Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –
Experts City Psychological and Pedagogical Center can now remotely assess the developmental characteristics of children with disabilities and provide recommendations for their education and socialization. Every year, about 50 thousand Moscow families turn to specialists. This was reported by the press service of the capital Department of Education and Science.
“As a mother, I have already used the service in a new format. You can send all the documents to specialists in advance in electronic form and choose the time for your child to undergo online diagnostics. In format, it is similar to a distance lesson, based on the results of which psychologists, speech therapists and defectologists give feedback. Since March, the conclusion will be sent by e-mail. The procedure has become very convenient and fast, for most parents and children this is a huge saving of time and effort,” said Maya Bulaeva, deputy of the Moscow City Duma, director of the educational institution “School in Nekrasovka”.
Remote diagnostics are available for children over three years of age without hearing or vision impairments. The examination is carried out on a video conferencing platform. “Negotiation room”To connect, you will need a computer or tablet with a camera, microphone and a stable Internet connection. Recording is carried out through the portal Mos.ru.
The Central Psychological-Medical-Pedagogical Commission operates on the basis of the City Psychological-Pedagogical Center. Its specialists develop recommendations based on their own diagnostics and taking into account medical reports provided by the child’s parents.
“When parents are interested in their child’s development, the family’s life is scheduled down to the minute. Every day you need to manage to do a lot of things: take the child to kindergarten or school, to the pool, to developmental classes, repeat the speech therapist’s exercises at home. In this situation, time is the most important resource, and you begin to appreciate technologies that help you use it rationally. Online diagnostics of special children is a godsend for parents. The family does not need to waste time on the way there and back. This is especially important for children who have difficulty moving. During online testing, communication with the commission specialists takes place using a gadget. The child is at home, in a familiar environment. He is calm and comfortable, that is, the stress factor is excluded,” shared actress Evelina Bledans, mother of a child with Down syndrome.
For children with disabilities who have received a commission’s conclusion, special conditions are created in educational institutions. Adapted educational programs and manuals are developed, and assistance from tutors, assistants and other specialists is provided. Such children and disabled children can also participate in sports sections.
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Source: United States Senator for New Mexico Martin Heinrich
Watch the full videohere
WASHINGTON — In an interview with Jim Sciutto on CNN’s The Situation Room, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) slammed Elon Musk and Donald Trump’s actions that are wreaking havoc on New Mexicans and throwing the government into chaos.
During the interview, Heinrich vocalized the concerns of his constituents who continue to write-in and call his office, opposing Trump’s harmful actions and raising the impacts of those actions on their livelihoods and financial security.
“No one voted to have Elon Musk in charge of their personal data. No one voted to have him ransacking federal agencies that many of my constituents rely on for various things. That is where I think we need to really draw a contrast that, at least for my constituents, they voted for lower gas prices, they voted for cheaper eggs. They did not vote for this chaos,” Heinrich said.
VIDEO: U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) on CNN’s The Situation Room, February 4, 2025.
On Tulsi Gabbard’s Nomination:
Sciutto asked, “You voted against her, calling her ‘a national security risk.’ Why?”
Heinrich said, “One, there’s the issue of whether she’s qualified, but much more weighing on my mind than that is the issue of judgment. And if you look at some of her actions, especially her travel in the Middle East — with her background — when we travel to places like that, as members of Congress, we go with the State Department. Every meeting is carefully vetted. That is not what this was.”
Heinrich continued, “She met with the Grand Mufti of Syria who had threatened suicide bombers against the United States. She met with Bashar al-Assad. My goodness, I can’t imagine a more off script foreign policy trip. And if that’s how you roll, and you’re going to be in charge of coordinating all of these intelligence agencies, and you don’t accept the information that comes from those agencies on a regular basis, it just makes no sense.”
On Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s Nomination:
Heinrich stated, “I’m actually kind of a health food person and some of the things that RFK Jr. has said in the past, on the front of high-quality food, I can relate to. But the science of this vaccination denial is not only unscientific and irresponsible, it makes every mother who’s got an autistic kid question everything she ever did. It’s deeply irresponsible.”
On the Israel-Gaza Conflict:
Sciutto asked, “Earlier today, Trump said that he would like to see the Palestinian people leave Gaza and go to Jordan or Egypt. We should note, the leaders of Jordan and Egypt said they have no interest in doing so. What would that mean to you? Does that sound to you like the forced migration of people away from their home? Is that something that American presidents should be advocating for?”
Heinrich said, “I don’t think it’s our role to take people from land that they’ve inhabited and tell them what their future should be. I think our role should be trying to encourage a future for the Israelis that creates security for them, for the Palestinians that create some sovereignty and reconstruction and a life that’s not under a terrorist organization. You know, this is a President who says outrageous things because he thinks it always will result in the deal. I’m not sure that works as well in the Middle East.”
On President Trump Breaking Constitutional Norms and the Law:
Heinrich said, “I think the thing that bothers me the most is that when you are willing to break the fundamentals of the Constitution, the fundamentals of law, like the Impoundment Act of 1974 and say that Congress doesn’t matter, and go into USAID or Treasury and start turning off the switches to individual programs, then you can do that to American citizens. If you can get away with that, if you can say, I’m going to turn off this USAID program. You can say this person is not going to get their Social Security.”
On Republican Colleagues Failing to Stand Up to President Trump and Elon Musk:
Heinrich said, “They’re not willing. They’re scared. The amount of pressure that this administration has been able to put on members of Congress, and up till now, we’re just not seeing a lot of profiles in courage.”
Heinrich continued, “Our constitutional principles are being tested. There’s going to be a role for the courts in that battle. There’s going to be a role for Congress in that battle, and there’s going to be a role for the American people.”
“No one voted to have Elon Musk in charge of their personal data. No one voted to have him ransacking federal agencies that many of my constituents rely on for various things. That is where I think we need to really draw a contrast that, at least for my constituents, they voted for lower gas prices, they voted for cheaper eggs. They did not vote for this chaos,” Heinrich concluded.
Policy fine-tuning in real estate may be necessary in 2025 for China to more effectively address debt risks facing developers, a crucial link in ensuring a steady economic recovery and preventing systemic financial risks, economists and analysts said.
Possible measures include launching a systematic policy plan that details the roadmap for risk disposal, supports debt restructuring of qualified real estate enterprises and optimizes housing delivery efforts, they said.
“To resolve real estate market risks, it is necessary to gradually shift from simply safeguarding housing project deliveries to fully supporting qualified enterprises,” said Zhang Ming, deputy director of the Institute of Finance and Banking at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.
Zhang said a “one company, one policy” risk resolution approach is necessary as some real estate enterprises have faced difficulties in getting finance and transferring funds across projects and regions, hampering the sustainable development of the property market.
For responsible, law-abiding developers, Zhang suggested taking a combination of measures to extend their debt maturities, reduce repayment obligations and enhance their capital via debt-to-equity swaps or new investments.
For the tiny proportion of smaller developers involved in illegal operations, bankruptcy liquidation in line with legal regulations is needed, said Zhang.
The Central Economic Work Conference in December decided to take the real estate sector as a crucial link in effectively preventing and defusing risks, calling for reversing the downturn of and stabilizing the property market.
China Real Estate Information Corp (CRIC) said capital market debt maturities of Chinese property developers are projected to reach 525.7 billion yuan ($72.5 billion) in 2025, 8.9 percent up from 2024. CRIC predicts that the third quarter will be a peak of debt repayments with maturities worth about 157.4 billion yuan.
Echoing Zhang’s views, a China Index Academy report suggested a systematic risk resolution plan for property developers, with efforts so far having primarily focused on safeguarding real estate projects.
“A comprehensive plan aimed at addressing risks facing developers should be established, detailing methods, principles, supportive policy measures and coordination mechanisms for risk disposal.”
To ensure that presold real estate projects have access to necessary funding, China introduced a real estate financing coordination mechanism last year.
Via the mechanism, Chinese banks had approved 5.6 trillion yuan worth of loans to property projects as of Jan 22, financing the delivery of 14 million homes, the National Financial Regulatory Administration said.
However, the total financing of 65 typical Chinese real estate enterprises in 2024 was 462.9 billion yuan, down 31 percent from 2023, according to CRIC.
Shi Lulu, director of Asia-Pacific corporate ratings at Fitch Ratings, said higher debt maturities, weakening sales, declining margins and reduced cash generation may continue in 2025 for many Chinese homebuilders.
The risk of sales failing to stabilize remains a key factor behind the negative ratings outlook or watch of some of Fitch’s rated Chinese homebuilder issuers, Shi said, though it is expected that the magnitude of negative rating actions will abate as State-owned developers have maintained access to the onshore bond market.
“The most critical debt chain in the real estate sector lies between developers and homebuyers, rather than developers and banks or developers and foreign bond investors,” said Lu Ting, chief China economist at Nomura.
Stressing the importance of rebuilding homebuyer confidence by ensuring that they will receive the homes they paid for, Lu said this does not always mean completing every building and requires active efforts by government departments.
ENDING U.S. SUPPORT FOR RADICAL ANTI-AMERICAN UN ORGANIZATIONS: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order withdrawing the United States from the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) and prohibiting any future funding for the UN Relief and Works Agency for the Near East (UNRWA).
The Executive Order also requires the Secretary of State to review and report to the President on which international organizations, conventions, or treaties promote radical or anti-American sentiment.
The UN Educational, Science, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), in particular, will undergo a review under an expedited timeline due to its history of anti-Israel bias.
The Executive Order will prohibit the United States from providing any additional funding to UNRWA, which has consistently shown itself to be anti-Semitic and anti-Israel, as evidenced by the number of its staff members who took part in the horrific October 7th terrorist attacks against Israel.
UNRWA facilities have repeatedly been used by Hamas and other terrorist groups to store weapons and build tunnels.
STANDING UP FOR HUMAN RIGHTS: The UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) has not fulfilled its purpose and continues to be used as a protective body for countries committing horrific human rights violations.
The UNHRC has demonstrated consistent bias against Israel, focusing on it unfairly and disproportionately in council proceedings.
In 2018, the year President Trump withdrew from the UNHRC in his first administration, the organization passed more resolutions condemning Israel than Syria, Iran, and North Korea combined.
BUILDING ON PAST SUCCESS: During his first administration, President Trump stopped funding the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) and withdrew the United States from the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) and the UN Educational, Science and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
President Trump in 2017: “The United Nations must reform if it is to be an effective partner in confronting threats to sovereignty, security, and prosperity.”
After the U.S. withdrew from UNESCO, the organization took steps to improve its relationship with Israel.
President Trump successfully stopped U.S. funding to UNRWA during his first administration. The Biden Administration initially resumed funding until being forced to confront UNRWA’s corruption after the October 7th attacks, and President Trump is once again taking action to stand up for human rights by withdrawing the United States from this corrupt organization for good.
New York | London | Berlin | Tokyo — February 5, 2025 — Sony Group Corporation (Sony) and Nature are proud to announce the inaugural recipients of the Sony Women in Technology Award with Nature, honoring outstanding early to mid-career women researchers who are spearheading breakthroughs for the betterment of society and the planet in the field of technology (science, engineering, and mathematics).
Chinese scientists have developed a new artificial intelligence (AI) method to forecast the rapid intensification of a tropical cyclone, shedding new light on improving global disaster preparedness. Recently, researchers from the Institute of Oceanology at the Chinese Academy of Sciences published this study in the journal, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The rapid intensification of a tropical cyclone, which refers to a dramatic increase in the intensity of a tropical storm over a short period, remains one of the most challenging weather phenomena to forecast because of its unpredictable and destructive nature. According to the study, traditional forecasting methods, such as numerical weather prediction and statistical approaches, often fail to consider the complex environmental and structural factors driving rapid intensification. While AI has been explored to improve rapid intensification prediction, most AI techniques have struggled with high false alarm rates and limited reliability. To address this issue, the researchers have developed a new AI model that combines satellite, atmospheric and oceanic data. When tested on data from the tropical cyclone periods in the Northwest Pacific between 2020 and 2021, the new method achieved an accuracy of 92.3 percent and reduced false alarms to 8.9 percent. The new method improved accuracy by nearly 12 percent compared to existing techniques and boasted a 3-times reduction in false alarms, representing a significant advancement in forecasting, said the study. “This study addresses the challenges of low accuracy and high false alarm rates in rapid intensification forecasting,” said Li Xiaofeng, the study’s corresponding author. “Our method enhances understanding of these extreme events and supports better defenses against their devastating impacts,” Li added.
China’s sci-tech museums have received more than 3 million visits during the 2025 Spring Festival holiday, according to the China Science and Technology Museum (CSTM) on Tuesday. The Beijing-based CSTM said that it has guided the public to explore the scientific elements of Spring Festival customs. During the holiday, the museum welcomed more than 150,000 visits, of whom over 90 percent came from outside the capital city. Sci-tech museums across the country have launched various Spring Festival-themed science exhibitions, integrating Chinese zodiac culture, intangible cultural heritage techniques and cutting-edge technologies. East China’s Fujian Science and Technology Museum is holding an exhibition on the “wisdom of the snake,” allowing visitors to learn about snake biology. In another sci-tech museum in south China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, a humanoid robot interacts with audiences, showcasing the latest progress in China’s robotics technology. The CSTM said that it will lead the country’s sci-tech museums to continue innovating forms of science popularization in 2025.
Some 75 highly skilled science staff at Callaghan Innovation are being left high and dry and without a job by the Government’s decision to axe funding for Callaghan Innovation in June it has been revealed today.
TheNZ Herald has reportedthat new Science Minister Shane Reti wrote to Callaghan Innovation last month saying funding will end in June and detailing the transfer of functions to other existing agencies following the recent science system restructure.
Callaghan Innovation is being scrapped under plans to merge other agencies into three new Public Research Organisations (PRO) over the next 12 – 18 months, alongside the establishment of a fourth, new PRO looking at Advanced Technology. But at least 75 science and research staff at Callaghan risk being lost to the science system.
“The Minister should order MBIE to immediately set up a process to retain these specialist scientists until the fourth PRO focused on their skills is set up or they will be lost to countries overseas which value science,” said Fleur Fitzsimons Acting National Secretary for the Public Service Association for Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi.
“There are people working in medical technology, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and other areas of technology which are of great value to New Zealand.”
The Government announced last month it will set up a new Advanced Technology Public Research Organisation, focused on the same areas of science, but this will not be established until next year.
“The Government risks no-one being able to do this job and be forced to recruit offshore,” said Fitzsimons. “So much for science growing the economy that it talks about. It’s astonishing that the Government is pressing ahead with closure without a plan for these dedicated science staff.
PSA delegate and Callaghan Innovation scientist Ben Wyle van Eerd said; “We’re not even being given the chance to apply for a position – it’s so upsetting given all we have done for science. It just feels like the Government is saying there’s no future here in New Zealand for me or my colleagues.”
Fleur Fitzsimons said the new Ministers appeared not to have read the advice of the Science System Advisory Group which recommended that ‘actions will be needed at multiple levels to develop and retain a high calibre workforce of researchers, scientists, innovators and entrepreneurs’
“This will be a brain drain of the Government’s own making – how can the Government expect these people to hang around with no income waiting for the new research organisation to be set up?
“The PSA calls on new Minister Shane Reti to do what was recommended and retain this highly skilled workforce before lasting damage is done to our science system by losing this talented workforce.”
The Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahiis Aotearoa New Zealand’s largest trade union, representing and supporting more than 95,000 workers across central government, state-owned enterprises, local councils, health boards and community groups.
Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Cory Booker
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) and U.S. Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-03) introduced the Expanded Food Safety Investigation Act (EFSIA), legislation that would grant the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) the authority to collect microbial samples from concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs), also known as factory farms, during outbreaks or when there is a public health need.
Factory farming is at the heart of the spread of bird flu. The reintroduction of this legislation comes as public health experts raise alarms about the ongoing threat of H5N1, avian influenza, as variations continue to mutate, and in addition to persistent foodborne illness risks.
The CDC reports that 1 in 6 Americans suffer from foodborne illnesses annually, resulting in 128,000 hospitalizations and 3,000 deaths. Many of these illnesses stem from bacteria and other microbes originating in animal agriculture. Over 55 percent of foodborne Salmonella cases are linked to animals and animal products. Harmful bacteria from animal production facilities also contaminate fields of produce, further endangering consumers.
Despite these clear threats, public health agencies currently lack the authority to conduct microbial sampling on factory farms, limiting their ability to investigate and prevent outbreaks. Investigators are frequently denied access to farms, obstructing efforts to pinpoint the source of outbreaks and implement safeguards.
“Every year, thousands of Americans fall victim to foodborne illnesses,” said Senator Booker. “Currently, the FDA lacks the jurisdiction to investigate outbreaks and identify the sources of contaminated food stemming from animal agriculture. This bicameral legislation will reduce the prevalence of foodborne diseases by empowering the FDA and other public health agencies to properly respond to and investigate outbreaks when they happen and get contaminated food off our grocery shelves.”
“It is clear that corporate consolidation has made our food system more vulnerable—not only to foodborne illness but also to emerging public health threats like H5N1,” said Representative DeLauro. “This crisis is exacerbated by a weak FDA, which lacks the authority to properly investigate outbreaks and remove contaminated food from the market. Under current law, multinational corporations can obstruct FDA foodborne illness investigations, delaying critical public health interventions. That cannot continue. That is why I am reintroducing the Expanded Food Safety Investigation Act, which will ensure FDA has the power to investigate corporate agribusinesses, respond effectively to public health threats, and protect American consumers.”
“The Expanded Food Safety Act would close a critical gap in our public health safety net by allowing outbreak investigators a chance to trace the source of outbreaks on large animal farms,” said Sarah Sorscher, Director of Regulatory Affairs at Center for Science in the Public Interest. “This common sense safeguard is long overdue and can help provide solutions to stop outbreaks at their source.”
The legislation is endorsed by American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), Animal Rights Initiative, Antibiotic Resistance Action Center at The George Washington University, Associated Humane Societies, Center for Biological Diversity, Center for Food Safety, Center for Science in the Public Interest, Ceres Community Project, Chilis on Wheels, Compassionate Action for Animals, Consumer Federation of America, Consumer Reports, Earthjustice, Environmental Working Group, Farm Forward, Farm Sanctuary, Food and Water Watch, Food Animal Concerns Trust, Friends of the Earth, Godspeed Horse Hostel Inc, Government Accountability Project, Iowa Environmental Council, KWT Consulting, Mercy For Animals, National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, Natural Resources Defense Council, Mercy For Animals, PIRG, San Francisco Bay Physicians for Social Responsibility, Slow Food USA, STOP Foodborne Illness, Strategies for Ethical & Environmental Development (SEED), Texas Humane Legislation Network, Vegan Activist Alliance, and World Animal Protection.
Elections for the Teaching Council are now open. Seven of the 13 Governing Council members are elected by the profession during elections held every three years. Election voting opens on Wednesday 5 February 2025.
PPTA Te Wehengarua encourages members to vote in these elections and we support members stepping up to these positions. Four PPTA Te Wehengarua members are putting themselves forward to be the secondary teachers’ representative.
Ava Asby
Science and Chemistry teacher, Western Heights High School, Rotorua
Profile statement:
I am a dedicated educator driven to help secondary students reach their fullest potential in New Zealand’s education system. Since arriving in NZ over 20 years ago, I have become a fully qualified and experienced science teacher in Rotorua, committed to fostering lifelong learning. If elected, I will prioritize policies that empower middle management to lead effectively, enhancing team communication and collaboration to improve student outcomes, particularly in applied sciences. My goal is to link modern, relevant science education with everyday experiences, preparing students for today’s job market. I am also passionate about advancing teacher training policies, supporting high-quality classroom management, and efficient resource planning across schools to ensure the best educational experience possible. Let’s work together to make meaningful, positive changes for our students and educators.
Simon Curnow
Curriculum Leader Languages at Marlborough Girls’ College, Blenheim
Profile statement:
Kia ora koutou, no Kernowek oku tipuna. I would like to use this position to advocate for a reduction in fees for Teacher Registration. There must be creative ways for doing this through the Ministry of Education and School Boards. If budgeted for, the real costs for the average school would not be prohibitive on a yearly basis. A simplification of the Standards for the Teaching Profession and the Educational Leadership Capability Framework is needed. Too often these documents are used in a pedantic manner to create a rod for hard-working teachers’ backs. Accountability needs to go both ways – bottom up as well as top down. The Teacher’s Council should work, in conjunction with NZQA, to attract teachers from different parts of the world to the profession. Recognition of overseas qualifications needs to be re-examined and expanded.
Species fall swiftly and silently to extinction. The language of bird-song collapses. For many peoples, and for many species, apocalypse is past tense.
For climate risk researchers Laurie Laybourn and James Dyke, politics illustrates a doom loop, a political diving-towards apocalypse.
Artists in this year’s Sydney Festival imagine exit strategies from this doom loop – and dream of taking root in its post-apocalyptic rubble.
Anito
Phasmahammer is the alter-ego and ongoing creative project of artist Justin Talplacido Shoulder. Anito is the latest in a series of their theatre-scale works that blend live performance with mythology, story-telling, costume and ceremony.
We begin in the cavernous Carriageworks foyer with a living miniature fig tree.
Damun (as it is known in the Gadigal language), Ficus rubingosa (Latin), the Port Jackson fig, is known for establishing itself insurgently in the pavements and gutters of the city’s colonial (apocalyptic) architecture.
Here, the bonsai sits like a welcome party, stifled and vibrant in its little pot.
In an introductory speech, Shoulder’s collaborator Matthew Stegh acknowledges the city of Sydney as “a theatre and a prison” – tripling in reference to both the experience of producing theatre for institutions, and the stunted experience of our little fig.
Anito blends live performance with mythology, story-telling, costume and ceremony. Sarah Walker/Sydney Festival
He pays homage to the ecological and cosmological traditions of Gadigal Country, and to the ancestral Philippines of Shoulder. In the next breath Stegh shifts his homage to Sydney’s histories of queer and counter-cultural performance, to sex workers, strippers, clowns, club kids and drag queens.
He offers reflections on apocalypse and ruin, referring to the “cultish suicide pact” of white supremacy, capitalism, imperialism and colonialism – to doom loops.
We are led into the auditorium, where Shoulder and fellow performer Eugene Choi animate a series of hallucinatory images.
Using their bodies, costume pieces, puppetry and inflatable set design, they work with immaculate sound (Corin Ileto) and lighting (Fausto Brusamolino).
A ghostly hologram of the buttress of a great tree fills the stage. Metallic roots writhe at its foundation. Shoulder and Choi emerge, and from there, eruptions: the first man and woman, a pair of thunder-lizards, bickering, a quadruped. A scale-bending colonial ghost smothered in lace searches tragically for something among planetary ruins. A stony reef of polyps and anemones blooms and dances. A single clap by three pairs of hands. The Big Bang.
It is often hard to discern exactly how the images are performed. They are both magic and bewildering. Liz Ham/Sydney Festival
By design, it is often hard to discern exactly how these images are performed. They are both magic and bewildering.
For philosopher Ben Ware, thinking about the horizon of the extinction of all biological life on Earth poses a paradoxical opportunity. The only thing that can thwart the end of this world – “a world of converging and multiplying catastrophes” – is the recognition that the politics of this time have one outcome: “the slow unravelling of intimately entangled forms of life”.
The fantasy theatre of Anito makes those intimate entanglements visual. We must begin from understanding that the way the world is organised produces its own end.
Like Shoulder, artist communities of the Pacific know this intimately.
Re-Stor(y)ing Oceania
Re-Stor(y)ing Oceania is an exhibition led by artists of the South Pacific Ocean.
Originally conceived for the Venice Biennale, and curated by Taloi Havini, the exhibition comprises two commissions by Elisapeta Hinemoa Heta and Latai Taumoepeau.
This is a space for conversation, performance, song and activism. Giacomo Cosua/Sydney Festival
The rooms of a freshly-renovated Artspace in Woolloomooloo are transformed by Heta’s architectural interventions. In one, a mass of bricks creates an altar-like structure, on which bowls of coconut milk sit in concentric circles. In another, pavers form a platform for a circle of seats. They function as stages or gathering places for conversation, performance, song and activism.
Within these happenings, Havini and her artists speak to the narrative and politics that have produced and compounded catastrophe in the South Pacific.
Taumoepeau’s interactive installation Deep Communion sung in minor (ArchipelaGO, THIS IS NOT A DRILL) requires visitors to row on standing-paddle-board-like treadmills, which activate immersive songs sung by Taumoepeau and her collaborators.
The physical exacerbation and the ecological trauma on the screens coalesce in our bodies. Giacomo Cosua/Sydney Festival
In conversation with Heta’s installation, these songs rise and fall, the edges of the artworks and activations become blurry. Visitors paddle towards projections visualising the rubble of marine-ecological wastelands produced by regional deep-sea extraction.
The physical exacerbation and the ecological trauma on the screens coalesce in our bodies. To drop the oar enacts the fading of the song from the speakers. We are left with reflections of the connections between bodies and calamity, and the labour of working towards futures beyond ruin.
Plant a Promise
Henrietta Baird’s Plant a Promise, like Anito and Re-Stor(y)ing Oceania, is a performance with blurry edges. Its roots spread out of Bangarra’s Studio Theatre to incorporate installation, in-situ yarns (storytelling and conversation) and tree-planting projects across the city.
Inside the theatre, three contemporary dancers animate recorded stories of Indigenous experiences of bushfires beside frustrations with the surrounding political footballing. The sentiment is clear: less talk, more action.
Plant a Promise beckons audiences into attentiveness to the lives of trees, fire and people. Stephen Wilson Barker/Sydney Festival
At its finale, audience members are invited to the stage to collaborate in the transformation of the set. We are led to take handfuls of verdant eucalyptus and acacia leaves and implant them into large woven columns that have functioned theatrically as abstracted tree-forms. The stage is transformed into a forest of our making together.
Through its many stories, Plant a Promise beckons audiences into attentiveness to the lives of trees, fire and people.
In the shadows of catastrophe, the roots of Indigenous knowledge systems and environmental science cross-pollinate to share and enact care for Country.
The stage is transformed into a forest of our making together. Stephen Wilson Barker/Sydney Festival
Generously, we receive a gift as we exit the theatre. The exchange of a native sapling invites us into casual conversation – into reflections on Country, and how we might, all of us, commit to it.
Again, we begin, from the recognition of an end. More rubble. More roots.
Putricia
At the time of writing, Sydneysiders are enamoured with the life of another plant, gathered around livestreams and making excited trips to the city’s Botanic Gardens.
Putricia, the resident titan arum, or corpse flower (Amorphophallus titanium), has thrown her immense flower spike into the air. She has commenced her slow strip-tease after a week of tantalising her admirers.
In a few weeks we have become attentive to her story of life and renewal. She will likely have bloomed, wilted and returned to the soil before this text goes live.
Performances like Putricia’s blooming, Anito, Re-Stor(y)ing Oceania and Plant a Promise offer new vantage points from which to understand ourselves in relation to the natural world, and to glimpse myriad alternatives to what feels like a diving towards our own demise.
Performances of aliveness beside and within the ecologies we inhabit move us beyond what Ben Ware sees as a naïve sense of “hope”. Instead, these stories make material, make cultural, make real, the impossible task of imagining what comes next.
Amid the smell of rotting corpses, the pillowy puppetry of a theatrical coral spawning event, the planting of a forest or the singing of invocations for the protection of the planet’s oceans, we might yet find ourselves. This is not a drill.
Blake Lawrence 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.
Many people looking to improve their health try to boost fibre intake by eating more vegetables.
But while all veggies offer health benefits, not all are particularly high in fibre. You can eat loads of salads and vegetables and still fall short of your recommended daily fibre intake.
So, which vegetables pack the biggest fibre punch? Here’s what you need to know.
What is fibre and how much am I supposed to be getting?
Fibre, or dietary fibre, refers to the parts of plant foods that our bodies cannot digest or absorb.
It passes mostly unchanged through our stomach and intestines, then gets removed from the body through our stool.
There are two types of fibre which have different functions and health benefits: soluble and insoluble.
Soluble fibre dissolves in water and can help lower blood cholesterol levels. Food sources include fruit, vegetables and legumes.
Insoluble fibre adds bulk to the stool which helps move food through the bowels. Food sources include nuts, seeds and wholegrains.
Both types are beneficial.
Australia’s healthy eating guidelines recommend women consume 25 grams of fibre a day and men consume 30 grams a day.
However, research shows most people do not eat enough fibre. Most adults get about 21 grams a day.
4 big reasons to increase fibre
Boosting fibre intake is a manageable and effective way to improve your overall health.
Making small changes to eat more fibrous vegetables can lead to:
1. Better digestion
Fibre helps maintain regular bowel movements and can alleviate constipation.
2. Better heart health
Increasing soluble fibre (by eating foods such as fruit and vegetables) can help lower cholesterol levels, which can reduce your risk of heart disease.
3. Weight management
High-fibre foods are filling, which can help people feel fuller for longer and prevent overeating.
Recent research published in prestigious medical journal The Lancet provided some eye-opening stats on why fibre matters.
The researchers, who combined evidence from clinical trials, found people who ate 25–29 grams of fibre per day had a 15–30% lower risk of life-threatening conditions like heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes compared to those who consumed fewer than 15 grams of fibre per day.
Vegetables are excellent sources of both soluble and insoluble fibre, along with essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
The following veggies are some of the highest in fibre:
green peas
avocado
artichokes
parsnips
brussels sprouts
kale
sweet potatoes
beetroot
carrots
broccoli
pumpkin
Which vegetables are low in fibre?
Comparatively lower fibre veggies include:
asparagus
spinach (raw)
cauliflower
mushrooms
capsicum
tomato
lettuce
cucumber
These vegetables have lots of health benefits. But if meeting a fibre goal is your aim then don’t forget to complement these veggies with other higher-fibre ones, too.
Vegetables are excellent sources of both soluble and insoluble fibre – but some have more fibre than others. anna.q/Shutterstock
Does it matter how I prepare or cook the vegetables?
Yes.
The way we prepare vegetables can impact their fibre content, as cooking can cause structural changes in the dietary fibre components.
Some research has shown pressure cooking reduces fibre levels more greatly than roasting or microwave cooking.
For optimal health, it’s important to include a mix of both cooked and raw vegetables in your diet.
It’s worth noting that juicing removes most of the fibre from vegetables, leaving mostly sugars and water.
For improved fibre intake, it’s better to eat whole vegetables rather than relying on juices.
What about other, non-vegetable sources of fibre?
To meet your fibre recommendations each day, you can chose from a variety of fibre-rich foods (not only vegetables) including:
legumes and pulses (such as kidney beans and chickpeas)
wholegrain flour and bread
fruits
wholegrains (such oats, brown rice, quinoa, barley)
nuts and seeds (such as flaxseeds and chia seeds)
A fibre-rich day that meets a recommended 30 grams would include:
breakfast: 1⁄2 cup of rolled oats with milk and 1⁄2 cup of berries = about 6 grams of fibre
snack: one banana = about 2 grams
lunch: two cups of salad vegetables, 1⁄2 cup of four-bean mix, and canned tuna = about 9 grams
snack: 30 grams of almonds = about 3 grams
dinner: 1.5 cups of stir-fried vegetables with tofu or chicken, one cup of cooked brown rice = about 10 grams
supper: 1⁄2 a punnet of strawberries with some yoghurt = about 3 grams.
Bringing it all together
Vegetables are a key part of a healthy, balanced diet, packed with fibre that supports digestion, blood glucose control, weight management, and reduces risk of chronic disease.
However, the nutritional value of them can vary depending on the type and the cooking method used.
By understanding the fibre content in different veggies and how preparation methods affect it, we can make informed dietary choices to improve our overall health.
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.
Emily Burch does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Cutting-edge trial featured robotic canines defusing bombs. This new technology is set to reduce risk to personnel working on bomb disposals.
Image of bomb disposal robot.
Robot dogs that can defuse explosives are set to revolutionise bomb disposal operations and significantly reduce the risk to military personnel, whether operating in the UK or overseas.
A new live trial led by Ministry of Defence scientists has seen advanced robotic systems, including robot dogs, successfully detecting, and defusing bomb threats.
The Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) trials took place over four days and included:
Remote classification and identification of threats using sensors on robots;
Defusing of bombs from a robot dog;
Drones with AI autonomous threat and people detection;
And robots conducting tasks such as opening doors and climbing stairs.
The trial supports key components of the UK Government’s Plan for Change, safeguarding national security whilst rapidly advancing new technologies – showing defence as an engine for growth.
Dstl worked alongside British and international industry, L3Harris, Marlborough Communications Ltd and AeroVironment (Tomahawk Robotics) on the trials which showed that they could enhance Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) capability by:
Reducing the need to put a bomb disposal operator in harm’s way by increasing the number of tasks that robots can perform remotely;
Improving the effectiveness of robots, reducing the burden to the operator, allowing delicate and precision movements to be completed reliably;
Using drones equipped with AI to identify threats and monitor safety cordons, increasing the pace of operations and reducing disruption to the public.
The trials involved a series of scenarios, where the robot was asked to perform various tasks including opening and closing doors autonomously, navigating stairs, inspecting improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and consequently firing disruptors at the IEDs to render them safe.
These innovations will transform EOD operations by minimising the human exposure to danger, improving operational efficiency and maintaining public safety.
Minister for Defence Procurement and Industry, Maria Eagle, said:
This advanced technology demonstrates our commitment to protecting the military personnel who keep our nation safe, at home and abroad.
By working with industry and combining cutting-edge robotics with existing expertise, we’re ensuring our bomb disposal teams have the best possible tools to carry out their vital work safely and effectively.
These advancements help the government deliver our Plan for Change and ensure defence is an engine for growth – protecting our national security while supporting rapidly evolving technologies.
Bomb disposal operators praised the technology demonstrated in the trial and provided beneficial feedback to shape the next phase of Dstl investment in robotics for the bomb disposal community. Dstl will use this feedback to continue to develop and enhance technology that provides increased security for the nation.
Chief Science and Technology Officer, Dstl, Prof Andy Bell, said:
This is a great example of how Defence can achieve an advantage through the exploitation of technology, fusing together military and commercial systems to keep our people and country safe from deadly threats.
Working in partnership with industry and academia, Dstl is delivering mission success through science and technology advantage.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
BEIJING, Feb. 4 — China’s sci-tech museums have received more than 3 million visits during the 2025 Spring Festival holiday, according to the China Science and Technology Museum (CSTM) on Tuesday.
The Beijing-based CSTM said that it has guided the public to explore the scientific elements of Spring Festival customs. During the holiday, the museum welcomed more than 150,000 visits, of whom over 90 percent came from outside the capital city.
Sci-tech museums across the country have launched various Spring Festival-themed science exhibitions, integrating Chinese zodiac culture, intangible cultural heritage techniques and cutting-edge technologies.
East China’s Fujian Science and Technology Museum is holding an exhibition on the “wisdom of the snake,” allowing visitors to learn about snake biology. In another sci-tech museum in south China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, a humanoid robot interacts with audiences, showcasing the latest progress in China’s robotics technology.
The CSTM said that it will lead the country’s sci-tech museums to continue innovating forms of science popularization in 2025.
Source: United States Senator for Washington Maria Cantwell
02.04.25
Cantwell Votes NO On Advancing RFK Jr.’s Nomination for HHS Secretary
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, at a meeting of the Senate Committee on Finance, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) voted no on advancing the nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President Trump’s nominee to serve as Secretary of Health and Human Services.
“I wanted to vote for Mr. Kennedy in the context of my family’s history. My dad stood behind his father the night his father gave the famous speech. I told him in my office, in my family, the Kennedy’s stood up. But when he answered Senator Cassidy’s question, and he couldn’t even give him the answer — that yes, the data is there to support vaccines today — I don’t need any more data, all of a sudden.”
Sen. Cantwell continued: “I need someone at HHS who is going to say, we are going to be a leader in medical technology, science, vaccines, we are going to fight foreign powers, we are going to be there to provide global health. And I don’t want a recalcitrant. I need a leader. And that is why I’m voting no,” said Sen. Cantwell.
The speech Sen. Cantwell referenced was on the night of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination on April 4, 1968, when Sen. Robert F. Kennedy Sr. spoke in Indianapolis and delivered the tragic news to attendees. Her father, Paul Cantwell, was standing just behind the late Senator during that speech. Today, the Kennedy-King National Commemorative Site near the site of the speech honors both Dr. King and Sen. Kennedy.
Last week, Sen. Cantwell grilled Robert F. Kennedy Jr. during his nomination hearing before the Senate Finance Committee on his anti-science and anti-vaccine views, and his promise to cut 600 employees from the National Institutes of Health:
“I represent a very big innovation state – innovation in health care, specifically. Innovation like NIH funding to the Fred Hutch Cancer Center that helped develop the HPV vaccine, which has the potential to eliminate over 95% of cervical cancer. NIH also funds a lot of jobs and grants – nearly 11,000 people in the State of Washington and over $1.2 billion worth grants,” Sen. Cantwell said last week during the nomination hearing. “I definitely am troubled by the medical research side of innovation, and some of the things that you have said. In fact, this issue about laying off 600 employees at NIH.”
Video of Sen. Cantwell’s Q&A with RFK Jr. during last week’s nomination hearing is available HERE; audio is HERE; and a transcript of Sen. Cantwell’s questioning is available HERE. Our full press release on the nomination hearing is available HERE.
For decades, Sen. Cantwell has remained a staunch supporter of medical innovation and evidence-based science, including treatments for fentanyl addiction, abortion, vaccinations, stem cell research, and more.
Video of Sen. Cantwell’s remarks during today’s Finance Committee markup is available HERE, audio HERE, and transcript HERE.
Women Go Tech published results from a Google.org and OSCE-backed study on the challenges and disparities facing women at all levels of the tech sector. Over 40 experts and 5,000 women provided insight into how the situation can be improved, mostly through public policy and private development.
February 5, Vilnius–Lithuania. Women Go Tech, a Lithuanian NGO focused on empowering women in tech, recently released a new study highlighting the challenges women in Central and Eastern Europe face during their career progression in the tech industry, and presenting strategies to empower women in tech.
The study, “Building the Future Power Hub for Women in Tech,” surveyed 5,475 women across 13 countries, with support from Google.org and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). The results revealed which countries are most ready to enable women in tech: Bulgaria, Lithuania, Romania, and Latvia. On the other hand, Slovakian, Czech, and Croatian women are experiencing the most barriers to enter the industry.
“After women shared their experiences, they were analyzed by more than 40 experts, outlining solutions to shift the tech industry landscape to help women succeed faster, in CEE and around the world,” Žydrūnė Vitaitė, co-founder of Women Go Tech, shared.
In the study, respondents from all CEE countries agreed that ageism, negative stereotypes about women’s abilities, and education bias were all factors holding women back or discouraging them from pursuing careers in tech. Women also reported poor work-life balance and low representation in leadership roles as influencing their career decisions, as well as fewer opportunities to learn about tech compared to men.
Specifically in Slovakia, Czechia, Croatia, Slovenia, Hungary, Poland, Austria, Estonia, and Latvia, women also believe it is harder for them to succeed in the tech sector than for men. Croatian and Slovenian women are still facing the strongest stereotypes regarding female incapacity to work in the tech sector.
“Although women in the tech sector today face several challenges, this study also explains where the tech industry can improve and how it can attract more female talent,” noted Žydrūnė. “We need to create a robust environment where women feel supported and empowered not only by the government but also by their peers and other women. A more gender-balanced company will understand and serve the diverse demands of its users and clients, resulting in better products and services. This in turn will help unlock the CEE’s potential to become a global leader in tech innovation.”
Bulgaria, for instance, boasts one of the highest rates of women in tech and science in all of Europe, and respondents in the WGT study recognized opportunities for upskilling as well as equal access to education and jobs. The country’s tech sector grew by 12% in 2023 and has witnessed steady growth over the past 15 years and is one of Europe’s most dynamic tech hubs.
According to a 2023 McKinsey study of 1,265 companies in 23 countries, those companies performing in the top quartile of gender representation had a 39% better chance of financial outperformance versus their peers in the bottom quartile. The same held true for diversity on companies’ boards of directors, with a 27% greater likelihood of outperformance. Moreover, the study concluded that diverse representation will foster diverse talent and innovation.
Governmental input into mentorship programs is needed to close the gap
Better compensation is the primary motivator for women of any age or experience to enter the tech sector, despite the persistence of a pay gap. Work flexibility and work-life balance are also important incentives. Unfortunately, many women working in tech report a lack of these elements in their jobs.
“This discrepancy may be discouraging to women’s willingness to mentor and inspire others to join the industry,” said Vitaitė.
Study revealed that most women surveyed did not have a mentor while progressing through a tech sector.
Survey also revealed that to change the dynamic, policymakers should invest in mentorship and training programs tailored to women. While this is recommended on a governmental level, businesses should also prioritize mentorship programs for women, embrace diverse hiring practices, and work to increase female representation in leadership positions.
An issue that remains in the industry is equal pay, alongside the need to promote transparent equal pay policies. The study encourages hybrid and remote work options in tech. Enabling equal career progression for IT professionals is crucial as Europe faces Information and Communication Technology (ICT) skills shortage–only 12 million specialists are projected by 2030 despite EU’s target of 20 million.
“Building the Future Power Hub for Women in Tech” also included a section focusing on the barriers and biases faced by Ukrainian women in exile who are working to build professional lives within the tech sector.
About Women Go Tech
The organization “Women Go Tech” is an NGO navigating women toward careers in tech. Started as a first mentorship program for women in Lithuania in 2017, it has now expanded activities in the CEE. The organization is committed to educating 20,000 women on the use of AI tools and applications. So far, 700+ women have successfully transitioned into the IT industry with the help of the mentorship program and over 19,000 women participated in the introduction course “Discover Tech”. Having positively impacted the lives of hundreds of women and cultivated a new generation of female role models in tech, the NGO has grown from a local project into a movement with significant influence across the region. The organization is a long-term grantee of Google.org.
Source: United States Senator for Commonwealth of Virginia Mark R Warner
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, released the following statement:
“Earlier today, my office finally received a copy of the order that was sent on Friday by the acting head of the Department of Justice to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, ordering that several of the most experienced and senior officials at the Bureau be terminated.
“We need to be clear about why this matters. I am going to start by sharing a little bit about some of the individuals who were fired, and how they served our country.
“At a time when we are facing threats to the homeland from ISIS and ISIS-inspired terrorists, the president fired the Assistant Director of the Counterterrorism Division. Bobby Wells began his career as an FBI special agent in 2003, and there are Americans who are alive today because he helped catch terrorists before they had a chance to carry out their plans to attack inside the United States.
“While more than 100,000 Americans die every year due to drug overdoses, the president fired the Assistant Director of the FBI’sthe Criminal, Cyber, Response, and Services Branch, which, among other myriad responsibilities, puts criminal organizations and drug traffickers behind bars.Michael Nordwall began his career with the FBI as a special agent in 2002, and he has worked at field offices in Phoenix, Tampa, Denver, Pittsburgh, as well as at FBI headquarters, investigating some of the most dangerous criminals in the United States and making sure that they face justice.
“As we face espionage and counterintelligence threats from China, Russia, and other adversaries, the president fired the Assistant Director of the FBI’s Intelligence Branch. Ryan Young joined the FBI as a special agent in 2001, working counterintelligence cases out of Miami. In 2014, he moved to counterterrorism and established the Syria-Iraq Task Force to counter the threat from the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant, and has also worked in Dallas and Los Angeles, managing crises and counterterrorism investigations.
“While new technologies are transforming crimefighting and our national security, the president fired the Assistant Director of the Science and Technology Branch. Jacqueline Maguire joined the FBI as a special agent in 2000. Among her other notable achievements, she was the lead agent for the investigation of the five hijackers of American Airlines Flight 77 after the 9/11 terror attacks.
“As the FBI builds a workforce to manage the threats of today and tomorrow and keep adversaries like China from penetrating our secrets, the president fired the Assistant Director of the Human Resources Branch. Timothy Dunham joined the FBI as a special agent in 2002, and has overseen matters relating to counterterrorism, counterintelligence, and transnational organized crime.
“The president fired the head of the Miami field office, which oversees crimefighting in nine busy counties in South Florida, including the president’s home in Palm Beach County, as well as extraterritorial violations of American citizens in Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. Jeffrey Veltri joined the FBI as a special agent in 2002, working on matters from health care fraud to terrorism. He also deployed to Iraq, where he supported the prosecution of Saddam Hussein.
“In the memo, the acting director of the FBI was also ordered to fire the head of the Washington Field Office, one of the most important field positions in the entire FBI, with jurisdiction over federal crimes in and around Washington, D.C. David Sundberg joined the FBI in 2002 as a special agent, and, among other stops in a distinguished career, served as a leader on the FBI’s elite Hostage Rescue Team.
“These are people who have served our country, protected Americans, and put criminals behind bars. Now they have been pushed out simply for doing their jobs.
“As we deal with a myriad of threats – to our homeland, to our cyber networks, to our economic competitiveness – this blatant abuse of power is making us all less safe.”
Source: United States Senator for Louisiana Bill Cassidy
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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) spoke on the U.S. Senate floor today to detail his decision to vote for Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. to serve as U.S. Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. Cassidy delivered the speech after voting to advance Kennedy’s nomination in the U.S. Senate Finance Committee. The nomination now awaits a full vote in the U.S. Senate.
Cassidy’s speech as prepared for delivery can be found below:
Mr. President, I’d like to make a statement regarding my vote in Committee on behalf of Robert F. Kennedy to be the Secretary of HHS. First, I thank everyone who has contacted me over the last few days. Almost all have been respectful and seek the best for our country. And I’ve been contacted by text, by phone, by email. And if I did not respond to anyone, it was not to be rude. It’s just I was getting hundreds of messages a day personally and thousands through the office. And I just physically could not.
Now Mr. President, believe it or not, of these hundreds of people calling me or contacting me, however they did, many of them disagreed with each other. Diametrically, three dimensionally, they disagreed. But the unifying factor is that they all desire the best for our country, even though they differ from each other so much. And maybe that kind of frames my feelings about this nomination.
For context, before entering politics, before ever thinking running for political office, I practiced medicine for 30 years in a public hospital for the uninsured. Caring for those who otherwise would not have been able to afford the access to the care that I provided. After seeing patients die from vaccine preventable diseases, I dedicated much of my time to vaccine research and immunization programs. Personally witnessing the safety monitoring, and the effectiveness of immunization. But simply, vaccines save lives.
This is the context that informed me when considering Robert F. Kennedy Jr as the nominee to be Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services.
It was a decision I studied exhaustively. I took very seriously. As I said I would, I spoke with Mr. Kennedy not once, but multiple times over the weekend, including this morning. We had in-depth conversations about the medical literature and the science behind the safety of vaccines. He referred me to studies and people. I reviewed them and spoke to those whom he mentioned I should speak to.
Now, the most notable opponents of Mr. Kennedy were pediatricians on the front lines of our children’s health who regularly have to combat misinformation; combating vaccine skepticism with correct information—correct information that comes from their education, training and experience as physicians. They are aware of the falling vaccine rates and the inevitability of increasing hospitalizations and deaths of children from vaccine-preventable diseases. They are aware that children are now contracting diseases that they would not have contracted if the children were vaccinated.
I heard from others impassioned about the need to address chemicals in our food, and a belief that we are victims of large, impersonal forces maximizing profits while sacrificing our health. There is evidence for that. Although food safety is principally a USDA concern, I strongly agree that this is an issue society must address.
Other RFK supporters are concerned regarding environmental risk. They fear these risks are being ignored by authorities. Mr. Kennedy’s history of environmental activism motivates their support. I pointed out that the Environmental Protection Agency monitors this, not the Department of Health and Human Services but they still feel that he can make a difference.
So, as I looked how to resolve this, I returned to where I began. Would it be possible to have Mr. Kennedy collaborate in helping public health agencies re-earn the trust of the American people?
Regarding vaccines, Mr. Kennedy has been insistent that he just wants good science and to ensure safety. But on this topic, the science is good, the science is credible. Vaccines save lives. They are safe. They do not cause autism. There are multiple studies that show this. They are a crucial part of our nation’s public health response.
But as someone who has discussed immunizations with thousands of people, I do recognize that many mothers need reassurance that the vaccine their child is receiving is necessary, effective, and most of all safe.
While I am aligned with Mr. Kennedy as regards to ultra-processed foods, reforming NIH, taking on chronic disease—once more, it still leaves vaccines.
Now, Mr. Kennedy and the administration reached out seeking to reassure me regarding their commitment to protecting the public health benefit of vaccination.
To this end, Mr. Kennedy and the administration committed that he and I will have an unprecedently close collaborative working relationship if he is confirmed. We will meet or speak multiple times a month. This collaboration will allow us to work well together and therefore to be more effective.
Mr. Kennedy has asked for my input into hiring decisions at HHS, beyond Senate-confirmed positions. This aspect of our collaboration will allow us to represent all sides of those folks that were contacting me this weekend.
He has also committed that he would work within the current vaccine approval and safety monitoring systems, and not establish parallel systems. If confirmed, he will maintain the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices without changes. CDC will not remove statements on their website pointing out that vaccines do not cause autism. Mr. Kennedy and the administration also committed that this administration will not use the subversive techniques employed under the Biden administration, like sue and settle, to change policies enacted by Congress without first going through Congress.
Mr. Kennedy and the administration committed to a strong role of Congress. Aside from us meeting regularly, he will come before the Committee on a quarterly basis, if requested. He committed that the HELP Committee Chair, whether it’s me or someone else, may choose a representative on any board or commission formed to review vaccine safety.
If he is confirmed, HHS will provide a 30-day notice to the HELP Committee if the agency seeks to make changes to any of our federal vaccine safety monitoring programs, and HELP Committee will have the option to call a hearing to further review.
These commitments, and my expectation that we can have a great relationship to make America healthy again, is the basis of my support. He will be Secretary, but I believe he will also be a partner in working for this end.
If Mr. Kennedy is confirmed, I will use my authority as Chairman of the Senate Committee with oversight of HHS to rebuff any attempts to remove the public’s access to life-saving vaccines without ironclad, causational scientific evidence that can be defended before the mainstream scientific community and before Congress. I will carefully watch for any effort to wrongfully sow public fear about vaccines between confusing references of coincidence and anecdote.
But my support is built on assurances that this will not have to be a concern and that he and I can work together to build an agenda to make America healthy again.
We need a leader at HHS who will guide President Trump’s agenda to Make America Healthy Again. Based on Mr. Kennedy’s assurances on vaccines and his platform to positively influence Americans’ health, it is my consideration that he will get this done.
As I’ve said, it’s been a long, intense process. But I’ve assessed it as I would assess a patient as a physician. Ultimately, restoring trust in our public health institutions is too important and I think Mr. Kennedy can get that done. And as Chairman of the Senate committee with oversight authority of HHS, I will do my best to make sure that is what we accomplish.
I want Mr. Kennedy to succeed in making America healthy again. His success will be tied to the health of our nation. He has the opportunity to address the most pertinent issues affecting Americans’ health. We also need to reform our health institutions like FDA and NIH. Those, as already been indicated, are my priorities as Chairman of HELP Committee. I look forward to his support in accomplishing this.
If confirmed, I look forward to working together with Mr. Kennedy to achieve President Trump’s mission of improving the health of all Americans.
Question for written answer E-000327/2025/rev.1 to the Commission Rule 144 Veronika Cifrová Ostrihoňová (Renew)
Fact-checking has been shown to reduce the tendency to believe in disinformation[1], and the flagging of social media posts reduces the belief in and spread of disinformation[2].
1.What tools will the Commission use to combat the spread of disinformation if very large online platforms (VLOPs) phase out their support for fact-checking (Meta) or do not even include it in their toolbox to combat the spread of disinformation (Google)?
2.What tools does the Commission consider to be as good or more effective in the fight against disinformation?
Headline: Thales Alenia Space signs a contract with Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre to develop the Emirates Airlock Module, a critical element of Lunar Gateway
Thales Alenia Space strengthens its cooperation with the UAE as a key partner in future space missions
Cannes, February 4th, 2025 – Thales Alenia Space, a joint venture between Thales (67%) and Leonardo (33%), has signed a contract with Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC), the scientific and technological hub driving the UAE’s leadership in space services and exploration, for the design and development of the Emirates Crew and Science Airlock Module to be docked to Lunar Gateway cislunar space station.
The Airlock will allow astronauts to perform spacewalks, transfer research to and from the lunar station, and serve as an additional docking port for spacecraft vehicles. This contribution to Gateway will establish the UAE as a major player in space exploration, develop the Science Community in the UAE and prepare the next generations of scientists and engineers to support space programs.
Emirates Airlock: allowing extravehicular activities for astronauts
The Emirates Airlock will be designed to allow extravehicular activities (EVA) for astronauts, enhance Gateway operations and utilization, and offer a scientific airlock capability.
This pressurized module will provide space for the storage and maintenance of EVA suits, EVA-related tools and equipment, as well as a science airlock for transferring scientific experiments and Gateway hardware between the pressurized volume and the exterior of the cislunar space station.
The key milestones planned for 2025 are the Mission Concept Review followed by the System Requirements Review and the Preliminary Design Reviews at primary structure and, respectively, system level.
“I would like to sincerely thank the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) for putting its trust in our company”, Thales Alenia Space CEO, Hervé Derrey, said. “This new pressurized element is crucial for Lunar Gateway as it will be designed to enable extravehicular activities for astronauts in particular. We are delighted to accompany the MBRSC and the UAE bold vision in space exploration and support their commitment to international partners. This new contract emphasizes even more Thales Alenia Space’s leading positions in the fields of space transportation systems, orbital infrastructures and deep space exploration”.
“I want to express my gratitude to the MBRSC for entrusting Thales Alenia Space in the manufacturing of the Emirates crew and science airlock module dedicated to Lunar Gateway” said Giampiero Di Paolo, Deputy CEO and Senior Vice President, Observation, Exploration and Navigation at Thales Alenia Space. “This partnership is a significant milestone, reflecting the trust the UAE has placed in our expertise and commitment to advancing space exploration. The Airlock module paves the way to the UAE’s remarkable commitment to innovation and excellence in space endeavours. Our goal is to work with the space community to contribute to lunar exploration and to continuous presence on the lunar surface. In that sense, we continuously invest in new technological developments and foster innovation. Challenges like this stimulate us and our supply chain for the benefit of the whole space ecosystem”.
Our company has leveraged its longstanding experience in pressurized modules to offer a fifth module for the cislunar space station, including Lunar-View, Lunar-Link, Lunar I-Hab for ESA, HALO’s pressurized module for Northrop Grumman and now the Emirates airlock module.
About MBRSC
The Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC), established in 2006, is a leading scientific and technological hub driving the UAE’s leadership in space services and exploration. MBRSC has grown to become the incubator of the UAE National Space Programme, fostering scientific research, innovation and building a sustainable space sector in the UAE. MBRSC is committed to innovation, collaboration, and excellence in all aspects of space exploration and development.
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.
CALGARY, Alberta, Feb. 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Gibson Energy Inc. (“Gibson” or the “Company”) announced that Sean Brown has stepped down today from his role as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer.
“On behalf of the Board and leadership team, I want to thank Sean for his role in building Gibson’s strong financial foundation,” said Curtis Philippon, President & Chief Executive Officer. “Also, his contributions to date to ensure a seamless transition are appreciated and I wish him the best in his future endeavors.”
Concurrently, the Company is pleased to announce that effective immediately Riley Hicks, Senior Vice President, Corporate Development, Marketing & Strategy, will succeed Mr. Brown as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer.
“Since joining Gibson in 2018, Riley has held critical roles in several areas of the business and was the ideal choice to step into the role of Chief Financial Officer,” Mr. Philippon added. “His deep knowledge of the business and proven leadership will be instrumental in driving our financial strategy forward, delivering long-term value to shareholders and will help position Gibson for future successes.”
Riley Hicks Biography Mr. Hicks joined Gibson in 2018 and most recently held the position of Senior Vice President, Corporate Development, Marketing & Strategy. Prior to this position, Riley held various leadership roles across the finance, commercial, and marketing organizations. Before joining the Company, Riley developed a comprehensive understanding of the midstream and energy sector through experience in accounting, equity research, and corporate valuation consulting for energy clients. Riley holds a Bachelor of Science in Economics degree from Trinity College, an MBA from Northeastern University, and is a member of the Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada and Alberta (CPA).
About Gibson Gibson is a leading liquids infrastructure company with its principal businesses consisting of the storage, optimization, processing, and gathering of liquids and refined products. Headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, the Company’s operations are located across North America, with core terminal assets in Hardisty and Edmonton, Alberta, Ingleside and Wink, Texas, and a facility in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan.
Gibson shares trade under the symbol GEI and are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange. For more information, visit www.gibsonenergy.com.
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Joint statement by UNFPA Executive Director Dr. Natalia Kanem, UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell and WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on the occasion of the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation
NEW YORK/GENEVA, 6 February 2025 – Female genital mutilation is a violation of human rights that inflicts deep and lifelong physical, emotional, and psychological scars on girls and women. This harmful practice affects more than 230 million girls and women today. An estimated 27 million more girls could endure this violation of their rights and dignity by 2030 if we do not take action now.
Today, on the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation, and in response to the theme “Stepping up the pace: Strengthening alliances and building movements to end female genital mutilation”, UNFPA, UNICEF and WHO reaffirm our commitment to work together with countries and communities to end this harmful practice — once and for all.
There is hope. Many countries have seen a decline in the prevalence of female genital mutilation. We are witnessing progress in countries like Kenya and Uganda, where collaborative action and community-led initiatives are proving that by strengthening alliances and building movements, we can accelerate change.
Since the launch of the UNFPA-UNICEF Joint Programme on the Elimination of Female Genital Mutilation in 2008, and in collaboration with WHO, close to 7 million girls and women access prevention and protection services. Additionally, 48 million people have made public declarations to abandon the practice, and 220 million individuals were reached by mass media messaging on the issue. In the last two years, close to 12,000 grassroots organizations and 112,000 community and frontline workers galvanized to effect change at this critical juncture.
Yet the fragility of progress made has also become starkly evident. In the Gambia, for example, attempts to repeal the ban on female genital mutilation persist, even after an initial proposal to do so was rejected by its parliament last year. Such efforts could gravely undermine the rights, health, and dignity of future generations of girls and women, jeopardizing the tireless work over decades to change attitudes and mobilize communities.
Of the 31 countries in which data on prevalence are collected nationally, only seven countries are on track to meet the Sustainable Development Goal of ending female genital mutilation by or before 2030. The current rate of progress must accelerate urgently to meet this target.
This requires strengthened alliances among leaders, grassroots organizations, and across sectors spanning health, education, and social protection — as well as sustained advocacy and expanded social movements with girls and survivors at the centre.
It demands greater accountability at all levels to ensure commitments to human rights are upheld and policies and strategies are implemented to protect girls at risk and provide care, including justice, for survivors. It also requires increased investment in scaling up proven interventions. We are indebted to generous donors and partners who are supporting this life-changing work and call on others to join them.
We all have a role to play to ensure that every girl is protected and can live free from harm. Let’s step up the pace and act with urgency. The time to end female genital mutilation is now.
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Notes to Editors
About the UNFPA–UNICEF Joint Programme The UNFPA–UNICEF Joint Programme on the Elimination of Female Genital Mutilation: Delivering the Global Promise works to eliminate female genital mutilation through interventions in 17 countries where the practice is prevalent. The programme creates opportunities for girls and women to realize their rights in health, education, income and equality to help end the power imbalances that underpin this harmful practice.
About UNFPA UNFPA is the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency. UNFPA’s mission is to deliver a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person’s potential is fulfilled. UNFPA calls for the realization of reproductive rights for all and supports access to a wide range of sexual and reproductive health services, including voluntary family planning, quality maternal health care and comprehensive sexuality education.
About UNICEF UNICEF, the United Nations agency for children, works to protect the rights of every child, everywhere, especially the most disadvantaged children and in the toughest places to reach. Across more than 190 countries and territories, we do whatever it takes to help children survive, thrive, and fulfil their potential.
Dedicated to the well-being of all people and guided by science, the World Health Organization leads and champions global efforts to give everyone, everywhere an equal chance at a safe and healthy life. We are the UN agency for health that connects nations, partners and people on the front lines in 150+ locations – leading the world’s response to health emergencies, preventing disease, addressing the root causes of health issues and expanding access to medicines and health care. Our mission is to promote health, keep the world safe and serve the vulnerable.
For more information about WHO and its work visit: www.who.int
Source: United Nations General Assembly and Security Council
NEW YORK, 4 February 2025 (Office for Disarmament Affairs) — The United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs is issuing a public call for candidates to serve on an independent Scientific Panel on the Effects of Nuclear War.
The Panel, created by General Assembly resolution A/RES/79/238, will examine the physical effects and societal consequences of a nuclear war on a local, regional and planetary scale. Potential Panel members are expected to have the necessary expertise to assess the climatic, environmental, radiological and other relevant effects of nuclear war, and its impact on public health, global socioeconomic systems, agriculture and ecosystems. The Panel has been tasked with publishing a comprehensive report by 2027, making key conclusions and identifying areas for future research.
Nuclear weapons are the most devastating weapons ever invented and the only weapons with potentially existential consequences. Just one nuclear weapon can destroy a whole city, potentially killing millions, and jeopardizing the natural environment and lives of future generations through its long-term catastrophic effects. Despite decades of nuclear disarmament, non-proliferation and arms control efforts, there remain approximately 12,500 such weapons in the world today.
It has been almost four decades since the last United Nations study on the effects of nuclear war. Since then, climactic and scientific modeling tools have significantly progressed, and with them, the potential to better understand the effects of a nuclear war, and to provide an updated, comprehensive scientific assessment of the effects and consequences of such a war.
The Office for Disarmament Affairs is seeking individuals with expertise in one of the following seven key areas: nuclear and radiation studies; atmospheric sciences and climate; earth and life sciences; environment and environmental studies; agriculture, biology and life sciences; public health and medicine; and behavioural and social sciences and applied economics.
Gulfport, Miss. – Hospital Corpsman Second Class Xihang Cong, a naturalized American citizen, continues to work every day in the Navy Reserve to achieve the phenomenal success she could only dream about as a teenager who settled in Milton, Florida with her mother and step-father.
Cong is a 2021 graduate of Pace High School, who enlisted in the United States Navy under a Training and Administration of the Reserves (TAR) contract, providing full-time support to the Navy Reserve. She currently serves as the Assistant Leading Petty Officer of Navy Reserve Center (NRC) Gulfport’s medical department. She is responsible for the medical and dental readiness of the 300 Selected Reserve Sailors assigned to 15 reserve units who drill in Gulfport.
Originally born and raised in Jilin, China by her grandparents, she credits her success to the value of a strong work ethic instilled at a young age by her native culture, which was uniquely blended with an American sense of independence, self-sufficiency, and persistence when she immigrated as a young woman.
Reflecting on her adolescence, Cong discussed her challenges in assimilating, “My mom and my stepdad had no idea how to counsel me on how to fit into my new school or what steps to take to pursue a new career. I had to rely on myself, but I listened to and observed others and learned a lot from my peers and teachers at school.”
Petty Officer Cong settled in Milton, Florida because her stepfather, a veteran of the British Royal Navy, works as a defense contractor servicing the maintenance requirements of the aviation squadrons in Naval Air Station Whiting Field. She was inspired to participate in the Pace High School Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC) and her JROTC unit competed in and won multiple drill competitions in the Gulf Coast. Discipline was instilled in her from a young age, later inspiring her to enlist as a hospital corpsman with aspirations to earn her Bachelor of Science in Nursing. She currently attends Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College where she is earning her associates degree.
Her educational background serves her well in the fast-paced and chaotic environment of a typical drill weekend at NRC Gulfport. Gulfport is the homeport of the Atlantic Seabees, including the Seventh Naval Construction Regiment and Naval Construction Battalions Fourteen and Two Seven. Reserve Seabees comprise approximately one third of the Navy Reserve Center’s constituency, and Cong leads her department in ensuring all Sailors in these units maintain individual medical readiness as a prerequisite for mobilization readiness to remote locations world-wide.
Since her accession in 2022, she has planned four Reserve Health Readiness Program events and Navy medical provider support for over 30 drill weekends to ensure her Sailors have access to medical care at all times. She and her team have successfully screened over 50 individual augmentees for mobilization and her department has earned phenomenal marks in two consecutive mass activation exercises.
Vice Admiral Nancy Lacore, chief of the Navy Reserve and commander, Navy Reserve Force, highlights the importance of posturing the Reserve Force for warfighting, “Our Sailors, operational units, and readiness units of action are our weapons system. We are prepared for the mission, ready to fight and win decisively on Day One. Our Training and Administration of the Reserves (TAR) community will ensure our Navy Reserve Activities (NRA)…are able to mobilize the entire Force within 30 days. NRA leaders will maintain 80% warfighting readiness across the Force.”
To that end, Cong’s diligent efforts and leadership have led Navy Reserve Center Gulfport to achieve an astounding 96% Total Force medical readiness for consecutive years. Cong learned very quickly in this fast-paced environment and discussed her proudest accomplishment as having achieved the rank of petty officer second class in less than three years of service. As a newly minted second class petty officer, Cong believes in the power of mentorship and has now embraced her role in training both active and reserve component junior Sailors.
Cong still remembers her hometown after her meteoric rise, attributing her success to the welcoming atmosphere at her high school and JROTC unit. Specifically, she wants to recognize her English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher, Mrs. Colvin Kirti, for counseling her on how to achieve her goals by breaking them down into smaller and achievable action steps.
Having served her career dedicated to the readiness of her reserve Sailors, Petty Officer Cong discussed her thoughts on the Navy Reserve’s Strategic Advantage, “The reserve Sailors are only here for two days of the month. We [the staff] have to track and be ready to administer exams and vaccinations. It is our responsibility to help them out because they have full time (civilian) jobs.”
Cong’s story is the embodiment of the American dream. She is an excellent example of a citizen Sailor who has a passion for serving her new country while balancing the demands of off-duty education to further accelerate her career. Now seeing her new proteges excelling and emulating her work ethic, she is proud to give back to the country and the Navy who has given so much to her. She concluded, “It is an honor.”
Talk amongst yourselves, get on the same page, and work together to get the job done! This “pep talk” roughly describes how new NASA technology works within satellite swarms. This technology, called Distributed Spacecraft Autonomy (DSA), allows individual spacecraft to make independent decisions while collaborating with each other to achieve common goals – all without human input. NASA researchers have achieved multiple firsts in tests of such swarm technology as part of the agency’s DSA project. Managed at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley, the DSA project develops software tools critical for future autonomous, distributed, and intelligent swarms that will need to interact with each other to achieve complex mission objectives. “The Distributed Spacecraft Autonomy technology is very unique,” said Caleb Adams, DSA project manager at NASA Ames. “The software provides the satellite swarm with the science objective and the ‘smarts’ to get it done.” What Are Distributed Space Missions? Distributed space missions rely on interactions between multiple spacecraft to achieve mission goals. Such missions can deliver better data to researchers and ensure continuous availability of critical spacecraft systems. Typically, spacecraft in swarms are individually commanded and controlled by mission operators on the ground. As the number of spacecraft and the complexity of their tasks increase to meet new constellation mission designs, “hands-on” management of individual spacecraft becomes unfeasible. Distributing autonomy across a group of interacting spacecraft allows for all spacecraft in a swarm to make decisions and is resistant to individual spacecraft failures. The DSA team advanced swarm technology through two main efforts: the development of software for small spacecraft that was demonstrated in space during NASA’s Starling mission, which involved four CubeSat satellites operating as a swarm to test autonomous collaboration and operation with minimal human operation, and a scalability study of a simulated spacecraft swarm in a virtual lunar orbit. Experimenting With DSA in Low Earth Orbit The team gave Starling a challenging job: a fast-paced study of Earth’s ionosphere – where Earth’s atmosphere meets space – to show the swarm’s ability to collaborate and optimize science observations. The swarm decided what science to do on their own with no pre-programmed science observations from ground operators. “We did not tell the spacecraft how to do their science,” said Adams. “The DSA team figured out what science Starling did only after the experiment was completed. That has never been done before and it’s very exciting!” The accomplishments of DSA onboard Starling include the first fully distributed autonomous operation of multiple spacecraft, the first use of space-to-space communications to autonomously share status information between multiple spacecraft, the first demonstration of fully distributed reactive operations onboard multiple spacecraft, the first use of a general-purpose automated reasoning system onboard a spacecraft, and the first use of fully distributed automated planning onboard multiple spacecraft. During the demonstration, which took place between August 2023 and May 2024, Starling’s swarm of spacecraft received GPS signals that pass through the ionosphere and reveal interesting – often fleeting – features for the swarm to focus on. Because the spacecraft constantly change position relative to each other, the GPS satellites, and the ionospheric environment, they needed to exchange information rapidly to stay on task. Each Starling satellite analyzed and acted on its best results individually. When new information reached each spacecraft, new observation and action plans were analyzed, continuously enabling the swarm to adapt quickly to changing situations. “Reaching the project goal of demonstrating the first fully autonomous distributed space mission was made possible by the DSA team’s development of distributed autonomy software that allowed the spacecraft to work together seamlessly,” Adams continued.
Scaling Up Swarms in Virtual Lunar Orbit The DSA ground-based scalability study was a simulation that placed virtual small spacecraft and rack-mounted small spacecraft flight computers in virtual lunar orbit. This simulation was designed to test the swarm’s ability to provide position, navigation, and timing services at the Moon. Similar to what the GPS system does on Earth, this technology could equip missions to the Moon with affordable navigation capabilities, and could one day help pinpoint the location of objects or astronauts on the lunar surface. The DSA lunar Position, Navigation, and Timing study demonstrated scalability of the swarm in a simulated environment. Over a two-year period, the team ran close to one hundred tests of more complex coordination between multiple spacecraft computers in both low- and high-altitude lunar orbit and showed that a swarm of up to 60 spacecraft is feasible. The team is further developing DSA’s capabilities to allow mission operators to interact with even larger swarms – hundreds of spacecraft – as a single entity. Distributed Spacecraft Autonomy’s accomplishments mark a significant milestone in advancing autonomous distributed space systems that will make new types of science and exploration possible. NASA Ames leads the Distributed Spacecraft Autonomy and Starling projects. NASA’s Game Changing Development program within the agency’s Space Technology Mission Directorate provides funding for the DSA experiment. NASA’s Small Spacecraft Technology program within the Space Technology Mission Directorate funds and manages the Starling mission and the DSA project.
The spacecraft’s star trackers help engineers orient the orbiter throughout its long journey to Jupiter’s icy moon Europa. Three months after its launch from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the agency’s Europa Clipper has another 1.6 billion miles (2.6 billion kilometers) to go before it reaches Jupiter’s orbit in 2030 to take close-up images of the icy moon Europa with science cameras. Meanwhile, a set of cameras serving a different purpose is snapping photos in the space between Earth and Jupiter. Called star trackers, the two imagers look for stars and use them like a compass to help mission controllers know the exact orientation of the spacecraft — information critical for pointing telecommunications antennas toward Earth and sending data back and forth smoothly. In early December, the pair of star trackers (formally known as the stellar reference units) captured and transmitted Europa Clipper’s first imagery of space. The picture, composed of three shots, shows tiny pinpricks of light from stars 150 to 300 light-years away. The starfield represents only about 0.1% of the full sky around the spacecraft, but by mapping the stars in just that small slice of sky, the orbiter is able to determine where it is pointed and orient itself correctly. The starfield includes the four brightest stars — Gienah, Algorab, Kraz, and Alchiba — of the constellation Corvus, which is Latin for “crow,” a bird in Greek mythology that was associated with Apollo.
Hardware Checkout Besides being interesting to stargazers, the photos signal the successful checkout of the star trackers. The spacecraft checkout phase has been going on since Europa Clipper launched on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket on Oct. 14, 2024. “The star trackers are engineering hardware and are always taking images, which are processed on board,” said Joanie Noonan of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, who leads the mission’s guidance, navigation and control operations. “We usually don’t downlink photos from the trackers, but we did in this case because it’s a really good way to make sure the hardware — including the cameras and their lenses — made it safely through launch.” Pointing the spacecraft correctly is not about navigation, which is a separate operation. But orientation using the star trackers is critical for telecommunications as well as for the science operations of the mission. Engineers need to know where the science instruments are pointed. That includes the sophisticated Europa Imaging System (EIS), which will collect images that will help scientists map and examine the moon’s mysterious fractures, ridges, and valleys. For at least the next three years, EIS has its protective covers closed. Europa Clipper carries nine science instruments, plus the telecommunications equipment that will be used for a gravity science investigation. During the mission’s 49 flybys of Europa, the suite will gather data that will tell scientists if the icy moon and its internal ocean have the conditions to harbor life. The spacecraft already is 53 million miles (85 million kilometers) from Earth, zipping along at 17 miles per second (27 kilometers per second) relative to the Sun, and soon will fly by Mars. On March 1, engineers will steer the craft in a loop around the Red Planet, using its gravity to gain speed. More About Europa Clipper Europa Clipper’s three main science objectives are to determine the thickness of the moon’s icy shell and its interactions with the ocean below, to investigate its composition, and to characterize its geology. The mission’s detailed exploration of Europa will help scientists better understand the astrobiological potential for habitable worlds beyond our planet. Managed by Caltech in Pasadena, California, JPL leads the development of the Europa Clipper mission in partnership with the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Maryland, for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington. APL designed the main spacecraft body in collaboration with JPL and NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, and Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. The Planetary Missions Program Office at Marshall executes program management of the Europa Clipper mission. NASA’s Launch Services Program, based at Kennedy, managed the launch service for the Europa Clipper spacecraft. Find more information about Europa Clipper here:
Europa Clipper
News Media Contacts Gretchen McCartneyJet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.818-287-4115gretchen.p.mccartney@jpl.nasa.gov Karen Fox / Molly WasserNASA Headquarters, Washington202-358-1600karen.c.fox@nasa.gov / molly.l.wasser@nasa.gov 2025-014
Rivers shape ecosystems and economies, yet hydrologists have limited tools to study them. Enter Confluence—a groundbreaking, open-source framework leveraging NASA’s SWOT mission and HLS data to estimate river discharge and sediment levels worldwide. Hosted by PO.DAAC, Confluence delivers rapid, global insights, revolutionizing hydrology with cloud-based efficiency. A game changer for river monitoring.
Rivers and streams wrap around Earth in complex networks millions of miles long, driving trade, nurturing ecosystems, and stocking critical reserves of freshwater. But the hydrologists who dedicate their professional lives to studying this immense web of waterways do so with a relatively limited set of tools. Around the world, a patchwork of just 3,000 or so river gauge stations supply regular, reliable data, making it difficult for hydrologists to detect global trends. “The best way to study a river,” said Colin Gleason, Armstrong Professional Development Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, “is to get your feet wet and visit it yourself. The second best way to study a river is to use a river gauge.” Now, thanks to Gleason and a team of more than 30 researchers, there’s another option: ‘Confluence,’ an analytic collaborative framework that leverages data from NASA’s Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) mission and the Harmonized Landsat Sentinel-2 archive (HLS) to estimate river discharge and suspended sediment levels in every river on Earth wider than 50 meters. NASA’s Physical Oceanography Distributed Active Archive Center (PO.DAAC) hosts the software, making it open-source and free for users around the world. By incorporating both altimetry data from SWOT which informs discharge estimates, and optical data from HLS, which informs estimates of suspended sediment data, Confluence marks the first time hydrologists can create timely models of river size and water quality at a global scale. Compared to existing workflows for estimating suspended sediment using HLS data, Confluence is faster by a factor of 30.
I can’t do global satellite hydrology without this system. Or, I could, but it would be extremely time consuming and expensive.
Colin Gleason
Nikki Tebaldi, a Cloud Adoption Engineer at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and Co-Investigator for Confluence, was the lead developer on this project. She said that while the individual components of Confluence have been around for decades, bringing them together within a single, cloud-based processing pipeline was a significant challenge. “I’m really proud that we’ve pieced together all of these different algorithms, got them into the cloud, and we have them all executing commands and working,” said Tebaldi. Suresh Vannan, former manager of PO.DAAC and a Co-Investigator for Confluence, said this new ability to produce timely, global estimates of river discharge and quality will have a huge impact on hydrological models assessing everything from the health of river ecosystems to snowmelt. “There are a bunch of science applications that river discharge can be used for, because it’s pretty much taking a snapshot of what the river looks like, how it behaves. Producing that snapshot on a global scale is a game changer,” said Vannan. While the Confluence team is still working with PO.DAAC to complete their software package, users can currently access the Confluence source code here. For tutorials, manuals, and other user guides, visit the PO.DAAC webpage here. All of these improvements to the original Confluence algorithms developed for SWOT were made possible by NASA’s Advanced Intelligent Systems Technology (AIST) program, a part of the agency’s Earth Science Technology Office (ESTO), in collaboration with SWOT and PO.DAAC. To learn more about opportunities to develop next-generation technologies for studying Earth from outer space, visit ESTO’s solicitation page here. Project Lead: Colin Gleason / University of Massachusetts, Amherst Sponsoring Organization: Advanced Intelligent Systems Technology program, within NASA’s Earth Science Technology Office
NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope has captured a cosmic bullseye! The gargantuan galaxy LEDA 1313424 is rippling with nine star-filled rings after an “arrow” — a far smaller blue dwarf galaxy — shot through its heart. Astronomers using Hubble identified eight visible rings, more than previously detected by any telescope in any galaxy, and confirmed a ninth using data from the W. M. Keck Observatory in Hawaii. Previous observations of other galaxies show a maximum of two or three rings. “This was a serendipitous discovery,” said Imad Pasha, the lead researcher and a doctoral student at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut. “I was looking at a ground-based imaging survey and when I saw a galaxy with several clear rings, I was immediately drawn to it. I had to stop to investigate it.” The team later nicknamed the galaxy the “Bullseye.”
Hubble and Keck’s follow-up observations also helped the researchers prove which galaxy plunged through the center of the Bullseye — a blue dwarf galaxy to its center-left. This relatively tiny interloper traveled like a dart through the core of the Bullseye about 50 million years ago, leaving rings in its wake like ripples in a pond. A thin trail of gas now links the pair, though they are currently separated by 130,000 light-years. “We’re catching the Bullseye at a very special moment in time,” said Pieter G. van Dokkum, a co-author of the new study and a professor at Yale. “There’s a very narrow window after the impact when a galaxy like this would have so many rings.” Galaxies collide or barely miss one another quite frequently on cosmic timescales, but it is extremely rare for one galaxy to dive through the center of another. The blue dwarf galaxy’s straight trajectory through the Bullseye later caused material to move both inward and outward in waves, setting off new regions of star formation. How big is the Bullseye? Our Milky Way galaxy is about 100,000 light-years in diameter, and the Bullseye is almost two-and-a-half times larger, at 250,000 light-years across.
The researchers used Hubble’s crisp vision to carefully to pinpoint the location of most of its rings, since many are piled up at the center. “This would have been impossible without Hubble,” Pasha said. They used Keck to confirm one more ring. The team suspects a 10th ring also existed, but has faded and is no longer detectable. They estimate it might lie three times farther out than the widest ring in Hubble’s image.
Pasha also found a stunning connection between the Bullseye and a long-established theory: The galaxy’s rings appear to have moved outward almost exactly as predicted by models. “That theory was developed for the day that someone saw so many rings,” van Dokkum said. “It is immensely gratifying to confirm this long-standing prediction with the Bullseye galaxy.” If viewed from above, it would be more obvious that the galaxy’s rings aren’t evenly spaced like those on a dart board. Hubble’s image shows the galaxy from a slight angle. “If we were to look down at the galaxy directly, the rings would look circular, with rings bunched up at the center and gradually becoming more spaced out the farther out they are,” Pasha explained. To visualize how these rings may have formed, think about dropping a pebble into a pond. The first ring ripples out, becoming the widest over time, while others continue to form after it. The researchers suspect that the first two rings in the Bullseye formed quickly and spread out in wider circles. The formation of additional rings may have been slightly staggered, since the blue dwarf galaxy’s flythrough affected the first rings more significantly.
Individual stars’ orbits were largely undisturbed, though groups of stars did “pile up” to form distinguishable rings over millions of years. The gas, however, was carried outward, and mixed with dust to form new stars, further brightening the Bullseye’s rings. There’s a lot more research to be done to figure out which stars existed before and after the blue dwarf’s “fly through.” Astronomers will now also be able to improve models showing how the galaxy may continue to evolve over billions of years, including the disappearance of additional rings. Although this discovery was a chance finding, astronomers can look forward to finding more galaxies like this one soon. “Once NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope begins science operations, interesting objects will pop out much more easily,” van Dokkum explained. “We will learn how rare these spectacular events really are.” The team’s paper was published on the February 4, 2025 in The Astrophysical Journal Letters. The Hubble Space Telescope has been operating for over three decades and continues to make ground-breaking discoveries that shape our fundamental understanding of the universe. Hubble is a project of international cooperation between NASA and ESA (European Space Agency). NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, manages the telescope and mission operations. Lockheed Martin Space, based in Denver, also supports mission operations at Goddard. The Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, conducts Hubble science operations for NASA. Explore More
Media Contact: Claire Andreoli (claire.andreoli@nasa.gov)NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD Claire Blome and Ray VillardSpace Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore, MD
NHRC, India organises the meeting of the Core Group on Children focused on ‘Human rights of children in conflict with law’ NHRC, India Chairperson, Justice Shri V Ramasubramanian says authenticated data on the children in conflict with the law necessary for understanding the problems and redressal
The meeting recommended to set up a working group of experts to check and authenticate the available data with various agencies related to the children in conflict with law
The Chairperson emphasises replication of diversion programmes for children in conflict with the law on the lines of the UNICEF working group report for their effective re-integration into society without a criminal record
Asks the experts in the field of Juvenile Justice Care to segregate their suggestions for improving statutory laws, change in rules or by SOPs
NHRC, India Secretary General, Shri Bharat Lal stresses viewing the juveniles as victims of circumstances rather than mere offenders, for their rehabilitation
Posted On: 04 FEB 2025 8:15PM by PIB Delhi
Justice Shri V Ramasubramanian, Chairperson, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), India today said that it is necessary to have authentic and verified data on the children in conflict with the law to have a clear understanding of their problems and make suggestions to address them. He was chairing the meeting of the Commission’s Core Group on Children focused on the theme ‘Human rights of children in conflict with law’ in the presence of Member, Smt Vijaya Bharathi Sayani, Secretary General, Shri Bharat Lal, senior officers and expert speakers at its premises in New Delhi today. The meeting was attended by a number of senior officers and experts working in the field.
Justice Ramasubramanian said that going by the discussion on the subject, two major concerns have emerged including how to collect data and how to authenticate the data already available on the children in conflict with law. Therefore, he concurred with the suggestion to constitute a working group of experts to check and authenticate the available data related to the children in conflict with the law, particularly their age and numbers and not necessarily their identities in coordination and consultation with the Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D), National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) and different High Courts.
The NHRC, India Chairperson also asked the experts working in the field of Juvenile Justice Care to segregate their suggestions to bring improvements by amendments in statutes, changes in rules or by SOPs, as part of the long-term and short-term measures to bring improvements in the area of the Juvenile Justice System. He also concurred with the suggestion to organise State-wise meetings of the Juvenile Justice Boards, District Legal Services Authority, State Legal Services Authority and the NHRC to find a way forward in terms of their counseling, rehabilitation and reintegration into families.
Referring to the report of a working group called ‘the Commission for the Application of Alternative Measures’ under the auspices of UNICEF titled ‘Rights of Children in Conflict with the Law 2007’, the NHRC Chairperson expressed the hope that the NHRC core group could develop solutions for Juvenile Justice Care on those lines which included recommendations for developing diversion programmes;
i.) Juvenile offenders must admit to the crime; ii.) Juvenile offenders should not be placed in custody to participate in diversion programmes; iii.) Juvenile offenders are entitled to a court procedure if they or their guardians disagree with the diversion measures; iv.) Juvenile offenders may withdraw from the diversion process at any time and opt for the formal court procedure.
The diversion programme includes seven components: victim-offender mediation, admonition, local community corrections councils, joint family meetings, circle trials, juvenile courts, and community service.
The report argues that while crimes are often seen as offences against the state, they should also be viewed from the victim’s perspective, seeking reconciliation. It suggests that allowing juveniles to make amends to society can help them reintegrate faster, without a criminal record, which would help them avoid future employment or social exclusion issues.
Before this, NHRC, India Secretary General, Shri Bharat Lal said that the Commission is committed to ensuring the protection and promotion of child rights. In this context, it has been organizing various consultations on the different thematic issues of the human rights of children and issuing advisories also from time to time. The discussion on the human rights of children in conflict with the law has also been organized to identify the challenges, to suggest measures for improvement in the Juvenile Justice System with a specific focus on juveniles in adult prisons, juveniles in correctional homes and measures for rehabilitation of juveniles in conflict with the law. He stressed that juveniles must be viewed as victims of circumstances rather than mere offenders, calling for a focus on rehabilitation measures that would help reintegrate them into society, offering them opportunities for a better future.
NHRC, India Director, Lt. Col Virender Singh gave an overview of the meeting and the three critical areas of discussion significant to the children in conflict with law.
A number of experts and senior officers like Shri Rajeev Kumar Sharma, Director General, BPR&; Ms. Isha Pandey, DIG, BPR&D; Shri Balkrishan Goel, NHRC Special Monitor on Children; Shri Amod K. Kanth, Founder and Mentor Prayas Juvenile Aid Centre (JAC) Society; Prof. Vijay Raghavan, Tata Institute of Social Sciences; Shri Sourabh Ghosh, CRY; Ms Swagata Raha, Legal Researcher, & Head Restorative Practices Enfold India; Adv. Anant Kumar Asthana, Child Rights Lawyer; Ms Deepshikha, Prayas Juvenile Aid Centre (JAC) Society, among others, gave their suggestions and inputs. NHRC DG (I), Shri Ram Prasad Meena and Registrar (Law), Shri Joginder Singh also attended the meeting.
Some of the other suggestions emanated from the discussions are as follows;
• Make information on proceedings involving Children in Conflict with the Law available on a portal, without revealing their identity; • Establish a cadre of child protection officials in all States; • Identify and delineate responsibilities within the child protection workforce, and fill vacant positions to strengthen the child care mechanism; • Conduct a social audit of Child Care Institutions, ensuring adequate manpower, including counselors; • Encourage institutional contributions to engage children in useful activities; • Strengthen the Legal Aid Mechanism for Children in Conflict with Law; • Increase ‘Community Service’ as a correctional measure for child offenders; • Revamp rehabilitation and social reintegration programs for Children in Conflict with Law; • Introduce joint training for stakeholders involved in child welfare, focusing on the behavioural aspects of child offenders; • Collate and publicise best practices for the welfare of child offenders across the country; • Increase funding and staff recruitment for Child Care Institutions; • Develop Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to streamline the process.
The Commission will further deliberate upon these suggestions and more inputs to finalize its recommendations to protect the human rights of children in conflict with law, in the country.
SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments:
Mark Tollefson, of Rancho Cordova, has been appointed Chief Deputy Director at the California High-Speed Rail Authority. Tollefson has been Undersecretary of the California State Transportation Agency since 2022. He was Senior Counselor on Infrastructure and Fiscal Affairs in the Office of Governor Newsom in 2022, where he was previously Deputy Cabinet Secretary from 2019 to 2022. Tollefson held several positions at the California Department of Finance from 2007 to 2019, including Assistant Program Budget Manager, Principal Program Budget Analyst, and Finance Budget Analyst. Tollefson earned a Master of Business Administration degree in Finance from California State University, Sacramento and a Bachelor of Science degree in Managerial Economics from the University of California, Davis. This position does not require Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $275,004. Tollefson is a Democrat.
Ken DaRosa, of Sacramento, has been appointed Chief Deputy Director at the Office of Energy Infrastructure Safety. DaRosa has been the Chief Deputy Director of the State Council on Developmental Disabilities since 2021. He was the Chief Deputy Director at the California Department of Resources, Recycling, and Recovery from 2012 to 2021. DaRosa held multiple positions at the California Department of Finance from 2004 to 2012, including Program Budget Manager from 2011 to 2012, Assistant Program Budget Manager from 2010 to 2011, Principal Program Budget Analyst from 2006 to 2010, and Staff Finance Analyst from 2004 to 2006. He earned a Master of the Arts degree in Literature, and a Bachelor of the Arts degree in Psychology from the California State University, Sacramento. This position does not require Senate confirmation, and compensation is $185,004. DaRosa is registered without party preference.
Sloane Viola, of Sacramento, has been appointed Chief Deputy Director at the California Conservation Corps, where she has been the Deputy Director of Legislative and External Affairs since 2024. Viola was the Acting Assistant Secretary of Climate Change at the California Natural Resources Agency in 2024. She has had several positions at the Governor’s Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation from 2019 to 2024, including Council Program Manager from 2021 to 2024, Acting Deputy Director of Climate Resilience in 2022, and Legislative Director from 2019 to 2021. Viola held two positions in the Office of Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom from 2017 to 2018, including Sea Grant Fellow in 2017 and Staff Scientist from 2018 to 2019. She held multiple positions at the University of California, Santa Barbara from 2010 to 2016, including Graduate Student Researcher from 2014 to 2016, Teaching Assistant from 2015 to 2016, and Laboratory Assistant I, Marine Science Institute from 2010 to 2014. Viola is a member of American MENSA. She earned a Master of the Arts degree in Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Aquatic Biology from the University of California, Santa Barbara. This position does not require Senate confirmation, and compensation is $170,004. Viola is a Democrat.
Mandi Bane, of Redondo Beach, has been appointed Deputy Director of Hazardous Waste Management at the California Department of Toxic Substances Control. Bane has been an Environmental Protection Specialist at the United States Environmental Protection Agency since 2024. She has held multiple positions at the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health from 2011 to 2024, including CENS Unit Manager, Substance Abuse Prevention and Control from 2021 to 2024, Staff Analyst, Environmental Health Division from 2015 to 2021, and Research Analyst II; Assistant Staff Analyst, Family Services Unit from 2011 to 2015. Bane earned her Doctor of Philosophy and Master of the Arts degrees in Sociology from the University of Michigan, and a Bachelor of the Arts degree in Sociology from the University of Oregon. This position does not require Senate confirmation, and compensation is $199,128. Bane is registered without party preference.
Georgia “Pat” Urena, of Calexico, has been reappointed to the Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Commission, where she has served since 2018. Urena was a Recreation Supervisor at the City of El Centro from 1982 to 2024. She is the Chair of the Calexico Wellness Center and the Juvenile Justice Commission, and a Board Member of Rite Track. This position requires Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $100 per diem. Urena is a Democrat.
Press Releases, Recent News
Recent news
Feb 4, 2025
News What you need to know: Governor Gavin Newsom today issued an executive order removing bureaucratic barriers, extending deadlines, and providing critical regulatory relief to help LA fire survivors rebuild, access essential services, and recover more quickly. LOS…
Feb 3, 2025
News Sacramento, California – Governor Gavin Newsom today issued a proclamation declaring February 2025 as Black History Month.The text of the proclamation and a copy can be found below: PROCLAMATIONThis month, we pay homage to the rich history and contributions of…
Feb 2, 2025
News What you need to know: At Governor Gavin Newsom’s directive, crews have been working around the clock to install nearly 60 miles of emergency protective materials in the recent Los Angeles-area burn scars. Los Angeles, California – As another storm system is…
