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Category: Science

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: CDS Gen Anil Chauhan concludes his four day visit to Algeria

    Source: Government of India (2)

    CDS Gen Anil Chauhan concludes his four day visit to Algeria

    Both Countries ink milestone memorandum in defence Cooperation

    Posted On: 04 NOV 2024 7:17PM by PIB Delhi

          Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan led a high-ranking Indian military delegation on an official visit to the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria from 31 Oct – 03 Nov 2024. The visit was part of a broader endeavour to strengthen India-Algeria relations which have seen increasing cooperation in recent years, particularly in the areas of trade, education, technology and defence.

               In a significant step, Gen Anil Chauhan and his counterpart, General of Army Said Chanegriha, Chief of Staff of Algerian People’s National Army signed a milestone Memorandum in Defence cooperation between India and Algeria. This Memorandum represents not only a step forward in bilateral military cooperation but also lays down the foundation for long-term collaboration across a variety of sectors.

               The CDS complimented General Said Chanegriha, on the high standards of the military parade and commemorative events of 01 Nov 2024, marking the 70th Anniversary of Algeria’s Glorious Revolution, a pivotal moment in Algeria’s history.

     Gen Chauhan interacted with the Director of the Higher War College and addressed senior officers of the of the People’s National Army. He underscored the shared history of both nations, fostering a bond based on similar values and principles. CDS highlighted the dividends of geography of both Algeria and India in their global aspirations, stating, “the core strategic outlook of a nation is shaped by its geography and historical experience”.

              CDS called for peaceful resolution of global conflicts. He said, “India always supports peaceful resolution to global conflicts. India has re-established its Defence Wing in Algeria and welcomes the re-opening of Defence Wing of Algeria in India”.

             Giving an overview of India’s National Security Strategy, CDS said, “In today’s complex geopolitical construct, India understands her responsibilities and desires to engage as a ‘Vishwa-Bandhu’ – a reliable partner for the world”. He highlighted the agreement in the field of space sciences and the major strides taken by India in technology development.

                 Gen Chauhan added that the Indian Armed Forces are undergoing transformation and are ready to share their experiences with the People’s National Army of Algeria. He emphasised upon India’s increasing defence production capability under the ‘Make in India’ and ‘Make for the World’ programmes.

          India and Algeria share a commitment to self-determination, respect for sovereignty, and mutual support in multilateral domains. As regional leaders in South Asia and North Africa, both countries bring unique strategic advantages to the partnership, contributing to a more balanced and multipolar global order. The high level visit complements the recently concluded visit by the President of India to Algeria, underscoring the strong political will on both sides to deepen diplomatic, military and strategic cooperation.

    ******

    SR/Anand

    (Release ID: 2070684) Visitor Counter : 7

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Asian Buddhist Summit 2024

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 04 NOV 2024 5:47PM by PIB Delhi

    Introduction

    India, a vibrant tapestry of diverse cultures and religious beliefs, has long been a heartland of Buddhism. This ancient tradition not only flourished within its borders but also spread to various countries. To celebrate this rich heritage, the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, in collaboration with the International Buddhist Confederation (IBC), is hosting the First Asian Buddhist Summit (ABS) on November 5-6, 2024, in New Delhi. The summit, themed “Role of Buddha Dhamma in Strengthening Asia,” will feature esteemed Sangha leaders, scholars, and practitioners from across the continent, fostering dialogue and understanding while addressing contemporary challenges faced by the Buddhist community. The Hon’ble President of India is will attend as the Chief Guest.

    Background

    The journey of Buddha Dhamma began in the 6th century BCE when Siddhartha Gautama attained enlightenment and began sharing his profound insights. Following the Buddha’s Mahaparinirvana, his teachings were preserved and disseminated by his followers, leading to the emergence of the three major Buddhist traditions: Theravada, Mahayana, and Vajrayana.

    The Mauryan Emperor Ashoka (268-232 BCE) played a crucial role in propagating Buddha Dhamma, demonstrating how its teachings could transform society by fostering peace, happiness, and harmony. His governance was rooted in Dhamma principles, and his rock and pillar edicts stand as enduring symbols of the widespread dissemination of Buddhism across Asia.

    As Buddhism grew, various monastic schools emerged, resulting in a significant split by the first century CE, which led to the development of Mahayana and Nikaya Buddhism, with Theravada as the only surviving Nikaya school. Buddhism’s influence extended beyond India, adapting to local cultures as it spread north through Central Asia into East Asia, forming the Northern branch, and east to Southeast Asia, creating the Southern branch. The adaptability of Buddhist teachings and the emergence of diverse interpretations have allowed the religion to meet the spiritual needs of various cultures throughout history.

     

    First Asian Buddhist Summit 2024

     

    The Asian Buddhist Summit 2024 emphasizes the profound interconnection among Buddha Dhamma, India, and Asia, showcasing their complementary relationship. The Honorable President of India is anticipated to attend as the Chief Guest, underscoring the event’s significance. This summit aligns with India’s Act East Policy and Neighborhood First Policy, focusing on collective, inclusive, and spiritual development in Asia. With this vision in mind, the summit will delve into key themes that celebrate Buddhism’s rich heritage and its contemporary relevance across the region:

    1. Buddhist Art, Architecture and Heritage

    Buddhist art, architecture, and heritage hold immense significance, reflecting the deep cultural and spiritual connections within the tradition. Practiced by millions, the teachings of Buddha are beautifully embodied in India’s rich tapestry of heritage, with landmarks like the stupas of Sanchi and the caves of Ajanta exemplifying exquisite craftsmanship while conveying profound teachings. By preserving and celebrating Buddhist art and architecture, we can enhance cross-cultural understanding and appreciation among diverse communities.

     

    1. Buddha Cārikā and Dissemination of Buddha Dhamma

    Buddha Cārikā or the sublime wandering of the Buddha played an important role in the dissemination of the Buddha Dhamma. After attaining enlightenment, the Buddha travelled across India spreading his teachings among commoners.

    1. Role of Holy Buddhist Relics and its Relevance in Society

    Buddhist relics are vital in society as they serve as sacred symbols of the Buddha’s teachings, inspiring devotion and mindfulness among practitioners. They preserve cultural heritage and traditions, acting as focal points for rituals and community gatherings. By attracting pilgrims and tourists, they also contribute to local economies while encouraging principles of peace and compassion within communities.

    1. Significance of Buddha Dhamma in Scientific Research and Well-Being

    The significance of Buddha Dhamma in scientific research and well-being lies in its emphasis on mindfulness, compassion, and the interconnectedness of all beings. By integrating these ancient teachings with contemporary science, researchers are exploring holistic approaches to well-being that enhance psychological and physical health.

    1. Role of Buddhist Literature and Philosophy in 21st Century

    Buddhist literature and philosophy weave a rich and intricate tapestry that delves into the human condition, the nature of reality, and the path to enlightenment. The wisdom of the Buddha, as expressed in these texts, has captivated minds for centuries. Through these writings, the philosophy of Buddhism remains a timeless source of insight and understanding.

    In addition to discussions on these important themes, the summit will feature a special exhibition titled “India as the Dhamma Setu (Bridge) Connecting Asia,” along with other creative displays at the venue. This event presents a unique opportunity to unite diverse perspectives on Buddha’s Dhamma from across Asia. Through dialogue that addresses contemporary challenges and promotes Buddhist heritage, the summit aims to foster a more compassionate, sustainable, and peaceful world, contributing to the overall welfare of humanity.

     

    India Celebrating Its Buddhist Culture & Heritage

     

    The teachings of the Buddha, along with those of his disciples and followers, have fostered unity across Asia by cultivating a shared perspective on life, divinity, and social values. Buddha Dhamma has become an integral part of India’s cultural identity, contributing to the country’s robust foreign policy and effective diplomatic relationships. This shared heritage enhances mutual understanding, respect, and cooperation among nations in the modern era. In recognition of this, India has undertaken various initiatives to promote and preserve this rich cultural legacy:

    1. Buddhist Tourism Circuit in India

     

    Buddhist Circuit is one of the fifteen thematic circuits identified for development under the Swadesh Darshan—Integrated Development of Theme-Based Tourism Circuits Scheme of the Ministry of Tourism. The Buddhist Circuit covers all sites related to Buddhism in the country, including Kapilvastu.

    1. First Global Buddhist Summit

    The two-day Global Buddhist Summit 2023, inaugurated by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on April 20, 2023 focused on exploring methods for disseminating and internalizing universal values. The summit addressed pressing global challenges and presented sustainable models for the future. Participants collectively recognized the urgent need for peace and harmony, both personally and globally, highlighting the relevance of Buddha Dhamma’s teachings as essential guides for fostering interfaith dialogue, promoting harmony, and achieving universal peace.

    1. First International Conference on Share Buddhist Heritage

    From September 17, 2022, to September 2023, India held a unique event under its year-long leadership of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), bringing together Central Asian, East Asian, South Asian, and Arab countries to discuss “Shared Buddhist Heritage.” The conference aimed to re-establish trans-cultural links and explore commonalities in Buddhist art, archaeological sites, and museum collections among the SCO member states, fostering collaboration and understanding of their shared heritage.

    1. One Day International Symposium on the Significance of Vipassana Meditation for Wellbeing & Global Peace

    On February 27, 2024, the International Buddhist Confederation (IBC), along with the Ministry of Culture, the Embassy of India in Bangkok, and Silpakorn University, hosted a symposium on the Significance of Vipassana Meditation for Wellbeing and Global Peace at Silpakorn University. The event featured monks, academicians, and Vipassana practitioners, who actively participated in discussions and a question-and-answer session. Topics included the differences between yoga and Vipassana, connections to spirituality, and the understanding of faith, highlighting meditation’s importance for personal wellbeing and global harmony.

    1. Classical Status to Pali Language

    On October 4, 2024, Pali was officially granted classical status, a recognition that underscores its historical significance in the region’s spiritual and cultural heritage. Lord Buddha used Pali to deliver his sermons, establishing it as a vital medium for conveying his teachings. This designation further affirms the importance of Pali in preserving the rich traditions of Buddhism and the teachings of Buddha Dhamma.

    1. International Abhidhamma Diwas

    On October 17, 2024, Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi hosted the International Abhidhamma Divas, organized by the Ministry of Culture in collaboration with the International Buddhist Confederation. The event brought together around 1,000 participants, including ambassadors, monks, and scholars. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi addressed the audience, emphasizing the enduring relevance of Abhidhamma teachings and highlighting Pali’s crucial role in preserving Buddha Dhamma.

    Thus, ABS in continuation to the above activities represents a unique opportunity to bring together the diverse voices o Buddha Dhamma across Asia.

     

    Conclusion

    The spread of Buddhism has profoundly shaped cultures and societies across Asia and beyond, fostering values of compassion, mindfulness, and interconnectedness. India, as the birthplace of Buddhism, is actively moving forward with policies that celebrate and promote this rich heritage. By hosting the Asian Buddhist Summit, India not only reaffirms its commitment to the principles of Buddha Dhamma but also positions itself as a leader in nurturing the growth and relevance of Buddhism in contemporary society, ensuring that its teachings continue to inspire future generations.

     

    References

     

    · https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1918378

    · https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1906780#:~:text=The%20two%2Dday%20international%20conference,connect%20with%20the%20SCO%20nations.

    · https://pib.gov.in/FeaturesDeatils.aspx?NoteId=153322&ModuleId+=+2&reg=3&lang=1

    · https://pib.gov.in/PressNoteDetails.aspx?NoteId=153285&ModuleId=3&reg=3&lang=1

    · https://ibcworld.org/events/view/59

    Click here to download PDF

    *****

    Santosh Kumar/ Ritu Kataria/ Kamna Lakaria

    (Release ID: 2070646) Visitor Counter : 40

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI: Christopher Campise Named Chief Information Officer of Five Star Bank

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    WARSAW, N.Y., Nov. 04, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Financial Institutions, Inc. (NASDAQ: FISI), parent company of Five Star Bank (“Five Star” or the “Bank”) and Courier Capital, LLC, announced that Christopher Campise has joined as Senior Vice President, Chief Information Officer of the Bank.

    In this role, Mr. Campise will lead the development and implementation of the Bank’s technology strategies, systems, and processes, while further enhancing the information technology infrastructure to support the organization’s long-term objectives. Mr. Campise will report to W. Jack Plants II, Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer.

    “Chris brings tremendous experience to Five Star Bank in terms of his proven ability to lead and execute IT strategy that advances business goals and objectives,” said Mr. Plants. “His varied experience, including in other highly regulated industries, will serve him well here and we are pleased to be benefitting from his fresh perspective and results-driven approach.”

    Mr. Campise joins Five Star from Delaware North Companies, where he served as Senior Director of Enterprise Architecture since 2021. Prior to that, Chris helped lead enterprise architecture during his seven year tenure at Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield and spent nine years with the University at Buffalo. Earlier in his career, he worked at several Wester New York technology and software companies.

    Mr. Campise, who is based at Five Star Bank Centre in Amherst, N.Y., previously served as a board member of Habitat for Humanity Buffalo and the Gartner Advisory Board. He is also a past volunteer with Mission: Ignite and InfoTech WNY. Mr. Campise earned his B.S. in Computer Science from Canisius College.

    About Financial Institutions, Inc. and Five Star Bank
    Financial Institutions, Inc. (NASDAQ: FISI) is a financial holding company with approximately $6.2 billion in assets offering banking and wealth management products and services. Its Five Star Bank subsidiary provides consumer and commercial banking and lending services to individuals, municipalities and businesses through banking locations spanning Western and Central New York and a commercial loan production office serving the Mid-Atlantic region. Courier Capital, LLC offers customized investment management, financial planning and consulting services to individuals and families, businesses, institutions, non-profits and retirement plans. Learn more at Five-StarBank.com and FISI-Investors.com.

    For additional information contact:
    Kate Croft
    Director, Investor and External Relations
    716-817-5159
    klcroft@five-starbank.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Newsom statement on passing of Quincy Jones

    Source: US State of California 2

    Nov 4, 2024

    Sacramento, California – Governor Gavin Newsom issued the following statement today on the passing of musician, producer, and composer Quincy Jones:

    “A titan of music, culture, and philanthropy, Quincy Jones brought the world endless joy with his optimistic spirit and colossal imagination. Not a day goes by without hearing a masterpiece that Quincy produced or hearing about the good he created with his generous heart. Jen and I — and all of California — mourn the loss of this great humanitarian and artist.”

    Press Releases, Recent News

    Recent news

    Nov 2, 2024

    News Welcome to The California Weekly, your Saturday morning recap of top stories and announcements you might have missed. News you may have missed1. ❤️ SUPPORTING CALIFORNIA KIDSThe Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) broke ground on a new behavioral health…

    Nov 1, 2024

    News What you need to know: Governor Newsom and Attorney General Rob Bonta have reached a settlement with La Habra Heights to bring the city into compliance with state housing law. SACRAMENTO — Governor Gavin Newsom and Attorney General Rob Bonta today announced the…

    Nov 1, 2024

    News What you need to know: California will be home to a first-of-its-kind research & development facility made possible by the Biden-Harris Administration’s CHIPS & Science Act. SACRAMENTO – Today, Governor Newsom celebrated California’s selection by the U.S….

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: FORT Economist James Meldrum and the Wildfire Research Team win the 2024 CO-LABS Governor’s Awards for High Impact Research: Pathfinding Partnerships Award

    Source: US Geological Survey

    Filter Total Items: 28

    Living with wildfire in Lake Wenatchee, Chelan County, Washington: 2022 Data report

     Community wildfire readiness includes actions taken by residents, including wildfire risk mitigation at the parcel level and evacuation preparedness. This report presents results from two data collection efforts in the Lake Wenatchee Fire & Rescue service district in Chelan County, Washington: parcel level rapid wildfire risk assessments and household surveys sent to the owners of assessed parcel

    Authors

    Julia Goolsby, Patricia A. Champ, Suzanne Wittenbrink, Colleen Donovan, Kris King, Hannah Brenkert-Smith, James Meldrum, Christopher M. Barth, Carolyn Wagner, Chiara Forrester

    Living with wildfire in Stemilt Basin, Chelan County, Washington: 2022 Data report

    Homeowner wildfire risk mitigation and preparedness are important components of community wildfire readiness. This report presents data collected via rapid wildfire risk assessments to describe the parcel-level wildfire risk of properties within the Stemilt basin, Chelan County, Washington study area. The report also describes household survey data collected from homeowners in the study area, incl

    Authors

    Julia Goolsby, Patricia A. Champ, Suzanne Wittenbrink, Colleen Donovan, Hilary Heard, Hannah Brenkert-Smith, James Meldrum, Christopher M. Barth, Carolyn Wagner, Chiara Forrester

    Living with wildfire in Santa Fe: 2021 Data Report

    The City of Santa Fe is well known for arts, food, and architecture, but it also faces significant risk of wildfire. In 2020, the City of Santa Fe partnered with the Wildfire Research (WiRē) team with the goal of better understanding the needs of residents within the study area and their level of support for wildfire risk mitigation programs. The resulting project centers on two types of property-

    Authors

    James Meldrum, Julia Goolsby, Colleen Donovan, Porfirio Chavarria, Hannah Brenkert-Smith, Patricia A. Champ, Christopher M. Barth, Carolyn Wagner, Chiara Forrester

    Rethinking cost-share programs in consideration of economic equity: A case study of wildfire risk mitigation assistance for private landowners

    Public agencies and organizations often deliver financial assistance through cost sharing, in which recipients contribute some portion toward total costs. However, cost sharing might raise equity concerns if it reduces participation among populations with lower incomes. Here, we revisit a past study using a richer dataset (n=1,689) to assess whether stated income levels affect survey respondents’

    Authors

    James Meldrum, Patricia A. Champ, Hannah Brenkert-Smith, Christopher M. Barth, Abby Elizabeth McConnell, Carolyn Wagner, Colleen Donovan

    The devil is in the details: Variation in public acceptance of fuels treatments across western fire-prone communities

    Implementation of broad landscape management goals to confront the wildfire crisis occurs at the project level and is subject to public scrutiny. Although the research literature demonstrates broad public acceptability of fuels treatments, a closer examination of the studies reveals notable variation in acceptance. Survey data from thirteen western U.S. communities using the same measures of accep

    Authors

    Hannah Brenkert-Smith, Julia Goolsby, Patricia A. Champ, James Meldrum, Colleen Donovan, Carolyn Wagner, Christopher M. Barth, Chiara Forrester, Suzanne Wittenbrink

    Living with wildfire in Genesee Fire Protection District, Jefferson County, Colorado: 2022 data report

    Genesee Fire Protection District (GFPD) and members of the Board contacted the Wildfire Research Center (WiRē) early in 2021. GFPD serves a community of approximately 1,500 homes and 3,600 residents. The community borders the south side of I-70 and runs south up varied topography with varied vegetation to approximately 8,000 feet of elevation and is considered to be at extremely high risk of wildf

    Authors

    Hannah Brenkert-Smith, Dorie Dalton, Jason Puffett, Patricia A. Champ, Christopher M. Barth, James Meldrum, Colleen Donovan, Carolyn Wagner, Julia Goolsby, Chiara Forrester

    Living with wildfire in Emigration Canyon, Utah: 2022 data report

    Located in North Central Utah, Emigration Canyon is a prominent and historic canyon that runs northeast from Salt Lake City into the higher elevations of the Wasatch Mountains. The Wasatch Range is characterized by steep, rocky slopes and 26-44 millimeters of annual rainfall, both of which contribute to a high threat of wildfire. The area’s landscape is diverse with oak woodland at the lower eleva

    Authors

    Julia Goolsby, Hannah Brenkert-Smith, Dax Reid, James Meldrum, Patricia A. Champ, Christopher M. Barth, Colleen Donovan, Carolyn Wagner

    Living with wildfire in Park County, Colorado 2021 data report

    Wildfire affects many types of communities and is a particular concern for communities in the wildland urban interface (WUI), such as those of Park County, Colorado. The core intent of this project was to provide evidence to support the Platte Canyon Fire Protection District (PCFPD) and Fire Adapted Bailey in their wildfire mitigation and education programming. This report describes wildfire risk

    Authors

    Hannah Brenkert-Smith, Patricia A. Champ, Abby Elizabeth McConnell, Jamie Gomez, Christopher M. Barth, James Meldrum, Colleen Donovan, Carolyn Wagner, Julia Goolsby

    Actionable social science can guide community level wildfire solutions. An illustration from North Central Washington, US

    In this study we illustrate the value of social data compiled at the community scale to guide a local wildfire mitigation and education effort. The four contiguous fire-prone study communities in North Central Washington, US, fall within the same jurisdictional fire service boundary and within one US census block group. Across the four communities, similar attitudes toward wildfire were observed.

    Authors

    Patricia A. Champ, Hannah Brenkert-Smith, Jonathan P Riley, James Meldrum, Colleen Donovan, Christopher M. Barth, Carolyn J Wagner

    Wildfire imagery reduces risk information-seeking among homeowners as property wildfire risk increases

    Negative imagery of destruction may induce or inhibit action to reduce risks from climate-exacerbated hazards, such as wildfires. This has generated conflicting assumptions among experts who communicate with homeowners: half of surveyed wildfire practitioners perceive a lack of expert agreement about the effect of negative imagery (a burning house) on homeowner behavior, yet most believe negative

    Authors

    Hilary Byerly Flint, Patricia A. Champ, James Meldrum, Hannah Brenkert-Smith

    You vs. us: Framing adaptation behavior in terms of private or social benefits

    Private actions to mitigate and adapt to climate change may have benefits to both the individual and society. In some cases, an individual may be motivated by appeals that highlight benefits to others, rather than to oneself. We test whether such prosocial framing influences information-seeking behavior to address wildfire risk among homeowners. In a field experiment across ten communities in west

    Authors

    Hilary Byerly Flint, Paul Cada, Patricia A. Champ, Jamie Gomez, Danny Margoles, James Meldrum, Hannah Brenkert-Smith

    Living with wildfire in Grand County, Colorado: 2021 data report

    Wildfire affects hundreds of wildland-urban interface communities each year, and yet most communities lack data reflecting the conditions before an event. This study was conducted before the devastating 2020 East Troublesome Fire1, which spread across 193,812 acres and resulted in two lives lost and 366 homes and 214 other structures burned. The fire’s dramatic run threatened over 7,000 structures

    Authors

    Hannah Brenkert-Smith, Abby Elizabeth McConnell, Schelly K. Olson, Adam C. Gosey, James Meldrum, Patricia A. Champ, Jamie Gomez, Christopher M. Barth, Colleen Donovan, Carolyn Wagner, Julia Goolsby

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Kansans Echo Governor Kelly’s Support for Medicaid Expansion in New Survey – Governor of the State of Kansas

    Source: US State of Kansas

    KEY QUOTE: “More than 72% of respondents to the Kansas Speaks survey said they support expanding Medicaid, up slightly from last year. That includes over 63% of Republicans and nearly 90% of Democrats… These signs of growth in support for Medicaid expansion follow a significant media tour and legislative push by Democratic Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly earlier this year.”

    These two issues find strong support among Kansans, according to Docking survey
    Rose Conlon, Kansas News Service
     Oct. 30, 2024

    • Support for Medicaid expansion in Kansas remains high, according to a new survey by the Docking Institute of Public Affairs at Fort Hays State University.
    • According to the Kansas Health Institute, Medicaid expansion would allow an estimated 152,000 more low-income Kansans to receive coverage under the government health care program.
    • The majority of the costs for the expansion are covered by federal funding, and Kansas is one of only ten states that has not yet implemented this expansion. Analysts say that many individuals who would benefit from the expansion are employed in jobs that don’t offer health insurance.
    • The survey also revealed that over 11% more Kansans now believe that expanding Medicaid would help rural hospitals remain in business. Several rural hospitals in the state have closed in recent years, including closures last year in Fort Scott and Herington, which have threatened timely access to emergency medical care.
    • Around half of Kansans who responded to the Kansas Speaks survey said the issue is highly or extremely important as they decide who to vote to represent them in the state legislature.
    • “We can see that a huge portion of Kansans say that (Medicaid expansion) is important to some degree,” said Alexandra Middlewood, a political science professor at Wichita State University who contributed to the survey’s development.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Visit to Australia by India’s Minister for External Affairs

    Source: Australian Government – Minister of Foreign Affairs

    This week I will welcome India’s Minister for External Affairs Dr S Jaishankar to Canberra, for the 15th Australia-India Foreign Ministers’ Framework Dialogue.

    Australia and India are close partners with strong strategic, economic and community ties – almost one million Australians trace their heritage to India.

    We share a vision for an Indo-Pacific region that is peaceful, stable and prosperous.

    Ahead of 2025 – the fifth year of our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership – the Foreign Ministers’ Framework Dialogue is an opportunity to take stock of the progress we have made, and to chart the way forward for the next phase in our relationship.

    Minister Jaishankar and I will discuss how we can advance our cooperation in important sectors – including science and technology, clean energy, trade and investment – and how we can deepen our defence and maritime security engagement.
                                     
    India is the world’s fastest growing major economy, and on track to be the third largest by the end of the decade. India is an essential partner as we diversify our trade links and secure our supply chains.

    Minister Jaishankar and I will also attend ‘Raisina Down Under’, the Australian iteration of India’s Raisina Dialogue. This is an important forum to share views on the trends shaping our region.

    I look forward to what will be my 19th meeting with Minister Jaishankar and continuing to advance the Australia–India relationship.
     

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Canada and churches have moral obligations for the reparations of missing and disappeared Indigenous children: Final Report

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Frank Deer, Professor, Faculty of Education, University of Manitoba

    Independent Special Interlocutor Kimberly Murray has released her final report after two years of examining the issue of missing and disappeared Indigenous children and unmarked burials sites at residential schools in Canada.

    During the ceremony last week in Gatineau, Que., Murray said governments do not often implement recommendations given on such reports. So she opted to identify 42 “legal, moral and ethical obligations” for governments, churches and other institutions. These are proposals on how to make holistic reparations to Indigenous Peoples.

    Murray emphasized that the children were “victims of enforced disappearance.”

    Since the 1870s and continuing for more than 150 years, over 150,000 First Nations, Métis and Inuit children were taken from their families and forced to attend church-run, government-funded residential schools. The National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation has documented more than 4,100 deaths of children at the schools.

    After potential unmarked graves were identified at former residential school sites, the Canadian government appointed Murray to make recommendations on unmarked graves and burial sites.

    The report, “Sites of Truth, Sites of Conscience” focuses on aspects of the Indian Residential School experience: unaccounted missing children, unmarked grave sites, the roles of government and churches in the Indian Residential School genocide and failure to maintain records of the deaths and burials of deceased children.

    The report centres Indigenous strategies for research and advances a framework of reparations to “support the search for and recovery of the missing and disappeared children and unmarked burials.” It is an extension of the work of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC) whose final report devoted an entire volume toward missing children and unmarked burials. The newest report is even more bold than the Final Report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada.

    The TRC report observed that “the most basic of questions about missing children — Who died? Why did they die? Where are they buried? — have never been addressed or comprehensively documented by the Canadian Government.”

    Since the TRC report was released in 2015, efforts to investigate this issue of missing children and unmarked graves has increased significantly.

    CBC News report: Special interlocutor on Unmarked Graves and Burial Sites issues final report.

    Reconciliation and reparations

    Murray explores the issue of genocide in the Indian Residential School system in ways that indict the Canadian government and other institutions of crimes.

    The report says Canada must refer to “the enforced disappearance of children,” as a “crime against humanity” and the issue needs to be taken to the International Criminal Court. It further states that the “federal government and other institutions have worked harder to protect perpetrators than they ever did to protect Indigenous children, families, and communities,” and that Canada has embraced a culture of “settler amnesia and willful forgetting.”

    In support of this indictment, Murray shows how the government and church were not only responsible for acts of omission in that somehow failed to protect Indigenous children in their care. Instead, they were acts of commission: deliberately created situations in which Indigenous children in their care were severely harmed.

    Murray refers to this as forced disappearances — when the liberty of Indigenous children is taken away and their fate was concealed.

    In addition, the Independent Special Interlocutor also focuses on, among other things, our moral and ethical obligations as foundational frames for reparations.

    A moral framework

    Murray put forth 42 obligations that reflect the morally and ethically centred responsibilities of governments, churches and other institutions.

    These moral and ethical responsibilities inform the reparations that Murray articulates in her report.

    These responsibilities and obligations include:

    • Calls for long-term financial support of investigations into missing and disappeared Indigenous children and Indian Residential School burial sites

    • Support for survivors

    • The recording of their stories

    Core values

    Underlining the report is a moral principal that efforts to find missing children and unmarked graves must be Indigenous-led.

    These moral principles, this foundation for action, articulated by Murray, can provide a compelling rationale that may help change attitudes and action.

    The recent report puts forth several moral and ethical principles which we need to consider.

    One of the report’s powerful statements is:

    “Children must be cared for in life and after death.”

    This might seem to some a simple point that is obvious and even unnecessary. However, the distance between such important declarations and the policies of Canadian governments and institutions has been vast.

    That this particular principle refers to the importance of care “after death” ought to be familiar to any of us who’ve lost loved ones. However, stating it clearly here strengthens the point that government and other institutions have obligations to children who died in their care.

    Another important principle from the report is that “search and recovery work is sacred.”

    The need to discover who died, the reasons why they died, and the location of their remains is one so connected to the emotional well-being of living descendants and fellow community members that it is a spiritual journey.

    This is why the search and recovery processes must be Indigenous-led.

    This report, like the TRC’s and the final report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, contains demands for action that should be accepted and acted upon by governments and institutions.

    The moral and ethical principles that inform those demands can be as important for informing change. It is in these principles that we may find moral guidance and direction toward righteousness.

    We may also find, if we’re paying attention, our humanity.

    Frank Deer receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.

    – ref. Canada and churches have moral obligations for the reparations of missing and disappeared Indigenous children: Final Report – https://theconversation.com/canada-and-churches-have-moral-obligations-for-the-reparations-of-missing-and-disappeared-indigenous-children-final-report-242560

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Government science cuts take New Zealand even further backward

    Source: Council of Trade Unions – CTU

    NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi President Richard Wagstaff is deeply concerned about the future of investment in science, following the latest announcement of another 60 jobs cuts at Environmental Science and Research (ESR). The Government has now axed more than 500 jobs in the public science sector.

    “The Government doesn’t seem to believe in the value of science and isn’t interested in making the investment required. Instead, it is taking us backwards and slashing funding in favour of tax cuts for landlords and tobacco companies,” said Wagstaff.
     
    “We should be increasing investment in science and properly funding Crown Research Institutes (CRIs) and universities. New Zealand is only spending about half the OECD average on science and research and development (R&D) already.
     
    “It’s well known that countries that invest a higher proportion of GDP directly in R&D (both private and public) see greater returns economically, socially and environmentally.
     
    “The decision to make these cuts has been made even though the report of the Science System Advisory Group report is due out shortly, which demonstrates the lack of commitment there is to listen to the evidence on the importance of science investment.
     
    ‘The Government talks about the need to tackle our poor productivity performance, and the need for a longer-term plan to arrest our decline, but their actions continue to take us in the opposite direction.
     
    “It’s time we had a serious conversation about science, and we urgently need a government that is prepared to have that conversation and not just bury it’s head in the sand,” said Wagstaff.
     
    Note:
    The CTU and several affiliated unions are member organisations of the Save Science Coalition. The Save Science Coalition released a report in July this year about the cuts to science funding and staffing so far, which can be found here. The group is now working on an update to this report, to account for the ongoing cuts we are seeing at GNS, ESR and elsewhere. The report will contain more detailed numbers and information and is expected to be released before the end of the year.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sols 4352-4354: Halloween Fright Night on Mars

    Source: NASA

    3 min read

    Earth planning date: Friday, Nov. 1, 2024

    Yesterday evening (Thursday) was Halloween for many of us here on Earth. My neighborhood in eastern Canada was full of small (and not so small!) children, running around in the dark collecting sweets and candy but also getting scared by the ghostly decorations hung at each house. Little did we suspect that our poor rover on Mars was also getting spooked. Curiosity completed about a meter (about 3 feet) of the planned drive before becoming unsettled … scared, if you will! … when its left front wheel got hung up on a rock and stopped moving.

    Luckily, we understood this kind of frightened behavior and were able to resume planning today as per usual. That meter was enough to give us a whole new set of targets to choose from. As APXS Strategic Planner this week, I had chosen darker-looking targets in the workspace — “Ladder Lake” and “Reds Meadow” (shown in the accompanying MAHLI image) — earlier in the week. I was happy that bumping backwards by a meter allowed us to reach some of the more typical pale colored bedrock at “Eureka Valley” and a second APXS analysis on “Black Bear Lake,” which is a mixture of both pale bedrock and some darker layers. MAHLI added in a bonus set of images on “Stag Dome,” focusing on small, rougher patches on the pale bedrock.

    ChemCam is taking advantage of the short bump, too, adding a passive observation on the brushed Reds Meadow target, analyzed by APXS and MAHLI in Monday’s plan. A ChemCam LIBS target “Hoist Ridge” focuses on a small vertical face of dark material. Two long distance images planned for ChemCam’s Remote Micro Imager (RMI) look at the distribution of rocks along the Gediz Vallis ridge in the distance.

    Mastcam is taking several mosaics this weekend (must have gotten extra energy from the Halloween sugar!). Close to the rover, Mastcam will acquire single-frame images of the targets Hoist Ridge and Eureka Valley, and a small mosaic of some surficial troughs just a little further away. Moving further afield, a small 3×1 mosaic (three images in one row) will image the same area as the ChemCam RMI of the Gediz Vallis ridge, and a larger 9×2 mosaic will focus on the faraway yardang unit, where we hopefully will be in a few years.

    Then for the really big images: Mastcam will image the whole landscape in a special 360-degree view, so big it needs to be broken into two parts. The first will have 43×4 frames, the second 34×5 frames. These mosaics are huge, so we save them for when we are at a really good vantage point to allow us to capture as much detail as possible for science and engineering planning.

    As ever, we continue our environmental monitoring of conditions, with Mastcam and Navcam movies and images looking at dust in the atmosphere above and around us in Gale crater, and watching out for dust devils.

    Written by Catherine O’Connell-Cooper, Planetary Geologist at University of New Brunswick

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Chinese book reading classroom opens at university in Mongolia

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    The Chinese Book Reading Classroom at the Mongolian University of Life Sciences was inaugurated in Ulan Bator on Monday.

    “All of our teachers and students are delighted that the Chinese Book Reading Classroom has opened at our school. We hope this classroom will help us learn more about China,” said Gonchigdorj Enkhbayar, vice director of the university, at the launch ceremony.

    Xue Ming, deputy editor-in-chief of the Inner Mongolia People’s Publishing House, spoke at the opening ceremony about the Inner Mongolia Publishing Group’s commitment to strengthening cultural exchanges under the framework of Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) cooperation with neighboring countries.

    He said that the Chinese Book Reading Classroom will undoubtedly yield positive results in fostering cultural exchanges and mutual learning between the two countries. Additionally, it will provide new impetus and contribute to mutual assistance, friendly relations, and win-win cooperation.

    The Chinese publishing group donated more than 800 Chinese books across over 400 categories, including traditional culture, science, agriculture, medicine, literature, and dictionaries, to the reading classroom.

    Chinese Book Reading Classrooms have been gradually established in major universities in Mongolia since 2019, aimed at showcasing and introducing Chinese culture to Mongolian readers. Currently, there are six such classrooms.

    The opening of the reading classroom at the Mongolian University of Life Sciences is part of a series of activities titled “Feel China,” co-organized by the Chinese Embassy in Mongolia, the Ministry of Culture, Sports, Tourism, and Youth of Mongolia, and the Information Office of the People’s Government of China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Primary care involves more than GPs. A new review shows how patients can better access care

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Duckett, Honorary Enterprise Professor, School of Population and Global Health, and Department of General Practice and Primary Care, The University of Melbourne

    Drazen Zigic/Shutterstock

    Australians today are more likely than previous generations to live with complex and chronic diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease and depression.

    This means they’re more likely to need health care from a variety of different providers, such as nurses, podiatrists, psychologists and physiotherapists, as well as GPs. This is known as “multidisciplinary care”. It works best when the skills of all these professions are available to the patient in a co-ordinated way.

    But the roles of health professions, and the way they’re funded, have been frozen in legislation and policy for decades. Any change has been incremental and disjointed. It has mostly involved adding more items to the Medicare schedule, with each professional practising separately.

    The result has been greater inequity of access. Because fewer than half of allied health fee-for-service visits are bulk-billed, most patients pay almost A$70 for each consultation – and sometimes much more. Those who can’t afford the out-of-pocket costs and can’t find a bulk-billing practitioner miss out.

    To assess how the government can remove barriers to team-based care and get health professions working to their full potential, or their full “scope of practice”, last year the government commissioned an independent review.

    The final report, released yesterday, sets a new path for the primary care workforce. This could make multidisciplinary care within reach of all Australians.

    Using health-care workers’ full potential

    The review involved extensive consultation, including on two issues papers. The report itself incorporates feedback from the consultations, including sceptical comments, reflecting a divergence of opinions.

    Reflected the report’s title, Unleashing the Potential of our Health Workforce, its main emphasis is to change the rules and regulations imposed by state and federal governments. These stymie health professionals and limit their ability to use their full skills and knowledge to manage their patients’ care.

    Over recent decades, health professionals’ education has improved. So professionals are capable of doing more than previously. Yet the rules and regulations have not advanced and so inhibit professionals from making those skills and knowledge available.

    The review argues this contributes to career dissatisfaction, and to people leaving various health professions, exacerbating workforce shortages.

    The review proposes a new way of documenting and describing what can be done by a profession through what it calls a National Skills and Capability Framework and Matrix.

    As with many other recommendations, the review points to where this is done already internationally and how it can nestle into other policies and frameworks to aid implementation.

    Health-care workers aren’t using all their skills.
    DC studio/Shutterstock

    To the disappointment of most allied health professions, the review does not recommend more Medicare payments for them to practise independently.

    Rather, the review recommends payment to general practices for them to expand multi-disciplinary teams. This would see professionals working together, rather than in competition or isolation.

    The review also recommends changing the rules about referrals by health professionals, allowing qualified health professionals to refer directly to non-GP medical specialists in similar areas. This means your psychologist could refer you directly to a psychiatrist if needed, or your physiotherapist could refer you directly to an orthopaedic surgeon rather than needing to go back to your GP.

    This will weaken the role of the GP as a “gatekeeper” and also potentially undermine the more holistic care that GPs provide. But from a patient’s point of view, eliminating the intermediate step saves them out-of-pocket costs.

    An important recommendation recognises that the health system evolves and rules and regulations need to evolve too. It therefore supplements its recommendations for changes now, with an approach for continuous review through an independent mechanism. This would provide evidence-based advice and recommendations about:

    • significant workforce innovation
    • emerging health care roles
    • workforce models that involve significant change to scope.

    When will we see change?

    The review sets out a loose timeline for implementation, described as short, medium and long term. And it assigns responsibility for each element of its recommendations to appropriate bodies and governments.

    As almost all the recommendations require legislative change, and many require agreement between the Commonwealth and the states, it’s unlikely any of the changes will take effect this financial year.

    The review recommends change be implemented in a systematic, evidence-based and safe way. Implementation would start in areas of greatest need such as in rural and remote Australia and also in practices most ready for the change, such as Aboriginal Controlled Community Health Organisations or Victoria’s Community Health Centres.

    The review recommends changes to the referral process.
    voronaman/Shutterstock

    In releasing what he referred to as a “landmark” report, Health Minister Mark Butler noted the complexity of implementation, which would require collaborative action with states and territories. He noted the need for further consultation, but nevertheless took a supportive tone.

    Can this review prompt real health reform?

    Overall, the review charts a middle course between letting health professionals roam free and the tight and inappropriate rules and regulations which constrain patient care today. It also sets out the practical steps to achieve its goals.

    The one downside of the report is the emphasis on harmonisation of state and territory approaches. This would replace the current approach, where each state and territory decides, for example, on what vaccines can be administered by which professionals and what pharmacists can dispense without a medical practitioner’s prescription.

    One of the benefits of a federation is the potential for state- and territory-based innovation and cross-border learning. Harmonisation will limit that experimenting, and may lead to more of the stasis seen in health workforce policy in the past.

    Stephen Duckett was consulted by the Independent Reviewer during the course of the Review and commented on the Review’s Issues Papers and Draft Final Report

    – ref. Primary care involves more than GPs. A new review shows how patients can better access care – https://theconversation.com/primary-care-involves-more-than-gps-a-new-review-shows-how-patients-can-better-access-care-242698

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI China: IP takes lead in western China’s innovation surge

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    An aerial drone photo taken on Sept. 8, 2024 shows a partial view of the Shichengzi photovoltaic power station in Hami City, northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. [Photo/Xinhua]
    The western regions of China have experienced remarkable economic strides in recent years, and one contributing factor to this success is the progress made in intellectual property (IP). Amidst the country’s green transformation and pursuit of high-quality growth, this once-impoverished hinterland has now taken an IP-driven development path.
    The China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) has recently reported rapid growth in two key IP types in the regions. By the end of September, the number of valid invention patents in the regions reached 493,000, up 16.7 percent year on year. Registered trademarks also rose by 10.5 percent compared to the previous year.
    Such growth has not been easy to achieve. Comprising 12 provincial-level regions, western China covers two-thirds of the country’s land area and is home to over a quarter of its population. A sparsely populated area with limited infrastructure, the western regions have lagged economically compared to the eastern provinces.
    However, in recent years, these regions have actively promoted emerging industries, such as smart manufacturing, new energy vehicles and low-altitude economy, which in China are considered as new quality productive forces with high-value invention patents. Local departments have provided IP guidance and financial support to enterprises within these industries, facilitating their rapid growth and narrowing the gap with the east.
    From innovation to invention
    Some have even taken the lead in the country, such as clean energy technology.
    In northwest China’s Qinghai Province, a vast photovoltaic power generation park has been constructed in the Talatan Gobi Desert, spanning 600 square kilometers. Amidst the solar panels, flocks of white sheep were spotted roaming around.
    A few years ago, Talatan was a barren land. The locals creatively planted grass to prevent sand erosion and installed a large area of photovoltaic panels. The water used for cleaning the panels infiltrated beneath the surface, nourishing the grass. However, the grass growth-induced shade problem caused the solar panels to malfunction.
    To manage grass without chemicals, the park integrated sheep farming — using the animals to control vegetation and contribute to ecological conservation.
    This “photovoltaic sheep” concept, patented in 2018, has boosted the efficiency of local photovoltaic power generation, with the park now generating up to 80 million kilowatt-hours of electricity annually.
    Another example is the China-Laos Railway, which links Kunming, the capital of southwest China’s Yunnan Province, and the Lao capital Vientiane.
    The construction of the cross-border railway was a challenging task due to the complex geological structures along the route. Chinese engineers drilled solid tunnels through delicate mountain terrain and constructed high-pier and large-span railway bridges in earthquake-prone areas. Nearly 30 patents were obtained during the construction process, which has not only greatly improved efficiency and safety but also provided technical references for other major projects in both countries. In October this year, the patent-rich railway has facilitated over 42 million passenger trips since its operation in December 2021.
    The innovative achievements from China’s western regions have also garnered global attention. According to the latest report by the World Intellectual Property Organization, four major cities in the area – Xi’an, Chengdu, Chongqing, and Lanzhou – continue to lead the top 100 science and technology cluster ranking. These cities have further enhanced their industrial concentration, attracting high-quality enterprises and talent, and establishing themselves as significant regional hubs of innovation.
    “The market economy necessitates us to establish advanced technology as our competitive advantage and transform tech achievements into business resources. Therefore, we have chosen the path of IP,” said Wang Shechang, chairman of Xi’an-based China National Heavy Machinery Research Institute Co., Ltd.
    “Protecting IP is not only safeguarding innovation but also utilizing them as a means to enhance value exchange and facilitate the transformation of tech accomplishments,” Wang noted.
    From local to global
    Geographical indications (GI) are also a key element in the winning formula of development in Western China.
    GI is a type of IP that signifies a product’s specific origin and the qualities or reputation linked to that location. It serves as a mark of quality, setting the product apart from competitors.
    The latest data shows that the western region has recognized 931 GI products, accounting for 38.8 percent of the national total, with a direct annual output value of 429.8 billion yuan(60.36 billion U.S. dollars).
    “The brand value has been greatly enhanced as many products have obtained GI labels,” said Dolkun Awut, head of the Xinjiang IP department. “We leverage this advantage to drive the development of the GI industry and contribute to rural revitalization.”
    The Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region is a major GI contributor. It has 211 GIs, with a comprehensive output value of over 200 billion yuan and employment for over 5 million people.
    The promotion of GI has also strengthened cooperation between the western region and the world. According to the CNIPA, 36 GI products from the western regions have been included in the first China-EU GI list. In 2021, the two sides signed an agreement to enhance bilateral trade of agri-food products, with recognition and protection of 100 Chinese GIs and 96 EU GIs.
    Taking the wine at the eastern foot of Helan Mountain as an example, since it was included in the first China-EU GI list, the product from northwest China’s Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region has been exported to over 40 countries and regions, and major wine-producing areas in European countries such as Britain and France have imported 228,000 liters of this Chinese wine.
    Western China also places great importance on IP exchanges with neighboring countries.
    In Xinjiang, the local IP department has been providing guidance to Chinese enterprises on marketing in Central Asian countries and helping them improve their ability to handle IP disputes.
    Guangxi and ASEAN countries have established forums and conferences on IP cooperation. They have also collaborated on patent technology transfer within the biomedicine and new energy vehicle industries. Moreover, universities in Guangxi conducted academic IP programs with those in Macao Special Administrative Region and Vietnam.
    China’s GDP saw a 5.2 percent year-on-year increase last year, with the western regions outperforming the national average at 5.5 percent. In this remote but robust area, more enterprises and innovators have valued IP, leveraging their innovations to bolster industries with competitive edges and stimulate better economic growth.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Gaming the news: How interactive journalism is changing how we tell stories to the next gen

    Source: University of South Australia

    05 November 2024

    The Ramping Rush game.

    Journalists have long used newspapers, radio, television, magazines and, more recently, the internet to entertain and inform the public on the stories that matter most. But what if there’s a richer, more compelling and interactive way to share and address real world issues?

    A University of South Australia academic is exploring how video games are being developed in journalism as a more interactive way to engage younger audiences and tell impactful stories.

    Dr Ben Stubbs, a senior lecturer in journalism and creative writing at UniSA, has created a news game – Ramping Rush: Ambulance Rescue – to explore one of South Australia’s most important health issues: ambulance ramping.  

    The game was led by UniSA’s Australian Research Centre for Interactive and Virtual Environments (IVE) and developed by computer science and media and literature students from around the world as part of a virtual internship.

    Ramping Rush: Ambulance Rescue is a free and online single-player game that aims to demonstrate the impact of ramping – an issue that has given rise to countless media reports in recent years as the state’s hospital system strains under pressure. Ramping occurs when ambulances are made to queue outside overcrowded hospital emergency departments, leaving patients with a prolonged wait upon arrival.

    In the game, the player steps into the shoes of a busy paramedic, racing against time to rescue patients while dealing with long hospital waits and ramping delays.

    The aim is for the player to make snap decisions and save as many lives as possible before getting stuck in traffic or being held up at clogged emergency departments. However, the player soon learns that it’s impossible to save the patients and ‘win’ the game as the ramping situation is too dire.

    By demonstrating the challenges of ramping through a gaming scenario, the team hopes to capture the attention of younger audiences, particularly school students, who are less likely to engage in traditional media.

    Dr Stubbs, an experienced journalist who has written for publications including The New York Times, The Guardian and Sydney Morning Herald, says the video game was created to engage younger audiences with important and current community issues.

    “Interactive news games are another way for people to think about real world issues in a fun and engaging way,” he says.

    “We know that people have been moving away from traditional news for a long time now and how people are consuming news is constantly changing.

    “Video games are just another way to think about the potential of alternative journalism when traditional forms might only reach certain audiences.”

    Last year saw the biggest increase in the number of Australians playing video games, from 67% (17 million) in 2021 to 81%  (21 million) in 2023. Nearly 95% of Australian households have a device for playing video games while 91% of parents play with their children to connect as a family.

    Meanwhile, the journalism landscape has experienced significant change in recent decades, with traditional reporting formats like newspapers in decline. In Australia only 18% of people still read newspapers, with online news now attracting the majority of audiences.

    “Shifting attitudes towards news consumption is driving demand for new outlets such as games,” Dr Stubbs says.

    “News video games are not entirely new to journalism. For example, after the September 11 terrorist attacks, a game was created to help people understand the complexities of modern warfare.

    “Similarly, ABC created The Amazon Race’ in 2019 to showcase the realities of working in a pressure-cooker environment such as Amazon’s Melbourne warehouse.”

    UniSA has recently added a module all about news games to the Innovations in Visual Journalism course which will be part of the online Bachelor of Journalism program in 2025.

    “I think there’s great potential with news games,” Dr Stubbs says. “In our research we found games on everything from the Syrian civil war, remembrance around the Madrid train bombings, identifying fake news, games on the realities of living with a low income, managing a sweatshop factory, pirate fishing, distracted driving and managing COVID misinformation.

    “Creating new and timely additions to the video news portfolio is an important step in remaining connected to the next generation.”

    Ambulance Rush: Ramping Rescue is available to play on itch.io.

    …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

    Contact for interview: Dr Ben Stubbs, Senior Lecturer, UniSA E: Ben.Stubbs@unisa.edu.au
    Media contact: Melissa Keogh, UniSA Media M: +61 403 659 154 E: Melissa.Keogh@unisa.edu.au

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NASA Science, Cargo Launch on 31st SpaceX Resupply Mission to Station

    Source: NASA

    Following a successful launch of NASA’s SpaceX 31st commercial resupply mission, new scientific experiments and cargo for the agency are bound for the International Space Station.
    The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, carrying more than 6,000 pounds of supplies to the orbiting laboratory, lifted off at 9:29 p.m. EST Monday, on the company’s Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
    Live coverage of the spacecraft’s arrival will begin at 8:45 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 5, on NASA+ and the agency’s website. Learn how to watch NASA content through a variety of platforms, including social media.
    The spacecraft is scheduled to autonomously dock at approximately 10:15 a.m. to the forward port of the space station’s Harmony module.
    The resupply mission will support dozens of research experiments conducted during Expedition 72. In addition to food, supplies, and equipment for the crew, Dragon will deliver several new experiments, including the Coronal Diagnostic Experiment, to examine solar wind and how it forms. Dragon also delivers Antarctic moss to observe the combined effects of cosmic radiation and microgravity on plants. Other investigations aboard include a device to test cold welding of metals in microgravity and an investigation that studies how space impacts different materials.
    These are just a sample of the hundreds of investigations conducted aboard the orbiting laboratory in the areas of biology and biotechnology, physical sciences, and Earth and space science. Such research benefits humanity and lays the groundwork for future human exploration through the agency’s Artemis campaign, which will send astronauts to the Moon to prepare for future expeditions to Mars.
    The Dragon spacecraft is scheduled to remain at the space station until December when it will depart the orbiting laboratory and return to Earth with research and cargo, splashing down off the coast of Florida.
    Learn more about space station activities by following @space_station and @ISS_Research on X, as well as the ISS Facebook, ISS Instagram, and the space station blog.
    Learn more about the commercial resupply mission at:

    NASA’s SpaceX CRS-31

    -end-
    Claire O’Shea / Josh FinchHeadquarters, Washington202-358-1100joshua.a.finch@nasa.gov / claire.a.o’shea@nasa.gov
    Stephanie Plucinsky / Steven SiceloffKennedy Space Center, Fla.321-876-2468stephanie.n.plucinsky@nasa.gov / steven.p.siceloff@nasa.gov
    Sandra JonesJohnson Space Center, Houston281-483-5111sandra.p.jones@nasa.gov

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: SITI commences visit to Canada (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         The Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong, began his visit to Toronto, Canada, on November 4 (Toronto time).

         In the morning, Professor Sun visited MaRS Discovery District, an innovation hub, and met with its Chief Executive Officer, Mrs Alison Nankivell, to receive a briefing on the hub’s successful experience in nurturing an innovation and technology (I&T) ecosystem. Located close to major universities and hospitals in downtown Toronto, MaRS focuses on nourishing deep technology industries including clean technology and life science. As the largest urban innovation centre in North America, MaRS Discovery District supports 1 200 enterprises and renders direct assistance to enterprises in the hub with a view to building communities of innovators and promoting the adoption of new solutions.

         Professor Sun then visited the University of Toronto, and toured the Centre for Analytics & Artificial Intelligence Engineering of the Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering of the University. Professor Sun met with the Dean of the Faculty, Professor Christopher Yip, and the Acting Associate Vice-President International Partnerships, Professor David Wolfe, and was briefed on the latest developments and research and development (R&D) achievements of the Centre. The Centre brings together universities and industries to translate the latest advances of artificial intelligence and data analytics into technologies in areas ranging from advanced manufacturing to human health. Its team also delivers ongoing guidance for advanced analytics projects in industry settings. Professor Sun encouraged the University to co-operate with universities in Hong Kong to participate in the InnoHK research clusters to strengthen global R&D collaboration.

         In the afternoon, Professor Sun visited a start-up that provides storage and delivery services in North America. The start-up adopts a smart platform that automatically processes orders and updates inventory levels in real time. It also utilises robotic shuttles to manage inventories automatically, thereby reducing the overall cost for logistics and delivery services.

         Professor Sun attended a networking dinner organised by the Hong Kong-Canada Business Association (Toronto Chapter) in the evening, and had an exchange with Hong Kong young people studying and working in Toronto to learn more about their study and work lives in Canada. Professor Sun shared with them Hong Kong’s efforts to develop as an international I&T centre and build an international hub for high-calibre talent. He noted that it is of paramount importance to enlarge the talent pool for the I&T development in Hong Kong, adding that the city is an ideal destination for young people to develop their careers and that Hong Kong youngsters are encouraged to seize the myriad opportunities there.

         Professor Sun will proceed to Ottawa and continue his visit on November 5 (Ottawa time).                  

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI: VTR Biotech Unveils Upgraded National Technology and Innovation Center：A Leap Forward in Biotech Innovation

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CHINA, ZHUHAI, Nov. 05, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Recently, VTR Biotech proudly announces the comprehensive upgrade of its National Enterprise Technology Center, a landmark achievement reflecting its commitment to advancing the biotechnology sector. The history of VTR Biotech began in the early 1990s when the company was founded with a vision to revolutionize the biotechnology landscape in China. From its inception, VTR Biotech has prioritized innovation and scientific excellence, rapidly establishing itself as a leader in the field. In the years that followed, the company made significant strides in research and development, resulting in groundbreaking advancements in biotechnology solutions.

    The upgraded center features five state-of-the-art technology platforms: the Genetic Engineering Platform, High-Throughput Screening Platform, Biosynthesis Platform, Technology Transfer Platform, and Technical Support Platform. These platforms are designed to enhance VTR Biotech’s R&D capabilities, paving the way for groundbreaking advancements in biotechnology.

    Key investments in high-performance artificial intelligence computing servers, advanced microbial selection robots, liquid handling workstations, and an expanded fully automated fermentation tank system are poised to enhance VTR Biotech’s independent R&D capabilities. These improvements aim to increase research efficiency and facilitate the practical application of research outcomes, ensuring that VTR Biotech remains at the forefront of biotechnological innovation.

    “The upgrade of our National R&D Center is a monumental achievement for VTR Biotech,” said Mr. Chen, Chairman of the company. “We are proud to lead a global team of scientists and engineers working on transformative biotechnology solutions in life sciences, including genetic modification, microbiology, biosynthesis technology, and enzyme engineering. This upgrade elevates our R&D capabilities and strengthens our ability to provide innovative solutions to the global market.”

    VTR Biotech’s National Enterprise Technology Center is recognized as one of China’s most prestigious enterprise technology innovation platforms, evaluated jointly by the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Ministry of Finance, the General Administration of Customs, and the State Taxation Administration. This recognition underscores VTR Biotech’s significant contribution to technological advancement in China.

    In recent years, VTR Biotech has demonstrated its dedication to research and development by employing over 200 professional R&D personnel, more than 30% of whom hold postgraduate degrees. The center also boasts a team that includes 15 PhDs and 10 senior engineers. Collaborative projects with leading research institutions such as the University of Sydney, South China University of Technology, and South China Agricultural University further emphasize VTR Biotech’s commitment to transforming scientific discoveries into practical applications for the global market.

    The company has undertaken four national key R&D program projects and four key R&D projects in Guangdong Province, in addition to establishing 15 national, industry, and group standards. VTR Biotech has been recognized for its innovative efforts, receiving the China Patent Excellence Award for five consecutive years.

    As VTR Biotech embarks on this new chapter with the upgraded National Enterprise Technology Center, the company is poised to set new standards in the biotechnology industry, driving innovation and delivering cutting-edge solutions that meet the evolving needs of its customers. For more information about VTR Biotech and its upgraded National Enterprise Technology Center, please visit www.vtrbiotech.com

    About VTR Biotech

    VTR Biotech is a leading biotechnology company dedicated to advancing the field through innovative research and development. With a commitment to scientific excellence and sustainability, VTR Biotech aims to deliver high standard biosolutions that address the challenges faced by the biotechnology industry.

    Media Contact

    Brand Name: VTR Biotech

    Contact Person: Marketing Team

    Email: vtrbiotech@vtrbio.com

    Tele: +86-756-8676888

    Website: www.vtrbiotech.com

    SOURCE: VTR Biotech

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Sun Dong begins Canada visit

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    Secretary for Innovation, Technology & Industry Prof Sun Dong began his visit to Toronto, Canada, by touring an innovation hub, the University of Toronto and a startup.

    In the morning of November 4, Prof Sun visited MaRS Discovery District and met its Chief Executive Officer Alison Nankivell to receive a briefing on the innovation hub’s successful experience in nurturing an innovation and technology (I&T) ecosystem.

    Located close to major universities and hospitals in downtown Toronto, MaRS focuses on nourishing deep technology industries including clean technology and life science.

    It is also the largest urban innovation centre in North America, which supports 1,200 enterprises and renders direct assistance to enterprises, with a view to building communities of innovators and promoting the adoption of new solutions.

    Prof Sun then visited the University of Toronto and toured the Centre for Analytics & Artificial Intelligence Engineering of the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering.

    He met Faculty Dean Prof Christopher Yip and Acting Associate Vice-President International Partnerships Prof David Wolfe, and was briefed on the centre’s latest developments and research and development (R&D) achievements.

    The centre brings together universities and industries to translate the latest advances of artificial intelligence and data analytics into technologies in areas ranging from advanced manufacturing to human health.

    Its team also delivers ongoing guidance for advanced analytics projects in industry settings.

    Prof Sun encouraged the university to co-operate with universities in Hong Kong to participate in the InnoHK research clusters to strengthen global R&D collaboration.

    In the afternoon, the technology chief visited a startup that provides storage and delivery services in North America.

    Apart from adopting a smart platform that automatically processes orders and updates inventory levels in real time, the startup also utilises robotic shuttles to manage inventories automatically, thereby reducing the overall cost for logistics and delivery services.

    In the evening, Prof Sun attended a networking dinner organised by the Hong Kong-Canada Business Association (Toronto Chapter), where he had an exchange with Hong Kong young people studying and working in Toronto to learn more about their studies and work life.

    Prof Sun shared with them Hong Kong’s efforts to develop as an international I&T centre and build an international hub for high-calibre talent.

    He noted that it is of paramount importance to enlarge the talent pool for Hong Kong’s I&T development, adding that the city is an ideal destination for young people to develop their careers.

    He also encouraged Hong Kong youngsters to seize the myriad opportunities.

    Prof Sun will proceed to Ottawa and continue his visit.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK to create world-first ‘early warning system’ for pandemics

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    The government is set to partner with Oxford Nanopore, which uses technology to rapidly diagnose a range of cancers, along with rare and infectious diseases

    • New partnership with cutting-edge life sciences company Oxford Nanopore will lead to better scientific research and could create tests and treatments for patients, saving lives

    • Patients suspected of having severe acute respiratory infections will be diagnosed within 6 hours, supporting the establishment of a new diagnostic system

    • Technology will allow potential outbreaks of bacterial or viral diseases to be monitored alongside antimicrobial resistance, shifting NHS from analogue to digital as part of 10-Year Health Plan

    The UK will create the world’s first real-time surveillance system to monitor the threat of future pandemics, prevent disease, and protect the public.

    Plans have been announced to form a new partnership between the government, Genomics England, UK Biobank, NHS England, and Oxford Nanopore – a UK-headquartered, world-leading life sciences company. 

    Oxford Nanopore uses long read sequencing technology to analyse genes and pathogens to rapidly diagnose a range of cancers, along with rare and infectious diseases. The technology can sequence long strands of DNA or RNA in one go, without breaking it up into smaller fragments.

    In infectious diseases, Oxford Nanopore’s technology will help to create an early warning system for future pandemics and potential biological threats, both preventing disease and protecting the public.

    It will be used in the expansion of NHS England’s Respiratory Metagenomics programme, being led by Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust (GSTT). It uses samples from patients with severe respiratory infections and rapid genetic testing to match those patients with the right treatments within 6 hours.

    This novel and world-leading application, developed in partnership with the NHS, will allow potential outbreaks of bacterial or viral diseases to be monitored alongside antimicrobial resistance across the country. 

    Following an initial successful pilot at St Thomas’ Hospital, the technology will now be rolled out from 10 to up to 30 NHS sites to address the current time lag between new pathogens emerging in the UK and action being taken to both treat affected patients and to prevent their spread, which will benefit people everywhere.

    Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said:

    If we fail to prepare, we should prepare to fail. Our NHS was already on its knees when the pandemic struck, and it was hit harder than any other comparable healthcare system.

    We cannot let history repeat itself. That’s why this historic partnership with Oxford Nanopore will ensure our world-leading scientists have the latest information on emerging threats at their fingertips.

    As we embrace the technological revolution, our 10-Year Health Plan will shift the NHS away from analogue to digital, saving countless more lives.

    Science and Technology Secretary Peter Kyle said:

    During the Covid pandemic, we saw the power of the UK life sciences sector very clearly, from the Oxford-Astra Zeneca vaccine that saved so many lives, through to operating one of the world’s most effective Covid surveillance systems, which spotted several emerging variants of the disease.

    This partnership will build on that expertise to monitor emerging diseases as they arise, putting our scientists and decision-makers one-step ahead and providing the information they need to make informed decisions.

    Together with the ability to better diagnose cancers and rare diseases, we are leveraging UK life sciences to protect the public and ultimately save lives.

    Professor Susan Hopkins, Chief Medical Advisor at UK Health Security Agency, said:

    Early detection is absolutely crucial in enabling us to respond effectively to any emerging pathogen. The UK already has a wealth of expertise in genomic surveillance, and this programme will build on that expertise and enable us to bring our resources and capability to tackle developing threats at greater speed. Enhancing the capacity for the NHS to determine new and emerging pathogens causing severe acute respiratory infections will improve the detection and emergence of infections.

    As part of the 100 days mission, this will enable the development of effective diagnostics for novel pathogens and enhance our pandemic preparedness.

    Oxford Nanopore CEO Gordon Sanghera said:

    The UK has a remarkable life science ecosystem, and we are delighted to be working more closely with the UK government and the NHS in this collaboration.

    The world-renowned Genomics England and UK Biobank have led the way in scaling genomics discovery and translating these advances into patient impact.

    By working alongside our partners on shared goals of improved patient outcomes – whether in cancer, genetic disease or infectious disease – and pandemic preparedness, we believe we can deploy our unique DNA sequencing technology in ways that are most impactful for the people of the UK.

    Professor Ian Abbs, chief executive of Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, said:

    We’ve been working on the respiratory metagenomics programme for over 4 years and have clearly seen the benefit to our patients. It’s a momentous day now that we can ensure other hospitals, and more patients, can also benefit from faster and more accurate treatment for severe respiratory conditions thanks to new genomic technology.

    As part of the expansion to the metagenomics programme, the data gathered using Oxford Nanopore’s technology will be provided to the UK Health and Security Agency, allowing quicker detection and action on emerging infectious diseases to be taken.

    The collaboration between the government and Oxford Nanopore – which will also join up Genomics England and UK Biobank with NHS England – is another key vote of confidence in the UK’s life sciences sector, which will help kickstart economic growth and support the 10-Year Health Plan’s ambition to shift the health service from analogue to digital and from sickness to prevention, helping keep patients out of hospital. 

    Genomics England will work strategically with Oxford Nanopore to further insights from the data they hold, including on cancer and rare diseases, to enable future breakthroughs in identifying genomic mutations that may be treatable and preventing these devastating conditions. UK Biobank will also continue to work with Oxford Nanopore and the government to improve the insights from their data and translate these into impact for NHS patients.

    Along with the vast benefits to patients, this work will drive economic growth, supporting the expansion of one of our most promising life sciences companies. 

    This partnership comes hot on the heels of the Budget, where the government announced investment of £40m over 5 years in a Proof of Concept Fund for spinouts, companies formed based on academic research generated within and owned by a university. 

    This will build on the excellent example set by Oxford Nanopore, one of the UK’s most successful spinout companies, having been founded at Oxford University in 2005. This fund could help to unleash a raft of innovative new spinouts like Oxford Nanopore, helping to drive job creation and economic growth.

    Updates to this page

    Published 5 November 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI: Karolinska Development’s portfolio company BOOST Pharma successfully completes pre-IND meeting with FDA and receives second tranche of investment

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN, November 5 2024. Karolinska Development AB (Nasdaq Stockholm: KDEV) today announces that its portfolio company BOOST Pharma has succesfully completed a pre-IND meeting with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, FDA, for its cell therapy aiming to treat children with the rare bone disease Osteogenesis Imperfecta (OI). The positive outcome from the meeting will trigger the second tranche of Karolinska Development’s investment in BOOST Pharma.

    BOOST Pharma has completed a pre-IND meeting with the FDA where the company received positive response of the proposed clinical development plan for its allogeneic cell therapy as a treatment of the rare bone disease Osteogenesis Imperfecta (OI). The primary objective of the meeting was to present results from the phase 1/2 clinical trial BOOSTB4 and to seek concurrence on the development plan and the design of a phase 3 clinical trial to be qualified as a registration trial. BOOST Pharma received positive and constructive feedback from the FDA and will now start preparations for the phase 3 clinical program to be executed in U.S. and Europe, which includes submission of an IND containing the full phase 3 trial protocol to the FDA.

    The positive outcome from the pre-IND meeting will trigger the second tranche of Karolinska Developments investment in BOOST Pharma according to the agreement concluded earlier this year.

    “The successful pre-IND meeting marks an important milestone for our portfolio company BOOST Pharma in the ongoing development of a potentially groundbreaking treatment for an agonizing disease. Following this important advancement, Karolinska Development is delighted to increase its ownership in this exciting and mature project, which is rapidly approaching phase 3.” says Viktor Drvota, CEO of Karolinska Development.

    BOOST Pharma is developing a first-in-class and potentially groundbreaking cell-based treatment for the congenital disease osteogenesis imperfecta (OI), a condition characterized by fragile bones, constant fractures and deformities of bones. The treatment is based on novel cell therapy, using human stem cells, with especially high bone-forming capabilities. The company is the first to develop a treatment to be administered directly upon diagnosis, either before or right after birth, providing a possible treatment advantage in the early years of life, when most fractures occur.

    BOOST Pharma’s cell therapy has received Rare Pediatric Disease designation in the U.S. and Orphan Drug Designation in the U.S. and EU.

    Karolinska Development’s ownership in BOOST Pharma will amount to 10% following this second tranche.

    For further information, please contact:

    Viktor Drvota, CEO, Karolinska Development AB
    Phone: +46 73 982 52 02, e-mail: viktor.drvota@karolinskadevelopment.com 

    Johan Dighed, General Counsel and Deputy CEO, Karolinska Development AB
    Phone: +46 70 207 48 26, e-mail: johan.dighed@karolinskadevelopment.com

    TO THE EDITORS

    About BOOST Pharma ApS
    BOOST Pharma ApS is a Danish company founded based on research from Karolinska Institutet, focusing on novel cell therapy treatments for osteogenesis imperfecta, OI. The company’s treatment has a unique position on the market since it targets the underlying condition causing fractures and bone deformities, unlike any other product under development.

    About Karolinska Development AB
    Karolinska Development AB (Nasdaq Stockholm: KDEV) is a Nordic life sciences investment company. The company focuses on identifying breakthrough medical innovations in the Nordic region that are developed by entrepreneurs and leadership teams. The Company invests in the creation and growth of companies that advance these assets into commercial products that are designed to make a difference to patients’ lives while providing an attractive return on investment to shareholders.

    Karolinska Development has access to world-class medical innovations at the Karolinska Institutet and other leading universities and research institutes in the Nordic region. The Company aims to build companies around scientists who are leaders in their fields, supported by experienced management teams and advisers, and co-funded by specialist international investors, to provide the greatest chance of success.

    Karolinska Development has a portfolio of eleven companies targeting opportunities in innovative treatment for life-threatening or serious debilitating diseases.

    The Company is led by an entrepreneurial team of investment professionals with a proven track record as company builders and with access to a strong global network.

    For more information, please visit www.karolinskadevelopment.com

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    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI China: ​New initiative digs into literature for cinematic inspiration

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    The inaugural Neutron Star Fiction Monthly Film & TV Adaptation Value Potential List was unveiled on Nov. 1, awarding 10 works that could be adapted into either films or TV series. Taking place in Beijing, the event also promoted the close connection between literature and film.

    Renowned screenwriter Chen Yu, chairman of Neutron Star Films, speaks at the Neutron Star Fiction Monthly Film & TV Adaptation Value Potential List release ceremony in Beijing, Nov. 1, 2024. [Photo courtesy of Neutron Star Films]

    Neutron Star Films, Yida Media alongside Baihua Literature and Art Publishing House jointly announced the list to forge stronger connections between distinguished authors and film and TV producers. 

    According to organizers, the initiative seeks to display literary works’ potential to become film and TV adaptations. This provides a more diverse variety of compelling storytelling blueprints for film and TV creation, thereby fostering reciprocity and co-prosperous development between sectors of the media and entertainment industry.

    Organizers spent a year gathering over 370 literary works from issues of Fiction Monthly, and its various versions, as well as Science Fiction Cube. All publications are distributed by Baihua Literature and Art Publishing House. After three rounds of evaluations by experts and industry leaders, five short stories and five novellas were chosen. The final 10 works were selected based on having the highest potential for film and TV adaptation.

    For best short stories, the five works selected were “Night Wanderer,” “Birds Fly into the Forest,” “The Case of the Missing Shepherd,” “1993” and “Going to the Future for Shopping.” For best novellas “Land of No Name,” “Architecture Ethics,” “Remain Silent,” “Mutual Hunt” and “High Building in the Northwest” were chosen as potential source material for film and TV adaptions. The selected works cover topics such as romance, martial arts and contemporary urban life. Among them, “Night Wanderer” and “Land of No Name” were the highest-voted works in the short story and novella categories, respectively.

    The organizers promised that they will deliver these literary works to production companies within the film and TV industry. This initiative aims to fully meet the market’s demand for a diverse range of film and TV content while also addressing the various needs of streaming platforms and their audiences.

    Organizers of the event pose with the shortlisted works’ writers for a photo at the Neutron Star Fiction Monthly Film & TV Adaptation Value Potential List release ceremony in Beijing, Nov. 1, 2024. [Photo courtesy of Neutron Star Films]

    “The profound expression of classic literature is still needed in the fragmented viewing atmosphere of the short video era, thus adaptations of classic literature into films and television series have ‘essential’ value in this age,” veteran screenwriter Chen Yu pointed out during the event to announce the 10 literary works.

    Chen Yu, also a professor at Peking University and a famed director, is responsible for several blockbusters that were directed by China’s prominent filmmaker Zhang Yimou, such as “Under the Light” and “Full River Red.” Chen Yu founded Neutron Star Films and has served as its chairman since last year.

    He noted that the film and TV industry’s lack of original content makes the search for excellent stories urgent. For the 10 shortlisted works, Chen Yu not only highlighted their textual values but also offered guidance on potential methods to develop them into film and TV projects, providing project references and discussing their relevance to contemporary values.

    Speakers pose for a photo on stage after a forum themed “How film and TV works draw nutrients from literature,” held following the Neutron Star Fiction Monthly Film & TV Adaptation Value Potential List release ceremony in Beijing, Nov. 1, 2024. [Photo courtesy of Neutron Star Films]

    A forum themed “How film and TV works draw nutrients from literature” was held following the announcement of the list, with six heavyweight speakers joining the panel to share their insight and experiences. 

    During the session, Chen Yan (no relation to Chen Yu), vice chairman of the Chinese Writers Association and the China Theatre Association, emphasized that even short literary works should convey a grand theme and delve into the finer details of life, focusing primarily on a rich depiction of human nature. Regarding cinematic adaptations, he noted that while film and TV versions of literary works should respect the original work’s intent, scriptwriters should also have the freedom for creative interpretation.

    Chen Yu believes that to determine whether a novel is worth adapting into a film or TV drama several criteria should be considered, including whether the work possesses contemporary relevance and originality as well as features distinctive characters and character relationships.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China sees progress in green transition, climate response

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    China has scored remarkable achievements in green and low-carbon development in recent years, accelerating its green transition on multiple fronts while actively contributing to global actions against climate change.
    Green transition
    Wen Hua, an official with the National Development and Reform Commission, said that China’s progress in green development was manifested in several aspects, citing the policy framework for carbon peaking and neutrality, an optimized industrial structure, and higher resource utilization efficiency, among others.
    China has established a “1+N” policy framework for carbon peaking and neutrality, which includes two overarching documents as top-level design, 12 implementation plans targeting specific sectors and industries, and supporting plans covering sectors such as science, technology and finance, Wen said.
    The industrial structure has also been upgraded. While improving energy efficiency and reducing carbon emissions from existing projects, China has set strict energy and environmental standards for new projects.
    In particular, Wen underscored the positive impacts of the large-scale equipment upgrades and trade-ins of consumer goods programs implemented since the start of the year.
    The scheme serves not only as a robust measure to boost investment and consumption, but also a crucial climate policy. By promoting the application of advanced and energy-saving products and equipment, the program has helped reduce energy and carbon intensities across society, Wen said.
    Dong Wancheng, an official with the National Energy Administration, highlighted the country’s intensified efforts in energy transition. Dong said that China has boosted the development of clean energy, with the share of clean energy in total energy use increasing 10.9 percentage points over the past decade.
    Global contribution
    While speeding up its transition towards green and low-carbon growth, China has also played an active role in global climate change mitigation.
    China’s energy transition is making an increasing contribution to the world, said Dong, adding that the country has been sharing high-quality clean energy products with other countries, contributing to the world’s energy transition and carbon reduction.
    For instance, China’s wind power and photovoltaic product exports helped other countries reduce carbon dioxide emissions by about 810 million tonnes in 2023, according to the white paper issued by China’s State Council Information Office in August this year.
    Xia Yingxian, an official with the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, said that China has placed great importance on tackling climate change and has made new strides in this regard.
    According to Xia, China’s carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP have logged a sustained decline, and its carbon market mechanism has been further strengthened. He emphasized that the country will steadily expand its national carbon trading market and strive to ensure its healthy and stable operation.
    Noting that the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP29) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change is approaching, Xia said that China will continue to play a positive and constructive role in negotiations.
    Azerbaijan has been selected as the Presidency of the COP29, to be hosted in Baku this November.
    Xia said that China will work with all other parties to support Azerbaijan’s Presidency in achieving positive outcomes from the COP29. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI: 4BIO Capital Strengthens Investment Team

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Press Release

    LONDON, 4 November 2024 – 4BIO Capital (“4BIO” or “the Group”), an international venture capital firm focused solely on the advanced and emerging therapies sector, announces today the appointments of Dr. Therese (Thera) Liechtenstein as an Investment Director based in Munich and Tay Salimullah as a Venture Partner based in Chicago.

    Dmitry Kuzmin, Managing Partner at 4BIO Capital, said: “Thera and Tay’s extensive experience and innovative perspectives will be invaluable to 4BIO as we continue to drive forward our mission of investing in transformative therapies. We are always keen on the diversity of thought and expertise that strengthens 4BIO’s unique edge as the leading advanced and emerging therapies investor. We are very excited to see where their thesis and experience take them and look forward to their contribution to our portfolio and investments.

    Thera Liechtenstein, newly appointed Investment Director commented: “I am thrilled to join 4BIO Capital and contribute to the firm’s mission of fostering advanced and emerging therapies. I look forward to playing a role in bringing transformative treatments to patients with significant unmet needs.”

    Tay Salimullah, newly appointed Venture Partner added: “This is a remarkable opportunity to work with a team dedicated to advancing transformative therapies. I look forward to leveraging my experience to support innovative companies that are poised to make a significant impact on healthcare and patient outcomes.”

    Thera Liechtenstein joins 4BIO Capital from M Ventures, the corporate venture arm of Merck KGaA, where she was a Senior Investment Director in the Biotechnology team. At M Ventures, Thera led company creations, new investments in Seed and Series A rounds, as well as follow-on investments in companies across Europe and North America, and supported these companies as a member of the board of directors. Previously Thera managed strategic projects for the Healthcare business of Merck. Prior to Merck, Thera was a client relationship manager in the field of wealth preservation, at Industrie- & Finanzkontor Ets. She has a strong academic background having received her PhD in Immuno-Oncology from University College London, an MSc in Biomedical Sciences from the University of Amsterdam, and a BA in Biology and Business studies from New York University.

    Tay Salimullah has over 20 years of leadership experience in the rare disease and MedTech sectors, with a proven track record in incubating and scaling innovative, high-value technologies, including cell and gene therapies. He spent over a decade at Novartis in a series of leadership roles. As an Executive Committee member at Novartis Gene Therapies, Tay executed a new commercial model for Zolgensma® and Kymriah®, securing approvals in more than 55 countries, helping to treat over 4,000 patients, and generating more than $5 billion in revenue. Prior to his roles at Novartis, Tay spent over ten years working in a variety of investment and healthcare roles, including a decade at Pfizer where he held several strategic and commercial roles. His expertise spans drug development, pricing science, market access, and operational excellence in high-value healthcare solutions. Tay holds a BSc in Management Sciences from the University of Brunel, London. 

    – Ends –

    Contacts

                                                    

    About 4BIO Capital

    4BIO Capital (‘4BIO’) is an international venture capital firm headquartered in London, focused solely on the advanced and emerging therapies sector. The 4BIO team, which has an unrivalled network within the advanced therapy sector, comprises leading advanced therapy scientists and experienced life science investors.

    The firm maintains a global footprint across the US, Europe and Asia with an objective to create, invest in, support, and grow early-stage companies. Its ultimate goal is ensuring access to potentially curative therapies for all patients, with a specific focus on viable, high-quality opportunities in cell and gene therapy, RNA-based therapy, targeted therapies, and the microbiome.

    4BIO is currently investing out of its Fund III, having secured support from prominent global institutional investors, including the Children’s Minnesota, UPMC, Development Bank of Japan, Kyowa Kirin, Exor, and many other endowments and foundations. For more information, connect with us on LinkedIn and X (@4biocapital) and visit www.4biocapital.com.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI China: Shenzhou-18 mission returns samples for extraterrestrial habitation research

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    BEIJING, Nov. 4 — The Shenzhou-18 spacecraft has returned to Earth with 34.6 kilograms of space station experimental samples, encompassing microorganisms, alloy materials and nanomaterials that are difficult to prepare on Earth, the Science and Technology Daily reported on Monday.

    The retrieved samples are poised to advance the development of space fiber lasers, facilitate the creation of extraterrestrial materials and explore the prospects of Earth life spreading through the cosmos.

    The Shenzhou-18’s return capsule, carrying three Chinese astronauts, returned to Earth in the early morning on Monday, after completing a six-month space station mission.

    The scientific experimental samples brought back by the spacecraft included a total of 55 types, spanning 28 science projects across areas such as space life sciences, space materials science and microgravity combustion science.

    The life science specimens comprise methane-generating archaea, radiation-resistant microbes and microorganisms that inhabit rocks. These are anticipated to lay the scientific groundwork for investigating the potential habitability of extraterrestrial environments and to assess the capacity of microorganisms to adapt to the challenges of outer space.

    Part of the returned samples are high-temperature resistant alloys, fiber optics and optical coatings. These innovative materials hold the potential to revolutionize the manufacturing of next-generation aerospace turbine blades, space-adapted fiber lasers and precision medical repairs.

    The spacecraft also returned nanoparticles derived from methane combustion, which are intended to facilitate the future synthesis of critical particulate materials for extraterrestrial environments.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Business “ready to support” UK with £500m investment following Chancellor’s first budget

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    US firm confirms £500m investment in biomedical research, supporting government’s plan to attract private investment and grow the UK economy.

    • New biomedical hubs will create over 2000 new jobs and boost scientific discoveries which will save lives
    • Expansion of world-leading research laboratories in Cambridge set to inject millions of pounds into British economy every year

    A US firm has announced a £500 million investment into a UK research campus following the Chancellor’s first budget, supporting government plans to attract private investment and its industrial strategy.

    The investment from San Francisco-based developer Prologis will create thousands of jobs, spearhead lifesaving biomedical breakthroughs and generate millions of pounds for the British economy every year. It comes just two days after the Budget pledged to unleash private investment to kickstart economic growth.

    The Chancellor Rachel Reeves has welcomed the vote of confidence from business, which will expand a centre of excellence for medical research in Cambridge.

    The Prologis investment funds a 115,000 square ft expansion to Cambridge Biomedical Campus – a world-leading biomedical cluster which currently generates £4.2 billion each year for the UK economy.

    The new development will house high-tech labs, supporting clinical trials and diagnostic services. It will inject millions into the British economy every year and create over 2,120 highly-skilled jobs – in roles from research to diagnostic.

    The Cambridge Biomedical Campus is a world-leading life sciences cluster for biomedical research, healthcare, and education, which combines collaborations among academia, industry, and healthcare.

    Research conducted at Cambridge Biomedical Campus addresses the most pressing global healthcare challenges, including developing techniques for spotting cancer early and understanding dementia – while contributing significantly to the economy and currently employing over 22,000 staff, many of whom are in highly-skilled roles.

    Today’s announcement from Prologis also builds on the £63 billion worth of investments secured at government’s record breaking International Investment Summit last month – creating 38,000 jobs in the UK.

    Securing investment is central to the government’s mission to deliver economic growth which will create jobs, improve living standards, and make communities and families across the country better off.

    Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves said:

    This investment from Prologis – just two days after this government’s first Budget – is a vote of confidence in our plan for the UK economy.

    After also attracting £63bn at the International Investment Summit, it’s clear Britain is back in business. Economic growth is my number one mission, and unleashing private investment will play a major role in kickstarting it.

    Paul Weston, Regional Head at Prologis UK, said:

    There is a lot riding on this pivotal first Budget and strong support from the private sector to follow through on investment pledges will be critical. The government’s commitment to unlock Foreign Direct Investment matches our own focus on partnering with public and private stakeholders to invest and deliver the infrastructure needed for sustainable, long-term growth. 

    Steps already taken through the launch of the National Planning Policy Framework and the Green Paper for the Industrial Strategy are paving the way for a stronger, more resilient industrial base. These initiatives will ensure the UK remains at the forefront of industrial innovation and Prologis are ready to support the government’s ambitions, providing the spaces that can unlock growth and development.   

    We look forward to furthering our collaboration and investment activity, ensuring the UK continues to lead on a global stage.

    Science and Technology Secretary, Peter Kyle said:

    The UK’s life sciences sector is central to our ambitions for the UK – from driving economic growth through to saving and improving lives through better treatments. 

    Major investments like this from Prologis, bringing the sector’s largest global companies under one roof in Cambridge, is another vote of confidence in the UK’s approach to long-term growth.

    Coming just days after the Chancellor raised public funding for R&D to record levels, this underlines how this Government is in lockstep with business in our joint ambition to make sure everyone in the UK benefits from advances in science and technology.

    The government is delivering its growth mission by prioritising stability, investment, and reform to drive prosperity across the UK. The Budget takes the difficult decisions to put the public finances on a sustainable path to create the conditions for growth, and to create a stable economic environment for businesses to invest.

    Supported by the new fiscal framework, the Budget increases public investment by more than £100 billion over the next five years to boost growth and help crowd in private investment in the long run. This includes investing in transport, kickstarting the delivery of 1.5 million homes, supporting new industries and job creation, and protecting record R&D funding through a record £20.4 billion investment.

    The government will also work in partnership with the private sector to further increase investment. The government has created the National Wealth Fund to catalyse over £70 billion of private investment, set out plans for a modern Industrial Strategy to support investment in growth-driving sectors.

    The government has also published a Corporate Tax Roadmap to provide businesses the certainty they have called for. This confirms our commitment to cap the rate of Corporation Tax at 25% – the lowest in the G7 – for the duration of this parliament while maintaining full expensing and the £1 million Annual Investment Allowance and keeping the current rates of research and development reliefs, to drive innovation. 

    The Chancellor also set out how this government will transform the way it delivers infrastructure, including publishing a 10-year infrastructure strategy, establishing the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority, delivering ambitious planning reform. 

    At last month’s investment summit, the Prime Minister also committed to get rid of regulation that needlessly holds back investment and to upgrade the UK’s regulatory regime to make it fit for the modern age and ensure it’s not acting as a barrier for growth.

    The Budget has set out a clear plan to fix the foundations of the economy and begin a decade of national renewal by protecting working people, fixing the NHS, and boosting investment to deliver growth and prosperity for all parts of the country.

    Updates to this page

    Published 4 November 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Research and news relevance key factors driving the future of The Conversation – edition founder

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Stephen Khan, Editor

    I took a walk through the beautiful campus of Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island recently, as I was in the city for the annual gathering of the various editions of The Conversation.

    This project follows a devolved model, providing local leadership and engagement with the higher education and research sectors that support it in different parts of the world. Alongside me on this sunny stroll through one of the world’s great educational neighbourhoods was Alfred Hermida, Professor at the University of British Columbia School of Journalism.

    Alf and I don’t see a huge amount of each other, but when we do it tends to be pretty productive. We first met in July 2014 at an event at the University of Amsterdam, where I stood in for The Conversation founder Andrew Jaspan, and delivered a speech on the establishment of the project – then it only existed in Australia and the UK. Alf was pretty taken with the story, and the unique model. Less than a week later he was in our newsroom at City, University of London, talking to our editors about his research into social media and news.

    But something else was going on in Alf’s head – something about discussions he’d had previously with his colleague Professor Mary Lynn Young that Canada could have its own edition of The Conversation. And for the next couple of years he and Mary-Lynn together built the case within the country’s higher education sector for a membership-supported Conversation Canada. It launched in 2017 under the remarkable leadership of Scott White and now forms one of the most important and valued parts of the global network.

    So it was great to see Alf and note the edition’s success. But it was also fascinating to hear about his ongoing research and insights into the changing media landscape, both in Canada and internationally. Among the trends Alf and colleagues have noticed recently is that many students no longer arrive harboring ambitions of working for big media players. In part, he feels, this is down the decline of such full-career opportunities. But he also hears from students that they don’t see themselves reflected in the legacy news outlets. Instead it is the small independent players and even solo operations now excite many aspiring journalists more than traditional newsrooms.

    Brown university campus in Providence, Rhode Island.
    Author provided, CC BY

    “I have a global cohort of journalism students in class,” said Alf. “Many are driven by a sense of mission, looking to address the way journalism has historically marginalized or mispresented diverse communities. They look to journalism as a way of making the world a better place and are drawn to new journalism start-ups that are looking to reimagine what journalism is and could be.”

    Alf views the Conversation as part of this shift in how journalism is done. As I’ve written before, we are sometimes asked if what we do really is journalism. I’ve suggested that it may not matter, so long as our content is valuable, trusted and accessible. Alf goes further though, arguing that the production method deployed by The Conversation and pursuit of informed, evidence-based reporting
    that drives it, makes it fundamentally journalism, albeit of a different style to that which typified the newspaper era.

    Alf explained: “The scholars who write for The Conversation are taking on journalistic practices, guided and mentored by our team of professional journalists. While the authors are not journalists in the traditional sense, they are producing journalism that seeks to explain and interpret the world around us to help the public lead better lives. This is what journalism is all about.”

    As for the route ahead for The Conversation Canada, and the network more broadly, Alf, as you might expect (and hope), grounds some of his thoughts in research. Indeed, in research conducted by one of his graduate journalism students.

    Savannah Parsons considered traffic to The Conversation Canada late in 2023 as part of her study, and sought to ascertain what type of content drew readers in, and what kept them there. The picture is of course mixed, but there is a clear pattern that illustrates that expert engagement with news and events is a central factor in bringing readers to the website and our content more broadly. However, Parsons’ study also indicated that content we might traditionally describe as “more featurey”, that is, less tied to events, perhaps more narrative and perhaps even taking the form of audio rather than – or as well as – text, plays a vital role in building a loyal audience that will return to Conversation content, time after time.

    So, as was ever the case, there is a mix to be considered. And it will be for edition leads to decide exactly how that mix is deployed, and in what form, to suit individual markets. But it is clear to Alf, and I think to most of us at The Conversation, that news-relevance, timeliness and, of course, research, will be the central factors driving the project through its second decade.

    – ref. Research and news relevance key factors driving the future of The Conversation – edition founder – https://theconversation.com/research-and-news-relevance-key-factors-driving-the-future-of-the-conversation-edition-founder-242812

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Stage set for 76th Republic Day Celebrations at Kartavya Path

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Stage set for 76th Republic Day Celebrations at Kartavya Path

    Indonesian President Mr Prabowo Subianto to be the Chief Guest

    The ceremony to showcase India’s rich cultural diversity, unity, equality, development & military prowess; Special focus on 75 years of enactment of the Constitution

    Around 10,000 Special Guests from different walks of life to witness the parade

    31 Tableaux to roll down Kartavya Path on the theme ‘Swarnim Bharat: Virasat aur Vikas’; In a first, a Tri-services tableau to display the spirit of jointness & integration among the Armed Forces

    Cultural performance by 5,000 artists to cover entire Kartavya Path for the first time

    Posted On: 25 JAN 2025 2:58PM by PIB Delhi

    President Smt Droupadi Murmu will lead the Nation in celebrating the 76th Republic Day from Kartavya Path in New Delhi on January 26, 2025. With special focus on 75 years of enactment of the Constitution and Jan Bhagidari, the celebrations this year will be a unique blend of India’s rich cultural diversity, unity, equality, development and military prowess. President of the Republic of Indonesia Mr Prabowo Subianto will be the Chief Guest.

    Around 10,000 Special Guests have been invited to witness the parade, in line with the Government’s objective to increase ‘Jan Bhagidari’ in events of national importance. These Special Guests from different walks of life are the architects of ‘Swarnim Bharat’. They include best performers in various fields and those who have made best use of the schemes of the Government.

    The parade

    The Republic Day parade will start at 1030 hrs and run for a duration of approx. 90 minutes. The ceremony will commence with the visit of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi to the National War Memorial, where he will lead the nation in paying solemn tributes to the fallen heroes by laying a wreath. Thereafter, the Prime Minister and other dignitaries will head to the saluting dais at Kartavya Path to witness the parade.

    The arrival of the President of India and her Indonesian counterpart will be escorted by the President’s Bodyguard, the senior most Regiment of the Indian Army. The two Presidents will arrive in the ‘Traditional Buggy’, the practice which made a comeback in 2024 after a gap of 40 years.

    As per tradition, the National Flag will be unfurled followed by the National Anthem with a thunderous 21-gun salute using 105-mm Light Field Guns, an indigenous weapon system. 

    The parade will be heralded by 300 cultural artists playing ‘Sare Jahan Se Achha’ with musical instruments of different parts of the country. This indigenous mix of instruments would resonate with the melody, beat and hopes of a billion Indians hearts. The ensemble of instruments includes Shehnai, Sundari, Nadaswaram, Been, Mashak Been, Ransingha – Rajasthan, Flute, Karadi Majalu, Mohuri, Sankha, Tutari, Dhol, Gong, Nishan, Chang, Tasha, Sambal, Chenda, Idakka, Lezim, Thavil, Gudum Baza, Talam and Monbah.

    Showering of flower petals will be carried out by Mi-17 1V helicopters from 129 Helicopter Unit in the Dhwaj Formation. Trooping the National Flag, this formation of helicopters will be led by Group Captain Alok Ahlawat.

    The parade will then begin with the President taking the salute. The parade will be commanded by Parade Commander Lieutenant General Bhavnish Kumar, General Officer Commanding, Delhi Area, a second-generation officer. Major General Sumit Mehta, Chief of Staff, HQ Delhi Area will be the Parade Second-in-Command.

    The proud winners of the highest gallantry awards will follow. They include Param Vir Chakra winners Subedar Major (Honorary Captain) Yogendra Singh Yadav (Retd) & Subedar Major Sanjay Kumar (Retd), and Ashok Chakra winner Lt Col Jas Ram Singh (Retd). The Param Vir Chakra is awarded for the most conspicuous act of bravery and self-sacrifice in the face of the enemy, while the Ashok Chakra is awarded for similar acts of valour and self-sacrifice but, other than, in the face of the enemy.

     

    Indonesian Contingent

    Kartavya Path will be witness to a march past by the Marching Contingent of Indonesian National Armed Forces and Military Band of Indonesia’s Military Academy. The marching contingent will consist of 152 members, with 190 members in the military band.

     

    Indian Army Contingent

    The first Army contingent leading the Mounted Column will be of 61 Cavalry, led by Lt Ahaan Kumar. Raised in 1953, the 61 Cavalry is the only serving active Horsed Cavalry Regiment in the world, with the amalgamation of all the ‘State Horsed Cavalry Units’. It will be followed by nine Mechanised Columns and nine marching contingents.

    Tank T-90 (Bhishma); NAG Missile System along with BMP-2 Sarath; BrahMos; Pinaka Multi-launcher Rocket System, Agnibaan Multi-barrel Rocket Launcher; Akash Weapon System; Integrated Battlefield Surveillance System; All-Terrain Vehicle (Chetak), Light Specialist Vehicle (Bajrang), Vehicle Mounted Infantry Mortar System (Airawat), Quick Reaction Force Vehicles (Nandighosh & Tripurantak) and Short-Span Bridging System will also be on display at the Kartavya Path.

    Marching down the Kartavya Path will be the contingents of Brigade of the Guards, The Jat Regiment, The Garhwal Rifles, The Mahar Regiment, The Jammu & Kashmir Rifles Regiment, the Corps of Signals, among others.

     

    Tri-Services Tableau

    For the first time, a Tri-services tableau will roll down on Kartavya Path, displaying the spirit of jointness and integration. With the theme ‘Shashakt aur Surakshit Bharat’, the tableau will depict a Joint Operations Room facilitating networking and communication among the  three Services. It would display a battlefield scenario demonstrating a synchronised operation in land, water and air with the indigenous Arjun Main Battle Tank, Tejas MKII fighter aircraft, Advanced Light Helicopter, destroyer INS Visakhapatnam & a Remotely Piloted Aircraft, reflecting the Tri-services synergy in multi-domain operations. These platforms exemplify the vision to achieve ‘Aatmanirbharta’ in defence.

     

    Veterans’ Tableau

    Another highlight would be the Veterans’ Tableau on the theme ‘Viksit Bharat ki Ore Sadaiv Agrasar’, a heartfelt tribute to the unwavering spirit of our veterans, who are the symbols of discipline, resilience, and unyielding dedication.

    Adding to the display of honor will be the esteemed veterans who have brought glory to India in sports. Among them are Padma Shri awardees Subedar Murlikant Petkar, whose story inspired the Bollywood film Chandu Champion, and Honorary Captain Jitu Rai. Arjuna and Khel Ratna awardees Colonel Balbir Singh Kular, Captain (IN) Homi Motivala, Master Chief Petty Officer Tajinder Toor, Master Warrant Officer Ram Mehar Singh, and Wing Commander Gurmeet Sandhu will also be present.

    Representing Nari Shakti will be veteran women officers from all three services – Lieutenant Colonel Ravinderjeet Randhawa, Lieutenant Commander Mani Agarwal, and Flight Lieutenant Ruchi Saha, showcasing the pivotal role of women in shaping our armed forces.

     

    Indian Navy Contingent

    The Indian Navy contingent will consist of 144 personnel, led by Lt Cdr Sahil Ahluwalia as Contingent Commander and Lt Cdr Indresh Choudhary, Lt Cdr Kajal Anil Bharani & Lt Devender as Platoon Commanders. It will be followed by the Naval Tableau, depicting a strong ‘Aatmanirbhar’ Navy capable of protecting India’s maritime interests.

    The tableau showcases the newly-commissioned indigenous frontline state-of-the-art combatants including the Destroyer INS Surat, Frigate INS Nilgiri and Submarine INS Vaghsheer, highlighting India’s rapid progress in indigenous warship design and construction and reinforcing Indian Navy’s commitment to build a robust and self-sufficient defence eco system.

     

    Indian Air Force Contingent

    The Indian Air Force contingent will comprise four officers and 144 personnel, led by Sqn Ldr Mahender Singh Garati, with Flt Lt Nepo Moirangthem, Flt Lt Damini Deshmukh & Fg Offr Abhinav Gorsi being supernumerary officers. It will be followed by a fly-past by three MiG-29 aircraft in ‘Baaz Formation’.

     

    Indian Coast Guard

    The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) contingent will be led by Deputy Commandant Navita Thakran followed by three officers of the guard – Deputy Commandant Sumit Kumar, Deputy Commandant Pankaj Saini and Assistant Commandant Priya Balurkar.

    It will be followed by a tableau of ICG focussing on coastal security and maritime search and rescue. The theme is ‘Swarnim Bharat: Heritage and Progress’.

     

    DRDO Tableau & Equipment

    DRDO will display some path-breaking innovations for national security during the parade. The DRDO Tableau, with the theme ‘Raksha Kavach – Multi-layer Protection against Multi-domain Threats’ will feature Quick Reaction Surface-to-Air Missile; Airborne Early Warning & Control System; 155 mm/52 Cal Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System; Drone Detect, Deter & Destroy; Satellite-Based Surveillance System; Medium Power Radar – Arudhra; Advanced Light Weight Torpedo; Electronic Warfare System – Dharashakti; Laser-Based Directed Energy Weapon; Very Short Range Air Defence System; Indigenous Unmanned Aerial System; V/UHF Manpack Software Defined Radio for Land Forces; Indigenous Secure Satellite Phone and UGRAM Assault Rifle.

    Apart from this, DRDO’s major landmarks of 2024 will also be showcased in the tableau posters namely Long Range Hypersonic Anti-Ship Missile; Light Weight Bullet Proof Jacket ‘ABHED’; Divyastra – Multiple Independently Targetable Re-entry Vehicle; ‘Zorawar’ Light Tank and the Dornier Mid-Life Upgrade with radar, Electronic Warfare System, Software Defined Radio etc.

     

    Contingents of paramilitary & other auxiliary civil forces

    Among the contingents marching down the Kartavya Path will be a 148-member all-women marching contingent of Central Reserve Police Force, led by Assistant Commandant Aishwarya Joy M. The marching contingent of Railway Protection Force will be led by Divisional Security Commissioner Aditya.

    The Assam Rifles contingent will be led by Captain Karanveer Singh Kumbhavat of 29 Assam Rifles. It will comprise soldiers recruited from all over the country.

    The Delhi Police marching contingent will be led by Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Rishi Kumar Singh. The Delhi Police all-women band will be participating for the second time, led by Band Master Ruyangunuo Kense.

    The Camel contingent of Border Security Force will be under the command of Deputy Commandant Manohar Singh Kheechee.

    The all-girls marching contingent of NCC – SW (Girls) – will be led by Senior Under Officer Ekta Kumari of Jammu Kashmir & Ladakh Directorate. The all-boys marching contingent – SD (Boys) – will be led by Senior Under Officer Prasad Prakash Waikul of Maharashtra Directorate. The National Service Scheme (NSS) marching contingent of 148 volunteers will be led by Mr Deepak from Punjab.

     

    Tableaux

    Tableaux from 16 State Government/Union Territories and 10 Ministries/Departments of the Central Government highlighting ‘Swarnim Bharat: Virasat aur Vikas’, will participate in the parade this year. These tableaux would showcase India’s diverse strengths and its constantly-evolving cultural inclusiveness marching into a glorious future. The details of the participating tableaux of States/UTs are as follows:

    States/UTs

    Cultural Heritage of Goa

    Uttarakhand

     

    Uttarakhand: Cultural Heritage and Adventure Sports

    Haryana

     

    Showcasing Bhagwad Gita

    Jharkhand

     

    Swarnim Jharkhand: A Legacy of Heritage and Progress

    Swarnim Bharat: Virasat Aur Vikas

    Andhra Pradesh
     

    Etikoppaka Bommalu- Eco-Friendly Wooden Toys

    Punjab as the land of knowledge and wisdom

    Uttar Pradesh

    Mahakumbh 2025 – Swarnim Bharat Virasat aur Vikas

    Swarnim Bharat: Virasat Aur Vikas (Nalanda Vishwavidyalya)

    Madhya Pradesh
     

    Madhya Pradesh’s Glory: Kuno National park- The land of CHeetahs

    Tripura

     

    Eternal Reverence: The worship of 14 Deities in Tripura – Kharchi Puja

    Karnataka

     

    Lakkundi: Cradle of Stone craft

    West Bengal

    The ‘Lakshmir Bhandar’ & ‘Lok Prasar Prakalpa’ – Empowering Lives and Fostering Self-Reliance in Bengal

    Chandigarh

    Chandigarh: A Harmonious Blend of Heritage, Innovation and Sustainability

    Quality Education

    Dadra Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu

    Daman Aviary Bird Park along with Kukri Memorial- a tribute to the valiant sailors of the Indian Navy

    The details of tableaux of Ministries/Departments are as follows:

    Departments/Ministries

    Department of Social Justice and Empowerment

    The Constitution of India, a cornerstone of our Virasat (Heritage), Vikas and Path-Pradarshak

    Ministry of Tribal Affairs

    Janjatiya Gaurav Varsh

    Ministry of Women & Child Development

    Multifaceted journey of women and children nurtured under the Ministry’s comprehensive schemes

    Ministry of New & Renewable Energy

    Swarnim Bharat: Heritage and Development

    Ministry of Rural Development

    Lakhpati Didi

    Department of Financial Services

    India’s remarkable journey in financial evolution

    Ministry of Earth Sciences (IMD)

    Modern Science forecasting extreme weather conditioning- saving lives and livelihood

    Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying

    Golden India Heritage and Development Honouring India’s Indigenous Bovine Breeds as Icons of Sustainable Rural Growth

    Ministry of Culture

    Swarnim Bharat: Heritage and Development

    75 Years of Constitution of India through flower tableau

             

    Cultural Performance

    This year, 5,000 artists in a title of ‘Jayati Jaya Mamaḧ Bharatam’ will perform over 45 dance forms from different part of the country in a 11-minute cultural performance. For the first time, the performance will cover the entire Kartavya Path – from Vijay Chowk to C hexagon – to ensure that all guests get the same viewing experience.

     

    Motorcycle Display

    The Corps of Signals Motorcycle Rider Display Team, famously known as ‘The Dare Devils’, will carry out breath-taking stunts during the motorcycle display. The team will showcase their bravery and determination through a number of formations, including Bullet Salute, Tank Top, Double Jimmy, Devils Down, Ladder Salute, Shatrujeet, Shraddhanjali, Mercury Peak, Info Warriors, Lotus and Human Pyramid.

     

    Fly-past

    One of the most eagerly-awaited events of the parade, the ‘Fly-past’ will witness a breath-taking air show by 40 aircraft/helicopters – 22 fighter jets, 11 transport aircraft and seven helicopters – of IAF. These include Rafale, Su-30, Jaguar, C-130, C-295, C-17, AWACS, Dornier-228 & An-32 aircraft and Apache & Mi-17 helicopters. They will display a variety of formations including Dhwaj, Ajay, Satluj, Rakshak, Arjan, Netra, Bheem, Amrit, Vajrang, Trishul and Vijay. The concluding Vertical Charlie maneuver will be performed by a Rafale fighter aircraft.

    The ceremony will culminate with the national anthem and the release of balloons carrying banners with the official logo depicting 75 years of enactment of the Constitution in both English and Hindi.

    A number of unique activities have been carried out as part of the celebrations. These include:

     

    Rashtraparv Portal & Mobile App

    ‘Rashtraparv Portal’ portal and mobile App (Apple play and Msewa) have been launched to facilitate access to information related to national events such as Republic Day, Beating Retreat Ceremony, Independence Day; live streaming, purchase of tickets, provide information related to seating arrangements & route-maps of events etc.

     

    Ease of Access

     

    • Metro Services: Free Metro ride will be provided to Invitees/Ticket holders of RDP-2025 at entry point of the Metro Stations across Delhi. Delhi Metro operations will begin at 4:00 AM on January 26, 2025 across Delhi. Parking spaces of Delhi Metro in Across Delhi will be opened on chargeable basis at regular rates.
    • Park and Ride Scheme: Park and Ride Scheme will be available. Under this scheme, invitees will park their vehicle at Palika Parking, Connaught Place and Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium’s parking area (Gate -14 & 15). From there, they can avail the ferry services (pick and drop) through the hired DTC buses. The ferry services will start at 6:00 AM and stop at 8:30 AM.
    • All enclosures are accessible and Divyang friendly with ramp facility. There will also be youth volunteers from NCC with wheelchairs for assistance.
    • Although the list of prohibited items are communicated well in advance, a cloak room facility will also be available.

     

    Special Guests

    Approximately 10,000 Special Guests in 34 categories, including the Sarpanches from villages excelling in key government schemes, have been invited as Special Guests to witness the parade this year. Details are as follows:

     

    S No

    Category

    No of Guests
    1.  

    Sarpanches

    500
    1.  

    Sarpanches from top performing village

    200
    1.  

    Disaster Relief Workers

    300
    1.  

    Guests from Vibrant Villages

    300
    1.  

    Best performing Water Warriors

    400
    1.  

    Primary Agriculture Credit (PAC) Societies

    200
    1.  

    Pani Samitee

    400
    1.  

    Community Resource Person (Krishi Sakhi, Udhyog Sakhi etc.)

    400

     
    1.  

    SHG members

    200
    1.  

    Trainees of DGT got training under National Skill Development Corporation

    200
    1.  

    PM YASASVI Scheme

    400
    1.  

    Forest & Wildlife conservation volunteers/workers

    200
    1.  

    Handloom Artisans

    200
    1.  

    Handicraft Artisans

    200
    1.  

    Special Achievers and Tribal beneficiaries of various schemes

    500

     
    1.  

    ASHA (Accredited Social Health Activist)

    500
    1.  

    Mann Ki Baat Participants

    400
    1.  

    My Bharat Volunteers

    400
    1.  

    Paralympic Contingent & winners of International Sports events

    200
    1.  

    Agriculture Infrastructure Fund scheme, Farmers Producing Organisation, Padma Awardee Farmers, PMKISAN, PMFBY, PMKSY

    800
    1.  

    PM Surya Ghar Yojna

    400
    1.  

    Renewable Energy workers

    200
    1.  

    Beneficiaries of PM KUSUM scheme

    200
    1.  

    Anganwadi Workers

    400

    		  
    1.  

    Road Construction Workers

    300
    1.  

    Best Start-Ups

    100
    1.  

    Best Patent Holders

    100
    1.  

    PM-VISHWAKARMA yojana Beneficiaries

    200
    1.  

    PM Matasya Sampada Yojana Beneficiaries

    200
    1.  

    Rashtriya Gokul Mission beneficiaries

    200
    1.  

    Guests from North Eastern States

    200
    1.  

    Foreign Cadets of Youth Exchange Programme/NCC

    250

    		  
    1.  

    Finalist of the National School Band Competition

    600

    		  
    1.  

    Winners of Veer Gatha 4.0

    100

    		  

     

    Beating Retreat Ceremony

    RDC comes to a close with the ‘Beating Retreat Ceremony’, which is held every year on the 29th January at Vijay Chowk. It marks a centuries old military tradition, when the troops ceased fighting, sheathed their arms, withdrew from the battlefield and returned to the camps at sunset at the sounding of the Retreat. Colours and Standards are cased and flags lowered. During the Beating Retreat Ceremony 2025, only Indian Tunes will be played by all the participating bands.

     

    Bharat Parv

    ‘Bharat Parv’ will be organised at the Red Fort, Delhi from January 26-31, 2025 by the Ministry of Tourism. It will showcase Republic Day Tableaux, performances by the Military Bands (Static), cultural performances, Food Courts serving pan India cuisines and Crafts Bazaar.

     

    PM’s NCC Rally

    PM’s NCC rally, with the theme of ‘Yuva Shakti-Viksit Bharat’ is scheduled to be organised at Cariappa Parade Ground, Delhi Cantt. on January 27, 2025. During the event, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will review the multifarious activities of the NCC.

    ****

    VK/SR/Savvy/KB

    (Release ID: 2096097) Visitor Counter : 47

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NASA Invites Media to Expedition 71 Crew Visit at Marshall

    Source: NASA

    NASA will host four astronauts at 9 a.m. CDT Wednesday, Jan. 29, for a media opportunity at the agency’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama.
    NASA astronauts Matt Dominick, Mike Barratt, Jeanette Epps, and Tracy C. Dyson served as part of Expedition 71 and will discuss their recent missions to the International Space Station.
    Dominick, Barratt, and Epps launched aboard NASA’s SpaceX Crew-8 mission in March 2024 and returned to Earth in October 2024 after spending nearly eight months aboard the orbiting complex. Dyson launched aboard a Roscosmos Soyuz spacecraft also in March 2024 and returned in September 2024 after completing a six-month research mission aboard the space station.
    Media are invited to attend the event and visit with the astronauts as they discuss their science missions aboard the microgravity laboratory and other mission highlights. Media interested in participating must confirm their attendance by 12 p.m., Monday, Jan. 27, to both Lance D. Davis – lance.d.davis@nasa.gov – and Joel Wallace – joel.w.wallace@nasa.gov –  in Marshall’s Office of Communications. 
    Media must arrive by 8 a.m., Wednesday, to the Redstone Arsenal Joint Visitor Control Center Gate 9 parking lot, located at the Interstate 565 interchange on Research Park Boulevard. The event will take place in the NASA Marshall Activities Building 4316. Vehicles are subject to a security search at the gate, so please allow extra time. All members of the media and drivers will need photo identification. Drivers will need proof of insurance if requested.
    The Expedition 71 crew conducted hundreds of technology demonstrations and science experiments, including the bioprinting of human tissues. These higher-quality tissues printed in microgravity could help advance the production of organs and tissues for transplant and improve 3D printing of foods and medicines on future long-duration space missions. The crew also looked at  neurological organoids, created with stem cells from patients to study neuroinflammation, a common feature of neurodegenerative conditions such as Parkinson’s disease. The organoids provided a platform to study these diseases and their treatments and could help address how extended spaceflight affects the brain.
    As part of Crew-8, Dominick served as commander, Barratt served as pilot, and Epps served as a mission specialist. Dyson launched aboard a Soyuz space as part of an international crew and served as a flight engineer on a six-month research mission. The expedition to the space station was the first spaceflight for Dominick, third for Barratt, first for Epps, and third for Dyson.
    The International Space Station is a convergence of science, technology, and human innovation that enables research not possible on Earth. For more than 24 years, NASA has supported a continuous human presence aboard the orbiting laboratory, through which astronauts have learned to live and work in space for extended periods of time. The space station is a springboard for developing a low Earth economy and NASA’s next great leaps in exploration, including missions to the Moon under Artemis and, ultimately, human 
    Learn more about the International Space Station, its research, and its crew, at:
    https://www.nasa.gov/station
    Lance D. DavisMarshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala.256-640-9065lance.d.davis@nasa.gov
    Joel WallaceMarshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala.256-786-0117joel.w.wallace@nasa.gov

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: English translation of Prime Minister’s statement at the Joint Press Conference with the President of Indonesia

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Posted On: 25 JAN 2025 6:53PM by PIB Delhi

    Your Excellency, President and my brother Prabowo Subianto,
    Delegates from both countries,
    Friends from the media,
    Namaskar!

    Indonesia was our Chief Guest for India’s very first Republic Day. And it is a matter of great pride for us that, as we celebrate our 75th Republic Day, once again, Indonesia has gracefully accepted to be a part of this momentous occasion. On this occasion, I warmly welcome President Prabowo to India.

    Friends,

    During my visit to Indonesia in 2018, we took our partnership forward to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Today, we held extensive discussions with President Prabowo on various aspects of mutual cooperation. To strengthen our cooperation in the Defence sector, we have decided to work together in the areas of Defence Manufacturing and Supply Chain.

    We’ve also emphasized on cooperation in Maritime Security, Cyber Security, Counter-Terrorism and De-radicalisation. The agreement signed today on Maritime Safety and Security will strengthen our cooperation in the areas of Crime Prevention, Search and Rescue, and Capacity Building. Over the past few years, our bilateral trade has grown rapidly, and last year, this exceeded USD 30 billion.

    To take this a step further, we’ve also held discussions on diversifying market access and the trade basket. The private sector is also an equal partner in these efforts. We welcome the CEO Forum meeting held today and the agreements finalised in the private sector. We have also decided to further strengthen mutual cooperation in areas like FinTech, Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things and Digital Public Infrastructure.

    In the sectors of Health and Food Security, India is sharing its learnings and experience from the Mid-Day Meal Scheme and the Public Distribution System with Indonesia. We have also decided that we will work together in sectors of Energy, Critical Minerals, Science & Technology, Space and STEM Education. The Disaster Management Authorities of both countries shall also come together to perform Joint Exercises.

    Friends,

    The relationship between India and Indonesia dates back thousands of years. Tales inspired from the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, and the ‘Bali Jatra’ are living testaments of the age-old cultural and historical ties between our two great nations. It gives me great pleasure that, after the Buddhist Borobudur Temple, India will now also contribute towards the conservation efforts of the Prambanan Hindu Temple.

    Additionally, the year 2025 shall be celebrated as the Indo-ASEAN Year of Tourism. This shall also promote cultural exchanges and tourism between India and Indonesia.

    Friends,

    Indonesia is our important partner in the ASEAN and Indo-Pacific regions. Both countries are committed towards maintaining peace, security, prosperity and rules-based order in this entire region. We agree that Freedom of Navigation must be ensured in accordance with International Laws.

    In our Act Easy Policy, emphasis has been given to ASEAN unity and centrality. We continue to work together on platforms like G-20, ASEAN and Indian Ocean Rim Association.

    Now we are also welcoming the membership of Indonesia in BRICS. At all these forums, we will work in coordination and cooperation for the interests and priorities of the nations in the Global South.

    Excellency,

    Your visit to India as Chief Guest for our Republic Day tomorrow is a matter of immense pride for us. We are all eager to witness the Indonesian marching squad for the very first time at the event. Once again, I extend a warm welcome to you and your delegation to India.

    Thank you very much.

    DISCLAIMER – This is the approximate translation of Prime Minister’s remarks. Original remarks were delivered

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: ADDRESS TO THE NATION BY THE HON’BLE PRESIDENT OF INDIA SMT. DROUPADI MURMU ON THE EVE OF REPUBLIC DAY 2025

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 25 JAN 2025 7:17PM by PIB Delhi

    My Dear Fellow Citizens,

    Namaskar!

    I am happy to be addressing you on this historic occasion. On the eve of Republic Day, I offer you my heartiest congratulations! On January 26, 75 years ago, our founding document, the Constitution of India, came into effect.

    The Constituent Assembly, after nearly three years of debates, adopted the Constitution on 26th of November in 1949. That day, 26th November, has been celebrated as Samvidhan Divas, that is, Constitution Day, since 2015.

    Republic Day is indeed a matter of collective joy and pride for all citizens. Seventy-five years, someone might say, is only the blink of an eye in the life of a nation. No, I will say, not these past 75 years. This has been the time when the long-dormant soul of India has awakened again, taking strides to regain its rightful place in the comity of nations. Among the oldest civilizations, India was once known as a source of knowledge and wisdom. There, however, came a dark phase, and inhuman exploitation under colonial rule led to utter poverty.

    Today, we should first recall the brave souls who made great sacrifices to free the motherland from the shackles of foreign rule. Some were well known, while some remained little known till recently. We are celebrating this year the 150th birth anniversary of Bhagwan Birsa Munda, who stands as a representative of the freedom fighters whose role in the national history is now being recognised in true proportions.

    In the early decades of the twentieth century, their struggles consolidated in an organized nationwide independence movement. It was the nation’s good fortune to have the likes of Mahatma Gandhi, Rabindranath Tagore and Babasaheb Ambedkar, who helped it rediscover its democratic ethos. Justice, liberty, equality and fraternity are not theoretical concepts that we came to learn in modern times; they have always been part of our civilisational heritage. It also explains why the critics who were cynical about the future of the Constitution and the Republic when India had newly become independent were proven so thoroughly wrong.

    The composition of our Constituent Assembly was also a testimony to our republican values. It had representatives from all parts and all communities of the country. Most notably, it had 15 women among its members, including stalwarts such as Sarojini Naidu, Rajkumari Amrit Kaur, Sucheta Kripalani, Hansaben Mehta and Malati Choudhury. When women’s equality was only a distant ideal in many parts of the world, in India women were actively contributing in shaping the destiny of the nation.

    The Constitution has become a living document because civic virtues have been part of our moral compass for millennia. The Constitution provides the ultimate foundation of our collective identity as Indians; it binds us together as a family. For 75 years now, it has guided the path of our progress. Today, let us humbly express our gratitude to Dr. Ambedkar, who chaired the Drafting Committee, other distinguished members of the Constituent Assembly, various officers associated with and others who worked hard and bequeathed us this most wonderful document.

    Dear Fellow Citizens,

    The 75 years of the Constitution are marked by an all-round progress of a young republic. At the time of Independence and even later, large parts of the country had faced extreme poverty and also hunger. But one thing we were not deprived of was our belief in ourselves. We set down to create the right conditions in which everyone would have the opportunity to flourish. Our farmers toiled hard and made our country self-sufficient in food production. Our labourers worked relentlessly to transform our infrastructure and manufacturing sector. Thanks to their sterling efforts, India’s economy today influences the global economic trends. Today, India is taking leadership positions in international forums. This transformation would not have been possible without the blueprint laid down by our Constitution.

    In recent years, the economic growth rate has remained persistently high, creating job opportunities for our youth, putting more money in the hands of farmers and labourers, and also lifting more people out of poverty. The bold and far-sighted economic reforms will sustain this trend in the years to come. Inclusion is the cornerstone of our growth saga, distributing the fruits of developments as widely as possible.

    As the Government continues to assign top priority to financial inclusion, initiatives such as the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana, MUDRA, Stand-Up India and Atal Pension Yojana have been expanded to provide more people access to a variety of financial support schemes.

    Equally importantly, the government has redefined the notion of welfare, making basic necessities such as housing and access to drinking water a matter of entitlement. Every effort is being made to extend a helping hand to the marginalized communities, particularly of the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes. For example, there have been pre-matric and post-matric scholarships, national fellowships, overseas scholarships, hostels and coaching facilities for the youth from the SC communities. The Pradhan Mantri Anusuchit Jaati Abhyuday Yojana is making progress in reducing poverty among the SC communities by adding employment and income generation opportunities. There have been dedicated schemes for aiming for the socio-economic development of ST communities, including Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan and Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM-JANMAN). A Development and Welfare Board has been constituted for the De-notified, Nomadic and Semi Nomadic Communities.

    Meanwhile, the focus on physical infrastructure development, including roads and railways, ports and logistics hubs, over the past decade has created a platform that will support growth for decades to come.

    The way the government has used technology in the field of finance has been exemplary. A variety of digital payment options as well as the system of direct benefit transfer have promoted inclusion, bringing a significant number of people within the formal system. It has also brought unprecedented transparency in the system. In the process, within a few years we have created a robust Digital Public Infrastructure that is among the best in the world.

    The banking system has been in a healthy condition after a series of bold measures such as the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, effecting a substantial reduction in the Non-Performing Assets of Scheduled Commercial Banks.

    Dear Fellow Citizens,

    We won freedom in 1947, but many relics of a colonial mindset persisted among us for long. Of late, we have been witnessing concerted efforts to change that mindset. Among the most noteworthy of such efforts was the decision to replace the Indian Penal Code, the Code of Criminal Procedure and the Indian Evidence Act with the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam. Based also on Indian traditions of jurisprudence, the new criminal laws place the delivery of justice instead of punishment at the centre of the criminal justice system. Moreover, the new laws grant top priority to countering crimes against women and children.

    Reforms of such magnitude require an audacity of vision. Another measure that promises to redefine the terms of good governance is the Bill introduced in Parliament to synchronise election schedules in the country. The ‘One Nation One Election’ plan can promote consistency in governance, prevent policy paralysis, mitigate resource diversion, and reduce the financial burden, apart from offering many other benefits.

    There has also been a fresh engagement with our civilisational heritage. The ongoing Mahakumbh can be seen as an expression of the richness of that heritage. An exciting array of initiatives is underway in the domain of culture to preserve and revitalise our traditions and customs.

    India is a hub of great linguistic diversity. In order to conserve as well as celebrate this richness, the Government has recognised Assamese, Bengali, Marathi, Pali and Prakrit as classical languages. This category already includes Tamil, Sanskrit, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, and Odia. The Government is proactively promoting research in 11 classical languages now.

    I look forward to the completion of India’s first Archaeological Experiential Museum in Vadnagar of Gujarat, being developed next to an excavation site that shows evidence of human settlement from around 800 BCE. The museum will bring together in one place a wide range of arts, crafts and cultural elements from different eras.

    Dear Fellow Citizens,

    It is, after all, our young generation that is going to shape the India of tomorrow. Education, in turn, shapes these young minds. Therefore, the Government has increased its investment in education and made every effort to improve every parameter related to this sector. The results so far are more than encouraging. The last decade has transformed education, in terms of quality of learning and physical infrastructure and digital inclusion. For the medium of instruction, the regional languages are promoted at more levels. It is not surprising that there has been a notable improvement in students’ performance. I am glad to learn that women teachers have played a crucial role in this transformation, since more than 60 percent of those who became teachers in the last decade are women.

    The expansion and mainstreaming of vocational and skill education is a welcome development. This is also supplemented now by the scheme to provide our youth internship opportunities in the corporate sector.

    With a stronger foundation of the school-level education, India has been scaling new heights in various branches of knowledge, particularly in science, along with technology. For example, India stands sixth in terms of intellectual property filings in the world. We have consistently improved our ranking in the Global Innovation Index, moving from 48th position in 2020 to 39th in 2024.

    With rising self-assurance, we are increasing our participation in cutting-edge research with a series of initiatives. The National Quantum Mission aims to create a vibrant and innovative ecosystem in this new frontier of technology. Another noteworthy beginning is with the National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber Physical System, which plans to focus on several advanced technologies including artificial intelligence, machine learning, robotics and cyber security. These technologies were called futuristic till recently, but they are fast becoming part of our daily lives.

    The Genome India Project has been not only an exciting venture in exploring nature; it is also a veritable defining moment in the history of science in India. Under its flagship programme, the genome sequencing of 10,000 Indians have been made available for further research only this month. This pathbreaking project will open new vistas in biotechnology research and also give a fillip to the public healthcare system.

    The Indian Space Research Organisation has been taking giant leaps in space in recent years. This month, the ISRO once again made the nation proud with its successful Space Docking Experiment. India has now become the fourth country in the world to have this capability.

    Our increasing confidence levels as a nation are also reflected in the arena of sports and games where our players have scripted thrilling success stories. Last year, our athletes made a mark in the Olympic Games. In the Paralympic Games, we sent our largest-ever contingent, who came back with our best-ever performance. Our chess champions impressed the world, as our men and women won the gold at the FIDE Chess Olympiad. The achievements in the sports during the year 2024 were capped by D. Gukesh, who became the youngest World Chess Champion.

    Supported by a great improvement in training facilities at the ground level, these sportspersons have made us proud with their winning drive and inspired the next generation to aim higher and higher.

    Our brothers and sisters living abroad have taken the best of our culture and civilisation to different parts of the globe and have made us proud with their achievements in diverse fields. They have always considered themselves to be a part of the India Story. As I said at the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas earlier this month, I am confident of their proactive and enthusiastic participation in the making of a Viksit Bharat, a developed India, by the year 2047.

    Dear Fellow Citizens,

    Thanks to substantial and concrete progress in a wide range of areas, we are marching towards the future, holding our heads high. The key to our future is our youth and especially the young women. Their dreams are moulding the India of tomorrow, when we will be celebrating the centenary of our Independence. And when today’s children will salute the tricolour on 26th January of 2050, they will tell their next generation that this great quest would not have been possible without our incomparable Constitution guiding them along the way.

    Our future generations will also keep in mind the mission of Independent India in the world. In the words of the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi [and I quote]

    “If Swaraj was not meant to civilize us, and to purify and stabilize our civilization, it would be nothing worth. The very essence of our civilization is that we give a paramount place to morality in all our affairs, public or private.” [unquote]

    Today, let us reaffirm our commitment to strive to realise Gandhiji’s dreams. His watchwords, truth and nonviolence, will continue to remain relevant for the whole world. He also taught us that rights and duties are but the two sides of the coin – indeed, the true source of rights is duty. Today we recall his lessons in compassion too – compassion not only for our human neighbours but also for our other neighbours, namely, flora and fauna, rivers and mountains.

    Each of us must contribute to the efforts to counter the global threat of climate change. There have been two exemplary initiatives in this regard. At the global level, India is leading a mass movement, called Mission Lifestyle for Environment, to inspire individuals and communities to be more pro-active in protecting and preserving the environment. Last year, on World Environment Day, we launched a unique campaign, ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’, paying tribute to the nurturing power of our mothers as well as of Mother Nature. Its target of planting 80 crore seedlings was achieved ahead of the deadline. The world can learn from such innovative moves that people can adopt as their own movements.

    Dear Fellow Citizens,

    Let me once again congratulate you all on the occasion of Republic Day. My congratulations to the soldiers guarding our borders as well as police and paramilitary personnel keeping it safe within the borders. My congratulations also to the members of the judiciary, the bureaucracy and our missions abroad. My best wishes to you in all your endeavours.

    Thank you.

    Jai Hind!

    Jai Bharat!

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