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Category: Science

  • MIL-Evening Report: ER Report: A Roundup of Significant Articles on EveningReport.nz for July 3, 2025

    ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on July 3, 2025.

    Childcare sexual abuse is mostly committed by men. Failing to recognise that puts children at risk
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Delanie Woodlock, Senior research fellow, UNSW Sydney Australians are reeling from the news that Victorian childcare worker Joshua Dale Brown has been charged with more than 70 offences against children, including rape. As 1,200 children await results for sexually transmitted infections, a horror no parent should ever

    Overtourism is reshaping communities in Europe – could Australia be next?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Freya Higgins-Desbiolles, Adjunct professor and adjunct senior lecturer in tourism management, University of South Australia Bumble Dee/Shutterstock A media frenzy erupted over the recent Jeff Bezos “wedding of the century” in Venice. Also notable were the public protests that showed tensions around tourism, especially mass tourism, are

    How should I talk to my kids about abuse and body safety?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elizabeth Westrupp, Associate Professor in Psychology, Deakin University Jose Luis Peleaz/Getty Hearing about child abuse in trusted places such as childcare centres is every parent’s worst nightmare. So, how can we talk to our kids about it and help them stay safe? While it’s not always possible

    Creative Australia’s backflip on Venice Biennale representatives exposes deep governance failures
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Samuel Cairnduff, Lecturer in Media and Communications, The University of Melbourne The reinstatement of artist Khaled Sabsabi and curator Michael Dagostino as Australia’s representatives for the 2026 Venice Biennale closes a bruising recent cultural episode and exposes the fragility of the systems meant to protect artistic freedom

    Catholic Church warns against PNG declaring itself a ‘Christian country’
    By Reinhard Minong in Port Moresby The Catholic Church has strongly warned against Papua New Guinea’s political rhetoric and push to declare the nation a Christian country, saying such a move threatens constitutional freedoms and risks dangerous implications for the country’s future. Speaking before the Permanent Parliamentary Committee on Communication on Tuesday at Rapopo during

    Antarctic research is in decline, and the timing couldn’t be worse
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elizabeth Leane, Professor of Antarctic Studies, School of Humanities, University of Tasmania Oleksandr Matsibura/Shutterstock Ice loss in Antarctica and its impact on the planet – sea level rise, changes to ocean currents and disturbance of wildlife and food webs – has been in the news a lot

    Homes are more than walls and a roof, especially for Indigenous people. It’s time housing policy reflects that
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Giles Gunesekera, PhD Researcher, University of Technology Sydney Australia is experiencing a housing crisis. But for many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, the challenge runs deeper than high rents and limited supply. A major problem is that housing in Australia is rarely designed with Indigenous communities

    Fallout: Spies on Norfolk Island – SBS podcast
    Pacific Media Watch In July 1985, Australia’s Pacific territory of Norfolk Island (pop. 2188) became the centre of a real life international spy thriller. Four French agents sailed there on board the Ouvéa, a yacht from Kanaky New Caledonia, after bombing the Rainbow Warrior in Auckland, killing Greenpeace photographer Fernando Pereira. The Rainbow Warrior was

    Trump is not like other presidents – but can he beat the ‘second term curse’ that haunts the White House?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Garritt C. Van Dyk, Senior Lecturer in History, University of Waikato Getty Images While he likes to provoke opponents with the possibility of serving a third term, Donald Trump faces a more immediate historical burden that has plagued so many presidents: the “second term curse”. Twenty-one US

    More and more tourists are flocking to Antarctica. Let’s stop it from being loved to death
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Darla Hatton MacDonald, Professor of Environmental Economics, University of Tasmania VCG via Getty Images The number of tourists heading to Antarctica has been skyrocketing. From fewer than 8,000 a year about three decades ago, nearly 125,000 tourists flocked to the icy continent in 2023–24. The trend is

    Australia’s superannuation regulator is worried about your fund’s spending. Should you be?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Melatos, Associate Professor of Economics, University of Sydney GettyImages skynesher/Getty Australia’s superannuation regulator has written to Australian superannuation funds raising concerns their spending might not be benefiting members. The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority is not just concerned with the type of expenses, but with the corporate

    Thumbs up: good or passive aggressive? How emojis became the most confusing kind of online language
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brittany Ferdinands, Lecturer in Digital Content Creation, Discipline of Media and Communications, University of Sydney The Conversation, CC BY Emojis, as well as memes and other forms of short-form content, have become central to how we express ourselves and connect online. Yet as meanings shift across different

    Lung cancer screening hopes to save lives. But we also need to watch for possible harms
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katy Bell, Professor of Clinical Epidemiology, Sydney School of Public Health, University of Sydney There is much to commend about Australia’s lung cancer screening program, which started on July 1. The program is based on gold-standard trial evidence showing this type of screening is likely to reduce

    Uganda’s ride-hailing motorbike service promised safety – but drivers are under pressure to speed
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rich Mallett, Research Associate and Independent Researcher, ODI Global Motorcycle-taxis are one of the fastest and most convenient ways to get around Uganda’s congested capital, Kampala. But they are also the most dangerous. Though they account for one-third of public transport trips taking place within the city,

    Philadelphia’s $2B affordable housing plan relies heavily on municipal bonds, which can come with hidden costs for taxpayers
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jade Craig, Assistant Professor of Law, University of Mississippi The Parker administration says it will issue $800 million in bonds over the next four years to fund affordable housing. Jeff Fusco/The Conversation, CC BY-NC-SA Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker’s Housing Opportunities Made Easy initiative, which was included in

    Around 250 million years ago, Earth was near-lifeless and locked in a hothouse state. Now scientists know why
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Merdith, DECRA Fellow, School of Earth Sciences, University of Adelaide Some 252 million years ago, almost all life on Earth disappeared. Known as the Permian–Triassic mass extinction – or the Great Dying – this was the most catastrophic of the five mass extinction events recognised in

    Politics with Michelle Grattan: Kerrynne Liddle on seizing more opportunities with Indigenous Australians
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra From this Sunday, Australians will be celebrating NAIDOC Week, which marks its 50th anniversary this year. The week highlights the achievements, history and culture of Australia’s First Peoples. It’s also a time to reflect on the huge effort needed to

    Supervision gaps can lead to child abuse – what can be done?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Marg Rogers, Senior Lecturer, Early Childhood Education; Post Doctoral Fellow, Manna Institute, University of New England Suwatchai Pluemruetai/Shutterstock The horrific allegations of child abuse by an early childhood educator in Victoria came to light at a time when the early learning sector was already under fire for

    Trump’s ‘big beautiful bill’ has passed the US Senate – these are the winners and losers
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lester Munson, Non-Resident Fellow, United States Studies Centre, University of Sydney Igor Link/Shutterstock One of the unique aspects of Washington life is a Senate “vote-a-rama,” in which the upper house of Congress tortures itself by pulling a marathon all-nighter of speeches, amendments and votes on a critical

    Tonga cybersecurity attack wake-up call for Pacific, warns expert
    By Teuila Fuatai, RNZ Pacific senior journalist A Tongan cybersecurity expert says the country’s health data hack is a “wake-up call” for the whole region. Siosaia Vaipuna, a former director of Tonga’s cybersecurity agency, spoke to RNZ Pacific in the wake of the June 15 cyberattack on the country’s Health Ministry. Vaipuna said Tonga and

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: ER Report: A Roundup of Significant Articles on EveningReport.nz for July 3, 2025

    ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on July 3, 2025.

    Childcare sexual abuse is mostly committed by men. Failing to recognise that puts children at risk
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Delanie Woodlock, Senior research fellow, UNSW Sydney Australians are reeling from the news that Victorian childcare worker Joshua Dale Brown has been charged with more than 70 offences against children, including rape. As 1,200 children await results for sexually transmitted infections, a horror no parent should ever

    Overtourism is reshaping communities in Europe – could Australia be next?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Freya Higgins-Desbiolles, Adjunct professor and adjunct senior lecturer in tourism management, University of South Australia Bumble Dee/Shutterstock A media frenzy erupted over the recent Jeff Bezos “wedding of the century” in Venice. Also notable were the public protests that showed tensions around tourism, especially mass tourism, are

    How should I talk to my kids about abuse and body safety?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elizabeth Westrupp, Associate Professor in Psychology, Deakin University Jose Luis Peleaz/Getty Hearing about child abuse in trusted places such as childcare centres is every parent’s worst nightmare. So, how can we talk to our kids about it and help them stay safe? While it’s not always possible

    Creative Australia’s backflip on Venice Biennale representatives exposes deep governance failures
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Samuel Cairnduff, Lecturer in Media and Communications, The University of Melbourne The reinstatement of artist Khaled Sabsabi and curator Michael Dagostino as Australia’s representatives for the 2026 Venice Biennale closes a bruising recent cultural episode and exposes the fragility of the systems meant to protect artistic freedom

    Catholic Church warns against PNG declaring itself a ‘Christian country’
    By Reinhard Minong in Port Moresby The Catholic Church has strongly warned against Papua New Guinea’s political rhetoric and push to declare the nation a Christian country, saying such a move threatens constitutional freedoms and risks dangerous implications for the country’s future. Speaking before the Permanent Parliamentary Committee on Communication on Tuesday at Rapopo during

    Antarctic research is in decline, and the timing couldn’t be worse
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elizabeth Leane, Professor of Antarctic Studies, School of Humanities, University of Tasmania Oleksandr Matsibura/Shutterstock Ice loss in Antarctica and its impact on the planet – sea level rise, changes to ocean currents and disturbance of wildlife and food webs – has been in the news a lot

    Homes are more than walls and a roof, especially for Indigenous people. It’s time housing policy reflects that
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Giles Gunesekera, PhD Researcher, University of Technology Sydney Australia is experiencing a housing crisis. But for many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, the challenge runs deeper than high rents and limited supply. A major problem is that housing in Australia is rarely designed with Indigenous communities

    Fallout: Spies on Norfolk Island – SBS podcast
    Pacific Media Watch In July 1985, Australia’s Pacific territory of Norfolk Island (pop. 2188) became the centre of a real life international spy thriller. Four French agents sailed there on board the Ouvéa, a yacht from Kanaky New Caledonia, after bombing the Rainbow Warrior in Auckland, killing Greenpeace photographer Fernando Pereira. The Rainbow Warrior was

    Trump is not like other presidents – but can he beat the ‘second term curse’ that haunts the White House?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Garritt C. Van Dyk, Senior Lecturer in History, University of Waikato Getty Images While he likes to provoke opponents with the possibility of serving a third term, Donald Trump faces a more immediate historical burden that has plagued so many presidents: the “second term curse”. Twenty-one US

    More and more tourists are flocking to Antarctica. Let’s stop it from being loved to death
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Darla Hatton MacDonald, Professor of Environmental Economics, University of Tasmania VCG via Getty Images The number of tourists heading to Antarctica has been skyrocketing. From fewer than 8,000 a year about three decades ago, nearly 125,000 tourists flocked to the icy continent in 2023–24. The trend is

    Australia’s superannuation regulator is worried about your fund’s spending. Should you be?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Melatos, Associate Professor of Economics, University of Sydney GettyImages skynesher/Getty Australia’s superannuation regulator has written to Australian superannuation funds raising concerns their spending might not be benefiting members. The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority is not just concerned with the type of expenses, but with the corporate

    Thumbs up: good or passive aggressive? How emojis became the most confusing kind of online language
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brittany Ferdinands, Lecturer in Digital Content Creation, Discipline of Media and Communications, University of Sydney The Conversation, CC BY Emojis, as well as memes and other forms of short-form content, have become central to how we express ourselves and connect online. Yet as meanings shift across different

    Lung cancer screening hopes to save lives. But we also need to watch for possible harms
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katy Bell, Professor of Clinical Epidemiology, Sydney School of Public Health, University of Sydney There is much to commend about Australia’s lung cancer screening program, which started on July 1. The program is based on gold-standard trial evidence showing this type of screening is likely to reduce

    Uganda’s ride-hailing motorbike service promised safety – but drivers are under pressure to speed
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rich Mallett, Research Associate and Independent Researcher, ODI Global Motorcycle-taxis are one of the fastest and most convenient ways to get around Uganda’s congested capital, Kampala. But they are also the most dangerous. Though they account for one-third of public transport trips taking place within the city,

    Philadelphia’s $2B affordable housing plan relies heavily on municipal bonds, which can come with hidden costs for taxpayers
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jade Craig, Assistant Professor of Law, University of Mississippi The Parker administration says it will issue $800 million in bonds over the next four years to fund affordable housing. Jeff Fusco/The Conversation, CC BY-NC-SA Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker’s Housing Opportunities Made Easy initiative, which was included in

    Around 250 million years ago, Earth was near-lifeless and locked in a hothouse state. Now scientists know why
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Merdith, DECRA Fellow, School of Earth Sciences, University of Adelaide Some 252 million years ago, almost all life on Earth disappeared. Known as the Permian–Triassic mass extinction – or the Great Dying – this was the most catastrophic of the five mass extinction events recognised in

    Politics with Michelle Grattan: Kerrynne Liddle on seizing more opportunities with Indigenous Australians
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra From this Sunday, Australians will be celebrating NAIDOC Week, which marks its 50th anniversary this year. The week highlights the achievements, history and culture of Australia’s First Peoples. It’s also a time to reflect on the huge effort needed to

    Supervision gaps can lead to child abuse – what can be done?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Marg Rogers, Senior Lecturer, Early Childhood Education; Post Doctoral Fellow, Manna Institute, University of New England Suwatchai Pluemruetai/Shutterstock The horrific allegations of child abuse by an early childhood educator in Victoria came to light at a time when the early learning sector was already under fire for

    Trump’s ‘big beautiful bill’ has passed the US Senate – these are the winners and losers
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lester Munson, Non-Resident Fellow, United States Studies Centre, University of Sydney Igor Link/Shutterstock One of the unique aspects of Washington life is a Senate “vote-a-rama,” in which the upper house of Congress tortures itself by pulling a marathon all-nighter of speeches, amendments and votes on a critical

    Tonga cybersecurity attack wake-up call for Pacific, warns expert
    By Teuila Fuatai, RNZ Pacific senior journalist A Tongan cybersecurity expert says the country’s health data hack is a “wake-up call” for the whole region. Siosaia Vaipuna, a former director of Tonga’s cybersecurity agency, spoke to RNZ Pacific in the wake of the June 15 cyberattack on the country’s Health Ministry. Vaipuna said Tonga and

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI China: Rare archives unveil history of China’s airborne remote sensing innovation

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

    Over 400 archival items illuminating China’s journey to become a global force in airborne remote sensing are going on public display in Beijing, showcasing four decades of innovation spearheaded by the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS).

