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Category: DJF

  • MIL-OSI Europe: AFRICA/CENTRAL AFRICA – In the footsteps of Bishop Brésillac

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Tuesday, 15 July 2025

    SMA

    Monasao (Agenzia Fides) – “When I was preparing to go to Africa, I was warned of the difficulties I would encounter… Not only due to the problems of adaptation: climate, food, or other minor issues, but also due to the culture shock that can lead to serious misunderstandings and disappointments,” said Father Davide Camorani, ordained a priest of the Society of African Missions in July 2021 and began his ministry at the Monasao mission in the Diocese of Berberati in Central Africa on September 21 of the same year (see Fides, 17/10/2021).Since then, Father Davide, who, together with his confrere Michele Farina, established the first mission of the Society of African Missions in the country (see Fides, 3/8/2021), has lived in the heart of Africa, among the Bayaka Pygmies. And every day he understands that the mission is the work of God.”Bishop de Brésillac, our founder,” the missionary continues, “said in one of his famous phrases that if one seeks praise or satisfaction, it is better to stay at home; those who seek these things are not made to go on missions. Sometimes, however, life can confront one with unexpected situations that one is tempted to perceive as too great, as beyond one’s capabilities. In these difficult moments, one might lose hope, give up, and say, ‘It’s not worth it!’ I, too, have experienced these thoughts… So where is hope? What is hope? Hope in what? Hope is God and his promises, from Adam to the present day. God is always there and he never abandons us: we only have to seek him!””Being guided by the Word of God is fundamental; for me, it was and is,” emphasizes Father Davide. “Reading the Bible and carefully meditating on it is the way to discover that God’s promises are eternally valid. This is hope: knowing that God will act, even when it is difficult to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Knowing that this mission is His, not mine, and that He is in charge!!! So I don’t pray for the cross to be taken from me, but I pray that the Lord Jesus will give me broad shoulders to carry it.” (AP) (Agenzia Fides, 15/7/2025)
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  • MIL-OSI Europe: AFRICA/CENTRAL AFRICA – In the footsteps of Bishop Brésillac

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Tuesday, 15 July 2025

    SMA

    Monasao (Agenzia Fides) – “When I was preparing to go to Africa, I was warned of the difficulties I would encounter… Not only due to the problems of adaptation: climate, food, or other minor issues, but also due to the culture shock that can lead to serious misunderstandings and disappointments,” said Father Davide Camorani, ordained a priest of the Society of African Missions in July 2021 and began his ministry at the Monasao mission in the Diocese of Berberati in Central Africa on September 21 of the same year (see Fides, 17/10/2021).Since then, Father Davide, who, together with his confrere Michele Farina, established the first mission of the Society of African Missions in the country (see Fides, 3/8/2021), has lived in the heart of Africa, among the Bayaka Pygmies. And every day he understands that the mission is the work of God.”Bishop de Brésillac, our founder,” the missionary continues, “said in one of his famous phrases that if one seeks praise or satisfaction, it is better to stay at home; those who seek these things are not made to go on missions. Sometimes, however, life can confront one with unexpected situations that one is tempted to perceive as too great, as beyond one’s capabilities. In these difficult moments, one might lose hope, give up, and say, ‘It’s not worth it!’ I, too, have experienced these thoughts… So where is hope? What is hope? Hope in what? Hope is God and his promises, from Adam to the present day. God is always there and he never abandons us: we only have to seek him!””Being guided by the Word of God is fundamental; for me, it was and is,” emphasizes Father Davide. “Reading the Bible and carefully meditating on it is the way to discover that God’s promises are eternally valid. This is hope: knowing that God will act, even when it is difficult to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Knowing that this mission is His, not mine, and that He is in charge!!! So I don’t pray for the cross to be taken from me, but I pray that the Lord Jesus will give me broad shoulders to carry it.” (AP) (Agenzia Fides, 15/7/2025)
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    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: AFRICA/CENTRAL AFRICA – In the footsteps of Bishop Brésillac

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Tuesday, 15 July 2025

    SMA

    Monasao (Agenzia Fides) – “When I was preparing to go to Africa, I was warned of the difficulties I would encounter… Not only due to the problems of adaptation: climate, food, or other minor issues, but also due to the culture shock that can lead to serious misunderstandings and disappointments,” said Father Davide Camorani, ordained a priest of the Society of African Missions in July 2021 and began his ministry at the Monasao mission in the Diocese of Berberati in Central Africa on September 21 of the same year (see Fides, 17/10/2021).Since then, Father Davide, who, together with his confrere Michele Farina, established the first mission of the Society of African Missions in the country (see Fides, 3/8/2021), has lived in the heart of Africa, among the Bayaka Pygmies. And every day he understands that the mission is the work of God.”Bishop de Brésillac, our founder,” the missionary continues, “said in one of his famous phrases that if one seeks praise or satisfaction, it is better to stay at home; those who seek these things are not made to go on missions. Sometimes, however, life can confront one with unexpected situations that one is tempted to perceive as too great, as beyond one’s capabilities. In these difficult moments, one might lose hope, give up, and say, ‘It’s not worth it!’ I, too, have experienced these thoughts… So where is hope? What is hope? Hope in what? Hope is God and his promises, from Adam to the present day. God is always there and he never abandons us: we only have to seek him!””Being guided by the Word of God is fundamental; for me, it was and is,” emphasizes Father Davide. “Reading the Bible and carefully meditating on it is the way to discover that God’s promises are eternally valid. This is hope: knowing that God will act, even when it is difficult to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Knowing that this mission is His, not mine, and that He is in charge!!! So I don’t pray for the cross to be taken from me, but I pray that the Lord Jesus will give me broad shoulders to carry it.” (AP) (Agenzia Fides, 15/7/2025)
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  • MIL-OSI Canada: The Edwin-Bélanger Bandstand is returning to its summer program this Thursday with Andréanne A. Malette and Tom Folly

    Source: Government of Canada News (2)

    The Plains will continue to be enlivened all summer long with free shows!


    Quebec City, Tuesday, July 15, 2025 –     After a short break during the Festival d’été de Québec, the Edwin-Bélanger Bandstand (EBB) will return to its summer program this Thursday! Every Thursday and Saturday for the rest of the summer until August 23, Quebec City’s residents and visitors are invited to come and experience free musical and cultural performances against the enchanting backdrop of the Plains of Abraham.


    This week: Tom Folly, Andréanne A. Malette, and Sabor 19 

    Thursday, 7 p.m., Saguenay native Tom Folly will kick off the night with songs from his last album Fromage en grains. With his sincere words and a dose of humour, he will perform pieces from many genres: reggae, rock, rap, folk, pop, and even disco. At 8 p.m., Andréanne A. Malette will present Les jardins dérangés, a heartfelt performance of her latest folk-pop melodies. Through a personal narrative, she will explore the themes of healing, the present moment, and solidarity. 

    Saturday, 7 p.m., the ambiance will switch to the lively beat of Sabor 19. This orchestra of ten musicians, a popular fixture in Montreal’s Latin scene, is promising a festive evening with the sound of salsa and cumbia. In keeping with its celebratory spirit, the group has just one aim: get everyone up and dancing! A little earlier in the day, families will have a chance to discover Marimba et le djembé du tonnerre. The kids in the audience will be entertained with songs, amused by marionettes, and taught how to play percussion instruments.


    Diverse and accessible 

    The EBB stage will come alive with free shows and a variety of styles: country, Latin, rock, pop, Québécois, jazz, folk, and an encounter between Western music and traditional Indigenous music. There’ll be something for everyone! On the lineup are artists who will surprise you with the depth of their performances, including Duo Phoenix, Guylaine Tanguay, Yvan Pedneault, Génération Crooner, LBA Band, Coco Country Band, New World Men, Mike DeWay, Kawandak, Gabrielle Destroismaisons, and Patrick Norman & Nathalie Lord. 

    The program also includes two unique cultural events. On Wednesday, July 23, there will be a public lecture about the American attack on Quebec City in 1775: Quebec 1775-1776 – Le dernier siège (in French only). On Friday, August 22, The Regimental Band of the Royal 22e Régiment will offer an exceptional musical performance on stage, thanks to its diverse range of instruments and its unique brass section.


    Family morning shows 

    The Plains of Abraham and the EBB are known for being accessible and welcoming to all tastes and to all kinds of people. There will be four family shows on Saturdays, July 19 and 26 and August 9 and 16, starting at 11 a.m. (in French only). The kids will enjoy seeing and hearing Marimba et le djembé du tonnerre, L’orgue du Gentil Géant, Arthur L’aventurier and Le stagiaire de Monsieur Ben.

    For more program details: www.plainsofabraham.ca


    Extended business hours of the Maison Smith Café at the central pavilion 

    The Maison Smith Café has been on the Plains of Abraham for over a year, during which its selection of beverages and food has further enhanced the EBB experience. An aperitif on the central pavilion terrace, a picnic on the Plains with a lunchbox or a satisfying coffee in your hand—everything will be available for a heartwarming summer! This Maison Smith Café branch will be open for extended business hours during the shows.


    About the National Battlefields Commission 

    The Battlefields Park is Canada’s leading national historic park and notably includes the Plains of Abraham and Des Braves Park. The National Battlefields Commission, an agency of the Canadian government, has striven since 1908 to preserve and develop this site that brings so many people together. All year long, it offers a variety of activities for those who wish to explore the park and its history. www.plainsofabraham.ca/

    -30-

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: ASIA/PHILIPPINES – Supreme Court declares large-scale mining legal: civil society promotes “environmental justice”

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Freepik

    Mamburao (Agenzia Fides) – The Supreme Court’s recent decision to declare null and void the ordinances and resolutions of provincial governments that imposed a 25-year moratorium on mining activities in the province of Western Mindoro, on the island of the same name in the center of the Philippine archipelago, has sparked doubts and criticism in civil society and the Catholic community in the Philippines. The ruling, published on May 14 and which came into force a few days ago, upheld a 2018 ruling by the Mindoro Regional Court that had annulled the local government’s mining ban. The Supreme Court explained that, according to the Constitution, local governments can prohibit certain mining projects, but do not have the authority to prohibit all large-scale mining activities within the territory. The lawsuit before the court was filed by the Agusan Petroleum and Mineral Corporation (APMC), which signed contracts for large-scale mining activities with the central government in Manila in 2008. That same year, the provincial government of Western Mindoro, responding to civil society demands, issued ordinances imposing a moratorium on mining. The APMC had opposed these ordinances and challenged the constitutionality of these ordinances in court proceedings initiated in 2014. In its ruling, the Supreme Court recognized that mining activities have “environmental impacts,” but emphasized that contractors are obligated to comply with environmental protection measures established by the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources. According to the “Alyansa Tigil Mina” coalition, which includes organizations and groups committed to environmental protection and anti-mining, the ruling will have “significant repercussions” for the region. The coalition reiterated its commitment to a “balanced approach to biodiversity conservation, climate resilience, and sustainable development.” Bishop Moises Cuevas of the Apostolic Vicariate of Calapan in Eastern Mindoro (another province on the same island) said the ruling could set a legal precedent for the similar ordinance currently in force in Eastern Mindoro and “could have a destructive impact on our mission, expressed in the encyclical “Laudato si’,” which is to care for our common home.” The local Church held a “Forum for Dialogue on the Mindoro Mining Moratorium” on July 10, bringing together local representatives and communities to discuss what to do in the wake of the court’s ruling and proclaimed a day of prayer for environmental justice on the same day.At the forum, representatives of Catholic parishes, environmental and human rights organizations, and representatives of the provincial governments of both Mindoro provinces reiterated their opposition to large-scale mining. Father Edwin Gariguez, executive director of the Diocesan Social Action Center in Eastern Mindoro, described the fight against mining as “a moral and pastoral obligation” and recalled the profound impact on indigenous peoples. “The cry of the earth is the cry of the poor,” Father Gariguez said in this context, quoting the encyclical “Laudato Si’.” “This fight is not merely ecological or political, it is pastoral and moral. We are called to protect life in all its forms,” he affirmed. (PA) (Agenzia Fides, 15/7/2025)
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  • MIL-OSI Europe: ASIA/PHILIPPINES – Supreme Court declares large-scale mining legal: civil society promotes “environmental justice”

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Freepik

    Mamburao (Agenzia Fides) – The Supreme Court’s recent decision to declare null and void the ordinances and resolutions of provincial governments that imposed a 25-year moratorium on mining activities in the province of Western Mindoro, on the island of the same name in the center of the Philippine archipelago, has sparked doubts and criticism in civil society and the Catholic community in the Philippines. The ruling, published on May 14 and which came into force a few days ago, upheld a 2018 ruling by the Mindoro Regional Court that had annulled the local government’s mining ban. The Supreme Court explained that, according to the Constitution, local governments can prohibit certain mining projects, but do not have the authority to prohibit all large-scale mining activities within the territory. The lawsuit before the court was filed by the Agusan Petroleum and Mineral Corporation (APMC), which signed contracts for large-scale mining activities with the central government in Manila in 2008. That same year, the provincial government of Western Mindoro, responding to civil society demands, issued ordinances imposing a moratorium on mining. The APMC had opposed these ordinances and challenged the constitutionality of these ordinances in court proceedings initiated in 2014. In its ruling, the Supreme Court recognized that mining activities have “environmental impacts,” but emphasized that contractors are obligated to comply with environmental protection measures established by the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources. According to the “Alyansa Tigil Mina” coalition, which includes organizations and groups committed to environmental protection and anti-mining, the ruling will have “significant repercussions” for the region. The coalition reiterated its commitment to a “balanced approach to biodiversity conservation, climate resilience, and sustainable development.” Bishop Moises Cuevas of the Apostolic Vicariate of Calapan in Eastern Mindoro (another province on the same island) said the ruling could set a legal precedent for the similar ordinance currently in force in Eastern Mindoro and “could have a destructive impact on our mission, expressed in the encyclical “Laudato si’,” which is to care for our common home.” The local Church held a “Forum for Dialogue on the Mindoro Mining Moratorium” on July 10, bringing together local representatives and communities to discuss what to do in the wake of the court’s ruling and proclaimed a day of prayer for environmental justice on the same day.At the forum, representatives of Catholic parishes, environmental and human rights organizations, and representatives of the provincial governments of both Mindoro provinces reiterated their opposition to large-scale mining. Father Edwin Gariguez, executive director of the Diocesan Social Action Center in Eastern Mindoro, described the fight against mining as “a moral and pastoral obligation” and recalled the profound impact on indigenous peoples. “The cry of the earth is the cry of the poor,” Father Gariguez said in this context, quoting the encyclical “Laudato Si’.” “This fight is not merely ecological or political, it is pastoral and moral. We are called to protect life in all its forms,” he affirmed. (PA) (Agenzia Fides, 15/7/2025)
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  • MIL-OSI Europe: AFRICA/NIGERIA – Kidnapped seminarians: Bishop of Auchi confirms contact from kidnappers

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Auchi (Agenzia Fides) – A few days after the armed attack on the “Immaculate Conception” diocesan minor seminary in Ivhianokpodi, in Edo State, Nigeria (see Fides, 12/7/2025), the attackers who kidnapped three young seminarians “contacted the Diocese of Auchi and demanded a ransom.”The Bishop of Auchi, Gabriel Ghieakhomo Dunia, confirmed this to Fides, clarifying: “The seminarians are still in the hands of their kidnappers,” who in the last few hours “have contacted the Diocese of Auchi and are demanding a ransom. Negotiations are currently ongoing.””State Government and local security agents are working to track the abductors and get the abducted seminarians released but no success has been achieved yet,” Bishop Dunia continued. Regarding the condition of the other young seminarians who were at the facility at the time of the armed attack, in which a security guard was killed, he said: “the rest of the seminarians have been relocated by us to a safer location where they are completing their various examinations now before proceeding on the end of the academic year, 2024/2025 holiday.”The Ivhianokpodi Seminary was attacked by armed men on October 27, 2024 (see Fides, 29/10/2024). The Rector of the seminary, Fr. Thomas Oyode, was kidnapped after offering himself as a hostage in exchange for the young seminarians. Oyode was released after eleven days. (F.B.) (Agenzia Fides, 15/7/2025)
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  • MIL-OSI Europe: ASIA/CHINA – “Wedding without a dowry”: the Chinese Catholic community promotes the gratuitousness of married life in a secularized society

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Tuesday, 15 July 2025

    xinde.org

    Taiyuan (Agenzia Fides) – Archbishop Meng Ningyou of Taiyuan, in the Chinese province of Shanxi, recommended in his homily at a church wedding last Sunday, July 13, that marriage, in the spirit of faith, be seen as a gift characterized by gratuitousness. He invited everyone to free themselves from the custom of demanding a “dowry” for marriage, which is still widespread in large parts of society.In the current social context, especially in rural areas, the practice of dowry (the assets in the form of money, real estate, jewelry, or cars that families of origin must provide to future spouses at the time of marriage) continues to be a burden for young future spouses and their families of origin, causing the union to break up for many young couples. Families often go into debt to comply with the custom.Bishop Meng praised the Honggou parish, the home parish of the two young couples, and also the newlyweds’ courage, who have testified that the Christian faith can free lives and hearts from unnecessary burdens and lead to true happiness.In his homily, Bishop Paul Meng recalled the sacrament of marriage as a union of free, mutual self-giving blessed by God and called on spouses to accept one another, support each other in the Christian upbringing of their children, and care for one another, following the example of the Good Samaritan, whose figure was the focus of Sunday’s Gospel.In China, too, various economic, cultural, and psychological factors are hindering the desire of young couples to start families and bring children into the world.Meanwhile, Chinese Catholic communities are offering Christian marriage preparation courses that take this situation into account and attempt to address these new challenges.The Cathedral of the Diocese of Beijing recently opened registration for the third 2025 Marriage Preparation Course, which begins next Sunday, July 20. Every Sunday from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., young people planning to marry will participate in meetings covering topics such as “the Christian family” and “the sacrament of marriage.” The courses generally begin six months before the planned wedding date and include discussions with priests. The courses are also open to non-Christian couples, who can attend as listeners. (NZ) (Agenzia Fides, 15/7/2025)
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  • MIL-OSI Africa: Ambassador of Belarus S.Terentiev meets the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Egypt for European Affairs

    Source: APO


    .

    On July 13, 2025, on the occasion of the completion of his diplomatic mission, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Belarus to the Arab Republic of Egypt, Sergei Terentiev, met with the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Arab Republic of Egypt for European Affairs, Wael Hamed.

    The interlocutors noted the dynamics of the development of Belarusian-Egyptian contacts at various levels, emphasised the need to hold the planned political and economic events and implement the outlined agreements as soon as possible.

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Minister of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation Participates in the National Workshop for the United Nations (UN) “Convergence” Initiative on Integrating Health and Food Systems with Climate Action

    Source: APO


    .

    H.E. Dr. Rania A. Al-Mashat, Minister of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation, delivered an opening speech at the National Workshop of the UN “Convergence” Initiative, which focuses on linking health and food systems with climate action.

    This initiative was launched by the UN Secretary-General during COP28 in the United Arab Emirates, aiming to align the transformation of food systems with climate action to achieve the 2030 Agenda and the goals of the Paris Agreement.

    The UN Food Systems Coordination Hub is responsible for its implementation.

    In her speech, delivered via video, H.E. Dr. Rania Al-Mashat emphasized Egypt’s keenness to enhance its leadership in linking food systems, nutrition, and the climate agenda, within the ambitious vision of the UN initiative.

    H.E. Dr. Al-Mashat pointed to the UN Secretary-General’s statement, which indicated that while the midpoint towards 2030 has been reached, more than half of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are still lagging. She added that despite this, the future of food systems and the future of climate action are not parallel paths but are deeply interconnected.

    H.E. Minister Al-Mashat highlighted that Egypt has chosen a different path based on integration, innovation, and investment. Egypt has taken bold steps to become one of the first in the region to conduct a comprehensive national dialogue on food systems, bringing together government, private sector, civil society, and academia to reimagine how food systems function. This dialogue formed the foundation for the national pathway.

    H.E. Dr. Al-Mashat also underscored the launch of the National Climate Change Strategy 2050, which reflects Egypt’s belief that food security and climate resilience are two sides of the same coin. She also noted the launch of the “NWFE” platform (Nexus of Water, Food, and Energy), not merely as a tool for development, but as a genuine investment tool linking planning with capital.

    H.E. Minister Al-Mashat mentioned that through “NWFE,” Egypt is mobilizing over $14.7 billion in climate-aligned investment opportunities, clarifying that the United Nations and various institutions have praised the platform as a model for converting national climate commitments into investable projects, particularly in the areas of food and water security. She affirmed that Egypt is currently transitioning from the planning stage to partnerships, and from policies to implementation.

    H.E. Dr. Al-Mashat reiterated that through the UN initiative for the convergence of food systems and climate action, further steps will be taken on the path of integration. When food policies align with climate goals, and when nutrition is treated as a foundation for development rather than a secondary matter, it strengthens resilience in national policies and the economy.

    H.E. Minister Al-Mashat pointed out that according to global estimates, every dollar invested in reducing malnutrition can yield a return of up to $16 through improved health, productivity, and economic growth. She referred to the “Golden Thousand Days” initiative, which represents a crucial window for achieving human development, ensuring that today’s investments bear fruit for decades to come.

    H.E. Dr. Al-Mashat outlined the vital role of the private sector in this process, noting that with agriculture contributing 11% of Egypt’s GDP and 28% of total employment, this sector remains a key pillar for both economic growth and rural livelihoods. She stressed that opening up to private investment and innovation across food value chains will be key to achieving long-term sustainability.

    H.E. Minister Al-Mashat concluded by referencing the Food and Agriculture Organization’s (FAO) estimates showing that food and agriculture systems account for one-third of total greenhouse gas emissions, yet receive less than 10% of climate finance. She explained that through “NWFE” and initiatives like the current workshop, Egypt is working to bridge this gap by advancing the ability of projects that achieve development and climate goals to attract investment.

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation – Egypt.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Apple expands U.S. supply chain with $500 million commitment

    Source: Apple

    Headline: Apple expands U.S. supply chain with $500 million commitment

    UPDATE July 15, 2025

    In the first-of-its-kind deal, Apple and MP Materials will launch an all-new recycling facility for processing recycled rare earth elements

    Today Apple announced a new commitment of $500 million with MP Materials, the only fully integrated rare earth producer in the United States. With this multiyear deal, Apple is committed to buying American-made rare earth magnets developed at MP Materials’ flagship Independence facility in Fort Worth, Texas. The two companies will also work together to establish a cutting-edge rare earth recycling line in Mountain Pass, California, and develop novel magnet materials and innovative processing technologies to enhance magnet performance. The commitment is part of Apple’s pledge to spend more than $500 billion in the U.S. over the next four years, and builds on the company’s long history of investment in American innovation, advanced manufacturing, and next-generation recycling technologies.

    “American innovation drives everything we do at Apple, and we’re proud to deepen our investment in the U.S. economy,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “Rare earth materials are essential for making advanced technology, and this partnership will help strengthen the supply of these vital materials here in the United States. We couldn’t be more excited about the future of American manufacturing, and we will continue to invest in the ingenuity, creativity, and innovative spirit of the American people.”

    Apple and MP Materials will build out the state-of-the-art Texas factory with a series of neodymium magnet manufacturing lines specifically designed for Apple products. The new equipment and technical capacity will allow MP Materials to significantly boost its overall production. Once built, the American-made magnets will be shipped across the country and all over the world, helping to meet increasing global demand for the material. The increased production will support dozens of new jobs in advanced manufacturing and R&D. The two companies will provide extensive training to develop the workforce, building an entirely new pool of U.S. talent and expertise in magnet manufacturing.

    When complete, the new recycling facility in Mountain Pass, California will enable MP Materials to take in recycled rare earth feedstock — including material from used electronics and post-industrial scrap — and reprocess it for use in Apple products. For nearly five years, Apple and MP Materials have been piloting advanced recycling technology that enables recycled rare earth magnets to be processed into material that meets Apple’s exacting standards for performance and design. The companies will continue to innovate together to improve magnet production, as well as end-of-life recovery.

    Apple pioneered the use of recycled rare earth elements in consumer electronics, first introducing them in the Taptic Engine of iPhone 11 in 2019. Today, nearly all magnets across Apple devices are made with 100 percent recycled rare earth elements. The collaboration with MP Materials will help secure domestic supply of this critical material, strengthen the U.S. rare earth industry’s capabilities to capture more raw material, and advance environmental progress with innovative recycling methods.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Apple expands U.S. supply chain with $500 million commitment

    Source: Apple

    Headline: Apple expands U.S. supply chain with $500 million commitment

    UPDATE July 15, 2025

    In the first-of-its-kind deal, Apple and MP Materials will launch an all-new recycling facility for processing recycled rare earth elements

    Today Apple announced a new commitment of $500 million with MP Materials, the only fully integrated rare earth producer in the United States. With this multiyear deal, Apple is committed to buying American-made rare earth magnets developed at MP Materials’ flagship Independence facility in Fort Worth, Texas. The two companies will also work together to establish a cutting-edge rare earth recycling line in Mountain Pass, California, and develop novel magnet materials and innovative processing technologies to enhance magnet performance. The commitment is part of Apple’s pledge to spend more than $500 billion in the U.S. over the next four years, and builds on the company’s long history of investment in American innovation, advanced manufacturing, and next-generation recycling technologies.

    “American innovation drives everything we do at Apple, and we’re proud to deepen our investment in the U.S. economy,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “Rare earth materials are essential for making advanced technology, and this partnership will help strengthen the supply of these vital materials here in the United States. We couldn’t be more excited about the future of American manufacturing, and we will continue to invest in the ingenuity, creativity, and innovative spirit of the American people.”

    Apple and MP Materials will build out the state-of-the-art Texas factory with a series of neodymium magnet manufacturing lines specifically designed for Apple products. The new equipment and technical capacity will allow MP Materials to significantly boost its overall production. Once built, the American-made magnets will be shipped across the country and all over the world, helping to meet increasing global demand for the material. The increased production will support dozens of new jobs in advanced manufacturing and R&D. The two companies will provide extensive training to develop the workforce, building an entirely new pool of U.S. talent and expertise in magnet manufacturing.

    When complete, the new recycling facility in Mountain Pass, California will enable MP Materials to take in recycled rare earth feedstock — including material from used electronics and post-industrial scrap — and reprocess it for use in Apple products. For nearly five years, Apple and MP Materials have been piloting advanced recycling technology that enables recycled rare earth magnets to be processed into material that meets Apple’s exacting standards for performance and design. The companies will continue to innovate together to improve magnet production, as well as end-of-life recovery.

    Apple pioneered the use of recycled rare earth elements in consumer electronics, first introducing them in the Taptic Engine of iPhone 11 in 2019. Today, nearly all magnets across Apple devices are made with 100 percent recycled rare earth elements. The collaboration with MP Materials will help secure domestic supply of this critical material, strengthen the U.S. rare earth industry’s capabilities to capture more raw material, and advance environmental progress with innovative recycling methods.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Apple expands U.S. supply chain with $500 million commitment

    Source: Apple

    Headline: Apple expands U.S. supply chain with $500 million commitment

    UPDATE July 15, 2025

    In the first-of-its-kind deal, Apple and MP Materials will launch an all-new recycling facility for processing recycled rare earth elements

    Today Apple announced a new commitment of $500 million with MP Materials, the only fully integrated rare earth producer in the United States. With this multiyear deal, Apple is committed to buying American-made rare earth magnets developed at MP Materials’ flagship Independence facility in Fort Worth, Texas. The two companies will also work together to establish a cutting-edge rare earth recycling line in Mountain Pass, California, and develop novel magnet materials and innovative processing technologies to enhance magnet performance. The commitment is part of Apple’s pledge to spend more than $500 billion in the U.S. over the next four years, and builds on the company’s long history of investment in American innovation, advanced manufacturing, and next-generation recycling technologies.

    “American innovation drives everything we do at Apple, and we’re proud to deepen our investment in the U.S. economy,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “Rare earth materials are essential for making advanced technology, and this partnership will help strengthen the supply of these vital materials here in the United States. We couldn’t be more excited about the future of American manufacturing, and we will continue to invest in the ingenuity, creativity, and innovative spirit of the American people.”

    Apple and MP Materials will build out the state-of-the-art Texas factory with a series of neodymium magnet manufacturing lines specifically designed for Apple products. The new equipment and technical capacity will allow MP Materials to significantly boost its overall production. Once built, the American-made magnets will be shipped across the country and all over the world, helping to meet increasing global demand for the material. The increased production will support dozens of new jobs in advanced manufacturing and R&D. The two companies will provide extensive training to develop the workforce, building an entirely new pool of U.S. talent and expertise in magnet manufacturing.

    When complete, the new recycling facility in Mountain Pass, California will enable MP Materials to take in recycled rare earth feedstock — including material from used electronics and post-industrial scrap — and reprocess it for use in Apple products. For nearly five years, Apple and MP Materials have been piloting advanced recycling technology that enables recycled rare earth magnets to be processed into material that meets Apple’s exacting standards for performance and design. The companies will continue to innovate together to improve magnet production, as well as end-of-life recovery.

    Apple pioneered the use of recycled rare earth elements in consumer electronics, first introducing them in the Taptic Engine of iPhone 11 in 2019. Today, nearly all magnets across Apple devices are made with 100 percent recycled rare earth elements. The collaboration with MP Materials will help secure domestic supply of this critical material, strengthen the U.S. rare earth industry’s capabilities to capture more raw material, and advance environmental progress with innovative recycling methods.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Apple expands U.S. supply chain with $500 million commitment

    Source: Apple

    Headline: Apple expands U.S. supply chain with $500 million commitment

    UPDATE July 15, 2025

    In the first-of-its-kind deal, Apple and MP Materials will launch an all-new recycling facility for processing recycled rare earth elements

    Today Apple announced a new commitment of $500 million with MP Materials, the only fully integrated rare earth producer in the United States. With this multiyear deal, Apple is committed to buying American-made rare earth magnets developed at MP Materials’ flagship Independence facility in Fort Worth, Texas. The two companies will also work together to establish a cutting-edge rare earth recycling line in Mountain Pass, California, and develop novel magnet materials and innovative processing technologies to enhance magnet performance. The commitment is part of Apple’s pledge to spend more than $500 billion in the U.S. over the next four years, and builds on the company’s long history of investment in American innovation, advanced manufacturing, and next-generation recycling technologies.

    “American innovation drives everything we do at Apple, and we’re proud to deepen our investment in the U.S. economy,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “Rare earth materials are essential for making advanced technology, and this partnership will help strengthen the supply of these vital materials here in the United States. We couldn’t be more excited about the future of American manufacturing, and we will continue to invest in the ingenuity, creativity, and innovative spirit of the American people.”

    Apple and MP Materials will build out the state-of-the-art Texas factory with a series of neodymium magnet manufacturing lines specifically designed for Apple products. The new equipment and technical capacity will allow MP Materials to significantly boost its overall production. Once built, the American-made magnets will be shipped across the country and all over the world, helping to meet increasing global demand for the material. The increased production will support dozens of new jobs in advanced manufacturing and R&D. The two companies will provide extensive training to develop the workforce, building an entirely new pool of U.S. talent and expertise in magnet manufacturing.

    When complete, the new recycling facility in Mountain Pass, California will enable MP Materials to take in recycled rare earth feedstock — including material from used electronics and post-industrial scrap — and reprocess it for use in Apple products. For nearly five years, Apple and MP Materials have been piloting advanced recycling technology that enables recycled rare earth magnets to be processed into material that meets Apple’s exacting standards for performance and design. The companies will continue to innovate together to improve magnet production, as well as end-of-life recovery.

    Apple pioneered the use of recycled rare earth elements in consumer electronics, first introducing them in the Taptic Engine of iPhone 11 in 2019. Today, nearly all magnets across Apple devices are made with 100 percent recycled rare earth elements. The collaboration with MP Materials will help secure domestic supply of this critical material, strengthen the U.S. rare earth industry’s capabilities to capture more raw material, and advance environmental progress with innovative recycling methods.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Egypt Values President Trump’s Statement to Resolve Conflicts & End Wars

    Source: APO


    .

    Egypt values the statement by President Donald Trump, which demonstrates the seriousness of the United States—under President Trump’s leadership—in exerting efforts to resolve conflicts and end wars.

    Egypt reaffirms its confidence in President Trump’s ability to address complex challenges and to advance peace, stability, and security across the globe, whether in Ukraine, the Palestinian territory, or Africa.

    Egypt also appreciates President Trump’s keenness on reaching a just agreement that safeguards the interests of all parties regarding the Ethiopian Dam, as well as his recognition of the Nile as a source of life for Egypt. 

    Egypt reaffirms its support for President Trump’s vision of establishing just peace, security, and stability for all countries in the region and around the world.

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Presidency of the Arab Republic of Egypt.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Government launches “Good Food Cycle” to transform Britain’s food system 

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Government launches “Good Food Cycle” to transform Britain’s food system 

    New “Good Food Cycle” framework serves up healthier eating, stronger food security and greener supply chains  

    Getty images

    The government has served up its new “Good Food Cycle” today (15 July) – a recipe aimed at driving a generational change in the nation’s relationship with food.   

    The Good Food Cycle identifies ten priority outcomes needed to build a thriving food sector while tackling challenges from rising obesity rates to climate change impacts on production, representing a pivotal milestone in the government’s work to develop a comprehensive food strategy      

    Key outcomes to create a good food cycle include:   

    • An improved food environment that supports healthier and more environmentally sustainable food sales    

    • Access for all to safe, affordable, healthy, convenient and appealing food options     

    • Conditions for the food sector to thrive and grow sustainably, including investment in innovation and productivity, and fairer more transparent supply chains     

    This fresh approach sets out the government’s vision for a modern food system, that sits at the heart of the government’s Plan for Change, tackling multiple critical challenges at once and helping to put more money back in people’s pockets.   

    Building stronger, more resilient food supply chains protects Britain from potential disruptions and strengthens our national security. Making sure everyone can afford healthy food drives our health mission by helping people stay well and reducing pressure on the NHS. We’re also working to give children the nutritious start they need to thrive at school and beyond to give every child the best possible start in life, whatever their background.  

    Minister for Food Security Daniel Zeichner, said:    

    Food security is national security – we need a resilient food system that can weather any storm while ensuring families across the country can access affordable, healthy food.   

    The Good Food Cycle represents a major milestone. We are actively defining the outcomes we want from our food system to deliver a whole system change that will help the amazing businesses that feed our nation to grow and thrive, which means more jobs and stronger local economies, while making it easier for families to eat and feel better.   

    This isn’t just about what’s on our plates today, it’s about building a stronger food system for generations to come, supporting economic growth, health and opportunity as part of our Plan for Change. 

    The ten outcomes have been informed by expert advice from departments across government, the Food Strategy Advisory Board, workshops with interested charities and businesses, as well as members of the public from a Citizen Advisory Council to ensure everyone stands to benefit from a nutritious, sustainable and resilient food system, as part of the Plan for Change.    

    The Good Food Cycle builds on recent government measures to curb diet-related health problems. Fresh partnerships with big food companies will see them share data on healthy food sales, creating more transparency and a level playing field across the industry.   

    With two-thirds of adults in England currently overweight or living with obesity and costing the NHS over £11.4 billion annually, the new approach will help make sure healthier choices don’t get squeezed off supermarket shelves by less nutritious options.   

    Minister for Health Ashley Dalton, said:  

    We want to make sure all families have the option of healthy, high-quality food – not least because it helps tackle the epidemic of obesity, which costs our NHS over £11 billion a year.  

    The Good Food Cycle will be good for the health of our communities and help us curb the rising tide of cost and demand on the NHS.  

    This builds on measures in our new 10 Year Health Plan to make the healthy choice the easy choice, including launching a world-first partnership with food manufacturers and retailers.

    Evidence shows that children living in poverty are far less likely to have enough nutritious food to eat, with almost 1 in 5 living in food insecurity, affecting their health and attainment at school. The Good Food Cycle will improve access to healthy, affordable food for families and give them the skills and support to cook and eat healthily.  

    This is a key part of the Government’s wider action to tackle child poverty and support families with the cost of essential goods. It builds on the expansion of Free School Meals to an additional 500,000 children and the rollout of free breakfast clubs for primary school pupils and will form part of the Government’s Child Poverty Strategy published in the Autumn.  

    Minister for Employment, Alison McGovern, who sits on the Ministerial Food Strategy Group and the Child Poverty Taskforce, said:   

    It’s unacceptable that children in Britain are growing up without access to healthy and affordable food – holding back their learning and development.  

    Along with making over half a million more children eligible for free school meals and rolling out breakfast clubs to all primary schools, the Good Food Cycle will ensure the next generation are well fed and ready to reach their full potential.  

    This framework marks an important step in our mission to tackle child poverty, to support families and give all children the very best start in life.  

    Food Security Minister Daniel Zeichner announced the strategy at Darley Street Market in Bradford as part of their 2025 City of Culture celebrations.    

    Cities like Bradford are already pioneering the kind of community-focused food initiatives that the Good Food Cycle strategy aims to scale up nationwide.    

    Bradford’s plans include ensuring primary school pupils get hands-on experience with growing, cooking and eating fresh food – directly supporting the strategy’s goal of giving children the best start in life through better nutrition and food education. The city is also backing venues where citizens of all ages can cook and eat together, creating the kind of inclusive food spaces that help build stronger communities while celebrating local food culture.   

    Cllr Sarah Ferriby, Bradford Council’s portfolio holder for Healthy People and Places, said:     

    We’re delighted to welcome Minister Zeichner to our new Darley Street Market today to launch the Good Food Cycle.   

    Having a clear direction on food policy is vital if we are to tackle some of the key issues that affect communities in our district, such as food poverty and obesity while also supporting our food producers and protecting our environment.  This is why we worked closely with the district’s Sustainable Food Partnership to launch our own food strategy last year which sets out our plans to support residents with healthy and sustainable food, and to reduce health inequalities.  

    It is really fitting to launch this important national framework here in Bradford. Our district has a proud food culture and history which we want to build on. Backing our local producers so they can provide quality, nutritious food to local people is a key part of part of our ambition and why we have invested in this new market.  

    Additional quotes   

    Dan Bates, Executive Director of Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture, said:  

    At Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture, we’re proud to celebrate our district’s rich cultural identity through its diverse culinary traditions. Whether it’s family recipes passed down through generations, a commemorative biscuit tin containing heritage stories, or even a curry festival; these all offer a unique lens into Bradford’s history, creativity and community spirit. We’re delighted that Bradford has been chosen to launch the [Good Food Cycle] at the new Darley Street Market, full of independent local traders to help showcase the city’s dynamic contemporary culture to the world.  

    Professor Susan Jebb, Chair of the Food Standards Agency, said:  

    We welcome the ambitions set out in the Good Food Cycle today and support the outcomes it describes.  

    We continue to work closely with other departments in the delivery of the strategy, playing our part to make it easier for consumers to access food that is healthier and more sustainable. 

    Sarah Bradbury, CEO at IGD, said:   

    As co-secretariat of the FSAB, we partnered with the Defra team earlier this year to host multi-stakeholder workshops, engaging over 150 organisations across the agri-food supply chain. Their insights have directly shaped the Good Food Cycle’s ambition to build a food system that works for everyone. A powerful example of what can be achieved through collaboration.

    Andrew Opie, Director of Food & Sustainability at the BRC, said:  

    Retailers welcome the ambition and direction of the framework. They know customers want more British food, sustainably produced and with clear healthy choices; something we believe this approach can help to deliver. 

    Kate Nicholls, Chair of UKHospitality, said:   

    Hospitality is a central cog in our food system – serving Britain with great food and drink 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The food supply chain shares the Government’s ambitions to create a healthier, more sustainable food system, and it’s critical the Government works with businesses to do that in a pragmatic and achievable way.    

    Diverse and vibrant food cultures are part of what makes our communities thrive, and we look forward to working with the Government to develop a food strategy that recognises hospitality’s vital importance to the food system, economy and society.

    Dalton Philips, CEO of Greencore plc, said:    

    The Good Food Cycle is a bold and timely step toward a healthier, fairer and more sustainable food system. It sets the right direction for industry, government and communities to work together to drive lasting change.   

    Tim J Smith CBE, Chairman of Cranswick, said:     

    As we mark the launch of the Good Food Cycle today and as a member of the Food Strategy Advisory Board I would like to commend the government for its progress on establishing a set of priorities which we can all get behind. This matters for everyone. Wherever we live, whoever we are, we’re all connected to the food system. Food matters. The pace at which this work has developed has been remarkable as has the very unusual cross-government working needed to get us to this point: where our food system is closer to being healthier, more sustainable and affordable and where that system is fair for all.  

    Balwinder Dhoot, Director of Sustainability and Growth, The Food and Drink Federation (FDF), said:   

    From the everyday staples found in kitchen cupboards, fridges and freezers, like oats, yoghurts, tins of beans and frozen vegetables, to ready meals, confectionary and new healthier snacks, UK food and drink manufacturers help the nation have a balanced and varied diet, amid busy lifestyles.   

    We welcome this strategy’s holistic view that considers all of the factors affecting our sector – from creating the right conditions to drive investment in new healthier products, through to removing barriers to trade and ensuring we have the skilled workers we need. We’re pleased to see government acknowledge the importance of our industry to achieving a resilient, sustainable and healthy food system for the UK and look forward to working together to develop this ambitious Food Strategy.

    Citizens Advisory Council: 

    Anna Taylor, Executive Director, The Food Foundation, said:   

    The Food Strategy is an opportunity to reset the rules governing the food system so we start winning the fight against diet related disease and unlock progress  in delivering our nature and climate targets. The wellbeing of citizens must be at the heart of these changes, with food businesses now being encouraged to sell and promote healthier options. This should also be a signal to investors that British food companies making nutritious foods hold the keys to future growth and productivity.  Most importantly it holds the promise of getting our children back on track for long, healthy and fruitful lives.  

    Sue Pritchard, Chief Executive, Food, Farming and Countryside Commission, said:     

    What’s exciting about this approach is that citizens don’t want to see a strategy gathering dust on a shelf. They are really interested in how it will be delivered – and the difference it will make to their everyday lives. They want to see healthy food, sustainably produced, easily available to everyone everywhere. Citizens tend to cut to the chase. They’re interested in what works, and where it is working already, around the UK and elsewhere in the world. They want to make sure that government focuses on making a real difference – for health, for nature, for climate and for a fairer food system for everyone.

    Citizens Advisory Council members:  

    “I think it’s very important to get out and speak to people from different corners of the UK and from all different social aspects and social standings, to understand what the real problems are at the ground level.” – Kevin Robson, Tyne & Wear  

    “I’d love it if we end up in a place where providing healthy, good food for your family becomes a little less confusing. At the moment, I think lots of citizens do find it confusing. It shouldn’t be a struggle to provide healthy food for a family.” – David Njoku, Berkshire  

    “I think what I’m really looking for is change. Defra have been really vocal that they want to hear us and they want to centre citizen voices as a key part of their strategy.” – Emmanuela Kumi, London

    Updates to this page

    Published 15 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Electric Car Grant launched

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Written statement to Parliament

    Electric Car Grant launched

    Car manufacturers can apply for vehicle eligibility for the grant from 16 July 2025.

    The government is making it easier and cheaper to own an electric vehicle. Today (15 July 2025), the government has launched an Electric Car Grant to support the transition to zero emission vehicles and incentivise sustainable automotive manufacturing. This intervention gives clarity about the government’s commitment to the zero emission vehicle transition, at a time of unprecedented uncertainty for the automotive sector.

    £650 million of grant funding will be available to purchase new zero emission cars priced at or under £37,000. Grants of £1,500 or £3,750 will make these cars more affordable and enable even more people to access the savings associated with driving electric. The grant will help unlock potential further savings of up to £1,500 a year in running costs for drivers, it will back UK and other manufacturers, with eligibility dependent on the highest manufacturing sustainability standards, driving growth in our automotive and charging sectors.

    Grants are available from tomorrow (16 July 2025), subject to confirmation of vehicle eligibility by the Department for Transport. A list of eligible vehicles will be updated on the department website as vehicles are approved. The scheme has funding available until financial year 2028 to 2029. The closure date will remain under review and the scheme will be subject to amendment or early closure, with no notice, should funds become exhausted.

    The Electric Car Grant has 2 bands. £3,750 for the most sustainably produced cars and £1,500 for cars that meet some environmental criteria. This is in recognition of the need to address embedded carbon emissions across a vehicle’s lifetime, as well as tailpipe emissions. Vehicles that do not meet minimum sustainability standards will not be eligible for a grant.

    The minimum environmental criterion is for manufacturers to hold a verified science based target. Science based targets are commitments corporate entities make to reduce their environmental impact, in line with the UK’s international climate commitments, which are verified by the independent Science Based Targets Initiative. The amount of grant available per vehicle will depend on the level of emissions associated with production of the vehicle. Emissions from vehicle production are assessed against the carbon intensity of the electricity grid in the country where vehicle assembly and battery production are located.

    The government has also announced a wider package of measures to support the continued deployment of charging infrastructure. These include £25 million of funding to deliver cross-pavement charging channels, £30 million grant funding to install chargepoints at depots for vans, coaches and HGVs, supporting the transition of the road freight and coach sectors, £8 million of funding to install chargers at NHS sites and changes to allow EV hubs to be signed from major roads. All of these measures will support the more than £6 billion of private funding already in the pipeline to further boost the UK’s chargepoint roll-out by 2030.

    Updates to this page

    Published 15 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: RSF supported 15 projects of young scientists from HSE

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: State University “Higher School of Economics” –

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    The Russian Science Foundation has summed up the results of the 2025 youth competitions for grants. Based on the results of the competition of initiative projects of young scientists, 14 projects of the Higher School of Economics were supported. Based on the results of the competition of scientific groups led by young scientists, one university project was supported.

    The competitions are part of the Presidential Program of research projects implemented by leading scientists, including young scientists, a priority area of the RSF activity “Support for young scientists”. The goal of the presented project should be to solve specific problems within the framework of one of the priorities defined in the Strategy for Scientific and Technological Development of the Russian Federation.

    Competition of initiative projects of young scientists

    Grants are allocated for the implementation of fundamental and exploratory scientific research in 2025–2027 to researchers aged up to and including 33 years who have a PhD degree.

    Following the results of the competition, 14 HSE projects were supported in the following areas: Mathematics, informatics and systems sciences, Physics and space sciences, Humanities and social sciences:

    “Assessing Impact Effects in Economic Research Using Synthesis of Econometric Models and Machine Learning Methods” (headed by Bogdan Potanin, Faculty of Economic Sciences);

    “Trace Operator in Non-Lipschitz Domains and the Steklov Problem” (supervised by Alexander Menovshchikov, Faculty of Mathematics);

    “Solution of the inverse phaseless scattering problem for the Helmholtz equation using the phase reconstruction method” (supervisor Vladimir Sivkin, Faculty of Mathematics);

    “Automorphisms of algebraic monoids” (supervised by Anton Shafarevich, Faculty of Computer Science);

    “Localization and its destruction in one-dimensional disordered quantum multiparticle systems” (head Murod Bakhovadinov, International Laboratory of Condensed Matter Physics);

    “Hessian and locally conformal Hessian manifolds” (supervised by Pavel Osipov, International Laboratory of Mirror Symmetry and Automorphic Forms);

    “Socio-psychological factors of perception of socio-economic inequality: from social comparison to subjective well-being” (headed by Irina Prusova, Faculty of Social Sciences);

    “Industrial postgraduate studies in Russia: practices, barriers and effects of employers’ participation in the training of postgraduate students” (headed by Svetlana Zhuchkova, Institute of Education);

    “‘Gentle’ employment: practices for adapting forms and conditions of employment against the backdrop of deteriorating health in older age groups in Russia” (headed by Anna Chervyakova, Institute of Social Policy);

    “Dynamical systems on direct and oblique products of manifolds” (supervisor Marina Barinova, HSE University – Nizhny Novgorod);

    “Knowledge and Management on the Imperial Outskirts: Experts and Mediators in the Russian North and Far East in the Post-Reform Russian Empire” (headed by Evgeny Egorov, HSE University – Saint Petersburg);

    “At the start of academic careers: student participation in scientific communities and initiatives as a vector for the development of national science” (headed by Irina Lisovskaya, HSE University – St. Petersburg);

    “Socio-psychological and cognitive factors of trust in AI-social agents and AI-generated information in the field of health” (headed by Yadviga Sinyavskaya, HSE University – St. Petersburg);

    “Asymmetrical radiation output from a microdisk laser using a conjugated photonic crystal” (headed by Konstantin Ivanov, HSE University – St. Petersburg).

    Competition of scientific groups led by young scientists

    Within the framework of the competition, grants are allocated for conducting fundamental and exploratory scientific research in 2025–2028 to researchers aged up to and including 35 years, who have a candidate or doctoral degree.

    Based on the results of the competition, the project “Integrable sigma models and conformal field theories” (supervisor Mikhail Alfimov, Faculty of Mathematics) was supported.

    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 –

  • France says UN conference to work on post-war Gaza, Palestinian state recognition

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    A rescheduled United Nations conference this month will discuss post-war plans for Gaza and preparations for the recognition of a Palestinian state by France and others, France’s foreign minister said on Tuesday.

    France and Saudi Arabia had planned to host the conference in New York from June 17-20, aiming to lay out the parameters of a roadmap to a Palestinian state, while ensuring Israel’s security.

    “The aim is to sketch out post-war Gaza and prepare the recognition of a Palestinian state by France and countries that will engage in this approach,” Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said in Brussels before a meeting of European Union foreign ministers.

    The conference was postponed under U.S. pressure and after the 12-day Israel-Iran air war began, during which regional airspace was closed, making it hard for representatives of some Arab states to attend. Diplomats said on Friday it had been rescheduled for July 28-29.

    French President Emmanuel Macron had been set to attend the conference and had suggested he could recognise a Palestinian state in Israeli-occupied territories at the conference, a move opposed by Israel.

    Macron is no longer expected to attend, reducing the likelihood of any major announcements being made.

    Diplomats say Macron has faced resistance from allies such as Britain and Canada over his push for the recognition of a Palestinian state.

    Israel has been fighting Hamas in the Gaza Strip since the Palestinian militant group’s deadly attack on Israel in October 2023. A U.S.-backed proposal for a 60-day ceasefire is being discussed at talks in Doha.

    (Reuters)

  • Adapting to a shifting Monsoon: India’s new climate challenge

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The Indian monsoon, long considered a stable feature of the subcontinent’s climate, is undergoing major changes due to climate change. While overall annual rainfall has not shown a consistent trend at the national level, significant regional shifts and rising extremes are now evident.

    Dr. Rajeevan Madhavan Nair, former Secretary at the Ministry of Earth Sciences, highlighted growing disparities in monsoon behaviour. States like Kerala, parts of Northeast India, and East Central India are experiencing declining seasonal rainfall, while areas such as North Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan are witnessing an increase. More alarmingly, extreme rainfall events—those exceeding 150 mm in a day—have increased by 75% in central India between 1950 and 2015.

    Alongside this, dry spells are also becoming more frequent and prolonged. Between 1981 and 2011, dry spells during the summer monsoon season increased by 27% compared to the period from 1951 to 1980. The number of years with deficient rainfall and the extent of drought-prone areas are also on the rise.

    These shifts pose serious risks for Indian agriculture. The rainfall is increasingly concentrated in short, intense bursts—nearly half of the seasonal total now falls within just 20 to 30 hours—leaving long dry gaps that affect soil moisture, crop growth, and water availability.

    In addition, the traditional rhythm of the monsoon is changing. July, once the peak rainfall month, is showing a decline, while September is becoming wetter. The onset and withdrawal of the monsoon are also shifting across regions, further complicating farming calendars and water management efforts.

    Natural climate drivers like the Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ), El Niño, and La Niña remain key influences. The ITCZ, a low-pressure zone near the Equator, guides the seasonal flow of moist winds toward India, acting like a monsoon switch. El Niño events, marked by warming in the Pacific Ocean, often weaken the monsoon, while La Niña tends to strengthen it. Out of 16 El Niño years since 1950, seven have caused below-normal rainfall in India.

    Despite these disruptions, recent years have seen some positive trends. In 2024, India recorded 108% of its Long Period Average (LPA) rainfall during the June–September southwest monsoon season. That year, 78% of districts received normal to excess rainfall—the highest in over a decade. However, East and Northeast India continued to face deficits.

    Experts emphasize the need for robust forecasting and climate-adaptive strategies to manage the growing variability. As the monsoon becomes more erratic, safeguarding agriculture, water resources, and disaster preparedness will be crucial for the country’s future.

     

  • France says UN conference to work on post-war Gaza, Palestinian state recognition

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    A rescheduled United Nations conference this month will discuss post-war plans for Gaza and preparations for the recognition of a Palestinian state by France and others, France’s foreign minister said on Tuesday.

    France and Saudi Arabia had planned to host the conference in New York from June 17-20, aiming to lay out the parameters of a roadmap to a Palestinian state, while ensuring Israel’s security.

    “The aim is to sketch out post-war Gaza and prepare the recognition of a Palestinian state by France and countries that will engage in this approach,” Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said in Brussels before a meeting of European Union foreign ministers.

    The conference was postponed under U.S. pressure and after the 12-day Israel-Iran air war began, during which regional airspace was closed, making it hard for representatives of some Arab states to attend. Diplomats said on Friday it had been rescheduled for July 28-29.

    French President Emmanuel Macron had been set to attend the conference and had suggested he could recognise a Palestinian state in Israeli-occupied territories at the conference, a move opposed by Israel.

    Macron is no longer expected to attend, reducing the likelihood of any major announcements being made.

    Diplomats say Macron has faced resistance from allies such as Britain and Canada over his push for the recognition of a Palestinian state.

    Israel has been fighting Hamas in the Gaza Strip since the Palestinian militant group’s deadly attack on Israel in October 2023. A U.S.-backed proposal for a 60-day ceasefire is being discussed at talks in Doha.

    (Reuters)

  • Adapting to a shifting Monsoon: India’s new climate challenge

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The Indian monsoon, long considered a stable feature of the subcontinent’s climate, is undergoing major changes due to climate change. While overall annual rainfall has not shown a consistent trend at the national level, significant regional shifts and rising extremes are now evident.

    Dr. Rajeevan Madhavan Nair, former Secretary at the Ministry of Earth Sciences, highlighted growing disparities in monsoon behaviour. States like Kerala, parts of Northeast India, and East Central India are experiencing declining seasonal rainfall, while areas such as North Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan are witnessing an increase. More alarmingly, extreme rainfall events—those exceeding 150 mm in a day—have increased by 75% in central India between 1950 and 2015.

    Alongside this, dry spells are also becoming more frequent and prolonged. Between 1981 and 2011, dry spells during the summer monsoon season increased by 27% compared to the period from 1951 to 1980. The number of years with deficient rainfall and the extent of drought-prone areas are also on the rise.

    These shifts pose serious risks for Indian agriculture. The rainfall is increasingly concentrated in short, intense bursts—nearly half of the seasonal total now falls within just 20 to 30 hours—leaving long dry gaps that affect soil moisture, crop growth, and water availability.

    In addition, the traditional rhythm of the monsoon is changing. July, once the peak rainfall month, is showing a decline, while September is becoming wetter. The onset and withdrawal of the monsoon are also shifting across regions, further complicating farming calendars and water management efforts.

    Natural climate drivers like the Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ), El Niño, and La Niña remain key influences. The ITCZ, a low-pressure zone near the Equator, guides the seasonal flow of moist winds toward India, acting like a monsoon switch. El Niño events, marked by warming in the Pacific Ocean, often weaken the monsoon, while La Niña tends to strengthen it. Out of 16 El Niño years since 1950, seven have caused below-normal rainfall in India.

    Despite these disruptions, recent years have seen some positive trends. In 2024, India recorded 108% of its Long Period Average (LPA) rainfall during the June–September southwest monsoon season. That year, 78% of districts received normal to excess rainfall—the highest in over a decade. However, East and Northeast India continued to face deficits.

    Experts emphasize the need for robust forecasting and climate-adaptive strategies to manage the growing variability. As the monsoon becomes more erratic, safeguarding agriculture, water resources, and disaster preparedness will be crucial for the country’s future.

     

  • Monsoon remains central to India’s economy, culture, climate resilience

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    As India braces for another active monsoon season, experts are once again highlighting the monsoon’s critical role in shaping the country’s economic and cultural life. Often referred to as the lifeline of India, the monsoon rains impact agriculture, water availability, power generation, and the livelihoods of millions across the nation.

    The Indian monsoon system, driven by the seasonal reversal of winds due to differences in land and sea temperatures, brings two distinct rainy seasons: the Southwest Monsoon (June–September) and the Northeast Monsoon (October–December). The former contributes nearly 75% of the country’s total annual rainfall and is essential for the kharif crop season, which includes staples like rice, cotton, and sugarcane.

    “The onset of the southwest monsoon in early June triggers a cycle of activity that supports farming, replenishes rivers and lakes, and powers hydroelectric plants,” said a senior official from the India Meteorological Department. Moisture-laden winds from the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal spread across the country, delivering rain as they rise over mountain ranges like the Western Ghats and the Himalayas.

    The northeast monsoon, while shorter and more localized, plays a crucial role for the southeastern states, particularly Tamil Nadu and parts of Andhra Pradesh, which receive most of their rainfall during this period.

    India’s dependence on monsoon rainfall remains high — with about 55% of the country’s cultivated land is irrigated — leaving the rest farmland part dependent on timely and adequate rain. With nearly two-thirds of the population engaged in agriculture, the economy is highly sensitive to monsoon variability. A good monsoon boosts rural incomes, food production, and national GDP, while a weak or erratic one can lead to droughts, crop losses, and inflation.

    Uneven rainfall, intensified by climate change, is already affecting crop cycles. Delayed rains, excessive downpours, or prolonged dry spells can result in soil erosion, reduced farm productivity, and rural distress. Even winter rains brought by western disturbances are vital for rabi crops like wheat in northern India.

    Beyond the economy, the monsoon is deeply woven into India’s cultural identity. From ancient poetry and classical music to festivals and daily traditions, the monsoon influences food, clothing, architecture, and societal rhythms.

    With changing climate patterns making monsoons more unpredictable, understanding and adapting to these shifts has become increasingly important. Experts stress the need for improved forecasting, better water management, and increased irrigation coverage to ensure long-term agricultural and economic stability.

     

  • Monsoon remains central to India’s economy, culture, climate resilience

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    As India braces for another active monsoon season, experts are once again highlighting the monsoon’s critical role in shaping the country’s economic and cultural life. Often referred to as the lifeline of India, the monsoon rains impact agriculture, water availability, power generation, and the livelihoods of millions across the nation.

    The Indian monsoon system, driven by the seasonal reversal of winds due to differences in land and sea temperatures, brings two distinct rainy seasons: the Southwest Monsoon (June–September) and the Northeast Monsoon (October–December). The former contributes nearly 75% of the country’s total annual rainfall and is essential for the kharif crop season, which includes staples like rice, cotton, and sugarcane.

    “The onset of the southwest monsoon in early June triggers a cycle of activity that supports farming, replenishes rivers and lakes, and powers hydroelectric plants,” said a senior official from the India Meteorological Department. Moisture-laden winds from the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal spread across the country, delivering rain as they rise over mountain ranges like the Western Ghats and the Himalayas.

    The northeast monsoon, while shorter and more localized, plays a crucial role for the southeastern states, particularly Tamil Nadu and parts of Andhra Pradesh, which receive most of their rainfall during this period.

    India’s dependence on monsoon rainfall remains high — with about 55% of the country’s cultivated land is irrigated — leaving the rest farmland part dependent on timely and adequate rain. With nearly two-thirds of the population engaged in agriculture, the economy is highly sensitive to monsoon variability. A good monsoon boosts rural incomes, food production, and national GDP, while a weak or erratic one can lead to droughts, crop losses, and inflation.

    Uneven rainfall, intensified by climate change, is already affecting crop cycles. Delayed rains, excessive downpours, or prolonged dry spells can result in soil erosion, reduced farm productivity, and rural distress. Even winter rains brought by western disturbances are vital for rabi crops like wheat in northern India.

    Beyond the economy, the monsoon is deeply woven into India’s cultural identity. From ancient poetry and classical music to festivals and daily traditions, the monsoon influences food, clothing, architecture, and societal rhythms.

    With changing climate patterns making monsoons more unpredictable, understanding and adapting to these shifts has become increasingly important. Experts stress the need for improved forecasting, better water management, and increased irrigation coverage to ensure long-term agricultural and economic stability.

     

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: How 1860s Mexico offered an alternative vision for a liberal international order

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Tom Long, Professor of International Relations, Department of Politics and International Studies, University of Warwick

    The Execution of Emperor Maximilian of Mexico, June 19, 1867 Edouard ManetWikimedia Commons

    In 1867, the world’s most powerful statesmen, including Austria’s Emperor Franz Josef, France’s Napoleon III and US secretary of state, William H. Seward, petitioned the Mexican government to spare the life of a condemned man.

    Mexico’s ragtag army and militias had just humbled France, then Europe’s preeminent land power. The costly six-year campaign drained the French treasury and eroded Napoleon III’s domestic support. Napoleon’s ambition to transform Mexico into a client empire under a Vienna-born, Habsburg archduke, crowned Maximilian I, ended in spectacular failure.

    After his defeat, Maximilian was brought before a Mexican military tribunal. European monarchs regarded the prisoner as their peer, but Mexican liberals convicted him as a piratical invader, usurper and traitor. Despite indignant appeals from European courts, President Benito Juárez refused to commute his sentence. The would-be emperor was executed by firing squad.

    Get your news from actual experts, straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily newsletter to receive all The Conversation UK’s latest coverage of news and research, from politics and business to the arts and sciences.

    The controversy went beyond one monarch’s fate. It crystallised a clash between opposed visions of global order — as Peru’s president Ramón Castilla said at the time, it was a “war of the crowns against liberty caps”.

    Today, world politics are in flux. The so-called liberal international order, nominally grounded in multilateralism, open markets, human rights and the rule of law, is facing its gravest crisis since the second world war. Former advocates such as the United States now openly flout international law and undermine the very norms they once championed. China remains ambivalent, while Russia unabashedly hastens the order’s unravelling.

    More broadly, the old post-second world war order appears out of step with the global south and with widespread anger over double standards exposed by the wars in Ukraine, Gaza and Iran.
    Amid today’s crises, a world order arranged for and by the great powers looks both insufficient and doomed to lack legitimacy. Reordering will require support from diverse actors, including states across the global south.

    1860s: a turbulent decade

    The 1860s were a turbulent, although often overlooked, moment of global reordering. Technological shifts – the telegraph, electricity, steamships and railways – appeared as disruptive then as AI does today. Combined with shifting power dynamics, these transformations accelerated imperial expansion. Yet the rules of the emerging order remained uncertain, even among the imperial powers themselves.

    In Europe, networks of dynastic rule still carried weight in international politics. Under growing pressure, the ancien régime sought to reinvent and reassert itself. The old empires often justified their expansion by promising to bring order and progress to supposedly backward peoples. But that “civilising mission” clashed with a worldview emerging from Spanish America – where countries had thrown off colonial rule to establish independent republics.

    As we wrote in a recent article in American Political Science Review, Spanish American diplomats articulated a republican vision of international order centred on the protection of weaker states from domination by great powers.

    Fending off Europe’s empires

    Divided by civil conflict, Mexico became an easy target for European empires. Mexico’s Liberal party had regained power but faced internal dissent and crippling foreign debt. Britain, France and Spain formed a coalition to invade and demand repayment. France, however, had more ambitious designs.

    Exploiting the distraction of the US civil war, Napoleon III dreamed of transforming Mexico into a Latin stronghold against Yankee expansion. Best of all, Napoleon thought the scheme would turn a profit. A stable Mexican empire could repay the costs of the intervention – with interest – by increasing production from the country’s famed silver mines. Meanwhile, France would gain a receptive market for its exports and a grateful geopolitical subordinate.

    Maximilian, a young Austrian prince of the house of Hapsburg, somewhat naively accepted the offer to rule a distant and unfamiliar land. He dreamed of regenerating Mexico through a liberal monarchy while reviving his family’s declining dynasty.

    Led by Juárez, Mexico’s liberals fiercely resisted Maximilian’s rule. While militarily Juárez was consistently on the defensive, he remained diplomatically proactive. The Juaristas encouraged US sympathies that proved decisive after the end of the civil war. They also enjoyed solidarity – though limited material support – from other Spanish American republics. Although the monarchies of Europe all recognised Maximilian as Mexican emperor, Juárez’s defiance became a rallying point for liberals and republicans in Europe.

    Hero to the liberals: a monument to Juárez in central Mexico City.
    Hajor~commonswiki, CC BY-ND

    Vision of a new order

    Beyond stoking sympathies, Juárez and his followers offered trenchant critiques of unequal international rules and practices cloaked in liberal guise.

    First, the “republican internationalism” of Mexico’s Juaristas stood in direct opposition to European liberals’ “civilising mission”. Latin American republicans rejected the notion that progress could be imposed on their countries from abroad – though some echoed civilising rhetoric toward their own non-white populations, who like in the US were subject to campaigns of violence and dispossession that stretched from northern Mexico to the Patagonia. Many Latin American liberals likewise remained silent about empire elsewhere.

    Second, the Juarista vision placed popular sovereignty, not dynastic ties, at the heart of legitimate statehood. These ideas drew on Mexico’s independence tradition and the principles enshrined in the 1857 constitution. European intervention, in this view, aimed to suppress popular rule in the Americas and extend the reaction against the failed revolutions of 1848, which had seriously threatened the old order when they raged across Europe.

    Third, popular sovereign states were equal under international law, regardless of power, wealth, or internal disorder. Sovereign equality also underpinned Latin America’s strong commitment to non-intervention. Liberal writer and diplomat Francisco Zarco, a close confidante of Juárez, condemned frequent European economic justifications for intervention as the work of “smugglers and profiteers who wrap themselves in the flags of powerful nations”.

    Finally, Mexican liberals called for an international system premised on republican fraternity, drawing on aspirations for cooperation that went back to liberator Simón Bolívar. The independence leader and committed republican convened a conference in 1826, hoping that a confederation of the newly independent Spanish American states would “be the shield of our new destiny”.

    Similar arguments for an international order that advances non-domination still resonate in the global south today. The Mexican experience also underscores that the architects of international order have never come exclusively from the global north – and those who shape its future will not either.

    Tom Long receives support from UK Arts and Humanities Research Council grant AH/V006622/1, Latin America and the peripheral origins of the 19th-century international order.

    Carsten-Andreas Schulz receives support from UK Arts and Humanities Research Council grant AH/V006622/1, Latin America and the peripheral origins of the 19th-century international order.

    – ref. How 1860s Mexico offered an alternative vision for a liberal international order – https://theconversation.com/how-1860s-mexico-offered-an-alternative-vision-for-a-liberal-international-order-260228

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  • IMD strengthens India’s weather preparedness with accurate forecasts

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    As extreme weather events grow more frequent and unpredictable due to climate change, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) is expanding its capabilities to make India a weather-resilient nation. With its legacy dating back to 1875, the IMD, under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, has become the backbone of the country’s weather forecasting, disaster preparedness, and climate monitoring efforts.

    IMD has earned widespread recognition for its accurate monsoon predictions. From 2021 to 2024, it achieved 100% accuracy in forecasting all-India southwest monsoon rainfall within the permissible margin of error. Its seasonal forecasts—issued in April and updated in June—play a key role in supporting agriculture, water resource management, and economic planning.

    Beyond monsoon predictions, IMD has made major strides in cyclone forecasting. It accurately predicted cyclones like Fani, Amphan, Tauktae, and Biparjoy, helping reduce cyclone-related fatalities from 10,000 in 1999 to zero between 2020 and 2024. The department has also expanded its Doppler Weather Radar network from 15 in 2014 to 39 in 2023, enhancing real-time monitoring by 35%.

    Technology has also driven IMD’s success. Tools like the High-Resolution Rapid Refresh (HRRR) model and the Electric Weather Research and Forecasting (EWRF) model are now being used for real-time rainfall and lightning forecasts. The launch of Mausamgram in January 2024—a public weather platform inaugurated by the Vice President—offers localized forecasts to users across India.

    To further modernize India’s climate forecast infrastructure, the government launched Mission Mausam in September 2024. This ambitious Central Sector Scheme aims to make Bharat a “weather-ready and climate-smart” nation by improving forecasting capabilities and disaster response.

    Mission Mausam utilizes advanced tools like AI, high-resolution weather radars, better satellite instruments, and powerful computing systems. It is structured around nine verticals—ranging from real-time data collection and air quality tools to early warning systems and public communication strategies.

    The scheme, which builds on the earlier ACROSS initiative, is being implemented in two phases: 2024–2026 and 2026–2031. By combining scientific research, cutting-edge technology, and inter-agency collaboration, IMD and Mission Mausam aim to safeguard lives, livelihoods, and infrastructure from the growing risks of extreme weather.

  • IMD strengthens India’s weather preparedness with accurate forecasts

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    As extreme weather events grow more frequent and unpredictable due to climate change, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) is expanding its capabilities to make India a weather-resilient nation. With its legacy dating back to 1875, the IMD, under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, has become the backbone of the country’s weather forecasting, disaster preparedness, and climate monitoring efforts.

    IMD has earned widespread recognition for its accurate monsoon predictions. From 2021 to 2024, it achieved 100% accuracy in forecasting all-India southwest monsoon rainfall within the permissible margin of error. Its seasonal forecasts—issued in April and updated in June—play a key role in supporting agriculture, water resource management, and economic planning.

    Beyond monsoon predictions, IMD has made major strides in cyclone forecasting. It accurately predicted cyclones like Fani, Amphan, Tauktae, and Biparjoy, helping reduce cyclone-related fatalities from 10,000 in 1999 to zero between 2020 and 2024. The department has also expanded its Doppler Weather Radar network from 15 in 2014 to 39 in 2023, enhancing real-time monitoring by 35%.

    Technology has also driven IMD’s success. Tools like the High-Resolution Rapid Refresh (HRRR) model and the Electric Weather Research and Forecasting (EWRF) model are now being used for real-time rainfall and lightning forecasts. The launch of Mausamgram in January 2024—a public weather platform inaugurated by the Vice President—offers localized forecasts to users across India.

    To further modernize India’s climate forecast infrastructure, the government launched Mission Mausam in September 2024. This ambitious Central Sector Scheme aims to make Bharat a “weather-ready and climate-smart” nation by improving forecasting capabilities and disaster response.

    Mission Mausam utilizes advanced tools like AI, high-resolution weather radars, better satellite instruments, and powerful computing systems. It is structured around nine verticals—ranging from real-time data collection and air quality tools to early warning systems and public communication strategies.

    The scheme, which builds on the earlier ACROSS initiative, is being implemented in two phases: 2024–2026 and 2026–2031. By combining scientific research, cutting-edge technology, and inter-agency collaboration, IMD and Mission Mausam aim to safeguard lives, livelihoods, and infrastructure from the growing risks of extreme weather.

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Why Jane Austen is definitely not just for girls

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Shelley Galpin, Lecturer in Culture, Media and Creative Industries, King’s College London

    In my former life as a teacher, I once had a job interview in which I was asked how I dealt with the problem of teaching Jane Austen to boys.

    Having had experience of this situation, I confidently told my interviewer (a maths teacher) that the “problem” they were assuming didn’t actually exist, and that it was perfectly possible to teach Austen’s novels to mixed-sex classes with successful results. My answer was met by barely veiled scepticism – and suffice to say, I didn’t get the job.

    But where did this popular perception come from? Austen’s genius has been recognised from the earliest days of the development of a canon of English literature, and has never really fallen out of fashion. So it might seem odd that the suitability of her work for a co-educational class is the subject of genuine debate.

    This article is part of a series commemorating the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen’s birth. Despite having published only six books, she is one of the best-known authors in history. These articles explore the legacy and life of this incredible writer.

    The increasingly intertwined associations of Austen’s literature with the many (often excellent) adaptations of her work may not help the matter, with screen retellings often foregrounding the love stories and losing much of the ironic tone that characterises Austen’s narrative style.

    The myriad repackaged editions of her novels that adorn bookshelves with pastel-toned floral designs, or images of anonymous portraits of passive young women, also do little to challenge the popular perception of these books as stories for women and girls.

    Finally, and perhaps most troublingly, is the still-commonly held notion that stories with a female protagonist do not have wide-ranging appeal and must be consigned to a “niche interest” bracket. Male-led stories, in contrast, have long been considered to hold universal relevance for audiences.

    This last point is a bigger issue concerning the publishing and entertainment industries, so I will largely park this one. But I will point out that, as others have argued in relation to Austen’s work, the classroom is an excellent place to start countering the assumptions of the “everyman” male experience, in contrast to the “special interest” attitude to female perspectives.

    With regards to the teaching of Austen’s novels, drawing on my experiences both as a scholar and as a teacher, I believe her novels can speak to young readers of different genders and from diverse backgrounds.

    Money, power and inequality

    Addressing the ways in which Austen’s novels tend to be packaged, I asked my students, typically aged 16-18, to explore the ideas at the heart of the novels by redesigning the book covers to better reflect these themes.

    The flowers and passive young women were gone. The redesigned book covers often focused on the idea of wealth, through pictures of differing piles of money, or power, such as the image of imbalanced scales to symbolise the unequal societies inhabited by Austen’s characters.

    Because, as much as they are love stories, Austen’s heroines typically achieve their “happy endings” against a backdrop of money worries, power struggles, familial tension and gendered social hierarchies. While her novels are rightly celebrated for highlighting the unequal treatment of the sexes during her lifetime, it is reductive to see this as their sole contribution to social commentary.

    Take Austen’s last completed novel, Persuasion. Here, Anne Elliot – over the hill at the ripe old age of 27 – begins the novel by rueing her broken engagement to Captain Wentworth, which she had been persuaded to break off eight years earlier due to his lack of fortune.

    While the narrative focus is on Anne, who is left to regret her choice and wonder whether she will ever be able to escape her odious father and siblings, the broken-hearted Wentworth, who reappears in Anne’s life shortly after the start of the novel, is at least as much a victim of the situation as Anne herself.

    At its heart, this is a story of a young woman who allowed herself to be persuaded to make a bad choice, and a young man who, through no fault of his own, was deemed not good enough due to his lack of wealth. The experiences of these characters, although they are older than the average school student, are highly relatable and sympathetic to many teenagers, who may well have experienced meddling family members or unfair judgments of their own.

    Take also Northanger Abbey, in which fanciful Catherine Morland mixes fact and fiction and imagines the titular abbey to be a site of gothic intrigue, only to discover that the real horror derives from a controlling patriarch and his sexually predatory oldest son.

    Here again, the novel cleverly makes the point that social inequalities, and the choices of those motivated by their love of money and power, are the real darkness at the heart of Austen’s society.

    In my experience, students of all genders have been able to appreciate and relate to Northanger Abbey’s depictions of the loss of innocence, class inequality, and the experience of being subject to the sometimes obscure decisions of more powerful individuals.

    Austen’s works, far from being the simple love stories of popular perception, are also razor-sharp satires of social and gendered inequalities. Full of witty observations and universally relatable experiences, there is a reason for the consistent popularity of her writing 250 years after her birth.

    To fail to recognise this in the classroom is to do a disservice to all our students, as well as to Austen herself.

    Shelley Galpin 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. Why Jane Austen is definitely not just for girls – https://theconversation.com/why-jane-austen-is-definitely-not-just-for-girls-259193

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  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Just back from holiday and not feeling well? Here are the symptoms you should take seriously

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Dan Baumgardt, Senior Lecturer, School of Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience, University of Bristol

    What are you bringing back with you? The Picture Studio/Shutterstock

    Summer is synonymous with adventure, with millions flocking to exotic destinations to experience different cultures, cuisines and landscapes. But what happens when the souvenir you bring back isn’t a fridge magnet or a tea towel, but a new illness?

    International travel poses a risk of catching something more than a run-of-the-mill bug, so it’s important to be vigilant for the telltale symptoms. Here are the main ones to look out for while away and when you return.

    Get your news from actual experts, straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily newsletter to receive all The Conversation UK’s latest coverage of news and research, from politics and business to the arts and sciences.

    Fever

    Fever is a common symptom to note after international travel – especially to tropical or subtropical regions. While a feature of many different illnesses, it can be the first sign of an infection – sometimes a serious one.

    One of the most well-known travel-related illnesses linked to fever is malaria. Spread by mosquito bites in endemic regions, malaria is a protozoal infection that often begins with flu-like symptoms, such as headache and muscle aches, progressing to severe fever, sweating and shaking chills.

    Other signs can include jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes), swollen lymph nodes, rashes and abdominal pain – though symptoms vary widely and can mimic many other illnesses.

    Prompt medical attention is essential. Malaria is serious and can become life threatening. It’s also worth noting that symptoms may not appear until weeks or even months after returning home. In the UK, there are around 2,000 imported malaria cases each year.

    Travellers to at-risk areas are strongly advised to take preventative measures. This includes mosquito-bite avoidance as well as prescribed antimalarial medications, such as Malarone and doxycycline. Although these drugs aren’t 100% effective, they significantly reduce the risk of infection.

    Aside from malaria, other mosquito-borne diseases can cause fever. Dengue fever, a viral infection found in tropical and subtropical regions, leads to symptoms including high temperatures, intense headaches, body aches and rashes, which overlap with both malaria and other common viral illnesses.

    Most people recover with rest, fluids and paracetamol, but in some instances, dengue can become severe and requires emergency hospital treatment. A vaccine is also available – but is only recommended for people who have had dengue before, as it provides good protection in this group.

    Any fever after international travel should be taken seriously. Don’t brush it off as something you’ve just picked up on the plane – please see a doctor. A simple test could lead to early diagnosis and might save your life.

    Avoiding being bitten is a good defensive measure.
    Jaromir Chalabala/Shutterstock

    Diarrhoea

    Few travel-related issues are as common – or as unwelcome – as diarrhoea. It’s estimated that up to six in ten travellers will experience at least one episode during or shortly after their trip. For some, it’s an unpleasant disruption mid-holiday; for others, symptoms emerge once they’re back home.

    Traveller’s diarrhoea is typically caused by eating food or drinking water containing certain microbes (bacteria, viruses, parasites) or their toxins. Identifying the more serious culprits early is essential – especially when symptoms go beyond mild discomfort.

    Warning signs to look out for include large volumes of watery diarrhoea, visible blood in the stool or explosive bowel movements. These may suggest a more serious infection, such as giardia, cholera or amoebic dysentery.

    These conditions are more common in regions with poor sanitation and are especially prevalent in parts of the tropics.

    Some infections may require targeted antibiotics or antiparasitic treatment. But regardless of the cause, the biggest immediate risk with any severe diarrhoea is dehydration from copious fluid loss. In serious cases, hospital admission for intravenous fluids may be necessary.

    The key message for returning travellers: if diarrhoea is severe, persistent or accompanied by worrying symptoms, see a doctor. What starts as a nuisance could quickly escalate without the right care.

    And if you have blood in your stool, make sure you seek medical advice.

    Jaundice

    If you’ve returned from a trip with a change in skin tone, it may not just be a suntan. A yellowish tint to the skin – or more noticeably, the whites of the eyes – could be a sign of jaundice, another finding that warrants medical attention.

    Jaundice is not a disease itself, but a visible sign that something may be wrong with either the liver or blood. It results from a buildup of bilirubin, a yellow pigment that forms when red blood cells break down, and which is then processed by the liver.

    Signs of jaundice should be taken very seriously.
    sruilk/Shutterstock.com

    Several travel-related illnesses can cause jaundice. Malaria is one culprit as is the mosquito-borne yellow fever. But another common cause is hepatitis – inflammation of the liver.

    Viral hepatitis comes in several forms. Hepatitis A and E are spread via contaminated food or water – common in areas with poor sanitation. In contrast, hepatitis B and C are blood-borne, transmitted through intravenous drug use, contaminated medical equipment or unprotected sex.

    Besides jaundice, hepatitis can cause a range of symptoms, including fever, nausea, fatigue, vomiting and abdominal discomfort. A diagnosis typically requires blood tests, both to confirm hepatitis and to rule out other causes. While many instances of hepatitis are viral, not all are, and treatment depends on the underlying cause.

    As we’ve seen, a variety of unpleasant medical conditions can affect the unlucky traveller. But we’ve also seen that the associated symptoms are rather non-specific. Indeed, some can be caused by conditions that are short-lived and require only rest and recuperation to get over a rough few days. But the area between them is decidedly grey.

    So plan your trip carefully, be wary of high-risk activities while abroad – such as taking drugs or having unprotected sex – and stay alert to symptoms that develop during or after travel. If you feel unwell, don’t ignore it. Seek medical attention promptly to identify the cause and begin appropriate treatment.

    Dan Baumgardt 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. Just back from holiday and not feeling well? Here are the symptoms you should take seriously – https://theconversation.com/just-back-from-holiday-and-not-feeling-well-here-are-the-symptoms-you-should-take-seriously-260013

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LegCo Members meet with Consuls-General and Honorary Consuls in Hong Kong (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    The following is issued on behalf of the Legislative Council Secretariat: 

         A cocktail reception between the Legislative Council (LegCo) Members and the Consuls-General (CGs) as well as Honorary Consuls (HCs) in Hong Kong was held today (July 15) in the LegCo Complex, providing an opportunity for them to exchange views on issues of mutual concern.

         Before the cocktail reception, the President of LegCo, Mr Andrew Leung, conducted a briefing for the attending CGs and HCs on the work of LegCo. He highlighted that the current-term LegCo has enacted a total of 117 bills, which is nearly double the amount compared to the same period of the previous term; and the amount of funding proposals approved exceed HK$650 billion. Mr Leung also emphasized LegCo’s efforts in collaborating with the Government to uphold the rule of law, attract investment and global talent to Hong Kong, advance the development of the Northern Metropolis, develop Hong Kong into an international hub for post-secondary education and a centre for international legal and dispute resolution services, support the development of fintech as well as innovation and technology industries, deepen international exchanges and co-operation, among other initiatives. The attending CGs and HCs then toured the Chamber of the LegCo Complex and the enhanced facilities of the LegCo Library. 

         A total of 30 Members attended the cocktail reception. Meanwhile, 37 CGs or their representatives and 11 HCs attended the briefing, guided tour and cocktail reception. 

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –