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Category: Education

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Understanding how Taylor Swift constructs her songs helps explain her phenomenal popularity

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Alexander Carpenter, Professor, Musicology, University of Alberta

    In 2023, Forbes published an article about Taylor Swift that included the following mind-boggling statistic: 55 per cent of adults in the United States identify themselves as Swift fans.

    In the wake of her recent epic world tour — which drew 10 million attendees and earned billions of dollars — Swift has clearly emerged as a modern singer-songwriter whose success and renown has no equal.

    The same article reports that 73 per cent of those surveyed insisted that “Swift’s music is a driving force of their support of her.” But the abundant discourse surrounding Taylor Swift in the popular press, academia and online seems to be about everything but her songs.

    In place of critical engagement with her musical work, Swift is credited for creating her own economic ecosystem wherever she goes, lauded for being a shrewd and powerful businessperson, described as an empowered and empowering feminist icon or branded a quintessential entertainer.

    At this moment, Swift resides at the very apex of modern celebrity culture. Ironically, this makes it especially tricky to engage with Swift as a musician, which is the very basis of her fame.

    As a musicologist, music critic and musician who studies and teaches popular music, there are ways to examine the musical meaning of pop songs. These approaches provide useful insights; after all, wasn’t it the music that drew audiences to Swift in the first place?

    Studying Swift

    Swift is increasingly taken seriously in the halls of academia. A number of universities offer courses dedicated to Swift, but typically not to her music as such: rather, many of these courses take a literary approach to her songs or a broadly sociological approach to her as a pop culture phenomenon, or they foreground her business model.

    In his book There’s Nothing Like This, Kevin Evers, senior editor of the Harvard Business Review, regards Swift as a “strategic genius.” He examines how she identifies and exploits untapped markets, making creative and marketing pivots at key moments while protecting her image as a self-made, authentic singer-songwriter.

    Evers focuses on non-musical elements when discussing Swift’s songs. He claims that Swift’s fans interpret her lyrics in a manner akin to the literary analysis of complex poems. Swift’s songs intrigue fans, Evers insists, primarily because they offer insight into her personal life, romantic travails and struggles with fame.

    Of course, words are an important element of pop songs, and for many fans, the words of a song constitute its “about-ness.” But a pop song is a sonic object, not simply a delivery system for words.

    Lyrical discourse analysis

    Song lyrics are not poems, although they may be “like poetry,” as musicologist Dai Griffiths has argued. He points out that when we insist on thinking of lyrics as poetry, we lose a systematic understanding of how words function in songs. The placement and sound of words, and how they relate to the music, are key elements of a song’s musical structure and sense.

    It is this discussion of the musical sense and meaning of Swift’s songs that is largely neglected.

    The academic study of classical music offers a wealth of analytic methodologies; there are ways to examine the musical meaning of pop songs that do not over-analyze the song. These include looking at elements like form, orchestration, melody, harmony and rhythm.

    A song creates space: its formal layout and the rhythm of musical phrases provide the space for words — what Griffiths calls the “verbal space” — which have their own rhythms and structures and work within but also push against the boundaries of this space.

    Form and space

    Consider Swift’s chart-topping 2014 single, “Shake it Off,” re-released as “Shake it Off (Taylor’s Version)” in 2023. This song, while popular, was criticized for its repetitiveness and lack of emotional depth.

    “Shake it Off” doesn’t seem to have much lyrical content: the verses are short, rounded off with simple slant rhymes, and much of the created space seems to be filled with repetition: “I’m just gonna shake, shake, shake, shake, shake/Shake it off, shake it off.”

    Likewise, the song is built musically on some very basic and limited material, namely three chords, a short, unvaried drum loop and a spare bass line provided by a baritone saxophone.

    The lyric video to “Shake it Off (Taylor’s version).”

    The lyrics touch lightly on Swift’s response to fame and her critics, but it is their syllabic density that contributes to the song’s development and momentum. This gradually and sytematically increases over the first two verses and pre-chorus, until arriving at the chorus, where the space is filled almost completely.

    The density of the music also increases in the choruses, with a thicker bass part, added vocals and a brass fanfare.

    While “Shake it Off” is repetitive with little harmonic and melodic variety, it is also quite subtly counterbalanced with a variety of sounds, textures and densities. These move the song forward and importantly, help mark off the song’s formal sections.

    These compositional and production details contribute to the song’s overall meaning. But how the words participate in the unfolding of the song-as-music, or the creation and shaping of the musical space, is also meaningful. The thrust of the lyrics emphasize Swift’s detachment from gossip and criticism: “I never miss a beat/I’m lightnin’ on my feet” and “But I keep cruisin’/Can’t stop, won’t stop groovin’”.

    These lyrics are reinforced by the propulsive musical momentum of the song created by the gradual thickening of the text and music. Even with this thickening, the song still remains quite light, emphasizing the lyrical claims of detachment and distance from negativity.

    The chorus, by contrast, with its deeply resonant bass, layers of background vocals and added brass, is musically the heaviest part of the song, underwriting Swift’s assertive claim that she will “shake off” the lies and gossip that plague her as a celebrity pop star.

    Understanding Swift’s success

    Collecting some musical information about Swift’s songs is not an abstract or intellectual activity; rather, it is essential information if we want to better understand Swift and her success in terms of her song writing.

    I’m not making an argument here for or against Swift’s music; I’m neither a “Swiftie” nor a detractor. Nor have I offered anything like a comprehensive or definitive analysis of a song in this short article.

    But I do think we should be curious and better understand Swift’s success, especially the popularity of her music across generations and demographics. How her songs are actually put together — how they work as music, in tandem with words, to tell stories — is an essential part of that understanding.

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

    – ref. Understanding how Taylor Swift constructs her songs helps explain her phenomenal popularity – https://theconversation.com/understanding-how-taylor-swift-constructs-her-songs-helps-explain-her-phenomenal-popularity-247855

    MIL OSI Analysis –

    July 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: How germy is the public pool? An infectious disease expert weighs in on poop, pee and perspiration – and the deceptive smell of chlorine

    Source: The Conversation – USA (3) – By Lisa Cuchara, Professor of Biomedical Sciences, Quinnipiac University

    A 2023 CDC report tracked more than 200 pool-associated outbreaks over a four-year period. But a few basic precautions can ward off these dangers. Maria Korneeva/Moment via Getty Images

    On hot summer days, few things are more refreshing than a dip in the pool. But have you ever wondered if the pool is as clean as that crystal blue water appears?

    As an immunologist and infectious disease specialist, I study how germs spread in public spaces and how to prevent the spread. I even teach a course called “The Infections of Leisure” where we explore the risks tied to recreational activities and discuss precautions, while also taking care not to turn students into germophobes.

    Swimming, especially in public pools and water parks, comes with its own unique set of risks — from minor skin irritations to gastrointestinal infections. But swimming also has a plethora of physical, social and mental health benefits. With some knowledge and a little vigilance, you can enjoy the water without worrying about what might be lurking beneath the surface.

    The reality of pool germs

    Summer news headlines and social media posts often spotlight the “ick-factor” of communal swimming spaces. These concerns do have some merit.

    The good news is that chlorine, which is widely used in pools, is effective at killing many pathogens. The not-so-good news is that chlorine does not work instantly – and it doesn’t kill everything.

    Every summer, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issues alerts about swimming-related outbreaks of illness caused by exposure to germs in public pools and water parks. A 2023 CDC report tracked over 200 pool-associated outbreaks from 2015 to 2019 across the U.S., affecting more than 3,600 people. These outbreaks included skin infections, respiratory issues, ear infections and gastrointestinal distress. Many of the outcomes from such infections are mild, but some can be serious.

    Germs and disinfectants

    Even in a pool that’s properly treated with chlorine, some pathogens can linger for minutes to days. One of the most common culprits is Cryptosporidium, a microscopic germ that causes watery diarrhea. This single-celled parasite has a tough outer shell that allows it to survive in chlorine-treated water for up to 10 days. It spreads when fecal matter — often from someone with diarrhea — enters the water and is swallowed by another swimmer. Even a tiny amount, invisible to the eye, can infect dozens of people.

    Showering before and after swimming in a public pool helps avoid both bringing in and taking out pathogens and body substances.
    Hafid Firman Syarif/iStock via Getty Images Plus

    Another common germ is Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a bacterium that causes hot tub rash and swimmer’s ear. Viruses like norovirus and adenovirus can also linger in pool water and cause illness.

    Swimmers introduce a range of bodily residues to the water, including sweat, urine, oils and skin cells. These substances, especially sweat and urine, interact with chlorine to form chemical byproducts called chloramines that may pose health risks.

    These byproducts are responsible for that strong chlorine smell. A clean pool should actually lack a strong chlorine odor, as well as any other smells, of course. It is a common myth that a strong chlorine smell is a good sign of a clean pool. In fact, it may actually be a red flag that means the opposite – that the water is contaminated and should perhaps be avoided.

    How to play it safe at a public pool

    Most pool-related risks can be reduced with simple precautions by both the pool staff and swimmers. And while most pool-related illnesses won’t kill you, no one wants to spend their vacation or a week of beautiful summer days in the bathroom.

    These 10 tips can help you avoid germs at the pool:

    • Shower before swimming. Rinsing off for at least one minute removes most dirt and oils on the body that reduce chlorine’s effectiveness.

    • Avoid the pool if you’re sick, especially if you have diarrhea or an open wound. Germs can spread quickly in water.

    • Try to keep water out of your mouth to minimize the risk of ingesting germs.

    • Don’t swim if you have diarrhea to help prevent the spread of germs.

    • If diagnosed with cryptosporidiosis, often called “crypto,” wait two weeks after diarrhea stops before returning to the pool.

    • Take frequent bathroom breaks. For children and adults alike, regular bathroom breaks help prevent accidents in the pool.

    • Check diapers hourly and change them away from the pool to prevent fecal contamination.

    • Dry your ears thoroughly after swimming to help prevent swimmer’s ear.

    • Don’t swim with an open wound – or at least make sure it’s completely covered with a waterproof bandage to protect both you and others.

    • Shower after swimming to remove germs from your skin.

    Lisa Cuchara is affiliated with American Society for Microbiology

    – ref. How germy is the public pool? An infectious disease expert weighs in on poop, pee and perspiration – and the deceptive smell of chlorine – https://theconversation.com/how-germy-is-the-public-pool-an-infectious-disease-expert-weighs-in-on-poop-pee-and-perspiration-and-the-deceptive-smell-of-chlorine-260996

    MIL OSI –

    July 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: I teach college and report on Colorado media — there should be more professors doing the same in other states

    Source: The Conversation – USA (2) – By Corey Hutchins, Manager, Colorado College Journalism Institute, Colorado College

    Newsletters that cover a state’s media landscape are few and far between, according to a new report. iStock / Getty Images Plus

    Over the years, the crisis facing local news has meant the disappearance of reporting on the arts, politics, sports and local government.

    Newspapers have disappeared from many local communities, and the ranks of individual local journalists have plummeted over the past two decades.

    The retrenchment has also led to a loss of something else: reporters and columnists at local news organizations who decades ago regularly focused on their local media as a beat.

    There are very few of them left.

    I’m an instructor at Colorado College, where I manage the Journalism Institute. I also compulsively keep track of our state’s shifting media landscape.

    Recently, I produced a nationwide study called “Local News as a Public Good: Increasing Visibility Through University-Led Statewide Newsletters.”

    The Center for Community News at the University of Vermont solicited and published the report. The goal was to find out who is doing similar work and where.

    The Center for Community News is interested in fostering partnerships between academic programs and local newsrooms. The center is also seeking to find other ways higher-ed institutions are supporting their state’s media ecosystem — so they were especially interested in media newsletters being produced at a college or university.

    Few state-based newsletters

    The problem is, there weren’t many to track. I found just six, including my own, while researching for the report.

    Very few states, it turns out, “have a dedicated publication, site, or newsletter that regularly and independently reports on and analyzes ongoing developments in the local media scene,” the report found.

    ‘Inside the News in Colorado’ is the author’s newsletter, in which he obsessively tracks the media landscape in Colorado.
    Corey Hutchins via Substack

    My own weekly Substack newsletter is called “Inside the News in Colorado.” Each week, I report on, comment on and analyze the goings on in Colorado’s media scene. I connect local developments to what’s happening nationally, and I explore what makes the state’s local news ecosystem unique.

    My newsletter also pokes and prods, critiques and uplifts, and seeks to spark debate and a better understanding about the practice of local journalism. And it maintains a weekly running tab on the health of the state’s media landscape.

    Other newsletters across the country include NC Local, authored by Catherine Komp. The Newsroom Digest, out of the Center for Cooperative Media at Montclair State University in New Jersey, is another. Gateway Journalism Review from Southern Illinois University Carbondale’s School of Journalism, in the College of Arts and Media made the list. And Media Nation by Northeastern University professor Dan Kennedy in Massachusetts is another.

    Kennedy has been producing Media Nation for more than 20 years and writes more about national media issues. But he mixes it with plenty of local and regional happenings.

    If someone were to, say, leak an internal email from The Boston Globe, it is likely they would do so with Media Nation.

    The NC Local newsletter’s format is a mix of digestible roundups and some original reporting.

    A recurring item titled “Well Done” offers “noteworthy work from the NC news & information ecosystem.” The most-clicked links each week tend to come from a bulletin board section where Komp rounds up job postings and opportunities.

    The chunky Newsroom Digest newsletter highlights notable local journalism in New Jersey. It comes with a “Media Moves” section that introduces its audience to new local journalists and tracks newsroom personnel changes.

    While they differ in style and delivery, each is filling a gap in coverage in their state or region by reporting on an important industry: their own.

    “When I was at the (Boston) Phoenix, I think all of us at the alternative press thought big local media were a powerful local institution that ought to be held to account just like big business and everything else,” Media Nation’s Kennedy said for the report.

    Where to house the news about the news?

    I believe colleges and universities make good places to produce these kinds of state-based media newsletters.

    Journalism departments in particular are likely equipped to run them, especially if they have practitioners on the faculty. They are outside of a state’s established media organizations but also adjacent to them.

    Richard Watts, the director of the Center for Community News, commissioned the “Local News as a Public Good” study. He says there are important reasons for more newsletters consistently reporting on local media in individual states.

    “They draw attention to the key role local news plays by writing about the stories and the impact of those stories,” he said. “They help amplify and they showcase the importance of the media ecosystem for a vibrant democracy.”

    Furthermore, such newsletters can serve as the “canary in the coal mine to draw attention to media platforms in trouble, or actions by unscrupulous owners,” Watts added. “And they can share ideas and best practices across the system to help strengthen individual media platforms. And, lastly, they help create a community of stakeholders committed to the importance of a free press.”

    To that end, the Center for Community News at the University of Vermont is looking to help anyone in a higher-ed program who might be interested in launching a state-based media newsletter.

    “I think a really good person to do something like this is, first, someone who is doing more than just reporting on the industry or ecosystem,” said Komp of NC Local in the Center for Community News study.

    “It does need to be somebody who is engaging with journalists, with publishers, with journalism educators, with students, with funders, in ways that are not just reporting on what’s happening but in ways that are looking to always find solutions and address challenges.”

    Read more of our stories about Colorado.

    Corey Hutchins consults for the Center for Community News at the University of Vermont where he is working on a project to help colleges and universities create state-based media newsletters.

    – ref. I teach college and report on Colorado media — there should be more professors doing the same in other states – https://theconversation.com/i-teach-college-and-report-on-colorado-media-there-should-be-more-professors-doing-the-same-in-other-states-260891

    MIL OSI –

    July 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Caution in the C-suite: How business leaders are navigating Trump 2.0

    Source: The Conversation – USA (2) – By Erran Carmel, Professor of Business, American University Kogod School of Business

    In the first months of Donald Trump’s second term as president, his policies – from sweeping tariffs and aggressive immigration enforcement to attacks on diversity, equity and inclusion – have thrown U.S. businesses into turmoil, leading to a 26-point decline in CEO confidence.

    Yet despite this volatility, many American corporations have remained notably restrained in their public responses.

    This might come as a surprise. After all, in recent decades, CEOs have become increasingly willing to speak out about social and political issues. But while some universities and law firms have publicly pushed back against the Trump administration, business leaders are seemingly opting for caution.

    What would it take for these titans of corporate America to speak out against Trump’s policies? We are a professor and a graduate student who study business, and back in 2018, one of us – Dr. Carmel – conducted an analysis asking this very question. More recently, we gathered new data looking at how business leaders are responding to Trump’s second term.

    The 2018 analysis, involving data from about 200 leading U.S. CEOs, found that most business leaders remained publicly neutral on Trump, and only a handful expressed strong opposition. Silence was often a strategic choice, with many leaders staying mum due to fear of retaliation. The evidence also suggested that Trump could one day cross a line that would prompt a broader CEO backlash.

    Seven years later, that line hasn’t yet appeared, even as Trump’s footprint on corporate America is now far more direct and substantial.

    Most notable are Trump’s tariffs, first announced in April 2025, which have roiled global markets and unnerved CEOs. And there are many other ripples: Some companies, such as CBS’ parent company, Paramount – which is seeking the Trump administration’s approval for a merger – have decided to self-censor. Others, including Disney and Meta, gave in to Trump’s lawsuits and paid multimillion-dollar settlements, against the counsel of many outside experts. CEOs also have to deal with the threat of backlash from both the right and left.

    Against this backdrop, we collected new public data to see how corporate leaders are responding to the second Trump administration. Just as in 2018, we examined the 232 companies that make up the Business Roundtable – a club of the most powerful American businesses.

    We assessed the actions that these companies took regarding DEI and whether they experienced any backlash. We focused on these criteria as a way to assess whether CEOs are seeking either to support or placate Trump, or to stand on other principles. We also collected other data, including public statements from CEOs and campaign donations.

    DEI as a bellwether

    Corporate DEI actions were an early, useful way to gauge a business’s stances, since, from the outset, the Trump administration identified DEI as a “scourge” to be eliminated. Although the White House’s anti-DEI directives have applied to the executive branch and federal contractors, some private businesses rushed to make changes as well.

    By May, just a bit over 100 days into Trump’s second term, a significant number of companies had decided to go along with Trump’s preferences. Sixty-nine of the 232 companies in the Business Roundtable rolled back their DEI initiatives in some way, while just 20 companies announced that they kept their DEI programs in place. There’s no information either way on the remaining 61% – likely because they decided it’s better to stay out of the news.

    DEI-related actions have tapered off since May, but there’s still an impact. For example, the Federal Communications Commission pressured T-Mobile to eliminate DEI. Only then was its merger approved.

    Companies that scaled back their DEI initiatives sometimes pointed to the political environment as a factor. Meta, for example, said in an internal memo that it was ending its DEI efforts due to a “shifting legal and policy landscape.” Other companies, including Verizon and Comcast, reportedly rolled back DEI programs because they feared legal action by the federal government.

    Some corporations announced changes through internal announcements, legal filings or quiet updates to their websites, suggesting they want to stay out of the media spotlight.

    A small number of Business Roundtable companies stood firm on their DEI policies – to mixed results. When Marriott’s CEO voiced support for DEI at a corporate leadership event, he reportedly received 40,000 appreciative emails from employees. On the other hand, after Coca-Cola reiterated its “commitment to sponsoring an inclusive workplace,” the right-wing activist Robby Starbuck — who The New York Times has described as “the anti-DEI agitator that companies fear most” – said Coca-Cola “should be very nervous about continuing with its woke policies.”

    Bracing for backlash

    Overall, 22% of Business Roundtable companies saw some sort of backlash to their actions. Most came from the political right: 36 companies were called out by conservatives, another eight by progressives, and eight more faced bipartisan backlash.

    With more than three years left in Trump’s second term, it’s worth asking what lies ahead. We think the most likely scenario is that companies will continue to try to stay off the president’s radar and placate him when they must. After all, following the split with Elon Musk, Trump quite explicitly threatened to use presidential powers to hurt Musk’s businesses. Any CEO gets the implications.

    While our analysis primarily focused on social issues, policies at the business core may push U.S. companies to confront Trump. Tariff policy is a prime example. Back in April, major retailers like Walmart quietly warned Trump that tariffs could lead to empty shelves and higher prices. More recently, the CEO of Goldman Sachs publicly warned that tariffs “have raised the level of uncertainty to a degree I do not think is healthy for investment and growth.”

    These are voices of criticism – but worded quite softly.

    The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Caution in the C-suite: How business leaders are navigating Trump 2.0 – https://theconversation.com/caution-in-the-c-suite-how-business-leaders-are-navigating-trump-2-0-260557

    MIL OSI –

    July 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: 2 ways cities can beat the heat: Which is best, urban trees or cool roofs?

    Source: The Conversation – USA (2) – By Ian Smith, Research Scientist in Earth & Environment, Boston University

    Trees like these in Boston can help keep neighborhoods cooler on hot days. Yassine Khalfalli/Unsplash, CC BY

    When summer turns up the heat, cities can start to feel like an oven, as buildings and pavement trap the sun’s warmth and vehicles and air conditioners release more heat into the air.

    The temperature in an urban neighborhood with few trees can be more than 10 degrees Fahrenheit (5.5 Celsius) higher than in nearby suburbs. That means air conditioning works harder, straining the electrical grid and leaving communities vulnerable to power outages.

    There are some proven steps that cities can take to help cool the air – planting trees that provide shade and moisture, for example, or creating cool roofs that reflect solar energy away from the neighborhood rather than absorbing it.

    But do these steps pay off everywhere?

    We study heat risk in cities as urban ecologists and have been exploring the impact of tree-planting and reflective roofs in different cities and different neighborhoods across cities. What we’re learning can help cities and homeowners be more targeted in their efforts to beat the heat.

    The wonder of trees

    Urban trees offer a natural defense against rising temperatures. They cast shade and release water vapor through their leaves, a process akin to human sweating. That cools the surrounding air and reduces afternoon heat.

    Adding trees to city streets, parks and residential yards can make a meaningful difference in how hot a neighborhood feels, with blocks that have tree canopies nearly 3 F (1.7 C) cooler than blocks without trees.

    Comparing maps of New York’s vegetation and temperature shows the cooling effect of parks and neighborhoods with more trees. In the map on the left, lighter colors are areas with fewer trees. Light areas in the map on the right are hotter.
    NASA/USGS Landsat

    But planting trees isn’t always simple.

    In hot, dry cities, trees often require irrigation to survive, which can strain already limited water resources. Trees must survive for decades to grow large enough to provide shade and release enough water vapor to reduce air temperatures.

    Annual maintenance costs – about US$900 per tree per year in Boston – can surpass the initial planting investment.

    Most challenging of all, dense urban neighborhoods where heat is most intense are often too packed with buildings and roads to grow more trees.

    How cool roofs can help on hot days

    Another option is “cool roofs.” Coating rooftops with reflective paint or using light-colored materials allows buildings to reflect more sunlight back into the atmosphere rather than absorbing it as heat.

    These roofs can lower the temperature inside an apartment building without air conditioning by about 2 to 6 F (1 to 3.3 C), and can cut peak cooling demand by as much as 27% in air-conditioned buildings, one study found. They can also provide immediate relief by reducing outdoor temperatures in densely populated areas. The maintenance costs are also lower than expanding urban forests.

    Two workers apply a white coating to the roof of a row home in Philadelphia.
    AP Photo/Matt Rourke

    However, like trees, cool roofs come with limits. Cool roofs work better on flat roofs than sloped roofs with shingles, as flat roofs are often covered by heat-trapping rubber and are exposed to more direct sunlight over the course of an afternoon.

    Cities also have a finite number of rooftops that can be retrofitted. And in cities that already have many light-colored roofs, a few more might help lower cooling costs in those buildings, but they won’t do much more for the neighborhood.

    By weighing the trade-offs of both strategies, cities can design location-specific plans to beat the heat.

    Choosing the right mix of cooling solutions

    Many cities around the world have taken steps to adapt to extreme heat, with tree planting and cool roof programs that implement reflectivity requirements or incentivize cool roof adoption.

    In Detroit, nonprofit organizations have planted more than 166,000 trees since 1989. In Los Angeles, building codes now require new residential roofs to meet specific reflectivity standards.

    In a recent study, we analyzed Boston’s potential to lower heat in vulnerable neighborhoods across the city. The results demonstrate how a balanced, budget-conscious strategy could deliver significant cooling benefits.

    For example, we found that planting trees can cool the air 35% more than installing cool roofs in places where trees can actually be planted.

    However, many of the best places for new trees in Boston aren’t in the neighborhoods that need help. In these neighborhoods, we found that reflective roofs were the better choice.

    By investing less than 1% of the city’s annual operating budget, about US$34 million, in 2,500 new trees and 3,000 cool roofs targeting the most at-risk areas, we found that Boston could reduce heat exposure for nearly 80,000 residents. The results would reduce summertime afternoon air temperatures by over 1 F (0.6 C) in those neighborhoods.

    While that reduction might seem modest, reductions of this magnitude have been found to dramatically reduce heat-related illness and death, increase labor productivity and reduce energy costs associated with building cooling.

    Not every city will benefit from the same mix. Boston’s urban landscape includes many flat, black rooftops that reflect only about 12% of sunlight, making cool roofs that reflect over 65% of sunlight an especially effective intervention. Boston also has a relatively moist growing season that supports a thriving urban tree canopy, making both solutions viable.

    Phoenix, left, already has a lot of light-colored roots, compared with Boston, right, where roofs are mostly dark.
    Imagery © Google 2025.

    In places with fewer flat, dark rooftops suitable for cool roof conversion, tree planting may offer more value. Conversely, in cities with little room left for new trees or where extreme heat and drought limit tree survival, cool roofs may be the better bet.

    Phoenix, for example, already has many light-colored roofs. Trees might be an option there, but they will require irrigation.

    Getting the solutions where people need them

    Adding shade along sidewalks can do double-duty by giving pedestrians a place to get out of the sun and cooling buildings. In New York City, for example, street trees account for an estimated 25% of the entire urban forest.

    Cool roofs can be more difficult for a government to implement because they require working with building owners. That often means cities need to provide incentives. Louisville, Kentucky, for example, offers rebates of up to $2,000 for homeowners who install reflective roofing materials, and up to $5,000 for commercial businesses with flat roofs that use reflective coatings.

    In Boston, planting trees, left, and increasing roof reflectivity, right, were both found to be effective ways to cool urban areas.
    Ian Smith et al. 2025

    Efforts like these can help spread cool roof benefits across densely populated neighborhoods that need cooling help most.

    As climate change drives more frequent and intense urban heat, cities have powerful tools for lowering the temperature. With some attention to what already exists and what’s feasible, they can find the right budget-conscious strategy that will deliver cooling benefits for everyone.

    Lucy Hutyra has received funding from the U.S. federal government and foundations including the World Resources Institute and Burroughs Wellcome Fund for her scholarship on urban climate and mitigation strategies. She was a recipient of a 2023 MacArthur Fellowship for her work in this area.

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

    – ref. 2 ways cities can beat the heat: Which is best, urban trees or cool roofs? – https://theconversation.com/2-ways-cities-can-beat-the-heat-which-is-best-urban-trees-or-cool-roofs-260188

    MIL OSI –

    July 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: How the nature of environmental law is changing in defense of the planet and the climate

    Source: The Conversation – USA (2) – By Dana Zartner, Professor of International Studies, University of San Francisco

    A 2017 New Zealand law recognizes inherent rights of the Whanganui River. Jason Pratt, CC BY-SA

    While the dangerous effects of climate change continue to worsen, legal efforts to address a range of environmental issues are also on the rise.

    Headlines across the globe tout many of these legal actions: South Korea’s Climate Law Violates Rights of Future Generations; Ukraine is Ground Zero in Battle for Ecocide Law; Paris Wants to Grant the River Seine Legal Personhood; and Montana Court Rules Children Have the Right to a Healthy Environment, to name a few recent examples.

    As an environmental lawyer, I see that most of these suits use one of five legal strategies that have been developed over the past couple of decades. These approaches vary in terms of who is filing the lawsuit, against whom, and whether the underlying legal perspective is based on protecting human rights or the rights of the environment itself. But they all share an innovative approach to protect all life on this planet.

    1. Right to a healthy environment

    In 2022, the United Nations declared that humans have “the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment … essential to protecting human life, well-being and dignity.” More than 150 countries have similar declarations in their constitutions or laws, often alongside protections for other human rights, such as those to education and medical care.

    These rights are held by humans, so people can sue for alleged violations. Typically they sue one or more government agencies, whose responsibility it is to protect human rights.

    One recent case using this approach was Held v. Montana, in which a group of young people in 2024 won a lawsuit against the state of Montana for violating the state constitution’s right to a “clean and healthful environment.” The state Supreme Court agreed with the plaintiffs and struck down a law barring the consideration of climate effects when evaluating proposals for fossil fuel extraction. Similar cases have been heard in the U.S. and other countries around the world.

    Rikki Held, the lead plaintiff in the Montana case, center seated, confers with the Our Children’s Trust legal team before the start of the trial on June 12, 2023.
    William Campbell/Getty Images

    2. The rights of future generations

    A legal concept called “intergenerational equity” is the idea that present generations must “responsibly use and conserve natural resources for the benefit of future generations.” First codified in international law in the 1972 Stockholm Declaration, the principle has been gaining popularity in recent decades. International organizations and national governments have enshrined this principle in law.

    Focused on humans’ rights, these laws allow people and groups to bring claims, usually against governments, for allowing activities that are altering the environment in ways that will harm future generations. One well-known case that relied on this legal principle is Future Generations v. Ministry of the Environment and Others, in which a Colombian court in 2018 agreed with young people who had sued, finding that the Colombian government’s allowance of “rampant deforestation in the Amazon” violated the pact of intergenerational equity.

    3. Government responsibility

    Another human-centered approach is the public trust doctrine, which establishes “that certain natural and cultural resources are preserved for public use” and that governments have a responsibility to protect them for everyone’s benefit.

    While the concept of “public trust” has long existed in the law, recently it has been used to bring suit against governments for their failure to address climate change and other environmental degradation. In Urgenda Foundation v. the State of the Netherlands, a Dutch court held in 2019 that the government has a responsibility to mitigate the effects of climate change due to the “severity of the consequences of climate change and the great risk of climate change occurring.” Since the decision, the Dutch government has sought to reduce emissions by phasing out the use of coal, increasing reliance on renewable energy and aiming to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.

    Government responsibility for the public trust was also a basis of the Juliana v. U.S. case, where a group of young people sued the U.S. government for breaching the public trust by not doing enough to curb greenhouse gas emissions. The U.S. Supreme Court ultimately declined to hear an appeal of a lower court’s ruling, but the lack of a specific ruling by the nation’s highest court has given continued hope to new cases, which continue to be filed based on the same principle.

    A documentary examining the movement to protect the rights of nature.

    4. Rights of nature

    The rights of nature is one of the fastest-growing environmental legal strategies of the past decade. Since Ecuador recognized the rights of Pachamama, the Quechua name for Mother Earth, in its Constitution in 2008, more than 500 laws on the rights of nature have been enacted around the world.

    The principle recognizes the legal rights of natural entities, such as rivers, mountains, ecosystems or even something as specific as wild rice. The laws that grant these rights don’t focus on humans but rather nature itself, often including language that the natural entity has the right to “exist and persist.”

    The laws then provide a mechanism for the natural entity – whether through a specific group assigned legal guardianship or other community efforts – to protect itself by filing lawsuits in court. In the 2018 Colombian case, the court found that the Amazon ecosystem has rights, which must be respected and protected.

    Similarly, in Bangladesh in 2019 the courts recognized the rights of all the country’s rivers, requiring, among other things, a halt on damaging development along the rivers that block their natural flow. The court also created a commission to serve as legal guardians of the country’s rivers.

    The destruction of a dam in Ukraine, which emptied this former reservoir, is being investigated as a possible crime of ecocide.
    Tarasov/Ukrinform/Future Publishing via Getty Images

    5. Defining a new crime: Ecocide

    In 2024, the governments of Vanuatu, Fiji and Samoa formally proposed that the international community recognize a new crime under international law. Called “ecocide,” the principle takes a nature-focused approach and includes any unlawful act committed with “the knowledge that there is a substantial likelihood of severe and either widespread or long-term damage to the environment.”

    Put another way, what genocide is to humans, ecocide is to nature. It is being proposed as an addition to the 2002 Rome Statute, which created the International Criminal Court to prosecute war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity.

    While the idea is relatively new, in addition to the international efforts, several countries have incorporated ecocide into their laws – including Vietnam, France, Chile and Ukraine. A Ukrainian prosecutor is currently investigating the June 2023 destruction of a dam in a Russian-occupied area of the country as a potential crime of ecocide, because of the widespread flooding and habitat destruction that resulted.

    The European Union has also incorporated ecocide into its Environmental Crime Directive, which applies to all EU member countries, providing them with a mechanism to hear ecocide claims in their national courts.

    Using these ideas

    Each of these legal concepts has the potential to increase protection for the environment – and the people who live in it. But determining which strategy has the greatest chance of success depends on the details of the existing law and legal system in each community.

    All of these legal strategies have a role in the fight to protect and preserve the environment as an integral, interdependent living thing that is vitally important to us as humans but also in its own right.

    Dana Zartner is a volunteer with the Earth Law Center assisting with the editing of toolkits and guides, but has not worked on any of its lawsuits.

    – ref. How the nature of environmental law is changing in defense of the planet and the climate – https://theconversation.com/how-the-nature-of-environmental-law-is-changing-in-defense-of-the-planet-and-the-climate-258982

    MIL OSI –

    July 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Trump has fired the head of the Library of Congress, but the 225-year-old institution remains a ‘library for all’ – so far

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Alex H. Poole, Associate Professor of Information Science, Drexel University

    The main reading room is seen at the Library of Congress on June 13, 2025, in Washington. Kevin Carter/Getty Images

    Carla Hayden, the 14th librarian of Congress, who has held the position since 2016, received an unexpected email on May 8, 2025.

    “Carla, on behalf of President Donald J. Trump, I am writing to inform you that your position as the Librarian of Congress is terminated effective immediately. Thank you for your service,” wrote Trent Morse, deputy director of presidential personnel at the White House.

    White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt later explained that Hayden, who was the first woman, Black person and professionally trained librarian to oversee the Library of Congress, had done “quite concerning things,” on the job, including “putting inappropriate books in the library for children.”

    Democratic politicians sharply criticized Hayden’s termination, saying the firing was unjust. It was actually about Trump punishing civil servants “who don’t bend to his every will,” New York Sen. Chuck Schumer said.

    An information science scholar, I have written extensively about the history of libraries and archives, including the Library of Congress. To fully understand the role Hayden played for the past nine years, I think it is important to understand what the Library of Congress does, and the overlooked and underappreciated role it has played in American life.

    Carla Hayden, the recently fired librarian of Congress, attends an event in March 2025 in Washington.
    Shannon Finney/Getty Images

    The Library of Congress’ work

    The Library of Congress is an agency that was first established, by an act of Congress, in 1800. The act provided for “the purchase of such books as may be necessary for the use of Congress at the said city of Washington, and for fitting up a suitable apartment for containing them.” Its chief librarian is appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate.

    The library has six buildings in Washington that hold a print and online collection of nearly 26 million books, as well as more than 136 million other items, including manuscripts, maps, sheet music and prints and photographs.

    It also houses historic documents, like Thomas Jefferson’s rough draft of the Declaration of Independence and James Madison’s notes on the 1787 Constitutional Convention.

    The library is the property of the American people. Anyone over the age of 16 with a government-issued photo identification can enter its buildings and read or view its materials on-site. The Library of Congress was partially designed as a research institution to suit the needs of members of Congress, and only Congress members can borrow items from the library and take them home.

    The Library of Congress has an annual budget of about US$900 million, with a staff of 3,263. In 2024, the library’s staff helped acquire 1,437,832 million new items, issue nearly 69,000 library cards and answer more than 764,000 reference requests, among other tasks.

    The library’s deep roots

    The library has evolved alongside the U.S. itself. Five years before the Constitutional Convention of 1787, future president James Madison called for a library to provide materials to help inform Congress and its members. In 1800, President John Adams signed a bill that established the institution, which began with a $5,000 government appropriation, equivalent to more than $127,000 today.

    The library’s first collection included 152 works in 740 volumes imported from England. It occupied a space in a Washington Senate office that measured just 22 feet by 34 feet.

    The British army torched the infant library and its collection that had grown to 3,000 books in 1814, during the War of 1812. In response, former president Thomas Jefferson sold his personal collection of 6,479 books to the library, which he called “unquestionably the choicest collection of books in the U.S.”

    Tragedy struck again in 1851, with a fire that incinerated two-thirds of the library’s 55,000 volumes, including most of Jefferson’s personal collection.

    The organization rebounded in the next few years, as it purchased the 40,000-volume Smithsonian library in 1866, among other new acquisitions.

    Ainsworth Spofford, the sixth librarian of Congress, boosted the library’s national image in the late 1800s when he tried to centralize the country’s patchwork copyright system.

    Spofford also successfully lobbied Congress to pass the Copyright Act of 1870, which stipulated that any party registering a work for copyright needed to deposit two copies of that work with the library.

    A growing place in American life

    As its collections burgeoned in both scale and scope in the latter part of the 19th century, the library assumed an increasingly visible role and became known by some as “the nation’s library.” By 1900, it had nearly 1 million printed books and other materials.

    The opening of a new library building in 1897, offering services to blind people with a designated reading room containing 500 raised character – or braille – books and music items, epitomized the library’s new status.

    President Theodore Roosevelt said in 1901 that the library was “the one national library of the United States” and that was “a unique opportunity to render to the libraries of this country – to American scholarship – service of the highest importance.”

    The library’s work, and global approach, continued to grow during the 20th century.

    By the late 1900s, the library held materials in more than 450 languages.

    It continued to add remarkable items to its collection, including a Gutenberg Bible, the first book printed in Europe from movable metal type, a kind of printing technology, in 1455.

    Documenting the evolution of democracy, the library also assumed stewardship of 23 presidents’ official papers, from George Washington to Calvin Coolidge, during this time frame.

    A public service

    While primarily designated a research institution for Congress, the library has also catered to a diverse range of patrons, including by mail and telephone.

    As one Science Digest writer noted in 1960, reference staff members fielded questions ranging from “What was the color of a mastodon’s eye?” to “How many words are there in the English language?” and “Could you suggest a name for twins?”

    The library’s register of copyrights received similarly diverse and even humorous inquiries. One older woman seeking to publish her poetry wrote in 1954 to request “a poetic license” to ensure her work conformed to the law.

    In the late 20th century, the library focused on a new democratic national and international mission, as it embraced a new role. Daniel Boorstin, the librarian from 1975 to 1987, termed that role a “multimedia encyclopedia.”

    A congressional resolution marking the Library of Congress’s bicentennial in 2000 noted that it was “the largest and most inclusive library in human history,” as it digitized its collections to extend its reach still further with the growth of the internet.

    As the library marks its 225th year, it continues to represent, as David Mearns, chief of the library’s manuscript division, said in 1947, “the American story.”

    The Thomas Jefferson Building of the Library of Congress is seen on June 11, 2025, in Washington.
    Kevin Carter/Getty Images

    A library for all

    Following Hayden’s dismissal, Trump appointed Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, his former personal lawyer, as acting librarian of Congress.

    Hayden has contended that her dismissal, which occurred alongside other firings of top civil servants, including the national archivist, represents a broad threat to people’s right to easily access free information.

    “Democracies are not to be taken for granted,” Hayden said in June. She explained in an interview with CBS that she never had a problem with a presidential administration and is not sure why she was dismissed.

    “And the institutions that support democracy should not be taken for granted,” Hayden added.

    In her final annual report as librarian, Hayden characterized the institution as “truly, a library for all.” So far, even without her leadership, it remains just that.

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

    – ref. Trump has fired the head of the Library of Congress, but the 225-year-old institution remains a ‘library for all’ – so far – https://theconversation.com/trump-has-fired-the-head-of-the-library-of-congress-but-the-225-year-old-institution-remains-a-library-for-all-so-far-257508

    MIL OSI –

    July 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Ozzy Osbourne’s spirit of defiance changed music forever

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Douglas Schulz, Lecturer in Sociology and Criminology, University of Bradford

    Ozzy Osbourne’s death is not just the passing of another rock star. It marks the end of an era – the fading of a figure who helped shape an entire music genre and subculture.

    Both as a member of Black Sabbath and as a solo artist, Osbourne’s legacy lies not only in music history but how we understand performance, rebellion, and the expressive power of sound itself.

    Despite a long battle with Parkinson’s disease and several health setbacks over the years, the news of his death was a shock to the whole metal community. Just weeks before his death on July 22, Osbourne delivered his final performance with Black Sabbath in the place it all began – Villa Park in Birmingham.

    In the hours following the announcement of his death, countless bands and musicians flooded their social media channels to pay their respects.

    Osbourne’s life was a testament to reinvention, grit, and the power of artistic authenticity – going from a working-class kid in Aston to the biggest name in heavy metal, writing the soundtrack to so many people’s lives. His distinctive voice, theatrical presence, and sheer will and determination shaped heavy metal music – inspiring generations of musicians and fans.

    Looking for something good? Cut through the noise with a carefully curated selection of the latest releases, live events and exhibitions, straight to your inbox every fortnight, on Fridays. Sign up here.

    When Black Sabbath emerged in the early 1970s, they played a role in making rock music more menacing, grittier and heavier. The Birmingham band didn’t just turn up the amplifiers and played louder guitars – they introduced a new aesthetic. They were known for their doomy riffs and lyrics about war, madness and the occult. Osbourne, with his uncanny voice and stage presence, was at the front and centre.

    This sound was destined to become the blueprint for heavy metal. But Osbourne’s contribution went beyond his voice. He gave the genre its face, theatricality – and above all, its spirit of defiance.

    Whether he was biting off the head of a bat on stage, stumbling through reality television with absurd but relatable quotes, or delivering genre-defining performances, Osbourne embodied contradictions. He was a mix of menace and mischief, tragedy and comedy, myth and man.

    Heavy metal music has existed in tension with mainstream culture ever since its emergence in the UK in the late 1960s. It has been regarded as too aggressive, too loud, too weird. But Osbourne’s presence forced metal into the public discourse – whether through moral panics in the 1970s and ’80s, or through his television appearances in the 2000s. The Osbournes, a reality show following the family which aired on MTV, was a huge hit in the US and around the world, making Ozzy famous to a whole new audience.

    Throughout his long career, Osbourne helped shift heavy metal from the margins into the mainstream, without ever diluting its transgressive edge.

    A symbol of inspiration

    Osbourne’s stage persona carved out space for other artists to follow. His willingness to be ridiculous, to speak openly about his addictions, health struggles and family dysfunction made him oddly relatable. It is that relatability that allowed Osbourne to be metal’s court jester and elder statesman in one.

    Over time, bands like Slipknot, Ghost, Sleep Token, as well as more introspective bands like Deftones or Gojira, owe much to the groundwork Osbourne and Black Sabbath laid: a template for authenticity, theatricality, and emotional openness wrapped in spectacle and distortion. They helped define the core rhythms, riffs, themes and aesthetics that generations of metal bands followed.

    But Osbourne’s cultural influence cannot be measured only in record sales (although those were plenty), Grammy wins, or his induction into the US Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. His influence lies in how his image, sound and attitude reshaped music scenes across continents.

    In countries where metal is censored or underground, Osbourne was a symbol of resistance. In places where metal was accepted, he was the genre’s most unpredictable ambassador.

    The Prince of Darkness, as he was known, may have left the stage but his legacy will live on. His music is still looped on Tiktok videos, and memes still make rounds on social media.

    Young metal-heads will continue to emulate his style and irreverence. As long as people pick up guitars and look for a way to scream back at the world, Ozzy will be there – in spirit, in sound, and in spectacle.

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

    – ref. Ozzy Osbourne’s spirit of defiance changed music forever – https://theconversation.com/ozzy-osbournes-spirit-of-defiance-changed-music-forever-261775

    MIL OSI –

    July 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Agricultural cooperatives in Senegal: Driving the sector’s modernization

    Source: APO


    .

    With an agricultural sector that employs more than 909,000 households, according to ANSD, organizing Senegal’s producers into well-equipped, operational cooperatives is a key lever for achieving the goals of the Senegal Vision 2050.

    The West Africa Competitiveness Programme in Senegal (PACAO-Senegal) serves as a relevant model as it supported the creation or compliance of 29 cooperative societies as well as strengthened their managerial and organizational capacities. Together, these cooperatives bring together over 545 producer organizations active in the mango and onion value chains. 

    Among these 29 cooperatives, the Cooperative Society for Support to Production, Processing, and Marketing (SCAPTC) of Pout (Thiès) perfectly illustrates the impact of this support.

    Created in 2021, the Cooperative SCAPTC covers four municipalities in the Thiès region (Pout, Diander, Keur Moussa, and Moroland) and brings together almost 2,940 members, including 20 producer organizations and over 20 individuals. Specializing in onion production, the cooperative was born from an urgent need to structure and professionalize producers who previously worked in a scattered manner, without coordination or appropriate management tools.

    Doudou Diop, President of the Board of Directors of the SCAPTC, recalls the difficult beginnings: “Before our cooperative society was born, our groups were not even structured. We didn’t have statutes or internal regulations. We each worked on our own, without a common strategy.”

    With support from PACAO-Senegal, SCAPTC benefited from training in financial management, leadership, conflict resolution, and strategic planning, which enabled its members to transform an informal structure into a high-performing, sustainable organization.

    Mamadou Lèye, a doctoral student in applied physics at Cheikh Anta Diop University committed to agriculture, combines his studies with farm work and serves as the Secretary General of SCAPTC. He says: “We learned to manage our cooperative like a business. We now organize our meetings efficiently, manage our finances rigorously, and resolve internal conflicts constructively. All these skills, acquired through PACAO-Senegal’s support, are key to our success.”

    Today, SCAPTC is cited as an example in the region for its rigorous management and effective organization. “Other cooperatives and even the supervising ministry send experts to study our model and draw inspiration from it,” adds Mamadou Lèye proudly.

    Amy Ndiaye, hired by PACAO-Senegal as a community development officer, confirms this transformation: “Meetings are held regularly, the General Assembly is organized every year, and members have become autonomous in managing their activities. SCAPTC has become a benchmark model in the region.”

    The members of SCAPTC have improved their yields and incomes. “Today, we have full control of our activity from A to Z, from production to marketing. It has changed our lives,” says Doudou Diop.

    From informal to a benchmark model, SCAPTC illustrates the transformative potential of cooperative societies. Thanks to targeted support, they become frameworks for structuring, formalizing, and strengthening agricultural value chains, thereby contributing to achieving the goals of Senegal Vision 2050.

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of International Trade Centre.

    MIL OSI Africa –

    July 23, 2025

  • Over 2.22 crore SC students benefitted from scholarships in last 5 years: Centre

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The Union government on Wednesday informed Parliament that more than 2.22 crore Scheduled Caste students have received scholarships over the past five years under two key central schemes aimed at promoting higher education among disadvantaged communities.

    In a written reply during the ongoing Monsoon Session of Parliament, Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Ramdas Athawale said that 2,22,31,139 SC students benefitted from the Post Matric Scholarship (PMS) Scheme, while 20,340 others received assistance under the Top-Class Education Scheme.

    Athawale said that the financial assistance has helped reduce the economic burden on SC families, enabling students to access quality education and improve their academic prospects.

    He noted that beneficiaries have enrolled in premier institutions across the country, including Indian Institute of Technology (IITs), Indian Institute of Management (IIMs), Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIITs), All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), National Institute of Technology (NITs), National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), National Institute of Design (NIDs), Institute of Hotel Management (IHMs) and National Law University (NLUs).

    “These schemes have contributed significantly to enhancing the educational standard of SC students and promoting socio-economic mobility by addressing both economic and social disadvantages,” the minister added.

    July 23, 2025

  • Govt clears six semiconductor projects worth ₹1.55 lakh crore, over 27,000 jobs on cards

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The Centre has so far approved six semiconductor manufacturing projects, entailing a cumulative investment of around ₹1.55 lakh crore. These are expected to generate over 27,000 direct jobs, the Parliament was informed on Wednesday.

    Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Jitin Prasada said the approvals are part of the government’s ₹76,000-crore ‘Semicon India Programme’, aimed at building a semiconductor and display manufacturing ecosystem in the country.

    “Semiconductor manufacturing is a highly specialised industry involving complex processes. Most of the jobs created are skilled roles,” Prasada said in a written reply. He added that the sector, being foundational, is likely to have a cascading impact on employment across other industries and supply chains.

    As part of the Design Linked Incentive (DLI) scheme, fiscal support has been extended to 22 approved startups and MSMEs. Of these, three design companies are based in Telangana, where 11 others have received design infrastructure support. Additionally, 22 institutes in the state are being supported under the Chips to Startup (C2S) programme, with six receiving financial assistance.

    Tamil Nadu also has three approved companies under the DLI scheme, while six firms have received design infrastructure support.

    The C2S programme targets the development of 85,000 skilled professionals in the semiconductor sector. So far, over 45,000 students from 100 institutions have enrolled. The government is providing engineering colleges with design tools and software to support chip design training.

    In 2022, the Skilled Manpower Advanced Research and Training (SMART) Lab was set up at NIELIT Calicut, with the goal of training one lakh engineers. Over 42,000 engineers have been trained so far, the minister said.

    The government is also working with global industry and academic partners including Lam Research, IBM, and Purdue University to build capacity in chip design and manufacturing.

    IANS

    July 23, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: How can we harness AI to tackle the complexity of disaster risk?

    Source: UNISDR Disaster Risk Reduction

    To say that artificial intelligence will reshape the way we live and work is to state the obvious. However, reflecting on its promise and perils for one’s own area of work is quite another matter.

    Earlier this month I had the opportunity to participate in the ITU-hosted ‘AI for Good’ summit in Geneva, where during several sessions we explored the many ways that generative, predictive and integrated AI promises a vast range of benefits for disaster risk reduction and disaster response. Later, in New York, I joined a discussion with students, academics and practitioners at Columbia University’s National Centre for Disaster Preparedness, where I was struck – and greatly encouraged – by the focus on building multidisciplinary approaches to managing increasingly complex and systemic risks.

    What stayed with me was the sense of convergence: the technological leaps in AI are rising to match the complexity of systemic risk.

    Below are five reflections on how we might use AI not only to do more, but to do better.

    One: Let’s start by asking the right questions

    The need for deeper and greater dialogue between producers of solutions and users of such solutions is nothing new – but with AI tools the stakes may be higher, and the opportunities more available.

    Problems once deemed intractable – those requiring swift analysis of vast and varied data drawn from scattered sources – are now within reach. But we need to be prudent in how we allocate our resources towards these new possibilities.

    We could use the new tools to build an AI-based epidemiological model for earthquakes that very rapidly estimates the type and quantum of search-and-rescue and medical needs after a seismic event. We may be able to develop faster ways of alerting lightning-strike-prone communities ahead of electrical storms. We could find ways to rapidly identify sources and control the spread of misinformation to avoid panic during an emergency.

    To decide how and where we employ our new AI toolkits, we must articulate the demand from both disaster risk reduction practitioners and at-risk communities, and prioritize the problems that matter most. 

    Two: We must redefine disaster risk governance for the AI era

    Our systems of risk governance were born in a simpler time, so we need to retrofit them for an AI-enabled future. Machine learning and artificial intelligence are not only going to redefine traditional professions – but also traditional institutions.

    For example, at present, the formal institutions of the state have the authority to issue alerts and ask people to evacuate in the wake of an impending cyclone. We are already beginning to see situations where competing sources of information are sometimes more agile, more nimble, and more accurate. Such developments are likely to displace the traditional state institutions that have the sole authority for actions such as evacuating people in the face of an impending hazardous event. We are going to need to find ways to ensure that decisions are streamlined, but institutional accountability remains in place.

    Authorities must still be held responsible for taking the best possible decisions – whether those decisions are made in data-constrained or data-rich environments. We need to remember that AI is no more than a tool to help us do our jobs better.

    Three: AI will become critical infrastructure

    Yes – AI holds great promise for disaster risk reduction, and for just about every other sector, in many cases being put to good use keeping complex systems flowing smoothly. 

    We need to remember that AI itself relies on infrastructure – data centres, energy infrastructure, digital connectivity infrastructure – and this too needs to be resilient to physical hazards and climate risk. AI infrastructure is growing rapidly, spanning multiple geographies across the world. As a result, it will inevitably be exposed to a range of hazards – many of them increasingly frequent and intense. 

    We must make sure that we plan, locate, design and build AI infrastructure to manage these risks – now and into the future. As we inevitably rely more on AI systems to manage disaster risks, if compromised by disasters, these systems could trigger complex cascading risks leading to potentially catastrophic systemic failure.

    This infrastructure brings sustainability challenges, and, if unmanaged, will create new risks. Data centres consume huge amounts of power and water. As demand for AI grows, we’ll need more investment in green computing and low-resource solutions – including safeguards so that the environmental costs don’t fall on those already bearing the heaviest burdens.

    Four: It’s time to rethink disaster education for an AI era

    Over the past two decades formal disaster risk reduction education has expanded rapidly. 

    In India alone more than two dozen universities or colleges offer Masters’ degrees in disaster risk management. But many of the subjects taught – like multi-sectoral policy analysis for disaster risk reduction; hazard, vulnerability and risk assessment; disaster risk reduction planning; early warning systems – are likely to increasingly be performed by AI. Such programmes will need to equip students to use new tools, and adapt further to future developments.

    These skills must be taught not only at elite institutions – to avoid knowledge inequality we must make sure that access is widespread. This is part of a much broader challenge – those communities that stand to gain the most from AI are those that are currently least served: lacking in connectivity, living in data-poor zones, and whose voices are unrepresented and ignored.

    There are emerging initiatives for public-good AI models that are trained to serve priority needs in vulnerable regions, and these must be supported and encouraged so we can fill those gaps.

    Five: We must keep risk knowledge grounded in people

    There is a deeper issue: If there is one single learning from the practice of disaster risk reduction over the last three decades, it is that disaster risk is socially constructed.

    It’s the behaviour of human beings in social, economic, political and cultural spheres that leads to accumulation of risk in a society. To date the AI use cases for disaster risk reduction are heavily loaded towards understanding, observing and predicting hazards. At best they are focused on forecasting the impacts based on the people, capital assets and economic activity in the path of hazards and how vulnerable they are. It stops well short of helping us understand why they are where they are and why they are fragile in the first place.

    If we are going to use AI to foster the agency of individuals, persons, households, communities, and local governments to take actions that reduce risk – we must target not just short term actions but also long-term development choices. AI can only work with the data it’s given, and risk is often under-represented or misrepresented in marginalized areas. This is both a technical and a social issue: we must make sure that community-generated data feeds into AI-supported solutions, and that all people are given agency to act – and not just to be analyzed.

    We must find ways to use AI to support deeper transformations in our society that lower risk and build resilience for all. If we fail to do this our efforts will be focused largely on more efficient band-aids.

    AI opens up powerful new possibilities for disaster risk reduction. But real progress won’t come from algorithms alone. It will come from asking better questions, forging stronger partnerships, and keeping justice, equity, and long-term resilience at the core of our innovation.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

    July 23, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Feeling the Heat: Perseverance Looks for Evidence of Contact Metamorphism 

    Source: NASA

    Written by Melissa Rice, Professor of Planetary Science at Western Washington University

    Following a short break for the July 4th holiday, Perseverance drove westward to a site called “Westport,” where the clay-bearing “Krokodillen” unit meets an olivine-bearing rock formation. It is possible that the olivine-rich rocks are an intrusive igneous unit, meaning they could have formed when molten magma from deep within Mars got pushed upwards and cooled under the surface. If that’s the case, Westport could preserve a dramatic moment in Mars’ history when hot, molten material intruded into existing rock formations.  
    Those intrusive processes are common on Earth, and the heat of the intruding magma can fundamentally alter the surrounding geology through a process called “contact metamorphism.” The heat from the intrusion will “bake” nearby rocks, creating new minerals and potentially new environments for microbial life. Conversely, the intrusive rocks get rapidly “chilled” where they meet preexisting solid rock formations. 
    At Westport, Perseverance is looking for evidence that the Krokodillen rocks at the contact were baked, and that the olivine-bearing rocks at the contact were chilled. Images from the Mastcam-Z instrument reveal that the contact is littered with intriguing dark, rubbly rocks alongside lighter-toned, smooth boulders. Both rock types are proving challenging to study. 
    The dark fragments are too small and rough for Perseverance’s standard abrasion techniques, but the rover cleared off the surface of a rock called “Holyrood Bay” with its gas Dust Removal Tool (gDRT). Perseverance also tried to abrade a nearby boulder named “Drake’s Point,” but the rock shifted to the side, causing the abrasion to stop short. The science questions here are compelling enough, however, that Perseverance will keep trying to look within the rocks at this important boundary. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 23, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: NASA eClips STEM Student Ambassadors Light Up CNU’s 2025 STEM Community Day

    Source: NASA

    More than 2,000 curious visitors from Newport News and the surrounding Hampton Roads region of Virginia flocked to Christopher Newport University (CNU) on May 31, 2025 for their annual STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, & Mathematics) Community Day, and the NASA eClips team from the National Institute of Aerospace’s Center for Integrative STEM Education (NIA-CISE) made sure every one of them left with their eyes—and imaginations—fixed on the Sun.
    At the heart of the NASA eClips exhibit were NIA’s STEM Student Ambassadors—a team of carefully selected high school students from the Tidewater region of Virginia who underwent extensive training with NASA eClips educators during the summer of 2024. These bright, enthusiastic young leaders are passionate about communicating about and advocating for STEM. The STEM Student Ambassador program is made possible through a Coastal Virginia STEM Hub grant from the Virginia General Assembly and is already having an impact.
    Throughout the day, the Ambassadors engaged learners of all ages with two creative, hands-on experiences that connected STEM and the arts:

    Chalk Corona – Using black construction paper and vibrant chalk, participants recreated the Sun’s corona—the super-hot, gaseous “crown” that’s visible during a total solar eclipse. While they shaded and smudged, the Ambassadors explained why the corona is so important to solar research and handed out certified solar viewers for safe Sun-watching back home.
    Pastel Auroras – Visitors also discovered how solar wind, storms, and coronal mass ejections (aka Sun “sneezes”) spark Earth’s dazzling auroras. Guided by the Ambassadors, budding artists layered pastels to capture swirling curtains of light, tying recent mid-Atlantic aurora sightings to real-time space weather.

    Throughout the day, the Ambassadors’ energy was contagious, turning complex heliophysics into hands-on fun and opening eyes to the opportunities and careers that await in STEM. Judging by the smiles—and the dusting of chalk and pastels—NASA eClips’ presence was, quite literally, the “crowning” touch on an unforgettable community celebration of STEM.
    The NASA eClips project provides educators with standards-based videos, activities, and lessons to increase STEM literacy through the lens of NASA. It is supported by NASA under cooperative agreement award number NNX16AB91A and is part of NASA’s Science Activation Portfolio. Learn more about how Science Activation connects NASA science experts, real content, and experiences with community leaders to do science in ways that activate minds and promote deeper understanding of our world and beyond: https://science.nasa.gov/learn

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 23, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Stay in Touch with FEMA and SBA to Keep Recovery on Track

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: Stay in Touch with FEMA and SBA to Keep Recovery on Track

    Stay in Touch with FEMA and SBA to Keep Recovery on Track

    ST

    LOUIS – If you have applied for help after recent disasters in Missouri, stay in touch with FEMA and the U

    S

    Small Business Administration about your on-going recovery needs

    Helpful Tips: Read your letter from FEMA carefully

    Provide contractor estimates for disaster-related repairs

    Must include the contractor’s contact information

    When contacting FEMA, provide your nine-digit FEMA registration ID number

    Keep receipts for disaster-related purchases (items to make repairs to home, hotel receipts, etc

    )

    Contact FEMA if your current housing situation, phone number, or mailing address have changed

     You can stay in touch with FEMA by visiting DisasterAssistance

    gov, calling the FEMA Helpline at 1-800-621-3362, or visiting a Disaster Recovery Center

    Visit a Disaster Recovery CenterLOCATIONSHOURS OF OPERATIONUnion Tabernacle M

    B

    Church626 N

    Newstead Ave

    St

    Louis, MO 63108Monday-Friday: 8 a

    m

    -7 p

    m

    Saturday: 9 a

    m

    -4 p

    m

     Sunday: ClosedUrban League Entrepreneurship and Women’s Business Center 4401 Natural Bridge Ave

    St

    Louis, MO 63115Monday-Friday: 8 a

    m

    -7 p

    m

    Saturday: 9 a

    m

    -4 p

    m

     Sunday: ClosedSumner High School — Parking Lot4248 Cottage Ave

    St

    Louis, MO 63113Monday-Friday: 8 a

    m

    -7 p

    m

    Saturday: 9 a

    m

    -4 p

    m

     Sunday: ClosedSt

    Louis County LibraryMid-County Branch7821 Maryland Ave

    Clayton, MO 63105Tuesday-Thursday: 8 a

    m

    -7 p

    m

    Closing Permanently: Thursday, July 24St

    Louis County LibraryPrairie Commons Branch915 Utz Ln

    Hazelwood, MO 63042Tuesday-Thursday:  8 a

    m

    -7 p

    m

    Closing Permanently: Thursday, July 24U

    S

    Small Business Administration (SBA) CentersIf you do not qualify for FEMA assistance, or to supplement FEMA assistance, a disaster loan from the SBA may be available

    SBA’s Business Recovery Centers and Disaster Loan Outreach Centers serve as a one-stop shop for disaster assistance

    These centers provide in-person support with SBA disaster loan applications, help applicants check their loan status, and offer guidance on funds available to businesses, nonprofits, homeowners, and renters impacted in a declared disaster area

    SBA representatives are also in all Disaster Recovery Centers

    LOCATIONSHOURS OF OPERATIONSBA Business Recovery CenterSt

    Louis Community College – Harrison Education Center3140 Cass Ave

     St

    Louis, MO 63106Monday-Friday: 8:30 a

    m

    -6:30 p

    m

    Saturday and Sunday: ClosedSBA Disaster Loan Outreach CenterSt

    Louis County Library – Florissant Valley Branch195 S New Florissant Rd

     Florissant, MO 63031Monday-Thursday: 9 a

    m

    -6 p

    m

    Friday and Saturday: 9 a

    m

    -5 p

    m

     Sunday: ClosedSBA Disaster Loan Outreach CenterSt

    Louis County Library – Mid-County Branch7821 Maryland Ave

    Clayton, MO 63105Opening Friday, July 25Monday-Thursday: 9 a

    m

    -6 p

    m

    Friday: 9 a

    m

    -5 p

    m

     Saturday: 9 a

    m

    -4 p

    m

    Sunday: Closed Important Deadline – March 14-15 Missouri DisasterHomeowners and renters affected by the March 14-15 disaster in Bollinger, Butler, Camden, Carter, Franklin, Howell, Iron, Jefferson, Oregon, Ozark, Perry, Phelps, Reynolds, Ripley, St

    Louis, Wayne, Webster and Wright counties may be eligible

    The deadline to apply for FEMA Individual Assistance is July 22, 2025

    Important Deadline – May 16 Missouri DisasterHomeowners and renters affected by the May 16 disaster in St

    Louis City, St

    Louis County and Scott County may also be eligible

    The deadline to apply for FEMA Individual Assistance is August 11, 2025

    You can still ask for additional assistance, as long as you submit an initial application before the deadline

    sara

    zuckerman
    Tue, 07/22/2025 – 20:04

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 23, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: NASA Challenge Wraps, Student Teams Complete Space Suit Challenges

    Source: NASA

    After months of work in the NASA Spacesuit User Interface Technologies for Students (SUITS) challenge, more than 100 students from 12 universities across the United States traveled to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston to showcase potential user interface designs for future generations of spacesuits and rovers.  
    NASA Johnson’s simulated Moon and Mars surface, called “the rock yard,” became the students’ testing ground as they braved the humid nights and abundance of mosquitoes to put their innovative designs to the test. Geraldo Cisneros, the tech team lead, said, “This year’s SUITS challenge was a complete success. It provided a unique opportunity for NASA to evaluate the software designs and tools developed by the student teams, and to explore how similar innovations could contribute to future, human-centered Artemis missions. My favorite part of the challenge was watching how the students responded to obstacles and setbacks. Their resilience and determination were truly inspiring.”

    Students filled their jam-packed days not only with testing, but also with guest speakers and tours. Swastik Patel from Purdue University said, “All of the teams really enjoyed being here, seeing NASA facilities, and developing their knowledge with NASA coordinators and teams from across the nation. Despite the challenges, the camaraderie between all the participants and staff was very helpful in terms of getting through the intensity. Can’t wait to be back next year!”

    “This week has been an incredible opportunity. Just seeing the energy and everything that’s going on here was incredible. This week has really made me reevaluate a lot of things that I shoved aside. I’m grateful to NASA for having this opportunity, and hopefully we can continue to have these opportunities.”  
    At the end of test week, each student team presented their projects to a panel of experts. These presentations served as a platform for students to showcase not only their technical achievements but also their problem-solving approaches, teamwork, and vision for real-world application. The panel–composed of NASA astronaut Deniz Burnham, Flight Director Garrett Hehn, and industry leaders–posed thought-provoking questions and offered constructive feedback that challenged the students to think critically and further refine their ideas. Their insights highlighted potential areas for growth, new directions for exploration, and ways to enhance the impact of their projects. The students left the session energized and inspired, brimming with new ideas and a renewed enthusiasm for future development and innovation. Burnham remarked, “The students did such a great job. They’re all so creative and wonderful, definitely something that can be implemented in the future.” 

    NASA SUITS test week was not only about pushing boundaries; it was about earning a piece of history. Three Artemis Student Challenge Awards were presented. The Innovation and Pay it Forward awards were chosen by the NASA team, recognizing the most groundbreaking and impactful designs. Students submitted nominations for the Artemis Educator Award, celebrating the faculty member who had a profound influence on their journeys. The Innovation Award went to Team JARVIS from Purdue University and Indiana State University, for going above and beyond in their ingenuity, creativity, and inventiveness. Team Selene from Midwestern State University earned the Pay it Forward Award for conducting meaningful education events in the community and beyond. The Artemis Educator Award was given to Maggie Schoonover from Wichita State University in Kansas for the time, commitment, and dedication she gave to her team.
    “The NASA SUITS challenge completes its eighth year in operation due to the generous support of NASA’s EVA and Human Surface Mobility Program,” said NASA Activity Manager Jamie Semple. “This challenge fosters an environment where students learn essential skills to immediately enter a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) career, and directly contribute to NASA mission operations. These students are creating proposals, generating designs, working in teams similar to the NASA workforce, utilizing artificial intelligence, and designing mission operation solutions that could be part of the Artemis III mission and beyond. NASA’s student design challenges are an important component of STEM employment development and there is no better way to learn technical skills to ensure future career success.”
    The week serves as a springboard for the next generation of space exploration, igniting curiosity, ambition, and technical excellence among young innovators. By engaging with real-world challenges and technologies, participants not only deepen their understanding of space science but also actively contribute to shaping its future. Each challenge tackled, each solution proposed, and each connection formed represents a meaningful step forward; not just for the individuals involved, but for humanity as a whole. With every iteration of the program, the dream of venturing further into space becomes more tangible, transforming what once seemed like science fiction into achievable milestones.
    Are you interested in joining the next NASA SUITS challenge? Find more information here.
    The next challenge will open for proposals at the end of August 2025.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    July 23, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Hong Kong Heritage Museum welcomes its 15 000 000th visitor and launches its 25th anniversary exhibition (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

         Established in 2000, the Hong Kong Heritage Museum (HKHM) of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department enters its 25th anniversary this year. Today (July 23), the HKHM welcomed its 15 000 000th visitor since its inauguration. The Director of Leisure and Cultural Services, Ms Manda Chan, presented a gift pack to the visitor. The HKHM has also launched a commemorative exhibition to celebrate its silver jubilee.

    The 15 000 000th visitor of the HKHM is Ms Sun from Guangzhou, who is visiting the HKHM for the first time with her husband and daughter. She is a fan of Jin Yong’s novels and Hong Kong television dramas, so she specially came to visit the Jin Yong Gallery. The museum arranged special souvenirs for them.

         In celebration of the silver jubilee, “Together We Inspire: Celebrating the 25th Anniversary of the Hong Kong Heritage Museum” will be held from today until February 23 next year, providing visitors with the background of HKHM’s establishment, its past exhibitions and core collections.

         The exhibition features around 20 items/sets of exhibits selected from the museum’s collection, showcasing Hong Kong’s cultural diversity. The exhibits include the 120-year-old Hakka wedding palanquin that portrays the marriage customs of Hakka villagers in the New Territories; the Haiqing costume with hand-painted peony and peacock patterns in the 1910s to 1920s, which is a masterpiece of exquisite craftsmanship among early Cantonese opera costumes; and the ceramic work “Yuanyang Café” that creates a nostalgic atmosphere of traditional-style cafés. The trophy posthumously presented to Anita Mui for the Timeless Artistic Achievement Award of the 23rd Hong Kong Film Awards, which is one of the essential collections in the field of Hong Kong pop culture at the museum, will also be displayed.
     
         In addition, the HKHM will organise the 25th anniversary fun day on November 15 and 16, offering a series of free programmes, including a night at the museum with Cantonese music, a pre-show sharing session on “Kung Fu Artistry – Bruce Lee’s No Way as Way”, treasure hunt games, ink art improvisation workshops, patterned band weaving workshops, and a talk on the development and history of public museums in Hong Kong, to provide visitors with an extraordinary museum experience.

         As a comprehensive museum, the HKHM has organised more than 200 exhibitions over the years, spanning history, art, and local culture. In recent years, the museum has also focused on presenting exhibitions and programmes related to Hong Kong pop culture, such as special exhibitions about legendary stars like Leslie Cheung and Anita Mui, which have been well received. Apart from local visitors, the HKHM also attracted tourists. In the year, around 30 per cent of the visitors were from the Mainland and overseas.

        The HKHM will present a series of exciting exhibitions and events in the second half of the year. These include an exhibition commemorating the 120th anniversary of the birth of Professor Chao Shao-an, the master of Lingnan School of Painting, as well as performances and activities celebrating the 85th anniversary of the birth of Bruce Lee, the internationally famous martial arts superstar. For details of the latest exhibition information, please visit the website hk.heritage.museum/en/web/hm/highlights.html, or the Instagram page www.instagram.com/heritagemuseum.hk.

                     

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    July 23, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ2: Increasing Government revenue from land premium

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

    Following is a question by the Hon Rock Chen and a reply by the Acting Secretary for Development, Mr David Lam, in the Legislative Council today (July 23):
     
    Question:
     
    Land premium is one of the major revenue sources of the Government. However, there are views pointing out that the current high inventory of new private residential units has reduced developers’ willingness to bid for land, apply for payment of land premium and redevelop old buildings. This has led to significant fluctuations in public finances. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
     
    (1) whether it will consider introducing targeted measures to lower the initial investment costs for developers’ projects, e.g. enhancing the additional conditions for land sales and splitting up sites for sale, etc, as well as stepping up publicity to attract more local and overseas developers to invest in land, thereby increasing the revenue from land premium; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
     
    (2) whether it will re-launch the “Application List” system (i.e. the Government puts land up for sale hinges on whether there is any developer triggers a certain piece of land) in order to strike a balance between market demand and the Government’s dominant position; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
     
    (3) apart from lowering the application threshold for compulsory sale for the redevelopment of old buildings, will the Government consider adjusting the upper limits of plot ratios in various districts to attract developers to participate in the redevelopment of old buildings by raising the plot ratios of sites earmarked for redevelopment; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
     
    Reply:
     
    President,
     
    The Government land revenue primarily comes from premium generated from land sales, private treaty grants and lease modifications. The market sentiment can be affected by economic and property market conditions, resulting in fluctuations in land revenue. The Government’s policy objective is to maintain a sustained and stable land supply to support society and industry development in Hong Kong. The Government will continuously create land and roll out such land to the market in an orderly manner in light of the latest situation.
     
    Regarding various parts of the Hon Chen’s question, the Development Bureau (DEVB)’s reply is as follows:
     
    Firstly, regardless of external environment or property market conditions, the Government will strive to enhance the attractiveness of land sale sites. When formulating the annual land sale list and deciding when to dispose of individual sites to the market, the Government has been closely monitoring market conditions and listening to the views of the industry and potential investors. In recent years, the Government has introduced smaller-scale residential sites located in mature neighbourhood with simple tender terms. The market response has been positive, with all four residential sites successfully tendered out in the previous financial year (2024-25).
     
    Apart from individual land sale sites, we are mindful of the need to alleviate the financial pressure on developers participating in projects of larger scale. Last December, the Government conducted an expressions of interest exercise for three pilot areas under large-scale land disposal in the Northern Metropolis (NM). We have invited the market to provide views on, among other things, various financial arrangements including payment of premium by instalment with certain interest rate. We would liaise with the banking sector on any facilitating arrangements for developers to finance the NM projects. To enhance development incentives of the developers, we will consider allowing land owners to voluntarily surrender land planned to be resumed by the Government in the NM to offset the premium payable for in-situ land exchange or large-scale land disposal in new development areas. In addition, we are exploring wider application of the “pay for what you build” approach, which allows developers to pay premium for lease modifications that is determined based on the actual floor area and actual use, thereby reducing their development costs.
     
    On publicity, we held the Enterprise Participation in Northern Metropolis Development Event last November. Over 80 enterprise representatives attended and signed a Memorandum of Understanding about supporting and participating in the NM development. During the ceremony, 35 enterprise representatives also signed agreements among them to collaborate in the NM development, with a total investment of over $100 billion, demonstrating strong confidence and interest in the NM.

    We also joined hands with other bureaux, the Office for Attracting Strategic Enterprises (OASES) and Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK) in promoting the NM and facilitating the development of various industries therein. In particular, OASES is tasked with attracting high-potential and representative strategic enterprises from around the globe, and has announced four batches of 84 strategic enterprises that have set up or expanded their businesses in Hong Kong, many of which have also expressed interest in establishing their presence in the NM. InvestHK, on the other hand, is committed to assisting Mainland and overseas enterprises to set up and expand in Hong Kong by providing one-stop support services. Last year, InvestHK assisted over 500 enterprises to set up or expand in Hong Kong, including those which have expressed interest in the land for industries in the NM. OASES, InvestHK and the Northern Metropolis Co-ordination Office under the DEVB will further collaborate to follow up on the needs of those enterprises interested in setting up businesses in the NM.
     
    Secondly, under the prevailing system, the Government will announce the Land Sale List in advance on a yearly basis, and also the land tender programme on a quarterly basis based on considerations such as policy needs, market conditions and other sources of supply. We consider that the current system enables the Government to assume the lead in land disposal, thereby ensuring that it can increase the supply of land in a stable and prudent manner. At present, the Government has no intention to re-launch the “Application List” system, nor does it have any plan to implement a dual-track approach of land sale and adopting the “Application List” system, so as not to cause disruption to the Government’s strategy and pace regarding land disposal and send confusing signals to the market. If developers are interested in particular sites, they may express their interest to the DEVB through various channels for its reference.
     
    As one of the Government’s measures to encourage the private sector to participate in the redevelopment of old buildings, the Land (Compulsory Sale for Redevelopment) (Amendment) Ordinance 2024 (the Amendment Ordinance) was implemented last December to lower the compulsory sale application thresholds and facilitate multiple adjoining-lot compulsory sale applications. Since the implementation of the Amendment Ordinance, the Lands Tribunal has received four compulsory sale applications.
     
    The Government has also implemented other measures in recent years to incentivise the private sector to participate in the redevelopment of old buildings, so as to expedite the pace of urban renewal. For example, we have been progressively implementing the recommendations proposed in the District Study for Yau Ma Tei and Mong Kok completed in 2021, including piloting the transfer of plot ratio within the same district and permitting interchangeability of domestic and non-domestic plot ratio, with a view to enhancing the financial viability of redevelopment projects. For the ongoing district studies for Sham Shui Po and Tsuen Wan being undertaken by the Urban Renewal Authority (URA), we would explore the feasibility of adjusting the maximum plot ratio of individual district, as well as increasing the maximum plot ratio of individual old building site upon redevelopment. The URA will submit the Master Renewal Plans to the Government in the second half of this year. Moreover, the DEVB is studying the use of newly developed land to drive large-scale urban redevelopment projects, including considering cross-district transfer of unutilised plot ratio be allowed from old districts to new development areas, and reducing the density of old districts. We will complete the relevant study and put forward preliminary recommendations within this year.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    July 23, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ12: Smoking cessation support services and tobacco control education

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

         Following is a question by the Hon Lillian Kwok and a written reply by the Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, in the Legislative Council today (July 23):

    Question:

         There are views pointing out that among the many tobacco control measures implemented by the Government in recent years, smoking cessation support services and education are of great importance. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

    (1) whether it knows the number of persons served by the smoking cessation clinics under the Hospital Authority in each month of the past three years, as well as such persons’ success rate of quitting smoking;

    (2) whether it has compiled statistics on the relapse rate for the persons who successfully quit smoking as mentioned in (1), and whether it has provided them with follow-up and support services; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;

    (3) of the following information on the provision of community-based smoking cessation services by non-governmental organisations (NGOs) subvented by the Department of Health in the past three years: the names of such NGOs, the types of services provided, the number of participants in the smoking cessation services and, among them, the numbers of those who completed the smoking cessation service programme and successfully quit smoking, as well as those who failed to complete the entire service programme;

    (4) whether it has conducted survey on the levels of satisfaction of smoking cessation service users with the various smoking cessation support services (such as smoking cessation counselling services, medications, and smoking cessation services with Chinese medicine and acupuncture) and collected relevant feedback; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;

    (5) whether it has compiled statistics on the ratios of different smoking cessation treatments used in Hong Kong at present;

    (6) whether it has compiled statistics on and assessed the relationship between the allocation of public resources and the effectiveness of smoking cessation services; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and

    (7) whether it has studied and analysed the reasons for smoking among minors and adults respectively; if so, of the details, and how its future tobacco control education and publicity strategies will tie in with the findings of the relevant studies; if not, the reasons for that?

    Reply:

    President,

         Having consulted the Hospital Authority (HA), the consolidated reply to the question raised by the Hon Lillian Kwok is as follows:

    (1) to (6) Promoting smoking cessation is an important pillar under the tobacco control strategy. The Department of Health (DH) is responsible for co-ordinating smoking cessation services in Hong Kong. In addition to operating the Integrated Smoking Cessation Hotline that handles general enquiries and provides professional counselling on smoking cessation, the DH also collaborates with local universities for setting up hotlines to provide telephone-counselling services especially for young smokers. From 2022 to 2024, the Integrated Smoking Cessation Hotline of the DH handled 7 404, 9 684, and 9 297 enquiries respectively. Satisfaction survey results revealed that over 90 per cent of the service recipients interviewed were satisfied with the service in general. 

         On smoking cessation service, the DH collaborates with non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in providing free and accessible community-based smoking cessation services including counselling service and consultations by doctors (with free postal services of smoking cessation medication) or Chinese medicine practitioners, and designated services for smokers from different ethnicities, as well as immigrant, teenager and workplace smokers. The DH arranges referrals for smokers to access various local smoking cessation services, including the aforementioned community-based smoking cessation services or those provided by clinics under the HA. The smoking cessation clinics under the HA will also assist HA’s patients (especially those with chronic diseases) in quitting smoking. Smoking cessation service providers provides smokers receiving smoking cessation treatment with 52-week follow-up services to assess their quit status. The DH also launched the “Quit Smoking App”, through which smokers can assess their nicotine dependence level, set quit plan, record quitting progress and get tips on how to deal with smoking craving, which would help maintain a smoke-free life.

         From 2022 to 2024, 20 389, 27 709, and 28 559 smokers received smoking cessation services respectively through HA’s smoking cessation clinics or community-based smoking cessation services (see Annex). The quit rates of service users (i.e. the percentage of service users who self-reported to have stayed quit in the past seven days) at 52 weeks after the quit date ranged from 20 per cent to 60 per cent (Note), which are comparable to those in overseas countries. The DH and HA do not maintain relevant data on the relapse rates among successful quitters.

         The Government announced in June last year “10 measures for tobacco control”, which include strengthening smoking cessation services. Currently, smoking cessation services have been extended to cover all District Health Centres (DHCs)/DHC Expresses across 18 districts in Hong Kong with a view to facilitating quitters in finding the most suitable and convenient way to quit smoking. The DH has also subvented three more Chinese medicine smoking cessation service providers (from one to four in total) starting from this year to operate smoking cessation clinics with an emphasis on counselling and acupuncture. The available service quotas for Chinese and Western medicine smoking cessation services under the community-based smoking cessation services are expected to increase to approximately 2 600 and 4 000 per annum respectively.

         Smoking cessation is a dynamic process, and its effectiveness is influenced by social and environmental factors. For example, past experience from increasing tobacco duty shows that the greater the tax hike, the larger the number of calls received by the smoking cessation hotline. On the other hand, publicity and educational efforts are critical to assisting smokers to quit smoking successfully. Therefore, it is recommended under the “10 measures for tobacco control” to also strengthen publicity and education. The DH is committed to promoting a smoke-free culture, including promoting smoking cessation through mass media and promotional campaigns. The DH has launched the Quit in June campaign since 2021, and subsequently started distributing one-week trial packs of smoking cessation drugs (nicotine replacement therapy) to smokers for free with a view to encouraging smokers to attempt quitting and increasing the success rate, as well as introduced a trial programme on the use of Chinese medicine ear-point patches for smoking cessation. Most of the smokers who have tried the ear-point patches consider them useful in relieving the withdrawal symptoms. Following the Quit in June campaign each year, the number of calls to the smoking cessation hotline has significantly increased, indicating an uptick in smokers’ intentions to quit.

         Smoking cessation is beneficial to smokers of any age. There is a wide range of smoking cessation therapies that have been proven effective. Studies show that counselling and pharmacotherapy can boost the quit rate substantially. Through personalised and targeted smoking cessation services, healthcare professionals can better assist smokers in quitting smoking, and at the same time help the Government to promote smoking cessation more precisely. The Government will continue to support smokers intending to quit smoking and allocate resources as needed to strengthen smoking cessation services as well as publicity and promotional efforts, thereby safeguarding public health.

    (7) The results of the Thematic Household Survey (THS) in 2023 showed that among the daily smokers of conventional cigarettes aged 15 and above in Hong Kong, over 90 per cent started smoking due to the influence of family, friends, or others. As such, the Government has actively engaged in public education for promoting a smoke-free environment. The DH, in collaboration with the Hong Kong Council on Smoking and Health, NGOs and healthcare professionals, have targeted young people on promoting anti-smoking messages, including organising smoking cessation competitions, health talks, training programmes and theatre programmes with local service groups; and through interactive teaching materials and mobile classrooms, revealing to students the tactics used by the tobacco industry to promote tobacco products and equipping them with the skills to resist picking up smoking habit when under peer pressure.

         The findings of the THS showed that the younger the age group, the higher the rate of smoking flavoured cigarettes, and nearly 70 per cent smoked flavoured cigarettes when they first smoked. Scientific evidence shows that flavoured cigarettes, such as menthol or fruit-flavoured cigarettes, reduce the awareness of the hazards of tobacco and increase the chances of non-smokers (especially teenagers) to start smoking, as well as making them more vulnerable to continuing with the smoking habit and harder to quit. Besides, the findings of the school-based surveys on smoking pattern of students as commissioned by the Health Bureau and conducted by the School of Public Health of the University of Hong Kong in 2023 revealed that the ratio of secondary school students who currently smoke electronic cigarettes to those who smoke conventional cigarettes was similar (1.1 per cent each), indicating that e-cigarettes, among other smoking products, are particularly popular amongst the younger generation. Research suggests that e-cigarettes can serve as a gateway to smoking conventional cigarette. In this connection, the “10 measures for tobacco control” include banning flavoured conventional smoking products, banning the possession of alternative smoking products (ASPs), as well as prohibiting the provision of conventional smoking products and ASPs to persons aged below 18.

         The Government will continue to step up the work on smoking cessation and explore various tobacco control measures in the medium and long term in order to eliminate the hazards posed by tobacco products on the society in all aspects and protect the health of the community under a progressive and multi-pronged approach with a view to moving towards a tobacco-free Hong Kong.

    Note: The quit rates recorded by different smoking cessation programmes vary due to differences in target groups and treatment methods (for example counselling, pharmacotherapy and Chinese medicine and acupuncture). Smokers should choose the smoking cessation service/method that best suits their personal needs in order to quit smoking successfully.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    July 23, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Hongkong Post to issue “24 Solar Terms – Autumn” special stamps (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

         Hongkong Post announced today (July 23) that a set of special stamps and associated philatelic products on the theme of “24 Solar Terms – Autumn” will be released for sale on August 7 (Thursday).
     
         The 24 Solar Terms collectively refer to a knowledge system of time and social practices progressively developed by Chinese people through observation of the sun’s periodic motion, changes of seasons and phenological cycles. This system was inscribed onto the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization in 2016.
     
         As a continuation of the “24 Solar Terms” series subsequent to the special stamps themed on “24 Solar Terms – Spring” and “24 Solar Terms – Summer” issued in 2020 and 2023 respectively, Hongkong Post will issue a set of six stamps and associated philatelic products on the theme of “24 Solar Terms – Autumn”, depicting the scenes of the six solar terms of autumn, namely “Autumn Commences”, “End of Heat”, “White Dew”, “Autumnal Equinox”, “Cold Dew” and “Frost”, in a myriad of colours.
     
         Official first day covers for “24 Solar Terms – Autumn” will be on sale at all post offices and Hongkong Post’s online shopping mall ShopThruPost (shopthrupost.hongkongpost.hk) from tomorrow (July 24). This set of special stamps and associated philatelic products will be on sale at all post offices and ShopThruPost from August 7, while serviced first day covers affixed with the special stamps will be available at philatelic offices only.
     
         A hand-back date-stamping service will be provided on August 7 at all post offices for official first day covers/souvenir covers/privately made covers bearing the first day of issue indication and a local address.
     
         Information about this set of special stamps and associated philatelic products is available on the Hongkong Post Stamps website (stamps.hongkongpost.hk).

                  

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    July 23, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ15: Off-school STEAM courses

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

    Following is a question by Professor the Hon William Wong and a written reply by the Secretary for Education, Dr Choi Yuk-lin, in the Legislative Council today (July 23):

    Question:

    It is learnt that many parents have enrolled their children in STEAM (i.e. ‍Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) courses conducted outside of school, hoping to cultivate their children’s interest in these relevant disciplines. However, there are views pointing out that, in order to increase enrolment within the same class sessions, certain course providers overlook the differences in learning abilities among students of varying ages and employ identical teaching materials for pupils from Primary One to Primary Six. Such practices call into question the effectiveness of teaching and learning. Furthermore, it has been reported that, in recent days, a three-year-old child participating in a STEAM interest class at an external organisation sustained scald injuries from hot milk in the course of an experiment. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

    (1) of the number of requests for assistance or complaints received by the authorities regarding off-school STEAM courses/interest classes over the past three years; the main subject matters of such requests and complaints, and the specific follow-up measures taken by the authorities;

    (2) whether the authorities will formulate a safety management protocol for off-school STEAM courses by drawing reference from guidelines such as the Safety Handbook for Primary Science and the Handbook on Safety in Science Laboratories; if so, of the specific standards of such a protocol and the timetable for its implementation; if not, whether the authorities will expeditiously commence a study to enhance the safety standards for off-school STEAM courses so as to prevent further accidents; and

    (3) whether the authorities have finalised an accreditation system for teachers, teaching materials and curricula to be established for off-school STEAM courses, and delineated the appropriate age ranges for students to participate in such courses; if so, of the specific accreditation standards and the implementation timetable; if not, whether the authorities will expeditiously commence a study to establish an accreditation system for off-school STEAM courses, with a view to assisting parents in choosing suitable courses for their children?

    Reply:

    President,

    According to sections 3(1) and 10 of the Education Ordinance, any institution, organisation or establishment which provides for 20 or more persons during any one day or 8 or more persons at any one time, any nursery, kindergarten, primary, secondary or post secondary education or any other educational course by any means is required to be registered or provisionally registered as a school. Private schools which offer educational courses such as tutorial, commercial, computer, language courses and courses for repeaters are all categorised as private schools offering non-formal curriculum (PSNFCs). Subject to compliance with specified conditions under the Education (Exemption) Private Schools Offering Non-formal Curriculum) Order, PSNFCs are exempt from certain requirements of the provisions of Education Ordinance and Education Regulations relating to fees, employment of teachers and teachers’ qualifications, principals, holidays and hours of instruction.

    In response to Professor the Hon William Wong’s questions, the reply is as follows:

    (1) In the past three years, the Education Bureau (EDB) has not received any requests for assistance or complaints relating to participation in off-school STEAM courses provided by schools other than those offering formal curriculum.

    (2) and (3) The Safety Handbook for Primary Science and Handbook on Safety in Science Laboratories, issued by the EDB, provide references and guidelines for safety matters of Primary Science and secondary science laboratories respectively. They assist schools, when arranging science learning activities and experiments, in aspects such as safety management, risk assessment, equipment storage, etc, so as to ensure the safety of teachers and students. In addition to schools implementing the Primary Science curriculum and secondary science subject curricula, other registered schools offering non-local/non-formal curricula may also refer to these guidelines.

    PSNFCs mainly provide tutorial services to students receiving formal school education, which constitute an optional rather than mandatory service. For this type of school, the main role of the EDB is to ensure its compliance with the requirements on school premises safety, hygiene, accommodation, teachers’ qualifications, and collection of fees under the Education Ordinance. In this connection, the EDB has no intention to set up a certification system for the STEAM courses offered by these PSNFCs.

    It should be noted that all schools are responsible for ensuring compliance with relevant ordinances and regulations when arranging science activities and experiments, including the Education Regulations (particularly regulations 21, 24, 26, 27, 31, 32 and 33), the Education Ordinance, the Occupational Safety and Health Ordinance, and regulations related to dangerous goods and disposal of chemical waste.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    July 23, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Director General David Cheng-Wei Wu and Mrs. Wu Joined the Learning Delights Book Club’s Urban Exploration Event

    Source: Republic of China Taiwan

    Director General David Cheng-Wei Wu and Mrs. Wu were delighted to join the Learning Delights Book Club’s urban exploration event, engaging with the street art of Sydney’s Inner West.
    Not to be outshone by Melbourne’s famous street art, Sydney’s Inner West is also a vibrant hub of creativity and culture. Suburbs like St Peters, Newtown, and Enmore each showcase a unique character through a wide range of mural styles.
    Why not take a leisurely stroll here over the weekend? You’ll discover a whole new side of Sydney — full of character-filled cafés, eateries, and charming indie shops.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    July 23, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: STEP talks fusion energy careers with local students

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    STEP talks fusion energy careers with local students

    Students explored careers in fusion energy as STEP partnered with Bassetlaw District Council for Jo White MP’s Summer School in Worksop and Westminster.

    Jo White MP talks to Summer School participants. Image credit: UK Industrial Fusion Solutions Ltd.

    Young people got hands-on with the future of clean energy last week, as the STEP team hosted a workshop, in partnership with Bassetlaw District Council, to kick off Bassetlaw MP Jo White’s Summer School. 

    Hosted at The Bridge Skills Hub and Fusion Energy Café in Worksop on Friday, students got the chance to explore the ongoing transformation of the West Burton site, ask big questions about fusion energy, and meet the people already helping to deliver the STEP programme. 

    The students heard directly from STEP employees about their own career journeys into the industry, from engineering and science to communications and project management, and discussed how a project like STEP will require people of all talents and backgrounds to succeed. 

    Then on Monday the students started their week in Parliament, as part of Jo White’s Summer School, where they took part in a mock Select Committee session. 

    They put their questions to STEP’s Head of Communications Ben Bradley, alongside representatives from government and industry, grilling them on the progress of the STEP Programme and the opportunities it will create locally, as well as the wider clean energy sector. 

    STEP Head of Communications Ben Bradley said:

    Part of STEP’s mission to develop our prototype fusion energy power plant is about the benefit we can bring to communities and economies across North Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire and the wider East Midlands, so it was great to engage with talented young people and discuss the opportunities of the programme.

    We hope that some of these local young people will be part of the future workforce that delivers the mission to commercialise fusion energy at STEP – and changes the world!

    The event at the Fusion Energy Café and The Bridge Skills Hub was hosted by Bassetlaw District Council and marks a growing relationship between STEP, based at West Burton in North Nottinghamshire, and surrounding local communities.

    Bassetlaw MP Jo White said:

    When I stood for election, my commitment to local people was that I would resurrect the summer school that former MP John Mann ran for 11 years. I saw for myself the difference it made with young people.

    It gave them an idea of what they wanted to do with their lives. Parents and grandparents told me that their children went down [to Parliament] as children and came back as adults because they were shown new opportunities and aspirations they would never have otherwise dreamed of.

    Notes to Editors

    The first of its kind, STEP is the UK’s major technology and infrastructure programme to build a prototype fusion power plant that will demonstrate net energy, fuel self-sufficiency and a viable route to plant maintenance.  This will pave the way for the potential development of a fleet of future fusion power plants around the world and the commercialisation of fusion energy.

    We’ll achieve this by producing a prototype tokamak power plant – in an innovative spherical shape – that will demonstrate net energy. That’s why the programme is called STEP: it stands for ‘Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production’.  But STEP is about more than tokamak technology – it’s a huge endeavour encompassing design, site development and construction, alongside supply chain logistics and industry. Fusion research and development has the potential to catalyse new ideas and technologies that will benefit multiple industries and help secure our future on this planet.

    By fusing government and business, inspiration and pragmatism, theory and practice, UK-expertise and international impact, we’re going to realise the step-change that will secure humanity’s bright future. A recent report by AMION, commissioned by local authorities, set out the economic potential of the STEP programme.

    Social media coverage and images from the Bassetlaw workshop event

    To sign-up for updates about STEP, visit: step.ukaea.uk or follow our social channels @STEPtoFusion.

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    Published 23 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    July 23, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Participants of the International Summer School of Restoration of SPbGASU are working on the concept of preserving an ancient temple

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering –

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    Participants of the International Summer School of Restoration at the site

    The International Summer School of Restoration is taking place at SPbGASU, which is being held jointly with the International Restoration Center and the Restoration Association (Rosregionrestavratsiya). It is attended by 12 students from Greece, Kazakhstan, Kazan and St. Petersburg. They are working on a historical heritage site and the concept of preserving and developing the historical territory of the unique wooden Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

    The current church is located in the village of Listvenka, Boksitogorsk District, Leningrad Region, and is a cultural heritage site of federal significance. It is one of the oldest church buildings in Leningrad Region – it was built in 1599 and rebuilt in 1720.

    As the head of the summer school of restoration, candidate of architecture, associate professor of the department of architectural and urban heritage, head of the project “Scientific and educational laboratory “Restoration and renovation of architectural heritage” (NOL) Nadezhda Akulova said, the participants of the summer school talked with the rector of the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, visited the nearby surroundings and immersed themselves in the history of the area, learned about the place where, according to the rector, “Moscow and St. Petersburg are connected.” Thus, they were deeply immersed not only in the object, but also in important historical zones, feeling their special atmosphere.

    In addition to SPbGASU, the school’s organizers and leaders also include the Director of the International Restoration Center Tatyana Chernyaeva and the Head of the Department for the Restoration of Cultural Heritage Sites of the Leningrad Region State Autonomous Cultural Institution “International Restoration Center” Tatyana Afanasyeva.

    The defense of the projects is planned for July 24 at the International Restoration Center in the village of Rozhdestveno.

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

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    July 23, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Tatyana Golikova held the first meeting of the organizing committee to prepare for the celebration of the 150th anniversary of GITIS

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    The first meeting of the organizing committee for the preparation and celebration of the 150th anniversary of the founding of GITIS in 2028, chaired by Tatyana Golikova

    July 23, 2025

    Rector of GITIS Grigory Zaslavsky at the first meeting of the organizing committee for the preparation and celebration of the 150th anniversary of the founding of GITIS in 2028, chaired by Tatyana Golikova

    July 23, 2025

    Tatyana Golikova held the first meeting of the organizing committee to prepare for the celebration of the 150th anniversary of GITIS

    July 23, 2025

    The first meeting of the organizing committee for preparations for the celebration of the 150th anniversary of GITIS chaired by Tatyana Golikova. From left to right: GITIS rector Grigory Zaslavsky, Deputy Minister of Culture Andrei Malyshev and Chairman of the Union of Theatre Workers Vladimir Mashkov

    July 23, 2025

    Previous news Next news

    The first meeting of the organizing committee for the preparation and celebration of the 150th anniversary of the founding of GITIS in 2028, chaired by Tatyana Golikova

    Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova held the first meeting of the organizing committee for preparations for the celebration of the 150th anniversary of the founding of GITIS in 2028. The agenda included discussion of the plan of events. The meeting was attended by GITIS Rector Grigory Zaslavsky, Deputy Minister of Culture of Russia Andrei Malyshev, General Director of the NTV television company Alexei Zemsky, Head of the Vocal Arts Department of GITIS Tamara Sinyavskaya, Chairman of the Union of Theatre Workers Vladimir Mashkov and others.

    “GITIS annually confirms its status as a leading university in the field of theater education according to the K.S. Stanislavsky system. The upcoming anniversary – the 150th anniversary of the founding of GITIS – is a wonderful opportunity not only to look back on the path traveled, but also to fully present the achievements of the national theater school, recognized throughout the world,” emphasized Tatyana Golikova. – Many destinies and events are connected with GITIS. These are not just pages of history, but the very history of the transformation of our country. Epochs changed, but GITIS remained a forge of outstanding cultural figures. This is its true purpose and role in the fate of Russia.”

    Today, the institute has about 1,800 students from 30 countries, who are taught their skills by more than 500 teachers. Eight departments teach actors of dramatic and musical theater, directors of drama, musical theater and circus, choreographers and ballet teachers, theater artists and makeup artists, playwrights, producers and theater historians.

    Deputy Minister of Culture Andrei Malyshev emphasized that GITIS is an ambassador of Russian culture and identity, so the institute’s anniversary is important not only for GITIS and the theater community, but also for all of Russian culture.

    GITIS is actively developing. “Just two days later, on behalf of Russian President Vladimir Putin, on July 25, in the city of Blagoveshchensk, we open together with Governor Vasily Orlov of the Far Eastern branch of GITIS. The exams have already passed, the competition was, there was a competition, which is also very important for us, so we are just starting. The next day we move to Heihe, to China, and there we also present the Far Eastern branch of GITIS. It is very important for us that from the moment of changes, we not only have not decreased the flow of foreign students, but there are even more of them. This year we have almost accepted 46 students. This is Latvia, and Italy, and Iran, and Morocco. And of course, we are trying to maintain leadership in Central Asia, we have just held the GITIS school on Lake Issyk-Kul, the traditional, already fourth in a row. There were four countries with Russia. It is also important for us to expand the presence of GITIS in Central and South America. Last year, the second time was held by GITIS School in Chile, the first time GITIS School in Brazil after a long break in the framework of the “Russian seasons“. This year, the Brazilians came to us at the theater festival. It seems to me that one of the most important problems that we realized is that the theater is one of the arts, maybe the only one that cannot exist without constant self -understanding. The writer. It can be written in the world in 100 years by someone that can be brilliant in 100 years, no one will call the contemporaries, we have not been appreciated by the problem of the Institute of Expertise. We began the publication of the “Theater Journal“ and we consider this to be one of the most important tasks of returning a serious and high -quality examination to the theater, ”said the rector of the university Grigory Zaslavsky. 

    The plan to celebrate the 150th anniversary included 20 events, including festivals, tours, exhibitions and conferences.

    Key events include a gala concert dedicated to the 150th anniversary of GITIS, the International Competition of Young Choreographers named after R.V. Zakharov “Maria”, and the premiere of a documentary film about the history of the institute. In September 2028, GITIS will launch its branded train, on which students and teachers will travel from Moscow to Blagoveshchensk with performances and festive concerts, as well as master classes and selection tests in various regions of the country.

    Traditional GITIS festivals will be scaled up. The VIII International Student Festival of Diploma Performances “GITIS-fest” will be held in two cities – Moscow and Blagoveshchensk. In April 2028, the XIX International Competition of Young Choreographers named after R.V. Zakharov “Maria” and the XVIII International Festival of Stage Fencing “Silver Sword” named after N.V. Karpov will be held, and in November – the theater festival of the CIS countries “GITIS – Master Class”. The international scientific conference “Perspective – 150 years of GITIS” will bring together young specialists from leading universities in Russia, near and far abroad: art history, theater studies, philology, directing, choreography, scenography.

    An exhibition entitled “Russian Revolutionary Theatre” is planned for the fall of 2028, dedicated to the unique traditions of Russian theatre and domestic education in the field of theatrical art.

    Other events include tours of GITIS graduation performances in the CIS republics and regions of Russia where GITIS national studios were created. In addition, a series of 12 podcasts from GITIS students with stories about faculties and teachers will be released in 2028.

    An important event in preparation for the celebration will be the renovation and restoration work in the main academic building, as well as a major overhaul of the dormitory.

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

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    July 23, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Conversation between Mikhail Mishustin and the head of the Altai Republic Andrey Turchak

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    Current issues of the region’s socio-economic development were discussed.

    Conversation between Mikhail Mishustin and the head of the Altai Republic Andrey Turchak

    From the transcript:

    M. Mishustin: Andrey Anatolyevich, good afternoon!

    Thank you for showing the hospital, the emergency department, modern, new, with all the necessary equipment, built in two and a half months. This is pleasing. The speed with which it was all done and the professionalism are visible. We also heard this from the people who visit it.

    More and more tourists are coming to the Altai Republic. Soon, literally in a few days, the International Ecological Conference will take place. Distinguished guests will arrive.

    Last year, a decision was made (we discussed this with you) to build a modern, now international airport. The funds are there, they are planned, there is an investor. And it is very important to provide for the entire complex development around it, the logistics infrastructure – this is a transport hub, access roads, service maintenance and much more.

    First of all, I want to ask how this work is going? Please.

    A. Turchak: Mikhail Vladimirovich, first of all, thank you for giving our airport the status of an international airport. Today, a modern international checkpoint has already been opened on the territory of the airport terminal. In general, as you correctly said, the tourist flow is growing, and the airport infrastructure can no longer cope with it. Therefore, by 2028, within the framework of the concession agreement, we will complete the modernization of the entire airfield infrastructure and build a new terminal. Our goal is to increase passenger traffic to 1.3 million passengers per year by 2030.

    By road. You are absolutely right, connectivity is necessary, because tourists come to us not only by air, but also by car.

    Regarding the road sector, in 2024, under the national project, we allocated about 6.6 billion rubles for this and brought 196 km of our roads into compliance. And it is very important that 10 km are directly in the Gorno-Altaisk agglomeration itself, which includes our capital Gorno-Altaisk and the suburban Mayminsky district. This year, we plan to bring 101 km and 12 bridges into compliance. The topic of bridges is very important for our republic, I reported to you about it last time. We are systematically moving towards putting the bridge sector in order. This year, our road fund is 3.5 billion.

    This year, with your support, the reconstruction of the Chuysky tract will begin – this is a 21 km section to Manzherok, which will solve the problem of traffic jams, especially during the high tourist season, and reduce accidents.

    One project I wanted to report to you about, you supported it last year, is the construction of the Platovsky Bridge by shifting funds to the left. We are handing it over ahead of schedule. This is the first bridge that has been built in the republic in the last six years.

    We continue working with the Ministry of Transport to bypass Maima and, in general, Gorno-Altaisk, the entire Gorno-Altaisk agglomeration. We need to take transit transport beyond the boundaries of the agglomeration. In this part, the Ministry of Transport will support us. Once again, I would like to thank you very much for supporting the development of our transport infrastructure.

    M. Mishustin: Andrey Anatolyevich, I know that you are very actively involved in infrastructure. It is important to keep everything under personal control here. So that the logistics infrastructure, the new airport will allow for the expansion of tourism opportunities, and also contribute to the growth of the number of residents.

    Another task is the construction of social, in particular educational, facilities. You are also actively involved in this.

    The federal budget for three years provides funds for the construction of a school in Gorno-Altaisk, as well as a lyceum of about 2.5 billion rubles. Much is being done for healthcare as well. The hospital admissions department that we looked at today is one example.

    Please tell us what else is being done and built in the fields of education and medicine.

    A. Turchak: Mikhail Vladimirovich, at the last meeting I reported to you that one of the main challenges I faced was the large number of long-term construction projects that existed at that time. I want to thank you. With your support, additional funds were allocated. We commissioned the seventh school in Gorno-Altaisk – a long-awaited facility that was built on the direct instructions of the President. The start of construction of this facility is 2021. We commissioned it in January of this year. A unique school.

    M. Mishustin: Were the problems mainly due to contractors?

    A. Turchak: The problems were due to the poor quality of the project. We had to redesign, undergo a new assessment, then the cost of materials increased, and so on. Nevertheless, the school was completed, it became such a good gift for the 200th anniversary of Gorno-Altaisk, which we celebrated.

    The only school in the city where children from the 1st grade study the Altai language. The school has a very large sports core. Two sports halls inside the school, a large stadium, several playgrounds where children can practice national sports.

    Another long-term construction project is a sports and fitness complex with a games room. We also completed it in December last year. Residents were waiting for it with impatience.

    The Cultural Development Center, which I reported to you about, has also been completed. In July, we opened it with the Minister of Culture of the Russian Federation. The first cultural institution built in the city in the last 13 years.

    Also, with your support, the issue of reconstruction of the 12th school has moved from dead center. Not just reconstruction, but, in fact, the construction of a new building. We will introduce this facility by 2027 – the federal budget has allocated 615 million for it, and the republican budget – 345 million rubles.

    Regarding the Republican Classical Lyceum, which you are monitoring. All work is on schedule, the completion date is 2026. The budget provides 3.3 billion, of which 2.7 billion is the federal budget. And the uniqueness of this project is that the developer additionally attracted its own 500 million rubles to complete the construction of the campus of this lyceum. It will be a truly unique educational institution, in which gifted children from the most remote corners of our republic will be able not only to receive a quality education, but also to develop their talents in various fields.

    This year we have planned to carry out major repairs of 11 rural schools and the first gymnasium in Gorno-Altaisk. More than 700 million rubles from the federal budget are allocated for these purposes.

    In addition, we are building another new school for 360 students in the Chemalsky District. This is a comprehensive rural development program that is actively operating in our republic.

    We also repair kindergartens, primarily in rural areas. We have repaired four in a year and are building three new ones. 920 million rubles are allocated for these purposes from the federal and republican budgets. In general, we keep the issues of modernization and improvement of educational infrastructure under control and work on them with the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation. Our colleagues support us.

    M. Mishustin: Modern schools, kindergartens, educational institutions, hospitals, clinics – this is very important for people and makes it possible to attract investors. And for the republic, by decision of the President, an individual program of socio-economic development has been formed. Quite significant funds are provided until 2030.

    Tell us what is planned within this program?

    A. Turchak: If possible, one more thing on the topic of healthcare. Today, the Minister of Health reported to you on the overall situation in the republic. We examined the admission and diagnostic department of our republican hospital, equipped with a modern operating unit, modern diagnostic equipment – MRI, CT, ultrasound. We are the first region to implement this project this year. Indeed, the timing of its implementation is quite unique. In almost less than three months, this facility was erected, and 80% of the structures, materials, and equipment itself were of domestic production. By your decision, we received 744 million rubles from the federal budget for this project, including the MRI machine, which was also introduced this year on your instructions, and now our residents do not need to travel to other regions for such high-tech examination.

    I would like to talk about the perinatal center. I approached you with this question last year. Our current perinatal center is located in a maternity hospital built in 1975. You gave the order to work out a step-by-step, phased plan for the implementation of this project. I would like to report on the work done.

    As of today, we have worked out a medical and technical assignment together with the Ministry of Health. The concept for the construction of a new perinatal center is ready. Mikhail Albertovich Murashko saw it and supported it. And, if possible, I would like to separately report to you our proposals on how to gradually put everything related to obstetrics in our republic in order.

    M. Mishustin: Yesterday we inspected the perinatal center in Chita. A wonderful and, in fact, methodological center not only for the Zabaikalsky Krai, but also for the entire Far East. And most importantly, the people who work there, mostly women, really help with obstetrics, and warmly welcome mothers and fathers. It seems to me that it is very important to support you in the construction of this center.

    A. Turchak: Thank you very much.

    According to the individual development program. We have good results for the first five-year plan. 2 thousand jobs have been created. 2.5 billion in extra-budgetary investments have been attracted. During the period of the individual program, the region has become one of the leaders in terms of investment growth rates in fixed capital.

    In terms of specific results, 120 projects in the agro-industrial complex were supported, 8 accommodation facilities, 8 sites for processing milk, meat, wood, and producing dietary supplements were created. The Industrial Development Fund and the SME Fund were recapitalized, and 66 preferential loans were issued.

    According to the new program. In the current 2025, we will support the development of the material and technical base of at least four agricultural enterprises. First of all, these are projects in the dairy industry. I can give one example. Our agroholding “Ekoniva” will build a dairy complex in the Ust-Kansky district. Moreover, the owner of this project in the recent past is a citizen of Germany, who has now acquired Russian citizenship and is registered for tax purposes in the Altai Republic.

    Farmers will also be provided with a subsidy to support and develop crop production, meat and milk processing. We will support 22 SME projects, 4 tourism infrastructure projects and, most importantly, personnel training – we plan to train at least 150 specialists per year.

    Dear Mikhail Vladimirovich, the implementation of individual programs is impossible without solving the main issue in the republic. And the main issue in the republic– I reported to you at the last meeting – this is land.

    I would like to thank you for your support: last year you supported our proposal to lift the moratorium on mass inspections of the intended use of land. Thanks to this decision, a land amnesty was launched in the region, which is aimed at legalizing the illegal accommodation facilities that were identified.

    Together with Rosreestr, the FMS worked. They identified about one and a half thousand accommodation facilities that were not registered with the tax authorities, that is, they did not pay either land tax or property tax. More than half went for legalization – 800 voluntarily submitted applications, and are now preparing their documents.

    The amnesty ends with the inclusion of these accommodation facilities in the register. Accordingly, in addition to direct tax revenues, we will receive at least half a billion rubles of our own income. I reported to you today that we will spend a third of them on supporting healthcare, in particular, on developing the emergency medical service.

    In this regard, I would like to make one request to you – to use a similar approach to reduce the level of shadow employment and legalize labor relations in the region. If possible, I would like to ask you to instruct Rostrud, just as we did for the land, to conduct unscheduled monitoring and supervisory activities for the Altai Republic with the involvement of employees of territorial bodies of Rostrud from other regions, because our own forces are not enough. In this way, we would also bring this topic out of the shadows. Thank you for your support.

    M. Mishustin: Andrey Anatolyevich, the plans are serious. I wish you success in 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.

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    July 23, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Yuri Trutnev: The Zabaikalsky Krai exposition on the “Far East Street” within the framework of the EEF will link technological innovations and the cultural heritage of the region

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    The Zabaikalsky Krai pavilion at the Far East Street exhibition, which will be held in Vladivostok from September 3 to 9 as part of the tenth anniversary Eastern Economic Forum, will present cutting-edge technologies, and its design will reflect a deep connection with the natural and cultural heritage of the region. The exhibition is organized by the Roscongress Foundation with the support of the Office of the Plenipotentiary Representative of the President of the Russian Federation in the Far Eastern Federal District.

    “Zabaikalsky Krai is actively developing and is among the leaders in terms of investment growth rates. In order to create favorable conditions for investors, the territory of advanced development “Zabaikalsky Krai” has been formed, and financial and infrastructural support measures are in place. It is equally important that the social sphere develops and urban spaces are transformed. Social infrastructure is being developed with the help of a single presidential subsidy allocated through the Ministry for the Development of the Russian Far East. Special tools have been introduced – “Far Eastern mortgage” and “Far Eastern hectare”. Construction of large facilities has begun according to the master plans of the cities of Chita and Krasnokamensk. But the most important thing is that wages are growing in Zabaikalsky Krai, a large number of jobs are being created. The pavilion exposition will tell visitors about this and much more,” said Deputy Prime Minister – Presidential Plenipotentiary Representative in the Far Eastern Federal District, Chairman of the Organizing Committee of the Eastern Economic Forum Yuri Trutnev.

    The Zabaikalsky Krai pavilion is a synthesis of natural grandeur, cultural heritage and high technology. The architectural appearance of the stand was created using modern forms and materials. Interactive zones, spectacular media facades and art objects give the guest the opportunity to take part in an immersive journey into the world of possibilities of the region.

    “We strive to show not only the economic potential of the region, but also its cultural wealth, historical values, and natural beauty. Our pavilion will combine advanced technologies, cultural heritage, and the rich history and nature of Zabaikalsky Krai. Traditionally, we will present the works of our fellow countrymen, whose names are known throughout the world. I am confident that the Zabaikalsky Pavilion will become a source of inspiration and new ideas for all visitors, and will awaken the desire to come to our sunny region,” emphasized the Governor of Zabaikalsky Krai, Alexander Osipov.

    The entrance to the Zabaikalsky pavilion will be decorated with a monumental 9.5-meter composition “Solar Myth” by the artist and sculptor Dashi Namdakov. The avant-garde art object depicts a mighty Siberian elk made of bronze, whose antlers form a solar halo – a symbol of the cultural heritage and natural energy of the region.

    In the “Investment Projects of Zabaikalsky Krai” zone, the leading enterprises of the region will be presented using modern technologies. Visitors can expect multimedia holographic and panoramic projections, as well as interactive panels that will demonstrate the achievements of the region in industry and culture. Particular attention will be paid to the largest investors – “Udokan Copper” and Bystrinsky Mining and Processing Plant. Panoramic screens and controllers will allow users to control the virtual space, creating the effect of full immersion and emphasizing the importance of these enterprises for the economy of Zabaikalsky Krai.

    The “Achievements of the Zabaikalsky Krai in 10 Years” platform will show how the development plans of Chita and Krasnokamensk are being implemented. The main feature of the zone is an interactive wall: by touching special tags, guests will see interesting images and will have the opportunity to take bright photos for social networks.

    In the “Tourism Potential” zone, visitors will be able to find out where to go and where to stay in Zabaikalsky Krai. The region’s tourism opportunities will be presented through a projection table and an interactive “mandala”.

    A separate zone “80 Years of Victory” will be dedicated to the exploits and achievements during the Great Patriotic War, as well as the heroes and events of the special military operation. The exhibition will use augmented reality technologies, allowing you to see biographical materials about the participants of the Great Patriotic War and the SVO.

    In addition, the pavilion will house a museum area, where works of art and historical artifacts will be displayed. Special design will create an atmosphere of comfort and respect, allowing visitors to better feel the value of the cultural heritage of Transbaikalia. The exhibition will become a kind of bridge between the past and the present, demonstrating the richness of the history and art of the region.

    On the street near the pavilion, products from the Transbaikal producers “Vkusy Zabaikalya” and “Sdelano v Zabaikalye” will be presented. On the large stage of “Ulitsa Dalnego Vostok”, the municipal theater of song and dance “Zabaikalye” will present the musical performance “Song of the Family”.

    Live music performed by the orchestra of the national song and dance theater “Amar Sain” will be heard near the Zabaikalsky stand, soloists of the vocal group “Forte” and the youth dance group “Klyukva” will perform. Also, guests of the pavilion will be able to participate in making dolls in national costumes, an art master class “Drawing together” and painting a memorable souvenir.

    The 10th Eastern Economic Forum will be held on September 3–6 at the campus of the Far Eastern Federal University in Vladivostok. During these days, the exhibition will be available to forum participants, and on September 7, 8, and 9, it will be open to everyone. The EEF is organized by the Roscongress Foundation.

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

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    July 23, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ14: Manpower of doctors and consultation efficiency

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         Following is a question by Dr the Hon Chan Han-pan and a written reply by the Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, in the Legislative Council today (July 23):

    Question:

         According to the data of the Hospital Authority (HA), the number of full-time doctors increased from 5 695 in 2013-2014 to 7 350 in 2023-2024, representing an increase of 29 per cent. During the same period, the number of HA’s specialist outpatient attendances increased by only 18.9 per cent while the relevant increase rate in the number of its general outpatient attendances was 3.34 per cent, and the number of accident and emergency (A&E) attendances even recorded a drop of 4.4 per cent. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

    (1) whether it knows the respective numbers of HA doctors providing general outpatient clinic (GOPC) services and specialist outpatient clinic (SOPC) services in 2013-2014 and 2023-2024, as well as the respective percentages of such numbers in the total number of HA doctors (set out in a table);

    (2) whether it knows the respective average waiting time for HA’s SOPC new cases, GOPC services and A&E services, the average consultation time per patient, as well as the average number of consultations per doctor in 2013-2014 and 2023-2024 (set out in a table);

    (3) whether it knows if the HA has compared the average number of consultations per doctor between the HA and medical institutions in other places; if the HA has not, how the HA assesses the efficiency in the use of doctor manpower and the consultation efficiency; and

    (4) as there are views that the aforesaid data show a significant increase in the number of HA doctors from 2013-2014 to 2023-2024, but there is no significant rise in the number of attendances for various outpatient services, whether the Government knows if the HA has examined the reasons for that, and whether the HA will consider providing additional evening consultation services, so as to enhance the efficiency in the use of manpower and the service coverage while alleviating the pressure on the daytime services?

    Reply:

    President,

         In consultation with the Hospital Authority (HA), the consolidated reply to the question raised by Dr the Hon Chan Han-pan, is as follows:

         With the ageing population and the increasing prevalence of chronic diseases, the demand for various types of services provided by the HA has continued to rise over the past decade. While coping with the ever-rising service demand, the HA is also committed to enhancing the quality and efficiency of public healthcare services, while adopting an integrated and multi-disciplinary team approach in the delivery of various healthcare services, with a view to providing optimal treatment and care to patients. 

         Apart from providing general out-patient (GOP), specialist out-patient (SOP) and Accident and Emergency (A&E) services as mentioned in the question, doctors of the HA are also tasked with providing a comprehensive range of services including in-patient, out-patient, and day services, as part of the overall healthcare team. The table below sets out the number of hospital beds and the number of attendances for each of the major service categories of the HA in 2013-14 and 2023-24, which show an increase in the utilisation of each of the services over the 11-year period mentioned in the question. In particular, the HA has been gradually promoting ambulatory care and community-based care in recent years to replace the traditional hospital-centric service model, with a particularly significant rise in the demand for day in-patient services. 
     

      2013-14 2023-24 Increase
    Number of hospital beds
    (as at year-end)    		 27 440 30 671 11.8%
    Number of in-patient discharges and deaths 1 026 998 1 146 494 11.6%
    Number of patient days 7 479 088 8 750 456 17.0%
    Number of day in-patient discharges and deaths 542 333 809 505 49.3%
    Number of day hospital attendances (Note 1) 477 553  508 961 6.6%
    Number of SOP (Clinical) attendances 7 040 883 8 368 107 18.9%
    Number of Family Medicine out-patient (including Family Medicine Specialist Clinic and GOP clinic) attendances 6 100 888 6 359 781 4.2%

         As far as day in-patient services are concerned, day surgery brings significant benefits to patients, the public and the HA. For patients, day surgery has the benefits of causing less disruption to daily lives, reducing the risk of cross-infection and relieving psychological stress. In addition, day surgery is less costly and more efficient as it reduces the need for patients to stay in the hospital overnight, thereby releasing beds for more critical cases. Studies have also shown that the efficacy of day surgery is similar to that of in-patient surgery. For ambulatory palliative care services, the HA provides medical, nursing, rehabilitation, psychosocial and bereavement services through a one-stop multi-disciplinary team to alleviate patients’ symptoms and improve their quality of life, as well as reducing unnecessary hospitalisation. Day rehabilitation services include geriatric day hospitals, day rehabilitation services and allied health rehabilitation services. The HA provides specialty-oriented rehabilitation programmes, such as thoracic rehabilitation, orthopaedic rehabilitation, geriatric rehabilitation and cardiac rehabilitation, in its ambulatory care facilities to cater for the needs of individual types of patients. This development strategy can effectively shorten unnecessary hospitalisation time, help patients return to the community and enhance their ability to take care of their own health.

         Moreover, the HA has actively increased the number of endoscopic sessions to meet the public demand for endoscopic examination. The table below sets out the number of common endoscopic procedures performed in 2014-15 and 2023-24.
     

      2014-15 2023-24
    Common endoscopic procedures (Note 2 and 3) 9 608 10 591

         The HA will review and plan the role and positioning of its hospitals in each cluster to reflect the changes in healthcare needs brought about by changes in population in various districts over time, and will review from time to time and ensure that hospitals in the clusters can complement each other in the continual provision of A&E and in-patient, ambulatory care, extended care as well as community care services, so as to ensure that patients will continue to receive optimal treatment and services at appropriate locations.

         Please refer to Annex 1 for the number of doctors in each major specialty providing GOP or SOP services and their respective proportions in the total number of doctors in the HA in 2013-14 and 2023-24 as mentioned in the question. However, as mentioned above, since the HA adopts an integrated and multi-disciplinary approach in service provision, and flexibly deploys its staff to meet service and operational needs from time to time, the number of doctors in the above table only reflects the number of doctors providing GOP and SOP services, and the doctors concerned may also be tasked with providing other services including in-patient, A&E and ambulatory services, etc.

         The HA has also been implementing various measures over the years to enhance consultation efficiency and improve waiting time.

         In respect of SOP services, the HA has implemented a triage system to determine the priority of patients attending SOP clinics (SOPCs) based on their clinical condition. In addition, the HA has also adopted the strategy of “narrowing upstream, collaborating downstream, diverting midstream”. The HA has introduced doctor-led multi-disciplinary integrated clinics, and allocated more resources for new cases, rationalised referral arrangements for cross-specialty cases, set up more integrated clinics to provide multi-disciplinary support, and enhanced primary healthcare to follow up on patients in stable conditions. With the implementation of various measures, the waiting time for SOPCs has improved notably in the past few years. The data shows that the number of new SOP cases in 2023-24 has increased by 18 per cent compared to a decade ago, with the number of stable new cases (i.e. routine cases) increasing from 448 545 in 2013-14 to 577 191 in 2023-24, an increase of 28 per cent. Please refer to the Annex 2 for the number of new cases and waiting time for SOP services in 2013-14 and 2023-24.

         In addition, the HA has also rationalised the waiting procedures for SOP services to reduce the waiting time for patients to see doctors, with more than 75 per cent of SOP patients completing the process from registration to doctor consultation within 60 minutes in 2022-23 to 2023-24. The table below shows the percentage of the HA SOP patients who have completed the process from registration to doctor consultation within 60 minutes in 2022-23 and 2023-24:
     

    Year
    2022-23
    (Since November 2022)    		 Year
    2023-24
    76.5%  83.6%

         Regarding A&E services, to ensure that citizens with urgent needs can receive timely services, A&E departments implement a patient triage system under which patients are classified into five triages, namely critical, emergency, urgent, semi-urgent and non-urgent based on their clinical condition, and will receive treatment as prioritised by their urgency category. The HA’s performance targets specify that all critical patients (i.e. 100 per cent) will receive immediate treatment, and emergency and urgent patients will be prioritised for treatment upon arrival at A&E departments, with the targets being that most emergency patients (95 per cent) and urgent patients (90 per cent) will be treated within 15 and 30 minutes. The table below sets out the number of attendances and average waiting time for each triage category of A&E services in the HA in 2013-14 and 2023-24 respectively:
     

      No. of A&E attendances
    Triage 1(Critical) Triage 2  (Emergency) Triage 3 (Urgent) Triage 4 (Semi-
    urgent)    		 Triage 5 (Non-
    urgent) 
    Year
    2013-14    		 19 358 41 136 674 841 1 288 359 145 406
    Year
    2023-24    		 28 138  56 566 820 353 1 126 207 58 965

         The above attendances for A&E services under various triage categories in various hospitals under the HA exclude (i) first-time visits without triage categories, and (ii) follow-up visits to the A&E departments.
     

      Average waiting time (in minutes) for A&E services
    Triage 1 (Critical) Triage 2 (Emergency) Triage 3 (Urgent) Triage 4 (Semi-
    urgent)    		 Triage 5 (Non-
    urgent) 
    Year
    2013-14    		 0 7 27 106 124
    Year
    2023-24    		 0 8 29 180 205

     
         The data show that, over the past decade, the number of A&E attendances for patients in Triage 1 to Triage 3 has increased by 23 per cent from more than 730 000 to more than 900 000. In particular, attendances for patients in Triage 1 and Triage 2, who are the primary service targets of the A&E departments, have increased by 45 per cent and 38 per cent respectively. That said, patients in these two categories are treated promptly and the relevant average waiting times continue to meet the service targets specified by the HA.
     
         Regarding GOP services, the HA provides public primary healthcare services through its 74 GOP clinics (GOPCs) (including community health centres), providing more than five million out-patient attendances annually. Of these, a total of 23 GOPCs in all districts of Hong Kong provide evening out-patient services until 10pm. Patients under the care of the GOPCs comprise two major categories: patients with chronic diseases in stable medical condition, such as patients with diabetes mellitus or hypertension; and episodic disease patients with relatively mild symptoms, such as those suffering from cold or gastroenteritis. As for patients with chronic diseases requiring follow-up consultations, they will be assigned a time slot for follow-up by the GOPCs after each consultation and do not need to make separate appointments by phone. Episodic disease patients can make appointments for the next 24 hours through the HA GOPC telephone appointment system and “Book GOPC” function in the HA’s one-stop mobile app “HA Go”. There is no waiting time for GOP services. 
     
         The HA has been closely monitoring the operation and utilisation of different services with a view to deploying manpower and service resources flexibly. Since 2008, the HA has adopted a set of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to measure its service performance, covering clinical services, human resources and finance, with a view to establishing a mechanism for monitoring service performance and identifying service areas for continuous improvement. The HA conducts regular reviews of the KPIs annually and will enhance and refine them in accordance with its service strategies. Progress reports on KPIs are submitted to the HA Board and the Health Bureau on a regular basis, through quarterly progress review reports for the latter, to keep track of the HA’s performance in key service areas. Trend analyses within and across hospital clusters can be conducted to help identify areas for deliberation and formulation of enhancement measures, and to provide reference on service planning and resource allocation.
     
         Moreover, the HA has set up the Governance and Structure Reform Committee to provide strategic guidance, oversight, and reform advice on implementing governance and structure reforms. The work of the Committee includes examining the introduction of KPIs to measure the service performance of the HA.
     
         In recent years, the HA has also endeavoured to enhance public healthcare services through various measures, including enhancing primary healthcare services, shortening the waiting time for cataract surgery, making good use of the Central Government-Aided Emergency Hospital to alleviate the pressure on the radiology services in public hospitals, and establishing centres for major illnesses, with a view to improving the quality and efficiency of treatment. Regarding evening out-patient services, the HA and the Primary Healthcare Commission will also review the demand and supply of evening out-patient services in different districts as well as the utilisation of such services by members of the public in various districts, with emphasis on districts where private evening out-patient services are scanty, with a view to further increasing the number of quotas of evening out-patient services through flexible deployment of manpower and resources, as well as exploring the feasibility of setting up additional evening out-patient clinics.
     
    Note 1: The above figure includes attendances at Geriatric Day Hospitals, Psychiatric Day Hospitals, Day Rehabilitation Services, and Ambulatory Palliative Care Services. Of these, the number of attendances at Geriatric Day Hospitals includes those participating in the Integrated Discharge Support Programme for Elderly Patients.
    Note 2: The HA has maintained the relevant statistics since 2014-15.
    Note 3: The above endoscopic procedures include bronchoscopy, colonoscopy, colposcopy, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, flexible cystoscopy, oesophagogastroduodenoscopy, sigmoidoscopy and endoscopic ultrasonography. Of these, endoscopic ultrasonography covers upper gastrointestinal tract, lower gastrointestinal tract, as well as bronchus and mediastinum.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    July 23, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Apartment building on Myasnitskaya Street recognized as cultural heritage site

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    The profitable estate of A.P. Nilus – Kh.D. Spiridonov – S.V. Davydova on Myasnitskaya Street was included in the Unified State Register of Cultural Heritage Sites. The list was replenished 142 architectural monuments, and now it includes 3975 historical buildings and structures. All monuments are under state protection. Their owners and tenants must ensure the preservation and maintenance of the buildings in accordance with the approved subject of protection.

    The apartment building with shops on Myasnitskaya is one of the most recognizable and striking buildings on the street thanks to its ceremonial façade in classical forms, created by the architect Semyon Eybushits. The building was erected in the 1860s on the site of the former ceremonial courtyard of the Saltykov estate after its transformation into an apartment building.

    The oldest building is hidden in the courtyard, this is building 4. At its base are the Saltykov chambers, built before the mid-18th century. In 1825, it was here that the history of the Stroganov School began. Sergei Stroganov, a generous patron of the arts, founded a large, accessible even to serfs, “School of Drawing in Relation to Arts and Crafts.” He placed an advertisement in “Moskovskie Vedomosti” and called on landowners to send talented serfs for training, and craftsmen and manufacturers to send apprentices and sons.

    In the first third of the 19th century, a third floor was added to the building. The Venice Hotel opened in the renovated building. Later, in the 1880s, it was replaced by the Royal Hotel, where Dmitry Mendeleev, the creator of the periodic table of chemical elements, stayed.

    The building was last reconstructed in 1891, when a fourth floor was added. The author of the reconstruction was the architect Karl Treiman, who also built the Gothic castle of Andrey Knop in Kolpachny Lane.

    Get the latest news quicklyofficial telegram channel the city of Moscow.

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

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    July 23, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Robotics, yoga and zumba will be available in the capital’s parks from July 25 to 27

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    Parks under the jurisdiction of the capital Department of Culture, have prepared an extensive entertainment program from July 25 to 27. Visitors can expect master classes in painting and stained glass decor, illusion shows, concerts, excursions, and a celebration of the Russian Navy Day.

    “Hydrofly Fest”, yoga and plein air holidays in the Eastern Administrative District

    On July 25 and 26 at 11:00 in Izmailovsky Park the fourth International Festival of Extreme Water-Motor Sports Fans and the show “Hydrofly Fest” will take place. Spectators will see competitions and demonstration performances in such disciplines as hydrofly, hoverboard, freestyle aquabike and jet surf. You can see various tricks and acrobatic numbers on the Round Pond. Admission is free.

    On Saturday at 16:00 in the central part of Izmailovsky Park there will be a free excursion dedicated to its history. Participants will see a large Ferris wheel, the memorial complex “Ploshchad Muzhestva”, the Round Pond and a music pavilion. Anyone can join the walk.

    On July 26 at 4:00 p.m., young guests and their parents are invited to the estate of Father Frost for an interactive performance called “Dunno in the World of Professions.” The performance will be of interest to visitors over three years old. Admission is free.

    As part of the project “Sports Weekend” On July 26, Sokolniki Park will host a yoga class from 10:00 to 11:00, and a functional training session from 12:00 to 13:00. On July 27, a stretching session will be held from 10:00 to 11:00, and a dance training session from 12:00 to 13:00 in the gazebo in the large rose garden. Admission is free.

    On Pesochnaya Alley, on Saturday and Sunday at 20:00, a traditional fitness training session in dance zumba will be organized. A program based on Latin and world rhythms in the format of a dance party will be prepared for the participants.

    On July 26 from 11:00 to 14:00, guests of the Terletskaya Dubrava recreation area are invited to the class “Plein Air Vacation”. Children and adults will be able to create paintings in the fresh air. You must bring an easel, canvas, paints, brushes, a sketchbook, markers or pencils, as well as a chair or folding seat. The class is open to guests over nine years old.

    On Sunday, July 27, from 11:00 to 14:00, there will be a meeting of the project “Summer with Benefit”, where participants will make flower pots. Admission is free.

    Ebru, breakdance and summer concert in the Central Administrative District

    On Friday evening, July 25, a summer concert will be held in the Bauman Garden. A cover band will perform on the main stage “Rakushka” from 19:00 to 20:00. Admission is free.

    On Saturday, July 26, a soft yoga practice will be held in the Bauman Garden. The classes are suitable for participants of any level, even beginners. You must bring a mat, and it is also recommended to wear comfortable clothes. For more information, please call link.

    And from 13:00 to 20:00 the garden will celebrate “Smile Day”. Young Muscovites will be able to take part in creative master classes, demonstrate their knowledge in a quiz, watch a soap bubble show and a performance by stilt walkers. Admission is free.

    In the children’s park named after N.N. Pryamikov on Saturday from 14:00 to 16:00 they will hold a master class “Non-traditional drawing technique: ebru” from the union of artists “Echo”. Guests will create drawings with acrylic paints. Admission is free.

    On July 26 at 18:00 in Krasnaya Presnya Park, breakdance demonstrations by world champions in modern choreography will begin. Everyone will be able to take part in a dance master class. Admission is free.

    At the same time, the park will host an illusion show, and at 19:30 visitors will be invited to a concert program with the participation of representatives of the Yuri Gonchar School of Variety Art. The day will end with a musical selection “In the Rhythms of Summer”. Admission is free.

    On July 27 at 10:00, guests of the Hermitage Garden will be able to attend a tour dedicated to its history. Participants of the walk will learn about the founder of the garden and significant events that took place in this area. You can find out more about the event at link.

    Navy Day, concerts and sports in the North-West and North-Eastern Administrative Districts

    On Saturday, July 26, from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM, the Severnoye Siyaniye center in Severnoye Tushino Park will host a painting master class for children over six years old and adults. Participants will paint a seascape with yachts. Admission is free.

    On Sunday, July 27, the Russian Navy Day will be celebrated on the central square of the park. Guests will enjoy thematic classes and master classes, interactive areas and exhibitions. All events will be conducted by professional reenactors. Anyone can join in.

    On the same day, from 12:00 to 18:30, the Farvater exhibition hall of the Russian Navy History Museum will host military tactical games with miniatures. They are organized by the Voevoda club. Guests over six years of age are invited to participate.

    From 13:00 to 14:00, the Development and Creativity Club pavilion will host a master class called “Stained Glass”, where participants will create decorative items that they can take home. The class is open to guests over six years old.

    The Northern Lights center will have a game room open for young visitors from 2:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Children will be helped to choose a board game and the rules will be explained. Admission is free, and guests over six years of age are welcome.

    A free concert by the VerU music studio and the Triada dance school will be held on the park stage from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM. A thematic program dedicated to the sea, navy, and courage will be prepared for visitors. Admission is free.

    A robotics master class will be held in the Mitino Landscape Park on July 27 from 15:00 to 17:00 in the book exchange pavilion on the festival square. Participants will be able to assemble and program their first robot. Admission is free, and guests over the age of seven are welcome to the class.

    On the same day, from 16:00 to 17:30, as part of the program “Military Orchestras in Parks” of the International Military Music Festival “Spasskaya Tower”, a brass band will perform. Spectators will hear beloved works by Russian and foreign composers. Admission is free.

    On July 27 at 16:30, a training session in artistic gymnastics will be held in Lianozovsky Park. Visitors will be treated to a set of exercises suitable for all age groups. Admission is free, and the session will be of interest to guests over six years of age.

    Lecture on famous summer residents and eco-tour in ZAO

    On July 26, from 10:00 to 12:00, a lecture from the new series “Famous Summer Residents of Kuntsevo in the 19th Century” will be held in Fili Park. Admission is free, and guests over six years of age are welcome at the event.

    On July 27 from 11:00 to 13:00, everyone is invited to an eco-excursion “Summer birds of the central part of the Fili Park”. Participants will learn to recognize birds by their appearance and voices.

    The program contributes to the implementation of the goals and objectives of the national project “Family” in the city of Moscow.

    Project “Summer in Moscow” — the main event of the season. It brings together the most vibrant events of the capital. Every day, charity, cultural and sports events are held in all districts of the city, most of which are free. The Summer in Moscow project is being held for the second time, and the new season will be more eventful: new, original and colorful festivals and events will be added to the traditional ones.

    Get the latest news quickly official telegram channel the city of Moscow.

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

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    July 23, 2025
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