Category: AM-NC

MIL-OSI Security: Man jailed for 22 years after detectives linked him to violent robbery in Barnet

Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

A man has been sentenced to life imprisonment after a homicide investigation identified him as one of a gang of people who carried out a violent robbery in Barnet.

During a trial at the Old Bailey, a jury heard the group all travelled to 30-year-old Olsi Kuka’s home address in High Road, N20, shortly before 03:00hrs on 11 May 2022.

They were split into two Mercedes cars that parked outside before the group forced entry into the flat and attacked Olsi, stabbing him numerous times.

They then ransacked his flat, searching for drugs and money they believed Olsi had in his property.

After the men left the flat, police and paramedics were called. Despite the efforts of emergency services, Olsi sadly died a short time later.

A post-mortem examination concluded that the stab wounds had been caused by ‘at least’ two different knives. There were also four metal ball-bearings found in his scalp consistent with being shot by an air weapon.

A murder investigation, led by homicide detectives from the Met’s Specialist Crime Command, used CCTV and mobile phone analysis to identify the five men involved in the attack.

Detectives discovered that one of the cars had travelled to the address four days before on a reconnaissance trip.

A police search dog also helped provide vital evidence to secure the conviction of a man for murder.

Dog handler PC Neil Dobson and a police dog called Monty searched managed to find £8,000 in cash hidden in the headboard of a bed that had not been found by the group.

Following a trial at the Old Bailey, Reuben Bernard, 19, (22.03.05) of Wootton, Northampton, was convicted of murder.

On Tuesday, 29 October, Bernard was sentenced to life imprisonment, to serve 22 years. He was also sentenced to seven years for conspiracy to rob and three years for causing grievous bodily harm; these sentences will be served concurrently.

Detective Chief Inspector Neil Rawlinson said: “The violence used in this attack was calculated, vicious and unrelenting.

“The five men that have been sentenced had planned to rob Olsi and were prepared to use any force necessary in order to get what they wanted.

“We continue to pursue lines of enquiry that may provide evidence as to the involvement of other people in this atrocious act of violence.”

Four other men have been sentenced for their involvement. They are:

Santana Thompson, 21 (04.02.03), of Aldriche Way was sentenced to 10 years in prison for Olsi’s manslaughter, 10 years for conspiracy to rob and one year for Section 20 wounding.

Daige Ramsey, 25 (30.11.98) of Winchester Road, E4 was convicted of the manslaughter of Olsi Kuka and jailed for 11 years. He was also sentenced to 10 years for conspiracy to rob and 12 months for section 20 wounding.

Ozan Seran 29 (05.06.95), of no fixed address pleaded guilty to manslaughter and was sentenced to 12-and-a-half years’ imprisonment. He was also sentenced to 11-and-a-half years for conspiracy to rob and nine months for section 20 wounding.

Bulent Bakir, 27 (05.01.97) of Old Road, Enfield, was convicted of conspiracy to rob and sentenced to six years.

MIL Security OSI –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Dartmouth — Nova Scotia RCMP release impaired statistics for July to September 2024
Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

As Nova Scotia’s provincial police, road safety is a top priority for the Nova Scotia RCMP. For the months of July, August, and September, 274 drivers in the province were charged with impaired-related offences.
- 234 charged with Impaired Operation of a Conveyance by Alcohol
- 12 charged with Impaired Operation of a Conveyance by Drug
- 28 charged with Refusal of a Demand Made by a Peace Officer
In addition to investigations that resulted in charges, a further 130 people were issued administrative driving suspensions for Operating a Conveyance While Having Consumed Alcohol.

Failure or refusal to comply with a peace officer’s request to provide a sample for sobriety testing can result in criminal charges that have the same penalties as impaired driving. There are a range of fines and periods of driving prohibition for those convicted of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Citizens are asked to call 911 immediately if they see a driver who’s driving erratically or unsafely. Here are some signs that an impaired driver might be behind the wheel:
- Driving unreasonably fast, slow or at an inconsistent speed
- Drifting in and out of lanes
- Tailgating and changing lanes frequently
- Making exceptionally wide turns
- Changing lanes or passing without sufficient clearance
- Overshooting or stopping well before stop signs or stop lights
- Disregarding signals and lights
- Approaching signals or leaving intersections too quickly or slowly
- Driving without headlights, failing to lower high beams or leaving turn signals on
The 911 dispatcher will ask for:
- Your location
- A description of the vehicle, including the licence plate number, colour, make and model
- The direction of travel for the vehicle
- A description of the driver if visible
The Nova Scotia RCMP asks motorists to plan ahead and drive sober.

MIL Security OSI –
January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI Economics: grmcapitalspro.com: BaFin investigates the company GRMcapitalsPRO

Source: Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht – In English

The Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) warns consumers about the company GRMcapitalsPRO and the services it is offering. BaFin has information that the company is offering banking business and/or financial services in Germany on its website grmcapitalspro.com without the required authorisation. The company is not supervised by BaFin.

Financial services may only be offered in Germany if the company providing these services has the necessary authorisation from BaFin to do this. However, some companies offer these services without the necessary authorisation. Information on whether a particular company has been granted authorisation by BaFin can be found in BaFin’s database of companies.

Theinformation provided by BaFin is based on section 37 (4) of the German Banking Act (Kreditwesengesetz – KWG).

Please be aware:

BaFin, the German Federal Criminal Police Office (Bundeskriminalamt – BKA) and the German state criminal police offices (Landeskriminalämter) recommend that consumers seeking to invest money online should exercise the utmost caution and do the necessary research beforehand in order to identify fraud attempts at an early stage.

MIL OSI Economics –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Simple science summaries written by AI help people understand research and trust scientists

Source: The Conversation – USA – By David Markowitz, Associate Professor of Communication, Michigan State University

Smoothing out the complexity can help with comprehension. kislev/iStock via Getty Images Plus

Artificial intelligence-generated summaries of scientific papers make complex information more understandable for the public compared with human-written summaries, according to my recent paper published in PNAS Nexus. AI-generated summaries not only improved public comprehension of science but also enhanced how people perceived scientists.

I used a popular large language model, GPT-4 by OpenAI, to create simple summaries of scientific papers; this kind of text is often called a significance statement. The AI-generated summaries used simpler language – they were easier to read according to a readability index and used more common words, like “job” instead of “occupation” – than summaries written by the researchers who had done the work.

In one experiment, I found that readers of the AI-generated statements had a better understanding of the science, and they provided more detailed, accurate summaries of the content than readers of the human-written statements.

I also investigated what effects the simpler summaries might have on people’s perceptions of the scientists who performed the research. In this experiment, participants rated the scientists whose work was described in the simpler texts as more credible and trustworthy than the scientists whose work was described in the more complex texts.

In both experiments, participants did not know who wrote each summary. The simpler texts were always AI-generated, and the complex texts were always human-generated. When I asked participants who they believed wrote each summary, they ironically thought the more complex ones were written by AI and simpler ones were written by humans.

It can feel like you need a Ph.D. to understand science research published in a journal.
R.Tsubin/Moment via Getty Images

Why it matters

Have you ever read about a scientific discovery and felt like it was written in a foreign language? If you’re like most Americans, new scientific information is probably hard to understand – especially if you try to tackle a science article in a research journal.

In an era where scientific literacy is crucial for informed decision-making, the abilities to communicate and grasp complex ideas are more important than ever. Trust in science has been declining for years, and one contributing factor may be the challenge of understanding scientific jargon.

This research points to a potential solution: using AI to simplify science communication. By making scientific content more approachable, this work demonstrates that AI-generated summaries may help to restore trust in scientists and, in turn, encourage greater public engagement with scientific issues. The question of trust is particularly important, as people often rely on science in their daily lives, from eating habits to medical choices.

What still isn’t known

As AI continues to evolve, its role in science communication may expand, especially if using generative AI becomes more commonplace or sanctioned by journals. Indeed, the academic publishing field is still establishing norms regarding the use of AI. By simplifying scientific writing, AI could contribute to more engagement with complex issues.

While the benefits of AI-generated science communication are perhaps clear, ethical considerations must also be considered. There is some risk that relying on AI to simplify scientific content may remove nuance, potentially leading to misunderstandings or oversimplifications. There’s always the chance of errors, too, if no one pays close attention.

Additionally, transparency is critical. Readers should be informed when AI is used to generate summaries to avoid potential biases.

Simple science descriptions are preferable to and more beneficial than complex ones, and AI tools can help. But scientists could also achieve the same goals by working harder to minimize jargon and communicate clearly – no AI necessary.

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

– ref. Simple science summaries written by AI help people understand research and trust scientists – https://theconversation.com/simple-science-summaries-written-by-ai-help-people-understand-research-and-trust-scientists-241105

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Fighting antibiotic resistance at the source – using machine learning to identify bacterial resistance genes and the drugs to block them

Source: The Conversation – USA – By Abdullahi Tunde Aborode, Mississippi State University

Current methods of identifying resistance mutations in microbes can miss other ways resistance can develop. koto_feja/iStock via Getty Images Plus

Antibiotic resistance is a growing public health problem around the world. When bacteria like E. coli no longer respond to antibiotics, infections become harder to treat.

To develop new antibiotics, researchers typically identify the genes that make bacteria resistant. Through laboratory experiments, they observe how bacteria respond to different antibiotics and look for mutations in the genetic makeup of resistant strains that allow them to survive.

While effective, this method can be time-consuming and may not always capture the full picture of how bacteria become resistant. For example, changes in how genes work that don’t involve mutations can still influence resistance. Bacteria can also exchange resistance genes between each other, which may not be detected if only focusing on mutations within a single strain.

My colleagues and I developed a new approach to identify E. coli resistance genes by computer modeling, allowing us to design new compounds that can block these genes and make existing treatments more effective.

Identifying resistance

To predict which genes contribute to resistance, we analyzed the genomes of various E. coli strains to identify genetic patterns and markers associated with resistance. We then used machine learning algorithms trained on existing data to highlight novel genes or mutations shared across resistant strains that might contribute to resistance.

E. coli is one of many bacterial species developing resistance to common antibiotics.
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases/National Institutes of Health via Flickr, CC BY-NC

After identifying resistance genes, we designed inhibitors that specifically target and block the proteins these genes produce. By analyzing the structure of the proteins these genes code for, we were able to optimize our inhibitors to strongly bind to these specific proteins.

To reduce the likelihood that bacteria would evolve resistance to these inhibitors, we targeted regions of their genome that code for proteins critical to their survival. By interfering with how bacteria carry out important functions, it makes it more difficult for them to develop mechanisms to compensate. We also prioritized compounds that work differently from existing antibiotics to minimize cross-resistance.

Finally, we tested how effectively our inhibitors could overcome antibiotic resistance in E. coli. We used computer simulations to assess how strongly a number of inhibitors bind to target proteins over time. One inhibitor called hesperidin was able to strongly bind to the three genes in E. coli involved in resistance that we identified, suggesting it may be able to help combat antibiotic-resistant strains.

A global threat

The World Health Organization ranks antimicrobial resistance as one of the top 10 threats to global health. In 2019, bacterial antibiotic resistance killed an estimated 4.95 million people worldwide.

By targeting the specific genes responsible for resistance to existing drugs, our approach could lead to treatments for challenging bacterial infections that are not only more effective but also less likely to contribute to further resistance. It can also help researchers keep up with bacterial threats as they evolve.

Some microbes can transfer resistance to other microbes.

Our predictive approach could be adapted to other bacterial strains, allowing for more personalized treatment strategies. In the future, doctors could potentially tailor antibiotic treatments based on the specific genetic makeup of the bacteria causing the infection, potentially leading to better outcomes.

As antibiotic resistance continues to rise globally, our findings may provide a crucial tool in the fight against this threat. Further development is needed before our methods can be used in the clinic. But by staying ahead of bacterial evolution, targeted inhibitors could help preserve the efficacy of existing antibiotics and reduce the spread of resistant strains.

Nothing to disclose.

– ref. Fighting antibiotic resistance at the source – using machine learning to identify bacterial resistance genes and the drugs to block them – https://theconversation.com/fighting-antibiotic-resistance-at-the-source-using-machine-learning-to-identify-bacterial-resistance-genes-and-the-drugs-to-block-them-237919

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI China: Chinese organization expresses ‘great regret’ after EU’s Chinese EVs tariff ruling

Source: China State Council Information Office

The China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Machinery and Electronic Products on Wednesday expressed “great regret” on behalf of the Chinese automotive industry at the European Commission’s decision to impose anti-subsidy tariffs on electric vehicles originating in China.

MIL OSI China News –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI China: Direct all-cargo air route links China’s Hubei, Hong Kong

Source: China State Council Information Office

A direct all-cargo air route between Hubei Province in central China and Hong Kong Special Administrative Region was launched on Wednesday, according to SF Airlines.

On Wednesday morning, a Boeing 737-400 freighter took off from the Ezhou Huahu International Airport in Hubei, China’s first cargo-focused airport. It is also the airport’s first all-cargo route to Hong Kong, said the cargo airline.

Three round-trip flights are scheduled to shuttle on this route every week, providing about 100 tonnes of air transport capacity weekly.

This direct air route will provide air express capacity to this year’s Double Eleven online shopping festival, also known as the Singles’ Day shopping festival and a Chinese version of Black Friday.

It will help facilitate transportation of e-commerce express and enhance consumption experience for customers, said SF Airlines.

Headquartered in Shenzhen, SF Airlines is China’s largest air cargo carrier in fleet size. To date, it has cultivated an international route network from Ezhou Huahu International Airport to totalling more than 60 destinations at home and abroad, said the cargo carrier.

MIL OSI China News –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI China: China’s first ‘smart factory’ for offshore oil, gas equipment fully operational

Source: China State Council Information Office

China’s first intelligent manufacturing base for offshore oil and gas equipment was put into full operation on Wednesday in north China’s Tianjin Municipality.

Covering an area of about 575,000 square meters, this base built along the coast of the Bohai Sea focuses on producing offshore oil and gas platforms and high-end offshore products such as liquefied natural gas modules, according to its constructor China Offshore Oil Engineering Company (COOEC), a subsidiary of the China National Offshore Oil Corporation.

The base consists of four intelligent production workshops, eight production auxiliary centers, 16 final assembly stations and core facilities such as docks facilitating product transportation via large ships. There are also over 600 intelligent production machines at this base.

Compared to the traditional manufacturing process, a series of operations such as material retrieval, pipe coiling, cutting and hydraulic bending can be achieved via a single click through an intelligent manufacturing management platform available at the Tianjin facility.

According to Wang Lei, one of the senior executives of the Tianjin branch of COOEC, there are a variety of offshore oil and gas equipments, and in the past, producing them featured complicated manufacturing processes, and customized and non-standard requirements.

As a result, COOEC opted to develop an intelligent manufacturing management platform to achieve intelligent production under complex conditions, said Wang. “More manufacturing processes are now achieved through the use of equipment, while only a small number of workers are needed to undertake detail adjustment tasks.”

The base was constructed in two phases. The first phase of the project was put into use in June 2022, and delivered 35 offshore oil and gas platforms to countries such as China and Canada, with total weight exceeding 87,000 tonnes.

In the second construction phase of this project, eight final assembly stations and an intelligent pipe production line were added, while the capacity of docks was increased.

“Production efficiency achieved by the intelligent pipe production line has increased by about 20 percent when compared to what was possible in the first phase, and the overall production capacity of the factory has doubled through digital intelligent manufacturing and precise management,” Wang revealed.

In 2023, China’s offshore crude oil production had exceeded 62 million tonnes, a year-on-year increase of 3.4 million tonnes — accounting for about 70 percent of China’s total crude oil production increase last year.

MIL OSI China News –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI China: Collapse of gold mine in Afghanistan leaves 3 dead

Source: China State Council Information Office

At least three miners were killed following the collapse of a gold mine in northern Afghanistan’s Badakhshan province, the provincial police office has said.

The accident occurred in the mountainous area of the province’s Arghanchkhwa district. The bodies of the victims were recovered by local residents and a rescue team.

Badakhshan is a remote and mountainous province of Afghanistan, home to numerous untouched mines, especially gold and lapis lazuli mines, some of which are extracted with no modern facilities or equipment.

MIL OSI China News –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI China: US candidates neck-and-neck a week before elections

Source: China State Council Information Office

The race for the White House is neck and neck just a week before Americans cast their ballots for the next president.

Republican candidate Donald Trump leads Democratic candidate Kamala Harris by an average of 0.4 percentage points in national polls as of Tuesday, according to the U.S. election information website Real Clear Politics.

Trump leads by just a hair in many swing states, including Georgia, Arizona, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and North Carolina, while Harris leads by half a point in Michigan.

The swing states are likely to determine the election outcome, and both candidates have been actively campaigning there, attending rallies to present their case to voters.

“The presidential race remains tight, but Harris has been outspending Trump by a 2 or 3 to 1 margin in advertising,” Brookings Institution Senior Fellow Darrell West told Xinhua.

Inflation and the economy are among the main issues. While President Joe Biden and Vice President Harris have overseen an economy with low unemployment, many voters are outraged over the high prices that have taken hold during the current administration.

Besides, Trump’s campaign has been accusing the Biden-Harris administration of leading to a major increase in crime in urban areas.

Stores are now locking up their merchandise, as shoplifters brazenly fill up garbage bags full of goods and simply walk out of the store without paying. Drug addicts shoot up heroin and other hard drugs in broad daylight in many cities. They harass and physically assault passersby, and urinate and defecate on sidewalks in downtown areas.

At the same time, Trump has ruffled several feathers, as he is known to do, with what critics call incendiary rhetoric.

Critics also blasted Trump for his plan to launch the mass deportation operation of millions of immigrants who illegally poured over the border since the current administration took office. Trump’s critics fear this could lead to problems including breaking up families and giving law enforcement too much power.

It remains unknown what undecided voters will do.

“Many undecided voters will not vote at all,” Clay Ramsay, a researcher at the Center for International and Security Studies at the University of Maryland, told Xinhua, adding that the people who are unlikely to vote, based on past elections, accounts for a large percentage of adults.

MIL OSI China News –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI China: Russia says U.S. actions against Russian reporters violate freedom of information

Source: China State Council Information Office

Washington’s recent actions against Russian journalists violate the right to access information and media pluralism, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said Wednesday.

A film crew from Russia’s Izvestia newspaper, who arrived in Washington to cover the upcoming presidential election, was detained and subjected to hours of interrogation on Tuesday night, resulting in one member being expelled from the country, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Zakharova noted that the Russian journalists had notified U.S. authorities of their intentions and received permission before their arrival, adding that this reflects the United States’ readiness to use repressive measures against inconvenient information.

“The arbitrariness of the American authorities will not remain without a proper reaction on our part,” Zakharova said.

MIL OSI China News –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI China: Iraq announces final results of Kurdistan’s parliamentary elections

Source: China State Council Information Office

The Iraqi Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) announced Wednesday the final results of the parliamentary elections of Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdistan region, with the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) leading with 39 seats.

IHEC’s Chairman Judge Omar Ahmed said at a press conference that the final results showed that the KDP led with 39 seats in the regional 100-seat parliament, while the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan followed with 23 seats and the New Generation Movement with 15 seats.

Ahmed said that the political parties have the right to appeal the results within three days.

Iraq’s Kurdistan regional parliamentary elections kicked off on October 20 to elect 100 lawmakers out of 1,091 candidates.

The elections were originally scheduled for 2022 but have been continuously delayed due to political differences.

MIL OSI China News –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI China: Former Malaysian PM ordered to enter defense in 1MDB case

Source: China State Council Information Office

Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak has been ordered to enter his defense against 25 charges of abuse of power and money laundering involving state investment fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) on Wednesday.

The High Court has called on Najib to enter his defense on four charges of power abuse and 21 charges of money laundering involving 2.28 billion ringgit (520 million U.S. dollars) after Justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah said it had conducted a maximum evaluation and found the prosecution had proven prima facie in its case against the former prime minister.

The 1MDB trial now has 97 hearing dates scheduled from Dec. 2 this year until November 2025, with trial dates for every month during this period except for July next year.

Najib, 71, has been serving a sentence since Aug. 23, 2022, after being convicted in a separate criminal trial over misappropriating 42 million ringgit from SRC International Sdn Bhd, a former unit of 1MDB.

Following his conviction, he successfully filed a petition for a royal pardon, which resulted in a reduction of his 12-year imprisonment to six years and a fine cut from 210 million ringgit to 50 million ringgit in February. (1 ringgit equals 0.23 U.S. dollar)

MIL OSI China News –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Defense News: Strengthening Alliances Through Learning, NPS Hosts European International Alumni Symposium

Source: United States Navy

The symposium, sponsored in part by the Department of State as part of the U.S. International Military Education Training (IMET) program, is in direct support of the Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro’s strategic priorities to strengthen international alliances for collective defense. It also supports the “Enhance Partnerships” objective in the Naval Education Strategy by offering opportunities to learn alongside our allies and partners, which is a key component to succeeding in deterring conflict and the strategic power competition.

“In so many ways, [educational institutions] are the engines of what happens in the future,” said Adm. Stuart Munsch, commander of U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa and commander of Allied Joint Force Command Naples, during his welcoming remarks. “They not only equip individuals with the skill sets to think about particular knowledge areas but, more broadly, to think critically and strategically. These institutions are what provide this foundation for our future, and the Naval Postgraduate School is among them.”

Building on the Indo-Pacific NPS Alumni Symposium held last year, the European symposium agenda spanned a full three days, packed with plenary sessions, panels, and keynote addresses, which included discussions ranging from energy security and space systems to contested logistics and climate change. NPS faculty presented and discussed cutting-edge research in emerging defense technologies, furthering academic collaboration, shared learning, and strategic engagement with international partners.

Beyond the formal sessions and professional exchange, the symposium also provided an opportunity to advance important relationships, maritime statecraft, and reconnect NPS with its global community of alumni.

“These relationships matter and continuing to cultivate them matters because our alumni network is a vital resource,” said U.S. Army Gen. Christopher Cavoli, Supreme Allied Commander and Commander, U.S. European Command. “It provides us with an unparalleled opportunity to share knowledge, exchange ideas, and foster innovation all around the globe.”

In addition to robust discussions on security and defense, participants valued the chance to reconnect with former classmates, professors, and new colleagues from across Europe.

“NPS helped us reach a deeper understanding of where we’re going together. In terms of cooperative security and collective defense right now, NPS is very well represented in key positions in NATO, not only in the operational side of the house but also in the future planning,” said Maj. Gen. Claudiu Dobocan, commander, Romanian Special Operations Command and a 2004 NPS Defense Analysis graduate. “NPS is on the forefront for relation building but also on the front of conceptual theories which will push forward NATO and U.S. instruments.”

Among the many discussions held during the event, one key session focused on climate and energy security in Europe, featuring panelist Kristen Fletcher of NPS’ Energy Academic Group who highlighted important ongoing research in the field. Symposium attendees and NPS faculty visited the Schneefernerhaus Environmental Research Station, Germany’s highest environmental research facility, where they learned about the facility’s history and ongoing climate research, which furthered the discussion.

“This symposium has given us the chance to share global perspectives on climate security,” Fletcher said. “The research shared with us today on increasing greenhouse gas emissions, along with physical observations of a nearly depleted glacier, highlights the need for awareness and partnerships to understand the impacts of climate change on military missions.”

As the symposium concluded, participants expressed gratitude for the opportunity to reunite with old colleagues, meet new ones, and discuss shared challenges and opportunities for collaboration.

NPS attracts students from around the globe, advancing their skills while also supporting the development of enduring personal connections. International alumni symposiums focus on strengthening those relationships while addressing present-day challenges, reaffirming the collective dedication to global security.

“NPS gives us the opportunity to connect people from different countries, different cultures, building trust and the feeling that we are stronger together,” said 2024 Security Studies graduate Tea Nikolashvili, director, Defense Institution Building School, Ministry of Defense, Georgia. “Symposiums like this are an additional opportunity for us to communicate with our peers and widen our perspectives as well as build professional networks, supporting both national and international security objectives and implementation processes.”

The event was organized by NPS’ International Graduate Programs Office (IGPO) with additional support from the NPS Foundation and Alumni Association. More than 7,000 students from nearly 130 countries have graduated from NPS since 1954.

“None of us are as strong as all of us,” said Danial Pick, director of IGPO. “Allied countries send their best to NPS, and they contribute so much to our learning beyond their coursework and research to enhance our culture and strengthen future alliances, which are so important today.”

Through the institution’s unique, defense-focused graduate education and research programs and a student body reaching all corners of the globe, NPS continues to drive knowledge and relevant innovation to enhance the strategic capabilities of the United States as well as its international partners.

“It was a privilege to collaborate with senior military representatives and NPS alumni from around the globe to discuss and execute the importance of strategic engagement among international partners,” said NPS President retired Vice. Adm. Ann Rondeau. “I want to express my sincere thanks to everyone who worked diligently to ensure the symposium was a success, especially to the George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies and Director retired U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Barre R. Seguin for graciously co-hosting our first NPS European International Alumni Symposium – it was a great team effort!”

NPS, located in Monterey, California, provides defense-focused graduate education, including classified studies and interdisciplinary research, to advance the operational effectiveness, technological leadership, and warfighting advantage of the Naval service. Established in 1909, NPS offers master’s and doctorate programs to Department of Defense military and civilians, along with international partners, to deliver transformative solutions and innovative leaders through advanced education and research. For more information, visit NPS at https://nps.edu.

Check out highlights and hear from symposium attendees in this recap of NPS’ first-ever European International Alumni Symposium, https://youtu.be/KSJq5QHAoC8.

MIL Security OSI –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Professor Sir Munir Pirmohamed appointed chair of CHM for another four years as three commissioners reappointed
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

The appointment will involve a time commitment of 33 days per year. Remuneration for the role will be at a rate of £500 per attendance and preparation for meetings.
Professor Sir Munir Pirmohamed has been appointed chair of the Commission on Human Medicines (CHM) for another four years, from 12 February, 2025.

The CHM is an advisory non-departmental public body which is sponsored by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC).

The CHM advises ministers on the safety, efficacy and quality of medicines.

Three commissioners have been reappointed:

Professor Marc Turner and Professor Christopher Weir have been reappointed to for a further four years from 5 July, 2024.

Professor Poulam Patel has been reappointed for a further two years from 5 July 2024.

The appointments will involve a time commitment of approximately 22 days per year, including 11 meetings. Remuneration for the roles will be at a rate of £325 per meeting.

All appointments are made in accordance with the Cabinet Office Code of Governance for Public Appointments.

The regulation of public appointments against the requirements of this code is carried out by the Commissioner for Public Appointments.

The appointments are made on merit and political activity played no part in the decision process. However, in accordance with the code, there is a requirement for appointees’ political activity (if any declared) to be made public.

None of the appointees have declared any political activity.

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Published 30 October 2024
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: Survey “Socio-psychological well-being”

Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

Source: Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering – Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering –

The research and communication platform “Caring Person” is conducting a sociological survey “Socio-psychological well-being” from October 25 to November 17.

Students, teachers, and administrators of higher education institutions can share their feelings about their university and what areas need to be changed. Students can also assess their employment prospects after graduation.

Your opinion is important and directly influences the future development of the university!

Link to the survey

Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

MIL OSI Russia News –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI China: UN human rights council to open office in Bangladesh

Source: China State Council Information Office 3

The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) has decided to set up an office in Bangladesh’s capital Dhaka to strengthen its activities in the South Asian country.

Bangladeshi interim government’s Social Welfare Advisor Sharmeen S. Murshid said following a meeting with U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk in Dhaka Tuesday.

“It is a very important decision. The interim government agreed over establishment of the U.N. human rights office in Dhaka,” the advisor said.

She said that the office’s presence here will strengthen the country’s position on human rights.

MIL OSI China News –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI China: 51 killed by flash floods in eastern Spain: report

Source: China State Council Information Office 3

At least 51 people have died in flash floods in the Spanish province of Valencia as torrential rains continue to ravage the country’s eastern and southern coasts, state broadcaster TVE reported on Wednesday.

Since the authorities declared a red alert for torrential rains on Tuesday, several people have been missing in heavy flooding that has swept away vehicles and disrupted rail services.

Six people were reported missing in the town of Letur, close to Valencia in Albacete. In Valencia, two Civil Guard police officers and a truck driver are still being searched for.

The Spanish government set up a crisis committee on Wednesday to assess the damage caused as rescuers continue to search for victims.

At the opening of the Spanish Congress on Wednesday morning, Francina Armengol, the parliament speaker, called for a minute’s silence for the victims.

MIL OSI China News –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI China: Endless U.S. plotting pushes Panama to seek more global cooperation, says expert

Source: China State Council Information Office 3

Decades of the U.S. plotting to make profits at the price of Panama’s interests has pushed the Central American country to seek more global cooperation, a Panama-based international relations expert has said.

Julio Yao, former foreign policy advisor to the late Panamanian leader General Omar Torrijos, recalled the history of nonstop U.S. intervention in Panama since the turn of the 20th century in a recent interview with Xinhua.

Panama gained its independence from Spain in 1821 and from Colombia in 1903, though the latter was in essence “a deception” devised by the United States to gain control of the strategic Panama Canal, Yao said.

“From that moment on, the United States took over the so-called Canal Zone,” starting a long string of unfortunate events for Panama, he said.

On top of the list was the attempt to establish the failed Kellogg-Alfaro treaty in the 1920s, which was rejected because it aimed to legalize the presence of U.S. troops on Panamanian soil.

“That treaty completely turned Panama into a U.S. military base, that is, a military springboard for the rest of Latin America,” the expert said.

Nevertheless, unilateral interventions by the United States persisted in Panama, he said.

For much of the 1970s, the U.S. government was “permanently” pressuring Panama to grant it protection and defense rights over the canal in perpetuity, Yao recalled.

At the time, the career diplomat was advising Torrijos and then Foreign Minister Juan Antonio Tack in drafting treaties, such as the 1974 Tack-Kissinger Declaration, which made a point of setting a deadline on the U.S. occupation of the canal.

“Why did we have to emphasize the fixed deadline? Because the Americans always deceived Panama with a later date and never left Panama,” Yao said.

In September 1977, the Torrijos-Carter Treaties were signed by Torrijos and then U.S. President Jimmy Carter, establishing that the Panama Canal would be turned over to Panamanian control on Dec. 31, 1999.

Prior to that, the U.S. “obsession” with controlling the Panama Canal occasionally turned “explosive,” Yao said.

On Dec. 20, 1989, a date now known as the Day of National Mourning, U.S. troops invaded Panama to capture Panamanian General Manuel Noriega, later convicting him of drug trafficking and money laundering.

To break with the past, Yao said he believes that Panama should look to more “humanist,” multilateral mechanisms such as BRICS.

Such mechanisms have created a counterweight to hegemonic power in several aspects, said the expert.

“The United States is really in a very ruinous position,” Yao said, noting that at such a juncture, concepts such as the Global South are relevant today since they shelve religious or political differences in favor of promoting joint development.

The Global South is “a good concept” because it addresses many similar situations in Africa, Latin America and even the Middle East, Yao said.

People want to emerge from underdevelopment or the lack of development, and to that end, BRICS countries have taken “the right path” towards global development, through measures that go beyond resolving local or regional issues, he said.

“I firmly believe in BRICS and I believe very firmly in the Global South,” Yao said.

“If you look at the new foreign policy of some African countries, they are on the right track. That is a great awakening for a region that has been very impoverished, very dominated, very interfered with, very manipulated, so I think there is reason to feel optimistic,” he said.

MIL OSI China News –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI China: ADB approves $500M loan for Pakistan to support climate resilience

Source: China State Council Information Office 3

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) said Tuesday it has approved 500 million U.S. dollars in policy-based loan to support climate and disaster resilience efforts in Pakistan, said a statement.

The bank’s Pakistan office said that the Climate and Disaster Resilience Enhancement Program will strengthen Pakistan’s institutional capacity for planning, preparedness, and response.

According to the bank, the program will increase inclusive investment in disaster risk reduction and climate resilience and support the scale-up of disaster risk financing using a risk-layered approach.

The ADB added that Pakistan ranks among the most vulnerable countries to climate change and disasters, with average losses from disaster events exceeding 2 billion U.S. dollars annually.

“This program builds on the ADB’s long-standing work in Pakistan to understand and reduce climate and disaster risks and support effective disaster response,” said ADB Director General for Central and West Asia Yevgeniy Zhukov.

The bank added that the program aims to strengthen disaster resilience in Pakistan by advancing disaster risk mapping and modeling to guide development and investment decisions.

The program would further support a solidarity fund to promote risk transfer solutions, including agricultural insurance, and will implement shock-responsive social protections to provide cash assistance to those affected by future disasters, added the bank.

MIL OSI China News –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI China: Nearly half of voters question American democracy: survey

Source: China State Council Information Office 3

Nearly half of U.S. voters doubt the government’s ability to serve the common good, with 45 percent saying it fails to represent them, according to a survey released by The New York Times on Sunday.

The survey, conducted nationwide from Oct. 20 to 23 among 2,516 likely voters, found that 62 percent believe the government primarily serves its own interests and elites.

Such frustrations, compounded by economic challenges, partisan divides, and unresolved social issues, have weakened confidence in the nearly 250-year-old democratic system, said the report.

The survey also highlighted a stark partisan divide, with 60 percent of voters blaming former President Donald Trump for worsening it, while 37 percent pointed to Vice President Kamala Harris.

“It’s not just Democrat or Republican, it’s the Washington elite,” retired farmer Randal Parr was quoted as saying in the report. “The Washington elite control everything, and the will of the people has been ignored.”

Some voters expressed frustration over government inaction on pressing issues. “It’s always a school shooting,” said temporary worker Sarah Washington. “Nothing still being done about it. They talk about it, and then another one happens.”

Roughly one-third of respondents worry that America’s problems are so severe that it could fail as a nation, while 58 percent say the nation’s financial and political systems require significant reforms or a complete overhaul, the survey showed.

MIL OSI China News –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI Economics: Samsung and Designer LaQuan Smith Offer Students an Inside Look at the Fashion Industry

Source: Samsung

Following their collaboration on the Lucid Dream sleepwear line unveiled at New York Fashion Week, Samsung extended its partnership with fashion icon LaQuan Smith, highlighting the connection between cutting-edge technology and fashion, and Samsung’s commitment to inspiring people to pursue their creative passions.
In support of that goal, Samsung hosted three of LaQuan’s mentees, who are part of a program designed to uplift the next generation of designers. These up-and-coming fashion students took an exclusive tour of LaQuan’s studio and enjoyed insider access to the prestigious CFDA Fashion Awards. The night was filled with uplifting messages aimed at the next generation of fashion industry leaders, and a recognition that mentorship is key to their success.

We’ve equipped these future designers and creatives with the Galaxy Z Flip6, Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra, and Galaxy Ring to have all the tools on hand whenever inspiration strikes, from the classroom to the streets of the city. These devices offer groundbreaking experiences, whether they’re looking to create content while wearing their latest look, mock-up a design using their S Pen, research fashion trends while on social media with Circle to Search, or ensure they receive a good night’s rest after a long day.
LaQuan Provides a Sneak Peak of His Designs

LaQuan invited his mentees to tour his studio and get an early look at the outfits he designed for Victoria Monét and Teyana Taylor’s appearance at the 2024 CFDA Fashion Awards.

Highlights from the CFDA Fashion Awards
Each year, the CFDA Fashion Awards honor the best in American design and feature some of the most talked about outfits of the year. Recently, LaQuan dressed Khloe Kardashian and Lenny Kravitz for the CFDA awards — and in 2022 he was nominated for American Womenswear Designer of the Year. Samsung and LaQuan hosted his mentees so they could experience the event firsthand, learn from fashion icons, and see how creative design was intentionally woven throughout the entire evening — from the clothes to the décor, to the meticulous run of show. The awards featured stunning outfits, and exciting victories by some of the most influential figures in the industry.

MIL OSI Economics –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI China: Pakistan condemns Israeli ban on UNRWA operations

Source: China State Council Information Office

Pakistan strongly condemned the latest Israeli attempt to dismantle the operations of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), said a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday evening.

The ministry said that the latest step is yet another violation of international law and the UN Charter by Israel.

“Preventing UNRWA from carrying out its vital tasks is a manifestation of Israel’s systematic campaign to deny the much-needed humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people,” added the ministry.

According to the ministry, Pakistan urged the international community, particularly the United Nations Security Council, to hold Israel accountable and to protect UNRWA’s work under UN General Assembly Resolution 302 (IV) of 1949.

The statement emphasized that Israel’s actions represent a calculated effort to deny essential aid to the Palestinian population, especially those in Gaza.

In light of the humanitarian crisis, Pakistan also reiterated its call for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire in Gaza and for uninterrupted humanitarian assistance to relieve the suffering of people.

Earlier on Monday, the Israeli parliament, the Knesset, passed a law prohibiting the UNRWA from operating in Israel.

Israel’s state-owned Kan TV News reported that the new law, which received support from 92 out of 120 parliament members, passed despite opposition from the United States and several European countries.

The law stipulates that the UNRWA will not operate any representation, provide services, or conduct any activities, directly or indirectly, within Israeli territory.

MIL OSI China News –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI China: Postal voting begins for Sri Lanka’s parliamentary election

Source: China State Council Information Office

Postal voting for Sri Lanka’s upcoming parliamentary election on Nov. 14 began Wednesday across polling centers nationwide.

The Election Commission announced that postal voting would be held at designated government institutions, including police stations, district secretariats and district election offices.

The Election Commission added that postal voting would continue on Nov. 1 and Nov. 4.

Sri Lanka only allows postal voting for government employees. According to Election Commission Chairman Ratnayake, the commission received 759,210 applications for postal voting, with 20,551 applications rejected.

MIL OSI China News –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI China: 2 hospitalized after ‘significant fire’ in British nuclear sub shipyard

Source: China State Council Information Office

Two people were taken to hospital after a “significant fire” broke out on Wednesday at the BAE Systems nuclear submarine shipyard in northwestern England, police said.

Local police said there was “no nuclear risk” and two people were sent to hospital after suffering suspected smoke inhalation.

Images circulating on social media showed large flames and thick smoke coming from a tall white building, purportedly at the shipyard.

Emergency services were called at about 0044 GMT to the site, located in the coast city of Barrow-in-Furness, where Britain’s nuclear submarines are built.

Local residents are being advised to remain inside with their doors and windows closed while the incident is ongoing, said police.

The craft that have been built here include the four Vanguard Class submarines that make up Britain’s Trident nuclear program, according to the BBC.

Four new nuclear submarines from the Dreadnought Class and the last of the Royal Navy’s seven new nuclear-powered submarines, part of the Astute Class, are also being built at the site.

MIL OSI China News –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: Tatyana Golikova: More than 30 thousand primary healthcare facilities will be modernized in 2025–2030

Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

Tatyana Golikova at the plenary session “From N.A. Semashko to the present day”

October 30, 2024

Tatyana Golikova at the plenary session “From N.A. Semashko to the present day”

October 30, 2024

Tatyana Golikova at the plenary session “From N.A. Semashko to the present day”

October 30, 2024

Tatyana Golikova at the plenary session “From N.A. Semashko to the present day”

October 30, 2024

Tatyana Golikova at the plenary session “From N.A. Semashko to the present day”

October 30, 2024

Russian President Vladimir Putin opened the plenary session of the 3rd National Congress with International Participation “National Healthcare”

October 30, 2024

At the end of the plenary session, the winners of the All-Russian competition of young leaders – healthcare organizers were awarded

October 30, 2024

Previous news Next news

Tatyana Golikova at the plenary session “From N.A. Semashko to the present day”

The central event of the third national congress with international participation “National Healthcare” took place in the Great Hall of the State Kremlin Palace – the plenary session “From N.A. Semashko to the Present Day”, dedicated to the 150th anniversary of the birth of the outstanding scientist and physician.

The plenary session of the third national congress with international participation “National Healthcare” was opened by the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin.

The moderator of the plenary session was Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova. The event was attended by Minister of Health Mikhail Murashko, Minister of Science and Higher Education Valery Falkov, Head of the Federal Service for Surveillance on Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing Anna Popova, Governor of the Orenburg Region Denis Pasler, and TV presenter of the Russia 24 TV channel Alexandra Suvorova.

The plenary session included a discussion of key areas of development and achievements of the Russian healthcare system through the prism of the merits of the outstanding Soviet healthcare organizer N.A. Semashko: development of human health; accessibility of medical care regardless of place of residence; unity of prevention and treatment; public involvement in the implementation of state policy in the field of healthcare; ensuring sanitary well-being; healthcare management from a scientific point of view; provision of affordable healthy food for everyone and modern affordable medical products.

“The peculiarity of this congress was its dedication to one of the significant organizers, the first People’s Commissar of Health Nikolai Aleksandrovich Semashko, who laid the foundations of the world’s first state health care system and formed a hierarchical state centralized model with a district principle of providing primary health care, which was subsequently implemented in many countries of the world – Great Britain, Norway, France, Sweden, Denmark, Italy and others. We carried the main principles of Semashko’s system through the years and laid them at the foundation of our Russian health care system,” emphasized Tatyana Golikova.

The state character of the Russian healthcare system, its free nature and accessibility for citizens, has been preserved.

“Every year, the state’s expenses on paying for medical care alone increase and by the end of 2023 amounted to 4 trillion rubles. Over the past five years, compared to 2018, expenses on paying for medical care have increased by 1.5 trillion rubles. And by the end of 2024, such expenses are preliminarily estimated at 4.5 trillion rubles,” the Deputy Prime Minister said.

Currently, medical care is provided by 7 thousand state and municipal medical organizations, including more than 300 federal ones.

The federal law “On the Fundamentals of Health Protection of Citizens in the Russian Federation” establishes an approach to the formation of human health from birth and throughout the entire period of his life.

The entire population of our country is attached to medical organizations. And at least 118 million people use their capabilities annually, including almost 31 million children. Medical organizations annually perform more than 1 billion cases of medical care.

As Tatyana Golikova noted, in order to implement the main principle of Soviet medicine – disease prevention and prophylaxis – since 2024, the volume of medical care provided in outpatient settings has been increased, and dispensary observation at the workplace has been introduced. “But so far only 36 regions of our country have taken advantage of this opportunity. I ask all regions to more actively implement this approach to dispensary observation,” the Deputy Prime Minister said. She emphasized that the principle of accessibility of medical care at the place of residence, work or study is the main one in Russian legislation.

Accessibility of medical care and its provision itself are impossible without medical personnel. “Until 2023, we noted a decrease in the number of doctors. Therefore, a whole range of measures was implemented at the federal level, which allowed us, by the end of 2023, for the first time in the last five years, to stop this decline and increase the number of doctors by 7.5 thousand people without taking into account new regions,” Tatyana Golikova emphasized.

Developing and continuing the foundations laid by Nikolai Aleksandrovich Semashko, the primary health care system is being actively modernized, which in 1978 was recognized by the World Health Organization as the best in the world, which was recorded in a specially adopted declaration. Therefore, the federal project for the modernization of the primary health care system is the most resource-intensive project of the new national project “Long and Active Life”.

“Over the past three years, we have already modernized over 18,000 healthcare facilities, which affected over 24 million of our citizens. By the end of 2025, within the framework of current regional programs, we will modernize almost 2,000 more facilities. The plans for 2025-2030 include over 30,000 more facilities, where over 80 million residents of the country receive medical care, including those living in rural areas, urban-type settlements and small towns,” noted Tatyana Golikova.

The priority of prevention in health protection has been established by law, the unity of prevention and treatment has been regulated. Almost 5 thousand medical prevention departments and health centers have been opened in its development. 35.5 million people have applied to these departments for training in the principles of a healthy lifestyle. Another 9 million people have been trained in so-called schools.

The population is provided with medical examinations and preventive check-ups.

Since 2024, as part of the Year of the Family, a medical examination to assess reproductive health has been introduced for the first time. Over 3 million men and women of reproductive age have already been examined. In 11% of cases, diseases that negatively affect reproductive function were detected. Additional examination and treatment of such patients is being carried out.

“We have preserved and strengthened the state system of ensuring sanitary well-being and social hygiene, the foundations of which were laid by Nikolai Aleksandrovich. We have launched a new federal project, “Sanitary Shield of the Country”. We have formed a single centralized system for responding to possible infectious threats. As a result, we have ensured a multiple reduction in infectious diseases. Last year alone, such a reduction was 30%. More than 17 million cases of infectious pathology were prevented,” the Deputy Prime Minister emphasized.

Since 2019, a separate project aimed at promoting healthy eating has been implemented within the framework of the national project “Demography”. The project’s activities have already covered more than 40 million people.

Research for the development of medical science is conducted by over 400 scientific, medical and educational organizations. These organizations perform almost 5.5 thousand studies for medicine. 120 billion rubles have been allocated from various sources for these purposes.

“We have created conditions for the development of the medical and pharmaceutical industries. In 2023 alone, Russian medical products worth over 1 trillion rubles were produced,” said Tatyana Golikova.

The participants of the discussion presented information in the format of “was – became – will be” on each thematic area of the session: since the time of N.A. Semashko, achievements of the present time and what will be implemented in the future, in focus on the advantages of the Soviet and Russian health care system and the replication of the Soviet experience of building a health care system in other countries.

The final plenary session included an award ceremony for the winners of the All-Russian Competition of Young Leaders – Healthcare Organizers. The competition was held by the Central Research Institute of Healthcare and Informatics with the support of the Ministry of Healthcare. The award ceremony was held by Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova and Minister of Healthcare Mikhail Murashko.

The plenary session ended with an opera ball featuring artists from the Helikon Opera musical theatre.

The third national congress with international participation “National Healthcare” was held with the support of the Russian Government. The event was organized by the Ministry of Healthcare and the Roscongress Foundation. The organizational partner of the event was the Central Research Institute for Healthcare Organization and Informatization of the Ministry of Healthcare of Russia.

Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

MIL OSI Russia News –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: Denis Manturov held a meeting with the Governor of Omsk Region Vitaly Khotsenko

Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

Denis Manturov held a meeting with the Governor of Omsk Region Vitaly Khotsenko

First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov met with the Governor of Omsk Region Vitaly Khotsenko, with whom he discussed issues of industrial development in the region.

In particular, the head of the region told Denis Manturov about the progress of the project to build a branch of the CITO high-tech prosthetics center in Omsk. Assistance here will be provided, in particular, to wounded SVO participants.

In addition, the meeting discussed an important project of the Titan Group of Companies for the region. Last year, the company began implementing a large-scale investment project to create a new EP-600 olefin complex in Omsk, which will create up to a thousand additional jobs in the region, as well as increase tax revenues to the budget and create a raw material base for industrialists and consumer goods manufacturers. The total volume of expected investments in the project is over 500 billion rubles.

The meeting also discussed a project to organize serial production of promising small-sized turbojet engines based on the branch of JSC UEC – the Omsk Engine-Building Association named after P.I. Baranov.

Vitaly Khotsenko thanked the First Deputy Prime Minister for assistance in regularly updating the vehicle fleets of schools and hospitals in the region as per the instructions of Russian President Vladimir Putin. In recent years, 342 school buses and 176 ambulances have arrived in Omsk Oblast. Denis Manturov expressed his readiness to continue to provide support to the region in this matter.

Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

MIL OSI Russia News –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI Canada: Biographical note

Source: Government of Canada News

Michael Callan becomes High Commissioner in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. Mr. Callan replaces Arif Keshani.

Michael Callan (BA Hons [Political Studies], Queen’s University, 2000; MSc Econ [International Security], University of Wales, Aberystwyth, 2002). Prior to joining Global Affairs Canada, Michael Callan served in the Canadian Armed Forces and worked with the Aga Khan Foundation in Bangladesh and the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Moscow. Upon joining the Canadian International Development Agency in 2004, Mr. Callan took on assignments with the Humanitarian Assistance Division and the Afghanistan Task Force. Abroad, Mr. Callan was the Government of Canada’s first civilian deployed to Kandahar, Afghanistan, where he served as director, development, for Canada’s Provincial Reconstruction Team (2005 to 2006). His subsequent deployments included assignments as head of aid in Khartoum (2008 to 2010) and director, development, for the Middle East and North Africa in Cairo and Amman (2012 to 2016). He was then seconded to the Privy Council Office (2016 to 2017) before taking up a fellowship with the Weatherhead Center for International Affairs at Harvard University (2018). Mr. Callan served as director of conflict prevention, stabilization and peacebuilding (2019 to 2021) prior to his most recent assignment as ambassador to Algeria (2021 to 2024).

MIL OSI Canada News –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Ghost forests: Learn more as Halloween sneaks up!

Source: US Geological Survey

These eerie forests, filled with standing dead trees, tell a story on the effects of sea level rise and extreme flooding. And scientists with the USGS are investigating!

When coastal forests are inundated with salt water or frequently flooded, trees can be stressed to levels they can’t withstand. If trees don’t survive, coastal forests can transform into different types of settings such as marshes or open water, creating ghost forests and leaving behind remnants of the ecosystems that once were.

What the USGS knows…

Coastal ghost forests typically occur in low-lying areas, and USGS scientists are studying how and where these shifts are happening across the nation. The USGS and partners are also working to forecast what areas might be impacted in the future, considering various sea level rise scenarios.

Changes can lead to potentially positive or negative impacts. Healthy coastal forests provide numerous benefits such as supporting wildlife habitat, filtering pollutants and offering flood protection along coastlines, while marshes also provide species habitat, improve water quality and absorb floodwaters, among many other purposes.

A ghost forest stands in Goose Creek State Park in North Carolina. This is an example of a freshwater forested wetland that is transitioning to open water. Photograph by Melinda Martinez, USGS.

USGS science can be used by decisionmakers such as land and wildlife managers as they consider the costs and benefits of conservation and restoration.

An example: The Chesapeake Bay

The eastern U.S. is a particular concern, as these transitions are taking place up and down the Atlantic coast. The USGS has projects in several areas, including, for example, ongoing research in the Delmarva Peninsula within the Chesapeake Bay. This region consists of several low sloped landscapes, which allows for rapid change to occur.

Drilling into the trees

Here’s where it gets even more interesting! The USGS and partners recently drilled into trees to see what’s inside. Why? To understand the role of ghost forests in greenhouse gas fluxes.

Trees are known to naturally absorb and release gases, but there’s limited research on whether and how that process changes when coastal forests die. A recent study finds that standing dead trees in ghost forests have tiny organisms that actually convert methane, a potent greenhouse gas, to carbon dioxide, which is less potent.

This insight is another piece of the puzzle as officials consider the trade-offs for how to manage these landscapes.

The USGS is a coauthor on that study, which was led by Hollins University.

Share the tale

Don’t forget to share what you learned with friends! Do they know ghost forests are real?

Ghost forest on the Delmarva Penninsula. Photograph by Kyle Derby, USGS.

A ghost forest stands in Goose Creek State Park in North Carolina. This is an example of a freshwater forested wetland that is transitioning to open water. Photograph by Melinda Martinez, USGS.

MIL OSI USA News –

January 25, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Time to freak out? How the existential terror of hurricanes can fuel climate change denial

Source: The Conversation – USA – By Jamie Goldenberg, Professor of Psychology and Area Director, Cognitive, Neuroscience and Social Psychology, University of South Florida

Hurricane Milton flooded parts of the Tampa Bay region just days after Hurricane Helene made landfall nearby. Bryan R. Smithy/AFP via Getty Images

As TVs across Florida broadcast the all-too-familiar images of a powerful hurricane headed for the coast in early October 2024, people whose homes had been damaged less than two weeks earlier by Hurricane Helene watched anxiously. Hurricane Milton was rapidly intensifying into a dangerous storm, fueled by the Gulf of Mexico’s record-breaking temperatures.

Many residents scrambled to evacuate, clogging roads away from the region. Officials urged those near the coast who ignored evacuation warnings to scrawl their names on their arms with indelible ink so their corpses could be identified.

The two hurricanes were among the most destructive in recent memory. They are also stark reminders of the increasingly extreme weather events that scientists have long warned would be the consequence of human-driven climate change.

Still, many people deny that climate change is a worsening threat, or that it exists at all. As its impacts grow more visible and destructive, how is this possible?

Views of Hurricane Milton’s damage across Florida.

One answer lies in a unique facet of human psychology – specifically, in how people manage the fear aroused by existential threats. For many people, denying the existence of a climate crisis is not only convenient, but may feel psychologically necessary.

Terror management theory

The Pulitzer Prize-winning anthropologist Ernest Becker put it this way: “The idea of death, the fear of it, haunts the human animal like nothing else … to overcome it by denying it in some way is the final destiny for man.”

In plain terms, he was saying that most people struggle to accept their mortality and take pains to distort their perception of reality to avoid confronting it.

In the 1980s, social psychologists developed “terror management theory,” showing the lengths people go to deny death. Hundreds of experiments have tested its implications. In a common method, participants reflect on their own death, while control groups consider less threatening topics, like dental pain. The key question: What does death awareness do to people?

After writing about death, people tend to quickly move on, pushing thoughts of it from consciousness with distractions, rationalizations and other tactics. Health care professionals see this every day. For example, people often dodge screenings and diagnostic tests to avoid the frightening possibility of discovering cancer.

Skidmore College psychologist Sheldon Solomon discusses Ernest Becker’s ‘The Denial of Death’ and terror management theory in the context of humanity’s history of brutal behavior.

But here’s the rub: Terror management theory suggests that when people are not thinking about death, it nevertheless holds influence. The unconscious mind lingers on the problem even after people have used strategies to quiet the fear by pushing it from awareness.

Social psychology experiments show that people often cope with the specter of death by attaching themselves to cultural ideologies, such as religious, political or even sports fandom. These worldviews imbue life with meaning, values and purpose. And that can ease the terror of mortality by connecting people to an enduring and comforting web of ideas and beliefs that transcend one’s own existence.

When people are made aware of death, those systems of meaning become even more critical to their psychological functioning. Existential threats make us cling even tighter to the meaning systems that sustain us.

Climate denial as a defense mechanism

Much like a terror management lab experiment – or the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic – natural disasters like hurricanes Helene and Milton trigger death anxiety.

Rising sea levels, warming oceans and intensifying storms – all tied to global warming fueled by human actions – represent an existential threat.

From our perspective, it is not surprising that climate-related disasters disappear from the public consciousness almost as soon as they have passed. Google Trends data exemplifies this: Incoming storms instigated an uptick in searches for “climate change” and “global warming” in the days before Hurricane Helene made landfall on Sept. 25, 2024, and Hurricane Milton on Oct. 9, 2024. Then those searches quickly declined as people shifted their focus away from the threat.

Unfortunately, climate change isn’t going away, no matter how hard anyone tries to deny it.

While climate denial allows people to protect themselves from feelings of distress, terror management theory suggests that denying death is just the tip of the iceberg. For some people, accepting the reality of climate change would necessitate reevaluating their ideologies.

Terror management theory predicts that individuals whose ideologies conflict with environmental concerns may ironically double down on those beliefs to psychologically manage the existential threat posed by climate-related disasters. It’s similar to how mortality reminders can lead people to engage in risky behavior, such as smoking or tanning. Hurricanes may reinforce denial and commitment to a worldview that rejects climate change.

A path forward: Building new worldviews

Although denial may be a natural psychological response to existential threats, the U.S. may be getting to a point where even deniers can’t ignore the existential threat associated with climate change.

Again and again, Americans are gobsmacked by the devastation – from hurricanes to severe flooding, wildfires and more.

A terror management analysis suggests that overcoming this crisis requires weaving a solutions-focused narrative into the ideologies that people rely on for comfort. As psychologists who work on terror management, we believe the fight against climate change should be framed not as an apocalyptic battle that humanity is destined to lose, but as a moral and practical challenge that humanity can collectively overcome.

Tampa, Florida, meteorologist Denis Phillips had the right idea as the two hurricanes headed for his community: His fact-based social media updates eschew partisan critique, encourage neighbors to support one another and emphasize preparedness and resilience in the face of incoming storms.

As Milton approached, Phillips told residents to remember his Rule #7: Don’t freak out. That doesn’t mean do nothing – it means evaluate risks without letting emotion interfere, and take action.

Shifting the narrative from helplessness to collective empowerment and action can help people confront climate change without triggering the existential anxieties that lead to denial – offering a vision for a future that is both secure and personally meaningful.

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

– ref. Time to freak out? How the existential terror of hurricanes can fuel climate change denial – https://theconversation.com/time-to-freak-out-how-the-existential-terror-of-hurricanes-can-fuel-climate-change-denial-242390

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

January 25, 2025