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  • MIL-OSI Global: ‘Myrrh, conifer oil and … breakfast tea’: my sniffer team’s surprise findings on what mummified bodies smell like

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Cecilia Bembibre, Lecturer in Sustainable Heritage, UCL

    Mum’s the word. Banu Sevim

    When we see objects in museum display cases, it often doesn’t tell their whole story. One thing that tends to get ignored or even lost in the conservation process is the smell. We lose a lot of valuable information as a result, such as how the object was produced or how it functioned.

    My field is called sensory heritage, which relates to how we engage with heritage objects with senses other than vision. As part of this, I develop methods to identify and preserve culturally significant smells.

    For example, I have worked with St Paul’s Cathedral to recreate the scent of its library, to ensure that it can be experienced by future generations. I was also part of an EU-funded project called Odeuropa, which worked with computer scientists and historians to tell the stories of smells from 300 years of European history.

    With help from some perfumers, we brought back smells such as 17th-century Amsterdam, with its canals and linden trees. As a result, for example, visitors to Museum Ulm in southern Germany can experience our olfactory interpretations for ten of the paintings on display.

    My latest project delves much further into the past. I was asked by the University of Ljubljana, in association with the University of Krakow and the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, to help with a study of mummified bodies. Ljubljana was studying a mummified body in the national museum in Slovenia, and had been invited to extend its research to some mummified bodies in Cairo.

    The strict guidelines about studying these bodies stipulate that researchers must use techniques that are not destructive. One way is to see what can be learned by smelling, which is why I joined the project, led by Professor Matija Strlič and PhD researcher Emma Paolin.

    Sarcophaguses on display in Cairo.
    Author provided, CC BY-SA

    We studied nine mummified bodies at the Egyptian Museum, four of which were on display and five in storage. They span different time periods, with the oldest being from 3,500 years ago. They were also conserved in different ways and stored in different places, so they give a decent representation of all the mummified bodies in different collections around the world.

    I put together a team of eight expert sniffers, of which I was one. Some are specialists who have worked with me on other projects, while some are colleagues from the Egyptian Museum who were given smell training in advance. We wanted them on the panel because they are so familiar with the smells in question.

    The research

    We began by doing chemical analysis to ensure the bodies were safe to smell, since in prior decades they were treated with synthetic pesticides to keep them preserved. Several bodies had high concentrations of these pesticides, which could potentially be carcinogenic, so these were removed from the study.

    With the remaining nine, we slightly opened their sarcophaguses to insert little pipes and extract quantities of air. A measured volume of this air went into special bags which we took into a room away from display areas, so I and the other sniffers could experience them “nose on”.

    More air was captured inside metal tubes containing a polymer that traps the volatile organic compounds, so they could be studied in a laboratory at the University of Ljubljana. This air was subjected to various chemical analyses to see which compounds were present, and also separated into its constituent parts using chromatography, so that we sniffers could experience and describe each smell individually.

    This was very hard work: we usually took turns to sit on the end of a special machine with an outlet known as an olfactory port. You spend 15 to 20 minutes experiencing one smell after another, having to quickly describe them and rate their intensity. It can be as much as one smell every second, which can be overwhelming – hence the taking of turns.

    Emma Paolin taking her turn at the olfactory port in Ljubljana.
    Author provided, CC BY-SA

    Our findings

    I was more excited at the prospect of discovering something new than nervous about what it would be like to smell these ancient bodies. However, you’d be forgiven for thinking these odours would not be agreeable. From the accounts of archaeologists to movies such as The Mummy (1999), mummified bodies are associated with foul smells.

    Yet surprisingly, the smells were quite pleasant. The sniff team’s descriptions included “woody”, “floral”, “sweet”, “spicy”, “stale” and “resin-like”. We were able to identify ancient embalming ingredients including conifer oils, frankincense, myrrh and cinnamon.

    Opening the sarcophagus.
    Author provided, CC BY-SA

    We also identified degraded animal fats used in the mummification process; the human remains themselves; and both synthetic pesticides and benign plant-based pest oils that had more recently been used by the museum for preservation.

    Bodies in display cases had a stronger scent than those in storage, but none was as strong as, say, a perfume. Surprisingly, one smelled distinctly of black tea: when you smell a body from millennia ago, you certainly don’t expect to be transported back to your kitchen. The other sniffers agreed about the tea smell, and we later established that the source was probably a chemical called caryophyllene.

    Future steps

    Next, we will reconstruct the smell of the mummified bodies so that visitors to the Egyptian Museum can experience them first-hand. We’ll make both a faithful chemical construction of what we smelled, plus an interpretation of how the body would have smelled when it was sealed off in its tomb.

    It will probably be 2026 before the public can experience these. In the meantime, we’re also being approached by other museums with ancient Egyptian collections who are interested in working with us to apply similar methods.

    Separately, I am working with other colleagues on developing a catalogue for smells of cultural significance to the UK, including vintage cars, traditional dishes and more libraries.

    Gotta love the smell of an old library.
    Author provided, CC BY-SA

    Hopefully, our work with mummified bodies is an example of how you can bring back another dimension of heritage. Experiencing smells helps to give visitors a more holistic appreciation and understanding of the subjects.

    And everyone is fascinated by mummified bodies. Soon, it will be possible to put yourself in the shoes of the archaeologists who originally discovered their tombs, and revealed their secrets to the modern world.

    Part of the research mentioned in this piece was funded by the Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency (grant P1-0447), and the Odeuropa research was funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No. 101004469.

    – ref. ‘Myrrh, conifer oil and … breakfast tea’: my sniffer team’s surprise findings on what mummified bodies smell like – https://theconversation.com/myrrh-conifer-oil-and-breakfast-tea-my-sniffer-teams-surprise-findings-on-what-mummified-bodies-smell-like-249904

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Serbia is facing its largest-ever protest movement – why is Europe looking away?

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Andi Hoxhaj, Lecturer in Law, King’s College London

    On November 1 2024, the roof of a newly €55 million renovated railway station in Novi Sad, Serbia’s second biggest city, collapsed and killed 15 people. The deaths sparked Serbia’s largest wave of student-led anti-government protests since Yugoslavia’s disintegration in 2000.

    The protests pose the most serious threat to Serbian president Aleksandar Vučić’s power since he became prime minister in 2014, and president in 2017. The protest movement has highlighted Vučić’s growing authoritarian rule and widespread corruption in Serbia.

    Serbians believe that the deadly roof collapse was caused by government corruption. The station was renovated by a Chinese-led consortium as part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative investments and growing political ties with Serbia. The Chinese consortium and Vučić refused to publish the railway station restoration procurement contract after protesters demanded it.

    The protesters have four demands: the publication of all procurement documents concerning the renovation of the station, a stop to the prosecution of students arrested during the protests, the prosecution of police and security forces involved in attacking students during the protests and a 20% increase in the budget for higher education.

    However, the Serbian government and media — most of which Vučić controls through a network of political patronage and cronyism – are downplaying the protests and threatening students.

    Vučić claims that foreign powers are behind the protests to topple him and destabilise Serbia. Russia and China have fully supported Vučić’s claims that Serbia is the target of a western plot to orchestrate the protesters and overthrow Vučić.

    Serbia’s history of corruption

    In the decade after former president Slobodan Milošević was overthrown, Serbia implemented a number of democratic and anti-corruption reforms. As a result, the country climbed to 72nd place out of 180 countries in Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index in 2013. Serbia opened EU membership negotiations the following year.

    However, since Vučić took office, Serbia has become more authoritarian. Corruption is widespread, and the government has exploited tensions and instability with most of its western Balkans neighbours, primarily Kosovo, for political gain.

    Serbia was downgraded to partly free by Freedom House in 2019, and the V-Dem Institute (Varieties of Democracy) labelled it as as an “electoral autocracy”. Serbia dropped to 105th place in Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index in 2024.

    Many international organisations monitoring anti-corruption, human rights and democracy have reported Vučić’s authoritarian tendencies and corruption in Serbia.

    A report from Amnesty International published in December 2024 describes Serbia as a “digital prison”. It has been reported that Serbian authorities are using surveillance technology to monitor and suppress the protesters and other political opponents.

    International response

    The EU has mostly stayed silent since the protests began. After receiving letters from NGOs and activists, EU Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos stated that the EU is following the protests in Serbia, and backed the rule of law and freedom of assembly.

    This is a far cry from the EU’s response to protests in Georgia last year. EU commission president Ursula von der Leyen said “the Georgian people are fighting for democracy” – yet has stayed silent on the protests in Serbia.

    Some argue this (lack of) response is because in August 2024, Vučić made a deal with the EU to provide lithium to the bloc – a boon to the EU’s electric vehicle production. There were also widespread protests against the lithium deal over its transparency and concerns that the mine would cause irreversible environmental destruction to Serbia’s Jadar Valley.

    The US has also stayed quiet. President Donald Trump’s associates were recently granted permission to build a Trump hotel in Belgrade. Further, Rod Blagojevich, the former governor of Illinois who served eight years in prison for corruption, is being considered as the new US ambassador to Serbia. Blagojevich, whose father is from Serbia, expressed support for Vučić and visited the country.

    What is next for Serbia?

    Serbia’s prime minister, Miloš Vučević, and Novi Sad’s mayor, Milan Đurić, both resigned in an effort to de-escalate the protests. Following the resignation of the PM, Vučić has said that he is open to the new government making the documents about the station collapse public.

    While this may be a sign that the protests are loosening Vučić’s grip, the movement has only intensified, spreading to more than 200 towns on February 1.

    Vučić has pledged to either form a new government within one month, or organise a new parliamentary election in the spring to address the protesters’ demands. However, this would barely paper over the cracks of systemic corruption in Serbia.

    The student movement has revealed how democracy and the rule of law have eroded since Vučić came to power in 2014.

    The protests have also exposed the international community’s complicity in supporting Vučić under the premise that he is a constructive partner for regional cooperation and stability in the western Balkans.

    But to have a lasting impact in Serbia, the protesters should also demand a transitional government to undertake anti-corruption and democratic reforms to strengthen the rule of law, and to organise the next elections.

    At the heart of these reforms must be constitutional changes, such as term limits on elected public office. Research shows stricter term limits can reduce the costs of corruption, abuse of power and attacks on the rule of law and democracy.

    Term limits would also prevent figures with authoritarian tendencies, like Vučić, from becoming the state themselves with unlimited and unaccountable power.

    The EU also has a role to play here. By not putting pressure on Vučić, the EU is empowering his authoritarian tendencies. Second, in EU membership negotiations, it should introduce electoral reform as a new requirement for all EU candidate countries.

    Other leaders in the western Balkans have adopted similar authoritarian government models and patronage systems as Serbia to maintain power. These would undermine and threaten the EU rule of law, if they were to join the bloc today.

    The EU must also publicly support student protesters who want Serbia to become more democratic and accountable. After all, the students are fighting for the very ideals on which the EU was founded.

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

    – ref. Serbia is facing its largest-ever protest movement – why is Europe looking away? – https://theconversation.com/serbia-is-facing-its-largest-ever-protest-movement-why-is-europe-looking-away-249388

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Westminster City Council is cracking down on graffiti as part of its work to tackle antisocial behaviour in the city. | Westminster City Council

    Source: City of Westminster

    The Council is increasing its presence and investing more money to further tackle antisocial behaviour in Westminster. This includes a new cleaning van with a generator and water tank to dedicated to cleaning graffiti and deep cleaning of pavements

    Graffiti and other forms of antisocial behaviour cause real problems for local residents and visitors, and the Council is committed to tackling it.

    The Council’s waste contractor, Veolia, runs three teams, seven days a week to tackle graffiti in the city.  Any offensive graffiti is always removed within 12 hours from the moment it’s reported, and other types of graffiti are cleaned within three days. Around 80-100 cleaning jobs are undertaken weekly, totalling around 400 every month.

    This form of antisocial behaviour has been on the rise across London in recent years. There were a reported 4,141 graffiti cases within Westminster, with the Soho, St James’s and the West End areas seeing the most cases.

    That is why the Council is investing £2 million in measures to tackle antisocial behaviour, which is at the heart of Westminster City Council’s proposed budget.

    This comes shortly after the Council announced a new front-line team to tackle antisocial behaviour. The six-person unit consists of officers with experience in city management and can be deployed wherever antisocial behaviour is reported.

    Cllr Max Sullivan, Westminster City Council Cabinet Member for Streets, said:

    “At Westminster Council we’re committed to keeping our streets clean and safe. Adding another deep cleaning vehicle to our arsenal means we’ll be able to remove graffiti even more quickly.

    “Help us by reporting graffiti on public property or street furniture to us , and we will make sure it’s gone within 3 days, or within 12 hours if its offensive.”

    Please report unsightly markings on public property or street furniture so it can be inspected and removed.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Foster carers celebrated at annual summit

    Source: City of Plymouth

    Local foster carers came together last week to share their views and experiences at Foster for Plymouth’s second annual fostering summit. 

    Foster carers and practitioners at Dartmoor Zoo for the 2025 summit

    Foster for Plymouth is Plymouth City Council’s own fostering service. The summit provides a valuable opportunity for the Council to thank foster carers for their hard work, and also to listen to their feedback about the kinds of improvements that could be made to better support them and the children in their care. 

    More than 20 foster carers and Connected Carers (friends or family approved to care for specific children) attended the event, alongside more than 20 practitioners working in Children’s Services and partner agencies across health and social care.  

    The first fostering summit last year led to the creation of a new package of support for foster carers that included increased financial allowances and more training and support. 

    This year’s summit was held at Dartmoor Zoo who generously donated the event space free of charge. This is part of the zoo’s ongoing support for Foster for Plymouth, which has also included giving all fostering households a free family pass to enjoy a day out at the zoo.  

    Councillor Jemima Laing, Cabinet Member for Children’s Social Care, said: “Our foster carers are simply brilliant and it was fantastic to be able to say a huge thank you to so many of them in person at the summit. It is absolutely inspiring to see their dedication to their role and the passion they have for supporting children and young people in our city. 

    “I’d also like to say a big thank you to the team at Dartmoor Zoo for their ongoing support of Foster for Plymouth, they have been really generous towards our fostering families and it is greatly appreciated.”  

    Councillor Jemima Laing speaking at the 2025 Fostering Summit

    David Haley, Director of Children’s Services at Plymouth City Council, said: “The summit provides us with the opportunity to recognise and value the vital role that foster carers make in the life of a child or young person from Plymouth and to listen to their feedback about the Foster for Plymouth offer and services that they engage with so that we can keep making the offer even better.   

    “This is incredibly important, because it means that we come away with practical ideas about changes that can be made that will not only support the retention and recruitment of foster carers but that will also mean better support for the children and young people in our care.”  

    At the summit, foster carers received an update about the success of the Mockingbird programme. Mockingbird uses an extended family model in the form of ‘constellations’, consisting of a central hub home which supports several satellite homes of other foster carers. The hub home carers are specially recruited for their experience and will help the satellite carers with peer support, social activities and respite care in the form of sleepovers.  

    The first constellation in Plymouth launched in November 2024 and has been hugely beneficial to the fostering families involved. The second constellation is due to launch this summer, so that more carers and children can benefit from family-style support.   

    About fostering  

    To be a foster carer, you need to be over 21 years old, have a spare room and have a genuine interest in supporting the wellbeing of children and young people in care.  

    There are fewer barriers to fostering than many people realise and foster carers receive financial, emotional and practical support to enable them to take on the role.  

    If you’d like to find out more, visit fosterforplymouth.co.uk. 

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Boost of nearly £10m for Wolverhampton city highways improvements

    Source: City of Wolverhampton

    Investment from the highways capital programme for 2025/26 will be bolstered by an extra £500,000 City of Wolverhampton Council commitment, bringing the total to £9.7 million.

    Potholes are a priority for the council and over the past year more than 7,900 have been repaired. But with more than 740 kilometres of carriageway to manage, prevention work is key.

    That is why the council uses a data driven, informed strategy to identify where targeted surfacing works can extend the life of roads – reducing the need for reactive repairs.

    Surface dressing is completed quickly with little disruption to traffic and protects the road from water and frost – one of the key causes of potholes.

    Where required the council also carries out full road resurfacing projects.

    Over the past 5 years the council has treated more than 560 square kilometres of carriageway by resurfacing or surface dressing and repaired more than 58,000 defects in roads and footways – up to 44 per working day.

    A range of new surface dressing and full resurfacing works are included in the proposed highway improvements for 2025/26.

    Other planned improvements include road safety and traffic management work with upgrades to the council’s car park management systems.

    There will also be a completion of the streetlighting upgrade, with almost 30,000 streetlights now switched to energy and money saving LED, helping cut carbon emissions.

    Councillor Qaiser Azeem, City of Wolverhampton Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport and Green City, said: “By investing we can ensure an efficient, safe and smooth flowing network for all modes of transport that supports businesses and helps achieve our sustainable regeneration ambitions and climate change commitments.

    “We know potholes are an important issue for people, as they are up and down the country.

    “We have a clear data led, long term strategy to tackling this which strikes a safe and prudent balance of reactive and preventative maintenance as we move forward.”

    The council will carry out the 2025/26 work under the next phase of its Highway Capital Programme. Funding has come through external grants and council resources.

    The programme has delivered £37.5 million worth of improvements and development work since 2020.

    Completed improvements in 2024/25 include several road safety and Safer Routes to Schools projects and a raft of maintenance works to carriageways, footpaths and structures, alongside surface treatments.

    There has been an expansion of the CCTV network and smart technology systems and further rollout of electronic driver information signs, helping to manage car parks across the city.

    The Highway Capital Programme aligns with the ongoing work of the Black Country Transport and Wolverhampton Major Transport Investment Programme to deliver transport schemes across the city and wider region, developed mainly with external funding.

    Projects for delivery under this programme include the development of electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure across the region, active travel schemes and the ongoing development of the A4123, A449 and A454 corridors.

    The planned improvements are pending approval at City of Wolverhampton Council’s Cabinet meeting on 19 February. 

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Partnership can transform education for Met Police

    Source: Anglia Ruskin University

    A major new partnership, Policing Futures London, has been announced with the potential to transform the delivery of police degree apprenticeships in the capital.

    The collaboration brings together Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) and the University of West London (UWL) – two universities that are at the forefront of police education in the UK – with the aim of leading the Metropolitan Police’s initial recruit training from 2026, in line with the Mayor’s Police and Crime Plan 2025-2029.

    Policing Futures London’s mission closely aligns with the A New Met for London strategy, ensuring that officers are not only highly skilled but are deeply connected to the city’s communities and its policing priorities.

    With world-class facilities in east London, near Canary Wharf, and west London, the two universities have already been providing policing education at scale since 2021, all within 60 minutes travel of the Metropolitan Police’s 12 Basic Command Units.

    Anglia Ruskin University and the University of West London have a track record for delivering quality, integrated Police Constable Entry Route (PCER) programmes and could accommodate the full cohort of Metropolitan Police’s recruits at any one time.

    Anglia Ruskin University has successfully co-delivered PCER programmes alongside the seven forces in the South East and East of England to over 2,600 student police officers since 2021, while together Anglia Ruskin and the University of West London have four years’ experience of working with the Metropolitan Police, training more than 3,870 Met officers.

    Building on the delivery over the last four years, with the rich knowledge and experience of the collective academic staff, new programmes would be co-designed with the police service and led by teams who live and work in London, ensuring that officers are fully equipped to police the communities they serve.

    Policing Futures London would prioritise support for widening access and inclusive outreach recruitment programmes, would embed community engagement models to build trust between new officers and the diverse communities of London, and would be delivered by both police professionals and academic experts.

    Policing Futures London is backed up by world-class research, with Anglia Ruskin University home to both the International Policing and Public Protection Research Institute and the Centre of Excellence for Equity in Uniformed Public Services.

    In the last 18 months, Anglia Ruskin University has been named University of the Year at the UK Social Mobility Awards, the Times Higher Education University of the Year, and is in the top 20% of universities in the country for teaching quality, having been awarded a Gold rating in the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF).

    University of West London was the number one London university for overall student satisfaction in the National Student Survey 2024* and was named best university for Student Experience and Teaching Quality in the UK in The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024.

    “This partnership is about more than just delivering quality education – it’s about shaping the future of policing in London. By bringing together two institutions with deep experience in police education, we are ensuring that London’s officers receive the highest quality training, close to the communities they serve, and preparing them for the challenges of 21st-century law enforcement.”

    Sara Archer, Head of Police Education at Anglia Ruskin University

    “This exciting partnership brings together two powerhouses in policing education, not only in London but nationally, ready to deliver police training programmes that London deserves: resilient, innovative, and reflective of its communities. Policing Futures London is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to build that.”

    Adrian Ellison, Pro Vice-Chancellor and executive lead for policing education at the University of West London

    “As a London university we understand London and its unique policing needs. We have directly influenced the design of the new PCDA standard, based on our extensive experience working with the MPS, to place practice-based learning and assessment at its heart. Understanding the need for everyone to work to ever tightening budgets, we will never sacrifice quality for cost.

    “This exciting new partnership combines a wealth of knowledge, experience and expertise with the aim of giving Londoners the continued quality of policing they deserve.”

    Andy Rose, Head of the Institute for Policing Studies at the University of West London

    *calculated as the average of all questions by registered populations. Excludes specialist providers, National Student Survey 2024.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Housing staff to support tenants experiencing domestic abuse

    Source: City of York

    To help support Council tenants who are experiencing domestic abuse, City of York Council’s housing staff will be trained and supported to spot the signs and support victims and survivors.

    As part of the Council’s wider work to tackle or prevent domestic abuse, a new policy was agreed on 5 February which commits the Council to better supporting its tenants and leaseholders as part of its ongoing journey of improvement.

    This policy sits alongside city-wide work to tackle domestic abuse including the latest Valentine’s Day awareness campaign.

    Some 4,000 residents across York are estimated to be currently living with domestic abuse, with a further 16,000 residents having experienced it at some point in their lives.

    Whether it involves ‘love bombing’, coercive control, psychological, financial or emotional abuse, domestic abuse is often carried out at home. With training, staff who visit tenants will be better able to spot the signs. They can then help prevent or tackle it, discreetly signpost tenants to support, and back action to bring perpetrators to account.  

    Councillor Michael Pavlovic, Executive Member for Housing and Safer Communities at City of York Council, said:

    Those experiencing domestic abuse can feel they have nowhere to turn. We are saying you are not alone, you will be believed and we care about you.

    “Domestic abuse is simply not acceptable in our homes. A home should be a safe haven but sadly that is not always the case. Fearing what might happen in it or feeling that you have to leave it to escape abuse, should never be an issue, but all too often it is.

    “I want to reassure tenants that any concerns raised about domestic abuse with us will be met with empathy and an appropriate response. This is part of our commitment to being the best landlord we can as we work hard to improve, and our new policy embeds this approach into all we do.”

    Any York resident concerned about a relationship, whether their own or that of someone they know, please speak to someone you trust, or find advice and support from IDAS, either online or by calling 03000 110 110.

    If domestic abuse puts you at risk of becoming homeless or if you’re being threatened with homelessness, please call 01904 554500 or visit www.york.gov.uk/HousingOptions

    Any Council tenant experiencing or concerned about domestic abuse can contact their Housing Management Officer (HMO) via www.york.gov.uk/OpenHousing or, visit www.york.gov.uk/HousingManagementOfficers or call Housing Services on 01904 551550.

    Support is also available for those causing harm from Foundation’s Positive Choices programme or by calling 01904 557491.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sols 4452-4453: Keeping Warm and Keeping Busy

    Source: NASA

    Earth planning date: Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2025
    I woke up this morning to my weather app telling me it felt like minus 15° C (5°F) outside. On days like this, it can take me a little longer to get myself up and out into the world. Curiosity has a similar problem — as we head toward winter and it gets colder and colder in Gale Crater, Curiosity has to spend more time warming up to do things like driving and all our good science. I’ve also been watching a couple winter storms that are expected in the next few days here in Toronto. Luckily, Curiosity doesn’t have to deal with snowstorms, and our drive in the last plan went ahead as planned and put us in a good position to go ahead with contact science today, a relief after having to forego it on Monday. 
    The contact science location that the geology team chose is called “Catalina Island,” the flat rock you can see in almost the center of the image above. As you can likely also see above, there’s a whole jumble of rocks in that image, and Mastcam and ChemCam have picked out a couple others to take a look at. These are “Point Dume,” which will be the target of ChemCam’s laser spectrometer, and “Whittier Narrows,” on which Mastcam will image some linear features. Mastcam and ChemCam are also turning their gazes further afield for Mastcam targets “Cleghorn Ridge,” “Cuyamaca Peak,” “Kratka Ridge,” and two long-distance ChemCam mosaics of the top of the Wilkerson butte and a spot a little further down known as “Pothole Trail.”
    Much like I’m keeping an eye out the window on the changing weather here, Curiosity is also continuing to keep an eye on the environment in Gale Crater. Even though it’s not the dusty season, we continue to monitor the dust around us and in the atmosphere with a dust-devil survey and a tau. But we’re especially interested in what the clouds are up to right now, which we’re checking in on with our normal zenith and suprahorizon movies, and our cloud-season-only Phase Function Sky Survey. This is a series of movies covering the whole sky that we can use to determine how sunlight interacts with the individual water-ice crystals in the clouds.
    Written by Alex Innanen, Atmospheric Scientist at York University

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NASA Tests Drones to Provide Micrometeorology, Aid in Fire Response

    Source: NASA

    In Aug. 2024, a team of NASA researchers and partners gathered in Missoula, to test new drone-based technology for localized forecasting, or micrometeorology. Researchers attached wind sensors to a drone, NASA’s Alta X quadcopter, aiming to provide precise and sustainable meteorological data to help predict fire behavior.
    Wildfires are increasing in number and severity around the world, including the United States, and wind is a major factor. It leads to unexpected and unpredictable fire growth, public threats, and fire fatalities, making micrometeorology a very effective tool to combat fire.

    The campaign was run by NASA’s FireSense project, focused on addressing challenges in wildland fire management by putting NASA science and technology in the hands of operational agencies.
    “Ensuring that the new technology will be easily adoptable by operational agencies such as the U.S. Forest Service and the National Weather Service was another primary goal of the campaign,” said Jacquelyn Shuman, FireSense project scientist at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley.
    The FireSense team chose the Alta X drone because the U.S. Forest Service already has a fleet of the quadcopters and trained drone pilots, which could make integrating the needed sensors – and the accompanying infrastructure – much easier and more cost-effective for the agency.

    The choice of the two sensors for the drone’s payload was also driven by their adoptability.
    The first, called a radiosonde, measures wind direction and speed, humidity, temperature, and pressure, and is used daily by the National Weather Service. The other sensor, an anemometer, measures wind speed and direction, and is used at weather stations and airports around the world.

    “Anemometers are everywhere, but are usually stationary,” said Robert McSwain, the FireSense uncrewed aerial system (UAS) lead, based at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. “We are taking a sensor type that is already used all over the world, and giving it wings.”

    Robert Mcswain
    FireSense Uncrewed Aerial System (UAS) Lead

    Both sensors create datasets that are already familiar to meteorologists worldwide, which opens up the potential applications of the platform.

    Traditionally, global weather forecasting data is gathered by attaching a radiosonde to a weather balloon and releasing it into the air. This system works well for regional weather forecasts. But the rapidly changing environment of wildland fire requires more recurrent, pinpointed forecasts to accurately predict fire behavior. It’s the perfect niche for a drone.

    “These drones are not meant to replace the weather balloons,” said Jennifer Fowler, FireSense’s project manager at Langley. “The goal is to create a drop-in solution to get more frequent, localized data for wildfires – not to replace all weather forecasting.”

    Jennifer Fowler
    FireSense Project Manager

    Drones can be piloted to keep making measurements over a precise location – an on-site forecaster could fly one every couple of hours as conditions change – and gather timely data to help determine how weather will impact the direction and speed of a fire.
    Fire crews on the ground may need this information to make quick decisions about where to deploy firefighters and resources, draw fire lines, and protect nearby communities.
    A reusable platform, like a drone, also reduces the financial and environmental impact of forecasting flights. 
    “A weather balloon is going to be a one-off, and the attached sensor won’t be recovered,” Fowler said. “The instrumented drone, on the other hand, can be flown repeatedly.”

    Before such technology can be sent out to a fire, it needs to be tested. That’s what the FireSense team did this summer.

    McSwain described the conditions in Missoula as an “alignment of stars” for the research: the complex mountain terrain produces erratic, historically unpredictable winds, and the sparsity of monitoring instruments on the ground makes weather forecasting very difficult. During the three-day campaign, several fires burned nearby, which allowed researchers to test how the drones performed in smokey conditions.
    A drone team out of NASA Langley conducted eight data-collection flights in Missoula. Before each drone flight, student teams from the University of Idaho in Moscow, Idaho, and Salish Kootenai College in Pablo, Montana, launched a weather balloon carrying the same type of radiometer.

    Once those data sets were created, they needed to be transformed into a usable format. Meteorologists are used to the numbers, but incident commanders on an active fire need to see the data in a form that allows them to quickly understand which conditions are changing, and how. That’s where data visualization partners come in. For the Missoula campaign, teams from MITRE, NVIDIA, and Esri joined NASA in the field.

    Measurements from both the balloon and the drone platforms were immediately sent to the on-site data teams. The MITRE team, together with NVIDIA, tested high-resolution artificial intelligence meteorological models, while the Esri team created comprehensive visualizations of flight paths, temperatures, and wind speed and direction. These visual representations of the data make conclusions more immediately apparent to non-meteorologists.

    Development of drone capabilities for fire monitoring didn’t begin in Missoula, and it won’t end there.
    “This campaign leveraged almost a decade of research, development, engineering, and testing,” said McSwain. “We have built up a UAS flight capability that can now be used across NASA.”

    Robert Mcswain
    FireSense Uncrewed Aerial System (UAS) Lead

    The NASA Alta X and its sensor payload will head to Alabama and Florida in spring 2025, incorporating improvements identified in Montana. There, the team will perform another technology demonstration with wildland fire managers from a different region.
    To view more photos from the FireSense campaign visit: https://nasa.gov/firesense
    The FireSense project is led by NASA Headquarters in Washington and sits within the Wildland Fires program, with the project office based at NASA Ames. The goal of FireSense is to transition Earth science and technological capabilities to operational wildland fire management agencies, to address challenges in U.S. wildland fire management before, during, and after a fire. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: The Next Full Moon is the Snow Moon

    Source: NASA

    The next full moon will be Wednesday morning, Feb. 12, 2025, appearing opposite the Sun (in Earth longitude) at 8:53 a.m. EST. The Moon will appear full for about three days around this time, from Monday night into early Thursday evening. The bright star Regulus will appear near the full moon.

    The Maine Farmers’ Almanac began publishing Native American names for full moons in the 1930s, and these names are now widely known and used. According to this almanac, as the full moon in February, the tribes of the northeastern U.S. called this the Snow Moon or the Storm Moon because of the heavy snows in this season. Bad weather and heavy snowstorms made hunting difficult, so this Moon was also called the Hunger Moon. NOAA monthly averages for the Washington, D.C. area airports from 1991 to 2020 show January and February nearly tied as the snowiest months of the year (with February one tenth of an inch ahead).
    Here are the other celestial events between now and the full moon after next with times and angles based on the location of NASA Headquarters in Washington:
    As winter continues in the Northern Hemisphere, the daily periods of sunlight continue to lengthen. Wednesday, Feb. 12 (the day of the full moon), morning twilight will begin at 6:04 a.m. EST, sunrise will be at 7:03 a.m., solar noon will be at 12:23 p.m. when the Sun will reach its maximum altitude of 37.7 degrees, sunset will be at 5:43 p.m., and evening twilight will end at 6:41 p.m.
    Daylight Saving Time starts on the second Sunday in March for much of the United States. The day before, Saturday, March 8, morning twilight will begin at 5:32 a.m., sunrise will be at 6:30 a.m., solar noon will be at 12:19 p.m. when the Sun will reach its maximum altitude of 46.5 degrees, sunset will be at 6:08 p.m., and evening twilight will end at 7:06 p.m. Early on Sunday morning, March 9, the clock will “spring forward” from 1:59:59 a.m. EST to 3:00:00 a.m. EDT. Sunday, March 9, morning twilight will begin at 6:30 a.m., sunrise will be at 7:28 a.m., solar noon will be at 1:19 p.m. when the Sun will reach its maximum altitude of 46.9 degrees, sunset will be at 7:09 p.m., and evening twilight will end at 8:07 p.m. By Friday, March 14 (the day of the full moon after next), morning twilight will begin at 6:23 a.m., sunrise will be at 7:20 a.m., solar noon will be at 1:17 p.m. when the Sun will reach its maximum altitude of 48.9 degrees, sunset will be at 7:14 p.m., and evening twilight will end at 8:12 p.m.
    This should still be a good time for planet watching, especially with a backyard telescope. On the evening of the March 14, the full moon, Venus, Jupiter, Mars, Saturn, and Uranus will all be in the evening sky. The brightest of the planets, Venus, will be 28 degrees above the west-southwestern horizon, appearing as a 29% illuminated crescent through a telescope. Second in brightness will be Jupiter at 71 degrees above the south-southeastern horizon. With a telescope you should be able to see Jupiter’s four bright moons, Ganymede, Callisto, Europa, and Io, noticeably shifting positions in the course of an evening. Jupiter was at its closest and brightest in early December. Third in brightness will be Mars at 48 degrees above the eastern horizon. Mars was at its closest and brightest for the year just a month ago. Fourth in brightness (and appearing below Venus) will be Saturn at 11 degrees above the west-southwestern horizon. With a telescope you may be able to see Saturn’s rings and its bright moon Titan. The rings will appear very thin and will be edge-on to Earth in March 2025. Saturn was at its closest and brightest in early September. The planet Uranus will be too dim to see without a telescope when the Moon is in the sky, but later in the lunar cycle, if you are in a very dark area with clear skies and no interference from moonlight, it will still be brighter than the faintest visible stars. Uranus was at its closest and brightest in mid-November.
    During this lunar cycle, these planets, along with the background of stars, will rotate westward by about a degree each night around the pole star Polaris. Venus, named after the Roman goddess of love, will reach its brightest around Feb. 14, making this a special Valentine’s Day. After about Feb. 17, the planet Mercury, shining brighter than Mars, will begin emerging from the glow of dusk about 30 minutes after sunset. Feb. 24 will be the first evening Mercury will be above the western horizon as twilight ends, while Feb. 25 will be the last evening Saturn will be above the western horizon as twilight ends, making these the only two evenings that all of the visible planets will be in the sky after twilight ends. For a few more evenings after this, Saturn should still be visible in the glow of dusk during twilight. Around March 8 or 9, Mercury will have dimmed to the same brightness as Mars, making Mars the third brightest visible planet again. By the evening of March 13 (the evening of the night of the full moon after next), as twilight ends, Venus and Mercury will appear low on the western horizon, making them difficult targets for a backyard telescope, while Jupiter and Mars (and Uranus) will appear high overhead and much easier to view.
    Comets and Meteor Showers
    No meteor shower peaks are predicted during this lunar cycle. No comets are expected to be visible without a telescope for Northern Hemisphere viewers. Southern Hemisphere viewers may still be able to use a telescope to see comet C/2024 G3 (ATLAS), although it is fading as it moves away from Earth and the Sun, and some recent reports suggest that it might be breaking apart and disappearing from view.
    Evening Sky Highlights
    On the evening of Wednesday, Feb. 12 (the evening of the full moon), as twilight ends at 6:41 p.m. EST, the rising Moon will be 7 degrees above the east-northeastern horizon with the bright star Regulus 2 degrees to the right. The brightest planet in the sky will be Venus at 28 degrees above the west-southwestern horizon, appearing as a crescent through a telescope. Next in brightness will be Jupiter at 71 degrees above the south-southeastern horizon. Third in brightness will be Mars at 48 degrees above the eastern horizon. The fourth brightest planet will be Saturn at 11 degrees above the west-southwestern horizon. Uranus, on the edge of what is visible under extremely clear, dark skies, will be 68 degrees above the south-southwestern horizon. The bright star closest to overhead will be Capella at 75 degrees above the northeastern horizon. Capella is the 6th brightest star in our night sky and the brightest star in the constellation Auriga (the charioteer). Although we see Capella as a single star, it is actually four stars (two pairs of stars orbiting each other). Capella is about 43 light years from us.
    Also high in the sky will be the constellation Orion, easily identifiable because of the three stars that form Orion’s Belt. This time of year, we see many bright stars in the sky at evening twilight, with bright stars scattered from the south-southeast toward the northwest. We see more stars in this direction because we are looking toward the Local Arm of our home galaxy (also called the Orion Arm, Orion-Cygnus Arm, or Orion Bridge). This arm is about 3,500 light years across and 10,000 light years long. Some of the bright stars from this arm that we see are the three stars of Orion’s Belt, and Rigel (860 light years from Earth), Betelgeuse (548 light years), Polaris (about 400 light years), and Deneb (about 2,600 light years).
    Facing toward the south from the Northern Hemisphere, to the upper left of Orion’s Belt is the bright star Betelgeuse (be careful not to say this name three times). About the same distance to the lower right is the bright star Rigel. Orion’s belt appears to point down and to the left about seven belt lengths to the bright star Sirius, the brightest star in the night sky. Below Sirius is the bright star Adhara. To the upper right of Orion’s Belt (at about the same distance from Orion as Sirius) is the bright star Aldebaran. Nearly overhead is the bright star Capella. To the left (east) of Betelgeuse is the bright star Procyon. The two stars above Procyon are Castor and Pollux, the twin stars of the constellation Gemini (Pollux is the brighter of the two). The bright star Regulus appears farther to the left (east) of Pollux near the eastern horizon. For now, Mars is near Castor and Pollux, while Jupiter is near Aldebaran, but these are planets (from the Greek word for wanderers) and continue to shift relative to the background of the stars. Very few places on the East Coast are dark enough to see the Milky Way (our home galaxy), but if you could see it, it would appear to stretch overhead from the southeast to the northwest. Since we are seeing our galaxy from the inside, the combined light from its 100 to 400 billion stars make it appear as a band surrounding Earth.
    As this lunar cycle progresses, the planets and the background of stars will rotate westward by about a degree each evening around the pole star Polaris. The brightest of the planets, Venus, will reach its brightest around Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14.  Bright Mercury will begin emerging from the glow of dusk around Feb. 17 and will be above the horizon as twilight ends beginning Feb. 24, initiating a brief period when all the visible planets will be in the evening sky at the same time that will end after Feb. 25, the last evening Saturn will be above the horizon as twilight ends. Feb. 24 and 25 will also be the two evenings when Mercury and Saturn will appear closest together.
    The waxing crescent “Wet” or “Cheshire” Moon will appear near Mercury on Feb. 28 and Venus on March 1, appearing like a bowl or a smile above the horizon. The waxing gibbous Moon will appear near Mars and Pollux on March 8. Mercury will reach its highest above the horizon as twilight ends on March 8 but will be fading, appearing fainter than Mars. The nearly full moon will appear near Regulus on March 11. Venus and Mercury will be closest to each other on March 12.
    By the evening of Thursday, March 13 (the evening of the night of the full moon after next), as twilight ends at 8:11 p.m. EDT, the rising Moon will be 14 degrees above the eastern horizon. The brightest planet in the sky will be Venus at 4 degrees above the west-southwestern horizon, appearing as a thin, 4% illuminated crescent through a telescope. Next in brightness will be Jupiter at 62 degrees above the west-southwestern horizon. Third in brightness will be Mars at 72 degrees above the southeastern horizon. Mercury, to the left of Venus, will also be 4 degrees above the western horizon. Uranus, on the edge of what is visible under extremely clear, moonless dark skies, will be 45 degrees above the western horizon. The bright star closest to overhead will still be Capella at 75 degrees above the northwestern horizon.
    Morning Sky Highlights
    On the morning of Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2025 (the morning of the night of the full moon), as twilight begins at 6:04 a.m. EST, the setting full moon will be 13 degrees above the western horizon. No planets will appear in the sky. The bright star appearing closest to overhead will be Arcturus at 65 degrees above the southeastern horizon. Arcturus is the brightest star in the constellation Boötes (the herdsman or plowman) and the 4th brightest star in our night sky. It is 36.7 light years from us. While it has about the same mass as our Sun, it is about 2.6 billion years older and has used up its core hydrogen, becoming a red giant 25 times the size and 170 times the brightness of our Sun. One way to identify Arcturus in the night sky is to start at the Big Dipper, then follow the arc of the dipper’s handle as it “arcs toward Arcturus.”
    As this lunar cycle progresses the background of stars will rotate westward by about a degree each morning around the pole star Polaris. The waning Moon will appear near Regulus on Feb. 13, Spica on Feb. 17, and Antares on Feb. 21. The nearly full moon will appear near Regulus on March 12.
    By the morning of Friday, March 14 (the morning of the full moon after next), as twilight begins at 6:23 a.m. EDT, the setting full moon will be 12 degrees above the western horizon. No visible planets will appear in the sky. The bright star closest to overhead will be Vega at 68 degrees above the eastern horizon. Vega is the 5th brightest star in our night sky and the brightest star in the constellation Lyra (the lyre). Vega is one of the three bright stars of the “Summer Triangle” (along with Deneb and Altair). It is about 25 light-years from Earth, has twice the mass of our Sun, and shines 40 times brighter than our Sun.

    Here is a day-by-day listing of celestial events between now and the full moon on March 14, 2025. The times and angles are based on the location of NASA Headquarters in Washington, and some of these details may differ for where you are (I use parentheses to indicate times specific to the D.C. area). If your latitude is significantly different than 39 degrees north (and especially for my Southern Hemisphere readers), I recommend using an astronomy app that is set up for your location or a star-watching guide from a local observatory, news outlet, or astronomy club.
    Sunday morning, Feb. 9 Mars will appear to the upper left of the waxing gibbous Moon. In the early morning at about 2 a.m. EST, Mars will be 8 degrees from the Moon. By the time the Moon sets on the northwestern horizon at 5:58 a.m., Mars will have shifted to 6 degrees from the Moon. For parts of Asia and Northern Europe the Moon will pass in front of Mars. Also, Sunday morning, the planet Mercury will be passing on the far side of the Sun as seen from Earth, called superior conjunction. Because Mercury orbits inside of the orbit of Earth it will be shifting from the morning sky to the evening sky and will begin emerging from the glow of dusk on the west-southwestern horizon after about Feb. 17 (depending upon viewing conditions).
    Sunday evening into Monday morning, Feb. 9 – 10 The waxing gibbous Moon will have shifted to the other side of the Mars (having passed in front of Mars in the afternoon when we could not see them). As evening twilight ends (at 6:38 p.m. EST) the Moon will be between Mars and the bright star Pollux, with Mars 3 degrees to the upper right and Pollux 3 degrees to the lower left. By the time the Moon reaches its highest for the night at 10:27 p.m., Mars will be 4.5 degrees to the right of the Moon and Pollux 2.5 degrees to the upper left of the Moon. Mars will set first on the northwestern horizon Monday morning at 5:44 a.m., just 22 minutes before morning twilight begins at 6:06 a.m.
    Wednesday morning, Feb. 12 As mentioned above, the full moon will be Wednesday morning, Feb. 12, at 8:53 a.m. EST. This will be on Thursday morning from Australian Central Time eastward to the international date line in the mid-Pacific. The Moon will appear full for about three days around this time, from Monday night into early Thursday evening.
    Wednesday evening into Thursday morning, Feb. 12 to 13 The bright star Regulus will appear near the full moon. As evening twilight ends at 6:41 p.m. EST, Regulus will be less than 2 degrees to the right of the Moon, very near its closest. By the time the Moon reaches its highest for the night at 12:55 a.m., Regulus will be 3 degrees to the right. As morning twilight begins at 6:03 a.m., Regulus will be 5 degrees to the lower right of the Moon.
    Friday evening, Feb. 14 Venus, the brightest of the planets, will be near its brightest for the year (based on a geometric estimate called greatest brilliancy). As evening twilight ends at 6:43 p.m. EST, Venus will be 28 degrees above the west-southwestern horizon. Venus will set on the western horizon about 2.5 hours later at 9:09 p.m. Having Venus, named after the Roman goddess of love, shining at its brightest on this evening will make for a special Valentine’s Day!
    Sunday night into Monday morning Feb. 16 to 17 Bright star Spica will appear near the waning gibbous Moon. As Spica rises on the east-southeastern horizon at 10:19 p.m. EST, it will be 3.5 degrees to the lower left of the Moon. Throughout the night Spica will appear to rotate clockwise around the Moon. As the Moon reaches its highest at 3:37 a.m., Spica will be 2 degrees to the left of the Moon. By the time morning twilight begins at 5:58 a.m., Spica will be a little more than a degree above the Moon.
    Monday evening, Feb. 17 This will be the first evening Mercury will be above the west-southwestern horizon 30 minutes after sunset, a rough approximation of when it might start emerging from the glow of dusk before evening twilight ends. Increasing the likelihood it will be visible, Mercury will be brighter than Mars, but not as bright as Jupiter.
    Monday evening, Feb. 17 At 8:06 p.m. EST, the Moon will be at apogee, its farthest from Earth for this orbit.
    Midday on Thursday, Feb. 20 The waning Moon will appear half full as it reaches its last quarter at 12:32 p.m. EST.
    Friday morning, Feb. 21 The bright star Antares will appear quite near the waning crescent Moon. As the Moon rises on the southeastern horizon at 2:05 a.m. EST, Antares will be one degree to the upper left. Antares will appear to rotate clockwise and shift away from the Moon as morning progresses. By the time morning twilight begins at 5:53 a.m., Antares will be 2 degrees to the upper right of the Moon. From the southern part of South America, the Moon will actually block Antares from view.
    Monday, Feb. 24 This will be the first evening Mercury will be above the western horizon as evening twilight ends at 6:54 p.m. EST, setting three minutes later at 6:57 p.m. This will be the first of two evenings when all the visible planets will be in the evening sky at the same time after twilight ends.
    This also will be the evening when Mercury and Saturn will appear nearest to each other, 1.6 degrees apart. To see them you will need a very clear view toward the western horizon and will likely have to look before evening twilight ends at 6:54 p.m. EST, as Mercury will set three minutes later at 6:57 p.m., and Saturn two minutes after Mercury at 6:59 p.m.
    Tuesday, Feb. 25 This will be the last evening Saturn will be above the western horizon as evening twilight ends at 6:55 p.m. EST, setting one minute later at 6:56 p.m. This will be the last of two evenings when all of the visible planets will be in the evening sky at the same time after twilight ends. Mercury and Saturn will appear almost as close together as the night before, with Mercury setting six minutes after Saturn at 7:02 p.m. Saturn, appearing about as bright as the star Pollux, may still be visible in the glow of dusk before evening twilight ends for a few evenings after this.
    Thursday evening, Feb. 27 At 7:45 p.m. EST will be the new Moon, when the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun and will not be visible from Earth.
    The day of, or the day after, the new Moon marks the start of the new month for most lunisolar calendars. The second month of the Chinese calendar starts on Friday, Feb. 28. Sundown on Feb. 28 also marks the start of Adar in the Hebrew calendar. In the Islamic calendar the months traditionally start with the first sighting of the waxing crescent Moon. Many Muslim communities now follow the Umm al-Qura Calendar of Saudi Arabia, which uses astronomical calculations to start months in a more predictable way (intended for civil and not religious purposes). This calendar predicts the holy month of Ramadan will start with sunset on Feb. 28, but because of Ramadan’s religious significance, it is one of four months in the Islamic year where the start of the month is updated based upon the actual sighting of the crescent Moon. Ramadan is honored as the month in which the Quran was revealed. Observing this annual month of charitable acts, prayer, and fasting from dawn to sunset is one of the Five Pillars of Islam.
    Friday evening, Feb. 28 As evening twilight ends at 6:58 p.m. EST, you may be able to see the thin, waxing crescent Moon barely above the western horizon. The Moon will set two minutes later at 7 p.m. Mercury will be 3.5 degrees above the Moon. For this and the next few evenings the waxing crescent Moon will appear most like an upward-facing bowl or a smile in the evening sky (for the Washington, D.C. area and similar latitudes, at least). This is called a “wet” or a “Cheshire” Moon. The term “wet Moon” appears to originate from Hawaiian mythology. It’s when the Moon appears like a bowl that could fill up with water. The time of year when this occurs as viewed from the latitudes of the Hawaiian Islands roughly corresponds with Kaelo the Water Bearer in Hawaiian astrology. As the year passes into summer, the crescent shape tilts, pouring out the water and causing the summer rains. The term “Cheshire Moon” is a reference to the smile of the Cheshire Cat in Lewis Carroll’s book “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.”
    Saturday afternoon, March 1 At 4:14 p.m. EST, the Moon will be at perigee, its closest to Earth for this orbit.
    Saturday evening, as evening twilight ends at 6:59 p.m. EST, the thin, waxing crescent Moon will be 13 degrees above the western horizon, with Venus 7 degrees to the upper right of the Moon. Mercury will appear about 10 degrees below the Moon. The Moon will set 76 minutes later at 8:15 p.m.
    Tuesday, March 4 This is Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday), which marks the end of the Carnival season that began on January 6. Don’t forget to march forth on March Fourth!
    Thursday, March 6 The Moon will appear half-full as it reaches its first quarter at 11:32 a.m. EST.
    Saturday morning, March 8 Just after midnight, Mercury will reach its greatest angular separation from the Sun as seen from Earth for this apparition (called greatest elongation).
    Saturday evening, will be when Mercury will appear at its highest (6 degrees) above the western horizon as evening twilight ends at 7:06 p.m. EST. Mercury will set 34 minutes later at 7:40 p.m. This will also be the evening Mercury will have dimmed to the brightness as Mars, after which Mars will be the third brightest visible planet again.
    Also on Saturday evening into Sunday morning, March 8 to 9, Mars will appear near the waxing gibbous Moon with the bright star Pollux (the brighter of the twin stars in the constellation Gemini) nearby. As evening twilight ends at 7:06 p.m. EST, Mars will be 1.5 degrees to the lower right of the Moon and Pollux will be 6 degrees to the lower left. As the Moon reaches its highest for the night 1.25 hours later at 8:22 p.m., Mars will be 1.5 degrees to the lower right of the Moon and Pollux will be 5.5 degrees to the upper left. By the time Mars sets on the northwestern horizon at 4:53 a.m., it will be 4 degrees to the lower left of the Moon and Pollux will be 3 degrees above the Moon.
    Sunday morning, March 9 Daylight Saving Time begins. Don’t forget to reset your clocks (if they don’t automatically set themselves) as we “spring forward” to Daylight Saving Time! For much of the U.S., 2 to 3 a.m. on March 9, 2025, might be a good hour for magical or fictional events (as it doesn’t actually exist).
    Tuesday evening into Wednesday morning, March 11 to 12 The bright star Regulus will appear close to the nearly full moon. As evening twilight ends at 8:09 p.m. EDT, Regulus will be 4 degrees to the lower right of the Moon. When the Moon reaches its highest for the night at 11:52 p.m., Regulus will be 3 degrees to the lower right. By the time morning twilight begins at 6:26 a.m., Regulus will be about one degree below the Moon.
    Wednesday morning, March 12 Saturn will be passing on the far side of the Sun as seen from Earth, called a conjunction. Because Saturn orbits outside of the orbit of Earth it will be shifting from the evening sky to the morning sky. Saturn will begin emerging from the glow of dawn on the eastern horizon in early April (depending upon viewing conditions).
    Wednesday evening, March 12 The planets Venus and Mercury will appear closest to each other low on the western horizon, 5.5 degrees apart. They will be about 5 degrees above the horizon as evening twilight ends at 8:10 p.m. EDT, and Mercury will set first 27 minutes later at 8:37 p.m.
    Friday morning, March 14: Full Moon After Next The full moon after next will be at 2:55 a.m. EDT. This will be on Thursday evening from Pacific Daylight Time and Mountain Standard Time westward to the international date line in the mid Pacific. The Moon will appear full for about three days around this time, from Wednesday evening into Saturday morning.
    Total Lunar Eclipse As the Moon passes opposite the Sun on March 14, it will move through Earth’s shadow, creating a total eclipse of the Moon. The Moon will begin entering the partial shadow Thursday night at 11:57 p.m., but the gradual dimming of the Moon will not be noticeable until it starts to enter the full shadow Friday morning at 1:09 a.m. The round shadow of Earth will gradually shift across the face of the Moon (from lower left to upper right) until the Moon is fully shaded beginning at 2:26 a.m.
    The period of full shadow, or total eclipse, will last about 65 minutes, reaching the greatest eclipse at 2:59 a.m. and ending at 3:31 a.m. Even though it will be in full shadow, the Moon will still be visible. The glow of all of the sunrises and sunsets on Earth will give the Moon a reddish-brown hue, sometimes called a “blood” Moon (although this name is also used for one of the full moons near the start of fall). From 3:31 until 4:48 a.m., the Moon will exit the full shadow of Earth, with the round shadow of Earth again shifting across the face of the Moon (from upper left to lower right). The Moon will leave the last of the partial shadow at 6 a.m. ending this eclipse. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: How NASA’s Lunar Trailblazer Will Make a Looping Voyage to the Moon

    Source: NASA

    Before arriving at the Moon, the small satellite mission will use the gravity of the Sun, Earth, and Moon over several months to gradually line up for capture into lunar orbit.
    NASA’s Lunar Trailblazer arrived in Florida recently in advance of its launch later this month and has been integrated with a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. Shipped from Lockheed Martin Space in Littleton, Colorado, the small satellite is riding along on Intuitive Machines’ IM-2 launch — part of NASA’s CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative — which is slated for no earlier than Thursday, Feb. 26, from Launch Complex 39A at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center.
    Approximately 48 minutes after launch, Lunar Trailblazer will separate from the rocket and begin its independent flight to the Moon. The small satellite will discover where the Moon’s water is, what form it is in, and how it changes over time, producing the best-yet maps of water on the lunar surface. Observations gathered during its two-year prime mission will contribute to the understanding of water cycles on airless bodies throughout the solar system while also supporting future human and robotic missions to the Moon by identifying where water is located.
    Key to achieving these goals are the spacecraft’s two state-of-the-art science instruments: the High-resolution Volatiles and Minerals Moon Mapper (HVM3) infrared spectrometer and the Lunar Thermal Mapper (LTM) infrared multispectral imager. The HVM3 instrument was provided by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California and LTM was built by the University of Oxford and funded by the UK Space Agency.

    “The small team is international in scope, which is more typical of larger projects,” said Andy Klesh, Lunar Trailblazer’s project systems engineer at JPL. “And unlike the norm for small missions that may only have a very focused, singular purpose, Lunar Trailblazer has two high-fidelity instruments onboard. We are really punching above our weight.”
    Intricate Navigation
    Before it can use these instruments to collect science data, Lunar Trailblazer will for several months perform a series of Moon flybys, thruster bursts, and looping orbits. These highly choreographed maneuvers will eventually position the spacecraft so it can map the surface in great detail.
    Weighing only 440 pounds (200 kilograms) and measuring 11.5 feet (3.5 meters) wide when its solar panels are fully deployed, Lunar Trailblazer is about the size of a dishwasher and has a relatively small engine. To make its four-to-seven-month trip to the Moon (depending on the launch date) as efficient as possible, the mission’s design and navigation team has planned a trajectory that will use the gravity of the Sun, Earth, and Moon to guide the spacecraft — a technique called low-energy transfer.
    “The initial boost provided by the rocket will send the spacecraft past the Moon and into deep space, and its trajectory will then be naturally reshaped by gravity after several lunar flybys and loops around Earth. This will allow it to be captured into lunar orbit with minimal propulsion needs,” said Gregory Lantoine, Lunar Trailblazer’s mission design and navigation lead at JPL. “It’s the most fuel-efficient way to get to where we need to go.”
    As it flies past the Moon several times, the spacecraft will use small thruster bursts — aka trajectory correction maneuvers — to slowly change its orbit from highly elliptical to circular, bringing the satellite down to an altitude of about 60 miles (100 kilometers) above the Moon’s surface.
    Arriving at the Moon
    Once in its science orbit, Lunar Trailblazer will glide over the Moon’s surface, making 12 orbits a day and observing the surface at a variety of different times of day over the course of the mission. The satellite will also be perfectly placed to peer into the permanently shadowed craters at the Moon’s South Pole, which harbor cold traps that never see direct sunlight. If Lunar Trailblazer finds significant quantities of ice at the base of the craters, those locations could be pinpointed as a resource for future lunar explorers.
    The data the mission collects will be transmitted to NASA’s Deep Space Network and delivered to Lunar Trailblazer’s new operations center at Caltech’s IPAC in Pasadena, California. Working alongside the mission’s experienced team will be students from Caltech and nearby Pasadena City College who are involved in all aspects of the mission, from operations and communications to developing software.
    Lunar Trailblazer was a selection of NASA’s SIMPLEx (Small Innovative Missions for Planetary Exploration), which provides opportunities for low-cost science spacecraft to ride-share with selected primary missions. To maintain the lower overall cost, SIMPLEx missions have a higher risk posture and lighter requirements for oversight and management. This higher risk acceptance allows NASA to test pioneering technologies, and the definition of success for these missions includes the lessons learned from more experimental endeavors.
    “We are a small mission with groundbreaking science goals, so we will succeed by embracing the flexibility that’s built into our organization,” said Lee Bennett, Lunar Trailblazer operations lead with IPAC. “Our international team consists of seasoned engineers, science team members from several institutions, and local students who are being given the opportunity to work on a NASA mission for the first time.”
    More About Lunar Trailblazer
    Lunar Trailblazer is led by Principal Investigator Bethany Ehlmann of Caltech in Pasadena, California. Caltech also leads the mission’s science investigation and mission operations. This includes planning, scheduling, and sequencing of all science, instrument, and spacecraft activities during the nominal mission. Science data processing will be done in the Bruce Murray Laboratory for Planetary Visualization at Caltech. NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California manages Lunar Trailblazer and provides system engineering, mission assurance, the HVM3 instrument, and mission design and navigation. Lockheed Martin Space provides the spacecraft, integrates the flight system, and supports operations under contract with Caltech. University of Oxford developed and provided the LTM instrument. Part of NASA’s Lunar Discovery Exploration Program, the mission is managed by NASA’s Planetary Mission Program Office at Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, for the agency’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington.
    For more information about Lunar Trailblazer, visit:
    https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/missions/lunar-trailblazer

    News Media Contacts
    Karen Fox / Molly WasserNASA Headquarters, Washington202-358-1600karen.c.fox@nasa.gov / molly.l.wasser@nasa.gov
    Ian J. O’NeillJet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.818-354-2649ian.j.oneill@jpl.nasa.gov
    Isabel SwaffordCaltech IPAC626-216-4257iswafford@ipac.caltech.edu
    2025-021

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Know Which Medication Is Right for Your Seasonal Allergies

    Source: US Food and Drug Administration

    [embedded content]

    Español

    The pollen count is sky-high. You’re sneezing, your eyes are itching, and you feel miserable. Seasonal allergies are real diseases that can interfere with your life.

    Seasonal allergic rhinitis, the medical term for seasonal allergies and hay fever, can also trigger or worsen asthma and lead to other health problems, such as sinus infections (sinusitis) and ear infections. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration regulates several medications that offer allergy relief.

    An allergy is your body’s reaction to an otherwise innocent substance that it has identified as an invader. If you have allergies and encounter a trigger (allergen), your immune system fights it by releasing chemicals, such as histamine (hence the term “antihistamine”). Histamine causes symptoms, such as runny nose, itchy nose, sneezing, and itchy and watery eyes.

    Seasonal allergies are usually caused by plant pollens. They are:

    • Tree pollen in the early spring.
    • Grass pollen in the late spring and early summer.
    • Weed pollen, including ragweed, in the late summer and fall.

    Certain molds may also cause seasonal allergy symptoms. Pollen counts vary by region, depending on climate.

    You can take some measures to avoid pollen and mold exposure. They include:

    • Close windows at home and in the car.
    • Shower before bed to remove allergens from the skin and hair, reducing the contamination of bedding.
    • Stay indoors if your symptoms are severe.

    But it is not always practical or possible to stay indoors when pollen counts are high. So, your health care professional may recommend prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter, or OTC) medicines to relieve allergy symptoms. Here’s a closer look:

    Antihistamines

    Antihistamines reduce or block symptoms caused by the chemical histamine. Many oral antihistamines are available in generic and nonprescription forms, including tablets and liquids. When choosing a nonprescription antihistamine, read the Drug Facts Label closely and follow the dosing instructions.

    Some antihistamines can cause drowsiness and interfere with your ability to drive or operate heavy machinery, like a car. Some others don’t have this side effect. Non-sedating antihistamines are available by prescription and nonprescription. Antihistamine nasal sprays are also available.

    Nasal Corticosteroids

    Nasal corticosteroids treat inflammation and reduce allergy symptoms, including nasal congestion. They are typically sprayed into the nose once or twice a day.

    Side effects may include stinging in the nose, nosebleeds, and growth effects in some children with long-term use. Nasal corticosteroids are available by prescription and nonprescription. Talk to your health care professional if your child needs to use a nasal corticosteroid spray for more than two months of the year.

    Decongestants

    Decongestants are drugs available by prescription and nonprescription and come in oral and nasal spray forms. They are sometimes recommended in combination with other allergy medications for short periods of time.

    Decongestant drugs that contain pseudoephedrine are available without a prescription. But they are kept behind the pharmacy counter to prevent their use in making methamphetamine—a powerful, highly addictive stimulant often produced illegally in home laboratories. You will need to ask your pharmacist and show identification to buy drugs that contain pseudoephedrine.

    Using decongestant nose sprays for more than a few days may give you a “rebound” effect; your nasal congestion could get worse. Consult with your health care professional if using an oral or nasal decongestant for more than two to three days.

    Immunotherapy

    “Allergy shots” are a form of allergen immunotherapy, in which your body responds to injected amounts of allergens, given in gradually increasing doses, by developing a tolerance.

    Patients can receive injections from a health care professional. A common course of treatment would begin with weekly injections of gradually increasing doses for three to six months until the effective dose is reached. After that, treatment would continue monthly for three to five years.

    Another form of allergen immunotherapy involves administering the allergens in a tablet form under the tongue (sublingual) and is intended for daily use, before and during the pollen season. This type of immunotherapy is available only by prescription for the treatment of seasonal allergies caused by certain pollens and has the potential to dial down the immune response to allergens.

    But sublingual immunotherapy is not meant for immediate symptom relief and should start three to four months before allergy season. Although they are intended for at-home use, the first doses are to be taken in the presence of a health care professional.

    Allergy Medicines for Children

    Always read the Drug Facts Label before buying a nonprescription medicine for you or your children. Some medicines can be used in children as young as age 2, but others may have different dosing instructions for children younger than 12 years.

    Your doctor or health care professional may recommend other medicines that are prescription only. Talk to your doctor to see what medications are right for you.

    If you have questions about any medication, you may contact the FDA’s Division of Drug Information at 1-855-543-3784 and 1-301-796-3400, or druginfo@fda.hhs.gov. Our pharmacists are experts at interpreting information for the public.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: DLNR News Release – LAND MANAGERS RECEIVE FUNDS TO SUPPORT CLIMATE CHANGE RESILIENCE, February 13, 2025

    Source: US State of Hawaii

    DLNR News Release – LAND MANAGERS RECEIVE FUNDS TO SUPPORT CLIMATE CHANGE RESILIENCE, February 13, 2025

    Posted on Feb 13, 2025 in Latest Department News, Newsroom

    STATE OF HAWAIʻI
     KA MOKU ʻĀINA O HAWAIʻI

     

    DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES
     KA ʻOIHANA KUMUWAIWAI ‘ĀINA

     

    JOSH GREEN, M.D.
    GOVERNOR
    KE KIAʻĀINA

    DAWN CHANG
     CHAIR

    LAND MANAGERS RECEIVE FUNDS TO SUPPORT CLIMATE CHANGE RESILIENCE 

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

    February 13, 2025

    HONOLULU – The Carbon Smart Program has awarded a total of $1,000,000 to 10 grantees to develop and implement plans for regenerative sustainable practices, particularly carbon sequestration (capturing, securing and storing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere). The program is a pilot initiative to promote the preservation and enhancement of ranches, forests and farmlands in Hawaiʻi,

    Developed by the Hawaiʻi State Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission (CCMAC), the programprovides grant funding to landowners or lessees in the state with a focus on smaller land managers, who often have difficulty accessing federal funding. The awardees will work to improve and expand practical solutions for soil health, carbon storage, and climate change resilience.

    Funds have been awarded to land managersfrom Hawaiʻi County to Molokaʻi and Oʻahu. These include MĀLA ʻŌiwi with Waiʻanae Community Redevelopment Corporation; OCR INC., dba Small Kine Farm; Healing Mountain Homestead, LLC; Living Life Source Foundation; The Kohala Center; Puʻu O Hoku Operations; Maluhia Fields, LLC; Mililani Agricultural Park, LLC; Protect & Preserve Hawaiʻi; and Kuilima Farm with Pono Pacific, LLC.

    “The goal is to increase the strategies and options for land managers to develop greater carbon sequestration practices while building resilience and enhancing regenerative practices already in place,” said Leah Laramee, CCMAC Coordinator. “We are hoping to be able to continue this program in the future to fund a wider range of projects. We want to support local land managers and to implement community-led carbon sequestration actions.”

    Examples of grantee projects include transitioning fallow land to agroforestry systems, creating organic compost from mushrooms to provide to markets across the islands, removing invasive species and regenerating native forest through Hawaiian traditional ecological knowledge and supporting a hui of 14 ‘ōiwi-led organizations in diverse locally designed carbon sequestration activities.

    This grant program addresses the urgent need to mitigate climate vulnerability in Hawaiʻi. Farmers, schools, community hui, businesses and nonprofit organizations were among a diverse group expressing a high level of interest to participate in these efforts. 

    # # #

    RESOURCES

    (All images/video courtesy: DLNR)

    Photographs – Soil sampling and native planting (September 2024 and February 2025):https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/6ku9c7djjfwgvyej189v2/AATGtERw8iLQfc4_NCDMGDc?rlkey=gxw0kj1qbyo94yymdpth5a6iq&st=on2uven8&dl=0

     

    Media contact:

    Patti Jette

    Communications Specialist

    Hawai‘i Dept. of Land and Natural Resources

    Phone: 808-587-0396

    Email: [email protected]

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: 2025-26 ATTORNEY GENERAL LOPEZ FILES MULTISTATE LAWSUIT TO STOP ELON MUSK’S UNCONSTITUTIONAL POWER GRAB

    Source: US State of Hawaii

    2025-26 ATTORNEY GENERAL LOPEZ FILES MULTISTATE LAWSUIT TO STOP ELON MUSK’S UNCONSTITUTIONAL POWER GRAB

    Posted on Feb 13, 2025 in Latest Department News, Newsroom

    STATE OF HAWAIʻI

    KA MOKU ʻĀINA O HAWAIʻI

     

    DEPARTMENT OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL

    KA ʻOIHANA O KA LOIO KUHINA

     

    JOSH GREEN, M.D.
     GOVERNOR

    KE KIAʻĀINA

     

    ANNE LOPEZ

    ATTORNEY GENERAL

    LOIO KUHINA

     

    ATTORNEY GENERAL LOPEZ FILES MULTISTATE LAWSUIT TO STOP ELON MUSK’S UNCONSTITUTIONAL POWER GRAB

    News Release 2025-26

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                               

    February 13, 2025 

    HONOLULU – Attorney General Anne Lopez, along with 13 other attorneys general, announced the filing of a lawsuit challenging the unlawful delegation of executive power to Elon Musk. The lawsuit argues that President Trump has violated the Appointments Clause of the United States Constitution, which ensures that executive appointments are subject to congressional oversight and Senate confirmation.  

    “The Appointments Clause of the U.S. Constitution is an important safeguard in our system of government,” said Attorney General Lopez. “Granting Musk sweeping powers over the entire federal government without seeking the advice and consent of the Senate is unconstitutional. I joined this lawsuit with my fellow attorneys general because we are the last line of defense to uphold the Constitution and enforce the rule of law.”

    This lawsuit highlights how, with the president’s approval, Musk has unraveled federal agencies, accessed sensitive data, and caused widespread disruption for state and local governments, federal employees, and the American people. 

    “Musk’s seemingly limitless and unchecked power to strip the government of its workforce and eliminate entire departments with the stroke of a pen, or click of a mouse, is unprecedented,” the lawsuit states. “The sweeping authority now vested in a single unelected and unconfirmed individual is antithetical to the nation’s entire constitutional structure.”  

    Defendants’ actions threaten the financial and operational stability of the states by disrupting billions of dollars in federal funding essential for law enforcement, healthcare, education, and other critical services. State agencies depend on federal funds and cooperative agreements, and the termination of these partnerships will result in severe budget shortfalls, staffing crises, and the potential loss of key programs. Similarly, the proposed elimination of the U.S. Department of Education would strip away federal civil rights oversight in schools, leaving states with uncertain legal authority to address discrimination cases involving students with disabilities and enforce Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and disability protections.  

    Beyond financial and regulatory harms, the reckless expansion of DOGE’s authority endangers cybersecurity and erodes public trust. DOGE operatives have reportedly accessed federal financial databases containing sensitive state tax records and banking information without proper oversight, increasing the risk of cyberattacks, data breaches, and foreign exploitation.  

    The manipulation of federal IT infrastructure by unauthorized individuals threatens not only state financial security but also the integrity of critical national systems. As reports of unauthorized access to Treasury databases emerge, citizens have expressed growing fear that their private financial data is at risk, leading to a chilling effect on participation in state-administered federal programs. The Plaintiff States are now forced to contend with both immediately. 

    Attorney General Lopez seeks a court ruling declaring Musk’s actions unconstitutional as well as an injunction barring him from issuing orders to any person in the Executive Branch outside of DOGE, as well as invalidating his previous actions.  

    Attorney General Lopez is joined in this lawsuit by the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Washington and Vermont.

    The filing can be found here.

    # # # 

    Media contacts:

    Dave Day

    Special Assistant to the Attorney General

    Office: 808-586-1284                                                  

    Email: [email protected]        

    Web: http://ag.hawaii.gov

    Toni Schwartz

    Public Information Officer

    Hawai‘i Department of the Attorney General

    Office: 808-586-1252

    Cell: 808-379-9249

    Email: [email protected] 

    Web: http://ag.hawaii.gov

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: 2025-25 AG LOPEZ AND 13 OTHER ATTORNEYS GENERAL RELEASE STATEMENT ON PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION ISSUED IN BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP CASE

    Source: US State of Hawaii

    2025-25 AG LOPEZ AND 13 OTHER ATTORNEYS GENERAL RELEASE STATEMENT ON PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION ISSUED IN BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP CASE

    Posted on Feb 13, 2025 in Latest Department News, Newsroom

    STATE OF HAWAIʻI

    KA MOKU ʻĀINA O HAWAIʻI

     

    DEPARTMENT OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL

    KA ʻOIHANA O KA LOIO KUHINA

     

    JOSH GREEN, M.D.
     GOVERNOR

    KE KIAʻĀINA

     

    ANNE LOPEZ

    ATTORNEY GENERAL

    LOIO KUHINA

     

    ATTORNEY GENERAL LOPEZ AND 13 OTHER ATTORNEYS GENERAL RELEASE STATEMENT ON PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION ISSUED IN BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP CASE

     News Release 2025-25

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                               

    February 13, 2025

    HONOLULU – A federal judge has granted a preliminary injunction against President Trump’s unconstitutional executive order terminating birthright citizenship, drawing praise from Hawai‘i Attorney General Anne Lopez and attorneys general from 13 other states and the City of San Francisco. Attorney General Lopez joins the attorneys general of California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Vermont, and the City of San Francisco in releasing the following statement:

    “President Trump may believe that he is above the law, but today’s preliminary injunction sends a clear message: He is not a king, and he cannot rewrite the Constitution with the stroke of a pen.

    “The president and his allies made clear long before he was sworn in that they would pursue this illegal action, and our coalition was prepared to challenge it as soon as President Trump fulfilled this unconstitutional campaign promise on Inauguration Day.

     “We immediately stood up for our Constitution, for the rule of law, and for American children across the country who would have been deprived of their constitutional rights – and today we delivered for them. This is not yet over, and we will continue to fight every single step of the way until President Trump is permanently prevented from trampling on the Fourteenth Amendment rights of all Americans. 

    “President Trump issued an executive order on January 20, 2025, to end birthright citizenship, in violation of the Fourteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution and Section 1401 of the Immigration and Nationality Act.

    “To stop the president’s unlawful action, which would harm hundreds of thousands of American children and their families, the coalition sued in the District of Massachusetts to invalidate the executive order and to enjoin any actions taken to implement it. The states requested immediate relief to prevent the president’s order from taking effect. The request was granted by Judge Leo Sorokin. [This is the first birthright citizenship case in which a court has issued a permanent injunction.]

    “Birthright citizenship dates back centuries—including to pre-Civil War America. Although the Supreme Court’s notorious decision in Dred Scott denied birthright citizenship to the descendants of slaves, the post-Civil War United States adopted the Fourteenth Amendment to protect citizenship for all children born in this country. As the Attorneys General’s filings explain, the U.S. Supreme Court has repeatedly confirmed that birthright citizenship does not depend on the immigration status of the baby’s parents.

    “If allowed to stand, this order—for the first time since the Fourteenth Amendment was adopted in 1868—would mean babies born each year in Hawaiʻi who otherwise would have been citizens will no longer enjoy the privileges and benefits of citizenship.

    “The children whose citizenship would be stripped by the president’s order would lose their most basic rights and would be forced to live under the threat of deportation. They would lose eligibility for a wide range of federal services and programs. They would lose their ability to obtain a Social Security number and, as they age, to work lawfully. They would also lose their ability to obtain a passport. And they would lose their right to vote, serve on juries, and run for certain offices. Despite the Constitution’s guarantee of citizenship, thousands of American children would—for the first time—lose their ability to fully and fairly be a part of American society as a citizen with all its benefits and privileges. 

    “In addition to harming hundreds of thousands of residents, the president’s order would significantly harm the states themselves, too. Among other things, this order will cause the states to lose federal funding to programs that they administer, such as Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program, and foster care and adoption assistance programs, which all turn in part on the immigration status of the resident being served. States would also be required—at their considerable expense—to immediately begin modifying their operation and administration of benefits programs to account for this change, which would impose significant burdens on multiple agencies that operate programs for the benefit of the states’ residents. The states’ filings explain that they should not have to bear these dramatic costs while their case proceeds because the order is directly inconsistent with the Constitution, the Immigration and Nationality Act, and two U.S. Supreme Court decisions. 

    This case on behalf of the state of Hawaiʻi was handled by Solicitor General Kalikoʻonālani Fernandes and Special Assistant to the Attorney General Dave Day.

    The Attorneys General joining Hawaiʻi in this lawsuit represent the states of California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Vermont, Wisconsin, as well as the District of Columbia and the City and County of San Francisco.

    Copies of the relevant orders can be found here and here.

    # # #

    Media contacts:

    Dave Day

    Special Assistant to the Attorney General

    Office: 808-586-1284                                                  

    Email: [email protected]        

    Web: http://ag.hawaii.gov

    Toni Schwartz

    Public Information Officer

    Hawai‘i Department of the Attorney General

    Office: 808-586-1252

    Cell: 808-379-9249

    Email: [email protected] 

    Web: http://ag.hawaii.gov

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NEWS RELEASE: DHHL Applicants, Lessees Encouraged To Participate In Home Build Program

    Source: US State of Hawaii

    NEWS RELEASE: DHHL Applicants, Lessees Encouraged To Participate In Home Build Program

    Posted on Feb 13, 2025 in Latest Department News, Newsroom

    STATE OF HAWAIʻI

    KA MOKU ʻĀINA O HAWAIʻI

     

    DEPARTMENT OF HAWAIIAN HOME LANDS

    KA ʻOIHANA ʻĀINA HOʻOPULAPULA HAWAIʻI

    JOSH GREEN, M.D.
    GOVERNOR

    KE KIAʻĀINA

     

    KALI WATSON

    DIRECTOR

    KA LUNA HOʻOKELE

     

    KATIE L. LAMBERT

    DEPUTY DIRECTOR

    KA HOPE LUNA HOʻOKELE

    DHHL APPLICANTS, LESSEES ENCOURAGED TO PARTICIPATE IN HOME BUILD PROGRAM

    Honolulu Habitat For Humanity Accepting Applications For New Builds, Demolitions

    Lenchanko-Andrade ʻohana celebrates new home in Waimānalo (Courtesy: Osvaldo Olmos)

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

    February 13, 2025

    HONOLULU – The Department of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL) encourages applicants and lessees to participate in Honolulu Habitat for Humanity’s Home Build Program during the organization’s open enrollment period.

    “For our ʻohana who aren’t eligible for a turnkey development, this self-help option gives them the chance to invest sweat equity into their future home,” DHHL Director Kali Watson said. “Organizations like Habitat for Humanity will continue to receive support from DHHL, as they provide families – who may have been previously bypassed – the opportunity to achieve homeownership.”

    Through the Home Build Program, lessees on Oʻahu will work alongside Honolulu Habitat personnel to achieve stability and self-reliance through homeownership. Habitat homebuyers contribute to the program by building their homes alongside volunteers, attending financial education classes, and paying an affordable mortgage.

    “Honolulu Habitat provides housing solutions for families earning between 30% and 80% of Honolulu County’s Area Median Income (AMI),” said Shana Petelo of Honolulu Habitat for Humanity. “We value our longstanding partnership with the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands and the opportunity to help keep Native Hawaiian families in Hawaiʻi for generations to come.”

    Honolulu Habitat for Humanity selects applicants based on four key criteria: access to land, housing need, ability to repay, and willingness to partner.

    “The journey taught us a lot about ourselves, what we needed to do to accomplish this goal, our capabilities, and how to be financially stable,” said DHHL beneficiary, Duke Lenchanko-Andrade.

    The Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act (NAHASDA) also serves as a vital funding source for the home-building initiatives within the program.

    The Honolulu Habitat Home Build Program will accept applications for its open enrollment period from March 1, 2025 to May 30, 2025.

    Those interested in the Home Build Program can visit Honolulu Habitat for Humanity’s website at www.honoluluhabitat.org for more information. To request an application or to speak to someone by phone, contact 808-777-4138.

    For additional pictures, click here.

    ###

    About the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands:

    The Department of Hawaiian Home Lands carries out Prince Jonah Kūhiō  Kalanianaʻole’s vision of rehabilitating native Hawaiians by returning them to the land. Established by U.S. Congress in 1921 with the passage of the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act, the Hawaiian homesteading program run by DHHL includes the management of more than 200,000 acres of land statewide with the specific purpose of developing and delivering homesteading.

    About Habitat for Humanity:

    Habitat for Humanity is a global nonprofit housing organization working in local communities nationwide and in more than 70 countries worldwide. Seeking to put God’s love into action, Habitat brings people together to build homes, communities, and hope. Our vision is of a world where everyone has a decent place to live. At Habitat, we work to achieve this by building strength, stability, and self-reliance in partnership with people and families in need of a decent and affordable home.

    Media Contact:

    Diamond Badajos

    Information and Community Relations Officer

    Department of Hawaiian Home Lands

    Cell: 808-342-0873

    Email: [email protected]

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Global Trade Outlook 2025: Industry Insights

    Source: International Chamber of Commerce

    Headline: Global Trade Outlook 2025: Industry Insights

    What are businesses saying about trade policy?

    Our recent industry consultations and roundtables reveal pressing concerns from the global business community:

    • Businesses of all sizes emphasize that policy uncertainty is their greatest challenge for planning investments, managing supply chains and creating jobs
    • Companies report that costly adaptations to trade restrictions are affecting innovation and profitability while providing no guaranteed protection against major disruptions
    • Supply chain resilience efforts face practical constraints, including skilled worker shortages and limited supplier availability

    What does business say is fundamental?

    The following key priorities emerged from our consultations and roundtables:

    • Active business participation in trade policy discussions to ensure industry perspectives are heard
    • A strong rules-based trading system anchored in a fully functioning World Trade Organization (WTO)
    • Stability and predictability for making informed long-term business decisions

    How can we strengthen the trading system?

    ICC calls for three concrete actions:

    Governments should pursue complementary dialogue through plurilateral initiatives that can deliver tangible benefits.

    WTO member states should reinvigorate multilateral trade talks by identifying practical areas where grand bargains could be secured to address major trade frictions.

    Stakeholders should work to enhance negotiation mechanisms that can effectively address emerging trade challenges.

    Download the full policy brief for more insights from our business consultations.

    Connect with our trade experts to share your perspectives or learn more about ICC’s trade initiatives:

    Valerie Picard, Head of Trade

    Mélanie Laloum, Lead Economist

    Related publications

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Thales Alenia Space and ESA sign contract for HydRON to demonstrate first multi-orbit optical communication network

    Source: Thales Group

    Headline: Thales Alenia Space and ESA sign contract for HydRON to demonstrate first multi-orbit optical communication network

    • Thales Alenia Space will develop the world’s first all-optical, multi-orbit optical space communication network
    • ESA’s HydRON project will meet the challenge of bringing connectivity to multiple users to showcase the capabilities of optical communication technology
    • The company will leverage its expertise to contribute to Europe’s technological independence in connectivity services through space.

    Cannes, February 14, 2025 – Thales Alenia Space, a joint venture between Thales (67%) and Leonardo (33%), has signed a contract with the European Space Agency (ESA) for Element #2 of the HydRON (High-thRoughput Optical space Network) Demonstration System (DS) for the design, development, deployment and in-orbit demonstration of a full end-to-end optical system to verify and validate the world’s first all-optical, high-data-rate, multi-orbit transport network in space.

    HydRON is set to transform the way data-collecting satellites communicate, using laser technology that will allow satellites to connect with each other and ground networks much faster.By enabling rapid, high-capacity connections between satellites and ground networks, HydRON will significantly enhance our ability to collect and utilize data from space.

    HydRON optical communication for broadband in space ©ESA

    The project will be conducted with the support of the various space agencies involved in this exciting challenge: the Italian Space Agency (ASI), the German Aerospace Center (DLR), the Polish Space Agency (POLSA), the Romanian Space Agency (ROSA), Enterprise Ireland (EI) and the Swiss Space Agency (SSO). Other agencies are expected to join during the project to expand the mission’s objectives. HydRON forms part of ESA’s Optical and Quantum Communications – ScyLight programme within the Connectivity and Secure Communications directorate.

    “I am really pleased Thales Alenia Space will be contributing to Europe’s technological independence in connectivity services through space,” said Giampiero Di Paolo, Deputy CEO and Senior Vice President, Observation, Exploration and Navigation at Thales Alenia Space. “Thales Alenia Space believes HydRON Demonstration System is the key enabler for the reliability and operability of a high-throughput optical network in space, paving the way for the future of commercial optical communications in Europe and globally.” 

    “It was an honour to sign this contract with Thales Alenia Space, which moves us closer to establishing Europe’s first optical communication network in space,” said Laurent Jaffart, ESA’s Director of Connectivity and Secure Communications. “HydRON is set to maintain Europe and Canada as global leaders in the optical domain. With the system being interoperable, HydRON will ensure we continue to grow ESA’s cooperation with our international partners.”

    Thales Alenia Space’s role in HydRON-DS project

    Thales Alenia Space, with its long track record in telecommunication networks and expertise in the production of optical terminals for space, developed in Zurich, has already coordinated a working group involving Telespazio, a joint venture between Leonardo (67%) and Thales (33%), responsible for the ground segment, and other Italian and European companies for Phase A/B1 of the HydRON-DS project. This work was completed at the end of the 2023.

    Today, Thales Alenia Space in Italy is ready to lead a European industry consortium for building the HydRON-DS Element #2 mission partition, including the space segment (LEO collector satellite and GEO optical payload) and ground segment (two optical ground stations, mission and network control center and satellite control center).

    The project will develop and validate two concepts:

    • Fiber in the Sky: multi-orbit optical telecommunications at high data rates between space and ground assets.
    • Internet beyond the Clouds: innovative onboard routing techniques at high throughput (> 100 Gbps) to build an optical space transport network seamlessly integrated with terrestrial fiber-based networks.

    The project includes up to two years of in-orbit demonstration to assess the capabilities of key technologies for optical communications and concepts of operations for the network architecture. It will also provide a service demonstration for potential demo users.

    About ESA’s Optical and Quantum Communications – ScyLight programme 

    The European Space Agency (ESA) is Europe’s gateway to space, coordinating the financial and intellectual resources of its Member States to conduct space programmes and activities. Part of Advanced Research in Telecommunications Systems (ARTES), the Optical and Quantum Communications – ScyLight programme focuses on advancing optical and quantum technologies to revolutionise satellite communications. ScyLight supports the research, development and utilisation of these technologies, for instance through the HydRON project for seamlessly integrating space assets into terrestrial communication networks. ESA is enabling future quantum communication networks with ultra-secure global connectivity by advancing space-based quantum key distribution and maturing technologies already available today. 

    Through supporting industry to develop and extend its manufacturing capabilities, ScyLight helps prepare European and Canadian industry stakeholders to seize related market opportunities. 

    Learn more at https://connectivity.esa.int/optical-and-quantum-communications 

    ABOUT THALES ALENIA SPACE

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

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Africa Finance Corporation and the Export-Import Bank of China (CEXIM) Strengthen Partnership to Drive Trade and Infrastructure Growth Across Africa

    Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:

    BEIJING, China, February 14, 2025/APO Group/ —

    Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) (www.AfricaFC.org), Africa’s leading infrastructure solutions provider, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Export-Import Bank of China (CEXIM) to deepen collaboration in financing strategic infrastructure and trade projects across Africa.

    The agreement builds upon an existing relationship between the two institutions, dating back to 2018, and reinforces a shared commitment to accelerating economic development through sustainable investments. To date, AFC has secured a total of US$700 million in financing from CEXIM, including a US$300 million facility in 2018 and another US$400 million loan in 2023. This renewed partnership will focus on financing trade and investment projects in key sectors such as clean energy, transportation, telecommunications, and climate change mitigation, while also facilitating knowledge exchange and collaboration on best practices in project structuring and risk management.

    “Our partnership with CEXIM strengthens Africa’s trade and investment ties with China, creating new pathways for infrastructure development and industrial growth,” said Samaila Zubairu, President & CEO of AFC. “Strategic collaborations like this are key to accelerating Africa’s industrialisation and with CEXIM’s support, we are unlocking opportunities to build more resilient economies, mobilise capital at scale, and drive long-term prosperity across the continent.”

    AFC has been steadily expanding its presence in the Chinese financial markets recently securing an AAA domestic credit rating from China Chengxin International Credit Rating Co. Ltd (CCXI) and an AAAspc issuer credit rating from S&P Ratings (China) Co., Ltd. These ratings demonstrate AFC’s exceptional financial strength, disciplined capital management, and expanding access to diversified funding. AFC also finalised a US$1.16 billion syndicated loan last year, co-led by the Bank of China and the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) London Branch.

    This collaboration underscores AFC and CEXIM’s mutual goal of fostering economic integration and sustainable development across Africa. Through this partnership, the two institutions will work together to mobilise funding for high-impact projects, enhance trade finance solutions, and support private sector growth across the continent.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: SS Mendi 108th anniversary commemoration service at Milton Cemetery

    Source: City of Portsmouth

    Residents are invited to Milton Cemetery on Friday 21 February, from 10.45am-11.15am, to mark the 108th anniversary of the sinking of SS Mendi, with a wreath-laying ceremony and short service.

    On 21 February 1917, the SS Mendi was headed for France carrying men of the 5th Battalion of the South African Native Labour Corps to support allied forces in France during World War 1.

    After midnight, thick fog covered the sea making it extremely difficult to navigate. 20km off the Isle of Wight the SS Darro suddenly struck the Mendi, cutting a massive hole. The SS Darro did not stop to pick up survivors.

    The SS Mendi sank within 25 minutes and 646 men, both crew and labour corps, lost their lives that day. Nine soldiers from the 5th Battalion of the South African Native Labour Corps, who died in this, one of the worst British maritime disasters, are buried in the cemetery.

    Lord Mayor of Portsmouth, Cllr J. Fazackarley said: “It’s important for Portsmouth, our maritime city, that we continue to tell the story of the SS Mendi and the 646 brave men who died in this tragic disaster. This great loss must never be forgotten, and I am honoured to attend and be a part of this service.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah chairs a review meeting on the implementation of three new criminal laws in Maharashtra, in the presence of Chief Minister Shri Devendra Fadnavis in New Delhi

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah chairs a review meeting on the implementation of three new criminal laws in Maharashtra, in the presence of Chief Minister Shri Devendra Fadnavis in New Delhi

    Modi government is committed to provide a speedy and transparent justice system to the countrymen

    Maharashtra government should implement the new criminal laws in all the commissionerates of the state as soon as possible

    Maharashtra should establish a model Directorate of Prosecution system in line with the new laws

    To strengthen law and order, it is essential for crimes to be registered, there should be no delay in filing FIRs

    Efforts should be made to achieve more than 90 per cent conviction rates in cases with sentences of more than 7 years

    Posted On: 14 FEB 2025 4:54PM by PIB Delhi

    Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah chaired a review meeting on the implementation of three new criminal laws in Maharashtra, in the presence of Chief Minister Shri Devendra Fadnavis, in New Delhi today. The meeting reviewed the implementation and present status of various new provisions related to police, prisons, courts, prosecution, and forensics in the state. The meeting was attended by the Union Home Secretary, the Chief Secretary and Director General of Police of Maharashtra, the Director General of the Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPRD), the Director General of the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), and other senior officials from the Union Home Ministry and the state government.

    Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation said that Modi government is committed to provide a speedy and transparent justice system to the countrymen. He said that to strengthen law and order, it is essential for crimes to be registered, so there should not be any delay in filing FIRs.

    Union Home Minister said that Maharashtra should establish a model Directorate of Prosecution system in line with the new criminal laws. He emphasized that efforts should be made to achieve over 90 per cent conviction rate in cases with sentences of more than 7 years, and that the police, government lawyers, and judiciary should work together to ensure that the guilty are punished as swiftly as possible.

    Home Minister reiterated that senior police officers should regularly monitor cases of organized crime, terrorism, and mob lynching to prevent the misuse of the sections related to these crimes. He noted that there should be a system for recording evidence through video conferencing in facilities such as prisons, government hospitals, banks, Forensic Science Laboratories (FSL), etc. Shri Shah also said that a system should be implemented where FIRs can be transferred between two states through the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems (CCTNS). He recommended that Maharashtra should adopt CCTNS 2.0 and ICJS 2.0.

    Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation stated that the police should provide information about individuals held in custody for interrogation on an electronic dashboard. He emphasized on need to improve internet connectivity in police stations. Shri Shah also said that the availability of forensic science mobile vans should be ensured in every police sub-division. Home Minister stressed the recruitment of forensic experts and urged the prompt filling of vacant positions in the forensic department.

    Shri Amit Shah urged the Maharashtra government to integrate state’s fingerprint identification system with the National Automated Fingerprint Identification System (NAFIS). He also mentioned that the police should establish a system to return the property recovered from criminals to its rightful owner as per the provisions of the new criminal laws. He emphasized the importance of making police stations more aesthetically pleasing.

    Union Home Minister stated that the Chief Minister of Maharashtra should conduct a bi-weekly review of the implementation of the new criminal laws in the state, while the Chief Secretary and Director General of Police should carry out a weekly review.

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    RK/VV/PR/PS

    (Release ID: 2103244) Visitor Counter : 100

    Read this release in: Hindi

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: CE meets Chief Executive of Macao SAR (with photos/video)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    CE meets Chief Executive of Macao SAR (with photos/video)
    CE meets Chief Executive of Macao SAR (with photos/video)
    *********************************************************

         The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, met with the Chief Executive of the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR), Mr Sam Hou-fai, at Government House today (February 14) to exchange views on further promoting Hong Kong’s co-operation with Macao and the high-quality development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA). Also attending the meeting were the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki; the Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan; the Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs, Mr Erick Tsang Kwok-wai; the Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong; the Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Ms Mable Chan; the Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Miss Rosanna Law; and the Director of the Chief Executive’s Office, Ms Carol Yip.           Mr Lee welcomed Mr Sam and his delegation to Hong Kong. Noting that Hong Kong and Macao are the country’s special administrative regions that enjoy distinctive advantages under the “one country, two systems” principle, Mr Lee said that the two cities are as close as brothers, with frequent people-to-people and cultural exchanges, alongside solid economic and trade relations. He noted that the “one country, two systems” principle is a good policy for maintaining the long-term prosperity and stability of Hong Kong and Macao. Hong Kong will continue to firmly uphold the principle of “one country” and leverage the benefits of “two systems” with Macao. He also noted that Hong Kong and Macao, both of which are core cities of the GBA, can achieve complementarity and participate in and promote the development of the GBA together, benefiting the people of both cities with the fruits of economic development.           Mr Lee said that Hong Kong and Macao have been working closely in such areas as economy, cross-boundary infrastructure, tourism and trade. The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB), has remarkably shortened the distance between Hong Kong and Macao, promoting closer communication and connections between the two cities. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government has long provided dedicated support to the cross-boundary transportation arrangements and measures of the HZMB to maximise the economic and transport benefits of the bridge. Besides, the “Mutual Use of QR Code between HKSAR and Macao SAR Clearance Service”, jointly launched by the HKSAR Government and the Macao SAR Government in July last year, provides a faster and more convenient immigration experience for residents of both cities and further facilitates their exchanges.           In promoting tourism, Mr Lee said that Hong Kong and Macao will work together to expand the market of twin-destination tourism of the two cities. Hong Kong will collaborate with other cities in the GBA, including Macao, to establish a regional and international tourism brand.           Mr Lee also welcomed Mr Sam’s visit earlier today to the Centre for Chinese Herbal Medicine Drug Development at Hong Kong Science Park and the Hong Kong Palace Museum to learn more about the research and development of traditional Chinese medicine and cultural tourism in Hong Kong. Mr Lee said he looks forward to working with Mr Sam in further enhancing exchanges and co-operation between Hong Kong and Macao in various aspects.

     
    Ends/Friday, February 14, 2025Issued at HKT 18:48

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Conserving the Immortal Marks of Archaeological Sites

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Conserving the Immortal Marks of Archaeological Sites

    Safeguarding India’s Ancient Wonders

    Posted On: 14 FEB 2025 4:53PM by PIB Delhi

    “Heritage is not only history. Rather a shared consciousness of humanity. Whenever we look at historical sites, it lifts our mind from the current geo-political factors.”

    ~Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi

     

    India, a land of surprises is home to some of the world’s most iconic cultural and archaeological treasures. From the intricately carved temples of Khajuraho and the historic ruins of Hampi to the revered Somnath temple, the country boasts a vast array of monuments that reflect its rich history, diverse traditions and architectural brilliance. These sites stretching from the northern Himalayas to the southern tip of Kanyakumari are a testament to India’s glorious past and cultural legacy.

    However, climate change and extreme weather patterns such as rising sea levels, heatwaves, forest fires, torrential rains and strong winds are putting these invaluable landmarks at significant risk. The damage caused by these factors is accelerating the deterioration of both movable and immovable heritage, threatening the preservation of India’s cultural identity. Active intervention is crucial to ensure the preservation of these historical treasures, as their future remains at risk without immediate protective measures.

    ASI’s Role in Monument Protection

    Established in 1861, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is responsible for protecting and maintaining 3,698 monuments and archaeological sites that are considered of national importance. These sites are protected under the Ancient Monuments Preservation Act of 1904 and the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act of 1958.

    ASI preserves a wide range of heritage, including prehistoric rock shelters, Neolithic sites, megalithic burials, rock-cut caves, stupas, temples, churches, mosques, tombs, forts, palaces, and more. These sites reflect India’s rich cultural and architectural history.

    Each year, ASI prepares a conservation program to maintain and protect these monuments working to minimize intervention while preserving their authenticity. Conservation involves addressing challenges that arise from the nature of construction, materials used, and environmental factors. Decay or deteriorating of protected monuments depends on nature and technique of their construction, material used, structural stability, climate factors, biological, botanical factors, encroachments, pollution, quarrying natural disasters, etc.

    ASI tackles these challenges through its 37 Circle offices and 1 Mini Circle office, mainly located in state capitals, where it coordinates conservation efforts and environmental development. The goal is to maintain the integrity of these historical sites for future generations, ensuring they are preserved in their original form and continue to reflect India’s heritage.

    Significant Increase In Funding

    Over the years, the revenue allocated for the preservation of monuments under the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has increased by 70%. In 2020-21, the allocation was ₹260.90 crores with an expenditure of ₹260.83 crores, while in 2023-24, both the allocation and expenditure rose to ₹443.53 crores.

     

    Measures to Preserve Cultural Sites from the Adverse Impact of Environment

    Under the comprehensive measures, India’s cultural heritage sites are monitored regularly and in order to reduce the impact of climatic change. Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has been adopting climate-resilient solutions for preservation of cultural heritage sites.

    1. Regular Monitoring: India’s cultural heritage sites are regularly monitored to protect them from climate change impacts.
    2. Climate-Resilient Solutions: The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is adopting climate-resilient solutions like scientific treatments and preservation techniques for heritage sites.
    1. AWS Installations: ASI, in collaboration with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), has set up Automated Weather Stations (AWS) at historical monuments to monitor factors like wind speed, rainfall, temperature, and atmospheric pressure, to detect damage caused by climate change.

     

    1. Air Pollution Monitoring: Air Pollution Laboratories have been established at sites like the Taj Mahal in Agra and Bibi Ka Maqbara in Aurangabad to monitor air quality and pollutants.
    2. Coordination with Other Agencies: ASI holds regular meetings with other government bodies to create coordinated strategies for preserving cultural heritage sites in response to climate change.
    3. International Workshop Participation: ASI officials participated in an international workshop on “Disaster Management of Cultural Heritage Sites” organized by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and UNESCO.
    4. Disaster Management Guidelines: The NDMA, in collaboration with ASI, has developed “National Disaster Management Guidelines” for cultural heritage sites, covering risk assessment, disaster preparedness, and recovery plans.

    Legal and Security Measures

    The Government has implemented various measures to safeguard cultural heritage from commercialization and urbanization pressures. These include legal provisions, enforcement powers, and enhanced security to ensure the protection of monuments and archaeological sites.

    • Legal Protection: Under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958, the Government has set rules to protect cultural heritage from encroachments and misuse.
    • Encroachment Control: Superintending Archaeologists have the authority to issue eviction notices under the Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Act, 1971, to remove encroachments.
    • Collaboration with Authorities: ASI coordinates with State Governments and police authorities to assist in removing encroachments and maintaining the safety of monuments.
    • Security Measures: In addition to regular watch and ward staff, private security personnel and the CISF are deployed for the protection of select monuments.
    • Conservation Guidelines: ASI follows the National Conservation Policy, 2014, for maintaining and conserving monuments, adjusting efforts based on available resources.
    • Penalty for Misuse: Section 30 of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958, enforces penalties for actions that damage or misuse protected monuments.

    With legal frameworks, coordinated efforts, and strict security protocols, the Government is committed to preserving these historical treasures for future generations.

    Conclusion

    Preserving India’s cultural heritage is an ongoing, multifaceted effort requiring proactive measures to address environmental, legal and security challenges. The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) in collaboration with various agencies continues to monitor, protect and conserve the nation’s monumental treasures. With continued dedication, these efforts ensure that India’s rich history remains safeguarded for future generations to experience and appreciate.

     

    References

    Click here to download PDF

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    Santosh Kumar/ Sarla Meena/ Kamna Lakaria

    (Release ID: 2103241) Visitor Counter : 79

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: India Post Payments Bank Empowers Devotees at Mahakumbh 2025 with Seamless Banking Services

    Source: Government of India (2)

    India Post Payments Bank Empowers Devotees at Mahakumbh 2025 with Seamless Banking Services

    IPPB playing a pivotal role in providing digital banking services to all pilgrims at Mahakumbh 2025

    IPPB has established service counters, mobile banking units, and customer assistance kiosks at 5 key locations throughout Mahakumbh

    Posted On: 14 FEB 2025 4:04PM by PIB Delhi

    India Post Payments Bank (IPPB), a Government of India undertaking, is proud of its pivotal role in providing seamless digital banking services to millions of devotees and pilgrims at Mahakumbh 2025, Prayagraj. As the world’s largest spiritual gathering, Mahakumbh attracts people from all walks of life. IPPB, with its customer-centric approach, is enabling access to comprehensive banking services for all, ensuring convenience, safety and security of financial transactions. IPPB has established service counters, mobile banking units, and customer assistance kiosks at 5 key locations throughout Mahakumbh. These facilities are designed to handle high footfalls efficiently.

    On IPPB’s ongoing initiative at the Mahakumbh, Mr. R. Viswesvaran, MD & CEO-IPPB, said “We at India Post Payments Bank are honoured to provide our seamless banking services on the sacred grounds of Mahakumbh 2025, Prayagraj. It fills me with great joy to witness the immaculate integration of banking services with one of the world’s largest and most revered spiritual gatherings. We take immense pride in our role as a catalyst for digital transformation, empowering the  devotees at Prayagraj with our effortless banking services. This initiative is a testament to our commitment to serving all, ensuring that financial accessibility is no longer only for a select few but available to all during this transformative spiritual journey.”

    Additionally, IPPB’s trusted Daak Sevaks are providing doorstep banking services. They are ensuring that devotees can access essential financial support like Cash Withdrawal from any of their Aadhaar linked Bank Account through IPPB’s Aadhaar ATM (AePS) service without disruption by reaching at their precise location. The devotees can utilise the ‘Banking at Call’ facility by IPPB to procure desired line of services wherever they are within the Mahakumbh grounds. They can simply dial 7458025511 to access multitude of banking requirements at their disposal.

    In line with the Government of India’s Digital India vision, IPPB is also empowering local vendors, small businesses, and service providers at Mahakumbh by enabling them to accept digital payments through its DakPay QR Cards. This initiative fosters a cashless ecosystem, reducing dependency on cash and enhancing overall efficiency in transactions.

    Further, to ensure maximum outreach, IPPB has launched awareness campaigns at Mahakumbh to educate pilgrims and vendors about its services. Trained professionals and Daak Sevaks are stationed at key locations to assist with account openings, transactions, and resolving queries. Information hoardings and digital demonstrations are also being utilised to familiarize attendees with IPPB’s offerings. It is also offering free printed photograph to every visitor as a memorabilia to be carried back to their homes.

    About India Post Payments Bank

    India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) has been established under the Department of Posts, Ministry of Communication with 100% equity owned by Government of India. IPPB was launched on September 1, 2018. The bank has been set up with the vision to build the most accessible, affordable and trusted bank for the common man in India. The fundamental mandate of India Post Payments Bank is to remove barriers for the unbanked & underbanked and reach the last mile leveraging the Postal network comprising ~1,65,000 Post Offices (~140,000 in rural areas) and ~3,00,000 Postal employees.

    IPPB’s reach and its operating model is built on the key pillars of India Stack – enabling Paperless, Cashless and Presence-less banking in a simple and secure manner at the customers’ doorstep, through a CBS-integrated smartphone and biometric device. Leveraging frugal innovation and with a high focus on ease of banking for the masses, IPPB delivers simple and affordable banking solutions through intuitive interfaces available in 13 languages to 11 Crore customers across 5.57 lakh villages & towns in India.

    IPPB is committed to provide a fillip to a less cash economy and contribute to the vision of Digital India. India will prosper when every citizen will have equal opportunity to become financially secure and empowered. Our motto stands true – Every customer is important, every transaction is significant and every deposit is valuable.

    Reach us at:

    www.ippbonline.com marketing@ippbonline.in

    Social Media Handles:

    Twitter – https://twitter.com/IPPBOnline

    Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/ippbonline

    LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/india–post–paymentsbank

    Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/ippbonline

    Koo – https://www.kooapp.com/profile/ippbonline

    YouTube- https://www.youtube.com/@IndiaPostPaymentsBank

    ***

    Samrat/ Dheeraj/ Allen : pibcomm[at]gmail[dot]com

    (Release ID: 2103221) Visitor Counter : 29

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Home and Youth Affairs Bureau holds training for members of District Councils (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Home and Youth Affairs Bureau holds training for members of District Councils (with photos)
    Home and Youth Affairs Bureau holds training for members of District Councils (with photos)
    ******************************************************************************************

         ​The Home and Youth Affairs Bureau (HYAB) held a training session for members of the District Councils (DCs) at the Central Government Offices today (February 14) to review with DC members their experiences in serving the districts in the first year of taking office and to share insights into the upcoming challenges in district governance work, so that DC members could better plan district work for the coming year.           The Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs, Miss Alice Mak, expressed at the training that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government fully recognised the performance of the seventh-term DC members’ work since they took office. The reforms to the district governance system in 2023 were an important initiative of reform and innovation by the Government. Under the new system, district governance work had been carried out with enhanced speed and efficiency in the past year. The DCs not only assisted the Government in listening to public views, understanding public sentiments and providing advice on community development but also worked with the District Services and Community Care Teams, district organisations and groups to serve the people and resolve the livelihood issues they faced. Miss Mak encouraged DC members to utilise their district networks to provide better services to the people and assist the HKSAR Government in policy implementation.           Miss Mak shared with DC members the upcoming challenges in district governance work. She highlighted that the people’s desires for a better life have grown with community development. She reminded DC members to continue ensuring effective communication between the Government and the people by serving as a bridge between the two and to adopt new thinking and methods to reach out to and serving more people, thereby building a better and harmonious community together.           Miss Mak said that DC members are charged with the important responsibility of enhancing district governance. She had three expectations for them, namely, to carry out solid district work to continuously enhance people’s sense of achievement and satisfaction; to carry out district youth work to encourage young people to participate more in community affairs and help them realise their dreams; and to continue assisting in organising community involvement activities to create a buoyant mood in the community that supports the district economy. Miss Mak emphasised the important and long-term responsibilities of DC members and expressed hope that they would be bold in innovating, dare to break new ground, press on to reach out and serve more people in innovative ways, and always be visible and helpful.           The HYAB will continue to arrange different trainings and visits to enhance the DC members’ capabilities in discharging their duties and improve the efficacy of district governance to deliver tangible benefits for the people.

     
    Ends/Friday, February 14, 2025Issued at HKT 17:17

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: At the Conclusion of India Energy Week 2025, India Cements Position as Global Energy Leader

    Source: Government of India

    At the Conclusion of India Energy Week 2025, India Cements Position as Global Energy Leader

    “World’s second-largest energy conclave saw announcement of largest-ever exploration bid round, charted path for green energy transition while strengthening international partnerships”

    Posted On: 14 FEB 2025 2:42PM by PIB Delhi

    Shri Hardeep Singh Puri, Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas, highlighted the measurable success of India Energy Week 2025 through its unprecedented participant and exhibitor numbers and technical paper submissions. The Minister noted that the event had exceeded expectations by encompassing a comprehensive range of sectors including petroleum, natural gas, green energy, biofuel, and CBG, showcasing remarkably innovative developments.

    Shri Puri emphasized that within the short span of three years, India Energy Week has established itself as the world’s second-largest energy platform, with its fourth edition scheduled to take place in Goa.

    The Minister emphasized that IEW 2025 distinguished itself from other global energy forums by facilitating actual business transactions rather than merely serving as a networking platform. Shri Hardeep Singh Puri specifically highlighted practical innovations such as the cost-effective conversion kit demonstrated at the HPCL stall, designed for enabling biofuel usage in two and three-wheelers. Additionally, the Minister also expressed satisfaction at the convergence of investors, manufacturers, and consumers, particularly evident in the display of flex fuel vehicles.

    Speaking on India-US energy cooperation, the Minister noted the substantial progress in bilateral relations, particularly in the natural gas sector. The Minister highlighted India’s stated goal of increasing natural gas consumption to 15% in its energy mix from about 6% currently, emphasizing the strategic importance of the relationship with the United States for Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) supplies.

    Addressing reforms in the Exploration and Production (E&P) sector, Shri Puri detailed the scale of Open Acreage Licensing Program (OALP) Round X covering about 200,000 square kilometers. The Minister explained that enhanced interest in this round has been driven by systematic reforms in the regulatory regime, transitioning from production to revenue sharing mechanisms, along with the proposed amendments to Oilfields (Regulation and Development) Act 1948.

    Additionally, Shri Puri announced that the new legislative framework, developed through extensive consultations, is set to be presented in the Lok Sabha. He particularly noted the collaboration of ONGC with BP, and Reliance in bidding for blocks in earlier rounds as a strong message of industry partnership.

    Outlining the Ministry’s priorities, the Minister emphasized focus on E&P, stressing the importance of expert collaboration and the proposed changes to regulatory framework that allows appropriate compensation for resource discovery to the stakeholders in the sector.

    The Minister highlighted the significance of the amendments, passed by the Rajya Sabha, in ensuring policy predictability, particularly regarding windfall tax implementation. He emphasized the removal of discretionary elements in policy implementation as a move toward more transparent governance in the energy sector.

    Discussing the global energy scenario, the Minister observed that the new US administration’s push for increased oil supply has created favorable conditions in global markets. He noted the emergence of new oil sources from the Western Hemisphere, including Brazil, Argentina, Suriname, Canada, US, and Guyana, as beneficial for major consuming nations like India. Shri Puri expressed complete confidence in India’s international investments in the Oil & Gas assets across Brazil, Venezuela, Russia, and Mozambique.

    Shri Hardeep Singh Puri described the biofuel program as a remarkable story, citing current capacity of 1,700 crore liters for ethanol blending, while discussing potential beyond the 20% blending target. Moreover, Shri Puri expressed particular excitement about green hydrogen, confirming confident progression toward the 5MMT annual production target for 2030, while also highlighting sustainable aviation fuel development.

    Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Shri Pankaj Jain, detailed the business conducted during IEW 2025 across various domains. He categorized the agreements into distinct areas: supply arrangements for crude, LNG, and LPG across geographies; technology partnerships for digital refinery solutions; and exploration services.

    Shri Pankaj Jain also highlighted the unprecedented scale of OALP Round X, emphasizing the need for global expertise to exploit hydrocarbon resources in the country. Shri Jain also discussed the potential use of the Oil Industry Development Fund, established under the Oil Industry Development Act, for innovative financing needs in deep-water exploration projects.

    Felicitation to Startup Competition and Hackathon Winners:

    The prestigious Avinya’25 – Energy Startup Challenge awards, the flagship initiative of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, were presented by Shri Hardeep Singh Puri and Shri Pankaj Jai. Avinya’25 recognized startups with pioneering solutions addressing key energy challenges.

    UrjanovaC Pvt Ltd emerged as the winner for its synthetic catalyst technology that enables scalable and cost-competitive CO₂ capture and conversion. The first runner-up, Breathe ESG Private Limited, developed a SaaS platform that automates ESG reporting, decarbonization strategies, and compliance.

    AgriVijay, the second runner-up, introduced India’s first curated marketplace for renewable energy solutions for farmers and rural households. Apeiro Energy, securing the third runner-up position, designed hybrid microgrids by integrating small wind turbines with solar panels. UGreen Technology, the fourth runner-up, developed a molecular-engineering approach that enhances CO₂ reactivity for efficient carbon capture.

    Additionally, the Ministry introduced Vasudha – Oil and Gas Startup Challenge, an exclusive competition for overseas startups revolutionizing the upstream oil and gas sector. Out of 17 entries from 13 countries, two visionary startups were recognized.

    Latin Energy Partners Inc., Paraguay, won the challenge, while Ultrasound Process Consultation LLC, USA, was named the runner-up. Their innovations in oil and gas exploration, AI-driven production management, ESG compliance, CCUS technologies, and geothermal exploration were highly commended.

    Promoting research and technological innovation, a Hackathon was organized among seven premier IITs, including IIT Delhi, Mumbai, Madras, Guwahati, Roorkee, Kharagpur, and ISM Dhanbad. The competition aimed to drive forward-thinking solutions in CCUS and renewable energy. IIT (ISM) Dhanbad secured the winner’s title, while IIT Guwahati emerged as the runner-up.

    About India Energy Week 2025

    India Energy Week was envisioned as more than just another industry conference—it was designed to be a dynamic platform redefining global energy dialogues. In just two years, this self-funded initiative has achieved precisely that, becoming the world’s second-largest energy event. The third edition, scheduled from February 11-14, 2025, at Yashobhoomi, New Delhi, represents a significant milestone in shaping the global energy narrative.

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: DH urges unvaccinated people to take immediate actions as influenza activity remains elevated

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    DH urges unvaccinated people to take immediate actions as influenza activity remains elevated
    DH urges unvaccinated people to take immediate actions as influenza activity remains elevated
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         The Controller of the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health, Dr Edwin Tsui, today (February 14) reminded members of the public that the seasonal influenza activity in Hong Kong remains at a high level, and the influenza season will continue for some time. All sectors of the community should remain vigilant and enhance personal hygiene and protection measures against influenza. All persons aged 6 months and above (except those with known contraindications) who have not yet received the seasonal influenza vaccination (SIV) should act immediately to protect their health and that of their family members.     According to the CHP’s latest surveillance data, in the week ending February 8, the percentage of respiratory specimens testing positive for seasonal influenza viruses is 10.23 per cent. The influenza admission rate in public hospitals is 0.67 cases per 10 000 population, indicating that the overall influenza activity remains at a high level.           “Hong Kong entered the influenza season in early January this year, and it is now the sixth week. The Influenza A (H1) virus is predominant this season, accounting for nearly 90 per cent of the subtyped influenza virus detections. In terms of severe or death cases caused by influenza, this season, as in the past, mainly affects the elderly and young children,” Dr Tsui said.           As of February 12, the CHP recorded 301 severe or death cases among adult patients. About 70 per cent of them have not received SIV of this season, and about 70 per cent of them have chronic diseases. Among the 186 death cases, about 90 per cent of them were aged 65 or above. For children, nine cases of severe influenza-associated complications were recorded this season. Seven (including two preschool children and five school children) of them had not received SIV of this season, and two cases had chronic diseases.           “The number of severe or death cases recorded in the first five weeks of this season is higher than that of the same period last season, but similar to the 2018/19 influenza season, i.e. before the COVID-19 pandemic, which was also dominated by influenza A (H1). Based on historical data, the entire influenza season usually lasts for two to four months. Whether it will last for 28 weeks, as in the past influenza season, will depend on any change in the circulating strains of viruses, including any increase in the activities of influenza A (H3) and influenza B viruses,” Dr Tsui said.           He pointed out that, according to the virus analysis conducted by the CHP, the strains of influenza viruses that are circulating in Hong Kong nowadays are similar to the strains of viruses in the seasonal influenza vaccine currently available in Hong Kong, which means that the vaccine is effective in lowering the risk of serious complications or death from the infection. Data analysis also showed that the rate of serious complications in residents of residential care homes for the elderly who did not receive SIV was 2.2 times that of vaccinated residents, highlighting the protective effect of SIV.           As of February 9, a total of about 1 975 100 doses of vaccines were administered under various vaccination programmes, an increase of about 8.4 per cent over the same period in the last SIV season and a record high, surpassing the total number of doses administered under various vaccination programmes in the year 2023/24 (i.e. about 1 873 000 doses).           The number of schools participating in the SIV School Outreach Programme has also increased significantly this year. About 1 020 kindergartens/child care centres (97 per cent), about 640 primary schools (98 per cent) and about 490 secondary schools (98 per cent) have completed or are arranging SIV school outreach activities. This is higher than the participation rate in year 2023/24, i.e. 80 per cent of kindergartens/child care centres, 95 per cent of primary schools and 70 per cent of secondary schools.           “The SIV coverage rate for children aged 6 months to under 2 years remains relatively low at about 22.5 per cent. Although slightly higher than that of the same period in the last SIV season, the coverage rate was still lower than that of other age groups of children. To enhance relevant vaccination services and boost the vaccination rate, the Government has opened the DH’s Maternal and Child Health Centres (MCHCs) to all children aged 6 months to under 2 years. For the sake of the children’s health, parents are advised to make appointments via the online booking system as soon as possible for children aged 6 months to under 2 years who have not yet received SIV to be vaccinated at the designated MCHCs,” Dr Tsui said.           He also reminded parents not to believe in alternative therapies circulating on the Internet that claim to prevent and cure influenza in infants and young children. There is no scientific evidence to support such claims. SIV is one of the most effective ways to prevent seasonal influenza and its complications, while significantly reducing the risk of hospitalisation and death from seasonal influenza for infants and young children. Children who develop symptoms of respiratory infection, even if mild, should consult a doctor as soon as possible to avoid any delay in management.           For the more information, members of the public are welcome to visit the CHP’s seasonal influenza and COVID-19 & Flu Express webpages.

     
    Ends/Friday, February 14, 2025Issued at HKT 17:05

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: First patient transferred point to point from Macao to Hong Kong for treatment by direct cross-boundary ambulance transfer in GBA

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

         The Hospital Authority (HA) announced today (February 14) that Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH) has received the third patient today under the Pilot Scheme for Direct Cross-boundary Ambulance Transfer in the Greater Bay Area (Pilot Scheme). The patient was transferred from Macao to Hong Kong for treatment by a point-to-point cross-boundary ambulance. This marks the first time since the launch of the Pilot Scheme that a patient has been transferred from Macao to Hong Kong for treatment. The HA expresses sincere gratitude to various units in Macao and Hong Kong for their proactive co-ordination and collaboration, which ensured a smooth and safe cross-border transfer process for the patient.
     
         The 79-year-old male Hong Kong resident suffers from atrial fibrillation and requires respiratory support through a ventilator due to pneumonia complications and a persistent fever. He was admitted to Centro Hospitalar Conde de São Januário in Macao for treatment. The patient’s condition was slightly stabilised after treatment. After a thorough assessment of the patient’s overall clinical condition and discussion with the patient and his family by the medical team, it was confirmed that the patient was fit for transferring back to Hong Kong for ongoing treatment. The point-to-point cross-boundary ambulance carrying the patient departed from Centro Hospitalar Conde de São Januário in Macao before 11am. The ambulance travelled via the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macao Bridge and arrived at noon at PMH, where the patient is currently receiving treatment.
     
         The spokesperson for the HA stated that upon receiving notification, PMH promptly communicated with the medical team in Macao to understand the patient’s clinical situation and prepare for admitting the patient. The HA expresses heartfelt thanks to all parties involved for their substantial co-ordination and co-operation, ensuring that the patient was swiftly transported directly point to point to Hong Kong for treatment under the care of medical personnel and a relative of the patient. Without the handover of patients between ambulances at boundary control points, the direct transport not only minimises the risks posed to patients during transfers but also improves patients’ chances of recovery.
     
         A study on the provision of land-based cross-boundary transfers for non-emergency and non-critically ill patients and an exploration of rolling out a pilot co-operation scheme for cross-boundary referrals of patients between designated public hospitals have been put forward in the Outline Development Plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA). The Chief Executive also put forward in his 2023 Policy Address the initiative to explore cross-boundary ambulance transfer arrangements between hospitals in the GBA. Under the staunch support and guidance of various national ministries as well as the concerted efforts of government departments of Hong Kong, Guangdong and Macao, the Pilot Scheme was set for official launch on November 30 last year. The first and second patients were transferred point to point from Shenzhen to Hong Kong for treatment by direct cross-boundary ambulance on January 10 and January 27 this year respectively.

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Union Minister Dr. Virendra Kumar distributes PPE Kits and Ayushman Cards to Sewer and Septic Tank Workers under NAMASTE Scheme, at Jammu

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Posted On: 14 FEB 2025 2:21PM by PIB Delhi

    Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment (SJ&E), Dr. Virender Kumar, visited Jammu in connection with implementation of schemes of the Ministry, in the Union Territory. On the occasion, the Minister distributed Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) kits and Ayushman health cards to Sewer and Septic Tank Workers (SSWs) (Safai Mitras), under the flagship scheme of National Action for Mechanized Sanitation Ecosystem (NAMASTE).

    The Government has formulated the NAMASTE scheme with an objective to provide dignity to Safai Karamcharis and to empower them socially and economically. The scheme is to ensure safety and dignity of sanitation workers in urban India and enhancing their occupational safety through capacity building and improved access to PPE Kits, safety devices and machines.

    PPE kits consist of various protective garments and accessories designed to shield individuals from potential health hazards or infections. These kits typically include items such as masks, gloves, goggles, face shields, gowns, and shoe covers. They are crucial for ensuring the safety of frontline workers, especially those who are exposed to hazardous environments or infectious diseases, such as sewer and septic tank workers.

    The Ayushman health card is a form of identification issued under the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY), a government-sponsored health insurance scheme in India. It provides beneficiaries with access to cashless and paperless healthcare services at empaneled hospitals. The card contains essential information about the beneficiary, including their unique identification number and details of covered healthcare services.

    During the visit, the Minister also visited the Outreach and Drop In Centre (ODIC), run by the NGO, ‘JK Society for the Promotion of Youth and Masses’ at Jammu, under Scheme of National Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction (NAPDDR).

    The event witnessed the reaffirmation of the government’s commitment to ‘Vanchiton Ko Variyata’, ensuring that those who have been historically underserved or overlooked are given the attention and support they deserve. This dedication to prioritizing the marginalized reflects the government’s broader vision of ‘Viksit Bharat’, where every individual has the opportunity to contribute to and benefit from India’s development journey. Through collaborative efforts and concerted initiatives, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment remains steadfast in its mission to leave no one behind and build a more equitable and empowered society.

    The occasion was also attended by Ms. Sakina Masood (Itoo), Minister for Education, Health & Medical Education and Social Welfare Department, Jammu & Kashmir; Shri Shyam Lal Sharma, MLA (Jammu North); Shri Yudvir Sethi, MLA (Jammu East); Shri Arvind Gupta, MLA (Jammu West); Shri Prabhat Kumar Singh, Managing Director, National Safai Karamcharis Finance & Development Corporation (NSKFDC), Shri Devansh Yadav, Commissioner (Jammu Municipal Corporation).

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Minister of State Smt. Savitri Thakur meets Jamaican team led by Ms. Dione Jennings, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Labour and Social Security at New York

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Minister of State Smt. Savitri Thakur meets Jamaican team led by Ms. Dione Jennings, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Labour and Social Security at New York

    Key focus areas of discussions included various digital interventions strengthening social protection

    India delegation also has discussions with Zambia on use of Poshan tracker

    Smt. Thakur joins celebration of Word Hindi Day held in the premises of the Permanent Mission of India

    Posted On: 14 FEB 2025 12:15PM by PIB Delhi

    A high-level bilateral discussion took place at New York after the 63rd session of the Commission for Social Development meeting between the Indian delegation headed by Minister of State for Women and Child Development Smt. Savitri Thakur and the Jamaican team, led by Ms. Dione Jennings, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Labour and Social Security. The meeting sought to explore collaboration in digitization and the use of technology to enhance social protection systems.

          

    During the discussions, key focus areas included various digital interventions being carried out by India in financial inclusion, DBT , old age pension, etc and the role of technology, which can play an instrumental role in development. The focus of the discussion was Poshan Tracker—India’s pioneering digital tool for monitoring and improving nutritional outcomes and ways in which similar technological innovations could support Jamaica’s social security framework. Both sides emphasized the importance of leveraging digital solutions to ensure efficient, transparent, and impactful service delivery in social welfare programs.

    India delegation also had discussions with Zambia on the use of Poshan tracker in monitoring social and nutritional outcomes across Anganwadi Centres in India 

       

    The meeting was then followed by Celebration of Word Hindi day held in the premises of the Permanent Mission of India (PMI) in New York, in the esteemed presence of the Ambassador of India Shri Parvathaneni Harish and other senior officers of the mission. The occasion underscored India’s commitment to cultural and linguistic exchange on the global stage.

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