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Category: Education

  • MIL-OSI Global: Chinese barges and Taiwan Strait drills are about global power projection − not just a potential invasion

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Colin Flint, Distinguished Professor of Political Science, Utah State University

    A Mulberry Harbour for the 21st century. Image from video posted on Weibo via Chinese state media.

    Is China intent on a D-Day style invasion of Taiwan?

    Certainly that has been the tone of some of the reporting following the emergence of photos and videos depicting massive new Chinese barges designed for land-to-sea military operations. The fact that China launched a two-day military drill in the Taiwan Strait on April 1, 2025, has only intensified such fears.

    To me, the curious thing regarding these musings about a potential war involving China, which has one of the world’s most advanced militaries, is that it is supported by reference to technology first used some 80 years ago – specifically, the Mulberry Harbours, floating piers that allowed Allies to deploy land vehicles onto the beaches at Normandy on June 6, 1944.

    As an expert on the history and geopolitics of the Mulberry Harbours, I believe using the World War II example obscures far more than it clarifies with regard to the geopolitical situation today. Indeed, while the new Chinese ships may be operationally similar to their historical forebears, the strategic situation in China and Taiwan is far different.

    Disquiet on the Pacific front?

    The possibility of a Chinese invasion of Taiwan, an island the Chinese Communist Party sees as part of its territory, is perhaps the most pressing security issue for countries in the Asia-Pacific region.

    Beijing has increasingly ratcheted up the aggressive rhetoric toward the government in Taipei during the premiership of President Xi Jinping. While one reading of Xi is that his rhetoric is in part a strategic move to burnish Chinese power globally, labeling Taiwan as a renegade or breakaway province is, for many, a clear indication of an intention to invade and bring the island within the geography of Chinese sovereignty.

    From the U.S. perspective, the Trump administration gave early signals that it saw China as the main threat to its national security, though Washington’s commitments to the defense of Taiwan remain uncertain, much like the president’s ultimate policy views toward Beijing.

    Aside from the geopolitics, any China decision to invade Taiwan would mean attempting an extremely challenging military operation that is, historically speaking, a risky proposition. Seaborne invasions have often led to high casualties or even outright failure.

    The Gallipoli landings on the coast of Turkey during World War I, for example, led to the withdrawal of mainly Australian and New Zealand forces after high casualties and barely any territorial gains. In World War II, island-hopping by U.S. forces to push back Japan’s advance achieved strategic goals – but at a high human cost.

    The difficulty posed by sea-to-land invasion is not just the battles on Day 1, it is the logistical challenge of continuing to funnel troops and materiel to sustain a push out from the beachhead. That’s where the barges come into play.

    About those WWII barges …

    British Prime Minister Winston Churchill was skeptical of opening a front against Nazi Germany by a landing on the French coast – a position that frustrated the United States. The main concern of Churchill and his generals was the logistical puzzle. They reasoned that Germany would either retain control of French ports or sabotage them, and that tanks, guns, food, soldiers and other necessities were not going to be brought up from reserve via ports.

    The Mulberry Harbours fixed that problem by creating a set of floating piers that would rise up and down with the tide by being fixed to sophisticated anchors. Ships could moor to these piers and unload needed material. The piers were protected by an inner ring of concrete caissons, dragged across the channel and sunk into position, and an outer breakwater of scuttled ships. The Mulberry Harbours were a combination of cutting-edge pier technology and improvisation.

    Construction of a Mulberry Harbour, and the unloading of supplies for the Allies at Colleville, France, in 1944.
    Three Lions/Getty Images

    The images of Chinese invasion barges today show that the technology has advanced, but the principle of an operational need for logistical support of a beachhead breakout is the same.

    Yet the geography of any invasion is very different. In World War II, the Mulberry Harbours were part of an invasion from an island to conquer a continent. But a Chinese invasion of Taiwan would be the inverse – from a continent to an island.

    Great power politics, Chinese characteristics

    The use of Mulberry Harbours, as innovative as it was, was only a moment in a longer geopolitical process.

    The D-Day invasion was the culmination of the transfer of U.S. military might across the Atlantic through Operation Bolero. Simply, the United Kingdom became a giant warehouse – mainly for U.S. soldiers and equipment.

    The Mulberry Harbours made the crossing of the English Channel possible for these men and weapons. It was the last step in the projection of U.S. power across the Atlantic Ocean and on to the European continent. I describe this as a process of a seapower moving from its near or coastal waters to far waters in another part of the globe.

    The calculation for China is very different. Certainly, barges would help an invasion across the Taiwan Strait. But China sees Taiwan as part of its near waters, and it wants to secure those waters from global competition.

    Beijing views the U.S. as having established a military presence just off its coastline from World War II to the present day, making the western Pacific another set of U.S. far waters across the globe accompanying its European presence. From its perspective, China is surrounded by a U.S. military based in Okinawa, Guam and the Philippines. This chain of bases could restrict China’s ambition through blockade, and controlling Taiwan would help China create a gap in this chain.

    Of course, China does not just have an eye on its near waters. It has also created a far water presence of its own in its building of an ocean-going military navy, established a military base in Djibouti, and through its Belt and Road Initiative become an economic and political presence across the Indian, Pacific, Arctic and Atlantic oceans.

    Chinese invasion barges could be deployed quite early in China’s process of moving from near to far waters. The Mulberry Harbours, conversely, were deployed once the U.S. had already secured its Caribbean, Atlantic and Pacific near waters.

    Part of a process

    Technical matters and historical comparisons with the Mulberry Harbours are an interesting way to look at the new Chinese invasion barges and consider the operational scale of geopolitics. But as with the World War II case, China-Taiwan tensions are simply a modern example of a local theater – this time, the Taiwanese Strait – being part of a greater global process of power projection. The comparisons to Mulberry Harbours, therefore, are not with the technology itself but its role in a mechanism of historical geopolitical change.

    The reemergence of the technology of invasion barges may be a sign that a new conflict is on the horizon. If that were the case, the irony is that China would be using Mulberry Harbour-type technology to secure its position in the western Pacific at the same time the Trump administration is questioning the strategic value of the U.S. presence in Europe – a presence established through World War II and, at least in part, the use of the Mulberry Harbours.

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

    – ref. Chinese barges and Taiwan Strait drills are about global power projection − not just a potential invasion – https://theconversation.com/chinese-barges-and-taiwan-strait-drills-are-about-global-power-projection-not-just-a-potential-invasion-253408

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: 04.02.2025 Sens. Cruz, Banks Introduce Legislation to Expand Education Options for Military Families

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Texas Ted Cruz

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Jim Banks (R-Ind.) introduced the Education Savings Accounts for Military Families Act. This legislation allows military families to opt-in to Military Education Savings Accounts (ESAs) to help fund their children’s education and expand their access to personalized, high-quality learning opportunities.
    Upon introduction, Sen. Cruz said, “School choice is the civil rights issue of the 21st century, and parents should never have to choose between serving their country and ensuring that their children have access to a quality education. This legislation will ensure that military families are empowered to choose and secure the right education for their children. I am proud to be the leading champion of school choice in the Senate, and especially for promoting options for our military families, and I urge my colleagues to advance it.”
    Sen. Banks said, “This bill supports military readiness by helping attract and retain top talent, ensuring service members don’t have to sacrifice their children’s education. Proud to partner with Senator Cruz on this commonsense bill.”
    This bill is endorsed by Heritage Action.
    Ryan Walker, Executive Vice President of Heritage Action said, “Our military service members and their families make tremendous sacrifices to preserve our safety, freedom and way of life. Military families deserve the freedom and flexibility to educate their children in alignment with their values and unique needs. They should never have to choose between serving our country and providing their children with a quality education. Education Savings Accounts (ESAs) will provide them with the flexibility in educational options to support their way of life. Heritage Action applauds Senators Cruz and Banks for leading the effort to ensure military families have the resources necessary to help their children succeed.”
    Read the bill text here.
    BACKGROUND
    Sen. Cruz previously introduced the Education Savings Accounts for Military Families Act in 2023.

    ESAs are parent-driven accounts that allow families to customize their children’s educational experiences. The legislation permits families to tailor their children’s educations to their specific needs, allotting approved applicants $6,000 to pursue alternative education options annually.

    Eligible uses of account funds include cost of attendance at a private institution, online learning programs, private tutoring, tuition and fees for college preparatory programs, and educational services and therapies, among many others.

    Unused funds would roll over from year to year, and funds left over after a student’s high school graduation can be used to finance attendance at an institution of higher education, or costs associated with an alternative professional training.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Headless fish and babies take centre stage during election season – but don’t let the theatre of politics distract you

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Daniel Johnston, Director of Learning and Teaching at Excelsia University College and Research Affiliate, University of Sydney

    As Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young waved a decapitated salmon dripping with blood in parliament last week, you could feel the election coming.

    Hanson-Young was protesting the watering down of Australia’s environmental laws aimed at preserving salmon farming in Tasmania.

    Using props and orchestrated performances to provoke a response has been common throughout the history Australian politics. In 2017, then treasurer Scott Morrison held out a lump of coal to ridicule the opposition’s renewable energy policies. He mockingly declared:

    This is coal. Don’t be afraid, don’t be scared.

    Later that same year, One Nation leader Pauline Hanson wore a burqa into the Senate to argue for a ban on full-face coverings – dramatically embodying her anti-Islam rhetoric.

    More recently, independent members of parliament Andrew Wilkie and Bob Katter donned inflatable pig costumes to criticise the major supermarkets as pigs with their snouts in the trough, given their excessive profit margins.

    It’s clear Australian politicians are drawn to drama. With the election campaign in full swing, it’s worth being wary of such beguiling performances.

    Visceral is memorable

    The history of theatre is peppered with shocking moments, often enhanced by props. Props help to provoke a visceral emotional response from the audience, while blurring the boundary between reality and fiction.

    In Sophocles’ ancient Greek tragedy Oedipus Rex, Oedipus exits the stage with sharp gold brooches to gorge out his eyes after discovering of his wife Jocasta’s suicide. Upon his return, his bleeding eye sockets also allude to his metaphorical blindness, having killed his own father and married his mother.

    Similarly, at the end of Shakespeare’s Macbeth, the tyrant king’s severed head is brought onstage – fulfilling a deceptive prophecy foretold by the fiendish witches at the beginning of the play.

    In a more contemporary example, Australian playwright Patrick White’s surrealist play Ham Funeral features a ham representing gluttony, death, lust and decay, served at the wake of Mrs Lusty’s husband. We’re also shocked by a fetus from a back-alley trash can.

    These are all attention-grabbing examples of how props can be much more than just the thing they represent.

    In politics, as on stage, theatrical objects are an easy way to heighten emotions, and convey meaning and context. They can make abstract concepts feel more concrete. And even when they’re highly theatrical, they can communicate authenticity and passion – ready to go viral online.

    Flags, high-vis vests, pints of beer and babies are all common props on the election campaign trail. Over time, they can lead voters to associate certain politicians with certain values and worldviews.

    All the world’s a stage

    As politician and activist Harvey Milk (played by James Franco) declares in the 2008 biopic Milk:

    Politics is theatre. It doesn’t matter if you win. You make a statement. You say, “I’m here, pay attention to me”.

    Evidence suggests political personas can be successfully constructed through careful attention to meaning-making processes, such as facial expressions, hand gestures and emotional rhetoric.

    Take Adolf Hitler. In 1932, Hitler carefully crafted his speeches and vocal delivery with Paul Devrient, an operatic tenor and director. He also worked with Heinrich Hoffmann, his official photographer, in theatre-like rehearsals to strike dramatic poses and fine-tune his body language and persuasive gestures.

    His performances culminated in the Nuremberg rallies. These events, choreographed like a Wagnerian opera, featured monumental architecture and lighting, banners, torches and music that positioned the Führer as a mythical hero.

    Bertolt Brecht famously satirised the fabricated display in his play The Resistable Rise of Artuo Ui, in which a washed-up Shakespearean actor teaches a Chicago gangster how to present himself as a legitimate, commanding leader.

    Peek behind the curtain

    Performance takes place along a continuum, from mundane everyday life, to highly-staged aesthetic enactments. We’re all taking part in performances all the time, whether it’s ordering a morning coffee, or delivering Hamlet’s soliloquy at the Opera House, holding Yorick’s skull aloft.

    In politics, compelling representatives hope to craft an authentic image for themselves through emotional performance – sometimes using props as framing devices to signal certain moments as marked or special.

    When Julia Gillard delivered her unexpectedly viral, off-the-cuff misogyny speech, or when John Howard declared, “We will decide who comes to this country and the circumstances in which they come”, they shifted our attention from the ordinary to the performative. They incited us to feel outrage and fear, to drive a political narrative.

    The warning of theatre is that we should look through appearances, to discern the substance of what’s going on.

    Daniel Johnston 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. Headless fish and babies take centre stage during election season – but don’t let the theatre of politics distract you – https://theconversation.com/headless-fish-and-babies-take-centre-stage-during-election-season-but-dont-let-the-theatre-of-politics-distract-you-253230

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: ‘How was school today?’ How to help kids open up and say more than ‘fine’

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Madeleine Fraser, Senior Lecturer in Clinical Psychology, Australian Catholic University

    One of the first things parents want to ask their children after school is “how was your day?” We simply want to know how they are going and what happened at school.

    But these conversations can feel like pulling teeth. Often you may only get a “good” or “fine” (if you’re lucky).

    Why are children reluctant to divulge information about their day and how can you encourage more details?

    Why don’t kids like to talk?

    School can be overwhelming – with diverse social, academic and physical demands.

    It may seem simple, but a genuine answer to the “how was school today” question requires considerable effort and decision making to synthesise information from a busy day. A child may also be hesitant to answer if they think a parent’s response might be anger, worry or confusion.

    Children are also likely to be hungry and tired straight after school. They are probably thinking about a snack before a chat. If you think of psychologist Abraham Maslow’s famous theory about a “hierarchy of needs”, survival needs like hunger are ideally met before communication and connection.

    Children have also not yet fully developed a theory of mind (an ability to image what’s going on in another person’s mind). So they might not understand why their parent is asking about school or what it is they want to know.

    How can you prepare for a chat?

    There are several things you can do to encourage a more informative conversation with your child.

    1. Consider the purpose: ask yourself whether you want to gather information or simply connect with your child. To have a moment of connection you could simply say, “I’m so happy to see you” at the school gate. To seek information, ask a very specific question (that requires little mental effort on your child’s part). For example, “did you have your spelling test today”, rather than “what did you learn?”

    3. Check your timing: instead of asking your child right after school, consider waiting. Better conversations may instead happen after the child decompresses with a favourite game and a snack, over dinner or even on way to school the next morning.

    Try creating a routine to help your child prepare their answer, like the “rose dinner”. At the dinner table, everyone shares their daily “thorn” (something difficult or upsetting) and “petal” (something pleasant).

    3. Consider the space: face-to-face conversations can create pressure and feel like an interrogation. This is why it’s common for psychologists to place therapy chairs on a slight angle to promote a calm, relaxed atmosphere where it is easier to disclose difficult things.

    So try and do activities where you are side-by-side with your child. For example, walking or driving, doing craft, playing Lego, sport or cooking. Your child may spontaneously raise a topic – or you can model the conversation by talking about your day first.

    It might be easier to talk during a walk or play outside.
    Stock Rocket/Shutterstock

    Time to chat

    To create a comfortable, safe environment for your child during the chat, here are four more things to consider.

    1. Really listen: if your child initiates a conversation, bring your full attention and enthusiasm to it (which means putting your phone away). If you are busy thinking about what you’re going to say next while your child is speaking, this is not high-quality listening.

    Show you are listening by paraphrasing what they are saying or identifying their feelings. This helps them to feel like they are being listened to and understood.

    If your child opens up about something important and they sense you are not supporting them or concentrating, you’re discouraging them from opening up in the future.

    2. Be compassionate and curious: the urge to protect our kids is strong, but instead of trying to “solve” or “teach” them when they are talking, don’t be afraid of silence and curious questions. Curiosity helps us show we care, and allows the child to own their own experiences and reactions, rather than parents telling them how to feel.

    For example, “Nick said I couldn’t play with him” could be responded to with “what was that like for you?” rather than outrage (“that’s horrible of Nick!”).

    3. Celebrate strengths: when your child is talking, listen out for implicit strengths and values in what your child has shared. Having a parent highlight an area of strength or skill for a child helps build their sense of self. For example, “it sounds like that upset you because you value fairness”.

    4. Follow up: if your child speaks about upcoming events, check back in. For example, “last week you mentioned you were nervous about basketball trials, how are you feeling now?” This also shows you have listened.

    There is no magic formula: each conversation is as different as the individuals who are part of it. So experiment with these ideas and take notice of what works for you and your child.

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

    – ref. ‘How was school today?’ How to help kids open up and say more than ‘fine’ – https://theconversation.com/how-was-school-today-how-to-help-kids-open-up-and-say-more-than-fine-252289

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Invisible losses: thousands of plant species are missing from places they could thrive – and humans are the reason

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Cornelia Sattler, Research Fellow in Ecology, Macquarie University

    Samantha Terrell/Shutterstock

    If you go walking in the wild, you might expect that what you’re seeing is natural. All around you are trees, shrubs and grasses growing in their natural habitat.

    But there’s something here that doesn’t add up. Across the world, there are large areas of habitat which would suit native plant species just fine. But very often, they’re simply absent.

    Our new research gauges the scale of this problem, known as “dark diversity”. Our international team of 200 scientists examined plant species in thousands of sites worldwide.

    What we found was startling. In regions heavily affected by our activities, only about 20% of native plant species able to live there were actually present. But even in areas with very little human interference, ecosystems only contained about 33% of viable plant species.

    Why so few species in wilder areas? Our impact. Pollution can spread far from the original source, while conversion of habitat to farms, logging and human-caused fires have ripple effects too.

    Conspicuous by their absence

    Our activities have become a planet-shaping force, from changing the climate through our emissions to farming 44% of all habitable land. As our footprint has expanded, other species have been pushed to extinction. The rates of species loss are unprecedented in recorded history.

    When we think about biodiversity loss, we might think of a once-common animal species losing numbers and range as farms, cities and feral predators expand. But we are also losing species from within protected areas and national parks.

    To date, the accelerating loss of species has been largely observed at large scale, such as states or even whole countries. Almost 600 plant species have gone extinct since 1750 – and this is likely a major underestimate. Extinction hotspots include Hawaii (79 species) and South Africa’s unique fynbos scrublands (37 species).

    But tracking the fate of our species has been difficult to do at a local scale, such as within a national park or nature reserve.

    Similarly, when scientists do traditional biodiversity surveys, we count the species previously recorded in an area and look for changes. But we haven’t tended to consider the species that could grow there – but don’t.

    Many plants have been declining so rapidly they are now threatened with extinction.

    What did we do?

    To get a better gauge of biodiversity losses at smaller scale, we worked alongside scientists from the international research network DarkDivNet to examine almost 5,500 sites across 119 regions worldwide. This huge body of fieldwork took years and required navigating global challenges such as COVID-19 and political and economic instability.

    At each 100 square metre site, our team sampled all plant species present against the species found in the surrounding region. We defined regions as areas of approximately 300 square kilometres with similar environmental conditions.

    Just because a species can grow somewhere doesn’t mean it would. To make sure we were recording which species were genuinely missing, we looked at how often each absent species was found growing alongside the species growing at our chosen sites at other sampled sites in the region. This helped us detect species well-suited to a habitat but missing from it.

    We then cross-matched data on these missing species against how big the local human impact was by using the Human Footprint Index, which measures population density, land use and infrastructure.

    Of the eight components of this index, six had a clear influence on how many plant species were missing: human population density, electric infrastructure, railways, roads, built environments and croplands. Another component, navigable waterways, did not have a clear influence.

    Interestingly, the final component – pastures kept by graziers – was not linked to fewer plant species. This could be because semi-natural grasslands are used as pasture in areas such as Central Asia, Africa’s Sahel region and Argentina. Here, long-term moderate human influence can actually maintain highly diverse and well-functioning ecosystems through practices such as grazing livestock, cultural burning and hay making.

    Semi-natural pastures preserve many different plant species. Pictured: the Hulunbuir grasslands in Inner Mongolia, China.
    Dashu Xinganling/Shutterstock

    Overall, though, the link between greater human presence and fewer plant species was very clear. Seemingly pristine ecosystems hundreds of kilometres from direct disturbance had been affected.

    These effects can come from many causes. For instance, poaching and logging often take place far from human settlements. Poaching an animal species might mean a plant species loses a key pollinator or way to disperse its seeds in the animal’s dung. Over time, disruptions to the web of relationships in the natural world can erode ecosystems and result in fewer plant species. Poachers and illegal loggers also cut “ghost roads” into pristine areas.

    Other causes include fires started by humans, which can threaten national parks and other safe havens. Pollution can travel and settle hundreds of kilometres from its source, affecting ecosystems.

    Our far-reaching influence can also hinder the return of plant species, even in protected areas. As humans expand their activities, they often carve up natural areas into fragments cut off from each other. This can isolate plant populations. Similarly, the loss of seed-spreading animals can stop plants from recolonising former habitat.

    What does this mean?

    Biodiversity loss is not just about species going extinct. It’s about ecosystems quietly losing their richness, resilience and functions.

    Protecting land is not enough. The damage we can do can reach deep into conservation areas.

    Was there good news? Yes. In regions where at least a third of the landscape had minimal human disturbance, there was less of this hidden biodiversity loss.

    As we work to conserve nature, our work points to a need not just to preserve what’s left but to bring back what’s missing. Now we know what species are missing in an area but still present regionally, we can begin that work.

    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. Invisible losses: thousands of plant species are missing from places they could thrive – and humans are the reason – https://theconversation.com/invisible-losses-thousands-of-plant-species-are-missing-from-places-they-could-thrive-and-humans-are-the-reason-252378

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: People are getting costly stem cell injections for knee osteoarthritis. But we don’t know if they work

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Samuel Whittle, ANZMUSC Practitioner Fellow, Monash University

    Marinesea/Shutterstock

    More than 500 million people around the world live with osteoarthritis. The knee is affected more often than any other joint, with symptoms (such as pain, stiffness and reduced movement) affecting work, sleep, sport and daily activities.

    Knee osteoarthritis is often thought of as thinning of the protective layer of cartilage within the joint. But we now understand it affects all the structures of the joint, including the bones, muscles and nerve endings.

    While there are things that can be done to manage the symptoms of knee osteoarthritis, there is no cure, and many people experience persistent pain. As a result, an opportunity exists for as yet unproven treatments to enter the market, often before regulatory safeguards can be put in place.

    Stem cell injections are one such treatment. A new review my colleagues and I published this week finds that evidence of their benefits and harms remains elusive.

    Stem cell treatments

    Stem cells are already established as treatments for some diseases – mostly disorders of the blood, bone marrow or immune system – which has led to suggestions they could be used for a much wider array of conditions.

    Stem cells have been touted as promising treatments for osteoarthritis because they have special properties which allow them to replicate and develop into the mature healthy cells that make up our body’s organs and other tissues, including cartilage.

    Stem cell treatments for osteoarthritis generally involve taking a sample of tissue from a site that is rich in stem cells (such as bone marrow or fat), treating it to increase the number of stem cells, then injecting it into the joint.

    The hope is that if the right type of stem cells can be introduced into an osteoarthritic joint in the right way and at the right time, they may help to repair damaged structures in the joint, or have other effects such as reducing inflammation.

    But no matter how convincing the theory, we need good evidence for effectiveness and safety before a new therapy is adopted into practice.

    Stem cells have been touted as promising treatments for osteoarthritis. But what does the evidence say?
    crystal light/Shutterstock

    Stem cell injections have not been approved by Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration for the treatment of osteoarthritis. Nonetheless, some clinics in Australia and around the world still offer them.

    Because of the regulatory restrictions, we don’t have reliable numbers on how many procedures are being done.

    They’re not covered by Medicare, so the procedure can cost the consumer thousands of dollars.

    And, as with any invasive procedure, both the harvest of stem cells and the joint injection procedure may carry the potential for harm, such as infection.

    What we found

    Our new review, published by the independent, international group the Cochrane Collaboration, looks at all 25 randomised trials of stem cell injections for knee osteoarthritis that have been conducted worldwide to date. Collectively, these studies involved 1,341 participants.

    We found stem cell injections may slightly improve pain and function compared with a placebo injection, but the size of the improvement may be too small for the patient to notice.

    The evidence isn’t strong enough to determine whether there is any improvement in quality of life following a stem cell injection, whether cartilage regrows, or to estimate the risk of harm.

    This means we can’t confidently say yet whether any improvement that might follow a stem cell injection is worth the risk (or the cost).

    Osteoarthritis of the knee is the most common type of osteoarthritis.
    michaelheim/Shutterstock

    Hope or hype?

    It’s not surprising we invest hope in finding a transformative treatment for such a common and disabling condition. Belief in the benefits of stem cells is widespread – more than three-quarters of Americans believe stem cells can relieve arthritis pain and more than half believe this treatment to be curative.

    But what happens if a new treatment is introduced to practice before it has been clearly proven to be safe and effective?

    The use of an unproven, invasive therapy is not just associated with the risks of the intervention itself. Even if the treatment were harmless, there is the risk of unnecessary cost, inconvenience, and a missed opportunity for the patient to use existing therapies that are known to be effective.

    What’s more, if we need to play catch-up to try to establish an evidence base for a treatment that’s already in practice, we risk diverting scarce research resources towards a therapy that may not prove to be effective, simply because the genie is out of the bottle.

    There are some ways to manage the symptoms of knee osteoarthritis.
    PeopleImages.com – Yuri A/Shutterstock

    Working towards a clearer answer

    Several more large clinical trials are currently underway, and should increase our understanding of whether stem cell injections are safe and effective for knee osteoarthritis.

    Our review incorporates “living evidence”. This means we will continue to add the results of new trials as soon as they’re published, so the review is always up to date, and offers a comprehensive and trustworthy summary to help people with osteoarthritis and their health-care providers to make informed decisions.

    In the meantime, there are a number of evidence-based treatment options. Non-drug treatments such as physiotherapy, regular exercise, maintaining a healthy weight, and cognitive behavioural therapy can be more effective than you think. Anti-inflammatory and pain medications can also play a supporting role.

    Importantly, it’s not inevitable that osteoarthritic joints get worse with time. So, even though joint replacement surgery is often highly effective, it’s the last resort and fortunately, many people never need to take this step.

    Samuel Whittle is supported by an Australia and New Zealand Musculoskeletal (ANZMUSC) Clinical Trial Network Practitioner Fellowship and by a grant from The Hospital Research Foundation Group. Dr Whittle currently serves as President of the Australian Rheumatology Association.

    – ref. People are getting costly stem cell injections for knee osteoarthritis. But we don’t know if they work – https://theconversation.com/people-are-getting-costly-stem-cell-injections-for-knee-osteoarthritis-but-we-dont-know-if-they-work-253404

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: State of the states: six politics experts explain the key seats across the country

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Clune, Honorary Associate, Government and International Relations, University of Sydney

    The five-week election campaign is now in full swing throughout the nation.

    Amid the flurry of photo opportunities and press conferences, candidates campaign in specific areas for a reason: to shore up or win back key seats.

    But which seats are key? Here, six experts explain the seats to watch in New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia.

    New South Wales

    David Clune, honorary associate, government and international relations, University of Sydney

    How the 2025 federal election will play out in NSW is difficult to predict for two reasons.

    The first is the recent redistribution which, as ABC analyst Antony Green’s pendulum shows, has redefined many electoral boundaries.

    The second is the number of crossbench MPs. There are three Teals in formerly safe Liberal seats: Mackellar (Sophie Scamps), Warringah (Zali Steggall) and Wentworth (Allegra Spender). Teal Kylie Tink’s seat of North Sydney has been abolished.

    All were lifted into parliament by the rising tide of resentment against former Prime Minister Scott Morrison. Now that tide has gone out, the survival of these MPs depends on how they have performed as local members. The overall impression is that they have done well in connecting with their constituents and will be hard to shift.

    There is a chance the formerly safe upper north shore seat of Bradfield could augment their numbers. Teal Nicolette Boele gave Liberal Paul Fletcher a very uncomfortable election night in 2022 when she slashed his majority. After the redistribution, the Liberals hold the seat by a narrow 2.5%. Fletcher is not recontesting. Boele is running a well-financed campaign with a lot of grass roots support.

    The redistribution has pushed many former North Sydney voters into Bradfield. Whether they remain Teal or revert to being true-blue Liberals remains to be seen.

    Much of the rest of the former North Sydney has gone into the very marginal Labor seat of Bennelong, which is now notionally marginal Liberal.

    The Nationals have a problem in Calare, where former Nationals MP, now independent, Andrew Gee, is recontesting. The Nationals are also facing challenges from the left on the upper north coast due to demographic change. They hold Cowper by 2.4%.

    Liberal-aligned independent, Dai Le, narrowly won Fowler in Sydney’s western suburbs in 2023. Labor has endorsed Tu Le, also of Vietnamese descent, in what promises to be a tough fight. Parramatta is another marginal seat in the western suburbs, held by Labor’s Andrew Charlton with a two-party preferred margin of 3.7%.

    The government is concerned about seats on the central coast and in the Hunter and Illawarra regions, where concerns about wind farms and job losses due to renewable energy are a major issue. Most of the government’s vulnerable seats are in these areas: Gilmore, Robertson, Paterson and Hunter would all be lost with a two-party-preferred swing of 5%.

    Queensland

    Paul Williams, associate professor in politics and journalism, Griffith University

    For decades we said Queensland was a key “battleground” in federal elections where seats north of the Tweed so often held the keys to The Lodge.

    The 1975 election saw the Coalition leave Labor with a single seat, and the 1996 poll bequeath Labor just two. Conversely, Labor’s Kevin Rudd rode to victory on his nine-seat haul in in 2007, with Rudd losing seven of those in 2010.

    But, for the past 15 years, federal elections have seen little movement in Queensland except, of course, for 2022 when the Greens won three seats. In short, Queensland is no longer the “make-or-break” state. Even the retirements of Keith Pitt (Hinkler), Karen Andrews (McPherson), Warren Entsch (Leichhardt) and Graham Perrett (Moreton) will hardly affect the mood.

    The electoral pendulum confirms this. Labor holds just five of Queensland’s 30 seats, with Blair – a mix of outer-suburban and regional proclivities – Labor’s most marginal, but still held by a healthy 5.2% buffer. Given the two-party-preferred (2PP) swing to the Liberal-National Party (LNP) in Queensland will likely be under five percentage points – far lower than the 7.0% two-party-preferred swing the LNP attained at last October’s state election – the Coalition is unlikely to seize any more Labor property.

    Conversely, despite the LNP holding seven Queensland seats on margins under 5%, the electoral tide is well and truly out for a Labor Party, whose Queensland brand is damaged at all levels. Inflation and housing shortages have hit Queensland hard, and especially so in the regions. Peter Dutton’s seat of Dickson – the LNP’s most marginal on just 1.7% – is therefore safe.

    Climate action and other “community” candidates (some reject the “Teal” moniker) are standing on the Gold Coast (McPherson and Moncrieff), on the Sunshine Coast (Fisher and Fairfax), and in Groom and Dickson. None will win, but some will carve out a respectable primary vote.

    All eyes will instead be on the cashed-up inner-urban seats of Ryan (potentially returning to the LNP), Griffith (a possible Labor win) and Brisbane (a genuine three-way race) – all three useful, but not essential, to Labor’s pathway to minority government.

    In the Northern Territory, Labor’s Marion Scrymgour holds Lingiari by 1.7%, making that seat one to watch.

    South Australia

    Rob Manwaring, associate professor of politics and public policy, Flinders University

    South Australia is rarely a key battleground in federal elections, and only comprises ten electoral seats.

    There are, however, three key seats worth watching as they will tell us a lot about how the election campaign is playing out: Sturt, Boothby and Mayo.

    In Sturt, the Liberals hold this key seat in Adelaide’s eastern suburbs with a margin of 0.5%. A fresh challenge for the incumbent James Stevens is that he faces a threat from SA’s first real Teal candidate, Verity Cooper. This potentially pulls this seat into a three-way fight.

    Boothby, in Adelaide’s southern suburbs, will be a good litmus test of how well Labor’s campaign is performing. Labor won the seat for the first time ever in 2022, and Louise Miller-Frost has a 3.3% margin. Liberal candidate Nicolle Flint is resurrecting her political ambitions and would be a useful ally for Peter Dutton, if she were to win.

    Finally – a question – does Rebekah Sharkie like pizza? Infamously, when state Labor Premier Jay Weatherill needed a critical independent vote to secure office in 2014, he drove to Port Pirie and brokered a deal over pizza with Geoff Brock. Sharkie holds the seat of Mayo in the Adelaide Hills as a member of the Centre Alliance party with a safe 12.3% margin. Sharkie aligns herself with the Teals, and if a Dutton-led victory looks likely, then she may well be ordering her favourite slice to thrash out the terms of any support.

    Tasmania

    Robert Hortle, deputy director of the Tasmanian Policy Exchange, University of Tasmania

    There are two main seats to watch in Tasmania.

    The large, rural seat of Lyons is one of the most marginal in the country. Labor’s Brian Mitchell won with a 0.9% margin in 2022, but he’s made way for Rebecca White. Despite an underwhelming record as Tasmanian Labor Leader – three state election defeats – White is very popular in Lyons. However, Liberal candidate Susie Bower was somewhat unlucky to lose in 2022 after winning 37.2% of the primary vote, and has been in campaign mode for the past three years.

    On the surface, Franklin – Australia’s only non-contiguous electorate – looks like a safe Labor seat. Julie Collins, the MP since 2007 and a cabinet minister, has a 13.7% margin. But her primary vote fell in 2022, and community backlash against salmon farming in Franklin’s waterways – which Labor and the Coalition both support – could make her vulnerable.

    If independent Peter George (former journalist and anti-salmon campaigner) can get ahead of the low-profile Liberal candidate at some point in the count, Liberal preferences may get him across the line.

    Two other Tasmanian seats are unlikely to change hands, but feature some interesting dynamics.

    Liberal MP Bridget Archer’s 1.4% margin in the northern seat of Bass might look vulnerable. However, she managed a strong primary vote in 2022 despite a big swing against the Liberal Party. She’s very popular in the community for her willingness to stick to her values – even if it means voting against her party 28 times – and should hold her seat despite rumours of internal moves against her.

    In Braddon, long-serving Labor Senator Anne Urquhart has quit the upper house to run. Incumbent Liberal MP Gavin Pearce is retiring, and his replacement candidate, Mal Hingston, is a bit of an unknown. It’s unlikely Urquhart will be able to overturn the 8% two-party preferred margin, but prominence in the community might give her a glimmer of hope.

    Another point of interest is who will pick up the votes won by the Jaquie Lambie Network (JLN) in 2022. The JLN is not running candidates following a spectacular implosion at state level – and where those voters find a home could be crucial, particularly in Lyons.

    Victoria

    Zareh Ghazarian, senior lecturer in politics, school of social sciences, Monash University

    Victoria is shaping up to be a crucial state for the major parties. Several seats are held by the Labor and coalition parties with a margin of less than 5%.

    According to Antony Green, Chisholm is the most marginal seat Labor currently holds. The eastern Melbourne seat has been held by both major parties over the past 30 years.

    Next up is Aston, further east of Chisholm, which Labor won at arguably the Liberal Party’s lowest ebb in this electoral cycle at a byelection in 2023.

    McEwen, on the other hand, is a provincial electorate to the north of Melbourne. Holding onto these three seats will be a significant feat for Anthony Albanese and may set up Labor to hold a majority government.

    For the Coalition, the most marginal seat is Deakin, which is a neighbouring electorate to Aston and Chisholm. The seat is held by a margin of just 0.02%, making it the most marginal in the country.

    Monash is also a very interesting seat as it was won by Russell Broadbent, who lost Liberal Party preselection and has decided to run as an independent. His local profile may provide a boost to his primary vote, but may not necessarily be enough to win the seat, which will likely be held by the Liberals.

    The Coalition will be in trouble if it fails to retain any of its seats in Victoria. It would need to reclaim Chisholm and Aston if it has any chance of forming majority government.

    Other seats to watch include Kooyong, held by Monique Ryan with a margin of 2.2% who defeated Josh Frydenberg in 2022, and Goldstein, held by Zoe Daniel with a margin of 3.3% after defeating Liberal Tim Wilson. These will be a test of whether the Liberal Party is able to reconnect with voters who had traditionally supported them in the past.

    Western Australia

    Narelle Miragliotta, associate professor in politics, Murdoch University

    The five WA seats to watch are Curtin, Bullwinkel, Forrest, Pearce and Tangney.

    The affluent inner metropolitan seat of Curtin is held by Teal Kate Chaney on a 1.3% margin. The Liberal’s 2022 defeat was existential and the party are investing heavily in reclaiming it, although Chaney is not likely to be outspent entirely, or outmanoeuvred.

    Bullwinkel is a new seat on the eastern fringes of Perth. The majority of its voters are in the metropolitan area, but the seat also takes in regional parts of the state. The seat’s geography and lack of incumbent led to the Nationals fielding Mia Davies, who was leader of the Nationals in the state parliament between 2017 and 2023.

    As a result, this notional Labor seat is the site of a fierce three-way contest. YouGov projects a “Coalition” gain, although the outcome will be influenced by whether the Liberals and Nationals can contain simmering hostilities.

    Forrest, in the state’s southwest, is held by the Liberals on a 4.2% margin. The retirement of the incumbent and the presence of a Climate 200-backed candidate, adds an interesting dimension to the contest.

    Pearce, in the state’s far north, is held by Labor on a comfortable 8.8% margin. However, it’s one of the most indebted electorates in the nation, and the state Labor government experienced large swings against it in outer suburban and regional state electorates earlier this year.

    Tangney, in the state’s southern suburbs, was a major win for Labor in 2022. A blue-ribbon inner-city seat held uninterrupted by the Liberals since the early 1980s, Tangney is Labor’s most marginal WA seat (2.6% margin). To Labor’s advantage is the fact that several of the once-safe Liberal inner metro electorates within Tangney’s boundaries have recently voted with Labor at a state level. However, it will be a tight contest.

    Paul Williams is a research associate with the T.J. Ryan Foundation.

    Rob Manwaring receives funding from the Australian Research Council for a Discovery project on political parties and associated entities.

    David Clune, Narelle Miragliotta, Robert Hortle, and Zareh Ghazarian 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. State of the states: six politics experts explain the key seats across the country – https://theconversation.com/state-of-the-states-six-politics-experts-explain-the-key-seats-across-the-country-253123

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Astronomers listened to the ‘music’ of flickering stars – and discovered an unexpected feature

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Claudia Reyes, Postdoctoral Fellow, Research School of Astronomy & Astrophysics, Australian National University

    Pavel Gabzdyl / Shutterstock

    The “music” of starquakes – enormous vibrations caused by bursting bubbles of gas that ripple throughout the bodies of many stars – can reveal far more information about the stars’ histories and inner workings than scientists thought.

    In new research published in Nature, we analysed the frequency signatures of starquakes across a broad range of giant stars in the M67 star cluster, almost 3,000 light years from Earth.

    Using observations from the Kepler space telescope’s K2 mission, we had a rare opportunity to track the evolution of stars during most of their journey through the giant phase of the stellar life cycle.

    In doing so, we discovered that these stars get stuck “playing the same part of their tune” once their turbulent outer layer reaches a sensitive region deep inside.

    This discovery reveals a new way to understand the history of stars – and of the entire galaxy.

    The sound of starquakes

    Starquakes happen in most stars (like our Sun) that have a bubbling outer layer, like a pot of boiling water. Bubbles of hot gas rise and burst at the surface, sending ripples through the entire star that cause it to vibrate in particular ways.

    We can detect these vibrations, which occur at specific “resonant frequencies”, by looking for subtle variations in the brightness of the star. By studying the frequencies of each star in a group called a cluster, we can tune into the cluster’s unique “song”.

    Our study challenges previous assumptions about resonant frequencies in giant stars, revealing they offer deeper insights into stellar interiors than previously thought. Moreover, our study has opened new ways to decipher the history of our Galaxy.

    The melody of a stellar cluster

    Astronomers have long sought to understand how stars like our Sun evolve over time.

    One of the best ways to do this is by studying clusters – groups of stars that formed together and share the same age and composition. A cluster called M67 has attracted a lot of attention because it contains many stars with a similar chemical makeup to the Sun.

    Just as earthquakes help us study Earth’s interior, starquakes reveal what lies beneath a star’s surface. Each star “sings” a melody, with frequencies determined by its internal structure and physical properties.

    Larger stars produce deeper, slower vibrations, while smaller stars vibrate at higher pitches. And no star plays just one note – each one resonates with a full spectrum of sound from its interior.

    A surprising signature

    Among the key frequency signatures is the so-called small spacing – a group of resonant frequencies quite close together. In younger stars, such as the Sun, this signature can provide clues about how much hydrogen the star still has left to burn in its core.

    In red giants the situation is different. These older stars have used up all the hydrogen in their cores, which are now inert.

    However, hydrogen fusion continues in a shell surrounding the core. It was long assumed that the small spacings in such stars offered little new information.

    A stalled note

    When we measured the small spacings of stars in M67, we were surprised to see they revealed changes in the star’s internal fusion regions.

    As the hydrogen-burning shell thickened, the spacings increased. When the shell moved inward, they shrank.

    Then we found something else unexpected: at a certain stage, the small spacings stalled. It was like a record skipping on a note.

    We discovered that this stalling appears during a specific stage in the life of a giant star — when its outer envelope, the “boiling” layer that transports heat, grows so deep that it makes up about 80% of the star’s mass. At this point the inner boundary of the envelope reaches into a highly sensitive region of the star.

    This boundary is extremely turbulent, and the speed of sound shifts steeply across it — and that steep change affects how sound waves travel through the star. We also found that the stalling frequency is distinctively determined by the star’s mass and chemical composition.

    This gives us a new way to identify stars in this phase and estimate their ages with improved precision.

    The history of the galaxy

    Stars are like fossil records. They carry the imprint of the environments in which they formed, and studying them lets us piece together the story of our galaxy.

    The Milky Way has grown by merging with smaller galaxies, forming stars at different times in different regions. Better age estimates across the galaxy help us reconstruct this history in greater detail.

    Clusters like M67 also provide a glimpse into the future of our own Sun, offering insight into the changes it will experience over billions of years.

    This discovery gives us a new tool – and a new reason to revisit data we already have. With years of seismic observations from across the Milky Way, we can now return to those stars and “listen” again, this time knowing what to listen for.

    Claudia Reyes 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. Astronomers listened to the ‘music’ of flickering stars – and discovered an unexpected feature – https://theconversation.com/astronomers-listened-to-the-music-of-flickering-stars-and-discovered-an-unexpected-feature-253546

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: University of the Philippines Resilience Institute

    Source: UNISDR Disaster Risk Reduction

    Mission

    As a University arm in providing service to the nation, the University of the Philippines Resilience Institute envisions people, institutions and communities that are resilient to disaster and climate change risks. This shall be done by empowering them with open, accessible, accurate, understandable, and timely risk-based information and by developing a culture of safety and preparedness. It adopts the whole of government, nation and society approach and the trans-disciplinary science, arts, and humanities.

    DRR activities

    UP NOAH Website and Mobile Application

    The UP NOAH (Nationwide Operational Assessment of Hazards) website and mobile application is an initiative by the University of the Philippines (UP) that provides real-time weather, flood, landslide, and other disaster-related data for the Philippines. It aims to enhance disaster risk reduction and management by offering scientific tools and hazard maps to local governments, emergency responders, and the general public.

    Basics of Resilience Massive Open Online Courses

    The Basics of Resilience is a free, self-paced MOOC collaboratively offered by the UPRI and the UP Open University (UPOU). This foundational course aims to equip learners with essential knowledge and skills to understand and implement DRRM, as well as CCAM strategies.

    Scientific and Policy Research

    UPRI is dedicated to advancing scientific and policy research aimed at enhancing disaster resilience and climate adaptation in the Philippines. UPRI undertakes a variety of research initiatives, including policy research, action research, and interdisciplinary or transdisciplinary studies, all aimed at producing and applying new knowledge in DRRM. 

    Probabilistic Risk Assessment

    UPRI advocates for the implementation of Probabilistic Risk Assessment (PRA) to enhance disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation in the Philippines. PRA is a systematic approach that evaluates the likelihood and potential impacts of various hazard scenarios, including those beyond historical records, by incorporating uncertainty and randomness into risk analysis. This method contrasts with deterministic assessments, which typically consider only single, often historical, scenarios.​ UPRI emphasizes the necessity of PRA in national development planning to anticipate and prepare for future hazards that may surpass those previously experienced. 

    Capacity Building of Higher Education Institutions

    UPRI actively enhances disaster resilience and climate adaptation capacities across the University of the Philippines System and other state universities and colleges (SUCs) through various strategic initiatives. UPRI actively collaborates with various SUCs to co-create local knowledge and build capacity in disaster resilience. These partnerships are crucial for formulating effective DRRM strategies tailored to local contexts. 

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NASA Webb Explores Effect of Strong Magnetic Fields on Star Formation

    Source: NASA

    Follow-up research on a 2023 image of the Sagittarius C stellar nursery in the heart of our Milky Way galaxy, captured by NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, has revealed ejections from still-forming protostars and insights into the impact of strong magnetic fields on interstellar gas and the life cycle of stars.  
    “A big question in the Central Molecular Zone of our galaxy has been, if there is so much dense gas and cosmic dust here, and we know that stars form in such clouds, why are so few stars born here?” said astrophysicist John Bally of the University of Colorado Boulder, one of the principal investigators. “Now, for the first time, we are seeing directly that strong magnetic fields may play an important role in suppressing star formation, even at small scales.”
    Detailed study of stars in this crowded, dusty region has been limited, but Webb’s advanced near-infrared instruments have allowed astronomers to see through the clouds to study young stars like never before.
    “The extreme environment of the galactic center is a fascinating place to put star formation theories to the test, and the infrared capabilities of NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope provide the opportunity to build on past important observations from ground-based telescopes like ALMA and MeerKAT,” said Samuel Crowe, another principal investigator on the research, a senior undergraduate at the University of Virginia and a 2025 Rhodes Scholar.
    Bally and Crowe each led a paper published in The Astrophysical Journal.

    In Sagittarius C’s brightest cluster, the researchers confirmed the tentative finding from the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) that two massive stars are forming there. Along with infrared data from NASA’s retired Spitzer Space Telescope and SOFIA (Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy) mission, as well as the Herschel Space Observatory, they used Webb to determine that each of the massive protostars is already more than 20 times the mass of the Sun. Webb also revealed the bright outflows powered by each protostar.
    Even more challenging is finding low-mass protostars, still shrouded in cocoons of cosmic dust. Researchers compared Webb’s data with ALMA’s past observations to identify five likely low-mass protostar candidates.
    The team also identified 88 features that appear to be shocked hydrogen gas, where material being blasted out in jets from young stars impacts the surrounding gas cloud. Analysis of these features led to the discovery of a new star-forming cloud, distinct from the main Sagittarius C cloud, hosting at least two protostars powering their own jets.
    “Outflows from forming stars in Sagittarius C have been hinted at in past observations, but this is the first time we’ve been able to confirm them in infrared light. It’s very exciting to see, because there is still a lot we don’t know about star formation, especially in the Central Molecular Zone, and it’s so important to how the universe works,” said Crowe.

    Webb’s 2023 image of Sagittarius C showed dozens of distinctive filaments in a region of hot hydrogen plasma surrounding the main star-forming cloud. New analysis by Bally and his team has led them to hypothesize that the filaments are shaped by magnetic fields, which have also been observed in the past by the ground-based observatories ALMA and MeerKAT (formerly the Karoo Array Telescope).
    “The motion of gas swirling in the extreme tidal forces of the Milky Way’s supermassive black hole, Sagittarius A*, can stretch and amplify the surrounding magnetic fields. Those fields, in turn, are shaping the plasma in Sagittarius C,” said Bally.
    The researchers think that the magnetic forces in the galactic center may be strong enough to keep the plasma from spreading, instead confining it into the concentrated filaments seen in the Webb image. These strong magnetic fields may also resist the gravity that would typically cause dense clouds of gas and dust to collapse and forge stars, explaining Sagittarius C’s lower-than-expected star formation rate. 
    “This is an exciting area for future research, as the influence of strong magnetic fields, in the center of our galaxy or other galaxies, on stellar ecology has not been fully considered,” said Crowe.  
    The James Webb Space Telescope is the world’s premier space science observatory. Webb is solving mysteries in our solar system, looking beyond to distant worlds around other stars, and probing the mysterious structures and origins of our universe and our place in it. Webb is an international program led by NASA with its partners, ESA (European Space Agency) and CSA (Canadian Space Agency).
    Downloads
    Click any image to open a larger version.
    View/Download all image products at all resolutions for this article from the Space Telescope Science Institute.
    View/Download the science paper led by Bally from the The Astrophysical Journal.
    View/Download the science paper led by Crowe from the The Astrophysical Journal.

    Laura Betz – laura.e.betz@nasa.govNASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.
    Leah Ramsay – lramsay@stsci.eduSpace Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore, Md.
    Christine Pulliam – cpulliam@stsci.eduSpace Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore, Md.

    Read more: press releases about the center of the Milky Way
    NASA’s Universe of Learning: ViewSpace Interactive image tour of the center of the Milky Way
    Learn more about the Milky Way and Sagittarius Constellation
    More Webb News
    More Webb Images
    Webb Science Themes
    Webb Mission Page

    What Is a Nebula?
    What Is a Galaxy?
    What is the Webb Telescope?
    SpacePlace for Kids
    En Español
    ¿Qué es una nebulosa?
    ¿Qué es una galaxia?
    Ciencia de la NASA
    NASA en español 
    Space Place para niños

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Bilal A. Essayli Sworn in as United States Attorney, Becoming Chief Federal Prosecutor in Nation’s Most-Populous Federal Trial District

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    LOS ANGELES – Bilal A. “Bill” Essayli was sworn in today as the United States Attorney for the Central District of California following his appointment Tuesday by Attorney General Pamela Bondi.

    The appointment of Mr. Essayli, 39, was made pursuant to Title 28 United States Code Section 546, which provides that “the Attorney General may appoint a United States Attorney for the district in which the office of United States Attorney is vacant.”

    Mr. Essayli, who was sworn in this morning in a private ceremony by Chief United States District Judge Dolly M. Gee, now oversees the largest United States Attorney’s Office outside of Washington, D.C. The office, which currently employs more than 250 lawyers, serves approximately 20 million residents in the counties of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Ventura, Santa Barbara, and San Luis Obispo.

    “It is the honor of a lifetime to lead the United States Attorney’s Office and serve the people of the district that I have called home for so many years,” said United States Attorney Bill Essayli. “As our district’s chief federal prosecutor, I will work diligently and tirelessly with our federal and local law enforcement partners to implement the priorities of the President and the Attorney General and to protect our communities from criminals. Our citizens deserve no less.”

    Mr. Essayli returns to the office after serving as a twice-elected member of the California State Assembly, representing California’s 63rd State Assembly District from December 2022 until Tuesday. The 63rd District is comprised of communities including parts of Riverside and Corona, and the cities of Menifee and Norco.

    In October 2019, he founded and was a partner at the Newport Beach-based law firm Essayli & Brown LLP.

    From October 2014 to February 2018, Mr. Essayli served as an assistant United States attorney in our district, serving in the Los Angeles and Riverside offices. As a federal prosecutor, Mr. Essayli brought justice to victims of violent and organized crime, identity theft, bank fraud, securities fraud and other white-collar crimes.

    Notably, Mr. Essayli was part of the team of federal prosecutors that responded to the terrorist attack at the Inland Regional Center in San Bernardino in December 2015. He also obtained a conviction in August 2015 at the conclusion of a three-week criminal trial of a Santa Barbara doctor charged with unlawfully prescribing opiates, which resulted in the deaths of more than a dozen patients.

    For two years prior to first joining the office, Mr. Essayli served as a deputy district attorney in the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office.

    Before becoming a prosecutor, Mr. Essayli was an associate attorney at the law firm of Paul Hastings LLP, focusing on employment law.

    Mr. Essayli is the son of Lebanese immigrants and a graduate of Centennial High School in Corona. He was the first in his family to graduate college, receiving his Bachelor of Arts degree from the Kellogg Honors College of California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. He received his juris doctorate from Chapman University School of Law. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Union Government released Rs 4,906.32, 666.33 crore and 1,238.48 crore under Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana, Jan Shikshan Sansthan scheme and National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme respectively in the last five years (upto 2023-24)

    Source: Government of India

    Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship

    Union Government released Rs 4,906.32, 666.33 crore and 1,238.48 crore under Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana, Jan Shikshan Sansthan scheme and National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme respectively in the last five years (upto 2023-24)

    Posted On: 02 APR 2025 6:19PM by PIB Delhi

    Under the Government of India’s Skill India Mission (SIM), the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) delivers skill, re-skill and up-skill training through an extensive network of skill development centers under various schemes, viz. Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY), Jan Shikshan Sansthan (JSS) scheme, National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS) and Craftsman Training Scheme (CTS) through Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs), to all the sections of the society across the country. The SIM aims at enabling youth of India to get future ready, equipped with industry relevant skills. The Schemes of MSDE are demand driven and the Training Centers are set up or engaged on need basis. Details of the State-wise Training Centers set up or engaged under the schemes of MSDE are at Annexure.

    Funds under PMKVY and JSS scheme are released to implementing agencies for meeting the training cost as per prescribed norms. Funds are released under JSS scheme to Non- Governmental Organizations (NGOs) directly. Under NAPS, stipend support up to Rs 1500/- per month is released to apprentices through DBT. Day to day administration as well as financial control in respect of ITIs lies with the respective State government/UT Administration. Details of funds released for implementation of skill development schemes of MSDE during last five years up to 2023-24 are as under:

    Scheme

    Funds Released (Rs in Cr)

    PMKVY

    4906.32

    JSS

    666.33

    NAPS

    1238.48

     

    To promote the digital skills, including advanced digital skills and artificial intelligence, MSDE has undertaken the following initiatives:

    • New training programs have been introduced under PMKVY 4.0 to enhance digital and technical skills among youth. PMKVY 4.0 has focus on new age skills like AI/ML, Web 3.0, etc. which are specially designed for upcoming market demand and industry requirements.
    • Under NAPS, there are approx 60 private establishments which are currently providing apprenticeship in seven (07) AI-related courses.
    • Directorate General of Training (DGT) under the aegis of MSDE has introduced 31 new age /future skills courses under Craftsmen Training Scheme in Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) and National Skill Training Institutes (NSTIs) to provide digital training in emerging areas such as Artificial Intelligence, Mechatronics, Internet of Things, Cybersecurity, Semiconductor, etc.
    •  With a view to adopt the best practices in the digital skill training, DGT has signed Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with leading IT tech companies like IBM, CISCO, Amazon Web Services (AWS), and Microsoft. These partnerships facilitate the provision of technical and professional skills training in modern technologies, including Artificial Intelligence (AI), Big Data Analytics (BDA), Blockchain, Cloud Computing, etc.
    • Directorate General of Training (DGT) under MSDE has introduced one course ‘Artificial Intelligence Programming Assistant (AIPA)’ to impart AI-based skill training through Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) and National Skill Training Institutes (NSTIs). Also, a micro-credential course “Introduction to Artificial Intelligence (AI)” of 7.5-hour has been developed for all CTS trainees in Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs), in collaboration with industry and academic experts.
    • MSDE has launched ‘Skill India Digital Hub (SIDH)’ platform, a comprehensive and accessible platform for skill enhancement, offering industry-relevant skill courses, job opportunities, and entrepreneurship support to youth of the country. SIDH offers an extensive array of AI and ML courses, ranging from foundational programs like ‘Fundamentals of Azure AI Speech’ and ‘Machine Learning’, to specialized offerings such as ‘Google Cloud Generative AI’ and ‘AI Strategy to Create Business Value in Healthcare’, to cater to varying levels of expertise and application, enabling participants to stay at the forefront of AI and ML technology.
    • National Skill Development Corporation under the aegis of MSDE has partnered with a number of international organizations such as AWS, Microsoft, Intel, Redhat, Pearson VUE, Boston Consulting Group (BCG), Cisco Networking Academy for providing digital courses.

    ANNEXURE

    State-wise details of the Training Centres set up or engaged under schemes of MSDE

     

    State/UT

    PMKVY 4.0

    Centres

    JSS

    Centers

    NAPS

    Establishments

    CTS ( ITIs)

    Govt. ITIs

    Pvt. ITIs

    Andaman and

    Nicobar Islands

    7

    1

    20

    3

    1

    Andhra Pradesh

    408

    6

    1,147

    85

    434

    Arunachal Pradesh

    86

    0

    25

    7

    0

    Assam

    833

    6

    941

    31

    16

    Bihar

    596

    21

    548

    150

    1,219

    Chandigarh

    9

    1

    166

    2

    0

    Chhattisgarh

    202

    14

    324

    120

    106

    Delhi

    222

    3

    3,013

    18

    28

    DNH & DD

    9

    2

    130

    4

    0

    Goa

    8

    1

    495

    11

    2

    Gujarat

    377

    8

    12,458

    273

    215

    Haryana

    629

    2

    5,872

    159

    222

    Himachal Pradesh

    210

    11

    740

    128

    139

    Jammu And Kashmir

    694

    1

    554

    49

    0

    Jharkhand

    246

    13

    442

    77

    269

    Karnataka

    457

    12

    2,452

    274

    1,192

    Kerala

    145

    9

    1,904

    149

    297

    Ladakh

    12

    0

    16

    3

    0

    Lakshadweep

    1

    1

    1

    1

    0

    Madhya Pradesh

    1,527

    29

    1,126

    195

    767

    Maharashtra

    684

    21

    9,086

    422

    615

    Manipur

    164

    4

    23

    10

    0

    Meghalaya

    99

    1

    41

    7

    1

    Mizoram

    102

    1

    20

    3

    0

    Nagaland

    91

    1

    22

    9

    0

    Odisha

    307

    29

    738

    73

    427

     

    Puducherry

    23

    0

    245

    8

    7

    Punjab

    617

    2

    933

    115

    205

    Rajasthan

    1,613

    9

    984

    182

    1,363

    Sikkim

    37

    0

    69

    4

    0

    Tamil Nadu

    581

    9

    2,892

    93

    363

    Telangana

    157

    6

    1,314

    66

    232

    Tripura

    151

    2

    98

    20

    2

    Uttar Pradesh

    2,965

    47

    6,395

    294

    2,964

    Uttarakhand

    231

    8

    738

    103

    71

    West Bengal

    344

    8

    1,352

    168

    139

    Overall

    14,844

    289

    49,788

    3,316

    11,296

     

    This information was given by Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Shri Jayant Chaudhry, in a written reply in Rajya Sabha on April 02, 2025.

    ****

    Manish Gautam/Divyanshu Kumar

    (Release ID: 2117941)

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: NSDC, under the aegis of MSDE, has certified 22,455 candidates in the past three years for international mobility

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 02 APR 2025 5:57PM by PIB Delhi

    The Union Government has been working towards establishing institutional mechanisms to foster the global mobility of Indian workers as well as students, academicians, researches, business persons etc. The Government has been proactively furthering the mobility for Indian workforce through diverse MoUs/agreements such as, Migration and Mobility Partnerships, Labour mobility and Labour Welfare Agreements, Skill Development and Vocational Education and Training with destination countries, which establish a robust framework for legal migration.

    These agreements/MoUs seek to enhance global employment opportunities for Indian workers while protecting their labour rights, preventing irregular migration and supporting skill development.

    National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), under the aegis of MSDE, has trained a total of 23,254 candidates and certified 22,455 in the past 3 years (2022-23, 2023-24, and 2024-25) for international mobility.

    Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) has MoUs or Memoranda of Cooperation (MoCs) with seven countries, namely, Australia, Denmark, Japan, Germany, Qatar, Singapore and UAE, for cooperation in skill development and Vocational Education and Training. Focused on increased opportunities for Indian workforce, both domestic and global, these agreements facilitate technical exchanges, collaborative training programs, qualification recognition, and the sharing of best practices.

    Further, with the efforts of MSDE, the New Delhi Leaders Declaration accepted by the leaders of G20 made a commitment towards developing an international reference classification of occupations by skills and qualification requirements to facilitate cross-country comparability and mutual recognition of skills and qualifications. The International Labour Organization (ILO) will be the agency undertaking this study.

    It is the constant endeavour of MSDE to engage with different countries and facilitate gainful employment opportunities to the youth of the country. Accordingly, NSDC, under the aegis of MSDE, has undertaken a study of following 16 countries to understand their skill requirements:

    Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Germany, Japan, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Malaysia, Oman, Qatar, Romania, Singapore, Sweden, United States of America, United Arab Emirates, and United Kingdom.

    Additionally, in line with the Budget announcement for the fiscal year 2023-24, MSDE has proposed establishment of 30 Skill India International Centres (SIICs) across various states. The SIICs are envisioned as centralized hubs for individuals seeking employment abroad. The overarching goal of SIICs is to establish a ‘Trusted Workforce Supply Chain’ ensuring fair and transparent skilled mobility from India. Currently, two SIICs have been established, one in Varanasi and another at SDI, Bhubaneswar and further 05 centres have been approved by Project Steering Committee (PSC).

    This information was given by Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Shri Jayant Chaudhary, in a written reply in Rajya Sabha on April 02, 2025.

    ****

    Manish Gautam/Divyanshu Kumar

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Parliament Question: Anusandhan national research foundation

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 02 APR 2025 5:40PM by PIB Delhi

    The government has established the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) through ANRF Act of 2023, which was notified in February 2024. The ANRF aims to receive funds in the form of ANRF Fund, Innovation Fund, Science and Engineering Research Fund and Special Purpose Funds. A budgetary provision of Rs. 14,000 crores have been made from the Central Government and remaining amount will be sourced through donations from any other source, including from public sector enterprises, the private sector, philanthropist organizations, foundations or recoveries made of the amounts granted to ANRF, any income from investment of the amounts received by ANRF and all amounts with the Fund for Science and Engineering Research under the repealed Science and Engineering Research Board Act, 2008.For the Financial Year 2024-25, ANRF has been allocateda Revised Estimate (RE) of Rs. 966 crores of which Rs. 721 crores has already been utilized.

    Educational universities can obtain research grant through submitting research proposals in competitive mode under the different calls advertised from ANRF as per respective guidelines. So far, five calls have been announced: Prime Minister Early Career Research Grant (PMECRG), EV-Mission, Inclusive Research Grant (IRG), Partnerships for Accelerated Innovation and Research (PAIR) and JC Bose Grant. Among these, the PAIR program aims to strengthen the research capabilities of higher education institutions, where research is still in the early stages but holds significant potential. This program pairs emerging institutions with established, top-tier research institutions in a ‘Hub & Spoke’ framework, providing mentorship and support. The objectives of the PAIR programme include: support internationally competitive research with substantial impact and outcome; foster successful and productive collaborative networks between diverse institutions; and propel the advancement of institutions by (i) upscaling and building advanced research infrastructure and capabilities, (ii) enhancing the quality of research and (iii) facilitating infusion of best practices and research culture.

    The PAIR program has earmarked a budget of Rs. 1,500 crores over five years, with each selected PAIR networkeligible for funding up to Rs. 100 crore. Of this, 30% of the funds will go to the Hub institution, while 70%will be allocated to the Spokeinstitutions. It is envisaged that the hubs in tandem with select spokes are expected to come up with competitive, impactful research proposals with potentially significant outcomes in the specified indicative themes.

    In its first phase, the program is targeting universities that have demonstrated potential through national ranking and those that show promise for scaling up their research capabilities. The evaluation process for the proposals received under different ANRF calls is currently underway.

    As on date, there is no plan of setting up regional centres of Anusandhan National Research Foundation in collaboration with education institutions, however, under a program, Partnerships for Accelerated Innovation and Research (PAIR) which is designed to work in ‘Hub & Spoke’ framework, hubs will be set up across the country.

    This information was given by Dr. Jitendra Singh, Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.

    ***

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Parliament Question: INNOVATION IN SCIENCE PURSUIT FOR INSPIRED RESEARCH SCHEME

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 02 APR 2025 5:40PM by PIB Delhi

    The Department of Science and Technology (DST) is implementing Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspired Research (INSPIRE) scheme to attract, nurture and retain meritorious youth to study natural sciences areas at the college and university level and to pursue research careers in both basic and applied science areas including engineering, medicine, agriculture and veterinary sciences. The ultimate objective is to expand the R&D base of the country. It is implemented on pan India scale through four components. INSPIRE scheme’s component-wise salient features are given below:

    INSPIRE Internship component of INSPIRE aims at providing exposure to the top 1% students at Class X Board level by organizing Science Camps either during summer or winter and provide opportunity to them to interact with science icons from India and abroad, including Nobel Laureates, to experience the joys of scientific pursuit. These science camps nourish the curiosity of students in science, help them to think out-of-the box and attract students at an early age of 16-17 years to choose science subjects for further studies.

    Scholarship for Higher Education (SHE)component of INSPIREaims to enhance the rate of attachment of talented youth to undertake higher education in science intensive programs by providing scholarships and mentorship support. The scheme offers 12,000 scholarships of 5-year duration @ Rs 0.80 lakh per year to undertake Bachelor and master’s level education in basic and natural Sciences area for the top 1% talented youth as per central and state education board data in the age group 17-22 years.

    INSPIRE Fellowshipcomponent of INSPIREaims to provide fellowship to M.Sc. 1st Rank holders in Basic & Applied Sciences including engineering, medicine, agriculture, veterinary at the University/academic institute of national importance i.e. IITs, NITs, IISERs level examination as well as Inspire Scholars having secure 70% marks in aggregate at the MSc level who are eligible for admission to the Ph.D. program in any recognized university/ academic institutions in the country every year. The Fellowships are tenable for maximum 5 years (2 years as JRF @ Rs.37000/pm + HRA + Contingency grant of Rs.20000/annum and 3 years as SRF @ Rs.42000/pm + HRA + Contingency grant of Rs.20000/annum) or completion of PhD, whichever is earlier to pursue full-time Ph.D. program. Maximum 1000 INSPIRE Fellowships per year are tenable.

    INSPIRE Faculty Fellowship component of INSPIRE aims to provide opportunities to post- doctoral researchers in the age group of 27-32 year (the upper age limit for SC/ST/Women candidates and persons with benchmark disabilities is 37 and 42 years respectively) for 5 years in both basic and applied sciences area including engineering, agriculture, veterinary and medicine every year. Aspirants having Ph.D. degree with strong academic and research track record are considered on competitive basis. It grants an attractive fellowship for a duration of 5 years with a consolidated emolument of Rs. 1,25,000/- p.m. with annual increment of Rs.200 per annum and a research grant of Rs.7 lakh per annum. This scheme has motivated young researchers to pursue high-quality post-Ph.D. research within the country. Maximum 150 INSPIRE Faculty Fellowships per year are tenable.

    The details of the number of students selected from the States/Union Territories during 2024-2025 till 27.03.2025 under the said scheme are given below:

    S. No.

    State/UT

    INSPIRE-Internship

    INSPIRE-SHE

    INSPIRE-Fellowship

    INSPIRE-Faculty Fellowship

     

     

     

     

    1

    Andhra Pradesh

    530

    5

    11

    0

     

     

    2

    Arunachal Pradesh

    0

    0

    2

    0

     

     

    3

    Assam

    0

    84

    24

    4

     

     

    4

    Bihar

    0

    172

    6

    1

     

     

    5

    Chandigarh

    0

    3

    10

    0

     

     

    6

    Chhattisgarh

    150

    421

    13

    0

     

     

    7

    Delhi

    200

    61

    53

    8

     

     

    8

    Goa

    0

    6

    10

    0

     

     

    9

    Gujarat

    350

    93

    21

    0

     

     

    10

    Haryana

    0

    66

    7

    1

     

     

    11

    Himachal Pradesh

    450

    138

    7

    1

     

     

    12

    Jammu and Kashmir

    150

    2

    21

    3

     

     

    13

    Jharkhand

    0

    23

    5

    3

     

     

    14

    Karnataka

    150

    60

    46

    16

     

     

    15

    Kerala

    150

    376

    31

    3

     

     

    16

    Madhya Pradesh

    0

    573

    28

    2

     

     

    17

    Maharashtra

    200

    198

    34

    8

     

     

    18

    Manipur

    0

    138

    2

    1

     

     

    19

    Meghalaya

    0

    49

    1

    0

     

     

    20

    Mizoram

    0

    13

    4

    0

     

     

    21

    Nagaland

    0

    9

    1

    0

     

     

    22

    Odisha

    0

    108

    23

    2

     

     

    23

    Puducherry

    0

    2

    3

    0

     

     

    24

    Punjab

    550

    61

    30

    2

     

     

    25

    Rajasthan

    0

    2879

    9

    0

     

     

    26

    Sikkim

    0

    0

    2

    0

     

     

    27

    Tamil Nadu

    975

    44

    59

    6

     

     

    28

    Telangana

    450

    31

    36

    4

     

     

    29

    Tripura

    0

    3

    1

    0

     

     

    30

    Uttar Pradesh

    1200

    5374

    40

    4

     

     

    31

    Uttarakhand

    400

    387

    22

    0

     

     

    32

    West Bengal

    350

    362

    52

    9

     

     

     

    This information was given by Dr. Jitendra Singh, Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.

    ***

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Parliament Question: SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 02 APR 2025 5:39PM by PIB Delhi

    Indian Scientists have developed advanced technologies for solid waste management, including plastic waste. Significant progress has been made by Indian researchers, institutions, and innovators in devising technologies and strategies to manage solid waste.

    1. Various technologies have been developed for effective management of the solid waste. Some of these technologies are given below: –
    • CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (CSIR-IICT) has developed a novel high-rate bio methanation technology for decentralized applications of sewage and organic solid waste. This technology is superior in terms of biogas and bio-manure production as it incorporates novel pre and post processing technologies required for the bio methanation of organic solid waste. This technology has been commercialized and is in operation.
    • CSIR- Central Mechanical Engineering Research Institute (CMERI) has developed a decentralised solid waste management technology. The significant features of the technology include mechanized segregation system for biodegradable & non-biodegradable waste; Eco-friendly disposal of plastic waste through agglomeration process; Generation of bio-gas from organic waste and conversion of agro-waste into briquette. The technology has been transferred to industries for commercialization.
    • Indian scientists have developed a technology to recycle the Construction & Demolition (C&D) waste to produce a high compressive strength Glass Foam Bricks, which are offering a sustainable alternative to conventional building materials.
    • A robust mechanical separator has been developed to facilitate the efficient disassembly of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules, supporting enhanced recycling and sustainability in the solar energy sector.
    • CSIR- Advanced Materials and Processes Research Institute (AMPRI) has developed a technology for the bulk utilization of fly ash in the production of synthetic fine and coarse aggregates, which can replace conventional natural aggregates in construction, promoting sustainability and reducing the environmental impact of traditional aggregate production.
    • Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research (IISER) Tirupathi and CSIR-National Metallurgical Laboratory (NML) has developed a technology for recycling of graphite from spent Lithium-ion batteries for high energy Li-ion capacitors.
    • With the support of DST, CSIR-Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology (IHBT) has developed an indigenous non-pathogenic psychrophilic bacterial formulations and composting methods for accelerated composting of municipal solid waste and agricultural waste in cold regions.
    • Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) has setup Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs) nationwide, for sorting, processing and recycling of segregated dry waste .
    1. Technologies developed for management of plastic waste:
    • Department of Science and Technology (DST) through Waste Management Technologies (WMT) program, has developed and demonstrated a technology for conversion of municipal mixed plastic waste to high quality plasto-fuels for transportation and industrial heating applications. A 2-TPD (Tonnes Per Day) demo plant was setup at Vadodara. The plant is flexible enough to convert all kinds of mixed plastic waste collected from residential communities, railway establishments and industries.
    • Central Institute of Petrochemicals Engineering & Technology (CIPET)-Bhubaneswar has developed an eco-friendly technology for upcycling of different grades of plastics from waste electrical and electronic equipment to high impact grade plastics.
    • Recycling of plastic waste into tiles: CSIR-National Physical Laboratory (CSIR-NPL) has developed a novel technology to convert waste plastic scrap to floor tiles, interlock tiles, paver tiles, and roof tiles. The technology has been transferred to industry for commercialization.
    • Department of Chemicals & Petrochemicals (DCPC) has established three Plastic Waste Management Centres (PWMCs) for effective plastics waste management solutions, to develop eco-friendly cost-effective value added recyclates and to establish digital demonstration facilities on plastic recycling and waste management.
    • Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM): Government’s initiative like Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) has played a key role in improving solid waste and plastic-waste management, in both urban and rural areas. In October 2021, government launched the Swachh Bharat Mission Urban 2.0 (SBM-U 2.0), with the overall vision of creating “Garbage Free Cities.” Under this mission, material recovery facilities (MRFs), waste-to-energy plants, and recycling units have been created which have led to an increase in the solid waste processing capacity by 1,05,876 TPD in the urban areas under SwachhBharat Mission Urban.

    These steps reflect Government’s commitment to bridging the gap between scientific innovation and practical implementation, ensuring sustainable solid waste management and a reduction in plastic pollution.

    This information was given by Dr. Jitendra Singh, Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.

    ***

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: NATIONAL MISSION ON INTERDISCIPLINARY-CYBER PHYSICAL SYSTEMS

    Source: Government of India

    Ministry of Science & Technology

    NATIONAL MISSION ON INTERDISCIPLINARY-CYBER PHYSICAL SYSTEMS

    Posted On: 02 APR 2025 5:37PM by PIB Delhi

    The details of the total number of research projects piloted under National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber Physical Systems (NM-ICPS), along with the funds allocated and disbursed, year-wise and location-wise are as under:

    S. No.

    TIH Name & Location

    No. of Research Projects

    Funds Allocated

    (In Lakhs)

    Funds Disbursed (in Lakhs)

    (Financial year-wise)

    2020-21

    2021-22

    2022-23

    2023-24

    2024-25

    1

    TIH Foundation For IOT And IOE, IIT Bombay, Powai, Mumbai, Maharashtra – 400076

    88

    3715.37

    –

    –

    317.25

    639.42

    490.82

    2

    IIIT-H Data I-Hub Foundation, IIIT Hyderabad, Gachibowli, Hyderabad, Telangana – 500032

    68

    1272.9

    13.14

    189.41

    82.67

    508.09

    132.09

    3

    I-HUB for Robotics and Autonomous Systems Innovation Foundation, IISc Bengaluru, CV Raman Rd, Bengaluru, Karnataka – 560012

    5

    7667.53

    165.32

    537.08

    1430.74

    2340.64

    3193.75

    4

    IHUB NTIHAC Foundation, IIT Kanpur, Kalyanpur, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh – 208016

    50

    1300.13

    –

    139.65

    211.62

    346.39

    301.92

    5

    IHUB Drishti Foundation, IIT Jodhpur, NH 62, Karwar, Jodhpur, Rajasthan – 342030

    50

    2369.63

    174

    441.87

    935.29

    818.47

    –

    6

    Divyasampark IHUB Roorkee for Devices Materials and Technology Foundation, IIT Roorkee, Roorkee, Uttarakhand – 247667

    88

    2968.99

    285.20

    468.20

    444.40

    1442.79

    264.40

    7

    IIT Patna Vishlesan I-hub Foundation, IIT Patna, Bihta, Patna, Bihar – 801106

    7

    199.95

    –

    –

    34.33

    18.33

    13.08

    8

    IIT Madras Pravartak Technologies Foundation, IIT Madras, Sardar Patel Rd, Chennai, Tamil Nadu – 600036

    31

    2508.48

    –

    1326.73

    160.44

    930.20

    91.11

    9

    NMICPS Technology Innovation Hub on Autonomous Navigation Foundation (TiHAN), IIT Hyderabad, Kandi, Sangareddy, Telangana – 502284

    153

    3158.65

    –

    1008.43

    1242.39

    395.02

    186.58

    10

    I-DAPT-HUB Foundation, IIT (BHU) Varanasi, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh – 221005

    25

    488.91

    –

    44.55

    189.59

    168.40

    62.53

    11

    IIT Guwahati Technology Innovation and Development Foundation, IIT Guwahati, Amingaon, Guwahati, Assam – 781039

    151

    4727.57

    –

    315

    533.87

    3641.20

    237.50

    12

    IIT MandiIHub and HCI Foundation, IIT Mandi, Kamand, Mandi, Himachal Pradesh – 175075

    24

    1746.34

    –

    –

    328.03

    354

    588.48

    13

    I-Hub Foundation for Cobotics (IHFC), IIT Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi – 110016

    49

    4339

    32.35

    1007.30

    586.47

    397.96

    176.42

    14

    IIT Palakkad Technology Ihub Foundation, IIT Palakkad, Pudussery, Palakkad, Kerala – 678623

    63

    2498.58

    –

    281.25

    530.52

    326.35

    574.96

    15

    IIT Ropar Technology and Innovation Foundation, IIT Ropar, Rupnagar, Punjab – 140001

    87

    4831.13

    4

    545.14

    703.20

    861.91

    676.02

    16

    Technology Innovation in Exploration & Mining Foundation, IIT (ISM) Dhanbad, Sardar Patel Nagar, Dhanbad, Jharkhand – 826004

    62

    1933

    –

    94.66

    79.84

    705.55

    476.51

    17

    IIITB Comet Foundation, IIIT Bangalore, Electronic City, Bangalore, Karnataka – 560100

    17

    10872.51

    –

    –

    1156.70

    2370.19

    2386.34

    18

    BITS BioCYTiH Foundation, BITS Pilani, VidyaVihar, Pilani, Rajasthan – 333031

    43

    1942.07

    –

    20.71

    160.77

    488.22

    429.82

    19

    IDEAS – Institute of Data Engineering, Analytics and Science Foundation, ISI Kolkata, 203, Barrackpore Trunk Road, Kolkata, West Bengal – 700108

    20

    912

    –

    0

    222

    266.80

    48.50

    20

    IITI Drishti CPS Foundation, IIT Indore, Khandwa Road, Simrol, Indore, Madhya Pradesh – 453552

    82

    696.40

    –

    7.68

    173.06

    229.86

    88.33

    21

    AI4ICPS I-Hub Foundation, IIT Kharagpur, Kharagpur, West Bengal – 721302

    63

    1474.45

    –

    –

    –

    1474.45

    –

    22

    IHUB Anubhuti-IIITD Foundation, IIIT Delhi, Okhla Industrial Estate, New Delhi – 110020

    35

    1482.26

    –

    54.72

    228.91

    241.87

    258.54

    23

    I-Hub Quantum Technology Foundation, IISER Pune, Dr.HomiBhabha Road, Pashan, Pune, Maharashtra – 411008

    27

    8619.37

    –

    –

    949.72

    1388.11

    86.51

    24

    IIT TirupatiNavavishkar I-Hub Foundation, IIT Tirupati, Yerpedu, Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh – 517619

    27

    1290.93

    –

    –

    –

    401.18

    714.81

    25

    IIT Bhilai Innovation and Technology Foundation, IIT Bhilai, Kutelabhata, Bhilai, Chhattisgarh – 490020

    96

    5238.62

    –

    38.58

    153.72

    2242.92

    –

    Subtotal

    1411

    78254.77

    674.01

    6520.96

    10855.53

    22998.32

    11479.02

    Total

    52527.84

    The number of technology products developed and jobs created by supported projects under NM-ICPS, location-wise are as under:

    S. No.

    TIH Name & Location

    No. of Technology Products Developed

    No. of Jobs created

    1

    TIH Foundation For IOT And IOE, IIT Bombay, Powai, Mumbai, Maharashtra – 400076

    17

    89

    2

    IIIT-H Data I-Hub Foundation, IIIT Hyderabad, Gachibowli, Hyderabad, Telangana – 500032

    38

    152

    3

    I-HUB for Robotics and Autonomous Systems Innovation Foundation, IISc Bengaluru, CV Raman Rd, Bengaluru, Karnataka – 560012

    54

    –

    4

    IHUB NTIHAC Foundation, IIT Kanpur, Kalyanpur, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh – 208016

    62

    126

    5

    IHUB Drishti Foundation, IIT Jodhpur, NH 62, Karwar, Jodhpur, Rajasthan – 342030

    –

    1238

    6

    Divyasampark IHUB Roorkee for Devices Materials and Technology Foundation, IIT Roorkee, Roorkee, Uttarakhand – 247667

    3

    16

    7

    IIT Patna Vishlesan I-hub Foundation, IIT Patna, Bihta, Patna, Bihar – 801106

    –

    –

    8

    IIT Madras Pravartak Technologies Foundation, IIT Madras, Sardar Patel Rd, Chennai, Tamil Nadu – 600036

    31

    68

    9

    NMICPS Technology Innovation Hub on Autonomous Navigation Foundation (TiHAN), IIT Hyderabad, Kandi, Sangareddy, Telangana – 502284

    198

    781

    10

    I-DAPT-HUB Foundation, IIT (BHU) Varanasi, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh – 221005

    31

    61

    11

    IIT Guwahati Technology Innovation and Development Foundation, IIT Guwahati, Amingaon, Guwahati, Assam – 781039

    78

    138

    12

    IIT MandiIHub and HCI Foundation, IIT Mandi, Kamand, Mandi, Himachal Pradesh – 175075

    7

    22

    13

    I-Hub Foundation for Cobotics (IHFC), IIT Delhi, HauzKhas, New Delhi – 110016

    40

    85

    14

    IIT Palakkad Technology Ihub Foundation, IIT Palakkad, Pudussery, Palakkad, Kerala – 678623

    11

    51

    15

    IIT Ropar Technology and Innovation Foundation, IIT Ropar, Rupnagar, Punjab – 140001

    72

    167

    16

    Technology Innovation in Exploration & Mining Foundation, IIT (ISM) Dhanbad, Sardar Patel Nagar, Dhanbad, Jharkhand – 826004

    34

    818

    17

    IIITB Comet Foundation, IIIT Bangalore, Electronic City, Bangalore, Karnataka – 560100

    15

    338

    18

    BITS BioCYTiH Foundation, BITS Pilani, VidyaVihar, Pilani, Rajasthan – 333031

    5

    6

    19

    IDEAS – Institute of Data Engineering, Analytics and Science Foundation, ISI Kolkata, 203, Barrackpore Trunk Road, Kolkata, West Bengal – 700108

    28

    54

    20

    IITI Drishti CPS Foundation, IIT Indore, Khandwa Road, Simrol, Indore, Madhya Pradesh – 453552

    83

    170

    21

    IHUB Anubhuti-IIITD Foundation, IIIT Delhi, Okhla Industrial Estate, New Delhi – 110020

    66

    107

    22

    AI4ICPS I-Hub Foundation, IIT Kharagpur, Kharagpur, West Bengal – 721302

    17

    146

    23

    I-Hub Quantum Technology Foundation, IISER Pune, Dr.HomiBhabha Road, Pashan, Pune, Maharashtra – 411008

    12

    29

    24

    IIT TirupatiNavavishkar I-Hub Foundation, IIT Tirupati, Yerpedu, Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh – 517619

    –

    –

    25

    IIT Bhilai Innovation and Technology Foundation, IIT Bhilai, Kutelabhata, Bhilai, Chhattisgarh – 490020

    71

    295

    Total

    973

    4957

     

    A list of TIHs approved and established under NM-ICPS (State-wise) along with the total funds allocated and disbursed (year-wise) till date is as under:

    TIH Name & Host Institution

    State/UT

    Sanctioned Year

    Funds Allocated (₹ Cr)

    Funds Disbursed (₹ Cr)

    TIH Foundation For IOT And IOE, IIT Bombay

    Maharashtra

    2020

    170.00

    97.41

    Project ‘BharatGen’ on LLM

    2024

    235.18

    89.66

    IIIT-H Data I-Hub Foundation, IIIT Hyderabad

    Hyderabad

    2020

    110.00

    58.77

    I-HUB for Robotics and Autonomous Systems Innovation Foundation, IISc Bangalore

    Karnataka

    2020

    170.00

    113.25

    IHUB NTIHAC Foundation, IIT Kanpur

    Uttar Pradesh

    2020

    170.00

    143.19

    IHUB Drishti Foundation, IIT Jodhpur

    Rajasthan

    2020

    115.00

    54.95

    Divyasampark IHUB Roorkee for Devices Materials and Technology Foundation, IIT Roorkee

    Uttarakhand

    2020

    135.00

    111.70

    IIT Patna Vishlesan I-hub Foundation, IIT Patna

    Bihar

    2020

    110.00

    22.25

    IIT Madras Pravartak Technologies Foundation, IIT Madras

    Tamil Nadu

    2020

    170.00

    156.18

    NMICPS Technology Innovation Hub on Autonomous Navigation Foundation (TiHAN), IIT Hyderabad

    Hyderabad

    2020

    135.00

    127.43

    I-DAPT-HUB Foundation, IIT (BHU) Varanasi

    Uttar Pradesh

    2020

    110.00

    23.37

    IIT Guwahati Technology Innovation and Development Foundation, IIT Guwahati

    Assam

    2020

    135.00

    92.76

    IIT MandiIHub and HCI Foundation, IIT Mandi

    Himachal Pradesh

    2020

    110.00

    58.25

    I-Hub Foundation for Cobotics (IHFC), IIT Delhi

    Delhi

    2020

    170.00

    85.92

    IIT Palakkad Technology Ihub Foundation, IIT Palakkad

    Kerala

    2020

    100.00

    47.08

    IIT Ropar Technology and Innovation Foundation, IIT Ropar

    Punjab

    2020

    110.00

    79.12

    Technology Innovation in Exploration & Mining Foundation, IIT Dhanbad

    Jharkhand

    2020

    110.00

    63.20

    IIITB Comet Foundation, IIIT Bangalore

    Karnataka

    2020

    150.00

    69.59

    BITS BioCYTiH Foundation, BITS Pilani

    Rajasthan

    2020

    125.00

    59.25

    IDEAS – Institute of Data Engineering, Analytics and Science Foundation, ISI Kolkata

    Kolkata

    2020

    100.00

    12.19

    AI4ICPS I-Hub Foundation, IIT Kharagpur

    Kolkata

    2020

    170.00

    24.45

    IITI Drishti CPS Foundation, IIT Indore

    Madhya Pradesh

    2020

    100.00

    47.19

    IHUB Anubhuti-IIITD Foundation, IIIT Delhi

    Delhi

    2020

    100.00

    36.59

    I-Hub Quantum Technology Foundation, IISER Pune

    Maharashtra

    2020

    170.00

    88.13

    IIT TirupatiNavavishkar I-Hub Foundation, IIT Tirupati

    Andhra Pradesh

    2020

    100.00

    39.75

    IIT Bhilai Innovation and Technology Foundation, IIT Bhilai

    Chhattisgarh

    2020

    55.00

    50.80

    Total

    3435.18

    1852.43

    The details of the number of Centre of Excellence (CoEs) established under NM-ICPS, year-wise and State-wise is as under:

    S. No.

    Name of State/UT

    No. of CoEs Established (year-wise)

    1

    Uttar Pradesh

    2 (2022, 2025)

    2

    Goa

    3 (2023, 2025)

    3

    Tamil Nadu

    2 (2024, 2025)

    4

    Himachal Pradesh

    2 (2024)

    5

    Haryana

    1 (2022)

    6

    Delhi

    3 (2023)

    7

    Jharkhand

    10 (2022, 2023, 2024, 2025)

    8

    Karnataka

    4 (2023, 2024, 2025)

    9

    Nagaland

    1 (2025)

    10

    Manipur

    1 (2025)

    11

    Mizoram

    1 (2025)

    12

    Maharashtra

    1 (2025)

    13

    West Bengal

    1 (2025)

    14

    Madhya Pradesh

    1 (2023)

    15

    Rajasthan

    2 (2024, 2025)

    16

    Andhra Pradesh

    5 (2025)

    17

    Telangana

    2 (2025)

    18

    Kerala

    2 (2023, 2025)

    19

    Punjab

    12 (2022, 2023, 2024, 2025)

    20

    Uttarakhand

    1 (2024)

    21

    Ladakh

    1 (2024)

    22

    Sikkim

    1 (2024)

    23

    Assam

    5 (2022, 2023, 2024)

    Total

    64

     

    The total number of Government and Industry Research and Development (R&D) labs participating under NM-ICPS, year-wise and State-wise are as under:

    S. No.

    TIH Name

    State

    Total number of Government and Industry Research and Development (R&D) labs (year-wise)

    1

    IIIT-H Data I-Hub Foundation

    Telangana

    44 (2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025)

    2

    NMICPS Technology Innovation Hub on Autonomous Navigation Foundation (TiHAN)

    3

    I-HUB for Robotics and Autonomous Systems Innovation Foundation

    Karnataka

    5 (2021, 2023, 2024, 2025)

    4

    I-DAPT-HUB Foundation

    Uttar Pradesh

    5 (2020, 2021, 2022, 2023)

    5

    IHUB Drishti Foundation

    Rajasthan

    6 (2024, 2025)

    6

    BITS BioCYTiH Foundation

    7

    IIT Madras Pravartak Technologies Foundation

    Tamil Nadu

    5 (2021, 2022)

    8

    IIT Guwahati Technology Innovation and Development Foundation

    Assam

    11 (2023, 2024)

    9

    IIT MandiIHub and HCI Foundation

    Himachal Pradesh

    5 (2022, 2023)

    10

    I-Hub Foundation for Cobotics (IHFC)

    Delhi

    55 (2020, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025)

    11

    IHUB Anubhuti-IIITD Foundation

    12

    IIT Palakkad Technology Ihub Foundation

    Kerala

    4 (2023, 2024, 2025)

    13

    IIT Ropar Technology and Innovation Foundation

    Punjab

    6 (2021, 2022, 2023, 2024)

    14

    Technology Innovation in Exploration & Mining Foundation

    Jharkhand

    4 (2022, 2023, 2024)

    15

    IIT Kharagpur AI4ICPS I-Hub Foundation

    West Bengal

    6 (2023, 2024, 2025)

    16

    IITI Drishti CPS Foundation

    Madhya Pradesh

    6 (2021, 2022, 2024)

    17

    IIT TirupatiNavavishkar I-Hub Foundation

    Andhra Pradesh

    4 (2023, 2024)

    18

    IIT Bhilai Innovation and Technology Foundation

    Chhattisgarh

    2 (2022, 2024)

    Total

    168

     

    This information was given by Dr. Jitendra Singh, Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.

    ***

    NKR/PSM

    (Release ID: 2117875)

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Government of India Spurs Chip Manufacturing with Fiscal Support, Global MoUs and Talent Development Initiatives

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 02 APR 2025 6:08PM by PIB Delhi

    Government has approved Semicon India programme with a total outlay of Rs 76,000 crore for the development of semiconductor and display manufacturing ecosystem in India. which provides:

    1. Fiscal support of 50% of the project cost on pari-passu basis for setting up of Silicon Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor (CMOS) based Semiconductor Fabs in India.
    2. Fiscal support of 50% of Project Cost on pari-passu basis for setting up of Display Fabs in India.
    3. Fiscal support of 50% of the Capital Expenditure on pari-passu basis for setting up of Compound Semiconductors / Silicon Photonics (SiPh) / Sensors (including Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems) Fab/ Discrete Semiconductor Fab and Semiconductor Assembly, Testing, Marking and Packaging (ATMP) / Outsourced Semiconductor Assembly and Test (OSAT) facilities in India.
    4. Product Design Linked Incentive of up to 50% of the eligible expenditure subject to a ceiling of ₹15 Crore per application and also “Deployment Linked Incentive” of 6% to 4% of net sales turnover over 5 years subject to a ceiling of ₹30 Crore per application for incentivising chip design.

    Government has also approved modernisation of Semi-Conductor Laboratory, Mohali to enhance efficiency and cycle time.

    Government has approved five semiconductor manufacturing projects that includes One Semiconductor Fabrication facility and four Semiconductor ATMP/OSAT facilities under Semicon India Program with cumulative investment of around Rs. 1,52,000 crore.  The approved projects are under various phases of implementation and are expected to be completed in 4–6-year timeframe.

    Further, to strengthen semiconductor manufacturing and creating a semiconductor ecosystem in the country, Government has entered in Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with USA, European Union, Japan and Singapore.

    Semiconductor manufacturing is very complex and Technology intensive sector which requires specialized skilled manpower. To address this, the following measures have been taken by the Government:

    1. All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has launched the new curriculum for B. Tech in Electronics Engineering (Very Large-Scale Integration (VLSI) Design and Technology), Diploma in Integrated Circuit (IC) manufacturing and Minor Degree in Electronics Engineering (VLSI Design and Technology), as a step towards creation of Talent pool in Semiconductor domain.
    2. Government has launched the Chips to Startup (‘C2S’) programme which plans to train 85,000 industry ready workforce at about 113 participating institutions in VLSI and Embedded System Design. More than 43,000 engineering students have been onboarded for training at 113 organizations under C2S Programme till date.
    3. A Skilled Manpower Advanced Research and Training (SMART) Lab has been setup in NIELIT Calicut in 2022 with an aim to train one lakh engineers nation-wide within 5 years in VLSI and Embedded System design. More than 42,000 engineers have been trained nationwide using the SMART Lab.
    4. Further, the following collaborations/ partnerships have been entered into by India Semiconductor Mission (ISM) to encourage skill development:

     

    1. MoU between ISM with IISc and Lam Research: To train about 60,000 Indian engineers in the upcoming 10 years through Lam Research’s Semiverse platform.
    2. MoU between ISM and IBM:  To facilitate Indian students/professionals to build a broad skill base by gaining access to laboratories and research focal centers and establishing internship and fellowship programs.
    3. MoU between ISM with Purdue University: To promote the cutting-edge research and development and commercialization thereof, curating skilled talent pool and investment opportunities in India enabling the Indian professionals to explore their potential in the semiconductor and display space.

    Government is focused on its objective of building the overall semiconductor design and manufacturing ecosystem with an emphasis on fostering R&D in semiconductor area in the country. MeitY supports R&D projects in the area of semiconductors at academic institutions, research organizations, and startup companies through a dedicated R&D Scheme. Some of them includes but not limited to the following- nanotechnology, semiconductor materials, semiconductor processes, chip design, semiconductor IP Cores etc

    This information was given by the Minister of State for Electronics & Information Technology Shri Jitin Prasada in Lok Sabha today.

    *******

     

    Dharmendra TewariNavin Sreejith

    (Release ID: 2117925) Visitor Counter : 70

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Ministry of Education reaffirms its commitment to inclusive education by strengthening support systems for children with autism spectrum disorder in schools

    Source: Government of India

    Ministry of Education reaffirms its commitment to inclusive education by strengthening support systems for children with autism spectrum disorder in schools

    Strengthening Inclusive Education: Block Resource Centres under Samagra Shiksha provides Essential Therapy Services for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

    Posted On: 02 APR 2025 4:45PM by PIB Delhi

    On the occasion of World Autism Awareness Day (April 2, 2025), the Ministry of Education, Government of India reaffirms its commitment to inclusive education by strengthening support systems for children with autism spectrum disorder in schools.

    Through Block Resource Centres (BRCs), the government is ensuring that children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) receive essential therapy services, specialized interventions, and learning support to help them reach their full potential.

    Supported under the centrally sponsored scheme- Samagra Shiksha, the BRCs serve as dedicated resource centers, offering essential therapy-based interventions to support the physical, cognitive, and communicative needs of CwSN.

    These include:

    • Occupational Therapy: Helps children develop fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and independence in daily activities.
    • Physiotherapy: Supports children with mobility challenges, improving posture, muscle strength, and physical coordination.
    • Speech and Communication Therapy: Supports children with delayed speech, difficulty in communication, or social interaction challenges, especially beneficial for children with autism.
    • Psychological & Behavioural Support: Provides emotional and behavioural counselling to enhance confidence, social interaction, and well-being.

    BRCs are staffed with trained resource persons, special educators, and therapists who work closely with parents, teachers, and caregivers to create personalized intervention plans for children.

    These centres also organize regular screening camps, parent counselling sessions, orientation/teacher training programs, assistive devices, appropriate Teaching-Learning Material (TLM), and aids & appliances etc. to ensure a holistic approach to inclusive education.

    As envisioned in the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, the government is continuously strengthening these inclusive learning environments by integrating therapy services with classroom learning and ensuring accessible infrastructure, assistive devices, and digital learning solutions for CwSN across the country.

    State and district education authorities are encouraged to maximize the utilization of Resource Centres and also collaborate with local health and social welfare departments to further expand support for children with diverse needs.

    On this World Autism Awareness Day, the Ministry appeals to schools, educators, and parents to optimally utilise the services of BRCs for CwSN and also work together to promote awareness, acceptance, and meaningful inclusion of children with autism spectrum disorder.

    ******

    MV/AK

    MOE/DoHE-DoSEL/2 April 2025/7

    (Release ID: 2117857) Visitor Counter : 29

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ14: Prevention and treatment of hepatitis

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    LCQ14: Prevention and treatment of hepatitis 
    Question:
     
         It is learnt that hepatitis is one of the common diseases in Hong Kong, and it is estimated that hundreds of thousands of people in Hong Kong are affected by hepatitis. Hepatitis may further develop into cirrhosis of the liver or even liver cancer if it is not diagnosed and treated in a timely manner, which will bring about a serious impact on the health and finances of patients and their families, and place a burden on the public healthcare system. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
     
    (1) in respect of education on the prevention of hepatitis, whether the Government has organised preventive educational programmes to promote the importance of keeping the liver healthy in schools and in the community in 2024; if so, of the relevant expenditure, the number of programmes organised, as well as the respective numbers of students or members of the community who have participated in such programmes; whether it will increase the relevant estimated expenditure for this year; if it will, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
     
    (2) in view of the Government’s commitment in the 2024 Policy Address to implement hepatitis B screening to prevent liver cancer, whether the Government has formulated the relevant implementation plan; if it has, of the budget and target number of people to be screened; whether it will accord priority to screening for high-risk persons, and introduce primary healthcare networks and the public-private partnership approach to expand the screening capacity, e.g. carrying out blood monitoring for liver cancer in high-risk groups; if it will, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
     
    (3) whether it knows the respective numbers of new cases of liver cirrhosis diagnosed by the Hospital Authority (HA) and patients with liver cirrhosis who continued to receive treatment in public hospitals under HA in each of the past five years;
     
    (4) whether it knows the respective numbers of cases of liver cirrhosis and liver cancer among the oesophago-gastro-duodenoscopy services provided in public hospitals in each of the past five years; whether the relevant data reflects the incidence trends of liver cirrhosis and liver cancer in Hong Kong; whether the Government has adjusted its prevention strategies on the basis of such data; and
     
    (5) in order to provide more treatment options for patients and effectively relieve the pressure on public hospitals, whether the Government will consider using the public-private partnership approach or expanding the scope of the “Elderly Health Care Voucher Greater Bay Area Pilot Scheme” to arrange, under the risk-based principle, for low-risk patients to receive treatment at healthcare institutions in the Mainland cities of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?

    Reply:
     
    President,
     
         Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver, which can be classified into acute or chronic disease. Serious hepatitis cases will lead to liver failure, cirrhosis or liver cancer Hepatitis is the most commonly caused by the hepatitis virus infection worldwide. In Hong Kong, the major risk factor leading to liver diseases including liver cancer is chronic hepatitis B (CHB) infection. The Government is strongly committed to the prevention and treatment of hepatitis and liver cancer. Among which, in 2018, the Government established the Steering Committee on Prevention and Control of Viral Hepatitis (SCVH) to provide advice on overall policy, targeted strategies and effective resource allocation related to prevention and control of viral hepatitis. In October 2020, the SCVH formulated the Hong Kong Viral Hepatitis Action Plan 2020 – 2024 and all the new initiatives outlined in the plan have been fully implemented.
     
         The Government has been adopting a series of effective and free-of-charge measures to prevent mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of hepatitis B virus (HBV) which may lead to CHB, including:
     
    (i) universal neonatal hepatitis B vaccination since 1988;
    (ii) universal antenatal screening for hepatitis B;
    (iii) administration of hepatitis B immunoglobulin for babies born to mothers with hepatitis B;
    (iv) using antivirals to further minimise the risk of MTCT of HBV among pregnant women with CHB and high viral load since August 2020 under the steer of the SCVH; and
    (v) post-vaccination serologic testing arranged for babies born to mothers with hepatitis B since January 2022. 
         The reply, in consultation with the DH, the Primary Healthcare Commission (PHC Commission) and the Hospital Authority (HA) to the question raised by the Hon Joephy Chan is as follows:
     
    (1) Viral Hepatitis Control Office (VHCO) of the DH co-ordinates the actions and programmes related to prevention and control of viral hepatitis, including health education, and surveillance and prevention of viral hepatitis, and provides secretariat support to the SCVH. The VHCO has been providing health education related to viral hepatitis for the public through various channels, including social media, health talks and themed exhibitions. The VHCO also collaborates with community partners to launch promotion activities. 
     
         Currently, the Maternal and Child Health Centres under the DH provide hepatitis B vaccination services for infants and young children from birth to five years old. For those primary school children who have not completed the hepatitis B vaccination, the School Immunisation Team under the Centre for Health Protection of the DH provides mop-up vaccination services to ensure that local school children are protected by the hepatitis B vaccine. The current vaccination rate for school children is 99 per cent while the prevalence of HBV infection among those under 35 years old is below 1 per cent. Hence, the health promotion efforts of the VHCO focus on reminding adults at higher risk of infection in the community to undergo early testing and treatment for hepatitis B, including those who have not been benefited from vaccination.
     
         In 2024, the VHCO conducted nine public health talks and 11 themed exhibitions, reaching over 7 000 attendances. Over 33 000 health education materials were distributed to community health promotion partners, healthcare institutions and the general public. The related expenditure cannot be separately identified given that they have been subsumed into the viral hepatitis control programmes provided by the DH.
     
         The Government will closely keep in view local and international situation of hepatitis B, promulgate the Hong Kong Viral Hepatitis Action Plan 2025 – 2030 this year, and continue to enhance health promotion and educational activities.
     
         Meanwhile, District Health Centres and District Health Centres Expresses (collectively referred to as DHCs) in all 18 districts across the city are promoting the Life Course Preventive Care Plan along with family doctors to enhance citizens’ self-management ability. Family doctors and primary healthcare professionals will provide vaccination information and education (such as Hepatitis B vaccine), guidance on healthy lifestyles, as well as recommendations and services for chronic disease and cancer screening, according to personal factors like age, sex and family history. DHCs also organise talks on liver health, providing the public with related education and information.
     
    (2) The DH has been enhancing the focused risk-based testing service for viral hepatitis for people at a higher risk of HBV infection in its Services in recent years. With effect from April 2022, all men who have sex with men and sex workers attending Social Hygiene Clinics of the DH are offered with HBV screening as part of the comprehensive screening for sexually transmitted infections. With effect from July 2023, the DH has launched risk-based viral hepatitis screening services at its Elderly Health Service, Woman Health Service, Families Clinics and methadone clinics.
     
         As announced in the 2024 Policy Address, the Government will roll out a new programme to subsidise hepatitis B screening to prevent liver cancer. The PHC Commission will provide hepatitis B screening and continued management to groups with higher risk via DHCs and family doctors through strategic purchasing and co-payment model. The programme enables early detection of people infected with HBV in the community and early identification and treatment of CHB to reduce the risk of complications (such as cirrhosis and liver cancer). The PHC Commission will announce the programme details within 2025.
     
    (3) The number of in-patient and day-in-patient discharges and deaths with the principal diagnosis of chronic liver disease and liver cirrhosis at various hospitals under the HA in the past five years is set out as follows:
     

    Yeardischarges and deaths with the principal diagnosis of chronic liver disease and liver cirrhosis(Provisional figures) 
    (4) Oesophago-gastro-duodenoscopy (commonly known as gastroscopy) is not a mandatory examination for the diagnosis, assessment, or treatment of liver cirrhosis or liver cancer. The HA provides appropriate examination and necessary treatment to liver cirrhosis or liver cancer patients based on clinical needs. The HA does not maintain statistics on the number of cases diagnosed with liver cancer or liver cirrhosis among those undergoing gastroscopy. The relevant data is not related to the trends of liver disease incidence in Hong Kong.
     
         According to data from the Hong Kong Cancer Registry, there were 1 612 new cases of liver cancer in 2022, accounting for 4.6 per cent of all new cancer cases in Hong Kong. Liver cancer ranks as the fifth most common types of cancer and is the third leading cause of cancer deaths in Hong Kong. Based on the crude incidence rate, there are 22 new cases per 100 000 population in Hong Kong. Males are more susceptible to liver cancer than females, with a male-to-female incidence ratio of 2.7 to 1 in 2022. Compared with ten years ago, the number of new cases of liver cancer has dropped by about 10 per cent.
     
         The number of liver cancer cases diagnosed each year and its percentage in the total number of new cancer cases from 2012 to 2022 are set out below:
     

    Year     On prevention and control strategies, key measures of the Government include:
     
    (i) continuing to closely monitor the hepatitis situation locally and internationally;
    (ii) formulating the Hong Kong Viral Hepatitis Action Plan 2025-2030 within 2025;
    (iii) preparing for the launch of a pilot programme for hepatitis B in the community in a risk-based approach by the PHC Commission with reference to the screening strategy recommended by the SCVH; and
    (iv) apart from the three clusters currently piloting the collaborative service model for the management of hepatitis B, the HA will continue to pilot the service model concerned in the Medicine Specialist Out-patient Clinics and Family Medicine Specialist Clinics of other clusters, as well as collaborate with the DH and the PHC Commission to promote hepatitis B management to family doctors. Through the above measures, it is expected that the overall management capability for hepatitis B and service volume in Hong Kong will be further enhanced, thereby reducing the transmission of hepatitis B and its associated disease burden. 

         In addition, the Cancer Expert Working Group on Cancer Prevention and Screening (CEWG), established under the Cancer Coordinating Committee chaired by the Secretary for Health, regularly reviews local and international scientific evidence with a view to making recommendations to the Government on formulating evidence-based measures for cancer prevention and screening programmes applicable to the local population. Currently, the CEWG does not recommend routine liver cancer screening for asymptomatic individuals at average risk.
     
         Primary prevention (i.e. reducing exposure to cancer risk factors) is the most important strategy for reducing the risk of developing cancer. The DH has long been encouraging citizens to adopt healthy lifestyles, including avoidance of smoking and alcohol, healthy diet, regular physical activities and maintenance of a healthy body weight and waist circumference to reduce the risks of non-communicable diseases including cancer.
     
    (5) In terms of primary healthcare, the Government is establishing a “Family Doctor for All” system and a multidisciplinary public-private partnership model with DHCs as the hub through the Chronic Disease Co-Care Pilot Scheme (CDCC Pilot Scheme) to subsidise citizens in the diagnosis and management of chronic diseases in the private medical sector. As mentioned above, the Government is planning to implement a subsidised hepatitis B screening programme through family doctors and DHCs using the same multidisciplinary public-private partnership model to encourage citizens to understand their health status through early screening to achieve the goals of “early prevention, early detection, and early treatment”. The DH will also continue to strengthen the Government’s different vaccination programmes, such as exploring the best use of public-private partnership arrangement where appropriate.
     
         The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government has been following the principles of complementarity and mutual benefits to enhance the cooperation with various cities of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), on the premise that the development of Hong Kong and the Mainland’s healthcare system will be benefited. This is to promote the medical professional standard in the region in general and provide convenience for Hong Kong citizens travelling to and from the Mainland in terms of choices of medical services. Among which, in collaboration with designated collaborating healthcare institutions in the Mainland cities of the GBA, the Government gradually launched the Pilot Scheme for Supporting Patients of the Hospital Authority in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, the Elderly Health Care Voucher Greater Bay Area Pilot Scheme, the Pilot Scheme for Direct Cross-boundary Ambulance Transfer in Greater Bay Area, as well as the new functions under the five-year plan of eHealth+, which enables citizens to keep and use their personal medical records from within and outside Hong Kong across the boundary.
     
         As a member of the GBA, the HKSAR Government, in formulating cross-boundary healthcare measures, will not only focus on meeting the needs of Hong Kong citizens, but will also consider the potential impact of the policies on the social resources and livelihood of citizens on the Mainland. The healthcare resources and needs, relevant laws and regulations, as well as regulatory regimes for healthcare professions are different in Hong Kong and the Mainland. Upholding the important role of protecting the health of Hong Kong citizens, the HKSAR Government will continue to provide quality healthcare services to Hong Kong citizens, including the above-mentioned strategies and work in the prevention and treatment on hepatitis B. The Government will also explore cross-boundary healthcare measures under the premise that these measures are feasible and mutually beneficial. Meanwhile, the HKSAR Government is exploring the strategic purchase of healthcare services for Hong Kong citizens from suitable healthcare institutions in the GBA to alleviate the pressure on service demand of our public hospital services and shorten the waiting time of Hong Kong residents.
    Issued at HKT 19:58

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: PARLIAMENT QUESTION: Tarang facility in India

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 02 APR 2025 5:00PM by PIB Delhi

    ‘TARANG’ is a 64-bit High Performance Computing (HPC) system, capable of supporting multi-tasking, multi-programming, multi-user and time-sharing environment, of a proven architecture with scalable processing elements, scalable high performance I/O, scalable interconnection network and a balanced design to have 99.5% uptime with adequate redundancies and to avoid single point of failure so as to meet the operational requirements. The HPC system is supported by technical support facilities such as transformers, diesel generators, UPS, batteries, multiple utility paths, lighting system, adequate number of earthing pits and cables.

    The compute capacity is about 1 Peta FLOPS, with 2 Peta Byte storage and 3 Peta Byte archival storage. Additionally, there is a dedicated standalone system for Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) applications with a capacity of 15.5 Peta FLOPS.

    The HPC would help scientists to run advance operational models for providing Tsunami Early Warnings for India and other 25 countries on the Indian Ocean rim. Further, the new computational facility will also be used for next generation Ocean State Forecast system having more accurate representation of physical processes, non-hydrostatic dynamics, high resolution nests for local forecasts and advanced data assimilation techniques and augment the quality of the forecasts using the available GPU processors.

    This information was given by Dr. Jitendra Singh, Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.

    ***

    NKR/PSM

    (Release ID: 2117836) Visitor Counter : 44

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Israel’s systematic destruction of Palestine’s cultural base/heritage – E-001211/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-001211/2025/rev.1
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Giorgos Georgiou (The Left)

    In addition to the full-scale destruction of Gaza, Israel’s military campaign here – and in other Palestinian territories – aimed/aims to tear apart the cultural fabric of Palestinian life, be that through the destruction of the Rashad Al-Shawwa Cultural Centre and the Al-Qarara Museum or through the deaths of dozens of Palestinian artists, young talents as well as writers, poets and academics.

    The latest incident (of 10 February 2025) arising from this Israeli policy entailed the violent raid of two branches of the Educational Bookshop – one of the most popular Palestinian bookshops, renowned for being a safe cultural and literary haven – and the arrest of their owners.

    In light of the above, can the Commission say:

    • 1.Does it agree that the destruction of Palestine’s cultural base/heritage constitutes a cultural genocide, given that the Palestinian people have lost centuries-old manuscripts and other invaluable resources for understanding their cultural/religious evolution and history?
    • 2.Considering that ‘promoting diversity through international cultural relations is an important part of the EU’s role as a global actor’[1], what measures does it intend to take to support the silenced voices of Palestinian artists/writers/poets/academics and to amplify those that can still be heard?
    • 3.Will it condemn Israel’s extermination of Palestinian academics and the systematic destruction of Palestinian cultural and historical assets in the Gaza Strip, such as schools, universities, libraries and archives?

    Submitted: 21.3.2025

    • [1] https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:52016JC0029
    Last updated: 2 April 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI: NANO Nuclear and University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Sign Landmark Agreement to Build the First KRONOS MMR™ Research Reactor

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Site Selected and Preparatory Work to Begin for Construction Permit Application as NANO Nuclear Accelerates Toward Microreactor Deployment

    NEW YORK, NY, April 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — NANO Nuclear Energy Inc. (NASDAQ: NNE) (“NANO Nuclear” or “the Company”), a leading advanced nuclear energy and technology company focused on developing clean energy solutions, is pleased to announce the signing of a strategic collaboration with the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (U. of I.) to construct the first research KRONOS micro modular reactor (MMR) on the university’s campus.

    The agreement formally establishes U. of I. as a partner in the licensing, siting, public engagement, and research operation of the KRONOS MMR, while also identifying the university campus as the permanent site for the reactor as a research and demonstration installation. This milestone marks the beginning of site-specific development for NANO Nuclear’s advanced KRONOS MMR technology and represents a defining moment in NANO Nuclear’s path to commercialization of the KRONOS MMR Energy System.

    “This is the milestone we’ve been working so diligently towards, transforming design into reality,” said Jay Yu, Founder and Chairman of NANO Nuclear Energy. “With a site now selected and a world-class university as our partner, we are positioned to be among the first companies to deliver advanced reactor systems within the United States. This isn’t just a research reactor, it’s a proving ground for the future of safe, portable, and resilient nuclear energy. Moreover, this agreement will serve as a foundation for our long-term reactor strategy. Every milestone from this point forward brings us closer to delivering the next generation of nuclear energy to communities, campuses, and industries across the world.”

    Figure 1 – NANO Nuclear Energy Inc. Signs Strategic Collaboration with the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign for the KRONOS MMR

    Following initial arrangements, NANO Nuclear will begin the process of geological characterization, including subsurface investigations, to support preparation of a Construction Permit Application (CPA) for submission to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). This preparatory work is essential to understanding the environmental parameters of the site, including critical inputs to safety analysis, to ensure the utmost reliability and safety of the facility, and support NANO Nuclear’s Preliminary Safety Analysis Report (PSAR) and Environmental Report (ER).

    “The start of geotechnical investigations represents our first physical action toward constructing the KRONOS MMR,” said James Walker, Chief Executive Officer of NANO Nuclear. “This is a powerful signal to the industry, to investors, and to regulators: NANO Nuclear is building. We are not theorizing. We are much beyond conceptualizing. We are moving toward construction, and this is only the first step.”

    Figure 2 – Rendering of NANO Nuclear’s KRONOS MMR™ Energy System at the University of Illinois.

    Through this strategic collaboration, U. of I. and NANO Nuclear will work together throughout the regulatory licensing process, plant design implementation, public and stakeholder engagement, and workforce development. The collaboration builds on the university’s prior experience and engagement with nuclear regulators, while introducing an advanced and simplified reactor system to lead the next generation of clean energy deployment.

    “The KRONOS MMR project can not only be a national first, it can be a first for academia, enabling students, researchers, regulators, and the public to learn directly from a real-world microreactor development effort,” said Illinois Grainger Engineering Professor Caleb Brooks, Principal Investigator for the University of Illinois. “This system can be the most advanced nuclear research platform on any U.S. campus, with the potential to enable a new paradigm of nuclear power through education, research, and at scale demonstration.”

    As part of the agreement, U. of I. will lead the regulatory engagement with the NRC as well as public engagement, support licensing activities including the PSAR and Environmental Report, and play a key role in site layout, constructability assessment, and future operator training programs. NANO Nuclear will oversee plant design, construction, system integration, and commercial pathway development.

    “This agreement brings NANO Nuclear to the forefront of advanced reactors deployment in the United States,” said Dr. Florent Heidet, Chief Technology Officer and Head of Reactor Development of NANO Nuclear. “This construction project is where KRONOS’ engineering meets execution and demand. It will set a precedent for all future university-led nuclear technology reactor projects.”

    The KRONOS MMR Energy System, NANO Nuclear’s flagship micro modular reactor, is designed to redefine what’s possible in nuclear energy and features:

    • Truly modular, containerized construction.
    • Highest in class safety margins, creating an inherently safe reactor.
    • Rapid & flexible deployment capabilities for remote and secure applications.
    • Seamless integration with local grids, renewable grids and process heat systems.

    The KRONOS MMR Energy System leverages proven, state-of-the-art technology solutions, and combines them into a product that is not reliant on new breakthroughs or lengthy and costly research programs.

    This announcement reflects NANO Nuclear’s transition from design to deployment, initiating the first physical project work in the Company’s history. As preparations begin for regulatory licensing and construction activities, NANO Nuclear remains focused on delivering clean, safe, scalable energy through its advanced nuclear technologies.
    About The Grainger College of Engineering

    The Grainger College of Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is one of the world’s top-ranked engineering institutions, and a globally recognized leader in engineering education, research and public engagement. With a diverse, tight-knit community of faculty, students and alumni, Grainger Engineering sets the standard for excellence in engineering, driving innovation in the economy and bringing revolutionary ideas to the world. Through robust research and discovery, our faculty, staff, students and alumni are changing our world and making advances once only dreamed about, including the MRI, LED, ILIAC, Mosaic, YouTube, flexible electronics, electric machinery, miniature batteries, imaging the black hole and flight on Mars. The world’s brightest minds from The Grainger College of Engineering tackle today’s toughest challenges. And they are building a better, cooler, safer tomorrow.
    Visit https://grainger.illinois.edu for more information.

    About NANO Nuclear Energy, Inc.

    NANO Nuclear Energy Inc. (NASDAQ: NNE) is an advanced technology-driven nuclear energy company seeking to become a commercially focused, diversified, and vertically integrated company across five business lines: (i) cutting edge portable and other microreactor technologies, (ii) nuclear fuel fabrication, (iii) nuclear fuel transportation, (iv) nuclear applications for space and (v) nuclear industry consulting services. NANO Nuclear believes it is the first portable nuclear microreactor company to be listed publicly in the U.S.

    Led by a world-class nuclear engineering team, NANO Nuclear’s reactor products in development include patented KRONOS MMR™ Energy System, a stationary high-temperature gas-cooled reactor that is in construction permit pre-application engagement U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) in collaboration with University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (U. of I.), “ZEUS”, a solid core battery reactor, and “ODIN”, a low-pressure coolant reactor, and the space focused, portable LOKI MMR™, each representing advanced developments in clean energy solutions that are portable, on-demand capable, advanced nuclear microreactors.

    Advanced Fuel Transportation Inc. (AFT), a NANO Nuclear subsidiary, is led by former executives from the largest transportation company in the world aiming to build a North American transportation company that will provide commercial quantities of HALEU fuel to small modular reactors, microreactor companies, national laboratories, military, and DOE programs. Through NANO Nuclear, AFT is the exclusive licensee of a patented high-capacity HALEU fuel transportation basket developed by three major U.S. national nuclear laboratories and funded by the Department of Energy. Assuming development and commercialization, AFT is expected to form part of the only vertically integrated nuclear fuel business of its kind in North America.

    HALEU Energy Fuel Inc. (HEF), a NANO Nuclear subsidiary, is focusing on the future development of a domestic source for a High-Assay, Low-Enriched Uranium (HALEU) fuel fabrication pipeline for NANO Nuclear’s own microreactors as well as the broader advanced nuclear reactor industry.

    NANO Nuclear Space Inc. (NNS), a NANO Nuclear subsidiary, is exploring the potential commercial applications of NANO Nuclear’s developing micronuclear reactor technology in space. NNS is focusing on applications such as the LOKI MMR™ system and other power systems for extraterrestrial projects and human sustaining environments, and potentially propulsion technology for long haul space missions. NNS’ initial focus will be on cis-lunar applications, referring to uses in the space region extending from Earth to the area surrounding the Moon’s surface.

    For more corporate information please visit: https://NanoNuclearEnergy.com/

    For further NANO Nuclear information, please contact:

    Email: IR@NANONuclearEnergy.com
    Business Tel: (212) 634-9206

    PLEASE FOLLOW OUR SOCIAL MEDIA PAGES HERE:

    NANO Nuclear Energy LINKEDIN

    NANO Nuclear Energy YOUTUBE

    NANO Nuclear Energy X PLATFORM

    Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements

    This news release and statements of NANO Nuclear’s management in connection with this news release contain or may contain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In this context, forward-looking statements mean statements related to future events, which may impact our expected future business and financial performance, and often contain words such as “expects”, “anticipates”, “intends”, “plans”, “believes”, “potential”, “will”, “should”, “could”, “would” or “may” and other words of similar meaning. In this press release, forward-looking statements include, among others, statements regarding the anticipated benefits to NANO Nuclear of its agreement with U. of I., as well as NANO Nuclear’s development plans, each as described herein. These forward-looking statements are based on information available to us as of the date of this news release and represent management’s current views and assumptions. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, events or results and involve significant known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may be beyond our control. For NANO Nuclear, particular risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual future results to differ materially from those expressed in our forward-looking statements include but are not limited to the following: (i) risks related to our U.S. Department of Energy (“DOE”) or related state nuclear fuel licensing submissions, (ii) risks related the development of new or advanced technology and the acquisition of complimentary technology or businesses, including difficulties with design and testing, cost overruns, regulatory delays, integration issues and the development of competitive technology, (iii) our ability to obtain contracts and funding to be able to continue operations, (iv) risks related to uncertainty regarding our ability to technologically develop and commercially deploy a competitive advanced nuclear reactor or other technology in the timelines we anticipate, if ever, (v) risks related to the impact of government regulation and policies including by the DOE and the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, including those associated with the recently enacted ADVANCE Act, and (vi) similar risks and uncertainties associated with the operating an early stage business a highly regulated and rapidly evolving industry. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which apply only as of the date of this news release. These factors may not constitute all factors that could cause actual results to differ from those discussed in any forward-looking statement, and NANO Nuclear therefore encourages investors to review other factors that may affect future results in its filings with the SEC, which are available for review at www.sec.gov and at https://ir.nanonuclearenergy.com/financial-information/sec-filings. Accordingly, forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as a predictor of actual results. We do not undertake to update our forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that may arise after the date of this news release, except as required by law.

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Hidden Ways to Maximize Your Tax Refund and Find Lesser-Known Deductions and Credits

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., April 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — With the IRS tax filing deadline approaching on April 15, experts say you should file now. You can boost your refund with so many deductions and credits. A surprising number of people are unaware that the tax filing deadline is quickly approaching on April 15th. In fact, a recent survey powered by Harris QuestDIY revealed that more than half of 18–24 year olds and about one in three 25–34 year olds don’t know when the deadline is and there is no reason to wait to file.

    A Media Snippet accompanying this announcement is available by clicking on this link.

    If you’d prefer not to handle your taxes on your own, you can have a TurboTax Full Service expert do them for you. TurboTax can help find deductions and credits you might not know about, and are often overlooked. These deductions and credits can boost your tax refund – and result in more money in your pocket!

    Here’s a few deductions and credits you don’t want to miss:

    • The Earned Income Tax Credit, which for a family with 3 kids is a substantial credit of up to $7,830 and can really help families. However, the IRS notes that one out of five people misses this credit when filing!
    • Credits for your kids: If you’re a parent, don’t forget valuable credits for your kids like the Child Tax Credit up to $2,000, the Child and Dependent Care Credit up to $1,050 for one child and up to $2,100 for two or more kids. Day camps even count.
    • Credits for college: If you paid for college for you child, yourself or your spouse, you may be able to claim the American Opportunity Tax Credit up to $2,500 for the first four years of college or the Lifetime Learning Credit up to $2,000 for even one college course.
    • Credits for Energy Efficient Improvements: If you made energy efficient improvements to your home you can claim a credit of up to $1,200 for improvements like energy efficient doors and windows, up to $2,000 for solar water heaters, and up to 30% of the cost for solar panels.
    • The Standard Deduction has been adjusted for inflation and is now $14,600 for single filers, $29,200 for those filing married filing jointly, and $21,900 for head of household.

    The tax deadline is rapidly approaching, so no matter if you want to DIY or have an expert do your taxes for you, don’t wait, file now with TurboTax. 

    TurboTax is a registered trademark of Intuit Inc. Learn more at: turbotax.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Orezone Gold Announces Closing of Private Placement with Nioko

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWS WIRE SERVICES OR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES.

    VANCOUVER, British Columbia, April 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Orezone Gold Corporation (TSX: ORE, OTCQX: ORZCF) (the “Company” or “Orezone”) announces that further to its news release dated March 17, 2025, to maintain a 19.6% ownership in the Company following the recent closing of the Company’s bought-deal financing, Nioko Resources Corporation has subscribed for 10,719,659 common shares on a non-brokered private placement basis at a price of C$0.82 per share (the “Private Placement”).

    The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the Private Placement to accelerate both stage 2 of the hard rock expansion and additional exploration at its Bomboré Gold Mine, as well as for working capital and general corporate purposes.

    The Private Placement is a “related party transaction” as such term is defined by Multilateral Instrument 61-101 – Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions (“MI 61-101”). The Company is relying on an exemption from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements set out in sections 5.5(a) and 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101 as the fair market value does not exceed 25% of the market capitalization of the Company, as determined in accordance with MI 61-101.

    The securities referred to in this news release have not been, nor will they be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “U.S. Securities Act”), and may not be offered or sold within the United States absent U.S. registration or an applicable exemption from the U.S. registration requirements. This news release does not constitute an offer for sale of securities, nor a solicitation for offers to buy any securities in the United States, nor in any other jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.

    About Orezone Gold Corporation

    Orezone Gold Corporation (TSX: ORE OTCQX: ORZCF) is a West African gold producer engaged in mining, developing, and exploring its flagship Bomboré Gold Mine in Burkina Faso. The Bomboré mine achieved commercial production on its oxide operations on December 1, 2022, and is now focused on its staged hard rock expansion that is expected to materially increase annual and life-of-mine gold production from the processing of hard rock mineral reserves. Orezone is led by an experienced team focused on social responsibility and sustainability with a proven track record in project construction and operations, financings, capital markets and M&A.

    The technical report entitled Bomboré Phase II Expansion, Definitive Feasibility Study is available on SEDAR+ and the Company’s website.

    Contact Information

    Patrick Downey
    President and Chief Executive Officer

    Kevin MacKenzie
    Vice President, Corporate Development and Investor Relations

    Tel: 1 778 945 8977
    info@orezone.com / www.orezone.com

    For further information please contact Orezone at +1 (778) 945-8977 or visit the Company’s website at www.orezone.com.

    Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

    This press release contains certain information that may constitute “forward-looking information” within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws and “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of applicable U.S. securities laws (together, “forward-looking statements”). Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as “plan”, “expect”, “project”, “intend”, “believe”, “anticipate”, “estimate”, “potential”, “possible” and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions “may”, “will”, “could”, or “should” occur.  Forward-looking statements in this press release include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the use of proceeds of the Private Placement.

    All such forward-looking statements are based on certain assumptions and analyses made by management in light of their experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors management and the qualified persons believe are appropriate in the circumstances.

    All forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements including, but not limited to, delays caused by pandemics, terrorist or other violent attacks (including cyber security attacks), the failure of parties to contracts to honour contractual commitments, unexpected changes in laws, rules or regulations, or their enforcement by applicable authorities; social or labour unrest; changes in commodity prices; unexpected failure or inadequacy of infrastructure, the possibility of unanticipated costs and expenses, accidents and equipment breakdowns, political risk, unanticipated changes in key management personnel and general economic, market or business conditions, the failure of exploration programs, including drilling programs, to deliver anticipated results and the failure of ongoing and uncertainties relating to the availability and costs of financing needed in the future, and other factors described in the Company’s most recent annual information form and management discussion and analysis filed on SEDAR+. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.

