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Category: Science

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Marat Khusnullin: Russia’s construction complex is developing scientific, technical and educational infrastructure of universities

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    Moscow State University of Civil Engineering

    February 6, 2025

    Moscow State University of Civil Engineering

    February 6, 2025

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    Moscow State University of Civil Engineering

    The creation of modern conditions for education and research activities in Russian higher education institutions is an important part of the work of the Russian construction complex. High-quality infrastructure attracts talented students and scientists, promotes innovation and strengthens the positions of universities. Ultimately, this is a contribution to the future of the country, because it is within the walls of universities that specialists are trained who will move science and the economy forward, noted Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin.

    On the instructions of President Vladimir Putin, a network of world-class university campuses is being created in Russia. One of these projects will be implemented at the Moscow State University of Civil Engineering.

    “NRU MGSU is a flagship university in the construction industry. It has recently been included in the list of universities that provide training for engineering personnel and scientific developments for the country’s technological leadership. It has become the basic organization of the CIS member states for training and advanced training for personnel in the construction and housing and communal services industries. Last year, the university held the most successful admissions campaign in recent years. The passing scores for state-funded programs have increased significantly in a number of specialties. MGSU entered the top 10 universities in Moscow and the Moscow region in terms of the dynamics of the quality of state-funded admission. President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin supported the project to create a world-class campus on the basis of NRU MGSU. And today, the development of design and estimate documentation for the construction of two blocks of the educational and scientific cluster has already begun. Architectural and planning solutions have been agreed upon with the university,” said Deputy Prime Minister, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of NRU MGSU Marat Khusnullin.

    The construction of the campus facilities of the National Research Moscow State University of Civil Engineering is planned to be carried out in two stages until 2035. Within the first stage, three blocks of the educational and scientific cluster, a sports and recreation complex, an ice arena, and a student dormitory will be built. The area of the new facilities will be more than 172 thousand square meters, facilities with an area of more than 10 thousand square meters will be reconstructed, and major repairs of the existing buildings of the National Research Moscow State University of Civil Engineering are planned.

    Currently, design and estimate documentation is being developed for blocks “A” and “B” with an area of over 69 thousand square meters, which will house advanced research and educational spaces, coworking spaces, creative workshops and public catering areas.

    “When the campus is ready, it will be possible to implement a full innovation cycle on the basis of NRU MGSU, from the idea to the implementation of techniques and technologies, digital solutions, designs and materials in the construction industry and housing and communal services. I am sure that this will help popularize construction professions, achieve national goals and implement national projects,” Marat Khusnullin emphasized.

    In addition, work continues on the construction of university campuses on the premises of other universities. For example, as part of the Oryol State University named after I.S. Turgenev, the public-law company “Unified Customer in the Sphere of Construction” is constructing an educational and laboratory building and a dormitory complex.

    “The construction of the dormitory complex, consisting of three buildings, started in the summer of 2024. Currently, builders are actively performing monolithic work at the site; the construction of structures is already 60% complete. About 1,500 students will be able to live in comfortable conditions. The buildings will also have gyms, rooms for independent study and leisure,” the Deputy Prime Minister noted.

    The educational and laboratory building with an area of over 27 thousand square meters will house a prototyping and reengineering center, an auditorium, a library and other premises. The student campus will become a modern open space for education, science and business.

    Three more campuses are currently being built by Unified Customer in Yekaterinburg, Novosibirsk and Kaliningrad.

    At the same time, the Russian construction complex is developing the infrastructure of other universities that were not included in the world-class campus program. Including those facilities whose construction was delayed.

    Thus, the construction of five educational and laboratory buildings of the Crimean Federal University named after V.I. Vernadsky in Simferopol began in 2019 and 2022, but was suspended. In 2024, the construction was entrusted to the PPK “Unified Customer”. As reported by Marat Khusnullin, monolithic work has been completed in the building of the educational building of the Institute of Foreign Philology. More than one thousand students and teachers will be able to study and work in this building.

    “The eight-story building of the Institute of Foreign Philology will house classrooms and lecture halls, modern computer rooms, a reading room with an archive, a buffet with a dining room for 48 people, teachers’ offices, as well as a center for the language cultures of the small peoples of Crimea and other premises. The construction of the building is planned to be completed and equipped with modern technological equipment in 2026,” said Karen Oganesyan, General Director of the Unified Customer PPC.

    In addition, KFU continues construction of buildings for the Physics and Technology Institute, student center, administrative building, and the Architecture and Civil Engineering Academy. The total area of the buildings is over 46 thousand square meters.

    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.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: The rector of the State University of Management took part in the visiting meeting of the State Council commission on the direction of “Personnel”

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: State University of Management – Official website of the State –

    On February 6, Vladimir Stroyev, Rector of the State University of Management, took part in an off-site meeting of the State Council of the Russian Federation Commission on Personnel, dedicated to Russian Science Day.

    The commission members gathered in the city of Obninsk to discuss the human resources potential of Russian science.

    In the first half of the day, the guests visited nuclear enterprises and got acquainted with the scientific potential of Obninsk. At the A.I. Leypunsky Physics and Power Engineering Institute, the commission was shown the new Educational Center, which is adjacent to the complex of fast physical stands. The center is equipped with a special experimental laboratory, which is built according to the strictest safety standards, and here future specialists can conduct research, including with sealed radiation sources.

    A panel discussion on the issue of “On the human resources potential of Russian science” was held in the building of the Rosatom Technical Academy in the science city.

    The meeting was chaired by the Chairman of the State Council Commission on Personnel, a graduate of the State University of Management Vladislav Shapsha. The moderator was the Deputy Head of the Region and Deputy Chairman of the Commission, a graduate of the State University of Management Tatyana Leonova.

    Greetings to Kaluga scientists were heard from the Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Science and Higher Education Sergei Kabyshev and the Governor of the Vladimir Region Alexander Avdeev.

    The event was attended by the First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Science and Higher Education Alexander Mazhuga, State Duma Deputy Gennady Sklyar, President of the Russian Academy of Education Olga Vasilyeva, General Director of the National Medical Research Center of Radiology of the Ministry of Health of Russia Andrey Kaprin and others.

    The State University of Management was represented at the meeting by the rector of the State University of Management Vladimir Stroyev and the vice-rector Maria Karelina.

    “Today we work in the city of Obninsk and visited several enterprises of the city, where new personnel are trained and work. And the experience of the city can be taken as a model: how to work with personnel, how to train them, what to provide and interest them in order to keep them in the region. These are conditions, including infrastructure, this is salary, and this is, of course, interest in the profession and the opportunity for advancement and development in it,” Vladimir Vitalyevich noted.

    At the opening of the plenary discussion, Vladislav Shapsha spoke about the achievements of scientific and production centers that glorify both Obninsk and the entire region throughout Russia.

    “Over the years of development, the Kaluga Region has rightfully earned a reputation as one of the leading scientific and technological centers of Russia. Last year, the Government of the Russian Federation extended the status of “science city” for Obninsk until 2040, and special thanks to our government for this. Our region has extensive experience, significant potential for scientific work in various fields, in nuclear medicine, biotechnology, radioecology, and other industries,” emphasized Vladislav Shapsha.

    At the end of the meeting, Vladislav Shapsha presented awards to scientists who contributed to the acquisition and systematization of knowledge and the possibility of applying it in practice.

    After the meeting, the commission members took part in the opening of the Sintec Group laboratory at the Obninsk Institute of Atomic Energy, a branch of the National Research Nuclear University MEPhI.

    Subscribe to the TG channel “Our GUU” Date of publication: 02/07/2025

    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.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Are eggs good or bad for our health?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lauren Ball, Professor of Community Health and Wellbeing, The University of Queensland

    Nik/Unsplash

    You might have heard that eating too many eggs will cause high cholesterol levels, leading to poor health.

    Researchers have examined the science behind this myth again, and again, and again – largely debunking the claim.

    A new study suggests that, among older adults, eating eggs supports heart health and even reduces the risk of premature death.

    Let’s unpack the details.

    What was the study?

    Researchers examined data from a large, ongoing study that is following older adults and tracking their health (the ASPREE study).

    In their analysis of more than 8,000 people, they examined the foods people usually eat and then looked at how many participants died over a six-year period and from what causes, using medical records and official reports.

    Researchers collected information on their diet through a food questionnaire, which included a question about how frequently participants ate eggs in the past year:

    • never/infrequently (rarely or never, 1–2 times per month)
    • weekly (1–6 times per week)
    • daily (daily or several times per day).

    Overall, people who consumed eggs 1–6 times per week had the lowest risk of death during the study period (29% lower for heart disease deaths and 17% lower for overall deaths) compared to those who rarely or never ate eggs.

    Eating eggs daily did not increase the risk of death either.

    How reputable is the study?

    The research was published in a peer-reviewed journal, meaning this work has been examined by other researchers and is considered reputable and defensible.

    Study participants reported their egg intake on an questionnaire.
    Sincerely Media/unsplash

    In the analysis, factors such as socioeconomic, demographic, health-related and clinical factors, and overall dietary quality were “adjusted” for, as these factors can play a role in disease and the risk of early death.

    Researchers received funding from a variety of national funding grants in the United States and Australia, with no links to commercial sources.

    What are the limitations of this study?

    Due to the type of study, it only explored egg consumption patterns, which participants self-reported. The researchers didn’t collect data about the type of egg (for example, chicken or quail), how it was prepared, or how many eggs are consumed when eaten.

    This analysis specifically looked for an association or link between egg consumption and death. Additional analyses are needed to understand how egg consumption may affect other aspects of health and wellbeing.

    Lastly, the population sample of older adults were relatively healthy, limiting how much findings can be applied to older adults with special needs or medical conditions.

    The study didn’t look at the type of eggs or serving sizes.
    Jakub Kapusnak/Unsplash

    What is ASPREE?

    ASPREE (ASPirin in Reducing Events in the Elderly) is an ongoing, large, randomised, placebo-controlled clinical trial involving more 19,000 participants in Australia and the US. This means some people in the trial were given an intervention and others weren’t but neither the participants nor the researchers knew who received the “placebo”, or dummy treatment.

    ASPREE started in 2010 to investigate whether low-dose aspirin (100 micrograms daily) could help prolong older adults’ health and lifespan, specifically by preventing heart disease and stroke. The first findings were published in 2018.

    One of the fundamental conclusions of the ASPREE trial was there was no benefit from taking aspirin to prevent cardiovascular disease (heart disease or stroke).

    ASPREE is still ongoing as a longitudinal study, which means it provides information on other aspects of healthy living and long-term outcomes in older adults – in this case, the link between egg intake and the chance of death.

    Why the focus on eggs?

    Eggs are a good source of protein, and contain B vitamins, folate, unsaturated fatty acids, fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E and K), choline, and minerals.

    The fuss over eggs comes down to their cholesterol content and how it relates to heart disease risk. A large egg yolk contains approximately 275 mg of cholesterol — near the recommended daily limit of cholesterol intake.

    In the past, medical professionals warned that eating cholesterol-rich foods such as eggs could raise blood cholesterol and increase heart disease risk.

    But newer research shows the body doesn’t absorb dietary cholesterol well, so dietary cholesterol doesn’t have a major effect on blood cholesterol levels.

    Rather, foods such as saturated and trans fats play a major role in cholesterol levels.

    The body doesn’t absorb the cholesterol from eggs very well.
    Nichiiro/Unsplash

    Given these changing recommendations over time, and the nuances of nutrition science, it’s understandable that research on eggs continues.

    What does this mean for me?

    Whether you prefer boiled, scrambled, poached, baked or fried, eggs provide a satisfying source of protein and other key nutrients.

    While the science is still out, there’s no reason to limit egg intake unless specifically advised by a recognised health professional such as an accredited practising dietitian. As always, moderation is key.

    Lauren Ball receives funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council, Queensland Health and Mater Misericordia. She is a Director of Dietitians Australia, a Director of Food Standards Australia and New Zealand, a Director of the Darling Downs and West Moreton Primary Health Network and an Associate Member of the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences.

    Karly Bartim is a member of Dietitians Australia and the Australian Association of Gerontology and is an Accredited Practising Dietitian.

    – ref. Are eggs good or bad for our health? – https://theconversation.com/are-eggs-good-or-bad-for-our-health-249168

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Belle Gibson built a ‘wellness’ empire on a lie about cancer. Apple Cider Vinegar expertly unravels her con

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Edith Jennifer Hill, Associate Lecturer, Learning & Teaching Innovation, Flinders University

    Netflix

    Netflix’s new limited series, Apple Cider Vinegar, tells the story of the elaborate cancer con orchestrated by Australian blogger Annabelle (Belle) Gibson.

    The first episode opens with Gibson’s character (played by Kaitlyn Dever) breaking the wall between the performance and the audience, saying:

    This is a true story based on a lie. Some names have been changed to protect the innocent. Belle Gibson has not been paid for the recreation of her story.

    And from these first few seconds, we know, Gibson herself is not innocent.

    A familiar story

    For anyone who followed Gibson during her rise to fame in the 2010s – or her spectacular fall – the show feels eerily familiar.

    From the clothing, to the makeup, to the food, Apple Cider Vinegar excels in set design and staging. Every effort has been made to ensure this true story, based on a lie, looks like it did when it was unfolding on our phone screens in 2010s.

    As someone who followed Gibson closely and spent months hunting down the recalled cookbook to see if the health claims were as outlandish as I’d heard (they were), this show was a treat to watch.

    The scenes are cut with recreations of Belle’s stylised Instagram pictures of green juices, beaches and food with “no nasties”. Belle’s account was removed from Instagram after the massive public ousting of her hoax.

    Apple Cider Vinegar has done an incredible job recreating this account and breathing life back into the deleted content.

    Even after being caught out, the real Gibson claimed ‘unscrupulous natural therapists duped her into believing she was dying’, according to 60 Minutes.
    Netflix

    The cancer con

    While the core story of Apple Cider Vinegar is unpacking Gibson’s lies and path to destruction, it also shows us a very real and heartbreaking side to cancer.

    Other prominent characters include fellow influencer, Milla Blake (played by Alycia Debnam-Carey) and follower Lucy (played by Tilda Cobham-Harvey). Both of these women are battling cancer. We learn about their relationships with Gibson and how her lies so easily bled into their lives.

    We witness how alluring Gibson’s lies were for people who were desperately looking to feel “well”. We understand her magnetism, and just as easily to feel the rage of the families who watched as their loved ones deteriorated. In the words of Lucy’s partner:

    I’m not letting some influencer with a nose ring undercut years of medical research.

    Apple Cider Vinegar demonstrates how one can be taken down a path of cancer treatment quackery. The allure of alternative medicine is presented compellingly when contrasted with the painful realities of traditional cancer treatment.

    Milla, suffering from an aggressive form of cancer, seeks out alternative options after doctors recommend an amputation. She says:

    I didn’t know the words to describe the rage I felt when the doctors looked at my body and only saw disease.

    While holistic approaches to many diseases can be helpful when combined with traditional treatment, Apple Cider Vinegar illustrates how toxic it can be to “moralise” health.

    When people assign moral properties to neutral health conditions such as cancer, AIDS or COVID, this can lead to stigmatisation and feelings of being “bad”. Some characters in the show talk about how their behaviours led them to sickness and how “healthy” actions would save them (rather than medical treatment).

    The show also regularly uses language that is prominent in online health communities, such as referring to certain foods as “good” or “toxic”. In one scene, we see a character fall into a panic and call a holistic health professional after her parent takes a pain killer.

    The real story

    Apple Cider Vinegar is based on the book The Woman Who Fooled the World by Beau Donelly and Nick Toscano, two journalists who were instrumental in uncovering Gibson’s lies.

    Creator Samantha Strauss crafts this story expertly. We see Gibson’s story from all sides. We feel sympathy for her – for her childhood and loneliness – before being put in the shoes of someone whose partner is dying because they followed Gibson’s advice.

    Some characters and scenes have clearly been fabricated, such as when Gibson claims to see a doctor named “Dr Phil”. But these fabrications seem acceptable, because we are told from the beginning that’s what this show would do: create and fictionalise some characters.

    Other scenes feel very real. The character Milla Blake, a fellow influencer, is heavily inspired by the real woman who died in 2015 from epithelioid sarcoma.

    She made a platform online by sharing how she rejected traditional cancer treatment in favour of alternative treatments (Gerson therapy). Like Belle, she was a part of the inspirational speaking and author circuit at the time.

    Alycia Debnam-Carey (left) plays Milla Blake, a character based on a real woman who died from epithelioid sarcoma in 2015.
    Netflix

    In their book The Woman Who Fooled the World, Donelly and Toscano speculate about how Belle got close to this influencer (to follow her pattern of success online) and to other cancer patients, including a young boy and his family (to mimic symptoms and appear more authentic).

    Apple Cider Vinegar shows us hints of this behaviour. We see Belle begin to mimic the language of other people sharing their experiences with cancer and act in similar ways.

    Whether or not you are already familiar Gibson’s story, Apple Cider Vinegar is a compelling watch. You’ll especially love it if you enjoy non-fiction productions that play with ideas of truth such as iTonya, the Tinder Swindler and Inventing Anna.

    Apple Cider Vinegar is streaming now on Netflix.

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

    – ref. Belle Gibson built a ‘wellness’ empire on a lie about cancer. Apple Cider Vinegar expertly unravels her con – https://theconversation.com/belle-gibson-built-a-wellness-empire-on-a-lie-about-cancer-apple-cider-vinegar-expertly-unravels-her-con-248999

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Taking the ‘forever’ out of ‘forever chemicals’: we worked out how to destroy the PFAS in batteries

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jens Blotevogel, Principal Research Scientist and Team Leader for Remediation Technologies, CSIRO

    Mino Surkala, Shutterstock

    Lithium-ion batteries are part of everyday life. They power small rechargeable devices such as mobile phones and laptops. They enable electric vehicles. And larger versions store excess renewable energy for later use, supporting the clean energy transition.

    Australia produces more than 3,000 tonnes of lithium-ion battery waste a year. Managing this waste is a technical, economic and social challenge. Opportunities exist for recycling and creating a circular economy for batteries. But they come with risk.

    That’s because lithium-ion batteries contain manufactured chemicals such as PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. The chemicals carry the lithium – along with electricity – through the battery. If released into the environment, they can linger for decades and likely longer. This is why they’ve been dubbed “forever chemicals”.

    Recently, scientists identified a new type of PFAS known as bis-FASIs (short for bis-perfluoroalkyl sulfonimides) in lithium-ion batteries and in the environment. Bis-FASIs have since been detected in soils and waters worldwide. They are toxic – just one drop in an Olympic-size swimming pool can harm the nervous system of animals. Scientists don’t know much about possible effects on humans yet.

    Bis-FASIs in lithium-ion batteries present a major obstacle to recycling or disposing of batteries safely. Fortunately, we may have come up with a way to fix this.

    There’s value in our battery wastes

    Currently, Australia only recycles about 10% of its battery waste. The rest is sent to landfill.

    But landfill sites could leak eventually. That means disposal of battery waste in landfill may lead to soil and groundwater contamination.

    We can’t throw away lithium-ion batteries in household rubbish because they can catch fire.

    So once batteries reach the end of useful life, we must handle them in a way that protects the environment and human health.

    What’s more, there’s real value in battery waste. Lithium-ion batteries contain lots of valuable metals that are worth recycling. Lithium, cobalt, copper and nickel are critical and finite metal resources that are in high demand. The recoverable metal value from one tonne of lithium-ion battery waste is between A$3,000 and $14,000.

    As more lithium-ion batteries explode in flames, waste chiefs say change is necessary (7.30)

    What does this mean for recycling of batteries?

    Battery recycling in Australia begins with collection, sorting, discharging and dismantling, before the metal is recovered.

    Metal recovery can be done via mechanical, high-temperature, chemical or biological methods. But this may inadvertently release bis-FASI, threatening recycling workers and the environment.

    Pyrometallurgy is the most common technique for recycling lithium-ion batteries. This involves incinerating the batteries to recover the metals. Bis-FASIs are incinerated at the same time.

    Yet PFAS chemicals are stable and can withstand high temperatures. The exact temperature needed to destroy PFAS is the biggest unknown in lithium-ion battery recycling.

    Determining this temperature was the focus of our research.

    The solution is hot – very hot!

    We teamed up with chemistry professor Anthony Rappé at Colorado State University in the United States. We wanted to work out the temperature at which bis-FASIs can be effectively incinerated.

    But figuring this out is tricky, not only because of the danger of working with high temperatures.

    The inside of incinerators is a hot mess. Molecules get torn apart. Some recombine to form larger molecules, and others interact with ashes produced during the burning process. This could produce toxic new substances, which then exit through a smokestack into the air outside.

    We don’t want PFAS going out through the smokestack.
    HJBC, Shutterstock

    To make matters worse, it’s not possible to measure all the substances that bis-FASIs break down into, because many of them are unknown.

    To help, we applied the science of quantum mechanics and solved the problem on a computer without ever going into the lab. The computer can accurately simulate the behaviour of any molecules, including bis-FASIs.

    We found that at 600°C, bis-FASI molecules start to separate into smaller fragments. But these fragments are still PFAS chemicals and could be more harmful than their parent chemicals.

    As a consequence, the absence of bis-FASIs in stack exhaust is not enough to deem the process safe. Much higher temperatures of 1,000°C and above are needed to break down bis-FASIs completely into harmless products. This is likely to be much higher than temperatures currently used, although that varies between facilities.

    Based on these findings, we built an innovative model that guides recyclers on how to destroy bis-FASIs during metal recovery by using sufficiently high temperatures.

    How do we avoid future risks?

    We are now collaborating with operators of high-temperature metal recovery and incineration plants to use our model to destroy PFAS in batteries.

    Recycling plants will have to use much higher temperatures to avoid problematic fumes and this will require more energy and financial investment.

    After our new guidance is implemented, we will test the recovered metals, solid residues, and exhausts to ensure they are free from PFAS.

    While we can tackle the PFAS problem now, it remains an expensive undertaking. Metal recovery processes must be upgraded to safely destroy bis-FASIs. Ultimately, consumers are likely to foot the bill.

    However, sending lithium-ion battery waste to landfill will damage the environment and be more expensive in the long run. Landfilling of bis-FASI-containing waste should therefore be avoided.

    Clearly, the battery recycling rate must improve. This is where everyday people can help. In the future, manufacturers should avoid using forever chemicals in batteries altogether. Development of safer alternatives is a key focus of ongoing research into sustainable battery design.

    Jens Blotevogel receives funding from the United States Department of Defense’s Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program.

    Naomi Boxall receives funding from the Australian Government under the National Environmental Science Program.

    – ref. Taking the ‘forever’ out of ‘forever chemicals’: we worked out how to destroy the PFAS in batteries – https://theconversation.com/taking-the-forever-out-of-forever-chemicals-we-worked-out-how-to-destroy-the-pfas-in-batteries-242769

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: The XIV Siberian Tournament of Young Physicists was held at NSU

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Novosibirsk State University – Novosibirsk State University –

    From January 29 to February 2, schoolchildren from the Novosibirsk Region, Moscow, Ufa, and Tyumen “fought” in team physical battles. In the Budker Large Physics Auditorium in the main building of NSU (Pirogov, 2), 22 teams that made it to the finals examined physics problems that were not typical for the school curriculum from three different angles over several days.

    TUF is a personal and team competition of senior schoolchildren in the ability to solve complex research and scientific problems, convincingly present their solutions, and defend them in scientific discussions – physical battles.

    — In Russia, the Tournament of Young Physicists has been held since 1979. The first competitions in Siberia were held in 1990. That tournament did not last long. In 2012, the Siberian Tournament of Young Physicists was held. It was held according to the same rules that we play by to this day. The tournament is absolutely open to everyone, so guests from other regions always come to us. This year, in addition to Novosibirsk and regional teams, there were teams from Moscow, Ufa and Tyumen. Mostly, high school students in grades 9-11 participate in the tournament, but there are also guys in grades 7-8 who are interested in physics in the teams, — said Mikhail Solodovnikov, President of the Public Movement “Tournament of Young Physicists”.

    For the team to participate in the tournament, the coach must submit an application and confirm that his team has solved at least 5 problems. The list of problems at SibTUF consists of 10 problems.

    The participants demonstrated a high level of preparation and professionalism in the competition, which was held according to traditional rules. The teams prepared solutions to the problems in advance, distributing roles: one group acted as a speaker, another as an opponent, and a third as a reviewer.

    The final part of the competition was a fascinating confrontation between the three strongest teams. The panel of judges included representatives of the Physics Department and other departments of Novosibirsk State University, as well as teachers of the Specialized Educational and Scientific Center of NSU.

    The winner of the final of the competition was the team “Beavers” from the Municipal Budgetary Educational Institution “Gymnasium No. 4” of the city of Novosibirsk. The second place was taken by the team “Physicon-1”, consisting of students from schools of the Iskitimsky district, including the villages of Lebedevka and Talmenka, as well as the city of Iskitim. The third place, slightly behind the leader, was taken by the team “DIO-GEN”, representing WITHspecialized educational and scientific center of NSU and other schools in the city of Novosibirsk.

    — I have been participating in “young” tournaments for the past five years. From the 7th to the 9th grade, I played in the TYuE (Young Naturalists Tournament), and from the 9th to the 11th grade, in the TYuF. This tournament was our first face-to-face appearance in such a line-up. It happens that from year to year, children in a team do not change much, but this is not our case. Therefore, during the qualifying battles, we learned how to interact with each other correctly. And I think we learned For me, this is the main result of the tournament — the team is happy, we love each other and the tournament. At the final, to be honest, everything did not go exactly according to plan right away, so even after the victory we … We were not very happy. But this will pass, and warm memories will remain) Our team is strong enough to survive this with dignity and draw the right conclusions. It will be better from now on, — shared her impressions Anastasia Litvinova, a member of the “Bobry” team.

    — Participants of the tournament of young physicists receive a lot of knowledge and skills that help them not only in their studies, but also in their future life. Naturally, the first thing is a different understanding of physics from school. Each team member faces a new type of problems for him, which do not have a clear answer. This is real research work! Teamwork. For a successful result, it is necessary to be able to competently compose work within the team. This develops a number of competencies in the child: communication, leadership, cooperation and self-confidence. The tournament is also an opportunity to see the work of a research fellow in action, to try it on yourself. After all, the path that a schoolchild goes through when solving a tournament problem is very similar to work in research institutes, — said Anastasia Kutepova, junior research fellow at ITAM SB RAS, responsible for the work of the judging teams of SibTUF, and also the coach of the DIO-GEN team.

    In addition to competencies and experience, TUF winners and prize winners receive bonuses for further education:

    – First-degree winners receive 10 points for their entrance exams to NSU.

    – 2nd and 3rd place winners receive 7 points for admission.

    – Schoolchildren in grades 8-10 receive invitations to the summer school of the NSU SUNC based on the results of the individual championship.

    According to the President of SibTUF, the tournament will not only not lose its relevance in the coming years, but, on the contrary, will gain great popularity due to the global development of technologies and interest in science. The advantage of physics is that it has a very compact, but at the same time effective apparatus of natural-scientific knowledge of nature. The apparatus that was formed in Ancient Greece, then by Newton and the classics of modern physics, remains very compressed and convenient. The number of formulas is growing, but the principles of observation, experiment, confirmation of theoretical hypotheses, creation of new theories based on experiments – all this remains, and therefore, interest in physics remains:

    — We live in a technological age, but we must not forget that the hardware of information technologies is created by physicists. If physicists do not create modern equipment, then specialists in the field of artificial intelligence, other information technologies, virtual reality technologies, simply will not be able to work. Physics continues to be the foundation of foundations and attracts even more interested people from among young people, — Mikhail Solodovnikov believes.

    As part of the tournament of young physicists, excursions for schoolchildren and their teachers were held at the Physics Department of NSU. The tournament participants visited the laboratory of molecular physics and the laboratory of physical optics, and also watched unique physical demonstrations from active physicists – master’s students of the Physics Department of NSU. The highlight of the excursions was live communication with scientists of the department – schoolchildren were able to ask questions of interest to teachers of the Physics Department.

    — Such open events with a physical focus allow children whose interests go beyond the school curriculum and computer games to develop their creative and scientific potential, express themselves, receive feedback from professionals in the physical field and visit the university they may enter in the future, — said a junior researcher at the Institute of Hydrodynamics SB RAS and a first-year master’s student Physics Department of NSU Alexander Paraskun, he conducted a demonstration of phenomena for schoolchildren.

    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.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Delivery of Liqing-2 rocket engine completed

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    Delivery of China’s liquid oxygen kerosene engine, named Liqing-2, has been completed, its developer CAS Space said on Thursday.
    The delivered piece of equipment is a 110-tonne pin engine, according to the company. Pin injection was applied in both the gas generator and thrust chamber of Liqing-2, the first stage engine of the company’s Lijian series rockets.
    The engine thrust ratio ranges from 50 to 100 percent, CAS Space revealed, while adding that the ground thrust can reach 110 tonnes.
    The Liqing-2 engine development project was approved in the second quarter of 2023 — and production started in the first quarter of 2024.
    At the beginning of 2025, the engine completed the whole machine liquid flow test, assembly and delivery review.
    As the main rockets used in China’s commercial space industry, the Lijian-1 series has now launched a total of 57 satellites in the course of five flight missions.
    CAS Space is a commercial spaceflight company established by the Institute of Mechanics under the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Chinese developer completes delivery of Liqing-2 rocket engine

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    Delivery of China’s liquid oxygen kerosene engine, named Liqing-2, has been completed, its developer CAS Space said on Thursday.
    The delivered piece of equipment is a 110-tonne pin engine, according to the company. Pin injection was applied in both the gas generator and thrust chamber of Liqing-2, the first stage engine of the company’s Lijian series rockets.
    The engine thrust ratio ranges from 50 to 100 percent, CAS Space revealed, while adding that the ground thrust can reach 110 tonnes.
    The Liqing-2 engine development project was approved in the second quarter of 2023 — and production started in the first quarter of 2024.
    At the beginning of 2025, the engine completed the whole machine liquid flow test, assembly and delivery review.
    As the main rockets used in China’s commercial space industry, the Lijian-1 series has now launched a total of 57 satellites in the course of five flight missions.
    CAS Space is a commercial spaceflight company established by the Institute of Mechanics under the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Universities – Green light for remote tech to sort the wood from the trees – Flinders

    Source: Flinders University

    New Zealand and Flinders University experts have deployed artificial intelligence and 3D laser scanning to accurately map planted pine (radiata) forests for most of NZ’s North Island.  

    The results, which distinguish planted large estates, small woodlots and newly established stands as young as three years old, showcase a new way of using remote sensing with other technology to reveal forest growth and update growth information.

    This approach is just as relevant for Australia, where radiata pine is also widely grown, says Dr Grant Pearse, Senior Lecturer in Remote Sensing and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) at Flinders University.

    “In New Zealand, where radiata pine plantations dominate the forestry sector, the current national forest description lacks spatially explicit information and struggles to capture data on small-scale forests,” says Dr Pearse, from the College of Science and Engineering at Flinders University in Adelaide, South Australia.

    “We combined deep learning-based forest mapping using high-resolution aerial imagery with regional airborne laser scanning data to map all planted forest and estimate key attributes.”

    The spatially explicit forest description provides wall-to-wall information on forest extent, age, and volume for all sizes of forest. This facilitates stratification by key variables for wood supply forecasting, harvest planning, and infrastructure investment decisions – applications equally valuable for other forestry industries.

    The research, with New Zealand timber industry researchers from Rotorua, Christchurch and Auckland, was carried out on planted forests in the Gisborne region, which has publicly available aerial imagery and airborne laser scanning data.

    This region is particularly significant as it was severely impacted by Cyclone Gabrielle in early 2023, which caused widespread landslides and forest debris flows.

    For such vulnerable terrain, knowing exactly where forests are located in the landscape, their age and condition is key to managing the risks of harvesting operations on the region’s steep slopes.

    “We propose satellite-based harvest detection and digital photogrammetry to continuously update the initial forest description. This methodology enables near real-time monitoring of planted forests at all scales and is adaptable to other regions with similar data availability,” researchers say in a new article.

    Along with the economic importance of NZ’s 1.8 million hectares of radiata pine forestry for export timber and fibre, these planted forests are a key part of the country’s emission trading scheme and are expected to play a significant role in achieving the government’s target of net-zero emissions by 2050.

    The forest map derived from artificial intelligence can be viewed at: www.forestinsights.nz

    In South Australia, plantation estates covering about 40,000 hectares support a $3 billion industry and employ 18,000 people as well as construction, manufacturing, tourism and regional communities.

    The article. ‘Developing a forest description from remote sensing: Insights from New Zealand’ (2024) byGrant D Pearse (Flinders University), Sadeepa Jayathunga, Nicolò Camarretta, Melanie E Palmer, Benjamin SC Steer, Michael S Watt (all Scion), Pete Watt and Andrew Holdaway (both Indufor Asia Pacific)  has been published in the journal Science of Remote Sensing. DOI: 10.1016/j.srs.2024.100183. (ref. https://www.forestinsights.nz/ )

    Acknowledgements: This project was funded through the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) Strategic Science Investment Fund (administered by Scion, the New Zealand Forest Research Institute Ltd) and through the MBIE Programme (grant number C04X2101).

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: UniSA welcomes new leader for its Mount Gambier campus

    Source: University of South Australia

    07 February 2025

    Peta Crewe, incoming Regional Manager for UniSA’s Mount Gambier campus

    PIRSA regional development lead Peta Crewe is joining the University of South Australia to head up its Mount Gambier campus as new Regional Manager.

    From forestry to vines, livestock and community, Crewe’s connection to the Limestone Coast region spans a quarter of a century including roles in Government, at ForestrySA, and on strategic working groups and committees.

    Her current role is General Manager, Regions for SA’s Department of Primary Industries and Regions (PIRSA), where she oversees regional development across 11 regional offices.

    Crewe will commence in her UniSA role on 3 March.

    UniSA Vice Chancellor Professor David Lloyd is delighted to welcome her to the University community.

    “Peta has an outstanding track record delivering successful regional programs and addressing the key issues in regional communities, including workforce shortages, lack of affordable housing, industry development, and community capacity building,” Prof Lloyd says.

    “Her experience and connections in the Limestone Coast region, a region of enormous social, cultural and economic significance to SA, will be a great asset to our University and the local community.”

    Ian McKay, Mount Gambier’s current Regional Manager, will retire on 14 March after eight years in the role.

    “Ian has been a wonderful advocate and ambassador for UniSA and has made a significant impact in the Mount Gambier community,” Prof Lloyd says.

    “UniSA’s regional engagement and connections to the Mount Gambier community have greatly expanded under Ian’s leadership. On behalf of the University, I thank him for his contributions and wish him all the best in his future endeavours.”

    Crewe has an agriculture degree from the University of Adelaide and a Master in Forest Science. Her previous roles include PIRSA’s regional coordinator for the Limestone Coast. Among her many community roles and professional memberships, she is team manager for the Blue Lake Soccer Club’s Senior Women’s team.

    Media contact: Megan Andrews M: +61 434 819 275 142 E: megan.andrews@unisa.edu.au

    Other articles you may be interested in

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Is DOGE a cybersecurity threat? A security expert explains the dangers of violating protocols and regulations that protect government computer systems

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Richard Forno, Teaching Professor of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering, and Assistant Director, UMBC Cybersecurity Institute, University of Maryland, Baltimore County

    People protest DOGE’s access to sensitive personal data. AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana

    The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), President Donald Trump’s special commission tasked with slashing federal spending, continues to disrupt Washington and the federal bureaucracy. According to published reports, its teams are dropping into federal agencies with a practically unlimited mandate to reform the federal government in accordance with recent executive orders.

    As a 30-year cybersecurity veteran, I find the activities of DOGE thus far concerning. Its broad mandate across government, seemingly nonexistent oversight, and the apparent lack of operational competence of its employees have demonstrated that DOGE could create conditions that are ideal for cybersecurity or data privacy incidents that affect the entire nation.

    Traditionally, the purpose of cybersecurity is to ensure the confidentiality and integrity of information and information systems while helping keep those systems available to those who need them. But in DOGE’s first few weeks of existence, reports indicate that its staff appears to be ignoring those principles and potentially making the federal government more vulnerable to cyber incidents.

    Technical competence

    Cybersecurity and information technology, like any other business function, depend on employees trained specifically for their jobs. Just as you wouldn’t let someone only qualified in first aid to perform open heart surgery, technology professionals require a baseline set of credentialed education, training and experience to ensure that the most qualified people are on the job.

    Currently, the general public, federal agencies and Congress have little idea who is tinkering with the government’s critical systems. DOGE’s hiring process, including how it screens applicants for technical, operational or cybersecurity competency, as well as experience in government, is opaque. And journalists investigating the backgrounds of DOGE employees have been intimidated by the acting U.S. attorney in Washington.

    DOGE has hired young people fresh out of – or still in – college or with little or no experience in government, but who reportedly have strong technical prowess. But some have questionable backgrounds for such sensitive work. And one leading DOGE staffer working at the Treasury Department has since resigned over a series of racist social media posts.

    Wired’s Katie Drummond explains what the magazine’s reporters have uncovered about DOGE staffers and their activities.

    According to reports, these DOGE staffers have been granted administrator-level technical access to a variety of federal systems. These include systems that process all federal payments, including Social Security, Medicare and the congressionally appropriated funds that run the government and its contracting operations.

    DOGE operatives are quickly developing and deploying major software changes to very complex old systems and databases, according to reports. But given the speed of change, it’s likely that there is little formal planning or quality control involved to ensure such changes don’t break the system. Such actions run contrary to cybersecurity principles and best practices for technology management.

    As a result, there’s probably no way of knowing if these changes make it easier for malware to be introduced into government systems, if sensitive data can be accessed without authorization, or if DOGE’s work is making government systems otherwise more unstable and more vulnerable.

    If you don’t know what you’re doing in IT, really bad things can happen. A notable example is the failed launch of the healthcare.gov website in 2013. In the case of the Treasury Department’s systems, that’s fairly important to remember as the nation careens toward another debt-ceiling crisis and citizens look for their Social Security payments.

    On Feb. 6, 2025, a federal judge ordered that DOGE staff be restricted to read-only access to the Treasury Department’s payment systems, but the legal proceedings challenging the legality of their access to government IT systems are ongoing.

    DOGE email servers

    DOGE’s apparent lack of cybersecurity competence is reflected in some of its first actions. DOGE installed its own email servers across the federal government to facilitate direct communication with rank-and-file employees outside official channels, disregarding time-tested best practices for cybersecurity and IT administration. A lawsuit by federal employees alleges that these systems did not undergo a security review as required by current federal cybersecurity standards.

    There is an established process in the federal government to configure and deploy new systems to ensure they are stable, secure and unlikely to create cybersecurity problems. But DOGE ignored those practices, with predictable results.

    For example, a journalist was able to send invitations to his newsletter to over 13,000 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration employees through one of these servers. In another case, the way in which employee responses to DOGE’s Fork in the Road buyout offer to federal employees are collected could easily be manipulated by someone with malicious intent – a simple social engineering attack could wrongly end a worker’s employment. And DOGE staff members reportedly are connecting their own untrusted devices to government networks, which potentially introduces new ways for cyberattackers to penetrate sensitive systems.

    However, DOGE appears to be embracing creative cybersecurity practices in shielding itself. It’s reorganizing its internal communications in order to dodge Freedom of Information Act requests into its work, and it’s using cybersecurity techniques for tracking insider threats to prevent and investigate leaks of its activities.

    Lacking management controls

    But it’s not just technical security that DOGE is ignoring. On Feb. 2, two security officials for the U.S. Agency for International Development resisted granting a DOGE team access to sensitive financial and personnel systems until their identities and clearances were verified, in accordance with federal requirements. Instead, the officials were threatened with arrest and placed on administrative leave, and DOGE’s team gained access.

    The Trump administration also has reclassified federal chief information officers, normally senior career employees with years of specialized knowledge, to be general employees subject to dismissal for political reasons. So there may well be a brain drain of IT talent in the federal government, or a constant turnover of both senior IT leadership and other technical experts. This change will almost certainly have ramifications for cybersecurity.

    DOGE operatives now have direct access to the Office of Personnel Management’s database of millions of federal employees, including those with security clearances holding sensitive positions. Without oversight, this access opens up the possibilities of privacy violations, tampering with employment records, intimidation or political retribution.

    Support from all levels of management is crucial to provide accountability for cybersecurity and technology management. This is especially important in the public sector, where oversight and accountability is a critical function of good democratic governance and national security. After all, if people don’t know what you’re doing, they don’t know what you’re doing wrong.

    At the moment, DOGE appears to be operating with very little oversight by anyone in position willing or able to hold it responsible for its actions.

    Mitigating the damage

    Career federal employees trying to follow legal or cybersecurity practices for federal systems and data are now placed in a difficult position. They either capitulate to DOGE staffers’ instructions, thereby abandoning best practices and ignoring federal standards, or resist them and run the risk of being fired or disciplined.

    The federal government’s vast collections of data touch every citizen and company. While government systems may not be as trustworthy as they once were, people can still take steps to protect themselves from adverse consequences of DOGE’s activities. Two good starting points are to lock your credit bureau records in case your government data is disclosed and using different logins and passwords on federal websites to conduct business.

    It’s crucial for the administration, Congress and the public to recognize the cybersecurity dangers that DOGE’s activities pose and take meaningful steps to bring the organization under reasonable control and oversight.

    Richard Forno has received research funding related to cybersecurity from the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Department of Defense (DOD), and the US Army during his academic career since 2010.

    – ref. Is DOGE a cybersecurity threat? A security expert explains the dangers of violating protocols and regulations that protect government computer systems – https://theconversation.com/is-doge-a-cybersecurity-threat-a-security-expert-explains-the-dangers-of-violating-protocols-and-regulations-that-protect-government-computer-systems-249111

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hoeven: Mexico Rescinds Ban on Genetically-Engineered Corn Imports

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for North Dakota John Hoeven

    02.06.25

    WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven, Chairman of the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Committee and a senior member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, today issued the following statement after Mexico announced that it was rescinding its ban on the importation of genetically-engineered (GE) corn:

    “This is great news, not only for U.S. farmers, but for the people of Mexico who will continue to have access to a high-quality, safe and affordable food staple,” said Hoeven. “Mexico’s ban on the importation of GE corn flew in the face of years of scientific review and regulatory oversight, while creating yet another barrier for U.S. farmers trying to access the Mexican market. Rescinding this policy is the right call and will benefit both nations.”

    • This follows Hoeven and his colleagues calling on the U.S. Trade Representative and Agriculture Secretary to push back on Mexico’s policy.
    • The senators stressed that the ban undermines food security in Mexico, ignores the longstanding, science-based regulatory regime that had proven the safety of GE corn and would stifle future agricultural innovations.
    • Accordingly, the senators urged for Mexico to be held to its trade commitments and for the U.S. to pursue a dispute settlement through the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).
      • Last month, a USMCA dispute settlement panel found that Mexico violated its obligations under the trade agreement and ruled in favor of American farmers.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Volcano Watch — An assembly of volcano scientists to gather in Hilo

    Source: US Geological Survey

    Volcano Watch is a weekly article and activity update written by U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists and affiliates. Today’s article is by HVO geologist Kendra J. Lynn.

    This cartoon schematic depicts the Kīlauea 2018 lower East Rift Zone eruption and coincident summit collapse. It is the logo for the American Geophysical Union Chapman Meeting on Caldera-Forming Eruptions at Basaltic Volcanoes, to be held in Hilo, Hawaii, from February 9-14, 2025. More info: https://www.agu.org/chapman-basaltic-caldera-forming-eruptions.

    Next week, during February 9-14, volcano scientists from around the world are gathering in Hilo, united by the common goal of understanding caldera-forming eruptions at basaltic volcanoes. 

    The occasion for the assembly is the American Geophysical Union Chapman Conference on Caldera-forming Eruptions at Basaltic Volcanoes: Insights and Puzzles from Kīlauea 2018 and Beyond. The meeting is directly aligned with the U.S. Geological Survey’s Volcano Hazards Program mission—“to enhance public safety and minimize social and economic disruption from volcanic unrest and eruption.”

    Basaltic caldera-forming rift eruptions, like the 2018 eruption of Kīlauea, represent an underappreciated hazard for many global communities, but also a chance to better understand some of Earth’s most active volcanoes. A handful of these eruptions have been documented globally in the last half-century, including at Miyakejima (Japan), Piton de la Fournaise (La Réunion), and Bárðarbunga (Iceland). Kīlauea’s 2018 eruption was its most impactful in centuries, was documented in remarkable detail, and it involved more than one cubic kilometer of basaltic lava flows, a magnitude-6.9 flank earthquake, and a major summit collapse. 

    Observations from Kīlauea and similar eruptions around the globe offer an unprecedented opportunity to understand calderas and associated rift systems and the dynamics of their interplay, but a community-driven synthesis has been lacking, and numerous fundamental scientific questions remain. The experts who will gather on the Island of Hawaiʻi will assess current understanding, share insights, and map out work on critical outstanding issues. Resulting insights should prove valuable when the next large basaltic caldera collapse takes place somewhere on Earth.

    This conference will bring together an interdisciplinary assembly of volcano scientists to contrast observations from historic global caldera-rift eruptions, establish the state-of-the-art understanding, identify important questions, and initiate lasting new research efforts. We will address the causes of these eruptions, the dynamics of basaltic caldera collapses, the interaction between summit calderas and rift zones, the geometry and physical properties of magma storage, and the challenges in forecasting associated hazards. 

    A significant investment in research and monitoring of Hawaii’s volcanoes was made through the Additional Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Relief Act of 2019 (H.R. 2157), which provided Supplemental funding to USGS for recovery and rebuilding activities in the wake of the 2018 Kīlauea eruption. Results from recent large-scale science experiments at Kīlauea supported by this funding will be shared and discussed at the Chapman. Field trips will give participants an opportunity to visit important sites on the volcano. Finally, teams will be formed to discuss science questions in detail and establish priorities for additional work following the meeting.

    The conference is being organized by U.S. Geological Survey and academic volcano researchers, bringing over 150 scientists together for presentations, discussions, workshops, and field trips. Participants represent 15 countries outside the United States and will include presentations about volcanoes around the world. Roughly 25% of presenters are undergraduate or graduate students, representing a new generation of volcano scientists tackling our field’s biggest challenges. We are very excited that several University of Hawai‘i at Hilo and Mānoa students will be presenting their research at the meeting. Additionally, partners from Hawai‘i County Civil Defense, Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, the Hawaiian Volcano Education & Resilience Institute, the Pacific Tsunami Museum, and the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center will participate. 

    During the week of the conference, winning art and haiku submissions from the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) Volcano Awareness Month competition will be on display. In addition, a public After Dark in the Park presentation by Icleandic Meteorological Office scientist Gro Pederson will summarize the ongoing volcanic crisis on Reykjanes Peninsula, Southwest Iceland on February 6 in the Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Dr. Pederson is a former USGS HVO volunteer, and her presentation will highlight parallels between Hawaiian and Icelandic volcanoes and their hazards to our communities. 

    We look forward to a productive week learning from our colleagues and partners. E komo mai to the assembly of volcanologists that is soon to arrive!

    Volcano Activity Updates

    Kīlauea is not erupting. Its USGS Volcano Alert level is WATCH.

    The summit eruption at Kīlauea volcano that began in Halemaʻumaʻu crater on December 23 continued over the past week, with one eruptive episode. Episode 8 was active from the evening of February 3 until the evening of February 4. Kīlauea summit has been inflating since episode 8 ended. Resumption of eruptive activity is possible between February 8-11 if summit inflation continues at current rate. Sulfur dioxide emission rates are elevated in the summit region during active eruption episodes. No unusual activity has been noted along Kīlauea’s East Rift Zone or Southwest Rift Zone. 

    Mauna Loa is not erupting. Its USGS Volcano Alert Level is at NORMAL.

    No earthquakes were reported felt in the Hawaiian Islands during the past week.

    HVO continues to closely monitor Kīlauea and Mauna Loa.

    Please visit HVO’s website for past Volcano Watch articles, Kīlauea and Mauna Loa updates, volcano photos, maps, recent earthquake information, and more. Email questions to askHVO@usgs.gov.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cantwell Tells Trade Nominee to Focus on Opening More Export Markets, Not a Tariff-First Approach

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington Maria Cantwell

    02.06.25

    Cantwell Tells Trade Nominee to Focus on Opening More Export Markets, Not a Tariff-First Approach

    “The biggest task at hand is to […] get U.S. products into more places,” Cantwell tells Trump’s pick for U.S. Trade Representative; In fallout of Trump’s tariff threats, Cantwell paints a clear path forward: Instead of imposing tariffs, we need to open new markets;

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), a senior member of the Senate Finance Committee and the ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, emphasized the importance of open markets for farmers and exporters in the State of Washington and across the country during a Finance Committee hearing to consider the nomination of Jamieson Greer for U.S. Trade Representative.

    “When you look at apples — and about [50%] of our market export is to Canada and Mexico,” said Sen. Cantwell, “and the U.S. Free Trade Agreement increased that capacity … why are we arguing with our closest neighbors, our biggest export markets for apples? And in the meantime, not going out and opening up more apple markets?

    “The tariffs that were put on cost us an unbelievable retaliatory tariff in India,” Sen. Cantwell added. “It basically decimated the market. It went from 120 million in India down to 1 million. …. I fought hard and did get the Biden administration to work with India and reverse that tariff on apples. And I have to say we are now back to recapturing that market. But I don’t understand why you think a tariff-first approach is the way to capitalize on the biggest task at hand.”

    As a front page article in today’s Yakima Herald-Republic warns: Potential trade war could hit Yakima Valley agriculture.

    Yesterday, Sen. Cantwell voted against advancing the nomination of Howard Lutnick, President Trump’s choice to be Secretary of the Department of Commerce, citing concerns with Lutnick’s support for Trump’s proposed tariffs.

    Tuesday, Sen. Cantwell delivered a major speech on the Senate floor, arguing that the President’s arbitrary tariffs threaten domestic job creation and economic growth in an Information Age. She outlined a strategy focused on building coalitions, growing exports, and establishing principles to support innovation in the Information Age.

    Sen. Cantwell has remained a steadfast supporter of free trade to grow the economy in the State of Washington and nationwide. Sen. Cantwell was the leading voice in negotiations to end India’s 20 percent retaliatory tariff on American apples, which devastated Washington state’s apple exports. India had once been the second-largest export market for American apples, but after then-President Trump imposed tariffs on steel and aluminum in his first term, India imposed retaliatory tariffs in response and U.S. apple exports plummeted. The impact on Washington apple growers was severe:  apple exports from the state dropped from $120 million in 2017 to less than $1 million by 2023.  In September 2023, following several years of Sen. Cantwell’s advocacy, India ended its retaliatory tariffs on apples and pulse crops which was welcome news to the state’s more than 1,400 apple growers and the 68,000-plus workers they support.

    In May 2023, Sen. Cantwell sent a letter urging the Biden Administration to help U.S. potato growers finally get approval to sell fresh potatoes in Japan. In June 2023, Sen. Cantwell hosted U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), then-chair of the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, in Washington state for a forum with 30 local agricultural leaders in Wenatchee to discuss the Farm Bill.

    In 2022, Sen. Cantwell spearheaded passage of the Ocean Shipping Reform Act, a law to crack down on skyrocketing international ocean shipping costs and ease supply chain backlogs that raise prices for consumers and make it harder for U.S. farmers and exporters to get their goods to the global market.

    In August 2020, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Sen. Cantwell sent a letter to then-Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue requesting aid funds be distributed to wheat growers. In December 2018, Sen. Cantwell celebrated the passage of the Farm Bill, which included $500 million of assistance for farmers, including those who grow wheat.

    In 2019, Sen. Cantwell helped secure a provision in the $16 billion USDA relief package, ensuring sweet cherry growers could access emergency funding to offset the impacts of tariffs and other market disruptions.

    In Washington state: Two out of every five jobs are tied to trade and related industries. In 2023, the state imported $19.9 billion of goods from Canada – primarily oil, gas, lumber, and electrical power — making our northern neighbors Washington state’s largest trade partner. Also in 2023, the state imported $1.7 billion in goods from Mexico, including motor vehicles, vehicle parts, and household appliances. More information about how President Trump’s proposed tariffs will impact businesses and consumers in the State of Washington is HERE.

    Video of Sen. Cantwell’s remarks during today’s hearing is available HERE, audio is available HERE, and a transcript is available HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cantwell Letter to Duffy: ‘You Must Make Sure That All Conflicts Of Interest Between The FAA & Elon Musk Are Removed’

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington Maria Cantwell

    02.06.25

    Cantwell Letter to Duffy: ‘You Must Make Sure That All Conflicts Of Interest Between The FAA & Elon Musk Are Removed’

    In letter to Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, Cantwell urges admin to protect flying public from Elon Musk’s clear conflicts of interest; Cantwell: “We have ethics and recusal laws for a reason – to prevent corporate interference in protecting the public interest.”

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and senior member of the Senate Finance Committee, sent a letter to Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy calling on him to ensure that Elon Musk stays out of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), citing Musk’s clear conflicts of interest.

    “FAA has the legal responsibility for safety oversight of companies with commercial space transportation licenses. Elon Musk’s SpaceX rocket launches share the airspace with commercial airplanes, and the FAA has the responsibility for keeping the entire airspace safe. SpaceX has been fined by the FAA for failing to comply with specific requirements in its launch license. Mr. Musk, in turn, called for the firing of Mike Whitaker, the FAA Administrator who the Senate confirmed 98-0 because the FAA issued a fine against SpaceX for not following the rules. We have ethics and recusal laws for a reason—to prevent corporate interference in protecting the public interest,” Sen. Cantwell wrote.

    “We are now without a permanent FAA Administrator to lead us through the biggest U.S. air crash we have had in years. Secretary Duffy, you must make sure that all conflicts of interest between the FAA and Elon Musk are removed.”

    Yesterday, Duffy wrote on the social media platform X that he plans to use The Department of Government Efficiency, of which Musk is a leader, “to plug in to help upgrade our aviation system.” His post followed two weeks of DOGE employees disrupting operations across the federal government, including freezing the hiring of air traffic controllers and encouraging all FAA employees to take a buyout. This also included urging federal employees – including air traffic controllers and FAA safety inspectors – to end their employment through a new deferred resignation program in the midst of a shortage of about 3,000 certified controllers and need for more safety inspectors on aircraft production factory floors.

    Elon Musk is the owner and founder of SpaceX, an aerospace company that launched 134 rockets last year. In September, the FAA fined the company $633,009 for failing to follow license requirements for two launches.

    Earlier today, Sen. Cantwell told reporters in a press gaggle on Capitol Hill that Musk’s involvement in the FAA’s oversight of our air transportation system was “a clear conflict of interest.”

    Last year, when Sen. Cantwell served as chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, she sounded the alarm about the staffing shortage of air traffic controllers, need for more FAA safety inspectors, a series of aviation incidents and near-misses on and around runways, and the midair blowout of a door plug in January 2024. She led the passage of the FAA Reauthorization Act, signed into law in May 2024, which boosts controller staffing, ensuring a five-year commitment to maximum hiring and training to close the current staffing gap. The law requires upgraded safety technologies – giving controllers better visibility into runway traffic – to be installed at every large and medium airport nationwide. The law also includes stricter safety standards for aircraft operators and plane manufacturers, as well as provisions to boost staffing to put more FAA safety inspectors on factory floors.

    The full text of the letter is HERE and below:

    February 6, 2025

    The Honorable Sean Duffy

    Secretary

    U.S. Department of Transportation

    1200 New Jersey Avenue SE

    Washington DC, 20590

    Secretary Duffy:

    When you and I spoke the other day, you asked if we could work together to accelerate the implementation of the Next Generation Air Transportation System (Next Gen) —as we directed Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to do in the FAA Reauthorization that became law in May 2024. I agree we need to work together to galvanize support to continue getting the best technology in place as soon as possible and make federal investments to make aviation safer.

    However, when we spoke, you did not discuss your intention to involve Elon Musk in the FAA’s safety systems or process. It is a conflict of interest for someone whose company is regulated by the federal government to be involved in anything that affects his personal financial interest, his company or his competitors.

    FAA has the legal responsibility for safety oversight of companies with commercial space transportation licenses. Elon Musk’s SpaceX rocket launches share the airspace with commercial airplanes, and the FAA has the responsibility for keeping the entire airspace safe. SpaceX has been fined by the FAA for failing to comply with specific requirements in its launch license. Mr. Musk, in turn, called for the firing of Mike Whitaker, the FAA Administrator who the Senate confirmed 98-0 because the FAA issued a fine against SpaceX for not following the rules. We have ethics and recusal laws for a reason—to prevent corporate interference in protecting the public interest.

    We are now without a permanent FAA Administrator to lead us through the biggest U.S. air crash we have had in years. Secretary Duffy, you must make sure that all conflicts of interest between the FAA and Elon Musk are removed.

    I look forward to working with you to invest in our aviation safety and appreciate your cooperation in ensuring all ethics laws and regulations are followed.

    Sincerely,

    Maria Cantwell

    Ranking Member

    Cc: David Huitema, Director, Office of Government Ethics

           Mitch Behm, Acting Inspector General, U.S. Department of Transportation

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Speakers Call for Culture of Collaboration, Renewed Solidarity to Achieve Sustainable Development, as Economic and Social Council Begins Coordination Segment

    Source: United Nations General Assembly and Security Council

    Note: Full coverage of today’s meetings of the Economic and Social Council will be available Friday, 7 February.

    The United Nations must celebrate its many successes as much as it acknowledges its failures, the Economic and Social Council heard today as speakers at its 2025 Coordination Segment called for a culture of collaboration and renewed solidarity.

    This year, the two-day Segment, which includes panel discussions and interactive dialogues, will focus on the theme of “Advancing sustainable, inclusive, science- and evidence-based solutions for the 2030 Agenda and its SDGs for leaving no one behind.” 

    The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) represent the “common sense of humanity”, and people around the world care about them, Bob Rae (Canada), President of the 54-member Council, said in his opening remarks.  Stressing the need to build on previous successes, he hailed the many partnerships between Member States and various multilateral institutions, such as the Spotlight Initiative, which has protected over 21 million girls and women from gender-based violence; the Global Ghost Gear Initiative, which engages over 130 stakeholders to tackle abandoned fishing gear to reduce marine pollution; and the Infrastructure for Resilient Island States initiative, which aims to strengthen resilience against climate and disaster risks. 

    The people who created the Organization were living with war, depression, tariff wars, economic protectionism and poverty, he added.  The vision of the United Nations was not only political but also economic and social.  Commitment to a multilateral organization like the UN — whose budget in 2024 was $75 billion — does not take away a State’s freedom; rather, it broadens the sovereignty of each country, he stressed. 

    “The stakes could not be higher,” said Guy Ryder, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Policy, who noted that only 17 per cent of the Goals are on course, while many critical targets are regressing.  Meanwhile, conflicts are intensifying, inequalities are widening, the climate crisis is escalating, and unregulated technology continues to disrupt societies. The international community must unlock the scale and quality of financing needed to drive investments, alleviate the debt burden that stifles many countries, and protect economies from the external shocks, he stressed.  The Pact for the Future provides a blueprint for this, he said, adding that reform of the international financial architecture is crucial to fulfil the promise of the SDGs.

    Also addressing the Segment was Anatolio Ndong Mba (Equatorial Guinea), Council Vice-President, who said:  “The United Nations cannot do more than what we allow it to do.”  Progress on the SDGs has stagnated, or even reversed course, with only 17 per cent of assessed targets on track for achievement by 2030. “We cannot afford to let this trend continue,” he said, calling on the international community to “bridge divides, mobilize resources and implement transformative solutions”.  Highlighting the role of the Economic and Social Council and its many subsidiary bodies, he noted that the Segment has the valuable role of leveraging their insights. 

    Conversation with Regional Commissions, Functional Commissions and Expert Bodies

    Following opening remarks, the Council held a conversation with the Executive Secretaries of the regional commissions and Chairs of functional commissions and expert bodies, which focused on “Accelerating the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals, including by leveraging the outcomes of the Summit of the Future”.

    …

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI: HP Inc. Names Songyee Yoon to Board of Directors

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    PALO ALTO, Calif., Feb. 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — HP Inc. (NYSE: HPQ) today announced the appointment of Songyee Yoon to its Board of Directors. Songyee is the Founder and Managing Partner of Principal Venture Partners and former President for NCSoft Corporation, a leading gaming developer. Her appointment is effective immediately.

    “We’re thrilled to welcome Songyee to the HP Board of Directors,” said Chip Bergh, Chair of the HP Board. “Songyee brings expertise in international business and a deep understanding of AI. As a renowned leader and innovator, Songyee offers a global perspective on emerging technologies and trends in AI, which will undoubtedly help us advance HP’s strategic priorities.”

    Ms. Yoon holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, a Juris Doctor degree from Santa Clara University, and a PhD in Computational Neuroscience from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Additionally, she serves on the Board of Trustees of MIT.

    A respected leader in the industry, Ms. Yoon brings significant experience in technology, AI, and international business. Her venture fund, Principal Venture Partners, L.P., focuses on investments in AI-native companies. As a former President and Chief Strategy Officer of NCSoft, she led global expansion and AI integration across multiple countries. She has also served under two presidents as a member of South Korea’s Presidential Advisory Council for Science and Technology.

    “We are pleased to welcome Songyee to our Board of Directors,” says HP Inc. President and CEO, Enrique Lores. “With a proven track record in strategic capabilities and extensive experience in AI, Songyee will play a crucial role in advancing HP’s plans to lead in the future of work. I am confident that her addition to the Board will strengthen our leadership in AI-enabled technology and contribute to our continued growth.”

    The full HP Board is listed at HP.com.

    About HP Inc.

    HP Inc. (NYSE: HPQ) is a global technology leader and creator of solutions that enable people to bring their ideas to life and connect to the things that matter most. Operating in more than 170 countries, HP delivers a wide range of innovative and sustainable devices, services and subscriptions for personal computing, printing, 3D printing, hybrid work, gaming, and more. For more information, please visit: http://www.hp.com.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: DTE Energy names Casey Santos to board of directors

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Detroit, Feb. 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — DTE Energy (NYSE: DTE) has named Casey Santos to its board of directors effective Feb. 6. Santos recently joined Caliber as chief technology officer. Prior to Caliber, Santos led Asurion’s global technology and procurement teams as their chief information officer. She has more than 25 years of experience as an executive leader, an independent board director for public and private organizations, and advisor with expertise across a diverse range of industries, business lines and functions.  

    “We are pleased to welcome Casey to DTE Energy’s board of directors,” said Jerry Norcia, chairman and CEO of DTE Energy. “Her deep expertise in leading innovation, digital transformation, artificial intelligence and cybersecurity will be invaluable to DTE as we work to build the grid of the future and deliver safe, reliable, affordable and cleaner energy to our customers now and in the years to come.”

    “DTE Energy’s mission to improve people’s lives with their energy directly aligns with my values,” Santos said.  “Energy is essential to modern life, and I look forward to contributing my personal energy to serve millions of people in Michigan and across the United States.” 

    Prior to her work at Asurion, Santos held technology leadership roles in the finance industry and was a strategy consultant with McKinsey serving clients in the United States and Europe. Santos began her career as a NASA Flight Controller supporting over 20 space shuttle missions, including the first MIR docking and Hubble Telescope repair missions.

    Santos earned a Bachelor of Science degree in aeronautics and astronautics from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and holds dual master’s degrees from the University of Pennsylvania, including a Master of Business Administration from the Wharton School and a Master of Arts in management from the Lauder Institute. She has been recognized for her contributions to the industry and community, most recently as a Top 100 Chief in Tech Leaders to Watch in 2024 by WomenTech Network, Nashville Technology Council’s CIO of the Year in 2023, and a HiTec 100 Leader in 2019 and 2023. She is a member of Latino Corporate Directors Association, Women Corporate Directors, NACD, and T200. She is the Board Chair of the Nashville Technology Council and works with non-profits to help advance STEM education and technology leadership.

    About DTE Energy 

    DTE Energy (NYSE:DTE) is a Detroit-based diversified energy company involved in the development and management of energy-related businesses and services nationwide. Its operating units include an electric company serving 2.3 million customers in Southeast Michigan and a natural gas company serving 1.3 million customers across Michigan. The DTE portfolio also includes energy businesses focused on custom energy solutions, renewable energy generation, and energy marketing and trading. DTE has continued to accelerate its carbon reduction goals to meet aggressive targets and is committed to serving with its energy through volunteerism, education and employment initiatives, philanthropy, emission reductions and economic progress. Information about DTE is available at dteenergy.com, empoweringmichigan.com, x.com/DTE_Energy and facebook.com/dteenergy. 

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Trump’s push to shut down USAID shows how international development is also about strategic interests

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Nelson Duenas, Assistant Professor of Accounting, L’Université d’Ottawa/University of Ottawa

    The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is on the verge of being shut down by United States President Donald Trump’s administration.

    On Feb. 4, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the agency would be taken over by the State Department. He stated that “all USAID direct hire personnel will be placed on administrative leave globally.”

    This move comes after Trump and his officials have heavily criticized the role and ineffectiveness of the agency. Trump said USAID had “been run by a bunch of radical lunatics, and we’re getting them out,” while Tesla CEO and special government employee Elon Musk said it was “time for it to die.”

    The closure of USAID will have significant consequences for many countries in the Global South. USAID is one of the largest development agencies in the world and funds programs that benefit millions of people, from supporting peace agreements in Colombia to fighting the spread of HIV in Uganda.

    Around US$40 billion is allocated annually from the U.S. federal budget for humanitarian and development aid. If USAID is dismantled, it raises questions about how these funds will be redirected and the long-term impacts it will have on global development efforts.

    A geopolitical fallout?

    The potential dismantling of USAID has raised concerns among international development experts about a potential geopolitical fallout that could create unintended consequences for the U.S. itself.

    Global issues, such as human security and climate change, are expected to be heavily affected. The U.S. also risks losing influence in the fight for soft power since dismantling USAID could leave behind a power vacuum. Other countries like Russia or China may occupy the space left by what was the largest international aid program in the world.



    Read more:
    USAid shutdown isn’t just a humanitarian issue – it’s a threat to American interests

    This shift could result in the U.S. losing its influence in regions like Africa, South America and Asia, where the country distributed aid to a number of non-governmental organizations, aid agencies and non-profits.

    While the future of U.S. foreign assistance remains uncertain, other world powers have a role to play. European donors, despite some limitations in resources, remain committed to the 2030 Sustainable Development agenda.

    Beyond humanitarianism

    If the agency is shut down, it may be widely condemned on moral and humanitarian grounds. However, its closure would respond to a logic of strategic and ideological interests that has long shaped the international development system. This a key finding from my longstanding field research with organizations that receive funding, not only from USAID, but also from Canadian and European donors.

    International development largely unfolded in the aftermath of the Second World War when global powers competed to establish a new world order. This led to the creation of international agreements and multilateral institutions, with major industrialized nations emerging as the primary donors of foreign aid.

    While many international initiatives, like the Millennium Development Goals and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, have guided development as we know it, the governments of main donor countries have their own interests in mind when providing aid.

    In my research, I have interviewed many people involved in the foreign aid chain, including directors and offices of international non-governmental organizations and governmental co-operation agencies. Many said development relationships are shaped by both the interests of donors and those of recipient populations and organizations.

    While these relationships may be based on humanitarian objectives, such as disaster relief or human rights advocacy, they can also be influenced by ideological, geopolitical, economic and social agendas.

    In this context, the American move to eliminate USAID could be seen as one that prioritizes national security and economic goals over traditional global humanitarian concerns. Governments steer the wheel of international development according to their political ideologies and interests, regardless of the shock this may generate among citizens.

    Canada’s role in all this

    The U.S. is not the only country re-evaluating its international development policy. Sweden, another major country in the foreign aid sphere, is also changing its co-operation strategy following changes in its government and criticism of the NGOs that deploy their development assistance.

    Canada’s role in this unfolding situation remains uncertain. With the resignation of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as head of the Liberal Party and the upcoming federal election, it’s unclear what will happen to Canada’s international development strategy going forward.

    Under Stephen Harper, the country’s international development strategy was closely tied to expanding trade with developing countries based on maximizing the value of extractive economies and a strong defence policy. This approach aimed to bring value not only to the recipient country of aid, but to Canada as well.

    When Trudeau took office, Canada’s development strategy turned to a more progressive agenda centred on peace keeping, feminist approaches and humanitarian programs.

    Will Canada continue to champion human rights, human security and progressive agendas? Or will Canada reduce funds for foreign assistance, which seems to be the wish of many of its citizens?

    The answer to these questions will depend on the direction that our political leaders decide to take, and the sentiments of citizens. Still, Canada’s approach to development aid will probably remain in a trade-off between moral imperatives of humanitarianism and strategic national interests.

    Nelson Duenas receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC)
    Nelson Duenas is a researcher associated to l’Observatoire canadien sur les crises et l’action humanitaires

    – ref. Trump’s push to shut down USAID shows how international development is also about strategic interests – https://theconversation.com/trumps-push-to-shut-down-usaid-shows-how-international-development-is-also-about-strategic-interests-249118

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Gaza: we analysed a year of satellite images to map the scale of agricultural destruction

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lina Eklund, Associate Senior Lecturer, Lund University

    Part of North Gaza in November 2023, and again in July 2024.

    SkySat imagery © 2025/Planet Labs PBC

    The ceasefire agreed between Israel and Hamas makes provisions for the passage of food and humanitarian aid into Gaza. This support is much needed given that Gaza’s agricultural system has been severely damaged over the course of the war.

    Over the past 17 months we have analysed satellite images across the Gaza Strip to quantify the scale of agricultural destruction across the region. Our newly published research reveals not only the widespread extent of this destruction but also the potentially unprecedented pace at which it occurred. Our work covers the period until September 2024 but further data through to January 2025 is also available.

    Before the war, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers and strawberries were grown in open fields and greenhouses, and olive and citrus trees lined rows across the Gazan landscape. The trees in particular are an important cultural heritage in the region, and agriculture was a vital part of Gaza’s economy. About half of the food eaten there was produced in the territory itself, and food made up a similar portion of its exports.

    By December 2023, only two months into the war, there were official warnings that the entire population of Gaza, more than 2 million people, was facing high levels of acute food insecurity. While that assessment was based on interviews and survey data, the level of agricultural damage across the whole landscape remained out of view.

    Most olive and citrus trees are gone

    To address this problem, we mapped the damage to tree crops – mostly olive and citrus trees – in Gaza each month over the course of the war up until September 2024. Together with our colleagues Dimah Habash and Mazin Qumsiyeh, we did this using very high-resolution satellite imagery, detailed enough to focus on individual trees.

    We first visually identified tree crops with and without damage to “train” our computer program, or model, so it knew what to look for. We then ran the model on all the satellite data. We also looked over a sample of results ourselves to confirm it was accurate.

    Our results showed that between 64% and 70% of all tree crop fields in Gaza had been damaged. That can either mean a few trees being destroyed, the whole field of trees completely removed, or anything in between. Most damage took place during the first few months of the war in autumn 2023. Exactly who destroyed these trees and why is beyond the scope of our research or expertise.

    In some areas, every greenhouse is gone

    As greenhouses look very different in satellite images, we used a separate method to map damage to them. We found over 4,000 had been damaged by September 2024, which is more than half of the total we had identified before the start of the war.

    Greenhouses and the date of initial damage between October 2023 and September 2024.
    Yin et al (2025)

    In the south of the territory, where most greenhouses were found, the destruction was fairly steady from December 2023 onwards.

    But in north Gaza and Gaza City, the two most northerly of the territory’s five governorates, most of the damage had already taken place by November and December 2023. By the end of our study period, all 578 greenhouses there had been destroyed.

    North Gaza and Gaza City have also seen the most damage to tree crop fields. By September 2024, over 90% of all tree crops in Gaza City had been destroyed, and 73% had been lost in north Gaza. In the three southern governorates, Khan Younis, Deir al-Balah and Rafah, around 50% of all tree crops had been destroyed.

    Agricultural damage is common in armed conflict, and has been documented with satellite analysis in Ukraine since the 2022 Russian invasion, in Syria and Iraq during the ISIS occupation in 2015, and in the Caucasus during the Chechen wars in the 1990s and 2000s.

    The exact impact can differ from conflict to conflict. War may directly damage lands, as we have seen in Gaza, or it may lead to more fallow areas as infrastructure is damaged and farmers are forced to flee. A conflict also increases the need for local agricultural production, especially when food imports are restricted.

    Our assessment shows a very high rate of direct and extensive damage to Gaza’s agricultural system, both compared to previous conflict escalations there in 2014 and 2021, and in other conflict settings. For example, during the July-August war in 2014, around 1,200 greenhouses were damaged in Gaza. This time round at least three times as many have been damaged.

    Agricultural attacks are unlawful

    Attacks on agricultural lands are prohibited under international law. The Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court from 1998 defines the intentional use of starvation of civilians through “depriving them of objects indispensable to their survival” as a war crime. The Geneva conventions further define such indispensable objects as “foodstuffs, agricultural areas for the production offoodstuffs, crops, livestock, drinking water installations and supplies and irrigation works”.

    Our study provides transparent statistics on the extent and timing of damage to Gaza’s agricultural system. As well as documenting the impacts of the war, we hope it can help the massive rebuilding efforts that will be required.

    Restoring Gaza’s agricultural system goes beyond clearing debris and rubble, and rebuilding greenhouses. The soils need to be cleaned from possible contamination. Sewage and irrigation infrastructure need to be rebuilt.

    Such efforts may take a generation or more to complete. After all, olive and citrus trees can take five or more years to become productive, and 15 years to reach full maturity. After previous attacks on Gaza the trees were mostly replanted, and perhaps the same will happen again this time. But it’s for good reason they say that only people with hope for the future plant trees.

    Lina Eklund receives funding from the Swedish National Space Agency and the Strategic Research Area: The Middle East in the Contemporary World (MECW) at the Centre for Advanced Middle Eastern Studies, Lund University, Sweden.

    He Yin receives funding from NASA.

    Jamon Van Den Hoek receives funding from NASA.

    – ref. Gaza: we analysed a year of satellite images to map the scale of agricultural destruction – https://theconversation.com/gaza-we-analysed-a-year-of-satellite-images-to-map-the-scale-of-agricultural-destruction-248796

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: In Aftermath Of Tragedies, Cantwell Tells Trump She’ll Hold Him Accountable To Promises On Aviation Infrastructure

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington Maria Cantwell

    02.06.25

    In Aftermath Of Tragedies, Cantwell Tells Trump She’ll Hold Him Accountable To Promises On Aviation Infrastructure

    “The president says he wants to see an increase in aviation infrastructure […] So great, Mr. President, we will be calling on you for your help in that effort”; Cantwell is leading ongoing efforts to boost hiring of air traffic controllers & make flying safer

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and senior member of the Finance Committee, committed to delivering answers to the families of the people who died in two major aviation tragedies in Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia last week.

    In a meeting of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation yesterday, Sen. Cantwell also called on President Donald Trump to make good on his promise to improve aviation infrastructure:

    “Our heart goes out to these families for the tragedies they are suffering, for the long-term impacts that they will have from this, and the remaining questions that they want us to answer. I am dedicated, Mr. Chairman, to moving quickly once we have information on resolutions of issues that will enhance the air safety of our system.

    “Having worked both during COVID, and in 25 days working with Senator Wicker, we came up with a transportation solution to what we needed to do for our airspace during that time period. And also working with Senator Wicker in short order after the two MAX crashes to push and finalize through Congress a major aviation safety bill.

    “It is imperative that we tell the families we are going to have the same fervor now in getting aviation safety enhancements that will prevent this from happening again.

    “I hope that we can work together in a very bipartisan fashion, along with our two colleagues, Senator Duckworth and Senator Moran, the subcommittee chair and ranking member on doing that.

    “And I take the President at his word. The President says he wants to see an increase in aviation infrastructure. He’s frustrated by the fact that, on a global basis the system of digitizing our airspace off a radar has moved faster than the United States. So great, Mr. President, we will be calling on you for your help in that effort,” Sen. Cantwell said.

    Last year, when Sen. Cantwell served as chair of the committee, she sounded the alarm about the staffing shortage of air traffic controllers, need for more FAA safety inspectors, a series of aviation incidents and near-misses on and around runways, and the midair blowout of an emergency exit door plug in January 2024. She led the passage of the FAA Reauthorization Act, signed into law in May 2024, which boosts controller staffing, ensuring a five-year commitment to maximum hiring and training to close the current staffing gap. The law requires upgraded safety technologies – giving controllers better visibility into all aircraft and ground traffic – to be installed at every large and medium airport nationwide, includes stricter safety standards for aircraft operators and plane manufacturers as well as provisions to boost staffing to put more FAA safety inspectors on factory floors.

    In yesterday’s meeting, Sen. Cantwell also addressed:

    Video of Sen. Cantwell’s remarks in yesterday’s committee meeting is HERE; audio is HERE; and a transcript is HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Experts of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women Praise Belarus for Progress in Preventing Trafficking, Ask about Criminalisation of HIV Transmission and Reported Repression of Civil Society

    Source: United Nations – Geneva

    The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women today concluded its consideration of the ninth periodic report of Belarus, with Committee Experts praising the State’s progress in preventing trafficking, and raising questions about the criminalisation of HIV transmission and reports of repression of civil society.

    Elgun Safarov, Committee Expert and Rapporteur for Belarus, and other Experts commended Belarus’ awareness-raising projects on the prevention of trafficking and women’s empowerment.

    One Committee Expert noted that Belarus had a high number of criminal cases related to HIV.  Transmission of HIV was penalised with imprisonment of up to five years. Was the State party rethinking this law?

    Mr. Safrov said many very important non-governmental organizations had been closed recently.  What were the reasons for these closures?  There were reports of repression of women journalists and activists.

    Several other Experts expressed concern about reports that women who expressed dissent were punished and detained.  What plans were in place to protect women activists from gender-based violence and State repression?  Why were civil society organizations engaged in the protection of human rights dissolved by the State?

    Introducing the report, Larysa Belskaya, Permanent Representative of Belarus to the United Nations Office at Geneva and head of the delegation, said Belarus strived to fully ensure equal rights and opportunities for women in all spheres. In an extremely difficult geopolitical situation, Belarus progressively built a society where every person could have decent living conditions and benefit society.

    The delegation said Belarus had taken measures to eliminate trafficking in persons and to identify and rehabilitate victims.  In 2024, authorities identified 1,500 cases of suspected trafficking and identified several victims, including minors.  The State worked with civil society to build the capacity of law enforcement staff related to trafficking; 90 training sessions had been held in 2024.

    Concerning the transmission of HIV, the delegation said that in 2023, nine women had been penalised for transmitting HIV and 12 women were penalised in 2022.  The State party was continuing to reduce the stringency of HIV legislation.  A draft law had been developed to decriminalise unintentional transmission of HIV.  Penalties for the deliberate transmission of HIV would remain.

    The delegation said the Committee’s assessments related to repression were not appropriate.  The protests that took place in Belarus over the reporting period were in many cases not peaceful.  Certain extremist actions were taken by media workers.  The Government was working to increase understanding of the situation.

    Civil society in Belarus was active, the delegation added.  The State party had over 1,500 civil society organizations, including women’s organizations.  In 2020, there was an attempt to carry out a coup d’etat by several non-governmental organizations engaged in anti-Government activities.  A court decision held these organizations and their members responsible for violating the law.  This should not be considered repression of civil society.  In 2023, a new law on the activities of civil society was adopted that required organizations to re-register.  Many non-governmental organizations had not completed the new registration procedure and had been shut down.  Citizens were entitled to renew the activities of previous non-governmental organizations.

    In closing remarks, Ms. Belskaya said Belarus had achieved much in terms of gender equality and empowering women.  The discussion helped the State party to identify the remaining issues to be addressed. The Committee’s recommendations would be carefully considered by the National Council on Gender Equality and used to construct the next national action plan on gender equality

    In her closing remarks, Nahla Haidar, Committee Chair, commended the State party for its efforts and encouraged it to implement the Committee’s recommendations for the benefit of all women and girls in Belarus.

    The delegation of Belarus consisted of representatives from the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection; Ministry of Health; and the Permanent Mission of Belarus to the United Nations Office at Geneva.

    The Committee will issue the concluding observations on the report of Belarus at the end of its ninetieth session on 21 February.  All documents relating to the Committee’s work, including reports submitted by States parties, can be found on the session’s webpage.  Meeting summary releases can be found here.  The webcast of the Committee’s public meetings can be accessed via the UN Web TV webpage.

    The Committee will next meet at 10 a.m. on Friday, 7 February to consider the eighth periodic report of Luxembourg (CEDAW/C/LUX/8).

    Report

    The Committee has before it the ninth periodic report of Belarus (CEDAW/C/BLR/9).

    Presentation of Report

    LARYSA BELSKAYA, Permanent Representative of Belarus to the United Nations Office at Geneva and head of the delegation, said Belarus was committed to the principles of the Convention and strived to fully ensure equal rights and opportunities for women and men in all spheres.  Its Gender Gap Index score had almost halved from 0.152 in 2014 to 0.096 in 2024, placing the country 29th out of 166 countries.  In an extremely difficult geopolitical situation, Belarus preserved its State, peace and tranquillity, and progressively built a society of equal opportunities, where every person could have decent living conditions and benefit society.

    Over the years, the Government had made serious efforts to implement the Convention and had achieved concrete results for the advancement of women.  Gender policy was coordinated by the National Council on Gender Policy.  Every five years, national action plans on gender equality were adopted.  This year, the sixth national action plan (2021-2025), the goals and objectives of which were linked to the Sustainable Development Goals, was being implemented.  Work was also progressively being carried out to introduce mechanisms for gender analysis of legislation and gender budgeting in the development of draft State plans and programmes. 

    The National Statistical Committee had developed thematic information systems that made it possible to analyse the situation in the field of gender equality.  The “Gender Statistics Web Portal” contained 178 gender statistics.  In 2020, the Labour Code introduced a norm establishing paternity leave of up to 14 days within six months after the birth of the child.  The Government was also working to calculate the value of unpaid domestic services not included in gross domestic product.  The final data would be published in June 2025.

    Belarussian women were actively promoted to managerial positions.  In the National Assembly, the share of women in 2023 was 36 per cent. At the same time, in the House of Representatives, their share was 40.6 per cent.  Women accounted for 47 per cent of local self-government bodies. Among senior civil servants, the share of women in 2023 was 54.6 per cent; among judges, 64.4 per cent.

    Labour legislation provided for parents with family responsibilities an additional day off from work per month or reduced working days, flexible forms of employment, and remote employment.  The country guaranteed access for all citizens to health care, education, social services, culture and sports.  At the birth of a child, the State provided material support to all families and the payment of insurance premiums.  Benefits for pregnancy, childbirth and temporary disability had been increased, as had social support for parents raising a child with disabilities.  Since 2015, the State also provided a one-time non-cash provision equalling 10,000 United States dollars at the birth or adoption of third or subsequent children.

    The Belarussian Women’s Union, which united 162,000 women, worked to raise the status of women in society and their role in all spheres of life, and there were 15 more women’s organizations in Belarus.  In total, as of October 2024, there were 1,466 public associations; 18 new public associations were registered in 2024. 

    In Belarus, the literacy rate of the population aged 15 and over was almost 100 per cent. General secondary education was compulsory for all.  The percentage of women in higher education was about 53 per cent.  Almost 92 per cent of women aged 16-72 used the Internet.

    For several years, there had been a decrease in the female working age unemployment rate, from 3.1 per cent in 2019 to 2.7 per cent in 2023.  This figure was lower than the male unemployment rate, which was 4.1 per cent in 2023.  More than 42 per cent of employed women had completed higher education and 70 per cent of civil servants were women.  The share of women among researchers in Belarus was 39.2 per cent.  In 2024, for the first time, a female cosmonaut from Belarus, Marina Vasilevskaya, flew to the International Space Station.  Belarus was also actively developing women’s entrepreneurship; the representation of women in this area was 36.4 per cent.  In 2023, the first Forum of Women Entrepreneurs was held, with the active participation of the Belarussian Women’s Union.

    Every woman, regardless of income, had the opportunity to receive any type of medical care free of charge.  Unprecedented measures were being taken in the country to protect motherhood and childhood, to accompany women during pregnancy, and to carry out annual medical examinations.  Belarus was among the 25 countries with the highest rating in terms of access to sexual and reproductive health, information and education.  The proportion of women using various types of contraception increased from 39.9 per cent in 2010 to 53.2 per cent in 2021. The number of abortions per 1,000 women of childbearing age over the past 10 years had decreased by almost two times to 6.2 per cent in 2023.  Since 2011, no cases of illegal abortions had been registered in the country.

    Specific measures were being taken in Belarus to prevent domestic violence.  In 2022, protective measures for victims and preventive measures against violators were strengthened.  Every year, about 15,000 victims turned to regional social service centres for help.  A network of “crisis” rooms was being developed, with 134 rooms having been established as of 2024.  There were no restrictions on the time in which people could live in these rooms; in the first half of 2024, 81 women lived in them.  Public and international organizations were involved in aiding women victims of domestic violence.

    From today’s dialogue, Belarus expected practical and implementable recommendations that would allow it to implement high international standards in State policy to ensure equal rights and expand opportunities for women.

    Questions by a Committee Expert 

    ELGUN SAFAROV, Committee Expert and Rapporteur for Belarus, said that Belarus had developed family and women policy, implemented many awareness-raising projects on the prevention of trafficking and women’s empowerment, organised several international conferences on women in entrepreneurship and science, and adopted several legislative acts on women rights protection during the reporting period. He expressed appreciation for the State party’s activities for the harmonisation of legislation and measures for the adoption of international standards. 

    However, the Committee had witnessed multiple violations of women’s rights.  The State party did not have comprehensive anti-discrimination legislation that specifically prohibited discrimination against women, including direct and indirect discrimination, and also had no specific, stand-alone legislation on gender equality, or a law explicitly focused on ending all forms of gender-based violence, including domestic violence.  Sexual harassment in the workplace remained unaddressed in legislation, and laws prohibited women’s participation in certain jobs. 

    There were many problems related to access to justice for women.  There needed to be effective remedies for victims of discrimination.  There was no special body for deciding cases related to discrimination against women.  HIV transmission was criminalised.  Why had some women lawyers’ licenses been terminated?

    What measures were in place to incorporate a definition of equality between women and men in the Constitution and the Criminal Code?  What mechanisms were in place to protect against discrimination?  Had the Convention been translated into Belarussian? Were there any court cases that had referenced the Convention?  Why had closed court sessions been held to try women who had participated in peaceful demonstrations?  How were lawyers appointed?  Did the State party keep data on criminal cases related to gender?

    Responses by the Delegation

    The delegation said Belarus did not have a comprehensive definition of discrimination against women in its legislation, but principles of equality were included in the Constitution and various laws.  The Government had considered developing a single act on discrimination, but had found that existing legislation sufficiently banned discrimination. Legal amendments were introduced in 2022 to provide women and men with equal opportunities in employment, training and education.  The rights of victims of sexual discrimination needed to be restored under law. All complaints of discrimination, including from women and foreign citizens, needed to be reviewed by relevant State authorities within a tight deadline.  Discriminatory norms were not permitted in legislation.  Follow-up on implementation of gender legislation was carried out by a dedicated group of the National Council on Gender Policy.

    The Bar Association carried out activities to inform citizens about how they could access legal aid.  Women who lodged a complaint related to workplace discrimination or the deprivation of parental rights, as well as pregnant women, vulnerable families and victims of trafficking, received legal aid free of charge. Women in prisons could receive legal aid when they submitted complaints.  Women could choose their own lawyer, or were appointed one if they could not afford one.

    Belarus had two national languages: Belarussian and Russian.  Russian was more represented in State correspondence, but this did not hinder access to information on legislation for the population.  The Convention was part of the national legal system and had been referenced in court proceedings.  The Criminal Code recognised undermining of women’s bodily integrity as an offence.  There were around 50 cases related to bodily harm in the first half of 2024, and 44 cases of other sexual offences.

    Questions by Committee Experts 

    A Committee Expert commended the Government on efforts to align policies with the Sustainable Development Goals. However, the Committee was concerned by the absence of an independent national human rights institution, and by the exclusion of civil society organizations that worked to safeguard women’s rights.  Would the State party consider establishing a national human rights institution in line with the Paris Principles?  Which Government agency was responsible for protecting women’s rights.

    The Expert welcomed the policy to promote gender empowerment and gender sensitive budgeting.  How would the national action plan on gender equality be monitored?  How would the State party ensure the meaningful participation of civil society in this regard?

    The Committee was deeply concerned by the increasingly shrinking civic space.  Many women human rights defenders faced detention and restriction of activities. What plans were in place to protect women activists from gender-based violence and State repression?  Why were civil society organizations that were engaged in the protection of human rights dissolved by the State?

    Belarus had not adopted a national action plan on women, peace and security.  Would it consider developing such a plan to mainstream gender perspectives into peacebuilding efforts?

    One Committee Expert said the share of women in regional leadership positions was low and there were very few female ambassadors.  Women who peacefully expressed diverse political opinions were at a high risk of being treated as extremists.  Had the State party implemented temporary special measures to ensure gender equality in recent years?  Were there measures to increase the representation of women in leadership positions, as well as in employment and education?  What measures were in place to support vulnerable women and to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on gender equality?

    Responses by the Delegation

    The delegation said Belarus had State and public institutions protecting human rights, including the national councils on gender equality, children and disability, and the Environmental Committee, among others.  The State had conducted consultations with civil society, international organizations and State agencies in 2017 related to the establishment of a national human rights institution.  Belarus believed that creating a national human rights institution was not a priority as its existing bodies were working efficiently to protect human rights. This issue could be examined in more detail at a later stage.

    The National Council on Gender Equality coordinated and monitored the implementation of national action plans on gender equality.  From 2023 to 2024, a gender assessment methodology for legislation was adopted. Based on assessments, problems had been identified and measures were being planned to address them in the next national action plan.

    Belarus was not a party to any conflict currently, so it had not implemented special measures related to women, peace and security.  However, the Government had taken measures to protect Ukrainian refugees.  Over 200,000 people had arrived from Ukraine in the past three years, more than half of whom were women.  Belarus offered refugees temporary protection and the choice of becoming Belarussian citizens.

    Civil society in Belarus was active. The State party had over 1,500 civil society organizations, as well as professional unions and women’s organizations. The Belarussian Women’s Union actively engaged with State authorities.  There were also specialised civil society organizations supporting vulnerable women.  The process for registering a civil society organization was simple and transparent; the State did not interfere in the registration of such organizations and provided regular support to existing organizations.  Under the law on civil society organizations, such organizations could be closed based on court decisions finding that the organization had carried out unlawful propaganda or violated State legislation. 

    Citizens active in social activities had the right to be defended but were held liable when they violated the law. In 2020, there was an attempt to carry out a coup d’etat by several non-governmental organizations engaged in anti-Government activities.  A court decision had held these organizations and their members responsible for violating the law.  This should not be considered repression of civil society.  After these events, laws on civil society were amended to provide incentives for more constructive civic activities.  Non-governmental organizations in Belarus needed to work cooperatively with the State and could not be funded from abroad.

    Questions by Committee Experts

    A Committee Expert welcomed that the State party had not ruled out establishing a national human rights institution and called for serious consideration of its establishment.  The Expert called for the development of a dedicated policy on women, peace and security.  How many women’s organizations participated in the development and analysis of the national action plan on gender equality?

    Another Committee Expert welcomed advances in protection from domestic violence, including the law on crisis prevention.  However, gender stereotypes were spread in media communications and women were systematically silenced and controlled by the State – women who expressed dissent were attacked, punished and detained.  Vulnerable women were often blamed and stigmatised when they sought protection.  The State party implemented restraining orders for only 30 days and perpetrators were not expelled from homes. 

    Would the State party adopt a comprehensive strategy to address gender stereotyping, a comprehensive law against domestic violence, and penal protection against marital rape?  How would the State party protect victims in criminal proceedings?  What remedies had been provided to victims in recent years?  How many persons had been convicted for domestic violence crimes? What services were provided in crisis rooms and how were personnel in these rooms trained?  Why did the rooms also house men?  Over 30 non-governmental organizations managing hotlines and shelters had been closed; why was this?

    One Committee Expert commended the State party for addressing trafficking in persons by ratifying international conventions on trafficking and developing comprehensive laws related to trafficking.  Could the State party provide data on trafficking and prostitution?  What measures were in place to protect women with disabilities from trafficking and to identify victims of trafficking?  How many investigations into trafficking had been carried out and how many persons were convicted?  How was the State party strengthening protections for women and girls against trafficking, promoting their access to justice, and building the capacity of State officials on the gendered aspects of trafficking?

    Responses by the Delegation

    The delegation said analysis of the national action plan on gender equality was carried out twice a year. The Belarus Women’s Union was represented in the National Commission on Gender Equality and other bodies.  The State party also closely cooperated with the Red Cross and other international organizations, and supported organizations of persons with disabilities.  Seventy per cent of civil servants were women; 50 per cent were in middle management positions and were involved in preparing important political decisions.

    Eliminating gender stereotypes was one of the goals of the national action plan for gender equality.  The State party was working to enhance the role of fathers in carrying out domestic tasks and was working with civil society on a joint project encouraging responsible fatherhood.  There was a programme on State television that presented case studies of successful professional women.

    Persons who perpetrated domestic violence were required to leave the homes where victims lived, and authorities monitored compliance.  The law on preventing domestic violence had been amended to address violence against former partners and cohabitants.  The number of protective measures that had been implemented had increased significantly from around 18,000 in 2022 to 33,000 in 2024.  The Government supported victims to stay in their homes.  There were awareness raising campaigns in place to inform potential victims about reporting channels and preventing gender-based violence.  All types of bodily harm were criminalised.

    Every year, around 17,500 complaints of domestic violence were made.  If women victims required temporary housing, it was provided. Shelters could be accessed 24 hours a day by victims and their children without documentation.  There were hundreds of crisis rooms available, including 132 equipped for children.  Work was underway to ensure access to the rooms for persons with disabilities.

    Belarus had taken measures to eliminate trafficking in persons and to identify and rehabilitate victims.  In 2024, authorities identified 1,500 cases of suspected trafficking and identified several victims, including minors. The State worked with civil society to build the capacity of law enforcement staff related to trafficking; 90 training sessions had been held in 2024.  Specialists had been hired to support victims of various forms of trafficking.  The State was also working to align national trafficking legislation with international norms, and various awareness raising campaigns on trafficking were also in place. Involvement in prostitution was an administrative offence; however, victims of trafficking were not prosecuted, but were provided with support.

    Questions by Committee Experts

    A Committee Expert welcomed that legislation was being amended regarding domestic violence, which needed to be made an aggravated circumstance in homicide offences.  What measures were in place to ensure the safety of victims of domestic violence?

    Another Committee Expert commended progress being made related to trafficking and prostitution.

    ELGUN SAFAROV, Committee Expert and Rapporteur for Belarus, asked why there was a shortage of female Belarussian ambassadors.  None of the chambers of Parliament had female chairs; there were no parliamentary committees working to protect women’s rights; and only one out of 24 Ministers was a woman.  Why was this? How many Deputy Ministers were women? To what extent were women represented in the technological sector?

    Many very important non-governmental organizations had been closed recently.  What were the reasons for these closures?  There were reports of repression of women journalists and activists.

    One Committee Expert noted progress made in reducing statelessness through nationalisation efforts. However, 2,473 women remained stateless in the State party.  Were there programmes addressing statelessness?  When would the State party ratify the 1954 and 1967 United Nations conventions on statelessness?  The State party had not established a clear procedure for protecting migrant mothers and newborns.  Would it do so?

    Responses by the Delegation

    The delegation said the law on prevention of violence included a clause on educational programmes for perpetrators. The State party was interested in best practices in this field in other countries.

    Women made up around 70 per cent of Belarus’ Ministry of Foreign Affairs.  At a time, Belarus had four female ambassadors.  Appointment to ambassadorial roles was based on competitive selection and there was a shortage of women applicants.  Women were broadly represented as deputy chairs of parliamentary committees and made up around 50 per cent of the members of local councils. Belarus aimed to improve women’s representation in all fields.

    The Committee’s assessments related to repression were not appropriate.  The protests that took place in Belarus over the reporting period were in many cases not peaceful.  Certain extremist actions were taken by media workers.  The Government was working to increase understanding of the situation.

    In 2023, a new law on the activities of civil society was adopted that required organizations to re-register. Many non-governmental organizations had not completed the new registration procedure and had been shut down. Citizens were entitled to renew the activities of previous non-governmental organizations.

    Belarus strived to eradicate statelessness.  The number of stateless women in Belarus had significantly decreased by around 5,000 persons over the past 10 years, thanks to the work of authorities in collaboration with United Nations bodies.  The State supported stateless persons and their children to apply for Belarussian citizenship.  It was continuing work towards ratification of the United Nations conventions on statelessness.  The Government had not received reports of unlawful treatment of stateless persons. Stateless persons in Belarus were primarily citizens of the former Soviet Union.  Their numbers were low; the number of stateless children was less than 10.  To receive citizenship, people needed to demonstrate that they had sufficient income and had not committed offences.

    Questions by a Committee Expert 

    A Committee Expert said Belarus had near universal enrolment of girls and boys in primary education.  Educational instructions could reproduce harmful tropes of men as breadwinners and women as caregivers.  What measures were in place to enforce the role of men as caregivers? Only 23 per cent of persons in science, technology, engineering and maths education were women.  What measures were in place to promote their participation?  Only 17 per cent of university professors were female.  How would this be addressed?  Many students had been arrested and prosecuted for their engagement in protest movements.  Nine of the 11 students detained were women, including a woman professor.  What was the status of these women?

    Responses by the Delegation

    The delegation said traditional values in Belarus promoted families with children. Many educational programmes aimed to uphold traditional values and promote gender equality and the equal roles of men and women.  Around 52 per cent of higher education students were women.  Around 40 per cent of workers in the information technology sphere were women.  The Government was implementing incentives and other measures to attract girls to science, technology, engineering and maths careers.

    Students were detained on the grounds that they had broken a criminal law.  There was no persecution of students simply for exercising freedom of expression.

    Questions by a Committee Expert

    One Committee Expert said the employment rate of men was 72 per cent compared to 63 per cent for women. Although the list of closed professions for women had been reduced significantly, significant barriers for women accessing the labour market remained, and the list itself was a form of discrimination.  Women were underrepresented in higher-paid industries.  Workplace harassment remained common and legislation did not provide adequate remedies for victims and penalties for perpetrators.  Detained women were legally required to engage in labour; this was a form of modern slavery.  In July 2022, all independent trade unions were banned in Belarus. What protection mechanisms were available related to workplace sexual harassment?  Was there a national action plan for addressing the gender pay gap? When would the State party abolish forced labour for prisoners?

    In 2017, the State introduced pension reform, raising the retirement age.  Many citizens had lost their pensions due to the reforms.  Why did men and women have different pension ages?

    Responses by the Delegation

    The delegation said the rate of employment for women from 15 to 74 was 63 per cent, whereas the employment rate for women of working age was above 80 per cent. Belarus promoted equal pay for work of equal value.  Overall, women earned around 75 per cent of what men earned.  In the transport sector and the agricultural sector, wage gaps were much lower.  The State party was implementing measures to reduce the gender pay gap.  Women were now able to work in professions that were previously not accessible, such as truck drivers.  The State party was encouraging men to take parental leave. Women who experienced workplace harassment could report the incident to local authorities and receive remedies. 

    The Supreme Court had ruled that trade unions were to be closed when their activities were harmful to public interests or State values. The federation of trade unions covered almost all unions in the country.  It promoted general and collective agreements, which provided additional social and labour rights for workers.

    Women earned 92.5 per cent of the pension earned by men. Less than one per cent of the elderly were poor.  Women could continue working after they reached pension age; around 20 per cent of women did so.  The Presidential Decree on Employment did not punish individuals who were not working. Under the decree, women who were not working had the right to access State subsidies.

    The State party was exerting efforts to address the gender pay gap.  The national action plan on gender equality, which was based on the Committee’s previous recommendations, introduced measures to support female entrepreneurs and workers.

    Questions by a Committee Expert

    A Committee Expert said there had been significant advances in the field of public health in Belarus in recent years, but access to medicines was better in cities than in rural areas, and the quality of healthcare had declined nation-wide.  How was the State party supporting equal access to affordable healthcare for women from vulnerable groups?  What measures were in place to remove obstacles to accessing abortions?  Did both men and women need to undergo cancer screenings before they could obtain a driver’s licence?

    Women with disabilities faced barriers in accessing sexual and reproductive health services.  How was the State party meeting the needs of women with disabilities in this regard?  Some women with disabilities had been pressured to hand over their children to the State.  How would the State party address the discrimination faced by women with disabilities?  How did the delegation respond to reports of sterilisation of women with disabilities?

    Women with HIV reportedly faced systematic discrimination in health care.  The Penal Code sanctioned the transmission of HIV regardless of the circumstances. What measures were in place to support women with HIV?  What was the situation of sexual and reproductive health education?

    Responses by the Delegation

    The delegation said that in Belarus, medical assistance for persons with HIV was provided in line with health protocols from 2018 and 2022.  In 2018, Belarus had been certified as being free from mother-to-child transmission of HIV.  There were around 27,000 HIV positive people in the State.  The State party worked closely with non-governmental organizations to provide treatment for HIV positive people.  Around 95 per cent of HIV positive people were receiving retroviral treatment.  Women formerly had to present certificates from gynaecologists to receive a driver’s licence; as of last year, this was no longer necessary.  A draft law had been developed to decriminalise unintentional transmission of HIV.  Penalties for the deliberate transmission of HIV would remain.

    The protection of maternal and child health was a priority for the State.  Women who sought abortions could receive free counselling.  Over five years, these counselling sessions had prevented 23,000 abortions.  Pregnancies were interrupted only when the pregnant woman provided permission.

    All women, including women with disabilities, had access to medical assistance without discrimination.  Resources were set aside to allow for high quality medical care of the population.

    The World Health Organization had highly rated the medical care provided in Belarus.  The assessment that the quality of medical care had declined in recent years was not in line with reality.  Mobile health clinics provided in-home medical care in rural areas.  The State party was addressing shortages in healthcare staff.  It had difficulties in accessing certain types of medications due to sanctions from Western countries.

    Questions by Committee Experts

    A Committee Expert commended measures reforming regulations on universal social protection and access to support funds for entrepreneurs. Were there schemes guiding social protection for workers in the informal sector?  What steps had been taken to incorporate gender considerations into the tax regime?  What percentage of business grants were received by female entrepreneurs over the past five years?  How had technological training helped to bridge gender gaps in digital fields? How was the State party strengthening women’s role in sports and cultural activities and addressing stereotypes related to sports and culture?

    Another Committee Expert congratulated Belarus on co-sponsoring the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime and for implementing measures to protect elder women in digital spheres.  What social security and economic policies were in place for elderly women?  Belarus had a high number of criminal cases related to HIV.  Transmission of HIV was penalised with imprisonment of up to five years.  Was the State party rethinking this law?

    Women with disabilities’ right to work could only be realised after a medical examination.  How would the State party allow for the full realisation of these women’s right to work?

    Women in prisons were reportedly denied access to menstrual products.  How would the State party ensure that all detained women were treated in a dignified manner?  Belarus had in 2022 broadened its definition of pornography to include non-traditional relationships.  How would this affect the lesbian, bisexual, transgender and queer community?  Were the rights of indigenous women considered in plans to develop a second nuclear powerplant in the State? 

    Responses by the Delegation

    The delegation said there were around 400,000 people engaged in entrepreneurship in Belarus, 40 per cent of whom were women.  There was a framework for supporting women entrepreneurs, including in rural areas, and norms and laws aimed to support small businesses. Special taxation measures were provided to women entrepreneurs.  The share of women entrepreneurs had increased by around 10 per cent in recent years.  A State support programme for the unemployed had been established; almost half of all beneficiaries were women.

    In 2023, nine women had been penalised for transmitting HIV and 12 women were penalised in 2022.  The State party was continuing to reduce the stringency of HIV legislation.

    There was a Government mechanism which visited prisons regularly to examine living conditions.  The Attorney-General also monitored compliance with legislation on prisons.  Access to all forms of medical care was granted to detainees.  All detainees could file complaints to courts related to the lawfulness of their detention as well as other problems.  Prisoners who violated prison regimes were placed in solitary confinement.

    The State party had a plan for implementing the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.  It supported employers who hired persons with disabilities and provided training to help persons with disabilities access work.  An act on quotas for persons with disabilities in the workplace had been implemented.

    Legislative changes addressed the circulation of products that harmed public morality.  They were not expected to have an impact on the lesbian, bisexual, transgender and intersex community.  People could choose the type of relationship they had.

    The impact on human health of the State’s nuclear power plants was negligible.  Belarus upheld the highest standards of safety.

    Women were being encouraged to participate in sports traditionally favoured by men.

    Questions by a Committee Expert

    ELGUN SAFAROV, Committee Expert and Rapporteur for Belarus, asked if the State party had statistics on the amount of property inherited by women.  How did courts protect women’s property rights in divorce proceedings? How were children’s rights protected in international adoption proceedings?  The dialogue and the Committee’s recommendations would help with protecting the rights of women in Belarus.

    Responses by the Delegation

    The delegation said Belarus’ legislation on divorce promoted the best interests of the child.  Mediation was increasingly used in custody cases.  The interests of the mother and father were duly protected.  Belarus worked with several States on regulating international adoptions.  The State party monitored families who had adopted Belarussian children to ensure that their rights were upheld.

    Concluding Remarks

    LARYSA BELSKAYA, Permanent Representative of Belarus to the United Nations Office at Geneva and head of the delegation, thanked the Committee for the dialogue. Belarus had achieved much in terms of gender equality and empowering women.  The discussion helped the State party to identify the remaining issues to be addressed.  The Belarussian population supported the State’s measures, but there was more to be done.  The Committee’s recommendations would be carefully considered by the National Council on Gender Equality and used to construct the next national action plan on gender equality

    NAHLA HAIDAR, Committee Chair, thanked the delegation for its engagement with the Committee.  The dialogue had provided insights into the achievements made in Belarus and the areas in which further progress was needed.  The Committee commended the State party for its efforts and encouraged it to implement the Committee’s recommendations for the benefit of all women and girls in Belarus.

     

    Produced by the United Nations Information Service in Geneva for use of the media; 
    not an official record. English and French versions of our releases are different as they are the product of two separate coverage teams that work independently.

     

    CEDAW25.004E

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Three New Locations Selected for $200M ON-RAMP Program

    Source: US State of New York

    Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that the Capital Region, Finger Lakes and Mohawk Valley have been selected to advance to the planning stage of the $200 million One Network for Regional Advanced Manufacturing Partnerships (ON-RAMP) program. The regions join Central New York, in which Syracuse was established as the program’s flagship location, and will create a network of high-impact workforce development centers to connect New Yorkers with careers in dynamic, high-growth advanced manufacturing industries. These workforce centers will equip New Yorkers with the skills they need and create an “on-ramp” to training, internships, apprenticeships and permanent employment and capitalize on the State’s success in attracting and expanding advanced manufacturing companies such as Micron and GlobalFoundries.

    “Too many communities in Upstate New York have been left out and left behind for generations – and I’m fighting to bring them back,” Governor Hochul said. “These new ON-RAMP centers will be critical parts of the new I-90 advanced manufacturing corridor, giving New Yorkers the skills and training necessary for a good-paying job. New Yorkers are already seeing the benefits of our economic development strategy: good-paying jobs, revitalized communities and more money in their pockets.”

    First proposed in Governor Hochul’s 2024 State of the State, ON-RAMP, which is managed by Empire State Development, was included in the FY25 Enacted Budget with the goal of establishing four new advanced manufacturing workforce development centers. The three regions announced today will receive up to $300,000 in planning grants to develop detailed road maps to establish the new ON-RAMP centers. Upon completion of a business plan, each center will receive up to $40 million in implementation funding.

    Training provided through ON-RAMP will be based on the highly successful model developed by the Northland Workforce Development Training Center located in Buffalo. Northland employs a model that is designed to reduce all the major barriers that prohibit students from enrolling and completing post secondary education such as transportation, childcare, academic readiness and affordability. These three centers will combine industry, academia, social services, organized labor and community organizations to provide high quality, in-demand training and the wraparound support necessary to remove these common barriers and empower more New Yorkers with the skills needed for careers in high growth advanced manufacturing industries. Each designee will spend the coming months in a planning phase where they will undertake a comprehensive community and stakeholder engagement process to develop a detailed blueprint for each center.

    Capital Region

    The Center for Economic Growth (CEG) will lead the Capital Region’s ON-RAMP center, with a proposed primary location offering technical training, non-technical foundational and soft skills and critical wraparound services. CEG will lead the regional consortium of industry partners, including GlobalFoundries, Plug Power, General Electric, NSH USA, P1 Industries and Regeneron, plus local trades and workforce training providers. Regional manufacturing employment is at a 22-year high, driven by semiconductor, energy and biotech industry growth, and several major pending construction projects will require a skilled trades pipeline. The Capital Region proposal recommends the adaptive reuse of a now-vacant building on former College of Saint Rose campus, which serves as a centralized location among Albany neighborhoods and provides direct CDTA Bus Rapid Transit access.

    Finger Lakes

    Monroe Community College will lead the Finger Lakes ON-RAMP center in partnership with RochesterWorks. The proposed center includes a flagship location at the Finger Lakes Workforce Development Center located on Monroe Community College’s downtown Rochester campus. The center will train future employees in advanced manufacturing, semiconductor development and manufacturing, robotics, electronics, smart technologies, associated skilled trades, clean energy manufacturing and other high-demand skills to support regional employers. Potential consortium partners include major employers like Plug Power, Optimax, Akoustis, Coach, G.W. Lisk, BMP, ARP, Edwards Vacuum, Barilla America and Bausch & Lomb, along with local training and service providers. The consortium will leverage partnerships among Monroe Community College, Finger Lakes Community College, Genesee Community College and regional Workforce Development Boards to create an integrated training network.

    Mohawk Valley

    Mohawk Valley Community College will lead this regional ON-RAMP center by redeveloping the soon to be vacant Science and Technology building at MVCC’s Utica campus. The new facility is strategically located near major employers Danfoss, Indium and Wolfspeed, across the street from the city’s high school and directly adjacent to a high-diversity neighborhood. The center will offer training for in-demand skills on low-cost, no-cost, and work-and-learn models; retention strategies to engage marginalized and underserved populations and support completion; and employer integration to facilitate direct job placement. MVCC will lead a consortium of six core organizations with a proven track record of workforce innovation. MVCC’s Free Fast Track program and MACNY’s Real-Life Rosies and Advanced 2 Apprenticeship Programs, both successful direct placement programs, will be housed at the ON-RAMP center and provide additional capacity for these programs to increase enrollment.

    These new ON-RAMP centers will be critical parts of the new I-90 advanced manufacturing corridor, giving New Yorkers the skills and training necessary for a good-paying job.

    Governor Kathy Hochul

    Empire State Development President, CEO and Commissioner Hope Knight said, “By adding centers in the Capital Region, Mohawk Valley and Finger Lakes to connect with Central New York, the ON-RAMP network will connect New Yorkers to new opportunities all along the upstate semiconductor corridor. Today’s announcement represents our latest investments in workforce training under Governor Hochul, and supports our continued efforts to reshore manufacturing jobs and build out the advanced manufacturing ecosystem.”

    New York State Department of Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon said, “We must equip our workforce with the necessary skills to support New York’s rapidly expanding advanced manufacturing sector. By offering comprehensive training and wraparound services, this program offers New Yorkers across the state a pathway to well-paying careers now and for years to come. I applaud Governor Hochul for her continued investments in our workforce as we work to build the New York of tomorrow.”

    Center for Economic Growth President and CEO Mark Eagan said, “ON-RAMP ensures that people living in our communities have robust support, including stipends, childcare, and transportation to access training and ultimately a career in manufacturing. CEG is proud to act as the project lead on behalf of a regional consortium of more than 60 initial partners to build a seamless network of workforce training and service providers to connect individuals with in-demand jobs at high-growth manufacturers. Thank you, Governor Hochul, for your leadership in growing New York State’s advanced manufacturing workforce.”

    Monroe Community College President Dr. DeAnna R. Burt-Nanna said, “Monroe Community College has a long history of sustaining public trust as an exemplary leader in workforce development. MCC and the Finger Lakes Workforce Development Center stand ready to create the conditions for the entire Finger Lakes region to showcase its preparedness to uplift the lives of even more New York citizens. We look forward to working with a network of workforce development and training entities, like RochesterWorks, committed to preparing New Yorkers for careers in high-growth industries and leading collaboration to build the overall Upstate NY workforce development ecosystem.”

    Mohawk Valley Community College President Dr. Randall VanWagoner said, “We are so grateful to the Governor and her staff for this incredible opportunity to work even more closely with our workforce partners in the region to significantly scale opportunities that connect people to quality jobs and enhance the overall vibrancy of the communities we serve.”

    CenterState CEO President Robert Simpson said, “The need for talent continues to accelerate as we prepare for historic investments from Micron and other companies looking to expand operations in New York State. We are grateful for Governor Hochul’s leadership and vision as we partner to establish a critical new network of workforce development centers. ON-RAMP will help connect New Yorkers from priority populations with careers in high growth industries like manufacturing and construction. Across New York state these centers will both serve as state-of-the-art training facilities and as catalysts for the redevelopment of strategic, high-impact corridors.”

    State Senator Sean Ryan said, “We know that funding workforce development programs like ON-RAMP is one of the most effective investments we can make in New York’s economy. Providing more technical and career education throughout our state will set more workers up for success and ensure we have the well-trained workforce we need to attract and sustain manufacturing jobs.”

    Assemblymember Al Stirpe said, “The expansion of New York’s advanced manufacturing sector continues to highlight the urgent need to provide our Upstate workforce with the skills necessary for success. By extending workforce development through new ON-RAMP centers in the Capital Region, Finger Lakes, and Mohawk Valley, we can reach more underserved communities, offering the wraparound supports that increase the number of skilled workers while helping to break the cycle of generational poverty. I’m proud of Governor Hochul’s continued commitment, especially with the focus on creating a vital I-90 advanced manufacturing corridor. With Micron’s presence in Central New York and other major players like GlobalFoundries, this investment in workforce training ensures our region remains competitive and prepared for future opportunities in advanced manufacturing.”

    Assemblymember Harry Bronson said, “I am proud to say that thanks to the advocacy and partnership of my colleagues in the Greater Rochester Majority Delegation, as well as local officials, the Governor has identified the Finger Lakes Region as one of the high-impact, strategic locations for a new ON-RAMP workforce development training center. Workforce development is one of the most important tools for building the middle-class and addressing affordability for all our families. In addition, it will help us effectively reduce poverty in New York State and uplift our families, especially when paired with ON-RAMP’s strategy to address other barriers to employment such as transportation, childcare, education and more by providing wraparound services alongside job training. With these investments we are well on our way to building a more equitable and diverse New York economy. Thank you, Governor Hochul, for your leadership.”

    Embedded Flickr Album

    Today’s announcement complements New York State’s investments in workforce development. In 2022, Governor Hochul reimagined the state’s approach to workforce development and established the Office of Strategic Workforce Development at ESD, which supports industry-driven workforce development programs and practices to ensure New Yorkers are prepared to meet the needs and priorities of employers. To date, more than $63 million has been awarded, leveraging more than $69 million in public and private funding, to support nearly 15,000 trainees for over 2,000 business partners.

    The announcement also complements the state’s investments to build a modern economy in New York by growing a dynamic and innovative semiconductor industry. In 2022, the Governor signed New York’s historic Green CHIPS legislation to make New York a hub for semiconductor manufacturing, creating 21st century jobs and kick-starting economic growth while maintaining important environmental protections. As part of the FY24 Enacted Budget, Governor Hochul secured a $45 million investment to create the Governor’s Office of Semiconductor Expansion, Management, and Integration (GO-SEMI), which leads statewide efforts to develop the chipmaking sector. In December 2023, Governor Hochul announced a $10 billion public-private partnership — including $9 billion in private investment from IBM, Micron, Applied Materials, Tokyo Electron and other semiconductor leaders — to bring the future of advanced semiconductor research to New York’s Capital region by creating the nation’s first and only industry accessible, High NA EUV Lithography Center at the Albany NanoTech Complex which has been recently awarded $825 million in federal funding and was designated the CHIPS for America EUV Accelerator under the CHIPS and Science Act.

    In the last two years, chip companies have announced more than $112 billion in planned capital investments in New York — more than any other state — and one in four U.S.-made chips will be produced within 350 miles of Upstate New York. No other region in the country will account for a greater share of domestic production.

    Build the Workforce of Tomorrow

    As a part of her 2025 State of the State, Governor Hochul proposed making community college free for students ages 25-55 pursuing select associate degrees in high-demand occupations, including nursing, teaching, technology, engineering and more. Additionally, the State will cover the costs of tuition, books and fees for participants in this program and will increase funding for career support infrastructure to connect students with job opportunities. Governor Hochul also proposed providing funding for providers of registered apprenticeships and pre-apprenticeships in the high-demand occupations, to cover partial apprentice wages, training costs, and for underrepresented groups, wraparound services. Additionally, the Governor proposed to reform the way executive agencies hire cybersecurity and technology talent by removing four-year degree requirements for many entry-level and early-career positions, and to create a cybersecurity fellows program with SUNY and CUNY community colleges that places graduates in two-year jobs in state government. Governor Hochul will also work with private companies to similarly reduce or remove certain educational requirements to create more entry points for New Yorkers graduating from community and technical colleges.

    Renew Our Commitment to Our State’s Capital City

    The FY 2026 Executive Budget launched an inclusive, State-led initiative to invest $400 million to revitalize the downtown core of Albany—in partnership with local stakeholders and backed by significant State resources to catalyze change. This investment includes $200 million to make real investments into tangible strategies and projects to revitalize Albany, such as: targeted strategies that address public safety and quality of life; revitalizing vacant or dated anchor institutions; reinvigorating commercial corridors; repurposing vacant and underutilized commercial buildings for housing and other new uses; leveraging open spaces and key public assets; coordinating with ongoing planning efforts related to the redevelopment of I-787 and the Livingston Avenue rail bridge; and creating new reasons to work, visit, or live in downtown Albany. This historic investment also includes $150 million to renovate the New York State Museum and upgrade the exhibits to be more inviting to visitors, including families, as well as funding for the State to temporarily supplement Albany’s public safety efforts by offering enhanced State Police resources to reduce crime and increase community policing in key corridors.

    Informed by conversations with local stakeholders, the Governor’s commitment to Albany will play out through a comprehensive community engagement process with the public, elected representatives, and community leaders to identify key opportunities to promote business development, bolster public safety, build out community anchors, encourage housing, and enhance affordability.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Bipartisan Duckworth-Fischer-Murray-Blackburn Bill to Help Improve Passenger Vehicle Safety Passes Committee

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth

    February 06, 2025

    [WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Bipartisan legislation led by U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Patty Murray (D-WA) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) to help modernize vehicle safety tests by requiring the use of the most advanced testing devices available successfully passed the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation (CST). The bipartisan She Develops Regulations In Vehicle Equality and Safety (She DRIVES) Act would help enhance passenger vehicle safety by updating U.S. crashworthiness testing procedures. The bill is estimated to help save more than 1,300 lives while saving billions of dollars in economic impact from preventing and mitigating deaths and tens of thousands of injuries.

    “We can be doing so much more to improve roadway safety and make sure visiting a family member or a routine trip to the grocery store doesn’t end in tragedy,” said Senator Duckworth. “I’m proud our bipartisan legislation passed through committee and is now that much closer to helping us save lives by ensuring our crash test standards better represent the safety needs of all Americans. I’ll continue to work with Senator Fischer as we push for the full Senate to pass this bipartisan bill—because all Americans deserve safer roadways.”

    “Today, women are 17 percent more likely to be killed in auto crashes than men,” said Senator Fischer. “That tragic statistic is a preventable one. Our bill will update crash test dummy standards to reflect the diversity of drivers on our roads, ensuring protection and safety for more Americans. I’m grateful a bipartisan group of my colleagues voted yes on this commonsense legislation, and I look forward to getting it passed soon.”

    Duckworth has long been a leader in making our transportation system safer and more accessible for all Americans. Last December, Duckworth announced more than $2 million in federal funding through the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to improve crash reporting in Illinois to help make our roads as safe as possible and reduce the number of lives lost to car crashes. As Chair of the CST Subcommittee on Aviation Safety, Operations and Innovation in the 118th Congress, Duckworth also helped author the landmark bipartisan FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024 that was signed into law last year and included several of her provisions to improve safety, expand the aviation workforce, enhance protections for travelers with disabilities while safeguarding strong pilot certification standards that help ensure our pilots are prepared to handle any emergency and keep the flying public safe.

    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NASA CubeSat Finds New Radiation Belts After May 2024 Solar Storm

    Source: NASA

    Key Points

    The May 2024 solar storm created two new temporary belts of high-energy particles surrounding Earth.
    Such belts have been seen before, but the new ones were particularly long lasting, especially the new proton belt. 
    The findings are particularly important for spacecraft launching into geostationary orbits, which can be damaged as they traverse the dangerous belts.

    The largest solar storm in two decades hit Earth in May 2024. For several days, wave after wave of high-energy charged particles from the Sun rocked the planet. Brilliant auroras engulfed the skies, and some GPS communications were temporarily disrupted.
    With the help of a serendipitously resurrected small NASA satellite, scientists have discovered that this storm also created two new temporary belts of energetic particles encircling Earth. The findings are important to understanding how future solar storms could impact our technology. 
    The new belts formed between two others that permanently surround Earth called the Van Allen Belts. Shaped like concentric rings high above Earth’s equator, these permanent belts are composed of a mix of high-energy electrons and protons that are trapped in place by Earth’s magnetic field. The energetic particles in these belts can damage spacecraft and imperil astronauts who pass through them, so understanding their dynamics is key to safe spaceflight. 

    The discovery of the new belts, made possible by NASA’s Colorado Inner Radiation Belt Experiment (CIRBE) satellite and published Feb. 6, 2025, in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, is particularly important for protecting spacecraft launching into geostationary orbits, since they travel through the Van Allen Belts several times before reaching their final orbit.
    New Belts Amaze Scientists
    Temporary belts have been detected in the aftermath of large solar storms before. But while previous belts have been composed mostly of electrons, the innermost of the two new belts also included energetic protons. This unique composition is likely due to the strength and composition of the solar storm.
    “When we compared the data from before and after the storm, I said, ‘Wow, this is something really new,’” said the paper’s lead author Xinlin Li, a professor at the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP) and Department of Aerospace Engineering Sciences at the University of Colorado Boulder. “This is really stunning.”
    The new belts also seem to have lasted much longer than previous belts. Whereas previous temporary belts lasted around four weeks, the new belt composed primary of electrons lasted more than three months. The other belt, that also includes protons, has lasted much longer than the electron belt because it is in a more stable region and is less prone to the physical processes that can knock the particles out of orbit. It is likely still there today.
    “These are really high-energy electrons and protons that have found their way into Earth’s inner magnetic environment,” said David Sibeck, former mission scientist for NASA’s Van Allen Probes and research scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, who was not involved with the new study. “Some might stay in this place for a very long time.”
    How long such belts stick around depends on passing solar storms. Large storms can provide the energy to knock particles in these belts out of their orbits and send them spiraling off into space or down to Earth. One such storm at the end of June significantly decreased the size of the new electron belt and another in August nearly erased the remainder of that electron belt, though a small population of high-energy electrons endured.
    CubeSat Fortuitously Comes Back to Life to Make the Discovery
    The new discovery was made by NASA’s CIRBE satellite, a CubeSat about the size of a shoebox that circled the planet’s magnetic poles in a low Earth orbit from April 2023 to October 2024. CIRBE housed an instrument called the Relativistic Electron Proton Telescope integrated little experiment-2 (REPTile-2) — a miniaturized and upgraded version of an instrument that flew aboard NASA’s Van Allen Probes, which made the first discovery of a temporary electron belt in 2013.

    After a year in space, the CubeSat experienced an anomaly and unexpectedly went quiet on April 15, 2024. The scientists were disappointed to miss the solar storm in May but were able to rely on other spacecraft to provide some preliminary data on the electron belt. Luckily, on June 15, the spacecraft sprang back to life and resumed taking measurements. The data provided high-resolution information that couldn’t be gleaned by any other instrument and allowed the scientists to understand the magnitude of the new belts.
    “Once we resumed measurements, we were able to see the new electron belt, which wasn’t visible in the data from other spacecraft,” Li said.
    Having the CubeSat in orbit to measure the effect of the solar storm has been bittersweet, Li said. While it provided the opportunity to measure the effects of such a large event, the storm also increased atmospheric drag on the CubeSat, which caused its orbit to decrease prematurely. As a result, the CubeSat deorbited in October 2024. However, the spacecraft’s data makes it all worth it.
    “We are very proud that our very small CubeSat made such a discovery,” Li said.
    CIRBE was designed and built by LASP at the University of Colorado Boulder and was launched through NASA’s CubeSat Launch Initiative (CSLI). The mission is sponsored by NASA’s Heliophysics Flight Opportunities for Research & Technology (H-FORT) program.
    By Mara Johnson-GrohNASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hsiao Smith

    Source: NASA

    Deputy Observatory Manager – Goddard Space Flight Center
    Growing up in Malaysia and Singapore, Hsiao Smith — now the deputy observatory manager for NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope — never imagined she’d have a career at NASA. But when she moved near NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, things quickly fell into place. A high school counselor noticed her aptitude for math and science and encouraged her to apply for a junior fellowship program at Goddard.
    “I never could have imagined that a summer internship would change my life and lead to such a fulfilling career at NASA!” Hsiao says. “Prior to that, I had no idea what an engineer did. Now, I’ve spent over 35 years involved in engineering at Goddard.”

    Hsiao participated in a program that allowed her to come back to Goddard during summers and spring and winter breaks, so she continued working while going to college. 
    She began her internship working on flight dynamics. Fueled by a desire to work more hands-on with flight hardware, Hsiao transferred to the power branch and started designing high-voltage power supplies for science instruments that would be launched into space. 
    Hsiao earned a bachelor degree in electrical engineering from the University of Maryland and then started working at Goddard full time. She continued her studies, later receiving a master’s degree in engineering management.
    “Having hands-on experience on flight hardware gave me a better understanding of how to apply what I learned in the classroom to real life,” Hsiao says. “That experience was invaluable, and it gave me the opportunity to discover what I enjoy doing — designing and building flight hardware. And it was incredible to go from college straight into a job working as an engineer at NASA!”
    Hsiao soon moved on to designing power systems for spacecraft, starting with XTE, the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer. It was the first time she had worked on a project all the way from the design concept to launch. 
    Building on that experience, Hsiao spent the next 13 years working on the Hubble Space Telescope — first as the power systems manager, then the Cosmic Origins Spectrograph instrument manager, and finally the Hubble Servicing Mission 4 instrument systems manager. In the latter role, Hsiao delivered two new instruments to Hubble and worked with astronauts to conduct repairs on two Hubble instruments in space.
    “Working on Hubble opened the door to so many different opportunities,” Hsiao says. “I had the honor of working not only with the dedicated and talented engineers and scientists here at Goddard, but also world-class experts from other NASA centers, universities, contractors throughout the U.S., and international partners. And I had incredible opportunities few others will ever have, like working with astronauts and going on the shuttle before it launched from the Kennedy Space Center!”

    Following her time with Hubble, she worked on the Lunar Laser Communications Demonstration project as a project manager. Hsiao worked with MIT/Lincoln Lab to develop and test NASA’s first optical communication technology that used a laser. Then Hsiao became the deputy program manager for JPSS (the Joint Polar Satellite Systems) where she designed the architecture and developed the cost and schedule for future JPSS missions.
    She then spent some time as the technical deputy division manager for the Satellite Servicing Projects Division, continuing the legacy of the Hubble servicing missions and advancing the state of the art in robotic servicing. This work demonstrated how robots could be used to refuel spacecraft and service their instruments. 
    Now, she serves as a deputy observatory manager for NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope. Hsiao has worked with Goddard’s engineering team to build the Roman spacecraft bus, which consists of avionics, attitude control, communication and propulsion systems, and other subsystems such as the solar arrays, deployable aperture cover, and the outer barrel assembly. She is currently preparing to test Roman’s newly combined spacecraft and payload.
    “It’s a privilege to manage and coordinate Roman hardware from the subsystem level to ensure that once they all work individually, they all function together as an observatory,” Hsiao says.
    Though she’s served in many roles at NASA, problem-solving has been a constant thread running through Hsiao’s career.
    “It’s exciting to come to work every day not knowing what’s in store for me,” she says. “It’s about coming in and resolving issues, making sure the team has the resources they need to get their jobs done.”
    Hsiao urges young engineers to take on new opportunities, keep pursuing their dream job, and seek out advice from mentors and people in career fields you’re interested in.
    “I’m working in my dream job, and it all goes back to my great mentors and bosses who were willing to give me opportunities beyond my expectations and to guide me toward my interests,” she says. “All the experiences I’ve had throughout this very fulfilling career stemmed from filling out an application as a high school senior. You never know where an opportunity will lead!”
    By Ashley BalzerNASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Newsom announces suite of new wildfire community hardening measures

    Source: US State of California 2

    Feb 6, 2025

    What you need to know: Governor Gavin Newsom today announced he will issue an executive order to harden communities from wind-propelled wildfires that turn into urban firestorms. 

    Washington, D.C. — After meeting with key state and federal leaders on recovery efforts for Los Angeles firestorm survivors, Governor Gavin Newsom today will sign an executive order that directs his Administration to implement key initiatives to harden communities from urban firestorms.

    The devastation in the Pacific Palisades and Altadena aren’t new lessons. They are the latest lessons in urban firestorms that have devastated communities across the globe. To meet the needs of increasingly extreme weather, where decades-old buildings weren’t planned and designed for today’s realities, these proposals are part of a bigger state strategy to build wildfire and forest resilience from forest management, to huge investments in firefighting personnel and equipment, community hardening, and adopting state-of-the-art response technologies.

    Governor Gavin Newsom

    As the state continues updating its research and utilizing the latest science to understand the state’s ever-evolving climate-induced challenges, the Governor will direct the State Board of Forestry to advance implementation of regulations known as “Zone 0,” which will require an ember-resistant zone within 5 feet of structures located in the highest fire severity zone in the state’s Fire Hazard Severity Zone local maps and the State Responsibility Area, mitigating the risk of conflagration in urban areas like what occurred during the Palisades and Eaton firestorms. In addition, the Governor will direct the CAL FIRE – Office of the State Fire Marshal to release updated Fire Hazard Severity Zone maps, adding 1.4 million new acres of land into the two higher tiers of fire severity, which will update building and local planning requirements for these communities statewide.

    “These steps will spur proactive actions to defend the most vulnerable homes and eliminate combustible material within five feet of homes to reduce the risk of a home igniting in an ember-driven fire,” said California Natural Resources Secretary Wade Crowfoot. “These are important steps to limit wildland fires from becoming big urban fires.”

    Plus, building on the already comprehensive work the state has done to deploy firefighting assets statewide, the Governor will direct his state emergency management and firefighting departments to work with local, federal and tribal partners on reviewing and proposing improvements to the federal resources dispatching system for wildfire response to ensure it can fulfill its purpose of supporting the rapid fulfillment of mutual aid requests during large-scale incidents.

    Investing in wildfire prevention

    Overall, the state has more than doubled investments in wildfire prevention and landscape resilience efforts, providing more than $2.5 billion in wildfire resilience since 2020, with an additional $1.5 billion from the 2024 Climate Bond to be committed beginning this year for proactive projects that protect communities from wildfire and promote healthy natural landscapes. Of note, since 2021, the State has made strategic investments in at least 61 fuels reduction projects near the Palisades and Eaton fire perimeters through projects treated over 14,500 acres.

    The Newsom Administration has invested $2 billion to support CAL FIRE operations, a 47% increase since 2018, which has helped build CAL FIRE from 5,829 positions to 10,741 in that same period, and the Administration is now implementing shorter workweeks for state firefighters to prioritize firefighter well-being while adding 2,400 additional state firefighters to CAL FIRE’s ranks over the next five years.

    Augmenting technological advancements and pre-deployment opportunities

    The Newsom Administration has also overseen the expansion of California’s aerial firefighting fleet, including the addition of more than 16 helicopters with several equipped for night operations, expanded five helitack bases, and assumed ownership of seven C-130 air tankers, making it the largest fleet of its kind globally.

    California is also leveraging AI-powered tools to spot fires quicker, has deployed the Fire Integrated Real-Time Intelligence System (FIRIS) to provide real-time mapping of wildfires, and has partnered with the U.S. Department of Defense to use satellites for wildfire detection and invested in LiDAR technology to create detailed 3D maps of high-risk areas, helping firefighters better understand and navigate complex terrains.

    In anticipation of severe fire weather conditions in early January 2025, Cal OES approved the prepositioning of 65 fire engines, as well as more than 120 additional firefighting resources and personnel in Los Angeles, Orange, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Riverside, San Bernardino, and San Diego counties, and CAL FIRE moved firefighting resources to Southern California including 45 additional engines and six hand crews to the region.

    During the wildfires, California was able to mobilize more than 16,000 personnel including firefighters, National Guard servicemembers, California Highway Patrol officers and transportation teams to support the response to the Los Angeles firestorms, and more than 2,000 firefighting apparatus composed of engines, aircraft, dozers and water tenders to aid in putting out the fires.

    The Governor will sign the executive order upon his return from Washington, D.C. where he is advocating for federal aid for firestorm survivors.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Thales Alenia Space and NIBE sign a satellite supply contract for NIBE’s Earth observation constellation project

    Source: Thales Group

    Headline: Thales Alenia Space and NIBE sign a satellite supply contract for NIBE’s Earth observation constellation project

    With this first satellite supply contract, NIBE aims to launch its first high-resolution optical satellite by 2025

    Cannes, February 6th, 2025 – Thales Alenia Space, the joint venture between Thales (67%) and Leonardo (33%), has signed a contract with NIBE Space (a subsidiary of NIBE Limited) concerning the supply of a high-resolution optical satellite, marking the first step in NIBE’s Earth Observation constellation project. This initial contract aims to establish the first operational Earth observation’s capabilities for NIBE in India by 2025.

    This achievement reinforces the partnership initiated in 2024 between Thales Alenia Space and NIBE, for the deployment of India’s first private Earth Observation constellation.

    NIBE ©BlackSky_Thales Alenia Space_E.Briot

    The contract was signed today in Pune during a ceremony graced by the presence of Honorable Chief Minister of Maharashtra Shri Devendra Fadnavis. BlackSky also signed a service agreement for subscription-based imagery and analytics to deliver space-based monitoring services supporting NIBE’s various Indian customers.

    “I am extremely pleased that Thales Alenia Space will contribute to developing sovereign Earth Observation capabilities in India,” said Hervé Derrey, CEO of Thales Alenia Space. “Supporting the deployment of India’s first private Earth observation constellation means a lot to our company as this is Thales Alenia Space’s first cooperation on an Indian space program. I would like to thank NIBE for putting its trust in our company. We look forward to making available our long-standing expertise and industrial capabilities in optical and radar sensors and start a promising Space cooperation with India.”

    “We are proud to see our partnership with Thales Alenia Space take another concrete step forward with the signing of the contract for a high-resolution optical satellite. This is part of our larger national endeavor, aligned with the Aatmanirbhar Bharat vision, to bolster India’s position as a leader in space technology and applications,” said Ganesh Nibe, Chairman & Managing Director of NIBE Limited. “With Thales Alenia Space’s vast global expertise and experience, we look forward to taking India’s space capabilities to newer heights.”

    About NIBE Limited:

    Established in 2021 under the leadership of Mr. Ganesh Ramesh Nibe, the company and its subsidiaries specialise in manufacturing a wide spectrum of Critical Components catering to the Defence industry such as fabrication of structures and sub-assemblies for programmes such as Modular Bridge, Rudder blade assembly, Pinaka launcher and MRSAM launcher for tri-services of Indian defence, to components of Electronic systems, Small arms (such as assault rifles and LMGs), and Space projects for domestic as well as international applications.

    NIBE Limited along with its subsidiaries is committed towards continuously refining and adapting its approach, positioning itself as a leader in the defence industry. Moreover, in alignment with the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat, NIBE Limited extends its commitment to fostering self-reliance in the defence sector.

    About THALES ALENIA SPACE

    Drawing on over 40 years of experience and a unique combination of skills, expertise and cultures, Thales Alenia Space delivers cost-effective solutions for telecommunications, navigation, Earth observation, environmental management, exploration, science and orbital infrastructures. Governments and private industry alike count on Thales Alenia Space to design satellite-based systems that provide anytime, anywhere connections and positioning, monitor our planet, enhance management of its resources, and explore our Solar System and beyond. Thales Alenia Space sees space as a new horizon, helping to build a better, more sustainable life on Earth. A joint venture between Thales (67%) and Leonardo (33%), Thales Alenia Space also teams up with Telespazio to form the parent companies’ Space Alliance, which offers a complete range of services. Thales Alenia Space posted consolidated revenues of approximately €2.2 billion in 2023 and has around 8,600 employees in 8 countries, with 16 sites in Europe.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-Evening Report: A new school year can see friendships change – this is tough on kids, but parents can help

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Karyn Healy, Honorary Principal Research Fellow in Psychology, The University of Queensland

    Rawpixel.com/Shutterstock

    The start of the school year means new classes, routines, after-school activities and sometimes even a new school.

    This can be a really exciting time for kids, but these changes can also disrupt existing friendships. Students might feel stressed about not having certain friends with them in class or confused about why old friends are behaving differently.

    How can you coach your child through changing friendship dynamics?

    How parents help

    Research shows supportive friendships play an important role in maintaining students’ wellbeing. Having good friends is linked to better mental health as well as better school attendance and academic achievement.

    Research also shows us parenting plays an important role in helping children make and keep friends.

    Our research has found parents can improve how well a child is accepted by peers by doing three things:

    • listening and asking questions to help their child think through a situation

    • helping their child plan how to address the issue

    • supporting their child to have contact with peers.

    Parents can play an important role in their child’s friendships.
    Alena Ozerova/ Shutterstock

    Listening to your child

    It’s helpful to check in with your child regularly so you can provide support if they need it.

    When children tell you about a conflict or problem, simply start by listening actively. This means reflecting back in your own words what your child said, including feelings. For example,

    So it sounds like you are feeling upset Shelley wants to hang out with kids in her new class?

    It’s also helpful to empathise with your child about how they feel:

    I think I would feel sad too if that happened to me.

    This helps your child feel like someone else understands them – and they are not dealing with this on their own.

    For older children and teenagers, you may want to check if the child wants your help to work out how to solve the problem. Sometimes listening is all that is needed.

    Working out what to do next

    If needed, parents can then coach children how to manage any concerns. They can start by helping a child understand why another child may have acted as they did.

    For example, if the parent says “Why do you think Shelley said this?”, perhaps the child might respond that “Shelley doesn’t like me anymore”. The parent could offer an alternative explanation – perhaps Shelley is worried about making friends in her new class.

    The parent could ask the child what they want – in the above example, the child may want to still be friends with Shelley. The parent can then prompt the child to think of a range of ways to improve the situation, weigh up what might work best and encourage the child to give this a go. Often children can think of solutions themselves, if asked

    What could you do to improve things? What else could you do?.

    In our example, this might include organising a play with Shelley on the weekend. Alternatively, the child might plan to check in again with Shelley after a few days.

    This type of coaching is helpful as it supports the child thinking through the problem and coming up with their own solution, which they are more likely to put in place than if simply told what to do.

    Parents can also support their child to strengthen friendships by helping them connect with friends outside school through activities, play dates and online contact.

    Play dates can help if friends are not seeing each other at school.
    Patrick Foto/ Shutterstock

    Friendships may change over time

    We hear a lot about “BFFs”. However, it is not unusual for friendship groups to change over time, as children mature and develop particular interests.

    When children are placed in a new class or school with no close friends, children often cope through what researchers call “transitional friendships”.

    For example, it’s common for children to start high school with no firm friends, but still know some peers from primary school. These acquaintances can provide companionship until children form closer friendships.

    Parents can help their child in making close friends at high school by supporting them to catch up and connect with new friends out of school.

    Similarly, if a child is missing their old friends, a parent can coach their child in finding ways to stay in touch – like texting, a weekend sleepover or joining an out-of-school activity together.

    If you still have concerns

    If friendship concerns or worries are having an ongoing, negative impact on your child’s mental health, parents should seek further support from a health professional.

    You can start with your GP, who may suggest a referral to a psychologist. You may also like to talk to your child’s teacher – they may be able to help your child get to know potential friends through class activities.

    If this article has raised issues for you or someone you know, you can call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800. There is also free access to Australian evidence-based parenting programs such as Triple P.

    Karyn Healy has received funding from QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, the Australian Research Council and Australian government Emerging Priorities Program. Karyn is a co-author of the Resilience Triple P parenting program. Resilience Triple P and all Triple P programs are owned by the University of Queensland. The university has licensed Triple P International Pty Ltd to publish and disseminate Triple P programs worldwide. Royalties stemming from published Triple P resources are distributed to the Parenting and Family Support Centre, School of Psychology, Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences and contributory authors. No author has any share or ownership in Triple P International Pty Ltd.

    – ref. A new school year can see friendships change – this is tough on kids, but parents can help – https://theconversation.com/a-new-school-year-can-see-friendships-change-this-is-tough-on-kids-but-parents-can-help-248751

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Habitat restoration is a long-haul job. Here are 3 groups that have endured

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nigel Tucker, Research Associate in Environment and Sustainability, James Cook University

    TREAT volunteers planting trees TREAT

    Like ferns and the tides, community conservation groups come and go. Many achieve their goal. Volunteers restore a local wetland or protect a patch of urban bush and then hang up the gardening gloves with a warm inner glow. Some groups peter out while others endure, tackling the ecological problems facing today’s Australia.

    One of those problems is fragmentation. Let’s say you have a national park in one spot and another large tract of habitat ten kilometres away. It’s too hard for many wildlife species to make it across open ground to get there. Over time, this means wild areas can effectively become islands.

    This is where habitat corridors come in. Potentially, if you restore habitat between two isolated areas, wildlife can begin to safely move between the two. Over time, these corridors allow seeds, pollen, native birds and animals to disperse across today’s landscapes.

    In my work as a restoration ecologist, I’ve come across many of Australia’s community groups devoted to the job. Three of these are LUCI – Lockyer Upland Catchments Inc, which began in 2015, the Big Scrub Rainforest Conservancy, founded in 1993 and TREAT – Trees for the Evelyn and Atherton Tablelands Inc, which began in 1982. Each of these has gone the distance. Here are some reasons why.

    Native fruit from the trees in the remnant Big Scrub.
    Big Scrub Rainforest Conservancy

    Where are wildlife corridors most needed?

    Australia’s Wet Tropics are especially threatened by fragmentation. This region is World Heritage listed due to its remarkable biodiversity. Tropical forests have grown here for at least 130 million years. Fragmentation directly threatens this.

    In the tropical uplands of the Atherton Tablelands, there are three popular national parks – the Crater Lakes of Eacham and Barrine and the Curtain Fig Tree. But while visitors might see them as pristine, each is an island surrounded by pasture and settlement. Over time, this will take its toll on the species within.

    Fragmented landscapes are common on the Atherton Tablelands.
    FiledIMAGE/Shutterstock

    Staying the course

    For a volunteer group to reverse the effects of fragmentation, and embark on a long term project such as this, it needs three things.

    First the group has leaders committed to a long term cause, usually scientists or naturalists as well as locals with knowledge and drive. Leaders have to be able to work with governments and group members of all persuasions.

    Second, the group has to be guided by science. You need current information on local plants, animals and habitats to make sure on-ground work has direct conservation benefits.

    And third, networking skills. Harnessing the technical expertise of other groups, government and experts in project planning, execution and monitoring is vital.

    Each of these three groups has these traits, even though they take different approaches to the challenge.

    LUCI is an alliance of private landholders in Queensland’s Lockyer Valley, west of Brisbane, who work to protect remnant vegetation and expand habitat. Their work on threatened species monitoring, protection of remnant vegetation on private land and community engagement reflects their emphasis on education.

    Before European settlement, lowland subtropical rainforest covered 75,000 hectares of land in what is now Byron Bay’s hinterland. But 99% was cut down. In response, Big Scrub members have replanted around 600 hectares – doubling the size of what was left – and established an innovative genetics program to assist in maintaining and enhancing the gene pool of trees planted.

    Only a tiny fraction of the Big Scrub is still intact, at reserves such as the Andrew Johnston Big Scrub reserve. Farmland and acreage surrounds it.
    Peter Woodard/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY

    TREAT is based on the Atherton Tablelands in far north Queensland. This region has long been prized for agriculture, which comes at a cost to habitat. In response, TREAT has worked to reconnect isolated tracts of rainforest. The group collaborates with Queensland Parks and Wildlife to grow many thousands of native rainforest tree seedlings for planting each year.

    TREAT grows tens of thousands of seedlings annually, alongside Queensland Parks and Wildlife. Pictured: Hicksbeachia seedlings.
    TREAT

    All three groups recognise the importance of countering habitat fragmentation. This slicing and dicing forests into smaller and isolated patches severely threatens Australia’s biodiversity.

    Wildlife corridors are deceptively simple in theory. But as I know from long experience restoring habitat, it’s harder than it seems.

    Does it work?

    Planting corridors sounds like a sure thing. But success is not guaranteed. For one thing, it takes work and time. You need baseline surveys, expert analysis of data and monitoring, ideally over decades. Given these challenges, it’s unsurprising that wildlife corridor restoration is little-studied.

    In the 1990s, TREAT volunteers planted 17,000 trees to reconnect a 498 hectare fragment around Lake Barrine to the 80,000ha Wooroonooran National Park 1.2 kilometres away. This corridor is now more than 20 years old. It’s known as the Donaghy’s Corridor Nature Refuge, after the Donaghy family who donated the land for corridor restoration.

    My research has found this corridor is proving successful, using good data collected before, during and after establishment. Ground mammals are moving along the corridor, and breeding has taken place. We could see this in the exchange of genes between two previously separated populations of the native bush rat (Rattus fuscipes).

    More recent studies have shown the corridor has been colonised by many species, ranging from threatened and endemic plants to birds, ground mammals, reptiles, amphibians and microbats. While promising, this is just one corridor. Much more data would be needed to prove this approach is broadly effective.

    As habitat fragmentation continues and the effects of climate change ramp up, more and more species will need to move. The work of volunteer groups such as LUCI, Big Scrub and TREAT in reconnecting scattered pieces of habitat is only going to get more important.

    Nigel Tucker has received funding from the Queensland government’s Nature Refuge Landholder Grants program. He is a Life Member of TREAT.

    – ref. Habitat restoration is a long-haul job. Here are 3 groups that have endured – https://theconversation.com/habitat-restoration-is-a-long-haul-job-here-are-3-groups-that-have-endured-248133

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –