held for the first master’s students of the Intelligent Data Analysis program within the Computer Science and Computer Engineering faculty.
Graduates have already showcased impactful healthcare innovations, including an algorithm for early detection of liver tumors with 85% accuracy and complex medical decision support systems. These projects received recognition at the All-Russian Engineering Competition, where one student emerged as the winner and six others were laureates. These advancements are poised to significantly reduce the interval between oncological disease detection and surgical intervention.
Anton Vladzimirsky, Deputy Director of R&D at the Center for Diagnostics and Telemedicine of the Moscow Department of Health, emphasized:
“The integration of artificial intelligence into medical practice is becoming a reality through the training of highly qualified specialists. Our graduates possess a unique combination of skills that enable them to develop cutting-edge solutions for digital medicine and drive the advancement of intelligent healthcare technologies.”
Stanislav Kudzh, Rector of RTU MIREA, added:
“The achievements of the first graduates of the AI Data Analysis program demonstrate that deep interdisciplinary training is essential for the successful integration of AI into medical practice. These specialists have not only mastered advanced technologies but have also contributed practically to digital medicine’s development. They are set to become leaders in creating innovative solutions that will enhance healthcare quality and accelerate the adoption of intelligent technologies across Russia. This represents a significant milestone in the evolution of healthcare.”
About RTU MIREA
RTU MIREA (Russian Technological University) is a multidisciplinary state university educating over 30,000 students across various modalities. The university’s Institute of Artificial Intelligence offers 17 specialized programs and annually graduates hundreds of programmers and AI experts. With more than 250 educational programs spanning IT, radio electronics, chemistry, biotechnology, and robotics, RTU MIREA actively integrates industry practices from high-tech companies into its curriculum.
About the Center for Diagnostics and Telemedicine of the Moscow Health Department
The Center for Diagnostics and Telemedicine is a leading scientific and practical institution within the Moscow Health Department. It oversees the development of diagnostic services, drives digital transformation in healthcare, implements AI technologies in clinical practice, conducts research, and provides medical workforce training. Since 2013, the Center has produced over 800 scientific publications and registered more than 200 intellectual property results. Since 2020, it has been conducting an experiment deploying computer vision technologies, analyzing over 14 million medical images across 40+ clinical areas with high accuracy. By presidential directive, the Center operates MosMedAI, a digital platform offering AI-powered medical image processing and automated radiology analysis, currently adopted by 71 Russian regions.
About Third Opinion Platform
Third Opinion Platform is a Russian developer of AI-powered diagnostic support tools for radiology and laboratory medicine, including a proprietary smart video analytics system. Its algorithms detect over 100 pathological indicators, such as breast cancer, stroke, lung cancer, and aortic aneurysm. The platform is implemented across 58 Russian regions and in private clinics, including the European Medical Center (EMC). To date, its AI solutions have processed over 10 million clinical studies. The company’s flagship products are registered as Class III medical devices by Roszdravnadzor. Since 2020, Third Opinion Platform has partnered strategically with MEDSI Group, one of Russia’s largest private healthcare networks.
Associate Health Minister David Seymour welcomes Pharmac’s decision to improve access to asthma inhalers and long-acting contraceptives from 1 August 2025.
“For the first time, Pharmac has its own Minister. Last year I outlined in my letter of expectations that Pharmac should have appropriate processes for ensuring that people, along with their carers and family, can participate in and provide input into decision-making processes around medicines – this is committed to in the Act-National Coalition Agreement,” Mr Seymour says.
“Since then, the culture shift at Pharmac has been positive. It has moved towards a more adaptable and people-centered approach to funding medicines. My expectation is that this will continue.”
Following a consultation period Pharmac has made decisions to:
Improve access to some strengths of budesonide with eformoterol inhalers.
Remove some of the barriers to Mirena and Jaydess intra-uterine devices (IUDs).
“From 1 August 2025 people will be able to get three-months supply of some budesonide with eformoterol inhalers all at once. Pharmac will also fund some budesonide with eformoterol inhalers on a Practitioners Supply Order (PSO), meaning doctors and nurses can keep some in their clinic for emergency use, teaching, and demonstrations,” Mr Seymour says.
“For the over 120,000 Kiwis using this type of inhaler the changes mean less visits to the pharmacy for resupply, better asthma management, and an extra option for supply in emergencies.
“Doctors and nurses will also be able to keep Mirena and Jaydess IUDs in their clinic and will be able to place them in the same appointment. Pharmac will fund these on a PSO to enable this.
“Current settings mean women need to get a prescription from their doctor or nurse, pick their IUD up from a pharmacy, and then bring it back to the clinic to be placed. Pharmac estimates over 21,000 women to benefit from these changes in just the first year of funding.
“People told Pharmac that these changes will make a real difference. They will make it easier for people with asthma to get the inhalers they need and improve access to long-acting contraceptives like Mirena and Jaydess. They make sense for people.
“People should have the opportunity to share what the impact of changes would be for them.
“The Government is doing its part. Last year we allocated Pharmac its largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, and a $604 million uplift to give Pharmac the financial support it needs to carry out its functions – negotiating the best medical deals for New Zealanders.”
Tens of thousands of New Zealanders living with asthma are set to benefit from long-awaited changes that will make it easier to access essential, lifesaving treatment, marking a major step forward for asthma care in New Zealand.
Effective from August 1, people who use a 2-in-1 inhaler to manage their asthma will be able to collect a three-month supply in a single pharmacy visit, rather than returning monthly for repeats. This change is expected to benefit about 120,000 New Zealanders.
The move directly aligns with the New Zealand Adolescent and Adult Asthma Guidelines, which are developed and maintained by the Asthma and Respiratory Foundation NZ. The guidelines recommend the 2-in-1 inhaler as the frontline treatment for most adolescents and adults with asthma, used both as a preventer and a reliever.
Foundation Chief Executive Ms Letitia Harding says this decision will make a huge difference to the 1 in 8 Kiwis living with asthma.
“When someone is having an asthma attack, they need treatment immediately – there’s no time to get a prescription filled.
“Patients often need to keep their reliever inhaler in multiple places – at home, school, work, their car – so enhancing access to life-saving asthma medicine will undoubtedly reduce the morbidity of asthma in New Zealand.”
The change would make asthma management significantly easier, particularly for families facing transport barriers or juggling multiple repeat prescriptions, Ms Harding says.
“When you have to visit the pharmacy every month, it becomes a real burden.
“Allowing people to collect three months’ supply at once removes that hurdle and supports better treatment adherence.”
Foundation Medical Director Professor Bob Hancox says the move is a good example of evidence-based, patient-centred care.
“For the past five years, our guidelines have recommended 2-in-1 anti-inflammatory reliever inhalers for most adults and adolescents with asthma, as they are much better for preventing exacerbations than the traditional blue relievers.
“As well as benefiting patients, this decision will reduce the burden on the health system by preventing asthma exacerbations and hospital admissions.”
Pharmac is also proposing that medical centres be allowed to supply a number of inhalers directly under a Practitioners Supply Order (PSO), enabling healthcare practitioners to supply patients with inhalers for emergency treatment.
These changes come at a critical time. New Zealand continues to have some of the highest asthma rates in the developed world, with 1 in 8 people affected and 96 deaths each year (almost 2 people each week).
The total economic cost of asthma to New Zealand’s health system is estimated at $1.2 billion annually.
Source: Government of the Russian Federation – Government of the Russian Federation –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
On July 8, the Day of Family, Love and Fidelity, the II All-Russian Wedding Festival “Russia. Connecting Hearts” started at the National Center “Russia”. As part of the opening of the festival, First Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office of Russia Sergey Kiriyenko and Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova met with married couples in a cozy atmosphere over a cup of tea. The central topics of the conversation were love and family values. The participants discussed measures of state support for young and large families, the secrets of family longevity and raising children, and shared their impressions of the I and II All-Russian Wedding Festivals and proposed making this event an annual event.
In total, 12 different families gathered at one table – young and those who had already celebrated their golden wedding, those with many children and those who had only recently become parents. Welcoming the participants of the meeting, Tatyana Golikova emphasized that the All-Russian Wedding Festival had already become an established tradition.
“Last year, 220 couples from all over the country got married at the Russia exhibition and forum. Many young families already have children. It is very pleasing that Russia is returning to the traditions of large families. If ten years ago only 18% of our citizens expressed a desire to have many children, now it is already 39%. And every second person believes that the ideal family is one with many children. Today we will see another 200 families from 78 regions get married at the Russia National Center. You charge the atmosphere with a special spirit, and this spirit of love, reliability, and strength of bonds permeates all the events of the All-Russian Wedding Festival. I wish that the families that were born at the festival last year and those that will appear this year are strong, that they create a real rear, so that the men who are on the front lines today know that they are loved and waited for at home,” noted Tatyana Golikova.
In turn, Sergei Kiriyenko agreed that in Russia the family has a special meaning, and this is obvious at the state level.
“Last year, our President used the formula ‘Russia is a family of families’, and the more you think about it, the more it sticks. Indeed, the main value of Russia is each individual family. The stronger and happier each family individually, the happier Russia as a whole,” he said.
In the warm atmosphere of tea, couples who will register their marriage at the II All-Russian Wedding Festival shared their impressions of the festival and love stories. Semyon Slepchenko and Oksana Leonova from the Irkutsk Region met each other thanks to the “Movement of the First” – they both work in the regional office. For a long time, the young people were just colleagues, until one day, on New Year’s Eve, a warm conversation began that grew into love. Another New Year’s miracle happened to employees of the Stary Oskol District Children’s Hospital Sergei Ryndin and Natalia Ovsyannikova. Before the New Year, they were preparing a holiday for young patients and at some point realized that they were made for each other. Sergei and Natalia brought to the festival cards that were prepared for all the newlyweds by patients of the children’s hospital.
True patriotism laid the foundation for the creation of two families. Miroslav Skonin and Angelina Denisenko from the DPR, who are members of the Cossack reconnaissance brigade “Terek”, met and fell in love with each other in the combat zone. Kaliningraders Alexander Dyachenko and Valeria Kravchenko are ONF volunteers who help the families of SVO participants. Sevastopol residents Fyodor Bykovsky and Irina Nagibina serve the country, Fyodor is a hereditary military man, Irina is a civil servant.
The example of another couple proves that family is the basis for preserving the traditions of different peoples in a multinational state. Evgeny Fisikov and Olga Semenova, born and raised in Khakassia, honor national traditions, so at the wedding ceremony they will present Khakass culture and national costumes.
Sergey and Irina Shirokih from Kursk Oblast, who have lived together for 51 years, shared their secrets of family longevity with newlyweds. They have preserved their love and respect for each other’s interests.
