The Protection of Critical Infrastructures (Computer Systems) Ordinance will come into effect on January 1 of next year, in accordance with a notice published today in the Government Gazette.
The ordinance imposes statutory obligations on designated operators of critical infrastructure to ensure they adopt appropriate measures to protect their computer systems.
The aim is to minimise the risk of essential services being disrupted or compromised due to cyberattacks, thereby maintaining the normal functioning of Hong Kong society and people’s daily lives.
The Protection of Critical Infrastructures (Computer Systems) Ordinance (Commencement) Notice will be tabled at the Legislative Council on July 2 for negative vetting.
A large crowd of devotees has gathered at the Jagannath Temple in Puri as the grand Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath begins today. Also known as the Chariot Festival or Shree Gundicha Yatra, this major Hindu festival is celebrated annually in Odisha with great devotion and enthusiasm.
The Rath Yatra is observed on Dwitiya Tithi—the second day of the Shukla Paksha (waxing phase of the moon) of the lunar month. This period is considered spiritually auspicious due to the increasing brightness of the moon.
Renowned scholar of Jagannath culture, Suryanarayan Rath Sharma, speaking to IANS, said, “The Rath Yatra is the most ancient chariot festival in the world. It is believed that having darshan of Lord Jagannath during this Yatra grants a devotee moksha (liberation).”
Millions of devotees have gathered to witness the divine journey as Lord Jagannath, along with his brother Balabhadra and sister Subhadra, embarks on a nine-day sojourn from their 12th-century abode to the Gundicha Temple.
Devotees, filled with spiritual ecstasy, will pull the three majestic chariots—Nandighosh (for Lord Jagannath), Taladhwaja (for Lord Balabhadra), and Darpadalan (for Goddess Subhadra)—along a 3-kilometre route to the Gundicha Temple. According to some legends, this temple is believed to be the birthplace of the Chaturddha Murti—Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, Maa Subhadra, and Sudarshan.
To ensure a smooth and peaceful celebration, various departments of the state government have made elaborate preparations.
“We are fully prepared for the grand Rath Yatra. All rituals and arrangements have been meticulously planned and will be carried out with equal dedication. I seek the blessings of Mahaprabhu and the cooperation of all devotees to ensure a smooth and sacred celebration,” said Puri Collector Sidharth Shankar Swain on Thursday.
The city of Puri has been placed under a five-tier security blanket for the nine-day-long festival. As many as 200 platoons of police forces and eight companies from the Border Security Force (BSF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), and other central agencies have been deployed throughout the holy town.
Additionally, around 10,000 personnel from the Odisha Police, Central Armed Police Forces, and Home Guard have been stationed in and around the city to manage the massive crowd.
For the first time, an integrated command-and-control system has been established to monitor the event. Police officers at central and sub-control rooms are keeping an eye on traffic and crowd movement through live feeds from approximately 275 AI-enabled CCTV cameras installed from Uttara Square to Puri Town, as well as along the Puri-Konark route.
Source: Novosibirsk State University – Novosibirsk State University –
On June 25-26, Novosibirsk hosted a visiting strategic session of the Skolkovo School of Regional Operators. Representatives from 17 regions of Russia gathered in the capital of Siberia. The goal of the event was to strengthen interaction between regional operators and form uniform work standards.
The participants of the strategic session visited Novosibirsk State University, where they were given a tour of the academic building, told about the history of the university, and shown the developments of the NSU Research Center in the field of artificial intelligence. Also, at the site of the new building of flow auditoriums, which is part of the second stage of the modern NSU campus, built within the framework of the national project “Youth and Children”, a meeting was held with the rector of NSU, academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences Mikhail Fedoruk.
Mikhail Fedoruk briefly spoke about the history of the university, dwelled on the principles that were laid down at its foundation, how NSU is developing now and what plans for the future. He emphasized that the strategic goal until 2026 is to move from the research university model to the scientific and technological model. Opportunities for the development of innovations at NSU are opening up thanks to cooperation with companies, the development of new educational areas and the infrastructure of the new campus.
— Along with classical areas, an engineering direction is emerging at the university. Of course, now we interact not only with our traditional partners — the institutes of the Siberian Branch — but also with industrial partners in training personnel and implementing new scientific projects. In 2025, the university opened educational programs that we implement with the support of companies — these are Applied Artificial Intelligence, Medical Cybernetics, and Industrial Pharmacy. The development of technological entrepreneurship is also very important for us. Among the achievements in this area, I would like to especially note that more than 55 student teams received 1 million rubles each to implement their projects. This was and remains the highest figure in the Siberian Federal District, — noted Mikhail Fedoruk.
The host of the strategic session is the Novosibirsk Regional Innovation Fund, a regional operator of the Skolkovo Foundation. The Innovation Fund is one of the top five regional operators of Skolkovo, demonstrating high efficiency in supporting technology startups and developing the region’s innovative infrastructure. Based on the results of its work in 2024, the Fund took fourth place among 27 operators.
The key topics of the strategic session were artificial intelligence in science and business and the experience of interaction between industrial partners and technology and industrial parks. In addition to the business program, a rich excursion program was organized for the guests, visiting leading scientific and educational centers: in addition to NSU, the participants also visited the Institute of Nuclear Physics of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the Biotechnopark of the science city of Koltsovo, and also got acquainted with the innovative infrastructure, the technology park of the Novosibirsk Akademgorodok and the technology park “Novo-Nikolayevsky”.
Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Source: United States Navy (Logistics Group Western Pacific)
Issued by: on
NUKU’ALOFA, Tonga (June 26, 2025) U.S. Navy Cmdr. Christina Carter, center, and Lt. William Douthitt, right, both deployed in support of Pacific Partnership 2025 (PP-25), lead a tabletop training exercise with local nurses of Vaiola Hospital during PP-25 in Nuku’Alofa, Tonga, June 26, 2025. Now in its 21st iteration, the Pacific Partnership series is the largest annual multinational humanitarian assistance and disaster management preparedness mission conducted in the Indo-Pacific. Pacific Partnership works collaboratively with host and partner nations to enhance regional interoperability and disaster response capabilities, increase security and stability in the region, and foster new and enduring friendships in the Indo-Pacific. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Moises Sandoval/Released)
Source: United States Navy (Logistics Group Western Pacific)
Issued by: on
NUKU’ALOFA, Tonga (June 26, 2025) U.S. Public Health Service Lt. Sung Jik Park, left, Environmental Health Officer with Pacific Partnership 2025 (PP-25), trains local public health officials in the quality testing of public water sources during PP-25 in Nuku’Alofa, Tonga, June 26, 2025. Now in its 21st iteration, the Pacific Partnership series is the largest annual multinational humanitarian assistance and disaster management preparedness mission conducted in the Indo-Pacific. Pacific Partnership works collaboratively with host and partner nations to enhance regional interoperability and disaster response capabilities, increase security and stability in the region, and foster new and enduring friendships in the Indo-Pacific. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Moises Sandoval/Released)
Source: United States Navy (Logistics Group Western Pacific)
Issued by: on
NUKU’ALOFA, Tonga (June 26, 2025) U.S. Public Health Service Lt. Sung Jik Park, left, Environmental Health Officer with Pacific Partnership 2025 (PP-25), trains local public health officials in the quality testing of public water sources during PP-25 in Nuku’Alofa, Tonga, June 26, 2025. Now in its 21st iteration, the Pacific Partnership series is the largest annual multinational humanitarian assistance and disaster management preparedness mission conducted in the Indo-Pacific. Pacific Partnership works collaboratively with host and partner nations to enhance regional interoperability and disaster response capabilities, increase security and stability in the region, and foster new and enduring friendships in the Indo-Pacific. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Moises Sandoval/Released)
Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Jeanne Shaheen
(Washington, DC) – Today, U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH)—a top member and former chair of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies that funds the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)—and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) announced with U.S. Representatives Chris Pappas (NH-01) and Maggie Goodlander (NH-02) that the New Hampshire Manufacturing Extension Partnership (NH MEP) will receive $924,376 in funding from NIST to help New Hampshire’s small and medium-sized manufacturers fully participate in the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) National Network National Supply Chain Optimization and Intelligence Network.
“Investing in American manufacturing is critical in order to grow our economy, advance American national security and out build competitors, like China,” said Senator Shaheen. “New Hampshire is a small business state, and this funding will help ensure that Granite State manufacturers have the support they need to drive that progress. MEPs are proven winners that bolster our economy, generate growth and support good-paying jobs in Granite State communities. I’ll continue working to secure investment in them.”
“When Granite Staters are given a fair shot and the freedom to compete and thrive, there’s no limit to what they can do, and the NH Manufacturing Extension Partnership provides vital technical support and assistance that help manufacturers succeed,” said Senator Hassan. “Thanks to the advocacy of the leaders of New Hampshire MEP, we overcame attempts by the Trump Administration to dismantle the Manufacturing Extension Partnership in New Hampshire and across the country and got this funding restored. I look forward to continuing to get New Hampshire’s small businesses the support that they need.”
“Smart investments in American manufacturing can grow our economy, create jobs, increase our global competitiveness, and bolster national security. The Manufacturing Extension Partnership National Network is one effective way we do this,” said Congressman Pappas. “This funding will support their work to help small and medium-sized New Hampshire manufacturers make more products and create more good-paying jobs in our state. I’ll always support investing in American innovation and manufacturing.”
“Today is a good day for the future of manufacturing in New Hampshire,” said Congresswoman Goodlander. “The federal funding we are announcing today for New Hampshire manufacturers is going to strengthen the economic and national security of hardworking people across our state. I’ve been on the frontlines of the fight to protect and strengthen the Manufacturing Extension Partnership because in the midst of lawless and costly trade wars that threaten to put small businesses out of business, these investments will actually bring good paying manufacturing jobs back to New Hampshire.”
The CHIPS and Science Act, which Shaheen, Hassan and Pappas supported, created the National Supply Chain Optimization and Intelligence Network, a supply chain and manufacturing resiliency initiative designed to assist small and medium-sized manufacturers build resilient, local supply chains and strengthen manufacturing capabilities. The MEP National Network helps manufacturers to meet critical needs, ranging from process improvement and workforce development to specialized business practices, including supply chain integration, innovation, and technology transfer.
Since 1988, MEP has worked with over 150,000 manufacturers, leading to nearly $150 billion in sales, creating or retaining more than 1.6 million jobs, and saving firms nearly $31.6 billion. In the past year alone, firms assisted by MEP served as critical parts of our defense industrial base supply chain, made innovations in hazardous waste removal for the industries that power American energy production and invested in workforce development programming and certifications.
During an Appropriations Committee hearing earlier this month, Shaheen raised concerns over U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick’s plans to eliminate the Manufacturing Extension Partnership, noting that in Fiscal Year 2023, every dollar of federal investment in the program generated $24.60 in new sales growth and $27.50 in new client investment.
Goodlander and Pappas have been advocating to protect NH MEP funding in the House since potential cuts were first announced in April of this year. Goodlander and Pappas sent a letter to the Trump Administration urging support for domestic manufacturers in New Hampshire and across the country in the wake of the Trump Administration’s move to end contracts for 10 Manufacturing Extension Partnership programs. They also urged Chairman Rogers and Ranking Member Meng to support NH MEP funding in the FY26 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies appropriations bill.
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Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
JAKARTA, June 26 — The Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway (HSR) has transported more than 10 million passengers as of Wednesday since it began operations on Oct. 17, 2023, PT Kereta Cepat Indonesia-China (KCIC), a joint venture consortium between Indonesian and Chinese firms that constructs and operates the railway announced on Thursday.
The KCIC also noted that the HSR, a flagship project under the Belt and Road Initiative jointly developed by China and Indonesia, has operated 29,778 train trips and covered over 4.63 million km safely since its commercial operation.
In response to rising travel demand, the KCIC has continuously optimized train schedules and expanded capacity. The daily number of train trips has increased from 14 at launch to 62, with seating capacity rising from 8,400 to over 37,000. The railway reached a record of 25,000 passengers in a single day, with peak occupancy rates as high as 99.64 percent.
To support long-term localized operations, the Chinese side has provided comprehensive training to Indonesian staff through theoretical instruction, simulation drills, and on-the-job mentorship. So far, 600 Indonesian trainees have completed certification programs, with 263 receiving official recognition from Indonesia’s Ministry of Transportation. Among them, 34 drivers have begun operating high-speed trains independently under Chinese supervision.
Passenger services have also been upgraded. Online ticketing and refund options have been introduced alongside traditional ticket counters, with support for multiple payment methods. Station facilities have been improved for smoother boarding and transfers, including better integration with taxis, light rail, and conventional rail systems.
The Jakarta-Bandung HSR connects Indonesia’s biggest city Jakarta with Bandung in West Java province, reducing travel time between the two cities from over three hours to just 46 minutes. With a maximum operating speed of 350 km/h, the railway offers a safe, efficient, and environmentally friendly travel option.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
A passenger holding her baby is pictured on a running train on Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway in Indonesia, June 19, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
The Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway (HSR) has transported more than 10 million passengers as of Wednesday since it began operations on Oct. 17, 2023, PT Kereta Cepat Indonesia-China (KCIC), a joint venture consortium between Indonesian and Chinese firms that constructs and operates the railway announced on Thursday.
The KCIC also noted that the HSR, a flagship project under the Belt and Road Initiative jointly developed by China and Indonesia, has operated 29,778 train trips and covered over 4.63 million km safely since its commercial operation.
In response to rising travel demand, the KCIC has continuously optimized train schedules and expanded capacity. The daily number of train trips has increased from 14 at launch to 62, with seating capacity rising from 8,400 to over 37,000. The railway reached a record of 25,000 passengers in a single day, with peak occupancy rates as high as 99.64 percent.
To support long-term localized operations, the Chinese side has provided comprehensive training to Indonesian staff through theoretical instruction, simulation drills, and on-the-job mentorship. So far, 600 Indonesian trainees have completed certification programs, with 263 receiving official recognition from Indonesia’s Ministry of Transportation. Among them, 34 drivers have begun operating high-speed trains independently under Chinese supervision.
Passenger services have also been upgraded. Online ticketing and refund options have been introduced alongside traditional ticket counters, with support for multiple payment methods. Station facilities have been improved for smoother boarding and transfers, including better integration with taxis, light rail, and conventional rail systems.
The Jakarta-Bandung HSR connects Indonesia’s biggest city Jakarta with Bandung in West Java province, reducing travel time between the two cities from over three hours to just 46 minutes. With a maximum operating speed of 350 km/h, the railway offers a safe, efficient, and environmentally friendly travel option.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Staff members debug a humanoid robot at a robot company in Shenzhen, south China’s Guangdong Province, June 25, 2025. In recent years, Guangdong Province has taken various measures to develop the robot industry. The application and promotion of embodied artificial intelligence robots has been gaining speed in Guangzhou and Shenzhen, and a provincial embodied artificial intelligence robot innovation center was established in Shenzhen. In addition, cities like Foshan, Dongguan and Zhuhai are encouraged to give full play to their manufacturing advantages to build robot production bases.
Guangdong’s industrial robot output exceeded 240,000 units in 2024 with a year-on-year increase of 31.2 percent, ranking first in the country for five consecutive years, according to the Department of Industry and Information Technology of Guangdong Province. (Xinhua/Li An)
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Beijing, June 27 /Xinhua/ — The Chinese branch of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) of Belarus recently opened at the Northwestern Polytechnical University (NWPU) of China, according to a statement on the university’s official website.
The opening ceremony was attended by First Deputy Chairman of the Presidium of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus Sergei Chizhik and more than 80 representatives of eight organizations of this country. The participants from the Chinese side included official representatives of the Ministry of Labor Resources and Social Security, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Party Committee of Shaanxi Province, the Science and Technology Administration of this province, etc.
The event was attended by the Secretary of the SZPU Party Committee Li Yanrong.
The opening of a branch of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus in China is a new page in cooperation between China and Belarus. A memorandum of cooperation in this area was signed last year in Minsk, he recalled.
The two sides, as Li Yanrong emphasized, will focus on in-depth cooperation in the fields of aerospace technology, composite materials, high-tech equipment manufacturing, optics and optoelectronics, and will also promote deep integration in the fields of training specialists, scientific research cooperation and the transformation of achievements.
At the opening ceremony, memorandums of cooperation were signed between SZPU and the Belarusian State University of Informatics and Radioelectronics and the Belarusian National Technical University.
The opening of the Chinese branch of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus was also witnessed by more than 300 researchers from Beihang University, Beijing Institute of Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Aviation Industry Corporation of China /AVIC/, China Electronics Technology Corporation /CETC/ and others. -0-
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Recently, Russian woman Shahnaz Gubaidullina became an Internet star. The girl recently graduated from the bachelor’s degree program at Huzhou University, which is located in Huzhou City, Zhejiang Province, after which she went on a tourist trip to Shaoxing. There, an unexpected situation occurred – an elderly woman fell into the water and began to drown. Without thinking, Shahnaz jumped into the water and began to pull out the drowning woman, calming her in Chinese: “Grandma, relax, don’t be afraid, I’m here.” Thanks to the joint efforts of the girl and the people on the shore, the elderly woman was saved.
Shahnaz’s selfless act was captured on local CCTV cameras and the video went viral online, gaining many likes. The girl’s mother immediately sent her a message: “You saved a man’s life, I’m proud of you!” When Shahnaz went to buy some fruit, the shopkeeper recognized her and refused to take money, thus wanting to thank the girl for her good deed. In response to the public praise, Shahnaz said: “I am very pleased, but I didn’t really do anything special.”
Shahnaz came to China in 2016 and after living here for many years, she has developed a deep love for Chinese culture. She is the only foreigner in the university’s lion dance troupe.
Shahnaz does not want to leave Huzhou despite having already graduated from university. “I like it here very much, I want to continue studying and even stay here to live,” she admitted.
ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on June 27, 2025.
Travelling with food allergies? These 8 tips can help you stay safer in the skies Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jennifer Koplin, Evidence and Translation Lead, National Allergy Centre of Excellence; Chief Investigator, Centre of Food Allergy Research; Associate Professor and Group Leader, Childhood Allergy & Epidemiology Group, Child Health Research Centre, The University of Queensland Anchiy/Getty Images With the school holidays approaching, many families will be
Cats at 40: a dazzling cast – stuck in an outdated show Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Karen Cummings, Lecturer in Singing, University of Sydney The star of the 40th anniversary production of Cats – which premiered at the Theatre Royal Sydney last week – is the performing ensemble. Some ensemble scenes, such as The Jellicle Ball, offered the same joy and exhilaration as
Earth is trapping much more heat than climate models forecast – and the rate has doubled in 20 years Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Steven Sherwood, Professor of Atmospheric Sciences, Climate Change Research Centre, UNSW Sydney NASA, CC BY-NC-ND How do you measure climate change? One way is by recording temperatures in different places over a long period of time. While this works well, natural variation can make it harder to
The NDIA is changing how it pays for disability supports. What does that mean for rural communities? Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Edward Johnson, Lecturer in Social Entrepreneurship and Co-Founder of Umbo, University of Sydney Shutterstock Each year, the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) reviews its pricing rules to ensure services funded under the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) remain sustainable. This year’s annual pricing review outlines changes that
1 in 5 community footy umpires have been assaulted, while others cop death threats: new research Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alyson Crozier, Senior Lecturer, Exercise and Sport Psychology, University of South Australia Scott Barbour/Getty Images Umpires’ decisions often upset sports fans, especially during a close contest. At most games, spectators boo loudly, coaches throw their hands up in frustration and players can yell or even physically intimidate
NATO’s 5% of GDP defence target ramps up pressure on Australia to spend vastly more Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jennifer Parker, Adjunct Fellow, Naval Studies at UNSW Canberra, and Expert Associate, National Security College, Australian National University After lobbying by US President Donald Trump, NATO leaders have promised to boost annual defence spending to 5% of their countries’ gross domestic product (GDP) by 2035. A NATO
Beyond playgrounds: how less structured city spaces can nurture children’s creativity and independence Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jose Antonio Lara-Hernandez, Senior Researcher in Architecture, Auckland University of Technology Getty Images Children’s play is essential for their cognitive, physical and social development. But in cities, spaces to play are usually separated, often literally fenced off, from the rest of urban life. In our new study,
Lung cancer screening is about to start. What you need to know if you smoke or have quit Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ian Olver, Adjunct Professsor, School of Psychology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Adelaide Magic mine/Shutterstock From July, eligible Australians will be screened for lung cancer as part of the nation’s first new cancer screening program for almost 20 years. The program aims to detect
The drought in southern Australia is not over – it just looks that way Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew B. Watkins, Associate research scientist, School of Earth, Atmopshere & Environment, Monash University Andrew Watkins How often do you mow your lawn in winter? That may seem like an odd way to start a conversation about drought. But the answer helps explain why our current drought
One bad rainstorm away from disaster: why proposed changes to forestry rules won’t solve the ‘slash’ problem Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Bloomberg, Adjunct Senior Fellow, Te Kura Ngahere-New Zealand School of Forestry, University of Canterbury Murry Cave/Gisborne District Council, CC BY-SA The biggest environmental problems for commercial plantation forestry in New Zealand’s steep hill country are discharges of slash (woody debris left behind after logging) and sediment
Whatever happened to the Albanese government’s wellbeing agenda? Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Sollis, Research Fellow, University of Tasmania DavideAngelini/Shutterstock The Albanese government devoted time and energy in its first term to developing a wellbeing agenda for the economy and society. It was a passion project of Treasurer Jim Chalmers, who wanted better ways to measure national welfare beyond
What do the Bible, the Quran and the Torah say about the justification for war? Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robyn J. Whitaker, Associate Professor, New Testament, & Director of The Wesley Centre for Theology, Ethics, and Public Policy, University of Divinity Wars are often waged in the name of religion. So what do key texts from Christianity, Islam and Judaism say about the justification for war?
Brands want us to trust them. But as the SPF debacle shows, they need to earn it Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Paul Harrison, Director, Master of Business Administration Program (MBA); Co-Director, Better Consumption Lab, Deakin University It’s quite unsettling to discover something so central to our cultural rituals – the “slop” in the Aussie mantra of “Slip! Slop! Slap!” – can no longer be trusted. We’ve never really
Streaming giants have helped bring Korean dramas to the world – but much is lost in translation Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sung-Ae Lee, Lecturer, Macquarie University In less than a decade, Korean TV dramas (K-dramas) have transmuted from a regional industry to a global phenomenon – partly a consequence of the rise of streaming giants. But foreign audiences may not realise the K-dramas they’ve seen on Netflix don’t
‘Don’t surrender’ to Indonesian pressure over West Papua, Bomanak warns MSG Asia Pacific Report A West Papuan independence movement leader has warned the Melanesian Spearhead Group after its 23rd leaders summit in Suva, Fiji, to not give in to a “neocolonial trade in betrayal and abandonment” over West Papua. While endorsing and acknowledging the “unconditional support” of Melanesian people to the West Papuan cause for decolonisation,
Grattan on Friday: Jim Chalmers juggles expectations and ambition in pursuing tax reform Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Next week will be the 40th anniversary of the Hawke government’s tax summit. Dominated by then treasurer Paul Keating’s unsuccessful bid to win support for a consumption tax, it was the public centrepiece of an extraordinary political and policy story.
There’s gold trapped in your iPhone – and chemists have found a safe new way to extract it Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Justin M. Chalker, Professor of Chemistry, Flinders University A sample of refined gold recovered from mining and e-waste recycling trials. Justin Chalker In 2022, humans produced an estimated 62 million tonnes of electronic waste – enough to fill more than 1.5 million garbage trucks. This was up
Politics with Michelle Grattan: Ken Henry on changing the tax system to give struggling workers a fairer go Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra In August, the Albanese government will hold an economic “roundtable” that will discuss productivity, budget sustainability and resilience. Australia’s tax system will be one of the central issues, and stakeholders are gearing up with their varying arguments for changes. Ken
As one of Shakespeare’s least performed plays, Coriolanus is startlingly relevant under Trump 2.0 Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kirk Dodd, Lecturer in English and Writing, University of Sydney Brett Boardman/Bell Shakespeare Coriolanus is one of Shakespeare’s least performed plays; perhaps because the hero is so pugnacious and classist, impressive in his strident vehemence, but lacking the vulnerability of a Macbeth or Othello. Set in the
Magpies may not be a pesky Australian import – new research finds their ancestors thrived in NZ a long time ago Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Vanesa De Pietri, Senior Research Fellow in Palaeontology, University of Canterbury Shutterstock/Russ Jenkins For many New Zealanders, the Australian magpie is a familiar, if sometimes vexing, sight. Introduced from Australia in the 1860s, magpies are known for their territorial dive-bombing during nesting season, which has cemented their
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
The Government today (June 27) published the Protection of Critical Infrastructures (Computer Systems) Ordinance (Commencement) Notice in the Gazette, appointing January 1, 2026, as the date on which the Protection of Critical Infrastructures (Computer Systems) Ordinance (Cap. 653) will come into operation.
The Ordinance, gazetted on March 28, 2025, aims to impose statutory obligations on designated operators of critical infrastructures to ensure they adopt appropriate measures to protect their computer systems, minimising the risk of essential services being disrupted or compromised due to cyberattacks, thereby maintaining the normal functioning of Hong Kong society and the daily lives of its people.
Pursuant to section 1(2) of the Ordinance, the Ordinance will come into operation on a date appointed by the Secretary for Security by notice published in the Gazette. The Secretary for Security now decides that the Ordinance shall come into effect on January 1, 2026.
​The Government will table the notice at the Legislative Council next Wednesday (July 2) for negative vetting.
CALGARY, Alberta, June 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Acceleware® Ltd. (“Acceleware” or the “Company”) (TSX-V: AXE), is pleased to announce it has entered into an agreement (the “Marwayne Agreement”) with O’Neill Industries International-Canada Inc. (“O’Neill Canada”) that will result in the transfer of certain wells and other assets located in Marwayne, Alberta, related liabilities, licenses and leases from Acceleware to O’Neill Canada, and the termination of the existing farmout and option agreement dated May 19, 2020 between the Company and O’Neill Canada. O’Neill Canada is the Canadian entity of O’Neill Industries, a US based company active in upstream production and oil field services globally. In exchange for the above noted transfers, Acceleware will receive cash payments and a gross overriding royalty (“GORR”) on future production from the wells as described below. The Marwayne Agreement sets the stage for renewed collaboration between the Company and O’Neill Canada that includes a commitment to establish a new farmout agreement at Marwayne where Acceleware can drill new RF XL 2.0 compliant test wells in the next five years.
“The Marwayne Agreement is another strategic step intended to rapidly move us from a research and development focus to becoming a cash flow generating enterprise and is one of several strategic steps we are taking to accelerate RF XL 2.0’s path to market,” said Geoff Clark, CEO of Acceleware. “We are pleased to realize near-term cash flow and added value from O’Neill Canada’s operations at Marwayne, but also having the optionality to explore future multi-well deployments of RF XL 2.0 at Marwayne provides great opportunity to the Company.”
Specific features of the Marwayne Agreement include:
Acceleware will transfer its interests in the existing wells, production equipment, leases, and licenses to O’Neill Canada for a combination of cash, assumption by O’Neill Canada of any abandonment and reclamation liabilities associated with the wells and surface lease, and a 5% GORR on future production from the wells for a period of 12 months following commencement of production from the transferred wells. Excluding future royalties, the net balance sheet benefit to Acceleware is estimated to be $460,000.
Acceleware retains ownership of all RF XL heating and related equipment at Marwayne, including the Clean Tech Inverter (CTI).
The existing farmout agreement between O’Neill Canada and Acceleware is terminated.
Acceleware and O’Neill Canada agree to enter into a new farmout agreement within 90 days of entering into the Marwayne Agreement, which will allow Acceleware to redeploy new wells that are suited for RF XL 2.0 at any time over the course of the next 5 years at O’Neill Canada’s Marwayne asset.
“We’re pleased to have come to this agreement with Acceleware on Marwayne – the asset holds very good value potential and both companies stand to benefit from the arrangement. For over a year, O’Neill Canada has been producing heavy oil at Marwayne, and we plan to grow production volumes through both cold flow and thermal recovery techniques,” said Alexander O’Neill, President of O’Neill Canada.
About Acceleware:
Acceleware is an advanced electromagnetic (EM) heating company with cutting-edge radio frequency (RF) power-to-heat solutions for large industrial applications. The Company’s technologies provide an opportunity to electrify and decarbonize industrial process heat applications while reducing costs.
The Company is working to use its patented and field proven Clean Tech Inverter (CTI) to materially improve the efficiency of amine regeneration, and has partnered with a consortium of world-class potash partners seeking to decarbonize drying of potash ore and other critical minerals. Acceleware is actively developing other process heat applications and partnerships for RF heating.
Acceleware’s RF XL is a patented low-cost, low-carbon RF thermal enhanced oil production technology for heavy oil that is materially different from any enhanced recovery technique used today.
Acceleware is a public company listed on the TSX Venture Exchange (“TSXV”) under the trading symbol “AXE”.
About O’Neill Industries International-Canada Inc.:
O’Neill Industries is comprised of an integrated family of companies focused on the energy and environmental sectors, offering a series of products, equipment, and services which bring new and enhanced solutions for projects and partners. Responding to environmental challenges, developing natural resources, and looking for opportunities to turn waste and obsolescence into energy and value.
Since 2023, O’Neill Industries Canadian arm, O’Neill Industries International-Canada Inc., has been operating in Alberta with a large focus on heavy oil production, thermal recovery techniques, and Green Cement.
Cautionary Statements
This news release contains forward-looking statements and/or forward-looking information (collectively, “forward-looking statements”) within the meaning of applicable securities laws. When used in this release, such words as “will”, “anticipates”, “believes”, “intends”, “expects” and similar expressions, as they relate to Acceleware, or its management, are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements reflect the current views of Acceleware with respect to future events, and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Many factors could cause Acceleware’s actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any expected future results, performance or achievement that may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Certain information and statements contained in this news release constitute forward-looking statements, which reflects Acceleware’s current expectations regarding future events, including, but not limited to: the future benefits arising from theMarwayneAgreement; the Company’s ability to successfully complete commercialization of RF XL 2.0; the entering into of a new farmout and option agreement between the Company and O’Neill Canada; deployment of RF XL2.0; the initiatives to be implemented by the Company’s management to shift the Company’s focus from research and development to cash flow generation; the timing to complete certain milestones in the Marwayne Agreement; and the impact of the Marwayne Agreement on Acceleware’s business and shareholder value.
Forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including but not limited to: the availability of potential heavy oil production rights in western Canada, the availability of investment capital and other funding, the high degree of uncertainties inherent to feasibility and economic studies which are based to a significant extent on various assumptions; variations in commodity prices and exchange rate fluctuations; variations in cost of supplies and labour; lack of availability of qualified personnel; receipt of necessary approvals; availability of financing for technology and project development; uncertainties and risks with respect to developing and adopting new technologies; general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; change in demand for technologies to be offered by the Company; obtaining required approvals of regulatory authorities and/or shareholders, as applicable; ability to access sufficient capital from internal and external sources. For a more fulsome list of risk factors please see the Company’s December 31, 2024, year-end Management Discussion and Analysis (“MD&A”) available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.
Management of the Company has included the above summary of assumptions and risks related to forward-looking statements provided in this release to provide shareholders with a more complete perspective on the Company’s current and future operations and such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. The Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Forward-looking statements included in this news release should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.
Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
This press release is intended for distribution in Canada only and is not intended for distribution to United States newswire services or dissemination in the United States.
For more information:
Geoff Clark Tel: +1 (403) 249-9099 geoff.clark@acceleware.com
CALGARY, Alberta, June 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Acceleware® Ltd. (“Acceleware” or the “Company”) (TSX-V: AXE), is pleased to announce it has entered into an agreement (the “Marwayne Agreement”) with O’Neill Industries International-Canada Inc. (“O’Neill Canada”) that will result in the transfer of certain wells and other assets located in Marwayne, Alberta, related liabilities, licenses and leases from Acceleware to O’Neill Canada, and the termination of the existing farmout and option agreement dated May 19, 2020 between the Company and O’Neill Canada. O’Neill Canada is the Canadian entity of O’Neill Industries, a US based company active in upstream production and oil field services globally. In exchange for the above noted transfers, Acceleware will receive cash payments and a gross overriding royalty (“GORR”) on future production from the wells as described below. The Marwayne Agreement sets the stage for renewed collaboration between the Company and O’Neill Canada that includes a commitment to establish a new farmout agreement at Marwayne where Acceleware can drill new RF XL 2.0 compliant test wells in the next five years.
“The Marwayne Agreement is another strategic step intended to rapidly move us from a research and development focus to becoming a cash flow generating enterprise and is one of several strategic steps we are taking to accelerate RF XL 2.0’s path to market,” said Geoff Clark, CEO of Acceleware. “We are pleased to realize near-term cash flow and added value from O’Neill Canada’s operations at Marwayne, but also having the optionality to explore future multi-well deployments of RF XL 2.0 at Marwayne provides great opportunity to the Company.”
Specific features of the Marwayne Agreement include:
Acceleware will transfer its interests in the existing wells, production equipment, leases, and licenses to O’Neill Canada for a combination of cash, assumption by O’Neill Canada of any abandonment and reclamation liabilities associated with the wells and surface lease, and a 5% GORR on future production from the wells for a period of 12 months following commencement of production from the transferred wells. Excluding future royalties, the net balance sheet benefit to Acceleware is estimated to be $460,000.
Acceleware retains ownership of all RF XL heating and related equipment at Marwayne, including the Clean Tech Inverter (CTI).
The existing farmout agreement between O’Neill Canada and Acceleware is terminated.
Acceleware and O’Neill Canada agree to enter into a new farmout agreement within 90 days of entering into the Marwayne Agreement, which will allow Acceleware to redeploy new wells that are suited for RF XL 2.0 at any time over the course of the next 5 years at O’Neill Canada’s Marwayne asset.
“We’re pleased to have come to this agreement with Acceleware on Marwayne – the asset holds very good value potential and both companies stand to benefit from the arrangement. For over a year, O’Neill Canada has been producing heavy oil at Marwayne, and we plan to grow production volumes through both cold flow and thermal recovery techniques,” said Alexander O’Neill, President of O’Neill Canada.
About Acceleware:
Acceleware is an advanced electromagnetic (EM) heating company with cutting-edge radio frequency (RF) power-to-heat solutions for large industrial applications. The Company’s technologies provide an opportunity to electrify and decarbonize industrial process heat applications while reducing costs.
The Company is working to use its patented and field proven Clean Tech Inverter (CTI) to materially improve the efficiency of amine regeneration, and has partnered with a consortium of world-class potash partners seeking to decarbonize drying of potash ore and other critical minerals. Acceleware is actively developing other process heat applications and partnerships for RF heating.
Acceleware’s RF XL is a patented low-cost, low-carbon RF thermal enhanced oil production technology for heavy oil that is materially different from any enhanced recovery technique used today.
Acceleware is a public company listed on the TSX Venture Exchange (“TSXV”) under the trading symbol “AXE”.
About O’Neill Industries International-Canada Inc.:
O’Neill Industries is comprised of an integrated family of companies focused on the energy and environmental sectors, offering a series of products, equipment, and services which bring new and enhanced solutions for projects and partners. Responding to environmental challenges, developing natural resources, and looking for opportunities to turn waste and obsolescence into energy and value.
Since 2023, O’Neill Industries Canadian arm, O’Neill Industries International-Canada Inc., has been operating in Alberta with a large focus on heavy oil production, thermal recovery techniques, and Green Cement.
Cautionary Statements
This news release contains forward-looking statements and/or forward-looking information (collectively, “forward-looking statements”) within the meaning of applicable securities laws. When used in this release, such words as “will”, “anticipates”, “believes”, “intends”, “expects” and similar expressions, as they relate to Acceleware, or its management, are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements reflect the current views of Acceleware with respect to future events, and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Many factors could cause Acceleware’s actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any expected future results, performance or achievement that may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Certain information and statements contained in this news release constitute forward-looking statements, which reflects Acceleware’s current expectations regarding future events, including, but not limited to: the future benefits arising from theMarwayneAgreement; the Company’s ability to successfully complete commercialization of RF XL 2.0; the entering into of a new farmout and option agreement between the Company and O’Neill Canada; deployment of RF XL2.0; the initiatives to be implemented by the Company’s management to shift the Company’s focus from research and development to cash flow generation; the timing to complete certain milestones in the Marwayne Agreement; and the impact of the Marwayne Agreement on Acceleware’s business and shareholder value.
Forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including but not limited to: the availability of potential heavy oil production rights in western Canada, the availability of investment capital and other funding, the high degree of uncertainties inherent to feasibility and economic studies which are based to a significant extent on various assumptions; variations in commodity prices and exchange rate fluctuations; variations in cost of supplies and labour; lack of availability of qualified personnel; receipt of necessary approvals; availability of financing for technology and project development; uncertainties and risks with respect to developing and adopting new technologies; general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; change in demand for technologies to be offered by the Company; obtaining required approvals of regulatory authorities and/or shareholders, as applicable; ability to access sufficient capital from internal and external sources. For a more fulsome list of risk factors please see the Company’s December 31, 2024, year-end Management Discussion and Analysis (“MD&A”) available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.
Management of the Company has included the above summary of assumptions and risks related to forward-looking statements provided in this release to provide shareholders with a more complete perspective on the Company’s current and future operations and such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. The Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Forward-looking statements included in this news release should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.
Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
This press release is intended for distribution in Canada only and is not intended for distribution to United States newswire services or dissemination in the United States.
For more information:
Geoff Clark Tel: +1 (403) 249-9099 geoff.clark@acceleware.com
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
URUMQI, June 26 — The 2025 (China) Eurasia Commodity and Trade Expo opened Thursday in Urumqi, northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, drawing over 2,800 enterprises and delegates from 50 countries and regions to deepen cooperation across Eurasia, organizers said.
This year’s expo is the largest edition to date. Among the attendees are government officials, diplomats, and business associations from Central Asia, the African Union (AU), ASEAN, and beyond. Notably, AU members Ethiopia, Zambia, the Comoros, and Senegal joined for the first time, highlighting expanded global engagement.
Spanning 140,000 square meters of indoor and outdoor space, the expo features key sectors like new energy, advanced manufacturing, textiles, and food processing. Heavy machinery dominates outdoor displays, while indoor halls spotlight innovations in AI and the low-altitude economy.
Fu Yunyan, director of Xinjiang international expo affairs bureau, noted “multiple highlights,” including dedicated zones for cutting-edge technologies and over 20 product launches. The five-day event will host over 60 trade and investment sessions focused on industrial matchmaking and project promotion.
As a pillar of the China-Eurasia Expo framework, the event, now in its fifth iteration, aims to accelerate Xinjiang’s opening-up and development.
People visit the Trade in Services and Cross-border E-commerce sector during the 2025 (China) Eurasia Commodity and Trade Expo in Urumqi, northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, June 26, 2025. The expo opened here on Thursday, drawing over 2,800 enterprises and delegates from 50 countries and regions to deepen cooperation across Eurasia, organizers said. The five-day event will host over 60 trade and investment sessions focused on industrial matchmaking and project promotion. [Photo/Xinhua]This photo taken on June 26, 2025 shows the venue of the 2025 (China) Eurasia Commodity and Trade Expo in Urumqi, northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. [Photo/Xinhua]
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Chinese tech firm Xiaomi unveiled its first electric SUV, the YU7, and its first AI-powered smart glasses at a product launch in Beijing on Thursday evening.
Priced starting at 253,500 yuan (about 35,400 U.S. dollars), the YU7 SUV is available in three configurations with nine color options, with the base model offering a range of 835 kilometers under the China Light-duty Vehicle Test Cycle.
Xiaomi’s AI glasses integrate an intelligent assistant that supports photography, videography, real-time Q&A, and translation across 10 languages. The glasses also support multimodal encyclopedia access and contactless payment via visual scanning.
The base model of these AI glasses is priced at 1,999 yuan, which is described by Lei Jun, founder and chairman of Xiaomi as “a personal AI gateway for the next era of portable technology.”
At the event, the company unveiled over 10 new items, including foldable smartphones and smart home appliances, while Lei also announced a 200 billion yuan commitment to core technology research and development over the next five years.
Xiaomi entered the electric vehicle market in 2021. Since March 2024, Xiaomi has delivered over 250,000 vehicles, quickly emerging as a key player in China’s rapidly growing new energy vehicle market by leveraging advanced smart manufacturing and a favorable policy environment to fuel its rapid ascent.
China’s auto market maintains strong growth. In the first five months this year, China’s new energy vehicles production surged 45.2 percent year on year to nearly 5.7 million units, with sales up by 44 percent year on year to 5.61 million units, according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers.
Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX), Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Vice Chairman Mark Warner (D-VA), and Senators James Lankford (R-OK) and Mark Kelly (D-AZ) today introduced the Intelligence Community Technology Bridge Act, which would enable the Intelligence Community (IC) to streamline acquisition processes and prioritize small business and nontraditional defense contractor solutions:
“There are important advancements in intelligence products being made in the private sector, but our intelligence agencies and private sector partners must fight bureaucratic delays throughout the acquisition process,” said Sen. Cornyn. “This legislation would give our Intelligence Community the flexibility and agility it needs to speed up the acquisition of cutting-edge technologies and leverage American innovation across the country to get the most capable tools into the hands of our intelligence collectors and analysts.”
“Our nation is not lacking in innovation or entrepreneurship – it’s lacking in the ability to quickly put these cutting-edge technologies in the hands of the intelligence agencies that keep us safe,” said Sen. Warner. “As our adversaries ramp up their tech capabilities, I’m proud to introduce this bipartisan legislation to provide the funding needed to level up smart products and services beyond the research and development stage and streamline the process through which our Intelligence Community acquires them.”
“Our Intelligence Community works hard every day to protect our nation without any recognition or glory, but they are also fighting our own government with the amount of time it takes to process newer technology,” said Sen. Lankford.“The bad actors and foreign adversaries who are coming after us every day are not going to wait around while our Intelligence Community waits on bureaucratic delays. Our nation must have the ability to stop whatever new technology is being used against us without unnecessary delays.”
“Bridging the gap between research and real-world use is critical to ensuring our intelligence community has timely access to the most advanced tools and technologies,” said Sen. Kelly. “By cutting unnecessary red tape and accelerating innovation, we can better support small businesses and innovators, get cutting-edge technologies into the hands of the intelligence community faster, and strengthen our national security advantage.”
Background:
In light of global threats to national security, acquisition leaders in the Intelligence Community (IC) must be able to secure technological advantages through the identification, development, and transfer of promising technologies to full-scale programs capable of meeting IC requirements.
This legislation would create a fund to assist in transitioning useful IC products from the research and development phase to the contracting and production phase, with priority given to small business concerns and nontraditional defense contractors.
Source: United States Senator for Maine Angus King
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME), in a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), spoke with Michael Dodd, the nominee to serve as the Assistance Secretary of Defense for Critical Technologies, about the importance of developing and deploying new defense technologies. During his discussion with Dobb, Senator King highlighted that previously the United States has significantly underfunded the development of advanced weapon technologies like directed energy— the class of weapons systems that use electromagnetic energy, such as high-energy lasers. At the end of the exchange, he received commitment from Dodd, that if confirmed, he will aggressively work to advance directed energy platforms.
Senator King began, “Mr. Dodd, you have, I think, one of the most important jobs in the Pentagon, which is technology. The adaptation of new technology is what wins wars. Genghis Khan was able to conquer the world because of his utilization of the stirrup, which enabled his archers to shoot from horseback. It was that technology that enabled him, the longbow. In the battle of Agincourt, enabled 6,000 British troops to defeat an army of 20,000 French. You mentioned several technologies in your testimony, but we have been basically slow on several technologies. We’ve been slow on drones, hypersonics, and particularly on directed energy, which you didn’t mention. In the age of drones, directed energy can be more important than ever. The prior administration woefully underfunded the development of directed energy. I hope that is something you will pursue in your new position. “
“Thank you for raising that important issue. If confirmed, directed energy would be a technology area in the critical technologies portfolio. I am a staunch advocate and believer, as you referenced, in a one to many response, in utilizing many faster, cheaper platforms. Certainly, in the counter U.S. Domain, directed energy will play a role in that. High-performance microwaves are making some significant advances. Those platforms have been protyped and are being tested currently. We are excited, it confirmed, to see the growth and scaling of energy platforms,” responded Dodd.
“Well in the red sea today, we are shooting down $20,000 Yemeni and Iranian drones with $4 million missiles. That is unsustainable. A shot from a directed energy is about $.75. This is urgent. I hope it is pursued not only systematically but also with some urgency,” said Senator King.
Dodd replied, “Senator I’m fully committed to pursuing directed energy platforms if confirmed.”
“Thank you,” finished Senator King.
As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, Senator King is recognized as an authoritative voice on national security and foreign policy issues. Senator King has previously spoken up about the emerging threats of Russia and China’s development of “nightmare weapon” hypersonic missiles. He previously urged the Department of Defense (DoD) to take advantage of private sector technologies or risk losing access to innovative defense technologies and encouraged the (DoD) to reevaluate its acquisition process of defense technologies. Additionally, Senator King has been a steady voice on the need to address the growing nuclear capacity of our adversaries. In a recent Armed Services hearing, he received commitment from Secretary of the Navy John Phelan to advocate for an increase in the directed energy budget.
Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto
Senators Will Delay Department of Commerce Nominees Until States Receive Funding.
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) joined Senators Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), and 12 Democratic Senators in a letter condemning the Trump Administration’s reckless decision to rescind approval for states to receive their share of Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program funding from the U.S. Department of Commerce. The BEAD program was created to connect families in the hardest-to-serve communities to high-speed internet and close the digital divide for students, families, and small businesses.
“We write to express our deep concern with the recent guidance the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) issued regarding the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program. This guidance will add needless delay to connecting millions of Americans to high-speed internet, while going against Congressional intent and betraying unconnected Americans in the process,” wrote the Senators. “Until states receive the entire amount of BEAD funds they are owed, including nondeployment funds, we will not consent to expedited consideration of any related Commerce Department nominees on the Senate floor.”
The Trump Administration’s new guidance rescinded the final approval of three states, including Nevada and Delaware, and forces all states to redo burdensome steps in theirprocesses, hindering states’ ability to connect communities to high-speed internet. In their letter to the Secretary of Commerce, the Senators committed to blocking all related Department of Commerce nominees until states receive their full BEAD allocation.
“With three states fully approved and ready to put shovels in the ground and 42 other states having completed or started the process of receiving project bids and selecting BEAD subgrantees, NTIA’s new guidance upends years of work and threatens to delay the program at a critical point… Simply claiming states will be able to comply with NTIA’s new requirements within 90 days does not make it true,” the Senators’ letter continued. “With this in mind, we implore you to provide states with the maximum flexibility possible and ensure states receive the full amount of funding they are owed. Should you fail to do so, we will continue to block the expeditious advancement of all Commerce Department nominees overseeing broadband policy, along with any related nominees.”
Read the full letter here.
As part of her Innovation State Initiative, Senator Cortez Masto has led efforts to improve broadband access and strengthen Nevada’s economy. She successfully called for increased accountability for federal broadband programs through efforts like the FCC broadband map which helped deliver the State of Nevada additional BEAD funding through more accurate broadband accessibility data. The Senator has also pushed for greater transparency and tracking of federal broadband dollars through her bipartisan mapping tool she created in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and passed her bipartisan ACCESS Broadband Act to establish a broadband oversight office in the Commerce Department, which administers the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law BEAD funding, provides technical assistance to communities, and tracks taxpayer dollars.
Bloomberg’s Mishal Husain delivered the keynote address about image, voice and trust in the age of AI
HONG KONG, June 26, 2025 – The Society of Publishers in Asia (SOPA), a Hong Kong-based not-for-profit organization dedicated to encouraging the highest standards in journalism, announced the winners of its prestigious annual Awards for Editorial Excellence. (full list of winners also available here:
The awards recognize outstanding journalistic work from the past year in the Asia-Pacific region and were given out at a celebratory dinner in Hong Kong on Thursday June 26, marking the 27th consecutive year of the awards.
Global, regional/local, and Chinese-language media outlets submitted more than 700 entries in 21 categories including Bahasa Indonesia, which has been part of the lineup for the past three years.
Submissions from regional and local publications rose substantially from a year earlier, showing the growing voices of smaller publications around the region. To help showcase grassroots coverage, SOPA offered reduced entry fees to small media outlets and first-time entrants from a dozen countries and regions. Several took home prizes including Mekong Eye, which won the top regional/local award in Investigative Reporting for Cattle Hustle, and Hong Kong’s HK Feature got Honorable Mention in the Chinese-language Feature Writing category for ‘Democracy pineapple’ caught in political dilemma across the Taiwan Strait. Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism won the top regional/local award in Explanatory Reporting for Renewed Attention on Political Dynasties in the Philippines.
China’s economy and tensions with the U.S. over technology continued to be a focus, while brewing issues on a number of fronts sparked an increase in India-related entries.
Here are some highlights:
EXCELLENCE IN REPORTING ON WOMEN’S ISSUES
The New York Times with The Fuller Project won the top global award for The Brutality of Sugar, with judges calling it an “eye-opening” account “revealing the horrendous conditions facing women in India’s sugar industry.”
The Wire won the top regional/local award for Breaking The Nets, which the judges said offered “a fascinating insight into the knock-on effects of India’s patriarchal society” and how women contend with them.EXCELLENCE IN AUDIO REPORTING
Mongabay won the top regional/local award for Wild Frequencies: How listening to India’s animals inspires people to protect wildlife, which judges praised as showing how sounds are a clue to “whether an ecosystem is healthy or imperiled.”
EXCELLENCE IN HUMAN RIGHTS REPORTING
The Collective HK won the top Chinese-language award for Five Years After Anti-Extradition Law Amendment Bill Movement: How are they?, which focused on four personalities in the 2019 social movement in Hong Kong and the judges said is “full of drama” without “emotive writing.”
EXCELLENCE IN FEATURE WRITING
The Australian Financial Review won the top regional/local award for Inside the ‘unending chaos’ at Andrew Forrest’s Fortescue, which the judges called “an impressive portrait” of an Australian businessman involved in tackling climate change.
Initium Media won the top Chinese-language group award for Chinese Fighting for Russia: Money, Thrill and Becoming Influencers, which the judges noted had “sparked significant attention and discussion.”
EXCELLENCE IN TECHNOLOGY REPORTING
Nikkei Asia won the top global award for China’s tech industry fights back, which the judges called “a well-reported exploration of China’s drive for tech primacy in the face of U.S. restrictions.”
EXCELLENCE IN ARTS AND CULTURE REPORTING
The Economist’s 1843 Magazine won the top global award for How I became the Taliban’s portrait artist, which the judges called “a gripping account” of how the author’s own kidnapping in Afghanistan showed an unexpected side of today’s Taliban.
EXCELLENCE IN REPORTING BREAKING NEWS
Reuters won the top global and regional/local award for South Korea’s martial law crisis, which judges said, “kept global audiences informed about one of the biggest breaking stories last year.”EXCELLENCE IN OPINION WRITING
Singapore’s The Straits Times won the regional/local award for No country for young men: Where is Malaysia’s next generation of leaders? The judges said it “demystifies the complex web of personalities shaping Malaysian politics.”
The judges selected Qianer Liu of The Information for the SOPA Award for Young Journalist citing her “unique insights into the tech competition between the U.S. and China.”
The Wall Street Journal won the coveted SOPA Award for Public Service Journalism for A Vicious New Scam Industry Metastasizes that detailed the brutal reality of the global criminal enterprise of “pig butchering” cyber fraud.
“Congratulations to all the winners, honorable mentions and finalists,” said Bill Ridgers, Asia Digital Editor at The Economist and Co-Chair of SOPA’s Editorial Committee. “The high quality of entries for the SOPA 2025 awards is proof that the media continues to perform a critical role in informing readers in Asia Pacific and elsewhere about this region and helping shape public discourse.”
SOPA would like to thank Bloomberg’s Mishal Husain who spoke on image, voice and trust in the age of AI. Her keynote address will be available on SOPA’s YouTube channel from 28 June, 2025. (link: https://www.youtube.com/@sopaasia)
We also extend thanks to our nearly 120 volunteer judges and to Karen Koh for being our Master of Ceremonies, and to the University of Hong Kong’s Journalism and Media Studies Centre, which has administered the awards since 2011.
Critical to presenting the awards are our sponsors. Factiva is an Associate Sponsor and Telum Media is a Supporting Partner.
Awards Ceremony Dinner photos can be accessed here:
The Society of Publishers in Asia (SOPA) is a Hong Kong-based not-for-profit organization that was founded in 1982 to champion freedom of the press, promote excellence in journalism and endorse best practices for all local and regional publishing platforms in the Asia-Pacific region.
Today, SOPA is the voice of Asia’s media and publishing industry, and continues to work to uphold media standards and freedoms while celebrating and supporting professional journalism and publishing. The SOPA Awards for Editorial Excellence are the annual,flagship awards, serving as a regional benchmark for quality, professional journalism and have been given out every year since 1999.
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EL SEGUNDO, Calif. – Pacific Defense, the leading provider of Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA) products, announced it has secured the inaugural launch for its Moonraker MOSA space Radio Frequency (RF) payload on board the K2 Space Gravitas Mission in February 2026. The mission includes a series of multi-orbit Space Situational Awareness (SSA) demonstrations showcasing the payload’s mission flexibility.
Moonraker is a RF sensing and high-performance computing (HPC) Payload for Space Situational Awareness (SSA). The payload demonstrates the rapidly deliverable, mission-flexible modular open systems approach (MOSA).
Moonraker is a 3U Open VPX multi-function, RF payload with application software capable of performing a range of RF missions that fundamentally changes the cost, schedule, and deployment concept for responsive space missions. Designed for SSA, Moonraker payload architecture fully supports a range of receive and transmit Electromagnetic Spectrum Operation (EMSO) functions to command the electromagnetic operational environment.
“We’re thrilled to take the United States Department of Defense’s MOSA initiative to new heights with Moonraker,” said Bryan Terlecky, Vice President of Space Systems at Pacific Defense. “As global space competition intensifies, there is a pressing need for adaptable, software-driven solutions that can rapidly evolve to counter emerging threats. This mission marks a significant step in our commitment to providing innovative and flexible solutions for space control”.
Pacific Defense is purpose-built to drive the open systems transformation necessary to unlock rapid innovation and the power of commercial technology. Specializing in C5ISR and Electronic Warfare (EW) solutions for mission-critical environments, Pacific Defense leverages Modular Open Systems Architecture (MOSA) standards to deliver innovative, adaptable technology that enables faster response to emerging threats and evolving mission requirements. Learn more at https://pacific-defense.com
27 JUNE 2025 – The name of the UK North Sea’s largest independent oil and gas producer has been revealed today, marking a major milestone in the creation of the new company.
Equinor and Shell made the joint announcement to staff this afternoon – with Adura chosen as the bold new presence for their incorporated joint venture (IJV).
With a long-standing presence in the North Sea, the two companies have collaborated closely to identify the new name – rooted in their respective heritage and focused on shaping the future of the basin in the years ahead. Adura has been created to bring together the A of Aberdeen and the dura of durability. It’s a company built on firm foundations, much like the strong granite synonymous with the city.
The creation of Adura follows the announcement in December 2024 that Equinor and Shell would be combining their UK offshore oil and gas assets and world-class expertise to form a new company.
Adura will sustain domestic oil and gas production and security of energy supply in the UK and beyond, headquartered at the Silver Fin building in Aberdeen city centre.
Aberdeen, the UK’s energy capital and a major centre of global engineering and supply chain excellence, is at the heart of operations and central to the name of Adura, alongside an enduring commitment to the future of energy from the North Sea.
Work continues towards securing regulatory approvals, with launch of the IJV expected by the end of this year.
Camilla Salthe, Senior Vice President Equinor UK Upstream, said:
“We are so pleased to have reached this major milestone in the creation of the new company with Shell. For us, the name Adura represents the very heart of this company and speaks to its people and place within the energy community anchored in Aberdeen, alongside its longevity and commitment to the North Sea.”
Simon Roddy, Senior Vice President Shell UK Upstream, said:
“Adura takes an exciting step forward today as we unveil its new name – rooted in a proud history in the North Sea and looking forward with confidence to delivering secure energy for the UK for many years to come.When Adura launches later this year it will become the UK’s largest independent producer. Through combining assets and expertise, we will create a robust portfolio, with a shared purpose, to unlock long term value.”
Notes
In the UK, Equinor currently produces approx. 38,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day; Shell UK produces over 100,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day. Adura is expected to produce over 140,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day in 2025. On deal completion, Adura will be jointly owned by Equinor (50%) and Shell (50%) Adura will include Equinor’s equity interests in Mariner, Rosebank and Buzzard; and Shell’s equity interests in Shearwater, Penguins, Gannet, Nelson, Pierce, Jackdaw, Victory, Clair and Schiehallion. A range of exploration licences will also be part of the transaction. Equinor will retain ownership of its cross-border assets, Utgard, Barnacle and Statfjord and offshore wind portfolio including Sheringham Shoal, Dudgeon, Hywind Scotland and Dogger Bank. It will also retain the hydrogen, carbon capture and storage, power generation, battery storage and gas storage assets. Shell UK will retain ownership of its interests in the Fife NGL plant, St Fergus Gas Terminal and floating wind projects under development – MarramWind and CampionWind. Shell UK will also remain Technical Developer of Acorn, Scotland’s largest carbon capture and storage project. Equinor employs around 300 people in oil and gas roles in the UK, while Shell employs approximately 1000 supporting its oil and gas business in the UK.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 2
Press release
Boost to mental health services from thousands of extra staff
Latest data shows 6,700 more mental health workers have been recruited towards government’s 8,500 target.
More than 6,700 extra mental health workers have been recruited since July, latest data shows, as the government prepares to announce fundamental reforms to patient support in its 10 Year Health Plan.
The latest recruitment milestone means the government is more than halfway towards its target of hiring an extra 8,500 mental health staff by the end of this Parliament, helping get people the care they need so they can get back to work, school and doing what they love.
It comes ahead of publication of the upcoming 10 Year Health Plan, which sets out ambitious plans to boost mental health support across the country.
Under the plan, patients will get better access to support directly through the NHS App, including self-referral for talking therapies, without needing a GP appointment.
Instead of people having to turn to costly mental health apps, the NHS App offers a free service built by trusted clinicians to help give all mental health patients the care they need, continuing the government’s drive to tackle health inequalities.
By embracing the latest technology across the health service, the plan lays the foundation for patients to access mental health support and advice 24 hours a day, seven days a week through the app.
This could include opening the door to things like AI-driven virtual support as a first port of call, or health and well-being advice only currently accessible through paid-for apps.
And alongside digital advances, 85 new dedicated mental health emergency departments will be built with £120 million secured in the recent Spending Review.
Health and Social Care Secretary, Wes Streeting said:
Not getting the right support for your mental health isn’t just debilitating, it can hit a painful pause button on your life – stopping you working, enjoying time with family and friends, or living day-to-day life.
Patients have faced the crisis of access to mental health services for far too long, and this government is determined to change that through our Plan for Change to rebuild the NHS.
That’s why we’re putting digital front doors on mental health services for patients up and down the country and harnessing technology to provide 24-hour care. And we’re creating more opportunities for support not just through the NHS App but through care in your community too.
We are already over halfway towards our target of recruiting 8,500 extra mental health workers, and through our upcoming 10 Year Health Plan we will get more people back to health and back to work.
The new emergency units will be staffed by specialist doctors and nurses, providing around-the-clock support for patients experiencing a mental health crisis.
Patients can walk in or be referred by GPs to the units, which are set to be open 24/7 and designed to provide a calm environment in contrast to the noise and chaos of major hospitals
Alongside this, a Neighbourhood Mental Health Model, providing open access to specialist services and holistic support in community locations 24 hours a day, seven days a week, is already being piloted in six locations.
The reforms come at a time where mental health conditions are becoming more prevalent, with an adult psychiatric survey published this week showing over 22% of 16-to-64-year-olds have common mental conditions, up from 17% in 2007.
Further plans for mental health due to be set out in the 10 Year Health Plan include utilising developments in pharmacogenomics, providing patients with personalised prescriptions and treatments.
Alongside the reforms, the government is continuing its rollout of mental health support teams in schools, with almost one million more young people to benefit in education settings this year.
And plans to set up Young Futures Hubs will make it easier for young people to access mental health, career and pastoral support in their communities, with youth workers, mental health support workers and careers advisers on hand to support young people’s mental health.
Under the Plan for Change, the government is committed to working beyond the health system to tackle the drivers of mental ill health, such as homelessness and unemployment.
For example, recently announced welfare legislation is getting more people with health conditions back to work, backed by £1 billion to unlock opportunity and grow the economy.
Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Rt Hon Liz Kendall MP said:
Too often, people with mental health conditions are left without the support they need to return to work – not because they lack the will, but because the system doesn’t work for them. We’re determined to change that.
By improving access to mental health services and ensuring employment support is better tailored to individual needs, we will transform people’s lives – helping them get back to health and back to work, which is good for them, good for the country and good for the economy.
The public are also encouraged to take positive actions to look after their own mental health, including through creating their own personalised “Mind Plan” on the Every Mind Matters NHS website.
After a four-year wait, the Kākāpō Recovery team is thrilled that breeding will return in 2026. Together with our Treaty Partner Ngāi Tahu and National Partner Meridian Energy, we’re preparing for what could be the biggest boom in kākāpō chicks yet!
Kākāpō advocacy lead Andie Gentle breaks down the excitement, the science, the challenges, and how the measures of success for the recovery of this taonga species are changing.
Kākāpō chicks | DOC.
Why all the hype?
Admittedly, we always get super excited about breeding seasons – and for good reason.
Kākāpō are a taonga species to Ngāi Tahu, the principal Māori iwi of southern New Zealand. The world’s only, flightless, nocturnal parrot is critically endangered with just 242 alive today. The breeding populations are only found on three very remote, rugged predator-free islands in the deep south of Aotearoa New Zealand; Whenua Hou/Codfish Island, Pukenui/Anchor Island and Te Kāhaku/Chalky Island.
We estimate kākāpō can live between 60-90 years. Most don’t successfully breed until their teens (males) or tweens (females). Even then, they only breed when rimu trees mast (mass fruit) once every 2-4 years. Female kākāpō, who feed their chicks rimu fruit, lay between 1-5 eggs but will usually fledge one chick per season.
Alice and chick Rupi | Jake Osborne/DOC.
Once widespread across the country, kākāpō populations plummeted after humans arrived due to hunting, habitat loss, and introduced predators. Since 1995, we’ve worked to rebuild the population from just 51 birds – 31 males, 20 females; and we’ve supported them through 12 breeding seasons, reaching a top population in 2022 of 252.
Many of the earlier seasons produced fewer than a handful of chicks, but as the population has slowly grown, breeding seasons have grown too! In terms of numbers, 2019 has been our biggest breeding season yet, with management initiatives helping produce a record 73 fledglings.
So yes, we do get hyped – because the mahi is intensive and every chick is so precious!
The art of prediction
Using summer temperature patterns, we can predict rimu mast events (and therefore breeding seasons) up to two years in advance. Closer to the season, we collect sample rimu branches from the islands and count the tips to estimate fruiting levels.
Image 1: Kākāpō Recovery’s Technical Advisor Daryl Eason counting rimu tips | DOC. Images 2 & 3: rimu fruit | DOC.
We know some kākāpō will breed if more than 10 percent of rimu tips bear fruit and that a greater number of kākāpō breed as the percentage of fruit increases.
The latest data for 2026 shows record-high predictions of around 50–60 percent fruiting across all three breeding islands. If this happens there could be potential for nearly all of the 87 breeding-age females to nest in 2026.
What the lek?
Kākāpō are the only lek-breeding parrot in the world. A lek is a mating system where males gather in a communal area, called a lek, to display to females. Male kākāpō spend months preparing ‘track and bowl’ systems (networks of cleared paths and depressions that help resonate sound) where they perform booming and chinging courtship calls. These nightly displays to attract females from across the island can last for weeks or even months on end. Once mating is done, the female takes on all parenting duties – nesting, incubating, and raising the chick’s solo.
VIDEO: Kākāpō Sinbad booming | DOC. (Tip: headphones in to hear this one!)
Our mahi behind the scenes
Just like male kākāpō preparing for breeding season, we’ve been busy getting ready.
From recruiting and training staff, to ensuring island infrastructure and data networks are running smoothly, it’s all hands-on deck.
Our National Partner, Meridian Energy, plays a vital role in maintaining generators and power systems on the remote breeding islands to support the seasonal influx of people and power critical equipment like chick incubators.
Meridian Energy engineers Mark (left) and Joe (right), at work maintaining the power systems on the kākāpō breeding islands.
Ahead of each season, we strategically transferred some birds between islands, based on their history and genetics, to give them all the best chance of success. Around October we start providing supplementary food to help some birds reach optimal breeding condition.
Each kākāpō wears a radio transmitter that tracks their activity and location year-round. These allow us to learn remotely when matings occur (Dec-Jan), who mated with who, and when females are nesting.
During nesting and hatching (Jan–March), we locate nests, ensure their safety, and set up nearby camps to keep an eye on things. Vulnerable eggs or chicks may need incubators, hand-rearing or taken to the mainland for specialist care.
Through April and May, we continue to monitor chick growth and ensure they fledge safely.
Every breeding season is a chance to grow the kākāpō population, however success goes beyond numbers alone.
Image 1: Kākāpō Recovery Technical Advisor Daryl Eason weighing chick. Image 2: Operations Manager Deidre Vercoe assess fertility and development of kākāpō egg. Image 3: Kākāpō eating from feeding hopper | Jake Osborne/DOC
Redefining the measures of success
Kākāpō are among the most intensively managed species on Earth but as the population grows, the same level of on the ground management isn’t sustainable.
After 30 years of managing each bird individually, breeding season success is now less about fledging numbers, and more about working towards establishing self-sustaining populations.
When the population numbered less than 200 birds, it was essential that every single chick made it through. In recent seasons we’ve been stepping back, phasing out nightly nest checks by using genetic ranking to prioritise eggs and chicks, and trialling low-intervention on Te Kākahu / Chalky Island.
The population is still critically endangered, so we’ll keep working hard to increase numbers, but as the population grows, we need to shift the balance towards understanding and supporting a more natural level of survival.
This season, we’ll step back further with:
Fewer egg and chick checks
More eggs hatching in nests rather than the safety of incubators
Allowing mothers to raise multiple chicks
Reduced supplementary feeding in some areas
Expanding the low-management trial to parts of Pukenui / Anchor Island
Inevitably, this reduced management approach could result in a higher, more natural number of egg and chick deaths however this move toward minimal intervention is key to a more natural, efficient, and sustainable future for kākāpō recovery.
Mother Makorea and chick Willans together in a nest cavity | Jake Osborne/DOC.
The habitat challenge
While the potential of a record-breaking season is great news, kākāpō still face big challenges. Ongoing research on genetics and disease are helping us learn as much as possible to support a healthy population, but the most pressing challenge is finding more suitable habitat. We are trialling new small islands and a fenced sanctuary site, but what this species really needs is large scale habitat. As a former natural home to kākāpō, Rakiura/Stewart Island is the perfect contender, but introduced predators need to be removed to make it safer for kākāpō to return. You can learn more about why Predator Free Rakiura could be a game changer for kākāpō in this new blog post.
Solstice in nest | DOC.
Let’s make history, together
The 2026 breeding season could mark a significant turning point for kākāpō, not just in numbers, but in how we support the future of this taonga species.
You can support the mahi, and follow along as we bring kākāpō stories from the remote islands of Southern New Zealand to the world.
Volunteer: This breeding season there will only be a very limited number of volunteer roles available. These will be advertised here in August.
Donate or Adopt a kākāpō to support Kākāpō Recovery via the Mauri Ora Kākāpō Trust
Our mahi is achieved with our Treaty Partner Ngāi Tahu and National Partner Meridian Energy which provides funding as well as electrical infrastructure, technology and volunteering support to the programme.
Kākāpō receiving medical care at Dunedin Wildlife Hospital (left) and Auckland Zoo (right) | DOC.
Invaluable to the programme too, is the expertise from vet supporters Auckland Zoo and Dunedin Wildlife Hospital, and the transportation of threatened species through the DOC and Air New Zealand national partnership.
With 100 percent of our operational costs covered externally, work to help restore the mauri (lifeforce) of kākāpō is also made possible thanks to the generosity of hundreds of volunteers, supporters and donors.
The kākāpō are ready. We’re ready. Let’s make history, together!
Children’s play is essential for their cognitive, physical and social development. But in cities, spaces to play are usually separated, often literally fenced off, from the rest of urban life.
In our new study, we compare children’s use of such spaces in Auckland, New Zealand, and Venice, Italy. Our findings present a paradox: playgrounds built for safety can stifle creativity and mobility, while self-organising open spaces offer rich opportunities to explore and belong.
In Auckland, places such as Taumata Reserve are a testimony to contemporary playground design – grassy, shaded, equipped with slides and swings, and buffered from traffic. Such places are an oasis cherished by caregivers for the sense of perceived safety they provide.
Yet during our observations, we noted how these spaces function not necessarily as an oasis or a point for social encounter, but rather as isolated refuge islands, disconnected from the city’s everyday life. Children’s independent mobility and opportunities for diverse play activities remained limited and predefined.
Children in urban spaces in Venice are free to find their own spontaneous activities. Antonio Lara-Hernandez, CC BY-SA
Contrast this with Venice’s Santa Croce neighbourhood. Car-free streets and piazzas, such as Campo San Giacomo dell’Orio above, pulsate with life. We saw children play ball, draw on pavements, chase each other and even water plants. These spaces are shared inter-generational stages.
To compare children’s experience, we measured the diversity of activities (a proxy for creativity). Auckland’s Taumata Reserve scored just 1.46. In contrast, Venice scored 2.33, with more than 2,600 spontaneous acts in the streets, reflecting a child-led play culture.
Why this matters
Play is not a luxury. It is a fundamental necessity of life to understand, navigate and adapt to the complexities of the world.
From a deterministic perspective, contemporary Western cultures (such as in Europe and New Zealand) prescribe diverse benefits of play. This includes learning and developing resilience, spatial awareness and social skills.
In Auckland, safety is the focus. While inclusion for children with special needs is understandable, it may inadvertently limit the collective capacity for vital and formative developmental experiences at the neighbourhood scale.
Global research shows declining children’s mobility, linked to car dependency and adult-controlled routines. This reduces children’s activity radius, constrains confidence and diminishes connection to place. For one of us, a father of two, watching his daughters navigate parks underscores this: children need to be able to learn risk competency.
Venice is a cultural model we can draw lessons from. Its pedestrian streets let children roam, climb statues and play hide-and-seek on bridges. This exposure to risks builds judgement, adaptability and agency. It also makes children co-creators of urban life.
Children in Venice’s car-free piazza San Giacomo dell’Orio play ball, draw on pavements and chase each other. Authors provided, CC BY-SA
Our study uses what we call “temporary appropriation” – when children use spaces in unplanned, creative ways – and a design framework called SPIRAL, which draws from individual experiences and cultural narratives to build public spaces.
Auckland’s rules and fences curb this; Venice’s human-scale design invites it.
Venice’s conditions foster risk competency in children and caregivers, strengthening community bonds through a culture of care. Auckland’s spaces for play are spatially fragmented, limiting social encounters and the risk-taking skills vital for development.
Auckland’s playgrounds tend to be separated and limit the development of risk-taking skills. Shutterstock/Mary Star
From a New Zealand perspective, it is also essential to recognise the significance of place-based belonging from a Māori worldview. Concepts such as whakapapa (genealogy), whenua (land) and whanaungatanga (relational ties) emphasise deep, inter-generational connections to place.
In this view, play is not merely recreation but a cultural expression; a way for children to experience turangawaewae (a place to stand).
What other cities can learn
From our research, we can draw lessons for how urban spaces might be reimagined to better support children’s wellbeing and autonomy. This includes:
Designing public spaces with natural elements, “risky art”, loose parts and creative equipment for open-ended play that balances safety without compromising opportunities for discovery and risk-taking
reclaiming streets so that all people and animals can have positive adventures
prioritising policies for car-free or traffic-calmed areas across neighbourhoods and in proximity to social places (schools, libraries, shops, parks) to contribute to a culture where safety is a collective responsibility and a commitment towards a stronger social cohesion
proactively involving children in urban design through place-making and temporary appropriation; it is their right to be heard and listened to through the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child
and collaboratively modifying the environment over time.
We envision cities where children roam freely, invent and experience deeper and authentic belonging. Venice proves that shared public spaces help children enrich and shape cities, as much as the rest of the population does.
Safe playgrounds are only a starting point. For healthy, regenerative and vibrant cities to work, we need to realise that children should have agency to shape the complex assemblage that cities really are. Let’s build urban futures where children don’t just play, but can have positive adventures.
The choices we make today matter. We can either feed the fear or meet the cultural challenge together by embracing the positive adventures of life, with a sense of collective wellbeing, care and stewardship.
Jose Antonio Lara-Hernandez received funding for the Horizon 2020 CRUNCH project and was a member of the curatorial team of the Italian Pavilion for the Venice Biennale 2021. He is a senior member of City Space Architecture and the International Society of City and Regional Planners.
Gregor Mews has previously served as a founding director of the Australian Institute of Play and currently serves as a council board member of City Space Architecture as well as a member of the International Society of City and Regional Planners.
