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Category: Science

  • MIL-OSI: Emerald Technology Ventures Celebrates Four Portfolio Companies in TIME’s World’s Top GreenTech Companies of 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    ZURICH, April 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Emerald Technology Ventures, a global pioneer in venture capital dedicated to sustainable technologies and industrial innovation, has announced that four of its portfolio companies have been named to TIME magazine’s prestigious Top GreenTech Companies of 2025 list. Nanograf, Tropic, and Ineratec secured spots in the top 100, while Paptic landed in the top 150. The TIME Magazine and Statista analysis evaluated over 8,000 companies worldwide, considering factors such as environmental impact, financial strength, and innovative potential. Emerald Technology Ventures’ success in this ranking highlights the firm’s keen eye for transformative green technologies.

    As the first independent cleantech venture capital fund in Europe, Emerald has carved out a distinctive space in venture capital for over two decades, leading the charge for sustainable industrial innovation. Emerald backs innovators that deliver both environmental impact and financial success. Today’s recognition underscores that sustainable technology is not just a moral imperative—it’s instrumental in gaining a competitive advantage, with Emerald at the forefront of helping large corporations adapt and discover the technology that will bring their business into a successful future.

    Highlighted Portfolio Companies

    Nanograf
    Ranked as 51, the Chicago based company, Nanograf, is a leader in advanced battery materials. By developing advanced graphene-based materials, Nanograf dramatically improves battery performance and energy storage capabilities. Their innovative nanotechnology solutions enable longer-lasting, faster-charging batteries for electric vehicles and renewable energy storage systems, addressing critical challenges in clean energy infrastructure.

    Tropic
    Another honoree, ranked 82, Tropic (formerly Tropic Biosciences) continues to push the boundaries in sustainable agriculture through genetic innovation. Its flagship innovation leverages gene-editing technologies, such as CRISPR, to develop resilient tropical crops like bananas and coffee. Tropic’s work enhances crop durability against climate change-induced stresses—drought, pests, and diseases—while reducing pesticide use and food waste. For instance, its non-browning banana variety extends shelf life, addressing supply chain inefficiencies.

    Ineratec
    Also placed in the top 100, Ineratec, ranked 94, is a pioneer of sustainable synthetic fuels through its Power-to-Liquid (PtL) technology. Its innovation centers on modular, microstructured reactors that convert renewable electricity, CO2 (captured from the air or industrial sources), and hydrogen into carbon-neutral e-fuels like e-kerosene, e-diesel, and e-methanol. These drop-in fuels decarbonize hard-to-abate sectors like aviation and shipping, with a Frankfurt facility set to become Europe’s largest e-fuel plant by late 2025, producing thousands of tons annually. Ineratec’s scalable, efficient reactors offer superior heat transfer and rapid deployment, advancing the shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy carriers.

    Paptic
    Securing a position as 144, Paptic represents Emerald’s diverse approach to sustainable innovation. Based in Espoo, Finland, Paptic is redefining packaging with its wood-based, recyclable material designed to replace single-use plastics. Its innovation is a bio-based, fiber-derived “paper-textile” that combines the durability and flexibility of plastic with the recyclability and biodegradability of paper. Produced from sustainably managed forests, Paptic’s material—available in variants like Tringa—saves 20-30% water and energy compared to traditional paper production while offering tear resistance and water repellency. Used in e-commerce packaging, retail bags, and more, it integrates with existing manufacturing lines, supporting a circular economy by reducing plastic waste and fossil resource dependency.

    About Emerald Technology Ventures
    Emerald is a globally recognized venture capital firm, founded in 2000, that manages and advises assets of over €1 billion from its offices in Zurich, Toronto and Singapore. The firm invests in start-ups that tackle big challenges in climate change and sustainability, with four current funds, hundreds of venture transactions and five third-party investment mandates, including loan guarantees to over 100 start-ups. Bold Ideas. Bright Future. www.emerald.vc.

    Media Contact
    Len Fernandes
    Firecracker PR
    len@firecrackerpr.com

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/71b23075-0133-4355-bc40-24f7174a9fdf

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Global: How windfalls from commodity price booms come back to bite exporters

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Lotanna Emediegwu, Senior Lecturer in Economics, Manchester Metropolitan University

    Zhengzaishuru/Shutterstock

    When the wholesale prices of essential goods like food or oil suddenly rise, it can cause deep shifts in the economy that upend trade balances and hike inflation rates. This is known as a commodity price boom.

    The outbreak of war in Ukraine in February 2022 spurred European and US sanctions on Russian oil companies which restricted global oil supply. The ensuing shock hiked energy prices in the international market and meant that the price of Brent crude, a global benchmark for oil prices, reached US$122 (£95) a barrel on March 21 that year, its highest level since 2015.

    Price inflation has forced households in importing nations like the UK to pay a premium to fill up cars. It has also raised food prices, as the cost of shipping food to supermarkets and restaurants has increased, as well as utility bills.

    Meanwhile resource-rich exporter nations can make a killing and choose to use the additional revenue to subsidise energy for consumers, issue rebates, or increase funding for public services. Less evident, but no less significant however, are the environmental consequences of these booms.

    A study I published with colleagues showed that democratic nations in oil-rich regions, such as sub-Saharan Africa, are especially prone to increasing pollution when the oil price suddenly soars. This phenomenon stems from the need to ramp up production quickly, to capitalise on fleeting price hikes, which economies with less democratic oversight are able to bypass.

    These (ostensibly) democratic economies appear most attentive to market signals, and in their unbridled rush for quick economic gain, typically raise pollution as they extract and sell more. This is especially true with oil extraction, which produces pollutants linked to cancer.

    We investigated global commodity price booms using the commodity windfall index. This is a collection of prices that market analysts collate to track changes and detect booms as they develop. We measured the effect of price booms on the environment by analysing how air pollution changed in producer countries when the prices of commodities in the index changed.

    The index covers 40 commodities across energy, metals, food and beverages, and agricultural raw materials such as wheat. One is particularly damaging to the environment: oil production.

    The top five oil producers as of 2023 (the most recent year for which data exists) are developed nations: the US (22%), Saudi Arabia (11%), Russia (11%), Canada (6%), and China (5%). As global exporters, all benefit from windfalls caused by oil price spikes.

    Increasing commodity prices justify more intense exploration for new reserves. In the case of oil exploration, this involves seismic surveys, drilling and the use of heavy machinery which consumes lots of fossil energy and releases greenhouse gases like CO₂.

    Oil price surges could make democracies less green

    Among oil-producing and exporting economies, democratic nations are more likely to experience increased pollution during commodity windfalls, compared with autocratic regimes. We characterised democracies by the presence of competitive political participation and regular free and fair elections, among other qualities.

    This is because democratic nations are particularly prone to ramping up resource extraction during price booms. Political pressures drive this tendency, as governments seek to fund popular initiatives or bolster public services before elections. For example, in the US during the 2008 oil price spike, president George W. Bush advocated for increased domestic oil drilling and natural gas extraction with an aim to reduce energy prices and create jobs.

    Autocratic regimes might appear less urgent to exploit commodity windfalls. There are, after all, fewer electoral or public accountability considerations. However, one-party state China’s position as the world’s largest polluter is primarily due to its manufacturing base, not raw material extraction.

    The environmental consequences of commodity booms are a global issue that requires cooperation to solve.

    Developing regions like sub-Saharan Africa and the Caribbean will struggle to reduce emissions from extractive activities, as much economic growth here depends on it. The US$300 billion (£235 billion) annual climate funding pledge for developing countries, agreed at the most recent UN climate summit in Azerbaijan, is not enough to finance the creation of new industries.

    Advanced economies, which bear historical responsibility for the majority of global emissions, must take the lead in addressing this imbalance. This involves both reducing their emissions and providing substantial financial and technical support to resource-dependent nations. A failure to do so would perpetuate global inequalities, as developing nations are asked to sacrifice economic growth for environmental goals while industrialised countries continue to expand their economies.

    The challenge, then, is not just in managing the financial rewards of commodity booms, but in ensuring they do not come at an unsustainable environmental cost.

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

    – ref. How windfalls from commodity price booms come back to bite exporters – https://theconversation.com/how-windfalls-from-commodity-price-booms-come-back-to-bite-exporters-244878

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Sounds of the Ukraine war: what these recordings of daily life reveal about the human and environmental costs

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Janine Natalya Clark, Professor of Transitional Justice and International Criminal Law, University of Birmingham

    A Kyiv resident describes it as her favourite morning sound. She is referring to the crisp, clear sound of a trumpet coming from a nearby street. The music is beautiful and soulful, played by a military veteran who sits in the same spot every weekend.

    “I am inspired by this strong person who not only plays but also brings a ray of hope to the whole district with his music,” the interviewee reflects.

    Trumpet.
    Ukrainian interviewee, CC BY2.16 MB (download)

    Existing research on war and sound has mainly focused on what J. Martin Daughtry, associate professor of ethnomusicology and sound studies at New York University, terms “the belliphonic” – meaning the spectrum of sounds produced by armed combat. Gunfire. Shellings. Explosions.

    In reality, what people hear and remember as the sounds of war are often far more diverse. When I asked a group of Ukrainians to make recordings of their local soundscapes, they captured a wide range of different sounds including the belliphonic – in particular, the increasingly “normal” sound of air raid sirens.

    Air raid siren.
    Ukrainian interviewee, CC BY784 KB (download)

    Yet they were also much more varied than I had expected – a school run; a walk in a winter forest; stridulating crickets; silence during curfew (typically from midnight to 5am); generators on the street; an end-of-project celebration; a rollerskating club.

    I also asked participants about their recordings, including how they felt when they listened back to them, as well as more general questions such as how their soundscapes had changed due to the war, and what sounds they missed. These recordings are featured in a recently launched online exhibit.

    As I have learnt from my research over the past seven months, sound can offer different – and distinctive – insights into experiences of war. It can elicit thoughts and information that might not arise from conversations and interviews alone.

    I had a particular reason for asking Ukrainians to make these soundscape recordings (more than 40 in total). Ecologists, bio-acousticians (scientists who study the creation, transmission and reception of sound) and others have used sound to analyse and monitor soil biodiversity, the healthiness of coral reefs and the impact of wildfires on birdsong.

    This fascinating area of research, however, remains neglected in war and armed conflict contexts. In particular, studies examining the environmental impacts of war – including the war in Ukraine – have overlooked the relevance of sound in terms of what it might tell us about the impact of conflict.

    In Ukraine, some of the areas that have suffered the greatest environmental damage are not accessible – or at least, not easily. They are saturated with landmines and other unexploded ordnance, occupied by Russian forces, or close to frontline areas.

    Russian air attacks on Kyiv in April 2025.

    My interviewees were not able to record the sounds of burning forests and steppes (grasslands); or of wild animals in Askania-Nova (Ukraine’s oldest nature reserve) fleeing in fear from low-flying enemy aircraft. All of the interviewees, moreover, were based in cities. Their recordings, however, illustrate some of the ways the war in Ukraine is affecting not just humans but the whole environment.

    In one of the recordings, made at night in the city of Zaporizhzhia in south-east Ukraine, there is the sound of explosions as Ukraine’s air-defence system shoots down Shahed drones. Neighbourhood dogs can be heard barking throughout the entire recording.

    Drone attack.
    Ukrainian interviewee, CC BY1.37 MB (download)

    In another recording, in the city of Dnipro in central Ukraine, dogs bark in response to the wailing sound of an air raid siren – and a large dog close-by lets out two prolonged howls.

    Howling dog.
    Ukrainian interviewee, CC BY1.41 MB (download)

    It is impossible to listen to these recordings without thinking about the animals and what they were experiencing and feeling.

    A zoologist shared with me a recording he made in 2013, a year before the start of the war in eastern Ukraine. The audio captures the chirping of a steppe marmot in Luhansk region. As the area is now under occupation, you might wonder when listening to it how the sounds of this steppe have changed as a consequence of the war.

    Attentiveness to sound has wider implications for justice, and in particular for transitional justice (how societies respond to the legacies of massive and serious human rights violations) – my area of research.

    Ukraine is investigating more than 200 cases of environmental war crimes which are alleged to have taken place during the current conflict. Of these, 14 are additionally being investigated as ecocide – a crime included in article 441 of Ukraine’s criminal code. One case relates to the destruction of the Kakhovka dam, in Kherson region, in June 2023.

    These legal developments can significantly contribute to addressing the neglect of nature and the environment in transitional justice – a field that remains strongly focused on humans.

    Sound is also highly relevant in this regard. As the barking dogs illustrate, it can powerfully capture ways that human and animal experiences of war are deeply entangled.

    Using sound as a way of actively monitoring different ecosystems over a period of time can also provide valuable information about changes occurring within them. This is important for understanding how these ecosystems have been harmed and, additionally, how they might be recovering . Oleksii Marushchak, a researcher at the I.I. Schmalhausen Institute of Zoology in Kyiv, said after listening to the recordings:

    It is important to reiterate that the majority of interviewees at the time of participating in the study were far from the frontline, where the horrors of war are much more intense than anything that you will hear in the soundscape recordings. One can only imagine what it must be like for people and animals living in close proximity to frontline areas.

    Sound is relevant not just to criminal investigations but also the issue of environmental reparations. There now exists a Register of Damage for Ukraine, as the first step in creating an international compensation mechanism to deal with multiple damages – including to the environment – caused during the war. It would be a highly innovative, and welcome, development if this future mechanism were to admit soundscape ecology evidence.

    There is also scope for Ukrainian prosecutors to further expand their pioneering work in investigating environmental war crimes and ecocide (which has wider relevance to the work of the International Criminal Court in The Hague) by listening to such recordings – and to the rich information that animals, forests, rivers and soil can help communicate through sound.

    When the war ends, it will be essential to consider all the evidence of its many effects and consequences, and sound recordings could be very important.

    Janine Natalya Clark receives funding from the Leverhulme Trust.

    – ref. Sounds of the Ukraine war: what these recordings of daily life reveal about the human and environmental costs – https://theconversation.com/sounds-of-the-ukraine-war-what-these-recordings-of-daily-life-reveal-about-the-human-and-environmental-costs-253390

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Menstrual blood is being used to research a range of health conditions — from endometriosis to diabetes and cancer

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By April Rees, Lecturer, Biochemistry & Immunology, Swansea University

    Menstrual blood contains immune cells, stems cells and endometrial cells. ADragan/ Shutterstock

    Menstrual blood has historically been overlooked in research – considered only to be a waste product.

    But menstrual blood actually has a rich cellular and molecular makeup. It contains immune cells, stems cells and endometrial cells – as well as metabolites such as proteins and lipids (fat). This makes menstrual blood a potential goldmine for insights into many different health conditions. It can also be a less invasive way for researchers to access important biological material without the need for surgical biopsies or other invasive techniques.

    Given its important composition, researchers are now using menstrual blood to investigate whether it can be used to uncover the causes of a disease, identify signs of a health condition and develop personalised treatments.

    One area where menstrual blood could be integral is research investigating endometriosis. This condition causes endometrial tissue (which normally lines the uterus) to grow outside of the womb and on other organs, such as the bowel and ovaries.

    Research into endometriosis is severely underfunded, despite it affecting 10% of women. It’s also difficult to understand the mechanisms behind the disease without using invasive procedures. As a result, current treatment options – which include surgical lesion removal, hormonal contraceptives and pain relief – fail to address the root cause or associated complications (such as infertility).

    But some researchers have managed to develop organoids using the endometrial cells from menstrual blood. Organoids are miniature, lab-grown 3D models of organs derived from the stem cells found in the blood. These organoids can mimic what happens in the actual endometrium (the innermost lining of the uterus). This gives researchers a non-invasive way to investigate the health status of the endometrium.

    By developing organoids from the menstrual blood of those suffering with endometriosis, researchers are able to model the disease in the lab. This may one day lead the way to better understanding the underlying mechanisms of the condition.

    Endometriosis is also considered to be an inflammatory condition. This is because there’s an over-activation of the immune system seen in people with endometriosis, which worsens symptoms. As such, an area of high interest for research into endometriosis is the study of the immune system.



    Read more:
    Endometriosis: how the condition may be linked to the immune system

    Menstrual blood contains live immune cells which have come from the reproductive tract. These immune cells offer insight into the inflammation that’s occurring in the womb. This may help researchers better understand and develop treatments for painful sex, a common symptom for people with endometriosis which is linked to inflammation.

    While the presence of endometrial cells makes it an ideal tool for studying endometriosis, menstrual blood is also being used to offer insights into other reproductive diseases. For example, it has unveiled immune differences in patients with recurrent pregnancy loss that was not previously detectable using blood from the vein.

    Stem cell research

    Menstrual blood also contains stem cells, which makes it an important resource for research into a variety of other health conditions – including those involved in critical processes such as cardiovascular function, respiration and nervous system function.

    Menstrual blood is even being used to monitor blood sugar levels.
    Pixel-Shot/ Shutterstock

    Stem cells are defined by their naive status and ability to become a new, specialised type of cell under the right conditions. Adult stem cells are usually taken from umbilical cord blood, amniotic fluid, bone marrow or fat tissue. However, it requires invasive techniques to extract a stem cell sample from these areas – and only small amounts can be acquired.

    But menstrual blood, a fluid which is typically produced monthly, has been found to contain stem cells that are also capable of differentiating into various other cell types. This is particularly exciting as menstrual blood is readily available, naturally regenerates and collecting it does not require any surgical procedures or discomfort. This makes it a convenient and ethical option for stem cell research and potential therapies.

    Aside from using these menstrual blood-derived stem cells to investigate reproductive diseases such as endometriosis, there are also several studies looking at using these cells in other applications. For example, researchers have used them to investigate techniques for promoting wound healing and improving blood sugar levels in diabetes patients.

    On the topic of diabetes, menstrual blood is also being used for a proof-of-concept study to monitor glycaemic control. This offers alternatives to traditional blood tests – such as the Q pad, a pad which contains a removable collection strip for blood testing.

    Other diseases which are showing promising results in being diagnosed through menstrual blood include cervical cancer, chlamydia and diseases associated with lipid levels – such as atherosclerosis and coronary artery disease.

    The new normal?

    Menstrual blood is gaining traction in research due to its novelty and because it’s a less invasive way to collect different cells and molecules for testing. It’s easily accessible as a monthly “waste” product, and allows women to collect samples themselves. This could bypass the need for doctors and nurses and the inconvenience of appointments if it becomes a more reliable diagnostic tool.



    Read more:
    ‘Dirty red’: how periods have been stigmatised through history to the modern day

    But despite its promise, there are practical challenges that researchers face. Discussion around menstrual blood is still sometimes seen as taboo. Some women may not feel comfortable handling their own blood.

    There are also inconsistencies with how menstrual blood is collected between studies. For example, studies which only required a smaller volume of menstrual blood have been able to make use of sanitary pads and tampons to collect samples. However, those which require a larger sample used menstrual cups. The first issue with this is that the products used have different compositions, which can interfere with the reliability of the results. Another issue lies predominantly with menstrual cups and the lack of knowledge surrounding their proper use.

    As such, addressing stigma and promoting awareness around menstrual blood research is vital. While it has historically been overlooked, menstrual blood must now be recognised as a powerful, non-invasive tool in advancing research.

    April Rees receives funding from Royal Society.

    – ref. Menstrual blood is being used to research a range of health conditions — from endometriosis to diabetes and cancer – https://theconversation.com/menstrual-blood-is-being-used-to-research-a-range-of-health-conditions-from-endometriosis-to-diabetes-and-cancer-253384

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Donald Trump’s policies are more than dumb — they’re stupid, according to stupidity researchers

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Jerry Paul Sheppard, Associate Professor of Business Administration, Simon Fraser University

    Before he stepped down as Canadian prime minister, Justin Trudeau called Donald Trump’s tariff policies “very dumb.” This might be an accurate description of many Trump administration policies — but the more objectively correct word is “stupid.”

    In fact, Québec’s largest newspaper, Le Journal de Montréal, published a front-page photo of Trump in early February with the word “stupid” in 350-point type. Some may call this an opinion, but the science of stupidity tells us that it’s more of a definition.

    Recent research has produced a succinct label for the poorly calculated actions of decision-makers: stupidity.

    This is not simple name-calling, but a phenomenon that comprises loss and features a set of actions that are either outright recognizably dysfunctional, or appear so at odds with any sensible course of action that it seems a hidden agenda could be involved.

    Stupidity that causes everyone to lose

    According to the seminal and transactional view of human stupidity by Carlo Cipolla, the late Italian economic historian, interactions fall into four categories:

    1. Intelligent interactions that are beneficial to all – a positive-sum game like Scottish philosopher Adam Smith’s notion of wealth through specialization and trade;

    2. Helpless interactions that result in a loss in a zero-sum game;

    3. Bandit interactions that result in a gain in zero-sum game;

    4. Stupid interactions that cause all parties to suffer a loss.

    Free trade is based on an intelligent positive-sum interaction. Trump’s transactional zero-sum view is that for every winner there is a loser.

    He apparently doesn’t understand that tariffs are only successful if other countries don’t retaliate. But other countries do retaliate, and as the world is now witnessing, the resulting trade war can decimate the global economy.

    Trump’s protectionist measures aimed at boosting the U.S. economy can therefore be considered “stupid” interactions that deepen and lengthen economic depression.

    Stupidity as recognizable actions

    Modern-day researchers have also identified three recognizable sets of actions embodying stupidity:

    Confident ignorance that involves people taking risks without having the necessary skills to deal with them. It’s not just being ignorant of one’s ignorance — explained by the Dunning-Kruger effect — but being self-assured despite contrary evidence.

    Trump may know what he does not know, so he delegated many tasks to Tesla founder Elon Musk and trade tariff architect Pete Navarro, both of whom seem to possess no such awareness.

    Absent-minded failure means people knew the right thing to do but were not paying sufficient attention to avoid doing something stupid. Organizations create agendas, but if issues don’t reach a point where they seriously impact the organization’s objectives, they are ignored.

    An example is the recent U.S. strikes against Yemeni Houthis. U.S. officials ignored critical security components by sharing information about their plans over unsecure connections and with a member of the media.



    Read more:
    ‘Signalgate’ was damaging to the Trump administration. It could be deadly for Yemeni civilians

    Lack of control means that autocratic decision-makers compromise their organizations by failing to accept objections from those charged with implementing the leader’s preconceived plans.

    Such autocratic decision-makers may select biased information to support their proposals. Those working under these leaders either buy into efforts to selectively use information, limit alternatives and execute these preconceived plans or they leave the organization (either voluntarily or not).

    In the U.S., witness the firing of Justice Department pardon attorney Elizabeth Oyer. She failed to support restoring gun rights to actor Mel Gibson, who had been convicted of domestic violence in 2011. Gibson’s pardon was reportedly based on his personal relationship with the president.

    Types of stupidity

    Organizational researchers have used the term functional stupidity to describe those who refuse to use their intellectual capacities when making decisions and then avoid justification for their actions. This allows group members to quickly execute routine functions without much thought.

    Dysfunctional stupidity is a lack of organizationally supported reflection, reasoning and justification. Organizations fail to use intellectual resources to process knowledge or question norms or claims of knowledge when confronted with new or non-routine decisions. By blocking communications, muffling criticism and squelching doubts, organizations ensure adherence to superiors’ edicts.

    One Trump administration example is the unquestioning permission given to allow the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), headed by Musk, to access to a wide array of government data.

    It can take the combined efforts of organizational officials on multiple levels to maintain stupidity.

    Individually, stupidity is reinforced by ignoring crucial information because of a need for a rapid response.

    Consequently, quick decisions and shortcuts made by individuals result in negative outcomes. An example would be the Trump administration’s apparent need to appear to find cost savings quickly to allow for tax cuts, overriding a more logical approach to find ways to achieve those savings without gutting legally mandated services.

    Organizationally, stupidity is reinforced because organizations limit acceptable alternative behaviours when they cannot process all available information. Data is restricted, controls are tightened and organization officials fall back to using previously well-learned responses in their comfort zones. Inexperienced decision-makers fall back on uninformed assumptions, or no assumptions at all.

    Witness Trump’s “reciprocal” trade tariffs currently decimating financial markets worldwide. No tariffs were calculated using current tariff rates, while others were based on American trade deficits with other countries. Other tariffs seem to be based on no rationale at all.



    Read more:
    No, that’s not what a trade deficit means – and that’s not how you calculate other nations’ tariffs

    Stupidity as a hidden agenda?

    Some actions that appear stupid may simply hide a hidden agenda. When the Trump administration erroneously detains and deports anyone under the Alien Enemies Act, is it an accident or a way to instil fear in everyone that authorities can detain, mistreat and deport them without due process at any point?

    Many of the actions being taken by the Trump administration appear stupid.
    Tariffs, for example, represent a loss — a transactionally negative sum game.

    Trump’s decisions exhibit confident ignorance, absent-minded failure and lack of control. They also show dysfunctional stupidity as Trump officials seemingly refuse to use their full intellectual resources. Stupidity is also being reinforced through unfounded assumptions. Is this all hiding a secret agenda?

    “You can’t fix stupid,” so the saying goes. But having capable administrators in place while other branches of government exercise their constitutionally mandated oversight role might dampen some of the Trump administration’s stupidity.

    Jerry Paul Sheppard 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. Donald Trump’s policies are more than dumb — they’re stupid, according to stupidity researchers – https://theconversation.com/donald-trumps-policies-are-more-than-dumb-theyre-stupid-according-to-stupidity-researchers-253009

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: APHA appoints new Chief Executive

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    News story

    APHA appoints new Chief Executive

    Richard Lewis will lead the Animal and Plant Health Agency in its drive to safeguard animal and plant health for the benefit of people, the environment and the economy

    Richard Lewis, newly appointed Chief Executive of the Animal and Plant Health Agency.

    Richard Lewis has been appointed as the new Chief Executive of the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA).

    His term will begin on 16 June 2025, following a competitive recruitment process. Richard will take on the role on a permanent basis, succeeding Dr Jenny Stewart, who has served as interim Chief Executive since 1 July 2024.

    Richard Lewis, newly appointed Chief Executive of APHA, said: 

    It’s a real honour to be appointed Chief Executive of APHA.

    Now more than ever, the UK needs a strong, science-led Animal and Plant Health Agency.

    From protecting our borders against animal and plant threats to unlocking opportunities for trade and growth, I’m excited to champion APHA’s vital work — and to lead alongside the world-class scientists and experts who make it possible.

    Richard Lewis biography

    • Richard has previously served as the Chief Constable for both Dyfed-Powys Police and Cleveland Police.   
    • Richard has held several national portfolios for the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) and was awarded a NPCC commendation for distinguished service. 
    • In Wales, Richard has also led for the police service on rural affairs such as habitat protection, rural crime and mental health in the agricultural community.

    Notes for editors 

    Updates to this page

    Published 9 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Telephone scammers and online extremism: Polytechnic University held training for students

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

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

    On April 8, a training session for students entitled “Counteracting telephone scammers, measures to prevent the spread of terrorist and extremist manifestations through telecommunications networks among university students” was held in the White Hall of SPbPU.

    Currently, telephone fraud is one of the most common forms of cybercrime in the modern world. Every year, the number of such scams increases, and the methods of attackers become more sophisticated. According to experts, the number of cybercrimes, as well as the number of fraudulent schemes, will grow. The training was dedicated to the methods and techniques of counteracting telephone scammers.

    We already held a similar event for the staff of our university a month ago. Today we appeal to young people. Our task is to know the tactics, methods and ways of action of fraudsters and intruders. This topic is very relevant, so we must be extremely attentive. Listen thoughtfully to our experts to help your friends and family, – said Vice-Rector for Security of SPbPU Alexander Airapetyan.

    The presentation was made by the Director of the Higher School of Jurisprudence and Forensic Science, Dmitry Mokhorov.

    Terrorism is a threat to the national security of the Russian state, and cyber fraud has become one of the tools used by criminals. Fraud is evolving along with technology, acquiring a transnational character. Digital scams and corruption crimes dominate, which have become more complex, larger-scale and more sophisticated. The fight against them requires not only tightening laws, but also increasing the financial and legal literacy of the population. Caution and critical thinking are the main methods of protection in the era of digital risks, – emphasized Dmitry Mokhorov.

    Tatyana Kalyamina, representative of the North-West Bank of Sberbank, shared the organization’s experience in the field of security. Lyudmila Tikhonova, head of the coordination center for issues of developing an active civic position among young people, preventing interethnic and interfaith conflicts, countering the ideology of terrorism and preventing extremism at the St. Petersburg State University of Industrial Technologies and Design, gave parting words.

    The event was also attended by representatives of the FSB of Russia, employees of the departments of the Center for Combating Extremism of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia for St. Petersburg and the Leningrad Region, the Main Directorate of the Russian Guard for St. Petersburg and the Leningrad Region, the UMVD of Russia for the Kalininsky District of St. Petersburg, and the chairman of the veteran organization OMON “Baltika” (on transport).

    The experts shared information about common telephone fraud schemes and methods of criminals, told how to act to prevent extremist activity, showed video materials. Particular emphasis was placed on the need to conduct educational and explanatory work among young people and the elderly. In conclusion, the polytechnicians asked questions.

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Buntanetap shows promise in early Parkinson’s with mild dementia, says GlobalData

    Source: GlobalData

    Buntanetap shows promise in early Parkinson’s with mild dementia, says GlobalData

    Posted in Pharma

    At the recently held AD/PD 2025 International Conference on Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Diseases (PD), Annovis Bio reported buntanetap’s potential to improve both motor and cognitive functions in early-stage PD patients with mild dementia. This underscores the growing need for effective dementia treatments in PD, noting the drug’s promising sub-group outcomes as a critical step in addressing this significant unmet medical need, says GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

    Reportedly, buntanetap failed to reach the primary endpoint in the total intention-to-treat (ITT) population. But, showed potential at improving motor and non-motor functions in patients with early PD and mild dementia.

    Following sub-group analysis of early PD patients with mild dementia, as measured by a Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) of 20-26, cognitive decline was prevented in patients who received 20mg of buntanetap for six months. In addition, buntanetap demonstrated improvements in MDS-UPDRS Parts I, II, III, and IV, Clinical Global Impression of Severity (CGIS), Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale fourth edition (WAIS-IV), and Participant Global Impression of Change (PGIC) clinical endpoints, meeting all primary and secondary endpoints in this sub-group. As such, improvements in both cognition and motor function signal a promising therapy for patients with early PD with mild dementia.

    Christie Wong, Managing Neurology Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “The key opinion leaders (KOLs) previously interviewed by GlobalData overwhelmingly cited dementia as the most difficult-to-treat non-motor symptom of PD. The development of more effective therapies for dementia is a major unmet need in PD, as the current therapies provide only modest benefit. KOLs stated that dementia is a common problem in PD patients that further affects medication compliance and remains difficult to treat.”

    However, drug development for this indication has historically been challenging. For example, IRLAB Therapeutics recently announced that while the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) indicated an improvement in cognitive impairment for patients treated with 600mg of pirepemat, it did not reach statistical significance in a Phase IIb study (REACT-PD [NCT05258071]).

    Moving forward, Annovis Bio plans to explore biomarkers to differentiate patients with PD from patients without PD, as well as understanding the differences between PD patients with cognitive impairment and patients with Alzheimer’s disease. In addition, the company has requested a Type C meeting with the FDA, with the intention to conduct a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multi-center Phase II/III study in patients with dementia with Lewy bodies and PD dementia.

    Wong concludes: “In the late-stage pipeline, there are currently three assets that investigate cognitive function in PD patients; buntanetap is set to compete with Anavex’s blarcamesine and IRLAB Therapeutics’ pirepemat. Pipeline agents that address cognitive complications, including PD dementia, will likely see a high initial uptake following approval due to the limited availability of approved treatments for this indication and high unmet need.”

    *7MM = The US, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the UK, and Japan.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Domain of economic activities comprising Manufacturing and New Industrialisation-related Industries and corresponding economic performance announced

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Domain of economic activities comprising Manufacturing and New Industrialisation-related Industries and corresponding economic performance announced 
    The process of manufacturing and production involves a variety of other economic activities, such as product design, technological development, data services and software development, testing and certification, as well as professional and technical services etc, all of which qualify as important elements in the development of new industrialisation. To facilitate the growth of new businesses, new industries and new modes of production in Hong Kong brought about by the integrated development of innovation and technology (I&T) and emerging industries, and to more effectively drive the development of new industrialisation, having considered the characteristics of economic development in Hong Kong, the ITIB has, in collaboration with the C&SD, formulated a domain of economic activities that comprises Manufacturing and New Industrialisation-related Industries.  The C&SD has also defined the corresponding statistical coverage based on the existing framework of the Hong Kong Standard Industrial Classification Version 2.0, with a view to reflecting the economic performance of these new industries of importance more precisely through objective statistical figures. In 2023, the value added of Manufacturing and New Industrialisation-related Industries amounted to $76.8 billion, representing an increase of 7.6 per cent over the previous year, and accounted for around 2.6 per cent of Gross Domestic Product.
     
         The Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong, said, “Hong Kong is in the midst of a key transitional period of its economic model, and the development of I&T and a new real economy has become a broadly accepted consensus in Hong Kong society. Furthering the development of innovation technology and the integrated development of emerging industries are crucial objectives of the country and Hong Kong as of present and in the future, and are altering the economic and industrial composition of Hong Kong. Driving new industrialisation is of paramount importance to Hong Kong’s high-quality development. To assist us in formulating various policies with more precision and to effectively guide social resources towards supporting and encouraging the upgrading and transformation of the traditional manufacturing industry, as well as the development of new industrialisation in Hong Kong to realise the developmental targets outlined in the Hong Kong I&T Development Blueprint, we must specifically identify a range of economic activities to be covered, and from time to time conduct reviews along with the ever-changing technological and innovative landscape and the development of emerging industries. At the same time, we need to compile relevant statistics to objectively measure the progress of the development of innovation and new industrialisation.”
     
    To realise high-quality economic growth, the Government has, through a multitude of means, furthered the development of manufacturing and new industrialisation-related industries in Hong Kong, such as by launching the Research, Academic and Industry Sectors One-plus Scheme, the New Industrialisation Funding Scheme, and the New Industrialisation Acceleration Scheme. The Government is also preparing to launch the Pilot Manufacturing and Production Line Upgrade Support Scheme, the Innovation and Technology Accelerator Pilot Scheme, the Innovation and Technology Venture Fund Enhanced Scheme, and the Innovation and Technology Industry‑Oriented Fund.
     
    A spokesperson for the C&SD said, “To couple with the work of the Government in driving the development of I&T and new industrialisation-related industries, it is necessary for the society to monitor relevant developments over time through objective and accurate statistical figures. The C&SD has made use of the existing framework of industry classification and further defined the statistical coverage that corresponds to the Manufacturing and New Industrialisation-related Industries, and compiled statistics as appropriate to reflect the economic performance of the relevant industries. We will continue to keep abreast of the latest developments and suitably review the relevant statistical framework from time to time with the ITIB and other stakeholders.”
     
         Manufacturing and New Industrialisation-related Industries in Hong Kong encompass manufacturing and economic activities relating to I&T and emerging industries:
     
    Manufacturing: For instance, the manufacturing of food products, pharmaceuticals, medicinal chemicals and botanical products, computer, electronic and optical products, and new energy equipment, etc;
     
    Science, product design and technology development: For instance, industrial and product design, chip design, new drug development, AI model development and application, and technical consulting services, etc;
     
    Data services and software development: Information technology activities such as data and computing centre services, data storage and processing, related cloud services, and software development, etc;
     
    Verification, testing and certification: For instance, functional testing and verification, technical and prototype testing, and compliance certification, etc;
     
    Professional technical services: For instance, system design, integrated delivery and maintenance services, etc; and
     
    Environmental engineering and green business: For instance, sewage treatment, waste recovery, sorting, and disposal, etc.
    Issued at HKT 14:00

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Union Health Minister Shri JP Nadda Chairs 8th Central Institute Body Meeting of All India Institutes of Medical Sciences

    Source: Government of India

    Union Health Minister Shri JP Nadda Chairs 8th Central Institute Body Meeting of All India Institutes of Medical Sciences

    Launches Inter AIIMS Referral portal made by AIIMS Delhi

    Out of 22 AIIMS approved under the scheme, 18 AIIMS are operational and providing state of the art, affordable tertiary care health services to people in underserved and remote areas of the country

    Highest standards of quality in processes and outcomes should be ensured through appropriate accreditation/certification and IT should be effectively used for improved governance and patient convenience: Shri JP Nadda

    Posted On: 08 APR 2025 10:30PM by PIB Delhi

    The 8th Central Institute Body meeting of All India Institutes of Medical Sciences was held under the Chairpersonship of Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Shri Jagat Prakash Nadda, here today.

    The meeting was attended by all the Presidents and Executive Directors of new AIIMS set up under the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana besides the Institute Body members of AIIMS Delhi. Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Smt Anupriya Patel; Member (Health), NITI Aayog, Dr V.K Paul; Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha), Smt. Bansuri Swaraj; Union Health Secretary, Smt. Punya Salila Srivastava, Secretary, Department of Health Research, Dr. Rajiv Bahl and Secretary, AYUSH, Dr Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha were present in the meeting. Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Shri Pratap Rao Jadhav attended the meeting virtually.

    During the meeting, various agenda items relating to developing AIIMS as Institutes of Excellence in teaching learning, clinical care and research were discussed in detail. It was noted that out of 22 AIIMS approved under the scheme, 18 AIIMS are operational and these institutes are providing state of the art, affordable tertiary care health services to the people in underserved and remote areas of the country.

    Union Health Minister launched the Inter AIIMS Referral portal made by AIIMS Delhi. He emphasized that all the AIIMS should come together as a community and share good practices and learn from each other. He stated that “highest standards of quality in processes and outcomes should be ensured through appropriate accreditation/certification and Information Technology should be effectively used for improved governance and patient convenience”. He also emphasized that while maintaining uniformity in principles, flexibility in operation is essential to bring out the best from each institute.

    *****

     

    MV

    HFW/ HFM Chairs 8th CIB Meeting/08 April 2025/1

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sols 4505-4506: Up, up and onto the Devil’s Gate 

    Source: NASA

    Written by Catherine O’Connell-Cooper, Planetary Geologist at University of New Brunswick
    Earth planning date: Monday, April 7, 2025
    Over the weekend, we completed our drive up the steep side of a canyon, up onto “Devil’s Gate,” a small butte which forms part of the ridge along the top of the canyon and now we can see down into the next canyon. It is always true that we are going somewhere no one has been before – that’s the idea of an exploratory mission after all, and everyone kind of gets used to it, we don’t stop to think about it. But today, coming over the top of a hill like this and fully looking for the first time into an area that we have only had glimpses of before, it really brings it home that the mission is doing something extraordinary, something out of this world …. and brings that feeling of awe back into focus. 
    We did not pass SRAP (Slip Risk Assessment Process) a couple of times as we climbed up the side of this canyon, meaning that the contact science instruments (APXS and MAHLI) had to stand down for that day’s planning. However, this morning, in addition to a brand new vista, we saw that all six wheels are firmly on the ground and we passed SRAP quickly this morning, which must have been a relief to the rover planner in charge of assessing it today! (no one wants to be the bearer of bad news, day after day!) 
    Bedrock here has both flat bedrock and amazing large nodular features, which appear to have “wind tails” caused by winds consistently blowing in the same direction. This is a Touch and Go plan, so APXS and MAHLI are focusing on a single target, the brushed “Coronado” target on the flat bedrock in front of us. ChemCam will use LIBS to investigate the nodular features at “La Cumbre Peak.”  
    Near the rover, Mastcam will image some small diagenetic features at “Boulder Oaks” and the LIBS target. The 3×2 (2 rows of 3 images) “La Jolla Valley” mosaic focuses on a very nodular patch, just outside of the workspace reachable by the arm. Further from the rover, the 6×2 mosaic (2 rows of 6 images) “Los Penasquitos” looks at an amazing almost vertical vein. This discontinuous vein stretches for about 6 meters (about 18 feet), with vein fins sticking above the surface at various points, like a series of shark fins breaking the bedrock surface. Much further afield, ChemCam will acquire a long distance image on “Condor Peak,” which appears to have large scale vein networks, known as “boxwork structures” and may be an early example of the boxworks we are hoping to reach in Fall 2025.  
    The ENV (Environmental and Atmospheric group) planned a Mastcam “tau” measurement, to look at dust in the atmosphere. There is a paired Navcam activity, looking at dust devils towards the north of the crater on the first sol and towards the south on the second sol. A suprahorizon movie and our usual DAN and REMS measurements round out this plan.  
    Let’s see what the next drive will reveal to us! 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Bilibili Publishes 2024 Environmental, Social and Governance Report

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SHANGHAI, April 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bilibili Inc. (“Bilibili” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: BILI and HKEX: 9626), an iconic brand and a leading video community for young generations in China, today announced that it has published its 2024 Environmental, Social and Governance (“ESG”) Report, available on the Company’s investor relations website at http://ir.bilibili.com. The initiatives and achievements outlined in the report demonstrate Bilibili’s long-standing dedication to creating social value and sustainable development that benefits its users, content creators, employees, partners and other stakeholders.

    “Bilibili strives for more than just commercial success. We are also deeply committed to creating lasting social value,” said Mr. Rui Chen, chairman and CEO of Bilibili. “We uphold high ESG standards in every aspect of our work, from corporate governance to daily operations. Collaborating closely with our content creators, employees, suppliers and partners, we will continue fostering an engaging ecosystem with quality content, driving industry progress through tech and content innovation, spreading positive energy and making a meaningful social impact.”

    Bilibili’s 2024 ESG report provides the Company’s stakeholders with a transparent view of its operations and governance structure, as well as its initiatives supporting positive social change. The report covers content ecosystem enhancement, tech innovation, community engagement, minors’ protection, cybersecurity and privacy protection, content creator and supplier empowerment, talent development, environmental protection, charitable activities, positivity advocacy, corporate governance and more.

    Bilibili’s 2024 ESG Highlights:

    1. Content Ecosystem & User Community

    Bilibili consistently expands its vibrant content ecosystem and refines its cybersecurity measures, offering users a reliable space to explore the content they love. To keep its ecosystem thriving, the Company continuously enhances its product offerings and explores AI applications to optimize user experience, empower content creators and create community value. In 2024:

    • Daily active users approached 104 million, each averaging 102 minutes of daily time spent on the platform.
    • More than 5.1 billion average daily video views were generated, up 19% year over year, with an average of over 40 million users watching consumption-related content each day.
    • Over 90% of Bilibili businesses had received ISO Information Security Management System Certifications.

    2. Content Creator Empowerment

    Supporting content creators is at the heart of Bilibili’s mission. The Company offers content creators a suite of creative tools, strong operational support and diverse monetization opportunities, empowering them to bring their ideas to life, engage with their fans and turn their passion into sustainable success. In 2024, Bilibili:

    • Was home to approximately 4 million monthly active content creators, and nearly 3.1 million content creators earned income via various commercial channels on Bilibili.
    • Helped content creators increase their income through advertising and value-added services by 21% year over year.
    • Curated “Bilibili 2024 UP100” to celebrate the Top 100 Content Creators, nearly 90% of whom have generated content on Bilibili for over five years.

    3. Talent Nurturing and Governance

    Bilibili deeply appreciates its employees’ dedication and is committed to fostering a workplace where talent thrives by investing in employees’ career growth and development. The Company is also committed to business integrity, continuously refining internal governance and risk control under a solid management framework. In 2024, Bilibili:

    • Covered 100% of full-time employees with its comprehensive employee benefits system.
    • Provided multiple training programs to employees, with an average training duration of 35 hours per person.
    • Had no monopoly, extortion, unfair competition or money laundering incidents occur in the Company.

    4. Industry Cultivation

    Bilibili promotes openness and inclusivity, driving sustainable growth across the supply chain, supporting original content creators and their work, and collaboratively building a dynamic open-source community. In 2024, Bilibili:

    • Cumulatively aired more than 640 Chinese anime titles and distributed 98 overseas, expanding the domestic anime industry’s reach.
    • Produced over 170 documentaries and cumulatively aired more than 5,000 documentaries, providing a stage for knowledge-based content to shine.
    • Engaged in more than 60 technology sharing sessions and collaborated with industry partners to build an open-source ecosystem, driving industry-wide progress.

    5. Social Endeavors and Spreading Positive Energy

    Bilibili actively champions social causes and spreads positive energy through quality content, using its platform to raise awareness and drive meaningful change. Bilibili has:

    • Cumulatively launched 101 projects on the Bilibili Charity Platform, inspiring more than 1.07 million users to donate over RMB27 million by the end of February 2025.
    • Helped build 7 rural primary schools, with 7,195 rural students enrolled as of the end of 2024.
    • Granted a total of RMB1.29 million via the Bilibili Happy Scholarship to special enrichment programs by the end of 2024.
    • Engaged a daily average of over 15 million users with science and technology content, fostering a vibrant learning environment.
    • Delighted the platform’s 220 million users with professional knowledge.

    6. Green Philosophy

    Bilibili cares deeply about climate change and embraces its role in protecting the global environment. The Company integrates “green” principles throughout its operations while leveraging its content library to inspire and educate users on environmental protection. In 2024, Bilibili:

    • Further optimized its average actual PUE across all leased data centers.
    • Raised public awareness on environmental protection-related topics, generating 25.3 billion relevant video views, up 100% year over year.
    • Conducted research on employee commuting and business travel to further advance its Scope 3 carbon emissions assessment, examining and analyzing the Company’s carbon footprint.

    The Company’s 2024 ESG report is available in both Chinese and English. To promote environmental conservation, we encourage you to access the electronic version available on the Company’s investor relations website at http://ir.bilibili.com and the HKEX’s website at http://www.hkexnews.hk.

    About Bilibili Inc.

    Bilibili is an iconic brand and a leading video community with a mission to enrich the everyday lives of young generations in China. Bilibili offers a wide array of video-based content with All the Videos You Like as its value proposition. Bilibili builds its community around aspiring users, high-quality content, talented content creators and the strong emotional bonds among them. Bilibili pioneered the “bullet chatting” feature, a live comment function that has transformed our users’ viewing experience by displaying the thoughts and feelings of audience members viewing the same video. The Company has now become the welcoming home of diverse interests among young generations in China and the frontier for promoting Chinese culture across the world.

    For more information, please visit: http://ir.bilibili.com.

    For investor and media inquiries, please contact:

    In China:

    Bilibili Inc.
    Juliet Yang
    Tel: +86-21-2509-9255 Ext. 8523
    Email: ir@bilibili.com 

    Piacente Financial Communications
    Helen Wu
    Tel: +86-10-6508-0677
    Email: bilibili@tpg-ir.com 

    In the United States:

    Piacente Financial Communications
    Brandi Piacente
    Tel: +1-212-481-2050
    Email: bilibili@tpg-ir.com 

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Trastuzumab deruxtecan approved to treat adults with HER2-positive cancer that has spread or cannot be removed by surgery 

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    News story

    Trastuzumab deruxtecan approved to treat adults with HER2-positive cancer that has spread or cannot be removed by surgery 

    As with all products, the MHRA will keep its safety under close review.

    The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has today (9 April 2025) approved trastuzumab deruxtecan (Enhertu) to treat people with solid tumours that have mutations in human epidermal growth factor 2 (known as HER2 positive cancers) that have spread to other parts of the body (metastatic disease) or cannot be removed by surgery (unresectable), and who have no alternative treatment options.  

    This approval is an extension to the indication (use) of the medicine, which has previously been approved for the treatment of adult patients with unresectable or metastatic HER2-positive breast cancers, who have received two or more prior anti-HER2-based regimens for non-small cell lung cancer with an activating HER2 mutation and HER2-postivie gastric cancer. 

    Trastuzumab deruxtecan has been approved through Project Orbis, a global partnership between the MHRA, the Therapeutics Goods Administration in Australia, Health Canada, the Health Sciences Authority in Singapore, Swissmedic, Agência Nacional de Vigilância Sanitária in Brazil and Israel’s Ministry of Health, coordinated by the US Food and Drug Administration.  This programme reviews and approves promising cancer drugs, helping patients to access treatments more quickly.    

    As with any medicine, the MHRA will keep the safety and effectiveness of trastuzumab deruxtecan under close review. Anyone who suspects they are having a side effect from this medicine are encouraged to talk to their doctor, pharmacist or nurse and report it directly to the Yellow Card scheme, either through the website (https://yellowcard.mhra.gov.uk/) or by searching the Google Play or Apple App stores for MHRA Yellow Card. 

    Notes to editors  

    1. The variation to the marketing authorisation was granted on 9 April 2025 to Daiichi Sankyo UK Ltd. 

    2. The aim of Project Orbis is to deliver faster patient access to innovative cancer treatments with potential benefits over existing therapies.  For more information, see: Project Orbis

    3. For more information about cancer, visit: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/cancer/ 

    4. More information can be found in the Summary of Product Characteristics and Patient Information leaflets which will be published on the MHRA Products website within 7 days of approval.  

    5. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is responsible for regulating all medicines and medical devices in the UK by ensuring they work and are acceptably safe.  All our work is underpinned by robust and fact-based judgments to ensure that the benefits justify any risks.  

    6. The MHRA is an executive agency of the Department of Health and Social Care.  

    7. For media enquiries, please contact the newscentre@mhra.gov.uk, or call on 020 3080 7651.

    Updates to this page

    Published 9 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Change of British High Commissioner to Mauritius: Paul Brummell

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Press release

    Change of British High Commissioner to Mauritius: Paul Brummell

    Mr Paul Brummell CMG has been appointed British High Commissioner to the Republic of Mauritius.

    Mr Paul Brummell

    Mr Paul Brummell CMG has been appointed British High Commissioner to the Republic of Mauritius in succession to Ms Charlotte Pierre who will be transferring to another Diplomatic Service appointment.  Mr Brummell will take up his appointment during July 2025.

    Curriculum vitae

    Full name: Paul Brummell           

    Year Role
    2021 to present Riga, His Majesty’s Ambassador
    2018 to 2021 FCDO, Head of Soft Power and External Affairs Department
    2014 to 2018 Bucharest, Her Majesty’s Ambassador
    2013 to 2014 Pre-posting training (including Romanian language training)
    2009 to 2013 Bridgetown, British High Commissioner to the Eastern Caribbean
    2005 to 2009 Astana, Her Majesty’s Ambassador
    2002 to 2005 Ashgabat, Her Majesty’s Ambassador
    2001 FCO, Afghanistan Emergency Unit
    2000 to 2001 FCO, Deputy Head of Eastern Department
    1995 to 2000 Rome, First Secretary (Political, Press and Public Affairs)
    1993 to 1994 FCO, Environment, Science and Energy Department
    1992 New York, Conference Support Officer, UK Mission to the United Nations
    1989 to 1992 Islamabad, Third later Second Secretary (Political)
    1988 to 1989 FCO, South America Department
    1988 FCO, Research Department
    1987 Joined FCO

    Media enquiries

    Email newsdesk@fcdo.gov.uk

    Telephone 020 7008 3100

    Contact the FCDO Communication Team via email (monitored 24 hours a day) in the first instance, and we will respond as soon as possible.

    Updates to this page

    Published 9 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: PRESIDENT MEETS THE PRIME MINISTER OF PORTUGAL AND THE PRESIDENT OF ASSEMBLEIA DA REPUBLICA

    Source: Government of India

    PRESIDENT MEETS THE PRIME MINISTER OF PORTUGAL AND THE PRESIDENT OF ASSEMBLEIA DA REPUBLICA

    ADDRESSES THE MEMBERS OF THE INDIAN COMMUNITY IN PORTUGAL AT A COMMUNITY RECEPTION

    PRESIDENT LEAVES FOR SLOVAKIA

    Posted On: 09 APR 2025 1:31PM by PIB Delhi

    On the concluding day (April 8, 2025) of her visit to Portugal, the President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu met the President of Assembleia Da Republica (Portuguese Parliament), H.E. José Pedro Aguiar-Branco at Lisbon. They were in accord that regular exchanges between the Parliaments of India and Portugal would boost the people-to-people ties between the two countries. The President also met and held talks with the Prime Minister of Portugal, H.E. Mr Luis Montenegro at Lisbon. During the meeting, both leaders discussed the way forward for further strengthening bilateral relations. They agreed that there are greater opportunities for cooperation in many areas, such as trade and commerce, defence, science and technology, and energy.

    Yesterday (April 8, 2025), President Droupadi Murmu, accompanied by President Marcelo Rebelo De Sousa, visited Champalimaud Foundation in Lisbon and witnessed various research and development initiatives, including in the fields of neuroscience, oncology, experimental clinical research, and automated medicine delivery. The President also had a lively interaction with Indian researchers and scholars working at the Foundation and at other institutions across Portugal. She commended the Indian scholars for their role in deepening India-Portugal collaboration in emerging technologies and scientific research.

    The Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown is a state-of-the-art medical, scientific and technological institution where interdisciplinary clinical care is being developed alongside applied research activities and advanced education programmes.

    Later, the President paid floral tributes at the statue of Mahatma Gandhi and Kasturba Gandhi in Lisbon. She also visited the Radha-Krishna Temple and offered her prayers.

    In the final engagement in Lisbon, the President addressed the members of the Indian Community at a Reception hosted by the Ambassador of India to Portugal.  The accompanying Minister of State, Smt. Nimuben Jayantibhai Bambhaniya as well as Members of Parliament, Shri Dhaval Patel and Smt. Sandhya Ray were present on the occasion.

    Addressing the enthusiastic gathering of Indian community members who had travelled to Lisbon for the occasion from all parts of Portugal, the President said that representing many parts of India and different communities, they not only reflect the diversity of India but also represent the shared values that bind our countries – democracy, pluralism, the spirit of fraternity.

    The President said that their contributions to Portugal, and their efforts to promote Indian culture, make them true ambassadors of our country. She was happy to note that they are achieving success and accomplishments through their hard work and making India proud. She thanked the Government and people of Portugal for welcoming the Indian diaspora and ensuring their safety and well-being.

    The President said that the Government of India is committed to strengthening the bond with its diaspora and ensuring their welfare. The Government has taken several initiatives to support the diaspora in times of crisis. She told members of the Indian diaspora that the Indian Missions abroad are ready to assist every Indian because wherever they are, their motherland is always with them!

    Following the reception, the President departed for the Slovak Republic.

    Please click here to see the President’s Speech – 

     

    ***

    MJPS/SR

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: World Health Organization confirms MHRA to continue playing vital role in ensuring the quality of global biological medicines  

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    News story

    World Health Organization confirms MHRA to continue playing vital role in ensuring the quality of global biological medicines  

    The World Health Organization (WHO) has confirmed the successful redesignation of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA)’s Science and Research group as one of its Collaborating Centres for the Standardisation and Evaluation of Biologicals for the next four years.   

    This is critical for the work this group at the MHRA does on behalf of the WHO to develop, produce and distribute physical standards that are applied to assure the quality of biological medicines. 

    Biological medicines, such as vaccines, are among the most important medicines available in preventing killer diseases. Increasingly, newly developed biological medicines will play an important role in global healthcare, opening up many possibilities for the prevention or treatment of disease and illness. The work the Science and Research group at the MHRA does for WHO helps to ensure that patients across the world receive biological medicines of the highest quality. 

    The Science and Research group at the MHRA, and formerly the National Institute for Biological Standards and Control (NIBSC), was granted its first designation back in 1954, and is one of only four institutes worldwide that WHO designates as a custodian laboratory for its International Biological Reference Preparations.   

    MHRA Interim Executive Director for Science and Research Nicola Rose is the Head of the Collaborating Centre. Nicola said:

    Biological medicines are an increasingly important part of healthcare. Our role as the UK medicines regulator is to make sure the medicines people take are of an acceptable quality. 

    Standards allow both the public and medical practitioners to have confidence in the quality of the medicines they use. 

    Standards also can help enable manufacturers make use of new and innovative technologies – ensuring patients receive the most advanced treatments possible.

    MHRA experts carry out four main responsibilities:  

    • Supporting WHO in developing, producing, and distributing international standards and reference materials for quality control and assurance of clinically relevant biological materials.  

    • Conducting collaborative research to assure the quality of vaccines and other biologicals.  

    • Providing technical input that may inform WHO when developing international written standards and guidelines for production and quality control of vaccines and other biologicals.  

    • Contributing to WHO’s regional work to assure the quality and safety of vaccines and other biologicals through the provision of technical support and technical assistance to build capacities.

    Updates to this page

    Published 9 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: New Chief Scientific Adviser appointed

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    New Chief Scientific Adviser appointed

    Professor Anjali Goswami becomes Defra’s new Chief Scientist

    Professor Anjali Goswami has been appointed as the new Chief Scientific Adviser at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. 

    Professor Goswami, who is currently a Research Leader in Evolutionary Biology at the Natural History Museum, will join the department from 1 July 2025. She will succeed Professor Gideon Henderson, who is leaving Defra after six years in the role. 

    Professor Goswami is a celebrated scientist who has served as President of the Linnean Society of London and is a Fellow of the Royal Society. In addition to her academic achievements, she has authored a children’s book on palaeontology and received numerous prestigious awards, including the Zoological Society of London Scientific Medal, the Palaeontological Association President’s Medal, and the Humanists UK Darwin Day Medal. 

    Defra Permanent Secretary, Tamara Finkelstein said: 

    “World-leading science is fundamental to the research and development which underpins this department’s diverse responsibilities. I offer my sincere thanks to Gideon for his dedication and drive throughout his time at Defra for his scientific leadership and his wider leadership of the department.  He has been an inspiring colleague bringing his values and commitment to innovation to bear to the benefit of citizens.

    “Professor Goswami brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise from her career in academia and at the Natural History Museum. I am delighted to have her as part of the Defra leadership team, providing her science expertise both in Defra and the wider government scientific community.” 

    Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Steve Reed said: 

    “I would like to thank Professor Henderson for his exceptional leadership and expert insight as Chief Scientific Adviser. 

    “Supporting nature’s recovery, protecting people and animals from disease outbreaks, strengthening food security – all our key areas of focus rely on the world-class advice of our scientists. I welcome Professor Goswami and look forward to working with her as this government secures Britain’s future under the Plan for Change.” 

    Professor Anjali Goswami said: 

    “I am delighted to be joining Defra at this critical time for the UK and the planet. 

    “The UK public is rightly concerned about the impacts of environmental degradation and climate change, which are increasingly evident in our everyday lives.  Fortunately, there is immense scientific innovation that can support Defra’s mission, from cleaning our waterways and restoring nature to improving the resilience of our rural communities and our food supply to global change.   

    “I look forward to joining the Defra team and ensuring that the most cutting-edge scientific understanding is being harnessed to meet the complex challenges we face and deliver for the UK public.”  

    Current Defra Chief Scientific Adviser, Professor Gideon Henderson said: 

    “It’s been a challenging but hugely enjoyable privilege to be the Chief Scientific Advisor at Defra for the last six years. 

    “The department can be proud of the way it values science and scientists as it cares for the air, water, food and natural environment that we all rely on.  I will miss working with passionate colleagues who make sure Defra’s wide range work is always informed by up-to-date and accurate science and analysis.   

    “I am pleased to hand over to Anjali who will be a great leader of Defra’s scientific community.  She will bring a wealth of knowledge and insight and I’m confident will continue to put science and analysis at the heart of Defra’s work.” 

    Professor Anjali Goswami Biography 

    • Professor Anjali Goswami is a Research Leader in Evolutionary Biology at the Natural History Museum and President of the Linnean Society of London. Her previous roles include Dean of Postgraduate Education at the Natural History Museum and Professor of Palaeobiology at UCL. 

    • Her research focuses on vertebrate evolution and development, with a focus on using mathematical approaches to understand the impact of life history and environmental change on biodiversity. 

    • Professor Goswami was elected to the fellowship of the Royal Society of London in 2024 and has been awarded the Linnean Society Bicentenary Medal, the Zoological Society of London Scientific Medal, the Hind Rattan Award, the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology Robert L. Carroll award, the Palaeontological Association President’s Medal, and the Humanists UK Darwin Day Medal. 

    Notes to editors 

    • The Defra Chief Scientific Adviser is responsible for overseeing the quality of evidence that the Department relies on for policy decisions, providing ministers with scientific advice and setting the priorities for scientific research and evidence-gathering.

    Updates to this page

    Published 9 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Northern Thai communities put nature before profit

    Source: United Nations 2

    The Indigenous Karen people and the Thai Lanna community of Thailand are concerned about plans to divert and dam the Yuam river and its branches, which could undo years of careful stewardship.

    Members of both communities spoke to a team from UN University ahead of the release of the 2025 Interconnected Disaster Risks report which tracks how disasters are linked to each other as well as human behaviours.

    Community members shared how they are protecting their way of life, which values the land and waterways far beyond just their economic potential.

    Singkarn Ruenhom

    Thai Lanna fisherman

    © UNU-EHS/Molly Ferrill

    “I rely mainly on the river for my occupation, and I go fishing in the river area. Whether it can be done or not, we will try to protect nature. Protecting shellfish, crabs, fish, this is my conscience.

    When I get in the water it is a happy thing. It’s the feeling that I have arrived home. I feel proud that I sleep in a house near the water. I hear the sound of flowing water and I feel that I am lucky, lucky to have nature that gives me a lullaby and nourishes me.

    The local villagers value nature more than money. Money is acquired quickly and then it is gone, but nature will be with us for the rest of our lives.

    Now, the villagers are recording the species of fish in the Ngao River. From what they have found, about 70 to 80 per cent of the species found in the Ngao River are not found anywhere else. This, to me, has a value that cannot be measured. Our culture is to respect it. It is like the crabs and fish that used to be our friends, our food, and the trees that we used to look at are about to disappear.”

    Dao Phrasuk Moepoy

    Indigenous Karen activist

    © UNU-EHS/Molly Ferrill

    Dao Phrasuk Moepoy

    We rely on the forest and the river to sustain us and make a living. If there was no river, we would not be able to survive. Our memories since birth are connected to the river and the forest.

    Today, what we have is sufficient and abundant. We don’t want anyone to divert the water or change its direction. Our lives have always existed like this. We live with the river. We want the river to be a river that can run freely.

    The forests and rivers that we live with give us abundance. They give us food and life for almost the whole year, so we have to take care of and feed the spirits and ghosts of the forest and rivers.

    My voice is the voice of the villagers and the voice of nature, because the villagers and nature live together, they are both parts. If anyone wants to do something to nature, they should think carefully, and evaluate carefully, whether it is right to destroy nature. If nature is lost, it will be lost forever.

    We don’t know how many years or generations it will take to bring it back to life. We can’t calculate how many years each tree will take.”

    The Disaster Risks Report

    • This year’s Interconnected Disaster Risks report by the United Nations University Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS) finds that redefining what we value is one of five fundamental changes that humanity needs to make to shift towards a more sustainable and resilient world.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Competition “Archer of the Future”. Polytechnic University has two victories!

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

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

    The fifth season of the All-Russian competition of student works for the best solution of business problems “Archer of the Future” was held in Moscow. Two teams of the Higher School of Media Communications and Public Relations of the Humanitarian Institute of SPbPU won confident victories.

    Students from 35 universities in the country’s specialized fields of study presented 134 solutions for such large companies as the State Hermitage Museum, SR Space, T-Bank, TMK, the Festival of Geobrands “Land of Discoveries”, the “Water of Russia” Museum, and Sakhalin Energy. Two student teams of the Higher School of Management and Social Sciences of the Russian Federation, “Special Agents of the Russian Federation” and “Echo”, were shortlisted for the competition and invited to participate in open defenses. The mentors of the polytechnics were Marina Arkannikova, Director of the Higher School of Management and Social Sciences of the Russian Federation, and Elina Avakova and Dmitry Popov, Associate Professors of the Higher School of Management and Social Sciences of the Russian Federation.

    The first winners were the team “Special Agents of the RSO”, represented by Adelina Borozdina, Aya Klimacheva, Vladislava Smelova, Yana Lipatnikova, Anastasia Sidorova and Ekaterina Yarovaya. The girls developed the PR campaign “Beacons of the Hermitage” for the Restoration and Storage Center “Staraya Derevnya” of the legendary museum.

    A third-year student of the Advertising and Public Relations program, Aya Klimacheva, spoke about how the team tried to take into account all the customer’s wishes, conducted several types of analytics and created a unique selling proposition, including the visual design of the concept.

    This year I took part in the competition for the first time and this debut was an absolute success. We won both the professional jury and the student jury! On stage we appeared as special agents who brought an artifact (case) from St. Petersburg. Our mysterious suitcase became the real Chekhov’s gun. After the performance, many teams who had not seen us on stage asked what was inside. And the case contained real light, which the Hermitage restorers carry within themselves, this was our main message, – noted Aya.

    Team captain Adelina Borozdina added: And for me, Luchnik is already the third. In 2022, the PR.com team and I took first place in the development of an HR brand for TMK. Then we collaborated with this company under an employment contract. For me, as a second-year master’s student of “Strategic Communications in Industries 4.0”, this is such a beautiful end point of an active student life. Now the dream is to take a big Archer as a specialist.

    The second winners were the Echo team, represented by Taisiya Temirova, Polina Pozhidaeva, and Alexandra Leleko. The students proposed a PR campaign to promote TMK’s activities in industrial tourism, which they called “6 Warm Acquaintances.” According to the team, this was their best collective work in the current academic year.

    Traditionally, this year, along with the expert council, a student jury also worked, which included representatives of five universities in the country after competitive procedures. The Polytechnic University was represented by first- and second-year students of the Advertising and Public Relations program at the Higher School of Management and Social Sciences, Darya Shevchenko and Ekaterina Karpova.

    I am very glad that I was able to pass the competition tests and join the jury. The first work experience was interesting and difficult at the same time, since each participant presented their developments with such dedication that it was difficult to choose the best. But I would like to separately mention two of our teams. They stood out brightly and were simply at their best. The originality of their solutions amazed everyone, both the student jury and the experts. The Polytechnicians deservedly became the winners. Thank you for such an invaluable experience, – shared Daria Shevchenko.

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: The Capture of Königsberg: 80 Years of a Historic Victory

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

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

    On April 9, 1945, during the East Prussian Operation, troops of the 3rd Belorussian Front under the command of Marshal of the Soviet Union Alexander Vasilevsky stormed and captured the fortress city of Königsberg.

    It was not for nothing that the ancient German city was considered the stronghold of East Prussia. Shortly before the start of World War II, the fortress was modernized, equipped with the most modern military equipment, food and ammunition warehouses. The old forts were also strengthened, and anti-tank ditches and hundreds of pillboxes connected by underground passages were built along the perimeter. Documentation on the number of German troops defending the city was lost, but in all likelihood the group numbered at least 100 thousand people, supplemented by police and the Volkssturm – the people’s militia.

    As for the Volksturm, the situation here echoes the current state of affairs in Ukraine, where citizens are mobilized by force, seized right on the streets. In Germany in 1945, an order was issued stating that all men between the ages of 16 and 60 were required to report to mobilization points. In case of evasion, civilians faced a military field court. The mobilized were given uniforms, rifles, and sent into battle without any training. And there was no shortage of civilians in Königsberg. Gauleiter of East Prussia Erich Koch forbade the evacuation of the civilian population, since he saw no reason for this literally until the approach of Soviet troops to the city borders.

    The Red Army’s offensive on Königsberg began on April 6, 1945. Not all of Vasilevsky’s forces were used for it. The marshal formed assault detachments and groups totaling about 25,000 men, which included the most experienced fighters from rifle companies, engineering brigades, and chemical battalions – flamethrowers. The groups also included one or two tanks, several artillery pieces, and platoons of machine gunners and mortarmen.

    Despite fierce German resistance, Hitler’s order to hold the city to the last soldier, and the brutal actions of SS and Gestapo brigades shooting soldiers who tried to escape or surrender, Königsberg capitulated 81 hours after the assault began.

    The fortress commandant, General Otto Lasch, signed the corresponding document on April 9 at 21:30, but the resistance of individual groups of Wehrmacht soldiers continued until the next day, which is why the reverse side of the medal “For the Capture of Königsberg” bears the date April 10, 1945. Incidentally, this is the only medal of the USSR established for the capture of a city other than the capital.

    235 participants in the assault on Königsberg were awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union, 156 regiments, divisions, and corps were awarded orders, and 98 units were named “Königsberg”. In honor of the capture of the city, a salute was given with 24 artillery salvos from 324 guns.

    On September 30, 1945, a monument to 1,200 guardsmen who died during the assault was ceremoniously unveiled in Königsberg at the site of a mass grave. It is the first monument in the Soviet Union to perpetuate the memory of soldiers who died in the Great Patriotic War.

    The State University of Management congratulates you on this memorable date and remembers the representative of our university who had the opportunity to participate in the East Prussian operation.

    Georgy Lagunov is a junior sergeant, a DShK heavy machine gunner, a candidate of economic sciences, associate professor, and a leading research fellow at the Research Laboratory. He was an Honored Worker of Higher Professional Education of the Russian Federation. He served in the Red Army from 1943 to 1945, a resident of besieged Leningrad and a participant in the defense of the city, awarded with the appropriate awards. On the day of crossing the border with Germany, he was seriously wounded in the arm and leg by a shell explosion. After an eight-month course of treatment, he was declared unfit for further service. After the war, he studied at the Leningrad Electrical Machine-Building College at the S.M. Kirov Electrosila Plant, the All-Union Correspondence Economic Institute, and the correspondence postgraduate program at MIEI. Since 1958, he worked at the Research Laboratory of Economics and Organization of Production of the Moscow City Council of National Economy, which was formed that year at MIEI. A number of the laboratory’s works were awarded medals of the All-Russian Exhibition Centre, including a gold one, and prizes and certificates of the USSR Ministry of Higher and Secondary Specialized Education. Later, he became an associate professor of the Department of National Economic Planning and eventually worked at our university for over 30 years.

    Königsberg was transferred under the jurisdiction of the USSR after the end of World War II, and in 1946 it was renamed Kaliningrad, and remains an integral part of the Russian Federation to this day.

    #Scientific regiment

    Subscribe to the TG channel “Our GUU” Date of publication: 04/09/2025

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Polytechnic University’s postgraduate program attracts talented young people from all over the world

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

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

    Another year of the Open Doors Olympiad has ended. 29 talented young scientists were selected for postgraduate studies at the Polytechnic University.

    The Open Doors Olympiad has been held for five years now, and foreign citizens from any country can participate in it. Winners of the bachelor’s, master’s or postgraduate tracks receive the right to free education at one of the leading Russian universities.

    The selection is carried out in two stages: a portfolio competition and an Olympiad in the online testing format. The tasks are divided into 14 topics, each participant must pass the selection in the selected profile. Universities offer educational programs and postgraduate academic supervisors linked to the profiles.

    The Polytechnic University participates in 11 profiles, in two of them – “Urban Studies and Civil Engineering”, “Economics and Econometrics” – it acts as a coordinator: it proposes selection criteria, carries out methodological and expert work on drawing up assignments and forms a jury to evaluate the work.

    The 2024 Olympiad is distinguished by a sharp increase in interest in engineering and natural sciences. 22 future postgraduate students (three quarters of this year’s winners) chose engineering and technical fields and scientific supervisors from leading Polytechnic institutes – ISI, IE, IBSiB, IKNK, PhysMech, and IET.

    The leader in attracting postgraduate students through the Open Doors mechanism this time was the Civil Engineering Institute: ten applicants will study in postgraduate studies and build a career in the field of construction, design and geoecology.

    Thanks to the development of the Urban Studies and Civil Engineering profile, which is supervised by the Civil Engineering Institute, this year the number of foreign students in the English-language Civil Engineering Master’s program has increased significantly. The geography of foreign applicants is expanding, their main request is to receive a world-class Russian engineering education. Our postgraduate program in geoecology also attracts increased attention from foreigners. This gives confidence in the long-term development of the institute, the expansion of its international positioning, and the influx of new young scientists, – says Marina Petrochenko, Director of the ISI.

    Traditionally, there is high interest in the postgraduate programs of the Institute of Biomedical Systems and Biotechnology: more than 35 candidates signed up for interviews with the scientific directors of this institute. Of these, four people were chosen, the most motivated, suitable in terms of topics and level of knowledge for the current scientific groups and laboratories. In addition, for the first time, two postgraduate students in the profile “Physical and Technical Sciences” will be admitted to SPbPU; scientific groups of the PhysMech and the Institute of Economics and Technology are waiting for them.

    I was surprised by the interest of foreign applicants in fundamental research into the optical properties of semiconductor micro- and nanostructures, which I supervise in the laboratory of “Spectroscopy of Semiconductors and Nanostructures”. Based on the interview results, our capabilities coincided with the desire of an applicant from Pakistan under my supervision in the specialty “Physics of Semiconductors”. This candidate already had two scientific articles from first and second quartile journals, – shared associate professor of the Higher Engineering Physics School of the Institute of Economics and Technology Maksim Vinnichenko.

    The Institute of Industrial Management, Economics and Trade actively participates in the Olympiad and shows excellent results, which are highly appreciated by the organizing committee. A year ago, at the suggestion of the organizers, Polytechnic became the coordinator of the profile “Economics and Econometrics”, and the specialists of IMPET demonstrated a good level of expert and methodological work. Therefore, from next year, another profile of the Olympiad – “Business and Management” – will be supervised by Polytechnic.

    In the spring, SPbPU international services, together with the institute directorates, begin to form a pool of scientific supervisors willing to take part in the Olympiad. By the fall, an extensive information package on postgraduate programs, laboratories, as well as information about scientists, including a video and portfolio, will be prepared. Based on the information posted on the website, future participants will be able to choose places for postgraduate study. In 2025, out of 36,000 registered people, only 474 were admitted to the third stage.

    The third stage takes place in January-February. Scientific supervisors get access to the portfolios of absolutely all winners of the second stage in their profile and can invite the most experienced and those who have shown high scores to an interview. This is truly a selection of talents. Every year we try to expand the range of scientists, attract new scientific groups, laboratories with interesting research tasks and topics. All so that participants can find a suitable supervisor and the place that will become the launching pad for their scientific career, – said the manager of the postgraduate track, head of the department of international interuniversity cooperation Ekaterina Belyaevskaya.

    Every year, 35-40 professors and associate professors of SPbPU participate in the Olympiad as scientific supervisors. In 2025, they conducted 179 interviews with applicants and selected 29 future postgraduate students from eight countries. After completing all the necessary documents, these students will come to SPbPU in the fall. Some of them will immediately begin their postgraduate studies in Russian- or English-language programs, while others will spend another year mastering Russian in the preparatory faculty programs.

    The Polytechnic University pays the closest attention to the quality of foreign students and postgraduates. The path to the university through the Open Doors Olympiad selection mechanism is the path for real talents, future scientists. The leadership of our country sets the universities the task of improving the quality of applicants, searching for and attracting scientific talents from all over the world. Therefore, we will treat the winners of the Olympiad with the utmost attention, supporting and developing their scientific career, adapting them to the university community, instilling love and respect for our university and country, – emphasized Vice-Rector for International Affairs Dmitry Arsenyev.

    I participated in this event as a scientific supervisor. I was surprised by the level of preparation of the candidates. Among the interlocutors were top-level IT developers, the results of whose work have been implemented in the infrastructure of their home countries. Participation in Open Doors is an important tool for international communication and development, which allows strong applicants from other countries to find their way in Russian science, and scientific supervisors to strengthen their positions in international science, – shared Konstantin Semenov, Associate Professor of the Higher School of Computer Technologies and Information Systems of the IKNK.

    To become a scientific supervisor for the Olympiad in 2025, you can contact Ekaterina Belyaevskaya, email: Belyaevskaya@spbsty.ru.

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Large Crocodile captured near Proserpine boat ramp

    Source: Tasmania Police

    Issued: 7 Apr 2025

    A 4.5m estuarine crocodile has been captured in a baited trap near the Proserpine River boat ramp at Conway on the Proserpine River in north Queensland.

    The large male crocodile had been sighted in very close proximity to the boat ramp and pontoon, and given its size, concerning behaviour and increased risk to public safety, it was declared for removal from the wild under the Queensland Crocodile Management Plan (QCMP).

    Rangers set a baited trap on Friday 4 April 2025, and it was captured during the early hours of Saturday 5 April 2025. It will be rehomed at a crocodile farm or zoo.

    During assessments of the location prior to the animal being declared for removal, Wildlife Rangers from the Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation (DETSI) found discarded fish frames that had been left at the boat ramp.

    Members of the public have also reported entire pig carcasses being tied at the boat ramp.

    Acting Manager Northern Wildlife and Threatened Species Operations, Jane Burns said it is likely the pig carcasses had been left at the boat ramp in a deliberate attempt to lure the animal.

    “Deliberate or inadvertent feeding of crocodiles at boat ramps or fishing locations can change their behaviour, and they will hang around an area expecting food,” Ms Burns said.

    “Crocodiles do not need to be fed, and tourists and people living in crocodile habitat should make sensible choices around the water to prioritise their safety and to help prevent crocodiles being removed from the wild.

    “Under the Nature Conservation (Estuarine Crocodile) Conservation Plan 2018, it is an offence to deliberately discard fish frames or pig carcasses that may attract crocodiles,

    “This type of behaviour is very disappointing and concerning. It creates an increased risk to public safety.

    “Crocodiles can become habituated to an easy meal, and associate that with a particular location or people. This unfortunately has created a higher risk of a crocodile attack at this location.”

    Anyone with information about the deliberate feeding of this crocodile, or any crocodile in Queensland is encouraged to call 1300 130 372. Information can be provided anonymously.

    All crocodile sightings should be reported to DETSI in a timely manner.

    Crocodile sightings can be reported by using the QWildlife app, completing a crocodile sighting report on the DETSI website, or by calling 1300 130 372. The department investigates every crocodile sighting report received.

    View further information about croc safety at Be Crocwise in Croc Country.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI China: International conference on epic studies held in Athens

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    Dozens of scholars from China, Greece, the United States, and Australia gathered in Athens on Monday for a forum on epic studies, where they shared insights on preserving this important facet of cultural heritage and explored opportunities for international collaboration.

    The conference was co-hosted by the Institute of Ethnic Literature of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) and the Chinese School of Classical Studies in Athens. Participants engaged in discussions on the contemporary relevance of epics, strategies for safeguarding epic traditions, and ways to enhance cross-cultural communication.

    Peng Jinhui, Vice President of CASS, emphasized that strengthening cultural exchange, deepening academic dialogue, and actively exploring how epics, as spiritual treasures of humanity, can be preserved and revitalized in the modern era are shared responsibilities for scholars and cultural practitioners worldwide.

    George Didaskalos, Secretary General of the Greek Ministry of Culture, noted that both ancient Greek and Chinese civilizations have profoundly shaped philosophical and cultural development across East and West.

    The conference, he added, not only deepens cultural cooperation between Greece and China but also encourages a broader dialogue on the lasting value of epic traditions and their role in humanity’s collective heritage.

    “This is an opportunity to understand each other better and to communicate more effectively,” said Menelaos Christopoulos, emeritus professor of Ancient Greek Literature at the University of Patras in western Greece, in an interview with Xinhua. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Call for partners and sponsorship

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    World news story

    Call for partners and sponsorship

    The British Embassy Tokyo is looking for partners, sponsors and media partners to help deliver a new initiative to boost UK-Japan people-to-people connections.

    British Prime Minister Kier Starmer and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba

    The British Embassy Tokyo is looking for partners and sponsors to help deliver Musubi – an exciting new initiative to boost UK-Japan people-to-people connections and invest in the next generation of Japanese and UK leaders through a range of educational, youth and cultural exchanges, as well as science, innovation and business collaborations, and more. A range of programmes will be announced with the launch of the Musubi initiative and there is an opportunity to be involved in this exciting work.

    The UK-Japan relationship is at its closest in decades and we have set ourselves ambitious commitments to go even further through the Hiroshima Accord that our Prime Ministers agreed May 2023. People-to-people connections are the bedrock on which this relationship will continue to grow, as recognised by the then Foreign Secretary and Foreign Minister when they signed a memorandum of cooperation on people to people exchanges in November 2023. Musubi, will deliver on this commitment as a legacy of deeper connections and shared opportunities for the next generation and beyond.

    Any company wishing to register an expression of interest to partner or provide sponsorship to assist with exciting new initiative should make contact with the Embassy as below by the 1st Augst 2025.

    For partners and sponsorship please contact: public-enquiries.tokyo@fcdo.gov.uk for the attention of Frankie Rushton

    Updates to this page

    Published 9 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI China: 18 more key enterprises set up, expand business in HK

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Another 18 enterprises in high-tech industries signed agreements to establish or expand their businesses in Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government said on Tuesday.

    The enterprises, along with the 66 companies that signed on earlier, will invest about 50 billion Hong Kong dollars (6.43 billion U.S. dollars) in Hong Kong and create over 20,000 jobs.

    The enterprises are from such industries as advanced manufacturing and new energy, life and health technology, artificial intelligence and data science, as well as fintech. They all pledged to set up global headquarters, regional headquarters or research centers in Hong Kong.

    Hong Kong treasures not only the investments, jobs and expertise that the enterprises bring along, but also their products and solutions that will transform people’s ways of life and inspire new innovation, said Paul Chan, financial secretary of the HKSAR government, at the signing ceremony.

    “Hong Kong remains steadfast in our commitment to upholding our free-port status and free trade, maintaining our simple and low-tax system, and building a vibrant innovation and technology ecosystem with a full range of funding support,” he said. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Norton Announces Community Project Funding Application Process

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (District of Columbia)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today announced the process for applying to her office for Community Project Funding, formerly known as earmarks, for fiscal year 2026 (FY26). For a Community Project Funding request to be considered, eligible entities must submit an application by 5:00 p.m. on Monday, April 21st to NortonCommunityProjectFunding@mail.house.gov.

    Under the House Committee on Appropriations’ eligibility requirements for FY26, only governmental entities and public institutions of higher education will be eligible for projects under the T-HUD Economic Development Initiatives program. Memorials, museums, and commemoratives (i.e., projects named for an individual or entity) are not eligible for Community Project Funding. The subcommittees’ requirements can be found here. All projects that were included in House Reports for Fiscal Year 2025 are eligible in Fiscal Year 2026 but must be resubmitted for consideration.

    Late or incomplete applications, including applications that do not provide the information required by the relevant subcommittee, will not be considered. The project must be located in the District of Columbia.

    An application consists of all the information about the entity and project required by the applicable subcommittee, as well as the following:

    • Name of the recipient
    • Address of the recipient
    • Amount of the request
    • Explanation of the request, including purpose, and a justification for why it is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds
    • Evidence of community support
    • If on behalf of a non-profit, evidence the entity is a non-profit organization as described under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, and evidence non-profit’s work is primarily focused on D.C.

    The Appropriations Committee is only permitting certain programs within specific subcommittees, listed below, that are going to participate in the Community Project Funding process.

    Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies

    • Department of Agriculture–Farm Production and Conservation Programs
      • Natural Resources Conservation Service (Conservation Operations)
    • Department of Agriculture–Research, Education, and Economics
      • Agricultural Research Service (Buildings and Facilities)
    • Department of Agriculture–Rural Development
      • Rural Housing Service (Community Facilities)
      • Rural Utilities Service (ReConnect Program)
      • Rural Utilities Service (Distance Learning and Telemedicine Grants)
      • Rural Utilities Service (Rural Water and Waste Disposal Grants)

    Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies

    • Department of Commerce
      • NIST—Scientific and Technical Research
      • NOAA—Coastal Zone Management
    • Department of Justice
      • COPS Technology and Equipment
      • Byrne Justice
    • National Aeronautics and Space Administration
      • Safety, Security, and Mission Services

    Energy and Water Development

    • Army Corps of Engineers (Civil Works)
      • Investigations
      • Construction
      • Mississippi River and Tributaries
      • Operation and Maintenance
    • Department of the Interior/Bureau of Reclamation
      • Water and Related Resources

    Homeland Security

    • Federal Emergency Management Agency
      • Federal Assistance—Emergency Ops. Centers
      • Federal Assistance—Pre-Disaster Mitigation

    Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies

    • Environmental Protection Agency
      • STAG—Clean Water State Revolving Fund
      • STAG—Drinking Water State Revolving Fund

    Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies

    • Army
    • Army National Guard
    • Army Reserve
    • Navy & Marine Corps
    • Navy Reserve
    • Air Force and Space Force
    • Air National Guard
    • Air Force Reserve
    • DoD, Defense-Wide

    Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies

    • Department of Housing and Urban Development
      • CDBG – Economic Development Initiatives
    • Department of Transportation
      • Airport Improvement Program
      • Highway Infrastructure Projects
      • Transit Infrastructure Projects
      • Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements
      • Port Infrastructure Development Program

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: The Coalition’s domestic gas plan would lower prices – just not very much

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Samantha Hepburn, Professor, Deakin Law School, Deakin University

    A LNG carrier departs Gladstone. Ivan Kuzkin/Shutterstock

    It surprised many Australians when the Coalition announced a plan straight from the progressive side of politics: force large gas companies to reserve gas for domestic use – at a lower cost than they could sell it for overseas.

    As a populist move during a cost-of-living election, it’s a good one. Australia’s gas producers sell 70% of gas extracted on the east coast overseas under long-term contracts, even as southeastern states such as Victoria face possible gas shortages. Western Australia has long had an effective policy requiring up to 15% of offshore gas to be reserved for domestic use.

    After a fortnight’s delay, the Coalition has now publicly released the modelling behind its policy. Undertaken by Frontier Economics, the modelling indicates that reserving 50 to 100 petajoules of gas in the first year would cut wholesale prices by 23%. This would mean a 15% drop in prices for large-scale users – but only a 7% fall for household gas bills and a 3% fall in electricity bills.

    This doesn’t sound like much, because it isn’t. Gas prices soared during the Ukraine war and haven’t yet returned to their pre-war levels. Labor has dubbed the plan “gaslighting”, and will rely instead on a gas policy released last year to open up more gasfields and build import terminals. Gas producers don’t like the Coalition’s plan, and neither does billionaire Liberal benefactor Gina Rinehart. Dutton’s plan isn’t crazy – it’s just not likely to make a big difference.

    Most of Queensland’s gas is exported at present.
    Chris Andrews Fern Bay/Shutterstock

    How would this gas reservation policy work?

    The Coalition has proposed what it calls an East Coast Reservation Scheme, with the goal of progressively decoupling Australia’s east coast gas market from the volatile international market.

    It has two parts. First, it would require new exporters, in the first year of operation, to reserve an additional 50–100 petajoules for the domestic market. Second, it would create a gas security charge, to be imposed on gas producers seeking to export “additional” (non-contracted) gas on the international market.

    This would give gas producers an incentive to sell non-contracted gas to the domestic market, because they would get greater profits selling in Australia, even at a lower base price.

    Further, the policy would prevent gas producers from charging domestic buyers international prices, setting a competitive price.

    In effect, the gas security charge is akin to a levy or a reverse tariff. The levy can be avoided if producers supply up to 100 petajoules to domestic markets. That’s about as much gas as New South Wales’ gas pipelines deliver each year – 101 petajoules (PJ) as of 2022–23, or the equivalent of 26 full liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers, which hold about 3.8 PJ on average.

    What are the issues with this plan?

    There are legitimate concerns. First, the policy does not directly address domestic gas pricing and won’t help with the cost of living crisis. Over time, it could create a more competitive domestic market, but the fact producers could make marginally more money selling gas on the domestic market doesn’t guarantee change.

    Second, the policy does not directly address the looming gas supply crisis. That’s because existing gas producers would not be legally obliged to commit to more gas domestically – they could still export it. The obligation to commit an additional 50-100 petajoules to the domestic market only applies to gas exporters in their first year of operation.

    If policymakers want to solve the supply crisis, they would be better served by imposing direct export controls in the form of a clear gas reservation mandate. This works, as Western Australia’s long experience shows.

    How did we get here?

    When Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, it led to huge spikes in global gas prices and shortages in Europe as the world moved away from Russian gas.

    In the 2010s, Australia had already been ramping up gas production. But in the wake of the Ukraine war, Australia became a major gas exporter. Producers traded as much gas as possible on the international market, selling it for over A$40/GJ. Meanwhile, Australia’s coal production was falling.

    Domestic gas demand shot up, and prices went from $8 to $30 a gigajoule. In response, the Albanese government introduced an emergency price cap for the wholesale gas market, prohibiting producers from entering into supply contracts with domestic purchasers for prices above a cap, currently set at $12/GJ. While the cap did partly insulate domestic consumers, it was always intended as a temporary measure.

    The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission recently predicted a gas supply shortfall of up to 40 petajoules in the southern states as early as September due to declining production in Victoria and South Australia as well as higher demand. Without access to uncontracted Queensland gas, supply will run very low. This is a significant energy security risk, and one the Coalition’s gas policy doesn’t directly address.

    Victorian residents are more reliant on gas than other states – and shortfalls are looming.
    M-Production/Shutterstock

    What’s next?

    Australia is one of the world’s top three LNG exporters. The fact a gas giant could be facing domestic shortages is both unnecessary and embarrassing. Reaching this point represents decades of policy failure.

    Reserving gas for domestic use works for the west coast, and it would work for the east. But the Coalition’s plan is not quite a gas reservation scheme. It doesn’t create a comprehensive reservation mandate and questions remain about its capacity to address domestic pricing and supply.

    At present, it seems like a lot of effort without great benefit. Will households really notice their gas bill is 7% cheaper?

    Samantha Hepburn 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. The Coalition’s domestic gas plan would lower prices – just not very much – https://theconversation.com/the-coalitions-domestic-gas-plan-would-lower-prices-just-not-very-much-254194

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Markey Hosts Virtual Town Hall on Trump Administration’s Attacks on Health Care Innovation and Access in Massachusetts

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey
    Washington (April 8, 2025) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), top Democrat on the Small Business Committee, as well as the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Subcommittee on Primary Health and Retirement Security, today hosted a virtual town hall with panelists from MassMEDIC, Conference of Boston Teaching Hospitals, VentureWell, Boyd Biomedical, and the Wyss Institute on the importance of protecting health care innovation and patient access to care in Massachusetts and across the country. Recent Trump administration actions threaten health care innovation and access in the United States and the Commonwealth, including cuts to research funding, disruptions in funding for health providers, and firing of employees at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), National Institutes of Health (NIH), and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).
    “With President Trump’s and Congressional Republicans’ attacks on medical research, on health care access, on small businesses, and innovation, they are attacking Massachusetts,” said Senator Markey. “I heard stories from health care leaders, manufacturers, researchers, and patients that demonstrate what these reckless and indiscriminate tariffs, cuts to medical research and personnel, and efforts to gut Medicaid will mean for our ability to innovate affordable, accessible treatments and cures, and deliver high-quality care to patients in Massachusetts. I stand with them in the fight to protect life-saving research and care.”
    Massachusetts is a national leader in developing groundbreaking treatments and cures, giving hope to patients, families, and caregivers in need of breakthroughs and discoveries. Massachusetts received nearly $3.5 billion in 2024 from the NIH to support 6,000 grants including for Alzheimer’s and youth mental health. Massachusetts received nine percent of National Institutes of Health funding in 2024 despite only having two percent of the population. Since its inception, Massachusetts has also received $26,000 from the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program, totaling $9 billion in funding including for Alzheimer’s prevention, diagnosis and treatment and breast cancer detection. Committed health providers, researchers, and workers drive these innovations, relying on sustainable funding to do their work. 
    “On behalf of the region’s medical device sector, I thank Sen. Markey for his steadfast support of life science innovation and manufacturing. The Commonwealth’s economy depends on our ability to deliver new cures and treatments to the world. The senator is a great partner in developing federal policy that encourages growth and patient impact,” said Brian Johnson, President of MassMEDIC.
    “The NIH continues to be our nation’s greatest hope for identifying life changing diagnostics, treatments, and cures, while supporting countless jobs, driving economic activity, and ensuring the United States’ position as a global leader in scientific research and medical innovation,” said Patricia McMullin, Executive Director of the Conference of Boston Teaching Hospitals. “We are grateful to Senator Markey and the entire Massachusetts congressional delegation for their advocacy to strengthen our nation’s medical research, which saves lives and gives hope to families across the nation and around the world.”
    “The scientific breakthroughs of tomorrow and the health solutions that improve lives depend on sustained investment in foundational biomedical research and development funding. Agencies within the Department of Health and Human Services, including the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H), play a critical role in enabling this progress. Continued funding and support ensure that discoveries can be translated into transformative products and services for patients,” said Mark Marino, Vice President at VentureWell. “Federal research investments in areas such as cancer, chronic disease, Alzheimer’s, mental health, environmental health, nutrition, and pandemic preparedness are essential to maintaining a strong biomedical innovation ecosystem. We applaud Senator Markey for underscoring the importance of timely, robust funding to advance research and fuel the innovation economy in Massachusetts and across the country. We urge Congress and this administration to prioritize innovative research funding for activities that help bring biomedical innovations out of the lab and into the market.”
    “We believe in the value of strong manufacturing in America, and we’re very happy that that sentiment is more widely held today than it was just a decade ago. But the financial impact of these tariffs on American manufacturers is stark. Especially for small and mid-sized companies,” said Matthew Boyd, Chief Commercial Officer at Boyd Biomedical. “The tremendous biomedical innovation we create here in Massachusetts is not a valve you can turn off and then expect to turn back on. The consequences of these cuts to federally funded biomedical research will have a decades-long impact on biomedical innovation.”
    “Even if some of these actions are reconsidered by the administration or blocked by courts, the current uncertainty and the possibility of some of these actions being implemented will delay life-saving therapies from getting into patients by delaying innovation,” said Dr. Girija Goyal, Ph.D., Principal Scientist at the Wyss Institute.
    On March 26, Senator Markey hosted a virtual office hours meeting with Congressman McGovern, food security advocates and food banks, and hundreds of constituents on the importance of protecting SNAP and other essential food security benefits for people in Massachusetts. Earlier that month, Senator Markey led members of the Massachusetts delegation in a joint statement blasting the Trump administration’s cuts to the National Institutes of Health. Also in March, Senator Markey hosted a town hall in Malden, Massachusetts to hear directly from constituents about their concerns about what President Trump and DOGE would mean for their health care and Social Security. In February 2025, Senators Markey, Warren and Schumer demanded that the Trump administration, Elon Musk and DOGE make no cuts to Medicaid or Medicare and to end DOGE’s unauthorized access to sensitive health information.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Book, New Edition – The Question of Palestine by Edward W. Said

    Source: Text Publishing Company (Australia)
     
    The groundbreaking account of the history of Palestine by one of the world’s most eloquent scholars of the Middle East
     
    Featuring a new foreword by Saree Makdisi

    This original and deeply provocative book was the first to make Palestine the subject of a serious debate – one that is now more critical than ever. 

    With the rigorous scholarship that he brought to his influential Orientalism and an exile’s passion (he was Palestinian by birth and had been a member of the Palestine National Council), Edward W. Said traces the fatal collision between two peoples in the Middle East and its repercussions in the lives of both the occupier and the occupied – as well as in the conscience of the West. 
    He updated this landmark work to portray the changed status of Palestine and its people in light of such developments as the Israeli invasion of Lebanon, the intifada, the Gulf War, and the ongoing Middle East peace initiative.

    For anyone interested in this region and its future, The Question of Palestine remains the most useful and authoritative account available.

    Edward W. Said (1935-2003) was one of the world’s most influential literary and cultural critics. Professor of English and Comparative Literature at Columbia University, he was the author of twenty-two books, including Orientalism, Culture and Imperialism and Out of Place. He was also a music critic, opera scholar, pianist and the most eloquent spokesman for the Palestinian cause in the West.
     
    Saree Makdisi is an American literary critic and professor. He is of Palestinian and Lebanese descent, and is the nephew of Edward Said. In 2009 he delivered the Edward Said Memorial Lecture at Adelaide University.

    Praise for Edward W. Said on The Question of Palestine

    ‘For those of us who see the struggle between Eastern and Western descriptions of the world as both an internal and an external struggle, Edward Said has for many years been an especially important voice.’ Salman Rushdie
     
    ‘Edward Said is among the truly important intellectuals of our century.’ Nadine Gordimer
     
    ‘[A]rguably New York’s most famous public intellectual after Hannah Arendt and Susan Sontag, and America’s most prominent advocate for Palestinian rights.’ Pankaj Mishra, New Yorker
     
    ‘In this seminal text, Edward Said stridently diagnoses western hypocrisy and makes the case for Palestinian liberation, paving the way for so many thinkers who came after him.’ Isabella Hammad, author of Enter Ghost.

    Available: MAY 13, 2025 Non-fiction Paperback, 320pp AU $36.99 / NZ $45.00 ISBN 9781923058200

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Education – Principals Support NZEI’s Call for Learning Support Boost

    Source: NZ Principals Federation

    The New Zealand Principals’ Federation (NZPF) supports the New Zealand Education Institute’s (NZEI) call for a $2.5billion investment in learning support services by 2030.
    “For years, Learning Support has been the neglected link in all conversations about learning progress and achievement,” said NZPF President, Leanne Otene. 
    “The current Minister and former Ministers of Education have all agreed that learning support is a weakness in our system, but none has had the courage to fix the problems, said Otene.
      “Instead they look to lift achievement through national standards, assessment, testing and now the science of learning with yet another new assessment tool,” she said.
    “None of these options will make a jot of difference to improve the learning progress of a single child in need of learning support because they don’t come with early intervention teachers, education support workers, psychologists, occupational therapists, special education advisors or speech and language therapists,” she said.
    “We have been clear with the Minister from the very beginning, saying that the major problem in our education system is not the teachers or their ability to teach.  It is not the curriculum or what we teach.  It is the lack of behavioural and learning support services that hinder our teachers’ ability to teach and our principals to lead,” she said.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –