NewzIntel.com

Category: Universities

  • MIL-OSI China: Qinghai pioneers green growth with ecology-first strategy

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

    Standing at the heart of a 609-sq-km photovoltaic park located in the Talatan Gobi Desert in Gonghe County, northwest China’s Qinghai Province, China Arab TV correspondent Ayoub Bechrouri enthusiastically began recording his report with his smartphone.

    Behind him stretches a captivating “blue sea” — an endless expanse of photovoltaic panels covering the landscape. Beneath these gleaming solar arrays, verdant grasslands thrive where flocks of sheep graze contentedly, showcasing the perfect harmony between renewable energy and sustainable agriculture.

    “This is a good example of green energy development,” Bechrouri said. “I hope to see China-Arab collaboration bring Chinese technologies to Arab countries.”

    Hailing from Morocco, Bechrouri was part of a delegation of around 30 international journalists from countries including the United States, Germany, Japan and Spain on a three-day tour of Qinghai organized by China’s State Council Information Office. The media delegation experienced firsthand how this northwestern province is pioneering China’s ecological civilization drive through concrete green development projects.

    ECO-FRIENDLY ENERGY

    “In a sunny country like Spain, people have been paying attention to the ecological impact of the construction of large photovoltaic power stations,” said Alvaro Alfaro Ruiz-Alberdi, a journalist at the Spanish news agency Agencia EFE. “I find it interesting to examine how Qinghai maintains the balance between this energy development and environmental protection.”

    The Spanish correspondent found the answer at this very photovoltaic park, one of the highest-capacity solar power facilities globally, in Gonghe.

    The park’s innovative eco-industrial model — power generation atop solar panels, grass cultivation between panels, and sheep grazing beneath them — has restored vegetation coverage to 80 percent in an area that was once a dust-blown stretch of the Gobi Desert, according to Wang Anwei, director of the energy bureau of Hainan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, which administers Gonghe.

    This agrivoltaic model has also boosted income for livestock farming, generating over 10,000 yuan (about 1,398 U.S. dollars) per mu (about 0.07 hectares), and has helped lift 173 neighboring villages out of poverty.

    “Now my flock has grown to about 800 sheep, and my income from grazing alone has doubled compared to before,” said Zhao Guofu, a herder who began grazing his sheep here six years ago.

    By the end of 2024, the total investment in clean energy in the Hainan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture reached 16.18 billion yuan, with annual clean energy power generation amounting to 46.32 billion kWh. Notably, photovoltaic power generation was about 17.9 billion kWh, representing a year-on-year increase of 16.21 percent.

    IMPROVED BIODIVERSITY PROTECTION

    In the summer, Qinghai Lake, located in the northeastern part of the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau, shimmers with azure waves, teeming with visitors. Brown-headed gulls wheel above the water surface, while vast schools of the lake’s unique species, naked carp, which is classified as vulnerable on the China Species Red List, glide beneath.

    “The naked carp constitutes over 90 percent of the lake’s total fish population and serves as the primary prey for birds such as brown-headed gulls. This species plays a vital role in maintaining the ecosystem and biodiversity of the Qinghai Lake basin,” said Wang Shuning, with the protection and utilization administration of the Qinghai Lake scenic area.

    Due to overfishing and environmental deterioration, the population of naked carp sharply declined in the 1960s and 1970s. In order to protect the species and restore the Qinghai Lake environment, Qinghai banned naked carp fishing at the lake in 2001, following a series of temporary prohibitions from the 1980s onward.

    Between 2002 and 2023, the biomass of naked carp increased nearly 46-fold. Additionally, as the only habitat of Przewalski’s gazelles, an endangered antelope species, the Qinghai Lake basin has seen the total number of the species recover from fewer than 300 at the beginning of conservation efforts to approximately 3,400 currently. This remarkable growth reflects the concerted conservation efforts by both the Chinese government and local communities.

    The province has adopted a holistic approach to the protection and systematic governance of the symbiotic ecosystem of “water-grass-fish-birds-animals” in the Qinghai Lake basin. It has established monitoring platforms for ecological sensing and hydrological early warning, and has gradually set up over 300 ecological monitoring sites.

    Two years ago, local resident Dorje Tsomo became an ecological ranger at the Qinghai Lake scenic area. On duty, she always carries a camera to document environmental changes around the lake and a field manual compiling 98 species of waterbirds, which serves as her constant reference for learning their distinctive features, distributions and conservation statuses.

    “We also use a WeChat mini-program to document patrol routes, while nearby villagers promptly report injured birds. Together, we protect Qinghai Lake, the home we all share,” she said.

    According to Chen Dehui, deputy director of the protection and utilization administration of the Qinghai Lake scenic area, growing numbers of herders are voluntarily taking on new roles — as photographers capturing the lake’s natural beauty and as interpreters in ecological education programs — diversifying their income sources while sharing in the rewards of conservation.

    “Qinghai Lake’s ecological conservation is truly impressive,” said Furuta Natsuya, a journalist with Japan’s Hokkaido Shimbun who visited Qinghai for the first time. “Here, I witnessed a genuine model of human-nature coexistence and felt the profound connection between people and the natural world.”

    ECOLOGY-ENRICHED PROSPERITY

    In April this year, Kanbula, located in Jainca County of Huangnan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in Qinghai, was officially designated as a UNESCO Global Geopark. The park spans roughly 3,149 square kilometers with striking fiery-red Danxia landforms, towering jagged peaks, hidden caves and emerald lakes.

    “This world-class geological landmark not only enhances geo-conservation efforts, but also accelerates local infrastructure development, drawing global visitors to fuel cultural tourism revenues in the area,” said Hou Guangliang, a professor at Qinghai Normal University’s school of geographical sciences.

    In recent years, Dekyi Village, which is near the geopark, has become a living example of turning “ecological assets into economic gains.”

    “Thanks to government-sponsored training programs, our family now runs a homestay and agritourism business,” local villager Jorgyi said. “Last year, we earned over 70,000 yuan, and this year looks even more promising.”

    The village receives over 200,000 annual visitors, generating more than 1 million yuan in collective and individual dividends.

    “Like many regions in Hokkaido facing population decline, I’m particularly interested in rural revitalization. I hope to gain firsthand insights into how Chinese grassroots communities have experienced poverty alleviation and the tangible outcomes of government initiatives,” said Furuta.

    Both China and Japan are actively exploring sustainable development pathways, Furuta noted, adding that the Qinghai visit gave him profound insight into how both countries’ successful practices in community governance, ecotourism and cultural integration merit mutual learning. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Mayor of London warns UK must not ‘pull up the drawbridge to international students’ in landmark speech

    Source: Mayor of London

    • Mayor shares new analysis of major economic benefits from international students in speech hosted by Imperial College London’s new Ghana hub
    • City Hall projections put annual economic benefit of overseas students at UK universities around £55bn, with £12.5bn from those based in London
    • Sadiq will warn that ministers who want to “pull up the drawbridge to international students” would “slow down growth and leave working people in Britain worse off” as he stresses economic benefits of attracting the best global talent to study, work and live here

    Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, is urging the government not to make it harder for international students to study in the UK as he reveals new analysis showing they contribute £12.5bn to the capital and £55bn to the national economy every year.

    The Mayor is in Ghana today (Wednesday 16 July) as part of his historic five-day trade mission to Africa, banging the drum for the capital as a place to invest and strengthening ties with countries across the continent. A major speech in Accra will see Sadiq make the case for welcoming students from around the world, and warn that proposals for a new levy on their university fees would be damaging to London and the UK’s economy.

    The UK Government is currently considering a new levy on income that English universities generate from international students as part of its immigration whitepaper, which could not only put students off coming here from overseas but also create a substantial extra financial burden for already stretched universities. The Mayor’s speech today will warn that this levy would be “an act of immense economic self-harm”.

    Today the Mayor will deliver a keynote speech on the power of education, innovation and entrepreneurship to Ghanaian students hosted at Imperial College London’s Accra hub. With five per cent of London’s higher education population coming from Africa [1], he will stress that London is open to global talent and make the positive case for international study.

    Latest analysis by London Economics revealed a more than £10 billion rise in the economic contribution of international higher education students to the UK economy, from £31.3bn in 2018/19 to £41.9bn in 2021/22 – leading City Hall economists to project it could hit £55bn in the current academic year on the basis of historical trends [2].

    London accounts for almost a quarter of this national impact, representing around £10bn in the latest data and projected to reach £12.5bn this year [3]. International students in the capital created an average net benefit of £1,040 per Londoner over the course of their studies, as beyond their university fees they contribute by spending in all sectors of the economy and bringing family or friends to visit [4].

    This positive economic impact spreads across the UK, with international students making a £58m net contribution to the national economy per parliamentary constituency during their studies – providing an equivalent £560 benefit for each local resident [5]. They also bring a longer-term labour market value, as many stay here after their studies to work in key economic sectors from tech and AI to finance and creative industries.

    Imperial is the first UK university with a permanent base solely focused on science, technology and innovation in Africa – building on the rapidly rising number of advancements and breakthroughs Imperial has made working with researchers in Ghana over recent years. Imperial Global Ghana serves as an academic hub to support high-impact collaboration in cutting-edge fields from medical diagnostics to urban health and AI to climate science.

    As well as current students, the Mayor will meet recent graduates including Shirgade Laryea, a Ghanaian alumna of Imperial College London’s Business School who is now a rising star in the UK-Ghana Chamber of Commerce. Other alumni success stories include Affinity bank founder Tarek Mouganie, Liquify fintech platform COO Alberta Asafa-Asomoah and former Anglo Gold Ashanti CEO Sir Sam Jonah.

    The Mayor is expected to say in his speech: “There are people at home who believe we should pull up the drawbridge to international students, or punish universities that choose to welcome people from around the world.

    “Our new analysis shows international students bring in tens of billions for our economy each year over the course of their studies, including £12.5 billion in London alone. And when they graduate, they go on to make our city – and our country – a better place to be.”

    The Mayor will add: “Closing our country to global talent would be an act of immense economic self-harm – one that would slow down growth and leave working people in Britain worse off than before. That’s why I’m calling on our Government not to make it harder for international students to study in the UK.

    “On my watch, London will be as open as ever… but I think we must do more. We cannot simply wait for the world to come to London; we must bring London to the world.”

    Imperial College London President, Professor Hugh Brady, said: “Imperial Global Ghana creates a bridge between London and Accra so you get a flow of ideas, talent and capital. The hub supports hundreds of entrepreneurs and scientists in West Africa, and enables talented students to further their studies in London.

    “International students are an essential part of Imperial’s global community. They bring diverse perspectives, new ideas, and fresh approaches to tackling today’s most complex challenges. We are pleased that London and the UK remains a top destination and welcoming environment for international students.”

    Imperial Global Ghana Associate Director, Clare Turner, said: “A truly global city – and its universities – thrive when people with different cultural, social and intellectual perspectives come together. At Imperial Global Ghana, our focus is on building long-term equitable research and education partnerships that both inspire the next generation of leaders and innovators, and work towards a greater understanding of complex global challenges – such as climate change, the energy transition, and access to quality healthcare.”

    University of Ghana Vice Chancellor, Professor Nana Aba Appiah Amfo, said: “It is a great honour to welcome the Mayor of London, Sir Sadiq Khan, to Ghana and to the University of Ghana. His presence underscores the growing importance of global partnerships in shaping the future of education and innovation; we look forward to deepening these ties as we empower the next generation of changemakers on the continent and beyond.

    “We are especially proud of our collaboration with Imperial College London – one that continues to thrive through initiatives such as the Impact Hub and other areas such as digital diagnostics, innovation and entrepreneurship, public health, environmental sustainability, and vaccine manufacturing clearly stipulated in a five-year Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2024. This innovative cooperation is hinged on our five strategic priorities: transformative student experience, impactful research, commitment to our faculty and staff, engagement and partnerships, as well as sustainable resource mobilisation and stewardship.”

    London Higher CEO, Liz Hutchinson, said: “London’s universities are world-leading because they are international, with overseas students enriching not just the economy but also the learning experience and the vibrant, creative communities that the capital is famous for. International graduates are crucial to London’s talent pipeline, joining the many businesses based here or as entrepreneurs.

    “This is a time when we should be strengthening our position as a hub for talented individuals from across the world. The government’s proposed levy on international students does the opposite. With our partners in the sector, in industry and in London, we stand ready to collaborate with Government and sector colleagues to find alternative solutions that enhance rather than damage London’s international competitiveness.”

    Universities UK Chief Executive, Vivienne Stern, said: “The Mayor of London will see first-hand the global reach of UK universities and their contribution to the cutting-edge research tackling shared challenges. He is right to champion the power of education, and this new analysis once again highlights the economic value of international students to the UK.

    “We are fortunate to be a destination of choice for students from all over the world; they contribute to our research landscape and our communities, as well as enabling UK students to benefit from diverse perspectives. We should be proud of this and work hard to make sure that international students feel welcome.”

    Business LDN Chief Executive, John Dickie, said: “At a time when some of our rivals are closing their doors to international students, the UK should do all it can to reinforce its attractiveness to talented people from across the globe.

    “London is the world’s best city to study, but the Government’s plans to introduce a new levy on the income generated by overseas students risks damaging our competitiveness. Ministers should scrap these plans to avoid damaging growth, exacerbating the higher education sector’s financial challenges and undermining our soft power.”

    Over the course of five days Sadiq will visit four cities – Lagos, Accra, Johannesburg and Cape Town – to boost trade links with London and build on extensive connections with the capital’s growing African diaspora. The Mayor’s growth agency London & Partners will also host a trade delegation of 27 London-based companies that are looking to grow their businesses and access opportunities in this dynamic and important region of the world.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Fresh air, better care: Allied health embraces nature-based therapy

    Source:

    16 July 2025

    Whether it’s a walk by the sea or a breath of fresh air in the park, spending time in nature is widely known to support good health and wellbeing.

    Now, new research from the University of Adelaide and the University of South Australia shows that while nature-based therapy is strongly supported by allied health professionals, more needs to be done to embed it into routine care.

    In the first study of its kind – published in the journal  Health and Place – researchers found that 97% of allied health professionals believe that outdoor environments can help prevent and manage a wide range of physical, mental and social health conditions.

    Yet, significant barriers from carers, clients, and other health professionals can also prevent its use.

    Surveying 77 allied health professionals – including psychologists, social workers, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech pathologists, and exercise physiologists – the study found that more than 94% regularly recommend time outdoors to their clients.

    “Allied health professionals can play an important role in improving people’s access to and use of nature, to benefit their health and wellbeing,” says lead author and University of Adelaide Senior Research Fellow, Dr Jessica Stanhope.

    “Whether it’s persistent pain, high blood pressure, respiratory issues, or depression, allied health professionals recognise the therapeutic potential of time spent in nature.

    “But despite their support, barriers such as limited access to green spaces, mobility issues, patient safety concerns, and even scepticism from other professionals can prevent nature-based therapies from being used.”

    Other common challenges include professional resistance or lack of awareness about the evidence supporting nature-based approaches; environmental factors such as weather, infrastructure, and lack of inclusive design; and client concerns about motivation, ability, or perceived credibility of nature therapies.

    More than 70% of allied health professionals had advocated for providing and improving natural environments, with 55% directly involved in efforts to make outdoor spaces more accessible for therapy.

    “Even when patients can’t physically get outdoors, we know that exposure to nature – through images, sounds, scents, or simply viewing natural scenes – can still be beneficial,” Dr Stanhope says.

    “This is where community gardens, indoor green spaces in aged care facilities, and nature-based learning activities in schools and childcare settings are so valuable.

    “Through activities like walking outside, gardening, or even playing on a jungle gym, people are doing everyday skills, building their confidence, capacity and social connection.”

    Co-researcher Professor Mary Butler from UniSA says nature should be more fully integrated into the design and delivery of allied health.

    “We need to translate the research into practical strategies so that nature-based activities become part of standard care,” Prof Butler says.

    “That includes improving outdoor spaces through better paths, seating, shade, and fencing, and boosting awareness across the health sector and community about the benefits of nature for wellbeing.

    “With the right support, everyone – including older adults and people with disability – can access the outdoors and its health benefits.”

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

    Contact for interview:
     Jessica Stanhope, the University of Adelaide. E: jessica.stanhope@adelaide.edu.au
    Media contacts: Annabel Mansfield, UniSA M: +61 479 182 489 E: Annabel.Mansfield@unisa.edu.au
    Rhiannon Koch, the University of Adelaide. M: +61 481 619 997. E: rhiannon.koch@adelaide.edu.au

    MIL OSI News –

  • US opens probe into University of Michigan’s foreign funding

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The U.S. Education Department said on Tuesday it opened a foreign funding investigation into the University of Michigan while alleging it found “inaccurate and incomplete disclosures” in a review of the university’s foreign reports.

    As part of the investigation, the department asked the university to share, within 30 days, tax records related to foreign funding, a list of foreign gifts, grants, and contracts with any foreign source, and other documents, the department said in a statement and in a letter to the university.

    The University of Michigan will cooperate fully with federal investigators and it takes its responsibility to comply with the law seriously, it said in a statement.

    “We strongly condemn any actions that seek to cause harm, threaten national security or undermine the university’s critical public mission,” the statement said.

    The Education Department said the university’s research laboratories were “vulnerable to sabotage,” citing charges brought by the U.S. Justice Department against two Chinese nationals allegedly involving a University of Michigan lab.

    In June, U.S. federal prosecutors accused two Chinese nationals of smuggling into the U.S. a dangerous biological pathogen that they said had the potential to be used as an agricultural “terrorism weapon”.

    Zunyong Liu, 34, a Chinese researcher, is alleged to have brought the pathogen into the U.S. while visiting his girlfriend, Yunqing Jian, 33, in July 2024, according to an FBI complaint.

    The complaint said he admitted to smuggling in a fungus so he could conduct research on it at a University of Michigan laboratory where his girlfriend worked. However, experts have raised doubt about the FBI’s claim that the crop fungus smuggled was a threat.

    In its statement, the Education Department said the university has received $375 million in foreign funding since 2020 and was late in reporting $86 million of that amount. U.S. law requires universities to report donations from foreign sources exceeding $250,000 in a year.

    President Donald Trump’s administration has launched a widely condemned crackdown against top U.S. universities over a range of issues including pro-Palestinian campus protests against Israel’s war in Gaza, transgender rights, climate initiatives and diversity, equity and inclusion programs.

    Similar foreign funding probes were opened earlier at Harvard University, the University of Pennsylvania and the University of California, Berkeley.

    -Reuters

  • MIL-OSI Russia: NSU scientists create a new type of endoscopic system for diagnostics and destruction of cancer cells

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Novosibirsk State University –

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    The results of the Russian Science Foundation mega-grant competition for fundamental scientific research and exploratory scientific research under the supervision of leading foreign scientists have been summed up. 230 projects from 127 scientific organizations from 35 subjects of the Russian Federation applied for RSF support. The projects submitted for the competition are being implemented under the supervision of leading scientists with citizenship from 40 countries, including China, India, Iran, Belarus, Kazakhstan, the USA, Italy, and France. According to the results of the examination, 14 projects were declared winners. For 5 years, they will receive from 20 to 50 million rubles annually. If necessary, it is envisaged to extend the grant support for another three years.

    Among the winners is the project of scientists from the Laboratory of Nonlinear Optics of Waveguide Systems of Novosibirsk State University “The Kerr Self-Cleaning Effect of Multimode Beams in Specialized Optical Fibers and Its Application for Biomedicine”. This laboratory was created in May 2017 as a result of the victory of the project “Spatio-temporal Nonlinear Optics of Multimode and Multi-Core Fiber Systems” in the fifth competition of the Ministry of Education and Science of Russia for receiving grants from the Government of the Russian Federation for state support of scientific research conducted under the supervision of leading scientists. Its head is a recognized world expert in the theory of surface waves, as well as an expert in nonlinear effects in fiber-optic communication systems Stefan Wabnitz. His research activity for more than 30 years took place in leading academic and industrial institutions in Europe and the USA.

    — Our project is aimed at creating an innovative endoscopic device that combines optical biopsy and low-temperature plasma therapy technologies. Its goal is to develop a unified system that provides the ability to both diagnose and treat gastrointestinal diseases, including oncological diseases, in real time, which will eliminate the need for lengthy histopathology and increase the accuracy of examinations. This device will combine two functions at once — diagnostics (using machine learning) and therapy (laser/plasma), minimizing damage to healthy tissues, — said Denis Kharenko, senior researcher at the laboratory.

    In current medical practices, ex vivo histopathology is used for accurate cancer diagnostics, during which laboratory studies of living tissue transferred from the body to an artificial external environment are carried out. It involves taking tissue from the patient, which leads to delays in the start of therapy and requires complex laboratory procedures and practically does not allow observing the course of the disease in dynamics. NSU scientists propose to solve this problem by introducing in-vivo diagnostics, which allows examining the body without taking material using optical endoscopic methods. It is important that this diagnostic method will be associated with the possibility of therapeutic intervention, which will not only significantly increase the area under study and the volume of data obtained, but also accurately identify the affected area during repeated examination, minimizing time and economic costs, as well as the risks of errors associated with the analysis of samples outside the body.

    — The new type of endoscopic system we are creating, in addition to diagnostics, will be able to precisely affect tumor cells using temperature-controlled laser radiation and low-temperature plasma, causing their apoptosis without excessive heating — a process of programmed cell death, in which the cell self-destructs, disintegrating into individual fragments, which are then absorbed by other cells without causing negative consequences. This leads to minimal damage to healthy tissue. This feature will reduce side effects, avoid fibrosis and vascular damage, which is extremely important for improving the quality of life of patients. The project is a significant step forward in the field of “optical biopsy” and endoscopic therapy, — explained Denis Kharenko.

    One of the main scientific tasks of the scientists will be to optimize the process of diagnostics and treatment of cancer using a multimode optical fiber, which implements the Kerr self-cleaning effect, providing high resolution (up to 0.66 µm) and resistance to mechanical impacts during the propagation of laser radiation. The integration of multiphoton fluorescence and Raman scattering will further expand the diagnostic capabilities of the device, allowing for spectroscopic studies of tissues and the detection of biomarkers characteristic of different stages of the disease with microscopic accuracy. According to the project participants, this technology will make the device a universal tool for both diagnostics and subsequent treatment.

    The project involves several stages. First, the scientists will design and test multimode fibers and high-repetition-rate lasers for the endoscopic system. The next step will be to test the device on biological samples, including lab-created organoids and cancerous tissue.

    — We are confident that our experimental setup with the ability to precisely control low-temperature plasma will allow localized impact on the affected areas of organs and tissues, which will create the basis for the application of the technology in clinical practice. We intend to create a flexible and highly effective visualization and therapy system, which will subsequently become established as a standard in the field of diagnostics and treatment of gastrointestinal diseases, including oncological diseases in the early stages, — said Denis Kharenko.

    Material prepared by: Elena Panfilo, NSU press service

    Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: We travelled to Antarctica to see if a Māori lunar calendar might help track environmental change

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Holly Winton, Senior Research Fellow in Climatology, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington

    Holly Winton, CC BY-SA

    Antarctica’s patterns of stark seasonal changes, with months of darkness followed by a summer of 24-hour daylight, prompted us to explore how a Māori lunar and environmental calendar (Maramataka) might apply to the continent and help us recognise changes as the climate continues to warm.

    Maramataka represent an ancient knowledge system using environmental signs (tohu) to impart knowledge about lunar and environmental connections. It traces the mauri (energy flow) between the land (whenua), the ocean (moana) and the sky and atmosphere (rangi), and how people connect to the natural world.

    Maramataka are regionally specific. For example, in Manukau, the arrival of godwits from the Arctic indicates seasonal changes that align with the migration of eels moving up the local Puhinui stream.

    During matiti muramura, the third summer phase that aligns with the summer solstice, the environment offers tohu that guide seasonal activity. The flowering of pohutukawa is a land sign (tohu o te whenua), the rising of Rehua (Antares, the brightest star in the constellation Scorpius) is an atmospheric sign (tohu o te rangi), and sea urchins (kina) are a sea sign (tohu o te moana).

    When these signs align, it signals balance in nature and the right time to gather food. But if they are out of sync (such as early flowering or small kina), it means something in the environment (te taiao) is out of balance.

    These tohu remind us how deeply land, sea and sky are connected, and why careful observation matters. When they’re out of sync, they call us to pause, observe and adapt in ways that restore natural balance and uphold the mauri of te taiao.

    Tracking a Maramataka in Antarctica

    One of the key tohu we observed in Antarctica was the mass arrival of Weddell seals outside New Zealand’s Scott Base at the height of summer.

    Guided by Maramataka authorities, we explored other local tohu using Hautuu Waka, an ancient framework of weaving and wayfinding to navigate a changing environment. Originally used for navigating vast oceans, wayfinding in this context becomes a metaphor for navigating the complexities of today’s environmental and social challenges.

    During the Antarctic summer, the Sun doesn’t set. But we documented the Moon when visible in the day sky and observed the Sun, clouds, mountains and various forms of snow and ice. This included glacial ice on the land, sea ice in the ocean and snowflakes in the sky.

    One of the seasonal tohu in Antarctica is the mass arrival of Weddell seals outside New Zealand’s Scott Base at the height of summer.
    Holly Winton, CC BY-SA

    While the tohu in Antarctica were vastly different from those observed in Aotearoa, the energy phases of the Maramataka Moon cycles aligned with traditional stories (pūrākau) describing snow and ice.

    We identified some of the 12 different forms of snow recorded by ethnographers, who described them as the “offspring of wind and rain”.

    At Scott Base, we observed feather-like snow (hukapuhi) and floating snow (hukarangaranga). Further inland on the high-elevation polar plateau, we found “unseen” snow (hukakoropuku), which is not always visible to the naked eye but felt on the skin, and dust-like snow (hukapunehunehu), akin to diamond dust. The latter phenomenon occurs when air temperatures are cold enough for water vapour to condense directly out of the atmosphere and form tiny ice crystals, which sparkle like diamonds.

    In te ao Māori, snow has a genealogy (whakapapa) that connects it to wider systems of life and knowledge. Snow is part of a continuum that begins in Ranginui (the sky father) and moves through the god (atua) of weather Tāwhirimātea, who shapes the form and movement of clouds, winds, rain and snow. Each type of snow carries its own name, qualities and behaviour, reflecting its journey through the skies and land.

    The existence of the specific terms (kupu) for different forms of snow and ice reflect generations of observation, passed down through whakapapa and oral histories (kōrero tuku iho).

    Connecting Western science and mātauranga Māori

    Our first observations of tohu in Antarctica mark the initial step towards intertwining the ancient knowledge system of mātauranga Māori with modern scientific exploration.

    The Moon cycles at Scott Base align with traditional stories describing snow and ice.
    Holly Winton, CC BY-SA

    Observing snow through traditional practices provided insights into processes that cannot be fully understood through Western science methods alone. Mātauranga Māori recognises tohu through close sensory attention and relational awareness with the landscape.

    Drawing on our field observations and past and present knowledge of environmental calendars found in mātauranga Māori and palaeo-climate data such as ice cores, we can begin to connect different knowledge systems in Antarctica.

    For example, just as the Maramataka contains information about the environment over time, so do Antarctic ice cores. Every snowflake carries a chemical signature of the environment that, day by day, builds up a record of the past. By measuring the chemistry of Antarctic ice, we gain proxy information about environmental and seasonal cycles such as temperature, winds, sea ice and marine phytoplankton.

    The middle of summer in an ice core record is marked by peak levels in chemical signals from marine phytoplankton that bloom in the Ross Sea when sea ice melts, temperatures are warmer and light and nutrients are available. This biogenic aerosol is a summer tohu identified as a key environmental time marker in the Maramataka of the onset of the breading season and surge in biological activity.

    The knowledge of Maramataka has developed over millennia. Conceptualising this for Antarctica opens a way of using Māori methods and frameworks to glean new insights about the continent and ocean. Grounded in te ao Māori understanding that everything is connected, this approach invites us to see the polar environment not as a remote but a living system of interwoven tohu, rhythms and relationships.

    Holly Winton receives funding from Royal Society Te Apārangi (Rutherford Discovery Fellowship and Marsden Fast-Start) and Victoria University of Wellington (Mātauranga Māori Research Fund). Logistics support for Antarctic fieldwork was provided by Antarctica New Zealand.

    Ayla Hoeta receives funding from Victoria University of Wellington (Mātauranga Māori Research Fund). Logistics support for Antarctic fieldwork was provided by Antarctica New Zealand.

    – ref. We travelled to Antarctica to see if a Māori lunar calendar might help track environmental change – https://theconversation.com/we-travelled-to-antarctica-to-see-if-a-maori-lunar-calendar-might-help-track-environmental-change-239583

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Right-wing political group Advance is in the headlines. What is it and what does it stand for?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Riboldi, Lecturer in Social Impact and Social Change, UTS Business School, University of Technology Sydney

    Advance/Facebook

    Political lobby group Advance has been back in the headlines this week. It was revealed an organisation headed by the husband of the Special Envoy for Combatting Antisemitism, Jillian Segal, donated A$50,000 to the group.

    The news prompted outcry, though Segal denied any personal involvement.

    So what is Advance and what does it do?

    What is Advance?

    Advance (originally Advance Australia) is a digital campaigning organisation. It was formed in 2018 by a group of wealthy Australians, many with connections to the Liberal Party. The idea was to be a conservative counterpoint to progressive digital campaigning group GetUp!

    At the time, political journalist Mungo McCallum described them as a “stratospherically elite clique of rich, bored men looking for a hobby.” He suggested they would have little, if any, impact.

    Today the group has more than 330,000 members.

    They also successfully led the “No” campaign in the Indigenous Voice to Parliament Referendum in 2023.

    McCallum’s initial dismissal of Advance appears somewhat premature.

    What does Advance want?

    Advance’s stated aim is to “take the fight to the activists and elites” to “secure Australia’s freedom, security and prosperity”. They campaign against progressive taxation, immigration, the transition to renewable energy and even Welcome to Country ceremonies.

    This positions Advance alongside other right-wing populist actors, including Donald Trump, in the modern “war on woke”. This comparison was welcomed by founding Advance director, major donor and hedge fund manager Simon Fenwick.



    Read more:
    Follow the money: the organisations that spent the most on social media during the election

    These actors, which in Australia also include the Murdoch Press, construct elitism not along class lines, but along an urban/rural divide. In its view, Advance’s billionaire funders are apparently not elites. Instead, they attempt to foster divisions between urban “elites” and regional and suburban “mainstream Australians”.

    Like the Trumpian model of “flood(ing) the zone with shit”, Advance has been accused of pursuing these aims by “unleashing a veritable fire hose of disinformation”. The hose is often aimed at progressive political candidates, climate change, immigrants or the Voice referendum.

    Who runs and funds Advance?

    Advance’s longtime Executive Director and “main man” is the somewhat enigmatic Matthew Sheahan. Their current spokesperson is Sandra Bourke, who has a background in law enforcement and national security. In 2024, Bourke claimed Advance was “the biggest grassroots movement in Australian political history”.

    While Advance is structurally independent of any political party, a variety of Liberal Party figures have been closely connected to the organisation, including former Prime Minister Tony Abbott.

    Early prominent members (and funders) of Advance included storage king Sam Kennard, far-right president of the Australian Jewish Association David Adler, and climate denier Maurice Newman.

    Founding Director Simon Fenwick has donated at least $400,000 to the organisation through his family trust since its inception.

    In 2023–24, Advance received a $500,000 donation from the Cormack Foundation, an investment fund created by the Liberal Party of Victoria.

    The organisation reported income of more than $15.5 million in the same period. It claims their average donation received from supporters is $160.

    What impact has Advance had?

    The 2023 Voice Referendum “made” Advance (and arguably Matthew Sheahan) via their management of two prominent No campaigns.

    Prior to this, Advance’s campaigning was arguably more nuisance than anything else.

    Advance’s No campaign featured significant amounts of dis- and misinformation across multiple media channels, including phone banking (cold calling voters). The campaign was characterised by contradictory micro campaigns that sowed the confusion that fed the slogan of “if you don’t know, vote No”.

    The Advance-led No campaigns also strongly embraced racism against leading First Nations voices. This included suggestions that media commentator Stan Grant had artificially darkened his skin, questioning the “blackness” of Victorian Senator Lidia Thorpe, and utilising “Jim Crow” style advertising against leading Yes campaigner Thomas Mayo.

    The Jim Crow era of American history refers to a time in the late 19th and early-mid 20th centuries where laws enforced racial segregation and discrimination.

    One of the key spokespeople for Advance’s No campaign was Jacinta Nampijinpa Price, a woman with Aboriginal and Anglo-Celtic heritage. She’s a former Advance staffer and current Liberal Party Senator and made the comments about Lidia Thorpe.

    Why is Advance important?

    Following their role in the Voice campaign, Advance have arguably “eclipsed” their inspiration and progressive rivals GetUp! as Australia’s leading digital campaigning organisation. Glen Berman, current GetUp! chair, has even admitted “there were things that GetUp! could learn” from Advance.

    Advance appeared influential over Liberal Party strategy ahead of the 2025 federal election campaign. During the campaign, it was the highest spending third party group (non-party, non-candidate) on Meta (Facebook and Instagram) advertising. This saw it emerge as the conservative third party “opposition” to the Australian union movement.

    However, following the Australian Labor Party’s landslide victory, Advance attempted to distance themselves from the Coalition’s campaign. While they claim to have been focused on “destroying” the Greens, analysis suggests Advance’s campaign was equally focused on framing Labor Prime Minister Anthony Albanese as “weak, woke and sending us broke”.

    Senior Liberal Party figures, for their part, have also “cast doubt on the effectiveness of Advance”, saying it may have cost them seats.

    Generally, scholars Marian Sawer and Kurt Sengul argue Advance, along with the Murdoch media, have engaged in the “populist mobilisation of resentment which is likely to exacerbate the kind of divisions seen in the Voice referendum” since 2018.

    Part of a worldwide trend towards right-wing populism, Advance will likely continue to be at the centre of conservative politics in Australia.

    Mark Riboldi 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. Right-wing political group Advance is in the headlines. What is it and what does it stand for? – https://theconversation.com/right-wing-political-group-advance-is-in-the-headlines-what-is-it-and-what-does-it-stand-for-261164

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Scientists could be accidentally damaging fossils with a method we thought was safe

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mathieu Duval, Adjunct Senior Researcher at Griffith University and La Trobe University, and Ramón y Cajal (Senior) Research Fellow, Centro Nacional de Investigación sobre la Evolución Humana (CENIEH)

    185,000-year-old human fossil jawbone from Misliya Cave, Israel. Gerhard Weber, University of Vienna, CC BY-ND

    Fossils are invaluable archives of the past. They preserve details about living things from a few thousand to hundreds of millions of years ago.

    Studying fossils can help us understand the evolution of species over time, and glimpse snapshots of past environments and climates. Fossils can also reveal the diets or migration patterns of long-gone species – including our own ancestors.

    But when living things turn to rock, discerning those details is no easy feat. One common technique for studying fossils is micro-computerised tomography or micro-CT. It’s been used to find the earliest evidence of bone cancer in humans, to study brain imprints and inner ears in early hominins, and to study the teeth of the oldest human modern remains outside Africa, among many other examples.

    However, our new study, published today in Radiocarbon, shows that despite being widely regarded as non-destructive, micro-CT may actually affect fossil preservation and erase some crucial information held inside.

    Preserving precious specimens

    Fossils are rare and fragile by nature. Scientists are constantly evaluating how to balance their impact on fossils with the need to study them.

    When palaeontologists and palaeoanthropologists (who work on human fossils) analyse fossils, they want to minimise any potential damage. We want to preserve fossils for future generations as much as possible – and technology can be a huge help here.

    Micro-CT works like the medical CT scans doctors use to peek inside the human body. However, it does so at a much smaller scale and at a greater resolution.

    This is perfect for studying small objects such as fossils. With micro-CT, scientists can take high-resolution 3D images and access the inner structure of fossils without the need to cut them open.

    These scans also allow for virtual copies of the fossils, which other scientists can then access from anywhere in the world. This significantly reduces the risk of damage, since the scanned fossils can safely remain in a museum collection, for example.

    Micro-CT is popular and routinely used. The scientific community widely regards it as “non-destructive” because it doesn’t cause any visual damage – but it could still affect the fossil.

    Jaw bone of the human fossil species Homo antecessor from Spain. Left: micro-CT scan with a cutting plane to visualise the inner structures, bone and teeth; right: 3D reconstruction based on the high-resolution micro-CT images.
    Laura Martín-Francés

    How does micro-CT imaging work?

    Micro-CT scanning uses X-rays and computer software to produce high-resolution images and reconstruct the fossil specimens in detail. Typically, palaeontologists use commercial scanners for this, but more advanced investigations may use powerful X-ray beams generated at a synchrotron.

    The X-rays go through the specimen and are captured by a detector on the other end. This allows for a very fine-grained understanding of the matter they’ve passed through – especially density, which then provides clues about the shape of the internal structures, the composition of the tissues, or any contamination.

    The scan produces a succession of 2D images from all angles. Computer software is then used to “clean up” these high-resolution images and assemble them into a 3D shape – a virtual copy of the fossil and its inner structures.

    Example of micro-CT results on a hominin fossil known as Little Foot, from southern Africa.

    But X-rays are not harmless

    X-rays are a type of ionising radiation. This means they have a high level of energy and can break electrons away from atoms (this is called ionisation).

    In living tissue, ionising radiation can damage cells and DNA, although the level of damage will depend on the duration and intensity of exposure. X-rays and CT scans used in medicine generally have a very low risk since the exposure of the human body is reduced as much as possible.

    However, despite what we know about the impact of X-rays on living cells, the potential impact of X-rays on fossils through micro-CT imaging has never been deeply investigated.

    What did our study find?

    Using standard settings on a typical micro-CT scanner, we scanned several modern and fossil bones and teeth from animals. We also measured their collagen content before and after scanning.

    Collagen is useful for many analytical purposes, such as finding out the age of the fossils using radiocarbon dating, or for stable isotope analysis – a method used to infer the diet of the extinct species, for example. The collagen content in fossils is usually much lower than in modern specimens because it slowly breaks down over time.

    After comparing our measurements with unscanned samples taken from the same specimens, we found two things.

    First, the radiocarbon age remained unchanged. In other words, micro-CT scanning doesn’t affect radiocarbon dating. That’s the good news.

    The bad news is that we did observe a significant decrease in the amount of collagen present. In other words, the micro-CT scanned samples had about 35% less collagen than the samples before scanning.

    This shows micro-CT imaging has a non-negligible impact on fossils that contain collagen traces. While this was to be expected, the impact hasn’t been experimentally confirmed before.

    It’s possible some fossil samples won’t have enough collagen left after micro-CT scanning. This would make them unsuitable for a range of analytical techniques, including radiocarbon dating.

    What now?

    In a previous study, we showed micro-CT can artificially “age” fossils later dated with a method called electron spin resonance. It’s commonly used to date fossils older than 50,000 years – beyond what the radiocarbon method can discern.

    This previous study and our new work show that micro-CT scanning may significantly and irreversibly change the fossil and the information it holds.

    Despite causing no visible damage to the fossil, we argue that in this context the technique should no longer be regarded as non-destructive.

    Micro-CT imaging is highly valuable in palaeontology and palaeoanthropology, no doubt about that. But our results suggest it should be used sparingly to minimise how much fossils are exposed to X-rays. There are guidelines scientists can use to minimise damage. Freely sharing data to avoid repeated scans of the same specimen will be helpful, too.

    Mathieu Duval receives funding from the Spanish State Research Agency (Agencia Estatal de Investigación). He is currently the recipient of a Ramón y Cajal fellowship (RYC2018-025221-I) funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and by ‘‘ESF Investing in your future”. This work is also part of Spanish Grant PID2021-123092NB-C22 funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033/FEDER, UE, and by ‘‘ERDF A way of making Europe”.

    Laura Martín-Francés receives funding from Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions of the EU Ninth programme (2021-2027) under the HORIZON-MSCA-2021-PF-01-Project: 101060482.

    – ref. Scientists could be accidentally damaging fossils with a method we thought was safe – https://theconversation.com/scientists-could-be-accidentally-damaging-fossils-with-a-method-we-thought-was-safe-258827

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI China: Macao’s historic center marks 20 years as living world heritage

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

    China’s Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) on Tuesday began a series of activities to mark the 20th anniversary of the Historic Center of Macao being inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

    Designated on July 15, 2005, at the 29th session of the World Heritage Committee held in Durban, South Africa, the district embodies over four centuries of maritime history and cultural fusion.

    CHRONICLE OF CULTURAL BLEND

    From the Guia Fortress to the A-Ma Temple, the Historic Center of Macao spans 22 landmarks and eight plazas — an enduring tapestry of East-West exchange.

    The Ruins of St. Paul’s vividly represent the heart of the legacy. Erected in the early 1600s, the monument resembles a traditional Chinese “Paifang” while bearing Western motifs.

    “You can see the blend of East and West,” said Ung Vai Meng, guest professor at the Macao University of Science and Technology. “The way grey bricks are embedded in rammed earth walls reflects Chinese craftsmanship merged with European structural ideas,” he told Xinhua.

    The Ruins of St. Paul’s was originally part of St. Paul’s College, which at that time drew inspiration from European universities and trained scholars to carry the Chinese language and philosophy to Europe, while introducing Western science and culture to China.

    “It was a two-way bridge of enlightenment,” noted Wu Zhiliang, president of the Macao Federation of Cultural Circles. Their influence went beyond theology — it reached education and cultural identity, he added.

    Another pillar of the historic center is the former residence of Qing Dynasty reformist Zheng Guanying, known as the Mandarin’s House. Nestled in the southwest of the old town, it remains Macao’s largest traditional residential compound. “Here, we feel Lingnan culture firsthand,” Ung said. “Oyster-shell windows speak to southern Chinese traditions, while Western columns and decorative carvings hint at global influence.”

    Within those walls, Zheng penned Words of Warning in Times of Prosperity, an urgent call for political and economic reform at that time. “He shifted from a traditional gentry to an advocate of modernization at this place,” Wu said, noting that “his thinking profoundly influenced a generation.”

    REVITALIZING HISTORIC TREASURE

    Built in the 1800s and opened to the public in 1958, the Sir Robert Ho Tung Library houses over 20,000 classical volumes. Towering ancient trees and the rockery fountain complement each other, cloaking this historic building in a veil of nature. Tang Mei Lin, chief of the department of public library management, Macao SAR government’s cultural affairs bureau (IC), told Xinhua that the library is not only a place for reading and studying, but also a popular spot where many locals come to unwind.

    “We offer unique activities, such as a one-day librarian experience and hands-on workshops in ancient book restoration,” Tang said, noting that it’s a great example of successful revitalization.

    In 2022, the Macao World Heritage Monitoring Center was established, equipping the city with over 170 environmental sensors. “Our teams can conduct real-time checks using mobile apps and analyze data through a centralized platform,” said Ho Cheok Fong, an official of the department of cultural heritage under the IC.

    Revitalization has become a hallmark of Macao’s heritage approach. Events like the 2025 Macao International Parade in March — launched from the Ruins of St. Paul’s — transformed the old streets into vibrant stages. With performers from 15 countries and regions joining local troupes, the event animated cultural dialogues.

    “The parade is more than a spectacle,” said Leong Wai Man, head of the IC, adding that “it creates real connections between local, national, and global cultures.”

    “It’s nice to see a city keeping its old culture and old buildings alive,” Dale Page, a tourist from the United Kingdom, told Xinhua at the Mandarin’s House. Another visitor from the Chinese mainland, Xiao Hui, reflected: “This architectural legacy isn’t just Macao’s treasure but a gift to world heritage.”

    Data showed that as of 11 a.m. on July 8, the number of visitor arrivals in Macao this year has surpassed 20 million — 26 days earlier than last year. The Macao SAR government’s tourism office said that with the summer holiday underway, a variety of events and performances will be held to attract more visitors.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: ER Report: A Roundup of Significant Articles on EveningReport.nz for July 16, 2025

    ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on July 16, 2025.

    How a drone delivering medicine might just save your life
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Centaine Snoswell, Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Health Services Research, The University of Queensland Flystock/Shutterstock Drones can deliver pizza, and maybe one day your online shopping. So why not use them to deliver urgent medicines or other emergency health-care supplies? Trials in Australia and internationally have shown

    Why it’s important young, unemployed Australians get a good job instead of just ‘any’ job
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brendan Churchill, ARC Senior Research Fellow and Senior Lecturer in Sociology, The University of Melbourne Lightfield Studios/Shutterstock We often hear young people need to get a job – any job – but what if the problem isn’t whether they’re working or not, but the kind of job

    Why do some autistic people walk differently?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nicole Rinehart, Nicole Rinehart, Professor, Clinical Psychology, Director of the Neurodevelopment Program, School of Psychological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University Autism is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects how people’s brains develop and function, impacting behaviour, communication and socialising. It can also involve

    How to approach going to the cinema like a philosopher
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alain Guillemain, PhD Candidate in Philosophy, Deakin University Philosophy is the study of fundamental questions about reality, knowledge, and values. One “does philosophy” when they respond to such questions in ways that engage critical thought and inquiry. Many of us will often respond philosophically to the world

    Australia’s census is getting a stress test – keeping it going is good for everyone
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Liz Allen, Demographer, POLIS Centre for Social Policy Research, Australian National University GoldPanter/Shutterstock The Australian Bureau of Statistics will roll out a large-scale census test next month. About 60,000 households will take part across the country to stress test the bureau’s collection processes and IT systems, ahead

    How safe are the chemicals in sunscreen? A pharmacology expert explains
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ian Musgrave, Senior Lecturer in Pharmacology, University of Adelaide aquaArts studio/Getty Last week, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) released its safety review of seven active ingredients commonly used in sunscreens. It found five were low-risk and appropriate for use in sunscreens at their current concentrations. However, the

    Control fire and ferals in Australia’s tropical savannas to bring the small mammals back
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alyson Stobo-Wilson, Research Adjunct in Conservation Ecology, Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods, Charles Darwin University Alyson Stobo-Wilson In remote central Arnhem Land, finding a northern brushtail possum is encouraging for the local Indigenous rangers. Though once common, such small native mammals are now rare. Many

    Florida is fronting the $450M cost of Alligator Alcatraz – a legal scholar explains what we still don’t know about the detainees
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Schlakman, Senior Program Director, The Florida State University Center for the Advancement of Human Rights, Florida State University Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis leads a tour of the new Alligator Alcatraz immigration detention facility for President Donald Trump and U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.

    As house prices drop, will the retirement nest egg still be such a safe bet?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Claire Dale, Research Fellow, the Pensions and Intergenerational Equity (PIE) research hub, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau MonthiraYodtiwong/Getty Images Changes to KiwiSaver, global economic uncertainty and predictions house prices could drop by as much as 20% by 2030 all mean retirement is looking very different to

    Fiji govt offers NZ$1.5m settlement to former anti-corruption head for ruined career
    By Margot Staunton, RNZ Pacific senior reporter The Fiji government looks set to pay around NZ$1.5 million in damages to the disgraced former head of the country’s anti-corruption agency FICAC. The state is offering Barbara Malimali an out-of-court settlement after her lawyer lodged a judicial review of her sacking in the High Court in Suva.

    Federal Court rules Australian government doesn’t have a duty of care to protect Torres Strait Islanders from climate change
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Liz Hicks, Lecturer in Law, The University of Melbourne Australian Climate Case The Federal Court has handed down its long-awaited judgement in a four-year climate case brought by Torres Strait Islanders. Elders Uncle Pabai Pabai and Uncle Paul Kabai took the Australian government to court on behalf

    No more card surcharges: what the Reserve Bank’s proposed changes mean for your wallet
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Angel Zhong, Professor of Finance, RMIT University That extra 10c on your morning coffee. That $2 surcharge on your taxi ride. The sneaky 1.5% fee when you pay by card at your local restaurant. These could all soon be history. The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) has

    President Xi Jinping tells Albanese China ready to ‘push the bilateral relationship further’
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Chinese President Xi Jinping has told Anthony Albanese China stands ready to work with Australia “to push the bilateral relationship further”, in their meeting in Beijing on Tuesday. During the meeting, Albanese raised Australia’s concern about China’s lack of proper

    Tyranny is an ever-present threat to civilisations. Here’s how Classical Greece and China dealt with it
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Shannon Brincat, Senior Lecturer in Politics and International Relations, University of the Sunshine Coast We’re just a few months into US president Donald Trump’s second term but his rule has already been repeatedly compared to tyranny. This may all feel very new to Americans, and to the

    A person in the US has died from pneumonic plague. It’s not just a disease of history
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Thomas Jeffries, Senior Lecturer in Microbiology, Western Sydney University Corona Borealis Studio/Shutterstock A person in Arizona has died from the plague, local health officials reported on Friday. This marks the first such death in this region in 18 years. But it’s a stark reminder that this historic

    Supermarket treatments for depression don’t require a prescription. But do they work?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jon Wardle, Professor of Public Health, Southern Cross University Australians have long been some of the highest users of herbal and nutritional supplements that claim to boost mood or ease depression. These include omega-3s (found in fish oil), St John’s wort, probiotics and vitamin D. In fact,

    Tyranny is an ever-present threat to civilisations. Here’s how Ancient Greece and China dealt with it
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Shannon Brincat, Senior Lecturer in Politics and International Relations, University of the Sunshine Coast Panasevich/Getty Images We’re just a few months into US president Donald Trump’s second term but his rule has already been repeatedly compared to tyranny. This may all feel very new to Americans, and

    After a hopeful start, Labor’s affordable housing fund is proving problematic
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katrina Raynor, Director of the Centre for Equitable Housing, Per Capita and Research Associate, The University of Melbourne When the Albanese government announced the A$10 billion Housing Australia Future Fund in 2023, the news reverberated through the housing sector. A new funding facility to help build 30,000

    The southern hemisphere is full of birds found nowhere else on Earth. Their importance has been overlooked
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Matthias Dehling, Researcher, School of Biological Sciences, Monash University Matthias Dehling The snow petrel, a strikingly white bird with black eyes and a black bill, is one of only three bird species ever observed at the South Pole. In fact, the Antarctic is the only place on

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Why do some autistic people walk differently?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nicole Rinehart, Nicole Rinehart, Professor, Clinical Psychology, Director of the Neurodevelopment Program, School of Psychological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University

    Autism is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects how people’s brains develop and function, impacting behaviour, communication and socialising. It can also involve differences in the way you move and walk – known as your “gait”.

    Having an “odd gait” is now listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders as a supporting diagnostic feature of autism.

    What does this look like?

    The most noticeable gait differences among autistic people are:

    • toe-walking, walking on the balls of the feet
    • in-toeing, walking with one or both feet turned inwards
    • out-toeing, walking with one or both feet turned out.

    Research has also identified more subtle differences. A study summarising 30 years of research among autistic people reports that gait is characterised by:

    • walking more slowly
    • taking wider steps
    • spending longer in the “stance” phase, when the foot leaves the ground
    • taking more time to complete each step.

    Autistic people show much more personal variability in the length and speed of their strides, as well as their walking speed.

    Gait differences also tend to occur alongside other motor differences, such as issues with balance, coordination, postural stability and handwriting. Autistic people may need support for these other motor skills.

    What causes gait differences?

    These are largely due to differences in brain development, specifically in areas known as the basal ganglia and cerebellum.

    The basal ganglia are broadly responsible for sequencing movement including through shifting posture. It ensures your gait appears effortless, smooth and automatic.

    The cerebellum then uses visual and proprioceptive information (to sense the body’s position and movement) to adjust and time movements to maintain postural stability. It ensures movement is controlled and coordinated.

    Differences occur in the cerebellum and basal ganglia.
    grayjay/Shutterstock

    Developmental differences in these brain regions relate to the way the areas look (their structure), how they work (their function and activation) and how they “speak” to other areas of the brain (their connections).

    While some researchers have suggested that autistic gait occurs due to delayed development, we now know gait differences persist across the lifespan. Some differences actually become clearer with age.

    In addition to brain-based differences, the autistic gait is also associated with factors such as the person’s broader motor, language and cognitive capabilities.

    People with more complex support needs might have more pronounced gait or motor differences, together with language and cognitive difficulties.

    Motor dysregulation might indicate sensory or cognitive overload and be a useful marker that the person might benefit from extra support or a break.

    How is it managed?

    Not all differences need to be treated. Instead, clinicians take an individualised and goals-based approach.

    Some autistic people might have subtle gait differences that are observable during testing. But if these differences don’t impact a person’s ability to participate in everyday life, they don’t require support.

    An autistic person is likely to benefit from support for gait differences if they have a functional impact on their daily life. This might include:

    • increased risk of, or frequent, falls
    • difficulty participating in the physical activities they enjoy
    • physical consequences such as tightness of the Achilles and calf muscles, or associated pain in other areas, such as the feet or back.

    Some children may also benefit from support for motor skill development. However this doesn’t have to occur in a clinic.

    Given children spend a large portion of their time at school, programs that integrate opportunities for movement throughout the school day allow autistic children to develop motor skills outside of the clinic and alongside peers. We developed the Joy of Moving Program in Australia, for example, which gets students moving in the classroom.

    Our community-based intervention studies show autistic children’s movement abilities can improve after engaging in community-based interventions, such as sports or dance.

    Community-based support models empower autistic children to have agency in how they move, rather than seeing different ways of moving as a problem to be fixed.

    Where to from here?

    While we have learnt a lot about autistic gait at a broad level, researchers and clinicians are still seeking a better understanding of why and when individual variability occurs.

    We’re also still determining how to best support individual movement styles, including among children as they develop.

    However there is growing evidence that physical activity enhances social skills and behavioural regulation in preschool children with autism.

    So it’s encouraging that states and territories are moving towards more community-based foundational supports for autistic children and their peers, as governments develop supports outside the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).

    The authors thank the late Emeritus Professor John Bradshaw for his early input into this piece.

    Nicole Rinehart receives funding from: Moose Happy Kids Foundation, MECCA M-Power, the Grace & Emilio Foundation, Ferrero Australia, as part of the global Kinder Joy of moving program, Aspen Pharmacare Australia Pty Ltd, Jonathan and Simone Wenig, Adam Krongold, the Grosman Family Foundation, the Shoreline Foundation, the Victorian Department of Education, the NSW Department of Education, and the Department of Social Services – Information, Linkages and Capacity Building (ILC) Program, and has worked in partnership with the Australian Football League.

    Chloe Emonson works on projects that receive funding from: Moose Happy Kids Foundation, MECCA M-Power, the Grace & Emilio Foundation, Ferrero Australia, as part of the global Kinder Joy of moving program, Aspen Pharmacare Australia Pty Ltd, Jonathan and Simone Wenig, Adam Krongold, the Grosman Family Foundation, the Shoreline Foundation, the Victorian Department of Education, the NSW Department of Education, and the Department of Social Services – Information, Linkages and Capacity Building (ILC) Program, and has worked in partnership with the Australian Football League.

    Ebony Lindor works on projects that receive funding from: Moose Happy Kids Foundation, MECCA M-Power, the Grace & Emilio Foundation, Ferrero Australia, as part of the global Kinder Joy of moving program, Aspen Pharmacare Australia Pty Ltd, Jonathan and Simone Wenig, Adam Krongold, the Grosman Family Foundation, the Shoreline Foundation, the Victorian Department of Education, the NSW Department of Education, and the Department of Social Services – Information, Linkages and Capacity Building (ILC) Program, and has worked in partnership with the Australian Football League.

    – ref. Why do some autistic people walk differently? – https://theconversation.com/why-do-some-autistic-people-walk-differently-231685

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Why it’s important young, unemployed Australians get a good job instead of just ‘any’ job

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brendan Churchill, ARC Senior Research Fellow and Senior Lecturer in Sociology, The University of Melbourne

    Lightfield Studios/Shutterstock

    We often hear young people need to get a job – any job – but what if the problem isn’t whether they’re working or not, but the kind of job they end up in?

    New research in the Australian Journal of Social Issues shows many young people who are in roles where they’re not working to their full capacity are also in low-quality jobs.

    Drawing on more than a decade of data from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia Survey, my research examines young workers between the ages of 20 and 34 who were underemployed in one of three ways:

    • they wanted more hours (time-related underemployment)

    • they were underpaid for the work they did (wage-related underemployment)

    • they weren’t using their skills in their current job (skills-related underemployment).

    Job quality matters

    Research shows poor jobs are linked to worse mental health, psychological distress and low job satisfaction.

    In my research, I focused on three aspects of job quality – how demanding and complex the work is, how much control a worker has over their work and how secure they feel in their job. Underemployment affects all three.

    When young people are underemployed, they also report having less control over their work and feeling less secure. They found these jobs were also less demanding and complex. They were boring.

    This applied to both men and women.

    Low wages and job security

    Overall, young people earning less than they should also felt less secure in their jobs. But underpaid young women also reported significantly lower job control. So, they faced a double disadvantage.

    Gender also mattered when it came to working fewer hours than they wanted.

    While young women who were underemployed reported lower job security, men who wanted more hours didn’t feel any less secure than men with sufficient hours.

    This suggests that for young women, working fewer hours isn’t just about lost income – it’s tied to a deeper sense of job insecurity.

    These patterns applied whether or not someone was in a casual job. Young people in permanent roles could still be underemployed or in bad jobs. In other words, underemployment and poor job quality aren’t just a feature of casual or gig work.

    It can be harder for women

    While similar proportions of young men and women experienced underemployment related to time and skills, young women were more likely to experience wage-related underemployment.

    For example, casual, lower-paid work often occurred in feminised sectors such as care and hospitality. These jobs are more likely to be overlooked and undervalued, even when they require significant skill.

    These gendered patterns reflect the kinds of jobs young women are often funnelled into.

    For young women, this can compound existing disadvantages over the course of their lives, especially when they’re in roles that are consistently undervalued.

    Youth unemployment is only part of the problem

    Politicians have long pushed the idea that young people should be “earning or learning”, to avoid the scourge of unemployment. But this thinking focuses too narrowly on youth unemployment and ignores a crucial question: are these jobs any good?

    My research challenges that idea.

    Underemployment is often hidden in plain sight. Someone might be working full-time, but still be underemployed. This is true if they’re underpaid, working below their qualification level, or not getting the hours they want.

    To fix this, we need to pay greater attention to underemployment and to the quality of the jobs young people are doing. Too often, economists and policymakers are focused on the youth (un)employment rate, but that only tells half the story.

    Brendan Churchill receives funding from the Australian Research Council.

    – ref. Why it’s important young, unemployed Australians get a good job instead of just ‘any’ job – https://theconversation.com/why-its-important-young-unemployed-australians-get-a-good-job-instead-of-just-any-job-260817

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: How a drone delivering medicine might just save your life

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Centaine Snoswell, Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Health Services Research, The University of Queensland

    Flystock/Shutterstock

    Drones can deliver pizza, and maybe one day your online shopping. So why not use them to deliver urgent medicines or other emergency health-care supplies?

    Trials in Australia and internationally have shown the enormous potential for drones to work with existing health services to deliver medicine, medical equipment, pathology samples, or provide surveillance in medical emergencies.

    Some emergency services are already using drones to deliver health care. Earlier this year, NSW Fire and Rescue used a drone to deliver essential medicine to someone stranded by floodwater while they were supported by phone. Follow the journey from launch to pick-up in the video below.

    Drones have enormous potential

    Drones are appealing because they can rapidly transport medical supplies, especially without traffic delays. They can quickly access places other forms of transport cannot, including remote or difficult-to-reach areas, such as cliffs. And when drones cannot land, they can use a parachute to safely drop their delivery. This means drones can deliver essential items, such as antivenom or defibrillators, before first responders reach the scene.

    Drones can also support medical efforts by providing birds-eye-view images and scans of sites before humans are sent in. This means it’s safer for first responders, such as ambulance crew, as they have a better idea of what to expect when they arrive in-person.

    Drones help find missing persons

    An Australian trial this year involved NSW Ambulance using drones for search and rescue in remote and hard-to-reach locations.

    Specially trained paramedics piloted the drones during the two-month trial. Drones had high-intensity search lights and used thermal imaging to help find missing persons. Video and audio capabilities allowed paramedics to communicate with the person once they were found, and to monitor them and the situation.

    This trial is a great example of how drones can be used to extend the capacity of first responders.

    Trials like this can also collect data about how well the drones work for different teams and circumstances. The more data we have about how drones can support first responders and medical staff, the better we can design services that include them.

    Drones send samples to the lab

    Darling Downs Health in Queensland has also been trialling drones. These transport pathology samples and pharmaceuticals between small rural hospitals in Nanango or Wondai, and the larger regional hospital in Kingaroy.

    This means pathology samples can be flown to the laboratory as soon as they are collected, instead of waiting for a courier. Patients can therefore be diagnosed and begin treatment earlier.

    The Mater Hospital in Brisbane is setting up a similar service to provide pathology services to the Moreton Bay islands. This service aims to avoid transporting pathology samples by ferry.

    Drones for beaches, hearts, or up mountains

    Surf Life Saving Queensland is running a regular drone patrol. Drones monitor shark activity and help co-ordinate responses, such as beach closures.

    Drones have been used in New South Wales to drop flotation devices to swimmers in danger.

    Swedish researchers have trialled using drones to deliver defibrillators to people who have called an ambulance and are suspected of being in cardiac arrest. A drone could deliver a defibrillator in 92% of suspected cardiac arrests. The delivery time was quicker than an ambulance 64% of the time.

    In mountainous regions of India, drones are used to deliver medications to remote health services as part of the Medicine from the Sky program.

    But there are limitations

    Despite drones’ potential to supplement existing health and emergency services, there are limitations.

    Their battery life and weight affects flight time. For instance, the NSW Ambulance trial reported the range of drones is 7 kilometres from base. So, it may be necessary to transport the drone closer to the area of need before it’s launched. This may reduce drones’ usefulness for rural and remote areas. There are also weight limits to what they can carry.

    Some drones may be limited to flying during the day. They may not be able to fly in poor weather conditions, reducing their effectiveness during natural disasters. Temperature and humidity can spoil pathology samples and some medications, which restricts what drones can be used for.

    Existing legislation may also limit where drones can operate.

    Is this the future?

    Many promising trials show drones can effectively help support health and emergency services.

    However, many of these trials have yet to released their final evaluations. So we still need evidence of whether drones improve health outcomes and are cost-effective. This would be essential if we were to routinely use drones to support health care and emergency services beyond these trials.

    The health-care sector would also benefit by learning from companies in other sectors that use drones. This would give the health sector insights into how and when to use drones safely, and how to scale up operations cost-effectively.

    The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. How a drone delivering medicine might just save your life – https://theconversation.com/how-a-drone-delivering-medicine-might-just-save-your-life-259904

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: New Regional University Hub opens in Warwick

    Source: Murray Darling Basin Authority

    A new Regional University Study Hub officially opened today in Warwick, bringing university closer in Queensland’s Southern Downs region.

    Nearly half of young people in Australia have a degree but not in regional and remote Australia. In Warwick, only around 13 per cent of young people have a degree.

    The evidence shows that where Regional University Study Hubs are, university participation goes up.

    The new Regional University Study Hub, known as the Country Universities Centre (CUC) Southern Downs, is co-located on TAFE Queensland’s Warwick campus and will provide student support and facilities for students who are studying a university or VET course without them having to leave their community.

    The new CUC Southern Downs is part of the Australian Government’s $66.9 million investment to more than double the number of University Study Hubs across the country.

    This is one of the ways the Albanese Labor Government is helping more people get a crack at going to TAFE or university, including:
    •    cutting 20 per cent off of all student loans, wiping around $17 billion in student debt for three million Australians
    •    fixing the indexation formula and wiping a further $3 billion in student debt, combined this will cut close to $20 billion in student debt
    •    introducing a Commonwealth prac payment for teaching, nursing, midwifery and social work students
    •    making free TAFE permanent.

    For more information: Regional University Study Hubs – Department of Education, Australian Government

    Quotes attributable to Minister for Education Jason Clare:

    “Today, almost one in two young people have a university degree. But not everywhere. Not in the outer suburbs and not in regional Australia.

    “In the years ahead more jobs will require more skills.

    “The Government has set a target that by 2050, 80 per cent of workers will have a TAFE or university qualification.

    “To hit that target we have to break down that invisible barrier that stops a lot of people from the bush getting a crack at going to university.

    “The evidence is that where University Study Hubs are, university participation goes up. That’s why we are doubling the number of Hubs across the country.”

    Quotes attributable to Assistant Minister for Regional Development and Senator for Queensland, Anthony Chisholm:

    “Each time we’ve opened a new study hub, just like this one in Warwick, we’ve removed educational barriers that can stop people from attaining a tertiary qualification.

    “Study hubs provide student support and campus-style facilities for students who are studying a university or TAFE course without them having to leave their community.

    “Around 44 per cent of students who are registered at the existing regional hubs across the country are the first in their family to attend university, which is fantastic to see.”
     

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Apple lands record-breaking 81 Emmy Award nominations with Severance leading

    Source: Apple

    Headline: Apple lands record-breaking 81 Emmy Award nominations with Severance leading

    July 15, 2025

    PRESS RELEASE

    Apple lands record-breaking 81 Emmy Award nominations, with Severance leading as this year’s most-nominated series and The Studio becoming the most-nominated freshman comedy in history

    Global phenomenon Severance scores 27 nominations for hit second season, including Outstanding Drama Series and nine performance category nominations

    Breakout comedy The Studio sweeps with 23 nominations, including Outstanding Comedy Series, making history with the most nominations for a freshman comedy and most overall acting nominations this year

    Apple TV+ leads as the only network to land multiple title nominations across Outstanding Comedy and Drama Series categories, as The Studio, Severance, Slow Horses, and Shrinking land top program nominations, alongside Apple’s first-ever Outstanding Television Movie nod for The Gorge

    Apple also lands the most acting nominations of any network or studio this year, with 31 performance nods total

    Apple Originals honored with nominations across 14 titles, including Severance, The Studio, Slow Horses, Shrinking, Presumed Innocent, The Gorge, Bad Sisters, Dope Thief, Disclaimer, Pachinko, Your Friends & Neighbors, Dark Matter, Deaf President Now!, and Bono: Stories of Surrender

    CULVER CITY, CALIFORNIA Apple TV+ today earned a record-breaking 81 Emmy Award nominations across 14 hit Apple Original titles for this year’s 77th Emmy Awards. Severance became this year’s most-nominated series with 27 nominations, and The Studio made history as the most-nominated freshman comedy series with 23 nominations in total. Additionally, with top program nominations for drama (Slow Horses) and comedy (Shrinking), Apple TV+ became the only network to have multiple titles nominated in the Outstanding Comedy and Drama Series categories. Apple also landed the most acting nominations of any network or studio this year, with 31 performance nods total.

    “Everyone at Apple is celebrating the talent, creativity, and hard work of all of our Emmy nominees this morning,” said Zack Van Amburg, Apple’s head of Worldwide Video. “Severance and The Studio have exceeded our wildest expectations in earning the most nominations for both drama and comedy series, alongside the phenomenal Shrinking and Slow Horses. These shows have connected deeply with audiences around the world, and we’re incredibly appreciative to the Television Academy for recognizing the breadth of storytelling that has been an honor for us to champion. We send our warmest congratulations to all of today’s nominees.”

    “This record-breaking year is a milestone for Apple, and we’re especially proud of the continued impact our outstanding series nominees — Severance, The Studio, Shrinking, and Slow Horses — are having on global culture,” said Jamie Erlicht, Apple’s Head of Worldwide Video. “These nominations honor bold storytelling, exceptional performances, and remarkable craftsmanship, and we’re deeply grateful to the Television Academy for recognizing these visionary creators.”

    Severance dominates as the most-nominated series this year, with 27 overall nominations, including Outstanding Drama, Outstanding Lead Actor for Adam Scott, Outstanding Lead Actress for Britt Lower, Outstanding Directing for Ben Stiller and Jessica Lee Gagné, Outstanding Writing for Dan Erickson, alongside recognition for outstanding performances by Zach Cherry, Tramell Tillman, John Turturro, Patricia Arquette, Jane Alexander, Gwendoline Christie, and Merritt Wever, as well as nods across several craft categories.

    As the most-nominated freshman comedy series in history, in addition to Outstanding Comedy, The Studio scores Outstanding Lead Actor, Directing, and Writing for Seth Rogen; Outstanding Supporting Actor for Ike Barinholtz; and Outstanding Supporting Actress for Kathryn Hahn and Catherine O’Hara. It also earned five of the six nominations in the Outstanding Guest Actor category, including first-ever acting nominations for directors Martin Scorsese and Ron Howard, alongside Bryan Cranston, Dave Franco, and Anthony Mackie, plus an Outstanding Guest Actress nomination for Zoë Kravitz.

    In its sophomore season, Apple’s beloved Shrinking nabs its first-ever nomination for Outstanding Comedy Series, and Harrison Ford is recognized with his first Emmy Award nomination for his celebrated performance in the series. Jason Segel nabs Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy, alongside Outstanding Supporting Actor and Actress nominations for Michael Urie and Jessica Williams, respectively.

    Following last year’s Emmy Award win for Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series, Slow Horses lands nominations for Outstanding Drama, Outstanding Lead Actor for Sir Gary Oldman, Outstanding Directing for Adam Randall, Outstanding Casting, and Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series for Will Smith.

    Apple Original Films’ The Gorge lands the first Outstanding Television Movie nomination for Apple TV+, as Apple Original documentaries Deaf President Now! and Bono: Stories of Surrender are also recognized.

    Apple TV+ series stars lead with the most performance nominations overall, earning 31 acting category nominations, including 10 top acting nominations for acclaimed performances in The Studio, nine nominations for the stars and guest stars of Severance, and four nominations each for performances in Shrinking and Presumed Innocent. Dope Thief star Brian Tyree Henry also scores a nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie, as Sir Gary Oldman lands his second nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for Slow Horses, and Sharon Horgan is recognized with her second nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for the BAFTA Award-winning Bad Sisters.

    The nominations were announced today by the Television Academy, and the winners will be unveiled at the Creative Arts ceremonies on September 6 and 7, and the Primetime Emmy Awards ceremony on September 14, 2025.

    To date, Apple Original films, documentaries, and series have earned 580 wins and 2,761 award nominations and counting, including multi-Emmy Award-winning comedy Ted Lasso and historic Oscar Best Picture winner CODA.

    In total, Apple scores 81 Emmy Award nominations, including:

    Severance (27)

    • Outstanding Drama Series
    • Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series: Adam Scott
    • Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series: Britt Lower
    • Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series: Zach Cherry
    • Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series: Tramell Tillman
    • Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series: John Turturro
    • Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series: Patricia Arquette
    • Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series: Jane Alexander
    • Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series: Gwendoline Christie
    • Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series: Merritt Wever
    • Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series: Jessica Lee Gagné
    • Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series: Ben Stiller
    • Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series: Dan Erickson
    • Outstanding Production Design for a Narrative Contemporary Program (One Hour or More)
    • Outstanding Music Composition for a Series (Original Dramatic Score)
    • Outstanding Casting For A Drama Series 
    • Outstanding Choreography For Scripted Programming 
    • Outstanding Cinematography For A Series (One Hour)
    • Outstanding Picture Editing For A Drama Series (X3)
    • Outstanding Title Design
    • Outstanding Music Supervision
    • Outstanding Sound Editing For A Comedy Or Drama Series (One Hour)
    • Outstanding Sound Mixing For A Comedy Or Drama Series (One Hour)
    • Outstanding Special Visual Effects In A Single Episode
    • Outstanding Stunt Performance

    The Studio (23)

    • Outstanding Comedy Series
    • Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series: Seth Rogen
    • Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series: Ike Barinholtz
    • Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series: Kathryn Hahn
    • Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series: Catherine O’Hara
    • Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series: Bryan Cranston
    • Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series: Dave Franco
    • Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series: Ron Howard
    • Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series: Anthony Mackie
    • Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series: Martin Scorsese
    • Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series: Zoë Kravitz
    • Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series: Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg
    • Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series: Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, Peter Heck, Alex Gregory, Frida Perez
    • Outstanding Production Design for a Narrative Program (Half-Hour)
    • Outstanding Casting For A Comedy Series
    • Outstanding Cinematography For A Series (Half-Hour)
    • Outstanding Contemporary Costumes For A Series
    • Outstanding Picture Editing For A Single Camera Comedy Series
    • Outstanding Contemporary Hairstyling 
    • Outstanding Music Composition for a Series (Original Dramatic Score)
    • Outstanding Music Supervision
    • Outstanding Sound Editing For A Comedy Or Drama Series (Half-Hour)
    • Outstanding Sound Mixing For A Comedy Or Drama Series (Half-Hour) And Animation

    Shrinking (7)

    • Outstanding Comedy Series
    • Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series: Jason Segel
    • Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series: Harrison Ford
    • Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series: Michael Urie
    • Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series: Jessica Williams
    • Outstanding Casting For A Comedy Series
    • Outstanding Sound Mixing For A Comedy Or Drama Series (Half-Hour) And Animation

    Slow Horses (5)

    • Outstanding Drama Series
    • Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series: Gary Oldman
    • Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series: Will Smith
    • Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series: Adam Randall
    • Outstanding Casting For A Drama Series

    Presumed Innocent (4)

    • Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie: Jake Gyllenhaal
    • Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie: Bill Camp
    • Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie: Peter Sarsgaard
    • Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie: Ruth Negga

    Disclaimer (2)

    • Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie: Cate Blanchett
    • Outstanding Cinematography For A Limited Or Anthology Series or Movie

    Bad Sisters (1)

    • Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series: Sharon Horgan

    Dope Thief (1)

    • Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie: Brian Tyree Henry

    The Gorge (2)

    • Outstanding Television Movie
    • Outstanding Sound Editing For A Limited Or Anthology Series, Movie Or Special

    Deaf President Now! (2)

    • Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special
    • Outstanding Directing For A Documentary/Nonfiction Program: Nyle DiMarco, Davis Guggenheim

    Pachinko (2)

    • Outstanding Production Design for a Narrative Period or Fantasy Program (One Hour or More)
    • Outstanding Cinematography For A Series (One Hour)

    Your Friends & Neighbors (1)

    • Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music

    Bono: Stories of Surrender (1)

    • Outstanding Technical Direction and Camerawork For A Special

    Dark Matter (1)

    • Outstanding Title Design

    Nominees for Outstanding Commercial (2)

    • “Heartstrings” — Apple AirPods Pro
    • “Flock” — Apple Privacy

    Severance
    In Severance, Mark Scout (Adam Scott) leads a team at Lumon Industries, whose employees have undergone a severance procedure that surgically divides their memories between their work and personal lives. This daring experiment in “work-life balance” is called into question as Mark finds himself at the center of an unraveling mystery that will force him to confront the true nature of his work … and of himself. In season two, Mark and his friends learn the dire consequences of trifling with the severance barrier, leading them further down a path of woe.

    The Studio
    In The Studio, Seth Rogen stars as Matt Remick, the newly appointed head of embattled Continental Studios. As movies struggle to stay alive and relevant, Matt and his core team of infighting executives battle their insecurities as they wrangle narcissistic artists and craven corporate overlords in the ever-elusive pursuit of making great films. With their power suits masking their never-ending sense of panic, every party, set visit, casting decision, marketing meeting and award show presents them with an opportunity for glittering success or career-ending catastrophe. As someone who eats, sleeps and breathes movies, it’s the job Matt’s been pursuing his whole life, and it may very well destroy him.

    Shrinking
    Shrinking follows a grieving therapist who starts to break the rules and tell his clients exactly what he thinks. Ignoring his training and ethics, he finds himself making huge, tumultuous changes to people’s lives … including his own.

    Slow Horses
    This darkly funny espionage drama follows a team of British intelligence agents who serve in a dumping ground department of MI5 due to their career-ending mistakes. Led by their brilliant but irascible leader, the notorious Jackson Lamb (Academy Award winner Sir Gary Oldman), they navigate the espionage world’s smoke and mirrors to defend England from sinister forces.

    Presumed Innocent
    Presumed Innocent is an eight-episode limited series starring and executive produced by Jake Gyllenhaal, hailing from David E. Kelley and executive producer J.J. Abrams and based on the New York Times bestselling novel of the same name by Scott Turow. Starring Gyllenhaal in the lead role of chief deputy prosecutor Rusty Sabich, the series takes viewers on a gripping journey through the horrific murder that upends the Chicago Prosecuting Attorney’s office when one of its own is suspected of the crime. The series explores obsession, sex, politics, and the power and limits of love, as the accused fights to hold his family and marriage together. The star-studded ensemble cast of the thriller also includes Ruth Negga, Bill Camp, Elizabeth Marvel, Peter Sarsgaard, O-T Fagbenle and Renate Reinsve.

    Disclaimer
    Disclaimer is a gripping psychological thriller in seven chapters, starring Academy Award winners Cate Blanchett and Kevin Kline. Written and directed by five-time Academy Award winner Alfonso Cuarón, “Disclaimer” is based on the bestselling novel of the same name by Renée Knight. Acclaimed journalist Catherine Ravenscroft (Blanchett) built her reputation revealing the misdeeds and transgressions of others. When she receives a novel from an unknown author, she is horrified to realize she is now the main character in a story that exposes her darkest secrets. As Catherine races to uncover the writer’s true identity, she is forced to confront her past before it destroys her life and her relationships with her husband Robert (Sacha Baron Cohen) and their son Nicholas (Kodi Smit-McPhee). The ensemble cast includes Lesley Manville, Louis Partridge, Leila George and Hoyeon, and features Indira Varma as the narrator.

    Bad Sisters
    Bad Sisters season two returns to follow the lives of the Garvey sisters played by Sharon Horgan as Eva, Anne-Marie Duff as Grace, Eva Birthistle as Ursula, Sarah Greene as Bibi and Eve Hewson as Becka. Two years after the “accidental death” of Grace’s abusive husband, the close-knit Garvey sisters may have moved on, but when past truths resurface, the ladies are thrust back into the spotlight, suspicions are at an all-time high, lies are told, secrets revealed and the sisters are forced to work out who they can trust.

    Dope Thief
    Based on Dennis Tafoya’s book Dope Thief, the series follows long-time Philly friends and delinquents who pose as DEA agents to rob an unknown house in the countryside, only to have their small-time grift become a life-and-death enterprise, as they unwittingly reveal and unravel the biggest hidden narcotics corridor on the Eastern Seaboard.

    The Gorge
    Two highly-trained operatives (Miles Teller and Anya Taylor-Joy) are appointed to posts in guard towers on opposite sides of a vast and highly classified gorge, protecting the world from an undisclosed, mysterious evil that lurks within. They bond from a distance while trying to stay vigilant in defending against an unseen enemy. When the cataclysmic threat to humanity is revealed to them, they must work together in a test of both their physical and mental strength to keep the secret in the gorge before it’s too late.

    Pachinko
    Epic in scope and intimate in tone, the story begins with a forbidden love and crescendos into a sweeping saga that journeys between Korea, Japan and America to tell an unforgettable story of war and peace, love and loss, triumph and reckoning.

    Your Friends & Neighbors
    After being fired in disgrace, a hedge fund manager still grappling with his recent divorce, resorts to stealing from his neighbors’ homes in the exceedingly affluent Westmont Village, only to discover that the secrets and affairs hidden behind those wealthy facades might be more dangerous than he ever imagined.

    Deaf President Now!
    The story of the greatest civil rights movement most people have never heard of. Deaf President Now! recounts the eight days of historic protests held at Gallaudet University in 1988 after the school’s board of trustees appointed a hearing president over several very qualified Deaf candidates. After a week of rallies, boycotts and protests, the students of Gallaudet University triumph as the hearing president resigns and beloved dean Dr. I. King Jordan becomes the university’s first Deaf president. The protests marked a pivotal moment in civil rights history, with an impact that extended well beyond the Gallaudet campus, and paved the way for the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Deaf President Now! features exclusive interviews with the five key figures of the movement, including the DPN4 — Jerry Covell, Bridgetta Bourne-Firl, Tim Rarus and Greg Hlibok — alongside I. King Jordan, as well as archival and scripted elements. The film also incorporates an experimental narrative approach called Deaf Point of View, using impressionistic visual photography and intricate sound design to thrust the audience into the Deaf experience.

    Bono: Stories of Surrender
    Bono: Stories of Surrender is a vivid reimagining of Bono’s critically acclaimed one-man stage show, Stories of Surrender: An Evening of Words, Music and Some Mischief… As he pulls back the curtain on a remarkable life and the family, friends and faith that have challenged and sustained him, he also reveals personal stories about his journey as a son, father, husband, activist and rock star. Along with never-before-seen, exclusive footage from the tour, the film features Bono performing many of the iconic U2 songs that have shaped his life and legacy.

    Dark Matter
    Hailed as one of the best sci-fi novels of the decade, Dark Matter is a story about the road not taken. The series will follow Jason Dessen (played by Joel Edgerton), a physicist, professor and family man who — one night while walking home on the streets of Chicago — is abducted into an alternate version of his life. Wonder quickly turns to nightmare when he tries to return to his reality amid the mind-bending landscape of lives he could have lived. In this labyrinth of realities, he embarks on a harrowing journey to get back to his true family and save them from the most terrifying, unbeatable foe imaginable: himself.

    All programs are currently streaming on Apple TV+.

    Apple TV+ offers premium, compelling drama and comedy series, feature films, groundbreaking documentaries, and kids and family entertainment, and is available to watch across all your favorite screens. After its launch on November 1, 2019, Apple TV+ became the first all-original streaming service to launch around the world, and has premiered more original hits and received more award recognitions faster than any other streaming service in its debut.

    About Apple TV+ Apple TV+ is available on the Apple TV app in over 100 countries and regions on over 1 billion screens, including iPhone; iPad; Apple TV; Apple Vision Pro; Mac; popular smart TVs from Samsung, LG, Sony, VIZIO, TCL, and others; Roku and Amazon Fire TV devices; Chromecast with Google TV, PlayStation, and Xbox gaming consoles; and at tv.apple.com, for $9.99 per month with a seven-day free trial. For a limited time, customers who purchase and activate a new iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, or Mac can enjoy three months of Apple TV+ for free.1About Apple Apple revolutionized personal technology with the introduction of the Macintosh in 1984. Today, Apple leads the world in innovation with iPhone, iPad, Mac, AirPods, Apple Watch, and Apple Vision Pro. Apple’s six software platforms — iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, visionOS, and tvOS — provide seamless experiences across all Apple devices and empower people with breakthrough services including the App Store, Apple Music, Apple Pay, iCloud, and Apple TV+. Apple’s more than 150,000 employees are dedicated to making the best products on earth and to leaving the world better than we found it.

    1. For more information, visit apple.com/tvpr and see the full list of supported devices.

    Press Contacts

    Apple Media Helpline

    media.help@apple.com

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SCHUMER CALLS ON ARMY TO IMMEDIATELY REVERSE DECISION TO SHUT DOWN CLARKSON UNIVERSITY ROTC PROGRAM THAT WOULD FORCE DOZENS OF NORTH COUNTRY CADETS TO CHOOSE BETWEEN STAYING AT THEIR SCHOOL AND…

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Charles E Schumer
    Last Month, The Army Announced A Plan To Realign SROTC Resources And Force Structure By Inactivating Host Units At 10 Universities Across the US, Including The Long-Established And Successful “Golden Knight” Battalion At Clarkson University – The Only Army SROTC Host Unit In The North Country
    The Golden Knight Battalion Is Currently A Host To Nearly 45 Cadets And Has Produced More Than 1,600 Commissioned Officers
    Schumer: Army Must Maintain Clarkson University’s Superb SROTC For North Country Cadets
    Following news last month that the Army would be shutting down ROTC programs at dozens of college campuses across the county including in the North Country, U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer today called on the Army to reverse its unwise decision to inactivate Clarkson University’s top-notch collegiate ROTC program, which would force dozens of North Country cadets to choose between staying at their schools and transferring to another school with an ROTC program if they want to commission into the Army after graduation.
    “Shutting down the North Country’s only collegiate Army ROTC program is harmful for cadets, Fort Drum, the nation and counterproductive at a time when the Army wants to increase recruitment and quality officers. Patriotism and passion for serving our country runs deep in the veins of the North County, but if this decision goes through, our cadets who want to serve their country will be forced to choose between staying at Clarkson University or transferring far away to another Army ROTC program if they want to commission into the Army after graduating,” said Senator Schumer. “The Golden Knight Battalion has a tremendous track record and is the North Country’s only Army SROTC program and hosts cadets from other schools across the region that don’t have their own SROTC unit. The unit has commissioned more than 1,600 Army officers, and inactivating it would degrade the recruitment, training, and retention of elite commissioned officers. That is why I’m calling on the Army to immediately reverse these cuts and preserve the Golden Knight Battalion at Clarkson University for these talented and patriotic North Country cadets.”
    Clarkson University hosts one of the only Army Senior ROTC (SROTC) program for college students in the North Country. Schumer, in a letter to Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, called on the Army to immediately reverse its decision to shut down Clarkson University Army SROTC and to support young New Yorkers in the North Country who want to serve the country and to keep the Army strong and mission-ready.
    Clarkson University’s Army SROTC program is currently home to 45 cadets and has produced more than 1,600 commissioned officers throughout the unit’s history, commissioning at least one cadet for all 17 basic branches of the Army. The Golden Knight Battalion is known for producing more STEM field cadets than other Army SROTC units of the same size and caliber, with more than double the national Army average for cadets who enter STEM fields. The unit also ranks highly for commissioning pre-med officers and sending them to medical school post-graduation, which helps the Army fill medical staffing shortages.
    Clarkson University’s Army SROTC program also serves as a host unit for crosstown cadets who attend St. Lawrence University, SUNY Potsdam, and SUNY Canton, which don’t have Army SROTC programs of their own. Many cadets at Clarkson University are recruited from high schools across the North Country, including children of military families stationed at Fort Drum. If this inactivation proceeds as planned, none of the students at these schools will be able to continue their participation in Army SROTC unless they transfer to another institution that has an active Army SROTC program.
    Senator Schumer’s letter to Army Secretary Daniel P. Driscoll can be found HERE or below:
    Dear Secretary Driscoll:
    I write to express my strong concerns regarding US Army Cadet Command’s (USACC) SROTC Rebalance and Optimization Plan announced on June 26, 2025, which alarmingly and unwisely proposes to inactivate the Army SROTC host unit at Clarkson University – the only Army SROTC unit in the North Country.
    As you know, USACC’s plan entails the inactivation of 10 Army SROTC host units at universities across the United States, including the “Golden Knight” Battalion at Clarkson University. The Golden Knight Battalion is embedded in the fabric of New York State, recruiting and commissioning dozens of cadets every year from not only Clarkson University, but also serving as a host unit for crosstown cadets at St. Lawrence University, SUNY Canton and SUNY Potsdam. The hurried inactivation of one of 2nd ROTC Brigade’s most successful host units will completely extinguish any presence of Army SROTC host, extension, or crosstown units in Upstate New York’s North Country region—home to Fort Drum and the 10th Mountain Division—and ultimately degrade recruitment, training, and retention of elite commissioned officers for the Total Army.  
    Since the Golden Knight Battalion’s original activation at Clarkson University in 1936, it has commissioned over 1,600 second lieutenants (2LT) for the United States Army. In the last ten years alone, Clarkson University Army SROTC has commissioned at least one of all 17 basic branches of the Army, from cadets that have commissioned as Cyber Warfare Officers (17A) and Financial Managers (36A) to Infantry Officers (11A) and Field Artillery Officers (13A). The Golden Knight Battalion is also among the top Army SROTC programs for producing cadets in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields—to include commissioning dozens of engineers in the last five years alone. I fear that inactivating the Army SROTC host unit at Clarkson University will constrain the Army’s STEM training pipeline, as the Golden Knight Battalion commissions more than double the national Army SROTC average for cadets who enter STEM career fields.
    I believe the plan to inactivate the SROTC unit at Clarkson University is a misstep, is counterproductive for meeting the Army’s officer commissioning mission requirements, is harmful to cadets presently enrolled in the program, and is harmful to the whole North Country community. Therefore, I strongly believe this decision should be immediately reversed.
    In addition, I respectfully ask that USACC provide answers to the following questions prior to the issuance of any Operation Order (OPORD) to inactivate the host unit at Clarkson University:
    What criteria did USACC use to identify and determine which host units to inactivate, which host units to reclassify to extension units, and which to reclassify to crosstown units?
    What data specific to the Golden Knight Battalion at Clarkson University did USACC review as it developed the SROTC Rebalance and Optimization Plan? When was this data originally collected?
    Did USACC work with Clarkson University to verify the accuracy of its data before deciding to inactivate the Golden Knight Battalion?
    During its review, did USACC evaluate options to reclassify Clarkson University as an extension unit?
    Thank you for your prompt attention to this important matter. Please do not hesitate to reach out to my office with any questions.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SCHUMER CALLS ON ARMY TO IMMEDIATELY REVERSE DECISION TO SHUT DOWN CLARKSON UNIVERSITY ROTC PROGRAM THAT WOULD FORCE DOZENS OF NORTH COUNTRY CADETS TO CHOOSE BETWEEN STAYING AT THEIR SCHOOL AND…

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Charles E Schumer
    Last Month, The Army Announced A Plan To Realign SROTC Resources And Force Structure By Inactivating Host Units At 10 Universities Across the US, Including The Long-Established And Successful “Golden Knight” Battalion At Clarkson University – The Only Army SROTC Host Unit In The North Country
    The Golden Knight Battalion Is Currently A Host To Nearly 45 Cadets And Has Produced More Than 1,600 Commissioned Officers
    Schumer: Army Must Maintain Clarkson University’s Superb SROTC For North Country Cadets
    Following news last month that the Army would be shutting down ROTC programs at dozens of college campuses across the county including in the North Country, U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer today called on the Army to reverse its unwise decision to inactivate Clarkson University’s top-notch collegiate ROTC program, which would force dozens of North Country cadets to choose between staying at their schools and transferring to another school with an ROTC program if they want to commission into the Army after graduation.
    “Shutting down the North Country’s only collegiate Army ROTC program is harmful for cadets, Fort Drum, the nation and counterproductive at a time when the Army wants to increase recruitment and quality officers. Patriotism and passion for serving our country runs deep in the veins of the North County, but if this decision goes through, our cadets who want to serve their country will be forced to choose between staying at Clarkson University or transferring far away to another Army ROTC program if they want to commission into the Army after graduating,” said Senator Schumer. “The Golden Knight Battalion has a tremendous track record and is the North Country’s only Army SROTC program and hosts cadets from other schools across the region that don’t have their own SROTC unit. The unit has commissioned more than 1,600 Army officers, and inactivating it would degrade the recruitment, training, and retention of elite commissioned officers. That is why I’m calling on the Army to immediately reverse these cuts and preserve the Golden Knight Battalion at Clarkson University for these talented and patriotic North Country cadets.”
    Clarkson University hosts one of the only Army Senior ROTC (SROTC) program for college students in the North Country. Schumer, in a letter to Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, called on the Army to immediately reverse its decision to shut down Clarkson University Army SROTC and to support young New Yorkers in the North Country who want to serve the country and to keep the Army strong and mission-ready.
    Clarkson University’s Army SROTC program is currently home to 45 cadets and has produced more than 1,600 commissioned officers throughout the unit’s history, commissioning at least one cadet for all 17 basic branches of the Army. The Golden Knight Battalion is known for producing more STEM field cadets than other Army SROTC units of the same size and caliber, with more than double the national Army average for cadets who enter STEM fields. The unit also ranks highly for commissioning pre-med officers and sending them to medical school post-graduation, which helps the Army fill medical staffing shortages.
    Clarkson University’s Army SROTC program also serves as a host unit for crosstown cadets who attend St. Lawrence University, SUNY Potsdam, and SUNY Canton, which don’t have Army SROTC programs of their own. Many cadets at Clarkson University are recruited from high schools across the North Country, including children of military families stationed at Fort Drum. If this inactivation proceeds as planned, none of the students at these schools will be able to continue their participation in Army SROTC unless they transfer to another institution that has an active Army SROTC program.
    Senator Schumer’s letter to Army Secretary Daniel P. Driscoll can be found HERE or below:
    Dear Secretary Driscoll:
    I write to express my strong concerns regarding US Army Cadet Command’s (USACC) SROTC Rebalance and Optimization Plan announced on June 26, 2025, which alarmingly and unwisely proposes to inactivate the Army SROTC host unit at Clarkson University – the only Army SROTC unit in the North Country.
    As you know, USACC’s plan entails the inactivation of 10 Army SROTC host units at universities across the United States, including the “Golden Knight” Battalion at Clarkson University. The Golden Knight Battalion is embedded in the fabric of New York State, recruiting and commissioning dozens of cadets every year from not only Clarkson University, but also serving as a host unit for crosstown cadets at St. Lawrence University, SUNY Canton and SUNY Potsdam. The hurried inactivation of one of 2nd ROTC Brigade’s most successful host units will completely extinguish any presence of Army SROTC host, extension, or crosstown units in Upstate New York’s North Country region—home to Fort Drum and the 10th Mountain Division—and ultimately degrade recruitment, training, and retention of elite commissioned officers for the Total Army.  
    Since the Golden Knight Battalion’s original activation at Clarkson University in 1936, it has commissioned over 1,600 second lieutenants (2LT) for the United States Army. In the last ten years alone, Clarkson University Army SROTC has commissioned at least one of all 17 basic branches of the Army, from cadets that have commissioned as Cyber Warfare Officers (17A) and Financial Managers (36A) to Infantry Officers (11A) and Field Artillery Officers (13A). The Golden Knight Battalion is also among the top Army SROTC programs for producing cadets in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields—to include commissioning dozens of engineers in the last five years alone. I fear that inactivating the Army SROTC host unit at Clarkson University will constrain the Army’s STEM training pipeline, as the Golden Knight Battalion commissions more than double the national Army SROTC average for cadets who enter STEM career fields.
    I believe the plan to inactivate the SROTC unit at Clarkson University is a misstep, is counterproductive for meeting the Army’s officer commissioning mission requirements, is harmful to cadets presently enrolled in the program, and is harmful to the whole North Country community. Therefore, I strongly believe this decision should be immediately reversed.
    In addition, I respectfully ask that USACC provide answers to the following questions prior to the issuance of any Operation Order (OPORD) to inactivate the host unit at Clarkson University:
    What criteria did USACC use to identify and determine which host units to inactivate, which host units to reclassify to extension units, and which to reclassify to crosstown units?
    What data specific to the Golden Knight Battalion at Clarkson University did USACC review as it developed the SROTC Rebalance and Optimization Plan? When was this data originally collected?
    Did USACC work with Clarkson University to verify the accuracy of its data before deciding to inactivate the Golden Knight Battalion?
    During its review, did USACC evaluate options to reclassify Clarkson University as an extension unit?
    Thank you for your prompt attention to this important matter. Please do not hesitate to reach out to my office with any questions.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SCHUMER CALLS ON ARMY TO IMMEDIATELY REVERSE DECISION TO SHUT DOWN CLARKSON UNIVERSITY ROTC PROGRAM THAT WOULD FORCE DOZENS OF NORTH COUNTRY CADETS TO CHOOSE BETWEEN STAYING AT THEIR SCHOOL AND…

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Charles E Schumer

    Last Month, The Army Announced A Plan To Realign SROTC Resources And Force Structure By Inactivating Host Units At 10 Universities Across the US, Including The Long-Established And Successful “Golden Knight” Battalion At Clarkson University – The Only Army SROTC Host Unit In The North Country

    The Golden Knight Battalion Is Currently A Host To Nearly 45 Cadets And Has Produced More Than 1,600 Commissioned Officers

    Schumer: Army Must Maintain Clarkson University’s Superb SROTC For North Country Cadets

    Following news last month that the Army would be shutting down ROTC programs at dozens of college campuses across the county including in the North Country, U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer today called on the Army to reverse its unwise decision to inactivate Clarkson University’s top-notch collegiate ROTC program, which would force dozens of North Country cadets to choose between staying at their schools and transferring to another school with an ROTC program if they want to commission into the Army after graduation.

    “Shutting down the North Country’s only collegiate Army ROTC program is harmful for cadets, Fort Drum, the nation and counterproductive at a time when the Army wants to increase recruitment and quality officers. Patriotism and passion for serving our country runs deep in the veins of the North County, but if this decision goes through, our cadets who want to serve their country will be forced to choose between staying at Clarkson University or transferring far away to another Army ROTC program if they want to commission into the Army after graduating,” said Senator Schumer. “The Golden Knight Battalion has a tremendous track record and is the North Country’s only Army SROTC program and hosts cadets from other schools across the region that don’t have their own SROTC unit. The unit has commissioned more than 1,600 Army officers, and inactivating it would degrade the recruitment, training, and retention of elite commissioned officers. That is why I’m calling on the Army to immediately reverse these cuts and preserve the Golden Knight Battalion at Clarkson University for these talented and patriotic North Country cadets.”

    Clarkson University hosts one of the only Army Senior ROTC (SROTC) program for college students in the North Country. Schumer, in a letter to Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, called on the Army to immediately reverse its decision to shut down Clarkson University Army SROTC and to support young New Yorkers in the North Country who want to serve the country and to keep the Army strong and mission-ready.

    Clarkson University’s Army SROTC program is currently home to 45 cadets and has produced more than 1,600 commissioned officers throughout the unit’s history, commissioning at least one cadet for all 17 basic branches of the Army. The Golden Knight Battalion is known for producing more STEM field cadets than other Army SROTC units of the same size and caliber, with more than double the national Army average for cadets who enter STEM fields. The unit also ranks highly for commissioning pre-med officers and sending them to medical school post-graduation, which helps the Army fill medical staffing shortages.

    Clarkson University’s Army SROTC program also serves as a host unit for crosstown cadets who attend St. Lawrence University, SUNY Potsdam, and SUNY Canton, which don’t have Army SROTC programs of their own. Many cadets at Clarkson University are recruited from high schools across the North Country, including children of military families stationed at Fort Drum. If this inactivation proceeds as planned, none of the students at these schools will be able to continue their participation in Army SROTC unless they transfer to another institution that has an active Army SROTC program.

    Senator Schumer’s letter to Army Secretary Daniel P. Driscoll can be found HERE or below:

    Dear Secretary Driscoll:

    I write to express my strong concerns regarding US Army Cadet Command’s (USACC) SROTC Rebalance and Optimization Plan announced on June 26, 2025, which alarmingly and unwisely proposes to inactivate the Army SROTC host unit at Clarkson University – the only Army SROTC unit in the North Country.

    As you know, USACC’s plan entails the inactivation of 10 Army SROTC host units at universities across the United States, including the “Golden Knight” Battalion at Clarkson University. The Golden Knight Battalion is embedded in the fabric of New York State, recruiting and commissioning dozens of cadets every year from not only Clarkson University, but also serving as a host unit for crosstown cadets at St. Lawrence University, SUNY Canton and SUNY Potsdam. The hurried inactivation of one of 2nd ROTC Brigade’s most successful host units will completely extinguish any presence of Army SROTC host, extension, or crosstown units in Upstate New York’s North Country region—home to Fort Drum and the 10th Mountain Division—and ultimately degrade recruitment, training, and retention of elite commissioned officers for the Total Army.  

    Since the Golden Knight Battalion’s original activation at Clarkson University in 1936, it has commissioned over 1,600 second lieutenants (2LT) for the United States Army. In the last ten years alone, Clarkson University Army SROTC has commissioned at least one of all 17 basic branches of the Army, from cadets that have commissioned as Cyber Warfare Officers (17A) and Financial Managers (36A) to Infantry Officers (11A) and Field Artillery Officers (13A). The Golden Knight Battalion is also among the top Army SROTC programs for producing cadets in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields—to include commissioning dozens of engineers in the last five years alone. I fear that inactivating the Army SROTC host unit at Clarkson University will constrain the Army’s STEM training pipeline, as the Golden Knight Battalion commissions more than double the national Army SROTC average for cadets who enter STEM career fields.

    I believe the plan to inactivate the SROTC unit at Clarkson University is a misstep, is counterproductive for meeting the Army’s officer commissioning mission requirements, is harmful to cadets presently enrolled in the program, and is harmful to the whole North Country community. Therefore, I strongly believe this decision should be immediately reversed.

    In addition, I respectfully ask that USACC provide answers to the following questions prior to the issuance of any Operation Order (OPORD) to inactivate the host unit at Clarkson University:

    1. What criteria did USACC use to identify and determine which host units to inactivate, which host units to reclassify to extension units, and which to reclassify to crosstown units?
    2. What data specific to the Golden Knight Battalion at Clarkson University did USACC review as it developed the SROTC Rebalance and Optimization Plan? When was this data originally collected?
    3. Did USACC work with Clarkson University to verify the accuracy of its data before deciding to inactivate the Golden Knight Battalion?
    4. During its review, did USACC evaluate options to reclassify Clarkson University as an extension unit?

    Thank you for your prompt attention to this important matter. Please do not hesitate to reach out to my office with any questions.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Four weeks of major work on northbound I-5 Ship Canal Bridge begins with a weekend-long mainline closure July 18-21

    Source: Washington State News 2

    Express lanes will be northbound only during summer 2025 work 

    SEATTLE – The long-anticipated major work to revive the Interstate 5 Ship Canal Bridge will kick off with a weekend-long closure of northbound I-5 in Seattle Friday night, July 18 through early Monday morning, July 21. Following the closure, the freeway will be reduced to two lanes for four weeks northbound across the bridge, as Washington State Department of Transportation contractors work on one of Seattle’s busiest corridors. 

    ”We’ve been planning and preparing for this work for over a year,” said Brian Nielsen, WSDOT’s region administrator with oversight for King County. “This is one of the most important and challenging preservation projects in the state. We know it will disrupt travel, but the repairs are essential to extend the life of one of the region’s busiest and most vital transportation links. Our team has worked closely with city, regional and transit partners to reduce the effects as much as possible and keep people moving.”

    Crews will use the four-week work window to repave and repair portions of the bridge’s two left lanes and continue replacing stormwater drains. Later this year, weekend lane reductions will begin on southbound I-5 to prepare for future phases of the project.

    What to expect

    • Friday night, July 18 to Monday morning, July 21: Northbound I-5 closed from near the I-90 interchange to Northeast 45th Street.
    • Monday, July 21 to Friday night, Aug. 15: Northbound I-5 reduced to two lanes across the Ship Canal Bridge.
    • Friday, Aug. 15 to Monday morning, Aug. 18: Northbound I-5 closed from near the I-90 interchange to Northeast 45th Street.
    • Monday morning, Aug. 18: All lanes of northbound I-5 reopen.

    The express lanes will operate northbound only around the clock during summer construction. 

    Throughout the weekend, people traveling on northbound I-5 who are going to downtown Seattle should use the exits to Edgar Martinez Drive or to Dearborn, James or Madison streets. 

    The express lanes have no northbound exits to downtown Seattle; the first exit is at Northeast 42nd Street in the University District. Express lane on-ramps at Columbia, Cherry and Pine streets will be open to all vehicles throughout the weekend. Those ramps usually are reserved for high-occupancy vehicles.

    When the northbound I-5 mainline reopens by 5 a.m. Monday, July 21, the freeway will be reduced to two lanes near the Ship Canal Bridge until the evening of Friday, Aug. 15, when the second weekend-long closure will occur to remove the work zone.

    Regional coordination

    Reducing capacity on I-5 through the heart of Seattle is a big shift. WSDOT has worked closely with the city of Seattle and SDOT, King County Metro, Sound Transit, emergency services and freight partners to prepare for this summer’s construction. Together, partners have adjusted signal timing, expanded bus-only lanes, modified transit routes and developed contingency plans to help people navigate to and through Seattle during construction. 

    WSDOT has also collaborated with organizations like the Downtown Seattle Association, Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Commute Seattle. These groups play an important role in helping people who live and work in Seattle, as well as those attending events, fairs and festivals, navigate the city and continue to enjoy everything downtown has to offer while Ship Canal Bridge construction is underway. 

    While this level of construction brings challenges, this work is critical and planning ahead can help ease disruptions. People should allow extra travel time, utilize transit and alternate routes and adjust travel schedules when possible. Real time traffic tools and route planning can make a major difference during this work. 

    A glimpse ahead to 2026 and 2027

    Construction this year is a preview of long-term lane reductions planned for 2026 and 2027, when one direction of the bridge each year will be reduced to two lanes for eight to nine months. Work will pause during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, when all lanes of the bridge will be open in both directions.

    In winter 2026, the northbound Ship Canal Bridge will be reduced to two lanes until early June, just prior to World Cup matches in Seattle and Vancouver. Contractor crews will remove the work zone and reopen all lanes throughout the tournament.

    In mid-July, after the conclusion of the tournament, the contractor will close the northbound two right lanes until fall to repair and repave them.

    The work will shift to southbound I-5 in 2027, with crews working on the two left lanes from winter into summer, then the right lanes through the fall.

    Real-time travel information is available from the WSDOT mobile app, the WSDOT Travel Center Map or by signing up for WSDOT’s email updates. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Four weeks of major work on northbound I-5 Ship Canal Bridge begins with a weekend-long mainline closure July 18-21

    Source: Washington State News 2

    Express lanes will be northbound only during summer 2025 work 

    SEATTLE – The long-anticipated major work to revive the Interstate 5 Ship Canal Bridge will kick off with a weekend-long closure of northbound I-5 in Seattle Friday night, July 18 through early Monday morning, July 21. Following the closure, the freeway will be reduced to two lanes for four weeks northbound across the bridge, as Washington State Department of Transportation contractors work on one of Seattle’s busiest corridors. 

    ”We’ve been planning and preparing for this work for over a year,” said Brian Nielsen, WSDOT’s region administrator with oversight for King County. “This is one of the most important and challenging preservation projects in the state. We know it will disrupt travel, but the repairs are essential to extend the life of one of the region’s busiest and most vital transportation links. Our team has worked closely with city, regional and transit partners to reduce the effects as much as possible and keep people moving.”

    Crews will use the four-week work window to repave and repair portions of the bridge’s two left lanes and continue replacing stormwater drains. Later this year, weekend lane reductions will begin on southbound I-5 to prepare for future phases of the project.

    What to expect

    • Friday night, July 18 to Monday morning, July 21: Northbound I-5 closed from near the I-90 interchange to Northeast 45th Street.
    • Monday, July 21 to Friday night, Aug. 15: Northbound I-5 reduced to two lanes across the Ship Canal Bridge.
    • Friday, Aug. 15 to Monday morning, Aug. 18: Northbound I-5 closed from near the I-90 interchange to Northeast 45th Street.
    • Monday morning, Aug. 18: All lanes of northbound I-5 reopen.

    The express lanes will operate northbound only around the clock during summer construction. 

    Throughout the weekend, people traveling on northbound I-5 who are going to downtown Seattle should use the exits to Edgar Martinez Drive or to Dearborn, James or Madison streets. 

    The express lanes have no northbound exits to downtown Seattle; the first exit is at Northeast 42nd Street in the University District. Express lane on-ramps at Columbia, Cherry and Pine streets will be open to all vehicles throughout the weekend. Those ramps usually are reserved for high-occupancy vehicles.

    When the northbound I-5 mainline reopens by 5 a.m. Monday, July 21, the freeway will be reduced to two lanes near the Ship Canal Bridge until the evening of Friday, Aug. 15, when the second weekend-long closure will occur to remove the work zone.

    Regional coordination

    Reducing capacity on I-5 through the heart of Seattle is a big shift. WSDOT has worked closely with the city of Seattle and SDOT, King County Metro, Sound Transit, emergency services and freight partners to prepare for this summer’s construction. Together, partners have adjusted signal timing, expanded bus-only lanes, modified transit routes and developed contingency plans to help people navigate to and through Seattle during construction. 

    WSDOT has also collaborated with organizations like the Downtown Seattle Association, Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Commute Seattle. These groups play an important role in helping people who live and work in Seattle, as well as those attending events, fairs and festivals, navigate the city and continue to enjoy everything downtown has to offer while Ship Canal Bridge construction is underway. 

    While this level of construction brings challenges, this work is critical and planning ahead can help ease disruptions. People should allow extra travel time, utilize transit and alternate routes and adjust travel schedules when possible. Real time traffic tools and route planning can make a major difference during this work. 

    A glimpse ahead to 2026 and 2027

    Construction this year is a preview of long-term lane reductions planned for 2026 and 2027, when one direction of the bridge each year will be reduced to two lanes for eight to nine months. Work will pause during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, when all lanes of the bridge will be open in both directions.

    In winter 2026, the northbound Ship Canal Bridge will be reduced to two lanes until early June, just prior to World Cup matches in Seattle and Vancouver. Contractor crews will remove the work zone and reopen all lanes throughout the tournament.

    In mid-July, after the conclusion of the tournament, the contractor will close the northbound two right lanes until fall to repair and repave them.

    The work will shift to southbound I-5 in 2027, with crews working on the two left lanes from winter into summer, then the right lanes through the fall.

    Real-time travel information is available from the WSDOT mobile app, the WSDOT Travel Center Map or by signing up for WSDOT’s email updates. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Four weeks of major work on northbound I-5 Ship Canal Bridge begins with a weekend-long mainline closure July 18-21

    Source: Washington State News 2

    Express lanes will be northbound only during summer 2025 work 

    SEATTLE – The long-anticipated major work to revive the Interstate 5 Ship Canal Bridge will kick off with a weekend-long closure of northbound I-5 in Seattle Friday night, July 18 through early Monday morning, July 21. Following the closure, the freeway will be reduced to two lanes for four weeks northbound across the bridge, as Washington State Department of Transportation contractors work on one of Seattle’s busiest corridors. 

    ”We’ve been planning and preparing for this work for over a year,” said Brian Nielsen, WSDOT’s region administrator with oversight for King County. “This is one of the most important and challenging preservation projects in the state. We know it will disrupt travel, but the repairs are essential to extend the life of one of the region’s busiest and most vital transportation links. Our team has worked closely with city, regional and transit partners to reduce the effects as much as possible and keep people moving.”

    Crews will use the four-week work window to repave and repair portions of the bridge’s two left lanes and continue replacing stormwater drains. Later this year, weekend lane reductions will begin on southbound I-5 to prepare for future phases of the project.

    What to expect

    • Friday night, July 18 to Monday morning, July 21: Northbound I-5 closed from near the I-90 interchange to Northeast 45th Street.
    • Monday, July 21 to Friday night, Aug. 15: Northbound I-5 reduced to two lanes across the Ship Canal Bridge.
    • Friday, Aug. 15 to Monday morning, Aug. 18: Northbound I-5 closed from near the I-90 interchange to Northeast 45th Street.
    • Monday morning, Aug. 18: All lanes of northbound I-5 reopen.

    The express lanes will operate northbound only around the clock during summer construction. 

    Throughout the weekend, people traveling on northbound I-5 who are going to downtown Seattle should use the exits to Edgar Martinez Drive or to Dearborn, James or Madison streets. 

    The express lanes have no northbound exits to downtown Seattle; the first exit is at Northeast 42nd Street in the University District. Express lane on-ramps at Columbia, Cherry and Pine streets will be open to all vehicles throughout the weekend. Those ramps usually are reserved for high-occupancy vehicles.

    When the northbound I-5 mainline reopens by 5 a.m. Monday, July 21, the freeway will be reduced to two lanes near the Ship Canal Bridge until the evening of Friday, Aug. 15, when the second weekend-long closure will occur to remove the work zone.

    Regional coordination

    Reducing capacity on I-5 through the heart of Seattle is a big shift. WSDOT has worked closely with the city of Seattle and SDOT, King County Metro, Sound Transit, emergency services and freight partners to prepare for this summer’s construction. Together, partners have adjusted signal timing, expanded bus-only lanes, modified transit routes and developed contingency plans to help people navigate to and through Seattle during construction. 

    WSDOT has also collaborated with organizations like the Downtown Seattle Association, Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Commute Seattle. These groups play an important role in helping people who live and work in Seattle, as well as those attending events, fairs and festivals, navigate the city and continue to enjoy everything downtown has to offer while Ship Canal Bridge construction is underway. 

    While this level of construction brings challenges, this work is critical and planning ahead can help ease disruptions. People should allow extra travel time, utilize transit and alternate routes and adjust travel schedules when possible. Real time traffic tools and route planning can make a major difference during this work. 

    A glimpse ahead to 2026 and 2027

    Construction this year is a preview of long-term lane reductions planned for 2026 and 2027, when one direction of the bridge each year will be reduced to two lanes for eight to nine months. Work will pause during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, when all lanes of the bridge will be open in both directions.

    In winter 2026, the northbound Ship Canal Bridge will be reduced to two lanes until early June, just prior to World Cup matches in Seattle and Vancouver. Contractor crews will remove the work zone and reopen all lanes throughout the tournament.

    In mid-July, after the conclusion of the tournament, the contractor will close the northbound two right lanes until fall to repair and repave them.

    The work will shift to southbound I-5 in 2027, with crews working on the two left lanes from winter into summer, then the right lanes through the fall.

    Real-time travel information is available from the WSDOT mobile app, the WSDOT Travel Center Map or by signing up for WSDOT’s email updates. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: expert reaction to study looking at obesity drugs in people with diabetes and obesity, and neurodegenerative diseases, stroke, and all-cause mortality

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    A study published in JAMA Network Open looks at the association between people with obesity and diabetes taking weight loss drugs, and risk of neurodegenerative diseases, stroke, and all-cause mortality. 

    Dr Sarah Marzi, Senior Lecturer in Neuroscience and UK DRI Group Leader, UK Dementia Research Institute at King’s College London, and Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, said:

    Is this good quality research?  Are the conclusions backed up by solid data?

    “This is retrospective study in over 60000 individuals with type 2 diabetes and obesity who were using antidiabetic drugs between 2017 and 2024.  The authors looked at the incidence of neurological diseases and mortality.  They showed that people taking glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists (GLP-1Ras), such as semaglutide, was associated with a lower incidence of dementia, stroke and all-cause mortality, but not associated with Parkinson’s disease or mild cognitive impairment.  The hazard ratio for developing dementia with GLP1-RA treatment compared to other diabetic drugs was 0.63.  Or maybe more easily interpretable: The cumulative probability of developing dementia on GLP1-RA after 7 years was 1.63%, whereas it was slightly higher (1.98%) in the group with other antidiabetics.  The study seems well executed and open about the limitations.  There could have been some more detail on the methods, but I suspect that has to do with the format of the publication.

    How does this work fit with the existing evidence?

    “It has been hypothesised that GLP1-RAs may have protective effects in the brain, particularly in the context of dementia, possibly through lowering neuroinflammation or promoting neurogenesis.  There is increasing epidemiological evidence that supports this, for example this meta analysis of clinical trials of GLP1-RAs: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaneurology/fullarticle/2831975

    Have the authors accounted for confounders?  Are there important limitations to be aware of?

    “They used propensity weighting to account for various factors that might bias the outcome, like sex, age, ethnicity, BMI or hospitalisation.  This is good and what should be done in these type of observational studies.  If there is a difference in the two populations that receive the different drugs, that could easily affect their risk to develop neurodegenerative or other neurological conditions.  For example, the proportion of GLP1-RA users who were within hospital inpatient care was much higher than in the comparison group – and this could indicate worse diabetes symptoms or other health complications that may increase risk for neurological disease.  The propensity weighting should account for these differences.  However, it only works for variables that were actively measured, and may overlook other relevant factors.  The authors are clear about the limitations in their discussion, also saying that only a randomized controlled trial would establish causality and that it would be important to investigate underlying biological mechanisms.  One thing I would also note is that the studied population is slightly young for the investigation of neurodegenerative diseases.  Late onset Alzheimer’s disease typically starts after the age of 65 and the probability increases as people age.  The study population here was around 58 years of age on average when originally recruited, so should have been around 65 at 7-year follow-up.  This would be when people are only about to start to develop some of these diseases.

    What are the implications in the real world?  Is there any overspeculation?

    “If shown to be protective for neurodegenerative diseases in future trials, GLP1-RAs could potentially be used clinically in disease prevention in the future, so this is definitely important – but we are not there yet.  No overspeculation on behalf of the authors.”

    Dr Richard Oakley, Associate Director of Research and Innovation, Alzheimer’s Society, said:

    “It is well established that diabetes and obesity can increase your risk of developing dementia.  This study retrospectively examines whether GLP-1RAs drug, such as semaglutide and tirzepatide which are used to treat diabetes, can also reduce a person’s dementia risk.

    “This study supports existing evidence that shows these drugs may reduce dementia risk, particularly for people aged 60 and over who are living with Type 2 diabetes and obesity.

    “Although interesting, we can’t draw conclusions from this study alone as it is an observational study, only a small number of people who took part went on to develop dementia and as the impact of these drugs on different types of dementia is not clear.

    “There are clinical trials currently looking at whether drugs like these can be used to treat early-stage Alzheimer’s disease, so this is a really exciting area being explored in the research fight against dementia.”

    Prof Tara Spires-Jones, Director of the Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences at the University of Edinburgh, Group Leader in the UK Dementia Research Institute, and Past President of the British Neuroscience Association, said:

    “This is a very interesting study adding to evidence that GLP1 receptor agonists are associated with a lower risk of dementia in people with type 2 diabetes and obesity.  This study by Lin and colleagues looked at data from over 60,000 people and found an association between taking GLP1 receptor agonists semaglutide or tirzepatide for 7 years and reduced risk of dementia, stroke, and all-cause mortality (death).  This type of study cannot determine whether the drugs reduced disease risk by directly protecting the brain.  It is highly likely that effectively treating type 2 diabetes and obesity would reduce dementia and stroke risk as they are known risk factors for these conditions.  Further work is needed including randomised clinical trials to confirm these drugs are protective in people with diabetes and obesity and other trials are needed to determine whether these drugs will be protective in people who do not have type 2 diabetes and obesity.”

    Dr Coco Newton, Senior Research Fellow, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, UCL; and Health Systems Group, University of Cambridge, said:

    “This is a rigorous study and suggests important therapeutic effects of GLP-1RAs beyond glycemic control.  However, the protective effects against dementia should be taken with caution.  Three types of dementia outcomes were investigated – Alzheimer’s, vascular, and ‘other’.  Although there was an overall lower risk of dementia associated with GLP-1RAs, the sub-group analysis revealed that this was only the case for ‘other’ dementia, but not for Alzheimer’s disease or vascular dementia – the two most common forms of dementia.  What constitutes ‘other’ dementia is unclear.  The relatively short average follow-up of 1.7 years is far less than the time it takes to develop symptoms of a dementia disease and access a diagnosis, so a longer follow-up time should be investigated before making claims around dementia protection.”

    Prof Kevin McConway, Emeritus Professor of Applied Statistics, Open University, said:

    “This study adds to previous evidence suggesting that, in people who have type 2 diabetes and are overweight, taking the newer GLP-1RA drugs to manage and alleviate those conditions might also lead to benefits in terms of reduced rates of some neurological conditions such as dementias, and of stroke.

    “I think it’s a careful and competent study of its type.  But it doesn’t yet come near showing with any certainty that talking these drugs definitely causes reduced risk of these neurological and brain conditions.  Also, since everyone in the study already had type 2 diabetes and obesity, and was aged 40 or over, the results can’t tell us anything direct about people who aren’t in that group.

    “That’s why the brief press release, and the abstract (summary) of the research paper, rightly don’t go beyond a suggestion that these GLP-1RA drugs might have a protective effect, even in people with diabetes and obesity, but instead say that their results mean that further clinical trials are called for.

    “The newer GLP-1RA drugs being studied are semaglutide (marketed as Ozempic, Rybelsus  or Wegovy) and tirzepatide (marketed as Zepbound or Mounjaro).

    “The researchers for this study are based in Taiwan.  For the study they used data from deidentified health records from 67 US health care organisations, made available through a research network called TriNetX.  The researchers used data on people aged 40 and over with type 2 diabetes and obesity, who had started as new users of semaglutide, tirzepatide, or other antidiabetic drugs between 2017 and 2024.  They excluded from their analysis patients who had previously been prescribed one of the earlier GLP-1RA drugs.

    “The primary outcomes that were analysed were new diagnoses of neurodegenerative diseases, including dementia, mild cognitive impairment, and Parkinson’s disease, and also diseases of blood circulation to the brain, including strokes (where a blood clot blocks the blood supply to part of the brain) and intracerebral haemorrhage (bleeds in the brain).

    “The study found that there were fewer new cases of several, but not all, of these conditions in people who had started taking semaglutide or tirzepatide, compared to people who had started on a different antidiabetic drug that was not a GLP-1RA.

    “However, this was an observational study – so not like a randomised clinical trial where people are allocated at random to one of the drug treatments.  That means that there will, inevitably, be some other differences between the people taking the GLP-1RA drugs and people taking other kinds of drug, apart from which antidiabetic drug they were taking.  So it would remain possible that any difference in diagnosis rates, for the conditions they were looking at, between those on GLP-1RAs and those on other drugs, was caused by one of these other factors and not by the drugs themselves.

    “Of course the researchers were aware of this possibility, and they tried to allow for it using a statistical procedure called propensity score matching.  They found factors, that were recorded on their database, that were associated with the chance of being prescribed a GLP-1RA drug, and used them to construct a statistical model giving a score for how likely each person was to be prescribed a GLP-1RA drug.  Then each of the more than 30,000 patients who was prescribed a GLP-1RA was matched with a patient who was prescribed a different drug, on the basis of this score.  Here the so-called propensity scores were based on people’s age, sex, ethnicity, BMI and various other aspects of their lives and their previous health.  Then in the statistical analysis, each patient was primarily compared with the person they were matched with.

    “This is a standard statistical procedure these days, but it doesn’t get the researchers off the hook of not being able to conclude that the different type of drug actually cause differences in the risk of being diagnosed with one of the diseases they were interested in.

    “That’s partly because there’s no way to be sure that all relevant factors are included in the statistical model that produces the propensity scores.  For instance, the researchers couldn’t include factors that are not recorded in the database they had – they mention the patient’s frailty as one example of something quite possibly relevant that was not on the database.

    “And basically that’s why the researchers, rightly, don’t go further than suggesting that their findings are a reason for doing clinical trials rather than just more observational studies.

    “The research found evidence that was reasonably solid statistically of a reduced risk of diagnosis of dementia and of stroke in patients who were prescribed semaglutide or tirzepatide, compared to patients prescribed another antidiabetic drug.  But don’t forget that they can’t show that these associations are one of cause and effect.  They might be, but they might not be.

    “Also, all these findings apply only to patients like those in the study – that is, people aged 40 or more who already had both type 2 diabetes and obesity.

    “They did not, however, find good statistical evidence of a reduced risk of Parkinson’s disease, or mild cognitive impairment, or bleeds in the brain in people taking GLP-1RA drugs.

    “That can’t be taken to mean that the drugs definitely don’t lead to reductions in the risk of those conditions.  It’s possible that they don’t lead to risk reductions or risk increases.  But it’s also possible that the study, despite the large number of participants, didn’t provide enough evidence one way or the other.  Only just over 100, out of the over 60,000 people studied, had a Parkinson’s diagnosis and that’s not really enough to come to clear conclusions.  Or it’s also still possible that the effect of other unrelated factors, not accounted for by the propensity scores, disguised an association that would otherwise be detectable.  That’s always a risk with observational studies.

    “The study made one other interesting finding, which actually arose from a restriction in the data tools the researchers had available.  Imagine that, for some reason, patients on the GLP-1RA drugs had a higher death rate than patients on the other antidiabetic drugs.  Then perhaps the GLP-1RA patients would have a lower risk of being diagnosed with one of the diseases being studied, simply because they would have been more likely to die of something else first.  There are standard statistical methods for getting round this issue, but they could not be used with the available database.

    “Therefore the researchers decided to use death from any cause (so-called all-cause mortality) as a secondary outcome of this study, as well as the primary outcomes about neurological conditions, strokes and brain bleeds.  In fact. they found that patients on the GLP-1RA drugs had a lower risk of death, during the study, than patients on the other antidiabetic drugs, not a higher risk, again using the propensity scoring method.  So the lower diagnosis rates for stroke and dementia, that they found in their primary data analyses, weren’t simply an odd consequence of differences in mortality rates.

    “This conclusion about death rates is subject to the same provisos as the other conclusions – we can’t conclude that the difference in death rates is actually caused by the different drugs that people were taking for their diabetes, though it certainly doesn’t rule that possibility out.

    “And it raises the interesting question of whether the associations between the drugs people were talking and their risks of diagnoses of the specific conditions of interest could look different, possible stronger, if differences in risk of death from any cause could have been taken into account directly in measuring those associations.”

    ‘Neurodegeneration and Stroke After Semaglutide and Tirzepatide in Patients With Diabetes and Obesity’ by Huan-Tang Lin et al. was published in JAMA Network Open at 16:00 UK time on Tuesday 15 July 2025.

    DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.21016

    Declared interests

    Dr Sarah Marzi: “No conflicts of interest on my part (no industry funding etc).”

    Dr Richard Oakley: “Nothing to declare.”

    Prof Tara Spires-Jones: “I have no conflicts with this study but have received payments for consulting, scientific talks, or collaborative research over the past 10 years from AbbVie, Sanofi, Merck, Scottish Brain Sciences, Jay Therapeutics, Cognition Therapeutics, Ono, and Eisai.  I am also Charity trustee for the British Neuroscience Association and the Guarantors of Brain and serve as scientific advisor to several charities and non-profit institutions.”

    Dr Coco Newton: “No interests to declare.”

    Prof Kevin McConway: “I have no conflicts of interest to declare.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-Evening Report: How to approach going to the cinema like a philosopher

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alain Guillemain, PhD Candidate in Philosophy, Deakin University

    Philosophy is the study of fundamental questions about reality, knowledge, and values. One “does philosophy” when they respond to such questions in ways that engage critical thought and inquiry.

    Many of us will often respond philosophically to the world around us without even realising it. We may do this, for instance, when we reflect on various aspects of culture and the arts.

    But does going to the cinema really amount to doing philosophy? While you may have never thought about it this way, this is exactly what one famous French philosopher named Gilles Deleuze (1925–95) argued.

    Deleuze’s movement-image

    Deleuze presents a philosophical approach to cinema that treats films not merely as entertainment, but as a medium for thinking and creating philosophical concepts.

    This creation of philosophical concepts is what he and his collaborator, Felix Guattari, prize as “doing philosophy” in their 1991 book What is Philosophy?.

    For Deleuze and Guattari, the creation of concepts is not entirely mental. It is an embodied process that involves engaging the senses – which is what cinema demands of both filmmakers and viewers. To that end, filmmakers and film viewers can both be seen as special kinds of philosophers.

    Deleuze suggests cinema is not simply leisure or culture. In his 1983 book Cinema 1: The Movement-Image, he highlights how cinema is a philosophical practice made possible though “movement-images” – cinematic images which can actively shape our perception and experience of the world.

    Great film directors can create concepts through movement-images, just as great philosophers do so through language.

    Good cinema demands viewers engage using all their senses, resulting in an embodied experience.
    Kumiko Shimizu/Unsplash

    Deleuze identified three categories of movement-images: perception-images, affection-images and action-images.

    The perception-image frames the world from a particular point of view, usually to establish context for an action. For example, at the start of a scene, the camera might pan across the contents of a room before resting on the protagonist.

    The affection-image is the cinematic expression of pure emotion. Affection-images can evoke empathy, such as when we see a character’s face overcome with sadness in a close-up. These images usually sit between perception and action images.

    The action-image embodies action and reaction within a defined situation, and usually links perception and affection images. In the horror genre, this may be the “jump scare” that suddenly reveals a killer, after a long buildup of tension.

    Deleuze’s time-image

    In his 1985 book Cinema 2: The Time-Image, Deleuze extends his film philosophy from that of movement-images to include time-images.

    The time-image is one where the experience of time is prioritised over narrative. For instance, a time-image may make use of long takes, empty spaces and irrational cuts to depict time directly onscreen, rather than represent time through props.

    Through masterfully crafting movement-images and time-images, directors can (knowingly or unwittingly) create the opportunity for audiences to think about philosophical concepts and themes.

    For example, in the trailer for Get Out (2017), director Jordan Peele uses a range of movement-images and time-images to convey the concepts of racism, trauma, social isolation and social stratification.

    Multiple closeups of main character Chris Washington’s face looking alarmed produce affection-images (a type of movement-image) that engage the viewer’s emotions.

    Peele also strategically uses time-images to intensify the themes being conveyed, such as when Rose’s mother clinks the spoon on the teacup, both moving Chris back in time and freezing him in real time.

    For Deleuze, it is these embodied, affective experiences that are the fundamental conditions for thought. By allowing the film to be sensed and felt, and by transmuting these feelings into the domain of thought, the cinemagoer can become philosophically engaged.

    Repetition is another element that can bear philosophical fruits, according to Deleuze. The more one repeats a film, whether by re-watching, or repeating certain sequences, the more they allow themselves to be affected by it in different ways. This opens up different avenues for thought.

    How to engage philosophically with films

    Cinemagoers need not be familiar with Deleuze’s ideas to engage philosophically with a film. The only thing required is an openness to the film. But if you do want to consciously approach your next viewing like a philosopher, you might consider the following steps:

    1. Feel as you watch. Open yourself up and allow cinematic moments to affect you on an emotional and bodily level, even if this is unpleasant or uncomfortable.

    2. Allow for multiple interpretations. Resist the temptation to fall into black and white thinking about which characters are “good” or “bad”. Remain open to different readings of the film.

    3. Reflect on what you felt. Allow what you experienced in your body guide your thoughts afterwards. For instance, if you experienced shock, rage, or confusion, ask yourself why.

    4. Gently arrive at some conclusions based on your multiple readings of the film. Allow for perspectives that both contribute to and challenge your worldview.

    5. Consider watching the film again, and repeating the above steps. This will likely help you feel and think new things that further enhance your understanding of the film, and your worldview.

    Ruari Elkington has received funding from The Queensland Government Dept of Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation (DETSI), Screen Queensland, The Embassy of France in Australia and Cinema Association Australasia

    Alain Guillemain 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. How to approach going to the cinema like a philosopher – https://theconversation.com/how-to-approach-going-to-the-cinema-like-a-philosopher-259277

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: The pros and cons of a Universal Basic Income in London

    Source: Mayor of London

    The Basic Income Earth Network, an advocacy organisation, defines a basic income as “a periodic cash payment unconditionally delivered to all on an individual basis, without means-test or work requirement.”1

    There is currently one active Universal Basic Income (UBI) trial in the UK: the Welsh Government commissioned a 3-year trial running from July 2022, involving 500 care leavers receiving a monthly payment of £1,600.2

    The London Assembly Economy, Culture and Skills Committee will meet tomorrow to understand the benefits and drawbacks associated with a Universal Basic Income (UBI) in London, and evaluate how far a UBI would be effective in addressing some of the most acute problems faced by Londoners.

    The two panels are split to hear from one set of guests that are supportive of the idea of UBI, with the second panel made up of guests who take a more sceptical view.

    The guests are:

    Panel 1:

    • Professor Elliott Johnson, Vice Chancellor’s Fellow in Public Policy, Northumbria University
    • Dr Otto Lehto, Postdoctoral Researcher, New York University
    • Professor Guy Standing, Professorial Research Associate, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London
    • Dr Will Stronge, Chief Executive, The Autonomy Institute

    Panel 2:

    • Anna Coote, Principal Fellow, New Economics Foundation
    • Dr Joe Chrisp, Research Associate, Institute of Policy Research, University of Bath
    • Professor David Piachaud, Emeritus Professor of Social Policy, London School of Economics
    • Dr Matthew Thompson, Lecturer in Urban Studies, University College London, University of London

    The meeting will take place on Wednesday 25 June 2025 from 10am in the Chamber at City Hall, Kamal Chunchie Way, E16 1ZE.

    Media and members of the public are invited to attend.

    The meeting can also be viewed LIVE or later via webcast or YouTube.

    Follow us @LondonAssembly.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Coming up next week at the London Assembly W/C 30 June

    Source: Mayor of London

    PUBLIC MEETINGS

    Tuesday 1 July

    New London Fire Commissioner

    Fire Committee – The Chamber, City Hall, Kamal Chunchie Way, 10am

    On his first day as London Fire Commissioner, Jonathan Smith will answer questions from the Fire Committee.

    The Committee will ask the Commissioner about what his plans are for the London Fire Brigade, as he starts his new role, and how he intends to deliver a modern and effective fire service for London. The guests are:

    Panel 1: 10-10.45

    • Steve Hamm, CEO, Institution of Fire Engineers
    • Professor José Torero, Professor of Civil Engineering and Head of the Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering at University College London, Grenfell Tower Inquiry (GTI) expert witness
    • Suzanne McCarthy, Chair, Fire Standards Board

    Panel 2: 11-11.45

    • Martin Forde KC, Independent Chair, LFB Advisory Panel on Culture
    • Dave Shek, Executive Council Member for London, Fire Brigades Union
    • Deborah Riviere-Williams, Chair Unison, LFB Unison Branch

    Panel 3: LFC & DMF 12-12.45

    • Jonathan Smith, London Fire Commissioner (as of July 1 20205)
    • Jules Pipe CBE, Deputy Mayor for Planning, Regeneration and the Fire Service

    MEDIA CONTACT: Josh Hunt on 07763 252 310 / [email protected]

    Wednesday 2 July

    Neighbourhood policing

    Police and Crime Committee – The Chamber, City Hall, Kamal Chunchie Way, 10am

    37 per cent of young people said their trust in the police had decreased over the last year, according to a 2024 survey.

    The Police and Crime Committee will meet to begin its investigation into neighbourhood policing, specifically looking at the effectiveness of how the teams engage and maintain relationships with young people. The guests are:

    • Carly Adams Elias, Director of Practice, Safer London
    • Rhys Barfoot, Youth Involvement Manager, London Youth
    • Katya Moran, Director, Youth Justice Legal Centre
    • Shelli Green, Team Leader, Prevention & Diversion Team, Young Hackney

    MEDIA CONTACT: Tony Smyth on 07763 251 727 / [email protected]

    Wednesday 2 July

    Men’s mental health

    Health Committee – The Chamber, City Hall, Kamal Chunchie Way, 2pm

    As part of its investigation into men’s mental health, the Health Committee will hear from guests who have lived experience of challenges with mental health. The guests are:

    Panel 1: 14:00 – 15:25

    • Guests with lived experience

    Panel 2: 15:30 – 17:00

    • Dr Tom Coffey OBE, Mayoral Health Advisor
    • Dan Barrett, Director, Thrive LDN & Good Thinking, and Co-Director, PHI-UK Population Mental Health Consortium
    • Karen Bonner MBE, Regional Chief Nurse, NHS England (London region)
    • Dr Billy Boland, Regional Clinical Director for Mental Health, NHS England (London region)

    MEDIA CONTACT: Alison Bell on 07887 832 918 / [email protected]

    Thursday 3 July

    Transport for London & Oxford St Mayoral Development Area

    All Assembly meeting – The Chamber, City Hall, Kamal Chunchie Way, 10am

    Assembly Members will ask how Transport for London (TfL) is delivering for London, and what its priorities and challenges are for 2025/26.  The guests are:

    • Sir Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London, in his capacity as Chair of Transport for London (TfL)
    • Andy Lord, Commissioner of TfL

    From 1pm, the Assembly will consider the Mayor’s proposal to designate a Mayoral Development Area (MDA) for Oxford Street, and whether or not to reject the proposal.  Guests to be confirmed.

    MEDIA CONTACT: Alison Bell on 07887 832 918 / [email protected]

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI: Brand Engagement Network Appoints Janine Grasso as Interim CEO

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    WILMINGTON, Del., July 15, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Brand Engagement Network Inc. (BEN) (NASDAQ: BNAI), a global provider of AI-powered customer engagement solutions, today announced that Janine Grasso has been appointed Interim Chief Executive Officer, replacing Paul Chang in this role effective immediately. She will continue serving on the Board of Directors, where she has contributed since February 2024, most recently as Chair of the Compensation Committee. Mr. Chang will remain on the Board of Directors and continue to contribute his vision and strategic guidance as BEN advances its innovation agenda and long-term growth plans.

    Ms. Grasso brings over two decades of experience leading high-growth, technology-driven organizations. She served as the Head of the Global Partner Ecosystem at DocuSign through early 2025. Previously, Ms. Grasso served as Vice President of Business Development at Verizon from 2019 to 2023, where she led a newly established business development organization. Before joining Verizon, Ms. Grasso spent 20 years at IBM, most recently as Vice President of Blockchain Ecosystem, leading the IBM Blockchain Strategy and Ecosystem Organization. Ms. Grasso received her B.B.A from the Pace University Lubin School of Business.

    She has deep expertise in business development, operations, as well as in mergers and acquisitions, with a strong track record of scaling emerging technologies and go-to-market platforms. Ms. Grasso is also accomplished in building high-performing teams and fostering a culture of innovation and accountability. Her leadership in enterprise AI strategy and digital transformation makes her uniquely positioned to guide BEN’s next phase of growth.

    “BEN is operating from a position of strength, with world-class talent and a deep foundation in AI innovation,” said Janine Grasso. “I’m honored to help lead the company forward as we bring to market the Agentic AI platform we’ve been building over the past several years—unlocking new value for both our customers and shareholders.”

    “Janine’s leadership has earned her the trust of the Board, and she has a proven ability to scale innovation and guide complex organizations,” said Walid Khiari, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer of BEN. “We are pleased to have her step into this role at a time of momentum and opportunity for BEN.”

    In addition to the leadership transition, BEN announced that it reduced its total liabilities by $4.25 million in the second quarter, a milestone that reflects the company’s ongoing focus on operational discipline and long-term value creation.

    The company also continues to advance its pending acquisition of Cataneo, a strategic milestone expected to enhance BEN’s platform capabilities and international presence. The transaction remains on track for completion later this summer, subject to customary approvals.

    About Brand Engagement Network (BEN)
    Brand Engagement Network Inc. (NASDAQ: BNAI) innovates in AI-powered customer engagement, delivering safe, intelligent, and scalable solutions. Its proprietary Engagement Language Model (ELM™) and Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) architecture enable highly personalized interactions supported by customers’ curated data in closed-loop environments. BEN develops AI-driven engagement solutions for the life sciences, automotive, and retail industries, featuring AI-powered avatars for outbound campaigns, inbound customer service, and real-time recommendations. With a global AI research and development team, BEN provides secure cloud-based or on-premises deployments, granting complete control of the technology stack and ensuring compliance with GDPR, CCPA, HIPAA, and SOC 2 Type 1 standards. The company holds 21 patents, with 28 pending, demonstrating its commitment to advancing AI-driven consumer engagement. For more information, visit www.beninc.ai.

    Forward-Looking Statements
    Certain statements in this communication are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of federal securities laws. They are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements reflect, among other things, BEN’s current expectations, assumptions, plans, strategies, and anticipated results. Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks, and changes in circumstances that may differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements, which are neither statements of historical fact nor guarantees or assurances of future performance.
    There are a number of risks, uncertainties and conditions that may cause BEN’s actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements, including but not limited to the risk factors described in Part I, Item 1A of Risk Factors in BEN’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024 and the other risk factors identified from time to time in the BEN’s other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). Filings with the SEC are available on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.

    Many of these circumstances are beyond BEN’s ability to control or predict. These forward-looking statements necessarily involve assumptions on BEN’s part. These forward-looking statements may include words such as “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “intend,” “plan,” “project,” “should,” “may,” “will,” “might,” “could,” “would,” or similar expressions. All forward-looking statements attributable to the Company or persons acting on BEN’s behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements that appear throughout this communication. Furthermore, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements, which are based on the information currently available to the Company and speak only as of the date they are made. BEN disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements.

    Media Contact
    Amy Rouyer
    P: 503-367-7596
    E: amy@beninc.ai

    Investor Relations
    Susan Xu
    P: 778-323-0959
    E: sxu@allianceadvisors.com

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/407d3108-c617-4728-9db4-a99f721f10bf

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Duckworth Secures Key Provisions to Protect Rock Island Arsenal, Support Illinois Quantum Technology Research and Safeguard Care for Veterans

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth
    July 15, 2025
    [WASHINGTON, D.C.] — Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), who served in the Reserve Forces for 23 years and is a member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), secured several important provisions to support our state’s residents, Servicemembers, Veterans and economy in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that SASC recently approved last week and the full Senate will now consider. Some of the priorities Duckworth secured to help Illinoisans include protecting Rock Island Arsenal from any restructuring until the Army provides more information about their proposed plans, expanding access to vital health care services for our state’s servicemembers, Veterans as well as military families and supporting research and development at the Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park in Chicago.  
    “The brave Illinoisans who serve our nation in uniform at home and abroad deserve to know that our country fully supports them as they and their families sacrifice to defend our country,”?said Senator Duckworth.?“While I do not support every provision in this bipartisan compromise, I’m proud I was able to secure several important provisions to benefit our state by protecting operations at Rock Island Arsenal, protecting health care access for our military and Veteran families and supporting groundbreaking quantum computing research in Chicago. I’m glad the Armed Services Committee included these important provisions in this year’s NDAA and I hope the full Senate approves it as soon possible.” 
    Key Duckworth provisions secured in this year’s Committee-passed NDAA that would support Illinoisans include:
    Supporting and Protecting Rock Island Arsenal Operations:
    By Protecting Jobs: This provision would restrict the Secretary of the Army from using any funds allocated for restructuring until the Army provides more information about their proposed plan to integrate Joint Munitions Command and Army Sustainment Command, helping ensure operations at Rock Island Arsenal are not affected unnecessarily.
    By Sustaining Workload and Industrial Base: This provision would establish a 5-year pilot program requiring DoD to give preference to public-private partnerships in arsenals, especially those non-public partners that ensure equitable workshare to DoD employees to protect critical skills. This provision would help ensure arsenals and factories, like Rock Island Arsenal, remain active and viable while preserving the skilled workforce, equipment and production capacity critical to the nation’s defense industrial base.
    By Constructing a Child Development Center at Rock Island Arsenal: The bill authorizes $50 million in Major Construction funds for a new addition to the Child Development Center at Rock Island Arsenal and to consolidate the existing facilities and make upgrades to meet DoD guidelines and safety requirements, ensuring that eligible families at Rock Island Arsenal have a safe, modern facility for childcare. 
    By Improving Predictive Manufacturing Analytics at Army Arsenals: Language urging the continued implementation of industrial control networks across our Army’s arsenals to enable the collection, aggregation, and analysis of data associated with the manufacture and repair of equipment and supplies. This work completed by MxD, the nation’s digital manufacturing and cybersecurity institute, located in Chicago, helps ensure the efficiency and security of the critical manufacturing completed at Rock Island Arsenal and the Army’s other arsenals.? 
    By Expanding Robotic Enhancements for Armaments Manufacturing: Language authorizing an additional $5 million for the Secretary of the Army to expand prototyping and production capacity by integrating robotics, automation and digital manufacturing into the munitions industrial base, further modernizing production at Rock Island Arsenal with technology pioneered by innovators in Chicago.? 
    By Improving the Governance of the Organic Industrial Base: Language directing the Army to analyze the effectiveness of their current governance and resourcing model for the Army’s arsenals, depots as well as ammunition plants and identify opportunities for changes to ensure the enterprise and its workforce can support the military’s munitions and sustainment requirements now and in the future. The Senator helped secure this provision alongside Senator Tom Cotton (R-AK). ? 
    Safeguarding Veteran Medical Care in North Chicago: This provision, led with Senator Durbin, would secure a one-year extension of the Joint Medical Facility Demonstration Fund, which supports the operations of the North Chicago-based Lovell Federal Health Care Center (FHCC). This provision will help safeguard continued access to vital services for military families and Veterans in the area.  
    Protecting Cities Like Chicago from the Trump Administration’s Overreach with the Military: A modified version of a provision of Senator Duckworth’s Military In Law Enforcement Accountability Act (MiLEAA) requires servicemembers identify themselves as part of the military when assisting federal law enforcement when operating in the United States. As the Trump Administration continues to send federal agents and our nation’s military into our communities to intimidate their fellow Americans, this provision ensures that servicemembers identify themselves properly—to avoid public misunderstanding about who is providing logistical support versus conducting arrests or law enforcement duties. 
    In light of the Trump administration’s increasing use of troops to support law enforcement within the United States, another provision will help ensure troops know how to responsibly operate within the bounds of domestic laws and protect American civil rights. This provision requires DoD to provide legal training to all servicemembers, including a refresher within 90 days of any mobilization or deployment, on their responsibilities under the law of armed conflict, rules of engagement, defense support for civil authorities and standing rules for the use of force within the United States.
    Strengthening Domestic Suppliers of Critical Uniform Components: Language prohibiting the Department of Defense from sourcing clothing, fabrics or components from countries of concern—such as China, Iran, North Korea and Russia—when using domestic sourcing waivers under the Berry Amendment, to prevent further weakening of the U.S. clothing and textile industrial base and bolstering Chicago’s top-quality garment industry.
    Investing in Quantum Technology in Chicago: Language recognizing the importance of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s Quantum Benchmarking Initiative (QBI) program, which aims to build a commercially useful FTQC by 2033, and encouraging the Department to concurrently prepare algorithms to operate those machines, while the hardware is being built. This provision recognizes the importance of the development of the first FTQC, which is being built at the Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park in Chicago, Illinois. 
    Championing Domestic Manufacturing in Belleville: Language requesting DoD provide data and analysis on the necessary war reserves for footwear and textiles, and the accompanying surge needs in the event of crisis or conflict. This report language is a modified version of the Senator’s Better Outfitting Our Troops (BOOTS) Act, which recognizes that our defense industrial base for combat boots needs investment in order for it to support our troops and help ensure they have the sturdiest and most protective boots in a possible war, like those manufactured in Illinois at Belleville’s Belleville Boot Manufacturing Co.
    Advancing U.S. Bioindustrial Manufacturing Innovation in Champaign: This provision would support the innovative work being done at advanced facilities like the University of Illinois Fermentation and Agriculture Biomanufacturing Hub (iFAB) by requiring more information on how DoD is investing in this technology critical for national security.
    Encouraging Investment in Nuclear Energy and Domestic Printed Circuit Boards: Language allowing the Office of Strategic Capital to enter into investments in nuclear fusion and fission energy and directing OSC to explore printed circuit boards (PCBs) and PCB assemblies, to ensure these critical technologies—which Illinois plays a central role in manufacturing and advancing—has sufficient capital investments to scale for warfighting. 
    Protecting Servicemembers from Dangerous PFAS in their Protective Garments: Language requiring the DoD to articulate its plan for acquiring chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear threat protective garments free from toxic PFAS chemicals as soon as possible.?Innovative Illinois research and development and manufacturing is leading the way on alternatives that protect servicemembers without relying on toxic chemicals.  
    Designing a New Aircraft Maintenance Hangar at Scott Air Force Base: The bill authorizes $6 million in Planning and Design funds for the construction of a new aircraft maintenance hangar to support the training and operational mission of the 126th Aerial Refueling Wing at Scott Air Force Base. The current hangar was constructed in 1956, remains in disrepair and no longer meets Department of Defense standards or mission requirements, making a new hangar critical to the Wing’s mission. 
    Renovating General Jones Readiness Center: The bill authorizes $5 million in Planning and Design funds for major alternations to the General Richard L. Jones National Guard Readiness Center in Chicago. This facility was built in 1931 and remains one of the largest readiness centers in the country. Renovating it to meet mission requirements is a top priority for the Illinois National Guard. 
    In addition to these provisions, Senator Duckworth also successfully worked to protect Universities like Northwestern University and University of Illinois from having their DoD funding for critical technological research cut unnecessarily. 
    Other key funding for Illinois projects contained in the committee-passed bill include:
    $5 million authorized in Planning and Design funds to support forging annex at Rock Island Arsenal.
    $3.05 million authorized in Planning and Design funds to support range control at Marseilles Training Center.
    $8 million authorized in Planning and Design funds to support the Peoria Armory Readiness Center.
    $36 million authorized to boost Fort Sheridan area maintenance support activity.
    A full list of Duckworth’s priorities included in the FY26 NDAA can be found here.
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio Hosts Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Bank Delegation, Commits to Strengthen Regional Investment Collaboration

    Source: APO


    .

    The President of the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID), Dr George Agyekum Donkor, has paid a courtesy visit on His Excellency, President Dr Julius Maada Bio at his state house office, where he noted that “Your Excellency, all macroeconomic indicators have been doing well. A sign that your government is doing well. Congratulations.”

    The ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development is the leading regional investment and development bank, owned by the fifteen-member states of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

    Introducing the delegation to the President, the Chief Minister, Dr David Moinina Sengeh, revealed that the team is in the country based on an initial engagement the bank president had with President Bio, where an open invitation was extended for his visit to Sierra Leone.

    In his address, the Bank President congratulated President Bio on his recent appointment as chairperson of the ECOWAS Authority. “Your Excellency, I want to thank you for the warm hospitality my team and I received in Sierra Leone. I also want to formally congratulate you on your position in the high office at ECOWAS.” He said.

    “Your appointment is an endorsement of your leadership to deliver and the quality you have to lead the region at a time like this, when it is volatile. But we are sure that you are going to deliver,” he assured. He confirmed the Bank’s commitment and full support towards ensuring that President Bio succeeds during his tenure at ECOWAS.

    Dr Donkor revealed that since they arrived in the country, they have met with key ministers of government and have already started conversations on key areas, including roads, tourism, infrastructure, and education, among others, noting that during their stay in the country, they will also be engaging key sector ministers for tangible investment areas.

    The bank president pleaded with President Bio in his capacity as Chairman of the Authority of ECOWAS Heads of State and Governance to assist the bank in ensuring it maintains its status as a non-political entity in the sub-region. This, according to the Bank, will help it develop and expand its reach, hence position itself to undertake more development projects in the sub-region.

    While welcoming the Bank President and team to Freetown, President Julius Maada Bio thanked the Bank President for fulfilling his promise made during their engagement on the margins the ECOWAS Summit, where he personally requested the visit in order for the bank to deepen its ties with Sierra Leone.

    The President expressed hope that during their visit, the bank will be able to engage several sectors, so it will identify outstanding issues that are within its scope. The President expressed his concern about regional economic integration for Sierra Leone and other countries in a wide range of areas because, according to him, “West Africa has great potential, which we want to not only develop but also tap into for our future.”

    The President reaffirmed Sierra Leone’s commitment to deepening its relationship with the bank, revealing that the University of Kono is one of the top priorities on his agenda, and needs to be addressed as quickly as possible. In terms of roads, President Bio said his government doesn’t want to lead on mere physical infrastructure but rather, “We want to look at both physical and digital infrastructure, as well as that of our ecotourism,” he disclosed.

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of State House Sierra Leone.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Shaheen Highlights Key Investments Secured in Fiscal Year 2026 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Jeanne Shaheen

    **Shaheen secured more than $14.7 million for critical projects across New Hampshire**

    (Washington, DC) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies (Ag-FDA) Subcommittee and a senior member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee, participated in a full committee markup of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Ag-FDA Appropriations bill. In a unanimous vote, the Committee approved the bipartisan legislation, which would provide $27.1 billion in discretionary funding, including more than $14.7 million for critical projects across the Granite State, helping invest in a wide range of programs benefitting New Hampshire and the country.

    “As Ranking Member of the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies Subcommittee, I’m proud to deliver this bipartisan bill that will help address the high costs that so many Americans are facing and invest in rural communities across the nation,” said Ranking Member Senator Shaheen. “The resources we secured will help support our efforts to tackle housing, food and energy costs, ensure New Hampshire’s farmers have the support they need, invest in the outdoor recreation economy, protect public health and more. I’m proud to have shaped this legislation in a way that benefits the Granite State and all of America.”

    Summary of Shaheen priorities included in the Agriculture Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2026:

    Defending Access to Food Assistance

    Senator Shaheen has long fought to protect access to food assistance programs that help families put food on the table. In the FY26 Ag-FDA bill, Shaheen helped secure $8.2 billion for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) to help low-income families receive healthy, nutritious food products like milk, fruits and vegetables, whole grains and more. Shaheen also helped fund the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) which provides food boxes for low-income older adults across the country.

    Shaheen, who is also the top Democrat on the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, successfully fought for the inclusion of funding to fulfill America’s commitment to international food aid programs. Specifically, the bill provides $1.5 billion for Food for Peace and $240 million for McGovern-Dole Food for Education—a bipartisan defense of these programs that address world hunger, save lives and create additional markets for American farmers.

    Investing in America’s Rural Communities

    In the FY26 Ag-FDA bill, Senator Shaheen built on her work to support rural communities across the nation, including to address the affordable housing crisis. The bill fully funds the Rental Assistance program so that participating families can remain housed, provides funding to preserve the existing affordable housing portfolio and makes $1 billion in financing available for very low-income homebuyers, many of whom are first-time homeowners.

    Shaheen has continually fought for federal funding to help ensure Granite State communities have the resources needed to tackle the housing affordability crisis. In the FY24 Ag-FDA bill, Shaheen worked to include key provisions from her Strategy and Investment in Rural Housing Preservation Act. Those provisions were continued in the FY26 Ag-FDA bill. Shaheen’s standalone legislation would ensure that hundreds of thousands of low-income tenants in rural areas are able to maintain access to safe and affordable housing.

    Shaheen has also led legislative action in the Senate to support energy efficiency projects and initiatives. Shaheen secured $4 million for a new Energy Circuit Rider Pilot program in the FY26 Ag-FDA bill to help ensure communities in rural America can take advantage of cost savings from energy efficiency and clean energy projects. The provision is based on legislation Shaheen recently reintroduced, the Energy Circuit Riders Act, to establish a new grant program within the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development to help eligible entities hire local, on-the-ground experts that travel to rural communities and provide technical assistance on projects that help spur economic development and reduce energy costs that help ease rural property tax rates. This pilot is modeled after a successful program in New Hampshire through Clean Energy NH.

    Protecting Public Health

    The FY26 Ag-FDA Appropriations bill also provides vital funding for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to stay ahead of the curve on approving medical products, regulating the food supply and more. Shaheen worked in a bipartisan way to defend the FDA’s budget, providing more than $7 billion in funding for the agency. Shaheen secured the following funding to protect the public health of Americans:

    • $5 million and report language at the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research to develop and validate new surrogate endpoints, including C-peptide, that could help improve health outcomes and reduce disease burden for patients with Type 1 diabetes.
    • Gives the FDA the authority to seize and destroy illegal tobacco products at ports of entry, requires the Center for Tobacco Products to spend $200 million of their $712 million on enforcement activities and provides $2 million for the Coordination of the Interagency Tobacco Task Force.
    • Report language encouraging the FDA to prioritize the approval of biosimilar products.
    • Report language directing the FDA to provide a report on the challenges it faces preventing counterfeit drugs from reaching the market, including recommendations for how to address the problem.

    Supporting Farmers with Vital Tools and Groundbreaking Research

    Shaheen built on her longstanding work to support New Hampshire’s small and diversified farmers by defending the conservation tools used by the state’s agricultural producers to help protect and sustain their land’s natural resources. The FY26 Ag-FDA bill defends the Conservation Technical Assistance program, funding conservation activities at $949 million. The bill also maintains critical funding for Farm Service Agency staffing in county offices in the Granite State and makes $10.5 billion in farm loans available to help producers access capital across the country.

    Shaheen was also able to successfully include $2 million for New England Protected Agriculture research at the Agricultural Research Service. The University of New Hampshire is well-positioned to help lead this effort. This research will help improve cultivation practices and help farmers extend the growing season for fruit and vegetable crops.

    Supporting New Hampshire’s Outdoor Economy

    Shaheen also secured continued funding for the Natural Resources Conservation Service’s (NRCS) Snow Survey and Water Supply Forecasting Program (SNOTEL), including an additional $2 million to continue the ongoing study regarding potential Northeast expansion of this program. Senator Shaheen secured the initial $1 million for this study in FY23 government funding legislation. Shaheen recently introduced the bipartisan Snow Survey Northeast Expansion Act with Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Angus King (I-ME) to establish a SNOTEL network across the Northeast to track mountain snow accumulation and precipitation rates.

    Senator Shaheen also included the following Congressionally Directed Spending projects for New Hampshire, totaling more than $14.7 million.

    Recipient

    Project

    Account

    Funding ($)

    University System of New Hampshire

    Center for Excellence in Education and Discovery for Plant Science (CEED Plant Science)

    Research Facilities Act Program

    $1,925,000

    Belmont Police Department

    Drive to Safety

    Rural Community Facilities Program

    $73,000

    Chesley Memorial Library

    Chesley Memorial Library Energy Efficiency and Emergency Power Project

    Rural Community Facilities Program

    $95,000

    Cottage Hospital

    Cottage Hospital Asbestos Abatement

    Rural Community Facilities Program

    $1,725,000

    Croydon School District

    Croydon Schoolhouse Renovation and Expansion

    Rural Community Facilities Program

    $1,176,000

    Families Flourish Northeast Inc

    Interrupting Intergenerational Addiction

    Rural Community Facilities Program

    $1,000,000

    Franklin Pierce University

    Renovation and Upgrade to Health Sciences Facilities at Franklin Pierce University, Rindge Campus

    Rural Community Facilities Program

    $1,000,000

    Maplewood Station

    Maplewood Station Community Center

    Rural Community Facilities Program

    $750,000

    The Walpole Foundation

    Walpole Village School

    Rural Community Facilities Program

    $830,000

    Town of Bethlehem

    Bethlehem’s Transfer Station Project

    Rural Community Facilities Program

    $750,000

    Town of Deerfield

    George B. White Solar Project

    Rural Community Facilities Program

    $248,000

    Town of Gorham

    Replacement of Rescue Truck

    Rural Community Facilities Program

    $301,000

    Town of Hampton

    Hampton Public Safety Pier

    Rural Community Facilities Program

    $125,000

    Town of Hancock

    Hancock Fire Station Renovation Project

    Rural Community Facilities Program

    $600,000

    Town of Unity

    Unity Fire Station and Emergency Community Shelter

    Rural Community Facilities Program

    $2,100,000

    Town of Walpole

    Walpole NH Police Station

    Rural Community Facilities Program

    $2,058,000

    TOTAL:

    		    

    $14,756,000

     

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Dmitry Chernyshenko: The Republic of Abkhazia has joined the Student Tourism program.

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Government of the Russian Federation – Government of the Russian Federation –

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    Student tourism has become one of the topics sounded at a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on July 10, 2025.

    This season, a new international direction has been added to the Student Tourism program – now students, young scientists, postgraduates and residents studying in Russia will be able to choose the Republic of Abkhazia for their trip.

    “The Student Tourism program is growing: 260 universities from 85 regions of Russia have joined it in four years. Participants travel not only around our country, but also abroad. Young people can travel to Armenia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, China, and now also to Abkhazia. In turn, more than 1,000 foreign students will visit Russian regions to get acquainted with the domestic education system and scientific agenda. Such trips contribute to strengthening cooperation between our countries and increasing the number of foreign students, as President Vladimir Putin instructed us to do,” said Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko.

    The youth and student tourism program (Student Tourism) was launched on the initiative of Russian President Vladimir Putin. It allows university students aged 18 to 35 to travel, staying in the dormitories of partner universities. Thus, the program assumes the effective use of infrastructure, when the dormitories, which can be vacated during the summer holidays, are occupied by students who come from other regions. The opportunity to communicate with peers is especially important here.

    The goal of the program is to create a single space for the cultural, personal, scientific and professional development of Russian youth, as well as familiarization with the domestic education system and science. You can apply for participation on the platform studturizm.rf.

    According to the head of the Ministry of Education and Science, Valery Falkov, the program contributes to the formation of a favorable educational environment and opens up new prospects for cultural and scientific exchange.

    “Today, participants of “Student Tourism” can travel to 117 cities in Russia, as well as choose travel destinations beyond its borders. The guys have access to more than 1.1 thousand scientific infrastructure facilities, special educational modules and popular science routes have been launched,” he added.

    The involvement of the Abkhaz State University (ASU) in the Student Tourism program started with an international blog tour in Sukhumi. It was organized in July by the Russian Ministry of Education and Science together with the International Youth Center of the Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia named after Patrice Lumumba. Presentations of educational opportunities, meetings with university representatives, master classes, and cultural and excursion events were held at ASU. Students and representatives of media centers of Russian universities took part in the blog tour.

    Head of the Student Tourism program Svetlana Nekhorosheva notes: “We at Student Tourism believe that students can easily, safely and affordably travel around Russia and the world. Abkhazia is an important partner in the development of youth exchanges and cultural dialogue. The accession of the Abkhaz State University opens up new prospects for students from both countries.”

    Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –