NewzIntel.com

Category: Science

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Government welcomes agreement on protecting penguin populations

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    Wednesday, March 19, 2025

    The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) has welcomed the finalisation of a historic settlement agreement — in the form of a court order — securing critical protections for South Africa’s penguin populations. 

    The landmark agreement — reached between the fishing industry and conservation organisations BirdLife South Africa and the Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB) — establishes island closures to safeguard the critically endangered African Penguin, while supporting sustainable fishing practices.

    “Today marks a triumph for conservation and sustainable development. This court-ordered settlement realises the DFFE’s long-standing commitment to protecting our penguins and biodiversity, while ensuring the fishing industry’s viability. 

    “I am immensely proud of the collaborative spirit that has brought us here, a model for how industry and conservation can work hand in hand for the greater good,” Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Dr Dion George, said on Tuesday.

    The order, issued by the Pretoria High Court on Tuesday, includes the following island closures:

    • Dassen Island: Interim closure as per current permit conditions.
    • Robben Island: A 20km closure, consistent with the Island Closure Experiment.
    • Stony Point: Closure as depicted by the black hatched line in the agreed diagram, applicable to all fishing vessels.
    • Dyer Island: Interim closure as reflected in current permit conditions.
    • St Croix Island: Closure delineated by coordinates (western boundary: 25°45’E; southern boundary: 34°01′ to 25°50’E; southern boundary east: 33°59′ to 25°59’E; eastern boundary to MPA: 25°59’E).
    • Bird Island: A 20km closure radius from the lighthouse, as implemented during the Island Closure Experiment.

    The DFFE said it is committed to overseeing the effective implementation of these closures and will collaborate with stakeholders to monitor their impact on penguin populations. 

    “With this court order, South Africa sets a global standard for environmental stewardship, proving that unity and science-based solutions can secure a thriving future for both nature and livelihoods.

    “We extend our heartfelt thanks to the fishing industry, BirdLife South Africa, SANCCOB, and all involved parties for their dedication to this process,” the department said. –SAnews.gov.za

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI: SINTX Technologies Announces Publication of Study Confirming Superior Performance of Silicon Nitride in Cervical Spine Fusion

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, March 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — SINTX Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: SINT) (“SINTX” or the “Company”), a leader in advanced ceramics for medical device and technical applications, announced today the publication of a new peer-reviewed study demonstrating the biomechanical advantages of silicon nitride in anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) procedures.

    The study, titled Biomechanical Evaluation of Cervical Interbody Fusion Cages for Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion With Variations in Morphology, was conducted by researchers at SRM Institute of Science and Technology in collaboration with SINTX Technologies. Using finite element analysis, the study compared various cage designs and materials used in cervical spine fusion procedures. The results highlight silicon nitride’s superior biomechanical performance, particularly in reducing implant subsidence, improving load distribution, and enhancing spinal stability.

    Key Commercial Findings for Spinal Medical Devices

    The findings of this study complement key conclusions from previous studies of the silicon nitride biomaterial and reinforce the unique advantages of silicon nitride over traditional spinal implant biomaterials like PEEK (polyetheretherketone) and titanium, including:

    • Reduced Cage Subsidence – Silicon nitride exhibited exceptional load-bearing capability, minimizing the risk of implant subsidence, a common complication in spinal fusion surgery.
    • Improved Biomechanical Stability – The study confirmed that silicon nitride interbody fusion cages provide enhanced stress distribution and reduce the risk of adjacent segment degeneration.
    • Superior Osseointegration – Unlike PEEK, which is biologically inert and can induce formation of scar tissue at the implant interface, silicon nitride promotes stronger bone fusion due to its osteoconductive and antimicrobial properties.
    • Enhanced Imaging and Safety – Unlike metal implants, silicon nitride offers radiolucency, enabling better post-surgical imaging and reducing artifacts in MRI and CT scans.

    Implications for the Spinal Implant Market

    “This study provides more compelling evidence of the biomechanical and clinical benefits of silicon nitride for spinal fusion applications,” said Eric Olson, CEO of SINTX Technologies. “As the demand for advanced spinal implants grows, we believe our proprietary silicon nitride biomaterial presents a transformative solution for improving long-term patient outcomes while reducing surgical complications.”

    With global spinal fusion procedures expected to surpass $10 billion annually, the integration of silicon nitride into commercial spinal implant systems represents a significant market opportunity for SINTX. The company continues to engage with strategic partners to drive adoption of silicon nitride-based medical devices, including cervical interbody fusion cages and other orthopedic applications.

    For more information, please visit www.sintx.com

    About SINTX Technologies, Inc.

    Located in Salt Lake City, Utah, SINTX Technologies is an advanced ceramics company that develops and commercializes materials, components, and technologies for medical applications. SINTX is a global leader in the research, development, and manufacturing of silicon nitride, and its products have been implanted in humans since 2008. Over the past several years, SINTX has utilized strategic acquisitions and alliances to enter into new markets. For more information on SINTX Technologies or its materials platform, visit www.sintx.com.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (“PSLRA”) that are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as: “anticipate,” “believe,” “project,” “estimate,” “expect,” “strategy,” “future,” “likely,” “may,” “should,” “will” and similar references to future periods.

    Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date on which they are made and reflect management’s current estimates, projections, expectations and beliefs. Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict and many of which are outside of our control. Our actual results and financial condition may differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause our actual results and financial condition to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements include, among others, difficulty in commercializing ceramic technologies and development of new product opportunities. A discussion of other risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual results and financial condition to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements can be found in SINTX’s Risk Factors disclosure in its Annual Report on Form 10-K, filed with the SEC on March 27, 2024, and in SINTX’s other filings with the SEC. SINTX undertakes no obligation to publicly revise or update the forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that arise after the date of this report, except as required by law.

    Business and Media Inquiries for SINTX:
    SINTX Technologies
    801.839.3502
    IR@sintx.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Is Google Maps brainwashing us? It might be if the theory of ‘extended cognition’ is correct

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Susan Dieleman, Jarislowsky Chair in Trust and Political Leadership and Associate Professor of Philosophy, University of Lethbridge

    Over a billion people use Google Maps to help them navigate their world every month. If you own a smartphone, the odds are better than average you’re one of those people.

    If you’re using Google Maps in the United States, you may have noticed some recent changes to your world. The “Gulf of Mexico” is now the “Gulf of America,” and “Mount Denali” is again “Mount McKinley.” These are both changes instigated by U.S. President Donald Trump.

    Google is reportedly systematically removing resistance to these changes.

    When compared to how common it is for the Google search engine to boost misinformation and fake news, and feed into confirmation bias, changing the name of a body of water might not seem like a big deal. But the philosophical theory of “extended cognition” suggests such changes might not be so innocuous after all.

    Cognitive processes — not all in our heads

    The notion of extended cognition, along with the notion of the extended mind, was presented in a 1998 paper by British philosopher Andy Clark and his Australian colleague, David J. Chalmers.

    They argued that the environment plays an active role in our cognitive processes.

    Take their example of “the use of pen and paper to perform long multiplication” — something that could have been done in the mind is extended, as it were, to the external world. If it had been done in one’s mind, we wouldn’t hesitate to call this a cognitive process.

    The point is — moving this process outside the mind doesn’t change what it is. Rather, as they put it: “Cognitive processes ain’t (all) in the head!”

    They suggest that if the resources of an external tool are always there when we need them, then those resources are, in effect, “part of the basic package of cognitive resources that I bring to bear on the everyday world.”

    Back in 1998, almost decade before the advent of the iPhone, they used the example of a pocket calculator, with a suggestion that it’s unlikely the average person would always have one with them. Imagine, then, how smartphones play an integral role in many of our cognitive processes.

    In fact, as Chalmers pointed out in a later piece, the iPhone he purchased quickly became part of his mind. This is because it replaced part of his memory, harboured some of his desires, facilitated some of his calculations and more.

    In short, we outsource many of our cognitive tasks to our technologies. Our smartphones, in particular, play an important role in keeping track, remembering, calculating and finding our way.

    ‘Attention economy’

    In what’s come to be known as the attention economy, the role of technologies in our cognitive processes is amplified further.

    As Google strategist-turned-philosopher James Williams notes, technologies’ low-level engagement goals include “maximizing the amount of time you spend with their product, keeping you clicking or tapping or scrolling as much as possible, or showing you as many pages or ads as they can.”

    The more time spent on our phones, the more of our attention they demand, and the more integrated they are in our cognitive processes.

    When I’ve taught a unit on technology in Introduction to Philosophy courses in recent years, I’ve instructed students to read this piece by Canadian cognitive science scholar Karina Vold and reflect on their relationships to their phones — something most readily admit they’d never done before.

    As Vold points out, there could be significant legal implications if courts were to accept the theory of extended cognition in a world where smartphone technologies are ubiquitous. They might even include whether and how the law could protect “what and how we think from undue influence.”

    From this perspective, the fact that Google can change maps literally overnight gains new significance.

    If we take the theory of extended cognition seriously, we can understand Google’s changes, like renaming the Gulf of Mexico the Gulf of America, as problematically undermining our autonomy. In a sense, Google is able to get into our cognitive processes and, at will, make changes — to our understanding and memory of how the physical world is structured and navigated — without our consent.

    As a result, such changes fall on the wrong side of the admittedly blurry distinction between persuasion and coercion.

    Persuasion versus coercion

    Traditionally understood, persuasion respects individuals’ autonomy. It requires critical thinking and argumentation, which involve presenting reasons in support of a claim to people, who then use their own cognitive powers to decide whether to adopt or reject those reasons and claims.

    Conversely, coercion is closer to a form of brainwashing. It involves undermining or bypassing a person’s ability to accept or reject an argument. It gets into the cognitive processes themselves, making changes without knowledge or consent.

    In an era when technology companies compete for increasing shares of our attention, and therefore of our cognitive processes, it becomes increasingly difficult, but also urgently important, to be aware of whether we are being persuaded or brainwashed, and what we are being persuaded or brainwashed to believe.

    Though the name of a body of water on a Google Map might not seem like a big deal, it’s at least a reminder to be vigilant.

    Susan Dieleman receives funding as the Jarislowsky Chair in Trust and Political Leadership at the University of Lethbridge.

    – ref. Is Google Maps brainwashing us? It might be if the theory of ‘extended cognition’ is correct – https://theconversation.com/is-google-maps-brainwashing-us-it-might-be-if-the-theory-of-extended-cognition-is-correct-251604

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NSF Project Evaluates Students’ Attitudes Toward Human Rights in Engineering 

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    Every year, more than 2 million tourists flock to the Peruvian Andes town of Cusco, to visit remnants of the Inca Empire and its world-famous citadel, Machu Picchu. Rapid urbanization with this tourism boom however, didn’t develop at the same pace as infrastructure and transportation services. 

    “As a result, low-income residents who live on the outskirts of the city’s center have less access to employment, medical care, education, and social events because they don’t own a private vehicle or their communities lack public transportation,” explains Davis Chacón-Hurtado, an assistant professor jointly appointed in Civil and Environmental Engineering and the Gladstein Family Human Rights Institute. “This is a key barrier for many people to access opportunities and services, resulting in barriers to participation and disparities in access.”

    By using an engineering for human rights-based approach, Chacón-Hurtado and doctoral student Ashley Benítez Ou developed a metric of transport disadvantage and equal access in Cusco’s outer districts. Their goal is to provide data-driven insights so that rural Cusco residents have equal access to essential services. 

    “We as engineers have the potential to either alleviate or intensify societal challenges. Engineering shapes every facet of human life, and with this level of influence comes a profound responsibility.” — Davis Chacón-Hurtado

    “Having the ability to see a doctor or travel to the inner city to work is a human right,” Chacón-Hurtado says. “We as engineers have the potential to either alleviate or intensify societal challenges. Engineering shapes every facet of human life, and with this level of influence comes a profound responsibility.” 

    Chacón-Hurtado is Principal Investigator on a recently awarded National Science Foundation grant, “Measuring Changes in Attitudes Towards Human Rights in Engineering Students,” that explores ways expand students’ awareness of engineering’s societal impact. He and fellow UConn researchers will use the study’s findings to shape human rights curriculum for engineering students. 

    Other members of the research team include Arash Esmaili Zaghi, professor of civil and environmental engineering; Shareen Hertel, Wiktor Osiatyński Chair of Human Rights and professor of political science; and Betsy McCoach, professor of research methods, measurements, and evaluation from the Neag School of Education. Chacón-Hurtado and Hertel also co-direct UConn’s Engineering for Human Rights Initiative, a collaborative venture between UConn’s College of Engineering and the UConn’s Gladstein Family Human Rights Institute. 

    “As students progress through their undergraduate education, their concern for societal well-being tends to diminish,” Chacón-Hurtado says. “The Measuring Changes project proposes that incorporating human rights—particularly principles like indivisibility of rights, accountability, and participation—into the engineering curricula can bridge this gap, fostering a more socially aware generation of engineers.” 

    The Learning Modules  

    Chacón-Hurtado and his team are developing contextualized training modules that will be deployed within current engineering curriculum. The four main modules are aligned with specific learning objectives. They cover foundational concepts of human rights and related ethical paradigms; historical perspectives and connections between engineering and human rights; human rights-based and ethical approaches to engineering practice; and tools used by engineers to assess the impact of human rights and consideration of human rights impacts. The content is based in part on critical observations gleaned during teaching that Chacón-Hurtado carried out jointly with Sandra Sirota, assistant professor in residence in Human Rights and Experiential Global Learning—in particular, from their course on “Engineering for Human Rights” (ENGR/HRTS 2300). The team has the help of a graduate research assistant, Natalie Goncalves, a Master’s student in Human Rights.  

    During the NSF grant period, the research team will integrate the four modules within a controlled comparative research setting, by applying them selectively to student cohorts across two classes: Transportation Engineering and Planning (CE 2710) and Civil Engineering Projects (CE 4900W). Not every student will receive the extra training modules. As part of this quasi-experimental design structure, one group is considered the “treatment” and the other the “control” group.  

    After deploying the modules, the team will survey both groups to measure the effectiveness of the modules by measuring the change in attitudes towards human rights in engineering. They’ll derive psychometric measures from the survey results and use statistical reports to support the quantitative differences.  

    “Our hypothesis is that tailored engineering modules focused on human rights positively influence the attitudes of engineering students towards human rights and the social impact of engineering in society, when compared to a control group of students who do not receive human rights education using a quasi-experimental design,” Zaghi says.  

    Beyond UConn 

    Assistant Professor Davis Chacón-Hurtado, pictured here at an EWB project in Peru, received an NSF grant to study how engineering students perceive human rights in engineering. Findings from this project are relevant to broader human rights education in STEM (contributed photo)

    Once the study is completed, the outcomes and modules will be available freely to both English and Spanish speakers on the Engineering for Human Rights website. 

    “We hope that these dissemination efforts will reach not only engineering educators but also human rights organizations and community-based groups with experience in engaging communities in New England and abroad,” Chacón-Hurtado says. “We hope this will also facilitate research on the development of practical and cross-culturally appropriate tools for education, training, and mentorship tools from diverse contexts and schools in both the U.S. and Global South.”  

    “Human rights are critical enablers of economic development and shared prosperity, promoting progress within the United States and throughout the world – whether in global regions like Cusco, Peru or rural parts of the US,” Chacón-Hurtado says.  

    Ongoing Efforts in Engineering for Human Rights  

    This innovative approach to engineering education is integral to the broader Engineering for Human Rights Initiative at UConn, which applies a human rights framework to diverse engineering challenges—from sanitation to sustainable transportation, and from environmental risk management to economic resilience research. Several students, faculty, and alumni have already completed projects in the discipline: 

    • Faculty are contributing to the UConn Brownfields Program, supporting the remediation of contaminated sites throughout New England.  
    • And alumnus Kevin Musco ’19 (ENG, Human Rights), H’23 JD is using his degree in human rights to objectively assess risk and opportunities in a more wholistic manner. He uses these skills in his current job as an associate attorney at Cohen and Wolf, P.C. in New York City.  

     “The field of human rights offers something for everyone,” Musco says in this past Engineering News article. “For those who currently study the natural or applied sciences, concepts from human rights can be applied to ‘humanize’ subjects which otherwise lack a prominent social aspect.” 

     Additionally, UConn has already gained national recognition for its novel integrative approach to developing the engineering and human curriculum.  

     In November 2024, Chacón-Hurtado and Hertel collaborated with staff of the National Academy of Engineering’s Cultural, Ethical, Social, and Environmental Responsibility in Engineering (CESER) Program and the National Academies’ Committee on Human Rights (CHR) to develop and host a two-day symposium on “Issues at the Intersection of Engineering and Human Rights.” The workshop engaged academic, industry, government and NGO representatives in considering together how engineering solutions could be aligned with human rights principles to address local and global challenges. Chacón-Hurtado, who was integral to the organizing committee, characterized the symposium as “an inspiring event to understand the many ways in which engineering can not only impact human rights but also be enriched by incorporating them at its core.” 

    Recordings of the symposium are available on YouTube.   

     Zaghi believes attitudes toward human rights in engineering should focus on epistemic justice, which means valuing diverse talent, perspectives, and knowledge without forcing any political agendas or ideologies. 
     “Engineering should serve humanity as a whole,” he says. “Engineers need to ensure fairness by including different voices and avoiding biased designs. The focus must remain on technical evidence and practical solutions rather than virtuous narratives. Human rights in engineering are about creating systems that are fundamentally fair, accessible, and enable economic development and shared prosperity. This approach keeps engineering grounded in universal principles and ensures that it benefits everyone.” 

    Read more about human-rights centered engineering at UConn in this recent UConn Today story.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Moscow schoolchildren have begun writing practice papers before the Unified State Exam

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    Moscow schoolchildren have begun to re-write practice papers in the format of the Unified State Exam (USE). More than 71 thousand eleventh-graders will take it this year.

    “Three years ago, a program to prepare for the Unified State Exam was launched in the capital’s schools, which has won the trust of students, parents and teachers. In the first half of the year, eleventh-graders master the program in the main subjects, and in the second, they move on to practical classes, which take up at least 40 percent of the school time. Practice work in the Unified State Exam format is conducted in the subjects that students choose to take. During the year, Moscow schoolchildren can write them twice, now the kids will finally check their knowledge before the exams,” the press service of the capital said.

    Department of Education and Science.

    Eleventh-graders will write practice papers in 11 subjects. They will test their knowledge of both compulsory subjects — Russian language and mathematics (basic or advanced level) — and elective subjects — physics, English, biology, history, chemistry, literature, geography, computer science, and social studies. The practice tests will end on April 19. The schedule was compiled taking into account the subjects chosen by the graduates.

    Training work in the Unified State Exam format has been carried out in Moscow schools since 2022. They are organized by the capital Department of Education and Science. In addition, for graduates who aspire to achieve high exam scores in advanced mathematics, physics, biology, literature and social science, the Center for Pedagogical Excellence offers online courses. They are taught by the best teachers who have trained winners of all-Russian and international Olympiads.

    In preparation for the Unified State Exam, Moscow schoolchildren also use the platform’s capabilities “Moscow Electronic School”. The “Exams” service in the electronic diary contains materials for independent study: video analysis of assignments, tests with automatic checking and interactive applications. In addition, here you can find recommendations on filling out forms, advice on managing your time, emotions and psychological support. Also on the start page of the “MESh” library in the selection “Preparation for the Unified State Exam-2025” schoolchildren have access to video analysis for preparing for the unified city test. Students can save time searching for materials in different sources and prepare for exams more effectively.

    It was previously revealed most popular electives at the Unified State Exam. More than 38 thousand children plan to take the profile level mathematics, more than 25 thousand – social science. 18 thousand graduates chose the Unified State Exam in computer science, 15 thousand – in English. For the first time in several years, physics entered the top five most popular subjects – more than 10 thousand schoolchildren registered for the exam.

    The early exam period will be held from March 21 to April 21, the main period – from May 23 to July 4, and the additional period – from September 4 to 23. See the full schedule andfind out more can be found on the website of the Regional Information Processing Center of Moscow. All questions of interest can be answered by phone: 7 499 653-94-50.

    Moscow graduates show high results in the Unified State Exam. In 2024, Moscow became the only region where a student scored 400 points in four subjects. Another 1,860 people received the maximum score in one subject, 178 in two, and 17 graduates in three subjects.

    Conducting preparatory activities for successfully passing state exams not only helps students achieve high results in tests, but also contributes to the development of their talents, the formation of skills that will be useful in their future profession, and corresponds to the objectives of the project “All the best for children” of the national project “Youth and Children”.

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

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

    https: //vv.mos.ru/nevs/ite/151485073/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Industrial production is a complex system where science is closely intertwined with engineering and management.

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Novosibirsk State University – Novosibirsk State University –

    4th and 5th year students Faculty of Natural Sciences of NSU Danila Anikyev and Serafim Tishchenko successfully completed an internship at the BratskKhimSintez plant. This is an enterprise that produces active pharmaceutical substances (APS) – the main component of a drug, with which its medicinal properties are associated. They are necessary for the production of drugs used in the treatment of socially significant diseases, such as tuberculosis, HIV, hepatitis and oncology. Today, the plant’s capacity is 120 tons of APS per year.

    The plant actively accepts students for practical training and internships, providing them with the opportunity to become familiar with technological processes, modern equipment and real tasks of the chemical and pharmaceutical industry.

    — My interest in pharmaceuticals and drug development was formed during my studies. It is important for me that science has practical application, and an internship at R

    The guys learned about the internship from the faculty’s Telegram channel, where a career meeting with the head of R was announced.

    During the internship, the students had the opportunity to work in two research groups, where they were engaged in optimizing the synthesis of pharmaceutical substances and scaling it up. Every week, the students and their supervisors analyzed the results, adjusted the tasks, and planned the next steps. The students saw how even small improvements at each stage — from the choice of reagents and solvents to reducing the reaction time — directly affect the reduction of the product cost, which is critical for the industry.

    — The main discovery for me was the specifics of working with industrial volumes. Before the internship, my experience at NSU and the SB RAS Institute of Organic Chemistry was limited to laboratory scales — I worked with reactions hundreds of times smaller than in production. Here I learned how to adjust the synthesis parameters when scaling: for example, control heat release in reactors or select the mixing speed for large volumes. This is a completely different level of complexity, where even a minor error can lead to serious consequences. In addition, I saw how the logistics of processes are structured: from planning stages to synchronizing the work of teams. Now I understand that industrial production is not just an “enlarged flask”, but a complex system where science is closely intertwined with engineering and management, — Danila shared.

    Such experience not only broadens professional horizons, but also allows students to feel like part of a large industry, where the quality and effectiveness of future drugs depend on their knowledge and skills. Real work in laboratories, interaction with experts and familiarization with previous technologies helped the internship participants better understand what role they can play in the development of the pharmaceutical industry.

    “It was very interesting and useful. Moreover, I am sure that it will definitely be useful to me in the future,” shared his emotions Serafim Tishchenko, a 5th-year student of the Faculty of Natural Sciences of NSU, specializing in Fundamental and Applied Chemistry.

    — The emotions were extremely positive. I learned from my own experience how important my studies at NSU and my internship at the NIOC SB RAS were: they gave me both the theoretical basis and the skills that were immediately useful during the internship. It was nice when the managers noted this — I felt that I was moving in the right direction. And I also clearly understood that I wanted to develop in this area: when you see how your calculations or ideas help optimize the process and reduce costs, you want to take on more complex tasks. This is not just a job — it is an opportunity to create something truly significant, — concluded Danila Anikyev.

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Master classes, lectures, professional testing: the forum of capital colleges has begun in Moscow

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    A large-scale college forum has begun in the capital. On March 19–21, schoolchildren and their parents will be able to get acquainted with the capital’s colleges at Gostiny Dvor, take part in master classes on more than 140 in-demand professions, undergo professional testing, and meet with famous speakers and artists. This was reported by Anastasia Rakova, Deputy Mayor of Moscow for Social Development.

    “In recent years, the labor market has seen a huge demand for specialists with secondary vocational education (SVE). In turn, colleges are increasingly becoming a choice for further career paths for schoolchildren. In order to maintain the interest of children and give them the opportunity to get acquainted with the wide opportunities that SVE now offers, today we opened a three-day forum of capital colleges in Gostiny Dvor. 48 educational organizations will take part in it. Here, every schoolchild will be able to practically assess their predisposition to a particular direction, literally “touch” the specialty and feel which professions may be interesting to them,” noted Anastasia Rakova.

    She added that a separate program has been prepared for parents, for whom this period is also difficult. They will meet with experts in the field of psychology and adolescent personality development. Parents will be able to talk to college representatives and ask all the questions they have about admission and the children’s further adaptation.

    In the morning and afternoon hours, the forum will be available only for organized visits by Moscow schoolchildren, and from 17:30 – for everyone.

    On March 19, doctor, journalist and TV presenter Sergei Malozemov will tell how to stick to a healthy diet and stay active while studying. At a lecture by communications trainer and digital etiquette expert Keti Sapovich, you can learn about the basics of eco-friendly communication, and at a speech by figure skater and TV presenter Evgenia Medvedeva, you can learn how to properly use the opportunities of a metropolis in your profession.

    As part of the evening program, psychologist Anetta Orlova will share advice on how to cope with stress during exams, and Konstantin Sidorkov, director of work with artists at a major IT company, will talk about how secondary vocational education helps people get jobs in successful Russian companies.

    On March 20, three-time Olympic champion Maria Kiseleva will share the secrets of achieving goals, and blogger Alexander Ivanov will talk about the demand for scientific specialties. In the evening, there will be an awards ceremony for the winners of the first Moscow college film festival “Profession in the frame”, as well as a lecture by the creative director of the design company Alisa Bokha.

    On March 21, Doctor of Biological Sciences Vyacheslav Dubynin will talk about the effective work of the brain under stress, and Seda Kasparov’s voice coach will talk about the secrets of successful communication. Somnologist Roman Buzunov will give the children advice on how to properly rest under intense study conditions.

    Each day, the lecture hall will close with a concert program. In addition, more than 120 master classes will be held within the forum. Using virtual reality technologies, schoolchildren will try themselves in the role of racers and drone pilots, master the skills of 3D modeling and additive technologies, and get acquainted with advanced welding and robotics techniques. They will be able to learn the basics of programming and auto mechanics, as well as reveal their potential in the field of beauty, floristry and medicine.

    Detailed information about the in-demand professions and specialties taught in the capital’s colleges is available in the section“Colleges” on the portal“School. Moscow”, in the telegram channel“Colleges of Moscow” And community of the same name on the social network VKontakte.

    Most Moscow college students start working while still studyingSobyanin approved priorities for the development of the Moscow education system

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

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

    https: //vv.mos.ru/nevs/ite/151488073/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Government engages services of National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences to enhance Psycho-Social Support for Distressed Women

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Government engages services of National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences to enhance Psycho-Social Support for Distressed Women

    Govt launches ‘Mission Shakti Portal’ to empower women, enhance accessibility to services and to build capacity of functionaries and duty holders under various scheme and legislations

    Posted On: 19 MAR 2025 3:57PM by PIB Delhi

    The Protection of Women From Domestic Violence Act (PWDVA), 2005 has been enacted keeping in view the rights guaranteed under Article 14, 15 and 21 of the Constitution of India to provide for a remedy under the civil law which is intended to protect the women from being victims of domestic violence and to prevent the occurrence of domestic violence in the society.

    In India domestic violence is governed by the Protection of Women From Domestic Violence Act (PWDVA), 2005 and it is defined under Section 3, which states that any act, omission or commission or conduct of a person harms or injures or endangers the health or safety of a women, whether mentally or physically, it amounts to domestic violence. It further includes any harm, harassment or injury caused to any women or any person related to her to meet any unlawful demand would also amount to domestic violence.

    The said Act covers those women who are or has been in a relationship with any person, where both parties have lived together in a shared household and are related by consanguinity, marriage or through a relationship in the nature of marriage or adoption.

    The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) compiles and publishes data on crimes, including crimes against women, in its publication titled “Crime in India,” which is available on the NCRB’s official website (https://ncrb.gov.in). This report is available up to the year 2022. As per the data of NCRB, the number of cases registered under the PWDVA, was 507 in 2021 and 468 in 2022.

    The latest report of National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5 ), provides data for the period 2019-2021, which reveals that the percentage of ever-married women aged 18-49 years who have ever experienced spousal violence (physical and/ or sexual violence) has reduced to 29.3% as compared to 31.2% reported in NFHS-4 for the period 2015-2016.

    “Police‟ and “Public Order‟ are State subjects under the Seventh Schedule to the Constitution of India. The responsibility to maintain law and order, protection of life and property of the citizens including investigation and prosecution in crimes against women and children rests primarily with the respective State Governments and they are competent to deal with it. Section 8 of the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act (PWDVA), 2005 mandates the States/ UTs to appoint such number of Protection Officers in each district as it may consider necessary and also to notify the area or areas within which a Protection Officer shall exercise the powers and perform the duties conferred. It is the duty of the Protection Officer to report the cases of domestic violence to the Magistrate upon receipt of complaints and to assist the Magistrate in the discharge of his functions. However, conviction of an accused person is done by the competent court after careful consideration of factual positions, evidence and all related legal aspects as per the provisions of law. The PWDVA provides to women remedies such as protection order, residence order etc. under it.

    Nevertheless, the Central Government gives highest priority to ensuring safety and security of women and has undertaken various legislative and schematic interventions in this regard. These include legislations such as “Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita“, “Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita“, “The Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005‟, “The Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961‟ etc. Besides these legal provisions there are multiple schemes and projects implemented by the Government which include One Stop Centres (OSCs); Universalisation of Women Helplines (WHL), Emergency Response Support System (ERSS) which is a pan-India single number (112)/ mobile app based system for emergencies; capacity building in community through awareness programmes, setting up/ strengthening of Women Help Desks (WHDs) at Police Stations etc.

    One Stop Centre (OSC) component of Mission Shakti Umbrella Scheme, which is fully funded by the central government is implemented across the country since 1st April, 2015. It provides integrated support and assistance under one roof to women affected by violence and those in distress, both in private and public spaces. It also provides an integrated range of services including medical aid, legal aid and advice, temporary shelter, police assistance, psycho-social counselling to needy women. 802 OSCs are operational across the country and over 10.80 lakh women have been assisted upto 31st January, 2025.

    To ensure that the Police Stations are more women friendly and approachable, as they would be the first and single point of contact for any woman walking into a police station, 14,658 Women Help Desks (WHDs) have been set up, of which 13,743 are headed by women police officers. To provide help and support to needy women and women in distress, Emergency Response Support System (ERSS-112) has been established in all 36 States and UTs for various emergencies, with computer aided dispatch of field/ police resources. Since its launch, over 43 crore calls have been handled so far. In addition to ERSS, a fully functional dedicated Women helpline (WHL-181) is operational in 35 States/ UTs except West Bengal. The WHL has also been integrated with ERSS. So far, Women Helplines have handled over 2.10 crore calls and assisted over 84.43 lakh women.

    A National dashboard has been developed by the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) for monitoring calls across all States/UTs implementing the Women Helpline. This dashboard enables real-time monitoring of calls received and women assisted. Through this system, the Central Government is able to maintain centralized data on violence faced by women across India, categorized by types of cases, including instances of domestic violence.

    Recognizing the need for psycho-social counseling to women affected by violence and those in distress, the Ministry of Women and Child Development has engaged the services of National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS) for providing basic and advanced training under the project named “Stree Manoraksha‟ to the staff of One Stop Centres (OSCs) across the country on handling psycho-social and mental health care needs to support to such women. The Ministry also undertakes awareness exercise for safety and security of women and children from time to time. Further, the Government, through institutions like the National Commission for Women (NCW) have been spreading awareness through seminars, workshops, audio- visual, print and electronic media etc. to sensitize the people about the safety and security of women and children and also about various provisions of law. In addition, Ministry of Women and Child Development and Ministry of Home Affairs have issued advisories to States/ UTs from time to time on various issues pertaining to safety and security of women and children.

    Under Nirbhaya Fund, Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D) has also undertaken several initiatives, which, inter-alia include training and skill development programs for Investigation Officers, Prosecution Officers and Medical Officers. BPR&D has also prepared Standard Operating Procedures (SoPs) for “Women Help Desk at Police Stations‟ to ensure their smooth functioning by focusing on four critical components, viz. infrastructure, training, human resource development and response mechanism. A book titled “Women’s Safety and Security- a Handbook for First Responders and Investigators in the Police‟ has also been prepared for the purpose of prevention and investigation of crime against women with specific reference to the crime of sexual assault, which includes investigation, victim compensation and rehabilitation. Emphasis has been laid upon inculcating appropriate behavioural and attitudinal skills in the police force for prevention and detection of crimes against women and children and for proper interaction with the victims of crime. Webinars on women safety with sensitivity, gender sensitization of police personnel etc. have also been organized by BPR&D.

    The Ministry has launched the ‘Mission Shakti Portal’ with all functional features on January 22, 2025. This portal aims to enhance accessibility of various government services for women, establish quality mechanisms for rescue, protection, and rehabilitation, and build the capacity of functionaries and duty holders under various schemes and legislations.

    This information was given by the Minister of State for Women and Child Development Smt. Savitri Thakur in Rajya Sabha in reply to a question today.

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Redefining energy storage with photo-assisted, self-charging energy storage devices

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Posted On: 19 MAR 2025 4:14PM by PIB Delhi

    Researchers have unveiled a novel air-chargeable battery for a sustainable power solution. This technology traps the oxygen from the environment to drive the charging process for energy storage and is a step towards a carbon-neutral future.

    In a world racing toward renewable energy solutions, a photo-assisted battery offers great promise as they combine the best of two worlds– the light-capturing capability of solar cells and the robust energy storage of conventional batteries. Generally, solar panels convert sunlight into electricity, but they rely on separate battery systems to store the energy for later use. In contrast, photo-assisted batteries merge these functions into a single device, creating a seamless synergy between solar energy conversion and storage.

    Photo-assisted batteries enhance the capacity of the batteries in the presence of light. However, it needs an external power supply to charge the battery.  To overcome this limitation, there is an urgent requirement to develop energy storage devices with self-rechargeability.

    Recent research has explored the “air-assisted self-charging” concept of aqueous ZIBs, aiming to utilize oxygen from the air to replenish the charge of the battery.

    Researchers from the Centre for Nano and Soft Matter Sciences (CeNS), an autonomous institution under the Department of Science and Technology (DST) in Bengaluru, India, have developed a photo-assisted self-chargeable energy storage device that enhances the charge storage capacity in the presence of light. It can charge by its own in the presence of oxygen from the atmosphere.

    A team led by Dr. Ashutosh Kumar Singh presented their study on these smart energy storage devices, titled “Photo-assisted self-chargeable aqueous Zn-ion energy storage device.” This work published in the Chemical Engineering Journal explores the integration of photo-assisted and self-chargeable features into zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs), utilizing vanadium oxide (VO2) and tungsten trioxide (WO3) as the primary cathode material.

    This work introduces a novel approach utilizing VO2 as an active material, blended with WO3 as a charge-separating layer, to design a photoelectrode for air-photo-assisted self-charged zinc ion energy storage. In addition, this work reports the utilization of WO3 as a charge-separating layer in photo-assisted self-chargeable energy storage device for the first-time. The device shows a significant increment in the charge storage capacity (170%) at a constant current density of 0.02 mA/cm2. Additionally, the VO2 layer works as an air cathode electrode that can help air-assisted self-charging. It demonstrates an open circuit potential (OCP) of 1 V. This shows the superiority of photo-assisted self-charged energy storage performance.

    The findings pave the way for integrating these devices into self-reliable electronics, potentially powered by renewable energy sources. This marks a major step forward in the pursuit of sustainable energy solutions and demostrates the practical utility of energy storage devices in modern technology.

     

    Figure: Schematic representation of the combination of photo-assisted (left) and air-assisted (right) energy storage devices. Schematic configuration of the device (left), a visual representation of the device in a charged state and which is powering an LCD device (right).

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: PALIAMENT QUESTION: INCLINATION OF GIRLS TOWARDS SCIENCE

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Posted On: 19 MAR 2025 4:13PM by PIB Delhi

    The Department of Science and Technology (DST) is implementing Vigyan Jyoti programme to encourage meritorious girls to pursue higher education and careers in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields since 2019-20. The program aims to promote gender parity in STEM by sustaining the talent pool in science and technology through various year-round activities like hands-on experiential learning sessions, interactions with scientific role models, visits to R&D and industrial labs, career guidance workshops and student-parent counselling sessions that provide exposure to increase the interest and inclination of girls towards science. Since its inception, Vigyan Jyoti programme has benefitted over 80,000 high-achieving girls from 300 districts across 35 States/UTs. To strengthen its impact, the Department of Science and Technology (DST) has engaged with over 250 premiers national institutions, including universities, science and technology institutes, CSIR labs, and other reputed organizations, which serve as knowledge partners, contributing significantly to the program’s mission of fostering more girls participation in STEM.

    The details of girl students encouraged to pursue science during the last three years, state-wise is given below:

     

    State/UTs

    2022-23

    2023-24

    2024-25

    Total

    Andaman and Nicobar

    100

    100

    115

    315

    Andhra Pradesh

    692

    880

    889

    2461

    Arunachal Pradesh

    277

    233

    347

    857

    Assam

    925

    970

    1276

    3171

    Bihar

    694

    912

    1243

    2849

    Chandigarh

    100

    100

    103

    303

    Chhattisgarh

    739

    1066

    1397

    3202

    Dadar, Nagar Haveli, Daman & Diu

    200

    200

    188

    588

    Delhi

    197

    195

    200

    592

    Goa

    93

    98

    100

    291

    Gujarat

    785

    1703

    1567

    4055

    Haryana

    583

    891

    1580

    3054

    Himachal Pradesh

    711

    856

    972

    2539

    Jammu and Kashmir

    366

    589

    939

    1894

    Jharkhand

    713

    1017

    1265

    2995

    Karnataka

    846

    1030

    1278

    3154

    Kerala

    686

    810

    975

    2471

    Ladakh

    88

    99

    200

    387

    Madhya Pradesh

    961

    1273

    1385

    3619

    Maharashtra

    1001

    1496

    1709

    4206

    Manipur

    291

    289

    463

    1043

    Meghalaya

    222

    300

    394

    916

    Mizoram

    47

    90

    87

    224

    Nagaland

    82

    104

    97

    283

    Odisha

    776

    1082

    1280

    3138

    Puducherry

    341

    399

    396

    1136

    Punjab

    653

    1091

    1480

    3224

    Rajasthan

    920

    1263

    1712

    3895

    Sikkim

    199

    167

    187

    553

    Telangana

    491

    745

    771

    2007

    Tripura

    213

    233

    299

    745

    Uttarakhand

    664

    861

    900

    2425

    Uttar Pradesh

    1285

    1502

    2566

    5353

    West Bengal

    925

    998

    1083

    3006

     

    This information was given by Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology, Earth Sciences, MoS PMO, Department of Atomic Energy, Department of Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.

     

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  • MIL-OSI USA: Welcome Home! NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 Back on Earth After Science Mission

    Source: NASA

    NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 completed the agency’s ninth commercial crew rotation mission to the International Space Station on Tuesday, splashing down safely in a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft off the coast of Tallahassee, Florida, in the Gulf of America.
    NASA astronauts Nick Hague, Suni Williams, and Butch Wilmore, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, returned to Earth at 5:57 p.m. EDT. Teams aboard SpaceX recovery vessels retrieved the spacecraft and its crew. After returning to shore, the crew will fly to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston and reunite with their families.
    “We are thrilled to have Suni, Butch, Nick, and Aleksandr home after their months-long mission conducting vital science, technology demonstrations, and maintenance aboard the International Space Station,” said NASA acting Administrator Janet Petro. “Per President Trump’s direction, NASA and SpaceX worked diligently to pull the schedule a month earlier. This international crew and our teams on the ground embraced the Trump Administration’s challenge of an updated, and somewhat unique, mission plan, to bring our crew home. Through preparation, ingenuity, and dedication, we achieve great things together for the benefit of humanity, pushing the boundaries of what is possible from low Earth orbit to the Moon and Mars.”
    Hague and Gorbunov lifted off at 1:17 p.m. Sept. 28, 2024, on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The next day, they docked to the forward-facing port of the station’s Harmony module. Williams and Wilmore launched aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft and United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket on June 5, 2024, from Space Launch Complex 41 as part of the agency’s Boeing Crew Flight Test. The duo arrived at the space station on June 6. In August, NASA announced the uncrewed return of Starliner to Earth and integrated Wilmore and Williams as part of the space station’s Expedition 71/72 for a return on Crew-9. The crew of four undocked at 1:05 a.m. Tuesday to begin the trip home.
    Williams and Wilmore traveled 121,347,491 miles during their mission, spent 286 days in space, and completed 4,576 orbits around Earth. Hague and Gorbunov traveled 72,553,920 miles during their mission, spent 171 days in space, and completed 2,736 orbits around Earth. The Crew-9 mission was the first spaceflight for Gorbunov. Hague has logged 374 days in space over his two missions, Williams has logged 608 days in space over her three flights, and Wilmore has logged 464 days in space over his three flights.
    Throughout its mission, Crew-9 contributed to a host of science and maintenance activities and technology demonstrations. Williams conducted two spacewalks, joined by Wilmore for one and Hague for another, removing a radio frequency group antenna assembly from the station’s truss, collecting samples from the station’s external surface for analysis, installing patches to cover damaged areas of light filters on an X-ray telescope, and more. Williams now holds the record for total spacewalking time by a female astronaut, with 62 hours and 6 minutes outside of station, and is fourth on the all-time spacewalk duration list.
    The American crew members conducted more than 150 unique scientific experiments and technology demonstrations between them, with over 900 hours of research. This research included investigations on plant growth and quality, as well as the potential of stem cell technology to address blood diseases, autoimmune disorders, and cancers. They also tested lighting systems to help astronauts maintain circadian rhythms, loaded the first wooden satellite for deployment, and took samples from the space station’s exterior to study whether microorganisms can survive in space.
    The Crew-9 mission was the fourth flight of the Dragon spacecraft named Freedom. It also previously supported NASA’s SpaceX Crew-4, Axiom Mission 2, and Axiom Mission 3. The spacecraft will return to Florida for inspection and processing at SpaceX’s refurbishing facility at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, where teams will inspect the Dragon, analyze data on its performance, and begin processing for its next flight.
    The Crew-9 flight is part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, and its return to Earth follows on the heels of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-10 launch, which docked to the station on March 16, beginning another long-duration science expedition.
    The goal of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program is safe, reliable, and cost-effective transportation to and from the space station and low Earth orbit. The program provides additional research time and has increased opportunities for discovery aboard humanity’s microgravity testbed for exploration, including helping NASA prepare for human exploration of the Moon and Mars.
    Learn more about NASA’s Commercial Crew Program at:
    https://www.nasa.gov/commercialcrew
    -end-
    Amber Jacobson / Joshua FinchHeadquarters, Washington202-358-1100amber.c.jacobson@nasa.gov / joshua.a.finch@nasa.gov
    Kenna Pell / Sandra JonesJohnson Space Center, Houston281-483-5111kenna.m.pell@nasa.gov / sandra.p.jones@nasa.gov
    Steve Siceloff / Stephanie PlucinskyKennedy Space Center, Florida321-867-2468steven.p.siceloff@nasa.gov / stephanie.n.plucinsky@nasa.gov

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: PALIAMENT QUESTION: RESEARCH AND INNOVATION IN S &T

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Posted On: 19 MAR 2025 4:12PM by PIB Delhi

    The Research and Development (R&D) measures increased the exposure of the students in academic institutions to real-world problems and created opportunities for working on the state-of-the-art R&D infrastructure created in the Country. These measures cultivated critical thinking and innovation skills, bridged the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical applications and helped in building a very strong academia-industry ecosystem wherein research lead to technology transfer. R&D in academic institutions thus increased the exposure of students beyond the confines of traditional education and propelled them to the forefront of global competitiveness, positioning them for cutting-edge research, interdisciplinary collaboration, intellectual contributions and preparing them for the demands of a knowledge-driven society.

    The impact of R&D measures taken by the Government in increasing exposure of students in academic institutions is given below:

    The total Ph.D. enrolment in India has increased to 81.2% in 2021-2022 (2.13 lakh) from 2015-2016 (1.17 lakh). In 2021-22, female enrolment in PhD programs in India doubled to 99,000 (0.99 lakh) from 48,000 (0.48 lakh) in 2014-15, representing a significant increase in women’s participation in higher education, especially at the PhD level. In the year 2021-22, Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in higher education for the age group 18-23 years is estimated as 28.4, as compared to 23.7 in 2014-15. Female GER has increased to 28.5 in 2021-22 from 22.9 in 2014-15. Of the total enrolment in 2021-22, the number of Student enrolment in STEM for UG, PG, Ph.D. and M.Phil. levels is 98,49,488 (25.6%).

    The details of various measures taken by the Government to collaborate with academic institutions to foster research and innovation in science and technology, thereby increasing exposure of students in academic institutions to Research and Development is given in Annexure – I.

     

    ANNEXURE – I

    1. Department of Biotechnology (DBT)

    (a) Fellowship Programmes: DBT has taken significant steps to collaborate with academic institutions to foster research and innovation in science and technology. The Department has established several fellowship programs and initiatives that enhance collaboration between researchers and academic institutions. The DBT – Junior Research Fellowship Programme, DBT-RA Program in Biotechnology and Life Sciences, Ramalingaswami Re-entry Fellowship, Biotechnology Career Advancement and Re-orientation (BioCARe) Fellowship, and M K Bhan Fellowship programs represent significant initiatives by the Department to foster collaboration with academic institutions. These programs enhance exposure to research environments by creating pathways for researchers to engage with academic institutions, establish research groups, mentor students, and contribute to India’s scientific advancement.

    (b) R&D Infrastructure: DBT has been supporting the development of research infrastructure at universities and research institutes across the country under Research Resource, Service Facility and Platform (abbreviated as RRSFP) Programme through the following components

    • DBT- Boost to University Interdisciplinary Life Science Departments for Education and Research Programme (DBT-BUILDER) which focuses on upgrading the post-graduate teaching and training laboratories by enabling interdisciplinary advanced research and teaching capacity emphasizing discovery and innovation in proposed research areas, addressing emerging technologies with inter-disciplinary cross talk. In the DBT-BUILDER programme a total of 45 Universities and Institutes were supported, comprising 9 Central University, 14 State University, and 22 Private Universities or Postgraduate Colleges. Across these institutions, 177 departments received support, with 34 in central universities, 56 in state universities, and 87 in private institutions.
    • DBT – Scientific Infrastructure Access for Harnessing Academia University Research Joint Collaboration (DBT-SAHAJ) aims at creating “national” service facility/research resource/platform to provide access to resources that could not be provided by any single researcher’s laboratory or scientific department. The Unified Online Booking Portal under the DBT-SAHAJ lists available equipment, user charges, and availability, allowing users to book facilities in advance.

    (c) Star College Programme: The Star College Programme was initiated by DBT in 2008 to support colleges and universities offering undergraduate education to improve science teaching across the country. This Programme was launched for improving critical thinking and encouraging ‘hands on’ experimental science at undergraduate level in basic science subjects. On a larger perspective, the programme was initiated envisioning that it shall encourage more students to take up higher education in science. Through this programme the Department identifies colleges with potential for excellence and provides support for developing infrastructure for academics and laboratory activities. This support is in turn expected to invigorate teaching and provide unique exposure of students to experimental science.

    (d) DBT-BIRAC Amrit Team Grant: is a new program of Department of Biotechnology (DBT) to support new and innovative collaborative research programs involving academia, the clinic and start-ups.

     

    2. Department of Scientific & Industrial Research (DSIR)

     

    1. and Postdoctoral fellowships: The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) under the Department of Scientific & Industrial Research (DSIR), Ministry of Science and Technology through its “Capacity Building and Human Resource Development Scheme” carried out by National S&T Human Resource Development Group (HRDG) has been providing doctoral and postdoctoral fellowships to young budding researchers through its various fellowship programmes. These young researchers are basically involved in science and technology development. The main objective of the programme is to nurture the budding scientific talent and to nourish the objective of pursuit of scientific research. The CSIR supported research fellows are working in more than 650 academic and R&D institutions. Apart from doctoral and postdoctoral fellowships, CSIR provides financial assistance to academic and R&D institution to carry out basic and applied research in the frontier and emerging areas of science and technology. These research projects of CSIR awarded to academic and R&D institutions are also a source of S&T human resource development as the principal investigators of these research projects are a guiding force and train young researchers in recent trends of science and technology research. These researchers contribute in the scientific publications, patents, technology, processes and overall development of S&T in the country. It is an established fact that the number of research articles published from an academic institute are proportional to the number of research scholars. This is the pool of young researchers being utilised by universities and R&D institutions for their research and development work/activities and is a precious S&T asset of the country. The research activities such as doctoral and postdoctoral fellowships and research grants are contributing in the scientific development of the country as India has attained 3rd position in terms of publishing the Science and Engineering research articles, contributed in increase in researchers per million populations from India which has now reached to 260 in 2020 compared to 215 in 2015.

     

    3. Department of Science and Technology (DST)

     

    DST is making several efforts through its various schemes and programmes to collaborate with academic institutions to foster research and innovation in science and technology, thereby increasing exposure of students in academic institutions to Research and Development. Details of significant initiatives are given below.

     

    (a) Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspired Research (INSPIRE): The Scheme aims at attracting young talent toward pursuing research as a career by leveraging the existing educational structure for talent identification, without conducting any competitive exams. Covering meritorious youth from school to university levels, the scheme supports those interested in studying science and choosing scientific research as a career. It facilitates human capacity building through scholarships, fellowships, and research exposure, enabling students to develop their skills and pursue opportunities in scientific research. The Scheme has the following components to create a robust ecosystem for cultivating future leaders in scientific research:

    • INSPIRE Internship: Provides exposure to the top 1% of students at the Class X Board level by organizing Science Camps during summer or winter. These camps allow students to interact with renowned scientists, including Nobel Laureates, fostering curiosity and inspiring them to pursue science at an early age (16-17 years).
    • Scholarship for Higher Education (SHE): Offers 12,000 scholarships annually to meritorious students aged 17-22 years, encouraging them to study basic and natural sciences at the undergraduate level with additional scholarship and mentorship support.
    • INSPIRE Fellowship: Awards 1,000 fellowships annually to students aged 22-27 years for pursuing Ph.D. in basic and applied sciences, including engineering, medicine, agriculture, and veterinary sciences.
    • INSPIRE Faculty Fellowship: Provides 100 fellowships annually to young researchers aged 27-32 years with a Ph.D. qualification, offering them the opportunity to carry out research in both basic and applied science areas for a duration of 5 years, helping them establish themselves as independent researchers.

     

    (b) Fund for Improvement of S&T Infrastructure (FIST): The Schemes supports basic infrastructure and enabling facilities for promoting R&D activities in new and emerging areas and attracting fresh talents in universities & other educational institutions. It is considered as complimentary support for enabling Departments/ Centres/ Schools/ Colleges to pursue research activities more effectively and efficiently It was launched in 2000 under the Department of Science & Technology (DST). The duration of support for each FIST Project will be 5 years and will have 4 levels – Level-0, Level-1, Level-2, and Level-3. The programme has played a crucial role in fostering academic and research growth by providing financial support to a vast network of 3072 departments and PG colleges with an allocated budget of approximately Rs 3130.82 crores. This consistent support has significantly contributed to the advancement of scientific and technological endeavours across various universities and colleges, fuelling innovation and progress in India’s educational landscape.

     

    (c) Sophisticated Analytical and Technical Help Institutes (SATHI) Centres: These Centres organizes training program for researchers, MSME and start-ups for sensitization and utilization of high-end equipment and provides appropriate level platform for networking and to explore possibilities for collaborative research and sharing of data, among the participants.

     

    (d) Promotion of University Research and Scientific Excellence” (PURSE): The Scheme aims to bolster the Research and Development (R&D) foundation of universities nationwide. The primary objective is to enhance the research capabilities of Indian universities, fostering a robust research ecosystem and strengthening their R&D bases.

     

    (e) Women in Science and Engineering-KIRAN (WISE-KIRAN): ensures the participation of women in the field of Science and Technology (S&T) through various gender-enabling programmes. The various components of the Scheme for improving the exposure of women to Research and Development are given below.

    • The WISE Fellowship Programme aims to provide support to women who want to pursue a Ph.D and Post Doctorate
    • Women’s Instinct for Developing and Ushering in Scientific Heights & Innovations (WIDUSHI): WIDUSHI Programme aims to encourage and support senior women scientists to conduct research in interdisciplinary areas of Science & Technology
    • WISE Internship in Intellectual Property Rights (WISE-IPR) – WISE-IPR programme provides one-year training to women in the area of Intellectual Property Rights in order to develop a core professional skill in this domain
    • Women International Grant Support (WINGS): WINGS Programme provides opportunities to Indian Women scientists to undertake research in the International research labs and academic institutions
    • Consolidation of University Research for Innovation and Excellence (CURIE): CURIE Programme provides support to women institutions for establishing State-of-the art research infrastructure to enhance research facilities and improving R&D activities in order to create excellence in Science & Technology (S&T) domain
    • VigyanJyoti programme aims to encourage girls to pursue higher education and career in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) especially in the areas where women participation is low in order to balance gender ratio across the streams

     

    (f) The Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF), erstwhile Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB) provides a wide range of fellowship which had increased the exposure of students to foster research and innovation in science and technology.

     

    4. Department of Higher Education:

     

    (a) The Prime Minister’s Research Fellowship (PMRF) Scheme: PMRF was introduced in 2018, with the objective to attract top talent to doctoral research in India, particularly in Science and Technology, by offering attractive fellowships at institutions like IITs, IISc, and IISERs. The PMRF scheme aims to improve the quality of research in higher educational institutions and foster innovation. The scheme is offered at all IITs, IISERs, Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bangalore, and some top Central Universities/NITs that offer science and/or technology degrees. The fellowship covers a research grant of Rs. 2 lakhs per year (up to Rs. 10 lakhs for five years). A new version of the PMRF scheme, PMRF 2.0, was announced in the current budget with the introduction of 10,000 fellowships over the next 5 years to boost R&D and provide enhanced PhD fellowships. Industry participation in the PMRF program is explored through CSR funding or otherwise to enable industry to sponsor Fellows.

     

    (b) University Grants Commission (UGC): The UGC supports research and innovation in educational institutions through schemes like “Teaching and Research in Interdisciplinary and Emerging Areas,” encouraging innovative proposals and specialized courses, and promoting Research Development Cells (RDCs) to foster a strong research ecosystem.

     

    (c) All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE): AICTE supports research and innovation in technical education through various schemes, including the AICTE-Research Promotion Scheme (RPS), AICTE AURA, and by promoting infrastructure development, faculty development, and industry-institute interaction.

     

    This information was given by Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology, Earth Sciences, MoS PMO, Department of Atomic Energy, Department of Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.

     

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: PALIAMENT QUESTION: INDIAN BIOLOGICAL DATA CENTRE (IBDC)

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Posted On: 19 MAR 2025 4:11PM by PIB Delhi

    Department of Biotechnology has created the national resource data of whole genome sequencing of 10,074 healthy individuals from 83 heterogeneous populations from 99 different sites, under the “Genome India” project, to create a library of genetic variations. This data aims to serving both scientific and medical community, fostering genomic research. Hence, the data has been archived at the Indian Biological Data Center (IBDC), a National Repository set up by this Department. The data can be used for developing indigenous chips, diagnostics and therapeutics, benefiting healthcare system of the country and thus will contribute to the bioeconomy of the country. The Department has planned to fund translational research in which this dataset will serve as a template, thus maximizing the benefits of the data generated under ‘Genome India’ project. This data will be disseminated to the researchers under the provisions of the Biotech-PRIDE (Promotion of Research and Innovation through Data Exchange) Guidelines and ‘Framework for Exchange of Data (FeED) Protocols.

    Under the ‘Genome India’ project, the study has been carried out throughout the length and breadth of the country and ensured equitable sampling across linguistic, social, and regional groups in India. Approximately, 36.7% of the samples were collected from rural, 32.2 % from urban and 31.1 % from the tribal populations. It is imperative that maximum benefit should be accrued from the large data base already created. Hence the Department initially focuses on translational research using the already available dataset, for which proposals are being sought throughout the country and the process is still on; hence state wise data in this regard is not available. 

    This information was given by Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology, Earth Sciences, MoS PMO, Department of Atomic Energy, Department of Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.

     

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: GAGANYAAN-1 MISSION

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Posted On: 19 MAR 2025 4:01PM by PIB Delhi

    Gaganyaan Programme is currently approved with a financial sanction of ~20,193 Crores. The envisaged expenditure is categorised into Revenue (~ 341 Crores) and Capital (~19852 Crores) elements catering to necessary technology development activities and undertaking uncrewed/ crewed flight missions. (Total: 8 Nos.).

    There has been a revision in the scope and financial sanction of Gaganyaan Programme. The vision for space in the Amrit kaal envisages including other things, creation of an operational Bharatiya Antariksh Station by 2035 and Indian Crewed Lunar Mission by 2040. Towards building these new capabilities to enable longer duration Indian human space missions, various technologies have to be developed and validated. As per the revised scope, demonstration of these technologies is planned through eight missions (2 Crewed+ 6 Uncrewed) in a phased manner.

    ISRO together with collaborating national agencies is responsible for development of various technologies which are planned to be demonstrated in this mission. Private enterprises are contributing enormously to the programme specifically in areas such as realization of launch vehicle systems, sub-systems and critical structures (simulated Crew Module/ Crew Module) for ground/ flight test program, Crew Module Recovery Models, Virtual reality based training simulators, realization of various subsystems of indigenous Environment Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) as well as avionics packages for ground simulations. Some of these contributing private enterprises are Tata Advanced Systems Limited, Tata Elxsi, Larsen & Toubro, Walchand nagar Industries, Manjira Machine Builders, Godrej Aerospace, Data Patterns India, Centum Electronics etc.

    The Government of India has announced reforms, on June, 2020, in the space sector towards enabling the private players to provide end-to-end services towards enhancing the Indian space economy to a significant level. Indian Space Policy-2023 was released in April 2023 as an overarching, composite and dynamic framework to implement the space reform vision. It helps to promote greater participation of Non-Governmental Entities (NGEs) in the value chain of space economy in order to develop robust, innovative and competitive space ecosystem aiming for a larger share of India in global space economy. It also enables the NGEs to make use of infrastructure created through public funds. Further, amendment was made to the Foreign Direct Investment policy for space sector, enabling higher threshold of foreign investments in various space domains. Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre {IN-SPACe), a single-window agency, was formed under Department of Space, to promote, regulate and authorize space activities of Non-Governmental Entities {NG Es). Further, in order to carry out space activities, the facilities across various ISRO centres will also be permitted for use by private sector through IN-SPACe. New Space India Ltd (NSIL}, a CPSE under the Department of Space will transfer the matured technologies developed by ISRO to Indian industries. ISRO will also nurture Indian space industries by sharing its experiences on quality and reliability protocols, documentation, testing procedures etc. Announcement of Opportunities and initiatives like ‘Atmanirbharta in development of space technologies/ products/ systems through Indian industry’ are also being undertaken offering challenges in new domains of space technology.

    This information was given by Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology, Earth Sciences, MoS PMO, Department of Atomic Energy, Department of Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: PARLIAMENT QUESTION: CHANDRAYAN-4 MISSION

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Posted On: 19 MAR 2025 3:59PM by PIB Delhi

    The primary objective of Chandrayaan-4 is to collect Lunar samples from southern high latitudes and return the samples to Earth for scientific study. Towards this, various critical technologies would be demonstrated that would also pave the way for the landing of an Indian on the Moon by 2040.

    The mission is targeted to be launched during October 2027. The total cost of the said mission is Rs. 2104 Crores and has been sanctioned.

    The department has been systematically exploring the Lunar surface through the past missions and advancing various technologies. The Chandrayaan-4 mission is the nextmission to be realized for exploration of the moon and has the following advantages:

    1. To demonstrate key first level technologies for future crewed mission to Moon.
    2. To provide opportunities to study the lunar samples in greater detail, scientifically, compared to which the lander and rover mission could do in-situ.
    3. To inform and gain valuable experience to undertake future planetary missions including crewed missions.
    4. To further the strides achieved in advancing lunar science within the country.
    5. To enhance the technological and scientific capability of the country and aid tocement international presence in such prestigious endeavours.

    This information was given by Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology, Earth Sciences, MoS PMO, Department of Atomic Energy, Department of Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.

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  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK science uncovers mysteries of dark universe with Euclid data

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    UK science uncovers mysteries of dark universe with Euclid data

    Cutting-edge UK research is benefiting the European Space Agency’s Euclid mission, with new data released today (19 March) set to uncover the secrets of dark energy and matter. 

    Euclid visual: ESA/Euclid/Euclid Consortium/NASA. Background galaxies: NASA, ESA, and S. Beckwith (STScI) and the HUDF Team Euclid observations: ESA/Euclid/Euclid Consortium/NASA, image processing by J.-C. Cuillandre, E. Bertin, G. Anselmi

    The wealth of new data from the mission – described as the ultimate discovery machine – includes details of 500 galaxies that seem to experience a phenomenon known as strong lensing. 

    This is where light from more distant galaxies is bent around closer galaxies due to gravity, like how light is focused through a glass lens on Earth.  

    The way the light bends indicates the total mass, which includes both visible matter and, potentially, dark matter – so scientists can analyse this, begin to identify where dark matter is located, and understand its properties.   

    Euclid’s data is revolutionising the study of strong lensing. New techniques using machine learning and AI have been developed to find these rare objects. Citizen science has also contributed significantly, with over 1000 volunteers participating in visual inspections. 

    This image shows examples of gravitational lenses that Euclid captured in its first observations of the Deep Field areas. Credit: ESA/Euclid/Euclid Consortium/NASA, image processing by M. Walmsley, M. Huertas-Company, J.-C. Cuillandre

    UK Science Minister, Lord Vallance said:  

    The UK space sector is playing a leading role in the Euclid mission which, as this new data shows, is revealing more about the role of gravity in our Universe, and the nature of dark energy and matter. The British-made visible imager and data processing tools are central to these observations.  

    The technological advances achieved in missions like this will not only benefit our understanding of the universe, but may help us to better process data here on Earth, helping us to grow our economy and support our Plan for Change. 

    The Euclid mission, launched in July 2023, carries a visible imager (VIS) from the UK, funded by £37 million from the UK Space Agency. The VIS, designed and built by a UCL-led team, is a super high-resolution camera (609 million pixels), with a focal plane about the size of a large pizza box, that can take incredibly detailed pictures of the sky. It is currently observing billions of galaxies up to 10 billion light years away.  

    The new data release includes observations of distant regions of space, displaying hundreds of thousands of galaxies and many transient phenomena—astronomical events that are temporary or short-lived relative to cosmic history. These include supernovae (explosions of stars at the end of their life cycles), gamma-ray bursts (extremely energetic explosions observed in distant galaxies), and fast radio bursts (brief but intense bursts of radio waves from unknown sources in space). 

    All of this allows scientists to gain insights into the dynamic processes occurring in the universe. The release classifies over 380,000 galaxies and 500 gravitational lens candidates. 

    This is a zoom-in of Euclid’s Deep Field North, showing the Cat’s Eye Nebula in the centre of the image, around 3000 light-years away. Also known as NGC 6543, this nebula is a visual ‘fossil record’ of the dynamics and late evolution of a dying star. This dying star is shedding its outer colourful shells. Credit: ESA/Euclid/Euclid Consortium/NASA, image processing by J.-C. Cuillandre, E. Bertin, G. Anselmi

    ESA’s Director of Science, Prof. Carole Mundell, said:

    Euclid shows itself once again to be the ultimate discovery machine. It is surveying galaxies on the grandest scale, enabling us to explore our cosmic history and the invisible forces shaping our Universe.

    The ‘quick’ data release 

    Euclid ‘quick’ releases, such as this one, are of selected areas, intended to demonstrate the data products to be expected in the major data releases that follow, and to allow scientists to sharpen their data analysis tools in preparation. The mission’s first cosmology data will be released to the community in October 2026. 

    Aprajita Verma, a Senior Researcher at the University of Oxford, said:

    This early data release showcases the amazing images that we will receive from the Euclid telescope. Even in this tiny area (less than 0.5% of the Euclid survey), Euclid has revealed millions of galaxies in exquisite detail.

    Nestled among these galaxies are strong gravitational lenses. This rare phenomenon is seen around massive galaxies that can distort or warp space-time so much that light from objects behind them can be brought into view as rings, arcs or multiple images.  

    Verma said:

    This is exactly what has been revealed in this early Euclid data, and at a higher frequency than we’ve seen from surveys with ground-based telescopes.

    The team used a combination of machine learning with visual inspection from citizen scientists and the team to develop an efficient discovery engine.  

    Phil Holloway, PhD student at the University of Oxford said: 

    Incredibly, over 1000 citizen scientists volunteered to hunt for the strong lenses through the Space Warps project on the Zooniverse platform. We are amazed by the interest, dedication and skill of the citizen scientists, we wouldn’t have been able to find 500 of these rare gems without them! This was a huge collaborative effort and this early data signposts that there will be many discoveries to be made with the Euclid Wide Survey – there are exciting times ahead!

    Space Warps is a dedicated project to discover strong gravitational lenses co-founded by Phil Marshall, Anupreeta More, and Aprajita Verma on the Zooniverse citizen science platform. 

    Professor Thomas Collett, from the University of Portsmouth’s Institute of Cosmology and Gravitation, said:

    Euclid has provided spectacular image quality across a huge area of the sky, which is critical to discovering small, rare objects. We’ve found 500 new strong gravitational lenses in the Euclid dataset.  

    These are galaxies distorted into rings of light by the mass of another foreground galaxy. We have combined the strengths of machine learning and citizen scientists to sift out these rare objects from the millions of other galaxies in Euclid. These new lenses will allow us to make new measurements of the mysterious dark matter and dark energy that make up 95% of our Universe but which are poorly understood.

    Euclid’s transformative capabilities 

    Before Euclid, astronomers had to choose between wide-field images from lower resolution telescopes like the Dark Energy Survey in Chile, or detailed zoomed-in images from telescopes like Hubble, but only on small regions. Euclid, with its 609 megapixel camera led by the UK, combines both panoramic mode and detailed imaging. The area mapped in this release is already a significant fraction of all the sky covered by Hubble since 1990.   

    This innovation is transformative for strong lensing studies, which require large panoramic images to locate rare objects and detailed views to analyse them.  

    Professor Adam Amara, Chief Scientist at the UK Space Agency, who first proposed the idea for Euclid, said: 

    Previously, astronomers like me used wide low-resolution surveys to find strong lenses and then requested Hubble for follow-up observations. Now, Euclid accomplishes both tasks in one shot.  

    This data release is the first clear evidence that Euclid will be a unique rare object finder (as well as an exquisite dark energy measuring machine). In terms of rare objects in the universe, I’m excited to see what ‘unknown-unknowns’ it will discover – it’s been a long wait.

    Professor Mark Cropper (Mullard Space Science Laboratory at UCL), who led on designing and developing Euclid’s VIS optical camera over 16 years, working with teams at UCL, Open University and across Europe, said:  

    Euclid is allowing us to understand the universe on another level entirely. It gives us fine detail over a vast scale. To pick one example, Euclid found 70,000 globular clusters – very old, tightly packed groups of stars – in the Perseus Cluster of galaxies. And it has found 500 strong gravitational lenses, where light from distant galaxies has been bent by intervening matter – that doubles the number we knew about previously. All this and much more in just two days of data.

    Dr James Nightingale , Research Fellow, Newcastle University School of Mathematics, Statistics and Physics said: 

    For the past decade, my research has been defined by painstakingly analysing the same 50 strong gravitational lenses, but with the Q1 data release, I was handed 500 new strong lenses in under a week. It’s a seismic shift — transforming how I do science practically overnight.

    UK involvement and contributions 

    The UK has played a pivotal role in the Euclid mission, contributing significantly to the development of both the mission’s instruments and data processing capabilities. 

    Marie-Claire Perkinson, Chair of UKSpace Space Science and Exploration Committee said: 

    The UKSpace Space Science and Exploration committee is delighted to see this data release and the knowledge generated by this exciting mission. We are pleased to see a strong UK contribution – including UKspace member Teledyne who are providing the instrument detectors.  

    Mullard Space Science Laboratory and XCAM Ltd. have also made significant contributions to the development of the mission, providing leadership of the VIS instrument, and the Charge-Coupled Device test bench (CCD) test bench for the Euclid visible channel.

    Daniel Waller, General Manager and Vice-President of Teledyne Space Imaging in Chelmsford Essex said: 

    Teledyne Space Imaging delivered the detectors for both the VIS and NISP instruments for Euclid. We are humbled by the astonishing detailed results that has been returned so far. The teams here in Chelmsford and in California feel privileged to have made their contribution to this scientific endeavour of understanding our Universe.

    In addition to the VIS instrument UK scientists and institutions around the country have developed bespoke data processing tools for Euclid and are analysing the wealth of data being returned by the mission. Five key papers led by UK researchers are shared as part of this data release. 

    Professor Mike Lockwood, President of the Royal Astronomical Society, said:  

    To see UK astronomers, space scientists and engineers playing key roles in this extraordinary scientific endeavour is truly inspiring – and what’s even better is that this is just the beginning. 

    We can look forward to Euclid giving us the most detailed ever 3D map of the cosmos, helping to solve the biggest cosmic mysteries – what the universe is made of, how it evolved, and what its future holds.

    The wider benefits of space science  

    The ripple effects of technological advances in space science extend far beyond the realm of space exploration, driving advances and growth across multiple sectors in the UK. The need for compact and efficient technology in space missions has led to advancements in miniaturisation, which benefit consumer electronics such as smartphones and laptops.

    In healthcare, machine learning techniques developed for imaging technologies used in space exploration are being adapted to create more precise medical imaging techniques, potentially improving diagnosis and patient outcomes. The vast amounts of data collected by missions like Euclid are processed using advanced algorithms, which are now being used in healthcare to analyse patient data and predict disease outbreaks. 

    Updates to this page

    Published 19 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Admission campaign for foreign citizens has started

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

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

    The Polytechnic University held Open Day for international applicants online. The event was dedicated to the start of the admissions campaign. Representatives of SPbPU international services spoke about the admissions process, educational opportunities and answered questions from future students.

    For more than a century of history, Polytechnic University has established itself as one of the leading engineering universities in Russia and the world. We are proud of our graduates — talented engineers, scientists, entrepreneurs and government officials who contribute to the development of technology, economy and society. We invite you to become part of our energetic and multifaceted community. Polytechnic University is a place where you can unleash your potential, find friends from all over the world and take the first step towards a successful career. We are looking forward to seeing you at Polytechnic University. Let’s create the future together, — Vice-Rector for International Affairs Dmitry Arsenyev greeted future students.

    Students from the Institute of Computer Science and Cybersecurity, the Civil Engineering Institute, the Institute of Mechanical Engineering, Materials and Transport, and the Institute of Industrial Management, Economics and Trade shared their impressions of studying at the university.

    Learning the language and adapting were difficult at first, but over time they opened up new opportunities. I would like to acknowledge the efforts of the teachers who create additional materials to help students in their studies. The atmosphere at the university is inspiring: the polytechnics are incredibly responsive and always ready to support, – said Marvin Bethel, a student from Botswana.

    ISI student Mustafa Ibrahim is from Ethiopia. He chose Polytechnic University because of its high international rankings, its status as one of the best universities in Russia, and its campus with modern infrastructure.

    The academic environment at the university is conducive to development. The teachers are always ready to help and share knowledge in their field. Here I met students from Russia, India, Egypt, China and other countries, which significantly expanded my cultural and educational experience. The training at the Polytechnic is intensive, with an emphasis on practical skills and research, – shared Mustafa Ibrahim.

    Activists from PolyUnion, the Council of Fellowships and Tutor Forces spoke about communities and extracurricular activities for international students at the Polytechnic University.

    Useful links:

    Admission procedure

    Personal Account of a Foreign Applicant

    Polunion

    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.

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  • MIL-OSI Russia: Rosneft to Present Latest Achievements in Hydrocarbon Production in Ufa

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Rosneft – Rosneft – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    The Rosneft Scientific Institute in Ufa will hold a scientific and technical conference “Innovative Technologies in Hydrocarbon Production” from May 20 to 23, 2025. The co-organizer is the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Bashkortostan. More than 700 leading representatives of the oil industry and scientists from different cities of Russia are expected to participate.

    The large-scale event will combine the Company’s traditional conferences “Digital Technologies in Hydrocarbon Production” and “Practical Aspects of Oilfield Chemistry”. The program will cover key issues of oil and gas production: from prospecting and exploration to field development design. Participation in the conference will allow you not only to get acquainted with theoretical aspects, but also to discuss real production situations.

    The conference sections will be devoted to the following topical issues:

    oil and gas field development: digital projects and technologies, practical aspects of oilfield chemistry, artificial intelligence in the oil and gas industry, training and advanced training of personnel, modern IT solutions in the field of capital construction, mathematical modeling technologies.

    The event will also include a competition for the best information models* of capital construction projects among Rosneft employees. Scientists from corporate institutes will present their developments in this area. Specialists from production enterprises will show the most effective examples of implementing information models in production.

    Registration of participants is open until April 21 on the website HTTPS: // Events.rn. Digital/Conf/it 2025.

    *A building information model (BIM model) is a detailed model, a data storage of the object’s geometry, materials and equipment. It is used throughout the entire life cycle of the object: during construction, reconstruction, operation and dismantling.

    Department of Information and Advertising of PJSC NK Rosneft March 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.

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: DATA-VISUALIZATION HACKATHON

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 19 MAR 2025 3:27PM by PIB Delhi

    The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) in collaboration with MyGov is organising a data visualization hackathon titled ‘Innovate with GoIStats’ during the period 25.2.2025 to 31.03.2025. Students enrolled in undergraduate (UG)/ postgraduate (PG) degrees/ diploma or equivalent courses, research associates currently enrolled in recognized and bonafide Indian universities, colleges and institutions or completed the above degrees in financial year 2024-25 are eligible to participate in the hackathon.

    The hackathon is organised aiming to create awareness about the data being generated by the Ministry and encourage students and researchers to utilize the data for analysis to create any data visualization by using technology which may include AI/ML. The visualizations would aid dissemination of insights derived from the data for further use by researchers and policy makers.

    MoSPI has taken the following measures to promote data literacy and statistical analysis among students and researchers in India:

    1. The official statistics being generated by the Ministry are published on the website of the Ministry and also disseminated through social media handles of the Ministry for use by students and researchers.
    2. MoSPI provides internship opportunities to students pursuing or completed graduate/post-graduate or research scholars in recognized institutes / universities / research institutes under the ‘National Internship in Official Statistics’ programme.
    3. MoSPI promotes research in official statistics by way of providing financial assistance under the Grant-in-Aid component of the Capacity Development scheme of the Ministry.
    4. The National Statistical Systems Training Academy (NSSTA) organizes one-week awareness programme on official statistics for Heads of the Departments and UG/PG Students of Departments of Statistics / Economics / Social Science of Central and State Universities.
    5. NSSTA also organises one-day awareness workshop on official statistics for UG/PG students of Departments of Statistics/ Economics/Social Science at the campuses of the Universities/ Colleges.

    This information was given by Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Planning, and Minister of State in the Ministry of Culture, Rao Inderjit Singh in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.

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  • MIL-OSI Africa: Ethiopia’s war may have ended, but the Tigray crisis hasn’t

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Assefa Leake Gebru, Assistant Professor of Political Science and Strategic Studies , Mekelle University

    For over 20 years, Ethiopia was led by the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front, a coalition of four ethnic-based political parties representing Tigray, Amhara, Oromo, and Southern nations, nationalities and peoples. The Tigray People’s Liberation Front was the most influential party within the coalition. However, in 2018, when the Prosperity Party came into power, the front lost its important role in government.

    On 4 November 2020, the federal government launched an attack on Tigray, terming it a military offensive against political aggression from the Tigrayan front. This sparked a war that lasted two years, and caused severe damage to people and resources. The African Union’s lead mediator in the crisis, Olusegun Obasanjo, estimated about 600,000 civilians were killed. This makes it one of the most destructive conflicts of the 21st century.

    On 2 November 2022, the Ethiopian government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front signed a peace deal in South Africa, the Pretoria agreement. More than two years later, however, Tigray still faces immense political and humanitarian challenges. Assefa Leake Gebru, who has studied post-war Tigray, explains what’s happening.

    What’s the current situation in Tigray?

    The 2022-2022 war and its lingering effects have thrown the Tigray region into chaos. People are grappling to get basics like food, water and medicine. The regional economy was devastated by the war. There have been no rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts so far. Humanitarian aid is limited. Imagine if your local grocery store ran out of everything and couldn’t restock – that’s the situation I have witnessed and studied in Tigray, which is affecting millions of residents.

    Additionally, the leaders of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front are now fighting among themselves for power. The division is mainly between two factions: one led by former regional president Debretsion Gebremichael and the other by Getachew Reda, who heads the interim administration.

    In January 2025, leaders of Tigray’s military forces supported calls from the Debretsion faction for new regional leadership. The interim administration opposed this, calling it a soft coup. The federal government considers the political faction led by Debretsion illegitimate. The military leaders’ decision also sparked public protests, with Tigrayans calling for a separation between the military and politics.

    This internal division has weakened the interim administration, which was installed as part of the Pretoria agreement in March 2023.

    Given this situation, the interim administration remains fragile amid serious humanitarian concerns and security threats facing the region. The interim government and dysfunctional law enforcement institutions aren’t strong enough to fix things.

    Read more: What is federalism? Why Ethiopia uses this system of government and why it’s not perfect

    Economically, jobs remain scarce. A 2024 survey found a youth unemployment rate of 81%. This situation has been created by economic collapse, asset plunder during the war and the absence of a functioning government.

    Socially, people are stressed and hurting, like a community still reeling from a major fallout. It’s a pile-up of problems that are making life incredibly tough.

    What, exactly, is the Pretoria agreement?

    The Pretoria agreement is an important peace deal between Tigray’s political leaders and the federal government. It was signed in Pretoria, South Africa, on 2 November 2022. The African Union facilitated the peace talks hosted by South Africa.

    The goal of the agreement? End the violence that began in 2020, keep people safe by calling for an immediate cessation of hostilities, allow aid like food trucks to roll in, disarm Tigray fighters and set up an interim government to restore order.

    It also aimed to re-establish the Ethiopian government’s control over federal installations in Tigray.

    What has been implemented and what hasn’t?

    There has been some positive progress. The Pretoria agreement established the interim government. Some everyday services are back, like banks reopening and planes flying again. A few Tigray fighters have put down their weapons.

    But here’s where it gets messy. Soldiers from Eritrea – which supported the Ethiopian army in the Tigray war – and militias from another Ethiopian region, Amhara, are still hanging around Tigray, raising security threats. They’re preventing internally displaced persons from going back home.

    The plan to fully disarm Tigrayan fighters hasn’t been completed either. This threatens regional stability, undermines peace efforts and increases the risk of renewed violence.

    What are the implications of not fully executing the Pretoria agreement?

    First, the region’s humanitarian crisis could worsen. An estimated one million displaced people are grappling with high levels of food insecurity, and thousands of schools remain closed. A weak interim government and the continued occupation of parts of Tigray by armed groups has hindered the restoration of services and stifled economic progress.

    Second, the division within the Tigray People’s Liberation Front makes it hard to lead the region under an interim administration. A lack of consensus on power-sharing has hindered effective governance, undermining the intended transitional authority.

    Third, a weak interim government can’t keep civilians safe, which was a pillar of the Pretoria agreement. Economically, the lack of jobs and skyrocketing prices are hitting Tigrayans hard. Socially, everyone’s on edge.

    Finally, there’s a risk of igniting further conflict in the region along the political fault lines between Debretsion and Getachew. There is a high chance of this situation being manipulated by Eritrean forces, who weren’t involved in the negotiations that led to the Pretoria agreement. The fractures in the interim government provide an opportunity for neighbouring Eritrea to support one faction against the other, which could escalate into war between Ethiopia and Eritrea. The Tigray People’s Liberation Front has been one of Eritrea’s bitterest enemies. The antagonism between the two led to the 1998-2000 war between Ethiopia and Eritrea.

    If these tensions keep up, Tigray will remain stuck in an awful cycle. The African Union and international community must address these issues to prevent a spiral into further chaos.

    – Ethiopia’s war may have ended, but the Tigray crisis hasn’t
    – https://theconversation.com/ethiopias-war-may-have-ended-but-the-tigray-crisis-hasnt-251846

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Bluefin Tuna Catch and Release Recreational Fishery (CRRF) Statistics published

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    News story

    Bluefin Tuna Catch and Release Recreational Fishery (CRRF) Statistics published

    Marine Management Organisation (MMO) has published Bluefin Tuna Catch and Release Recreational Fishery (CRRF) Statistics 2024.

    Key statistics include:

    • The 2024 Blue Fin Tuna Catch and Release Recreational Fishery ran from 3 August 2024 to 31 December 2024. The 2024 season lasted for 21 weeks and 4 days.
    • Of the 93 permitted vessels, 81 were active at least once during the 2024 season
    • These vessels made 1,014 trips in total. Of those, there were 838 trips (83.0%) where at least one Blue Fin Tuna was caught successfully.
    • In total, 3,359 Blue Fin Tuna were caught throughout the 2024 season, with an average of 3.3 Blue Fin Tuna per trip.
    • The average length of the Blue Fin Tuna caught was 167.7cm, and the average estimated weight was 95.5kg.
    • The majority (98.7%) of Blue Fin Tuna were released in a good to excellent condition. The reported mortality rate before release was 0.21% of all Blue Fin Tuna caught.

    This is an official statistics release.

    Starting in 2024, an English Catch and Release Recreational Fishery (CRRF) for Blue Fin Tuna (BFT) was opened. The fishery allows permitted vessels to use ‘catch and release’ BFT by rod and line for a defined period in English waters. As this fishery operates within English waters, the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) is responsible for issuing permits for the fishery, as well as monitoring fishing activity to enable sustainable marine activities and support UK economic growth.

    Permit numbers are proportionate to the amount of quota available for incidental BFT mortalities. To receive and maintain their permit, vessel owners are obligated to submit data on their trips and associated catch, which the MMO collects for operational purposes, including monitoring and managing the fishery throughout the season. MMO is also required to submit data to the International Council for the Conservation of Atlantic Tuna (ICCAT) to fulfil the UK’s reporting obligations as a contracting party. These official statistics contain details on fishing activity from the Blue Fin Tuna CRRF in the 2024 season.

    The 2024 season started on 3 August 2024 and ran through until 31 December 2024, meaning the season was open for 21 weeks and 4 days. This season is the first this CRRF for BFT has been in operation. It follows a three-year scientific research programme from the Centre for Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS) into BFT in the South West of England.

    You can find more information on the statistics on Gov.uk.

    Contacts:

    Tel: 0300 123 1032
    Email: media@marinemanagement.org.uk

    Updates to this page

    Published 19 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Sand-sized fossils hold secrets to the history of climate change

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Yuhao Dai, Research Fellow in Earth Sciences, Australian National University

    N-2-s/Shutterstock

    Between 18,000 and 11,000 years ago, the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere suddenly shot up. This caused rapid global warming, the mass melting of glaciers, and the end of the last ice age.

    Much of this sudden influx of atmospheric CO₂ came from the Southern Ocean around Antarctica, highlighting the key role this body of water plays in regulating the global climate.

    However, we have a poor understanding of how and why CO₂ release from this region changed during periods such as the end of the last ice age. But our new study, published in Nature Communications, reveals how much CO₂ was released to the atmosphere from the polar Southern Ocean during this period – and what factors were responsible.

    We reached these conclusions by examining the chemistry of sand-sized fossils, called foraminifera, from the seafloor south of Tasmania.

    Tiny shells preserved in mud

    Foraminifera are tiny single-celled organisms, either floating in the ocean surface or living on the seabed. Most of them build shells made of calcium carbonate to protect themselves. After death, these foraminifera shells are preserved in the mud on the seabed.

    Newer generations of foraminifera shells stack over older ones, like adding new pages to a book. Over time, these foraminifera shells form a book on the seabed that can be dated back to millions of years ago.

    Even more fascinating, trace amounts of elements in the seawater are incorporated into the calcium carbonate shells of foraminifera. In some foraminifera species, the amount of these elements is sensitive to the environment they live in.

    For example, the amount of boron in a species called Cibicidoides wuellerstorfi is sensitive to carbonate ion concentrations, and the amount of cadmium in another species (Hoeglundina elegans) is sensitive to phosphate concentrations.

    By looking at trace elements in these foraminifera shells found in the sequence of mud on the seabed, we can decipher mysteries about the past seawater condition in the book left by foraminifera on the seabed.

    In some species of foraminifera, such as Cibicidoides wuellerstorfi (pictured here), the trace amount of elements found in their shells is sensitive to their environment.
    Le Coze, François/WoRMS, CC BY-SA

    A giant metal straw

    How do scientists do this? First we go out to the ocean to collect mud.

    In this process, a giant metal straw is dropped to the seabed and then raised to our research ships, fully filled with mud. We take these mud samples back to our lab. There, we slice them into pieces and examine them separately.

    This allows us to extract information from each page of the book in chronological order. Foraminifera shells are washed out of the mud, and specific shells are picked out under a microscope, cleaned, and finally analysed for their chemical composition.

    Foraminifera have lived almost everywhere in the ocean for millions of years. Based on their chemical composition, scientists have reconstructed a continuous record of seawater temperature during the past 66 million years in great detail.

    Among a few places in the ocean where you cannot find foraminifera is the polar Southern Ocean. Although some foraminifera live there, seawater in this region is often too corrosive for their shells to preserve on the seabed. The lack of foraminifera in the polar Southern Ocean brings a huge challenge for scientists eager to understand past changes in CO₂ exchanges between the ocean and the atmosphere.

    Among a few places in the ocean where you cannot find foraminifera is the polar Southern Ocean.
    Mathias Berlin/Shutterstock

    From Antarctica to Tasmania

    We decided to tackle the problem using mud on the seabed 3,300 metres below the surface just south of Tasmania.

    Seawater at that depth near Tasmania is ideal for studying the chemistry of the polar Southern Ocean. That’s because seawater from the polar Southern Ocean sinks to the bottom of the ocean, moves northwards, and eventually occupies the seabed south of Tasmania.

    Seawater chemistry – including concentrations of carbon, phosphate and oxygen – does change along its way at the bottom of the ocean.

    These changes are, however, generally proportional to each other. So if all these concentrations are known for seawater at depth near Tasmania, we can work out their concentrations in the polar Southern Ocean.

    Fortunately, there were plenty of foraminifera shells in the mud for all these reconstructions at the site we examined near Tasmania.

    Reconstructing ancient chemical concentrations

    Using the chemistry of foraminifera, we reconstructed changes in concentrations of carbonate ion (which is largely related to carbon), phosphate and oxygen at the bottom of the ocean near Tasmania during the end of the last ice age roughly 20,000–10,000 years ago. This period is known as the last deglaciation.

    Based on these reconstructions, we calculated the amount of CO₂ released from the polar Southern Ocean during the last deglaciation. Some of this CO₂ came from biological processes – changes in the amount of carbon used by microscopic organisms living near the ocean surface. The rest was from physical processes – CO₂ molecules escaping from seawater directly to the air.

    We found that biological processes were more important for CO₂ releases during the earlier stages of the deglaciation, while the physical processes contributed more during the later stages.

    From the polar Southern Ocean, seawater sinks to the bottom of the ocean and moves northwards to reach the seabed south of Tasmania.
    Steve Todd/Shutterstock

    So why is this important?

    Scientists use climate models to predict future climate and to reproduce past atmospheric CO₂ changes.

    Our results provide testing targets for climate models to reproduce.

    Better reproduction of past changes will improve climate model design for predicting future changes.

    This will help us understand how future changes in the polar Southern Ocean can affect atmospheric CO₂, contributing to making effective plans to mitigate CO₂ emissions.

    Yuhao Dai receives funding from the Australian Research Council Special Research Initiative, Australian Centre for Excellence in Antarctic Science.

    – ref. Sand-sized fossils hold secrets to the history of climate change – https://theconversation.com/sand-sized-fossils-hold-secrets-to-the-history-of-climate-change-250928

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI: Capgemini accelerates enterprise adoption of agentic AI for industries with NVIDIA

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Press contact:
    Mollie Mellows
    Tel.: + 44 (0) 7342 709384
    E-mail: mollie.mellows@capgemini.com

    Capgemini accelerates enterprise adoption of agentic AI for industries with NVIDIA

    Paris, March 19, 2025 – Capgemini today announced the introduction of customized agentic solutions designed in collaboration with NVIDIA to accelerate enterprise AI adoption. Capgemini will deliver end-to-end AI services tailored to meet the diverse needs of specific industries when implementing AI agents, from healthcare and financial services to manufacturing and telco. By leveraging the power of NVIDIA NIM and a dedicated agentic gallery, Capgemini will be able to streamline deployment and reduce complexity for enterprise clients looking to derive actionable insights to achieve agentic-driven business transformation.

    With the combination of Capgemini’s deep industry expertise and NVIDIA’s state-of-the-art technology, enterprises will benefit from faster time-to-value and agile implementation of AI agents. Built on NVIDIA AI Enterprise with NVIDIA NIM™, Capgemini offers a simplified, high-performance deployment process, enabling clients to seamlessly and securely integrate agentic capabilities into their existing technology infrastructure. 

    Enterprises will gain access to a dedicated agentic gallery, eliminating the complexities of developing AI agents from the ground up for each business process, resulting in significant time savings and cost reductions. In addition, Capgemini brings robust governance frameworks on top of NVIDIA AI stack, allowing compliance, scalability, and consistent performance. With a focus on scalability and governance, clients will benefit from AI agents that are designed to meet industry standards and regulatory requirements, providing long-term sustainability.

    Through this collaboration, Capgemini will help organizations navigate the complexities of implementing agentic AI solutions on the NVIDIA AI stack while addressing strategic objectives such as: 

    • Rapid prototyping and deployment: Accelerating AI agent rollouts with pre-configured workflows and optimized infrastructure, reducing time-to-market.
    • Seamless integration: Combining AI agent capabilities with existing business applications to unlock new levels of process automation, efficiency and data-driven decision-making. 
    • Scalability and governance: Implementing AI agents with robust governance frameworks, ensuring compliance, scalability, and consistent performance.  The dedicated agentic capabilities of Capgemini RAISE, including governance, real-time monitoring and orchestration, enables unified control of agentic solutions with tangible results.

    “Agentic AI is changing the way we live and work. There is vast potential for AI agents to drive innovation,” said Chris Penrose, Global Head of Business Development for Telco, NVIDIA. “Capgemini has a deep understanding of the complex challenges facing enterprises and the industry-specific agentic AI use cases that can unlock significant business value. By leveraging NVIDIA NIM, together we can accelerate deployment of AI agents that enhance productivity and revolutionize the way they operate, whilst addressing critical concerns like trust, safety, security and compliance.”

    Together with NVIDIA, Capgemini is building over 100 bespoke AI agent-driven solutions tailored to various industry use cases, including:

    • Automotive: Smart agents to monitor and improve autonomous and human driving performance; vehicle performance in varying urban, weather, and traffic conditions; digital twin test vehicles in omniverse settings.
    • Consumer: Central and interactive Edge AI access point in the home that can be used to oversee the elderly and infirm, locate mislaid items, and monitor home security.
    • Financial Services: Fraud alert agents to validate fraud activity and manage response; financial planning and investment management services to dynamically monitor client portfolios in real-time and provide personalized investment strategies.
    • Life Sciences: Drug discovery support​ to extract actionable insights from drug mechanisms, disease progression and clinical outcomes; clinical trial refinement​ to improve design and monitor real-time data for mid-trial adjustments.
    • Manufacturing: Smart camera-based process monitoring for improved shopfloor performance and safety compliance.
    • Public Sector: AI-driven assistants capable of executing various administrative and civic tasks; fraud detection and prevention agents that provide comprehensive insights​ and detect patterns and anomalies that may indicate fraudulent activities.
    • Retail and Supply Chain: AI-driven agents that monitor shelves in-store and in warehouses, and automatically trigger SKU replenishment.
    • Telco: Network automation, including AI-RAN, and contact center translation services.

    Capgemini has been working with Telenor to build Norway’s first sovereign and secure AI Cloud Service in collaboration with NVIDIA. Launched in November 2024, the Telenor AI Factory is designed to accelerate AI adoption across industries while ensuring security, sustainability, and full data sovereignty within Norwegian borders. The AI Factory provides businesses with the infrastructure to develop, scale, and integrate AI into their operations — whether for internal workflows, customer-facing applications, or advanced AI-driven solutions. The service runs on 100% renewable energy, supporting responsible innovation while minimizing environmental impact.

    “With the AI Factory, we are creating a secure and sustainable foundation for AI innovation in Norway,” said Jannicke Hilland, EVP and Head of Telenor Infrastructure. “Capgemini has played a crucial role in developing this service, working closely with us to build a platform that allows businesses to harness AI while maintaining full control over their data. Together, we are ensuring that organizations have access to cutting-edge AI solutions without compromising security or sustainability.”

    “This new collaboration with NVIDIA marks a pivotal step forward in our commitment to bringing cutting-edge AI-powered technology solutions to our clients for accelerated value creation,” said Roshan Gya, Capgemini Invent CEO and Group Executive Board member at Capgemini. “By leveraging the power of the NVIDIA AI Stack, Capgemini will help clients expedite their agentic AI journey from strategy to full deployment, enabling them to solve complex business challenges and innovate at scale. NVIDIA’s robust platform provides the necessary infrastructure and tools to make this acceleration possible. Our work with Telenor on its AI Factory showcases how we can help an enterprise to scale generative and agentic AI to gain competitive advantage and realize business value.” 

    About Capgemini
    Capgemini is a global business and technology transformation partner, helping organizations to accelerate their dual transition to a digital and sustainable world, while creating tangible impact for enterprises and society. It is a responsible and diverse group of 340,000 team members in more than 50 countries. With its strong over 55-year heritage, Capgemini is trusted by its clients to unlock the value of technology to address the entire breadth of their business needs. It delivers end-to-end services and solutions leveraging strengths from strategy and design to engineering, all fueled by its market leading capabilities in AI, generative AI, cloud and data, combined with its deep industry expertise and partner ecosystem. The Group reported 2024 global revenues of €22.1 billion.
    Get The Future You Want | www.capgemini.com

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    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Animal cruelty: International student receives prison term for wildlife smuggling

    Source: Government of Queensland

    Issued: 19 Mar 2025

    Open larger image

    The woman attempted to smuggle 15 native lizards overseas.

    An international university student studying in Australia has been convicted of multiple wildlife trafficking offences and sentenced to eighteen months in prison.

    Ms Yinan Zhao appeared in the Brisbane District Court on 27 February 2025 to face seven charges of attempting to send native Australian wildlife by post to China.

    Between 12 May and 1 November 2023, Zhao attempted to export ten individual packages containing 15 lizards from Queensland to China, with an estimated ‘street value’ of $74,207.

    The lizards were packed in small boxes containing children’s toys with some intercepted by Australia Post in Brisbane and others in Sydney after being X-rayed.

    The successful prosecution was the result of a joint operation between the Australian Government Department of Climate Change, Environment, Energy and Water (DCCEEW) and the Queensland Government Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation (DETSI).

    Much of the offending took place in Queensland, while some offences occurred in New South Wales.

    DESTI Compliance Manager Warren Christensen welcomed the prosecution and the minimum five-month prison sentence.

    “Unfortunately, international students, such as those from China are often targeted through social media and other means to make easy money by smuggling wildlife,” Mr Christensen said.

    “This prosecution should serve as a warning to others considering smuggling animals to make a quick buck that they will be caught and face very serious, life changing consequences.

    “This operation was an excellent example of state and Australian government agencies working cooperatively with Border Force and Australia Post to detect and prevent international wildlife smuggling.

    “DETSI wildlife officers seized the packages suspected by Australia Post and Border Force of containing protected wildlife.

    “We formally identified all wildlife recovered from the packages and assisted with the identification of Zhao and the execution of the warrant that led to her arrest.

    “During her arrest, we also found more unlawfully held wildlife that were also being prepared for sale on Chinese markets.

    “Sending reptiles in the mail is extremely cruel as they won’t have access to food, water or fresh air for weeks and sadly, most of the animals will die before they get to their destination.

    “Of those we intercept, many can never be released into the wild because we don’t know where they were captured or if they have been exposed to disease while in captivity.

    “We thank the Australian Government, Border Force and Australia Post for their efforts in assisting in detecting this crime and in securing this conviction.”

    Zhao was convicted on all charges and sentenced to 18-months imprisonment with a non-parole period of 5 months.

    The successful conviction follows the prosecution of another foreign national, Mr Man Lung Ma, who was convicted of nineteen charges relating to twenty-nine separate attempts to export protected native wildlife, including five attempts from Queensland.

    In November 2024 Lung Ma was sentenced to 3 years 6 months in jail, with a 2-year non-parole period.

    Lizards attempted to be smuggled:

    • 5 Shinglebacks
    • 5 Blue tongues
    • 2 Geckos
    • 2 Tree skinks
    • 1 Cunningham skink

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Address to the Catholic Social Services Australia Conference, Sydney

    Source: Australian Treasurer

    Thank you for the opportunity to address you today. I acknowledge the Gadigal people of the Eora nation and pay my respects to all First Nations people present. Their connection to community and country reminds us of our ongoing responsibility to care for each other.

    The Gospel of Matthew teaches us powerfully:

    ‘Truly, I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ (Matthew 25:40)

    This teaching resonates deeply with Australia’s ideals of fairness and community. Yet, our society today faces a significant challenge: inequality. Inequality matters profoundly – not just economically, but morally, socially, and spiritually. It shapes opportunities, influences life outcomes, and determines who shares in our national prosperity.

    In reflecting upon inequality today, I’d like to begin with a thought experiment developed by the Dutch economist Jan Pen.

    Imagine all Australians marching in a one‑hour parade, their height reflecting their wealth.

    At first, you wouldn’t see anyone – the poorest Australians, submerged by debt, would be underground. Several minutes would pass before you see people the height of tiny insects, representing those with minimal savings and precarious jobs. At half‑time, the parade participants would be barely waist‑high, reflecting an average wealth level that is far below what many expect.

    It isn’t until the last few minutes that the parade gets dramatic. Australians become giants, several metres tall, owning investment properties and multiple cars. In the last seconds, billionaires appear, their heads literally in the clouds. The richest Australian would tower over 46 kilometres high – far above Mt Everest.

    This image vividly captures the scale and drama of inequality in Australia today.

    The historical journey of Australian inequality

    Yet it was not always like this. As I documented in my book Battlers and Billionaires, Australian history shows fluctuations in inequality, shaped by policy, events, and the collective actions of citizens.

    When British settlers first arrived in 1788, inequality was limited – not due to idealism, but survival. Governor Arthur Phillip’s invitations to dinner famously concluded, ‘Please bring your own bread,’ reflecting the scarcity of resources and the reality that inequality was limited by necessity.

    Yet inequality quickly rose through the nineteenth century, driven by land distribution favouring the wealthy. Under Governor Lachlan Macquarie, who ruled the colony from 1810 to 1821, more than half the land granted went to just the top 10 per cent of settlers. By the late nineteenth century, disparities between landowners and labourers were immense. Historian Stuart Macintyre describes colossal extremes between the luxurious life of pastoralists like Richard Casey and the hard labour endured by workers like Jock Neilson, who struggled through bush labour with minimal wages and harsh living conditions.

    The early twentieth century brought change. In 1907, the Harvester Judgement established a basic wage designed to lift families out of poverty. Australia saw the creation of institutions such as the Commonwealth Conciliation and Arbitration Court, introducing worker rights into the national conscience. Still, stark inequalities remained, with large segments of society excluded from prosperity.

    However, the post‑war period between the 1940s and 1970s marked what economists call the ‘Great Compression.’ Strong unions, progressive taxation, expanded public services, and affordable housing policies dramatically reduced inequality. For several decades, Australians experienced significant upward social mobility and rising standards of living for the majority.

    Yet since the 1980s, Australia has seen what economists describe as a ‘Great Divergence,’ reversing the gains of earlier decades. Today, the top 1 per cent of income earners receive nearly 10 per cent of national income, nearly doubling their share from 40 years ago. Wealth inequality is even more extreme, with the richest fifth owning more than 60 times the wealth of the bottom fifth.

    This widening gap is not just economic – it profoundly affects people’s everyday lives. Those at the bottom face greater health challenges, including a stark difference in life expectancy – Australians in the richest fifth of the population live an average of 6 years longer than those in the poorest fifth. The poorest Australians have 7 fewer teeth on average due to poor dental care. In education, the wealth gap translates into substantial resource disparities between affluent and poorer communities.

    Why inequality matters

    Inequality does not simply represent a difference in wealth; it shapes our society. Excessive inequality erodes social cohesion, reducing empathy and undermining community bonds. When wealth is concentrated among a few, society becomes fragmented. Our sense of collective responsibility diminishes, and the fabric that binds us as Australians weakens.

    Catholic social teaching stresses the inherent dignity of every person, the importance of community, and the imperative to act justly towards one another. From Pope Francis’ call for inclusive economies to teachings on the common good, Catholic faith underscores the urgency of addressing rising inequality.

    For too many Australians, the promise of a fair go – the belief that effort and hard work determine success, not birth or background – has felt increasingly out of reach. Inequality is not just an abstract economic issue; it affects our communities, our health, our opportunities, and our sense of national cohesion.

    No government is perfect, but I want to argue today that ours has done more to address inequality than any government in well over a decade.

    Taking office 3 years ago, on the tail of the Covid pandemic, we have acted decisively to ensure that prosperity is shared more fairly across our society.

    Lifting wages and supporting secure work

    One of the most direct ways to reduce inequality is by lifting wages and ensuring job security. Since coming to office, the Albanese government has delivered consecutive wage increases for 2.6 million Australians, particularly benefiting low‑ and middle‑income earners. These pay rises ensured that minimum wage workers were not left behind as the cost of living rises.

    Furthermore, our government has tackled insecure work by introducing stronger protections for casual employees who want to transition to permanent work, establishing minimum standards for gig economy workers, and enforcing ‘same job, same pay’ provisions to prevent labour hire workers from being exploited. These reforms help ensure that Australians can rely on stable incomes, reducing the financial precarity that fuels inequality.

    A fairer tax system

    Tax policy plays a crucial role in shaping economic fairness. The Albanese government has delivered tax cuts that benefit every Australian taxpayer, allowing people to keep more of what they earn while ensuring that the system remains progressive.

    This approach contrasts with our predecessors, whose tax policies disproportionately benefited the highest earners, widening the gap between rich and poor. By maintaining a fair and responsible tax structure, we can fund essential public services while ensuring that the most fortunate Australians contribute their fair share.

    Strengthening the social safety net

    A strong, targeted welfare system is essential to reducing inequality, and our government has taken decisive action to support those who need it most. We have increased JobSeeker and other income support payments, ensuring that Australians doing it tough can afford the basics. Recognising the unique challenges faced by older Australians, we have also expanded eligibility for higher JobSeeker rates for those over 55, providing more security and dignity in later years.

    Rent assistance has been increased by over 40 per cent, helping Australians struggling with rising housing costs. Single parents have received greater support through extended access to the parenting payment, making it easier for them to balance work and caregiving responsibilities without falling into poverty. These targeted measures lift Australians up rather than trapping them in cycles of disadvantage.

    Investing in affordable housing

    Housing inequality is one of the most pressing economic issues facing Australia today. The Albanese government has responded with the largest investment in social and affordable housing in more than a decade. Through the Housing Australia Future Fund, we are building over 55,000 new social and affordable homes, directly addressing homelessness and housing stress.

    Beyond construction, we have strengthened renters’ rights, introducing minimum rental standards, limiting rent increases to once per year, and requiring genuine grounds for eviction. By making renting fairer and ensuring more Australians have access to stable, affordable housing, we are creating a foundation for economic security and social mobility.

    Early childhood education and skills training

    Breaking the cycle of inequality starts with education. That’s why we have delivered cheaper childcare for 96 per cent of families with children in early education – an investment that not only reduces financial strain but also ensures that more children, regardless of their family’s income, start life with the educational support they need.

    In schools, we have delivered on the promise of the Gonski report by ensuring that all schools are funded to the schooling resource standard. This isn’t just about money, it’s about delivering the resources required to drive reform. We know that Australia’s OECD PISA scores have been slipping backwards for the past quarter‑century. If we do not turn this around, the most vulnerable stand to suffer most.

    Our government has also committed to over half a million fee‑free TAFE places, ensuring that Australians can gain the skills needed for secure, well‑paying jobs. By making education more accessible, we are expanding opportunities for people from all backgrounds, ensuring that no one is locked out of good jobs because they cannot afford the necessary training.

    Fairer pay for women

    We cannot talk about overall economic inequality without considering gender inequality. The Albanese government has delivered historic pay rises for aged care and early childhood education workers – sectors dominated by women – while expanding paid parental leave to 26 weeks by 2026 and adding superannuation to government‑paid parental leave. These measures help to close the gender wealth gap, ensuring that women are not financially penalised for caring responsibilities. The gender pay gap is still too high, but it is also at an all‑time low.

    Tackling the cost of living

    Inequality is exacerbated when basic essentials become unaffordable. That’s why we have delivered targeted cost‑of‑living relief, including $300 in energy bill relief for every household and cheaper medicines that allow millions of Australians to buy 2 months’ worth of prescription medication for the price of one. We have also ensured that HECS‑HELP loans will never grow faster than wages, reducing the financial burden on young Australians starting their careers.

    Another major reform is our work in the energy sector. By expanding investment in renewable energy and breaking down barriers to new market entrants, we are reducing energy costs for consumers while ensuring a transition to a cleaner economy. High energy prices disproportionately impact low‑income Australians, and our efforts to foster a more competitive and efficient energy market are directly reducing cost‑of‑living pressures.

    Historically, reducing inflation in Australia meant higher unemployment. In the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, bouts of inflation were met by job losses. Often, it took a recession to bring prices under control. Yet this time is different. Uniquely in Australian history, we have brought inflation under control while maintaining what economists call ‘full employment’. We have tamed inflation while creating over one million jobs. Unemployment remains low, and the participation rate is at a record high. This is a remarkable achievement for our nation.

    Investing in health equity

    Health disparities are one of the most damaging consequences of inequality, with lower‑income Australians facing shorter life expectancies and higher rates of chronic illness. Our government has made the largest investment in bulk billing in Medicare’s history, restoring affordable access to GPs for millions of Australians. We have also established new urgent care clinics and expanded mental health services, ensuring that healthcare is based on need, not wealth.

    Competition reforms to reduce inequality

    A truly fair economy is one where businesses compete on a level playing field, ensuring that consumers and small businesses are not left behind. Monopolies increase inequality by transferring resources from consumers (the many) to shareholders (the few). The Albanese government has prioritised competition reform to prevent market concentration from deepening inequality.

    One of our key achievements has been strengthening competition in the grocery sector. By increasing regulatory oversight and cracking down on anti‑competitive behaviour by major supermarket chains, we are ensuring fairer prices at the checkout. We know that when competition declines, consumers pay more, and smaller businesses struggle. Our policies ensure that Australian families are not subject to artificially inflated food prices while smaller retailers have a fair chance to succeed.

    Through the biggest overhaul of merger laws in half a century and a revitalised National Competition Policy, we are putting downward pressure on prices and increasing fairness. This approach reflects our commitment to an economy that works for everyone, not just those at the top.

    A commitment to evidence‑based solutions

    A key principle of our government is ensuring that policies are grounded in evidence, not ideology. That is why we have created the Australian Centre for Evaluation, and committed to expanding the use of randomised trials in policymaking, ensuring that every dollar spent on social programs delivers real results. By rigorously evaluating what works, we can scale up the most effective initiatives, ensuring that public investment leads to meaningful reductions in inequality.

    Conclusion: a shared moral and national imperative

    Inequality is a profound challenge – but not insurmountable. Australian history reminds us that inequality is never inevitable. It expands or shrinks based on the decisions we make collectively as a society.

    There is much more to do, but I have given you a flavour today of what we have already done together. The Albanese government has chosen to lift wages, invest in housing and education, strengthen social protections, reform competition, and deliver targeted cost‑of‑living relief. These policies lift people up – not just economically, but socially and morally.

    As the Gospel of Matthew reminds us, true compassion is measured by our actions towards ‘the least of these.’ We must constantly ask ourselves: Are our policies fair? Are our communities inclusive? Is every Australian being given the chance to thrive?

    The Albanese government is committed to answering these questions positively – not just with words, but through meaningful action. Together, we can create a society where dignity, justice, and opportunity are the lived reality for every Australian.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Markey Blasts Trump’s Illegal Firing of Democratic FTC Commissioners

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey

    Boston (March 18, 2025) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), member of the Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, released the following statement after Trump fired the Federal Trade Commission’s only two Democratic Commissioners, Rebecca Slaughter and Alvaro Bedoya.

    “For more than a century, the independent Federal Trade Commission has played a critical role in protecting American consumers and promoting competition. By attempting to illegally fire Commissioner Slaughter and Commissioner Bedoya, Trump is sending a clear message that he wants to Forget The Consumers and Fast Track Corruption. Make no mistake: These illegal actions are a sign of weakness, not strength. With the Trump administration imminently having a majority at the FTC, the only reason to fire the Democratic commissioners is to shut down dissent and hide his efforts to pad the pockets of his billionaire buddies. Trump is scared that the Democratic commissioners will unmask his radical and unpopular agenda. 

    “It won’t work. We won’t let the FTC stand for Favoring Trump’s Cronies—we’ll fight back against Trump’s unconstitutional actions to make sure the FTC can continue to protect all Americans from scams, fraud, and other online and offline threats.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sullivan, Murkowski, Colleagues Reintroduce Volcano Warning and Monitoring Legislation

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Alaska Dan Sullivan

    03.14.25

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Senators Dan Sullivan and Lisa Murkowski (both R-Alaska), and Senators Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) and Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) today reintroduced bipartisan legislation to reauthorize a domestic program focused on detecting and warning about volcanic threats. Their bill will enable the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to continue to improve its volcano monitoring and early warning capabilities around the country.

    “Our state constitutes the northern flank of the Pacific Ring of Fire, making Alaska the most volcanically active in the country by far,” Senator Sullivan said. “Just this week, experts predicted Mount Spurr in Southcentral could erupt in a matter of weeks, less than 100 miles west of Ted Stevens International—the fourth largest air cargo hub in the world. Volcanic eruptions not only threaten Alaska communities, but can also disrupt global trade and aviation along the heavily trafficked flight paths over our state. I’m glad to introduce legislation with Senator Murkowski and our colleagues to reauthorize NVEWS, invest in critical monitoring technologies and resources, and help ensure we can effectively plan for and respond to any future eruptions.”

    “With 141 active volcanoes in our state, volcanic threats are real for Alaskans,” said Senator Murkowski. “The Alaska Volcano Observatory is actively monitoring increased activity at Mount Spurr, just west of Anchorage, reminding us how vital continuous and reliable detection, warning, and response systems are across the Pacific Ring of Fire. I’m hopeful we can move this noncontroversial legislation quickly through Congress and to the President’s desk.”

    “The State of Washington is home to four of the most dangerous volcanoes in the nation,” Senator Cantwell said. “We must invest in the right science and fund robust monitoring to keep our communities informed, mitigate future threats, and save lives.”

    “In 2022, Hawaii Island residents experienced an eruption from Mauna Loa for the first time in nearly 40 years and they have continued to see new eruptions from the summit of Kilauea volcano,” said Senator Hirono. “This program, first authorized in 2019, will help scientists at the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory to continue improving their volcanomonitoring and warning capabilities through expanded infrastructure and modernized technology. These improvements will further enable our scientists to provide comprehensive, up-to-date volcanic hazard information that keeps our communities safe. Reauthorizing this program is necessary to ensure that officials at volcano observatories throughout the country can continue to provide real-time hazard information for residents, visitors, and emergency responders.”

    “Volcanic eruptions pose an increasing threat to a growing, globally connected population and economy. Unlike some other hazards, volcanic eruptions can be accurately forecast if the necessary equipment has been installed and data have been acquired. The recent unrest of Mount Spurr, a very high threat volcano near Anchorage, Alaska, is an excellent example of how volcano scientists can provide warning prior to a possible eruption when sufficient instrumentation and scientific knowledge are available. However, most volcanoes in the U.S. are not adequately monitored. The reauthorization of NVEWS would provide the necessary means to sufficiently monitor volcanoes across the U.S. and improve public safety. We thank the Senator and her staff for their efforts in supporting this legislation,” said David Fee, Coordinating Scientist at the Alaska Volcano Observatory.

    Background

    Murkowski’s National Volcano Early Warning and Monitoring System Act passed Congress in 2018. The legislation provides USGS with the resources needed to organize, modernize, standardize, and stabilize the monitoring systems of U.S. volcanoobservatories and centralizes the collected data. The original Act’s authorizations expired at the end of Fiscal Year 2023, but Murkowski, now Chairman of the Interior Appropriations Subcommittee, has ensured this important priority continues to receive federal funding.

    The Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO) is a “consortium of the USGS, the University of Alaska Fairbanks Geophysical Institute, and the State of Alaska Geological and Geophysical Surveys.” Mount Spurr, located 75 miles west of Anchorage, is projected to erupt “within weeks or months,” with ash “likely” to impact Alaska’s most populated areas.

    The reauthorization of the National Volcano Early Warning and Monitoring Systems Act:

    • Authorizes a total of $75 million over a ten-year period;
    • Adds the U.S. Forest Service to the interagency coordination list;
    • Requires five-year management plans on a regular basis, and includes coordination with new or existing cooperative partners;
    • Establishes an Implementation Committee to help provide recommended requirements, implementation steps, and performance standards for the system;
    • Establishes public communication and messaging responsibilities for coordination between partners to avoid confusion or duplication;
    • Expands the list of emerging technologies for advanced monitoring networks to support modernization of data collection and networks; and
    • Updates technical language.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Do eggs really make you constipated? A gut expert on what the evidence says

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Vincent Ho, Associate Professor and clinical academic gastroenterologist, Western Sydney University

    Popovo Bros/Shutterstock

    You might’ve heard too many eggs make you constipated. Influencers on Instagram claim it too. The United Kingdom has slang for it – being “egg bound”.

    Eggs were once blamed for raising blood cholesterol levels, which turned out to be false. Did we get it wrong about eggs and constipation too?

    Here’s what the mixed bag of evidence tells us.

    Starting with constipation

    Constipation means different things to different people, and there are many different types.

    Let’s focus on “functional constipation”, when people have hard, infrequent and often difficult-to-pass bowel movements. This constipation isn’t due to a physical blockage of the bowel or from disease.

    Functional constipation is very common. Globally, about one in ten adults (10.1%) and one in seven children (14.4%) have it at any one time.

    Is eating eggs to blame?

    Several studies link eating eggs with constipation, but not necessarily how you’d think.

    A 2002 study of 1,699 Japanese residents over 40 found Japanese women who ate eggs at least five times a week were less likely to be constipated. Eating eggs didn’t affect constipation rates in men. The researchers couldn’t explain the difference.

    A later study involved 3,770 female Japanese university students who filled in a questionnaire about what they’d eaten over the past month. A Western diet high in foods such as processed meats and eggs was linked to more constipation than a traditional Japanese diet (which has lots of rice but not much bread or confectionary).

    Another study looked at middle-aged adults in southern China who ate duck or chicken eggs as part of a Western diet. This was linked to a higher risk of constipation compared with the traditional southern Chinese diet, which has lots of refined grains, vegetables, fruits, pickled vegetables, fish and prawns.

    However, such dietary studies mostly rely on participants remembering what they ate. People also don’t always fill in dietary questionnaires truthfully, and tend to under-report eating unhealthy food and over-report eating healthy food. So dietary questionnaires aren’t always accurate.

    They also rarely look at a single food item (such as eggs) in isolation.

    Even if these studies mention eggs, the population studied can vary in age, gender and ethnicity. So the findings may not apply universally.

    How about other evidence?

    Laboratory based experiments looking at how egg proteins are digested in the bowel may offer some clues.

    When researchers fed constipated rats protein from egg yolk, their constipation improved. This could be due to an egg yolk protein called phosvitin. This retains water around itself in the colon (the large intestine) and makes the stool bulkier and easier to pass.

    We’re learning more about how the gut handles eggs.
    Christos Georghiou/Shutterstock

    How about humans? As far as I’m aware, no specific research involved feeding people eggs to see if this cured their constipation or made it worse. But we know a little about what happens in the gut when people eat eggs.

    Although eggs are quite a digestible food for humans, research shows even cooked egg proteins are not completely digested and absorbed in the small intestine.

    A small amount reaches the colon where it is linked to increased numbers of good bacteria, such as Bifidobacterium and Prevotella. There’s often more Prevotella, in particular, in people with looser stools.

    So some research supports the idea eating eggs improves constipation.

    What about eating lots of protein?

    Eggs are rich in protein. Could a diet with lots of protein cause constipation?

    No, protein itself is not to blame, according to research involving adults and children in the United States.

    That study found someone eating a diet low in carbohydrate was more likely to be constipated after eating extra protein (the equivalent of an extra two small eggs a day). That’s compared with someone eating a moderate amount of carbohydrate.

    Why the difference? The researchers said low carbohydrate intake could be linked to less Prevotella in their stools, potentially making the stools firmer.

    This makes sense. Fibre is a type of carbohydrate the body can’t readily digest. Low dietary fibre is linked to constipation.

    If we have adequate fibre in our diet then eat extra protein, this won’t worsen constipation. It may actually improve it.

    However, not eating enough fibre on a high-protein diet is very likely to increase the risk of constipation.

    Adding fibre to your high-protein diet could help.
    Daniil Demin/Shutterstock

    Kids with allergies

    There’s also a type of functional constipation associated with kids’ food allergies.

    A study from Greece tested children with chronic (long-term) constipation to see if they had food allergies.

    The children found to have food allergies ate a diet without these foods (including eggs) for eight weeks. Constipation improved in most of these children.

    How are food allergies in children and constipation related? A type of immune cell found in people with allergies – known as mast cells – can affect the bowels. These cells can contribute to bowel muscles not contracting well. Food is less able to move along, leading to constipation.

    So if all other causes of a child’s constipation have been ruled out, and they have a food allergy, their constipation may be allergy-related.

    However, it’s recommended to try healthy eating, with enough fluid and fibre first. If that doesn’t resolve the constipation, the child could try an elimination diet, under medical supervision.

    What are we to make of all this?

    Overall, there’s no firm evidence that eating more eggs leads to constipation.

    Provided you eat a diverse diet containing fibre along with your eggs there should be no increased risk of constipation.

    If chronic constipation doesn’t get better with extra fluids and fibre, talk to your doctor.

    Vincent Ho 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. Do eggs really make you constipated? A gut expert on what the evidence says – https://theconversation.com/do-eggs-really-make-you-constipated-a-gut-expert-on-what-the-evidence-says-249370

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI China: Guideline aims to promote balanced nutrition, healthier lifestyles

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    Students learn about healthy eating on the Chinese Student Nutrition Day in Nanjing, capital of east China’s Jiangsu Province, Dec. 5, 2023. [Photo/Xinhua]
    China has unveiled targets to enhance the nutritional quality of its food consumption by 2030 to promote a more balanced and healthy diet nationwide.
    The Food and Nutrition Development Guideline (2025-2030), jointly issued by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, the National Health Commission, and the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, was released on Monday and set key objectives for improving dietary habits and food supply quality.
    The guideline calls for a shift toward nutrient-rich food consumption, increasing annual per capita intake of foods high in protein and fiber.
    By 2030, it targets per capita annual consumption of 14 kilograms of legumes, 69 kg of meat, 23 kg of eggs, 47 kg of dairy products, 29 kg of seafood, 270 kg of vegetables and 130 kg of fruit.
    Nutritional recommendations outlined in the guideline advocate for daily caloric intake to remain at approximately 2,150 kilocalories for men and 1,700 kilocalories for women. The initiative emphasizes the importance of protein consumption, setting a goal for high-quality protein to account for more than 50 percent of total daily intake.
    Daily fiber intake is expected to rise to 25 to 30 grams, while consumption of edible oils should be reduced to 25 to 30 grams. The guideline also aims to cap daily salt intake at 5 grams and added sugar intake at 25 grams.
    China’s chronic disease prevention and control efforts face numerous challenges, as both malnutrition and overnutrition persist, according to Chu Xu from the National Health Commission.
    The new guideline takes a comprehensive approach by addressing nutritional concerns at the food production level, advocating for a nutrition-oriented strategy across the entire food industry chain, he said.
    The guideline focuses on modernizing food supply systems and promoting healthier cooking methods. Authorities plan to enhance food quality, expand nutritional research and popularize portion control tools to regulate salt, oil and sugar intake.
    Zhang Zhenhua, deputy head of the Department of Science, Technology and Education at the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, emphasized the need for a national strategy to balance food supply with changing consumption demands.
    “We should systematically plan food and nutrition initiatives to coordinate socioeconomic development with public health, adapting to the population’s increasing demand for nutritious food,” Zhang said at a news conference on Tuesday.
    Measures also include developing central kitchens, adopting smart storage and cooking technologies and improving household food waste management, the guideline said.
    “We need to coordinate food resource utilization with environmental conservation, as reducing food waste is equivalent to increasing production,” Zhang said, adding that the guideline stresses promoting sustainable agriculture and preserving China’s culinary heritage.
    Wu Kongming, president of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, said ensuring access to nutritious and affordable food is a global priority, with countries competing for key technological advancements.
    “The plan calls for an integrated food and nutrition technology innovation system covering the entire supply chain, from breeding and farming to processing, logistics and consumption,” Wu said.
    He suggested greater integration between food nutrition science and industry innovation.
    The academy will establish research platforms and set up joint research centers to advance technological breakthroughs in food processing and consumption patterns, he said.
    “We will create a collaborative platform for food and nutrition policy research, strengthening industry support and advancing nutrition-oriented agriculture,” Wu said.
    Public awareness initiatives such as National Nutrition Week and the Chinese Farmers’ Harvest Festival will further promote healthy eating habits and regional food culture, the guidelines said.
    Wu proposed expanding outreach initiatives such as open house events, social media campaigns and public forums to provide accurate, accessible nutritional information.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Policy mix key to addressing structural woes

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    People visit the exhibition area of consumer goods during the seventh China International Import Expo (CIIE) in East China’s Shanghai, Nov 5, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

    Faced with structural issues at home and mounting external uncertainties, China should put in place a mix of macroeconomic and industrial policies, alongside meaningful reforms, to spur effective demand, stabilize the property market, accelerate the shift from old growth drivers to new ones, and raise the nation’s total factor productivity, economists said.

    “The downward pressure facing the Chinese economy mainly comes from cyclical fluctuations and structural transition,” said Huang Yiping, dean of Peking University’s National School of Development.

    “Stabilizing growth will be crucial; it will remain the main policy priority through 2025. And that requires a combination of macroeconomic, industrial policies as well as reform measures,” Huang said at a recent meeting held by Peking University’s National School of Development in Beijing.

    Huang highlighted weakening traditional growth drivers and insufficient momentum from emerging industries as key structural challenges.

    Meanwhile, lackluster domestic demand is exacerbating pressure on cyclical fluctuations. Thus, it is advisable to adopt a coordinated policy framework that combines both macroeconomic and industrial policies, he added.

    A report released by the National School of Development during the meeting said that in the short term, macroeconomic policies should focus on stabilizing aggregate demand and preventing any systemic risks arising from the real estate sector. Industrial policies, on the other hand, should focus on facilitating the transition from old growth drivers to new ones.

    “Fiscal policy should aim to stabilize the construction and real estate sectors while enhancing fiscal and tax support for emerging industries,” the report said. “Meanwhile, monetary policy should take a more structural approach, providing targeted support for technological innovation and small and medium-sized enterprises.”

    In the medium to long term, the report said, it is necessary to advance reforms of the market-based allocation of production factors, strengthen property rights protection, and expand high-standard opening-up to stimulate private sector vitality and foster new growth drivers that help boost total factor productivity.

    “Macroeconomic adjustments should focus on expanding aggregate demand and improving market expectations, while more efforts should be made to accelerate the formation of new growth drivers as old ones phase out,” Huang said. “On the reforms front, deepening reforms will bolster confidence among businesses, improve market efficiency, and fully unlock economic potential and lead to faster growth.”

    Huang emphasized the critical role of stabilizing the real estate market, saying it will help stabilize the overall economy. Meanwhile, he pointed to the ongoing digital revolution, particularly those related to emerging fields like artificial intelligence and robotics, as a golden opportunity for economic transformation. “The key is whether we can seize this opportunity and translate it into real growth,” he said.

    Stimulating domestic demand is China’s top priority this year, as it seeks to cushion the impact of more US tariffs.

    In its 2025 Government Work Report, delivered during the annual two sessions, China announced that it will vigorously boost consumption and investment, and stimulate domestic demand across the board. It will also double ultra long-term special treasury bonds earmarked for its trade-in program to 300 billion yuan ($41.53 billion) this year.

    Zhang Bin, deputy director of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences’ Institute of World Economics and Politics, highlighted the necessity of expanding public investment, noting that it will be the most effective way to boost household incomes and spur consumer spending.

    He said during the meeting that consumption and investment are not in a zero-sum relationship but are positively correlated. “When investment grows faster, consumption grows faster. When consumption performs well, investment also grows faster, and economic growth accelerates.”

    Looking into the full year, Wu Ge, chief economist at Changjiang Securities, said China’s preset annual growth target of around 5 percent is achievable this year, while the country may need stronger and unconventional policies if it aims to see the GDP deflator return to positive territory. The deflator is the broadest measure of prices across goods and services.

    MIL OSI China News –