Category: Science

MIL-Evening Report: Most bees nest in the ground. Offering rocks and gravel is a simple way to help them thrive

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Freya Marie Jackson, PhD Candidate, School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University

_Lasioglossum dotatum_ kerrysturat/iNaturalist, CC BY-NC-ND

Of the more than 20,000 bee species in the world, 70% nest in the ground. And like many of their counterparts that nest above ground, these bees are facing rapid population declines.

But while there has been research into providing habitat for above-ground cavity-nesting bees, the nesting ecology of ground-nesting bees remains largely understudied.

This gap in knowledge is concerning. For one, these bees play a crucial role in ecosystems. For another, ground-nesting bee habitats are threatened by land degradation, urbanisation, pesticides and agricultural expansion.

Our recent study addresses this research gap. Published this week in Austral Entomology, it examines the soil type preferences of ground-nesting bees and provides a simple, practical approach to enhancing their habitats.

A high diversity of native bees

Australia hosts a high diversity of native bees found nowhere else in the world – more than 1,600 scientifically named species.

Lasioglossum (Homalictus) dotatum is a small, ground-nesting bee species native to Australia. It measures approximately 3–4 mm.

Unlike the introduced European honey bee (Apis mellifera), which lives in large, highly organised colonies with complex social structures, L. dotatum exhibits an “apartment living” social structure, with independent nests situated close to one another. This aggregation behaviour indicates certain environmental or habitat features that are necessary for the species to thrive.

This species is widely distributed across mainland Australia. It nests in a range of sandy soil types. Because of this, it offers a valuable opportunity to examine how different environmental conditions shape its nesting preferences.

Lasioglossum (Homalictus) dotatum nests in a range of sandy soil types.
Laz/iNaturalist, CC BY-NC-ND

A prolific pollinator

A key feature of the nests of this species is the presence of small conical mounds of excavated soil, known as tumuli, which surround the entrance. These mounds can resemble small ant hills. As a result, the nests are sometimes mistaken for ant nests, leading to accidental pesticide application and destruction of the bees’ habitats.

This bee is also known to visit a range of plants of ecological importance, which makes understanding its role in ecosystems essential. It has been recorded visiting the flowers of jarrah, marri and yarri trees – all of which are vital for maintaining biodiversity and supporting wildlife in southwestern Australia.

Lasioglossum dotatum has also been observed in avocado orchards, a crop of significant economic value in Western Australia.

While it remains uncertain whether L. dotatum is a major crop pollinator, its presence in these orchards suggests it could play a supplementary role in pollination. This potentially makes it an intriguing subject for research exploring native alternatives to honey bees (Apis mellifera) for crop pollination.

Lasioglossum dotatum have been observed visiting the flowers of marri.
Hans Wismeijer/Shutterstock

Understanding bees’ nesting preferences

Our research focused on understanding the nesting preferences of L. dotatum. The study sought to explore how environmental features, such as soil type and surface cover, influenced where these bees chose to nest.

Specifically, the study tested whether L. dotatum preferred bare sand or rock gravel as a nesting substrate.

The study also examined whether the cleanliness of the sand – whether steam-treated or left untreated — impacted the bees’ nesting decisions.

The study used artificial nesting pots filled with sand from the Swan Coastal Plain, a region known for its sandy soils, to simulate nesting conditions around active bee aggregations. During the summer nesting season of February 2022, researchers monitored how the bees interacted with these artificial nesting sites, using the number of nest entrances (or tumuli) as a measure of nesting activity.

Getting into the gravel

Our study found L. dotatum strongly preferred nesting in pots covered with rock gravel over those with bare sand. This preference likely arises from the benefits provided by rock gravel, such as improved moisture retention, temperature regulation, and protection from predators.

The experimental pots with rock gravel had significantly more nest entrances. This indicated that rock cover helps create a more stable and favourable microhabitat for nesting.

The bees also showed a preference for steam-treated sand, suggesting that factors such as microbial contaminants or organic residues in untreated soil may deter nesting.

Interestingly, when the rock gravel was removed, many nests were found concealed beneath the gravel. This highlights the importance of rock cover in enhancing nest stability and reducing the risk of disturbance.

Lasioglossum dotatum preferred nesting in pots covered with rock gravel over those with bare sand.
Freya Marie Jackson, CC BY-NC-ND

A simple, practical approach to conservation

These findings have important implications for native bee conservation, particularly in urban and agricultural areas.

The preference for rock gravel suggests that incorporating this material into urban landscapes could improve nesting conditions for ground-nesting bees such as L. dotatum.

By creating spaces for these ground nesting bees, we can better support these vital pollinators.

As native bees continue to face habitat loss and degradation, these findings provide a simple, practical approach to enhancing their habitats, ultimately contributing to more sustainable pollinator populations in urban and rural settings alike.

Freya Marie Jackson received funding from the Australian Entomological Society (AES) through their “Small Grant Award”, which supported some of this research on native bees. Additionally, she has received a Research and Innovation Seed Grant Award from Murdoch University.

Wei Xu received funding from the Australian Entomological Society (AES) through their “Small Grant Award”, which supported some of this research on native bees. Additionally, he has received a Research and Innovation Seed Grant Award from Murdoch University.

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

– ref. Most bees nest in the ground. Offering rocks and gravel is a simple way to help them thrive – https://theconversation.com/most-bees-nest-in-the-ground-offering-rocks-and-gravel-is-a-simple-way-to-help-them-thrive-254707

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

April 17, 2025
MIL-OSI China: Vice premier stresses to strengthen innovation-driven growth

Source: China State Council Information Office 2

Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, inspects the Northwest Institute for Non-ferrous Metal Research during an inspection tour in northwest China’s Shaanxi Province on April 15, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang has called for the consolidation of development confidence and strengthened innovation-driven growth to enable steady progress in the country’s high-quality development.
Ding, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks during an inspection tour in northwest China’s Shaanxi province from Monday to Wednesday.
He stressed the importance of promoting the integrated development of sci-tech innovation and industrial innovation, and of accelerating the development of a modern industrial system.
Work must be done to maintain a fair, organized market order and prevent rat-race competition, Ding said, adding that basic research in the applied sciences should be enhanced.
He urged more efforts to make breakthroughs in key and core technologies, and efforts to increase support for investment in startups. More should be done to improve vocational education and help graduates find suitable jobs quickly, he said.
Opening to the outside world is a fundamental national policy for China, and the country is willing to deepen cooperation with all parties to achieve mutual benefits, Ding said.
Shaanxi should be integrated more deeply into the process of the joint construction of the Belt and Road, and move faster to build a highland for inland reform and opening-up, he noted.
At a symposium during the tour, Ding called for the effective implementation of central decisions and plans, and for the expansion of domestic demand on all fronts. He also stressed the need to help foreign trade enterprises overcome difficulties, and to make greater efforts to stabilize employment.
Ding expressed the hope that Shaanxi will give full play to its advantages and strive to write its own chapter of Chinese modernization.

MIL OSI China News –

April 17, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Secretary Noem Terminates $2.7 Million in DHS Grants; Orders Harvard to Prove Compliance with Foreign Student Requirements

Source: US Department of Homeland Security

WASHINGTON – Today, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced the cancelation of two DHS grants totaling over $2.7 million to Harvard University, declaring it unfit to be entrusted with taxpayer dollars. The Secretary also wrote a scathing letter demanding detailed records on Harvard’s foreign student visa holders’ illegal and violent activities by April 30, 2025, or face immediate loss of Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) certification.

“Harvard bending the knee to antisemitism — driven by its spineless leadership — fuels a cesspool of extremist riots and threatens our national security,” said Secretary Noem. “With anti-American, pro-Hamas ideology poisoning its campus and classrooms, Harvard’s position as a top institution of higher learning is a distant memory. America demands more from universities entrusted with taxpayer dollars.”

The $800,303 Implementation Science for Targeted Violence Prevention grant branded conservatives as far-right dissidents in a shockingly skewed study. The $1,934,902 Blue Campaign Program Evaluation and Violence Advisement grant funded Harvard’s public health propaganda. Both undermine America’s values and security.

This action follows President Donald J. Trump’s decision to freeze $2.2 billion in federal funding to Harvard University, proposing the revocation of its tax-exempt status over its radical ideology.

Since Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, Harvard’s foreign visa-holding rioters and faculty have spewed antisemitic hate, targeting Jewish students. With a $53.2 billion endowment, Harvard can fund its own chaos—DHS won’t. And if Harvard cannot verify it is in full compliance with its reporting requirements, the university will lose the privilege of enrolling foreign students.

###

MIL Security OSI –

April 17, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Senator Murray Tours Clover Park Technical College in Lakewood, Highlights Importance of Federal Funding Amid Trump Attacks on Education

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray
***PHOTOS, B-ROLL HERE***
Lakewood, WA — Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, toured Clover Park Technical College (CPTC) in Lakewood, met with students, educators and workforce readiness partners, and heard about how the college utilizes essential federal funding streams to support their students—support that could now be at risk with the Trump administration’s all-out assault on American education and their plans to dismantle the Department of Education, which provides critical resources for students and colleges in Washington state and across the country. Last year, the Department of Education distributed over $40 million in annual funding for career and technical education and workforce development in Washington state, and over $100 million in federal financial aid and support to help students across Washington attend and complete college.
During the visit, Senator Murray spoke with educators and their partner workforce readiness organizations about the programs that teach students transferrable professional skills that are vital for today’s workforce. Senator Murray met with educators and students in the college’s manufacturing, welding, and health sciences programs to learn about the hands-on approach their classes have been taking to prepare them for jobs. Clover Park receives over $3.2 million in annual federal financial aid and $1.1 million in federal loans to support students, through Pell Grants and programs including the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG), Emergency Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (EFSEOG) and Child Care Access Means Parents in School Program (CCAMPIS), which Senator Murray has long championed.
“It’s important to hear about and see firsthand the many unique workforce training programs Clover Park Technical College offers—and how students from different backgrounds are succeeding and integrating into the local workforce. It is schools and programs like these that help make Washington state’s economy stronger and prepare our students for the future,” said Senator Murray. “Right now, President Trump is taking a wrecking ball to education in America and trying to dismantle the Department of Education—which provides critical support to students and colleges, everything from Pell Grants to workforce development programs. The billionaires running our government may not understand why federal funding for our students and colleges matters—but the students and educators I met with today do. I will not sit back quietly while Trump tries to destroy public education in America.”
“We are thankful to Senator Patty Murray for visiting Clover Park’s Lakewood campus. We always welcome the opportunity to demonstrate our programs and to provide real-life examples of how education in a technical field can change students’ lives. Federal support for higher education not only allows our students to access the means to fund their education, it also builds capacity for small colleges like ours to equip our faculty to become exceptional teachers,” said Joyce Loveday, President of Clover Park Technical College. Joyce has been President since June 2016 and has been working with the CPTC community since 2002.
A senior member and former chair of the HELP Committee, Senator Murray has championed students and families at every stage of her career—fighting to help ensure every child in America can get a high-quality public education. Among other things, Senator Murray negotiated the bipartisan Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), landmark legislation that she got signed into law, replacing the broken No Child Left Behind Act. As a longtime appropriator, she has successfully fought to boost funding to support students and invest in our nation’s K-12 schools, and she has secured significant increases to the Pell Grant so that it goes further for students pursuing a higher education. Senator Murray also successfully negotiated the FAFSA Simplification Act, bipartisan legislation to reform the financial aid application process, simplify the FAFSA form for students and parents, and significantly expand eligibility for federal aid.
Earlier this month, Senator Murray led a letter to Secretary Linda McMahon demanding a reversal of a new policy the Department of Education announced recently that suddenly upended departmental policy and imposed new red tape on states, which will prevent them from accessing pandemic relief funds they are counting on to support students’ learning. Senator Murray also led a letter demanding detailed answers from the Department of Education about the mass firings and other detrimental actions which risk major reductions in support for and oversight of federal investments in our nation’s K-12 schools and institutions of higher education and threaten vital support for students with disabilities, access to Pell Grants and other financial aid, oversight of student loan servicers, scrutiny of for-profit colleges, and more. The letter follows an earlier March 6 letter Senator Murray sent alongside colleagues demanding answers about the chaotic, harmful actions taken by ED since January—which the Department has yet to respond to.
During Secretary Linda McMahon’s confirmation hearing, Senator Murray pressed McMahon on whether she will ensure approved funding gets out to serve students as the law requires and whether she would protect students’ data from DOGE. She also asked McMahon to name a single requirement of ESSA—and McMahon couldn’t name any. Ahead of McMahon’s confirmation, Senator Murray spoke out on the Senate floor against her nomination and sounded the alarm over President Trump and Elon Musk’s plans to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education.
A fact sheet outlining how the Department of Education supports students in Washington state is HERE.

MIL OSI USA News –

April 17, 2025
MIL-OSI New Zealand: Matariki 2025 – Puanga to be star of Matariki 2025

Source: Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Puanga to be star of Matariki 2025

This year’s theme of Matariki mā Puanga highlights communities who observe Puanga astronomical traditions and is all about celebrating and learning about the Māori new year together.

“Matariki and Puanga are stars that sit in the night sky together to signal the start of the Māori new year for different iwi,” says the government’s Chief Advisor Mātauranga Matariki, Professor Rangi Mātāmua.

Mātāmua says this year’s theme was chosen to help guide Puanga and Matariki celebrations around New Zealand and the world. The theme will feature at this year’s nationally broadcast hautapu ceremony hosted by Ngāti Rangi at the base of Ruapehu.

“While the stars that mark the beginning of the Māori new year may vary in some regions, the themes that underpin the ceremony and celebration are the same,” says Mātāmua.

“Both Puanga and Matariki are celebrations of an ancient lunar-solar time keeping system that can be found in civilisations around the world throughout history.

“It’s awesome to see understanding of Matariki grow in New Zealand, but even more so across the world as other cultures reconnect with their indigenous astronomical traditions.

“Three quarters (75%) of Kiwis see Matariki as a chance to celebrate the culture, people, and stories of Aotearoa, up from 70% in 2023. This trend suggests there’s a deepening appreciation for Matariki across the motu.

“Matariki brings together indigenous and western science, with institutions like NASA and the Royal Observatory in Greenwich keen to engage and grow their understanding of mātauranga Matariki and Puanga.

“Countries across the world are looking to see how Aotearoa New Zealand is bringing people together and embracing traditional Māori scientific knowledge of the stars,” says Mātāmua.

Che Wilson, spokesperson for Ngāti Rangi and leading mātauranga Puanga expert, acknowledges the significance of Puanga being in the spotlight for national celebrations.

“It is a great privilege to be the host of this year’s nationally broadcast hautapu which will feature Puanga as the star of this year’s celebrations,” says Wilson.

” Matariki mā Puanga acknowledges and embraces the different traditions, stars and tikanga around celebrating the Māori New Year and the different regional variations that exist.

“For Ngāti Rangi and other neighbouring iwi, we look to Puanga as the marker of the Māori new year.

“Puanga is the star Rigel and is the brightest star in the Orion constellation. Matariki is seen below Puanga and to the left of Tautoru (the three stars of Orion’s Belt) in the late autumn and early winter night sky.

“Matariki and Puanga are for everyone, and I encourage people to find out more about our stars above us,” says Wilson.

Ko Puanga te whetū o Matariki 2025

E whakaatu ana te kaupapa o tēnei tau, Matariki mā Puanga i ngā hapori e hāpai ana i ngā tikanga tātai arorangi mō Puanga, ā, ko te tino kaupapa ko te whakanui me te ako i ngā āhuatanga mō te tau hou Māori.

“Noho tahi ai ngā whetū a Matariki me Puanga i te rangi pō e tohu ana i te tīmatanga o te tau hou mō ētahi iwi,” te kī a te Kaitohutohu Mātāmua Mātauranga Matariki, a Ahorangi Rangi Mātāmua.

I kī a Mātāmua i tohua te kaupapa o tēnei tau hei āwhina ki te ārahi i ngā whakanuitanga o Puanga me Matariki puta noa i Aotearoa me te ao. Ka whakaaturia te kaupapa i te hautapu a Ngāti Rangi ka pāhōtia ki te motu i te take o Ruapehu.

“Ahakoa he rerekē pea ngā whetū o tēnā rohe, o tēnā rohe e tohu ana ngā whetū i te tīmatanga o te tau hou Māori, he ōrite tonu ngā kaupapa e paihere ana i ngā tikanga me te whakanui i te kaupapa,” te kī a Mātāmua.

“E whakanui ana a Puanga me Matariki i te tikanga o nehe mō te wā e kitea ana i roto i ngā iwi puta noa i te ao mai rā anō.

“Ka rawe te kite i te tipu o te mōhio mō Matariki i Aotearoa, otirā i te ao, i te tūhono anō o ngā iwi taketake ki ā rātau ake tikanga tātai arorangi.

“Mō te hautoru (75%) o ngāi Aotearoa he wā a Matariki e whakanui ai i ngā tikanga, te iwi, me ngā kōrero o Aotearoa, kua piki mai i te 70% i te tau 2023. E tohu ana tēnei i te kaingākau ki a Matariki i te motu whānui.

“E whakakotahi ana a Matariki i ngā mātauranga iwi taketake me te tauiwi, me te hiahia o ngā umanga pērā i a NASA me te Royal Observatory i Greenwich ki te torotoro mai me te whakatipu i tō rātau mārama ki te mātauranga mō Matariki me Puanga.

“Kei te mātakitaki ngā whenua o te ao i te āhua o te whakakotahi a Aotearoa i tōna iwi me te whai i ngā mātauranga a te Māori mō ngā whetū,” te kī a Mātāmua.

I kōrero a Che Wilson, te waha kōrero mō Ngāti Rangi me te pūkenga mātauranga mō Puanga, mō te hira o te puta whānui o ngā kōrero mō Puanga i ngā whakanuitanga ā-motu.

“He hōnore nui te whakahaere i te hautapu ka pāhōtia whānuitia ki te motu e kitea ai ko Puanga te whetū o tēnei tau,” te kī a Wilson.

“E kōrero ana Matariki mā Puanga mō ngā tikanga rerekē me ngā whetū rerekē mō te whakanui i te tau hou Māori me ōna āhuatanga ake o tēnā rohe, o tēnā rohe.

“Mō Ngāti Rangi me ngā iwi paetata mai, ko Puanga tō mātau tohu mō te tau hou Māori.

“Ko Puanga te whetū mārama rawa o Tautoru. Ka kitea a Matariki i raro o Puanga, ā, ki te taha mauī o Tautoru i te whakapaunga o te ngahuru me te kuhunga atu ki te takurua.

“Mō te katoa a Matariki me Puanga, ā, e whakahau ana ahau i te tangata ki te whai i ngā kōrero mō ō tātau whetū katoa i te rangi,” te kī a Wilson.

MIL OSI New Zealand News –

April 17, 2025
MIL-OSI New Zealand: Enduring Pacific bonds reinforced

Source: New Zealand Government

A high-level delegation from across Parliament has reinforced New Zealand’s enduring bonds to the Pacific over the past week, Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters says.
“Our New Zealand Parliamentarians drawn from five political parties, across government and opposition, have spent time in Tonga, Hawaii, Fiji and Vanuatu connecting with our Pacific family,” Mr Peters says.
“We live in challenging and uncertain times, and it is more important than ever that the Pacific works together towards a more secure, more prosperous and more resilient region.
“This visit has helped us to gain a fresh understanding of priorities from right across the region, in Polynesia, Melanesia and Micronesia – and what more New Zealand can do to help.”
Pacific Peoples, Science & Innovation, and Universities Minister Dr Shane Reti says higher education helps drive prosperity and, in tumultuous times, engenders understanding and tolerance.
“We are working to ensure New Zealand’s science, innovation and university sectors contribute to Pacific development for mutual benefit,” says Dr Reti.
Climate Change and Energy Minister, Simon Watts says New Zealand’s Pacific neighbours are among the most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.
“We are committed to collaborating with Pacific nations to increase energy security to help deal with the effects of climate change,” says Mr Watts.
Courts Minister Nicole McKee says the delegation benefited from engaging with a broad range of Pacific counterparts.
“Forging new relationships and re-connecting with established partners has been productive for both the New Zealand delegation and our Pacific brethren,” says Mrs McKee.
The other members of the delegation have been:

Deputy Leader of the Opposition, Carmel Sepuloni;
Chair of Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee, Tim van de Molen;
Co-Chairs of the New Zealand-Pacific Interparliamentary Friendship Group, Teanau Tuiono and Jenny Salesa; and
Chair of the Transport and Infrastructure Committee, Andy Foster.

The delegation returns to New Zealand later today (17 April).

MIL OSI New Zealand News –

April 17, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: British soldiers take down drone swarm in groundbreaking use of radio wave weapon
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 3

Press release

British soldiers take down drone swarm in groundbreaking use of radio wave weapon

British soldiers have successfully tracked, targeted and defeated swarms of drones in the latest trial of a new directed energy weapon developed in the UK.
Radiofrequency Directed Energy Weapon demonstrator

UK-made, invisible radio wave weapon knocks out drone swarms for the first time.

Weapon has potential to help protect against drone threats as nature of warfare changes.

The project supports more than 135 highly skilled jobs across the UK.

The trial was completed at a weapons range in West Wales and was the largest counter-drone swarm exercise the British Army have conducted to date.

The weapon system demonstrator is a type of Radiofrequency Directed Energy Weapon (RF DEW) and has proven capable of neutralising multiple targets simultaneously with near-instant effect.

The UK Government has invested more than £40 million in RF DEW research and development to date, supporting 135 highly skilled jobs in Northern Ireland and the South-East of England.

It uses high frequency radio waves to disrupt or damage critical electronic components inside drones, causing them to crash or malfunction.

At an estimated cost of 10p per shot fired, if developed into operational service it could provide a cost-effective complement to traditional missile-based air defence systems.

RF DEW systems can defeat airborne targets at ranges of up to 1km and are effective against threats which cannot be jammed using electronic warfare.

The successful trial comes as drone swarms are increasingly seen in use in frontline combat in Ukraine. UK Defence Intelligence estimates that last year Ukraine had to defend against attacks from more than 18,000 drones.

With national security a foundation for the Plan for Change, the government is significantly increasing the proportion of MOD’s equipment procurement spend on novel technologies, spending at least 10% from 2025-26. It follows the announcement of the biggest sustained increase in defence spending since the end of the Cold War, as the UK will spend 2.5% of GDP on defence by April 2027.

Minister for Defence Procurement and Industry, Rt Hon Maria Eagle MP, said:

This significant experiment exemplifies the strength of British innovation – driven by our home-grown industry, technology firms and scientific talent.

We continue to strengthen our defence sector, adding more cutting-edge capabilities to keep the UK secure at home and strong abroad, while making defence an engine for growth across our towns and cities.

The project has been delivered by Team Hersa – a collaboration between Defence Equipment & Support and the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory. The RF DEW demonstrator has been developed by an industry consortium led by Thales UK.

Successful experiments included the Army taking down two swarms of drones in a single engagement, and the project saw more than 100 drones being tracked, engaged and defeated using the weapon across all trials.

Sgt Mayers, a Senior Remotely-Piloted Air Systems Operator from 106 Regiment Royal Artillery, had the honour of being the first British soldier to bring down drones using a radiofrequency weapon.

Sgt Mayers said:

RF DEW is an exciting concept. We found the demonstrator quick to learn and easy to use. With improvements on range and power, which could come with further development, this would be a great asset to Layered Air Defence.

Protecting national security is the foundation of the Government’s Plan for Change and the development of RF DEW systems could help to protect the UK from unidentified drones at security sensitive areas such as defence bases, and could play a role in preventing disruption at airports.

The RF DEW development supports the Defence Industrial Strategy – to support the UK defence industry in mobilising to help face down global threats and ensuring the sector is an engine for growth in every region and nation of the UK. The MOD is working with a range of industry partners to deliver powerful future RF DEW capabilities for UK forces.

Thales, which led the development of the RF DEW demonstrator, employ around 100 highly skilled engineering and manufacturing staff in Northern Ireland on the project, and there are a further 30-35 highly skilled supply chain jobs in Chelmsford, Essex, that directly contribute to the development of the weapon demonstrator.

Nigel MacVean, MD of Thales Integrated Airspace-protection Systems, said:

Thales continues to be at the forefront of this pioneering technology, and we are proud to continue the research and development in this sector alongside our partners in Government.

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Published 17 April 2025
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
April 17, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: expert reaction to study of nitrogen fertilised grassland and pollen allergies
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

April 16, 2025

A study published in The Lancet Planetary Health looks at the impact of nitrogen fertiliser on pollen allergies.

Dr Roy Neilson, Soil Ecologist, The James Hutton Institute, said:

“Daelemans et al. take a novel approach of pollen assessment in considering the impact of nitrogen fertiliser application on pollen burden. Using a paired design at 25 grassland sites within a region of Belgium, and based on two sampling periods during May, the authors report that nitrogen-enriched grasslands had a 6·2-fold increase in pollen compared with their unfertilised paired grassland.

“The results of the study arguably support the importance of species-specific grass pollen monitoring given that a subset of grass species may have disproportionate influence on respiratory health responses during peak grass pollen concentrations¹. However, it is unclear how nitrogen driven increase in pollen will contribute to the predicted increase in pollen season severity by up to 60% due to a changing climate².

“Peaks in abundance of pollen occur at different times during the summer across the UK³ thus, it is unclear whether sampling in a single month as the study of Daelemans et al. would have the same outcome across the entire pollen season. Moreover, unlike tree pollen, a recent study reported that grass (Poaceae) pollen seasons are neither becoming more severe nor longer in the UK⁴.

“Adoption of Regenerative Agricultural principles⁵ such as reducing synthetic inputs (e.g., inorganic nitrogen-based fertiliser) has potential to contribute to the mitigation of the outcomes reported by Daelemans et al.”

References:

¹ Rowney, et al. (2021). Environmental DNA analysis reveals links between abundance and composition of airborne grass pollen and respiratory health. Current Biology, 31, 1-9.

² Kurganskiy, et al. (2021). Predicting the severity of the grass pollen season and the effect of climate change in Northwest Europe. Science Advances, 7, eabd7658.

³ Brennan, et al. (2019). Grass allergy season defined by spatio-temporal shifts in airborne pollen biodiversity. Nature Ecology and Evolution, 3, 750-754.

⁴ Adams-Groom, B., Selby, K., Derrett, S., Frisk, C.A., Pashley, C.H., Satchwell, J., King, D., McKenzie, G., and Neilson, R. (2022). Pollen season trends as markers of climate change impact: Betula, Quercus and Poaceae. Science of the Total Environment, 831, 154882.

⁵ British Ecological Society (2025). Regenerative Agriculture in the UK: An Ecological Perspective. London, UK.

Dr Roberto Picetti, Assistant Professor, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) said:

“This study highlights the impact of nitrogen pollution on allergies, which is an under-recognised pathway affecting human health.

“These findings are relevant to the UK, where nitrogen pollution remains a concern both in agricultural areas and in cities, and is already linked to other environmental and health problems, including respiratory illness, biodiversity loss, and air and water quality degradation.

“It builds on well-established research which continues to find a link between high levels of nitrogen and changes in plant communities and pollen abundance, and to increased immune responses in individuals who are allergic to grass pollen.

“This is a high-quality study that adds valuable evidence to an important and emerging area of public health. The conclusions are well grounded in the data, do not overstate the implications, and make a compelling case for further research and policy attention. Although observational studies are not able to account for every possible variable, this research uses a range of scientific approaches, such as ecology, molecular analysis and immunological testing, to strengthen its conclusions.

“This study is a valuable step towards understanding and addressing the growing problem of pollen allergies and supports the case for more comprehensive environmental policies that consider both the health and ecological impacts of nitrogen pollution.

“By reducing nitrogen pollution, we could help protect biodiversity and lessen the severity of pollen allergies.”

(from our friends at SMC Spain) Dr José Gómez Rial, Head of the Immunology Department at the Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Santiago de Compostela (CHUS), Servicio Gallego de Salud (SERGAS) (Spain), said:

“The study shows that nitrogen-enriched meadows produce up to six times more pollen than their unfertilised equivalents, and that this pollen has a greater capacity to activate immune cells in allergy sufferers, with a 5.1-fold increase in sensitivity in basophil activation tests and a 1.3-fold increase in specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels. Although the exact mechanism is not detailed in the article, it is plausible that excess nitrogen modifies the biochemical composition of pollen, increasing the quantity or proportion of allergenic proteins synthesised by the plant, which would enhance its capacity to activate the immune system.

“These findings have important implications for both ecology and health. On the one hand, they reveal that nitrogen pollution not only affects plant biodiversity but can also directly aggravate highly prevalent allergic diseases such as rhinitis or seasonal asthma. On the other hand, they emphasise the need to integrate public health into environmental policies: reducing nitrogen emissions and limiting the use of fertilisers would not only contribute to preserving ecosystems but could also reduce the burden of disease associated with respiratory allergies. The concept of One Health applies not only to human and animal health, but also to plant health and the environment”.

(from our friends at SMC Spain) Prof África González-Fernández, Researcher at CINBIO, Professor of Immunology at the University of Vigo (Spain), said:

“The experiment is well-reasoned, but they analyse few cases (25 people in rich areas and 25 in areas not enriched with fertilisers). It has not been done in other areas, and the in vitro trials were carried out with 20 subjects. There is a lack of healthy controls.

“There are studies from years ago on the increase in allergy and nitrogen fertilisers, as well as on NO2 levels and allergy. There is a lot of literature on the subject. Other studies have been carried out measuring IgE levels and they have included a basophil release test, which is currently used routinely in immunology laboratories in hospitals. They conclude that allergic patients recognise more proteins in the pollen of fertilised plants (enriched in nitrogen) than in those that are not fertilised, with more production of specific IgE and more release of mediators by basophils when exposed to fertilised pollen.

“The same authors wrote a review in 2023: Impact of environmental nitrogen pollution on pollen allergy: A scoping review. In Table 4 they describe the mechanisms by which NO2 would affect pollen and the allergic response.

“I see several limitations:
1. The low number of allergic patients.
2. They do not include control cases.
3. At high pollen concentrations, there are no in vitro differences in the basophil release study. They do not correlate these data with the actual pollen count that could be in the environment.
4. They have only taken into account serum levels of IgE antibodies against pollen, basophil release and immunoblot studies [a technique for the identification of proteins]. They have not studied cellular responses (T lymphocytes, NK cells) which they do carry out in other studies. As an example of immunological studies, a study was also carried out in Madrid years ago on the ability of pollen to activate lymphocytes and NK cells, and it has been seen (https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1398-9995.2007.01438.x) that pollen-allergic asthmatic patients, when they live in more polluted areas, present more and more severe symptoms.
5. There is already previous data on pollen: Cuinica et al. (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24361564/), Zhao et al. (https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/pce.12601), Chassard et al.(https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25463703/) ”
‘The impact of ecosystem nitrogen enrichment on pollen allergy: a cross-sectional paired comparison study’ by Robin Daelemans et al. was published in The Lancet Planetary Health at 23:30 UK time on Wednesday 16^th April 2025.

Declared interests

Dr Roberto Picetti: No conflicts of interest to declare.

For all other experts, no reply to our request for DOIs was received.
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
April 17, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: 04.16.2025 Chairmen Cruz and Babin Lead State Delegation in Support of Relocating NASA HQ to Texas

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Texas Ted Cruz

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee Chairman Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and U.S. House Science, Space, and Technology Committee Chairman Brian Babin (R-Texas-36) led a bicameral coalition of federal lawmakers representing Texas communities in sending a letter to President Trump urging his administration to move the headquarters for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) from Washington, D.C. to the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston, Texas. The lease for NASA’s current DC office expires in 2028.
In the letter, the lawmakers argue that NASA is disconnected from the day-to-day work of its centers and hindered by bureaucratic micromanagement in Washington, D.C. Houston is well suited for NASA’s headquarters because of JSC’s substantial involvement in nearly everything that makes America a leader in space exploration. JSC maintains the largest NASA workforce, accommodates extensive research and development partnerships, and houses Mission Control, the NASA astronaut corps, and the Lunar Sample Laboratory Facility.
Additionally, Texas boasts a strong business environment, low government regulation, a robust commercial space sector, and a cost of living that is less than half of the Washington, D.C. area. Moving the NASA headquarters to Texas will create more jobs, save taxpayer dollars, and reinvigorate America’s space agency.
Joining Sen. Cruz and Rep. Babin in sending the letter are Sen. John Cornyn and Reps. Jodey Arrington, John Carter, Michael Cloud, Dan Crenshaw, Monica De La Cruz, Jake Ellzey, Pat Fallon, Brandon Gill, Craig Goldman, Tony Gonzales, Lance Gooden, Wesley Hunt, Ronny Jackson, Morgan Luttrell, Michael McCaul, Nathaniel Moran, Troy E. Nehls, August Pfluger, Chip Roy, Keith Self, Pete Sessions, Beth Van Duyne, Randy Weber, and Roger Williams.
As the lawmakers wrote:
“From its founding in 1958, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has a storied history of exploring new frontiers, making transformational discoveries, and reaching far into the great beyond. However, as NASA’s leadership has languished in our nation’s capital, the core missions of this critical agency are more divided than ever before. This seismic disconnect between NASA’s headquarters and its missions has opened the door to bureaucratic micromanagement and an erosion of centers’ interdependence. For NASA to return to its core mission of excellence in exploration, its headquarters should be located at a place where NASA’s most critical missions are and where transformational leadership from the ground up can be provided. In 2028 the lease for NASA’s current headquarters building in Washington, D.C. expires. We write to urge you to use this opportunity to reinvigorate our national space agency and move NASA’s headquarters from Washington D.C. to the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston, Texas.
“Perhaps no city is more closely linked to America’s space program than ‘Space City.’ Some of the first words spoken on the surface of the moon called out to Houston which is home to numerous aerospace businesses. JSC in particular is the largest home of the NASA workforce, with more than 12,000 employees across its 1,620-acre facility and supporting more than 52,000 public and private jobs. As the pinnacle of human spaceflight development, Houston is home to Mission Control, the NASA astronaut corps, the Lunar Sample Laboratory Facility, commercial space agreements, and extensive research and development partnerships. JSC plays a role in nearly everything that makes America a leader in space exploration.
“Houston is particularly well suited for NASA’s headquarters due in part to the unique strengths of the city and the state. Texas is the eighth largest economy in the world, with low government regulation and a strong business environment. Houston boasts a cost of living that is less than half that of the Washington, D.C. area ; three ‘R1: Doctoral Universities’ producing the high caliber professionals necessary for human spaceflight; and two major commercial service airports for easy connectivity around the country. In contrast, NASA’s current headquarters in Washington, D.C. is disconnected from the NASA centers across the country and thus much of the day-to-day work. Consolidating greater and greater levels of work and authority in Washington, D.C. has been a decades-long trend, resulting in decision making funneled up to bureaucrats at headquarters rather than empowering scientists and astronauts across the centers. This strategy has separated decision makers from the actual workforce and stands antithetical to NASA’s core function.
“Relatedly, for the United States to reach the surface of Mars, NASA must rely on a robust commercial space sector. Towards that end, no state offers greater economic and geographic benefits than Texas. The Lone Star State is home to more than 2,000 aerospace, aviation, and defense-related companies, with 18 of the 20 largest aerospace companies based in Texas. Notably, SpaceX relocated their entire company to Texas, establishing the town of Starbase, Texas, to develop, test, and launch SpaceX vehicles. Similarly, Blue Origin develops engines and rockets in West Texas, leading a new generation of spaceflight, and conducts its commercial sub-orbital flights there. Firefly Aerospace, in Cedar Park, recently sent photos of Earth from its Blue Ghost lunar lander on its voyage to explore the surface of the moon. Axiom Space, based in Houston, is building the next generation spacesuit for NASA and a commercial space station to succeed the International Space Station. In addition, the State of Texas recently stood up the Texas Space Commission to promote innovation in space operations and commercial aerospace and to attract commercial space ventures to the state. These are just a few of the ways Texas aerospace companies, projects, and institutions are transforming our nation’s leadership in the space economy.
“A central location among NASA’s centers and the geographical center of the United States, Houston offers the ideal location for NASA to return to its core mission of space exploration and to do so at a substantially lower operating cost than in Washington, D.C. Therefore, we strongly encourage you to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the great servants of NASA — who are focused on recommitting America’s space agency to its roots and exploring the final frontier — by relocating NASA’s headquarters from Washington, D.C. to the Johnson Space Center.”
Read the full text of the letter HERE.

MIL OSI USA News –

April 17, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: ‘STOP the American takeover of Canada!’ — Inspiration and humour from a London, Ont. art movement

Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Ruth Skinner, Sessional instructor, School for Advanced Studies in the Arts & Humanities, Western University

Facing American tariffs and taunts of becoming the 51st state, Canada can look inward for inspiration, humour and reassurance.

On social media, many arts figures or associations have shared versions of Canadian artist Greg Curnoe’s (1936-92) Map of North America.

As seen on accounts that include the Arts Canada Institute, the Banff Centre’s Derek Beaulieu, filmmaker Stephen Broomer, the Embassy Cultural House, the Curnoe estate and others, the map erases the United States from the continent. It re-imagines the longest border to lie between Canada and Mexico.

Curnoe’s Map of North America, first created in 1972, is inseparable from his hometown of London, Ont. The work, artist and city offer valuable insights for navigating this new relationship with our nearest neighbour. My recent doctoral dissertation explores the cosmopolitan outlook of London’s artists and arts publishers, both historic and present. This includes their incisive commentary on Canada-U.S. relations.

London as test market

London is a leading test market for Canadian and American retailers. This is thanks to its moderate size, demographic composition and proximity to major cities, highways and the border.

Test marketing involves localized experience with a concept or product before incurring large-scale expense. A landmark example for London was the development of Wellington Square, North America’s first enclosed shopping centre, in 1961.

A 1967 cover of the London arts publication 20 Cents Magazine satirically celebrated this “test market” status. It also chided the reader: “Are you getting your share of the business, for fair?” Artists of London have long played with the local flavour of their city, and the city has a distinct arts scene.

Distinct arts scene

Curator and author Barry Lord profiled the city in a 1969 Art in America feature entitled “What London, Ontario Has That Everywhere Else Needs.” Lord positioned London as “younger than Montréal, livelier than Toronto, vying with Vancouver in variety and sheer quantity of output [and] in many ways the most important of the four.”

This scene included the burgeoning London Regionalist movement — an art movement of which Curnoe was a feature — and the birth of Canadian Artists’ Representation (now Canadian Artists’ Representation/Le Front des artistes canadiens). Lord lauded London artists as “indelibly Canadian, and perhaps among the first global villagers.”

Nationalist with wicked humour

What would Curnoe make of the present dynamic between Canada and its closest neighbour?

“I think he would be fired up,” says Jennie Kraehling, associate director of Michael Gibson Gallery, which represents the Curnoe estate.

Kraehling continues: “Greg would be making a lot of statements, and I think he’d be very passionate. Just knowing his devout patriotism, his interest in the local and his pro-Canadian sentiments, I think that he would be trying to get a movement going.” Rather than anti-American, however, Kraehling describes Curnoe as a nationalist with a wicked sense of humour.

As the late journalist Robert Fulford wrote in a 2001 column, in the early 80s Curnoe noted: “My work is about resisting as much as possible the tendency of American culture to overwhelm other cultures.”

Social critique

Historian Judith Rodger emphasizes Curnoe’s Map as “tongue-in-cheek” even as it levies sharp social critique. Observing the negotiations between Canada, the U.S. and Mexico that would lead to the North American Free Trade Agreement, Curnoe revisited the work through the 1980s and 1990s in lithographs and clay.

Curnoe’s Nihilist Party of Canada (NPC), an absurdist political movement formed in 1963, advertised regularly in 20 Cents magazine. One ad encouraged the reader to “STOP the American takeover of Canada,” and to “Stop Pollution, Stop Killing, Stop Exploitation … Get off your Butt – Do Something! THINK NEGATIVELY.”

Rodger notes that despite its strong politics, the party had “no platform and no candidates.”

The NPC preceded the Nihilist Spasm Band, an internationally lauded, multi-member noise band that inspired a second generation of artistic collaboration. Members have included performers John Boyle, Murray Favro, John Clement, Bill Exley, Art Pratten, Aya Onishi, as well as the late Hugh McIntyre, Archie Leitch and Curnoe.

The track “Destroy the Nations” opens their 1968 No Record album. It begins with Pratten railing: “Destroy the nations! Destroy America! England is dead! Destroy America! AHHHHHH!” The NSB’s performance is a howl against imperial servitude and corporate greed.

In a city forever mimicking the topography and titles of an older London, and so close to the U.S., Ontario’s Londoners are aware of an implied second-fiddle position. Yet Curnoe volleyed his pro-Canadian attitude at the border, just 200 kilometres south. In one of his bicycle series paintings, Mariposa 10 Speed No. 2 (1973), the words “CLOSE THE 49th PARALLEL ETC.” are emblazoned across Curnoe’s bike’s top tube.

Canada, U.S. markets and fine art

Yet the situation is not entirely insular, nor is it comparable with the “Buy Canadian” encouragement seen at supermarkets, liquor stores and other retail outlets today.

Canada’s art market is, in the words of Mackenzie Sinclair of the Art Dealers Association of Canada, “a fragile ecosystem.” Canada’s GDP (including its art) is deeply integrated with the U.S.: many Canadian artists have American dealers, show in American galleries and use American-made materials.

With ongoing threats of American tariffs and export restrictions, Canadian collectors and galleries are abstaining from American art fairs and seeking stronger connections with European markets. Canada’s only international art fair, Art Toronto, is fostering a special new partnership with Mexican galleries, enacting a version of Curnoe’s Map of North America in real time.

Curation about nationalist rhetoric

Curnoe’s nationalist perspective is an important one right now. However, nationalism can quickly devolve into dangerous and exclusivist rhetoric.

Until recently, London-based artist Angie Quick was in a group exhibition curated by Andil Gosine for Washington’s Art Museum of the Americas. The show was abruptly cancelled. Speaking with the Globe and Mail, Gosine speculated this was due to due to the museum pre-emptively bending to the new political order in D.C. in light of the exhibition’s queer perspectives.

For Quick, this cancellation signals a transnational warning. She notes that The Museum of the Americas is an arm of the Organization of the American States, a regional organization that brings together North and South American governments including Canada, the U.S. and Mexico.

The call to cancel, she says, far exceeds a phenomena happening only in the U.S.:

“It is a reminder of what role funding has in liberation politics when it comes to the arts. And as we [Canadians] like to other ourselves from the U.S. it’s just as important to remember we are just as much at risk to nationalism dictating values in the arts.”

Ruth Skinner has received funding from The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) and the London Arts Council (LAC).

– ref. ‘STOP the American takeover of Canada!’ — Inspiration and humour from a London, Ont. art movement – https://theconversation.com/stop-the-american-takeover-of-canada-inspiration-and-humour-from-a-london-ont-art-movement-252980

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

April 17, 2025
MIL-OSI Economics: AI-powered deception: Emerging fraud threats and countermeasures
Source: Microsoft

Headline: AI-powered deception: Emerging fraud threats and countermeasures

Introduction | Security snapshot | Threat briefing
Defending against attacks | Expert profile

Microsoft maintains a continuous effort to protect its platforms and customers from fraud and abuse. From blocking imposters on Microsoft Azure and adding anti-scam features to Microsoft Edge, to fighting tech support fraud with new features in Windows Quick Assist, this edition of Cyber Signals takes you inside the work underway and important milestones achieved that protect customers.

We are all defenders. 

Between April 2024 and April 2025, Microsoft:
- Thwarted $4 billion in fraud attempts.
- Rejected 49,000 fraudulent partnership enrollments.
- Blocked about 1.6 million bot signup attempts per hour.
The evolution of AI-enhanced cyber scams

AI has started to lower the technical bar for fraud and cybercrime actors looking for their own productivity tools, making it easier and cheaper to generate believable content for cyberattacks at an increasingly rapid rate. AI software used in fraud attempts runs the gamut, from legitimate apps misused for malicious purposes to more fraud-oriented tools used by bad actors in the cybercrime underground.

AI tools can scan and scrape the web for company information, helping cyberattackers build detailed profiles of employees or other targets to create highly convincing social engineering lures. In some cases, bad actors are luring victims into increasingly complex fraud schemes using fake AI-enhanced product reviews and AI-generated storefronts, where scammers create entire websites and e-commerce brands, complete with fake business histories and customer testimonials. By using deepfakes, voice cloning, phishing emails, and authentic-looking fake websites, threat actors seek to appear legitimate at wider scale.

According to the Microsoft Anti-Fraud Team, AI-powered fraud attacks are happening globally, with much of the activity coming from China and Europe, specifically Germany due in part to Germany’s status as one of the largest e-commerce and online services markets in the European Union (EU). The larger a digital marketplace in any region, the more likely a proportional degree of attempted fraud will take place.

E-commerce fraud

Fraudulent e-commerce websites can be set up in minutes using AI and other tools requiring minimal technical knowledge. Previously, it would take threat actors days or weeks to stand up convincing websites. These fraudulent websites often mimic legitimate sites, making it challenging for consumers to identify them as fake.

Using AI-generated product descriptions, images, and customer reviews, customers are duped into believing they are interacting with a genuine merchant, exploiting consumer trust in familiar brands.

AI-powered customer service chatbots add another layer of deception by convincingly interacting with customers. These bots can delay chargebacks by stalling customers with scripted excuses and manipulating complaints with AI-generated responses that make scam sites appear professional.

In a multipronged approach, Microsoft has implemented robust defenses across our products and services to protect customers from AI-powered fraud. Microsoft Defender for Cloud provides comprehensive threat protection for Azure resources, including vulnerability assessments and threat detection for virtual machines, container images, and endpoints.

Microsoft Edge features website typo protection and domain impersonation protection using deep learning technology to help users avoid fraudulent websites. Edge has also implemented a machine learning-based Scareware Blocker to identify and block potential scam pages and deceptive pop-up screens with alarming warnings claiming a computer has been compromised. These attacks try to frighten users into calling fraudulent support numbers or downloading harmful software.

Job and employment fraud

The rapid advancement of generative AI has made it easier for scammers to create fake listings on various job platforms. They generate fake profiles with stolen credentials, fake job postings with auto-generated descriptions, and AI-powered email campaigns to phish job seekers. AI-powered interviews and automated emails enhance the credibility of job scams, making it harder for job seekers to identify fraudulent offers.

To prevent this, job platforms should introduce multifactor authentication for employer accounts to make it harder for bad actors to take over legitimate hirers’ listings and use available fraud-detection technologies to catch suspicious content.

Fraudsters often ask for personal information, such as resumes or even bank account details, under the guise of verifying the applicant’s information. Unsolicited text and email messages offering employment opportunities that promise high pay for minimal qualifications are typically an indicator of fraud.

Employment offers that include requests for payment, offers that seem too good to be true, unsolicited offers or interview requests over text message, and a lack of formal communication platforms can all be indicators of fraud.

Tech support scams

Tech support scams are a type of fraud where scammers trick victims into unnecessary technical support services to fix a device or software problems that don’t exist. The scammers may then gain remote access to a computer—which lets them access all information stored on it, and on any network connected to it or install malware that gives them access to the computer and sensitive data.

Tech support scams are a case where elevated fraud risks exist, even if AI does not play a role. For example, in mid-April 2024, Microsoft Threat Intelligence observed the financially motivated and ransomware-focused cybercriminal group Storm-1811 abusing Windows Quick Assist software by posing as IT support. Microsoft did not observe AI used in these attacks; Storm-1811 instead impersonated legitimate organizations through voice phishing (vishing) as a form of social engineering, convincing victims to grant them device access through Quick Assist.

Quick Assist is a tool that enables users to share their Windows or macOS device with another person over a remote connection. Tech support scammers often pretend to be legitimate IT support from well-known companies and use social engineering tactics to gain the trust of their targets. They then attempt to employ tools like Quick Assist to connect to the target’s device.

Quick Assist and Microsoft are not compromised in these cyberattack scenarios; however, the abuse of legitimate software presents risk Microsoft is focused on mitigating. Informed by Microsoft’s understanding of evolving cyberattack techniques, the company’s anti-fraud and product teams work closely together to improve transparency for users and enhance fraud detection techniques.

The Storm-1811 cyberattacks highlight the capability of social engineering to circumvent security defenses. Social engineering involves collecting relevant information about targeted victims and arranging it into credible lures delivered through phone, email, text, or other mediums. Various AI tools can quickly find, organize, and generate information, thus acting as productivity tools for cyberattackers. Although AI is a new development, enduring measures to counter social engineering attacks remain highly effective. These include increasing employee awareness of legitimate helpdesk contact and support procedures, and applying Zero Trust principles to enforce least privilege across employee accounts and devices, thereby limiting the impact of any compromised assets while they are being addressed.

Microsoft has taken action to mitigate attacks by Storm-1811 and other groups by suspending identified accounts and tenants associated with inauthentic behavior. If you receive an unsolicited tech support offer, it is likely a scam. Always reach out to trusted sources for tech support. If scammers claim to be from Microsoft, we encourage you to report it directly to us at https://www.microsoft.com/reportascam.

Building on the Secure Future Initiative (SFI), Microsoft is taking a proactive approach to ensuring our products and services are “Fraud-resistant by Design.” In January 2025, a new fraud prevention policy was introduced: Microsoft product teams must now perform fraud prevention assessments and implement fraud controls as part of their design process.

Recommendations
- Strengthen employer authentication: Fraudsters often hijack legitimate company profiles or create fake recruiters to deceive job seekers. To prevent this, job platforms should introduce multifactor authentication and Verified ID as part of Microsoft Entra ID for employer accounts, making it harder for unauthorized users to gain control.
- Monitor for AI-based recruitment scams: Companies should deploy deepfake detection algorithms to identify AI-generated interviews where facial expressions and speech patterns may not align naturally.
- Be cautious of websites and job listings that seem too good to be true: Verify the legitimacy of websites by checking for secure connections (https) and using tools like Microsoft Edge’s typo protection.
- Avoid providing personal information or payment details to unverified sources: Look for red flags in job listings, such as requests for payment or communication through informal platforms like text messages, WhatsApp, nonbusiness Gmail accounts, or requests to contact someone on a personal device for more information.
Using Microsoft’s security signal to combat fraud

Microsoft is actively working to stop fraud attempts using AI and other technologies by evolving large-scale detection models based on AI, such as machine learning, to play defense by learning from and mitigating fraud attempts. Machine learning is the process that helps a computer learn without direct instruction using algorithms to discover patterns in large datasets. Those patterns are then used to create a comprehensive AI model, allowing for predictions with high accuracy.

We have developed in-product safety controls that warn users about potential malicious activity and integrate rapid detection and prevention of new types of attacks.

Our fraud team has developed domain impersonation protection using deep-learning technology at the domain creation stage, to help protect against fraudulent e-commerce websites and fake job listings. Microsoft Edge has incorporated website typo protection, and we have developed AI-powered fake job detection systems for LinkedIn.

Microsoft Defender Smartscreen is a cloud-based security feature that aims to prevent unsafe browsing habits by analyzing websites, files, and applications based on their reputation and behavior. It is integrated into Windows and the Edge browser to help protect users from phishing attacks, malicious websites, and potentially harmful downloads.

Furthermore, Microsoft’s Digital Crimes Unit (DCU) partners with others in the private and public sector to disrupt the malicious infrastructure used by criminals perpetuating cyber-enabled fraud. The team’s longstanding collaboration with law enforcement around the world to respond to tech support fraud has resulted in hundreds of arrests and increasingly severe prison sentences worldwide. The DCU is applying key learnings from past actions to disrupt those who seek to abuse generative AI technology for malicious or fraudulent purposes.

Quick Assist features and remote help combat tech support fraud

To help combat tech support fraud, we have incorporated warning messages to alert users about possible tech support scams in Quick Assist before they grant access to someone approaching them purporting to be an authorized IT department or other support resource.

Windows users must read and click the box to acknowledge the security risk of granting remote access to the device.

Microsoft has significantly enhanced Quick Assist protection for Windows users by leveraging its security signal. In response to tech support scams and other threats, Microsoft now blocks an average of 4,415 suspicious Quick Assist connection attempts daily, accounting for approximately 5.46% of global connection attempts. These blocks target connections exhibiting suspicious attributes, such as associations with malicious actors or unverified connections.

Microsoft’s continual focus on advancing Quick Assist safeguards seeks to counter adaptive cybercriminals, who previously targeted individuals opportunistically with fraudulent connection attempts, but more recently have sought to target enterprises with more organized cybercrime campaigns that Microsoft’s actions have helped disrupt.

Our Digital Fingerprinting capability, which leverages AI and machine learning, drives these safeguards by providing fraud and risk signals to detect fraudulent activity. If our risk signals detect a possible scam, the Quick Assist session is automatically ended. Digital Fingerprinting works by collecting various signals to detect and prevent fraud.

For enterprises combating tech support fraud, Remote Help is another valuable resource for employees. Remote Help is designed for internal use within an organization and includes features that make it ideal for enterprises.

By reducing scams and fraud, Microsoft aims to enhance the overall security of its products and protect its users from malicious activities.

Consumer protection tips

Fraudsters exploit psychological triggers such as urgency, scarcity, and trust in social proof. Consumers should be cautious of:
- Impulse buying—Scammers create a sense of urgency with “limited-time” deals and countdown timers.
- Trusting fake social proof—AI generates fake reviews, influencer endorsements, and testimonials to appear legitimate.
- Clicking on ads without verification—Many scam sites spread through AI-optimized social media ads. Consumers should cross-check domain names and reviews before purchasing.
- Ignoring payment security—Avoid direct bank transfers or cryptocurrency payments, which lack fraud protections.
Job seekers should verify employer legitimacy, be on the lookout for common job scam red flags, and avoid sharing personal or financial information with unverified employers.
- Verify employer legitimacy—Cross-check company details on LinkedIn, Glassdoor, and official websites to verify legitimacy.
- Notice common job scam red flags—If a job requires upfront payments for training materials, certifications, or background checks, it is likely a scam. Unrealistic salaries or no-experience-required remote positions should be approached with skepticism. Emails from free domains (such as johndoehr@gmail.com instead of hr@company.com) are also typically indicators of fraudulent activity.
- Be cautious of AI-generated interviews and communications—If a video interview seems unnatural, with lip-syncing delays, robotic speech, or odd facial expressions, it could be deepfake technology at work. Job seekers should always verify recruiter credentials through the company’s official website before engaging in any further discussions.
- Avoid sharing personal or financial information—Under no circumstances should you provide a Social Security number, banking details, or passwords to an unverified employer.
Microsoft is also a member of the Global Anti-Scam Alliance (GASA), which aims to bring governments, law enforcement, consumer protection organizations, financial authorities and providers, brand protection agencies, social media, internet service providers, and cybersecurity companies together to share knowledge and protect consumers from getting scammed.

Recommendations
- Remote Help: Microsoft recommends using Remote Help instead of Quick Assist for internal tech support. Remote Help is designed for internal use within an organization and incorporates several features designed to enhance security and minimize the risk of tech support hacks. It is engineered to be used only within an organization’s tenant, providing a safer alternative to Quick Assist.
- Digital Fingerprinting: This identifies malicious behaviors and ties them back to specific individuals. This helps in monitoring and preventing unauthorized access.
- Blocking full control requests: Quick Assist now includes warnings and requires users to check a box acknowledging the security implications of sharing their screen. This adds a layer of helpful “security friction” by prompting users who may be multitasking or preoccupied to pause to complete an authorization step.
Kelly Bissell: A cybersecurity pioneer combating fraud in the new era of AI

Kelly Bissell’s journey into cybersecurity began unexpectedly in 1990. Initially working in computer science, Kelly was involved in building software for healthcare patient accounting and operating systems at Medaphis and Bellsouth, now AT&T.

His interest in cybersecurity was sparked when he noticed someone logged into a phone switch attempting to get free long-distance calls and traced the intruder back to Romania. This incident marked the beginning of Kelly’s career in cybersecurity.

“I stayed in cybersecurity hunting for bad actors, integrating security controls for hundreds of companies, and helping shape the NIST security frameworks and regulations such as FFIEC, PCI, NERC-CIP,” he explains.

Currently, Kelly is Corporate Vice President of Anti-Fraud and Product Abuse within Microsoft Security. Microsoft’s fraud team employs machine learning and AI to build better detection code and understand fraud operations. They use AI-powered solutions to detect and prevent cyberthreats, leveraging advanced fraud detection frameworks that continuously learn and evolve.

“Cybercrime is a trillion-dollar problem, and it’s been going up every year for the past 30 years. I think we have an opportunity today to adopt AI faster so we can detect and close the gap of exposure quickly. Now we have AI that can make a difference at scale and help us build security and fraud protections into our products much faster.”

Previously Kelly managed the Microsoft Detection and Response Team (DART) and created the Global Hunting, Oversight, and Strategic Triage (GHOST) team that detected and responded to attackers such as Storm-0558 and Midnight Blizzard.

Prior to Microsoft, during his time at Accenture and Deloitte, Kelly collaborated with companies and worked extensively with government agencies like the Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, where he helped build security systems inside their operations.

His time as Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) at a bank exposed him to addressing both cybersecurity and fraud, leading to his involvement in shaping regulatory guidelines to protect banks and eventually Microsoft.

Kelly has also played a significant role in shaping regulations around the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and Payment Card Industry (PCI) compliance, which helps ensure the security of businesses’ credit card transactions, among others.

Internationally, Kelly played a crucial role in helping establish agencies and improve cybersecurity measures. As a consultant in London, he helped stand up the United Kingdom’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), which is part of the Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ), the equivalent of CISA. Kelly’s efforts in content moderation with several social media companies, including YouTube, were instrumental in removing harmful content.

That’s why he’s excited about Microsoft’s partnership with GASA. GASA brings together governments, law enforcement, consumer protection organizations, financial authorities, internet service providers, cybersecurity companies, and others to share knowledge and define joint actions to protect consumers from getting scammed.

“If I protect Microsoft, that’s good, but it’s not sufficient. In the same way, if Apple does their thing, and Google does their thing, but if we’re not working together, we’ve all missed the bigger opportunity. We must share cybercrime information with each other and educate the public. If we can have a three-pronged approach of tech companies building security and fraud protection into their products, public awareness, and sharing cybercrime and fraudster information with law enforcement, I think we can make a big difference,” he says.

Next steps with Microsoft Security

To learn more about Microsoft Security solutions, visit our website. Bookmark the Security blog to keep up with our expert coverage on security matters. Also, follow us on LinkedIn (Microsoft Security) and X (@MSFTSecurity) for the latest news and updates on cybersecurity.

Methodology: Microsoft platforms and services, including Azure, Microsoft Defender for Office, Microsoft Threat Intelligence, and Microsoft Digital Crimes Unit (DCU), provided anonymized data on threat actor activity and trends. Additionally, Microsoft Entra ID provided anonymized data on threat activity, such as malicious email accounts, phishing emails, and attacker movement within networks. Additional insights are from the daily security signals gained across Microsoft, including the cloud, endpoints, the intelligent edge, and telemetry from Microsoft platforms and services. The $4 billion figure represents an aggregated total of fraud and scam attempts against Microsoft and our customers in consumer and enterprise segments (in 12 months).
MIL OSI Economics –
April 17, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Cantwell Joins WA Small Business Owners at Port of Seattle to Explain Harms of Trump Trade Wars
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Washington Maria Cantwell
04.16.25

Cantwell Joins WA Small Business Owners at Port of Seattle to Explain Harms of Trump Trade Wars

Trump’s chaotic tariffs drive up costs for local companies and threatens to put them out of business; “Congress needs to get back in the game,” says Cantwell; her bipartisan bill would reassert Congressional role in U.S. trade policy

SEATTLE – Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and senior member of the Senate Finance Committee, joined nine local business owners and leaders at the Port of Seattle to push back against the Trump administration’s tariffs-first trade policy.

“These businesses here today are reminding us what we already should know: that this kind of tariff policy disrupts an integrated economy, hurts small businesses, and basically disrupts what is an important opportunity for the United States to grow more jobs for the future,” said Sen. Cantwell. “Building alliances and [strengthening] our innovation economy is what we should be doing.”

“In my 32 years of designing and manufacturing KAVU has survived tough times, but nothing close to this,” said Barry Barr, CEO of KAVU. “Due to the extreme spikes in prices, we are expecting that many if not all of our 2,000 independent outdoor retailers … will cancel their orders, leaving us with no sales and at the precipice of shutting down.”

“I never thought geopolitics would get in the way of making delicious pizza, yet here were are,” said Joe Fugere, CEO of Tutta Bella. “People in the United States should not have to travel overseas to enjoy the religious experience of great Italian pizza. We can have it right here at home. But only if we’re smart about how we unlock access to the world’s best products.”

“Last month we brought in a container with a value of about $200,000, and we had to pay an extra $20,000 to bring that in with the 10% [tariff],” said Jeff Demir, COO of SwaddleDesigns. “This month we’re bringing in another container, that container will cost us an extra $40,000 because the China tariffs went from 10% to 20%. … We have a container that’s right now sitting in China ready to ship, that container would cost us $300,000 of extra tariffs given the 145% [tariff]. Obviously that container is going to stay in China and it’s not going to be brought over here. Our company will have to operate with the product that we have until this gets resolved.”

Also appearing at today’s event were: Northwest Seaport Alliance and Northwest Seaport Alliance Co-Chair and Port of Tacoma Commissioner John McCarthy; Port of Seattle Commissioner Sam Cho; Gordon Bluechel, CEO of Access Laser; Chris Stone, Deputy Director of the Washington State Wine Commission; Blas Alfaro, Partner at Fulcrum Coffee Roasters; and Molly Neitzel, CEO of Molly Moon’s.

Sen. Cantwell recently introduced the bipartisan Trade Review Act of 2025 to reaffirm Congress’ key role in setting and approving U.S. trade policy, and reestablish limits on the president’s ability to impose unilateral tariffs. Since the introduction, Sen. Cantwell has appeared on CNN International, CNBC , CBS’s Face the Nation, MSNBC’s All In with Chris Hayes, MSNBC’s The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell, to discuss the bill.

Sen. Cantwell’s bill has since picked up 12 additional cosponsors – an equal mix of Republicans and Democrats – and been endorsed by multiple major U.S. business organizations, including the National Retail Federation, which is the largest retail trade association in the world. Last week, a bipartisan House companion bill was introduced.

In Washington state, two out of every five jobs are tied to trade and trade-related industries. More information about how those tariffs will affect consumers and businesses in the State of Washington can be found HERE.

For the past three months, President Trump has been sowing economic chaos across the country with unpredictable and ever-changing tariff announcements. His back-and-forth announcements and actions, which have whipsawed American businesses and consumers, as well as close neighbors and allies, include:

On January 31 — citing punishment for failing to crack down on fentanyl trafficking — the Trump administration announced plans to impose a 25% tax on many goods imported into the U.S. from Canada and Mexico and a 10% tax on goods imported from China, then abruptly postponed those tariffs.

In February, he doubled down, announcing an additional 25% tax on all steel and aluminum imports.

At 12:01 a.m. ET on March 4, President Trump’s long-promised 25% tariffs on goods from Mexico and Canada and 10% tariff increase on goods from China took effect, causing stock prices in the United States to plummet.

Then, on March 5, he announced that automobiles from Canada and Mexico would be exempt from his tariffs for one month.

The morning of March 6, he announced that he would suspend the tariffs for some products from Mexico. Then, later that same afternoon, he announced he was suspending most new tariffs on products from both Mexico and Canada until April 2.

On March 11, Trump threatened to double tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum – increasing them to 50% – before reversing himself later the same day.

On March 13, he threatened 200% tariffs on alcoholic products from the European Union, including all wine and Champagne.

On March 27, he announced plans to impose a 25% tax on all imported sedans, SUVs, crossovers, minivans, cargo vans, and light trucks, as well as some auto parts, beginning on April 2.

On March 29, President Trump said, “I couldn’t care less,” if automakers raise the price of cars in response to his tariffs.

On April 2, he announced a “National Economic Emergency,” and signed an executive order declaring a 10% minimum baseline tariff on all countries as well as additional tariffs on nearly 60 countries.

On April 7, he threatened to impose an additional 50% tariff on China.

On April 9, he announced a rollback of his April 2 tariffs down to the 10% baseline across the board, with the exception of China, which he increased to 125%.

On April 11, the administration announced that electronics, including smartphones and laptops, would be exempt from the 125% rate.

Video of today’s press conference is HERE; photos are HERE; video of Sen. Cantwell’s remarks is HERE; audio of Sen. Cantwell’s remarks is HERE; and a transcript of Sen. Cantwell’s remarks is HERE.
MIL OSI USA News –
April 17, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Growing threats faced by women candidates undermine our democracy

Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Inessa De Angelis, PhD Student, Faculty of Information, University of Toronto

As Liberal MP Pam Damoff prepares to leave politics, she joins other Canadian women MPs in warning that growing threats and harassment are driving them out of politics.

Their call adds to the voices of other politicians in Australia and the United Kingdom who caution that misogyny and threats of violence, especially on social media, have caused them to refrain from seeking re-election.

With the Canadian federal election approaching, campaigns expose politicians to increased online incivility and abuse. Nearly 19 per cent of tweets analyzed by the Samara Centre for Democracy during the 2021 campaign contained harassment.

Harassment undermines democracy and threatens the equal participation of women in politics. When women politicians don’t seek re-election, we lose key voices advocating for a more equitable future.

Despite threats to our democracy being a key theme of the ongoing federal election campaign, barely anyone is talking about the threat harassment poses.

Harassment is a threat to representation

Women remain underrepresented in Canadian Parliament. Canada currently ranks 70th out of 190 countries for representation of women in politics. Following the federal election in 2021, women held only 30.9 per cent of the seats in the House of Commons.

While research shows women who run for office are just as likely to win as their male counterparts, women require more convincing to step up and put their name on the ballot.

Once women politicians are elected, they face more barriers in Parliament. Some of these barriers include family obligations and fewer promotions to high-profile roles.

However, gender-based heckling, violence and harassment are additional barriers.

Shaping voter behaviour

Violence against women politicians aims to silence and exclude women from participating in politics simply because they are women.

And while men and women politicians receive similar amounts of online harassment, online attacks against women politicians tend to be more personal and sexist in tone.

Online harassment isn’t just driving women out of politics; it’s also shaping voter behaviour.

In fact, research shows that women voters are less likely to participate in political discussions on social media because they fear getting harassed as women politicians are.

These findings align with outgoing Liberal MP Jennifer O’Connell’s letter to her constituents that cites online threats of sexual violence fuelled by misinformation and disinformation as rationale for not seeking re-election.

Increasing security

The rising threats of harassment against all politicians led the Privy Council Office to offer private-sector security services for candidates who feel intimidated and threatened during the 2025 campaign.

The goal of private security is to offer an extra level of protection when the threshold for police protection is not met. Through the program, candidates can get an unarmed guard to watch their surroundings and manage risks.

Which metrics are used to determine if the threshold is met? Private security services should protect all candidates equally. However, the lived experiences and concerns of women politicians are often discounted and not taken seriously.

A new way to measure harassment

Defining and quantifying types of harassment is hard. Hate speech is recognized as explicit harassment, but this raises questions about who gets to decide which less explicit incidents count as harassment.

There are more subtle forms of harassment like sexist microaggressions that threaten women candidates just as much as blatant hate speech. But these subtle microaggressions are often brushed off as not being harassment.

With no single definition or agreed-upon way to measure harassment, I developed a seven-point scale to categorize nuanced forms of online harassment. This scale takes into account more subtle forms of harassment, including social media comments that question the authority of women politicians to explicit hate speech.

I found that 86 per cent of replies to tweets sent to women MPs contained some form of harassment.

We cannot view each incident of harassment such as threatening social media comments, volunteers being screamed at or signs being vandalized as isolated events. Understanding all of these incidents, regardless of their severity, as being connected allows us to track the growing forms and impacts of violence.

Legislation needed

Steps have already been taken at Parliament to fight harassment through Bill C-65, which strengthens federal workplace protections against violence and sexual harassment. But more should be done on the campaign trail.

The Privy Council Office’s new private-sector security service is a start. However, candidates should not be expected to quantify how threats make them feel to receive help. Political parties and the Privy Council Office should proactively offer more support to all candidates.

Social media platforms must take greater responsibility for applying their terms of service to minimize harmful content.

New legislation should be drafted to address threats faced by politicians. Regardless of who forms the next government, all parties need to work together to pass online harms legislation.

Harassment is used as a barrier to stop women from running for office. This is fundamentally about making sure their voices are heard in our democracy.

Inessa De Angelis receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada and the Province of Ontario.

– ref. Growing threats faced by women candidates undermine our democracy – https://theconversation.com/growing-threats-faced-by-women-candidates-undermine-our-democracy-254371

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

April 17, 2025

MIL-OSI: Farmers & Merchants Bancorp (FMCB) Reports Increase in First Quarter 2025 Earnings Over Prior Year

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

First Quarter 2025 Highlights

Net income of $23.0 million, or basic earnings per share of $32.88 and diluted earnings per share of $32.86; diluted earnings per share up 9.9% compared to the fourth quarter of 2024 and up 7.6% compared to the first quarter of 2024;
Basic earnings per share of $123.34 over the trailing twelve months versus $116.37 over the same trailing period a year ago and $105.65 for the same period two years ago;
Tangible book value per share increased 13.49% to $843.33 compared to $743.08 as of March 31, 2024;
Achieved return on average assets of 1.70% and return on average equity of 15.65%;
Net interest income of $53.1 million up $0.95 million compared to in the fourth quarter of 2024; net interest margin (tax equivalent basis) of 4.20%, up from 4.09% in the fourth quarter of 2024;
Strong liquidity position continues with $607.3 million in cash, $1.3 billion in investment securities of which $495.4 million are available-for-sale and a borrowing capacity of $2.1 billion as of March 31, 2025;
Continue to grow our solid capital position with a total risk-based capital ratio of 15.23%, common equity tier 1 ratio of 13.75%, tier 1 leverage ratio of 11.32% and a tangible common equity ratio of 10.40%;
Credit quality remains strong with a total allowance for credit losses of 2.17%; net charge-offs for the quarter of $160,000 and non-accrual loans or leases at quarter-end of $193,000.

LODI, Calif., April 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Farmers & Merchants Bancorp (OTCQX: FMCB) (the “Company” or “FMCB”), the parent company of Farmers & Merchants Bank of Central California (the “Bank” or “F&M Bank”), reported net income of $23.0 million, or $32.86 per diluted common share for the first quarter of 2025 compared with $22.7 million, or $30.56 per diluted common share, for the first quarter of 2024 and $21.8 million, or $29.89 per diluted common share for the fourth quarter of 2024. Annualized return on average assets was 1.70% and return on average equity was 15.65% for the first quarter of 2025 compared with 1.71% and 16.33% for the first quarter of 2024 and 1.62% and 15.30% for the fourth quarter of 2024. The expense efficiency ratio for first quarter was 43.86% down from 44.94% for the first quarter of 2024 and 46.57% for the fourth quarter of 2024.

Net income over the trailing twelve months was $88.7 million compared with $87.5 million for the same trailing period a year earlier. Diluted earnings per share over the trailing twelve months totaled $123.32, up 5.97% compared with $116.37 for the same trailing period a year ago and $105.65 for the same period two years ago. Basic earnings per share over the trailing twelve months totaled $123.34, up 5.99% compared with $116.37 for the same trailing period a year ago and $105.65 for the same period two years ago.

CEO Commentary

Kent Steinwert, Farmers & Merchants Bancorp’s Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, stated, “We are very pleased with the Company’s financial performance in the first quarter of 2025 highlighted by net income of $23.0 million and a return on average assets of 1.70% and return on average equity of 15.65%. After seven consecutive years of record-setting annual earnings, we begin 2025 with another high-performing first quarter. We achieved these impressive results while continuing to maintain a strong liquidity position and balance sheet at quarter end with $607.3 million in cash, $1.3 billion in investment securities of which $495.4 million are available-for-sale and access to $2.1 billion in borrowing capacity. Capital levels continue to strengthen and are significantly above the regulatory thresholds for “well-capitalized” banks. Core deposits increased $28.8 million in the first quarter from December 31, 2024 as we continued our focus on growing deposits with both our longstanding established client relationships while developing new client relationships. Gross loans and leases were $3.6 billion at the end of the first quarter, down 2.56% from December 31, 2024 due in part to some seasonality in agricultural lending and due to our continued conservative approach in underwriting given the inverted yield curve which continues to not price in duration risk for loans and leases beyond three years. Credit quality remains solid and we continue to work closely with our borrowers as they work through the current economic cycle, particularly in a few agricultural products adversely impacted by negative conditions in the export market. However, the recent tariffs coupled with the weakened US dollar may improve export market opportunities for these products and may provide financial relief to affected customers. Our Company remains in excellent financial condition and is well positioned to navigate the challenges ahead as we have for the past 109 years.”

Earnings

Net interest income for the quarter ended March 31, 2025 was $53.1 million compared with $51.7 million in the same quarter in 2024 and $52.2 million in the fourth quarter of 2024. The Company’s net interest margin increased to 4.20% in the first quarter of 2025 compared with 4.09% in the fourth quarter of 2024 as the combination of a decrease in deposit costs and pricing discipline on loans and leases, which has helped maintain loan and lease yields, has collectively resulted in an increase in the net interest margin. Tangible book value per share increased to $843.33 at March 31, 2025, up 13.49% compared with $743.08 a year ago.

Balance Sheet

Total assets at quarter-end were $5.7 billion up from $5.4 billion as of December 31, 2024. Total cash and cash equivalents were $607.3 million, an increase of $394.7 million from December 31, 2024. Total loans and leases outstanding were $3.6 billion, a decrease of $94.7 million or 2.57% from December 31, 2024 and a decrease of $110.9 million or 2.99% from March 31, 2024. As of March 31, 2025 our total investment securities portfolio was $1.3 billion, an increase of $21.3 million from December 31, 2024 and an increase of $208.4 million from March 31, 2024. The portfolio is comprised of $495.4 million in available-for-sale securities and $759.8 million in held-to-maturity securities. Total deposits increased $278.8 million, or 5.93% to $5.0 billion at March 31, 2025 compared to December 31, 2024 due primarily to brokered deposits of $250.0 million. Excluding brokered deposits, total deposits increased by $28.8 million or 0.61% compared to December 31, 2024 due to an increase in savings and money market accounts. Our loan to deposit ratio was 72.23% as of March 31, 2025 down from 78.53% as of December 31, 2024 due to an increase in total deposits and a modest decrease in total loans and leases.

Credit Quality

The Company’s credit quality remained solid with only $193,000 in non-accrual loans and leases as of March 31, 2025 and a negligible delinquency ratio of 0.01% of total loans and leases. Net charge-offs were $160,000 in the first quarter of 2025 compared to $533,000 in the fourth quarter of 2024. Net charge-offs over the trailing twelve months were $895,000 or 0.02% of average total loans and leases. The total allowance for credit losses on loans and leases and unfunded commitments was $78.1 million as of March 31, 2025 compared to $78.0 million as of December 31, 2024. The allowance for credit losses on loans and leases increased by $0.1 million to $75.4 million, or 2.10% as of March 31, 2025 compared with $75.3 million or 2.04% as of December 31, 2024. A provision of $300,000 was recorded during the first quarter of 2025 compared to no provision during the first and fourth quarters of 2024.

Capital

The Company’s and Bank’s regulatory capital ratios continued to strengthen during the first quarter of 2025. At March 31, 2025, the Company’s preliminary total risk-based capital ratio was 15.23%, the common equity tier 1 capital ratio was 13.75% and the tier 1 leverage capital ratio was 11.32% an increase from 14.52%, 13.04% and 10.95% as of December 31, 2024, respectively. At March 31, 2025, all F&M Bank capital ratios exceeded the regulatory requirements to be classified as “well-capitalized”. At March 31, 2025, the tangible common equity ratio was 10.40%, up from 9.68% as of March 31, 2024.

About Farmers & Merchants Bancorp

Farmers & Merchants Bancorp, trades on the OTCQX under the symbol FMCB, and is the parent company of Farmers & Merchants Bank of Central California, also known as F&M Bank. Founded in 1916, F&M Bank is a locally owned and operated community bank, which proudly serves California through 33 convenient locations. F&M Bank is financially strong, with $5.7 billion in assets, and is consistently recognized as one of the nation’s safest banks by national bank rating firms. The Bank has maintained a 5-Star rating from BauerFinancial for 35 consecutive years, longer than any other commercial bank in the State of California.

Farmers & Merchants Bancorp has paid dividends for 89 consecutive years and has increased dividends for 59 consecutive years. As a result, Farmers & Merchants Bancorp is a member of a select group of only 51 publicly traded companies referred to as “Dividend Kings,” and is ranked 14^th in that group based on consecutive years of dividend increases. A “Dividend King” is a stock with 50 or more consecutive years of dividend increase.

In August 2024, Farmers & Merchants Bancorp was named by Bank Director’s Magazine as the #2 best performing bank in the nation across all asset categories in their annual “Ranking Banking” study of the top performing banks for 2023. Last year the Bank was named by Bank Director’s Magazine as the #1 best performing bank in the nation across all asset categories in their annual “Ranking Banking” study of the top performing banks for 2022.

In April 2024, F&M Bank was ranked 6^th on Forbes Magazine’s list of “America’s Best Banks” in 2023. Forbes’ annual “America’s Best Banks” list looks at ten metrics measuring growth, credit quality, profitability, and capital for the 2023 calendar year, as well as stock performance in the 12 months through March 18, 2024.

In December 2023, F&M Bank was ranked 4^th on S&P Global Market Intelligence’s “Top 50 List of Best-Performing Community Banks” in the US with assets between $3.0 billion and $10.0 billion for 2023. S&P Global Market Intelligence ranks financial institutions based on several key factors including financial returns, growth, and balance sheet risk profile.

In October 2021, F&M Bank was named the “Best Community Bank in California” by Newsweek magazine. Newsweek’s ranking recognizes those financial institutions that best serve their customers’ needs in each state. This recognition speaks to the superior customer service the F&M Bank team members provide to its clients.

F&M Bank is the 16^th largest bank lender to agriculture in the United States. F&M Bank operates in the mid-Central Valley of California, including Sacramento, San Joaquin, Solano, Stanislaus, and Merced counties and the east region of the San Francisco Bay Area, including Napa, Alameda and Contra Costa counties.

F&M Bank was inducted into the National Agriculture Science Center’s “Ag Hall of Fame” at the end of 2021 for providing resources, financial advice, guidance, and support to the agribusiness communities as well as to students in the next generation of agribusiness workforce. F&M Bank is dedicated to helping California remain the premier agricultural region in the world and will continue to work with the next generation of farmers, ranchers, and processors. F&M Bank remains committed to servicing the needs of agribusiness in California as has been the case since its founding over 109 years ago.

F&M Bank offers a full complement of loan, deposit, equipment leasing and treasury management products to businesses, as well as a full suite of consumer banking products. The FDIC awarded F&M Bank the highest possible rating of “Outstanding” in their last Community Reinvestment Act (“CRA”) evaluation.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may contain certain forward-looking statements that are based on management’s current expectations regarding the Company’s financial performance. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. They often include words such as “believe,” “expect,” “intend,” “estimate” or words of similar meaning, or future or conditional verbs such as “will,” “would,” “should,” “could” or “may.” Forward-looking statements in this press release include, without limitation, statements regarding loan and deposit production levels of net interest margin, the ability to control costs and expenses, the competitive environment, financial and regulatory policies of the United States government, general economic conditions, inflation, recessions, tariffs, economic uncertainty in the United States, and changes in interest rates. Forward-looking statements in this earnings release include matters that involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risk factors include, among others: the effects of and changes in monetary and fiscal policies, including the interest rate policies of the Federal Reserve Board and their effects on inflation risk; political and economic uncertainty, including any decline in global, domestic or local economic conditions or the stability of credit and financial markets; and other relevant risks detailed in the Company’s Form 10-K, Form 10-Qs, and various other securities law filings made periodically by the Company, copies of which are available from the Company’s website. All such factors are difficult to predict and are beyond the Company’s ability to control or predict. There also may be additional risks that the Company does not presently know, or that the Company currently believes to be immaterial, that could also cause actual results to differ materially and adversely from those contained in these forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or circumstances after the date of this press release or otherwise, except as may be required by applicable law.

For more information about Farmers & Merchants Bancorp and F&M Bank, visit fmbonline.com.

Investor Relations Contact
Farmers & Merchants Bancorp
Bart R. Olson
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Phone: 209-367-2485
bolson@fmbonline.com

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

Three Months Ended

(dollars in thousands, except per share amounts)

March 31, 2025

December 31, 2024

March 31, 2024

Earnings and Profitability:

Interest income

67,138

66,870

66,641

Interest expense

13,997

14,681

14,928

Net interest income

53,141

52,189

51,713

Provision for credit losses

300

–

Noninterest income

5,021

4,578

5,075

Noninterest expense

25,509

26,434

25,521

Income before taxes

32,353

30,333

31,267

Income tax expense

9,344

8,487

8,544

Net income

23,009

21,846

22,723

Basic earnings per share

32.88

29.89

30.56

Diluted earnings per share

32.86

29.89

30.56

Return on average assets

1.70%

1.62%

1.71%

Return on average equity

15.65%

15.30%

16.33%

Loan yield

6.07%

6.08%

6.09%

Cost of average total deposits

1.17%

1.23%

1.27%

Net interest margin – tax equivalent

4.20%

4.09%

4.14%

Effective tax rate

28.88%

27.98%

27.33%

Efficiency ratio

43.86%

46.57%

44.94%

Book value per share

861.55

818.91

760.96

Tangible book value per share

843.33

800.52

743.08

Balance Sheet:

Total assets

5,680,024

5,370,196

5,714,573

Cash and cash equivalents

607,254

212,563

738,397

of which held at Fed

515,758

141,505

672,601

Total investment securities

1,255,204

1,233,857

1,046,827

of which available-for-sale

495,433

464,414

239,856

of which held-to-maturity

759,771

769,443

806,971

Gross loans and leases

3,595,511

3,690,221

3,706,437

Allowance for credit losses – loans and leases

75,423

75,283

75,018

Total deposits

4,977,968

4,699,139

4,959,589

Borrowings

–

100,000

Subordinated debentures

10,310

Total shareholders’ equity

602,306

573,072

565,217

Loan-to-deposit ratio

72.23%

78.53%

74.73%

Percentage of checking deposits to total deposits

45.76%

51.08%

49.39%

Capital ratios (Bancorp) ⁽¹⁾

Common equity tier 1 capital to risk-weighted assets

13.75%

13.04%

12.73%

Tier 1 capital to risk-weighted assets

13.97%

13.26%

12.95%

Risk-based capital to risk-weighted assets

15.23%

14.52%

14.21%

Tier 1 leverage capital ratio

11.32%

10.95%

10.83%

Tangible common equity ratio ⁽²⁾

10.40%

10.46%

9.68%

(1) Capital information is preliminary for March 31, 2025

(2) Non-GAAP measurement

Non-GAAP measurement reconciliation:

(Dollars in thousands)

March 31, 2025

December 31, 2024

March 31, 2024

Shareholders’ equity

602,306

573,072

565,217

Less: Intangible assets

12,740

12,870

13,282

Tangible common equity

589,566

560,202

551,935

Total assets

5,680,024

5,370,196

5,714,573

Less: Intangible assets

12,740

12,870

13,282

Tangible assets

5,667,284

5,357,326

5,701,291

Tangible common equity ratio ⁽¹⁾

10.40%

10.46%

9.68%

(1) Tangible common equity divided by tangible assets

The MIL Network –

April 17, 2025

MIL-Evening Report: ‘They are like my children’: research reveals 4 types of indoor plant owners. Which one are you?

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brianna Le Busque, Lecturer in Environmental Science, University of South Australia

maramorosz/Shutterstock

Walk into any home or workplace today, and you’re likely to find an array of indoor plants. The global market for indoor plants is growing fast – projected to reach more than US$28 billion (A$44 billion) by 2031.

People keep indoor plants inside for a variety of reasons, including as decoration, to clean the air and for stress relief. But my colleagues and I wanted to delve further. What sort of relationships do people have with indoor plants? And what can this tell us about ties between humans and nature?

We surveyed indoor plant owners in Australia, and found many of us form highly meaningful connections with our leafy companions. Some people even consider their plants as family, get anxious about their health and mourn a plant when it dies.

Some people worry about the wellbeing of their indoor plants.
Yurii_Yarema/Shutterstock

A blooming hobby

People have grown plants inside for thousands of years.

Evidence suggests Egyptians brought plants indoors in the 3rd century BC. The remains of the former city of Pompeii reveal indoor plants used there more than 2,000 years ago, and in medieval England, indoor plants were used in medicine and cooking.

The keeping of indoor plants became widespread across the world in the second half of the 20th century. The practice was particularly popular during the COVID-19 pandemic, likely due to a desire to connect with nature when access to outdoor green spaces was limited.

The benefits of indoor plants go beyond nature connection. Studies show they can increase positive emotions, reduce stress, enhance productivity, and even decrease physical discomfort such as pain.

However, people have varying levels of connection to their plants, as research by my colleagues and I shows.

Why we love indoor plants

We surveyed 115 Australian adults, recruited through social media posts and poster advertisements at the University of South Australia. Participants were roughly 69% female, 30% male and 1% non-binary, and ranged in age from 18 to 69.

On average, participants owned 15 indoor plants. Some owned a single indoor plant and one person owned a whopping 500!

Between them, respondents kept 51 different varieties of house plants. The most common were succulents, devil’s ivy and monstera. They most commonly kept the plants in the living room, kitchen or bedroom.

Across all participants, 11 benefits of having indoor plants were reported.

Half the respondents described the aesthetic appeal of indoor plants. Comments included that indoor plants were “nice to look at”, “soften rooms” and “add colour”. Participants also reported air quality benefits, and that they found indoor plants calming.

Other less commonly reported benefits were that the plants helped the respondents set habits, improved their physical health, provided distraction, relieved fatigue and had a pleasant smell.

4 types of relationships with indoor plants

Our research identified four types of relationships people have with their indoor plants:

1. Highly connected (14% of respondents)

These people typically described a deep personal connection to their plants. Comments included:

They are like my children. (male, 28)

I often water them and take care of them as family members. (female, 26)

Well I cried over my plants leaf getting broken off today, so you could say I’m pretty attached
to her. (female, 21)

I feel terrible if one dies, I feel as though I have let it down and generally bury it in the garden. (female, 34)

2. Engaged (42% of respondents)

These people enjoyed and tended to their plants, but without deep emotional attachment. For example:

Watering them and watching them grow is exciting, I feel proud to keep them alive so long (female, 22)

I get sad when one dies or is looking droopy, I feel happy when they look alive and freshly
watered. (female, 22)

One respondent said his plants were ‘like my children’.
pikselstock/Shutterstock

3. Limited engagement (23%)

These respondents enjoyed having indoor plants but spent minimal time caring for them and reported minimal emotional connections to them. One participant said:

Feel like indoor plants are fine but through our large windows we can see our outdoor plants and that’s more important to us. (female, 45)

4. No relationship (12%)

Participants who did not have a relationship with their indoor plants said:

Hardly watered it as it’s a succulent. (male, 21)

They are all gifts rather than something I’ve gone out to buy. (male, 21)

(For the remaining 9% of participants, their responses to the question of their relationship with house plants were invalid and not included.)

A minority of survey participants said they had no relationship with their indoor plants.
Sophia Floerchinger/Shutterstock

Unlocking the potential of indoor plants

Our research suggests indoor plants can enrich our lives in ways we are only beginning to understand.

It’s important to note that data for our study were collected in 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic. This context may have influenced our results. For example, some participants may have felt particularly connected to their indoor plants because their access to outdoor green space was curtailed. So, further research is needed in the post-pandemic context.

Human–nature relationships are an emerging field of research. By understanding the relationship between people and plants, we may help unlock the potential for nature to improve our health and wellbeing.

Brianna Le Busque 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. ‘They are like my children’: research reveals 4 types of indoor plant owners. Which one are you? – https://theconversation.com/they-are-like-my-children-research-reveals-4-types-of-indoor-plant-owners-which-one-are-you-252387

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

April 17, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Former FAA Contractor Pleads Guilty to Illegally Acting as an Agent of the Iranian Government

Source: US State of North Dakota

Former Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) contractor Abouzar Rahmati, 42, a naturalized U.S. citizen and resident of Great Falls, Virginia, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to act and acting as an agent of the Iranian government in the United States without prior notification to the Attorney General.

According to court documents, from at least December 2017 through June 2024, Rahmati worked with Iranian government officials and intelligence operatives to act on their behalf in the United States, including by meeting with Iranian intelligence officers in Iran, communicating with Iranian intelligence officers and government officials using a cover story to hide his conduct, obtaining employment with an FAA contractor with access to sensitive non-public information about the U.S. aviation sector, and obtaining open-source and non-public materials about the U.S. solar energy industry and providing it to Iranian intelligence officers.

In August 2017, Rahmati offered his services to the Iranian government through a senior Iranian government official who previously worked in Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence and Security and with whom Rahmati had previously attended university. Four months later, in December 2017, Rahmati traveled to Iran, where he met with Iranian intelligence operatives and government officials and agreed to obtain information about the U.S. solar energy industry, to provide that information to Iranian officials, and to conduct future communications under a cover story based on purported discussions about research with fellow academics.

Upon returning to the United States in early 2018, Rahmati obtained various private and open-source materials related to the U.S. solar energy industry and provided them to an official from the office of Iran’s Vice President for Science and Technology in response to tasking from Iranian government officials.

In response to tasking from Iranian officials, and in furtherance of his role as an agent of the Government of Iran, Rahmati exploited his employment as an FAA contractor, working for U.S. COMPANY 1, by downloading at least 172 GB of U.S. COMPANY 1 files, which included sensitive access-controlled FAA documents related to the National Aerospace System (NAS), NAS Airport Surveillance Radar systems, and radio frequency data. Rahmati stored those files on removable media, which he took to Iran, where he provided sensitive documents to the Government of Iran in April 2022.

Also in April 2022, in response to tasking from Iranian government officials, Rahmati sent additional information relating to solar energy, solar panels, the FAA, U.S. airports, and U.S. air traffic control towers to his brother, who lived in Iran, so that he would provide those files to Iranian intelligence on Rahmati’s behalf.

Sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 26. Rahmati faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison for acting as an agent of a foreign government without prior notification to the Attorney General, and up to five years in prison for conspiracy. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Sue Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr. for the District of Columbia, and Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division made the announcement.

The FBI’s Washington Field Office is investigating the case, with significant assistance from the FAA’s Office of Counterintelligence and Technical Operations.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Tortorice and Kimberly Paschall for the District of Columbia and Trial Attorneys Beau Barnes and Alexander Wharton of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case, with significant assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.

MIL OSI USA News –

April 17, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Former FAA Contractor Pleads Guilty to Illegally Acting as an Agent of the Iranian Government

Source: United States Attorneys General 4

Former Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) contractor Abouzar Rahmati, 42, a naturalized U.S. citizen and resident of Great Falls, Virginia, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to act and acting as an agent of the Iranian government in the United States without prior notification to the Attorney General.

According to court documents, from at least December 2017 through June 2024, Rahmati worked with Iranian government officials and intelligence operatives to act on their behalf in the United States, including by meeting with Iranian intelligence officers in Iran, communicating with Iranian intelligence officers and government officials using a cover story to hide his conduct, obtaining employment with an FAA contractor with access to sensitive non-public information about the U.S. aviation sector, and obtaining open-source and non-public materials about the U.S. solar energy industry and providing it to Iranian intelligence officers.

In August 2017, Rahmati offered his services to the Iranian government through a senior Iranian government official who previously worked in Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence and Security and with whom Rahmati had previously attended university. Four months later, in December 2017, Rahmati traveled to Iran, where he met with Iranian intelligence operatives and government officials and agreed to obtain information about the U.S. solar energy industry, to provide that information to Iranian officials, and to conduct future communications under a cover story based on purported discussions about research with fellow academics.

Upon returning to the United States in early 2018, Rahmati obtained various private and open-source materials related to the U.S. solar energy industry and provided them to an official from the office of Iran’s Vice President for Science and Technology in response to tasking from Iranian government officials.

In response to tasking from Iranian officials, and in furtherance of his role as an agent of the Government of Iran, Rahmati exploited his employment as an FAA contractor, working for U.S. COMPANY 1, by downloading at least 172 GB of U.S. COMPANY 1 files, which included sensitive access-controlled FAA documents related to the National Aerospace System (NAS), NAS Airport Surveillance Radar systems, and radio frequency data. Rahmati stored those files on removable media, which he took to Iran, where he provided sensitive documents to the Government of Iran in April 2022.

Also in April 2022, in response to tasking from Iranian government officials, Rahmati sent additional information relating to solar energy, solar panels, the FAA, U.S. airports, and U.S. air traffic control towers to his brother, who lived in Iran, so that he would provide those files to Iranian intelligence on Rahmati’s behalf.

Sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 26. Rahmati faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison for acting as an agent of a foreign government without prior notification to the Attorney General, and up to five years in prison for conspiracy. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Sue Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr. for the District of Columbia, and Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division made the announcement.

The FBI’s Washington Field Office is investigating the case, with significant assistance from the FAA’s Office of Counterintelligence and Technical Operations.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Tortorice and Kimberly Paschall for the District of Columbia and Trial Attorneys Beau Barnes and Alexander Wharton of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case, with significant assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.

MIL Security OSI –

April 17, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Kaptur, Murray Call on Energy Department to Reverse New Indirect Cost Cap That Will Gut Funding for Cutting-Edge Research
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH-09)

Toledo, Ohio — Today, Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH-09), Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, and Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee and Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, sent a letter to Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Chris Wright expressing deep concern about how the Department’s recently announced cap on indirect costs for DOE research will jeopardize critical research and innovation—and calling on him to immediately reverse the policy.

“We write to express our deep concern regarding the Department of Energy’s (DOE) recent decision to impose a cap on indirect cost rates for DOE-funded research. This change threatens to destabilize America’s scientific research infrastructure, delay critical energy innovation, and result in widespread economic harm,” write Kaptur and Murray. “At a time when China is investing billions to catch up to the scientific advancements driven by decades of DOE investments, the US should be accelerating its technological leadership, but this policy does the opposite.”

The lawmakers note the cap will cut funding essential to conducing cutting-edge DOE research: “This cap represents a sweeping, indiscriminate funding cut that will jeopardize not just projects at universities but also university partners at the national laboratories and in industry. Scientists could be forced to scale back or shutter vital studies; collaboration across sectors may be frozen; and the next generation of clean energy technologies could be delayed or lost entirely.”

Kaptur and Murray also underscore the implications of DOE’s new policy for the economy, stating: “Beyond its scientific implications, this policy change has serious economic consequences. DOE-funded research supports tens of thousands of jobs—from researchers and engineers to technical staff and support personnel—across all 50 states. In fiscal year 2024 alone, federal energy research investments generated billions in economic activity and helped anchor American competitiveness in global innovation markets. Weakening that support will reverberate through entire regions and industries, putting livelihoods at risk.”

The lawmakers press Secretary Wright to explain the abrupt new policy change and call on him to reverse it, concluding: “[W]e also ask that you to immediately reverse this shortsighted and harmful new cap, which amounts to nothing short of a disastrous funding cut. DOE’s mission is too important to allow political interference to undercut America’s progress in energy research, climate resilience, and economic development. Let our scientists, engineers, and institutions continue their lifesaving, world-shaping work—uninterrupted.”

The full letter is available by clicking here or reading below:

April 16, 2025

The Honorable Christopher Wright
US Department of Energy
1000 Independence Ave SW
Washington, DC 20585

Dear Secretary Wright:

We write to express our deep concern regarding the Department of Energy’s (DOE) recent decision to impose a cap on indirect cost rates for DOE-funded research. This change threatens to destabilize America’s scientific research infrastructure, delay critical energy innovation, and result in widespread economic harm. At a time when China is investing billions to catch up to the scientific advancements driven by decades of DOE investments, the US should be accelerating its technological leadership, but this policy does the opposite.

DOE has long played a crucial role in supporting cutting-edge research in energy, climate science, advanced manufacturing, and national security. By capping indirect cost rates at 15 percent, this new policy undermines the essential support systems that make this research possible—such as the operation and maintenance of research facilities, labs, and technical infrastructure. Research institutions depend on these funds to conduct safe, innovative, and effective science.

This cap represents a sweeping, indiscriminate funding cut that will jeopardize not just projects at universities but also university partners at the national laboratories and in industry. Scientists could be forced to scale back or shutter vital studies; collaboration across sectors may be frozen; and the next generation of clean energy technologies could be delayed or lost entirely. Even more worrying is the impact on our future science workforce, particularly in energy and critical and emerging technologies, where our nation has long struggled to recruit and train the best talent into roles at the intersection of technology and national security.

Beyond its scientific implications, this policy change has serious economic consequences. DOE-funded research supports tens of thousands of jobs—from researchers and engineers to technical staff and support personnel—across all 50 states. In fiscal year 2024 alone, federal energy research investments generated billions in economic activity and helped anchor American competitiveness in global innovation markets. Weakening that support will reverberate through entire regions and industries, putting livelihoods at risk.

The policy’s abrupt implementation—absent consultation with the research community or Congress—has also introduced confusion and uncertainty into the energy research ecosystem. Programs will be paused, partnerships disrupted, and project leaders left with no clarity about how to proceed. In a moment that demands bold, collaborative leadership to meet America’s energy needs, these actions cause paralysis instead. In regards to this new policy cap, please provide answers to the following questions:
1. What will happen to existing awards at universities if they do not meet the new terms and conditions in this policy?
2. What specific data or analysis did DOE use to determine that a 15% cap on indirect costs is appropriate and sustainable for research institutions?
3. How does DOE justify this cap given that many universities currently operate with indirect cost rates significantly higher than 15% to cover essential research infrastructure and compliance?
4. Was there any consultation with academic stakeholders, such as university administrators or research organizations, prior to implementing this policy change?
5. What impact assessments has DOE conducted to understand how this cap will affect the financial viability of ongoing and future research projects at universities?
6. Has DOE evaluated how this cap could influence the United States’ position in global research and innovation competitiveness?
7. What are the long-term implications of this policy on the pipeline of future scientists and researchers trained through university programs?
Particularly in light of the lack of information justifying this policy we also ask that you to immediately reverse this shortsighted and harmful new cap, which amounts to nothing short of a disastrous funding cut. DOE’s mission is too important to allow political interference to undercut America’s progress in energy research, climate resilience, and economic development. Let our scientists, engineers, and institutions continue their lifesaving, world-shaping work—uninterrupted.

Sincerely,

# # #

MIL OSI USA News –
April 17, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: People are ‘microdosing’ weight-loss drugs. A GP explains what to watch out for

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Natasha Yates, General Practitioner, PhD Candidate, Bond University

MillaF/Shutterstock

Injectable medications originally developed for the treatment of diabetes are also effective for weight loss, and have surged in popularity for this purpose around the world.

In Australia, Ozempic is approved for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, while Wegovy is approved for weight management. Both are formulations of the drug semaglutide, which mimics the action of the naturally occurring GLP-1 hormone on GLP-1 receptors in the gut and the brain, helping regulate appetite and making you feel fuller for longer.

However these medications are expensive, and sometimes hard to get. They also come with side effects. For these reasons, people are taking to “microdosing” weight-loss drugs, or using less than the dose recommended by the manufacturer.

But is this effective, and is it safe? As a GP, people are asking me these questions. Here’s what we know – and what we don’t know yet.

Why are people microdosing weight-loss drugs?

Microdosing usually refers to psychedelic medication, where people take a low dose of a psychedelic drug to enhance performance, or reduce symptoms of stress and anxiety.

However, the term is increasingly being used to describe the use of weight-loss injectables at lower-than-recommended doses.

Three common reasons come up when I ask patients why they microdose weight-loss drugs.

Cost: injectables used for weight loss are not covered by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, so patients must pay for these out-of-pocket. Costs start from A$260 per month and increase from there.

Availability: worldwide shortages of these injectable medications have led doctors and patients to seek alternative solutions.

Side-effects: side-effects are common, and can include nausea, vomiting, bowel habit changes and reflux. Lower doses cause fewer side-effects, which is why the recommended dosing schedule starts low and gradually builds up.

Weight-loss drugs can cause a range of gastrointestinal side-effects.
PeopleImages.com – Yuri A/Shutterstock

How do people microdose weight-loss drugs?

A standard dose of semaglutide is 2.4mg, but we start patients on much lower doses (0.25mg) and gradually build up to this by increasing the dose each month. This is because starting at the full dose invariably causes bad side-effects.

Injectables come in an adjustable auto-injector pen which is twisted until the dose counter shows the prescribed dose in milligrams. There’s a click every time the dial is turned. Once the prescribed dose is showing, it’s injected under the skin.

To microdose, patients simply turn the dial fewer times than recommended for the full dose. They estimate a microdose by “counting clicks”, which means they’re turning it according to the clicks they hear rather than until they see the dial showing the correct dose has been reached.

Weight-loss drugs come in an adjustable auto-injector pen.
myskin/Shutterstock

Alternatively, they may inject the full recommended dose but do so less often than once per week.

Is it safe?

Using injectables in this way has not been researched, so the safety has not been established. However, it’s unlikely lower doses would lead to higher safety concerns.

In fact, logically, lower doses are likely to mean fewer side-effects.

But these drugs do expire after a few weeks, and microdosing could increase the risk of inadvertently using them after their expiration date. Injecting out-of-date medication can be a significant health risk. For example, it could cause infection if bacteria has started to grow.

The biggest concern around the safety of microdosing is if patients are doing it without the knowledge of their treating team (such as their GP, dietitian and pharmacist).

Because there are no clear guidelines around microdosing, patients should only try it with caution and under medical care. Their team can assist with issues such as accounting for the limited shelf-life of the medication.

Is it effective?

As lower doses than recommended for weight loss have not been tested, we cannot answer this question yet. However, reduced side-effects at lower doses make it likely there are also reduced therapeutic effects.

In my experience there’s a reason patients increase their doses as recommended: they simply don’t lose enough weight on the starting doses.

It’s best to seek advice from your medical team before making any dose changes.
AnnaStills/Shutterstock

At the height of semaglutide shortages in 2023, experts from the American Diabetes Association published recommendations around how to prescribe lower doses for patients with diabetes. But these recommendations were for diabetes management, not for patients using the drug for weight loss.

It’s also important to note that for patients using Wegovy to reduce heart attack and stroke risk – which Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration recently approved it for – there’s no evidence that cardiovascular benefits will be achieved at lower-than-recommended doses.

Is there any role for microdosing weight-loss drugs?

There may be a role for microdosing in a few scenarios:

When side-effects are not manageable: when side-effects are intolerable for patients, even on the lowest introductory dose, there may be a role for individualised approaches. But this is best done with clear communication and regular monitoring, so patients are not under-treated.

Supply disruption: if there’s a supply disruption, lowering the dose or lengthening the time between doses may be preferable to ceasing the medication altogether.

Maintenance of weight loss: once therapeutic levels have helped patients achieve their goal weight, lowering the dose may be a helpful longer-term way of keeping them there. We know stopping these drugs altogether results in rebound weight gain. We await evidence for microdosing for weight maintenance.

So what’s the take-home message?

Patients who use injectables as part of their approach to weight loss should be under the care of an experienced team, including a GP, who can monitor their progress and ensure they achieve their weight loss in a safe and sustainable way.

Microdosing weight-loss drugs currently has no clear evidence base, but if a person wants to attempt it, they should do so with the full knowledge of their treating team.

Natasha Yates wishes to thank Dr Terri-Lynne South – a GP, dietician, and the chair of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners’ specific interest group in obesity management – for providing feedback and peer review on this article.

Natasha Yates is affiliated with the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners.

– ref. People are ‘microdosing’ weight-loss drugs. A GP explains what to watch out for – https://theconversation.com/people-are-microdosing-weight-loss-drugs-a-gp-explains-what-to-watch-out-for-253955

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

April 17, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: State of the states: six experts on how the campaign is playing out around Australia

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

The federal election campaign has passed the halfway mark, with politicians zig-zagging across the country to spruik their policies and achievements.

Where politicians choose to visit (and not visit) give us some insight into their electoral priorities and strategy.

Here, six experts analyse how the campaign has looked so far in New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia.

New South Wales

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

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton’s strategy in NSW seems to include a tacit concession Liberal heartland seats won by the Teals in 2022 are unlikely to come back.

Instead, the Liberals are hoping to make inroads into Western Sydney electorates held by Labor. It’s a fast-growing, diverse area where families are struggling to pay the mortgage and household bills, and young people have difficulty renting or buying homes. Dutton and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese have concentrated their campaigning in this area, both claiming to be the best choice for cost-of-living relief and housing affordability.

Many of these seats are among Labor’s safest. Most would require a two-party preferred swing of 6% or more to be lost. Historically speaking, swings of this size are unlikely, although nevertheless possible.

Labor is putting much effort into “sandbagging” marginal coastal seats. A major issue is Labor’s emphasis on renewables versus the Coalition’s policy of building nuclear power plants, including one in the Hunter Valley.

Dutton’s messaging in the early part of the campaign was confusing, combining pragmatic politics, such as cutting the excise on petrol, with right-wing ideology, such as slashing the public service. The former resonated in the marginals, the latter did not. Albanese, by contrast, stayed on message, releasing a stream of expensive handouts to win the votes of battling Sydneysiders.

A wildcard is the emergence of Muslim lobby groups, The Muslim Vote and Muslim Votes Matter. These were formed to support pro-Palestine candidates in safe Labor seats in Western Sydney where there is a large Muslim population, such as Blaxland and Watson.

One factor that won’t be influential is the state government. Premier Chris Minns leads a Labor administration whose performance has generally been lacklustre, but which is not notably unpopular. Unlike in Victoria, NSW voters seem to have their baseball bats in the closet.

The opinion polls continue to show the trend developing since February of a swing back to Labor in NSW, mirroring the national trend. According to an aggregate of polling data, as at April 15 the Labor two-party preferred vote in NSW was 51.9%, an increase of 1.7% since the March federal budget.

Queensland

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

The fact neither Albanese nor Dutton has spent a disproportionate amount of time campaigning in Queensland underscores the view the Sunshine State is not a pathway to The Lodge.

But the fact both leaders have made several visits – Albanese campaigned here four times in 12 days – also indicates neither leader is taking any seat for granted.

Indeed, Albanese has visited normally tough-to-win seats, such as Leichhardt in far north Queensland (held by the Coalition for 26 of the past 29 years), which reveals an emboldened Labor Party. With the retirement of popular Coalition MP Warren Entsch, and held by just 3.44%, Labor thinks Leichhardt is “winnable”, especially after reports the LNP candidate Jeremy Neal had posted questionable comments regarding China and Donald Trump on social media.

If so – and given the growing lead Labor boasts in national polls – the LNP would be also at least a little concerned in Longman (3.1%), Bonner (3.4%), Flynn (3.8%), Forde (4.2%) and Petrie (4.4%).

At least the opposition can placate itself with this week’s Resolve Strategic poll, which indicates it still leads Labor in Queensland by six points after preferences, 53% to 47%. That’s just a one-point swing to Labor since 2022. However, it would be concerned that the LNP’s lead has been slashed ten points from the previous YouGov poll.

But most concerning must surely be a uComms poll in Dutton’s own seat of Dickson, held by a slender 1.7%, which forecast the opposition leader losing to high-profile Labor candidate Ali France, 51.7 to 48.3%. The entry of the Climate 200-backed independent candidate Ellie Smith appears to have disrupted preference flows.

Labor’s own polling indicated a closer contest at 50% each, while the LNP’s polling indicates an easy win for Dutton, 57% to 43%, despite Labor spending A$130,000 on France’s campaign.

An alleged terror plot against Dutton in Brisbane doesn’t appear to have shifted the dial. But voters’ potential to conflate Dutton with Trump may well have, especially given Trump’s tariffs now threaten Queensland beef producers’ $1.4 billion trade with the United States. In the closing weeks, watch as Dutton draws on the new and popular Premier David Crisafulli for electoral succour.

South Australia

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

Is there a federal election campaign taking place? In South Australia, there is a something of an elusive air about the current festival of democracy, with many voters disengaged. The lack of excitement reflects the fact that only two seats in the state are marginal: Sturt (0.5%) and Boothby (3.3%).

The party campaigns have sparkled and flickered, but not really caught alight. The signature move was Albanese’s early announcement of the $150 million new healthcare centre at Flinders, in the seat of Boothby. For the ALP, this neatly coalesced around Labor’s campaign on Medicare.

Federal Labor also sees its strongest asset in the state in Premier Peter Malinauskas, who was prominent during the recent AFL gather round – the round played entirely in Adelaide and its surrounds.

In a welcome development for the state, Labor’s announcement Adelaide would be put forward to host the next Climate COP conference in 2026 was an interesting flashpoint. Locally, many businesses welcomed the announcement, as it potentially will generate significant footfall and economic activity.

Yet, the Coalition quickly announced they would not support the bid, trying to shift the attention away from climate to cost-of-living issues.

More generally, there is a perception the Coalition has been struggling to build campaign momentum. Notably, in a recent visit by members of the shadow cabinet, energies appear to be focused more on sandbagging the seat of Sturt than on winning Boothy, which Labor holds with a nominal 3.3%.

Other factors also might explain a sense of indifference in South Australia. There have been key developments in state politics, for example, notably the ongoing criminal case against former Liberal leader David Speirs, and independent MP, and former Liberal, Nick McBride, who faces assault charges related to family and domestic violence (to which he’s yet to enter a plea).

Tasmania

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

The Labor and Liberal campaign strategies started quite differently across Tasmania’s five electorates.

Labor is desperate to defend Lyons and Franklin and hopeful of picking up Braddon (though perhaps overly ambitious, given the 8% margin).

Its candidates have focused on promoting Labor’s big, national-level policies. In the first couple of weeks of the campaign, this meant pushing its flagship healthcare and childcare policies. Following the campaign launches on the weekend, housing is the new flavour.

The Liberal Party – there is no Coalition in Tassie – is focused on winning super marginal Lyons (0.9%) and holding Braddon and Bass. In contrast to Labor, the Liberal campaign was initially defined by lots of community-level funding announcements and Tasmania-specific infrastructure support.

Since the Coalition’s plan to halve the fuel excise was announced, the approach has changed somewhat. Tasmanian Liberal candidates are now swinging in behind this and other national policy pronouncements about – you guessed it – housing.

Both major party candidates have been pretty quiet on the controversial issue of salmon farming. This is surprising given the national spotlight on Braddon’s Macquarie Harbour and the waterways of Franklin. The only exception is Braddon Labor candidate Anne Urquhart’s very vocal support for the salmon industry.

For the Greens, the goal is to build on their 2022 vote share and turn one Senate seat into two, although this is a long shot. They have campaigned hard on issues – mainly salmon farming and native forest logging – where agreement between the Labor and Liberal parties has left space for a dissenting voice.

Although the Greens’ chances of winning any of the lower house seats are slim, they will be hoping these issues help them make further inroads into the declining primary vote share of the major parties.

Victoria

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

Victoria has several seats that can potentially change hands at this election. As ABC election analyst Antony Green reminds us, the state is home to at least a dozen seats the major parties hold by a margin of 6% or less. Additionally, the independents in Kooyong and Goldstein are also on thin margins (2.2% and 3.3% respectively).

Within this context, the campaign in Victoria has been marked by several visits by the major party leaders. The challenge, however, has been how they have worked with their state counterparts.

State Liberal Leader Brad Battin has fallen short of explicitly supporting the Coalition’s focus on nuclear energy. Instead, he says he’s ready to have an “adult conversation” about the prospect. Coal currently provides more than 60% of electricity in Victoria.

Dutton was, however, happy to campaign alongside Battin and also visited a petrol station with the state leader while in Melbourne.

The Labor Party in Victoria, on the other hand, has been grappling with a drop in support in the polls, with Premier Jacinta Allan’s popularity falling. As a result, there’s been much speculation among political commentators about whether Albanese would want to be campaigning with a leader seemingly struggling to attract support.

In one of the first visits to the state, Albanese did not campaign with Allan. This was even though he had been happy to be with the premiers of South Australia and Western Australia while campaigning there.

According to Albanese, it was the fact that parliament was sitting that made it impossible for Allan to join him on the campaign trail. Both leaders were together at a subsequent visit, but this elicited questions about the impact of Allan’s leadership on Labor’s standing in Victoria.

Western Australia

Narelle Miragliotta, associate professor in politics, Murdoch University

Reports the state’s 16 seats will decide which party grouping will form government has resulted in WA voters being treated to regular visits by the major party leaders, including Labor’s campaign launch.

The campaign context in WA is shaped by its mining economy. Perth is the fastest growing capital in the country, which has led to strong growth in the median housing price and an expensive rental market.

While the state’s economic prosperity is one of the drivers of cost-of-living pressures, some of this has been offset by relief measures from the state Labor government, relatively low unemployment and some of the highest average weekly incomes in the country.

On top of this two potentially divisive issues – the nature positive laws and North West shelf gas expansion – have been defused by federal Labor. The party has backtracked in the case of the former. In the case of the latter, it has merely delayed (not without criticism, however) what is likely to be an eventual approval.

Clearer differences have emerged on future of the WA live sheep trade. But while important to communities directly affected by the phasing out of the practice, the issue does not appear to be capturing the attention of most metropolitan voters.

What might we expect? Labor’s two-party-preferred margin is comfortable in eight of the nine seats it holds. The five Liberal-held seats are on much slimmer margins. Polling suggests little improvement in their state-wide share of the two party preferred vote since 2022.

To the extent the polls portend the outcome, the Liberals’ lack of electoral momentum in WA suggests it will be a struggle to regain the target seats of Curtin and Tangney. Only the outcome in WA’s newest seat, Bullwinkel, remains uncertain.

Paul Williams is a research associate with the TJ Ryan Foundation.

David Clune, Narelle Miragliotta, Rob Manwaring, Robert Hortle, and Zareh Ghazarian do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

– ref. State of the states: six experts on how the campaign is playing out around Australia – https://theconversation.com/state-of-the-states-six-experts-on-how-the-campaign-is-playing-out-around-australia-253124

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

April 17, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: Putin and Sobyanin visited the new campus of Bauman Moscow State Technical University

Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin visited the new campus of the Moscow State Technical University (MSTU) named after N.E. Bauman. He familiarized himself with the research and development of teachers, students and postgraduates in the field of space exploration, as well as in other areas. The Mayor of Moscow Sergei Sobyanin reported to the head of state on the work of the Moscow Government to develop Russia’s leading engineering university.

Vladimir Putin also held a meeting at the university on the development of space activities, which was attended by representatives of departments related to this industry.

“Our focus today is on the development of the domestic space industry for the long term. Addressing this topic is always a special responsibility to the pioneers of space, to those people who set the highest bar for us,” said the Russian President.

Vladimir Putin congratulated veterans of the industry, cosmonauts and servicemen of the Russian Aerospace Forces on the recent Cosmonautics Day, and also thanked all employees of state enterprises, private space companies, scientific organizations and universities for their work. Particular attention was paid to the merits of the team of Bauman Moscow State Technical University, among whose graduates there is a whole galaxy of famous cosmonauts, outstanding scientists and designers.

“The best traditions of personnel training are developing and multiplying these days, and, as we have seen, in the new campus. Modern conditions are being created here for obtaining in-demand competencies. Of course, we will implement such projects in other cities of Russia,” Vladimir Putin emphasized.

Construction of the campus of the Bauman Moscow State Technical University

The project for the construction of a new educational complex of the Bauman Moscow State Technical University was implemented by the Moscow Government together with the Russian Government on behalf of Vladimir Putin. The new campus became the first facility in the country built under the federal project “Creation of a Network of Modern Campuses”. It became part of the national project “Science and Universities”, the implementation of which has been ongoing since 2025 within the framework of the national project “Youth and Children”This is one of the largest and most complex projects in the field of development of higher professional education.

“A total of 14 buildings with a total area of about 170 thousand square meters were built and restored in the shortest possible time. This was achieved through coordinated work – the facilities were built and designed in parallel. In almost 90 percent of cases, components and equipment from domestic manufacturers were used,” the Moscow Mayor said.

in his telegram channel.

Source: Sergei Sobyanin’s Telegram channel @Mos_Sobyanin

In 2022 – early 2024, six facilities of the MSTU research cluster were opened.

The Life Sciences Engineering Cluster (formerly the Biomedical Systems and Technologies Center) is designed to implement modern educational programs, conduct research and development in the field of engineering and life sciences. Along with the educational programs of the Biomedical Engineering Faculty, research and development in the field of advanced biomedical engineering is conducted here. The building houses classrooms, including an office with a transformable partition, rooms for teachers, and a meeting room. Much space is allocated to advanced laboratories, including Biophotonics and Visualization of Living Systems, Neuroinfobionics, Rapid Prototyping, Cellular Technologies and Tissue Engineering, and Functional Hydrogels.

The Engineering Center for Ground Transport and Technological Systems is designed to carry out research and development work, as well as to implement educational programs in the field of creation and operation of ground transport and technological machines and complexes. The building houses laboratories, engineers’ offices, educational and laboratory premises, office premises for employees, a classroom, premises for scientific research and meetings. The KAMAZ-Bauman Scientific and Educational Center and several specialized laboratories operate here. In particular, the Wheeled Machines laboratory has been opened, conducting work in five key areas, such as Traction Electric Drives and Mechatronic Transmissions, Intelligent NTTS Systems, Hydraulic Testing, On-Board Storage Devices, and Acoustic Testing.

The multifunctional scientific and educational building is a new five-story building with an area of 20 thousand square meters, designed to accommodate research laboratories, scientific, administrative and educational spaces. The building houses seven departments of the university, as well as a complex of laboratories of mechanical engineering technologies, ground-based technological and launch equipment for rocket and space, vacuum and compressor technology. In total, 26 laboratories are open here, including laboratories of additive manufacturing technologies, reverse engineering and prototyping, research and certification of additive materials and additive manufacturing technologies.

The exhibition and educational media space “Palace of Technologies” is located in the building of an architectural monument – the restored two-story Phanagoria barracks built in the 18th century. The ceremonial halls of the palace are intended for holding ceremonies, international meetings, scientific and educational forums and other thematic events of congress and exhibition activities. The university’s specialized departments are located here – the information policy department and the organizational and protocol work department. In December 2023, the building hosted the first open day of the Faculty of Robotics and Complex Automation, which was attended by more than 200 people. Representatives of the faculty prepared lectures on the digital transformation of industry, robotics and engineering infrastructure of a modern industrial enterprise. Applicants and their parents were told about the admission rules, curricula of educational programs, as well as future employment, career and salary prospects.

The research center is a new six-story building with an area of 5.1 thousand square meters. The advanced engineering school “System Engineering of Rocket and Space Technology” operates on its basis. In addition, departments developing products for space and aviation have launched their activities here.

The multifunctional library building is a restored three-story building of the chemical laboratory of the Imperial Moscow Technical School, built in the 19th century according to the design of the architect Lev Kekushev. It trains IT specialists. It houses classrooms and computer labs for lectures, seminars and laboratory work, specialized laboratories for classes with senior students of the university’s industrial partners – IT companies, as well as coworking spaces and premises for teachers and postgraduate students of the departments. Since February 2024, the building has been hosting strategic sessions, scientific and practical conferences and other socially significant events. In addition, it was used as an accreditation center on the day of the Bauman Moscow State Technical University alumni meeting, which was attended by more than two thousand people.

Vladimir Putin and Sergei Sobyanin opened new buildings of Bauman Moscow State Technical University

By September 2024, work on several sites was completed.

The central cluster with a total area of about 51 thousand square meters includes five buildings of different heights – from four to six. The main task of the architects was to visually separate different functional areas without disturbing the overall harmony of the ensemble. To do this, they decided to detail the facades of the buildings with the help of scientific formulas. The facade glass looks different: in some places the formulas and equations are visible as clearly as possible, in others they are reflected, and in buildings with atrium spaces they can disappear depending on the viewing angle. All five buildings are united by a hovering dome roof – a membrane structure with an area of 2.5 thousand square meters, which will protect the ensemble and the inner courtyard from bad weather and make it more comfortable.

The center of the square is the “tree of knowledge” – an oak tree, around which an amphitheater for students and employees of the Bauman Moscow State Technical University is located. The inner courtyard is open to city residents, which made it possible to create a new center for meetings and communication.

The central cluster of Bauman Moscow State Technical University houses an innovation hub and a congress center, a cluster of “Environmental Protection Technologies – Green Territory”, a center of excellence and a scientific and educational cluster of digital transformation, a center of excellence and a scientific and educational cluster of “Digital Materials Science”, as well as a federal testing center.

The multifunctional complex “Quantum Park” with a total area of 13.8 thousand square meters houses research laboratories with advanced equipment, including world-class “clean rooms”, co-working spaces and transformable spaces for presenting scientific developments.

Today, it is one of the most advanced research complexes in the world. It is designed to solve practical problems at the intersection of quantum, photonic and fluid technologies that will determine the future of science and industry.

The Quantum Park building is one of the largest and at the same time the most equipped in the new cluster. “House of Light” was the working title of the new building. The architects sought to make it truly airy and luminous.

The Bauman Moscow State Technical University dormitory complex consists of the Spektr and Strela buildings. It is designed to accommodate about 2.3 thousand students.

According to Sergei Sobyanin, a small plot of land between the river and the city collector was chosen for its construction. Now the dormitories have everything necessary for a comfortable stay of students.

In addition to living quarters, the buildings with a total area of 60.5 thousand square meters house a multifunctional educational and leisure center, multimedia spaces and the necessary social infrastructure. An unusual form of faceted crystals was chosen for the student dormitory buildings: the monoform effect was achieved by increasing the size of the glass on the facades.

The flat facade of the building reflects the surrounding environment during the day: trees, clouds and sun. From the street, spectacular panoramic glass spanning the entire floor is visible. The windows inside the building are not only beautiful, but also fully functional: there are window sills and ventilation sashes.

The seven-story Spektr building on Gospitalnaya Embankment is designed for 550 students who live in single, double, triple and quadruple rooms. Some of the rooms have been adapted for people with disabilities. The residential units have a kitchen area, an entrance hall, a bathroom with a bathtub, and modern and functional furniture. The building houses the Novoselye information center. It processes documents for moving in and accepts requests for electrical, plumbing and furniture repairs. Public spaces include coworking spaces and rooms with individual work areas, music classrooms and rehearsal rooms. The Spektr building also has a modern canteen with 140 seats.

Sergei Sobyanin announced the completion of construction of two new buildings of Baumanka

Metro station and pedestrian bridges

Simultaneously with the construction of the research cluster, the Moscow Government implemented a set of measures to develop transport infrastructure and improve the territory in the area of the Bauman Moscow State Technical University.

Opened in 2020 Elektrozavodskaya station Large metro ring line. Thanks to the improvement of the adjacent territory, convenient approaches and access roads to it from residential buildings were provided.

In April 2022, a pedestrian bridge across the Yauza River was opened near the new station. The 111-meter-long artificial structure connected residential areas on the Semenovskaya and Rubtsovskaya embankments, providing convenient access for teachers and students of Bauman Moscow State Technical University, as well as local residents, to the Elektrozavodskaya metro station of the Arbatsko-Pokrovskaya and Big Circle Lines and the station of the same name on the third Moscow Central Diameter.

In September 2024, the construction of a 243-meter-long bicycle and pedestrian bridge across the Yauza River was completed. It provides a connection between the educational buildings of the Bauman Moscow State Technical University, as well as unimpeded passage from Rubtsovskaya Embankment to the buildings of the N.N. Burdenko Main Military Clinical Hospital. The artificial structure was made in the form of open caissoned steel structures with lighting from the bottom. This gives a sense of the fluidity of the bridge and the river beneath it. The smooth lines of the structures compositionally continue the lines of the concrete supports.

The accent points of the bridge are the staircase and elevator units, made in the form of crystals. They harmoniously connect the appearance of the engineering structure with the architecture of the new campus buildings. In addition, the crystals have a symbolic connection with education and scientific activity. Cyclists and pedestrians can move along the bridge. There is a recreation area and a viewing area – a comfortable observation deck with an amphitheater. In addition to bike paths, the bridge is equipped with ramps for cyclists, stairways and elevators for people with limited mobility.

Moscow Mayor: 25 Tunnels, Overpasses, Bridges and Overpasses Built in 2024

Metallurg Stadium

The historic Metallurg stadium on the bank of the Yauza River was donated to Bauman Moscow State Technical University. It became the university’s main home arena.

According to Sergei Sobyanin, a complete reconstruction of the stadium is currently underway, within the framework of which a modern gym and changing rooms will be built here, and all the necessary infrastructure will be created.

The comprehensive renovation of the sports facility is planned to be completed in the third quarter of 2025. It will house a football and rugby field, a basketball and volleyball court, beach volleyball, workout and tennis areas. In addition, sports enthusiasts will be provided with a physical education and health complex and an administrative and household complex with volleyball courts that can be transformed for other sports (table tennis, basketball and mini-football), as well as a hall for the volleyball super league, exercise machines, comfortable locker rooms, coaches’ rooms, a room for storing sports equipment and a first aid station. In addition, the stadium will have an event venue, a recreation area, a pavilion-cafe with a summer terrace and a children’s play area.

The renovated Metallurg stadium will become a modern sports complex — Sobyanin

Improvement of neighborhoods in the area of the Bauman Moscow State Technical University

“Along with the construction of the research cluster, much was done to improve the transport infrastructure in the area of the university. The nearby neighborhoods were also improved,” said Sergei Sobyanin

in his telegram channel.

Source: Sergei Sobyanin’s Telegram channel @Mos_Sobyanin

Landscaping works were carried out in the areas located near the Bauman Moscow State Technical University complex of buildings and the Metallurg stadium. In particular, in 2023, landscaping of 14 objects was completed: Baumanskaya, 2-ya Baumanskaya, Malaya Pochtovaya and Ladozhskaya streets, as well as Staro-Kirochny, Denisovsky, Gardnerovsky, Brigadirsky, Maly Gavrikov, Gospitalny and Spartakovsky lanes, Proektiruyemy proezd No. 1106, the inter-yard area from Lefortovskaya Square to Gospitalny Lane, as well as Khomutovsky blind alley.

Comfortable conditions for pedestrians were created on the landscaped streets: sidewalks were widened where possible, new outdoor lighting supports with energy-saving lamps were installed, and comfortable public spaces with places to rest were arranged.

Four new pavilions with charging slots and information boards were installed at public transport stops. Convenient parking for 278 cars was arranged, and for cyclists – bicycle parking for 63 places.

During the additional landscaping work, lawns and flower beds with a total area of over 14 thousand square meters were laid out, and large trees and shrubs were planted.

Under the Clean Sky project, overhead cable lines were moved to underground collectors. In addition, storm drains were put in order, the asphalt pavement of the roadway was replaced, road signs and other infrastructure facilities were updated.

Sobyanin: A number of areas near universities in Moscow will be improved by 2024

In September 2024, the reorganization of the space between Lefortovo Embankment and Bauman Moscow State Technical University was completed. A convenient route from the main building of the university to the Faculty of Power Engineering and a new pedestrian path from Lefortovo Square to the embankment were created for students and teachers. The area in front of Lefortovo Palace was also transformed: an additional approach to the main building of the university was organized in place of the dilapidated buildings, the granite paving of the staircase near the building was renewed, benches were installed on the territory, a lawn was laid out and a video surveillance system was installed. The sidewalk along the embankment was widened, protective screens and lanterns with energy-efficient lamps were installed, and the parking area was reorganized.

Leading space university in Russia

Bauman Moscow State Technical University is rightfully considered the largest center for training personnel for the space industry. Among the university’s graduates are outstanding designers Sergei Korolev, Vladimir Barmin, Nikolai Pilyugin, many other managers and leading employees of industry enterprises, as well as 15 cosmonauts.

Today, more than 4.5 thousand students are studying at the university in areas related to space exploration. By the end of 2024, 90 percent of graduates in these specialties were successfully employed.

For the practice-oriented training of students and the implementation of research and development work on space topics, specialized divisions operate at Bauman Moscow State Technical University:

— educational and experimental center based at the Dmitrov branch;

— an educational and scientific youth space center with a flight control center, in which students develop microsatellites, payloads for space experiments, and special software and mathematical support;

— the design bureau “Breakthrough Space Research and Technology”, which implements the full cycle of spacecraft and their systems development, integration of target equipment from third-party developers and leading domestic scientific organizations. Currently, there are six satellites in orbit, designed for weather monitoring and forecasting. They are also used for marine navigation of ships, including in the Northern Sea Route zone;

— advanced engineering school “System Engineering of Rocket and Space Technology”. The federal project was created in 2022 on the initiative of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation with the aim of training specialists in the field of system design to solve breakthrough problems in the rocket and space industry, as well as to implement projects in the interests of high-tech companies. Special equipment and machinery have been purchased for specific educational and research purposes, which are already being used by teachers and students.

Today, 160 students are studying at the engineering school. The training includes practical work at enterprises of the state corporation Roscosmos and private space companies in the laboratories of the advanced engineering school, work with mentors in team projects. Students in interdisciplinary teams participate in the implementation of research and development work commissioned by industry enterprises. The school works in several areas, including the creation of the Russian orbital station and the production of a promising component base to ensure Russia’s technological sovereignty in space.

Which capital companies offer internship and practical training programs for university and college students

On cooperation with the Moscow Innovation Cluster

MSTU named after N.E. Bauman is a member Moscow Innovation Cluster. The university carries out research and development work for government and commercial customers in the field of creating spacecraft, electronic systems, and other strategically important areas. In particular, work is underway on the project of a small-sized descent vehicle “Zaryanka” – a system for delivering samples and materials for research from orbit of space stations.

On the development of the Moscow aerospace industry

Moscow is the center of the rocket and space industry of Russia, where over 40 enterprises, scientific and technical centers, laboratories and research institutes work. They employ over 30 thousand people. These are engineers and designers, developers and other specialists in related fields, thanks to whom almost everything is created in the city: from ultra-light cables to launch vehicles and components for spacecraft.

In 2024, manufacturers of aircraft, including spacecraft, and related equipment increased shipments by 11.7 percent compared to 2023: companies delivered products worth about 214.4 billion rubles. The revenue of enterprises in 2024 amounted to almost 200 billion rubles, and investments in fixed assets exceeded nine billion rubles.

The Khrunichev State Space Research and Production Center operates in Moscow. It is one of the basic enterprises of the Roscosmos state corporation, a leading domestic developer and manufacturer of space launch vehicles of various payload capacities and their components for federal and commercial programs. For example, it created the third stage, assembly units, payload fairing and other parts of the Angara-A5 heavy rocket, which was launched on April 11, 2024.

The development of control systems for rocket and space technology is carried out by the Scientific and Production Center for Automation and Instrumentation (NPCAI) named after Academician N.A. Pilyugin. Here they produced the control system for the Angara-A5 rocket, and for the Proton-M launch vehicle – a single hardware and software complex that ensures control of pre-launch preparation and flight mode. In addition, the Fregat upper stage, designed to launch spacecraft into various specified orbits, is equipped with an integrated inertial-satellite control system of JSC NPCAI.

A unique development of Moscow industrialists was space bread. The capital’s Research Institute of the Baking Industry is responsible for its production. This product, which can be stored for 15 months, is supplied to cosmonauts in the form of mini-loaves. In addition, flour flatbreads with onions, cheese and ketchup are prepared for them, as well as mini-muffins and rolls for tea.

The capital’s Spetskabel plant produces a cable for onboard computer networks using SpaceWire technology. Information is transmitted at a speed of 400 megabits per second, four times faster than similar products. It is manufactured using lightweight foam insulation technology, which makes the cable thinner and lighter than foreign analogues. Its operating temperature is from minus 198 to plus 200 degrees, which guarantees stable operation in extreme space conditions.

In the Moscow engineering center “Automated Control Systems” they test the electronic component base for products of the rocket and space industry in the components of ground simulators for training cosmonauts for flight, as well as in many other devices. They are tested, in particular, for resistance to shock loads and for determining the critical frequencies of the product.

Ventilation systems produced in the capital are used at key facilities in the space industry. Thus, the GalVent ventilation factory ensures a comfortable microclimate in the premises at the Vostochny and Plesetsk cosmodromes, the country’s scientific and production centers, and the center for the operation of ground-based space infrastructure facilities.

The Russian aerospace company Bureau 1440 is developing a low-orbit satellite constellation that will provide broadband Internet access with data transfer rates of up to one gigabit per second with minimal delays anywhere on Earth. The work is being carried out as part of the national project Data Economy.

Sobyanin: Moscow remains the center of Russia’s high-tech industry

A number of other companies also work in the Moscow space industry. For example, the N.A. Dollezhal Research and Design Institute of Power Engineering produces systems for the automation of reactors and nuclear space installations.

ExpertStroyProekt LLC produces antenna and telemetry systems, ground-based receiving telemetry stations, as well as command radio line equipment, space, rocket and aviation based for stationary monitoring of the Earth’s surface and its atmosphere, measuring, receiving and control radio engineering and optoelectronic testing complexes for rocket and aviation equipment.

The State Research Institute of Instrument Engineering produces drones and various devices of a wide range, on-board systems for space and aircraft.

The Kometa Corporation produces computing systems, automated control systems, spacecraft payloads, television systems, automatic equipment, radio measuring equipment, artistic castings and television surveillance systems. The Research Institute of Precision Instruments produces products for radio control of spacecraft.

The research and production enterprise (RPE) “Impulse” is creating a controlled thermostatic system for liquid fuel of a rocket engine under conditions of variable thermal load, and the RPE “Quantum” is creating autonomous power supply systems.

OOO Sputniks (Skolkovo) manufactures debugging tools and devices for microsatellites, and the scientific and production concern Barl develops and implements solutions in the field of remote sensing of the Earth and satellite communications.

The VNIIEM corporation is engaged in space systems for remote sensing of the Earth, and the scientific and production association Nauka creates life support systems.

The All-Russian Research Institute of Aviation Materials of the National Research Center “Kurchatov Institute” is producing a light-filtering gold coating for the Orlan spacesuit.

JSC Aeropribor-Voskhod produces aerometric, radio-electronic and navigation equipment, precision and working pressure gauges for aviation and space technology.

A large number of projects in this industry and the telecommunications sector are being implemented in the special economic zone (SEZ) Technopolis Moscow. At the Pechatniki site, one of the leading Russian developers of high-tech equipment, Neoros LLC, in partnership with Biforcom Tek LLC, produces transceivers used in telecommunications equipment. The Goodwin Concern produces a microcellular communication system used to service subscribers. Labs 1440 JSC (ICS Holding Company) has placed the production of components for a low-orbit satellite system.

At the Alabushevo site in Zelenograd, the Electroinvest group of companies launched the production of radiation-resistant secondary power sources.

The construction of the Moscow Photonics Center has been completed. Its production capacity will be 100 thousand photonic integrated circuits (PIC) per year. A PIC is a microchip designed for ultra-fast processing of light (photonic) signals, which increases the data transfer rate by 100 times. It is a basic element for the implementation of modern technologies of artificial intelligence, fifth-generation mobile communications (5G), biomedicine, lidars, radars and much more.

Another important project at the Alabushevo site is the construction of a photomask center, which is used to create integrated circuits. The enterprise’s capacity will allow it to produce up to 5.5 thousand photomasks per year.

Over the year, 30 high-tech production facilities have been launched in the Technopolis Moscow SEZ

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.

Please Note; This Information is Raw Content Directly from the Information Source. It is access to What the Source Is Stating and Does Not Reflect

HTTPS: //vv.mos.ru/mayor/tkhemes/12629050/

MIL OSI Russia News –

April 17, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Luján Addresses Industry Leaders and Innovators at Energy, Technology & Environmental Business Association’s Forum

US Senate News:

Source: US Senator for New Mexico Ben Ray Luján

Santa Fe, N.M. – Today, U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) delivered remarks at the Energy, Technology & Environmental Business Association’s New Mexico Federal Business Opportunities Forum to highlight federal investments in energy, innovation, and sustainability, as well as the success of New Mexico businesses in energy, technology, and environmental issues. Senator Luján specifically highlighted investments he helped secure for the National Labs located in New Mexico through the Inflation Reduction Act and efforts he championed in the CHIPS and Science Act to drive scientific innovation in underserved areas in rural New Mexico.

“New Mexico’s business owners, engineers, scientists, and advocates are helping drive innovation and economic growth right here at home and across the country,” said Senator Luján. “It was a privilege to join industry leaders today at the Energy, Technology & Environmental Business Association’s New Mexico Federal Business Opportunities Forum and recognize all the work that is happening to build a sustainable, competitive, and secure future. I have long fought to make sure New Mexico is front and center in every conversation about energy, innovation, and sustainability, and will continue to do so. I look forward to working together with these industry leaders, small businesses, and entrepreneurs to shape the future of innovation in New Mexico.”

The Energy, Technology & Environmental Business Association’s New Mexico Federal Business Forum connects industry leaders, small businesses, entrepreneurs, and federal partners to forge new partnerships, share knowledge, and shape the future of innovation in New Mexico.

MIL OSI USA News –

April 17, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: NASA’s Chandra Releases New 3D Models of Cosmic Objects

Source: NASA

[embedded content]

New three-dimensional (3D) models of objects in space have been released by NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory. These 3D models allow people to explore — and print — examples of stars in the early and end stages of their lives. They also provide scientists with new avenues to investigate scientific questions and find insights about the objects they represent.
These 3D models are based on state-of-the-art theoretical models, computational algorithms, and observations from space-based telescopes like Chandra that give us accurate pictures of these cosmic objects and how they evolve over time.
However, looking at images and animations is not the only way to experience this data. The four new 3D printable models of Cassiopeia A (Cas A), G292.0+1.8 (G292), Cygnus Loop supernova remnants, and the star known as BP Tau let us experience the celestial objects in the form of physical structures that will allow anyone to hold replicas of these stars and their surroundings and examine them from all angles.

Using NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, astronomers uncovered a mysterious feature within the remnant, nicknamed the “Green Monster,” alongside a puzzling network of ejecta filaments forming a web of oxygen-rich material. When combined with X-rays from Chandra, the data helped astronomers shed light on the origin of the Green Monster and revealed new insights into the explosion that created Cas A about 340 years ago, from Earth’s perspective.

This 3D model shows a star less than 10 million years old that is surrounded by a disk of material. This class of objects is known as T Tauri stars, named after a young star in the Taurus star-forming region. The model describes the effects of multiple flares, or outbursts that are detected in X-rays by Chandra from one T Tauri star known as BP Tau. These flares interact with the disk of material and lead to the formation of an extended outer atmosphere composed by hot loops, connecting the disk to the developing star.

The Cygnus Loop (also known as the Veil Nebula) is a supernova remnant, the remains of the explosive death of a massive star. This 3D model is the result of a simulation describing the interaction of a blast wave from the explosion with an isolated cloud of the interstellar medium (that is, dust and gas in between the stars). Chandra sees the blast wave and other material that has been heated to millions of degrees. The Cygnus Loop is a highly extended, but faint, structure on the sky: At three degrees across, it has the diameter of six full moons.

This is a rare type of supernova remnant observed to contain large amounts of oxygen. The X-ray image of G292.0+1.8 from Chandra shows a rapidly expanding, intricately structured field left behind by the shattered star. By creating a 3D model of the system, astronomers have been able to examine the asymmetrical shape of the remnant that can be explained by a “reverse” shock wave moving back toward the original explosion.

The 3D models here are the subject of several scholarly papers by Salvatore Orlando of INAF in Palermo, Italy, and colleagues published in The Astrophysical Journal, Astronomy & Astrophysics, and Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. Much of this work is also publicly available work on SketchFab.
NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center manages the Chandra program. The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory’s Chandra X-ray Center controls science operations from Cambridge, Massachusetts, and flight operations from Burlington, Massachusetts.
Read more from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory.
Learn more about the Chandra X-ray Observatory and its mission here:

chandra

https://chandra.si.edu

This release features visualizations of three supernova remnants and one star. Each is rendered as a composite image, and as a digital 3-dimensional model, presented in separate short video clips. The composite images are two dimensional and static, but the digital models rotate, showcasing their three-dimensionality.
The first featured supernova is Cassiopeia A. In the X-ray, optical, and infrared composite image, the debris from an exploded star resembles a round purple gas cloud, marbled with streaks of golden light. In the rotating, 3D model, the purple gas cloud is depicted as a flat disk, like a record or CD. Bursting out the front and back of the disk is an orange and white shape similar to a ball of coral, or a head of cauliflower lined with stubby tendrils. Most of the ball, and the majority of the tendrils, appear on one side of the disk. On the opposite side, the shape resembles dollops of thick whipped cream.
Next in the release is a star known as BP Tau. BP Tau is a developing star, less than 10 million years old, and prone to outbursts or flares. These flares interact with a disk of material that surrounds the young star, forming hot loops of extended atmosphere. In the composite image, BP Tau resembles a distant, glowing white dot surrounded by a band of pink light. The rotating, 3D model is far more dynamic and intriguing! Here, the disk of material resembles a large blue puck with round, ringed, concave surfaces. At the heart of the puck is a small, glowing red orb: the developing star. Shooting out of the orb are long, thin, green strands: the flares. Also emerging from the orb are orange and pink petal-shaped blobs: the loops of extended atmosphere. Together, the orb, strands, and petals resemble an exotic flowering orchid.
The third celestial object in this release is the supernova remnant called Cygnus Loop. In the composite image, the remnant resembles a wispy cloud in oranges, blues, purples, and whites, shaped like a backwards letter C. The 3D model examines this cloud of interstellar material interacting with the superheated, supernova blast wave. In the 3D model, the Cygnus Loop resembles a bowl with a thick base, and a wedge cut from the side like a slice of pie. The sides of the bowl are rendered in swirled blues and greens. However, inside the thick base, revealed by the wedge-shaped cut, are streaks of red and orange. Surrounding the shape are roughly parallel thin red strands, which extend beyond the top and bottom of the digital model.
The final supernova featured in this release is G292.0+1.8. The composite image depicts the remnant as a bright and intricate ball of red, blue, and white X-ray gas and debris set against a backdrop of gleaming stars. In the 3D model, the remnant is rendered in translucent icy blue and shades of orange. Here, the rotating shape is revealed to be somewhat like a bulbous arrowhead, or perhaps an iceberg on its side.

Megan WatzkeChandra X-ray CenterCambridge, Mass.617-496-7998mwatzke@cfa.harvard.edu
Lane FigueroaMarshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Alabama256-544-0034lane.e.figueroa@nasa.gov

MIL OSI USA News –

April 17, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Hubble Provides New View of Galactic Favorite

Source: NASA

As part of ESA/Hubble’s 35th anniversary celebrations, the European Space Agency (ESA) is sharing a new image series revisiting stunning, previously released Hubble targets with the addition of the latest Hubble data and new processing techniques.
ESA/Hubble published a new image of NGC 346 as the first installment in the series. Now, they are revisiting a fan-favorite galaxy with new image processing techniques. The new image reveals finer detail in the galaxy’s disk, as well as more background stars and galaxies.
Over the past two decades, Hubble has released several images of the Sombrero Galaxy, including this well-known Hubble image from October 2003. In November 2024, the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope also provided an entirely new perspective on this striking galaxy.
Located around 30 million light-years away in the constellation Virgo, the Sombrero Galaxy is instantly recognizable. Viewed nearly edge on, the galaxy’s softly luminous bulge and sharply outlined disk resemble the rounded crown and broad brim of the Mexican hat from which the galaxy gets its name.

NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image of the Sombrero Galaxy, also called Messier 104.
ESA/Hubble & NASA, K. Noll

Though packed with stars, the Sombrero Galaxy is surprisingly not a hotbed of star formation. Less than one solar mass of gas is converted into stars within the knotted, dusty disk of the galaxy each year. Even the galaxy’s central supermassive black hole, which at nine billion solar masses is more than 2,000 times more massive than the Milky Way’s central black hole, is fairly calm.
The galaxy is too faint to spot with the unaided eye, but it is readily viewable with a modest amateur telescope. Seen from Earth, the galaxy spans a distance equivalent to roughly one-third the diameter of the full Moon. The galaxy’s size on the sky is too large to fit within Hubble’s narrow field of view, so this image is actually a mosaic of several images stitched together.
One of the things that makes this galaxy especially notable is its viewing angle, which is inclined just six degrees off of the galaxy’s equator. From this vantage point, intricate clumps and strands of dust stand out against the brilliant white galactic nucleus and bulge, creating an effect not unlike Saturn and its rings — but on an epic galactic scale.
At the same time, this extreme angle makes it difficult to discern the structure of the Sombrero Galaxy. It’s not clear whether it’s a spiral galaxy, like our own Milky Way, or an elliptical galaxy. Curiously, the galaxy’s disk seems like a fairly typical disk for a spiral galaxy, and its spheroidal bulge and halo seem fairly typical for an elliptical galaxy — but the combination of the two components resembles neither a spiral nor an elliptical galaxy.
Researchers used Hubble to investigate the Sombrero Galaxy, measuring the metals (what astronomers call elements heavier than helium) in stars in the galaxy’s expansive halo. This type of measurement can help astronomers better understand a galaxy’s history, potentially revealing whether it merged with other galaxies in the past. In the case of the Sombrero Galaxy, extremely metal-rich stars in the halo point to a possible merger with a massive galaxy several billion years ago. An ancient galactic clash, hinted at by Hubble’s sensitive measurements, could explain the Sombrero Galaxy’s distinctive appearance.
The Hubble Space Telescope has been operating for over three decades and continues to make ground-breaking discoveries that shape our fundamental understanding of the universe. Hubble is a project of international cooperation between NASA and ESA (European Space Agency). NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, manages the telescope and mission operations. Lockheed Martin Space, based in Denver, also supports mission operations at Goddard. The Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, conducts Hubble science operations for NASA.

MIL OSI USA News –

April 17, 2025
MIL-OSI: Olympia Gaming Launches Mobile Apps, LB Rewards and CF Rewards
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

SAN DIEGO, April 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Olympia Gaming, the developer of Casino Fandango in Carson City, NV and Legends Bay Casino in Sparks, NV and Quick Custom Intelligence (QCI) today announced the rollout of mobile apps, LB Rewards and CF Rewards. With this launch, Olympia Gaming becomes the first operator in Northern Nevada to deliver the QCI Player App, setting a new regional standard for real-time, mobile guest engagement.

Current Features (Now Available):
- Player Account Information – live tier status, point balance, free play, and comp dollars
- Offer Listing – view of current and upcoming offers including free play, dining and hotel
- Secure Tax Forms – digital retrieval of win/loss statements and tax documentations
- Push Notifications & Event Alerts – real-time updates tailored to guest preferences
Future Features (Coming Soon):
- Entertainment & Special Event Schedule – full calendar of concerts and events
- Host Chat & Service Requests – direct, secure messaging for concierge-level support
- Interactive Property Navigation – maps, parking guidance, and way-finding tools
- Interactive Prizes – in-app rewards that are redeemable at either casino
“Launching the QCI Player App is a milestone for both Casino Fandango and Legends Bay Casino,” said DeCourcy Graham, Chief Operating Officer at Olympia Gaming. “Our guests can now see their rewards, view exclusive offers, and even access tax forms—all from their mobile device, furthering the value of our rewards program. We are thrilled to pioneer this technology in Northern Nevada and elevate the guest experience across our properties.”

With a combined focus on value and exceeding guest expectations, Olympia Gaming and QCI’s collaboration is delivering on a promise to set a new industry standard, offering capabilities that surpass current market offerings.

“Olympia Gaming challenged us to create an app that goes beyond basic account lookup and truly empowers the player,” said Dr. Ralph Thomas, Chief Executive Officer at QCI. “This successful launch reflects a close collaboration between the Olympia team and QCI, and we are excited to see the QCI Player App drive deeper engagement and new revenue opportunities for both properties.”

The LB Rewards and CF Rewards mobile apps are now available for download on Apple IOS and Google Play store.

ABOUT Olympia Gaming
Olympia Gaming is the gaming development division of Olympia Companies, whose subsidiaries and related entities include Casino Fandango in Carson City and Legends Bay Casino in Sparks. Voted the best casino in Carson City year after year, Casino Fandango features a wide variety of gaming, dining, and entertainment venues. Legends Bay Casino builds upon Olympia’s success in Carson City with the latest slots and table games, northern Nevada’s only Circa Sports Sportsbook, several original dining and bar concepts, as well as seamless access to the open-air shopping and dining at the Outlets at Legends and the adjacent Sparks Marina. For more information, visit Olympia Gaming.

ABOUT QCI
Quick Custom Intelligence (QCI) has pioneered the revolutionary QCI Enterprise Platform, an artificial intelligence platform that seamlessly integrates player development, marketing, and gaming operations with powerful, real-time tools designed specifically for the gaming and hospitality industries. Our advanced, highly configurable software is deployed in over 250 casino resorts across North America, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Latin America, and Europe. The QCI AGI Platform, which manages more than $35 billion in annual gross gaming revenue, stands as a best-in-class solution, whether on-premises, hybrid, or cloud-based, enabling fully coordinated activities across all aspects of gaming or hospitality operations. QCI’s data-driven, AI-powered software propels swift, informed decision-making vital in the ever-changing casino industry, assisting casinos in optimizing resources and profits, crafting effective marketing campaigns, and enhancing customer loyalty. QCI was co-founded by Dr. Ralph Thomas and Mr. Andrew Cardno and is based in San Diego, with additional offices in Las Vegas, St. Louis, Dallas, and Tulsa. Main phone number: (858) 299.5715. Visit us at www.quickcustomintelligence.com.

ABOUT Dr. Ralph Thomas
Ralph is a product visionary in applied analytics and the founder of two companies that deliver solutions in casino gaming, education, and adult learning. As a gaming industry veteran, Dr. Thomas has substantial experience implementing analytics into single and multi-property gaming companies to drive tangible and measurable gains to the bottom line and has built business intelligence tools for multibillion-dollar casinos. Dr. Thomas is co-author of seven books and over 80 articles on applied analytics and data science in gaming, an inventor on dozens of patents, and understands gaming from raw data up through casino operations, giving him a unique, 360-degree view of the industry.

For all media inquiries, please contact:
Jeff Wagner: jeff@jeffwagneragency.com
Michelle Loosbrock: michelle@jeffwagneragency.com
Joel Rovics: jrovics@quickcustomintelligence.com

The MIL Network –
April 17, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: How single-stream recycling works − your choices can make it better
Source: The Conversation – USA – By Alex Jordan, Associate Professor of Plastics Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Stout

Successful recycling requires some care. Alejandra Villa Loarca/Newsday RM via Getty Images

Every week, millions of Americans toss their recyclables into a single bin, trusting that their plastic bottles, aluminum cans and cardboard boxes will be given a new life.

But what really happens after the truck picks them up?

Single-stream recycling makes participating in recycling easy, but behind the scenes, complex sorting systems and contamination mean a large percentage of that material never gets a second life. Reports in recent years have found 15% to 25% of all the materials picked up from recycle bins ends up in landfills instead.

Plastics are among the biggest challenges. Only about 9% of the plastic generated in the U.S. actually gets recycled, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Some plastic is incinerated to produce energy, but most of the rest ends up in landfills instead.

A breakdown of U.S. recycling by millions of tons shows about two-thirds of all paper and cardboard gets a second life, but only about a third of metal, a quarter of glass and less than 10% of plastics do.
Alex Jordan/University of Wisconsin-Stout

So, what makes plastic recycling so difficult? As an engineer whose work focuses on reprocessing plastics, I have been exploring potential solutions.

How does single-stream recycling work?

In cities that use single-stream recycling, consumers put all of their recyclable materials − paper, cardboard, plastic, glass and metal − into a single bin. Once collected, the mixed recyclables are taken to a materials recovery facility, where they are sorted.

First, the mixed recyclables are shredded and crushed into smaller fragments, enabling more effective separation. The mixed fragments pass over rotating screens that remove cardboard and paper, allowing heavier materials, including plastics, metals and glass, to continue along the sorting line.

The basics of a single-stream recycling system in Pennsylvania. Source: Van Dyk Recycling Solutions.

Magnets are used to pick out ferrous metals, such as steel. A magnetic field that produces an electrical current with eddies sends nonferrous metals, such as aluminum, into a separate stream, leaving behind plastics and glass.

The glass fragments are removed from the remaining mix using gravity or vibrating screens.

That leaves plastics as the primary remaining material.

While single-stream recycling is convenient, it has downsides. Contamination, such as food residue, plastic bags and items that can’t be recycled, can degrade the quality of the remaining material, making it more difficult to reuse. That lowers its value.

Having to remove that contamination raises processing costs and can force recovery centers to reject entire batches.

Plastic bags, food residue and items that can’t be recycled can contaminate a recycling stream.
City of Greenville, N.C./Flickr

Which plastics typically can’t be recycled?

Each recycling program has rules for which items it will and won’t take. You can check which items can and cannot be recycled for your specific program on your municipal page. Often, that means checking the recycling code stamped on the plastic next to the recycling icon.

These are the toughest plastics to recycle and most likely to be excluded in your local recycling program:
- Symbol 3 – Polyvinyl chloride, or PVC, found in pipes, shower curtains and some food packaging. It may contain harmful additives such as phthalates and heavy metals. PVC also degrades easily, and melting can release toxic fumes during recycling, contaminating other materials and making it unsafe to process in standard recycling facilities.
- Symbol 4 – Low-density polyethylene, or LDPE, is often used in plastic bags and shrink-wrap. Because it’s flexible and lightweight, it’s prone to getting tangled in sorting machinery at recycling plants.
- Symbol 6 – Polystyrene, often used in foam cups, takeout containers and packing peanuts. Because it’s lightweight and brittle, it’s difficult to collect and process and easily contaminates recycling streams.
Which plastics to include

That leaves three plastics that can be recycled in many facilities:
- Symbol 1 – Polyethylene terephthalate, or PET, widely used in soda bottles.
- Symbol 2 – High-density polyethylene, or HDPE, commonly used in milk jugs and laundry detergent bottles.
- Symbol 5 – Polypropylene, PP, used in products such as pill bottles, yogurt cups and plastic utensils.
However, these aren’t accepted in some facilities for reasons I’ll explain.

Taking apart plastics, bead by bead

Some plastics can be chemically recycled or ground up for reprocessing, but not all plastics play well together.

Simple separation methods, such as placing ground-up plastics in water, can easily remove your soda bottle plastic (PET) from the mixture. The ground-up PET sinks in water due to the plastic’s density. However, HDPE, used in milk jugs, and PP, found in yogurt cups, both float, and they can’t be recycled together. So, more advanced and expensive technology, such as infrared spectroscopy, is often required to separate those two materials.

Once separated, the plastic from your soda bottle can be chemically recycled through a process called solvolysis.

It works like this: Plastic materials are formed from polymers. A polymer is a molecule with many repeating units, called monomers. Picture a pearl necklace. The individual pearls are the repeating monomer units. The string that runs through the pearls is the chemical bond that joins the monomer units together. The entire necklace can then be thought of as a single molecule.

During solvolysis, chemists break down that necklace by cutting the string holding the pearls together until they are individual pearls. Then, they string those pearls together again to create new necklaces.

Other chemical recycling methods, such as pyrolysis and gasification, have drawn environmental and health concerns because the plastic is heated, which can release toxic fumes. But chemical recycling also holds the potential to reduce both plastic waste and the need for new plastics, while generating energy.

The problem of yogurt cups and milk jugs

The other two common types of recycled plastics − items such as yogurt cups (PP) and milk jugs (HDPE) − are like oil and water: Each can be recycled through reprocessing, but they don’t mix.

If polyethylene and polypropylene aren’t completely separated during recycling, the resulting mix can be brittle and generally unusable for creating new products.

Chemists are working on solutions that could increase the quality of recycled plastics through mechanical reprocessing, typically done at separate facilities.

One promising mechanical method for recycling mixed plastics is to incorporate a chemical called a compatibilizer. Compatibilizers contain the chemical structure of multiple different polymers in the same molecule. It’s like how lecithin, commonly found in egg yolks, can help mix oil and water to make mayonnaise − part of the lecithin molecule is in the oil phase and part is in the water phase.

In the case of yogurt cups and milk jugs, recently developed block copolymers are able to produce recycled plastic materials with the flexibility of polyethylene and the strength of polypropylene.

Improving recycling

Research like this can make recycled materials more versatile and valuable and move products closer to a goal of a circular economy without waste.

However, improving recycling also requires better recycling habits.

You can help the recycling process by taking a few minutes to wash off food waste, avoiding putting plastic bags in your recycling bin and, importantly, paying attention to what can and cannot be recycled in your area.

Alex Jordan received funding in in the past from TotalEnergies. He has worked on projects to create PP-PE block copolymers.

– ref. How single-stream recycling works − your choices can make it better – https://theconversation.com/how-single-stream-recycling-works-your-choices-can-make-it-better-250017
MIL OSI – Global Reports –
April 17, 2025
MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Management of infectious diseases in livestock and breeding animals – E-001444/2025
Source: European Parliament
Question for written answer E-001444/2025
to the Commission
Rule 144
Kristian Vigenin (S&D)

The management of infectious diseases in livestock and breeding animals remains a major challenge for animal health, farmers’ well-being and sustainable agriculture. Current protocols often involve the culling of entire herds or flocks, even in situations where more targeted, science-based responses might be possible. This approach can be unnecessarily distressing for farmers, financially damaging, and ethically troubling – especially when less drastic alternatives may exist through advances in veterinary science.

The outbreaks of small ruminant plague (PPR) in Bulgaria in 2018 and 2024 further underscore the urgent need for more effective, nuanced, and evidence-based disease response strategies.

1.Is the Commission planning any new initiatives focused on improving the management of infectious diseases in livestock, particularly through financing research into alternative solutions such as vaccines, treatments and disease monitoring systems?

2.Is there any intention to review and potentially revise the existing EU protocols for handling diseased animals, in order to allow for more flexible and evidence-based approaches that could reduce the reliance on mass culling?

3.Why was the issue of infectious disease management not more prominently addressed in the recently published Vision for Agriculture and Food[1], and will the Commission consider integrating this dimension more explicitly in future strategic planning?

Submitted: 9.4.2025

[1] COM(2025)0075.
Last updated: 16 April 2025
MIL OSI Europe News –
April 17, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Chairmen Babin and Cruz Lead Texas Delegation in Support of Relocating NASA Headquarters to Houston

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Brian Babin (R-TX)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. House Science, Space, and Technology Committee Chairman Brian Babin (TX-36) and Chairman Ted Cruz (R-TX) led a bicameral coalition of federal lawmakers representing Texas communities in sending a letter to President Trump urging his administration to move the headquarters for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) from Washington, D.C. to the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston, Texas. The lease for NASA’s current D.C. office expires in 2028.

In the letter, the lawmakers argue that NASA is disconnected from the day-to-day work of its centers and hindered by bureaucratic micromanagement in Washington, D.C. Houston is well suited for NASA’s headquarters because of JSC’s substantial involvement in nearly everything that makes America a leader in space exploration. JSC maintains the largest NASA workforce, accommodates extensive research and development partnerships, and houses Mission Control, the NASA astronaut corps, and the Lunar Sample Laboratory Facility.

Additionally, Texas boasts a strong business environment, low government regulation, a robust commercial space sector, and a cost of living that is less than half of the Washington, D.C. area. Moving the NASA headquarters to Texas will create more jobs, save taxpayer dollars, and reinvigorate America’s space agency.

Joining Sen. Cruz and Rep. Babin in sending the letter are Sen. John Cornyn and Reps. Jodey Arrington, John Carter, Michael Cloud, Dan Crenshaw, Monica De La Cruz, Jake Ellzey, Pat Fallon, Brandon Gill, Craig Goldman, Tony Gonzales, Lance Gooden, Wesley Hunt, Ronny Jackson, Morgan Luttrell, Michael McCaul, Nathaniel Moran, Troy E. Nehls, August Pfluger, Chip Roy, Keith Self, Pete Sessions, Beth Van Duyne, Randy Weber, and Roger Williams.

As the lawmakers wrote:

“From its founding in 1958, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has a storied history of exploring new frontiers, making transformational discoveries, and reaching far into the great beyond. However, as NASA’s leadership has languished in our nation’s capital, the core missions of this critical agency are more divided than ever before. This seismic disconnect between NASA’s headquarters and its missions has opened the door to bureaucratic micromanagement and an erosion of centers’ interdependence. For NASA to return to its core mission of excellence in exploration, its headquarters should be located at a place where NASA’s most critical missions are and where transformational leadership from the ground up can be provided. In 2028 the lease for NASA’s current headquarters building in Washington, D.C. expires. We write to urge you to use this opportunity to reinvigorate our national space agency and move NASA’s headquarters from Washington, D.C. to the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston, Texas.

“Perhaps no city is more closely linked to America’s space program than ‘Space City.’ Some of the first words spoken on the surface of the moon called out to Houston which is home to numerous aerospace businesses. JSC in particular is the largest home of the NASA workforce, with more than 12,000 employees across its 1,620-acre facility and supporting more than 52,000 public and private jobs. As the pinnacle of human spaceflight development, Houston is home to Mission Control, the NASA astronaut corps, the Lunar Sample Laboratory Facility, commercial space agreements, and extensive research and development partnerships. JSC plays a role in nearly everything that makes America a leader in space exploration.

“Houston is particularly well suited for NASA’s headquarters due in part to the unique strengths of the city and the state. Texas is the eighth largest economy in the world, with low government regulation and a strong business environment. Houston boasts a cost of living that is less than half that of the Washington, D.C. area ; three ‘R1: Doctoral Universities’ producing the high caliber professionals necessary for human spaceflight; and two major commercial service airports for easy connectivity around the country. In contrast, NASA’s current headquarters in Washington, D.C. is disconnected from the NASA centers across the country and thus much of the day-to-day work. Consolidating greater and greater levels of work and authority in Washington, D.C. has been a decades-long trend, resulting in decision making funneled up to bureaucrats at headquarters rather than empowering scientists and astronauts across the centers. This strategy has separated decision makers from the actual workforce and stands antithetical to NASA’s core function.

“Relatedly, for the United States to reach the surface of Mars, NASA must rely on a robust commercial space sector. Towards that end, no state offers greater economic and geographic benefits than Texas. The Lone Star State is home to more than 2,000 aerospace, aviation, and defense-related companies, with 18 of the 20 largest aerospace companies based in Texas. Notably, SpaceX relocated their entire company to Texas, establishing the town of Starbase, Texas, to develop, test, and launch SpaceX vehicles. Similarly, Blue Origin develops engines and rockets in West Texas, leading a new generation of spaceflight, and conducts its commercial sub-orbital flights there. Firefly Aerospace, in Cedar Park, recently sent photos of Earth from its Blue Ghost lunar lander on its voyage to explore the surface of the moon. Axiom Space, based in Houston, is building the next generation spacesuit for NASA and a commercial space station to succeed the International Space Station. In addition, the State of Texas recently stood up the Texas Space Commission to promote innovation in space operations and commercial aerospace and to attract commercial space ventures to the state. These are just a few of the ways Texas aerospace companies, projects, and institutions are transforming our nation’s leadership in the space economy.

“A central location among NASA’s centers and the geographical center of the United States, Houston offers the ideal location for NASA to return to its core mission of space exploration and to do so at a substantially lower operating cost than in Washington, D.C. Therefore, we strongly encourage you to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the great servants of NASA — who are focused on recommitting America’s space agency to its roots and exploring the final frontier — by relocating NASA’s headquarters from Washington, D.C. to the Johnson Space Center.”

Read the full text of the letter HERE.

MIL OSI USA News –

April 17, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: As a major breakthrough in shipping transport and inland waterway transport, Vice President CSIR and Minister Dr Jitendra Singh hails India’s first indigenously developed hydrogen fuel sea vessel; describes it as a success story emanating from the joint effort of public and private sectors:

Source: Government of India

As a major breakthrough in shipping transport and inland waterway transport, Vice President CSIR and Minister Dr Jitendra Singh hails India’s first indigenously developed hydrogen fuel sea vessel; describes it as a success story emanating from the joint effort of public and private sectors:

The Minister calls upon the CSIR authorities to continue strengthening the industry linkages, scale up innovations for societal impact:

Dr. Jitendra Singh, Minister of Science and Technology Reviews CSIR Activities; Lauds Breakthroughs under NMITLI Programme

Pushing forward the Atmanirbhar Bharat Vision envisaged by PM Sh Narendra Modi, Dr. Jitendra Singh Underscores the Need for Self-Reliance in Science, Technology and innovation

Posted On: 16 APR 2025 6:31PM by PIB Delhi

As a major breakthrough in shipping transport and inland waterway transport, Union Minister of Science & Technology and Vice President CSIR (Council of Scientific & Industrial Research) Dr Jitendra Singh has hailed India’s first indigenously developed hydrogen fuel sea vessel.

Describing it as a success story emanating from the joint effort of public and private sectors, the Minister disclosed that the country’s first indigenous green hydrogen fuel cell inland waterway vessel, which may later pave the the way for hydrogen fuel driven larger sea vessels or ships, was developed by Cochin Shipyard Ltd featuring a hydrogen fuel cell-based drivetrain built by KPIT, drawing upon the foundational work enabled by the CSIR.

Dr. Jitendra Singh was convening a high-level meeting today to review the ongoing initiatives and achievements of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). The meeting was attended by all Heads of CSIR Directorates, the Joint Secretary and Financial Adviser, CSIR.

Director General, CSIR, Dr. N. Kalaiselvi presented a detailed overview of CSIR’s current research activities, recent technological advancements, and collaborative engagements with industry. During the discussions, the Minister emphasized the importance of aligning CSIR’s scientific pursuits with the vision of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi for a Atma Nirbhar, especially in critical technology domains where indigenous development is key.

The Minister lauded the CSIR-New Millennium Indian Technology Leadership Initiative (NMITLI), calling it a unique example of collaborative innovation in the public-private space. As India’s largest publicly funded, industry-oriented R&D programme, NMITLI brings together top institutions, industrial partners, and research labs to pursue high-risk technological ventures with the potential for national impact.

Dr. Jitendra Singh particularly appreciated two recent breakthroughs supported under the NMITLI programme. The first is the development and commercialization of CSIR-TECHNOS Raman Spectrometers (CTR-300 and CTR-150), achieved through a partnership between CSIR–Advanced Materials and Processes Research Institute (CSIR–AMPRI), Bhopal, and M/s TechnoS Instruments, Jaipur.

These high-end Raman spectrometers, approved for marketing in January 2022, represent a significant milestone in India’s scientific instrumentation capabilities. Eleven units of indigenous Raman Spectrometers have been supplied across the country to date, demonstrating growing national adoption of this indigenous technology.

The second highlighted success, Dr Jitendra Singh noted, was the development of fuel cell technology under the Industry-Originated NMITLI programme. In this initiative, KPIT collaborated with CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory (CSIR-NCL) Pune and CSIR-Central Electrochemical Research Institute (CSIR-CECRI) to develop and demonstrate low-temperature PEM fuel cell systems. The expertise developed through this collaboration has since been translated into applications for the marine, defence, and automotive sectors. A major outcome of this effort was the launch of the country’s first indigenous green hydrogen fuel cell inland waterway vessel by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu, under the Harit Nauka initiative. The vessel, developed by Cochin Shipyard Ltd., features a hydrogen fuel cell-based drivetrain built by KPIT, drawing upon the foundational work enabled by CSIR.

Dr. Jitendra Singh underscored that these achievements exemplify the role of CSIR in driving technology-led growth and contributing to India’s self-reliance in frontier areas.

The Minister called upon the CSIR authorities to continue strengthening the industry linkages, scale up innovations for societal impact and pursue bold R&D initiatives aligned with national priorities.

***

NKR/PSM

(Release ID: 2122190) Visitor Counter : 17

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

April 17, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Second meeting of the Scientific Steering Committee for the National One Health Mission held on 15th April 2025

Source: Government of India

Posted On: 16 APR 2025 6:12PM by PIB Delhi

The second meeting of the Scientific Steering Committee for the National One Health Mission under the chairmanship of Prof. Ajay K. Sood, Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India for the National One Health Mission, was held on April 15, 2025 in Vigyan Bhawan.

The meeting was attended by Dr. Rajiv Bahl, Secretary DHR and DG ICMR; Dr. Parvinder Maini, Scientific Secretary, Office of PSA; Shri Rajesh Kotecha, Secretary, AYUSH; Dr. Rajan Khobragade, Additional Chief Secretary (Health), Kerala; Shri Dhananjay Dwivedi, Principal Secretary (Health), Gujarat; Dr. Ranjan Das, Director, National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC); senior representatives from Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR); Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEF&CC); PSA’s office, Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD); Department of Biotechnology (DBT); Department of Science and Technology (DST); Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR); Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO); National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS); Ministry of Ayush; NCDC; National Institute of One Health (NIOH); Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP) and state representatives.

The committee discussed several important initiatives that contribute towards the implementation of the One Health mission and how these efforts can be recalibrated to maximise impact.

Gujarat and Kerala, the two states nominated to be the members of the Scientific Steering Committee showcased their programmatic initiatives and the existing governance mechanism. The Chair emphasised on the importance of state participation and mentioned the relevance of exploring different modalities for implementing the One Health approach. The states were encouraged to strategise and design pilot programs aligned to the initiatives of the mission.

Another important highlight of this meeting was the presentation of the outcomes of the Advisory and Review (A&R) committees constituted for the operationalisation of various work streams. The chairs of the four A&R committees – Bio-Safety Level (BSL) 3/4 Laboratory Network (Chaired by Lt. Gen.(Retd.) Madhuri Kanitkar), Technology enhanced integrated surveillance and outbreak investigation (Chaired by Dr NK Arora), Research and Development on medical countermeasures (Chaired by Dr Renu Swaroop)and Integration of databases and data sharing (Chaired by Dr Vijay Chandru) – apprised the steering committee of the preliminary roadmaps for achieving their respective mandates and emphasised on the need for adopting the One Health lens for all the interventions.

The meeting also discussed the funding mechanism for the projects under the mission, which were focused on surveillance methodologies, developing R&D countermeasures like vaccines, diagnostics and monoclonals for diseases of One Health importance; Plan for the animal disease mock drill; update on augmenting the state engagements by creating the cross-learning platform.

The chair emphasised that to take the activities of the mission to scale, continued collaboration, innovation, and adaptability is required from all the stakeholders.

During the meeting, a special edition of ‘Vigyan Dhara’ dedicated to the National One Health Mission which presents the vision of this multi-ministerial collaborative effort was showcased. Further a video encapsulating the vision, diverse stakeholders and overarching goals of the Mission was released in the meeting.

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MJPS/ST

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MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

April 17, 2025

Category: Science

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