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Category: Science

  • MIL-OSI: SoftServe Wins NVIDIA’s 2025 Americas NPN Service Delivery Partner of the Year

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    AUSTIN, Texas, March 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — SoftServe, a premier IT consulting and digital services provider, today announced it has been selected as an NVIDIA Partner Network (NPN) 2025 partner of the year for service delivery in the Americas region. Being named NVIDIA’s 2025 Americas NPN Service Delivery Partner of the Year is a direct reflection of SoftServe’s catalyst work developing and launching a series of Generative AI (Gen AI) solutions built with NVIDIA Blueprints, providing a conduit for rapid enterprise AI adoption.

    SoftServe’s Service Delivery Partner of the Year Award recognize the company’s impact accelerating enterprise deployments with NVIDIA AI Enterprise and NVIDIA Omniverse using custom NVIDIA Blueprints that tap into NVIDIA NIM microservices, including the SoftServe QA Agent, which is the eighth SoftServe Gen AI solution in the series to hit the market.

    “Our teams helped propel NVIDIA Blueprints forward through rapid creation and execution of eight quality solutions that are driving Gen AI proliferation, integration, and innovation across many industries,” said Harry Propper, CEO of SoftServe. “This award is a testament to SoftServe’s mission to make our customers and partners successful. It’s also a well-deserved win underscored by the fact that SoftServe was organically nominated without prompt or application. Our hard work, ingenuity, and close collaboration with the NVIDIA team is what got us here today.”

    The global NPN Program provides partners with the expertise required to develop, deploy, and prioritize energy-efficient accelerated computing solutions designed for today’s most demanding machine learning and AI workloads. Previously, SoftServe was named the 2024 Consulting Partner of the Year for EMEA and the 2023 Outstanding Impact Partner of the Year, demonstrating the company’s strong support in the NVIDIA ecosystem.

    “Businesses racing to adopt AI seek trusted partners with a proven track record of delivering seamless AI experiences,” said Craig Weinstein, Vice President, Americas Partner Organization, NVIDIA. “SoftServe has demonstrated broad expertise in deploying tailored applications built with NVIDIA AI Enterprise, NVIDIA NIM microservices, and NVIDIA Omniverse to help businesses drive results across agentic and physical AI.”

    This year’s awards were announced during NVIDIA’s annual conference, GTC 2025, following the launch of SoftServe QA Agent, which aims to boost quality and assurance (QA) processes with AI test automation. SoftServe is showcasing three immersive demos, including the seventh solution Gen AI Retail Shopping Assistant, at GTC booth #1009.

    Catch the experts in action with presentations on AI content creation, space mission design with NVIDIA Omniverse, and more topics outlined in the GTC 2025 Session Catalog. For those at home to learn more about SoftServe’s collaboration with NVIDIA, please visit this website.

    ABOUT SOFTSERVE
    SoftServe is a premier IT consulting and digital services provider. We expand the horizon of new technologies to solve today’s complex business challenges and achieve meaningful outcomes for our clients. Our boundless curiosity drives us to explore and reimagine the art of the possible. Clients confidently rely on SoftServe to architect and execute mature and innovative capabilities, such as digital engineering, data and analytics, cloud, and AI/ML.

    Our global reputation is gained from more than 30 years of experience delivering superior digital solutions at exceptional speed by top-tier engineering talent to enterprise industries, including high tech, financial services, healthcare, life sciences, retail, energy, and manufacturing. Visit our website, blog, LinkedIn, Facebook, and X (Twitter) pages for more information.

    The MIL Network –

    March 20, 2025
  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Joint Statement on UK-Philippines JETCO

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    Joint Statement on UK-Philippines JETCO

    On Monday 17 March, the UK and the Philippines held the inaugural Joint Economic and Trade Committee (JETCO) meeting.

    Joint Statement on UK-Philippines Joint Economic and Trade Committee

    On Monday 17 March, the UK and the Philippines held the inaugural Joint Economic and Trade Committee (JETCO) meeting.

    The Ministerial JETCO reflects a commitment from both governments to upgrade the growing bilateral economic relationship between both countries, including by exploring ways to boost trade and investment, as well as addressing barriers to market access.

    The committee was hosted in London by UK Minister for Trade Policy and Economic Security, Douglas Alexander MP, and co-chaired by Undersecretary Allan B. Gepty of the Philippines Department of Trade and Industry.

    Minister Alexander and Undersecretary Gepty endorsed a programme of work to advance bilateral cooperation over the next 12-18 months, including government-to-government and government-to-business activity in agreed priority areas such as infrastructure, agriculture, energy, economic development, life sciences, and technology.

    Much of this work will be delivered through four Sectoral Working Groups, which will meet annually to facilitate technical policy exchange and project delivery.

    Infrastructure

    The UK and the Philippines committed to progressing a government-to-government Financing Framework Partnership to support the delivery of national priority infrastructure and development programmes and projects in the Philippines.

    The Framework aims to expand access to £5 billion of financing from UK Export Finance (UKEF) and other sources of cooperation, and provide the Philippines with new paths to UK expertise, technology, and comparative advantage.

    Both countries agreed to develop a project pipeline through the Infrastructure Sectoral Working Group in anticipation of the establishment of the Framework.

    Energy

    The UK and the Philippines reflected on the extensive cooperation in the last year between the Department for Business and Trade (DBT), the Philippines Department of Energy, and the UK Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult, supporting the offshore wind development of the Philippines.

    Both countries emphasised the importance of the sector, recognising its contribution to economic growth and an inclusive green transition and committed to continue working closely on policy and regulatory engagement in the coming year, driven by cooperation at the Energy Sectoral Working Group.

    Agriculture

    Minister Alexander and Undersecretary Gepty discussed the benefits of collaboration between the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and the Philippines Department of Agriculture with a view to safeguarding and expanding market access for agri-food exporters.

    They agreed to continue collaboration across issues such as animal disease detection and antimicrobial resistance as well as new opportunities for collaboration on precision breeding and genetics.

    They endorsed the role of the Agriculture Sectoral Working Group to drive greater trade and investment in our respective agriculture sectors, including by promoting commercial agriculture opportunities in the Philippines and the UK.

    Economic Development

    Minister Alexander and Undersecretary Gepty recognised the important role of bilateral trade in furthering economic development in the Philippines and endorsed efforts to improve utilisation of the Developing Countries Trading Scheme, which offers Philippine exporters tariff-free access on 92% of products.

    They were pleased to note the upcoming launch of an export handbook that details key regulatory compliance requirements, including how to leverage the UK Developing Countries Trading Scheme to benefit from preferential tariff rates.

    They agreed on activities to further strengthen the business landscape in the Philippines and facilitate investment and digitalisation of trade.

    This covers continuing collaboration on regulatory reform initiatives, facilitating business linkages, and capacity building on AI policy frameworks and governance.

    Regional collaboration

    Minister Alexander and Undersecretary Gepty used the JETCO meeting to discuss the importance of cooperation between the UK and the Philippines in support of regional economic integration.

    The UK looks forward to deepening the UK-ASEAN Partnership and working with the Philippines towards its Chairship of ASEAN in 2026.

    Trade promotion and investment

    Minister Alexander and Undersecretary Gepty concluded discussions by acknowledging the potential for future economic growth and shared prosperity through deepening trade links.

    They acknowledged that in 2024, the UK was the largest single investor in the Philippines, driven by investments in renewables.

    The Philippines, being one of the fastest growing economies in Southeast Asia last year with around 6% growth, has the capacity to boost trade in sectors where the UK holds significant commercial expertise.

    Minister Alexander and Undersecretary Gepty emphasised the importance of delivering real impact from strengthened trade and economic discussions.

    They encouraged future trade promotion and investment activities to facilitate more business opportunities in sectors such as technology and infrastructure including energy.

    After the JETCO meeting, UK Trade Envoy to the Philippines, George Freeman MP, and Undersecretary Gepty, co-hosted a business briefing in partnership with the UK-ASEAN Business Council to share insights from discussions and seek industry views on priorities for growing the bilateral trade and investment relationship.

    Bilateral economic relationship

    The Philippines was the UK’s 60th largest trading partner in the end of Q3 2024 accounting for 0.2% of total UK trade.

    Total trade in goods and services between the UK and the Philippines in the same period was £2.8 billion.  

    The new UK-Philippines JETCO adds extra emphasis to the UK’s deepening relationships across the wider Asia Pacific region.

    As an ASEAN Dialogue Partner, the UK is committed to further enhancing engagement with the region, through both multilateral and bilateral forums, including those with the Philippines.

    The JETCO follows the launch of the UK-Philippines Joint Framework for the Enhanced Partnership – an enhancement of our bilateral relations across foreign policy, economic growth, security and defence cooperation amongst other areas.

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    Published 19 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    March 20, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Global: Why international students could be a critical factor in bolstering Canada’s economic resilience

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Isaac Garcia-Sitton, Associate Faculty, School of Education and Technology, Royal Roads University

    In early 2024, the federal government imposed a two-year cap on new study permits. (Shutterstock)

    For decades, international students have contributed to Canada’s research enterprise, workforce development and economic growth.

    Now, as Canada navigates strained relations and an escalating trade war with its largest economic partner, it’s important policymakers stop overlooking international education that could be a critical factor in bolstering Canada’s resilience.

    Unlike volatile trade agreements and fragile supply chains, international education provides a stable, long-term economic and social advantage.




    Read more:
    Canadian supply chains are at the epicentre of Trump’s potential trade war


    Contributions

    In 2018, international students contributed $21.6 billion to Canada’s post-secondary institutions, local communities and gross domestic product (GDP).

    By 2022, that figure had grown to $37.3 billion. This represented just over 23 per cent of Canada’s total service exports and around five per cent of total merchandise exports. The economic contributions from international education outpaced economic contributions from other industries — such as softwood lumber and auto parts.

    But their contributions extend far beyond financial impact. International students drive cutting-edge research in artificial intelligence, clean energy, biotechnology and climate science. This strengthens Canada’s innovation ecosystem and global competitiveness.

    International students also serve as vital ambassadors — diversifying trade connections and expanding Canada’s global reach.

    Despite their undeniable value, recent policy shifts risk undermining Canada’s position as a top destination for global talent. In early 2024, the federal government imposed a two-year cap on new study permits. The cap would mean approximately 360,000 study permits would be approved in 2024 — a decrease of 35 per cent from the previous years.

    However, institutions fell well below the imposed cap. This wasn’t due to a lack of demand but because of the rushed, poorly managed roll-out that amplified disruption beyond expectations. In fall 2024, the number of permits granted was on track to drop by 45 per cent compared to the previous year.

    The government plans a further 10 per cent cut in 2025 and 2026 and will cap approvals at 437,000. They will also, for the first time, restrict master’s and PhD students — limiting access to Canada’s research ecosystem.

    Talent and innovation

    While a cap may have been necessary to moderate the sector’s growth, its rollout created uncertainty for institutions and students. This damaged Canada’s reputation for high-quality education. The impact to our global standing as a top destination for international students will take years to repair.

    The government plans cap student visa approvals at 427,000 by 2026.
    (Shutterstock)

    This policy shift is especially concerning given Canada’s ongoing innovation and productivity challenges. A recent report from U15 research institutions shows Canada lags behind its peers in the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). It’s mainly falling behind in research and development intensity, private sector innovation and technology adoption.

    In 2022, Canada’s research and development spending stood at just under two per cent of GDP. This is well below the OECD average of around three per cent.

    Many small and medium-sized businesses rely on university partnerships for research and development. Cutting international graduate student numbers disrupts these collaborations — hindering innovation at a time when Canada can least afford it.

    Policymakers claim restricting international student permits will ease labour market pressures. But the real problems with the labour market lie in skill mismatches, underemployment and employer hiring biases — not the number of international students.




    Read more:
    Canadian immigrants are overqualified and underemployed — reforms must address this


    With unemployment at around six-and-a-half per cent and youth unemployment at 13.6 per cent, concerns about job competition are valid. Yet newcomers and international students face significant barriers in finding jobs in their fields.

    In 2024, the unemployment rate for recent immigrants reached 11 percent. This is nearly double the unemployment rate for Canadian-born workers. Despite holding advanced degrees, two-thirds of foreign-trained professionals remain underemployed. This may be due to employers undervaluing international credentials and prioritizing “Canadian experience.”

    This trend extends to international student graduates who remain less likely than their Canadian peers to find jobs that match their level of education. In 2023, just over 36 per cent of international graduates with a bachelor’s degree secured roles requiring a university-level qualification, compared to just under 59 per cent of Canadian graduates. International student graduates also earn significantly lower salaries, despite having similar levels of job satisfaction.

    International student graduates face barriers in findings employment.
    (Shutterstock)

    Like many newcomers, I personally faced this Canadian experience barrier when I entered the workforce over 15 years ago as a permanent resident. Despite my education, multilingual abilities and professional skills, I submitted hundreds of applications and secured only a handful of interviews before landing my first opportunity. This frustrating, unnecessary and economically wasteful struggle remains just as prevalent today.

    These barriers not only limit individual potential but also weaken Canada’s ability to harness the talent it attracts.

    Addressing systemic issues

    International students are more than workers — they’re entrepreneurs, innovators and future job creators.

    For instance, as of 2022, nearly 180 of the U.S.’s billion-dollar companies were founded by former international students. Each of these companies created an average of 800 jobs and made up nearly a quarter of all dollar companies.

    Canada risks losing similarly bright minds to more welcoming countries if clear pathways for them to stay, contribute and build businesses aren’t established. This would cost the country both talent and billions in economic potential.

    If Canada is serious about building a stronger, more competitive economy, it must address the systemic issues that stand in the way of international student success.

    This includes modernizing credential recognition so employers can fairly assess international experience and qualifications, expanding co-op programs, internships and mentorships so international students can gain relevant Canadian experience before graduation and protect them from misinformation and questionable recruitment practices.

    Employers need to be educated about immigration pathways to reduce hiring hesitancy. The government also must create a stable and predictable immigration policy framework to give businesses confidence in hiring international graduates.




    Read more:
    International university grads speak about aspirations and barriers


    As Canada continues to face labour shortages and growing economic and political volatility, international education remains a strategic asset. It fuels research, diversifies trading partners, supports innovation and supplies the workforce Canada needs for long-term prosperity.

    The future of Canada’s economy depends on its ability to attract and retain the thinkers, creators, and innovators who will define the next generation of progress. At this critical moment, Canada must decide if it will invest in the talent that fuels innovation, or close the door on opportunity.

    Isaac Garcia-Sitton is affiliated with the Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE), the Council of Ontario Universities (COU), and the Council of International Schools (CIS)

    – ref. Why international students could be a critical factor in bolstering Canada’s economic resilience – https://theconversation.com/why-international-students-could-be-a-critical-factor-in-bolstering-canadas-economic-resilience-251985

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    March 20, 2025
  • MIL-OSI USA News: Achieving Efficiency Through State and Local Preparedness

    Source: The White House

    class=”has-text-align-left”>By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered:

    Section 1. Purpose. Commonsense approaches and investments by State and local governments across American infrastructure will enhance national security and create a more resilient Nation. Federal policy must rightly recognize that preparedness is most effectively owned and managed at the State, local, and even individual levels, supported by a competent, accessible, and efficient Federal Government. Citizens are the immediate beneficiaries of sound local decisions and investments designed to address risks, including cyber attacks, wildfires, hurricanes, and space weather. When States are empowered to make smart infrastructure choices, taxpayers benefit.

    This order empowers State, local, and individual preparedness and injects common sense into infrastructure prioritization and strategic investments through risk-informed decisions that make our infrastructure, communities, and economy resilient to global and dynamic threats and hazards.

    Sec. 2. Policy. It is the policy of the United States that State and local governments and individuals play a more active and significant role in national resilience and preparedness, thereby saving American lives, securing American livelihoods, reducing taxpayer burdens through efficiency, and unleashing our collective prosperity. In addition, it is the policy of the United States that my Administration streamline its preparedness operations; update relevant Government policies to reduce complexity and better protect and serve Americans; and enable State and local governments to better understand, plan for, and ultimately address the needs of their citizens.

    Sec. 3. Updating Federal Policy to Save Lives and End the Subsidization of Mismanagement. (a) National Resilience Strategy. Within 90 days of the date of this order, the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs (APNSA), in coordination with the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy and the heads of relevant executive departments and agencies (agencies), shall publish a National Resilience Strategy that articulates the priorities, means, and ways to advance the resilience of the Nation. The National Resilience Strategy shall be reviewed and revised at least every 4 years, or as appropriate.

    (b) National Critical Infrastructure Policy. Within 180 days of the date of this order, the APNSA, in coordination with the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy and the heads of relevant agencies, shall review all critical infrastructure policies and recommend to the President the revisions, recissions, and replacements necessary to achieve a more resilient posture; shift from an all-hazards approach to a risk-informed approach; move beyond information sharing to action; and implement the National Resilience Strategy described in subsection (a) of this section. For purposes of this order, critical infrastructure policies do not include any policies related to purported “misinformation,” “disinformation,” or “malinformation,” nor so-called “cognitive infrastructure,” which should be reevaluated consistent with the policy set forth in Executive Order 14149 of January 20, 2025 (Restoring Freedom of Speech and Ending Federal Censorship), through a separate process. The policies to be reviewed and recommended for modification, as appropriate, include:

    (i) National Security Memorandum 16 of November 10, 2022 (Strengthening the Security and Resilience of United States Food and Agriculture);

    (ii) National Security Memorandum 22 of April 30, 2024 (Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience);

    (iii) Executive Order 14017 of February 24, 2021 (America’s Supply Chains); and

    (iv) Executive Order 14123 of June 14, 2024 (White House Council on Supply Chain Resilience).

    (c) National Continuity Policy. Within 180 days of the date of this order, the APNSA, in coordination with the heads of relevant agencies, shall review all national continuity policies and recommend to the President the revisions, recissions, and replacements necessary to modernize and streamline the approach to national continuity capabilities, reformulate the methodology and architecture necessary to achieve an enduring readiness posture, and implement the National Resilience Strategy described in subsection (a) of this section. The policies to be reviewed and recommended for modification, as appropriate, include:

    (i) Executive Order 13618 of July 6, 2012 (Assignment of National Security and Emergency Preparedness Communications Functions);

    (ii) Executive Order 13961 of December 7, 2020 (Governance and Integration of Federal Mission Resilience);

    (iii) National Security Memorandum 32 of January 19, 2025 (National Continuity Policy); and

    (iv) Executive Order 14146 of January 19, 2025 (Partial Revocation of Executive Order 13961).

    (d) Preparedness and Response Policies. Within 240 days of the date of this order, the APNSA, in coordination with the heads of relevant agencies and informed by the reports and findings of the Federal Emergency Management Agency Council established pursuant to Executive Order 14180 of January 24, 2025 (Council to Assess the Federal Emergency Management Agency), shall review all national preparedness and response policies and recommend to the President the revisions, recissions, and replacements necessary to reformulate the process and metrics for Federal responsibility, move away from an all-hazards approach, and implement the National Resilience Strategy described in subsection (a) of this section. The policies to be reviewed and recommended for modification, as appropriate, include:

    (i) Executive Order 12656 of November 18, 1988 (Assignment of Emergency Preparedness Responsibilities);

    (ii) Homeland Security Presidential Directive 5 of February 28, 2003 (Management of Domestic Incidents);

    (iii) Presidential Policy Directive 8 of March 30, 2011 (National Preparedness);

    (iv) Presidential Policy Directive 22 of March 28, 2013 (National Special Security Events); and

    (v) Presidential Policy Directive 44 of November 7, 2016 (Enhancing Domestic Incident Response).

    (e) National Risk Register. Within 240 days of the date of this order, the APNSA, in coordination with the Director of the Office of Management and Budget and the heads of relevant agencies, shall coordinate the development of a National Risk Register that identifies, articulates, and quantifies natural and malign risks to our national infrastructure, related systems, and their users.

    (i) The quantification produced by the National Risk Register shall be used to inform the Intelligence Community, private sector investments, State investments, and Federal budget priorities.

    (ii) The National Risk Register shall be reviewed and revised at least every 4 years, or as appropriate, to evolve with the dynamic risk landscape.

    (f) Federal National Functions Constructs. The Federal Government organizes national preparedness and continuity through the bureaucratic and complicated lens of overlapping and overbroad “functions,” which include: the National Essential Functions, Primary Mission Essential Functions, National Critical Functions, Emergency Support Functions, Recovery Support Functions, and Community Lifelines. Within 1 year of the date of this order, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall propose changes to the policies outlining this framework and any implementing documents to ensure State and local governments and individuals have improved communications with Federal officials and a better understanding of the Federal role. This proposal shall be coordinated through the process established by National Security Presidential Memorandum 1 of January 20, 2025 (Organization of the National Security Council and Subcommittees), or any successor processes, before being submitted to the President through the APNSA.

    Sec. 4. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:

    (i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or

    (ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.

    (b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.

    (c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.

                                   DONALD J. TRUMP

    THE WHITE HOUSE,
    March 18, 2025.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    March 20, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Economics: NVIDIA and xAI join AI Infrastructure Partnership to drive investment in datacenters

    Source: Microsoft

    Headline: NVIDIA and xAI join AI Infrastructure Partnership to drive investment in datacenters

    NEW YORK & REDMOND, Wash. & ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates & SANTA CLARA, Calif. & SAN FRANCISCO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–BlackRock, Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP), a part of BlackRock, Microsoft, and MGX today announced that NVIDIA and xAI will join the Global AI Infrastructure Investment Partnership, now named the AI Infrastructure Partnership (AIP), further strengthening the partnership’s technology leadership as the platform seeks to invest in new and expanded AI infrastructure. NVIDIA will also continue in its role as a technical advisor to AIP, leveraging its expertise in accelerated computing and AI factories to inform the deployment of next-generation AI data center infrastructure.

    Additionally, GE Vernova and NextEra Energy have agreed to collaborate with AIP to accelerate the scaling of critical and diverse energy solutions for AI data centers. GE Vernova will also work with AIP and its partners on supply chain planning and in delivering innovative and high efficiency energy solutions.

    AIP has attracted significant capital and partner interest since its inception in September 2024, highlighting the growing demand for AI-ready data centers and power solutions. The partnership will initially seek to unlock $30 billion in capital from investors, asset owners, and corporations, which in turn will mobilize up to $100 billion in total investment potential when including debt financing.

    By investing in next-generation AI data centers and energy infrastructure, AIP is not just expanding capacity—it is shaping the future of AI-driven economic growth. The addition of both NVIDIA and xAI, each a global AI technology leader, reinforces AIP’s commitment to scaling an open-architecture platform and fostering a broad ecosystem that supports a diverse range of partners on a non-exclusive basis. AIP’s investments will primarily focus on the U.S. as well as OECD and U.S. partner countries, driving AI innovation, economic expansion, and the advancement of critical digital and energy infrastructure.

    His Highness Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of MGX, said, “Artificial Intelligence is not just an industry of the future, it underpins the future. As we welcome new partners to the AI Infrastructure Partnership, we will accelerate innovation and technological breakthroughs to achieve transformational productivity gains across the global economy. Our singular focus is accelerating AI’s responsible and inclusive development for the benefit of humanity.”

    Jensen Huang, founder and CEO of NVIDIA, said, “The global buildout of AI infrastructure will benefit every company and country that wants to achieve economic growth and unlock solutions to the world’s greatest challenges. AI factories built on NVIDIA’s full-stack AI infrastructure will convert data into intelligence that will accelerate every industry and help society achieve unimaginable breakthroughs.”

    “AI infrastructure will play an increasingly critical role in driving economic growth across every industry and every region of the world,” said Satya Nadella, Chairman and CEO, Microsoft. “We’re thrilled to welcome these new companies to the AI Infrastructure Partnership as we invest together to build the infrastructure of the future.”

    Larry Fink, Chairman and CEO of BlackRock, said, “AI has the potential to transform the global economy if we can build the necessary infrastructure to support it. We believe this unparalleled partnership of leading global companies across the AI ecosystem brings technology expertise together with private capital to meet this demand and creates unique investment opportunities for our clients. This partnership also demonstrates the powerful combination of BlackRock’s global relationships with GIP’s infrastructure capabilities.”

    “Since we launched this partnership in September, the momentum we have achieved reinforces the need for significant private capital to fund investments in essential infrastructure, particularly to support the continued development of AI,” said Bayo Ogunlesi, Chairman and CEO of Global Infrastructure Partners. “With today’s announcement, we are proud to welcome our new partners to AIP. Together, we look forward to focusing on our joint ambition to enhance AI innovation and economic growth.”

    John Ketchum, Chairman and CEO of NextEra Energy, said, “In order to realize the full potential of Artificial Intelligence we must develop and support the energy infrastructure and data centers that will fuel this technology. Doing this will require an all forms of energy solution that leverages ready-now renewables and battery storage coupled with gas-fired and nuclear generation in the future. Our collaboration with GE Vernova and AIP is intended to get as many electrons onto the grid as quickly and most cost effectively as possible.”

    “The jobs and economies of tomorrow will be built on the infrastructure we develop today to support the rapid growth of AI,” said GE Vernova CEO Scott Strazik. “Our company is focused on an all-of-the-above approach with our customers to meet this unprecedented demand, utilizing gas, nuclear, wind and more, while continuing to drive innovation to reduce emissions. We look forward to working with AIP and its partners, a group that brings substantial capability and efficiency to this critical work.”

    About MGX

    MGX is a technology investment company focused on accelerating the development and adoption of AI and advanced technologies through world-leading partnerships in the United Arab Emirates and globally. MGX invests in sectors where AI can deliver value and economic impact at scale, including semiconductors, infrastructure, software, tech-enabled services, life sciences, and automation. For more information, visit www.mgx.ae.

    About BlackRock

    BlackRock’s purpose is to help more and more people experience financial well-being. As a fiduciary to investors and a leading provider of financial technology, we help millions of people build savings that serve them throughout their lives by making investing easier and more affordable. For additional information on BlackRock, please visit www.blackrock.com/corporate.

    About Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP), a Part of BlackRock

    Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP) is a leading infrastructure investor that specializes in investing in, owning and operating some of the largest and most complex assets across the energy, transport, digital infrastructure and water and waste management sectors. On October 1, 2024, BlackRock closed its acquisition of GIP. For more information, visit www.global-infra.com.

    About Microsoft

    Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT” @microsoft) creates platforms and tools powered by AI to deliver innovative solutions that meet the evolving needs of our customers. The technology company is committed to making AI available broadly and doing so responsibly, with a mission to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This press release, and other statements that the parties may make, may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act, with respect to the parties’ or AIP’s future financial or business performance, strategies or expectations, including the anticipated timing, consummation and expected benefits of AIP. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words or phrases such as “trend,” “potential,” “opportunity,” “pipeline,” “believe,” “comfortable,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “current,” “intention,” “estimate,” “position,” “assume,” “outlook,” “continue,” “remain,” “maintain,” “sustain,” “seek,” “achieve,” and similar expressions, or future or conditional verbs such as “will,” “would,” “should,” “could,” “may” and similar expressions.

    The parties caution that forward-looking statements are subject to numerous assumptions, risks and uncertainties, which change over time and may contain information that is not purely historical in nature. Such information may include, among other things, projections and forecasts. There is no guarantee that any projections or forecasts made will come to pass. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and the parties assume no duty to and do not undertake to update forward-looking statements. Actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in forward-looking statements and future results could differ materially from historical performance.

    Certain of the parties have previously disclosed risk factors in their respective United States Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) reports. These risk factors and those identified elsewhere in this release, among others, could cause actual results to differ materially from forward-looking statements or historical performance. Such parties’ Annual Reports on Form 10–K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and subsequent filings with the SEC, accessible on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov and on the applicable party’s website, discuss certain of these factors in more detail and identify additional factors that can affect forward–looking statements. The information contained on each party’s website is not a part of this press release, and therefore, is not incorporated herein by reference.

    MIL OSI Economics –

    March 20, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Russia: X5 Group and HSE Graduate School of Economics Launch Updated Master’s Program

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

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

    X5 Group and the Higher School of Business of the National Research University Higher School of Economics are relaunching a joint master’s program. The name “Retail Management” was changed to “B2C Business Management: Technologies and Innovations”, completely revising the program’s content. Now students will focus on studying customer experience, new technologies and innovations in management – those competencies that are most in demand in modern business.

    B2C Business Management: Technologies and Innovations” will be the first specialized master’s program that trains leaders in retail and e-commerce. The training, taking into account all the latest trends, will be built around three main blocks – customer experience, new technologies, organizational and operational innovations. Among the disciplines offered to students: Data Science, Business Analytics, Digital Platforms, Digital Marketing, Customer Experience Management in an Omnichannel Environment.

    The program is built on the “experience first” principle. This approach combines academic depth and practical experience: the courses are taught by teachers from the Higher School of Business of the Higher School of Economics, as well as invited teachers-practitioners who hold senior positions in the retail sector. X5 Group top managers actively participate in the program, conducting special courses, lectures, master classes and organizing practice, which allows you to gain knowledge first-hand.

    The Master’s program is focused on solving real cases and business problems – during the training, students will master specific methods of working with the consumer sector, omnichannel business and modern retail, develop strategic thinking and leadership skills. Graduates are in demand in leading companies in the field of retail and e-commerce, in the financial services sector and FMCG companies, occupying leadership positions. The program is also suitable for those who run their own business, or have been working in retail for a long time, but want to master innovative approaches and grow in their career.

    “Modern retail is speed, adaptability, technology and innovative solutions. Russia has long been not just following trends here, we set them, creating unique digital services and the best customer experience in the world. Young professionals are increasingly choosing retail – last year, the number of employees aged 18 to 24 at X5 increased by 12% and amounted to more than 43 thousand people. Because here there is an opportunity to grow and develop your skills in many areas – from the use of machine learning and artificial intelligence tools to managing complex operational processes and systems. In a joint program with the HSE, we have combined all our experience, expertise and accumulated knowledge. Thus, students can adopt what the most advanced retailers, including, of course, X5 as a leader in this field, have been developing for years in different areas. And we, in turn, are very interested in young specialists, so we invest in their development from the very beginning,” said Vladimir Salakhutdinov, Chairman of the Academic Council of the program, First Deputy General Director of X5 Group.

    Starkov Andrey Gennadievich

    Academic Director of the Master’s Program, Associate Professor of Practice at the Higher School of Business, National Research University Higher School of Economics

    “We have updated the curriculum structure of the joint Master’s program with X5 Group, placing an emphasis on project-based learning. Consulting projects, group assignments, and internships will help students form an impressive portfolio in two years for successful career development or launching their own project. Modern teaching methods, elective courses, and extracurricular activities will help develop the necessary management competencies and skills. X5 Group’s participation in the program not only guarantees the relevance of the knowledge gained, but also the integration of students into the professional community through guest lectures, excursions, and round tables.”

    Reception of documents for applicants to the program in 2025 will be held from June 19 to August 15: this year, 63 places are open for students from Russia and one for students from foreign countries. X5 will provide grants for the best students to study.

    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 –

    March 20, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Global: Israel’s war on Gaza is deliberately targeting children – new UN report

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Rachel Rosen, Associate Professor of Childhood, UCL

    A fresh round of Israeli airstrikes on Gaza which has killed more than 400 Palestinians has destroyed any hope that the ceasefire negotiated in January would hold. A statement from the child rights group Defence for Children Palestine claimed that 174 children had been killed in the bombing, claiming: “Today is one of the deadliest days for Palestinian Children in history.”

    The renewed bombing follows repeated violations of the ceasefire terms by Israel and comes days after a report commissioned by the United Nations said Israel is “deliberately inflicting conditions of life calculated to bring about the physical destruction of Palestinians as a group”. The March 13 report from the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory examines what it calls Israel’s “systematic use of
    sexual, reproductive and other forms of gender-based violence
    since 7 October 2023”.

    The report alleges deliberate acts have been aimed against mothers and children, including the destruction of Gaza’s main fertility clinic, Basma IVF clinic, which it said amounted to “a genocidal act under the Rome Statute and Genocide Convention”. It concluded that “this was done with the intent to destroy the Palestinians in Gaza as a group, in whole or in part, and that this is the only inference that could reasonably be drawn from the acts in question”.

    The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has yet to rule on a case brought by South Africa in December 2023 accusing Israel of committing genocide in Gaza. In January 2024 it issued a ruling saying that Palestinians in Gaza had “plausible rights to protection from genocide” and set out provisional measures that Israel should follow to prevent genocide. There is no evidence that Israel has heeded this advice.

    Addressing the UN human rights committee in October 2024, special rapporteur Francesca Albanese said she believed it is important to “call a genocide as a genocide”. While noting the legal position according to the ICJ, we agree with her on the grounds that a post-hoc judgement of genocide does nothing to prevent it from occurring.

    Francesca Albanese addresses the United Nations, October 2024.

    The commission’s report is not the first time that international organisations and lawmakers have called attention to Israel’s violence against Palestinian mothers and children. In March 2024, Philippe Lazzarini, the commissioner-general of the UN agency Unrwa, wrote on X: “This is a war on children. It is a war on their childhood and their future.” The numbers are “staggering” he said. More children had been killed in Gaza in four months than in all global conflicts in the previous four years.

    This has continued throughout Israel’s assault on Gaza. Between October 7 2023 and January 15 2025, children made up at least 18,000 of the 46,707 Palestinians killed in Gaza, according to data collected by the Gaza health ministry. Both figures are likely to be underestimates, as so many bodies remain buried under the rubble.

    Most children have been killed by direct military strikes. Israel has dropped an estimated 85,000 tonnes of explosives on Gaza, killing Palestinians through direct hits, biolding collapses, fires and inhalation of toxic substances. Doctors have also reported evidence of children being killed in drone attacks and by snipers, including by shots to the head and chest.

    On March 2 Israel blocked the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza, using starvation and dehydration as military strategy. On March 15 a Unicef report claimed that 31% of children under two years of age in the north of the Strip were acutely malnourished. There has also been a “dramatic increase in child deaths due to acute malnutrition”.

    Israel’s destruction of medical and other infrastructure in the strip has resulted in “indirect deaths” by communicable illness and noncommunicable conditions. In April 2024, a report published in science journal Frontiers found that more than 90% of children in Gaza were affected by infectious diseases. There have also been multiple infant deaths from hypothermia as displaced families attempt to survive winter conditions.

    Killing the future

    The abnormally high child death rate is partly down to demographics. About 47% of Gaza’s population was under 18 years of age at the end of 2022. Children are generally more “susceptible to dehydration, diarrhoea, disease, and malnutrition” according to Unicef which says the nutritional needs for infants under 23 months “are greater per kilogram of bodyweight than at any other time of life”.

    But the problem with these arguments is that they make child mortality rates in Gaza appear as a simple reflection of natural factors. They are not. They are a direct consequence of Israel’s military aggression in Gaza.

    Israel has systematically used powerful explosives in densely populated areas and, through AI tracking systems such as “Where’s Daddy?”, deliberately targeted Palestinians in their family homes. Given the deep evidence base about childhood health, the logical outcome of using starvation as a method of war, actively denying aid, and destroying infrastructures that enable life is that children will die disproportionately.

    Palestinian children are being killed by design. This has been explicitly articulated by the Israeli state.

    Itamar Ben-Gvir, who was this week reappointed to the Netanyahu government as police minister, has publicly defended the army’s “open-fire” directive declaring: “We cannot have women and children getting close to the border … anyone who gets near must get a bullet in the head.” In January, MP and deputy speaker of the Knesset, Nissim Vaturi, said every child born in Gaza is “already a terrorist, from the moment of his birth”.

    But children represent their community’s dreams for their futures. Killing large number of children in Gaza is not simply forcible depopulation. It is an effort to destabilise communities and crush their hopes for liberation and the right of return as mandated by the UN.

    Palestinian children in Gaza have been telling their stories to a global audience. The killing, injury and starvation they are testifying to has proved a powerful counternarrative to the idea that Israel is simply “defending itself”. International humanitarian law states that: “Children affected by armed conflict are entitled to special respect and protection.”

    But in Gaza, children are being killed in their thousands.

    Rachel Rosen receives funding from Independent Social Research Foundation. She is affiliated with BDS @ UCL.

    Mai Abu Moghli is a policy member at Al- Shabaka: the Palestinian Policy Network.

    – ref. Israel’s war on Gaza is deliberately targeting children – new UN report – https://theconversation.com/israels-war-on-gaza-is-deliberately-targeting-children-new-un-report-252398

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    March 20, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Global: Why a journalist could obtain a minister’s ChatGPT prompts – and what it means for transparency

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Tom Felle, Associate Professor of Journalism, University of Galway

    When the New Scientist revealed that it had obtained a UK government minister’s ChatGPT prompts through a freedom of information (FOI) request, many in journalism and politics did a double take. Science and technology minister Peter Kyle had apparently asked the AI chatbot to draft a speech, explain complex policy and – more memorably – tell him what podcasts to appear on.

    What once seemed like private musings or experimental use of AI is now firmly in the public domain – because it was done on a government device.

    It’s a striking example of how FOI laws are being stretched in the age of artificial intelligence. But it also raises a bigger, more uncomfortable question: what else in our digital lives counts as a public record? If AI prompts can be released, should Google searches be next?

    Britain’s Freedom of Information Act was passed in 2000 and came into force in 2005. Two distinct uses of FOI have since emerged. The first – and arguably the most successful – is FOI applied to personal records. This has given people the right to access information held about them, from housing files to social welfare records. It’s a quiet success story that has empowered citizens in their dealings with the state.

    The second is what journalists use to interrogate the workings of government. Here, the results have been patchy at best. While FOI has produced scoops and scandals, it’s also been undermined by sweeping exemptions, chronic delays and a Whitehall culture that sees transparency as optional rather than essential.

    Tony Blair, who introduced the Act as prime minister, famously described it as the biggest mistake of his time in government. He later argued that FOI turned politics into “a conversation conducted with the media”.

    Successive governments have chafed against FOI. Few cases illustrate this better than the battle over the black spider memos – letters written by the then Prince (now King) Charles to ministers, lobbying on issues from farming to architecture. The government fought for a decade to keep them secret, citing the prince’s right to confidential advice.




    Read more:
    Dull content, but the release of Prince Charles letters is a landmark moment


    When they were finally released in 2015 after a Supreme Court ruling, the result was mildly embarrassing but politically explosive. It proved that what ministers deem “private” correspondence can, and often should, be subject to public scrutiny.

    The ChatGPT case feels like a modern version of that debate. If a politician drafts ideas via AI, is that a private thought or a public record? If those prompts shape policy, surely the public has a right to know.

    Are Google searches next?

    FOI law is clear on paper: any information held by a public body is subject to release unless exempt. Over the years, courts have ruled that the platform is irrelevant. Email, WhatsApp or handwritten notes – if the content relates to official business and is held by a public body, it’s potentially disclosable.

    The precedent was set in Dublin in 2017 when the Irish prime minister’s office released WhatsApp messages to the public service broadcaster RTÉ. The UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office has also published detailed guidance confirming that official information held in non-corporate channels such as private email, WhatsApp or Signal is subject to FOI requests if it relates to public authority business.

    The ongoing COVID-19 inquiry has shown how WhatsApp groups – once considered informal backchannels – became key decision-making arenas in government, with messages from Boris Johnson, Matt Hancock and senior advisers like Dominic Cummings now disclosed as official records.

    In Australia, WhatsApp messages between ministers were scrutinised during the Robodebt scandal, an illegal welfare hunt that ran from 2016-19, while Canada’s inquiry into the “Freedom Convoy” protests in 2022 revealed texts and private chats between senior officials as crucial evidence of how decisions were made.

    The principle is simple: if government work is being done, the public has a right to see it.

    AI chat logs now fall into this same grey area. If an official or minister uses ChatGPT to explore policy options or draft a speech on a government device, that log may be a record — as Peter Kyle’s prompts proved.

    This opens a fascinating (and slightly unnerving) precedent. If AI prompts are FOI-able, what about Google searches? If a civil servant types “How to privatise the NHS” into Chrome on a government laptop, is that a private query or an official record?

    The honest answer is: we don’t know (yet). FOI hasn’t fully caught up with the digital age. Google searches are usually ephemeral and not routinely stored. But if searches are logged or screen-captured as part of official work, then they could be requested.

    Similarly, what about drafts written in AI writing assistant Grammarly or ideas brainstormed with Siri? If those tools are used on official devices, and the records exist, they could be disclosed.

    Of course, there’s nothing to stop this or any future government from changing the law or tightening FOI rules to exclude material like this.

    FOI, journalism and democracy

    While these kinds of disclosures are fascinating, they risk distracting from a deeper problem: FOI is increasingly politicised. Refusals are now often based on political considerations rather than the letter of the law, with requests routinely delayed or rejected to avoid embarrassment. In many cases, ministers’ use of WhatsApp groups was a deliberate attempt to avoid scrutiny in the first place.

    There is a growing culture of transparency avoidance across government and public services – one that extends beyond ministers. Private companies delivering public contracts are often shielded from FOI altogether. Meanwhile, some governments, including Ireland and Australia, have weakened the law itself.

    AI tools are no longer experiments, they are becoming part of how policy is developed and decisions are made. Without proper oversight, they risk becoming the next blind spot in democratic accountability.

    For journalists, this is a potential game changer. Systems like ChatGPT may soon be embedded in government workflows, drafting speeches, summarising reports and even brainstorming strategy. If decisions are increasingly shaped by algorithmic suggestions, the public deserves to know how and why.

    But it also revives an old dilemma. Democracy depends on transparency – yet officials must have space to think, experiment and explore ideas without fear that every AI query or draft ends up on the front page. Not every search or chatbot prompt is a final policy position.

    Blair may have called FOI a mistake, but in truth, it forced power to confront the reality of accountability. The real challenge now is updating FOI for the digital age.

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

    – ref. Why a journalist could obtain a minister’s ChatGPT prompts – and what it means for transparency – https://theconversation.com/why-a-journalist-could-obtain-a-ministers-chatgpt-prompts-and-what-it-means-for-transparency-252269

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    March 20, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Global: How a lack of period product regulation harms our health and the planet

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Poppy Taylor, PhD Candidate, Women’s Health, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol

    JLco Julia Amaral/Shutterstock

    Did you know that in the UK period products are regulated under the same consumer legislation as candles? For 15 million people who menstruate each month, these items are used internally or next to one of the most sensitive parts of the body for extended times.

    Consumers should be entitled to know what is in their period products before choosing which ones to buy. Yet, because of the current lack of adequate regulation and transparency, manufacturers are not required to disclose all materials. And only basic information is available on brand websites. Campaigners are now calling for better regulation.

    Independent material testing shows that single-use period pads can contain up to 90% plastic. An estimated 4.6 million pads, tampons and panty liners are flushed away daily in the UK. These contribute to blocked sewers and fatbergs. They also pollute rivers and oceans.

    Meanwhile, reusable period products are promoted by aid charities as a way to tackle period poverty and reduce waste. But independent tests by organisations such as Which? have found harmful chemicals inside both single-use and reusable period products.

    These include synthetic chemicals that disrupt hormones – known as endocrine-disrupting chemicals – and forever chemicals or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) that don’t degrade. These chemicals have been associated with a range of health harms from cancers to reproductive disorders and infertility. They have no place in period products.

    I work as a women’s health researcher at the University of Bristol’s Digital Footprints Lab alongside a team of data scientists. We harness digital data, such as shopping records, to study public health issues. My research looks at how things like education affect which menstrual products people choose.

    In collaboration with the charity Women’s Environmental Network, I am exploring intersections between gender, health, equity and environmental justice – especially among marginalised women and communities. But social stigma prevents open discussions about menstruation and how best to improve period product regulation.

    Menstrual stigma influences everything from the information and support people who menstruate receive to the types of products we use and how we dispose of them. In a study of menstrual education experiences in English schools, my colleague and I found evidence of teacher attitudes perpetuating menstrual stigma.

    Lessons typically lacked content about the health or environmental consequences of period products. Our study showed that just 2.4% of 18- to 24-year-olds surveyed were taught about sustainable alternatives to single-use tampons and menstrual pads.

    An environmenstrual workshop hosted bythe charity, Women’s Environmental Network.
    Women’s Environmental Network / Sarah Larby, CC BY-NC-ND

    For decades, period product adverts portrayed menstrual blood as a blue liquid. The social taboos around periods, largely created and reinforced by period brands over decades of fear-based marketing, has left its mark.

    For example, in response to customer’s anxieties about supposed menstrual odour, manufacturers are increasingly using potentially environmentally harmful antimicrobials like silver and anti-odour additives in period products. This is despite there being no evidence that period products such as menstrual pants or pads transmit harmful bacteria that need sanitising. The silver also washes out after a couple of washes.

    The role of regulation

    In New York state, the Menstrual Products Right To Know Act means that a period product cannot be sold unless the labelling includes a list of materials. In Scotland, a government initiative provides free period products to anyone who needs them.

    Catalonia in Spain has introduced a groundbreaking law that ensures access to safe and sustainable period products, while also working to reduce menstrual stigma and taboos through education.

    A new European “eco label” is a step forward, but companies don’t have to use it. This voluntary label, which shows a product is good for the environment, doesn’t cover period underwear.

    Now, campaigners at the Women’s Environmental Network are calling for the UK government to adopt a Menstrual Health, Dignity and Sustainability Act, backed by many charities, academics and environmentalists. This will enable equal access to sustainable period products, improved menstrual education, independent testing, transparent product labelling and stronger regulations.

    The regulation of period products is currently being considered as part of the product regulation and metrology bill and the use of antimicrobials in period products is being included in the consumer products (control of biocides) bill introduced by Baroness Natalie Bennett. By tackling both health implications and environmental harms, period products can be produced in a safer way, for both people and planet.

    Poppy Taylor’s PhD is funded by the University of Bristol and the Health Foundation.
    Poppy Taylor is a member of the Women’s Environmental Network.

    – ref. How a lack of period product regulation harms our health and the planet – https://theconversation.com/how-a-lack-of-period-product-regulation-harms-our-health-and-the-planet-248941

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    March 20, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Global: Only 15 countries have met the latest Paris agreement deadline. Is any nation serious about tackling climate change?

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Doug Specht, Reader in Cultural Geography and Communication, University of Westminster

    Svet Foto/Shutterstock

    The latest deadline for countries to submit plans for slashing the greenhouse gas emissions fuelling climate change has passed. Only 15 countries met it – less than 8% of the 194 parties currently signed up to the Paris agreement, which obliges countries to submit new proposals for eliminating emissions every five years.

    Known as nationally determined contributions, or NDCs, these plans outline how each country intends to help limit average global temperature rise to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, or at most 2°C. This might include cutting emissions by generating more energy from wind and solar, or adapting to a heating world by restoring wetlands as protection against more severe floods and wildfires.

    Each new NDC should outline more stringent emissions cuts than the last. It should also show how each country seeks to mitigate climate change over the following ten years. This system is designed to progressively strengthen (or “ratchet up”) global efforts to combat climate change.

    The February 2025 deadline for submitting NDCs was set nine months before the next UN climate change conference, Cop30 in Belém, Brazil.

    Without a comprehensive set of NDCs for countries to compare themselves against, there will be less pressure on negotiators to raise national ambitions. Assessing how much money certain countries need to decarbonise and adapt to climate change, and how much is available, will also be more difficult.

    While countries can (and some will) continue to submit NDCs, the poor compliance rate so far suggests a lack of urgency that bodes ill for avoiding the worst climate outcomes this century.

    Who submitted?

    The 15 countries that submitted NDCs on time include the United Arab Emirates, the UK, Switzerland, Ecuador and a number of small states, such as Andorra and the Marshall Islands.

    Cop30 host Brazil submitted a pledge to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 59-67% by 2035, compared to 2005 levels. This is up from its previous commitment, a 37% reduction by 2025 and 43% by 2030. Unfortunately, Brazil is not on track to meet its 2025 target and has set a more recent emissions baseline that will make any reductions more modest than they’d otherwise be.

    Japan aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 60% in 2035 and 73% in 2040, compared to 2013 levels. Japan’s previous target was for a 46% reduction by 2030. This demonstrates how the ratchet system is supposed to work.

    The UK’s NDC, which pledges to reduce all greenhouse gas emissions by at least 81% by 2035, compared to 1990 levels, was described by independent scientists as “compatible” with limiting global heating to 1.5°C.

    The US submitted a plan to reduce net greenhouse gas emissions by 61-66% below 2005 levels by 2035. However, this was before Donald Trump pulled the US out of the Paris agreement (for the second time), so the commitment of one of the world’s largest polluters is in doubt.

    Who didn’t submit?

    Some of the world’s largest emitters failed to submit new NDCs, including China, India and Russia.

    India pledged to reduce its emissions by 35% below 2005 levels by 2030 at the signing of the Paris agreement. All of the country’s subsequent NDCs have been rated as “insufficient” by independent scientists. India’s recent national budget announcement offered scant additional funding for climate mitigation and adaptation measures.

    China also made big promises in 2015 with its aim to lower its CO₂ emissions by 65% by 2030, from a 2005 baseline. However, China has been responsible for over 90% of global CO₂ emissions growth since the Paris agreement was signed. China and the US also suspended formal discussions on climate change in 2022. Increased economic competition between these two nations has resulted in export control restrictions and tariffs which have made green technologies like electric vehicles more expensive, which is certain to slow down the shift from fossil fuels.

    Russia joined the Paris agreement in 2019. Its first NDC was labelled “critically insufficient” by scientists, and its follow-up in 2020 did not include increased targets. Russia is maximising the extraction of resources such as oil, gas and minerals and its 2035 strategy for the Arctic included plans to sink several oil wells on the continental shelf.

    With the USA’s 2025 NDC in limbo, President Trump is eyeing mineral reserves in Ukraine and Greenland, further ramping up oil production and cutting international climate research funding.

    The European Union could have positioned itself as a leader of global climate action, in lieu of US involvement. But the EU, which submits NDCs as a bloc alongside individual country submissions, also failed to submit on time.

    Global shifts

    The failure of most nations to submit new emission plans suggests that the era of cooperation on climate change is over. The largest and most powerful of these nations are growing their military and diplomatic presence around the world, particularly in countries with large reserves of critical minerals for electric vehicles and other technology relevant to decarbonisation. The lack of NDCs from these nations may be less a matter of middling green ambitions, more an attempt to disguise their planned exploitation of other countries’ resources.

    If countries keep failing to submit enhanced NDCs, or even withdraw from their commitments entirely, scientists warn that global heating could reach a catastrophic 4.4°C by 2100. This scenario assumes the continued, unabated use of fossil fuels, with little regard for the climate.

    In a more optimistic scenario, countries could limit warming to around 1.8°C by 2100. This will require global cooperation and significant investment in green technology, and entail a transition to net zero emissions by mid-century. This is a process that must include everyone. Simply having the most powerful nations decarbonise by exploiting and hoarding resources will imperil this critical target.

    The actual outcome will probably fall somewhere between these two scenarios, depending on forthcoming NDCs and how quickly and thoroughly they are implemented. All of the scenarios envisaged by climate scientists will involve warming continuing for decades.

    The effects of this warming will vary, however, based on the path we choose today.


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

    Get a weekly roundup in your inbox instead. Every Wednesday, The Conversation’s environment editor writes Imagine, a short email that goes a little deeper into just one climate issue. Join the 40,000+ readers who’ve subscribed so far.


    Doug Specht 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. Only 15 countries have met the latest Paris agreement deadline. Is any nation serious about tackling climate change? – https://theconversation.com/only-15-countries-have-met-the-latest-paris-agreement-deadline-is-any-nation-serious-about-tackling-climate-change-250847

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    March 20, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Global: Fossil face discovery highlights challenges faced by Europe’s earliest settlers

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Suzy White, Post-Doctoral Research Assistant, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Reading

    Piecing together the story of Europe’s earliest settlers is a challenge, largely
    because relevant human fossils are scarce. On March 12, researchers announced the
    discovery of a new fossil from the excavation site of Sime del Elefante, near Burgos in Spain.

    Known as ATE7-1, the new fossil consists of a partial face belonging to an ancient hominin, a biological classification that includes living humans and our closest extinct relatives, such as Neanderthals and Homo erectus. Nicknamed “Rosa” after one of her discoverers, the fossil includes part of the upper jaw, cheek and eye from an adult, and dates to between 1.1 and 1.4 million years ago. As such, she represents the oldest known partial face of a hominin from western Europe.

    Rosa is also a crucial piece of the puzzle explaining how and when humans first entered western Europe – and which species of hominin made those pioneering journeys.

    Hominins evolved in Africa. The first species to occupy multiple continents was Homo erectus, and the first fossil evidence we have of them beyond Africa comes from Dmanisi in Georgia. These fossils are around 1.8 million years old. However, stone tools from Grăunceanu (Romania) indicate that hominins had expanded further north even earlier than the Dmanisi finds – 1.95 million years ago.

    However, fossils from western Europe remain conspicuously absent until 1.4 million
    years ago. By contrast, we have more evidence of hominins moving into Asia during
    this time. They had reached Indonesia by 1.6 million years and descendants of these populations seem to have survived there until relatively recently. Early fossils from Asia are also more numerous and more complete, while their European counterparts are limited to an isolated tooth, a fragment of jaw and a partial skull cap.

    Despite being just a small part of the face, Rosa provides key insights into these
    elusive early European populations. The researchers compared Rosa’s facial
    features to Homo erectus fossils from Africa, Indonesia and Dmanisi. They also
    examined Rosa’s similarities to Homo antecessor, a later European species from Gran
    Dolina, a site close to Sima del Elefante.

    The evidence of settlement at Gran Dolina has been dated to about 860,000 years ago. While Rosa shares her delicate build with Homo antecessor, overall she has more affinities with the Homo erectus fossils – although not enough to confidently place her within this group.

    Rosa may therefore provide support for a hypothesis that the occupation of Europe
    by hominins was discontinuous, at least for the first million or so years. This means that hominins settled there, then went locally extinct and were replaced by other groups of hominins later on.

    Our closest relatives were not able to survive in Europe over long periods of time until much later. But why might that be? What made Europe harder to successfully inhabit than Asia? To begin to answer such questions, we have to combine the evidence from Rosa with what we already know about early human forays beyond their ancestral home continent of Africa.

    Smaller brains, longer legs

    The Dmanisi hominins are notable for their relatively small brains and basic tools.
    This challenged the idea that advanced tools and large brains were necessary for
    expansion beyond Africa. The tools from Grăunceanu are also relatively basic,
    despite the temperate and seasonal climate their makers would have experienced.

    The Dmanisi hominins also have relatively long legs, which would have allowed them
    to move more efficiently over long distances. Perhaps, then, efficient movement,
    rather than brain size or technology, was the driving factor allowing the initial
    expansion. But did the basic stone technology used by early Europeans prevent their long term occupation of the continent?

    It is likely that we will, in time, find even earlier fossils from western Europe. Further fossils from Sima del Elefante could reveal how variable Rosa’s group was, and enable us to either place her within an existing species, or create a new one.

    But, given the sparse information we have for now, the differences between Rosa, the Dmanisi hominins, and Homo antecessor fit within a model of short-term expansions into western Europe. These expansions were probably followed by a retreat of hominin populations into so-called refugia (locations where the environment and climate were more stable), as well as extinctions of local populations. This would have been driven by changing climatic conditions. For now, which and how many species ventured west into Europe is still unknown.

    Much else also remains unknown. Did early western Europeans survive long enough
    to give rise to later species such as Homo antecessor? And how was Homo
    antecessor
    related to later European species? The European fossil record becomes
    more continuous from around 600,000 years ago, first with the appearance of
    a hominin species called Homo heidelbergensis, and then with the appearance of early Neanderthals (Homo neanderthalensis). In fact, these two species appear to have coexisted in Europe for some time.

    Later Europeans were also able to venture further north, with evidence of footprints of a mystery hominin at Happisburgh in the UK by 900,000 years ago. Nevertheless, as with Rosa’s species and Homo antecessor, the Neanderthals and Homo heidelbergensis eventually went extinct – along with all other species of humans globally, except our own.

    The changing climate and northern latitudes of western Europe presented a clear challenge for earlier hominins. As Europe’s climate continues to change, will Homo sapiens be the first hominin capable of long term survival here?

    Suzy White receives funding from the Leverhulme Trust, and has previously received funding from the Arts and Humanities Research Council.

    – ref. Fossil face discovery highlights challenges faced by Europe’s earliest settlers – https://theconversation.com/fossil-face-discovery-highlights-challenges-faced-by-europes-earliest-settlers-252413

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    March 20, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Global: High school sports are losing athletes to private clubs, but schools can keep them by focusing on character development

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Mark Rerick, Assistant Professor of Kinesiology, University of North Dakota

    High school sports programs tend to emphasize character development and good sportsmanship. AP Photo/Mel Evans

    Not long ago, high school students who wanted to play football, basketball or another sport had few options other than trying out for their school team. And it was to high school gymnasiums and fields that recruiters flocked to find talent for colleges and even the pros.

    That’s changed in recent decades as private clubs have emerged and soared in popularity across the country. Today, kids interested in pretty much any sport often have multiple clubs and leagues to choose from instead of playing on their high school’s varsity squads. Clubs have been especially good at attracting the most talented student-athletes due to their intense and competitive nature.

    As a result, parents are increasingly debating something that would have been unthinkable a couple of generations ago: Where should our kids play sports?

    As a former K-12 director of athletics – and as a current parent of three youth athletes from elementary to the collegiate level – I know it can be a tough choice. I’ve seen firsthand the pros and cons of playing sports both in high school and clubs.

    While clubs may be best for the most talented athletes, I believe schools can’t be beat for the broader focus they can put on character development. Since the vast majority of student-athletes won’t play in organized leagues beyond high school, that’s where I believe the schools’ focus should be.

    My own unpublished research shows it’s also a way – along with emphasizing the fun and social aspects of athletics – to get more students who played sports as young kids to continue in high school.

    The rise of the private youth sports industry

    Although I am an unapologetic advocate for school-based athletics, I recognize the benefits that come along with participation in club or private-league programs.

    But prior to the 1980s, private clubs weren’t common. Before high school, kids played on teams organized by their schools, local parks and recreation programs or nonprofit organizations such as the YMCA. After that, the only option for most was high school sports.

    The first big step toward highly organized, privatized youth sports programs occurred during what has been referred to as “the Reagan revolution,” according to research I did for my dissertation. President Ronald Reagan’s funding cuts across the government pushed more expenses onto states and cities, which limited the ability of local parks and recreation departments to fully staff youth programs. This left many of them with only enough funds to maintain their facilities.

    At the same time, school districts began systematically reducing the number of physical education classes offered in lieu of an increased focus on subjects such as math and science. Those two factors took away the most affordable options for athletic participation for many families.

    With the reduction of public offerings, the youth sports programming gap was filled by private clubs and leagues, which placed more emphasis on athleticism, competition and sometimes elite-style training. And it’s become big business for the adults who run these programs.

    While good numbers on these leagues are hard to come by, multiple data sources show the privatized youth sports market has experienced tremendous growth in recent years. A recent estimate put total spending on youth sports at over US$40 billion as of 2024, compared with the $10 billion estimate of the youth sports economy in 2010.

    But despite their growth, one sobering statistic for aspiring elite athletes remains true: Only about 7% of teenagers who play organized sports will advance to the collegiate level or beyond.

    Knowing that 93% of high school athletes will end their competitive careers at graduation, I believe it’s important that school administrators place a premium on running athletic programs that focus on building skills they’ll need as adults instead of just winning games.

    More and more teenagers are playing on elite club teams, such as Aaliyah Chavez, right, who plays for CyFair Elite.
    Mike Caudill for The Washington Post via Getty Images

    Why most students play

    My own research backs this up.

    In my previous role as a director of athletics for public schools in Grand Forks, North Dakota, I routinely surveyed our athletes at the end of their seasons about various aspects of their experience on the team. Among those questions, I asked athletes to tell me the three most important reasons they chose to play that sport for that season and whether they were planning to play on the team again next year.

    Unsurprisingly to me, the top three reasons were consistently to have fun, spend time with friends and stay physically active, in that order. You’ll notice winning games or for competition were not among them.

    On the flip side, when asked why students chose to drop out the following year, the top reason was their relationship with the coach, while a close second was that they were not having fun. To me, this was evidence that what student-athletes most wanted from their high school programs wasn’t so much sport skills development as personal development and growth.

    Other studies back this up. Overtraining and a lack of fun are cited as the main reasons why 70% of young athletes who compete on a team stop playing before they even reach high school.

    Focus on the fun – not the competition

    Here are five things school administrators can do to help turn things around and make their sports programs more attractive to students considering clubs, as well as those who are pondering giving up on sports altogether.

    1. Develop an athletic program that teaches character traits and life skills that are usable for 100% of participants, not just the 7% who go on to play in college.

    2. Make sure programs emphasize fun, social growth and physical fitness, rather than just the competition.

    3. Encourage coaches to spend individual time throughout the season with each student-athlete to discuss the athlete’s goals, role and progress.

    4. Survey student-athletes about their experience at the end of each season and tweak the program accordingly.

    5. Include student-athlete assessments about how much they enjoy playing for the coach as a part of the coach’s postseason evaluation.

    High school sports may not be for everybody, but I believe many more students would choose to participate if the focus were on building character and having fun with friends, not winning trophies.

    Mark Rerick is affiliated with the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association.

    – ref. High school sports are losing athletes to private clubs, but schools can keep them by focusing on character development – https://theconversation.com/high-school-sports-are-losing-athletes-to-private-clubs-but-schools-can-keep-them-by-focusing-on-character-development-236367

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    March 20, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Global: Why history instruction is critical for combating online misinformation

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Lightning Jay, Assistant Professor of Teaching, Learning and Educational Leadership, Binghamton University, State University of New York

    Students ask questions during a social studies class on American politics. AP Photo/John Minchillo

    Can you tell fact from fiction online? In a digital world, few questions are more important or more challenging.

    For years, some commentators have called for K-12 teachers to take on fake news, media literacy, or online misinformation by doubling down on critical thinking. This push for schools to do a better job preparing young people to differentiate between low- and high-quality information often focuses on social studies classes.

    As an education researcher and former high school history teacher, I know that there’s both good and bad news about combating misinformation in the classroom. History class can cultivate critical thinking – but only if teachers and schools understand what critical thinking really means.

    Not just a ‘skill’

    First, the bad news.

    When people demand that schools teach critical thinking, it’s not always clear what they mean. Some might consider critical thinking a trait or capacity that teachers can encourage, like creativity or grit. They could believe that critical thinking is a mindset: a habit of being curious, skeptical and reflective. Or they might be referring to specific skills – for instance, that students should learn a set of steps to take to assess information online.

    Unfortunately, cognitive science research has shown that critical thinking is not an abstract quality or practice that can be developed on its own. Cognitive scientists see critical thinking as a specific kind of reasoning that involves problem-solving and making sound judgments. It can be learned, but it relies on specific content knowledge and does not necessarily transfer between fields.

    Early studies on chess players and physicists in the 1970s and ’80s helped show how the kind of flexible and reflective cognition often called critical thinking is really a product of expertise. Chess masters, for instance, do not start out with innate talent. In most cases, they gain expertise by hours of thoughtfully playing the game. This deliberate practice helps them recognize patterns and think in novel ways about chess. Chess masters’ critical thinking is a product of learning, not a precursor.

    Nurman Alua of Kazakhstan, left, and Lee Alice of the U.S. during the 45th Chess Olympiad in Budapest, Hungary, on Sept. 22, 2024.
    AP Photo/Denes Erdos

    Because critical thinking develops in specific contexts, it does not necessarily transfer to other types of problem-solving. For example, chess advocates might hope the game improves players’ intelligence, and studies do suggest learning chess may help elementary students with the kind of pattern recognition they need for early math lessons. However, research has found that being a great chess player does not make people better at other kinds of complex critical thinking.

    Historical thinking

    Since context is key to critical thinking, learning to analyze information about current events likely requires knowledge about politics and history, as well as practice at scrutinizing sources. Fortunately, that is what social studies classes are for.

    Social studies researchers often describe this kind of critical thinking as “historical thinking”: a way to evaluate evidence about the past and assess its reliability. My own research has shown that high school students can make relatively quick progress on some of the surface features of historical thinking, such as learning to check a text’s date and author. But the deep questioning involved in true historical thinking is much harder to learn.

    Social studies classrooms can also build what researchers call “civic online reasoning.” Fact-checking is complex work. It is not enough to tell young people that they should be wary online, or to trust sites that end in “.org” instead of “.com.” Rather than learning general principles about online media, civic online reasoning teaches students specific skills for evaluating information about politics and social issues.

    Still, learning to think like a historian does not necessarily prepare someone to be a skeptical news consumer. Indeed, a recent study found that professional historians performed worse than professional fact-checkers at identifying online misinformation. The misinformation tasks the historians struggled with focused on issues such as bullying or the minimum wage – areas where they possessed little expertise.

    Powerful knowledge

    That’s where background knowledge comes in – and the good news is that social studies can build it. All literacy relies on what readers already know. For people wading through political information and news, knowledge about history and civics is like a key in the ignition for their analytical skills.

    Readers without much historical knowledge may miss clues that something isn’t right – signs that they need to scrutinize the source more closely. Political misinformation often weaponizes historical falsehoods, such as the debunked and recalled Christian nationalist book claiming that Thomas Jefferson did not believe in a separation of church and state, or claims that the nadir of African American life came during Reconstruction, not slavery. Those claims are extreme, but politicians and policymakers repeat them.

    For someone who knows basic facts about American history, those claims won’t sit right. Background knowledge will trigger their skepticism and kick critical thinking into gear.

    A teacher in North Carolina conducts a lesson about the D-Day invasion of Normandy in an Advanced Placement class.
    AP Photo/Gerry Broome

    Past, present, future

    For this reason, the best approach to media literacy will come through teaching that fosters concrete skills alongside historical knowledge. In short, the new knowledge crisis points to the importance of the traditional social studies classroom.

    But it’s a tenuous moment for history education. The Bush- and Obama-era emphasis on math and English testing resulted in decreased instructional time in history classes, particularly in elementary and middle schools. In one 2005 study, 27% of schools reported reducing social studies time in favor of subjects on state exams.

    Now, history teachers are feeling heat from politically motivated culture wars over education that target teaching about racism and LGBTQ+ issues and that ban books from libraries and classrooms. Two-thirds of instructors say that they’ve limited classroom discussions about social and political topics.

    Attempts to limit students’ knowledge about the past imperil their chances of being able to think critically about new information. These attacks are not just assaults on the history of the country; they are attempts to control its future.

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

    – ref. Why history instruction is critical for combating online misinformation – https://theconversation.com/why-history-instruction-is-critical-for-combating-online-misinformation-248528

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    March 20, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Global: As mountain glaciers melt, risk of catastrophic flash floods rises for millions − World Day for Glaciers carries a reminder

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Suzanne OConnell, Harold T. Stearns Professor of Earth Science, Wesleyan University

    Imja Lake, a glacial lake in the Mount Everest region of Nepal, began as meltwater ponds in 1962 and now contains 90 million cubic meters of water. Its water level was lowered to protect downstream communities. Alton Byers

    In mountain ranges around the world, glaciers are melting as global temperatures rise. Europe’s Alps and Pyrenees lost 40% of their glacier volume from 2000 to 2023. These and other icy regions have provided freshwater for people living downstream for centuries – almost 2 billion people rely on glaciers today. But as glaciers melt faster, they also pose potentially lethal risks.

    Water from the melting ice often drains into depressions once occupied by the glacier, creating large lakes. Many of these expanding lakes are held in place by precarious ice dams or rock moraines deposited by the glacier over centuries.

    Too much water behind these dams or a landslide into the lake can break the dam, sending huge volumes of water and debris sweeping down the mountain valleys, wiping out everything in the way.

    These risks and the loss of freshwater supplies are some of the reasons the United Nations declared 2025 the International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation and March 21 the first World Day for Glaciers. As an Earth scientist and a mountain geographer, we study the impact that ice loss can have on the stability of the surrounding mountain slopes and glacial lakes. We see several reasons for increasing concern.

    Erupting ice dams and landslides

    Most glacial lakes began forming over a century ago as a result of warming trends since the 1860s, but their abundance and rates of growth have risen rapidly since the 1960s.

    Many people living in the Himalayas, Andes, Alps, Rocky Mountains, Iceland and Alaska have experienced glacial lake outburst floods of one type or another.

    A glacial lake outburst flood in the Himalayas in October 2023 damaged more than 30 bridges and destroyed a 200-foot-high (60-meter) hydropower plant. Residents had little warning. By the time the disaster was over, more than 50 people had died.

    Juneau, Alaska, has been hit by several flash floods in recent years from a glacial lake dammed by ice on an arm of Mendenhall Glacier. Those floods, including in 2024, were driven by a melting glacier that slowly filled a basin below it until the basin’s ice dam broke.

    Scientists investigate flooding from Mendenhall Glacier’s Suicide Basin.

    Avalanches, rockfalls and slope failures can also trigger glacial lake outburst floods. These are growing more common as frozen ground known as permafrost thaws, robbing mountain landscapes of the cryospheric glue that formerly held them together. These slides can create massive waves when they plummet into a lake. The waves can then rupture the ice dam or moraine, unleashing a flood of water, sediment and debris.

    That dangerous mix can rush downstream at speeds of 20-60 mph (30-100 kph), destroying homes and anything else in its path.

    The casualties of such an event can be staggering. In 1941, a huge wave caused by a snow and ice avalanche that fell into Laguna Palcacocha, a glacial lake in the Peruvian Andes, overtopped the moraine dam that had contained the lake for decades. The resulting flood destroyed one-third of the downstream city of Huaraz and killed between 1,800 and 5,000 people.

    Teardrop-shaped Lake Palcacocha, shown in this satellite view, has expanded in recent decades. The city of Huaraz, Peru, is just down the valley to the right of the lake.
    Google Earth, data from Airbus Data SIO, NOAA, U.S. Navy, NGA, GEBCO

    In the years since, the danger there has only increased. Laguna Palcacocha has grown to more than 14 times its size in 1941. At the same time, the population of Huaraz has risen to over 120,000 inhabitants. A glacial lake outburst flood today could threaten the lives of an estimated 35,000 people living in the water’s path.

    Governments have responded to this widespread and growing threat by developing early warning systems and programs to identify potentially dangerous glacial lakes. Some governments have taken steps to lower water levels in the lakes or built flood diversion structures, such as walls of rock-filled wire cages, known as gabions, that divert floodwaters from villages, infrastructure or agricultural fields.

    Where the risks can’t be managed, communities have been encouraged to use zoning that prohibits building in flood-prone areas. Public education has helped build awareness of the flood risk, but the disasters continue.

    Flooding from inside and thawing permafrost

    The dramatic nature of glacial lake outburst floods captures headlines, but those aren’t the only risks. As scientists expand their understanding of how the world’s icy regions interact with global warming, they are identifying a number of other phenomena that can lead to similarly disastrous events.

    Englacial conduit floods, for instance, originate inside of glaciers, commonly those on steep slopes. Meltwater can collect inside massive systems of ice caves, or conduits. A sudden surge of water from one cave to another, perhaps triggered by the rapid drainage of a surface pond, can set off a chain reaction that bursts out of the ice as a full-fledged flood.

    An englacial conduit flood begins in the Himalayas. Elizabeth Byers.

    Thawing mountain permafrost can also trigger floods. This permanently frozen mass of rock, ice and soil has been a fixture at altitudes above 19,685 feet (6,000 meters) for millennia.

    Freezing helps keep mountains together. But as permafrost thaws, even solid rock becomes less stable and is more prone to breaking, while ice and debris are more likely to become detached and turn into destructive and dangerous debris flows. Thawing permafrost has been increasingly implicated in glacial lake outburst floods because of these new sources of potential triggers.

    In 2017, nearly a third of the solid rock face of Nepal’s 29,935-foot (6,374-meter) Saldim Peak collapsed and fell onto the Langmale glacier below. Heat generated by the friction of rock falling through air melted ice, creating a slurry of rock, debris and sediment that plummeted into Langmale glacial lake below, resulting in a massive flood.

    A glacial outburst flood in Barun Valley started when nearly one-third of the face of Saldim Peak in Nepal fell onto Langmale Glacier and slid into a lake. The top image shows the mountain in 2016. The lower shows the same view in 2017.
    Elizabeth Byers (2016), Alton Byers (2017)

    These and other forms of glacier-related floods and hazards are being exacerbated by climate change.

    Flows of ice and debris from high altitudes and the sudden appearance of meltwater ponds on a glacier’s surface are two more examples. Earthquakes can also trigger glacial lake outburst floods. Not only have thousands of lives been lost, but billions of dollars in hydropower facilities and other structures have also been destroyed.

    Impermanent frost. Nepali Times.

    A reminder of what’s at risk

    The International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation and World Day for Glaciers are reminders of the risks and also of who is in harm’s way.

    The global population depends on the cryosphere – the 10% of the Earth’s land surface that’s covered in ice. But as more glacial lakes form and expand, floods and other risks are rising. A study published in 2024 counted more than 110,000 glacial lakes around the world and determined 10 million people’s lives and homes are at risk from glacial lake outburst floods.

    The U.N. is encouraging more research into these regions. It also declared 2025 to 2034 the “decade of action in cryospheric sciences.” Scientists on several continents will be working to understand the risks and find ways to help communities respond to and mitigate the dangers.

    Suzanne OConnell receives funding from The National Science Foundation

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

    – ref. As mountain glaciers melt, risk of catastrophic flash floods rises for millions − World Day for Glaciers carries a reminder – https://theconversation.com/as-mountain-glaciers-melt-risk-of-catastrophic-flash-floods-rises-for-millions-world-day-for-glaciers-carries-a-reminder-251707

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    March 20, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Global: Donald Trump’s nonstop news-making can be exhausting, making it harder for people to scrutinize his presidential actions

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Jennifer Mercieca, Professor of Communication and Journalism, Texas A&M University

    President Donald Trump calls on reporters during a news conference at the White House on Jan. 30, 2025. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

    Like many other news organizations, The Associated Press maintains a “live updates” page, which posts the latest from the Trump administration in a ticker tape-like live scroll, with multiple updates per hour, 12 hours a day.

    President Donald Trump has kept the ticker busy.

    “Trump is moving with light speed and brute force to break the existing order and reshape America at home and abroad,” an Associated Press reporter wrote on Feb. 22, 2025.

    Many Americans find the amount and pace of news exhausting, confusing and overwhelming.

    “How do you push back against a tidal wave?” political communication expert Dannagal Young wrote of this media phenomenon on Feb. 21. “You can’t.”

    I study the relationship between communication and democracy. I teach university classes on propaganda, presidential communication and the dark arts of communication, and I’m the author of an award-winning 2020 book on Trump’s communication strategies.

    Deliberately overwhelming people with a flood of news content is a propaganda strategy used by authoritarians like Russian President Vladimir Putin to distort reality and prevent people from clearly evaluating their government’s actions.

    President Donald Trump’s official ‘Truth’ account is seen on a mobile phone.
    Beata Zawrzel/NurPhoto via Getty Images

    Trump communicates more than ‘The Great Communicator’

    When Ronald Reagan’s first term as president began in 1981, several prominent political scientists noted in an analysis that a “week scarcely goes by without at least one major news story devoted to coverage of a radio or TV speech, an address to Congress, a speech to a convention, a press conference, a news release, or some other presidential utterance.”

    It’s hard to believe that Reagan’s presidential communication only attracted one major news story per week, especially since he is often called “the Great Communicator.”

    The 1980s had a slower, pre-digital news environment than that of the current day, to be sure. But Trump is also simply generating a lot more news content than Reagan did.

    Today, Trump’s frequent press conferences, news releases, social media posts and other appearances and offhand remarks generate a constant flow of new stories and social media posts each day. The proliferation of cellphones and social media allows many people to follow the news throughout the day. People, in return, expect the president and other politicians to talk to the public constantly and often berate them when they fail to meet that expectation and go silent.

    In fact, Trump is generating a lot more media content in his second term than he did in his first.

    Trump’s intensified communication strategy

    Reagan averaged about 5.8 news conferences per year. Trump averaged 22 per year in his first term, according to data collected by a nonpartisan group at the University of California Santa Barbara called the American Presidency Project. Former President Joe Biden averaged 9.25 per year.

    Trump has already had 18 press gaggles or press conferences since taking office in January 2025.

    A news analysis conducted by National Journal White House reporter George Condon showed that Trump has already answered more than 1,000 questions from reporters since he returned to office, which is nearly five times more questions than he answered at this point in his first presidency.

    Trump has also made a lot of news by issuing almost 90 executive orders, which he has used both as a strategy for exercising executive power over issues like foreign aid and as a strategy for attracting media coverage.

    Reagan issued 50 executive orders in his first year in office in 1981. Trump issued 72 executive orders within his first 30 days in 2025. That’s more executive orders than any previous president has issued in their first month over the last 40 years, including himself. He only issued 33 at this point in his first term in 2017.

    Trump’s media strategy in his second term appears to intensify the approach he used in his first term. During Trump’s first term, according to The New York Times, “Mr. Trump told top aides to think of each presidential day as an episode in a television show in which he vanquishes rivals.”

    As former Trump aide and current host of the show “War Room” Steve Bannon said in 2018, “The real opposition is the media. And the way to deal with them is to flood the zone with shit.”

    In 2025, in order to win the day’s news coverage, Trump is flooding the media with an unrelenting tidal wave of news content to dominate and vanquish the zone.

    This strategy is evident in the Oval Office executive order signing events. Trump literally makes news by signing a large piece of paper in front of cameras and reporters. These events are carefully staged political theater for media consumption in which Trump casts himself as the nation’s hero protecting it from foreign invasions, diversity programs or paper straws.

    Many of Trump’s executive orders are facing legal challenges, and some have been shot down by federal judges. Nonetheless, it is the spectacle of signing the orders that I, as a communications scholar, believe is designed to win the day – they are effective at generating news coverage and making Trump look powerful.

    “Trump, as we know from this first month, is the most news-making person to occupy the Oval Office I’ve ever seen,” said New York Times Executive Editor Joe Kahn on Feb. 27.

    President Donald Trump and Tesla CEO Elon Musk speak to reporters in front of a red Model S Tesla vehicle outside the White House on March 11, 2025.
    Pool Image/Associated Press

    A strategy of control

    Media scholar Marshall McLuhan famously argued in 1964 that “The medium is the message.” Likewise, with Trump, the communication strategy is the message.

    Communication is a tool. It can be used to promote democracy or to erode it. Any politician’s communication strategy reveals, at least in part, how they think about governing, power and democracy. Some political leaders communicate in ways that encourage people to ask questions and use their reason and critical thinking skills to evaluate public policies.

    Other political leaders use communication in undemocratic ways to manipulate and coerce, preventing citizens from using their reason and critical thinking skills to evaluate policies.

    What does Trump’s tidal wave of news content say about how he thinks about governing, power and democracy?

    As a media and governing strategy, I think that creating an unrelenting tidal wave of content is designed to enable Trump to attract and keep the nation’s attention on himself and – in the process, drown out other voices.

    This method overwhelms the media and exhausts many Americans who cannot easily absorb so much information at once.

    And the tidal wave strategy prevents the public from scrutinizing the president’s actions – because no one can push back against a tidal wave.

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

    – ref. Donald Trump’s nonstop news-making can be exhausting, making it harder for people to scrutinize his presidential actions – https://theconversation.com/donald-trumps-nonstop-news-making-can-be-exhausting-making-it-harder-for-people-to-scrutinize-his-presidential-actions-250733

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    March 20, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Global: Social media design is key to protecting kids online

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Abdulmalik Alluhidan, Ph.D. student in Computer Science, Vanderbilt University

    How social media apps are designed has a lot to do with whether teens have good or bad experiences. Daniel de la Hoz/Moment via Getty Images

    Social media is a complex environment that presents both opportunities and threats for adolescents, with self-expression and emotional support on the one hand and body-shaming, cyberbullying and addictive behaviors on the other. This complexity underscores the challenge to regulating teen social media use, but it also points to another avenue for protecting young people online: how social media platforms are designed.

    The growing debate around teen social media use has intensified, with recent bipartisan policy efforts in the U.S., such as the Kids Online Safety Act, seeking to protect young people from digital harms. These efforts reflect legitimate concerns. However, broad restrictions on social media could also limit benefits for teens, throwing the baby out with the bath water.

    I am a researcher who studies online safety and digital well-being. My recent work with colleagues in computer scientist Pamela Wisniewski’s Socio-Technical Interaction Research Lab underscores a critical point: social media is neither inherently harmful nor entirely beneficial. It is a tool shaped by its design, how teens use it, and the context of their experiences.

    In other words, social media’s impact is shaped by its affordances – how platforms are designed and what they enable users to do or constrain them from doing. Some features foster connection while others amplify harms.

    As society moves toward practical solutions for online safety, it is important to use evidence-based research on how these features shape teens’ social media experiences and how they could be redesigned to be age appropriate for young people. It’s also important to incorporate teens’ perspectives to pinpoint what policies and design choices should be made to protect young people using social media.

    My colleagues and I analyzed over 2,000 posts from teens ages 15-17 on an online peer-support platform. Teens openly discussed their experiences with popular social media platforms such as Instagram, YouTube, Snapchat and TikTok. Their voices highlight a potential path forward: focusing on safety by design – an approach that improves platform features to amplify benefits and mitigate harms. This approach respects young people’s agency while prioritizing their digital well-being.

    What teens say about social media

    While social media’s worst outcomes such as cyberbullying or mental health crises are often in the spotlight, our research shows that teens’ experiences are far more nuanced. Instead, platforms enable diverse outcomes depending on their features and design.

    Teens commonly described negative experiences involving social drama, cyberbullying and privacy violations. For example, Instagram was a focal point for body-shaming and self-esteem issues, driven by its emphasis on curated visual content. Facebook triggered complaints about privacy violations, such as parents sharing private information without teens’ consent. Snapchat, meanwhile, exposed teens to risky interactions due to its ephemeral messaging, which fosters intimate but potentially unsafe connections.

    Research – and teens themselves – indicates that social media has negative and positive effects on young people.

    At the same time, teens expressed that social media provides a space for support, inspiration and self-expression, particularly when offline spaces feel isolating. Teens used social media to cope with stress or seek out uplifting content.

    Platforms such as Snapchat and WhatsApp were key spaces for seeking connection, enabling teens to build relationships and find emotional support. Snapchat, in particular, was the go-to platform for fostering close personal connections, while YouTube empowered teens to promote their creativity and identity by sharing videos.

    Many praised Instagram and Snapchat for providing inspiration, distraction or emotional relief during stressful times. Teens also used social media to seek information, turning to YouTube and Twitter to learn new things, verify information or troubleshoot technical problems.

    These findings underscore a critical insight: Platform design matters. Features such as algorithms, privacy controls and content-sharing mechanisms directly shape how teens experience social media. These findings further question the perception of social media as a purely negative force. Instead, teens’ experiences highlight its dual nature: a space for both risk and opportunity.

    Key to safer social media

    The concept of affordances – design and features – helps explain why teens’ experiences differ across platforms and provides a path toward safer design. For example, Instagram’s affordances such as image sharing and algorithmic content promotion amplify social comparison, leading to body-shaming and self-esteem issues. Snapchat’s affordances, such as ephemeral messaging and visibility of “best friends,” encourage personal connections but can foster risky interactions. Meanwhile, YouTube’s affordances, such as easy content creation and discovery, promote self-expression but can contribute to time-management struggles due to its endless scroll design.

    By understanding these platform-specific designs and features, it is possible to mitigate risks without losing the benefits. For example, Facebook could allow for appropriate levels of parental oversight of teen accounts while preserving privacy. Instagram could reduce algorithmic promotion of harmful content. And Snapchat could improve safety features.

    This safety by design approach moves beyond restricting access to focus on improving the platforms themselves. By thoughtfully redesigning social media features, tech companies can empower teens to use these tools safely and meaningfully. Policymakers can focus on holding social media companies responsible for their platforms’ impact, while simultaneously promoting the digital rights of teens to benefit from social media use.

    Call for safety by design

    It’s important for policymakers to recognize that social media’s risks and rewards coexist. Instead of viewing social media as a monolith, however, policymakers can target the features of social media platforms most likely to cause harm. For example, they could require platform companies to conduct safety audits or disclose algorithmic risks. These steps could encourage safer design without limiting access.

    By addressing platform affordances and adopting safety by design, it is possible to create digital spaces that protect teens from harm while preserving the connection, creativity and support that social media enables. The tools to build a future where teens can thrive are already available; they just need to be designed better.

    Pamela Wisniewski contributed to the writing of this article.

    The research reported in this article was supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation and the William T. Grant Foundation.

    – ref. Social media design is key to protecting kids online – https://theconversation.com/social-media-design-is-key-to-protecting-kids-online-243547

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    March 20, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Global: Humans aren’t the only animals with complex culture − but researchers point to one feature that makes ours unique

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Eli Elster, Doctoral Candidate in Evolutionary Anthropology, University of California, Davis

    A ritual dance honoring Yoruban ancestors is one of the countless examples of human culture. Jorge Fernández/LightRocket via Getty Images

    Of the 8.7 million species on Earth, why are human beings the only one that paints self-portraits, walks on the Moon and worships gods?

    For decades, many scholars have argued that the difference stems from our ability to learn from each other. Through techniques such as teaching and imitation, we can create and transmit complicated information over many generations.

    So if a human finds, for instance, a better but more complex way to make a knife, they can pass along the new instructions. One of those learners might stumble upon their own improvement and pass it along in turn.

    If this loop continues, you get a ratchet effect, in which small changes can accumulate over time to produce increasingly intricate behaviors and technologies. This process produces our uniquely complex cultures: Scientists call it cumulative cultural evolution.

    But extensive data has emerged suggesting that other animals, including bees, chimpanzees and crows, can also generate cultural complexity through social learning. Consequently, the debate over human uniqueness is shifting in a new direction.

    As an anthropologist, I study a different feature of human culture that researchers are beginning to think about: the diversity of our traditions. Whereas animal cultures affect just a few crucial behaviors, such as courtship and feeding, human cultures cover a massive and constantly expanding set of activities, from clothing to table manners to storytelling.

    This new view suggests that human culture is not uniquely cumulative. It is uniquely open-ended.

    What is cumulative culture?

    In the early 2000s, a research team led by psychologist Michael Tomasello tested 105 human children, 106 adult chimpanzees and 32 adult orangutans on a battery of cognitive assessments. Their goal was to see whether humans held any innate cognitive advantage over their primate cousins.

    Surprisingly, the human children performed better in only one capacity: social learning. Tomasello thus concluded that humans are not “generally smarter.” Rather, “we have a special kind of smarts.” Our advanced social abilities allow us to transmit information by accurately teaching and learning from each other.

    Psychologist Michael Tomasello and his team ran a number of experiments comparing how human children and nonhuman primates performed on cognitive tasks, including tests of social learning.
    Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology

    Humans’ apparent social learning abilities suggested a clear explanation for our unique cultural traits. Knowledgeable humans – say, someone who discovers a better way to make a spear – can successfully transfer that skill to their peers. But an inventive chimp – one who discovers a better way to smash nuts, for example – can’t successfully share their innovation. Nobody listens to Chimp Einstein. So our inventions persist and build upon each other, while theirs vanish into the jungle floor.

    Or so the theory went.

    Now, though, scientists have hard evidence showing that, just like us, animals can learn from each other and thus maintain their cultures for long periods of time. Groups of swamp sparrows appear to use the same song syllables for centuries. Meerkat troops settle on different wake-up times and maintain them for a decade or more.

    Of course, long-term social learning is not the same as cumulative culture. Yet scientists also now know that humpback whale songs can oscillate in complexity over many generations of learners, that homing pigeons create efficient flight paths by learning from each other and making small improvements, and that hooved mammals cumulatively alter their migration routes to exploit plant growth.

    Once again, the animals have shot down our claim to uniqueness, as they have innumerable times throughout scientific history. You might wonder, at this point, if we should just settle the uniqueness question by answering: “We’re not.”

    If not cumulative culture, what makes us unique?

    But it remains the case that humans and their cultures are quite different from animals and their equivalents. Most scholars agree about that, even if they disagree about the reasons why. Since cumulative complexity appears not to be the most important difference, several researchers are sketching out a new perspective: Human culture is uniquely open-ended.

    Currently, anthropologists are discussing open-endedness in two related ways. To get a sense of the first, try counting the number of things you’re engaged with, right now, that came to you through culture. For example, I picked my clothes today based on fashion trends I did not develop; I am writing in a language I did not invent; I tied my shoes using a method my father taught me; there are paintings and postcards and photographs on my walls.

    Give me 10 minutes, and I could probably add 100 more items to that list. In fact, other than biological acts such as breathing, it is difficult for me to think of any aspect of what I’m doing right now that is not partially or completely cultural. This breadth is incredibly strange. Why should any organism spend time pursuing such a wide range of goals, particularly if most of them have nothing to do with survival?

    Other animals are much more judicious. Their cultural variation and complexity pertains almost entirely to matters of subsistence and reproduction, such as acquiring food and mating. Humans, on the other hand, lip-synch, build space stations and, less grandiosely, have been known to do things such as spend six years trying to park in all 211 spots of a grocery store lot. Our cultural diversity is unparalleled.

    Open-endedness, as a unique human quality, is not just about variety; it reflects the quantum leaps by which our cultures can evolve. To illustrate this peculiarity, consider a hypothetical example regarding the rocks that chimpanzees use to smash nuts.

    Chimps often use stones to break open hard-shelled nuts.
    Anup Shah/Stone via Getty Images

    Let’s say these chimps would benefit from using rocks that they can swing as hard and accurately as possible, but that they don’t immediately know what kind of rocks those would be. By trying different options and observing each other, they might accumulate knowledge of the best qualities in a nut-smashing rock. Eventually, though, they’d hit a limit in the power and precision available by swinging a rock with your fist.

    How could they get past this upper limit? Well, they could tie a stick to their favorite rock; the extra leverage would help them smash the nuts even harder. As far as we know, though, chimpanzees aren’t capable of realizing the benefits of harnessing this additional quality. But we are – people invented hammers.

    Crucially, discovering the power of leverage allows for more than just better nut-smashing. It opens up innovations in other domains. If adding handles to wielded objects allows for better nut-smashing, then why not better throwing, or cutting, or painting? The space of cultural possibilities, suddenly, has expanded.

    Through open-ended cultural evolution, human beings produce open-endedness in culture. In this respect, our species is unparalleled.

    What’s next?

    Researchers have not yet answered most of the major questions about open-endedness: how to quantify it, how we create it, whether it has any true limitations.

    But this new framework must shift the tides of a related debate: whether there is something obviously different about the way human minds work, other than social learning capacities. After all, every cultural trait emerges through interactions between minds – so how do our minds interact to produce such a degree of cultural breadth?

    No one knows yet. Interestingly, this shifting debate over how cognition influences culture coincides with a spate of research bridging psychology and anthropology, which explores why certain behaviors – such as singing lullabies, curative bloodletting and storytelling – recur across human cultures.

    Human minds produce unparalleled diversity in their cultures; yet it is also true that those cultures tend to express variations on a strict set of themes, such as music and marriage and religion. Ironically, the source of our open-endedness may illuminate not only what makes us so diverse, but also what makes us so often the same.

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

    – ref. Humans aren’t the only animals with complex culture − but researchers point to one feature that makes ours unique – https://theconversation.com/humans-arent-the-only-animals-with-complex-culture-but-researchers-point-to-one-feature-that-makes-ours-unique-245526

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    March 20, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Russia: GUU continues to penetrate the oil and gas industry: the first step towards a cooperation agreement with TIU

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

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

    On March 19, 2025, a business meeting between the rector of the State University of Management Vladimir Stroev and the rector of the Tyumen Industrial University Yuri Klochkov took place at the State University of Management.

    The meeting was also attended by vice-rectors of the State University of Management Maria Karelina and Dmitry Bryukhanov.

    The heads of universities discussed the vectors of cooperation in the field of professional training of personnel in the areas of master’s and bachelor’s degrees with the assignment of two qualifications: engineering and economic or managerial.

    The creation of a joint MBA program at the request of representatives of the oil and gas industry was also discussed.

    In terms of interaction in the field of science, proposals were made to create a joint dissertation council for two scientific specialties.

    Rector of TIU Yuri Klochkov familiarized himself with the scientific research and developments of the State University of Management, which were presented by Dmitry Rybakov, a research fellow at the Engineering Project Management Center, and Vladimir Kutkov, a postgraduate student. They also formulated proposals for the use of UAVs in the interests of oil producing enterprises.

    Yuri Klochkov invited his colleagues from the State University of Management to visit the Tyumen Industrial University on a return visit to see the achievements of the university he heads and sign a cooperation agreement.

    Subscribe to the TG channel “Our GUU” Date of publication: 03/19/2025

    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 –

    March 20, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Russia: School of International Cooperation Opens at HSE

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

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

    © Higher School of Economics

    School of International Cooperation created in the structure Faculty of World Economy and World Politics (FMEiMP) Vyshki. The school launches, promotes and implements programs of additional education and professional retraining, corporate education programs and international intensive trainings for working specialists and managers interacting with foreign government officials and businessmen, as well as foreign entrepreneurs, students and scientists.

    Dean of the Faculty of World Economy and International Relations Anastasia Likhacheva, opening the presentation, emphasized that the main task of the school is to implement projects in the interests of the country, to promote Russian interests in the international arena. “There is no single formula for what key opens the hearts of partners. We are glad that our faculty is creating a platform that will unite enthusiasts of international cooperation,” said Anastasia Likhacheva.

    Senior Director of the National Research University Higher School of Economics Andrey Lavrov noted that last year, during the elections of the Academic Council, a formula was developed that reflects the essence of the current HSE: a university for the development of all of Russia, open to the world. He called international cooperation a priority for HSE and the Faculty of World Economy and International Relations. Andrey Lavrov is confident that the opening of the School of International Cooperation will help to realize the most ambitious goals of developing additional professional education at the National Research University Higher School of Economics. “The development of adult education is an area where we can achieve great success. I am very glad that you have become pioneers in the new wave of development of additional professional education at HSE, congratulations,” Andrey Lavrov said, addressing the heads of the faculty.

    “It’s nice to be pioneers,” Anastasia Likhacheva responded. She recalled that HSE began its turn to the East many years ago (700 students currently study Chinese at HSE) and expressed hope that the school will contribute to the development of Russian-Chinese cooperation.

    Minister-Counselor of the Chinese Embassy in Russia Zhao Wei read out a greeting from the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of China Zhang Hanhui, in which he congratulated HSE on the opening of the School of International Cooperation. HSE was described as a leader in the field of innovation development and a university that makes an invaluable contribution to the formation of the international agenda. In her congratulatory letter, the Ambassador emphasized the role of the Academic Director of the Faculty of World Economy and International Relations Sergey Karaganov in strengthening HSE ties with leading universities in China and developing bilateral cooperation.

    Zhang Hanhui noted in his congratulatory letter: China and Russia have common positions in solving international problems and forming a fair world order. “I am convinced that the school will become the foundation for training new types of specialists with cross-cultural competence and skills in solving international problems. I hope that the establishment of the school will contribute to deepening Chinese-Russian cooperation in personnel training and strengthening cooperation with the countries of the Global South,” he emphasized.

    According to FMEiMP research professor Fyodor Lukyanov, the university and faculty do not move at the mercy of the winds, but strive to create and strengthen these winds themselves. Now, he added, the world is in an amazing state, when what was impossible yesterday is obvious today, and tomorrow will be completely different from what we imagine. The professor noted: international cooperation is necessary in any situation in the world, it should be strengthened and supported. Now it is important to create new connections, while maintaining the old ones. “Support for the implementation of international cooperation projects, learning it throughout life – this is what we need to exist in, this is such an environment,” said Fyodor Lukyanov.

    Now, he believes, the quality of expertise is extremely important, since no high-level manager operates in a vacuum, but operates in an environment with a large volume of events and trends, where when making decisions, not only knowledge is important, but also intuition, which develops, among other things, thanks to knowledge.

    The head of the School of International Cooperation, Deputy Dean of the Faculty of World Economy and International Relations for Continuing Education Yulia Belous noted: the school offers a wide range of continuing education programs, winter and summer schools for different categories of students.

    The training programs are divided into four levels. The first one is “Starting a Career — Key to a Career” — for students and young professionals with 1 to 3 years of work experience. Next comes the “New Facets” stage — training in new skills for professionals with 3 to 5 years of experience, then “Time to Act” — for foreign professionals and those who need to enter a foreign market. And finally, the fourth level is strategic sessions for managers with leading experts in international relations, global economics, orientalists and regional experts who create a vision of the principles of work in eastern markets, the foundation for effective operations and competition with existing players. They are aimed at obtaining practice-oriented knowledge for work in different countries and regions.

    Head of the professional retraining program of the Faculty of World Economy and International Relations “Eastern Perspective: Strategy and Tactics for Building a Business» Natalia Guseva noted that the program is aimed at developing an effective strategy for working in the East, understanding the specifics of business and entrepreneurship in these countries, as well as the practice of doing business in India, China, Japan and South Korea. This is a three-week program that involves developing one’s own projects.

    A 10-day intensive programme has also already been formed. program for foreign entrepreneurs who want to work in Russia. They will learn about the peculiarities of the Russian financial and tax system, the specifics of business cooperation with Russia, and will gain an understanding of the cultural characteristics and values of Russia and its peoples. This is a program in which leading speakers and experts will speak.

    Deputy Executive Director – Director of Strategic Partnerships at Innopraktika Anastasia Pavlenko spoke about the program for transferring competencies in the field of digitalization of public administration to African countries – an important international initiative that is being implemented Center for African Studies HSE University with the support of Innopraktika. She emphasized that Russia is currently one of the world leaders in the field of digitalization of the public sector, and the experience of overcoming sanctions pressure and repelling a large number of cyberattacks seems valuable for friendly countries, with which Russia is ready to exchange knowledge in this area.

    Also in her speech, Anastasia Pavlenko mentioned the direction of Innopraktika’s activities to support the entry of private high-tech companies – “national champions” – into the foreign market and the promotion of their solutions in friendly countries. In conclusion, she drew attention to the high potential of international cooperation in the development of education, science and culture.

    Deputy Director of the HSE Center for African Studies Polina Slyusarchuk added: the center held a series of workshops with experts and scientists from different African countries. One of the programs is dedicated to food security of countries and regions, within its framework, participants are invited not only to study the problem, but also to propose ways to solve it. The center also created a program of additional professional education on running a practical business on the continent.

    Director General of the Russian International Affairs Council Ivan Timofeev noted: the concept of international cooperation is very broad and includes economic, scientific, military-technical and cultural interaction, each of which has its own characteristics. It is important to understand how different aspects of interaction, from chess to sensitive technologies, can be used as a country’s soft power, how to integrate their various elements into foreign policy.

    “Your project is not an adventure, it is an initiative based on the ecosystem and human capital of HSE. Your programs will be in great demand,” Ivan Timofeev is confident.

    Head of the Center for Educational Solutions and Work with Universities of the TMH Corporate University (TMH Group) Alexander Belyashin congratulated the faculty on the opening of the school. He said that in the modern world, educational partnership is an integral part of international cooperation and the opening of such an institute as the HSE School of International Cooperation is an excellent and timely decision. In turn, TMH JSC has been preparing and developing the company’s engineering potential for several years and this year, together with the Tashkent State Transport University, it created a scientific and educational center in Uzbekistan, on the basis of which it is planned to train design engineers and process engineers in joint master’s programs and additional professional education programs. He noted the high potential of the School of International Cooperation, where not only general problems will be studied, but also specific cases of bilateral and multilateral interaction.

    Vice President of the Vyzov Foundation Elena Eremenko spoke about the Vyzov Foundation Prize, the international track “SCIENCE. DIALOGUE. TRUST”, within the framework of which an international assembly, seminars and scientific breakfasts on “scientific diplomacy” are held. Elena Eremenko also emphasized the desire to continue intellectual cooperation with the FMEIP on the “scientific diplomacy” track and in the line of interaction with students.

    Roscongress Foundation Supervisory Board Member Dimitrios Velanis recalled that even during the most difficult periods of international relations, for example in the early 1980s, during the period of sanctions imposed on the USSR after the introduction of troops into Afghanistan, businesses, including those from Western countries, found opportunities to work in the Soviet Union.

    Head of Corporate Programs for Universities at SberUniversity Natalia Konshina spoke about the case of training advanced engineering schools of Russian universities. Together with the head of the School of International Cooperation, they presented possible areas of cooperation on the international track – risks and barriers in international scientific and technical cooperation.

    Anna Bessmertnaya, Chairperson of the Commission on Foreign Economic Cooperation with Partners from China of the Moscow Chamber of Commerce and Industry, spoke about trends in training personnel for Russian-Chinese cooperation and the “Start Your Business with Moscow” project for young specialists.

    The presentation of the School of International Cooperation was also attended by the head of the program “International cooperation in the context of global reassembly» HSE University, Deputy Head of the Department of International Relations of the Faculty of World Economy and World Politics of HSE University Dmitry Novikov. He spoke about the relevance and features of the program, its advantages.

    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 –

    March 20, 2025
  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Derby Arena celebrates its 10th anniversary!

    Source: City of Derby

    Derby Arena is celebrating its 10th anniversary. The landmark building opened in 2015, with the aim of inspiring the next generation and put sport, health and physical activity at the heart of the city.

    Since opening, the Arena has offered citizens the opportunity to be more physically active and improve their health and wellbeing. It’s not just a fitness facility – it’s a national cycling hub, a stage for top performers and a venue for major sporting events, as well as conferences and tradeshows.

    In the past decade, Derby Arena has had over a 4 million visits and, in the last five years, has held over 300 events. These have included shows by top comedians Jimmy Carr, Sarah Millican, national hockey and international handball finals, and University of Derby graduations.

    It was also an important part of the city’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic, becoming a huge vaccination centre which saw more than 100,000 people vaccinated.

    The Arena was constructed on behalf of Derby City Council by Bowmer + Kirkland – the same company that completed the new Becketwell Live performance venue.

    Councillor Ndukwe Onuoha, Derby City Council Cabinet Member for Streetpride, Public Safety and Leisure said:

    For a decade, Derby Arena has thrived, becoming a leading hub for fitness, wellbeing, sport, and entertainment. Looking ahead, this ambitious facility will no doubt continue to enhance Derby’s appeal as a great place to live, work, and visit.

    As a centre for fitness and wellbeing, the Arena is continuing to inspire people to change their lives through physical activity.  

    Fitness member Dave Martin said: 

    I can now lift, press, push, and pull weights that I couldn’t have imagined handling before. Initially, even lifting the bar was a struggle. All of this progress is thanks to the dedicated personal training team. The PTs both challenge and support you at your desired level. At 56 years old, I’ve learned that with the right team and motivation, anything is possible.

    The Arena is one of only five cycling velodromes in the country and boasts four world champions coaches.

    Derby’s track cyclists have shone in national and world competitions, achieving huge medal success in both the 2024 National Masters Track Championship and the 2024 UCI Masters Track World Championships.

    Track cycling at Derby Arena

    Cyclist John Baugh is a regular at the velodome. He said:

    Since our first visit to the Arena three years ago, my son and I have shared many happy hours riding the velodrome. This venue is unique, in our experience. Where else could a father and son share an interest and passion for cycling, ride with multiple world champions, under the guidance and supervision of the finest coaches in the UK?

    The atmosphere on Track League evenings is superb – there’s a sense of camaraderie that is a joy to be a part of. I can’t thank the team at Derby Arena enough for their kindness and encouragement.

    The facility has attracted top-flight cyclists with the Great Britain Cycling Team track squads relocating to Derby Arena in 2022 while their usual home, the National Cycling Centre in Manchester, was renovated. Team GB’s track cyclists won one gold, three silver and four bronze medals at the Paris Olympics

    The Arena hosted the British University and College Sport (BUCS) cycling championships for the first time. Joe O’Loughlin, event organiser for the BUCS Track Championships, said:

    The first BUCS Track Championships in Derby was a huge success and we received amazing feedback, with members experiences overwhelmingly positive. We look forward to making next year even bigger and better and continuing to provide a platform where student riders can display their immense talent.

    The Arena is an important sporting centre for Derbyshire’s young people, as home to Derbyshire Institute of Sport. DIS provides bespoke support services to individual athletes, sports teams and club members to enable them to achieve success. 

    Managing director Chloe Maudsley said:

    We are proud to be hosted at the iconic Derby Arena, where we can deliver exceptional sports science, accessible to all the young athletes of Derbyshire. Together, we are showcasing that Derby can compete with the best in the world.

    The cast of Cinderella outside the Arena

    Beyond sport, Derby Arena has become a key entertainment venue, and has hosted Derby LIVE and Little Wolf Entertainment’s much-loved pantomimes since it opened. Last year’s Cinderella was Derby’s highest grossing panto ever, enjoyed by almost 40,000 people with sparkling reviews from audiences. The award-winning team will be back this year with Dick Whittington.

    Further exciting shows coming up this year include comedy from Jimmy Carr and Al Murray, the mind-blowing family show Jurassic Earth and music from world-renowned acts celebrating the sounds of Taylor Swift, Tina Turner and Elvis, to name a few.

    The Arena team will be celebrating the landmark 10th anniversary throughout the year with a host of events and activities, including Les Mills fitness launches, our popular family Fun-Fest, Cycle-Fest and other local, regional and national events. 

    Look out for the upcoming National Track Series Cycle Championships, the England Boxing National Amateur Championship Finals in April and, in September, the UK’s first full DEKA FIT competition –  billed as ‘the ultimate fitness test’.

    For more information visit the Derby Arena website and follow us on Facebook.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    March 20, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: Regula Blog Wins 2025 Cybersecurity Excellence Awards

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    RESTON, Va., March 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Regula, a global developer of forensic devices and identity verification solutions, is proud to announce that its blog has been accoladed as the Best Cybersecurity Blog in the 2025 Cybersecurity Excellence Awards. Providing diverse expert content such as how-to guides, original analytics, and detailed visuals, the Regula Blog serves as a valuable resource for the general public and niche professionals.

    The Regula Blog has been named the Best Cybersecurity Blog by the 2025 Cybersecurity Excellence Awards

    For more than a decade, the Cybersecurity Excellence Awards have honored individuals, teams, and companies that demonstrate exceptional performance and innovation in cybersecurity.

    The Regula Blog received the award for its expert insights, authoritative opinions, real-world fraud case analyses, practical guides, and forward-looking discussions on evolving security challenges.

    With over 18,000 unique readers per month, the Regula Blog is a fast-growing knowledge hub for professionals in cybersecurity, forensic science, and identity verification. The blog provides in-depth content on deepfake detection, facial recognition, document authentication, forensic examination, and more, to ensure that businesses and professionals get the timely and relevant knowledge they need.

    “In today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape, trust and security are more critical than ever. Our blog is more than just industry news—it’s a true knowledge hub designed to educate and empower professionals tackling identity fraud, document forgery, and cybersecurity risks. Winning this award is an honor and a testament to our team’s effort in providing actionable content that helps businesses navigate today’s complex security challenges,” says Ihar Kliashchou, Chief Technology Officer at Regula.

    These are the current top 10 most-read Regula Blog articles:

    • The series of articles, “Top-Notch ID Document Processing Worldwide,” with Mexico, China, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, USA, and Japan as best performers.
    • The Most Beautiful Passports in the World: Regula’s Pick
    • Masterpieces in Banknote Holograms Across the World
    • A Tricky Part of MRZ Reading: What You Might Overlook
    • The Impact of Deepfake Fraud: Risks, Solutions, and Global Trends
    • How to Verify a Passport Like a Pro
    • Should Businesses Prepare for the Surprising Shift Toward Portrait-Oriented IDs?
    • RFID Technology for Identity Verification: A Comprehensive Guide
    • Inside Passport Control: Primary and Secondary Inspections
    • A Guide to Non-Destructive Methods for Examining Alterations in Handwritten Text

    For more insights and expert analysis, visit the award-winning Regula Blog.

    About Regula

    Regula is a global developer of forensic devices and identity verification solutions. With our 30+ years of experience in forensic research and the most comprehensive library of document templates in the world, we create breakthrough technologies for document and biometric verification. Our hardware and software solutions allow over 1,000 organizations and 80 border control authorities globally to provide top-notch client service without compromising safety, security, or speed. Regula has been repeatedly named a Representative Vendor in the Gartner® Market Guide for Identity Verification.

    Learn more at www.regulaforensics.com.

    Contact:
    Kristina – ks@regulaforensics.com

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/b43b713b-6760-4e89-8a88-6a6561fad951

    The MIL Network –

    March 20, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: University of Pennsylvania Student Receives SBB Research Group Foundation STEM Scholarship

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CHICAGO, March 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The SBB Research Group Foundation named Eric Sun, a recipient of its STEM scholarship. The $2,500 award empowers students to create value for society by pursuing higher learning through interdisciplinary combinations of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM).

    Eric Sun, a sophomore, is pursuing a dual BA/MS in Physics and a BSE in Computer Science at the University of Pennsylvania. Eric also conducted significant research at Yale, eventually publishing and presenting his work at MIT. He is the director of a coding nonprofit that serves over 2,000 students in rural areas and partners with organizations to teach skills like machine learning and programming.

    “Eric is dedicated not only to his studies but to the academic access of so many others. It’s exciting to support a student who will impact others in this way,” said Matt Aven, co-founder and board member of the SBB Research Group Foundation.

    For eligibility criteria and more information on the Foundation’s STEM scholarship, please visit http://www.sbbscholarship.org.

    About the SBB Research Group Foundation

    The SBB Research Group Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that furthers the philanthropic mission of SBB Research Group LLC (SBBRG), a Chicago-based investment management firm led by Sam Barnett, Ph.D., and Matt Aven. The Foundation sponsors the SBB Research Group Foundation STEM Scholarship, supporting students pursuing Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) degrees. In addition to its scholarship program, the Foundation provides grants to support ambitious organizations solving unmet needs with thoughtful, long-term strategies.

    Contact: Erin Noonan
    Organization: SBB Research Group Foundation
    Email: scholarship@sbbrg.org
    Address: 450 Skokie Blvd, Building 600, Northbrook, IL 60062 United States
    Phone: 1-847-656-1111
    Website: https://www.sbbscholarship.com/

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/bf0fe208-3a88-41a5-be55-b6aa44163981

    The MIL Network –

    March 20, 2025
  • MIL-OSI USA: A Stepwise, Coordinated Plan for Stone Wall Conservation

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    New England’s expanse of stone walls is not only picturesque: each wall contains a rich history about the region’s geological past and insights about those who placed each stone.

    Department of Earth Sciences Professor Robert Thorson has worked for decades to tell these stories and build an appreciation for these historical structures, but he says we need a systematic and methodical way to collect and catalog the information to effectively manage and conserve these emblematic features of the landscape.

    In a paper published in The Public Historian, Thorson presents the case for conservation based on scenic, legal, historic, ecologic, and Indigenous values, and lays out a stepwise plan for effective management to ensure stone walls are preserved.

    The Plan for Conservation

    After advocating for stone walls for many years, including writing books and articles, and giving over a thousand talks on the subject, Thorson says, “I asked myself, ‘Why am I doing all of this work for conservation if we do not have a methodological or rational approach?’ I see a very clear parallel to managing stone walls the same way we did with wetlands conservation.”

    Professor Robert Thorson examines a stone wall (UConn Photo)

    This inspired Thorson to develop a plan to bridge this gap. His plan starts with engaging the community to ensure that everyone involved with the project understands and appreciates the importance of preserving relics of local and regional history.

    The next step is locating and mapping the sprawling networks of stone walls across whatever jurisdiction is involved, whether private, town, state, federal, or Indigenous. Using Geographic Information System (GIS) software, Thorson says entities can create a layer and database for the stone domain, just as they do for wetlands, zoning, emergencies, or parks. Using a top-down approach, they can implement the new technology of light detection and ranging technology (LiDAR), to locate potential sites for ground-truthing. From the bottom up, they can import whatever information is already available, for example, inventories from historical commissions and land trusts.

    The next steps involve on-the-ground, inventory, cataloging, and classifying of each wall and related object using a taxonomy—or systematic method of naming—developed by Thorson.

    Description comes next, which Thorson says reveals information not found in any other data source, but the stone walls themselves; for example, their construction methods, types of stone, and idiosyncratic folk art. An example of difference in context includes the layouts of walls across the landscape in New Hampshire compared to Connecticut. The regions have distinct patterns, Thorson says, due to later and earlier settlement patterns.

    An important next step is to determine where the stone walls lie in relation to current property lines. Whether public or private, this will dictate what conservation measures can be taken. Management is the following step in Thorson’s plan, which he says will vary case by case. The final step is interpretation, which culminates in integrating the information, now centrally gathered, and sharing the findings with the public. This can happen through talks, walks, field trips, websites, curricula, and many other types of public programming to share what stories unfold.

    The Stories Waiting to be Told

    The result of the plan is the public would essentially have a library of stone stories for each wall available. For example, we can learn more about the largely lost history of ordinary individuals who tossed or placed each stone by hand as they worked land, often humorously described as containing more rocks than dirt.

    “Ultimately the goal is storytelling, using a source of information that is independent of conventional history,” Thorson says.

    Thorson also hopes to convey that anyone can learn how to interpret the wealth of information from the walls. One can begin scratching the surface by looking at the stones themselves. For example, the familiar rounded gray stones are glacially milled fragments of granite that reveal a story of past climate change. And those with drilled holes can help date a wall, based on technology.

    The structure of the walls reveals more details. As farmers “made land” they stacked the plentiful waste stones at the periphery of their fields, sometimes more haphazardly. During the laborious initial clearing to establish a farm, many were placed by the less experienced hands of younger helpers. Those of later years, may reveal the techniques of a master mason.

    A stone wall along RT 195 near the Jacobson Barn. (UConn Photo)

    “For example, a sprawling band is a pioneering wall, and a well-built double wall with a capstone says something different from a moderately built one without a capstone, which tells you something differently from a single wall that’s just your basic triangular shape,” says Thorson. “Farmers, would toss stones that would become a pasture wall.”

    Later, perhaps as the farm was more well-established and they are past the point of barely surviving, a farmer may have had more opportunities to take the time to build a more deliberate and aesthetically pleasing wall. Or not. All these observations give clues about the people who constructed the walls and sometimes that evidence can be confirmed with additional information gathered from historical archives. With Thorson’s proposed plan, this will be easier to do.

    “The idea is that if you have a GIS layer of the stone domain, you can continue to grow it with field evidence, using students, volunteers, citizen scientists, whoever is interested. And it will be higgledy, piggledy to the extent that whatever your entity is, whether it be town, Park, forest, state, federal, Indigenous, you’ll be using it as a database for management, conservation, research, history, and storytelling.”

    This topic gains a lot of attention, says Thorson, who is regularly contacted by people reaching out for advice or with the hopes that he can help advocate on their behalf.  For example, later this spring he will be working with the Connecticut towns of Litchfield, Lyme, and Stonington, and elsewhere in three other New England states. The interest is accelerating.

    “The main thrust of this recent paper is for people wondering how to go about managing stone walls. Each wall is analogous to a library of Earthly stories or to a natural history museum of specimens. None of this information is available from historical documents. Yet it is easily accessed with limited training. That’s what I’m really getting at for the end user. Though the cataloging is more boring, it has to be done.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

    March 20, 2025
  • MIL-OSI China: AI innovates China’s education landscape

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

    BEIJING, March 19 — Picture this: the classroom blackboard is replaced with a big screen, and students click on learning tablets to answer questions instead of writing with pencils. AI makes it a reality, offering novel learning pathways for Chinese students and bridging the urban-rural digital divide.

    At a middle school in Guiyang, capital of southwest China’s Guizhou Province, English teacher Zeng Xing found AI had become a game changer during her 17 years of teaching, thanks to a smart classroom system developed by Chinese AI giant iFLYTEK.

    Zeng assigns exercises to her students via teaching tablets in the classroom, and students can instantly submit their answers on their personal learning tablets. Simultaneously, the big screen at the front of the classroom shows the detailed answers of every student.

    By analyzing results with AI and big data, the system enables Zeng to deliver tailored instructions that address the specific needs of each student. “We can now quickly identify students’ weaknesses and make teaching plans accordingly, which is far more efficient than before,” she said.

    The smart classroom system also enables students to improve their speaking skills through personalized, interactive dialogues sourced from a vast database of English movies, news and poetry. AI can evaluate students’ pronunciation and provide feedback, helping them speak more accurately and with greater confidence.

    “AI has created opportunities for basic education in remote areas like Guizhou,” said Huang Hui, head of the middle school in Guizhou Province, where complex terrain and challenging transportation systems limit educational resources.

    AI-powered tools play a very important role in helping bridge urban-rural education gaps through expanding teaching resources and improving accessibility, Huang added.

    Besides improving the effectiveness of classroom learning, AI also enriches students’ extracurricular experiences.

    At Tsinghua University Primary School, students participate in AI-assisted physical activities during break time. By simply waving their hands, they can activate smart sports equipment to track their exercise duration and frequency.

    In addition to basic education, AI also has a significant impact on higher education. As Chinese AI assistant DeepSeek gains popularity, many colleges and universities have announced its integration into their server systems.

    Colleges and universities, as innovation hubs and talent incubators, should actively embrace new technologies and take on a leading role, said Wang Lei, professor at Beijing Normal University’s School of Government.

    “When conducting scientific research, tasks like project design, mass data collection and literature collation are time-intensive,” said Qian Minghui, who works at the Renmin University of China. “Using DeepSeek with a dedicated document database can greatly improve efficiency. It acts as a research assistant and is even able to help provide research clues and identify suitable partners.”

    The AI-led technological revolution brings major opportunities for education, China’s Minister of Education Huai Jinpeng told Xinhua during an interview on the sidelines of the national legislature’s annual session.

    He revealed that China will release a white paper on AI education in 2025 to help equip students with enhanced literacy and skills for the digital and AI era.

    Starting from the upcoming fall semester, primary and secondary schools in Beijing will offer at least eight class hours of AI instruction per academic year to students to nurture future-oriented and innovative talent.

    Despite AI’s advantages in transforming education, it also raises concerns about data security, privacy and academic integrity.

    “It is crucial that we establish policies on AI usage, enhance technological oversight, and strengthen ethics education for teachers and students,” said Tang Liang, deputy director of the information center at the Beijing Academy of Educational Sciences.

    MIL OSI China News –

    March 20, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: AFWERX and SpaceWERX Select Rise8 for Program Year 2025 STRATFI under U.S. Air Force SBIR to Enable Rapid, Continuous Delivery of Mission-Critical Applications

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TAMPA, Fla., March 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Rise8 announces its selection for the SpaceWERX Strategic Funding Increase (STRATFI) under the U.S. Air Force’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program. Rise8 will support the U.S. Space Force, Space Systems Command to enable rapid, continuous delivery of its mission-critical applications by establishing a continuous Authorization to Operate (cATO) pipeline for third-party applications on Warp Core. Warp Core is the USSF Data as a Service (DaaS) platform for data ingestion, processing, normalization, analysis, and visualization across the global space enterprise.

    “Deploying a cATO pipeline on the Warp Core platform will unlock the full potential of development opportunities with significant mission impact, increased deployment frequency, and reduced lead time,” said Bryon Kroger, CEO and founder of Rise8. “We’re honored by our selection as a STRATFI awardee and look forward to helping the U.S. Space Force maximize current technology investments while increasing flexibility, speed, and reliability for continuous delivery of valuable software users love.”

    The STRATFI program is designed to help advance successful solutions from Phase II SBIR projects to Phase III, full-scale deployment. Previously, Rise8 was awarded a Phase II SBIR focused on developing pathways to production and a Phase I contract with SpaceWERX. The full list of STRATFI awardees can be found here.

    To learn more about how Rise8 delivers elite software development for government customers, visit https://www.rise8.us/.

    About Rise8
    Rise8 provides elite software development for critical missions, revolutionizing the way government agencies and companies build, deploy, and utilize critical software. Rise8 is a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) with headquarters in Tampa, FL, and a fully remote workforce. Learn more at https://www.rise8.us/ and on LinkedIn, and X.

    About AFRL
    The Air Force Research Laboratory is the primary scientific research and development center for the Department of the Air Force. AFRL plays an integral role in leading the discovery, development, and integration of affordable warfighting technologies for our air, space and cyberspace force. With a workforce of more than 12,500 across nine technology areas and 40 other operations across the globe, AFRL provides a diverse portfolio of science and technology ranging from fundamental to advanced research and technology development. For more information, visit afresearchlab.com.

    About AFWERX
    As the innovation arm of the DAF and a directorate within the Air Force Research Laboratory, AFWERX brings cutting-edge American ingenuity from small businesses and start-ups to address the most pressing challenges of the DAF. AFWERX employs approximately 370 military, civilian and contractor personnel at four hubs and sites executing an annual $1.4 billion budget. Since 2019, AFWERX has executed over 6,200 new contracts worth more than $4.7 billion to strengthen the U.S. defense industrial base and drive faster technology transition to operational capability. For more information, visit: afwerx.com.

    About SpaceWERX
    As the innovation arm of the U.S. Space Force and a unique division within AFWERX, SpaceWERX inspires and empowers collaboration with innovators to accelerate capabilities and shape our future in space. Headquartered in Los Angeles, SpaceWERX employs 40 military, civilian and contractor personnel executing an annual $457 million budget. Additionally, SpaceWERX partners with Space Systems Command’s Commercial Space Office (COMSO) as a collaborative program. Since it was aligned under AFRL in Aug. 2021, SpaceWERX has executed 1,106 contracts worth more than $897 million to strengthen the U.S. defense industrial base and drive faster technology transition to operational capability. For more information, visit: spacewerx.us.

    The views expressed are those of Rise8 and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the U.S. Space Force, the Department of the Air Force, the Department of Defense, or the U.S. government.

    Media Contact:
    Casey Dell’Isola
    REQ for Rise8
    rise8@req.co

    The MIL Network –

    March 20, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: CodeMonkey Honored with Triple Awards in Q1 2025: A Testament to Excellence in Educational Technology

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SAN FRANCISCO, March 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — CodeMonkey, a leading platform in Computer Science education for children, is proud to announce that it has been honored with three prestigious awards in 2025: the Education Technology Insights Award, the Modular Learning Award, and the EdTech Impact Award. These accolades underscore CodeMonkey’s unwavering commitment to transforming coding education into an engaging, accessible, and effective experience for learners worldwide.

    Education Technology Insights Award: Game-Based Learning Platform of the Year

    CodeMonkey has been recognized as the “Game-Based Learning Platform of the Year” by Education Technology Insights. This award celebrates CodeMonkey’s innovative approach to making coding education a fun-filled adventure. By transforming complex coding concepts into interactive challenges and character-based journeys, CodeMonkey enables students to master problem-solving skills while unleashing their creativity. Boaz Zaionce, COO and VP of Marketing at CodeMonkey, emphasizes, “We are transforming coding into an engaging, hands-on experience where kids master problem-solving and unleash their creativity—all while having fun.”

    Modular Learning Award: Empowering Educators and Students

    The Modular Learning Award recognizes CodeMonkey’s dedication to providing a flexible and comprehensive curriculum that caters to various learning needs. Designed for children aged 6-12, with content extending up to 18 years, CodeMonkey offers courses in real coding languages like CoffeeScript, Python, JavaScript, HTML, and CSS. The platform’s game-like environment engages learners through block-based and text-based coding, making complex topics approachable and entertaining. Educators benefit from structured lesson plans, offline activities, and a teacher dashboard that provides real-time student progress, enabling personalized instruction and ensuring no learner is left behind.

    EdTech Impact Award: Reducing Teacher Workload

    CodeMonkey’s efforts to streamline educational processes have been acknowledged with the EdTech Impact Award for “Reducing Teacher Workload.” The platform offers pre-built coding challenges and games that engage students effectively, thereby reducing preparation time for educators. With a 93.75% approval rating from educators, CodeMonkey has proven to be a valuable tool in minimizing administrative and teaching workload, allowing teachers to focus more on meaningful classroom engagement.

    Innovations and Future Developments

    CodeMonkey continues to innovate and expand its offerings to meet the evolving needs of digital education. In February 2025, the company launched a comprehensive Digital Literacy Curriculum for K-8 students, featuring over 130 engaging lessons on digital literacy, online safety, and responsible internet usage. Additionally, the curriculum includes more than 100 interactive typing lessons, ensuring that young learners develop essential keyboarding skills alongside their digital knowledge. These initiatives reflect CodeMonkey’s commitment to providing future-ready learning experiences that empower students to thrive in a tech-driven world.

    CodeMonkey’s recent accolades highlight its pivotal role in reshaping coding education. By combining innovative teaching methods with comprehensive support for educators, CodeMonkey ensures that students worldwide are equipped with the skills necessary to navigate and succeed in the digital age.

    The MIL Network –

    March 20, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: Proscia Raises $50M To Advance AI-Driven Pathology And Deliver The Future Of Precision Medicine

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    • Proscia is rewiring pathology to speed up the development of targeted therapies, accelerate diagnosis, and match more patients with the best course of treatment
    • Funding led by global software investor Insight Partners comes as the surge in cancer cases compounds the impact of the shrinking pathologist workforce
    • The company will use the funds to grow its customer footprint and advance Concentriq, with focus on extending the platform’s core AI capabilities

    PHILADELPHIA, March 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Proscia®, a software company leading pathology’s transition to digital and AI, has secured $50M in funding, bringing its total raised to $130M. This investment follows Proscia’s record-breaking growth in 2024. Proscia now counts 16 of the top 20 pharmaceutical companies among its users and is on track for 22,000+ patients to be diagnosed on its Concentriq® software platform each day.

    Cancer patients often wait more than two months to receive a diagnosis and start treatment1 as the rest of medicine races ahead. Pathology—the bedrock of up to 70% of clinical decisions2 and a critical driver of every drug brought to market—is among the last fields of healthcare to modernize, despite mounting pressures from a workforce shortage and rising case volume. Proscia is rewiring pathology, shifting it from microscope to data-rich images, to overcome these challenges, unlock new insights, and shape the future of care.

    At the center of this transformation is Proscia’s Concentriq, the only AI-driven pathology platform underpinning the precision medicine value chain. In powering drug discovery to diagnostics, Concentriq is a foundation for fueling the next novel therapies, accelerating diagnosis, and connecting a network of life sciences organizations and laboratories to match more patients with targeted treatments.

    “We are living through an extraordinary moment in medicine,” said David West, Proscia’s CEO. “Demand for advanced diagnostics is surging, digital pathology is gaining global traction, and AI is moving faster than the boldest predictions made just a few years ago. Patients are waiting to realize the future of precision medicine. With this investment, we will ensure that more pathologists and scientists can deliver it.”

    The funding was led by global software investor Insight Partners along with AI Capital Partners (Alpha Intelligence Capital’s US fund) and Triangle Peak Partners. Other investors included Avenue Venture Opportunities Fund, Emerald Development Managers, GPG Healthcare, Fusion Fund, Interwoven Ventures, and Razor’s Edge.

    “Insight has had a long-standing thesis on digitization and AI in pathology, and we’ve been waiting for a winner to emerge,” said Scott Barclay, Managing Director at Insight Partners. “Proscia is poised to be that leader. With its fast-growing customer base and strong champions of its product, it will continue to solidify its position as digital pathology moves into the mainstream.”

    Proscia will use the capital to propel its commercial momentum, growing adoption of its platform. This includes leveraging its OEM partnerships with Agilent Technologies and Siemens Healthineers. The company will also continue to weave AI into the core of Concentriq and expand its lead in offering the industry’s most extensive collection of applications through its precision medicine AI portfolio. Building on the impact of Concentriq Embeddings, which brings foundation models to the platform and has been demonstrated to accelerate AI development by 13x, Proscia will further enable researchers and data scientists to develop and deploy algorithms for biomarker discovery, clinical trials, and companion diagnostics on its platform.

    “Adoption of digital pathology and AI is creating an opportunity for a more connected and data-driven healthcare ecosystem,” said Katie Maloney, Partner at industry-leading strategy consulting and market intelligence firm DeciBio. “This shift is enabling precision medicine by making breakthroughs more technologically achievable, commercially viable, and clinically impactful for patients.”

    Learn more:

    About Proscia
    Proscia is a software company accelerating pathology’s transition to a digital, data-driven discipline and enabling AI to advance precision medicine. Its Concentriq enterprise pathology platform, precision medicine AI portfolio, and real-world data fuel the development and use of novel therapies and diagnostics to drive the fight against humanity’s most challenging diseases, like cancer. 16 of the top 20 pharmaceutical companies and a global network of diagnostic laboratories rely on Proscia’s solutions each day. The company has FDA 510(k) clearance and CE-IVDR certification for its diagnostic software. For more information, visit proscia.com, and follow Proscia on LinkedIn and X.

    ________________________________

    1 Lowes, S., & Cropper De Andres, I. (2025, February 13). Cancer waiting times: Latest updates and analysis. Cancer Research UK. ​news.cancerresearchuk.org
    2 NHS England (2017). Digital First: Clinical Transformation Through Pathology Innovation. National Pathology Programme; doi: https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/pathol-dig-first.pdf

    For Proscia
    Sydney Fenkell
    VP, Marketing Communications
    sydney@proscia.com
    215.816.3436

    The MIL Network –

    March 20, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: BOS Announces the Appointment of Osnat Gur as Board Chair and Avi Dadon as Independent Director

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    RISHON LE ZION, Israel, March 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — BOS Better Online Solutions Ltd. (“BOS” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: BOSC), a global integrator of supply chain technologies, today announced the appointment of Osnat Gur, currently an independent director at BOS, as Board Chair, and Avi Dadon, former Head of Procurement for the Israeli Ministry of Defense, as a new independent director.

    Osnat Gur – Board Chair

    Ms. Gur has served on BOS’ Board of Directors since 2021 and brings extensive management experience in B2B marketing, technology, and manufacturing. She previously held key leadership positions, including:

    • CEO of Oz Global B2B, a global B2B marketing agency.
    • CEO of Tadbik TAT, an RFID technology company.
    • CEO of Anlit Ltd., a producer of high-quality children’s dietary supplements.
    • Deputy CEO of Altman Health, a leading provider of dietary supplements.

    In addition to her role at BOS, Ms. Gur serves as a board director in multiple Israeli companies. She holds an M.A. in Organizational Sociology from Tel Aviv University and a B.A. in Behavioral Sciences from Bar-Ilan University.

    Avi Dadon – Independent Director

    Mr. Dadon was the Head of Procurement for the Israeli Ministry of Defense from 2017 to 2023, overseeing procurement and production operations for the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF). He brings extensive expertise in defense procurement, supply chain management, and logistics.

    A retired Colonel with 28 years of military service, Mr. Dadon holds:

    • M.Sc. in Logistics Management from Florida Institute of Technology.
    • B.A. in Economics and Society from Bar-Ilan University.
    • Wexner Senior Leadership Program at Harvard University.
    • Governance and Directors Course at Tel Aviv University.

    “I am grateful for the confidence of my fellow Board members in appointing me as Chair, and I look forward to working closely with BOS’ leadership team to drive growth in revenue and earnings for the benefit of our stockholders,” said Osnat Gur. “Additionally, I am excited to welcome Avi to our Board and look forward to leveraging his decades of experience with the IDF and Ministry of Defense procurement to support BOS’ continued success.”

    About BOS Better Online Solutions Ltd.

    BOS integrates cutting-edge technologies to streamline and enhance supply chain operations across three specialized divisions:

    • Intelligent Robotics Division: Automates industrial and logistics inventory processes through advanced robotics technologies, improving efficiency and precision.
    • RFID Division: Optimizes inventory management with state-of-the-art solutions for marking and tracking, ensuring real-time visibility and control.
    • Supply Chain Division: Integrates franchised components directly into customer products, meeting their evolving needs for developing cutting-edge products.

    Safe Harbor Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

    The forward-looking statements contained herein reflect management’s current views with respect to future events and financial performance. These forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements, all of which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond the control of BOS. These risk factors and uncertainties include, amongst others, the dependency of sales being generated from one or few major customers, the uncertainty of BOS being able to maintain current gross profit margins, inability to keep up or ahead of technology and to succeed in a highly competitive industry, inability to maintain marketing and distribution arrangements and to expand our overseas markets, uncertainty with respect to the prospects of legal claims against BOS, the effect of exchange rate fluctuations, general worldwide economic conditions, the continued availability of financing for working capital purposes and to refinance outstanding indebtedness; and additional risks and uncertainties detailed in BOS’ periodic reports and registration statements filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission.

    In October 2023, Hamas terrorists infiltrated Israel’s southern border from the Gaza Strip and conducted a series of attacks on civilian and military targets. Hamas also launched extensive rocket attacks on Israeli population and industrial centers located along Israel’s border with the Gaza Strip and in other areas within the State of Israel. Following the attack, Israel’s security cabinet declared war against Hamas and a military campaign against these terrorist organizations commenced in parallel to their continued rocket and terror attacks. Moreover, in response to extensive rocket attacks by Hezbollah on Israel, Israel has launched a military campaign in Lebanon. The clash between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon, may escalate in the future into a greater regional conflict. It is currently not possible to predict the duration or severity of the ongoing conflicts or their long term effects on our business, operations and financial conditions. The ongoing conflicts are rapidly evolving and developing, and could disrupt our business and operations, interrupt our sources and availability of supply and hamper our ability to raise additional funds or sell our securities, among others.

    BOS undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect any change in its expectations or in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statements may be based, or that may affect the likelihood that actual results will differ from those set forth in the forward-looking statements.

    The MIL Network –

    March 20, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: Standard Lithium Appoints Karen G. Narwold to the Board of Directors

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    VANCOUVER, British Columbia, March 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Standard Lithium Ltd. (“Standard Lithium” or the “Company”) (TSXV:SLI) (NYSE American:SLI), a leading near-commercial lithium company, is pleased to announce the appointment of Karen G. Narwold, NACD.DC as an independent member of its board of directors.

    Robert Cross, Non-Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors, commented, “The Standard Lithium Board is excited to welcome Karen as an independent director. Karen brings over 30 years of executive leadership experience within the manufacturing and chemicals space, including most recently as Chief Administrative Officer, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary at Albemarle Corporation. Her significant experience in legal, governance, regulatory and government affairs and operational matters will be invaluable as Standard Lithium seeks to develop its world class projects across the Smackover.”

    “Karen is an accomplished senior executive with an impressive breadth of experience that will be a significant addition to Standard’s board,” said David Park, Chief Executive Officer and Director of Standard Lithium. “Her leadership at Albemarle was critical as they transformed into a global leader in lithium production, and we expect her experience will be crucial as Standard Lithium seeks to do the same.”

    Ms. Narwold brings over 30 years of experience leading legal, compliance, external affairs, governance, human resources and corporate development functions for multinational companies. Prior to her service at Albemarle, from which she retired in 2023, Ms. Narwold served as Vice President and Strategic Counsel of Barzel Industries, and as Vice President, General Counsel, Human Resources and Corporate Secretary for GrafTech International. Ms. Narwold currently serves on the Board of Directors for Ingevity Corporation, where she is a member of the Audit Committee and the Chair of the Sustainability & Safety Committee.

    Ms. Narwold is NACD Directorship Certified® and holds a Bachelor of Arts in political science from the University of Connecticut and a Juris Doctor from the University of Connecticut School of Law.

    About Standard Lithium Ltd.

    Standard Lithium is a leading near-commercial lithium development company focused on the sustainable development of a portfolio of large, high-grade lithium-brine properties in the United States. The Company prioritizes projects characterized by the highest quality resources, robust infrastructure, skilled labor, and streamlined permitting. Standard Lithium aims to achieve sustainable, commercial-scale lithium production via the application of a scalable and fully integrated Direct Lithium Extraction (“DLE”) and purification process. The Company’s flagship projects are located in the Smackover Formation, a world-class lithium brine asset, focused in Arkansas and Texas. In partnership with global energy leader Equinor, Standard Lithium is advancing the South West Arkansas project, a greenfield project located in southern Arkansas, and actively exploring promising lithium brine prospects in East Texas. Additionally, the Company is advancing the Phase 1A project in partnership with LANXESS Corporation, a brownfield development project located in southern Arkansas. Standard Lithium also holds an interest in certain mineral leases in the Mojave Desert in San Bernardino County, California.

    Standard Lithium trades on both the TSX Venture Exchange (the “TSXV”) and the NYSE American under the symbol “SLI”. For more information on Standard Lithium, please visit the Company’s website at www.standardlithium.com.

    Investor and Media Inquiries

    Chris Lang
    Standard Lithium Ltd.
    +1 604 409 8154
    investors@standardlithium.com

    Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release may contain certain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and “forward looking information” within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. When used in this news release, the words “anticipate”, “believe”, “estimate”, “expect”, “target, “plan”, “forecast”, “may”, “will”, “schedule” and other similar words or expressions identify forward-looking statements or information. These forward-looking statements or information may relate to intended development timelines, future prices of commodities, accuracy of mineral or resource exploration activity, reserves or resources, outcomes of commercialization, regulatory or government requirements or approvals, the reliability of third party information, continued production of lithium chloride solutions, consistent ongoing lithium recovery quantities, continued access to mineral properties or infrastructure, fluctuations in the market for lithium and its derivatives, changes in exploration costs and government regulation in Canada and the United States, and other factors or information. Such statements represent the Company’s current views with respect to future events and are necessarily based upon a number of assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by the Company, are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, political and social risks, contingencies and uncertainties. Many factors, both known and unknown, could cause results, performance or achievements to be materially different from the results, performance or achievements that are or may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or information. The Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update these forward-looking statements or information to reflect changes in assumptions or changes in circumstances or any other events affecting such statements and information other than as required by applicable laws, rules and regulations.

    The MIL Network –

    March 20, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Global: Trump’s phone call with Putin fails to deliver ceasefire – here’s what could happen next

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Stefan Wolff, Professor of International Security, University of Birmingham

    After more than two hours on the phone on Tuesday, March 17, the US president, Donald Trump, and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, agreed agreed only to confidence-building measures, not a ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia. The two leaders came away from the call having agreed on a limited prisoner exchange, a suspension of attacks on energy infrastructure, and the creation of working groups to explore further steps towards a ceasefire and ultimately a peace agreement.

    A less charitable way of looking at the outcome of the second call between the two presidents since Trump returned to the White House would be that the ball is now back in America’s court. Putin made it crystal clear to Trump that he is not (yet) in the mood for any compromise.

    This is hardly surprising given recent events.

    The US has pressured Ukraine mercilessly into accepting a proposal for a 30-day ceasefire, which Trump hoped Russia would also agree to. But apart from a vague statement by Trump that he might consider sanctions against Russia, he has so far seemed unwilling to contemplate putting any meaningful equivalent pressure on Putin.


    Sign up to receive our weekly World Affairs Briefing newsletter from The Conversation UK. Every Thursday we’ll bring you expert analysis of the big stories in international relations.


    On the ground, Russia has gained the upper hand in the Kursk region where Ukrainian troops have ceded most of the territory they captured after a surprise offensive last summer. Once Putin’s forces, assisted by thousands of North Korean soldiers, have succeeded in driving the Ukrainians out of Russia, Kyiv will have lost its most valuable bargaining chip in negotiations with Moscow.

    Meanwhile, Russia has also made further gains on the frontlines inside Ukraine especially in parts of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia. These are two of the four regions (the other two are Donetsk and Luhansk) that Putin has claimed for Russia in their entirety since sham referendums in September 2022, despite not yet having full control of them.

    If Russia were to capture yet more Ukrainian territory, Putin would probably find it even easier to convince Trump that his demands are reasonable. The fact that Trump already hinted at a “dividing of assets”, including the nuclear power plant at Zaporizhzhia – Europe’s largest before its forced shutdown in September 2022 – is a worrying indication of how far the Russian president has already pushed the envelope.

    Ukraine war: territory occupied by Russia as at March 18 2025.
    Institute for the Study of War

    But a deal solely between Russia and the US is not going to work. In that sense, time is not only on Putin’s side but also on Zelensky’s.

    The Russian readout of the call between the two presidents claimed that they had discussed “the complete cessation of foreign military assistance and the provision of intelligence information to Kyiv” as a key condition for moving forward – something that Trump subsequently denied in an interview with Fox. This means that, for now, Kyiv is likely to continue to receive US aid.

    Europe at the ready

    Perhaps more importantly in the long term, Europe is also doubling down on support for Ukraine. While Trump and Putin were discussing a carve-up of Ukraine over the phone, the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, left no doubt on where the EU stands.

    In a speech at the Royal Danish Military Academy foreshadowing the publication of the commission’s Readiness 2030 white paper on bolstering European defences, she recommitted to developing European “capabilities to have credible deterrence” against a hostile Russia.

    A few hours later, the German parliament passed a multi-billion Euro package that loosens the country’s tight borrowing rules to enable massive investments in defence. This follows announcements of increased defence elsewhere on the continent, including in the UK, Poland, and by the EU itself.

    Meanwhile, the UK and France are leading efforts to assemble a coalition of the willing to help Ukraine. Representatives of the 30-member group gathered in London on March 15 for further talks.

    Afterwards, the UK prime minister, Keir Starmer, released a statement saying that Ukraine’s western partners “will keep increasing the pressure on Russia, keep the military aid flowing to Ukraine and keep tightening the restrictions on Russia’s economy”.

    Undoubtedly, these measures would be more effective if they had Washington’s full buy-in – but they send a strong signal to both the Kremlin and the White House that Ukraine is not alone in its fight against Russia’s continuing aggression.

    Putin’s options

    Putin, meanwhile, may have time on his side in the short term – but he should take note of this. Russian manpower and firepower may dwarf that of Ukraine, but it would be no match for a Ukraine backed by such a coalition of the willing.

    Putin’s apparent plan to drag Trump into the minutiae of negotiating a comprehensive deal may eventually backfire in more ways than one. For a start, really detailed discussions will test the US president’s notoriously short attention span.

    But this will also buy time for Ukraine and its supporters to strengthen Kyiv’s position in future negotiations. And it will continue to strain – but not immediately break – Russia’s economy.

    For now, Trump’s efforts to end the war in Ukraine have stalled. He is attempting to broker a complex ceasefire deal that involves separate agreements with Kyiv and Moscow, pressure on Nato allies, and an attempt to drive a wedge between Russia and China. It’s not clear how this will succeed or indeed where it will end.

    The only certainty is that they are not bringing a just and stable peace for Ukraine any closer.

    Stefan Wolff is a past recipient of grant funding from the Natural Environment Research Council of the UK, the United States Institute of Peace, the Economic and Social Research Council of the UK, the British Academy, the NATO Science for Peace Programme, the EU Framework Programmes 6 and 7 and Horizon 2020, as well as the EU’s Jean Monnet Programme. He is a Trustee and Honorary Treasurer of the Political Studies Association of the UK and a Senior Research Fellow at the Foreign Policy Centre in London.

    Tetyana Malyarenko 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. Trump’s phone call with Putin fails to deliver ceasefire – here’s what could happen next – https://theconversation.com/trumps-phone-call-with-putin-fails-to-deliver-ceasefire-heres-what-could-happen-next-252417

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    March 20, 2025
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