    The month-long exhibition, organized by the CAS Aerospace Information Research Institute, opened on Tuesday at the CAS Beijing new technology base.

    Airborne remote sensing offers crucial advantages — high resolution, flexible deployment and rapid response — making it indispensable for earth observation and vital for disaster mitigation platforms.

    The CAS established the Airborne Remote Sensing Center in 1985 during a crucial period for the nation’s remote sensing research and application development.

    The exhibition chronicles China’s trajectory from early exploration to achieving significant technological breakthroughs in airborne observation systems.

    Highlights include early documents, which are displayed for the first time, tracing the approval, modification, delivery and maiden flight of China’s first-generation airborne remote sensing system, according to the center.

    Additionally, through various project implementation documents such as task assignment letters, feasibility reports and acceptance reports, the archives systematically present the process of independent innovation for the new generation of airborne remote sensing system projects, which utilized the Xinzhou-60 aerial remote sensing and scientific experiment aircraft platform.

    VITAL ROLE IN DISASTER RESPONSE

    Pan Jie, director of the CAS Airborne Remote Sensing Center, emphasized the center’s vital operational role, as showcased in the exhibition.

    “The rich archival images and text vividly illustrate the center’s deep involvement in providing remote sensing support for monitoring major floods in the Yangtze and Huaihe River basins, and for emergency assessments after the Wenchuan, Yushu, and Ya’an earthquakes,” Pan noted.

    The 2008 Wenchuan earthquake response was particularly prominent.

    “Following the Wenchuan quake, our two aircraft flew to the disaster zone,” Pan recounted. “Over the next 20-plus days, they logged 227 flight hours, surpassing 10 hours daily, setting a record for sustained remote sensing operations. They acquired over 20 terabytes of crucial imagery data, underpinning rescue coordination.”

    The display also documents significant achievements in environmental monitoring and resource exploration, including gold, polymetallic ore, and oil and gas surveys.

    “Through 40 years, the center has progressed from zero to owning four specialized aircraft, achieving the leap from reliance on imports to self-developed large airborne remote sensing systems,” Pan said.

    The center now operates a national-level aerial laboratory capable of carrying and coordinating multiple sensor payloads simultaneously, she added.

    Zhang Bing, vice president of the CAS Aerospace Information Research Institute, expressed the hope that the event would “allow more people to touch the spirit of China’s aerospace information endeavor and draw innovative strength from reflecting on history.”

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: How China’s Hefei incubates future industries from frontier science

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

    This photo shows the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST) in Hefei, east China’s Anhui Province, Jan. 15, 2025. (Xinhua/Huang Bohan)

    Residents of Hefei say the city has two suns — one suspends in the sky and the other lies in an industrial park in the city’s suburb.

    Hefei, capital of east China’s Anhui Province, is home to the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST). It has been dubbed China’s “artificial sun” due to its unique fusion process, which simulates that of the sun. This facility lies at the heart of the country’s quest for commercial fusion power, an almost inexhaustible source of clean energy.

    Earlier this year, the EAST set a new world record by maintaining a steady-state high-confinement plasma operation for 1,066 seconds. Motivated by its success, engineers are now busy building a new facility nearby — the Burning Plasma Experimental Superconducting Tokamak (BEST) — which is expected to showcase fusion electricity generation for the first time.

    Technological breakthroughs are impressive, but equally noteworthy is the emergence of a booming industry surrounding these experimental facilities. While it may take another decade or two for commercial fusion to become a reality, the growth of the sector so far has been remarkable.

    Engineers have designed a security check equipment utilizing a spin-off technology of fusion, which has been deployed at the city’s metro system. Another byproduct is a proton therapy system for treating multiple cancers, which will soon begin clinical operations.

    “We aim to ‘lay eggs along the way,’ fostering new high-tech companies along our journey toward eventually realizing fusion power,” said Yang Qingxi, deputy director of the BEST department of Fusion Energy Tech., the company that is building the BEST.

    Students view a model of the Burning Plasma Experimental Superconducting Tokamak (BEST) at an exhibition hall in Hefei, capital of east China’s Anhui Province, July 1, 2025. (Xinhua/Zhang Cheng)

    The company exemplifies the new strategy adopted by Chinese cities like Hefei to foster new industries from cutting-edge technologies. This approach leverages spin-off technologies from frontier research and focuses on quickly building a supply chain around these technologies.

    Nationwide, the Chinese government has called for establishing a growth mechanism for investment in future industries, including quantum technology, bio-manufacturing, embodied intelligence and 6G. This has spurred a swift market response to transform lab-based research into operational technologies with market impact.

    In Hefei, which hosts the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) and several national labs, future industries including fusion energy, quantum information and commercial space industry are picking up steam.

    In the fusion sector, an industrial chain was built from scratch in just a few years. The city now hosts nearly 60 fusion-related companies, many of them being suppliers of materials and equipment needed in the construction of experimental facilities.

    “Our superconductors used to rely on imports, which means longer delivery time and insufficient supply. Now domestic companies have managed to greatly raise the output,” said Yan Jianwen, chairman of Fusion Energy Tech. “For them, it will become a gigantic industry if fusion energy is realized.”

    This photo taken on July 1, 2025 shows a model of the quantum satellite “Micius” at China Telecom Quantum Group, in Hefei, capital of east China’s Anhui Province. (Xinhua/Zhang Cheng)

    The city’s quantum ascendance, derived from groundbreaking researches by USTC, has also fostered a thriving application ecosystem. Its “Quantum Avenue” has attracted dozens of tech firms to commercialize quantum technologies, including quantum computing, measurement and communication.

    China Telecom Quantum Group, located near the avenue, displays a wide range of scenarios for its quantum products, from earthquake detection using quantum measurement to eavesdropping-proof phone calls powered by quantum communication.

    “You can simply apply for a SIM card with quantum services to protect your phone from eavesdropping,” said Lyu Pin, chairman of the group, adding that such encrypted message and call services have nearly 6 million users, including many entrepreneurs fearing commercial espionage.

    Quantum communication offers nearly unhackable data transmission, as any attempt to intercept or wiretap the quantum information will cause them to collapse and be detected.

    “As public awareness of privacy protection rises, the user base of quantum communication is projected to reach tens of millions in the near future,” he said.

    Lyu attributes the successful application of quantum technology to close collaboration between the company and researchers, as well as a supportive city government, which moves fast to green-light the application of new technologies.

    “It usually takes decades and a lot of luck for basic science like quantum technology to enter the market, so it is very important to generate rewards through timely marketization, and for the government to facilitate this process,” said Zhang Jianxiao, who heads the group’s sci-tech innovation and strategic development department.

    The city government of Hefei has set up an office dedicated to research-to-industry transformation and is soliciting companies that can form a supply chain for budding industries, said Li Chen, an official with Hefei’s development and reform commission.

    “For companies and research institutes, pursuing commercialization opportunities as they develop helps generate profits and resources to better advance technologies,” he said. “For the government, this means finding new future industries and new growth points.”

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: How should I talk to my kids about abuse and body safety?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elizabeth Westrupp, Associate Professor in Psychology, Deakin University

    Jose Luis Peleaz/Getty

    Hearing about child abuse in trusted places such as childcare centres is every parent’s worst nightmare.

    So, how can we talk to our kids about it and help them stay safe?

    While it’s not always possible to prevent abuse – and it’s never the victim’s responsibility – there are practical, age-appropriate ways to help children trust their instincts and feel confident to speak up.

    These conversations don’t have to be frightening. They’re about teaching kids body safety, boundaries and trust in a calm, shame-free way.

    Here’s what parents and carers can do right now and some resources that might help.

    Use real names for body parts

    Many of us grew up in families where private parts were given nicknames or not mentioned at all. Basic body functions were treated as embarrassing or joked about. But when we flinch or make jokes, we teach our children these topics shouldn’t be spoken about.

    Instead, we need to speak about bodies in a clear, matter-of-fact way.

    Research shows one of the simplest and most effective protective factors for children is teaching them correct names for their genitals – penis, vulva, vagina, anus, bottom – without shame or secrecy.

    Using the right words gives children the language to ask questions and tell a trusted adult if something feels wrong.

    We can use everyday moments, such as bath time or getting dressed, to weave these words in. While your child is in the bath you might say: “Have you cleaned your vulva/penis? This is your special area and it’s up to you to look after it.”

    It’s also important to explain, in simple terms, that some things are just for adults. This isn’t about making the topic scary, but about setting safe boundaries: “Sex is for grown-ups. It’s not for children, and it’s never OK for an adult or another child to involve you in anything like that.”

    If you’re unsure how to begin, children’s books about bodies and private parts can help start the conversation. Here are some of my favourites, for toddlers up to late primary school:

    Teaching children the correct names for body parts is one of the most protective things you can do.
    simarik/Getty

    Respect their ‘no’

    Children are often taught to be polite and do as they’re told. While manners matter, this can sometimes teach children not to trust their own instincts.

    It’s vital for children to know they are in charge of their own bodies: they get to decide what happens to them.

    This means they never have to hug, kiss or touch anyone if they don’t want to, not even close family members. As parents, this can feel socially awkward. But we can help by offering alternatives, such as high five, a wave or just saying hello.

    When we respect children saying “no” to safe adults, we reinforce that their boundaries matter and they always have a right to speak up.

    Trusting our children helps them learn to trust themselves.

    Encourage them to listen to their in-built sense when something isn’t right – an “uh-oh” feeling in their tummy. Let them know: “If someone ever makes you feel weird or yucky inside, you can always tell me, even if someone tells you not to. I’ll always listen and believe you.”

    This helps build the confidence to speak up if something doesn’t feel right, whether it’s with another child on a play date, an adult at school, or even a date when they’re older.

    Most importantly, it sends the message that adults will listen, believe and protect them.

    Secrets vs surprises

    From a young age, children can understand safe grown-ups don’t ask them to keep secrets.

    It’s helpful to explain the difference between a secret and a surprise.

    Surprises are fun and temporary, like hiding a birthday present, and are always revealed.

    Secrets are about hiding something for a long time, and can make people feel scared or sad. You might say: “You can tell me anything. You won’t get in trouble, even if an adult says it’s a secret.”

    How to listen and what to look for

    Sometimes children can’t find the words or feel too scared to speak up. They might not fully understand what happened until they’re older.

    One of the most protective things you can do is remind your child it’s never too late to tell you if something’s worrying them. If they raise something from the past, stay calm, listen and thank them for trusting you.

    If your child ever discloses something distressing:

    • take a deep breath before you respond

    • let them know you believe them

    • avoid asking lots of detailed questions and just listen.

    Seek professional help if needed. This might mean talking to your GP, calling a child protection helpline or speaking to a trusted mental health professional.

    Not all children will disclose abuse directly. Look for sudden changes in behaviouror language that seems too mature, fear of certain people or places, regression such as bedwetting or nightmares.

    These signs don’t automatically mean abuse has occurred. But they are cues to gently check in, ask open questions and get help if needed.

    You don’t have to do this perfectly. Small conversations, repeated over time, help protect children and show them you’re always there to listen.

    If this story has raised any issues for you, please contact one of the services below:

    Elizabeth Westrupp receives funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council. She is affiliated with the Parenting and Family Research Alliance, Editor-in-Chief of Mental Health & Prevention, and is a registered clinical psychologist.

    – ref. How should I talk to my kids about abuse and body safety? – https://theconversation.com/how-should-i-talk-to-my-kids-about-abuse-and-body-safety-260309

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Catholic Church warns against PNG declaring itself a ‘Christian country’

    By Reinhard Minong in Port Moresby

    The Catholic Church has strongly warned against Papua New Guinea’s political rhetoric and push to declare the nation a Christian country, saying such a move threatens constitutional freedoms and risks dangerous implications for the country’s future.

    Speaking before the Permanent Parliamentary Committee on Communication on Tuesday at Rapopo during the ongoing Regional Parliamentary Inquiry into the Standard and Integrity of Journalism in Papua New Guinea, Archbishop Rochus Tatamai of the Rabaul Archdiocese delivered a firm but thoughtful reflection on the issue, voicing the Catholic Church’s opposition to the notion of a legally enshrined Christian nation.

    “When talking about freedom of media and PNG, a Christian country, we must be clear,” said Archbishop Tatamai. “The claim that PNG is a Christian country is not supported by law.

    “The Catholic Church disagrees with this. It conflicts with our Constitution’s guarantee of freedom of religion and freedom of conscience.”

    The archbishop’s remarks were part of a broader presentation on the influence of evolving technology on church authority, but he took the opportunity to confront what he called one of the major topics in PNG today.

    He raised concerns about the legal, social, and theological implications of attempting to legislate Christianity into state law, stating that politicians were not theologians and risked entering spiritual territory without the understanding to handle it responsibly.

    “If we declare PNG a Christian nation,” he asked, “whose version of Christianity are we referring to? We’re not all the same.”

    Legal obligation
    He warned of a future where attending church could become a legal obligation, not a matter of faith.

    “If PNG is supposedly a Christian nation, police could walk into your village and tell you: it’s not just a sin to skip church on Sunday, it’s illegal and get you arrested.’ That’s how dangerous this path could be.”

    Archbishop Tatamai also referenced the Chief Justice, who had recently stated that if PNG were truly a Christian nation, then principles like honesty would become enforceable laws: “You should not steal. And if you do, you’re not only sinning you’re breaking the law.”

    But the archbishop warned that such a conflation of morality and legality opens up deep conflicts.

    “History has shown us the dangers of blurring the line between church and state. Blood has been spilled over this in other parts of the world. Are we ready for that?”

    He stressed that the founding fathers of PNG had been wise to embed freedom of religion and conscience into the Constitution, ensuring that the state remained neutral in matters of faith.

    “Now, we risk undoing their vision by imposing a national religion,” he said.

    Challenged Parliament
    The archbishop also challenged Parliament and national leaders to think beyond symbolism.

    “Yes, Parliament can pass declarations. Yes, politicians can make the numbers. But have they truly thought through the implications and applications of these decisions?”

    He concluded his presentation with a sharp warning against hypocrisy and selective morality under a Christian state:

    “You cannot use Christianity as a legal framework and continue with corruption. You cannot justify wrongdoing and expect forgiveness simply because now, in a confessional state, sin becomes crime and crime must have consequences.”

    Republished from the PNG Post-Courier with permission.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Catholic Church warns against PNG declaring itself a ‘Christian country’

    By Reinhard Minong in Port Moresby

    The Catholic Church has strongly warned against Papua New Guinea’s political rhetoric and push to declare the nation a Christian country, saying such a move threatens constitutional freedoms and risks dangerous implications for the country’s future.

    Speaking before the Permanent Parliamentary Committee on Communication on Tuesday at Rapopo during the ongoing Regional Parliamentary Inquiry into the Standard and Integrity of Journalism in Papua New Guinea, Archbishop Rochus Tatamai of the Rabaul Archdiocese delivered a firm but thoughtful reflection on the issue, voicing the Catholic Church’s opposition to the notion of a legally enshrined Christian nation.

    “When talking about freedom of media and PNG, a Christian country, we must be clear,” said Archbishop Tatamai. “The claim that PNG is a Christian country is not supported by law.

    “The Catholic Church disagrees with this. It conflicts with our Constitution’s guarantee of freedom of religion and freedom of conscience.”

    The archbishop’s remarks were part of a broader presentation on the influence of evolving technology on church authority, but he took the opportunity to confront what he called one of the major topics in PNG today.

    He raised concerns about the legal, social, and theological implications of attempting to legislate Christianity into state law, stating that politicians were not theologians and risked entering spiritual territory without the understanding to handle it responsibly.

    “If we declare PNG a Christian nation,” he asked, “whose version of Christianity are we referring to? We’re not all the same.”

    Legal obligation
    He warned of a future where attending church could become a legal obligation, not a matter of faith.

    “If PNG is supposedly a Christian nation, police could walk into your village and tell you: it’s not just a sin to skip church on Sunday, it’s illegal and get you arrested.’ That’s how dangerous this path could be.”

    Archbishop Tatamai also referenced the Chief Justice, who had recently stated that if PNG were truly a Christian nation, then principles like honesty would become enforceable laws: “You should not steal. And if you do, you’re not only sinning you’re breaking the law.”

    But the archbishop warned that such a conflation of morality and legality opens up deep conflicts.

    “History has shown us the dangers of blurring the line between church and state. Blood has been spilled over this in other parts of the world. Are we ready for that?”

    He stressed that the founding fathers of PNG had been wise to embed freedom of religion and conscience into the Constitution, ensuring that the state remained neutral in matters of faith.

    “Now, we risk undoing their vision by imposing a national religion,” he said.

    Challenged Parliament
    The archbishop also challenged Parliament and national leaders to think beyond symbolism.

    “Yes, Parliament can pass declarations. Yes, politicians can make the numbers. But have they truly thought through the implications and applications of these decisions?”

    He concluded his presentation with a sharp warning against hypocrisy and selective morality under a Christian state:

    “You cannot use Christianity as a legal framework and continue with corruption. You cannot justify wrongdoing and expect forgiveness simply because now, in a confessional state, sin becomes crime and crime must have consequences.”

    Republished from the PNG Post-Courier with permission.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Catholic Church warns against PNG declaring itself a ‘Christian country’

    By Reinhard Minong in Port Moresby

    The Catholic Church has strongly warned against Papua New Guinea’s political rhetoric and push to declare the nation a Christian country, saying such a move threatens constitutional freedoms and risks dangerous implications for the country’s future.

    Speaking before the Permanent Parliamentary Committee on Communication on Tuesday at Rapopo during the ongoing Regional Parliamentary Inquiry into the Standard and Integrity of Journalism in Papua New Guinea, Archbishop Rochus Tatamai of the Rabaul Archdiocese delivered a firm but thoughtful reflection on the issue, voicing the Catholic Church’s opposition to the notion of a legally enshrined Christian nation.

    “When talking about freedom of media and PNG, a Christian country, we must be clear,” said Archbishop Tatamai. “The claim that PNG is a Christian country is not supported by law.

    “The Catholic Church disagrees with this. It conflicts with our Constitution’s guarantee of freedom of religion and freedom of conscience.”

    The archbishop’s remarks were part of a broader presentation on the influence of evolving technology on church authority, but he took the opportunity to confront what he called one of the major topics in PNG today.

    He raised concerns about the legal, social, and theological implications of attempting to legislate Christianity into state law, stating that politicians were not theologians and risked entering spiritual territory without the understanding to handle it responsibly.

    “If we declare PNG a Christian nation,” he asked, “whose version of Christianity are we referring to? We’re not all the same.”

    Legal obligation
    He warned of a future where attending church could become a legal obligation, not a matter of faith.

    “If PNG is supposedly a Christian nation, police could walk into your village and tell you: it’s not just a sin to skip church on Sunday, it’s illegal and get you arrested.’ That’s how dangerous this path could be.”

    Archbishop Tatamai also referenced the Chief Justice, who had recently stated that if PNG were truly a Christian nation, then principles like honesty would become enforceable laws: “You should not steal. And if you do, you’re not only sinning you’re breaking the law.”

    But the archbishop warned that such a conflation of morality and legality opens up deep conflicts.

    “History has shown us the dangers of blurring the line between church and state. Blood has been spilled over this in other parts of the world. Are we ready for that?”

    He stressed that the founding fathers of PNG had been wise to embed freedom of religion and conscience into the Constitution, ensuring that the state remained neutral in matters of faith.

    “Now, we risk undoing their vision by imposing a national religion,” he said.

    Challenged Parliament
    The archbishop also challenged Parliament and national leaders to think beyond symbolism.

    “Yes, Parliament can pass declarations. Yes, politicians can make the numbers. But have they truly thought through the implications and applications of these decisions?”

    He concluded his presentation with a sharp warning against hypocrisy and selective morality under a Christian state:

    “You cannot use Christianity as a legal framework and continue with corruption. You cannot justify wrongdoing and expect forgiveness simply because now, in a confessional state, sin becomes crime and crime must have consequences.”

    Republished from the PNG Post-Courier with permission.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: First Lady Erdoğan meets with Pope Leo XIV

    Source: President of Turkiye

    First Lady Emine Erdoğan met with the Spiritual Leader of the Catholic World and Head of the Vatican City State, Pope Leo XIV, during her visit to the Vatican for the “Fraternal Economy Session on Ethical Multilateralism” programme hosted by the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences.

    The meeting, held at the Vatican Apostolic Palace, addressed the ongoing humanitarian tragedy in Gaza, efforts to combat climate change, the fight against Islamophobia and racism, and the importance place of family within the society.

    Congratulating Pope Leo XIV on his election to the office a short while ago, Mrs. Erdoğan hoped this would be auspicious for the Christian world.

    During the meeting, which focused on the humanitarian tragedy in Gaza under Israel’s aggression and blockade, First Lady Erdoğan called on the Pope to make sure the Christian world engages in the Gaza issue more strongly with a view to reaching permanent ceasefire and securing the delivery of humanitarian aid.

    First Lady Erdoğan underlined that a two-state solution must be implemented as soon as possible and the number of countries recognizing the State of Palestine must increase in order to establish lasting and sustainable peace in Palestine.

    First Lady Erdoğan also stated that Christians living in the region, whose churches and communities are under constant threat, need to regain their peace, too.

    Also touching on the fight against climate change, First Lady Erdoğan informed Pope Leo XIV about the “Zero Waste” movement, launched in Türkiye and then institutionalized at the United Nations, and added that there is a great potential for cooperation between Türkiye and the Vatican in addressing climate change.

    Drawing attention to the alarming levels Islamophobia, racism and intolerance have reached recently, First Lady Erdoğan stressed the need for gathering the efforts undertaken on these issues around a collective will.

    Different cultures and faiths co-exist in Türkiye peacefully for centuries, First Lady Erdoğan said, adding that Christian communities constitute an inseparable part of Türkiye’s rich mosaic. 

    In a social media post following the meeting, First Lady Erdoğan stated: “During my visit to the Vatican for the ‘Fraternal Economy Session on Ethical Multilateralism’ programme hosted by the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, I had the honour of meeting His Holiness Pope Leo XIV, the Spiritual Leader of the Catholic World and Head of the Vatican City State.

    During our meeting, we focused on the current humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

    We discussed the crucial need for the Christian community to adopt a more assertive position in order to secure a lasting ceasefire and guarantee the full provision of humanitarian aid.

    I conveyed our appreciation for the Vatican’s endorsement of the two-state solution, which serves as the basis for a fair and lasting peace in Palestine.

    His Holiness Pope Leo XIV and I also engaged in a conversation regarding the Zero Waste approach, which is a fundamental tenet of our global environmental movement.

    We are in agreement that the climate crisis is a shared concern for all of humanity, irrespective of their faith or region.

    In this context, I have observed that there is significant potential for collaboration between Türkiye and the Vatican in addressing climate change. We assessed our shared areas of collaboration.

    I express my sincere appreciation to His Holiness Pope Leo XIV for his generous hospitality and hope that the significant responsibility he has embraced will yield positive outcomes for the Catholic community and all of humanity.”

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Opening Remarks by His Excellency Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs At Georgetown University Convocation Ceremony

    Source: Government of Qatar

     

    Mr. Robert Groves, Interim President of Georgetown University

    Mr. Safwan Masri, Dean of Georgetown University in Qatar

    Graduates,

    Distinguished Guests,

    May the peace, mercy, and blessings of God be upon you,

     

    It is my pleasure to join you this evening for an occasion that embodies what we firmly believe in the State of Qatar: that rigorous education serves as the cornerstone for preparing individuals capable of actively contributing to global stability and development. This gathering is not merely an academic celebration, but also a reflection of our national vision to invest in human capital, considering it the highest value and most precious resource.

    This meaning gains further depth as we celebrate today the 20th anniversary of the establishment of Georgetown University in Qatar, coinciding with the 30th anniversary of the founding of Qatar Foundation, serving as a living testament to the steadfast belief that investing in human capital is the pathway to building stable and productive societies, and that shaping the future begins within the university campus and extends to working hours and decision-making processes.

    Ladies and Gentlemen, 

    Our region and the world today are facing unprecedented levels of challenges, ranging from armed conflicts to food crises, climate issues, and geopolitical tensions. In this context, the State of Qatar has remained a reliable partner in efforts to promote security and stability, while maintaining a balance between mediation diplomacy and long-term developmental policies.

    In every step we take, we draw inspiration from the vision of His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Amir of the State of Qatar, which places both education and empowerment at the core of the nation’s development agenda, recognizing their pivotal role in fostering security, stability, and driving growth. Guided by this belief, the government of Qatar treats higher education as a strategic choice to achieve Qatar National Vision 2030, and to build a diverse and sustainable knowledge-based economy. From this perspective, we are committed to establishing qualitative academic partnerships that contribute to graduating distinguished national competencies and enhance Qatar’s position as a leading regional hub in the fields of knowledge and.

    We believe that knowledge is a beacon that guides all, but the true difference lies in how that knowledge is harnessed to create meaningful impact. That is why we view qualitative academic partnerships—such as our partnership with Georgetown University—not merely as agreements, but as bridges that connect the present to the future, and the local to the global. They are not just contracts, but a shared commitment to creating a positive impact in the world.

    I also commend the Executive Master’s Program in Diplomacy and International Affairs, which has been specifically designed to prepare Qatari diplomatic cadres capable of bridging academic knowledge with practical skills in the field of international politics. It serves as a living example of the integration between national needs and global academic expertise, directly reflecting on the performance of state institutions, both domestically and internationally.

    Graduates of both Genders, 

    Today, you stand at the threshold of a new phase, one that extends beyond transitioning from lecture halls to professional domains. It requires you to be active contributors in shaping a world that is more equitable, understanding, and interconnected. This academic institution has equipped you with analytical tools, critical thinking methodologies, and the skills to engage in a world characterized by diverse voices and challenges.

    Allow me to say—years ago, I stood where you stand today, filled with the same enthusiasm, the same existential questions, and the same boundless ambition. At that time, I believed the path ahead was clear and the facts were immutable. However, over time, I came to realize that life is far more complex than any academic equation, and I learned that adhering to principles does not equate to rigidity, and that striking a balance between aspiration and reality is the key to sustainability.

    You may encounter setbacks, moments of doubt, or a feeling that the way ahead is longer than anticipated. Do not fear such moments; as it is through them that vision is refined, character is shaped, and the leader is distinguished from the ordinary ones.

    I urge you today to hold the fear of God in your conscience and let your guiding principle be the service of the nation and its people. Maintain your faith in yourselves, do not relinquish your passion, and do not allow pressures to extinguish the spirit of hope within you. You are the generation upon which we rely to craft new visions and create meaningful impact. Remember that the nation and its leadership stand behind you with confidence, and that you are not merely heading towards jobs, but towards positions where decisions are made and bridges are built.

    In an era marked by accelerating transformations and deepening crises, from the tragedy in Gaza to regional tensions, Qatar reaffirms its unwavering commitment to mediation and diplomacy as a means to safeguard civilians and advance political solutions. It has proven that dialogue is an effective alternative to conflict, that credibility is built through consistent action, and that you are now part of this trajectory—a generation that believes in knowledge and works towards responsible change.

    Ladies and Gentlemen, 

    We take pride today in having graduates from more than forty nationalities, embodying our commitment to cross-cultural education and creating an inclusive academic environment. We also celebrate the milestone of reaching one thousand (1,000) university graduates in Qatar, an achievement that reflects a qualitative accumulation in building human capital, which we consider a developmental priority. We call for investing this capital in initiatives that serve our national priorities and enhance our responsible engagement with the world.

    In conclusion, I extend my congratulations to you and your families on this achievement that we commemorate today, not merely as an academic success, but as a testament to your readiness to contribute to shaping the future. 

    You do not represent individual accomplishments; rather, you are part of a larger national project that believes in the principle that human capital is the most significant investment, and that building the future begins with qualified minds and conscientious hearts. 

    Maintain your passion for knowledge and your willingness to shoulder responsibility.

    May God bless you and guide your steps.

    May the Peace, Mercy, and blessings of God be upon you,

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Qatar Affirms Importance of Innovative Financing, Effective Partnerships to Achieve SDGs

    Source: Government of Qatar

    Seville, July 01, 2025

    HE Minister of State for International Cooperation Maryam bint Ali bin Nasser Al Misnad affirmed the importance of innovative financing and effective partnerships in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

    Her Excellency emphasised HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani’s directives to make development as an investment in security, stability, and human dignity.

    This came in the State of Qatar’s statement delivered by HE the Minister of State for International Cooperation during a high-level event organized by Qatar Fund for Development, titled “Innovative Financing for Sustainable Development: Addressing Gaps and Scaling Solutions” held on the sidelines of the 4th International Conference on Financing for Development in Seville, Spain.

    Her Excellency noted that the State of Qatar hosted the Second International Conference on Financing for Development in 2008, and has since remained an active participant in all international and regional conferences on development financing. This reflects Qatar’s commitment to enhancing international cooperation and contributing to global efforts to implement the 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals, HE added.

    The State of Qatar continues to implement its sustainable development agenda, “Qatar National Vision 2030,” which has focused since 2008 on human development, social development, economic development, and environmental development, HE said, noting that, in early 2024, Qatar launched the third phase of its National Development Strategy, aimed at advancing the creation of a healthy society, building a diversified and sustainable knowledge-based economy, enhancing environmental sustainability, and strengthening the role of the family as the foundation of society.

    Her Excellency underlined that, given today’s global challenges, there is a pressing need to reinforce multilateral action and international cooperation, in accordance with the principles of the United Nations Charter and international law, while working to maintain international peace and security. HE also underscored the importance of reforming international financial structures, harnessing science, technology, and innovation, and prioritizing innovative solutions capable of making rapid and impactful change to help bring efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals back on track, particularly in developing and least developed countries.

    An effective role is expected from the United Nations and its specialized agencies in supporting member states’ efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and protect human rights, Her Excellency said, stressing the State of Qatar’s support for the UN Secretary-General’s reform initiative (UN80 Initiative).

    HE Minister of State for International Cooperation expressed the State of Qatar’s pride in its productive international and regional partnerships, including its long-standing and multifaceted cooperation with the United Nations, aimed at advancing the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly in developing and least developed countries.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Newsom announces appointments 7.2.25

    Source: US State of California Governor

    Jul 2, 2025

    SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments:
     
    Tamie McGowen, of Folsom, has been appointed Senior Advisor for Strategy and Operations for the California State Transportation Agency. McGowen has been Deputy Secretary of Communications at the California State Transportation Agency since 2023. McGowan held multiple positions at the California Department of Transportation from 1992 to 2023, including Acting Deputy Secretary for California State Transportation Agency Communications, Assistant Deputy Director of Public Affairs, Division Chief of Public Affairs, Deputy Advisor and Administrative Services Manager, Deputy Advisor/Resource Manager, and Resource Manager of Civil Rights. McGowen earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications from California State University, Sacramento. This position does not require Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $195,708. McGowen is registered without party preference.

    Christina Mun, of Alameda, has been appointed Deputy Secretary of Housing Finance at the California Business, Consumer Services, and Housing Agency. Mun was Chief Strategy Officer for LeSar Holdings from 2023 to 2025. She held multiple positions at the City of Oakland Housing and Community Development Department from 2020 to 2023 including Interim Director, Deputy Director, and Chief of Staff. Mun was Multifamily Lending Senior Project Manager for City and County of San Francisco Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development from 2019 to 2020. She was Associate Director of Policy and Portfolio Analytics for New York City Housing Development Corporation from 2017 to 2019. Mun was Senior Project Manager for the Division of Strategic Planning for New York City Housing Preservation and Development from 2015 to 2017. She was an Acquisitions Project Manager for Resources for Community Development from 2013 to 2015. Mun was a Development Project Manager for John Stewart Company from 2009 to 2013. She was an Associate Consultant for Bay Area Economics from 2000 to 2004. Mun is a board member of East Bay Housing Organizations and serves on the ULI San Francisco Housing the Bay Steering Committee. She earned a Master of Arts in Urban Planning from the University of California, Berkeley and a Bachelor of Arts in Urban Studies from the University of California, San Diego. This position does not require Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $191,112. Mun is a Democrat.

    Joelle Ball-Straight, of Elk Grove, has been appointed Chief Deputy Director at the California Workforce Development Board. Ball-Straight has been Deputy Director of Program Implementation and Regional Support at the California Workforce Development Board since 2018, where she was Acting Deputy Director of Program Implementation and Regional Support from 2016 to 2018. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Liberal Studies from California State University, Sacramento. This position does not require Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $159,660. Ball-Straight is registered with no party preference. 

    Alison Saltonstall, of Citrus Heights, has been appointed to the California Court Reporters Board. Alison has been a Court Reporter at Sacramento Superior Court since 2017. She currently is the President of the Sacramento Official Court Reporters Association and the on board of United Public Employees, representing the Court Reporters’ unit. This position requires Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $100 per diem. Alison is registered without a party preference.       
     
    Heatherlynn Gonzalez, of Los Angeles, has been appointed to the California Court Reporters Board. Gonzalez has been a Certified Shorthand Reporter since 2011. She is a member of the California Deposition Reporters Association. Gonzalez earned a Bachelor of Arts in Theater Arts and Communication/Music Composition and Theory from Whittier College. This position requires Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $100 per diem. Gonzalez is a Democrat.        

    Roy Mathur, of Hercules, has been appointed to Board of Pilot Commissioners for the Bays of San Francisco, San Pablo, and Suisun. Mathur has been Captain and Wharf Master for PBF Energy – Martinez Refining Company since 2015. He was Oil Spill Specialist for the Office of Spill Prevention and Response for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife from 2004 to 2015. Mathur was Marine Terminal Specialist for the State Lands Commission from 1995 to 2004. He was Superintendent and Terminal Operations Manager for SSA Terminals from 1994 to 1995. Mathur was Master Mariner for Great Eastern Shipping Company from 1979 to 1994. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Maritime Studies from the LBS College of Advanced Maritime Studies and Research. This position requires Senate confirmation, and there is no compensation. Mathur is a Democrat.

    Steven Panelli, of San Mateo, has been reappointed to the Contractors State Licensing Board, where he has served since 2021. Panelli has had multiple positions at the San Francisco Department of Building Inspection since 2005, including Chief Plumbing Inspector and Senior Plumbing Inspector. He is President of the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials and member of UA Local 38. This position requires Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $100 per diem. Panelli is registered without party preference.        

    Henry Nutt III, of American Canyon, has been reappointed to the Contractors State Licensing Board where he has served since 2024. Nutt has been a Preconstruction Executive for Southland Industries since 2019 and a Sheet Metal General Superintendent for Southland Industries since 2007. He is a member of Lean Construction Institute, Associated General Contractors of American, and Associated General Contractors of California. This position requires Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $100 per diem. Nutt is a Democrat.       

    Alan Guy, of Lafayette, has been reappointed to the Contractors State Licensing Board, where he has served since 2022. Guy has been Chief Executive Officer and President of Anvil Builders Inc. since 2010. He was Project Manager at Webcor Builders Inc from 2005 to 2009. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of California, Davis. This position requires Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $100 per diem. Guy is a Republican.

    Press releases, Recent news

    Recent news

    Jul 2, 2025

    News SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom issued the following statement regarding the death of California Highway Patrol Officer Miguel Cano:“Officer Miguel Cano dedicated his life to serving our communities, and his passing is a heartbreaking loss for the state and…

    Jul 2, 2025

    News What you need to know: Governor Newsom is more than doubling the state’s Film and Television Tax Credit Program, and adding 16 new television projects that will generate $1.1 billion in new economic activity. BURBANK – Today, Governor Gavin Newsom joined labor…

    Jul 2, 2025

    News SACRAMENTO — Republicans spent the last 6 months fearmongering that gasoline prices would “increase by 65 cents on July 1.” Did that happen?The answer: NoIn fact, in California, gasoline prices at the pump (on average) are cheaper than yesterday, cheaper than it…

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Antarctic research is in decline, and the timing couldn’t be worse

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elizabeth Leane, Professor of Antarctic Studies, School of Humanities, University of Tasmania

    Oleksandr Matsibura/Shutterstock

    Ice loss in Antarctica and its impact on the planet – sea level rise, changes to ocean currents and disturbance of wildlife and food webs – has been in the news a lot lately. All of these threats were likely on the minds of the delegates to the annual Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting, which finishes up today in Milan, Italy.

    This meeting is where decisions are made about the continent’s future. These decisions rely on evidence from scientific research. Moreover, only countries that produce significant Antarctic research – as well as being parties to the treaty – get to have a final say in these decisions.

    Our new report – published as a preprint through the University of the Arctic – shows the rate of research on the Antarctic and Southern Ocean is falling at exactly the time when it should be increasing. Moreover, research leadership is changing, with China taking the lead for the first time.

    This points to a dangerous disinvestment in Antarctic research just when it is needed, alongside a changing of the guard in national influence. Antarctica and the research done there are key to everyone’s future, so it’s vital to understand what this change might lead to.

    Why is Antarctic research so important?

    With the Antarctic region rapidly warming, its ice shelves destabilising and sea ice shrinking, understanding the South Polar environment is more crucial than ever.

    Ice loss in Antarctica not only contributes to sea level rise, but impacts wildlife habitats and local food chains. It also changes the dynamics of ocean currents, which could interfere with global food webs, including international fisheries that supply a growing amount of food.

    Research to understand these impacts is vital. First, knowing the impact of our actions – particularly carbon emissions – gives us an increased drive to make changes and lobby governments to do so.

    Second, even when changes are already locked in, to prepare ourselves we need to know what these changes will look like.

    And third, we need to understand the threats to the Antarctic and Southern Ocean environment to govern it properly. This is where the treaty comes in.

    What is the Antarctic Treaty?

    The region below 60 degrees south is governed by the 1959 Antarctic Treaty, along with subsequent agreements. Together they are known as the Antarctic Treaty System.

    Fifty-eight countries are parties to the treaty, but only 29 of them – called consultative parties – can make binding decisions about the region. They comprise the 12 original signatories from 1959, along with 17 more recent signatory nations that produce substantial scientific research relating to Antarctica.

    This makes research a key part of a nation’s influence over what happens in Antarctica.

    For most of its history, the Antarctic Treaty System has functioned remarkably well. It maintained peace in the region during the Cold War, facilitated scientific cooperation, and put arguments about territorial claims on indefinite hold. It indefinitely forbade mining, and managed fisheries.

    Lately, however, there has been growing dysfunction in the treaty system.

    Environmental protections that might seem obvious – such as marine protected areas and special protections for threatened emperor penguins – have stalled.

    Because decisions are made by consensus, any country can effectively block progress. Russia and China – both long-term actors in the system – have been at the centre of the impasse.



    Read more:
    Antarctic summer sea ice is at record lows. Here’s how it will harm the planet – and us

    What did our report find?

    Tracking the amount of Antarctic research being done tells us whether nations as a whole are investing enough in understanding the region and its global impact.

    It also tells us which nations are investing the most and are therefore likely to have substantial influence.

    Our new report examined the number of papers published on Antarctic and Southern Ocean topics from 2016 to 2024, using the Scopus database. We also looked at other factors, such as the countries affiliated with each paper.

    The results show five significant changes are happening in the world of Antarctic research.

    • The number of Antarctic and Southern Ocean publications peaked in 2021 and then fell slightly yearly through to 2024.
    • While the United States has for decades been the leader in Antarctic research, China overtook them in 2022.
    • If we look only at the high-quality publications (those published in the best 25% of journals) China still took over the US, in 2024.
    • Of the top six countries in overall publications (China, the US, the United Kingdom, Australia, Germany and Russia) all except China have declined in publication numbers since 2016.
    • Although collaboration in publications is higher for Antarctic research than in non-Antarctic fields, Russia, India and China have anomalously low rates of co-authorship compared with many other signatory countries.

    Why is this research decline a problem?

    A recent parliamentary inquiry in Australia emphasised the need for funding certainty. In the UK, a House of Commons committee report considered it “imperative for the UK to significantly expand its research efforts in Antarctica”, in particular in relation to sea level rise.

    US commentators have pointed to the inadequacy of the country’s icebreaker infrastructure. The Trump administration’s recent cuts to Antarctic funding are only likely to exacerbate the situation. Meanwhile China has built a fifth station in Antarctica and announced plans for a sixth.

    Given the nation’s population and global influence, China’s leadership in Antarctic research is not surprising. If China were to take a lead in Antarctic environmental protection that matched its scientific heft, its move to lead position in the research ranks could be positive. Stronger multi-country collaboration in research could also strengthen overall cooperation.

    But the overall drop in global Antarctic research investment is a problem however you look at it. We ignore it at our peril.

    Elizabeth Leane receives funding from the Australian Research Council, the Dutch Research Council, the Council on Australian and Latin American Relations DFAT and HX (Hurtigruten Expeditions). She has received in-kind support from Hurtigruten Expeditions in the recent past. The University of Tasmania is a member of the UArctic, which has provided support for this project.

    Keith Larson is affiliated with the UArctic and European Polar Board. The UArctic paid for the development and publication of this report. The UArctic Thematic Network on Research Analytics and Bibliometrics conducted the analysis and developed the report. The Arctic Centre at Umeå University provided in-kind support for staff time on the report.

    – ref. Antarctic research is in decline, and the timing couldn’t be worse – https://theconversation.com/antarctic-research-is-in-decline-and-the-timing-couldnt-be-worse-260197

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Antarctic research is in decline, and the timing couldn’t be worse

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elizabeth Leane, Professor of Antarctic Studies, School of Humanities, University of Tasmania

    Oleksandr Matsibura/Shutterstock

    Ice loss in Antarctica and its impact on the planet – sea level rise, changes to ocean currents and disturbance of wildlife and food webs – has been in the news a lot lately. All of these threats were likely on the minds of the delegates to the annual Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting, which finishes up today in Milan, Italy.

    This meeting is where decisions are made about the continent’s future. These decisions rely on evidence from scientific research. Moreover, only countries that produce significant Antarctic research – as well as being parties to the treaty – get to have a final say in these decisions.

    Our new report – published as a preprint through the University of the Arctic – shows the rate of research on the Antarctic and Southern Ocean is falling at exactly the time when it should be increasing. Moreover, research leadership is changing, with China taking the lead for the first time.

    This points to a dangerous disinvestment in Antarctic research just when it is needed, alongside a changing of the guard in national influence. Antarctica and the research done there are key to everyone’s future, so it’s vital to understand what this change might lead to.

    Why is Antarctic research so important?

    With the Antarctic region rapidly warming, its ice shelves destabilising and sea ice shrinking, understanding the South Polar environment is more crucial than ever.

    Ice loss in Antarctica not only contributes to sea level rise, but impacts wildlife habitats and local food chains. It also changes the dynamics of ocean currents, which could interfere with global food webs, including international fisheries that supply a growing amount of food.

    Research to understand these impacts is vital. First, knowing the impact of our actions – particularly carbon emissions – gives us an increased drive to make changes and lobby governments to do so.

    Second, even when changes are already locked in, to prepare ourselves we need to know what these changes will look like.

    And third, we need to understand the threats to the Antarctic and Southern Ocean environment to govern it properly. This is where the treaty comes in.

    What is the Antarctic Treaty?

    The region below 60 degrees south is governed by the 1959 Antarctic Treaty, along with subsequent agreements. Together they are known as the Antarctic Treaty System.

    Fifty-eight countries are parties to the treaty, but only 29 of them – called consultative parties – can make binding decisions about the region. They comprise the 12 original signatories from 1959, along with 17 more recent signatory nations that produce substantial scientific research relating to Antarctica.

    This makes research a key part of a nation’s influence over what happens in Antarctica.

    For most of its history, the Antarctic Treaty System has functioned remarkably well. It maintained peace in the region during the Cold War, facilitated scientific cooperation, and put arguments about territorial claims on indefinite hold. It indefinitely forbade mining, and managed fisheries.

    Lately, however, there has been growing dysfunction in the treaty system.

    Environmental protections that might seem obvious – such as marine protected areas and special protections for threatened emperor penguins – have stalled.

    Because decisions are made by consensus, any country can effectively block progress. Russia and China – both long-term actors in the system – have been at the centre of the impasse.



    Read more:
    Antarctic summer sea ice is at record lows. Here’s how it will harm the planet – and us

    What did our report find?

    Tracking the amount of Antarctic research being done tells us whether nations as a whole are investing enough in understanding the region and its global impact.

    It also tells us which nations are investing the most and are therefore likely to have substantial influence.

    Our new report examined the number of papers published on Antarctic and Southern Ocean topics from 2016 to 2024, using the Scopus database. We also looked at other factors, such as the countries affiliated with each paper.

    The results show five significant changes are happening in the world of Antarctic research.

    • The number of Antarctic and Southern Ocean publications peaked in 2021 and then fell slightly yearly through to 2024.
    • While the United States has for decades been the leader in Antarctic research, China overtook them in 2022.
    • If we look only at the high-quality publications (those published in the best 25% of journals) China still took over the US, in 2024.
    • Of the top six countries in overall publications (China, the US, the United Kingdom, Australia, Germany and Russia) all except China have declined in publication numbers since 2016.
    • Although collaboration in publications is higher for Antarctic research than in non-Antarctic fields, Russia, India and China have anomalously low rates of co-authorship compared with many other signatory countries.

    Why is this research decline a problem?

    A recent parliamentary inquiry in Australia emphasised the need for funding certainty. In the UK, a House of Commons committee report considered it “imperative for the UK to significantly expand its research efforts in Antarctica”, in particular in relation to sea level rise.

    US commentators have pointed to the inadequacy of the country’s icebreaker infrastructure. The Trump administration’s recent cuts to Antarctic funding are only likely to exacerbate the situation. Meanwhile China has built a fifth station in Antarctica and announced plans for a sixth.

    Given the nation’s population and global influence, China’s leadership in Antarctic research is not surprising. If China were to take a lead in Antarctic environmental protection that matched its scientific heft, its move to lead position in the research ranks could be positive. Stronger multi-country collaboration in research could also strengthen overall cooperation.

    But the overall drop in global Antarctic research investment is a problem however you look at it. We ignore it at our peril.

    Elizabeth Leane receives funding from the Australian Research Council, the Dutch Research Council, the Council on Australian and Latin American Relations DFAT and HX (Hurtigruten Expeditions). She has received in-kind support from Hurtigruten Expeditions in the recent past. The University of Tasmania is a member of the UArctic, which has provided support for this project.

    Keith Larson is affiliated with the UArctic and European Polar Board. The UArctic paid for the development and publication of this report. The UArctic Thematic Network on Research Analytics and Bibliometrics conducted the analysis and developed the report. The Arctic Centre at Umeå University provided in-kind support for staff time on the report.

    – ref. Antarctic research is in decline, and the timing couldn’t be worse – https://theconversation.com/antarctic-research-is-in-decline-and-the-timing-couldnt-be-worse-260197

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Universities – Hotspots for conservation of threatened native tree identified in Wellington – Vic

    Source: Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington

    Hotspots for the conservation of maire tawake or swamp maire in the Wellington region have been identified by researchers hoping to save this threatened native tree from the deadly myrtle rust disease.

    Swamp maire is thought to have been common in the wetlands that once covered the Wellington region. However, farming and urban development have significantly reduced its numbers. The arrival of myrtle rust in 2017 added a new threat and the tree has a conservation status of “nationally vulnerable”.

    Priority areas for its conservation have now been mapped in the western suburbs of Lower and Upper Hutt and in the towns of Paraparaumu, Waikanae, Ōtaki, Masterton, Carterton, and Featherston. These priority areas comprise up to 52 km2.

    “We’ve identified sites that are likely to have the highest abundance of swamp maire and the lowest risk of myrtle rust. They’re also easy to access so we think focusing on these sites offers the most cost-effective conservation strategy,” said Dr Sarah Herbert, a researcher in biological sciences at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington.

    Dr Herbert said the sites could act as refuges for swamp maire, with additional planting undertaken to help maintain the tree’s population as myrtle rust spreads.

    “Myrtle rust is a fungal plant pathogen that is primarily spread by the wind. It has a devastating effect on swamp maire, causing an almost complete loss of flowers, fruits, and new leaves. There’s an urgent need to identify sites where conservation and wetland restoration can take place to help ensure this treasured tree’s survival,” she said.

    In addition to the priority sites for conservation, the researchers identified other areas that could act as refuges for the tree but these areas would require more intensive management.

    “We mapped up to 233 km2 where swamp maire is present in relatively high abundance but where there is a higher risk of myrtle rust, so more effort would be needed to manage the sites. On the plus side, these areas are easy to access and existing community conservation efforts could be supported to allow more intensive control of myrtle rust.”

    Pockets of less accessible land in the wider Wellington region could also be considered as refuges for the tree’s conservation, she says.

    “We identified up to 134 km2, mostly within indigenous forest in the eastern Tararua range and in farmland in the Wairarapa, with potential for swamp maire conservation. Wetland restoration and swamp maire planting programmes by landowners and communities may be possible in places that can be accessed by off-road vehicles or on foot.”

    The researchers were able to identify areas for swamp maire conversation by using models of the Wellington region’s soil moisture and plant distribution to pinpoint sites where swamp maire was likely to be growing. They then mapped the risk of myrtle rust infection in these areas and graded sites by how easy they were to access.

    Results of the research are published in the journal Conversation Biology: https://conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/cobi.70088

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Estes Expresses Condolences To Family Of Intern Eric Tarpinian-Jachym

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Ron Estes (R-Kansas)

    Rep. Estes Expresses Condolences To Family Of Intern Eric Tarpinian-Jachym

    WASHINGTON- U.S. Congressman Ron Estes and his wife, Susan, are sending their prayers and deepest condolences to the family of Eric Tarpinian-Jachym. On Monday night, Eric was the victim of a shooting in Northwest D.C. Eric joined Congressman Estes’ Washington, D.C., office in June 2025 as an intern. Eric was a rising senior at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, majoring in finance with a minor in political science.

    “I will remember his kind heart and how he always greeted anyone who entered our office with a cheerful smile,” said Rep. Estes. “We are grateful to Eric for his service to Kansas’ 4th District and the country. Please join Susan and me in praying for his family and respecting their privacy during this heartbreaking time.”

    Ron Estes, one of only a handful of engineers in Congress, worked to improve systems and operations in the aerospace, energy and manufacturing sectors before representing Kansas’ 4th Congressional District beginning in 2017. He is a fifth-generation Kansan, former state treasurer, and serves on the House Committee on Ways and Means, Budget Committee and Joint Economic Committee. He is the chair of the Social Security Subcommittee and co-chair of the House Aerospace Caucus.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: $HAREHOLDER ALERT: Class Action Attorney Juan Monteverde Investigates the Merger of IGM Biosciences, Inc. (NASDAQ: IGMS)

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, July 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Class Action Attorney Juan Monteverde with Monteverde & Associates PC (the “M&A Class Action Firm”), has recovered millions of dollars for shareholders and is recognized as a Top 50 Firm in the 2024 ISS Securities Class Action Services Report. The firm is headquartered at the Empire State Building in New York City and is investigating IGM Biosciences, Inc. (NASDAQ: IGMS) related to its merger to Concentra Biosciences, LLC for $1.247 in cash per share of IGM Biosciences common stock, plus one non-tradeable contingent value right, which represents the right to receive: (i) 100% of the closing net cash of IGM Biosciences in excess of $82.0 million; and (ii) 80% of any net proceeds received within one year following closing from any disposition of certain of IGM Biosciences’ product candidates and intellectual property that occurs within one year following closing. Is it a fair deal?

    Click here for more info https://monteverdelaw.com/case/igm-biosciences-inc/. It is free and there is no cost or obligation to you.

    NOT ALL LAW FIRMS ARE EQUAL. Before you hire a law firm, you should talk to a lawyer and ask:

    1. Do you file class actions and go to Court?
    2. When was the last time you recovered money for shareholders?
    3. What cases did you recover money in and how much?

    About Monteverde & Associates PC

    Our firm litigates and has recovered money for shareholders…and we do it from our offices in the Empire State Building. We are a national class action securities firm with a successful track record in trial and appellate courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court. 

    No one is above the law. If you own common stock in the above listed company and have concerns or wish to obtain additional information free of charge, please visit our website or contact Juan Monteverde, Esq. either via e-mail at jmonteverde@monteverdelaw.com or by telephone at (212) 971-1341.

    Contact:
    Juan Monteverde, Esq.
    MONTEVERDE & ASSOCIATES PC
    The Empire State Building
    350 Fifth Ave. Suite 4740
    New York, NY 10118
    United States of America
    jmonteverde@monteverdelaw.com
    Tel: (212) 971-1341

    Attorney Advertising. (C) 2025 Monteverde & Associates PC. The law firm responsible for this advertisement is Monteverde & Associates PC (www.monteverdelaw.com).  Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome with respect to any future matter.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Summer 2025 Newsletter – In The Flow

    Source: US Geological Survey

    The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) was on the scene in Western Maryland to collect water data during and after the flooding caused by several inches of rain. Quantifying floods is vital for planning infrastructure that can withstand such extremes in the future.

    As the flooding occurred, USGS crews traversed the area, collecting high flow measurements at over two dozen locations in Garrett, Allegany, and Washington counties. The job was challenging as certain roads were difficult or impossible to pass due to flooding.

    USGS crews also attempted to measure high flow at Georges Creek, which was at the epicenter of flooding in the town of Westernport, Maryland, and near the site of the school evacuation, but it was too dangerous. Our crew returned when it was safer to collect two streamflow measurements while flows were still elevated, and then later when flooding subsided, identified high-water marks to estimate the volume of water during the peak of the flood.

    Days later, evidence of the damage caused by the flood were visible throughout Westernport and across towns in the area, including at Georges Creek, where flooding caused the ground to collapse beneath an unused train line, leaving rails that were twisted mid-air and dangling for several dozen yards, yet somehow still connected on the other side.

    The USGS, EPA, along with federal, state, and local partners collect water samples at over a hundred locations across the Chesapeake Bay watershed, including the Choptank River as seen here.

    The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) recently published flow-normalized trends in loads of nitrogen, phosphorus, and suspended sediment for the Chesapeake Bay Watershed from water years 1985 through 2023. This monitoring-based information provides federal, state, and local managers with accurate and timely information about the health of streams and rivers entering the Bay.

    Understanding changes in the 64,000 square mile Chesapeake Bay watershed is critical to understanding the health of the Bay. States in the Bay watershed recognized this and in 2004 they formed the Non-Tidal Network (NTN), a collection of 123 monitoring stations that follow standard sampling protocols and analysis methods.

    Spanning six states from New York to Virginia, as well as the District of Columbia, the consistency of the NTN provides accurate information on conditions and changes in water quality.

    This is no small task and is only possible through teamwork from local, state, and federal partners who collect and analyze information from the 123 NTN stations. The total NTN dataset has over 51,000 samples — that’s about 3.5 samples collected every single day since 1985! The USGS plays a critical role in the NTN, providing information on how much water is flowing at the gages, collecting samples, and analyzing load and trend results.

    A map of the Chesapeake Bay watershed showing the distribution of Non-Tidal Network (NTN) stations as of 2023.

    But the data doesn’t collect itself. It takes dedicated people from federal, state, and local partner agencies, including the USGS, to sample all 123 stations routinely.

    On a chilly morning in early March 2024, Kelly McVicker and Shane Mizelle, two hydrologic technicians from the USGS, made their way out to the catwalk of the Conowingo Dam to collect water samples after a storm.

    Over the next hour, they repeatedly lowered a sampling bottle into the turbid, roaring waters some several dozen feet below, bringing it back up and transferring it to a larger container. They repeated this procedure at multiple points along the wide river to ensure that the sample would represent the conditions of the river at that particular point in time.

    Month after month, and sometimes more frequently as dictated by storms, technicians from the USGS and other agencies repeat this process across 123 stations. In each instance the technicians follow consistent sampling collection, storage and analysis to allow for comparison over the entire network.

    After the field, the samples are shipped to laboratories and analyzed, and laboratory staff run quality assurance tests.

    Next, the data are returned to the collecting agencies and reviewed by their staff. If the data are approved and nothing is out of line, they are submitted to the Chesapeake Environmental Data Repository where the data are reviewed before inclusion.

    Now, nutrient and sediment loads and trends can be calculated from the data.

    USGS scientists use a statistical method known as Weighted Regressions on Time, Discharge and Season (WRTDS) to compute the flow-normalized load of nutrients and sediment at each station for each year the data are available. A station can have a load computed after 5 years of data, and after 10 years, the scientists will run a trend analysis to determine if the load is increasing, decreasing, or has no discernable trend.

    The results computed at the 123 stations include trends in suspended sediment and total and dissolved nitrogen and phosphorus. Each year’s results are compared against the historic record to ensure a consistent dataset is used.

    Following the load and trend analyses, the data are published in a data release, updated on a website and the results are distributed to NTN partners and other Chesapeake Bay stakeholders.

    This tremendous effort would not be possible without the support of local and state governments and non-profits across the Chesapeake region.

    USGS installs three temporary groundwater stations to monitor drought conditions in Delaware

    Jacob Mavrogeorge builds a groundwater gage in Delaware.

    The U.S. Geological Survey installed groundwater stations in three locations across the state to monitor groundwater levels, doubling the number of active groundwater stations in Delaware operated by USGS from 3 to 6.

    Until June 2025, Delaware was in a state of drought according to the U.S. Drought Monitor, and these sites were selected with the help of the Delaware Geological Survey to track groundwater levels throughout the state.

    Monitoring at these sites will continue through at least September 30, 2025.

    Funding was provided through the USGS Next Generation Water Observing System program (NGWOS) in response to drought conditions that had persisted since last summer.

    View data from these sites, DE-Cb12-10, DE-Gb55-08, DE-Ng11-37.

    Additional Updates to our Water Monitoring Network

    This Winter and Spring we added the following sites to our monitoring network:

    • Piscataway Creek at Joint Base Andrews, MD (01653521): Gage height, specific conductance, temperature, and turbidity.
    • Piscataway Creek Tributary at Joint Base Andrews, MD (01653522): Gage height, specific conductance, temperature, and turbidity.

    We also added HIVIS cameras to the following sites:

    • Whitemarsh Run at White Marsh, MD (01585100) 
    • Mattawoman Creek Near Pomonkey, MD (01658000) 
    • Beaverdam Creek Near Cheverly, MD (01651730) 
    • Watts Branch at Washington, DC (01651800) 
    Reductions to Data Collection at a Handful of Monitoring Sites

    Given proposed budget cuts from a cooperating agency, we foresee the following reductions to data collection at a handful of sites beginning on October 1, 2025. If there are questions concerning these sites, please email gs-w-mdtws_information@usgs.gov.

    The following sites will be fully discontinued. Although historical data will remain accessible, no new data will be collected:

    • Rock Creek at Sherrill Drive, Washington, DC (01648000): Continuous discharge.
    • Luzon Branch above Rock Creek at Washington, DC (01648011): Continuous discharge and water temperature.
    • Anacostia River at Kenilworth at Washington, DC (01651760): Continuous discharge water temperature, specific conductance, pH, dissolved oxygen, and turbidity.
    • Anacostia River near Buzzard Point at Washington, DC (01651827): Continuous discharge, water temperature, specific conductance, and turbidity.

    Watts Branch at Washington, DC (01651800) will lose its continuous discharge reporting, but all other continuous measurements will remain.

    Discrete metals and bacteria water-quality analyses (cadmium, copper, lead, zinc, mercury, E. coli bacteria) at the following sites will be discontinued; however other water-quality parameters (phosphorus, nitrogen, and suspended sediment) will still be collected:

    • Rock Creek at Joyce Road, Washington, DC (01648010) 
    • Hickey Run at National Arboretum at Washington, DC (01651770)
    • Watts Branch at Washington, DC (01651800)

    Stay Up-To-Date On Our Latest Science

    These are the latest publications that our Center’s scientists contributed to:

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Summer 2025 Newsletter – In The Flow

    Source: US Geological Survey

    The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) was on the scene in Western Maryland to collect water data during and after the flooding caused by several inches of rain. Quantifying floods is vital for planning infrastructure that can withstand such extremes in the future.

    As the flooding occurred, USGS crews traversed the area, collecting high flow measurements at over two dozen locations in Garrett, Allegany, and Washington counties. The job was challenging as certain roads were difficult or impossible to pass due to flooding.

    USGS crews also attempted to measure high flow at Georges Creek, which was at the epicenter of flooding in the town of Westernport, Maryland, and near the site of the school evacuation, but it was too dangerous. Our crew returned when it was safer to collect two streamflow measurements while flows were still elevated, and then later when flooding subsided, identified high-water marks to estimate the volume of water during the peak of the flood.

    Days later, evidence of the damage caused by the flood were visible throughout Westernport and across towns in the area, including at Georges Creek, where flooding caused the ground to collapse beneath an unused train line, leaving rails that were twisted mid-air and dangling for several dozen yards, yet somehow still connected on the other side.

    The USGS, EPA, along with federal, state, and local partners collect water samples at over a hundred locations across the Chesapeake Bay watershed, including the Choptank River as seen here.

    The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) recently published flow-normalized trends in loads of nitrogen, phosphorus, and suspended sediment for the Chesapeake Bay Watershed from water years 1985 through 2023. This monitoring-based information provides federal, state, and local managers with accurate and timely information about the health of streams and rivers entering the Bay.

    Understanding changes in the 64,000 square mile Chesapeake Bay watershed is critical to understanding the health of the Bay. States in the Bay watershed recognized this and in 2004 they formed the Non-Tidal Network (NTN), a collection of 123 monitoring stations that follow standard sampling protocols and analysis methods.

    Spanning six states from New York to Virginia, as well as the District of Columbia, the consistency of the NTN provides accurate information on conditions and changes in water quality.

    This is no small task and is only possible through teamwork from local, state, and federal partners who collect and analyze information from the 123 NTN stations. The total NTN dataset has over 51,000 samples — that’s about 3.5 samples collected every single day since 1985! The USGS plays a critical role in the NTN, providing information on how much water is flowing at the gages, collecting samples, and analyzing load and trend results.

    A map of the Chesapeake Bay watershed showing the distribution of Non-Tidal Network (NTN) stations as of 2023.

    But the data doesn’t collect itself. It takes dedicated people from federal, state, and local partner agencies, including the USGS, to sample all 123 stations routinely.

    On a chilly morning in early March 2024, Kelly McVicker and Shane Mizelle, two hydrologic technicians from the USGS, made their way out to the catwalk of the Conowingo Dam to collect water samples after a storm.

    Over the next hour, they repeatedly lowered a sampling bottle into the turbid, roaring waters some several dozen feet below, bringing it back up and transferring it to a larger container. They repeated this procedure at multiple points along the wide river to ensure that the sample would represent the conditions of the river at that particular point in time.

    Month after month, and sometimes more frequently as dictated by storms, technicians from the USGS and other agencies repeat this process across 123 stations. In each instance the technicians follow consistent sampling collection, storage and analysis to allow for comparison over the entire network.

    After the field, the samples are shipped to laboratories and analyzed, and laboratory staff run quality assurance tests.

    Next, the data are returned to the collecting agencies and reviewed by their staff. If the data are approved and nothing is out of line, they are submitted to the Chesapeake Environmental Data Repository where the data are reviewed before inclusion.

    Now, nutrient and sediment loads and trends can be calculated from the data.

    USGS scientists use a statistical method known as Weighted Regressions on Time, Discharge and Season (WRTDS) to compute the flow-normalized load of nutrients and sediment at each station for each year the data are available. A station can have a load computed after 5 years of data, and after 10 years, the scientists will run a trend analysis to determine if the load is increasing, decreasing, or has no discernable trend.

    The results computed at the 123 stations include trends in suspended sediment and total and dissolved nitrogen and phosphorus. Each year’s results are compared against the historic record to ensure a consistent dataset is used.

    Following the load and trend analyses, the data are published in a data release, updated on a website and the results are distributed to NTN partners and other Chesapeake Bay stakeholders.

    This tremendous effort would not be possible without the support of local and state governments and non-profits across the Chesapeake region.

    USGS installs three temporary groundwater stations to monitor drought conditions in Delaware

    Jacob Mavrogeorge builds a groundwater gage in Delaware.

    The U.S. Geological Survey installed groundwater stations in three locations across the state to monitor groundwater levels, doubling the number of active groundwater stations in Delaware operated by USGS from 3 to 6.

    Until June 2025, Delaware was in a state of drought according to the U.S. Drought Monitor, and these sites were selected with the help of the Delaware Geological Survey to track groundwater levels throughout the state.

    Monitoring at these sites will continue through at least September 30, 2025.

    Funding was provided through the USGS Next Generation Water Observing System program (NGWOS) in response to drought conditions that had persisted since last summer.

    View data from these sites, DE-Cb12-10, DE-Gb55-08, DE-Ng11-37.

    Additional Updates to our Water Monitoring Network

    This Winter and Spring we added the following sites to our monitoring network:

    • Piscataway Creek at Joint Base Andrews, MD (01653521): Gage height, specific conductance, temperature, and turbidity.
    • Piscataway Creek Tributary at Joint Base Andrews, MD (01653522): Gage height, specific conductance, temperature, and turbidity.

    We also added HIVIS cameras to the following sites:

    • Whitemarsh Run at White Marsh, MD (01585100) 
    • Mattawoman Creek Near Pomonkey, MD (01658000) 
    • Beaverdam Creek Near Cheverly, MD (01651730) 
    • Watts Branch at Washington, DC (01651800) 
    Reductions to Data Collection at a Handful of Monitoring Sites

    Given proposed budget cuts from a cooperating agency, we foresee the following reductions to data collection at a handful of sites beginning on October 1, 2025. If there are questions concerning these sites, please email gs-w-mdtws_information@usgs.gov.

    The following sites will be fully discontinued. Although historical data will remain accessible, no new data will be collected:

    • Rock Creek at Sherrill Drive, Washington, DC (01648000): Continuous discharge.
    • Luzon Branch above Rock Creek at Washington, DC (01648011): Continuous discharge and water temperature.
    • Anacostia River at Kenilworth at Washington, DC (01651760): Continuous discharge water temperature, specific conductance, pH, dissolved oxygen, and turbidity.
    • Anacostia River near Buzzard Point at Washington, DC (01651827): Continuous discharge, water temperature, specific conductance, and turbidity.

    Watts Branch at Washington, DC (01651800) will lose its continuous discharge reporting, but all other continuous measurements will remain.

    Discrete metals and bacteria water-quality analyses (cadmium, copper, lead, zinc, mercury, E. coli bacteria) at the following sites will be discontinued; however other water-quality parameters (phosphorus, nitrogen, and suspended sediment) will still be collected:

    • Rock Creek at Joyce Road, Washington, DC (01648010) 
    • Hickey Run at National Arboretum at Washington, DC (01651770)
    • Watts Branch at Washington, DC (01651800)

    Stay Up-To-Date On Our Latest Science

    These are the latest publications that our Center’s scientists contributed to:

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: South Africa: Select Committee on Education Sends Deepest and Heartfelt Condolences to East London “Pens Down” Party Victims


    Download logo

    The Chairperson of the Select Committee on Education, Sciences and the Creative Industries has learnt with shock of the deaths that occurred following a “pens-down” party in East London. The committee sends its deepest and heartfelt condolences to the families of the deceased and wishes a speedy recovery to the injured.

    Two people were reported dead and seven others were injured on the weekend following what seems to be a deliberate attack on party revelers in Nompumelelo Township, just outside East London. A group of local young men, suspected to be a gang, gatecrashed a “pens-down” party and started attacking those at the tavern.

    Mr Feni said the incident, the second in a short space of time in the same area, calls for parental guidance and serious reflection on situations in which learners have free access to alcohol. “It is sad that fatal alcohol-related incidents that often involve learners are becoming a common but worrying occurrence in the country. Social gatherings where learners are allowed to use alcohol should be criminalised. The violence that characterises our society is condemned,” the Chairperson said.

    “Society must not tire in condemning the pens-down culture. This is so reminiscent of the recent Enyobeni incident, which is subject of an inquiry, that resulted in the deaths of 21 learners in the same vicinity. We condemn these actions, whether learners were involved or not; law enforcement must also leave no stone unturned in this,” Mr Feni said.

    Mr Feni said the Eastern Cape Department of Education must assist and determine if any learner had been affected by the incident and provide the necessary support.

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Republic of South Africa: The Parliament.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Markey Blasts Paramount’s $16 Million Settlement with Trump

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey

    Calls for full Commission vote on Paramount’s pending merger

    Washington (July 2, 2025) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), a member of the Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, released the following statement after Paramount Global, the parent of CBS News, agreed to pay $16 million to settle a frivolous lawsuit brought by President Donald Trump. Paramount reportedly had pushed for the settlement to help facilitate approval of its merger with Skydance Media, which is currently being reviewed by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

    “Paramount’s decision to pay $16 million to settle Trump’s baseless lawsuit is a blow to journalistic independence. With the FCC currently reviewing Paramount’s merger with Skydance, this timing also raises serious questions about FCC independence and Paramount’s true reason for settling with Trump. The public deserves to have complete confidence that the FCC’s merger review is free from political interference. For that reason, the FCC must proceed with the utmost transparency, and Chairman Carr must hold a full Commission vote on the merger. I will be watching the Commission’s next steps very closely.”

    Senator Markey has aggressively pushed back on the Trump administration’s efforts to attack news organizations and intimidate the media. In May 2025, Senators Markey and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) wrote to FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, urging the FCC to take a vote on the merger between Paramount Global and Skydance Media. In March 2025, Senators Markey and Luján, along with Senator Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), introduced the Broadcast Freedom and Independence Act, legislation that would prohibit the FCC from revoking broadcast licenses or taking action against broadcasters based on the viewpoints they broadcast. In February 2025, Senators Markey and Luján, along with Senator Gary Peters (D-Mich.), wrote to Chairman Carr and then-Commissioner Nathan Simington regarding the FCC’s recent, politically motivated actions against broadcasters and public media.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: More and more tourists are flocking to Antarctica. Let’s stop it from being loved to death

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Darla Hatton MacDonald, Professor of Environmental Economics, University of Tasmania

    VCG via Getty Images

    The number of tourists heading to Antarctica has been skyrocketing. From fewer than 8,000 a year about three decades ago, nearly 125,000 tourists flocked to the icy continent in 2023–24. The trend is likely to continue in the long term.

    Unchecked tourism growth in Antarctica risks undermining the very environment that draws visitors. This would be bad for operators and tourists. It would also be bad for Antarctica – and the planet.

    Over the past two weeks, the nations that decide what human activities are permitted in Antarctica have convened in Italy. The meeting incorporates discussions by a special working group that aims to address tourism issues.

    It’s not easy to manage tourist visitors to a continent beyond any one country’s control. So, how do we stop Antarctica being loved to death? The answer may lie in economics.

    Future visitor trends

    We recently modelled future visitor trends in Antarctica. A conservative scenario shows by 2033–34, visitor numbers could reach around 285,000. Under the least conservative scenario, numbers could reach 450,000 – however, this figure incorporates pent-up demand from COVID shutdowns that will likely diminish.

    The vast majority of the Antarctic tourism industry comprises cruise-ship tourism in the Antarctic Peninsula. A small percentage of visitors travel to the Ross Sea region and parts of the continent’s interior.

    Antarctic tourism is managed by an international set of agreements together known as the Antarctic Treaty System, as well as the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO).

    The Treaty System is notoriously slow-moving and riven by geopolitics, and IAATO does not have the power to cap visitor numbers.

    Pressure on a fragile continent

    About two-thirds of Antarctic tourists land on the continent. The visitors can threaten fragile ecosystems by:

    • compacting soils
    • trampling fragile vegetation
    • introducing non-native microbes and plant species
    • disturbing breeding colonies of birds and seals.

    Even when cruise ships don’t dock, they can cause problems such as air, water and noise pollution – as well as anchoring that can damage the seabed.

    Then there’s carbon emissions. Each cruise ship traveller to Antarctica typically produces between 3.2 and 4.1 tonnes of carbon, not including travel to the port of departure. This is similar to the carbon emissions an average person produces in a year.

    Global warming caused by carbon emissions is damaging Antarctica. At the Peninsula region, glaciers and ice shelves are retreating and sea ice is shrinking, affecting wildlife and vegetation.

    Of course, Antarctic tourism represents only a tiny fraction of overall emissions. However, the industry has a moral obligation to protect the place that maintains it. And tourism in Antarctica can compound damage from climate change, tipping delicate ecosystems into decline.

    Some operators use hybrid ships and less polluting fuels, and offset emissions to offer carbon-neutral travel.

    IAATO has pledged to halve emissions by 2050 – a positive step, but far short of the net-zero targets set by the International Maritime Organization.

    Can economics protect Antarctica?

    Market-based tools – such as taxes, cap-and-trade schemes and certification – have been used in environmental management around the world. Research shows these tools could also prevent Antarctic tourist numbers from getting out of control.

    One option is requiring visitors to pay a tourism tax. This would help raise revenue to support environmental monitoring and enforcement in Antarctica, as well as fund research.

    Such a tax already exists in the small South Asian nation of Bhutan, where each tourist pays a tax of US$100 (A$152) a night. But while a tax might deter the budget-conscious, it probably wouldn’t deter high income, experience-driven tourists.

    Alternatively, a cap-and-trade system would create a limited number of Antarctica visitor permits for a fixed period. The initial distribution of permits could be among tourism operators or countries, via negotiation, auction or lottery. Unused permits could then be sold, making them quite valuable.

    Caps have been successful at managing tourism impacts elsewhere, such as Lord Howe Island, although there are no trades allowed in that system.

    Any cap on tourist numbers in Antarctica, and rules for trading, must be based on evidence about what the environment can handle. But there is a lack of precise data on Antarctica’s carrying capacity. And permit allocations amongst the operators and nations would need to be fair and inclusive.

    Alternatively, existing industry standards could be augmented with independent schemes certifying particular practices – for example, reducing carbon footprints. This could be backed by robust monitoring and enforcement to avoid greenwashing.

    Looking ahead

    Given the complexities of Antarctic governance, our research finds that the most workable solution is a combination of these market-based options, alongside other regulatory measures.

    So far, parties to the Antarctic treaty have made very few binding rules for the tourism industry. And some market-based levers will be more acceptable to the parties than others. But doing nothing is not a solution.

    The authors would like to acknowledge Valeria Senigaglia, Natalie Stoeckl and Jing Tian and the rest of the team for their contributions to the research upon which this article was based.

    Darla Hatton MacDonald receives funding from the Australian Research Council, the Australian Forest and Wood Innovations Centre, the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, and the Soils CRC. She has received in-kind support from Antarctic tour operator HX.

    Elizabeth Leane receives funding from the Australian Research Council, the Dutch Research Council, and DFAT. She also receives in-kind support and occasional funding from Antarctic tourism operator HX and in-kind support from other tour operators.

    – ref. More and more tourists are flocking to Antarctica. Let’s stop it from being loved to death – https://theconversation.com/more-and-more-tourists-are-flocking-to-antarctica-lets-stop-it-from-being-loved-to-death-258294

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Mfume, Team Maryland Statement on Administration Attempt to Reprogram FBI Headquarters Funding

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Kweisi Mfume (MD-07)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Congressman Kweisi Mfume, Senator Chris Van Hollen, Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies and Representative Steny Hoyer, Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government, along with Governor Wes Moore, Senator Angela Alsobrooks and Representatives Glenn Ivey, Jamie Raskin, Sarah Elfreth, and Johnny Olszewski (all D-Md.), and Prince George’s County Executive Aisha N. Braveboy released the following statement regarding the Administration’s attempt to reprogram funding intended for the new FBI Headquarters in Greenbelt, Md. 

    “The FBI deserves a headquarters that meets their security and mission needs – and following an extensive, thorough, and transparent process, Greenbelt, Maryland, was selected as the site that best meets those requirements. Not only was this decision final, the Congress appropriated funds specifically for the purpose of the new, consolidated campus to be built in Maryland. Now the Administration is attempting to redirect those funds – both undermining Congressional intent and dealing a blow to the men and women of the FBI – since we know that a headquarters located within the District would not satisfy their security needs. Simply moving down the street would ignore the real threats the Bureau faces and further jeopardize the safety of those protecting our communities. That’s why we will be fighting back against this proposal with every tool we have.” 

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Mfume, Team Maryland Statement on Administration Attempt to Reprogram FBI Headquarters Funding

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Kweisi Mfume (MD-07)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Congressman Kweisi Mfume, Senator Chris Van Hollen, Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies and Representative Steny Hoyer, Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government, along with Governor Wes Moore, Senator Angela Alsobrooks and Representatives Glenn Ivey, Jamie Raskin, Sarah Elfreth, and Johnny Olszewski (all D-Md.), and Prince George’s County Executive Aisha N. Braveboy released the following statement regarding the Administration’s attempt to reprogram funding intended for the new FBI Headquarters in Greenbelt, Md. 

    “The FBI deserves a headquarters that meets their security and mission needs – and following an extensive, thorough, and transparent process, Greenbelt, Maryland, was selected as the site that best meets those requirements. Not only was this decision final, the Congress appropriated funds specifically for the purpose of the new, consolidated campus to be built in Maryland. Now the Administration is attempting to redirect those funds – both undermining Congressional intent and dealing a blow to the men and women of the FBI – since we know that a headquarters located within the District would not satisfy their security needs. Simply moving down the street would ignore the real threats the Bureau faces and further jeopardize the safety of those protecting our communities. That’s why we will be fighting back against this proposal with every tool we have.” 

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Lung cancer screening hopes to save lives. But we also need to watch for possible harms

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katy Bell, Professor of Clinical Epidemiology, Sydney School of Public Health, University of Sydney

    There is much to commend about Australia’s lung cancer screening program, which started on July 1.

    The program is based on gold-standard trial evidence showing this type of screening is likely to reduce lung cancer deaths.

    Some people will have their life prolonged due to this screening, which involves taking low-dose CT scans to look for lung cancer in people with a significant smoking history.

    In some of these people, cancer will be detected at an early stage, and they can be treated. Without screening, these people may have died of cancer because it would have been detected at a later, incurable stage.

    However, for some people, screening could also harm.

    How can screening harm?

    Screening for disease, including cancer, can cause harm – during screening, diagnosis and treatment.

    With lung cancer screening, a positive scan can prompt an invasive lung biopsy. This is where a sample of lung tissue is obtained with a special needle guided by imaging, or through surgery under anaesthesia.

    If, after examination under the microscope, the pathologist thinks there is lung cancer, then more extensive surgery and other treatments will likely follow, all of which have a risk of side effects.

    The diagnostic label “lung cancer” itself is distressing, and the stigma attached to the diagnosis may worsen this distress.

    These harms and risks may be considered acceptable if the treatment prevents the person’s cancer from progressing.

    However, as with other cancers, screening is likely to also cause overdiagnosis and overtreatment. That is, some of the lesions picked up through screening and diagnosed as cancer, would have never caused any trouble if they’d been left alone. If these lesions were left undetected (and untreated), they would never have caused symptoms or shortened the person’s life.

    But all patients with a cancer diagnosis will be offered treatment – including surgery, radiotherapy and cancer drugs. Yet patients who really have an indolent (non-lethal) lesion have the same risk of harm from diagnosis and treatment as others, but without potentially benefiting from treatment.

    A related issue is that of “incidental findings”. Reports from lung cancer screening programs overseas show there is a large potential to find things other than cancer on the CT scan.

    For instance, some people have lung “nodules” (small spots on the scan) that fall short of being suspicious for cancer, but nonetheless need close monitoring with repeat scans for a while. For these people, we need to make sure health-care workers follow protocols that prevent unnecessary intervention in a nodule that is not growing.

    The scans can also pick up other conditions. These include calcium in coronary arteries, small aneurysms of the aorta (bulges in the body’s largest artery), or abnormalities in abdominal organs such as the liver.

    Some of these “incidental findings” may lead to early detection of disease that can be treated. However, in many cases the findings would not have caused any issues if they’d been left undetected, another example of overdiagnosis. These patients experience risks from further cascades of interventions triggered by the incidental finding, but without these interventions improving their health.

    The potential for overdiagnosis and overtreatment is greater if screening extends beyond the high-risk group with a history of heavy smoking. Some people who don’t meet the eligibility criteria may still want to be screened. For example, lung cancer awareness campaigns may lead to people who don’t smoke requesting screening. If screening staff decide to refer them for imaging, this may result in unofficial “leakage” of the screening program to include people at lower risk of cancer.

    For example in the United States, an estimated 45% of scans done in its screening program are for people who do not meet eligibility criteria. In China, about 64% of those screened may be technically ineligible.

    We see the results of this in a number of Asian countries with widespread, non-targeted screening, including of people who do not smoke. This has resulted in high rates of cancer diagnosis – much higher than we would expect in this low-risk group – and even higher rates of lung surgeries.

    These surgeries, which involve cutting into the chest wall to remove lung tissue, carry significant operative risks. They may also cause longer-term impacts by removing normal lung tissue.

    Regular independent evaluation needed

    In Australia, for the eligible population with a significant smoking history, we anticipate net benefit, on balance, from the screening program.

    However, if unintended consequences from screening are higher in real life than in the trials, then this could tip it the other way into net harm.

    So, regular independent re-evaluation of the program is needed to ensure anticipated benefits are realised and harms are kept to a minimum.

    This should include analysis of data across the population to look for signs of benefit, such as decreases in rates of advanced-stage lung cancer and deaths.

    These data should also be scrutinised for signs of harm from overdiagnosis and overtreatment – including of both cancer and non-cancer conditions.

    There is much excitement about the potential for lung cancer screening to prevent some Australians from dying from this devastating disease. We too have cautious optimism the program could make a real difference.

    But we can’t let this optimism blind us to the potential for harm.

    This is the next article in our ‘Finding lung cancer’ series, which explores Australia’s first new cancer screening program in almost 20 years. Read other articles in the series.

    More information about the program is available. If you need support to quit smoking, call Quitline on 13 78 48.

    Katy Bell receives funding from NHMRC. She co-leads the Wiser Healthcare Research Collaboration and is on the Board of the Preventing Overdiagnosis Conference.

    Brooke Nickel receives fellowship funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC). She is on the Scientific Committee of the Preventing Overdiagnosis Conference.

    Professor Mark Morgan is chair of the RACGP Expert Committee for Quality Care and receives research support from the Medical Research Future Fund.

    – ref. Lung cancer screening hopes to save lives. But we also need to watch for possible harms – https://theconversation.com/lung-cancer-screening-hopes-to-save-lives-but-we-also-need-to-watch-for-possible-harms-253625

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • Centre considering ₹100-crore Aqua Park for J&K: Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Rajiv Ranjan Singh, on Wednesday said that flagship schemes such as the Blue Revolution, Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund (FIDF) and Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) have significantly strengthened the fisheries ecosystem in Jammu and Kashmir.

    Speaking at a function at the Shalimar Convention Centre, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Singh said the Centre remains committed to supporting the livestock and fisheries sectors as engines of rural income and nutritional security.

    Jammu and Kashmir Minister for Agriculture Production and Panchayati Raj Javid Ahmad Dar, Secretary of the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying Alka Upadhyaya, senior officials and progressive farmers from across the Valley attended the event.

    Singh pointed out that over 10 crore farmers in India depend on livestock for their livelihoods, with small and marginal farmers owning more than 90% of dairy animals. Women account for over 70% of participation in the dairy sector and hold nearly a third of cooperative memberships.

    In Jammu and Kashmir, milk production has increased by 47% over the past decade, rising from 19.5 lakh tonnes in 2014–15 to 28.74 lakh tonnes in 2023–24. Per capita milk availability in the Union Territory stands at 413 grams per day, he said.

    Highlighting efforts to promote trout farming, Singh said the government facilitated the import of 13.4 lakh genetically improved eyed ova of Rainbow and Brown Trout from Denmark, boosting trout production from 650 metric tonnes (MT) in 2020–21 to 2,380 MT in 2023–24 — an increase of 266%.

    Earlier in the day, Singh and Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah co-chaired a review meeting of the Animal Husbandry and Fisheries sectors at the Civil Secretariat in Srinagar. They also virtually inaugurated a 50,000-litre-per-day Ultra High Temperature (UHT) Milk Processing Plant at Satwari, Jammu.

    Singh said the Centre sees immense untapped potential in J&K’s livestock and fisheries sectors and assured full support for their development. He called for closer collaboration between the Union and UT governments to translate this potential into sustainable rural livelihoods.

    Encouraging youth to take up micro and small-scale ventures in fisheries and livestock, the Union Minister said that key national bodies like the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) and National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB) would help build strong infrastructure and market linkages.

    He informed that under PMMSY, the Centre has committed ₹852 crore for Himalayan and North Eastern states, including ₹300 crore specifically for J&K, to enhance production, infrastructure, and employment.

    According to Singh, annual fish production in J&K has grown from 20,000 MT in 2013–14 to 29,000 MT in 2024–25, while trout production has surged by over 800% — from 262 MT to 2,380 MT during the same period. Trout seed production has risen from 9 million to 15.2 million, and carp seed production has increased from 40 million to 63.5 million.

    The Minister said that recognising J&K’s potential for cold-water fisheries, the Ministry has designated Anantnag as a Cold-Water Fisheries Cluster, with Kulgam and Shopian as partner districts to develop an integrated value chain for sustainable livelihoods.

    He added that a proposal worth ₹100 crore is under consideration to set up an Integrated Aqua Park in J&K under PMMSY Phase-II to serve as a model for cold-water aquaculture.

    Singh reiterated the Centre’s commitment to holistic rural development, farmer empowerment and the vision of a self-reliant India.

  • Centre considering ₹100-crore Aqua Park for J&K: Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Rajiv Ranjan Singh, on Wednesday said that flagship schemes such as the Blue Revolution, Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund (FIDF) and Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) have significantly strengthened the fisheries ecosystem in Jammu and Kashmir.

    Speaking at a function at the Shalimar Convention Centre, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Singh said the Centre remains committed to supporting the livestock and fisheries sectors as engines of rural income and nutritional security.

    Jammu and Kashmir Minister for Agriculture Production and Panchayati Raj Javid Ahmad Dar, Secretary of the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying Alka Upadhyaya, senior officials and progressive farmers from across the Valley attended the event.

    Singh pointed out that over 10 crore farmers in India depend on livestock for their livelihoods, with small and marginal farmers owning more than 90% of dairy animals. Women account for over 70% of participation in the dairy sector and hold nearly a third of cooperative memberships.

    In Jammu and Kashmir, milk production has increased by 47% over the past decade, rising from 19.5 lakh tonnes in 2014–15 to 28.74 lakh tonnes in 2023–24. Per capita milk availability in the Union Territory stands at 413 grams per day, he said.

    Highlighting efforts to promote trout farming, Singh said the government facilitated the import of 13.4 lakh genetically improved eyed ova of Rainbow and Brown Trout from Denmark, boosting trout production from 650 metric tonnes (MT) in 2020–21 to 2,380 MT in 2023–24 — an increase of 266%.

    Earlier in the day, Singh and Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah co-chaired a review meeting of the Animal Husbandry and Fisheries sectors at the Civil Secretariat in Srinagar. They also virtually inaugurated a 50,000-litre-per-day Ultra High Temperature (UHT) Milk Processing Plant at Satwari, Jammu.

    Singh said the Centre sees immense untapped potential in J&K’s livestock and fisheries sectors and assured full support for their development. He called for closer collaboration between the Union and UT governments to translate this potential into sustainable rural livelihoods.

    Encouraging youth to take up micro and small-scale ventures in fisheries and livestock, the Union Minister said that key national bodies like the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) and National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB) would help build strong infrastructure and market linkages.

    He informed that under PMMSY, the Centre has committed ₹852 crore for Himalayan and North Eastern states, including ₹300 crore specifically for J&K, to enhance production, infrastructure, and employment.

    According to Singh, annual fish production in J&K has grown from 20,000 MT in 2013–14 to 29,000 MT in 2024–25, while trout production has surged by over 800% — from 262 MT to 2,380 MT during the same period. Trout seed production has risen from 9 million to 15.2 million, and carp seed production has increased from 40 million to 63.5 million.

    The Minister said that recognising J&K’s potential for cold-water fisheries, the Ministry has designated Anantnag as a Cold-Water Fisheries Cluster, with Kulgam and Shopian as partner districts to develop an integrated value chain for sustainable livelihoods.

    He added that a proposal worth ₹100 crore is under consideration to set up an Integrated Aqua Park in J&K under PMMSY Phase-II to serve as a model for cold-water aquaculture.

    Singh reiterated the Centre’s commitment to holistic rural development, farmer empowerment and the vision of a self-reliant India.

  • Centre considering ₹100-crore Aqua Park for J&K: Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Rajiv Ranjan Singh, on Wednesday said that flagship schemes such as the Blue Revolution, Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund (FIDF) and Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) have significantly strengthened the fisheries ecosystem in Jammu and Kashmir.

    Speaking at a function at the Shalimar Convention Centre, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Singh said the Centre remains committed to supporting the livestock and fisheries sectors as engines of rural income and nutritional security.

    Jammu and Kashmir Minister for Agriculture Production and Panchayati Raj Javid Ahmad Dar, Secretary of the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying Alka Upadhyaya, senior officials and progressive farmers from across the Valley attended the event.

    Singh pointed out that over 10 crore farmers in India depend on livestock for their livelihoods, with small and marginal farmers owning more than 90% of dairy animals. Women account for over 70% of participation in the dairy sector and hold nearly a third of cooperative memberships.

    In Jammu and Kashmir, milk production has increased by 47% over the past decade, rising from 19.5 lakh tonnes in 2014–15 to 28.74 lakh tonnes in 2023–24. Per capita milk availability in the Union Territory stands at 413 grams per day, he said.

    Highlighting efforts to promote trout farming, Singh said the government facilitated the import of 13.4 lakh genetically improved eyed ova of Rainbow and Brown Trout from Denmark, boosting trout production from 650 metric tonnes (MT) in 2020–21 to 2,380 MT in 2023–24 — an increase of 266%.

    Earlier in the day, Singh and Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah co-chaired a review meeting of the Animal Husbandry and Fisheries sectors at the Civil Secretariat in Srinagar. They also virtually inaugurated a 50,000-litre-per-day Ultra High Temperature (UHT) Milk Processing Plant at Satwari, Jammu.

    Singh said the Centre sees immense untapped potential in J&K’s livestock and fisheries sectors and assured full support for their development. He called for closer collaboration between the Union and UT governments to translate this potential into sustainable rural livelihoods.

    Encouraging youth to take up micro and small-scale ventures in fisheries and livestock, the Union Minister said that key national bodies like the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) and National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB) would help build strong infrastructure and market linkages.

    He informed that under PMMSY, the Centre has committed ₹852 crore for Himalayan and North Eastern states, including ₹300 crore specifically for J&K, to enhance production, infrastructure, and employment.

    According to Singh, annual fish production in J&K has grown from 20,000 MT in 2013–14 to 29,000 MT in 2024–25, while trout production has surged by over 800% — from 262 MT to 2,380 MT during the same period. Trout seed production has risen from 9 million to 15.2 million, and carp seed production has increased from 40 million to 63.5 million.

    The Minister said that recognising J&K’s potential for cold-water fisheries, the Ministry has designated Anantnag as a Cold-Water Fisheries Cluster, with Kulgam and Shopian as partner districts to develop an integrated value chain for sustainable livelihoods.

    He added that a proposal worth ₹100 crore is under consideration to set up an Integrated Aqua Park in J&K under PMMSY Phase-II to serve as a model for cold-water aquaculture.

    Singh reiterated the Centre’s commitment to holistic rural development, farmer empowerment and the vision of a self-reliant India.

  • MIL-OSI USA: What’s Up: July 2025 Skywatching Tips from NASA

    Source: NASA

    [embedded content]

    Mars shines in the evening, and is joined briefly by Mercury. Jupiter joins Venus as the month goes on. And all month, look for Aquila the eagle.

    All Month – Planet Visibility:

    Venus: Shines brightly in the east each morning during the couple of hours before sunrise, with the Pleiades and bright stars Aldebaran and Capella.
    Mars: Sits in the west, about 20 degrees above the horizon as twilight fades. Sets a couple of hours after dark.
    Jupiter: Starts to become visible low in the east in the hour before sunrise after mid-month. You’ll notice it rises a bit higher each day through August, quickly approaching closer to Venus each morning.
    Mercury: Visible very low in the west (10 degrees or lower) the first week or so in July. Find it for a short time before it sets, beginning 30-45 minutes after sunset.
    Saturn: Rises around midnight and climbs to a point high in the south as dawn approaches.

    Daily Highlights:
    July 1 – 7 – Mercury is relatively bright and easy to spot without a telescope, beginning about 30-45 minutes after sunset for the first week or so of July. You will need an unobstructed view toward the horizon, and note that it sets within an hour after the Sun.
    July 21 & 22 – Moon, Venus, & Jupiter – Look toward the east this morning to find a lovely scene, with the crescent Moon and Venus, plus several bright stars. And if you have a clear view toward the horizon, Jupiter is there too, low in the sky.
    July 28 – Moon & Mars – The crescent Moon appears right next to Mars this evening after sunset.
    All month – Constellation: Aquila – The Eagle constellation, Aquila, appears in the eastern part of the sky during the first half of the night. Its brightest star, Altair, is the southernmost star in the Summer Triangle, which is an easy-to-locate star pattern in Northern Hemisphere summer skies.

    What’s Up for July? Mars shines in the evening sky, sixty years after its first close-up,
    July Planet Viewing
    Venus brightens your mornings, and the eagle soars overhead.
    First up, Mercury is visible for a brief time following sunset for the first week of July. Look for it very low in the west 30 to 45 minutes after sundown. It sets within the hour after that, so be on the ball if you want to catch it!
    Mars is visible for the first hour or two after it gets dark. You’ll find it sinking lower in the sky each day and looking a bit dimmer over the course of the month, as our two planets’ orbits carry them farther apart. The crescent Moon appears right next to Mars on the 28th.

    July is the 60th anniversary of the first successful flyby of Mars, by NASA’s Mariner 4 spacecraft in 1965. Mariner 4 sent back the first photos of another planet from deep space, along with the discovery that the Red Planet has only a very thin, cold atmosphere.
    Next, Saturn is rising late in the evening, and by dawn it’s high overhead to the south.
    Looking to the morning sky, Venus shines brightly all month. You’ll find it in the east during the couple of hours before sunrise, with the Pleiades and bright stars Aldebaran and Capella. And as the month goes on, Jupiter makes its morning sky debut,

    rising in the hour before sunrise and appearing a little higher each day.
    By the end of the month, early risers will have the two brightest planets there greeting them each morning. They’re headed for a super-close meetup in mid-August, and the pair will be a fixture of the a.m. sky through late this year. Look for them together with the crescent moon on the 21st and 22nd.
    Aquila, The Eagle
    From July and into August, is a great time to observe the constellation Aquila, the eagle.

    This time of year, it soars high into the sky in the first half of the night. Aquila represents the mythical eagle that was a powerful servant and messenger of the Greek god Zeus. The eagle carried his lightning bolts and was a symbol of his power as king of the gods.
    To find Aquila in the sky, start by locating its brightest star, Altair. It’s one the three bright stars in the Summer Triangle, which is super easy to pick out during summer months in the Northern Hemisphere. Altair is the second brightest of the three, and sits at the southernmost corner of the triangle.
    The other stars in Aquila aren’t as bright as Altair, which can make observing the constellation challenging if you live in an area with a lot of light pollution. It’s easier, though, if you know how the eagle is oriented on the sky. Imagine it’s flying toward the north with its wings spread wide, its right wing pointed toward Vega. If you can find Altair, and Aquila’s next brightest star, you can usually trace out the rest of the spread-eagle shape from there. ​​The second half of July is the best time of the month to observe Aquila, as the Moon doesn’t rise until later then, making it easier to pick out the constellation’s fainter stars.
    Observing the constellation Aquila makes for a worthy challenge in the July night sky. And once you’re familiar with its shape, it’s hard not to see the mythical eagle soaring overhead among the summertime stars.
    Here are the phases of the Moon for July.

    You can stay up to date on all of NASA’s missions exploring the solar system and beyond at science.nasa.gov. I’m Preston Dyches from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and that’s What’s Up for this month.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: What’s Up: July 2025 Skywatching Tips from NASA

    Source: NASA

    [embedded content]

    Mars shines in the evening, and is joined briefly by Mercury. Jupiter joins Venus as the month goes on. And all month, look for Aquila the eagle.

    All Month – Planet Visibility:

    Venus: Shines brightly in the east each morning during the couple of hours before sunrise, with the Pleiades and bright stars Aldebaran and Capella.
    Mars: Sits in the west, about 20 degrees above the horizon as twilight fades. Sets a couple of hours after dark.
    Jupiter: Starts to become visible low in the east in the hour before sunrise after mid-month. You’ll notice it rises a bit higher each day through August, quickly approaching closer to Venus each morning.
    Mercury: Visible very low in the west (10 degrees or lower) the first week or so in July. Find it for a short time before it sets, beginning 30-45 minutes after sunset.
    Saturn: Rises around midnight and climbs to a point high in the south as dawn approaches.

    Daily Highlights:
    July 1 – 7 – Mercury is relatively bright and easy to spot without a telescope, beginning about 30-45 minutes after sunset for the first week or so of July. You will need an unobstructed view toward the horizon, and note that it sets within an hour after the Sun.
    July 21 & 22 – Moon, Venus, & Jupiter – Look toward the east this morning to find a lovely scene, with the crescent Moon and Venus, plus several bright stars. And if you have a clear view toward the horizon, Jupiter is there too, low in the sky.
    July 28 – Moon & Mars – The crescent Moon appears right next to Mars this evening after sunset.
    All month – Constellation: Aquila – The Eagle constellation, Aquila, appears in the eastern part of the sky during the first half of the night. Its brightest star, Altair, is the southernmost star in the Summer Triangle, which is an easy-to-locate star pattern in Northern Hemisphere summer skies.

    What’s Up for July? Mars shines in the evening sky, sixty years after its first close-up,
    July Planet Viewing
    Venus brightens your mornings, and the eagle soars overhead.
    First up, Mercury is visible for a brief time following sunset for the first week of July. Look for it very low in the west 30 to 45 minutes after sundown. It sets within the hour after that, so be on the ball if you want to catch it!
    Mars is visible for the first hour or two after it gets dark. You’ll find it sinking lower in the sky each day and looking a bit dimmer over the course of the month, as our two planets’ orbits carry them farther apart. The crescent Moon appears right next to Mars on the 28th.

    July is the 60th anniversary of the first successful flyby of Mars, by NASA’s Mariner 4 spacecraft in 1965. Mariner 4 sent back the first photos of another planet from deep space, along with the discovery that the Red Planet has only a very thin, cold atmosphere.
    Next, Saturn is rising late in the evening, and by dawn it’s high overhead to the south.
    Looking to the morning sky, Venus shines brightly all month. You’ll find it in the east during the couple of hours before sunrise, with the Pleiades and bright stars Aldebaran and Capella. And as the month goes on, Jupiter makes its morning sky debut,

    rising in the hour before sunrise and appearing a little higher each day.
    By the end of the month, early risers will have the two brightest planets there greeting them each morning. They’re headed for a super-close meetup in mid-August, and the pair will be a fixture of the a.m. sky through late this year. Look for them together with the crescent moon on the 21st and 22nd.
    Aquila, The Eagle
    From July and into August, is a great time to observe the constellation Aquila, the eagle.

    This time of year, it soars high into the sky in the first half of the night. Aquila represents the mythical eagle that was a powerful servant and messenger of the Greek god Zeus. The eagle carried his lightning bolts and was a symbol of his power as king of the gods.
    To find Aquila in the sky, start by locating its brightest star, Altair. It’s one the three bright stars in the Summer Triangle, which is super easy to pick out during summer months in the Northern Hemisphere. Altair is the second brightest of the three, and sits at the southernmost corner of the triangle.
    The other stars in Aquila aren’t as bright as Altair, which can make observing the constellation challenging if you live in an area with a lot of light pollution. It’s easier, though, if you know how the eagle is oriented on the sky. Imagine it’s flying toward the north with its wings spread wide, its right wing pointed toward Vega. If you can find Altair, and Aquila’s next brightest star, you can usually trace out the rest of the spread-eagle shape from there. ​​The second half of July is the best time of the month to observe Aquila, as the Moon doesn’t rise until later then, making it easier to pick out the constellation’s fainter stars.
    Observing the constellation Aquila makes for a worthy challenge in the July night sky. And once you’re familiar with its shape, it’s hard not to see the mythical eagle soaring overhead among the summertime stars.
    Here are the phases of the Moon for July.

    You can stay up to date on all of NASA’s missions exploring the solar system and beyond at science.nasa.gov. I’m Preston Dyches from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and that’s What’s Up for this month.

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