Families that participated in the 1st All-Russian Wedding Festival are already having children. Elizabet and Timur Badmaev from the Republic of Buryatia are currently raising a six-month-old son, Amir. They suggested making the All-Russian Wedding Festival an annual event and starting a tradition – passing the family hearth “Heart of Russia” from couples of the previous festival to couples of the current one as a symbol of the continuity of traditions and a strong family union.
Other families with children also shared their experiences. The long-awaited son of Natalia and Konstantin Kaynov from the Moscow Region was born thanks to the social project “New Life”. Support measures help large families: parents of five children Dmitry and Ekaterina Bauer became participants in the corporate demographic program “Our Children”, which operates at the Kemerovo enterprise “Azot”. And Irina and Maxim Moiseenko from the Krasnoyarsk Region, representatives of a dynasty of teachers, winners of the All-Russian competition “Family of the Year – 2020”, are raising seven children in a creative atmosphere.
In order to raise children with dignity, it is necessary to preserve and support traditional values. This is what Fabrice and Isabelle Sorlin, who moved from France to Russia with their children 10 years ago, are sure of. This year, all family members became Russian citizens.
Fabrice Sorlin proposed to provide additional preferences to those owners who rent out their property to large families, in particular, land tax benefits. Tatyana Golikova noted that measures to support large families are the most important measures, and thanked for the proposal.
At the meeting, young couples expressed their proposals and initiatives to improve social and family policy. Alexander Dyachenko and Valeria Kravchenko proposed creating a project – a navigator in the world of patriotic education, so that students of universities and colleges would have the opportunity to quickly and easily choose the right direction. Sergey Kiriyenko approved the initiative and asked to provide documents with the concept of the project later. At the end of the meeting, Tatyana Golikova and Sergey Kiriyenko wished the families to carry love throughout their lives.
The II All-Russian Wedding Festival is being implemented with the support of the Presidential Fund for Cultural Initiatives and will be held at the National Center “Russia” from July 8 to 10, 2025. During these days, more than 200 couples from all regions of the country will register their marriages here. The program for newlyweds includes a yacht ride along the Moscow River, a festive procession surrounded by their guests along the picturesque embankment to the National Center “Russia”, a photo session, marriage registration in a solemn atmosphere and a ceremony of handing over the family hearth.
Along with the ceremonial events, a cultural and educational program has been prepared for the festival participants. Musical concerts are held for the newlyweds and their guests, where popular artists and musical groups perform. Among them are Nansi
Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Source: Government of the Russian Federation – Government of the Russian Federation –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Dmitry Grigorenko at a working meeting at Roskomnadzor
July 8, 2025
Working meeting at Roskomnadzor
July 8, 2025
Dmitry Grigorenko at a working meeting at Roskomnadzor
July 8, 2025
Dmitry Grigorenko and Minister of Communications and Mass Media Maxim Shadayev at a working meeting at Roskomnadzor
July 8, 2025
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Dmitry Grigorenko at a working meeting at Roskomnadzor
Roskomnadzor is actively involved in the Government’s systematic work to protect citizens from fraudsters. This was reported by Deputy Prime Minister – Head of the Government Staff Dmitry Grigorenko during a working meeting at Roskomnadzor.
The Deputy Prime Minister noted that the department has a number of information systems that can identify and block fraudulent websites and calls. In 2024 alone, more than 44,000 fraudulent resources used to steal personal data and financial resources were blocked. Roskomnadzor’s system processes over 455 million calls daily, of which about 1.2 million are calls with a spoofed number. Fraudsters use such numbers to deceive users.
The agency is also taking part in the discussion of the second package of measures to combat fraud. Among the measures is the creation and implementation of a service based on artificial intelligence that will identify suspicious calls and warn citizens about telephone scammers.
Dmitry Grigorenko recalled that at the beginning of this year, a government package of measures was adopted, including 30 initiatives to protect citizens from cybercriminals. It has already entered into force. In particular, a ban was introduced on the use of instant messengers for employees of government agencies, banks and telecom operators when interacting with clients. In addition, messages with access codes to government services are now blocked if the subscriber is talking on the phone when sending such a message.
A law on criminal liability for droppers – individuals who provide their bank cards or e-wallets for the transfer of illegal funds – has also come into force. Criminal liability will only apply to those who knowingly received a reward for transferring details to criminals. The fact of payment is the key evidence of intent. Those who transferred the data for free (for example, out of ignorance or under pressure) will not be punished.
“The government is systematically working to improve the level of security for citizens in the digital environment, and Roskomnadzor plays a significant role in it. The agency promptly identifies and blocks fraudsters’ schemes. Last year alone, more than 44,000 fraudulent websites were blocked, and Roskomnadzor stops over a million suspicious calls every day. Now, together with Roskomnadzor and other interested agencies, we are working on additional measures to combat fraudsters on the Internet,” said Dmitry Grigorenko.
Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Source: Ministry of Economic Development (Russia) – Ministry of Economic Development (Russia) –
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Deputy Minister of Economic Development of Russia Svyatoslav Sorokin took part in a meeting on the socio-economic development of the Siberian Federal District, which was held on July 8 in Omsk under the chairmanship of Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Dmitry Patrushev. The event was attended by the Plenipotentiary Representative of the President of the Russian Federation in the Siberian Federal District Anatoly Seryshev, heads of regions, representatives of federal ministries and key industry companies.
“Our main goal is to create opportunities to accelerate the pace of economic growth in Siberian regions, and, of course, to improve the quality of life of people. First of all, we control the implementation of the government’s Strategy for the Development of the Federal District until 2035. About two trillion rubles have already been attracted to its activities, and more than 42 thousand jobs have been created,” said Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Dmitry Patrushev during the meeting.
Svyatoslav Sorokin presented a report on amendments to the plan for implementing the Strategy for Socioeconomic Development of the Siberian Federal District. On behalf of the Government, the revised document was submitted on June 27. The updated plan includes individual development programs for the subjects, as well as new investment and infrastructure projects.
The proposed measures will increase the volume of investment in the district’s economy to 18 trillion rubles, as well as create over 195 thousand jobs. The plan is synchronized with the updated national projects and will be further specified within the framework of the implementation of the Strategy for Spatial Development of the Russian Federation until 2030. Special attention is paid to the development of key settlements: a list of 294 key settlements in the regions of Siberia has been approved.
During the meeting, an assessment was also given of the implementation of the so-called curatorship projects – these are priority regional initiatives, for the implementation of which the leadership of the Ministry of Economic Development is personally responsible. According to Svyatoslav Sorokin, these projects play a key role in the development of infrastructure, industry, tourism and other sectors. Thanks to these initiatives, over 21 thousand jobs have been created in the district and about 1.4 trillion rubles of extra-budgetary investments have been attracted.
The report paid special attention to the work on forming a list of priority investment projects in Siberia. On the instructions of the Government, the Ministry of Economic Development, together with other departments, selected 103 projects that have the greatest socio-economic effect on the development of the district’s subjects. The priority list included initiatives with an investment volume of over 3 billion rubles, as well as curatorship projects, industry clusters and initiatives in the field of rare earth metals, agreed upon with the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Russia.
Particular attention was paid to the implementation of the Spatial Development Strategy (SDS) in the Siberian Federal District. As Svyatoslav Sorokin emphasized, Siberia is in the focus of the federal agenda: by 2030, the target indicators are defined as stabilization of the population at a level no lower than 2023, an increase in the district’s share in housing commissioning to 15.4%, as well as an increase in the ratio of gross regional product per capita to 83.6% of the Russian average.
To achieve these indicators, the key priority of the SPR is the development of support settlements (SSC). The list approved by the Government Commission for Regional Development included 294 settlements in the territory of the Siberian Federal District.
“Development of key settlements is a key point of concentration of efforts in Siberia. We see that it is in these territories that the potential for economic growth, improvement of quality of life and increase of investment attractiveness is concentrated. It is important that all support measures are built with an orientation towards spatial logic of development – so that investments work for the comprehensive development of territories, and not pointwise, without taking into account connections and prospects,” emphasized Deputy Minister of Economic Development of Russia Svyatoslav Sorokin.
Also, within the framework of the implementation of the Spatial Development Strategy and in pursuance of the message of the President of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Economic Development, together with the regions, is forming a list of cities for the development of master plans. This process is being carried out in the development of decisions of the strategic session of the Government and should be completed by January 2026.
Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Source: Government of the Russian Federation – Government of the Russian Federation –
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A wide range of issues aimed at improving the business climate in the EAEU and improving the legal framework of the union were considered.
Alexey Overchuk took part in the meeting of the Council of the Eurasian Economic Commission
Deputy Prime Minister Alexey Overchuk took part in a meeting of the Council of the Eurasian Economic Commission. In a videoconference format, the meeting participants considered a wide range of issues aimed at improving the business climate in the EAEU and improving the legal framework of the union.
The parties approved a program for the development of exchange trading on the common exchange (organized) market of goods within the Eurasian Economic Union.
Changes have been made to the Rules for Registration and Expertise of Safety, Quality and Efficiency of Medical Products. The changes provide for clarification of the registration procedure when it is necessary to include a new type of medical product in the nomenclature of medical products of the Union, as well as adjustment of the list of documents required for registration of medical products.
The meeting also introduced amendments to the Union’s Unified Quarantine Phytosanitary Requirements aimed at protecting apple and pear seedlings and cuttings from pathogens causing harmful plant diseases.
The commission’s reports on the progress of the formation of common oil and oil product markets and a common gas market of the EAEU by the end of 2024 were approved. The report on the implementation of the instruction of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council on the climate agenda within the EAEU was considered.
The annual report of the commission on the transfer and distribution of import customs duties between the budgets of the EAEU member states in 2024 was reviewed. According to the results of 2024, there was an increase in the receipt of import customs duties in the budgets of the member states; compared to 2023, the revenues of the budgets of the member states from import customs duties increased from 14.8 billion to 15.2 billion dollars.
The meeting participants also approved the draft agendas for two meetings of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council scheduled to be held in August 2025 in the Kyrgyz Republic and in September in the Republic of Belarus.
Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Source: Ministry of Economic Development (Russia) – Ministry of Economic Development (Russia) –
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The State Duma considered draft federal laws on regulating the platform economy and changes to industry laws in connection with the introduction of new requirements. Deputies discussed the balance of interests of participants in legal relations, the nuances of regulation, and liability for violating the provisions of the future law. Parliamentarians supported the adoption of the bills in the first reading.
The key discussion took place in the Economic Policy Committee chaired by Maxim Topilin. The main provisions of the draft law were presented by the Minister of Economic Development of Russia Maxim Reshetnikov. According to him, the platform economy is developing rapidly: in the last 4 years alone, online sales have grown 4 times, and 80% of Internet users regularly place orders through platforms. On the one hand, this opens up new opportunities for business, especially for SMEs. On the other hand, large platforms have become de facto regulators of access to the market, not being responsible for the quality of goods and services, and the relations between platforms and the self-employed and individual entrepreneurs remain unregulated.
“All this determined the emergence of a strong public demand for the creation of clear rules for the operation of platforms. And in order to respond to it, on behalf of the Government, draft laws were developed. The proposed regulation and clear set of rules are aimed at protecting the interests of all market participants and ensuring its further growth. This is especially important for accelerating, on behalf of the President, structural changes in the economy,” emphasized Maxim Reshetnikov.
The new regulation introduces uniform standards for platforms: verification of sellers, control over the quality of goods, transparency of contracts and protection of the rights of entrepreneurs. For example, platforms will not be able to impose discounts without the consent of the seller, and disputes can be resolved not only in court, but also through the pre-trial appeal mechanism.
The regulation will come into effect in 2027, so that businesses and platforms have time to adapt. The intermediary digital platforms themselves will be included in a separate register, which will ensure flexibility of regulation for all players, noted Maxim Reshetnikov. The criteria for their selection will be determined by the Government of the Russian Federation. Among the main ones discussed are the volume of transactions, the number of active users and sellers.
“Today we considered issues related to ensuring, first of all, additional requirements for platforms and obligations that will be established for platforms. This includes the formation of product cards, interaction with labeling, certification, and licensing systems. On the one hand, this will protect consumer rights and, on the other hand, will certainly create a unified legal regulation. It is very important, and everyone noted this, that laws allow a very large number of small entrepreneurs who previously could not break into retail chains to very quickly find their niche thanks to platform technologies. This is an additional incentive to support, including small businesses, the development of jobs and the formation of a small economy in different regions,” Maxim Topilin, Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Economic Policy, commented on the meeting.
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Source: Government of the Russian Federation – Government of the Russian Federation –
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On July 8, 2021, Russian President Vladimir Putin launched traffic along the entire length of the Central Ring Road (TsKAD) in the Moscow Region. The highway has become one of the largest projects in recent years. Since the launch of traffic on this highway, motorists have made more than 322 million trips, Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin reported.
“The Central Ring Road, which is over 340 km long, is of great importance for the economy, logistics and ecology of Moscow, the Moscow Region and neighboring regions. This modern highway has allowed transit transport to be taken beyond the 13 urban districts of the Moscow Region and directly connected the regional districts. It has a high throughput capacity and provides all the necessary conditions for safe travel. With the opening of the Central Ring Road, it was possible to significantly reduce the load on the Moscow Ring Road, the A-107 and A-108 highways, increase the transport accessibility of the capital’s airports for residents of the region, and connect key highways, including regional and federal highways of the Moscow Region. We see that the Central Ring Road is in demand among motorists. Since the launch of traffic along its entire length, more than 322 million trips have been recorded on the road,” said Marat Khusnullin.
The Deputy Prime Minister added that travel on toll sections of the Central Ring Road allows for travel time to be reduced by almost three times compared to alternative routes. This was made possible by the absence of traffic lights and pedestrian crossings, as well as at-grade intersections with other roads. The total length of these sections is 264 km.
The head of the state company Avtodor, Vyacheslav Petushenko, noted that the most popular section of the Central Ring Road since the launch of traffic along its entire length remains the section between the M-4 Don highway and the Kaluga Highway. The average daily traffic intensity along it is about 19 thousand trips.
“The section from Domodedovo to the M-7 Volga highway is in second place. Over the past few years, an average of about 17.5 thousand trips per day have been recorded here. The bypass of the village of Malye Vyazemy, which was put into operation in December last year, rounds out the top three. It immediately became popular among drivers, and the average daily traffic intensity on it today reaches 14.1 thousand trips. Traffic on the section from M-7 Volga to M-11 Neva also remains consistently high. On average, 10.6 thousand trips per day are recorded here. On the section from M-10 Rossiya to M-11 Neva, about 7 thousand trips per day are recorded,” Vyacheslav Petushenko noted.
Work on upgrading the Central Ring Road and improving convenience for motorists continues. Construction of a transport interchange at the intersection with Dmitrovskoe Highway is currently underway.
Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Source: Government of the Russian Federation – Government of the Russian Federation –
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City Garden, Omsk
July 8, 2025
Embankment of the park “Berega”, Belgorod
July 8, 2025
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City Garden, Omsk
The Russian government continues its systematic work aimed at transforming public spaces across the country. These tasks are being addressed within the framework of the federal project “Formation of a Comfortable Urban Environment”, which since 2025 has been part of the national project “Infrastructure for Life”, Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin reported.
“The Russian construction industry faces serious challenges in creating a comfortable urban environment. Improvement of public spaces is an important part of regional development. Thanks to such work, populated areas are transformed, the quality of life of people is improved, spaces for walks, sports, family recreation and communication are created. This work corresponds to the priorities outlined by the President of Russia. And it is especially symbolic to talk about this on the Day of Family, Love and Fidelity, which symbolizes strong family ties. Since 2017, within the framework of the federal project “Formation of a Comfortable Urban Environment” in Russia, about 9 thousand parks have been improved. Each improved park is a concern for families and the future of our children,” said Marat Khusnullin.
During the improvement, a comprehensive approach is used to create modern, functional and aesthetically thought-out public spaces. The needs of all age groups are taken into account, including children, the elderly, and people with disabilities. Recreation areas, playgrounds and sports grounds, bike paths, convenient navigation and landscaping are thought out.
“Since 2025, the federal project “Formation of a Comfortable Urban Environment” by decision of the President of Russia has been retained as part of the national project “Infrastructure for Life”. This year, it is planned to improve 5 thousand public areas, of which over 1.3 thousand are parks. As part of the All-Russian competition of the best projects for creating a comfortable urban environment, work is underway to improve 49 parks,” noted the head of the Ministry of Construction Irek Faizullin.
Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Source: Government of the Russian Federation – Government of the Russian Federation –
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Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko, Minister of Education and Science Valery Falkov and Head of Rosmolodezh Grigory Gurov congratulated Russians on Family, Love and Fidelity Day and spoke about support measures for families in the educational sphere and youth policy.
“As our President Vladimir Putin said, family in Russia has been and remains the highest value. Today, there are almost 26 thousand student families in universities alone, 13 thousand of whom have children. The state will continue to support them within the framework of the national projects “Youth and Children” and “Family”. Universities are opening mother-and-child rooms, short-term stay groups for children, and universities are providing financial assistance to families. My family also began in my student years. And I want to wish young people not to be afraid to take responsibility, to value each other and to be successful in all areas,” said Dmitry Chernyshenko.
The support measures at universities also include the transfer of women who have given birth to a child during their studies and those studying with children from a fee-paying to a budget place, assistance in finding employment, free medical services for student families and vouchers to sanatoriums, the possibility of switching to an individual curriculum, information, psychological, legal support for young families, and others. Universities are opening spaces for students’ children – mother-and-child rooms and short-term stay groups for children. Today, 205 of them are already functioning in 151 universities.
“Family is a source of strength for each of us and the foundation of a full-fledged society. That is why supporting the family, including student families, and preserving traditional family values is the most important part of our country’s state policy,” said Minister of Education and Science Valery Falkov.
The All-Russian Forum of Young Student Families is being held for the first time at the Gzhel State University, with the participation of families of young teachers and student families. Within the framework of the forum, the student family of Russia – 2025 – the absolute winner of the All-Russian competition “Student Families of Russia” will be announced.
In addition, Rosmolodezh, the Movement of the First, and other organizations and institutions in the field of youth policy are actively working to strengthen traditional spiritual and moral values among the younger generation and increase the prestige of the family.
“Young people are often concerned about how to combine their studies and professional development with parenthood. Rosmolodezh pays special attention to this, including within the framework of the national project “Youth and Children”, a modern infrastructure for young families is being created. Thematic programs are held at federal and regional forums. Thus, in May of this year alone, about 243 thousand families attended our events across the country. It is symbolic that the thematic shift “Family” of our flagship forum “Territory of Meanings” is launched on Family, Love and Fidelity Day. This shift caused a real stir – we received more than 4 thousand applications from young families, and today 100 families from different regions of Russia met at the forum to discuss how to preserve traditional values and bring back into fashion the creation of large families,” said the head of Rosmolodezh Grigory Gurov.
On behalf of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Rosmolodezh is implementing the Region for the Young program. Over the past two years, thanks to the program, spaces for young families have been created in 156 youth centers in 66 regions of Russia. This year, another 104 youth centers are planned to be renovated, and 94 next year.
In addition, a wide range of projects and programs are presented in which entire families can participate. Thus, in 2023, the year-round youth educational historical and cultural center “Istoki” was opened in the city of Pechory in the Pskov region and Sevastopol – this is the first year-round center that can be visited by families with children. This year, trips are planned, including for the families of military personnel and volunteers of humanitarian missions. Together with their parents, children study the history of their native family, conduct research and get acquainted with the military feat of their ancestors during the Great Patriotic War as part of the all-Russian competition “Family Memory”. The winners go on patriotic tours to places of military or labor glory of a relative.
Registration is open for the second season of the presidential platform competition “Russia – the Land of Opportunities” “It’s in Our Family”, which was launched in 2023 by the President of Russia during the open lesson “Conversations about the Important”, dedicated to Knowledge Day.
The Rodnye-Lyubinye family community of the Movement of the First and Rosmolodezh already unites more than 215 thousand families across the country, participants of the Movement of the First, their parents, grandparents. One of the key tasks for 2025 is to expand the community and involve students and young families in the work. This year, the community will continue to implement traditional events: summer gatherings of the Rodnye-Lyubinye family community in the Smolensk region, the Rodnye-Lyubinye family art quarter at the Tavrida.Art festival, and the Rodnye-Lyubinye all-Russian family forum.
Special nomination
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Source: Government of the Russian Federation – Government of the Russian Federation –
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Dmitry Patrushev visited Omsk Region on a working visit. With Minister of Natural Resources Alexander Kozlov (left) and the region’s governor Vitaly Khotsenko (right)
July 8, 2025
Dmitry Patrushev, as part of a working visit to Omsk Oblast, took part in the ceremonial launch of a complex of biological treatment facilities. With Minister of Natural Resources Alexander Kozlov (left), regional governor Vitaly Khotsenko and Chairman of the Management Board of PJSC Gazprom Neft Alexander Dyukov (right)
July 8, 2025
As part of his working visit, Dmitry Patrushev met with the Governor of the Omsk Region, Vitaly Khotsenko
July 8, 2025
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Dmitry Patrushev visited Omsk Region on a working visit. With Minister of Natural Resources Alexander Kozlov (left) and the region’s governor Vitaly Khotsenko (right)
Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Patrushev visited Omsk Oblast on a working visit. Together with the region’s governor Vitaly Khotsenko and the chairman of the board of PJSC Gazprom Neft Alexander Dyukov, the deputy prime minister took part in the ceremonial launch of a complex of biological treatment facilities.
“We are launching the Biosphere complex, a system of modern treatment facilities at the Omsk Oil Refinery. This largest environmental project of Gazprom Neft has been implemented as part of the Ecology national project. Investments amounted to about 30 billion rubles. Thanks to innovative technologies, the complex will effectively purify industrial wastewater, significantly reduce the use of river water and reduce the load on the city’s communal infrastructure. I would like to note that Biosphere is an example of effective interaction between Russian developers and manufacturers of technology and equipment. 185 domestic companies participated in the project. This plant is one of the most powerful in Russia in its field,” said Dmitry Patrushev.
The Deputy Prime Minister noted that over 135 billion rubles have been allocated for large-scale modernization of the Omsk Oil Refinery in recent years. As a result, the obligations under the federal project “Clean Air” have been almost completely fulfilled. Work in this area continues within the framework of the national project “Ecological Well-Being”.
As part of his working visit, Dmitry Patrushev also held a meeting with the Governor of Omsk Region, Vitaly Khotsenko.
“Omsk Oblast is an economically strong region of Siberia. Its development traditionally relies on the industrial sector, which accounts for more than 20% of the production structure. This is oil refining with petrochemistry, mechanical engineering, including defense engineering. The transport complex is of great importance. In addition, Omsk Oblast is one of the important agricultural regions of Siberia. The Russian Government allocated more than 2 billion rubles to the region in 2025 for the development of the agro-industrial complex and rural areas. The agricultural production index in Omsk Oblast in 2024 was 117%, which is a very high figure. The region produces significant volumes of grain and oilseeds. Further strengthening of its positions is certainly associated with the activities of the Strategy for the Socioeconomic Development of Siberia, which was approved by the Russian Government. A number of projects are being implemented in Omsk Oblast within its framework, which in the medium term will create more than a thousand jobs,” said Dmitry Patrushev.
The Deputy Prime Minister noted that Omsk Region is actively involved in environmental protection activities. In the previous six years, about 8 billion rubles from the federal budget were allocated for this. This work continues within the framework of the national project “Environmental Well-Being”, the implementation of which began this year. Improvement of water bodies is also planned – for example, construction of a hydroelectric complex on the Irtysh has begun and cleaning of the riverbed is planned.
Dmitry Patrushev paid special attention to monitoring the fulfillment of obligations in the field of solid municipal waste management. As part of his working visit, the Deputy Prime Minister also visited the Sovetskaya landfill reclamation facility in the region.
Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Source: Government of the Russian Federation – Government of the Russian Federation –
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Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak held the eleventh meeting of the subcommittee on increasing the stability of the financial sector and individual sectors of the economy, where the situation in the sphere of housing construction was discussed.
The event was attended by Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin, Minister of Economic Development Maxim Reshetnikov, Minister of Energy Sergei Tsivilev, representatives of other federal government bodies, investment banks, organizations in the housing construction and coal industry sectors, as well as the Moscow city authorities.
“This industry requires close attention. It is necessary to discuss the current situation, the progress of implementing decisions already made, as well as the advisability of taking additional support measures,” said Alexander Novak, opening the meeting.
Participants examined in detail the dynamics of launching new projects, housing sales, issuing mortgage loans, as well as the financial and economic state of systemically important organizations operating in the industry.
Following the discussion, the Deputy Prime Minister instructed the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Economic Development, together with the Ministry of Construction, to work out the measures presented at the meeting to ensure the sustainability of the construction industry.
The members of the subcommittee also supported the initiative to expand the boundaries of the Bachatsky coal mine in the Kemerovo Region. This will allow maintaining the current level of energy coal production at the deposit and supporting the metallurgy market, whose enterprises consume the mine’s output.
In addition, at the meeting, based on proposals from industry departments, targeted adjustments were made to the list of systemically important organizations of the Russian economy.
Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Source: Government of the Russian Federation – Government of the Russian Federation –
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Denis Manturov spoke about the development of international industrial cooperation at the strategic session “Technological Leadership: Industrial Breakthrough” within the framework of “Innoprom-2025”
July 8, 2025
Denis Manturov presented the national industrial award “Industry”, the winner of which was the “Kursk Electrical Equipment Plant”
July 8, 2025
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Denis Manturov spoke about the development of international industrial cooperation at the strategic session “Technological Leadership: Industrial Breakthrough” within the framework of “Innoprom-2025”
First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov spoke about the development of international industrial cooperation at the strategic session “Technological Leadership: Industrial Breakthrough” within the framework of the Innoprom-2025 exhibition. He emphasized that Russia does not seek complete autonomy and is open to cooperation with friendly countries, primarily the states of the Eurasian Economic Union, the CIS, BRICS, Latin America, Asia, the Middle East and Africa.
“The fact that our partner country this year is Saudi Arabia once again shows that the Middle East is a strategic direction for us. Next year, Indonesia will be Innoprom’s partner country. It is the largest Muslim country in the world with a population of about 300 million people. It is rapidly growing, with a young population. And we are actively developing cooperation with this country. I expect that our entrepreneurs, our enterprises will actively form their agenda for the coming year in order to demonstrate new projects and cooperation with this country,” Denis Manturov noted.
The First Deputy Prime Minister also presented the national industrial award “Industry”, the winner of which was the Kursk Electrical Equipment Plant. The enterprise has developed a modern line of OptiMat D circuit breakers. The series has versions for operation on rolling stock of rail transport and trolleybuses, and is also licensed for delivery to nuclear power plants.
Let us recall that in 2015, Industry was awarded the status of a Russian Government Prize.
The award ceremony for the winner of the prize is held annually on the sidelines of the international industrial exhibition “Innoprom”.
Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Source: Government of the Russian Federation – Government of the Russian Federation –
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Dmitry Patrushev, as part of a working visit to the Omsk Region, held a meeting on incident No. 62 “Implementation of measures to develop the Siberian Federal District”
July 8, 2025
Dmitry Patrushev, as part of a working visit to the Omsk Region, held a meeting of Incident No. 62 “Implementation of measures to develop the Siberian Federal District”
July 8, 2025
Dmitry Patrushev, as part of a working visit to the Omsk Region, held a meeting on incident No. 62 “Implementation of measures to develop the Siberian Federal District”
July 8, 2025
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Dmitry Patrushev, as part of a working visit to the Omsk Region, held a meeting on incident No. 62 “Implementation of measures to develop the Siberian Federal District”
Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Patrushev held a meeting on incident No. 62 “Implementation of measures to develop the Siberian Federal District” as part of a working visit to Omsk Oblast. It was attended by the Plenipotentiary Representative of the President of Russia in the Siberian Federal District Anatoly Seryshev, the heads of the Ministry of Natural Resources, Rosprirodnadzor, Rosleskhoz, the leadership of relevant departments and regions of the Siberian Federal District, as well as business representatives.
“Our main goal is to create opportunities to accelerate the pace of economic growth in Siberian regions, and, of course, to improve the quality of life of people. First of all, we control the implementation of the government strategy for the development of the federal district until 2035. About 2 trillion rubles have already been attracted to its activities, and more than 42 thousand jobs have been created. In the future, the total volume of investments should exceed 18 trillion rubles,” said Dmitry Patrushev.
At the last meeting, an agreement was developed on the organization of enterprises in Siberia to ensure a full cycle of work with rare earth metals. As part of the current incident, the participants discussed the work of the expert group on the formation of a complex for their deep processing. The main topic of this meeting was the prospects for the development of the forestry complex in the district. As the Deputy Prime Minister noted, Siberia is one of the leaders here.
“A third of the total Russian timber volumes are harvested in Siberia. This result is achieved by almost one and a half thousand local enterprises. In addition, about 30 priority forestry projects are being implemented in the district to create and modernize processing capacities. The total investment volume exceeds 440 billion rubles,” Dmitry Patrushev emphasized.
Siberia has significant resources for increasing production volumes and organizing a full chain of production output, including those with a high degree of processing. However, today, up-to-date forest management data covers only 35% of the intensive zone of Siberian forests.
The Deputy Prime Minister reported that the Ministry of Natural Resources is developing a bill that gives the right to finance forest management at the expense of regional budgets, and also provides for the lease of areas for which forest management materials have not been updated for more than 10 years. Business, in turn, is obliged to update these materials within two years. The combination of these measures will speed up the updating of information on the country’s forest reserves and improve the efficiency of forest resource management.
At the meeting it was noted that Rosleskhoz is working on the possibility of implementing a pilot project on forest management in two Siberian regions – the leaders of the district in timber harvesting – Irkutsk Oblast and Krasnoyarsk Krai.
Following the incident, the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Federal Forestry Agency, together with the governments of Krasnoyarsk Krai and Irkutsk Oblast, were instructed to determine forestry areas in which pilot forest management projects will be implemented, as well as the timeframes for their implementation. The innovation will allow joint efforts to cover forest management and involve more areas in circulation.
Dmitry Patrushev noted that the government commission on regional development has identified around 300 key settlements in the Siberian Federal District as a serious basis for developing Siberian territories. The Deputy Prime Minister instructed to give this network priority attention and invest in their infrastructure.
The Ministry of Economic Development, in turn, will complete the revision of the plan for the implementation of the Strategy for the Socioeconomic Development of the Siberian Federal District, taking into account the activities of the Strategy for the Spatial Development of the Russian Federation.
Work on the integrated development of the Siberian Federal District (the Republics of Altai, Tyva and Khakassia, the Altai and Krasnoyarsk Territories, the Irkutsk, Kemerovo, Novosibirsk, Omsk and Tomsk Regions) is being carried out within the framework of incident No. 62. The choice of this format of interdepartmental interaction was initiated by the Deputy Prime Minister as the curator of the district and supported by the Chairman of the Government. It will allow the aggregation of activities of all regional development programs and the maximum synergistic effect from their implementation.
Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
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Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
BEIJING, July 9 (Xinhua) — China’s Tianzhou-8 cargo spacecraft has re-entered the Earth’s atmosphere in a controlled manner. Most of the spacecraft’s components burned up during re-entry, and a small amount of debris fell into pre-designated sea areas. -0-
Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Russians. Ori.org.KN | 09. 07. 2025
Keywords: CISCE
Source: russian.china.org.cn
Chairman of the Board of the Atameken National Chamber of Entrepreneurs Raimbek Batalov on the 3rd China International Supply Chain Exhibition Chairman of the Board of the Atameken National Chamber of Entrepreneurs Raimbek Batalov on the 3rd China International Supply Chain Exhibition
Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
