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  • MIL-OSI: Polymath Research Inc. to Present at the Blockchain and Digital Assets Virtual Investor Conference June 5th

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TORONTO, June 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Polymath Research Inc., based in Toronto is a fintech company pioneering the infrastructure for compliant tokenization of real-world assets on the blockchain. Today it was announced that Vince Kadar, CEO, will present live at the Blockchain and Digital Assets Virtual Investor Conference hosted by VirtualInvestorConferences.com, on June 5th, 2025

    DATE: June 5th
    TIME: 10am EST
    LINK: REGISTER HERE
    Available for 1×1 meetings: June 5, 6, 9, 10

    This will be a live, interactive online event where investors are invited to ask the company questions in real-time. If attendees are not able to join the event live on the day of the conference, an archived webcast will also be made available after the event.

    It is recommended that online investors pre-register and run the online system check to expedite participation and receive event updates.  

    Learn more about the event at www.virtualinvestorconferences.com.

    Recent Company Highlights

    • Amalgamation Agreement relating to Reverse Takeover (RTO)

    On May 13th, AnalytixInsight Inc. (TSXV: ALY) (OTC Pink: ATIXF) announced an amended and restated amalgamation agreement (original amalgamation agreement was dated March 3rd, 2025) relating to the upcoming Reverse Takeover (RTO) transaction. This transaction involves a three-cornered amalgamation where Polymath and a wholly-owned subsidiary of AnalytixInsight will merge to form a new entity, resulting in Polymath becoming a wholly-owned subsidiary of AnalytixInsight. Following the RTO, AnalytixInsight plans to change its name to “Polymath Network Inc.” and consolidate its shares on a 25:1 basis. The exchange ratio for Polymath shareholders has been adjusted from 4.292 to 6.25427 AnalytixInsight shares per Polymath share, reflecting Polymath’s increased valuation after acquiring assets from Polymesh Association, including the Polymesh blockchain and POLYX tokens. The transaction’s completion is contingent upon shareholder and regulatory approvals, as well as the successful closing of a concurrent financing round aiming to raise at least $18.75 million through the issuance of subscription receipts. The annual general and special meeting of AnalytixInsight shareholders to approve the transaction has been rescheduled to August 25, 2025.

    • Acquisition of Polymesh Assets by Polymath

    On May 13, 2025, pursuant to the Asset Purchase Agreement, Polymath, indirectly through Polymesh Labs, agreed to acquire certain assets and assumed certain liabilities of Polymesh Switzerland, including POLYX tokens held by Polymesh Switzerland (the “Polymesh Labs Acquisition“). Polymesh Switzerland is a not for profit association formed under the laws of Switzerland and is an Arm’s Length Party (as such term is defined in the policies of the TSXV). The Polymesh Labs Acquisition is subject to certain conditions, and is expected to close prior to the Transaction.

    The Polymesh Labs Acquisition will enable Polymesh Labs’ principal business to include the oversight of the Polymesh blockchain, including POLYX tokens associated with the Polymesh blockchain, and the development of TokenStudio, the Polymesh wallet, other software application, and further investment in developing the Polymesh ecosystem. The Polymesh blockchain is a Layer-1 public-permissioned blockchain using Polkadot’s modular tool substrate framework that is designed for tokenizing real-world assets. It builds on the ERC1400 standard and layers in additional capabilities around governance, identity, compliance and confidentiality. POLYX tokens are the native tokens of the Polymesh blockchain and are used as a utility tokens to provide holders access to the Polymesh blockchain. POLYX tokens are only created when block rewards are minted to reward those that participate in the proof-of-stake consensus mechanisms that validates transactions and produces new blocks on the blockchain. These participants are referred to as “validators” and “nominators”, collectively referred to as “stakers”.

    About Polymath Research Inc.

    Polymath’s principal business is the creation of its flagship white label SaaS technology solution, referred to as Polymath’s Capital Platform, which includes the Polymath dApps and enables customers to create platforms to tokenize real-world assets. Polymath’s Capital Platform technology solution is available for license by third parties. Under this licensing arrangement, Polymath may provide technology services to its customers for the setup, maintenance, and support of their use of Polymath’s Capital Platform technology solution. In each case, Polymath works with, or will work with, the customer to tailor the technology to the particular requirements of the customer and the assets to be tokenized. Polymath as a technology services provider is not registered with any Canadian or foreign securities regulatory authority and its services do not include acting as a broker or the promotion or marketing of securities.

    Polymath also generates revenue by staking proprietary POLYX token that is held in its treasury. Staking is not a service offered to third parties, but it is a revenue stream that monetizes treasury assets. Crypto staking is an important aspect of the nominated proof-of-stake consensus mechanism, which defines which blocks get written to the blockchain, as well as the blockchain network’s roles, rules, and incentives. Polymath stakes 100% of the POLYX tokens held in its treasury, with 50% of the staking rebonded on the Polymesh blockchain and the other 50% converted to fiat and bitcoin reserves.

    About Virtual Investor Conferences®
    Virtual Investor Conferences (VIC) is the leading proprietary investor conference series that provides an interactive forum for publicly traded companies to seamlessly present directly to investors.

    Providing a real-time investor engagement solution, VIC is specifically designed to offer companies more efficient investor access.  Replicating the components of an on-site investor conference, VIC offers companies enhanced capabilities to connect with investors, schedule targeted one-on-one meetings and enhance their presentations with dynamic video content. Accelerating the next level of investor engagement, Virtual Investor Conferences delivers leading investor communications to a global network of retail and institutional investors.

    CONTACTS:
    Polymath Research Inc.
    Vince Kadar
    CEO
    Vince@polymath.network 
    +1-613-276-0695

    Virtual Investor Conferences
    John M. Viglotti
    SVP Corporate Services, Investor Access
    OTC Markets Group
    (212) 220-2221
    johnv@otcmarkets.com 

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Stacks to be Showcased at Blockchain and Digital Assets Virtual Investor Conference on June 5th

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, June 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Stacks (STX), the leading Bitcoin Layer-2 (L2), which is dedicated to unlocking and scaling Bitcoin’s full potential, will be represented at the upcoming Blockchain and Digital Assets Virtual Investor Conference hosted by VirtualInvestorConferences.com on June 5th, 2025. Kyle Ellicott, Executive Director at the Stacks Asia Foundation, is scheduled to present live at the event. Stacks enables both retail and institutional users and investors to seamlessly participate in the Bitcoin economy.

    Event Details

    This will be a live, interactive online event where investors are invited to ask the company questions in real-time. If attendees are not able to join the event live on the day of the conference, an archived webcast will also be made available after the event. It is recommended that online investors pre-register and run the online system check to expedite participation and receive event updates.

    Date: June 5, 2025
    Time: 11:00 AM ET
    Link: REGISTER HERE

    Kyle Ellicott will be available for 1×1 meetings with investors on June 5th & 10th. Learn more about the event at www.virtualinvestorconferences.com.

    Recent Stacks Highlights

    • sBTC, the programmable Bitcoin asset built on Stacks, has seen three successful cap raises, each filling rapidly. The latest 5,000 BTC subscription cap was filled within hours after opening. An sBTC incentive program also allows investors to earn yield on their Bitcoin, which has drawn significant and increasing interest from investors and institutions.
    • Stacks is now recognized as the top Bitcoin Layer 2 according to bitcoinlayers.org, leading the sector in programmability and DeFi adoption.
    • Stacks’ TVL has surged recently, surpassing $113 million, with TVL tripling since the launch of key DeFi protocols, reflecting accelerated ecosystem growth and user engagement.
    • A new Stacks roadmap was released in May 2025, outlining upcoming technical upgrades, strategic developments, and a focused push toward $1B+ TVL.
    • Major new partnerships and integrations have been established with industry leaders such as BitGo, Asymmetric, Hex Trust, Bitfinex, and others.

    About Stacks
    Stacks is the leading Bitcoin Layer 2 (L2) and the top L2 by developer traction, user activity, and market capitalization. Stacks is unlocking over $1 trillion in passive Bitcoin capital and making BTC a fully programmable, productive asset. Stacks enables smart contracts and decentralized applications to leverage Bitcoin as a secure, programmable foundation. With the Nakamoto upgrade activated in October 2024, Stacks achieved near-instant transactions, while retaining the security and irreversibility of Bitcoin L1. The launch of sBTC in December 2024 opened the door for developers and users to use native BTC in smart contracts, DeFi, and other Bitcoin-secured applications, including paying gas fees with BTC. The Stacks (STX) token was the first to undergo an SEC-qualified sale in the United States, and the project fully decentralized before the mainnet launch in 2021.

    About Virtual Investor Conferences®
    Virtual Investor Conferences (VIC) is the leading proprietary investor conference series that provides an interactive forum for publicly traded companies to seamlessly present directly to investors. Providing a real-time investor engagement solution, VIC is specifically designed to offer companies more efficient investor access.  Replicating the components of an on-site investor conference, VIC offers companies enhanced capabilities to connect with investors, schedule targeted one-on-one meetings and enhance their presentations with dynamic video content. Accelerating the next level of investor engagement, Virtual Investor Conferences delivers leading investor communications to a global network of retail and institutional investors.

    CONTACTS:

    Virtual Investor Conferences
    John M. Viglotti
    SVP Corporate Services, Investor Access
    OTC Markets Group
    (212) 220-2221
    johnv@otcmarkets.com 

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Innovations in Imaging, such as AI-Enhanced Retinal & Fundus Camera Systems are Booming Along with Revenue Opportunities

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    PALM BEACH, Fla., June 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — FN Media Group News Commentary – The Retinal and Fundis Camera market has shown growth in the recent years and is expected to continue for years to come. Fundus cameras are sophisticated instruments utilized in ophthalmology for capturing detailed images of the retina. They employ a specialized optical design akin to an indirect ophthalmoscope, with the angle of view being a key parameter defining their functionality… Fundus photography enables physicians to meticulously examine retinal changes over time, facilitating collaboration among colleagues and enhancing patient care. A recent report from Precedence Research said: “The fundus cameras market experiences growth driven by the evolving landscape of imaging technologies, particularly in diagnosing age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Traditionally, fundus photography with film-based cameras, preferably through pharmacologically dilated pupils, has been pivotal in documenting AMD severity. The emergence of high-resolution digital cameras presents new opportunities in the market. Comparisons among different imaging systems, including nonstereoscopic color retinal images taken with digital cameras through dark-adapted and dilated pupils, as well as stereoscopic images captured with standard film cameras, highlight the expanding applications of fundus cameras. Such comparisons underscore the need for versatile imaging solutions to accommodate diverse clinical scenarios, thus fueling the growth in the fundus cameras market.” Active healthcare/tech companies active in the markets include: Avant Technologies Inc. (OTCQB: AVAI), Outlook Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: OTLK), Eyenovia, Inc. (NASDAQ: EYEN), Bausch + Lomb Corporation (NYSE: BLCO), Biomea Fusion, Inc. (NASDAQ: BMEA).

    Precedence Research continued: “The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into fundus cameras presents a significant opportunity for market growth. AI algorithms demonstrate high accuracy in detecting diseases like diabetic retinopathy (DR), offering improved diagnostic capabilities. Furthermore, machine learning algorithms utilizing preoperative fundus photography alongside other data parameters have shown promise in identifying at-risk eyes for postoperative complications after refractive surgery. Deep learning algorithms applied to fundus photographs have been successful in predicting cerebral white matter hyperintensity in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans and detecting DR with remarkable precision. Studies exploring AI’s role in correlating fundus photos, optical coherence tomography (OCT), and external eye photography with systemic diseases exhibit promising results. Particularly, AI-driven screening for DR holds significant potential. These advancements highlight the prospective role of AI-integrated fundus imaging in screening, diagnosing, and managing various retinal diseases, thus creating substantial opportunities for growth in the fundus cameras market.” The report added: “The global fundus cameras market size accounted for USD $676.46 Million in 2025 and is forecasted to hit around USD $943.12 Million by 2034, representing a CAGR of 3.80% from 2025 to 2034.”

    Avant Technologies, Inc. (OTCQB: AVAI) and Partner, Ainnova, Finalizing Automated Retinal Camera Prototype Ahead of Full-Scale Development – Avant Technologies, Inc. (“Avant” or the “Company”) and its JV partner, Ainnova Tech, Inc., (Ainnova), a leading healthcare technology company focused on revolutionizing early disease detection using artificial intelligence (AI), today announced the Company is in the final stages of prototyping its proprietary automated retinal camera. Ainnova’s new device will offer users a low cost, easier to use camera that captures images automatically and then uploads those images to the Company’s Vision AI software platform, which then produces a “risk report” in mere seconds.

    Vinicio Vargas, Chief Executive Officer at Ainnova and member of the Board of Directors of the joint venture company, Ai-nova Acquisition Corp., said, “The cost of a fundus camera has always been a barrier to entry into in this market, so our low-cost camera, which is a fraction of the cost of currently available cameras on the market, should allow us to not only enter the market, but to capture a large share of the market.

    “Another significant advantage will be that our camera will be seamlessly packaged together with our Vision AI platform, allowing us to refer more patients in less time and accurately to medical specialists. Also, one of our objectives is to integrate other technologies to this preventive screening, expanding the scope from only diabetic patients to patients who have other risk factors and want to prevent other diseases from a more complete approach.”

    Vision AI is a powerful cutting-edge, AI-driven platform that can quickly and accurately detect the early markers of a host of diseases by applying AI models to examine imaging data from the eye to expedite earlier detection and allow patients to better manage their disease. The diseases that Vision AI can detect, include diabetic retinopathy, other retinopathies, such as glaucoma, macular edema, age-related macular degeneration, and other anomalies, as well as other diseases that do not require retinal images, and instead, use other datapoints that Ainnova has integrated into the software like the detection of cardiovascular disease (CVD), type 2 diabetes, liver fibrosis, and chronic kidney disease (CKD).

    Currently, Ainnova’s Vision AI software works well with any fundus camera on the market; however, Ainnova and Avant are aiming for exclusivity by developing a lower-cost, easier to use camera.

    Ai-nova Acquisition Corp. (AAC), the company formed by the partnership between Avant and Ainnova, will develop the retinal cameras as part of the joint venture and licensing deal to facilitate the development of Ainnova’s technology portfolio. AAC owns the global licensing rights to develop, maintain, and market Ainnova’s technology portfolio. CONTINUED… Read this and more news for Avant Technologies at:   https://www.financialnewsmedia.com/news-avai/

    In other developments and happenings in the biotech market recently include:

    Outlook Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: OTLK), a biopharmaceutical company focused on enhancing the standard of care for bevacizumab for the treatment of retina diseases, recently announced that LYTENAVA™ (bevacizumab gamma) is now commercially available in Germany and the UK for the treatment of wet age-related macular degeneration (wet AMD). LYTENAVA™ (bevacizumab gamma) is the first and only authorized ophthalmic formulation of bevacizumab for use in treating wet AMD in adults in the European Union and UK.

    “We are excited to have launched LYTENAVA™ (bevacizumab gamma) for patients with wet AMD in Germany and the UK. I would like to extend sincere gratitude to the Outlook team and our partners for their commitment and dedication that helped to get us to this major milestone. Going forward, we remain laser focused on ensuring success in Germany and the UK as well as preparing for additional launches across the region later this year and throughout 2026,” commented Jedd Comiskey, Senior Vice President, Head of Europe at Outlook Therapeutics.

    Eyenovia, Inc. (NASDAQ: EYEN), an ophthalmic technology company developing the proprietary Optejet® topical ophthalmic medication dispensing platform, recently provided updates on its potential merger with Betaliq and the ongoing development of its novel Optejet user filled device (UFD), and reported financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2025.

    Negotiations continue towards a binding merger agreement with Betaliq, a clinical-stage private pharmaceutical company focused on glaucoma with access to Eyesol®, a non-aqueous technology that may address many of the needs of these patients. We have agreed to extend the binding exclusivity period set forth in the Letter of Intent until June 7, 2025, to allow more time to complete and execute the anticipated merger agreement.

    Progress in the development of the Optejet user-filled device (UFD) continues and remains on track to file for U.S. regulatory approval in September of this year. An approval would provide for potential multiple commercial opportunities either directly with consumers or through eye care practitioner offices as well as potential and existing license partners, including Arctic Vision in China and Korea.

    Bausch + Lomb Corporation (NYSE: BLCO), a leading global eye health company dedicated to helping people see better to live better, recently announced the U.S. launch of LUMIFY Preservative Free redness reliever eye drops, the first and only preservative-free over-the-counter eye drops with low-dose brimonidine tartrate 0.025% that relieve redness of the eye due to minor eye irritations.

    “Consumers often say how amazed they are at the difference our original LUMIFY makes to their eyes, with over 50,000 five-star reviews as proof,” said John Ferris, president, Consumer, Bausch + Lomb. “LUMIFY Preservative Free brings that same fast-acting formula to those with sensitive eyes — delivering a visibly brighter, whiter look in just 60 seconds.”

    Biomea Fusion, Inc. (NASDAQ: BMEA), recently announced that preliminary clinical data from the Phase I COVALENT-103 trial of BMF-500 in adults with acute leukemia (AL) were selected for a poster presentation at the European Hematology Association (EHA) 2025 Congress, taking place June 12–15 in Milan, Italy.

    The presentation will highlight emerging safety, pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics (PK/PD), and clinical activity of BMF-500, a covalent FLT3 inhibitor, in patients with relapsed or refractory (R/R) AL, including those with FLT3 mutations (FLT3m) who have previously received FLT3 inhibitors such as gilteritinib (gilt).

    About FN Media Group:

    At FN Media Group, via our top-rated online news portal at www.financialnewsmedia.com, we are one of the very few select firms providing top tier one syndicated news distribution, targeted ticker tag press releases and stock market news coverage for today’s emerging companies. #tickertagpressreleases #pressreleases

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    DISCLAIMER: FN Media Group LLC (FNM), which owns and operates FinancialNewsMedia.com and MarketNewsUpdates.com, is a third party publisher and news dissemination service provider, which disseminates electronic information through multiple online media channels. FNM is NOT affiliated in any manner with any company mentioned herein. FNM and its affiliated companies are a news dissemination solutions provider and are NOT a registered broker/dealer/analyst/adviser, holds no investment licenses and may NOT sell, offer to sell or offer to buy any security. FNM’s market updates, news alerts and corporate profiles are NOT a solicitation or recommendation to buy, sell or hold securities. The material in this release is intended to be strictly informational and is NEVER to be construed or interpreted as research material. All readers are strongly urged to perform research and due diligence on their own and consult a licensed financial professional before considering any level of investing in stocks. All material included herein is republished content and details which were previously disseminated by the companies mentioned in this release. FNM is not liable for any investment decisions by its readers or subscribers. Investors are cautioned that they may lose all or a portion of their investment when investing in stocks. For current services performed FNM expects to be compensated forty nine hundred dollars for news coverage of the current press releases issued by Avant Technologies, Inc. by a non-affiliated third party. FNM HOLDS NO SHARES OF ANY COMPANY NAMED IN THIS RELEASE.

    This release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. “Forward-looking statements” describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies and are generally preceded by words such as “may”, “future”, “plan” or “planned”, “will” or “should”, “expected,” “anticipates”, “draft”, “eventually” or “projected”. You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including the risks that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, and other risks identified in a company’s annual report on Form 10-K or 10-KSB and other filings made by such company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You should consider these factors in evaluating the forward-looking statements included herein, and not place undue reliance on such statements. The forward-looking statements in this release are made as of the date hereof and FNM undertakes no obligation to update such statements.

    Contact Information:

    Media Contact email: editor@financialnewsmedia.com – +1(561)325-8757 

    SOURCE: FN Media Group

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Fearful of reaching your next milestone age? A psychologist’s tips to combat the ‘birthday blues’

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Jolanta Burke, Associate Professor, Centre for Positive Health Sciences, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences

    DavideAngelini/Shutterstock

    Birthdays are typically seen as joyful events, filled with celebration, laughter and gifts. Yet it’s not uncommon, particularly if you are approaching a milestone age, to feel sad on your birthday.

    Birthdays can trigger painful emotions for anyone who may feel neglected, lonely, or disappointed about how their lives turned out to be. They are also reminders of ageing and mortality, and may bring feelings of grief for lost time or fear about the future.

    Milestone birthdays, such as turning 30 or 40, are even associated with particularly high instances of suicide, according to research from Japan. More people also die of stroke and a heart attack around their birthdays than on other days.

    All of these negative feelings, whether extreme depression or just feeling a bit disappointed, make up what’s sometimes known as the “birthday blues”.



    Read more:
    Fear of ageing is really a fear of the unknown – and modern society is making things worse

    One important factor influencing whether you will get the birthday blues is how satisfied you are with your life. Life satisfaction is the degree to which you feel your life aligns with your expectations, and whether you have met, exceeded or fallen short of your life goals.

    If you’re approaching a big birthday, you may feel susceptible to the comparison trap of social media, or feel self-conscious about where you are in life. Birthdays are an often unwelcome benchmark by which to measure how well we are doing at any given age.

    No one’s 20s and 30s look the same. You might be saving for a mortgage or just struggling to pay rent. You could be swiping dating apps, or trying to understand childcare. No matter your current challenges, our Quarter Life series has articles to share in the group chat, or just to remind you that you’re not alone.

    Read more from Quarter Life:

    Another important factor is whether you have a clear sense of meaning in your life. A clear sense of meaning is associated with greater wellbeing, while ongoing search for meaning is associated with mental health challenges.

    Milestone birthdays often prompt people to re-evaluate their meaning in life. This introspection may result in emotional distress, a decline in wellbeing or even suicidal thoughts – or, it can be a positive step into a new decade.

    Rewriting your birthday

    You might imagine what you would like your milestone birthday celebration to look like, but sometimes reality does not match up. Perhaps you imagined a big party, only to realise you don’t have the social circle to make it happen, or that friends are busy with work and other commitments. You may long for a quiet birthday with a partner and children, yet find yourself still living with your parents, or without a partner or family of your own.

    Here are some practical steps you can take to have a more positive approach to your birthday.

    1. Envision your best possible self

    My colleague and I once worked with a small group of women aged over 55 who struggled to look forward to their retirement. For many, their future felt uncertain, even frightening. To help them shift their mindset, we introduced an activity “Best Possible Self”.

    We encouraged participants to re-imagine their future, focusing on what could go well for them and setting up goals to make their vision come true. After three months, even those who dreaded talking about the future noted a significant increase in hopefulness. The activity reminded them that good times could still come.

    Writing about your best possible self for just 20 minutes a day over a few days, especially around your birthday, could help you re-imagine your future and nurture a sense of hope, no matter what stage of life you are in.

    It’s my party and I’ll cry if I want to.
    India Picture/Shutterstock

    2. Pick an alternative birthday setting or an activity

    Birthdays don’t have to be a big night out. Plan an activity or visit a place you genuinely enjoy and which brings you happiness or comfort. This could be a walk in a park, attending a theatre performance, or a cosy day at home.

    Instead of just going through the motions, focus on enhancing the emotional quality of the experience. Pick a park that holds a special meaning or memories for you, or plan some home-based activities that energise you, such as cooking your favourite meal, creating art or watching a movie you love.

    3. Practice mindful awareness

    Notice the sounds, smells and other sensations as you go through your day. Pay attention to the emotions that arise, whether it is joy, nostalgia or hope.

    Reflect on how your thoughts have changed as a result of this experience. Perhaps think about what you are grateful for, what you’ve achieved in the last year, how far you have come from more challenging times in the past or what your hopeful vision is towards the future.

    4. Express and reinforce your positive experiences

    Find meaningful ways to express yourself and record your birthday. This might be by writing an entry in a journal, calling someone and sharing your insights, or creating something, like a playlist, photo collage, or drawing to capture this moment.

    Fear of ageing is also about fear of the unknown. We can combat this by cultivating hope – recognising what is going well for us in life and believing in the possibility of better days ahead.

    To ease the pressure of having a “happy birthday”, it might help to aim instead for a more compassionate “hopeful birthday”. This mindset acknowledges the complexity of ageing, and leaves room for both celebration and vulnerability. In a world that demands constant positivity, where we’re expected to keep smiling, stay positive and suppress discomfort, it offers us a break to be ourselves.

    The risk of suicide around birthdays is particularly high for those who have depression or autism. If you are feeling upset about your birthday or belong to a vulnerable group, reach out to a helpline, counsellor, therapist, family member or a friend and ask for support during this challenging time. It is easier to tackle the birthday blues together, than do it on your own.

    In the UK: Samaritans are available by phone, for free, at 116 123, or by email at jo@samaritans.org. Further resources can also be found here.

    Jolanta Burke 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. Fearful of reaching your next milestone age? A psychologist’s tips to combat the ‘birthday blues’ – https://theconversation.com/fearful-of-reaching-your-next-milestone-age-a-psychologists-tips-to-combat-the-birthday-blues-255799

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Why climate is an everyday story – but media coverage still spikes around special environment days and UN summits

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Sanam Mahoozi, PhD Candidate in Journalism, City St George’s, University of London

    Lake Urmia, Iran. Sebastian Castelier/Shutterstock

    Climate change is already happening. But 36% of the world’s population still disputes the realities of its origins and impacts. When the science is clear but public understanding lags, more lives and livelihoods are put at risk.

    The media can act as a bridge between climate solutions and public understanding. A global analysis by the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism found that the news media remain the primary source of climate change information, with 31% of people getting it from television and 24% from websites and social media platforms.

    Despite all of this, the mainstream media around the world is not doing enough to shoulder the responsibility of preparing the public for the impacts of climate change and environmental degradation. Research indicates that climate change coverage spikes around UN climate summits (Cops) and events like World Water Day, but drops off in between.

    That means the stories being told about the environment get the most attention during certain months and consistently less coverage throughout the rest of the year.

    I study how the media reports on climate change in authoritarian countries like Iran and across the Middle East and north Africa, a region where heat indices surpass 55°C and severe water shortages persist.

    As part of my PhD research, I found that international media reporting of the world’s most climate-vulnerable nations is sporadic, with coverage often increasing around political and environmental events.

    Reporting on environmental issues in countries facing conflict, war and political tensions is challenging, as the topic often falls low on the media’s list of priorities.

    Climate stories tend to peak around special environment days or UN climate summits.
    arda savasciogullari/Shutterstock

    When it comes to Iran, most of the news making headlines is focused on its nuclear development programme, problems with the west and violations of human rights. The fact that thousands of Iranians die each year from thirst, air pollution and heatwaves rarely makes it into international media, and when it does, it’s usually tied to a political event like protests or US economic sanctions.

    For the past few years, I have been researching and writing for news outlets about the Iranian government’s failure to take action towards mitigating climate change. While discussing the issue with climate scientists, I learned that Iran is among the top ten countries globally contributing to carbon emissions.

    I also learned that, along with Yemen and Libya, Iran is the only country left to ratify the Paris agreement, a treaty that aims to keep global temperatures to 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial times.

    However, when I analysed the media coverage, there was not nearly enough mention of this throughout the year. Most articles were published in November, around the time the UN usually holds its annual climate summits, like the UN climate summit, Cop29, hosted by Azerbaijan last year.

    This is a trend I’ve realised through my research and reporting. When the media only covers environmental issues in countries like Iran during political upheavals or climate summits, the world remains largely unaware of these ongoing challenges the rest of the time.

    Here’s the problem: just in the past few months, millions of Iranians across the country have been suffering through crippling sand and dust storms, drought and land subsidence, issues that have been exacerbated by climate change.

    My PhD research into how the media covers the environment in authoritarian regimes is supported by other studies. I found that articles about water and climate issues in Iran and the Middle East tend to peak around environmental protests and UN climate change summits.

    My study shows that Iran received the highest amount of environmental coverage during the 2021 protests in the southwestern province of Khuzestan concerning the lack of water and drought.

    The bigger picture

    When journalists, editors and media outlets delay reporting on the impact of climate change in countries like Iran, we miss the full scale of the damage. As a result, there’s less pressure on authorities to change policies or prepare the public for the growing environmental challenges like forced migration, hunger, and conflict.

    If these countries are more vulnerable to climate change and their governments are doing little to solve the problem, this urgency must be reflected in the media.

    This can be achieved if news organisations publish more stories that explore the root causes of environmental problems and include insights from experts who can offer solutions.

    If even one story can help save a lake, river or wetland from drying up, that’s a pretty powerful effect.

    Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like?

    Get a weekly roundup in your inbox instead. Every Wednesday, The Conversation’s environment editor writes Imagine, a short email that goes a little deeper into just one climate issue. Join the 45,000+ readers who’ve subscribed so far.

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

    – ref. Why climate is an everyday story – but media coverage still spikes around special environment days and UN summits – https://theconversation.com/why-climate-is-an-everyday-story-but-media-coverage-still-spikes-around-special-environment-days-and-un-summits-256286

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Three ways to make dental care kinder for anxious patients

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Isabel Olegário, Senior Lecturer, Dentistry, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences

    Impact Photography/Shutterstock

    For many, a visit to the dentist brings fear, anxiety, or memories of uncomfortable experiences. But dentistry is changing – and it’s becoming much kinder.

    Today, needle-free and drill-free approaches are helping manage tooth decay in ways that are more comfortable, especially for children, anxious patients and those with special healthcare needs. Three of the most promising techniques are silver diamine fluoride (SDF), atraumatic restorative treatment (ART) and the Hall technique.

    During the COVID-19 pandemic, many dental clinics sought out non-aerosol-generating procedures (those that don’t spray water or create mist), to reduce viral transmission. SDF and ART became essential treatment approaches during that period – and their popularity has continued to grow. These techniques don’t just make dentistry more acceptable – they challenge the traditional belief that every cavity needs to be drilled and filled.

    Tooth decay is caused by bacteria in dental plaque that feed on sugars and produce acids, gradually wearing away the tooth’s surface when tooth brushing isn’t good.



    Read more:
    Over half of UK adults will have dental disease by 2050, according to our research

    Traditional treatment ordinarily involves numbing a tooth by injection of local anaesthetic followed by removal of the decayed part of the tooth with a drill. The hole (or cavity) left is then then restored or “filled” with a filling material, for example dental composite. While effective, this method can be painful or frightening, especially for younger or vulnerable patients.

    But we now understand that not all cavities need to be restored immediately, and that stabilising disease and preventing progression can be just as important.

    Parents are often surprised – and relieved – to learn that their child’s cavity might not need an injection or a filling at all. Sometimes, especially for small cavities in baby teeth close to falling out naturally, just monitoring or applying SDF may be enough.

    Equally, there’s a growing recognition that patient comfort and trust are essential parts of long-term oral health and quality of life. A traumatic dental experience early in life can deter someone from seeking care for years, making problems worse down the line.



    Read more:
    Fear of the dentist: what is dental phobia and dental anxiety?

    Radically different approach

    Silver diamine fluoride offers a radically different approach. It is a clear liquid applied directly into a cavity using a small brush. It takes only seconds and requires no drilling, no needles or costly, complicated equipment.

    SDF works in two ways. The silver has antibacterial properties that kill the bacteria causing the decay, while the fluoride helps harden the remaining tooth structure. It’s particularly effective for shallow cavities and can stop decay in its tracks. Several studies have found that SDF stopped decay in about 80% of treated cases.

    Silver diamine fluoride application.

    It’s not a perfect solution. One side effect is that the treated area turns black, which can be an aesthetic concern, especially for front teeth. But for back teeth, or for children who cannot tolerate other options, this may be an acceptable alternative for avoiding needles and drilling or costly treatment under general anaesthetic.

    Filling teeth with hand tools, not drills

    Atraumatic restorative treatment is another gentle approach. Originally developed for use in areas with limited access to dental equipment, it’s now widely used as a patient-friendly option.

    ART involves removing soft, decayed tooth tissue using hand instruments – no noisy drills or anaesthetic injections needed. Once the decay tissue is removed, the cavity is filled with a material called glass ionomer cement. This special material sticks to the tooth, releases fluoride over time, and helps prevent further decay.

    The process is quiet, minimally invasive and usually takes less time than conventional treatments. It can often be done with the patient sitting upright, which is particularly helpful for very young children or those with special needs. This treatment doesn’t require a dental chair or power source so it can be done anywhere – from schools to nursing homes.

    Crowns without drilling

    Another gentle and increasingly popular option for managing decay in children’s teeth is the Hall technique.

    Unlike traditional treatments that involve drilling or removing decay, the Hall technique works by sealing the decayed tissue in, rather than taking it out. It uses a preformed metal crown – often called a “stainless steel crown” – that is simply placed over the decayed baby tooth without any drilling, injections, or removal of tooth tissue.

    The Hall technique.

    Here’s how it works: after checking that the tooth is suitable (usually with an x-ray), the dentist uses small orthodontic separators between the child’s teeth for a few days to create space. Then, in a quick and painless appointment, the crown is gently pushed onto the tooth and held in place with special dental cement. That’s it – no needles, no drill and no discomfort.

    By sealing the cavity in this way, the bacteria inside are cut off from the sugars they need to keep causing damage. Over time, the decay becomes inactive, and the crown protects the baby tooth until it naturally falls out.

    Parents are often amazed by how well children cope with this approach. In fact, studies show that children who have had the Hall technique often experience less discomfort, fewer dental visits, and better long-term outcomes than those who undergo traditional drilling and
    filling.

    The future of kinder dentistry

    Of course, the best (and kindest) way to avoid needles, drilling and filling is to prevent tooth decay in the first place. But when treatment is needed, the options above are changing the game – and they’re here to stay.

    Silver diamine fluoride, atraumatic restorative treatment and the Hall technique aren’t right for every situation, but they’re safe, backed by evidence and a powerful reminder that dental care doesn’t have to be painful to be effective.

    For anxious patients, nervous kids, or anyone who’s put off going to the dentist because of fear, these gentler approaches can be the difference between avoiding care and finally getting it.

    Dentistry is changing – and it’s time our expectations caught up.

    Paul Leavy is currently undertaking his PhD at the Trinity College Dublin (TCD) Centre for Health Policy and Management. Paul Leavy receives funding from the Health Research Board (HRB) as a PhD Scholar under the SPHeRE Programme (2018-1).

    Isabel Olegário 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. Three ways to make dental care kinder for anxious patients – https://theconversation.com/three-ways-to-make-dental-care-kinder-for-anxious-patients-256925

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: South Korea election: Lee Jae-myung takes over a country split by gender politics

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Ming Gao, Research Scholar of East Asia Studies, Lund University

    Liberal candidate Lee Jae-myung has won South Korea’s snap presidential election with a clear lead. With all of the ballots counted, Lee won almost 50% of the vote, ahead of his conservative rival Kim Moon-soo on 41%. He takes over a country that is deeply divided along gender lines.

    Lee’s campaign effectively channelled voter anger. He focused on resetting South Korea’s politics after impeached former president Yoon Suk Yeol, who was from the same party as Kim, unleashed chaos by declaring martial law in December 2024.

    However, gender conflict has continued, subtly but powerfully, to shape voter behaviour, campaign strategies and the national debate about who is to blame for the lack of opportunities in South Korea for young men.

    The election took place three years after Yoon pipped Lee to the presidency by just a quarter of a million votes – the closest margin in the country’s history. Yoon’s victory was, as has been noted by researcher Kyungja Jung, “the epitome of the utilisation of gender wars”.

    A key part of Yoon’s strategy was fostering a sense among young Korean men that it was now them, rather than women, who were the victims of discrimination. He secured 59% of the vote from men in their 20s and 53% from men in their 30s. Just 34% of women in their 20s supported him.

    In the latest election, gender was everywhere and nowhere all at once. On the one hand, not a single candidate put forward a meaningful policy to address structural gender discrimination in the workplace, domestic violence or public sexual harassment.

    None even mentioned the gaping absence of women candidates, despite thousands of mostly young women having filled the streets demanding democracy after Yoon’s martial law declaration. It was the first time in nearly 20 years that not a single woman stood among the contenders for the highest role in the country.

    Lee, positioning himself as the consensus candidate, attempted to neutralise gender as a campaign issue. When reporters asked him whether he would announce any women-related pledges, he said: “Why do you keep dividing men and women? They are all Koreans.”

    His remark may sound inclusive. But it signals a strategy to declare the gender issue off-limits for the sake of the greater good, thus sidestepping the specific inequalities that continue to divide the country. It’s a form of unity by erasure.

    Lee Jun-seok of the right-wing Reform party, on the other hand, tried to resurrect the same playbook that delivered Yoon to power in 2022. He attempted to provoke, polarise and win the loyalty of disaffected young men.

    As Yoon had done three years ago, he called for the abolition of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family. And during a televised debate, he asked: “If someone says they want to stick chopsticks into women’s genitals, would that count as misogyny?” The question was a nod to a controversial online remark Lee Jae-myung’s son had made years earlier.

    Lee Jun-seok’s comment drew widespread condemnation and, ultimately, he only scraped about 7.7% of the total vote. This included over 37% of men in their 20s, while 58% of women in the same age group backed Lee Jae-myung. Gender is a highly political matter in South Korea whichever way you look at it.

    Gender wars

    This gender divide is now one of the most consistent features of South Korean politics. Women are vocal and visible in public to safeguard not just their own rights, but also South Korea’s democracy.

    Yet populist politicians have cultivated a perception among young men – squeezed by stagnant wages, fierce competition over jobs and social expectations – that their diminishing opportunities are due to policies they see as favouring women.

    This has resulted in many young South Korean men seeing feminism not as a movement for equality but as an obstacle to their own progress. In reality, their struggle has less to do with gender and more to do with structural inequalities in income and opportunity for all young Koreans.

    As Kyungja Jung observed in a paper from 2024: “Misogyny becomes an outlet for their [South Korean men’s] frustration and masculinity crisis as they search for a scapegoat for their struggles in neoliberal society. They blame women rather than the neoliberal economy.”

    Young people even from the best universities in Korea feel they cannot compete in the job market no matter what they do. South Korea now has one of the highest rates of young people not in education, employment or training among the OECD countries. This has given rise to the so-called “N-Po” generation, who feel so disadvantaged that they have given up on all future dreams of marriage, family and a career.

    South Korea isn’t alone in mobilising backlash against feminism and gender equality. Around the globe, gender has become one of the major fault lines in politics. In the November 2024 US election, Donald Trump led among young men by 14 points, while Kamala Harris had an 18-point edge with young women.

    Meanwhile, self-described misogynist Andrew Tate continues to shape young male attitudes online. And in Italy, Giorgia Meloni rose to power on a far-right platform that, despite being a woman herself, reduces women to their roles as mothers and homemakers.

    Young women played a key role in the protests against Yoon’s martial law declaration.
    Icelander / Shutterstock

    One model for change in South Korea could be to introduce quotas for women in politics to make their voices heard. Women only occupy around 20% of the 300 seats in South Korea’s National Assembly, trailing well behind the global (27.2%) and Asian (22.1%) averages. If women are not in politics making decisions about themselves, then their voices will not be heard beyond the streets.

    Lee Jae-myung’s win has given South Korea a moment to breathe. But the fault lines remain. When an entire demographic, be it young men or women, feels systematically unheard or structurally discriminated against, opportunistic voices can move in to fill the void.

    Gender is political. Ignoring it may be just as risky as confronting it head-on.

    Ming Gao receives funding from the Swedish Research Council. This research was produced with support from the Swedish Research Council grant “Moved Apart” (nr. 2022-01864). Ming Gao is a member of Lund University Profile Area: Human Rights.

    Joanna Elfving-Hwang receives funding from the Academy of Korean Studies. This research was supported by the Core University Program for Korean Studies through the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Korea and Korean Studies Promotion Service of the Academy of Korean Studies (AKS-2022-OLU-2250005).

    – ref. South Korea election: Lee Jae-myung takes over a country split by gender politics – https://theconversation.com/south-korea-election-lee-jae-myung-takes-over-a-country-split-by-gender-politics-257923

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Netflix to remake Pride and Prejudice – why Jane Austen novels make perfect period adaptations

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

    Announcing its new six-part adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, Netflix quoted screenwriter Dolly Alderton as saying: “Once in a generation, a group of people get to retell this wonderful story.” In the 250th anniversary of her birth, it would seem that every new generation wants its own adaptation of Jane Austen’s perennial classic.

    It’s 30 years since Colin Firth’s Darcy decided that the only remedy for unrequited love was a dip in a muddy lake. And 20 since Matthew Macfadyen’s Darcy strode across a chilly field at sunrise to declare that Keira Knightley’s Lizzie had “bewitched me body and soul”. And, erm, almost 10 years since Lily James’s Lizzie fell for Darcy while simultaneously battling zombie hordes in Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.

    Looking for something good? Cut through the noise with a carefully curated selection of the latest releases, live events and exhibitions, straight to your inbox every fortnight, on Fridays. Sign up here.

    Netflix’s (zombie-free) adaptation has, at time of writing, announced that Emma Corrin will play Lizzie opposite Jack Lowden’s Darcy, with Olivia Colman set to play Lizzie’s mother, Mrs Bennet. So with another retelling of the iconic love story on the horizon, what makes it such a attractive novel to adapt for screen?

    The clue is partly in the name. The characters are deeply flawed; Darcy is proud, Lizzie is prejudiced against him after she feels slighted at their first meeting. Both need to learn to “get over themselves” to achieve their happy ending. This makes for a highly satisfying character arc. It is difficult to imagine the love story between Lizzie’s “oh-so-perfect” sister Jane and the amiable Mr Bingley having quite the same draw.

    It is satisfying when these two destined-to-be-together characters finally find their happy ending. But the scheming of Bingley’s snobbish sister and the misguided loyalty of Darcy that interrupt the progress of their budding romance do not present the same dramatic tension as Lizzie and Darcy’s own internal battles.

    In one of the most iconic lines, upon learning of an error of judgement, Austen’s Lizzie ruefully acknowledges that, “Till this moment I never knew myself”. It is this internalised process of self-reflection and growth that makes for such compelling and relatable characterisation.

    While creating flawed characters, though, Austen reserved her most acidic barbs for the more powerful members of society. Recently, White Lotus star Aimee Lou Wood called out her cruel portrayal in a Saturday Night Live skit, wisely drawing attention to the difference between punching up at the more powerful and punching down at easy targets with less social capital.

    Austen’s work is defined by her keen sense of class hierarchies, and she skilfully maintains a warmly humorous tone by gently mocking the human foibles of her characters, while never treating them with contempt.

    However, in the same way that the hit show Succession delighted audiences with the opportunity to recoil at the vulgarities of the rich, in Pride and Prejudice Austen punches up by reserving her most mocking behaviour for the privileged.

    Rich matriarch Lady Catherine de Bourgh delights in lecturing others about the correct way to behave, only to turn up at the Bennet household in the middle of the night with the sole intention of berating Lizzie. And the ridiculous Mr Collins, heir apparent to the Bennet family home, appears almost delusional in his belief that he is God’s gift to the Bennet sisters.

    These supporting roles have given a range of great actors the chance to lean into Austen’s social satire by emphasising the abhorrent nature of the characters, and by extension, revealing the stifling nature of the social system that the characters exist within.

    Society isn’t the only thing stifling the characters however. Perhaps one of the most appealing aspects of Pride and Prejudice is its situating of Lizzie within the best and the worst of what family has to offer, allowing for a colourful cast of supporting characters.

    Embarrassing family members such as the meddling mother and the no-filter youngest sister have a universal relatability that can be easily moulded to contemporary sensibilities.

    Mrs Bennet in particular, played for laughs with exaggerated hysteria by Alison Steadman for the BBC in 1995, was reimagined in a rather more sympathetic light in Joe Wright’s 2005 film adaptation, when the very real perils facing her and her daughters upon the death of her husband were more sensitively explored.

    With the highly acclaimed Olivia Colman – so skilled at conveying emotional complexities – now cast in the role, it is likely that this more nuanced take on the character will continue, particularly in the light of more recent high-profile explorations of gendered power dynamics.

    Family life is not all bad for Lizzie though. In Jane Bennet, Austen creates the perfect older sister. Not only does she provide adaptations with an ideal subplot through her romance with Bingley, but the intimacy between the sisters also allows for useful scenes in which the characters discuss their innermost feelings.

    Through their private conversations, the sisters confide in each other, while also lying to each other and themselves about their true feelings, as the audience holds its breath through the highs and lows and waits for the inevitable happy ending to arrive.

    Because, ultimately, it’s all about the love story. While many literary critics have observed the fallacy of ending a romance with marriage, when this is really just the beginning, the fairytale structure of Austen’s novel, with its movement through burgeoning emotions, frustration and despair, arriving finally at self-knowledge and love, has proven a winning formula for centuries.

    Lizzie and Darcy will keep finding each other, generation after generation. Wet shirts and zombies, optional.

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

    – ref. Netflix to remake Pride and Prejudice – why Jane Austen novels make perfect period adaptations – https://theconversation.com/netflix-to-remake-pride-and-prejudice-why-jane-austen-novels-make-perfect-period-adaptations-256649

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: How remembering railway accidents from 100 years ago can make the industry safer today

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Mike Esbester, Senior Lecturer in History, University of Portsmouth

    APChanel/Shutterstock

    According to a recent report, the UK rail industry is a relatively safe environment for both passengers and workers. The findings, from the Rail Accident Investigation Branch, came from data on railway accidents for 2024.

    But it also showed that there remain areas of concern in the industry. Specifically, it found examples of “not learning” from accidents and incidents. And alarmingly, there has also been a “lack or loss” of learning from historic tragedies.

    So how and where can the sector recover that experience and insight in order to learn the lessons? The report findings imply the knowledge exists, but has been forgotten. It may be that, rather than looking back over the previous 12 months, the industry should cast its gaze back 100 or 150 years.

    For the rail workforce, a major new historical dataset is being released that might offer some answers. The Railway Work, Life & Death project has added nearly 70,000 cases of worker accidents in England and Wales to its database of staff accidents from before 1939.

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

    Until now the records have been available only in hard copy. But digital access via the project website will mean insights from accidents – some dating to the 1850s – can be used to improve rail workforce safety in the present day.

    Examples from the project include the case of North Eastern Railway office cleaner Mary Ramsey. She was run over by a train in 1859 at South Shields while taking out the ashes from the station fireplaces. Ivor Richards, who worked for the Rhymney Railway in Cardiff, was just 14 when he was killed crossing the lines in 1916.

    These, and the tens of thousands of other historic cases, can be used to explore issues that resonate today. The online dataset offers a platform for people to access knowledge freely and learn from the past. No living person or current organisation is singled out. This means people in the rail industry now can use the records to draw parallels between past and present, and use it as a way into frank discussions about safety today.

    The utility of this approach and the value of the data is recognised by the industry. From within the rail sector, accident investigators, health and safety managers and trade union officers will be attending the dataset launch on June 5, at The National Archives of the UK, at Kew, London.

    Though the industry has changed radically over the last 200 years, some issues still exist that would have been equally recognisable to workers more than 100 years ago. From working at height, through slips, trips and falls, to working on and around railway lines, the essence of some railway work – and the dangers – remain consistent.

    Lessons from the past

    Last year the Railway Work, Life & Death project collaborated with independent research body the Rail Safety and Standards Board and the Infrastructure Safety Leadership Group to produce a workshop for safety leaders and a track worker safety digest.

    Both used historic examples to address contemporary issues – demonstrating the value of a “useable past” and the potential for this new dataset.

    The examples of Mary Ramsey and Ivor Richards might be used to discuss things like safe walking routes, or safety training and certification for going on or near working railway lines. They can start conversations about the mitigations that might have been put in place to prevent an accident, or “safe systems of work”. Even though concepts like safety certification and safe walking routes are anachronistic, they allow a space in which discussion can borrow from the past to focus on the present.

    The records come from The National Archives of the UK, where a team of volunteers has spent seven years transcribing them to make them more easily accessible. They were then added into the Railway Work, Life & Death project, a collaboration between the University of Portsmouth, National Railway Museum and the Modern Records Centre at the University of Warwick, working with the RMT union.

    The dataset also has benefits for people beyond the rail industry. This year is being marked as Railway 200 – 200 years since the Stockton and Darlington Railway was launched. This is seen as the birth of the modern system. For historians, we can use the dataset to see the people who kept the railway system running.

    There’s a risk that the version of the past that is portrayed is a straightforward one, and railways (particularly steam railways) are seen through rose-tinted spectacles. That view obscures how hard, dirty and dangerous working on the railways was for many people.

    Narratives about the railways’ past should challenge people – and acknowledge the difficult bits. This newly released dataset can do exactly that. It documents working conditions, wages, practices and, of course, dangers from working on the railways. It allows anyone to find out more about the past, making research easier and more accessible.

    And the dataset lets people tell more diverse stories about who was included in the rail industry.

    For example, we can see how disability as a result of a workplace accident was experienced and managed. William Parry was employed as a signalman in south Wales following a 1907 accident on the railways that cost him his leg.

    Giving more prominence to under-represented groups – while showing their long-standing presence in the rail industry – has significant social value. It can help support those currently in the industry, as well as show those contemplating a railway career that the workplace is for them. It meshes with the work of groups like Women in Rail and Ethnicity and Race in Rail to encourage greater representation in the industry.

    Having spent nearly ten years co-leading the Railway Work, Life & Death project, I sometimes ask myself why I do it – not least given the inherent sadness in many of the cases. But then I see the people behind the statistics, their wider lives, their families and communities, and the window the records gives into life on the railways. That personal connection drives me – alongside the conviction that it can make a difference to today’s industry.

    Railway workers from the past and the accidents they often suffered have been largely forgotten, precisely because the industry is now relatively safe. Employee accidents are nowhere near as commonplace or visible as they once were. But there is room for improvement. Remembering the people of the early railway era and learning from their experiences is once again possible through the Railway Work, Life & Death project.

    Mike Esbester 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 remembering railway accidents from 100 years ago can make the industry safer today – https://theconversation.com/how-remembering-railway-accidents-from-100-years-ago-can-make-the-industry-safer-today-257487

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Video: UK Detention of Alaa Abd el-Fattah | Lords urgent question

    Source: United Kingdom UK House of Lords (video statements)

    Lord Black of Brentwood asks an urgent question in the Lords chamber on action being taken to secure the release from prison in Egypt of British citizen Alaa Abd el-Fattah, in light of the condition of his mother, Laila Soueif, who is at risk of death as a result of her ongoing hunger strike in protest at her son’s detention.

    Catch-up on House of Lords business:

    Watch live events: https://parliamentlive.tv/Lords
    Read the latest news: https://www.parliament.uk/lords/

    Stay up to date with the House of Lords on social media:

    • X: https://twitter.com/UKHouseofLords
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    #HouseOfLords #UKParliament

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pr53cwobakI

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Changes made to parking following community feedback

    Source: City of York

    Published Wednesday, 4 June 2025

    Executive members have listened to representations from local communities and agreed to several changes to car parking charges in the city.

    The changes come after traders expressed significant concerns at the cost to park in areas that previously had very low parking charges. The new pricing model introduces lower pricing in community shopping and residential areas outside of the inner ring road, whilst maintaining existing charges in the heart of the city. This forms part of an evidence led approach to tackle traffic congestion and improve travel options for everybody.

    Councillor Claire Douglas, Leader of City of York Council said:

    We are a council that listens. This year’s budget was the result of the most extensive budget consultation in years. We promised when setting the budget we would monitor the impact of any changes and continue to listen.

    “While making these changes now, we remain committed to tackling congestion in the city centre. We share the frustrations of those who are sat in traffic day in, day out. We are getting on with delivering our plans for a healthier, better connected and more sustainable city by taking steps to make it easier and quicker for everyone to get around.”

    Councillor Kate Ravilious, Executive Member for Transport:

    We are grateful for those who have worked with us to explore solutions.

    “While we remain committed to tackling congestion and making it easier for everyone to get around, it is clear that some of the changes introduced were too much, too soon.

    “We’ve listened and will now get on with implementing these new arrangements”

    At a meeting tonight/last night (3 June) Executive agreed a range of changes to parking charges. At the same time Executive accepted a challenge under the Traffic Management Act, to carry out a review into the impact of the car parking charges at Bishopthorpe Road car park.

    The changes include:

    • approving an increase in the discount for the Minster Badge to 30% of the standard parking charge, from the current 24% to reduce the impact of increased parking charges on residents
    • maintaining existing charging at all city centre car parks
    • introducing an “outside the inner ring road” lower parking rate including Bishopthorpe Road, which it’s proposed is moved in line with charges approved for community car parks at East Parade and Rowntree Park in the council’s 2025-26 Budget. This would mean Bishopthorpe Road car park would become £3 per hour with a maximum stay of three hours, it would be £2.10 per hour for Minster Badge holders. It will also mean no Friday, Saturday or event uplift and no evening charge in these car parks
    • approving the adjustment of charges in the Micklegate and Priory Street area to the ‘outside the inner ring road’ on-street parking rate, rather than its existing higher city centre rate. This will be reviewed in the future. City centre evening parking rates for this area will still apply.
    • approving that East Parade Car Park should remain matched to the ‘outer’ on-street local parking rate to ensure consistency across out of city centre parking and reflect the different nature of local shopping areas outside of the immediate city centre.
    • removing the proposed charges for dedicated motorcycle bays. to recognise that the motorcycle bays are generally in locations where a car space is not possible. 
    • increase the discount for Low Emission vehicle permits to 20%, from the current 16% discount to set a discount that better reflects the contribution of all types of vehicles to congestion and takes in account the land-use impact of vehicle parking 
    • approve that Contract Parking permits are no longer linked to Season Tickets, and will be set at last year’s prices, plus circa 5% increase, with a 20% discount for low emission vehicles to recognise the unique circumstances of the small number of residents who live within the city walls without access to Resident parking schemes.
    • to undertake a review and develop a policy position around travel to places of worship.
    • accept the challenge to review parking charges under the Traffic Management Act 2004, this will include consultation with businesses and residents and community groups.

    The new charges will be advertised in accordance with legislation, meaning these charges will come into effect around Early July – after the statutory 21 day notice period and the necessary changes to the parking software.

    Now that Executive has approved a change to the reduction for the low vehicle emission discount, Contract, Season and ResPark permit holders will be refunded the difference. The council will automatically apply these refunds and will share more information on the refunds process as soon as possible.

    The papers from the Executive meeting are available to view at https://democracy.york.gov.uk/mgCalendarMonthView.aspx?GL=1&bcr=1 and the meeting is available to view online at https://www.york.gov.uk/webcasts

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: AFRICA/EGYPT – Anselmo Fabiano at the end of his mission in Egypt: “A pilgrim in the silence of the desert and with such a different and fascinating culture”

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Wednesday, 4 June 2025

    AF

    Cairo (Agenzia Fides) – “I feel privileged to have experienced such a different side of the Church, also sharing some steps with my Muslim brothers. A precious opportunity to live a missionary experience with the Coptic Church of Egypt.”Anselmo Fabiano is a young man who lived two years on a mission before returning to Italy to complete his theology studies in Padua, on his journey toward the priesthood.“A pilgrim in the silence of the desert, among ancient monasteries, minarets that reach the sky, and such a different and fascinating culture. There have certainly been difficulties. The mission is also made up of unexpected events, challenges, and unimaginable experiences,” he notes. “And precisely for this reason, I thank God even more for having protected and accompanied me even in difficult times, allowing me to feel and touch His living presence in my life.””I cherish in my heart the people I have met, the many moments of shared life during family visits, in liturgical celebrations, in faith and in the friendship received and given. My daily life has been imbued with humanity and relationships that have granted me the grace to touch with my own hands the faith and love for the Lord of this people.””In these days I have renewed my “yes” to the Lord in the Society of African Missions, promising to dedicate my life to proclaiming the Gospel to the nations, and especially to Africa. An intense moment of prayer and celebration, in the simplicity and joy of the faith of these people. With this “yes” another step on my journey towards the priesthood begins.””It is a time for farewells, memories, smiles, and hugs before returning to Italy,” Anselmo concludes. “My heart is full of gratitude for these years of missionary life, for the many encounters and experiences lived in this land.” (AP) (Agenzia Fides, 4/6/2025)

    AF

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  • MIL-OSI Europe: ASIA/SOUTH KOREA – Newly elected President Lee Jae-myung officially begins his mandate

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Wednesday, 4 June 2025

    CBCK

    Seoul (Agenzia Fides) – Lee Jae-myung, the candidate of the Democratic Party of Korea, is the new President of the Republic of South Korea. His term will last five years. In the 21st presidential elections held on June 3, Lee received 49.42% of the votes cast, while his rival, Kim Moon-soo of the People Power Party, received 41.15%. Voter turnout was the highest in 28 years, with 79.4% of eligible voters, and more than 35.2 million people went to the polls. In his first address to the nation, Lee Jae-myung promised to lead the country out of the crisis it has been going through following the impeachment of former President Yoon Suk-yeol, who had illegally imposed martial law. The 61-year-old lawyer and human rights defender described the election as “judgment day” on the martial law imposed by Yoon and the People Power Party’s inability to prevent it. “The first task is to resolutely defeat the insurgency and ensure that there will never be another military coup against the people using guns and swords,” Lee said. This morning, June 4, Lee was officially confirmed as president by the National Election Commission, assuming presidential powers and command of the armed forces. The new political direction faces several economic and social challenges: In a highly polarized society, the largely export-based economy is exposed to unpredictable protectionist measures by the United States, which is both a major trading partner and the country’s most important security ally. Lee said he wants to increase investment in innovation and technology to boost economic growth, while also strengthening support for middle- and low-income families and combating inequality and corruption. In the area of foreign policy, the president, in presenting the main policy goals for his five-year term, announced his willingness to resume suspended talks with North Korea and to strengthen a trilateral partnership with the United States and Japan. In light of this new political phase, the Catholic Church in Korea has expressed its hopes. In a congratulatory message, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea recalled that “our people saw the roots of the Constitution shaken in the context of martial law and deeply felt the importance of the proper exercise of state power during the process of arresting and removing the president.” The message, signed by the chairman of the bishops’ conference, Bishop Matthias Iong-hoon Ri, further states: “At this time, we need reliable leadership who will uphold principles and walk the path of justice and true peace even amidst conflict and clashes.” The bishops ask that the new president lead the country “so that it becomes a place where all citizens… can enjoy dignity and respect, in accordance with the spirit of the Constitution.” In particular, the Bishops’ Conference requests: “Please examine the situation so that the South and the North can be reconciled, so that peace can be established on the Korean peninsula, and so that we can respond to the global situation with united forces.” Finally, it expresses the hope that “the Lord may grant wisdom and courage” so that “all the people of our country can become one and enjoy true happiness.” In an official statement, Archbishop Peter Chung Soon-taick, Archbishop of Seoul and Apostolic Administrator of Pyongyang, emphasizes: “President Lee Jae-myung, elected by the will of the people, will now stand by all, not just one side, and I believe that he will unite scattered hearts and demonstrate worthy leadership for all the people. Especially in these days when political conflicts and social tensions are increasing, I sincerely hope that the President will, above all, set an example of moderation and listening.” “I also hope,” the Archbishop continued, “that he will demonstrate a deep sense of responsibility and a strong spirit of solidarity” and that the President will be “a leader who builds bridges, not walls” and “goes beyond partisan interests to restore social trust and the common good.”Father Paul Seong Ki-heon of the Catholic University of Korea added: “Peace is a fundamental value not only for the Catholic Church, but for all humanity. We must think and act proactively for peace. I believe there is a genuine desire for peace in the hearts of our people, and I think the government must certainly commit itself to peace, especially in inter-Korean relations.” (PA) (Agenzia Fides, 4/6/2025)
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  • MIL-OSI Europe: AFRICA/KENYA – Two people linked to the murder of Father Bett murdered in mysterious circumstances

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Nairobi (Agenzia Fides) – The mystery surrounding the murder of Father Alloyce Cheruiyot Bett, the priest shot dead in the Tot area of Elgeyo Marakwet, in the Kerio Valley, on the Western Highlands of Kenya, is intensifying (see Fides, 23/5/2025). On June 3, the lifeless bodies of two men suspected of involvement in the priest’s murder were found on the Mogotio-Kiptuno road in Nakuru County.Their families, who had reported them missing on May 30, claim that the murders are directly linked to that of Father Bett. According to their families, the two men – Simon Yego, 45, and Collins Kipyatich, 22 – were kidnapped within hours of each other on the same day, in their village of Tot, where the priest was murdered on May 22.Collins was the first to be kidnapped, while undergoing a routine checkup at the Tot Health Center. The families of both men filed a complaint at the Tot police station the day after their disappearance.Their mutilated bodies were found in the village of Sawin, in Rungai sub-county, more than 200 kilometers from where they were abducted. In Kenya, the number of kidnappings and extrajudicial killings attributed to security forces is increasing, to the point that several bishops have intervened on the matter. “The government and the security apparatus should put an end to the kidnapping of our young people,” declared Bishop Joseph Obanyi Sagwe of Kakamega at the beginning of the year (see Fides, 8/1/2025). Regarding the murder of Father Bett, which occurred in the Kerio Valley, the Bishop of Eldoret had already launched an appeal in April to address the serious security situation in the area, where at least ten people, including two police officers, had been killed in banditry attacks in the previous two months (see Fides, 16/4/2025). (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides, 4/6/2025)
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  • MIL-OSI Europe: EUROPE/ITALY – Chinese Catholic community from across Italy celebrate the Day of Prayer for the Church in China in the Diocese of San Miniato

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Santa Croce sull’Arno (Agenzia Fides) – A procession of hundreds of Chinese and Italian Catholics marched through the streets of Santa Croce sull’Arno, a town in the Italian province of Pisa, on Sunday, May 25, before participating in a joint Eucharistic celebration in the local parish church. The occasion was the celebrations held by the Tuscan town for the 16th World Day of Prayer for the Church in China.In his 2007 letter to Chinese Catholics, Pope Benedict XVI suggested that May 24, “the day dedicated to the liturgical memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Help of Christians – venerated “with great devotion at the Marian Shrine of Sheshan in Shanghai” – could become “an occasion for the Catholics of the whole world to be united in prayer with the Church in China”.The reigning Pontiff at the time established this date as the “Day of Prayer for the Church in China”, to be celebrated in all Catholic communities worldwide. This year, Chinese Catholics living in Italy gathered at Santa Croce sull’Arno to celebrate the Day of Prayer together. They received a warm welcome from the Diocese of San Miniato and the local administration of the Tuscan municipality, which provided two elementary schools to accommodate the guests from Turin, Milan, Naples, Macerata, Padua, Rome, and Prato on May 24 and 25. With the support of the Bishop of San Miniato, Giovanni Paccosi, and the parish priest of Santa Croce, Don Donato Agostinelli, the Chinese priest Giovanni Yang Xiaogu, who serves as chaplain to the local Chinese parish, together with all the parishioners ensured that the Chinese guests, who had traveled from all over Italy, felt at home. “It is an important and beautiful thing that Chinese Catholics gather once a year to pray for their country and the spread of the faith in China’s great history,” Bishop Giovanni Paccosi told the local television station “Tele San Domenico.”“Without a doubt,” the bishop added, “our faith leads us to the dimension of the world, and the ‘division of languages of Babel’ regains its unity in Christ.””For Santa Croce sull’Arno,” Mayor Roberto Giannoni told the same local television station, “it was an honor to welcome the Chinese Catholic community in Italy for this day of prayer. It was truly beautiful for us to have them all here and to spend these two days with them, because it is a sign of fraternity and communion. A sign that Santa Croce is always open to any event that can bring awareness and peace to the world.” The spirit of fraternal communion characterized the moments spent together, from setting up the tents for accommodation to the Eucharist, from shared meals to cultural events. The packed program included moments of prayer and shared devotion, such as the procession and the recitation of the Rosary. (NZ) (Agenzia Fides, 4/6/2025)
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  • MIL-OSI Russia: Xinjiang to Complete Smart Checkpoint System by 2035

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

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

    URUMQI, June 4 (Xinhua) — The Commerce Department of northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and eight other regional departments on Thursday jointly released a plan for the implementation of the smart checkpoint project, which aims to comprehensively promote the modernization of checkpoints.

    The plan is divided into three stages: by 2025, the Horgos, Alashankou and Urumqi air ports will basically be modernized and intelligent; by 2030, they will reach the national advanced level in terms of informatization; and by 2035, a system of intelligent ports that adapts to the requirements of China’s modernization and maintains high-level opening up to the outside world will be fully built.

    The plan also includes measures such as improving convenience for foreign trade enterprises, establishing a platform for operating freight trains on China-Europe international freight routes, promoting the connectivity of Xinjiang’s checkpoints with neighboring Central Asian countries, and formulating standards for the construction of smart checkpoints.

    Wu Songli, deputy director of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Portal Administration Office, noted that Xinjiang is located in the core area of the Belt and Road. In the future, it will be necessary to further strengthen the joint use of portal facilities, equipment and data, and comprehensively increase their throughput capacity, thereby contributing to promoting overall opening-up to the outside world and promoting high-quality socio-economic development in Xinjiang. -0-

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  • MIL-OSI Russia: China will continue to play a constructive role in promoting better relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan, says MFA

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

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

    BEIJING, June 4 (Xinhua) — China welcomes the recent upgrade of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan from the charge d’affaires level to the ambassador level, Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said on Wednesday.

    The Chinese diplomat made the statement at a regular departmental press conference, adding that China is ready to continue to play a constructive role in promoting the improvement and development of relations between the two countries.

    Noting that this step will contribute to strengthening mutual trust and cooperation between Pakistan and Afghanistan and jointly maintaining peace and stability in the region, Lin Jian pointed out that this is also an important and positive measure for Pakistan and Afghanistan in implementing the results of the informal meeting of the foreign ministers of China, Afghanistan and Pakistan held in May this year.

    China is ready to work with regional countries, including Pakistan and Afghanistan, to protect regional peace, stability and development, and strive to build a community of shared destiny among neighboring countries, he concluded. -0-

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  • MIL-OSI Russia: Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Comments on Lee Jae-myung’s Election as President of the Republic of Korea

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

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

    BEIJING, June 4 (Xinhua) — Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian on Wednesday commented on the election of Lee Jae-myung as the new president of the Republic of Korea (ROK).

    Chinese President Xi Jinping has already congratulated Lee Jae-myung on his election as President of the Republic of Korea, Lin Jian said at a regular departmental press conference, answering a relevant question.

    Noting that China and the ROK are important close neighbors and cooperation partners, Lin Jian stressed that China attaches great importance to developing relations with the ROK.

    The Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman added that China is willing to cooperate with the ROK to remain true to the original goal of establishing diplomatic relations, firmly follow the direction of good-neighborliness and friendship, and adhere to the goal of achieving mutual benefit and win-win results.

    China is ready to work together with the Republic of Korea to promote the progressive development of bilateral relations of strategic cooperation and partnership for the benefit of the peoples of the two countries, the Chinese diplomat concluded. -0-

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  • MIL-OSI Russia: The 2nd Belt and Road Conference on Science and Technology Exchanges will be held in Chengdu on June 10-12

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

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

    BEIJING, June 4 (Xinhua) — The second Belt and Road Conference on Scientific and Technological Exchanges will be held from June 10 to 12 in Chengdu, capital of southwest China’s Sichuan Province, the State Council Information Office announced at a press briefing.

    According to Vice Minister of Science and Technology Chen Jiachang, the upcoming conference will be held under the theme of “Building an Innovative Silk Road for Common Development: Working Together to Build a Belt and Road Science and Technology Community.”

    According to the vice minister, holding high the banner of a community with a shared future for mankind, the conference aims to adhere to the principles of joint consultation, joint construction and shared benefits, strengthen exchanges, achieve consensus and deepen cooperation, so as to provide solid scientific and technological support for the high-quality construction of the Belt and Road.

    The conference will feature 38 events in five categories, including key events, theme events, special events, roundtables, and technology matchmaking sessions. The main topics for discussion will be academic exchanges, industrial innovation, international science mega-projects, artificial intelligence, and the alignment of science and technology strategies and plans under the Belt and Road Initiative.

    The conference is co-organized by the Ministry of Science and Technology of the People’s Republic of China, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Chinese Academy of Engineering, the National Natural Science Foundation of China, the All-China Society for Science and Technology, the People’s Government of Sichuan Province and the Chongqing City Government. -0-

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  • MIL-OSI Russia: Lee Jae-myung sworn in as new president of Republic of Korea

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

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

    SEOUL, June 4 (Xinhua) — Lee Jae-myung was sworn in as the new president of the Republic of Korea (ROK) on Wednesday after formally starting his five-year term earlier in the day.

    The country’s 21st president took the oath of office in the National Assembly /parliament/ building, declaring in a televised inauguration speech that he would serve all people, regardless of who they supported in the presidential election.

    Lee Jae-myung, the candidate of the country’s leading liberal Toburo Democratic Party, won 49.42 percent of the vote, defeating his main rival Kim Moon-soo, the candidate of the conservative Civil Power Party, by a wide margin of 8.27 percentage points.

    He stressed that Kazakhstan is at a turning point of great transformations in the face of challenges such as competition for artificial intelligence, climate change and the expansion of protectionist measures.

    Lee Jae-myung pledged to start with efforts to improve people’s living standards and revive the ailing economy, saying his government would create new engines of growth.

    The Liberal leader said his administration would seek balanced regional development across the country to ensure sustainable growth while actively supporting the cultural industry.

    He vowed to establish peace on the Korean Peninsula through dialogue and cooperation with the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), protecting people from various accidents such as riots and plane crashes.

    The president took office without a transition period after winning snap elections triggered by the removal of his predecessor from office due to the imposition of martial law in December last year.

    The inauguration ceremony was attended by the heads of parliament, the Supreme Court, the Constitutional Court and the Electoral Supervisory Board, as well as legislators and cabinet members.

    Before the event, Lee Jae-myung paid tribute to the fallen at the Seoul National Cemetery, where national heroes who gave their lives for the country are buried. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: 14 militants killed in Pakistan

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

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

    ISLAMABAD, June 4 (Xinhua) — Pakistani security forces have killed 14 militants in an intelligence-driven operation in North Waziristan Agency of northwest Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Wednesday.

    Security forces reportedly carried out the operation on Monday and Tuesday in Datta Khel area of North Waziristan Agency.

    According to ISPR, the operation was launched following intelligence inputs about the presence of militants in the area, allegedly linked to a foreign-backed group.

    “During the operation, the troops effectively destroyed the hideout of the militants. After intense gunfight, 14 terrorists were killed,” the ISPR added.

    Following the clash, clearing operations were launched to eliminate any remaining militants in the area and ensure the security of the area. –0–

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  • MIL-OSI Russia: Regional office of the International Union for Conservation of Nature opened in Uzbekistan

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

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

    Tashkent, June 4 /Xinhua/ — A regional office of the International Union for Conservation of Nature has opened in Uzbekistan, the Narodnoye Slovo newspaper reported on Wednesday.

    “Prime Minister of the Republic of Uzbekistan Abdulla Aripov held a meeting with Director General of the International Union for Conservation of Nature /IUCN/ Gretel Aguilar,” the statement said.

    During the talks, it was noted that since Uzbekistan joined IUCN in 2021, cooperation has been developing in a sustainable and constructive manner. Particular attention was paid to the opening of the first IUCN office for Central Asia in Uzbekistan.

    The parties also expressed confidence that the IUCN office will become an effective tool for implementing joint initiatives for nature conservation. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: In the first 4 months of this year, renovation of 5,679 old residential complexes has begun in Chinese cities

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

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

    BEIJING, June 4 (Xinhua) — China has started renovation of 5,679 residential complexes in cities and towns in six provincial-level regions including Hebei, Liaoning, Zhejiang, Hubei provinces, and the centrally-governed municipalities of Chongqing and Shanghai in the first four months of this year, the Ministry of Housing, Urban-Rural Development said Wednesday.

    By 2025, the country’s authorities plan to renovate 25,000 such residential complexes across China as part of efforts to transform cities into more sustainable, intelligent and livable areas.

    Between 2019 and 2024, the country began renovating a total of 28,000 old residential complexes, benefiting over 120 million people or 48 million households.

    During the period from 2019 to 2024, the country completed the reconstruction of 360 thousand km of housing and communal services networks, an additional 3.87 million parking spaces were created, and 78 thousand institutions for the care of the elderly and children were built.

    The ministry stated its readiness to continue working on improving living conditions and modernizing public utilities in order to better meet the daily needs of residents and ensure their safety. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Young ecologists presented their projects at the Polytechnic

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    The Polytechnic University held a defense of projects, the authors of which were tenth-graders of School No. 174 of the Central District of St. Petersburg named after I.K. Beletsky. This is a pre-professional class on the engineering profile in the field of ecology, implemented by the Engineering and Construction Institute of SPbPU and the North-West Interregional Administration of the Federal Service for Supervision of Natural Resources. This event was the result of year-long scientific research of schoolchildren in the field of ecology and environmental protection.

    The expert commission included Natalia Politaeva, professor of the Higher School of Hydraulic Engineering and Power Engineering at ISI, and Irina Russkova and Irina Klimova, associate professors of the Higher School of Technosphere Safety. Elena Dyakova, head of the interregional department of state environmental and land supervision for St. Petersburg and the Leningrad Region, also participated.

    Young environmental engineers presented developments aimed at solving current environmental problems. Two projects attracted the experts’ special attention. Mark Meshcheryakov and Nikita Shaldenkov proposed a solution for detecting oil spills and monitoring the movement of Space Z vessels. Egor Melnikov developed a system for collecting garbage in city parks with the participation of birds, “Green Beak”.

    Participants received valuable recommendations on modernization of developed projects, paid attention to potential areas of development within the framework of engineering and scientific activities. The defense became not only the final point of the academic year, but also a significant step in professional orientation and formation of research competencies.

    Cooperation under the Rosprirodnadzor Class program began on May 14 this year, when an agreement was signed between SPbPU and the North-West Interregional Department of the Federal Service for Supervision of Natural Resources Management at School No. 174. This event marked the beginning of the organization of pre-professional education in the field of environmental safety for schoolchildren interested in engineering and scientific careers.

    The project competition is of great importance for environmental education of schoolchildren. Many projects have great potential and practical significance. Their authors impressed with their intuition, extraordinary approach and deep knowledge, – noted Natalia Politaeva.

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • India’s path to 2070 net-zero target requires heavy investment in power sector: Moody’s

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    India will need massive investment to achieve its 2070 net-zero pledge as it balances energy security, affordability and transition, Moody’s Ratings said on Wednesday.

    Achieving this pledge will necessitate substantial investment, particularly in the power sector, which is a material contributor to the nation’s carbon emissions.

    Over the next decade, these investments are projected to constitute 2 per cent of real GDP for the electricity value chain, encompassing power generation, storage, transmission and distribution, the report mentioned.

    The government’s plan to reach net-zero emissions by 2070 will be contingent upon a shift in the fuel mix from the current predominantly coal-fired power toward clean and renewable energy.

    However, strong economic growth implies India will also expand its coal-based power generation capacity by 32-35 per cent (or around 70GW-75GW) over the next 10 years, even as it adds around 450GW of renewable energy over the same period.

    “We expect the private sector to remain active in India’s renewable energy sector, while government-owned companies will also increase their role,” said Abhishek Tyagi, a Moody’s Vice President and Senior Credit Officer.

    Solar and wind power will dominate new generation capacity additions over the next 20-25 years, with smaller nuclear and hydropower additions, he added.

    Securing diverse sources of capital, including foreign investments (both debt and equity), will be crucial to bridge the funding gap for energy transition-related infrastructure.

    Meanwhile, the government has planned sizeable capex under its ‘Maritime India Vision 2030’ to augment port capacity and infrastructure over the course of next few years.

    Moody’s Indian affiliate ICRA expects cargo volumes to rise by 3-5 per cent in FY26, driven largely by the growth in the container, petroleum products and the fertiliser segment.

    Apart from the traditional segments like transportation and energy within infrastructure space, data centre is emerging as a new hotspot for infrastructure investment.

    ICRA expects significant investment pipeline of Rs 1.6-1.8 trillion in data centre (DC) capacity addition over next 5-6 years in India, supported by rapid digitalisation along with favourable policy measures.

    -IANS

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Competition Bureau publishes competitor property controls guidance

    Source: Government of Canada News

    June 4, 2025 – GATINEAU (Québec), Competition Bureau

    The Competition Bureau has published updated guidance on competitor property controls following a public consultation.

    The guidance provides Canadians transparency on the Bureau’s enforcement approach to competitor property controls under the Competition Act. The Bureau will continue to revise its approach as it gains more experience, as circumstances change, or as the law continues to evolve.  

    Competitor property controls are restrictions that limit how a property can be used by others. They can raise serious competition concerns, for example, by making it difficult for businesses to open new stores, or by limiting the products that can be sold in a store. 

    The Bureau encourages Canadian businesses to review the guidance and ensure that their existing or planned property controls comply with the law.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China launches pilot to integrate HR services with manufacturing sector

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

    BEIJING, June 4 — China will launch a pilot in some 30 cities to integrate human resources (HR) services with the manufacturing sector, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security said Wednesday.

    The joint initiative, with three other government departments, aims to drive high-quality sufficient employment while accelerating the development of a modern industrial system, the ministry said.

    In about three years, the pilot will focus on cultivating specialized manufacturing industry HR service providers, establishing cross-sector development platforms and fostering industrial alliances, pioneering innovative HR technologies, products and service models to support advanced manufacturing and developing policy frameworks that synchronize workforce development with technological innovation and real-economy needs.

    Currently, China’s HR service providers cater to over 50 million employers annually, with about 40 percent being manufacturing enterprises, and the sector has developed service scenarios targeting the manufacturing sector, according to the ministry.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: SCO members support deepened regional financial cooperation

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

    BEIJING, June 4 — Member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) support the deepening of regional fiscal and financial cooperation, including working toward the establishment of an SCO development bank, China’s finance ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.

    The statement follows a meeting of SCO member states’ finance ministers and central bank chiefs, which was held in online and offline forms on Tuesday. Chinese Finance Minister Lan Fo’an and Chinese central bank governor Pan Gongsheng jointly chaired the meeting in Beijing.

    Participants discussed the global and regional economic and financial situations and challenges, and shared their practices in fiscal and monetary policies, green transition and financial sector development, the statement said.

    SCO member states supported making substantive progress in promoting the establishment of an SCO development bank and agreed to establish an SCO financial and economic think tank network. They also held discussions on strengthening local currency settlement arrangements and deepening cooperation in digital inclusive finance, the statement said.

    During the meeting, Lan called on SCO member states to firmly uphold multilateralism, enhance coordination of macroeconomic policies, and continuously deepen practical fiscal and financial cooperation.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China approves first domestically developed 9-valent HPV vaccine

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

    BEIJING, June 4 — China’s drug regulator has approved the country’s first domestically developed 9-valent human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, authorities announced Wednesday.

    The move ends over a decade of foreign dominance in the market.

    The vaccine, which targets nine HPV strains, is the second of its kind globally. HPV vaccines are commonly used to prevent cervical cancer in women and genital cancers and warts in both men and women.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: IAEA chief warns of nuclear safety risks in Ukraine

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

    The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi had warned of continued nuclear safety concerns in Ukraine, the Ukrainian TSN.ua media outlet reported Wednesday.

    “It is clear that the dangers to nuclear safety continue to be very real and ever-present,” Grossi was quoted as saying during his visit to Ukraine on Tuesday.

    He emphasized that the presence of the agency at the Ukrainian nuclear power plants is essential to helping prevent a severe nuclear accident.

    The Chernobyl plant saw one of the worst nuclear accidents in history on April 26, 1986, when a series of explosions ripped through the No. 4 reactor, causing radiation to spread across Ukraine and other European countries. 

    MIL OSI China News –