Category: Education

MIL-OSI Global: Hurricane disaster planning with aging parents should start now, before the storm: 5 tips

Source: The Conversation – USA – By Lee Ann Rawlins Williams, Clinical Assistant Professor of Education, Health and Behavior Studies, University of North Dakota

When I lived in Florida, I had a neighbor named Ms. Carmen. She was in her late 70s, fiercely independent and lived alone with her two dogs and one cat, which were her closest companions.

Each hurricane season, she would anxiously ask if I would check on her when the winds began to pick up. She once told me: I’m more afraid of being forgotten than of the storm itself. Her fear wasn’t just about the weather; it was about facing it alone.

When hurricanes hit, we often measure the damage in downed power lines, flooded roads and wind-torn homes. But some of the most serious consequences are harder to see, especially for older adults who may struggle with mobility, chronic health problems and cognitive decline.

Emergency preparedness plans too often overlook the specific needs of elders in America’s aging population, many of whom live alone. For people like Ms. Carmen, resilience needs to start long before the storm.

The number of older adults in the U.S. and the percentage of the population age 65 and older have been rising.
US Census Bureau

I study disaster preparations and response. To prepare for hurricane season, and any other disaster, I encourage families to work with their older adults now to create an emergency plan. Preparing can help ensure that older adults will be safe, able to contact relatives or others for help, and will have the medications, documents and supplies they need, as well as the peace of mind of knowing what steps to take.

Recent hurricanes show the gaps

In 2024, Hurricanes Helene and Milton put a spotlight on the risks to older adults.

The storms forced thousands of people to evacuate, often to shelters with little more than food supplies and mattresses on the floor and ill-equipped for medical needs.

Flooding isolated many rural homes, stranding older adults. Power was out for weeks in some areas. Emergency systems were overwhelmed.

A tornado tore into a senior community in Port St. Lucie, Florida, during Milton, killing six people. Some long-term care facilities lost power and water during Helene.

At the same time, some older adults chose to stay in homes in harm’s way for fear that they would be separated from their pets or that their homes would be vandalized.

At least 700 people stayed in chairs or on air mattresses at River Ridge Middle/High School in New Port Richey, Fla., during Hurricane Milton.
AP Photo/Mike Carlson

These events are not just tragic, they are predictable. Many older adults cannot evacuate without assistance, and many evacuation centers aren’t prepared to handle their needs.

How to prepare: 5 key steps

Helping older adults prepare for emergencies should involve the entire family so everyone knows what to expect. The best plans are personal, practical and proactive, but they will contain some common elements.

Here are five important steps:

1. Prepare an emergency folder with important documents.

Disasters can leave older adults without essential information and supplies that they need, such as prescription lists, financial records, medical devices and – importantly – contact information to reach family, friends and neighbors who could help them.

Many older adults rely on preprogrammed phone numbers. If their phone is lost or the battery dies, they may not know how to reach friends or loved ones, so it’s useful to have a hard copy of phone numbers.

Consider encouraging the use of medical ID bracelets or cards for those with memory loss.

Critical documents like wills, home deeds, powers of attorney and insurance records are frequently kept in physical form and may be forgotten or lost in a sudden evacuation. Use waterproof storage that’s easy to carry, and share copies with trusted caregivers and family members in case those documents are lost.

2. Have backup medications and equipment.

Think about that person’s assistive devices and health needs. Having extra batteries on hand is important, as is remembering to bring chargers and personal mobility aids, such as walkers, canes, mobility scooters or wheelchairs. Do not forget that service animals support mobility, so having supplies of their food will be important during a hurricane or evacuation.

Ask doctors to provide an emergency set of medications in case supplies run low in a disaster.

If the person is staying in their home, prepare for at least 72 hours of self-sufficiency in case the power goes out. That means having enough bottled water, extra pet food and human food that doesn’t need refrigeration or cooking.

3. Map evacuation routes and shelter options.

Identify nearby shelters that will likely be able to support older adults’ mobility and cognitive challenges. If the person has pets, make a plan for them, too – many areas will have at least one pet-friendly shelter, but not all shelters will take pets.

An older woman crosses a street flooded by torrential rain from Tropical Storm Hilary on Aug. 20, 2023, in Thousand Palms, Calif.
AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill

Figure out how the person will get to a shelter, and have a backup plan in case their usual transportation isn’t an option. And decide where they will go and how they will get there if they can’t return home after a storm.

If your loved one lives in a care facility, ask to see that facility’s hurricane plan.

4. Create a multiperson check-in system.

Don’t rely on just one caregiver or family member to check on older adults. Involve neighbors, faith communities or local services such as home-delivered meals, transportation assistance, support groups and senior centers. Redundancy is crucial when systems break down.

5. Practice the plan.

Go through evacuation steps in advance so everyone knows what to do. Executing the plan should be second nature, not a scramble during a disaster or crisis.

Planning with, not just for, older adults

Emergency planning isn’t something done for older adults – it’s something done with them.

Elders bring not only vulnerability but also wisdom. Their preferences and autonomy will have to guide decisions for the plan to be successful in a crisis.

That means listening to their needs, honoring their independence and making sure caregivers have realistic plans in place. It’s an important shift from just reacting to a storm to preparing with purpose.

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

– ref. Hurricane disaster planning with aging parents should start now, before the storm: 5 tips – https://theconversation.com/hurricane-disaster-planning-with-aging-parents-should-start-now-before-the-storm-5-tips-254917

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

May 16, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Unprecedented cuts to the National Science Foundation endanger research that improves economic growth, national security and your life

Source: The Conversation – USA – By Paul Bierman, Professor of Natural Resources and Environmental Science, University of Vermont

The National Science Foundation funds America’s next great innovations, including space-related research. Heritage Space/Heritage Images/Getty Images

Look closely at your mobile phone or tablet. Touch-screen technology, speech recognition, digital sound recording and the internet were all developed using funding from the U.S. National Science Foundation.

No matter where you live, NSF-supported research has also made your life safer. Engineering studies have reduced earthquake damage and fatalities through better building design. Improved hurricane and tornado forecasts reflect NSF investment in environmental monitoring and computer modeling of weather. NSF-supported resilience studies reduce risks and losses from wildfires.

Using NSF funding, scientists have done research that amazes, entertains and enthralls. They have drilled through mile-thick ice sheets to understand the past, visited the wreck of the Titanic and captured images of deep space.

NSF funding supports research to help minimize risk and harm from natural hazards, including wildfires.
FEMA/Michael Mancino

NSF investments have made America and American science great. At least 268 Nobel laureates received NSF grants during their careers. The foundation has partnered with agencies across the government since it was created, including those dealing with national security and space exploration. The Federal Reserve estimates that government-supported research from the NSF and other agencies has had a return on investment of 150% to 300% since 1950, meaning for every dollar U.S. taxpayers invested, they got back between $1.50 and $3.

However, that funding is now at risk.

Since January, layoffs, leadership resignations and a massive proposed reorganization have threatened the integrity and mission of the National Science Foundation. Hundreds of research grants have been terminated. The administration’s proposed federal budget for fiscal year 2026 would cut NSF’s funding by 55%, an unprecedented reduction that would end federal support for science research across a wide range of discipines.

At my own geology lab, I have seen NSF grants catalyze research and the work of dozens of students who have collected data that’s now used to reduce risks from earthquakes, floods, landslides, erosion, sea-level rise and melting glaciers.

I have also served on advisory committees and review panels for the NSF over the past 30 years and have seen the value the foundation produces for the American people.

American science’s greatness stemmed from war

In the 1940s, with the advent of nuclear weapons, the space race and the intensification of the Cold War, American science and engineering expertise became increasingly critical for national defense. At the time, most basic and applied research was done by the military.

Vannevar Bush, an electrical engineer who oversaw military research efforts during World War II, including development of the atomic bomb, had a different idea.

He articulated an expansive scientific vision for the United States in Science: The Endless Frontier. The report was a blueprint for an American research juggernaut grounded in the expertise of university faculty, staff and graduate students.

The National Science Foundation funded some of the earliest weather equipment on satellites. The gold sphere is the Navy Vanguard (SLV-3) satellite, launched in 1958 to monitor cloud cover.
Bettmann/Getty Images

On May 10, 1950, after five years of debate and compromise, President Harry Truman signed legislation creating the National Science Foundation and putting Bush’s vision to work. Since then, the foundation has become the leading funder of basic research in the United States.

NSF’s mandate, then as now, was to support basic research and spread funding for science across all 50 states. Expanding America’s scientific workforce was and remains integral to American prosperity. By 1952, the foundation was awarding merit fellowships to graduate and postdoctoral scientists from every state.

There were compromises. Control of NSF rested with presidential appointees, disappointing Bush. He wanted scientists in charge to avoid political interference with the foundation’s research agenda.

NSF funding matters to everyone, everywhere

Today, American tax dollars supporting science go to every state in the union.

The states with the most NSF grants awarded between 2011 and 2024 include several that voted Republican in the 2024 election – Texas, Florida, Michigan, North Carolina and Pennsylvania – and several that voted Democratic, including Massachusetts, New York, Virginia and Colorado.

More than 1,800 public and private institutions, scattered across all 50 states, receive NSF funding. The grants pay the salaries of staff, faculty and students, boosting local employment and supporting college towns and cities. For states with major research universities, those grants add up to hundreds of millions of dollars each year. Even states with few universities each see tens of millions of dollars for research.

As NSF grant recipients purchase lab supplies and services, those dollars support regional and national economies.

When NSF budgets are cut and grants are terminated or never awarded, the harm trickles down and communities suffer. Initial NSF funding cuts are already rippling across the country, affecting both national and local economies in red, blue and purple states alike.

An analysis of a February 2025 proposal that would cut about US$5.5 billion from National Institutes of Health grants estimated the ripple effect through college towns and supply chains would cost $6.1 billion in GDP, or total national productivity, and over 46,000 jobs.

An uncertain future for American science

America’s scientific research and training enterprise has enjoyed bipartisan support for decades. Yet, as NSF celebrates its 75th birthday, the future of American science is in doubt. Funding is increasingly uncertain, and politics is driving decisions, as Bush feared 80 years ago.

A list of grants terminated by the Trump administration, collected both from government websites and scientists themselves, shows that by early May 2025, NSF had stopped funding more than 1,400 existing grants, totaling over a billion dollars of support for research, research training and education.

Most terminated grants focused on education – the core of science, technology and engineering workforce development critical for supplying highly skilled workers to American companies. For example, NSF provided 1,000 fewer graduate student fellowships in 2025 than in the decade before − a 50% drop in support for America’s best science students.

American scientists are responding to NSF’s downsizing in diverse ways. Some are pushing back by challenging grant terminations. Others are preparing to leave science or academia. Some are likely to move abroad, taking offers from other nations to recruit American experts. Science organizations and six prior heads of the NSF are calling on Congress to step up and maintain funding for science research and workforce development.

If these losses continue, the next generation of American scientists will be fewer in number and less well prepared to address the needs of a population facing the threat of more extreme weather, future pandemics and the limits to growth imposed by finite natural resources and other planetary limits.

Investing in science and engineering is an investment in America. Diminishing NSF and the science it supports will hurt the American economy and the lives of all Americans.

Paul Bierman receives funding from the National Science Foundation.

– ref. Unprecedented cuts to the National Science Foundation endanger research that improves economic growth, national security and your life – https://theconversation.com/unprecedented-cuts-to-the-national-science-foundation-endanger-research-that-improves-economic-growth-national-security-and-your-life-256556

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

May 16, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Congress began losing power decades ago − and now it’s giving away what remains to Trump

Source: The Conversation – USA – By Charlie Hunt, Assistant Professor of Political Science, Boise State University

Where did Congress go? Julia Nikhinson/Bloomberg Creative via Getty Images

Republicans in Congress have been making behind-the-scenes efforts to pass major domestic legislation via the federal budget process. They include potential cuts to Medicaid and extending the 2017 Trump tax cuts.

But even though it’s Congress’ job to pass a budget and set tax policy, most media outlets have been content to frame key elements of the legislation as being driven not by Congress but by the president.

So the news media say that the purpose of the bill is to “deliver Trump’s agenda” or to pass the “Trump tax cuts.” Many have even adopted President Donald Trump’s trademark name for the legislation: his “big, beautiful bill.”

Along with Casey Burgat and SoRelle Wyckoff Gaynor, I am co-author of a textbook titled “Congress Explained: Representation and Lawmaking in the First Branch.” In that book, it was important to us to highlight Congress’ clear role as the preeminent lawmaking body in the federal government.

But since Trump’s inauguration, Congress has ceded huge swaths of its policymaking responsibility to the president. That makes the media’s focus on Trump unsurprising. And there’s no denying that Trump has had enormous impact during his first 100 days in office.

During that time, Congress has been unwilling to assert itself as an equal branch of government. Beyond policymaking, Congress has been content to hand over many of its core constitutional powers to the executive branch. As a Congress expert who loves the institution and profoundly respects its constitutionally mandated role, this renunciation of responsibility has been difficult to watch.

And yet, Congress’ path to irrelevance as a body of government did not begin in January 2025.

It is the result of decades of erosion that created a political culture in which Congress, the first branch of government listed in the Constitution, is relegated to second-class status.

President Donald Trump holds one of the many executive orders he has signed during his second term.
Alex Wroblewski/AFP via Getty Images

The Constitution puts Congress first

The 18th-century framers of the Constitution viewed Congress as the foundation of republican governance, deliberately placing it first in Article 1 to underscore its primacy. Congress was assigned the pivotal tasks of lawmaking and budgeting because controlling government finances was seen as essential to limiting executive power and preventing abuses that the framers associated with monarchy.

Alternatively, a weak legislature and an imperial executive were precisely what many of the founders feared. With legislative authority in the hands of Congress, power would at least be decentralized among a wide variety of elected leaders from different parts of the country, each of whom would jealously guard their own local interests.

But Trump’s first 100 days turned the founders’ original vision on its head, leaving the “first branch” to play second fiddle.

Like most recent presidents, Trump came in with his party in control of the presidency, the House and the Senate. Yet despite the lawmaking power that this governing trifecta can bring, the Republican majorities in Congress have mostly been irrelevant to Trump’s agenda.

Instead, Congress has relied on Trump and the executive branch to make changes to federal policy and in many cases to reshape the federal government completely.

Trump has signed more than 140 executive orders, a pace faster than any president since Franklin D. Roosevelt. The Republican Congress has shown little interest in pushing back on any of them. Trump has also aggressively reorganized, defunded or simply deleted entire agencies, such as the U.S. Agency for International Development and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

These actions have been carried out even though Congress has a clear constitutional authority over the executive branch’s budget. Again, Congress has shown little to no interest in reasserting its power, even during recent budget talks.

Many causes, no easy solutions

Even so, Congress’ weakening did not begin with Trump. There’s no one culprit but instead a collection of factors that have provided the ineffectual Congress of today.

One overriding factor is a process that has unfolded over the past 50 or more years called political nationalization. American politics have become increasingly centered on national issues, parties and figures rather than more local concerns or individuals.

This shift has elevated the importance of the president as the symbolic and practical leader of a national party agenda. Simultaneously, it weakens the role of individual members of Congress, who are now more likely to toe the party line than represent local interests.

A participant holds a sign during a GOP town hall meeting with U.S. Reps. Celeste Maloy and Mike Kennedy on March 20, 2025, in Salt Lake City.
AP Photo/Rick Egan

As a result, voters focus more on presidential elections and less on congressional ones, granting the president greater influence and diminishing Congress’ independent authority.

The more Congress polarizes among its members on a party-line basis, the less the public is likely to trust the legitimacy of their opposition to a president. Instead, congressional pushback − sometimes as extreme as impeachment − can thus be written off not as principled or substantive but as partisan or politically motivated to a greater extent than ever before.

Congress has also been been complicit in giving away its own power. Especially when dealing with a polarized Congress, presidents increasingly steer the ship in budget negotiations, which can lead to more local priorities – the ones Congress is supposed to represent – being ignored.

But rather than Congress staking out positions for itself, as it often did through the turn of the 21st century, political science research has shown that presidential positions on domestic policy increasingly dictate – and polarize – Congress’ own positions on policy that hasn’t traditionally been divisive, such as funding support for NASA. Congress’ positions on procedural issues, such as raising the debt ceiling or eliminating the filibuster, also increasingly depend not on bedrock principles but on who occupies the White House.

In the realm of foreign policy, Congress has all but abandoned its constitutional power to declare war, settling instead for “authorizations” of military force that the president wants to assert. These give the commander in chief wide latitude over war powers, and both Democratic and Republican presidents have been happy to retain that power. They have used these congressional approvals to engage in extended conflicts such as the Gulf War in the early 1990s and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan a decade later.

What’s lost with a weak Congress

Americans lose a lot when Congress hands over such drastic power to the executive branch.

When individual members of Congress from across the country take a back seat, their districts’ distinctly local problems are less likely to be addressed with the power and resources that Congress can bring to an issue. Important local perspectives on national issues fail to be represented in Congress.

Even members of the same political party represent districts with vastly different economies, demographics and geography. Members are supposed to keep this in mind when legislating on these issues, but presidential control over the process makes that difficult or even impossible.

Maybe more importantly, a weak Congress paired with what historian Arthur Schlesinger called the “Imperial Presidency” is a recipe for an unaccountable president, running wild without the constitutionally provided oversight and checks on power that the founders provided to the people through their representation by the first branch of government.

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

– ref. Congress began losing power decades ago − and now it’s giving away what remains to Trump – https://theconversation.com/congress-began-losing-power-decades-ago-and-now-its-giving-away-what-remains-to-trump-254984

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

May 16, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Seminar held for nat’l security tutors

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Home Affairs Department today held a seminar for National Security Education District Tutors to further support them to effectively promote national security education in the community and enhance public awareness of safeguarding national security.

Around 700 district tutors from the 18 Districts attended the seminar held at the Central Government Offices to mark the fifth anniversary of the promulgation and implementation of the National Security Law (NSL).

Deputy Secretary for Justice Cheung Kwok-kwan, Secretary for Home & Youth Affairs Alice Mak, and Under Secretary for Security Michael Cheuk spoke at the seminar.

In her address, Miss Mak said the Government officially launched the National Security Education District Tutor Training Scheme in November last year and that as of early April this year, over 3,000 district tutors have completed the training and disseminated messages on national security to over 120,000 individuals in the community.

Delivering a keynote speech, Mr Cheung elaborated on the situation in Hong Kong since the NSL’s implementation, the current national security risks faced by the city and the importance of enhancing national security education.

Mr Cheuk’s keynote speech outlined the current security risks in Hong Kong and the Government’s response strategies. He encouraged district tutors to learn more about the Constitution, the Basic Law, and Hong Kong’s laws on safeguarding national security, and actively integrate into the country to recognise the close ties of the cultures of Hong Kong and the Mainland which share the same origin.

Additionally, Li Ka-ying and Chu Wai-lam shared their valuable experiences as district tutors.

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

May 16, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Kenya has a bold new disability law: now to make it work
Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Amani Karisa, Associate Research Scientist, African Population and Health Research Center

Kenya has long recognised the rights of persons with disabilities in law. The 2010 constitution guarantees access, dignity and inclusion for people living with disabilities.

Two years earlier in 2008, Kenya ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. And Kenya’s 2003 Persons with Disabilities Act formed the legal foundation for promoting the rights and welfare of persons with disabilities.

But these legal promises remain largely aspirational. Their provisions are rarely translated into everyday realities. Many Kenyans with disabilities still face stigma, inaccessible environments, unequal education opportunities and limited access to employment.

Many schools remain exclusionary due to inaccessible physical infrastructure. This includes classrooms and latrines that lack ramps or hinder mobility for children with disabilities.

Public transport is often unusable for wheelchair users.

Employers continue to overlook applicants with disabilities. Between 2019 and 2023, for instance, persons with disabilities faced higher unemployment rates at around 10.4% against a national average of 5.2%.

The fact that there are disputes over the number of Kenyans with disabilities is also telling. The 2019 census recorded 2.2% of the population – fewer than 1 million people – as having disabilities. This is far below the World Report on Disability’s estimates of an average of around 15%. This undercount reflects both cultural stigma and systemic gaps in how disability is understood and reported.

As someone who has spent more than a decade researching disability in Kenya, I have seen how the promise of rights is often undercut by structural and social barriers. This has come through in my own research and that of others.

The persistent failure to translate rights into tangible outcomes for persons with disabilities created urgency for change.

The Kenyan government has finally acted. In May 2025, the country’s parliament passed the Persons with Disabilities Act 2025.

The new law expands the definition of disability to encompass a broader range of impairments. This ensures more individuals are recognised and protected under the law. The law also mandates accessibility across sectors such as education, employment, healthcare and public services, requiring reasonable accommodations and prohibiting discrimination.

In my view, the new law reflects a broader move from symbolic recognition to legal obligation. But passing a law is just the beginning. Implementation will be the real test.

What’s been missing

In my research, and that of others, the question of why the 2003 law did little to shift everyday exclusion has been addressed. A few things were apparent.

First, employment quotas were suggested but never enforced. Discrimination in hiring and promotions was prohibited in theory, but was common in practice.

Second, there has been little support for caregivers.

Third, there was minimal access to assistive technologies (which are tools designed to help persons with disabilities perform tasks and improve their quality of life, such as mobility aids, communication devices and adaptive software).

Fourth, children with disabilities in Kenya have faced significant barriers to education. Their enrolment and completion rates are consistently lower than those of their non-disabled peers.

Rather than disability being the problem, it is the lack of accommodation, inclusive policies and public understanding that creates exclusion. This is a core insight of the social model of disability, which views disability as arising from the interaction between individuals and an unaccommodating society. This perspective explains that people are disabled not by their bodies but by barriers in society – like stairs without ramps or employers who won’t adapt.

What the new law promises

Some key changes in the new law stand out:
- Workplace inclusion: public bodies must now ensure that at least 5% of jobs are held by persons with disabilities. This provision, although previously suggested, now comes with clearer oversight requirements. Private employers are both mandated and incentivised to create inclusive workplaces. Reasonable accommodations, such as accessible workstations or flexible hours, can be counted as deductible expenses.
- Access to public services and spaces: the law requires that buildings, roads and services be made accessible. Hospitals must have trained sign language interpreters. Schools must adapt their admission criteria, curricula and facilities to include learners with disabilities. These requirements signal a move away from treating accessibility as optional or charitable.
- Tax relief and registration reforms: caregivers can now qualify for tax exemptions. Additionally, persons with long-term disabilities now receive permanent registration, ending the need for repeated reassessments – a process many found tedious, involving hospital visits, missing forms, long delays and limited assessment centres.
- Stronger institutional framework: the National Council for Persons with Disabilities has been given more robust powers, including enforcement, monitoring and management of disability-related funding. The law also recommends the use of affirming and respectful language in public communication – a subtle but essential step in reducing stigma.
The law incorporates disability considerations into sector-specific practices. For example, the law requires justice sector actors to consider disability when arresting, detaining or trying someone.

What needs to happen now

The government must act swiftly to implement supporting regulations. Funding is needed to retrofit public buildings, hire staff to support individuals with disabilities, and subsidise assistive devices. Without proper budgeting, the law risks becoming another unfulfilled promise.

Employers and institutions must do more than comply: they must transform their attitudes. Disability inclusion should be built into human resources practices, school policies and service design. Training will be key.

Public awareness must improve. Many Kenyans still see disability through a medical or charitable lens. There need to be national campaigns on radio, TV and social media that shift public understanding toward inclusion and equality.

Finally, persons with disabilities must be central to the law’s implementation. Inclusion must be driven by those who live the reality of exclusion. Their insights are essential to making services responsive and respectful.

The 2025 Act is an important step. But if it is not backed by funding, political will and public education, its potential will remain unrealised.

The real question is not whether the law is good enough, but whether Kenya’s institutions, communities and leaders are prepared to make it work for those it was designed to serve.

Amani Karisa works for the African Population and Health Research Center. He receives funding from Gates Foundation and Echidna Giving.

– ref. Kenya has a bold new disability law: now to make it work – https://theconversation.com/kenya-has-a-bold-new-disability-law-now-to-make-it-work-256646
MIL OSI – Global Reports –
May 16, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Pope Francis drew inspiration from Latin American church and its martyrs – leaving a legacy for Pope Leo

Source: The Conversation – USA – By Elizabeth O’Donnell Gandolfo, Associate Professor of Catholic and Latin American Studies, Wake Forest University

A mural of Roman Catholic Archbishop Oscar Romero decorates a wall in Panchimalco, El Salvador, May 21, 2015. AP Photo/Salvador Melendez

Pope Leo XIV’s election marks a historic moment: the first pope from an English-speaking country, and the first from the United States. Even more significant than these “firsts,” I believe, is a “second”: Leo follows in Pope Francis’ footsteps as a priest shaped by the Latin American church.

The new pontiff served the church in Peru throughout the late 1980s and ‘90s. Francis called him back to serve from 2015-2023 as bishop of the northern city of Chiclayo – where Catholics today are rejoicing over the election of one of their own, “un papa Chiclayano.”

As a Catholic theologian, I believe the College of Cardinals’ decision to elect another pontiff with such strong ties to Latin America reaffirms the continent’s influence on the global church’s sense of mission: to be a church that defends the marginalized and stands in solidarity with the oppressed.

This vision is embodied by the continent’s many Catholics who have given their lives for speaking out against repression, violence and poverty over the past 50 years – most famously St. Oscar Romero, whom Francis beatified in May 2015.

Having studied Latin American martyrdom closely, I would argue that Francis’ pontificate was at least partially inspired by these martyrs’ example, forged in blood. His decision to officially recognize this form of martyrdom adds to the legacy that many Latin American Catholics are hoping Leo will continue.

‘Church of the poor’

The Second Vatican Council, a series of meetings of bishops from around the world that took place between 1962-65, brought about a number of reforms in the Catholic church, including greater focus on the poor and vulnerable. During the council, a group of bishops gathered in the Catacombs of Saint Domitilla to sign a pact in which they committed themselves to renouncing wealth and privilege and becoming a “church of the poor.”

Many of these bishops were from Latin America, and in 1968, the Latin American Bishops’ Conference met to implement the council’s reforms. The documents that emerged from this meeting in Medellín, Colombia, encouraged closeness to people living in poverty and placed the promotion of justice and peace at the heart of the church’s evangelizing mission. In particular, they emphasized the church’s call to help liberate the oppressed from unjust social structures that produce poverty and violence.

Pope Francis, then a cardinal, kisses a man’s foot during a Mass with youth trying to overcome drug addictions in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 2008.
AP Photo

Not all Latin American bishops embraced this vision of the church’s mission. But many took the call to solidarity very seriously, denouncing economic injustices and human rights violations. These bishops and other socially committed Christians promoted causes like land reform, agricultural cooperatives, workers’ rights and access to health care and education.

At the time, many Latin American countries were marked by vast inequalities, military dictatorships and violent political repression. These regimes, many of which were backed by the United States, often labeled any opposition as “communist” and a threat to national security.

Some Latin American bishops – along with many priests, nuns and laypeople – paid for their faith-inspired commitments to justice and peace with their lives. Thousands of Christians were assassinated during the late 20th century because they stood up for the rights of the poor, or they spoke out against oligarchs for hoarding wealth, land and power. Others were targeted after denouncing military regimes for massacring, torturing and “disappearing” civilians.

Within some sectors of Latin American Catholicism, these women and men are remembered as “martyrs”: people who, like Jesus of Nazareth, gave their lives for following what they saw as God’s mandate to speak the truth and practice compassion, justice and peace.

Pope’s recognition

During Francis’ pontificate, he officially recognized several of these Christians as martyrs, moving their cause for sainthood toward beatification and canonization. Beatification officially declares a person to be “blessed” and allows them to be venerated locally, while canonization makes them a full saint for the global church.

Students hold up art depicting slain Salvadoran Archbishop Oscar Romero as they walk to the chapel in San Salvador where he was shot and killed.
AP Photo/Salvador Melendez

For example, Bishop Enrique Ángel Angelelli was assassinated in 1976 for his solidarity with the poor and defense of workers’ rights during Argentina’s Dirty War – a violent campaign of state terrorism against critics of the military junta. Francis declared him a martyr in 2018. The following year, Angelelli was beatified, along with two priests and a lay leader from the same province who were all similarly martyred just weeks before.

Archbishop Óscar Arnulfo Romero was equally committed to defending the poor of El Salvador during the years of armed conflict leading up to the Salvadoran Civil War. In his Sunday homilies, he named people who had been imprisoned, tortured and disappeared by military and paramilitary forces, and drew on the Gospel and church teaching to challenge the violence and oppression of the day.

His promotion of human rights and his demand that the military “stop the repression” led to his assassination while celebrating Mass on March 24, 1980. Francis declared Romero a martyr and beatified him in 2015, then canonized him in 2018.

Pope Francis views an image of Roman Catholic Archbishop Oscar Romero during a private audience at the Vatican in 2015.
L’Osservatore Romano/Pool Photo via AP

These actions placed a stamp of approval on how leaders like Angelelli and Romero embodied the church’s mission in their own time and place. But Francis’ recognition also made a broader statement about how the church should relate to the “powers and principalities” of the world. Throughout his papacy, Francis continued these martyrs’ commitment by standing with people on the “peripheries”: washing the feet of prisoners, defending the rights of migrants and demanding care for the Earth.

Martyrs of the Earth

In the 21st century, care for the Earth is producing a whole new generation of martyrs like Angelelli and Romero. Land and environmental defenders in Latin America and around the world are being assassinated for their work to mitigate harm from industries like fossil fuel extraction, mining, logging, ranching and more.

In September 2024, Francis signaled his awareness of this phenomenon when he lamented the murder of Juan Antonio López. López was a lay Catholic leader in Honduras whose faith inspired him to defend local communities, lands and rivers from open-pit iron oxide mining.

The Latin American bishops’ conference has taken note of this resurgence in violent persecution. In December 2024, it launched a campaign called “Life is hanging on by a thread,” promoting solidarity with the work of ecological and human rights defenders like López.

As a former vice president of the Peruvian bishops’ conference, Pope Leo XIV is likely aware of this campaign and the violence that it hopes to disarm.

The new pope had a close relationship with Francis, whose legacy looms large. A key inspiration for that legacy, however, is the witness of Latin American Christians whose blood has been shed for justice, peace and the environment.

Only time will tell if this new pontiff’s leadership continues their indomitable solidarity with people whom, in Francis’ words, this world has deemed to be “disposable.”

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

– ref. Pope Francis drew inspiration from Latin American church and its martyrs – leaving a legacy for Pope Leo – https://theconversation.com/pope-francis-drew-inspiration-from-latin-american-church-and-its-martyrs-leaving-a-legacy-for-pope-leo-255582

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

May 16, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: What Pope Leo XIV’s coat of arms and motto reveal about his dedication to the ideals of St. Augustine − an art historian explains

Source: The Conversation – USA – By Virginia Raguin, Distinguished Professor of Humanities Emerita, College of the Holy Cross

A 17th-century stained glass image of St. Augustine. Artist Tobias Müller, 1622. Michel M. Raguin, with the permission of the Princeton University Art Museum, Princeton NJ, U.S.

Pope Leo XIV has announced his motto and coat of arms – a long-held tradition for those in the ranks of bishops, cardinals and popes. The choice of symbols and words reflects the person’s experience.

Leo’s shield is divided diagonally: The upper half shows a white lily on a blue background, and the lower shows the emblem of the Order of St. Augustine – an order to which he belongs. His motto reads, “In Illo uno unam,” translated as “In the One, we are one,” which are words of St. Augustine from his Exposition on Psalm 127, Paragraph 2: “I understand one in the One Christ. You are therefore many, and you are one; we are many, and we are one. ”

In choosing this motto, Leo includes the identifying symbol of Augustine, a heart pierced by an arrow.

Coat of Arms of Pope Leo XIV.
Photo courtesy of the Holy See Press Office

As an art historian, I explain how Renaissance artists portrayed Augustine’s humility – and what the choice of the motto might tell us about the new pope.
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The Order of St. Augustine

Augustine lived in the late fourth century, ultimately serving as bishop of Hippo in northern Africa for 34 years. The Augustinian order was founded in 1244 after several communities of hermits living in the region of Tuscany, Italy, petitioned Pope Innocent IV to form a single order. The pope gave them the Rule of Saint Augustine as a code of living, which stated: “Call nothing your own, but let everything be yours in common; [do] not seek after what is vain and earthly.”

Augustine’s status as a scholar, theologian and administrator made him a widely depicted saint. For example, he appears in a stained glass window commissioned by a pastor in 1622, in which he holds his symbol of the heart pierced with the arrow resting on a book on his lap.

The image relates to a phrase from Augustine’s book “The Confessions”: “Thou hadst pierced our heart with thy love, and we carried thy words, as it were, thrust through our vitals.”

In this stained-glass image, the saint is seen speaking to a child. The 1483 translation of the “Golden Legend,” a collection of saints’ lives, explains that while struggling to write his treatise “On the Trinity,” Augustine was walking at the seashore and saw a child filling a tiny pit with water.

When the child explained that he was bringing the ocean into the pit, Augustine scolded him for being silly. The child answered that he would sooner fit all the water of the sea into the pit than Augustine could bring the mystery of the Trinity into his limited human understanding. The Trinity is the Christian concept that God is not a single person but three – Father, Son and Holy Spirit – united in a single divine and eternal nature.

This lesson in humility became widely depicted across the centuries. In 1482, an altarpiece by the painter and sculptor Michael Pacher shows Augustine with a child at his feet holding a spoon.

Augustine’s scholarship

Augustine’s legacy includes not only “The Confessions,” one of the most widely read books of medieval and early modern times, and “On the Trinity,” but many others, including “The City of God,” a monumental work of over 1,000 pages.

Fresco of St. Augustine.
Sandro Botticelli via Wikimedia Commons

Sandro Botticelli’s 1480 painting of Augustine in his study shows the saint searching for clarity of thought as he pauses his writing.

Dressed simply in a long white garment and a cloak, he has set aside his bishop’s miter, an official hat – also a gesture of humility. His study is crowded with books; on the right, behind his head, a book is open to a study of geometry.

Botticelli tries to show the saint as a scholar in ancient times by placing on the left an old and discredited celestial model that depicts the Earth at the center of the universe, with the Sun, Moon, planets and stars revolving around it. We, with modern knowledge, understand that despite his intelligence, Augustine cannot know everything.

Leo has been both a scholar and pastor. He served as a professor of canon law and early Christian theology at San Carlos y San Marcelo, a seminary in Peru.

Yet, like the founder of his order, his words at this first Mass reflected his humility when he said that his appointment as pope was “both a cross and a blessing” and spoke of the responsibility he and the cardinals have in the world.

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

– ref. What Pope Leo XIV’s coat of arms and motto reveal about his dedication to the ideals of St. Augustine − an art historian explains – https://theconversation.com/what-pope-leo-xivs-coat-of-arms-and-motto-reveal-about-his-dedication-to-the-ideals-of-st-augustine-an-art-historian-explains-256539

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

May 16, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: Denis Manturov: Russian mechanical engineering sectors demonstrate stability

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

Denis Manturov took part in a joint meeting of the bureau of the Union of Mechanical Engineers and the association “League for Assistance to Defense Enterprises”

First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov took part in a joint meeting of the bureau of the Union of Mechanical Engineers and the League for Assistance to Defense Enterprises association.

The event was also attended by the Minister of Industry and Trade Anton Alikhanov, the Minister of Science and Higher Education Valery Falkov, the Chairman of the Union of Mechanical Engineers of Russia, General Director of the Rostec State Corporation Sergey Chemezov, the First Deputy Chairman of the Union, Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Industry and Trade Vladimir Gutenev, General Director of the Roscosmos State Corporation Dmitry Bakanov, heads of regions, members of the bureau – heads of corporations and large industrial enterprises.

Welcoming the participants of the meeting, Denis Manturov noted that today the Russian mechanical engineering industries are demonstrating resilience and readiness to respond to the most difficult challenges.

“The development of a number of strategic areas depends on the dynamics of qualitative changes in this sector of industry. I mean, first of all, the country’s defense capability, its energy and food security, transport connectivity, and sovereignty in the field of space services. In the same vein, we consider the importance of mechanical engineering for the fundamental renewal of the production base of the entire industrial sector,” the First Deputy Prime Minister noted.

The implementation of specialized national projects contributes to the enhancement of the technological status of the designated areas. Hundreds of mechanical engineering enterprises participate in them, ensuring the development of components and the supply of finished products, forming new cooperation chains.

“In the current challenges, Russia continues to demonstrate high resilience. Enterprises are coping with the tasks set by our President. Manufacturing production in the first quarter showed growth of 4.7% in annual terms. The tasks of strengthening the economy, increasing industrial potential, ensuring the country’s defense capability are not just a priority for the near future. These are permanent, strategic goals that determine our development for years to come,” said Sergey Chemezov.

The report was delivered by the president of the league, Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Industry and Trade Vladimir Gutenev. The parliamentarian emphasized that the union and the league are in constant dialogue with the real sector and the expert community, and the Government is considering initiatives aimed at supporting defense industry enterprises. Among them is a draft law on deferment from military service for graduates who have found jobs in the defense industry in targeted areas, as well as a law on protecting accounts involved in state defense procurement from automatic write-offs based on writs of execution.

Anton Alikhanov drew attention to the current issues of providing the industries with personnel. “We are well aware of the main obstacle to the rapid replenishment of personnel. This is the extremely low level of employment in the specialty of university graduates and the claims of enterprises to the level of their training. We have well-established work with the Ministry of Education and Science and the Ministry of Education on advanced engineering schools and educational and industrial clusters. Therefore, I propose that those companies that have their own corporate universities and basic departments provide an opportunity to train specialists at the request of the cooperative enterprises. We can consider the possibility of creating industry databases under the wing of Soyuzmash, connecting potential employers and applicants. Such a resource already works well in the military-industrial complex,” the head of the Ministry of Industry and Trade noted.

The Minister of Education and Science, Valery Falkov, outlined systemic steps aimed at developing engineering education at universities and higher education in general. According to the Minister, today 42% of budget places are allocated for engineering and technical specialties. In order to improve the quality of education, work is underway to revise the list of specialties and areas of training, the mechanism of targeted admission is being improved, and a pilot project for industrial postgraduate studies will begin this year. Also, on the instructions of Russian President Vladimir Putin, the flagship project of the Ministry of Education and Science, Advanced Engineering Schools, has been continued. Valery Falkov noted that from this year, only those applicants who are applying for priority specialties, including engineers, will be able to use a preferential educational loan at a rate of 3%.

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

MIL OSI Russia News –

May 16, 2025
MIL-OSI Europe: ASIA/PAKISTAN – Between Kashmir and Baluchistan: “Now is the time for unity and peace”

Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

Mostafameraji – Wiki Commons

Karachi (Agenzia Fides) – “Now is the time for unity and peace. I would like to recall the words of Pope Leo XIV: Peace be with you. We address this message to India, to our Indian brothers, with whom we are called to build coexistence, and also to our brothers in Baluchistan, which is an integral part of Pakistan,” Father Mario Angelo Rodrigues, a priest of the Archdiocese of Karachi, told Fides. In recent days, tensions have flared between India and Pakistan in the Kashmir region, a conflict for which a truce has been signed. In the west of the country, the situation has also worsened with the intensification of the conflict in Baluchistan, one of the provinces that form the Pakistani territory, in which an irredentist movement has been present since the time of Pakistan’s independence. Recently, civil society leader Mir Yar Baloch declared that “Balochistan is not Pakistan,” calling for independence from Pakistan and appealing for support from India and the international community. He has denounced decades of violence, forced disappearances, and human rights violations in the region. Father Rodrigues, who began his pastoral work in Balochistan as a young priest, recalls: “There I met peaceful, hospitable, life-loving people. We defend human dignity, fundamental rights, prosperity for all, and reject all forms of violence. Unfortunately, when terror erupts in the region, the military intervenes, and I can imagine the suffering this causes for the civilian population.” Today, Balochistan represents a concern for the Pakistani government. Despite this, the priest insists on the importance of promoting national unity and including all ethnic and religious groups and launch an appeal for the unity of Pakistan and for peace,” says the priest. “In Karachi, the Baloch communities are well integrated. We have Baloch children in our school, who live in complete harmony with their classmates. That is the model to follow,” says Rodrigues, currently principal of St. Patrick High School, a Catholic institution with more than 4,000 students.The local population continues to report serious human rights violations committed against civilians and those who oppose the policies of the Pakistani government, considered repressive. The Baluchistan Liberation Army (BLA), an insurgent group active in the region, has carried out violent attacks. On March 11, it hijacked the Jaffar Express passenger train, traveling from Quetta to Peshawar with at least 380 people on board. The hijacking ended after the intervention of the Pakistani army. The province of Baluchistan has been involved in insurgencies and conflicts by Baloch separatists since 1948.An estimated 7 million Baloch people live in Pakistan, mainly in the province of Baluchis, although there are also significant communities in Sindh and Punjab. They represent about 3.6% of the national population. Baloch communities are also found in Iran and Afghanistan. (PA) (Agenzia Fides, 15/5/2025)
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MIL OSI Europe News –

May 16, 2025
MIL-OSI: Beeline Appoints Veteran Public Company Executive Frank Knuettel II to Board of Directors

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

Providence, RI, May 15, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Beeline Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: BLNE), a next-generation digital mortgage lender focused on transforming real estate investment financing, today announced the appointment of Frank Knuettel II to its Board of Directors, effective immediately.

Mr. Knuettel brings more than two decades of executive leadership experience across dynamic, early-stage public companies in the technology and life sciences sectors. He currently serves as Chief Executive Officer of Channel Therapeutics Corporation since 2023, having started as CFO in 2022. Known for his operational discipline and M&A acumen, Mr. Knuettel has helped companies scale aggressively, including spearheading a revenue expansion at Unrivaled Brands from $10 million to $100 million annualized in just six quarters through strategic acquisitions.

“Frank’s addition to the board marks a pivotal moment in Beeline’s growth story,” said Nick Liuzza, CEO of Beeline. “His deep capital markets knowledge, proven ability to lead and scale businesses, and transactional experience across more than 15 M&A deals will be invaluable as we expand our footprint and product offerings in the investment lending market.”

Throughout his career, Mr. Knuettel has raised over $400 million in public and private capital and has held leadership roles at multiple high-growth companies, including CFO of IP Commerce, a fintech platform provider, and Chief Strategy Officer at MJardin Group. He currently serves on the board of Etheros Pharmaceuticals Corp. and has held board seats at both public and private companies.

Mr. Knuettel holds a BA with honors in Economics from Tufts University and earned his MBA in Finance and Entrepreneurial Management from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

“I’m excited to join the Beeline board at such a dynamic time,” said Mr. Knuettel. “The company’s technology-driven approach to simplifying investment property financing has significant potential, and I look forward to supporting the team as they execute on their ambitious vision.”

About Beeline Beeline Financial Holdings, Inc. is a trailblazing mortgage fintech transforming the way people access property financing. Through its fully digital, AI-powered platform, Beeline delivers a faster, smarter path to home loans—whether for primary residences or investment properties. Headquartered in Providence, Rhode Island, Beeline is reshaping mortgage origination with speed, simplicity, and transparency at its core. The company is a wholly owned subsidiary of Beeline Holdings and also operates Beeline Labs, its innovation arm focused on next-generation lending solutions.

Contact:
ir@makeabeeline.com

The MIL Network –

May 16, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Garamendi, Sen. Mark Kelly, Sen. Young, Rep. Trent Kelly Introduce SHIPS for America Act to Boost American Shipbuilding, Strengthen US Economy and National Security
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman John Garamendi – Representing California’s 3rd Congressional District

WASHINGTON D.C – Today, Representative John Garamendi (D-CA-8), Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Senator Todd Young (R-IN), and Representative Trent Kelly (R-MS-1) re-introduced the Shipbuilding and Harbor Infrastructure for Prosperity and Security (SHIPS) for America Act, comprehensive legislation to revitalize the United States shipbuilding and commercial maritime industries.

There are currently 80 U.S.-flagged vessels in international commerce while China has 5,500. The SHIPS for America Act aims to close this gap and boost the U.S. Merchant Marine by establishing national oversight and consistent funding for U.S. maritime policy, making U.S.-flagged vessels commercially competitive in international commerce by cutting red tape, rebuilding the U.S. shipyard industrial base, and expanding and strengthening mariner and shipyard worker recruitment, training, and retention.

“With China’s growing influence in the global maritime sector, the United States can no longer afford to overlook our maritime industries. The SHIPS for America Act will give our shipyards and merchant mariners the tools they need to rebuild America’s maritime industry and create good-paying American jobs,” said Congressman John Garamendi. “I’m proud to lead this effort alongside Senator Kelly, Senator Young, and Representative Kelly to strengthen America’s national security, economic strength, and global leadership on the high seas.”

“After decades of dangerously neglecting our shipbuilding industry, we’re finally doing something about it. The SHIPS for America Act is the most ambitious effort in a generation to revitalize the U.S. shipbuilding and commercial maritime industries and counter China’s dominance over the oceans,” said Senator Kelly, a U.S. Navy veteran and the first U.S Merchant Marine Academy graduate to serve in Congress. “Building and staffing more U.S.-flagged ships will create good-paying American jobs, make our supply chains more resilient, lower costs, and strengthen our ability to resupply our military at times of war. We’ll keep working with our colleagues in Congress, this administration, and our partners in the industry to make our country safer and competitive by passing the SHIPS for America Act.”

“America has been a maritime nation since our founding, and seapower was a significant contributor to our rise to being the most powerful nation on earth. Unfortunately, the bottom line now is America needs more ships. Shipbuilding is a national security priority and a stopgap against foreign threats and coercion. Our bill will revitalize the U.S. maritime industry, grow our shipbuilding capacity, rebuild America’s shipyard industrial base, and support nationwide workforce development in this industry. This legislation is critical to our warfighting capabilities and keeping pace with China,” said Senator Young, a U.S. Naval Academy graduate.

The SHIPS for America Act would:
- Coordinate U.S. maritime policy by establishing the position of Maritime Security Advisor within the White House, who would lead an interagency Maritime Security Board tasked with making whole-of-government strategic decisions for how to implement a National Maritime Strategy. The bill also establishes a Maritime Security Trust Fund that would reinvest duties and fees paid by the maritime industry into maritime security programs and infrastructure supporting maritime commerce.
- Establish a national goal of expanding the U.S.-flag international fleet by 250 ships in 10 years by creating the Strategic Commercial Fleet Program, which would facilitate the development of a fleet of commercially operated, U.S.-flagged, American crewed, and domestically built merchant vessels that can operate competitively in international commerce.
- Enhance the competitiveness of U.S.-flagged vessels in international commerce by establishing a Rulemaking Committee on Commercial Maritime Regulations and Standards to cut through the U.S. Coast Guard’s bureaucracy and red tape that limits the international competitiveness of U.S.-flagged vessels, modify duties to make cargo on U.S.-flag vessel’s more competitive, requiring that government-funded cargo move aboard U.S.-flag vessels, and requiring a portion of commercial goods imported from China to move aboard U.S.-flag vessels starting in 2030.
- Expand the U.S. shipyard industrial base, for both military and commercial oceangoing vessels, by establishing a 25 percent investment tax credit for shipyard investments, transforming the Title XI Federal Ship Financing Program into a revolving fund, and establishing a Shipbuilding Financial Incentives program to support innovative approaches to domestic ship building and ship repair.
- Accelerate U.S. leadership in next-generation ship design, manufacturing processes, and ship energy systems by establishing the U.S. Center for Maritime Innovation and supporting regional hubs for maritime innovation across the country by establishing a Maritime Prosperity Zone program.
- Make historic investments in maritime workforce by supporting a Maritime Workforce Promotion and Recruitment Campaign, allowing mariners to retain their credentials through a newly established Merchant Marine Career Retention Program, investing in long-overdue infrastructure needs for the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, and supporting State Maritime Academies and Centers for Excellence for Domestic Maritime Workforce Training and Education. The bill also makes long-overdue changes to streamline and modernize the U.S. Coast Guard’s Merchant Mariner Credentialing system.
The legislation will be introduced in two pieces in the Senate, the SHIPS for America Act and the Building SHIPS in America Act.

Background:

Since introducing the SHIPS for America Act in December, the urgency to boost American shipbuilding has emerged as a priority of bipartisan consensus this year, particularly after the USTR revealed its findings regarding China’s shipbuilding dominance and President Trump’s signing of his shipbuilding executive order.

Sen. Kelly earned his B.S. degree in marine engineering and nautical science from the United States Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) and later an M.S. degree in aeronautical engineering from the United States Naval Postgraduate School. He spent 25 years in the United States Navy as a pilot and is the first ever USMMA alumnus to serve in Congress. In 2023, he was elected chair of the USMMA Board of Visitors for the 118th Congress.

See a full list of endorsing statements from maritime leaders and stakeholders here.

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MIL OSI USA News –
May 16, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Neag School Receives $42K During UConn Gives 2025
Source: US State of Connecticut

Thanks to about 550 individuals, the Neag School of Education garnered over $27,000 in contributions during UConn Gives 2025, along with $15,000 in challenges and matching gifts. The annual University-wide fundraising event raised about $5.4 million overall for UConn, with incoming donations to support everything from scholarships and academic programs to student groups and athletics. The Neag School promoted its different education-affiliated funds during this year’s event, held on April 21 and 22. Out of the 42 Neag School funds, the top three finishers were:
- UConn Husky Nutrition & Sport – $16,425 from 394 donors, including a $1,000 matching gift from Heather McDonald ’23 Ed.D., plus $10,000 from the President’s and Provost’s Project Leaderboard Challenge
- Dr. Sue Saunders Higher Education & Student Affairs (HESA) Professional Development Fund – $2,550 from 84 donors, including a $500 matching gift from Saunders
- Neag School Dean’s Fund – $1,242 from 12 donors, plus $5,000 from the President’s and Provost’s Unit Leaderboard Challenge
Housed in the Neag School of Education, UConn HNS is a U.S. Department of Agriculture, AmeriCorps, small local foundation, and private donation-funded effort to engage youth, adult caregivers of children, and adults eligible to receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program – Education (SNAP-Ed) in nutrition and physical education. The group collaborates with partners and educational programs across Connecticut, including a longtime partnership with the City of Hartford. Students and faculty across UConn engage with UConn HNS through academic courses; paid positions; professional and holistic development sessions; and research.

“UConn HNS is appreciative of the efforts of its staff to spread the word and engage current students and our alumni network in UConn Gives,” says Jennifer McGarry, UConn HNS executive director and Neag School professor. “In the current climate where many funding sources are in jeopardy, the impact of the donations and the leaderboard challenge funds is significant in our continued ability to engage with communities across the state of Connecticut.”

The impact of the donations and the leaderboard challenge funds is significant in our continued ability to engage with communities across the state of Connecticut. &#8212 Jennifer McGarry, UConn HNS Executive Director

This year, the Dr. Sue Saunders HESA Professional Development Fund also won a $500 matching gift challenge funded by Saunders.

The fund was established to honor the commitment and dedication of Saunders, longtime director of the Higher Education and Student Affairs (HESA) program, and to support the development of graduate students in the program. The fund supports students who participate in professional development activities, including conferences, courses, webinars, association memberships, access to publications, research activities, and more.

“The Dr. Sue Saunders HESA Professional Development Fund is vital in supporting the learning, growth, and development of HESA master’s students,” says Adam McCready, assistant professor-in-residence in the program. “Dr. Saunders’ matching gift and the gifts from alumni and other community members ensure that HESA students can continue to have access to these transformative professional development opportunities.”

The third project, the Neag School Dean’s Fund, benefits faculty and students by advancing teaching, research, and policy development. This fund provides the dean with flexibility in supporting cutting-edge research and the School’s best and brightest students.

“As a crowdfunding campaign, UConn Gives is only as powerful as the people behind it and, as this year’s results show, we have incredibly passionate advocates behind the Neag School,” Dean Jason G. Irizarry says. “Thank you to every alum, faculty member, staff member, or friend of the School who supported us during UConn Gives. Your kind generosity directly impacts our students, faculty, and community partners.”

UConn Gives 2025 may be over, but you can still offer your support. Visit education.uconn.edu/giving-to-neag to learn more.

UConn Gives fundraising totals are approximate and may be adjusted as gifts continue to be tallied.

MIL OSI USA News –
May 16, 2025
MIL-OSI: OSS Appoints Lieutenant General David Bassett (Ret.) Board Member

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

Former Director of the Defense Contract Management Agency brings decades of defense acquisition and modernization expertise to support OSS’s AI and edge compute growth opportunities

ESCONDIDO, Calif., May 15, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — One Stop Systems, Inc. (OSS or the Company) (Nasdaq: OSS), a leader in rugged Enterprise Class compute for artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML) and sensor processing at the edge, today announced that it has appointed Lieutenant General David Bassett (Ret.) to its Board of Directors, effective May 14, 2025. OSS’s Board of Directors consists of five current directors: Mike Knowles, Greg Matz, Mike Dumont, Mitch Herbets, and David Bassett.

“We are excited to welcome Lieutenant General Bassett to OSS’ Board of Directors,” stated OSS President and CEO, Mike Knowles. “Attracting a Director of David’s caliber reflects the significant opportunities OSS is pursuing to improve the compute power and competitive edge of the U.S. Armed Forces. His experience managing modernization efforts and Ground Combat Systems programs across the U.S. Army is well aligned with our growth initiatives, including current programs underway to improve the situational awareness of U.S. Army vehicles. I look forward to David’s contributions and guidance.”

“I’m honored to join the Company’s Board at such a pivotal moment in defense innovation,” said Lieutenant General David Bassett (Ret.). “I believe OSS’s advanced commercial AI and edge computing technologies are critical enablers for the modernization of our military platforms. Delivering resilient capability to our soldiers means processing data at the tactical edge and the Army needs to accelerate the deployment of these commercial capabilities where speed, resiliency, and data-driven decision-making are paramount.”

Lieutenant General David Bassett (Ret.) Bio
Bassett currently serves as a Senior Counselor at The Cohen Group, a consulting firm based in Washington DC, where he advises on business development, regulatory affairs, and capital raising activities. Bassett’s distinguished 35-year military career was marked by leadership in modernization efforts and the management of large-scale acquisition programs.

From 2020-2023, Bassett served as Director of the Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA), where he led more than 11,000 civilian and military personnel who managed more than 250,000 contracts with total value in excess of $3.5 trillion. Prior to his role at DCMA, he served as Program Executive Officer for Command, Control, and Communications-Tactical (PEO C3T), where he led the development and acquisition of the Army’s tactical network—one of the service’s top modernization priorities. Earlier, he served as Program Executive Officer for Ground Combat Systems (PEO GCS), where he led modernization efforts for the Army’s fleet of ground combat vehicles, including the Abrams, Bradley, and Stryker. His previous assignments include Deputy Program Executive Officer for Combat Support and Combat Service Support (PEO CS&CSS) and manager of the Joint Program Office, Joint Light Tactical Vehicles (JLTV).

He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering and a master’s degree in computer science from the University of Virginia, is a graduate of the Army Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, and is a distinguished graduate of the Industrial College of the Armed Forces.

About One Stop Systems
One Stop Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq: OSS) is a leader in AI enabled solutions for the demanding ‘edge’. OSS designs and manufactures Enterprise Class compute and storage products that enable rugged AI, sensor fusion and autonomous capabilities without compromise. These hardware and software platforms bring the latest data center performance to harsh and challenging applications, whether they are on land, sea or in the air.

OSS products include ruggedized servers, compute accelerators, flash storage arrays, and storage acceleration software. These specialized compact products are used across multiple industries and applications, including autonomous trucking and farming, as well as aircraft, drones, ships and vehicles within the defense industry.

OSS solutions address the entire AI workflow, from high-speed data acquisition to deep learning, training and large-scale inference, and have delivered many industry firsts for industrial OEM and government customers.

As the fastest growing segment of the multi-billion-dollar edge computing market, AI enabled solutions require-and OSS delivers-the highest level of performance in the most challenging environments without compromise.

OSS products are available directly or through global distributors. For more information, go to www.onestopsystems.com. You can also follow OSS on X, YouTube, and LinkedIn.

Forward-Looking Statements
One Stop Systems cautions you that statements in this press release that are not a description of historical facts are forward-looking statements. Words such as, but not limited to, “anticipate,” “aim,” “believe,” “contemplate,” “continue,” “could,” “design,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “might,” “plan,” “possible,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “seek,” “should,” “suggest,” “strategy,” “target,” “will,” “would,” and similar expressions or phrases, or the negative of those expressions or phrases, are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. These statements are based on the Company’s current beliefs and expectations. The inclusion of forward-looking statements should not be regarded as a representation by One Stop Systems or its partners that any of our plans or expectations will be achieved, including but not limited to the potential and/or the results of current or future programs with defense contractors and the U.S. Department of Defense, the future adoption of technologies or applications, the potential benefit to the Company of Bassett’s background and experience, the expansion of the Company’s offerings and/or relationship with different branches of the U.S. Armed Forces. Actual results may differ from those set forth in this press release due to the risk and uncertainties inherent in our business, including risks described in our prior press releases and in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including under the heading “Risk Factors” in our latest Annual Report on Form 10-K and any subsequent filings with the SEC. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof, and the company undertakes no obligation to revise or update this press release to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof. All forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement, which is made under the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.

Media Contacts:
Robert Kalebaugh
One Stop Systems, Inc.
Tel (858) 518-6154
Email contact

Investor Relations:
Andrew Berger
Managing Director
SM Berger & Company, Inc.
Tel (216) 464-6400
Email contact

The MIL Network –

May 16, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: Grattan on Friday: Ley and Littleproud have had a prickly relationship – can they negotiate a smooth future?

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra

With the future of the Coalition relationship on the line, Nationals leader David Littleproud drove to his Liberal counterpart Sussan Ley’s hometown of Albury this week. They had much to talk about, and it wasn’t going to be easy.

Littleproud and Ley have had a combustible relationship in the past.

After Ley, on the backbench at the time, in 2018 co-sponsored a private member’s bill to restrict live sheep exports, Littleproud, the agriculture minister, said dismissively, “I’m going to predicate my decisions on evidence, not emotion”.

More seriously, when she was environment minister in 2019–22, Ley and Littleproud clashed over the Murray-Darling Basin.

The Nationals leader is father of, and a true believer in, the opposition’s nuclear policy; Ley began as an agnostic on the issue, saying in 2019, “To be honest, I am not strongly for or against nuclear power”.

The two leaders differ in their economic philosophies. Littleproud is what detractors of the Nationals and their predecessor the Country Party used to call an “agrarian socialist”. It was the Nationals who, in the last term, drove the Coalition policy to break up supermarkets that misused their power. Ley is less inclined to industry intervention.

Ley and Littleproud have to find a way for their two parties to continue to share the same house and, assuming they do, how they divide up the rooms, and manage their joint spaces.

Kevin Hogan, the new Nationals deputy, said late Thursday there was a will to sign a Coalition agreement, but certainly there was “a scenario where it doesn’t get signed”.

The Nationals are feeling their power, after an election in which they held almost all their seats and the Liberals were devastated.

Their Senate leader, Bridget McKenzie, who is outspoken and frequently in the media, said this week, “We haven’t had this amount of political clout within the Coalition since the ‘70s”.

How many shadow ministries the Nationals receive is determined on a formula, but central is what posts they obtain.

“There needs to be a very serious conversation heading into any Coalition discussions about the role of the National Party,” she said.

“We don’t need to rush into an agreement, but we do need to make sure it reflects the realities of the election result, which does give greater kudos and say to the National Party within that.”

In a cheeky reference that wouldn’t go down well with some Liberals, McKenzie said, “In our 120-year history, for 16 of these years, we held the treasury portfolio in government”.

The Nationals are not going to hold the Treasury post in opposition. But they will try to have a louder economic voice. (There is speculation they might seek the finance shadow ministry.)

McKenzie referred to the power of party greats Doug Anthony, Ian Sinclair and Peter Nixon in Malcolm Fraser’s government. She could have gone back to the legendary John “Black Jack” McEwen in earlier years.

Back then, the party exercised power through the sheer strength of such individual personalities, and their ability to prevail in battles with colleagues. Looking at the Fraser years, it’s remarkable to think the prime minister used Nixon (who died just before the election, aged 97) in trying to manage a difficult and ambitious senior Liberal, Andrew Peacock, who aspired to the leadership.

The modern Nationals have no such personalities. In recent years the party has also been riven by division over leadership and policy. Littleproud saw off a leadership challenge from Matt Canavan this week.

Canavan lost the ballot but his call for the party to walk away from the target of reducing emissions to net zero by 2050 has yet to be resolved.

All opposition policies are on the table, with Ley and her deputy Ted O’Brien saying they won’t rush the reconsideration of them.

But this shapes as a complicated process, littered with obstacles.

What if the Liberal party and the Nationals came to different conclusions on whether to retain the 2050 commitment? It could be touch and go whether the Nationals ditch it. The Liberals would be courting disaster to do so: that would divide the party and further alienate voters in the Teal-type areas that they need to win back.

If the two parties found themselves at odds on net zero, could they viably stay together in coalition?

The review of the nuclear policy is interlinked with the net zero commitment – nuclear was advanced as a way of getting to the target – and is also fraught. There will be pressure from some Liberals to just junk it. But Littleproud and others within his party would fight hard for it.

The issue of timing is also critical. The opposition doesn’t have the luxury – that it appears to think it has – of going too slowly on the net zero issue.

Energy and climate policy will be central issues over coming months.

The government delayed until beyond the election considering what 2035 emissions reduction target it will submit under the Paris climate agreement. The Climate Change Authority, which must make a recommendation to the government on the target, helpfully said it had more work to do.

But the target must be submitted by September. The government is expected to receive the recommendation from the authority around July. The authority has been consulting on a 65% to 75% reduction. It could recommend a single figure, or (perhaps more likely) a range.

Anywhere between 65% and 75% would be ambitious in practical terms. The 2035 debate will take the argument away from primarily electricity into the areas of industry, transport and agriculture.

If the opposition is to be credible in whatever criticisms it wants to make, it will need to have at least a settled position on the net zero question.

Moreover, in trying to rebuild electoral support, the Liberals in particular require an early confirmed stance on net zero. Climate is a specially important issue with young voters, among whom the party’s support is woeful.

Meanwhile, as all the machinations play out, Jacinta Nampijinpa Price must be giving a thought to what might have been, had she not defected from the Nationals to the Liberals in a misjudged bid to become Liberal deputy.

She may regard the Liberals as her natural home, as she says, but if she’d stayed she might have become Nationals deputy leader this week (previous deputy Perin Davey lost her seat). That would have had her well placed to pursue her portfolio ambitions, backed by Littleproud. But who will be her champion now?

In jumping ship, Price has found herself adrift, for the moment at least.

Michelle Grattan 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. Grattan on Friday: Ley and Littleproud have had a prickly relationship – can they negotiate a smooth future? – https://theconversation.com/grattan-on-friday-ley-and-littleproud-have-had-a-prickly-relationship-can-they-negotiate-a-smooth-future-256458

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

May 15, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Home Affairs Department holds seminar on 5th anniversary of promulgation and implementation of Hong Kong National Security Law for National Security Education District Tutors

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Home Affairs Department holds seminar on 5th anniversary of promulgation and implementation of Hong Kong National Security Law for National Security Education District Tutors
The seminar was held in the Central Government Offices. Guests attending the event included the Deputy Secretary for Justice, Dr Cheung Kwok-kwan; the Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs, Miss Alice Mak; and the Under Secretary for Security, Mr Michael Cheuk. Around 700 district tutors from the 18 Districts attended the seminar.

Addressing the seminar, Miss Mak said that as national security is closely related to everyone and is inseparable, the Government and all sectors in society need to safeguard national security together. Since the Government officially launched the National Security Education District Tutor Training Scheme in November last year, as of early April 2025, over 3 000 district tutors have completed the training and have disseminated messages on national security to over 120 000 individuals in the community. As important partners of the Government, district tutors have actively engaged with communities, schools, and people of all ages through a diverse range of activities and, by using vivid, accessible and innovative approaches, have disseminated important messages on national security. This helps the public understand more about and attach importance to national security.

Miss Mak hopes that through the seminar, all district tutors can further enhance their awareness of safeguarding national security and help disseminate related messages across various groups. Together, they will cultivate a strong foundation for national security education and patriotic values throughout the community.

In delivering a keynote speech titled “Hong Kong National Security Law Builds Fort for National Security and the Safety of Hong Kong”, Dr Cheung elaborated on the situation in Hong Kong since the implementation of the NSL, as well as the current national security risks faced by the city and the importance of enhancing national security education.

He stressed that “to forget war is to court disaster”, and pointed out that although the NSL, the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance, and other local laws have worked in concert to improve the legal framework for safeguarding national security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), the actual risks of national security for both the country and the HKSAR are still there. Citing various examples from local and overseas, he reminded participants to continuously assess national security risks, enhance national security education, and strengthen national security awareness across all sectors of the community.

Mr Cheuk delivered a keynote speech on the current security risks in Hong Kong and elaborated on the Government’s response strategies, including adhering to the principle of “laws are observed and strictly enforced, so as to bring offenders to account”, strengthening intelligence gathering and law enforcement, promptly rebutting smears, optimising legal tools, and enhancing interdepartmental collaboration, as well as publicity and education. He encouraged district tutors to learn more about the Constitution, the Basic Law, and Hong Kong’s laws on safeguarding national security, and actively integrate into the country to recognise the close ties of the cultures of Hong Kong and the Mainland which share the same origin, distinguish right from wrong to debunk allegations and actions of “soft resistance” in the community, and promptly report suspected acts endangering national security to protect our home.

In addition, district tutors Miss Li Ka-ying and Mr Chu Wai-lam shared their valuable experiences in promoting national security education and raising public awareness of national security in the community. The two of them expressed that they will continue to serve as a connection between the Government and the community. By using their network, they can reach people from all walks of life and convey national security messages in a lively manner, thereby cultivating people’s sense of patriotism and jointly protecting their beautiful home – Hong Kong.

The Chief Executive proposed in the 2023 Policy Address to train tutors at the district level for promoting national security education in the community. The Government launched the National Security Education District Tutor Training Scheme in November 2024, aiming to strengthen community participation through the scheme, hoping that the scheme can actively encourage all citizens to understand a holistic approach to national security and the significance of safeguarding national security, thereby fostering a collective commitment to uphold it and ultimately building a safe and stable social environment.
Issued at HKT 19:06

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CategoriesMIL-OSI

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

May 15, 2025
MIL-OSI United Nations: 2025 Meeting – UN/LOCODE Advisory Group (Informal Meeting)
Source: United Nations Economic Commission for Europe

Meeting Agenda

1. Opening Remarks
- Welcome and introduction by Secretariat, Chair and Vice Chair
- Approval of the agenda
2. Updates on UN/LOCODE Activities
- Summary of recent developments and strategic decisions on:
  - Fundraising
  - Open letter to member states
  - Current state of the UN/LOCODE application
  - Briefing note on the UN/LOCODE to the UN/CEFACT Plenary
  - New proposed structure of the UN/LOCODE AG as a domain.
  - Chair and Vice Chair of the AG Group re-election.
  - Activities of the UN/LOCODE Strategy Teams
    
    Discuss briefly the UN/LOCODE Strategy Team Group 6 report
3. Challenges and Proposed Measures
- Discussion on the lack of dedicated funding and resource constraints
- Consideration of immediate measures:
  - Limiting the UN/LOCODE directory to a single annual release
  - Suspending formal activities of the UN/LOCODE AG
  - Restructuring AG work under a dedicated UN/CEFACT domain
  - UN/LOCODE data quality
4. Modernization of UN/LOCODE’s supporting systems
- Review of recent assessments and options for system re-engineering
- Use of Git and AI / Machine Learning for UN/LOCODE Maintenance
5. Fundraising and Alternative Operational Models
- Strategies for strengthening fundraising efforts
- Exploration of outsourcing directory maintenance through partnerships or pro-bono development
6. Stakeholder Engagement
- Strengthening collaboration with national focal points, government representatives, international organizations, NGOs, and the private sector
- Enhancing the UN/LOCODE Focal Point Network
7. UN/LOCODE Programme of Work 2026-2027
- Presentation and discussion of the draft Programme of Work for 2026-2027
  - Consideration of the scope, objectives, activities, and work areas:
  - Policy leadership and strategic guidance
  - Technological innovation and support
  - Global communication and community engagement
  - Capacity-building and training sessions
  - Data quality and integrity
  - Seamless data interoperability
  - Revision of ECE Recommendation 16
  - Re-engineering the ICT infrastructure
8. Briefing Note to the member states

9. Closing Remarks
- Summary of recommendation, decisions and action items
- Next steps and future meeting dates of the formal UN/LOCODE AG or Domain Meeting as apart of the UN/CEFACT Forum
- Any other business
MIL OSI United Nations News –
May 15, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Grab your FREE tickets for cup final at Molineux

Source: City of Wolverhampton

The annual football tournament for care experienced young people aged 16 to 24 is organised by the City of Wolverhampton Council’s Reach Leaving Care Team and Wolves Foundation.

Six-a-side teams from around the country will go head to head in a series of 8 minute matches on Saturday 14 June – culminating with the final on the same day.

To book your free tickets, please visit Eventbrite or scan the QR code. Tickets will be issued by Ticketmaster; please note, only Ticketmaster tickets will be accepted at the turnstiles.

The event, proudly sponsored by the EFL in the Community in partnership with the Wolves Foundation, will see 20 teams from as far away as North Yorkshire and Milton Keynes competing for 3 cups, with one being the overall Championship Cup. All participants will also receive a medal.

Among those taking part will be Wolverhampton Warriors, who have been preparing for the finals since March, training weekly in collaboration with Wolves Foundation coaches.

Last week they took on Staff FC, a team composed of staff from the council’s Reach Leaving Care, Participation Team, House Project and managers, at Black Country Goals, running out 4-0 winners.

Wolverhampton Warriors’ Osarende Iyawe said: “Being part of a tournament or team can be incredibly rewarding. It gives you a chance to test your skills under pressure and brings a sense of belonging, shared goals and support. It’s about competition, but it’s also about growth and discipline.”

Teammate Josh Hayes added: “It’s opportunity for young people in care and we have raised money for charity; this team means something.”

Councillor Jacqui Coogan, Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Education, said: “This is a fabulous opportunity for care experienced young people to play at one of England’s most prestigious sporting venues and to follow in the footsteps of so many of their footballing heroes.

“We are delighted to be supporting the event, which gets bigger and better with every passing year, and I wish all the young people the very best of luck – may the best team win!”

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

May 15, 2025
MIL-OSI: Next Hydrogen Reports Q1 2025 Financial Results
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

MISSISSAUGA, Ontario, May 15, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Next Hydrogen Solutions Inc. (the “Company” or “Next Hydrogen”) (TSXV:NXH, OTC:NXHSF), a designer and manufacturer of electrolyzers, is pleased to report its financial results for the three-month period ended March 31, 2025.

“The value proposition offered by our unique water electrolyzers is clear and well supported by over 40,000 hours of data. This has resulted in partnerships with blue chip industry partners such as Casale, GE Vernova and Pratt & Whitney,” said Raveel Afzaal, President & CEO. “The focus for 2025 is to (1) scale up our product line up to 8MW, (2) demonstrate a strong execution pathway for large volume manufacturing, and (3) show further and significant growth in our sales backlog. We are executing well on all three of these goals which should unlock long-term funding solutions for Next Hydrogen.”

Q1 2025 Financial Highlights
- Cash balance was $1.5M as of March 31, 2025, compared to $3.5M as of December 31, 2024.
- Revenue for the three-month period ended March 31, 2025 was $0.3M compared to $0.6M in the same period of the prior year.
- Net loss and comprehensive loss for the three-month period ended March 31, 2025 was $3M compared to $3.4M in the same period of the prior year.
Management is proud to highlight several recent milestones that demonstrate significant recent progress:
- In April 2025, Next Hydrogen received a $5M working capital debt facility from the Export Development Canada (“EDC”), of which approximately $3M has been received in cash and the remaining $2M is expected later in the year. Next Hydrogen intends to use the funds for its scale up and general corporate purposes.
- Next Hydrogen has achieved over 40,000 hours of data on its test platform driving the significant improvement in cell performance achieved to date.
- In March 2025, Next Hydrogen partnered with a leading hydrogen production system manufacturer with an existing gigawatt scale manufacturing facility to accelerate the scale-up and commercialization of its water electrolysis technology. This partnership provides Next Hydrogen with world-leading manufacturing capacity and competitively positions it to bid on large-scale projects globally starting in 2026. Next Hydrogen will continue to maintain control over intellectual property and electrolyzer design. The Company also aims to further expand its Canadian operations to ensure flexible supply chain and production that aligns with evolving clean energy policies, driving global green hydrogen adoption.
- In March 2025, Next Hydrogen received ISO 9001-2015 and ISO 45001-2018 certifications for its 6610 Edwards Boulevard site in Mississauga, Canada. This demonstrates and certifies Next Hydrogen’s standardized quality systems, health and safety management systems, supplier selection processes, and continuous improvement processes. These certifications show that the Company has an efficient operating system capable of scaling to support its expanding customer base.
- In March 2025, the Company appointed Adarsh Mehta to the Company’s board of directors (the “Board”). Ms. Mehta filled the vacancy on the Board resulting from the resignation of Mr. Matthew Fairlie, who resigned from the Board effective January 15, 2025. Ms. Mehta is VP of Business Development at Jenner Renewable Consulting, with 22 years of experience in renewable energy, leading technical reviews, due diligence, and development for over 2,500MW of wind and solar projects in the Americas. She served on the Canadian Wind Energy Association’s Board from 2008 to 2015 and was Chairperson in 2011. Her extensive expertise in renewable energy and project development is crucial for the Company’s growth.
- As of December 2024, the Company closed a private placement offering (the “Offering”) and received unsecured convertible debentures (each, a “Debenture”) consisting of about $2.7M principal amount of Debentures. Next Hydrogen intends to use the proceeds of the Offering to invest in its scale-up efforts and for general corporate purposes.
- In November 2024, Next Hydrogen and Pratt & Whitney announced a collaboration to demonstrate the use of hydrogen in aircraft engines as an enabler for reducing CO2 emissions. This project is partially funded by Canada’s Initiative for Sustainable Aviation Technology (“INSAT”) and will accelerate the Company’s efforts towards high efficiency, low-cost electrolyzers which are needed for establishing hydrogen production infrastructure for aviation fuel.
- In October 2024, the Company successfully completed a durability test of its second-generation water electrolyzer technology (“GEN2”) electrolysis cells used in the efficient production of green hydrogen. The GEN2 cells will be deployed in Next Hydrogen electrolyzers at customer sites for commercial operation. Next Hydrogen previously reported that it has achieved its energy efficiency targets cell performance of 1.90 V/cell at 1 A/cm2 and 70°C for its GEN2 water electrolyzer technology which exceeded the reported US Department of Energy (“DOE”) technical targets status for energy efficiency. The GEN2 performance achievement has positioned the Company to being the industry leader in electrolysis cell performance.
- In September 2024, the Company successfully completed an extended Factory Acceptance Test for its GEN2 electrolysis cells. The Company plans to commission the system at an external reference site for market demonstration in 2025.
- In August 2024, the Company was awarded a contract by the University of Minnesota (“UMN”) for its latest generation electrolysis technology to be installed at the UMN West Central Research and Outreach Center (“WCROC”). The WCROC project is supported by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Project Agency (“ARPA-E”) as well as other partners including RTI International (“RTI”) and will include technologies from Casale SA, RTI, UMN, Nutrien and Shell to demonstrate the production of ammonia from renewable energy targeting emerging energy markets and existing agricultural markets. Next Hydrogen will be supplying its latest third-generation Alkaline Water Electrolyzers featuring further advancements in energy efficiency, current density and operating pressure.
For a more detailed discussion of Next Hydrogen’s first quarter results, please see the Company’s financial statements and management’s discussion and analysis, which are available on the Company’s website at nexthydrogen.com or on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.

In addition, to better understand our achievements from 2024 and the outlook for 2025, please refer to the CEO letter included in the 2024 year-end MD&A.

About Next Hydrogen

Founded in 2007, Next Hydrogen is a designer and manufacturer of electrolyzers that use water and electricity as inputs to generate clean hydrogen for use as an energy source. Next Hydrogen’s unique cell design architecture supported by 40 patents enables high current density operations and superior dynamic response to efficiently convert intermittent renewable electricity into green hydrogen on an infrastructure scale. Following successful pilots, Next Hydrogen is scaling up its technology to deliver commercial solutions to decarbonize industrial and transportation sectors.

Contact Information

Raveel Afzaal, President and Chief Executive Officer
Next Hydrogen Solutions Inc.
Email: rafzaal@nexthydrogen.com
Phone: 647-961-6620

www.nexthydrogen.com

Cautionary Statements

This news release contains “forward-looking information” and “forward-looking statements”. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements and are based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this news release. Any statement that involves discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often but not always using phrases such as “expects”, or “does not expect”, “is expected”, “anticipates” or “does not anticipate”, “plans”, “budget”, “scheduled”, “forecasts”, “estimates”, “believes” or “intends” or variations of such words and phrases or stating that certain actions, events or results “may” or “could”, “would”, “might” or “will” be taken to occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to: the risks associated with the hydrogen industry in general; delays or changes in plans with respect to infrastructure development or capital expenditures; cell efficiency targets; expected order sizes for the product line; customer relationships and customer terms for testing of products at a customer site; the ability of the Corporation to optimize energy efficiencies; the Corporation’s available resources to double its growing backlog; uncertainty with respect to the timing of any contemplated transactions or partnerships, or whether such contemplated transactions or partnerships will be completed at all; whether the uncertainty of estimates and projections relating to costs and expenses; failure to obtain necessary regulatory approvals; health, safety and environmental risks; uncertainties resulting from potential delays or changes in plans with respect to infrastructure developments or capital expenditures; currency exchange rate fluctuations; as well as general economic conditions, stock market volatility; and the ability to access sufficient capital. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements and information contained in this news release. Except as required by law, there will be no obligation to update the forward-looking statements of beliefs, opinions, projections, or other factors, should they change.

The MIL Network –
May 15, 2025
MIL-OSI Economics: Samsung ‘Galaxy empowered’ launches Immersive Programme for Bhutan’s Teaching Community

Source: Samsung

The ‘Galaxy empowered’ Community from Bhutan

Samsung, India’s largest consumer electronics brand, is welcoming passionate educators from remote corners of Bhutan into its growing community, ‘Galaxy empowered’, a one-of-a-kind community-led programme designed to transform education by empowering teachers, principals, and administrators in the education sector.

‘Galaxy empowered’, which aims to prepare teachers for the classrooms of tomorrow through recurring on-ground and online learning events, was launched in India in December 2024. Now, through immersive workshops and collaborative learning, Bhutanese teachers are also part of the movement that is redefining classrooms with technology and innovation.

Samsung organised a ‘Galaxy empowered’ immersion programme for these educators, many of whom serve in remote and underserved communities in Bhutan, at its Executive Business Centre (EBC) in Gurugram. During the immersion programme, teachers gained hands-on experience with the Galaxy ecosystem, including Galaxy smartphones, Galaxy Books, Tablets, flipboards, and displays.

In addition, they were introduced to Samsung’s latest innovations in education, including Galaxy devices and Galaxy AI applications tailored for modern, inclusive teaching. This was facilitated in partnership with the Teacher and Educational Leadership Division (TELD), Department of School Education, Ministry of Education and Skills Development, Bhutan.

“I had never used an interactive whiteboard before. Seeing it in action gave me so many ideas for making lessons more engaging for my students,” said Khandu, teacher at Wangdue Primary School.

Innovation spreading smiles across

The Immersion Programme at Samsung Regional Headquarter witnessed the participation of educators from various schools across Bhutan, including Khandothang Primary School (Samtse), Pelrithang Higher Secondary School (Gelephu, Sarpang), Lobesa Lower Secondary School (Punakha Dzongkhag), Yoechen Central School (Pema Gatshel), Phuentsholing Primary School (Phuentsholing Thromde), and Chhukha Dzongkhag, among others.

“The technology we saw today showed how classrooms can become more exciting and student-friendly. I am thinking about how we can try small changes in our own schools,” said Ghana Shyam Dhungana, Academic Head at Pelrithang Higher Secondary School (Gelephu, Sarpang).

As a global leader in technology, Samsung is dedicated to transforming the future of education by developing future-ready classrooms that empower teachers to integrate the latest technology and modern teaching methodologies. Through initiatives such as ‘Galaxy empowered’, Samsung not only supports educators but also helps schools emerge as leaders in educational innovation.

Taking a glance into the future

“At Samsung, we understand that empowering a teacher is about inspiring a transformation that turns classrooms into vibrant spaces of curiosity, creativity, and connection. Through ‘Galaxy empowered’, we aim to ignite a spark that shapes the minds of future generations. We are proud to see this programme expand its reach beyond India, evolving into a global platform for learning and collaboration,” said a Samsung India spokesperson.

The ‘Galaxy empowered’ programme is offered free of charge to both teachers and schools, ensuring that valuable resources for educational advancement are accessible without financial constraints. It offers no-cost online training, self-paced courses on the Galaxy empowered site, and physical boot camps.

“This visit reminded me that technology is not only for big cities. With the right support, even remote schools can benefit from these innovations,” said Pema Dorji, Officiating Principal at Jigmeling Primary School (Tang, Bumthang).

In India, under the umbrella of ‘Galaxy empowered’, over 4,800 teachers from more than 250 schools have been awarded certificates since December 2024. The programme aims to empower 20,000 teachers across 600 schools of India by 2025.

MIL OSI Economics –

May 15, 2025
MIL-OSI New Zealand: EIT staff and students take icy plunge for mental health

Source: Eastern Institute of Technology – Tairāwhiti

39 minutes ago

EIT staff and students embraced the cold, plunging into an ice bath at the Hawke’s Bay campus as part of an initiative to raise awareness for mental health.

Held on Tuesday, the challenge saw Head of the School of Trades Todd Rogers, Dean Helen Ryan-Stewart, Mental Health Lecturer Chris Malcolm, and Ira White from Human Resources take turns submerging themselves in freezing water alongside three student volunteers.

The initiative was part of a global resurgence of cold-water challenges, revived in the United States nearly a decade after the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, using the hashtag #SpeakYourMIND to raise mental health awareness.

Dean Helen Ryan-Stewart, Ira White from Human Resources, Mental Health Lecturer Chris Malcolm and Head of the School of Trades Todd Rogers took turns submerging themselves in freezing water to raise funds and awareness for mental health.

A crowd of supporters gathered with cheers, laughter, and plenty of encouragement as each “dipper” stepped up to the tub. The event combined light-hearted fun with a serious message, promoting open conversations around mental health and showing solidarity with those facing mental health challenges. Funds raised went to the Jolly Good Chaps Charitable Trust.

Ira showed particular resilience, taking a full bucket of ice-cold water over the head with a smile.

All four staff members embraced the challenge with good humour and were met with enthusiastic applause.

“Hopping into a bucket of ice is never easy,” Todd said.

Chris said mental health was an important focus. “One of the key things was resilience, so we wanted to test the resilience of some of these people hopping in the ice.”

Leanne Harkness, who helped coordinate the event, said the turnout and energy on the day reflected strong support for student mental health. “It’s been quite a warm day, so it was lucky for our dippers.”

Watch the video of the challenge here.

MIL OSI New Zealand News –

May 15, 2025
MIL-OSI Europe: Audience with the Brothers of the Christian Schools

Source: The Holy See

This morning, the Holy Father Leo XIV met with the Brothers of the Christian Schools. The following is the address delivered by the Pope to those present at the audience:

Address of the Holy Father
In the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, peace be with you.
Your Eminence,
Dear brothers and sisters, welcome!
I am very pleased to receive you, in the third centenary of the promulgation of the Bull In apostolicae Dignitatis solio, with which Pope Benedict XIII approved your Institute and your Regulations (26 January 1725). It also coincides with the 75th anniversary of the proclamation, by Pope Pius XII, of Saint John Baptist de La Salle as “Heavenly patron of all educators” (cf. Apostolic Letter Quod ait, 15 May 1950: AAS 12, 1950, 631-632.
After three centuries, it is good to see how your presence continues to bear the freshness of a rich and vast educational entity, with which, in various parts of the world, you still dedicate yourselves to the formation of the young with enthusiasm, fidelity and a spirit of sacrifice.
Precisely in the light of this anniversary, I would like to pause and reflect with you on two aspects of your history that I consider important for all of us: attention to current events and the ministerial and missionary dimension of teaching in the community.
The beginnings of your work say a great deal about “current events”. Saint John Baptist de La Salle began by responding to the request for help from a layperson, Adriano Nyel, who was struggling to maintain his “school of the poor”. Your founder recognized in his request for help a sign of God; he accepted the challenge and set to work. Thus, beyond his own intentions and expectations, he brought to life to a new teaching system: that of the Christian Schools, free and open to everyone. Among the innovative elements he introduced in this pedagogical revolution were the teaching of classes and no longer of individual pupils; instead of Latin, the adoption of French as the language of instruction, which was accessible to all; Sunday lessons, in which even young people forced to work on weekdays were able to participate; and the involvement of families in the school curriculum, according to the principle of the “educational triangle”, which is still valid today. Thus, problems, as they arose, instead of discouraging him, stimulated him to seek creative answers and to venture onto new and often unexplored paths.
All this can but make us think, and it also raises useful questions. What, in the world of youth today, are the most urgent challenges to be faced? What values are to be promoted? What resources can be counted on?
Young people of our time, like those of every age, are a volcano of life, energy, sentiments and ideas. It can be seen from the wonderful things they are able to do, in so many fields. However, they also need help in order for this great wealth to grow in harmony, and to overcome what, albeit in a different way to the past, can still hinder their healthy development.
While, for example, in the seventeenth century the use of the Latin language was an insuperable barrier to communication for many people, today there are other obstacles to be faced. Think of the isolation caused by rampant relational models increasingly marked by superficiality, individualism and emotional instability; the spread of patterns of thought weakened by relativism; and the prevalence of rhythms and lifestyles in which there is not enough room for listening, reflection and dialogue, at school, in the family, and sometimes among peers themselves, with consequent loneliness.
These are demanding challenges, but we too, like Saint John Baptist de La Salle, can turn them into springboards to explore ways, develop tools and adopt new languages to continue to touch the hearts of pupils, helping them and spurring them on to face every obstacle with courage in order to give the best of themselves in life, according to God’s plans. In this sense, the attention you pay, in your schools, to the training of teachers and to the creation of educating communities in which the teaching effort is enriched by the contribution of all is commendable. I encourage you to continue along these paths.
But I would like to point out another aspect of the Lasallian reality that I consider important: teaching lived as ministry and mission, as consecration in the Church. Saint John Baptist de La Salle did not want there to be priests among the teachers of the Christian Schools, but only “brothers”, so that all your efforts would be directed, with God’s help, to the education of the pupils. He loved to say: “Your altar is the cathedra”, thus promoting a reality hitherto unknown in the Church of his time: that of lay teachers and catechists, invested in the community with a genuine “ministry”, in accordance with the principle of evangelizing by educating, and educating by evangelizing (cf. Francis, Address to participants in the General Chapter of the Brothers of the Christian Schools, 21 May 2022).
In this way the charism of the school, which you embrace with the fourth vow of teaching, besides being a service to society and a valuable work of charity, still appears today as one of the most beautiful and eloquent expressions of that priestly, prophetic and kingly munus we have all received in Baptism, as highlighted in the documents of the Vatican Council II. Thus, in your educational entities, religious brothers make prophetically visible, through their consecration, the baptismal ministry that spurs everyone (cf. Dogmatic Constitution Lumen Gentium, 44), each according to his or her status and duties, without differences, “as living members, to expend all their energy for the growth of the Church and its continuous sanctification” (ivi., 33).
For this reason, I hope that vocations to Lasallian religious consecration may grow, that they may be encouraged and promoted, in your schools and outside them, and that, in synergy with all the other formative components, they may contribute to inspiring joyful and fruitful paths of holiness among the young people who attend them.
Thank you for what you do! I pray for you, and I impart to you the apostolic Blessing, which I gladly extend to all the Lasallian Family.

MIL OSI Europe News –

May 15, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: Rosneft held an IT competition for students of Krasnoyarsk universities

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

Source: Rosneft – Rosneft – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

Rosneft’s Research Institute in Krasnoyarsk organized a hackathon at the Siberian Federal University to develop software for hydrodynamic well studies.

The participants’ task was to create a prototype of a program that optimizes the processing and analysis of research results by visualizing the entire technological complex of works during well research. Students from the Institute of Oil and Gas, the Institute of Mathematics and Applied Informatics, and the Institute of Space and Information Technologies of the Siberian Federal University took part in the hackathon.

Eight teams successfully completed the task. According to the decision of the expert jury, which included Rosneft specialists and university teachers, two teams won the hackathon at once, one of which completed the task most accurately, and the second created an effective solution in terms of the structure and organization of software elements and hardware components. Both proposed solutions present broad opportunities for the development and implementation of a digital product within the Company.

Digitalization of business processes is one of the key objectives of the Rosneft 2030 strategy. The company continuously implements advanced technological solutions for data analysis to improve the efficiency of work processes in all areas of its activities. Conducting specialized hackathons allows Rosneft to solve real production problems and develop the potential of future industry professionals in managing digital projects.

Reference:

Rosneft has been cooperating with the Siberian Federal University since 2008. With the financial and organizational assistance of the Company, an educational and laboratory building of the Institute of Oil and Gas, equipped with modern equipment, was built at SFU. This is one of the most popular institutes among applicants.

Department of Information and Advertising of PJSC NK Rosneft May 15, 2025

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

MIL OSI Russia News –

May 15, 2025
MIL-OSI New Zealand: Return to EIT for new Head of Research

Source: Eastern Institute of Technology – Tairāwhiti

2 days ago

Dr Sally Rye (Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāti Porou) has been appointed as Head of Research at EIT, marking a return to the institution where her academic journey began.

She brings more than a decade of experience across education, health, and social development, with a strong focus on kaupapa Māori and community-led research.

Sally returns to Hawke’s Bay after holding national roles in the tertiary and public sectors, most recently at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa.

Dr Sally Rye (Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāti Porou) has been appointed Head of Research at EIT.

Her interdisciplinary background includes business development, social work, youth development, mental health, addictions, and teaching.

She is widely recognised for her innovative approach to research centred on wellbeing, equity, and mātauranga Māori.

She says the decision to take on the role was grounded in a desire to contribute to her own community and invest in the future of her mokopuna.

“EIT is deeply embedded in this region. For me, this role is about returning home — not just geographically, but to a place that shaped who I am. I’m here to support a research culture that reflects our people, our priorities and our potential,” she says.

Her vision includes strengthening communities of practice, where staff and external partners can collaborate on shared kaupapa, and making research more visible, vibrant, and relevant to everyday life.

“I want to shift the perception of research from something isolated or academic to something aspirational, creative and community driven. Whether it’s improving local health outcomes, celebrating cultural knowledge, or informing how we teach, research should be part of everything we do.”

Sally also brings a deeply personal connection to her research practice. Her doctoral work explored the relationship between gut health, brain function and wellbeing — a journey inspired by her own health challenges. This work evolved into a holistic, kaupapa Māori programme that helped hundreds of wāhine Māori reclaim their hauora through nutrition, spirituality, connection, and movement.

She remains active in both national and international research spaces and recently presented at the Eru Pōmare Centre at Otago University in Wellington.

Sally was formally welcomed onto the Taradale campus at a pōwhiri in February and officially began her role in March. She is currently connecting with staff across all EIT campuses and welcomes interest from those keen to collaborate or join a community of research practice.

Dr Helen Ryan-Stewart, EIT’s Executive Dean, Education, Humanities and Health Science, said: “We are delighted to welcome Sally to EIT”.

“Her experience across various disciplines combined with her passion for research and rangahau provide a perfect fit for our institution. Sally’s vision aligns with EIT’s goals and values, and her leadership will drive our research and innovation space forward.”

MIL OSI New Zealand News –

May 15, 2025
MIL-OSI: Colorado State University Selects Ambow’s HybriU Platform to Power the Future of Hybrid Learning

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

CUPERTINO, Calif., May 15, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Ambow Education Holding Ltd. (NYSE American: AMBO) (“Ambow” or the “Company”), a leading global EdTech and AI-powered solutions provider, today announced that it has entered into an agreement with Colorado State University for use of Ambow’s HybriU’s Digital Educational Solution platform to modernize classroom engagement and elevate the phygital (Physical + Digital) learning experience for students and faculty.

The HybriU “box-top” solution, selected by Colorado State University, is a compact, all-in-one, plug-and-play platform that transforms conventional physical classrooms into intelligent learning environments with seamless connectivity between in-person and remote learners. Through intelligent automation, the HybriU system integrates real-time lecture capture, multilingual transcription, AI-generated content summaries and immersive display capabilities. These robust, integrated functions synchronize in-room and remote participation seamlessly, making hybrid instruction more interactive, accessible and effective.

“Our latest HybriU installation reflects the growing urgency among leading institutions to rethink how learning happens,” said Dr. Jin Huang, CEO of Ambow. “The demands of higher education environments have changed, prompting universities to increasingly explore next-generation classrooms that meet the evolving needs of both students and faculty. With HybriU, universities can bridge physical and virtual classrooms, creating a phygital learning hub without overhauling infrastructure. It’s a powerful tool for improving engagement, accessibility and learning outcomes.”

HybriU’s deployment at Colorado State University reflects a broader shift across U.S. higher education, where institutions are actively seeking flexible, scalable solutions to elevate teaching, collaboration and student engagement. As hybrid learning becomes a foundational part of modern instruction, HybriU is emerging as a go-to platform for universities, training centers and corporate learning environments.

Designed for speed, simplicity, and seamless integration with existing classrooms, HybriU is redefining what’s possible in AI-enhanced education. Its growing presence in the U.S. education landscape underscores Ambow’s leadership in shaping the future of smart, inclusive and technology-forward learning. Ambow expects HybriU’s footprint in U.S. higher education to expand as more institutions adopt hybrid learning as a core component of their instructional models.

HybriU’s Digital Education solution is currently being used across the global education sector, including at Ambow’s wholly owned college, NewSchool of Architecture & Design, located in San Diego, Calif. NewSchool of Architecture & Design was ranked #23 in the nation for Social Mobility by U.S. News & World Report in its 2025 Regional Universities rankings.

In addition to Ambow’s HybriU Digital Education Solutions, which include HybriU as a box-top set and subscription-based model, Ambow offers HybriU Conferencing, providing phygital solutions for corporations from boardrooms to global summits.

To learn more or request a live demonstration of HybriU, visit www.hybriu.com.

About Ambow

Ambow Education Holding Ltd. is a U.S.-based, AI-driven technology company offering phygital (physical + digital) solutions for education, corporate conferencing and live events. Through its flagship platform, HybriU, Ambow is shaping the future of learning, collaboration and communication—delivering immersive, intelligent, real-time experiences across industries. For more information, visit Ambow’s corporate website at https://www.ambow.com/.

Follow us on X: @Ambow_Education
Follow us on LinkedIn: Ambow-education-group

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release contains statements of a forward-looking nature. These statements are made under the “safe harbor” provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. You can identify these forward-looking statements by terminology such as “will,” “expects,” “believes,” “anticipates,” “intends,” “estimates” and similar statements. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties and are based on current expectations, assumptions, estimates and projections about Ambow and the industry. All information provided in this press release is as of the date hereof, and Ambow undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent occurring events or circumstances, or changes in its expectations, except as may be required by law. Although Ambow believes that the expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot assure you that its expectations will turn out to be correct, and investors are cautioned that actual results may differ materially from the anticipated results.

For more information, please contact:

Ambow Education Holding Ltd.
E-mail: ir@ambow.com
or
Piacente Financial Communications
Tel: +1 212 481 2050
E-mail: ambow@tpg-ir.com

The MIL Network –

May 15, 2025
MIL-OSI Economics: Thales inaugurates GenF, a first step towards nuclear fusion energy
Source: Thales Group

Headline: Thales inaugurates GenF, a first step towards nuclear fusion energy

15 May 2025

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- Thales, a global leader in high-power lasers, will inaugurate GenF on Thursday 15 May 2025 in Le Barp (Bordeaux). GenF aims to take a major step toward in developing a new energy source that is safe, abundant, competitive and low-carbon, through inertial confinement nuclear fusion.
- GenF is working in collaboration with the CEA, CNRS, École polytechnique and the Nouvelle-Aquitaine Region to design a first inertial confinement fusion reactor.
- Thales is contributing its expertise in high-power lasers, developed at its Élancourt site, which enabled the company to build the world’s most powerful laser system, currently in operation in Romania.
Energy production through nuclear fusion is now identified as one of the solutions to address two crucial challenges: the need to reduce global carbon emissions and the ever-increasing energy demand across various sectors of the economy, such as transport, construction, agriculture and the digital industry. According to the IEA (International Energy Agency), electricity consumption by data centres is expected to more than double by 2030, particularly due to the rise of AI.

Nuclear fusion is therefore regarded as a tremendous opportunity to create a new energy source that is safe (it carries no risk of runaway reactions), abundant (its resources are widely available in nature), competitive and low-carbon (it emits no greenhouse gases). Furthermore, nuclear fusion generates one million times less radioactive waste than fission, and this waste can be eliminated more quickly.

To achieve nuclear fusion, extensive research is being carried out on two methods: magnetic confinement and inertial confinement. The inertial confinement method requires the use of high-energy lasers to compress matter and reach the thermonuclear conditions required for fusion. Significant scientific progress is still needed for this method of energy production to be deployed.

To ensure that France remains one of the pioneering countries in this field, the government, via BPI France, launched a call for projects on “innovative nuclear reactors” in June 2023, under the France 2030 initiative. Drawing on its expertise in high-power lasers, Thales submitted the TARANIS project, in partnership with the CEA, the CNRS and École polytechnique, to demonstrate the feasibility of designing a first inertial confinement nuclear fusion reactor. The project was selected in February 2024, giving it access to a €18,5 million budget for its initial development phase. To bring together the essential complementary expertise, Thales created the company GenF, officially launched in January 2025, and signed a first contract worth several million euros for the development of its fusion laser.

GenF will progress through three development phases:
1. By 2027, GenF plans a first phase of modelling and simulation, calibrated through experiments on existing facilities such as LMJ;
2. From 2027 to 2035, a second phase will focus on the maturation of fusion technologies such as multiple laser synchronisation, the production of cryogenic targets and the development of new materials for the reactor wall;
3. From 2035, a third phase could lead to the scaling-up of the reactor, with the construction of a first prototype.
GenF currently brings together around ten scientists, engineers and industrial experts and involves about forty people from all the institutions combined. The company will inaugurate its premises in Le Barp (Bordeaux) on Thursday 15 May 2025, with support from the Nouvelle-Aquitaine Regional Council—region that already brings together many areas of expertise in nuclear fusion, including the Centre Lasers Intenses et Applications (CELIA – CNRS/University of Bordeaux/CEA) and the Centre d’Études Scientifiques et Techniques d’Aquitaine (CESTA – CEA).

Thales has 40 years of experience in high-power lasers. From design and development to installation, team training and operational support, Thales masters the entire high-power laser expertise chain, which includes laser sources from 10 TW to 10 petawatts, beam transport lines, target focusing optics and quality control systems. Thales has also been active in nuclear fusion for over 25 years, particularly as a lead contractor for subassemblies as part of the Laser Mégajoule programme, a research initiative on inertial confinement fusion developed by the CEA. In addition, at its Vélizy and Thonon sites, Thales develops high-power electronic tubes for magnetic confinement fusion reactors, including for the international ITER demonstrator.
MIL OSI Economics –
May 15, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Eclipses, Auroras, and the Spark of Becoming: NASA Inspires Future Scientists

Source: NASA

In the heart of Alaska’s winter, where the night sky stretches endlessly and the aurora dances across the sky in a display of ethereal beauty, nine undergraduate students from across the United States were about to embark on a transformative journey. These students had been active ‘NASA Partner Eclipse Ambassadors’ in their home communities, nine of more than 700 volunteers who shared the science and awe of the 2024 eclipse with hundreds of thousands of people across the country as part of the NASA Science Activation program’s Eclipse Ambassadors project. Now, these nine were chosen to participate in a once-in a lifetime experience as a part of the “Eclipses to Aurora” Winter Field School at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Organized by the Astronomical Society of the Pacific and NASA’s Aurorasaurus Citizen Science project, supported by NASA, this program offered more than just lectures—it was an immersive experience into the wonders of heliophysics and the profound connections between the Sun and Earth.
From January 4 to 11, 2025, the students explored the science behind the aurora through seminars on solar and space physics, hands-on experiments, and tours of cutting-edge research facilities like the Poker Flat Research Range. They also gained invaluable insight from Athabaskan elders, who shared local stories and star knowledge passed down through generations. As Feras recalled, “We attended multiple panels on solar and space physics, spoke to local elders on their connection to the auroras, and visited the Poker Flat Research Range to observe the stunning northern lights.”
For many students, witnessing the aurora was not only a scientific milestone, but a deeply personal and emotional experience. One participant, Andrea, described it vividly: “I looked to the darkest horizon I could find to see my only constant dream fulfilled before my eyes, so slowly dancing and bending to cradle the stars. All I could do, with my hands frozen and tears falling, I began to dream again with my eyes wide open.” Another student, Kalid, reflected on the shared human moment: “Standing there under the vast Alaskan sky… we were all just people, looking up, waiting for something magical. The auroras didn’t care about our majors or our knowledge—they brought us together under the same sky.”
These moments of wonder were mirrored by a deeper sense of purpose and transformation. “Over the course of the week, I had the incredible opportunity to explore auroras through lectures on solar physics, planetary auroras, and Indigenous star knowledge… and to reflect on these experiences through essays and presentations,” said Sophia. The Winter Field School was more than an academic endeavor—it was a celebration of science, culture, and shared human experience. It fostered not only understanding but unity and awe, reminding everyone involved of the profound interconnectedness of our universe.
The impact of the program continues to resonate. For many students, that one aurora-lit week in Alaska became a turning point in the focus of their careers. Sophia has since been accepted into graduate school to pursue heliophysics. Vishvi, inspired by the intersection of science and society, will begin a program in medical physics at the University of Pennsylvania this fall. And Christy, moved by her time at the epicenter of aurora research, has applied to the Ph.D. program in Space Physics at the University of Alaska Fairbanks—the very institution that helped spark her journey. Their stories are powerful proof that the Winter Field School didn’t just teach—it awakened purpose, lit new paths, and left footprints on futures still unfolding.
Eclipse Ambassadors is supported by NASA under cooperative agreement award number 80NSS22M0007 and is part of NASA’s Science Activation Portfolio. Learn more about how Science Activation connects NASA science experts, real content, and experiences with community leaders to do science in ways that activate minds and promote deeper understanding of our world and beyond: https://science.nasa.gov/learn/about-science-activation/

MIL OSI USA News –

May 15, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: NASA Awards Launch Service Task Order for Aspera’s Galaxy Mission

Source: NASA

NASA has selected Rocket Lab USA Inc. of Long Beach, California, to launch the agency’s Aspera mission, a SmallSat to study galaxy formation and evolution, providing new insights into how the universe works.
The selection is part of NASA’s Venture-Class Acquisition of Dedicated and Rideshare (VADR) launch services contract. This contract allows the agency to make fixed-price indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity launch service task order awards during VADR’s five-year ordering period, with a maximum total contract value of $300 million.
Through the observation of ultraviolet light, Aspera will examine hot gas in the space between galaxies, called the intergalactic medium. The mission will study the inflow and outflow of gas from galaxies, a process thought to contribute to star formation.
Aspera is part of NASA’s Pioneers Program in the Astrophysics Division at NASA Headquarters in Washington, which funds compelling astrophysics science at a lower cost using small hardware and modest payloads. The principal investigator for Aspera is Carlos Vargas at the University of Arizona in Tucson. NASA’s Launch Services Program, based at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, manages the VADR contract.
To learn more about NASA’s Aspera mission and the Pioneers Program, visit:
https://go.nasa.gov/42U1Wkn
-end-
Joshua Finch / Tiernan DoyleHeadquarters, Washington202-358-1600joshua.a.finch@nasa.gov / tiernan.doyle@nasa.gov
Patti BiellingKennedy Space Center, Florida321-501-7575patricia.a.bielling@nasa.gov

MIL OSI USA News –

May 15, 2025
MIL-OSI Europe: Ireland’s Competitiveness Confirmed – Minister Peter Burke
Source: Government of Ireland – Department of Jobs Enterprise and Innovation

15th May 2025

The Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Peter Burke, has welcomed the publication of Re-estimating Ireland’s International Competitiveness Performance, the latest bulletin by the National Competitiveness and Productivity Council (NCPC).

Minister Burke said:

“This analysis marks a very welcome contribution by the Council and confirms that the Irish economy is internationally competitive. However, we cannot become complacent, and there remains work to do in many areas. The Council’s findings will make a valuable contribution in the preparation of the Action Plan on Competitiveness and Productivity.”

“Despite our strong international performance, we are also aware that there are challenges, and it is important that we do not take our current strengths for granted. This is reflected in the decision taken by Cabinet to expedite delivery of the Action Plan, which will play a key role in addressing these challenges and safeguarding our competitiveness performance into the future.”

This Bulletin explores how Ireland’s performance in the IMD World Competitiveness Ranking 2024 is affected when selected indicators are rescaled using Modified Gross National Income (GNI*) in place of Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

The findings show that Ireland’s competitiveness performance remains strong with this adjustment. In fact, it rises by one position in the ranking, with improvements in three of the four pillars. The analysis explores how Ireland’s competitiveness profile changes when key metrics are recalibrated to better reflect the scale of the domestic economy.

The IMD World Competitiveness Ranking is a widely used international benchmark, assessing over 60 economies across four key pillars and 20 sub-pillars, and based on 250 individual measures. In the 2024 IMD results, Ireland was ranked 4th overall. The analysis included in this Bulletin involves replicating the IMD methodology from the ground up, in order to facilitate the substitution of GNI* for GDP for Ireland.

Key findings from the Bulletin include:
- Ireland’s competitiveness ranking improves by one place when GDP-based indicators are adjusted using GNI*, with notable gains in Economic Performance (up seven places) and Infrastructure (up two places). Business Efficiency is unchanged, while Government Efficiency declines slightly, reflecting a more constrained fiscal profile when public finance metrics are expressed over a smaller income base.
- The analysis underscores the importance of context-sensitive benchmarking, especially when using international indices to inform national policy. This Bulletin highlights the need to interpret international indices critically, understanding their underlying assumptions, and where necessary, supplementing them with alternative analyses that better capture national circumstances.
NOTES TO EDITORS

The National Competitiveness and Productivity Council (NCPC) was established in 1997 (then the National Competitiveness Council) to report to the Taoiseach, through the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, on key competitiveness issues facing the Irish economy. In 2019, the NCPC was designated as Ireland’s National Productivity Board.

As part of its work, the NCPC makes recommendations on policy actions required to enhance Ireland’s competitive position. The NCPC publishes three main research outputs:
- The Competitiveness Scorecard benchmarks Ireland against international competitors on areas of competitiveness and productivity. This is published every three years (and was last published in 2024).
- The Competitiveness Challenge is an annual publication in which the NCPC makes recommendations for Government on key challenges to Ireland’s international competitiveness.
- NCPC Bulletins are short and focused research notes, examining specific topics within the sphere of competitiveness and productivity. The NCPC releases multiple Bulletins each year. These short pieces often feed into the NCPC’s main Challenges report.
The members of the Council are:

Dr. Frances Ruane Chair, National Competitiveness and Productivity Council

Dr. Laura Bambrick Head of Social Policy & Employment Affairs, ICTU

Edel Clancy Group Director of Corporate Affairs, Musgrave Group

Kevin Sherry Interim Chief Executive, Enterprise Ireland

Ciaran Conlon Director of Public Policy, Microsoft Ireland

Luiz de Mello Director of Country Studies, Economics Department, OECD

Maeve Dineen Chair of Ireland’s Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman

Brian McHugh Chairperson, Competition and Consumer Protection Commission

Gary Tobin Assistant Secretary, Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment

Michael Lohan Chief Executive, IDA Ireland

Liam Madden Independent Consultant, Semiconductor Industry

Neil McDonnell Chief Executive, ISME

Bernadette McGahon Director of Innovation Services, Industry Research & Development Group

Danny McCoy Chief Executive, IBEC

Michael Taft Research Officer, SIPTU

Representatives from the Departments of An Taoiseach; Agriculture, Food and the Marine; Environment, Climate and Communications; Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science; Social Protection; Finance; Housing, Local Government and Heritage; Justice; Public Expenditure and Reform; Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, and Transport attend Council meetings in an advisory capacity.

Research, Analysis and Secretariat from the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment:

Dr. Dermot Coates

Rory Mulholland

Dr. Keith Fitzgerald

Pádraig O’Sullivan

Erika Valiukaite

Jordan O’Donoghue

Patrick Connolly

ENDS

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MIL OSI Europe News –
May 15, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: New energy upgrades for public buildings to save taxpayers money
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

Press release

New energy upgrades for public buildings to save taxpayers money

Schools, community centres and care homes receive new awards to upgrade their buildings and save money off bills in the long term.
Local community buildings will benefit from cheaper energy bills in the years to come, thanks to funding allocated by the government

schools, community centres and care homes will benefit from upgrades, contributing to an estimated £650 million in savings for taxpayers per year on average to 2037

Pupils at schools, residents at care homes, and users of community centres will all be given a boost today, as the government allocates funding to help cut energy bills for public buildings in the years to come.

The social institutions that allow local communities to thrive, such as schools, hospitals, and care homes, will be given extra help to make energy saving upgrades and tackle costs, allowing more money to be spent on the services that people care about.

More than £630 million has been awarded for measures including heat pumps, solar panels, insulation and double glazing, helping to make Britain energy secure as part of the Plan for Change while contributing to an estimated £650 million in savings for taxpayers per year on average over the next 12 years.

The Liverpool City Region Combined Authority has been awarded over £30 million to install heat pumps at Queens Park Leisure Centre, Birkenhead Central Library and Chase Heys Home for the Elderly, while the Northumbria NHS Foundation Trust will receive more than £14 million to replace fossil fuel heating at two sites, helping power these pillars of the local community with cleaner, homegrown energy.

The Royal Air Force Museum Midlands will benefit from £1 million to install heat pumps and solar panels at one of its aircraft hangars, and Worcester City Council will receive £90,000 to upgrade the King George V Community Centre, which is used for employability training and youth activities, with new heat pumps, solar panels and double glazing.

The University of York has been awarded £35 million to capture energy from beneath the Earth’s surface to help deliver low-carbon heat to buildings on campus, while the National Portrait Gallery has been awarded over £5 million to switch to heat pumps in its main public gallery and Orange Street building, which houses the historic archives of the library.

Minister for Energy Consumers Miatta Fahnbulleh said:

Today we are providing even more support for Britain’s buildings – from schools to museums and galleries – helping to rebuild vital public services as part of the Plan for Change.

This investment will see local communities benefit from our sprint to clean power, with warm public buildings, run more affordably.

An extra £102 million from the Green Heat Network Fund will help to develop new and existing heat networks in England, including the Hemiko South Westminster Area Network (SWAN), which could help to decarbonise iconic landmarks like the Houses of Parliament using waste heat from the River Thames.

This follows Great British Energy’s first major project to put solar panels on around 200 schools and 200 NHS sites, helping them to reinvest savings on their energy bills in teaching and healthcare.

Vice-Chancellor Professor at the University of York Charlie Jeffery said:

Our geothermal project will be a powerful catalyst in our journey towards net zero, offering a significant reduction in carbon emissions and a greener future.

Beyond its crucial environmental impact, the site will serve as a living laboratory that will drive research, educate our students and bring benefits beyond our campus.

The support from the government is a vital catalyst for this transformative endeavour, which we believe will empower the next generation of sustainability leaders and deepen community understanding of renewable energy technologies.

Policy Manager at Energy UK Louise Shooter said:

High energy bills have been a big headache for schools, hospitals, leisure centres and other community facilities in recent years – so it’s great to see them being helped to install energy saving measures and other green technology that will cut energy costs permanently while also enabling them to do their bit to reduce emissions. Energy UK’s members have been helping schools and hospitals across the country do the same and save money which means more funding for the essential services they provide. It’s a very tangible example of the benefits that come from investing in the switch to cleaner energy.

Head of External Affairs at ADE: Heat Networks Pablo John said:

Today’s investment in heat networks like the University of York’s geothermal project is a blueprint for Britain’s clean heat revolution. These networks capture every kilowatt of renewable energy and waste heat we produce, turning it into affordable warmth for consumers. York’s 78% cut in fossil fuels proves that when we back heat networks now – even outside of zones – we secure energy independence for good. Let’s build on this momentum by supporting heat network innovation everywhere and stop wasting the heat under our feet.

Director of Content and Programmes at the RAF Museum Karen Whitting said:

Warm thanks to the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero for their investment through the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme. This will enable us to introduce new, low/no-carbon technologies to a historic 1938 Type-C aircraft hangar as part of our Inspiring Everyone: RAF Museum Midlands Development Programme. The re-developed hangar will be used as a Learning Centre and exhibition gallery which will welcome and inspire around 500,000 visitors a year, sharing the nationally important Royal Air Force story. The project will make a major contribution to the RAF Museum’s Strategy including our commitment to achieving Carbon Net Zero.

Notes to editors

Decarbonising the public sector with low carbon heating and energy efficiency measures will save the public sector an estimated £650 million per year on average to 2037. The Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme is contributing towards delivering these savings for public sector organisations.

Applications for Phase 4 of the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme opened in October 2024. Funding for this phase is worth approximately £940 million and will run until financial year 2027/2028. Some remaining funding awards will be issued in the coming weeks.

As of May 2025, the regional breakdown for Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme Phase 4 funding is as follows:

North East: £65,191,456

Yorkshire and the Humber: £81,262,778

North West: £116,815,617

East Midlands: £73,405,602

West Midlands: £84,306,700

East of England: £29,149,553

South East: £35,720,404

South West: £30,002,246

Greater London: £113,914,685

Wales: £2,500,000

Across Regions: £1,325,000

The Green Heat Network Fund supports new and existing heat networks in England to adopt low carbon technologies such as heat pumps, recovered heat, geothermal and energy from waste. A total of over £484 million in awards to 40 projects has been made public since the launch of the scheme in 2022.

The projects included in this announcement, which have been awarded a total of over £102 million in grant funding are:

Derby Energy Network (Derby Energy Ltd): £23,240,000

Bristol City Centre (Bristol Heat Networks/Vattenfall): £21,300,000

SWAN (Hemiko): £21,000,000

Lincoln (Hemiko): £15,508,000

East London Energy (Bring Energy): £8,813,120

Trafford Civic Quarter Heat Networks (Trafford Metropolitan Borough Council): £5,750,000

West Bromwich Heat Network (Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council): £4,939,421

Mersey Biochar Heat Network (Severn Wye Energy Agency Ltd): £1,728,890

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Published 15 May 2025
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
May 15, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: Science Unites: Polytechnic and Universities of Uzbekistan Build a Sustainable Future

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

Source: Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University – Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University –

Teachers of the Institute of Industrial Management, Economics and Trade of SPbPU took part in the largest scientific events in the leading universities of Uzbekistan – inKarshi State University and the Tashkent State Technical University named after Islam Karimov, and also held open lectures for students of the Tashkent State University of Economics.

The international conference “Green Energy and Green Economy” was held at Karshi University, bringing together specialists from various countries. It was attended by teachers from three Higher Schools of IPMEiT: the Higher School of Engineering and Economics (HSE), the Higher School of Industrial Management (HSIM), and the Higher School of Service and Trade (HSST).

Professor of VIES Alexander Babkin, at the invitation of the organizing committee, became a speaker, plenary speaker and moderator of the section “Formation of a green economy”. He presented a report on the topic “Green digital intelligent economy and Industry 5.0/6.0”, in which he outlined a new paradigm of a green intelligent economy based on the ESG concept, focusing on the rapid development of digital technologies both in the economy and industry.

Interaction with specialists from the Faculty of Economics of Karshi State University has been going on for more than two years and is developing successfully. Having gathered on its site representatives of universities, scientific and public organizations, industrial enterprises, this conference has become a platform for exchanging knowledge and experience in the field of sustainable ESG development, – emphasized Alexander Vasilyevich.

At the plenary session in an online format, Olga Kalinina, Director of the Higher School of Industrial Management, spoke with a report on the results of the work obtained by the teachers of the Higher School of Industrial Management, working within the framework of the bachelor’s and master’s degree programs in energy management.

The second day of work was held in the format of sectional meetings, where the discussion of current issues on the conference topic continued. The sections in the online format were attended by teachers of the Higher School of Management and Management — associate professors Maxim Izmailov, Alexander Titov, Roman Okorokov and assistant Sergey Chayuk. They presented their scientific research in the field of strategies and methods for reducing the carbon footprint, prospects for using wave power plants in the context of digital transformation, features of digital transformation in the energy sector, as well as the practical application of artificial intelligence in the energy sector.

The second significant event for the development of international cooperation of the Polytechnic University was the participation of IPMEiT teachers at the invitation of the Tashkent State Technical University named after Islam Karimov (TashSTU) in the international scientific and practical conference “Optimization of Industrial Economics and Management Based on Innovative Technologies: Modern Approaches”.

Professor of VIES Alexander Babkin spoke at the plenary session with a report on the topic “The concept of digital strategizing the development of intelligent industrial ecosystems in the context of Industry 5.0/6.0”. At the plenary session of the TashSTU conference, Olga Kalinina, Director of the Higher School of Industrial Management, and Irina Zaychenko, Head of Educational Programs of the Functional Management Cluster, Associate Professor, spoke with a joint report on the topic: “The Role of Higher Education in the Sustainable Development of Society in the Training of Management Personnel for Industry in the Context of Digitalization”. In their speech, the colleagues highlighted the main features of training highly qualified personnel in the context of ensuring technological leadership.

Our cooperation with the Department of Economics and Management in Industry of TashSTU, headed by Professor Gulchekhra Allaeva, began in April 2022. During this time, not only certain scientific results were achieved, but also partnership and friendly relations were established between our structural divisions. I hope that we will not stop there and will continue to increase cooperation, – Olga Kalinina noted.

At the sectional meeting, Ekaterina Fedorakhina, an intern at the Higher School of Management and Management of Management, a 2nd-year Master of the educational program “Digital Business Management”, presented a report on the topic “Trends in the development of industry in the Russian Federation in the context of digital transformation.”

The reports of our colleagues from St. Petersburg set a high scientific level for the discussion. Their approaches to training personnel are especially relevant for our educational environment, – emphasized the organizer of the conference, head of the Department of Economics and Management in Industry at TashSTU Gulchekhra Allaeva.

Concluding the visit of Polytechnic representatives to universities in Uzbekistan, Acting Director of the Higher School of Public Administration Olga Nadezhina visited the Tashkent State University of Economics (TSUE), which is partner of our university from 2022.

She took part in a methodological seminar for teachers, organized by the Department of Economic Security of TSUE, where key areas of development of personnel training in the field of AML/CFT were discussed, including the introduction of advanced educational and scientific practices of the HSSU IPMEiT, the organization of joint scientific events for teachers and students, and the development of partnerships between the educational structural divisions of the two universities.

Cooperation between our universities opens new horizons for students and teachers, combining best practices and innovative approaches in education and science. I am confident that joint initiatives will make a significant contribution to the development of academic dialogue and the training of highly qualified specialists for our countries, Olga Nadezhina emphasized.

In addition, lectures and practical classes on the course “Food Security” were held for TSUE students, which aroused great interest and facilitated the exchange of relevant knowledge in this area.

Participation of IPMET representatives in major events of three universities of the Republic of Uzbekistan became another important step in strengthening scientific and educational cooperation and exchange of experience between Russian and Uzbek universities. Colleagues presented the results of fundamental, applied and methodological research that are part of the joint international research agenda in the field of green economy, industry and economic security in the context of digitalization and new reality, – summed up the work of IPMET representatives, Director of the Institute Vladimir Shchepinin.

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

MIL OSI Russia News –

May 15, 2025