Category: Education

MIL-OSI USA: How AI helps to solve a big problem with small earthquakes

Source: US Geological Survey

Yellowstone Caldera Chronicles is a weekly column written by scientists and collaborators of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory. This week’s contribution is from Alysha Armstrong, graduate student at the University of Utah Department of Geology and Geophysics.

Although they mostly go unnoticed by humans, small earthquakes occur much more frequently than large earthquakes, and knowing more about these tiny seismic events can help us better understand the earthquake hazard and geological processes occurring in a region. Using conventional methods to measure the magnitude of small earthquakes in Yellowstone, however, can be challenging. But perhaps Artificial Intelligence (AI) approaches offer a solution. After all, AI is already helping to refine earthquake location procedures in Yellowstone.

Earthquake magnitudes are calculated from the energy released by the earthquake as recorded by a seismometer. In Yellowstone, the University of Utah Seismograph Stations (UUSS) operates a network of seismometers to monitor earthquakes in the area. Generally, magnitude measurements for a single earthquake are made at several stations in the network independently, and the estimates are then averaged into the final magnitude that is reported. Accurately computing magnitude values for small earthquakes becomes challenging when 1) there are not enough measurements, or 2) earthquakes are happening close together. This is a particular problem during swarms of small earthquakes because the signals from individual seismic events can overlap. Usually, this can be fixed by a seismic analyst after they locate the earthquake, but not always! About 2% of the earthquakes in the UUSS catalog do not have a magnitude computed, likely because of a combination of these issues, so the value is reported as -9.99. To solve this problem, let’s reach into our AI toolkit!

Example of a Yellowstone seismic waveform recorded at station YMC (at Maple Creek in the northeast part of Yellowstone National Park) with earthquakes for which a magnitude could not be determined. The magnitude was therefore set at -9.99 in the University of Utah Seismograph Stations catalog. The gold area highlights one event, but there are several others close by. The entire window is ~1 minute long. The close occurrence of several earthquakes in such a short time window and their small magnitude values make it a challenge to calculate an earthquake magnitude for any of these events.

Most people are likely familiar with complicated “deep learning” models, like ChatGPT, that accept and output complex data like long text sequences and images. The deep learning models we use in processing small earthquakes are similar, and they take ground motion data from seismometers as the input. Deep learning models like these are a type of machine learning, which describes algorithms that learn patterns in a dataset to estimate values of interest for new data. The models learn the patterns during a training phase, in which the model is provided with examples—sort of like a test with an answer key. After training, the model can accept inputs it has never seen before and estimate the output, given what it learned from the training data.

A map of the stations operating in the Yellowstone region between 2012 and 2024 shown as triangles with fill and edge colors indicating whether they are used to calculate magnitudes using traditional approaches, artificial intelligence methods, or both. Many more stations can be used with the AI magnitude method, allowing for more small-magnitude values to be computed. The black dots show the locations of the earthquakes cataloged by the University of Utah Seismograph Stations that were used to train the AI models.

There is also a somewhat simpler, though still powerful, type of machine learning that relies on human-defined features that describe the data instead of the more complicated, raw data to make predictions. In a recent study, UUSS scientists used this method to train models to calculate earthquake magnitudes based on short windows of data, so it won’t generally be a problem if earthquakes are close together.

In the new approach, the UUSS scientists trained one machine learning model for each station in the Yellowstone region using data from the UUSS earthquake catalog. Each model uses features describing the earthquake signal—such as the amplitude—and the location of the earthquake to estimate a magnitude value. The new method makes better use of the available data by accounting for multiple types of seismic waves, and the method also can take advantage of data from more seismic stations because of the rigorous training step. The net result is that there are up to 4 times as many measurements available to calculate a magnitude. Like in the conventional approach, these measurements are combined to determine a final magnitude.

The new method will ultimately complement, and not replace, the traditional approach for magnitude calculations. This is because traditional methods work very well most of the time (except for these small, nearby events), and because the machine learning approach does have its limitations, mostly because the models are only going to work well for earthquakes that are similar to the training dataset. So, for example, a model may fail to estimate the magnitude of an earthquake occurring near Hebgen Lake if it saw very few training examples from that area. Similarly, if most training examples were greater than M0.5, the model may perform poorly when applied to earthquakes with a magnitude less than 0.5. Combining predictions from multiple station models can help us to remove and identify poor magnitude estimates, but it can be challenging to know when the models are uncertain. In the future, UUSS scientists plan to expand the approach to not only provide a magnitude, but also an assessment of the confidence in that magnitude.

These machine learning methods are at the current cutting edge of seismology, and Yellowstone provides the perfect location to train and test the new approaches!

MIL OSI USA News –

July 21, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Catherine Staggs: Advancing Artemis Through Contracting Expertise

Source: NASA

A lifelong baseball fan, Catherine Staggs set out with her family to visit all 30 Major League Baseball stadiums across the United States. That love of the game eventually led them to settle in Houston about eight years ago – a choice that helped lead Staggs to NASA’s Johnson Space Center, where she is a contracting officer for the agency’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative. Through CLPS, she helps manage the contracts with commercial companies delivering science and technology to the Moon. These efforts support NASA’s Artemis campaign and lay the groundwork for continuous human presence on the lunar surface.

She joined NASA as a civil servant in 2018, but Staggs’ career in the federal government stretches back to her college days. She completed an accounting co-op with the Department of Defense as a student at Clemson University in Clemson, South Carolina, and secured a full-time accounting position with the agency following her graduation. She transitioned to a business financial manager position supporting U.S. Marine Corps projects while earning an MBA from The Citadel in Charleston, South Carolina. “That position is where I started to dabble in contracting,” she said.
Staggs moved to Texas in 2014 to be closer to her boyfriend – now husband – who was stationed at Fort Hood in Killeen. She was hired as a contract compliance manager for a small, Killeen-based business that specialized in government contracts, officially launching her career in contracting. When Staggs’ husband retired from the Army, the couple decided to move to Houston because they loved to watch the Houston Astros play ball. Staggs continued working for the contracting company from her new home but missed meeting new people and collaborating with colleagues in person.
“I applied for a contract specialist job with NASA to get back into the office, and the rest is history,” she said.
Her current role at Johnson involves managing the administrative contract functions for the 13 base contracts that support CLPS, which are valued at $2.6 billion. She is also the contracting officer for Firefly’s Blue Ghost Mission-3 and helps to train and develop up-and-coming contract specialists. “I love to see the development each contract specialist has over their career,” she said. “My first Pathways intern is now working full-time for NASA as a contract specialist, and they are working to become a limited warrant contracting officer.”

Her training experience provides valuable perspective on new team members. “Everyone starts at the bottom, not knowing what they don’t know,” she said. “We all have a beginning, and we need to remember that as we welcome new employees.”
Staggs said that navigating change has at times been difficult in her career, but she strives to remain flexible and open to adjusting work and life to meet the needs of the mission. “My time at NASA has helped develop my leadership skills through confidence in myself and my team,” she said.

She looks forward to mentoring the Artemis Generation and sharing her contracting knowledge with new team members. She also anticipates crossing more baseball stadiums off her family’s list this summer.

MIL OSI USA News –

July 21, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Six Months of Keeping America Safe Under President Trump and Secretary Noem

Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

Headline: Six Months of Keeping America Safe Under President Trump and Secretary Noem

lass=”text-align-center”>DHS has accomplished more in six months than most Administrations achieve in an entire term
WASHINGTON – In just six months, President Trump and Secretary Noem have delivered the American people a long list of victories in their mission to secure the homeland and Make America Safe Again

Under their leadership, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has closed the southern border, removed violent criminal illegal aliens, restored law and order to our immigration system, supported Americans in times of crisis, revolutionized our Coast Guard to meet the challenges of the 21st Century, and kept Americans safe

Secured the Southern Border

On day one, President Trump declared a national emergency at the southern border

 
President Trump immediately reinstated “Remain in Mexico” and ended catch-and-release

 
Daily border encounters have plunged by 93% since President Trump took office

Under President Trump’s leadership, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) has located over 10,000 unaccompanied children

Migrants are turning BACK before they even reach our border— migration through Panama’s Darien Gap is down 99%

President Trump—with $46

5 billion from the Big Beautiful Bill—is finishing the border wall

DHS already has more than 85 miles either planned or under construction with funding from the prior year, in addition to hundreds of miles that are now planned to be funded by the bill

 President Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill also includes over $5 billion for new technology and border surveillance

With the Big Beautiful Bill, CBP will get the resources they need to keep America safe, including $4

1 billion to hire additional personnel, including 5,000 more customs officers and 3,000 new Border Patrol agents

In June, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) had the lowest number of nationwide encounters in CBP history at 25,228

The number of nationwide apprehensions in June was also a historic low of just 8,024

Notably, on June 28, Border Patrol recorded only 136 apprehensions across the entire Southwest Border—the lowest single-day total in agency history

And in both May and June, U

S

Border Patrol reported zero parole releases—reinforcing the Administration’s commitment to ending catch-and-release policies

Removed the Worst of the Worst Illegal Aliens

The Trump Administration empowered our brave men and women in law enforcement to use common sense to do their jobs effectively

DHS returned to using the term “illegal alien” which is the statutory language

President Trump will not allow political correctness to hinder law enforcement

The Trump administration has arrested more than 300,000 illegal aliens in 2025 alone

70% of ICE arrests are criminal illegal aliens with criminal charges or convictions


The Big Beautiful Bill will allow ICE to arrest and remove even more criminal aliens by providing $14

4 billion for removals, 10,000 new ICE agents, 80,000 new ICE beds, and a $10,000 signing bonus for new ICE agents

This will help ICE achieve as many as 1 million deportations per year

As part of 287(g), DHS partnered with the State of Florida and opened Alligator Alcatraz, giving the Trump administration the capability to lock up some of the worst scumbags who entered the country illegally under the previous administration

The new facility expands facility and bed space by the thousands

Operation Tidal Wave, the first 287(g) enforcement operation coordinated with state and federal law enforcement partners, resulted in over 800 arrests

President Trump and Secretary Noem are empowering state and local law enforcement to get these criminal illegal aliens off our streets

DHS has secured more than 800 signed agreements with state and local partnerships under 287(g)


At the direction of President Trump, CBP and ICE began widescale immigration enforcement operations in sanctuary city Los Angeles and southern California

The month-long operation resulted in arresting some of the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens

In July, federal law enforcement officers executed criminal warrant operations at marijuana grow sites in Carpinteria and Camarillo

At least 14 migrant children have been rescued from potential exploitation, forced labor and human trafficking

Federal officers also arrested at least 361 illegal aliens from both sites in Carpinteria and Camarillo

After weeks of delays by activist judges, the Department of Homeland Security finally deported eight barbaric, violent criminal illegal aliens to South Sudan

Delivering Justice for Victims of Illegal Immigration

President Trump and Secretary Noem reopened the Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement (VOICE) office, which was shuttered by the Biden Administration

President Trump and Secretary Noem are standing up for the victims of illegal alien crime and ensuring they have access to much needed resources and support they deserve

Incentivizing Historic Self-Deportations

President Trump ended the CBP One app that allowed more than one million aliens to illegally enter the U

S

The Trump Administration replaced this disastrous program with the CBP Home app, which has a new self-deportation reporting feature for aliens illegally in the country

President Trump launched Project Homecoming through a presidential EO

The United States is also offering any illegal alien who uses the CBP Home App a stipend of $1,000 dollars, paid after their return to their home country has been confirmed through the app

So far, tens of thousands of illegal aliens have used the app to self-deport

 
In addition to offering CBP Home, DHS announced illegal aliens who self-deport through the app will receive forgiveness of any civil fines or penalties for failing to depart the United States

DHS also made CBP Home more user friendly by eliminating certain steps and making it easier than ever for illegal aliens to self-deport

DHS and DOJ are enforcing our immigration laws and fining illegal aliens who do not depart when they are supposed to

So far, nearly 10,000 fine notices have been issued by ICE

Restoring Common Sense to America’s Legal Immigration System

President Trump ended the broad abuse of humanitarian parole and returned the program to a case-by-case basis

As part of this effort, Secretary Noem terminated the Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela parole programs

Following victory at the U

S

Supreme Court, DHS began sending termination notices in June, informing the illegal aliens both their parole is terminated, and their parole-based employment authorization is revoked – effective immediately

DHS has returned the Temporary Protected Status immigration program to its original status: temporary

No longer will this program be abused and exploited by illegal aliens

Secretary Noem rescinded the previous administration’s extension of Venezuelan, Haitian, Nicaraguan, Honduran, and Afghan TPS

Secretary Noem terminated Harvard University’s Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) certification—meaning Harvard can no longer enroll foreign students and existing foreign students must transfer or lose their legal status—for fostering violence, antisemitism, and coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party

It is a privilege, not a right, for universities to enroll foreign students and benefit from higher tuition to help pad their multibillion-dollar endowments

Harvard University repeatedly abused this privilege and even stonewalled DHS’s request for information

Initiating a Golden Age in American Air Travel

Secretary Noem terminated the politically motivated Quiet Skies Program, which since its existence has failed to stop a single terrorist attack while costing US taxpayers $200 million a year

The program, under the guise of “national security,” was used to target political opponents and benefit political allies

TSA ended the “shoes-off” travel policy, allowing passengers traveling through domestic airports to keep their shoes on while passing through security screening at TSA checkpoints

This change will drastically decrease passenger wait times at our TSA checkpoints, leading to a more pleasant and efficient passenger experience

The Trump administration fully implemented REAL ID enforcement measures nationwide—a law signed 20 years ago

REAL ID helps ensure that travelers are who they say they are and prevents fraud by criminals, terrorists, and illegal aliens

Most travelers have not even noticed a difference because nearly 94% of travelers are already REAL ID compliant

Secretary Noem ended collective bargaining for the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) Transportation Security Officers, which constrained TSA’s chief mission to safeguard our transportation systems

Fixing Disaster Relief for the 21st Century

The Federal Emergency Management Agency is now shifting from bloated, DC-centric dead weight to a lean, deployable disaster force that empowers state actors to provide relief for their citizens

The old processes are being replaced because they failed Americans in real emergencies for decades

President Trump has established the FEMA Review Council to provide recommendations on how to best conduct disaster relief at the federal level

Under Secretary Noem’s leadership, the FEMA Review Council is developing a comprehensive plan for necessary change

DHS has empowered state and local governments to lead disaster relief efforts without interference from the federal government

Provided Rapid and Effective Support to Flood Victims in Texas

Within moments of the flooding in Texas, DHS assets, including the U

S

Coast Guard (USCG), CBP Border Search, CBP BORSTAR, and FEMA personnel surged into unprecedented action alongside Texas first responders for search and rescue operations

FEMA deployed 311 staffers delivering critical intelligence, aerial imagery, and shelter for 171 survivors

Combined state and federal rescue efforts evacuated and rescued over 1,500 people

Getting CISA Back on Mission

Under the Biden Administration, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency (CISA) censored free speech and targeted Americans

Under President Trump’s direction, DHS closed CISA’s politically weaponized offices and fired those responsible for abusing their power

CISA is now back on-mission: Protecting Americans and critical infrastructure from cyberthreats

CISA is shifting away from an all-hazards approach to a risk-informed approach, prioritizing resilience and action over mere information sharing

CISA personnel are deployed across 10 regions in support of all 56 states/territories

CISA is also on the front lines of defending America from cyberattacks

CISA partnered with the FBI and NSA to ensure state and local governments have information and resources necessary for protection

CISA is also providing security support for next year’s FIFA World Cup

Secretary Noem discontinued the Critical Infrastructure Partnership Advisory Council (CIPAC) as a part of the implementation of President Trump’s Executive Order 14217, Commencing the Reduction of the Federal Bureaucracy, and removed members of the Cyber Safety Review Board (CSRB), which CISA oversees

Revolutionizing the Coast Guard

When President Trump came back into office, the Coast Guard faced its greatest readiness crisis since World War II because the Biden Administration left it underfunded and neglected

President Trump’s order to surge Coast Guard assets to our maritime border changed the game

In the first few months of the Trump Administration, the Coast Guard seized more cocaine and other illegal drugs than during the entirety of 2024

For the first time in years, the Coast Guard expects to exceed its recruiting goals

In Fiscal Year 2025, the Coast Guard has brought in more than 4,250 recruits – 1,200 more than the same time last year

That’s 108% over the goal

Under Biden, the Coast Guard fell short of its recruiting goals four years straight

Under President Trump and Secretary Noem, the Coast Guard is unleashing “Force Design 2028,” a revolutionary new blueprint that will make the Coast Guard more agile, more capable, and more responsive than ever before

Standing up for the American taxpayer

The United States Coast Guard (USCG) eliminated an ineffective information technology (IT) program, saving nearly $33 million, and is now focusing resources where they’re most needed to protect our homeland

 
USCG partially terminated a wasteful Offshore Patrol Cutter (OPC) contract with Eastern Shipbuilding Group (ESG), which has been slow to deliver four OPCs, harming U

S

defense capabilities

The Trump Administration stopped aliens on the Terror Watchlist from receiving Medicaid benefits

  
Secretary Noem cancelled CISA’s expensive headquarters project, saving taxpayers over half a billion dollars

To stop policies that were magnets for illegal immigration, DHS froze all funding to non-governmental organizations that facilitate illegal immigration and announced a partnership with the U

S

Department of Housing and Urban Development to ensure taxpayer dollars do not go to housing illegal aliens

 
###

MIL OSI USA News –

July 21, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: NASA Tests Scalable Satellite Tech to Launch Sensors Quicker

Source: NASA

NASA’s Athena Economical Payload Integration Cost mission, or Athena EPIC, is a test launch for an innovative, scalable space vehicle design to support future missions. The small satellite platform is engineered to share resources among the payloads onboard by managing routine functions so the individual payloads don’t have to.
This technology results in lower costs to taxpayers and a quicker path to launch.

“Increasing the speed of discovery is foundational to NASA. Our ability to leverage access to innovative space technologies across federal agencies through industry partners is the future,” said Clayton Turner, Associate Administrator for Space Technology Mission Directorate at NASA headquarters in Washington. “Athena EPIC is a valuable demonstration of the government at its best — serving humankind to advance knowledge with existing hardware configured to operate with new technologies.”
The NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) and the U.S. Space Force are government partners for this demo mission. Athena EPIC’s industry partner, NovaWurks, provided the space vehicle, which utilizes a small satellite platform assembled with a Hyper-Integrated Satlet, or HISat.

The HISat instruments are similar in nature to a child’s toy interlocking building blocks. They’re engineered to be built into larger structures called SensorCraft. Those SensorCraft can share resources with multiple payloads and conform to different sizes and shapes to accommodate them. This easily configurable, building-block architecture allows a lot of flexibility with payload designs and concepts, ultimately giving payload providers easier, less expensive access to space and increased maneuverability between multiple orbits.
Scientists at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, designed and built the Athena sensor payload, which consists of an optical module, a calibration module, and a newly developed sensor electronics assembly. Athena EPIC’s sensor was built with spare parts from NASA’s CERES (Clouds and the Earth’s Radiant Energy System) mission. Several different generations of CERES satellite and space station instruments have tracked Earth’s radiation budget.
“Instead of Athena carrying its own processor, we’re using the processors on the HISats to control things like our heaters and do some of the control functions that typically would be done by a processor on our payload,” said Kory Priestley, principal investigator for Athena EPIC from NASA Langley. “So, this is merging an instrument and a satellite platform into what we are calling a SensorCraft. It’s a more integrated approach. We don’t need as many capabilities built into our key instrument because it’s being brought to us by the satellite host. We obtain greater redundancy, and it simplifies our payload.”

This is the first HISat mission led by NASA. Traditional satellites, like the ones that host the CERES instruments — are large, sometimes the size of a school bus, and carry multiple instruments. They tend to be custom units built with all of their own hardware and software to manage control, propulsion, cameras, carousels, processors, batteries, and more, and sometimes even require two of everything to guard against failures in the system. All of these factors, plus the need for a larger launch vehicle, significantly increase costs.
This transformational approach to getting instruments into space can reduce the cost from billions to millions per mission. “Now we are talking about something much smaller — SensorCraft the size of a mini refrigerator,” said Priestley. “If you do have failures on orbit, you can replace these much more economically. It’s a very different approach moving forward for Earth observation.”

Athena EPIC is scheduled to launch July 22 as a rideshare on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California. The primary NASA payload on the launch will be the TRACERS (Tandem Reconnection and Cusp Electrodynamics Reconnaissance Satellites) mission. The TRACERS mission is led by the University of Iowa for NASA’s Heliophysics Division within the Science Mission Directorate. NASA’s Earth Science Division also provided funding for Athena EPIC.
“Langley Research Center has long been a leader in developing remote sensing instruments for in-orbit satellites. As satellites become smaller, a less traditional, more efficient path to launch is needed in order to decrease complexity while simultaneously increasing the value of exploration, science, and technology measurements for the Nation,” added Turner.
For more information on NASA’s Athena EPIC mission:
https://science.nasa.gov/misshttps://science.nasa.gov/mission/athena/ion/athena/

MIL OSI USA News –

July 21, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: St. Louis County Disaster Recovery Centers to Close July 24

Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

Headline: St

Louis County Disaster Recovery Centers to Close July 24

St

Louis County Disaster Recovery Centers to Close July 24

ST

LOUIS – The two Disaster Recovery Centers in St

Louis County are scheduled to close permanently on Thursday, July 24 at 7 p

m

The three Disaster Recovery Centers in the City of St

Louis are staying open

At all locations, FEMA and the U

S

Small Business Administration are helping impacted residents with their disaster assistance applications, answering questions, and uploading required documents

St

Louis County Locations – Closing July 24LOCATIONSHOURS OF OPERATIONSt

Louis County Library Mid-County Branch7821 Maryland Ave

Clayton, MO 63105Monday–Thursday: 8 a

m

– 7 p

m

Friday: 8 a

m

-5 p

m

Saturday: 9 a

m

– 4 p

m

Sunday: ClosedClosing Permanently: Thursday, July 24 St

Louis County LibraryPrairie Commons Branch 915 Utz Ln

Hazelwood, MO 63042Monday–Thursday: 8 a

m

– 7 p

m

Friday: 8 a

m

-5 p

m

Saturday: 9 a

m

– 4 p

m

Sunday: ClosedClosing Permanently: Thursday, July 24You can visit any Disaster Recovery Center, no matter where you are staying now

Three additional Disaster Recovery Centers are open in St

Louis City to assist residents and businesses affected by the May 16 tornado and storms

St

Louis City Locations – Staying OpenLOCATIONSHOURS 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: ClosedTo save time, please apply for FEMA assistance before coming to the Disaster Recovery Center

Apply online at DisasterAssistance

gov or by calling 1-800-621-3362

If you are unable to apply online or by phone, someone at the Disaster Recovery Center can assist you

The FEMA application deadline for the May 16 disaster is August 11, 2025

If your home or personal property sustained damage not covered by insurance, FEMA may be able to provide money to help you pay for home repairs, a temporary place to live, and replace essential personal property that was destroyed

sara

zuckerman
Fri, 07/18/2025 – 20:30

MIL OSI USA News –

July 21, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Curiosity Blog, Sols 4602-4603: On Top of the Ridge

Source: NASA

Written by Alex Innanen, Atmospheric Scientist at York University
Earth planning date: Wednesday, July 16, 2025
As we hoped, we successfully climbed the 11-meter ramp (about 36 feet) and have arrived at the top of the ridge and the start of the main boxwork region. This means we’re moving into the next phase of the boxwork campaign, which is all about assessing these features and how we can navigate our way through them, and learning everything we can about their composition.
In support of that, we’re taking a good look around at the boxwork ridges with both ChemCam and Mastcam. Both instruments are taking mosaics of the more distant ridges to get a broader view of their features. A bit closer in, Mastcam has three more mosaics: two looking at different views of “El Corral” and “Chapare,” both of which we saw in Monday’s plan, and “Meson,” which is the ridge we’ll be heading for in today’s 15-meter drive (about 49 feet).
It’s not all looking ahead, though. The workspace in front of us has a lot to offer as well. Mastcam will be turning its sights to some nearby linear features. Our workspace is also full of nodular bedrock, which is getting lots of up-close attention. ChemCam will be turning its LIBS laser on a target called “Altamora,” and MAHLI and APXS will be examining another target called “Nocarane.”
With all the geological excitement, we can still manage to squeeze in some time to keep an eye on the environment. Though we don’t always mention them, REMS, RAD, and DAN are always there working steadily away to build up our understanding of Mars’ environment. We’ll also round out the plan with a suprahorizon cloud movie and a 360-degree dust-devil survey.

MIL OSI USA News –

July 21, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: NSU hosted the first economic quest “Knowledge — Money”

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

Source: Novosibirsk State University –

An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

On July 10, Novosibirsk State University hosted a fascinating economic quest, “Knowledge — Money,” in which 65 high school students from different schools in Novosibirsk took part. It was not just an intellectual challenge, but also a real immersion into the world of economics, where knowledge, logic, and teamwork become the key to success.

The quest was organized by the public organization “Laboratory of Economics and Business” with the support of Faculty of Economics, NSU, the “First” movement and the low-rise eco-quarter “Spectrum”.

—The Laboratory of Economics and Business was created three years ago. Our mission is to develop schoolchildren’s interest in economics and to form a culture of systems thinking. The first event we held last year was a course of lectures and interactive seminars “Basics of Economics and Business for Schoolchildren”. Instead of the planned 20 people, more than 60 took part in it. We realized that schoolchildren have a huge interest in economics and new educational formats. This is how the idea of a quest was born, which we decided to hold in the summer, — said Dmitry Markov, a lecturer in the Department of Management of the Faculty of Economics of NSU, head of the laboratory.

The participants united into 14 teams, each of which went through 13 stations in four thematic “economic laboratories” in three hours. At each station, the teams passed tests on knowledge, logic and ingenuity, solved problems of varying difficulty levels and earned points. The maximum for each station was 100 points, and at the end the strongest team was determined.

1. Systems Analysis Laboratory

The children were given tasks that clearly demonstrated the importance of a systematic approach to solving problems. A crossword, a fillword, and a Japanese puzzle called “Bridges” — all of this forced the participants to think logically, find patterns and relationships. And most importantly, it helped them better understand how economic processes are structured in reality.

2. Laboratory of Economic Intuition

Here, participants encountered economic puzzles, asset turnover tasks, and cases that required filling in missing terms. These tasks helped participants not only remember the terms, but also understand how they work in the context of business and finance.

3. Business Analytics Lab

It turned out to be the most difficult — and, perhaps, the most educational. The kids had to understand the financial statements of the Magnit retail chain, pass tests on formal logic, and solve numerical problems that are used when hiring in large financial companies. This gave the schoolchildren the opportunity to “try on” the role of a business analyst and understand how interesting and in-demand this profession is.

4. Bipolar Laboratory

This lab turned out to be the most creative and memorable. Participants had to not only think, but also act:

Assemble a product according to the technical specifications from a construction set. Assemble a puzzle from the logos of famous brands and compare them with the companies’ missions. Restore the system by analogy with the game “Tetris”. Assemble slides with company analytics to create a complete picture.

These tasks developed not only logic and economic thinking, but also teamwork skills, attentiveness and creativity.

Each laboratory had its own curators, who were students from the Faculty of Economics of NSU.

Artem Bezrukov commanded the business analytics laboratory.

— Three stations: calculation tasks, a logic storm and a hellish quiz on financial reporting. I thought that my stations would be the hardest for the participants, but the guys turned out to be great! We were especially impressed with the financial reporting of Magnit. We compared profitability, revenue, turnover — like analysts with real cases! Honestly, I thought that out of 100 points our maximum would be 50, but I was pleasantly surprised by other results!) I admit, the logic test turned out to be the most tricky. Only two teams were able to solve it 100 out of 100! Apparently, numbers are closer to them than puzzles.) Even my fifth-graders learned to calculate profitability! — said Artem.

Kira Kurmasheva was responsible for the bipolar laboratory.

—We had a great time and enjoyed it as much as the quest participants. Our lab had the most stations — four. All the tasks in my lab were interactive, the kids were asked to assemble a flower from a construction set, restore economic slides, assemble puzzles with logos of famous companies, and solve a riddle. All the tasks were quite easy, but very interesting. Our lab had the highest average score for the quest.

I am very glad that our event attracted so many children from all over the region. During the game, I received a lot of positive feedback about the quest. I hope that I will participate in many more similar projects from the laboratory of economics and business! – Kira shared.

As a result, all teams completed all stations, showed good results and acquired valuable skills. The winner of the quest was the team “EkoMi”, which scored the highest number of points.

All participants were awarded raffle tickets and delicious pizza, which was a pleasant end to a busy but exciting day.

Here’s what the event participants thought about the quest.

Taisiya Gershun, 8th grade, OC “Gornostay”:

— Although I was never particularly interested in economics, the quest even made me think about enrolling in the economics department! An interesting format that helps to apply knowledge from economics in practice. During the quest, you learn to work together and make decisions quickly. It was especially interesting to solve economic puzzles and solve different problems. At the end, there was an announcement of the winners and pizza!!

Vladimir Rimmer, 9th grade, Lyceum No. 130:

— My mother signed me up for the quest, for which I am very grateful to her. I got a lot of new emotions, made new acquaintances. I really liked the idea itself, the organization and, of course, the surprise in the form of pizza after the end. If I were to rate the quest on a ten-point scale, it would definitely be 10 out of 10!

Daria Rakova, 9th grade, OC “Gornostay”:

— Overall, the event was interesting and useful. The tasks were varied, you had to think and act. I especially liked two things: bridges and a crossword puzzle. These logic tasks are just super, and everything was exciting with the team. Overall, I spent my time usefully, learned something new and laughed.

The Laboratory of Economics and Business is already drawing up a plan for future events, where schoolchildren not only gain new knowledge, but also come into contact with university life.

— The guys spent the whole day at NSU, got to know the university, its teachers and students better. We are sure that many of them will choose NSU as the place of their admission and further education, — Dmitry Markov emphasized.

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.

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MIL OSI Russia News –

July 21, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Study tour on national water infrastructure, culture and technology celebrating 60th anniversary of Dongjiang’s water supply to Hong Kong departs today for Hubei (with photos)

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

In celebration and commemoration of the 60th anniversary of Dongjiang’s water supply to Hong Kong, a study tour on national water infrastructure, culture and technology jointly organised by the Water Supplies Department, the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers and the Hong Kong Federation of Education Workers departed this afternoon (July 21) for Xiangyang, Hubei Province, to begin its itinerary. The 120-person study tour comprising secondary students, tertiary engineering undergraduates, young engineers, and representatives from the engineering profession and related government departments will visit key national water infrastructure projects and historical, cultural and technological landmarks in Zhengzhou, Anyang and Beijing.

The Secretary for Development, Ms Bernadette Linn; the Permanent Secretary for Development (Works), Mr Ricky Lau; and the Director of Water Supplies, Mr Roger Wong, saw off the study tour this afternoon. Ms Linn encouraged participants to take advantage of this valuable opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the country’s history, culture and modernisation process through site visits, and be inspired to make contributions to the development of the country and Hong Kong. She also expected that participants can gain deeper insights into the history of national water infrastructure projects, including how the country has rendered immense support in safeguarding a stable water supply to Hong Kong through Dongjiang’s water supply.

Secondary student members on the tour will visit the ancient city of Anyang and its Yinxu Museum tomorrow (July 22), while tour members from the professional sector, consisting of tertiary engineering undergraudates, young engineers, representatives from the engineering profession and related government departments, will visit the “Crossing the Yellow River Project” under the middle route of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project and the Henan Museum in Zhengzhou. On July 23, the study tour will begin its itinerary in Beijing to visit Tuancheng Lake Regulating Pond, the central dispatch centre of the middle route of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project, the National Museum for Modern Chinese Scientist, and Shougang Park. On July 25, the tour will conclude the achievements of the visits in a seminar with the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council and the Ministry of Water Resources, and will return to Hong Kong on the same day.

Ms Linn, Mr Lau and Mr Wong will join part of the tour’s itinerary in Beijing.

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

July 21, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: New District Officer for North District assumes office (with photo)

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

â€‹Ms Winkie Chick will assume the post of District Officer (North) tomorrow (July 21), succeeding Mr Derek Lai.

Since joining the Administrative Service in 2015, Ms Chick has served in various bureaux, including the then Transport and Housing Bureau, the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau and the Education Bureau.

She was the Assistant Secretary (Heritage Conservation) at the Development Bureau before taking up the new post of District Officer (North).

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

July 21, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Classes of all day schools are suspended today

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

As the Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 8 or above is now in force, classes of all day schools, including secondary schools, primary schools, special schools, kindergartens, and kindergarten-cum-child care centres, are suspended today (July 20). If classes of evening schools are required to be suspended tonight, the Education Bureau will make the announcement in due course.

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

July 21, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: The first meeting of the Board of Directors of PJSC NK Rosneft was held following the annual shareholders meeting

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

Source: Rosneft – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

Mohammed Bin Saleh Al-Sada was elected Chairman of the Board of Directors of PJSC NK Rosneft. The meeting also formed the composition and elected the chairmen of three standing committees of the Board of Directors.

Mohammed Bin Saleh Al-Sada was first elected as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Rosneft in June 2023. He has over 40 years of experience in the energy sector. Al-Sada is currently Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the University of Science and Technology (Doha, State of Qatar), a member of the Board of Trustees of the Abdullah bin Hamad Al-Attiyah International Fund for Energy and Sustainable Development, a member of the Advisory Committee of the Governing Body of the Gulf Cooperation Council, and Deputy Chairman of the Board of Directors of Nesma Infrastructure.

From 2007 to 2011, Al-Sada served as Minister of State for Energy and Industry of Qatar, and from 2011 to 2018, Minister of Energy and Industry of Qatar, and Chairman of the Board of Qatar Petroleum (now QatarEnergy).

Department of Information and AdvertisingPJSC NK RosneftJuly 21, 2025

These materials contain statements about future events and expectations that are forward-looking in nature. Any statement in these materials that is not a statement of historical fact is a forward-looking statement that involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause actual results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements to differ. We assume no obligations to update the forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect actual results, changes in assumptions or changes in factors affecting these statements.

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.

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MIL OSI Russia News –

July 21, 2025
MIL-OSI Europe: Oral question – Methodological and democratic deficiencies in the Commission’s public consultations – a call for reform – O-000025/2025
Source: European Parliament
Question for oral answer O-000025/2025
to the Commission
Rule 142
Christine Anderson
on behalf of the ESN Group

Over the past decade, the Commission has increasingly used public consultations to bolster claims of transparency and democratic legitimacy. Now central to the Better Regulation agenda, they accompany nearly all major legislative initiatives[1]. While public participation is fundamental to representative democracy, independent audits and academic research highlight serious flaws in how these consultations are designed and interpreted[2].

Consultations routinely suffer from self-selection bias, as responses mainly come from actors with a pre-existing interest or resources, skewing outcomes away from the broader EU population[3]. The Commission rarely employs scientifically robust techniques such as randomised sampling, post-stratification weighting or neutral question framing, all of which are standard in public opinion research.

The format itself restricts participation. Dense documents, technical language and online-only access exclude many citizens with a lower level of education, limited digital access or little familiarity with EU processes[4]. There is growing concern that consultation outcomes have limited policy impact, with decisions often shaped earlier by lobbying or internal agendas[5].

1.Given these concerns, how does the Commission justify treating its consultation methods as credible democratic engagement, despite their lack of core safeguards from social science?

2.What reforms will the Commission introduce to reduce participation bias, reach beyond organised stakeholders and improve accessibility for under-represented and digitally excluded groups?

3.Will the Commission adopt rigorous techniques such as randomised and stratified sampling, statistical weighting and neutral framing to ensure that outcomes reflect the views of the broader EU public?

4.Finally, what steps will be taken to ensure that consultation results are systematically analysed, publicly reported and meaningfully reflected in legislation?

Submitted: 17.7.2025

Lapses: 18.10.2025

[1] Rangone, N., ‘Improving consultation to ensure the EU’s democratic legitimacy: From traditional procedural requirements to behavioural insights’, European Law Journal, Volume 28, Issue 4-6, July-November 2022, pp. 154-171, https://doi.org/10.1111/eulj.12439.

[2] European Court of Auditors Special Report 14/2019 of 5 September 2019 entitled ‘“Have your say!”: Commission’s public consultations engage citizens, but fall short of outreach activities’.

[3] Røed, M. & Hansen, V., ‘Explaining Participation Bias in the European Commission’s Online Consultations: The Struggle for Policy Gain without too Much Pain’, Journal of Common Market Studies, Volume 56, Issue 6, September 2018, pp. 1446-1461, https://doi.org/10.1111/jcms.12754.

[4] Centre of Expertise for Good Governance of the Council of Europe, ‘Comparative analysis of European practices on public consultations’, Council of Europe, Strasbourg, 5 July 2021, https://rm.coe.int/council-of-europe-comparative-analysis-of-european-practices-on-public/1680aef56f.

[5] Thompson, L., ‘Is the EU’s consultation process broken?’, The Parliament, 5 September 2023, https://www.theparliamentmagazine.eu/news/article/eu-consultation-process-citizen-participation.
Last updated: 21 July 2025
MIL OSI Europe News –
July 21, 2025
MIL-OSI: S.BIOMEDICS Cell Therapy for Parkinson’s Disease Shows Positive Data from Its Phase 1/2a Clinical Trial
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA, July 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — S.BIOMEDICS announced encouraging one-year post-transplant results from Phase 1/2a clinical trial evaluating A9-DPC cell therapy for Parkinson’s disease. The data demonstrate a favorable safety and efficacy profile of A9-DPC in 12 participants at 12 months compared to baseline. Participants were divided equally into a low-dose group (3.15 million cells) and a high-dose group (6.30 million cells).
- A9-DPC (TED-A9) consists of high-purity ventral midbrain dopaminergic progenitor cells derived from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) under rigorous GMP conditions.
- A total of 12 participants received bilateral putamen transplantation with either a low-dose (3.15 million cells; n = 6) or a high-dose (6.30 million cells; n = 6) of A9-DPC, with the last participant receiving treatment in February 2024.
- At 12 months, the safety profile was favorable, with no tumorigenesis, overgrowth of transplanted cells, ectopic cell migration, or immune-mediated inflammation observed.
- Clinical improvements were observed, along with evidence of cell survival and engraftment at the 12-month follow-up.
- Increased dopamine transporter (DAT) signals in putamen, measured by [¹⁸F]FP-CIT PET, correlated with the observed improvements of motor function.
The MDS-UPDRS Part III (off) score, a standard scale for assessing motor symptom severity in Parkinson’s disease, showed a mean decrease (improvement) of 12.7 points in the low-dose group and 15.5 points in the high-dose group at 12 months compared to baseline. There were also improvements in MDS-UPDRS Part I, II and IV scores. The MDS-UPDRS Total (off) score showed mean improvements of 29.0 points and 34.7 points in the low- and high-dose groups, respectively.

Clinical improvements were further supported by changes in the Hoehn and Yahr stage, an ordinal scale categorizing disease severity based on motor function. On average, low-dose recipients improved (decreased) from stage 3.7 to 2.7, while high-dose recipients demonstrated a greater improvement from stage 3.8 to 2.2.

A9-DPC also demonstrated favorable outcomes in other assessments, including the Non-Motor Symptoms Scale (NMSS), the Parkinson’s Disease Questionnaire-39 (PDQ-39) and the Schwab and England Activities of Daily Living Scale (SEADL). NMSS score improved by 31.7 points in the low-dose group and by 35.8 points in the high-dose group.

[¹⁸F]FP-CIT PET imaging showed an overall increase in putamen DAT signals, with greater increases observed in the high-dose group, providing additional evidence for the underlying mechanism of action. Notably, there was a statistically significant correlation between improvements in MDS-UPDRS Part III (off) scores and increased DAT signal in the posterior dorsal putamen, supporting the hypothesis of synaptic restoration through engrafted cells.

In terms of safety, the safety profile remained favorable. No treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) related to the transplanted cells were reported. Tumorigenesis, cell overgrowth, or ectopic cell migration was not observed. Most of TEAEs were mild to moderate. One participant experienced an asymptomatic mild hemorrhage, but no neurological abnormalities or other serious side effects were observed.

“Our data show a consistent positive trend throughout the study period, demonstrating the favorable safety and efficacy profiles. Importantly, increased DAT signals on PET imaging correlated with the observed behavioral recovery, which is very promising in terms of the mechanism of A9-DPC through neuroimaging.” said Prof. Dong-Wook Kim of Yonsei University College of Medicine and CTO of S.BIOMEDICS. “We will continue to present additional data through our ongoing study.”

About A9-DPC and Phase 1/2a clinical trial

A9-DPC (also called TED-A9) is an investigational cell therapy designed to replace ventral midbrain-specific dopaminergic neurons lost in patients with Parkinson’s disease. These ventral midbrain-specific dopaminergic cells are derived from hESCs (human embryonic stem cells) by exclusively utilizing small molecules under strict GMP conditions. A9-DPC represents a significant advancement in the field, offering highly purified dopaminergic cells derived from hESCs. Through a stereotactic surgical procedure, these hESC-derived dopaminergic progenitor (precursor) cells are transplanted into three segments of the putamen: the anterior, middle, and posterior sections, with three tracks per each putamen. Bilateral putamina were treated in a single surgical procedure, with cells injected at three points within each track. After transplantation, the progenitor cells are expected to mature into dopaminergic neurons, enhancing neural connectivity and restoring motor function in patients.

The Phase 1/2a clinical trial enrolled 12 participants diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease for more than 5 years who exhibited motor complications such as wearing off, freezing of gait, or dyskinesia. Participants ranged from 50 to 75 years old. An initial low-dose cohort (3.15 million cells) of three patients was first enrolled to assess initial safety including dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) over three months. After confirming safety, an additional three patients received the high dose (6.30 million cells) for similar evaluation. With continued safety confirmation, three more patients were enrolled in each dose group, totaling 12 participants. The final participant received A9-DPC in February 2024.

The primary objective of the Phase 1/2a trial is to evaluate the safety and exploratory efficacy for up to two years post-transplantation, with safety follow-up continuing for an additional three years.

About S.BIOMEDICS

Established in 2005, S.BIOMEDICS Co., Ltd. is a leading innovator in stem cell therapy, specializing in regenerative medicine powered by data-driven biology. Leveraging two core platform technologies, S.BIOMEDICS is currently advancing seven cell therapy programs targeting intractable diseases. Several of its lead candidates are now in clinical development, demonstrating the company’s leadership in advancing cell-based medicine:
- A9-DPC (TED-A9): Ventral midbrain-specific dopaminergic progenitor cells derived from hESCs for Parkinson’s disease (Phase 1/2a)
- TED-N: PSA-NCAM-positive neural progenitor cells derived from hESCs for spinal cord injury (Phase 1/2a)
- FECS-Ad: 3D MSC spheroids for critical limb ischemia (completed Phase 1/2a)
As the foremost authority and trailblazer in Parkinson’s disease treatment in South Korea, S.BIOMEDICS is setting the national standard for cell therapy innovation.

More Information about the Phase 1/2a clinical trial for Parkinson’s disease is available at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT05887466).

For more information about S.BIOMEDICS, visit https://www.sbiomedics.com/. S.BIOMEDICS is listed on the Korea Exchange and is also the founder and controller of S.THEPHARM (www.sthepharm.com), a corporation specializing in anti-aging products such as HA-Filler.

Media contact

Brand: S.BIOMEDICS

Contact: Sarang Kim

Email: ksr7744@sbiomedics.com

Website: https://www.sbiomedics.com

The MIL Network –
July 21, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: Rosneft Oil Company Holds First Board of Directors Meeting Following Annual Shareholders’ Meeting Results

Source: Rosneft – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

Mohammed Bin Saleh Al-Sada has been elected Chairman of the Board of Directors of Rosneft Oil Company. The meeting also formed the composition and elected the chairmen of the three permanent committees of the Board of Directors.

Mohammed Bin Saleh Al-Sada was first elected Chairman of Rosneft Board of Directors in June 2023. He holds more than 40 years of experience in the energy sector. Currently, Al-Sada holds the position of Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Doha University for Science and Technology (the State of Qatar), Member of the Board of Trustees at the Abdullah Bin Hamad Al-Attiyah International Foundation for Energy & Sustainable Development and Advisory Board member for GCC supreme council, as well as Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of Nesma Infrastructure & Technology.

From 2007 to 2011, Minister of State for Energy & Industry Affairs of the State of Qatar, from 2011 to 2018 as Minister of Energy and Industry of the State of Qatar, and Chairman of the Board of Qatar Petroleum (now QatarEnergy).

Department of Information and Advertising
Rosneft Oil Company
July 21, 2025

These materials contain statements regarding future events and expectations that are forward-looking estimates. Any statement in these materials that is not historical information is a forward-looking statement that involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from the expected results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. We assume no obligation to adjust the data contained herein to reflect actual results, changes in underlying assumptions or factors affecting the forward-looking statements.

Please note; this information is the raw content received directly from the information source. This is exactly what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

MIL OSI Russia News –

July 21, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: Young engineers from Polytechnic University won bronze at the all-Russian competition “Robocross.Dune”

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

Source: Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University –

An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

The 15th All-Russian competition of high-cross-country robotic platforms “Robocross.Dune” was held at the “Beryozovaya Poima” training ground in the Nizhny Novgorod Region. This year, the Polytechnic University team participated for the first time. Activists from the Polytech Voltage Machine (PVM) student association of the Institute of Mechanical Engineering, Materials and Transport presented a universal tracked platform of their own design, “Object 314”.

The SPbPU team included students, postgraduates and employees of the PVM design bureau. This includes project manager Gennady Zyabkin, team leader Vsevolod Gaiduk, as well as engineers: designer Alexander Kutuzov, programmer Kirill Khitushkin and researcher Anton Larionov (representative of the Scientific Research Laboratory “Industrial Systems of Streaming Data Processing”).

The technological partner of Polytech Voltage Machine was the company “Scientific and Production Enterprise “Measuring Technologies SPb”, which specializes in the development of control systems for electric drives.

The Polytechnicians successfully completed all stages. They presented engineering documentation to the jury, tested the safety systems and completed the competition with complex tests on a route with various obstacles.

As a result, representatives of Polytech Voltage Machine took third place, proving the high reliability and potential of their development.

“Such events help to effectively evaluate the capabilities of the robotic platform, since the design, electronics and control system are subject to critical loads during competitions. Next year, we intend to implement autonomous control, which will allow us to use it in more difficult conditions, and become the absolute winners of the competition,” said Gennady Zyabkin, a second-year master’s student at the Higher School of Automation and Robotics and the head of the Object 314 project.

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.

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MIL OSI Russia News –

July 21, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: Scientists from NSU and Scientific and Technical Complex “Microsurgery of the Eye” are developing an autonomous AI assistant for visually impaired people

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

Source: Novosibirsk State University –

An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

The basic model of an autonomous intelligent assistant for visually impaired and blind patients was presented to Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation — Head of the Government Staff Dmitry Grigorenko during his visit to Novosibirsk State University. The device is being developed using large language models and artificial intelligence technologies.

The idea of the development belongs to the Novosibirsk branch of the Federal State Autonomous Institution “National Medical Research Center “Microsurgery of the Eye” named after Academician S.N. Fedorov” of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, which, together with scientists Research Center in the Field of Artificial Intelligence of NSU (NSU AI Center) creates a new device designed to make it easier for visually impaired and blind people to navigate in space using modern technologies.

As noted by the director of the Novosibirsk branch of the Scientific and Technical Complex “Microsurgery of the Eye”, professor, doctor of medical sciences Valery Chernykh, today there are various approaches related to the possibility of giving a blind person a chance of functional orientation in the surrounding space, his adaptation and rehabilitation with the possibility of actively and independently living a full life.

First of all, these are social and rehabilitation-educational programs that require quite large financial investments. In addition, over the past 20 years, scientists from various countries have been attempting to implant expensive and high-tech chips either into the retina or directly into the occipital part of the cerebral cortex, which is responsible for the function of vision. These are very complex and expensive operations with a high risk of complications and, unfortunately, with a fairly low percentage of effectiveness, since the results obtained do not last long. Several such operations have also been carried out in our country, the results of which cannot yet be considered satisfactory.

— Considering the active development of technologies related to the capabilities of artificial intelligence, the idea was born to use the auditory analyzer of the brain for human orientation in space. When a person reads a book or listens to an audio recording, certain images of objects, etc. are formed in his brain. If a visually impaired or blind patient is given the opportunity to determine the distance to an object (doorway, window, vehicle), its size, etc. through the auditory analyzer, this will certainly help him in real life and adaptation in the social environment. Considering the previous successful experience of joint work, we decided to join forces with scientists from the Research Center for Artificial Intelligence of the Novosibirsk State University in order to create such a technology that should be autonomous and not use the Internet, — said Valery Chernykh.

At the first stage, the developers create a prototype of the device and train the model in accordance with the tasks set, which is actively carried out by the formed working group, which includes scientists from the NSU AI Center and the Scientific and Technical Complex “Microsurgery of the Eye”.

— We use large language models to help this category of patients analyze the surrounding space — to create a guide for them that could give a concentrated verbal description of all objects in front of the user. The principle of this system is simple: a video camera will “see” instead of a person, the information from which will be sent to a portable computer, which will convert it into text. Then the text description is converted by a voice assistant and sent directly to the patient through headphones. This message provides the basic information that the user needs to know to navigate in space, — explained Alexey Okunev, head of the project at the NSU AI Center.

The device is developed using a multimodal language model, which allows it to already provide a fairly high-quality verbal description of surrounding rooms and objects. In the future, the user will be able to ask clarifying questions about the observed scene and receive detailed answers to them. This language model also perfectly recognizes texts, reads inscriptions, signs, obstacle warnings, etc.

Currently, a basic model has been created, a prototype of the device will be ready by the end of 2025. This is a compact wearable system consisting of a single-board 16-core computer placed in a shoulder bag, a video camera (for example, GoPro) and headphones. The device will be equipped with a battery, and all elements will be connected by wireless communication channels. The user will hold the video camera in his hand and point it in the desired direction. The total weight of the device with the battery will be about 1 kg.

According to the experts of the NSU Center for Information Technologies, it will take more than one year to develop the final product ready for replication, and now they are at the very start of the project. This concerns both the technical part and the training of artificial intelligence. After the prototype is created this year, long-term work will begin on setting up the device, setting modes, collecting a database and training AI.

The developers plan to teach the AI to prioritize information delivery, highlighting from the entire video sequence the details that are most important for the visually impaired person to orient themselves in space and assess the surrounding environment depending on the situation. It is assumed that the device will have several operating modes: a movement mode for moving in space, a reading mode for working with text documents, etc.

It will also be necessary to train a blind or visually impaired patient to work with the device in various modes and adapt it to new capabilities. As noted by the Scientific and Technical Complex “Microsurgery of the Eye”, at this stage, the work of not only ophthalmologists, but also specialists in the field of neurophysiology will be required. And the third task that will need to be solved is the need to create a specialized ophthalmological rehabilitation center to prepare blind patients directly for working with the device.

“The creation of such a device is of interest in the ophthalmological community as an extremely relevant and necessary area, the implementation of which will enable blind patients to adapt to the environment, which is a socially significant project,” concluded Valery Chernykh.

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.

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MIL OSI Russia News –

July 21, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: Labor to put disclaimer under Mark Latham’s caucus room picture

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

The picture of Mark Latham on the caucus room gallery of Labor leaders will have an annotation under it saying he was expelled for life and his actions do not accord with Labor values.

The first meeting of the new caucus agreed unanimously to this compromise, after pressure from some in Labor to remove the photo of Latham, who led the party in 2003–05.

Latham’s former partner recently accused him of a “sustained pattern” of domestic abuse, in a civil court application for an apprehended violence order. It will be heard next week.

In other condemned behaviour – the latest of a string of controversial incidents over the years – Latham, now an independent in the NSW upper house, also photographed women members without their consent.

The wording under the picture will read:

In 2017, Mark Latham was expelled from the Australian Labor Party and banned for life. His actions do not accord with Labor values and fail to meet the standards we expect and demand.

Opinion in the party about what to do about the picture has been divided. The matter was discussed by both the right and left factions at their meetings.

The Minister for Women, Katy Gallagher, told the ABC, “I think there’s a recognition, on balance, that you can’t erase history”. But acknowledging that Latham was expelled and his actions “don’t align with modern Australian Labor Party values or standards” was important, she said.

“I wasn’t there at the time but I think it was a style of leadership that didn’t sit well with the values of the Australian Labor Party and it’s a type of leadership people wouldn’t want to return to.”

Ahead of the new parliament’s opening on Tuesday, both Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Opposition Leader Sussan Ley addressed their respective party rooms.

Albanese told his huge caucus, which includes 94 members of the House of Representatives, that if Labor maintained its sense of discipline and purpose there was no reason why they could not all be returned at the next election – and their numbers added to as well.

He said Labor was embarking on “our year of delivery. That is our focus. We’ve just been through an election, we had clear commitments and we want to deliver them.”

Ley told the Coalition party room Albanese was giving interviews “suggesting that we should just get out of the way. Well we won’t be getting out of the way.”

The opposition would cooperate with constructive government policies, as it was doing on child care safety reforms.

But if the government brought forward legislation that was not in the national interest “we will fight them every step of the way”, she said, flagging the Coalition’s opposition to potential tax increases.

The first parliamentary week comes against a background of further depressing news for the Coalition, after its election rout.

The latest Newspoll shows Labor improving its position since the election, to lead 57–43 on a two-party basis. Labor has a primary vote of 36%, while the Coalition is down to 29%, which is the lowest in the history of Newspoll, that goes back to the mid-1980s.

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

– ref. Labor to put disclaimer under Mark Latham’s caucus room picture – https://theconversation.com/labor-to-put-disclaimer-under-mark-lathams-caucus-room-picture-261097

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

July 21, 2025
MIL-OSI Africa: South Africa convenes high-level Indaba to tackle FMD outbreaks

Source: Government of South Africa

South Africa is currently experiencing significant and ongoing challenges with widespread outbreaks of Foot and Mouth disease (FMD), affecting several provinces, including KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, Gauteng and, most recently, the Free State.

The resurgence of the disease has resulted in livestock movement restrictions and significantly impacted the country’s red meat trade on international markets.

In response to this escalating crisis, the Department of Agriculture, in partnership with the Agricultural Research Council (ARC), the University of Pretoria, and Onderstepoort Biological Products (OBP), is hosting a national Foot and Mouth Disease Indaba.

The two-day event, starting Monday, 21 July 2025, will take place at the ARC-VIMP Campus in Roodeplaat, northeast of Pretoria.

Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen and Deputy Minister Nokuzola Capa will lead the Indaba, which aims to bring together top veterinary scientists, agricultural experts, and key industry stakeholders, to deliberate on and develop long-term solutions to combat FMD.

“Having already inflicted significant damage to the multibillion-rand livestock sector, the disease continues to threaten South Africa’s broader economy. Therefore, the Indaba presents a vital opportunity to unite expertise and resources to effectively eradicate this devastating disease.

“The Indaba will convene a range of multidisciplinary specialists to develop a coordinated and comprehensive approach to controlling and ultimately eradicating foot and mouth disease,” the department said in a statement.

The key areas of discussion will include strengthening biosecurity measures at farm level, enhancing vaccination programmes, and reinforcing animal movement controls.

The Department of Agriculture, in collaboration with the Agricultural Research Council, emphasised its committed to identifying and implementing sustainable solutions to FMD.

The department added that the Indaba signifies a crucial advancement in the ongoing efforts to combat the disease.

“By cultivating strong partnerships between government entities, academic institutions and industry leaders, the Department of Agriculture is committed to developing precise and effective measures that will eradicate the disease and safeguard the long-term sustainability of South Africa’s agricultural sector.” – SAnews.gov.za

MIL OSI Africa –

July 21, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Appointment to the Criminal Procedure Rule Committee: July 2025
Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

News story

Appointment to the Criminal Procedure Rule Committee: July 2025

The Lord Chancellor, after consulting the Lady Chief Justice, has approved the appointment of Bartholomew Dalton as a solicitor member of the Criminal Procedure Rule Committee, for 4 years from 1 September 2025.
Bartholomew Dalton is a solicitor and key member of the Serious and General Crime team at top-ranked London criminal defence firm Hickman & Rose.

He has represented clients accused of a wide range of offences and provides expert advice in relation to all stages of criminal cases, from investigation through to trial and appeal. He is an experienced police station representative, litigator and advocate in the Magistrates’ Court and litigator in the Crown Court. He is recommended as an “associate to watch” in Chambers & Partners and as a “key lawyer” in the Legal 500.

Mr Dalton is the co-author of the 2 most recent editions of the leading practitioners’ handbook Blackstone’s Magistrates’ Court Handbook, published by Oxford University Press, and is currently working on the next edition. He is also a member of Criminal Law Week’s commentary board and a committee member and the law reform officer for the London Criminal Courts Solicitors’ Association.

Mr Dalton qualified as a solicitor in 2017 before joining Hickman & Rose in 2021.

The Courts Act 2003 established the Criminal Procedure Rule Committee (CPRC) to make rules and governing the practice and procedure of magistrates’ courts, the Crown Court and the Court of Appeal, Criminal Division.

Appointments are made, by the Lord Chancellor, under the Courts Act 2003, and are regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. This appointment has been made in line with the Governance Code on Public Appointments.

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Published 21 July 2025
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
July 21, 2025
MIL-OSI Europe: AFRICA/TANZANIA – School, vegetable gardens, and livestock farming: the Consolata Missionaries teach a trade to young girls in difficult situations

Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

Saturday, 19 July 2025

missionariedellaconsolata.org

Iringa (Agenzia Fides) – Learning to care for animals on a farm to create a livestock farm and cultivate vegetable gardens to sell the produce at the market. This is the new objective of the “House of Joy,” a facility run by the Consolata Missionary Sisters located on the outskirts of the city of Iringa, Tanzania.Here, the sisters welcome young girls from families in difficulty or who are alone in the world because they are orphans. The minors have the opportunity to attend school until they finish secondary school. The missionaries support their guests until they find decent work.This is why, upon their arrival at the facility, the girls are introduced to manual labor and gardening, as is the case in many Tanzanian families. However, sometimes this is not enough. Thus, to cover expenses and offer new employment opportunities to the girls, a new project was launched last year and has been able to come to fruition in recent weeks thanks to donations from several benefactors.The “House of Joy” now also houses an animal farm: chickens, rabbits, and pigs. Thanks to this farm, the community is beginning to meet its own needs in terms of meat and eggs. The girls also care for the animals and will, in time, be able to find employment in the zootechnical sector. (F.B.) (Agenzia Fides, 19/7/2025)
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MIL OSI Europe News –

July 21, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: The Higher School of Economics analyzed the implementation of national projects

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

Source: State University “Higher School of Economics” –

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July 21, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: Pacific leaders demand respectful involvement in memorial for unmarked graves

By Mary Afemata, of PMN News and RNZ Pacific

Porirua City Council is set to create a memorial for more than 1800 former patients of the local hospital buried in unmarked graves. But Pacific leaders are asking to be “meaningfully involved” in the process, including incorporating prayer, language, and ceremonial practices.

More than 50 people gathered at Porirua Cemetery last month after the council’s plans became public, many of whom are descendants of those buried without headstones.

Cemeteries Manager Daniel Chrisp said it was encouraging to see families engaging with the project.

Chrisp’s team has placed 99 pegs to mark the graves of families who have come forward so far. One attendee told him that it was deeply moving to photograph the site where two relatives were buried.

“It’s fantastic that we’ve got to this point, having the descendants of those in unmarked graves encouraged to be involved,” he said.

“These plots represent mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, children and other relatives, so it’s important to a lot of people.”

The Porirua Lunatic Asylum, which later became Porirua Hospital, operated from 1887 until the 1990s. At its peak in the 1960s, it was one of Aotearoa New Zealand’s largest hospitals, housing more than 2000 patients and staff.

As part of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care, the government has established a national fund for headstones for unmarked graves.

Porirua City Council has applied for $200,000 to install a memorial that will list every known name.

Some pegs that mark the resting places of former patients buried in unmarked graves at Porirua Cemetery. Image: Porirua Council/RNZ/LDR

Criticism over lack of Pacific consultation
Some Pacific community leaders say they were never consulted, despite Pacific people among the deceased.

Porirua Cook Islands Association chairperson Teurukura Tia Kekena said this was the first she had heard of the project, and she was concerned Pacific communities had not been included in conversations so far.

“If there was any unmarked grave and the Porirua City Council is aware of the names, I would have thought they would have contacted the ethnic groups these people belonged to,” she said.

“From a Cook Islands point of view, we need to acknowledge these people. They need to be fully acknowledged.”

Kekena learned about the project only after being contacted by a reporter, despite the council’s ongoing efforts to identify names and place markers for families who have come forward.

The council’s application for funding is part of its response to the Royal Commission of Inquiry.

A photograph shows Porirua Hospital in the early 1900s. Image: Porirua City Council/LDR

Kekena said it was important how the council managed the memorial, adding that it mattered deeply for Cook Islands families and the wider Pacific community, especially those with relatives buried at the site.

Reflect Pacific values
She believed that a proper memorial should reflect Pacific values, particularly the importance of faith, family, and cultural protocol.

“It’s huge. It’s connecting us to these people,” she said. “Just thinking about it is getting me emotional.

“Like I said, the Pākehā way of acknowledging is totally different from our way. When we acknowledge, when we go for an unveiling, it’s about family. It’s about family. It’s about family honouring the person that had passed.

“And we do it in a way that we have a service at the graveside with the orometua [minister] present. Yeah, unveil the stone by the family, by the immediate family, if there were any here at that time.”

She also underscored the connection between remembering the deceased and healing intergenerational trauma, particularly given the site’s history with mental health.

Healing the trauma
“It helps a lot. It’s a way of healing the trauma. I don’t know how these people came to be buried in an unmarked grave, but to me, it’s like they were just put there and forgotten about.

“I wouldn’t like to have my family buried in a place and be forgotten.”

Kekena urged the council to work closely with the Cook Islands community moving forward and said she would bring the matter back to her association to raise awareness and check possible connections between local families and the names identified.

Yvonne Underhill‑Sem, a Cook Islands community leader and professor of Pacific Studies at the University of Auckland, said the memorial had emotional significance, noting her personal connection to Whenua Tapu as a Porirua native.

“In terms of our Pacific understandings of ancestry, everybody who passes away is still part of our whānau. The fact that we don’t know who they are is unsettling,” she said.

“It would be a real relief to the families involved and to the generations that follow to have those graves named.”

Council reponse
A Porirua City Council spokesperson said they had been actively sharing the list of names with the public and encouraged all communities — including Pacific groups, genealogists, and local iwi — to help spread the word.

So far, 99 families have come forward.

“We would encourage any networks such as Pacific, genealogists and local iwi to share the list around for members of the public to get in touch,” the spokesperson said.

The list of names is available on the council’s website and includes both a downloadable file and a searchable online tool here.

Porirua councillors Izzy Ford and Moze Galo say the memorial must reflect Pacific values. Image: Porirua Council/RNZ/LDR

Porirua councillors Izzy Ford and Moze Galo, two of the three Pacific members on the council, said Pacific families must be central to the memorial process. Ford said burial sites carried deep cultural weight for Pacific communities.

“We know that burial sites are more than just places of rest, they are sacred spaces that hold our stories, our ancestry and dignity — they are our connection to those who came before us.”

She said public notices and websites were not enough.

“If we are serious about finding the families of those buried in unmarked graves here in Porirua, we have to go beyond public notices and websites.”

Funding limited
Ford said government funding would be limited, and the council must work with trusted Pacific networks to reach families.

“It means partnering with groups who carry trust in our community . . . Pacific churches, elders, and organisations, communicating in our languages through Pacific radio, social media, community events, churches, and health providers.”

Galo agreed and said the memorial must reflect Pacific values in both design and feeling.

“It should feel warm, colourful, spiritual, and welcoming. Include Pacific designs, carvings, and symbols . . . there should be room for prayer, music, and quiet reflection,” he said.

“Being seen and heard brings healing, honour, and helps restore our connection to our ancestors. It reminds our families that we belong, that our history matters, and that our voice is valued in this space.”

Galo said the work must continue beyond the unveiling.

“Community involvement shouldn’t stop after the memorial is built, we should have a role in how it’s maintained and used in the future.

“These were real people, with families, love, and lives that mattered. Some were buried without names, without ceremony, and that left a deep pain. Honouring them now is a step toward healing, and a way of saying, you were never forgotten.”

Members of the public who recognise a family name on the list are encouraged to get in touch by emailing cemeteries@poriruacity.govt.nz.

LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air. Asia Pacific Report is a partner in the project.

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

July 21, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Celebrations as Loxdale becomes city’s 21st School of Sanctuary

Source: City of Wolverhampton

The school showed assessors from the City of Sanctuary UK movement that it celebrates its diverse communities, that the School of Sanctuary ethos of welcome, inclusion and safety for all runs through all aspects of Loxdale Primary, and that it extends a warm welcome to everyone.

Deputy Headteacher Emma Wright-Jones said: “This award has been 2 years in the making and staff, children and families have worked really hard to ensure that we are as inclusive as possible.

“We are committed to welcoming children to Loxdale and pride ourselves on the welcome they receive. We are pleased to be recognised as kind and that we welcome people of all nationalities into our school without discrimination.

“Being a School of Sanctuary has empowered us to appreciate the richness that celebrating our diverse school community can bring, and we are proud to be a school that stands for inclusion, safety, warmth and kindness – a place where everyone belongs and can truly ‘Grow Together’.”

Councillor Jacqui Coogan, the City of Wolverhampton Council’s Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Education, said: “We are delighted that we now have 21 Schools of Sanctuary in Wolverhampton, all of which have demonstrated the lengths they go to ensure they provide a safe and welcoming place for their children and families, and I would like to congratulate everyone at Loxdale Primary School on this achievement.”

Other Schools of Sanctuary include Bantock Primary, Dunstall Hill Primary, Goldthorn Park Primary, Graiseley Primary, Rakegate Primary, St Andrews CofE Primary, St Lukes CofE Primary, St Regis CofE Academy, Stowlawn Primary, St Mary’s Catholic Primary Academy, Villiers Primary, West Park Primary, Merridale Primary, Wodensfield Primary School, St Michael’s CE Primary School, SS Peter and Paul Catholic Primary School, St Teresa’s Catholic Primary Academy, The Royal School Wolverhampton Primary, Ormiston NEW Academy and Colton Hills Community School.

The Schools of Sanctuary programme is part of the City of Sanctuary UK movement, committed to building a culture of safety and welcome, especially for refugees seeking sanctuary from war and persecution.

Schools can apply to become a School of Sanctuary by demonstrating to City of Sanctuary UK that they have implemented 3 key principles – learning and helping people understand what it means to be seeking sanctuary, embedding the concepts of safety, welcome and inclusive culture for everyone, and sharing their values and activities with their local communities. For more information, please visit Schools of Sanctuary.

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

July 21, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: Interuniversity Dialogue: Polytechnic University Develops Cooperation with the University Community of Southern Russia

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

Source: Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University –

An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

Professor of the Higher School of Engineering and Economics of the Institute of Mechanics and Technology and the Law of the Russian Federation Alexander Babkin took part in the work of the dissertation council of the Donetsk Academy of Management and Public Administration. This event strengthened the academic cooperation of the two educational institutions.

The Polytechnic professor was the first opponent of Anna Borodatskaya’s candidate dissertation on the topic “Methods and criteria for assessing the effectiveness of the construction complex management system.” Based on the results of the defense, the applicant was awarded the academic degree of candidate of economic sciences.

At the meeting, Alexander Babkin also discussed cooperation issues with the chairperson of the dissertation council, Alina Kretova, and members of the council representing universities in the south of Russia. The conversation concerned not only scientific aspects, but also interaction with the Donbass National Academy of Civil Engineering and Architecture, which opens up new opportunities for joint research and exchange of experience.

“Interaction with specialists from universities of the Donetsk People’s Republic will contribute to the development of our scientific ties. I would like to especially note the high level of the dissertation council staff and their interest in working together,” Alexander Vasilyevich commented on the results of his trip. He emphasized the importance of establishing contacts between educational institutions that will be useful for both scientists and students.

“The visit of representatives of the Higher School of Engineering and Economics to the universities of the Donetsk People’s Republic was a significant step in scientific cooperation and exchange of experience,” said the school’s director, Dmitry Rodionov.

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.

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MIL OSI Russia News –

July 21, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: How are Australians adapting to climate change? Here are 729 ways
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tia Brullo, Research Fellow in Climate Change Adaptation, The University of Melbourne

Australia’s climate is changing. To avoid catastrophic disruptions from successive supercharged disasters, society must adapt. But change takes time and it’s not always clear how much progress we’re making.

We wanted to find out what Australia’s governments, industries and local groups are doing to adapt to climate change. Our work culminated in the Australian Adaptation Database, which captures more than 700 initiatives so far.

Standout examples from this first national stocktake include Ramblers Reef in Victoria – an artificial reef of rocks and shells 500 metres offshore that has helped reduce coastal erosion. In Adelaide, urban cooling and greening projects are transforming the city and suburbs across 17 councils .

Our project shows climate adaptation is happening in Australia, but there’s plenty of room for improvement. The more society can do now to prepare for change, the better off we’ll be in the long run.

Urban greening is helping to cool the city of Adelaide.
Ozitraveler, Shutterstock

What does climate change adaptation in Australia look like?

Australia is lagging behind many other nations when it comes to managing climate action. The federal government is yet to release its first national adaptation plan, while other countries are up to their third or fourth versions.

Why track Australia’s progress in climate adaptation? First, it enables progress to be reported efficiently to governments and international bodies such as the United Nations.

The database also helps people share knowledge. Anyone striving to improve their resilience to climate change can look to the database for ideas and inspiration.

The data was mainly gathered from conversations we had with people in state and territory government departments, local government associations, not-for-profit organisations and private companies across Australia.

On Wednesday, we will present the database at the opening of the national Climate Adaptation 2025 conference in Perth.

The project shows the vast range of ways Australians are preparing for a warmer world. Examples include:
- planting trees to cool cities such as Adelaide and rural towns such as Birchip in Victoria
- building artificial reefs to protect the coastline on the Bellarine Peninsula near Geelong
- changing land use on the Sunshine Coast and building levee banks to better manage flood risks in Roma, Queensland
- restoring and rejuvenating the environment to reduce the impact of drought in Mulloon, New South Wales or flood risk in Brisbane
- moving houses and businesses from hazardous locations such as Grantham in Queensland’s Lockyer Valley, and land swaps in South Murwillumbah.
Anyone can explore and search the database. It’s not an exhaustive record of all climate adaptation in Australia, but provides more detail than ever before. It’s constantly being updated as new examples are added.

But the database is only as good as the information we feed into it, so we need everyone to contribute. All you need to do is hit the “submit an entry” button on the homepage to get started.

Artificial reefs such as Ramblers Reef help slow erosion (ABC News)

The role of government: local, state and federal

Much work to date in climate adaptation has involved laying the foundations for practical actions.

For example, South Australia’s Climate Ready Coasts program aims to improve planning for coastal hazards. This joint effort between state and local governments make sense, given both have a role to play, and it helps ensure adaptation actions are efficient and coordinated.

At the federal level, the Australian government has focused on funding for national disasters such as the Future Drought Fund. Another example, the Infrastructure Betterment Fund, involves making roads, rail, bridges and other infrastructure more resilient to climate change.

Australia is yet to release its first National Adaptation Plan. This document is expected to clarify the federal role in climate adaptation.

The private sector

The private sector is beginning to adapt to climate change. Examples include:
- relocating wine grape production to more suitable climates
- creating new fireproof home designs
- improving building standards, so properties are more resilient to extremes
- preparing guidelines for the financial sector, to better manage the risk to investments
- planning more climate-resilient property developments
- adopting new farming technologies and supporting more regenerative agriculture.
Knowledge sharing and capacity building

We also found extensive efforts to communicate and share information about adapting to change.

Such activities include knowledge building for organisations and communities through workshops, training sessions and simulation games.

Examples include Western Australia’s “being waterwise in the home” tips, and Hobart’s Sparking Conversations, Igniting Action Program for bushfire preparedness. These activities help lay the groundwork for practical action.

Change is hard, but Australia is finally making some progress in climate adaptation.
Markus Spiske, Unsplash., CC BY

What’s next?

Our research shows the policy and governance mechanisms to drive adaptation are largely in place. The knowledge and networks to support meaningful action are gradually being developed.

But the next “heavy lifting” phase – putting plans into action – is yet to begin in earnest.

There’s a clear need to channel funding to those best placed to deliver frontline projects and programs, especially local governments and community organisations.

The Australian Local Government Association is calling for a A$400 million climate adaptation fund to support Australian councils to deliver place-based adaptation actions.

Last year, the Australian Council of Social Services called for a $2 billion investment in a national housing retrofit program to make Australia’s 670,000 low-income houses cooler in summer to reduce illness and death from extreme temperatures. Neither of these calls has been answered.

Let’s get moving

This research is part of a three-year project exploring how to encourage and promote best practice in adapting to climate change across Australia.

The next step is to measure progress around climate adaptation, which is difficult and rarely done – even though it’s required under the Paris Agreement.

The good news is Australia has made a start, but there is much more to do to ensure the wellbeing of our country through a changing climate.

Tia Brullo receives funding from the National Environmental Science Program Climate Systems Hub Project Number CS2.1

Elissa Waters receives funding from the National Environmental Science Program Climate Systems Hub Project Number CS2.1 and Australian Climate Service.

Jon Barnett receives funding from the National Environmental Science Program Climate Systems Hub Project Number CS2.1

Sarah Boulter receives funding from the National Environmental Science Program Climate Systems Hub.

– ref. How are Australians adapting to climate change? Here are 729 ways – https://theconversation.com/how-are-australians-adapting-to-climate-change-here-are-729-ways-256446
MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –
July 21, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: Newspoll and Resolve give Labor big leads as parliament resumes after the election

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

With federal parliament to sit for the first time since the election on Tuesday, Newspoll gives Labor a 57–43 lead and Resolve a 56–44 lead. In Tasmania, Labor is a chance to gain a seat despite a 3% slide in their statewide vote.

A national Newspoll gave Labor a 57–43 lead (55.2–44.8 to Labor at the May federal election). Fieldwork dates and the sample size were not reported, but it’s likely to have been taken July 14–18 from a sample of about 1,200.

Primary votes were 36% Labor, 29% Coalition, 12% Greens, 8% One Nation and 15% for all Others. This is the lowest Coalition primary vote in Newspoll history that goes back to 1985, and about three points below the Coalition’s result at the election.

Anthony Albanese’s net approval was net zero, a ten-point improvement for him since the final pre-election Newspoll, with 47% both satisfied and dissatisfied. Liberal leader Sussan Ley’s first rating was -7 net approval, with 42% dissatisfied and 35% satisfied. Albanese led Ley as better PM by 52–32.

Here is the graph of Albanese’s net approval in Newspoll. While net zero is better than his negative ratings before the election, it’s a long way from his peak after winning the 2022 election.

The lack of a massive surge in net approval for Albanese indicates that Labor’s landslide was more about voters’ dislike for alternatives than their liking of Labor. Peter Dutton and Donald Trump were both big factors in the election result. A DemosAU poll I covered on Saturday had voters opposed by 71–19 to a PM like Trump.

Resolve poll

A national Resolve poll for Nine newspapers, conducted with unknown fieldwork dates from a sample of 2,311, gave Labor a 56–44 lead by respondent preferences, from primary votes of 35% Labor, 29% Coalition, 12% Greens, 8% One Nation, 8% independents and 8% others.

Albanese’s net approval was +3, with 45% giviing him a good rating and 42% a poor rating. In contrast to Newspoll, Sussan Ley’s first rating in Resolve was +9 (38% good, 29% poor). Albanese led Ley as preferred PM by 40–25.

Asked whether the next year will get better or worse, 28% thought it would be personally better and the same share thought it would be worse. Asked this question on the national outlook, by 42–25 respondents expected it to get worse.

By 33–32, respondents opposed the Liberal party having gender quotas, with Coalition voters opposed by 44–27. Men were opposed by 39–34, while women supported quotas by 30–27.

Labor was thought best to handle economic management by 31–30 over the Liberals. On keeping the cost of living low, Labor led by 30–26. The last time Labor led on economic management in Resolve’s monthly polls was July 2023, and the last time they led on cost of living was October 2023.

Tasmanian election updates

Since my election night article, the count has advanced from 63% to 73% of enrolled voters, with all pre-poll votes now counted. These additional votes have not had major impacts on the results.

Postals will be the largest number of outstanding votes still to be counted, but the Tasmanian Electoral Commission won’t begin the postal count until Thursday owing to legislative changes that require the TEC to ensure a postal voter hasn’t already voted by other means.

Postals must be received by 10am on July 29 to be included. In Tasmania the Hare-Clark distribution of preferences is done by hand, and will begin after the postal receipt deadline. The TEC expects to have final results by August 2.

Analyst Kevin Bonham has called 14 of the 35 seats for the Liberals, ten for Labor, five for the Greens and four for left-wing independents, leaving two undecided. In Lyons, the final seat is likely to be won by a Shooters, Fishers and Farmers candidate.

In Bass, there’s a complex fight for the last seat between Labor, the Liberals and the Shooters. Labor may benefit from having two candidates in the race who have nearly equal votes, possibly enabling them to win three seats when they only deserve two based on party totals.

If Labor wins the final Bass seat, they would gain a seat in an election where their statewide vote slid 3.1% to 25.9%.

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

– ref. Newspoll and Resolve give Labor big leads as parliament resumes after the election – https://theconversation.com/newspoll-and-resolve-give-labor-big-leads-as-parliament-resumes-after-the-election-261538

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

July 21, 2025
All decisions in this country, a sovereign nation, are taken by its leadership-VP

Source: Government of India

Source: Government of India (2)

lign=”center”>There is no power on the planet to dictate India how to handle its affairs-VP
We work in tandem, we have mutual respect, diplomatic dialogues. But at the end of the day, we are sovereign, we take our own decisions-VP
Is it required to have wrestling sessions as to who said what?, VP expresses concern
Our object is not to just simply grow our economy, Our object is to develop the people-VP
Vice-President Addresses Officer Trainees of the Indian Defence Estates Service (IDES) 2024 Batch

Vice-President, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar today said that, “Don’t be guided by narratives outside. All decisions in this country, a sovereign nation, are taken by its leadership. There is no power on the planet to dictate India how to handle its affairs. We do live in a nation and nations that are a comity. We work in togetherness, we work in tandem. We have mutual respect, diplomatic dialogues. But at the end of the day, we are sovereign, we take our own decisions.”

https://x.com/VPIndia/status/1946559722725007704

He underlined, “Is it required to play every bad ball? Is it required to have wrestling sessions as to who said what? One who scores good runs on the cricket pitch always leaves bad balls. They are tempting, but not attempted. And those who attempt, you have safe gloves of the wicket keeper and someone in the gully.”

“There will be challenges. Challenges will be to create divisiveness. For example, we have seen global conflagrations — two of them in particular, you know them. These have become open-ended. Look at the devastation of property, human lives, and their misery. And look at our calibration. We taught a lesson — taught it well. We chose Bahawalpur and Muridke, and then brought it to a temporary conclusion. ‘Operation Sindoor’ is not over — it continues. Some people ask the question — why was it stopped? We are a nation that believes in peace, nonviolence, a land of Buddha, Mahavira, and Gandhi. We do not wish to kill even living beings — how can we target human beings? The idea was to generate sanity, to generate a sense of humanity in the others”, he added.

https://x.com/VPIndia/status/1946562875889463711

Addressing the officer trainees of Indian Defence Estates Service (IDES) 2024 batch at the Vice-President’s Enclave today, Shri Dhankhar stated, “ Our demographic dividend is a global envy. 65% of our population is below 35 years of age. The median age of this country is 28, whereas that of China and the U.S. is around 38–39, and Japan, 48. Now, you are the chosen ones. You’ve got the opportunity to serve Bharat, home to one-sixth of humanity. And look at the area of your working. If you commit yourself, keeping into view our civilizational ethos, we are a unique nation. No nation can boast or claim to be closer to us — five thousand years of heritage, culture, legacy, knowledge, wisdom, repository. In such a situation — eighteen lakh acres? If you engage — which you are engaging, your seniors are engaging — you can define to the entire country, how to manage the estates, how to manage ecology, how to manage the environment, how to raise herbal gardens, what is sustainable development, how to protect and how to use modern technology.”

“One aspect about which I am slightly concerned. Development, civilian development, close to the proximity of your states, requires your sanction. That sanction often gets into the domain of discretion and suffers delay. I would urge — evolve a mechanism or a protocol. Let people know about it — what height they can have. Why should the system come into play? With the kind of technology we have, we should be fully aware. Why can’t we put it on one platform? This is the area — if your building is coming up here, height will be this. Yet agencies have to be hired. People have to pay for it. Delay takes place. Now you can take the lead. You will earn the goodwill of the people around”, he added.

https://x.com/VPIndia/status/1946560846785917408

Expressing his concern over rising coaching centres in the country he stated, “Coaching is needed for skill. Coaching is needed to make you self-dependent. If for a limited number of seats, all over the country there are coaching centers vying with one another for advertisement space in newspapers. Not one — one page, two pages, three pages, sometimes four pages in a row. And what a spectacle — putting you boys and girls in photographs. No, this is not Bharat. We can’t have commodification and commercialisation. We have to believe in Gurukul. You have to come out of — youth has to come out of the silos. You have to know the opportunities elsewhere. Those opportunities are also very necessary for the development of the nation….I am not against anyone, but why should coaching become an integral part of education? After more than three decades, the nation has been blessed after getting input from stakeholders in hundreds of thousands, National Education Policy. Why coaching? Coach has to improve your skill. We can’t have people cramming and then getting through. We want thinking minds to get in and go there. Always bear that in mind”.

https://x.com/VPIndia/status/1946561334973460885

Talking about ‘Viksit Bharat’ he stated, “ Our object is not to just simply grow our economy. Our object is to develop the people. Viksit Bharat is not our dream. It is not even our destination now. We are marching in that direction. Every day we are progressing towards that direction, and that’s a big challenge because 10 years of phenomenal development has given the people a taste of development. People of my generation never believed…there will be a toilet in the house, a gas connection in the house, internet connection, piped water, roads close by, school or health center, such world-class trains to travel. No. We never imagined. So the nation now has become globally the most aspirational nation in the world.”

https://x.com/VPIndia/status/1946550260601606602

Shri Rajesh Kumar Singh, Defence Secretary, Govt. of India, Shri S.N. Gupta, Director General, Defence Estates, Shri Sanjeev Kumar, Director, NIDEM and other dignitaries were also present on the occasion.

July 21, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: In a world first, The Hague wants to arrest Taliban leaders over their treatment of women – what happens next?

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Yvonne Breitwieser-Faria, Lecturer in Criminal Law and International Law, Curtin University

Earlier this month, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants against the Taliban leadership in Afghanistan.

The court’s Pre-Trial Chamber II cited reasonable grounds for believing supreme leader Haibatullah Akhundzada and chief justice Abdul Hakim Haqqani were guilty of “ordering, inducing or soliciting the crime against humanity of persecution on gender grounds.”

The warrants – the first ever on charges of gender persecution – are being hailed as an “important vindication and acknowledgement of the rights of Afghan women and girls”.

But will they improve the plight of women and girls in Afghanistan, given the Taliban does not recognise the court or its jurisdiction?

The signs are not good with the Taliban denying the allegations and condemning the warrants as a “clear act of hostility [and an] insult to the beliefs of Muslims around the world”.

Erased from public life

Strict rules and prohibitions have been imposed on the Afghan people since the Taliban returned to power in August 2021.

Women and girls have been singled out for even worse treatment by reason of their gender.

According the warrants, the Taliban has

severely deprived, through decrees and edicts, girls and women of the rights to education, privacy and family life and the freedoms of movement, expression, thought, conscience and religion.

Women are banned from public places and girls from attending school once they turn 12.

Zahra Nader is the editor-in-chief of newsroom Zan Times which investigates human rights violations in Afghanistan. She says Afghan women and girls are being silenced, restricted and stripped of their basic human rights.

It is this discriminatory system of control of woman and girls in Afghanistan that is at the core of the court’s prosecution.

The warrants also accuse the Taliban of persecuting

other persons who don’t conform with the Taliban’s ideological expectations of gender, gender identity or expression; and on political grounds against persons perceived as ‘allies of girls and women.

This is the first time an international tribunal or court has confirmed crimes against humanity involving LGBTQIA+ victims. This marks an important milestone in the protection of sexual minorities under international law.

Crimes against humanity

International law clearly spells put the offences which constitute crimes against humanity.

The aim is to protect civilians from serious and widespread attacks on their fundamental rights. Different definitions of crimes against humanity have been included in the statutes of a handful of international tribunals and courts.

The definition under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court is the most comprehensive. It includes severe deprivation of personal liberty, murder, enslavement, rape, torture, forced deportation or apartheid.

Specifically, the Taliban leaders are accused under Article 7(1)(h) of the Rome Statute, which states:

Persecution against any identifiable group or collectivity on political, racial, national, ethnic, cultural, religious, gender […] or other grounds that are universally recognised as impermissible under international law.

Physical and direct violence is not necessary for persecution on “gender […] grounds” to be established. Systemic and institutionalised forms of harm, which can be the imposition of discriminatory societal norms, are sufficient.

Women and girls are often disproportionately affected by Taliban policies and rules. But proving gender-based crimes have occurred is not enough. Discriminatory intent must also be established.

The Taliban has been open about its religious beliefs and interpretations, suggesting a clear intention to persecute on the grounds of gender.

Not just symbolic

As with other cases, the court relies on the cooperation of states to execute and surrender those accused.

The interim government in Kabul which was formed after the US-led invasion in 2001 became a party to the Rome Statute in 2003. Afghanistan remains legally obligated to prosecute perpetrators of these crimes – it must accept the Court’s jurisdiction in the matter.

The Purple Saturdays Movement, an Afghan women-led protest group, is warning the arrest warrants must be more than just symbolic. Any failure to prosecute would likely result in an escalation of human rights violations:

The Taliban has historically responded to international pressure not with reform, but by intensifying such repressive policies.

Hopeful step

It is important to note the strict policies and widespread abuses targeting women and girls in Afghanistan are ongoing, despite the intervention by the International Criminal Court.

The court’s Office of the Prosecutor is stressing its commitment to pursuing “effective legal pathways” to bring the Taliban leadership to account. The Afghan Women’s Movement in Exile wants an independent international judicial committee established to monitor and accelerate the legal process.

It is not yet clear if the warrants will actually lead to arrest and prosecution in The Hague. But we know this is possible. A prime example being the the arrest earlier this year of former Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte.

At the very least, the arrests warrants are a hopeful step towards accountability for the Taliban and justice for the women and girls of Afghanistan.

Yvonne Breitwieser-Faria 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. In a world first, The Hague wants to arrest Taliban leaders over their treatment of women – what happens next? – https://theconversation.com/in-a-world-first-the-hague-wants-to-arrest-taliban-leaders-over-their-treatment-of-women-what-happens-next-261008

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

July 21, 2025
MIL-OSI Analysis: In a world first, The Hague wants to arrest Taliban leaders over their treatment of women – what happens next?

Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Yvonne Breitwieser-Faria, Lecturer in Criminal Law and International Law, Curtin University

Earlier this month, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants against the Taliban leadership in Afghanistan.

The court’s Pre-Trial Chamber II cited reasonable grounds for believing supreme leader Haibatullah Akhundzada and chief justice Abdul Hakim Haqqani were guilty of “ordering, inducing or soliciting the crime against humanity of persecution on gender grounds.”

The warrants – the first ever on charges of gender persecution – are being hailed as an “important vindication and acknowledgement of the rights of Afghan women and girls”.

But will they improve the plight of women and girls in Afghanistan, given the Taliban does not recognise the court or its jurisdiction?

The signs are not good with the Taliban denying the allegations and condemning the warrants as a “clear act of hostility [and an] insult to the beliefs of Muslims around the world”.

Erased from public life

Strict rules and prohibitions have been imposed on the Afghan people since the Taliban returned to power in August 2021.

Women and girls have been singled out for even worse treatment by reason of their gender.

According the warrants, the Taliban has

severely deprived, through decrees and edicts, girls and women of the rights to education, privacy and family life and the freedoms of movement, expression, thought, conscience and religion.

Women are banned from public places and girls from attending school once they turn 12.

Zahra Nader is the editor-in-chief of newsroom Zan Times which investigates human rights violations in Afghanistan. She says Afghan women and girls are being silenced, restricted and stripped of their basic human rights.

It is this discriminatory system of control of woman and girls in Afghanistan that is at the core of the court’s prosecution.

The warrants also accuse the Taliban of persecuting

other persons who don’t conform with the Taliban’s ideological expectations of gender, gender identity or expression; and on political grounds against persons perceived as ‘allies of girls and women.

This is the first time an international tribunal or court has confirmed crimes against humanity involving LGBTQIA+ victims. This marks an important milestone in the protection of sexual minorities under international law.

Crimes against humanity

International law clearly spells put the offences which constitute crimes against humanity.

The aim is to protect civilians from serious and widespread attacks on their fundamental rights. Different definitions of crimes against humanity have been included in the statutes of a handful of international tribunals and courts.

The definition under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court is the most comprehensive. It includes severe deprivation of personal liberty, murder, enslavement, rape, torture, forced deportation or apartheid.

Specifically, the Taliban leaders are accused under Article 7(1)(h) of the Rome Statute, which states:

Persecution against any identifiable group or collectivity on political, racial, national, ethnic, cultural, religious, gender […] or other grounds that are universally recognised as impermissible under international law.

Physical and direct violence is not necessary for persecution on “gender […] grounds” to be established. Systemic and institutionalised forms of harm, which can be the imposition of discriminatory societal norms, are sufficient.

Women and girls are often disproportionately affected by Taliban policies and rules. But proving gender-based crimes have occurred is not enough. Discriminatory intent must also be established.

The Taliban has been open about its religious beliefs and interpretations, suggesting a clear intention to persecute on the grounds of gender.

Not just symbolic

As with other cases, the court relies on the cooperation of states to execute and surrender those accused.

The interim government in Kabul which was formed after the US-led invasion in 2001 became a party to the Rome Statute in 2003. Afghanistan remains legally obligated to prosecute perpetrators of these crimes – it must accept the Court’s jurisdiction in the matter.

The Purple Saturdays Movement, an Afghan women-led protest group, is warning the arrest warrants must be more than just symbolic. Any failure to prosecute would likely result in an escalation of human rights violations:

The Taliban has historically responded to international pressure not with reform, but by intensifying such repressive policies.

Hopeful step

It is important to note the strict policies and widespread abuses targeting women and girls in Afghanistan are ongoing, despite the intervention by the International Criminal Court.

The court’s Office of the Prosecutor is stressing its commitment to pursuing “effective legal pathways” to bring the Taliban leadership to account. The Afghan Women’s Movement in Exile wants an independent international judicial committee established to monitor and accelerate the legal process.

It is not yet clear if the warrants will actually lead to arrest and prosecution in The Hague. But we know this is possible. A prime example being the the arrest earlier this year of former Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte.

At the very least, the arrests warrants are a hopeful step towards accountability for the Taliban and justice for the women and girls of Afghanistan.

Yvonne Breitwieser-Faria 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. In a world first, The Hague wants to arrest Taliban leaders over their treatment of women – what happens next? – https://theconversation.com/in-a-world-first-the-hague-wants-to-arrest-taliban-leaders-over-their-treatment-of-women-what-happens-next-261008

MIL OSI Analysis –

July 21, 2025
MIL-OSI New Zealand: New Waikato medical school gets green light

Source: New Zealand Government

A new medical school will be established at the University of Waikato as part of the Government’s plan to build a stronger health workforce, Health Minister Simeon Brown and Universities Minister Dr Shane Reti say.

“Cabinet has approved the business case for the new school, which will have a strong focus on primary care and rural health,” Mr Brown says.

“With $82.85 million in Government funding and over $150 million from the University, supported by philanthropic investment, this is a substantial commitment to education and regional development in the Waikato.

“Today’s decision will enable the University of Waikato to begin construction on new teaching facilities later this year and start planning for clinical placements, while giving more students the opportunity to study medicine in New Zealand.”

The school will offer a graduate-entry programme, providing a flexible new pathway into medicine that helps attract a broader range of students and build a stronger, more diverse workforce.

“It’s an innovative model that supports our focus on strengthening primary care, making it easier for people to see their doctor – helping Kiwis stay well and out of hospital.

“It also builds on the University’s recent additions of nursing, pharmacy, and midwifery programmes, demonstrating a strong and growing commitment to developing New Zealand’s health workforce.”

A full cost-benefit analysis was presented to Cabinet before any proposal was finalised, as part of the National – ACT coalition agreement.

Mr Brown says the school builds on the Government’s record investment in the health system and workforce.

“Today’s announcement adds 120 doctor training places each year, starting in 2028 – a significant boost to our long-term pipeline of homegrown medical workforce.

“This is on top of the 100 additional medical training places that are being added over the term of this Government across the University of Auckland and University of Otago.”

Dr Reti says the decision represents a significant step forward for both the University of Waikato and the wider region.

“This is a major milestone for the University and a real boost for tertiary education in the Waikato.

“It strengthens the University’s position as a leader in education, training, and research, and creates new academic and economic opportunities for Hamilton, the Waikato, and rural communities.

“By expanding access to medical training, we’re creating new opportunities for students from across the region and beyond, while also helping to future-proof the local workforce.

“This is exactly the kind of forward-thinking initiative this Government wants to see from our universities – investing in regional growth, building local capability, and delivering on the needs of rural communities.”

MIL OSI New Zealand News –

July 21, 2025