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Category: Education

  • MIL-Evening Report: Poll shows Australians hate Trump policies and have lost trust in US, but still strongly believe in alliance

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

    Australians strongly disagree with key policies of US President Donald Trump, and have overwhelmingly lost trust in the United States to act responsibly in the world, according to the Lowy Institute’s 2025 poll.

    Despite this, 80% of people say the alliance is “very” or “fairly” important for Australia’s security, only fractionally down on last year’s 83%.

    The poll also found people nearly evenly divided on whether Peter Dutton (35%) or Anthony Albanese (34%) would be the better leader to manage Australia’s relations with Trump.

    But Albanese rated much more strongly than Dutton as better able to manage Australia’s relationship with China and President Xi Jinping (45% to 25%).

    Albanese was also well ahead (41%-29%) when people were asked who would be more competent at handling Austrlaia’s foreign policy over the next three years.

    The poll comes as the “Trump effect” has overshadowed the campaign, and increasingly worked against Dutton. Labor has cast Dutton as having looked to the US for policies, such as his proposed cuts to the public service. It has labelled him “DOGEy Dutton”, a reference to Elon Musk’s so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

    The Lowy poll of 2,117 people was taken between March 3 and 16. This was after Trump had announced plans for a 25% tariff on steel and aluminium imports, and other tariffs, but before his “Liberation Day” regime which saw a 10% general tariff hitting all countries.

    Trust in the US has plummeted since the last Lowy poll in 2024, with nearly two-thirds of respondents (64%) having little or no trust in the US to act responsibly in the world, compared with 44% a year before.

    This is a new low in the poll’s two-decade history. Trust fell dramatically among older voters. Trust was already relatively low among younger voters, and fell by a smaller margin.

    On various Trump stances, the poll found Australians most disapproving (89%) of Trump’s pressure on Denmark to sell or or hand over its self-governing territory of Greenland to the US.

    More than eight in ten (81%) disapproved of Trump’s use of tariffs to pressure other countries to comply with his administration’s objectives.

    Three-quarters disapproved of the US withdrawing from the World Health Organization (76%) and from international climate change agreements (74%).

    In addition, three-quarters (74%) disapproved of Trump negotiating a deal on the future of Ukraine with Russian President Vladimir Putin that might require Ukraine to accept a loss of territory. The dramatic Oval Office showdown between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and US Vice President JD Vance took place just before the survey.

    Australians also disapproved of the US cutting spending on foreign aid (64%) and undertaking mass deportations of undocumented migrants (56%).

    On Trump’s demand that US allies spend more on defence people were, however, evenly divided (49% approved/disapproved).

    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. Poll shows Australians hate Trump policies and have lost trust in US, but still strongly believe in alliance – https://theconversation.com/poll-shows-australians-hate-trump-policies-and-have-lost-trust-in-us-but-still-strongly-believe-in-alliance-254587

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Pope Francis and Laudato Si’: looking back at an ecological turning point for the Catholic Church

    Source: The Conversation – France – By Bernard Laurent, Professeur, EM Lyon Business School

    In Laudato Si’, Pope Francis called for a radical break with consumerist lifestyles. Ricardo Perna/Shutterstock

    On May 24, 2015, Pope Francis signed his encyclical Laudato Si’ – “Praise be to you” in medieval Italian. This letter to Roman Catholic bishops was no half measure: it took many Catholics by surprise with its uncompromising conclusions and call for an in-depth transformation of our lifestyles. In France, it managed to bring together both conservative currents – such as the Courant pour un écologie humaine (Movement for a Human Ecology), created in 2013 – and more open-minded Catholic intellectuals such as Gaël Giraud, a Jesuit and author of Produire plus, polluer moins: l’impossible découplage? (Produce more, Pollute Less: the Impossible Decoupling?).

    The Pope was taking a cue from his predecessors. Benedict XVI, John Paul II and Paul VI had also expressed concern about the dramatic effects of an abusive exploitation of nature on humanity:

    “Man is suddenly becoming aware that by an ill-considered exploitation of nature he risks destroying it and becoming in his turn the victim of this degradation.”

    What does Pope Francis’s encyclical teach us? And how does it reflect the Catholic Church’s vision, and his own?


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    The “green” pope

    In the text, Pope Francis describes a situation in which the environment is deteriorating rapidly:

    “There is […] pollution that affects everyone, caused by transport, industrial fumes, substances which contribute to the acidification of soil and water, fertilizers, insecticides, fungicides, herbicides and agrotoxins in general.” (§-20)

    The “green” pope published Laudato Si’ on June 18, 2015, a few months prior to the Paris climate conference. The aim was to raise public awareness around the challenges of global warming by creating a relational approach that included God, human beings and the Earth. It was the first time an encyclical had been devoted wholly to ecology.

    In it, the Pope voiced his concern about the effects of global warming:

    “Warming has effects on the carbon cycle. It creates a vicious circle which aggravates the situation even more, affecting the availability of essential resources like drinking water, energy and agricultural production in warmer regions, and leading to the extinction of part of the planet’s biodiversity.” (§-24)

    Criticizing a “technocratic paradigm”

    Since Pope Leo XIII’s Rerum Novarum, the various social encyclicals have consistently rejected the liberal idea of a society solely regulated by the smooth functioning of the market. The French sociologist of religion Émile Poulat summed up the Church’s position perfectly in 1977 in his book Église contre bourgeoisie. Introduction au devenir du catholicisme actuel, in which he writes that the Church “never agreed to abandon the running of the world to the blind laws of economics”.

    In 2015, Pope Francis rejected technical solutions that would not truly be useful, as well as the belief in the redeeming virtues of a self-regulating market. He accused “the technocratic paradigm” of dominating humankind by subordinating the economic and political spheres to its logic (§-101). His comments are reminiscent of the unjustly forgotten French Protestant philosopher Jacques Ellul and his idea of a limitless “self-propulsion” of technology, which has become the alpha and omega of our societies.

    For Jacques Ellul, technology is anything but neutral since it represents genuine power driven by its own movement.
    Wikimedia, CC BY-SA

    The pope’s charge against the supposed virtues of the market was spectacular. Among others, he criticized the following:

    • overconsumption in developed countries:

    “Since the market tends to promote extreme consumerism in an effort to sell its products, people can easily get caught up in a whirlwind of needless buying and spending.” (§-203);

    • the glorification of profit and a self-regulating market:

    “Some circles maintain that current economics and technology will solve all environmental problems.” (§-109);

    • the hypertrophy of speculative finance:

    “Politics must not be subject to the economy, nor should the economy be subject to the dictates of an efficiency-driven paradigm of technocracy.” (§-189);

    • the unequal distribution of wealth in the world:

    “In fact, the deterioration of the environment and of society affects the most vulnerable people on the planet: […] the gravest effects of all attacks on the environment are suffered by the poorest.” (§-48);

    • the unequal levels of development between countries, leading Francis to speak of an “ecological debt” owed by rich countries to the least developed ones. (§-51)

    Social justice and shrinking growth

    In Francis’s words, the goals of saving the planet and social justice go hand in hand. His approach is in keeping with the work of the [economist Louis-Joseph Lebret, a Dominican, who in 1941 founded the association Économie et humanisme. Father Lebret wanted to put the economy back at the service of humankind, and work with the least economically advanced countries by championing an approach based on the virtues of local communities and regional planning.

    Pope Francis, for his part, is calling for a radical break with the consumerist lifestyles of rich countries, while focusing on the development of the poorest nations. (§-93). In Laudato Si’, he also wrote that developed countries’ responses seemed insufficient because of the economic interests at stake (§-54).

    This brings us back to the principle of the universal destination of goods – the organizing principle of property defended by the Catholic Church’s social doctrine, which demands that goods be distributed in such a way as to enable every human being to live in dignity.

    In addition to encouraging the necessary technical adjustments and sober individual practices, Pope Francis is urging citizens in developed countries not to be content with half measures deemed largely insufficient. Instead, he is calling for people to make lifestyle changes in line with the logic of slowing growth. The aim is to enable developing countries to emerge from poverty, while sparing the environment.

    “Given the insatiable and irresponsible growth produced over many decades, we need also to think of containing growth by setting some reasonable limits and even retracing our steps before it is too late. […] That is why the time has come to accept decreased growth in some parts of the world, in order to provide resources for other places to experience healthy growth.” (§ -193)

    Nearly 10 years on, Laudato Si’ resonates fully with our concerns. In the United States, Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who both identify as Catholic, would be well advised to read it anew.

    Bernard Laurent is a member of the CFTC and of the IRES Scientific Council

    – ref. Pope Francis and Laudato Si’: looking back at an ecological turning point for the Catholic Church – https://theconversation.com/pope-francis-and-laudato-si-looking-back-at-an-ecological-turning-point-for-the-catholic-church-253977

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI: Draganfly Establishes Public Safety Advisory Board, Appoints Homeland Security and Law Enforcement Expert Paul Goldenberg as Chair

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Industry Veteran Joins Draganfly to Drive Innovation at the Intersection of Public Safety and Technology

    Tampa, FL, April 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Draganfly Inc. (NASDAQ: DPRO) (CSE: DPRO) (FSE: 3U8) (“Draganfly” or the “Company”), an industry-leading developer of drone solutions and systems, is proud to announce the formation of its Public Safety Advisory Board. This new initiative reinforces Draganfly’s commitment to delivering cutting-edge, mission-critical technologies that support enforcement and public safety agencies worldwide. Renowned global public safety expert and Homeland Security advisor Paul Goldenberg will serve as the inaugural Chair of the Board.

    With more than 30 years of experience in law enforcement, global security, and national intelligence, Goldenberg brings unparalleled expertise to the role. Recently named America’s Most Influential Person in Homeland Security, he has advised U.S. Presidents, members of Congress, and international security bodies on counterterrorism, cybercrime, and public safety. As a former senior member of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Advisory Council (HSAC), Goldenberg led pivotal initiatives, including the DHS Cybersecurity Task Force and the Countering Foreign Influence Task Force. He currently serves as Chief Advisor for Policy and International Policing at the Rutgers University Miller Center on Policing, a Distinguished Visiting Fellow for Transnational Security at the University of Ottawa, and a member of the National Sheriffs’ Association Southern Border Security Committee.

    Goldenberg’s career also includes directing the OSCE (Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe) transitional policing mission, working on the ground in regions such as Kosovo, Bosnia, Ukraine, and France. His efforts focused on strengthening police responses to extremism and fostering collaboration between law enforcement agencies and vulnerable communities.

    “Draganfly’s commitment to utilizing technology to enhance public safety and law enforcement aligns with my lifelong mission to improve security and foster trust between agencies and the communities they serve,” said Goldenberg. “Given the challenges law enforcement agencies face, including recruitment and retention issues, drones have become an invaluable tool that helps officers protect both themselves and the communities they serve.”

    Cameron Chell, CEO of Draganfly, emphasized the significance of Goldenberg’s appointment:
    “Paul’s vast experience in homeland security, counterterrorism, and law enforcement makes him the ideal choice to lead our Public Safety Advisory Board. His leadership will be instrumental in advancing Draganfly’s mission to deliver innovative, AI-powered drone technologies that improve situational awareness and operational efficiency for law enforcement agencies across the globe.”

    Goldenberg’s past roles have included serving as the first Chief of the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office for Hate Crime and Domestic Terrorism Investigations, managing major organized crime cases, spending six years deep undercover as part of the South Florida Task Force, and leading one of the United States’ largest social service and juvenile justice systems. His work has directly influenced modern policing strategies and shaped national and international policy.

    The creation of Draganfly’s Public Safety Advisory Board marks a pivotal step in the Company’s continued efforts to strengthen public safety and law enforcement capabilities, offering innovative solutions that support officers in the field.

    About Draganfly

    Draganfly Inc. (NASDAQ: DPRO; CSE: DPRO; FSE: 3U8A) is a pioneer in drone solutions, AI-driven software, and robotics. With over 25 years of innovation, Draganfly has been at the forefront of drone technology, providing solutions for public safety, agriculture, industrial inspections, security, mapping, and surveying. The Company is committed to delivering efficient, reliable, and industry-leading technology that helps organizations save time, money, and lives.

    For more information, visit www.draganfly.com.

    For investor details, visit:
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    NASDAQ
    FRANKFURT

    Media Contact
    media@draganfly.com

    Company Contact
    info@draganfly.com

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This release contains certain “forward looking statements” and certain “forward-looking ‎‎‎‎information” as ‎‎‎‎defined under applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements ‎‎‎‎and information can ‎‎‎‎generally be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as ‎‎‎‎‎“may”, “will”, “expect”, “intend”, ‎‎‎‎‎“estimate”, “anticipate”, “believe”, “continue”, “plans” or similar ‎‎‎‎terminology. Forward-looking statements ‎‎‎‎and information are based on forecasts of future ‎‎‎‎results, estimates of amounts not yet determinable and ‎‎‎‎assumptions that, while believed by ‎‎‎‎management to be reasonable, are inherently subject to significant ‎‎‎‎business, economic and ‎‎‎‎competitive uncertainties and contingencies. Forward-looking statements ‎‎‎‎include, but are not ‎‎‎‎limited to, statements with respect to the Public Safety Advisory Board advancing Draganfly’s mission to deliver innovative, AI-powered drone technologies that improve situational awareness and operational efficiency for law enforcement agencies across the globe. Forward-‎‎‎‎looking statements and information are subject to various ‎known ‎‎and unknown risks and ‎‎‎‎‎uncertainties, many of which are beyond the ability of the Company to ‎control or ‎‎predict, that ‎‎‎‎may cause ‎the Company’s actual results, performance or achievements to be ‎materially ‎‎different ‎‎‎‎from those ‎expressed or implied thereby, and are developed based on assumptions ‎about ‎‎such ‎‎‎‎risks, uncertainties ‎and other factors set out here in, including but not limited to: the potential ‎‎‎‎‎‎‎impact of epidemics, ‎pandemics or other public health crises, including the ‎COVID-19 pandemic, on the Company’s business, operations and financial ‎‎‎‎condition; the ‎‎‎successful integration of ‎technology; the inherent risks involved in the general ‎‎‎‎securities markets; ‎‎‎uncertainties relating to the ‎availability and costs of financing needed in the ‎‎‎‎future; the inherent ‎‎‎uncertainty of cost estimates; the ‎potential for unexpected costs and ‎‎‎‎expenses, currency ‎‎‎fluctuations; regulatory restrictions; and liability, ‎competition, loss of key ‎‎‎‎employees and other related risks ‎‎‎and uncertainties disclosed under the ‎heading “Risk Factors“ ‎‎‎‎in the Company’s most recent filings filed ‎‎‎with securities regulators in Canada on ‎the SEDAR ‎‎‎‎website at www.sedar.com and with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on EDGAR through the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. The Company undertakes ‎‎‎no obligation to update forward-‎looking ‎‎‎‎information except as required by applicable law. Such forward-‎‎‎looking information represents ‎‎‎‎‎managements’ best judgment based on information currently available. ‎‎‎No forward-looking ‎‎‎‎statement ‎can be guaranteed and actual future results may vary materially. ‎‎‎Accordingly, readers ‎‎‎‎are advised not to ‎place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or ‎‎‎information.‎

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Scientific developments of Rosneft-class students win all-Russian competition

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

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

    Research projects by students of Rosneft classes from Buzuluk and Sorochinsk were recognized as the best at the All-Russian forum-competition of research projects “School Premier League” in St. Petersburg.

    The final of the forum was held at the Empress Catherine II Mining University under the auspices of the Russian Federation Commission for UNESCO. The forum is aimed at finding and supporting talented senior school students to enter specialized universities that graduate specialists in the mineral resources complex.

    The winners of the competition included students of the specialized “Rosneft-classes” Ilya Grabar, Yulia Mustaeva, Tatyana Plaksina and Alina Galieva. Ilya presented a project of a mobile analyzer of the state of drilling mud during drilling. Its design includes a cleaning system that removes metal particles, rock and other impurities in real time. Thus, the mobile analyzer will extend the service life of the equipment, will contribute to safe and cost-effective drilling.

    Alina Galieva’s project attracted particular interest from the competition experts. Using a self-designed model, the girl demonstrated the possibility of using self-healing overhead power lines. Due to the special design of the fastening (without rigid fixation of the wire and the use of sliding suspension rollers), the wires are not damaged, which significantly increases the reliability and uninterrupted power supply to wells. The innovation is especially relevant for facilities located in wooded areas, where there is a high probability of damage to electrical wires due to falling branches or trees.

    Yulia Mustaeva developed her strategy for attracting and retaining young specialists, and Tatyana Plaksina presented a facial recognition program.

    In total, more than 800 research papers from all over the country were submitted to the selection round of the competition. The works of 14 students of Rosneft-classes from Orenburg reached the final, and eight of them became prize winners. In total, 48 people became winners of the competition in various nominations this year, 145 participants received prizes.

    As part of the forum, Rosneft-class students took part in educational interactive lectures, quests and events with leading Russian scientists. The children also visited the Mining Museum and the Mining University laboratory.

    The Rosneft-2030 strategy provides for the implementation of various projects in the field of education and development of the Company’s human resources. Orenburgneft, a Rosneft production asset, has been supervising specialized classes in the Orenburg region for over ten years. The company systematically improves the material and technical, scientific and educational bases of schools, equips them with modern computer technology and digital equipment. The company’s specialists introduce students to the work of production sites during interactive excursions, organizing meetings with industry experts.

    Reference:

    The Saint Petersburg Mining University of Empress Catherine II is a partner university of Rosneft. The company supports the University’s proposals to develop Russian engineering education. One of the results of the joint work was the inclusion of a group of specialties “Oil and Gas Engineering and Technology” in the higher education of the Russian Federation.

    Orenburgneft is a key subsidiary of Rosneft in the Volga region, and has been operating for over 60 years. The company has a corporate system of continuous education, “school – college/university – enterprise”. Personnel training begins in Rosneft classes, which operate in three schools in the region. Over eleven years, 587 students have graduated from specialized classes and continued their education at leading universities in the country, of which about 70% entered the company’s specialized specialties.

    Department of Information and Advertising of PJSC NK Rosneft April 16, 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 –

  • MIL-OSI: My Solar Claim Launches Initiative to Protect Homeowners from Predatory Solar Companies and Costly Loans

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Austin, Texas, April 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — My Solar Claim, a consumer advocacy organization, has announced a new initiative aimed at protecting homeowners from predatory solar sales practices and burdensome loans. Utilizing specialized tax strategies, expert legal support, and targeted consumer education, My Solar Claim is helping homeowners regain financial control and recover losses from misleading solar agreements.https://www.mysolarclaim.com/ 

    My Solar Claim Logo

    In recent years, the surge in residential solar adoption has brought with it an alarming increase in aggressive sales tactics, resulting in homeowners being saddled with expensive, long-term solar loans. Many homeowners report being misled by sales representatives who exaggerated potential savings, concealed critical details about financing, or pressured them into signing agreements without fully understanding the implications.

    “My Solar Claim was founded because homeowners deserve better,” said Sara Meyer – a representative from My Solar Claim. “Too many hardworking people have been left financially vulnerable because of aggressive sales tactics and predatory loans. Our mission is to level the playing field, ensuring homeowners have the knowledge and support needed to challenge unfair agreements, reduce their loan burdens, and regain financial security.”

    My Solar Claim’s innovative solutions include:

    • Legal Support and Loan Relief: Partnering with some very powerful law firms, My Solar Claim helps homeowners explore options to restructure or, in some cases, entirely exit oppressive solar loans in addition to winning large settlements.
    • Solar Tax Credit Recovery: Through their network of expert tax professionals, My Solar Claim helps homeowners maximize available solar tax incentives, potentially recovering thousands of dollars that were previously overlooked or underutilized. They say 90%+ of homeowners with solar installations are unaware of thousands of additional solar tax credits.
    • Comprehensive Education & DIY Resources: My Solar Claim provides free resources, guidance, and DIY toolkits, empowering homeowners to advocate effectively for themselves.

    With a proven track record of delivering tangible results, My Solar Claim has quickly established itself as a trusted resource in consumer advocacy, providing hope and actionable solutions for homeowners nationwide.

    “Homeowners who feel trapped by their solar loans aren’t alone, and they aren’t powerless,” added Sara. “We stand by our clients every step of the way, dedicated to restoring their financial stability and peace of mind.”

    Homeowners affected by solar sales misrepresentation or predatory loans are encouraged to reach out to My Solar Claim at www.mysolarclaim.com for a free evaluation of their situation.

    About My Solar Claim

    My Solar Claim is dedicated to advocating for homeowners affected by unfair and predatory solar sales practices. Combining financial recovery services, legal support, and educational resources, My Solar Claim helps homeowners nationwide reclaim control over their financial futures.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Delegation of the Humanitarian Institute visited the Gumilyov Eurasian University

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

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

    As part of the Decade of Science, a delegation of teachers from the Humanitarian Institute visited the L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University (Kazakhstan). The long-standing and fruitful cooperation between the Humanitarian Institute of SPbPU and the Philological Faculty of ENU continues to strengthen, acquiring new formats of academic interaction.

    Commenting on the importance of interaction between universities, Director of the Humanitarian Institute Natalia Chicherina noted: International cooperation today is not just an exchange of knowledge, it is a joint search for new meanings, a unification of efforts in understanding the challenges of the time and the formation of transformative scientific thinking.

    The delegation included:

    Associate Professor of the Department of Foreign Languages Maya Bernavskaya; Member of the Union of Designers of Russia, Senior Lecturer of the Higher School of Media Communications and Public Relations Evgenia Tuchkevich; Senior Lecturer of the Higher School of Linguistics and Pedagogy Evgenia Vorontsova.

    The visit to Astana was an important step towards further expansion of interuniversity cooperation and strengthening of academic partnership. Polytechnics met with the Dean of the Faculty of Philology of ENU Serikzat Duysengazy, the Head of the Department of Theoretical and Applied Linguistics Evgeniya Zhuravleva, and the Professor of the Department Sholpan Zharkynbekova. The specialists discussed the prospects for expanding cooperation, strengthening scientific ties and implementing joint academic initiatives.

    SPbPU teachers spoke at the scientific seminar “New paradigms of scientific research in the era of AI: opportunities and transformation of research practices”, where they presented current approaches to the use of artificial intelligence technologies in scientific activities.

    They also held lectures for students of the Department of Theoretical and Applied Linguistics, dedicated to the issues of digital transformation of education and the introduction of AI into the educational process. The lectures aroused great interest and became the reason for meaningful discussions with students.

    SPbPU expresses its sincere gratitude to Professor of the Department of Theoretical and Applied Linguistics Sholpan Zharkynbekova for the high level of organization of events and contribution to the development of scientific and educational dialogue between universities.

    Our delegation noted the high level of organization of the visit and the atmosphere of open academic dialogue: We were sincerely impressed by the attention to the scientific agenda, the interest of students and colleagues, as well as the warm welcome that was felt at every stage of our stay. Such meetings inspire further cooperation and give impetus to joint scientific projects.

    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 –

  • MIL-OSI Global: South Africa’s coalition government is at risk of crumbling: why collapse would carry a heavy cost

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Vinothan Naidoo, Associate Professor of Public Policy and Administration, University of Cape Town

    South Africa’s multi-party government of national unity (GNU), which emerged in the wake of the May 2024 elections, marked a turning point in the country’s political history. It took South Africans back to the 1990s, when the country showed that political opponents could find common cause.

    The formation of the government of national unity expressed the hope that the country could do it again.

    But just nine months into its term, the good will and pragmatism which marked its formation have worn thin. A major budget impasse between the two major actors, the African National Congress (ANC) and the Democratic Alliance (DA), threatens the coalition.

    South Africans have long been accustomed to viewing the world of politics, governance and bureaucracy through the lens of a top-down “strong” state – a vicious apartheid state, an East Asia style developmental state, or a collusive “predatory state”.

    But as recent analyses we co-authored with others have detailed,
    the vision of a top-down politically cohesive state no longer fits South Africa’s realities.

    The government of national unity promised the hope that the country was embracing an approach that is key to success for almost all inclusive constitutional democracies. That is – abandon “all or nothing” confrontation, and instead pursue pragmatic bargains to achieve mutually agreeable policy outcomes.

    At the most basic level, the government of national unity achieved this, at least for a while. The sharing of cabinet ministries between multiple parties created a diverse platform for executive power-sharing that was not dictated by a single dominant party, and which prevented the risks of parties building institutional fiefdoms.

    In our view, failure to overcome deeply ingrained political differences could set off a downward spiral in the country.

    Achievements on the governance front

    On governance, the government of national unity created the space to pursue two sets of gains.

    The first comprises the potential benefit of bringing together unlikely bedfellows.

    The former opposition parties brought into a power-sharing arrangement were bound to be performance-driven, given the country’s long deteriorating government performance and ethical integrity. They had made “good governance” and criticism of the ANC central to their political brands.

    New “outsider” eyes brought into formerly cloistered and factionalised ANC-run departments created the possibility of a new urgency to perform.

    It’s too soon to tell whether this is happening, but anecdotal evidence suggests there are some green shoots.

    The second governance gain comprises the crucial task of building a capable and professional state bureaucracy. The challenges include being able to pay the public sector wage bill, fostering a culture of delivery, and consolidating the bloated network of government departments.

    Based on their party manifestos and public utterances, members of the government all aim to professionalise the public service.

    Detailed technical work is already happening on issues such as training and competency assessment, transferring powers of appointment from politicians to senior public servants, and instituting checks in the recruitment and selection process. The National Assembly’s recent adoption of the Public Service Commission Bill forms part of this agenda.

    But a prolonged legal dispute between the DA and ANC over the latter’s policy of “deploying” party members into state employment risks scuppering progress. It also leaves a key question unanswered: what role, if any, should political parties have in the recruitment and selection of public servants?

    Policy

    The government of national unity has struggled to create effective mechanisms to translate agreement on a broad agenda of policy priorities into specific outcomes. This came at a higher cost than expected.

    Still, it has made gains in challenging policy areas. These gains have repeatedly been undermined by the perverse determination of sections within both the ANC and the DA to engage in brinkmanship.

    On health, both parties agree on the principle of universalising access. They differ on how to achieve this. But at least one seemingly intractable sticking point has been resolved. Both sides agree that private medical aid schemes need to be retained as part of a broader strategy of pursuing health system reform.

    On basic education, the public spat over the Basic Education Laws Amendment Bill overshadows the potential to agree on balancing the autonomy of school governing bodies with the oversight role of provincial departments.



    Read more:
    South Africa has a new education law: some love it, some hate it – education expert explains why

    On land expropriation, the emotive rhetoric which followed the signing of the Expropriation Bill and the unwelcome and toxic intervention of international actors has overshadowed technical concerns which can be resolved.

    On pro-growth policies: Operation Vulindlela, a joint Presidency and National Treasury initiative to unblock constraints in targeted economic sectors, has made significant strides. It has laid the groundwork for new rounds of growth-supporting infrastructural reforms and has the potential to build cohesion in the government of national unity. However, the DA’s attempt to lobby for a greater role in the strategic oversight of Operation Vulindlela in exchange for supporting the budget risks souring relations with the ANC.

    What now?

    A thriving inclusive society depends on powerful actors visibly committed to co-operation.

    For all of the challenges confronting the government of national unity, it was built on a foundation of pragmatism. For the sake of South Africa’s future, it remains vital to build on this foundation. Obsolete top-down governing approaches must go. Pathways to performance must be lifted above political grandstanding. Constructive solutions should supersede ideological rigidity. South Africa has done it before. It can do it again.

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

    – ref. South Africa’s coalition government is at risk of crumbling: why collapse would carry a heavy cost – https://theconversation.com/south-africas-coalition-government-is-at-risk-of-crumbling-why-collapse-would-carry-a-heavy-cost-254302

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: 16 April 2025 EEF travelling session dedicated to scientific and educational partnership between the Russian Far East and Indonesia was held in Jakarta As part of the Russia–Indonesia Business Forum in Jakarta, the Eastern Economic Forum held a travelling session entitled ‘Expanding Business Interaction through the Mechanisms of Scientific and Educational Partnership between the Russian Far East and Indonesia’. It was devoted to the prospects for cooperation between the Far East and Indonesian regions in the educational sphere.

    Source: Eastern Economic Forum

    16 April 2025

    EEF travelling session dedicated to scientific and educational partnership between the Russian Far East and Indonesia was held in Jakarta

    As part of the Russia–Indonesia Business Forum in Jakarta, the Eastern Economic Forum held a travelling session entitled ‘Expanding Business Interaction through the Mechanisms of Scientific and Educational Partnership between the Russian Far East and Indonesia’. It was devoted to the prospects for cooperation between the Far East and Indonesian regions in the educational sphere.

    The panel discussion was attended by representatives of leading universities and specialized departments from Russia and Indonesia. The speakers included Ahmad Najib Burhani, Director General for Science and Technology at the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia; Tatachipta Dirgantara, Rector of the Bandung Institute of Technology; Evgeny Vlasov, Vice-Rector for International Relations of the Far Eastern Federal University (FEFU); Tri Andika Kurniawan, Vice-Chancellor of Bakri University; Yury Marfin, Rector of the Pacific State University (PSU);  Hamdi Muluk, Vice-Chancellor for Research and Innovation, University of Indonesia; Elena Kharisova, General Director of the Fund for Development of the Russky Innovation Science and Technology Centre. The moderator was Elvira Nurgalieva, Deputy Minister of the Russian Federation for the Development of the Far East and the Arctic.

    During her speech, Elvira Nurgalieva noted that the scientific and educational partnership between the Far Eastern Federal District as a region of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Indonesia is not just an exchange of knowledge, but a valuable practical tool for expanding business cooperation.

    “Implementing joint training programmes, launching new research projects, working to improve the quality of education – all this can create a basis for long-term economic cooperation. We attribute an important role in this process to the work of the Innovation Science and Technology Centre on Russky Island. We are creating a concentrate of science, technology, education and production at the ISTC, where comprehensive programmes will be implemented with government support to attract the best scientists, engineering teams, and specialists in various fields of science and technology, including world-class ones. ISTC will become an important platform for interaction with scientists from Asia-Pacific countries, in particular Indonesia,” noted Elvira Nurgalieva.

    In turn, Yuri Marfin noted that expert support for the development of the Far East and strengthening Russia’s influence in the Asia–Pacific region are tasks that are part of the PSU development programme.

    ‘That is why we prioritize the development of co-operation with representatives of the academic and business sectors of the Asia–Pacific Region. Universities can and should become a significant entry point to start a meaningful dialogue on cooperation in science and technology. To address these challenges, our university has been increasing the number of international students, including those from Indonesia, year after year. We have developed entrepreneurship training programmes for students and implement them both in Russia and in our partner universities in the Asia–Pacific region. We design joint business missions to exchange topical projects. The joint development of young people through university education in our countries, academic and cultural exchanges is the key to long-term and effective co-operation. We are making the greatest efforts in this direction,’ emphasized Yuri Marfin.

    Boris Korobets noted that FEFU has been a key partner in the development of Russian-Indonesian co-operation in science, education and new technologies for more than a decade.

    ‘We are joining forces with scientists from Indonesia to solve urgent problems in medicine, pharmaceuticals and biotechnology development. Today, FEFU is the largest scientific and educational hub in the Far East with a network of more than 200 partners in APR countries. Our university has 3,500 international students, and we plan to increase this number to 7,500 by 2030. The university has access to unique infrastructure for joint initiatives, including the Russky Island ISTC, which is a special economic zone with attractive tax preferences. Our technologies can make a significant contribution to Indonesia’s ambitious oil and gas targets, while our expertise in biodiversity monitoring will help with environmental projects for ocean conservation. The synergy of science, education and business that we are creating at FEFU will become a powerful platform for developing Russian-Indonesian co-operation and solving the global challenges of our countries,’ said Boris Korobets.

    ‘Bakrie University, part of the Bakrie Group ecosystem, is focused on addressing the challenge of ‘connectivity and alignment’ between industry needs and the higher education system. This is fulfilled through active engagement with industry. Currently 250 Bakrie Group companies support the university in the implementation of apprenticeship programmes. Bakrie University expresses its readiness to cooperate with Russian universities through internship programmes for students from Russia at Bakrie Group enterprises,’ said Vice Chancellor of Bakrie University Tri Andika Kurniawan.

    Igor Pavlov, First Deputy CEO of the Roscongress Foundation and Director of the Eastern Economic Forum, emphasized that international communication platforms are a working tool for establishing interstate cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region.

    ‘The Eastern Economic Forum demonstrates sustainable development dynamics, consistently strengthening its position as a global discussion platform for developing strategic solutions, including in the sphere of new technologies, education and science. As a new co-operation architecture is being formed, we are concentrating our efforts on deepening the international track. In this regard, we are actively co-operating with the Ministry for the Development of the Far East and the Arctic, demonstrating the EEF’s capabilities at international events. This allows us not only to scale the business agenda, but also to build long-term partnerships with Asia–Pacific countries,’ said Igor Pavlov.

    ‘Today’s meeting was a starting point for meaningful dialogue and joint work. The next session, a large-scale gathering of university rectors from Indonesia and Russia lies ahead. There we will continue to communicate on a more substantive plane, focusing on the development of joint educational and scientific programmes. Our countries have long-standing friendly relations, cultural proximity and mutual aspirations for development. Today, all rectors have demonstrated openness, interest and readiness for co-operation. I take this opportunity to invite all participants to join us at the Eastern Economic Forum, which is held annually in Vladivostok with the participation of the President of the Russian Federation. This is a great opportunity to get a closer look at the economic potential of the Far East, its development programmes, and the region’s key venues – namely, FEFU and the Russky Island Innovation Science and Technology Centre – as part of the Indonesian delegation,’ Elvira Nurgalieva summed up the Eastern Economic Forum’s outgoing session in Jakarta.

    The Russia–Indonesia Business Forum was held on 14 April in Jakarta as part of the 3rd meeting of the Russian-Indonesian Joint Commission on Trade, Economic and Technical Cooperation. The organizers were the Roscongress Foundation under the Roscongress International brand and the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KADIN).  The Forum was supported by the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Energy of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of the Russian Federation for the Development of the Far East and the Arctic, and the Russia–ASEAN Business Council. A multi-sectoral business mission organized by the Russian Export Center was also launched as part of the Business Forum. More than 30 companies from 12 regions are presenting their solutions to potential partners under the national brand ‘Made in Russia’ with the support of the REC.

    The EEF Business Forum session was part of the large-scale cultural and educational project ‘The Word about the Russian Heart’, dedicated to the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Russia and Indonesia and the 100th anniversary of Rossotrudnichestvo. The discussion was organized by the Ministry of the Russian Federation for the Development of the Far East and the Arctic together with the Far East and Arctic Development Corporation (FEDC), the Roscongress Foundation, the Federal Agency for the Commonwealth of Independent States, Compatriots Living Abroad and International Humanitarian Cooperation (Rossotrudnichestvo), and the New City Creative Industries Centre.

     

    Read more

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Global: South Africa’s domestic workers still battle with echoes of a racist past

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Amy Jo Murray, Social psychologist, University of Johannesburg

    There are 861,000 domestic workers employed in South Africa. They make up about 25% of the informal (non-agricultural) labour sector. By and large, it is still uneducated, black working-class females who clean and care for the country’s middle- to upper-class homes. It’s an eerily familiar scene.

    Paid domestic work provides a microcosm of South Africa’s continuing struggle with its apartheid past. While the slavery of the colonial era and the servitude of black people under apartheid’s white minority rule are now gone, paid domestic work has adapted to post-apartheid realities. A great deal has changed in the country’s legal landscape, but domestic labour preserves racial identities and inequalities.



    Read more:
    What is apartheid? New book for young readers explains South Africa’s racist system

    We have researched domestic labour in South Africa extensively for more than a decade, including the first author’s PhD. We have done in-depth interviews with over 70 employers and workers through a range of studies in the province of KwaZulu-Natal.

    Our research shows that these racial identities and inequalities persist, particularly when domestic employers and workers avoid discussing the racial aspects of their relationships, feeling these are “too close for comfort” and liable to evoke explosive apartheid-era stereotypes.

    It’s clear that the injustices of paid domestic labour cannot be solved through legislation alone. The history, norms, and pain from the country’s past run too deep. They touch people personally, and affect the way they engage each other (or don’t).

    Social change requires innovative solutions to disrupt the status quo, while also facing the country’s haunting past.

    Changes on paper

    The end of apartheid in 1994 brought about a wave of changes, including equal rights for all citizens. Labour laws were extensively reformed. Rights and standards for domestic workers were introduced to address wages, working conditions, and other aspects of employment, theoretically ensuring fair treatment.

    These legal advancements led to some improvements in the minimum wage and the use of employment contracts of domestic workers. But they didn’t stop entrenched practices like payments-in-kind (for example giving groceries or housing instead of cash) and unpaid overtime.



    Read more:
    Why Nigerian women in Oyo state use child domestic workers

    The informal and private nature of domestic work makes it difficult to regulate. Progressive laws cannot reach here to eliminate cultural attitudes and behaviours that echo apartheid.

    In other words…

    In her 1980 book Maids and Madams, South African sociologist Jacklyn Cock was one of the first researchers to treat paid domestic labour as a reflection of broad structures of oppression in the country. She set out how apartheid racial hierarchies were overt, widely acknowledged, and crudely enacted. Domestic workers faced conditions close to slavery, with employers wielding unchecked power over their lives. Domestic work reinforced a rigid racial hierarchy, clearly demarcating the roles and status of the “madam” and the “maid”.

    Through a close analysis of extensive interviews, our research shows how language underpins this relationship today, both through what is said and what isn’t. Domestic workers and employers go to great lengths not to talk about themselves as the “maid” or the “madam”. They focus instead on intimacy, reciprocation, and mutual support, avoiding the need to negotiate their employment relationship or any other topic that might arouse issues relating to race or inequality.



    Read more:
    Household gardeners in South Africa: a survivalist life with little protection

    Middle- to upper-class employers are particularly sensitive to racial stereotypes and avoid language that hints at hierarchy or power. They sometimes say that domestic workers “feel like one of the family”, which obscures the underlying power dynamics.

    This matters because it allows potentially unfair or exploitative labour practices to be carried out under the guise of “familial” relations. For example, we might expect an aunt to go the extra mile for the family, staying late to help out and showing she cares about the household. Outside of these familial boundaries, an “employee” should not have these obligations.

    Polite language can create a veneer of equality that hides ongoing exploitation. To avoid sounding like “the baas” (boss) or “the madam”, with racial overtones, many employers are reluctant to give direct feedback or set clear boundaries for their employees.

    Instead, we found that many give ambiguous instructions, or no instructions at all, avoiding the uncomfortable post-apartheid situation of being a middle-class white woman telling a working-class black woman what to do. This can lead to confusion, frustration, and potentially unfair treatment. As a result, employers may feel that their expectations go unfulfilled and workers don’t know what is required of them.



    Read more:
    Male domestic workers in South Africa – study sheds light on the experiences of Malawian and Zimbabwean migrants

    Calculations based on Quarterly Labour Force Statistics consistently demonstrate that only 20% of domestic workers are registered for the state’s Unemployment Insurance Fund. Instead, work relationships are regulated by informal understandings between parties, a fact that became apparent when domestic workers could not access unemployment insurance benefits during the COVID-19 lockdowns.

    A contract requires negotiations that would make the employment-centred nature of the relationship, with its hierarchy and expectations, undeniable for all involved.

    Perhaps unsurprisingly, these sensitivities and avoidances are apparent in conversations with domestic workers too. Workers prefer to focus on the value of their labour and justify, subvert, and evaluate their place in their employer’s household. Sometimes they talk about themselves as being “the boss” or “the owner” of the house, based on the responsibilities they have, the types of work they do – like caring for children or the elderly in the household – and the amount of time that they spend tending the home.

    However, these assertions have a hollow ring when workers are excluded from big decisions in the household, like their right to have visitors, or small decisions like where to place household furniture. Feeling like part of the family is ruptured by exclusion from intimate moments like family celebrations, creating an all too familiar reminder of race and hierarchy.

    Moving forward

    The very real progress that has been made over the past 30 years of democracy should be celebrated. Legal reforms have achieved basic rights for domestic workers. Nevertheless, the spectre of apartheid still haunts South Africa and it’s clear that much work remains to be done.

    It’s our view that disrupting the patterns that seem so ingrained in this relationship will take fresh thinking. Mutually negotiated employment contracts should be a norm. Professionalising paid domestic labour provides the opportunity to break the informality that has come to define domestic labour relations in South Africa.

    And, with increasing access to the internet in South Africa, the digitisation of domestic labour holds promise for instituting social change through technology.

    This has been successful in the developing world, including the African continent.



    Read more:
    12% of working women in South Africa are domestic workers – yet they don’t receive proper maternity leave or pay

    Workers have greater agency to market themselves, choose where and who to work for, and to rate and regulate employers. Online platforms could also provide the opportunity for vetting each other and for negotiating compliance with regulations.

    Kevin Durrheim receives funding from the National Research Foundation.

    Amy Jo Murray 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. South Africa’s domestic workers still battle with echoes of a racist past – https://theconversation.com/south-africas-domestic-workers-still-battle-with-echoes-of-a-racist-past-250302

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: A Book as a Personal Reflection: HSE Publishing House at the non/fictioN Fair

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: State University Higher School of Economics – State University Higher School of Economics –

    At the beginning of April, the International Fair of Intellectual Literature non/fictioN took place in the Central Exhibition Hall “Manezh” in Moscow. Publishing house Vyshki traditionally took part in the event, presenting its new books, including an updated edition of Vadim Radaev’s book “Watching Movies, Understanding Life: 23 Sociological Essays“.

    For several years in a row, the fair has gathered under one roof more than 200 large and small publishing houses, many authors, and readers eager to learn something new. The main goal is to popularize scientific knowledge and introduce new products in the field of scientific and intellectual literature. An important part is made up of meetings with authors, lectures, and master classes offering an in-depth look at current topics in science, culture, and education.

    “Traditionally, at non/fictioN we prepare various new releases, and one of them today is the updated, third edition of Vadim Radaev’s book.”Watching Movies, Understanding Life: 23 Sociological Essays”, which included an analysis of new films,” said Alexander Pavlov, head of publishing projects at the HSE Publishing House. Among the Publishing House’s other new releases are “Conflict, war, revolution» Paula Kelly and «Parliamentary Procedures in Russia: Constitutional Standards» Alexey Koshel.

    Vadim Radaev, First Vice-Rector of the National Research University Higher School of Economics, personally presented his book to readers. The first thing he drew attention to was that the book is not about cinema, but about those life questions and problems that worry each of us: about human fears and elusive love, male mythology and women’s games, intergenerational conflicts and professional dilemmas, features of the national character and the painful parting with the Soviet past.

    “Cinema is a visual way to talk about what you consider important. It all started in 2003, when I decided to organize a Christmas Film Seminar (a meeting of HSE researchers and students to watch and discuss a film, which is traditionally held at the university in December. — Ed.). People were surprised then, I had my doubts myself, and now we hold them every year, and two months before the event, people start asking what film we will analyze. 20 years later, I thought about what to give myself for the anniversary of the film seminar, and decided to secretly write a book,” shared Vadim Radaev. In the new edition, the author included an analysis of such films as “Boomer”, “Brother 2”, “Limit”, “Walk”, “What Men Talk About”, “The Train Stopped”, “Acid”, “Elena”, “12”, “Loveless”, “Chaos”, “Terminator” and many others.

    “What is it that draws us to the theme of the gangster subculture?” asks Vadim Radaev, analyzing the films “Boomer”, “Brother 2”, “Brigada”. “This theme does not let us go, through it we try to overcome and play out our fears of violence. These are the situations in which we are afraid to find ourselves. The film “The Word of a Boy” does not leave us either, because it is the same theme.”

    The author also reflects on who can be called the hero of our time, or rather, of several eras – the 80s, 90s and 2000s. “In the 80s, of course, it was “Courier”. And you remember, this guy is very nice, not stupid, but without any life plan, incapable of anything. In the 90s, the film “Limit” comes out, where there is a completely different hero. Instead of an apathetic Muscovite, there appears a motivated provincial guy, inclined to risk, who does not stop at any obstacles. And in the 2000s, Zvyagintsev’s debut – “The Return”. A new hero appears, with an incomprehensible secret past, which is better not to remember, which disappears with him, in the dark waters, “- says Vadim Radaev.

    If viewers want to see what games women play, the author of the book suggests paying attention to the film “Walk” by Alexey Uchitel. “This is a master class in women’s manipulation techniques of the highest level,” he believes.

    Vadim Radaev also examines relationships and conflicts between generations. “There was a film called ‘Acid’, where this topic is particularly acutely traced, children do not conflict with their parents, but there is no understanding between them,” the researcher explained.

    The film “The Truman Show” makes you think about why people put their lives on public display. And the mini-series “The Department” raises questions about how a university should develop: should it keep up with the times and move towards something new, or should it rely on the classics.

    “My book is not entirely scientific. I use the results of my own research and that of others, it contains references to scientific works and quotes from songs. To a large extent, this is a personal reflection,” Vadim Radaev summed up.

    Sergei Filonovich, professor Department of Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management HSE, a regular co-presenter of the Christmas Seminar, gave a short guide on how to use Vadim Radaev’s book. “I would not recommend reading it straight through, it is pointless to read chapters about films you have not seen, because there is no exact retelling of the plot, there is an analysis of impressions, the thoughts that the author generates. It should be read chapter by chapter after watching a specific film,” the professor is sure. Sergei Filonovich believes that Vadim Radaev’s readers will be able to evaluate the films they have watched from a different angle: “That is why I would say that this book is not only for young viewers, but also for fairly experienced ones.” In his opinion, this publication is a kind of dialogue between readers and the author: “Sometimes you want to discuss a film with an intelligent person, but where can you find one? He is not always at hand, and here is a book by an intelligent person, where his impressions are told.”

    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 –

  • MIL-OSI China: Multinationals fast-track localization to leverage China NEV boom

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

    SHANGHAI, April 16 — The rapid evolution of China’s new energy vehicle (NEV) sector is driving multinational corporations to restructure their China strategies, prompting some to scale up local investments across R&D, production and supply chains.

    German chemical giant BASF earlier this week announced a 500-million-yuan (about 69.3 million U.S. dollars) investment for the expansion of its Shanghai Cellasto plant, which provides noise, vibration and harshness reduction solutions for automobiles.

    To capitalize on China’s booming NEV market, the new facility will feature advanced mold lines and is scheduled to be operational in 2027, with a nearly 70-percent capacity increase.

    As a leading chemical supplier to the automotive industry, BASF strives to accelerate business growth in China’s automotive sector, said Jeffrey Lou, president and chairman of BASF Greater China.

    “BASF has made substantial investments in China since entering the Chinese market 140 years ago. Today’s expansion is another strong testament to BASF’s commitment to staying close to the local market and our customers,” Lou remarked.

    To deepen ties to China’s NEV ecosystem, some foreign automakers are shifting from traditional manufacturing partnerships to localized R&D.

    In March, German carmaker BMW partnered with Chinese tech giant Huawei to develop a China-specific in-car digital ecosystem, set to debut on BMW’s locally produced next-generation electric models in 2026.

    Before that, Japanese auto behemoth Toyota announced the establishment of a new company in Shanghai for the R&D and production of all-electric Lexus vehicles and batteries, with plans to start production in 2027.

    The new plant marked a significant investment in enhancing Toyota’s R&D and production capabilities specifically tailored for the EV sector in China, the world’s largest auto exporter.

    In January, Chinese NEV maker XPENG and German giant Volkswagen announced that they had signed a memorandum of understanding for strategic collaboration on a superfast charging network in China.

    Behind these localization initiatives is China’s supportive environment for the NEV market through measures like vehicle purchase subsidies, investment in charging infrastructure, and development of intelligent connected vehicles.

    Industry insiders believe that Chinese consumers’ openness to new technologies and demand for smart connectivity are unlocking fresh business opportunities for multinationals.

    Official data showed that China’s NEV production and sales both exceeded 3 million units in the first quarter of 2025, with each rocketing around 50 percent year on year. The country’s measures to stimulate consumption, including large-scale trade-in programs, are expected to provide a strong boost for NEV production and sales.

    “China’s NEV market holds huge potential, with a constantly improving business environment and well-developed, efficient industrial and supply chains,” said Gao Yuning, deputy dean of the School of Public Policy and Management at Tsinghua University. “These are key reasons why foreign automakers are stepping up investment and deepening their footprint in China.”

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Kashi Ringing the Bells of Progress

    Source: Government of India

    Kashi Ringing the Bells of Progress

    Building Modern India

    Posted On: 16 APR 2025 2:28PM by PIB Delhi

    “Today, Kashi stands not only as a symbol of antiquity but also as a beacon of progress.”

    ~ Prime Minister Narendra Modi

    Introduction

    On April 11, PM Modi launched development projects worth ₹3,880 crore in Kashi. The ancient city is getting a modern makeover. Roads are being widened; schools are being upgraded and new power stations are coming up. Kashi is growing while keeping its roots alive. From 2014 to March 2025, 580 projects were taken up under Kashi Development with a total investment of ₹48,459 crore. The aim is to improve infrastructure, preserve heritage and support tourism in Varanasi.

    Kashi’s Development Journey: Key Milestones

    🗓️ November 7, 2014: The Powerloom Service Centre was inaugurated and a ₹2,375 crore revival package was announced for district cooperative banks.

    🗓️ September 18, 2015: ₹572 crore was announced for Kashi’s upgrade, along with ₹11,000 crore for roads connecting nearby districts.

    🗓️ December 22, 2016: Projects worth ₹2,100 crore were inaugurated, including foundation stones of various projects.

    🗓️ September 22, 2017: PM Modi dedicated the Deendayal Hastkala Sankul, a trade facilitation centre for handicrafts.

    🗓️ July 14, 2018: Foundation stone of key projects worth over ₹900 crore was laid.

    🗓️ March 8, 2019: The Prime Minister laid the foundation stone for the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor.

    🗓️ November 30, 2020: The 73 km six-lane NH19 built at ₹2,447 crore was inaugurated to ease travel between Prayagraj and Varanasi. The Maha Kaal Express India’s first overnight private train was also launched.

    🗓️December 13-14, 2021: Phase 1 of Shri Kashi Vishwanath Dham, constructed at a cost of around Rs 339 crores inaugurated.

    🗓️ July 7, 2022: PM Modi inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of development projects worth over ₹1,800 crore. This includes ₹590 crore under Varanasi Smart City and Urban Projects.

    🗓️ January 13, 2023: PM Modi flagged off the world’s longest river cruise ‘MV Ganga Vilas.’ 🗓️ December 18, 2023: The Prime Minister laid the foundation stone and dedicated to the nation several development projects worth over ₹19,150 crore in Varanasi.

    🗓️ October 10, 2024: The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone and inaugurated multiple development projects worth Rs 6,100 crores.

    From Pilgrimage to Premium Experiences

    Tourism in Varanasi is more than just travel, it’s a journey through history, faith and vibrant culture. Below are key initiatives that are reshaping the tourism experience in the city:

    1. MV Ganga Vilas: World’s Longest River Cruise

    Launched by PM Narendra Modi on January 13, 2023, the MV Ganga Vilas is the world’s longest river cruise, starting from Varanasi and culminating in Dibrugarh on 28th February 2023.

     

    2. Tent City: Riverside Luxury Experience

    The Tent City was inaugurated on January 13, 2023 on the opposite bank of the Ganga from the city ghats. Open from October to June annually, the Tent City helps manage the increasing tourist flow by providing a unique and peaceful riverside stay experience.

     

    3. Shri Kashi Vishwanath Corridor

    Inaugurated on December 13, 2021, the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor is a transformative ₹355-crore project that spans an area of 5.5 acres. It connects the Kashi Vishwanath Temple directly to the Ganges River via a four-lane pathway, making the temple more accessible to pilgrims.

     

    4. Monument Illumination Projects

    To enhance the visual appeal of Varanasi’s historic monuments, several illumination projects have been undertaken: In 2015, ₹5.12 crore was sanctioned for lighting up monuments like Dhamekh Stupa, Chaukhandi Stupa, Tomb of Lalkan, and Man Mahal. In 2017, ₹2.93 crore were sanctioned to illuminate Dashashwamedh to Darbhanga Ghat, Tulsi Manas Mandir, and the Sarnath Museum.

     

    Kashi’s Infrastructure Boost

    Kashi’s infrastructure development has seen major progress from 2021 to 2025. The Varanasi-Gorakhpur NH-20 (Package-2), a 72.16 km road was inaugurated on October 25, 2021. The project cost was ₹3,509 crore. The redevelopment of Namo Ghat (Khidkiya Ghat) was completed on November 15, 2024. The cost of the redevelopment was ₹95.2 crore. The ghat now features a cafeteria, viewing platforms and heritage murals. The construction of the jetty at Rajghat costed approximately Rs.10 crore. Each cruise boat was procured at a cost of Rs.20 crore. Furthermore, the tourism circuit along the riverfront will feature the construction of a walkway, a viewing deck, and a food court. The operation of cruise boats started in March, 2023.  Additionally, over ₹980 crore is allocated for flyovers, road bridges, and an airport underpass on April 11, 2025.

    Urban Transformation in Kashi

    Varanasi is undergoing a major urban makeover with focus on sustainability and civic upgrades. To reduce pollution in the Ganga, diesel/petrol boats were converted to CNG. This project, worth ₹29.7 crore, was inaugurated by the Prime Minister on July 7, 2022. It is being executed by Varanasi Smart City Ltd. and GAIL. The Goitha Sewage Treatment Plant (STP), with a capacity of 120 million litres per day (MLD), was inaugurated on February 19, 2019. Built at a cost of ₹217.57 crore, it was aimed at treating sewage and reducing pollution in the Ganga. Under the Namami Gange scheme, a Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) with a capacity of 55 million litres per day (MLD) is also being built at a cost of ₹300 crore. On April 11, 2025, ₹345 crore has been allocated under Jal Jeevan Mission for rural drinking water schemes. Varanasi connected 55,000 houses to sewer lines under AMRUT (Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation), using ₹105 crore, by March 2017. For better parking and traffic flow, the Godowlia Multilevel Two-wheeler Parking, a four-storey facility for 375 vehicles, was built for ₹19.55 crore and operates 24/7 with full security.

    Varanasi’s Handloom and Handicraft Revival

    Varanasi is renowned not just for its spiritual aura, but also for its rich tradition of handlooms and handicrafts. Generations of artisans have mastered the art of silk weaving, wood and stone carving, metalwork, pottery and jewellery making. Their creations reflect incredible skill and cultural heritage. Many of these crafts, like Banarasi sarees, Soft Stone Jali work, Banaras Gulabi Meenakari and Wooden Lacquerware & Toys etc, have received Geographical Indication (GI) tags, marking their authenticity and excellence.

    To support and promote these traditional arts the government announced the establishment of a Trade Facilitation Centre and Crafts Museum in the 2014-15 Union Budget. This initiative aimed to help weavers, artisans, and entrepreneurs market their products. The complex was built over 7.93 acres with a total cost of ₹300 crore, providing a space for showcasing, training and selling local crafts. The Centre was inaugurated on September 22, 2017 and today stands as a key step in preserving Varanasi’s artistic legacy.

    Kashi’s Education and Health Drive

    Kashi is witnessing rapid growth through major investments in research, healthcare, energy, and education. The Inter-University Teacher Education Center (IUTEC) at BHU, Varanasi, was inaugurated on December 23, 2021. Built at a cost of ₹107.36 crore, it will offer a two-year M.Ed. program for 1,000 students. In February 2019, PM inaugurated the PARAM Shivay Supercomputing Center at BHU, with a peak performance of 3.3 petaflops and a cost of ₹32.5 crore. In agriculture, ₹105 crore bonus was transferred to Banas Dairy milk suppliers in April 11, 2025. In the power sector, ₹1,820 crore has been allocated for new substations and transmission upgrades. The redevelopment of Sports Stadium in Sigra is an ambitious project with a total budget of ₹180.03 crore (Phase 1: ₹90.01 crore, Phase 2: ₹90.02 crore). It was designed as a world-class hub for sports. It was inaugurated by PM Narendra Modi on October 20, 2024.

    Conclusion

    Kashi stands today as a shining example of how heritage and modernity can thrive together. With transformative projects in infrastructure, tourism, health, education, and culture, the city is not just preserving its spiritual essence but also creating a vibrant, future-ready identity. From ghats to gateways of development, Kashi is truly ringing the bells of progress.

    References

    Click here to see PDF.

    *****

    Santosh Kumar/ Sarla Meena/ Kamna Lakaria/ Kritika Rane

    (Release ID: 2122058) Visitor Counter : 54

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ21: Promoting student mental health

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         Following is a question by the Hon Elizabeth Quat and a written reply by the Secretary for Education, Dr Choi Yuk-lin, in the Legislative Council today (April 16):

    Question:

         According to a research publication released by the Legislative Council Secretariat in October last year, the number of student deaths by suicide in Hong Kong has almost tripled in 10 years to reach at least a decade high of 32 cases in 2023. In addition, it has been reported that from the beginning of the current school year until last month, there have been nearly 20 fatal suicide cases involving students under the age of 19. Regarding the promotion of mental health among students, will the Government inform this Council:

    (1) whether it has compiled statistics on the number of primary, secondary and university students who planned or attempted suicide in the past three years, and among them, the respective numbers of those with special educational needs or a history of mental health issues; whether it has studied the reasons behind these students’ suicide plans or attempts, with a breakdown by primary, secondary and university students;

    (2) whether, in response to the reasons behind the suicide plans or attempts mentioned in (1), the Government will strengthen relevant targeted measures or support services to reduce the likelihood of student suicide; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;

    (3) given that in the reply to a question from a Member of this Council on June 5 last year, the Government indicated that it would engage a consultant to evaluate the effectiveness of the Three-tier School-based Emergency Mechanism, of the results of the evaluation; given that the mechanism is set to expire at the end of this year, whether the Government will explore regularising the mechanism; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;

    (4) as there are views that “schooling problems”, “family relationships” and “interpersonal relationships” are the main reasons for student suicides, (i) whether the Government will study promoting education reform or developing quantifiable indicators for schools to formulate appropriate school-based assignment policies, so as to reduce the learning pressure on students in the long term; and (ii) what targeted measures the Government has in place to combat bullying in schools, in order to safeguard the mental health of students;

    (5) whether it will conduct studies to improve the Three-tier Support Model (i.e. the three levels of “Universal”, “Selective” and “Indicated”) which the Education Bureau has encouraged schools to adopt to promote student mental health, including organising an off-campus support network through cross-departmental, cross-professional and cross-sectoral co-operation to enhance support for schools; and

    (6) whether it will deploy additional school-based professional counsellors to provide immediate consultation and referral services, and encourage community members, parents and other stakeholders to show greater concern for the issue of student suicide, thereby widening the support available to schools?

    Reply:

    President,

         The Education Bureau (EDB) attaches great importance to the mental health of students, and has been proactively providing support for schools in adopting the Whole School Approach at three levels, namely “Universal”, “Selective” and “Indicated” (Three-tier Support Model), to promote student mental health and enhance support for those with mental health needs (including those with suicidal risks). The EDB also collaborates with other bureaux/departments and different stakeholders to take care of students with mental health needs and provide them with support in different aspects through cross-departmental, multi-disciplinary and cross-sector collaboration. In consultation with the Health Bureau, our reply to the question raised by the Hon Elizabeth Quat is as follows:

    (1) As indicated in relevant international and local studies, suicide (including suicidal attempts) is a complicated issue caused by the interplay of multiple factors which are interconnected. These factors are mainly related to interpersonal relationships (including family, social and relationship problems) and personal issues (such as learning and school adjustment, depressed mood and mental illness). Therefore, suicide should not be attributed to any one single factor (such as special educational need or mental illness). The EDB has all along been requiring primary and secondary schools to report suspected fatal suicide cases of students in order to provide appropriate professional support to the schools concerned. However, it is not mandatory for schools to report attempted or planned suicide cases of students, and the EDB does not collect information on cases involving university students.

    (2) to (6) Cross-departmental, multi-disciplinary and cross-sector collaboration

         The Government has been supporting student mental health through cross-departmental and cross-sector collaboration, and established the Advisory Committee on Mental Health (ACMH) in December 2017 to advise the Government on mental health policies. Among others, the EDB, the Department of Health (DH) and the Social Welfare Department (SWD) have also appointed representatives as ex-officio members of the ACMH to enhance cross-departmental collaboration and facilitate information sharing and co-ordination among departments, with a view to enhancing synergy.

         At school level, based on the recommendations of the Committee on Prevention of Student Suicides, the EDB adopts the Three-tier Support Model through the Whole School Approach and multi-disciplinary collaboration to promote mental health and provide support for students with mental health needs. The Government continues to allocate additional resources to enhance the guidance services in schools. Apart from strengthening teachers’ training, schools have also set up multi-disciplinary teams (including school-based educational psychologists, guidance personnel and school social workers) to provide appropriate support for students with mental health needs. If students are found to be emotionally disturbed, teachers will refer them to professionals in a timely manner. Starting from the 2016/17 school year, the School-based Educational Psychology Service has covered all public sector ordinary primary and secondary schools in Hong Kong. In addition, the EDB and the SWD have been implementing the “one school social worker for each school” and “two school social workers for each school ” measures in primary and secondary schools respectively. Each school may, according to its circumstances and students’ needs, flexibly deploy related resources, pool together other school resources, or make better use of community resources and professional support, to employ qualified student guidance personnel or procure related services from organisations to enhance the support for students.

         Implemented in all secondary schools in Hong Kong since December 2023, the Three-tier School-based Emergency Mechanism (the Mechanism) is one of the Government’s measures to promote cross-departmental, multi-disciplinary and cross-sector collaboration. The Mechanism aims to, through collaboration among schools, parents and other stakeholders in society, pool together the schools’ multi-disciplinary teams, the off-campus support network and medical services to achieve early identification and offer support to students at higher suicidal risk. After reviewing relevant circumstances and gauging the views of the sector, the Government decided to extend the implementation period of the Mechanism to the end of 2025 and enhance the related arrangements including strengthening cross-departmental collaboration. The Government has commissioned a study to evaluate the effectiveness of the Mechanism, and would closely monitor the overall operation and sustainability of the Mechanism by making reference to the evaluation results.

    Three-tier Support Model

         Under the Three-tier Support Model, the EDB continues to enhance the curriculum, information dissemination, activities, training and professional support on an ongoing basis to promote student mental health. Measures being implemented in the 2024/25 school year include:
     

    • Implementing the 4Rs Mental Health Charter (the Charter) to promote mental health in schools in a more comprehensive and systematic manner. As at the end of March 2025, more than 690 schools have participated in the Charter, with a number of partner organisations providing various activities. Schools participating in the Charter also make a pledge to join the Whole School Health Programme taken forward by the DH, thereby taking care of the health of students and school personnel in a comprehensive manner. 
    • Launching the Mental Health Literacy resource packages for students at different learning stages, as well as the one-stop student mental health information website, “Mental Health@School” (mentalhealth.edb.gov.hk), to facilitate teachers, students, parents and the general public to select appropriate resources and strategies. 
    • Collaborating with the SWD to arrange for non-government organisations to visit secondary schools in need to organise mental health-related activities since February 2024, with a view to enhancing students’ awareness of mental health and help-seeking. In addition, the EDB has collaborated with the Shall We Talk Initiative to arrange athletes to visit secondary schools to share the themes of positive thinking and perseverance so as to promote students’ resilience.
    • Organising about 40 additional thematic teacher training workshops to introduce practical skills, counselling techniques and intervention strategies in supporting students with mental health needs. The EDB also regularly shares the latest information and relevant resources through the “Mental Health@School” Teacher Professional Network, as well as organises thematic workshops for the Teacher Professional Network.
    • Promoting parent education through organising the “Caring for Their Heart and Soul, Growing along with Your Children” Parent Education Talk Series for parents of primary and secondary school students in the 2024/25 school year, so as to assist parents to acquire the knowledge and skills in supporting the healthy development of their children and taking care of their children’s mental health.

    School curriculum and assignments

         The aim of education is to foster proper values and positive attitude in students, while leading a healthy lifestyle is one of the learning goals of school curriculum. The EDB released the Primary Education Curriculum Guide (PECG) in 2024, in which clear guidelines and recommended measures for optimising the school assignment policy are provided. The PECG emphasises that schools should adopt the principle of “quality rather than the quantity that matters” in the design and arrangement of homework. Schools should formulate a school-based mechanism to avoid assigning excessive homework to students and monitor the implementation and effectiveness of the mechanism, with a view to creating more space for students. Schools should also arrange a tutorial session in the afternoon as far as possible for students to finish some or all of their homework under teachers’ guidance. The Secondary Education Curriculum Guide (2017) also stresses the importance of prioritising quality over quantity in homework, suggesting that balanced development and healthy lifestyle of students should be schools’ major concerns in setting their homework policy. Excessive homework should be avoided so that students could have enough time for rest, play and leisure. The EDB also reminds schools to review their prevailing assessment policies, including the frequency of dictations, tests and examinations, as well as the contents, scopes and modes of assessment. Measures include replacing traditional written tests and examinations with flexible and diversified modes of assessment; arranging less dictations, tests and examinations, or cancelling term examinations for individual year levels, particularly Primary One, where diversified modes of assessment instead of tests and examinations should be adopted in the first school term. Assessment at different key stages should be planned and arranged in a progressive manner to alleviate the academic pressure on students.

         Apart from the enhanced School Development and Accountability framework to promote self-improvement of schools in related areas, the EDB has also been promulgating the above messages and good practices to schools with a view to creating space for students and promote their physical and psychological well-being through various channels, such as the Charter, circulars, letters, featured articles, video and comic series, and onsite workshops for teachers.

    School bullying

         The EDB has all along been adopting a “zero tolerance” policy on school bullying and has been promoting a caring and harmonious school culture. In addition, we adopt a multi-pronged approach to implement the policy of preventing and handling school bullying, which includes providing schools with resource packages and teaching materials on the prevention of school bullying, helping schools develop school-based Peer Support networks, as well as launching the Peer Mediation Training Project for Peace Ambassadors and the Harmonious School Net. To further support students and parents in handling student peer conflicts or school bullying issues, the EDB has been providing the “Harmonious School: One-Stop Hotline and Counselling Services” since May 2024, for which registered social workers provide advice, counselling and case referral services for students and parents through the hotline and instant messaging software, as well as on-site support services for primary and secondary schools in need.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Karad, Maharashtra has set a benchmark in sanitary waste management by ensuring the safe disposal of sanitary waste

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 16 APR 2025 11:09AM by PIB Delhi

    Sanitary waste management remains a major challenge across India, with improper disposal leading to environmental and health hazards. However, Karad, a small city in Maharashtra’s Satara district, has emerged as a role model in tackling this issue. With 100% segregation, collection, and processing of sanitary and biomedical waste, Karad has set a benchmark for effective and sustainable waste management. Ensuring the proper disposal of sanitary waste—such as sanitary napkins, diapers, and other hygiene products—has helped prevent health risks, environmental harm, and social stigma in Karad.

    In Karad, approximately 300 to 350 kg of sanitary waste is collected daily from hospitals, clinics, households, and other facilities. One of the key steps taken by the administration was to break the taboo surrounding sanitary waste. This involved raising awareness and educating the community about the importance of proper sanitary waste management and the potential health risks associated with improper disposal. The city has adopted innovative strategies to educate residents on waste segregation via initiatives like workshops, community outreach programs, and public service announcements which played a key role in promoting responsible waste segregation and disposal.

    Karad Municipal Council (KMC) collaborated with female residents, leading to the formation of women groups that played a pivotal role in raising awareness on proper sanitary waste disposal and segregation in the residential areas. To facilitate this, separate red bins have been installed in public toilets across the city, making it easier for women to dispose of sanitary waste responsibly.

     

    Schools are also encouraged to install sanitary pad vending machines and disposal systems. Additionally, the city’s IEC team promote hygienic disposal practices, such as wrapping used sanitary pads in paper before discarding them. This initiative has led many schools to install incinerators, ensuring proper processing of sanitary waste, with the remaining residue sent to the biomedical waste treatment plant. 

     

     

    The Garbage Collection Vehicle in the city carries a separate bin for collection of sanitary waste. To ensure proper disposal, sanitation staff collect this waste separately, allowing only suitable materials to be incinerated. The sorted waste is then processed at a high-temperature incinerator, operated by the Karad Hospital Association, where it is burned at high temperatures. During incineration, organic materials are oxidized, generating heat, gas, and ash. To minimize environmental impact, the gases produced are filtered to remove harmful substances. The facility’s emissions are continuously monitored to meet air quality standards, with real-time data linked to the State Pollution Control Board (SPCB) monitoring system for regulatory oversight.

    To enhance sanitary waste disposal, the Karad Municipal Council (MC) has partnered with the Karad Hospital Association for the treatment of sanitary and biomedical waste. Under this agreement, KMC has allocated land for the construction of a biomedical waste treatment plant, which the hospital association is responsible for operating and maintaining. As part of the arrangement, the hospital association established the 600 kg/day ‘Common Biomedical Waste Treatment Facility’ (CBWTF) where the sanitary waste collected by the municipal council free of charge is processed. All sanitary waste in the city is incinerated at this facility, which houses a centralized incinerator capable of reaching temperatures up to 1200°C. This high-temperature incineration effectively minimizes contamination risks and health hazards, ensuring a safer working environment for sanitation staff.

    The improved sanitary waste management system in Karad City has had a significant positive impact on both public health and environmental sustainability. The agreement with the Karad Hospital Association has notably reduced the financial burden on the Karad Municipal Council, as it only bears the cost of waste collection and transportation. This partnership highlights the effectiveness of the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model in solid waste management. The high-temperature incineration of sanitary waste has greatly minimized health risks and contamination, particularly safeguarding sanitation workers who handle the waste. By eliminating the open dumping of sanitary waste, the city has also prevented environmental degradation and curbed the spread of diseases.

    By implementing proper waste segregation, increasing awareness, and developing more effective infrastructure, Karad prevented the public health and environmental hazards posed by inadequate sanitary waste management. This is not only contributed to the city’s cleanliness but also helped to improve the quality of life for the residents, particularly women, who are most directly affected by the challenges surrounding sanitary waste disposal.

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    SK

    (Release ID: 2122026) Visitor Counter : 49

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Ambassadors’ Meet Organized by MDoNER Garners Huge Support from Foreign Diplomats to Explore Endless Possibilities in NER

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 16 APR 2025 11:01AM by PIB Delhi

    In a significant step toward enhancing international cooperation and fostering global investment in India’s vibrant North East, Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (MDoNER)  organized Ambassadors’ Meet  in New Delhi on April 15, 2025.  Ambassadors, High Commissioners, and senior diplomatic representatives from over 80 countries participated . The event was aimed at showcasing the immense potential of the North Eastern Region (NER) and strengthening bilateral ties for sustainable development.

    The Ambassadors’ Meet was graced by Hon’ble Minister of Development of North Eastern Region, Shri Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, who emphasized the strategic importance of the region, both economically and geopolitically. In his keynote address, the Hon’ble Minister highlighted Indian Government’s commitment to transforming the North East into a hub of connectivity, trade, and innovation. He also underlined that each of the eight states of the North East embodies unique strengths, resources and opportunities, making the region an invaluable asset in India’s growth story. From its rich cultural diversity to its natural beauty and strategic location, the North Eastern Region holds immense potential to emerge as one of the country’s leading economic powerhouses. Its proximity to Southeast Asia also positions the North Eastern Region as a gateway to South East Asian countries, aligning with India’s Act East Policy. Hon’ble Minister extended an invitation to the participating countries to explore opportunities in NER, capitalizing on the region’s rich resources and craftsmanship.

    Hon’ble Minister of State, MDoNER, Dr. Sukanta Majumdar, in his address highlighted the immense potential of North Eastern region. Sharing the vision of Hon’ble Prime Minister, he explained how North Eastern States offers great aspects for investment opportunities and building a “Viksit Bharat” together. He highlighted the major development initiatives in the infrastructure sector that have taken place in the North Eastern Region under the leadership of Hon’ble Prime Minister during the last 10 years, inter-alia, including expanding air, road and rail connectivity, waterways etc. He also underlined that Hon’ble Prime Minister emphasized North East as India’s Asthalakshmi, a key economic asset poised for rapid industrialization. He stated that with ample opportunities across multiple sectors, North East India welcomes investors to explore its vast potential and be part of its growth journey.

    Shri Pema Khandu, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh, spoke about the unique strengths of Northeast Region including Arunachal Pradesh.

    Hon’ble Minister of External Affairs, Shri S. Jaishankar, through a video message highlighted that NER has been at the forefront of India’s development policies. He mentioned about the importance of Kaladan multi-modal transit project and NER’s potential to be the gateway for south east Asian markets.

    Secretary, MDoNER, Shri Chanchal Kumar delivered a detailed presentation on the investment opportunities in NER and highlighted untapped potential  of the region. He also highlighted the opportunities available in the region in across various sectors like IT & ITES, Healthcare, Agri and allied, Education & Skill Development, Sports & Entertainment, Tourism & Hospitality, Infrastructure and logistics; Textiles, Handlooms and Handicrafts and Energy. He stated that with ample opportunities across multiple sectors, North East India welcomes investors to explore its vast potential and be part of its growth journey. He stated that MDoNER is committed to work closely with diplomatic missions, international development agencies, and global investors to channel resources and expertise toward projects that will boost employment, infrastructure, and human capital in the North Eastern Region.

    Secretary(East), Ministry of External Affairs Shri Periasamy Kumaran in his address stated that the North Eastern Region shares international borders of with neighboring countries Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, Nepal and Myanmar making it a strategic location and the Gateway to Southeast Asia for India. Therefore, the region can be developed as a base for India’s growing economic links not only with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) but also with neighbouring countries, viz. Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Nepal. He underlined that North Eastern Region is a treasure trove of diverse cultures, traditions, and breathtaking natural beauty. He stated that Ambassadors Meet is a crucial platform for engaging in constructive dialogues, building partnerships, and attracting investments that will drive inclusive growth and prosperity. This platform is an opportunity to come forward and explore the diverse opportunities offered by the Northeast.

    The Ambassadors’ Meet was the one of the pre-summit activities of the North East Investors Summit to be organized by MDoNER on 23rd and 24th  May, 2025. The event received an overwhelming response, with Ambassadors and diplomatic envoys expressing keen interest in partnering with Indian stakeholders to explore the possibilities offered by the North Eastern states – Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, and Tripura.  The event not only fostered meaningful dialogue but also laid the groundwork for future partnerships, driving economic growth and sustainable development in the region.

    The event was  seniors officials Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region  and State Government  of NER.

    *****

    Samrat

    (Release ID: 2122025) Visitor Counter : 26

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: AGAFILI TOMAIMANŌ SHEM LEO RE-APPOINTED AS CEO OF THE MINISTRY OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

    Source:

    Share this:

    [GOVT PRESS SECRETARIAT – Thursday, 03rd April 2025] – Cabinet has approved the reappointment of Agafili Tomaimanō Shem Leo to the position of Chief Executive Officer for the Ministry of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (MPMC), and Secretary to Cabinet.

    Agafili was initially appointed to this position in late 2015 and officially commenced his duties in 2016. He began his career as a teacher at Samoa College in 2001 and was promoted to the role of Principal Policy Analyst for the MPMC in 2007. He has remained with the Ministry for 18 years including nine years as CEO.

    Agafili holds a Master of Arts in Governance, a Postgraduate Diploma in Development Studies and a Bachelor of Education in Geography. He is a former student of Samoa College and an alumni of the University of the South Pacific in Suva.

    He is an Assistant Pastor and a Bible teacher for the Laloanea Bible Fellowship. He is married with two children. He is from the villages of Tufulele, Amaile, Samusu, and Sala’ilua.

    END.

    TOFIAINA O AGAFILI TOMAIMANŌ SHEM LEO I LE TOFIGA OFISA SILI O PULEGA O LE MATĀGALUEGA A LE PALEMIA MA LE KAPENETA

    [SO’O’UPU A LE MALO – Aso Tofi, 03 Aperila 2025] – Ua fa’amaonia e le Kapeneta le toe tofia o le tōfā iā Agafili Tomaimanō Shem Leo i le tofiga o le Ofisa Sili o Pulega o le Matāgaluega a le Palemia ma le Kapeneta, faapea le tofiga Failautusi o le Kapeneta mo le isi tolu tausaga.

    Na muai tofia Agafili Tomaimanō i lenei tofiga i le faaiuga o le 2015 ma amata aloaia ai i le 2016. Na amata lana tautua i le Malo i le 2001 o se faiaoga faauuina i le Kolisi o Samoa, ona tofia lea e galue i le Matagaluega o le Palemia ma le Kapeneta i le 2007 e oo mai i le asō.

    O loo umiaina e Agafili Faailoga Tau Aoaoga o le Matuaofaiva o Fa’atufugaga i Tulaga Tau Pulega [Master of Arts in Governance], Tipiloma Mauāluga i Suesuega Tau Atina’e [Postgraduate Diploma in Development Studies], ma le Tikeri o Tulaga tau Aoaoga (Bachelor of Education in Geography). Sa aoaoina o ia i le Kolisi o Samoa, ma agai atu ai i le Iunivesete o le Pasefika i Saute i Fiti.

    O ia o se tasi o Taitai mo le Mafutaga Faale Tusi Paia i Laloanea.

    E toalua o la alo, ma o se tama fanau a afioaga o Tufulele, Amaile, Samusu, ma Sala’ilua.

    MAEA.

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  • MIL-OSI USA: Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle Treatments Continues in Kona

    Source: US State of Hawaii

    Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle Treatments Continues in Kona

    Posted on Apr 15, 2025 in Main

    April 15, 2025
    NR25-08

    HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Agriculture (HDOA), with the assistance of the County of Hawai‘i Public Works Department, have been working collaboratively since January 2025 to combat the coconut rhinoceros beetle (CRB) after detections in the Kona area. The HDOA and Hawai‘i County crews completed the latest round of treatments on palm trees last week at Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport in the continuing effort to protect the island from CRB infestations.

    “The staff of the Department of Agriculture remains dedicated to stopping the further spread of the coconut rhinoceros beetle, with emphasis in areas that are not known to be infested,” said Sharon Hurd, chairperson of the Hawai‘i Board of Agriculture. “We truly appreciate the concern and assistance of Mayor Kimo Alameda and the county’s public works crew in providing the resources to prevent CRB from taking hold on Hawai‘i Island. We also appreciate all the various agencies and organizations that work tirelessly in the fight against invasive species.”

    Mayor Alameda emphasized the importance of the state and county working collaboratively to protect the island from the invasive species. “The introduction of the coconut rhinoceros beetle is a major concern, and we are committed to doing everything we can—alongside HDOA and our other partners—to stop its spread,” he said.

    In September 2024, HDOA Plant Pest Control (PPC) personnel found a single CRB in a trap during routine monitoring in Waikoloa. This was the first detection of CRB on the island since October 2023 when a Waikoloa resident found six grubs (larvae) in a decaying palm tree stump. Increased surveillance continued throughout the island and more intensely on the Kona side.

    In January 2025, Mayor Alameda and the County of Hawai‘i offered their resources and assistance to HDOA, including the use of their 75-foot boom truck to treat the crowns of palm trees. On January 14, the team treated a total of 38 trees in the Waikoloa area via crown treatments and 24 trees were treated via an injection system which provides systemic protection against CRB. HDOA’s Pesticides Branch was also at the site to assist. So far, there have been no further detections of CRB in Waikoloa.

    On March 3, 2025, the Big Island Invasive Species Committee (BIISC) reported one adult CRB in a detection trap along the boundary of the Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport. A day later, two more adult CRBs were found in traps at the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawai‘i (NELHA).

    After the detections, HDOA, county crews and airport staff targeted treatments at the airport over a period of three days in March. The county provided the use of two boom trucks and the team treated 128 trees on the airport grounds and injected 12 more trees that were inaccessible to the boom trucks. So far, there have been no further detections at the airport.

    Last week, on April 7 and 8, crews began work at NELHA and treated 58 trees via crown treatments with about 14 trees treated via injections due to their close proximity to water.

    All palms that were treated were tagged and surrounded with yellow tape to indicate treatment. Coconuts from treated trees should not be consumed. Questions regarding pesticide use may be addressed to HDOA’s Pesticides Branch at 808-973-9402.

    Surveillance for CRB continues around Hawai‘i Island by HDOA, BIISC, University of Hawai‘i, the County of Hawai‘i and the state Department of Health Vector Control Branch.

    Residents on all islands are asked to be vigilant when purchasing mulch, compost and soil products, and to inspect bags for evidence of entry holes. CRB grubs breed in decomposing plant and animal waste. An adult beetle is about 2-inches long, all black and has a single horn on its head.

    Residents may go to the CRB Response website at:  https://www.crbhawaii.org/  to learn more about how to detect the signs of CRB damage and how to identify CRB life stages. Reports of possible CRB infestation may also be made to the state’s toll-free Pest Hotline at 808-643-PEST (7378).

    # # #

    CRB treatment at Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport

    CRB treatment at Kona Airport

    Waikoloa tree injection treatment

    Waikoloa CRB treatment using boom truck

    Tagging of treated trees – do not consume coconuts

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Primary school place allocations announced for September 2025 16 April 2025 Primary school place allocations announced for September 2025

    Source: Aisle of Wight

    The allocation of Isle of Wight primary school places has been announced today (Wednesday 16 April 2025) with hundreds of children across the Island finding out which primary school they’ll be attending from September.

    This year 97.6 per cent of Island parents will have gained a school of choice for their child, with 91.5 per cent of applications achieving a place at their first-choice school. Every child for which an application was submitted to the council received a school place. 

    • The number of applications in 2025 — 998 (1,024 last year).

    • The percentage of applications achieving first choice — 91.5 per cent (96.9 per cent last year).

    • The percentage achieving second choice — 5.11 per cent (2.3 per cent last year).

    • The percentage achieving third choice — 1.00 per cent (0.1 per cent last year).

    • The figures above include all applications that were received on time and those children with an Education and Health Care Plan, but not those who applied late.

    Ashley Whittaker, Strategic Director of Children’s Services said: “We are pleased the majority of children have gained a place at one of their preferred schools, with most getting their first choice and all children being offered a place.’’

    “Those children starting their primary education will be embarking on a new journey and as they settle-in and make new friends, it will be an exciting time as we develop and improve education across the Island.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: National Offer Day for primary schools: York children allocated their Reception school place for September

    Source: City of York

    Published Wednesday, 16 April 2025

    A total of 95.8% of children who applied for a Reception place at a primary school in York this September were allocated their first choice on National Offer Day (Wednesday 16 April).

    A total of 95.8% of children who applied for a Reception place at a primary school in York this September were allocated their first choice on National Offer Day (Wednesday 16 April).

    All the children who applied for a Year 3 place in a junior school were allocated their first choice.

    Parents who applied online can find out where their child has been allocated a place by logging into their parent portal account today.

    Parents who made written applications will receive a letter confirming their admission arrangements. Anyone who didn’t receive their first choice of school will also receive written confirmation.

    Councillor Bob Webb, Executive Member for Education, Children and Young People, at City of York Council, said:

    Starting primary school is such an exciting time for children and their families and I know that primary schools in York work really hard to help families settle into the education communities and make starting school easy and fun for the young people.

    Any parent whose children may be eligible for free school meals, one of a number of benefits that come with applying for the pupil premium, should apply through their online parent portal account.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Funding secured to support households in Derby

    Source: City of Derby

    Derby City Council is pleased to announce its acceptance of £3.920 million in funding from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) under Household Support Fund 7 (HSF7). This crucial funding will provide support to vulnerable households struggling with the cost of living from April 2025 to March 2026.

    The grant aims to assist households in Derby that are facing financial hardship by addressing essential needs, including food, energy, and housing costs.

    Key Support Initiatives Under HSF7 include:

    • Free School Meals Support: Over 16,400 Derby city households with children receiving benefit-related free school meals will be supported with supermarket food vouchers, delivering approximately 1,070,000 meals during school term breaks between April 2025 and March 2026.
    • Food Vouchers: Eligible households in financial crisis can apply for supermarket food vouchers through an online application form. Two rounds of funding will be available. Round 1 will be from May 2025 to September 2025 and Round 2 will be available from October 2025 to March 2026. Only one award will be made per eligible household in each round, with a total allocation of £600,000.
    • Warm Welcome Hubs: Financial support is being provided to over 40 community organisations across Derby to maintain and enhance a cost-of-living support network. These hubs offer warm spaces, hot meals, guidance on reducing energy bills, and help accessing other services. In summer 2024/25, the hubs received over 37,300 visits from adults and more than 4,050 children.
    • Energy Support: Vulnerable households and those in financial crisis can access PayPoint energy vouchers via the Warm Welcome Hubs. The energy scheme will open in September 2025 and run through to March 2026, or until the allocated £195,000 is awarded.
    • Pensioner Support: Up to 2,000 low-income pensioner households not receiving pension credit (and thus missing out on the winter fuel payment) but who do receive Council Tax Support or Housing Benefit will automatically receive a £100 direct payment by February 2026. These households do not need to apply; payments will be sent directly to their bank accounts. Pensioners can also access support at Warm Welcome Hubs.
    • Essential Household Items: Support may include energy-efficient appliances and warm clothing or bedding for eligible households in financial distress.
    • Financial Wellbeing Workshops: Workshops will run to equip Derby residents with money management skills.
    • Leaving Care and Crisis Support: Targeted support will also be delivered for young people leaving care and for households experiencing specific crises.
    • Assistance for families in temporary housing situations.

    Councillor Sarah Chambers, Cabinet Member for Cost of Living, Equalities and Communities, said:

    I am thrilled that we have managed to secure this funding for Derby. The Household Support Fund continues to be a lifeline for many households in Derby, particularly those experiencing significant financial challenges. This latest round of funding ensures we can continue to provide targeted assistance where it is most needed, helping families and individuals maintain stability.

    I strongly encourage anyone who is struggling with the cost of living to take a look at what is on offer and to take full advantage of the resources and support that is available. HSF7 could be what you or your family need to find your way through the rising cost of living.”

    The impact of previous Household Support Fund initiatives has been widely recognized. A recent Department for Work and Pensions audit highlighted Derby City Council as a model of effective fund management and community support, praising its strategic approach to alleviating poverty and deprivation.

    Further details about HSF7, including eligibility criteria and application processes, will be shared in the coming weeks. For more information on the Household Support Fund 7 and how to access support, please visit our Household Support Fund webpage.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: University of the Philippines Diliman

    Source: UNISDR Disaster Risk Reduction

    Mission

    The University of the Philippines Diliman, also referred to as UP Diliman or simply University of the Philippines, is a public, coeducational, research university located in Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines.

    It was established on February 12, 1949, as the flagship campus and seat of administration of the University of the Philippines System, the national university of the Philippines.

    As a member of the University of the Philippines System, it is the fourth oldest and is the largest constituent campus in terms of the number of degree-granting academic units, student population, faculty, and library resources.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Unacceptable disciplinary proceedings against teachers – E-001386/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-001386/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Kostas Papadakis (NI)

    Teachers who have opposed the anti-pedagogical nature of the so-called ‘evaluation’ of teachers are being met with a display of authoritarianism by the Nea Dimokratia Government and the Ministry of Education of Greece. More than 2 000 teachers are facing disciplinary proceedings for taking part in the union-declared strike/abstention from the evaluation procedures, which are anti-pedagogical. Among them are newly appointed teachers, whom the Ministry is obstinately refusing to make permanent, and teachers who have been dismissed from positions of responsibility for taking part in collective decisions.

    Teachers oppose the evaluations, which aim to subjugate them and make them accept and serve ‘autonomous’ schools with strong social barriers, degradation and categorisation by social class, intensification, relaxed employment relationships and wage freezes lasting years, as well as the devaluation of the teaching profession. They are fighting against the criminalisation of trade union action and the use of chemicals to suppress the large nationwide rally, and defending the right to strike, which is under attack.

    In light of the above, can the Commission answer the following:

    • 1.What view does it take of the fact that thousands of teachers are being prosecuted for participating in a strike announced by their unions in implementation of the constitutional right to strike?
    • 2.Are the EU guidelines and recommendations on evaluation leading to the categorisation of schools and class divides between them, degrading the quality of education and – once again contradicting the EU’s ‘rule of law’ claims – imposing the punitive individual evaluation of teachers?

    Submitted: 4.4.2025

    Last updated: 16 April 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Could CT scans be fuelling a future rise in cancer cases, as a new study suggests?

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Justin Stebbing, Professor of Biomedical Sciences, Anglia Ruskin University

    CT scans are a vital part of modern medicine. Found in every hospital and many clinics, they give doctors a fast and detailed look inside the body – helping to diagnose everything from cancer and strokes to internal injuries. But a new study suggests there may be a hidden cost to our growing reliance on this technology.

    The study, published in Jama Internal Medicine, warns that CT scans performed in the US in 2023 alone could eventually lead to over 100,000 extra cancer cases. If the current rate of scanning continues, the researchers say CT scans could be responsible for around 5% of all new cancers diagnosed each year.

    That figure has raised concerns. Especially when you consider that the number of CT scans done in the US has jumped by 30% in just over a decade. In 2023, there were an estimated 93 million CT exams carried out on 62 million people.

    The risk from a single scan is low – but not zero. And the younger the patient, the greater the risk. Children and teenagers are especially vulnerable because their bodies are still developing, and any damage caused by ionising radiation may not show up until many years later.

    That said, over 90% of CT scans are performed on adults, so it’s this group that faces the largest overall impact. The most common cancers linked to CT exposure are lung, colon, bladder and leukaemia. For women, breast cancer is also a significant concern.

    What makes this latest estimate so striking is how much it has grown. In 2009, a similar analysis projected around 29,000 future cancers linked to CT scans. The new number is over three times higher – not just because of more scans, but because newer research allows for a more detailed analysis of radiation exposure to specific organs.

    The study also makes an eye-catching comparison: if things stay as they are, CT-related cancers could match the number of cancers caused by alcohol or excess weight – two well-known risk factors.

    Not all scans carry the same level of risk. In adults, scans of the abdomen and pelvis are thought to contribute the most to future cancer cases. In children, it’s head CTs that pose the biggest concern – especially for babies under the age of one.

    Often life-saving

    Despite all this, doctors stress that CT scans are often life-saving and remain essential in many cases. They help catch conditions early, guide treatment and are crucial in emergencies. The challenge is making sure they’re only used when really needed.

    Newer technologies could help reduce the risk. Photon-counting CT scanners, for example, deliver lower doses of radiation, and MRI scans don’t use radiation at all. The researchers suggest that better use of diagnostic checklists could also help doctors decide when a scan is necessary, and when a safer alternative like MRI or ultrasound might do the job.

    It’s worth noting that this study doesn’t prove CT scans cause cancer in individual people. The estimates are based on “risk models” – not direct evidence. In fact, the American College of Radiology points out that no study has yet linked CT scans directly to cancer in humans, even after multiple scans.

    Still, the idea that radiation can cause cancer isn’t new. It’s scientifically sound. And with the huge number of scans being done, even small risks can add up.

    CT scans save lives, but they’re not risk-free. As medical technology evolves, so too should the way we use it. By cutting down on unnecessary scans, using safer alternatives where possible, and keeping radiation doses as low as practical, we can ensure CT scans continue to help more than they harm.

    Justin Stebbing 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. Could CT scans be fuelling a future rise in cancer cases, as a new study suggests? – https://theconversation.com/could-ct-scans-be-fuelling-a-future-rise-in-cancer-cases-as-a-new-study-suggests-254633

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Make way for the young! Polytechnicians awarded for participation in the project “Contract Manager of St. Petersburg”

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

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

    The first stream of the project “Contract Manager of St. Petersburg. Make Way for the Young”, aimed at training young specialists in the field of procurement, has ended. The award ceremony for the best participants took place in the Nevskaya Town Hall. The project was implemented by the Committee for State Order of St. Petersburg together with the Committee for Civil Service and Personnel Policy of St. Petersburg, as well as the electronic platform “RTS-tender”.

    Participants were given the opportunity to master the sought-after profession of contract manager for free. More than 400 people from three universities of St. Petersburg took part in the project. 172 specialists reached the final, who were awarded certificates and memorable prizes. Teachers and students of the Institute of Industrial Management, Economics and Trade of SPbPU took an active part in the project.

    The absolute winner, who scored the maximum number of points, was Ekaterina Minina, a student majoring in Economic Security at the Higher School of Public Administration at IPMET.

    Chairman of the Committee on State Procurement of St. Petersburg Denis Tolstykh, Deputy Chairman of the Committee on State Service and Personnel Policy Igor Murashev and Director of the North-West Branch of RTS-tender Nikita Avvakumov expressed their gratitude for participation in the first stream. They noted that a specialist in state procurement is a sought-after profession that requires unique skills and a creative approach, thanks to which the project participants now have a competitive advantage in the labor market.

    I congratulate all the participants and organizers on the successful completion of the first stream of the project. This is an important event for all the participants who invested their efforts, ideas and desire in development and created a solid foundation for their future careers. I can say that the project is already attracting the attention of other authorities interested in students and graduates of universities, – noted the Vice-Rector for Additional and Pre-University Education of SPbPU Dmitry Tikhonov.

    Our university has become the most representative in terms of the number of participants. The project attracted students from a wide range of fields and levels of study. It is very important that the participants receive not only theoretical training, but also practical experience in city government bodies, a chance to get into the personnel reserve, which will increase their chances of employment. Our final goal was, of course, to help graduates find work in the field of public procurement in St. Petersburg — noted the project coordinator from SPbPU and the head of the educational program “State and Municipal Administration”, associate professor of the Higher School of Public Administration IPMEiT Marina Ivanova.

    Participants will be assessed by the Committee for Civil Service and Personnel Policy of the Government of St. Petersburg within the framework of the city’s youth personnel reserve. The best students will have the opportunity to apply their knowledge and skills in practice, working in contract services or representing suppliers at tenders. The project “Contract Manager of St. Petersburg. Make Way for the Young” became not only a launching pad, but also a source of inspiration for further achievements.

    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 –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Today, the 63rd International Scientific Student Conference opened at NSU — MNSC

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Novosibirsk State University – Novosibirsk State University –

    Today, the 63rd International Scientific Student Conference started at Novosibirsk State University. This year, more than 3,100 participants registered for the largest such event beyond the Urals, more than 2,800 of them passed the scientific selection. More than half of the participants are representatives of NSU, the number of participants in school sections increased to 453, which is 16% of the total. 40% of students and young scientists represent other universities in Russia.

    The MNSC has a wide geography of participants. Thus, this year, schoolchildren, students and young scientists from 40 regions of Russia, as well as participants from abroad – Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Belarus – will present their reports at the conference.

    Sergey Golovin, director Advanced Engineering School of NSU, delivering a welcoming speech, drew attention to the interest of out-of-town students in the university and the opportunities provided by the Akademgorodok ecosystem:

    — I am very glad to see that half of the guys are not from NSU, and this is very good, because you consider the university and our conference as a platform where you can come and discuss many interesting things. We are located in a unique place — in the Akademgorodok of Novosibirsk. In this relatively small area there are more than 30 research institutes and more than 5,000 research staff work on a variety of topics. It is also very important: there is a Technopark on our territory, it is one of the most successful in Russia, because it was created on the initiative of those innovators, those companies that wanted this technopark to appear. Now it has more than 350 residents who earn more than 50 billion rubles a year. Being in such an ecosystem, of course, everyone who studies here and everyone who comes here has very great opportunities to develop themselves and implement their projects through this ecosystem.

    The conference will be held in 46 sections and 143 subsections. This year, two new sections have appeared: “Intercultural Communication and Translation” and “Romano-Germanic Philology and Theory of Language”.

    It is important that in recent years, not only schoolchildren, students and young scientists, but also representatives of companies, partners of the university, have taken part in the events of the MNSC. And this is no coincidence, since NSU does a lot to build closer cooperation with the real sector. The university is integrating into the socio-economic agenda and is more actively working on solving industrial problems, replicating the experience of many years of successful interaction with research institutes to high-tech companies.

    This transformation in the university’s strategy was noted by Igor Marchuk, Dean Faculty of Mechanics and Mathematics of NSU:

    — Now the country faces the task of achieving technological leadership, it is impossible to solve this task without science. I am sure that your reports, many of the results that will be presented, will serve to achieve this goal. Now it is important to link science and production, to work in closer connection with the real sector. Thus, at the NSU Mathematical Center, we are just beginning to work in such a product logic, although for mathematicians it is not so easy, since we mainly have theorems, proofs, algorithms. Nevertheless, we know many examples when the results of scientific research have a significant impact on the development of industries. Thus, we are now in the auditorium of the NSU Faculty of Economics — the Leonid Vitalyevich Kantorovich auditorium. He is an outstanding mathematician, who is a Nobel laureate in economics. The results of his work have had a huge impact on technology.

    The MNSC will be held from April 16 to 22. You can find the detailed conference program on the website.

    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 –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: 2025 reception class place allocations announced

    Source: City of Wolverhampton

    Councillor Jacqui Coogan, the City of Wolverhampton Council’s Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Education said: “We understand how important getting into the right school is to parents and carers, and we want as many of our young people as possible to secure a place at one of their preferred schools.

    “We work hard with our local providers to ensure as many children as possible are able to go to school where they want to, and it is pleasing that so many parents have secured places at one of their preferred schools.

    “Waiting lists will be in operation over the coming months and any places will be made available as and when they become free, while parents and carers who are unhappy with the allocation made for their child will also have the opportunity to make an appeal if they wish, which will be considered by an independent panel.”

    Any parents and carers of children due to start in reception class this autumn who haven’t applied for a place yet should do so immediately by calling the council’s school admissions team online via School admissions or by calling 01902 551122.

    Meanwhile, parents and carers whose children will start their primary education in September 2026 are being encouraged to begin thinking about their preferred schools now.

    Councillor Coogan added: “With demand for school places likely to be high again next year, I would like to remind parents and carers of pupils entering primary education in 2026 that they should submit their applications promptly when the window opens in November 2025 – as missing the deadline could significantly affect the chances of securing a place at their preferred school.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: £20 Million Partnership for City Projects

    Source: Scotland – City of Dundee

    16/04/25

    Details of projects in Dundee that will receive a share of £20 million of UK Government funding are set to be outlined to councillors. 

    A committee convener is welcoming the award, stressing it is the result of direct lobbying by the council and reflects on the city’s successful record of project delivery. 

    The city was allocated the cash by the former Levelling Up Partnership, which is now named the Community Regeneration Partnership (CRP) under the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG). 

    A memorandum of understanding has been signed between the city council and MHCLG outlining the expected delivery approach for the CRP. 

    Some of the projects included are: 

    • Life Sciences Innovation District (Protein Degradation Centre)  £2m 

    • Legal Tech Education and Incubator Facility                             £1.1m 

    • Central Waterfront Phase 3 Office Development        £3m 

    • Historic Buildings Renewal Fund        £2m 

    • Fabric First Grant Fund        £1m 

    • Eastern Quarter Improvements        £1m 

    • Dundee Museum of Transport       £1.2m 

    • Dundee & Angus College Future Skills Programme       £4.5m 

    • Dundee & Angus College Social/ Health Care Facility       £500,000 

    • Drug and Rehabilitation Infrastructure       £500,000 

    • Community Facilities Grant Scheme       £2.5m 

    The city council will be the lead authority for the programme delivery which includes standalone capital projects by the council or third partner parties, challenge funds where organisations and firms are invited to bid, and revenue investment.  

    Projects are grouped under one of three themes: Accelerating Dundee’s Business Ambitions, Enhancing the City Centre and Bridging the Divide.      

    The programme will be outlined to the Fair Work, Economic Growth and Infrastructure Committee at its meeting on April 21. 

    Committee convener Councillor Steven Rome said: “We welcome this funding and I am pleased to see the work that has been ongoing to distribute it to projects across the city that have been identified and agreed with the UK Government. 

    “The council and its partners want this investment to make a real difference Dundee and its people, so this programme boosts our economy and offers new opportunities for them. 

    “The council successfully lobbied for this money and was able to prove a long track record of major project delivery. 

    “I am excited to see this programme move onto the next stages and really enhance our city’s prospects for the future.” 

    Results of Consultation around Drumgeith Community Campus

    Results of Consultation around Drumgeith Community Campus

    The results of a major consultation exercise over delivery of community services in the North East and East End of Dundee will be discussed by councillors next week.

    Hundreds of people…

    15/04/25

    Cycling Conference to Wheel into Dundee

    Cycling Conference to Wheel into Dundee

    A Community Clean-Up has taken place this week in Dundee’s city centre area as part of the long-standing Take Pride in Your City campaign.

    The campaign, which aims to make a difference to…

    04/04/25

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Daily summary of the Berlin offensive operation

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: State University of Management – Official website of the State –

    Exactly 80 years ago, on April 16, 1945, the Berlin Strategic Offensive Operation began, ending the Great Patriotic War with the complete and unconditional victory of the Soviet Union over Nazi Germany.

    The Guinness Book of Records lists this operation as the largest-scale battle in world history. About 3.5 million people, 52 thousand guns and mortars, 7,750 tanks and 11 thousand aircraft took part in it on both sides. The German capital was attacked by forces from three fronts: the 1st Belorussian under the command of Georgy Zhukov, the 2nd Belorussian under the command of Konstantin Rokossovsky and the 1st Ukrainian under the command of Ivan Konev.

    The scale of the operation is clearly described by Zhukov in his book “Memories and Reflections”: “On the first day, 1,197,000 shots were planned for artillery alone, but in fact 1,236,000 shots were fired. Think about these numbers! 2,450 train cars of shells, that is, almost 98 thousand tons of metal fell on the enemy’s head.”

    On April 16, at exactly 4 a.m., the final chord of retribution for Germany’s treacherous attack sounded – the code signal “Rodina” swept through the communication lines and the battle began. Having recovered from the first artillery barrage, the Germans put up serious resistance, the Soviet tanks got bogged down in heavy fighting and were unable to outpace the infantry.

    On April 17, as a result of bloody battles, the Seelow Heights, 50-60 kilometers from Berlin, were taken; they were considered by the German command to be the most reliable line of defense.

    On April 18, the Red Army began to cross the Ost-Oder.

    On April 19, the breakthrough of the entire Oder defensive line was completed.

    On April 20, Soviet long-range artillery began shelling Berlin.

    On April 21, troops of the 1st Belorussian and 1st Ukrainian Fronts reached the eastern and southern outskirts of the city, respectively. The first street battles began.

    On April 22, the German command transferred troops of the Frankfurt-Guben group from the Western Front to stop the envelopment of Berlin from the north. This attack was repelled by Soviet troops with the help of the 2nd Polish Army.

    On April 23, during particularly fierce battles, the 9th Rifle Corps of Major General Ivan Roslov captured the Karlshorst and Kölönig areas, and immediately crossed the Spree River, where the Dnieper military flotilla was already operating.

    On April 24, in the southeast of Berlin, in the Bonsdorf area, troops of the 1st Belorussian and 1st Ukrainian fronts met, encircling the German Frankfurt-Guben group.

    On April 25, the troops of the same fronts united in the Ketzin area, encircling the enemy’s Berlin group. At the same time, the famous meeting on the Elbe with the troops of the 1st US Army took place.

    On April 26, the two-day air operation “Salute” ended, during which 1,222 tons of bombs were dropped on the central districts of Berlin to suppress the enemy – 70 tons per square kilometer.

    On April 27, the assault on the central districts of the German capital began – the city front stretched from the southeast to the northwest in a narrow strip 16 km long and 2-3 km wide. The Red Army seemed to be plunging into the capital of Germany with a bayonet.

    On April 28, the commander of Army Group Vistula, Gotthard Heinrici, ordered his troops to retreat, for which he was removed from command and later surrendered to British troops. Meanwhile, the Russians reached the Reichstag area.

    On April 29, the Moltke Bridge leading to the Government Quarter of Berlin was captured.

    April 30 – German Fuhrer Adolf Hitler committed suicide. On the same day, the Frankfurt-Guben group, the largest German unit at the time, numbering about 200 thousand soldiers, was liquidated. The Ministry of Internal Affairs building next to the Reichstag was captured. Red flags also began to rise over the Reichstag itself. There was more than one Victory Banner; a total of nine special flags were prepared for the Red Army assault groups.

    On May 1, the German government announced Hitler’s death and offered to conclude a truce, but did not agree to an unconditional surrender. The storming of the Government Quarter resumed.

    On May 2, still at night, a radio message in Russian arrived at the headquarters of the 1st Belorussian Front asking for a ceasefire. At 6 a.m., after brief negotiations, the commander of the Berlin defense, Helmut Weidling, surrendered and signed the capitulation order. The units that refused to surrender were destroyed by the end of the day.

    Thus ended the Berlin offensive operation. And although the capitulation of all of Germany was still ahead, it was already a matter of time. The main result of the battle was the destruction of the last large forces of Germany and the capture of its top leadership, as well as the liberation from captivity of hundreds of thousands of civilians of the Soviet Union and many European countries. About 1 million Red Army servicemen were awarded the Medal “For the Capture of Berlin”. Among them were employees and graduates of the Moscow Engineering and Economics Institute, heroes of the Scientific Regiment of the State University of Management: – Georgy Bryansky – Dean of the Faculty of Organizers of Industrial Production and Construction, Candidate of Economic Sciences, Professor, during the war assistant to the division commander for political affairs; – Boris Ionas – Head of the Department of Construction Economics, Doctor of Economic Sciences, Professor, twice Knight of the Order of the Red Star; – Alexey Kozhin – Professor of the Department of Management in Automobile Transport, Candidate of Economic Sciences, during the war commander of a control platoon, and later a battery of a howitzer-artillery regiment; — Arkady Pashenin – 1941 graduate of the Moscow Institute of Power Engineering, retired lieutenant colonel, during the war a major in the headquarters of the 5th Shock Army, standard-bearer at the signing ceremony of the act of surrender of Germany; — Alexey Strigin – associate professor, candidate of historical sciences, retired lieutenant, during the war served as a tank platoon commander.

    #Scientific regiment

    Subscribe to the TG channel “Our GUU” Date of publication: 04/16/2025

    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 –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Moscow Longevity Centers Create New Programs and a Unified Class Calendar

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    This spring, new programs appeared in Moscow longevity centers, as well as a single calendar with a schedule of all classes. This was reported by Anastasia Rakova, Deputy Mayor of Moscow for Social Development.

    “In our Moscow Longevity Centers, we create all the conditions for senior residents so that they can not only have an interesting time, but also actively take care of their health – physical, cognitive and emotional. These are spaces that are organized according to a single principle and equipped with everything necessary – from gyms and culinary studios to libraries and media rooms with computers. Less than a month ago, together with the Federal Medical and Biological Agency of Russia, we launched a unique program to preserve cognitive functions and psycho-emotional health for residents of the “silver” age. More than 20 thousand people have already signed up for classes. To make it easier for participants to plan intellectual and sports leisure, we decided to introduce new areas of classes and a single schedule in the Moscow Longevity Centers to make leisure planning even more convenient,” said Anastasia Rakova.

    “Longevity Charging” and Smart Training

    The schedule was designed to take into account the life rhythms and needs of older Muscovites: physical activity in the morning, intellectual and educational activities in the afternoon, and a cultural program in the evening. New features in the unified calendar of activities include daily exercises and rhythmic exercises, as well as smart workouts called “Let’s Go and Listen!”. Participants can exercise while listening to fascinating lectures, audiobooks, podcasts, or music.

    The schedule covers all areas important for maintaining activity and interest in life in old age: from physical education and health to culture and communication. Every morning at the centers begins with the “Longevity Charging” training. At 10:00, classes are held with elements of breathing exercises, stretching, joint yoga and techniques for developing balance. At 11:15, participants are treated to rhythmics – dance movements to music that help not only maintain physical fitness, but also charge themselves with a good mood.

    From 09:00 to 20:00, the centers conduct smart training sessions called “Let’s go and listen!”: you can exercise on cardio equipment while listening to lecture recordings, audiobooks, and podcasts. The authors of the audio recordings include neurophysiologist Tatyana Chernigovskaya, actor Yuri Stoyanov, and writer and psychologist Tatyana Muzhitskaya. The schedule alternates 30-minute blocks, as well as music and meditative audio tracks.

    Computer Literacy and Health Schools

    Every day from 12:00 to 14:00, the centers are visited by MFC employees who help participants in the Moscow Longevity project receive the necessary government services without waiting and queues. Every Thursday at 09:30, specialists from government service centers also conduct classes on digital literacy. They explain how to use the mos.ru portal and other online services.

    From Monday to Thursday, doctors from city clinics conduct classes in health, osteoporosis and diabetes schools. The topics are disease prevention, healthy lifestyle and nutrition.

    Neurotraining and neurocorrection

    In addition, the schedule has already included courses of the new program for maintaining cognitive skills and psycho-emotional health: “Neurotraining of cognitive skills” and “Neurocorrection of the psycho-emotional state”. Classes are held daily: neurotraining – from 14:00 to 20:00, neurocorrection – from 10:00 to 18:00. Participants work on a computer or with neuroheadsets under the supervision of specialists. This helps to develop memory, reduce anxiety, improve sleep and concentration. Both courses were developed by the Federal Center for Brain and Neurotechnology of the Federal Medical and Biological Agency (FMBA) of Russia. Senior citizens are accompanied by employees of Moscow Longevity Centers who have undergone special training at the Center for Cognitive and Psychoemotional Health of the FMBA of Russia. To take the courses, you must first register.

    Performances and lectures

    Cultural leisure is also popular. From Monday to Friday, video performances are shown and lectures on culture and art are held, and every Wednesday at 6:00 pm, a film club is open. You can visit it in person at the Presnensky Center or online, connecting to the broadcast from other centers. Here, films and TV series are discussed with experts in the field of cinema.

    The formats for communication and intellectual leisure are preserved. On Thursdays from 19:00 to 20:30 there is a quiz game club, where participants compete in logic and erudition. Board games are available during the day.

    You can check the schedule of classes at your center and sign up in person at the Moscow Longevity Centers oron the websiteAll Muscovites over 55 years of age can visit the centers.

    In total, there are more than 140 Moscow Longevity Centers in the capital. They are located in almost all areas of the city and have convenient transport access. Each center is a stylish and modern club space with free access for Muscovites aged 55 and older. Here you can always play sports, play chess and billiards, join culinary master classes, learn to sew and draw, master the computer, listen to useful lectures and chat with like-minded people in one of 6.5 thousand thematic clubs. And also – celebrate your birthday or another holiday with friends and family.

    The Moscow Longevity project is being implemented within the framework of the regional project Older Generation national project “Family” to increase the period of active longevity and healthy life expectancy in the capital. It is aimed at expanding opportunities for older people to participate in cultural, educational, sports and other city events.

    The timeframe for assigning social benefits in Moscow will be halved

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  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Are we really capable of resurrecting extinct animals?

    Source: Anglia Ruskin University

    An illustration of a woolly mammoth

    By Timothy Hearn, Anglia Ruskin University

    From dire wolves to woolly mammoths, the idea of resurrecting extinct species has captured the public imagination. Colossal Biosciences, the Dallas-based biotech company leading the charge, has made headlines for ambitious efforts to bring back long-lost animals using cutting edge genetic engineering.

    It recently announced the birth of pups with key traits of dire wolves, an iconic predator last seen roaming North America more than 10,000 years ago. This followed on the heels of earlier project announcements focused on the woolly mammoth and the thylacine. This all fuels a sense that de-extinction is not only possible but imminent.

    But as the science advances, a deeper question lingers: how close must the result be to count as a true return? If we can only recover fragments of an extinct creature’s genome – and must build the rest with modern substitutes – is that really de-extinction, or are we simply creating lookalikes?

    To the public, de-extinction often evokes images of Jurassic Park-style resurrection: a recreation of a lost animal, reborn into the modern world. In scientific circles, however, the term encompasses a variety of techniques: selective breeding, cloning, and increasingly, synthetic biology through genome editing. Synthetic biology is a field that involves redesigning systems found in nature.

    Scientists have used selective breeding of modern cattle in attempts to recreate an animal that resembles the auroch, the wild ancestor of today’s breeds. Cloning has been used to briefly bring back the pyrenean ibex, which went extinct in 2000. In 2003, a Spanish team brought a cloned calf to term, but the animal died a few minutes after birth.

    This is often cited as the first example of de-extinction. However, the only preserved tissue was from one female animal, meaning it could not have been used to bring back a viable population. Colossal’s work falls into the synthetic biology category.

    These approaches differ in method but share a common goal: to restore a species that has been lost. In most cases, what emerges is not an exact genetic copy of the extinct species, but a proxy: a modern organism engineered to resemble its ancestor in function or appearance.

    Take the case of the woolly mammoth. Colossal’s project aims to create a cold-adapted Asian elephant that can fulfil the mammoth’s former ecological role. But mammoths and Asian elephants diverged hundreds of thousands of years ago and differ by an estimated 1.5 million genetic variants. Editing all of these is, for now, impossible. Instead, scientists are targeting a few dozen genes linked to key traits like cold resistance, fat storage and hair growth.

    Compare that to humans and chimpanzees. Despite a genetic similarity of around 98.8%, the behavioural and physical differences between the two are huge. If comparatively small genetic gaps can produce such major differences, what can we expect when editing only a tiny fraction of the differences between two species? It’s a useful rule of thumb when assessing recent claims.

    As discussed in a previous article, Colossal’s dire wolf project involved just 20 genetic edits. These were introduced into the genome of a gray wolf to mimic key traits of the extinct dire wolf. The resulting animals may look the part, but with so few changes, they are genetically much closer to modern wolves than their prehistoric namesake.

    Colossal’s ambitions extend beyond mammoths and dire wolves. The company is also working to revive the thylacine (Tasmanian tiger), a carnivorous marsupial that was once native to mainland Australia, Tasmania and New Guinea. The last example died at Hobart Zoo in 1936. Colossal is using a genetic relative called the fat-tailed dunnart – a tiny marsupial – as the foundation. The goal is to engineer the dunnart’s genome to express traits found in thylacines. The team says it is developing an artificial uterus device to carry the engineered foetus.

    Colossal also has a project to revive the dodo, a flightless bird that roamed Mauritius until the 1600s. That project will use the Nicobar pigeon, one of the dodo’s closest living relatives, as a basis for genetic reconstruction.

    In each case, the company relies on a partial blueprint: incomplete ancient DNA, and then uses the powerful genome editing tool Crispr to edit specific differences into the genome of a closely related living species. The finished animals, if born, may resemble their extinct counterparts in outward appearance and some behaviour – but they will not be genetically identical. Rather, they will be hybrids, mosaics or functional stand-ins.

    That doesn’t negate the value of these projects. In fact, it might be time to update our expectations. If the goal is to restore ecological roles, not to perfectly recreate extinct genomes, then these animals may still serve important functions. But it also means we must be precise in our language. These are synthetic creations, not true returns.

    Technology to prevent extinction

    There are more grounded examples of near-de-extinction work – most notably the northern white rhinoceros. Only two females remain alive today, and both are infertile. Scientists are working to create viable embryos using preserved genetic material and surrogate mothers from closely related rhino species. This effort involves cloning and assisted reproduction, with the aim of restoring a population genetically identical to the original.

    Unlike the mammoth or the thylacine, the northern white rhino still has living representatives and preserved cells. That makes it a fundamentally different case – more conservation biology than synthetic biology. But it shows the potential of this technology when deployed toward preservation, not reconstruction.

    Gene editing also holds promise for helping endangered species by using it to introduce genetic diversity into a population, eliminate harmful mutations from species or enhance resilience to disease or climate change. In this sense, the tools of de-extinction may ultimately serve to prevent extinctions, rather than reverse them.

    So where does that leave us? Perhaps we need new terms: synthetic proxies, ecological analogues or engineered restorations. These phrases might lack the drama of “de-extinction” but they are closer to the scientific reality.

    After all, these animals are not coming back from the dead – they are being invented, piece by piece, from what the past left behind. In the end, it may not matter whether we call them mammoths or woolly elephants, dire wolves or designer dogs. What matters is how we use this power – whether to heal broken ecosystems, to preserve the genetic legacy of vanishing species or simply to prove that we can.

    But we should at least be honest: what we’re witnessing isn’t resurrection. It’s reimagination.

    Timothy Hearn, Senior Lecturer in Bioinformatics, Anglia Ruskin University

    This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

    The opinions expressed in VIEWPOINT articles are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of ARU.

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