PALO ALTO, Calif., Feb. 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — HP Inc. (NYSE: HPQ) today announced the appointment of Gianluca Pettiti to its Board of Directors. Mr. Pettiti is Executive Vice President and President, Life Sciences, Diagnostics and Applied for Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., a global life sciences company. His appointment is effective immediately.
“We’re excited to welcome Gianluca to the HP Board of Directors,” said Chip Bergh, Chair of the HP Board. “He brings invaluable global expertise and a proven track record of fostering innovation at the intersection of technology and life sciences. His experience spearheading digital and AI initiatives will be instrumental in advancing our business priorities.”
Mr. Pettiti’s leadership at Thermo Fisher along with his passion for technology and innovation have been instrumental supporting the growth of the company over the last two decades. Thermo Fisher today is globally recognized as the world leader in serving science, a trusted partner for its many customers and one of the world’s most admired companies. Mr. Pettiti is deeply committed to advancing the applications of technology across the industry and serves as a board member at the Italian Institute of Technology, a leading research institute in robotics and AI.
“We are pleased to have Gianluca join our Board of Directors,” said HP Inc. President and CEO, Enrique Lores. “His broad international career, experience infusing AI into new industries, and passion for data-driven decision-making will bring new thought leadership to our AI initiatives, helping us create better and more fulfilling experiences for our customers.”
Mr. Pettiti holds a Master of Science in Engineering from Politecnico di Torino, which recognized him as an Alumnus Testimonial in 2017 for his contributions to innovation. He has also authored several influential articles on AI and digital transformation in healthcare.
The full HP Board is listed at HP.com.
About HP Inc.
HP Inc. (NYSE: HPQ) is a global technology leader and creator of solutions that enable people to bring their ideas to life and connect to the things that matter most. Operating in more than 170 countries, HP delivers a wide range of innovative and sustainable devices, services and subscriptions for personal computing, printing, 3D printing, hybrid work, gaming, and more. For more information, please visit: http://www.hp.com.
WATCH: Wyden’s Exchange with University of Oregon’s Presidential Chair in Science, Dr. RichmondHere
Washington, D.C.— During a hearing held today in the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., underscored that Elon Musk’s business dealings in China pose a serious threat to national security.
According to public reporting, Elon Musk is running the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) as a federal employee while remaining Tesla’s largest shareholder. Public filings indicate Tesla invested billions of dollars in China and annually produces nearly 1 million cars at a factory in Shanghai on land owned by the Chinese government.
“According topublic reporting, Tesla’s contract allows the Chinese government to revoke Tesla’s lease on the land at any time if it determines doing so is in the public interest,” Wyden said. “Now, on this committee, every one of us works for the AMERICAN public interest. And given that is our highest priority, I intend to come back and ask further questions about this in the days ahead.”
Senator Wyden also questioned Dr. Geraldine Richmond, Presidential Chair in Science at the University of Oregon and former Under Secretary for Science and Innovation at the Department of Energy, on the national security consequences of Musk’s decision to make drastic and abrupt workforce cuts at the Bonneville Power Administration. Dr. Richmond emphasized that these cuts would undermine the grid’s safety and drive up energy prices for working families across America.
Last week, Senator Wyden demanded answers from the Trump administration in a letter regarding Musk’s workforce cuts at the Bonneville Power Administration.
Old equipment repurposed by businesses must be safe to use, WorkSafe New Zealand says, following sentencing of a Rotorua company whose modified crane became a weapon that changed the life of a teenage contractor.
Harrison Gilbert was struck in the face by an untethered 412-kilogram steel beam being manoeuvred by the mobile crane at Lakeland Steel in Rotorua, on the day of his seventeenth birthday in October 2022.
Mr Gilbert was knocked unconscious and received over 100 stitches in his face, a broken eye socket, a broken nose, several smashed or lost teeth, and skull fractures. He required facial reconstruction surgery and has more to come.
A WorkSafe investigation found the mobile crane had no certificate of inspection, no load safety devices fitted, and unclear labelling on its controls. The load should have had a tag line or tether to steady it. The crane appears to have originally been a log skidder bought in the 1970’s by the previous owner of Lakeland Steel. At some point in time, it was modified into a crane which was inherited by the current owners who did not maintain it.
Mr Gilbert had not been trained in any of the activities associated with the crane, and was dividing his attention between the load and working with the crane operator when he was hit.
“This young worker was traumatically let down through no fault of his own. Simply put, the crane should not have been operational,” says WorkSafe’s area investigation manager, Paul West.
“Businesses must manage their risks. This includes regularly checking all their equipment to check it’s fit for purpose and compliant. Pay extra attention to modified or older equipment so it doesn’t get neglected while still operational.”
The Crane Association says the incident highlights the importance of ensuring freely suspended crane loads are controlled by a tag line or tether.
“In an industry full of risks, it’s important to understand all the elements that contribute to working safely. Businesses must train their staff in selecting and properly using tag lines, because you don’t want injuries like these on your conscience if things go wrong,” says the Association’s chief executive Sarah Toase.
WorkSafe’s role is to influence businesses to meet their responsibilities and keep people healthy and safe. When they do not, we will take action.
Lakeland Steel Limited was sentenced at Rotorua District Court on 20 February 2025.
A fine of $234,000 was imposed, and reparations of $54,131 were ordered
Lakeland Steel was charged under sections 36(1)(a), 48(1) and (2)(c) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015
Being a person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU), having a duty to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health and safety of workers who work for the PCBU, including Harrison Gilbert, while the workers are at work in the business or undertaking, namely using a T-Lift Mobile Crane to move steel beams, did fail to comply with that duty, and that failure exposed the workers to risk of serious injury or death.
The maximum penalty is a fine not exceeding $1.5 million.
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NASA and its international partners are making progress on Gateway – the lunar space station that will orbit the Moon as a centerpiece of the agency’s Moon to Mars architecture.
Through the Artemis campaign, NASA will send astronauts on missions to and around the Moon. The agency and its international partners report progress continues on Gateway, the first space station that will permanently orbit the Moon, after visiting the Thales Alenia Space facility in Turin, Italy, where initial fabrication for one of two Gateway habitation modules is nearing completion. Leaders from NASA, ESA (European Space Agency), and the Italian Space Agency, as well as industry representatives from Northrop Grumman and Thales Alenia Space, were in Turin to assess Gateway’s HALO (Habitation and Logistics Outpost) module before its primary structure is shipped from Italy to Northrop Grumman’s Gilbert, Arizona site in March. Following final outfitting and verification testing, the module will be integrated with the Power and Propulsion Element at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. “Building and testing hardware for Gateway is truly an international collaboration,” said Jon Olansen, manager, Gateway Program, at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. “We’re excited to celebrate this major flight hardware milestone, and this is just the beginning – there’s impressive and important progress taking shape with our partners around the globe, united by our shared desire to expand human exploration of our solar system while advancing scientific discovery.”
To ensure all flight hardware is ready to support Artemis IV — the first crewed mission to Gateway – NASA is targeting the launch of HALO and the Power and Propulsion Element no later than December 2027. These integrated modules will launch aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket and spend about a year traveling uncrewed to lunar orbit, while providing scientific data on solar and deep space radiation during transit. Launching atop HALO will be ESA’s Lunar Link communication system, which will provide high-speed communication between the Moon and Gateway. The system is undergoing testing at another Thales Alenia Space facility in Cannes, France. Once in lunar orbit, Gateway will continue scientific observations while awaiting the arrival of Artemis IV astronauts aboard an Orion spacecraft which will deliver and dock Gateway’s second pressurized habitable module, the ESA-led Lunar I-Hab. Thales Alenia Space, ESA’s primary contractor for the Lunar I-Hab and Lunar View refueling module, has begun production of the Lunar I-Hab, and design of Lunar View in Turin.
Northrop Grumman and its subcontractor, Thales Alenia Space, completed welding of HALO in 2024, and the module successfully progressed through pressure and stress tests to ensure its suitability for the harsh environment of deep space. Maxar Space Systems is assembling the Power and Propulsion Element, which will make Gateway the most powerful solar electric propulsion spacecraft ever flown. Major progress in 2024 included installation of Xenon and chemical propulsion fuel tanks, and qualification of the largest roll-out solar arrays ever built. NASA and its partners will complete propulsion element assembly, and acceptance and verification testing of next-generation electric propulsion thrusters this year.
SpaceX will provide both the Starship human landing system that will land astronauts on the lunar surface during NASA’s Artemis III mission and ferry astronauts from Gateway to the lunar South Pole region during Artemis IV, as well as provide logistics spacecraft to support crewed missions. NASA also has selected Blue Origin to develop Blue Moon, the human landing system for Artemis V, as well as logistics spacecraft for future Artemis missions. Having two distinct lunar landing designs provides flexibility and supports a regular cadence of Moon landings in preparation for future missions to Mars. CSA (Canadian Space Agency) is developing Canadarm3, an advanced robotics system, and JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) is designing and testing Lunar I-Hab’s vital life support systems, batteries, and a resupply and logistics vehicle called HTV-XG. NASA’s newest Gateway partner, the Mohammad Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) of the United Arab Emirates, kicked off early design for the Gateway Crew and Science Airlock that will be delivered on Artemis VI. The selection of Thales Alenia Space as its airlock prime contractor was announced by MBRSC on Feb. 4. Development continues to advance on three radiation-focused initial science investigations aboard Gateway. These payloads will help scientists better understand unpredictable space weather from the Sun and galactic cosmic rays that will affect astronauts and equipment during Artemis missions to the Moon and beyond. The Gateway lunar space station is a multi-purpose platform that offers capabilities for long-term exploration in deep space in support of NASA’s Artemis campaign and Moon to Mars objectives. Gateway will feature docking ports for a variety of visiting spacecraft, as well as space for crew to live, work, and prepare for lunar surface missions. As a testbed for future journeys to Mars, continuous investigations aboard Gateway will occur with and without crew to better understand the long-term effects of deep space radiation on vehicle systems and the human body as well as test and operate next generation spacecraft systems that will be necessary to send humans to Mars.
How often has this happened to you: You pick up a prescription at the pharmacy and later realize you have questions about something in the directions or warnings. Or you buy a nonprescription drug but aren’t sure about the correct dosage after reading the label.
That’s where pharmacists come in. Whether at your local pharmacy or the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, pharmacists help patients achieve the best possible outcome when taking drugs.
Pharmacists can help people take their medicine properly and continue to take it for as long as recommended. For example, they can answer questions about other drugs and foods that can cause an interaction and advise you to consult with your health care professional when your usual medication is unavailable.
Pharmacists are a bridge between the patient and their prescriber. They are experts at interpreting information for patients.
What Your Pharmacist Should Know
“Help your pharmacist get to know you and what questions you have,” says pharmacist Mary E. Kremzner, a public health expert at the FDA. “Pharmacists really want to help people get the maximum benefit from the drugs they need to take, with the least amount of risk.”
For example, some large pills are hard to swallow. “The pharmacist will know the drug’s makeup and whether you can crush it without changing how it works,” Kremzner says.
Another risk is interactions – food-drug or drug-drug. “For example, if you take a statin to lower your cholesterol, you might need to avoid drinking large amounts of grapefruit juice because it can make some drugs too powerful, even toxic,” says pharmacist Lindsay Wagner, a public health expert at the FDA. “However, the strength of the interaction varies among drugs. If grapefruit juice is part of your daily routine, your pharmacist can recommend that you consult with your health care professional about an alternative so you can enjoy your juice safely.”
Let your pharmacist know what questions you have about the information you’ve received. This includes the instructions from your prescriber, information you received from the pharmacy, or articles you’ve read online. Conflicting advice and information can leave anyone confused.
False information about medical products can add to the confusion. False information can be spread by people who don’t even know it is false, including people you know, like your friends and family. Pharmacists are there to help sort through what you’ve heard.
“We’re here to help. We do our best to answer every question and help consumers find trustworthy and credible sources for information,” Wagner says.
Your pharmacist should know:
Everything you take for your health. All medications you take (prescription and nonprescription) as well as all vitamins and supplements.
Your medical history and experience with medications, including allergic reactions and side effects.
If you are pregnant or breastfeeding (nursing).
If you have trouble swallowing pills, opening bottles, reading labels, or remembering when to take your medicine.
Questions you have about what you’ve been told or read online about your medication.
How FDA Pharmacists Can Help
Call your local pharmacist or the FDA’s drug information pharmacists if you have questions after receiving a medicine.
The FDA’s Division of Drug Information (DDI) is home to a staff of pharmacists who respond to questions about human drugs for the U.S. public. DDI gets several hundred calls and emails each day, with more than half of them from consumers.
FDA pharmacists can even help you identify a tablet or pill. For example, there may be many different approved generics that can be substituted for one brand-name drug, and their tablets can look different.
“Generic drugs can vary in size, shape, and color and still be the same medicine,” Kremzner says. “That can be confusing to some people. When in doubt, call your local pharmacist or the FDA if you have questions about whether they are the same product. We also can help you understand the medications you’re taking.”
What Consumers Ask the FDA
When in doubt, reach out to us and ask. Here are some of the top questions DDI pharmacists answer.
Q. What are the possible side effects of my medicine, and how can I report my experience to the FDA?
A. Approved drugs have benefits as well as side effects, which are listed in the drug’s labeling. If you didn’t receive a printout with your medication, you can find the labeling online from Drugs@FDA or labels.fda.gov.
For nonprescription drugs (also called over-the-counter, or OTC), you can find side effects in the “Drug Facts” labeling printed on the outer wrapper or container of the drug.
To report a side effect or medication error, use the FDA’s MedWatch Safety Information and Adverse Event Reporting Program:
Complete and submit the report online.
Download the form or call 1-800-332-1088 to request a reporting form sent to you in the mail, then complete and return to the address on the form, or submit it by fax to 1-800-FDA-0178.
Q. Where should I go to find information online about my medications and health?
A. The FDA website fda.gov/drugs offers truthful, science-based information about prescription and nonprescription drugs. We also recommend MedlinePlus (medlineplus.gov), a service of the National Institutes of Health that provides health information for consumers.
Q. Are generic drugs the same as brand-name drugs?
A. Yes. Federal law requires generic drugs to be the same as brand-name drugs. They are as safe and effective and meet the same quality standards as brand-name drugs. They are the same in the way they work, the way they are taken, and the way they should be used. Generics also reach the site of action in the body at the same rate and extent as the brand-name drugs.
Q. Will this treatment I read about online help or hurt me?
A. You should be aware that there is false and misleading information about medical products online that can put patients and consumers at risk. For example, health fraud scams will try to sell you treatments that are not proven to work and may cause serious or even fatal injuries. Scams are very common today, especially on social media. If you’re unsure, ask your local pharmacist or health care professional, or contact the FDA.
Q. How do I discard medicine I no longer need?
A. The best way to dispose of most types of unused or expired medicines is to drop off the medicine at a drug take back location immediately. Many pharmacies also serve as take back locations.
Certain medicines should be flushed down the sink or toilet because they are especially harmful and can cause death in a single dose. Flushing medicines on the flush list helps make sure children, pets, or anyone else does not accidentally take the medicine. If you can’t get to a take back location and your medication is not on the flush list, you may be able to dispose of it safely in your household trash by following some simple instructions.
Stay Informed and Get Updates from the FDA
The FDA shares information about drugs through email updates and social media. Stay informed by following the FDA’s official social media accounts, including:
Subscribing to email alerts is easy, and there are many important topics.
Earth is immersed in material streaming from the Sun. This stream, called the solar wind, is washing over our planet, causing breathtaking auroras, impacting satellites and astronauts in space, and even affecting ground-based infrastructure. NASA’s PUNCH (Polarimeter to Unify the Corona and Heliosphere) mission will be the first to image the Sun’s corona, or outer atmosphere, and solar wind together to better understand the Sun, solar wind, and Earth as a single connected system. Launching no earlier than Feb. 28, 2025, aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, PUNCH will provide scientists with new information about how potentially disruptive solar events form and evolve. This could lead to more accurate predictions about the arrival of space weather events at Earth and impact on humanity’s robotic explorers in space. “What we hope PUNCH will bring to humanity is the ability to really see, for the first time, where we live inside the solar wind itself,” said Craig DeForest, principal investigator for PUNCH at Southwest Research Institute’s Solar System Science and Exploration Division in Boulder, Colorado.
[embedded content] This video can be freely shared and downloaded at https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/14773.Video credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center
Seeing Solar Wind in 3D The PUNCH mission’s four suitcase-sized satellites have overlapping fields of view that combine to cover a larger swath of sky than any previous mission focused on the corona and solar wind. The satellites will spread out in low Earth orbit to construct a global view of the solar corona and its transition to the solar wind. They will also track solar storms like coronal mass ejections (CMEs). Their Sun-synchronous orbit will enable them to see the Sun 24/7, with their view only occasionally blocked by Earth. Typical camera images are two dimensional, compressing the 3D subject into a flat plane and losing information. But PUNCH takes advantage of a property of light called polarization to reconstruct its images in 3D. As the Sun’s light bounces off material in the corona and solar wind, it becomes polarized — meaning the light waves oscillate in a particular way that can be filtered, much like how polarized sunglasses filter out glare off of water or metal. Each PUNCH spacecraft is equipped with a polarimeter that uses three distinct polarizing filters to capture information about the direction that material is moving that would be lost in typical images. “This new perspective will allow scientists to discern the exact trajectory and speed of coronal mass ejections as they move through the inner solar system,” said DeForest. “This improves on current instruments in two ways: with three-dimensional imaging that lets us locate and track CMEs which are coming directly toward us; and with a broad field of view, which lets us track those CMEs all the way from the Sun to Earth.” All four spacecraft are synchronized to serve as a single “virtual instrument” that spans the whole PUNCH constellation.
The PUNCH satellites include one Narrow Field Imager and three Wide Field Imagers. The Narrow Field Imager (NFI) is a coronagraph, which blocks out the bright light from the Sun to better see details in the Sun’s corona, recreating what viewers on Earth see during a total solar eclipse when the Moon blocks the face of the Sun — a narrower view that sees the solar wind closer to the Sun. The Wide Field Imagers (WFI) are heliospheric imagers that view the very faint, outermost portion of the solar corona and the solar wind itself — giving a wide view of the solar wind as it spreads out into the solar system. “I’m most excited to see the ‘inbetweeny’ activity in the solar wind,” said Nicholeen Viall, PUNCH mission scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. “This means not just the biggest structures, like CMEs, or the smallest interactions, but all the different types of solar wind structures that fill that in between area.” When these solar wind structures from the Sun reach Earth’s magnetic field, they can drive dynamics that affect Earth’s radiation belts. To launch spacecraft through these belts, including ones that will carry astronauts to the Moon and beyond, scientists need to understand the solar wind structure and changes in this region. Building Off Other Missions “The PUNCH mission is built on the shoulders of giants,” said Madhulika Guhathakurta, PUNCH program scientist at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “For decades, heliophysics missions have provided us with glimpses of the Sun’s corona and the solar wind, each offering critical yet partial views of our dynamic star’s influence on the solar system.” When scientists combine data from PUNCH and NASA’s Parker Solar Probe, which flies through the Sun’s corona, they will see both the big picture and the up-close details. Working together, Parker Solar Probe and PUNCH span a field of view from a little more than half a mile (1 kilometer) to over 160 million miles (about 260 million kilometers). Additionally, the PUNCH team will combine their data with diverse observations from other missions, like NASA’s CODEX (Coronal Diagnostic Experiment) technology demonstration, which views the corona even closer to the surface of the Sun from its vantage point on the International Space Station. PUNCH’s data also complements observations from NASA’s EZIE (Electrojet Zeeman Imaging Explorer) — targeted for launch in March 2025 — which investigates the magnetic field perturbations associated with Earth’s high-altitude auroras that PUNCH will also spot in its wide-field view.
As the solar wind that PUNCH will observe travels away from the Sun and Earth, it will then be studied by the IMAP (Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe) mission, which is targeting a launch in 2025. “The PUNCH mission will bridge these perspectives, providing an unprecedented continuous view that connects the birthplace of the solar wind in the corona to its evolution across interplanetary space,” said Guhathakurta. The PUNCH mission is scheduled to conduct science for at least two years, following a 90-day commissioning period after launch. The mission is launching as a rideshare with the agency’s next astrophysics observatory, SPHEREx (Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization and Ices Explorer). “PUNCH is the latest heliophysics addition to the NASA fleet that delivers groundbreaking science every second of every day,” said Joe Westlake, heliophysics division director at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “Launching this mission as a rideshare bolsters its value to the nation by optimizing every pound of launch capacity to maximize the scientific return for the cost of a single launch.” The PUNCH mission is led by Southwest Research Institute’s offices in San Antonio, Texas, and Boulder, Colorado. The mission is managed by the Explorers Program Office at NASA Goddard for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington. By Abbey Interrante NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. Header Image:An artist’s concept showing the four PUNCH satellites orbiting Earth.Credits: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center Conceptual Image Lab
Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi inaugurates 98th Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Sammelan Our language is the carrier of our culture: PM
Marathi is a complete language: PM
Several saints of Maharashtra showed a new direction to society through the Bhakti movement in the Marathi language: PM
There has never been any enmity among Indian languages, instead they have always adopted and enriched each other: PM
Posted On: 21 FEB 2025 7:28PM by PIB Delhi
The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated the 98th Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Sammelan in Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi today. Addressing the gathering on the occasion, he welcomed all the Marathis to the grand event of Marathi language being organized in New Delhi. He said that the Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Sammelan was not confined to a language or a region and added that the Sammelan comprised the essence of freedom struggle as well as the cultural heritage of Maharashtra and the nation.
Remarking that Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Sammelan, from its first edition in 1878 till now, has been a witness to 147 years of India’s journey, Shri Modi said that many luminaries like Shri Mahadev Govind Ranade, Shri Hari Narayan Apte, Shri Madhav Shrihari Ane, Shri Shivram Paranjpe, Shri Veer Savarkar had presided the Sammelan. Expressing his gratitude for being invited by Shri Sharad Pawar to be part of this proud tradition, he extended his congratulations to all Marathi enthusiasts across the country and the world for this event.
Highlighting that today was International Mother language day, the Prime Minister remarked that it was quite natural to be reminded of verses of Sant Dnyaneshwar when he thought of Marathi language. Reciting a verse of Sant Dnyaneshwar, Shri Modi explained that the Marathi language was sweeter than nectar and hence his love and affection towards the Marathi language and culture was immense. Informing that although he was not as proficient as Marathi scholars at the event, the Prime Minister humbly said that he has always been in a constant endeavour to learn Marathi.
Shri Modi highlighted that the Sammelan was taking place at a significant time when the nation was witnessing the 350th anniversary of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s coronation, the 300th birth anniversary of Punyashlok Ahilyabai Holkar, and the 75th anniversary of our Constitution, created through the efforts of Babasaheb Ambedkar. Expressing pride over the fact that a century ago, a distinguished Marathi individual planted the seed of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) on the soil of Maharashtra, Shri Modi highlighted that today, it has grown into a vast tree, celebrating its centenary year. He emphasized that for the past 100 years, the RSS has carried forward the great tradition and culture of India, from the Vedas to Vivekananda, to the new generation through its cultural efforts. He noted that it has been his privilege, along with millions of others, to be inspired by the RSS to live for the country. The Prime Minister also acknowledged that it was through the RSS that he had the opportunity to connect with the Marathi language and tradition. He highlighted that a few months ago, Marathi was accorded the status of a classical language, for which over 12 crore Marathi speakers in India and around the world had been waiting for decades for this recognition. He considered it a great fortune of his life to have had the opportunity to accomplish this task.
“Language is not just a medium of communication but a carrier of our culture”, exclaimed the Prime Minister. He noted that while languages are born in society, they also play a crucial role in shaping it. He highlighted that Marathi has given expression to the thoughts of many individuals in Maharashtra and the nation, contributing to our cultural development. Citing Samarth Ramdas Ji’s words on the importance of the Marathi language, the Prime Minister remarked, “Marathi is a complete language, embodying valor, beauty, sensitivity, equality, harmony, spirituality, and modernity”. He noted that Marathi includes devotion, strength, and intellect. Shri Modi pointed out that when India needed spiritual energy, Maharashtra’s great saints made the wisdom of the sages accessible in Marathi. He acknowledged the contributions of Sant Dnyaneshwar, Sant Tukaram, Sant Ramdas, Sant Namdev, Sant Tukdoji Maharaj, Gadge Baba, Gora Kumbhar, and Bahinabai, who showed society a new direction through the Bhakti movement in Marathi. In modern times, the Prime Minister highlighted the impact of Shri Gajanan Digambar Madgulkar and Shri Sudhir Phadke’s Geet Ramayan.
Highlighting that during centuries of oppression, the Marathi language became a proclamation of liberation from invaders, the Prime Minister mentioned the valor of Maratha warriors like Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Sambhaji Maharaj, and Bajirao Peshwa, who fiercely opposed their enemies. He noted that in the freedom struggle, fighters like Vasudev Balwant Phadke, Lokmanya Tilak, and Veer Savarkar disrupted the British. He emphasized the significant role of Marathi language and literature in their contributions. Shri Modi highlighted that newspapers like Kesari and Maratha, the powerful poems of poet Govindagraj, and the plays of Ram Ganesh Gadkari nurtured the spirit of nationalism. He pointed out that Lokmanya Tilak wrote the Geeta Rahasya in Marathi, which infused new energy across the nation.
“Marathi language and literature have opened the doors of social emancipation for the oppressed and deprived sections of society”, highlighted Shri Modi. He mentioned the contributions of great social reformers such as Jyotiba Phule, Savitribai Phule, Maharshi Karve, and Babasaheb Ambedkar, who nurtured new age thinking in Marathi. He noted that Marathi language has given the country rich Dalit literature. He emphasized that due to its modern thinking, Marathi literature has also produced science fiction. Acknowledging the exceptional contributions of the people of Maharashtra in Ayurveda, science, and logic in the past, Shri Modi highlighted that this culture has always invited new ideas and talents, leading to Maharashtra’s progress. He remarked that Mumbai has emerged as the economic capital not only of Maharashtra but of the entire country. The Prime Minister remarked that when speaking of Mumbai, one cannot complete the discussion of literature without mentioning films. He highlighted that it is Maharashtra and Mumbai that have elevated both Marathi films and Hindi cinema. He noted the current popularity of the movie ‘Chhava,’ which has introduced the valor of Sambhaji Maharaj through Shivaji Sawant’s Marathi novel.
Quoting poet Keshavsut, Shri Modi emphasized that we cannot remain stagnant in old thoughts and human civilization, thoughts, and language continually evolve. He highlighted that India is one of the world’s oldest living civilizations because it has consistently evolved, embraced new ideas, and welcomed changes. Pointing out that India’s vast linguistic diversity is a testament to this evolution and serves as a fundamental basis for unity, the Prime Minister noted that Marathi exemplifies this diversity, comparing language to a mother who imparts new and vast knowledge to her children without discrimination. He added that language embraces every idea and every development. Shri Modi noted that Marathi originated from Sanskrit and has significant influences from Prakrit. He highlighted the contribution of great thinkers and writers who have broadened human thought. He mentioned Lokmanya Tilak’s Geeta Rahasya, which interpreted the Sanskrit Gita and made it more accessible through Marathi. He also mentioned that the Dnyaneshwari Gita, with its Marathi commentary on Sanskrit, has become a standard for scholars and saints to understand the Gita. The Prime Minister remarked that Marathi has enriched and been enriched by other Indian languages. He cited examples like Bhargavram Vitthal Varekar, who translated works like ‘Anandmath’ into Marathi, and Vinda Karandikar, whose works based on the lives of Panna Dhai, Durgavati, and Rani Padmini have been translated into many languages. “Indian languages have never had mutual enmity; instead, they have always adopted and enriched each other”, he emphasised.
Pointing out that attempts to create divisions in the name of language are countered by the shared heritage of our languages, the Prime Minister emphasized the responsibility of enriching and embracing languages, urging everyone to keep away from such misconceptions. He highlighted that today, all languages in the country are viewed as mainstream languages. He pointed out the efforts to promote education in all major languages, including Marathi. Shri Modi mentioned that now, the youth in Maharashtra can pursue higher education, engineering, and medical studies in Marathi. He emphasized that the mindset of neglecting talents due to the lack of English proficiency has been changed.
“Literature is a mirror as well as a guide for society”, said Shri Modi. He remarked on the crucial role of Sahitya Sammelan and related institutions in the country. He expressed hope that the Akhil Bhartiya Marathi Sahitya Mahamandal will carry forward the ideals established by great personalities like Govind Ranade, Harinarayan Apte, Acharya Atre, and Veer Savarkar. The Prime Minister highlighted that the tradition of the Sahitya Sammelan will complete 150 years in 2027, which will mark the 100th Sahitya Sammelan. He urged everyone to make this occasion special and to start preparations now. He acknowledged the efforts of many young people who are serving Marathi literature through social media and encouraged providing them with a platform to recognize their talents. The Prime Minister emphasized the importance of promoting Marathi learning through online platforms and initiatives like Bhashini. He suggested organizing competitions related to Marathi language and literature among the youth. He expressed confidence that these efforts and inspirations from Marathi literature will energize 140 crore citizens for a Viksit Bharat. He concluded by urging everyone to continue the great tradition of distinguished personalities like Mahadev Govind Ranade, Harinarayan Apte, Madhav Shrihari Ane, and Shivram Paranjape, and thanked everyone.
The Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Shri Devendra Fadnavis; Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha), Shri Sharad Pawar; President of the 98th Sammelan, Dr. Tara Bhawalkar were present among other dignitaries at the event.
Background
The 98th Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Sammelan is being held from 21st to 23rd February and will host a diverse array of panel discussions, book exhibitions, cultural performances, and interactive sessions with eminent literary figures. The Sammelan will celebrate Marathi literature’s timeless relevance and explore its role in contemporary discourse, including themes of language preservation, translation, and the impact of digitalization on literary works.
The Marathi literary gathering being held in the national capital after 71 years also includes a symbolic literary train journey from Pune to Delhi, carrying 1,200 participants, showcasing the unifying spirit of literature. It will feature over 2,600 poetry submissions, 50 book launches, and 100 bookstalls among others. Distinguished scholars, authors, poets, and literature enthusiasts from across the country will participate.
In a significant step towards boosting deep-science-based Indian innovations with high societal and commercial impact, the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms (C-CAMP) has successfully transferred two novel bioactive non-chemical solutions, AphidControl and XanthoControl, to PI Industries Ltd. The announcement was made during an event held at the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) to the Government of India, New Delhi, in the presence of Prof. A.K. Sood, PSA to the Govt. of India, Dr. Kris Gopalakrishnan, Managing Trustee, Pratiksha Trust.
The transfer of these technologies is a part of the ‘Transforming Deep Science Discoveries into Impactful Innovations for India’ initiative under the Discovery to Innovation Accelerator (DIA) programme at C-CAMP. Supported by the Office of the PSA and Pratiksha Trust, this initiative is designed to translate pioneering research into industry-ready solutions for real-world applications. With pests and diseases contributing significantly to crop loss in India—estimated at 10-35% annually—the introduction of these two bio-based solutions represents a critical advancement in sustainable agriculture. These 100% biological alternatives to synthetic pesticides will undergo large-scale validation and commercialization by PI Industries Ltd., reinforcing their portfolio of crop protection solutions.
AphidControl is a novel botanical insecticide derived from plant extracts that effectively targets aphids, a pervasive pest that causes substantial agricultural losses. Unlike conventional chemical pesticides, this organic solution offers a sustainable approach to crop protection while minimizing environmental impact. AphidControl has demonstrated superior efficacy compared to existing biopesticides, ensuring a stronger, eco-friendly defense mechanism against aphids. XanthoControl, on the other hand, is a breakthrough biocontrol agent developed from microbial metabolites that effectively combats Xanthomonas, a bacterial pathogen responsible for bacterial blight in over 40 crops, including tomatoes and pomegranates. This innovative solution provides a safer and more sustainable alternative to synthetic pesticides, addressing concerns surrounding antimicrobial resistance and environmental sustainability.
Prof. A.K. Sood welcomed this initiative and stated “C-CAMP DIA Programme is fostering industry-centric innovations with the potential to reshape India’s agricultural sector. This reinforces the Office of PSA’s commitment to supporting transformative programmes that bridge the gap between research and industry.’
“The technology transfer to industry for the two-novel bio-based solutions developed under the Discovery to Innovation Accelerator program supported by the Office of PSA is testimony to C-CAMP’s efforts in translating research to market ready solutions in critical areas like sustainable agriculture. My best wishes and congratulations to the innovators and the team at C-CAMP for addressing an important area like crop loss through two non-chemical solutions viz AphidControl and XanthoControl” said Dr. Parvinder Maini, Scientific Secretary, Office of PSA.
Dr. Kris Gopalakrishnan emphasized the importance of research translation, and highlighted the need to leverage this strength and emerge as a global bio-innovation hub, and appreciated the C-CAMP DIA programme for ensuring that scientific discoveries translate into impactful real-world solutions. Dr. Monoranjan Mohanty, Adviser, Office of PSA, stated that the transfer of AphidControl and XanthoControl is a significant achievement under the DIA programme, showcasing India’s commitment to transforming scientific breakthroughs into innovative technologies that serve the agricultural sector.
Dr. Taslimarif Saiyed, CEO & Director, C-CAMP, highlighted the role of DIA in facilitating this transition, stating that the programme has successfully leveraged knowledge generated by research institutions across the country, advancing their technology-readiness level in line with industry standards. This initiative, he said, is a prime example of closing the academia-industry gap in India and was made possible through the generous support of the Office of the PSA and the Pratiksha Trust.
This was attended by Dr. Alka Sharma, Scientist H, DBT, Dr. Monoranjan Mohanty, Adviser, Office of PSA, Dr. Taslimarif Saiyed, CEO & Director, C-CAMP, Mr. Mayank Singhal, Vice Chairman & Managing Director, IP Industries, Mr. Prashant Hegde, CEO, AgChem Brands, Mr. Eswara Reddy, CIMAP, Dr. Sarangthem Indira Devi, IBSD, Dr. Sudesh K. Yadav, Director, IHBT, Dr. Ajit Kumar Shasany, Director, NBRI, Dr. Prabhod Kumar Trivedi, Director, CIMAP, Dr. Sangeetha Agarwal, Scientist F, Office of PSA, and Dr. Hafsa Ahmad, Scientist, Office of PSA.
This achievement was made possible through the collaborative efforts of CSIR-IHBT, CSIR-CIMAP, IBSD, DBT, and PI Industries Ltd. The participants in the event included representatives from the Office of the PSA, C-CAMP, PI Industries, CSIR institutes, DBT, and Pratiksha Trust. The event marked an important step in advancing research-driven solutions for sustainable agriculture and industry collaboration.
Source: National Ocean Industries Association – NOIA
Headline: BOEM Rescinds Flawed NTL—The Right Decision for Offshore Energy
For Immediate Release: Friday, February 21, 2025NOIA .org
BOEM Rescinds Flawed NTL—The Right Decision for Offshore Energy
Washington, D.C. – National Ocean Industries Association President Erik Milito issued the following statement after the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) rescinded NTL No. 2023-G01, Expanded Rice’s Whale Protection Efforts During Reinitiated Consultation with NMFS:
“The NTL was the direct result of a July 2023 Stipulated Stay agreement between the Biden administration and activist groups—crafted behind closed doors without input from experts, stakeholders, or Congress. This kind of backroom policymaking ignores the best available science, contradicts Congressional directives, and undermines America’s energy independence.
“Shortly after, the Western District of Louisiana issued a preliminary injunction blocking the NTL’s implementation, finding that Interior’s actions were procedurally invalid, arbitrary, and capricious—a decision later upheld by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Yet despite the courts striking it down, the NTL continues to create uncertainty for offshore energy development. It is simply bad policy to keep federal guidance in place when it was both legally flawed and developed as a closed-door settlement.
“Although the NTL labeled mitigation measures—such as vessel speed limits and nighttime travel restrictions—as ‘recommendations,’ it urged companies to incorporate them into future plans, sowing long-term regulatory uncertainty. These measures also disproportionately burdened offshore oil and gas operations, undermining job creation, economic growth, and energy security, all without a foundation in science.
“Environmental protection is a shared priority, but it must be pursued through a fair and transparent process. The Rice’s whale remains fully protected under the Endangered Species Act and the Marine Mammal Protection Act, regardless of the NTL. Meanwhile, BOEM and NMFS are following a more established regulatory process as they update the Biological Opinion governing Gulf of America oil and gas permitting and work on the Rice’s whale critical habitat designation, both expected later this year. Unlike the NTL, this process allows for greater transparency, stakeholder input, and adherence to established regulatory norms.”
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About NOIA The National Ocean Industries Association (NOIA) represents and advances a dynamic and growing offshore energy industry, providing solutions that support communities and protect our workers, the public and our environment.
Source: United States Senator for New York Charles E Schumer
BAE Systems Commits To The Creation Of More Than 130 New Good-Paying Jobs At Village Of Endicott Location
Continued New York State Investments Support The Southern Tier Region’s Comprehensive Strategy To Revitalize Communities And Grow the Economy By Focusing On Clean Energy Solutions
Governor Kathy Hochul and Senator Charles Schumer today announced that BAE Systems is investing $65 million to expand operations in the Village of Endicott, Broome County. The company will add a total of 150,000 square-feet to its existing site to make way for the addition of a new battery production line and lab space, and new office space. As a result of the expansion, the company has committed to creating up to 134 good-paying jobs onsite. BAE Systems is a global defense, aerospace and security company with approximately 93,500 employees worldwide. The BAE Systems facility in Endicott designs, develops and produces a broad portfolio of safety-critical electronic systems from flight and engine controls to power and energy management systems. The company has been operational at the Huron Campus site since 2011.
“BAE Systems’ decision to further expand its business represents yet another win for New York State and for the Southern Tier, which is laser focused on becoming a global hub for next-generation battery innovation efforts,” Governor Hochul said. “Since taking office, I have remained committed to bringing jobs back to Upstate New York. This incredibly successful company chose to grow its operations here, spurring top-quality, good-paying job creation in the region because they have seen firsthand how hardworking New Yorkers are.”
Senator Charles Schumer said, “BAE Systems is adding 130+ good-paying jobs right here in the Southern Tier to make sure the next generation of America’s batteries are stamped ‘Made in Upstate NY.’ This $65 million expansion to add a new battery production line, research lab, and office helps show how we can bring this supply chain back from overseas, with the Southern Tier leading the way to make sure the future of battery manufacturing is manufactured in Broome County, not Beijing. BAE Systems is a vital part of the Southern Tier economy, with a world-class workforce of over 1200 people, and selecting this area for their major battery production expansion is no accident. I’m proud of the millions in federal support I’ve delivered – via the American Rescue Plan and my bipartisan CHIPS & Science Act – to the region to make it a global center for battery research and set the stage for today’s announcement. Today BAE is helping add another loop to establish this region as a core of manufacturing and innovation for America’s battery belt.”
The project involves the expansion of BAE Systems battery production line, including the purchase and installation of machinery and equipment to efficiently produce an energy storage system for electric/hybrid electric aircraft. This facility will include an automated state-of-the-art production line, an engineering lab, and an aftermarket center, and is expected to be fully complete in 2027.
Empire State Development is assisting the project with up to $8.5 million in performance-based Excelsior Jobs Tax Credit Program in exchange for the job creation commitments. Broome County is also providing assistance for the project.
BAE Systems Senior Director Jim Garceau said, “This facility expansion reinforces our commitment to the Southern Tier and builds on New York State’s vision to create a regional hub for battery innovation. With this investment, we will enhance our capabilities to address the emerging needs of the next-generation hybrid/electric aircraft.”
Bolstering Next-Generation Battery Innovation
Governor Hochul and Senator Schumer were instrumental in the company’s decision having worked closely with company officials to ensure that the project would move ahead in New York’s Southern Tier region which is laser-focused on supporting next-generation energy efforts – a top priority for the governor and senator.
In January 2024, the Governor and Senator announced that the U.S. National Science Foundation had designated the New Energy New York (NENY) Storage Engine as a Regional Innovation Engine (NSF Engine), which was created by the Senator’s bipartisan CHIPS & Science Law. The NENY Storage Engine, anchored at Binghamton University in the Southern Tier Region, will receive up to $15 million in federal funding for two years and up to $160 million over 10 years to establish a hub that will accelerate innovation, technology translation and the creation of a skilled workforce to grow the capacity of the domestic battery industry. Through Empire State Development, New York State will match up to 20 percent for the first five years of the project as well as provide support through established programs. The NENY Storage Engine was chosen for its diverse, cross-sector coalition that will build a leading ecosystem driving battery technology innovation, workforce development and manufacturing to support U.S. national security and global competitiveness.
Schumer has long fought to secure federal investment to boost the Southern Tier’s battery manufacturing and R&D. In 2021, Schumer created the Build Back Better Regional Challenge in the American Rescue Plan that he led to passage as Majority Leader. The senator personally advocated for the selection of the Binghamton University-led New Energy New York’s (NENY) battery hub proposal, helping deliver a $63.7 million federal investment with a $50 million funding match from New York State. In 2023, Schumer also delivered the prestigious federal Tech Hub designation, also created by his bipartisan CHIPS & Science Law for the Binghamton University-led NENY proposal.
Empire State Development President, CEO & Commissioner Hope Knight said, “Governor Hochul’s strategic and laser-focused support for next-generation clean energy companies accelerates this cutting-edge industry’s growing presence in New York State. BAE Systems’ expansion will create top-quality jobs and opportunities in the Southern Tier, furthering the region’s leadership in battery technology innovation.”
New York State’s Climate Agenda
New York State’s climate agenda calls for an affordable and just transition to a clean energy economy that creates family-sustaining jobs, promotes economic growth through green investments, and directs a minimum of 35 percent of the benefits to disadvantaged communities. New York is advancing a suite of efforts to achieve an emissions-free economy by 2050, including in the energy, buildings, transportation, and waste sectors.
New York Power Authority President and CEO Justin E. Driscoll said, “BAE Systems has been a major driver of economic growth in Broome County, and I congratulate them on their new $65 million expansion. Thanks to strategic investments from Governor Hochul and Senator Schumer, New York has become a testbed for battery storage innovation, and NYPA will continue to support firms like BAE Systems developing cutting-edge technology and spurring economic growth with low-cost power.”
New York State Energy Research and Development Authority President and CEO Doreen M. Harris said, “With this investment in next generation battery technology at their Broome County location, BAE Systems is supporting local jobs and strengthening the state’s clean energy supply chains, ensuring New York continues to lead the way in innovation and clean tech economic opportunity. The expansion will also advance clean transportation in the aviation industry and support NYSERDA’s efforts in research, development, and demonstration of new technologies in the energy storage sector.”
State Senator Lea Webb said, “It’s exciting to see BAE Systems expand its next-generation battery innovation operations right here in the Southern Tier, bringing up to 134 new jobs to the Village of Endicott, ” said State Senator Lea Webb. “This investment strengthens our region’s role as a leader in clean energy technology and advanced manufacturing. I want to thank Governor Hochul for her commitment to growing our local economy and everyone who made this expansion possible. This investment not only creates new opportunities for workers but also reinforces New York’s leadership in the future of sustainable energy solutions.”
Assemblymember Donna Lupardo said, “Years of hard work and dedication have made our area a designated hub for battery innovation and manufacturing. BAE’s expansion to include a new battery production line will further establish our community as a leader in clean-energy technology. Their work on electric/hybrid bus and aircraft battery systems are game changers for the industry and for our local workforce. I’d like to thank BAE Systems for their continued investment in our community, and the Governor and Empire State Development for their ongoing support of this important work.”
Broome County Executive Jason Garnar said, “BAE Systems’ expansion in Endicott is another major win for Broome County, reinforcing our region’s role as leader in next-generation battery innovation while creating even more job opportunities for our community. Thank you to Governor Hochul for her continued commitment to economic growth in the Southern Tier and to BAE Systems for choosing to expand here in Broome County.”
Village of Endicott Mayor Nick Burlingame said, “BAE Systems’ decision to expand its operations in Endicott is a testament to the strength of our community, our workforce, and our region’s commitment to innovation. This investment not only reinforces Endicott’s legacy as a hub for cutting-edge technology but also brings new opportunities for local families and businesses. We are proud to support BAE Systems as they continue to grow and shape the future of clean energy and battery innovation right here in our village. We look forward to the jobs, economic impact, and advancements this expansion will bring to Endicott.”
For additional information about BAE Systems, visit: https://jobs.baesystems.com/global/en/.
Accelerating Economic Development in the Southern Tier
Today’s announcement advances the Southern Tier Strategic Plan and complements “Southern Tier Soaring” strategy by facilitating economic growth and community development. These regionally designed plans focus on attracting a talented workforce, growing business and driving next-generation innovation. More information is available here.
About Empire State Development
Empire State Development is New York’s chief economic development agency, and promotes business growth, job creation, and greater economic opportunity throughout the state. With offices in each of the state’s 10 regions, ESD oversees the Regional Economic Development Councils, supports broadband equity through the ConnectALL office, and is growing the workforce of tomorrow through the Office of Strategic Workforce Development.
The agency engages with emerging and next generation industries like clean energy and semiconductor manufacturing looking to grow in New York State, operates a network of assistance centers to help small businesses grow and succeed, and promotes the state’s world class tourism destinations through I LOVE NY. For more information, please visit esd.ny.gov, and connect with ESD on LinkedIn, Facebook and X, formerly known as Twitter.
Governor Kathy Hochul today announced further details of her proposal to expand New York’s first-in-the-nation Empire AI Consortium. The Governor’s FY26 Executive Budget includes $90 million in capital funding to substantially increase the computing power of Empire AI, expand access for SUNY researchers, and support the addition of new members including the University of Rochester, the Rochester Institute of Technology, and the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. The proposal will be matched by $50 million in private funding from new members and $25 million in SUNY operating funding over ten years. This investment will make the Empire AI supercomputer more powerful, leading to more research for the public good being done faster and more efficiently compared with currently available computing power.
“The United States is in a race with China and the rest of the world in the global AI revolution, and with our first-in-the-nation Empire AI Consortium, New York is leading the way in research and innovation,” Governor Hochul said. “With Empire AI, we are setting the standard for harnessing the power of AI for the public good and ultimately creating a better future for New Yorkers.”
Last year, Governor Hochul reached historic agreement with the state legislature as part of the FY25 Budget to establish Empire AI, a first-of-its-kind independent consortium to secure New York’s place at the forefront of artificial intelligence research. The consortium will leverage a $275 million state investment to create and launch a state-of-the-art artificial intelligence computing center on the University at Buffalo’s campus. The center will be used by leading New York institutions to promote responsible research and development, create jobs and advance AI for the public good. The founding members of Empire AI include SUNY, CUNY, Columbia University, Cornell University, New York University, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and the Flatiron Institute.
In October 2024, only six months after Budget enactment, Governor Hochul launched the first phase of Empire AI thanks to a philanthropic contribution from the Simons Foundation. Housed at the University at Buffalo, the Empire AI Alpha system is operating at maximum capacity and has allowed over 200 researchers across the seven founding members to begin work aimed at addressing major societal challenges.
Researchers are already using Empire AI to conduct groundbreaking research, from medical breakthroughs in treating cancer to making better weather predictions, which will make life better for everyday New Yorkers. Current projects include:
Developing technologies that could provide adaptive speech and language therapies to children with special needs.
Building models of the climate, which can help communities prepare for future impact of extreme weather events.
Building models to help analyze CT scans to better diagnose and treat lung cancer.
Now, Governor Hochul’s proposed expansion will allow Empire AI to secure a future full-scale computing system that supports expanded capacity for SUNY and the addition of new members. The proposed new members of Empire AI consortium include:
University of Rochester, a leading research university and the largest health care system in Upstate New York, will vastly improve AI-powered medical research and give consortium researchers unparalleled access to medical technologies and information.
Rochester Institute of Technology, which announced the formation of its Artificial Intelligence Hub last August, has proven to be a nationwide leader developing AI solutions for teaching and learning. By joining the consortium, they are contributing academic and strategic power to Empire AI’s member schools and researchers.
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, one of the top medical schools in the country, the first medical school to establish a Department of Artificial Intelligence (the Windreich Department of AI and Human Health) and is ranked as number 1 in AI according to Nature AI Index, has expressed intent to join the Empire AI consortium. The School will work collaboratively with the other healthcare and public health partners to accelerate health AI research with a focus on translation, aimed at improving New York’s health care and public health infrastructure.
SUNY will double its participation in Empire AI’s consortium, allowing more researchers and students from SUNY’s most research-intensive campuses to access the world-class computing power.
Empire State Development President, CEO and Commissioner Hope Knight said, “Thanks to Governor Hochul’s vision and commitment, New York State is a clear leader in harnessing the power of AI – one of the most revolutionary technologies of this century – to improve people’s lives and promote the public good. ESD is proud of its pioneering part in its effort, and eager to work with the expanded consortium, to not only leverage AI to tackle society’s most vexing challenges, but also cultivate New York’s AI ecosystem, which will create quality jobs, attract additional investments, and further grow the state’s economy.”
SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. said, “Thanks to Governor Hochul, New York State is leading the nation in the use of artificial intelligence to advance the public good. SUNY’s world-class researchers are already accelerating groundbreaking work on climate change, curing diseases, and civic discourse thanks to Empire AI, and Governor Hochul’s budget proposal will help SUNY and other higher education institutions conduct research that strengthens our economic well-being and national security.”
Empire AI Interim Executive Director Robert Harrison said, “Empire AI is advancing research in public health, environmental science, computing and countless other areas, and we’re doing it at a scale and pace that would have been unthinkable even a few short months ago. This is only possible because of Governor Hochul’s leadership and the legislature’s vision to partner with some of the state’s leading research institutions and invest in New York’s computing capabilities. And thanks to Governor Hochul, we now have the opportunity to do even more, adding new members and increasing our research capabilities to cement New York as the national leader in AI research for the public good.”
Rochester Institute of Technology Research Vice President Ryne Raffaelle said, “Joining Empire AI would strengthen our commitment to leading the way in the higher education artificial intelligence space. Our researchers would have unique opportunities to access cutting-edge equipment, connect with other thought leaders, and engage students in work related to responsible artificial intelligence. This partnership would be valuable for our university and would escalate our state as a national leader in this area.”
University of Rochester Research Vice President Steve Dewhurst said, “AI is rapidly changing our lives in fundamental and profound ways. That’s why we would be so excited to join Empire AI to leverage our incredible assets and strengths in AI and supercomputing. In partnership with our state’s leading experts, we could enhance how we learn, discover, heal, and create, while harnessing our collective strengths to best position New York to lead and benefit from this technology. I am grateful to Governor Hochul for her leadership and vision in creating this innovative collaboration and look forward to working with our partners when it passes in the Budget.”
Nash Family Professor of Neuroscience Director, The Friedman Brain Institute Dean for Academic Affairs, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Chief Scientific Officer, Mount Sinai Health System Dr. Eric Nestler said, “Joining Empire AI would ensure that we remain at the forefront of AI innovation and progress — where AI-driven insights enhance diagnosis, personalize treatments, and revolutionize research and practice. Together, we and members of this consortium would harness the power of AI technology to improve patient health, drive medical breakthroughs, and shape the future of healthcare.”
State Senator Jeremy Cooney said, “The Rochester region is fortunate to have nationally renowned universities on the cutting edge of technological research like Rochester Institute of Technology and University of Rochester. Today’s announcement from Governor Hochul that these institutions will be bringing their expertise to the Empire AI consortium is a win for our universities, their students, and our area as a whole. With the inclusion of RIT and University of Rochester, area researchers will be leading the way on AI innovation and helping to establish New York on the forefront of this vital work.”
Assemblymember Harry B. Bronson said, “Congratulations to the Rochester Institute of Technology and the University of Rochester on their intention to join Empire AI consortium. This collaboration will connect the Rochester region to the world-class talent and cutting-edge technologies needed to prepare the workforce of today and tomorrow, and ensure these universities continue to lead the way in pioneering technological advancements. As Chair of Labor, I recognize that this initiative is critical to growing our economy by guaranteeing we have the expertise and qualified workforce required for nation-leading research and education.”
Expanding Artificial Intelligence Across New York State Access to the computing resources that power AI systems is prohibitively expensive and difficult to obtain. These resources are increasingly concentrated in the hands of large technology companies and other global competitors, who maintain outsized control of the AI development ecosystem. As a result, researchers, public interest organizations, and small companies are being left behind, which has enormous implications for AI safety and society at large. Empire AI is bridging this gap and accelerating the development of AI centered in the public interest for New York State. Enabling this pioneering AI research and development is also helping educational institutions nurture the next generation of talent that will create AI-focused technology startups, driving job growth.
By increasing collaboration between New York State’s world-class research institutions, Empire AI is creating efficiencies of scale not achievable by any single university, empowering and attracting top notch faculty, expanding educational opportunity, and enabling responsible innovation that will significantly strengthen our state’s economy and our national security. The initiative is currently funded by over $400 million in public and private investment, including a $250 million State capital grant investment and $25 million over ten years in SUNY operating funding. The project will also receive more than $125 million from the founding institutions and other private partners, including the Simons Foundation, whose Flatiron Institute works to advance research through computational methods, and Tom Secunda, co-founder of Bloomberg LP and the Secunda Family Foundation, which provides millions of dollars a year in grants to conservation, health care, scientific advancement and other causes.
Governor Hochul’s Innovation Agenda Governor Hochul’s commitment to advancing New York’s leadership in artificial intelligence builds on her broader agenda to expand cutting-edge technology development in the Empire State. Last year, Governor Hochul announced that IBM CEO Arvind Krishna and Girls Who Code CEO Dr. Tarika Barrett would co-chair the new Emerging Technology Advisory Board (the Board) — an independent group of industry leaders tasked with informing and accelerating New York’s transformation into a hub for growth and innovation. The Board released their initial recommendations in December 2024.
The Governor previously signed New York’s historic Green CHIPS legislation to drive semiconductor research, development, and manufacturing in New York State and announced a $10 billion partnership to bring next-generation chips research to NY CREATES’ Albany NanoTech Complex. The Governor has continued to advance a $620 million Life Science Initiative to support innovation in biomedical research. And through strategic investments like the $113.7 million Battery-NY initiative, Governor Hochul has fueled the growth of the sustainability, green technology and energy storage economies in New York State.
The Governor’s innovation agenda has catalyzed major public and private investments, transforming New York’s economy and creating good-paying jobs of the future. GlobalFoundries recently announced an $11.6 billion investment to expand its chip manufacturing campus in New York’s Capital Region, creating 1,500 direct jobs and thousands of indirect jobs. In 2022, Micron announced a 20-year, $100 billion investment to create a megafab campus in Central New York, creating 50,000 new direct and indirect jobs and unlocking hundreds of millions of dollars in community benefits.
Source: United States Senator for Washington Maria Cantwell
02.21.25
In All-Night Senate Floor Fight, Cantwell Votes NO on Republican Tax Giveaways to Ultra-Rich, YES on Lower Costs for Working Families
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, and senior member of the Senate Finance Committee, released this statement following Senate passage of a Republican-led budget resolution, after votes on 30 Democratic amendments.
“Tonight, Senate Republicans voted to give $4 trillion in tax cuts to corporations and the ultra-rich while failing to protect programs like Medicare and Medicaid,”said Sen. Cantwell.“Republicans voted ‘no’ on our efforts to make housing more affordable, and they rejected efforts to reduce grocery prices. This is the fifth week of the Trump Administration. He is not doing enough to lower the cost of everyday goods for working families and neither will this Republican budget plan.”
The budget resolution passed 52-48. Senate Republicans now have to hammer out their differences with the budget approach the House is slated to consider, likely next week.
Before passage, the Senate voted on 30 Democratic amendments to improve the bill, including:
An amendment to prioritize the needs of working families first and prohibit tax cuts for people making $1 billion or more. Failed 47-51. Cantwell voted YES.
An amendment to prevent giving tax cuts for the wealthy while food prices are still high. Failed 48-52. Cantwell voted YES.
An amendment to protect Medicaid and prohibit providing tax cuts for the ultra-rich if any cuts are made to Medicaid. Failed 49-51. Cantwell voted YES.
An amendment to make housing more affordable. Failed 47-53. Cantwell voted YES.
Republicans voted all of these and dozens more Democratic amendments down.
The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today announced changes to the parliamentary secretary team.
In their new roles, the parliamentary secretaries will support their respective cabinet ministers to make progress on the priorities that matter most to Canadians. They will engage directly with Canadians on key initiatives and represent the government at home and abroad. Their appointments are effective immediately.
The changes to the parliamentary secretary team are as follows:
Vance Badawey becomes Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport and Internal Trade
Jaime Battiste becomes Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs and Minister responsible for the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency
Chris Bittle becomes Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development
Mike Kelloway becomes Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Rural Economic Development and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
Irek Kusmierczyk becomes Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Seniors
Bryan May becomes Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister
Yasir Naqvi becomes Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health
Taleeb Noormohamed becomes Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance and Intergovernmental Affairs (Canada-U.S.)
Jennifer O’Connell becomes Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety (Cybersecurity)
Marc G. Serré becomes Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources
Terry Sheehan becomes Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Indigenous Services and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario
Ryan Turnbull becomes Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance and Intergovernmental Affairs and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry
Adam van Koeverden becomes Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Sport and Minister responsible for Prairies Economic Development Canada
The Prime Minister also welcomed the following new members to the parliamentary secretary team:
Kody Blois becomes Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Rural Economic Development and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
Julie Dzerowicz becomes Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs (Consular Affairs and Latin America)
Arielle Kayabaga becomes Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Small Business
Viviane Lapointe becomes Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Official Languages and Associate Minister of Public Safety
Tim Louis becomes Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Canadian Heritage
Francesco Sorbara becomes Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance and Intergovernmental Affairs
These new parliamentary secretaries will work to deliver real, positive change for Canadians. They join the following parliamentary secretaries remaining in their portfolio:
Paul Chiang, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship
Julie Dabrusin, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources
Peter Fragiskatos, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities
Lisa Hepfner, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth
Anthony Housefather, Parliamentary Secretary to the President of the Treasury Board
Iqra Khalid, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Revenue
Annie Koutrakis, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Tourism and Minister responsible for the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec
Marie-France Lalonde, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence
Kevin Lamoureux, Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons
Stéphane Lauzon, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Citizens’ Services
James Maloney, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada
Rob Oliphant, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs
Sherry Romanado, Parliamentary Secretary to the President of the King’s Privy Council for Canada and Minister of Emergency Preparedness
Randeep Sarai, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence
Maninder Sidhu, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Export Promotion, International Trade and Economic Development
Charles Sousa, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Services and Procurement
Anita Vandenbeld, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Development
Sameer Zuberi, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Diversity, Inclusion and Persons with Disabilities
Quote
“Our government is laser-focused on the issues that matter most to you and your family. With these additions to our strong team, we will create and protect Canadian jobs, build more homes, reduce emissions, make life cost less, and defend Canadian interests.”
Quick Facts
Parliamentary secretaries are chosen by the Prime Minister to assist ministers.
The responsibilities of parliamentary secretaries generally fall into two broad categories: House of Commons business and department-related duties.
Parliamentary secretaries are not members of Cabinet and do not play a formal role in the Cabinet decision-making process. They support their ministers, but overall responsibility and accountability remains with the minister.
Senior Research Fellow Maureen McCann poses with a mass spectrometer in a research lab. Photo by Agata Bogucka, NREL
The U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has selected Maureen McCann, an internationally renowned plant biologist, to its highest technical position for a scientist: Senior Research Fellow.
Of the more than 4,000 people who work at NREL, only 16 are current senior research fellows. Fellows are nominated by the leaders of NREL’s five research directorates, and recommendations from peer scientists play a large role in the selection process. In this prestigious role, McCann will advise NREL’s executive leadership on the strategic direction of laboratory research as it works toward advanced energy solutions.
“The role of senior research fellow carries great responsibility at NREL,” Laboratory Director Martin Keller said. “They are in the trenches every day, conducting and overseeing research while also keeping an eye on the bigger picture and evaluating our long-term approaches. Elevation to this position is a recognition of Maureen’s talent, experience, and leadership and our belief that she can help take the laboratory to new heights. Congratulations to a fellow biologist.”
McCann joined NREL in 2020 to direct the laboratory’s Biosciences Center. The center’s team of researchers aims to understand, predict, and control pathways and processes in living organisms to benefit the bioindustrial and agricultural sectors of the bioeconomy.
Before NREL, she was a professor of biological sciences and director of the NEPTUNE Center for Power and Energy at Purdue University. While there, she also led an Energy Frontier Research Center, the Center for Direct Catalytic Conversion of Biomass to Biofuels, in which NREL was a senior partner.
In 2023, McCann took on a leadership role as associate director of the Renewable and Sustainable Energy Institute, a partnership between NREL and the University of Colorado Boulder.
Speaking on her new role, McCann said she is excited for this next phase of her work at NREL.
“I’m delighted and honored—it’s a little overwhelming—but can’t wait to step up to this new role and contribute my passion for how life sciences can be entrained for the bioeconomy and biomanufacturing,” McCann said.
Maureen McCann presents her research at the Senior Research Fellows Dinner. McCann was awarded the distinction prior to her talk at the event. Photo by Agata Bogucka, NREL
Her career of research uses biochemical, genetic, and molecular biology approaches to understand how the plant cell wall influences the final form and stature of plants. Using basic science to study the proteins and structural properties of the cell wall, McCann can engineer plants to be more productive and resilient for their use as sources of biofuels, chemicals, and materials.
She is widely cited for her 1990 Journal of Cell Science article, “Direct Visualization of Cross-Links in the Primary Plant Cell Wall,” a field-defining study where measurements were obtained, for the first time, by directly visualizing the primary cell wall of an onion using novel electron microscopy techniques.
McCann’s work has also made advancements in the molecular basis of biomass recalcitrance, or the cell wall’s natural resistance to being broken down by microbes and enzymes. Converting plant biomass into usable sugars and aromatics, such as capturing glucose and xylose from cell wall polysaccharides, is an avenue to create economic value from heterogeneous waste streams. McCann’s discoveries on recalcitrance could help companies decrease energy inputs needed to prepare biomass for multiple conversion processes, therefore lowering the costs and making biofuel and biochemical production more efficient.
McCann has authored or co-authored more than 120 peer-reviewed journal articles and has a lifetime h-index of 65, with nearly 22,000 citations. She is a graduate of Churchill College at the University of Cambridge, where she obtained her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in natural sciences before gaining a Ph.D. in botany from the University of East Anglia.
Learn more about NREL’s science of biological energy conversion research that McCann will help lead.
So exclaimed the crotchety Mrs Meg in Yorgos Lanthimos’s The Favourite, in which Olivia Colman plays a moribund and overweight Queen Anne. The queen was afflicted with, among many other conditions, gout – a disorder which causes joint inflammation and severe pain.
In the film, while screaming out in pain, her swollen feet are wrapped in strips of soothing beef. The next day her soon-to-be new favourite, Abigail, collects wild herbs to make a poultice for her. A bit more effective than raw steak, she finds.
You’ve got to feel sorry for Queen Anne. She really didn’t have much of a chance, since doctors of her day had no options for treating gout other than quackery.
She may have been subject to many other absurd treatments of the time to alleviate the symptoms, like scorching the blood vessels supplying the feet, slathering them in goose fat, or bloodletting with leeches. By the time she passed away in 1714 aged just 49, death may have come as a welcome relief.
Queen Anne wasn’t the only member of royalty to suffer with gout. Prince Regent George (later George IV) was similarly afflicted. Gout, then, came to be associated with the aristocracy and over indulgence.
Gout still affects many people. In fact, it is estimated that in 2020 gout affected nearly 56 million people worldwide, a figure that’s predicted to grow to 96 million by 2050. So, a condition that was once considered the disease of kings and queens is a now a disease of the masses, with younger patients also being diagnosed.
Luckily, raw meat strips and herbs are no longer required. We now know much more about how to treat gout and how to prevent it recurring.
Understanding gout
Gout is a crystal arthropathy – a group of joint disorders that occur when crystals build up in joints and soft tissues. Gout develops when uric acid levels rise in the bloodstream, before infiltrating the joints where it solidifies and becomes needle-like crystals that inflame the joints, making them incredibly sore.
And when I say “sore”, I really do mean sore: many people who experience gout often describe it as one of the worst pains they have ever felt. It most commonly affects the big toe and it can make even the lightest touch to the skin unbearable.
Some gout patients sleep with a special cage over their foot that lifts up the bedclothes because they can’t bear even the weight of a bed sheet on the affected joint.
Gout can affect other joints. It may also cause “tophi” to develop (hard swellings around joints and the ears).
The Gout by James Gillray. Published May 14th 1799. Wikimedia Commons
Gout typically occurs in bouts or attacks, before settling with treatment and becoming dormant. But it can reoccur, requiring more acute treatment.
A diagnosis of gout is based around the classic symptoms: excruciating pain,
swelling in and around the affected joint and redness. Microscopic examination of the fluid taken from the swollen joint may also show crystals and there is usually raised uric acid levels on blood tests.
Purines are compounds comprised of uric acid. Purine-rich foods include meat and offal, oily fish like mackerel and anchovies, and yeasty foods, like Marmite and beer. It may be a good idea to avoid these foods in excess if you suffer from frequent episodes of gout.
Medication
But dietary changes alone are unlikely to stave off symptoms of gout. Medications can treat both an acute episode of gout and prevent it recurring.
When the joints are inflamed, options include anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen, naproxen, or steroid medications. Another option is colchicine, which is typically used for short periods and can be very effective – though it commonly causes bouts of diarrhoea.
When the inflammation has settled down, it is important to prevent future attacks. Allopurinol can reduce uric acid levels and therefore the risk of further bouts. There’s also evidence to suggest that eating cherries or drinking tart cherry juice could reduce the risk of gout attacks, especially if combined with alloprinol.
If you want to stay free of gout then perhaps it’s time to consider taking preventative action by making subtle lifestyle modifications. Maintain a healthy weight, eat a balanced diet, cut down on alcohol and avoid binge drinking, take regular exercise and keep yourself well hydrated.
Dan Baumgardt 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.
Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Call for applications for the 2025 Challenge Science Prize has begun
February 21, 2025
Call for applications for the 2025 Challenge Science Prize has begun
February 21, 2025
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Call for applications for the 2025 Challenge Science Prize has begun
The new season of the National Prize in the field of future technologies “Challenge” has begun. At the Future Technologies Forum, the start of accepting applications for the prize in 2025 was announced.
You can submit an application on the website premiyavyzov.rf until May 21.
The prize fund for the Challenge award will increase in 2025 and amount to 60 million rubles.
“I am very pleased to announce the start of the third season of the Vyzov Prize. This scientific prize has been a success in previous years. It is gratifying to note the great interest of the international scientific community, since researchers from 33 countries applied to participate. Scientific achievements in the international nomination and many other initiatives have proven their effectiveness. I am confident that in the next, third season of the Vyzov scientific prize, we will see new scientific names and their breakthrough discoveries,” said Dmitry Chernyshenko, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Vyzov Foundation for the Development of Scientific and Cultural Relations.
The National Prize in the field of future technologies “Challenge” is awarded for science-intensive developments that have significant potential to change people’s lives for the better and have a practical implementation horizon of up to 10 years.
“We are happy to open the third season of the Vyzov Prize, which has burst into the scientific world and very quickly taken a leading position there. Many people ask what the secret of this prize is, which in just two years has become extremely popular both in Russia and even in other countries. And the secret is very simple: the work of the scientific committee, which is built on the principles of absolute impartiality and high competence. Scientific prizes make sense only if they are honest. However, the same applies to science,” emphasized the chairman of the scientific committee of the Vyzov Prize, Artem Oganov.
The Vyzov Prize has five nominations: Perspective (awarded to young scientists under 35), Engineering Solution (for an important invention or creation of a new technology), Breakthrough (for research that has made it possible to solve an important scientific or technological problem), Discovery (a nomination for foreign scientists and Russians living abroad), and Scientist of the Year (for total personal contribution to changing the landscape of science).
“We see growing interest in the Vyzov Prize. This speaks to the high appreciation of the prize by the scientific community. This year, we expect an increase in the number of applications and expansion of geography. The culmination of this season will be the “Week with Vyzov” project in December. After the final press conference, at which we will announce the names of the 2025 laureates, the laureates of previous years will give lectures at leading scientific centers in Moscow. And the spectacular finale will be the gala ceremony of the Vyzov Prize, which, as has become traditional, will be held in the Moscow Manege on December 19,” said Leonid Shlyakhover, President of the Vyzov Foundation for the Development of Scientific and Cultural Relations and General Producer of the Vyzov Prize Ceremony.
The organizer and founder of the award is the Vyzov Foundation for the Development of Scientific and Cultural Relations. The co-founder is Gazprombank. The partners are the Rosatom State Corporation, the Roscongress Foundation, and the Moscow Government.
“The National Challenge Award is one of the significant tools for supporting advanced scientific developments. Last year, one of the award winners was Evgeny Antipov with a project in the field of batteries for electric transport. The development of such technologies is of strategic importance for Moscow, because it is a step towards an environmentally friendly and energy-efficient city of the future. We are confident that support for science and innovation will help us implement the best developments in the urban environment and improve the quality of life of Muscovites. This is why Moscow has been consistently increasing the funding for the award: if in 2023 the amount of support was 50 million rubles, then this year it has increased to 60 million rubles,” said Anatoly Garbuzov, Minister of the Moscow Government and Head of the Department of Investment and Industrial Policy.
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.
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Léonie de Jonge, Professor of Research on Far-Right Extremism, Institute for Research on Far-Right Extremism (IRex), University of Tübingen
In the weeks ahead of the German election, the far-right party Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) consistently polled around 20%. For the first time, the AfD poses a challenge to mainstream parties’ longstanding strategy of isolating the far right.
The rise of the AfD is striking, given the country’s history of authoritarianism and National Socialism during the 1930s and 1940s. For decades, far-right movements were generally stigmatised and treated as pariahs. Political elites, mainstream parties, the media and civil society effectively marginalised the far right and limited its electoral prospects.
The AfD’s breakthrough in the 2017 federal election shattered this status quo. Winning 12.6% of the vote and securing 94 Bundestag seats, it became Germany’s third-largest party — unlocking viable political space to the right of the centre-right party CDU/CSU for the first time in the postwar era.
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The AfD was founded in 2013 by disaffected CDU members. This included economics professors Bernd Lucke and Joachim Starbatty, and conservative journalists Konrad Adam and Alexander Gauland. It began as a single-issue, anti-euro party advocating Germany’s exit from the Eurozone.
Dubbed a “party of professors”, it gained credibility through the support of academics and former mainstream politicians, lending it an “unusual gravitas” for a protest party. While nativist elements were arguably present from the start, the AfD was not initially conceived as a far-right party.
When it first ran for the Bundestag in 2013, its four-page manifesto focused exclusively on dissolving the Eurozone. At the time, the party advocated political asylum for the persecuted and avoided harsh anti-immigrant or anti-Islam rhetoric, cultivating more of a “bourgeois” image.
This helped the AfD build what political scientist Elisabeth Ivarsflaten has called a reputational shield — a legacy used to deflect social stigma and accusations of extremism.
Initially, the AfD distanced itself from far-right parties in neighbouring countries. However, successive leadership changes between 2015 and 2017 saw the party adopt a more hardline position, particularly on immigration, Islam and national identity. By 2016, its platform had largely aligned with those of populist radical right parties elsewhere.
Far-right views
Today, the party can unequivocally be classified as far right. This umbrella term captures the growing links between “(populist) radical right” (illiberal-democratic) and “extreme right” (anti-democratic) parties and movements. Ideologically, the far right is characterised by nativism and authoritarianism.
Nativism is a xenophobic form of nationalism, which holds that non-native elements form a threat to the homogeneous nation-state. In Germany, nativism carries a historical legacy. “Völkisch nationalism” was one of the core ideas of the 19th and early 20th centuries that was broadly adopted by National Socialism to justify deportations and, ultimately, the Holocaust.
Völkisch ideology is based on the essentialist idea that the German people are inextricably connected to the soil. Thus, other people cannot be part of the völkisch community.
The AfD has evolved into a far-right party by continuously radicalising its positions. It acted like a Trojan horse, importing völkisch nationalist ideology into the parliamentary and public arena, which used to be blocked by the gatekeeping mechanisms of German democracy.
The AfD carved out a niche for itself by advocating stricter anti-immigration policies. This came in response to the so-called “refugee crisis”, when then-Chancellor Angela Merkel welcomed more than a million asylum seekers into Germany. At its campaign kickoff rally in January 2025, AfD’s chancellor candidate Alice Weidel vowed to implement “large-scale repatriations” (or “remigration”) of immigrants.
The party advocates a return to a blood-based citizenship, insisting that, with very few exceptions for well-assimilated migrants, citizenship can only be determined by ancestry and bloodline rather than birthright.
Additionally, the party upholds the white, nuclear family as an ideal and has pledged to dismiss university professors accused of promoting “leftist, woke gender ideology”. The party also calls for the immediate lifting of sanctions against Russia and opposes weapons deliveries to Ukraine.
In recent years, the party has embraced the far-right strategy of flooding the media and public discourse with controversy, misinformation and inflammatory rhetoric, to dominate attention and transgress traditional political norms.
A striking example is former AfD-leader Alexander Gauland’s 2018 claim that the 12 years of Nazi rule were “mere bird shit in over 1,000 years of successful German history”. With this remark, he sought to reframe modern Germany as a continuation of its pre-1933 history, while downplaying the significance of the Nazi era.
Normalising the AfD
Until recently, the far right was consistently excluded by mainstream political parties. It was a founding myth of the old Federal Republic of Germany that democratic forces do not cooperate with the far right. At least on the parliamentary level, this worked quite well as a part of Germany’s “militant democracy”.
However, the political firewall — the Brandmauer — has started to crumble. The AfD has since celebrated the election of its first mayors at the local level.
The success of the AfD has especially been fuelled by the narrative of a “refugee crisis” in Germany. Harsh political rhetoric about migration has contributed to the party’s electoral success, as well as mainstream adoption of some of its positions.
Oddly enough, the AfD is especially successful in rural, remote areas with low levels of migration. It is weak in more globalised, university-oriented urban areas.
Ahead of the 2025 elections, Friedrich Merz, the lead candidate of the CDU, broke a longstanding political taboo when his proposal to tighten asylum policies narrowly passed in the Bundestag with backing from the AfD. Meanwhile, German media have increasingly treated AfD representatives as legitimate political contenders.
Once marginalised in political debates, they are now regularly invited to talk shows. And they have received international legitimacy from figures such as US vice-president J.D. Vance, and X owner Elon Musk.
This election may give an indication of how far the AfD’s normalisation will go and how it will affect Germany’s political future. Beyond electoral success, the main question will be to what extent mainstream parties will incorporate far-right ideas in their political agenda.
What is already clear, however, is that the political landscape has shifted. The boundaries that once kept the far right at the margins are no longer as firm as they once were
The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
You have probably heard the saying that the eyes are the windows to the soul, but now it turns out that they are also connected to how we breathe. Scientists have long studied the size of our pupils to understand attention, emotion and even medical conditions. But now, new research has surprisingly revealed that they change size in sync with our breathing.
Our pupils are never static; they constantly adjust in response to both external and internal factors. The most well known is that they control how much light enters the eye, just like a camera aperture.
You can easily test this yourself: look into a mirror and shine a light into your eye, and you’ll see your pupils shrink. This process directly affects our visual perception. Larger pupils help us to detect faint objects, particularly in our peripheral vision, while smaller pupils enhance sharpness, improving tasks like reading.
Indeed, this reflex is so reliable that doctors use it to assess brain function. If a pupil fails to react to light, it could signal a medical emergency such as a stroke.
Doctors will check patients’ pupils to see if they’ve had a stroke. Doodeez
However, it is not just light that our pupils respond to. It’s also well established that our pupils constrict when focusing on a nearby object, and dilate in response to cognitive effort or emotional arousal.
As the German pupil-research pioneer Irene Loewenfeld once said: “Man may either blush or turn pale when emotionally agitated, but his pupils always dilate.”
For this reason, pupil size is often used in psychology and neuroscience research as a measure of mental effort and attention.
The fourth response
For many decades, these three kinds of pupil response were the only ones that scientists were sure existed. Now, myself and our team of researchers at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm and the University of Groningen in the Netherlands have confirmed that breathing is a fourth.
In what will now be known as “pupillary respiratory phase response”, pupils tend to be largest during exhalation and smallest around the start of inhalation. Unlike other pupil responses, this one originates exclusively in the body and of course happens constantly. Equally uniquely, it covers both dilation and constriction.
There had in fact been anecdotal hints of a connection between breathing and our pupils for more than 50 years. But when the team reviewed past studies the evidence was inconclusive at best. Given how widely pupil size is used in both medicine and research, we realised it was crucial to investigate this further.
We confirmed through a series of five experiments with more than 200 participants that pupil size fluctuates in sync with breathing, and also that this effect is remarkably robust. In these studies, we invited the participants to our lab and recorded their pupil size and breathing pattern while they were relaxing or performing tasks on a computer screen.
We systematically varied the other key pupil-response factors throughout the study – lighting, fixation distance and mental effort required for tasks. In all cases, the way that breathing affects the pupils remained constant.
Whichever way you breathe, the effect on pupil size remains the same. LuckyStep
Additionally, we examined how different breathing patterns affected the response.
Participants were instructed to breathe solely through their nose or mouth and to adjust their breathing rate, as well as slowing it down and speeding it up. In all cases, the same pattern emerged: pupil size remained smallest around the onset of inhalation and largest during exhalation.
What now
This discovery changes the way we think about both breathing and vision. It suggests a deeper connection between breathing and the nervous system than we previously realised. The next big question is whether these subtle changes in pupil size affect how we see the world.
The fluctuations are only fractions of a millimetre, which is less than the pupil response to light, but similar to the pupil response to mental effort or arousal. The size of these fluctuations is theoretically large enough to influence our visual perception. It may therefore be that our vision subtly shifts within a single breath between optimising for detecting faint objects (with larger pupils) and distinguishing fine details (with smaller pupils).
In addition, just as the pupillary light response is used as a diagnostic tool, changes in the link between pupil size and breathing could be an early sign of neurological disorders.
This research is part of a broader effort to understand how our internal bodily rhythms influence perception. Scientists are increasingly finding that our brain doesn’t process external information in isolation – it integrates signals from within our bodies, too. For example, information from our heart and gastric rhythms have also been suggested to enhance or hinder the processing of incoming sensory stimuli.
If our breathing affects how our pupils change, could it also shape how we perceive the world around us? This opens the door to new research on how bodily rhythms shape perception – one breath at a time.
Martin Schaefer is affiliated with Karolinska Institutet.
Directors Basel Adra, left, and Yuval Abraham on stage at the 62nd New York Film Festival on Sept. 29, 2024.Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images
For many low-budget, independent films, an Oscar nomination is a golden ticket.
The publicity can translate into theatrical releases or rereleases, along with more on-demand rentals and sales.
However, for “No Other Land,” a Palestinian film nominated for best documentary at the 2025 Academy Awards, this exposure is unlikely to translate into commercial success in the U.S. That’s because the film has been unable to find a company to distribute it in America.
“No Other Land” chronicles the efforts of Palestinian townspeople to combat an Israeli plan to demolish their villages in the West Bank and use the area as a military training ground. It was directed by four Palestinian and Israeli activists and journalists: Basel Adra, who is a resident of the area facing demolition, Yuval Abraham, Hamdan Ballal and Rachel Szor. While the filmmakers have organized screenings in a number of U.S. cities, the lack of a national distributor makes a broader release unlikely.
Film distributors are a crucial but often unseen link in the chain that allows a film to reach cinemas and people’s living rooms. In recent years it has become more common for controversial award-winning films to run into issues finding a distributor. Palestinian films have encountered additional barriers.
As a scholar of Arabic who has written about Palestinian cinema, I’m disheartened by the difficulties “No Other Land” has faced. But I’m not surprised.
The role of film distributors
Distributors are often invisible to moviegoers. But without one, it can be difficult for a film to find an audience.
Distributors typically acquire rights to a film for a specific country or set of countries. They then market films to movie theaters, cinema chains and streaming platforms. As compensation, distributors receive a percentage of the revenue generated by theatrical and home releases.
The film “Soundtrack to a Coup D’Etat,” another finalist for best documentary, shows how this process typically works. It premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2024 and was acquired for distribution just a few months later by Kino Lorber, a major U.S.-based distributor of independent films.
The inability to find a distributor is not itself noteworthy. No film is entitled to distribution, and most films by newer or unknown directors face long odds.
So why can’t “No Other Land” find a distributor in the U.S.?
There are a couple of factors at play.
Shying away from controversy
In recent years, film critics have noticed a trend: Documentaries on controversial topics have faced distribution difficulties. These include a film about a campaign by Amazon workers to unionize and a documentary about Adam Kinzinger, one of the few Republican congresspeople to vote to impeach Donald Trump in 2021.
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict, of course, has long stirred controversy. But the release of “No Other Land” comes at a time when the issue is particularly salient. The Hamas attacks of Oct. 7, 2023, and the ensuing Israeli bombardment and invasion of the Gaza Strip have become a polarizing issue in U.S. domestic politics, reflected in the campus protests and crackdowns in 2024. The filmmakers’ critical comments about the Israeli occupation of Palestine have also garnered backlash in Germany.
Yet the fact that this conflict has been in the news since October 2023 should also heighten audience interest in a film such as “No Other Land” – and, therefore, lead to increased sales, the metric that distributors care about the most.
Indeed, an earlier film that also documents Palestinian protests against Israeli land expropriation, “5 Broken Cameras,” was a finalist for best documentary at the 2013 Academy Awards. It was able to find a U.S. distributor. However, it had the support of a major European Union documentary development program called Greenhouse. The support of an organization like Greenhouse, which had ties to numerous production and distribution companies in Europe and the U.S., can facilitate the process of finding a distributor.
By contrast, “No Other Land,” although it has a Norwegian co-producer and received some funding from organizations in Europe and the U.S., was made primarily by a grassroots filmmaking collective.
Stages for protest
While distribution challenges may be recent, controversies surrounding Palestinian films are nothing new.
Many of them stem from the fact that the system of film festivals, awards and distribution is primarily based on a movie’s nation of origin. Since there is no sovereign Palestinian state – and many countries and organizations have not recognized the state of Palestine – the question of how to categorize Palestinian films has been hard to resolve.
In 2002, The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences rejected the first ever Palestinian film submitted to the best foreign language film category – Elia Suleiman’s “Divine Intervention” – because Palestine was not recognized as a country by the United Nations. The rules were changed for the following year’s awards ceremony.
In 2021, the cast of the film “Let It Be Morning,” which had an Israeli director but primarily Palestinian actors, boycotted the Cannes Film Festival in protest of the film’s categorization as an Israeli film rather than a Palestinian one.
Film festivals and other cultural venues have also become places to make statements about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and engage in protest. For example, at the Cannes Film Festival in 2017, the right-wing Israeli culture minister wore a controversial – and meme-worthy – dress that featured the Jerusalem skyline in support of Israeli claims of sovereignty over the holy city, despite the unresolved status of Jerusalem under international law.
Israeli Culture Minister Miri Regev wears a dress featuring the old city of Jerusalem during the Cannes Film Festival in 2017. Antonin Thuillier/AFP via Getty Images
At the 2024 Academy Awards, a number of attendees, including Billie Eilish, Mark Ruffalo and Mahershala Ali, wore red pins in support of a ceasefire in Gaza, and pro-Palestine protesters delayed the start of the ceremonies.
So even though a film like “No Other Land” addresses a topic of clear interest to many people in the U.S., it faces an uphill battle to finding a distributor.
I wonder whether a win at the Oscars would even be enough.
Drew Paul does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: The Conversation – USA – By Brittany Friedman, Assistant Professor of Sociology at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, University of Southern California
Black and Latino communities are disproportionately affected by mass surveillance, studies show.Vicente Méndez/Getty Images
Mass surveillance is the widespread monitoring of civilians. Governments typically target specific groups – such as religious minorities, certain races or ethnicities, or migrants – for surveillance and use the information gathered to “contain” these populations, for example by arresting and imprisoning people.
We are experts in social control, or how governments coerce compliance, and we specialize in surveillance. Based on our expertise and years of research, we expect Trump’s second White House term may usher in a wave of spying against people of color and immigrants.
Trump is already actively deploying a key tactic in expanding mass surveillance: causing moral panics. Moral panics are created when politicians exaggerate a public concern to manipulate real fears people may have.
Building on his rhetoric about crime and immigration, Trump frequently connects the two issues. He has said that migrants murder because they have “bad genes,” echoing beliefs expressed by white supremacists. During the 2016 campaign, Trump’s coinage “bad hombre” invoked stereotypes of dangerous migrants crossing the U.S.-Mexico border to steal jobs and sell drugs.
The president has similarly connected Black communities with crime. At an August 2024 rally in Atlanta, Georgia, Trump called the majority-Black city “a killing field.” The month prior, he said the same thing about Washington, D.C.
Another early form of moral panics escalating to spying and mass surveillance were southern slave patrols, which emerged in the early 1700s after pro-slavery politicians proclaimed that Black escapees would terrorize white communities. Slave patrols tracked down and captured not only Black escapees but also free Black people, whom they sold into bondage. They also imprisoned any person, enslaved or not, suspected of sheltering escapees.
Once a group of people becomes the subject of moral panics and targeted for government surveillance, our research shows, the effects are felt for generations.
These 21st-century numbers reflect decades of targeted surveillance.
In the 1950s, the FBI under Director J. Edgar Hoover created the counter-intelligence programs COINTELPRO, allegedly for investigating communists and radical political groups, and the Ghetto Informant Program. In practice, both programs broadly targeted people of color. From Martin Luther King Jr. to U.S. Rep. John Lewis, Black activists were identified as a threat, spied on, investigated and sometimes jailed.
President Lyndon Johnson’s “war on crime,” a sweeping set of federal changes that militarized local police in urban communities, continued this mass surveillance in the 1960s. Later came the “war on drugs,” which an aide to President Richard Nixon later said was designed explicitly to target Black people.
These early examples of mass surveillance lacked the technology that enables spying today, such as CCTV and hacked laptop cameras. Nonetheless, past U.S. administrations have been remarkably effective at achieving social control by creating moral panics then deploying mass surveillance to contain the “threat.” They enlisted droves of police officers, recruited informants to infiltrate groups and locked people away.
These textbook surveillance methods are still routinely used now.
Police fusion centers
For many Americans, the term “mass surveillance” evokes the Department of Homeland Security, which was founded after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. This national agency, which forms part of a federal intelligence apparatus of more than 20 agencies focused on surveillance, has played a key role in mass surveillance since 2001, especially of Muslim Americans.
But it has local help in the form of police units known as fusion centers. These units feed identification information and physical evidence such as video footage to federal agencies such as the FBI and CIA, according to a 2023 whistleblower report from Rutgers Law School.
The New Jersey Regional Operations Intelligence Center, for example, is a police fusion center overseeing New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. It employs advanced military technology to gather massive amounts of personal data on people perceived as potential security threats. According to the Rutgers report, these “threats” are highly concentrated in Black, Latino and Arab communities, as well as areas with a high concentration of political organizing, such as Black Lives Matter groups and immigrant aid organizations.
The New Jersey police fusion approach leads to increased arrest rates, according to the report, but there’s no real evidence that it prevents crime or terrorism.
Guantanamo and black sites
Given Trump’s pledges to further militarize border enforcement and expand U.S. jails and prisons, we anticipate a rise in spending on fusion centers and other tools of mass surveillance under Trump. The moral panics he’s been stirring up since 2015 suggest that the targets of government surveillance will include immigrants and Black people.
Donald Trump speaks at a campaign event on April 2, 2024, in Grand Rapids, Mich. Spencer Platt/Getty Images
The Guardian reported in 2015 that Chicago police had been temporarily “disappearing” people at local and federal police “black sites” since at least 2009. At these clandestine jails, under the guise of national security, officers questioned detainees without attorneys and held them for up to 24 hours without any outside contact. Many of the victims were Black.
The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
For decades, many U.S. immigrants have received subpar health care, and asking about immigration status can make those disparities worse.Maskot via Getty Images
Since arriving in the United States four years ago, Alex has worked at a primary care office. He has witnessed firsthand how difficult it was for immigrants to access preventive care.
When he heard of the implementation of Florida’s Senate Bill 1718, Alex feared it would have dire consequences for the patients he served.
Alex is a pseudonym for one of our research subjects.
SB 1718, signed into law by Gov. Ron DeSantis in May 2023, imposed sweeping restrictions aimed at discouraging unauthorized immigration. Among its provisions, it requires hospitals that accept Medicaid funds to question patients about their immigration status and share data about how many immigrants they are serving within the state.
After the law passed, Alex told his patients that they could refuse to divulge their legal status when asked on hospital forms. But he says his reassurances didn’t work. He watched as many immigrant patients hesitated to access necessary medical care for themselves and their children – or even left the state.
Alex had legal documentation to be in the country, but as his immigrant community shrank, he wondered if he, too, should leave Florida.
“I was very sick recently and needed medical care, but I was scared,” one survey participant told us.
While hospitals cannot deny care based on a patient’s immigration status, our data shows that anticipating they would be asked deterred not only immigrants lacking permanent legal status but also those with legal status, including U.S. citizens, from seeking care.
We believe U.S. citizens are affected by spillover effects because they are members of mixed-status families.
Our survey took place during the intense 2024 presidential election season when anti-immigrant rhetoric was prevalent. The immigrants we surveyed also reported experiencing discrimination in their everyday lives, and these experiences were also associated with a reluctance to access health care.
Laws like SB 1718 amplify preexisting racial and structural inequities. Structural inequities are systemic barriers within institutions — such as health care and employment — that restrict access to essential resources based on one’s race, legal or economic status.
Supporters of immigrants’ rights protest against U.S. President Donald Trump’s immigration policies on Feb. 7, 2025 in Homestead, Florida. Joe Raedle via Getty Images
Elizabeth Aranda is affiliated with American Sociological Association.
Deborah Omontese is affiliated with American Sociological Association
Elizabeth Vaquera is a member of the American Sociological Association and has previously received funding from the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health,
Emely Matos Pichardo is affiliated with the Southern Sociological Society.
Liz Ventura does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
The Sun periodically ejects huge bubbles of plasma from its surface that contain an intense magnetic field. These events are called coronal mass ejections, or CMEs. When two of these ejections collide, they can generate powerful geomagnetic storms that can lead to beautiful auroras but may disrupt satellites and GPS back on Earth.
The northern lights, as seen here from Michigan in May 2024, are caused by geomagnetic storms in the atmosphere. Shirsh Lata Soni
Two merging CMEs triggered the largest geomagnetic storm in two decades, which manifested in brightly colored auroras visible across the sky.
I’m a solar physicist. My colleagues and I aim to track and better understand colliding CMEs with the goal of improving space weather forecasts. In the modern era, where technological systems are increasingly vulnerable to space weather disruptions, understanding how CMEs interact with each other has never been more crucial.
Coronal mass ejections
CMEs are long and twisted – kind of like ropes – and how often they happen varies with an 11-year cycle. At the solar minimum, researchers observe about one a week, but near the solar maximum, they can observe, on average, two or three per day.
During the solar maximum, solar flares and coronal mass ejections are more common.
When two or more CMEs interact, they generate massive clouds of charged particles and magnetic fields that may compress, merge or reconnect with each other during the collision. These interactions can amplify the impact of the CMEs on Earth’s magnetic field, sometimes creating geomagnetic storms.
In my research team’s study, published in May 2024, we found that CMEs that do interact or collide with each other are much more likely to cause a geomagnetic storm – two times more likely than an individual CME. The mix of strong magnetic fields and high pressure in these CME collisions is likely what causes them to generate storms.
During solar maxima, when there can be more than 10 CMEs per day, the likelihood of CMEs interacting with each other increases. But researchers aren’t sure whether they become more likely to generate a geomagnetic storm during these periods.
Scientists can study interacting CMEs as they move through space and watch them contribute to geomagnetic storms using observations from space- and ground-based observatories.
In this study, we looked at three CMEs that interacted with each other as they traveled through space using the space-based observatory STEREO. We validated these observations with three-dimensional simulations.
The CME interactions we studied generated a complex magnetic field and a compressed plasma sheath, which is a layer of charged particles in the upper atmosphere that interacts with Earth’s magnetic field.
When this complex structure encountered Earth’s magnetosphere, it compressed the magnetosphere and triggered an intense geomagnetic storm.
Four images show three interacting CMEs, based on observations from the STEREO telescope. In images C and D, you can see the northeast flank of CME-1 and CME-2 that interact with the southwest part of CME-3. Shirsh Lata Soni
This same process generated the geomagnetic storm from May 2024.
Between May 8-9, multiple Earth-directed CMEs erupted from the Sun. When these CMEs merged, they formed a massive, combined structure that arrived at Earth late on May 10, 2024. This structure triggered the extraordinary geomagnetic storm many people observed. People even in parts of the southern U.S. were able to see the northern lights in the sky that night.
These resources, coupled with advanced modeling capabilities, provide timely and effective ways to investigate how CMEs cause geomagnetic storms. The Sun will reach its solar maximum in the years 2024 and 2025. So, with more complex CMEs coming from the Sun in the next few years and an increasing reliance on space-based infrastructure for communication, navigation and scientific exploration, monitoring these events is more important than ever.
Integrating the observational data from space-based missions such as Wind and ACE and data from ground-based facilities such as the e-Callisto network and radio observatories with state-of-the-art simulation tools allows researchers to analyze the data in real time. That way, they can quickly make predictions about what the CMEs are doing.
These advancements are important for keeping infrastructure safe and preparing for the next solar maximum. Addressing these challenges today ensures resilience against future space weather.
Shirsh Lata Soni does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
In the toxic male technique, genetically engineered male insects would implant semen containing toxic venom into the female insects during mating.Madugrero/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA
The stakes are high. Mosquitoes carry viruses such as dengue, West Nile and Zika, as well as parasites that cause malaria. Researchers estimate that mosquitoes have caused the deaths of 52 billion people overall – nearly half of all the humans that have ever lived.
Other insects cause major crop damage, jeopardizing the food supply and driving up prices. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 20% to 40% of global crop production is lost to pests annually at a cost of US$70 billion.
Pesticides have been the front-line defense against insects, but many bugs have evolved resistance to these chemicals. Some pesticides can indiscriminately kill beneficial insects, harm the environment and endanger human and animal health. Some researchers worry that certain pesticides can cause cancer or have damaging effects on human nervous and endocrine systems.
I’m a microbiology researcher studying infectious disease. New solutions that do not harm humans and the environment to control disease-carrying insects and agricultural pests could lead to fewer people contracting dangerous diseases. In the past few years, a variety of genetic engineering approaches have emerged as promising tactics to combat problematic insects.
Genetic biocontrol entails genetically modifying insects to curb their populations.
The idea to suppress an insect population by flooding it with sterile males has been around for decades. Since the 1950s, scientists have been using radiation to create infertile male mosquitoes. These sterile males mate with females but produce no offspring. Since females are engaged in a lot of unproductive mating, the overall population tends to decline.
In the past two decades, genetic engineering has been used to introduce dominant lethal genes into insect populations. In this approach, the offspring of genetically modified males inherit a gene that kills them before they reach reproductive age. A field trial in Brazil found that this strategy reduced the target mosquito population up to 95%. Another approach on the horizon involves releasing insects genetically modified to be poor carriers of pathogens that cause disease.
Despite these advances, a key shortcoming to current genetic biocontrol methods is that they take time. At least one generation needs to be born before the population suppression begins. This means the female insects continue to be a disease vector or agricultural pest until they die a natural death. An ideal technique would neutralize the females immediately, especially during outbreaks.
A faster approach
Biologists Samuel Beach and Maciej Maselko at Macquarie University in Australia sought to solve this dilemma by genetically engineering male insects to make poisonous semen. The poisonous semen would kill the female quickly, reducing the population faster than previous biocontrol methods.
To test this idea, the team used fruit flies called Drosophila melanogaster, which are easy to genetically modify and study in the lab.
The genetically modified fly produces and stores venom proteins in its male accessory gland – a fly’s prostate – along with other seminal fluid proteins. Upon mating, the fly deposits the venomous semen into the female’s reproductive tract. The researchers named this approach the toxic male technique.
The Mediterranean snakelocks anenome, Anemonia viridis. Diego Delso
After mating, the seminal toxins seep into the female’s body and attack her central nervous system. The toxins bind to proteins called ion channels on cellular membranes, which nerve cells use to communicate with one another. This quickly leads to paralysis and respiratory arrest. You could say these genetically engineered Romeos literally take her breath away.
The lifespan of female flies that mated with toxic males decreased – up to 64%. A computer simulation of the toxic male technique for Aedes aegypti, a mosquito that transmits several viruses, predicted that this approach could work better than current methods.
Safety and effectiveness
While promising and innovative, there are some important challenges that researchers developing the toxic male technique will need to overcome. For example, the technique has been shown to work only in fruit flies. Whether it will work in mosquitoes or other insect pests remains an open question.
In addition, the technique reduced the female lifespan by only 37% to 64%. To improve the rate of killing, the researchers suggested that other venom formulations might work better. Researchers could try thousands of venom genes from spiders, snakes, scorpions and centipedes. Each new venom they try will require tests to ensure the modified males tolerate them – if they become weak, unmodified males may outcompete them for mating opportunities.
As with all genetic biocontrol methods, this technique may be too expensive to implement for low-income countries. Nations would need to finance the costs of breeding and deploying the mosquitoes safely.
Insects also pollinate plants and serve as food sources for other animals, such as bats. If these insects vanish, the ecosystem could face unforeseen adverse effects. Monitoring these potential effects on the environment will also be expensive.
Other researchers are experimenting with using venom toxins to control parasites that female insects spread through biting. Called paratransgenesis, this technique alters an insect’s gut bacteria to produce a toxin that kills the parasite, leaving the insect unharmed. Since the insect population remains unaltered, paratransgenesis may pose less risk to ecosystems.
Insects tend to adapt quickly to the methods humans use to control them, so it is advantageous to have multiple strategies at our disposal. The toxic male technique may one day become a valuable new weapon in the arsenal to combat insect pests.
Bill Sullivan receives funding from the National Institutes of Health.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M., Feb. 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Time is running out to apply to participate in the Mark Cuban Foundation Artificial Intelligence (AI) Bootcamp hosted by The National Museum of Nuclear Science & History in Albuquerque. Applications for the no-cost bootcamp are closing March 12.
The program aims to provide students with a foundational understanding of artificial intelligence and its applications to future careers. Students can select from six tracks: healthcare, arts and entertainment, business and entrepreneurship, computer science, sports science, or education and career readiness. Driven by the belief that fostering interest in AI at a young age is crucial for preparing the next generation for their future, the AI Bootcamps are introductory and accessible to students in 9-12 grade with an interest in technology. Students do not need any familiarity with computer science or programming to attend.
This free AI Bootcamp is hosted for underserved high school students with a transparent focus on recruiting girls, students of color, first generation college students, and those from low to moderate income households. The AI Bootcamp Program provides students with lunch and a snack, transportation assistance, and technology equipment during bootcamp.
“As AI continues to become an undeniable force in all of our lives, it’s crucial that we open the door to this knowledge, especially to young people who want to explore it,” said Mark Cuban, founder. “While technology expands and becomes more advanced, it becomes more critical that we ensure our students are prepared when they apply for schools or jobs in the future. Thanks to our work with The National Museum of Nuclear Science & History, the bootcamp will offer an avenue to explore this fascinating field of technology to any student, no matter their means.”
This year’s bootcamp, taking place in Albuquerque March 17-19, is hosted and staffed by The National Museum of Nuclear Science & History, the only congressionally chartered museum dedicated to the history and science of nuclear technology.
“We are thrilled to partner with the Mark Cuban Foundation to bring this innovative AI Bootcamp to Albuquerque high school students,” said Gabriel Nemiroff, Director of Education at The National Museum of Nuclear Science & History. “This program is a fantastic opportunity for students to explore the exciting world of artificial intelligence and its potential applications in their future careers. We believe that AI has the power to revolutionize many industries, and we want to ensure that all students have the chance to learn about this important technology.”
There are just2weeks left until the March 12 deadline. Do not miss your chance—submit your application now, as spaces are limited.
This bootcamp is facilitated with support from Mark Cuban Foundation AI Bootcamp Program’s media partner, Notified, a globally trusted technology partner for investor relations, public relations and marketing professionals.
About Mark Cuban Foundation’s AI Bootcamp Initiative The Mark Cuban Foundation is a 501(c)(3) private non-profit led by entrepreneur and investor Mark Cuban. The AI Bootcamps Program at MCF seeks to inspire young people with emerging technology so that they can create more equitable futures for themselves and their communities. Over 3 consecutive Saturdays underserved 9th – 12th grade students learn what AI is and isn’t, where they already interact with AI in their own lives, the ethical implications of AI systems, and much more. Learn more about the no-cost AI Bootcamp program at markcubanai.org.
About The National Museum of Nuclear Science & History
The National Museum of Nuclear Science & History was established in 1969 as an intriguing place to learn the story of the Atomic Age, from early research of nuclear development through today’s peaceful uses of nuclear technology. Visitors can explore how nuclear science continues to influence our world. Through permanent and changing exhibits and displays, the museum strives to present the diverse applications of nuclear science in the past, present, and future, along with the stories of the field’s pioneers. The National Museum of Nuclear Science & History is a Smithsonian Affiliate and is accredited through the American Alliance of Museums.
A thin crystal is bent elastically when pressed with a metal probe. UQ/QUT
We are all familiar with elastic materials – just think of a rubber band which can return to its original shape after being stretched.
Humans have used elastic materials for millennia. These days, they’re in everything from optical fibres to aeroplanes and buildings. But until now, scientists haven’t been able to pinpoint exactly how these materials return to their original shape. What happens at the level of their molecules?
Our findings will allow us to develop new ways of designing components for complicated aerospace and building materials or electronic devices.
The mystery of elasticity
A material is elastic if it can return to its original structure after being deformed. For example, a rubber band goes back to its original shape after it’s been stretched. However, it will snap if pulled too hard. This is known as a “non-elastic change” – it means the material can no longer return to its original shape.
The most useful elastic materials can undergo large changes in their structures and still return to their original shape. There are many engineering uses for this. As one example, bridges are designed to move elastically in high winds to prevent them from falling down.
All materials are at least a little bit elastic: they can restore themselves after very small changes in structure. If you shake a piece of paper, it will still lie flat. But if you fold it, the crease is permanent – a non-elastic behaviour that is essential for origami.
Prior to our research, there were two main approaches to understanding elasticity.
In the 17th century, Robert Hooke first described how elastic materials work. He discovered that the force needed to stretch an elastic material is proportional to the distance it is stretched, and described this mathematically.
However, knowing this doesn’t provide much insight for chemists and physicists like ourselves, who work to develop new materials with better elastic properties.
More recently, computers have been used to calculate the elastic properties of a material using its structure and the basic laws of physics. But while it’s nice for a computer to understand the problem, it doesn’t necessarily make it easier for humans to grasp. This is where our work on flexible crystals comes in.
How can a crystal be flexible?
Crystals, which are normally hard and brittle, are made up of a repeating pattern of atoms or molecules. Because the atoms or molecules are stacked neatly in place, it is hard to move them.
This is why diamond – a crystal of carbon atoms – is hard, while coal, also mostly made of carbon but not a crystal, is soft and crumbly.
In the flexible crystals we have developed, there are weak interactions between the molecules. These crystals are made of a combination of simple organic molecules and metal ions.
Interactions between them allow the crystals to be bent so much, they can be tied in a knot without the crystal breaking.
Our new approach allows humans to understand how the subtle interactions between molecules in crystals give rise to elasticity.
A flexible crystal in the shape of a thin strand is tied in a loose knot.
We first used X-ray diffraction, a technique for determining the positions of atoms and molecules in crystals, at the Australian Synchrotron. This allowed us to understand how the arrangement of molecules in our flexible crystal changes when it’s bent.
We then used a computer to model the interactions between pairs of molecules. Our results showed these interactions could be used to calculate elasticity just as accurately as theoretical models of the entire crystal.
So, what makes our crystal highly elastic? Our results show that none of the interactions between atoms are “happy” with the structure of the crystal when it is bent. Some would like it to move one way, others in the opposite direction. They have to compromise.
This means the molecules and atoms don’t strongly resist to changes, making the crystal highly elastic despite its molecular structure which is typical of a regular, inflexible crystal.
We could not have learned this with either of the traditional approaches for analysing elasticity.
A single crystal cantilever prepared with a steel ball approximately 55 times the mass of the crystal. The ball rises back higher than the neutral position against gravity when the force holding it is released. UQ/QUT
We were also able to calculate how much energy is stored within a crystal when it is bent, and found it was enough for the crystal to lift a mass 30 times its own weight one metre in the air. This is similar to shooting an arrow with a bow. When you draw the bow, you store elastic energy. Upon the release of the arrow, that elastic energy is transformed into kinetic energy – movement.
Our flexible crystals are not yet robust enough to be used in the construction of bridges or skyscrapers.
But the new understanding our study brings to elasticity could lead to new ways of preparing smart devices, wearable electronics, or even components for spacecraft.
Jack K. Clegg receives funding from the Australian Research Council
Ben Powell receives funding from the Australian Research Council and the Queensland Government.
John McMurtrie receives funding from the Australian Research Council.
HUTCHINSON, Kan., Feb. 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Time is running out to apply to participate in the Mark Cuban Foundation Artificial Intelligence (AI) Bootcamp hosted by Cosmosphere International Science Education Center and Space Museum in Hutchinson. Applications for the no-cost bootcamp are closing March 12.
The program aims to provide students with a foundational understanding of artificial intelligence and its applications to future careers. Students can select from six tracks: healthcare, arts and entertainment, business and entrepreneurship, computer science, sports science, or education and career readiness. Driven by the belief that fostering interest in AI at a young age is crucial for preparing the next generation for their future, the AI Bootcamps are introductory and accessible to students in 9-12 grade with an interest in technology. Students do not need any familiarity with computer science or programming to attend.
This free AI Bootcamp is hosted for underserved high school students with a transparent focus on recruiting girls, students of color, first generation college students, and those from low to moderate income households. The AI Bootcamp Program provides students with lunch and a snack, transportation assistance, and technology equipment during bootcamp.
“As AI continues to become an undeniable force in all of our lives, it’s crucial that we open the door to this knowledge, especially to young people who want to explore it,” said Mark Cuban, founder. “While technology expands and becomes more advanced, it becomes more critical that we ensure our students are prepared when they apply for schools or jobs in the future. Thanks to our work with the Cosmosphere International Science Education Center and Space Museum, the bootcamp will offer an avenue to explore this fascinating field of technology to any student, no matter their means.”
This year’s bootcamp, taking place in Hutchinson, KS on March 17-19, is hosted and staffed by the Cosmosphere, a space museum with one of the largest collections of U.S. and Soviet space artifacts. It features the Apollo 13 command module, an SR-71 Blackbird, a planetarium, and hands-on exhibits for all ages.
The Cosmosphere International Science Education Center and Space Museum is one of more than 25 host companies selected to host camps across the U.S.
“At the Cosmosphere, we’re passionate about igniting curiosity in young minds and empowering the next generation of innovators. This AI bootcamp, in partnership with the Mark Cuban Foundation, represents a tremendous opportunity to do just that,” said JoAnna Strecker, Cosmosphere Vice President of Education. “We’re grateful to the Mark Cuban Foundation for their support in making this dream a reality, and we can’t wait to see the incredible things these students will achieve.”
There are just2weeks left until the March 12 deadline. Do not miss your chance—submit your application now, as spaces are limited.
This bootcamp is facilitated with support from Mark Cuban Foundation AI Bootcamp Program’s media partner, Notified, a globally trusted technology partner for investor relations, public relations and marketing professionals.
About Mark Cuban Foundation’s AI Bootcamp Initiative
The Mark Cuban Foundation is a 501(c)(3) private non-profit led by entrepreneur and investor Mark Cuban. The AI Bootcamps Program at MCF seeks to inspire young people with emerging technology so that they can create more equitable futures for themselves and their communities. Over 3 consecutive Saturdays underserved 9th – 12th grade students learn what AI is and isn’t, where they already interact with AI in their own lives, the ethical implications of AI systems, and much more. Learn more about the no-cost AI Bootcamp program at markcubanai.org.
About Cosmosphere International Science Education Center and Space Museum
The Cosmosphere International Science Education Center and Space Museum is a Smithsonian Affiliate. Located at 1100 North Plum in Hutchinson, KS, its collection includes U.S. space artifacts second only to the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum and the largest collection of Russian space artifacts outside of Moscow. This unique collection allows the Cosmosphere to tell the story of the Space Race better than any museum in the world while offering fully immersive education experiences that meet Next Generation Science Standards. The Cosmosphere also features the Carey Digital Dome Theater, offering daily documentary showings, a digital Planetarium, Dr. Goddard’s Rocket Lab Experience, where visitors experience live science demonstrations, and CosmoKids, an interactive STEAM area for children accompanied by an adult.
Amnesty International will consider prisoner-of-conscience designations in the cases of three Indigenous land defenders in Canada whose convictions were upheld by a British Columbia court.
Sleydo’ (Molly Wickham), a Wing Chief (Cas Yikh house) of the Gidimt’en Clan of the Wet’suwet’en Nation, Shaylynn Sampson, a Gitxsan woman with Wet’suwet’en family connections, and Corey “Jayohcee” Jocko, a Kanien’kehá:ka (Mohawk), had asked the court to void their convictions on constitutional grounds. They argued that their arrests during – and detention after – a highly militarized November 2021 police raid on unceded Wet’suwet’en territory violated their rights under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
On Tuesday, a British Columbia judge ruled that the conduct, including anti-Indigenous racist statements, of some Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP)/Community Industry Response Group (C-IRG) members during the raid did indeed violate the defenders’ Charter rights. The ruling validates both the experiences of these land defenders and the broader experience of colonial violence that Indigenous Peoples have faced for more than 100 years from the RCMP. However, the judge refused to stay all charges against the defenders and said he would instead consider reduced sentences.
Amnesty International is reviewing the implications of Tuesday’s decision. Should they receive a sentence that arbitrarily deprives them of their liberty, Amnesty will designate the affected land defenders as prisoners of conscience.
“We are heartened by Justice Tammen’s stern condemnation of the racist and violent treatment Sleydo’, Shaylynn Sampson and Corey ‘Jayohcee’ Jocko endured during their arrests. Unfortunately, the systematic racism that led to their arrests remains unaddressed”
-Ketty Nivyabandi, Secretary General of Amnesty International Canada’s English-speaking section
“We are heartened by Justice Tammen’s stern condemnation of the racist and violent treatment Sleydo’, Shaylynn Sampson and Corey ‘Jayohcee’ Jocko endured during their arrests,” said Ketty Nivyabandi, Secretary General of Amnesty International Canada’s English-speaking section. “Unfortunately, the systematic racism that led to their arrests remains unaddressed. B.C. and Canada must take immediate steps to stop the criminalization of Indigenous land defenders in the first place. No one should be intimidated, harassed, or arrested, let alone convicted in a criminal court case, for exercising their constitutionally protected rights and protecting the natural environment we all share.
France-Isabelle Langlois, general director of Amnistie internationale Canada francophone, declared: “Peaceful actions were taken by the Indigenous land defenders with the aim of protecting natural ecosystems that lessen the impacts of climate change. In this global context of the climate crisis, to punish them is preposterous, to say the least, no matter how small the sentence. These actions need to be widely applauded rather than scrutinized by the Court.
“The Court’s decision to uphold the convictions of the three land defenders is part of a broader context of shrinking civic space in Canada, where Indigenous land defenders, environmentalists, and human right defenders are frequently the victims of political or police repression,” she added. “It is disappointing that we must remind the country and its institutions of their obligations under international law since Canada prides itself on being a leader in human rights.”
“Peaceful actions were taken by the Indigenous land defenders with the aim of protecting natural ecosystems that lessen the impacts of climate change. In this global context of the climate crisis, to punish them is preposterous, to say the least, no matter how small the sentence. These actions need to be widely applauded rather than scrutinized by the Court”
-France-Isabelle Langlois, general director of Amnistie internationale Canada francophone
Amnesty International has vehemently condemned the criminalization of Wet’suwet’en and other land defenders opposed to the construction of Coastal GasLink (CGL) liquefied natural gas pipeline through the Nation’s unceded, ancestral territory. Construction on the 670-kilometre pipeline began without the free, prior and informed consent of the Wet’suwet’en Hereditary Chiefs, on behalf of their clans. This violates Canadian and international human rights law and standards, including the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, which was legislated into Canadian law on June 21, 2021.
Based in part on witness testimony of four large-scale RCMP raids on Wet’suwet’en territory, Amnesty’s 2023 report ‘Removed from our land for defending it’: Criminalization, Intimidation and Harassment of Wet’suwet’en Land Defenders found that Wet’suwet’en land defenders and their supporters were arbitrarily detained for peacefully defending their land against the construction of the CGL pipeline and exercising their Indigenous rights and their right to peaceful assembly.
In June and July 2022, the B.C. Prosecution Service (BCPS) charged 20 land defenders, including Sleydo’, Sampson and Jocko, with criminal contempt for disobeying an injunction order to stay away from pipeline construction sites, an order that unduly restricted the human rights of the land defenders and the Indigenous rights of the Wet’suwet’en Nation. Seven of the 20 land defenders pleaded guilty because of restrictive bail conditions, as well as the familial, psychological and financial impacts that the criminal proceedings imposed on them. Five other defenders had their charges dropped, and five more are awaiting trial.
“This whole process has been a violation of my rights and responsibilities as an Indigenous person and my responsibility to the health and wellness of future generations and the Yintah,” Sleydo’ said during a news conference after the decision was handed down on Tuesday afternoon. “The colonial courts are not where our ability to live out our laws and ways of life should be determined. And yet here we are, over three years later, in a showdown between Wet’suwet’en law and colonial law after years of police violence and repression by the C-IRG, with no accountability. I refuse to allow the colonial courts to dehumanize and criminalize me. I belong to my land, my ancestors, and my people.
“I am a mother, a daughter, a sister, an auntie, a good friend, and a leader. I am a singer, a hunter, a teacher, and a revolutionary. I am following the footsteps of my ancestors, and I carry their teachings with me in everything that I do.”
“This whole process has been a violation of my rights and responsibilities as an Indigenous person and my responsibility to the health and wellness of future generations and the Yintah. (…) I refuse to allow the colonial courts to dehumanize and criminalize me. I belong to my land, my ancestors, and my people”
-Sleydo’
If Amnesty International names Sleydo’, Sampson and Jocko prisoners of conscience, it will be the second time the organization has applied that designation to a person held by Canada. In July 2024, Amnesty declared another Wet’suwet’en land defender – Likhts’amisyu Clan Wing Chief Dsta’hyl – a prisoner of conscience after the British Columbia court sentenced him to 60 days of house arrest. Like Sleydo’, Sampson and Jocko, Chief Dsta’hyl was charged and later convicted for allegedly violating the terms of the B.C. court injunction banning land-defence actions near the CGL pipeline, including in areas of the Wet’suwet’en Nation’s territory.
“If the Canadian state decides to unjustly criminalize and confine Sleydo’, Shaylynn, and Corey, Amnesty International will not hesitate to designate them as prisoners of conscience,” said Ana Piquer, Americas director at Amnesty International. “Canada is on the sadly long list of countries in the Americas where land defenders remain at risk for their essential work.”
“If the Canadian state decides to unjustly criminalize and confine Sleydo’, Shaylynn, and Corey, Amnesty International will not hesitate to designate them as prisoners of conscience. Canada is on the sadly long list of countries in the Americas where land defenders remain at risk for their essential work”
-Ana Piquer, Americas director at Amnesty International
The criminalization of Wet’suwet’en land defenders has sparked an international outcry and calls for Canada to respect Indigenous rights. Last year, Sleydo’, Sampson and Jocko were a featured case in Write for Rights, Amnesty International’s annual global letter-writing campaign. Since the fall, thousands of people around the world have sent letters and signed petitions calling on Canada to drop the charges against the three defenders.
Source: Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University – Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University –
On February 19, in honor of the 126th anniversary of SPbPU, the traditional student ball was held in the Fundamental Library, where the best students and postgraduates were awarded. The medal of the best graduate of 2025 was received by Vyacheslav Bugaev, who graduated with honors from the Institute of Computer Science and Cybersecurity.
During his studies, Vyacheslav achieved impressive results. In 2019, a student of the Polytechnic University registered the computer program “NGAL
In 2024, Vyacheslav was awarded the highest award of the Polytechnic University – the “For Merit” badge. Interview with the best graduate of the Polytechnic University of 2025 Vyacheslav Bugayev Read in our regular column “Person”.
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.
The Sciences Po Crisis-Lab is a research, experimental and training hub in the human and social sciences working on adaptation to critical situations. Inspired by the principles of the Lab Schools founded in the 1960s by John Dewey, it seeks to identify innovative ideas, to experiment them on the ground, and then draw lessons for action and learning.
Crisis-Lab is an autonomous space driven by researchers in the human and social sciences with a long experience in studying crisises, working in close collaboration with crisis professionals, primarily in public organizations in charge of crisis management, but also in private companies and NGOs.
Crisis-Lab has three main objectives
Produce a state of the art in human and social sciences relative to crises. From this, conduct innovative research on cooperation and coordination in critical situations, the organization of expertise and decision-making, the behavior of populations, mobility and immobility issues, the role of technologies, big data and social networks, finally ethical and democratic issues.
Develop training programs that put self acquisition of knowledge on crises by students at the core of the pedagogical project, by continuously confronting them with the resolution of concrete situations or problems. In parallel, offer training courses leading to a qualification which emphasise the organisational and human dimension of crisis management and apprehend crisis situations from the point of view of social actors.
To experiment, in the form of simulation exercises of a profoundly renewed format and returns on past crises, different modalities of adaptation to critical situations, taking advantage of the results and reflections engaged in the research component of the Crisis-Lab.
Biodiversity to Bioeconomy How Biotechnology is Transforming North East India
Posted On: 21 FEB 2025 2:53PM by PIB Delhi
Nestled in the lap of the Himalayas and blessed with lush biodiversity, India’s North East Region (NER) is a land of hidden treasures. Its vibrant landscapes, rich culture, and vast pool of resources offer immense potential for innovation. Now, with the transformative power of biotechnology, the NER is not just preserving its natural heritage but also scripting a new chapter of growth and sustainability.
Imagine a region where farmers cultivate medicinal plants that fuel both health industries and local incomes, where young researchers develop resilient crop varieties that withstand changing climates, and where bio-entrepreneurs thrive by transforming indigenous knowledge into global products. This vision is steadily turning into reality, thanks to the Department of Biotechnology’s North Eastern Programme. The main objectives of the programme are:
Since 2010, DBT has consistently allocated 10% of its annual budget to specialized programmes in the NER, aiming to bridge the gap between potential and prosperity. These initiatives focus on harnessing endemic bioresources, promoting biotech education, and creating employment opportunities through bio-based entrepreneurship.
North Eastern Programme timeline
Biotechnology thrives on knowledge and innovation. Recognizing this, the DBT has launched multiple educational and training programmes focused on NER:
Twinning R&D Programme for NER
The programme was initiated in 2010-2011 towards developing core competence and capacity in various areas of biotechnology through collaboration of Institutes from North East India with other leading Institutes across the country. The programme has catalyzed vibrant collaborations between 65+ institutions from NER and those from the rest of India in various spheres of biotechnology, where close to 650 R&D projects has been supported benefitting around 450 researchers and 2000 young researchers / students.
Collaborations under the DBT- Twinning R&D Programme
Establishment of Biotech Hubs across NER
Since 2011, a network of 126 Biotech Hubs were established across NER, providing necessary infrastructure in universities/ colleges/ institutions and the required training in sophisticated technologies to support and promote biological sciences / biotechnology education and research. In the Phase-II, 54 Biotech have been supported for focused Research & training on local issues.
Biotechnology Labs in Senior Secondary schools (BLiSS) of NER
To create awareness among school students about biological sciences at the school level and also to provide an environment of access to a well-equipped laboratory, DBT initiated a programme for establishing “Biotechnology Labs in Senior Secondary Schools (BLiSS)” in NER in 2014.
Visiting Research Professorship (VRP) programme
The Programme was initiated in 2015, to utilize the expertise of outstanding scientists for bringing advancements in the Biotechnology and Life Science related activities in various institutions of research and higher learning in the NE States of India.
Specialized training programmes for NE researchers by National Institutions
Chemical Ecology Programme between NER and Bangalore Institutes (NCBS, UAS and IISc.) initiated in 2015, trained and equipped young scientists from the NER to produce quality research outcomes by providing tailormade interdisciplinary training to Ph.D. students and postdoctoral fellows recruited under collaborative projects in the field of chemical ecology.
Enhancing Capacity in Genomics-Driven Research in Human Health & Disease in the North-East Region by DBT-NIBMG, Kaylani.
The programme, initiated in 2016 provided comprehensive training to scientists, research students and clinicians belonging to the NER, engaged in “Biomedical Research”. Short-term training programme included workshops on various aspects of molecular and genetics-based analyses, handling clinical materials such as blood and tissue samples and/or cell lines.
The following Human Resource Development focused programmes are being implemented in the North Eastern Region:
Programmes to support locals
To emphasise services to farmers, and academics, the “DBT-North East Centre for Agricultural Biotechnology (DBT-NECAB): Phase III” project has been supported. Similarly, to strengthen Citrus research in NER, facilities were established at Institute of Horticulture Technology (IHT), Mandira, Assam, for the generation of certified scion material from Khasi mandarin (Citrus reticulata) and sweet orange. Rootstocks free from Citrus greening bacteria (CGB) and Citrus tristeza virus have been developed.
In view of promoting sustainable bioresources, a total area of 64.1 acres was covered for captive cultivation of selected medicinal crops like Curcuma caesia and compound-rich lemongrass (elemicinrich and methyl-eugenol-rich). About 649 farmers and entrepreneurs from NER benefited from the training and awareness program. Additionally, an essential oil distillation unit has been installed at Mudoi village, Arunachal Pradesh, to support farmers in revenue generation. Furthermore, the Docynia indica, commonly known as Assam apple or wild apple, has been successfully explored towards making value-added products such as pickles, jam, candy, juice, etc., and the knowledge is being popularized among the tribal communities of Assam and Meghalaya through awareness campaigns and meetings
The major outcomes of the North Eastern programmes are:
Bacterial Blight resistant introgressed rice variety “Patkai”: A rice variety has been developed by AAU- Assam using introgressing blight resistant from improved samba mahsuri (ISM) into Ranjeet Sub1 background. This variety was notified by Central Variety Release Committee (CVRC)
Lateral flow assay for the rapid detection of brucellosis: A chimeric protein conjugate based Lateral Flow Assay (LFA) for the detection of anti-brucella antibodies in multiple livestock was standardized. The analytical sensitivity considering iELISA test as gold standard with sera sample revealed significant positivity in lateral flow tests.
Mobile app – Pig Disease Diagnosis Expert System (PDDES), a Computer-based application to assist in the diagnosis of pig diseases or medical conditions was developed. Using PDDES, veterinarians, farmers, and other swine industry professionals can quickly identify and treat diseases to minimize their impact on pig production and profitability. The application is available in Google playstore.
By harnessing the region’s rich biodiversity and empowering local communities through education, research, and entrepreneurship, the Department of Biotechnology’s initiatives are not only preserving cultural and ecological heritage but also driving sustainable economic growth. As North East India continues to evolve into a hub of bio-innovation, it sets a remarkable example of how science and tradition can coexist to shape a prosperous and sustainable future.
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