    Although the forward-looking statements contained in this press release are based upon what management of the Company believes are reasonable assumptions, the Company cannot assure investors that actual results will be consistent with these forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this press release and are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. Subject to applicable securities laws, the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise the forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect events or circumstances occurring after the date of this press release.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warner Introduces Bipartisan Bill to Eliminate Food Deserts and Increase Access to Healthy Food

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Commonwealth of Virginia Mark R Warner
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) have introduced legislation to eliminate food deserts and expand access to affordable and nutritious food by incentivizing food providers to expand access to healthy food options in underserved communities. The Healthy Food Access for All Americans (HFAAA) Act was also introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by U.S. Reps. Emilia Sykes (OH-13) and Jennifer McLellan (VA-04).                                                                                                                    
    “Fresh and nutritious foods are a cornerstone of health and wellbeing, but too many families in Virginia and across America live in places where these foods are out of reach,” said Sen. Warner. “This legislation will help us fight food deserts by incentivizing grocery stores to come to communities that have the hardest time accessing fresh produce.”
    “Even while living in the breadbasket of our nation, food insecurity affects far too many Kansans, particularly those living in rural communities far from a grocery store,” said Sen. Moran. “This legislation, which would incentivize food providers to establish and renovate grocery stores, food banks and farmers markets in communities that traditionally lack affordable, healthy and convenient food options, would help provide those who are hungry with access to nutritious food.”
    “Many West Virginians struggle to access fresh, nutritious food to keep their families and communities well fed. I’m proud to reintroduce the Healthy Food Access for All Americans Act, which will expand access to healthy foods through food banks and local grocery stores in rural communities across West Virginia and the nation,” said Sen. Capito.
    “Access to nutritious food is essential for every family’s health and well-being, but it remains out of reach for far too many communities. This bipartisan legislation offers a key solution to eliminating food deserts in Maryland and across the country – ensuring every American can buy fresh, affordable, healthy food in their neighborhood, regardless of where they live,” said Sen. Van Hollen.
    According to recent data, an estimated 18.8 million Americans live in what the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) classifies as a “food desert.” Urban areas designated as food deserts lack a grocery store within one or more miles. Rural areas designated as food deserts lack a grocery store within ten or more miles. Studies have shown that Americans who live in communities with low-access to healthy food options are at higher risk for obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.
    Specifically, the Healthy Food Access for All Americans Act – which defines a grocery market as a retail sales store with at least 35 percent of its selection (or forecasted selection) dedicated to selling fresh produce, poultry, dairy, and deli items – would encourage investment in food deserts across the country that have a poverty rate of 20 percent or higher, or a median family income of less than 80 percent of the median for the state or metro area.
    It would grant tax credits or grants to food providers who service low-access communities and attain a “Special Access Food Provider” (SAFP) certification through the Treasury Department. Incentives would be awarded based on the following structure:
    New Store Construction – Companies that construct new grocery stores in a food desert will receive a one-time 15 percent tax credit after receiving certification.
    Retrofitting Existing Structures – Companies that make retrofits to an existing store’s healthy food sections can receive a one-time 10 percent tax credit after the repairs certify the store as an SAFP.
    Food Banks – Certified food banks that build new (permanent) structures in food deserts will be eligible to receive a one-time grant for 15 percent of their construction costs.
    Temporary Access Merchants – Certified temporary access merchants (i.e. mobile markets, farmers markets, and some food banks) that are 501(c)(3)s will receive grants for 10 percent of their annual operating costs.
    The Healthy Food Access for All Americans Act boasts the support of numerous organizations, including Feeding America, the National Grocers Association, and Share Our Strength.
    “Feeding America commends Senator Warner for confronting the unfortunate fact that for the 47 million Americans living with hunger, access to affordable nutritious food is significantly harder for those who live in food deserts. The Feeding America network of more than 200 food banks understands that areas without affordable, healthy food options have higher rates of food insecurity. Rural communities in particular lack access to adequate transportation to the nearest grocery store or food pantry. Feeding America supports the Healthy Food Access for All Americans Act as a critical step to give nonprofits and retailers support to increase food access in underserved areas,” said Vince Hall, Chief Government Relations Officer at Feeding America.
    “The National Grocers Association applauds Senator Warner and Representatives McClellan and Sykes for their leadership on this important legislation focused on eliminating the challenges confronting grocers seeking to expand access to nutritious food in underserved rural and urban areas alike. Independent grocers are the backbone of the communities they serve and have a long-standing tradition of leading efforts to provide improved food options for those most in need. Enhanced access to healthy food bolsters both the physical well-being and economic vitality of local communities everywhere, and we look forward to working with Congress to pass this important bipartisan legislation,” said Stephanie Johnson, Vice President, Government Relations, National Grocers Association.
    “To end childhood hunger in America, we must ensure that low-income families have access to healthy, affordable food options no matter their zip code or circumstances. Ending food deserts will help more families put food on the table and help children get the nutrition they need to grow up healthy and strong. Share Our Strength supports The Healthy Food Access for All Americans Act and thanks Sens. Warner, Capito, Van Hollen, and Moran for their leadership on this issue,” said Jason Gromley, Senior Director of Share Our Strength.
    Bill text for the Healthy Food Access for All Americans Act can be found here. A summary of the bill can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Daily Caller Highlights Grassley’s Oversight of Wasteful DEI Spending at DOJ

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley
    EXCLUSIVE: GOP Sens Seek Answers For Taxpayers Who Picked Up Tab For Biden’s DEI InitiativesAdam PackMarch 31, 2025
    Senate Judiciary Republicans are seeking accountability for taxpayers who footed the bill for the Department of Justice’s (DOJ’s) diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives under former President Joe Biden.
    Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley of Iowa and GOP Sens. Mike Lee of Utah, Ted Cruz of Texas and Ashley Moody of Florida wrote to the Government Accountability Office (GAO) Thursday to ask the nonpartisan watchdog to perform an audit of the DOJ’s DEI practices under the Biden-Harris administration. The senators asked that GAO investigate how much time and money were spent executing the Biden administration’s executive orders cementing DEI initiatives across the federal government, according to the letter obtained exclusively by the Daily Caller News Foundation.
    “The Biden-Harris EO [Executive Order] was a divisive bureaucratic burden on the Executive Branch,” the GOP senators wrote to GAO Comptroller General Gene Dodaro. “The taxpayer deserves to know how much time and money the Biden-Harris DOJ spent on these efforts.”
    “Specifically, the taxpayer has a right to know how many DOJ employees were hired to work on DEIA [Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility] programs or initiatives and how much money the DOJ spent on these functions, including salaries, fringe benefits, rent for office space, and supplies for employees,” the senators said.
    Senate Republicans’ request for an audit of the Biden administration’s DEI initiatives comes as President Donald Trump’s administration has moved to roll back Biden’s DEI practices, which Trump has referred to as “illegal and immoral discrimination.”
    “[N]early every Federal agency and entity [under Biden] submitted ‘Equity Action Plans’ to detail the ways that they have furthered DEIs [sic] infiltration of the Federal Government,” Trump wrote in his executive order banning government DEI initiatives on Jan. 20. “The public release of these plans demonstrated immense public waste and shameful discrimination. That ends today. Americans deserve a government committed to serving every person with equal dignity and respect, and to expending precious taxpayer resources only on making America great.”
    The Senate Judiciary Committee Republicans are specifically requesting that the GAO probe the Biden administration’s EO 14035 titled, “Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility in the Federal Workforce,” issued in June 2021.
    “As the Nation’s largest employer, the Federal Government must be a model for diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility, where all employees are treated with dignity and respect,” Biden wrote.
    The EO led to the creation of new DEI offices in the federal government and new federal spending on DEI initiatives. The GOP senators cited a Parents Defending Education analysis that found that the Biden-Harris DOJ alone spent more than $100 million on promoting DEI initiatives in K-12 school districts.
    The EO also required federal agencies to create individual “strategic plans” to advance DEI priorities. “GAO should review the time and money the DOJ dedicated to these efforts,” the senators wrote.
    Attorney General Pam Bondi has worked to undo the Biden DOJ’s DEI practices and carry out Trump’s EO prohibiting certain DEI practices in the private sector and in educational bodies that receive federal funds.
    The DOJ announced an investigation into four California universities Friday for allegedly using DEI practices in their admission policies.
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Bombshell Report Confirms Grassley Oversight of Biden-Harris Admin’s Failure to Protect Migrant Children

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley
    WASHINGTON – The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) confirmed Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley’s (R-Iowa) numerous concerns about abuse in the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) unaccompanied alien children (UAC) program. Under the Biden-Harris administration, more than 500,000 children crossed the Southern border and entered the UAC program, while cartel trafficking activity surged.
    Grassley repeatedly warned that the Biden-Harris UAC program’s inadequate safeguards, lax vetting procedures and limited inter-agency communication allowed children to be lost or released to dangerous adult sponsors. DHS OIG’s report validated all of Grassley’s findings. Notably, the report exposed how DHS was prevented from receiving key HHS information to follow up on potential criminal sponsors. Grassley broke through this inter-agency firewall last year by submitting a law enforcement referral to DHS containing HHS information provided to Grassley by legally protected whistleblowers. DHS’s Homeland Security Investigations followed up on 102 investigative targets Grassley identified.  
    “My oversight revealed the Biden-Harris administration prioritized speed and optics over the safety and security of hundreds-of-thousands of migrant children. DHS OIG’s report echoes my longstanding concerns and further fuels the fire of my investigative and legislative work. I’ll continue fighting to ensure abuse like this never happens again,” Grassley said. 
    The DHS OIG report found that: 
    HHS and DHS lost track of hundreds of thousands of migrant children.
    HHS failed to provide DHS complete sponsor addresses for over 31,000 unaccompanied migrant children. Without sponsor addresses, law enforcement is unable to keep track of migrant children.
    DHS law enforcement officers additionally estimated that addresses collected by HHS were incorrect 80 percent of the time.

    DHS officers failed to enroll over 233,000 migrant children who crossed the border since January 2021 in immigration proceedings, increasing their risk of trafficking and exploitation.
    Of those enrolled, more than 43,000 children failed to appear.

    HHS failed to provide updated sponsor information to DHS when sponsors changed addresses, further hindering DHS’s ability to find children.  

    HHS placed migrant children with potentially dangerous sponsors.
    In Fiscal Years 2023 and 2024, HHS released more than 24,100 migrant children to unrelated sponsors or distant relatives. Law enforcement officers note these children are at the highest risk for trafficking.
    HHS frequently placed migrant children in rundown apartment complexes and dilapidated motels with barred windows, appliances stacked on patios and apartments with no doors or kitchens.
    Local police noted many of these properties were located in areas with high violent crime rates, daily shootings and gang activity.

    Multiple DHS offices confirmed HHS released children to incomplete or commercial addresses, and ICE officials at one field office noted the Biden HHS released 34 children to two addresses that didn’t exist.

    The Biden-Harris administration limited HHS employees’ communication with law enforcement.
    HHS failed to provide DHS law enforcement officers with accurate or timely information regarding the status and safety of migrant children.
    A 2021 Biden-Harris inter-agency agreement restricted HHS from sharing sponsors’ biometric information with law enforcement officers.
    DHS law enforcement noted this restrictive agreement prevents law enforcement from having input regarding children’s sponsors.

    DHS law enforcement officers stated they were open to sharing information with HHS, but HHS did not share information with them. One officer noted, “Getting information from HHS is like pulling teeth.”
    According to these officers, the Biden-Harris HHS feared that sharing sponsor information could lead to law enforcement actions against sponsors, especially those with criminal history or lacking legal immigration status.

    The vast majority of migrant children discussed in the report date to the Biden-Harris administration, according to a related DHS OIG report released in August.
    Read the full DHS OIG report HERE.
    Grassley discussed the report in a speech on the Senate floor. 
    Background:Grassley has led efforts to protect unaccompanied migrant children from exploitation and abuse for more than a decade. See an overview of his work below:
    03.11.2025 | Grassley Reignites Oversight of HHS’s Unaccompanied Migrant Children Program
    01.14.2025 | Grassley, Blackburn Introduce Legislation to Halt Child Trafficking at the Border 
    10.18.2024 | Biden-Harris HHS Can’t Account to Congress for Status of Thousands of Unaccompanied Minors
    10.16.2024 | ICYMI: Grassley Recognized for Work to Combat Sex-Trafficking Crisis: ‘The Only Person in a Position of Power Who Cares’
    09.23.2024 | Grassley Leads Bicameral Colleagues in Calling Out Abuses in the Biden-Harris Unaccompanied Migrant Children Program
    09.18.2024 | Democrats Block Grassley Effort to Protect Unaccompanied Migrant Children from Sexual Harm
    09.17.2024 | Grassley: Not One More Child Should Have to Suffer Abuse Because of Biden-Harris Policies
    09.04.2024 | Grassley Puts HHS Vetting, Information-Sharing under Microscope amid Biden-Harris Admin’s Neglect to Protect Migrant Children
    07.11.2024 | RECORDS: HHS Sent Unaccompanied Minors to Sponsors with MS-13 Ties, Potential Trafficking Rings
    07.09.2024 | Grassley Highlights Exploitation and Abuse of Migrant Children During Senate Roundtable
    07.09.2024 | Grassley Delivers Opening Remarks At Roundtable On Abuse Of Unaccompanied Migrant Children
    07.08.2024 | ICYMI: WSJ Reveals Alarming ‘Dilemma’ At The Heart Of Biden’s Unaccompanied Minors Program
    06.12.2024 | Grassley Discusses Effort To End Biden Admin’s Abuse Of Unaccompanied Minors Program
    06.05.2024 | Grassley Moves To Overturn Biden Admin Rule Enabling Abuse Of Unaccompanied Migrant Children
    04.30.2024 | Grassley Scrutinizes HHS’s Improper Care Of Unaccompanied Migrant Children
    03.14.2024 | Grassley Goes Head-To-Head With HHS Secretary On Immigration And Rural Health Care
    01.24.2024 | Grassley Alerts DHS, FBI To Evidence Of Human Trafficking; Calls For Immediate Action To Locate & Rescue Migrant Children
    12.04.2023 | Grassley And Senate Republicans Demand Changes To Biden Admin Rule Endangering Safety And Wellbeing Of Unaccompanied Alien Children
    10.28.2021 | Grassley, Wyden Release Investigation On Misconduct And Abuse At Federally-Funded Facilities Caring For Unaccompanied Migrant Children
    05.09.2019 | Grassley, Wyden Demand Answers On Misconduct And Abuse At Federally-Funded Facilities Caring For Unaccompanied Migrant Children
    03.14.2016 | Feds Skip Child Abuse Checks For Some Sponsors Of Child Immigrants As Surge Continues
    02.23.2016 | The Unaccompanied Children Crisis: Does the Administration Have a Plan to Stop the Border Surge and Adequately Monitor the Children
    02.22.2016 | Feds Fall Short In Care, Tracking Of Unaccompanied Children
    02.19.2016 | Grassley, Cornyn Continue To Press Administration On Vetting Of Sponsors For Unaccompanied Minors
    11.24.2015 | Obama Administration Allegedly Releasing Unaccompanied Minors Into Criminals’ Custody
    10.10.2014 | Grassley, Hatch, Coburn Press For GAO Study On The Office Of Refugee Resettlement Efforts With Unaccompanied Minors
    08.22.2014 | Grassley: Unanswered Questions Plague HHS Response To Unaccompanied Minors
    07.17.2014 | Grassley Presses For Answers On Housing For Unaccompanied Minors Crossing Southern Border
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Grassley Statement in Support of Iowan Matt Whitaker

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley
    Statement for the Congressional Record by Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa
    “Nomination of Matt Whitaker to be U.S. Permanent Representative on the Council of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization”
    Wednesday, April 2, 2025
    The Senate [voted yesterday] to confirm my good friend and fellow Iowan, Matt Whitaker, to be the U.S. Ambassador to NATO.
    I want to take a few minutes to express my support for his nomination…
    Matt is someone who’s well known back home in Iowa, and he’s earned the respect of many here in Washington, too. 
    He has a long record of service to our country, from his time as Acting Attorney General in the first Trump administration to his work as Chief of Staff at the Department of Justice. 
    He’s traveled around the world meeting with leaders on important issues, including dealing with the fentanyl crisis and talking with Chinese officials.
    During the George W. Bush administration, Matt served our home state as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District from 2004 to 2009, where he worked hard to keep our communities safe. 
    In Iowa, he’s known not just for his work, but for his deep pride in his home state. 
    He never lets you forget that he’s a proud graduate of the University of Iowa, where he earned his undergraduate degree, MBA and law degree. 
    In fact, he even played football for the Hawkeyes, which speaks to his work ethic and commitment to teamwork.
    Matt carries that same commitment and drive in every role he takes on. 
    Whether it’s on the football field, as a U.S. Attorney, or in his leadership in national law enforcement. 
    This dedication is exactly what he’ll bring to his work with NATO. 
    I’m proud to support a true friend and fellow Iowan who has always shown the highest standards of service to our country.
    I ask my colleagues to support Matt Whitaker’s confirmation. 
    He’ll serve with the same passion and energy that he brings to his love of Iowa football, and I have no doubt that he will represent the United States on the world stage with the same level of commitment.
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Answer to a written question – Negotiations on the EU-Mercosur free trade agreement – P-002536/2024(ASW)

    Source: European Parliament

    Sustainability impact assessments (SIAs) are independent assessments produced by external consultants on behalf of the Commission.

    These usually analyse the impact of trade agreements on the EU as a whole. Similarly, the Commission is currently analysing the economic impact of the negotiated outcome which is expected to be concluded before the proposal for signature and conclusion is sent by the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament.

    Member States are free to carry out their own SIAs based on their perceived exposure to the agreement. For instance, the Irish government requested an independent economic and sustainability impact assessment for Ireland of the EU-Mercosur Agreement[1].

    The Belgian government commissioned an independent economic impact assessment for Belgium of the EU-Mercosur Agreement on the impact for Belgian economic sectors[2].

    Another study was carried out by Wageningen Economic & Research[3] assessing the impact of the EU-Mercosur Agreement on the Netherlands.

    Now that a final political agreement has been reached between the EU and Mercosur, and after completion of the legal verification and translation into all official languages, the Commission will transmit a proposal to the Council and the European Parliament for signature and conclusion of the agreement.

    In that context, the Commission will present its proposal for the legal basis and architecture of the deal after an assessment of the outcome of the negotiations.

    • [1] https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/1c8a6-economic-and-sustainability-impact-assessment-for-ireland-of-the-eu-mercosur-trade-agreement/
    • [2] https://economie.fgov.be/fr/publications/accord-de-libre-echange-entre
    • [3] Wageningen University & Research — Report 2020-065: Effecten van het EU-Mercosur akkoord op de Nederlandse economie: https://research.wur.nl/en/publications/effecten-van-het-eu-mercosur-akkoord-op-de-nederlandse-economie
    Last updated: 2 April 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –